cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
RestAssured: Securing Cloud Analytics

Protecting sensitive business and personal information is a cornerstone requirement when enterprises and organizations move to the cloud. Many aspects of this requirement are already handled at various levels. Data-at-rest can be secured in cloud stores by encrypting it before persisting the data to storage, while data-in-flight is transmitted using protected channels such as TLS and HTTPS. Data-in-use, processed in cloud compute nodes, is the most vulnerable link in the end-to-end information flow, since the process memory can be accessed by malicious privileged software or system administrators.IBM Research - Haifa takes part in a European H2020 research project RestAssured [2] that aims to deliver end-to-end cloud architectures and methodologies for assuring secure data processing in the cloud. We build a trusted analytic platform based on a combination of hardware and software components, and collaborate with the RestAssured partners to implement cloud analytic use cases ranging from social care services to pay-as-you-drive insurance policies.The platform uses the Intel SGX (Software Guard Extension) technology [4], available in Skylake and later processors, that allows to create memory regions (enclaves) protected with hardware encryption in the SoC (system on chip). The data resides unencrypted only inside the processor. It is encrypted in SoC before being written to main memory, and decrypted in SoC upon fetching from main memory. Our team has designed and developed a framework for trust management in SGX enclaves [3] that performs verification (remote attestation) of the enclave hardware and software components, and assists in trusted delivery of secrets (such as data encryption keys) to the enclaves.Apache Spark SQL [1] is the analytic engine of the RestAssured platform. We use the Opaque [6] open source technology [5] from the Berkeley RISELab that integrates the Spark SQL with Intel SGX hardware, and offers data protection by running SQL transformations inside trusted enclaves. We have augmented Opaque with a few key mechanisms for secure data processing in SGX enclaves, by integrating Opaque with our trust management framework to enable remote attestation and data encryption key delivery to Opaque enclaves. We have also developed a component that serves as a gateway between RestAssured use case applications and Opaque clusters. The gateway supports a REST endpoint that accepts SQL query from applications, sends the query for governance verification and modification by a rule engine, and executes the modified query in Opaque. The results are serialized into a JSON object and sent back to the application on a secure REST channel.
Sexual signaling and speciation, a microevolutionary perspective

Despite the growing evidence that sexual selection can drive speciation, the evolution of sexual signals in natural populations is far from being well-understood. Sexual signals evolve in response to a variety of factors. Some of the most important selective factors are conspecifics, transmission efficiency in a particular environment, detection by predators, and phylogenetic constraints. These factors have been addressed quite successfully in studies of single types of signals in both vertebrates and invertebrates. However, it is less clear how multimodal signals evolve because the factors listed above will act on every component of the signaling system, and the relative weights of each type of signal must be taken into account. Species of Drosophila are excellent for such analyses because they are amenable to both phenotypic experimentation and genetic manipulation. This paper presents an approach that involves two analyses: studies of which signals are sexually selected within a species, and parallel studies of the signals that are involved in behavioral isolation between closely related species. If the same signal characteristics are involved in both processes, they would provide support for the hypothesis that sexual selection can drive speciation. This approach is illustrated with studies of Hawaiian Drosophila and a review of signals that could be sexually selected in Drosophila melanogaster.
Prosecutorial Soundbites: When Do They Cross the Line?

Even good prosecutors can cross the line with media soundbites. Especially in high-profile cases, prosecutors must assess if their pretrial remarks about a case meet their ethical obligations. In Gentile v. Nevada State Bar, 501 U.S. 1030 (1991), the United States Supreme Court held that while lawyers have the First Amendment right to make comments to the press, they do not have the right to make comments that have a “substantial likelihood of materially prejudicing an adjudicative proceeding.” Although ethical codes have adopted this broad standard, many have failed to identify more specifically when a prosecutor’s remarks pose a substantial likelihood of having such a prejudicial effect. Using 28 C.F.R. § 50.2 as a guide, this article seeks to identify those “hot-button” areas. It identifies topics that are most likely to pose the greatest ethical problems for prosecutors. These topics relate directly to practices and evidentiary problems that have long led to wrongful convictions. In particular, this article focuses on why prosecutors should generally refrain from discussing a defendant’s character and race, confessions and admissions, scientific tests and DNA testing, and eyewitness identifications and witness credibility. It also discusses why prosecutors should depersonalize their involvement in cases and refrain from offering personal opinions regarding a defendant or the case. Finally, the article suggests that prosecutors should look to other professions’ ethical codes, including those of journalists, to set aspirational standards that will help guide prosecutors’ extrajudicial remarks.
Surgical Repair of Distal Aortic Arch Aneurysm With Distal Extension: Sternotomy Versus Thoracotomy.

Background There is no consensus as to whether a median approach or a lateral approach is better for distal aortic arch aneurysms with distal extensions. The aim of this study was to compare clinical outcomes of these two approaches for distal aortic arch aneurysms with distal extensions. Methods From January 2001 to December 2017, 212 consecutive patients with distal aortic arch aneurysms with distal extensions underwent surgery using different approaches: hemiarch and descending thoracic aneurysm replacement through thoracotomy (group 1, n = 91); and total arch and descending thoracic aneurysm replacement through sternotomy (group 2, n = 121). Early and late outcomes were compared using scores and inverse probability of treatment adjustments to reduce treatment selection bias. Results The in-hospital mortality was 9.89% (9 of 91) in the thoracotomy group and 2.48% (3 of 121) in the sternotomy group (p = 0.02). The sternotomy group had a lower incidence of permanent stroke (2.48%, 3 of 121) compared with the thoracotomy group (10.99%, 10 of 91, p = 0.01). After adjustment, patients who underwent thoracotomy were at a greater risk of hospital mortality (odds ratio 5.0, p = 0.01), permanent stroke (odds ratio 6.83, p Conclusions The sternotomy approach showed better outcomes in terms of operative mortality, stroke, and pneumonia, as well as long-term survival compared with the thoracotomy approach. These results suggested that the sternotomy approach was more appropriate for patients with distal aortic arch aneurysms with distal extensions.
Importance of Adjusting for Multi-stage Design When Analyzing Data from Complex Surveys

Social scientists and policy makers commonly use estimates derived from population-based studies, e.g., estimates derived from the Tobacco Use Supplement (TUS) are commonly used in behavioral studies targeted on smoking and quitting behaviors. The U.S. Census Bureau and other agencies designing and administering national surveys provide technical guidelines on suitable statistical methodologies. The guidelines specify the appropriate methods for estimation and prediction. However, when performing secondary data analyses scientists may be prone to simplify analytical strategies and use classical statistical methods, i.e., ignore design specifics and mistreat the complex design used to gather the data as simple random sampling. In this chapter, we illustrate the importance of using the guidelines when analyzing complex surveys. We discuss three methods: method I ignores any weighting, method II incorporates the main weight only, and method III utilizes the main weight and balanced repeated replications with specified replicate weights. We illustrate possible discrepancies in point estimates and standard errors using 2014–2015 TUS data. Presented examples include smoking status, attitudes toward smoking restrictions in public places and cars, and smoking rules at home among single parents in the USA.
Rapamycin as a potential treatment for succinate dehydrogenase deficiency

Abstract Drosophila melanogaster is a powerful model to study mitochondrial respiratory chain defects, particularly succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) deficiency. Mutations in sdh genes cause degenerative disorders and often lead to death. Therapies for such pathologies are based on a combination of vitamins and dietary supplements, and are rarely effective. In Drosophila, mutations in several of the genes encoding SDH resemble the pathology of SDH deficiency in humans, enabling the Drosophila model to be used in finding treatments for this condition. Here we show that exposure to the drug rapamycin improves the survival of sdh mutant strains, the activity of SDH and the impaired climbing associated with sdh mutations. However, the production of reactive oxygen species, the oxygen consumption of isolated mitochondria and the resistance to hyperoxia were minimally affected. Our results contribute to the current research seeking a treatment for mitochondrial disease.
600.68 Changes in Left Ventricular End-diastolic Pressure Following Alcohol Septal Ablation in Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy

Left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP) is a representation of left ventricular performance. An increased LVEDP correlates to an increased left ventricular workload, which can be seen in pathologic conditions such as an obstructed left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) in hypertrophic
The Inherently Contested Nature of Nongovernmental Accountability: The Case of HAP International

While the principled case for humanitarian accountability is relatively straightforward, the practice is demonstrably more complicated, necessitating constant negotiation among stakeholders. However, despite the wave of research into nongovernmental accountability, few empirical studies have grappled with the phenomenon’s inherently contested nature. This paper foregrounds tensions arising in the elaboration of nonprofit accountability. Its approach is informed by critical constructivist theory, an international relations approach attuned to social power, identity and exclusion, and conceptual contestation; its conclusions are supported by interview data with key stakeholders. Focusing on the Humanitarian Accountability Partnership (HAP) International, it finds that initial consensus on the desirability of beneficiary (downward) accountability quickly gave way to principled disagreements and operational difficulties. Specifically, the initiation stage of HAP was marked by two conflicts—a debate about enforcement and a turf war over control—culminating in rebranding and relocation. The implementation stage was characterized by tensions over certification and intra-organizational struggles over leadership. The contemporary practice of accountability is shown to be a contingent and contested social process, with humanitarian identity and practice ultimately at stake.
Feedback and Creativity: A Practice-Exploration in Design Studios

The effect of feedback as an educational tool to nurture creativity varies via circumstances. My dissertation will propose an authentic-performance-based investigation of effective practices of feedback on creativity in an interior design studio. The primary work found that students with high feedback receptivity outperformed in creativity. The next step is examining the smaller percentage of those with low feedback receptivity but still achieved decent creative outcomes.
Necessary Notations of the Proposed Method

We define necessary notations and review important definitions that will be used later in our analysis. Let \(C^{2}(\mathbb {R}^{n})\) be the vector space of real-valued twice-continuously differentiable functions. Let ∇ be the gradient operator and ∇2 be the Hessian operator. Let ∥⋅∥2 be the Euclidean norm in \(\mathbb {R}^{n}\). Let μ be the Lebesgue measure in \(\mathbb {R}^n\).
Molecular cloning and functional characterization of the canine parathyroid hormone/parathyroid hormone related peptide receptor (PTH1).

Parathyroid hormone (PTH) is a major mediator of calcium and phosphate metabolism through its interactions with receptors in kidney and bone. PTH binds with high affinity to PTH1 and PTH2, members of the superfamily of G protein-coupled receptors. In order to clone the canine PTH1 receptor, a canine kidney cDNA library was screened using the human PTH1 receptor cDNA and two clones were further characterized. The longest clone was 2177 bp and contained a single open reading frame of 1785 bp, potentially encoding a protein of 595 amino acids with a predicted molecular weight of 66.4 kD. This open reading frame exhibits >91% identity to the human PTH1 receptor cDNA and >95% identity when the putative canine and human protein sequences are compared. Competition binding following transfection of the canine PTH1 receptor into CHO cells demonstrated specific displacement of 125I-human PTH 1-34 by canine PTH 1-34, human PTH 1-34, and canine/human parathyroid hormone related peptide (PTHrP) 1-34. Treatment of canine PTH1 receptor transfected cells, but not mock transfected cells, with these ligands also resulted in increased levels of intracellular cAMP. In contrast, the non-related aldosterone secretion inhibiting factor 1-35 neither bound nor activated the canine PTH1 receptor. Northern blot analysis revealed high levels of PTH1 receptor mRNA in the kidney, with much lower, but detectable, levels in aorta, heart, lung, prostate, testis, and skeletal muscle. Together, these data indicate that we have cloned the canine PTH1 receptor and that it is very similar, both in sequence and in functional characteristics, to the other known PTH1 receptors.
Nitric oxide diffusion through cystic fibrosis-relevant media and lung tissue

A simplified diffusion cell methodology was employed to measure the diffusion coefficient of nitric oxide (NO) through phosphate buffered saline (PBS) and artificial sputum medium (ASM)—an in vitro analog for airway mucus. Diffusion through the proteinaceous ASM yielded a significantly lower diffusion coefficient compared to PBS, which is attributed to both the physical obstruction by the mucin mesh and reactive nature of NO radicals towards the biological compounds in ASM. To further confirm that ASM was restricting NO from diffusing freely, a macromolecular propylamine-modified cyclodextrin donor (CD-PA) was employed to release the NO more slowly. The NO diffusion characteristics in ASM via the NO donor were also slower relative to PBS. As NO is likely to interact with lung cells after passing through the mucus barrier, the diffusion of both NO and the CD-PA macromolecular NO donor through differentiated lung tissue was investigated with and without an ASM layer. Comparison of NO diffusion through the three diffusion barriers indicated that the lung tissue significantly impeded NO penetration over the course of the experiment compared to PBS and ASM. In fact, the diffusion of CD-PA through the lung tissue was hindered until after the release of its NO payload, potentially due to the increased net charge of the NO donor structure. Of importance, the viability of the tissue was not influenced by the NO-releasing CD-PA at bactericidal concentrations.
Clinical characteristics of uveal melanoma in patients with germline BAP1 mutations

RESULTS Of 507 blood samples analyzed, 25 patients (4.9%) exhibited 18 BAP1 polymorphisms, of which 9 were novel. Computational analyses predicted that 8 BAP1 mutations in 8 patients (1.6%) were likely to result in damaged BAP1 protein. Five of these 8 mutations were novel. These 8 patients were compared with 482 patients in whom no BAP1 polymorphisms were identified. In univariate analyses, patients with germline BAP1 mutations exhibited larger tumor diameters (mean, 15.9 vs 12.3 mm; P = .004) and higher rates of ciliary body involvement (75.0% vs 21.6%, P = .002) andmetastases (71.4% vs 18.0%, P = .003) compared with control subjects. Patients with germline BAP1mutations exhibited increased frequency of family history of cancer (100% vs 65.9%, P = .06), particularly cutaneous melanoma (62.5% vs 9.9%, P < .001) and ocular melanoma (25.0% vs 1.9%, P = .01). No differences were identified in age at diagnosis, sex, history of other malignant neoplasm, presenting visual acuity, distance of the tumor from the optic nerve or fovea, iris involvement, extrascleral extension, or tumor pigmentation. Germline BAP1 mutations increased risk of metastasis independent of ciliary body involvement (P = .02). Germline BAP1mutation approached significance as an independent risk factor for metastasis (P = .09).
Recyclable Palladium-Loaded Hyperbranched Polytriazoles as Efficient Polymer Catalysts for Heck Reaction

Two polytriazole-based hyperbranched polymers (HBPs) with different molecular weights were prepared by chain-growth Cu-catalyzed azide–alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) polymerization of an AB2 monomer....
Dataset of quantitative structured office measurements of movements in the extremities

Abstract A low-cost quantitative structured office measurement of movements in the extremities of people with Parkinson's disease [1,2] was performed on people with Parkinson's disease, multiple system atrophy, and age-matched healthy volunteers. Participants underwent twelve videotaped procedures rated by a trained examiner while connected to four accelerometers [1,2] generating a trace of the three location dimensions expressed as spreadsheets [3,4]. The signals of the five repetitive motion items [1,2] underwent processing to fast Fourier [5] and continuous wavelet transforms [6]. The dataset [7] includes the coding form with scores of the live ratings [1,2], the raw files [3], the converted spreadsheets [4], and the fast Fourier [5] and continuous wavelet transforms [6]. All files are unfiltered. The data also provide findings suitable to compare and contrast with data obtained by investigators applying the same procedure to other populations. Since this is an inexpensive procedure to quantitatively measure motions in Parkinson's disease and other movement disorders, this will be a valuable resource to colleagues, particularly in underdeveloped regions with limited budgets. The dataset will serve as a template for other investigations to develop novel techniques to facilitate the diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of Parkinson's disease, other movement disorders, and other nervous and mental conditions. The procedure will provide the basis to obtain objective quantitative measurements of participants in clinical trials of new agents.
Distributed Phase Oscillatory Excitation Efficiently Produces Attractors Using Spike Timing Dependent Plasticity

The brain is thought to represent information in the form of activity in distributed groups of neurons known as attractors, but it is not clear how attractors are formed or used in processing. We show here that in a randomly connected network of simulated spiking neurons, periodic stimulation of neurons with distributed phase offsets, along with standard spike timing dependent plasticity (STDP), efficiently creates distributed attractors. These attractors may have a consistent ordered firing pattern, or become disordered, depending on the conditions. We also show that when two such attractors are stimulated in sequence, the same STDP mechanism can create a directed association between them, forming the basis of an associative network. We find that for an STDP time constant of 20ms, the dependence of the efficiency of attractor creation on the driving frequency has a broad peak centered around 8Hz. Upon restimulation, the attractors self-oscillate, but with an oscillation frequency that is higher than the driving frequency, ranging from 10-100Hz.
Scaling Existing Lock-based Applications with Lock Elision: Lock elision enables existing lock-based programs to achieve the performance benefits of nonblocking synchronization and fine-grain locking with minor software engineering effort.

Multithreaded applications take advantage of increasing core counts to achieve high performance. Such programs, however, typically require programmers to reason about data shared among multiple threads. Programmers use synchronization mechanisms such as mutual-exclusion locks to ensure correct updates to shared data in the presence of accesses from multiple threads. Unfortunately, these mechanisms serialize thread accesses to the data and limit scalability.
The Use of a Harmless Invisible Ink to Send Secret Messages on Nitrocellulose Membranes and as a Substitute for the Harmful Radioactive Ink Used as a Marker in ECL Membrane Assays

The use of invisible ink and the art of writing secret messages have been part of man’s fantasy for a long time and have proven useful in clandestine and high-sensitivity areas. Security inks having invisible materials provide important non-photocopiable-printed images that can be read only under special environments. An ink preparation based on silicon(IV) 2,3-naphthalocyanine bis(trihexylsilyloxide) as colorant, invisible to the naked eye, but infrared readable has been described previously. Biometric DNA ink has also been developed for security authentication. In a lighter vein, many budding scientists and others have often experimented with writing secret messages on paper, either for purposes of fun or actually sending secret messages to friends. Such a method involved lemon juice, milk, or other solutions that could be used with a dip pen, brush, or a fountain pen to write invisible messages on a blank white paper. Words turn up like magic as the paper is exposed to heat in one form or the other. This chapter attempts a slightly humorous proposition by showing that invisible messages can be written on nitrocellulose membranes (but not on polyvinylidene difluoride membranes) using an appropriately diluted horseradish peroxidase/alkaline phosphatase anti-IgG conjugate (rabbit, mouse, or human anti-IgG). Any message can be written on the membrane, preferably with a fountain pen, and the membrane is allowed to dry. One can unravel the messages magically using detection systems commonly used in western blotting – namely, detection with enhanced chemiluminescence plus or nitro blue tetrazolium/5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl phosphate. Besides, one could use this method to mark nitrocellulose membranes for orientation purposes using ECL detection system and thus eliminate the use of pens containing the harmful radioactive ink.
Overcoming obstacles to undergraduate research at a small institution

How can small colleges/universities have undergraduate students conduct "graduate"like research when many of the departments are already stretch to the limits? This paper addresses the problems associated with small departments and student research, a way to enhance the research experience at a small college/university, a students experience with undergraduate research and finally lessons learned while doing undergraduate research.
Film adhesion in triple junction a-Si solar cells on polyimide substrates

A major issue encountered during fabrication of triple junction a-Si solar cells on polyimide substrates is the adhesion of the solar cell thin films to the substrates. Here, we present our study of film adhesion in amorphous silicon solar cells made on different polyimide substrates (Kapton VN, Upilex-S and Gouldflex), and the effect of tie coats on film adhesion.
Computing for the masses: extending the computer science curriculum with information technology literacy

Enrollments in computer science programs continue to drop as demand for workers skilled in computing increases. Information technology scholars face the ironic challenge of attracting more students into computing disciplines in the age of ubiquitous computing. This paper chronicles a decision by a department of computer science and information systems to offer an information technology literacy course as a service to its institution. Educational and curricular justifications for the course progressed in parallel with recognition of the course's strategic value to the department in the face of sharp declines in the number of students majoring in CS or IS. Following our approach, other departments in the computing disciplines can ride the coming wave of information technology literacy in higher education.
Biofilm monitoring: a perfect solution in search of a problem

The main problem with monitoring biofilms is data interpretation. Biofilm heterogeneity causes monitored parameters to vary from location to location in the same biofilm, and it is difficult to assess to what extent these variations are caused by biofilm heterogeneity and to what extent they reflect other properties of the biofilm. We have used the concept of discretized biofilms, which is an integrated system of biofilm monitoring and data interpretation, to assess the effect of biofilm heterogeneity on biofilm activity. Using this approach we have estimated that a heterogeneous biofilm can be ten times more active, in terms of glucose consumption rate, than a homogeneous biofilm of the same thickness but with uniformly distributed density.
Identification and Control of Bilinear Systems

The research presented in this paper combines the problem of identifiction and control of nonlinear processes. This is done by approximating the process with a bilinear model and designing model-based control structures (Reference System Controllers) based on the bilinear approximation. The identification of the bilinear model and the construction of the controller are described below. An example of the identification and control of an exothermic CSTR is also presented.
Wrestling With Our Inner Angels: Faith, Mental Illness, and the Journey to Wholeness, by Nancy Kehoe

In 1981, when Dr. Nancy Kehoe was asked to consult to a psychiatric day treatment program, it was unheard of to speak about religious beliefs in psychotherapy. Freud's dismissal of religion had pro...
Improving distribution network PV hosting capacity via smart inverter reactive power support

Many utilities today have a large number of interconnection requests for new PV installations on their distribution networks. Interconnections should be approved in a timely manner but without compromising network reliability. It is thus important to know a network's PV hosting capacity, which defines the upper bound of PV sizes that pose no risk to the network. This paper investigates how implementing reactive power control on the PV inverter impacts the PV hosting capacity of a distribution network. A local Volt-Var droop control is used and simulations are performed in OpenDSS and Matlab. Multiple feeders are tested and it is found that the control greatly improves the overall hosting capacity of the feeder as well as the locational hosting capacity of most voltage constrained buses.
THE MARCH 1962 STORM ON THE ATLANTIC COAST OF THE UNITED STATES

As far back as 1635, records show that the East Coast of the United States has repeatedly suffered from severe storm damage (McAleer , 1962). Most of these storms appear to have been of the hurricane type. Such storms generally form in the Atlantic to the east of the Bahama Islands and move eastward and then turn northward to sweep along the Atlantic Coast line (Fig. 1). Along the southern part of the Atlantic Coast the hurricanes move relatively slowly; damage results principally from flooding caused by direct wind action. North of Cape Hatteras the hurricanes move more rapidly (speeds of 40 to 50 miles per hour) and damage is largely due to sudden flooding from a rapidly moving storm surge (Simpson, 1962). The combination of storm surge, wind-driven water, and storm waves inundating large areas along the coast has on numerous occasions caused great damage and loss of life. The great Atlantic Coast storm of March 1962, however, differed in character from the usual hurricane. It proved to be the most disastrous winter coastal storm on record, causing damage from southern New England to Florida. This storm, of relatively large diameter and having gale force winds, remained nearly stationary off the Coast for almost 36 hours . The size and location of the storm, as further discussed below, was such that persistent strong northeasterly winds blowing over a relatively long fetch raised the spring tides (maximum range) to near-record levels. The tidal flooding which attended this storm was in many ways more disastrous than that which accompanies hurricanes (Cooperman and Rosendal, 1962). The storm surge in tropical cyclones generally recedes rapidly after one or two high tides, but the surge accompanying this storm occurred in many locations on four and five successive high tides .' The great destruction was caused by high waves and breakers superimposed on these high tides.
RFID positioning robot: An indoor navigation system

This paper describes a system to improve indoor navigation through use of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology. The terminal unit is an embedded system equipped with an RFID reader for localization, a mobile robot for navigation, and a combination of ultrasonic and IR sensors for obstacle detection and avoidance during navigation. To increase accuracy of an indoor guidance system, a triangulation method is proposed to accurately detect the location. While the proposed method can be verified by many methods, the accuracy is demonstrated through use of a mobile robot. It navigates to a designated location through continuously monitoring all RFID tags in the vicinity, localizing itself, and calculating the path to the destination.
Effects of gonadal steroids during pubertal development on androgen and estrogen receptor-α immunoreactivity in the hypothalamus and amygdala

Perinatal development is often viewed as the major window of time for organization of steroid-sensitive neural circuits by steroid hormones. Behavioral and neuroendocrine responses to steroids are dramatically different before and after puberty, suggesting that puberty is another window of time during which gonadal steroids affect neural development. In the present study, we investigated whether the presence of gonadal hormones during pubertal development affects the number of androgen receptor and estrogen receptor alpha-immunoreactive (AR-ir and ER alpha-ir, respectively) cells in limbic regions. Male Syrian hamsters were castrated either before or after pubertal development, and 4 weeks later they received a single injection of testosterone or oil vehicle 4 h prior to tissue collection. Immunocytochemistry for AR and ER alpha was performed on brain sections from testosterone-treated and oil-treated males, respectively. Adult males that had been castrated before puberty had a greater number of AR-ir cells in the medial preoptic nucleus than adult males that had been castrated after puberty. There were no significant differences in ER alpha-ir cell number in any of the brain regions examined. The demonstration that exposure to gonadal hormones during pubertal development is associated with reduced AR-ir in the medial preoptic nucleus indicates that puberty is a period of neural development during which hormones shape steroid-sensitive neural circuits.
The effect of specific anti-rat thymocyte serum on cell-mediated tumor immunity and other lymphocyte functions.

Abstract A burro anti-rat thymocyte serum (ATS) was rendered specific for thymus-derived lymphocytes (T cells) by repeated absorptions with Murphy-Sturm lymphoma cells. All of the cells in this lymphoma cell line were shown to have surface immunoglobulin and it was presumed to be bone marrow-derived. Treatment of lymphocytes with ATS eliminated stimulation by phytohemagglutinin and concanavalin A, but did not reduce the proportion of cells with surface immunoglobulin or complement receptor. ATS also did not decrease the number of antibody-producing spleen cells from rats immunized against sheep erythrocytes. The ATS was used to determine the nature of the effector cells in the cell-mediated cytotoxicity of immune W/Fu rat spleen cells against a syngeneic Gross virus-induced lymphoma. This cytotoxic response was consistently inhibited, indicating that T cells were needed for reactivity.
Federated login to TeraGrid

We present a new federated login capability for the TeraGrid, currently the world's largest and most comprehensive distributed cyberinfrastructure for open scientific research. Federated login enables TeraGrid users to authenticate using their home organization credentials for secure access to TeraGrid high performance computers, data resources, and high-end experimental facilities. Our novel system design links TeraGrid identities with campus identities and bridges from SAML to PKI credentials to meet the requirements of the TeraGrid environment.
Model-based path planning for laser cutting of curved trajectories

Abstract An analytical model of evaporative laser cutting over a curved beam trajectory is presented. A curved cutting path produces three main changes in the kerf profile compared with straight-line cutting: (1) an increase in the kerf width, (2) a shift of the kerf centerline position towards the center of rotation, and (3) asymmetry between the inner and outer kerf walls. Laser-cutting experiments were performed on polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA) workpieces with energy density ranging from 100 J/mm 2 to 500 J/mm 2 in order to validate the model. Good agreement was obtained between model estimates and experimental results at low energy densities, while model estimates underestimated kerf eccentricity and asymmetry as energy density approached 500 J/mm 2 . Curvature effects become dominant as the curvature ratio (ratio of radius of beam path curvature to beam radius) decreases below 50 for PMMA. This modeling approach can be used to plan dimensional accuracy, wall taper and material removal rate for laser processing in a number of applications, including laser blanking, sharp comer cutting, form cutting over a curved workpiece, and die board/pattern cutting.
Replication and narrowing of gene expression quantitative trait loci using inbred mice

Gene expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) mapping has become a powerful tool in systems biology. While many authors have made important discoveries using this approach, one persistent challenge in eQTL studies is the selection of loci and genes that should receive further biological investigation. In this study we compared eQTL generated from gene expression profiling in the livers of two panels of mouse strains: 41 BXD recombinant inbred and 36 Mouse Diversity Panel (MDP) strains. Cis-eQTL, loci in which the transcript and its maximum QTL are colocated, have been shown to be more reproducible than trans-eQTL, which are not colocated with the transcript. We observed that between 9.9 and 12.1% of cis-eQTL and between 2.0 and 12.6% of trans-eQTL replicated between the two panels depending on the degree of statistical stringency. Notably, a significant eQTL hotspot on distal chromosome 12 observed in the BXD panel was reproduced in the MDP. Furthermore, the shorter linkage disequilibrium in the MDP strains allowed us to considerably narrow the locus and limit the number of candidate genes to a cluster of Serpin genes, which code for extracellular proteases. We conclude that this strategy has some utility in increasing confidence and resolution in eQTL mapping studies; however, due to the high false-positive rate in the MDP, eQTL mapping in inbred strains is best carried out in combination with an eQTL linkage study.
Aquaporin-4-dependent edema clearance following status epilepticus

Summary We investigated the role of aquaporin-4 in the development of cerebral edema following kainic acid-induced status epilepticus (SE) using specific gravimetry and T2 MRI techniques at 6h, 1 day, 4 days and 7 days after SE. Our results indicate significantly greater tissue edema and T2 MRI changes in AQP4 −/− compared to AQP4 +/+ mice that peaks at about 1 day after SE (greater in hippocampus relative to cortex). These results have implications for the mechanisms of edema formation and clearance following intense seizure activity.
PHYSICAL DISTRIBUTION FROM A WAREHOUSE : VEHICLE COVERAGE AND INVENTORY LEVELS

Abstract This paper studies the costs involved in distributing items from a warehouse or depot to randomly scattered customers on a day-to-day basis. Two trade-offs are explored simultaneously. The first one arises because by accumulating large inventories at the depot it is possible to build more efficient distribution tours. This trade-off has already been explored for both distribution of goods (Burns et al ., 1983) and passengers (Daganzo et al ., 1977; Hendrickson, 1978). Another tradeoff, which involves the length of individual vehicle tours (Clarens and Hurdle, 1975), balances the inventory inside the vehicles against the transportation cost. Banks et al . (1982) have considered both of these tradeoffs simultaneously in the context of passenger transportation, but used a somewhat unrealistic model for vehicle routing. This paper is similar to the latter reference but uses a different routing strategy. It also illustrates how the nature of the objects carried (cheap goods, expensive goods, people, etc.) affects the optimal configuration of the distribution system and the overall distribution costs. Usually there is an optimum partitioning of the service area into districts and an optimum dispatching frequency in each district. The results can vary tremendously, depending on factors such as: the inventory carrying cost per item per unit time, the transportation costs, the demand per unit area and unit time, the average distance from the depot, the average vehicle speed and the time per stop. As an illustration of the ideas, a hypothetical limousine service from an airport is analyzed. The example is used to demonstrate how dramatically the optimal system configuration depends on the nature of the items carried.
Glomerulus-specific, long-latency activity in the olfactory bulb granule cell network

Reliable, stimulus-specific temporal patterns of action potentials have been proposed to encode information in many brain areas, perhaps most notably in the olfactory system. Analysis of such temporal coding has focused almost exclusively on excitatory neurons. Thus, the role of networks of inhibitory interneurons in establishing and maintaining this reliability is unclear. Here we use imaging of population activity in vitro to investigate the mechanisms of temporal pattern generation in mouse olfactory bulb inhibitory interneurons. We show that activity of these interneurons evolves slowly in time but that individual neurons fire at reliable times, with a timescale similar to the slow changes in the patterns of odor-evoked activity and to odor discrimination. Most strikingly, the latency of a single granule cell is highly reliable from trial to trial during repeated stimulation of the same glomerulus, whereas this same cell will have a markedly different latency when a different glomerulus is activated. These data suggest that the timing of granule cell-mediated inhibition in the olfactory bulb is tightly regulated by the source of input and that inhibition may contribute to the generation of reliable temporal patterns of mitral cell activity.
Liver lesions and oral contraceptive steroids

Two strains of mice, CF‐LP and Swiss‐Webster random‐bred, were evaluated for liver neoplasia after administration of oral contraceptive steroids. No increased incidence of hepatocellular tumors was found beyond the variation expected by chance. The overall tumor incidence in treated and untreated groups was identical. No significant increase in tumor size was observed in the treated animals. Liver weights progressively increased in several of the treated groups. In both treated and untreated animals hepatocellular neoplasia was usually accompanied by intracytoplasmic inclusions similar to those observed in human liver tumors. Vascular lesions were observed in some of the animals receiving large doses of contraceptive steroids. While these may be the result of local toxicity, their similarity to lesions observed in benign liver tumors warrants further investigation. No evidence was found to suggest that contraceptive steroids act as initiators of liver neoplasia.
Mexico’s experiments with bank privatization and liberalization, 1991–2003

During the 1990s Mexico conducted two experiments with its banking system. In the first experiment (1991–96) it privatized the banks. This experiment took place with weak institutions to enforce contract rights. It also took place without institutions that encourage prudent behavior by bankers. The result was reckless behavior by banks, and a collapse of the banking system. In the second experiment (1997–2003), Mexico reformed many of the institutions that promoted bank monitoring and it opened up the industry to foreign investment. It was less successful, however, in reforming the institutions that promote the enforcement of contract rights. The result was that bankers behaved prudently, but prudent behavior in the context of weak contract rights implies that banks are reluctant to extend credit to firms and households.
Distance adaptation depends upon plasticity in the oculomotor control system.

Maintaining binocular fixation on a target at 20 cm in the absence of secondary cues to distance produced changes in apparent distance and lateral phoria. Positive lenses of 0, .5, 2.0, 3.5, and 5.0 spherical diopters (SD) were used to manipulate the level of accommodative convergence in force during the period of maintained fixation. An inverse relationship was found between the stimulus to accommodation and the magnitude of the induced esophoria, the phoria being linearly related to an increase in apparent distance. The distance aftereffect obtained in the condition with the lowest net accommodative stimulus li.e., 0 D) equaled that typically produced by base-out prism adaptation with full secondary cues to distance available. In a second experiment, subjects walked through a well-lit hallway while viewing through a pair of 5h base-out prisms. It was shown that increasing the stimulus to accommodation by adding negative lenses of 0, 1.5, 3.5, and 5.5 SD reduced the adaptive change in apparent distance, as well as the change in phoria produced by the conventional base-out prism adaptation paradigm. It was concluded that a change in the resting tonus of the disparity vergence system underlies such adaptation, rather than recalibration of the oculomotor cues to distance. Monocular exposure data indicated that a small change in the tonus control for the accommodative system may be present as well.
Increased prevalence of interstitial cystitis in women with detrusor overactivity refractory to anticholinergic therapy

Abstract Objectives To estimate the prevalence of interstitial cystitis in women with detrusor overactivity refractory to anticholinergic medication using the potassium sensitivity test (PST). Methods Women with complaints of urinary frequency, urgency, and/or urge incontinence of 3 months’ duration or longer were referred to the urogynecology clinic. Between October 2003 and June 2004, 47 consecutive women were diagnosed with phasic, idiopathic detrusor overactivity after evaluation by history, physical examination, urinalysis, urine culture, urodynamic testing, and cystoscopy. Refractory detrusor overactivity was defined as a 50% or less improvement in urinary urgency, frequency, and/or urge incontinence episodes while taking anticholinergic medications. All women were offered the PST. Results All 47 women were included in the study; 18 (38.3%) had only detrusor overactivity incontinence and 29 (61.7%) also had concomitant urodynamic stress incontinence. Additionally, 19 women (40.4%) had pelvic pain. Of the 47 women, 31 agreed to undergo the PST. Of the 31 women, 25 had positive and 6 had negative PST result. Of the 31 women, 25 did not respond to therapy with one or more anticholinergic medications, and 24 (96%) of these 25 had had a positive PST. The remaining 6 women responded to treatment with oxybutynin, and only 1 (16.7%) had had a positive PST (P = 0.0002). The odds ratio of a positive PST for women in whom anticholinergic therapy failed compared with women in whom it did not was 120.0 (95% confidence interval 6.4 to 2257.5; P = 0.0002). Conclusions These preliminary findings suggest that there is a high prevalence of interstitial cystitis in women with detrusor overactivity that does not respond to anticholinergic medication.
Within-host competition between barley yellow dwarf-PAV and -PAS

The PAV and PAS species of barley yellow dwarf virus (Luteoviridae) share hosts, vectors, and have sympatric distributions. To better understand how competition between species influences virus growth within the host, transmission rate between hosts, and ultimately virus population structure two experiments were conducted. The first experiment varied the order of PAV and PAS inoculation and the time interval between the first and second inoculation. Relative virus concentration was measured at 8, 20, 33, and 45 days after primary virus inoculation (dpi). Regardless of the order of inoculation or the length of time between inoculations, PAV dominated the virus population by 33 dpi (PAV concentration ranged from 55% to 89%). The second experiment measured the rate of vector transmission from single and multiple infections. From single infections, the transmission rate was 67% for PAV and 60% for PAS. PAV had significantly greater odds of transmission for all competition treatments-except if PAS was given a 15-day head start before inoculation with PAV. In the latter treatment, PAS was transmitted with a greater frequency than PAV, but the difference was not statistically significant. Our data show persistent co-infection between PAV and PAS, but PAV is more likely to be transmitted from mixed infections. Thus, within-host interactions between PAV and PAS create conditions that promote both the competitive exclusion of PAS, as well as co-existence between species and the maintenance of genetic diversity in the host community.
Nonlinear optical properties of collagen in solution

Hyper-Rayleigh scattering is used to measure the nonlinear optical properties of collagen in acetic acid solution. We find that the first hyperpolarizability unexpectedly drops with the increase of the concentration of collagen in solution. Circular dichroism absorption measurements indicate that the helical conformation remains stable, and the changes of nonlinear optical properties of collagen molecules are, most probably, due to the formation of some supramolecular structures of collagen in solution.
The Changing Fate of Pneumonia as a Public Health Concern in 20th-Century America and Beyond

For a brief period from the 1930s through the early 1940s, public health advocates made pneumonia a leading public health concern. Predicated on the need for antipneumococcal antiserum, but also incorporating physician reeducation, state “pneumonia control programs” were established nationwide.However, with the advent of penicillin and the sulfonamides, the pneumonia control programs soon collapsed. Pneumonia reverted to the domain of the private practitioner, which was devoid of state oversight. With the emergence of pneumococcal antibiotic resistance in the 1990s, the possibility again arose that pneumonia could become a public health concern, given the nationwide need to curb unnecessary antibiotic usage and to encourage vaccination. An understanding of the history of pneumonia’s changing status could shed light on current attempts to reformulate the disease and elucidate the contested domains of private practice and public health.