cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Ionization of Hydrogen by Electron Impact as Interpreted by Positive Ray Analysis

Ions produced in hydrogen by electron impact.---Using an apparatus previously described in which positive ions formed by impact of electrons of definite energy (${V}_{1}+{V}_{2}$) are accelerated and then deflected magnetically around a semi-circle into a Faraday cylinder, the relative numbers of ions of types ${\mathrm{H}}^{+}$, ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}^{+}$ and ${\mathrm{H}}_{3}^{+}$ were measured as a function of pressure from 0.1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ mm to.006 mm, and also as a function of impact energy (${V}_{1}+{V}_{2}$) to 60 volts. At low pressures only ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}^{+}$ ions are formed; as the pressure is increased the percentage of ${\mathrm{H}}_{3}^{+}$ increases in proportion to the pressure. In the apparatus used, the percentage of ${\mathrm{H}}^{+}$ increased with pressure but did not exceed 4 percent, while the percentage of ${\mathrm{H}}_{3}^{+}$ ions reached 60. These results confirm the conclusions of Dempster and Smyth that the primary process in the ionization of hydrogen is the ionization of the molecule without dissociation. The previously measured ionization potential at 16 volts (confirmed in this work) is that for the formation of ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}^{+}$. ${\mathrm{H}}_{3}^{+}$ also appears at this potential, but as a result of a secondary process. It appears that the ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}^{+}$ ion is readily dissociated by collision and that the ${\mathrm{H}}^{+}$ ion formed may unite with the ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ molecule collided with or with some other molecule to form ${\mathrm{H}}_{3}^{+}$. The interpretation of ionization potentials reported by other observers is discussed in the light of these results.Ions produced in helium containing hydrogen, by electron impact.---The percentage of ${\mathrm{H}}^{+}$ ions found was greater even than the percentage of ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}^{+}$, while no ${\mathrm{H}}_{3}^{+}$ ions were observed. Evidently the primary ions ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}^{+}$ are readily dissociated by impact with He atoms. Evidence was found for the ions He${\mathrm{H}}^{+}$ and also for an ion with $\frac{m}{e}=6$, perhaps He${\mathrm{H}}_{2}^{+}$.
The use of mortality patterns in archaeological studies of hominid predatory adaptations

Abstract Mortality patterns in archaeofaunas can be informative of prehistoric human foraging habits, land use, and, ultimately, evolutionary changes in hominid sociality and ecological niche. The analytical value of mortality patterns is only as great, however, as archaeologists' understanding of the full range of possible causes for patterns in these data. Here, the relationships between mortality patterns in death assemblages and their documented causes are examined. Interspecific comparisons reveal that, while mortality patterns alone cannot diagnose cause, these data are potentially powerful tools for studies of hominid subsistence if supported by taphonomic analyses of bone assemblage formation. Mortality analyses are particularly effective if age frequency data are divided according to life history characteristics of prey species. Comparisons of known modern cases to ungulate assemblages created by Holocene and Pleistocene hominids of westcentral Italy present new information on humans as predators and evolutionary changes therein. These data indicate significantly greater strategic variation in the Middle Paleolithic cases than for all subsequent cultural periods combined. The variation certainly corresponds to two or more distinct foraging/land use strategies, scavenging and ambush hunting—the latter of which became more specialized with time.
Apoptotic cell death triggered by camptothecin or teniposide. The cell cycle specificity and effects of ionizing radiation

We have previously observed that the DNA topoisomerase I inhibitor camptothecin (CAM), or DNA topoisomerase II inhibitors teniposide (TEN) and amsacrine (m-AMSA) trigger endonucleolytic activity in myelogenous (HL-60 or KG1), but not lymphocytic (MOLT-4) leukaemic cell lines. DNA degradation and other signs of apoptotic death were seen as early as 2-4 h after cell exposure to these inhibitors. Cells replicating DNA (S phase) were selectively sensitive whereas cells in G1 were resistant; the sensitivity of G2 or M cells could not be assessed in these studies. The present studies were aimed at revealing whether DNA repair replication induced by ionizing radiation can sensitize the cells, and to probe the sensitivity of cells arrested in G2 or M, to these inhibitors. The data show that gamma-irradiation (0.5-15 Gy) of HL-60 cells does not alter their pattern of sensitivity, i.e. G1 cells, although engaged in DNA repair replication, still remain resistant to CAM compared with the S phase cells. Likewise, irradiation of MOLT-4 cells also does not render them sensitive to either CAM or TEN, regardless of their position in the cell cycle. Irradiation, however, by slowing the rate of cell progression through S, increased the proportion of S phase cells, and thus made the whole cell population more sensitive to CAM. HL-60 cells arrested in G2 either by irradiation or treatments with Hoechst 33342 or doxorubicin appear to be more resistant to CAM relative to S phase cells. Also resistant are cells arrested in M by vinblastine. The data suggest that some factor(s) exist exclusively in S phase cells, which precondition them to respond to the inhibitors of DNA topoisomerases by rapid activation of endogenous nuclease(s) and subsequent death by apoptosis. HL-60 cells in G1, G2 or M, or MOLT-4 cells, regardless of the phase of the cycle, appear to be protected from such a mechanism, and even induction of DNA repair replication cannot initiate DNA degradation in response to DNA topoisomerase inhibitors. These data, together with the evidence in the literature that topoisomerase I may be involved in DNA repair, suggest that a combination of these inhibitors with treatments that synchronize cells in the S phase and/or recruit quiescent cells to proliferation, including radiation, may be of value in the clinic.
Mechanisms of Drug-Induced Liver Disease

Drug-induced liver injury depends initially on development of hepatocyte stress and cell death, which can be induced directly by parent drugs or by toxic metabolites. Hepatocyte stress can lead to activation of built-in death programs for apoptosis or necrosis. Subsequently, the innate immune system's participation is recruited. The interplay between proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory components of innate immune system determines the outcome of drug-induced liver injury. Both environmental factors and genetic differences in cellular responses to stress and the innate immune response may account for different susceptibilities between individuals to drug-induced liver injury.
A neural network approach to set up the Benes switch

A novel technique for setting up the Benes switch that has essentially optimal time complexity when implemented on a neural network is presented. This approach consists of defining distances between input or output ports and expressing the Banyan network's ability to realize a given permutation in terms of a distance matrix. This description allows a neural network implementation of the setup algorithm. It is shown that the neural network converges to a solution that will allow the switch to self-route the information according to the desired permutation. The time complexity of this operation is closer to optimal and the hardware simpler to implement than with previously presented algorithms. >
The Impact of Gender and Prepurchase Mood on Consumer Guilt after a Travel Purchase

The purpose of this study is to add to the literature on consumer financial guilt in hospitality and tourism by exploring the circumstances in which it occurs and investigating antecedents that influence the experience of consumer financial guilt. Using an impulsive travel purchase as the context, this mixed-methods study examined the effects of gender and prepurchase mood on feelings of postpurchase guilt and satisfaction. Qualitative and quantitative results indicated that women were more likely than men to experience consumer guilt following an impulse travel purchase, and that this effect was moderated by prepurchase mood. Hierarchical regression analysis also indicated that consumer financial guilt affected levels of anticipated satisfaction with the purchase, over and above the effect attributed to prepurchase mood and gender.
PAM representation of ternary CPM

This letter considers the pulse amplitude modulation (PAM) representation of continuous phase modulation (CPM) with a ternary data alphabet. This technique is applied to the problem of constructing reduced-complexity detectors with near-optimum performance. The usefulness of this approach is demonstrated using the ternary CPM variant known as shaped-offset quadrature phase-shift keying (SOQPSK).
Biodegradation of 14C-labeled low molecular organic acids using three biometer methods

Abstract Low molecular weight organic acids (LMWOA) are produced in soil by various biological and chemical processes and can exhibit substantial metal complexing and dissolution capacity. The reactivity of these compounds in the soil environment is dependent on their non-complexed concentration in the soil solution. Adsorption of LMWOA has been shown to reduce their concentration in the soil solution; however, little is known about the reduction of LMWOA concentration due to microbial degradation. To examine the extent of microbial degradation in reducing LMWOA concentration in the soil solution, three-biometer methods were used: a soil biometer flask, an in-situ field biometer and a soil column biometer. Four soil horizons were used with each method. To each soil sample, 2.0×10 −6 moles of organic acid containing 3.7×10 4 Bq total activity was applied. The 14 C-radiolabeled aliphatic and aromatic acids studied included oxalic, malonic, succinic, and phthalic acid. Evolved 14 CO 2 was trapped in 0.5 mol l −1 NaOH and measured using liquid scintillation counting. Labeled acids degraded rapidly within the first 5 days for the Ap1, Ap2, and BA horizons, with a generally slower rate of 14 CO 2 evolution being observed for the Bt1 horizon. The % degradation of labeled acid was substantially greater for the soil biometer flask method, compared to the field and soil column biometer methods. The average % degradation for the soil biometer flask was 67% for all soil horizons and organic acids, compared to 14% for the field biometer and 13% for the soil column biometer. Results indicate that substantial microbial degradation of organic acids can occur within a relatively short time period and the biometer method selected can influence the % acid degraded. Based on primary results, the soil column biometer method better approximated microbial degradation under field conditions, as evaluated using the field biometer.
State‐space representation and optimal control of non‐linear material deformation using the finite element method

A state-space model for representing the non-linear material deformation and an optimal control scheme for obtaining desired process conditions in the deforming material are presented in this paper. The formulation is general for various metal-forming processes including forging and extrusion operations. The state variables selected in the formulation are the die/billet contact nodal velocities and the nodal velocities of the critical finite elements of the billet. The control input is the ram velocity, which is determined by using the linear quadratic regulator (LQR) theory to maintain desired strain rates within the selected finite elements. The influence of an optimally designed ram velocity on the deforming material is studied using performance measures. This paper includes the development of the state-space model from non-linear finite element formulation, optimal control strategy and numerical example cases with discussions.
Nitric Oxide-Induced Homologous Recombination in Escherichia coli Is Promoted by DNA Glycosylases

Nitric oxide (NO*) is involved in neurotransmission, inflammation, and many other biological processes. Exposure of cells to NO* leads to DNA damage, including formation of deaminated and oxidized bases. Apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) endonuclease-deficient cells are sensitive to NO* toxicity, which indicates that base excision repair (BER) intermediates are being generated. Here, we show that AP endonuclease-deficient cells can be protected from NO* toxicity by inactivation of the uracil (Ung) or formamidopyrimidine (Fpg) DNA glycosylases but not by inactivation of a 3-methyladenine (AlkA) DNA glycosylase. These results suggest that Ung and Fpg remove nontoxic NO*-induced base damage to create BER intermediates that are toxic if they are not processed by AP endonucleases. Our next goal was to learn how Ung and Fpg affect susceptibility to homologous recombination. The RecBCD complex is critical for repair of double-strand breaks via homologous recombination. When both Ung and Fpg were inactivated in recBCD cells, survival was significantly enhanced. We infer that both Ung and Fpg create substrates for recombinational repair, which is consistent with the observation that disrupting ung and fpg suppressed NO*-induced recombination. Taken together, a picture emerges in which the action of DNA glycosylases on NO*-induced base damage results in the accumulation of BER intermediates, which in turn can induce homologous recombination. These studies shed light on the underlying mechanism of NO*-induced homologous recombination.
Determinants within an 18-amino-acid U1A autoregulatory domain that uncouple cooperative RNA binding, inhibition of polyadenylation, and homodimerization

The human U1 snRNP-specific U1A protein autoregulates its own production by binding to and inhibiting the polyadenylation of its own pre-mRNA. Previous work demonstrated that a short sequence of U1A protein is essential for autoregulation and contains three distinct activities, which are (i) cooperative binding of two U1A proteins to a 50-nucleotide region of U1A pre-mRNA called polyadenylation-inhibitory element RNA, (ii) formation of a novel homodimerization surface, and (iii) inhibition of polyadenylation by inhibition of poly(A) polymerase (PAP). In this study, we purified and analyzed 11 substitution mutant proteins, each having one or two residues in this region mutated. In 5 of the 11 mutant proteins, we found that particular amino acids associate with one activity but not another, indicating that they can be uncoupled. Surprisingly, in three mutant proteins, these activities were improved upon, suggesting that U1A autoregulation is selected for suboptimal inhibitory efficiency. The effects of these mutations on autoregulatory activity in vivo were also determined. Only U1A and U170K are known to regulate nuclear polyadenylation by PAP inhibition; thus, these results will aid in determining how widespread this type of regulation is. Our molecular dissection of the consequences of conformational changes within an RNP complex presents a powerful example to those studying more complicated pre-mRNA-regulatory systems.
Infrared intensities of acetaldehyde fundamental bands

Abstract A Fourier transform infrared spectrometer was used to measure the absolute infrared intensities of the fundamental vibrational modes of gas-phase acetaldehyde. These absolute intensities should be accurate to within 5% and are compared with previous measurements.
Closing the Gap: Eliminating Health Care Disparities among Latinos with Diabetes Using Health Information Technology Tools and Patient Navigators

Latinos have higher rates of diabetes and diabetes-related complications compared to non-Latinos. Clinical diabetes self-management tools that rely on innovative health information technology (HIT) may not be widely used by Latinos, particularly those that have low literacy or numeracy, low income, and/or limited English proficiency. Prior work has shown that tailored diabetes self-management educational interventions are feasible and effective in improving diabetes knowledge and physiological measures among Latinos, especially those interventions that utilize tailored coaching and navigator programs. In this article, we discuss the role of HIT for diabetes management in Latinos and describe a novel “eNavigator” role that we are developing to increase HIT adoption and thereby reduce health care disparities.
Predictors of fatigue after treatment for prostate cancer.

Objectives To investigate whether post-treatment fatigue among men treated for prostate cancer varies by treatment, demographics, or pretreatment general and disease-specific health-related quality of life. We also sought to describe the baseline characteristics of men who were fatigued at follow-up to allow for interventions in those at greatest risk. Methods We conducted a secondary analysis on data gathered from men with prostate cancer at biopsy and after treatment by examining factors that predicted for post-treatment fatigue. Results Univariate and multivariate analysis results demonstrated that post-treatment fatigue was associated with baseline fatigue, role limitations due to emotional problems, treatment type, and treatment location. Results Univariate analysis showed that those who were fatigued at follow-up were more likely to have been treated at a public facility (P = 0.0017), be nonwhite (Latino, African American, or Asian Pacific-Islander; P = 0.0362), be married (P = 0.0413), be not employed at least part-time (P = 0.0327), to have one or more comorbidities (P = 0.0005), and to have scored lower in all domains of the RAND 36-Item Health Survey and UCLA Prostate Cancer Index at baseline (all P ≤0.05) than those not fatigued at follow-up. Those who declined from baseline energy levels were more likely to have had lower baseline energy scores (P <0.0001), to have been treated in a public facility (P = 0.0578), and to have had a baseline prostate-specific antigen level of 10 ng/mL or greater (P = 0.059) than those who remained at their baseline energy level. Lower baseline role-emotional scores were associated with both fatigue at follow-up and a decline from baseline at follow-up. Conclusions Men with lower pretreatment quality-of-life measures may be at increased risk of fatigue after prostate cancer treatment.
Development and characterization of simple sequence repeats for Bipolaris sorokiniana and cross transferability to related species

Simple sequence repeats (SSR) markers were developed from a small insert genomic library for Bipolaris sorokiniana, a mitosporic fungal pathogen that causes spot blotch and root rot in switchgrass. About 59% of sequenced clones (n = 384) harbored SSR motifs. After eliminating redundant sequences, 196 SSR loci were identified, of which 84.7% were dinucleotide repeats and 9.7% and 5.6% were tri- and tetra-nucleotide repeats, respectively. Primer pairs were designed for 105 loci and 85 successfully amplified loci. Sixteen polymorphic loci were characterized with 15 B. sorokiniana isolates obtained from infected switchgrass plant materials collected from five states in USA. These loci successfully cross-amplified isolates from at least one related species, including Bipolaris oryzae, Bipolaris spicifera and Bipolaris victoriae, that causes leaf spot on switchgrass. Haploid gene diversity per locus across all isolates studied varied 0.633-0.861. Principal component analysis of SSR data clustered isolates according to their respective species. These SSR markers will be a valuable tool for genetic variability and population studies of B. sorokiniana and related species that are pathogenic on switchgrass and other host plants. In addition, these markers are potential diagnostic tools for species in the genus Bipolaris.
FACTORS REGULATING THE SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF THE FILAMENTOUS ALGA PITHOPHORA OEDOGONIA (CHLOROPHYCEAE) IN AN INDIANA LAKE1

Pithophora oedogonia (Mont.) Wittr. biomass in Surrey Lake, Indiana was greater in the littoral than in the pelagial region. Although mean soluble reactive phosphorus concentrations did not differ between the two areas, nitrate concentrations were almost six times higher in the cove than in the open water. Using laboratory cultures of Pithophora, the half saturation constant (Ks at 20° C relating filament growth to external concentrations of nitrate-nitrogen was determined to be 1.23 mg L−1 (=88 μM)and for phosphate-phosphorus, 0.1 mg L−1 (=3.22 μM). These values were used to calculate a NO3-N/PO4-P atomic ratio of 27.6. Comparison of this value with NO3-N/PO4-P ratios in Surrey Lake showed that nitrogen limiting conditions were prevalent in the open water section of the lake. Alkaline phosphatase and dark ammonia uptake analyses on field collected filaments from the shallow and deep water sections confirmed the hypothesis that nitrate is the major factor limiting growth of Pithophora in Surrey Lake.
Cigarette Smoke Induces Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-Dependent Redistribution of Apical MUC1 and Junctional β-Catenin in Polarized Human Airway Epithelial Cells

Cigarette smoke (CS) accounts for nearly 90% of lung cancer deaths worldwide; however, an incomplete understanding of how CS initiates preneoplastic changes in the normal airway hinders early diagnosis. Short-term exposure to CS causes aberrant activation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways in human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cells. We hypothesize that this response is elicited through the disruption of spatially segregated cell membrane proteins in the polarized airway epithelium. Using an in vitro model of highly differentiated HBE cells, we observed membrane characteristics consistent with the native airway, including the presence of a membrane mucin, MUC1, at the apical cell pole, β-catenin at the apical-lateral membrane, and EGFR at the basolateral membrane. Following exposure to smoke, intercellular spaces enlarge and cilia disappear. This histopathology is accompanied by molecular events that include perinuclear trafficking of basolateral EGFR, EGFR phosphorylation, pEGFR-mediated phosphorylation of MUC1's cytoplasmic tail (CT), loss of E-cadherin/β-catenin complexes at the adherens junctions (AJs), intracellular formation and nuclear shuffling of β-catenin/MUC1-CT complexes, and, ultimately, up-regulation and nuclear localization of Wnt nuclear effector, Lef-1. In the presence of EGFR inhibitor, AG1478, CS-induced histopathology and molecular events were inhibited. These data point to EGFR as a portal through which CS mediates its damaging effects on AJ-mediated cell polarity and activation of canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling.
Clinical applications of exercise nuclear cardiology studies in the era of healthcare reform.

The challenge for nuclear cardiology is to demonstrate that it can provide more information than competitive modalities at comparable or lower cost. In considering patients for nuclear cardiology procedures, presentations can be divided into 9 subsets: within each subset, nuclear cardiology tests should be employed where incremental information is provided over the information available without performing the test. (1) Patients with no known coronary artery disease (CAD); for diagnosis , nuclear imaging is useful in patients with intermediate probability of CAD. For prognosis , assessment is based on extent of ischemia, where we have shown that nuclear testing provides incremental information, especially in patients with a high likelihood of CAD, such as those with typical angina. In the remaining categories (2–9), nuclear cardiology studies are predominantly used for purposes of risk stratification. Here the greatest value is in patients deemed to be at intermediate risk before nuclear testing. (2) Postmyocardial infarction: stress nuclear imaging provides an alternative to angiography for risk assessment of clinically uncomplicated patients. (3) Poor ventricular function: Nuclear testing is particularly useful for differentiating patients with hibernating myocardium (the defect is reversible), with stunned myocardium (no defect is present), or with myocardial infarction (the defect is persistent). (4) Unstable angina: Following current federal guidelines, nuclear imaging in medically stabilized low-to-intermediate risk patients with unstable angina is likely to increase. (5) Postcatheterization patients: Nuclear imaging is useful when there is uncertainty regarding the choice of medical management or revascularization. (6) Pre-noncardiac surgery patients: Nuclear imaging is clearly helpful in patients with intermediate clinical risk and may provide useful information in clinically high-risk patients. (7) Post-PTCA patients: Due to the intermediate likelihood of restenosis, nuclear scans are frequently employed 2–6 months following intervention. (8) Post-CABG patients: We have demonstrated that exercise scintigraphy (SPECT) provides incremental prognostic information over clinical and exercise electrocardiographic results and is useful when clinical risk of events is considered intermediate. (9) Long-term management: Scintigraphy provides objective information regarding progression or regression of CAD.
Adenine Nucleotides Undergo Rapid, Quantitative Conversion to Adenosine in the Extracellular Space in Rat Hippocampus

There are multiple mechanisms by which adenine nucleotides can be released into the extracellular space in brain. Adenine nucleotides are converted extracellularly to adenosine, which then acts on adenosine receptors to elicit physiological responses, but the rate at which this conversion takes place is unknown. In the present experiments, adenine nucleotides were applied to individual hippocampal neurons, and the subsequent activation of a postsynaptic K+ conductance by adenosine A1 receptors was used to determine the rate of adenosine formation. None of the adenine nucleotides tested (cAMP, AMP, ADP, and ATP) activated A1 receptors directly at the concentrations tested (</=200 microM). AMP, ADP, and ATP were all rapidly converted to adenosine, with a T1/2 for ATP conversion to adenosine of approximately 200 msec, and the last step in this pathway (transformation of AMP to adenosine by 5'-nucleotidase) seems to be the rate-limiting step. As we have reported previously, cAMP is converted to adenosine as well, but on a much slower time scale than any of the other nucleotides tested. These experiments demonstrate that fast, localized release of AMP, ADP, or ATP can result in a transient activation of adenosine receptors but that this is unlikely to occur with cAMP. The existence of a highly active ecto-nucleotidase pathway in brain provides a mechanism for the rapid generation of adenosine after the release of adenine nucleotides into the extracellular space.
Specific fatty acids and risks of breast and prostate cancer: dietary intake

Although international comparisons have suggested positive associations between consumption of total or saturated fat and risk of breast cancer, these relations have not been supported in large prospective studies in which confounding factors were minimized. There is no suggestion from international comparisons, case-control, or cohort studies that monounsaturated fat (the most abundant fat in the US diet) increases risk of breast cancer, and there is some evidence that higher intake, particularly in the form of olive oil, might actually reduce risk. The available epidemiologic evidence provides little support for any important relation between intake of either linoleic acid or extra-long-chain n-3 fatty acids from fish and risk of breast cancer. However, high consumption of linoleic acid is a relatively recent phenomenon in Western societies and continued evaluation of its relation with breast cancer risk is warranted because of animal data suggesting possible adverse effects. Ecologic, case-control, and cohort studies all support a positive relation between consumption of animal fat and risk of prostate cancer, but current evidence suggests that vegetable fat is not related to risk of this cancer. Although relevant data are limited, neither linoleic acid nor extra-long-chain n-3 fatty acid consumption appears to be related to risk of prostate cancer. Because of the strong evidence that some aspect of foods high in animal fat increases risk of prostate cancer, further studies of specific dietary fatty acids in relation to the occurrence of this malignancy are likely to be particularly valuable.
Defining And Assessing Team Skills Of Business And Accountancy Students

The objectives of the project are (1) to define the skills necessary for students to work effectively with others to achieve common goals, and (2) to develop an assessment instrument to measure student progress toward achieving these skills. The defined skill set will form a basis for common expectations related to team skills that will be shared with students and be used by faculty for setting goals, planning curriculum and pedagogy, and assessing student progress. Assessment data will be incorporated into the Division of Business and Accountancy’s Continuous Improvement Plan and assessment cycle. The significance of this project is to ensure and demonstrate student learning related to teamwork, which is one of the key elements of the Division’s newly adopted vision statement. The ability to demonstrate continuous improvement related to the Division’s mission is vital to the re-accreditation of the business program. This project incorporated input from the entire faculty of the Division, and the results will be used by the entire faculty and shared with students in order to communicate expectations. This participative process will serve to enhance the culture of assessment in the Business Division among faculty and students.
Risk, Return, And Diversification Of Specialty Mutual Funds

This study examines the risk, return, and diversification of specialty mutual funds compared to traditional mutual funds. Until recently, lack of data has precluded examination of the performance of a number of categories of specialty funds. Over the period studied, specialty funds as a whole appeared to earn returns comparable to those of traditional equity mutual funds. On the other hand, most categories of specialty funds were found to have greater total risk and retain significantly more unsystematic risk than traditional equity mutual funds.
Scanning and Transmission Electron Microscopy of Calcified Tissues

Some recent innovations have been utilized to extend studies of the structure of calcified tissues on the ultra- and microstructural levels of organization. The introduction of hydrazine as a replacement for the conventionally used ethylene diamine to deproteinize calcified tissue samples has resulted in the acquisition of previously unobtainable information about the mineral phase as it exists in situ. This enables inference of mineral-organic interrelationships when coupled with the EDTA demineralization technique used to study collagen fiber frameworks. In addition, a method for obtaining whole single osteons and separating them into lamellar constituents permits observations of the collagen-apatite orientation within successive lamellae of compact Haversian bone. The use of the structural information derived to develop a fiber-reinforced model of compact bone as a composite material is outlined and discussed.
Strategies for improving the early diagnosis of keratoconus

To diagnose keratoconus at its earliest stage is meaningful in order to avoid refractive surgery in the eye, which may lead to further damage in the abnormal cornea structure and consequently cause iatrogenic ectasia. In this article, the following aspects of detecting earliest stage of keratoconus were reviewed: 1) nomenclature of the earliest forms of keratoconus; 2) diagnosis of keratoconus using curvature-based topography (also known as Placido-based topography, ie, videokeratography) as a traditional method and elevation-based topography as a new method which has gained popularity in recent years; and 3) other methods analyzing keratoconus cornea like corneal biomechanics and wavefront sensing. Elevation-based topography using either Scheimpflug imaging techniques or slit-scanning imaging techniques has shown to be advantageous over the curvature-based topography in detecting keratoconus at its earliest stage. Posterior elevation of the cornea is notified to enhance the sensitivity and specificity of detection if used along with the measurements of anterior surface of the cornea. Cornea biomechanics analysis and wavefront sensing also revealed differences between normal eyes and keratoconic eyes in their earliest stage. Combining the latest technology and the traditional techniques will be the future trend to improve early diagnosis of keratoconus.
Data-driven robust optimal control design for uncertain cascaded systems using value iteration

In this paper, a new non-model-based control design is proposed to solve the H∞ control problem for linear continuous-time systems. Our first contribution is to develop a robust control design by combining the zero-sum differential game theory with the gain assignment technique together. Compared with traditional game theory-based approaches, the obtained result allows us to assign arbitrarily the input-to-output L2 gain for a class of continuous-time linear cascaded systems. Moreover, the presence of dynamic uncertainty is tackled using the small-gain theory. Our second contribution is to give a new non-model-based robust adaptive dynamic programming (RADP) algorithm. In sharp contrast to the existing methods, the obtained algorithm is based on continuous-time value iteration (VI), and an initial stabilizing control policy is no longer required. Finally, an example of a power system is adopted to illustrate the effectiveness of the obtained algorithm.
Data Ingestion in AsterixDB

In this paper we describe the support for data ingestion in AsterixDB, an open-source Big Data Management System (BDMS) that provides a platform for storage and analysis of large volumes of semi-structured data. Data feeds are a new mechanism for having continuous data arrive into a BDMS from external sources and incrementally populate a persisted dataset and associated indexes. We add a new BDMS architectural component, called a data feed, that makes a Big Data system the caretaker for functionality that used to live outside, and we show how it improves users’ lives and system performance. We show how to build the data feed component, architecturally, and how an enhanced user model can enable sharing of ingested data. We describe how to make this component fault-tolerant so the system manages input in the presence of failures. We also show how to make this component elastic so that variances in incoming data rates can be handled gracefully without data loss if/when desired. Results from initial experiments that evaluate scalability and fault-tolerance of AsterixDB data feeds facility are reported. We include an evaluation of built-in ingestion policies and study their effect as well on throughput and latency. An evaluation and comparison with a ‘glued’ together system formed from popular engines — Storm (for streaming) and MongoDB (for persistence) — is also included.
The Genera of the Family Thyreophoridae and the Species of the Genus Omomyia, with One New Species (Diptera)

The known genera are listed and keyed. The only North American genus of the family, Omomyia Coquillett, 1907, is revised, including O. melanderi , n. sp., from California.
Aggressive surgical therapy for metastatic disease is appropriate in the current management of melanoma.

Small bowel metastases from melanoma are uncommon. While the authors reference two studies that reported a large proportion of patients with small bowel metastases, the true incidence of gastrointestinal (GI) lesions in melanoma patients is much lower.
Active, semi-active and hybrid control of structures

In recent years, considerable attention has been paid to research and development of passive and active structural control devices, with particular emphasis on alleviation of wind and seismie response of buildings and bridges. In both areas, serious efforts have been undertaken to develop the structural control concept into a workable technology, and today we have many such devices installed in a wide variety of structures. The focus of this state-of-the-art paper is on active, semi-active and hybrid structural control with seismic applications These systems employ controllable force devices integrated with sensors, controllers and real-time information processing. This paper includes a brief historical outline of o f their development and an assessment of the state-of-the-art and state-of-the-practice of this exciting, and still evolving, technology. Also included in the discussion are their advantages and limitations in the context of seismie design and retrofit of eivil engineering structures.
Prolonged Administration of Bleomycin without Clinical Toxicity: Therapy with 2,700 Units over Four Years

A 26-year-old white man with stage 4-B Hodgkin's disease resistant to conventional chemotherapy obtained complete remission with administration of bleomycin. Maintenance of this remission required continued therapy with bleomycin. The patient received a total of 2,700 units of bleomycin over a 51-month period without signs or symptoms of pulmonary toxicity. Serial studies of pulmonary function have shown a stable forced vital capacity and minimally decreased total lung volume and pulmonary diffusing capacity. This case demonstrates the ability of a patient to tolerate massive cumulative doses of bleomycin over a protracted period without severe loss of pulmonary function.
Microwave composite right/left-handed metamaterials and devices

In this paper, practical left-handed (LH) metamaterials known as composite right/left-handed (CRLH) metamaterials for microwave devices are discussed. In particular, recent advances and novel devices based on the CRLH metamaterial at the authors' research lab are presented.
High Fidelity Off-Path Round-Trip Time Measurement via TCP/IP Side Channels with Duplicate SYNs

Off-path round-trip time (RTT) measurement has many potential applications, including: improved geolocation capabilities, measuring the performance of parts of the Internet where there is not much measurement infrastructure (e.g., PlanetLab), and providing data plane measurements to better understand global Internet routing. Off-path means that the measurement machine is not on the path being measured. More specifically, we can measure the RTT between essentially any two machines (A and B) on the Internet without having special access to A or B or having any presence in the path between A and B. Alexander and Crandall proposed a new technique for off-path RTT measurements that made fewer assumptions than previous techniques, such as King (based on DNS). Alexander and Crandall's technique assumed only that one of A or B was a standard Linux machine with at least one open port and the other replied to unsolicited SYN-ACKs with RSTs. Thus, their technique is widely applicable across many parts of the Internet. However, their technique's accuracy was severely impacted by short RTTs or high packet loss rates. In this paper, we propose an improved technique that overcomes both of these limitations. Our new technique is shown to have 82.95% of the RTT measurement results within 10% of the actual RTT, and 91.18% of the results within 20% of the actual RTT; while the previous technique by Alexander and Crandall only had 60.7% of the results within 10% and 81.33% of the results within 20%.
Structural Insights into the Regulation of Hippo Signaling.

During development, the Hippo pathway regulates the balance between cell proliferation and apoptosis to control organ size. Appropriate Hippo signaling is associated with stem cell maintenance, while inappropriate signaling can result in tumorigenesis and cancer. Cellular and genetic investigations have identified core components and determined that complex formation and protein phosphorylation are crucial regulatory events. The recent spate of high-resolution structures of Hippo pathway components have begun to reveal the molecular mechanisms controlling these events, including the molecular determinates of complex formation between YAP and TEAD, the role of phosphorylation in controlling complex formation by Mob, and the conformational changes accompanying Mst1/2 kinase domain activation. We will review these advances and revisit previous structures to provide a comprehensive overview of the structural changes associated with the regulation of this pathway as well as discuss areas that could benefit fro...
Achieving Strong Privacy in Online Survey

Thanks to the proliferation of Internet access and modern digital and mobile devices, online survey has been flourishing into data collection of marketing, social, financial and medical studies. However, traditional data collection methods in online survey suffer from serious privacy issues. Existing privacy protection techniques are not adequate for online survey for lack of strong privacy. In this paper, we propose a practical strong privacy online survey scheme SPS based on a novel data collection technique called dual matrix masking (DM2), which guarantees the correctness of the tallying results with low computation overhead, and achieves universal verifiability, robustness and strong privacy. We also propose a more robust scheme RSPS, which incorporates multiple distributed survey managers. The RSPS scheme preserves the nice properties of SPS, and further achieves robust strong privacy against joint collusion attack. Through extensive analyses, we demonstrate our proposed schemes can be efficiently applied to online survey with accuracy and strong privacy.
Quality of Health Care for Asian Americans

Asian Americans report worse health care experiences and greater dissatisfaction with care compared to other racial/ethnic groups. These racial/ethnic differences likely arise out of the experiences that Asian Americans have with the health care system. Possible reasons why Asian patients may experience lowerquality health care than other groups include linguistic, cultural, and economic barriers that limit their ability to obtain the type of care they need and desire. This chapter will provide a brief overview of the current issues around barriers to the receipt of both high quality clinical and interpersonal care. It also will highlight the unique services provided by Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) in providing care for Asian Americans.
Microorganisms Identified in the Maternal Bladder: Discovery of the Maternal Bladder Microbiota.

Objective The objective of this study was to characterize the bladder microbiota in pregnancy. Methods A prospective observational study of 51 pregnant women, admitted to a tertiary care hospital, who underwent straight catheterization urine collection or transurethral Foley catheter placement. 16S rRNA gene sequencing and enhanced quantitative urine culture assessed the maternal bladder microbiota with comparisons made to standard urine culture results. Results Enhanced quantitative urine culture and 16S rRNA gene sequencing detected bacteria in the majority of participants. Lactobacillus and Gardnerella were the most commonly detected microbes. In contrast, standard urine culture had a 100% false-negative rate and failed to detect several known or emerging urinary pathogens. Conclusion There are live bacteria in the bladders of most pregnant women. This challenges the definition of asymptomatic bacteriuria.
Immunohistochemical examination of lacrimal gland tissue from patients with ocular sarcoidosis.

Sarcoidosis is a systemic, non-malignant disorder characterized by the accumulation of T lymphocytes and mononuclear phagocytes forming noncaseating granulomas in involved organs. Organ systems commonly involved include the lymph nodes, skin, joint, exocrine glands, liver, and central nervous system. Ophthalmic involvement occurs in 27–38% of patients with sarcoidosis, and 26% of patients who develop chronic systemic sarcoidosis will have ocular involvement at some time during the course of the disease. Although the most common ocular manifestation of sarcoidosis is bilateral, granulomatous anterior uveitis, clinical involvement of the lacrimal gland occurs in 7–26% of patients with sarcoidosis.1–3 Despite this fact, the rate of positive lacrimal gland biopsy in suspected sarcoidosis is relatively low (5–25%).4
High-dimensional entanglement in quantum frequency combs (Conference Presentation)

Quantum entanglement is a fundamental resource for secure information processing and communications. The canonical optical quantum information processing encodes a single qubit per photon, with remarkable demonstrations of secure quantum communications, linear optical quantum computing amongst others. Often the polarization qubit, a discrete variable with entangled Bell states, is used. Continuous variables such as energy-time modes and spatial modes, however, present a dramatically larger Hilbert space for quantum information processing. The high-dimensional entanglement capture more qubits per photon, enabling dramatically higher secure key rates over longer distances and with better error resilience. Here I will describe our results on high-dimensional entanglement in quantum frequency combs for dense quantum communications. We first demonstrate revival of the Hong-Ou-Mandel interferences, long postulated by theorists more than a decade ago, up to 19-dimensions and with visibilities up to 96.5%. The mode-locked two-photon state in high-dimensions is further witnessed through a stabilized Franson interferometer, as a generalized Bell’s inequality test and hyperentangled through multiple degrees-of-freedom. Entanglement revivals of the non-local interference at discrete time-bins are uncovered, up to 97.8% visibility, as a fundamental resource for dense secure information processing.
GENETIC REGULATION OF ROOT EXPANSION IN ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA

The development of plant organs depends on the precise regulation of the timing and orientation of the plane of cell division, the orientation and extent of cell expansion and the differentiation of specialized tissues (Steeves and Sussex, 1989). The coordinated expression of genes involved in these processes influences and probably determines morphogenesis.
The Politics of State Energy Severance Taxes in the Shale Era

States that produce gas and oil have long levied severance taxes at the point of extraction, commonly placing most revenues into general funds. States are normally thought to be averse to imposing significant energy taxes due to consumer sensitivity to increased prices, but severance taxes may differ since much of the ultimate cost is exported out-of-state. These taxes have taken on new meaning in many states amid the dramatic expansion of gas and oil production accompanying the development of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling techniques. We reviewed all major statutes and constitutional amendments related to severance taxes that were enacted at the state level during the first decade of the “shale era” (2004-2014). We find that there have been only modest adjustments in tax rates and some evidence that states have attempted to reduce rates, possibly in response to growing national production. In turn, there is also evidence that states have begun to pursue more targeted strategies for revenue use, including some expanded focus on responding to the negative externalities linked to this highly-decentralized form of drilling, expanded revenue sharing with localities, and increased long-term protection of resources through state trust funds.