cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Effects of Integrating Service Learning into Computer Science: An Inter-Institutional Longitudinal Study.

This study is a follow-up to one published in computer science education in 2010 that reported preliminary results showing a positive impact of service learning on student attitudes associated with success and retention in computer science. That paper described how service learning was incorporated into a computer science course in the context of the Students & Technology in Academia, Research, and Service (STARS) Alliance, an NSF-supported broadening participation in computing initiative that aims to diversify the computer science pipeline through innovative pedagogy and inter-institutional partnerships. The current paper describes how the STARS Alliance has expanded to diverse institutions, all using service learning as a vehicle for broadening participation in computing and enhancing attitudes and behaviors associated with student success. Results supported the STARS model of service learning for enhancing computing efficacy and computing commitment and for providing diverse students with many personal...
Interferon-combination strategies for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C

Direct acting antiviral agents have revolutionized hepatitis C (HCV) therapy. Many agents that are either currently available or undergoing investigation offer higher rates of sustained virologic response, reduced toxicity and shorter duration of therapy when compared to traditional treatment consisting of pegylated interferon and ribavirin. Although interferon free therapy may be a preferred option, some patients may still require an interferon based regimen to ensure efficacy. In this review, we discuss therapeutic strategies which utilize various combinations of protease inhibitors, NS5A inhibitors, nucleotide polymerase inhibitors and non-nucleoside polymerase inhibitors along with pegylated interferon in the treatment of chronic HCV.
X-Ray Studies of Starving Mealworm Larvae

For many years the yellow mealworm has been a standard laboratory subject for entomological studies. The ease with which these insects can be reared has unquestionably been largely responsible for the many investigations in which they have been used. As a result of numerous researches, increased information regarding physiological processes has been acquired until the body of facts regarding mealworms has, in itself, become a factor in choosing the species for further work.
On the role of angiotensin in the cerebellum.

SummaryDeep cerebellar nuclei contain angiotensin-positive synapses and high affinity receptors for angiotensin have been found in the cerebellum. Four known central effects of angiotensin were examined after injection of the peptide into the region of the dentate-interpositus nuclei: blood pressure elevation, drinking behavior, vasopressin release and ACTH release. None of these effects could be demonstrated, although the dose of angiotensin was known to produce effects when injected at other sites. The results suggest that angiotensin actions in this cerebellar region may be distinct from its known cardiovascular and hydration effects.
Why Silver Nanoparticles Are Effective for Olefin/Paraffin Separations

The majority of nanocomposite olefin/paraffin separation membranes use silver nanoparticles or silver ions as the olefin binding agent. In this theoretical study, we characterize the olefin interaction with silver nanoparticles and show that silver is special in that it chemisorbs ethylene more weakly than other metals. Some variation with particle size is found; small 79 atom nanoparticles tend to bind ethylene more strongly than larger 140 atom particles, which in turn are well approximated by facets of bulk crystal surfaces. The effect of replacing cores of nanoparticles with different metals is demonstrated to selectively tune binding based on the relative d-band centers of the two metals. We identify silver-cored, gold-shelled nanoparticles as potentially more effective for olefin/paraffin separations. Random alloys of gold and silver were also considered. We find that 25%−75% Au−Ag random alloys are strong candidates for use in olefin/paraffin separation membranes due to the presence of reactive (11...
THE HOHOKAM “BALL COURT”: AN ALTERNATE VIEW OF ITS FUNCTION

A comparative study of Hohokam and Mesoamerican ball courts indicates a lack of shared fundamental features. It is suggested, therefore, that Hohokam courts may have served some other function. General similarities, including basic court orientations, with the Papago Vikita dance court assemblages at Santa Rosa and Quitovaca may reflect a similar use of Hohokam courts in prehistoric times.
Prions, prion-like prionoids, and neurodegenerative disordersVacancy

Prion diseases or transmissible spongiform encephalopathies are fatal neurodegenerative diseases characterized by the aggregation and deposition of the misfolded prion protein in the brain. α-synuclein (α-syn)-associated multiple system atrophy has been recently shown to be caused by a bona fide α-syn prion strain. Several other misfolded native proteins such as β-amyloid, tau and TDP-43 share some aspects of prions although none of them is shown to be transmissible in nature or in experimental animals. However, these prion-like "prionoids" are causal to a variety of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The remarkable recent discovery of at least two new α-syn prion strains and their transmissibility in transgenic mice and in vitro cell models raises a distinct question as to whether some specific strain of other prionoids could have the capability of disease transmission in a manner similar to prions. In this overview, we briefly describe human and other mammalian prion diseases and comment on certain similarities between prion and prionoid and the possibility of prion-like transmissibility of some prionoid strains.
Therapeutic Importance of Curcumin in Neurological Disorders Other Than Alzheimer Disease

Curcumin mediates its neuroprotective effects not only in neurotraumatic disorders (stroke, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, and epilepsy), but also in Parkinson disease, Huntington disease, and prion diseases. In addition, curcumin also promote its beneficial effects in neuropsychological disorders (depression, biopolar disorders, and tardive dyskinesia). The mechanism associated with neuroprotective action of curcumin is not fully understood. However, it is becoming increasingly evident that anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of curcumin may be responsible for neuroprotective effects. At the molecular level, neuroprotective effects of curcumin are accompanied by downregulating activities of phospholipases, lipooxygenase, cyclooxygenase-2, which lead to low levels of leukotrienes, thromboxanes, prostaglandins. In addition, curcumin also inhibits the expression of TNF-α, IL-12, MCP-1, and interferon-inducible protein. In addition, curcumin also modulates various neurotransmitter levels in the brain.
Nonmechanistic Phenomenological Treatment of Glazings and Reflectors

Publisher Summary This chapter illustrates how a phenomenological approach can be accurately used to interpret the results from a number of highly accelerated exposure tests of organic materials. Two approaches are commonly used to derive correlations between in-service and accelerated exposure test results. When detailed degradation mechanisms are well understood, a deterministic formalism can be applied in which a precise damage function model is utilized. If failure mechanisms are not known or if multiple mechanisms interact in a complicated manner making it difficult and tedious to treat them explicitly, a probabilistic procedure can be used. Observed failures are fit to appropriate life distributions to obtain expressions for related failure rates. A third approach uses a phenomenological methodology. This procedure is similar to the deterministic approach in which damage functions are hypothesized, except that they are based on macroscopic observations and effects, rather than on microscopic mechanisms. In this chapter, the phenomenological approach is used to describe the results accurately from a number of highly accelerated exposure tests of organic materials. The ensuing damage function models are then used to predict behavior during in-service use. Excellent agreement is demonstrated between these predictions and the actual measured data, thereby validating the phenomenological approach and providing a very useful way to estimate service life of organic-based materials.
Human genomics: A deep dive into genetic variation

The exome is the portion of the genome that encodes proteins. Aggregation of 60,706 human exome sequences from 14 studies provides in-depth insight into genetic variation in humans. See Article p.285 As part of the Exome Aggregation Consortium (ExAC) project, Daniel MacArthur and colleagues report on the generation and analysis of high-quality exome sequencing data from 60,706 individuals of diverse ancestry. This provides the most comprehensive catalogue of human protein-coding genetic variation to date, yielding unprecedented resolution for the analysis of very rare variants across multiple human populations. The catalogue is freely accessible and provides a critical reference panel for the clinical interpretation of genetic variants and the discovery of disease-related genes.
Measuring Trend Inflation and Inflation Persistence for India

In this study we propose a new measure of trend inflation for India. Using monthly data for CPI-IW inflation, we use a multivariate unobserved component model that incorporates information from food and energy prices and provides an estimated trend inflation that we argue is a more reasonable measure of long-run inflation expectations in India. We first show that our measure of trend inflation is superior to other commonly used alternatives in terms of forecasting inflation at longer forecasting horizons. We then highlight the limitations of the RBI’s survey-based expected inflation measure in capturing long-run inflation dynamics. Finally, we provide an estimate of inflation persistence, by estimating a time-varying model of inflation gap defined as the difference between CPI-IW inflation in India and our estimated trend inflation. We find that inflation persistence in India has varied significantly over time, with lower persistence during the Global financial crisis of 2008 followed by an increase in persistence since 2010.
Functional regulation of ribonucleotide reductase subunits is dependent on phosphatidylinositol kinase-related kinases in response to UV irradiation

822 Ribonucleotide reductase is responsible for the de novo conversion of ribonucleotide diphosphates to deoxyribonucleotide diphosphates, which is essential for DNA synthesis and repair. In mammalian cells, several studies revealed that the small subunit RRM2 is an S-phase-dependent protein that dominantly contributes to RR activity in DNA replication. The small subunit p53R2 has been reported to be involved in a p53-dependent cell cycle checkpoint for DNA damage. The repair of double-stranded DNA damage is governed mainly through three members of the phosphatidylinositol kinase-related kinases (PIKK) family: ATM, ATR, and DNA-PKcs. To clarify the correlation between PIKK family members and RR subunits, the clones of AT/pEB7 (ATM-), YZ5 (ATM+), M059J (DNA-PKCs-deficient), M059K (DNA-PK+), U20S.GK41 (ATR-kd inducible), and U20S.GW33 (ATR-wt inducible) were employed to investigate the translocation and expression of RR subunits in response to UV irradiation. Confocal results indicated that RR subunits are cytoplasmic-dominant proteins in normal growth cells. Under UV irradiation, nuclear localization of p53R2 and RRM2 could be seen in MO59K (DNA-PKcs+) and YZ5 (ATM+) cells, rather than MO59J (DNA-PKcs-) and pEB7 (ATM-) cells. In order to assure that the different signaling and translocation of p53R2 are related to protein modification and transactivation, the Western blot procedure was employed to examine ATM/DNA-PKcs wt/deficiency clones. In the Western blot, p53R2, from nuclear extraction, was observed as two bands. The phosphorylated p53R2, shown as the upper band, could be co-immunoprecipitated by antibody against hRRM1. Under UV irradiation, the p53R2 and RRM2 proteins decreased in MO59J (DNA-PKcs-), MO59K (DNA-PKcs+) and pEB7 (ATM-) cells, but increased in YZ5 (ATM+) cells. In addition, an increase of the upper band in YZ5 (ATM+) cells could be seen clearly. Our findings indicate that RR small subunits9 modification, shuttling and expression is PIKK dependent. This PIKK dependent RR regulation could be crucial for cell cycle arrest in response to UV irradiation. ( This is supported by NCI RO1 CA72767)
Conversational Agents, Synthetic

Embodied conversational agents are cartoon-like virtual humans projected on a screen that have the ability to speak, gesture, make head movements, and use facial expression to communicate. They can serve as interfaces to allow humans to communicate with computers in a natural way. They also serve as tools to allow researchers to study human communication by synthesizing human language use in a computer simulation.
Gratitude, insecure attachment, and positive outcomes among 12-step recovery program participants*

AbstractPeople in 12-step addiction recovery programs who have difficulty with social relationships and intimacy may be less likely to flourish given the highly social nature of 12-step programs. Gratitude is widely known among 12-step program members as a tool that facilitates well-being; in the field of positive psychology, gratitude is known for its prosocial qualities, including the development and maintenance of social relationships. However, there has been little research on gratitude in recovery, and no research that looks at people’s characteristic approach to closeness and intimacy (i.e. attachment style) and gratitude in recovery. In a sample of 184 members of 12-step addiction recovery programs (Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous) we examined whether people who were more grateful reported higher positive indicators of recovery (i.e. 12-step program practices, AA promises), and better general life outcomes (i.e. more post-traumatic growth and social support; less stress and health symp...
Experience report: peer instruction in Java programming course in a small department

Peer instruction (PI), a well-documented method, has been shown to improve learning outcomes by promoting deeper understanding and greater retention of material. This paper reports on the process and results of adopting PI in a Java programming course in a small classroom setting with restricted resources. Readings and quizzes served as a first exposure where students learned the basic material. Class meetings were organized around mini-lectures, clicker questions using flash cards, and coding practice. Student survey data on the delivery and effectiveness of the adoption is presented and discussed.
Patterns for How Users Overcome Obstacles in Voice User Interfaces

Voice User Interfaces (VUIs) are growing in popularity. However, even the most current VUIs regularly cause frustration for their users. Very few studies exist on what people do to overcome VUI problems they encounter, or how VUIs can be designed to aid people when these problems occur. In this paper, we analyze empirical data on how users (n=12) interact with our VUI calendar system, DiscoverCal, over three sessions. In particular, we identify the main obstacle categories and types of tactics our participants employ to overcome them. We analyzed the patterns of how different tactics are used in each obstacle category. We found that while NLP Error obstacles occurred the most, other obstacles are more likely to frustrate or confuse the user. We also found patterns that suggest participants were more likely to employ a "guessing" approach rather than rely on visual aids or knowledge recall.
Elemental Release Patterns of Low-level Pb-Zn Dolomitic Tailings in Missouri

Lead and zinc tailings are common in the Ozark region of Missouri and constitute an environmental hazard, particularly to soil and water resources. This study investigated the elemental release pat...
Odyssey of the Mind: Using a Creative Problem-Solving Competition to Promote Career Readiness in Elementary School

The career landscape has changed dramatically over the past two decades with the adoption of technology and an increasingly global and virtual workforce. As a result, schools and academic instituti...
Probing Mechanical Properties of Brain in a Tuberous Sclerosis Model of Autism

Causes of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are understood poorly, making diagnosis and treatment challenging. While many studies have investigated the biochemical and genetic aspects of ASD, whether and how mechanical characteristics of the autistic brain can modulate neuronal connectivity and cognition in ASD are unknown. Previously, it has been shown that ASD brains are characterized by abnormal white matter and disorganized neuronal connectivity; we hypothesized that these significant cellular-level structural changes may translate to changes in the mechanical properties of the autistic brain or regions therein. Here, we focused on tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), a genetic disorder with a high penetrance of ASD. We investigated mechanical differences between murine brains obtained from control and TSC cohorts at various deformation length- and time-scales. At the microscale, we conducted creep-compliance and stress relaxation experiments using atomic force microscope-enabled indentation. At the mesoscale, we conducted impact indentation using a pendulum-based instrumented indenter to extract mechanical energy dissipation metrics. At the macroscale, we used oscillatory shear rheology to quantify the frequency-dependent shear moduli. Despite significant changes in the cellular organization of TSC brain tissue, we found no corresponding changes in the quantified mechanical properties at every length- and time-scale explored. This investigation of the mechanical characteristics of the brain has broadened our understanding of causes and markers of TSC/ASD, while raising questions about whether any mechanical differences can be detected in other animal models of ASD or other disease models that also feature abnormal brain structure.
Financial strain mediates the relationship betweensocioeconomic status and smoking

INTRODUCTION Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death accounting for about 0.48 million deaths in the US every year. Across the socioeconomic status (SES) gradient smoking prevalence differs greatly, with those of lower SES smoking at much higher rates than those of higher SES. Previous studies have shown relationships between socioeconomic status, financial strain, and smoking. However, little research has explored the possibility that financial strain might mediate the relationship between socioeconomic status and smoking. Thus, the goal of the current study was to determine whether financial strain was a mediating factor in the relationship between socioeconomic status and smoking. METHODS Participants (N=238) were primarily female (67.6%) and African-American adults (51.7%) from the Dallas metropolitan area. The majority of the sample reported that they did not currently smoke (n=164). Participants who reported currently smoking at baseline (n=74) smoked an average of 9.96 (SD=10.79) cigarettes per day. RESULTS Analyses revealed that financial strain partially mediates the relationship between socioeconomic status and smoking status. Additionally, financial strain was found to significantly partially mediate the relationship between socioeconomic status and cigarettes smoked prospectively over the next 7 days. CONCLUSIONS Overall, findings suggest that greater financial strain may be one factor that links SES with current smoking and smoking level among those who smoke.
Notice and Takedown: Online Service Provider and Rightsholder Accounts of Everyday Practice

Section 512 of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act established both "safe harbors" from liability for online service providers and the well-known "notice and takedown" process for removing online infringements of copyrighted material. In the ensuing two decades, the notice and takedown process has become a primary tool for raising and resolving copyright disputes in the United States. But despite its influence, there is little empirical research describing § 512's operation or its effectiveness. This article digests findings from a qualitative study, reported fully in the three-study report, Notice and Takedown in Everyday Practice (available at https://ssrn.com/abstract=2755628) and peer-reviewed here, that helps fill this gap. Through detailed surveys and interviews with nearly three dozen respondents, we provide the first detailed account of how § 512 is implemented and experienced by online service providers and large rightsholders. All respondents agreed that the § 512 safe harbors and the ability to take down infringing material remain fundamental. But the online copyright enforcement ecosystem is also highly diverse, and all participants face challenges. The findings suggest that the notice and takedown system is important, under strain, and that there is no "one size fits all" approach to improving it. Based on the findings, we suggest a variety of best practices and limited legal reforms.
Irreducibility of induced supermodules for general linear supergroups

Abstract In this note we determine when an induced supermodule H G 0 ( λ ) , corresponding to a dominant integral highest weight λ of the general linear supergroup G = G L ( m | n ) , is irreducible. Using the contravariant duality given by the supertrace we obtain a characterization of irreducibility of Weyl supermodules V ( λ ) . This extends the result of Kac ( [12] , [13] ) who proved that, for ground fields of characteristic zero, V ( λ ) is irreducible if and only if λ is typical.
Short Sleep, Insomnia, and Cardiovascular Disease.

This review summarizes key findings linking insomnia, short sleep duration, and cardiovascular health. Early studies demonstrated associations between insomnia with short sleep and cardiovascular disease, and recent studies have incorporated objective data to assess sleep and identify comorbid sleep disorders (e.g., sleep apnea). Use of objective metrics has facilitated understanding of the impacts of insufficient sleep on autonomic dysregulation, metabolic syndrome, coronary artery disease, and overall cardiovascular mortality. Emerging research suggests that treatment of insomnia (CBT-I) may be beneficial in terms of reducing cardiovascular disease risk. From short-term effects on the autonomic nervous system to lasting effects on metabolic syndrome and coronary artery disease, there is growing evidence to support a physiologic pathway by which insomnia with short sleep contributes to cardiovascular disease. More research is needed to understand the effect of insomnia treatment on cardiovascular risk.
Resistance through secrecy and integration: Pueblo Indians, Catholicism, and the subversion of colonial authority

While the most well know example of indigenous resistance to colonialism in North America is the Pueblo Revolt of 1680, this overt form of resistance is one event in a longer history of Pueblo peop...
Effects of Amorphous Silicon Thickness Variation on Infrared-Tuned Silicon Heterojunction Bottom Cells

Silicon-based tandem cells are promising to surpass the 29.4% efficiency limit of single-junction silicon solar cells. Silicon heterojunction (SHJ) solar cells are an excellent choice for the bottom cell in tandems because of their record-high open-circuit voltage and excellent spectral efficiency at near-infrared wavelengths. However, the hydrogenated amorphous silicon (aSi:H) properties of SHJ cells have not been optimized for tandem applications. In this work, we vary the front intrinsic and doped a-Si:H layer thicknesses in SHJ cells to study device performance under full-spectrum (300–1200 nm) and infrared-spectrum (700–1200 nm) illumination. We find that the design rules for the front a-Si:H layer stack are surprisingly similar in both cases, but the SHJ cell efficiency variance greatly decreases—by a factor of 3 to 4—when changing from full-spectrum to infrared-spectrum illumination. That is, cells with substantial a-Si:H thickness variation have narrow efficiency and current distributions when used as bottom cells, which is desirable for subsequent tandem solar module integration. From a manufacturing perspective, there is no need to make additional a-Si:H adjustments specifically for bottom cells, and much higher a-Si:H thickness non-uniformity can be tolerated, which may allow for cheaper deposition tools.
Achieving Morphological Control over Lamellar Manganese Metal‐Organic Framework through Modulated Bi‐Phase Growth

A modulated bi-phase synthesis towards large-scale manganese 1,4-benzenedicarboxylate (MnBDC) MOFs with a precise control over their morphology (bulk vs. layered) is presented. Metal precursors and organic ligands are separated to reduce the kinetic reaction rates for better control over the crystallization process. Based on scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and Raman spectroscopy studies, the continuous ligand supply along with the presence of pyridine capping agent are highly effective in promoting the layer-by-layer growth and achieving large crystal sizes. Once layered MnBDC is stabilized, topotactic intercalation chemistry was used to demonstrate the feasibility of bromine intercalation on these layered materials. Bromine intercalation is possible between the MOFs layers for the first time. Bromine intercalation causes colossal reduction in layered MnBDC band gap while it has no observable effect on bulk MOFs.
Salivary Bioscience and Pain

Salivary biomarkers and analytes represent an important advancement in the field of pain by suggesting the possibility of identifying an objective measurement of individual differences in the experience of acute and chronic pain. In adults and children, the most widely studied salivary pain biomarkers are salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) and cortisol. Existing data suggest that, whereas in the acute pain context there are elevations in the production of salivary biomarkers, in chronic pain there is often a blunting effect. These findings support the overlap between acute pain and stress responses, as well as a chronic stress model where the experience of persistent pain is associated with sustained changes in stress biomarkers. However, individual factors and mechanisms contributing to this relationship remain unclear. Additionally, more research is needed to determine the specific and interactive factors and effects of individual salivary measures.
Link analysis for a liquid lens beam steering system, the miniature optical steered antenna for intersatellite communication: MOSAIC

Laser communications can enable more efficient and higher bandwidth communications across longer distances than conventional radio frequency (RF) systems. However, beam divergence angles for laser systems are narrower than typical RF systems, and require precise pointing, acquisition, and tracking systems to establish and maintain the link. In addition, typical lasercom links are point-to-point, and not capable of multicast or broadcast. Conventional pointing and tracking (PAT) systems use mechanical gimbals or fast-steering mirrors. Mechanical gimbals may not meet the size, weight, and power (SWaP) constraints for small spacecraft, particularly for multiple concurrent spatially diverse beams. Fast-steering mirrors while compact and efficient have limited aperture size, and many would be needed to provide multiple links over a hemisphere. The Miniature Optical Steered Antenna for Intersatellite Communications (MOSAIC) aims to provide nonmechanical pointing and tracking using liquid lenses, allowing a wide field-of-view and support for multiple concurrent links. Initial work with commercially available liquid lenses showed that liquid lenses can be used in a space environment and assessed spatial coverage. In this work, we model a transmitter using three liquid lenses. One on-axis lens provides focusing capability. Two off-axis and perpendicular lenses provide beam steering, with a fisheye lens amplifying the effect. This provides near-hemispherical pointing up to 170 degrees. We investigate beam quality and divergence using a Zemax model and conduct a link analysis dependent on the beam steering angle and rotation angle. A 25 Mbps link with 200 mW transmit power at 1550 nm (optical C band) and 16-ary pulse position modulation (16-PPM) can be maintained up to 28 km separation with 3 dB margin for an Optotune EL-16-40-TC liquid lens. Losses are primarily due to the liquid lenses limiting aperture size to 16 mm. We also consider the impact of diffusers for increasing numerical aperture through a simple ray transfer analysis and experimental results.
Stochastic prognostics under multiple time-varying environmental factors

Abstract Prediction of the remaining useful life of in-field components, traditionally, relies on condition monitoring signals which are correlated with the physical degradation of the system. Many models assume that condition monitoring signals behave under similar environmental conditions (e.g. pressure, temperature, workload and relative humidity) or these conditions have no effect on degradation process. In this paper, we propose a Brownian motion process with a stress-dependent drift to model multiple time-varying environmental covariates. A semiparametric regression approach utilizing penalized splines is, further, proposed to model the environmental covariates-drift relationship. The unique feature of our approach is that it does not assume a functional form for the degradation process drift and models multiple environmental covariates’ effect on the degradation process. Moreover, the model is combined with in situ degradation measurements of the in-field unit and its environmental conditions to predict the unit’s remaining useful life through a Bayesian updating scheme. The performance of the proposed framework is investigated and benchmarked through analysis based on numerical studies and a case study using real-world data of frying oil degradation collected from connected fryers.
Outsourcing Secure MPC to Untrusted Cloud Environments with Correctness Verification

With the increasing interest in Secure Multi-Party Computation protocols (MPC), there have been several works such as the SPDZ1 protocol that tackled this problem under a malicious security with dishonest majority attack model. However, most of these MPC efforts assume that the nodes running the computations are also supplying the inputs, which is not a realistic assumption for many real-life applications. In this paper, we extend the SPDZ protocol to enable clients outsource data and computation to the clouds while ensuring the correctness of the results, in addition to integrity and confidentiality of the input and output. We guarantee that the computation among nodes is done correctly by verifying their output’s Message Authentication Codes (MACs) at the end. Specifically, we delegate this task to an honest server. Our approach strives to minimize the burden on clients while enabling cheating detection even when assuming a malicious attack model with dishonest majority.
Talkin' Bout Us: Researching Black Women Within Political Science

On various social media platforms, there is the plea to #followblackwomen. This plea is used to suggest that Black women’s voting and political behaviors can “save” American democracy and as such, others in society should follow the political behaviors of Black women. But how do we research and write about Black women’s political agency and behaviors? How are they subjects in political science research? In the National Political Science Review (Vol. 16; 2014), Drs. Nikol Alexander-Floyd and Julia Jordan-Zachery discussed how Black women are researched within the field of Political Science. In both analyses, there is a call to action for an expansion of how the subject of Black women is included in various topics within the field (i.e.- social policy, political figures, social advocacy, etc.). This panel is an extension of that call. The aim of this panel is to discuss the challenges and triumphs of past, present, and future research on Black women within the field of Political Science by asking, how do we research and write Black women into political science? Topics to be covered in this panel include: - Black women as political subjects and topics - Methodologies and approaches to study Black women - Theoretical Frameworks of Black Feminism and Womanism
Micro-Estimation of the Demand for Schooling: Evidence from Michigan and Massachusetts

Abstract Both micro and macro studies of the demand for local public schooling are quite common. Micro studies, which rely explicitly on the use of survey instruments, allow for more extensive data sets and more variables, but are subject to response biases. This paper uses data for the state of Massachusetts to replicate an earlier Michigan micro study of school spending. The authors find generally similar results in both states; in particular, they find an income elasticity of demand that is substantially less than one. They suggest that such a result is consistent with a more general model that includes an educational production function.
Astrophysical Implications of the Infrared Spectrum of Coronene at Elevated Temperatures

Coronene encapsulated in a KBr pellet has been heated over a range of temperatures up to 788 K and its mid—infrared absorption spectrum obtained at selected temperatures. Changes in the aborbance spectum at elevated temperatures include a 3—fold strengthening of coronene’s 3.29 µm band which assumes a profile very similar to the 3.29 µm UIR band. Coronene’s 8.8 µm feature which is also correlated with a UIR also shows substantial increases in intensity at elevated temperatures. The 10.5 µm feature of coronene which does not correlate with the UIR decreases sharply as the temperature is increased. These results as well as some possible implications are discussed.
Both farnesylpyrophosphate (FPP) and geranylgeranylpyrophosphate (GGPP) rescue prenylation in the presence of statins, but only GGPP rescues cell viability.

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 45, 2004 2025 HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, “statins”, are used to treat patients with hypercholesterolemia. Statins inhibit the production of mevalonate and other isoprenoid intermediates of the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway, such as farnesylpyrophosphate (FPP) and geranylgeranylpyrophosphate (GGPP)1. These intermediates provide precursors for the post-translational modification known as prenylation, in which lipid moieties such as FPP and GGPP are added to intracellular proteins. Statins induce apoptosis in several tumor cell lines but the cellular target of the statins responsible for this cytotoxicity is not known. Methods: Standard procedures were used to analyze apoptosis (Annexin V, Roche) and cell proliferation (G3580, Promega). Prenylation of cellular proteins was assayed using Ras as a surrogate marker and separation based on the differential solubility of the prenylated proteins in Triton X1142. Results: In order to further characterize the biochemical characteristics of the statin target, we determined the relationship between statin-induced-cytotoxicity and inhibition of prenylation. Statins inhibited prenylation of Ras in HL60, U937, and MEL cells at concentrations similar to those that inhibited cell viability. We found that both FPP and GGPP restored Ras prenylation in HL60 and U937 cells. GGPP rescued HL60 and U937 cells from statin-induced cytotoxicity, as reported previously in leukemic cells2. In contrast, neither FPP (20 μM) nor vehicle control (0.5 % DMSO) prevented statin-induced cytotoxicity. KG1 cells were relatively resistant to the effects of statins but at high concentrations (>50 μM), statins inhibited both cellular proliferation and prenylation in KG1 cells. In summary , our results show that, although both FPP and GGPP rescue Ras prenylation, only GGPP rescues cells from statin-induced cytotoxicity. Inhibition of prenylation and inhibition of statin-induced cytotoxicity occur at similar concentrations. These results suggest that AML cells are rescued via geranylgeranylation. The data further suggest that a geranylgeranylated protein that cannot be alternatively farnesylated may be the target of statins. This protein is probably not Ras because our data suggest that Ras can be prenylated by either FPP or GGPP. Further studies to identify the target of statins are underway. References: 1. Xia Z, et al. (2001) Blocking Protein Geranylgeranylation Is Essential For Lovastatin-Induced Apoptosis of Human Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cells. Leukemia , 9, 1398-1407. 2. Hancock JF. Prenylation and Palmitoylation Analysis. Methods in Enzymology 1995; 255: 237-245.
Aeroelastic actuation using elastic and induced strain anisotropy

The effects of elastic anisotropy, induced strain anisotropy, and geometric sweep on piezoelectric aeroelastic authority are studied via a hybrid Ritz-typical section. The governing parameters for piezoelectric actuation are determined: the piezoelectric authority parameter, the piezoelectric induced strain anisotropy, and the piezoelectric angle. Three distinct piezoelectric actuators are introduced: 1) an isotropic actuator, 2) a "bend" anisotropic actuator, and 3) a "twist" anisotropic actuator. Openand closed-loop analyses are conducted to compare the relative authority of the three piezoelectric actuators and a trailing-edge flap. A combination piezoelectric actuator is introduced that provides the best overall performance.
Structure-based functional motif identifies a potential disulfide oxidoreductase active site in the serine/threonine protein phosphatase-1 subfamily

In previous work, 3-dimensional descriptors of protein function ('fuzzy functional forms') were used to identify disulfide oxidoreductase active sites in high-resolution protein structures. During this analysis, a potential disulfide oxidoreductase active site in the serine/threonine protein phosphatase-1 (PP1) crystal structure was discovered. In PP1, the potential redox active site is located in close proximity to the phosphatase active site. This result is interesting in view of literature suggesting that serine/threonine phosphatases could be subject to redox control mechanisms within the cell; however, the actual source of this control is unknown. Additional analysis presented here shows that the putative oxidoreductase active site is highly conserved in the serine/threonine phosphatase-1 subfamily, but not in the serine/threonine phosphatase-2A or -2B subfamilies. These results demonstrate the significant advantages of using structure-based motifs for protein functional site identification. First, a putative disulfide oxidoreductase active site has been identified in serine-threonine phosphatases using a descriptor built from the glutaredoxin/thioredoxin family, proteins that have no apparent evolutionary relationship whatsoever to the PP1 proteins. Second, the proximity of the putative disulfide oxidoreductase active site to the phosphatase active site provides evidence toward a regulatory control mechanism. No sequence-based method could provide either piece of information.
Executive Perceptions of Superior and Subordinate Information Control: Practice versus Ethics

This study examines executive perceptions of business information control. Specifically, the study explores (a) whether executives perceive certain types of information control being practiced within their businesses; and, (b) whether the executives regard such practices as ethical. In essence, the study suggests that both superiors and subordinates selectively practice information control. Even more importantly, however, executives see such practices as ethically acceptable on the part of superiors but as ethically questionable on the part of subordinates. A closer look at the responding executives' profile characteristics – age, gender, education and salary – reveals the complexity of these perceptions. Most importantly, gender and age emerge as two prime factors influencing executive perceptions regarding both the practice and the ethics of information control. Suggestions for future research are included at the end of the article.
Electron and ion acceleration by strong electrostatic turbulence

It is noted that, for waves observed on auroral field lines, ion trapping may be important, affecting models of transverse ion acceleration. The strength of the electrostatic ion cyclotron turbulence observed in the auroral zone may be attributed to the large convective growth rate that is associated with this mode. These waves may be destabilized by the enhancement in the field-aligned current that results from the onset of a magnetospheric substorm. The rise in the field-aligned current is associated with the passage of shear mode Alfven waves between the magnetosphere and ionosphere. When these Alfven waves have a perpendicular wavelength comparable to the ion gyroradius, they carry a parallel electric field that can accelerate the plasma in the topside auroral ionosphere, destabilizing the electrostatic ion cyclotron mode.
Going Green: RNA and the Molecular Biology of Plants

Plants exhibit complex gene expression pathways and regulatory controls that are often similar to those observed in animals. Consequently, techniques that are commonly used to assay gene expression in animal cells may be used to assay the same in Plantae. The features of plant cells that distinguish them from animal cells are: the presence of a cell wall; the presence of a large fluid-filled vacuole; and the presence of chloroplasts. The increased awareness and interest in agricultural biotechnology and applications thereof have created a need for expedient isolation of high-quality RNA from vastly different plant tissues, such as leaf, root, bark, floral tissue, fruit, and cotyledon. The fibrous nature of plant tissue often requires far more aggressive measures to disrupt cells than are required for an equal starting mass of animal tissue. The important consideration for isolating plant RNA is the method for dismantling or breaking through the formidable cell wall; and these methods include pulverizing plant tissue that has been frozen in liquid nitrogen, the use of an electronic homogenizer or a Bead Beater, or a laboratory blender or similar apparatus. One of the primary complaints associated with RNA isolation from plant tissue is an unacceptably low yield, because of the plant cell wall; high concentrations of phenolics; and high concentrations of polysaccharides, waxes, and latex. The amount of RNA that is to be expected is highly dependent upon the plant species, the specific tissue, and the isolation procedure. The fact that plants are unable to move when local conditions become unfavorable makes RNA profiling of plant tissue particularly valuable, and much is to be gained by understanding the molecular biology of plants. Several contemporary lines of research include identifying the genes responsible for cold-hardiness, discerning plant molecular responses to the biotic (e.g., pathogen) and abiotic (e.g., drought) stress, and identifying genes that may lead to the cost-effective synthesis of biofuels, to name but a few examples. Plant RNA is remarkably stable when compared to the animal cell counterpart, meaning that there are often much greater opportunities for long-term storage and analysis.
The T Tauri stars

The T Tauri stars have always been somewhat mysterious, displaying a bewildering variety of spectral peculiarities and variability. They are relatively faint, yet demand the highest quality observations to help unravel their puzzles. In the last few years they have been studied with a new level of detail and in a developing context of star formation theory. This has begun to clarify the reasons behind their many interesting characteristics. A coherent picture is emerging, although many major problems are yet unsolved. I try to summarize the results of many new and old observations and. theoretical viewpoints into a current cohesive overview of this exciting area.
Transmission parameter selection in an adaptive packet-radio network

Packet-radio networks (PRNs) can experience variations in radio-channel quality due to nodal mobility, network congestion, and adversarial behavior. For this reason, PRNs must be designed with adaptivity in mind. A link-layer protocol termed the transmission parameter selection algorithm (TPSA)-that provides real-time, distributed control of radio transmission parameters including power level, data rate, and forward error correction (FEC) rate is discussed. TPSA design methodology is presented, including the implementation details of a specific TPSA designed with the single goal of maximizing throughput in a direct-sequence spread-spectrum network. The related topic of link quality assessment is discussed, with attention given to a technique which infers link quality from the presence or absence of acknowledgments. Finally, suggestions for TPSA interaction with routing algorithms are offered. >
Can immunological principles and cross-disciplinary science illuminate the path to vaccines for HIV and other global health challenges?

Vaccines are one of the most impactful and cost-effective public health measures of the twentieth century. However, there remain great unmet needs to develop vaccines for globally burdensome infectious diseases and to allow more timely responses to emerging infectious disease threats. Recent advances in the understanding of immunological principles operative not just in model systems but in humans in concert with the development and application of powerful new tools for profiling human immune responses, in our understanding of pathogen variation and evolution, and in the elucidation of the structural aspects of antibody–pathogen interactions, have illuminated pathways by which these unmet needs might be addressed. Using these advances as foundation, we herein present a conceptual framework by which the discovery, development and iterative improvement of effective vaccines for HIV, malaria and other globally important infectious diseases might be accelerated.
Lattice gauge theory in terms of independent wilson loops

Abstract We discuss the construction of a complete set of independent Wilson loops Tr P exp ∮ γ A that allows one to formulate the physics of pure lattice gauge theory directly on the subspace of physical configurations, and report on progress in recasting the theory in terms of these variables.
MRI of fetal and neonatal cerebellar development

In the last few years magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has expanded its diagnostic capability in the evaluation of fetal brain. Starting from the 18th to 20th gestational weeks, MRI can reliably depict fetal brain anatomy and locate pathology, offering a robust and reliable tool for the assessment of disorders of the fetal central nervous system. In this review quantitative and qualitative in vivo MRI data on fetal cerebellar development are presented. Our normative reference data have been obtained from a database of 580 MR fetal imaging studies. Normal cases were selected within normal MRI fetal brain studies, and all selected cases had a normal clinical evaluation and a normal cranial ultrasound or MR image after birth. Fetal cerebellar development is gradual, steady, and grossly comparable to the development of the supratentorial brain. Archicerebellar (flocculonodular lobe) and paleocerebellar (vermis) structures develop before the neocerebellum (cerebellar hemispheres) that develops more slowly and largely after birth.
A new EPR dosimeter based on polyvinylalcohol

Abstract A new dosimetry system based on the EPR response of polyvinyl alcohol is presented. The dose response was measured from 10–10 5 Gy and the persistence of the signal was monitored over a period of 14 days.