cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Post-Fukushima Assessment of the AP1000® Plant

The AP1000 plant is an 1100-MWe class pressurized water reactor with passive safety features and extensive plant simplifications that enhance construction, operation, maintenance, and safety with reduced plant costs. The AP1000 passive nuclear power plant is uniquely equipped to withstand an extended station blackout scenario such as the events following the earthquake and tsunami at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power station without compromising core and containment integrity. Without AC power, using passive safety technology, the AP1000 plant provides cooling for the core, containment and spent fuel pool for more than 3 days without the need for operator actions. Following this passive coping period, minimal operator actions are needed to extend the operation of the passive features to 7 days using installed equipment. With the re-supply of fuel oil the coping time may be extended for an indefinite time. Connections for a few, small, easily transportable components provide a diverse backup means of extending passive system operation after the first 3 days. As a result, the AP1000 design provides very robust protection of public safety and the utility investment. Following the accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power station in Japan, several initiatives were launched worldwide to assess the lessons learned. These include, but are not limited to, the European Nuclear Safety Regulators Group (ENSREG) stress tests, the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) Final Report, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Expert Mission Report, and the U.S. NRC Near-Term Task Force Recommendations. The AP1000 design has been assessed against these initiatives and lessons learned. The purpose of this paper is to describe:  How the accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power station was evaluated and translated into conclusions and recommendations for nuclear power plants worldwide  How the AP1000 plant was evaluated in light of the recommendations resulting from the various post-Fukushima assessments  The key conclusions resulting from the post-Fukushima evaluation of the AP1000 design
The Electronic Structure pf Σ5 Grain Boundaries in CU

We present first-principles calculations of the densities of states (DOS’s) of unrelaxed and relaxed twist and tilt grain boundaries (GB’s) in Cu. The relaxed configurations were obtained through the use of the Embedded Atom Method (EAM), while the DOS’s were calculated using the real-space multiplescattering theory (RSMST) approach recently introduced in the literature. The DOS’s of GB’s are compared against those of bulk materials as well as against one another. Although the RSMST calculations are still not self-consistent, these comparisons allow us to verify certain expected trends in the DOS’s, and to verify the usefulness and reliability of our method.
Duloxetine in the Treatment of Stress Urinary Incontinence

Objective: To review the available literature regarding the use of duloxetine in the treatment of stress urinary incontinence. Data Sources: Clinical trials were obtained through a PubMed search (1966-December 2004) with the key words duloxetine, urinary incontinence, and stress. Data Synthesis: This article analyzes 5 clinical studies comparing duloxetine with placebo. The randomized, double-blind, multicenter trials were performed in the US and throughout the world and had strict inclusion criteria to enroll only patients with confirmed stess urinary incontinence. All trials showed a statistically significant decrease in incontinence episode frequency of 50-60% for duloxetine compared with a placebo response of 27-40%. Conclusions: Duloxetine appears to be an effective treatment for stress urinary incontinence. Additional trials comparing duloxetine with pelvic floor muscle training would better define duloxetine's place in therapy.
“Why So Serious?” Threat, Authoritarianism, and Depictions of Crime, Law, and Order in Batman Films

Drawing on research on authoritarianism, this study analyzes the relationship between levels of threat in society and representations of crime, law, and order in mass media, with a particular emphasis on the superhero genre. Although the superhero genre is viewed as an important site of mediated images of crime and law enforcement, cultural criminologists have been relatively quiet about this film genre. In addressing this omission, I analyze authoritarian themes (with an emphasis on crime, law, and order) in the Batman film franchise across different periods of threat. My qualitative content analysis finds that authoritarianism themes of fear and need for order and concern about aggressive action toward crime are more common in Batman films during high-threat periods. I also find that criticism of authority figures is more prevalent in Batman films during high-threat periods, which challenges previous research on authoritarianism as well as the alleged conservative media bias toward police.
Progress on molecular genetics of harvest index in rice

Harvest index in rice is defined as the ratio of grain yield to biomass. It has been demonstrated that crop harvest index is closely correlated with yield. Harvest index has been suggested as one of the important targets in crop improvement by crop physiologists and breeders and considered as one of the important indicators in rice breeding for high yield. Understanding the genetic basis of harvest index is the prerequisite and basis for effective breeding for high harvest index in rice. In this review,we described the biological meaning of harvest index,the correlation between harvest index and yield,and reviewed the progress on genetic study of harvest index in rice,also discussed the current problems and prospects in the genetic study of harvest index in rice.
Laser cooling and trapping of metastable krypton isotopes

It is essential to trap metastable noble gas atoms with high efficiency in the studies of interactions between cold atoms and in dating applications through the detection of radioactive isotopes.The experimental setup of the new generation apparatus was introduced for efficient krypton atom trapping and counting.All the stable isotopes of the krypton atoms have been successfully trapped with the setup recently built at USTC,Hefei.More improvements and new applications are expected in the future.
Evaluation and management of diethylstilbestrol-exposed offspring.

Current knowledge concerning the development of carcinoma in females is examined, and methods and results of examination and management are detailed. Nonmalignant genital alterations also have been observed in diethylstilbestrol-exposed offspring.
The Democratic Party takes on healthcare reform

The public is expecting delivery on the Democratic Party's election promises of healthcare reform. Now, with a Democrat in the White House and a Democratic majority in Congress, the time seems ripe for real reform. But unity continues to elude the party on this hot issue, says former Colorado Governor Dick Lamm.
Adenine nucleotide degradation in ischemic rabbit lung tissue

The aim of the study was to determine the pathways and site of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) catabolism during lung ischemia, which thus far are largely unknown. For this purpose we used the isolated rabbit lung. Rabbit lungs were flushed in situ with a modified Krebs-Henseleit solution (60 ml/kg), the deflated heart lung blocks were isolated, immersed in saline solution, and stored at 37 degrees C. In group I (normothermic ischemia; n = 6) tissue content of ATP decreased progressively from 9.42 +/- 0.58 mumol/g dry wt to 3.42 +/- 0.24 mumol/g dry wt after 30 min of ischemia and further to 0.51 mumol/g dry weight after 4 h. Hypoxanthine was the major catabolite (92% of the nucleoside and purine base fraction at 4 h ischemia). Adenosine did not accumulate (preischemic 0.08 +/- 0.02 mumol/g dry weight vs. 0.13 +/- 0.01 mumol/g dry weight; P > 0.05). AMP accumulated, but also inosine monophosphate (IMP), which was undetectable before ischemia, increased significantly during ischemia. To determine the breakdow...
Microfinance participation and marital violence in Bangladesh: a qualitative inquiry

This study explores the experiences of marital violence within the context of microfinance participation among a sample of women living in poverty in Bangladesh. Status inconsistency theory suggests that the higher incomes and female independence that may occur with microfinance participation may threaten or destabilize marital norms in Bangladesh, and have implications in terms of increased violence. We use qualitative data from in-depth interviews with 30 women residing in a slum in Dhaka, Bangladesh, to assess the circumstances in which there may be an association between microfinance participation and marital violence and elucidate the context in which this interaction occurs.
Manganese Poisoning in Alagille’s Syndrome

An 8 year old girl with Alagille’s syndrome who developed dystonia secondary to manganese toxicity is reported from the Pediatric Department, Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA.
Identifying Opportunities to Improve Smoking Cessation Among Women Veterans at a Veterans Hospital.

ABSTRACTWhile women Veterans have a higher prevalence of smoking than civilian women, little is known about their quitting behavior. Via a chart review, we characterized referral and enrollment patterns in tobacco cessation services (TCS), and quit attempts among 366 women Veteran smokers at a Midwestern Veterans Hospital. Cases receiving referrals to TCS (n = 183) were matched 1:1 to controls who did not (n = 183), by year of referral. Variables included age, marital status, urbanicity, smoking status, comorbidities, pregnancy, packs per day, number of prior smoking cessation medications, provider gender, provider type, and clinical location of referral placement. Of women Veteran smokers, 24% were referred to TCS, and tended to be older, heavier smokers, with more comorbidities, more prior cessation medication prescriptions, and more likely seen by a resident or attending physician. Only 54% of referred women enrolled, and these women were older, had more medical comorbidities and prior cessation medica...
FLORIDA COASTAL PROBLEMS

Florida is at war with coastal problems, Waves and tides threaten to wipe out its priceless heritage of sandy tropical beaches on two seas. Many communities have suffered enormous losses because of beach erosion in the last few years. The annual loss of land is approximately 300 to 500 acres. Man-made fills in bays and waterways are detrimental to inlets and channels. Practically all of these fill operations have been carried out without any previous hydrographic or hydrological surveys. This paper explains the nature and extent of these problems in Florida and gives recommendations for solving them.
Volatile organic compound emissions from markers used in preschools, schools, and homes

There is little published research examining volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from art markers. In this study, we characterised VOC emission rates from markers commonly used by children at...
Functional Studies of CCAAT/Enhancer Binding Protein Site Located Downstream of the Transcriptional Start Site:

Previous studies have identified a CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP) site located downstream of the transcriptional start site (DS3). The role of the DS3 element with respect to HIV-1 transactivation by Tat and viral replication has not been characterized. We have demonstrated that DS3 was a functional C/EBPβ binding site and mutation of this site to the C/EBP knockout DS3-9C variant showed lower HIV-1 long terminal repeat (LTR) transactivation by C/EBPβ. However, it was able to exhibit similar or even higher transcription levels by Tat compared to the parental LTR. C/EBPβ and Tat together further enhanced the transcription level of the parental LAI-LTR and DS3-9C LTR, with higher levels in the DS3-9C LTR. HIV molecular clone viruses carrying the DS3-9C variant LTR demonstrated a decreased replication capacity and delayed rate of replication. These results suggest that DS3 plays a role in virus transcriptional initiation and provides new insight into C/EBP regulation of HIV-1.
Hydraulic Uncertainty in Risk Analysis

Considerable effort has been expended in defining and evaluating hydrologic uncertainties; however, the analysis and evaluation of hydraulic uncertainties has received little attention. The hydraulic uncertainty originates mainly from the inability of a mathematical model or an empirical formula to completely describe the real physical flow process. Risk and reliability models have been developed that combine both the hydrologic and hydraulic uncertainties to define an overall risk. First, the effect that hydraulic uncertainty has on the overall risk evaluation for hydraulic structures and second, new methods to evaluate hydraulic uncertainty are explored. The results of this investigation show that only a few variables dominate the variation in the hydraulic uncertainty, which makes the analysis for hydraulic uncertainty easier than might be expected.
Part 5: Learning is a Social Act

ABSTRACTEducational psychologists have developed several theories on how individuals learn via interactions with others. Prominent ideas that apply to reference librarianship and teaching information literacy are the theory of social constructivism, social-cognitive theory, and socio-cultural theory. These theories’ emphasis on the social aspect of learning underscore why collaborative learning within diverse groups can lead to deeper and broader learning. Techniques for effectively scaffolding student learning are introduced. We highlight the key role of collaboration for students to develop the ability to transfer knowledge, and the Guided Reciprocal Peer Questioning technique for developing.
Retrofitting the Ivory Tower: Engaging Global Sustainability Challenges through Interdisciplinary Problem-Oriented Education, Research, and Partnerships in U.S. Higher Education.

Various experts and institutions, including the United Nations, have stressed the complexity of the 21st century’s global sustainability challenges. Higher education institutions should be at the center of research and education to meet these challenges. However, these institutions also find themselves in crisis, in part due to the economic recession, but also due to traditional disciplinary barriers that do not always incentivize interdisciplinary collaborations and public outreach. Challenges to interdisciplinarity are discussed, and examples of successful approaches are presented to demonstrate possibilities for prioritizing problem-oriented research and education tied to community and industry partnerships across higher education.
One-step, highly efficient site-directed mutagenesis by toxic protein selection.

A fast and efficient site-directed mutagenesis method has been developed, using the newly constructed plasmid pTPS19, which expresses the toxic CcdB protein originally encoded by the E. coli F plas...
Pulmonary Hypertension in Infants and Children

Pulmonary hypertension (PHT) is a condition defined by a mean pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) of 25 mmHg or greater at rest and 30 mmHg or greater during exercise. PHT can be idiopathic or associated with a wide spectrum of etiological factors and conditions in the pediatric population, often resulting in diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Due to recent advances in treatment which have markedly decreased the mortality and morbidity in pediatric patients with PHT, early and correct diagnosis is particularly essential in optimally managing children with PHT. In this chapter, we address the clinical presentation and the methods of evaluation of PHT in the pediatric population. Unique underlying pathophysiological processes and characteristic diagnostic study findings in idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) and common conditions typically associated with PHT in infants and children are also highlighted.
Martingale problems for controlled processes

Martingale problems provide a powerful method for characterizing Markov processes. Stochastic control problems can also be formulated naturally as martingale problems (see for example Fleming (1983)), and our goal here is to exploit this formulation to give a general existence theorem for optimal solutions of a stochastic control problem in the finite time horizon and discounted cases (Sections 1,3), to construct the Nisio semigroup (Section 2), and to give conditions in terms of the generator of the Nisio semigroup under which the optimal solution can be approximated by solutions in which the control is piecewise constant (Sections 2,3). The proof of this last result involves showing that the value function of an appropriately defined discounted control problem is in the domain of the generator of the Nisio semigroup.
Axial morphology and 3D neurocranial kinematics in suction-feeding fishes.

ABSTRACT Many suction-feeding fish use neurocranial elevation to expand the buccal cavity for suction feeding, a motion necessarily accompanied by the dorsal flexion of joints in the axial skeleton. How much dorsal flexion the axial skeleton accommodates and where that dorsal flexion occurs may vary with axial skeletal morphology, body shape and the kinematics of neurocranial elevation. We measured three-dimensional neurocranial kinematics in three species with distinct body forms: laterally compressed Embiotoca lateralis, fusiform Micropterus salmoides, and dorsoventrally compressed Leptocottus armatus. The area just caudal to the neurocranium occupied by bone was 42±1.5%, 36±1.8% and 22±5.5% (mean±s.e.m.; N=3, 6, 4) in the three species, respectively, and the epaxial depth also decreased from E. lateralis to L. armatus. Maximum neurocranial elevation for each species was 11, 24 and 37°, respectively, consistent with a hypothesis that aspects of axial morphology and body shape may constrain neurocranial elevation. Mean axis of rotation position for neurocranial elevation in E. lateralis, M. salmoides and L. armatus was near the first, third and fifth intervertebral joints, respectively, leading to the hypothesis of a similar relationship with the number of intervertebral joints that flex. Although future work must test these hypotheses, our results suggest the relationships merit further inquiry.
Changing of the Guard

The leading surgeons making up the AO’s core G5 group were in their early 40s when the organization was created in 1958. Those head surgeons at regional hospitals that were recruited into the founder’s group, of what became known as the G13, were also about of the same age as the core founders. This was a group of young Turks were willing to take on the medical establishment with a revolutionary idea. At that time, none of the founders had any university appointments. Some 20 to 25 years later, however, many changes had taken place and the AO founders had all taken on prestigious roles and positions. Since hospital-based surgeons in Switzerland are required to retire at age 65, they were also approaching the end of their active surgical careers.
The Effect of Behavioral Contagion and Tie-Strength on Calorie Intake in Food Courts

Major contributors to the obesity epidemic are societal and result from sedentary lifestyles and consumption of high-calorie diets. Previous studies suggest that food choice behavior is socially tr...
ASY-SONATA: Achieving Linear Convergence in Distributed Asynchronous Multiagent Optimization

This papers studies multi-agent (convex and nonconvex) optimization over static digraphs. We propose a general distributed asynchronous algorithmic framework whereby i) agents can update their local variables as well as communicate with their neighbors at any time, without any form of coordination; and ii) they can perform their local computations using (possibly) delayed, out-of-sync information from their neighbors. Delays need not be known to the agents or obey any specific profile, and can also be time-varying (but bounded). The algorithm builds on a tracking mechanism that is robust against asynchrony (in the above sense), whose goal is to estimate locally the sum of agents’ gradients. When applied to strongly convex functions, we prove that it converges at an R-linear (geometric) rate as long as the step-size is sufficiently small. A sublinear convergence rate is proved, when nonconvex problems and/or diminishing, uncoordinated step-sizes are employed. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first distributed algorithm with provable geometric convergence rate in such a general asynchonous setting.
Euryhaliotrema spp. (Monogenoidea: Dactylogyridae) Parasitic on the Gill Lamellae of Perciform Fishes in Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia, with the Description of Euryhaliotrema solenophallus sp. nov. from the Silver Moony Monodactylus argenteus (Linnaeus) (Monodactylidae).

The present paper represented the third installment on the monogenoidean parasites collected during a workshop exploring the diversity of the parasites of fishes in Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia. Previous reports on monogenoids collected during the workshop included species parasitizing beloniform and gerreid fishes. During January 2016, the author, having responsibility for the identification and description of monogenoids, participated in a workshop supported by an Australian Biological Resources Study Grant to Drs. Thomas Cribb and Scott Cutmore, University of Queensland, to explore the diversity of parasites infecting the fishes of Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia. Approximately 100 species of marine fishes were necropsied for parasites. Standard procedures for collecting, mounting, drawing, and measuring of monogenoids were employed. A new species of Euryhaliotrema was collected and described from the silver moony Monodactylus argenteus (Monodactylidae) and the first recording of Euryhaliotrema spirotubiforum on the dory snapper Lutjanus fulviflamma and Russell’s snapper Lutjanus russellii (both Lutjanidae) in Moreton Bay was reported. The results suggested that the diversity of dactylogyrids off eastern Australia is under estimated in the literature.
A Pilot Study of a Sleep Intervention Delivered through Group Prenatal Care to Overweight and Obese Women.

We sought to investigate the feasibility of a behavioral sleep intervention for insomnia, delivered through group prenatal care and the relationship of this intervention to improvements in insomnia...
Evaluation of Coronary Flow Reserve After Myocardial Ischemia Reperfusion in Rats

Coronary artery disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. After an acute myocardial infarction, early and successful myocardial intervention via recanalization of the coronary artery is the most effective strategy for reducing the size of ischemic myocardium. The coronary microvasculature cannot be visualized and imaged in vivo, but there are several invasive and noninvasive techniques that can be used to assess parameters which depend directly on coronary microvascular function. The endothelial function after ischemia reperfusion can be assessed also at the level of the coronary circulation via the coronary flow reserve (CFR). In this study, peak velocity of left anterior descending (LAD) coronary arteries was measured in rats in vivo via Transthoracic Doppler Echocardiography during resting and stress challenge (induced by Dobutamine). A normal heart can increase its coronary blood flow up to four times above the resting values during stress induction. Following ischemia reperfusion, we found a significantly diminished CFR, which can be used as a marker of coronary microvascular dysfunction. CFR has opened a window on the importance of microvascular dysfunction and has been shown to predict cardiovascular risk independent of whether the severe obstructive disease is present.
A Toolbox Approach to Obesity Treatment in Urban Safety-Net Primary Care Clinics: a Pragmatic Clinical Trial

There is a need for new strategies to improve the success of obesity treatment within the primary care setting. To determine if patients offered low out-of-pocket cost weight management tools achieved more weight loss compared to usual care. Twelve-month pragmatic clinical weight loss trial with a registry-based comparator group performed in primary care clinics of an urban safety-net hospital. From a large clinical registry, we randomly selected 428 patients to have the opportunity to receive the intervention. Medical weight management tools—partial meal replacements, recreation center vouchers, pharmacotherapy, commercial weight loss program vouchers, and a group behavioral weight loss program—for $5 or $10 monthly. Patients chose their tools, could switch tools, and could add a second tool at 6 months. The primary outcome was the proportion of intervention-eligible patients who achieved ≥ 5% weight loss. The main secondary outcome was the proportion of on-treatment patients who achieved ≥ 5% weight loss. Overall, 71.3% (305 of 428) had available weight measurement data/PCP visit data to observe the primary outcome. At 12 months, 23.3% (71 of 305) of intervention-eligible participants and 15.7% (415 of 2640) of registry-based comparators had achieved 5% weight loss (p < 0.001). Of the on-treatment participants, 34.5% (39 of 113) achieved 5% weight loss. Mean percentage weight loss was − 3.15% ± 6.41% for on-treatment participants and − 0.30% ± 6.10% for comparators (p < 0.001). The initially preferred tools were meal replacements, pharmacotherapy, and recreation center passes. Access to a variety of low out-of-pocket cost weight management tools within primary care resulted in ≥ 5% body weight loss in approximately one quarter of low-income patients with obesity. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01922934
Chapter 12 – Blood Products

Products from human blood were among the earliest biologics developed as drugs for human therapy. Since the approval of the first recombinant factor VIII (rFVIII) in 1992, they also include recombinant biotechnologies-derived products, as well as blood and plasma for transfusion and biotherapeutics purified from human blood (e.g. immunoglobulins, coagulation factors, hyperimmune products, or antitoxins). During the last 25 years new generations of plasma-derived and recombinant coagulation factors and other recombinant hemostatic agents have addressed the need for more pure proteins and improved therapies. The nature and composition of the nonclinical drug development plan can vary greatly for biologics in general, and blood products are no exception. A key difference between plasma protein-derived therapies and other biologics is that multiple interdependent products are manufactured from a single starting material. The complex and multifaceted nature, as well as the human origin of this starting material, makes the need for emphasis on pathogen safety and viral inactivation a key focus for both the industry and regulatory agencies. Recombinant blood proteins may follow nonclinical development plans comparable to other recombinant proteins based in ICH S6(R1) and ICH S3(R2).
Performance Evaluations of Prototype Houses: Minimum 40% Residential Building Energy Savings Level Habitat for Humanity of Greater Newburgh Liberty Street Project: April 2003--September 2004

Habitat for Humanity International (HfHI) is a nonprofit organization that engages volunteers and would-be homebuyers in programs that emphasize sweat-equity and self-help. Habitat is among the top-ten housing producers in the United States. In collaboration with the HfHI Department of Construction & Environmental Resources, Steven Winter Associates, Inc., (SWA) began working with the Habitat for Humanity of Greater Newburgh (HfHGN) affiliate in Newburgh, New York, in April 2003. Since October 1999, HfHGN has acquired and renovated abandoned houses for an average cost of $45,000 per home. The affiliate serves area families living in overcrowded, substandard housing and spending 50% to 80% of their income on housing. In August 2003, HfHGN began their first new construction project, six row houses located on Liberty Street in Newburgh.
Commercial Marine-Degradable Polymers for Flexible Packaging.

Summary Plastic pollution is entering the world's oceans at alarming rates and is expected to outweigh fish populations by 2050. This plastic waste originates from land-based applications, like consumer product packaging, and is composed of high-durability polyolefins. These conventional plastics possess desirable properties, including high chemical stability, moisture barrier, and thermoplastic characteristics. Unfortunately, if these materials reach marine environments, they fragment into microplastics that cannot be biologically assimilated. The aim of this review is to investigate commercial polymers that are biodegradable in marine environments but have comparable product stability and moisture barrier properties to polyolefins. Among commercially available biopolymers, thermoplastic starches (TPS) and polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) have been shown to biodegrade in marine environments. Moreover, these biopolymers are thermoplastics and possess similar thermoforming properties to polyolefins. At present, TPS and PHAs have limitations, including chemical instability, limited moisture barrier properties, and high production costs. To replace conventional polymers with PHAs and TPS, these properties must be improved.
Materialist epistemology lends design wings: educational design as an embodied process

Materialist design is presented as an embodied perspective on educational design that can be applied to redesign of classroom-based learning environments. Materialist design is informed by a framework of materialist epistemology, which positions material innovation on equal placement with symbol-based formal theory. Historical examples of Einstein’s conceptual reliance on trains for his Theory of Relativity and the Wright brothers’ use of wind tunnels in aeronautics illustrate how materialist design drives progress on complex design problems. A key aspect is the application of scale-down methodology, where complex systems are reconceptualized as interactions among nearly decomposable subsystems that can be redesigned and integrated back into the entire system. The application of materialist design is illustrated with the redesign of an embodied video game that uses real-time motion capture technology to promote high school geometry reasoning and proof, following its use in an ethnically and linguistically diverse classroom. Our embodied perspective offers particular insights for understanding and implementing designs of complex learning environments, and assessing their influences on educational practices and student outcomes.
Functional subgroups of cochlear inner hair cell ribbon synapses differently modulate their EPSC properties in response to stimulation.

Data presented here provide the first direct functional evidence of late synaptic maturation of the hair cell- spiral ganglion neuron synapse, where pillar synapses mature after postnatal day 20. D...
Biochemical and genomic identification of novel thermophilic Bacillus licheniformis strains YNP1-TSU, YNP2-TSU, and YNP3-TSU with potential in 2,3-butanediol production from non-sterile food waste fermentation

Abstract In the U.S., 30–40% of all food produced ends up as waste. By taking advantage of biological processes this waste nutrients can be converted into value-added 2,3-butanediol (2,3-BDO). However, food waste contains live bacteria and fungi which must first be inactivated, a process typically done with autoclaving under high pressure steam. If contaminants are not removed they can out-compete added industrial microbes for nutrients, resulting in lower yields of bio-products. Unfortunately, sterilization methods such as autoclaving greatly increase production time, and increase energy consumption. This creates a demand for novel microorganisms that can out-compete food waste microbiota by natural means without the need for sterilization of food waste. For this study, several Bacillus licheniformis isolates from Yellowstone National Park were investigated for their potential use in the 2,3-BDO industry. B. licheniformis species are a strain of industrial importance as of late, due to the wide metabolic functions and sustainable growth conditions above 45 °C. Whole genomic sequencing data and biochemical classification of B. licheniformis YNP1-TSU, B. licheniformis YNP2-TSU, and B. licheniformis YNP3-TSU were assessed and revealed a wide assortment of anti-microbial peptides and antibodies as well as catabolic genes for assimilation of glucose, fructose, galactose, xylose, arabinose, mannose, starch and sucrose, and linoleic acid. All three B. licheniformis strains had an optimal growth temperature of 50 °C, and were identified as high 2,3-BDO producers. Each strain YNP1-TSU, YNP2-TSU, and YNP3-TSU yielded 0.44 g/g, 0.45 g/g, and 0.43 g/g from mixed sugars found in non-sterilized food waste, respectively.
A Broad-Band Study of Attenuation in Ocean Bottom Sediments

Seismic pulses trapped between the ocean surface, bottom, and the subbottom structure commonly observed in refraction profiling may be modeled synthetically. The relative amplitudes of single- and multi-bounce phases are used to study reflection coefficients and effective attenuation. This technique was used to investigate a thick section of mature sediments located in the Bering Sea. Attenuation is quite low (Q > 500) for pulses dominated by 10 Hz energy, but becomes increasingly important at higher frequencies.
Inflammation and Lung Cancer: The Link to Angiogenesis

Emerging studies have begun to strengthen the link between chronic inflammation and cancer. Inflammation is now accepted as an underlying or enabling characteristic that contributes to key hallmarks of cancer, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) have shown a reduction in the risk of several cancers. In lung cancer patients, pulmonary disorders, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and emphysema, constitute comorbid conditions and comprise an independent risk factor for lung cancer. Despite the clinical association, the mechanistic link between COPD and lung cancer is not completely understood and constitutes an area of intense investigation. Notably, chronic inflammation appears to be a pivotal pathological feature in both COPD and lung cancer. The inflammatory microenvironment encountered in COPD/emphysema may contribute to tumorigenesis via several possible signaling pathways, including angiogenesis. Accumulating evidence suggests that angiogenesis is closely linked to inflammation, with regulators of angiogenesis playing key roles in various inflammatory conditions and vice versa. Inflammatory cells, namely neutrophils, mast cells, monocytes/macrophages, and lymphocytes, play an active role in enhancing tumor angiogenesis by secreting chemokines, inflammatory cytokines, and proteases into the local microenvironment that control endothelial cell (EC) activation by virtue of regulating proliferation, survival and apoptosis, and migration. Therefore, targeting the inflammatory and angiogenic pathways provides unique opportunities for both prevention and treatment of lung cancer.
Experiments with Artificial Viscosity

The Noh problem is solved with the Fraley hydro-scheme. Various forms of pseudo-viscous pressure are explored. The Desgraz flux limited pseudo-viscosity gives much better results than the von Neumann-Richtmyer form. The importance of tensor viscous equations is clearly exhibited.
Bureaucratic Red Tape and Organizational Performance: Testing the Moderating Role of Culture and Political Support

La Follette School of Public Affairs, University of Wisconsin-Madison dmoynihan@lafollette.wisc.edu Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs 1225 Observatory Drive, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 Phone: 608.262.3581 / Fax: 608.265-3233 info@lafollette.wisc.edu / http://www.lafollette.wisc.edu The La Follette School takes no stand on policy issues; opinions expressed within these papers reflect the views of individual researchers and authors.
Minimal curves of constant torsion

The Griffiths formalism is applied to find constant torsion curves which are extremal for arclength with respect to variations preserving torsion, fixing the endpoints and the binormals at the endpoints. The critical curves are elastic rods of constant torsion, which are shown to not realize certain boundary conditions. In the calculus of variations under nonholonomic constraints, one tries to find the least energy trajectory among solutions of a given differential equation. The subject has its roots in the investigations of such classical questions as Pappus' problem and the Delaunay problem [6]. It is a standard part of optimal control theory, where such problems are investigated using the Pontrjagin maximum principle [12]. In recent years, the subject has come to the attention of geometers again, with the investigations of sub-Riemannian geometry [13], but also with the arrival of a beautiful reformulation, due to Griffiths and his collaborators [3, 9, 10], of the criticality conditions in coordinate-free form. The stated aim in Griffiths' 1983 book [9] is "to get out formulas" for critical curves. In this note, we carry this out for the problem of length minimization among curves in ]R 3 of a fixed nonzero constant torsion. This is among the problems to which Hsu [10] applied the Griffiths formalism, but here we go further, giving complete formulas for critical curves, and are able to extract more information about what boundary values can and cannot be achieved. This is due to the observation that the critical curves for this problem coincide exactly with the subset of Kirchhoff elastic rod centerlines having constant torsion, and the detailed description of these centerlines by Langer and Singer [11]. The constant torsion constraint is arrived at by considering the general case. Suppose we adapt an oriented orthornormal frame (T, U, V) along an oriented curve -y in R3, parametrized by arclength s, such that T is the unit tangent. The frame will satisfy generalized Frenet equations ds (V ) ( prO(V) If these vectors are regarded as attached to a rigid object moving along -y, the functions p, r, y may be visualized as pitch, roll, and yaw, respectively. Received by the editors September 2, 1998. 2000 Mathematics Subject Classification. Primary 49K15, 53A04; Secondary 58A17, 58A30, 73C02.
ParaProf : A Portable, Extensible, and Scalable Tool for Parallel Performance Profile Analysis

This paper presents the design, implementation, and application of ParaProf, a portable, extensible, and scalable tool for parallel performance profile analysis. ParaProf attempts to offer “best of breed” capabilities to performance analysts – those inherited from a rich history of single processor profilers and those being pioneered in parallel tools research. We present ParaProf as a parallel profile analysis framework that can be retargeted and extended as required. ParaProf’s design and operation is discussed, and its novel support for large-scale parallel analysis demonstrated with a 512-processor application profile generated using the TAU performance system.
Distributing Bits and Atoms

The principles used today for developing distributed systems will not scale to the limit of thermodynamically complex engineered systems. The great insight of statistical mechanics is that it is possible to make precise statements about the macroscopic behavior of a system based on knowledge of its microscopic governing equations, without requiring a specification of its internal confirguration. A scalable theory of distributed system design must likewise be able to allocate available local degrees of freedom to accomplish a global goal, without demanding a detailed description of their configuration. Towards that end, I discuss the role of physical error correction in building reliable systems out of unreliable components, and the use of principles from mathematical programming as a language for expressing algorithms in this statistical-mechanical limit.
An Investigation of Competing Values in Development of a Voluntary Organization

Competing Values Framework (CVF) has attracted attention in the organization literature but little is known about how competing values can inform development of voluntary organizations. Against this backdrop, we present an action research study into Right in the Community (RitC), a voluntary agency which provides services to developmentally disabled in Cobb County, Georgia. Collaborating with researchers and agency management, staff, and board, the study had a dual purpose: 1) develop agency’s identity, organization, management practices, and ability to plan for the future, and 2) adapt CVF to support development of voluntary organizations. Thus, we demonstrate the value of CVF for developing voluntary organizations by revealing how its dimensions of organizational focus, structural preference, and managerial concern positively informed the efforts at RitC. Also, tensions between heart and head were important and, therefore, in the context of voluntary organizations we propose to extend the CVF with a dimension of motivational trait.
Lack of symptoms in patients with histologic evidence of pheochromocytoma : A diagnostic challenge

Pheochromocytoma (Pheo) is a rare cause of hypertension (HTN). Classically, a triad of symptoms includes sweating, palpitations, and headache. HTN is often present and labile. Although a triad of symptoms is cited as the most frequent presenting complaints, our clinical experience leads us to question how often these are present. Thirty-two patients with histologically proven pheo or paraganglionoma were evaluated. Around 84.4% patients had adrenal pheos and 15.6% had extra-adrenal pheos. Two patients had bilateral adrenal tumors, two had a history of prior pheos, and four had a family history of pheo. There were 19 (59.4%) female and 13 (40.6%) male patients. Six (18.7%) patients were black and 26 (81.3%) were white. The mean age at presentation was 43.2+/-13.9 years. Two patients were known to have neurofibromatosis type 1, two had von Hippel-Lindau disease, one had multiple endocrine neoplasia 2A, and one PGL/SDHD genetic mutation. Twenty-six patients had sporadic tumors or had not had genetic testing. Biochemical diagnosis was confirmed with 24-h urine measurements. Urine catecholamine measurements were elevated at least 2 to 4 times above normal levels. Mean SBP readings at presentation were 128+/-19 mmHg. Mean DBP readings were 81+/-13 mmHg. Around 65.6% patients were hypertensive at presentation. Fifty percent of the patients had palpitations, 40.6% had tachycardia, 34.4% had sweating, and 31.3% had headaches. Initial presenting symptoms were diverse. Pheo is a rare clinical entity and remains a huge diagnostic challenge for all clinicians.
Determining the microwave coupling and operational efficiencies of a microwave plasma assisted chemical vapor deposition reactor under high pressure diamond synthesis operating conditions

The microwave coupling efficiency of the 2.45 GHz, microwave plasma assisted diamond synthesis process is investigated by experimentally measuring the performance of a specific single mode excited, internally tuned microwave plasma reactor. Plasma reactor coupling efficiencies (η) > 90% are achieved over the entire 100–260 Torr pressure range and 1.5–2.4 kW input power diamond synthesis regime. When operating at a specific experimental operating condition, small additional internal tuning adjustments can be made to achieve η > 98%. When the plasma reactor has low empty cavity losses, i.e., the empty cavity quality factor is >1500, then overall microwave discharge coupling efficiencies (ηcoup) of >94% can be achieved. A large, safe, and efficient experimental operating regime is identified. Both substrate hot spots and the formation of microwave plasmoids are eliminated when operating within this regime. This investigation suggests that both the reactor design and the reactor process operation must be considered when attempting to lower diamond synthesis electrical energy costs while still enabling a very versatile and flexible operation performance.
Faint Secondary Standards for Spectrophotometry and the Energy Distributions of Horizontal-Branch A-Stars

The energy distributions of 16 horizontal-branch A-stars and 11 horizontal-branch stars in globular clusters have been measured using the Harvard Scanners at KPNO and CTIO and the Oke multichannel spectrophotometer on the 5-m telescope at Mt. Palomar (Philip and Hayes 1983, Hayes and Philip 1983). Wavelengths between 34-00 and 6800 A were measured and reduced to absolute energy distributions on the system of Hayes and Latham (1975). The internal measuring errors were ± 0.034 mag. per observation for the 15thmag. globular cluster stars and ±0.025 mag. per observation for the 7thto 11thmag. field stars, averaged over all wavelengths. Eleven of the field stars have been observed over nine times each and have low internal measurement errors; these stars plus four globular cluster stars with low internal measurement errors are recommended as secondary standard stars. (See Table I.)
Informing Decision Making for Agricultural Watersheds

his paper traces the development, outcomes and impacts of our Water and Watersheds project as a pioneering example of inter-disciplinary, systems-level research (Santelmann et al. 2001). The first section sets the background and academic environment in which the project developed, the period in which interdisciplinary ecosystems research came of age. This section is followed by a description of project development and outcomes at three levels: 1) advances in the field of landscape ecology and ecosystems research, 2) impacts on the collaborators themselves, and 3) application of our approach by others. Finally, we discuss connections between our research and decision making and education, as well as the ongoing impact and influence of this research to inform policy-makers and guide relevant policy and action in agricultural regions.
Electrorheological responses of suspensions of cylindrical PBZT particles in mineral oil

Model electrorheological (ER) fluids consisting of cylindrical particles of poly(p-phenylene)-2,6-benzobisthiazole (PBZT) dispersed in mineral oil are investigated. An attempt is made to understand the role of particle shape on the dielectric properties and on the steady-shear response of ER fluids. It is shown that the dispersed-phase geometric aspect ratio significantly affects the rheological behavior of the ER fluids. Specifically, an increase in geometric aspect ratio led to higher viscosity. >
Leadership and Social Exchange Processes

No conception of leadership is complete without attention to followers. Give and take on both sides are vital, for, as Homans (1961, p. 286) has said, “Influence over others is purchased at the price of allowing one’s self to be influenced by others.” The leader receives approval in the form of status, esteem, and the potential for greater influence. The followers in turn receive the benefits of the leader’s efforts, if successful, in the form of favorable group results. A lack of group success removes the major benefit provided by the leader, and thereby puts his or her position at risk (Jacobs, 1971).
Computational modeling of the effects of support fibers on evaporation of fiber-supported droplets in reduced gravity

Abstract A detailed numerical investigation of the effects of support fibers on the vaporization of a fiber-supported droplet in reduced gravity is presented. The volume-of-fluid (VOF) method was employed to capture the liquid–gas interface while allowing for time-dependent two-phase multidimensional flows. The calculations allowed for the inclusion of thermocapillary stresses at the liquid–gas interface. The study also investigated the effects of the thickness of fiber, ambient pressure, and ambient temperature on droplet evaporation. The present computational results agree well with experimental results.