cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Environment-assisted cracking in austenitic components

Stress corrosion cracking and corrosion fatigue have been responsible for some costly generic material failures in water cooled power reactors. This paper reviews the main features of two of the most widespread problems, namely intergranular stress corrosion cracking of sensitized stainless steel piping in boiling water reactors (BWR) and of nickel alloy steam generator tubes in pressurized water reactors (PWR). Mechanisms, in so far as they are known, are described together with remedial measures and crack growth models applicable to in-plant components.
Stress singularity for a crack with an arbitrarily curved front

Abstract To investigate the possibility of a point of a crack front propagating in a direction not in the normal plane of the crack front, the three-dimensional form of the crack front stress field is obtained. To simplify comparisons of the states of stress at various points lying on a spherical surface centered at a point of the crack front, a local spherical coordinate system is used. It is found that the crack propagation will be from each point of the crack front in a direction lying in the normal plane. The results are used in conjunction with the strain energy density fracture criterion for the problem of an elliptical crack. The plane of the flat elliptical crack makes an arbitrry angle with the field of uniform applied tensile stress. Crack growth directions for various positions along the crack front are determined, and loads required for fracture for various angles are obtained.
Osteonectin, A Bone-Specific Protein Linking Mineral to Collagen

Abstract Osteonectin is a 32,000 dalton bone-specific protein that binds selectively to both hydroxyapatite and collagen. When osteonectin is bound to insolubilized type I collagen, the resultant complex binds synthetic apatite crystals and free calcium ions. The osteonectin-collagen complexes also nucleate mineral phase deposition from metastable balanced salt solutions. Antibodies to osteonectin cross-react with bone and, to a lesser extent, dentin, but not with other tissues. The protein is localized to mineralized bone trabeculae and occurs at higher levels in the matrix than in the cells of bone. These studies suggest that osteonectin is a tissue-specific protein, linking the bone mineral and collagen phases, perhaps initiating active mineralization in normal skeletal tissue.
Regional gravity studies of western and central Montana

During the summer and fall of 1963 a U.S. Air Force geodetic survey team of the 1381st (now the 1st) Geodetic Survey Squadron, under the supervision and direction of the author, conducted a regional gravity survey in western and central Montana. This survey established 2700 gravity stations and an associated base station network in the general area outlined from 106°W to 115°W and from 45°N to 49°N. The principal objectives of this work were to determine the feasibility of using combined geodetic and gravity data to evaluate gravimetric interpolation of astro-geodetic deflections of the vertical and to determine the accuracy of astronomical positions corrected for gravimetrically interpolated astro-geodetic deflections of the vertical [Anthony, 1964]. The data were later released to the author for geological interpretation.
Detection by HPLC-EC of primary amines recovered in aqueous push-pull perfusates from cat cuneate nucleus.

Abstract A method is described for the quantitative detection of primary amines - particularly free amino acids - recovered in aqueous push-pull perfusates obtained from the cat cuneate nucleus. Isoindole derivatives of primary amine groups are formed by pre-column reaction with o-phthalaldehyde and mercaptoethanol. Derivatized sample components are separated and detected using HPLC with electrochemical detection. Of 22 amino acids standards studied individually, 12 were detectable under the conditions described. Variability of elution times and detector output peak heights were less than 2% and less than 10%, respectively. Concentration curves were linear to the 10 picomole order of magnitude. For cuneate nucleus perfusates, samples recovered during continuous peripheral somatosensory stimulation contained detectable derivative levels elevated above those of control samples. Sources of error in data interpretation are discussed.
Cloning and expression of the S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase gene of Neurospora crassa and processing of its product.

S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (AdoMetDC) catalyzes the formation of decarboxylated AdoMetDC, a precursor of the polyamines spermidine and spermine. The enzyme is derived from a proenzyme by autocatalytic cleavage. We report the cloning and regulation of the gene for AdoMetDC in Neurospora crassa, spe-2, and the effect of putrescine on enzyme maturation and activity. The gene was cloned from a genomic library by complementation of a spe-2 mutant. Like other AdoMetDCs, that of Neurospora is derived by cleavage of a proenzyme. The deduced sequence of the Neurospora proenzyme (503 codons) is over 100 codons longer than any other AdoMetDC sequence available in genomic databases. The additional amino acids are found only in the AdoMetDC of another fungus, Aspergillus nidulans, a cDNA for which we also sequenced. Despite the conserved processing site and four acidic residues required for putrescine stimulation of human proenzyme processing, putrescine has no effect on the rate (t0.5∼10 min) of processing of the Neurospora gene product. However, putrescine is absolutely required for activity of the Neurospora enzyme (K0.5∼100 μM). The abundance of spe-2 mRNA and enzyme activity is regulated 2- to 4-fold by spermidine.
Using Blood Informative Transcripts in Geographical Genomics: Impact of Lifestyle on Gene Expression in Fijians

In previous geographical genomics studies of the impact of lifestyle on gene expression inferred from microarray analysis of peripheral blood samples, we described the complex influences of culture, ethnicity, and gender in Morocco, and of pregnancy in Brisbane. Here we describe the use of nanofluidic Fluidigm quantitative RT-PCR arrays targeted at a set of 96 transcripts that are broadly informative of the major axes of immune gene expression, to explore the population structure of transcription in Fiji. As in Morocco, major differences are seen between the peripheral blood transcriptomes of rural villagers and residents of the capital city, Suva. The effect is much greater in Indian villages than in Melanesian highlanders and appears to be similar with respect to the nature of at least two axes of variation. Gender differences are much smaller than ethnicity or lifestyle effects. Body mass index is shown to associate with one of the axes as it does in Atlanta and Brisbane, establishing a link between the epidemiological transition of human metabolic disease, and gene expression profiles.
One- and two-incision anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a biomechanical comparison including the effect of simulated closed-chain exercise

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of simulated closed-chain exercise on anterior translation in the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructed knee comparing patellar tendon grafts secured with endoscopic and two-incision techniques. ACL reconstructions, were performed on five matched pairs of fresh frozen cadaver lower extremities. One of each pair had endoscopic (inside-out) placement of the femoral interference screw and other had outside-in femoral screw placement. A model for closed-chain exercise was developed to simulate half squat exercises using a custom apparatus on the Material Testing machine with a 356 N (80 lb) axial load and 40 N (9 lb) static hamstring force. Knee motion from near full extension to 60 degrees flexion was achieved by varying the quadricep force. One thousand squats were performed, and KT-1000 arthometry was done before and after cycling each specimen. The femur-graft-tibia constructs were then stressed to failure. Closed-chain cycling resulted in no significant change in anterior translation in either group. The mean maximum load to failure of the femur-graft-tibia construct was 340.4N in the one-incision group and 434.2 N in the two-incision group. P=.048 was considered statistically significant. Anterior translation did not increase after 1,000 simulated half knee bends in either the one- or two-incision groups. Shallow knee bends are an important part of aggressive rehabilitation programs, and our data support the position that these closed-chain exercises do not deleteriously affect the graft. Though the maximum strength to failure differed significantly between the one- and two-incision groups, both techniques offered sufficient strength to withstand an aggressive simulated rehabilitation protocol.
Magnetic dichroism in core-level photoemission from fcc Fe/Cu(001) films.

Circularly polarized x-rays from a synchrotron light source were used in 2{ital p} core-level photoemission from thin (2--4 monolayer) fcc Fe films on a Cu(001) substrate. The exchange splitting of this level is resolved by varying the relative orientation of the photon helicity and sample magnetization from parallel to antiparallel. The intensity asymmetry and line-shape variations for parallel and antiparallel orientations are consistent with optical selection rules. Interestingly, the measured exchange splitting for the 3{ital s} and 2{ital p} levels in these films is reduced from that measured in bulk iron reflecting differences in local bonding and {ital d}-band configurations for bulk and thin-film structures.
SQL QueRIE recommendations

This demonstration presents QueRIE, a recommender system that supports interactive database exploration. This system aims at assisting non-expert users of scientific databases by tracking their querying behavior and generating personalized query recommendations. The system is supported by two recommendation engines and the underlying recommendation algorithms. The first identifies potentially "interesting" parts of the database related to the corresponding data analysis task by locating those database parts that were accessed by similar users in the past. The second identifies structurally similar queries to the ones posted by the current user. Both approaches result in a recommendation set of SQL queries that is provided to the user to modify, or directly post to the database. The demonstrated system will enable users to query and get real-time recommendations from the SkyServer database, using user traces collected from the SkyServer query log.
Phosphorus Nutrition Influence on Starch and Sucrose Accumulation, and Activities of ADP-Glucose Pyrophosphorylase and Sucrose-Phosphate Synthase during the Grain Filling Period in Soybean

Several lines of evidence indicate that the partitioning of photosynthate between starch and sucrose is influenced by the relative concentrations of inorganic phosphate (Pi) in the cytosol and chloroplast. Two greenhouse experiments were conducted to determine the influence of long-term differences in soil P levels, ranging from deficient to supraoptimum, on leaf starch and sucrose concentrations, and activities of adenosine diphosphate glucose (ADPG) pyrophosphorylase and sucrose-phosphate synthase (SPS) during the grain filling period in soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.). It was hypothesized that, compared with optimum P nutrition, leaf starch and sucrose concentrations would be increased and decreased, respectively, for P deficiency and visa versa for supraoptimum P nutrition. Relative to the optimum soil P level, leaf Pi concentration was not altered by P deficiency but was increased two- to fourfold for the supraoptimum soil P treatment. The concentrations of leaf starch and sucrose were not markedly affected by any of the P fertility treatments and were not closely related to the activities of ADPG pyrophosphorylase and SPS. P deficiency resulted in increased activity of both enzymes in one of the experiments. The results indicated that long-term soil P treatments, that caused either large decreases in plant growth (P deficiency) or large increases in leaf Pi concentration (supraoptimum P), did not markedly alter starch and sucrose metabolism. Furthermore, it can be inferred that the method of plant culture and/or imposition of the P treatments is a critical factor in interpreting results of P nutrition studies.
The Commercialization of SQUIDs

Within a few years of Josephson's seminal paper on superconducting tunneling, devices were being fabricated to measure a wide variety of electromagnetic quantities. Before the end of the decade, SQUID devices were being offered for sale. In the 1970s, SQUIDs began transitioning from laboratory instruments to applications in medicine, geology and materials science. Over the last 40 years of commercial sales, SQUID systems have generated well over a half billion dollars in product revenues. This paper discusses the evolution of the many small businesses that began to offer SQUIDs as commercial products, their product areas and their successes and failures.
Nesin Math Village: Mathematics as a Revolutionary Act

Submissions should be uploaded to http://tmin.edmgr.com or sent directly to Marjorie Senechal, mi.editor1@gmail.com P erched right next to a tiny little mountain village in the Turkish Aegean, you will find, beyond the olive trees and the vines, slate boards full of scrawls, a brand new stone library with volumes and volumes of the mathematical classics, and enthusiastic mathematicians huddled together over cups of tea and a problem. This is an account of my visit to the Nesin Mathematics Village, a possibly unique experiment in building a mathematical community in one of the most unexpected places on earth (Figure 1). ...
Shear and membrane locking in curved C0 elements

Abstract Locking phenomena in C 0 curved finite elements are studied for displacement, hybrid-stress and mixed formulations. It is shown that for a curved beam element, shear and membrane locking are interrelated and either shear or membrane underintegration can alleviate it. However, reduced shear integration tends to diminish the membrane-flexural coupling which characterizes curved elements. Locking can also be expected in certain types of mixed formulations, the hybrid-stress formulations avoids locking for beams (but not for shells). Methods for avoiding locking are explored and alternatives evaluated.
Reproductive endocrinology: menopausal vasomotor symptoms and insulin resistance.

A growing body of research is examining the potential health implications of menopausal vasomotor symptoms. A recent study found that vasomotor symptoms are associated with increased insulin resistance in middle-aged women undergoing the menopausal transition.
THE PREDOMINANT PROTEIN ON THE SURFACE OF MAIZE POLLEN IS AN ENDOXYLANASE SYNTHESIZED BY A TAPETUM MRNA WITH A LONG 5' LEADER

In plants, the pollen coat covers the exine wall of the pollen and is the outermost layer that makes the initial contact with the stigma surface during sexual reproduction. Little is known about the constituents of the pollen coat, especially in wind-pollinated species. The pollen coat was extracted with diethyl ether from the pollen of maize (Zea mays L.), and a predominant protein of 35 kDa was identified. On the basis of the N-terminal sequence of this protein, a cDNA clone of the Xyl gene was obtained by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. The deduced amino acid sequence of the 35-kDa protein shared similarities with the sequences of many microbial xylanases and a barley aleurone-layer xylanase. The 35-kDa protein in the pollen-coat extract was purified to homogeneity by fast protein liquid chromatography and determined to be an acidic endoxylanase that was most active on oat spelt xylan. Northern and in situ hybridization showed that Xyl was specifically expressed in the tapetum of the anther after the tetrad microspores had become individual microspores. Southern hybridization and gene-copy reconstruction studies showed only one copy of the Xyl gene per haploid genome. Analyses of the genomic DNA sequence of Xyl and RNase protection studies with the transcript revealed many regulatory motifs at the promoter region and an intron at the 5' leader region of the transcript. The Xyl transcript had a 562-nucleotide (nt) 5' leader, a 54-nt sequence encoding a putative signal peptide, a 933-nt coding sequence, and a 420-nt 3'-untranslated sequence. The unusually long 5' leader had an open reading frame encoding a putative 175-residue protein whose sequence was most similar to that of a microbial arabinosidase. The maize xylanase is the first enzyme documented to be present in the pollen coat. Its possible role in the hydrolysis of the maize type II primary cell wall (having xylose, glucose, and arabinose as the major moieties) of the tapetum cells and the stigma surface is discussed.
GENE PVUIIW : A POSSIBLE MODULATOR OF PVUII ENDONUCLEASE SUBUNIT ASSOCIATION

Abstract The Pvu II restriction-modification system has been found to contain three genes which code for a DNA methyltransferase (MTase), a restriction endonuclease (ENase) and a small protein required for expression of the ENase-encoding gene. In addition, there is a small open reading frame (ORF) within and opposite to the MTase-encoding gene. The region containing this ORF is transcribed, and the ORF has an excellent Shine-Dalgarno sequence with an ATA start codon. A closely related ORF is present in the Sma I system. The 28-amino-acid (aa) predicted peptide from the Pvu II ORF resembles a region of the Pvu II ENase at the dimer interface. We have cloned this ORF, giving it an ATG start codon and putting it under the control of an inducible promoter: induction leads to a slight but significant decrease in restriction of bacteriophage λ. We also have obtained the 28-aa synthetic peptide, and are exploring the possibility that it modulates ENase subunit association. While this peptide has no detectible effect on dimeric Pvu II ENase, it inhibits renaturation of urea-denatured ENase in a concentration-dependent manner. The ORF may represent an additional safeguard during establishment of the Pvu II restriction-modification system in a new host cell, helping to delay the appearance of active ENase dimers, while the MTase accumulates and protects the host chromosome.
Platinum carbon bond formation via Cu(I) catalyzed Stille-type transmetallation: reaction scope and spectroscopic study of platinum-arylene complexes

The preparation of Pt(II) complexes of the type trans-L2Pt(Ar)Cl, L2Pt(Ar)2, and L2Pt(Ar)(Ar′) (L = PBu3, Ar = arylene) by CuI catalyzed reaction of cis-(PBu3)2PtCl2 with aryl-stannanes is reported. The reactions proceed at 25–60 °C in moderate to good yields. The reaction is demonstrated to occur with phenyl- and 2-thienyl-stannanes that include a variety of functionality, and all of the resulting Pt-aryl complexes were fully characterized by 1H, 13C, and 31PNMR spectroscopy, as well as mass spectroscopy. Photophysical properties of the L2Pt(Ar)2, and L2Pt(Ar)(Ar′) complexes were measured, including steady-state absorption, photoluminescence, and photoluminescence quantum yields, in order to understand how attachment of the platinum metal influences the excited state properties of the arylene ligands. This work affirms that CuI catalyzed coupling between Ar–SnR3 and L2PtCl2 is a useful platinum–carbon bond formation reaction.
Light Scattering in Central Arctic Ocean: Some Winter Profiles

Measurements for light scattering in an Arctic water column reveal strong gradients and variability of the order of 15 percent in depths of less than 500 meters. The region of variability appears to persist from day to day and is roughly associated with the typical hydrographic features of the region. No definite nephelocline was observed.
Paraparesis, hypermanganesaemia, and polycythaemia: a novel presentation of cirrhosis

Progressive myelopathy is a rare complication of chronic hepatic disease which has never been reported in the paediatric age group. We describe the 11 year course of an adolescent male with hepatic myelopathy caused by cryptogenic micronodular cirrhosis. His condition has been associated with persistent polycythaemia and extraordinary increases of whole blood manganese, with magnetic resonance imaging evidence of manganese deposition within the basal ganglia and other regions of the brain. The patient has developed neither liver failure nor parkinsonism. The pathophysiological bases of this multiorgan system disorder are described.
A footwall system of faults associated with a foreland thrust in Montana

Abstract Some recent structural geology models of faulting have promoted the idea of a rigid footwall behaviour or response under the main thrust fault, especially for fault ramps or fault-bend folds. However, a very well-exposed thrust fault in the Montana fold and thrust belt shows an intricate but well-ordered system of subsidiary minor faults in the footwall position with respect to the main thrust fault plane. Considerable shortening has occurred off the main fault in this footwall collapse zone and the distribution and style of the minor faults accord well with published patterns of aftershock foci associated with thrust faults. In detail, there appear to be geometrically self-similar fault systems from metre length down to a few centimetres. The smallest sets show both slip and dilation. The slickensides show essentially two-dimensional displacements, and three slip systems were operative—one parallel to the bedding, and two conjugate and symmetric about the bedding (acute angle of 45–50°). A reconstruction using physical analogue models suggests one possible model for the evolution and sequencing of slip of the thrust fault system.
The Pharmacokinetics of Methohexital in Young and Elderly Subjects

The pharmacokinetics of methohexital were investigated in ten young adult volunteers and in seven young and seven elderly patients. The latter two groups underwent enflurane and nitrous oxide anesthesia and surgery. Each subject received a bolus dose of 2 mg/kg of methohexital intravenously. Plasma levels of the drug were measured for 8 h after injection by gas chromatography using a nitrogen detector. Anesthesia (combined with surgery) and increase in age did not separately affect the kinetics of the drug; however, the elimination half-life was longer in the elderly patients group than in the young non-anesthetized volunteers.
A case for fractured mirrors

Abstract.The decomposition storage model (DSM) vertically partitions all attributes of a table and has excellent I/O behavior when the number of attributes accessed by a query is small. It also has a better cache footprint than the standard storage model (NSM) used by most database systems. However, DSM incurs a high cost in reconstructing the original tuple from its partitions. We first revisit some of the performance problems associated with DSM and suggest a simple indexing strategy and compare different reconstruction algorithms. Then we propose a new mirroring scheme, termed fractured mirrors, using both NSM and DSM models. This scheme combines the best aspects of both models, along with the added benefit of mirroring to better serve an ad hoc query workload. A prototype system has been built using the Shore storage manager, and performance is evaluated using queries from the TPC-H workload.
Race, Neighbourhood Context and Perceptions of Injustice by the Police in Cincinnati:

Research has long identified racial differences in perceptions of criminal injustice. Given that race is confounded with neighbourhood context, it remains unclear the extent to which individual or ...
Understanding diagnostic tests 3: receiver operating characteristic curves

The results of many clinical tests are quantitative and are provided on a continuous scale. To help decide the presence or absence of disease, a cut-off point for ‘normal’ or ‘abnormal’ is chosen. The sensitivity and specificity of a test vary according to the level that is chosen as the cut-off point. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, a graphical technique for describing and comparing the accuracy of diagnostic tests, is obtained by plotting the sensitivity of a test on the y axis against 1-specificity on the x axis. Two methods commonly used to establish the optimal cut-off point include the point on the ROC curve closest to (0, 1) and the Youden index. The area under the ROC curve provides a measure of the overall performance of a diagnostic test. In this paper, the author explains how the ROC curve can be used to select optimal cut-off points for a test result, to assess the diagnostic accuracy of a test, and to compare the usefulness of tests. Conclusion: The ROC curve is obtained by calculating the sensitivity and specificity of a test at every possible cut-off point, and plotting sensitivity against 1-specificity. The curve may be used to select optimal cut-off values for a test result, to assess the diagnostic accuracy of a test, and to compare the usefulness of different tests.
Synthesis of polyphenylenemethines: A reinvestigation

Reaction du p-xylylene bis(triphenylphosphonium chlorure) dans le DMF avec du phenyllithium suivie de l'addition de cyclohexanedione-1,4
Redox mediated photocatalytic water-splitting in optofluidic microreactors.

While photocatalytic water-splitting is a promising alternative energy source, low photocatalytic efficiencies in the visible spectrum hinders its widespread deployment and commercialization. Although screening combinations of new materials and characterizing their reaction kinetics offers possible improvements to efficiency, current experiments are challenged by expensive bulky setups and slow recovery of particles downstream. Optofluidics is a good platform for screening Z-scheme catalysts cheaply and rapidly. By alleviating the problems of mass transport it can also potentially increase reaction rates and efficiencies. Here, we demonstrate a novel optofluidic device based on applying catalyst sol-gels on planar channels while measuring the reaction output by monitoring the depletion of the redox mediators. We use our setup to study the kinetics of the TiO2–Pt water-splitting reaction mediated by I−/IO3− redox pairs under different flow rates. In particular, for TiO2–Pt, we show ∼2-fold improvements in reaction rates and efficiencies.
Liberation movements, universal citizenship and the resolution of ethno-national conflict: anc non-racialism and the Israeli–Palestinian conflict

How does a national liberation movement address the security fears of the Other to promote a democratic transition? We consider South Africa and Israel–Palestine apt cases for comparison as the intractability of each conflict derives in large part from a colonial settlement process that led to the creation of ethno-nationalist states. Similarly the manner in which the liberation movements have defined themselves and the Other accounts in part for the successful transition in South Africa and the lack thereof in Israel–Palestine. In the Palestinian case collective intra-movement struggles framing the post-liberation state in exclusive terms have reinforced a predilection by Israelis to fight, leading to an ongoing stalemate and violence; in the South African case framing the post-liberation state in inclusive terms initiated a cycle of movement–Other concessions and democratisation. Our study suggests that universalistic democratic principles codified in public charter will function as a ‘master frame’ app...
THREE NEW SPECIES OF COPHIXALUS (ANURA: MICROHYLIDAE) FROM SOUTHEASTERN NEW GUINEA

We describe three new species of a cryptic species complex of Cophixalus from southeastern New Guinea and adjacent islands. They are readily distinguished from all other Papuan species by their small size, presence of vocal slits in males, absence of toe webbing, relatively long legs, short snouts, and vertical lores. Their calls consist of a series of high-pitched peeps. Intraspecific color pattern is highly variable and variant patterns are shared among species. Members of this complex can be distinguished from each other on the basis of adult body size, extent of development of the first finger and disc, snout width, tympanum size, and advertisement calls. The new species are among the most common frogs where found. Two of the species are currently known only from their type localities, but the third ranges more broadly in the Southeast Peninsula of New Guinea and D'Entrecasteaux Islands.
Constitutive synthesis of heat shock protein (72 kD) in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells: implications for use as a clinical test of recent thermal stress

There is no clinical laboratory marker to enhance the diagnosis of recent thermal stress in humans. The 72 kD heat shock protein, HSP 72, which is rapidly synthesized after heat stress could be useful in the diagnosis of illnesses associated with heat stress. In humans HSP, 72 is rapidly synthesized after thermal stress; however, conflicting data suggest it may also undergo low level constitutive synthesis. If HSP 72 is constitutively synthesized, a semi-quantitative test will be necessary to detect recent heat stress; if not, a qualitative test would be sufficient, peripheral blood mononucler cells were chosen for this investigation because they can be isolated from a small sample (clinically acceptable) of blood. Following heat stress Western analysis and autoradiography of one- and two-dimensional electrophoresis samples demonstrated low levels of HSP 72 in unstressed cells. HSP 72 increased with heat stress, and remained elevated for up to 48 h. HSP 72 mRNA was detectable in small amounts in nonheat s...
How to become an influential manager

Executive Overview Because of the increasing diversity of the goals and values of employees and their increasing interdependence, the effectiveness of formal authority is diminishing. It must be replaced with influence. In this article, we have summarized our research and that of others which have focused on managerial influence behaviors. Those tactics which are used most frequently and those which are most effective in having an impact on superiors, subordinates, and peers are discussed. Five steps which must be taken to develop and maintain managerial influence are outlined.
Direct Observation of Lattice Polaron Formation in the Local Structure of La 1 − x Ca x MnO 3

The local atomic structure of ${\mathrm{La}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{Ca}}_{x}{\mathrm{MnO}}_{3}$ ( $x\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}0.12,$ 0.21, and 0.25) has been studied using pair-distribution-function analysis of neutron powder-diffraction data. A change is seen in the local structure which can be correlated with the metal-insulator transition in the $x\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}0.21$ and 0.25 samples. This local structural change is modeled as an isotropic collapse of oxygen towards Mn of magnitude $\ensuremath{\delta}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}0.12\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}\AA{}$ occurring on one in four Mn sites. We argue that this is the direct observation of lattice polaron formation, associated with the metal-insulator transition in these materials.
Effect of core inhomogeneity on strain tolerance of Bi-2223 composite conductors

Effects of bend strains on monocore Bi-2223 tapes were studied by transport measurements, magneto-optical imaging and electron microscopy. The strain tolerance of tapes that were sintered for 100 (uniform and well-textured microstructure with high Ic) and 50 h (nonuniform microstructure with low Ic) was evaluated. The strain tolerance of the 100-h sintered tape was superior to that of the 50-h sintered tape. We have shown that the observed strain tolerance is largely determined by the interplay of nonuniform strains and microstructural variation across the tape cross section, leading to nonuniform Ic values. An explanation that accounts for an observed concentration of the critical-current density at the Ag/BSCCO interface was presented for the measured strain dependence of the retained Ic.
Protocol adaptation in hybrid RF/optical wireless networks

One of the major challenges in network-centric warfare is the ability to connect nodes with very high-capacity links. For example, sensor data dissemination is fundamental to network-centric warfare and yet it may overwhelm many available RF communication links. Free-space optical communications (FSOC) has the potential to meet this emerging military need by offering dramatic increases in bandwidth. This technology is not without significant technical challenges such as acquisition/tracking and mitigating the effects of propagation, so multi-band hybrid capabilities are likely to be needed. This diversity of systems provides a degree of robustness that is required for the assured ability to communicate in military operations. This paper will examine protocols and technical approaches for hybrid RF/optical tactical wireless networks
Regional environmental breadth predicts geographic range and longevity in fossil marine genera.

Background Geographic range is a good indicator of extinction susceptibility in fossil marine species and higher taxa. The widely-recognized positive correlation between geographic range and taxonomic duration is typically attributed to either accumulating geographic range with age or an extinction buffering effect, whereby cosmopolitan taxa persist longer because they are reintroduced by dispersal from remote source populations after local extinction. The former hypothesis predicts that all taxa within a region should have equal probabilities of extinction regardless of global distributions while the latter predicts that cosmopolitan genera will have greater survivorship within a region than endemics within the same region. Here we test the assumption that all taxa within a region have equal likelihoods of extinction. Methodology/Principal Findings We use North American and European occurrences of marine genera from the Paleobiology Database and the areal extent of marine sedimentary cover in North America to show that endemic and cosmopolitan fossil marine genera have significantly different range-duration relationships and that broad geographic range and longevity are both predicted by regional environmental breadth. Specifically, genera that occur outside of the focal region are significantly longer lived and have larger geographic ranges and environmental breadths within the focal region than do their endemic counterparts, even after controlling for differences in sampling intensity. Analyses of the number of paleoenvironmental zones occupied by endemic and cosmopolitan genera suggest that the number of paleoenvironmental zones occupied is a key factor of geographic range that promotes genus survivorship. Conclusions/Significance Wide environmental tolerances within a single region predict both broad geographic range and increased longevity in marine genera over evolutionary time. This result provides a specific driving mechanism for the spatial and temporal distributions of marine genera at regional and global scales and is consistent with the niche-breadth hypothesis operating on macroevolutionary timescales.
Invasive species may offer advanced phytoremediation of endocrine disrupting chemicals in aquatic ecosystems

Abstract One of the major areas of advancement in environmental science is bioremediation. Researchers have been using bacteria, fungi, algae and now macrophytes to remove pollutants from aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Here we share the results of a study on the macrophyte uptake of xenoestrogens from an urban river. We found that the invasive curly leaf pond weed ( Potamogeton illinoensis ) accumulated an average of 66% higher levels of estrogenic compounds and 94% more Bisphenol-A than the native Illinois pondweed ( Potamogeton crispus ) in an urban river, in the watershed for the greater Chicago, IL area. The invasive species accumulated 76%more estrone, 55% more 17 β-estradiol and 31% more 17 α-ethynylestradiol than the native species. The Non-native plants were also 72% larger than the native Illinois Pondweed. Managers may consider using invasive species to remove pollutants from ecosystems and restore ecosystem biogeochemistry. Key words : Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals, Environmental Remediation, Invasive Species
A MODIFIED MODEL OF SEGREGATION DISTORTION IN DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER

ABSTRACT Elements of the Segregation Distorter (SD) system of Drosophila melanogaster , Sd and Rsp , were analyzed and the following points were established: (1) The model of multiple alleles at the Rsp s locus proposed by MARTIN and HIRAIZUMI (1979) is supported by our observations. (2) A modifier of SD, tentatively symbolized M(SD), was found close to cn ( 2R-57.5 ). (3) Sd heterozygous males were found to show, under certain genotypic condition, almost complete sterility.——Based upon these observations, the following modified model of segregation distortion is proposed: (1) The M(SD) locus produces a multimeric repressor protein that binds to the Rsp locus as a necessary condition for normal spermiogenesis. M(SD) homozygotes produce a repressor M(SD)/M(SD) ; whereas, a homozygote for its normal allele M+(SD) produces a M+(SD)/M+(SD) repressor. M(SD)/M+(SD) heterzygotes produce a M(SD)/M+(SD) repressor. (2) The Sd locus produces a certain product that, like an inducer in the lactose system of E. coli, tends to bind with the repressor complexed with the Rsp locus. This binding disrupts the repressor- Rsp complex, causing Rsp locus to be turned on. The product of Rsp transcription, in turn, results in sperm dysfunction. (3) Rsp i , an allele of Rsp , has a strong complexing affinity with the repressor such that the Rsp i -repressor complex is "resistant" to the inducing activity of Sd product. Rsp s , on the other hand, has a weaker complexing affinity than that of Rsp i , and the degree of affinity varies among different Rsp s alleles.——A possible extension of the above model is discussed.
The MAT-sf: Clinical Relevance and Validity

Mobility is central to sustaining independence as people age (1,2), and loss of mobility confers an increased risk of institutionalization and death (3,4). Although objective, performance-based measures of mobility such as the 400-m walk test (5) and the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) (6) have become popular among clinical researchers, self-report measures continue to play a prominent role. Taking advantage of new technology, we recently developed a short-form, 10-item mobility assessment tool (MAT-sf) that uses video animations as opposed to written or interview presented descriptions of tasks as stimuli (7). In the current study, we evaluated the item integrity of the MAT-sf and explored in greater detail the clinical validity of the measure using a large baseline data set from the Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders (LIFE) Study. There are at least two reasons for continued interest in self-reported measures of mobility. First, performance-based assessment of mobility is not always possible due to constraints with time and space, and single bouts of performance can be influenced by transient patient variables such as physical symptoms and acute illness. Second, although there is obvious overlap between self-report and objective measures of function, older adults’ perceptions often differ from objectively assessed capacities. Also, data have shown that peoples’ perceptions of their abilities are important determinants of what they will do despite objective assessments of the ability in question (8,9). Historically, the measurement of self-reported mobility has been challenging because respondents are expected to make complex judgments about the meaning of specific tasks presented in written form or by an interviewer. Also, contextual factors that are important in making task-related judgments, such as the availability of a handrail in climbing stairs or the speed of completing a task, are ignored. These concerns prompted us to develop an animated video approach to assessing self-reported mobility, the MAT-sf (7,10). The LIFE Study provided us with an opportunity to further examine the item calibration used in scoring the MAT-sf. More important, we set out to answer several novel clinically related questions of interest. First, motivated by previous research (8,9), we hypothesized that a measure of self-efficacy specific to the 400-m walk would account for independent variance in MAT-sf scores above and beyond participants’ actual performance on this test. Second, because considerable attention is now being given to body mass index (BMI) and physical disability with aging (11,12), and the relationship appears to be curvilinear, we expected to observe a similar inverted-U-shaped pattern between BMI classifications and MAT-sf scores. Finally, we expected MAT-sf scores to be negatively influenced by chronic health conditions and that, as reported previously (7), men would have higher scores than women, scores would be directly related to SPPB performance, and inversely related to difficulty ratings for activities of daily living (ADL).
An Adaptable Task Manager for Reconfigurable Architecture Kernels

Self-reconfigurable hardware is a new emerging technology which will enable adaptation of computing systems to changing environments.This paper deals with the design of architecture kernels for an autonomous on-board system and the development of an adaptation manager for real-time scheduling of the reconfigurable hardware fabric.Our approach employs a reconfigurable computer architecture with two key layers: the adaptation manager and the real time configuration kernel. This provides significant advantages in terms of flexibility, scalability, cost, and compatibility with embedded technology. Some preliminary results are presented.
Application of Gaussian Mixture Model and Estimator to Radar-Based Weather Parameter Estimations

The estimation of weather parameters such as attenuation and rainfall rates from remotely sensed weather radar data has been based mainly on deterministic regression models. This letter introduces a new Gaussian mixture parameter estimator (GMPE)-based framework to incorporate prior knowledge into this process. The GMPE makes possible a versatile model for parameter estimation under all conditions without compromising accuracy. Observations from dual-polarized and dual-frequency radar sensors can be utilized in the GMPE in a very flexible manner. Simulation examples have demonstrated that the GMPE has better estimation error performance than traditional methods for parameter estimation applications, particularly for noisy observations. The impacts of mixture number and state vector selections in the GMPE are also discussed.
The One-Way/Two-Way Communication Exercise: Some Ghosts Laid to Rest

The well-known one-way/two-way communication exercise was examined in terms of (1) criticisms frequently made by participants and (2) the original study from which it was derived. Each of 24 groups of 7-10 college students did both a one-way and a two-way communication, with the order of diagrams and the communication mode systematically varied. As predicted, there was no difference in difficulty between the two diagrams. Further, two-way communication was, as predicted, more accurate, more satisfying, and more time consuming than was one-way communication. Finally, there was no practice effect in moving from a oneto a two-way communication, but significant transfer occurred in the reversed condition. The results are discussed in terms of the quantity and quality of communication permitted by two-way as opposed to one-way communication.
Asynchronous-QDI 2D IIR digital filter circuits

This paper investigates the potential of emerging asynchronous quasi delay insensitive (a-QDI) logic devices for the realization of high-speed low-power 2D infinite impulse response digital beam filters. Recently proposed raster-scanned hardware architectures based on direct-form I and wave-digital realization are extended to clock-free asynchronous logic using state-of-the-art asynchronous field programmable gate arrays from Achronix Semiconductor. For the specific class of 2D IIR beam filters based on raster-scanned hardware, it is shown using extensive experimental work that direct-form I architectures greatly benefit from the adoption of a-QDI logic over standard clocked (synchronous) digital circuits while wave-digital filters show no difference in performance. To the author's knowledge, the proposed 2D IIR hardware circuits are currently the only available realization of 2D IIR filters in the literature based on the new clock-free a-QDI paradigm.
How Social Safety Net Programs Affect Family Economic Well‐Being, Family Functioning, and Children's Development

Following changes to federal cash assistance programs in 1996, low-income families now rely on a set of social programs: the Earned Income Tax Credit, food assistance, publicly funded health insurance, and child-care subsidies. In this review, we present evidence on the effects of these programs on families' economic circumstances, families' psychological well-being and functioning, and children's developmental outcomes. Social safety net programs improve families' economic circumstances, thereby achieving their primary goal. Few studies have examined impacts on children's developmental outcomes but overall, programs improve children's academic, behavioral, and physical well-being. Even fewer studies have examined impacts on parents' psychological well-being or family functioning, leaving gaps in the literature. The review concludes with discussions of the Great Recession and whether effects found during stronger economic times generalize to the most recent economic crisis, and with a discussion of social safety net policies in countries outside the United States.
Intrinsic parameter calibration procedure for a (high-distortion) fish-eye lens camera with distortion model and accuracy estimation*☆

This paper presents a calibration procedure for a fish-eye lens (a high-distortion lens) mounted on a CCD TV camera. The method is designed to account for the differences in images acquired via a distortion-free lens camera setup and the images obtained by a fish-eye lens camera. The calibration procedure essentially defines a mapping between points in the world coordinate system and their corresponding point locations in the image plane. This step is important for applications in computer vision which involve quantitative measurements. The objective of this mapping is to estimate the internal parameters of the camera, including the effective focal length, one-pixel width on the image plane, image distortion center, and distortion coefficients. The number of parameters to be calibrated is reduced by using a calibration pattern with equally spaced dots and assuming a pin-hole model camera behavior for the image center, thus assuming negligible distortion at the image distortion center. Our method employs a non-linear transformation between points in the world coordinate system and their corresponding location on the image plane. A Lagrangian minimization method is used to determine the coefficients of the transformation. The validity and effectiveness of our calibration and distortion correction procedure are confirmed by application of this procedure on real images.