cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pairwise Trajectory Management (PTM): Concept Overview

Pairwise Trajectory Management (PTM) is an Interval Management (IM) concept that utilizes airborne and ground-based capabilities to enable the implementation of airborne pairwise spacing capabilities in oceanic regions. The goal of PTM is to use airborne surveillance and tools to manage an "at or greater than" inter-aircraft spacing. Due to the precision of Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) information and the use of airborne spacing guidance, the PTM minimum spacing distance will be less than distances a controller can support with current automation systems that support oceanic operations. Ground tools assist the controller in evaluating the traffic picture and determining appropriate PTM clearances to be issued. Avionics systems provide guidance information that allows the flight crew to conform to the PTM clearance issued by the controller. The combination of a reduced minimum distance and airborne spacing management will increase the capacity and efficiency of aircraft operations at a given altitude or volume of airspace. This paper provides an overview of the proposed application, description of a few key scenarios, high level discussion of expected air and ground equipment and procedure changes, overview of a potential flight crew human-machine interface that would support PTM operations and some initial PTM benefits results.
Precog: action-based time-shifted prefetching for web applications on mobile devices

Wireless providers today are highly motivated to improve efficiencies of spectrum usage. One approach to achieve this is to shift the load from expensive cellular networks to cheaper WiFi networks. In this context, we propose Precog, an action-based prefetching solution for time-shifted WiFi offloading. We argue that traditional prefetching solutions, that rely on the URLs visited in the past by a user for predicting future access, are ineffective in today's dynamic, interactive, and personalized web. Precog addresses this issue by remembering, not the exact URL accessed in the past, but the actions performed on a particular website. The actions are remembered as interactions with the content layout, which stays consistent over a long period of time. Unlike prior offloading solutions that require concurrent cellular and WiFi connectivity, Precog offloads cellular content over time-shifted WiFi access. We evaluate Precog over both synthetic and real user datasets to demonstrate its benefits.
Revision Surgery After Dacryocystorhinostomy in a National Cohort

This study examines the rate of revision surgery after dacryocystorhinostomy and evaluates the associated risk factors in a national patient cohort.
Effects of experimental manipulations and intrinsic contrasts on relationships between duration and temporal variability in children's and adults' speech.

To assess two competing hypotheses pertaining to children’s speech production development, relationships between segmental durations and their associated variability (as measured by standard deviation) were studied in three groups of children and a group of adults who produced a variety of stimuli under normal, fast rate and bite block conditions. Because it was found that there were very few significant correlations between duration and variability, it was concluded that these two parameters do not manifest merely a mathematical relationship, as has sometimes been suggested. Findings based on the rate change data, as well as comparisons of duration and standard deviation for intrinsically short vs. long segments, also indicated that duration and variability are not very closely correlated. The fact that duration was found to approach adult-like levels at a younger age than variability provided additional support for the conclusion that duration and variability are relatively independent measures that can both be used for gaining a better understanding of children’s speech production development.
Assessment of Quality of Prescription Writing among Dental and Medical Students and Practitioners in Kerala.

Background: The medical prescription is a valid and legal document. Prescriptions can also be used as a measure of the quality of medical education, observance of the laws and regulations, and sociocultural beliefs. Aims: To assess the quality of prescription written by dental and medical students and practitioners. Settings and Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted in three dental and two medical colleges in Kerala covering 345 participants (dental - 235 and medical - 110). Materials and Methods: Simulation exercise was conducted for drafting a model prescription based on a given clinical condition. The variables were identified based on the model prescription format by the Medical Council of India and were classified into four domains. Points were assigned for each variable. Statistical Analysis Used: Analysis was performed using descriptive statistics and Mann–Whitney U-test. Results and Conclusion: The total scores were found to be higher among dental fraternity (10.93 ± 2.88) to medical (10.81 ± 2.55). The medical house surgeons and postgraduates fared better in the doctor identification domain. Among the dental professionals, there was a significant difference among the undergraduates (mean score = 1.91) and postgraduates (mean score = 1.60) in the doctor identification domain. However, among the medical professionals, in the patient identification domain, house surgeons had a significantly higher score compared to postgraduates. There were no significant differences in quality of prescription writing among medical and dental professionals.
Slow magnetic relaxation in octahedral low-spin Ni(III) complexes

Herein we report the first examples of single-molecule magnet (SMM) behaviour in S = 1/2 Ni(III) complexes. We find that low-spin 3d7trans-[NiIII(cyclam)(X)2]Y complexes (cyclam = 1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane; X and Y are singly charged anions) exhibit field-induced slow relaxation of magnetization for O-donor axial ligands (nitrate) but not for N-donor variants (isothiocyanate). Experimental and electronic structure computational investigations indicate that intrinsic spin polarisation of low-spin Ni(III) is modulated significantly by local coordination geometry and supramolecular interactions. Solid state dilution of Ni(III) with diamagnetic Co(III) ions forms a related complex salt, [NixCo1−x(cyclam)(NO3)2](NO3)·2HNO3 (0.1 < x < 1), which preserves slow magnetic dynamics, thus supporting a molecular component to slow relaxation. An initial analysis of magnetic relaxation lifetime fits best to a combination of Raman and direct relaxation processes.
Current therapy for Helicobacter pylori infection in children and adolescents.

Helicobacter pylori infects approximately 50% of the world’s population and is a definitive cause of gastroduodenal disease (ie, gastritis, duodenal and gastric ulcers) in children and adults. Four consensus conferences held around the globe have brought together clinicians, scientists, epidemiologists and health care economists to discuss the role of the gastric pathogen H pylori in human gastroduodenal disease. At each of these conferences, the overriding objective was to reach a consensus on the development of practical guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of H pylori-infected individuals. However, it was not until the Canadian H pylori Consensus Conference, held in November 1997, that the issues of H pylori infection in children were addressed. Therapies for H pylori infection in children, presented in part at the First Canadian Paediatric H pylori Consensus Conference, held in Victoria, British Columbia, November 1998, are reviewed in this paper.
Modeling the breakage-fusion-bridge mechanism: combinatorics and cancer genomics

The breakage-fusion-bridge (BFB) mechanism was proposed over seven decades ago and is a source of genomic variability and gene amplification in cancer. Here we formally model and analyze the BFB mechanism, to our knowledge this first time this has been undertaken. We show that BFB can be modeled as successive inverted prefix duplications of a string. Using this model, we show that BFB can achieve a surprisingly broad range of amplification patterns. We find that a sequence of BFB operations can be found that nearly fits most patterns of copy number increases along a chromosome. We conclude that this limits the usefulness of methods like array CGH for detecting BFB and discuss other implications for understanding mechanisms of genomic instability.
Functional Connectivity of the Brain In Older Women With Urgency Urinary Incontinence

BACKGROUND The brain's role in continence is critical but poorly understood. Although regions activated during bladder stimulation have been identified, little is known about the interaction between regions. In this secondary analysis we evaluate resting state and effective connectivity in older women treated for urgency urinary incontinence (UUI). METHOD 54 women ≥60 years old with UUI and 10 continent women underwent fMRI scanning during provocation of urinary urgency, both before and after therapy. Response was defined by >50% reduction in leaks on bladder diary. Regions of interest (RoIs) were selected a priori: right insula, medial prefrontal cortex, and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex. Generalized psycho-physiological interaction (gPPI) was used to calculate "effective connectivity" between RoIs during urgency. We performed a one-way ANOVA pre-treatment between groups (continent/responders/non-responders), as well as a two-way mixed ANOVA between group and time (responders/non-responders; pre-/post-therapy) using false discovery rate (FDR) correction. Principal component analysis was used to assess the variance within RoIs. Exploratory voxel-wise connectivity analyses were conducted between each RoI and the rest of the brain. RESULTS RoI-RoI connectivity analysis showed connectivity differences between controls, responders, and non-responders, although statistical significance was lost after extensive correction. Principal component analysis confirmed appropriate RoI selection. Voxel-wise analyses showed that connectivity in responders became more like that of controls after therapy (cluster-wise correction P < 0.05). In non-responders, no consistent changes were seen. CONCLUSION These data support the postulate that responders and non-responders to therapy may represent different subsets of UUI, one with more of a central etiology, and one without.
Extinction: A Radical History

Ashley Dawson. New York, NY: O/R Books, 2016. 126 pp., photos, illustrations, notes, bibliography, index. $10.84 paper (ISBN 978-1-944869-01-4).Conceptualizing extinction is a messy process. Whoeve...
Trends in the Incidence of and Charges Associated With Firearm-Related Injuries Among Pediatric Patients, 2006-2014.

This study describes the incidence of and charges associated with emergency department and inpatient management of firearm-related injuries in a US pediatric population.
Inverse identification of Johnson-Cook material constants based on modified chip formation model and iterative gradient search using temperature and force measurements

This paper presents an improved inverse identification method for Johnson-Cook model constants (J-C constants) using force and temperature data. Nowadays, J-C constants are identified by either experimental approaches with the complex and costly system, numerical approaches with high computational cost, or analytical approaches with available material properties. The previous model is developed based on a modified chip formation model and an exhaustive search method using temperature and force measurements. The current model is improved by replacing the exhaustive search method with an iterative gradient search method based on the Kalman filter algorithm. The modified chip formation model is used to predict machining forces. The iterative gradient search method is used to determine the J-C constants when the difference between predicted forces and experimental forces reached an acceptable low value. AISI 1045 steel and Al6082-T6 aluminum are chosen to test the proposed methodology. The determined J-C constants are validated by comparing to the documented values in the literature, which were obtained from Split-Hopkinson Pressure Bar tests and validated in published works. Good agreements are observed between identified J-C constants and documented values with an improved computational efficiency. The cutting temperatures are used as inputs in the modified chip formation model. Therefore, the workpiece material properties are not required to predict temperatures and forces, and thus are not required for determining J-C constants. Considering the modified chip formation model using temperatures as inputs, and the effective iterative gradient search method, this method has advantages of less mathematical complexity and high computational efficiency.
Impact of surgery type on survival in breast cancer patients.

e12072Background: Breast cancer is the most common malignancy affecting women, and treatment is multidisciplinary. Both patient and tumor related factors impact surgical decision making. Recently, ...
Predictors of adequate financial resources 5 years after breast cancer diagnosis in low-income women.

e20620 Background: Financial security is often viewed as a social determinant of health, especially in low income populations. Among low-income breast cancer patients, identifying early predictors ...
Economics and Church State Research: Past, Present, Future

This chapter concerns scholarship on church/state relations, an area of longstanding interdisciplinary interest. We will discuss past work, some especially interesting recent work, and some recent work looking at especially timely policies, such as school vouchers, and especially noteworthy new data, such as new data based on weekly church bulletins. We will focus on research in the discipline of economics, where work on this topic goes back several centuries.
Latinxs in the Kansas City Metro Area: Policing and Criminalization in Ethnic Enclaves:

This study explores the socio-spatial, economic, and policing inequities experienced by Latinxs in the Kansas City metropolitan using geographic, census, and police data as well as qualitative anal...
Biogeographic Predictors of Genetic Diversity in Populations of Eastern African Chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes schweinfurthi )

I collected mitochondrial DNA sequences—hypervariable region 1 of the control region—from 281 eastern chimpanzees in 19 geographically defined populations and calculated genetic diversity measures to test the hypothesis that populations inhabiting the reconstructed locations of Pleistocene forest refugia harbor higher genetic diversities than those of other populations. The hypothesis is only weakly supported. Population genetic diversity is not significantly correlated with geographic proximity to refugia, with the area of forest that the populations currently occupy, or with the degree of geographic isolation of the populations. However, the two populations displaying the consistently highest genetic diversities are located in refuge areas: Uganda's Rwenzori Mountains and the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo's Ituri Forest. These results, in combination with previously findings, imply that chimpanzees may have lived both in and out of refugia during periods when tropical forests were restricted to refugia. This interpretation is consistent with the notion of chimpanzees as an extraordinarily vagile species, capable of maintaining gene flow across habitat mosaics of forest, woodland, and savannah.
A Phase II Clinical Trial of Post-Transplant Cyclophosphamide for Graft Versus Host Disease Prevention Following Myeloablative Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Matched Unrelated Donor Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

Background The optimal regimen for graft versus host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis in matched unrelated donor (MUD) allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is not well defined. Post-transplant cyclophosphamide (PT-Cy) mitigates GVHD after T-cell replete HLA haploidentical (Haplo) bone marrow transplant. We investigated the benefit of PT-Cy in preventing GVHD following myeloablative peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) MUD HSCT. Methods We conducted a phase II clinical trial of PT-Cy for GVHD prophylaxis following MUD HSCT. GVHD prophylaxis consisted of 1 dose of PT-Cy 50mg/kg on day +3, mycophenolate mofetil starting day +5 to +35 and tacrolimus starting on day +5 with taper starting at day +100. The primary endpoint of the study was to determine the incidence of grade II-IV acute GVHD. Secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS), disease free survival (DFS), non-relapse mortlity (NRM) and time to engraftment. Results There were 39 patients enrolled in the study. The mean age of the study population was 47.36 years (SD 13.41). There were 23 females (59%) and majority of the patients were white (85%). Thirty six donors were 8/8 HLA MUD and 3 were 7/8 matched unrelated. The stem cells were collected from peripheral blood in all cases. Indications for HSCT included AML/MDS (62%), ALL (15%), myelofibrosis (10%), NHL/HL (10%) and CML (3%). The most commonly used conditioning regimen was Busulfan and Fludarabine (74%). All 6 patients with ALL received TBI (12 Gy) based conditioning. There was 1 death within the first 30 days before engraftment. The remaining 38 patients (97%) successfully engrafted. The median time to ANC engraftment was 12 days (range 9-14 days). The incidence of day 100 acute GVHD maximum grade was 36% for grade I/II and 5% for grade III/IV. The incidence of limited and extensive chronic GVHD was 10% and 36% respectively. There were 8 (21%) confirmed relapses within the first year after HSCT. Twenty four patients were alive at the 1-year mark after transplant and 17 of these were in complete remission. The 1-year and 2-year OS rates were 61.5% and 51.2% respectively. The median OS for the entire cohort was 21.2 months with a median follow up of 50 months (Figure 1). The day 100, 1-year and overall NRM rates were 10%, 28% and 33% respectively with infectious complications being the most common cause of death. Conclusion The use of one dose of PT-Cy in combination with MMF and tacrolimus is effective in preventing acute severe GVHD in myeloablative PBSC MUD HSCT recipients. We observe modest control over chronic GVHD with this regimen which may be explained by giving one dose of PT-Cy only. We report favorable survival outcomes along with acceptable levels of NRM for the entire cohort. The use of PT-Cy in combination with other immunosuppressant agents for GVHD prevention appears to be a promising strategy in MUD and may play a vital role in mismatched unrelated donor transplants as well.
AORTO-RIGHT VENTRICULAR FISTULA COMPLICATING A CASE OF ENDOCARDITIS

Various complications can occur while treating for infective endocarditis. Patients should be monitored with serial exams, and follow-up imaging including repeat TEE should be performed as indicated. A 34-year-old woman with history of IV drug use presented with a 2-day history of fevers, chest
Effect of polymer–nanoparticle interaction on strain localization in polymer nanopillars

Polymer nanocomposites (PNCs), a class of composites consisting of typically inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) embedded in a polymer matrix, have become an emerging class of materials due to their significant potential to combine the functionality of NPs with the toughness of polymers. However, many applications are limited by their mechanical properties, and a fundamental understanding of NPs’ effect on the nonlinear mechanical properties is lacking. In this study, we used molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the influence of NPs on the tendency of a polymer nanopillar to form a shear band. Even though we restrict ourselves to sufficiently low NP loadings that the elastic and yield behaviors are unaffected compared to the pure polymer, the polymer–NP interactions have a surprisingly strong effect on the location of a shear band in the sample. Different polymer–NP interactions have been used to explore their effect on the local structure of materials which is described using a recently developed machine-learned quantity, softness. Our calculations reveal a strong correlation between the strain localization pattern and the local structural signatures. Lastly, we show that weak interactions between NP and polymer matrix can form a soft region near the NP, and this leads to an attraction of the shear band to the NP surface.
Designing upper-division thermal physics assessment items informed by faculty perspectives of key content coverage

Developing a multiple-choice assessment tool for upper-division thermal physics with ten key topic areas selected to represent the core content taught at most institutions.
Efficacy of an Intervention to Teach Zippering: A Two-Group Control Study

Importance Engaging and pulling up a zipper is a functional skill needed by young children. Objective To compare the efficacy of a standard zippering teaching vest presented with general verbal prompts to a modified zippering teaching vest presented with a related story and vocabulary among typically developing preschoolers. Design An experimental, two-group, pre-post design. Setting A local preschool. Participants Fifty preschoolers ages 3 yr, 6 mo to 4 yr, 11 mo were recruited. Intervention Eligible children received three zippering practice sessions from occupational therapy and speech-language pathology graduate students supervised by faculty; either a standard (control group) or modified (comparison group) zippering teaching vest was used. Outcomes and measures Individual sessions were video recorded. We coded data using a score of 2, 1, or 0, indicating degree of success through seven zippering steps. Using IBM SPSS Statistics (Version 26) for analysis, we conducted independent t tests to compare measures between the two groups. Results Each cohort consisted of 14 preschoolers (N = 28); 252 separate zippering trials were analyzed. Pretrial zippering ability demonstrated no initial differences. Results indicate that both groups advanced their skills with added practice; however, the comparison group performed statistically significantly better than the control group, beginning with the second set of interventions. Conclusions and relevance Beginning with a second exposure to a novel instructional method, preschoolers increased their success by completing more of the seven identified steps of zippering than those receiving traditional input. This study demonstrates the ability of occupational therapy-speech-language pathology partnerships to create innovative treatments that facilitate occupationally based skill acquisition. What this article adds This article adds evidence supporting the use of a modified practice zippering vest with added visual and language cues to teach zippering skills to occupational therapy clients.
Linking polymer hydrophobicity and molecular interactions to rheology and tribology in phospholipid-containing complex gels.

Abstract Hypothesis The rheological behavior and frictional properties (macroscopic level) of systems containing a hydrophobically modified polymer and phospholipids depend on the hydrophobic association that occur between the hydrophobic moiety of the polymer and the phospholipid tails (molecular level). The hydrophobicity of the polymer can thus be used to control its interactions with phospholipids, and manipulate complex gel macroscopic behavior. Experiments By using systems composed of a crosslinked hydrophobically modified polyacrylic acid (HMPAA) or a crosslinked polyacrylic acid polymer (PAA) and phospholipids, we examine the underlying mechanisms through which the components interact using isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) and their effect on rheological and tribological characteristics of complex gels. Findings We find the systems containing HMPAA and phospholipid exhibit gel-like behavior with the elastic modulus increasing substantially upon phospholipid addition due to hydrophobic interactions that result in a more interconnected network formation, as evidenced by ITC measurements. Similar experiments with a crosslinked polyacrylic acid polymer (PAA) show no interactions, lending credence to our hypothesis. In addition, soft tribological behavior shows lower friction coefficients at low entrainment speeds with HMPAA concentration and the addition of phospholipid, while no change in friction coefficient was observed in the case of increasing PAA concentration, indicating HMPAA and phospholipids to be interacting with the soft PDMS contacts.
Risk Characterization and Probabilistic Concentration-Response Modeling of Complex Environmental Mixtures Using New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) Data from Organotypic in Vitro Human Stem Cell Assays.

Background: Risk assessment of chemical mixtures or complex substances remains a major methodological challenge due to lack of available hazard or exposure data. Therefore, risk assessors usually i...
Exacerbation of Inequities in Use of Diagnostic Radiology During the Early Stages of Reopening After COVID-19.

Abstract Objective Assess diagnostic radiology examination utilization and associated social determinants of health during the early stages of reopening after state-mandated shutdown of nonurgent services because of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods This institutional review board–approved, retrospective study assessed all patients with diagnostic radiology examinations performed at an academic medical center with eight affiliated outpatient facilities before (January 1, 2020, to March 8, 2020) and after (June 7, 2020, to July 15, 2020) the COVID-19 shutdown. Examinations during the shut down (March 9, 2020, to June 6, 2020) were excluded. Patient-specific factors (eg, race, ethnicity), imaging modalities, and care settings were extracted from the Research Data Warehouse. Primary outcome was the number of diagnostic radiology examinations per day compared pre- and post-COVID-19 shutdown. Univariate analysis and multivariable logistic regression determined features associated with completing an examination. Results Despite resumption of nonurgent services, marked decrease in radiology examination utilization persisted in all care settings post-COVID-19 shutdown (869 examinations per day preshutdown [59,080 examinations in 68 days] versus 502 examinations per day postshutdown [19,594 examinations in 39 days]), with more significantly decreased odds ratios for having examinations in inpatient and outpatient settings versus in the emergency department. Inequities worsened, with patients from communities with high rates of poverty, unemployment, and chronic disease having significantly lower odds of undergoing radiology examinations post-COVID-19 shutdown. Patients of Asian race and Hispanic ethnicity had significantly lower odds ratios for having examinations post-COVID-19 shutdown compared with White and non-Hispanic patients, respectively. Discussion The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated known pre-existing inequities in diagnostic radiology utilization. Resources should be allocated to address subgroups of patients who may be less likely to receive necessary diagnostic radiology examinations, potentially leading to compromised patient safety and quality of care.
Effect of Biotin on Cardiac Troponin I and High Sensitivity Cardiac Troponin I Assays on Vista 1500 and ADVIA Centaur Analyzer.

Objective Biotin interferes with biotinylated antibody based immunoassays. We investigated effect of biotin on conventional troponin I and two high sensitivity troponin I assays, all manufactured by Siemens. Materials and methods One high sensitivity troponin I assay (TNIH-1) was run using ADVIA Centaur analyzer. The second high sensitivity troponin I assay (TNIH-2) as well as conventional troponin I assay (CTNI) were run using Dimension Vista 1500 analyzer. We analyzed 25 specimens using CTNI, TNIH-1 and TNIH-2 assays for comparison of these assays. Moreover, serum pools prepared from additional specimens containing various amounts of troponin I were further supplemented with biotin to achieve biotin concentrations between 50 and 1000 ng/mL followed by reanalysis using CTNI, TNIH-1 and TNIH-2 assays. Results Although both high sensitivity troponin I assays correlated well, there was a significant positive bias with TNIH-2. We observed no significant negative biotin interference at a level up to 250 ng/mL. Highest observed negative bias was 29.7%. Conclusions All three troponin I assays were free from biotin interferences up to a biotin concentration of 250 ng/mL.
PFOS dominates PFAS composition in ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) collected across North Carolina nearly 20 years after the end of its US production

Contamination of drinking water by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) emitted from manufacturing plants, fire-fighting foams, and urban waste streams has received considerable attention due to concerns over toxicity and environmental persistence; however, PFASs in ambient air remain poorly understood, especially in the United States (US). We measured PFAS concentrations in ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) at 5 locations across North Carolina over a 1 year period in 2019. Thirty-four PFASs, including perfluoroalkyl carboxylic, perfluoroalkane sulfonic, perfluoroalkyl ether carboxylic and sulfonic acids were analyzed by UHPLC/ESI-MS/MS. Quarterly averaged concentrations ranged from <0.004-14.1 pg m-3. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) ranged from <0.18 to 14.1 pg m-3, comparable to previous PM2.5 measurements from Canada and Europe (<0.02-3.5 pg m-3). Concentrations above 1 pg m-3 were observed in July-September at Charlotte (14.1 pg m-3, PFOA), Wilmington (4.75 pg m-3, PFOS), and Research Triangle Park (1.37 pg m-3, PFOS). Notably, PM2.5 has a short atmospheric lifetime (<2 weeks), and thus, the presence of PFOS in these samples raises questions about their sources, since PFOS production was phased out in the US ∼20 years ago. This is the first US study to provide insights into ambient PFAS concentrations in PM2.5.
Splitting a Pie: Mixed Strategies in Bargaining Under Complete Information

We characterize the mixed-strategy equilibria for the bargaining game in which two players simultaneously bid for a share of a pie and receive shares proportional to their bids, or zero if the bids sum to more than 100%. Of particular interest is the symmetric equilibrium in which each player's support is a single interval. This consists of a convex increasing density f1(p) on [a, 1-a] and an atom of probability at a, and is unique for given a ∈ (0, .5). The two outcomes with highest probability are breakdown and a 50-50 split. We use the same approach to characterize all symmetric and asymmetric equilibria (such as "hawk-dove") that mix over a finite set of bids and for general sharing rules. We extend Malueg's 2010 proof of existence to uniqueness of equilibria with any "balanced" compact set A ∈ (0,1) as bid supports (but do not characterize them).
Eosinophils and Bacteria, the Beginning of a Story.

Eosinophils are granulocytes primarily associated with TH2 responses to parasites or immune hyper-reactive states, such as asthma, allergies, or eosinophilic esophagitis. However, it does not make sense from an evolutionary standpoint to maintain a cell type that is only specific for parasitic infections and that otherwise is somehow harmful to the host. In recent years, there has been a shift in the perception of these cells. Eosinophils have recently been recognized as regulators of immune homeostasis and suppressors of over-reactive pro-inflammatory responses by secreting specific molecules that dampen the immune response. Their role during parasitic infections has been well investigated, and their versatility during immune responses to helminths includes antigen presentation as well as modulation of T cell responses. Although it is known that eosinophils can present antigens during viral infections, there are still many mechanistic aspects of the involvement of eosinophils during viral infections that remain to be elucidated. However, are eosinophils able to respond to bacterial infections? Recent literature indicates that Helicobacter pylori triggers TH2 responses mediated by eosinophils; this promotes anti-inflammatory responses that might be involved in the long-term persistent infection caused by this pathogen. Apparently and on the contrary, in the respiratory tract, eosinophils promote TH17 pro-inflammatory responses during Bordetella bronchiseptica infection, and they are, in fact, critical for early clearance of bacteria from the respiratory tract. However, eosinophils are also intertwined with microbiota, and up to now, it is not clear if microbiota regulates eosinophils or vice versa, or how this connection influences immune responses. In this review, we highlight the current knowledge of eosinophils as regulators of pro and anti-inflammatory responses in the context of both infection and naive conditions. We propose questions and future directions that might open novel research avenues in the future.
Conserved tandem arginines for PbgA/YejM allow Salmonella Typhimurium to regulate LpxC and control lipopolysaccharide biogenesis during infection.

Enterobacteriaceae use the periplasmic domain of the conserved inner membrane protein, PbgA/YejM, to regulate lipopolysaccharide (LPS) biogenesis. Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) relies on PbgA to cause systemic disease in mice and this involves functional interactions with LapB/YciM, FtsH, and LpxC. Escherichia coli PbgA interacts with LapB, an adaptor for the FtsH protease, via the transmembrane segments. LapB and FtsH control proteolysis of LpxC, the rate-limiting LPS biosynthesis enzyme. Lipid A-core, the hydrophobic anchor of LPS molecules, co-crystallizes with PbgA and interacts with residues in the basic region. The model predicts that PbgA-LapB detects periplasmic LPS molecules and prompts FtsH to degrade LpxC. However, the key residues and critical interactions are not defined. We establish that S. Typhimurium uses PbgA to regulate LpxC and define the contribution of two pairs of arginines within the basic region. PbgA R215 R216 form contacts with lipid A-core in the structure and R231 R232 exist in an adjacent alpha helix. PbgA R215 R216 are necessary for S. Typhimurium to regulate LpxC, control lipid-A core biogenesis, promote survival in macrophages, and enhance virulence in mice. In contrast, PbgA R231 R232 are not necessary to regulate LpxC or to control lipid A-core levels, nor are they necessary to promote survival in macrophages or mice. However, residues R231 R232 are critical for infection lethality, and the persistent infection phenotype requires mouse Toll-like receptor four, which detects lipid A. Therefore, S. Typhimurium relies on PbgA's tandem arginines for multiple interconnected mechanisms of LPS regulation that enhance pathogenesis.
Multi-resolution statistical analysis on graph structured data in neuroimaging

Statistical data analysis plays a major role in discovering structural and functional imaging phenotypes for mental disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). The goal here is to identify, ideally early on, which regions in the brain show abnormal variations with a disorder. To make the method more sensitive, we rely on a multi-resolutional perspective of the given data. Since the underlying imaging data (such as cortical surfaces and connectomes) are naturally represented in the form of weighted graphs which lie in a non-Euclidean space, we introduce recent work from the harmonics literature to derive an effective multi-scale descriptor using wavelets on graphs that characterize the local context at each data point. Using this descriptor, we demonstrate experiments where we identify significant differences between AD and control populations using cortical surface data and tractography derived graphs/networks.
Residual stresses in ground steels

A new X-ray method for the evaluation of three dimensional (residual) stress states is demonstrated by studies of the effect of grinding on Armco iron and a medium carbon steel. Although the penetration depth of the Cr-radiation employed in this study is only 5 μm, there is evidence of residual stresses normal to the surface (normal and shear components). In the past it has been assumed that these stress components can be neglected. Shear stresses normal to the surface are small in Armco iron, but significant (± 60 MPa) in steel. From the sign of the shears, the direction of final grinding can be determined. Cooling decreases the tensile stresses parallel to the surface in steel; surprisingly, the opposite result is found in Armco iron.
A Review of “Gospels and Acts. The Saint John's Bible”

Designing a bible has been the ultimate challenge for book designers and typographers, a challenge like the Sistine Chapel for calligraphers, according to Donald Jackson, longtime scribe to Her Maj...
Fusaria and Toxigenic Molds Other than Aspergilli and Penicillia

Toxigenic molds in genera other than Aspergillus and Penicillium are most often found as contaminants of plant-derived foods, especially cereal grains. The most important group of mycotoxigenic molds other than Aspergillus and Penicillium species are species of the genus Fusarium. A very severe human disease that occurred in the former Soviet Union during World War II, known as alimentary toxic aleukia, is believed to be caused by T-2 and HT-2 toxins produced by Fusarium sporotrichioides and F. poae of the Sporotrichiella section of Fusarium. Dietary deoxynivalenol has been shown to stimulate immunoglobin production, causing elevated immunoglobin A levels in mice. Among the harmful effects of this stimulation is kidney damage very similar to a common human kidney condition known as glomerulonephritis or immunoglobulin A nephropathy. The most distinctive feature of F. poae is its production of abundant globose to oval, almost pyriform (pear-shaped) microconidia, with few macroconidia. The major mycotoxins produced by Fusarium graminearum are deoxynivalenol and zearalenone. The main human disease associated with F. verticillioides is esophageal cancer. The first problem encountered in the analysis of grains for Fusarium toxins is the same as that for other mycotoxins, i.e., sampling. Deoxynivalenol is the most common trichothecene found in commodity grains; therefore, the greatest potential exists for it to occur in finished foods. Other potentially toxic molds, aside from Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Fusarium species, that may contaminate foods include species of the genera Acremonium, Alternaria, Byssochlamys, Chaetomium, Cladosporium, Claviceps, Myrothecium, Neosartorya, Phomopis, Rhizoctonia, and Rhizopus.
Impaired arousal in rat pups with prenatal alcohol exposure is modulated by GABAergic mechanisms

Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) increases the risk for The Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) in human infants. In rat pups, the arousal response to hypoxia is modulated by medullary raphe GABAergic mechanisms. We hypothesized that arousal to hypoxia is impaired by PAE, and is associated with an increase in medullary GABA and enhanced GABAergic activity. Pregnant dams received an ethanol liquid diet (ETOH), an iso-caloric pair fed diet (PF) or a standard chow diet (CHOW). We first measured the time to arousal (latency), during four episodes of hypoxia in P5, P15, and P21 CHOW, PF, and ETOH pups. We also measured brainstem GABA concentration in the same groups of pups. Finally, we injected artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF), nipecotic acid (NIP) or gabazine into the medullary raphe of P15 and P21 pups receiving the three diets. For statistical analysis, the PF and CHOW groups were combined into a single CONTROL group. Our main finding was that compared to CONTROL, arousal latency to hypoxia is increased in ETOH pups at P15 and P21, and the concentration of brainstem GABA is elevated at P21. NIP administration in CONTROL pups led to arousal latencies similar in magnitude to those in ETOH pups after aCSF injection. NIP injected ETOH pups had no further increases in arousal latency. We conclude that PAE impairs arousal latency and this is mediated or modulated by medullary GABAergic mechanisms.
Dynamic Reconfiguration of Two-Level Cache Hierarchy in Real-Time Embedded Systems

System optimization techniques based on efficient dynamic reconfiguration have been widely adopted in recent years. Cache reconfiguration is a promising optimization technique for reducing memory hierarchy energy consumption with little or no impact on overall system performance. While cache reconfiguration is successful in desktop-based and embedded systems, it is not directly applicable in real-time systems due to timing constraints. Existing scheduling-aware cache reconfiguration techniques consider only one-level cache. It is a major challenge to dynamically tune multi-level caches since the exploration space is prohibitively large. This paper efficiently integrates cache reconfiguration in real-time systems with a unified two-level cache hierarchy. We propose a set of exploration heuristics for our static analysis which effectively reduces the exploration time while keeps the generated profile results beneficial to be leveraged during runtime. Our experimental results have demonstrated 40-58% energy savings with minor impact on performance.
Isothermal and cyclic oxidation of an air plasma-sprayed thermal barrier coating system

Thermogravimetric methods for evaluating bond coat oxidation in plasma-sprayed thermal barrier coating (TBC) systems were assessed by high-temperature testing of TBC systems with air plasma-sprayed (APS) Ni-22Cr-10Al-1Y bond coatings and yttria-stabilized zirconia top coatings. High-mass thermogravimetric analysis (at 1150{sup degrees}C) was used to measure bond coat oxidation kinetics. Furnace cycling was used to evaluate APS TBC durability. This paper describes the experimental methods and relative oxidation kinetics of the various specimen types. Characterization of the APS TBCs and their reaction products is discussed.
Perspectives of graphene SymFETs for THz applications

We explore the potential of graphene symmetric tunneling field effect transistors (SymFETs) for THz applications. The interplay between the negative differential conductance in these devices and electron plasma waves occurring in the graphene layers might lead to very sensitive THz detection (R > 100 kV/W) or amplifiers with power gains ~ 7 dB at RT.
Multimedia Copyright Laws and Guidelines: Take the Test

Increasing numbers of Association for Business Communication members are using multimedia as a form of instruction. Because copyright guidelines affecting multimedia production have only recently been established, policies are not well known. To determine if ABC members understand the guidelines, we created a questionnaire about specific instances of multimedia use and sent it via Internet e-mail to a sample chosen from the 1996 membership directory. Respondents received an average grade of "C," with most answering conservatively, assuming that copyright restrictions are more restrictive than they, in fact, are.
Studies in cryptospore ultrastructure: variability in the tetrad genus Tetrahedraletes and type material of the dyad Dyadospora murusattenuata

Abstract Dispersed permanent tetrads assignable to Tetrahedraletes range from the Middle Ordovician to the Lower Devonian. Ultrastructural examination of the wall of these cryptospores reveals considerable diversity in characters such as wall thickness (overall and between proximal and distal walls), wall construction (homogeneous, spongy, globular or some combination thereof), degree of fusion between adjacent tetrad members and presence of a tightly adherent envelope undetectable with the light microscope. When assessing ultrastructural diversity, particular attention must be paid to changes that may be the result of diagenetic and preparatory processes. While ultrastructural factors will probably never be part of routine palynological analyses, such studies can serve to focus attention on characters that might be usable for separating diverse taxa using the light microscope. Paratype material of Dyadospora murusattenuata has an unlamellated spore wall like that identified as type 2 in [Taylor, Rev. Palaeobot. Palynol. 97 (1997)1–8].
Cyclophosphamide plus 5-(3,3-dimethyl-1-triazeno)-imidazole-4-carboxamide (DTIC) with or without Corynebacterium parvum in metastatic malignant melanoma.

One hundred twenty patients with metastatic malignant melanoma were randomized to receive either cyclophosphamide, 600 mg/m2 IV, on day 1 plus DTIC 200 mg/m2 IV days 1 through 5, or the same chemotherapy plus C. parvum 5 mg/m2 IV on day 8 and day 15. Therapy was repeated every 21 days. Although responses were observed in 13.8% of patients on cyclophosphamide plus DTIC versus 25.5% of patients on cyclophosphamide plus DTIC plus C. parvum, the median duration of remission was 15.6 weeks on chemotherapy and 13.0 weeks on chemotherapy plus C. parvum. Furthermore, survival was similar on both regimens (6.1 months versus 5.7 months, respectively). Favorable prognostic factors included metastatic disease confined to skin or lymph nodes (33% responses), performance status greater than 70% (24% response rate), and administration of three or more courses of chemotherapy (31% response rate). The dose limiting toxicity was myelosuppression, which was equal on both regimens. Chills and fever were common in response to C. parvum, and, rarely, hypotension, cyanosis, or immune nephritis was observed. The addition of C. parvum to chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide plus DTIC is not recommended.
Structure and dynamics of de novo proteins from a designed superfamily of 4-helix bundles

Libraries of de novo proteins provide an opportunity to explore the structural and functional potential of biological molecules that have not been biased by billions of years of evolutionary selection. Given the enormity of sequence space, a rational approach to library design is likely to yield a higher fraction of folded and functional proteins than a stochastic sampling of random sequences. We previously investigated the potential of library design by binary patterning of hydrophobic and hydrophilic amino acids. The structure of the most stable protein from a binary patterned library of de novo 4-helix bundles was solved previously and shown to be consistent with the design. One structure, however, cannot fully assess the potential of the design strategy, nor can it account for differences in the stabilities of individual proteins. To more fully probe the quality of the library, we now report the NMR structure of a second protein, S-836. Protein S-836 proved to be a 4-helix bundle, consistent with design. The similarity between the two solved structures reinforces previous evidence that binary patterning can encode stable, 4-helix bundles. Despite their global similarities, the two proteins have cores that are packed at different degrees of tightness. The relationship between packing and dynamics was probed using the Modelfree approach, which showed that regions containing a high frequency of chemical exchange coincide with less well-packed side chains. These studies show (1) that binary patterning can drive folding into a particular topology without the explicit design of residue-by-residue packing, and (2) that within a superfamily of binary patterned proteins, the structures and dynamics of individual proteins are modulated by the identity and packing of residues in the hydrophobic core.