cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bridging the bandwidth gap: measures to maintain bandwidth availability

With ever-increasing bandwidth requirements due to bandwidth-intensive applications such as Napster, Gnutella, Audiogalaxy, various Internet games and so forth, we were faced with determining how to bridge the gap between the amount of bandwidth we provided to our clients and the amount our clients consumed in meeting their individual needs and desires.This paper will provide details on the issues we confronted in using a bandwidth-shaping tool and in deciding to increase our total amount of bandwidth. This paper will also discuss the factors we dealt with in developing an overarching policy for handling network usage.
MODIS vegetation metrics as indicators of hydrological response in watersheds of California Mediterranean-type climate zones.

Abstract Vegetation characteristics of a watershed can be important in estimating hydrological response variables (HRVs) such as streamflow (Q), evapotranspiration (ET), and river yield (Q/P). Quantifying the relationship between satellite-derived vegetation metrics and hydrological response to precipitation (P) has the potential to facilitate prediction of HRVs for ungauged watersheds, and/or aid in the assessment of watershed similarity as an initial phase of hydrological regionalization. The utility of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite data to estimate HRVs of watersheds at the regional scale (southern and central California) is tested in this study. An exhaustive statistical regression analysis was conducted to quantify the relationships between MODIS vegetation metrics and HRVs using both ordinary least squares and spatially varying parameter models. Additionally a confirmatory analysis was conducted to test the effect precipitation and potential evaporation have on the exploratory regression results. Results from both the exploratory and confirmatory analyses suggest that (1) while there are limitations in the water balance approach to estimating ET (errors associated with changes in storage and meteorological data are unknown), moderate statistical relationships exist between MODIS vegetation metrics and HRVs; (2) these relationships are heavily influenced by vegetation–precipitation relationships and general precipitation magnitudes; (3) relationships between MODIS metrics and precipitation/HRVs are strongest when drought conditions prevail; and (4) LAI has the strongest relationship with precipitation and HRVs compared to other MODIS vegetation metrics.
Granular CPU power measurement for SMP clusters

One of the key challenges in optimizing CPU power consumption at the program level is the difficulty of precisely measuring the power consumption of the CPU (as distinct from other system components) during the various phases of a program's execution. This paper presents a scalable CPU power measurement framework with its associated reporting and data acquisition components that can be used to accurately measure program-related CPU power consumption on symmetric multiprocessor (SMP) cluster systems.
Ectromelia Virus Inhibitor of Complement Enzymes Protects Intracellular Mature Virus and Infected Cells from Mouse Complement

Poxviruses produce complement regulatory proteins to subvert the host's immune response. Similar to the human pathogen variola virus, ectromelia virus has a limited host range and provides a mouse model where the virus and the host's immune response have coevolved. We previously demonstrated that multiple components (C3, C4, and factor B) of the classical and alternative pathways are required to survive ectromelia virus infection. Complement's role in the innate and adaptive immune responses likely drove the evolution of a virus-encoded virulence factor that regulates complement activation. In this study, we characterized the ectromelia virus inhibitor of complement enzymes (EMICE). Recombinant EMICE regulated complement activation on the surface of CHO cells, and it protected complement-sensitive intracellular mature virions (IMV) from neutralization in vitro. It accomplished this by serving as a cofactor for the inactivation of C3b and C4b and by dissociating the catalytic domain of the classical pathway C3 convertase. Infected murine cells initiated synthesis of EMICE within 4 to 6 h postinoculation. The levels were sufficient in the supernatant to protect the IMV, upon release, from complement-mediated neutralization. EMICE on the surface of infected murine cells also reduced complement activation by the alternative pathway. In contrast, classical pathway activation by high-titer antibody overwhelmed EMICE's regulatory capacity. These results suggest that EMICE's role is early during infection when it counteracts the innate immune response. In summary, ectromelia virus produced EMICE within a few hours of an infection, and EMICE in turn decreased complement activation on IMV and infected cells.
A replacement for Voronoi diagrams of near linear size

For a set P of n points in R/sup d/, we define a new type of space decomposition. The new diagram provides an /spl epsi/-approximation to the distance function associated with the Voronoi diagram of P, while being of near linear size, for d/spl ges/2. This contrasts with the standard Voronoi diagram that has /spl Omega/ (n/sup [d/2]/) complexity in the worst case.
Temporal surface reconstruction

An approach which allows an arbitrary structure estimation to be embedded into a recursive estimation process that incrementally improves a structure estimate with every new frame that becomes available is discussed. The approach is based on Bayesian estimation theory and the Kalman filter. The authors demonstrate how it may be applied to such domains as depth from motion and depth from shading. >
Clinton's Encounter with the Separation of Powers: ‘United’ and ‘Divided’ Gridlock

Soon After The Democratic Candidate For President Of The United States in 2000, Al Gore, conceded defeat to George W. Bush, he engaged in a heated exchange with President Bill Clinton over why he had lost the election. Gore argued that Clinton's sexual escapades, and public qualms about other character issues, notwithstanding strong approval ratings for the job he was doing as president, had contributed significantly to Gore's defeat. Clinton retorted that Gore blew an ideal chance to run on the record of the Clinton administration and fumbled a perfect opportunity to become president. However, the Clinton record proves ambiguous at best. Indeed, the aftertaste has carried strongly over to his first hundred days out of office. The dubious pardons, ‘conversion’ of public property from the White House and rental rates at prime Manhattan locations have grabbed more headlines and provided more grist for talk shows, it often seems, than negative coverage of George W. Bush. Indeed, in terms of negatives, we run the risk of seeing Clinton's first hundred days out of office eclipse Bush's first hundred days in the presidency.
Anaerobic Benthic Microbial Processes: Changes from the Estuary to the Continental Shelf

Anaerobic microbial processes produce a unique set of conditions for plants and animals in salt marsh estuaries. These processes are most active within the estuary and very nearshore environments. The change in their activity as one proceeds seaward affects both inorganic and organic nutrient regeneration and animal activities.
Operating system support for application-specific speculation

Speculative execution is a technique that allows serial tasks to execute in parallel. An implementation of speculative execution can be divided into two parts: (1) a policy that specifies what operations and values to predict, what actions to allow during speculation, and how to compare results; and (2) the mechanisms that support speculative execution, such as checkpointing, rollback, causality tracking, and output buffering.In this paper, we show how to separate policy from mechanism. We implement a speculation mechanism in the operating system, where it can coordinate speculations across all applications and kernel state. Policy decisions are delegated to applications, which have the most semantic information available to direct speculation.We demonstrate how custom policies can be used in existing applications to add new features that would otherwise be difficult to implement. Using custom policies in our separated speculation system, we can hide 85% of program load time by predicting the program's launch, decrease SSL connection latency by 15% in Firefox, and increase a BFT client's request rate by 82%. Despite the complexity of the applications, small modifications can implement these features since they only specify policy choices and rely on the system to realize those policies. We provide this increased programmability with a modest performance trade-off, executing only 8% slower than an optimized, application-implemented speculation system.
A critical decrease in dominant frequency and clinical outcome after catheter ablation of persistent atrial fibrillation.

Background Termination of persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) by radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is associated with a high probability of freedom from AF but requires extensive ablation and long procedure times. Objective The purpose of this study was to determine whether a critical decrease in the dominant frequency (DF) of AF is a sufficient endpoint for RFA of persistent AF. Methods Antral pulmonary vein isolation (APVI) followed by RFA of complex fractionated atrial electrograms (CFAEs) in the atria and coronary sinus was performed in 100 consecutive patients with persistent AF. The DF of AF in lead V1 and in the coronary sinus was determined by fast Fourier transform (FFT) analysis at baseline and before termination of AF to identify a critical decrease in DF predictive of sinus rhythm after RFA. Results A ≥11% decrease in DF had the highest accuracy in predicting freedom from atrial arrhythmias, with a sensitivity of 0.71 and a specificity of 0.82 (P Conclusion In a retrospective analysis of consecutive patients with persistent AF, a decrease in the DF of AF by 11% in response to APVI and ablation of CFAEs was associated with a probability of maintaining sinus rhythm that was similar to that when RFA terminates AF.
An Improved Wet Digestion Procedure for the Analysis of Total Arsenic in Biological Samples by Direct Hydride Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry

The presence of dimethylarsinic acid (DMAA) in biological samples can cause an underestimation of total arsenic content when analyzed relative to an inorganic arsenic standard by direct hydride flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry. An acid digestion procedure is described that quantitatively recovers DMAA as well as monomethylarsonic acid, inorganic arsenic(III), and arsenic(V) from aqueous and biological samples. Methylated arsenicals are converted to inorganic arsenic by wet digestion with HNO3, H2SO4, and K2Cr2O7 and subsequently reduced to arsenic(III) with Nal. Arsine is generated with NaBH4 and converted to atomic arsenic following immediate introduction into a nitrogen-entrained air-hydrogen flame. This method produces a linear relationship to absorbance within a mass range of 50 to 300 ng arsenic/arsine reaction. A sensitivity of 2 ng arsenic and a detection limit of 7 ng arsenic/arsine reaction were also obtained. Recovery of DMAA from water, urine, feces, or whole blood ranged from 92 to 105% with a coefficient of variation of 5 to 10%.
Inaccurate Estimation of Disparities Due to Mischievous Responders Several Suggestions to Assess Conclusions

This article introduces novel sensitivity-analysis procedures for investigating and reducing the bias that mischievous responders (i.e., youths who provide extreme, and potentially untruthful, responses to multiple questions) often introduce in adolescent disparity estimates based on data from self-administered questionnaires (SAQs). Mischievous responders affect a wide range of disparity estimates, including those between adoptees and nonadoptees, sexual minorities and nonminorities, and individuals with and without disabilities. Thus, the procedures introduced here have broad relevance to research and can be widely, and easily, implemented. The sensitivity-analysis procedures are illustrated with SAQ data from youths in Grades 9–12 (N = 11,829) to examine between-group disparities based on sexual identity, gender identity, and physical disability. Sensitivity analyses revealed that each disparity estimated with these data was extremely sensitive to the presence of potentially mischievous responders. Pat...
Politics and Social Spending in Latin America

We examine the determinants of social expenditure in an unbalanced pooled time-series analysis for 18 Latin American countries for the period 1970 to 2000. This is the first such analysis of spending in Latin American countries with a full complement of regime, partisanship, state structure, economic, and demographic variables, making our analysis comparable to analyses of welfare states in advanced industrial countries. Democracy matters in the long run both for social security and welfare and for health and education spending, and—in stark contrast to OECD countries—partisanship does not matter. Highly repressive authoritarian regimes retrench spending on health and education, but not on social security.
Thinking with restriction: immigration restriction and Polish Jewish accounts of the post-liberal state, empire, race, and political reason 1926–39

This paper investigates how educated Jewish observers struggled to understand the causes of the global immigration restriction that so impacted East European Jewry in the 1920s and 1930s, and uses their competing explanations, convictions, and uncertainties to reveal underlying structures of Jewish political understanding in the interwar period more broadly. Efforts to explain restriction, the ways in which it seemed both to target Jews and to be part of a general closure of the developed world, and questions of timing demanded reflection on the most fundamental questions of the interwar political order. Did state policies flow from economic reason, and did nationalisation, democratisation, and socialisation of domestic politics alter this causal pattern? In a world where closed borders were the default, what difference did statehood or statelessness make? What was the meaning and implication of the deployment of “race” in others' debates about restriction, and what role did global race-thinking play in d...
Direct Modulation of Semiconductor Lasers

In Chaps. 8 and 9 techniques were described for modulating the light of a semiconductor laser by using external electro-optic or acousto-optic modulators. However, it is also possible to internally modulate the output of a semiconductor laser by controlling either the current flow through the device or some internal cavity parameter. Such direct modulation of the laser output has the advantages of simplicity and potential for high frequency operation. The topic of direct modulation of injection lasers is considered in this chapter; this follows the discussions of semiconductor laser fundamental principles and operating characteristics in Chaps. 10–12, so that the reader will be better prepared to appreciate the subtleties of the methods involved.
Postabsorptive and Postprandial Energy Expenditure and Substrate Oxidation Do Not Change during the Menstrual Cycle in Young Women

There is little information on the effects of the menstrual cycle on the thermic effect of feeding (TEF) and postprandial substrate oxidation. To ad dress these issues, a dose-response study was con ducted in eight young women to whom test meals con taining 0, 1046, 2092 and 4148 kJ were administered on nonconsecutive days, once each during the follicular phase and once during the luteal phase of the men strual cycle. Postprandial energy expenditure was measured until it returned to base line (test duration for the 0 kJ meal was matched to duration of 4184 kJ meal). There was no significant difference between menstrual cycle phases in the duration of the thermo- gA©nie response to any size meal. TEF, calculated by four different methods, did not differ between follicular and luteal phases, and a comparable dose-response was observed in both phases. Similarly, there was no effect of menstrual cycle phase on postabsorptive or postprandial protein, fat, or carbohydrate oxidation. In conclusion, postabsorptive and postprandial energy expenditure and substrate oxidations did not differ in young women during the follicular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle. J. Nutr. 126: 2531-2538,
Nuclear Security and Nuclear Emergency Response in China

The rapid expansion of China's nuclear industry poses a security challenge not only for the Chinese government, but also the international community. China's nuclear regulators and nuclear emergency responders face a shortage of human resources and expertise. China's nuclear emergency responders are overwhelmingly focused on nuclear reactor safety issues and have only begun to prepare for acts of nuclear terrorism. While the political leadership is seeking to strengthen nuclear security in light of international attention and the risk that a single incident could pose for future growth, these efforts are complicated by limited inter-agency coordination, an outdated and at times contradictory legal structure, and ambiguities in the division of regulatory responsibilities. This article outlines the major players in Chinese civilian nuclear security and nuclear emergency response, then discusses their responsibilities, plans, and interactions.
Heuristic Sequencing Crossover: Integrating Problem Dependent Heuristic Knowledge into a Genetic Algorithm

Dispatch scheduling policies offer a computationally inexpensive approach to many scheduling problems as an alternative to more processor intensive search algorithms. They are especially useful in dynamic situations where problem solving may be temporally constrained. However, dispatch heuristics have also been effectively used for guidance within more intensive search algorithms, expanding their applicability well beyond simple myopic job or task selection. In this paper, we present a new crossover operator for genetic algorithms (GA) where a permutation representation is employed. Our new operator directly integrates problemdependent knowledge in the form of a dispatch scheduling policy into the crossover step of a GA which is usually a problem-independent recombination. Our novel crossover operator, Heuristic Sequencing Crossover (HeurX), recombines elements of M parents into a single child and is specifically designed for steady-state GAs. We empirically demonstrate its effectiveness on a strongly NP-Hard scheduling problem known as Weighted Tardiness Scheduling with Sequence-Dependent Setups. We compare our approach to a generational GA using a problem-independent crossover operator. We show the potential power of integrating problemdependent knowledge via a dispatch heuristic into what is traditionally a problem independent problem solver.
PRIVATIZATION OF CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES.: Getting the Lion Back in the Cage?

Florida is a state in flux in terms of its child protective services organization. The Department of Children and Families has suffered numerous failures in protecting children in its care. Publicity surrounding these defects have led to major overhauls in the agency itself, as well as a concerted effort to move forward toward privatization of virtually all services currently administered by the department. Many of the initial attempts at privatization have already failed; others have had to be revamped to allow for unforseen problems. It is appallingly true that Florida, like any other state with serious issues in child protective services, has an absolute obligation to search for the “miracle cure” for its ailments. But only serious attention to the mistakes of the past and the will to correct them will allow Florida to finally put its children first in its citizens' hearts and minds, where they belong.
Assessing Snowfall Rates from X-Band Radar Reflectivity Measurements

Abstract Realistic aggregate snowflake models and experimental snowflake size distribution parameters are used to derive X-band power-law relations between the equivalent radar reflectivity factor Ze and the liquid equivalent snowfall precipitation rate S (Ze = ASB). There is significant variability in coefficients of these relations caused by uncertainties in the snowflake bulk densities (as defined by the mass–size relationships), fall velocities, and particle size distribution parameters. The variability in snowflake parameters results in differing Ze–S relations that provide more than a factor of 2 difference in precipitation rate and liquid equivalent accumulation estimates for typical reflectivity values observed in snowfall (∼20–30 dBZ). Characteristic values of the exponent B in the derived for dry snowfall relations were generally in the range 1.3–1.55 (when Ze is in mm6 m−3 and S is in mm h−1). The coefficient A exhibited stronger variability and varied in the range from about 30 (for aircraft-b...
Correlation of Signal and SNR Thermal Decay

Media thermal stability is characterized by using spin-stand tests for both signal and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) decay. Agreement is shown between vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and spin-stand evaluations of the thermal decay rate dependence on linear density. For an equalized system, there is linear correlation between measured SNR and signal decay rates. Equalization to targets with DC content will result in higher decay
Functional module identification in protein interaction networks by interaction patterns.

Motivation: Identifying functional modules in protein–protein interaction (PPI) networks may shed light on cellular functional organization and thereafter underlying cellular mechanisms. Many existing module identification algorithms aim to detect densely connected groups of proteins as potential modules. However, based on this simple topological criterion of ‘higher than expected connectivity’, those algorithms may miss biologically meaningful modules of functional significance, in which proteins have similar interaction patterns to other proteins in networks but may not be densely connected to each other. A few blockmodel module identification algorithms have been proposed to address the problem but the lack of global optimum guarantee and the prohibitive computational complexity have been the bottleneck of their applications in real-world large-scale PPI networks. Results: In this article, we propose a novel optimization formulation LCP2 (low two-hop conductance sets) using the concept of Markov random walk on graphs, which enables simultaneous identification of both dense and sparse modules based on protein interaction patterns in given networks through searching for LCP2 by random walk. A spectral approximate algorithm SLCP2 is derived to identify non-overlapping functional modules. Based on a bottom-up greedy strategy, we further extend LCP2 to a new algorithm (greedy algorithm for LCP2) GLCP2 to identify overlapping functional modules. We compare SLCP2 and GLCP2 with a range of state-of-the-art algorithms on synthetic networks and real-world PPI networks. The performance evaluation based on several criteria with respect to protein complex prediction, high level Gene Ontology term prediction and especially sparse module detection, has demonstrated that our algorithms based on searching for LCP2 outperform all other compared algorithms. Availability and implementation: All data and code are available at http://www.cse.usf.edu/~xqian/fmi/slcp2hop/. Contact: ude.fsu.liam@eijiy or ude.umat.ece@naiqx Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
A minor tyrosine phosphorylation site located within the CAIN domain plays a critical role in regulating tissue-specific transformation by erbB kinase

Avian c-erbB encodes a protein that is homologous to the human epidermal growth factor receptor. Truncation of the amino-terminal, ligand-binding domain of this receptor results in an oncogene product which is a potent inducing agent for erythroleukemias but not fibrosarcomas in chickens. Here we show that mutation of a single tyrosine residue, p5, in the carboxyl terminus of the erbB oncogene product allows it to become sarcomagenic in vivo and to transform fibroblasts in vitro. Mutations of other autophosphorylation sites do not generate comparable effects. The increased transforming activity of the p5 mutant is accompanied by an elevated level of mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation. By analogy to the human epidermal growth factor receptor, p5 is a minor autophosphorylation site and is located in a domain known to be involved in regulating calcium influx and receptor internalization (CAIN domain). This area of the erbB product has been found to be repeatedly deleted in various sarcomagenic avian erythroblastosis virus isolates. We precisely deleted the CAIN domain and also made point mutations of the acidic residues within the CAIN domain. In both cases, fibroblast-transforming potential is activated. We interpret these data to mean that p5 and its surrounding region negatively regulate fibroblast-transforming and sarcomagenic potential. To our knowledge, this represents the first point mutation of an autophosphorylation site that activates erbB oncogenicity.
Cannabinoid modulation of dopaminergic circuits in neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders

The endocannabinoid system timely orchestrates a variety of cerebral physiological processes by modulating brain neurotransmitters, and in particular the dopamine system. Both endocannabinoid and dopamine receptors are highly abundant and often coexpressed in the basal ganglia and mesolimbic pathways, where they regulate motor functions and motivational aspects of behavior. Understanding the interrelationship between these two systems is crucial to gain new insight on the pathophysiology of brain disorders characterized by a dysregulation of dopamine, such as Parkinson’s disease and schizophrenia. This review aims at: (1) presenting the complex functional interactions between these two neurotransmitter systems at the anatomical, pharmacological, cellular and electrophysiological levels, and (2) addressing the contribution of disturbances of cannabinoid–dopamine interactions to neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders.
Optoelectronics in two-dimensional semiconductor alloys (Presentation Recording)

Two -dimensional transition-metal dichalcogenides (2D-TMDs) have attracted attention for applications in electronics and photonics, as well as for the wealth of new scientific phenomena that arise at low dimensionality. Recently, the ability to grow 2D-TMDs by chemical vapor deposition has opened the path to large area devices, but also to the synthesis of semiconductor alloys with tunable bandgaps. In this presentation, I will discuss our recent experimental work in exploring the optoelectronic properties of 2D MoS_2(1-x)Se_2x alloys spanning the compositional range. In particular, we report the observation of a new regime of operation where the photocurrent depends superlinearly on light intensity. We use spatially-resolved photocurrent measurements on devices consisting of CVD-grown monolayers to show the photoconductive nature of the photoresponse, with the photocurrent dominated by recombination and field-induced carrier separation in the channel. Time-dependent photoconductivity measurements show the presence of persistent photoconductivity for the S-rich alloys, while photocurrent measurements at fixed wavelength for devices of different alloy compositions show a systematic decrease of the responsivity with increasing Se content associated with increased linearity of the current-voltage characteristics. A model based on the presence of different types of recombination centers is presented to explain the origin of the superlinear dependence on light intensity, which emerges when the non-equilibrium occupancy of initially empty fast recombination centers becomes comparable to that of slow recombination centers.
Home monitoring of heart failure patients at risk for hospital readmission using a novel under-the-mattress piezoelectric sensor: A preliminary single centre experience:

Introduction A piezoelectric sensor (PS) converts mechanical deformations into electrical signals. We used a contactless under-the-mattress PS to monitor physiological vibrations resulting from breathing, pumping of the heart, and body movements, among individuals at home following hospitalization for heart failure (HF). Our objectives were to assess acceptability of the device in the home, to assess physiological patterns, and to determine if altered patterns correlate with readmission. Methods We conducted a prospective observational study of 30 patients discharged home following HF hospitalization. PS data included a continuous nightly assessment of heart rate, respiration rate, movement rate, rapid and shallow respiration duration, and a behaviour score. We utilized random forest classification to classify average nightly data by readmission status. Results We collected 640 nights of PS data from 29 patients. There were nine readmissions, of which four were for HF. PS monitoring was tolerated by all but one of the participants. We inspected continuous nightly physiological profiles and noted differences between patients who were and were not readmitted. Patients readmitted for HF had higher average heart and respiration rates, and more respiration variability. Average nightly respiratory rate was most predictive of readmission. Discussion We are the first to study nocturnal physiological patterns of HF patients at home using a contactless under-the-mattress monitoring system. We noted patterns that may be unique to patients at risk for readmission due to HF. Respiratory rate was the most important risk-adjusted associate of readmission for HF. Further studies should investigate the efficacy of home PS monitoring in HF populations.
The Technology of Crop/Weather Modeling

This paper discusses the technology of crop modeling including its applications, problems and needs that can assist in providing a kind of early warning tool to help stabilize the world food security problems. Illustrations are provided to suggest that depending on the use of the model as well as the availability of data, a range of technological development in using weather data can be useful.
Properties of refractories after exposure to high pressure gases: II—Effect of exposure time

The chemical resistance of commercial and experimental cementbonded castables and phosphatebonded ramming mixes to an atmosphere of CO, CO2, H2, H2O, CH4 and H2S at 6.9 MPa (1000 psia) and 231, 371, and 538 °C was evaluated from their physical and mechanical properties and by XRD and DTA/TGA after exposure. The major changes in properties occurred during the first ten days and then generally remained constant up to the maximum exposure of sixty days. Cementbonded castables exposed to saturated atmospheres showed a significant increase in flexural strength and decrease in porosity which corresponded to the formation of boehmite, AlO(OH). The dissolution of CaO and P2O5 from the cement and phosphate bond phases, respectively, occurred in saturated atmospheres, but the dissolution of CaO had no major effect upon the flexural strength. Phosphatebonded refractories became weaker after exposure to saturated atmospheres. All of the refractories were structurally intact after the 60 day exposure.
SU-F-T-226: QA Management for a Large Institution with Multiple Campuses for FMEA

Purpose: To redesign our radiation therapy QA program with the goal to improve quality, efficiency, and consistency among a growing number of campuses at a large institution. Methods: A QA committee was established with at least one physicist representing each of our six campuses (22 linacs). Weekly meetings were scheduled to advise on and update current procedures, to review end-to-end and other test results, and to prepare composite reports for internal and external audits. QA procedures for treatment and imaging equipment were derived from TG Reports 142 and 66, practice guidelines, and feedback from ACR evaluations. The committee focused on reaching a consensus on a single QA program among all campuses using the same type of equipment and reference data. Since the recommendations for tolerances referenced to baseline data were subject to interpretation in some instances, the committee reviewed the characteristics of all machines and quantified any variations before choosing between treatment planning system (i.e. treatment planning system commissioning data that is representative for all machines) or machine-specific values (i.e. commissioning data of the individual machines) as baseline data. Results: The configured QA program will be followed strictly by all campuses. Inventory of available equipment has been compiled, and additional equipment acquisitions for the QA program are made as needed. Dosimetric characteristics are evaluated for all machines using the same methods to ensure consistency of beam data where possible. In most cases, baseline data refer to treatment planning system commissioning data but machine-specific values are used as reference where it is deemed appropriate. Conclusion: With a uniform QA scheme, variations in QA procedures are kept to a minimum. With a centralized database, data collection and analysis are simplified. This program will facilitate uniformity in patient treatments and analysis of large amounts of QA data campus-wide, which will ultimately facilitate FMEA.
Caspase‐1 as a multifunctional inflammatory mediator: noncytokine maturation roles

Caspase-1 is an inflammatory caspase that is activated through formation of inflammasome complexes in response to both pathogen-derived and endogenous mediators. The most well-known function of active caspase-1 is to cleave the proforms of inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and -18 into their active forms in response to inflammatory stimuli in immune cells. However, recent evidence suggests that caspase-1 has multiple functions in addition to this cytokine maturation role and that it is at the center of many cell responses to stress and inflammation. The current review focuses on roles for caspase-1, and the closely related caspase-11, in inflammatory forms of cell death and protein cleavage and also in protein secretion. These alternative caspase-1 functions can influence inflammatory responses, not just in immune cells but in other cell types, such as epithelia, where inflammatory cytokine production may not be a primary cell function.
Seeking Northlake: place, technology, and public as enabling constraints for urban transdisciplinary research

Abstract This article reviews the urban transdisciplinary research of the Northlake Collective, a multidisciplinary group of graduate students in the University of Washington's Lake Union Laboratory. Through a series of place-based investigations, we explored a small slice of Seattle ultimately seeking to engage the public through an online digital humanities portal. The broader goal of our work and this paper is to address how we, as a team of emerging scholars, understand and investigate ‘cities’ in the current century as both networked at the global scale and dynamic places for everyday interactions and processes. The paradoxes and complexity inherent to understanding the ‘city’ and how to address these concerns led us to develop a framework that might enrich grounded urban theory through the ‘enabling constraints’ of place, technology and public. The productive character of these three concepts, combined with the practical constraints and interrelationships they bring to bear, allowed us to deepen our work and produced the context for our research of Northlake. We propose this tripartite framework for exploring the contemporary city via the structure afforded by transdisciplinary, born-digital collaborations.
Thermal Inactivation and Subsequent Reactivation of Staphylococcal Enterotoxin B in Selected Liquid Foods

Thermal inactivation and reactivation kinetics of staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) were studied in buffer and certain liquid food systems using three serological techniques (single-gel diffusion method, radioimmunoassay, and microslide). Heating temperatures were 80–100 C and times were 0–5 min. Initial toxin concentrations employed were 0.008–5 μg/ml. Inactivation of SEB was faster in the earlier stages of heating and was much slower during continued heating. With the exception of phosphate buffered saline, reactivation of heated SEB was observed even when with small initial quantities of SEB. Reactivation (% activity) was greater when the heating time was shorter at any temperature.
Ti6Al4V/SS316 multi-metallic structure fabricated by laser 3D printing and thermodynamic modeling prediction

Directly, welding titanium alloy and stainless steel can cause brittle Ti-Fe intermetallics which compromise join bonds’ mechanical properties. In this research, laser 3D printing was applied to explore a new Ti6Al4V/SS316 multi-metallic structure, in which a novel filler transition route was introduced (Ti6Al4V ➔ V ➔ Cr ➔ Fe ➔ SS316) to eliminate the Ti-Fe intermetallic phases. To evaluate this novel route, a thin wall sample was fabricated via laser 3D printing following the transition route. Microstructure characterization and composition distribution analysis were performed via scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS). The SEM depicted the microstructure morphology. The EDS result showed element gradient distribution, which reflected the transition route design. X-ray diffraction (XRD) tests indicated formed stable phases in the sample. The formed phase at Cr/Fe interface was also tested through analyzing microstructure and XRD pattern, then compared with the standard sigma phase XRD pattern. All of the above results demonstrated that the intermetallics were effectively eliminated by using the transition route. In addition, a thermodynamic modeling was employed to predict the Ti6Al4V/SS316 multi-metallic structure’s formed phases at room temperature. All the predicted stable phases were verified by the XRD results. The above research results are good contributions in the research of joining titanium alloy and stainless steel.
A Canonical Biotin Synthesis Enzyme, 8-Amino-7-Oxononanoate Synthase (BioF), Utilizes Different Acyl Chain Donors in Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli.

ABSTRACT BioF (8-amino-7-oxononanoate synthase) is a strictly conserved enzyme that catalyzes the first step in assembly of the fused heterocyclic rings of biotin. The BioF acyl chain donor has long been thought to be pimeloyl-CoA. Indeed, in vitro the Escherichia coli and Bacillus sphaericus enzymes have been shown to condense pimeloyl-CoA with l-alanine in a pyridoxal 5′-phosphate-dependent reaction with concomitant CoA release and decarboxylation of l-alanine. However, recent in vivo studies of E. coli and Bacillus subtilis suggested that the BioF proteins of the two bacteria could have different specificities for pimelate thioesters in that E. coli BioF may utilize either pimeloyl coenzyme A (CoA) or the pimelate thioester of the acyl carrier protein (ACP) of fatty acid synthesis. In contrast, B. subtilis BioF seemed likely to be specific for pimeloyl-CoA and unable to utilize pimeloyl-ACP. We now report genetic and in vitro data demonstrating that B. subtilis BioF specifically utilizes pimeloyl-CoA. IMPORTANCE Biotin is an essential vitamin required by mammals and birds because, unlike bacteria, plants, and some fungi, these organisms cannot make biotin. Currently, the biotin included in vitamin tablets and animal feeds is made by chemical synthesis. This is partly because the biosynthetic pathways in bacteria are incompletely understood. This paper defines an enzyme of the Bacillus subtilis pathway and shows that it differs from that of Escherichia coli in the ability to utilize specific precursors. These bacteria have been used in biotin production and these data may aid in making biotin produced by biotechnology commercially competitive with that produced by chemical synthesis.
"Executive Pay Dispersion, Team Cognition, and Firm Performance"

Why does high executive pay dispersion harm firm performance? Executive pay dispersion (henceforth pay dispersion) refers to the variance in pay among executives occupying the same level of the organizational hierarchy. There is a growing consensus that pay dispersion harms firm performance. The current literature argues that pay dispersion results in lower firm performance by evoking social comparisons within the top management team, which then lead to reduced cooperation. Absent from this explanation, however, are the details of how executives’ economic interests factor in their decisions to cooperate. Also absent are explanations of how pay dispersion may impact coordination in the top management team. This paper addresses these two gaps using a formal simulation model. First, we present a more dynamic model of cooperation in which social comparisons dominate cooperation decisions when executives are near their aspiration levels, but economic motivations dominate when they are distant from their aspira...
Social protection and persons with disabilities

"Social protection is an essential condition for social and economic development for all, but particularly for those who experience poverty and social exclusion. Social protection programmes can play a crucial role in alleviating and preventing poverty and vulnerability to secure people's well-being. They can also enhance the productivity, employability and economic development of people by creating better income-earning opportunities for them. Moreover, social protection can foster social inclusion and participation by ensuring effective access to food, health care, education and support services. Thus, well-designed social protection programmes have the potential to directly improve the enjoyment of rights of persons with disabilities. Regrettably, traditional disability-welfare approaches have promoted the opposite, building and spreading charity and medical perspectives in social protection responses. As a result, for too long, many national social protection systems resulted in furthering paternalism, dependence, segregation and institutionalization of persons with disabilities, limiting their opportunities to live independently in their communities. The United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities challenges these views, promoting social protection systems that are inclusive of persons with disabilities and which facilitate active citizenship, social inclusion and community participation. The Convention calls on States parties to ensure that persons with disabilities receive equal access to mainstream social protection programmes and services as well as access to specific programmes and services for disability-related needs and expenses such as support services. Against this background, this article aims to discuss why and how States and other stakeholders should ensure the establishment of disability-inclusive social protection systems, in conformity with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities."
The association between hardship and self-rated health: does the choice of indicator matter?

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between four specific forms of hardship (difficulty paying bills, ongoing financial stress, medication reduction due to cost, and food insecurity) and self-rated health among older men and women. Methods Cross-sectional logistic regression analysis was conducted using the 2010 wave of the Health and Retirement Study Leave-Behind Questionnaire (N = 7619) to determine the association between four hardship indicators and self-rated health. Hardship indicators (difficulty paying bills, ongoing financial stress, medication reduction due to cost, and food insecurity) were dichotomized (0 = no hardship, 1 = yes hardship) for this analysis. Results After adjusting for sociodemographic factors, participants reporting difficulty paying bills had an 1.8 higher odds of reporting poor self-rated health (95% confidence intervals [CI]: 1.57, 2.15) and those reporting taking less medication due to cost had a 2.5 times higher odds of poor self-rated health (95% CI: 1.97, 3.09) compared to those not reporting these hardships. When stratified by gender, and adjusting for sociodemographic factors, men who took less medication due to cost had a 1.93 higher odds of low self-rated health (95% CI: 1.39, 2.67) and women who took less medications due to cost had a 2.9 higher odds of reporting poor self-rated health (95% CI: 2.23, 2.70) compared to women not reporting these hardships. Conclusions Research in this area can provide greater conceptual and measurement clarity on the hardship experience and further elucidate the pathway between specific hardships and poor health outcomes to inform intervention development.
Tobacco Advertising and the Media: Structural Barriers to the Communication of Health Risks and Benefits

ABSTRACT Use of the unregulated mass media to convey the health hazards of smoking and to encourage smoking cessation is today severely limited because of the tobacco industry's influence ever the editorial content of these media. This paper discusses and documents the scope of this de facto censorship, outlines its effect upon the public's perception of the health risks from smoking, and suggests possible remedies within the legal framework of a free press anC a free-enterprise tobacco industry.
Predicate Automated Proof Systems Completeness of Classical Predicate Logic

We define and discuss here a Rasiowa and Sikorski Gentzen style proof system QRS for classical predicate logic. The propositional version of it, the RS proof system, was studied in detail in Chap. 6 These both proof systems admit a constructive proof of completeness theorem. We adopt Rasiowa, Sikorski (1961) technique of construction a counter model determined by a decomposition tree to prove QRS completeness Theorem 10.4. The proof, presented in Sect. 10.3, is a generalization of the completeness proofs of RS and other Gentzen style propositional systems presented in details in Chap. 6 We refer the reader to this chapter as it provides a good introduction to the subject.
Cultural psychology for a new era of citizenship politics

In the current era of citizenship politics, both legal citizenship and cultural citizenship have become highly contested social categories and new bases for social discrimination. Psychological stu...
Sustained System Oscillation by Malicious Cyber Attacks on Distributed Energy Resources

In conventional power grids, the power system stabilizer (PSS) is designed to damp low-frequency oscillations. With the increasing penetration of distributed energy resources (DER), the power system dynamics is continuously changing and the damping control design for PSS should be reconsidered. This paper demonstrates a cyber attack scenario in which the design flaws of the PSS are exploited and the power output of the DER is manipulated to cause sustained oscillations or even system instability. Test results on the Kundur two-area system with aggregated DER have shown that the proposed attack scenario can cause high-amplitude sustained oscillations. As a sustained oscillation mitigation methodology, dissipative energy flow (DEF) based technique has been implemented to detect the source of forced oscillation.