cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SELF-SUSTAINING SYSTEMS OF REACTORS

Nuclear fission is capable of making a very large contribution to world energy needs. This capability rests on the assumption that the nuclear fuel supply can be sustained by using a mixture of reactor types (mainly advanced converters and breeders). In this way an inventory of available fissile material can be maintained with almost trivial inputs of freshly-mined uranium and thorium. To use the nuclear energy to its best advantage, a diversity of end uses should also be considered, including the following: central-station electricity and process-heat parks; dispersed electrical stations to serve dispersed major electricity consumers such as urban centers and large, fixed-site industries; process-heat sources for secondary fuel production from coal or biomass; total energy systems for remote settlements; and marine, space, and other special uses. A mixture of high-temperature gas-cooled reactors, liquid-metal-cooled fast breeders, light-water reactors, and various “pure burner” special reactors is explored for achieving the twin goals of fuel self-sufficiency and diversity of end use, and it appears to be capable of doing the job.
A New Pull-Out Test for Tire Cord Adhesion—Part II. Cold Bonding

The new test procedure has been applied for tire cord adhesion systems to measure both cohesive and adhesive pull-out failures. Comparison of this shear deformation test (CSPT) with the tensile Tire Cord Adhesion Test (TCAT) is discussed
Improved conflict resolution method for unmanned aircraft sense-and-avoid

This paper presents a follow-up and improvement of our previous work on conflict detection and resolution (CDR) for unmanned aircraft “sense-and-avoid” (SA) applications. More specifically, we propose an extension of our previous model predictive control formulation and algorithm that takes into account costs incurred by possible deviation from the desired destination so that the optimized solution produced by the algorithm naturally drives the aircraft towards its destination. Furthermore, we work out a solution to the SA problem in aircraft-weather conflicts within the multiple model framework of our approach. The performance of the proposed method is evaluated via simulation of a large variety of SA encounter scenarios, and compared with an existing method and with the optimal solution.
The influence of dietary energy on feed efficiency in grow-finish swine

It is widely accepted within the field of nutrition that there is a very close relationship between the concentration of energy in the diet and the feed efficiency achieved by a group of pigs. All other things being equal, increasing dietary energy concentration will normally improve feed efficiency. However, in commercial practice, all other things are not equal, so the statistical correlation between dietary energy and feed efficiency is in reality very small. This is because so many factors influence feed efficiency outcomes. Some are related to the pig and some are related to the physical, social and health environment in which the pig lives. And some are related to dietary energy and how the pig uses this energy for maintenance and for growth. It is only through a thorough understanding of energy metabolism that we can begin to most effectively manage feed efficiency on the farm by manipulating dietary energy concentration and dietary energy supply. This chapter will provide an overview of energy metabolism in the pig: (1) defining exactly what energy is; (2) describing the dietary sources of energy; (3) explaining energy metabolism and discussing why it is so much more complicated than the metabolism of nutrients in the diet; (4) describing the various energy systems; and (5) explaining how energy is ultimately used by the pig for maintenance and for growth. The chapter will also discuss the importance of feed intake, and how this will become even more critical for success in the future when diets are likely to contain less energy than they do today. The chapter will end by taking the information on energy metabolism presented in this chapter and applying it in a practical circumstance to assemble very specific recommendations on how to improve feed efficiency in the pig.
Suppression of relative intensity noise in a Brillouin fiber laser by operation above second-order threshold

We demonstrate suppression of relative intensity noise by >25 dB for the primary output of a stimulated Brillouin fiber laser by operating above the threshold for second-order stimulated Brillouin scattering.
Stratigraphy, petrography, and depositional history of the Ignacio Quartzite and McCracken Sandstone Member of the Elbert Formation, southwestern Colorado, U.S.A.

The Ignacio Quartzite—exposed in the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado—is composed of red and brown arkose and subarkose sandstones and minor interbedded shales. The formation is newly divided here into the Tamarron Member (0–24 m) and the overlying Spud Hill Member (0–21 m). The Spud Hill Member has a greater abundance of sandstones with shale clasts, weakly fissile shale beds, and trace fossils than the Tamarron Member. The McCracken Sandstone Member of the Elbert Formation, which overlies the Ignacio, is chiefly white and off-white quartz-cemented quartzarenites. The McCracken is divided for the first time into the Mill Creek facies (0–12 m) to the south of Coal Bank Pass and the Sultan Creek facies (0–36 m) to the north of the pass. The Sultan Creek facies contains dolostone-sandstone parasequence tidal-flat cycles up to 70 cm thick with a composite thickness of 14 m. Eastward transgression across the western edge of the Transcontinental Arch permitted the accumulation of fluvial deposits of the lower Tamarron Member in the deepest channels incised into the craton. As sea level continued to rise, fluvial channels evolved into estuaries dominated by sandy tidal flats (upper Tamarron Member, Mill Creek facies, and Sultan Creek facies) and mixed sand and mud tidal flats (Spud Hill Member). Sandstone composition and ages of detrital zircons indicate that sand grains were derived from a complex terrain that included granitoid plutonic rocks (∼0.46 to >2.4 Ga), metamorphic rocks, and well-rounded quartz sand from eolian ergs. The area between the present Coal Bank and Molas passes was a boundary between a northern fluvial source with an abundance of superbly rounded quartz grains of eolian erg origin from a southern fluvial source with few such grains, but large amounts of K-feldspar. The Ignacio and McCracken units are, at least in part, coeval and of Late Devonian age as shown by the stratigraphic distribution of rocks resting on the basement, the presence of an Ordovician zircon in the Ignacio, and the presence in the same Ignacio sample of oboloid brachiopods of questionably late Cambrian age with well-dated Late Devonian placoderm fish plates.
Myogenic Developmental Potential of Hemangioblasts Derived from Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells.

Abstract The hemangioblast, the progenitor common to hematopoetic and endothelial lineages, expresses the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor flk-1 on its surface. Based on lineage-tracking studies indicating that skeletal muscle cells are derived from flk-1-expressing precursors (Sato et al. Genesis 35:153–159, 2003), we tested the hypothesis that the hemangioblast is also a progenitor to the muscle lineage. We studied the development of skeletal muscle progentiors from mouse embryonic stem cells cultured in suspension to form embryoid bodies (EB). These EB were harvested at different time points, disaggregated into single cells and analyzed by flow cytometry. After 10–18 days of culture, the EB contained abundant cells that expressed α7-integrin, a skeletal muscle-specific cell surface antigen. Immunofluorescence microscopic study of sorted and cytospun α7-integrin-positive cells from EB revealed positive staining with MyoD, sarcomeric α-actinin and desmin antibodies, indicating that they were bona fide muscle cells. To test if these muscle cells were derived from hemangioblasts, green fluorescent protein (GFP)-expressing EB were collected at day 4 of development, disaggregated into single cells and replated in methylcellulose medium with the addition of VEGF, stem cell factor and thrombopoietin. After 5 days in methylcellulose culture, clusters of loosely aggregated cells appeared. These cells have features characteristic of hemangioblasts and exhibit large nuclear-to-cytoplasmic ratios. The hemangioblast colonies were individually picked, diaggregated into single cells and plated with a myoblastic cell line (C2C12 cells) in media containing 10% fetal calf serum. Co-culturing of the hemangioblasts with a myoblastic feeder layer was designed to provide the environmental signals necessary for myogenic development. After 48 hours, the co-culture medium was changed to 2% serum to promote muscle differentiation. Three days later, the plates were fixed and analyzed. A small number of GFP-expressing cells assumed an elongated, multinucleated, myofiber-like appearance and stained positiviely for skeletal muscle markers α7-integrin and desmin. We next tested the myogenic potential of hemangioblasts in vivo. The tibialis anterior muscles of C57BL/6 mice were injected with cardiotoxin, a protein kinase inhibitor that depolarizes muscle fibers and induces muscle regeneration. After two days, hemangioblast colonies were picked from methylcellulose culture and injected into the regenerating muscles. Occasional GFP-expressing fibers that stained positive for desmin were seen when analyzed several weeks post-injection. These results indicate that the hemangioblast may be a progenitor not only to hematopoetic and endothelial lineages, but also to skeletal muscle. Future experiments include investigating the significance and mechanism of the hemangioblast's development into muscle and explore the role of cell-cell fusion in this phenomenon.
Particle EM for Variable Selection

AbstractDespite its long history of success, the EM algorithm has been vulnerable to local entrapment when the posterior/likelihood is multi-modal. This is particularly pronounced in spike-and-slab posterior distributions for Bayesian variable selection. The main thrust of this article is to introduce the Particle EM algorithm, a new population-based optimization strategy that harvests multiple modes in search spaces that present many local maxima. Motivated by non-parametric variational Bayes strategies, Particle EM achieves this goal by deploying an ensemble of interactive repulsive particles. These particles are geared towards uncharted areas of the posterior, providing a more comprehensive summary of its topography than simple parallel EM deployments. A sequential Monte Carlo variant of Particle EM is also proposed that explores a sequence of annealed posteriors by sampling from a set of mutually avoiding particles. Particle EM outputs a deterministic reconstruction of the posterior distribution for a...
Experimental Studies of Arenaviral Hemorrhagic Fevers

Three arenaviruses, Lassa, Junin, and Machupo, regularly cause serious disease when they infect humans: Lassa fever, Argentine hemorrhagic fever (AHF), and Bolivian hemorrhagic fever (BHF), respectively. There is increasing acceptance that these and other human viral infections share sufficient, common, clinical and pathophysiological findings to refer to a viral hemorrhagic (HF) syndrome (Johnson and Peters 1985). This entity is characterized by fever, malaise, prostration, and evidence of diffuse vascular dysregulation and permeability changes. Hemorrhagic manifestations occur in many cases, usually in proportion to the gravity of the illness and the prognosis. The mechanisms underlying these clinical events probably vary depending on the infecting virus, but almost certainly share common themes (Peters and Johnson 1984). The biohazard of the causative viruses, the difficult logistics of clinical research in the regions where most HFs occur, and the limited international support for research on so-called “exotic” viruses have all been important barriers to progress in the field.
Evaluation of RAPID for a UNF cask benchmark problem

This paper examines the accuracy and performance of the RAPID (Real-time Analysis for Particle transport and In-situ Detection) code system for the simulation of a used nuclear fuel (UNF) cask. RAPID is capable of determining eigenvalue, subcritical multiplication, and pin-wise, axially-dependent fission density throughout a UNF cask. We study the source convergence based on the analysis of the different parameters used in an eigenvalue calculation in the MCNP Monte Carlo code. For this study, we consider a single assembly surrounded by absorbing plates with reflective boundary conditions. Based on the best combination of eigenvalue parameters, a reference MCNP solution for the single assembly is obtained. RAPID results are in excellent agreement with the reference MCNP solutions, while requiring significantly less computation time (i.e., minutes vs. days). A similar set of eigenvalue parameters is used to obtain a reference MCNP solution for the whole UNF cask. Because of time limitation, the MCNP results near the cask boundaries have significant uncertainties. Except for these, the RAPID results are in excellent agreement with the MCNP predictions, and its computation time is significantly lower, 35 second on 1 core versus 9.5 days on 16 cores.
Mas Alla de la Revolucion: Poesia por Mujeres Nicaraguenses

Un “miniboom” en la poesia escrita por mujeres nicaraguenses se manifesto a partir de los anos setenta en el contexto de la lucha armada contra la dictadura de la familia Somoza, el triunfo de la Revolucion Sandinista en 1979 y el intento de establecer una nueva sociedad con nuevos valores. La mayoria de las escritoras reconocidas durante ese periodo, como Vidaluz Meneses, Michele Najlis, Gioconda Belli, Daisy Zamora y Rosario Murillo, se unieron al proceso revolucionario, poetizaron asuntos sociopoliticos en sus obras y, por primera vez en la historia de Nicaragua, expresaron su agencia como sujetos historicos nacionales qua mujeres.
Why Bother with Black History Month

The US has repealed slavery, passed the Civil Rights Act and elected a black man to the US Presidency. Do we really need Black History Month? Hasn’t the US evolved to the point that Black history is synonymous with US history? Not by a mile.
Updating the ELISA standard curve fitting process to reduce uncertainty in estimated microcystin concentrations.

Abstract This study is aimed at exploring the optimal ELISA standard curve fitting process for reducing measurement uncertainty. Using an ELISA kit for measuring cyanobacterial toxin (microcystin), we show that uncertainty associated with the estimated microcystin concentrations can be reduced by defining the standard curve as a four-parameter logistic function on the natural log concentration scale, instead of the current approach of defining the curve on the concentration scale. The model comparison method is outlined in this paper, allowing it to be transferable to test different statistical models for other ELISA test kits.
A Key Role for the Ubiquitin Ligase UBR4 in Myofiber Hypertrophy in Drosophila and Mice.

Skeletal muscle cell (myofiber) atrophy is a detrimental component of aging and cancer that primarily results from muscle protein degradation via the proteasome and ubiquitin ligases. Transcriptional upregulation of some ubiquitin ligases contributes to myofiber atrophy, but little is known about the role that most other ubiquitin ligases play in this process. To address this question, we have used RNAi screening in Drosophila to identify the function of > 320 evolutionarily conserved ubiquitin ligases in myofiber size regulation in vivo. We find that whereas RNAi for some ubiquitin ligases induces myofiber atrophy, loss of others (including the N-end rule ubiquitin ligase UBR4) promotes hypertrophy. In Drosophila and mouse myofibers, loss of UBR4 induces hypertrophy via decreased ubiquitination and degradation of a core set of target proteins, including the HAT1/RBBP4/RBBP7 histone-binding complex. Together, this study defines the repertoire of ubiquitin ligases that regulate myofiber size and the role of UBR4 in myofiber hypertrophy.
Wagging the Dog: Managing Museum Priorities in a Difficult Economy

AbstractIn these difficult financial times, it is more important than ever to manage money carefully. Educators who don't do so are vulnerable, for despite a thirty-year history of increasing authority and status within and without the museum, education departments are still more expendable than curatorial or collections departments in some museums. This paper argues the idea that mission and money are indeed inextricably entwined in a relationship where money supports mission, rather than driving it. In other words, the dog wags its tail—not the other way around. It warns against the risks of using zero-based budgeting as a means of creating projects to suit the needs of potential funding, rather than using mission-related projects to attract funding to the museum. The paper will use the author's experience at three European institutions to provide a European perspective on the challenges facing the museum community in a time of economic crisis.
Rear Heterojunction GaAs Solar Cells With Strain-Balanced GaInAs/GaAsP Quantum Wells

We have fabricated GaAs rear-heterojunction solar cells with strain-balanced GaInAs/GaAsP multiple quantum wells to increase the range of absorption. The overall device architecture includes a thick n-type GaAs emitter layer, followed by undoped multiple quantum wells (QWs) and then a heterojunction with a higher bandgap GaInP p-type base. The QWs shift the band edge to from ~870 nm to 930 nm and results in >2 mA/cm2 collection below the GaAs bandgap. Due to the heterojunction, the cell demonstrated a high open-circuit voltage of Voc=1.03V and an efficiency of 26.4% at 1000 W/m2.
Patterns of head impact exposure in men’s and women’s collegiate club water polo

Abstract Objectives Recent reports have demonstrated a risk of concussion and subconcussive head impacts in collegiate varsity and international elite water polo. We sought to characterize patterns of head impact exposure at the collegiate club level of water polo. Design Prospective cohort study. Methods Head impact sensors (SIM-G, Triax Technologies) were worn by men’s (n = 16) and women’s (n = 15) collegiate club water polo players during 11 games. Peak linear acceleration (PLA) and peak rotational acceleration (PRA) of head impacts were recorded by the sensors. Two streams of competition video were used to verify and describe the nature of head impacts. Results Men’s players sustained 52 verified head impacts of magnitude 39.7 ± 16.3 g PLA and 5.2 ± 3.2 krad/s2 PRA, and women’s players sustained 43 verified head impacts of magnitude 33.7 ± 12.6 g PLA and 4.0 ± 2.8 krad/s2 PRA. Impacts sustained by men had greater PLA than those sustained by women (p = .045). Athletes were impacted most frequently at the offensive center position, to the back of the head, and by an opponent’s torso or limb. Conclusions Our cohort of male and female athletes sustained relatively infrequent head impacts during water polo competitions played at the collegiate club level. The amount of head impact exposure in our cohort was dependent on player position, with offensive centers prone to sustaining the most impacts. Head impact sensors are subject to large amounts of false positives and should be used in conjunction with video recordings to verify the validity of impact data.
Efficacy of laparoscopic-assisted transanal modified Soave procedure in the treatment of Hirschsprung’s disease

Objective To investigate the clinical value of laparoscopic-assisted transanal modified Soave procedure in the treatment of Hirschsprung’s disease (HD). Methods Thirty children with HD who were admitted to Children’s Hospital of Shanxi from January 2013 to November 2016 were treated by laparoscopic-assisted transanal modified Soave. The operation time, intraoperative bleeding volume and complications were analyzed retrospectively. The results of anal resting pressure, anal systolic pressure and intraanal ultrasonography before and after operation were compared. Results All patients underwent laparoscopic-assisted operation. The average length of the intestine was (9.43±3.34) cm, the average operation time was (121.43±21.45) min, and the mean blood loss during operation was (6.86±0.23) ml, while the average length of hospital stay was (11.8 ± 4.2) d. Two children had enterocolitis 6 and 8 days after surgery, but had no colon stenosis or obstruction according to examination; and they were cured after conservative treatment. Two cases had pediatric pneumonia after operation, and been recovered by inner medical treatment. One child developed filth and was improved after defecation training. All the surgical incisions healed in grade A, and no one had abdominal bleeding or anastomotic leakage after operation. Two children were admitted to hospital on the 50th day after operation due to enterocolitis, and they were cured after enema and other conservative treatments. In 6 months after operation, the frequency of bowel movements was 5 to 10 times/d in 3 cases, 1 to 5 times/d in 25 cases. Two cases had constipation, compilcated by anastomotic stenosis; but they were improved after anal training again. Anal internal sphincter thickness and anal canal resting pressure decreased after operation, according to anal ultrasound and anorectal pressure test; however, the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). All children with normal stool were followed up for 1 year, and the frequency of bowel movements was 2 to 5 times/d, but no megacolon symptoms, anal stenosis and anal incontinence or other circumstances occurred. Conclusions Laparoscopic-assisted Soave radical surgery for the treatment of children with HD is safe and effective, with fewer complications. The children recover quickly without internal sphincter injury. so this treatment method has good short-term and long-term clinical effects. Key words: Laparoscopy; Modified Soave; Hirschsprung’s disease; Anal straight line
Assessing winter wheat foliage disease severity using aerial imagery acquired from small Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)

Abstract One of the major goals in all wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) breeding programs is to develop disease-resistant varieties. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) equipped with remote sensors can provide spectral measurements that can be used to assess foliage disease severity. Measurement of disease severity trait during the genotype selection process has always been challenging as it takes a substantial amount of time, cost, and labor to phenotype many breeding lines. This study investigates the potential use of low-cost UAV, equipped with digital cameras as a field phenotyping tool for foliage disease severity in a wheat breeding program. A field experiment was conducted in 2017 and 2018 at Castroville, Texas. The experiment site has favorable weather conditions for developing wheat leaf rust (Puccinia triticina f. sp. tritici). Red, Green, and Blue band (RGB) images were acquired by flying rotary-wing UAV. Images were then processed to develop orthomosaics and three vegetation indices were calculated. The obtained image dataset was further processed to generate plot-level data. Visual notes on field response and leaf rust severity were taken to calculate the coefficient of infection (CI). A significant variation in vegetation indices was found among the wheat genotypes in both years. Normalized Difference Index (NDI), Green Index (GI), and Green Leaf Index (GLI) were linearly related to CI with R2 values ranging from 0.72 to 0.79 (p
Origin of Internal Symmetries

Symmetry groups in physics seem to belong to two classes: the so-called relativity (or frame) groups, which may be called the external symmetry groups, defined by the geometric relations between “inertial” systems for which the laws of physics are the same, and the internal symmetry groups. We call the symmetry “internal” because we see only its manifestations; there is no primitive geometric characterization of the symmetry group from any fundamental dynamic principle. We shall try to see to what extent a dynamic principle can be expected to generate a symmetry group.
Opening Act: The Academic Library's Role in Orientation Planning and Evaluation

This article describes a private, mid-sized university library’s experience of hosting a music festival-themed event in the library building as part of new student orientation, with program evaluation and student learning assessment at the forefront of planning. The authors and co-planners will discuss four years of data to explore the connection between library outreach and students’ use of the library, their perceptions of the institution, and the role the event plays in shaping student success. It offers recommendations for collaborating with academic libraries and approaches in future cross-campus collaborations, including using a scaffolding approach to outline the goals and assessment of any orientation and outreach event.
Efficient Computation of Provenance for Query Result Exploration

Users typically interact with a database by asking queries and examining the results. We refer to the user examining the query results and asking follow-up questions as query result exploration. Our work builds on two decades of provenance research useful for query result exploration. Three approaches for computing provenance have been described in the literature: lazy, eager, and hybrid. We investigate lazy and eager approaches that utilize constraints that we have identified in the context of query result exploration, as well as novel hybrid approaches. For the TPC-H benchmark, these constraints are applicable to 19 out of the 22 queries, and result in a better performance for all queries that have a join. Furthermore, the performance benefits from our approaches are significant, sometimes several orders of magnitude.
Transient Flow Boiling and Maldistribution Characteristics in Heated Parallel Channels Induced by Flow Regime Oscillations

Flow boiling provides an effective means of heat removal but can suffer from thermal and hydrodynamic transients that compromise heat transfer performance and trigger device failure. In this study, the transient flow boiling characteristics in two thermally isolated, hydrodynamically coupled parallel microchannels are investigated experimentally. High-speed flow visualization is synchronized to high-frequency heat flux, wall temperature, pressure drop, and mass flux measurements to provide time-resolved characterization. Two constant and two transient heating conditions are presented. For a constant heat flux of 63 kW/m2 into each channel, boiling occurs continuously in both channels and the parallel channel instability is observed to occur at 15 Hz. Time-periodic oscillations in the pressure drop and average mass flux are observed, but corresponding oscillations in the wall temperatures are virtually nonexistent at this condition. At a slightly lower constant heat flux of 60 kW/m2, boiling remains continuous in one of the channels, but the other channel experiences time-periodic flow regime oscillations between single-phase and two-phase flow. At this condition, extreme time-periodic wall temperature oscillations are observed in both channels with a long period (~7 s) due to oscillations in the severity of the flow maldistribution. For the transient heating conditions, square-wave heating profiles oscillating between different heat flux levels are applied to the channels. Because of their relatively high frequency, the heating transients are attenuated by the microchannel walls, resulting in effectively constant heating conditions and flow boiling characteristics like that of the aforementioned constant heating conditions. This study illustrates the susceptibility of parallel two-phase heat sinks to flow maldistribution, particularly when undergoing transient flow regime oscillations.
Burnout and depression in nurses: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Abstract Background Nurses work in stressful and demanding settings and often suffer from depression and burnout. Despite overlapping symptoms, research has been inconclusive regarding the discriminant validity of measures of burnout with regard to measures of depression. Such inconclusive discriminant validity might cause clinicians to fail to recognize and manage depression separately from burnout. Objectives This meta-analysis aimed to clarify the distinctiveness of burnout as a separate construct by examining the size of the relationship between burnout and depression among nurses as well as potential moderators. Method A stepwise method was used by searching 4 databases (PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and EMBASE) to retrieve published papers in English examining the relationship between burnout and depression among nurses and reporting the effect sizes of their findings. Results We identified a total of 37 eligible studies. The pooled estimate showed a positive association between burnout and depression among nurses (r = 0.403, 95% CI [0.327, 0.474], p Conclusions and Implications This review confirms a large burnout - depression correlation in nursing samples, adding to existing literature encompassing a variety of occupations. Future studies should focus on path analysis to assess the causal relationship as well as investigate potential moderators.
Understanding Families' Non-/Use Practices and Choices: The Case of Smart Speakers and Smart Interactive Toys

Over the past few years, in-home smart technologies have dramatically increased and changed. This paper aims to investigate how families of different socioeconomic status use or forgo the use of smart devices, specifically smart speakers and smart interactive toys. To this end, we interviewed 14 parents with low socioeconomic status and 16 parents with high socioeconomic status from varied races and different levels of education, lifestyles, and occupations. Our findings reveal how socioeconomic differences reflect and impact use of these devices in terms of parenting aids, parents' regulation of children's use, and the non-use practices of families. In the end, we discuss the implications of our findings and provide design recommendations for smart speakers and smart toys that address the diverse values and preferences of families from different socioeconomic backgrounds.
On the Radio Astronomical Quest for Extraterrestrial Intelligence

This chapter gives a realistic assessment of the likelihood that human being will ever detect radio signals from extraterrestrial civilizations and concludes that we should take seriously the possibility that we are alone in the Galaxy. This has implications for the way we treat each other and all life in earth.
From the Soviet Bloc to the European Union: The Economic and Social Transformation of Central and Eastern Europe since 1973

Introduction 1. The economic factors of the collapse of state socialism and the new international environment, 1973-1991 2. Transformation and policy mistakes: dramatic economic decline 3. Towards better times: the European Union and its policy of eastwards enlargement 4. Recuperation and growth: the role of foreign direct investment 5. Economic restructuring: transforming main sectors, economic recovery, weaknesses and growth 6. Transformation and social shock 7. Lasting social changes in income, employment, welfare institutions, educational and settlement structure Epilogue: the future of catching-up in the European 'melting pot'.
A longitudinal test of the Comprehensive Indoor Tanning Expectations Scale: The importance of affective beliefs in predicting indoor tanning behavior

In order to better understand drivers of dangerous indoor tanning behaviors, researchers developed the Comprehensive Indoor Tanning Expectations scale. To examine the longitudinal effectiveness of Comprehensive Indoor Tanning Expectations, we surveyed young women in the Southeastern United States at two time points ( N = 553). The scale demonstrated strong test-retest reliability. Participants who believed indoor tanning would improve their mood and afford social approval were significantly more likely to tan 6 months later, while participants who believed indoor tanning leads to psychological/physical discomfort were significantly less likely to tan 6 months later. Knowing the psychological bases for indoor tanning can inform intervention and message design.
Impact of extent of resection for recurrent glioblastoma on overall survival: clinical article.

Object Extent of resection (EOR) has been shown to be an important prognostic factor for survival in patients undergoing initial resection of glioblastoma (GBM), but the significance of EOR at repeat craniotomy for recurrence remains unclear. In this study the authors investigate the impact of EOR at initial and repeat resection of GBM on overall survival. Methods Medical records were reviewed for all patients undergoing craniotomy for GBM at the University of California San Francisco Medical Center from January 1, 2005, through August 15, 2009. Patients who had a second craniotomy for pathologically confirmed recurrence following radiation and chemotherapy were evaluated. Volumetric EOR was measured and classified as gross-total resection (GTR, > 95% by volume) or subtotal resection (STR, ≤ 95% by volume) after independent radiological review. Overall survival was compared between groups using univariate and multivariate analysis accounting for known prognostic factors, including age, eloquent location, ...
Polar lobe formation and cytokinesis in fertilized eggs of Ilyanassa obsoleta. III. Large bleb formation caused by Sr2+, ionophores X537A and A23187, and compound 48/80.

Abstract Fertilized eggs of Ilyanassa obsoleta form a protuberance which resembles a normal polar lobe when injected with Sr2+ or Ca2+ by microiontophoresis. Eggs also form a lobe-like protuberance when exposed to any of three drugs: compound 48 80 , ionophore X537A, and ionophore A23187. Protuberances form more quickly and at lower drug concentrations if additional exogenous Ca2+ is added, whereas higher concentrations of Mg2+ do not have such an effect. When eggs are exposed to these drugs in Ca2+-, Mg2+-“free” seawater, with or without 10 mM EDTA, the eggs are still able to undergo extensive shape changes and form protuberances. Drug-induced shape changes are prevented by cytochalasin B, but will still occur in the presence of colchicine. Approximately 75% of Ilyanassa eggs are capable of forming and resorbing their third polar lobe and undergoing cytokinesis in Ca2+-, Mg2+-“free” artificial seawater (even containing 10 mM EDTA), solutions which by atomic absorption spectroscopy are shown to contain low concentrations of Ca2+ (3–5 μM) and Mg2+ (1.0–3.5 μM). The data suggest that if Ca2+ is required for normal polar lobe formation and cytokinesis, it is derived from intracellular sources or is required in only very low exogenous concentrations (i.e., less than 10−2 μM free Ca2+, in the presence of 10 mM EDTA).
Tailoring Organizational Characteristics for Empowerment

ABSTRACT Empowerment is an important value orientation and intervention approach in social work and other disciplines. Viewed from an ecological perspective, a good fit between organizational characteristics and the life circumstances of individuals should provide empowerment benefits. By studying interaction effects of material resources and organizational characteristics on empowerment, this research sought to extend understanding of empowerment dynamics in community organizations. Using hierarchical regression analyses to investigate socio-economic status (SES) in a moderator model, findings of the study demonstrated that, among a diverse group of participants in two different faith-based community organizations, perceptions of organizational characteristics were more strongly related to empowerment for participants of lower SES. A substantive implication of the study is that community practitioners should attend to the fit between specific organizational processes and economic circumstances of communi...
The effect of acid precipitation on tree growth in eastern North America

Detailed study of the history of forest tree growth by tree-ring analysis is used to assess the effect of acid precipitation. The pattern and historical trends of acid precipitation deposition are compared with growth trends from mature forest stands in New Hampshire and Tennessee. No clear indication of a regional, synchronized decrease in tree growth was found. The residual variation of relative tree growth responses, after removal of variation due to weather, shows no recent time-dependent trend. Due to the unknown initiation date of acid precipitation and to the large variation of tree growth estimates, a correlation of forest growth and acid precipitation in eastern North America cannot be established at the present time.
Estimates for Cone Multipliers

In this paper we develop a technique to improve on [M]’s \(\tfrac{1}{8}\) result for the boundedness on L 4(ℝ3) of cone multipliers $$ {m_\alpha }\left( {{x_1},{x_2},{x_3}} \right) = \phi \left( {{x_3}} \right)\left( {1 - \frac{{\sqrt {x_1^2 + x_2^2} }} {{{x_3}}}} \right)_ + ^\alpha $$ with o ∈ C0 ∞(l, 2). More precisely, we get this property for certain values of α < \(\tfrac{1}{8}\). There is a similarity in approach with estimates for the Bochner-Riesz problem in the case of the ball. Our argument shows also that if μ is a measure supported by \( {\Gamma_{(1)}} = \left\{ {x \in \left. {{\mathbb{R}^3}} \right|\left| {{x_3}} \right| = \sqrt {x_1^2 + x_2^2}, 1 < {x_3} < 2} \right\} \) and ρ = 0 on a neighborhood of the cone Γ, then if \( \frac{{d\mu }} {{d\sigma }} \in {L^2}\left( \sigma \right),\sigma = \) surface measure of T, one may bound ||(μ * μ) ρ|| p for certain p < 2. This fact and especially an understanding for what surfaces this phenomenon holds, seems of independent interest.
Sketching in Design Journals: an Analysis of Visual Representations in the Product Design Process

This paper explores the sketching behavior of designers and the role of sketching in the design process. Observations from a descriptive study of sketches provided in design journals, characterized by a protocol measuring sketching activities, are presented. A distinction is made between journals that are entirely tangible and those that contain some digitally-produced content (“hybrid journals”). The trend between 2004 and 2006 is an increase in both the average number of sketches as well as in the percentage of 3D sketches for hybrid journals. In 2004, tangible journals exhibited a higher average number of sketches over hybrid journals in the user needs and conceptual design stages, but this trend reversed in 2006 where hybrid journals favored more sketches at all design stages. Text was the predominant form of annotation used (ranging from 62-98%), as opposed to dimensions or calculations for both journal types. The industrial design students had significantly more sketches overall and a higher percentage of 3D sketches. They also tended to annotate more in hybrid journals over tangible journals.
EFFECT OF GLYCEROPHOSPHATE ON LITHOGENIC BILE: A New Approach to Treatment of Cholelithiasis

Abstract Previous studies in animals showed a twofold increase of bile-phospholipids when glycerophosphate, a precursor of phospholipids, was incorporated in chow diet. The present study evaluates the effect of short-term administration of β-glycerophosphate on bile composition in patients with lithogenic bile. 10 patients with lithogenic bile were selected for study; 9 had cholelithiasis. Fasting hepatic and gallbladder bile before and after treatment with β-glycerophosphate (6 g. daily for six days) was analysed for molar ratios of cholesterol (Ch.), total bile-salts (B.S.), and total phospholipids (P.L.). The molar ratios of Ch. in hepatic bile decreased in B.S.+P.L. 9 of the 10 patients (P
The effects of ice thickness on the exchange of solar radiation over the polar oceans

Total transmission, absorption, and reflection of solar radiation have been determined for bare blue and white ice between 0.02 and 0.8 m in thickness as well as for blue ice covered with 0.01 to 0.4 m of dry packed snow. The calculations were performed at 45 wavelengths between 400 nm and 2150 nm using a two-stream model to account for the finite thickness of the ice and snow layers. Total radiative energies were found by numerical integration over wavelength. The results were compared with corresponding calculations for optically thick ice of the same types. Albedos increase from about 0.05 for open water to a maximum of 0.9 for thick snow. For 0.8 m blue and white ice, predicted albedos on cloudy days are 0.28 and 0.67 respectively. Under clear skies these albedos decrease by 10 to 30%. Total transmission through thin ice (less than 0.8 m) is from 50% to 300% greater than is predicted by Beer’s law depending on ice type and cloud cover. Radiative energy absorption at the surface is independent of thickness, but significant departures from Beer’s law of as much as 200% are evident in all cases below a depth of 2.5 mm. A parameterization scheme is presented for incorporating these results into heat- and mass- balance studies.
Building a Sense of Community on Campus

The interim president of The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching explains how to promote community and civility on campus.
Catheter Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation Raises the Plasma Level of NGF-β Which Is Associated with Sympathetic Nerve Activity.

Purpose The expression of nerve growth factor-β (NGF-β) is related to cardiac nerve sprouting and sympathetic hyper innervation. We investigated the changes of plasma levels of NGF-β and the relationship to follow-up heart rate variability (HRV) after radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) of atrial fibrillation (AF).
A lower-bound oracle inequality for a blockwise-shrinkage estimate

Efromovich-Pinsker and Stein blockwise-shrinkage estimates are traditionally studied via upper-bound oracle inequalities, which bound the estimate's risk from above by the oracle's risk plus a remainder term. These bounds allow one to establish sufficient conditions for attaining the oracle's risk. To explore necessary conditions, this article develops a lower-bound oracle inequality, which bounds the estimate's risk from below by the oracle's risk minus a remainder term. In particular, the lower bound implies that thresholds must vanish for attaining the oracle's risk.
The Arguments Matter

One of three commentaries on “Scholarly Discussion of Infanticide?” by Mirko D. Garasic, and “Reflections from a Troubled Stream: Giubilini and Minerva on ‘After-Birth Abortion,’” by Michael Hauskeller, from the July-August 2012 issue.
Cytotoxicity of the bacterium Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans extracts in human gingival fibroblasts

Abstract Filter-sterilized sonic extracts (SE) of strains of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans were shown to inhibit the proliferation of human gingival fibroblasts in vitro . The inhibition was dose-dependent: a 50 per cent inhibitory dose of 2 μg protein/ml was found for A. actinomycetemcomitans strain Y4. The inhibitory activity could be neutralized by homologous antiserum and was heat inactivated by temperatures of 80 °C or greater. The fibroblast-inhibitory activity was present in SEs of both leukotoxin-producing and non-leukotoxic strains of A. actinomycetemcomitans , suggesting that a separate agent is responsible for leukotoxicity and fibroblast inhibition. A short (10 min) exposure of the fibroblasts to the A. actinomycetemcomitans SE was sufficient to inhibit irreversibly cell proliferation, provided that serum was present at the time that the cells were exposed to the SE. SE-challenged fibroblasts exhibited a marked decrease in the rate of DNA synthesis, but no inhibition of RNA or protein synthesis. Although the SE-treated cells did not proliferate, they appeared to remain intact and viable; and displayed no gross morphological alterations.
Charles Darwin as a prospective geological author

On occasion Charles Darwin can seem our scientific contemporary, for the subjects he engaged remain engaging today, but in his role as author he belongs to the past. It is not customary today for scientists to write book after book, as Darwin did, or for these books to serve as the primary vehicle of scientific communication. For Darwin, however, the book was central. He wrote at least eighteen, depending on what one counts; in his Autobiography he entitled the section describing his most important work ‘An account how several books arose’; and in his personal Journal, begun in August 1838 after he had come to a mature sense of himself, he organized entries around his books. A characteristic entry is that for 1846: ‘Oct. 1st. Finished last proof of my Geolog. Observ. on S. America; This volume, including Paper in Geolog. Journal on the Falkland Islands took me 18 & 1/2 months:–’. Further, almost always he had a book under way: when one was complete, the next was begun. He called them the milestones to his life.
Evaluating North American net primary productivity with satellite observations

An ecological model is developed to estimate annual net primary productivity (NPP) in 12 North American biomes. The model combines existing models which address canopy photosynthesis in response to light, temperature, and moisture availability, and account for respiration. Climate data, solar radiation data, and spectral vegetation index data are utilized. Estimates of NPP from the model compare well with data in the literature, but a systematic error is suspected. Difficulties encountered in specifying certain model parameters are discussed as possible sources of this error. The results of this study suggest the promise of remotely sensed measurements for macroscale evaluation and modeling of NPP.
Neutron diffraction studies of digalactosyldiacylglycerol.

Abstract The structure of the digalactosyldiacylglycerol bilayer is calculated using neutron diffraction data. The polar head group of this lipid is oriented parallel to the plane of the bilayer such that the galactose moieties are tightly packed at the bilayer surface into a 0.8 nm thick polar layer. The thickness of this layer is independent of water activity over a wide range (15–100% relative humidity). The constant thickness of both the galactose layer and the hydrocarbon layer constrain the structure factor amplitudes to lie on a single continuous transform for repeat periods between 4 and 5 nm.
Behavioral analysis of predictive saccade tracking as studied by countermanding

The ability to make predictive saccadic eye movements is dependent on neural signals that anticipate the onset of a visual target. We used a novel paradigm-based on the saccade-countermanding task-as a tool to investigate rhythm saccade pacing and to provide information on the mechanisms of predictive timing. In particular, we examined the ability of normal subjects to stop a sequence of periodically paced eye movements when cued by a stop signal that was presented at different times with respect to the last target of the sequence (stop signal delay, SSD). The timing of the stop signal affected the ability to stop the saccadic sequence (make a saccade to a central target rather than to the peripheral alternating targets) in different ways, depending on the preceding tracking behavior. For the same SSD, subjects cancelled fewer trials during predictive tracking (promoted by tracking targets alternating at a fast pacing rate, 1.0 Hz) than during reactive tracking (tracking alternating targets at a low pacing rate, 0.2 Hz). In addition, on non-canceled trials, there was an increase in the delay of the corrective saccade to the central target with increasing SSD for pacing at 0.2 Hz, but the timing of the corrective saccade remained near constant for 1.0 Hz pacing. In examining the timing between movements, we estimate that the repetitive GO process that drives the saccades during predictive tracking begins earlier and has a shorter duration than the repetitive GO process during reactive tracking. These behavioral results provide further insight into the initiation process of predictive responses. In particular, the reduced reaction time and the corresponding short duration of the predictive process may result from a faster accumulation of neuronal discharge to a relatively fixed threshold.