cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Puzzles in modern biology. V. Why are genomes overwired

Many factors affect eukaryotic gene expression. Transcription factors, histone codes, DNA folding, and noncoding RNA modulate expression. Those factors interact in large, broadly connected regulatory control networks. An engineer following classical principles of control theory would design a simpler regulatory network. Why are genomes overwired? Neutrality or enhanced robustness may lead to the accumulation of additional factors that complicate network architecture. Dynamics progresses like a ratchet. New factors get added. Genomes adapt to the additional complexity. The newly added factors can no longer be removed without significant loss of fitness. Alternatively, highly wired genomes may be more malleable. In large networks, most genomic variants tend to have a relatively small effect on gene expression and trait values. Many small effects lead to a smooth gradient, in which traits may change steadily with respect to underlying regulatory changes. A smooth gradient may provide a continuous path from a starting point up to the highest peak of performance. A potential path of increasing performance promotes adaptability and learning. Genomes gain by the inductive process of natural selection, a trial and error learning algorithm that discovers general solutions for adapting to environmental challenge. Similarly, deeply and densely connected computational networks gain by various inductive trial and error learning procedures, in which the networks learn to reduce the errors in sequential trials. Overwiring alters the geometry of induction by smoothing the gradient along the inductive pathways of improving performance. Those overwiring benefits for induction apply to both natural biological networks and artificial deep learning networks.
Designing healthy communities

Designing Healthy Communities illustrates the relationship between health and the built environment in the US. This book is a companion to a four-hour television series of the same title broadcast ...
LEO: Low Overhead Encryption ORAM for Non-Volatile Memories

Data confidentiality attacks utilizing memory access patterns threaten exposure of data in modern main memories. Oblivious RAM (ORAM) is an effective cryptographic primitive developed to thwart access-pattern-based attacks in DRAM-based systems. However, in emerging non-volatile memory (NVM) systems, the increased writes due to encryption of multiple data blocks on every Path ORAM (state-of-the-art efficient ORAM) access impose significant energy, lifetime, and performance overheads. LEO ( L ow overhead E ncryption O RAM ) is an efficient Path ORAM encryption architecture that addresses the high write overheads of ORAM integration in NVMs, while providing security equivalent to the baseline Path ORAM. LEO reduces NVM cell writes by securely decreasing the number of block encryptions during the write phase of a Path ORAM access. LEO uses a secure, two-level counter mode encryption framework that opportunistically eliminates re-encryption of unmodified blocks, reducing NVM writes. Our evaluations show that on average, LEO decreases NVM energy by 60 percent, improves lifetime by 1.51 $\times$ , and increases performance by 9 percent over the baseline Path ORAM.
Changes in collegiate ice hockey player anthropometrics and aerobic fitness over 3 decades.

Over the past several decades, an increased emphasis on fitness training has emerged among collegiate ice hockey teams, with the objective of improving on-ice performance. However, it is unknown if...
Identifying Anomalous File Transfer Events in LCLS Workflow

This short paper reports our on-going work to study and identify anomalous file transfers for a large scientific facility known as Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS). We identify the anomalies based on the statistical models extracted from the recent observations of the file transfer events. This data-driven approach could be used in different use cases to identify unusual events. More specifically, we propose two different identification strategies based on the different properties of the observed file transfers. Because these methods capture key aspects of the two different segments of the data transfer pipeline, they are able to make accurate identifications for their respective workflow components. The current anomaly detection algorithms only make use of the file sizes as the primary feature. We anticipate that integrating more information will improve the prediction accuracy. Additional work is planned to validate the identification algorithms on more data and in different use cases.
Classical Economics and the Keynesian Challenge

In 1894, with the United State mired in recession and unemployment at an historic high, groups of unemployed workers began converging in different cities with the goal of marching on Washington, DC. Many of these contingents were organized by a radical activist, James Coxey, so the movement was dubbed “Coxey’s Army”. Thousands of them descended on Washington on April 30, demanding that the government set up a public works program to create jobs, financed by increases in the money supply. The police were not impressed by Coxey’s economics, and they arrested him and many of his followers. The movement was turned back.
Family-Centered Interventions to Reduce Maternal and Child Obesity

Obesity is associated with multiple health risks for pregnant and postpartum women and can affect their infants, preschoolers, school-aged children, and adolescents. Family-centered intervention strategies may be an important way to prevent or treat maternal and child obesity. This chapter reviews 19 family-centered interventions designed to address excess body weight among mothers and their children. An additional five interventions were classified as “promising.” Six of the studies focused on children age 5 and younger including one study targeting infants; half of these studies were prevention based. Thirteen studies addressed school-aged children; all involved overweight or obese children. Only half of these studies targeted and/or measure parent weight. Results suggest that addressing obesity prevention and treatment from a family perspective could be an effective strategy. Clinicians who care for women of childbearing age should stress the importance of family-centered approaches to develop healthy weight in infants, preschoolers, and children, and when necessary address weight management problems using parents as agents of change both for their children’s weight and for their own. Promising new studies offer new prevention strategies for maternal and child obesity prevention approaches.
Tissue engineering application in general surgery

The field of tissue engineering encompasses efforts to construct functional biological elements using cells, biomaterials, or their combination [1]. While most definitions of tissue engineering cover a broad range of applications, in practice the term is closely associated with efforts to repair or replace tissue function that was lost due to trauma, disease, or genetic disorder. The term has also been applied to efforts to construct extracorporeal support systems such as kidney dialysis or bioartificial liver [2, 3]. The term regenerative medicine is sometimes used synonymously with tissue engineering, although the former term emphasizes the use of stem and progenitor cells to produce tissues. Finally, cellular therapies are closely related approaches which rely on the ability of individual cells to engraft and adapt to the host microenvironment without the support of biomaterials or a well-defined architecture. This chapter aims to review current tissue engineering applications which found their way into clinical practice. We will begin with a short historical review of the field and continue by describing tissue engineering applications in clinical practice. This work will examine applications in the cardiovascular system, musculoskeletal system, skin, and finally the digestive system. We will conclude this work by summarizing the current challenges and expanding opportunities of the field of tissue engineering.
DD68: Der Zorn des Deutschen darf Jammer nur sein (Juni 2008)

Der Deutsche jammert, was man ihm vorwirft. Er greint standig herum und schweigt wie das Lamm zum Schlachten vor den gewetzten Augen der Autoritat. Warum aber jammert er nur und wird nie wirklich laut? Ich spure: Dieser Jammer ist hinweg erzogener Zorn. Der zornige Wille trifft auf introjizierten Uberwillen: „Halt deine Klappe, du deutscher Kleinmensch.“
A DNA metabarcoding approach to characterize soil arthropod communities

Abstract Belowground arthropod communities are diverse and our ability to characterize them remains logistically difficult and time consuming. Molecular metabarcoding techniques are routinely used to assess the diversity of both microbial and some ‘macrobial’ taxa across a range of environments, but the use of such techniques for characterizing soil arthropod diversity remains limited. Here we used three approaches to profile soil arthropod communities at the family level of resolution across 10 distinct sites via morphological identification, metabarcoding of DNA from the extracted arthropods, and metabarcoding directly from bulk soils. Although the three methods differed to some degree in their ability to detect some individual taxa, we found that all three methods yielded well-correlated site-level estimates of diversity (Spearman's ρ ≥ 0.63 with P
A system to monitor statin-induced myopathy in individual engineered skeletal muscle myobundles

Microphysiological tissue engineering models of human skeletal muscle (myobundles) provide a platform to investigate the mechanism of muscle diseases and to study the response to drugs and toxins in vitro. To examine the dynamic response to drugs, which often take several days to induce responses, we developed a system to monitor the contractile force of the same human skeletal muscle myobundles over time before and after treatment with drugs. Myobundles were formed in series with Ecoflex films (platinum-catalyzed silicones) with embedded microbeads. The displacement of the microbeads in Ecoflex exhibited a linear relation between muscle force production and Ecoflex film stretch. Forces measured with the microbeads embedded in Ecoflex agreed well with simultaneous measurements with a force transducer. Application of the Hill model for the myobundles showed that the Ecoflex affected the magnitude of the response, but not the kinetics. After continuous exposure to 100 nM cerivastatin, both active and passive forces were reduced relative to controls after 2-4 days. The decline in force was associated with a decline in the muscle myofiber organization. The inhibitory effect of cerivastatin was reduced when 0.1-1 mM mevalonate was added with cerivastatin. Although addition of co-enzyme Q10 with cerivastatin inhibited degradation of sarcomeric α-actinin (SAA) in myoblasts, the contractile force still declined, suggesting that statin-induced myopathy was related to mevalonate pathway but the addition of co-enzyme Q10 was insufficient to overcome the effect of statins on the mevalonate pathway. Thus, cerivastatin rapidly induces myopathy which can be reversds with mevalonate but not co-enzyme Q10.
Effect of a Required Introductory American Federal Government Course on the Political Self-Efficacy of Community College Students in 2016

Political self-efficacy is the belief that one can influence political processes and is an indicator of society’s political health. Although political self-efficacy may change over time, education ...
Periodic Event-Triggered Control Design for Incrementally Conic Nonlinear Systems

Existing results on periodic event-triggered control mainly focus on linear systems, and their extension to nonlinear systems are largely open. This paper investigates the observer-based control design for incrementally conic nonlinear systems with periodic event-trigger mechanisms in both the input and output channels. The closed-loop system is modeled using an impulsive system approach, and sufficient conditions based on linear matrix inequalities are presented to guarantee the asymptotically practical stability of the closed-loop system. A single-link robot arm example is given to illustrate the theoretical results.
Evaluation of Suction Cup Lysimeters for Obtaining Substrate Solution from a Pine Bark Substrate

Abstract Protocols are needed for extracting the container substrate solution of plants in large containers [≥ 18.9 liter (#5)] since the container substrate solution is representative of the nutrients available to the plants. The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of suction cup lysimeters (SCLs) for this purpose. The lysimeter types tested were those with a 4.8 cm (1.9 in) diameter and a ½ bar or 1 bar air-entry value (AEV) and those with a 2.2 cm (0.87 in) diameter also with a ½ bar or 1 bar AEV. A sufficient volume of the substrate solution could be obtained after 5 min when a vacuum pressure of 30, 40 or 50 kPa was applied to 4.8 cm (1.9 in) ½ bar lysimeters. The 2.2 cm (0.87 in) lysimeters were suitable for extracting smaller sample volumes of solution or if installation space was limited. Electrical conductivity (EC) levels were unaffected by volume of substrate solution extracted by the SCL when volumes varied from 10 to 190 ml (0.34 to 6.4 oz). Overall, the 4.8 cm (1.9 in)...
Time Trade-off Utility Values in Noninfectious Uveitis.

Purpose To investigate time trade-off (TTO) utility values in patients with noninfectious uveitis and determine whether patient demographics and clinical characteristics are associated with utility scores. Design Time trade-off utility analysis. Methods Setting : A tertiary care uveitis center in San Francisco, California, USA. Patient Population : One hundred and four consecutive adults with noninfectious uveitis, enrolled between November 2016 and February 2017. Main Outcome Measures : TTO utility values, as collected by an interviewer-guided survey. Information regarding general health, ocular symptoms, and religion was also collected and medical record review was conducted to record anatomic location of uveitis, disease activity, visual acuity, and treatments. Multivariable regression analysis with backward selection was used to identify variables associated with TTO values. Results Median TTO score was 0.975 (interquartile range [IQR]: 0.8-1.0), corresponding to trading a median 1.28 years of remaining life for healthy eyes (IQR: 0-6.29). Regression analysis revealed that worse eye visual acuity, >6 months of oral corticosteroid use, and current antidepressant use were associated with lower TTO scores (P = .008, P = .006, P = .008, respectively), controlling for age and sex. In particular, patients who had been taking oral corticosteroids for more than 6 months, regardless of dose, were 10.5 times more likely to trade 20% or more years of remaining life (TTO ≤0.8) than patients not taking oral corticosteroids (95% confidence interval: 2.3, 48.1; P = .002). Conclusions Patients with noninfectious uveitis had measurable, though modest, reductions in quality of life, as assessed by TTO, and these decreases were significantly associated with visual acuity in the worse eye and long-term oral corticosteroid use.
Direct Determination of Dynamic Elastic Modulus and Poisson’s Ratio of Rectangular Timoshenko Prisms

AbstractIn this paper, the exact solution of the Timoshenko beam vibration frequency equation under free-free boundary conditions is determined with an accurate shear shape factor. The exact soluti...
Development and Implementation of an Autonomously Driven Vehicle Prototype

Technology has become cheaper and more accessible, giving way to opportunities in technological areas that were previously inaccessible. Moreover, building a fully functional self-driving vehicle has become the new gold rush in the current industries. Yet, there are many issues to solve when building an autonomous vehicle. For instance, a self-driving vehicle must be reliable, consistent, predictable, and safe. There is still substantial amount of research and work that needs to be done, and more to learn, for the industry to build a truly reliable self-driving vehicle. In this paper the basic concepts of self-driving vehicles as well as some advanced concepts have been discussed. This project explores building a self-driving car using an off-the-shelf remote-controlled car, an NVIDIA Jetson TX2 GPU which has an ARM processor on board, infra-red sensors for obstacle avoidance, and a monocular CSI camera for navigation and object detection. A combination of Google’s TensorFlow, OpenCV and a Robot Operating System (ROS) enables the remote-controlled car into becoming a fully self-driving car.
Five Weeks of Aquatic-Calisthenic High Intensity Interval Training Improves Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Body Composition in Sedentary Young Adults

Aquatic exercise may be better tolerated by sedentary, overweight individuals than land-based exercise. The purpose of the present study was to determine the effects of five weeks of aquatic high-intensity interval training (AHIIT) using standard calisthenic pool exercises, on cardiorespiratory fitness and body composition in sedentary young adults. Eleven college-age participants (9 women, 2 men) completed 15 exercise sessions that included three sessions per week for five weeks. Each session consisted of a five-minute warm-up period, 25 minutes of exercise, and a five-minute cool down. A training progression based upon standard progression principals from a pilot study was implemented. The exercises consisted of 25 exercise intervals lasting 10-30 seconds in duration, utilizing combinations of 8-12 different exercises. Twenty-two standard aquatic upper body, lower body, and full body aerobic exercises, most of which utilized aquatic dumbbells or hand paddles, were performed in an AHIIT protocol during each exercise session. Reductions in body composition (32.6 to 30.6% fat), submaximal (169 to 165 b·min-1) and peak heart rate (199 to 192 b·min-1), submaximal VO2 (21.7 to 19.3 ml·kg-1·min-1 and peak VO2 (30.5 to 31.95 ml·kg-1·min-1) occurred from pre- to post-program. This is the first study to determine the effectiveness of standard aquatic calisthenic exercises used in an AHIIT protocol. Improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness and exercise economy as well as body composition were observed in these sedentary individuals.
Risk assessment of cement placement failure due to cement loss caused by design changes in deepwater well construction

Abstract The Well Containment Screening Tool (WCST) has been adopted by deepwater oil and gas operators, in the aftermath of the Macondo/Deepwater Horizon tragedy, to evaluate well integrity during worst-case survival loads. It favors a more conservative deepwater casing scheme with thicker casing walls and, hence, narrower cementing annuli for the same borehole diameters. These design changes may increase the risk of cement loss during narrow-annuli cementing, possibly compromising the cement barrier. Thus, the WCST may actually increase the risk of another well control incident. To examine this possibility, we developed a model to simulate and quantify fluid and cement loss in narrow casing-formation annuli. This model analyzes the influence of design parameter changes, such as a change in casing wall thickness, on generating additional zonal isolation risk in deepwater. Our analysis suggests that a minor increase (within 0.1”) in casing thickness, through increasing outer diameter, has little influence on the risk of cement loss, as does a slight decrease in mean open-hole diameter. Larger increases in casing diameter and reductions in open-hole diameter, however, increase the risk of cement integrity failure, particularly at flow rates above 100 gpm, because of increased cement loss risk, as expected. Beyond the specific problem we analyze, the quantitative risk-analysis approach described here allows for quantification of risk associated with deepwater well design and cementing changes.
Are Concomitant Operations During Bariatric Surgery Safe? An Analysis of the MBSAQIP Database

The American College of Surgeons tracks 30-day outcomes using the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation Quality Initiative Program (MBSAQIP) database. We examined the short-term outcomes of patients that undergo bariatric surgery concomitantly with other operations such as hernia repairs and cholecystectomy to determine the safety of this practice. The MBSAQIP Participant Use Data File for 2015–2017 was examined for differences in primary bariatric operations vs concomitant procedures (CP). We looked for concurrent CPT codes for laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) and hernia repairs (ventral, epigastric, incisional, and inguinal). p was significant at 48 h, unplanned admission to the ICU, pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis, and readmission, reintervention, and reoperation. There is a statistically higher rate of complications with concomitant procedures in the MBSAQIP database. Length of stay and operative times are increased in concomitant operations as are readmissions, reinterventions, and reoperations. These findings would indicate that additional procedures at the time of bariatric surgery should be deferred if possible.
Cohort Variation in U.S. Violent Crime Patterns from 1960 to 2014: An Age–Period–Cohort-Interaction Approach

Previous research in criminology has overlooked that cohort effects on crime should be age-time-specific (Ryder in Am Sociol Rev 30(6):843–861, 1965) and consequently assumed cohort effects to be the same across the life course. The current study addresses these limitations by modeling cohort effects as the differential impacts of social change depending on age groups. With this new operationalization that is closely tied to Ryder’s conceptualization, we examine both inter-cohort differences and intra-cohort dynamics in violent crime. We use the age–period–cohort-interaction (APC-I) model developed by Luo and Hodges (Sociol Methods Res 2020) to analyze the UCR age-specific arrest statistics for robbery, aggravated assaults, and homicide from 1960 to 2014. Specifically, we estimate and test two types of cohort variation: average cohort deviations and life-course dynamics. Our findings reveal varying degrees of cohort deviations at different ages. The early boomers (born between 1945 and 1954) and the late boomers (born between 1955 and 1964) demonstrate different intra-cohort dynamics of robbery arrest, and the violence epidemic cohorts’ (born between 1975 and 1984) high risks of homicide arrest appear to be driven by cohort deviations at young ages. The APC-I framework introduced in this study provides new insights into the dynamic aspect of cohort effects on violent crime that have not been examined in the criminological literature. Criminological studies on cohort effects would benefit by shifting away from the problematic assumption of constant and additive cohort effects to the dynamic and interactive approach represented by the APC-I framework.
The Student with a Chronic Health Condition: Susan Nacht, a Nursing Student with Narcolepsy

This case discusses a nontraditional nursing student who is entering a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. She has been diagnosed with narcolepsy, depression, and anxiety with panic disorder. When in high school, she had some personal and physical struggles but graduated in the top 30% of her class and obtained her certified nursing assistant (CNA) certification. Both the student and the nursing faculty are concerned about how Susan will be able to succeed in the nursing program.
World System satellites: Place-making and inequality during the 1990s rural migration rebound

Abstract This paper uses urban-rural migration data from the American rural migration “rebound” to contextualize inequality through a World Systems lens. By weighting migration flows according to origin cities’ level of global economic connectivity, the 50 most highly connected “satellite” counties are identified and compared to the 50 fastest growing counties and the 50 most urbanizing counties. Two findings emerge: First, noteworthy variation exists across satellite destinations. Moving beyond the literatures on exurbanization and rural gentrification, globally connected movers catalyzed diverse patterns of economic development. Second, despite the heterogeneity of counties identified, preliminary evidence of within county inequality is apparent, suggesting that inequality is associated with global city out-migration and is, thus, worthy of future research.
Characterization and localization of antigens for serodiagnosis of human paragonimiasis

Paragonimiasis is a foodborne trematode infection that affects 23 million people, mainly in Asia. Lung fluke infections lead frequently to chronic cough with fever and hemoptysis, and are often confused with lung cancer or tuberculosis. Paragonimiasis can be efficiently treated with praziquantel, but diagnosis is often delayed, and patients are frequently treated for other conditions. To improve diagnosis, we selected five Paragonimus kellicotti proteins based on transcriptional abundance, recognition by patient sera, and conservation among trematodes and expressed them as His-fusion proteins in Escherichia coli. Sequences for these proteins have 76-99% identity with amino acid sequences for orthologs in the genomes of Paragonimus westermani, Paragonimus heterotremus, and Paragonimus miyazakii. Immunohistology studies showed that antibodies raised to four recombinant proteins bound to the tegument of adult P. kellicotti worms, at the parasite host interface. Only a known egg antigen was absent from the tegument but present in developing and mature eggs. We evaluated the diagnostic potential of these antigens by Western blot with sera from patients with paragonimiasis (from MO and the Philippines), fascioliasis, and schistosomiasis, and with sera from healthy North American controls. Two recombinant proteins (a cysteine protease and a myoglobin) showed the highest sensitivity and specificity as diagnostic antigens, and they detected antibodies in sera from paragonimiasis patients with early or mature infections. In contrast, antibodies to egg yolk ferritin appeared to be specific marker for patients with adult fluke infections that produce eggs. Our study has identified and localized antigens that are promising for serodiagnosis of human paragonimiasis.
Commuting with Autonomous Vehicles: A Branch and Cut Algorithm with Redundant Modeling

This paper studies the benefits of autonomous vehicles in ride-sharing platforms dedicated to serving commuting needs. It considers the Commute Trip Sharing Problem with Autonomous Vehicles (CTSPAV), the optimization problem faced by a reservation-based platform that receives daily commute-trip requests and serves them with a fleet of autonomous vehicles. The CTSPAV can be viewed as a special case of the Dial- A-Ride Problem (DARP). However, this paper recognizes that commuting trips exhibit special spatial and temporal properties that can be exploited in a branch and cut algorithm that leverages a redundant modeling approach. In particular, the branch and cut algorithm relies on a MIP formulation that schedules mini routes representing inbound or outbound trips. This formulation is effective in finding high-quality solutions quickly but its relaxation is relatively weak. To remedy this limitation, the mini-route MIP is complemented by a DARP formulation which is not as effective in obtaining primal solutions but has a stronger relaxation. The benefits of the proposed approach are demonstrated by comparing it with another, more traditional, exact branch and cut procedure and a heuristic method based on mini routes. The methodological contribution is complemented by a comprehensive analysis of a CTSPAV platform for reducing vehicle counts, travel distances, and congestion. In particular, the case study for a medium-sized city reveals that a CTSPAV platform can reduce daily vehicle counts by a staggering 92% and decrease vehicles miles by 30%. The platform also significantly reduces congestion, measured as the number of vehicles on the road per unit time, by 60% during peak times. These benefits, however, come at the expense of introducing empty miles. Hence the paper also highlights the tradeoffs between future ride-sharing and car-pooling platforms.
Chemotherapy use in early stage anal canal squamous cell carcinoma and its impact on long-term overall survival,,.

Abstract Background The standard of care for non-metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal (SCCA) is concurrent chemoradiotherapy. It is postulated that chemotherapy could be omitted for the earliest stages without worsening outcomes. Methods We queried the NCDB from 2004–2016 for patients with cT1N0M0 SCCA treated non-operatively with radiation, with and without chemotherapy, and at least two months of follow-up. Of the 2,959 patients meeting eligibility, 92% received chemotherapy (n = 2722) and 8% (n = 237) did not. Most patients were white (n = 2676), female (n = 2019), had private insurance (n = 1507) and were treated in a comprehensive cancer center (n = 1389). Average age was 58.5 years. Results Predictors of chemotherapy omission were age > 58 years (OR 0.66, 95% CI [0.49–0.90], P = 0.0087), higher comorbidity score (OR 0.62, 95% CI [0.38–0.99], P = 0.0442), African American race (OR 0.57, 95% CI [0.36–0.90], P = 0.0156) and treatment at the start of the study period (OR 1 for years 2004–2006). HR for single-agent chemotherapy was 0.70 (95% CI [0.50–0.96], P = 0.0288) and 0.48 for multi-agent (95% CI [0.38–0.62], P Conclusions In conclusion, patients with early-stage squamous cell cancer of the anus who are treated with combination chemoradiation continue to demonstrate better overall survival than those who undergo radiotherapy alone.
Cellular senescence programs are an important mechanism of tumor regression upon MYC inactivation

4505 The targeted inactivation of oncogenes may be an effective therapy for the treatment of cancer. Previously, we have found that there are circumstances when even brief inactivation of the MYC oncogene can result in sustained tumor regression. Here we show that upon MYC inactivation both lymphomas and sarcomas undergo cellular senescence. MYC inactivation induced global epigenetic changes resulting in heterochromatin formation. In particular, we observed a global reduction of Histone H4 acetylation, and an increase of Histone H3 K9 methylation, which was previously implicated in cellular senescence. MYC inactivation was associated with an increase in markers of senescence including β-galactosidase staining and induction of p16INK4a expression. Tumors defective in p53 or p16INK4a, exhibited impaired senescence and no longer exhibited complete tumor regression upon MYC inactivation. Similarly, the restoration of p53 protein expression in tumor cells now permitted them to undergo senescence and tumor regression. Thus, cellular senescence may be a critical mechanism by which oncogene inactivation induces tumor regression.
Mimon crenulatum (Spear-nosed bat)

These karyotypes are gifts of Dr. Robert J. Baker, who collected the specimens at Leticia, Colombia. Bone marrow samples were used for cytological preparations.
The Teramac Configurable Computer Engine

The difficulty in creating a configurable machine lies in providing enough wires that placement and routing can be done with no human intervention. Several researchers have previously used tens of FPGAs to create configurable custom machines [8–11]; Teramac allows experiments using many hundreds of FPGAs by providing a routing-rich environment for implementing user designs by using custom FPGAs, MCM's and PC boards.
Prevention of the postpartum spinal headache

Abstract Headache following spinal anesthesia in the obstetric patient is a disturbing complication to both patient and physician. Prevention of the postspinal postpartum headache was the goal of a study conducted at an institution where low spinal or saddle block anesthesia was the primary method of obstetric anesthesia in primigravidas and secundigravidas. In two consecutive groups (A and B) of 100 patients each, the only difference in management was the use of an abdominal binder in Group B from delivery to discharge In Group A (without binders) the headache incidence was 18 per cent, 14 per cent being mild and 4 per cent severe. In Group B (with binders) there were only 4 mild headaches The pathophysiology of the postspinal headache in the obstetric patient is discussed.
Unveiling User Characteristics in Virtual Communities and the Impact on E-Commerce

Avatar-equipped e-commerce is an information technology-driven business model in cyberspace. It is one of the most successful online venues developed in Korea. This research explores the process of developing customer loyalty regarding the use of Avatar in online communities and the possibility of the effective use of Avatar in electronic business development. In particular, five different social factors that affect individual users’ satisfaction and loyalty are identified. This conceptualization is built on a number of theories: customer satisfaction, self-identity, social presence, social comparison, and subjective norm. The results indicate strong support for the proposed model. This study is expected to contribute to the literature by assisting managers and academics to understand the nature of customer behavior when using Avatar. The current study will also give insight to the direction of future development of information technology-driven e-commerce.
Towards Computationally Sound Symbolic Analysis of Key Exchange Protocols (extended abstract)

We present a cryptographically sound formal method for proving correctness of key exchange protocols. Our main tool is a fragment of a symbolic protocol logic. We demonstrate that proofs of key agreement and key secrecy in this logic imply simulatability in Shoup’s secure multi-party framework for key exchang e. As part of the logic, we present cryptographically sound abstractions of CMA-secure digital signatures and a restricted form of DiffieHellman exponentiation, which is a technical result of independent interest. We illustrate our method by constructing a proof of security for a simple authenticated Diffie-Hellman protocol.
Models of learning and theories of practice for informal learning environments

While studies of learning and learning environments have predominantly taken place in laboratories and formal educational settings, there is a growing community of researchers conducting studies in non-school settings such as museums, after school programs, homes, zoos, workplaces, and other informal learning environments (e.g., Callanan & Jipson, 2001; CILS; Leinhardt, Crowley, and Knutson, 2002; Martin, in press; Museum Learning Collaborative). One goal of informal learning research is to contribute to an understanding of how to support those students who fail to learn through traditional formal approaches to education.
"Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ye:" toward revision of the theory of male psychosexual development.

Book reviewed in this article: “The psychology of women,” as it now exists, is a shadowy negative of the psychology of men, and can be successfully formulated only if male psychology is reassessed and considerably revised. Male theorists and practitioners have made virtues of the harsh facts of male socialization. These conditions, which have unhappy repercussions in the male ego and in the culture as a whole, are modifiable only if they are identified and understood.
A cell-based developmental model to generate robot morphologies

This paper presents a new method to generate the body plans of modular robots. In this work, we use a developmental model where cells are controlled by a gene regulatory network. Instead of using morphogens as in many existing works, we evolve a more flexible "hormonal system" that controls the inputs of the regulatory network. By evolving the regulatory network and the hormonal system in parallel with a blind watchmaker, we have generated various virtual robots with interesting inherent properties such as regularity and symmetry. The prototypes of the robotic blocks that will be used to actually build the real machines are also presented in this paper.
Prediction of success or failure in birth planning: An approach to prevention of individual and family stress

This study of 25 good contraceptors and 25 poor contraceptors in a Planned Parenthood Agency over a 3-month period tested the hypothesis that good contraceptors would display longer future time extension. A Future Events Test was administered during clinic visits. Future events were viewed more negatively by poor contraceptors who were some what younger and had a higher weekly family income. Personality variables in birth planning success or failure predictions seem more accurate than the sociocultural approach. 32 was the maximum present age for the poor contraceptor group. Other studies have shown findings of negativism among unsuccessful contraceptors who tend to be unaccepting of their own sexuality.
Numerical Modeling of Ocean Circulation

In physical ocean sciences, with little opportunity to experiment on the natural system, numerical circulation models provide estimates of ocean currents that are increasingly important in leading this field. Probably the most common application of these tools is to study the large-scale, lowfrequency currents of the global ocean using a general circulation model (GCM). Ocean GCMs are used in coupled climate models, familiar from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, for instance. Ocean models are also widely used for operational purposes, including seasonal forecasts (especially for El NinoSouthern Oscillation), storm surges, tides, and tsunamis. Dozens of basic studies of ocean fluid dynamics and biogeochemical cycles also exist.
Environmental Controls on the Surface Energy Budget over a Large Southern Inland Water in the United States: An Analysis of One-Year Eddy Covariance Flux Data

AbstractThe authors analyzed the surface energy fluxes that were measured by an eddy covariance system over the Ross Barnett Reservoir in Mississippi for a 1-yr period in 2008. On a monthly basis over the course of the year, positive vertical temperature and vapor pressure differences were observed, though negative vertical temperature differences occurred occasionally during some short periods when overwater air masses were warmer than the water surface. Consequently, the unstable atmospheric surface layer (ASL) and sufficient mechanical mixing led to positive sensible H and latent λE heat fluxes. The quantities H and λE were distinctively out of phase with the net radiation Rn. The H and λE from the water to the ASL was still substantial on nights with a negative Rn and in winter when Rn was very small. From February to August, approximately 60%–91% of the Rn was used for H and λE, with the remainder being stored in the water. Fueled by the previously stored heat in the water, H and λE exceeded Rn by al...
Novel Polyisobutylene Stars. XXVIII. A star block comprising three poly (isobutylene-b-acrylonitrile) arms radiating from an aromatic core: Synthesis and characterization*

The synthesis and characterization of a novel three arm star-block comprising a cumyl core out of which radiate three poly(isobutylene-b-acrylonitrile) arms is presented. The synthesis strategy comprised three major steps (see Scheme 1): 1. The synthesis of O(PIB-OH)3, 2. Quantitative transformation of the -OH termini to -OCOC(CH3)2Br termini, and 3. Controlled ATRP of acrylonitrile mediated by the latter termini. The definition of a suitable solvent system, methylene chloride/cyclohexanone (CH2Cl2/CHO) was critical for the synthesis. The O(PIB-b-PAN)3, Mn,PIB block= 6000 g/mol and Mn,PAN block= 1,800 g/mol was characterized by solid state 13C NMR spectroscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and dynamic mechanical analysis.
Measurement of Near-Field Thermal Radiation Between Two Closely-Spaced Glass Plates

At a finite temperature, electrons and ions in any matter are under constant thermal agitation, acting as the random current source for thermal emission. The thermally-excited electromagnetic waves have two forms: the propagating modes that can leave the surface of the emitter and radiate freely into the space, and the non-propagating modes (evanescent modes) that do not radiate. The contribution from the propagating modes, or the far-field radiation modes, to the radiative heat flux is well-known and its maximum is governed by Planck’s law of blackbody radiation. The non-propagating modes do not propagate and thus do not carry energy in the direction normal to the surface, unless a second surface is brought close to the first to enable photon tunneling. The contribution from the non-propagating modes to radiative heat flux is the near-field radiative flux.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
The Natural History of Gambling and Drinking Problems Among Casino Employees

Abstract From an eligible population of 9,943 casino employees, 6,067 volunteered to participate in this study. Of this sample, 1,176 provided data at 3 observation points approximately 12 months apart. Using the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS; H. R. Lesieur & S. B. Blume, 1987) and the CAGE (J. A. Ewing, 1984) questionnaire, the authors prospectively examined the prevalence and patterns of alcohol and gambling problems among those employees. Among the casino employees with gambling and drinking problems, a segment displayed the capacity to diminish those problems even when the difficulties had reached disordered levels. The authors also examined the comorbidity of gambling and drinking as well as the relationships among changes in SOGS scores and CAGE scores and changes in demographic and biological variables. The women were more likely to decrease their problem-drinking scores, but not their gambling scores, when compared with the men. In addition, 2 key variables (i.e., disabling depression and dissa...
Recovery of blocky images from noisy and blurred data

The purpose of this investigation is to understand situations under which an enhancement method succeeds in recovering an image from data which are noisy and blurred. The method in question is due to Rudin and Osher. The method selects, from a class of feasible images, one that has the least total variation.Our investigation is limited to images which have small total variation. We call such images “blocky” as they are commonly piecewise constant (or nearly so) in grey-level values. The image enhancement is applied to three types of problems, each one leading to an optimization problem. The optimization problems are analyzed in order to understand the conditions under which they can be expected to succeed in reconstructing the desired blocky images. We illustrate the main findings of our work in numerical examples.
Genome-Wide Detection of Allele Specific Copy Number Variation Associated with Insulin Resistance in African Americans from the HyperGEN Study

African Americans have been understudied in genome wide association studies of diabetes and related traits. In the current study, we examined the joint association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and copy number variants (CNVs) with fasting insulin and an index of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) in the HyperGEN study, a family based study with proband ascertainment for hypertension. This analysis is restricted to 1,040 African Americans without diabetes. We generated allele specific CNV genotypes at 872,243 autosomal loci using Birdsuite, a freely available multi-stage program. Joint tests of association for SNPs and CNVs were performed using linear mixed models adjusting for covariates and familial relationships. Our results highlight SNPs associated with fasting insulin and HOMA-IR (rs6576507 and rs8026527, 3.7*10−7≤P≤1.1*10−5) near ATPase, class V, type 10A (ATP10A), and the L Type voltage dependent calcium channel (CACNA1D, rs1401492, P≤5.2*10−6). ATP10A belongs to a family of aminophospholipid-transporting ATPases and has been associated with type 2 diabetes in mice. CACNA1D has been linked to pancreatic beta cell generation in mice. The two most significant copy variable markers (rs10277702 and rs361367; P<2.0*10−4) were in the beta variable region of the T-cell receptor gene (TCRVB). Human and mouse TCR has been shown to mimic insulin and its receptor and could contribute to insulin resistance. Our findings differ from genome wide association studies of fasting insulin and other diabetes related traits in European populations, highlighting the continued need to investigate unique genetic influences for understudied populations such as African Americans.
School/Work: Development of Computing Students' Professional Identity at University

When students talk about their university experiences, they identify particular events as being significant in their development. We look at the experiences relating to coursework and career of two students who were interviewed throughout their undergraduate degree programs. We found that they shared some of the significant events but not all, and the reactions to the shared events were sometimes quite different.
Physical Attractiveness and Popularity: The Mediating Role of Self-Perception

ABSTRACT Subjective ratings of physical attractiveness were compared with objective ratings of attractiveness in the prediction of popularity. The relationships between Harter's (1979) Perceived Competency Scale for Children (PCSC) and both popularity and physical attractiveness were also examined. Fifty-three third-grade and 54 fifth-grade children were tested on the Harter scales and on a new 7-item scale of self-perceived attractiveness. Objective attractiveness ratings were provided by 30 other children of the same grades and sex. Popularity was assessed by sociometric nominations and ratings. The results replicated the moderate relationship of objective attractiveness and popularity found in prior studies. Self-perceived attractiveness was unrelated to popularity in third-grade children but was significantly related at the fifth-grade level. Subjective and objective attractiveness were inversely related at the third-grade level but were positively related in fifth graders. Objective attractiveness wa...
On the elastoplastic cyclic analysis of plane beam structures using a flexibility-based finite element approach

This paper presents the extension of a flexibility-based large increment method (LIM) for the case of cyclic loading. In the last few years, LIM has been successfully tested for solving a range of non-linear structural problems involving elastoplastic material models under monotonic loading. In these analyses, the force-based LIM algorithm provided robust solutions and significant computational savings compared to the displacement-based finite element approach by using fewer elements and integration points. Although in cyclic analysis a step-by-step solution procedure has to be adopted to account for the plastic history, LIM will still have many advantages over the traditional finite element method. Before going into the basic idea of this extension, a brief discussion regarding LIM governing equations is presented followed by the proposed solution procedure. Next, the formulation is specified for the treatment of the elastic perfectly plastic beam element. The local stage for the beam behavior is discussed in detail and the required improvement for the LIM methodology is described. Illustrative truss and beam examples are presented for different non-linear material models. The results are compared with those obtained from a standard displacement method and again highlight the potential benefits of the proposed flexibility-based approach.