cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tri-Modularization of Firewall Policies

Firewall policies are notorious for having misconfiguration errors which can defeat its intended purpose of protecting hosts in the network from malicious users. We believe this is because today's firewall policies are mostly monolithic. Inspired by ideas from modular programming and code refactoring, in this work we introduce three kinds of modules: primary, auxiliary, and template, which facilitate the refactoring of a firewall policy into smaller, reusable, comprehensible, and more manageable components. We present algorithms for generating each of the three modules for a given legacy firewall policy. We also develop ModFP, an automated tool for converting legacy firewall policies represented in access control list to their modularized format. With the help of ModFP, when examining several real-world policies with sizes ranging from dozens to hundreds of rules, we were able to identify subtle errors.
Effects of habitat modification on cotton rat population dynamics and rodent community structure

Concerns over climate change and finite fossil fuels have generated interest in biofuels. Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), a biofuel feedstock, was planted in intensively managed loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) stands to investigate sustainability of this system for producing an alternative energy source. We hypothesized that changes in understory habitat conditions caused by intercropping switchgrass in pine stands would affect rodent population and community dynamics within three years. Therefore, we assessed effects of three treatments (control pine, switchgrass intercropped in pine, and switchgrass monocrop) on rodent population (abundance, survival, and recruitment) and community (diversity, richness, evenness, and community assemblages) measures. We conducted vegetation surveys and live-trapping during 2013–2015 summers in Kemper County, Mississippi, USA. We conducted 6 trapping sessions each summer (n = 14,112 trap nights per year) and captured 1,733 cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus), 102 Oryzomys palustris, 31 Mus musculus, 28 Reithrodontomys fulvescens, 22 Reithrodontomys humulis, 20 Peromyscus leucopus, 9 Microtus pinetorum, 9 Peromyscus gossypinus, and 2 Neotoma floridana. We found greater cotton rat abundance and lower recruitment in monocrop versus control plots. Rodent diversity was lower in monocrop than control plots. Intercropped plots had intermediate levels of cotton rat abundance and recruitment, and rodent diversity. More dispersal may have occurred in monocrop plots because of high population abundance and limited habitat availability. Cotton rat survival and rodent community assemblage were similar among treatments but differed among years. Although rodents responded negatively to monocrop plots, our results suggested intercropped plots would be an appropriate management practice in pine plantations to produce biofuel feedstocks while maintaining rodent diversity.
Karl Barth, the German Church Struggle and the Witness-People Myth

In another place I have described Barth’s “theology of Israel” as simultaneously radical and traditional.1 Barth displayed the radical side of his Israel doctrine when he spoke out against Jewish persecution and declared that anti-Semitism was anti-Christian, when he emphasized the continuing and irrevocable nature of Israel’s divine election, when he engaged in private and public dialogues with rabbis and Jewish intellectuals, when he pronounced Christian mission to the Jews “theologically impossible,” and when he took to task the authors of the Vatican’s “Nostra aetate” for its classification of Judaism as a “non-Christian religion.”
Increasing the Efficacy of Detecting Residual Cancer Cells Using a Whole-Slide Image Scanning Method and a Computer-Aided Detection Scheme

1.1.Background and Objective:The purpose of this investigation is to develop and test a new computer aided detection (CAD) scheme which is able to identify the residual cancer cells from the digitalized clinical specimens for the prognostic assessment of leukemia/lymphoma. 1.2.Methods:First, a whole slide image scan was performed by a commercialized fluorescent microscopic image scanner equipped with an objective 40× lens. Then, a computerized scheme was applied to detect and segment all clinically analyzable interphase cells depicted on the scanned images, as well as to recognize and count the independent FISH-probed signal dots within each interphase cell. Five pathological specimens were used to test the performance of this new scheme. 1.3.Results:The result shows that our scheme segmented and analyzed 4546, 3807, 2880, 2240, and 849 analyzable cells in five slides of different specimens including blood, bone marrow samples respectively, among which 334, 405, 178, 117, and 24 cells are detected by the scheme as suspiciously abnormal (or residual malignant) cells. 1.4.Conclusions:Comparing to the current visual detection method, the CAD scheme identified a much larger amount of FISH-probed cells. This investigation may help more sensitively detect residual cancer cells and improve the accuracy of prognostic assessment for leukemia/lymphoma patients in the future.
Socioeconomic status and breast cancer risk in African-American women

A30 High individual and neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES) have been associated with a small increase in the risk of breast cancer in studies of white women. Reasons for the associations are unclear. We investigated SES at the individual level (educational attainment of the participant) and the neighborhood level (neighborhood SES score) in relation to breast cancer incidence in the Black Women’s Health Study (BWHS). The BWHS began in 1995 when 59,000 black women from across the U.S. completed mailed questionnaires. Biennial questionnaires collect updated information on exposures and the occurrence of cancers and other health outcomes. U.S. census data at the block group level were linked to participant addresses for each questionnaire cycle from 1995 to 2003. A composite neighborhood SES score was created using information from six census variables -- median housing value, median household income, % with college education,% white collar, % households headed by a single female, and % with interest and dividends. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to compute incidence rate ratios (IRRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Covariates included in multivariable models as potential intermediates for an association were age at first birth, parity, age at menarche, geographic region, body mass index at age 18, adult height, alcohol consumption, physical activity, oral contraceptive use, and menopausal hormone use. Overall, in analyses of 987 incident breast cancer cases, neither personal education nor neighborhood SES was materially associated with breast cancer risk: the IRR for 16+ years of education relative to 12 or fewer years was 1.12 (CI 0.95-1.32) in age-adjusted analyses and 1.07 (CI 0.88-1.29) in multivariable analyses, and the IRR for highest versus lowest quintile of neighborhood SES score was 1.06 (CI 0.87-1.30) in age-adjusted analyses and 0.98 (CI0.79-1.21) in multivariable analyses. Among women under age 45 (319 breast cancer cases), high individual level of education was associated with increased risk: the IRR for 16+ years relative to less than or equal to 12 years was 1.41 (CI 1.00-1.99) age-adjusted, and 1.44 (CI 0.98-2.12), multivariable. Higher neighborhood SES was not associated with risk among women under 45 and there were no associations with education or neighborhood SES among women aged 45 and older. Results were unchanged when analyses were restricted to women who reported a mammography in the previous two-year period. Our results indicate that neighborhood SES is not an independent risk factor for breast cancer in U.S. black women. This may relate to the fact that neighborhood of residence is not as closely linked to individual socioeconomic factors in black women as in white women. Blacks are more likely than whites to live in low-income neighborhoods even when they have high levels of education and high incomes. The explanation for a positive association of individual educational level with breast cancer risk, observed among young women but not among older women in our study, remains unknown.
Characterization of NH3 adsorbed on γ-Mo2N by NMR spectroscopy

Abstract Nuclear magnetic resonance techniques were used to study the structure and dynamics of NH 3 adsorbed on high-surface-area (~100 m 2 /g) γ-Mo 2 N. Proton NMR measurements indicate that NH 3 adsorbs associatively at 298 K, but decomposes on the surface upon heating. The species created by this decomposition are strongly held NH 2 , NH, and atomic N and H. Part of the NH 3 adsorbed at 298 K undergoes rapid rotation and translation on the surface, while the species remaining after high-temperature evacuation are locally immobile. Adsorbed NH 2 rotates rapidly about its twofold axis.
Pondering the power of the impossible

In Beyond Reason the computer scientist Alexander Dewdney presents some major truths in mathematics and physics by the device of focusing each chapter on what mathematicians call an "impossibility theorem": a statement that some desired task simply cannot be done. To give some examples: he discusses the laws of enery conservation and of entropy increase interms of the impossibility of perpetual motion; relativity interms of the impossibility of exceeding the speed of light; and real-number theory in terms of the impossibility of "squaring the circle"– creatings a sequare with the same area as a circle. Four of his chapters are physics topics, four are mathematical.
Design of a dynamic biofilm imaging cell for white-light interferometric microscopy

In microbiology research, there is a strong need for next-generation imaging and sensing instrumentation that will enable minimally invasive and label-free investigation of soft, hydrated structures, such as in bacterial biofilms. White-light interferometry (WLI) can provide high-resolution images of surface topology without the use of fluorescent labels but is not typically used to image biofilms because there is insufficient refractive index contrast to induce reflection from the biofilm’s interface. The soft structure and water-like bulk properties of hydrated biofilms make them difficult to characterize in situ, especially in a nondestructive manner. We build on our prior description of static biofilm imaging and describe the design of a dynamic growth flow cell that enables monitoring of the thickness and topology of live biofilms over time using a WLI microscope. The microfluidic system is designed to grow biofilms in dynamic conditions and to create a reflective interface on the surface while minimizing disruption of fragile structures. The imaging cell was also designed to accommodate limitations imposed by the depth of focus of the microscope’s objective lens. Example images of live biofilm samples are shown to illustrate the ability of the flow cell and WLI instrument to (1) support bacterial growth and biofilm development, (2) image biofilm structure that reflects growth in flow conditions, and (3) monitor biofilm development over time nondestructively. In future work, the apparatus described here will enable surface metrology measurements (roughness, surface area, etc.) of biofilms and may be used to observe changes in biofilm structure in response to changes in environmental conditions (e.g., flow velocity, availability of nutrients, and presence of biocides). This development will open opportunities for the use of WLI in bioimaging.
The Use of Humans in Experiment: Perspectives from the 17th to the 20th Century

Humans have always figured in scientific experimentation, but not always — or exclusively — in the role of investigators. They have also served as subjects and instruments, as well as investigators...
Ion—Irradiation Induced Phase Changes in Metallic Systems

It is well known that irradiation of thin metallic film structures by high—energy ion beams produces a variety of metallurgically interesting modifications of the atomic structure and morphology of the irradiated material. The modifications include changes in the composition profile of the film structure due to ion mixing, creation of nonequilibrium defect populations within the phases present, and even changes in the phases themselves. The latter type of modification is the primary concern of this paper. In order to address the question as to why phase changes occur, one must in fact also develop an understanding of the evolution of composition profiles and defect distributions within the phases present since these are the factors which control the thermodynamic stabilities of the competing phases. This subject can be naturally divided into two cases according to whether the initial configuration of the film structure is chemically homogeneous or inhomogeneous. In the former case, ion irradiation does not alter the overall composition profile. Neglecting effects such as preferential sputtering of one component from a free surface, the composition of the film remains uniform throughout the sample during irradiatio, and ion mixing produces only local concentration fluctuations. In the latter case of an initially inhomogeneous material (e.g. a bilayer or multilayer film with two or more components), the overall composition profile evolves under irradiation and the phases present are subjected changes in average composition.
Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) markers associated with high folate content in wild potato species

Micronutrient deficiency, also known as the hidden hunger, affects over two billion people worldwide. Potato is the third most consumed food crops in the world, and is therefore a fundamental element of food security for millions of people. Increasing the amount of micronutrients in food crop could help alleviate worldwide micronutrient malnutrition. In the present study, we report on the identification of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers associated with folate, an essential micronutrient in the human diet. A high folate diploid clone Fol 1.6 from the wild potato relative Solanum boliviense (PI 597736) was crossed with a low/medium folate diploid S. tuberosum clone USW4self#3. The resulting F1 progeny was intermated to generate an F2 population, and tubers from 94 F2 individuals were harvested for folate analysis and SNP genotyping using a SolCap 12K Potato SNP array. Folate content in the progeny ranged from 304 to 2,952 ng g-1 dry weight. 6,759 high quality SNPs containing 4,174 (62%) polymorphic and 2,585 (38%) monomorphic SNPs were used to investigate marker-trait association. Association analysis was performed using two different approaches: survey SNP-trait association (SSTA) and SNP-trait association (STA). A total of 497 significant SNPs were identified, 489 by SSTA analysis and 43 by STA analysis. Markers identified by SSTA were located on all twelve chromosomes while those identified by STA were confined to chromosomes 2, 4, and 6. Eighteen of the significant SNPs were located within or in close proximity to folate metabolism-related genes. Forty two SNPs were identical between SSTA and STA analyses. These SNPs have potential to be used in marker-assisted selection for breeding high folate potato varieties.
Self-Structural Syntax-Directed Pattern Recognition of Dimensioning Components in Engineering Drawings

A mechanical engineering drawing is a set of orthogonal 2D views of a 3D object. To establish vision-based communication among CAD/CAM systems and to implement 3D reconstruction, drawings need to be preprocessed to exploit the information conveyed by the annotation before separating it from the geometry. A rationale for a machine drawing understanding system is first argued. A context-free dimensioning grammar provides a basis for a self-structural, syntax-directed pattern recognition scheme. It employs learning the characteristic parameters of arrowheads and text from a detected sample, and using them to detect the entire population. Syntactic considerations that significantly decrease the search space help predict the spatial location and orientation of potential components. The underlying ideas of the scheme may be applicable to a broad scope of tasks involving intelligent recognition.
Anisotropic diffusion of multivalued images

A general framework for anisotropic diffusion of multivalued images is presented. We propose an evolution equation where at each point in time the directions and magnitudes of the maximal and minimal rate of change in the image are first evaluated. These are given by eigenvectors and eigenvalues of the first fundamental form in the given image metric. Then, the image diffuses in the direction of minimal change, while the diffusion “strength” is controlled by a function that measures the degree of dissimilarity between the eigenvalues. The proposed framework can be applied to the filtering of color, texture, and space-frequency representations of images.
Individualized Instruction in a Large Introductory Psychology College Course

This report describes an experiment which applies general principles of operant reinforcement to creating and maintaining new verbal behavior in the classroom. An application of these principles in a class of 79 students of the author’s introductory psychology course at Georgetown University has led to an instructional program in which the student completes the course of study at his own pace. The course is reactive to those study behaviors leading to fluent understanding of the subject matter and which guarantees mastery of one part of the syllabus before the student goes on to the next.
Nanoradiator-Mediated Deterministic Opto- Thermoelectric Manipulation

We explore the opto-thermoelectric trapping at plasmonic antennas that serve as optothermal nano-radiators to achieve the low-power and deterministic manipulation of nanoparticles. © 2019 The Author(s)
Long-Term Outcomes of Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy for Ductal Carcinoma in Situ.

The use of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is controversial. Using population-cohort data, we examined whether SLNB improves long-term outcomes among patients with DCIS who underwent breast-conserving surgery. We identified 12 776 women aged 67-94 years diagnosed during 2001-2013 with DCIS who underwent breast-conserving surgery from the US Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare dataset, 1992 (15.6%) of whom underwent SLNB (median follow-up: 69 months). Tests of statistical significance are two-sided. Patients with and without SLNB did not differ statistically significantly regarding treated recurrence (3.9% vs 3.7%; P = .62), ipsilateral invasive occurrence (1.4% vs 1.7%, P = .33), or breast cancer mortality (1.0% vs 0.9%, P = .86). With Mahalanobis-matching and competing-risks survival analyses, SLNB was not statistically significantly associated with treated recurrence, ipsilateral invasive occurrence, or breast cancer mortality (P ≥ .27). Our findings do not support the routine performance of SLNB for older patients with DCIS amenable to breast conservation.
Energy-Optimal Speed Trajectories Between Stops

This paper presents energy-optimal speed trajectories between stops for electric vehicles. It is shown that if basic infrastructure and traffic flow information is available, energy savings of up to 60% are possible, with 20-40% being typical values. The optimization approach uses a cost function that contains only transportation energy and uses all other conditions (such as maximum acceleration, average speed, etc.) as constraints. Real-world considerations such as following distance to the next vehicle and jerk constraints are also analyzed. The overall impact of this approach includes the reduction of energy cost, grid power demand, power plant emissions, global warming, as well as an increase in the range of electric vehicles.
A Surgical Snapshot of Myomectomies in the United States from 2010-2014 using the National Inpatient Sample

Study Objective To examine the surgical approach to myomectomy and describe patient factors including geography, race, and length of stay. Design Data was abstracted from the 2010-2014 National Inpatient Sample of women ages 18-50 years undergoing myomectomy for fibroids. We used weighted statistics to characterize the number and proportion of women undergoing inpatient myomectomy (abdominal, laparoscopic, and robotic) as well as geographic and racial subgroups. We used multivariate logistic regression to analyze trends in myomectomy route over time. Setting United States. Patients or Participants 124,880 women ages 18-50 years undergoing inpatient myomectomy for fibroids. Interventions N/A Measurements and Main Results Of 124,880 women undergoing myomectomy for fibroids, 7% underwent minimally invasive myomectomy (MIM) and 93% underwent abdominal myomectomy. Over time, the proportion of MIM remained low and decreased slightly from 8.2% in 2010 to 6.0% in 2014 (p-for-trend: 0.001). The majority of hospitals perform very few MIM per year, with 75% performing three or fewer per year, and 25% performing less than one per year. The largest percentage of MIM were performed in the South (37.6%; 95%CI 35.4-39.8) followed by the West (22.7%; 95%CI 20.8-24.6) and North (21.8%; 95%CI 19.9-23.7) and the least amount in the Midwest (17.9%; 95%CI 16.1-19.6). The largest percentage of MIM were performed in white women (41.4%; 95%CI 39.1-43.8) followed by black (34.3%; 95%CI 32.1-36.6), Hispanic (13.6%; 95%CI 12.0-15.2) and women of other races (10.7%; 95%CI 9.2-12.1). Average length of stay regardless of approach was 2.62 days (95%CI 2.59-2.65) and marginally different for MIM versus abdominal myomectomy (2.51 days; 95%CI 2.42-2.61 and 2.63 days; 95%CI 2.60-2.66, respectively). Conclusion Despite availability and patient benefit, MIM remains an underutilized modality, accounting for
A 3-Year Chronic Disease Public Health Intervention Focused on a Network of Rural Pharmacies Supported by Student Pharmacists:

Objective:To retrospectively analyze and report various tracked outcomes of a 3-year collaboration offering chronic disease management services in diabetes and cardiovascular disease in pharmacies ...
180-P: ANTI-HLA-CLASS-I ANTIBODIES AND PLATELET TRANSFUSION REFRACTORINESS

Aim It is known that: 1) anti-class-I-HLA antibodies are responsible for platelet transfusion refractoriness, 2) leucocytes in transfusion products sensitise patients to produce anti HLA antibodies, 3) leucodepleted blood products reduce but do not eliminate HLA sensitisation. It is not clear what the level of platelet refractoriness risk is in HLA-sensitised patients, therefore it is not standard practice to screen for HLA antibodies in platelet transfusion. This is a pilot study to assess that risk and measure the value of HLA-antibody screening in platelet transfusion. Methods This study looks at the relationship between HLA-class-I antibody status and the total number of units of transfused platelets is studied. Since platelets are transfused according to a standard transfusion trigger, the total number of platelets units transfused indirectly measures thrombocytopenia and platelet transfusion refractoriness. Results Leukaemia patients with anti-HLA-class-I antibodies use on average 36 more units of platelets than patients without antibodies. Sensitised patients: average = 120 units, sd = 120 unit, n = 82. Non-sensitised patients: average = 84 units, sd = 112 units, n = 73. Using a cutoff point of 105 units a 2x2 contingency table shows a likelihood ratio of 2.29 and a chi square of 10.8, statistically significant for a p Conditional probabilities. 72% of patients using more than 105 units of PLT will have anti-HLA Ab 44% of patients using less than 105 units of PLT will have anti-HLA Ab 44% of patients with anti-HLA Ab will use more than 105 units of PLT 19% of patients without anti-HLA Ab will use more than 105 units of PLT. Conclusions 1) Ab screens reveal the risk of excessive platelet transfusion requirements. 2) Generalised leucodepletion is not by itself sufficient to address the widespread problem of platelet transfusion refractoriness. 3) Optimal platelet transfusion may have to take into account the patient’s Ab status and the HLA and PLT Ag phenotype of both donor and recipient.
Minimising carbon emissions and machining costs with improved human health in sustainable machining of austenitic stainless steel through multi-objective optimisation

Environmental and societal concerns have fuelled an ever growing need for more sustainable products and machining processes. Much research has been focused on this issue in aviation, automotive, and medical industries where austenitic stainless steels have been often used. During machining of these materials, high cutting forces and carbon emissions make the machining process significantly more challenging. Therefore, in this study sustainable orthogonal turning experiments were conducted using dry cutting, MQL, and cryogenic cooling at different cutting speeds and undeformed chip thicknesses. Experimental cutting forces were measured and used to analytically determine the carbon (CO2) emissions. In order to determine the optimal machining parameters for minimising the CO2 emissions and the overall economic cost with improved human health conditions, a multi-objective optimisation problem was established. The optimal machining parameters were determined to be a cutting speed of 100 m/min and undeformed chip thickness of 0.12 mm, while using cryogenic cooling.
Post-silicon validation of the IBM POWER9 processor

Due to the complexity of designs, post-silicon validation remains a major challenge with few systematic solutions. We provide an overview of the state-of-the-art post silicon validation process used by IBM to verify its latest IBM POWER9 processor. During the POWER9 post-silicon validation, we detected and handled 30% more logic bugs in 80% of the time, as compared to the previous IBM POWER8 bring-up. This improvement is the result of lessons learned from previous designs, leading to numerous innovations. We provide bug analysis data and compare it to POWER8 results. We demonstrate our methodology by describing several bugs from fail detection to root cause.
Improving Collaboration Between Public Health and Medicine: A Timely Survey of Clinician Public Health Knowledge, Training, and Engagement.

Abstract Objective To assess the core knowledge of health indicators, federal health programs, and public health functions in practicing clinicians along with perceptions of their education and engagement with public health. Patients and Methods A paper survey in booklet form was administered to attendees at 2 general medical conferences in May 2019. The survey was divided into 5 sections: knowledge of health systems and policy, knowledge of public health concepts and function, public health engagement, public health education, and demographics. Results One hundred two surveys were received from 402 attendees (response rate, 24.3%). Most were male (56%), older than 50 years (51%), and physicians (86%). Respondents had a fairly good knowledge of federal health programs (77%) and public health functions (84%), but less than half had a personal interaction with public health in the past 2 years (45%) or were aware of how to work with public health organizations in their community (46%). Only a few respondents rated their public health training as good or excellent during their primary degree (7%) or graduate medical education (15%), and most (75%) were interested in learning more about public health and health policy. Conclusion Respondents had generally good foundational knowledge of federal health programs and public health functions, although some gaps were identified. Inclusion of health policy and public health topics in continuing medical education would be well received by clinicians. To improve collaboration between public health and medicine, public health should personally engage clinicians more and explain how they can work together to improve population health.
Modeling action potential reversals in tunicate hearts

Tunicates are small invertebrates which possess a unique ability to reverse flow in their hearts. Scientists have debated various theories regarding how and why flow reversals occur. Here we explore the electrophysiological basis for reversals by simulating action potential propagation in an idealized model of the tubelike tunicate heart. Using asymptotic formulas for action potential duration and conduction velocity, we propose tunicate-specific parameters for a two-current ionic model of the action potential. Then, using a kinematic model, we derive analytical criteria for reversals to occur. These criteria inform subsequent numerical simulations of action potential propagation in a fiber paced at both ends. In particular, we explore the role that variability of pacemaker firing rates plays in generating reversals, and we identify various favorable conditions for triggering retrograde propagation. Our analytical framework extends to other species; for instance, it can be used to model competition between the sinoatrial node and abnormal ectopic foci in human heart tissue.
In-your-face Watergate: neutralizing government lawbreaking and the war against white-collar crime.

Ample official evidence exists that the Trump administration was the most corrupt in modern American history. Donald Trump’s overall pattern of behavior not only resembled, but amplified that of major white-collar criminals. This paper has two main foci. First, it argues that government criminality and corruption were facilitated by rationales and excuses that denied effective social condemnation of such acts. Second, it considers how these defenses were weaponized by the Trump administration as part of a much larger and more deliberate “war on white-collar crime” more generally. As a result, enormous efforts are necessary to restore and strengthen regulatory and enforcement regimes, and transcend deepened political cleavages on such matters. Through a new hybrid neutralization technique, normalization of condemning the condemners, Trump exacerbated existing political differences and influenced supporters to at once ignore government crime and corruption, and accept new moral narratives that flew in the face of substantial evidence of criminality.
THE PANDEMIC HELPED CREATE SOLIDARITY AMONG PAVILIONS

As the most relevant architecture event in the world, the delay of the 17th Venice Biennale - from 2020 to 2021 - was evidence of the magnitude of the COVID-19 pandemic But this postponement meant not only a pause but also a reformulation of the spirit of this event entitled, in surprising anticipation, " How will we live together "
Direct quantification of ligand-induced lipid and protein microdomains with distinctive signaling properties

Abstract Lipid rafts are known as highly ordered lipid domains that are enriched in saturated lipids such as the ganglioside GM1. While lipid rafts are believed to exist in cells and to serve as signaling platforms through their enrichment in signaling components, they have never been directly observed in the plasma membrane without treatments that artificially cluster GM1 into large lattices. Here we report that microscopic GM1-enriched domains can form, without lipid cross-linking, in the plasma membrane of live mammalian cells expressing the EphA2 receptor tyrosine kinase in response to its ligand ephrinA1-Fc. The GM1-enriched microdomains form concomitantly with EphA2-enriched microdomains, but only partially co-localize with them. To gain insight into how plasma membrane heterogeneity controls signaling, we quantify the degree of EphA2 segregation and study initial EphA2 signaling steps in both EphA2-enriched and EphA2-depleted domains. By measuring dissociation constants, we demonstrate that EphA2 oligomerization is the same in EphA2-enriched and -depleted domains. However, EphA2 interacts preferentially with its downstream effector SRC in EphA2-depleted domains. The ability to induce microscopic GM1-enriched domains in live cells using a ligand for a transmembrane receptor will give us unprecedented opportunities to study the biology of lipid rafts.
Cardiac myosin contraction and mechanotransduction in health and disease

Cardiac myosin is the molecular motor that powers heart contraction by converting chemical energy from ATP hydrolysis into mechanical force. The power output of the heart is tightly regulated to meet the physiological needs of the body. Recent multiscale studies spanning from molecules to tissues have revealed complex regulatory mechanisms that fine-tune cardiac contraction, in which myosin not only generates power output but also plays an active role in its regulation. Thus, myosin is both shaped by and actively involved in shaping its mechanical environment. Moreover, these studies have shown that cardiac myosin-generated tension affects physiological processes beyond muscle contraction. Here, we review these novel regulatory mechanisms, as well as the roles that myosin-based force generation and mechanotransduction play in development and disease. We describe how key intra- and intermolecular interactions contribute to the regulation of myosin-based contractility and the role of mechanical forces in tuning myosin function. We also discuss the emergence of cardiac myosin as a drug target for diseases including heart failure, leading to the discovery of therapeutics that directly tune myosin contractility. Finally, we highlight some of the outstanding questions that must be addressed to better understand myosin’s functions and regulation, and we discuss prospects for translating these discoveries into precision medicine therapeutics targeting contractility and mechanotransduction.
Microaggression clues from social media: revealing and counteracting the suppression of women's health care.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to demonstrate how analyzing social media posts can uncover microaggressions and generate new cultural insights. We explore why Korean women hesitate to seek recommended gynecological care and how microaggressions visible in social media reveal insights for counteracting such harmful messaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS We scraped the posts and responses on social media related to unmarried women's uncomfortableness or unpleasantness in receiving gynecological care. We conducted content analyses of the posts and responses with the microaggression framework to identify both the types of microaggressions occurring within and outside the clinic as well as the responsible perpetrators. With an open-coding and subsequent deductive coding approach, we further investigated the socio-cultural context for receiving gynecological care as an unmarried woman in South Korea. RESULTS Our analysis uncovered that mothers, male partners, and superficially supportive social media responders contribute to pre- and post-visit microaggressions toward unmarried women seeking gynecological care whereas healthcare providers contribute to only mid-visit microaggressions. We also exposed how social media was not only revealing but also reinforcing the suppression of women's health care. DISCUSSION Mid-visit microaggressions are currently addressed by cultural competence education, but pre- and post-visit microaggressions are overlooked. We uncover the gaps in current practices of informatics and public health methods and suggest ways to counteract online and offline microaggressions. CONCLUSIONS Social media provides valuable information about the cultural context of health care and should be used as a source of insights for targeted interventions to improve health care, in this case for unmarried Korean women.
An improved approach to separating startle data from noise

Abstract Background The acoustic startle reflex (ASR) is a rapid, involuntary movement to sound, found in many species. The ASR can be modulated by external stimuli and internal state, making it a useful tool in many disciplines. ASR data collection and interpretation varies greatly across laboratories making comparisons a challenge. New method Here we investigate the animal movement associated with a startle in mouse (CBA/CaJ). Movements were simultaneously captured with high-speed video and a piezoelectric startle plate. We also use simple mathematical extrapolations to convert startle data (force) into center of mass displacement (“height”), which incorporates the animal's mass. Results Startle plate force data revealed a stereotype waveform associated with a startle that contained three distinct peaks. This waveform allowed researchers to separate trials into ‘startles’ and ‘no-startles’ (termed ‘manual classification). Fleiss’ kappa and Krippendorff”s alpha (0.865 for both) indicate very good levels of agreement between researchers. Further work uses this waveform to develop an automated startle classifier. The automated classifier compares favorably with manual classification. A two-way ANOVA reveals no significant difference in the magnitude of the 3 peaks as classified by the manual and automated methods (P1: p = 0.526, N1: p = 0.488, P2: p = 0.529). Comparison with existing method(s) The ability of the automated classifier was compared with three other commonly used classification methods; the automated classifier far outperformed these methods. Conclusions The improvements made allow researchers to automatically separate startle data from noise, and normalize for an individual animal's mass. These steps ease inter-animal and inter-laboratory comparisons of startle data.
Interdependent Self-Construal, Self-Efficacy, and Community Involvement as Predictors of Perceived Knowledge Gain Among MMORPG Players.

Abstract This study explored the relationship between interdependent self-construal, video game self-efficacy, massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) community involvement, and self-reported learning outcomes. The results suggested that self-efficacy and interdependent self-construal were positive and significant predictors of MMORPG community involvement. For its part, MMORPG community involvement was a positive predictor of self-reported learning in both focused and incidental forms. Supplementary analyses suggested that self-efficacy was a comparatively more robust predictor of MMORPG community involvement when compared to self-construal. Moreover, the present data suggest that community involvement significantly facilitated indirect relationships between self-construal, game-relevant self-efficacy, and both focused and incidental learning.
Meeting the constraints upon behavioral expression through neural and genomic interactive mechanisms.

Publisher Summary It is assumed that steroid hormone actions will synchronize reproductive mechanisms in the periphery with those in the brain. Reproduction demands successful responses to a complex set of environmental cues as well as to steroid hormones. In turn, these responses include highly integrated social behaviors. This chapter discusses the interactions between hormonal and environmental signals adequate to this task. The manner in which internal signals from hormones interact with external signals from potential mating partners can be understood as elementary interactions at various levels of the neuraxis between internal and external signals making use of at least three levels of neuronal integration: synaptic connectivity; properties of a variety of neurotransmitters and neuropeptides; and protein-protein interactions on neuronal gene promoters. For a species to continue in existence, neural integration must accomplish the job of combinatorial logic, managing competition among conflicting signals and synergies among consonant signals to govern even the simplest of mammalian reproductive behaviors. To do so, the central nervous system not only uses the levels of neural integration but also a novel level of neural integration afforded by the interactions of transcription factors, proteins binding to the promoters of behavioral relevant neuronally expressed genes.
Alternate scanning modalities for high resolution optical coherence tomography

We demonstrate and compare alternate scanning methods in optical coherence tomography for achieving high resolution imaging. These techniques enable high transverse resolutions and overcome depth of field limitations. Cellular level resolutions in human tissue may be achieved.
Separation and properties of multiple components of bovine growth hormone.

Abstract Starch gel electrophoresis at alkaline pH of bovine growth hormone preparations from a number of sources has revealed a common pattern characterized by a major anionic component and two minor faster moving components. Gel filtration studies of the hormone indicate that all three components are of similar molecular weight. A method has been developed for separation of the components by chromatography on diethylaminoethyl Sephadex. All three components were biologically active and displayed similar amino acid compositions.
Fear of Knowledge: Against Relativism and Constructivism

1. Introduction 2. The Social Construction of Knowledge 3. Constructing the Facts 4. Relativizing the Facts 5. Epistemic Relativism Defended 6. Epistemic Relativism Rejected 7. The Paradox Resolved 8. Epistemic Reasons and the Explanation of Belief Epilogue
SPIN-EXCHANGE-PUMPED 3HE AND 129XE ZEEMAN MASERS

Steady-state noble gas Zeeman masers operating with $^{3}\mathrm{He}$ and $^{129}\mathrm{Xe}$ have been realized by spin exchange with laser optically pumped Rb. These masers can operate continuously for arbitrary lengths of time. For measurement intervals \ensuremath{\tau}=1000 to 10 000 s, frequency measurement precision for a phase locked $^{129}\mathrm{Xe}$ maser is shown to be better than 1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}2}$${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\tau}}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}3/2}$ Hz. Startup transients are used to study gain characteristics. In a two-cell setup maser conditions for both species can be optimized allowing a wide array of precision measurements.
Adipic Acid Industry — N2O Abatement

Adipic acid (AA) manufacture results in the production of off-gases containing ca. 0.3 ton of nitrous oxide (N2O) per ton of AA. When major AA producers learned in 1991 that this N2O might make a measurable contribution to global warming and ozone depletion, an inter-industry group was formed to facilitate development of new technologies for N2O abatement. Producers also agreed upon a goal to substantially reduce these emissions by 1996–1999. N2O abatement facilities are now operating at nearly all sites of the major adipic acid producers. DuPont utilizes advanced thermal destruction for N2O associated with AA production in Singapore (1995) and in Wilton, U.K. (1998). Catalytic destruction technology was developed for the DuPont plants in Orange and Victoria, Texas, USA, as well as in Maitland, Ontario, Canada (1996–1997). DuPont also collaborated with Rhodia on development of a process to convert N2O to nitric acid, which is currently operational in Chalampe, France. All technologies have demonstrated the capability to very efficiently abate N2O emissions. Technology choice is a matter determined by individual site economics.
Dietary obesity: Differential effects with self-selection and composite diet feeding techniques

Abstract Female rats were given access to casein, cornstarch, and fat in separate cups or a composite diet identical in composition to that chosen by self-selecting rats. After 2 weeks, all rats received granular sucrose ad lib in addition to these other foods. Sucrose availability resulted in increased caloric intake and increased body weight gain in composite-fed rats, but not in self-selectors. Self-selectors maintained caloric homeostasis by decreased consumption of all foods initially, but protein intake recovered to control levels by the third week of treatment.
Anti-tubulin immunofluorescence microscopy of microtubules present during the pronuclear movements of sea urchin fertilization

Abstract Anti-tubulin immunofluorescence microscopy is used here to demonstrate the configurations of the microtubule-containing structures which participate in the pronuclear movements of sea urchin fertilization. This technique shows that the egg is devoid of microtubules until after the fertilizing sperm is fully incorporated. All the microtubules which appear during the course of fertilization are organized around the base of the sperm head and the sperm aster thus formed behaves in a way that could account for the characteristic motions of the male and female pronuclei as documented by time-lapse video microscopy. Extension of astral microtubules appears to be responsible for the slow (ca. 2.5 μm min −1 ) movement of the sperm aster into the cytoplasm of the egg; the rapid (ca. 15 μm min −1 ) migration of the female pronucleus to the sperm aster seems to depend on connection of the female pronucleus to microtubules of the sperm aster. Continued extension of astral microtubules after the pronuclei are brought into conjunction can account for the centripetal motion of the paired (or fused) pronuclei and for the positioning of the zygote nucleus in the center of the egg. The behavior of astral microtubules during these motions suggests that they are capable of transmitting both pushing and pulling forces. All the pronuclear movements, and the assembly of detectable microtubules, are sensitive to the microtubule inhibitors griseofulvin and colchicine. Because of this sensitivity, and since all the observable microtubules within the egg during fertilization arise at the sperm aster, it is concluded that the pronuclear movements of fertilization result from the actions of the sperm aster. The pronuclear movements of sea urchin fertilization represent a simple but striking example of microtubule-mediated motility.
Robust measurement selection

Abstract A measurement selection method is developed in the context of Structured Singular Value (SSV) theory. The method is based on robust performance norm-bounds on transfer functions with direct implications on the sensitivity and robustness of the closed-loop system. Using a high purity distillation column as an example, it is demonstrated that the new measurement selection method can be successfully applied to a realistic problem to yield a measurement set and a controller with robust performance.
Internet- vs. telephone-administered questionnaires in a randomized trial of smoking cessation.

The Internet offers a promising channel to conduct smoking cessation research. Among the advantages of Internet research are the ability to access large numbers of participants who might not otherwise participate in a cessation trial, and the ability to conduct research efficiently and cost-effectively. To leverage the opportunity of the Internet in clinical research, it is necessary to establish that measures of known validity used in research trials are reliable when administered via the Internet. To date, no published studies examine the psychometric properties of measures administered via the Internet to assess smoking variables and psychosocial constructs related to cessation (e.g., stress, social support, quit methods). The purpose of the present study was to examine the reliability of measures of previous quit methods, perceived stress, depression, social support for cessation, smoking temptations, alcohol use, perceived health status, and income when administered via the Internet. Participants in the present study were enrolled in a randomized controlled trial of the efficacy of Internet smoking cessation. Following baseline telephone assessment and randomization into the parent trial, participants were recruited to the reliability substudy. An e-mail was sent 2 days after the telephone assessment with a link to the Internet survey and instructions to complete the survey that day. Of the 297 individuals invited to participate, 213 completed the survey within 1 week. Results indicate that the internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the measures examined are comparable when self-administered via the Internet or when interviewer-administered via telephone.