cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and organic fertilizer influence photosynthesis, root phosphatase activity, nutrition, and growth of Ipomoea carnea ssp. fistulosa

The effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) inoculation and organic slow release fertilizer (OSRF) on photosynthesis, root phosphatase activity, nutrient acquisition, and growth of Ipomoea carnea N. von Jacquin ssp. fistulosa (K. Von Martinus ex J. Choisy) D. Austin (bush morning glory) was determined in a greenhouse study. The AMF treatments consisted of a commercial isolate of Glomus intraradices and a non-colonized (NonAMF) control. The OSRF was applied at 10, 30, and 100 % of the manufacturer’s recommended rate. AMF plants had a higher net photosynthetic rate (P N), higher leaf elemental N, P, and K, and generally greater growth than NonAMF plants. Total colonization levels of AMF plants ranged from 27 % (100 % OSRF) to 79 % (30 % OSRF). Root acid phosphatase (ACP) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities were generally higher in AMF than non-AMF plants. When compared to NonAMF at 100 % OSRF, AMF plants at 30 % OSRF had higher or comparable ACP and ALP activity, higher leaf elemental P, N, Fe, Cu, and Zn, and a greater P N (at the end of the experiment), leading to generally greater growth parameters with the lower fertility in AMF plants. We suggest that AMF increased nutrient acquisition from an organic fertilizer source by enhancing ACP and ALP activity thus facilitating P acquisition, increasing photosynthesis, and improving plant growth.
The Malcolm Baldridge Quality Award and engineering technology education

In 1988, the Department of Commerce with assistance from the American Society of Quality Control presented the first Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. This award is modeled after the Deming Prize given annually in Japan since 1951. The award is presented to organizations that are totally committed to a quality philosophy in either service or manufacturing. Organizations apply for award consideration and must do a comprehensive self-appraisal followed by an on-site audit by volunteer quality professionals. The author considers how engineering technology programs would withstand a Malcolm Baldrige Quality Award appraisal. He discusses the Malcolm Baldrige criteria and how they can be applied to improve all engineering technology programs. >
Restoring Stream Ecosystems: Lessons from a Midwestern State

Reach-scale stream restorations are becoming a common approach to repair degraded streams, but the effectiveness of these projects is rarely evaluated or reported. We surveyed governmental, private, and nonprofit organizations in the state of Indiana to determine the frequency and nature of reach-scale stream restorations in this midwestern U.S. state. For 10 attempted restorations in Indiana, questionnaires and on-site assessments were used to better evaluate current designs for restoring stream ecosystems. At each restoration site, habitat and water quality were evaluated in restored and unrestored reaches. Our surveys identified commonalities across all restorations, including the type of restoration, project goals, structures installed, and level of monitoring conducted. In general, most restorations were described as stream-relocation projects that combined riparian and in-stream enhancements. Fewer than half of the restorations conducted pre- or post-restoration monitoring, and most monitoring involved evaluations of riparian vegetation rather than aquatic variables. On-site assessments revealed that restored reaches had significantly lower stream widths and greater depths than did upstream unrestored reaches, but riparian canopy cover often was lower in restored than in unrestored reaches. This study provides basic information on midwestern restoration strategies, which is needed to identify strengths and weaknesses in current practices and to better inform future stream restorations.
Broadband in School: Impact on Student Performance

This paper examines the effects of providing broadband to schools on students' performance. We use a rich panel of data on broadband use and students' grades from all middle schools in Portugal. Employing a first-differences specification to control for school-specific unobserved effects and instrumenting the quality of broadband to account for unobserved time-varying effects, we show that high levels of broadband use in schools were detrimental for grades on the ninth-grade national exams in Portugal. For the average broadband use in schools, grades reduced 0.78 of a standard deviation from 2005 to 2009. We also show that broadband has a negative impact on exam scores regardless of gender, subject, or school quality and that the way schools allow students to use the Internet affects their performance. In particular, students in schools that block access to websites such as YouTube perform relatively better. Data, as supplemental material, are available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2013.1770 . This paper was accepted by Lorin Hitt, information systems.
DNA Sequencing for Confirmation of Rifampin Resistance Detected by Cepheid Xpert MTB/RIF Assay

DNA sequencing of rpoB and culture-based drug susceptibility results were evaluated for samples referred for confirmation of rifampin resistance detected by the Cepheid Xpert MTB/RIF assay. Silent mutations and mutations associated with low-level resistance were found in the study population. These data support CDC recommendations to confirm Xpert rifampin resistance results.
The nonlinear capillary instability of a liquid jet. Part 2. Experiments on jet behaviour before droplet formation

The behaviour of a perturbed capillary jet is experimentally determined by studying the jet from the time it emerges from a small hole to the point at which individual droplets of fluid begin to form. Under any particular set of externally applied experimental parameters, i.e. jet velocity, disturbance wavenumber and amplitude, there is a unique, minimum time to this breakup into drops. This characteristic is needed to relate the magnitude of the input voltage to the modulating device and the output velocity perturbation that it produces. Using this relationship we then compare the experimentally produced profiles of jet shape to corresponding ones calculated by using the theory of Chaudhary & Redekopp (1980). The agreement is satisfactory, especially for small values of input voltage. Then, in the neighbourhood of the cutoff wavenumber, we show that the predicted linear growth of the jet profile is also reproduced in the experimental model.
Blue blood or black blood: R1 effects in gradient-echo echo-planar functional neuroimaging

Abstract Changes in the longitudinal relaxation rate (R1) may play a role in the MRI signal intensity increases that have been associated with physiological brain activation. We used gradient-echo echo-planar MRI (GRE-EPI) to test whether physiological activations associated with hypercapnia in dogs were dependent on the delay (TR) between successive images in a time-series. Our results show that, in addition to activation-induced changes in the R 2 ∗ (transverse relaxation including inhomogeneity effects), activation-induced changes in R1 are significant under certain pulsing conditions. In our paradigm, the R1 contribution became significant at TR values of 1 s or less.
Reflective and Black Mulch Increase Yield in Pumpkins Under Virus Disease Pressure

Experiments were conducted over a 4-yr period that examined the effect reflective, black, and no-mulch had on aphid populations, incidence of virus infected pumpkin plants, and yield of pumpkin. Three different planting dates and their effect on viral infection and yield were also investigated. The use of reflective mulches significantly reduced the number of alates landing in these rows compared with black- or no-mulch rows. The reduction in aphid numbers resulted in a reduction in the percent of plants infected with virus. Approximately 10 times more plants were infected with virus in the black and no-mulch plots than in the reflective mulch plots in mid- to late July. However, by the end of August, all treatments had near 100% of plants infected with virus. This delay in viral infection in reflective mulch plots resulted in a 45 and 120% increase in pumpkin yield compared with black mulch and no-mulch plots, respectively. First plantings always had greater yields than later plantings. The interaction between mulch type and planting time was significant. Reflective mulches increased yields overall, but significantly increased yields compared with black or no-mulch in second and third plantings. The use of reflective mulch combined with timely planting is a cost effective way of delaying virus problems and increasing pumpkin yields in midwestern United States.
Preventing Stroke Does Race/Ethnicity Matter?

Stroke, the third leading cause of death in the United States, is also the chief cause of neurological disability in the elderly. Lifetime risk of stroke at age 65 years is estimated to be 1 in 5 in women and 1 in 6 in men in the Framingham Study population.1 Despite improvements in management of the acute stroke and in rehabilitation poststroke, it is clear that prevention holds the key to decreasing the toll of cerebrovascular disease. In recent years, it has become increasingly clear that clinically inapparent strokes detected on magnetic resonance scan of the brain, so-called “silent” strokes, exert a discernible impact on brain function.2 Measurable reduction in cognitive performance that leads to vascular cognitive impairment, depressed mood, and impaired gait are consequences of these “silent” strokes.3 In addition, persons harboring these infarcts and a large burden of white-matter hyperintensities are predisposed to develop clinically apparent cerebral infarctions. Further, the presence of elevated levels of stroke risk factors exerts a measurable effect on brain structure and function, which results in reduced total cerebral volume and an increased presence and volume of white-matter hyperintensities on magnetic resonance scan of the brain, as well as reduced cognitive performance, particularly on tests of executive function.4 Article p 2157 In this issue of Circulation , Markus et al report on the results of the difficult task of …
The anatomy of a large scale social web for internet enabled objects

The ongoing evolution of the Internet of Things toward the Web of Things, where Web-enabled smart objects connect and communicate using the protocols of the Web, has raised several research issues from protocols adoption and communication models to architectural styles. In this paper we present our vision about the anatomy of a scalable architecture for a large scale social Web of Things for smart objects and the solutions adopted. Main faced issues include a reasoned exploration of design choices in conjunction with the related state-of-art analysis, technologies, concepts and social aspects behind our proposed solution. Among them, a prototype is proposed and two experimented scenarios are described. Finally, this paper reports the conclusion, challenges and future works toward the evolution of our social Web of Things architecture and tool.
Rating total cerebral small-vessel disease: Does it add up?

Cerebral small-vessel disease (SVD) causes ischemic stroke, cognitive impairment, and gait dysfunction.1 Although very prevalent, early detection presents a challenge, and severity is often underestimated because of insidious onset. Lacunar infarction, age-related white matter hyperintensities (WMH), perivascular spaces (PVS), and microhemorrhages all serve as MRI markers of cerebral SVD. A combined assessment of total cerebral SVD may improve our understanding of the epidemiology, pathogenesis, and genetics and ultimately develop novel therapies to reduce its clinical consequences.
PAAVE: Protocol for Anonymous Authentication in Vehicular Networks Using Smart Cards

Vehicular communications are envisioned to play a substantial role in providing safety in transportation by means of safety message exchange. However, the deployment of vehicular networks is strongly dependent on security and privacy features. In this paper, we present a Protocol for Anonymous Authentication in Vehicular Networks (PAAVE) to address the issue of privacy preservation with authority traceability in vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs). The proposed protocol is based on smart cards to generate on-the-fly anonymous keys between vehicles and Roadside units (RSUs). PAAVE is lightweight and provides fast anonymous authentication and location privacy while requiring a vehicle to store one cryptographic key. We demonstrate the merits gained by the proposed protocol through extensive analysis and show that PAAVE outperforms existing schemes.
A new pre-loaded beam geometric stiffness matrix with full rigid body capabilities

Space structures, such as the Space Station solar arrays, must be extremely light-weight, flexible structures. Accurate prediction of the natural frequencies and mode shapes is essential for determining the structural adequacy of components, and designing a controls system. The tension pre-load in the 'blanket' of photovoltaic solar collectors, and the free/free boundary conditions of a structure in space, causes serious reservations on the use of standard finite element techniques of solution. In particular, a phenomenon known as 'grounding', or false stiffening, of the stiffness matrix occurs during rigid body rotation. The authors have previously shown that the grounding phenomenon is caused by a lack of rigid body rotational capability, and is typical in beam geometric stiffness matrices formulated by others, including those which contain higher order effects. The cause of the problem was identified as the force imbalance inherent in the formulations. In this paper, the authors develop a beam geometric stiffness matrix for a directed force problem, and show that the resultant global stiffness matrix contains complete rigid body mode capabilities, and performs very well in the diagonalization methodology customarily used in dynamic analysis.
Instability of Extrusions Under Compressive Loads

Critical compressive stresses were computed and were compared with measured values for 26 different aluminum-alloy and magnesium-alloy extrusions. Critical stresses for local instability were computed, considering the flanges as plates of uniform thickness rigidly clamped along one edge. Critical stresses for primary instability were computed from Kappus ' theory of torsional instability, taking account of the stiffening effect of fillets and the effect on the torsion bending constant of bending stresses varying across the thickness of the wall. An estimate of the effect of plastic yielding was made by reducing the critical stresses in the ratio of reduced modulus, for a column of rectangular section, to Young's modulus. The measured and computed critical stresses for 120 of the 125 specimens differed less than 5,000 lbs. per sq.in. Comparison of strength-weight ratios for buckling and for failure showed that in general the Z-sections were most efficient. A procedure is outlined for calculating buckling stresses of unsupported extrusions of one material from measured buckling stresses of similar extrusions of a different material. The procedure was checked by comparing calculated buckling stresses with measured buckling stresses for extruded T-sections, L-sections, and Z-sections of several aluminum and magnesium alloys. The differences between the measured and calculated buckling stresses did not exceed 10,000 lbs. per sq.in. The average difference was lees than 5,000 lbs. per sq.in.
Effect of Exercise Training on Fitness in Multiple Sclerosis: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract Objective To provide a quantitative synthesis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) examining the effect of exercise training on muscular and cardiorespiratory fitness in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS). Data Sources Three electronic databases, PubMed, Google Scholar, and Web of Science, were searched for all relevant articles published up until October 2014. Study Selection Keywords included exercise or aerobic or strength or resistance training or cardiorespiratory and multiple sclerosis . Trials examining the effect of exercise training on muscular and/or cardiorespiratory fitness parameters were included. Data Extraction The initial search yielded 1501 articles; of these, 62 were reviewed in detail, and 20 RCTs met the inclusion criteria and provided enough data to compute effect sizes (ESs) (Cohen d ). The meta-analyses was conducted using a random effects model to compute the overall or mean ES per fitness parameter. Data Synthesis The mean ES was .27 (SE=.05; 95% confidence interval [CI], .17–.38; z =5.05; P z =5.4; P 13 =11.09, P =.60, I 2 =.00) or cardiorespiratory (Q 9 =7.83, P =.55, I 2 =.00) fitness outcomes. Conclusions The cumulative evidence supports that exercise training is associated with changes in muscular (small in magnitude) and cardiorespiratory (moderate in magnitude) fitness outcomes in persons with MS. Such an indication of magnitude is important for clinical research and practice by providing an evidence-based estimate of the actual benefit that exercise training confers on physiological fitness.
A Method for Producing Protein Nanoparticles with Applications in Vaccines

A practical method is described for synthesizing conjugated protein nanoparticles using thioether (thiol-maleimide) cross-linking chemistry. This method fills the need for a reliable and reproducible synthesis of protein conjugate vaccines for preclinical studies, which can be adapted to produce comparable material for clinical studies. The described method appears to be generally applicable to the production of nanoparticles from a variety of soluble proteins having different structural features. Examples presented include single-component particles of the malarial antigens AMA1, CSP and Pfs25, and two component particles comprised of those antigens covalently cross-linked with the immunogenic carrier protein EPA (a detoxified form of exotoxin A from Pseudomonas aeruginosa). The average molar masses (Mw) of particles in the different preparations ranged from 487 kDa to 3,420 kDa, with hydrodynamic radii (Rh) ranging from 12.1 nm to 38.3 nm. The antigenic properties and secondary structures of the proteins within the particles appear to be largely intact, with no significant changes seen in their far UV circular dichroism spectra, or in their ability to bind conformation-dependent monoclonal antibodies. Mice vaccinated with mixed particles of Pfs25 or CSP and EPA generated significantly greater antigen-specific antibody levels compared with mice vaccinated with the respective unmodified monomeric antigens, validating the potential of antigen-EPA nanoparticles as vaccines.
Safe Eats: an evaluation of the use of social media for food safety education.

Many undergraduate students are cooking for the first time, and they need to learn safe food practices to reduce their risk of foodborne illness. Social media tools are being utilized to disseminate public health messages, but limited research has been conducted to examine the effectiveness of these tools for food safety education. The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate a social media–based intervention for young adults to improve food safety attitudes, practices, and knowledge. Preliminary surveys were conducted and online focus groups were convened to guide design of this social media intervention. College students (710) were included in treatment and control groups. Results from pretests and posttests indicate that participation in the “Safe Eats” Facebook intervention leads to improvements in food safety attitudes, practices, and knowledge. Although students reported that they learned more from the intervention than from a traditional lecture, the combination of lecture and Facebook res...
PHYSIOLOGICAL AND BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY OF THE TERRESTRIAL AMPHIPOD ARCITALITRUS SYLVATICUS (HASWELL, 1880)

ABSTRACT The physiological and behavioral ecology of the terrestrial amphipod Arcitalitrus sylvaticus (Haswell, 1880) was investigated. Four main aspects were examined: thermal tolerance and thermal acclimation, water loss, resistance to desiccation (as survival), and orientation along a humidity gradient. Thermal tolerance was not affected by the body weight of the amphipod but could be altered through acclimation to higher temperatures. Transpiration rates were affected by body weight, i.e., small amphipods lost water faster than larger amphipods. In dry air (20% relative humidity) and moist air (100% relative humidity) transpiration rates were directly affected by temperature. The survival of A. sylvaticus was tested at various temperature-humidity combinations; survival for periods longer than 48 h was achieved only at relative humidities of 100% at temperatures less than 30°C. In an experimental chamber designed to maintain an internal gradient of 50-100% relative humidity, a higher frequency of position records was recorded on the more humid side. In contrast, amphipods placed inside a chamber with a uniform relative humidity of 100% showed no preference to chamber side. The results provide evidence that A. sylvaticus adapts to the terrestrial habitat through behavioral rather than physiological mechanisms.
The Treatment of Simvastatin to the Hyperlipdemia in 12 Childrenwith Steroid-Resistant Nephrotic Syndrome

Objective:Simvastatin has a beneficial effect on abnormal lipid levels in children with SRNS, but the effectiveness of long-term therapy needs to be evaluated.To study the effect of simvastatin on children with steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome(SRNS).Methods:12 children with SRNS treated 8 weeks with simvastatin which is a kind of hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA reductase inhibitor,were observed and 50 age-sex-matched healthy children as control.Six serum lipoprotein metabolism parameters including serum total-cholesterol(TC),triglyceride(TG),high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C),low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), apolipoprotein AI(Apo AI),apolipoprotein B (Apo B) were detected by enzyme method.Results:The significant reduction of serum TC, TG, LDL-C,ApoB in the treated group were 34.5%、38.3%、37.1%、39.5% respectively(P0.05). And the levels of serum HDL-C,ApoA1 had not significantly changed. There was a slight ALT abnormality in 1 cass, but it recovered soon after stopping using simvastatin.Conclusion:Simvastatin has a beneficial effect on abnormal lipid levels in children with SRNS, but the effectiveness of long-term therapy needs to be evaluated.
The future of American health care in the "post-reform" era.

"As the debate over health care reform rages in Washington, the market is reforming itself. For any given market, it's a question of 'How soon will it hit?', not 'Will it hit?'" Health care reform and market restructuring are ushering in a new era of integrated health care. Although the future is not fully clear, there are at least three competing models for the creation of regional and statewide health systems that will integrate the financing and delivery of services to large enrolled populations of consumers: Payer-driven networks. Provider-sponsored systems. Partnership models. Whatever the future scenario, physician executives will play a larger, more dominant role. Research on integrated health systems has identified three critical success factors for future success: physician-hospital integration, clinical integration and information integration. For managed care to be successful, there must be clinical leadership. The essence of managing care is clinical efficiency, based on "critical-path" treatment protocols and real-time patient care management, supported by integrated information systems.
Editors Choice Article: Tracking highly correlated targets through statistical multiplexing

We consider a special problem of multi-target tracking, where a group of targets are highly correlated, usually demonstrating a common motion pattern with individual variations. We focus on the task of searching and provide a statistical framework of embedding the correlation among targets and the most recent observations into sampling, where the correlation is learned dynamically from the previous tracking results. Proposal distribution is updated during the sampling process fused with the motion prior and observation information. In this way, the observation of a single target is multiplexed statistically through mutual correlation among the multiple targets, and the correlation serves as both a prior information to improve the efficiency and a constraint to prevent trackers from drifting. Extensive experiments on tracking both naturally correlated and environment-constrained targets demonstrate superior and promising robust results with low complexity.
Tretinoin treatment of photodamaged skin : cosmesis through medical therapy

Topical tretinoin is an effective therapy for the treatment of photodamaged skin. Clinically, patients experience decreased wrinkling, improved texture, and pinkening of sallow skin. However, the changes induced by topical tretinoin extend beyond simple cosmesis. Microscopic, ultrastructural, and biochemical alterations indicate that topical tretinoin is a significant medical therapy. Its successful use requires the guidance of an experienced physician.
Discussion Leader Comments

The importance of internal marketing in enhancing service quality is emphasized by several marketing scholars. Internal Marketing means that the service firm must effectively train and motivate its customer - contact employees and all supporting service people to maximize customer satisfaction. The quality of service depends heavily on the quality of the buyer-seller interaction during the service encounter. As Kotler and Amstrong (1999) suggest, that internal marketing should precede external marketing to consistently deliver a high quality of service. The three papers presented in this session revolve around this central theme and focus on various aspects of the role of employees in promoting customer need satisfaction and in enhancing effectiveness of the service delivery system.
Surrogate Pregnancy After Prenatal Diagnosis of Spina Bifida.

Some pregnancies today involve infertile individuals or couples who contract with a fertile woman to carry a pregnancy for them. The woman who carries the pregnancy is referred to as a “gestational carrier.” The use of such arrangements is increasing. Most of the time, these arrangements play out as planned; sometimes, however, problems arise. This article discusses a case in which a fetal diagnosis of spina bifida led the infertile couple to request that the gestational carrier terminate the pregnancy, and the gestational carrier did not wish to do so. Experts in the medical and legal issues surrounding surrogacy discuss the considerations that should go into resolving such a conflict.
Hydrogen-Bonding Modification in Biuret Under Pressure

Biuret (C2H5N3O2) has been studied to 30 GPa by Raman spectroscopy and 50 GPa by X-ray diffraction. Raman peaks exhibit shoulders and splitting that suggests that the molecules undergo reorientation in response to compression. These are observed in three pressure ranges: the first from 3–5 GPa, the second from 8–12 GPa, and finally from 16–20 GPa. The particular modes in the sample that are observed to change in the Raman are strongly linked to the molecular vibrations involving the N–H and the C═O bond, which are most strongly coupled to the hydrogen-bonded lattice structure. The X-ray diffraction suggests that the crystal maintains a monoclinic structure to the highest pressures studied. Although there was a considerable degree of hysteresis observed in some X-ray runs, all the changes observed under pressure are reversible.
T Cell Toll-Like Receptors Play a Critical Role in Graft-Versus-Host Disease and Graft-Versus-Leukemia

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), the major complication of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, is mediated by donor T cells recognizing host alloantigens expressed on antigen-presenting cells (APCs). Total body irradiation (TBI) activates and damages host tissue, produces inflammatory cytokines and damage-associated molecular patterns, and allows translocation of microbial products into the systemic circulation. It has been assumed that these products bind to toll-like receptors (TLRs) on APCs and monocytes/macrophages, activate inflammatory pathways, and further amplify GVHD. On the other hand, TLRs are also expressed on T cells but their roles in the adoptive T cell response remain to be investigated in vivo. TLR signals are mediated by both MyD88-dependent and independent TRIF protein pathways. We evaluated the role of T cell TLR signaling in T cell alloreactivity in a mouse model of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation using mice with defective TLR signaling induced by deletions of the TLR adaptor proteins TRIF and MyD88 (TRIF/MyD88 DKO mice); in these mice, the TLR-dependent signaling pathway was eliminated. Lethally irradiated B6D2F1 mice were injected with 2 × 10 6 T cells from wild-type (wt) or TRIF/MyD88 DKO mice together with 5 × 10 6 T cell-depleted bone marrow (TCD-BM) from wt or DKO mice. Morbidity and mortality of GVHD was significantly less in recipients of TRIF/MyD88 DKO T cells than in recipients of wt T cells, irrespective of donor bone marrow type (Table). Reduction of GVHD was not seen in recipients of MyD88 −/− T cells or TRIF −/− T cells, suggesting that inhibition of signaling through TRIF or MyD88 alone in donor cells is not sufficient to reduce GVHD. Histopathologic examination of the small intestine, liver, and skin showed significantly reduced GVHD pathology in recipients of DKO T cells (Table). Thus, effects of TLR signaling in donor cells on GVHD primarily reside in the T cell compartment of the donor graft, not in donor accessory cells. In recipients of TRIF/MyD88 DKO T cells, reduction of GVHD was associated with impairment of donor T cell expansion and production of TNF-□ and IFN-□. In marked contrast though, TRIF/MyD88 DKO T cells were activated equally to wt T cells in unirradiated B6D2F1 mice after adoptive transfer, thus activation of DKO T cells was impaired only in recipient mice heavily pretreated with TBI. These results suggest that T cell TLR signaling provides critical co-stimulation for T cells in an inflamed environment. T cell TLR signaling was also required for optimal graft-versus-leukemia activity. These results challenge the current paradigm that TLR functions are primarily attributable to their role in APCs and monocytes/macrophages in GVHD, and reveal a previously unrecognized critical role for T cell TLRs in inducing GVHD and GVL after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
The risks of hydraulic fracturing and the responsibilities of engineers

One third of U.S. natural gas is extracted by injecting fluid at high pressure into shale formations, a process associated with a number of possible hazards and risks that have become the subject of intense public controversy. We develop a three-part schema to make sense of risks of hydraulic fracturing and the responsibilities of engineers: the lab, the field, and the forum. In the lab, researchers seek to answer basic questions about, for example, the behavior of shale under particular conditions; there uncertainty seems to arise at every turn. In the field, engineers and others work to implement technological processes, such as hydraulic fracturing and the subsequent extraction of oil and gas; hazards may arise as natural and social systems respond in sometimes surprising ways. In the forum, the public and their representatives deliberate about risk and acceptable risk, questions that are framed in ethical as well as technical terms. The difficulty of characterizing – and in living up to – the responsibilities of engineers lie in part in the apparent distance between the lab and the forum. We examine in turn uncertainties in the lab, hazards in the field, and deliberation in the forum, leading to the conclusion that scientists and engineers can and should help to inform public deliberation but that their research cannot, on its own, resolve all controversies. Scientists and engineers who seek to inform deliberation should be mindful of the scope and limits of their authority, clear and modest in communicating research findings to the public, and careful to avoid even apparent conflicts of interest wherever possible. We close by drawing from the lab-field-forum schema to suggest a direction for pedagogical innovations aimed at the formation of responsible engineers in the context of college-level degree programs.
Fractal, Informational and Topological Methods for the Analysis of Discrete and Continuous Seismic Time Series: An Overview

Abstract Seismic phenomena are complex and, thus, need the application of several statistical methods for the investigation of their different features. Depending on the specific aspect to be focused on, the correct method has to be employed. This chapter presents an overview of the most advanced and robust statistical methodologies used to describe the properties of seismic time series. Fractal, informational and topological methods emphasize different features of the same seismic phenomenon that are necessary to reveal a deep understanding of seismic time fluctuations. The fractal methods are based on the concept of self-similarity of the seismic phenomenon and are used to identify and quantify correlation properties; the informational methods permit highlighting the organization or order of a seismic time series; the visibility graph method allows converting a seismic sequence in a graph with several topological properties that furnish a nonstandard description of the seismic phenomenon. The integration of all these methods would be useful to get a deeper and multiperspective picture of a seismic process.
Synthetic steps toward de novo designed catalytic five helix bundle proteins

As part of our efforts toward developing catalytic five helix bundle proteins, we have modified the de novo designed helical peptide, Leu 6, previously developed in our laboratories [1]. The original peptide sequence (Fig. 1) has been shown to aggregate into four and five helix bundles that can be covalently cross-linked through homocysteines incorporated in the sequence. By attaching different cyclic hexapeptides to the N-terminus of the individual peptide strands that make up the bundle, we hope to introduce a catalytic site upon bundle formation. Modifying Leu 6 with different cyclic hexapeptides would allow a library of selfassembled molecules to be created. Five different cyclic peptides have been prepared and ligated to Leu 6 through a thioether bond.
Monte Carlo Estimation of Morphological Granulometric Discrete Size Distributions

Morphological granulometries are frequently used as descriptors of granularity, or texture, within a binary image. In this paper, we study the problem of estimating the (discrete) size distribution and size density of a random binary image by means of empirical, as well as, Monte Carlo estimators. Theoretical and experimental results demonstrate superiority of the Monte Carlo estimation approach, and suitability of mathematical morphology in studying important properties of a particular binary random image model, widely known as a Markov random field model.
Example from a framework for future learning environments: human factors and learner engagement in collaborative workspaces with tablet computing

This research centers on a design to elevate learner engagement or immersion in mathematics classrooms in order to optimize students' mathematical growth. The design's theoretical logic is related to eight principles for future learning environments, and to an interpretation of engagement as recruitment of attentional, perceptual and complex reasoning resources.
Alcohol, malnutrition and liver disease.

Interrelationships between alcohohsm, malnutrition and hver disease are complex; alcohohsm commonly causes both malnutrition and liver disease, and hepatic dysfunction may be engendered by malnutrition per se. Traditionally, the disorders affecting the liver have been attributed exclusively to nutritional deficiencies accompanying alcohohsm, but recent studies, summarized here, indicate that in addition to dietary deficiencies, alcohol itself can be incriminated as a direct etiologic factor in the pathogenesis of alcohohc liver disease.
Wissen oder Sprache

Im deutschsprachigen Raum lasst sich fur die Sozialwissenschaften im letzten Jahrzehnt ein wachsendes Interesse an der Ausarbeitung theoretischer Grundlagen und methodischer Umsetzungen von diskursorientierten Forschungsperspektiven beobachten.1 Bei aller Unterschiedlichkeit der dabei verfolgten Konzepte und Vorgehensweisen haben diese doch mindestens drei Gemeinsamkeiten: Erstens erfolgt eine im- oder explizite Ablehnung der von Jurgen Habermas im Rahmen seiner Diskursethik vorgeschlagenen normativen Verwendung des Diskursbegriffs im Sinne einer an spezifischen Geltungskriterien orientierten Diskussionsveranstaltung. Zweitens erscheint eine Diskursforschung als unbefriedigend, die sich unter dem Etikett der discourse analysis als ethnomethodologische oder linguistisch-pragmatische Gesprachsanalyse fur die Organisation des konkreten Sprachgebrauchs in kurzen Sprachsequenzen interessiert.2 Positiv lassen sich drittens die angesprochenen Programmatiken der Diskursforschung durch ihren Theoriebezug auf Michel Foucault und andere (franzosische) Poststruktu-ralisten sowie (haufig) auf Ernesto Laclau und Chantal Mouffe und die dort verarbeitete marxistische Traditionslinie (Louis Althusser, Antonio Gramsci u.a.) charakterisieren. Sofern auch konkrete Uberlegungen zum methodischen Vorgehen vorgestellt werden — wie beispielsweise in der Critical Discourse Analysis (Norman Fairclough) oder der (damit nicht identischen) Kritischen Diskursanalyse (Siegfried Jager) — greifen diese meist auf sprachwissenschaftliche Konzepte (bis hin zur Korpuslinguistik) zuruck.3
Mach’s Principle and Einstein’s Theory of Gravitation

The increased interest of physicists in Einstein’s theory of gravitation over the past years has been accompanied by a number of discussions of Mach’s suggestion concerning a relation between inertial forces and distant stars. There has been, however, no accord on the mathematical formulation of Mach’s ideas and on their meaning in General Relativity. My purpose is to review, in the framework of the present-day understanding of Einstein’s theory, the changes in interpretation which Mach’s ideas have experienced and to sort out different statements collectively labeled as Mach’s principle.
Preoperative Chemotherapy for Gastric Carcinoma

A new strategy to improve the survival of gastric carcinoma is preoperative combination chemotherapy. The goal has been to find a regimen that produces a consistently 10% pathologic complete response rate in resected gastrectomy specimens. Several regimens have been tested, and the search continues. The authors’ current preoperative regimen consists of cisplatin, alpha-interferon, and 5-fluorouracil.
Probing Solvation-Induced Structural Changes in Conformationally Flexible Peptides: IR Spectroscopy of Gly3H+·(H2O)

IR predissociation spectroscopy of the Gly3H+(H2O) complex formed inside of a cryogenic ion trap reveals how the flexible model peptide structurally responds to solvation by a single water molecule. The resulting one-laser spectrum is quite congested, and the spectral analyses were assisted by both H2O/D2O substitution and IR–IR double resonance spectroscopy, revealing the presence of two contributing isomers and extensive anharmonic features. Comparisons to structures found via a systematic computational search identified the geometries of these two isomers. The major isomer, with all trans amide bonds and protonation on the terminal amine, represents ∼90% of the overall population. It noticeably differs from the unsolvated Gly3H+, which exists in two isomeric forms: one with a cis amide bond and the other with protonation on an amide C═O. These results indicate that interactions with just one water molecule can induce significant structural changes, i.e., cis–trans amide bond rotation and proton migrati...
Mutations and prognosis in myeloproliferative neoplasms.

Somatic mutations are playing increasing role in the prognostication of myeloid malignancies, including myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN). In routine clinical practice, MPN refers to essential thr...
Ovarian Metabolism of an Environmentally Relevant Phthalate Mixture.

Phthalates are synthetic chemicals with widespread human exposure due to their use as additives in consumer products. Phthalate diesters are hydrolyzed in the environment and in the body to monoesters that may be more toxic than the parent compounds. This study tested the hypothesis that adult mouse antral follicles, but not neonatal ovaries, are able to metabolize an environmentally relevant mixture of phthalates. Whole neonatal ovaries and isolated adult antral follicles from CD-1 mice were cultured in media treated with vehicle control or 0.1-10 µg/ml of a mixture composed of 35% diethyl phthalate (DEP), 21% di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), 15% dibutyl phthalate (DBP), 15% diisononyl phthalate (DiNP), 8% diisobutyl phthalate (DiBP), and 5% benzylbutyl phthalate (BzBP). After 4 days of culture, media were subjected to high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry to measure the amounts of diester phthalates and monoester metabolites. Ovaries and follicles were collected to measure the gene and protein expression of the enzymes required for phthalate metabolism. Monoester metabolites for all phthalates except DiNP were detected in the media for both culture types at most doses. The long-chain phthalates (BzBP, DEHP, and DiNP) were metabolized less than the short-chain phthalates (DEP, DBP, and DiBP) compared with respective controls. Expression of metabolizing enzymes was observed for all treatment groups in both culture types. These data indicate that mouse ovaries are capable of metabolizing low doses of phthalates and suggest that metabolic capacity differs for follicles at different stages of development.
Scaling Up Writing in the Curriculum: Batch Mode Active Learning for Automated Essay Scoring

Automated essay scoring (AES) allows writing to be assigned in large courses and can provide instant formative feedback to students. However, creating models for AES can be costly, requiring the collection and human scoring of hundreds of essays. We have developed and are piloting a web-based tool that allows instructors to incrementally score responses to enable AES scoring while minimizing the number of essays the instructors must score. Previous work has shown that techniques from the machine learning subfield of active learning can reduce the amount of training data required to create effective AES models. We extend those results to a less idealized scenario: one driven by the instructor's need to score sets of essays, in which the model is trained iteratively using batch mode active learning. We propose a novel approach inspired by a class of topological methods, but with reduced computational requirements, which we refer to as topological maxima. Using actual student data, we show that batch mode active learning is a practical approach to training AES models. Finally, we discuss implications of using this technology for automated customized scoring of writing across the curriculum.
The geography of unsheltered homelessness in the city: Evidence from “311” calls in New York

We provide the first detailed evidence on the distribution of unsheltered homelessness within the city. We rely on “311” call data reporting unsheltered homeless individuals to New York City authorities, based on evidence that the distribution of calls reflects their actual locations. Centrality dominates an otherwise important role of median income in explaining variation in unsheltered homelessness across neighborhoods. Subway stations and restaurants are important as well. We also find that police respond more quickly to calls in more affluent and central neighborhoods. This suggests that the distribution of homelessness across neighborhoods could affect the city's overall response.
Accessibility facilitators and barriers affecting independent wheelchair transfers in the community.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to identify facilitators and barriers to wheelchair transfers in the community and to identify specific places and surfaces in the community where increasing t...
Case Study on Precise Boron Quantification of Mixed Matrix

Material characterization tool, Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) with its high precision and reproducibility is widely used to capture any abnormality in the dopant profile of the implanted species caused by drift in implant processes or equipment. The characterization usually is performed on setup test wafer with a single matrix substrate (usually silicon substrate). However, this quantification approach is not suitable for a mixed matrix of the silicon substrate and silicon dioxide (physical segregation structure). In this paper, it is shown that accurate dosage quantification can be obtained using the proposed numerical method.
Chapter 10 – Addressing Biotechnological Pollutants

This chapter applies the principles introduced in Chapter 3 to provide a scientiﬁcally sound approach to present and future environmental problems caused or exacerbated by biotechnologies. The discussion begins with proven engineering interventions. These interventions were formerly considered sanitary engineering practice, but presently fall under the category of environmental engineering. The discussion highlights unique challenges presented by biotechnologies that are not ordinarily found in environmental engineering practice. This is followed by considerations of the proper design and implementation of environmental sampling and monitoring programs. All monitoring, cleanup, and other means of addressing pollutants must be based on the sound application of physical, chemical, and biological processes, with an eye toward achieving feasible and representative data to support risk assessment and other environmental decision-making.
Surveillance for neuraminidase inhibitor resistance of seasonal H1N1 influenza A viruses isolated in Shenzhen during 2008 to 2009

Objective To analyze neuraminidase(NA) inhibitor resistance of seasonal H1N1 influenza A viruses isolated in Shenzhen during 2008 to 2009. Methods The NA gene of these viruses were sequenced. Phylogenetic analysis of the sequences was performed with Mega3. 1 software. Results In 2008, most isolates of the seasonal H1 N1 virus were susceptible to neuraminidase inhibitors, but the H275Y mutation in the neuraminidase gene region associated with high-level oseltamivir resistance had been detected in 92.6% of the strains isolated in 2009. Furthermore, a strain with Q136K was found, which showed the resistance to Zanamivir. Conclusion In the light of emerging resistance, close monitoring and understanding of the nature and dynamics of resistance mutations in influenza virus should be a priority. Key words: H1N1; Neuraminidase inhibitor; Resistant
Laser dentistry 101: An introduction to wavelengths and laser-tissue interaction

Abstract Lasers are excellent devices that can add significant value to orthodontic practices. Orthodontists can now perform many procedures quickly, efficiently, and bloodlessly in their offices, instead of referring them back to the general practitioner, oral surgeon or periodontist. Many different laser devices are currently on the market, with purchase prices that vary from $5000 to well over $100,000. In order to understand how to use a laser, how a laser works on oral mucosa, and how to maximize use of this device in an orthodontic practice, it is critically important that the dentist understands the basics of laser-tissue interaction and the role a good laser education program plays in selection of the best device for their practices.