cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Enabling smarter compliance architecture using social networks and cognitive agents

The advent of cloud computing has made a significant impact on the usage and implementation of cognitive agents. The boundless resources of cloud computing offer cognitive agents a rich platform on which to help build smarter systems. Given the explosive growth of content, cognitive agents are well positioned to make use of this massive amount of information that people struggle to consume and corporations need to manage in order to satisfy new security and compliance regulations. Data collected from several IBM Cloud test platforms with more than 6,000 users and from social software statistics involving 350,000 IBM employees confirm the power of user context and social networking to enable a new generation of cognitive agents. This "position paper" reviews several aspects of the confluence of cloud computing, social software, and cognitive agents.
Mxi1 tumor suppressor gene is not mutated in primary pancreatic adenocarcinoma

Abstract Amplification of the c-myc oncogene occurs in a variety of solid tumors, including pancreatic adenocarcinomas. The MXI1 gene, located at 10q24–q25, may serve to negatively regulate c-myc oncogene activity, and potentially has tumor suppressor function. As such, altered MXI1 function might contribute to tumorigenesis. We examined 40 primary human pancreatic adenocarcinomas for MXI1 mutations. Single-strand conformation variant analysis and direct sequencing of the variants revealed a MXI1 polymorphism in 1 of 40 tumors. No MXI1 mutations were identified. Southern blot analyses did not reveal any gross rearrangements of MXIL These results suggest that MXI1 is unlikely to play a role in human pancreatic adenocarcinoma tumorigenesis.
Bevacizumab for radiation necrosis following treatment of high grade glioma: a systematic review of the literature

This review identifies the current literature on the use of bevacizumab for cerebral radiation necrosis in patients with high-grade gliomas, summarizes the clinical course and complications following bevacizumab, and discusses the relative costs and benefits of this therapeutic option. A Medline search was conducted of all clinical studies before September 2012 investigating outcomes following use of bevacizumab therapy for radiation necrosis in patients with high-grade gliomas. Clinical and radiographic outcomes are reviewed. Seven studies reported a total of 30 patients with high-grade gliomas treated with bevacizumab for radiation necrosis. All patients demonstrated decreased radiographic volume of edema on T1 and T2 MRI sequences. Clinical outcomes were reported for 23 patients: 16 (70 %) had improvement in neurologic signs or symptoms, 5 (22 %) had mixed results, and 2 (9 %) remained neurologically unchanged. Complications were documented in 5 of 7 studies (18 of 29 patients, 62 %) and included deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, visual field worsening, worsening hemiplegia, pneumonia, seizure, and fatigue. Only one study evaluated quality of life measures and none evaluated cost or cost effectiveness. Data regarding the use of bevacizumab to treat radiation necrosis in patients with high-grade gliomas is limited and primarily class III evidence. While bevacizumab improves neurological symptoms and reduces radiographic volume of necrosis-associated cerebral edema, it comes at the expense of a high rate of potentially serious complications. Definitive evidence for the utility, cost-effectiveness, and overall efficacy of this management strategy is currently lacking and additional investigation is warranted.
Chlorotetracycline-induced fluorescence from calcilic plaque with UV laser excitation

Abstract We have investigated the fluorescence from post mortem atherosclerotic and normal aortic valve segments and coronary arteries induced by pulsed and cw ultraviolet lasers at various wavelengths in an attempt to examine the long wavelength shift from calcified plaque stained with chlorotetracycline-hydrogen chloride.
Using GIS analytics and social preference data to evaluate utility-scale solar power site suitability

Abstract Determining socially acceptable and economically viable locations for utility-scale solar projects is a costly process that depends on many technical, economic, environmental and social factors. This paper presents a GIS-based multi-criteria solar project siting study conducted in the southwestern United States with a unique social preference component. Proximity raster layers were derived from features including roads, power lines, and rivers then overlain with 10 × 10 m raster terrain datasets including slope and potential irradiance to produce a high resolution map showing solar energy potential from “poor” to “excellent” for high potential counties across the southwestern United States. Similar maps were produced by adding social acceptance data collected from a series of surveys showing the potential public resistance to development that can be expected in areas of high solar energy suitability. Applying social preferences to the model significantly reduced the amount of suitable area in each of the selected study areas. The methods demonstrated are expected to help reduce time, money, and resources currently allocated toward finding and assessing areas of high solar power suitability.
Helical tubes in crowded environments

When placed in a crowded environment, a semiflexible tube is forced to fold so as to make a more compact shape. One compact shape that often arises in nature is the tight helix, especially when the tube thickness is of comparable size to the tube length. In this paper we use an excluded volume effect to model the effects of crowding. This gives us a measure of compactness for configurations of the tube, which we use to look at structures of the semiflexible tube that minimize the excluded volume. We focus most of our attention on the helix and which helical geometries are most compact. We found helices of specific pitch to radius ratio 2.512 to be optimally compact. This is the same geometry that minimizes the global curvature of the curve defining the tube. We further investigate the effects of adding a bending energy or multiple tubes to begin to explore the more complete space of possible geometries a tube could form.
Immunologic Effector Mechanisms in Hepatitis B-Negative Chronic Active Hepatitis

Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-negative chronic active hepatitis (CAH) is a progressive, destructive, inflammatory liver disease of unknown etiology. It is characterized by hepatic parenchymal necrosis and fibrosis, with subsequent development of macronodular cirrhosis in the majority of patients. The cardinal histologic findings consist of infiltration of the portal tracts by mononuclear cells which extend beyond the limiting plate and into the parenchyma, where their presence is associated with hepatocellular destruction known as piecemeal necrosis. One form of HBsAg-negative CAH primarily affects women and has a high incidence of serologic abnormalities. Antibodies against autologous tissues such as thyroid, gastric parietal, adrenal, and renal tubular cells are frequently present [69], and positive tests for antinuclear antibodies and “lupus erythematosus cells” have prompted the designations “lupoid hepatitis” and “autoimmune” CAH for this entity. Evidence of active hepatitis B infection is absent upon serologic testing, and additional genetic, epidemiologic, and serologic studies suggest that this disease is distinct from HBsAg-positive [7] and drug-induced CAH.
Genetic diversity of Flavobacterium columnare examined by restriction fragment length polymorphism and sequencing of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene and the 16S–23S rDNA spacer

Abstract Genetic variability among strains of Flavobacterium columnare , isolated in the United States, was characterized by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and phylogenetic analysis based on the sequence of the 16S rRNA gene. Twenty-seven isolates of F. columnare were differentiated into three genotypes. The isolates within the genotypes were further grouped based on RFLP of the 16S–23S rDNA spacer. The first genotype had five strains that were further divided into group A (4 strains) and B (1 strain) while the second genotype had 10 strains that were also further divided into group A (4 strains) and B (6 stains). The third genotype had 12 isolates with no differences in the RFLP patterns of the 16S–23S rDNA spacers. The 16S rRNA gene sequences representing the three identified genotypes were compared to the different published sequences by phylogenetic analysis and the results showed the American genotypes 1, 2 and 3 corresponding to genomovar 1, 2, and 3, respectively, reported by Triyanto and Wakabayashi [Triyanto, Wakabayashi H. Genotyping of strains of Flavobacterium columnare from diseased fishes. Fish Pathol 1999; 34: 65–71]. The study demonstrates a method for RFLP and sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene and the 16-23S rDNA spacer as a useful tool in epidemiological studies of F. columnare .
A voucher plan for financing health care delivery

Abstract There seems to be a growing consensus in this country that everyone should have guaranteed access to at least a minimum level of preventive and curative medical care. The real controversy is over the method by which such care would be assured. I have proposed elsewhere that each individual be given a voucher; ‘good’ for either full premium payment for membership in a comprehensive prepaid health plan in a specified period, or for a predetermined amount toward one's health insurance premium if it is desired to maintain consumption of care in a fee-for-service (ffs) mode. The purpose of the present paper will be to provide a preliminary examination of some of the operational characteristics of such a voucher which may be implemented on an ‘area’ basis, such an area containing some number of somehow identifiable ‘regions’. In each of the regions a governing board would make management decisions taking into account its peculiarities and needs. The regional board would then be responsible to some area Health Council. This, of course, parallels the kinds of decision-making bodies specified both in national proposals such as Senator Kennedy's, and statewide plans such as California Senate Bill 770 proposed by Senator Moscone (D., San Francisco). An analytical model of the decision process of such regional boards and Health Councils is developed and the optimal selection of voucher redemption levels and capital subsidy programs is characterized.
Focal knee joint cooling increases the quadriceps central activation ratio

Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of a 20-min focal knee joint cooling intervention on quadriceps central activation ratio (CAR) in healthy volunteers. A counterbalanced, cross-over study assessed the effects of a focal joint cooling intervention compared with a control condition 3–14 days apart. Eleven healthy volunteers (6 males, 5 females; age 25 ± 5 years; height 1.71 ± 0.1 m, mass 77 ± 21 kg) were included in the final analysis. The joint cooling intervention consisted of two 1.5-litre ice bags applied to the knee joint for 20 min, in one of two counterbalanced sessions, completed 3–14 days apart. In the control session, participants sat quietly between the baseline and 20-min measurements. Quadriceps CAR was assessed at 70° of knee flexion at four instants (baseline, 20, 30, and 45 min). There was a significant treatment × time interaction (F 3,30 = 5.9, P = 0.003) and post hoc analyses revealed that CAR was higher in the focal knee joint cooling session than the contr...
What drives the implied volatility of index options

The objective of this article is to identify and evaluate the correlates of volatility in index options during a speculative boom period. We investigate whether the persistence of changes in the CBOE volatility index is associated with Treasury-bill yield and common stock market index, such as S&P 500, during the period of tremendous stock market growth of the late 1990s. We examine if the positive information from the market index and the innovations in the predictive variables play any role in explaining the variability of index options. The implied volatility from our model shows that high volatility of index options is accompanying falling prices in the market index. Overall, the empirical findings suggest that there is more downside weakness than upside strength in the predictive power of the market index.
Effects of main and cross term diffusivities on kinetic separations by pressure swing adsorption

A simple solution to the pressure swing adsorption (PSA) cyclic steady state for a kinetically controlled two-step isothermal process is derived. This solution uses the linear driving force (LDF) model for diffusion rates, non-linear mixed gas isotherms and is general for any number of adsorbing components. The solution permits the calculation of the maximum possible purity for simple PSA cycles. The LDF model is also modified for binary diffusion by including main and diagonal terms of the diffusivities. The concentration dependence of diffusivity and coupling or interference introduced by the addition of these terms affects PSA performance predictions of purity, which improves, and recovery, which diminishes. At fixed low pressures, the reduction in recovery and productivity on inclusion of cross terms may be related to a phenomenon of counter-diffusion.
Violent volcanism, stagnant oceans and some inferences regarding petroleum, strata-bound ores and mass extinctions

Abstract Past changes from a well-mixed aerated ocean to a stratified stagnant ocean are indicated by decreasing δ13C of limestone (opposite to prior conclusions) as well as by increasing δ34S of marine sulfates. The proposed stagnant ocean model includes a warm CO2-enriched atmosphere and a bathyal to abyssal marine system dominated by bacterial components in the food web and by consequent ‘light’ carbon in organic material and biogenic carbonates. Culminations of prolonged stagnant episodes correspond with marine faunal extinctions of Late Permian and Late Cretaceous time, and the protracted changes and correlations provide evidence against any hypothesis of mass extinction by sudden worldwide catastrophe, including the asteroid impact hypothesis. The Cretaceous stagnant ocean, taken as the prime example, is attributed to climatic warming triggered by volcanic CO2 (greenhouse effect) and several feedbacks, including decreased Earth albedo and increased sinking of warm evaporite brines instead of aerated polar waters. Marine extinctions are attributed to upward expansion of the oxygen minimum zone and to catastrophic mixing of surface waters with poisonous sulfidic waters of the deeps. The stagnant ocean provided a counterbalance between deep reduction and shallow oxidation, conditions that favored maximal formation of black sulfidic shales, protopetroleum and sedimentary sulfide ores and shallow to mid-depth barite, phosphorite, iron ore, cherty iron formation, and sulfate-bearing red-beds. Trace elements concentrated in stagnant ocean sediments include chalcophile and Pt-group metals, negating claims that Ir provides a unique ‘fingerprint’ of meteorite impact and cosmic accretion.
Migration and differentiation of PC12 cells transplanted into the rat spinal cord

Abstract To test the hypothesis that transplanted neuronal or neuronal-like cell lines, grown in vitro, might survive and differentiate in the mammalian spinal grey matter, adult male Sprague-Dawley rats (N=5) were injected with a suspension of between 3 × 105 and 1.0 × 106 DiI labeled, undifferentiated rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells in sterile phosphate buffered saline. The PC12 cell line was chosen since, in certain in vitro conditions, this cell line serves as a model of neuronal differentiation, which includes the ability to conduct action potentials and form functional synapses. After a survival time of 7 or 8 days, the spinal cords were removed, cryosectioned longitudinally and examined for detection of DiI labeled PC12 cells using fluorescent microscopy. The number of DiI labeled profiles and the proportions of the DiI cells which were differentiated were counted per section in at least five non-contiguous sections per animal. Differentiation was defined as cells with neurite-like extensions which exceeded twice the soma diameter. Results demonstrated the following: 1. (1) from 2 to 15% of the transplanted PC12 cells survived 2. (2) migration within the spinal grey matter occurred since PC12 cells were found as much as 510 μm away from the injection site 3. (3) of the surviving PC12 cell population, a proportion of between 60 and 80% were differentiated, many with two or more neurite-like processes, in all of the rats 4. (4) no mitotic profiles were observed in DiI labelled cells 5. (5) undifferentiated PC12 cells were juxtaposed to the lumens of small blood vessels or within the lesion cavity. Although the specific factors remain to be elucidated, the observed PC12 migration and differentiation within the host spinal grey matter appears to be controlled by factors in the microenvironment. These data support the use of a homogeneous in vitro population of neuronal or neuronal-like cells, which are readily accessible to transfection with the appropriate genes, as transplant sources for the injured spinal cord.
QUINONE EXCHANGE AT THE A1 SITE IN PHOTOSYSTEM I IN SPINACH AND CYANOBACTERIA

Abstract The electron spin polarization (ESP) EPR signal arising from the P-700+ A1− radical pair in Photosystem I (PS I) consisting of the oxidized PS I primary donor, P-700 , and the reduced vitamin K1 (K1) acceptor, A1, is studied as a function of isotopic labelling of the native A1 acceptor. No pre-extraction of the native A1 acceptor is utilized, instead, exchange of the native acceptor with protonated or perdeuterated K1 is accomplished by incubation of the reaction centers in solution (incubation/exchange). The incubation/exchange process is studied in PS I of spinach and in two cyanobacteria, the thermophilic Synechococcus lividus (S. lividus) and the non-thermophilic Synechococcus leopoliensis (S. leopoliensis). A complete data set, HPHA1, HPDA1, DPHA1, DPDA1 (where P refers to the primary chlorophyll donor, A1, the quinone acceptor, and H and D denote protonated and deuterated, respectively), is obtained for S. lividus. The correlated radical pair polarization model (CRPP) is used to reproduce the experimental lineshapes for the four different isotopic combinations of the P-700+A1− radical pair. The experimental ESP EPR spectra are well predicted using the geometric and energetic parameters which have been deduced for perdeuterated PS I reaction centers in whole cells of S. lividus (Kothe, G. et al. (1994) J. Phys. Chem. 98, 2706–2712). The results suggest that the isotopically labelled K1 binds in the A1 site with the same orientation as the native acceptor in unexchanged PS I. No evidence for electron transfer to K1 in configurations other than the A1 binding site is observed. Incubation/exchange is studied as a function of incubation temperature. For spinach and non-thermophilic S. leopoliensis the effect of incubation/exchange is most efficient for 1/2 h incubations at temperatures around and above 30–35°C, but requires somewhat higher incubation temperatures, above 40–45°C, for thermophilic S. lividus. Similar changes in the ESP spectrum are also demonstrated for PS I reaction centers in thylakoid membranes of S. lividus.
Anti-phospholipid antibody levels as biomarker for monitoring tuberculosis treatment response.

Standard methods to monitor tuberculosis (TB) treatment response rely on sputum microscopy and culture conversion. Alternatives to these methods are needed for those patients whose sputum tests are smear or culture negative. Here, we examine anti-phospholipid IgM antibody level changes as a biomarker for treatment response in smear positive TB patients. Serum samples were obtained from 40 pulmonary TB patients at the start and end of the intensive phase treatment (IPT) from the CDC-TB Trials Consortium randomized clinical trial in Kampala, Uganda. Samples were screened by ELISA for IgM levels against five phospholipids found in Mycobacterium tuberculosis and host cells. Lipid antigens included cardiolipin (CL), phosphatidyl inositol (PI), phosphatidyl ethanolamine (PE), phosphatidyl choline (PTC), and sphingolipid (SL). Levels of IgM against all phospholipids significantly decreased (p = 0.034, 0.001, 0.008 0.008, 0.040, respectively) following anti-TB drug treatment in patients without lung cavitary disease at baseline. The mean sensitivity of this test in these patients was 83% when the IgM response to a single lipid antigen was used; it was >90% when responses to 2 or more lipids were assessed. In contrast, cavitary TB patients showed an overall IgM increase, with a significant rise against PE (p = 0.025). There was no significant difference in the change in antibody levels between patients who remained culture-positive and those who culture-converted after 40 doses of drug therapy. The measurement of IgM anti-phospholipid antibodies may be a useful biomarker to monitor treatment response in non-cavitary TB patients.
pH Controlled Release of Chromone from Chromone-Fe3O4 Nanoparticles

We report a new strategy for coupling chromone to Fe3O4 nanoparticles. The chromone-Fe3O4 NP conjugate shows a dramatic increase in chromone solubility in cell culture medium from less than 2.5 to 633 μg/ml, leading to the enhanced chromone uptake by HeLa cells. Chromone can be released at low pH and as a result, the chromone-Fe3O4 conjugate is much more efficient in inhibiting the HeLa cell proliferation. Such chromone-Fe3O4 NPs are promising as a powerful multifunctional delivery system for both chromone-based diagnostic and therapeutic applications.
In Defense of (Some) Altered Standards of Care for Ebola Infections in Developed Countries

The current outbreak of Ebola virus infection in West Africa continues to spread. Several patients have now been treated in the United States and preparations are being made for more. Because of the strict isolation required for their care, questions have been raised about what diagnostic and therapeutic interventions should be available. I discuss the ethical challenges associated with caring for patients in strict isolation and personnel wearing bulky protective gear with reduced dexterity and flexibility, the limitations this may place on available treatments and the permissibility of consequent departures from the standards of care. Restricting access to some interventions such as surgery requiring an operating room, advanced imaging, etc. is reasonable due to concern for protecting other patients, visitors and staff. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is a special case and the implications for withholding this intervention in situations where it may be desired is discussed, especially with respect to those patients who have suspected, but not proven, infection. These same restrictions are also considered under conditions where there are scarce resources and thus limited numbers of patients may receive care. While it is to be hoped that there is only limited and sporadic infection with Ebola virus in the US, careful thought must be given to the care of these patients under the unusual circumstances demanded by their isolation. I argue that an altered standard of care is reasonable and ethically acceptable under certain conditions.
A 1.5 GHz Fully-Monolithic CMOS LNA and Its Noise Behavior

A 1.8 V, 1.57542 GHz LNA has been designed for a 0.5-?m CMOS process. This amplifier provides a forward gain of 19 dB with a low noise figure of only 2 dB while drawing 17 mW DC power. Unlike most of the circuits in literature, this design includes on-chip biasing and matching networks. A noise rejection study on a single-ended and a differential LNA designed in the proposed approach shows that the differential amplifier is more noisy for the same gain while being less sensitive to common-mode noise.
Endothelial sodding of the Permaflow prosthetic coronary artery bypass conduit

Abstract Background . Experiments were designed to determine the feasibility of sodding an endothelial monolayer within the lumen of a prosthetic conduit applied to the canine coronary circulation. Methods . Autologous endothelial cells were sodded onto the luminal surface of the Permaflow conduit and immediately implanted to bypass the left circumflex coronary artery in adult mongrel dogs (n = 9). Unsodded Permaflow conduits were implanted as controls (n = 8). At 3 weeks, grafts were explanted and examined by scanning electron microscopy and immunostained for canine von Willebrand factor. Results . Sodded grafts contained a confluent endothelial cell layer devoid of adherent thrombus or platelets and stained positively for canine von Willebrand factor. Unsodded grafts contained no endothelium and retained adherent platelets, collagen, and fibrin. Effluent from sodded grafts stimulated with calcium ionophore A23187 caused a significantly greater relaxation of its bioassay ring than effluent from unsodded grafts (60% ± 21% versus 12% ± 5%; n=8, p Conclusions . Sodding of endothelial cells onto a Permaflow coronary artery bypass graft results in a confluent, viable, nonthrombogenic, endothelial monolayer and releases vasodilator substances in response to calcium ionophore A23187. Endothelial sodding may optimize prosthetic grafts.
Na Conductance Kinetics in the Low-Frequency Impedance of Isolated Snail Neurons

The complex impedance of isolated single neurons of Helix aspersa (snail) was measured at low frequencies (0.25?100 Hz) with a combination of a suction electrode for applying current and a microelectrode for measuring potential response. A repetitive, Fourier-synthesized signal superposed as a small perturbation (0.2 nA rms) on step current clamps was used in conjunction with Fourier transform techniques to obtain high-resolution impedance data 1 s after a step. The membrane capacitance of an 80 ?Am diameter cell, measured in the frequency range 2.5?1000 Hz after suppression of ion conduction, was 1.8 nF and had a constant phase angle of about ?69°. The resting (?50 mV) extrapolated zero-frequency resistance, before suppression of conduction in the same cell, of a predominantly Na-conducting membrane was about 5 M?. Linear ion-conduction parameters were estimated directly by fitting an admittance model, based on the linearized Hodgkin-Huxley equations with a constant-phase-angle capacitance, to the reciprocal of the impedance data. The natural frequencies of Na activation and inactivation processes for small depolarizations (10?20 mV from rest potential) were determined to be 23?28 Hz (Tm = 7?5.7 ms) and 2.5?1.8 Hz (Th = 64?88 ms), respectively. These values are more than an order greater than the corresponding relaxation times of Na channels in the squid axon.
What you saw is not what you get: Domain adaptation using asymmetric kernel transforms

In real-world applications, “what you saw” during training is often not “what you get” during deployment: the distribution and even the type and dimensionality of features can change from one dataset to the next. In this paper, we address the problem of visual domain adaptation for transferring object models from one dataset or visual domain to another. We introduce ARC-t, a flexible model for supervised learning of non-linear transformations between domains. Our method is based on a novel theoretical result demonstrating that such transformations can be learned in kernel space. Unlike existing work, our model is not restricted to symmetric transformations, nor to features of the same type and dimensionality, making it applicable to a significantly wider set of adaptation scenarios than previous methods. Furthermore, the method can be applied to categories that were not available during training. We demonstrate the ability of our method to adapt object recognition models under a variety of situations, such as differing imaging conditions, feature types and codebooks.
High-Throughput Interpolation Architecture for Algebraic Soft-Decision Reed–Solomon Decoding

Reed-Solomon (RS) codes are used as error-correcting codes in numerous digital communication and storage systems. Algebraic soft-decision decoding (ASD) of RS codes can achieve substantial coding gain with polynomial complexity. Among practical ASD algorithms, the iterative bit-level generalized minimum distance (BGMD) decoding can achieve similar or higher coding gain with lower complexity. The interpolation is a major step of ASD. The maximum achievable speed of this step is limited by the inherent serial nature of the interpolation algorithm. In this paper, a novel interpolation scheme that is capable of combining multiple interpolation iterations, as well as sharing interpolation results from previous decoding iterations, is developed for the iterative BGMD decoding. In addition, efficient VLSI architectures are proposed to implement the developed scheme. Based on the proposed architectures, an interpolator for a (255, 239) RS code is implemented on field programmable gate array (FPGA) devices. On a Xilinx Virtex-II device, our interpolator can achieve a throughput of 440 Mbps, which is 64% higher than the fastest previous design, with 51% less FPGA resource.
Introducing secure coding in CS0, CS1, and CS2 (abstract only)

The CS 2013 curriculum includes Information Assurance and Security as a pervasive knowledge area. However, introducing security in lower level courses is challenging because of lack of appropriate teaching resources and training. This workshop will provide a well-tested strategy for introducing secure coding concepts in CS0, CS1, and CS2. We will introduce attendees to secure coding through hands-on exercises, and provide self-contained, lab-based modules designed to be injected into CS0-CS2 with minimal impact on the course (www.towson.edu/securityinjections). Participants will be encouraged to bring in their own syllabus and labs to modify to include secure coding concepts. The first 15 participants will be reimbursed for the workshop cost on attendance. Laptop recommended.
Corneal-tissue absorption coefficients for 193- and 213-nm ultraviolet radiation.

The small-signal absorption coefficients of 193- and 213-nm nanosecond laser pulses in bovine corneal tissue have been studied. The absolute reflectance of a planar quartz-cornea interface was measured at various angles of incidence for low-intensity laser irradiation (i.e., pulse fluences 3 orders of magnitude below the ablation threshold). The reflectance-versus-angle data were analyzed by the use of Fresnel theory to estimate the effective complex index of refraction of the tissue. This analysis indicated corneal absorption coefficients of 39,900 ± 9800 cm(-1) at 193 nm and 21,400 ± 4900 cm(-1) at 213 nm.
The Unequal Representation of Latinos and Whites

We compare the ideological proximity of Latinos and whites to their Members of Congress (MCs), demonstrating the degree to which Latinos are underrepresented compared to whites. We show how this representation gap varies with group differences in electoral turnout and income, district ethnic composition, and MCs' ethnicity and party affiliation. We find that Latinos' unequal representation is not simply a function of the group's numerical minority status. Concentrating Latinos in congressional districts does not necessarily translate into more equal representation. However, several factors can enhance the equality of Latinos' representation—participation in elections and representation by both Latinos and Democrats.
Characterization of a Novel Porin Involved in Systemic Yersinia enterocolitica Infection

Yersinia enterocolitica is an enteric pathogen capable of causing systemic disease in a murine model. We have identified a novel protein, systemic factor protein A (SfpA), conserved in other pathogenic bacteria that is involved in systemic disease. Analysis of bacterial colonization revealed that a ΔsfpA strain is defective in mesenteric lymph node colonization. Bioinformatics and functional studies suggest that SfpA is a porin.
Homeostasis and dynamic stability of the phenotype link robustness and plasticity.

Synopsis Phenotypes are remarkably robust to genetic and environmental variation. Although the general control principles of robustness are well understood in simple systems, the actual mechanisms that convey robustness in realistically complex systems have been little studied. We have studied the origins and properties of robustness in a complex metabolic system that is relevant to human health: folate-mediated one-carbon metabolism (FOCM). The FOCM network consists of several interlocking cycles, and reactions in the system contain the rate-limiting steps for DNA synthesis, the reactions for DNA methylation, and the synthesis of glutathione, the primary endogenous anti-oxidant. Defects in FOCM can arise from mutations in enzymes, or from nutritional deficiencies such as folic acid and vitamins B6 and B12, and are associated with birth defects, anemia, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. We show that this metabolic network has evolved as diverse homeostatic mechanisms that stabilize critical reactions against genetic and environmental variation. These mechanisms achieve stability dynamically, by continually altering some reaction rates in order to keep critical reactions stable. Robustness is a systems property and exists only in restricted regions of genotype space, and we show that natural standing genetic variation in human populations is concentrated in these regions. We show how genetic perturbations and/or environmental shifts that disrupt the homeostatic regime can increase phenotypic variation and the correlation between standing genetic variation and phenotypic variation. Robustness and stability are never perfect and, because they are maintained dynamically, can be readily perturbed by both genetic and environmental factors. The tightrope between stability and change sways easily and, through the release of genetic variation, may be an important enabler of rapid phenotypic evolution. Although we use examples from a metabolic system in which quantification of mechanism is particularly accessible, we note that the same principles obtain in other homeostatic systems in physiology and development.
Copyrights and Fair Use in For-Profit Academic Libraries

This article explores copyright law and issues of fair use in for-profit academic libraries. For-profit academic institutions are seeing a steady increase in applicants and enrollment, and libraries related to these institutions exist in a legal gray area in terms of copyright law, specifically with regard to fair use. The law must be more clearly defined and applied with regard to these institutions, so that academic librarians can adequately enforce copyright laws and fair use within the confines of the for-profit academic library scheme.
Culture of murine nasal epithelia: model for cystic fibrosis

The ion transport defects reported for human cystic fibrosis (CF) airways are reproduced in nasal epithelia of the CF mouse. Although this tissue has been studied in vivo using the nasal potential ...
Molecular determinants of human melanocortin-4 receptor responsible for antagonist SHU9119 selective activity

The hypothalamic melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R), a seven transmembrane G-protein-coupled receptor, plays an important role in the regulation of body weight. The synthetic melanocortin analog SHU9119 has been widely used to characterize the physiological role of MC4R in feeding behavior and energy homeostasis. Previous studies indicated that SHU9119 is an agonist at the melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) but an antagonist at the MC4R. However, the molecular basis of the interaction between hMC4R and SHU9119 has not been clearly defined. To gain insight into the molecular determinants of hMC4R in the selectivity of SHU9119 chimeras and mutants hMC1R and hMC4R were expressed in cell lines and pharmacologically analyzed. A region of receptor containing the third transmembrane of hMC4R was found to be required for selective SHU9119 antagonism. Further mutagenesis studies of this region of hMC4R demonstrated that the amino acid residue leucine 133 in the third transmembrane was critical for the selective antagonist activity of SHU9119. The single substitution of leucine 133 to methionine did not affect SHU9119 binding to hMC4R. However, this substitution did convert SHU9119 from an antagonist to an agonist. Conversely, exchange of Met128 in hMC1R to Leu, the homologous residue 133 of hMC4R, displayed a reduction in SHU9119 binding affinity and potency. This report provides the details of the molecular recognition of SHU9119 antagonism at hMC4R and shows that amino acid Leu133 of hMC4R plays a key role in melanocortin receptor subtype specificity.
The influence of interior mantle temperature on the structure of plumes: Heads for Venus, Tails for the Earth

[1] To form mantle plumes with large heads and narrow trailing conduits requires large (>102) viscosity variations within the hot thermal boundary layer at the plume source. However, new and published data from laboratory experiments show that if a layer of fluid with a temperature-dependent viscosity is heated from below and cooled from above, convection occurs beneath a stagnant lid, and the interior fluid temperature remains close to that of the hot boundary. Consequently, the viscosity reduction across the hot thermal boundary layer is always <10 and upwellings take the form of discrete plume heads (thermals). Subduction of the stagnant layer (equivalent to recycling lithospheric plates on the Earth) will cool the interior of the mantle, thus increasing the viscosity ratio. Hence, the existence of Earth-like mantle plumes may be a consequence of plate tectonics. An absence of plate tectonics on Venus may lead to upwellings composed of thermals, the surface expression of which are coronae, as well as a smaller core heat flux than on Earth.
The growth and modification of materials via ion-surface processing

A wide variety of gas phase ions with kinetic energies from 1–10 7 eV increasingly are being used for the growth and modification of state-of-the-art material interfaces. Ions can be used to deposit thin films; expose fresh interfaces by sputtering; grow mixed interface layers from ions, ambient neutrals, and/or surface atoms; modify the phases of interfaces; dope trace elements into interface regions; impart specific chemical functionalities to a surface; toughen materials; and create micron- and nanometer-scale interface structures. Several examples are developed which demonstrate the variety of technologically important interface modification that is possible with gas phase ions. These examples have been selected to demonstrate how the choice of the ion and its kinetic energy controls modification and deposition for several different materials. Examples are drawn from experiments, computer simulations, fundamental research, and active technological applications. Finally, a list of research areas is provided for which ion–surface modification promises considerable scientific and technological advances in the new millennium. 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Pattern-based mining strategy to detect multi-locus association and gene × environment interaction

As genome-wide association studies grow in popularity for the identification of genetic factors for common and rare diseases, analytical methods to comb through large numbers of genetic variants efficiently to identify disease association are increasingly in demand. We have developed a pattern-based data-mining approach to discover unlinked multilocus genetic effects for complex disease and to detect genotype × phenotype/genotype × environment interactions. On a densely mapped chromosome 18 data set for rheumatoid arthritis that was made available by Genetic Analysis Workshop 15, this method detected two potential two-locus associations as well as a putative two-locus gene × gender interaction.
Flat lens without optical axis: Theory of imaging

We derive a general theory for imaging by a flat lens without optical axis. We show that the condition for imaging requires a material having elliptic dispersion relations with negative group refraction. This medium is characterized by two intrinsic parameters σ and κ. Imaging can be achieved with both negative and positive wave vector refraction if σ is a positive constant. The Veselago-Pendry lens is a special case with σ = 1 and κ = 0. A general law of refraction for anisotropic media is revealed. Realizations of the imaging conditions using anisotropic media and inhomogeneous media, particularly photonic crystals, are discussed. Numerical examples of imaging and requirements for sub-wavelength imaging are also presented.
SEASONAL CHANGES IN FOOD QUALITY: A PROXIMATE CUE FOR REPRODUCTIVE TIMING IN MARINE IGUANAS

We investigated the proximate environmental cues that influence the timing of reproduction in the seasonally and synchronously breeding Galapagos marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus). Marine iguana foraging patterns are closely linked to the tidal cycle, and they feed exclusively on macroalgae. The Galapagos Islands are characterized by seasonal currents that impact water temperature and ultimately algal abundance, which is known to affect iguana body condition and survival. In our study, marine iguanas preferred Gelidium sp., which had the highest nutritional quality (nitrogen content, carbon content, and C:N ratio) of the three species of macroalgae on which they feed. Nutritional quality in Gelidium changed predictably with increasing sea surface temperature, peaking around the median iguana copulation date. Similarly, foraging behavior changed around the time copulations began. To test if consistent relationships existed among food quality, water temperature, and breeding life history, we used seven years of data from this population and found that breeding occurred earlier in years when the mean December sea surface temperature was warmer. Although iguanas might cue directly on changes in sea surface temperature, given the frequency and intensity of El Nino events in the Galapagos, this hypothesis is unlikely. Rather, our results suggest that marine iguanas may use subtle changes in food quality (particularly energy content) associated with seasonal, but annually variable, changes in water temperature as a cue to initiate breeding. The excess available energy may be used to withstand the costly breeding period, as well as to provision yolk to improve hatchling growth and survival.
Investigation of cumulative retrospective cost adaptive control for missile application

A cumulative retrospective cost adaptive control algorithm is augmented to a gain-scheduled three loop autopilot to assess performance in a nonlinear three-degree-of-freedom missile model. The cumulative retrospective cost adaptive controller requires minimal model information; specifically estimates of the relative degree, 1st nonzero Markov parameter, and nonminimum phase zeros of the linearized missile model. A rate gyro sensor failure is applied to the model and the performance of the control techniques is investigated through an analysis of air-to-air intercept scenarios. The results indicate that an adaptive controller can, to some degree, improve the missile’s ability to engage a target when such a failure occurs. Nomenclature m Missile mass Iyy Missile Inertia g Acceleration due to gravity X;Z Inertial position in the X-Z plane U Inertial velocity component along the body frame x-axis of the center of gravity (CG) W Inertial velocity component along the body frame z-axis of the CG Vm Magnitude of missile velocity M Mach number Az;P Acceleration component along body frame z-axis at pointP along the body x-axis Angle of attack Pitch angle q Body rate Air density Sref Reference area dref Reference length Cx Aerodynamic force coefficient along the body frame x-axis Cz Aerodynamic force coefficient along the body frame z-axis Cm Aerodynamic moment coefficient along the body y-axis at the CG q Dynamic pressure p Tail fin angle T Thrust along body frame x-axis
Designing-in of quality through axiomatic design

Decisions made during the design stage of product and process development profoundly affect product quality and process productivity. To aid in design decision making, a theoretical framework is advanced; the axiomatic approach to design. Axiomatic design consists of: (1) domains in the design world; (2) mapping between these domains; (3) characterization of a design by a vector in each domain; (4) decomposition of the characteristic vectors into hierarchies through a process of zigzagging between the domains; and (5) the design axioms, viz, independence and information axioms. Statistical process control (SPC) and other methodologies to improve quality are valid only when they are consistent with the independence and information axioms. This paper presents several criteria that govern the design and manufacture of quality products. To be able to control the quality of products, a design must satisfy the independence axiom. Based on this axiom and some theorems, several design criteria are derived and discussed. These criteria provide the bounds for the validity of some of the SPC techniques being used. When there is more than one acceptable design of a product or process, the information axiom must be used to select the best design(s). >
Work in progress - web-based implementation of capstone engineering design assessments

Assessment of student performance in capstone engineering design is vital to student learning and to program accreditation and improvement. Performances important to capstone design courses include studentspsila growth in personal capacity for design, development of teamwork, development of design processes, and delivery of solution assets. The Transferable Integrated Design Engineering Education (TIDEE) consortium is creating and testing a capstone design assessment system to measure these student performances and provide rapid personalized feedback. Broad adoption of this assessment system requires ease of use by both students and instructors. This paper describes design features of a Web-based implementation of the TIDEE capstone design assessment system.
Refining the use of cancer-related cultural constructs with African Americans.

An important step in using culture to increase colorectal cancer screening is the development and use of a reliable and valid measure. Measurement items that work well are defined as those that use...
Direct evidence supporting the premises of a two-dimensional diode model for the parasitic thyristor in CMOS circuits built on thin epi

A key concept of a recent model to describe the holding point of thyristors in epitaxial CMOS is that due to conductivity modulation, the two-dimensional (2-D) thyristor is equivalent to a p-i-n diode of the same geometry. Here, the physical origin of negative resistance near the holding point is traced to resistance modulation in the epi. This positive feedback mechanism, inherent in the model, is conceptually different from that of the conventional model, in which negative resistance arises out of an increase in the feedback gain as the bipolar transistors come out of saturation. The I-V characteristics of thyristors and p-i-n diodes obtained from PISCES are shown to be almost identical. If the conventional mechanism were solely responsible for the negative resistance region, a thyristor would exhibit negative resistance while a 2-D diode would not. Experimental evidence showing that diodes exhibit negative resistance regions is presented to support the feedback mechanism of the model. >