cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Resource mobilization for community-managed rural water systems: Evidence from Ghana, Kenya, and Zambia

Abstract Rural water systems in sub-Saharan Africa are often managed by community water committees. For this to be sustainable, committees must be able to mobilize resources for operation and maintenance, repair, and/or upgrade of their water systems. Some committees collect a monetary water fee, but other options are available. Three hundred twenty-one interviews, focus group discussions and mapping activities were conducted with committees, community members, and post-construction support providers in 18 rural communities in Ghana, Kenya, and Zambia. We identified several non-monetary and non-fee mechanisms, including mobilization of personal and community assets, community institutions, and community labor. We found that several factors contribute to community decisions about resource mobilization, including season, community economic characteristics, and community institutions. We recommend that enabling actors adapt their rural water supply projects and programs to be more inclusive of these other resource mobilization options.
Chronic tinnitus and unipolar brush cell alterations in the cerebellum and dorsal cochlear nucleus

Animal model research has shown that the central features of tinnitus, the perception of sound without an acoustic correlate, include elevated spontaneous and stimulus-driven activity, enhanced burst-mode firing, decreased variance of inter-spike intervals, and distortion of tonotopic frequency representation. Less well documented are cell-specific correlates of tinnitus. Unipolar brush cell (UBC) alterations in animals with psychophysical evidence of tinnitus has recently been reported. UBCs are glutamatergic interneurons that appear to function as local-circuit signal amplifiers. UBCs are abundant in the dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN) and very abundant in the flocculus (FL) and paraflocculus (PFL) of the cerebellum. In the present research, two indicators of UBC structure and function were examined: Doublecortin (DCX) and epidermal growth factor receptor substrate 8 (Eps8). DCX is a protein that binds to microtubules where it can modify their assembly and growth. Eps8 is a cell-surface tyrosine kinase receptor mediating the response to epidermal growth factor; it appears to have a role in actin polymerization as well as cytoskeletal protein interactions. Both functions could contribute to synaptic remodeling. In the present research UBC Eps8 and DCX immunoreactivity (IR) were determined in 4 groups of rats distinguished by their exposure to high-level sound and psychophysical performance: Unexposed, exposed to high-level sound with behavioral evidence of tinnitus, and two exposed groups without behavioral evidence of tinnitus. Compared to unexposed controls, exposed animals with tinnitus had Eps8 IR elevated in their PFL; other structures were not affected, nor was DCX IR affected. This was interpreted as UBC upregulation in animals with tinnitus. Exposure that failed to produce tinnitus did not increase either Eps8 or DCX IR. Rather Eps8 IR was decreased in the FL and DCN of one subgroup (Least-Tinnitus), while DCX IR decreased in the FL of the other subgroup (No-Tinnitus). Neuron degeneration was also documented in the cochlear nucleus and PFL of exposed animals, both with and without tinnitus. Degeneration was not found in unexposed animals. Implications for tinnitus neuropathy are discussed in the context of synaptic remodeling and cerebellar sensory modulation.
Inter- and intra-disciplinary collaboration and patient safety outcomes in U.S. acute care hospital units: A cross-sectional study.

Abstract Background Collaboration among healthcare providers has been considered a promising strategy for improving care quality and patient outcomes. Despite mounting evidence demonstrating the impact of collaboration on outcomes of healthcare providers, there is little empirical evidence on the relationship between collaboration and patient safety outcomes, particularly at the patient care unit level. Objectives The purpose of this study is to identify the extent to which interdisciplinary collaboration between nurses and physicians and intradisciplinary collaboration among nurses on patient care units are associated with patient safety outcomes. Methods This is a cross-sectional study using nurse survey data and patient safety indicators data from U.S. acute care hospital units. Collaboration at the unit level was measured by two 6-item scales: nurse-nurse interaction scale and nurse-physician interaction scale. Patient outcome measures included hospital-acquired pressure ulcers (HAPUs) and patient falls. The unit of analysis was the patient care unit, and the final sample included 900 units of 5 adult unit types in 160 hospitals in the U.S. Multilevel logistic and Poisson regressions were used to estimate the relationship between collaboration and patient outcomes. All models were controlled for hospital and unit characteristics, and clustering of units within hospitals was considered. Results On average, units had 26 patients with HAPUs per 1000 patients and 3 patient falls per 1000 patient days. Critical care units had the highest HAPU rate (50/1000 patients) and the lowest fall rate (1/1000 patient days). A one-unit increase in the nurse-nurse interaction scale score led to 31% decrease in the odds of having a HAPU (OR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.56–0.82) and 8% lower patient fall rate (IRR, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.87–0.98) on a nursing unit. A one-unit increase in the nurse-physician interaction scale score was associated with 19% decrease in the odds of having a HAPU (OR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.68–0.97) and 13% lower fall rates (IRR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.82–0.93) on a unit. Conclusions Both nurse-physician collaboration and nurse-nurse collaboration were significantly associated with patient safety outcomes. Findings from this study suggest that improving collaboration among healthcare providers should be considered as an important strategy for promoting patient safety and both interdisciplinary and intradisciplinary collaboration are critical for achieving better patient outcomes.
Startling Differences: Using the Acoustic Startle Response to Study Sex Differences and Neurosteroids in Affective Disorders.

Neuroactive steroid hormones, such as estradiol and progesterone, likely play a role in the pathophysiology of female-specific psychiatric disorders such as premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and postpartum depression and may contribute to the marked sex differences observed in the incidence and presentation of affective disorders. However, few tools are available to study the precise contributions of these neuroactive steroids (NSs). In this review, we propose that the acoustic startle response (ASR), an objective measure of an organism’s response to an emotional context or stressor, is sensitive to NSs. As such, the ASR represents a unique translational tool that may help to elucidate the contribution of NSs to sex differences in psychiatric disorders. Findings suggest that anxiety-potentiated startle (APS) and prepulse inhibition of startle (PPI) are the most robust ASR paradigms for assessing contribution of NSs to affective disorders, while affective startle response modulation (ASRM) appears less diagnostic of sex or menstrual cycle (MC) effects. However, few studies have appropriately used ASR to test a priori hypotheses about sex or MC differences. We recommend that ASR studies account for sex as a biological variable (SABV) and hormonal status to further knowledge of NS contribution to affective disorders.
A NUMERICAL METHOD FOR THE CONFORMAL MAPPING OF FINITE DOUBLY CONNECTED REGIONS

ABSTRACT A numerical method is presented for mapping an annulus onto an arbitrary finite doubly connected region composed of one or more identical and symmetrical parts. The correspondence of boundary points of the region and the annulus is expressed by a Fredholm integral equation of the second kind which is solved by use of a digital computer. The non-arbitrary ratio of radii of the annulus is determined, and the mapping function is approximated by a truncated Laurent series. Several examples are presented illustrating the accuracy of mapping functions obtained for various geometrical shapes.
Randomized trial of a pharmacy intervention for older adults with cancer.

10012Background: Oncology clinicians often struggle with managing medications and vaccinations in older adults with cancer. We sought to demonstrate the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of inte...
Improving Children's cancer pain management in the home setting: Development and formative evaluation of a web-based program for parents.

Abstract Background and methods Despite advances in health care, the majority of children undergoing cancer treatment experience pain, particularly in the home setting. Mobile health tools provide a promising avenue to deliver pain management education and information to parents of children receiving cancer treatment. The current study describes the development and formative evaluation of a novel intervention, Cancer-Tailored Intervention for Pain and Symptoms (C-TIPS), which provides empirically-based pharmacological and non-pharmacological pain management information and coping skills training to parents of pediatric cancer patients. C-TIPS is a web-based application including a tailoring algorithm, customization tools, guided diaphragmatic breathing training, relaxation practice, and educational material (COPE modules). Thirty parents of children undergoing chemotherapy treatment for cancer participated in this initial mixed methods pilot study. Participants completed quantitative measures assessing their stress and relaxation ratings and satisfaction with C-TIPS. Formative evaluation and qualitative data were collected using individual and group interviews. Results Parents reported high satisfaction with both the educational and skills training modules of C-TIPS (ps Conclusions C-TIPS is a feasible and well-received web-based intervention that promises to improve pain management in children undergoing cancer treatment, improve stress management in parents, and increase parents' knowledge and understanding of their child's cancer treatment. Results from the current study will help make improvements to C-TIPS in preparation for a randomized-controlled trial of this innovative program.
The Current State of Surgical Ergonomics Education in U.S. Surgical Training: A Survey Study.

Objective:The aim of this study was to characterize the current state of surgical ergonomics education in the United States.Background:The burden of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in surgeons is high and no overarching strategy for redress exists. Twelve distinct specialties describe
Submental Island Flap: A Technical Update.

Objectives:In recent years, the submental island flap has demonstrated decreased cost and morbidity as compared with free tissue transfer and has been widely applied to a range of head and neck def...
The Political Economy of the Globalization Backlash: Sources and Implications

A backlash against globalization has led to widespread political movements hostile both to economic integration and to existing political institutions throughout the advanced industrial world. Openness to the movement of goods, capital, and people has had important distributional effects. These effects have been particularly marked in communities dependent upon traditional manufacturing, some of which have experienced a downward spiral from the direct economic effects of foreign competition through broader economic decline to serious social problems. Those harmed by globalization have lashed out both at economic integration, and at the elites they hold responsible for their troubles. Political discontent is in part due to failures of compensation – insufficient provision of social safety nets for those harmed by economic trends. It is also due to failures of representation – the belief that prevailing political parties and politicians have not paid adequate attention to the problems faced by large groups of voters. Countries vary on both dimensions, as do national experiences with the populist upsurge. Previously dominant socio-economic interests and political actors may act to try to address this dissatisfaction, but the path faces serious economic and political obstacles.
Environmental correlates of travel behavior from a destination attractiveness and activity timing perspectives

Abstract In this study, we approach environmental correlates of travel behavior from a place attractiveness and timing of activity participation perspectives. Conventional accessibility metrics are too coarse for this task and do not represent accurately the heterogeneity of opportunities in space. Opportunities for non-mandatory activities are particularly problematic since they concentrate along major corridors that are often used as dividers of spatial units and therefore leading to biased correlations. We experiment here with a method that creates three different types of spatial anchors/commercial centers based on business establishment types. Then we use an activity place-based diary survey to identify significant differences in timing and duration of work, shopping, dining, and entertainment activities in these commercial centers in the Los Angeles metropolis. Work activity shows the usual daily regularity and all the other activities show substantial spatio-temporal heterogeneity.
A physics-informed feature engineering approach to use machine learning with limited amounts of data for alloy design: shape memory alloy demonstration.

Machine learning using limited data from physical experiments is shown to work to predict new shape memory alloys in a high dimensional alloy design space that considers chemistry and thermal post-processing. The key to enabling the machine learning algorithms to make predictions of new alloys and their post-processing is shown to be a physics-informed featured engineering approach. Specifically, elemental features previously engineered by the computational materials community to model composition effects in materials are combined with newly engineered heat treatment features. These new features result from pre-processing the heat treatment data using mathematical relationships known to describe the thermodynamics and kinetics of precipitation in alloys. The prior application of the nonlinear physical models to the data in effect linearizes some of the complex alloy development trends a priori using known physics, and results in greatly improved performance of the ML algorithms trained on relatively few data points.
The expression and role of homebox/bone morphogenetic protein 4 signal in children with congenital anorectal malformations

Objective To investigate the expression of homebox (Hox)/bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP-4) signal in children with congenital anorectal malformations. Methods Real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to detect expression levels of Sonic Hegehdog, Bone morphogenetic protein 4 and homebox gene in children with congenital anorectal malformations. The use of ethylene thiourea to induce fetal congenital malformation of the fetus in pregnant mice. After fertilization 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 d, Shh, BMP-4 and Hox were detected by immunohistochemistry and RT-qPCR. The expression of Shh, BMP-4 and Hox were detected after fertilization 12 d by Western blotting. Results The levels of Shh, BMP-4 and Hox in the control group were about 2 times higher than that in the children with congenital anorectal malformation. The levels of Shh, BMP-4 and Hox were not significantly different in the low deformity compared with the control group.The results of immunohistochemistry showed that Shh, BMP-4 and Hox in the control group and the ethylene thiourea group reached peak values of 13 d average absorbance value, In 14, 15, 16 d decreased significantly; the average absorbance value of the control group and the ethylene thiourea group Shh of 13 d were: 0.405±0.014, 0.284±0.024, the average absorbance value of BMP-4 of 13 d were: 0.287±0.023, 0.214±0.012, the average absorbance value of Hox of 13 d were: 0.395±0.029, 0.199±0.015, ethylene thiourea group in Shh and BMP-4 and Hox level were lower than control group. BMP-4 mRNA levels in the control group and the ethylene thiourea group were significantly decreased at 13 d, and the 14 d level was significantly decreased. The 14, 12 d Shh, Hox mRNA levels were higher in the control group and the ethylene thiourea group, while the expression level of 15 d was significantly decreased, and the 16 d level was slightly higher. The expression levels of Shh, BMP-4 and Hox were significantly lower in the ethylene thiourea group than in the control group, and the difference was significant. Conclusion Hox/BMP-4 signal is low expressed in children with congenital high anorectal malformations, and the expression of Hox/BMP-4 signal during embryonic development can be interfered by ethylene thiourea. Key words: Congenital; Anus; Rectum; Malformation; Homebox/bone morphogenetic protein 4 signal
Parental views on preventing and minimizing negative effects of cyberbullying

Abstract Research suggests that victims and perpetrators of cyberbullying are at risk for several psychological problems, including depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation. While cyberbullying among youth most often occurs at home, little research exists on the role of parental involvement in prevention and intervention strategies. The goals of the current study were to (1) identify effective protective strategies that parents use to help youth avoid cyberbullying involvement and (2) identify strategies parents use to build youth’s coping capacity when cyberbullying involvement does occur. Researchers conducted seven focus groups, each consisting of two to five participants. Participants were 26 parents (88% female, 69% White) with at least one child in fourth through sixth grade. Results revealed three major conceptual themes: communication, monitoring, and professional resources. Two subthemes of communication emerged: promoting perspective (i.e., helping victims understand how a bully may feel or helping perpetrators understand how their actions affect others) and empowerment (i.e., building confidence in youth to buffer negative effects of cyberbullying on self-esteem). Two subthemes of monitoring emerged: active monitoring (e.g., co-use and discussion of media use) and restrictive monitoring (e.g., limitations and technology control). Findings reinforce the importance of parent involvement in cyberbullying prevention efforts and inform future prevention and intervention program development.
An Asymmetric Semi-circular Meandered Line Monopole Antenna for 28 GHz 5G Communications

A millimeter-wave antenna working in 28 GHz band is presented here. It has an asymmetric meandered line path radiator, laid down in a semi-circular region. The antenna’s impedance bandwidth is improved via the use of hexagonal parasitic patches placed at its back side. The meandered line radiating element is fed by a microstrip line connected through a smooth tapered line. The antenna has an overall dimension of 6×4 mm2, and has an ultra-thin 0.254 mm substrate platform. It has a 6.3% bandwidth at 28 GHz, ranging from 27.13-28.90 GHz. The antenna possess very high radiation efficiency of more than 90% and a gain of 2.25 dBi. The antennas compact structure, simple planar design, low loss and large bandwidth will be of considerable interest for 5G system developer.
Salaries in Forensic Anthropology and Academic Anthropology

This project examined the salaries of forensic anthropologists in the United States. Additionally, the salaries of forensic anthropologists employed in academia were compared to those of other academic anthropologists. The goal of this project was to develop baseline data in terms of salaries for forensic anthropologists while also examining various factors that may affect forensic anthropology salaries. Salary information is important because salary transparency narrows wage disparities, reduces favoritism and discrimination, increases the bargaining power of employees, and potentially causes employers to focus more on salary differentiation in terms of productivity and seniority; essentially, wage transparency generates greater equity among employees (Estlund 2014). In order to examine salaries in forensic anthropology, internet search engines were used to find open-access salary data for individuals currently listed as non-student members of the anthropology section of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences and/or the American Board of Forensic Anthropology. All variables were analyzed using random forest models. Results found that in all models, there were no differences in salary between men and women. Further, no significant differences were found between anthropology subfields in academia. Importantly, years since terminal degree was the most important variable affecting salary in all models, with academic rank being the most important variable for individuals employed in the academic sector. Further, these results demonstrate inconsistencies in pay for forensic anthropologists, especially for those working in the applied sector.
TOMM40‐APOE haplotypes are associated with cognitive decline in non‐demented Blacks

INTRODUCTION The goal was to investigate effects of APOE-TOMM40-'523 haplotypes on cognitive decline in non-demented non-Hispanic Blacks (NHB), and determine whether effects differ from non-Hispanic Whites (NHW). METHODS The impact of zero to two copies of the '523-Short variant (S; poly-T alleles < 20) within apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype on a composite measure of global cognition and five domains was examined. RESULTS In NHB with e3/e3 (N = 294), '523-S/S was associated with faster decline in global cognition (β = -0.048, P = 0.017), episodic memory (β = -0.05, P = 0.031), and visuospatial ability (β = -0.037, P = 0.034) relative to those without '523-S. For NHB e4+ (N = 182), '523-S/S had slower decline in global cognition (β = 0.047, P = 0.042) and visuospatial ability (β = 0.07, P = 0.0005) relative to '523-S non-carriers. NHB e4+ with '523-S also had a slower rate of decline than NHWs e4+ with '523-S. DISCUSSION '523-S/S has a different effect on cognitive decline among NHB dependent on APOE allele. Differences in the effect of e4-'523-S in NHB may explain prior mixed findings on e4 and decline in this population.
P4.012 A basic survey ascertaining details related to falls on stairs or escalators

Background The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare state that falls account for 41% of all hospitalised injuries. In Melbourne City, at various train stations there are extremely long escalators and alarmingly one sign previously displayed states there are approximately 2–3 falls/week. Methods A general convenience survey [n=125] was distributed to ascertain the percentage of people who’ve fallen down stairs and/or escalators. Additional questions related to rain, high risk footwear, poor lighting and how many falls they have had. Following on from that regardless of whether or not they’d had a fall, survey participants were asked about fear of falling and/or whether they felt uncomfortable around crowds on stairs or escalators. Results 82 survey forms were returned. 29% of people had fallen, with 16% of those people indicating rain, 16% in either high heels or thongs, while 25% indicated poor visibility. of those whom had fallen the estimate of the number of falls down stairs or escalators ranged from 1–20, with the average being 3 falls. 39% of respondents irrespective of whether or not they had fallen had a fear of falling, while 43% felt uncomfortable around crowds. The age groups were 33% [20–29 yrs], 8% [30–39 yrs], 17% [40–49 yrs], 19% [50–59 yrs] and 23% [older than 60 yrs]. Conclusion Falls down stairs or escalators is relatively common, in addition to a large percentage of people having a fear or feeling uncomfortable. Learning Outcomes Crowd control at events should include supervisors near stairs or escalators.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Pathobiology

The pathophysiological mechanisms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are not still fully understood, and causation is likely multifactorial. Affected individuals have chronic inflammation of the intestinal tract with an imbalance of the intestinal microbiota. It is likely that there is susceptibility in some individuals to triggering environmental factors; a combination of a genetic defect in immune function or regulation in response to certain agents may allow the development of IBD.
Disruptive Digital Innovation in Healthcare Delivery: The Case for Patient Portals and Online Clinical Consultations

Health care is the largest service sector in many economies worldwide, but it lags behind other industries in the use of efficient and innovative approaches to both patient care and service organization. Thus, innovative, disruptive models of healthcare delivery that leverage current information, communication,and decision technology platforms in novel ways have the potential to change the practice of healthcare delivery and management. To satisfy the growing demand for medical care, several new models are currently being developed and piloted, such as online medical consultations, which do not rely on face-to-face visits as the sole model of care delivery. Alongside, the current patient-centered care imperative has also resulted in the use of portal technologies, among others, to inform, engage, and empower the patient in shared decision making. In this chapter, we briefly introduce different types of digital service innovations in health care and provide some details about these current streams of care delivery innovations, particularly in the primary care setting given its broad influence on overall healthcare services. Furthermore, we focus on the potential of online care delivery that includes web portal services for patients and online medical consultations beyond simple email communications between patients and physicians. We conclude with a brief discussion of the implications of these models for the future of healthcare delivery in the digital age.
State-dependent retention effects with xylazine (Rompun) in passive-avoidance conditioning

To determine whether xylazine (Rompun), an alpha-2 adrenergic receptor agonist with sedative/ analgesic properties, influences memory processes, rats were trained in a passive-avoidance task either before or after receiving the drug. Experiment 1 found that subjects who had received a 3-cc/kg Rompun injection (IP) 60 sec before training showed impaired retention when tested 24 h later in a mismatched-drug condition. This impairment, however, was reversed in an identically trained group that received a second injection of the drug 60 sec before testing. Thus, the amnestic effects of pretraining injections of Rompun are due to induction of state-dependent retention. (SDR). Experiment 2 was designed to determine whether SDR would occur with alternative drug-to-training intervals. Nine possible intervals were sampled, ranging from drug administration 90 sec pretraining to 30 min posttraining. No evidence of retrograde effects were obtained: under the conditions employed, the drug must be administered at least 60 sec prior to training for memory impairment to occur.
Some Observations on Spectral Analysis

Abstract The problem of spectral decomposition is re-examined from a more general viewpoint of the Karhunen-Loeve orthogonal expansion. The well-known Fourier representation follows as the special case of stationary process. Certain questions related to nonstationary processes are then discussed, including a general procedure to orthogonally expand the transient response of a time-invariant system under white noise excitation. The procedure is illustrated by a simple example.
Effect of Malnutrition During Pregnancy on the Development of the Mammary Glands of Rats

Sprague-Dawley rats fed 50% of normal food intake from day 5 of gestation had a marked reduction in the weight of their left mammary glands compared with control nonrestricted animals. The affected glands had a significant reduction in DNA, RNA and protein content. Protein/DNA ratio was also reduced while RNA/DNA ratio was unchanged. Histological studies of the glands revealed a reduced number of parenchymal cells, reduced cell size and larger lumen within the alveoli.
Everyone goes fishing: Understanding procurement for men, women and children in an arctic community

Cet article presente une nouvelle perspective concernant un mode d'acquisition inuit en relation avec les roles des sexes. Un examen approfondi des tournois de peche dans l'Arctique canadien permet de souligner l’importance de cet aspect de la vie inuit. Jusqu'ici, de nombreuses etudes ethnographiques et recherches sur l’utilisation du territoire ont mis l’emphase sur la chasse. Le tournoi de peche est un nouvel exemple d’acquisition. Il s’agit d’une activite a laquelle participent femmes, hommes, enfants et aines. Le role de la femme dans l’Arctique a souvent ete considere sous l’angle de la division du travail ou bien sous celui de sa complementarite au role de l’homme. Le tournoi de peche est une occasion ou les activites acquisitionnelles ne sont pas forcement organisees selon le sexe des individus et par consequent cet aspect nous aide a comprendre de facon plus large les roles des sexes. Le tournoi de peche permet egalement de voir d’un point de vue ethnographique «la competence» comme savoir traditionnel, eclairant la facon dont les Inuit, et par extension tous les chasseurs-cueilleurs, percoivent le monde qui les entoure.
State of Iowa Feedlot Summary 15 Years of Benchmarking Feedlot Performance

Fifteen years of closeout performance data was summarized to monitor trends in average daily gain and feed efficiency. Daily gain improved approximately 1% per year over the time period 1988–2002. Feed conversion improved approximately _ of 1% per year over the same time period.
50 Years of Gettier: A New Direction in Religious Epistemology?

In this paper, I lend credence to the move toward non-reductive religious epistemology by highlighting the systematic failings of Alvin Plantinga’s seminal, religious epistemology when it comes to surmounting the Gettier Problem. Taking Plantinga’s account as archetypal, I argue that we have systematic reasons to believe that no reductive theory of knowledge (religious or otherwise) can viably surmount the Gettier Problem, that the future of religious epistemology lies in non-reductive models of knowledge.
The effect of filament shortening on the mechanical properties of gel-filtered actin.

Abstract To address the claim that filaments polymerized from highly purified (gel-filtered) F-actin acquire the elastic properties of a solid attributable to chemical cross-linking, we measured the rheologic spectrum of the dynamic storage modulus, G', and loss modulus, G'' from 5 x 10(-4) to 0.5 Hz for gel-filtered actin alone and in the presence of the actin shortening protein, gelsolin. We confirmed that gel-filtered filamentous actin is a highly elastic material as evidenced by a relatively frequency-independent G', which is consistent with either topologically constrained filaments or a chemically cross-linked gel. Introduction of gel-filtered actin oligomers, however, caused the behavior of gel-filtered actin to become more frequency-dependent and almost identical to that of non-gel-filtered actin, suggesting that the effect of gel filtration on the mechanical behavior of actin is topologic. This conclusion is further supported by the finding that shortening of the actin filaments by the addition of gelsolin at molar ratios to actin of from 1:8000 to 1:500 causes a gradual decrease in elasticity and increase in the amount of flow.
Maximizing Loop Parallelism and Improving Data Locality via Loop Fusion and Distribution

Loop fusion is a program transformation that merges multiple loops into one. It is effective for reducing the synchronization overhead of parallel loops and for improving data locality. This paper presents three results for fusion: (1) a new algorithm for fusing a collection of parallel and sequential loops, minimizing parallel loop synchronization while maximizing parallelism; (2) a proof that performing fusion to maximize data locality is NP-hard; and (3) two polynomial-time algorithms for improving data locality. These techniques also apply to loop distribution, which is shown to be essentially equivalent to loop fusion. Our approach is general enough to support other fusion heuristics. Preliminary experimental results validate our approach for improving performance by exploiting data locality and increasing the granularity of parallelism.
Patti Smith: Aging, fandom, and libido

This essay traces a lifelong fandom of Patti Smith in light of issues of aging, femininity, and libido. It also considers the paucity of transformative images in Western mass culture and its fandoms of aging women. Personal narrative is brought into play, fans' experiences throughout the life cycle are referenced, and gender issues are emphasized.
Early Multi-node Performance Evaluation of a Knights Corner (KNC) Based NASA Supercomputer

We have conducted performance evaluation of a dual-rail Fourteen Data Rate (FDR) InfiniBand (IB) connected cluster, where each node has two Intel Xeon E5-2670 (Sandy Bridge) processors and two Intel Xeon Phi coprocessors. The Xeon Phi, based on the Many Integrated Core (MIC) architecture, is of the Knights Corner (KNC) generation. We used several types of benchmarks for the study. We ran the MPI and multi-zone versions of the NAS Parallel Benchmarks (NPB) -- both original and optimized for the Xeon Phi. Among the full-scale benchmarks, we ran two versions of WRF, including one optimized for the MIC, and used a 12 Km Continental U.S (CONUS) data set. We also used original and optimized versions of OVERFLOW and ran with four different datasets to understand scaling in symmetric mode and related load-balancing issues. We present performance for the four different modes of using the host + MIC combination: native host, native MIC, offload, and symmetric. We also discuss the various optimization techniques used in optimizing two of the NPBs for offload mode as well as WRF and OVERFLOW. WRF 3.4 optimized for MIC runs 47% faster than the original NCAR WRF 3.4. The optimized version of OVERFLOW runs 18% faster on the host and the load-balancing strategy used improves the performance on MIC by 5% to 36% depending on the data size. In addition, we discuss the issues related to offload mode and load balancing in symmetric mode.
VAT Fraud - Technological Solutions

Every VAT/GST allows missing trader fraud. The fraud is simple, and can be simply prevented (with technology). The fraud arises when a business makes a purchase without paying VAT, collects VAT on an onward sale, and then “disappears” without remitting the tax. Missing trader fraud is common in high-value/low-volume goods sold across borders – computer chips and cell phones are the classic examples. But the fraud easily migrates when pursued. It operates well with goods as wide ranging as xenon bulbs, automobiles, and earth moving equipment.The recent appearance of MTIC fraud in tradable CO2 permits and VoIP is a very serious warning for the global VAT system. The size and scope of these frauds make it very clear that this missing trader fraud is huge and it is spreading. The speed with which it spreads is a reflection of the technology that makes it work. In tradable services this fraud has no boundaries.Three technology solutions are presented here. The RTvat and the VNL are applied to all transactions in a VAT system. The RTvat changes the underpinnings of the VAT. Moving it from an invoice to a settlement system. The VLN on the other hand, leaves the basic structure of the VAT untouched, and simply adds an encrypted “tracer code” to every invoice. The D-VAT accomplishes much of what the VLN does, but uses certified tax software. The D-VAT can be applied selectively (to suspect classes of supplies). It is also a voluntary system (admittedly with a number of incentives to get businesses to “sign-up”). The D-VAT is the only solution that can be extended to cover B2C transactions.
Aha! Voila! Eureka! Bilingualism and insightful problem solving☆

Abstract What makes a person able to solve problems creatively? One interesting factor that may contribute is experience with multiple languages from an early age. Bilingual individuals who acquire two languages by the age of 6 have been shown to demonstrate superior performance on a number of thinking tasks that require flexibility. However, bilingual advantages have yet to be identified particularly on insight problems that are used as a model of creative problem solving following initial impasse. As such, the goal of the present study was to investigate the influence of language experience on problem solving performance on a matched set of insight and non-insight problems. Results demonstrate an interaction between type of problem (insight versus non-insight) and language status.
Student services and auxiliary enterprises

A greater number of campuses have broadened concepts related to student development connecting traditional student affairs and campus auxiliary services. This connection is increasingly evident in the evolution of sustainability concerns and activities.
Systems simulation comparing different decision rules

Applying the expected utility maximization rule often requires that we quantify probabilities and utilities, an undertaking which can be very complicated, time-consuming, and costly for many decision makers. For consequences of moderate to low utility—where not much is at stake–it's often much more sensible to use a heuristic decision rule This paper considers fourteen different decision rules (eight of them drawn from the election literature) using a simulation. Generally the ranking, approval, weighted ranking, and weighted approval decision rules seem to work well relative to the expected utility rule. In some cases, the rule which ignores all events but the most probable is the best These decision rules were frequently able to get 90% of the utility which would have been acquired using the expected utility rule. Thus, clearly–depending upon the expense of using the expected utility rule versus a simpler heuristic—it may, in fact, be rational for a decision maker to use a heuristic decision rule. This paper provides tables describing how our fourteen decision rules performed under various conditions.
Heat flux at secondary bifurcation in Rayleigh-Bénard convection with air in a rectangular container

Abstract The one-dimensional Ginzburg-Landau equation is applied to describe the initial growth rate of heat flux in Rayleigh-Benard convection with air in rectangular containers of moderate size. The basic features of low Rayleigh number behavior are discussed, including the relevant hydrodynamic instability mechanisms. We show here that the discrete changes in the wavenumber of convection rolls, observed and reported previously for convection in moderate size containers, are accompanied by discrete changes in the slope of the heat transfer curve, and that this behavior at secondary bifurcation is a consequence of the horizontal extent of the container.
Customers' Responses to Customer Orientation of Service Employees in Full‐Service Restaurants: A Relational Benefits Perspective

The interpersonal interaction between service employees and customers influences service quality, customer satisfaction, and customer loyalty. The importance of maintaining an enduring relationship with customers is generally accepted in the marketing literature and field. In an effort to incorporate these two convictions, this study was designed to investigate how the customer orientation of service employees (COSE) affects customers' perceptions of relational benefits and ultimately contributes to repurchase intention in the full‐service restaurant context. Findings indicate that relational benefits, enhanced by COSE, positively influence customers' favorable inequity perception, customer satisfaction, and repurchase intention.
Analytical Predictions of Seasonal Variations in Flexible Pavements: Minnesota Road Research Project Site

The mechanistic analysis and design of flexible pavements is very dependent on knowledge of traffic loading, materials, and climatic factors. Seasonal variation of climate factors such as temperature, temperature history, and precipitation affects the subsurface conditions of the pavement layers, including the in situ temperature, moisture content, and state of moisture. In turn, these subsurface conditions have a direct relationship with the pavement strength and stiffness, causing seasonal variations in both strength and pavement layer moduli. Many agencies are now moving toward a mechanistic-empirical pavement design, in which the design inputs include, as a minimum, the seasonal variations in pavement layer moduli. The ability to analytically predict and quantify the climatic effects on pavement strength and stiffness has been investigated by numerous researchers, but few comparisons with measured field data have been completed, because of a lack of pavement sites with extensive arrays of monitoring i...
Network Growth in the Flocculation of Concentrated Colloidal Silica Dispersions

We have used small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and oscillatory shear rheometry to study the salt-induced flocculation of a concentrated colloidal silica dispersion in water. The SAXS results prov...
The carbon gain benefits of solar tracking in a desert annual

Abstract. A comparison between two sympatric winter desert annuals, Camissonia claviformis and Malvastrum rotundi folium showed that both gained similar amounts of carbon during a spring day, although by very different means. Camissonia has horizontally fixed leaves which have a very high photosynthetic capacity. The temperature optimum of photosynthesis for this species is near 20°C. Malvastrum has leaves with a lower photosynthetic capacity and a photosynthetic temperature optimum near 30°C. Leaves of the latter species remain normal to the sun throughout the course of the day. The tracking response and high temperature optimum for photosynthesis of Malvastrum result in a high daily carbon gain and also a high water-use efficiency.
The 68040 processor. I. Design and implementation

The design of the 68040, a third-generation, full-32-b microprocessor in the Motorola 68000 family, is presented. The 68040 integrates over 1.2 million transistors on one chip and can execute the complete 68020 microprocessor and 68882 floating-point coprocessor instruction sets. Pipelined integer and floating-point execution units that operate concurrently with separate internal memory controllers and an autonomous bus controller contribute to its high performance level. Physical caches of 4 kB each for instruction and data reside on chip. Separate address-translation caches of 64 entries apiece operate in parallel with the instruction and data caches. This arrangement provides complete memory management in a virtual, demand-paged operating system. The design team explains its total approach and the workings of the integer and floating-point units. >
Signal representation comparison for phonetic classification

Two issues related to phonetic classification are addressed: first, whether there are any advantages in extracting acoustic attributes over directly using the spectral information for classification, and, second, whether it is advantageous to introduce an intermediate set of linguistic units, i.e., distinctive features, for phonetic classification. The authors focused on 13 monophthong vowels in American English, and investigated classification performance using an artificial neural net classifier with nearly 20000 vowel tokens from 550 speakers excised from the TIMIT corpus. The results indicate that acoustic attributes give performance similar to raw spectral information, but at potentially considerable computational savings. In addition, the distinctive feature representation gives similar performance to direct vowel classification, but potentially offers a more flexible mechanism for describing context dependency. >
Finland and Estonia: Cultural and political relations, 1917–1940

(1987). Finland and Estonia: Cultural and political relations, 1917–1940. Journal of Baltic Studies: Vol. 18, No. 1, pp. 5-20.
Chemical variability in the Sacramento River and in Northern San Francisco Bay

Specific conductance and concentrations of alkalinity, dissolved silica, nitrate, and ammonium were measured daily in the Sacramento River flow to northern San Francisco Bay during the rainfall seasons of 1983 and 1984 (high flow) and during late summer and early fall of 1984 (low flow). Flow and concentrations of chemical species varied in response to storm events during high flow, but flow was more variable than concentrations of chemical species. Runoff from agriculturally developed areas appeared to increase specific conductance and concentrations of alkalinity during high flow. During low flow, inputs of agricultural tailwaters caused variations in concentrations of alkalinity and dissolved silica. Dilution of municipal waste by river flow caused variability in concentrations of ammonium during both high flow and low flow. Distributions of alkalinity, dissolved silica, nitrate, and ammonium were measured in northern San Francisco Bay during late summer and fall of 1984. Changes in distributions of alkalinity in the estuary were caused by variations in alkalinity in the Sacramento River. Changes in distributions of dissolved silica, nitrate, and ammonium appeared to be primarily related to variations in supply by the river and removal by phytoplankton. Effects of removal by phytoplankton were large for ammonium and dissolved silica, but appeared relatively small for nitrate.