cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Isolation of nuclei and nucleoli from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the methods for isolating subnuclear fractions enriched in nucleoli from various cell types. These methods are used to describe requirements for Pol I-dependent transcription in vitro and to identify nucleolar proteins. Isolated nucleoli are useful in the identification of ribosome subunit precursors in cultured cells. Isolation of nucleoli may provide an opportunity to explore nucleolar functions not directly related to ribosome biogenesis. Nucleoli are obtained from nuclei that are prepared according to a modification of a method. The methods for the isolation of nuclei and nucleoli are also described. Medium, buffers, and solutions that are sterilized are stored at 0–4°C. Ficoll and sucrose solutions, which are difficult to filter sterilize, are stored frozen at -20°C to prevent contamination. Frozen sucrose solutions should be completely mixed after thawing. Yeast strain differences and/or differences in culture medium result in a range of efficiencies of spheroplasting with the enzyme preparations. Pretreatment allows employing the conditions described with different strain backgrounds grown in different media. During the development of the method for the isolation of nucleoli, a number of steps in the procedure are optimized by the comparison of different conditions. The chapter summarizes the results of these comparisons.
Non-Intrusive Data Collection for Load Balancing of Parallel Applications

Abstract: It is highly desirable to have a tool to support dynamic load balancing for parallel computation in a large network of heterogeneous computers. Many schedulers and mid-wares developed to date can only support dynamic load balancing in homogeneous computation environments. Although our previously developed scheduler and load balancer can support heterogeneous environment, they are only applicable to domain decomposition based parallel applications. The main problem of the slow progress in the development of general load balancing tool is due to the difficulty of obtaining the needed information of the parallel application for load balancing. This paper describes new application execution information gathering methods that use an MPI profiler or use an available system tool, PROC. PROC is supported by some versions of UNIX operating systems and Linux. These two new methods are different from our previously used time stamp method that inserts time measuring library functions into the application code. These new execution gathering approach can support dynamic load balancing with general parallel applications and support network of heterogeneous computers. This new approach also makes a lot convenient for user to take the advantage of dynamic load balancing.
Exploring Exercise- and Context-Induced Peptide Changes in Mice by Quantitative Mass Spectrometry

Recent research suggests that exercise may help facilitate abstinence from cocaine addiction, though the mechanisms are not well understood. In mice, wheel running accelerates the extinction of conditioned place preference (CPP) for cocaine, providing an animal model for evaluating potential neurological mechanisms. The objective of this study was to quantify dynamic changes in endogenous peptides in the amygdala and dentate gyrus of the hippocampus in mice exposed to a context paired with the effects of cocaine, and in response to exercise. Male C57BL/6J mice conditioned to cocaine were housed with or without running wheels for 30 days. Following a CPP test and final exposure to either a cocaine- or saline-associated context, peptides were measured in brain tissue extracts using label-free matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MS) and stable isotopic labeling with liquid chromatography and electrospray ionization MS. CPP in mice was significantly reduced with running, which corre...
China's Influence in South Sudan: Prospects and Challenges

South Sudan, also known as the regional south part of Sudan, has suffered deeply through its birth and development. After it gained independence on July 9th, 2011, South Sudan has gradually developed, even with regional battles between Sudan and South Sudan. However, things changed in December of 2013, when the political power struggle broke out between President Kiir and his former deputy Riek Machar. This caused the civil war to begin and it continues to impact civilians’ lives. China, as one of the fastest growing economies around the world, has recognized the richness of natural resources in Africa, and China made enormous progress in Africa by following its “non-interference policy.” The non-interference policy basically says that China would only have business connections with other countries, and it would not interfere with other countries’ politics. Based on this policy and large investments, the Chinese government provided help to build roads, infrastructure, and housing. China has gained a high reputation and value inside the African community, including South Sudan. China had built and kept stable relationships with both Sudan and South Sudan until the civil war exploded. This review consists of three sections, and is based on research from articles and news. This report describes the civil war inside South Sudan, why China is heavily involved in South Sudan, and why South Sudan needs China for its development.
Investigation of the Orientation of δ Zirconium Hydrides Using Quantitative Phase Field Simulations Supported by Experiments

Light water reactor fuel cladding integrity is sensitive to the morphology of zirconium hydride precipitates,which can vary depending on the thermomechanical history of the cladding. This study provides insights on the orientation and stacking of nanoscale δ hydrides in a single grain of α zirconium using results from a newly developed quantitative phase field model and experimental observations. The model is informed by CALPHAD free energies and incorporates misfit strains due to the volume difference between the two phases, hydrogen in solid solution in the matrix, and thermal expansion. Simulation results on the growth, orientation, and stacking of nanoscale hydrides are supported by SEM observations of recrystallized zirconium.The model accurately predicts the elongated growth of δ hydrides along the basal plane of the α zirconium. Moreover, nanoscale hydrides are observed to stack circumferentially into long mesoscale hydrides. The effect of applied stress on the microstructure is investigated to probe the experimentally observed hydride reorientation phenomenon. This model predicts that hydride reorientation cannot be explained by radial growth of nanoscale hydrides, nor by a change of the most favorable stacking configuration in a single grain, since the applied stress needed to observe these phenomena is significantly greater than experimentally observed.
Poverty, Welfare, and Self-Sufficiency: Implications for the Social Work Profession

Social workers who feel having a legitimate mandate to carry the social justice core value of their profession must first grasp the depth and breadth of poverty. These workers must then comprehend ...
Global well-posedness and scattering for the defocusing cubic Schrödinger equation on waveguide ℝ2 × &#x1d54b;2

We consider the problem of large data scattering for the defocusing cubic nonlinear Schrodinger equation on ℝ2 × &#x1d54b;2. This equation is critical both at the level of energy and mass. The key ingredie...
The Fight Within: Parent-Educators Advocating for their Children with Autism Inside their Own School Districts:

Parents have advocated for the educational rights of their children with disabilities for decades, and more so since the reauthorization of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). A...
Peroxisome Plasticity at the Virus–Host Interface

Peroxisomes are multifunctional organelles with roles in cellular metabolism, cytotoxicity, and signaling. The plastic nature of these organelles allows them to respond to diverse biological processes, such as virus infections, by remodeling their biogenesis, morphology, and composition to enhance specific functions. During virus infections in humans, peroxisomes act as important immune signaling organelles, aiding the host by orchestrating antiviral signaling. However, more recently it was discovered that peroxisomes can also benefit the virus, facilitating virus–host interactions that rewire peroxisomes to support cellular processes for virus replication and spread. Here, we describe recent studies that uncovered this double-edged character of peroxisomes during infection, highlighting mechanisms that viruses have coevolved to take advantage of peroxisome plasticity. We also provide a perspective for future studies by comparing the established roles of peroxisomes in plant infections and discussing the promise of virology studies as a venue to reveal the uncharted biology of peroxisomes.
Blockchain technology through the lens of disruptive innovation theory

In recent years Blockchain technology as a decentralized database of transactions has received massive attention in academia and the professional world and it’s called one of the next disruptive technologies. However, almost all these studies have been applying the concept of disruption as a loose word in explaining Blockchain technology without any reference to disruptive technology theory in business and innovation research. Thus, this ambiguity necessitates a look into the juncture of Blockchain technology and disruptive innovation theory. This paper first seeks to shed some light on the fundamental concepts, features, and discussions of disruptive innovation theory and then summarizes and critiques the research in this area. Furthermore, the characteristic features of Blockchain technology and its applications in academic research are briefly discussed. Finally, by integrating ideas and looking at Blockchain technology from the disruptive innovation theory perspective in supply chain as a case industry, the author makes contribution by outlining a set of comparisons that passes the Blockchain technology from the lens of disruptive innovation theory to show whether there are features in this technology and its initial applications that signal potential disruptiveness in the supply chain.
Localized Impacts of Hurricane Irma on Diadema antillarum and Coral Reef Community Structure

Strong physical disturbance from hurricanes can disrupt coral reef ecosystems and precipitate a regime shift toward algal dominance, particularly in the absence of grazing pressure to regulate algal growth post-storm. Here, we examine the influence of Hurricane Irma on a keystone grazer, Diadema antillarum, and the surrounding coral reef benthic community in the Florida Keys. D. antillarum densities and test diameters, as well as percent cover of coral reef benthic groups, were measured at 10 sites in the middle and upper Keys before and after Irma. Significant decreases in mean D. antillarum density and median test diameter were observed following the storm. There was a correlation between the magnitude of decline in D. antillarum density and the magnitude of sediment deposition on reefs, suggesting that abrasion or burial from sediment transport may have contributed to D. antillarum mortality. We detected significant decreases in the percent cover of sponges and hydrocorals following the storm, but no change in scleractinian coral cover, which was very low (3% mean cover) at the onset of the study. Macroalgal cover increased at sites in the upper Keys and decreased at sites in the middle Keys. There was no relationship between post-storm D. antillarum density and the change in percent cover of macroalgae or turf-algal-sediment matrix (TAS), likely due to low overall abundance of the grazer. We predict that coral reefs will remain in an algal-dominated ecosystem state due to, among other factors, increasing frequency of strong hurricanes that impact the D. antillarum population.
Stories Communities Tell: How Deliberative Practitioners Can Work with Community Narratives

How do past experiences of public engagement shape the way communities view the role of public input today? In this article, we examine the case of a community in a mid-Atlantic college town whose civic history is shaped by stories of skepticism and hope regarding past experiences of public decision-making. We use methods of interpretive analysis to surface their stories—the tensions, the plot, the actors, and complicating events—to understand how communities make sense of their roles in civic life, the norms they share, and the values they wish their communities can practice. We argue that being attuned to the storied nature of civic culture provides an invaluable resource for practitioners of dialogue and deliberation to adapt the design of public engagement in a way that speaks to past experiences and brings forth the communities’ shared aspirations.
Ketamine induces immediate and delayed alterations of OCD-like behavior

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a psychiatric disorder characterized by intrusive obsessive thoughts and/or compulsive behaviors. Currently, serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs) provide the only pharmacological monotherapy for OCD, but response rates are insufficient. Ketamine, a noncompetitive NMDA receptor antagonist, was reported to have rapid, sustained therapeutic effects in OCD patients. However, the mechanisms remain unknown. Here, we aimed to provide a platform for investigating mechanisms underlying anti-OCD effects of ketamine treatment by assessing whether ketamine pretreatment could alleviate 5-HT1B receptor (5-HT1BR)-induced OCD-like behavior in mice. We assessed whether acute ketamine (0, 3, 10, 30 mg/kg), administered at two pretreatment time points (30 min, 24 h), would modulate 5-HT1BR-induced OCD-like behavior in mice. Behavioral measures were perseverative hyperlocomotion in the open field and deficits in prepulse inhibition (PPI) induced by acute pharmacological 5-HT1BR challenge. Three milligrams per kilogram of ketamine reduced 5-HT1BR-induced perseverative hyperlocomotion, but not PPI deficits, 24 h postinjection. In contrast, higher doses of ketamine were either ineffective (10 mg/kg) or exacerbated (30 mg/kg) 5-HT1BR-induced perseverative hyperlocomotion 30 min postinjection. At 24 h postinjection, 30 mg/kg ketamine reduced perseverative hyperlocomotion across all groups. Our results suggest that the 5-HT1BR-induced model of OCD-like behavior is sensitive to a low dose of ketamine, a potential fast-acting anti-OCD treatment, and may provide a tool for studying mechanisms underlying the rapid therapeutic effects of ketamine in OCD patients.
Choosing the Right Tune: A Review of Music Stimuli Used in Emotion Research

When designing a new study regarding how music can portray and elicit emotion, one of the most crucial design decisions involves choosing the best stimuli. Every researcher must find musical samples that are able to capture an emotional state, are appropriate lengths, and have minimal potential for biasing participants. Researchers have often utilized musical excerpts that have previously been used by other scholars, but the appropriate musical choices depend on the specific goals of the study in question and will likely change among various research designs. The intention of this paper is to examine how musical stimuli have been selected in a sample of 306 research articles dating from 1928 through 2018. Analyses are presented regarding the designated emotions, how the stimuli were selected, the durations of the stimuli, whether the stimuli are excerpts from a longer work, and whether the passages have been used in studies about perceived or induced emotion. The results suggest that the literature relies on nine emotional terms, focuses more on perceived emotion than on induced emotion, and contains mostly short musical stimuli. I suggest that some of the inconclusive results from previous reviews may be due to the inconsistent use of emotion terms throughout the music community.
Management of neurogenic orthostatic hypotension in the heart failure patient.

Abstract Neurogenic orthostatic hypotension (nOH) is a common comorbidity in patients with neurodegenerative diseases. It is associated with an increased risk of falls, incident cardiovascular disease, and all-cause mortality. There are over 5 million individuals in the U.S. with heart failure (HF) with an associated 50% mortality rate at 5 years. The prevalence of nOH and HF increase with age and, as the population continues to age, will be increasingly common comorbid conditions. Thus, the effective management of these conditions has important implications for public health. The management of orthostatic hypotension in the context of congestive heart failure is challenging due to the fact that the fundamental principles of management of these disease states are in opposition to each other. In this review, we will discuss the principles of management of nOH and HF and outline strategies for the effective treatment of these comorbid conditions.
Perseverations of the academy: A survey of wearable technologies applied to autism intervention

Abstract The Combating Autism Act of 2006 and its reauthorization in 2014 produced unprecedented interest in autism research. Computer Science researchers have devoted considerable attention to applying wearable technologies to existing autism interventions, as well as producing new forms of intervention. Many of these applications base their approach in popular conceptions of autism, leading the work to focus predominantly on social skills training. This survey reviews existing research inquiries and produces alternative research directions informed by emerging research in the fields of psychology, neurology, education, and critical disability studies. Wearable technologies may be uniquely suited to support and empower autistic people in sensorimotor integration, emotional regulation, executive function, communication, and other underrepresented domains of this misunderstood disability.
A Response to Frequently Asked Questions about the 2018 Lake Okeechobee, Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie Rivers and Estuaries Algal Blooms

Heavy rainfall with Hurricane Irma in 2017 and a rainy spring in 2018 set the stage for large-scale summer algal blooms in Lake Okeechobee and the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee Rivers and Estuaries. Concerned residents and visitors flocked to social media. Authors Lisa Krimsky, Ed Phlips, and Karl Havens read their posts and tweets and now respond to concerns and questions about algal blooms in this 7-page fact sheet published by UF/IFAS Extension and the Florida Sea Grant College Program. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/sg159
Infusing public service motivation (PSM) throughout the employment relationship: a review of PSM and the human resource management process

Employees are essential for the effective delivery of public services. Interest in human resource management (HRM) has increased, yet we still have much to learn about the contextually specific asp...
Variability of near‐fault seismic risk to reinforced concrete buildings based on high‐resolution physics‐based ground motion simulations

Author(s): Kenawy, M; McCallen, D; Pitarka, A | Abstract: Broadband physics-based simulated earthquake ground motions are utilized to characterize the regional-scale seismic risk to modern reinforced concrete (RC) structures. A highly dense dataset of ground motions covering a 100-km (Formula presented.) 40-km domain was generated using kinematic fault rupture models with varying rupture characteristics to represent shallow crustal earthquakes and resolved up to frequencies of 5 Hz. Over 40,000 nonlinear response history simulations of short- and mid-rise RC special moment frame buildings were conducted using simulation models that are capable of representing nonlinear behavior and component deterioration effects. The spatial variability of structural risk within a single earthquake scenario and between different rupture scenarios is examined, and the regions of strongest directivity effects and highest structural demands are identified. The structural demands may vary by factor of up to 8.0 at very short distances from the fault, and the large dispersion in the demands decreases significantly beyond a distance of 15 km. The interstory drift and member rotation demands are substantially impacted by important features of the geological structure and the characteristics of the rupture scenarios, particularly the presence of localized high-slip regions. The frequency characteristics of the structures are found to play an important role in determining the effects of near-fault ground motions on the structural response and expected damage. The results of this study suggest that the simulated ground motions, particularly those generated using the hybrid rupture approach, may offer reasonable structural risk estimates for low-frequency structures and conservative estimates for high-frequencynstructures.
Naked mole rat iPSCs and their noncanonical features: a novel tool for aging research

Abstract The naked mole rat (NMR; Heterocephalus glaber) is an emerging model organism for studies on aging and cancer due to its exceptional longevity and cancer resistance. Here, we review recent advances in the generation of NMR induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and discuss methods that have been developed to achieve NMR cell reprogramming. In addition, we provide an overview of the characteristics of NMR iPSCs, including their pluripotency and several noncanonical features. Finally, we discuss the future utility of these cells for biomedical purposes.
The Odd Weibull Inverse Topp–Leone Distribution with Applications to COVID-19 Data

This paper aims at defining an optimal statistical model for the COVID-19 distribution in the United Kingdom, and Canada. A combining the inverted Topp–Leone distribution and the odd Weibull family introduces a new lifetime distribution with a three-parameter to formulate the odd Weibull inverted Topp–Leone (OWITL) distribution. As a simple linear representation, hazard rate function, and moment function, this new distribution has several nice properties. To estimate the unknown parameters of OWITL distribution, maximum likelihood, least-square, weighted least-squares, maximum product spacing, Cramer–von Mises estimators, and Anderson–Darling estimation methods are used. To evaluate the use of estimation techniques, a numerical outcome of the Monte Carlo simulation is obtained.
Electronic cigarettes and public health awareness: a cross-sectional analysis of Google search inquiries.

The number of American adults who use electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) increased by 3 million people in 2018, up 38.3% from 8.1 to 11.2 million. Search data for ENDS were analyzed against relevant traits including state longitude, tobacco tax rate and national tobacco program funding. Searches increased 88% (95% CI, 70-100) over the last 5 years and peaked on 8 September 2019, after the CDC issued a warning about the link between ENDS and high-profile lung damage cases. Searches aimed at buying ENDS subsequently dropped 25% (95% CI, 20.1-29.6), while health-related ENDS searches spiked to their all-time high, increasing 22% (95% CI, -6 to 55) compared with the first half of 2019. ENDS searches are now more concentrated than 5 years ago, reversing the trend of the early 2010s, likely because certain states have passed laws to curb the use of ENDS. The public prefers searching for 'vaping' over 'e-cigarette' in a phenomenon similar to 'high fructose corn syrup' versus 'sugar'. Consequently, public policy discussions and public education campaigns need to use 'vaping' terms, and more states should enact policies that are strongly associated with lower ENDS usage, many of which we identify.
Increased short-sightedness in younger children associated with home schooling and confinement.

Objectives: To assess the refractive error of school age children following home confinement owing to the COVID-19 pandemic and to compare findings with preceding years. Setting: Ten elementary schools in Shandong, Feicheng, China, from 2015 to 2020. Patients: 123 535 children aged 6–13 years were assessed annually with an automated-refraction device. During 4 months of home isolation preceding the 2020 assessment, children in grades 1 and 2 (age 6–8 years) were taught online for 1 hour/day, whereas those in grades 3–6 (age 8–13 years) were taught for 2.5 hours/day. Outdoor activity was severely restricted, often to none. A Spot Vision Screener, an automated assessment of refractive error, was held at 1 m from the patient in the pre-COVID-19 era. In the COVID-19 era (2020), there were three method changes. First, screeners stood at 1.8 m and extended their arms forward to the required 1 m testing distance. Second, masks were worn by the screeners and children. Third, students had their autorefraction in May 2020 rather than September, following easing of COVID-19 restrictions. The assessment of refractive error in May 2020 was compared with data from September in each of the years 2015–2019, inclusive. Results for the 6 years, 2015–2020, inclusive, …
What Do Scientists and Engineers Do All Day? On the Structure of Scientific Normalcy

Most of the debate following from Structure of Scientific Revolutions has focused on revolutionary science and paradigm shift. However, both in Kuhn and his successors in science studies, arguments about revolutionary science are built on a foundation of mostly hard-to-contest observations regarding normal science. I survey some of the ways different traditions in science studies have provided fine-grained portraits of wild-type Kuhnian normal science and summarize some recent findings from historians and sociologists regarding normal science. A textured approach to normal science is important because normal science proceeds, despite the cogent objections that can be raised against a given paradigm, in part because scientists and engineers are able to make normal science workable, on a quotidian basis, with respect to some ever-shifting set of aims promulgated relative to their professional communities and/or to various constituencies in the societies of which they are a part. That is, normal science keeps going, despite obvious anomalies and ignoration of open questions, because normal science achieves many more goals than just the clearing away of anomalies and open questions.
Revisiting Music Theory: A Guide to the Practice

Preface Acknowledgements Notes on the Use of this Book part 1: Notation: The Symbols of Music part 2: Melody : Note Following Note part 3: Harmony: Note(s) with Note(s) part 4: Melodies in Harmony part 5: Musical Structures part 6: Appendices Endnotes Index
Identification of IBM keypunch machines by their printed products.

A little over a year ago, the Document Division of the United States Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory received a referral requesting the examination of 44 keypunch cards to determine the machine responsible for their preparation. Supplies were being diverted, and the shortages were covered by the preparation of fraudulent keypunch cards. The contributor of the case also submitted known standards from the 15 keypunch machines most likely to have been responsible for the preparation of the fraudulent cards. The questioned cards were approximately 7 ⅜ in. wide by 3 ¼ in. high (187 by 83 mm), contained a series of punched holes, and bore printed characters consisting of a series of dots along the top of the cards (see sample, Fig. 1). Our first impression was FIG. 1—A sample card from an IBM keypunch machine. that this would be another tedious, complex, time-consuming examination; however, as work progressed on the examination, the case became extremely interesting and very rewarding from a document examiner's viewpoint.
Infrared Studies of Oxide Superconductors in the Normal and Superconducting States

We present a summary of the infrared properties of the cubic oxide superconductor Ba1−xKxBiO3 and the layered oxide superconductor Y1Ba2Cu3O7 in the normal and superconducting states. The normal state conductivity of Ba0.6K0.4BiO3 exhibits a broad peak near 5000cm−1 which is similar to a peak previously observed in BaPb1−xBixO3. The presence of this feature in both systems may provide an important clue to the mechanism of superconductivity in the BiO3 superconductors. The normal state conductivity of Y1Ba2Cu3O7 is characterized by a sharp temperature dependent peak near the origin and a broad mid-infrared background. This background has been interpreted both as evidence for low lying charge excitations and in terms of strong coupling between carriers and excitations of magnetic origin. In the superconducting state of Ba0.6K0.4BiO3 we obtain an energy gap of conventional magnitude. In contrast we find an extremely unconventional energy scale of 7–8kTc for the a−b plane of Y1Ba2Cu3O7 and also find evidence for substantial gap anisotropy between the a−b plane and c-axis.
Oligomerization, transport, and Golgi retention of Punta Toro virus glycoproteins.

We have investigated the oligomerization and intracellular transport of the membrane glycoproteins of Punta Toro virus, a member of the Phlebovirus genus of the family Bunyaviridae, which is assembled by budding in the Golgi complex. By using one- or two-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, chemical cross-linking, and sucrose gradient centrifugation, we found that the majority of the G1 and G2 glycoproteins are assembled into noncovalently linked G1-G2 heterodimers. At the same time, a fraction of the G2 protein, possibly produced independently of the G1 protein, is assembled into G2 homodimers. Kinetic analysis indicates that heterodimerization occurs between newly synthesized G1 and G2 within 3 min after protein synthesis, and that the G1 and G2 glycoproteins are associated as dimeric forms both during transport and after accumulation in the Golgi complex. Analysis of a G1-truncated G2 mutant, which is also targeted to the Golgi complex, showed that these molecules also assemble into dimeric forms, which are linked by disulfide bonds. Both the G1-G2 heterodimer and the G2 homodimer were found to be able to exit from the endoplasmic reticulum. Differences in transport kinetics observed for the G1 and G2 proteins may be due to the differences in the transport efficiency between the G1-G2 heterodimer and the G2 homodimer from the endoplasmic reticulum to the Golgi complex. These and previous results (S.-Y. Chen, Y. Matsuoka, and R.W. Compans, Virology 183:351-365, 1991) suggest that Golgi retention of the G2 homodimer occurs by association with the G1-G2 heterodimer, whereas the Golgi targeting of the G1-G2 heterodimer occurs by a specific retention mechanism.
A dollar from 15 cents: cross-platform management for internet services

As Internet services become ubiquitous, the selection and management of diverse server platforms now affects the bottom line of almost every firm in every industry. Ideally, such cross-platform management would yield high performance at low cost, but in practice, the performance consequences of such decisions are often hard to predict. In this paper, we present an approach to guide cross-platform management for real-world Internet services. Our approach is driven by a novel performance model that predicts application-level performance across changes in platform parameters, such as processor cache sizes, processor speeds, etc., and can be calibrated with data commonly available in today's production environments. Our model is structured as a composition of several empirically observed, parsimonious sub-models. These sub-models have few free parameters and can be calibrated with lightweight passive observations on a current production platform. We demonstrate the usefulness of our cross-platform model in two management problems. First, our model provides accurate performance predictions when selecting the next generation of processors to enter a server farm. Second, our model can guide platform-aware load balancing across heterogeneous server farms.
Sample-return mission planning for an asteroid on an earth fly-by trajectory

This paper investigates a systematic mission design of robust and optimal orbital transfer maneuvers for a sample return mission from an asteroid. In this study, we establish a space flight procedure to obtain the minimum Delta V required for a rendezvous and sample return mission from an asteroid. Given the initial (observed) conditions of an asteroid, a genetic algorithm is implemented to determine the optimal choice of Delta V required for rendezvous. This is achieved for given constraints on orbital trajectory, payload-mass and maximum allowable Delta V. In that sense, we provide a procedure for a constrained optimization problem. The genetic algorithm has been utilized for the systematic solution, and presented are results obtained for a hypothetical example. Robustness analysis was also performed on the results showing that in case of any uncertainty associated with Delta V firings, the spacecraft could still complete the mission and rendezvous with the asteroid. One unique aspect of the paper is the conducted robustness analysis, which provides a feasible error bound for (still) achieving a successful mission.
Protein binding of calcium and strontium in guinea pig maternal and fetal blood plasma.

Abstract In 13 pregnant guinea pigs the average concentrations of total Ca and ultrafilterable Ca (UF Ca) were 1.6 and 0.3 mg. per 100 ml. higher in fetal plasma than in maternal plasma, respectively. The direction of the UF Ca gradient was from fetus to dam in 9 animals and from dam to fetus in 4 animals. The average UF Ca gradient was lower than the average total Ca concentration differences because more fetal plasma Ca was protein bound (34.8 per cent) than maternal plasma Ca (24.8 per cent), even though total plasma protein concentrations were the same in both plasmas (4.3 Gm. per 100 ml.). The greater Ca-binding capacity of fetal plasma protein was attributed to its higher albumin content (2.71 Gm. per 100 ml.) than that of maternal plasma protein (2.16 Gm. per 100 ml.). After in vivo labeling, 45 Ca was slightly less ultrafilterable (4.3 to 8.1 per cent) than stable Ca in both maternal and fetal plasma, with individual values as much as 30 per cent lower. The UF 85 Sr/UF 45 Ca values for male, nonpregnant female, pregnant female, and fetal plasmas after in vitro labeling were 1.09, 1.08, 0.99, and 1.06, respectively.
Explaining the Wage Gap Between Contingent and Noncontingent Workers

An important labor market trend is the rapid increase of the contingent workforce. Contingent workers are members of the workforce who do not perceive themselves as having an explicit or implicit contract for continuing employment. Under this definition, it is estimated that 6 million workers are classified as contingent. Researchers have discovered a pay gap between contingent and noncontingent workers. Hipple, in his 1998 study, argued that median earnings were $266 per week for contingent workers, compared with $444 for the noncontingents. The purpose of this project is to explore what causes this income differential by using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth and multivariate regression analysis. It is hypothesized that this pay gap can be explained by differences between contingent and noncontingent workers such as hours worked, training received, occupation chosen, and discrimination. The principal finding suggests contingent workers have fewer opportunities for training and also do not realize the benefits of training compared with noncontingent workers.
Teachers’ Characteristics and Ratings for Evidence-Based Behavioral Interventions:

The vast majority of schools today are not prepared to support children's social behavior needs. One challenge is that teachers may not be knowledgeable of evidence-based practices that can be utilized with children. This study explored teachers' agreement ratings for evidence-based and nonevidence-based behavior management practices for children with emotional and behavior needs, and whether specific teacher characteristics (educational level, amount of education and training using behavioral interventions, and position as a special or general educator) yielded differences in ratings. A survey was developed based on an extensive review of the literature in this area. The survey questions that were the main focus for this study were taken from an Institute for Educational Sciences practice guide. A total of 363 teachers of early childhood and elementary-age students served as participants. Overall, special educators had higher ratings for evidence-based practices and lower ratings for nonevidence-based practices than general educators' ratings. Special educators also reported more confidence in their interventions. Graduate level of education was associated with lower ratings for nonevidence-based practices than undergraduate level. Teacher-rated level of training and education implementing behavior interventions was not associated with agreement with evidence or nonevidence-based practices. These findings are discussed.
Functional impact of sarcopenia in respiratory muscles

The risk for respiratory complications and infections is substantially increased in old age, which may be due, in part, to sarcopenia (aging-related weakness and atrophy) of the diaphragm muscle (DIAm), reducing its force generating capacity and impairing the ability to perform expulsive non-ventilatory motor behaviors critical for airway clearance. The aging-related reduction in DIAm force generating capacity is due to selective atrophy of higher force generating type IIx and/or IIb muscle fibers, whereas lower force generating type I and IIa muscle fiber sizes are preserved. Fiber type specific DIAm atrophy is also seen following unilateral phrenic nerve denervation and in other neurodegenerative disorders. Accordingly, the effect of aging on DIAm function resembles that of neurodegeneration and suggests possible common mechanisms, such as the involvement of several neurotrophic factors in mediating DIAm sarcopenia. This review will focus on changes in two neurotrophic signaling pathways that represent potential mechanisms underlying the aging-related fiber type specific DIAm atrophy.
Well‐posedness of integral equations for modeling electromagnetic scattering from cavities

[1] Integral equations for modeling electromagnetic scattering from indented screens or cavity structures are proposed using a symmetric equivalent current model, which is based on image theory with a perfect electrically conducting (PEC) ground plane. The well posedness of the proposed integral equations is theoretically established in this paper. It is known that all resonance modes for cavity problems either due to the presence of a perfect magnetically conducting (PMC) open aperture or a PEC open aperture. In this paper, it is proved that both kinds of resonance modes cannot exist for the proposed integral equations without excitation. To numerically examine this well posedness, the condition numbers of resultant matrices from the generalized network formulation and proposed integral equations are analyzed as functions of frequency and the depth of cavity. The numerical analysis of the condition numbers obtained also shows that the integral equations proposed in this paper are immune to the problem of the interior resonance for three-dimensional cavity problems. Moreover, simulation of scattering from standard cavity structures verifies the validity of the proposed integral equations.
Intrapulmonary lipopolysaccharide exposure upregulates cytokine expression in the neonatal brainstem

UNLABELLED Perinatal inflammation and neonatal sepsis trigger lung and brain injury. We hypothesized that endotoxin exposure in the immature lung upregulates proinflammatory cytokine expression in the brainstem and impairs respiratory control. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or saline was administered intratracheally to vagal intact or denervated rat pups. LPS increased brainstem IL-1β and vagotomy blunted this response. There was an attenuated ventilatory response to hypoxia and increased brainstem IL-1β expression after LPS. CONCLUSION Intratracheal endotoxin exposure in rat pups is associated with upregulation of IL-1β in the brainstem that is vagally mediated and associated with an impaired hypoxic ventilatory response.
Implications of sensors and sensor-networks for data quality management

Sensors and sensory networks allow capture and integration of real-time data and are becoming a vital part of organisational IT infrastructures. But they also have certain characteristics that can impact the quality of data collected. Our first objective is to identify the implications of sensors and sensory networks for data quality. Our second objective is to describe a method for managing data quality in sensory networks using the Information Product (IP) approach. To effectively deploy sensory networks, we present a conceptual architecture to manage data quality in sensory networks. We instantiate this architecture in a real-life healthcare application and illustrate how this application addresses some of the implications for data quality identified here.
A New Era in the Preparation of Teachers for Urban Schools: Linking Multiculturalism, Disciplinary-Based Content, and Pedagogy

Disconnects between the demographics of teacher candidates and the students attending today’s public urban schools are well documented. At the same time, research points to the educational value of linking students’ lived experiences to their classroom learning. This article presents the research-based findings of faculty who implemented a field-based “pedagogy lab” in an urban-focused, collaborative teacher education program. The lab offered teacher candidates deliberate opportunities to interrogate their ethnicity, gender, and social class then use that knowledge to enhance various disciplinary-based instructional activities for PK-12 pupils. The findings suggest new ways of preparing teachers for the children attending urban schools.
In an Indeterminate State: Calavita on the Bracero Program

California's recently enacted Proposition 187, restricting access to benefits for undocumented people, highlights once again the hostility to immigrants from Mexico in the western United States. While supporters of that proposition have sometimes argued the importance of the difference between legal and illegal immigration, the demand for labor has often meant that legal and illegal immigration are closely related. Now is an opportune time to examine more closely U.S. policy that has facilitated the use of migrant labor from Mexico in the American Southwest.
Methodologic Issues in Pediatric Outcomes Research

Clinicians, health services researchers, and third-party payers, among others, are justifiably interested in the outcomes of pediatric medical care and are, therefore, supportive of research in this area. Pediatric populations pose some unique methodologic challenges for health services researchers. To date, however, many of the approaches, models, and techniques used in pediatric outcomes research have been imported uncritically from experience with adult populations. As a result, some of the most interesting and salient aspects of pediatric outcomes research have yet to be fully developed. These include the following: 1) the problems posed by the dynamics of childhood development, 2) an emphasis on health supervision, 3) the need to see children within the context of a family system and to appreciate the interrelatedness of child health domains, 4) the measurement of the effects of interventions that span sectors, and 5) the paucity of available data sources. This article reviews these problematic areas and argues for a broad conceptual definition of pediatric health, a systems approach to assessing outcomes, and increased interdisciplinary collaboration.
A receding horizon algorithm for informative path planning with temporal logic constraints

This paper considers the problem of finding the most informative path for a sensing robot under temporal logic constraints, a richer set of constraints than have previously been considered in information gathering. An algorithm for informative path planning is presented that leverages tools from information theory and formal control synthesis, and is proven to give a path that satisfies the given temporal logic constraints. The algorithm uses a receding horizon approach in order to provide a reactive, on-line solution while mitigating computational complexity. Statistics compiled from multiple simulation studies indicate that this algorithm performs better than a baseline exhaustive search approach.
An investigation of the potential biohazards associated with asbestos-substitute casting ring liners

B ecause of the general concern about health hazards from asbestos, ceramic ring liners have largely replaced asbestos ring liners in dentistry. Steinbock and Asgar’ appear to have been the first investigators to report the use of ceramic liners. Priest and Homer’ subsequently presented photomicrographs showing the fiber morphology of ceramic and asbestos liners and commented that the fibrous ceramic liners should be safe for clinical use. Although results from several investigations have indicated that the ceramic ring liners can provide satisfactory casting accuracy for a variety of noble metal and base metal alloys,‘* 3-6 little research has been done to determine whether ceramic liners are a potential health hazard for dental personnel. There is a voluminous literature on the nature of asbestos and the medical problems that may result from its usage. Asbestos exposure has been related to bronchogenie carcinoma’ and to mesotheliomas of the pleural and peritoneal cavities.* Research has shown that the physical state of the respired particles, instead of the chemical composition, is the primary determinant of potential pathogenicity.’ The size, shape, and density of each individual fiber determine its aerodynamic behavior and the likelihood for deposition in the lungs. Long and thin fibers have the highest potential to induce tumors.‘O Such fibers cannot be engulfed by the macrophages of the immune system and burst the thin membranes of the cells, allowing enzymes to leak out and damage surrounding cells.” The fibers that present the greatest concern are those with diameters less than 3 pm and lengths greater than 20 pm. Fibers with diameters less
Linguistics: modelling the dynamics of language death.

Thousands of the world's languages are vanishing at an alarming rate, with 90% of them being expected to disappear with the current generation1. Here we develop a simple model of language competition that explains historical data on the decline of Welsh, Scottish Gaelic, Quechua (the most common surviving indigenous language in the Americas) and other endangered languages. A linguistic parameter that quantifies the threat of language extinction can be derived from the model and may be useful in the design and evaluation of language-preservation programmes.
The challenges of teaching and learning about science in the twenty-first century: exploring the abilities and constraints of adolescent learners

In this article, we critically examine skills that are necessary for the effective learning of science in adolescent populations. We argue that a focus on twenty-first-century skills among adolescents within the context of science instruction must be considered in light of research on cognitive and social development. We first review adolescents’ emerging abilities in terms of five domains identified by the National Research Council Board on Science Education: adaptability, complex communication/social skills, non-routine problem-solving skills, self-management/self-development and systems thinking. We next describe practices that science teachers can use to enhance the development and use of emerging cognitive abilities in adolescents. We conclude by providing seven research-based recommendations for adolescent science instruction.