cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Detection of Differentially Expressed Genes in HeLa Fibroblast Hybrids Using Subtractive Suppression Hybridization

To understand genetic differences and similarities between tumorigenic and nontumorigenic HeLa × fibroblast hybrid cells, subtractive suppression hybridization (SSH), based on suppression PCR and a combination of normalization and subtraction in a single procedure, was used. Using the nontumorigenic CGL1 and tumorigenic CGL3, forward (CGL1-CGL3) and reverse (CGL3-CGL1) subtracted libraries were constructed. Among 192 clones, seven were identified as differentially expressed genes specific for either CGL1 or CGL3. All seven were not reported previously as differentially expressed genes in this hybrid system. In the forward subtraction, p16 was isolated, indicating the involvement of the loss of tumorigenic phenotype. Subsequent transfection of wild-type p16 to the tumorigenic CGL3 showed growth suppression in colony formation assay; however, no tumor suppression was observed when the transfectant was inoculated into nude mice. These results indicate that: ( a ) SSH is a suitable method to identify differentially expressed genes in two types of cells; and ( b ) although p16 plays some roles in growth suppression, the p16-transfected CGL3 is still capable to proliferate in vivo .
Network traffic characterization of TCP

Networks from wireless to high-speed integrated services require support for the fluctuating and heterogeneous demands of end users. The ability to characterize the behavior of the resulting aggregate network traffic can provide insight into how traffic should be scheduled to make efficient use of the network, and yet still deliver expected quality-of-service to end users. These issues are of fundamental importance to the design of the next-generation Internet-from wireless communication to high-performance distributed computational grids such as NASA's Information Power Grid. Many research efforts in network traffic characterization conclude that network traffic is self-similar (i.e., fractal or bursty), and thus not amenable to the statistical-multiplexing techniques currently found in the Internet. In particular they claim that the heavy-tailed distributions of file size packet interarrival, and transfer duration solely contribute to the self-similarity of aggregate network traffic. In contrast we demonstrate that it is the TCP stack itself that induces much of the self-similar behavior even when aggregated application traffic should smooth out as more applications' traffic are multiplexed. Furthermore, if random early detection (RED) gateways/routers are used, we show that network performance degrades even further due to the extra burstiness induced by the gateway itself.
Distribution, Abundance, and Biomass of Freshwater Mussels (Bivalvia:Unionidae) in Lake St. Clair

A mussel population survey was conducted in Lake St. Clair with divers using SCUBA to sample at 29 stations throughout the lake. Mean abundance was 2 m−2 and mean biomass was 4.4 g dry wt m−2. Of the 18 species collected, Lampsilis radiata siliquoidea was by far the most abundant, accounting for 45% of all individuals. The age-frequency distribution of L. r. siliquoidea was dominated by individuals between 9 and 12 years old. In contrast, the second most abundant species, Leptodea fragilis, showed yearly variation in recruitment with no apparent trends in year class strength. Annual production of L. r. siliquoidea was 0.20 g m−2 y−1 and the turnover ratio was 0.13. The diversity and composition of mussels in Lake St. Clair appear little changed since the turn of the century, but there are indications that population numbers may be declining in the future.
The kinesthetic threat eyeblink: a new type of anticipatory eyeblink response

The present paper is part of a systematic exploration of naturally acquired conditioned eyeblink responses in human subjects. Normal human subjects were examined for the presence of anticipatory eyeblinks in a new paradigm. They were instructed to move their hand quickly toward their face and tap their forehead. In this situation, subjects generated anticipatory eyeblinks which were initiated before the forehead tap. Additional experiments revealed that visual stimuli and internal movement-planning cues are not required for the initiation of this response. The kinesthetic information from the passively moving arm, however, was sufficient to trigger this kinesthetic threat eyeblink response (KTER). The KTER extinguished when the forehead tap did not reinforce it. These data indicate that the KTER is a unique type of naturally acquired conditioned response system which is maintained by aversive reinforcing events.
MicroRNA-224 Negatively Regulates p21 Expression During Late Neoplastic Progression in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Background The development of colon cancer represents a major complication in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The importance of microRNAs (miRs) in carcinogenesis is becoming clearer, as miRs have been implicated in the regulation of cancer-related cellular processes to include apoptosis, differentiation, cell cycle progression, and immune function. In the current study, we sought to identify miR dysregulation specific to progression along the normal-inflammation-cancer axis in colonic specimens from IBD patients.
Impacts of Falcataria moluccana Invasion on Decomposition in Hawaiian Lowland Wet Forests: The Importance of Stand-level Controls

Invasive species have the capacity to substantially alter soil processes, including rates of litter decomposition. Currently, the few remaining native-dominated lowland wet forests in Hawai’i are being invaded by Falcataria moluccana, a large, fast-growing, N2-fixing tree. In this study, we sought to determine the extent to which Falcataria invasion alters decomposition in these lowland wet forests, and whether changes resulted from differences in litter substrate type, lava flow age and type, forest stand type and associated soil biota, or some combination of these factors. We measured decomposition rates and nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) dynamics of Metrosideros polymorpha and Falcataria leaf litter in native-dominated and Falcataria-invaded stands on 48- and 300-year-old a’a lava flows and a 213-year-old pāhoehoe flow in the Puna district of eastern Hawai’i. Despite significant differences in the initial quality of Metrosideros and Falcataria litter, in nearly all cases mass remaining of the two litter types did not differ within a given forest stand, whether native-dominated or invaded. Instead, stand type accounted for large differences in the decomposition of both litter types, and litter decomposed two to 10 times faster in Falcataria-invaded stands than it did in their native-dominated counterparts on each lava flow. Dynamics of N (that is, immobilization or release) during decomposition were affected by stand, litter, and lava flow type; P dynamics were affected by stand and flow type, but not litter type. Although not definitive proof of causality, the decay rates of both species were positively correlated to previously measured inputs of N mass and P mass via litterfall as well as availability of soil N and P, characteristics that all increased substantially with Falcataria invasion. Given the degree of change to a host of ecosystem processes, including decomposition, after invasion by Falcataria, these transformed forest ecosystems may best be viewed as fundamentally new and different, in both structure and function, from the native ecosystems they have replaced.
Positive Association between Expression of Follicle-Stimulating Hormone β and Activin βB-Subunit Genes in Boars

This study tested our hypothesis that inhibin/activin (I/A) betaB subunit and not follistatin (FS) gene expression relates positively to plasma FSH concentrations in the anterior pituitary gland of boars. Mature crossbred boars (n = 12) were selected for divergence in plasma FSH concentrations, and their anterior pituitary glands were evaluated for expression of the FSHbeta, I/A ssB, FS, calmodulin, and GnRH receptor (GnRH-R) genes by semiquantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and/or RNase protection assays (RPAs). Expression of I/A ssB was greater (p 0.10), GnRH-R (p > 0. 08), and calmodulin (p > 0.10) genes was similar in the two groups of boars. Additionally, expression of the FSHbeta gene was correlated positively with pituitary and plasma FSH concentrations (r = 0.69 and 0.88, respectively; p < 0.05). These results support the hypothesis that activin B is partially responsible for elevated FSH concentrations in boars. Furthermore, the expression difference of the calmodulin gene observed previously between Meishan and White Composite boars represents a breed difference unrelated to FSH.
Potential Roles for Statins in Critically Ill Patients

The 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors (statins) are the most commonly prescribed agents for hypercholesterolemia and have revolutionized the management of hyperlipidemia and the area of cardiovascular risk reduction. However, recent data suggest that their effects go well beyond the lipid lowering seen with long-term use and may include acute antiinflammatory activity, anticoagulation, immunomodulation, as well as promotion of changes in smooth-muscle tone. Because of these data, promising research has begun into the use of these agents in various critical care areas such as the early phases of sepsis, bacteremia, and ischemic stroke. Recent data also show a decrease in cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage, an area deficient in therapeutic options. More research is necessary to ascertain the true role of statins in the treatment of these various disorders. Nevertheless, the concept of a statin's role as being only a routine preventive therapy with benefits limited to patients undergoing extended treatment is rapidly becoming inaccurate.
Modeling and simulation of processors and networks for smart Navy aircraft components and systems

Researchers in the HCS Research Lab are developing a variety of network and processor models to support the simulation of smart Navy aircraft components/systems (SNACS) using a coarse-grain, discrete-event, system modeling and simulation tool from NuThena Systems Inc. called Foresight. Foresight is being extended to develop a coarse-grain functional analysis system to portray the behavior of smart systems rapidly and accurately in various environments, and to extract performance and dependability measures from these systems. This paper summarizes on-going research and development efforts to date involving the design, modeling, and simulation of processors, networks, and embedded computer systems for smart aircraft components and systems.
Activation of the serotonin 1A receptor alters the temporal characteristics of auditory responses in the inferior colliculus.

Serotonin, like other neuromodulators, acts on a range of receptor types, but its effects also depend on the functional characteristics of the neurons responding to receptor activation. In the inferior colliculus (IC), an auditory midbrain nucleus, activation of a common serotonin (5-HT) receptor type, the 5-HT1A receptor, depresses auditory-evoked responses in many neurons. Whether these effects occur differentially in different types of neurons is unknown. In the current study, the effects of iontophoretic application of the 5-HT1A agonist 8-OH-DPAT on auditory responses were compared with the characteristic frequencies (CFs), recording depths, and control first-spike latencies of the same group of IC neurons. The 8-OH-DPAT-evoked change in response significantly correlated with first-spike latency across the population, so that response depressions were more prevalent in longer-latency neurons. The 8-OH-DPAT-evoked change in response did not correlate with CF or with recording depth. 8-OH-DPAT also altered the temporal characteristics of spike trains in a subset of neurons that fired multiple spikes in response to brief stimuli. For these neurons, activation of the 5-HT1A receptor suppressed lagging spikes proportionally more than initial spikes. These results suggest that the 5-HT1A receptor, by affecting the timing of the responses of both individual neurons and the neuron population, shifts the temporal profile of evoked activity within the IC.
Continuous Trastuzumab Therapy in Breast Cancer Patients With Asymptomatic Left Ventricular Dysfunction

BACKGROUND Adjuvant trastuzumab is a highly effective targeted treatment that improves survival for patients with HER2-positive breast cancer. However, trastuzumab interruption is recommended for patients who develop treatment-induced cardiotoxicity (i.e., decline in left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF], with or without symptoms) and can lead to an incomplete course of treatment. We studied the cardiac safety of continuous trastuzumab therapy among patients with asymptomatic declines in LVEF. METHODS We retrospectively evaluated patients with HER2-positive breast cancer treated with adjuvant trastuzumab at our institution between 2005 and 2010. Treatment-induced cardiotoxicity was defined by an absolute decrease in LVEF of ≥10% to below 55% or an absolute decrease of ≥16%. Logistic regression was used to determine the association between candidate risk factors and treatment-induced cardiotoxicity. RESULTS Among 573 patients, 92 (16%) developed treatment-induced cardiotoxicity. Trastuzumab was continued without interruption in 31 of 92 patients with treatment-induced cardiotoxicity—all were asymptomatic with LVEF of ≥50% at cardiotoxicity diagnosis with median LVEF of 53% (range, 50%-63%), and none developed heart failure during follow-up. Risk factors associated with treatment-induced cardiotoxicity included age (p = .011), anthracycline chemotherapy (p = .002), and lower pretrastuzumab LVEF (p < .001). CONCLUSION Among patients who develop asymptomatic treatment-induced cardiotoxicity with LVEF of ≥50%, continuous trastuzumab therapy appears to be safe.
Interferometric methods with enhanced sensitivity by optical/digital fringe multiplication

The equations of the optical/digital fringe multiplication method are derived for a general periodic distribution of intensity versus phase (or fringe order). The method is demonstrated by a shadow moire experiment, which ideally produces fringe patterns with a triangular intensity distribution. Advantages and disadvantages of the optical/digital fringe multiplication method are discussed in comparison with other image-processing methods.
A comparative study of quantized compressive sensing schemes

We study the average distortion introduced by scalar, vector, and entropy coded quantization of compressive sensing (CS) measurements. The asymptotic behavior of the underlying quantization schemes is either quantified exactly or characterized via bounds. We also modify two benchmark CS reconstruction algorithms to accommodate quantization effects, and empirically demonstrate that these methods significantly reduce the reconstruction distortion.
Knowing is not enough: a qualitative report on HIV testing among heterosexual African-American men

Despite having higher rates of HIV testing than all other racial groups, African-Americans continue to be disproportionately affected by the HIV epidemic in the United States. Knowing one's status is the key step to maintaining behavioral changes that could stop the spread of the virus, yet little is known about the individual- and socio-structural-level barriers associated with HIV testing and communication among heterosexual African-American men. To address this and inform the development of an HIV prevention behavioral intervention for heterosexual African-American men, we conducted computerized, structured interviews with 61 men, focus group interviews with 25 men in 5 different groups, and in-depth qualitative interviews with 30 men living in high HIV prevalence neighborhoods in New York City. Results revealed that HIV testing was frequent among the participants. Even with high rates of testing, the men in the study had low levels of HIV knowledge; perceived little risk of HIV; and misused HIV testing as a prevention method. Factors affecting HIV testing, included stigma, relationship dynamics and communication, and societal influences, suggesting that fear, low perception of risk, and HIV stigma may be the biggest barriers to HIV testing. These results also suggest that interventions directed toward African-American heterosexual men must address the use of "testing as prevention" as well as correct misunderstandings of the window period and the meaning of HIV test results, and interventions should focus on communicating about HIV.
RNAi in C. elegans: Soaking in the Genome Sequence

T he completion of the Caenorhabditis elegans genome sequence represents a major milestone in a journey initiated by Sydney Brenner some 30 years ago. The goal then as now was to discover how genetic information specifies the development, anatomy, and behavior of a simple animal. Bringing the full
Implementation aspects of an exhaust back pressure (P3) estimator for a series sequential 2-stage boosting system

Exhaust back pressure (EBP) is an important parameter for controlling the flow of exhaust gases, so-called exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), for the reduction of harmful nitrogen oxides, NOx and for turbine durability, limiting the pre-turbine pressure. Since the exhaust conditions are severe, including soot, thermal effects and harmful gases, normally a sensor is not considered for mass production. Hence, a cost benefit can be realised which also reduces warranty claims. However, the EBP needs therefore to be estimated, not measured. In single-stage turbocharged engines, a model-based algorithm controls the EGR flow using the available airpath actuators, namely throttle and EGR valve, scheduling the flows using the standard orifice flow equation and estimating EBP using normal turbine design parameters like corrected flow, pressure ratio and variable nozzle turbine position (VNT where applicable). However, for two-stage systems, with two turbines in series, the estimator concept needs to be revised, as well as the sensor set, and this is the topic of this technical paper, complete with both simulation, engine and vehicle results.
Biotinidase Deficiency: The Possible Role of Biotinidase in the Processing of Dietary Protein-bound Biotin

Biotinidase (EC 3.5.1.12) cleaves covalently-bound biotin from partially degraded carboxylases and from biocytin, thereby recycling biotin. We have recently demonstrated that the activity of biotinidase is deficient in serum from children with late-onset multiple carboxylase deficiency (Wolf et al., 1983a, b). Using a newly developed, sensitive radioassay, we have shown that biotinidase activity is also deficient in peripheral blood leukocytes and fibroblasts of affected patients (Wolf and McVoy, 1984). The enzyme activities in the parents of these children are intermediate between deficient and normal values. These findings indicate that the primary enzyme defect in late-onset multiple carboxylase deficiency is in biotinidase activity and that the disorder is inherited as an autosomal recessive trait. Children lacking biotinidase activity are unable to recycle biotin and depend on exogeneous biotin to prevent the clinical and biochemical features of biotin deficiency. Although previous reports have described’ impaired’ intestinal absorption of free biotin in patients with late-onset multiple carboxylase deficiency, the absorption of free biotin was found to be normal in one of these patients when loading studies were repeated while her tissues were not biotin-depleted. Moreover, this patient was found to be biotinidase deficient (Thoene and Wolf, 1983). Because there is considerable clinical variability in this disorder (Wolf et al., 1983c) and the concentrations of free and protein-bound biotin in foods are variable, biotinidase may also play a critical role in the processing of dietary protein-bound biotin.
Light Trapping Characterization of Branched Nanowire Structures for Photovoltaics

Recent work in silicon (Si) branched nanowire (BNW) structures show the promise of enhanced light trapping for photovoltaic (PV) solar cells. Through three-dimensional full wave electromagnetic simulation, we explore how BNW structures can be optimized.
Concrete and Clay: The Life and Afterlife of E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial for the Atari 2600

ABSTRACTIn September 1983 Atari Inc. buried truckloads of its poorly designed film/game tie-in E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial in a landfill in Alamogordo, NM. The game was buried with the epitaph, “The Worst Game of All Time,” as its design flaws are often cited as a major catalyst of the video games industry crash of 1983–4. Atari's stealthy attempt to dispose of surplus stock has triggered 25 years of curiosity, rumor, doubt, conspiracy theory and archaeological fantasy. This obituary records several phases of E.T.'s life and afterlife: its conception and compromised design as an Atari game program and “worst game of all time,” its shift from failed product to waste, and its afterlife status as relic and memorialized object. I offer a biography of the deceased in an attempt to understand the life cycle of an infamous artifact.
Temperature-Constant and Temperature Gradient-Free Insectary: Design and Operation

The Metabolism and Radiation Research Laboratory is involved in a research program that concerns the environmental control of diapause in insects. We therefore needed a facility in which we could arrange tiers of experimental chambers that would not be exposed to significant variations in temperature in time or space, because temperatures must be controlled to ±1°C if we are to obtain reproducible biological data. For example, in some expensive commercially available environmental chambers, both vertical and horizontal temperature gradients exist. If such chambers were used for studies of photoperiodism, the replicates would have to be tested at the same coordinates of space. In other words, I replicate could not be near the floor of the chamber and 1 near the ceiling. Also, the rearing of insects on artificial diets requires close control of temperature. For example, when larvae of the boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis Boheman, are reared in petri dishes, the diet loses moisture which condenses on the lid if the temperature drops; then these water droplets fall onto the diet and allow mold to grow.
Only fear the fatal foe: predation risk assessment by eastern newts (Notophthalmus viridescens) in response to common snapping turtles and other potential predators

Many organisms utilize toxic or noxious compounds as a means of deterring predation. Eastern newts (Notopthalmus viridescens), along with other species in the family Salamandridae, possess a potent neurotoxin called tetrodotoxin (TTX). Although TTX can serve as an effective antipredator mechanism in species of newts with high concentrations (e.g., Taricha), eastern newts have relatively low levels of toxicity in comparison to those species, and it may not serve as an effective antipredator mechanism against all threats. In this case, they may benefit rather by utilizing behavioral changes to avoid initial contact with predators. We tested for predator-avoidance behavior in newts by exposing individuals to kairomones from various predators. We recorded activity patterns of newts when they were exposed to cues from potential predators including bullfrogs (Lithobates catesbeiana), water snakes (Nerodia sipedon) and snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina), as well as a non-predator (bullfrog tadpoles), and a c...
What Are the Ethical Issues Facing Global-Health Trainees Working Overseas? A Multi-Professional Qualitative Study

The aim of this study was to identify global health ethical issues that health professional trainees may encounter during electives or placements in resource-limited countries. We conducted a qualitative study involving focus groups and an interview at the University of California San Francisco. Participants were multi-professional from the Schools of Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy and had experience working, or teaching, as providers in resource-limited countries. Eighteen participants provided examples of ethical dilemmas associated with global-health outreach work. Ethical dilemmas fell into four major themes relating to (1) cultural differences (informed consent, truth-telling, autonomy); (2) professional issues (power dynamics, training of local staff, corruption); (3) limited resources (scope of practice, material shortages); (4) personal moral development (dealing with moral distress, establishing a moral compass, humility and self awareness). Three themes (cultural differences, professional issues, limited resources) were grouped under the core category of "external environmental and/or situational issues" that trainees are confronted when overseas. The fourth theme, moral development, refers to the development of a moral compass and the exercise of humility and self-awareness. The study has identified case vignettes that can be used for curriculum content for global-health ethics training.
The Gravitational Field Equations and Unification with Inertia and Electromagnetism

Einstein’s theory of relativity incorporates the idea that the geometrical logic of space-time is to reflect the variability of the matter content of a physical system. This implies that the metrical relations between the points of space-time must be correspondingly variable. But the metric relations of a Euclidean space-time are constant, everywhere. Thus it becomes necessary, with this view, that we must abandon the Euclidean geometrical logic of space-time. In addition to the requirement of variable metric relations, the correspondence principle imposes the requirement that in the local limit, the non-Euclidean system adapted for space-time must continuously approach the Euclidean system. Thus, Einstein chose the Riemannian geometrical system to underlie the logic of space-time in general relativity, as one that would satisfy these criteria. Einstein’s field equations, to be derived in this chapter, was then (the first stage of) a set of relations between the matter field variables and the geometrical variables to be used in the expression of the laws of matter with the space-time language.
John O’Connor Power, Charles Stewart Parnell and the centralisation of popular politics in Ireland

In historical treatment, as was the case in life, John O’Connor Power has been overshadowed by Charles Stewart Parnell, his political nemesis who campaigned successfully to destroy Power’s influence. However during the decade 1874–84, Power was the most enigmatic, controversial and divisive figure in Irish politics. His fellow parliamentarian T P. O’Connor called him ‘one of the few [Irish M.P.s] who stood out from the ruck of Irish placehunters’, whose ‘profound knowledge, his temper ..his profound contempt for ignorance and, as he thought, at the same time the insanity of Parnell made him a source of division’ O’Connor described him as having ‘a powerful but very ugly face, the ugliness accentuated by the marks of a severe attack in childhood of smallpox’ Tim Healy remembered him as ‘reeking of the common clay’ and remarked that ‘Parnell’s aristocratic sensitiveness recoiled’ in Power’s presence.
Progress on the Fabrication and Characterization of High Efficiency Thermoelectric Generators

High efficiency thermoelectric modules are of great interest for power generation applications where hot side temperatures of approximately 800K exist. The fabrication of such modules requires a multidisciplinary effort for the optimization of the material compositions, the engineering of the module systems, modeling and fabrication of the devices, and constant feedback from characterization. Pb-Sb-Ag-Te (LAST) and Pb-Sb-Ag-Sn-Te (LASTT) compounds are among the best known materials for this temperature range. Modeling of these materials and possible cascaded structures shows efficiencies of 14% can be achieved for low resistance contacts. Using antimony we have achieved contact resistivities less than 20 µΩ·cm2. Here we give a detailed presentation on the procedures used in the fabrication of thermoelectric generators based on these new materials. We also present the characterization systems and measurements on these generators.
Micro-syntactic variation in American English Negative Concord

This paper presents a series of quantitative gradient acceptability judgment studies of English negative sentences. Adult native speakers of American English recruited via Amazon’s Mechanical Turk were asked to rate sentences on a scale of 1 to 7 on the basis of their naturalness. The main study compares sentences with the marker n’t and either a negative object (e.g. ‘John didn’t eat nothing’) or a negative subject in canonical position (‘nobody didn’t eat’). Each sentence type has two possible interpretations, one in which the two negatives contribute a single semantic negation, the so-called Negative Concord reading, and another in which the two negations yield a semantic Double Negation logically equivalent to an affirmative. While mean acceptability ratings were below the median for all items, statistical analyses of the gradient data revealed that speakers prefer Negative Concord over Double Negation readings for sentences with negative objects. To rule out a processing explanation for the preference for negative objects over sentence initial negatives, a follow-up study tested the acceptability of sentences with a single negative subject or object and no negative marker. This revealed a preference for subjects, suggesting that the object preference in the two negatives study is a true grammatical effect. A third study revealed that Double Negation constructions are unacceptable overall even in explicit denial contexts, and a fourth study added Negative Auxiliary Inversion constructions (e.g. ‘Didn’t nobody eat’), to compare three types of Negative Concord. The results of all four studies are argued to reveal an English grammar that generates both Negative Concord and Double Negation, and in which Negative Concord is generated despite its unacceptability and reported absence in usage.
Exploring the Knowledge Creation Practices of UX Designers on Stack Exchange

The contours of user experience (UX) design practice have been developed by a diverse array of practitioners and academics in an array of disciplinary traditions, leaving UX without a coherent and agreed upon body of disciplinary knowledge or a concrete path to become a professional. Consequently, UX designers rely upon online knowledge resources to develop and maintain their competence. In this work-in-progress, we conducted an exploratory investigation of question and answer (Q&A) communication within the UX Stack Exchange community, analyzing the topics that UX designers have raised in questions and answers. Our preliminary analysis contributes a typology of knowledge needs that were articulated by UX designers as a support for their practice. Drawing on prior work, we discuss three distinctive characteristics of UX knowledge desired by designers.
Identification and biology of β‐secretase

J. Neurochem. (2012) 120 (Suppl. 1), 55–61. Abstract Our knowledge of the etiology of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has advanced tremendously since the discovery of amyloid beta (Aβ) aggregation in diseased brains. Accumulating evidence suggests that Aβ plays a causative role in AD. The β-secretase enzyme, beta-site APP cleaving enzyme-1 (BACE1), is also implicated in AD pathogenesis, given that BACE1 cleavage of amyloid precursor protein is the initiating step in the formation of Aβ. As a result, BACE1 inhibition has been branded as a potential AD therapy. In this study, we review the identification and basic characteristics of BACE1, as well as the progress in our understanding of BACE1 cell biology, substrates, and phenotypes of BACE1 knockout mice that are informative about the physiological functions of BACE1 beyond amyloid precursor protein cleavage. These data are crucial for predicting potential mechanism-based toxicity that would arise from inhibiting BACE1 for the treatment or prevention of AD.
Bait-subsidized diets and their effects on ovigerous North American lobsters (Homarus americanus)

Ovigerous American lobsters (Homarus americanus) display a protracted period of ovary maturation and maternal care when incubating their eggs, potentially influencing offspring fitness. Lobsters consume a wide range of food items; however, trap bait may comprise a larger proportion of their diet in some fished areas compared to non-fished areas, and the long-term consequences of a bait-based diet remain largely unexplored in lobsters. We tested the hypothesis that disproportionate amounts of bait in the diets of pre-ovigerous females affect the quality of their ovaries and eggs. We held pre-ovigerous lobsters (n = 29) over a period of ~ 300 days (range = 270–378) and fed them diets of herring bait, natural prey items (crab, mussel, urchin, macroalgae), or a combination of both diet types. Nutritional status, measured as biweekly blood indices and total glucose levels, suggest differences between lobsters fed a natural or combination diet and lobsters fed a bait-based diet (ANOVA; P < 0.05). We found that bait diets contained more protein (58.5%) and lipids (31.6%) compared to natural diets (34.5 and 13.2%, respectively) and lipid levels in ovaries and eggs significantly correlated with each other for all treatments (r = 0.76, n = 15, P = 0.028). Histopathological analysis indicates that ovaries contained more variable maturation in starved lobsters or those fed with bait, with some animals showing delayed gonad maturation. Results suggest that a varied diet promotes the overall fitness of ovigerous lobsters and the associated reserves that are used for ovarian development and subsequent oocyte formation.
Aging and sarcopenia

Sarcopenia is the loss of skeletal muscle mass resulting in a reduction of physical strength and ability to perform activities of daily living. Loss of muscle and strength with aging results in frailty leading to an elevated risk of suffering a fall, difficulty recovering from illness, prolongation of hospitalizations, and long-term disability requiring assistance in daily living. Further, the reduction of muscle mass and physical strength leads to diminished quality of life, loss of independence, and mortality 1 . This loss of independence represents a high economic healthcare burden and area of high medical need. Sarcopenia also results when rapid muscle loss and reduced physical strength occurs due to disease-induced cachexia, immobilization, or drug-induced sarcopenia. The Institute of Medicine, a division of the National Academy of Sciences declared "frailty associated with old age" a priority area for national healthcare and an area that required increased research to deal with this healthcare issue 2 . Today, there are ~34M persons aged 65 and over – almost 13 percent of all Americans – and this number will grow to ~70M by 2030, representing 20% of the population 3 . Worldwide, the individuals who will become the frail elderly will more than double from ~321M in 1990 to ~799M in 2025. As a consequence of the expansion of this population segment along with increased longevity, the number of the elderly who will become sarcopenic and frail and require long-term institutionalization will consume an ever-expanding share of healthcare funds. In the US, 1.5M persons aged 65+ years are institutionalized each year, and 33% of these individuals are put into long-term healthcare facilities solely due to their physical frailty and their inability to maintain prerequisite activities of daily living, with most frail elderly
Nanocarrier-Based Gene Therapy Imaging Strategies

Abstract Gene therapy has progressed dramatically in the past 29 years since the first human gene transfer was performed in 1989. Recent clinical trials of gene therapy have shown therapeutic benefits and better safety outcomes. Technologies for genome editing to correct inherited mutations and effective immune cell gene therapy are fundamentally transforming clinical practice. Nevertheless, the outcome of the treatment can be significantly improved if the gene transfer or the nanocarrier can be visualized directly. The recent technological advancements in the field of diagnostic imaging have opened the possibility for noninvasive, high-resolution imaging in live subjects, including humans. More specifically, the new field of molecular imaging nurtures the development of new strategies to image both the nanocarrier and the transgene expression directly. The recent discovery of extracellular vesicles (EVs) combined with innovative imaging tools may offer a safer alternative for gene delivery due to their superior biocompatibility and potential to overcome various biological barriers in the body. Chapter 12 is fully devoted to EV-mediated therapeutic delivery.
Interplay of neutron–proton equilibration and nuclear dynamics

Abstract Neutron–proton equilibration in heavy-ion collisions proceeds atop a landscape of deformed topography and large density changes. The rapidly-varying landscape is created by the collision dynamics. The collision dynamics influences the neutron–proton equilibration, but just as importantly the different migration of the protons and neutrons influences the dynamics. To fully appreciate either the reaction dynamics or the neutron–proton equilibration, one must understand both. This review explores decades of work on both topics, and highlights the connections to the nuclear equation of state in nuclear experiment, theoretical prediction, and astrophysical observation.
Improving the Relationship of Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services Home Care Aides and Clients Through Health Interviewing:

Medicaid home and community-based services (HCBS) care plans should be person-centered, yet there is little research on how to ascertain this information in practice. The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of a home care aide (HCA)-led health interview with clients during usual HCBS. We provided interview training, and HCAs (n = 21) conducted five interviews with one client each using a card sort methodology to elicit client care preferences. HCAs audio-recorded interviews and photographed card sorts for analysis. We used a mixed-methods approach of semistructured interviews and focus groups with clients and HCAs to evaluate the health interviewing experience and client surveys of Your Health Orientation, Willingness to Communicate, and PROMIS (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System) global health and HCA surveys of the Active Empathetic Listening Scale. We used t tests to investigate changes in survey outcomes pre and post interviews. Results show HCAs can conduct health interviews, and doing so contributes new knowledge on client preferences for care. Clients desire HCAs who provide empathy, compassion, and motivation, and HCAs felt interviewing clients helped them to better understand their care recipient's needs.
Large-scale instance-level image retrieval

Abstract The great success of visual features learned from deep neural networks has led to a significant effort to develop efficient and scalable technologies for image retrieval. Nevertheless, its usage in large-scale Web applications of content-based retrieval is still challenged by their high dimensionality. To overcome this issue, some image retrieval systems employ the product quantization method to learn a large-scale visual dictionary from a training set of global neural network features. These approaches are implemented in main memory, preventing their usage in big-data applications. The contribution of the work is mainly devoted to investigating some approaches to transform neural network features into text forms suitable for being indexed by a standard full-text retrieval engine such as Elasticsearch. The basic idea of our approaches relies on a transformation of neural network features with the twofold aim of promoting the sparsity without the need of unsupervised pre-training. We validate our approach on a recent convolutional neural network feature, namely Regional Maximum Activations of Convolutions (R-MAC), which is a state-of-art descriptor for image retrieval. Its effectiveness has been proved through several instance-level retrieval benchmarks. An extensive experimental evaluation conducted on the standard benchmarks shows the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed approach and how it compares to state-of-the-art main-memory indexes.
Three Dimensional Landslide Generated Tsunamis: Numerical and Physical Model Comparisons

Tsunamis are one of the most catastrophic natural hazards that can devastate coastal regions. Most common mechanisms that generate tsunamis are undersea earthquakes and submarine landslides. However, in enclosed basins, such as fjords, reservoirs, and lakes, subaerial landslides can also generate devastating tsunamis with similar or worse consequences, because of a more efficient wave generation. Here, we present the validation of a three-dimensional (3D) numerical model, TSUNAMI3D, by comparing numerical results with a set of subaerial landslide laboratory experiments carried out in the large tsunami wave basin at the Oregon State University (OSU). Results obtained from the laboratory experiments show that subaerial landslides generate highly non-linear waves with complex wave patterns and runup, challenging existing numerical models. The 3D numerical model is first verified with a commercial code, FLOW3D, to obtain a compromise between the model’s spatial-time resolution accuracy and computational cost. Second, the 3D numerical model and the commercial code are validated with a set of OSU laboratory experiments comprising three different layouts or basin configurations, namely, fjord, curved headland, and basin-wide. Simplified material rheology and key parameters required for modeling subaerial landslides are defined. Numerical models’ relative errors are estimated and analyzed, and the models’ limitations are discussed. In general, numerical models’ relative errors are found to be acceptable in most of the validation tests except those tests located close to the wave generation region. Validation results confirm that the 3D numerical models with simplified landslide rheology can be used to understand and reproduce the complex non-linear wave propagation and runup generated by subaerial landslides. Thus, TSUNAMI3D can help assess tsunami hazards in communities located in proximity to potential subaerial landslides. Also, the set of physical experiments can be used for further numerical validation efforts, helping tsunami organizations, e.g., the National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program, to amend existing or develop better numerical models and thus, improve inundation/evacuation mapping products that would save lives and property.
Pricing and Industry Structure when Demand Elasticity Changes

This paper examines the economics of pricing under imperfect competition. It studies how industry concentration interacts with the elasticity of demand to affect pricing. When the demand elasticity decreases with increased market concentration, it can have significant effects on pricing. This issue is investigated empirically in an analysis of the determinants of nitrogen fertilizer prices in the US. The U.S. nitrogen fertilizer industry is an interesting case study for two reasons: First, it has exhibited increasing concentration over the last few decades. Second, the elasticity of U.S. demand for nitrogen fertilizer has decreased over that time period. Our analysis documents how a more inelastic demand for fertilizer—in addition to increased market concentration—has contributed to higher fertilizer prices.
Using Lidar Data to Assess the Relationship Between Beach Geomorphology and Kemp’s Ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) Nest Site Selection Along Padre Island, TX, United States

The Kemp's ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempii) is the most endangered sea turtle species in the world, largely due to the limited geographic range of its nesting habitat. There has been limited research regarding the connection between beach geomorphology and Kemp's ridley nesting patterns, but studies concerning other sea turtle species suggest that certain beach geomorphology variables, such as beach slope and width, influence nest site selection. This research attempts to address the literature gap by quantifying the terrestrial habitat variability of the Kemp's ridley and investigating the connection between beach geomorphology characteristics and Kemp's ridley nesting preferences on Padre Island, Texas, USA. Geomorphology characteristics, such as beach width and slope, were extracted from lidar-derived digital elevation models and associated with Kemp's nest coordinates and pseudo-absence points randomly created within the study area. Generalized linear models and random forest models were used to assess the significance of variables for nesting preferences. Kemp's ridley nest presence was successfully modeled using beach geomorphology characteristics, and elevation, distance from shoreline, maximum dune slope, and average beach slope were the relatively most important variables in the models. Kemp's ridleys exhibit a preference for a limited range of the study area and avoid nesting on beaches with beach characteristics of extreme values. The results of this study include new information regarding Kemp's ridley terrestrial habitat and nesting preferences that have many applications for species conservation and management.
U.S. Fertility Decline and Recuperation Following the Great Recession by County-Level Industrial Composition of the Labor Force

Amid a persistent U.S. fertility decline since the Great Recession, fertility recuperation patterns by geographic regions were not homogeneous. This study hypothesizes that the geographic discrepancies in fertility patterns are attributable to different labor force compositions by the regions. We use data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Annual Estimates of the Resident Population County Components of Population Change to estimate the discrepancy in fertility variations at the county-level. By comparing the slopes of births before and following the recession, we visualize the characteristics of fertility variations at the U.S. county-level. Also, a multiple linear regression model estimates that the counties with a greater share of labor force in wholesale trade, information & technology, finance & insurance, and professional & scientific industry show greater volatility in fertility trends throughout the Great Recession. On the contrary, the counties with higher proportions of the labor force in agriculture, retail trade, and education industry tend to less change over the years of the economic recession. However, fertility recuperation is limitedly identified amid the structural fertility decline after the Great Recession.
Intelligent Drivable Area Detection System using Camera and Lidar Sensor for Autonomous Vehicle

Road detection is the most primary and important task for any autonomous vehicles. Nowadays, most of the cars available in the market have camera sensors which assist the drivers for safe driving. Therefore, we propose a sensor fusion method by utilizing LiDAR and Camera sensor together to develop a robust drivable road detection system. In this paper, the edge detection and color based segmentation techniques has been used to generate the binary image of lanes from camera sensor images. Then the line models is fitted on the generated binary image using RANSAC algorithm to find the lane marking. But there are many roads in urban area where only one side lane marks are present and sometimes no lane marking at all. In such places, the drivable road detection system wouldn't be able to perform well and doesn't know its boundary for the vehicle to drive. The sensor fused method proposed in this paper utilizes the LiDAR sensor information along with camera images to know its trajectory for safe travel. The algorithm works very well in different road scenarios in an urban area where the road has two lane marks, one side lane with other side curb and finally on both side curbs. The proposed method is tested with two different datasets. The overall results show that the proposed algorithm performs robustly well and the system is able to identify its drivable region accurately.