cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chapter 13 – Human and Nonhuman Primate Neurophysiology to Understand the Pathophysiology of Movement Disorders

Historically, our understanding of movement disorders has been based on anatomic connectivity of basal ganglia nuclei, neurochemistry, and the behavioral consequences of basal ganglia lesions. In the past 20 years, great progress has been made using physiological approaches, including a variety of techniques: unit activity, multiunit activity, and local field potentials, recorded in many parts of the basal ganglia-thalamocortical loop. Two major developments have added new opportunities for physiological data collection: the availability of the MPTP-treated nonhuman primate model of Parkinson disease, and the resurgence of microelectrode-guided surgery for human movement disorders. In this chapter we review cortical and subcortical neurophysiology findings in humans and nonhuman primates and cast these results in terms of relevant models for basal ganglia function and movement disorders.
A robust data scaling algorithm to improve classification accuracies in biomedical data

Background Machine learning models have been adapted in biomedical research and practice for knowledge discovery and decision support. While mainstream biomedical informatics research focuses on developing more accurate models, the importance of data preprocessing draws less attention. We propose the Generalized Logistic (GL) algorithm that scales data uniformly to an appropriate interval by learning a generalized logistic function to fit the empirical cumulative distribution function of the data. The GL algorithm is simple yet effective; it is intrinsically robust to outliers, so it is particularly suitable for diagnostic/classification models in clinical/medical applications where the number of samples is usually small; it scales the data in a nonlinear fashion, which leads to potential improvement in accuracy.
Applications of circulating tumor cells for prostate cancer

One of the major challenges that clinicians face is in the difficulties of accurately monitoring disease progression. Prostate cancer is among these diseases and greatly affects the health of men globally. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are a rare population of cancer cells that have shed from the primary tumor and entered the peripheral circulation. Not until recently, clinical applications of CTCs have been limited to using enumeration as a prognostic tool in Oncology. However, advances in emerging CTC technologies point toward new applications that could revolutionize the field of prostate cancer. It is now possible to study CTCs as components of a liquid biopsy based on morphological phenotypes, biochemical analyses, and genomic profiling. These advances allow us to gain insight into the heterogeneity and dynamics of cancer biology and to further study the mechanisms behind the evolution of therapeutic resistance. These recent developments utilizing CTCs for clinical applications will greatly impact the future of prostate cancer research and pave the way towards personalized care for men.
Abstract P266: Bypass of Local Acute Care Facilities for Primary Stroke Centers in North Carolina

In some regions of the US, emergency medical services (EMS) policies recommend transporting acute stroke patients directly to specialized stroke centers, bypassing local facilities unable to provide appropriate care. However, this prehospital care practice has not been thoroughly studied. We describe the pattern of bypass in a random sample of 301 suspected stroke patients transported by EMS from 53 of 100 North Carolina (NC) counties in 2010. We geocoded scene and destination addresses and calculated driving distances using GIS network analysis (ArcGIS 9.2, ESRI). EMS bypass was defined as the transport of a patient to a hospital other than the closest in driving distance. We characterized each destination as either a Joint Commission certified Primary Stroke Center (PSC) or not (non-PSC). The 301 stroke incidents were transported by EMS to 59 hospitals, including 16 designated as PSCs. EMS bypassed the closest facility for 91 patients (30%). On average, bypass resulted in an additional 10.0 miles of travel [median 4.7 miles (IQR 1.7, 10.6)]. Bypass did not vary widely by patient age, sex, or race. Bypass was more likely to occur in urban counties compared to rural counties (34% vs. 26%), with the mean additional travel distance shorter in urban counties (5.0 miles vs. 16.1 miles). Overall, 151 (of 301) patients were transported to a PSC while only 125 patients would have gone to a PSC if all had been transported to the closest hospital. Therefore, we found EMS bypass resulted in an additional 26 patients transported to a PSC. Further, EMS bypassed a closer non-PSC for a PSC in 36 cases while 10 patients were taken to a non-PSC instead of a closer PSC. Of these 10, the majority, 8, were transported based on patient or family choice. Our data suggest EMS bypass practices can increase access to specialized stroke care centers. Bypassing local hospitals appears to occur more frequently in urban areas where PSCs are more prevalent and in closer proximity. Yet, EMS bypass is not uncommon in rural areas of NC. EMS care, geographic location, and patient choice are all influential in determining a stroke patient's destination. Future studies should incorporate travel times in addressing access to timely stroke care.
The Legal Basis for School Corporal Punishment

Corporal punishment has been documented as a part of the education of children around the world as far back as ancient Greece (Pate and Gould in Corporal Punishment around the World. Praeger, Santa Barbara, 2012).
A generative block-diagonal model for clustering

Probabilistic mixture models are among the most important clustering methods. These models assume that the feature vectors of the samples can be described by a mixture of several components. Each of these components follows a distribution of a certain form. In recent years, there has been an increasing amount of interest and work in similarity-matrix-based methods. Rather than considering the feature vectors, these methods learn patterns by observing the similarity matrix that describes the pairwise relative similarity between each pair of samples. However, there are limited works in probabilistic mixture model for clustering with input data in the form of a similarity matrix. Observing this, we propose a generative model for clustering that finds the block-diagonal structure of the similarity matrix to ensure that the samples within the same cluster (diagonal block) are similar while the samples from different clusters (off-diagonal block) are less similar. In this model, we assume the elements in the similarity matrix follow one of beta distributions, depending on whether the element belongs to one of the diagonal blocks or to off-diagonal blocks. The assignment of the element to a block is determined by the cluster indicators that follow categorical distributions. Experiments on both synthetic and real data show that the performance of the proposed method is comparable to the state-of-the-art methods.
A sea urchin in vivo model to evaluate Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition.

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is an evolutionarily conserved cellular program, which is a prerequisite for the metastatic cascade in carcinoma progression. Here, we evaluate the EMT process using the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus embryo. In sea urchin embryos, the earliest EMT event is related to the acquisition of a mesenchymal phenotype by the spiculogenetic primary mesenchyme cells (PMCs) and their migration into the blastocoel. We investigated the effect of inhibiting the epidermal growth factor (EGF) signaling pathway on this process, and we observed that mesenchyme cell differentiation was blocked. In order to extend and validate our studies, we investigated the migratory capability and the level of potential epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFr) targets in a breast cancer cell line after EGF modulation. Altogether, our data highlight the sensitivity of the sea urchin embryo to anti-EMT drugs and pinpoint the sea urchin embryo as a valuable in vivo model system for studying EMT and the screening of anti-EMT candidates.
Generating Large Thermally Stable Marangoni-Driven Topography in Polymer Films by Stabilizing the Surface Energy Gradient

Marangoni forces drive a fluid to flow in response to positional differences in surface energy. In thin polymer films, a difference in surface energy between two coincident liquid polymers could offer a useful route to manufacture topographically patterned surfaces via the Marangoni effect. Previously, we have demonstrated a photochemical method using the Marangoni effect for patterning thin polystyrene films. To generalize the approach, a theoretical model that gives the underlying physics of this process was also developed, which further revealed that low viscosities, low diffusivities, and large surface energy gradients favor rapid evolution of large film thickness variations. However, as described by the Stokes−Einstein equation or the Rouse model, low viscosity is generally correlated with high diffusivity in a single-component system. Herein, we report a strategy to decouple film viscosity and diffusivity by co-casting a high molecular weight surface energy gradient creating copolymer (low diffusivi...
Framework for Scalable File System Metadata Crawling and Differencing

Identifying file systems metadata changes such as which files have been added, modified or removed from the file system has many usages. In this paper we present a framework we developed for identifying those changes in increasing speeds. Our framework which is composed of crawling, hashing, and scheduling components, allows to scale the crawl to multiple client workstations that operate in parallel on the same file system in a non-overlapping fashion. Experiments carried using real-world data indicate performance improvement (speedup) of up to 36X using our framework compared to legacy crawling utilities such as Linux’s ‘find’.
Model Legislation for Automated Driving

This book chapter proposes model bills to clarify the legal status of automated driving at both the state and federal levels in the United States. The chapter briefly describes this current status, critiques my earlier legislative language, identifies other relevant efforts, presents the model state bill, and then presents the model federal bill. These models principally address the legal status of automated driving rather than the range of other relevant issues. Since they are likely to evolve, current versions are available at newlypossible.org/modellaws.
Sexiness on Social Media: The Social Costs of Using a Sexy Profile Photo

Using an experimental methodology, the present study assessed college men’s perceptions of a female peer who presented herself on Facebook in either a sexualized or nonsexualized manner. One hundred and seventeen college men viewed a Facebook profile with either a sexualized profile photo or a nonsexualized profile photo of a young woman and then evaluated the profile owner. They also reported on their dating attitudes. Results indicated that the sexualized profile owner was considered less physically attractive, less socially appealing, and less competent to complete tasks. Interest in dating and casual sex with the profile owner as well as general dating attitudes were largely not impacted by the type of profile photo. Findings suggest that using a sexualized profile photo on Facebook comes with some relational costs for young women. Strategies for educating young people about new media use and sexualization are discussed.
Strategies for Innovation and Interdisciplinary Translational Research

Following is a portion of the proceedings of the panel and audience discussion from the AFMR-Translational Medical Research Development Workshop at EB08.
Impact of socioeconomic status on pretreatment cachexia and survival in non-small cell lung cancer.

101Background: Socioeconomic status (SES) influences healthcare outcomes, but the influence of SES on cancer cachexia is unknown. We identify components of SES associated with pre-treatment cachexia in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and assess their prognostic significance on survival. Methods: A prospectively maintained institutional tumor registry identified 1,365 patients with NSCLC consecutively treated at a tertiary care health system from 1/1/06 to 12/31/13. Insurance status was abstracted from the registry. Educational attainment and household income were estimated from census data using location of primary residence. Cancer cachexia was defined retrospectively using the international consensus definition. Multivariable regression analysis was used to identify prognostic factors of pre-treatment cancer cachexia and survival. Results: Cachexia was present at the time of NSCLC diagnosis in 30% of all patients including 17% of patients with stage I disease. Patients with Medicaid or ...
Image guided percutaneous spine procedures using an optical see-through head mounted display: proof of concept and rationale.

Background and purpose Optical see-through head mounted displays (OST-HMDs) offer a mixed reality (MixR) experience with unhindered procedural site visualization during procedures using high resolution radiographic imaging. This technical note describes our preliminary experience with percutaneous spine procedures utilizing OST-HMD as an alternative to traditional angiography suite monitors. Methods MixR visualization was achieved using the Microsoft HoloLens system. Various spine procedures (vertebroplasty, kyphoplasty, and percutaneous discectomy) were performed on a lumbar spine phantom with commercially available devices. The HMD created a real time MixR environment by superimposing virtual posteroanterior and lateral views onto the interventionalist’s field of view. The procedures were filmed from the operator’s perspective. Videos were reviewed to assess whether key anatomic landmarks and materials were reliably visualized. Dosimetry and procedural times were recorded. The operator completed a questionnaire following each procedure, detailing benefits, limitations, and visualization mode preferences. Results Percutaneous vertebroplasty, kyphoplasty, and discectomy procedures were successfully performed using OST-HMD image guidance on a lumbar spine phantom. Dosimetry and procedural time compared favorably with typical procedural times. Conventional and MixR visualization modes were equally effective in providing image guidance, with key anatomic landmarks and materials reliably visualized. Conclusion This preliminary study demonstrates the feasibility of utilizing OST-HMDs for image guidance in interventional spine procedures. This novel visualization approach may serve as a valuable adjunct tool during minimally invasive percutaneous spine treatment.
Independent amplitude approximations in coupled cluster valence bond theory: Incorporation of 3-electron-pair correlation and application to spin frustration in the low-lying excited states of a ferredoxin-type tetrametallic iron-sulfur cluster.

Coupled cluster valence bond (CCVB) is a simple electronic structure method based on a perfect pairing (PP) reference with 2-pair recouplings for strong electron correlation problems. CCVB is spin-pure, size-consistent, and can exactly (in its active space) separate any molecule into atoms for which unrestricted Hartree-Fock (UHF) at dissociation is the sum of the ground state UHF energies of the atoms. However CCVB is far from a complete description of strong correlations. Its first failure to exactly describe spin-recouplings arises at the level of 3 electron pairs, such as the recoupling of 3 triplet oxygen atoms in the dissociation of singlet ozone. Such situations are often associated with spin frustration. To address this limitation, an extension of CCVB, termed CCVB+i3, is reported here that includes an independent (i) amplitude approximation to the 3-pair recouplings. CCVB+i3 thereby has the same basic computational requirements as those of CCVB, which has previously been shown to be an efficient method. CCVB+i3 correctly separates molecules that CCVB cannot. As a by-product, an independent 2-pair amplitude approximation to CCVB, called PP+i2, is also defined. Remarkably, PP+i2 can also correctly separate systems that CCVB cannot. CCVB+i3 is validated on the symmetric dissociation of D3h ozone. CCVB+i3 is then used to explore the role of 3-pair recouplings in an [Fe4S4(SCH3)4]2- cluster that has been used to model the iron-sulfur core of [Fe4S4] ferredoxins. Using localized PP orbitals, such recouplings are demonstrated to be large in some low-lying singlet excited states of the cluster. Significant 3 pair recoupling amplitudes include the usual triangular motif associated with spin frustration and other geometric arrangements of the 3 entangled pairs across the 4 iron centers.
Single-cell transcriptional analyses of spasmolytic polypeptide-expressing metaplasia arising from acute drug injury and chronic inflammation in the stomach

Objective Spasmolytic polypeptide-expressing metaplasia (SPEM) is a regenerative lesion in the gastric mucosa and is a potential precursor to intestinal metaplasia/gastric adenocarcinoma in a chronic inflammatory setting. The goal of these studies was to define the transcriptional changes associated with SPEM at the individual cell level in response to acute drug injury and chronic inflammatory damage in the gastric mucosa. Design Epithelial cells were isolated from the gastric corpus of healthy stomachs and stomachs with drug-induced and inflammation-induced SPEM lesions. Single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) was performed on tissue samples from each of these settings. The transcriptomes of individual epithelial cells from healthy, acutely damaged and chronically inflamed stomachs were analysed and compared. Results scRNA-seq revealed a population Mucin 6 (Muc6)+gastric intrinsic factor (Gif)+ cells in healthy tissue, but these cells did not express transcripts associated with SPEM. Furthermore, analyses of SPEM cells from drug injured and chronically inflamed corpus yielded two major findings: (1) SPEM and neck cell hyperplasia/hypertrophy are nearly identical in the expression of SPEM-associated transcripts and (2) SPEM programmes induced by drug-mediated parietal cell ablation and chronic inflammation are nearly identical, although the induction of transcripts involved in immunomodulation was unique to SPEM cells in the chronic inflammatory setting. Conclusions These data necessitate an expansion of the definition of SPEM to include Tff2+Muc6+ cells that do not express mature chief cell transcripts such as Gif. Our data demonstrate that SPEM arises by a highly conserved cellular programme independent of aetiology and develops immunoregulatory capabilities in a setting of chronic inflammation.
Comparison of cognitive profiles in spinocerebellar ataxia subtypes: a case series

The spinocerebellar ataxias (SCA) are a heterogeneous group of progressive neurodegenerative disorders that are associated with diffuse cerebellar atrophy. While the physical symptoms of this condition have long been studied, more attention has been given to cognitive changes in recent years. We describe a case series of four adults with various genetically-confirmed subtypes of SCA. Patients with SCA types 2, 3, and 6 presented with impaired cognitive profiles consistent with the existing literature while the reported patient with SCA-14 showed notable impairment inconsistent with the only published case controlled study. Comparisons were made between the four patients with a common pattern of slowed processing speed, poor memory retrieval, and reduced mental flexibility. Confrontation naming and consolidation-based memory were intact across all patients. These findings are discussed in light of the relevant literature on cerebellar cognitive affective syndrome.
Antidepressant Use During Development May Impair Women's Sexual Desire in Adulthood.

Abstract Introduction Although antidepressants are well known to cause sexual side effects in adults, the long-term effects of antidepressant use during development on adult sexual function is unknown. Aim To explore differences in sexual desire and sexual behavior between adults who did vs did not use antidepressants during childhood or adolescence. Methods An online survey of 610 young adults (66% women) assessed childhood and current mental health and use of antidepressants and other psychiatric medications before the age of 16 years and currently, partnered and solitary sexual desire, and frequency of masturbation and partnered sexual activity. Antidepressants were coded into either selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or non-SSRI antidepressants. Main Outcome Measure Scores on the Sexual Desire Inventory, and self-reported frequency of masturbation and partnered sexual activity. Results For women, childhood SSRI use was associated with significantly lower solitary sexual desire, desire for an attractive other, and frequency of masturbation. This was true even when controlling for childhood mental health concerns, current mental health, and current antidepressant use. However, there was no effect of childhood SSRI use on women's partnered sexual desire or partnered sexual activity. There was no significant effect of childhood antidepressant use on men's sexual desire or masturbation. However, in men, childhood use of non-SSRI antidepressants was associated with significantly higher frequency of partnered sexual activity. Childhood use of non-SSRI antidepressants, or nonantidepressant psychiatric medication, was not associated with adult sexual desire or behavior in either women or men. Clinical Implications It is possible that SSRI use during childhood interrupts the normal development of sexual reward systems, which may be a risk factor for sexual desire dysfunction in adult women. Strengths & Limitations Strengths include a large sample, use of attention checks and validated measures, and careful assessment of childhood mental health history; however, generalizability is limited by a predominantly white, young adult sample. These data are cross-sectional, and therefore, causal explanations for the association between childhood SSRI use and adult sexual well-being should be considered preliminary, warranting replication. Conclusion These findings point to a critical need for well-controlled, prospective research on possible long-term effects of antidepressant use, particularly SSRI use, on the development of adult sexual well-being. Lorenz TK. Antidepressant Use During Development May Impair Women's Sexual Desire in Adulthood. J Sex Med 2020;17:470–476.
A Novel Energy Storage-Based Net-Load Smoothing and Shifting Architecture for High Amount of Photovoltaics Integrated Power Distribution System

This article presents a novel ramp rate control and active power smoothing and shifting methodology for net-load profiles in large power distribution networks where high amount of photovoltaic (PV) penetration levels exist. The novelty is that the proposed methodology uses dynamic state-of-charge (SoC) management, energy storage optimal use of any given size and fast-Fourier transform-based reference curves that adequately fit energy storage system (ESS) active and reactive power capabilities. Then, a least square minimization-based optimization method is applied taking both ancillary applications into consideration and to maintain SoC within limits based on ESS capacity. The methodology is applied on a 8500 nodes US power grid model using CYMEDist simulation platform and applied on a real US power distribution system. Results show significant level of net-load ramp rate reduction as well as smoothing of fast fluctuations (up to 60%) due to both PV intermittency and load changes. The approach is also capable of breaking large systems into virtual local net-load locations where ESS's are installed to mitigate the severity of the anticipated shape of system net-loads.
Opportunities for evaluating chemical exposures and child health in the United States: the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program

The Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program will evaluate environmental factors affecting children’s health (perinatal, neurodevelopmental, obesity, respiratory, and positive health outcomes) by pooling cohorts composed of >50,000 children in the largest US study of its kind. Our objective was to identify opportunities for studying chemicals and child health using existing or future ECHO chemical exposure data. We described chemical-related information collected by ECHO cohorts and reviewed ECHO-relevant literature on exposure routes, sources, and environmental and human monitoring. Fifty-six ECHO cohorts have existing or planned chemical biomonitoring data for mothers or children. Environmental phenols/parabens, phthalates, metals/metalloids, and tobacco biomarkers are each being measured by ≥15 cohorts, predominantly during pregnancy and childhood, indicating ample opportunities to study child health outcomes. Cohorts are collecting questionnaire data on multiple exposure sources and conducting environmental monitoring including air, dust, and water sample collection that could be used for exposure assessment studies. To supplement existing chemical data, we recommend biomonitoring of emerging chemicals, nontargeted analysis to identify novel chemicals, and expanded measurement of chemicals in alternative biological matrices and dust samples. ECHO’s rich data and samples represent an unprecedented opportunity to accelerate environmental chemical research to improve the health of US children.
Depression Management as Lifestyle Management: Exploring Existing Practices and Perceptions Among College Students

Research is limited on college students’ existing approaches to managing depression, which are important to understand before designing and recommending non-digital and digital tools. We conducted a mixed methods survey with 109 college students about their awareness of and interest in non-digital and digital tools, what tools they use, how they use them, and their perceived effectiveness. In general, students are aware of and interested in both non-digital and digital tools. Therefore, we cannot discount the utility of both non-digital and digital tools, even among high technology users. We found 78 participants use non-digital tools, such as paper, art, and checklists, and 80 participants reported using digital tools, such as social media, texts, and YouTube/vlogging. From students’ perspectives, depression management is lifestyle management. Thus, they often use a combination of tools for connection and support, catharsis and outlet, keeping busy and distraction, organization and planning, and emotion and thought analysis and regulation, and they perceive these tools to be at least somewhat effective in managing their depression. This research emphasizes the need to understand current practices and perceptions and can be used as a foundation for other researchers, clinicians, and educators as they continue to find ways to support college students with depression.
Effects of Mechanical Forces on Cells and Tissues

Abstract Mechanical forces provide powerful signals that regulate cellular processes, mediate organ homeostasis and can drive pathophysiological processes. Cells sense and respond to mechanical forces and biophysical aspects of the surrounding extracellular matrix or biomaterials. The mechanical aspects of biomaterial-cell interactions can determine the body’s reaction to a material and the long-term therapeutic outcome from medical implants. Thus, It is essential to consider mechanical forces in engineering biomaterials to interface with the body or in the implantation of therapeutic cells types. In this chapter, we review the fundamental aspects of cellular mechanosensing in the context of biomaterials and physiological forces. In addition, we discuss the role of mechanical forces in vascular and skeletal organ systems.
School Board Sensemaking of Federal and State Accountability Policies

This qualitative case study examines how board members make sense of federal accountability policies and how their sensemaking shapes their use of assessment data as a policy instrument. Deviating ...
Central Diabetes Insipidus (Etiology, Epidemiology, and Management)

Diabetes insipidus (DI) is a heterogeneous disorder that is marked by an inability to conserve free water and concentrate urine, which results in polyuria and polydipsia. Central diabetes insipidus (CDI) is due to inadequate secretion of arginine vasopressin (AVP) and therefore any impairment in its production or secretion can result in the condition, which can be congenital or acquired. CDI is typically treated with DDAVP, which is a synthetic analog of endogenous AVP that is available in multiple dosage forms and routes of administration. Several clinical scenarios exist in which the management of CDI can be particularly challenging.
Qualitative provider experiences in a repurposed COVID-19 surge ICU: Forewarned is forearmed

SARS-CoV-2 has engulfed our world over the course of the last year. Hospitals have experienced case surges and have had to innovate and adapt to care for these patients. This article represents qualitative experiences of providers working in a surge ICU. The codes, subsequent themes, and challenges identified here bring forth perspectives of providers working in surge ICUs and can serve as practical resource set as hospitals continue to surge based on the numerous waves of the pandemic. In light of these findings, it is critical to develop and evaluate resources to optimize provider well-being and workplace experiences.
Antigene Determinanten und die Größe des Bindungsbereiches am Antikörper

Nach der Beschreibung der Methoden, mit deren Hilfe die Antigen-Antikorper- und die Hapten-Antikorper-Wechselwirkungen erfast werden, sollen nun die Natur der antigenen Determinante sowie Struktureigenschaften und Dimension des komplementaren Bindungsbereiches am Antikorper betrachtet werden. Dies sind lediglich andere Aspekte der gleichen Fragestellung, welche ein sehr wichtiges Problem der Immunchemie behandelt.
Building Civic Capital: Texas Higher Education, 2030 and Beyond

As the final year of the current Texas higher education plan—Closing the Gaps by 2015 (CTG)—expires, higher education leaders and policymakers in the state are preparing for the post-CTG era. The T...
Growth of the NMDA receptor industrial complex.

Grant et. al. use mass spectroscopy to identify new components of the NMDA receptor-associated protein complex, revealing a more complex postsynaptic organization than previously thought.
A Key Distribution System Based On Any One-Way Function

Assuming the existence of one-way functions, we describe a simple protocol to exchange secret keys through an insecure (but authenticated) channel. If no precomputation is allowed, our scheme uses O(n) time for agreement on a number in the range 1..n 2. An intruder takes time O(n 2) to obtain the secret key. Thus, the number of steps necessary to cryptanalyze is the square of the number of steps in the protocol. If pre-computation is allowed to one of the parties in the key-exchange and also to the enemy, then this performance can be improved significantly. The assumptions necessary about the one-way-function are weaker than the assumptions in [Mer78] and in [DH76].1 The potential applications of our protocol also are more general than those of Merkle’s protocol.
Abstract MP69: Effect of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Combat Exposure on Carotid Intima-Media Thickness in Vietnam Era Veteran Twins

Introduction: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with an increased risk of ischemic heart disease, but the pathophysiologic mechanisms remains unclear. Genetic and shared familial and early environmental factors may confound this association. Carotid artery intima media thickness (cIMT) is a measure of atherosclerotic burden and is predictive of future cardiovascular events. In a study of Vietnam era twins, we assessed the hypothesis that PTSD and combat exposure are associated with cIMT after controlling for shared genetic and childhood environmental factors. Methods: We studied 465 middle-aged male twins from the Vietnam Era Twin Registry, who were part of the Emory Twin Studies, without a clinical history of cardiovascular disease. A diagnosis of PTSD was obtained with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV and combat exposure was measured using the Combat Exposure Scale. Carotid IMT was measured using B-mode ultrasound. Mixed effects regression models with a random effect for the twin pair were used to examine overall, between- and within-pair effects. Models were sequentially adjusting for traditional CVD risk factors, genetic and childhood environmental factors. Results: About 13% (60 out of 465) of participants met criteria for PTSD and 45% (209 out of 465) served in the Vietnam Theater. When twins were examined as individuals, PTSD was associated with 33.3 μm higher cIMT (p=0.03) after adjustment for potential confounders. In addition, the average cIMT for the twin pair increased by 43 μm for each additional twin affected by PTSD in the pair (p=0.04). However, there was no significant within-pair difference in cIMT comparing co-twins discordant for PTSD. Combat exposure showed a similar pattern of results but its association with cIMT weakened after adjusting for PTSD (unadjusted p=0.01, adjusted p=0.08). Conclusions: Among Vietnam era veterans, combat exposure and PTSD are both associated with cIMT, but such associations are largely mediated by shared familial or early environmental factors.
Cerebral autoregulation, individual variability, and white matter hyperintensity (1069.1)

Purpose: To assess regional cerebral autoregulation (CA) and its association with white matter hyperintensities (WMH) in older adults. Methods: Twenty-seven healthy older subjects (13 females, 68 ±...
Binary translation using peephole superoptimizers

We present a new scheme for performing binary translation that produces code comparable to or better than existing binary translators with much less engineering effort. Instead of hand-coding the translation from one instruction set to another, our approach automatically learns translation rules using superoptimization techniques. We have implemented a PowerPC-x86 binary translator and report results on small and large computeintensive benchmarks. When compared to the native compiler, our translated code achieves median performance of 67% on large benchmarks and in some small stress tests actually outperforms the native compiler. We also report comparisons with the open source binary translator Qemu and a commercial tool, Apple's Rosetta. We consistently outperformthe former and are comparable to or faster than the latter on all but one benchmark.
Hidden keys to survival: the type, density, pattern and functional role of emperor penguin body feathers

Antarctic penguins survive some of the harshest conditions on the planet. Emperor penguins breed on the sea ice where temperatures drop below -40°C and forage in -1.8°C waters. Their ability to maintain 38°C body temperature in these conditions is due in large part to their feathered coat. Penguins have been reported to have the highest contour feather density of any bird, and both filoplumes and plumules (downy feathers) are reported absent in penguins. In studies modelling the heat transfer properties and the potential biomimetic applications of penguin plumage design, the insulative properties of penguin plumage have been attributed to the single afterfeather attached to contour feathers. This attribution of the afterfeather as the sole insulation component has been repeated in subsequent studies. Our results demonstrate the presence of both plumules and filoplumes in the penguin body plumage. The downy plumules are four times denser than afterfeathers and play a key, previously overlooked role in penguin survival. Our study also does not support the report that emperor penguins have the highest contour feather density.
The ham-2 Locus, Encoding a Putative Transmembrane Protein, Is Required for Hyphal Fusion in Neurospora crassa

Somatic cell fusion is common during organogenesis in multicellular eukaryotes, although the molecular mechanism of cell fusion is poorly understood. In filamentous fungi, somatic cell fusion occurs during vegetative growth. Filamentous fungi grow as multinucleate hyphal tubes that undergo frequent hyphal fusion (anastomosis) during colony expansion, resulting in the formation of a hyphal network. The molecular mechanism of the hyphal fusion process and the role of networked hyphae in the growth and development of these organisms are unexplored questions. We use the filamentous fungus Neurospora crassa as a model to study the molecular mechanism of hyphal fusion. In this study, we identified a deletion mutant that was restricted in its ability to undergo both self-hyphal fusion and fusion with a different individual to form a heterokaryon. This deletion mutant displayed pleiotropic defects, including shortened aerial hyphae, altered conidiation pattern, female sterility, slow growth rate, lack of hyphal fusion, and suppression of vegetative incompatibility. Complementation with a single open reading frame (ORF) within the deletion region in this mutant restored near wild-type growth rates, female fertility, aerial hyphae formation, and hyphal fusion, but not vegetative incompatibility and wild-type conidiation pattern. This ORF, which we named ham-2 (for hyphal anastomosis), encodes a putative transmembrane protein that is highly conserved, but of unknown function among eukaryotes.
On the existence of a modal antinomy

1. Our interest here is in the relations between the syntactical predicate fi_is true' and the syntactical modal predicates such as '_is necessary', *_is possible', '_is contingent', and *_entails...' That there should be similarities between these predicates is not surprising since the modal predicates are so-called because they deal with what used to be known as 'modes' of truth. '_is necessary', for example, is synonymous with '_is necessarily true'. The alleged pre-analytic view of the correct use of the predicate *_ is true' is that we may accept all instances of the schema
When Does World History Begin? (And Why Should We Care?)

Advances in evidence and understanding challenge the conventional view that history begins with written records. Nonliterate societies and unlettered social classes, not just the literate elite, are now standard subjects of historical inquiry. Moreover, advances in archaeology and other disciplines have made ‘prehistory’ knowable. Advocates of ‘Big History’ start history with the Big Bang, but a less radical beginning is the point at which humans first began to display modern esthetic and intellectual traits – a point that now seems to coincide with the evolution of biologically modern humans.
High-sensitivity gamma-ray counting in activation analysis☆

Abstract In activation analysis, optimizing counting conditions can generally improve precision or increase the number of samples that can be counted, or both. Much is gained in sensitivity by using high-efficiency detectors. With care in selection of detector and shield materials, the only important source of environmental gamma-ray background is the interactions of cosmic-ray particles with the shield and the detector itself. Application of Cooper's criterion to two excellent modern detectors shows that for the ultimate sensitivity in quantitating a simple spectrum, high efficiency overwhelms good resolution, low background, or any other criterion of detector quality in the choice of detectors for a given measurement. In practice, the choice is not so simple when summing corrections are large, when multiplets are present which the detector cannot fully resolve, when the total count rate is high, when background peaks (not continuum) are important, when positioning uncertainty limits the accuracy, or when requirements of sample shape dictate the counting configuration.
The Hardy Effect

Purpose The late James C. Hardy completed an extensive investigation of respiratory muscle activity during speech production. The data set that resulted was probably the most comprehensive and inst...
Speculation on quantum mechanics and the operation of life giving catalysts.

The origin of life necessitated the formation of catalytic functionalities in order to realize a number of those capable of supporting reactions that led to the proliferation of biologically accessible molecules and the formation of a proto-metabolic network. Here, the discussion of the significance of quantum behavior on biological systems is extended from recent hypotheses exploring brain function and DNA mutation to include origins of life considerations in light of the concept of quantum decoherence and the transition from the quantum to the classical. Current understandings of quantum systems indicate that in the context of catalysis, substrate-catalyst interaction may be considered as a quantum measurement problem. Exploration of catalytic functionality necessary for life’s emergence may have been accommodated by quantum searches within metal sulfide compartments, where catalyst and substrate wave function interaction may allow for quantum based searches of catalytic phase space. Considering the degree of entanglement experienced by catalytic and non catalytic outcomes of superimposed states, quantum contributions are postulated to have played an important role in the operation of efficient catalysts that would provide for the kinetic basis for the emergence of life.
Random partition indicator and spacing statistics

Several conventional and new goodness-of-fit techniques are developed to assess random partitioning of a finite population into disjoint subsets. These nonparametric methods focus on indicator, spacing, and placement statistics. Mathematical development reminiscent of Fourier analysis yields distribution-free orthogonal indicator and spacing component goodness-of-fit procedures for simple random sampling assessment. Providing directional and omnibus criteria to detect between-subset differences, a main contribution of this survey is a unified treatment of the rank indicator procedures in Boos (1986) and the rank spacing methods in Kaigh (1994) with immediate applications to the nonparametric K-sample problem
Characterization of a Dual Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Source

A dual inductively copuled plasma atomic emission spectroscopic system is described. This new analytical discharge segregates the normally integrated processes of sampling and spectral excitation associated with atomic emission sources. A low-power, low-argon-flow, radio-frequency plasma is used as a sampling device to create gaseous species from liquid and solid samples which are subsequently transported to a second plasma for excitation. Design and construction of instrumentation and associated operational parameters are reviewed. Comparisons of the sampling and the excitation plasmas include spatial emission profiles, linear calibration plots, signal-to-background ratios, and analytical detection limits. Use of the dual ICP for direct analysis of particulates (coal fly ash and firebrick) is demonstrated.
Mechanisms of momentum and energy transfer in intermediate-energy collisions☆

Abstract Systematic features of momentum and energy transfer in nuclear reactions above E/A ⩾ 20 MeV are examined. Various mechanisms for momentum transfer are illustrated from exclusive measurements of the 6 Li + 238 U system at E/A = 25 MeV. These, and other, studies confirm that precompound nucleon emission is the dominant source of momentum and energy loss in central collisions near the Fermi energy. This indicates the growing Importance of nucleon-nucleon collisions relative to mean field effects in intermediate-energy collisions. This result is supported by the approximate agreement between linear momentum transfer data and calculations based on precompound-decay, intranuclear-cascade and BUU/LV models. Another source of momentum loss which becomes increasingly important for E/A ⩾ 40 MeV is intermediate-mass fragment production. Recent measurements of these fragments, tagged according to momentum loss, demonstrate the presence of both equilibrium and non-equilibrium sources.
The thermal conductivity of oriented single crystals of hcp helium 4

Abstract Thermal conductivity data on single crystals of hcp He 4 show very large anisotropy in the Umklapp region which make it possible to determine the orientation of the crystals.
Simple And Inexpensive Method For Testing High Speed Semiconductor Devices Using Electro-Optics Sampling

A new method of semiconductor device testing is described which enables the use of electro-optic sampling for routine semiconductor device measurements. The technique is well suited for testing of discrete devices in die form. Pulse risetimes less than 4 picoseconds, corresponding to frequencies well over 100 GHz, are generated and measured, with sensitivities of a few millivolts.
Coordinated PEV charging and its effect on distribution system dynamics

Increased market penetration of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) will enable a shift in the transportation sector towards more sustainable energy options. However, PEV battery charging represents a significant additional burden on power systems, especially at the distribution level where the radial structure of the network may accentuate the effects of load variations. Furthermore, uncoordinated PEV charging could cause transformers to regularly operate beyond their thermal limits, increasing their likelihood of failure. Coordinated charging, based on distributed control methods, has been proposed as a means of mitigating voltage fluctuations and transformer overloads. Recent research can be divided into two categories: studies into the effects of static PEV loads on distribution networks, and development of control algorithms that vary PEV charging to accomplish specific goals. This paper combines these two ideas by analyzing distribution network load flow dynamics in response to a large population of coordinated PEVs. An IEEE 34-node distribution test feeder is simulated in conjunction with a fleet of PEVs under Additive-Increase Multiplicative-Decrease (AIMD) control. The resulting scheme ensures that all loads are satisfied, while controlling PEV demand to meet secondary considerations such as voltage regulation and transformer capacity limits. However, detrimental oscillations may develop under certain conditions. The paper investigates the cause of these unwanted variations.