cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multilevel resilience analysis of transportation and communication networks

For many years the research community has attempted to model the Internet in order to better understand its behaviour and improve its performance. Since much of the structural complexity of the Internet is due to its multilevel operation, the Internet's multilevel nature is an important and non-trivial feature that researchers must consider when developing appropriate models. In this paper, we compare the normalised Laplacian spectra of physical- and logical-level topologies of four commercial ISPs and two research networks against the US freeway topology, and show analytically that physical level communication networks are structurally similar to the US freeway topology. We also generate synthetic Gabriel graphs of physical topologies and show that while these synthetic topologies capture the grid-like structure of actual topologies, they are more expensive than the actual physical level topologies based on a network cost model. Moreover, we introduce a distinction between geographic graphs that include degree-2 nodes needed to capture the geographic paths along which physical links follow, and structural graphs that eliminate these degree-2 nodes and capture only the interconnection properties of the physical graph and its multilevel relationship to logical graph overlays. Furthermore, we develop a multilevel graph evaluation framework and analyse the resilience of single and multilevel graphs using the flow robustness metric. We then confirm that dynamic routing performed over the lower levels helps to improve the performance of a higher level service, and that adaptive challenges more severely impact the performance of the higher levels than non-adaptive challenges.
Jacobi Theta Functions over Number Fields

We use Jacobi theta functions to construct examples of Jacobi forms over number fields. We determine the behavior under modular transformations by regarding certain coefficients of the Jacobi theta functions as specializations of symplectic theta functions. In addition, we show how sums of those Jacobi theta functions appear as a single coefficient of a symplectic theta function.
O processo da revelação: um caso de incesto

Incest is a public health problem with low visibility. It is under diagnosed by health services. It is often unreported. Conviction rates are low because disclosure by the victim is essential and is rare and difficult. The family physician is in a privileged position to approach this issue. This case report describes a 39 year old woman who was raised by a foster family from 6 months of age until the age of 7. She maintained contact with her biological family and was the victim of incest by her older brother until she was 17. This case describes the lengthy process of disclosure and the associated legal and ethical issues. The patient demonstrated borderline personality disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and family and social dysfunction. Therapy in these cases is prolonged, multidisciplinary and comprehensive, including individual and family therapy. The family physician may adopt an empathic attitude, allowing the patient to recognize that their maladaptative emotions are a survival response to incest in the past.
Seeking Redemption for Torts Law - A Review of 'Holding Bishops Accountable: How Lawsuits Helped the Catholic Church Confront Clergy Sexual Abuse' by Timothy D. Lytton (Harvard University Press 2008)

In Holding Bishops Accountable, Professor Timothy Lytton presents the Catholic Church child molestation lawsuits as an example to encourage a more careful look at torts litigation’s potential policymaking benefits. In this forthcoming book review (draft available for download), Professor Cupp praises Professor Lytton’s thesis and his impressive scholarship. However, the review raises as an open question whether the clergy abuse cases provide an illustration that is too exceptional to substantially enhance openness to the idea of torts litigation as a policy tool.Church leaders abusing vulnerable children creates a deeply compelling “morality play,” and a plaintiff’s attorney’s perfect plotline. Finding a more sympathetic plaintiff than a defenseless child or a more deplorable defendant than a corrupt clergyman abusing innocents is not easy. The review acknowledges that in the information age a strong symbiotic relationship exists between news and torts lawsuits that should not be underestimated in assessing torts law’s impact on policymaking. With a scenario as shocking as priests molesting children, the media justifiably flock to cover the scandalous story, the extensive coverage shapes public perceptions, and significant policy change predictably follows.The review recognizes that under the right circumstances, torts law might play a role as a policymaking tool, but it cautions that the particularly powerful illustration of clergy abuse litigation is just that – particularly powerful – and that torts law’s potential for influencing policy is more limited in most litigation scenarios.
Testing the assumptions underlying fMRI adaptation using intracortical recordings in area MT.

Abstract We investigated how neural activity in the middle temporal area of the macaque monkey changes after 3 sec of exposure to a visual stimulus and used this to gain insight into the assumptions underlying the fMRI adaptation method (fMRIa). We studied both changes in tuning curves following weak and strong motion stimuli (adaptation) and the differences between a first and second exposure to the same stimulus (repetition suppression). Typically, tuning curves had smaller amplitudes and narrower tuning widths after strong adaptation; this was true for single neurons, multi-unit activity (MUA), the evoked local field potential (LFP), as well as gamma band activity. Repetition typically led to reduced responses. This reduction was correlated with direction selectivity and not explained by neural fatigue. Our data, however, warn against a simplistic view of the consequences of adaptation. First, a considerable fraction of neurons and sites showed response enhancements after adaptation, especially when probed with a stimulus that moved opposite to the direction of the adapting stimulus. Second, adaptation was stimulus selective only on a time scale of ∼100 msec. Third, aggregate measures of neural activity (MUA, LFPs) had substantially different adaptation effects. Fourth, there were qualitative differences between our findings in MT and earlier findings in IT cortex. We conclude that selective adaptation effects in fMRIa are relatively easy to miss even when they exist (for instance by presenting stimuli for too long, or because neurons that enhance after adaptation cancel out the effect of neurons that suppress). Moreover, we argue that adaptation should be understood in the context of the computations that a neural circuit perform. Using fMRIa as a tool to uncover neural selectivity requires a better understanding of this circuitry and its consequences for adaptation.
The Effects of Medroxyprogesterone Acetate on Carbohydrate Metabolism: Measurements of Glucose, Insulin, and Growth Hormone After Twelve Months’ Use*

During a 1-year period 37 women received trimonthly intermuscular injections of 150 mg medroxyprogesterone acetate. At the end of a 1 year period metabolic tests were repeated and compared to results obtained before the injections began. At the end of the year glucose levels of 89.2% of the subjects rose significantly. Glucose tolerance curves became abnormal in 14.7% of the women. Plasma levels increased in all the women significantly (p less than .01). The plasma growth hormone levels remained unchanged. Data confirms that medroxyprogesterone acetate has an adverse effect on carbohydrate metabolism. Levels of change were more significant at 1 year than at 6 months. It appears that the duration of the treatment is positively related to the effect the drug will have. The effects the drug has may not be immediately reversible. The mechanism of the drugs action was not determined. It was advised that all women have metabolic studies done before and during administration of this drug.
More is more.

Suggested citation for this article: Potter P. More is more. Emerg Infect Dis [Internet]. 2013 Jun [date cited]. http://dx.doi.org/10.3201/eid1906.AC1906
Association between variants in newly discovered Alzheimer's susceptibility genes and longitudinal cognitive performance in late middle-aged adults: The WRAP cohort

known “AD genes’” regions, AD subjects have greater rate and total length of duplications than controls. We did not find evidence for common CNV association to AD using logistic regression with numerous covariates. In chr15q11 20.2M-22.6Mwe found large (>1⁄4500 kbp) duplications are overrepresented by AD cases (47 cases, 4 controls, OR1⁄43.4). This 15q11 region is upstream of the region where deletions are associated with either PraderWilli or Angelman syndromes. The presence of abundant segmental duplications in this region makes it a hot spot for Non Allelic Homologous Recombinations (NAHRs). We were able to identify potential pairs of segmental duplications that might have facilitated some of the recurrent duplications. Conclusions: Duplications in the chr15q11 region are associated with increased risk of late onset AD in the Caucasian population.
One-point multipactor in crossed fields of rf cavities

As mentioned earlier in the book, two forms of multipacting are distinguished in RF devices: one-point and two-point multipacting. Sometimes these are called one-surface and two-surface multipacting, respectively. One-point multipacting (we will call it MP1 in the following) is characterized as follows: (i) the electrons are emitted from and returned to the same surface and (ii) the time between surface impacts is an integer number of RF periods. In the case of two-point multipacting (MP2), the electrons are oscillating in a cavity in such a manner that they hit the surface – typically of the opposite cavity walls – after an odd number of half periods (1/2, 3/2, 5/2, …).
Transmission Electron Microscopy Study of Interface Region of Aln / 6H-Sic

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) study was performed to investigate the interface region of AlN/6H-SiC. Thick AlN layers were grown on a 3.5° off-axis 6H-SiC substrate at a temperature of 1790 °C for 100 hours by sublimation-recondensation method. The energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDXS) analysis indicated considerable amount of aluminum and nitrogen present in the substrate and Si and C present in AlN. Lattice images of cross-sectional TEM samples show a faceted interface with step growth.
MAXIMUM-LIKELIHOOD APPROACHES APPLIED TO QUANTITATIVE GENETICS OF NATURAL POPULATIONS

Growing interest in adaptive evolution in natural populations has spurred efforts to infer genetic components of variance and covariance of quantitative characters. Here, I review difficulties inherent in the usual least-squares methods of estimation. A useful alternative approach is that of maximum likelihood (ML). Its particular advantage over least squares is that estimation and testing procedures are well defined, regardless of the design of the data. A modified version of ML, REML, eliminates the bias of ML estimates of variance components. Expressions for the expected bias and variance of estimates obtained from balanced, fully hierarchical designs are presented for ML and REML. Analyses of data simulated from balanced, hierarchical designs reveal differences in the properties of ML, REML, and F-ratio tests of significance. A second simulation study compares properties of REML estimates obtained from a balanced, fully hier- archical design (within-generation analysis) with those from a sampling design including phenotypic data on parents and multiple progeny. It also illustrates the effects of imposing nonnegativity constraints on the estimates. Finally, it reveals that predictions of the behavior of significance tests based on asymptotic theory are not accurate when sample size is small and that constraining the estimates seriously affects properties of the tests. Because of their great flexibility, likelihood meth- ods can serve as a useful tool for estimation of quantitative-genetic parameters in natural popu- lations. Difficulties involved in hypothesis testing remain to be solved.
Invasive meningococcal disease and HIV coinfection.

Three cases of meningococcal disease which occurred over a 3 year period in HIV infected people living in the Wentworth Health Area of Sydney, Australia, are described. None of the 3 had ever received antiretroviral therapy which may have contributed to development of invasive meningococcal disease. (author abstract)
Large-Scale Metabolite Analysis of Standards and Human Serum by Laser Desorption Ionization Mass Spectrometry from Silicon Nanopost Arrays.

The unique challenges presented by metabolomics have driven the development of new mass spectrometry (MS)-based techniques for small molecule analysis. We have previously demonstrated silicon nanopost arrays (NAPA) to be an effective substrate for laser desorption ionization (LDI) of small molecules for MS. However, the utility of NAPA-LDI-MS for a wide range of metabolite classes has not been investigated. Here we apply NAPA-LDI-MS to the large-scale acquisition of high-resolution mass spectra and tandem mass spectra from a collection of metabolite standards covering a range of compound classes including amino acids, nucleotides, carbohydrates, xenobiotics, lipids, and other classes. In untargeted analysis of metabolite standard mixtures, detection was achieved for 374 compounds and useful MS/MS spectra were obtained for 287 compounds, without individual optimization of ionization or fragmentation conditions. Metabolite detection was evaluated in the context of 31 metabolic pathways, and NAPA-LDI-MS was ...
Phonon Scattering in Heterolayer Transport

The role of phonon scattering in mobility and in the hot-electron phenomenon is described, in particular for a GaAs heterolayer, and the strength of the “hot phonon” effect is estimated. Coulomb coupling of the phonon scattering in neighboring heterolayers, in particular GaSb/InAs, is discussed.
Mechanisms for Regulation of β-Adrenergic Receptor Function in Desensitization

The advent of direct radioligand binding studies of a variety of receptors over the past few years has made it possible to directly investigate the role of receptor alterations in mediating a variety of physiological changes in drug responsiveness. Among the more interesting properties of many biologically active agonist drugs is the fact that they not only stimulate target tissues but they also desensitize them. This means that after a period of agonist stimulation the response of the target tissue often wanes even in the continued presence of the agonist. Many terms have been used to describe these phenomena including desensitization, tolerance, tachyphylaxis and refractoriness. Desensitization is of interest to basic as well as clinical pharmacologists because it may be a major mechanism which limits the therapeutic effectiveness of various drugs. If one could understand the molecular basis for desensitization it might be possible to design therapeutic strategies to alter it. However, since only agonists desensitize tissues (antagonists do not), it seems likely that the activating and desensitizing properties of various agonists are very intimately linked. Thus, a very detailed understanding of these processes is likely to be necesary if they are to be dissected apart.
Ca2+-Sensitivity and Elementary Steps of the Cross-Bridge Cycle in Papillary Muscle Fibers from the Troponin C (TnC)-A8V Knock-In Mouse, which Exhibits Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM)

Mutations of TnC alter its function by two mechanisms: changing Ca2+-affinity, and/or changing the TnC-TnI interaction. A mutation, A8V, exhibits HCM and diastolic dysfunction in both mice and humans as demonstrated by echocardiography. Here we have used homozygous knock-in TnC mutant A8V mice (7-8 months-old) in which the myofilaments carry only mutant protein. These mice develop HCM at 3 months (Circ Cardiovasc Genetic 2015, in press). This mutation is located in the N-helix of TnC, a region known to affect Ca2+-affinity. Here we studied the effects of TnC-A8V mutation in small fiber bundles (90-110µm diameter) from skinned papillary muscles. These were activated at 25°C under the intracellular ionic conditions of working cardiomyocytes (5mM ATP, 1mM Mg2+, 8mM phosphate, 200mM ionic strength, and pH 7.0). With the pCa-tension study, Ca2+-sensitivity increased (3x) and cooperativity decreased (0.8x) compared to the wild-type. The maximum active tension decreased slightly (0.95x). The elementary steps of the cross-bridge cycle were investigated by small-amplitude sinusoidal analysis. With the ATP study, there was no significant change in the ATP affinity (K1) to the myosin head, but cross-bridge detachment rate (k2) and its equilibrium constant (K2) increased to 1.5x, which causes slightly fewer force-generating cross-bridges. With the phosphate study, no effect of the mutation on the rate constants of the force-generation step (k4, k-4) or Pi-release step (1/K5) was observed. When the rigor state was induced, there was no effect of the mutation on stiffness, implying that force/cross-bridge is not altered. We infer from these observations that TnC-A8V mutation recruits more cycling cross-bridges during systole as a result of increased myofilament Ca2+-sensitivity, but unable to relax adequately resulting in diastolic dysfunction, followed by HCM development.
Teaching Over There

In the introductory chapter of this book, Lewis provides background knowledge of her primary and secondary education, personal journey from an expected teaching position in a predominately White upper middle class hometown to an actual placement in a predominantly Black high poverty urban school located in the housing projects. Experiences of racism, classism, and growth to finding passion and purpose in urban education are explored, as well as the purpose, theoretical framework, and research questions of the book.
A Feasibility Trial of Home Administration of Intranasal Vaccine by Parents to Eligible Children

Abstract Purpose Intranasal vaccines are being developed for protection against many different infectious agents. The currently available intranasal live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) is only approved for administration by medical personnel. We conducted a pilot study to investigate the feasibility of training parents to give LAIV to their own children. Methods Subjects were recruited from several sources: a university-based outpatient clinic, university employee e-mail announcement, and direct referrals from study subjects. After confirming eligibility to receive LAIV, consented parents were trained by viewing a video with the study staff. LAIV was provided in a cooler with instructions to vaccinate within 24 hours. Telephone follow-up was conducted to confirm proper administration and to assess parental attitudes about home administration. At season’s end, immunization registry and hospital records were reviewed to confirm no additional doses were given. Findings Twenty-seven families with 41 children were enrolled. All participants successfully administered LAIV to their children, and all preferred or strongly preferred home administration to an office visit for getting vaccinated. Two families stated that without this option they would not have otherwise vaccinated their children. Adverse events were minor. All patients had their state vaccine registries accurately updated and none received duplicate doses. Upon review, no reimbursement was received for vaccination. Implications Home administration of intranasal LAIV was successful and well received. This option could be used in the future for LAIV or other intranasal vaccines as a way to increase vaccination rates and convenience for parents. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01938170.
Determinants for no definitive therapy for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer in U.S. population.

1590 Background: Surgery or radiation therapy (RT) remains the definitive treatment for early-stage (Stage I/II) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Early-stage NSCLC should be treated appropriatel...
Disparities in Body Mass Index Trajectories From Adolescence to Early Adulthood for Sexual Minority Women

Abstract Purpose We aimed to estimate group-based trajectories of body mass index (BMI) in a longitudinal cohort of young women and determine the association between sexual identity and BMI trajectory group, adjusting for obesity risk factors. Methods We analyzed data from females in waves I–IV of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. Sexual identity was categorized as heterosexual, mostly heterosexual, bisexual, or lesbian (homosexual/mostly homosexual). We conducted group-based trajectory modeling of BMI with a censored normal distribution and a cubic relationship with age to identify three BMI trajectory groups. Multinomial logit regressions predicted the risk of trajectory membership associated with sexual identity, adjusting for background characteristics. Results At wave I, the mean (n = 7,801) age was 15.9 years (95% confidence interval: 15.6–16.1). Subjects were 16.3% African-American; and 80.0% heterosexual, 15.9% mostly heterosexual, 2.5% bisexual, and 1.7% lesbian. Group-based trajectory modeling identified three BMI trajectory groups characterized as (1) minimal obesity (62.2%), (2) developing obesity (29.9%), and (3) progressive obesity (8.0%). In multinomial logit regressions adjusted for age, race, parental obesity and education, sexual abuse, household income, screen time, depressive symptoms, and rural residence, lesbian women had a nearly two-fold higher relative risk of being in the developing obesity trajectory group (relative risk ratio = 1.91, 95% confidence interval: 1.10–3.32) relative to the minimal obesity group, compared with heterosexual women. Conclusions Lesbian women were at increased risk of membership in the developing obesity trajectory group compared with heterosexual women. Adjusting for obesity risk factors had minimal impact on the point estimates for this association.
Use of Natural Antimicrobials of Plant Origin to Improve the Microbiological Safety of Foods

Abstract The growing interest in using plant-derived extracts, including essential oils (EOs), as natural antimicrobials in foods is fueled by the need to reduce the use of synthetic food additives. In recent years, research on applications of EOs and their components in various food groups has intensified. Optimal food applications of EOs are limited by factors including high concentrations needed for microbial control, changes in sensory properties of foods, poor miscibility in aqueous food systems, and interaction with food matrices. Apart from direct addition to foods, antimicrobial EOs can be delivered by several techniques including incorporation in food packaging, encapsulation, and incorporation in biodegradable edible coatings. Choice of delivery technique is typically based on cost, stability, antimicrobial efficacy, transportation, and storage conditions. Further research is needed on toxicological effects and potential synergistic and/or additive antimicrobial effects of major and minor EO components to optimize the use of these natural antimicrobials in foods.
Ventriculoperitoneal-Shunt Placement for Normal-Pressure Hydrocephalus

A 70-year-old woman presented with a 2-year history of gait disturbance, urinary incontinence, and cognitive impairment and had radiologic findings of normal-pressure hydrocephalus. After placement of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt, her condition improved substantially.
Eliciting and developing students' ideas and questions in a learner-centered environmental biology unit

An important instructional practice for teachers in learner-centered science classrooms is to be able to work productively with students' ideas and questions. Eliciting and thoughtfully attending to students' thinking in order to help them advance in their learning is no easy matter, however. This study examined how teachers enacted instruction to elicit, connect, and build upon their elementary students' ideas and questions during an innovative twelve-week learner-centered environmental biology unit. The purpose of the study was to identify and describe successes, issues, and challenges related to incorporating students' ideas and questions into science instruction. Primary data sources included field notes taken during classroom observations and teacher interviews. We present three contrasting cases of teachers to highlight evidence that shows teachers' differing strategies for eliciting students' ideas and questions, and for developing students' ideas, questions and questioning skills. We discuss practical implications for designers of inquiry-based science curricula and professional development.
Overcoming thrombolytic resistance: Rationale and initial clinical experience combining thrombolytic therapy and glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor inhibition for acute myocardial infarction

Abstract OBJECTIVES We sought to review the emerging data and the clinical rationale for combining glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa inhibitors with thrombolytic therapy for acute myocardial infarction (AMI). BACKGROUND Although thrombolytic therapy has been a major advance in the treatment of acute ST segment elevation MI, new single-bolus thrombolytic agents have been unable to break the “thrombolytic ceiling” in infarct-related artery (IRA) patency. METHODS Recent literature on GPIIb/IIIa inhibitors in acute coronary syndromes was reviewed. RESULTS A new approach toward improving current thrombolytic–antithrombotic regimens focuses on “targeted therapy” for each component of the occlusive coronary thrombus: fibrin, thrombin and platelets. For the fibrin component, front-loading and/or bolus dosing of plasminogen activators (PAs) has identified the currently available doses of tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) and recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (r-PA). For the thrombin component, several recent trials have shown that lower doses of heparin improve the safety profile of the thrombolytic-antithrombotic regimen. For the platelet component, aspirin has been shown to be effective, but the GPIIb/IIIa inhibitors offer the potential for more effective platelet inhibition and improved clinical efficacy. The benefits of GPIIb/IIIa inhibition in reducing death, MI or urgent revascularization in the setting of percutaneous coronary intervention are well established. Emerging experimental and clinical data now suggest that combining GPIIb/IIIa inhibition with reduced-dose thrombolytic therapy may improve early IRA patency without increasing bleeding risk. CONCLUSIONS Given the strong clinical and physiologic rationale, clinical investigation in acute ST segment elevation MI is currently focused on combining the potent GPIIb/IIIa receptor inhibitors with reduced-dose fibrinolytic agents in acute MI, with the goal of overcoming “thrombolytic resistance.”
Adjustments for confounding variables in observational population-based studies in oncology and comparison to results from randomized controlled trials.

e18135Background: Observational population-based studies (OBS) allow large scale analyses to be done, and are increasingly used to compare cancer treatment modalities. Given the immense heterogenei...
Plasma tryptase elevation during aspirin-induced reactions in aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease.

Plasma tryptase elevation during aspirin-induced respiratory reactions occurs in 50% of reactions despite CysLT1R antagonist prophylaxis and identifies lung function decline and extra-respiratory symptoms in aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD).
Measurement of Leakage Current to Ground in Programmable Josephson Voltage Standards

The voltage error associated with the leakage current of programmable Josephson voltage standards (PJVS) is one of the largest contributions to the uncertainty in direct comparison of voltage standards. Due to the parallel biasing scheme of the PJVS and the resulting multiple leakage paths, the quantities “leakage resistance” and “leakage current” are not necessarily equivalent. A method to measure and model the leakage current to ground for a given PJVS output voltage is presented. By upgrading simple components of the NIST system, the leakage current to ground can be reduced from 250 pA to 50 pAat 10 V.
Design of an Adaptive Push-Repel Operator for Enhancing Convergence in Genetic Algorithms

Genetic Algorithms (GAs) are demonstrated to be successful in solving problems pertaining to the field of engineering, physics, medicine, finance and many more. The efficacy of GAs lies in its efficiency at exploring complex design-space with black-box constraints and reach the optimal regions defined by functions of unknown fitness landscapes (or in other words, black-box optimization functions). Depending on the nature of the problem, the design-space can have continuous, discrete or mixed (continuous and discrete) set of design-variables. The exploration in this design-space is conducted through a population of individuals and is primarily driven by three operations –selection, recombination (or crossover) and mutation. The exploitation aspect of a GA search is obtained by its selection operation, while crossover and mutation operations deal with the exploration aspect for generating new solutions in the search space. In this study, an attempt has been made to balance the two aspects by designing a generic push operator which introduces an extra level of exploitation in the algorithm by biasing the creation of solutions near the best-so-far solution. In addition to standard search operators, an additional diversity maintaining repel operator is introduced to balance the exploitation-exploration issue. Simulations are performed to understand the effect of an adaptive push-repel GA on different fitness landscapes for both unconstrained and constrained optimization problems. The results are promising and encourage their extensions to other evolutionary algorithms.
Discovering Messengers with Erasure Coding for Communication in Wireless Ad hoc Networks

Information exchange between distant nodes is the basis for all functionalities of a wireless ad hoc network. To effectively transmit a packet from one node to other distant nodes, the key is messenger discovery. It is important for a sender to find sufficient but not excessive direct neighboring nodes as messengers. On one hand, the messengers should be distant from the sender but not too far away. On the other hand, the messengers should be far from each other. However, the nature of the wireless ad hoc networks makes this mission a great challenge. In this paper, considering limited energy resource and the nature of ad hoc networks, we review the previous protocols and propose a new protocol, exploiting Erasure Coding for messenger discovery. Our proposed protocol is stateless and works in a distributed manner. In each messenger discovery process, the sender encodes a message into multiple packets with erasure coding and broadcasts the packets until it finds enough messengers activated. The receivers decide whether they should act as messengers or not, based on the percentage of received packets and the number of activated messengers. Mathematical analysis and simulations verifies the viability of our protocol, and shows the superiorities of our protocol.
Burn Angle and Its Implications on Flame Spread Rate, Mass Burning Rate, and Fuel Temperature for Downward Flame Spread over Thin PMMA

A burn angle is defined as the acute angle subtended by the pyrolyzing surface with the virgin fuel surface and is an easily measurable overall characteristic parameter of flame spread, just like f...
LBP06: HLA-C ANTIBODY: HOW STRONG IS UNACCEPTABLE? DEFINING HLA-C ANTIBODY CUT-OFF AT ONE TRANSPLANT CENTER

Introduction The addition of HLA-C to UNOS cPRA calculation was the result of increased recognition of the importance of HLA-C antibody and the fact that enough data was available on the frequency of HLA-C types in donors. The unacceptable cut-off for HLA-A/B/DR/DQ antibodies, which varies drastically throughout the HLA field, was determined based on the likelihood of producing a positive crossmatch. Will the same arbitrary cut-off apply to HLA-C? HLA-C has unique antigen expression level on the cell surface and limited antigenic polymorphism, which can create artificial over representation on Luminex Single antigen beads. This is an ongoing case study from one transplant center aiming to answer these questions. Methods Nine sera with HLA-C antibodies were identified; five of them only had HLA-C antibodies. The antibody profile and strength were characterized using Luminex single antigen bead assay (One Lambda Inc, Canoga Park, CA). Surrogate donor cells with corresponding DSA were collected and crossmatched using CDC, AHG-CDC and Flow methods. All HLA-C DSA(s) are >4000 MFI, which is the cut-off used in our center as unacceptable antigen determination and likely to produce positive CDC and/or AHG-CDC crossmatch. Results All CDC, AHG-CDC crossmatches were negative. Among the 4 sera with multiple loci DSA, 3 were T and B cell Flow positive and 1 was B cell positive only. Among the 5 HLA-C DSA only sera, 3 were T and B cell Flow positive and 2 were T and B cell Flow negative. Anti-Cw4 demonstrated positive flow T and B cell crossmatches with MFI’s over 4K range (5–8 K tested). Anti-Cw1, often observed as only HLA-C antibody sera together with Cw1/C15/C12, was completely negative for all T and B cell CDC, AHG-CDC and Flow crossmatches. Discussion If HLA-C unacceptable antigen cut-off is set at 4000 MFI, all of the above ‘donors’ would have been eliminated. At a center where transplants are routinely performed over positive DSA/Flow crossmatch, all of these cases would be transplantable, and furthermore, two of these cases would not require any immune modulation prior to transplant. An anti-Cw7 calculates as 49% cPRA and will cause a high percentage of donor exclusion. Is the Cw1/C15/C12 valid? Ongoing data collection is in progress for better defining HLA-C antibody and unacceptable cut-off for virtual donor exclusion.
Professor Malloy, Judge Posner, and Adam Smith’s Moral Philosophy

As with any debate between two thoughtful and articulate scholars, there is much in the arguments of Professor Malloy and of Judge Posner that has merit and draws us toward their respective positions. The question I address here is: How close is the work of each of these men to the intellectual tradition of Adam Smith.
Online prediction of tray-transport request time using mechanistic grey box models for improved scheduling of robotic strawberry harvest-aids

This paper addresses the online prediction of the time when a strawberry picker will fill up the carton tray (s)he is currently harvesting with. This time is important for predictive scheduling of tray-transporting harvest-aid robots that transport trays instead of the pickers themselves, with the goal to increase efficiency. To make such predictions, two mechanistic grey models (GM1 and GM2) were developed. The models incorporate knowledge about the process of filling a tray with harvested fruits by estimating relevant process parameters. During harvesting, both models compute Bayesian updates of the a priori distributions of the picking time and the tray's mass when it is empty and full, with data from each full tray. Moreover, both models rely on real-time measurements of the mass of harvested crop to predict when the tray capacity will be reached. GM1 predicts the next tray transport request (NTTR) time by adding the a priori mean picking time obtained from a previously developed predictive linear mixed model (LMM), and the beginning time of a cycle, whereas, GM2 fits a simple linear regression (SLR) to the load cell data in real time. In order to evaluate the performances of the two models, a set of load cell output time series was obtained from an instrumented picking cart during manual strawberry harvesting. Except for one tray (out of 58), both GM1 and GM2 were successful at generating NTTR predictions. However, GM2 predictions adapted to the occurrence of non-picking activities that manifested as plateaus in the mass data. Also, when a tray was not filled completely, GM1 could not predict accurately the NTTR time of that tray neither the NTTR of the next tray, because it could not detect the starting time for filling the next tray. GM2 missed the starting time also, but was able to provide accurate predictions, albeit a bit later in the picking cycle. However, delays that do not extend beyond 70% of the picking time are not significant. For these reasons, it seems that GM2 should be preferred over GM1. Additionally, since both GM algorithms utilise the a priori statistics of picking time and the full tray's mass, it is advisable to have pickers deliver a couple of trays themselves in the beginning of their shift, so that the process parameters are “learned” with Bayesian updating.
Doping of CdTe using CuCl 2 Solution for Highly Efficient Photovoltaic Devices

Here, we report doping of cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin film solar cells using copper (II) chloride (CuCl 2 ) solution in deionized water. The CdTe thin films were immersed in 0.1 mmol CuCl 2 solution in water and annealed in the temperature range of 180 – 240 °C for various time durations. The devices were completed using thermally evaporated gold (Au) and measured under simulated AM1.5G spectrum. The average device efficiency of CuCl 2 treated CdTe devices increased to 13.7 % (best cell reaching 14.0%) with significant improvement on open-circuit voltage (V OC ) as compared with 12.4% (best cell 12.7%) for thermally evaporated Cu doped CdTe devices. For CuCl 2 treated CdTe devices, we found higher photoluminescence (PL) intensity and longer carrier life time at room temperature indicating solution based doping offers better control of Cu doping density as compared with evaporated Cu.
Enhanced copper–carbon nanotube hybrid conductors with titanium adhesion layer

Cu–carbon nanotube (CNT) hybrids combine the advantages of the high electrical conductivity of Cu with the low temperature coefficient of resistance for CNTs, but require enhanced interfacing to improve the electrical performance when exposed to elevated temperatures. Herein, Ti and Ni were investigated as adhesion metals by thermally evaporating 10 nm layers onto a CNT conductor. SEM analysis shows Ni deposits as discrete nanoscale crystallites which coalesce after annealing to 400 °C in H2/Ar. Ti deposits uniformly along the CNT surface and is stable over such temperatures. A 100 nm deposition of Cu is shown to delaminate from the CNTs after annealing, and the resistance per length (R/L) increases by 40%. The Cu–Ni–CNT exhibits a 125% increase, while the Cu–Ti–CNT achieves a 12% decrease in R/L, for similar annealing conditions. Thus, Ti emerges as an effective adhesion metal, warranting its use in metal–CNT wire technologies for elevated temperature operation.
Changes in Experimental Pain Sensitivity from Using Home-Based Remotely Supervised Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Older Adults with Knee Osteoarthritis

Objective The present study examined the effects of home-based remotely supervised transcranial direct current stimulation on quantitative sensory testing measurements in older adults with knee osteoarthritis. Participants were hypothesized to experience improved pain measurements over time. Design Open-label, single-arm trial. Setting Southeast Texas between March and November 2018 at a nursing school and participant homes. Subjects Older adults (aged 50-85 years) with self-reported unilateral or bilateral knee osteoarthritis pain who met eligibility criteria set by the American College of Rheumatology. Methods The intervention was applied with a constant current intensity for 20 minutes every weekday for two weeks (10 total sessions). Quantitative measures of pain were collected three times over 10 days (days 1, 5, and 10) and included heat threshold and tolerance, pressure pain threshold, punctate mechanical pain, pain, and conditioned pain modulation. Analyses used nonparametric tests to evaluate differences between day 1 and day 10. Generalized linear mixed models were then used to evaluate change across all three time points for each measure. Bayesian inference was used to provide the posterior probability of longitudinal effects. Results Nonparametric tests found improvements in seven measures, and longitudinal models supported improvements in 10 measures, with some nonlinear effects. Conclusions The home-based, remotely supervised intervention improved quantitative measurements of pain in older adults with knee osteoarthritis. This study contributes to the growing body of literature supporting home-based noninvasive stimulation interventions.
Prognostic Value of Bone Marrow Metabolism on Pretreatment 18F-FDG PET/CT in Patients with Metastatic Melanoma Treated with Anti-PD-1 Therapy.

Purpose: To investigate the prognostic value of 18F-FDG PET/CT parameters in melanoma patients before beginning anti-PD-1 therapy. Methods: Imaging parameters including SUVmax, metabolic tumor volume (MTV), and bone marrow to liver SUVmean ratio (BLR) were measured from baseline PET/CT in 92 patients before the start of anti-PD-1 therapy. Association with survival and imaging parameters combined with clinical factors was evaluated. Clinical and laboratory data between high (> median) and low (≤ median) BLR groups were compared. Results: Multivariate analyses demonstrated that BLR was an independent prognostic factor for PFS and OS (P = 0.017, P = 0.011, respectively). The high BLR group had higher levels of white blood cell count/neutrophil count and C-Reactive Protein than the low BLR group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Patients with high BLR were associated with poor PFS and OS, potentially explained by evidence of systemic inflammation known to be associated with immunosuppression.
Zone-Plate X-Ray Microscopy

Fresnel zone plates are the most commonly used optic in x-ray microscopes. Following a short discussion of historical developments, the properties of zone plates are outlined, along with the microscope systems that employ them. A number of applications of x-ray microscopes are then surveyed, including in biology, environmental science, and materials science.
P-093: Ubiquitin receptor PSMD4/Rpn10 as therapeutic target in Multiple Myeloma

Background Our prior studies showed that targeting Ubiquitin Receptor (UbR) Rpn13 upstream of the 20S proteasome signaling cascade overcomes proteasome-inhibitor (PI)-resistance (Yan et al. Leukemia 2016; Yan et al, 2021 BCJ–please complete reference details). Besides Rpn13, 19S-associated UbR PSMD4/Rpn10 also plays a key role in chaperoning ubiquitinated substrate proteins for downstream 20S proteasomal degradation. In the present study, we show that inhibition of PSMD4 triggers potent anti-MM activity using both in in vitro and in vivo models of MM, including against PI-resistant MM cells. Methods Cell viability, and apoptosis assays were performed using WST/ CellTiter-Glo assay, and Annexin V staining, respectively. PSMD4 knockout 293 cell line was generated using CRISPR/Cas9. Doxcycycline (Dox)-inducible PSMD4-knockdown (KD) MM cell line was generated using short hairpin RNA (shRNA). A xenograft human MM model was used to characterize the role of PSMD4 on tumor progression. Statistical significance was assessed with Student’s t test. Results 1) MM patient gene expression profiling database showed that PSMD4 expression inversely correlates with overall survival (n=175; p = 0.00064). 2) RT-PCR, immunoblotting, and immunohistochemistry of MM patient BM showed higher PSMD4 levels in patient MM cells and MM cell lines versus normal cells. 3) Transient transfection of MM cells including, bortezomib-resistant MM cells with PSMD4-siRNA decreased their viability; conversely, transfection with PSMD4-WT rescued cells from growth-inhibitory activity of PSMD4-siRNA. Western blotting confirmed knockdown of PSMD4 by PSMD4-siRNA versus scrambled (scr)-siRNA, and restoration of PSMD4 levels in cells transfected with PSMD4-WT versus PSMD4-siRNA. 4) CRISPR/Cas9-PSMD4-KO showed reduced cell growth. 5) Both PSMD4-KO and PSMD4-KD cells showed elevated levels of polyubiquitylated proteins, indicating blockade of proteasome-mediated protein degradation; 6) PSMD4 blockade triggered apoptosis, cell-cycle arrest, activation of caspases, and endoplasmic reticulum stress response signaling in MM cells; and finally, 7) Transplantation of Dox-inducible PSMD4-KD MM.1S cells in mice correlated with significantly reduced tumor growth. Conclusion Our preclinical data validates targeting UbR PSMD4/Rpn10 to enhance cytotoxicity and overcome PI resistance in MM, as well as provides the basis for the development and clinical evaluation of PSMD4 inhibitors to improve patient outcome.
A systematic evaluation of primary headache management apps leveraging behavior change techniques.

BACKGROUND Mobile health apps have the potential to promote adherence to headache management through the use of evidence-based behavior change techniques (e.g., self-monitoring). While many headache management apps exist, the extent to which these apps include behavior change techniques remains unknown. Thus, the present study systematically evaluated the content and quality of commercially available headache management apps. METHODS Headache apps were identified using a systematic search in the Apple App and Google Play stores. A total of 55 apps were evaluated using the taxonomy of behavior change techniques and app quality using the Mobile App Rating Scale. RESULTS Headache management apps included 0-14 behavior change techniques (Mean [M] = 5.89) and 0-8 headache management behavior change techniques (M = 4.29). App quality ranged from 2.84-4.67 (M = 3.73) out of 5.00. Three apps, Migraine Trainer, Easeday: Headache & Migraine, and PainScale, included the highest number of overall and headache management behavior change techniques along with good quality scores. CONCLUSIONS While randomized controlled trials are necessary to determine the efficacy of individual headache apps, most existing apps include evidence-based headache management behavior change techniques. Headache apps often focus on either self-monitoring or stress management via relaxation training, suggesting that patients' needs should be used to inform app selection.
The NFL: Critical and Cultural Perspectives

Foreword: Football as Mediated Spectacle * Michael Oriard Introduction: The Political Football: Culture, Critique, and the NFL * Thomas P. Oates and Zack Furness I Production, Promotion, and Control 1 The Greatest Game Ever Played: An NFL Origin Story * Daniel A. Grano 2 Game Time: A History of the Managerial Authority of the Instant Replay * Dylan Mulvin 3 The Ochocinco Brand: Social Media's Impact on the NFL's Institutional Control * Jacob Dittmer 4 New Media and the Repackaging of NFL Fandom * Thomas P. Oates II Identities, Social Hierarchies, and Cultural Power 5 NFL Sex * Toby Miller 6 Football and "Ghettocentric" Logics? The NFL's Essentialist Mobilization of Black Bodies* Ronald L. Mower, David L. Andrews, and Oliver J. C. Rick 7 "I Was a Gladiator": Pain, Injury, and Masculinity in the NFL * Katie Rodgers 8 Masculinity, Race, and Violence in Any Given Sunday * Aaron Baker 9 Spignesi, Sinatra, and the Pittsburgh Steelers: Franco's Italian Army as an Expression of Ethnic Identity, 1972--1977 * Nicholas P. Ciotola III Gridirons and Battlefields 10 Offensive Lines: Sport-State Synergy in an Era of Perpetual War * Samantha King 11 NFL Films and the Militarization of Professional Football * Michael L. Butterworth 12 For the Love of National Manhood: Excavating the Cultural Politics and Media Memorializations of Pat Tillman * Kyle W. Kusz Contributors Index