cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Process and collaboration: Assessing digital humanities work through an embedded lens

To assess the implications of supporting and participating in a digital humanities project team as embedded subject librarians, those involved must examine the dynamic of the group responsible for ...
Dynamic shear rheology and structure kinetics modeling of a thixotropic carbon black suspension

The rheological characterization of a model, nearly ideal thixotropic carbon black suspension first proposed by Dullaert and Mewis (JNNFM 139: 21–30, 2006) is extended to include large amplitude oscillatory shear (LAOS) flow, shear flow reversal, and unidirectional LAOS flow (UD-LAOS). We show how this broader data set is useful for validating and improving constitutive models of thixotropy. We apply this new data to further test a recently developed structure-kinetics model, the Modified Delaware Thixotropy Model (Armstrong et al., J Rheol. 60: 433–450, 2016a), as well as to better understand the microstructural basis and validity of strain-rate superposition methods proposed for soft solids. This comparison identifies the limitations of models based on a scalar description of microstructure, which cannot fully capture the reversal of flow directionality inherent in LAOS flow. Further, we use the model to identify a possible microstructural justification for the hypothesized technique of strain-rate frequency superposition in soft solids.
Mechanisms of action of antiseizure drugs.

Abstract This chapter reviews the current understanding of how each of the marketed antiseizure drugs acts on brain mechanisms to protect against seizures. Although the actions of each antiseizure drug have unique characteristics and some drugs may act by multiple mechanisms, the anticonvulsant actions of these drugs can be grouped into four broad categories. These are: (1) modulation of voltage-dependent sodium, calcium or potassium channels; (2) alterations in GABAergic inhibition via actions on GABA A receptors or on GABA synthesis, reuptake, or degradation; (3) decreased synaptic excitation via actions on ionotropic glutamate receptors; and (4) modulation of neurotransmitter release via presynaptic mechanisms. For some antiseizure drugs, the mechanism remains at least partially unknown. An understanding of mechanism may serve as a guide to clinicians as to the seizure types and syndromes that a particular drug may or may not be useful to treat. However, empirical clinical validation is required as the mechanism is not a foolproof predictor of clinical utility. Another use of mechanistic knowledge is to determine rational combinations of drugs for polytherapy. Finally, an understanding of the mechanism may allow the identification of new molecules that act in a mechanistically similar fashion but have improved properties.
Cognition-Cognizant Sentiment Analysis With Multitask Subjectivity Summarization Based on Annotators' Gaze Behavior.

For document level sentiment analysis (SA), Subjectivity Extraction, ie., extracting the relevant subjective portions of the text that cover the overall sentiment expressed in the document, is an important step. Subjectivity Extraction, however, is a hard problem for systems, as it demands a great deal of world knowledge and reasoning. Humans, on the other hand, are good at extracting relevant subjective summaries from an opinionated document (say, a movie review), while inferring the sentiment expressed in it. This capability is manifested in their eye-movement behavior while reading: words pertaining to the subjective summary of the text attract a lot more attention in the form of gaze-fixations and/or saccadic patterns. We propose a multi-task deep neural framework for document level sentiment analysis that learns to predict the overall sentiment expressed in the given input document, by simultaneously learning to predict human gaze behavior and auxiliary linguistic tasks like part-of-speech and syntactic properties of words in the document. For this, a multi-task learning algorithm based on multi-layer shared LSTM augmented with task specific classifiers is proposed. With this composite multi-task network, we obtain performance competitive with or better than state-of-the-art approaches in SA. Moreover, the availability of gaze predictions as an auxiliary output helps interpret the system better; for instance, gaze predictions reveal that the system indeed performs subjectivity extraction better, which accounts for improvement in document level sentiment analysis performance.
Marine Algae (Seaweeds) Associated with Coral Reefs in the Gulf

The extreme conditions in the Gulf makes it a very inhospitable environment for marine organisms including hard reef-building corals, other animals and benthic plants (including seaweeds). The annual fluctuations in seawater temperature and salinity in its extensive shallows are more extreme than encountered in coastal waters elsewhere. The low biological diversity of the Gulf is not only a consequence of the amplitude (at least 25°C) but several other factors, including the very high summer seawater temperature (>35°C) especially in the southern Gulf. Inshore salinity is also important and sometimes reaches 55 ppm in the summer and is significantly lower in the most northerly parts where there are inputs from rivers in Iraq and Iran, the most significant being the Tigris/Euphrates. Two episodes of coral bleaching in the southern Gulf in summer 1996 and 1998 resulted in widespread mortality of reef-building corals. Later bleaching events occurred in 2002 (mainly in the southern Gulf), 2007 (mainly Iran) and throughout the Gulf in 2010 (see Baker et al. 2008; Riegl and Purkis 2009, chapters 5 and 6). These were all the result of prolonged periods of seawater temperature above the long-term average maximum (George and John 2005).
NMDA as well as non-NMDA receptors in phrenic nucleus mediate respiratory effects of carotid chemoreflex

An in vivo model was used to identify the transmitter/receptor mechanisms in the phrenic nucleus that mediate carotid chemoreceptor responses. Adult male Wistar rats, anesthetized with urethan, were fixed in a stereotaxic instrument, and the blood pressure and heart rate were monitored. The rats were immobilized and artificially ventilated to maintain the end-tidal CO2 at 4.5-5%. The vagus nerves were bilaterally sectioned, and a pneumothorax was produced. Activity was recorded from one of the phrenic nerves. The spinal cord was exposed from C1 to T1 vertebral level. The dorsal and ventral rootlets of spinal nerves C3, C5, and C6, ipsilateral to the phrenic nerve from which electrical activity was recorded, were sectioned; the dorsal and ventral roots of spinal nerve C4 were left intact. Thus the phrenic nerve bursts recorded in this preparation represented output from a portion of the phrenic nucleus located in the ipsilateral C4 spinal segment. Carotid chemoreceptor stimulation by N2 inhalation increased the amplitude as well as the frequency of phrenic nerve bursts. Microinjections (50 nl) of a specific N-methyl-d-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptor antagonist (D(-)-2-amino-7-phosphonoheptanoic acid, AP-7, 50-100 mM) into the phrenic nucleus decreased the N2-induced increase in amplitude, but not the frequency, of phrenic nerve bursts. Likewise microinjections of a specific non-NMDA receptor antagonist (1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-6-nitro-2,3-dioxobenzoquinoxaline-7-sulfonamid e, NBQX, 0.5-1 mM) into the phrenic nucleus decreased the N2-induced increase in phrenic nerve burst amplitude. When AP-7 and NBQX were microinjected into the phrenic nucleus sequentially within an interval of 5 min, a drastic reduction in the N2-induced increase in phrenic nerve burst amplitude was observed. These observations suggest that both NMDA and non-NMDA receptors located in the phrenic nucleus are involved in the mediation of phrenic nerve responses to the carotid chemoreceptor stimulation.
An Empirical Investigation of the Effects of Gender and Quantity of Search Results on Web-Based Impression Formation

The ease and convenience of Web-based search engines has fundamentally changed information gathering and use and given rise to tangible and significant effects in the way we form impressions of others. This study explores how the quantity of relevant search engine results affects individuals' selection of potential partners in a team project scenario. Experimental data reveals a distinct bias favoring potential partners associated with many results as compared to those with few results, even when the results are devoid of meaningful individuating value, assuming the proportion of social media occurrences is held constant. By contrast, there was no evidence of effect from gender stereotyping as would be expected due to social categorization tendencies in contexts that provide minimal discriminating information such as the experimental scenario. Indeed there was only minimal evidence of gender effect in interaction with the result quantity factor, further highlighting the relative predominance of the latter. Findings help underscore the value of managing one's online identity and hold implications for professionals, academics and individuals concerned with how the Web affects the way we form impressions of others.
Introduction for Law and Politics: Critical Concepts in Political Science

The scholarly study of law and politics is a growing and diverse field. The range of scholarship in the area reflects the wide scope of issues and questions that are relevant to the field of law and politics and that invite new and further study. The diversity of scholarly interest in law and politics also reflects the interdisciplinary conversation that the field invites. Law and Politics covers this ground as a new title in the Routledge series, Critical Concepts in Political Science. Along with a new introduction by the editor, the four-volume collection brings together the best of canonical and cutting-edge works in the field. It provides a comprehensive introduction to the field of law and politics and will stand as an essential research resource for scholars and students alike. The first volume in the collection focuses on jurisprudence and constitutionalism and assembles key works examining such basic question as what is law and what purposes do constitutions serve. The second volume turns its attention to how courts operate and how judges make their decisions, examining the judicial process from trial courts to appellate courts. The third volume focuses on the relationship between law and society and takes up the intersection between the legal process and social actors, considering such issues as how ordinary people think about the law and how legal compliance works. The final volume considers law, courts and politics in an international and comparative perspective, bringing together research on such topics as the foundations of judicial independence and the relationship between law and economic development. This introduction overviews the development and current contours of the field of law and politics.
Nuclear pore heterogeneity influences HIV-1 infection and the antiviral activity of MX2

HIV-1 accesses the nuclear DNA of interphase cells via a poorly defined process involving functional interactions between the capsid protein (CA) and nucleoporins (Nups). Here, we show that HIV-1 CA can bind multiple Nups, and that both natural and manipulated variation in Nup levels impacts HIV-1 infection in a manner that is strikingly dependent on cell-type, cell-cycle, and cyclophilin A (CypA). We also show that Nups mediate the function of the antiviral protein MX2, and that MX2 can variably inhibit non-viral NLS function. Remarkably, both enhancing and inhibiting effects of cyclophilin A and MX2 on various HIV-1 CA mutants could be induced or abolished by manipulating levels of the Nup93 subcomplex, the Nup62 subcomplex, NUP88, NUP214, RANBP2, or NUP153. Our findings suggest that several Nup-dependent 'pathways' are variably exploited by HIV-1 to target host DNA in a cell-type, cell-cycle, CypA and CA-sequence dependent manner, and are differentially inhibited by MX2.
P029 A case of acute tubular necrosis, antibody mediated rejection, or both

We investigated the cause of impaired allograft function in the case of biopsy-proven Acute Tubular Necrosis (ATN) with C4d deposits, in the absence of other Antibody Mediated Rejection (AMR) features. ATN, an acute injury of renal tubular epithelial cells, occurs more often in deceased donor transplants (Tx) due to ischemia and nephrotoxic drugs.[a]Distinguishing ATN from an acute immunological rejection [AMR or cellular] immediately after the Tx is crucial yet challenging, due to the possibility of both occurring simultaneously. The delay in anti-rejection treatment could result in an irreversible damage to the allograft. A 42-year-old male received a kidney from an ABO compatible, HLA mismatched, deceased donor. Although, HLA DSAs of low intensity were present prior to the Tx, flow XM was negative. Two weeks post-Tx, patient experienced acute shutdown of kidney function (eGFR
Weight Loss in Adolescents After Bariatric Surgery: A Systematic Review.

Introduction Bariatric surgery is a treatment option for the obese adolescent. There are three primary surgical procedures: the bypass, sleeve gastrectomy, and lap band. The most recent literature was reviewed to examine changes in weight, comorbidities, and complications after bariatric surgery in the adolescent. Method A systematic search was performed to identify original research articles published in the United States between the years of 2000 and 2017 with patients between the ages of 11 and 21 years that provided greater than 30 days of results. Results A total of 23 articles were identified. Weight loss, improvement in comorbidities, and complications after all procedures were reported. Discussion Outcomes were not reported in a standardized fashion, creating much difficulty in interpreting and comparing results. The sleeve gastrectomy is increasing in incidence, whereas the lap band is decreasing. Further research is needed to draw more definitive conclusions regarding long-term results in the adolescent undergoing bariatric surgery.
Observing Mathematical Learning Experiences in Preschool.

ABSTRACTIt is widely understood that preschool should provide children the mathematical foundational skills necessary for later success. This study examines seven preschool teachers and their use o...
Specific targeting of somatostatin receptor subtype-2 for fluorescence-guided surgery

Purpose: Clinically available intraoperative imaging tools to assist surgeons in identifying occult lesions are limited and partially responsible for the high rate of disease recurrence in patients with neuroendocrine tumors (NET). Using the established clinical efficacy of radiolabeled somatostatin analogs as a model, we demonstrate the ability of a fluorescent somatostatin analog to selectively target tumors that overexpress somatostatin receptor subtype-2 (SSTR2) and demonstrate utility for fluorescence-guided surgery (FGS). Experimental Design: A multimodality chelator (MMC) was used as a “radioactive linker” to synthesize the fluorescently labeled somatostatin analog, 67/68Ga-MMC(IR800)-TOC. In vivo studies were performed to determine the pharmacokinetic profile, optimal imaging time point, and specificity for SSTR2-expressing tissues. Meso- and microscopic imaging of resected tissues and frozen sections were also performed to further assess specific binding, and binding to human NETs was examined using surgical biospecimens from patients with pancreatic NETs. Results: Direct labeling with 67Ga/68Ga provided quantitative biodistribution analysis that was in agreement with fluorescence data. Receptor-mediated uptake was observed in vivo and ex vivo at the macro-, meso-, and microscopic scales. Surgical biospecimens from patients with pancreatic NETs also displayed receptor-specific agent binding, allowing clear delineation of tumor boundaries that matched pathology findings. Conclusions: The radioactive utility of the MMC allowed us to validate the binding properties of a novel FGS agent that could have a broad impact on cancer outcomes by equipping surgeons with real-time intraoperative imaging capabilities.
Epigenetic Mechanisms of Pancreatobiliary Fibrosis.

The goal of this manuscript is to review the current literature related to fibrogenesis in the pancreatobiliary system and how this process contributes to pancreatic and biliary diseases. In particular, we seek to define the current state of knowledge regarding the epigenetic mechanisms that govern and regulate tissue fibrosis in these organs. A better understanding of these underlying molecular events will set the stage for future epigenetic therapeutics. We highlight the significant advances that have been made in defining the pathogenesis of pancreatobiliary fibrosis as it relates to chronic pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, and the fibro-obliterative cholangiopathies. We also review the cell types involved as well as concepts related to epithelial-mesenchymal crosstalk. Furthermore, we outline important signaling pathways (e.g., TGFβ) and diverse epigenetic processes (i.e., DNA methylation, non-coding RNAs, histone modifications, and 3D chromatin remodeling) that regulate fibrogenic gene networks in these conditions. We review a growing body of scientific evidence linking epigenetic regulatory events to fibrotic disease states in the pancreas and biliary system. Advances in this understudied area will be critical toward developing epigenetic pharmacological approaches that may lead to more effective treatments for these devastating and difficult to treat disorders.
Multiscale modeling of ventricular–vascular dysfunction in pulmonary arterial hypertension

Abstract Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a vasculopathy of the lungs characterized by cellular and structural changes that increase vascular resistance, causing an increase in right-ventricular afterload that can lead to ventricular hypertrophy and remodeling, and heart failure. The prognosis of PAH is very poor and the underlying causes remain untreatable. Since PAH is a disease involving the heart and pulmonary vasculature and multiple scales of biological organization, a quantitative understanding of PAH requires multiphysics, multiscale mathematical models that integrate from the molecular to cellular, tissue, organ, and system scales. In this review, we highlight the most recent modeling efforts by scale and discuss new models that will be needed to develop a fully integrated multiscale and multiphysics analysis of the heart and lungs in PAH.
Determining occupancy at various admission rates, lengths of stay.

(1969). Determining occupancy at various admission rates, lengths of stay. Hospital Topics: Vol. 47, No. 12, pp. 37-39.
Not Fade Away: Mechanisms of Neuronal ATP Homeostasis.

In this issue of Neuron, Ashrafi et al. (2020) identify a feedforward signaling mechanism that couples neuronal activity to the homeostatic maintenance of axonal and synaptic ATP production. This mechanism is achieved via changes in cytoplasmic calcium and activation of brain-specific, mitochondrial MICU3.
Ultrafast assembly and healing of nanomaterial networks on polymer substrates for flexible hybrid electronics

Abstract High throughput manufacturing of regenerable nanomaterial-based flexible electronics represents an extreme challenge. Here we demonstrate a rapid and eco-friendly assembly and regeneration of nanomaterial networks (films) on a hydrophobic polymer substrate (i.e., polydimethylsiloxane) from a sonicated dispersion of hydrophobic nanoparticles in water. The self-limiting sono dip coating (SDC) assembly is characterized by an ultrafast withdrawal speed (16 m/min, one to five orders of magnitude greater than that of existing nanomaterial dip-coating processes) and insensitivity to substrate geometry. It is applicable to a wide range of hydrophobic nanomaterials, from graphene to carbon nanotubes and poly (methyl methacrylate) nanoparticles. The sono healing method requires only 1 min sonication in water to regenerate graphene/polydimethylsiloxane strain sensors. Furthermore, the SDC can be combined with other nanomaterial deposition methods (e.g., electroplating) to build heterostructures and integrated devices.
The PACT Act: A Step in the Right Direction on the Path to Animal Welfare

In 2010, President Obama signed into law a bill proscribing the distribution of so-called "animal crush" videos, but that law only banned the video distribution, not the depicted cruelty itself. Congress took action to help remedy this when it passed the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture (PACT) Act in November 2019. This short commentary examines some of the benefits and deficiencies of the PACT Act and what it means for the future of animal law. It is available on the JURIST website.
Dynamic Assessment of Femoroacetabular Impingement Syndrome Hips.

Purpose The purpose of our study was to compare lower extremity rotational kinematics and kinetics (angles, torques, and powers) and hip muscle electromyography (EMG) activity between cam-type femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS) and age- and sex-matched controls during walking, fast walking, stair ascent, stair descent, and sit-to-stand. Methods This study included 10 males with unilateral FAIS and 10 control males with no FAIS. We measured kinematics, kinetics, and electromyographic signals during stair ascent/descent, sit-to-stand, self-selected walk, and fast walk. Peak signal differences between groups were compared with independent t-tests with statistical significance when P Results FAIS hips showed significant differences compared to controls, including increased hip flexion during walking (+4.9°, P = .048) and stair ascent (+7.8°, P =.003); diminished trunk rotation during stair ascent (−3.4°; P = .015), increased knee flexion during self-selected walking (+5.1°, P = .009), stair ascent (+7.4°, P = .001), and descent (+5.3°, P = .038); and increased knee valgus during fast walking (+4.7°, P = .038). gMed and MedHam showed significantly decreased activation in FAIS during walking (gMed: −12.9%, P = .002; MedHam: −7.4%, P = .028) and stair ascent (gMed: −16.7%, P = .036; MedHam: −13.0%, P = .041); decreased gMed activation during sit-to-stand (−8.8%, P = .004) and decreased MedHam activation during stair descent (−8.0%, P = .039). Conclusions Three-dimensional motion analysis and EMG evaluation of functional kinematics and kinetics in subjects with symptomatic unilateral cam-type FAIS across a spectrum of provocative tasks demonstrated significant differences compared to controls in hip flexion, trunk rotation, knee flexion, and valgus. FAIS hips had significantly decreased gMed and MedHam activity. These findings may explain altered torso-pelvic, hip, and knee mechanics in FAIS patients and suggest that evaluation of FAIS should include the patient’s hip, knee, and torso-pelvic relationships and muscle function. Clinical Relevance The clinical and functional manifestation of FAIS hip pathomechanics is not entirely understood, and previous literature to date has not clearly described the alterations in gait and functional movements seen in patients with cam-type FAIS. The current study used 3D motion analysis and EMG evaluation of functional kinematics and kinetics to identify a number of differences between FAIS and control hips, which help us better understand the lower extremity kinematics and kinetics and muscle activation in FAIS.
Inverse Biot–Savart Optimization for Superconducting Accelerator Magnets

Superconducting (SC) magnets for accelerator concepts are often synthesized by numerically optimizing magnetic field waveforms, a process that requires a subsequent solution of a constrained inverse problem to identify suitable SC magnet windings. When the desired field distribution is intuitive, the inverse process is facilitated by seeding preconceived coil distributions into design optimization methods for refinement. With more complex magnetic field distributions, an initial design may be unknown, and topology optimization tools are required to synthesize current distributions without a priori guidance from a subject matter expert. In this work, we develop a constrained inverse Biot–Savart topology optimization methodology that synthesizes optimal distributions of current density in racetrack-like SC coils. The problem structure is exploited through a computationally efficient quadratic programming formulation, and the method is applied to recently published magnetic field waveforms for a recirculating proton phase shifter, a proton therapy gantry, and dipole magnets with sharp field transitions. The method and results herein identify novel winding configurations that can help magnet designers bring accelerator concepts to fruition.
Sino-German Relations, Historiography, and Organization

This introduction addresses the three following topics. The first section provides a brief overview of the history of Sino-German relations between 1890 and 1950 through the opposing frames of antagonism and cooperation. Sino-German relations around 1900 may have been initially antagonistic, but from 1905 their relations steadily improved until World War I ended German colonialism in China. Following the war they established a strong, cooperative relationship premised on equality, which reached its peak in 1928–1938, but the relationship lacked a clear political foundation. The second section examines the historiographical landscape concerning Sino-German relations from 1890 to 1950. It reviews select monographs and edited volumes which have appeared in the last twenty years. While this research still tends to orient its focus on German colonialism, mission, trade, and diplomacy, there is also evidence of growing diversification within the field and the emergence of new topics. The third section explains the structure of this volume and presents the key arguments of the chapters in it. The topics addressed are quite diverse, ranging from politics and diplomacy, business, medical mission, pedagogy, and social theory to psychoanalysis, literature, music, and film. Adopting a transnational or global historical approach, this edited volume focuses on interactions, cross-cultural connections, bi-directional cultural flows, entanglements, and forms of hybridity in Sino-German relations.
Prosodic and segmental information effects on perceived accentedness of native and non-native speech

Studies on the effects of prosodic information on perception of accent have investigated the ability of listeners to distinguish between accent varieties using prosodic cues in the absence of segmental information. The present study examined how prosodic and segmental information impact perception of accentedness. Specifically, we examined how listeners perceive accentedness of low-pass filtered and unfiltered speech, as low-pass filtered speech isolates prosody while removing segmental information. Native speaker English participants were exposed to speech from 1 of 4 conditions: unfiltered English produced by native English talkers, low-pass filtered English produced by native English talkers, unfiltered English produced by native Mandarin talkers, or low-pass filtered English produced by native Mandarin talkers. Participants rated each sentence with Likert scale responses from 1 (native speaker of English with no non-native accent) to 9 (strong non-native accent). Unfiltered native English speech received the lowest accentedness ratings and unfiltered Mandarin the highest. Low-pass filtered speech from all talkers was rated as intermediate between the two unfiltered conditions regardless of talker. These findings suggest that when making assessments of speaker accentedness, listeners make finer distinctions through the use of segmental information than they do with prosodic information.
On the Non-Termination of Ruppert's Algorithm

A planar straight-line graph which causes the non-termination Ruppert's algorithm for a minimum angle threshold larger than about 29.5 degrees is given. The minimum input angle of this example is about 74.5 degrees meaning that failure is not due to small input angles. Additionally, a similar non-acute input is given for which Chew's second algorithm does not terminate for a minimum angle threshold larger than about 30.7 degrees.
External cavity, actively mode-locked GCSEL and amplification characteristics of GCSOA (grating coupled surface emitting semiconductor optical amplifier)

In this paper, we demonstrate an external cavity, active mode-locked GCSEL and amplification characteristics of grating coupled surface emitting semiconductor optical amplifier (GCSOA) using a c.w. external cavity grating coupled surface emitting laser (GCSEL). The experimental results represent a significant a step towards high power optical pulse generation using semiconductor lasers.
The Cloning and Production of Recombinant Human Erythropoietin

The production of recombinant human erythropoietin (r-HuEPO) began with a search for the gene coding for human erythropoietin (EPO). Two radiolabeled pools of oligonucleotide probes were designed, based on amino acid sequence information obtained from human urinary EPO. Each probe, consisting of complex mixtures of 128 short synthetic sequences of DNA, was used to search a human genomic library for clones containing the human EPO gene sequence. To verify that the isolated clones contained the complete functional gene encoding human EPO, these sequences were expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells, and the secreted r-HuEPO was purified, characterized, and compared with the human urinary hormone using a variety of different techniques. Results of these studies indicate that r-HuEPO is virtually indistinguishable from human urinary EPO in its biochemical and immunological properties. It is a 165-amino acid protein whose primary sequence is identical to that of urine-derived EPO. The subsequent development of large-scale cell culture and production techniques has made available sufficient amounts of r-HuEPO for clinical use in the treatment of the debilitating anemia that almost invariably accompanies chronic renal failure.
Ensuring data storage security against frequency-based attacks in wireless networks

As wireless networks become more pervasive, the amount of the wireless data is rapidly increasing. One of the biggest challenges is how to store these data. To address this challenge, distributed data storage in wireless networks has attracted much attention recently, as it has major advantages over centralized approaches. To support the widespread adoption of distributed data storage, secure data storage must be achieved. In this work, we study the frequency-based attack, a type of attack that is different from previously well-studied ones, that exploits additional adversary knowledge to crack the encrypted data. To cope with frequency-based attacks, the straightforward 1-to-1 substitution encryption functions are not sufficient. We propose a data encryption strategy based on 1-to-n substitution via dividing and emulating techniques such that an attacker cannot derive the mapping relationship between the encrypted data and the original data based on their knowledge of domain values and their occurrence frequency. Our simulation results show that our data encryption strategy can achieve high security guarantee with low overhead.
Driving Spaces, by Peter Merriman: (2007). Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing, 320 pp., $42.95

Peter Merriman's Driving Spaces begins in the late 1800s and early 1900s with arguments for the need for motorways in Brittan, and continues through the design, construction, and consumption of Bri...
Thermal characterization of fluorescent fixtures

The author discusses a new application for a computer program called Lights, i.e., modeling the thermal characterization of fluorescent fixtures. This program is a powerful tool for the fixture designer because it handles the interaction between thermal heat transfer and lumen output of the fixture. The designer is able to evaluate changes in ballast location, lamp types, geometry of fixture, and material of construction. The program can run on a PC and the number of nodes can be selected depending on accuracy. The author shows the ease of using this computer program and outlines the effect of the number of lamps on the temperatures within the fixture as an example. >
Mechanical properties of SiC fiber-reinforced reaction-bonded Si3N4 composites

The room temperature mechanical and physical properties of silicon carbide fiber reinforced reaction-bonded silicon nitride composites (SiC/RBSN) have been evaluated. The composites contained 23 and 40 volume fraction of aligned 140 micro m diameter chemically vapor deposited SiC fibers. Preliminary results for composite tensile and bend strengths and fracture strain indicate that the composites displayed excellent properties when compared with unreinforced RBSN of comparable porosity. Fiber volume fraction showed little influence on matrix first cracking strain but did influence the stressed required for matrix first cracking and for ultimate composite fracture strength. It is suggested that by reducing matrix porosity and by increasing the volume fraction of the large diameter SiC fiber, it should be possible to further improve the composite stress at which the matrix first cracks.
Chapter 12 Genetic Modification of Plant Cells Through Uptake of Foreign DNA

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the uptake, fate, and biologic expression of foreign genetic material in plants. It discusses several major breakthroughs and new genetic technologies. In the uptake of DNA by plants, the recipient is exposed to donor DNA that is tagged by some physical marker, such as radioactivity, density, or both. After a period of incubation and washing or deoxyribonuclease (DNase) treatment to remove the external DNA, the recipient is ground up, the DNA is extracted, and the presence of the donor DNA is demonstrated. To detect the synthesis of new donor DNA molecules, unlabeled heteropycnic DNA can be fed to the plants, which are subsequently labeled with suitable radioactive precursors of DNA synthesis. Besides the nuclease barrier, foreign DNA is confronted by an apparent genetic barrier. In bacteria, there are specific restriction–modification systems that exclude foreign DNA. In the eukaryotic system, foreign DNA may undergo direct intranuclear destruction, may be lost by chromosome elimination or by crossing over and excision, or may be rendered inoperative by heterochromatization.
The P_0-matrix completion problem

In this paper the P0-matrix completion problem is considered. It is established that every asymmetric partial P0-matrix has P0-completion. All 4 × 4 patterns that include all diagonal positions are classified as either having P0-completion or not having P0-completion. It is shown that any positionally symmetric pattern whose graph is an n-cycle with n ≥ 5h asP0-completion.
Truth Telling Through Research

Urban Girls Revisited: Building Strengths. BONNIE J. ROSS LEADBEATER & NIOBE WAY (EDS.). New York: New York University Press, 2007. 381 pp., $70.00 (hardcover), ISBN: 0814752128; $24.00, (paperback) ISBN: 0814752136.
SEROLOGICAL RELATIONSHIPS AMONG HUMAN MYCOPLASMAS AS SHOWN BY COMPLEMENT-FIXATION AND GEL DIFFUSION

Taylor-Robinson, David (National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md.), Norman L. Somerson, Horace C. Turner, and Robert M. Chanock. Serological relationships among human mycoplasmas as shown by complement-fixation and gel diffusion. J. Bacteriol. 85:1261-1273. 1963.-Antigenic relationships among human mycoplasmas were studied by complement-fixation and agar gel diffusion techniques. Four recognized human species Mycoplasma hominis type 1, M. hominis type 2, M. salivarium, and M. fermentans were antigenically distinct in these tests. In addition, M. pneumoniae (Eaton agent, the etiological agent of cold agglutinin-positive atypical pneumonia) was different from these four species. Although these species were distinct, evidence of shared antigenic components was obtained in complement-fixation and agar gel diffusion tests. Since rabbits were immunized with mycoplasmas grown in rabbit muscle infusion broth supplemented with rabbit serum or, in the case of M. pneumoniae, with infected chick embryo lung suspension, the possibility that the heterologous reactions resulted from antibody to growth medium components could be excluded. Four recent mycoplasma isolates from the oropharynx were analyzed, and three were shown to be closely related to M. hominis type 1, and the fourth was closely related to M. salivarium. Although the recent isolates could not be distinguished from the related "prototype" human species by complement-fixation, differences could be detected by the agar gel diffusion technique.
COFFEE DRINKING AND MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION IN YOUNG WOMEN

The effect of consumption of caffeine-containing coffee on the risk of myocardial infarction in women 30-49 years of age was investigated. In this study 487 patients with first infarctions were compared with 980 controls whose admissions were for acute emergencies. Overall and in various subgroups, coffee drinking and myocardial infarction were weakly and not significantly associated: the overall estimated relative risk for women drinking at least five cups daily, compared with women drinking none, was 1.4 after control for all identified potential confounding factors (95% confidence interval, 1.0-1.9). Also, the frequency of coffee drinking was greater among controls, whose admissions were for acute emergencies, than among other patients without myocardial infarction, most of whom had been admitted for chronic conditions. If patients of the latter type tend to avoid coffee, then their inclusion in the control series of previous hospital-based studies may have led to overestimation of the magnitude of the association between coffee and myocardial infarction.
Regulated Necrotic Cell Death: The Passive Aggressive Side of Bax and Bak

Although the molecular effectors of apoptotic cell death have been largely annotated over the past 30 years, leading to a strong biological understanding of this process and its importance in cell biology, cell death through necrosis has only recently been accepted as a similarly regulated process with definable molecular effectors. The mitochondria are important and central mediators of both apoptosis and regulated necrosis. In apoptosis, the B-cell leukemia/lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) family members Bcl-2-associated protein x (Bax) and Bcl-2 homologues antagonist/killer (Bak) undergo oligomerization in the outer mitochondrial membrane resulting in the release of apoptosis inducing substrates and the activation of caspases and nucleases. In contrast, during necrosis the mitochondria become dysfunctional and maladaptive in conjunction with reactive oxygen species production and the loss of ATP production, in part through opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore. Although regulated necrosis is caspase-independent, recent evidence has shown that it still requires the apoptotic regulators Bax/Bak, which can regulate the permeability characteristics of the outer mitochondrial membrane in their nonoligomerized state. Here, we review the nonapoptotic side of Bcl-2 family, specifically the role of Bax/Bak in regulated necrotic cell death. We will also discuss how these Bcl-2 family member effectors could be part of a larger integrated network that ultimately decides the fate of a given cell somewhere within a molecular continuum between apoptosis and regulated necrosis.
Thymocyte‐dependent immunity to toxoplasmosis in the normal and immunocompromised guinea‐pig host

Summary Guinea-pigs made T-cell deficient by thymectomy and irradiation, and protected with syngeneic bone marrow cells (TXB) have a greatly reduced capacity to express normal cell-mediated immune functions, based on their poor responses to T-cell mitogens, prolonged acceptance of skin allografts, and susceptibility to the lethal effects of graft-versus-host disease. Further evidence for impaired T-cell activity in TXB guinea pigs was based on their inability to be fully sensitized to mycobacterial antigens, and increased susceptibility to an intradermally induced infection with the intracellular protozoan parasite, Toxoplasma gondii (RH strain). After challenge at multiple sites with 106 or 105 parasites, toxoplasmosis in thymus-intact, fully immunocompetent guinea pigs is a self-limiting and survivable infection, whereas the disease takes an acutely lethal course in the majority of TXB guinea-pigs. The latter also had more parasites disseminating to various tissues sites than their euthymic counterparts. The reduced capacity of TXB guinea-pigs to respond to mycobacterial products, and to generate anti-Toxoplasma immunity can be restored by an intravenous infusion of normal syngeneic thymocytes. These findings provide substantial direct evidence strengthening the concept that protection against toxoplasmosis is heavily dependent upon an intact T-cell component of the host's immune response.
Evaluation of coastal inundation hazard for present and future climates

Coastal inundation from hurricane storm surges causes catastrophic damage to lives and property, as evidenced by recent hurricanes including Katrina and Wilma in 2005 and Ike in 2008. Changes in hurricane activity and sea level due to a warming climate, together with growing coastal population, are expected to increase the potential for loss of property and lives. Current inundation hazard maps: Base Flood Elevation maps and Maximum of Maximums are computationally expensive to create in order to fully represent the hurricane climatology, and do not account for climate change. This paper evaluates the coastal inundation hazard in Southwest Florida for present and future climates, using a high resolution storm surge modeling system, CH3D-SSMS, and an optimal storm ensemble with multivariate interpolation, while accounting for climate change. Storm surges associated with the optimal storms are simulated with CH3D-SSMS and the results are used to obtain the response to any storm via interpolation, allowing accurate representation of the hurricane climatology and efficient generation of hazard maps. Incorporating the impact of anticipated climate change on hurricane and sea level, the inundation maps for future climate scenarios are made and affected people and property estimated. The future climate scenarios produce little change to coastal inundation, due likely to the reduction in hurricane frequency, except when extreme sea level rise is included. Calculated coastal inundation due to sea level rise without using a coastal surge model is also determined and shown to significantly overestimate the inundation due to neglect of land dissipation.
The Secret of West Indian Success

For nearly a century, black immigrants from the West Indies have enjoyed greater economic success than African Americans. Several explanations have been proposed for this trend, but until now, none of these explanations have been subjected to systematic scrutiny. Recent efforts to adjudicate among them indicate that West Indian success can be attributed entirely to the “selectivity of migration”. This phrase refers to the tendency of people who migrate to be more talented and determined than the compatriots they leave behind. One implication of this discovery is that sympathetic observers should stop exhorting African Americans to behave more like West Indians. Such pleas are inappropriate because West Indian success is a consequence of choosing to move, not a consequence of Caribbean birth. A second implication is that persons of West Indian background remain vulnerable to racism. The new findings provide no evidence that positive selection protects West Indians from the negative stereotypes that Americans associate with black skin.
Membrane-dependent effects of a cytoplasmic helix on the structure and drug binding of the influenza virus M2 protein.

The influenza A M2 protein forms a proton channel for virus infection and also mediates virus assembly and budding. The minimum protein length that encodes both functions contains the transmembrane (TM) domain (roughly residues 22–46) for the amantadine-sensitive proton-channel activity and an amphipathic cytoplasmic helix (roughly residues 45–62) for curvature induction and virus budding. However, structural studies involving the TM domain with or without the amphipathic helix differed on the drug-binding site. Here we use solid-state NMR spectroscopy to determine the amantadine binding site in the cytoplasmic-helix-containing M2(21–61). 13C–2H distance measurements of 13C-labeled protein and 2H-labeled amantadine showed that in 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC) bilayers, the first equivalent of drug bound S31 inside the M2(21–61) pore, similar to the behavior of M2 transmembrane peptide (M2TM) in DMPC bilayers. The nonspecific surface site of D44 observed in M2TM is disfavored in the lo...
Experimental Determination of the Cr−C2Cl4 Bond Dissociation Enthalpy in Cr(CO)5(C2Cl4): Quantifying Metal−Olefin Bonding Interactions

The bond dissociation enthalpy for the Cr−C2Cl4 bond in gas-phase Cr(CO)5(C2Cl4) has been determined to be 12.8 ± 1.6 kcal/mol using transient infrared spectroscopy. The results of a density functional theory-based energy decomposition analysis are used to quantify the metal−olefin bonding interactions in terms of the bonding description provided by the Dewar−Chatt−Duncanson model (σ donation and back-bonding). The bond energy decomposition analysis reveals that metal−olefin bond strengths can be strongly influenced by the Pauli repulsion energy and by the energy necessary to deform the olefin and the metal-centered moiety from their equilibrium geometries to their geometry in the final complex. Further, a comparison between the metal−olefin bond strengths and the magnitude of the electronic interactions demonstrates that the energy associated with these deformations is the determining factor in the trends in bond enthalpies in the series of complexes Cr(CO)5(C2X4) (X = H, F, Cl). Though deformation of th...
Strain differentiating real-time PCR for Mycoplasma gallisepticum live vaccine evaluation studies

Mycoplasma gallisepticum causes respiratory disease and production losses in poultry. Vaccination of poultry with M. gallisepticum live vaccines is an approach to reduce susceptibility to infection and to prevent the economic losses. The development and evaluation of live vaccines usually requires the involvement of several vaccine and challenge strains in the same experimental setup. Our goal was to develop a tool to allow the differentiation between a set of known M. gallisepticum strains in a quantitative manner. We developed 5 real-time PCR assays that absolutely differentiated between one of the five commercial and laboratory vaccine strains: F, ts-11, 6/85, K5831, K5054, and the challenge strain R low when tested on in vitro cultures. The assay K5831 vs. R low was also tested on specimens from live birds that were vaccinated with K5831 and challenged with R low, and successfully differentiated between the vaccine and the challenge strains in a quantitative manner. This preliminary in vivo application of the method also shed light on possible protection mechanisms for the M. gallisepticum K5831 vaccine strain.
Survival of the fattest: Implications for acute effects of lipophilic chemicals on aquatic populations

It is concluded that variation in lipid can account for much variation in tolerance in a subpopulation of similarly sized individuals; that gill morphology is another variable influencing toxic response; and that, in general, for similarly exposed organisms, the fattest survives the longest