cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The crime of the century? The case for the Holocaust

With the twentieth century now ended the Holocaust is surelya leading contender for the title of ``The Crime of the Century.''Although a massive literature exists on the Holocaust, very littleof this literature has been produced by criminologists. Somereasons for this relative neglect are identified and a case ismade for the claim that criminology can contribute to anunderstanding of the Holocaust and that the Holocaust cancontribute to the development of a more profound criminology. Thispaper draws upon an integrative criminological approach toconstruct a framework for understanding the Holocaust. This multi-disciplinary framework links philosophical, sociolegal,sociological, behavioral and criminological dimensions todiscriminate between unique and non-unique aspects of the Holocaustas a case of genocide and as crime. The paper closes with someobservations on the relevance of the Holocaust for challengesconfronting a twenty-first century criminology.
Lateral bearing capacity of hybrid monopile-friction wheel foundation for offshore wind turbines by centrifuge modelling

Abstract The hybrid monopile-friction wheel foundation is an innovative alternative for offshore wind turbines. The concept has wider adaptability and can be used as reinforcement method for existing monopiles. A series of centrifuge tests was performed to investigate the lateral bearing capacities of the hybrid foundation under monotonic loads. Five foundation models and two soil types were considered. According to the recorded responses, the hybrid foundation demonstrated better lateral behaviors that both lateral bearing capacity and stiffness are enhanced. Two analytical methods were proposed and compared with the centrifuge test results. The bearing capacity of the hybrid foundation is smaller than the sum of individual pile and friction wheel, and a reduction factor is suggested for both friction wheels. The friction wheel restrains rotations of monopile and provides extra restoring moments; their effects are idealized as equivalent moments acting on the pile head. The analytical results provide possible solutions in estimating the lateral bearing capacity of the innovative hybrid foundation system for offshore wind turbines by using traditional theories.
Memories of Walter Kohn at Bell Labs and After

Walter was one of an exciting generation of students who showed up at Harvard right after the war, having all kinds of interesting backgrounds — Los Alamos and other wartime labs, the military, refugees like Walter, mixed in with very young recent undergraduates For good reason, he took his studies very seriously, and he may have thought of me as rather light-weight — in any case, we were not much more than acquainted, and went our separate ways, he to a postdoc in Europe and I to Bell Labs, having now become serious, since I had acquired a family to support. So my very real and deep friendship with Walter began after ’53, when he and Quin Luttinger began the annual summer visits to Bell Labs which were so enormously fruitful for both parties. They represented for us an important contact with the wider world of theoretical physics as it was then evolving, with new mathematical methods such as quantum field theory, as well as a new lifestyle which Jeremy Bernstein was to later dub “the Leisure of the Theory Classes” involving personally administered research contracts which allowed lecturing at summer schools or workshops held in glamorous resorts, attendance at international meetings, and the like. But at the same time Quin and Walter were producing a series of papers of great practical as well as intellectual value, doing such things as sorting out effective mass theory in the complex case of real semiconductors, putting transport theory on a sound basis, and comparing detailed theory of shallow impurity states with experiment.
Adrenal Gland Histology

The adrenal glands are composed of two distinct types of tissue: adrenal cortical tissue and adrenal medullary tissue. The adrenal cortex is approximately 2 mm thick and surrounds the adrenal medulla. The adrenal cortex shows zonation with the thin discontinuous zona glomerulosa most peripherally, the zona fasciculata comprising most of the cortex, and the innermost zona reticularis cells, which are adjacent to the adrenal medulla. The adrenal cortex synthesizes mineralcorticoids, glucocorticoids, and sex steroids. These steroids have been associated with different zones of the adrenal cortex, with aldosterone produced by the zona glomerulosa, cortisol produced by the zona fasciculata and somewhat by the zona reticularis, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate synthesized by the zona reticularis and somewhat by the zona fasciculata. This simplified characterization is proving more complex as more is learned about the adrenal cortex.
Analysis of physiologically-motivated signal processing for robust speech recognition.

This paper discusses the relative impact that different stages of a popular auditory model have on improving the accuracy of automatic speech recognition in the presence of additive noise. Recognition accuracy is measured using the CMU SPHINX-III speech recognition system, and the DARPA Resource Management speech corpus for training and testing. It is shown that feature extraction based on auditory processing provides better performance in the presence of additive background noise than traditional MFCC processing and it is argued that an expansive nonlinearity in the auditory model contributes the most to noise robustness.
Behavioral Impact of Naturalistic and Wilderness Settings

Abstract Environmental psychologists have long understood that exposure to the natural world profoundly impacts human behavior. Moreover, contact with nature, or simulations of nature, can provide benefits to the well-being of humans, offering opportunities to enhance both physical and mental health. Evidence suggests the green space offered by natural settings produces a therapeutic and restorative effect on humans, and is of particular importance for those living in urban environments. The following chapter reviews the impact of natural or naturalistic recreational settings on human mental and physical health, cognition, and social parameters. More specifically, the authors take a closer look at how recreational settings including zoos, aquariums, and botanical gardens compare to naturalistic settings by providing ample green space and blue space, thereby creating pathways for improved cognitive function, social relationships, and overall mental and physical well-being.
Parental Consent: An Unnecessary Barrier to Adolescent Obstetrical Care

When adolescents in the United States become pregnant, these young mothers experience differential access to obstetrical services, including prenatal, intrapartum, and postpartum care. As of 2018, 13 states in the United States do not afford a pregnant minor rights to prenatal care without parental consent, and 13 states do not ensure confidentiality from parental disclosure. Because of this, young mothers may avoid seeking timely and medically necessary care, not to mention counseling regarding preventive health services and monitoring of underlying chronic conditions. Lack of access during these critical months leads to missed essential opportunities for intervention and increased pregnancy-related risks to the mother and infant. It is imperative for obstetricians and gynecologists to value, support, and advocate for adolescents' emerging autonomy and personal agency to make informed decisions about their own bodies during their pregnancies, but also in making the choice to prevent future pregnancies through contraception.
Neuroimaging Findings in Primary Mitochondrial Cytopathies

Mitochondrial cytopathies are a complex group of disorders reflecting nuclear DNA or mitochondrial DNA dysfunction which leads to impaired cellular energy (ATP) production, resulting in peculiar brain imaging findings on MRI. The growing knowledge regarding molecular, biochemical, and genetic defects associated with mitochondrial cytopathies corresponds to an increasing number of clinical and neuroimaging phenotypes. This chapter describes the main imaging findings of mitochondrial cytopathies in children, providing a rational approach to their differential diagnosis based on multimodal imaging analysis and clinical evaluation.
Evaluation of Preoperative Pain Using PROMIS Pain Interference in Knee Surgery Patients

Given that pain relief is often the primary goal of orthopaedic surgery, an accurate assessment of pain is paramount. The objectives of this cross-sectional analytical study were to (1) compare how the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) pain interference (PI) computer adaptive test (CT) performs against the Numeric Pain Scale (NPS) measure in evaluating pain, and (2) to determine demographic, clinical, and psychosocial correlates of PI in an urban population undergoing a variety of knee surgeries. We hypothesized that there would be a strong correlation between PI and NPS, with minimal floor and ceiling effects; and that a worse PI score would be associated with a worse general health profile. The sample consisted of 412 patients undergoing knee surgery at an urban academic center. Patients were preoperatively administered measures of health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Bivariate and multivariable statistical analyses were performed to identify significant independent predictors. The mean PI score was 60.3 ± 7.2 and had no floor or ceiling effects, whereas NPS demonstrated a greater percentage of patients scoring at the extremes of the measure. Worse PI scores were associated with older age, higher body mass index (BMI), greater comorbidity, lower income, smoking, female gender, Hispanic ethnicity, Black race, unemployment, opioid use, lower expectations, and greater American Society of Anesthesiologists score (p
Children into Swans: Fairy Tales and the Pagan Imagination

I am leery of books that begin with an account of how the author became interested in the subject. If the book has something to say, it should say it. The origins of the author’s interest are usual...
Challenges of Islamic Insurance (Takaful) Globally

This research analyzes the constraints in Islamic insurance (takaful) and its impact on performance of takaful operators/industry operating in Islamic countries. It is a qualitative research as it reviews a lots of literatures for identifying issues in a takaful industry of Islamic countries. The Content of twenty four relevant papers was analyzed. The constraints were categorized which is the contribution of this study. Market players by properly addressing the categorized constraints can bring significant growth in takaful sector. According to content analysis, there are following constraints in takaful industry of Islamic countries: takaful concept awareness, lack of education, different takaful models, lack of standardization, scarcity of human resources, real earnings management, corporate governance, technical efficiency, rural market, small penetration rate, inadequate technology capabilities, differences in culture, less number of shariah re-insurance, non- sharaih compliance risk, operating efficiency, human capital, income level of participants, and large size of takaful companies.This study highlights the constraints which can be considered by AAOIFI and IFSB for improving the standards of takaful industry operating at global level. Moreover, takaful operators can also get a view of all the constraints and can work on their policies for surviving with the above mentioned constraints for giving a better performance in the insurance market.
Abstract P105: Sex Hormonal Changes of Calcium-Sensing Receptor and Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System in Salt-Sensitive Rats via Exposure of High Salt Diets

The CaSR regulates Ca2+-mediated release of parathyroid hormone (PTH) from parathyroid cells by sensing small changes in serum Ca2+concentration. The receptor is also involved in the regulation of ...
TeraChem Cloud: A High-Performance Computing Service for Scalable Distributed GPU-Accelerated Electronic Structure Calculations.

The encapsulation and commoditization of electronic structure arise naturally as interoperability, and the use of nontraditional compute resources (e.g., new hardware accelerators, cloud computing)...
Providing an Ethical Framework for Smart Learning: A Study of Students’ Use of Social Media

This paper presents the results of a series of surveys conducted in 2018–2019 with Masters in Business Administration (MBA) and Masters in Human Resource Management (MSHR) students and with undergraduate business law students concerning their perceptions of academic integrity in the smart classroom. The surveys also sought to capture students’ assessments of the efficacy of instructors’ use of smart technology, specifically social media, to enhance e-learning. One hundred and eighty-eight graduate and 26 undergraduate students participated in the study. Independent samples t-tests were conducted on select questions based on enrollment status, gender, and age. There were statistically significant differences on responses to two of the three questions on academic integrity based on enrollment status and on age. Results were inconclusive with regard to the second question with respect to the impact that social media has on students’ learning, due to students’ limited exposure to smart technology as an instructional tool. Students’ perceptions of the value of social media for e-learning were similar to findings in researchers’ earlier study of instructors’ use of social media to enhance learning. Where social media had been incorporated in the course, the students, as well as the instructors, chose Google Docs and YouTube as the most effective for learning.
Dynamic Eye Tracking as a Predictor and Outcome Measure of Social Skills Intervention in Adolescents and Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder

To evaluate an eye tracking task as a predictor and outcome measure of treatment response for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) social skills interventions, adolescents and young adults with ASD completed the eye tracking task before, immediately after, and two months after completing Social Cognition and Interaction Training for Autism (SCIT-A). The study compared SCIT-A participants (n = 20) to participants with ASD who received treatment as usual (TAU; n = 21). Overall, increased visual attention to faces and background objects and decreased attention to hands playing with toys at baseline were associated with improved social functioning immediately following intervention, suggesting this eye tracking task may reliably predict ASD social intervention outcomes.
LGB-Affirming School Climates and Sexual Health Outcomes Among U.S. High School Students 2015-2017: Differences by Sex and Sexual Identity.

Abstract Purpose Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) adolescents face disparities in sexual health outcomes compared to their heterosexual peers, which has implications for health outcomes and developmental trajectories. We examined whether adolescents living in jurisdictions with school climates that were more exclusionary toward LGB individuals engaged in higher risk sexual behaviors than those in jurisdictions with more inclusive school climates. Methods Data on sexual identity, age at first sex, condom use at last sex and the number of lifetime partners came from the 2015 (20 jurisdictions) and 2017 (19 jurisdictions) Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Surveys. Data on LGB climates in schools, aggregated to the state level, came from the School Health Profile Survey of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Multilevel multivariable regressions examined the association between LGB school climate and sexual behaviors, including effect modification. Results Overall, living in jurisdictions with more exclusionary LGB school climates was significantly associated with a lower age at first sex (β = –.04[–.07, –.02]) and a lower likelihood of condom use (OR = .94[.90, .98]), but not the number of lifetime partners. Associations differed by subgroup: sexual identity modified the relationship between school climate and age at first sex (β = –.09[–.15, –.03]) for bisexual adolescents, and school climate and condom use for bisexual (OR = .86[.76, .98]) and gay adolescents (OR = .66[.64, .68]). Conclusions Exclusionary LGB school climates are associated with a lower age at first sex and a lower likelihood of condom use for all adolescents, and particularly bisexual individuals. Additional research and practice should address school-level climates to support adolescents’ healthy sexual development.
Remittances and manufacturing sector growth in sub-Saharan Africa

This paper analyzes the link between remittances and the growth of manufacturing value-added (MVA) and explores whether the quality of institutions and exchange rate policy matter for the dynamics ...
Peer Support for Mental Health

Peer support for mental health seeks to reduce isolation, combat stigma, and promote hope, empowerment, recovery, and community. Modalities of peer support within mental health vary greatly in degree of formality and specific structure, approach, and the types of settings and organizations in which they are embedded. This includes participation in mutual support, peer-run organizations, and peer-delivered services. Research has demonstrated positive outcomes for peer support in mental health, particularly for outcomes associated with broader recovery processes, but studies have generally had significant methodological limitations. Key areas for further development include greater specification of peer support mechanisms, wider implementation of strategies for integrating peer support within organizations, and more rigorous research. Greater advocacy is also needed for expansion of funding sources and reimbursement mechanisms that preserve the flexibility and individualized approach of peer supports, as well as greater opportunities for adequate wages, career advancement, and leadership roles.
A Distance-based Separability Measure for Internal Cluster Validation.

To evaluate clustering results is a significant part of cluster analysis. Since there are no true class labels for clustering in typical unsupervised learning, many internal cluster validity indices (CVIs), which use predicted labels and data, have been created. Without true labels, to design an effective CVI is as difficult as to create a clustering method. And it is crucial to have more CVIs because there are no universal CVIs that can be used to measure all datasets and no specific methods of selecting a proper CVI for clusters without true labels. Therefore, to apply a variety of CVIs to evaluate clustering results is necessary. In this paper, we propose a novel internal CVI -- the Distance-based Separability Index (DSI), based on a data separability measure. We compared the DSI with eight internal CVIs including studies from early Dunn (1974) to most recent CVDD (2019) and an external CVI as ground truth, by using clustering results of five clustering algorithms on 12 real and 97 synthetic datasets. Results show DSI is an effective, unique, and competitive CVI to other compared CVIs. We also summarized the general process to evaluate CVIs and created the rank-difference metric for comparison of CVIs' results.
The Cost of Cancer: The Association of Financial and Cancer-Related Stress on Maladaptive Coping Styles in Families with a Cancer Diagnosis.

According to the American Cancer Society (2020), it is estimated that 1.8 million new cancer diagnoses will occur in 2019 in the United States. Due to the frequency of cancer diagnoses and the increasing costs of treatment, financial stress is common among cancer patients. Guided by the Family Systems Illness Model (FSI), a cross-sectional study of individuals and family members where there was an active cancer diagnosis (n = 53) was conducted. The study utilized structural equation modeling to examine the impact of cancer stress and financial stress on maladaptive family coping mechanisms, and in turn, their effect on family communication and satisfaction. Findings indicate individuals with higher financial stress reported greater cancer stress. In turn, individuals with higher cancer stress, reported higher rigidity in their family coping which was associated with less family satisfaction. Additionally, as individuals reported greater family disengagement and chaos, lower levels of family communication and satisfaction were found. These findings provide evidence to the complex stresses experienced by cancer patients and their families. Therapeutic implications of how emotionally focused therapy may support these families dealing with a cancer diagnosis are discussed.
Intrinsic speed capabilities and alliance partner attractiveness

This study focuses on the role of intrinsic speed capabilities, which refer to the ability to execute investment projects faster than competitors, in the attractiveness and selection of alliance partners. We predict that intrinsically faster firms have a higher likelihood of being selected as alliance partners due to the potential of accelerating the realization of future revenue streams of an alliance project as well as of preempting slower competitors. We also expect that intrinsic speed capabilities substitute for deficiencies in alliance experience and firm innovativeness. Using data on construction projects in the global Liquefied Natural Gas industry, we find empirical support for our theoretical expectations. Our results suggest that firm speed plays an important role in alliance partner selection and has the potential to facilitate the generation of future growth options for firms due to greater partner attractiveness in the market for alliance partners.
Animated Futurist Sculpting as Dynamic Implicit Shapes

In this work, we present an approach to obtain futurist sculptures. Our approach is inspired by the works of Italian Futurist artists such as Umberto Boccioni. Futurism, as an art movement, aims to achieve to define forms that are a product of time but is permanent in space. In this work, we have developed a methodology to produce a set of futurist sculptures from any given animation of any object that is defined as a triangular mesh. Each produced futurist sculpture is a still frame of what can be rendered as a sculpture animation. Our method is based on the conversion of a given polygonal mesh and its motion into an implicit shape in 4D space which consists of 3-spatial and one temporal dimension. To create each specific futurist sculpture, we compute a subset of this 4D implicit shape in a given time interval. The resulting immersion of 4D structure into the 3D spatial domain provides us desired futurist sculpture for the given time interval. The most important aspect of our methodology is the conversion of animated polygonal mesh into a 4D implicit shape. We first convert a polygonal mesh into a set of particles. Each particle can have its own color. All the points that are closer to the trajectory of the particle form an implicitly defined swept volume [Kim et al. 2004]. These swept volumes appear to be similar to the extrusion of a circle along a curve, but they are guaranteed to be free of artifacts caused by intersections.
Perceptions of Research Participation among a Sample of Florida Residents Aged 50 and Over Reporting Dementia

As the population ages, the prevalence of dementia will increase. More research is needed; however, low rates of research participation, especially by older adults, hinder progress. Data came from HealthStreet, a University of Florida community engagement program in which community health workers assess community members for their health conditions. Adults 50 and over were included in these analyses; their perceptions of health research studies were assessed. Our sample had an average age of 60.5 years and 4.3% reported dementia (n = 4,881). Overall, older adults reported a high willingness to participate in research. Individuals who reported dementia had 0.64 times the odds of reporting willingness to participate in a research study that required an overnight stay, compared to those who did not report dementia (95% CI: 0.45–0.89). We report on willingness to participate in research in a more granular basis than has been previously done. Community members reporting dementia, compared to those without, were as or more likely to desire future participation in health research. However, barriers to participation remain and must be addressed.
Model validation and analyses of parameter sensitivity and uncertainty for modeling long-term retention and leaching of PFAS in the vadose zone

Abstract PFAS are emerging contaminants widespread in the environment. As surfactants, PFAS tend to accumulate at solid–water and air–water interfaces in the vadose zone, which may pose long-term threats to groundwater. The primary factors that control the long-term retention of PFAS in the vadose zone remain poorly understood. To address this knowledge gap, we first use multiple datasets from transport experiments to validate a state-of-the-art mathematical model that incorporates transient variably saturated flow, surfactant-induced flow, and rate-limited and nonlinear solid-phase and air–water interfacial adsorption. We then employ the validated model to simulate and analyze the primary processes and parameters controlling the retention and leaching of PFAS in the vadose zone at a model fire-training-area site. Our simulations show that adsorption at solid–water and air–water interfaces leads to strong retention of PFAS in the vadose zone. The strength of retention increases with PFAS chain length and porewater ionic strength, while it decreases at greater PFAS concentrations due to nonlinear adsorption. Comprehensive parameter sensitivity analyses reveal that model predictions are most sensitive to parameters related to the air–water interfacial area and PFAS interfacial properties when air–water interfacial adsorption (AWIA) is more important than solid-phase adsorption (SPA). Predicted PFAS leaching rates vary by a wide range resulting from uncertainties in the input parameters, but the uncertainty range is much greater for longer-chain PFAS than that of their shorter-chain counterparts. The simulated arrival times to groundwater were found to follow log-normal distributions. Finally, model complexity analysis reveals that nonlinearity in AWIA and kinetic SPA and kinetic AWIA have a minimal impact on the long-term retention of PFAS under the wide range of field conditions examined in the present study.
Influence of personality traits on parasocial relationship with sports celebrities: A hierarchical approach

Using the 3M Model of Motivation and Personality as a theoretical framework, this study develops a three-level hierarchy of personality traits predictive of fans' parasocial relationship with sports celebrities. Specifically, the findings show that parasocial relationship with sports celebrities is determined positively by materialism (the elemental trait), negatively by self-esteem (the compound trait) and positively by interest in sports spectatorship (the situational trait). Practical and academic implications are provided. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The AXIOM model framework: Transforming requirements to native code for cross-platform mobile applications

The development and maintenance of cross-platform mobile applications is expensive. One approach for reducing this cost is model-driven development. AXIOM is a model-driven approach for developing cross-platform mobile applications that uses a domain specific language (DSL) to define platform-independent models for mobile applications. AXIOM uses a consistent model representation, called an Abstract Model Tree, as the basis for all model transformations and code generation. AXIOM could significantly reduce development time and cost while increasing the quality of mobile applications. In this paper we examine the AXIOM models, their underlying abstract model trees, and the structures of its different transformation rules to show how platform-specific concerns can be introduced in ways that preserve the model's platform-independence while still providing fine-grained control over the results of the transformation process.
Photocurrent density enhancement of a III-V inverse quantum dot intermediate band gap photovoltaic device

We measured the photocurrent density of quantum well (QW) and inverse quantum dot (IQD) photovoltaic devices. The photocurrent per unit area of IQD was enhanced as the carrier confinement became stronger with increasing diameter.
Microscopic calculation of {sup 6}Li elastic and transition form factors

Variational Monte Carlo wave functions, obtained from a realistic Hamiltonian consisting of the Argonne {nu}{sub 18} two-nucleon and Urbana-IX three-nucleon interactions, are used to calculate the {sup 6}Li ground-state longitudinal and transverse form factors as well as transition form factors to the first four excited states. The charge and current operators include one- and two-body components, leading terms of which are constructed consistently with the two-nucleon interaction. The calculated form factors and radiative widths are in good agreement with available experimental data.
Vacate: A Model for Personnel Inventory Planning Under Changing Management Policy

A model is described for projecting inventories of enlisted Naval personnel expected to result from management policy aimed at controlling the size and experience mix of the inventory. The effects of policy changes are modeled as changes in flow probabilities into and through an inventory partitioned along dimensions of experience level (length of service) and time until end of obligated service. An example is presented which illustrates several innovative features of the model which lead to an improved planning capability. Continuing efforts to improve the model are discussed.
Rhabdomyosarcoma of the head and neck in children

Abstract Objective : The purpose of this study was to determine the rhabdomyosarcoma types involving the head and neck (HN myogenin (96%); muscle-specific actin (74%), smooth muscle actin (12%). Nonmyogenic markers included: vimentin (100%), CD99 (16%), p53 (16%), pancytokeratin (10%), NSE (8%), LCA (6%), CD20 (6%), EMA (2%), and NB-84 (0%, neuroblastoma). Undifferentiated sarcoma expressed only vimentin. By ultrastructural examination, 44% had readily identified z-bands and myofilaments, 37% had infrequent to rare myofilaments and z-bands, and 19% had myotubular intermediate filaments. Conclusions : Distribution of H&N rhabdomyosarcoma IRS types is similar to that for all primary sites, with the exception that embryonal types are modestly increased while alveolar type is mildly decreased. There are many non-myogenic immunocytochemical markers that cross-react with rhabdomyosarcoma. Differentiation between favorable and unfavorable rhabdomyosarcoma types is important for appropriate therapy, and predicting prognosis and survival.
Demonstration of competence and progression activities for human fibroblasts.

Abstract Human embryonic lung fibroblasts (HEL) completed 4.5 population doublings in 6 days when maintained in DMEM supplemented with 10% human whole blood serum (WBS), plasma-derived serum (PDS) or defibrinogenated plasma containing 10 mM CaCl 2 . Plasma in the absence of additional calcium promoted less growth. Sera and plasma chromatographed through carboxymethyl Sephadex (CMS) supported only one population doubling. Increased growth resulting in three doublings was observed in CMS-treated WBS or PDS supplemented with commercially prepared platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF). The magnitude of this PDGF response was dependent on serum concentration. A significant increase in the proportion of cells incorporating [ 3 H]thymidine was observed in confluent cultures exposed to PDGF prior to incubation in WBS-CMS or PDS-CMS indicating competence and progression activities for human fibroblasts. In contrast, cells maintained in the presence of plasma-CMS failed to grow in response to PDGF. Factors bound to CMS columns restored growth-promoting activity to PDGF-supplemented WBS-CMS, PDS-CMS and plasma-CMS. However, growth-promoting CMS-bound components from plasma were lost during dialysis through membranes excluding materials above 12000 MW.
Lithography with a mask of block copolymer microstructures

Dense, periodic arrays of holes and troughs have been fabricated in silicon, silicon nitride, and germanium. The holes are approximately 20 nanometers (nm) wide, 20 nm deep, spaced 40 nm apart, and uniformly patterned with 3×1012 holes on a three inch wafer. To access this length scale, self-assembling resists were synthesized to produce either a layer of hexagonally ordered polyisoprene (PI) spheres or parallel cylinders of polybutadiene (PB) in a polystyrene (PS) matrix. The PI spheres or PB cylinders were then degraded and removed with ozone to produce a PS mask for pattern transfer by fluorine-based reactive ion etching. A PS mask of spherical voids was used to fabricate a lattice of holes and a mask of cylindrical voids was used to produce parallel troughs. This technique accesses a length scale difficult to produce by conventional lithography and opens a route for the patterning of surfaces via self-assembly.
Nonparametric Bayesian bioassay including ordered polytomous response

Abstract : Previous attempts at implementing fully Bayesian nonparametric bioassay have enjoyed limited success due to computational difficulties. We show here how this problem may be generally handled using a sampling based approach to develop desired marginal posterior distributions and their features. A useful extension is presented which treats the case of ordered polytomous response. Illustrative examples are provided.
Spaces with homothetic spheres

I. The Minkowskian geometry and the less familiar Funk geometry (see below) have homothetio balls {x~px~ p~ . It is the purpose of the present note to show that they are the only spaces with this property. The precise definitions and hypotheses are as follows: The space is denoted by R. a) A function xy is defined on R~R such that xx = e, xy~ o for x ~ y, xy + yz~ xz, xvx~ c and xxv~ o are equivalent, the balls B+(p,p) =~x;px ~ p~ (but not necessarily the B-(p,p) = x;xp~ p ) ) are compact. Any two distinct points x,y can be connected by a (metric) segment T(x,y), i.e. a curve z(t) (O 4 t $ xy) satisfying z(o) = x, z(xy) = y and (~) z(tl)z(t2) = t2 tl for t I o meaning x i x i n) v~ , i = I,..., moreover xy + yz > xz unless x,y,z are collinear. It follows that T(x,y) is unique and falls on the affine segment S(x,y) (i.e. (I 8)x + ~y, o ~ ~ I). Calling llne resp. hyperplane in D the intersection of an affine line resp. hyperplane with D if not empty, each oriented line ~+ can be written in the form z(t), ~(z) < t < o~ ,where
Prospective comparative evaluation of video US endoscope

Abstract Background: Limitations in the technical capabilities of the fiberoptic echoendoscope often necessitate concurrent diagnostic endoscopy at the time of an endosonographic (EUS) examination. Our aim was to determine whether a new video echoendoscope would allow the performance of EUS without diagnostic endoscopy. Methods: EUS examinations on all patients at two centers were initiated with a fiberoptic echoendoscope (period of 5 weeks) or a video echoendoscope (period of 6 weeks). Note was made of need for concurrent diagnostic endoscopy. The endosonographer also rated the mechanical, optical, and sonographic performance of the video instrument using a 9-point comparative scale (1 = much worse, 5=equal to, and 9=much better than fiberoptic echoendoscope). Results: A total of 103 patients including 40 and 28 with mural lesions and 22 and 15 with retroperitoneal lesions were examined with the fiberoptic and video echoendoscopes, respectively. Mean values for parameters rating the video echoendoscope's mechanical performance ranged between 5.0 and 5.9, optical performance ranged between 6.6 and 7.5, and sonographic performance ranged between 4.6 and 4.9. Concurrent diagnostic endoscopy was required less frequently when patients with mural lesions (18% vs. 70%, p p = no significance) were examined with the video echoendoscope compared with the fiberoptic echoendoscope. Conclusions: Moderately improved optics and slightly better mechanical characteristics of the new video echoendoscope allow the performance of EUS without concurrent diagnostic endoscopy in the majority of patients. (Gastrointest Endosc 1999;49:695-9.)
Physiological Profiles during Delay of Gratification: Associations with Emotionality, Self-Regulation, and Adjustment Problems.

Abstract This longitudinal study utilized a community sample of children ( N = 91, 45% female, 8–11 years at time 1) to investigate physiological responses (heart rate reactivity [HRR] and electrodermal responding [EDR]) during delay of gratification in relation to emotionality, self-regulation, and adjustment problems. Cluster analyses identified three profiles among children who successfully delayed: Children who waited easily with low EDR and moderate HRR, children who had difficulty waiting with high EDR and moderate HRR, and children who had difficulty waiting with low EDR and low HRR. The 3 clusters and children who did not wait were compared. Children with low EDR-low HRR had the lowest self-regulation, and like the no-wait group, demonstrated the greatest baseline adjustment problems. The high EDR-moderate HRR group demonstrated highest self-regulation and increases in depression across one year. Distinct profiles among children in delay contexts point to children who are over- and under-regulated with implications for adjustment problems.
ValuePack: value-based scheduling framework for CPU-GPU clusters

Heterogeneous computing nodes are becoming commonplace today, and recent trends strongly indicate that clusters, supercomputers, and cloud environments will increasingly host more heterogeneous resources, with some being massively parallel (e.g., GPU). With such heterogeneous environments becoming common, it is important to revisit scheduling problems for clusters and cloud environments. In this paper, we formulate and address the problem of value-driven scheduling of independent jobs on heterogeneous clusters, which captures both the urgency and relative priority of jobs. Our overall scheduling goal is to maximize the aggregate value or yield of all jobs. Exploiting the portability available from the underlying programming model, we propose four novel scheduling schemes that can automatically and dynamically map jobs onto heterogeneous resources. Additionally, to improve the utilization of massively parallel resources, we also propose heuristics to automatically decide when and which jobs can share a single resource.
Characterization of the structure and function of the gene for transcription factor BF-1, an essential regulator of forebrain development

Abstract Brain factor-1 (BF-1) is a winged-helix transcription factor which has been shown to be essential for the development of the cerebral hemispheres. We report here the cloning and characterization of the mouse BF-1 gene. We have identified two classes of alternatively spliced mouse BF-1 cDNA which are transcribed from distinct promoters. Both classes of cDNA encode identical BF-1 proteins. The class 1 mouse cDNA is the homolog of the previously reported rat and human BF-1 cDNAs, and accounts for about 90–95% of BF-1 expression in brain. Primer extension analyses show that the major promoter, P1, is TATA-less and has multiple transcription start sites. We identified neural cell lines which express BF-1 primarily from the P1 promoter, including the OBL21a and OBL21 cell lines derived from the oldfactory bulb. Expression of BF-1 is highest in proliferating OBL21 cells, declining as the cells differentiate in vitro. This correlates well within the reduction of BF-1 expression as the cells of the telencephalic neuroepithelium differentiate. Using these cells, we demonstrate that the genomic region between −3.7 kb and −79 bp upstream of the P1 promoter contains cell-specific enhancer activity in transient transfection assays.
Using Embedded Assessments to Promote Pedagogical Reasoning among Secondary Teaching Candidates.

Abstract The purpose of this documentary account is twofold. First, we describe two strategic instructional assignments embedded in university courses at a large research institution in the United States that were designed to help teaching candidates move toward mastery. Second, we explicate candidates' performances on the assessments as well as evidence of the reliability of the assessments and scoring procedures. This case study provides evidence that advanced secondary teaching candidates are able to address instructional issues and engage in the kind of pedagogical reasoning more characteristic of experienced teachers. Further, this account indicates that despite some challenges, it is feasible for multiple course instructors in a research institution to implement and score reliable, valid embedded assessments.
The Contemporary Doctrine of the Soviet State and its Philosophical Foundations

“The problem of the ‘dying away’ of the state,” observed A. Y. Vyshinsky rather sarcastically in a recent monograph, “is a purely theoretical problem.” Within the context of contemporary Soviet political theory, the accuracy of this observation is beyond question, although Vyshinsky would have been the first to admit that a “theoretical problem,” no matter how pristine, always reflects a practical quandary within the methodological precepts of Marxist-Leninist ideology. This particular theoretical problem conceals an important chapter in the profound transmutation of Marxist political theory and its philosophical substructure in the Soviet Union, for it was the failure to cope adequately with this utopian legacy which led to the abandonment of the eschatological categories of the Marxist doctrine and the erection of a totally new theoretical edifice supported by new philosophical foundations. Contrary to widespread impression, the theoretical problem of the Soviet state was not satisfactorily resolved at the 18th Party Congress in 1939, although the view is prevalent that Stalin was able to provide an adequate rationalization for the existence of the state in Soviet society. It was on this occasion that the late Soviet leader explained that the state was a necessary institution because of “capitalist encirclement” and that it would persist in socialist and communist society until this encirclement was finally liquidated.
Proteolytic processing of the Aplysia egg-laying hormone prohormone

By using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight MS, individual peptidergic neurons from Aplysia are assayed. A semiquantitative method is developed for comparing single-cell profiles by using spectral normalization, and peptides are localized to specific cells by mass spectrometric cell mapping. In addition to all previously identified products of the egg-laying hormone (ELH) gene, other peptides are formed from proteolytic hydrolysis of Leu-Leu residues within ELH and acidic peptide (AP). AP exhibits further processing to yield AP1–20 and AP9–27. These peptides appear to be colocalized in vesicles with ELH, transported to specific neuronal targets, and released in a Ca2+-dependent manner. A differential peptide distribution is observed at a specific target cell, and a low-frequency variation of AP, [Thr21]AP, is detected in a single animal.
Effects of a submaximal exercise protocol to recondition the pelvic floor musculature.

Background Although research has documented the efficacy of maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) exercise for improved pelvic floor muscle (PFM) strength, the efficacy of submaximal voluntary contraction (SVC) exercise for treatment of genuine stress urinary incontinence (GSUI) has not been described. Objective To compare the training-induced changes in endurance, strength, and muscle activity recruitment, and continence control in groups of women with GSUI who exercised the PFM using either near-maximal voluntary contraction (NMVC) or SVC effort. Methods Training-induced changes in PFM response to exercise were tested by using a quasi-experimental design. Thirty-two women, randomly assigned to either the SVC or NMVC exercise protocol group, were tested before and after training on endurance, muscle contraction strength, muscle activity recruitment, 10-hour weighed pad test for grams of urine loss, and subject-rated severity and frequency of leakage episodes. Repeated measures of specific study variables were retrieved and analyzed from home-training device computer memory and diary records. Changes in muscle activity recruitment, measured as microvolts of electromyogram (EMG) amplitude, were correlated with changes in muscle contraction strength and endurance. Results Increases in muscle contraction strength (t = 1.75; p = 0.045) and decreases in grams of urine leakage (t = -1.86; p = 0.036) were significant for the SVC group. No significant differences were found between the groups for changes in endurance, muscle activity recruitment, frequency of leakage episodes, or subject-rated severity of urine loss based on a 7-point Likert scale. Conclusions Study findings suggest that SVC exercise designed with specificity for gain in neuromuscular control may be beneficial for strengthening the PFM and increasing endurance of contractions to attain and maintain continence in women with GSUI.
Glucose causes lengthening of the microvilli of the neural plate of the rat embryo and produces a helical pattern on their surface

Prominent microvilli have been observed on the surface of neural plates in the embryos of many species. Since glucose is the main source of energy for embryos before neural tube closure and the onset of vascular circulation, it was of interest to study the relationship between these microvilli and glucose utilization in the neural plate. By applying microdrops of amniotic fluid to chemstrips, which colorimetrically measure glucose by glucose oxidase reaction, we determined that day 10 rat amniotic fluid glucose level was 31.6 ± 1.6 mg/dl. On day 10 and within about 20 min from removal of the decidual sites, no glucose was found in the amniotic fluid. By use of a scanning electron microscope, the microvilli of the day 10 neural plate were found to have a 10-fold increase in length during a 40-min exposure to Hanks' solution at 21–23°C. Similarly exposed embryos in Hanks' without glucose did not have microvillus elongation. However, under whole embryo culture conditions at 38°C no extension of the microvilli was found. In the closed neural tube of the day 10 embryo, the microvilli were stubby and did not elongate with glucose exposure. Similarly, day 11 and 14 embryos had short microvilli which did not elongate with direct exposure to glucose at 21–23°C. The short microvilli on the surface of the closed neural tube on day 11, 14, and 16 were associated with low glucose concentrations in the neural tube fluids. By use of a field emission scanning electron microscope, the surfaces of the microvilli in the extended position were seen to be covered by a right-handed helical array of globular objects the size of large molecules. The findings support the hypothesis that microvillar length may modulate glucose uptake. Shortening is associated with low concentrations of glucose in closed neural tubes, and lengthening occurs at glucose exposures of 100 mg/dl. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
ASYMMETRIC TUNNELING SOURCE MOSFETS: A NOVEL DEVICE SOLUTION FOR SUB-100NM CMOS TECHNOLOGY

The paper presents a simulation study of the physics and performance of novel asymmetric tunneling solutions for the sub-100nm MOSFET technology. Two device structures have been investigated: Schottky Tunneling Source MOSFET and band-to-band P+-N+ Tunneling Source MOSFET. The Schottky MOSFET exhibits degraded Ion and subthreshold swing (in spite of improved DIBL). On the other hand, the novel PNPN MOSFET shows high Ion/Ioff and steep subthreshold behavior.