cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Position Paper: Towards a Moving Target Defense Approach for Attribute-based Access Control

In recent years, attribute-based access control has been recognized as a convenient way to specify access mediation policies that leverage attributes originating from different security domains, e.g., independently-run organizations or supporting platforms. However, this new paradigm, while allowing for enhanced flexibility and convenience, may also open the door to new kinds of attacks based on forging or impersonating attributes, thus potentially allowing for attackers to gain unintended access to protected resources. In order to alleviate this problem, we present an ongoing effort based on moving target defense, an emerging technique for proactively providing security measurements.In our approach, we aim to analyze attribute-based data obtained at runtime in order to dynamically change policy configurations over time. We present our approach by leveraging a case study based in electronic health records, another trending methodology widely used in practice for mediating access to sensitive healthcare information in mission-critical applications.
Magnetic Scattering of Slow Neutrons from O 2 Gas

A general expression is derived for magnetic scattering of slow neutrons from oxygen gas which takes account of molecular rotation. The scattering derived on the basis of Meckler's ground electronic wave function for ${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ is discussed. The validity of the static or semiclassical approximation is considered. Values are given for the total magnetic cross section in laboratory coordinates based on Meckler's wave function. The magnetic scattering does not appear to be sufficiently sensitive to changes in the wave function to distinguish in practice between different reasonable approximate wave functions.
Who Am I? Who Are They? The “I” in Italian American:

This piece troubles my position as an Italian American who does frequent research in Sicily among recently arrived African refugees and the racism and resistance they often meet upon arrival, causi...
The secondary supernova machine: Gravitational compression, stored Coulomb energy, and SNII displays

Abstract Radioactive power for several delayed optical displays of core-collapse supernovae is commonly described as having been provided by decays of 56 Ni nuclei. This review analyses the provenance of that energy more deeply: the form in which that energy is stored; what mechanical work causes its storage; what conservation laws demand that it be stored; and why its release is fortuitously delayed for about 10 6 s into a greatly expanded supernova envelope. We call the unifying picture of those energy transfers the secondary supernova machine owing to its machine-like properties; namely, mechanical work forces storage of large increases of nuclear Coulomb energy, a positive energy component within new nuclei synthesized by the secondary machine. That positive-energy increase occurs despite the fusion decreasing negative total energy within nuclei. The excess of the Coulomb energy can later be radiated, accounting for the intense radioactivity in supernovae. Detailed familiarity with this machine is the focus of this review. The stored positive-energy component created by the machine will not be reduced until roughly 10 6 s later by radioactive emissions (EC and β + ) owing to the slowness of weak decays. The delayed energy provided by the secondary supernova machine is a few × 10 49 erg, much smaller than the one percent of the 10 53 erg collapse that causes the prompt ejection of matter; however, that relatively small stored energy is vital for activation of the late displays. The conceptual basis of the secondary supernova machine provides a new framework for understanding the energy source for late SNII displays. We demonstrate the nuclear dynamics with nuclear network abundance calculations, with a model of sudden compression and reexpansion of the nuclear gas, and with nuclear energy decompositions of a nuclear-mass law. These tools identify excess Coulomb energy, a positive-energy component of the total negative nuclear energy, as the late activation energy. If the value of fundamental charge e were smaller, SNII would not be so profoundly radioactive. Excess Coulomb energy has been carried within nuclei radially for roughly 10 9 km before being radiated into greatly expanded supernova remnants. The Coulomb force claims heretofore unacknowledged significance for supernova physics.
Factors associated with thrombosis in pediatric patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

ObjectiveThe risk of thrombosis is increased in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Few studies have assessed factors associated with thrombosis within the pediatric SLE (pSLE) popula...
Mitigating Hold-Up Through Complementarities and Refunds

Many valuable composite goods or property rights exist only by assembling multiple, monopoly-supplied components. Since a monopolist exclusively owns each component, hold-up by the last seller can result. First I design a model to show how sunk cost explains this assembly problem. Then I consider two factors that reduce sunk cost, determining conditions for which each mitigates hold-up. Specifically, I implement varied degrees of complementarities and levels of refundability of the component goods. No known previous research examines the assembly problem in terms of sunk cost or considers refunds, and little research models imperfect complementarities. I show if at least the first component purchased has stand alone value, hold-up is mitigated under any refund level. However, if only the last component purchased has stand alone value, averting hold-up depends on capacity constraints, degree of complementarities, price discrimination, and level of refund. Regardless of the degree of complementarities, full refunds prevent hold-up, while zero and partial refunds do not. Welfare analysis reveals conditions for a first or second mover advantage and when sellers endogenously choose a partial or full refund. This research offers settings when degrees of complementarity and refundability reduce sunk cost, often enough to prevent hold-up. My results also suggest policies to overcome inefficiencies in assembling property rights or component goods, such as legal requirements on full refunds, regulation on the order in which components must be purchased, and price discrimination prohibition.
The Postman Always Rings Twice: Attacking and Defending postMessage in HTML5 Websites.

The postMessage mechanism in HTML5 enables Web content from different origins to communicate with each other, thus relaxing the same origin policy. It is especially popular in websites that include third-party content. Each message contains accurate information about its origin, but the receiver must check this information before accepting the message. The responsibility for preventing cross-origin attacks is thus partially delegated from the Web browser to the implementors of postMessage receiver functions. We collected postMessage receivers from the Alexa top 10,000 websites and found that many perform origin checks incorrectly or not at all. This results in exploitable vulnerabilities in 84 popular sites, including cross-site scripting and injection of arbitrary content into local storage. We propose two defenses. The first uses pseudo-random tokens to authenticate the source of messages and is intended for the implementors of third-party content. The second, based on a Content Security Policy extension, is intended for website owners. The two defenses are independent and can be deployed jointly or separately.
Diaphragm pacing: Evaluation of current waveforms for effective ventilation

To evaluate the effectivenss of the configuration of the stimulating waveform on diaphragm pacing, we evaluated several different current forms: UDC-bipolar, UDC–monopolar cathodal, UDC–monopolar anodal, and ABDC. During stimulation with a pulse interval of 37 msec., a decrease in tidal volume was observed during the initial 3 hours with UDC-bipolar and UDC–monopolar anodal waveforms. Both UDC–monopolar cathodal and ABDC stimulation maintained the initial effectiveness for 6 hours. The decrease in tidal volume of UDC–monopolar anodal closely paralleled that of UDC-bipolar stimulation. Decreasing the pulse interval to 20 msec. caused a decrease in tidal volume with both UDC–monopolar cathodal and ABDC waveforms. Arterial oxygen tension (PaO2) in these experiments decreased to about 60 mm. Hg soon after the onset of unilateral diaphragm pacing. The concomitant decrease in tidal volume seen with UDC-bipolar stimulation could be avoided through the administration of oxygen to keep the animal’s PaO2 about 100 mm. Hg. The amplitude of the evoked diaphragmatic action potentials decreased significantly under hypoxemia and returned to normal with hyperoxygenation. From these short-term experiments, our findings indicate that waveform configuration does influence the time of onset of diaphragm fatigue due to either an electrochemical disturbance at the electrode-nerve interface or exhaustion of acetylcholine in the neuromuscular junction. Further, hypoxemia accelerates the occurrence of fatigue.
Analysis of the Storage Capacity for CO2 Sequestration of a Depleted Gas Condensate Reservoir and a Saline Aquifer

Among the three types of geological CO2 sequestration (mature oil and gas fields, unminable coalbeds and deep saline formations), depleted gas condensate reservoirs are particularly interesting. First, because of the high-compressibility of gas, these reservoirs have larger storage capacity than oil reservoirs or aquifers. Second, the condensate that has dropped out from the gas phase during natural depletion will re-vapourize because of re-pressurization of the reservoir and by miscibility with the injected CO2. This condensate can be recovered from producing wells and leaves more pore volume for available storage of CO2. The objective of this study is to investigate the CO2 storage capacity in different formation types, for different levels of CO2 purity and different injection schedules. To this aim, we analyzed the injection of a CO2-based stream into a depleted gas condensate reservoir and into a saline aquifer using a compositional reservoir simulation model. The dynamics of the reservoir impose a minimum period of injection that is required in order for the storage scheme to benefit from 100% of the reservoir storage capacity. Hence, over and above a certain CO2 injection rate, it becomes meaningless to invest in bigger compressors to increase this rate to reduce the time of injection. When the CO2 stream contains impurities, such as N2 or methane, the storage capacity of the reservoir decreases proportionally to the impure stream’s compressibility factor and its concentration of impurities. This finding suggests that an economic optimum between the costs of separation, compression and injection can be determined. Finally, the mass of CO2 sequestrated per pore volume in the equivalent aquifer model is approximately 13 times lower that of the depleted gas condensate reservoir model. This confirms that, because of their low overall compressibility, aquifers offer a far lower ratio of CO2 stored per pore volume than depleted gas condensate reservoirs. However, aquifers tend to have a far larger extent, which often compensates somewhat for this lower ratio and therefore provides storage for significant volumes of CO2. CO2 concentration at 450 to 750 ppm (1) . CO2 capture and storage (CCS) could facilitate the achievement of stabilization goals. CCS would be an option for countries that have significant sources of CO2 suitable for capture that have access to storage sites, experience with oil or gas operations and that need to satisfy their development aspirations in a carbon-constrained environment. Among the three main types of geological storage (mature oil and gas fields, unminable coalbeds and deep saline formations), the injection of CO2 into depleted gas condensate reservoirs is particularly interesting for the following main reasons:
Arterial calcification due to CD73 deficiency (ACDC): imaging manifestations of ectopic mineralization

Arterial calcification due to CD73 deficiency (ACDC) is a recently identified rare and debilitating adult-onset disorder caused by autosomal recessive NT5E gene mutations. ACDC is characterized by progressive and painful arterial calcifications primarily affecting the lower extremities, as well as calcifications affecting small joint capsules of the hands and feet. In this case report, the authors provide clinical follow-up for one of the first individuals identified by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as having ACDC, focusing mainly on the imaging manifestations of periarticular joint mineralization, which are bilateral but slightly asymmetric, bulky up to the levels of the metacarpophalangeal and metatarsophalangeal joints, but smaller and more capsular in distribution at the proximal and distal interphalangeal joints, without erosive change or intra-articular mineralization. Differential considerations for similar appearing joint mineralization are provided.
Pneumococcal pneumonia in baboons; a novel translational science model

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) accounts for >3.5 millions deaths/year, and Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most frequent pathogen isolated in CAP patients. Relevant animal models to study complications arising during and after pneumococcal pneumonia in humans are required. AIMS: Development of a non-human animal model to study the mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets of pneumococcal pneumonia. METHODS: 7 baboons ( Papio cynocephalus ) were surgically tethered to a continued monitoring system to assess heart rate, temperature, and ECG during the course of the experiment. After a two weeks recovery period, animals were intratracheally challenged with 10 8 colony-forming units of S. pneumoniae serotype 4 strain TIGR4 using video assisted bronchoscopy. Pneumonia was diagnosed using lung ultrasonography (baseline and post-infection) and confirmed with H&E staining and immunofluorescence microscopy for SPN capsule. Biomarkers of organ failure, such as creatinine, BUN, ALT, and bacteremic load were quantified daily. RESULTS: A systemic inflammatory response, cough, and respiratory distress developed precisely 4 days after inoculation. Severity of symptoms was consistent with the grade of pneumonia and levels of bacteremia, which varied between animals. Ultrasonography accurately detected the consolidated lobes with pneumonia compared to the gold standard post-mortem pathological analysis. CONCLUSIONS: We developed a novel pneumococcal pneumonia model that mimics the inflammatory response and infection kinetics of humans. This model has applicability towards finding novel biomarkers to diagnose pneumococcal pneumonia and predict outcomes as well as testing of new therapeutic treatments.
The Pleasures of Solipsism for Writers and Philosophers

This chapter is a meditation on the appeal that solipsism exerts across literature, early twentieth-century European philosophy, and gender-sex criticism. The desire to distance the world frequently belongs to worldly subjects. But whether a world-weary protagonist, a scholar immersed in the world’s primordial appearances, or the historically persecuted, none can outrun the ‘interworld’, what Merleau-Ponty philosophises as the intersubjective dimension of all human existence. Yet Gertrude Stein’s heroine Ida—a character somewhere between a Husserlian phenomenologist and Edelmanian misanthrope—leads readers along an exercise in futility for much of the 1941 eponymous novel. Itinerant, attracted to both sexes, and schizophrenic, Ida both embodies the spirit behind Stein’s most hermetic manner of writing and attempts to act out its purest expression: utter aloneness.
Vibrating Mesh Nebulizer Compared With Metered-Dose Inhaler in Mechanically Ventilated Subjects

BACKGROUND: The impact of various aerosol delivery devices on patient outcomes during mechanical ventilation is unknown. If one method of delivery results in a higher ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) rate than another, multiple patient outcomes may be affected. This study aimed to determine whether there was a difference in VAP occurrence and patient outcomes (days receiving ventilation and in-hospital mortality) between the vibrating mesh nebulizer (AeroNeb Solo) and the metered-dose inhaler (MDI). METHODS: This retrospective study reviewed medical records for all mechanically ventilated, adult patients with an order for aerosol treatment from August 2011 to August 2013. The hospital converted from MDI to vibrating mesh nebulizers in August 2012, and data were gathered 1 y before/after conversion. Excluded were patients with a tracheostomy, patients who were mechanically ventilated for RESULTS: Two hundred twenty-eight subjects were included. Forty-eight (21%) received treatment with an MDI, and 180 (79%) were treated with the vibrating mesh nebulizer. Descriptive data did not significantly differ for age or APACHE II (Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II) scores between the groups but did for sex (P = .03). Difference in median days receiving ventilation for the MDI (5 d, interquartile range 3.0–8.5 d) and the vibrating mesh nebulizer (6 d, interquartile range 4.0–10.0 d) was not statistically significant. No correlation was found between the use of either device and the primary outcomes of VAP and in-hospital mortality. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, the number of days receiving ventilation increased the odds of VAP (odds ratio [OR] 1.3, 95% CI 1.14–1.49, P CONCLUSION: We found no association between an MDI or vibrating mesh nebulizer and our primary outcomes, days receiving ventilation, in-hospital mortality, or VAP, in mechanically ventilated subjects.
Unmet Health Care Needs among Children Exposed to Parental Incarceration.

Objectives The incarceration rate in the United States has increased rapidly since the mid-1970s and, accordingly, a large number of children are exposed to parental incarceration. Research finds that parental incarceration is associated with deleterious physical and mental health outcomes among children, but little is known about these children's health care access. Methods I used data from the 2011-2012 National Survey of Children's Health (N = 95,531), a population-based and nationally representative survey of non-institutionalized children ages 0-17 in the United States, to estimate the association between exposure to parental incarceration and children's unmet health care needs. Results In logistic regression models that adjust for an array of demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, children exposed to parental incarceration, compared to their counterparts, have 1.26 (95% CI 1.02-1.54) times the odds of having any unmet health care need. Analyses that disaggregate by type of unmet health care need (mental, dental, vision, mental health, or other) suggest this association is driven by a greater likelihood of unmet mental health care needs (OR 1.60; 95% CI 1.04-2.46). Conclusions Children exposed to parental incarceration, a vulnerable group especially at risk of physical and mental health problems, face challenges to health care access, especially mental health care access. Given that parental incarceration is concentrated among those children most in need of health care, parental incarceration may exacerbate existing inequalities in unmet health care needs.
Case 3: Hypotonia, Respiratory Distress, and Cardiomegaly in a 3-month-old Boy.

1. Michael E. A. Cunningham, MD* 2. Kristin M. Burns, MD*,† 1. *Division of Cardiology, Children’s National Health System, Washington, DC 2. †Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Bethesda, MD A 3-month-old boy is brought to the emergency department for a persistent cough and difficulty breathing. He was born at 34 weeks' gestation after preterm labor and a complete course of maternal betamethasone. His mother had diet-controlled gestational diabetes. A maternal first cousin died of an unspecified cause in early infancy. His birthweight was 2,717 g. He required brief continuous positive air pressure therapy, but he weaned to room air within 24 hours. His NICU course was prolonged due to hypotonia and poor oral motor coordination. Results of brain magnetic resonance imaging, 2 metabolic screens, and Prader-Willi gene testing were normal. His swallow study demonstrated poor coordination, without aspiration. After 7 weeks, he was discharged home on bolus nasogastric feeds. He is tolerating the nasogastric feeds, with normal wet diapers. There are no sick contacts. On examination, he is afebrile, normotensive, fully saturated, tachypneic, and in mild distress. He weighs 5,500 g, with a length of 24 in (60 cm) and a head circumference measuring 15 in (39 cm) (age adjusted to the 80th, 90th, and 40th percentiles, respectively). He is nondysmorphic, with a soft fontanelle. He has moderate intercostal retractions with transmitted upper airway sounds. Cardiac auscultation reveals a regular rate and rhythm with a soft systolic ejection murmur with no gallops. He has normal capillary refill and strong femoral pulses. The abdomen is soft and without hepatosplenomegaly. Neurologic examination reveals diffuse hypotonia, severe head lag, and …
MARCS: mobile augmented reality for cybersecurity

Network analysts have long used two-dimensional security visualizations to make sense of overwhelming amounts of network data. As networks grow larger and more complex, two-dimensional displays can become convoluted, compromising user cyber-threat perspective. Using augmented reality to display data with cyber-physical context creates a naturally intuitive interface that helps restore perspective and comprehension sacrificed by complicated two-dimensional visualizations. We introduce Mobile Augmented Reality for Cybersecurity, or MARCS, as a platform to visualize a diverse array of data in real time and space to improve user perspective and threat response. Early work centers around CovARVT and ConnectAR, two proof of concept, prototype applications designed to visualize intrusion detection and wireless association data, respectively.
Using traffic analysis for simultaneous detection of BitTorrent and streaming video traffic sources

This paper presents a framework for a firewall to analyze and block BitTorrent file-sharing protocol using Traffic Analysis (TA) methods. BitTorrent traffic can be a concern of network administrators and is a valuable target for TA based investigation. In this work, the ability of a TA based classifier to identify the existence of BitTorrent traffic is tested under the condition that it is not only encrypted by a Virtual Private Network (VPN) tunnel but also mixed with other types of network traffic (including video streaming traffic and web traffic). The TA based classifier is comprised of 2 steps: a pre-filtering step and the actual classification step. The test results show that not only is it possible for the TA based classifier to distinguish BitTorrent traffic from the encrypted mixture, but the classifier can also tell the source of the streaming video in the mixture with high accuracy. The 2-step classifier is also proven to have boosted the accuracy by 15%. The results indicate the possibility of implementing a TA based firewall for monitoring BitTorrent traffic.
The Philippines, a Change in Course, and the Last Years

After his release, Charles McCarthy was assigned to the Philippines, where he found new projects working with refugees and a renewed love for China. Desiring citizenship for those Chinese born in the Philippines, McCarthy set himself to a new pursuit. In 1969, Father McCarthy proposed that the Philippine Islands Constitutional Convention adopt the jus soli citizenship provision in the new Constitution, and largely due to his tireless efforts, naturalization was granted in 1974 to those Chinese residing permanently in the Philippines. He himself became a Filipino citizen and wrote prodigiously as an outspoken advocate for the rights of Chinese diaspora in the Philippines. In his final years, McCarthy endured increasing medical hardships while still maintaining frequent correspondence with family and Jesuit confreres.
World society and the natural environment

We review the world society approach to explaining macrohistorical change generally and as it relates to the natural environment specifically. Our review includes work describing the rise of the environmental world society as well as empirical evidence of the consequences of national ties to world society for policy adoption, practices, and individual attitudes at the national level. Additionally, we suggest the application of world society theory to state and substate structures. Throughout the review, we situate the world society literature in relationship to work in the fields of cross-national comparative and environmental sociology from a variety of other perspectives. We take a forward-looking approach to our review of theoretical and empirical work in the field and consider the implications for normative change and resistance to prevailing world cultural norms. We conclude with a discussion of the resurgence of nationalism especially as it relates to antienvironmentalism.
Scapulothoracic pathology: review of anatomy, pathophysiology, imaging findings, and an approach to management

Symptomatic scapulothoracic disorders, including scapulothoracic crepitus and scapulothoracic bursitis are uncommon disorders involving the scapulothoracic articulation that have the potential to cause significant patient morbidity. Scapulothoracic crepitus is the presence of a grinding or popping sound with movement of the scapula that may or may not be symptomatic, while scapulothoracic bursitis refers to inflammation of bursa within the scapulothoracic articulation. Both entities may occur either concomitantly or independently. Nonetheless, the constellation of symptoms manifested by both entities has been referred to as the snapping scapula syndrome. Various causes of scapulothoracic crepitus include bursitis, variable scapular morphology, post-surgical or post-traumatic changes, osseous and soft tissue masses, scapular dyskinesis, and postural defects. Imaging is an important adjunct to the physical examination for accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment management. Non-operative management such as physical therapy and local injection can be effective for symptoms secondary to scapular dyskinesis or benign, non-osseous lesions. Surgical treatment is utilized for osseous lesions, or if non-operative management for bursitis has failed. Open, arthroscopic, or combined methods have been performed with good clinical outcomes.
Portfolio optimisation using constrained hierarchical bayes models1

It is well known that traditional mean-variance optimal portfolio delivers rather erratic and unsatisfactory out-of-sample performance due to the neglect of estimation errors. Constrained solutions...
A Computer Aided Design for an Air Washer and a Dehumidifier Tested against Two Graphical Solutions for Their Applications

A MATLAB code is developed to simulate design criteria used for designing an air washer that operates as a humidifier for air, as well as a dehumidifier. These results, which are based on two practical design examples for the air washer and dehumidifier, are based on previously solved examples using a manual graphical approach as presented in the literature. In the first example, a case of a parallel-flow air washer is used to heat and humidify the outgoing air. In the second example, a counter-flow spray dehumidifier of the air is accomplished where the air is cooled and dehumidified from its initial conditions. The error of the results obtained by this code compared with the manually obtained graphical data is less than 0.24 % and shows the potential use of this computer-based approach for educational purposes so that students can change different parameters and see the outcome of their design criteria on the performance of the air washer and the dehumidifier. With an increase in the number of numerical steps needed to reach the desired design it is shown that the accuracy will increase accordingly.
Recruitment of Intertidal Fishes

The chapter explores recruitment in intertidal fishes, and the ecological arguments that suggest how recruitment processes can be integrated in population and assemblage level dynamics. Recruitment is the process by which larvae establish themselves in the benthic population. The study of recruitment has other implications for both population and genetic structure. The distance that marine propagules, including fish larvae, travel is unknown except for a handful of marine species that have been observed in situ. As larval dispersal is capable of linking disparate populations, both demographically and genetically, understanding dispersal and the fate of recruitment events is critically important to define the geographic extent of populations. The timing of recruitment in intertidal fishes is tightly related to the timing of spawning and the time spent in the plankton, and can be either seasonal or aseasonal. The seasonality often seen in spawning appears to result in a majority of intertidal fishes having a seasonal component to the timing of recruitment.
Free Will in Hamlet?: Shakespeare’s Struggle with the Issues of the Great Debate between Erasmus and Luther

I argue that the Shakespeare of Hamlet was influenced by the debate between Erasmus and Luther on the question of free will. I approach this debate as a record of the tensions within Christian huma...
Trace Amine Associated Receptor 1 (TAAR1) Modulation of Food Reward.

Eating disorders and some forms of obesity are characterized by addictive-like, compulsive eating behavior which contains numerous similarities with compulsive drug use. Food intake is in part mediated by reward and reinforcement processes that can become dysregulated in these disorders. Additionally, impairments in inhibitory control regulation of reward-related responding can cause or further exacerbate binge and compulsive eating. Dysfunctions in two neurotransmitter systems in the mesocorticolimbic pathway, dopamine and glutamate, are thought to contribute to maladaptive eating behaviors. The trace amine associated receptor 1 (TAAR1) system is a promising therapeutic target for compulsive eating behavior due to the role of TAAR1 in synaptic transmission and in the modulation of dopaminergic and glutamatergic signaling. In support of this notion, the TAAR1 agonist RO5256390 was found to decrease the reinforcing effects of palatable food-cues and to reduce binge-like and compulsive-like eating of palatable food. Additionally, prolonged, intermittent access to palatable food was shown to downregulate TAAR1 in the prefrontal cortex, suggesting a potential role for TAAR1 signaling in inhibitory control processes. Research into the role of TAAR1 in addiction, including TAAR1’s ability to modulate psychostimulant reward and reinforcement, bolsters support for TAAR1 agonism as a pharmacological treatment for compulsive eating and other addictive behaviors. This review summarizes the evidence for TAAR1 agonism as a promising therapeutic for compulsive eating behavior as well as the hypothesized mechanism responsible for these effects.
Thoughts: fun and humor in pricing

Pricing a function traditionally associated with analytics, finance, or accounting. As such it is often considered as “cut and dry” with little room for humor and fun. Because of the high level of complexity in the pricing discipline, scholars and practitioners alike recommend change management and change leadership in order to increase adoption and assimilation of pricing practices. The goal is primarily to create user’s emotional connection with pricing in order to convince them to change. Humor and fun are tools that can help with this positive emotional connection and to make pricing changes viral in an organization.
[21] Site-directed mutagenesis by PCR: Substitution, insertion, deletion, and gene fusion

Publisher Summary Site-directed mutagenesis not only allows altering noncoding DNA sequences (e.g., promoter, terminator, and transcription factor-binding elements), but to mutate protein-coding genes and generate mutant proteins. As a result, studies of the relationship between structure and function at either the nucleic acid or the protein level have become enormously efficient and have claimed a major area in recombinant DNA technology. With the advent of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the mid-1980s, it became possible to use plasmid clones directly in mutagenesis in vitro . High-efficiency mutagenesis procedures using modifications of PCR have been reported, which would produce nucleotide substitutions as well as deletions and insertions. In this chapter, the simplest of the available methods is compiled in a comprehensive manner. All the procedures described in the chapter, except enzymatic inverse PCR, are variations of the basic theme of the three-primer, two-PCR mutagenesis procedure, which has been named the megaprimer method.
Spirituality, humanism, and the Overview Effect during manned space missions

Abstract Introduction Many astronauts experience intense emotional reactions to viewing the Earth from space that changes the way they see the planet and humanity's place in the universe. Frank White has described this phenomenon as the Overview Effect. This has been described in both spiritual and humanistic terms. But what exactly is the difference or similarity between these two reactions, and to what extent do these reactions reflect new experiences versus pre-launch values? To answer these questions, a reexamination was made of the findings from our previous study on positive effects of being in space, but with a focus on various aspects of the Overview Effect. Methods The study involved astronauts and cosmonauts recruited from the Association of Space Explorers and the NASA astronaut corps at the Johnson Space Center. A total of 39 respondents completed the Positive Effects of Being in Space questionnaire, which consisted of 36 statements that subjects were asked to evaluate in terms of change they experienced as a result of being in space. Results The questions clustered into 8 subscales. Although all of the respondents had a positive reaction to being in space, the Perceptions of Earth subscale was the only one with a mean score that was significantly different from the others, reflecting a moderate degree of change. The Earth was viewed as a beautiful, fragile object to be treasured, and changes in this perception significantly correlated with a statement that suggested that the respondents became involved in environmental causes after returning home. In addition to these perceptual changes about the Earth, some subjects said that their space experience gave them a better understanding of the unity of humankind and a stronger sense of wonder and appreciation for the Cosmos, but to a small degree of change from pre-launch values. A subscale indicating spiritual change scored last among the 8 subscales, resulting in no to very small change. This might have been due to the fact that many respondents indicated that there was no possibility for change because their feelings about these spiritual issues were already as high as possible before launch. Conclusions The findings from this study provide empirical support for the Overview Effect, suggesting that seeing the Earth from space may cause many astronauts to change their worldview on the fragility of the planet and the unity of humankind. In contrast to this more humanistic reaction, there was essentially no change in spiritual attitudes as a result of being in space. However, some respondents indicated that their spiritual faith was already high pre-launch and could not change any more as a result of their mission.
Impact of adjuvant chemotherapy in non-metastatic node positive bronchial neuroendocrine tumors (BNET).

8533Background: BNET are a rare and frequently indolent group of neoplasms. Lobectomy is frequently done for patients with non-metastatic disease, and the role of adjuvant chemotherapy for patients...
Partial updates

A datastructure instance, e.g. a set or file or record, may be modified independently by different parts of a computer system. The modifications may be nested. Such hierarchies of modifications need to be efficiently checked for consistency and integrated. This is the problem of partial updates in a nutshell. In our first paper on the subject, we developed an algebraic framework which allowed us to solve the partial update problem for some useful datastructures including counters, sets and maps. These solutions are used for the efficient implementation of concurrent data modifications in the specification language AsmL. The two main contributions of this paper are (i) a more general algebraic framework for partial updates and (ii) a solution of the partial update problem for sequences and labeled ordered trees.
Imaging of the Newborn Brain

Neuroimaging enables the evaluation of many aspects of brain maturation, and detection of abnormalities such as malformation and injury. MRI is integral to the diagnostic work-up of congenital and acquired disorders of the central nervous system in newborns, and imaging findings are central to prognostication. This paper reviews techniques to optimize assessment of maturity of the neonatal brain, as well as abnormalities and injuries of the newborn brain that are associated with abnormal neurocognitive development.
Multi-scale models of the heart for patient-specific simulations

Abstract This chapter presents a general overview on computational models of the heart. It focuses on mathematical modeling of the various physiological aspects involved in cardiac function, namely anatomy, electrophysiology, biomechanics, fluid dynamics and fluid structure interaction. Their implementation is described in the next chapter. The goal of this chapter is to give a brief introduction of each physiological system, and examples of mathematical models that have been developed so far by the community, along with their advantages and potential limitations in view of patient-specific simulations.
Computation of Exact Bootstrap Confidence Intervals: Complexity and Deterministic Algorithms

The bootstrap method is one of the major developments in statistics in the 20th century for computing confidence intervals directly from data. However, the bootstrap method is traditionally approxi...
Neutralino annihilation γ-rays from clumps and the LMC

Abstract We discuss the detectability of dark matter clumps in the Milky Way halo due to neutralino annihilation. We then focus on a known “clump”, the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC).
Differentiating Systems and Their Methylation Patterns

The hemoglobin gene Clusters provided the first examples of correlations between DNA methylation and gene function at specific loci. The hemopoietic system consists of populations of several types of cells that are derived by the division of hemopoietic stem cells. The time of differentiation of the stem cells during development is difficult to determine because they have few known distinguishing phenotypes except their potential for seif reproduction and the generation of cells that can differentiate into most, if not all, of the cells which reside in the myloid tissues, primarily bone marrow, and the lymphoid tissues in lymph nodes, spieen and the thymus gland (Till 1981, Siminowitch etal. 1963, Curry and Trentin 1967). The cells of the myloid tissues include three major types of precursor cells: 1. proerythroblasts which divide and differentiate into erythroblasts and ultimately the erythrocytes, 2. myeloblasts which divide and form myelocytes (these continue to divide and differentiate into granulocytes), and 3. megakaryoblasts which divide and differentiate into megakaryocytes (when mature the megakaryocytes fragment into the small blood platelets which lack a nucleus and survive a relatively short time).
Helium Entrapment In Liquid Metal Plasma-Facing Surfaces In Tokamak Fusion Reactors

The ability to use liquids as plasma-facing components (PFCs) surfaces depends on their interaction with the plasma and the strong magnetic field. One important issue for the moving liquid is the ability to entrain particles that strike the surface while accommodating high heat loads. Particle entrapment could determine the viability of specific liquid candidates as successful renewable PFC surfaces. To study this problem, an analytical model is developed and implemented using the HEIGHTS package that takes into account the kinetics of particle injection, motion and interactions with the liquid lattice, and the ultimate release from the surface. An important question is whether He can also be pumped by the liquid rather than using the standard vacuum system approach. Impinging He particles at the low density at PFCs may be harder to pump using the standard pumping techniques. We find, in this analysis, a reasonable chance of adequate helium trapping in flowing lithium as PFC.
Methods for Calculating an LC 50

A variety of graphical and computational methods can be used to derive a median lethal concentration (LC 5 0 ) from concentration-mortality data produced by an acute mortality test. In the selection of a method, practical considerations should receive as much attention as the usual theoretical and statistical considerations. No method should be used that does not calculate both the LC 5 0 and its 95 percent confidence limits. Unfortunately, several computational methods will not calculate an LC 5 0 from some concentration-mortality data that are practically and statistically useful to aquatic toxicologists. Useful, statistically sound information about the LC 5 0 and its 95 percent confidence limits can be calculated from the data produced by any acute mortality test that meets published criteria of acceptability, by using an internally consistent scheme based on the moving average method and the binomial test.
METHODS FOR STUDYING CELL DIVISION IN HIGHER PLANTS

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the methods for studying cell division in higher plants. The study of mitosis and cytokinesis in cells of higher plants has a long and distinguished history. From the outset, the distinct parallels in mitotic processes between plant and animal cells have been apparent, leading to the conclusion that a similar substructure and mechanism underlies both. However, it was also recognized early that there are notable differences. Mitotic plant cells, for example, generally do not possess a centrosome or a highly focused spindle apparatus at the mitotic poles. During anaphase they also generally exhibit chromosome to pole motion (anaphase A) but with little pole separation (anaphase B) when compared to animal cells. Further, they accomplish cytokinesis by forming a phragmoplast and cell plate within the cell interior, which then grows outward, rather than by inward furrowing as occurs typically in animal cells. Indeed, the process of cytokinesis and cell plate formation determines the plane of division and thus plays a crucial role in defining cell shape and tissue morphogenesis for which a parallel event is not so evident in animal cells. It is for these and all the other obvious reasons that the study of cell division in plants is both interesting and important.
Reason, Liberalism, and Democratic Education: A Deweyan Approach to Teaching About Homosexuality

Teaching about homosexuality, especially in a positive light, has long been held to be a controversial issue. There is, however, a view of the capacity for reason that finds that those who deem homosexuality to be controversial will ultimately contradict themselves, becoming unreasonable. By this standard of reason, homosexuality should be treated as non controversial in schools. In this essay, John Petrovic argues that this epistemic position is problematic. Instead, he defends a Deweyan epistemology that casts reason as, in part, a set of socially acquired habits of mind. People who have been socialized into heterosexist habits of mind must be exposed to counterhegemonic discourses. One such discourse can be found in the public values of liberal democracy through which the practice of reason must be pursued. Petrovic discusses the practical guidance provided by assuming a view of normative reason versus habituated reason in terms of both pedagogy and curriculum.
Postmenopausal hyperandrogenism caused by a benign cystic teratoma: a case report.

Background Mature, benign cystic teratomas of the ovary are common in reproductive-age women, but they are very rarely associated with androgen production and subsequent development of hirsutism or virilization. We describe a case of postmenopausal hirsutism and hyperandrogenism caused by a mature cystic teratoma as well as the 7 previously reported cases. Case A 55-year-old, postmenopausal woman presented with hirsutism and unilateral lower extremity edema. Pelvic ultrasound showed a complex cystic mass in the left ovary measuring 6.0 x 7.0 x 10 cm, and laboratory evaluations revealed progressively increasing testosterone levels. The patient underwent total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, with resection of a large, complex mass originating in the left ovary. The pathology department found 2 left, mature ovarian cystic teratomas containing a layer of Leydig cells. Postoperatively the patient experienced rapid normalization of the elevated testosterone level. Conclusion Although rare, ovarian production of androgens resulting in hirsutism or virilization can occur with a hormonally active mature cystic teratoma.
Inhibition of 7,12-Dimethylbenz(a)anthracene- and N-Nitrosomethylurea-induced Rat Mammary Cancer by Dietary Flavonol Quercetin

The effects of dietary supplementation of flavonol quercetin on both 7,12-dimethylbenz( a )anthracene (DMBA)- and N -nitrosomethylurea-induced mammary cancer in female Sprague-Dawley rats were determined. Quercetin diet was started 1 wk before intragastric instillation of DMBA (65 mg/kg of body weight) or i.v. injection of N -nitrosomethylurea (50 mg/kg of body weight) and was continued during the entire period (20 wk) of the experiment. Dietary quercetin inhibited both the incidence and the number of palpable rat mammary tumors; rats fed on 2% quercetin had 25% less incidence of mammary cancer, while the average number of mammary tumors per rat was reduced by 39% at 20 wk post-DMBA administration compared to animals on a control diet. In a separate experiment, a 5% quercetin diet elicited a greater inhibitory effect on the induction of rat mammary tumors by DMBA than was observed with a 2% quercetin diet. The inhibitory effect of quercetin on mammary tumor incidence in rats on 2% and 5% diets and on tumor multiplicity in animals on a 5% diet was statistically significant ( P < 0.05). In addition, the risk of the development of a palpable tumor (as determined by the nonparametric estimate of the hazard function) in the quercetin-fed group was lower than the group on control diet throughout the course of the experiment. Furthermore, 5% dietary quercetin significantly inhibited ( P < 0.05), although to a lesser extent than observed in DMBA-induced tumor formation, both the incidence and the number of palpable mammary tumors per rat induced by N -nitrosomethylurea. Dietary quercetin did not elicit any detectable sign of toxicity. The gain in body weight in rats on the quercetin diet and the quantity of diet consumed per rat per week were similar to those for rats on the control diet.