cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Mast Cell: A Versatile Effector Cell for a Challenging World

Mast cells are phenotypically and functionally versatile effector cells. When activated by IgE-dependent or other mechanisms, mast cells can produce a diverse array of mediators including TNF-α and many other cytokines. Moreover, mast cells can express increased numbers of high-affinity surface receptors for IgE (FceRI) and enhanced levels of IgE-dependent mediator secretion in response to elevations in concentrations of IgE. These characteristics (and others) have suggested diverse potential roles for mast cells in health and disease. To test specific hypotheses about mast cell function in allergic reactions and other biological responses in vivo, one can employ genetically mast-cell-deficient KitW/KitW––v mice which do or do not contain adoptively transferred mast cell populations derived from genetically compatible wild-type mice or mice with mutations that influence mast cell biology. Such work has already indicated that mast cells (and, in some cases, mast-cell-derived cytokines) can have a critical role in the expression of the acute, late-phase and chronic components of IgE-dependent allergic inflammation and can influence the development of an important functional consequence of such reactions: airways hyperresponsiveness. However, mast cells can also perform important beneficial roles in host defense, both in IgE-dependent immune responses to certain parasites and in natural immunity to bacterial infection.
Abstract 27: Telomere length in relation to the risk of Barrett's esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma.

Background: Repeated injury of the esophagus by chronic gastroesophageal reflux (GER) is associated with the development of Barrett's esophagus (BE), a condition in which the squamous epithelium is replaced by a metaplastic columnar epithelium. A proportion of individuals diagnosed with BE progress to esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), which has considerably increased in incidence in many Western countries over the past four decades. Major risk factors associated with BE and EAC, such as obesity, smoking and gastroesophageal reflux (GER), are all contributors to the presence of chronic inflammation and oxidative damage. Unlike other areas of the chromosome that have effective repair systems to deal with oxidative damage, telomeres are not as well maintained and telomere length may reflect the impact of chronic inflammation. We investigated whether leukocyte telomere length was associated with BE or EAC risk compared to population-based controls in a pooled analysis of seven studies from the Barrett's and Esophageal Adenocarcinoma Consortium (BEACON). Methods: Telomere length was measured by quantitative-PCR using leukocyte DNA samples. Participants included 1,198 cases (395 with EAC, 403 with BE, 400 with GER) and 749 population-based controls. The association of telomere length (in tertiles) along the continuum of disease progression from GER to BE to EAC was calculated using study-specific odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) from logistic regression models, adjusted for age, sex, smoking status, alcohol consumption, BMI and education. Summary risk estimates were obtained using a random effects meta-analysis models. Results: Shorter telomeres were associated with decreased risks of EAC (OR 0.84; 95% CI 0.47-1.48) and BE (OR 0.68; 95% CI 0.46-1.01), when compared to population-based controls, though not statistically significant. In addition, subjects with shorter telomeres were associated with a decreased risk of GER (OR 0.43; 95% CI 0.18-1.01), compared to population-based controls. Conclusion: Telomere length may play a role in the progression from chronic reflux to BE and EAC. Citation Format: E. Christina Persson, Linda M. Liao, Rosana Risques, Donna Prunkard, Carol Giffen, Wong-Ho Chow, Thomas L. Vaughan, on behalf of the Barrett's Esophagus, Adenocarcinoma Consortium (BEACON) Investigators. Telomere length in relation to the risk of Barrett's esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Post-GWAS Horizons in Molecular Epidemiology: Digging Deeper into the Environment; 2012 Nov 11-14; Hollywood, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2012;21(11 Suppl):Abstract nr 27.
Measurement of Stress Cracking in Maize Kernels by Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Abstract Drying-induced stress cracks in maize kernels were measured during drying and cooling processes by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Stress cracks occurred in the vitreous endosperm in areas with the larger moisture gradients and lower moisture content. Cracks propagated from near the maize surface to the centre of maize kernels during drying in most cases. For the same variety of maize, higher drying temperatures (71 and 93°C) caused more severe cracks than a lower drying temperature (27°C).
The Contractual Architecture of Public Policy: A Critical Reconstruction of Lowi's Typology

We outline a theory of public policy using our transaction space model of contractual analysis. This approach is based on transaction cost economics, game theory, and the contractual paradigm. It treats government activities, including statutes and the organizations that administer them, as long-term contracts negotiated to economize on the costs of decision making. We return to Theodore Lowi's typology of public policies--although our construction departs from its underlying assumptions in numerous ways--to answer two questions. First, how does government come to be involved in some coercive activities and not others? Second, why does Lowi's typology appear to fit some policies so well and to be inadequate for others? According to our theory, demand for government intervention arises when people cannot resolve private problems of coordination, division, and defection, each a distinct dimension of transaction space. Lowi's typology fits unidimensional problems best. Multidimensional problems are more comp...
Ultralinear UHF power transistors for CATV applications

An investigation of the cross-modulation performance of UHF power transistors and its correlation with the gain parameter curves S 21 (I C , V CB ) shows that such transistors today exhibit an inherent linearity limitation and are not optimized for ultralinear applications. This means that using higher power transistors does not result in a larger output signal with low cross-modulation distortion. Presented measurements clearly demonstrate that the nonlinear products increase, not only with increasing emitter dc current, but also with collector voltage above certain limiting values I CL and V CL , respectively; I CL and V CL are relatively small compared with the corresponding maximum permissible values of I C and V CB . Their existence can be explained by current crowding effects, by the space-charge limitation of the collector current, by the nonuniform thermal conductance, by the temperature gradients, and by the unequal current density distribution across the (large) active areas of power transistors. A correlation between the V C gain parameter falloff effect and the "thermal distortions," has been established. Design and selection criteria for ultralinear transistors needed in CATV amplifers are given. A simple linearity test method is described.
SIMULATION AND TESTING OF A 6-STORY STRUCTURE INCORPORATING A COUPLED TWO MASS NONLINEAR ENERGY SINK

The nonlinear energy sink (NES) is a passive device used to rapidly direct energy into higher modes of vibration and locally dissipate a significant portion of the impulsive shock energy induced in the primary, linear structure to which it is attached. The Type III NES is a two degree-of-freedom device comprised of two lightweight masses coupled together through an essentially nonlinear element. The lower mass in this twomass arrangement is coupled to the linear structure through another essentially nonlinear element. This modification has been found to dramatically improve the performance of the NES to mitigate the shock when compared to a one degree-offreedom NES device. The measure of effective damping of the linear structure indicates the ability of the NES to dissipate energy and reduce the response of the structure across a wide range of energies. Experimental tests have been performed to verify the numerical findings. Good agreement between numerical predictions and experimental observations validates the identified model of the NES.
Early clinical response as a predictor of subsequent response to ixekizumab treatment: results from a phase II study of patients with moderate‐to‐severe plaque psoriasis

Summary Background Early identification of responsiveness to biologic treatments in psoriasis has significant clinical and economic implications. Objectives To evaluate whether early clinical improvements in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) scores could predict subsequent clinical responses in patients treated with ixekizumab, an anti-interleukin-17 monoclonal antibody. Methods This post hoc analysis was derived from a phase II study in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis (n = 114) who received multiple doses of ixekizumab 10, 25, 75 or 150 mg subcutaneously over 20 weeks. PASI score improvements from baseline to weeks 2, 4 and 6 were evaluated to determine the optimal threshold for predicting subsequent PASI responses at week 12. Results Early clinical improvement in disease symptoms at weeks 4 and 6 was predictive of ≥ 75% improvement in PASI score (PASI 75) at week 12 with ≥ 90% predictability. A 40–50% improvement in PASI (PASI 40 to PASI 50) from baseline to weeks 4 and 6 was the optimum range for predicting PASI 75 response at week 12. For all doses combined, achieving PASI 40 at week 4 or week 6 was associated with high negative predictive values (NPVs) (80% and 95%, respectively) and positive predictive values (PPVs) (89% and 84%, respectively). For all doses combined, achieving PASI 50 at week 4 or week 6 was associated with NPVs of 71% and 89% and PPVs of 94% and 89%, respectively. Sensitivity analysis with the high-dose group (75 and 150 mg) results confirmed these findings. Conclusions Early clinical responses (and nonresponse) may help predict later clinical responses in patients treated with ixekizumab.
Consolidation and transfer of learning after observing hand gesture.

Children who observe gesture while learning mathematics perform better than children who do not, when tested immediately after training. How does observing gesture influence learning over time? Children (n = 184, ages = 7–10) were instructed with a videotaped lesson on mathematical equivalence and tested immediately after training and 24 hr later. The lesson either included speech and gesture or only speech. Children who saw gesture performed better overall and performance improved after 24 hr. Children who only heard speech did not improve after the delay. The gesture group also showed stronger transfer to different problem types. These findings suggest that gesture enhances learning of abstract concepts and affects how learning is consolidated over time.
AERIAL CENSUS OF PACIFIC WALRUSES IN THE CHUKCHI SEA, 1985

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted a survey of the walruses in the pack ice of the Chukchi Sea between 16 September and 2 October 1985, as part of a joint effort with the Soviet Union to estimate the size of the Pacific walrus population. American observers conducted censuses from two aircraft along randomly selected north–south lines over the pack ice. The observers counted walruses within a constant viewing angle that corresponded to a total strip width of 1.38 km at an altitude of 152 m. In nine days of flying, 15,312 walruses were observed, of which 10,140 were on 5,764 km2 of census strips. Few walruses were observed east of 161°W longitude or west of 170°W longitude, hence the census effort was stratified. Walrus concentrations between 161° and 170° shifted slightly westward during the 2-wk duration of the censuses. The differences among days in observed walrus density were due to changes in the numbers of walruses on the ice within 37 km of the ice edge. The number of observable walruses in pack ice of the eastern Chukchi Sea was estimated to be 62,177 (SD = 19,480), based on censuses conducted on 29 and 30 September and 1 October. At that time there were also at least 15,238 in Bristol Bay, Bering Sea. The Soviets counted 39,572 on the shores of the western Chukchi and Bering seas and estimated 115,531 in pack ice of the western Chukchi Sea. Summing U.S. and Soviet estimates, the total population of Pacific walruses in 1985 was 232,518. This number was comparable with earlier estimates from censuses conducted jointly by the U.S. and the Soviets. However, information on fraction hauled out, segregation, and movements is needed for more precise estimates.
Generating Periodic Terahertz Structures in a Relativistic Electron Beam through Frequency Down-Conversion of Optical Lasers

We report generation of density modulation at terahertz (THz) frequencies in a relativistic electron beam through laser modulation of the beam longitudinal phase space. We show that by modulating the energy distribution of the beam with two lasers, density modulation at the difference frequency of the two lasers can be generated after the beam passes through a chicane. In this experiment, density modulation around 10 THz was generated by down-converting the frequencies of an 800 nm laser and a 1550 nm laser. The central frequency of the density modulation can be tuned by varying the laser wavelengths, beam energy chirp, or momentum compaction of the chicane. This technique can be applied to accelerator-based light sources for generation of coherent THz radiation and marks a significant advance toward tunable narrow band THz sources.
First-principles characterization of formate and carboxyl adsorption on stoichiometric CeO2(111) and CeO2(110) surfaces

Molecular adsorption of formate and carboxyl on stoichiometric CeO2(111) and CeO2(110) surfaces was studied using periodic density functional theory (DFT+U) calculations. Two distinguishable adsorption modes (strong and weak) of formate are identified. The bidentate configuration is more stable than the monodentate adsorption configuration. Both formate and carboxyl bind at the more open CeO2(110) surface are stronger. The calculated vibrational frequencies of two adsorbed species are consistent with the experimental measurements. Finally, the effects of U parameters on the adsorption of formate and carboxyl over both CeO2 surfaces were investigated. We found that the geometrical configurations of two adsorbed species are not affected by different U parameters (U = 0, 5, and 7). However, the calculated adsorption energy of carboxyl pronouncedly increases with the U value while the adsorption energy of formate only slightly changes (<0.2 eV). The Bader charge analysis shows the opposite charge transfer occurs for formate and carboxyl adsorption where the adsorbed formate is negatively charge while the adsorbed carboxyl is positively charged. Interestingly, with the increasing U parameter, the amount of charge is also increased.
Tardigrades of North America: further description of the genus Multipseudechiniscus Schulte & Miller, 2011 (Heterotardigrada: Echiniscoidea: Echiniscidae) from California

Abstract This article contributes the descriptive detail for Multipseudechiniscus Schulte & Miller, 2011, a new genus in the family Echiniscidae named but incompletely described in the recent publication of a poster abstract. Multipseudechiniscus was separated from Pseudechiniscus based on the presence of paired pseudosegmental plates on each trunk segment; a long, flexible pharyngeal tube; and large spurs on the internal claws. The type species, Pseudechiniscus raneyi (Grigarick, Mihelcic, & Schuster, 1964) is re-described. The new genus has been collected only in California, Oregon, and Montana, U.S.A. and appears to have a regional distribution.
Efficient Flp-Int HK022 dual RMCE in mammalian cells

Recombinase-mediated cassette exchange, or RMCE, is a clean approach of gene delivery into a desired chromosomal location, as it is able to insert only the required sequences, leaving behind the unwanted ones. RMCE can be mediated by a single site-specific DNA recombinase or by two recombinases with different target specificities (dual RMCE). Recently, using the Flp–Cre recombinase pair, dual RMCE proved to be efficient, provided the relative ratio of the enzymes during the reaction is optimal. In the present report, we analyzed how the efficiency of dual RMCE mediated by the Flp–Int (HK022) pair depends on the variable input of the recombinases—the amount of the recombinase expression vectors added at transfection—and on the order of the addition of these vectors: sequential or simultaneous. We found that both in the sequential and the simultaneous modes, the efficiency of dual RMCE was critically dependent on the absolute and the relative concentrations of the Flp and Int expression vectors. Under optimal conditions, the efficiency of ‘simultaneous’ dual RMCE reached ∼12% of the transfected cells. Our results underline the importance of fine-tuning the reaction conditions for achieving the highest levels of dual RMCE.
Gert on the Limits of Morality's Requirements

There is much to admire and agree with in Bernard Gert's book, Morality: Its Nature and Justification. Few philosophers have even attempted to provide the systematic account of the content of morality, what Gert calls the moral system, together with its justification that this book contains. In the brief space available here, I want to focus on a central feature of his account of the moral system of common morality and challenge, first, whether it is in fact a feature of common morality, and, second, whether he has succeeded in justifying that feature. Gert argues that the goal or purpose of morality is to lessen the amount of evil or harm suffered. The first five moral rules do this directly by prohibiting doing actions that cause harm (killing, disabling, causing pain, depriving of pleasure or freedom) and the second five moral rules do this indirectly by prohibiting actions that typically result in harm (lying, breaking promises, cheating, breaking the law and not doing one's duty). It is a fundamental mistake of consequentialists, according to Gert, to hold that there are also moral requirements to prevent harm and to promote good. In Gert's view there are two errors here-not distinguishing causing harm from not preventing it, and not distinguishing harm or evil from pleasure or good. Gert's moral system departs from a much wider range of moral views than consequentialism, however, because he argues there is no moral requirement to prevent harm or to promote good, not just that not causing harm may have some degree of priority over them. (I note below how he qualifies this position some, but in my view unpersuasively.) To be sure, this latest version of Gert's theory is importantly improved over the initial version in giving place to moral and utilitarian ideals-the moral ideals include preventing harms and the utilitarian ideals include promoting good-as well as the moral rules, but acting in accord with ideals is only morally encouraged, never morally obligatory, and acting to promote a utilitarian ideal can never justify breaking a moral rule. Gert is certainly correct that common morality, accepting for the sake of argument that there is one common morality, does give some priority to not
Layer formation in CuNi/C x-ray optics

A series of Cu/C and CuNi/C multilayer films are prepared for potential use as normal incidence x-ray reflectors. The use of a metal alloy layer is intended to enhance layer formation without metastable metallic carbide formation. The films are characterized both in composition and structure. Addition of Ni to the Cu-rich layer is seen to markedly improve the formation of continuous metal layers. 9 refs., 4 figs.
A localization method of lesions induced by High Intensity Focused Ultrasound based on acoustic backscatter change

High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) has been investigated as a therapeutic modality for many medical applications. We investigated a noninvasive technique for the localization of HIFU-induced lesions based on the change in backscattered radio frequency (RF) signals. HIFU was applied to chicken breast tissue and we compared lesion locations obtained from RF data with our processing method, from the dissected tissues after exposure, and from B-mode images if exposures had resulted in hyperecho. RF amplitude of the focal spot was found to decrease, even without hyperecho in B-mode images. No significant difference was found on localization accuracy between the RF-based and the hyperecho-based method (p=0.76). In cases without hyperecho, the distance between RF-based locations and measured physical lesion locations was 3.37 ± 1.59 mm. The axial and lateral difference was 2.00 ± 2.31 mm and 0.85 ± 2.15 mm, respectively, and no statistically significant difference was found between lesion coordinates in the axial (p=0.37) and lateral (p=0.15) directions. Based on the ex vivo tissue experiments, we have demonstrated the feasibility of the proposed RF-based method for the localization of the center of HIFU-induced lesions.
Delirium and right-hemisphere dysfunction in cognitively impaired older persons.

Cognitive impairment has been repeatedly shown to be a delirium risk factor. Much indirect evidence suggests that right-hemisphere dysfunction plays a particularly important role. This retrospective, case-controlled study, from a 148-patient memory loss clinic database, compared neuropsychological measures of hemispheric function in cognitively impaired elderly veterans with and without a history of delirium. Eleven study subjects had a history compatible with DSM-III-R criteria for delirium. Controls selected from the same database had no known history of delirium and were matched for Mini-Mental State Examination scores and Geriatric Depression Scale scores. Compared to the controls, subjects with a history of delirium had significantly lower scores on Object Assembly and Visual Reproduction (p < .05), tests that are predominantly right-hemisphere dependent. There were no significant differences in left-hemisphere measures. It is concluded that right-hemisphere dysfunction may prove to be an important risk factor for delirium.
Breakthroughs in Standardization of IT Security Criteria

The results of the Common Criteria project can indeed be viewed as a major breakthrough in the field of IT security. For the first time, six nations, representing both the military interests as well as civil government and private industry, have not only sat down at the table to iron out their philosophical differences in IT security but have achieved a great measure of accord. Admittedly, this accord not been won easily; it has come at a significant expense of both time and energy. Notwithstanding, the result is a very flexible and extensible approach that is designed to meet the needs of today and tomorrow; indeed the CC is the next generation criteria.
The politics of prejudice : the anti-Japanese movement in California, and the struggle for Japanese exclusion

This classic study offers a history of anti-Japanese prejudice in California, extending from the late nineteenth century to 1924, when an immigration act excluded Japanese from entering the United States. The Politics of Prejudice details the political climate that helped to set the stage for the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II and reveals the racism present among middle-class American progressives, labor leaders, and other presumably liberal groups.
Accuracy of Registration of PET, SPECT and MR Images of a Brain Phantom

Accuracy of a surface-fitting algorithm for three-dimensional image registration of single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), positron emission tomography (PET), and magnetic resonance (MR) images was tested using a three-dimensional, water-fillable brain phantom. Multislice or volume image sets were acquired for each modality. Small fiducial markers were attached to assess accuracy of surface fitting and provide an alternate fitting technique. A maximum gradient technique was found to work well for SPECT and PET edge detection. Transformation parameters for translation, rotation and scaling were determined by surface fit to match each SPECT and PET scan with MR images. Using the markers, overall translation errors were found to be 3 mm for some cortical regions. Results indicate surface fitting to be sufficiently accurate for visual comparison of registered images and for enhanced SPECT and PET region of interest (ROI) determination and image reconstruction.
A user-centred approach to the evaluation of Subject Based Information Gateways: case study SOSIG

There has been a massive increase in the amount of information available to people as a result of the Internet and information seekers are expected to be in the position to identify and evaluate this information according to their needs. As a response to this, Subject Based Information Gateways have been introduced providing people with an organised collection of digital information. An evaluation of the Social Science Information Gateway (SOSIG), conducted by an online questionnaire, examines such issues as who the SOSIG users are, how frequently they use the service and what their reasons for using the service are.
Morphological Analysis of Sky Island populations of Macromeria viridiflora (Boraginaceae)

Abstract Macromeria viridiflora (Boraginaceae), a perennial that occurs in isolated populations on the “Sky Islands” of southwestern North America, displays geographic variation in floral morphology. This study examines an array of morphological traits and describes geographic patterns of variation throughout the range of the species. Univariate and multivariate analysis of morphometric data from eight sites across the range of the species shows significant among-population variation in 19 out of 20 vegetative and floral traits measured. Flower size variation is particularly strong and follows a latitudinal cline, with flowers being much larger in the southern part of the range and smaller in the northern part of the range. Observations also indicate differences in floral visitors between northern and southern populations. While flowers in all populations were visited by hummingbirds, the large-bodied hummingbirds visiting plants in the southern regions are not present in the northern regions, where flowe...
Field Application of Chelated Calcium: Postharvest Effects on Cantaloupe and Honeydew Fruit Quality

Commercially grown honeydew fruit (Cucumis melo Inodorus group) and netted cantaloupe fruit (C. melo Reticulatus group) in lowhumidity regions of the U.S. are typically fi eld packed, eliminating the possibility for postharvest chelatedcalcium dip treatments to extend fruit shelf life. In this study, calcium treatments were applied to orange-fl esh honeydew fruit commercially grown in 2001 and 2002 in Sacramento Valley, Calif. and orange-fl eshed netted cantaloupe fruit commercially grown in 2002 in Imperial Valley, Calif., and Rio Grande Valley, Texas. Aminoacid-chelated calcium and mannitolcomplexed calcium compounds were applied to fi eld-grown plants at the rate of 2.3 L·ha–1 (1 qt/acre) at 0, 1, 2, or 4 total applications during growth of honeydew and cantaloupe fruit. Applications were A) at female fl owering, B) within 15 days (cantaloupe) or 20 days (honeydew) after fl owering, C) within 30 days (cantaloupe) or 40 days (honeydew) after
Dislocation Generation in Si: A Thermo-Mechanical Model Based on Measurable Parameters

A thermo-mechanical model for predicting dislocation distribution generated by thermal stresses in Si is described. We use an experimentally determined dislocation distribution in response to a predetermined flux to establish "initial" density. The basic thermal model and the procedure for determining this parameter are described. This approach can be applied to crystal growth and other cell fabrication steps to establish thermal conditions that can minimize dislocation generation for improved solar cell performance.
The energetics of resistive magnetic tearing.

A new treatment of the energetics of resistive magnetic tearing is presented. This instability is the only known field-reconnection mechanism which develops in time, and is thus a primary candidate for a number of astrophysical 'flare' processes occurring in stressed magnetic fields. The tearing process is elucidated by a subdivision into magnetic regions of different characteristics: first, as dominated by resistive or highly conductive dynamics, and then by function as a source or sink of the energy flux. Matching conditions between these zones provide a determination of the growth rate and its physical-parameter dependence. The observable plasma energy outputs, due mainly to two distinct magnetically driven acceleration mechanisms, are estimated and their directive spatial properties shown. Finally, the generality of resistive tearing is demonstrated by an application of the previous considerations to realistic sheared-field configurations, including the case of a solar coronal loop, for which flare-instability thresholds and energy-deposition sites are described.
The Relation of Aeneid III. to the Rest of the Poem

From the time when Friedrich Conrads published1 the first systematic study of the method of composition employed by Vergil in the Aeneid it has been recogmzed that Bk. III. is especially involved in the contradictions existing between the various parts of the poem. It is not my purpose in this paper to attempt an exhaustive study of this aspect of Bk. III.; the industry of classical scholars in the last half-century renders needless further repetition of this sort. I wish merely to present a few suggestions which may help to reconcile the passages generally regarded as hopelessly contradictory.
Spanning Forest of a Graph (SPANFO)

This chapter discusses an algorithm SPANFO for spanning forest of a graph. One of the most fundamental questions about a graph concerns its connectivity. A graph G is connected if whenever u and v are distinct vertices of G , there is a path in G joining u and v . Even if G is not connected, an equivalence relation can be defined on its vertex set: u and v are related if there is a path between them. A connected component of G is an equivalence class T of vertices of G , under this equivalence relation, together with all of the edges of G which are incident with some vertex of T . The chapter discusses on-line algorithm and off-line algorithms. In an off-line algorithm, the user is presented with a list of all of the edges of G before any computation is done. The algorithm is, therefore, permitted to operate on the entire graph as a unit. This chapter describes two algorithms, namely, a depth-first-search algorithm and the breadth first algorithm offering economies of array space. It discusses a FORTRAN program for the latter algorithm.
Does Immediate Feedback While Doing Homework Improve Learning

Much of the literature surrounding the effectiveness of intelligent tutoring systems has focused on the type of feedback students receive. Current research suggests that the timing of feedback also plays a role in improved learning. Some researchers have shown that delaying feedback might lead to a “desirable difficulty”, where students’ performance while practicing is lower, but they in fact learn more. Others using Cognitive Tutors have suggested delaying feedback is bad, but those students were using a system that gave detailed assistance. Many web-based homework systems give only correctness feedback (e.g. web-assign). Should such systems give immediate feedback or might it be better for that feedback to be delayed? It is hypothesized that immediate feedback will lead to better learning than delayed feedback. In a randomized controlled crossover-“within-subjects” design, 61 seventh grade math students participated. In one condition students received correctness feedback immediately, while doing their homework, while in the other condition, the exact same feedback was delayed, to when they checked their homework the next day in class. The results show that when given feedback immediately students learned more than when receiving the same feedback delayed.
Medicare's Hospital-Acquired Conditions Policy: A Problem of Nonpayment After Total Joint Arthroplasty.

Abstract Background Total joint arthroplasty (TJA) utilization continues to increase, and optimizing efficiency while reducing complications is critical to provide a sustainable product. Recent policy has defined several hospital-acquired conditions (HACs) that are the target of reducing complications with significant financial implications. The present study defines the incidence of HACs after TJA as well as patient and hospital factors associated with HACs. Methods The National Inpatient Sample (NIS) was used to identify all patients from 2009 to 2011 undergoing elective total hip or knee arthroplasty. Patient demographics, comorbidities, and hospital characteristics were obtained from the database, and HACs defined according to established International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification criteria. The incidence of HACs after TJA was calculated, as were demographic factors and preadmission comorbidities associated with HACs using bivariate and multivariable analysis. Results The overall incidence of HACs after TJA was 1.3%. Several patient and hospital factors, including increased age, female gender, black race, medium hospital bed size, year of surgery, and Charlson Comorbidity Index ≥1, independently predicted development of a HAC. When evaluating the financial impact of the development of a HAC after TJA, more than 200 million dollars in hospital costs would be lost during the inclusive years of this study, equating to nearly 70 million dollars annually. Conclusion The incidence of HACs after TJA is 1.3%. Many of the patient factors associated with HACs are nonmodifiable, and risk adjustment should be considered to provide a sustainable product to a diverse patient population.
Effects of Inhomogeneities—Nanoscale to Mesoscale—on the Durability of Li-Ion Batteries

We review work from our laboratory that suggests to us that most Li-ion battery failure can be ascribed to the presence of nano- and microscale inhomogeneities that interact at the mesoscale, as is the case with almost every material, and that these inhomogeneities act by hindering Li transport. (Li does not get to the right place at the right time.) For this purpose, we define inhomogeneities as regions with sharply varying properties—which includes interfaces—whether present by “accident” or design. We have used digital image correlation, X-ray tomography, FIB-SEM serial sectioning, and isotope tracer techniques with TOF-SIMS to observe and quantify these inhomogeneities. We propose new research approaches to make more durable, high energy density lithium-ion batteries.
Seasonal History and Effect of Soil Moisture on Mortality of Newly Hatched Larvae of the Grape Root Borer in Southern Missouri

Seasonal history of Vitacea polistiformis (Harris) and effect of depth of roots in soil with different moisture contents on the establishment of 1st-stage larvae were studied. Judging from the presence of 3 different sizes of larvae before and after pupation, a probable 3-year life cycle is assumed. Mortality of larvae which fed upon roots 6 in. deep was 100, 68, and 45% for 0, 20, and 30% moisture, respectively. Mortality increased with increase in depth of roots.
TH-EF-BRA-05: A MethodÂ of Near Real-Time 4D MRI Using Volumetric Dynamic Keyhole (VDK) in the Presence of Respiratory Motion for MR-Guided Radiotherapy

Purpose: To develop a novel method that enables 4D MR imaging in near real-time for continuous monitoring of tumor motion in MR-guided radiotherapy. Methods: This method is mainly based on an idea of expanding dynamic keyhole to full volumetric imaging acquisition. In the VDK approach introduced in this study, a library of peripheral volumetric k-space data is generated in given number of phases (5 and 10 in this study) in advance. For 4D MRI at any given time, only volumetric central k-space data are acquired in real-time and combined with pre-acquired peripheral volumetric k-space data in the library corresponding to the respiratory phase (or amplitude). The combined k-space data are Fourier-transformed to MR images. For simulation study, an MRXCAT program was used to generate synthetic MR images of the thorax with desired respiratory motion, contrast levels, and spatial and temporal resolution. 20 phases of volumetric MR images, with 200 ms temporal resolution in 4 s respiratory period, were generated using balanced steady-state free precession MR pulse sequence. The total acquisition time was 21.5s/phase with a voxel size of 3×3×5 mm3 and an image matrix of 128×128×56. Image similarity was evaluated with difference maps between the reference and reconstructed images. The VDK, conventional keyhole, and zero filling methods were compared for this simulation study. Results: Using 80% of the ky data and 70% of the kz data from the library resulted in 12.20% average intensity difference from the reference, and 21.60% and 28.45% difference in threshold pixel difference for conventional keyhole and zero filling, respectively. The imaging time will be reduced from 21.5s to 1.3s per volume using the VDK method. Conclusion: Near real-time 4D MR imaging can be achieved using the volumetric dynamic keyhole method. That makes the possibility of utilizing 4D MRI during MR-guided radiotherapy.
ZnO thin film transistors by low temperature deposition plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition in a showerhead reactor

Oxide semiconductor TFTs are of interest where low-cost, high mobility, and compatibility with flexible substrates is required. We have previously demonstrated high quality thin-film transistors (TFTs) using ZnO and Al 2 O 3 deposited at low temperature (200°C) by weak oxidant, plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) using a reactor utilizing a pump and purge mode of operation [1]. We also reported the use of thin, weak oxidant, PEALD Al 2 O 3 films as gate insulator for scaled III-V MOSFETs [2]. In this work, we report TFTs fabricated using ZnO and Al 2 O 3 deposited in a novel weak oxidant PEALD reactor using a showerhead to dispense the reactant gases and an integrated load-lock.
Smart augmented reality glasses in cybersecurity and forensic education

Augmented reality is changing the way its users see the world. Smart augmented-reality glasses, with high resolution Optical Head Mounted display, supplements views of the real-world using video, audio, or graphics projected in front of user's eye. The area of Smart Glasses and heads-up display devices is not a new one, however in the last few years, it has seen an extensive growth in various fields including education. Our work takes advantage of a student's ability to adapt to new enabling technologies to investigate improvements teaching techniques in STEM areas and enhance the effectiveness and efficiency in teaching the new course content. In this paper, we propose to focus on the application of Smart Augmented-Reality Glasses in cybersecurity education to attract and retain students in STEM. In addition, creative ways to learn cybersecurity education via Smart Glasses will be explored using a Discovery Learning approach. This mode of delivery will allow students to interact with cybersecurity theories in an innovative, interactive and effective way, enhancing their overall live experience and experimental learning. With the help of collected data and in-depth analysis of existing smart glasses, the ongoing work will lay the groundwork for developing augmented reality applications that will enhance the learning experiences of students. Ultimately, research conducted with the glasses and applications may help to identify the unique skillsets of cybersecurity analysts, learning gaps and learning solutions.
A stable partitioned FSI algorithm for rigid bodies and incompressible flow. Part II: General formulation

Abstract A stable partitioned algorithm is developed for fluid–structure interaction (FSI) problems involving viscous incompressible flow and rigid bodies. This added-mass partitioned (AMP) algorithm remains stable, without sub-iterations, for light and even zero mass rigid bodies when added-mass and viscous added-damping effects are large. The scheme is based on a generalized Robin interface condition for the fluid pressure that includes terms involving the linear acceleration and angular acceleration of the rigid body. Added mass effects are handled in the Robin condition by inclusion of a boundary integral term that depends on the pressure. Added-damping effects due to the viscous shear forces on the body are treated by inclusion of added-damping tensors that are derived through a linearization of the integrals defining the force and torque. Added-damping effects may be important at low Reynolds number, or, for example, in the case of a rotating cylinder or rotating sphere when the rotational moments of inertia are small. In this second part of a two-part series, the general formulation of the AMP scheme is presented including the form of the AMP interface conditions and added-damping tensors for general geometries. A fully second-order accurate implementation of the AMP scheme is developed in two dimensions based on a fractional-step method for the incompressible Navier–Stokes equations using finite difference methods and overlapping grids to handle the moving geometry. The numerical scheme is verified on a number of difficult benchmark problems.
Changes in abundance and community structure of nitrate-reducing bacteria along a salinity gradient in tidal wetlands

Abstract Primarily because of their high levels of microbiological activity, wetland soils play a key role in ameliorating nitrogen pollution and reducing nutrient loadings to coastal zones. Saltwater intrusion associated with climate change is expected to dramatically affect the biogeochemistry of these soils and induce changes in the composition of the soil microbial community that may alter their ability to process nitrogen. In this study, the abundance and community structure of microorganisms associated with two key nitrate removal pathways – denitrification and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) – were assessed for eight tidal wetlands along a naturally-occurring salinity gradient (0–2 ppt) in the Chesapeake Bay watershed (USA). Molecular analyses targeted functional genes specific for each pathway (denitrification: nirS and nosZ ; DNRA: nrfA ). Shifts in abundance and community structure of both groups of nitrate reducers were strongly coupled to changes in salinity, and correlation analyses suggested that the effect of salinity on these organisms may have been mediated, at least in part, by changes in soil organic matter availability. Considering the growing body of evidence that microbial community composition may help regulate ecosystem process rates, an increased understanding of how salinity affects nitrogen cycling microbial communities may help us better predict how wetland soil function will be affected by global change and issues such as sea level rise.
FTY720 Demonstrates Promising in-Vitro and in-Vivo Pre-Clinical Activity by Down-Modulation of Cyclin D1 and Pakt in Mantle Cell Lymphoma.

Abstract 3728 Poster Board III-664 Over-expression of Cyclin D1 and constitutive phosphorylation of Akt has been implicated in the pathogenesis of mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). Here we describe FTY720 (fingolimod), an immunosuppressive agent currently being explored in phase III studies in renal transplantation and multiple sclerosis patients, to mediate time- and dose-dependent cell death in primary MCL cells (6 patients) and MCL cell lines, Jeko and Mino. FTY720-induced apoptosis was associated with reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, Bax up-regulation but not associated with caspase 3 activation in MCL. FTY720 treatment resulted in time-dependent down-modulation of Cyclin D1 and phospho Akt (p-Akt) protein level, two critical disease-relevant molecules in the pathogenesis of MCL. Consistent with the modulation of Cyclin D1, FTY720-induced cell cycle arrest with accumulation of cells in G0/G1 and G2/M phases of the cell cycle with concomitant decrease in S phase entry. Importantly, FTY720 treatment was also associated with a time-dependent phospho Erk (p-Erk) induction in Mino and Jeko cells. To determine the in vivo efficacy of FTY720, we developed a preclinical, in vivo xenograft model of human MCL where MCL cell lines (Jeko, Mino and SP53) were engrafted into severe combined immune deficient (SCID) mice. Cell dose titration trials identified 4 × 10 7 Mino or Jeko cells injected intravenously via tail vein to result in consistent engraftment and fatal tumor burden in all mice. All mice engrafted with 4 × 10 7 Jeko cells developed a disseminated disease within 3 weeks and had a median survival of 28 days (compared to 43 days for Mino and 51 days for SP53). Because the Jeko cell line was established from the peripheral blood of a patient with blastic variant MCL and demonstrated a more resistant phenotype to several immuno-chemoterapeutic compounds, this cell line was chosen to create a more stringent in vivo preclinical model. SCID mice were treated with the monoclonal antibody TMβ1 to deplete murine NK cells, engrafted with 4 × 10 7 Jeko cells and observed daily for signs of tumor burden. Ten mice/group were treated starting at day 15 post-engraftment with intraperitoneal injection of 100 μl of saline or FTY720 (5 mg/kg resuspended in 100 μl of saline), every day, for two weeks. The median survival for FTY720-treated mice (N=10) was 38 days (95% CI:30-39) compared to 26.5 days (95% CI: 26-27 days) for the control group mice (N=10). The results from the log-rank test indicated an overall statistical significant difference in survival functions between the FTY720 treatment and the control group (p=0.001). These results provide the first evidence for a potential use of FTY720 in targeting key pathways that are operable in the pathogenesis of MCL and warrant the further investigation of FTY720 in combination with other agents in clinical trials treating patients with MCL. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Chapter 1 – Evolution

The reality is that all sorts of things evolve: galaxies, stars, a person’s thinking, a government’s policies. But none of these qualify as evolution as biologists understand the term.
Quantifying the relationship between patient characteristics and involvement in developing and implementing a treatment plan.

OBJECTIVE Improving the patient-physician relationship through patient involvement in the care may lead to improved patient safety and better health outcomes. There exists a gap in knowledge in identifying factors that affect self-reported patient involvement in individualized treatment plans. The objectives of this study were to 1) describe patients' perceptions of their involvement in the creation and implementation of their treatment plans and 2) determine if patient involvement varied by medical condition or demographic characteristics. METHODS This study was a cross-sectional analysis of data from the "Quality of Care" module of the 2008 Health and Retirement Study (HRS). The individuals of HRS surveys were older than 50 years. One-way analyses of variance were conducted to determine differences between patient characteristics and involvement in creating a treatment plan. A linear regression was conducted to determine predictors of the summed involvement score. RESULTS Average summed scores for each domain (shared decision-making, counseling, and follow-up) and overall involvement scores were ~50%. Linear regression showed that being non-White, older age, and diagnosed with a psychiatric condition or diabetes were predictors of increased self-reported involvement in the development and communication of a patient's treatment plan. CONCLUSION Age, race, and having diabetes or a psychiatric condition were the major predictors affecting patient involvement in care, although overall involvement in care was low for all groups. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS Patient involvement in care was lower than expected and should be further studied to determine the effects of involvement on health outcomes.