cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Guest Editorial: Computing and Combinatorics

“Computing and Combinatorics” is an interesting and fundamental research area, which involves several fields, ranging from algorithms, theory of computation, and computational complexity to combinatorics related to computing. This issue consists of six papers, which are briefly discussed as follows. The “Shorthand Universal Cycles for Permutations” paper investigates SP-cycles with maximum and minimum ’weight’. The authors show that periodic min-weight SP-cycles correspond to spanning trees of the (n− 1) permutohedron and provides two constructions by using ’half-hunts’ from bell-ringing and the cool-lex order. In “Zero-Knowledge Argument for Simultaneous Discrete Logarithms,” the authors present an EQDL (the equality of two discrete logarithms) protocol in the ROM (random oracle model) which saves approximately 40 % of the computational cost and approximately 33 % of the prover’s outgoing message size. This improvement benefits a variety of interesting cryptosystems, ranging from signatures and anonymous credential systems, to verifiable secret sharing and threshold cryptosystems. The issue also includes the study of computational complexity. Namely, the paper “Tile-Packing Tomography is NP-hard” shows that for a fixed tile, it is NP-hard to reconstruct its tilings from their projections for all types of tiles. The #NC1 upper bound for the problem of counting accepting paths in any fixed visibly pushdown automaton is considered in “Counting paths in VPA is complete for #NC1”. The paper also shows that the difference between #BWBP and #NC1 is captured exactly by the addition of a visible stack to a nondeterministic finite-state automaton. Due to the NP-hardness of the problems, approximation algorithms are needed to provide a near-optimal solution. In “Exact and Approximation Algorithms for Geometric and General Capacitated Set Cover Problems”, the first known polynomial-
Gender-Related Values, Perceptions of Discrimination, and Mentoring in STEM Graduate Training

Although girls and boys appear equally interested in most STEM fields during childhood and adolescence, men pursue academic research careers in most of these same fields at higher rates than women. We tested several prominent hypotheses concerning the causes of this differentiation. Specifically, 136 (59 women) doctoral students in the United States completed measures of their occupational values, views of the degree to which STEM careers afford their values, perceptions of gender discrimination in their department, mentor support, and satisfaction with their graduate training. Results indicated gender differences in students’ occupational values, ratings of career value affordances, and perceptions of gender discrimination. The perception that a STEM research career affords one’s values was predictive of women’s (but not men’s) satisfaction with their graduate training.
Prediction of mortality after radical prostatectomy by Charlson comorbidity index.

OBJECTIVES Prostate cancer treatment should depend on the characteristics of a patient's prostate cancer as well as overall health status. A possible adverse consequence of poor patient selection is a lack of benefit because of premature death from another cause. We evaluated the association between perioperative comorbidity and risk of death from causes other than prostate cancer in men who underwent radical prostatectomy (RP). METHODS We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 14,052 men who underwent RP from 1983 to 2006. The Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) score was calculated using the discharge records for the prostatectomy hospitalization. Mortality status and cause of death were obtained via chart review and searches of national databases. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) of death from causes other than prostate cancer after RP by CCI score (0, 1, 2+). RESULTS The median age at RP was 58.1 years. The median follow-up was 7.6 years (interquartile range 4.3-11.5). Of 849 deaths, 599 (70.6%) resulted from causes other than prostate cancer. On multivariable analysis, men with a CCI ≥2 had a statistically significantly higher risk of death from causes other than prostate cancer compared with those with lower CCI scores (HR 2.18, 95% CI 1.30-3.64, P = .0003). CONCLUSIONS Greater perioperative comorbidity was associated with a higher risk of death from causes other than prostate cancer in men who underwent RP. Physicians should consider using a standardized tool to assess perioperative comorbidities to enhance appropriate recommendation for surgical treatment.
Genome sequence survey identifies unique sequences and key virulence genes with unusual rates of amino acid substitution in bovine Staphylococcus aureus

Staphylococcus aureus is a major cause of mastitis in bovine and other ruminant species. We here present the results of a comparative genomic analysis between a bovine mastitis-associated clone, RF122, and the recently sequenced human-associated clones, Mu50 and N315, of Staphylococcus aureus. A shotgun sequence survey of ∼10% of the RF122 genome identified numerous unique sequences and those with elevated rates of nonsynonymous substitution. Taken together, these analyses show that there are notable differences in the genomes of bovine mastitis-associated and human clones of S. aureus and provide a framework for the identification of specific factors associated with host specificity in this major human and animal pathogen.
A three-concentric ellipsoids finite element model of the human head

Three dimensional finite element models provide an effective method to study the relationship between human scalp potentials and neural current sources in the brain. A three-concentric ellipsoids model of head is developed by means of standard computer packages PATRAN and ABAQUS. A convergence test of the model is carried out to show that numerical results converge to the exact solution as the model is refined. The finite element results are compared with those predicted by an analytic solution of a layered sphere to indicate model accuracy. Different patterns of potential distribution on the scalp are studied due to the different locations and orientations of dipole sources and conductive properties of the head. >
Investigation of the subgrid-scale fluxes and their production rates in a convective atmospheric surface layer using measurement data

The subgrid-scale (SGS) potential temperature flux and stress in the atmospheric surface layer are studied using field measurement data. We analyse the mean values of the SGS temperature flux, the SGS temperature flux production rate, the SGS temperature variance production rate, the SGS stress and the SGS stress production rate conditional on both the resolvable-scale velocity and temperature, which must be reproduced by SGS models for large-eddy simulation to reproduce the one-point resolvable-scale velocity-temperature joint probability density function (JPDF). The results show that the conditional statistics generally depend on the resolvable-scale velocity and temperature fluctuations, indicating that these conditional variables have strong influences on the resolvable-scale statistics. The dependencies of the conditional SGS stress and the SGS stress production rate, which are partly due to the effects of flow history and buoyancy, suggest that model predictions of the SGS stress also affect the resolvable-scale temperature statistics. The results for the conditional flux and the conditional flux production rate vectors have similar trends. These conditional vectors are also well aligned. The positive temperature fluctuations associated with updrafts are found to have a qualitatively different influence on the conditional statistics than the negative temperature fluctuations associated with downdrafts. The conditional temperature flux and the temperature flux production rate predicted using several SGS models are compared with measurements in statistical a priori tests. The predictions using the nonlinear model are found to be closely related to the predictions using the Smagorinsky model. Several potential effects of the SGS model deficiencies on the resolvable-scale statistics, such as the overprediction of the vertical mean temperature gradient and the underprediction of the vertical temperature flux, are identified. The results suggest that efforts to improve the LES prediction of a resolvable-scale statistic must consider all the relevant SGS components identified using the JPDF equation and the surface layer dynamics. This study also provides impetus for further investigations of the JPDF equation, especially analytical studies on the relationship between the JPDF and the SGS terms that govern its evolution.
Results of Copper–Silver Rail Materials Tests

The goal of this phase of our investigation of better rail materials was to assess the multiple shot performances of copper-silver alloy (Cu-24% Ag) test coupons. The focus of these tests was on the assessment of changes in material properties and microstructure of test coupons. The primary metric used was the change in hardness. Material surface deformations and microstructure changes were evaluated by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Hardness gradually increased as the number of tests increased. Test coupons in four states were studied: pre-test; after one pulse test; after three pulse tests; and after eight pulse tests. The changes in hardness are related to the initial state of strain and dislocation distributions in the test specimens. The hardness is changed by the nucleation of new strain-free crystallites within the heavily worked, dislocation-dense grain structure. An annealing, recrystallization, and re-straining model is proposed to predict the bandwidth within which the hardness will fluctuate. The retained hardness of the copper-silver alloy test coupons has an average value that corresponds to a tensile strength greater than 650 MPa (100 ksi). This is well above the 500-MPa strength of the usual contacting aluminum alloy armature. Based on these test data, it is concluded that copper-silver remains an attractive material for use as a strong and thermally stable conductor
Response of the Invertebrate Predator Bythotrephes to a Climate-Linked Increase in the Duration of a Refuge from Fish Predation

Climate warming can affect ecological food chains directly by increasing the rates of physiological processes and indirectly by changing habitat use and altering predator–prey interactions. In Lake Maggiore, Italy, a greater than 10-fold increase in the mean annual population density of Bythotrephes longimanus (Cladocera Onychopoda) was recorded between 1987 and 1993, when high values of the North Atlantic Oscillation winter index indicate warmer winter and spring temperatures across Europe. Bythotrephes remained abundant and further increased during the following 10 yr, as water temperature continued to increase. We analyzed changes in water temperature, timing of thermal stratification, and hypolimnion depth to test whether changes in the duration and thickness of a warm, low-light, deep-water refuge from fish predation can account for increases in the invertebrate predator’s abundance and seasonal duration. Using a 21-yr data set, we found that the sharpest increase in Bythotrephes abundance coincided with a shift from late August to May in its first appearance in the water column. The appearance of the planktonic population was, in turn, linked with earlier thermal stratification and earlier establishment of the predation refuge. The duration and thickness of the refuge increased as a result of earlier warming and deeper mixing, factors affected by climate rather than decreased water clarity. Daphnia hyalina galeata, the dominant grazer and a prey of Bythotrephes, decreased sharply as Bythotrephes increased. This study provides an example of how climate warming can indirectly affect the population density and phenology of a key invertebrate predator and, hence, the functioning of the pelagic food web.
Positron Emission Tomography As an Imaging Biomarker

Positron emission tomography (PET) allows noninvasive, quantitative studies of various biologic processes in the tumor tissue. By using PET, investigators can study the pharmacokinetics of anticancer drugs, identify various therapeutic targets and monitor the inhibition of these targets during therapy. Furthermore, PET provides various markers to assess tumor response early in the course of therapy. A significant number of studies have now shown that changes in tumor glucose utilization during the first weeks of chemotherapy are significantly correlated with patient outcome. These data suggest that PET may be used as a sensitive test to assess the activity of new cytotoxic agents in phase II studies. Furthermore, early identification of nonresponding tumors provides the opportunity to adjust treatment regimens according to the individual chemosensitivity of the tumor tissue. However, further prospective and randomized validation of PET is still required before PET controlled chemotherapy can be used in clinical practice.
Constructive Alignment of Interdisciplinary Graduate Curriculum in Engineering and Science: An Analysis of Successful IGERT Proposals

Background Interdisciplinary approaches are critical to solving the most pressing technological challenges. Despite the proliferation of graduate programs to fill this need, there is little archival literature identifying learning outcomes, learning experiences, or benchmarks for evaluating interdisciplinary graduate student learning. Purpose (Hypothesis) The purpose of this study is to understand how engineering and science academics conceptualize interdisciplinary graduate education in order to identify common practices and recommend improvements. Questions generated by an instructional design framework guided the analysis: what desired outcomes, evidence, and learning experiences are currently associated with interdisciplinary graduate education? To what extent are these components constructively aligned with each other? Design/Method Content analysis was performed on 130 funded proposals from the U.S. National Science Foundation's Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) program. Results Four desired student learning outcomes were identified: contributions to the technical area, broad perspective, teamwork, and interdisciplinary communication skills. Student requirements (educational plans) addressed these outcomes to some extent, but assessment/evidence sections generally targeted program level goals—as opposed to student learning. This lack of constructive alignment between components is a major weakness of graduate curriculum. Conclusions Current practices are promising. Further clarification of interdisciplinary learning outcomes, coupled with closer alignment of outcomes, evidence, and learning experiences will continue to improve interdisciplinary graduate education in engineering and science. Specific recommendations for engineering and science faculty members are: define clear learning objectives, enlist assessment/evaluation expertise, and constructively align all aspects of the curriculum.
Age Dependence of Pheromone Production by the Boll Weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Factors influencing pheromone production by the boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis Boheman, have been extensively studied, yet recent research using new methods suggests much remains unknown in this regard. The studies reported herein examined age-related changes in production and composition of pheromone at ages from 0 to 6 d, and at 3, 6, 9, and 12 d, respectively, and evaluated the association between accessory gland condition and pheromone production. Estimates of pheromone from extracted feces were near the upper values previously reported. However, ≈95% of the total pheromone was obtained from headspace collections. Based on feces extractions, pheromone production increased with age until the sixth day, while headspace collections indicated an increase in production until the ninth day of adulthood. The boll weevil pheromone is composed of two alcohols (components I and II) and two aldehydes (components III and IV), and ratios of these components changed with age. Component I was dominant for the first days of adult life, but the composition subsequently stabilized at ≈42.5:42.5:5:10 (I:II:III:IV). Also, high levels of pheromone production were associated with well-developed accessory glands, while weevils with small, transparent glands produced little or no pheromone. These results demonstrate production of pheromone in greater quantities, and at earlier ages, than was previously recognized. Additional study using the methods reported herein should provide improved understanding of the dynamics of boll weevil pheromone production that will facilitate ecological interpretation of field data and improvements in trapping systems.
Scalable Metropolis Monte Carlo for simulation of hard shapes

Abstract We design and implement a scalable hard particle Monte Carlo simulation toolkit (HPMC), and release it open source as part of HOOMD-blue. HPMC runs in parallel on many CPUs and many GPUs using domain decomposition. We employ BVH trees instead of cell lists on the CPU for fast performance, especially with large particle size disparity, and optimize inner loops with SIMD vector intrinsics on the CPU. Our GPU kernel proposes many trial moves in parallel on a checkerboard and uses a block-level queue to redistribute work among threads and avoid divergence. HPMC supports a wide variety of shape classes, including spheres/disks, unions of spheres, convex polygons, convex spheropolygons, concave polygons, ellipsoids/ellipses, convex polyhedra, convex spheropolyhedra, spheres cut by planes, and concave polyhedra. NVT and NPT ensembles can be run in 2D or 3D triclinic boxes. Additional integration schemes permit Frenkel–Ladd free energy computations and implicit depletant simulations. In a benchmark system of a fluid of 4096 pentagons, HPMC performs 10 million sweeps in 10 min on 96 CPU cores on XSEDE Comet. The same simulation would take 7.6 h in serial. HPMC also scales to large system sizes, and the same benchmark with 16.8 million particles runs in 1.4 h on 2048 GPUs on OLCF Titan.
Acquisitive Crime and Inflation in the United States: 1960–2012

Inflation is conspicuous by its absence from recent research on crime and the economy. We argue that price inflation increases the rate of crimes committed for monetary gain by fueling demand for cheap stolen goods. The study includes inflation along with indicators of unemployment, GDP, income, consumer sentiment, and controls in error correction models of acquisitive crime covering the period from 1960 to 2012. Both short- and long-run effects of the predictors are estimated. Among the economic indicators, only inflation has consistent and robust short- and long-run effects on year-over-year change in the offense types under consideration. Low inflation helps to explain why acquisitive crime did not increase during the 2008–2009 recession. Imprisonment rates also have robust long-run effects on change in acquisitive crime rates. Incorporating inflation into studies of crime and the economy can help to reduce the theoretical and empirical uncertainty that has long characterized this important research area in criminology.
Selected health behaviors moderate the progression of functional limitations in persons with multiple sclerosis: Eleven years of annual follow-up.

Abstract Background Multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic neurological disease typically diagnosed in young adulthood, presents with a wide variety of symptoms, impairments and functional limitations. Given the chronic, unpredictable and long-term nature of this disease, preserving function is essential. Objective The purpose of this study was to identify psychosocial and behavioral factors that might influence the trajectory of functional limitation through eleven years of longitudinal follow-up of a sample of persons with MS. Methods Participants ( N = 606) completed measures of health behaviors, related constructs and functional limitations annually over eleven years. Longitudinal measures of functional limitations were analyzed using random-effects regression that allows for study of individual differences in the trajectories of a measure. Using the best fitting quadratic growth model, we tested the within and between-person effects of Nutrition, Interpersonal Relationships, Exercise, Stress Management, Health Responsibilities, Spiritual Growth, Self-rated Health and Barriers, controlling for Age, Year since Diagnosis and Year of Dropout, on Functional Limitations in the 11th year. Results After adjusting for covariates, higher mean scores for Exercise and Self-rated Health were related to lower levels of Functional Limitations in Year 11. Higher mean scores for Stress Management, Health Responsibilities and Barriers were related to higher levels of Functional Limitations in Year 11. Higher mean Exercise scores and lower mean Health Responsibilities scores were related to slower rates of progression of functional limitations in Year 11. Conclusion Findings suggest that the highly variable trajectory of functional limitations in MS may be extended and shaped through health behavior strategies.
Severe physical intimate partner violence and the mental and physical health of U.S. Caribbean Black women

Abstract Background: Intimate partner violence is a threat to women's health. Relative to other racial/ethnic groups, African American and immigrant women are at an increased risk for violence. However, despite the growing presence of Caribbean Black immigrants in this country, few studies have examined the association between severe physical intimate partner violence (SPIPV) and the health of Caribbean Black women currently residing in the United States. This study examined the mental and physical health of U.S. Caribbean Black women with and without a history of SPIPV. We also explored the role of generational status—first, second, or third—in association with the physical and mental health of abused Caribbean Black women. Methods: Data from the National Survey of American Life, the largest and the only known representative study on Caribbeans residing in the United States, were analyzed. The World Health Organization (WHO) World Mental Health Composite International Diagnostic Interview (WMH-CIDI) was ...
Carbohydrate Metabolism in Experimental Salicylism.

SummaryFasting rats given large doses of sodium salicylate fail to deposit liver glycogen even when they are given a major stimulus for such deposition in the form of Compound F. Yet such animals continue to break down body protein at an accelerated rate as judged by the nitrogen balances. The level of muscle glycogen salicylate-treated rats is reduced and this effect is countered by concurrent treatment with Compound F. The significance of these findings is briefly discussed.
SXML specification

The present article specifies revision 2.1 of SXML. SXML is an abstract syntax tree of an XML document. SXML is also a concrete representation of the XML Infoset in the form of S-expressions. The generic tree structure of SXML lends itself to a compact library of combinators for querying and transforming SXML.The master SXML specification file is written in SXML itself. The present paper is the result of translating that SXML code into LATEX, using an appropriate "stylesheet". A different stylesheet converted the specification to HTML. The master file, the stylesheets and the corresponding HTML and LATEXdocuments are available at http://pobox.com/~oleg/ftp/Scheme/xml.html.
HLA and Autoimmunity

Human leukocyte antigens (HLA) are encoded by a highly polymorphic set of genes and are expressed as cell surface receptors that present antigenic peptides to T cells in a restricted manner, which allows discrimination between self- and foreign antigens. It has been long noticed that particular alleles of HLA are much more common among individuals with certain illnesses, mainly autoimmune diseases. The mechanisms that underlie this HLA-disease association are unclear. The most common hypothesis concerning HLA-disease association proposes that presentation of self-antigens may be responsible for higher rates of particular diseases among individuals with certain alleles of HLA. However, conclusive evidence to substantiate this mechanism is sparse. It is important to point out that in addition to their classical function (antigen presentation) HLA molecules may have additional roles, which could be implicated in HLA-disease association. Two examples of nonantigen presentation–based mechanisms that may lead to autoimmune conditions are discussed. These examples demonstrate that, in addition to their main role as antigen presentation receptors, HLA molecules can contribute to the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases through allele-based aberrant cell activation events.
Pre-operative fMRI localization of the supplementary motor area and its relationship with postoperative speech deficits

IntroductionNeurosurgery of the supplementary motor area (SMA) is associated with transient speech defects. We investigated whether SMA laterality correlates with postoperative speech defects.Mater...
A confusion of tongues or whose reality is it

In a 1933 paper Ferenczi implied that conflict between the adult's and the child's construction of reality is traumatic for the child. As all individuals construct their own view of reality, it is inevitable that there will be conflicting constructions between child and adult--and between analyst and analysand. This may be biologically rooted; recent ethological studies suggest that parent-child conflict is ubiquitous because of a divergence of needs. When a child perceives a marked divergence between his or her construction of reality and that of the caretaker, the child may tend to reject the information proffered by the caretaker. This may appear later as a resistance to learning from the analyst. The divergence of needs between child and caretaker may have a profound influence on the child's cognitive development. The capacity to share other constructions of reality is a developmental achievement which may be facilitated by the psychoanalytic process.
The effect of temperature on mixed function amine oxidase intrinsic fluorescence and oxidative activity.

Using temperature as a perturbant, we have shown that mixed function amine oxidase undergoes structural changes in vitro which are correlated with changes in oxidative activity toward methimazole and N,N-diethylaniline. The observed changes between 30°-40° are irreversible, as shown by fluorescence, circular dichroism, and kinetic measurements. Although these studies show that the enzyme is remarkably sensitive to heat, in vivo properties may be different owing to possible endogenous ligands and lipid environment. The techniques used are sensitive and have potential for selective monitoring of mixed function amine oxidase properties in biological systems. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We thank Dr. Dan Ziegler, University of Texas, for his most generous gift of purified mixed function amine oxidase. We are grateful to Dr. Robert Henkens, Department of Chemistry, Duke University, for the use of his Perkin-Elmer MPF-3 spectrofluorimeter.
Excursions in fluvial (dis)continuity

Abstract Lurking below the twin concepts of connectivity and disconnectivity are their first, and in some ways, richer cousins: continuity and discontinuity. In this paper we explore how continuity and discontinuity represent fundamental and complementary perspectives in fluvial geomorphology, and how these perspectives inform and underlie our conceptions of connectivity in landscapes and rivers. We examine the historical roots of continuum and discontinuum thinking, and how much of our understanding of geomorphology rests on contrasting views of continuity and discontinuity. By continuum thinking we refer to a conception of geomorphic processes as well as geomorphic features that are expressed along continuous gradients without abrupt changes, transitions, or thresholds. Balance of forces, graded streams, and hydraulic geometry are all examples of this perspective. The continuum view has played a prominent role in diverse disciplinary fields, including ecology, paleontology, and evolutionary biology, in large part because it allows us to treat complex phenomena as orderly progressions and invoke or assume equilibrium processes that introduce order and prediction into our sciences. In contrast the discontinuous view is a distinct though complementary conceptual framework that incorporates non-uniform, non-progressive, and non-equilibrium thinking into understanding geomorphic processes and landscapes. We distinguish and discuss examples of three different ways in which discontinuous thinking can be expressed: 1) discontinuous spatial arrangements or singular events; 2) specific process domains generally associated with thresholds, either intrinsic or extrinsic; and 3) physical dynamics or changes in state, again often threshold-linked. In moving beyond the continuous perspective, a fertile set of ideas comes into focus: thresholds, non-equilibrium states, heterogeneity, catastrophe. The range of phenomena that is thereby opened up to scientific exploration similarly expands: punctuated episodes of cutting and filling, discretization of landscapes into hierarchies of structure and control, the work of extreme events. Orderly and progressive evolution towards a steady or ideal state is replaced by chaotic episodes of disturbance and recovery. Recent developments in the field of geomorphology suggest that we may be on the cusp of a new paradigm that recognizes that both continuous and discontinuous processes and mechanisms play a role in fluvial processes and landscape evolution with neither holding sway over the other and both needed to see rivers as they are.
Metal–Metal Bonds in Catalysis

Transition metals can assemble to form multinuclear complexes by engaging in direct metal-to-metal interactions. Metal–metal covalent bonds provide a large perturbation in electronic structure, relative to mononuclear metal ions, and the unique properties of these dinuclear fragments can be harnessed in a broad range of applications—for example, as chromophores in photochemical processes, redox centers in molecular electronics, or structural elements in metal–organic materials. There is a growing body of evidence that metal–metal bonds may also be formed under conditions relevant to catalysis and play a key role in transformations that were previously assumed to only involve mononuclear species. These findings have stimulated interest in characterizing multinuclear reaction pathways and developing well-defined multinuclear platforms as catalytic active sites. In this Perspective, we present case studies in this emerging area of catalysis research, emphasizing the impact of metal–metal bonding in either en...
Characterization of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Frequency and Function In Unexplained Anemia of the Elderly

Abstract Abstract 2047 Anemia is both a highly prevalent and clinically important condition that causes significant morbidity and mortality in the elderly population. While anemia in the elderly can be attributed to a number of causes, approximately 30% of elderly subjects with anemia have no overt etiology and fall under the category of unexplained anemia of the elderly (UA). There is increasing evidence to suggest that changes in the frequency and/or function of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells may contribute to the onset and pathophysiology of age-associated hematological conditions, such as UA. Hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) reside at the top of the hematopoietic hierarchy and can differentiate, via increasingly committed downstream progenitors, into all the mature cells of the hematopoietic system. Human myelo-erythroid development proceeds through a set of oligopotent progenitors: HSC give rise to multipotent progenitors (MPP), which give rise to common myeloid progenitors (CMP), which in turn give rise to granulocyte-macrophage progenitors (GMP) and megakaryocyte-erythrocyte progenitors (MEP). We use flow cytometry and in vitro culture of sorted human HSC (Lin-CD34+CD38-CD90+CD45RA-), MPP (Lin-CD34+CD38-CD90-CD45RA-), CMP (Lin-CD34+CD38+CD123+CD45RA-), GMP (Lin-CD34+CD38+CD123+CD45RA+), and MEP (Lin-CD34+CD38+CD123-CD45RA-) from hematologically normal young (23 samples; age 20–35) and elderly (11 samples; age 65+) and UA (5 samples; age 65+) bone marrow samples in order to characterize the changes in the distribution and function of hematopoietic stem and progenitor populations during the aging process and, in particular, in the development of UA. We found that UA patients contain higher frequencies of HSC compared to both elderly normal (1.5-fold; p Disclosures: Weissman: Amgen, Systemix, Stem cells Inc, Cellerant: Consultancy, Employment, Equity Ownership, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Schrier: Celgene: Research Funding.
Machine Tool-Wear Sensing Aided by a Stochastic Global Optimizer

Abstract This paper presents an approach to the problem of on-line machine tool-wear sensing and monitoring. Ultrasonic energy acoustic emission signals are used in the diagnostic system. The real-time situation is simulated by using a linear combination of periodic waves superimposed on a random noise. The peakingpattern of the acoustic waves is keyed in as an indicator of tool-wear and is continuously monitored to predict tool failure or fracture. A new stoehastic global optimization is used to generate the data set that best represents archetypes of machine-wear characteristics.
The Role of Literacy on the Postsecondary Opportunities of Students with High Incidence Disabilities

A primary goal of schools is to provide an appropriate education for all students, preparing them for success in postsecondary institutions (e.g., colleges and vocational programs) and to become productive members of society (Kauffman, Conroy, Gardner, & Oswald, 2008; Tatum, 2012). Schools are tasked to prepare all students for postsecondary success by developing an atmosphere of achievement through strong leadership and quality instruction (Brand & Valent, 2013; Gardner & Mayes, 2013).
Identification of volumetric laser endomicroscopy features of colon polyps with histologic correlation

Background and Aims There are limited data on the use of volumetric laser endomicroscopy (VLE) for imaging colon polyps. Our aim was to identify VLE features of colon polyps. Methods A total of 45 patients were included; 43 underwent endoscopic mucosal resection of colorectal polyps 2 cm or greater. These polyps were then scanned with VLE immediately after resection. Two patients who underwent partial colonic resection served as controls. Results Forty-three polyps were included with review of matching histology: 3 intramucosal cancer (IMCA), 5 tubular adenoma (TAs)/tubulovillous adenoma (TVA) with high-grade dysplasia (HGD), 9 TVA with only low-grade dysplasia (LGD), 5 serrated adenoma, and 21 TA with LGD. All TAs and TVAs were hyper-reflective compared with normal tissue. Effacement occurred in 82.4% (14/17) of the colonic polyps with advanced pathology (TVA with HGD/IMCA) compared with 11.6% (3/26) with non-advanced pathology (TA with LGD and serrated adenoma) ( P P = .0001). An irregular surface mainly occurred in polyps with high-grade pathology (HGD/IMCA) versus TAs. Eighty-eight percent of polyps with HGD/IMC had an irregular surface (7/8) versus 6% (2/35) of TAs ( P Conclusions In this ex vivo clinicopathologic study, we show that there are distinct VLE features of colon polyps that may help identify polyps or features of a higher-grade lesion. This may have implications for possible in vivo application to aid in dysplasia or polyp detection.
Enacting Two-Electron Transfer from a Double-Triplet State of Intramolecular Singlet Fission

A simulation-led strategy enacts two-electron transfer between an intramolecular singlet fission chromophore (tetracyanomethylene quinoidal bithiopehene with β,β′-solubilizing groups) and multielectron acceptor (anthraquinone). The thermodynamic plausibility of multielectron transfer from a double-triplet state and the absorption spectra of electron transfer (ET) products were predicted using quantum chemical simulations. These predictions are consistent with experimental observations of reduced lifetimes in time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy, changes in transmission profile, and appearance of new absorption bands in transient absorption spectroscopy, all of which support multi-ET in the QOT2/AQ mixture. The analysis suggests 2ET is favored over 1ET by a 2.5:1 ratio.
Definition and Diagnosis of Heart Failure in Adult Congenital Heart Disease

Despite the common appellation of heart failure (HF) in adults with congenital heart disease (ACHD), currently used definitions of this ubiquitous term are broad and inconsistent. At its core the term indicates an inability of the heart to meet the demands of the body, though this is both too non-specific and too limiting for practical use in the clinical setting. Instead, “heart failure” should designate individuals with a different risk profile or those needing a different management strategy. This chapter reviews currently used definitions, how they apply to HF-related ACHD, and common challenges in such application. Criteria used in published research range from strict imaging metrics to ill-defined clinical descriptors or billing codes. Such variety lends emphasis to the understanding that HF is not one event, but a progressive spectrum of change over a lifetime. To be most practical, HF defines an individual with clinical symptoms in the setting of myocardial dysfunction specifically. Yet especially in ACHD, it should also encompass manifestations of myocardial change before symptoms occur that may merit special management consideration. Applied definitions should also consider the specific type of ACHD, the dynamic nature of many variables used, and unique challenges when applying criteria in each subgroup.
Alternative Institutional Arrangements for Controlling Drainage Pollution

Inefficiency is endemic to the arrangements that govern most of irrigated agriculture. Particular attention is paid in this chapter to two problems: (1) Public demands for instream flows may be subordinated to farmers’ demands for water withdrawals, and (2) drainage water from irrigated land may be excessive in quantity and pollutants.
Basic Concepts of Strategies, Decision Making, and Planning

People use the word strategy in a variety of different contexts. Its original meaning, “the art of the general” in ancient Greek, refers to the conduct of warfare1. The term has later assumed connotations ranging from statesmanship and management of national policy to diplomacy and economic planning. Ever since John von Neumann and Oskar Morgenstern [162] showed the similarity between game-like problems in economics, sociology, psychology and politics, the concept of strategy has become pervasive also in the social sciences. We also talk about “problem solving strategies”, “corporate strategy” in a large business enterprise, and so on — whenever a sequence of goal-oriented actions is based on large-scale and long-range planning.
Cadet basic training: an ethnographic study of stress and coping.

Cadet basic training (CBT) at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point is an initial cadet experience designed to transition freshmen (new cadets) into the military. Challenge is an inherent component of CBT, and some challenging activities may be stressful. However, the nature and the impact of stress on health status have not been systematically investigated. An ethnographic technique, participant observation, was used to identify stressors and coping strategies among cadets aged 18 to 21 years participating in CBT. A company of 183 cadets, consisting of 123 new cadets and 60 supervising upperclass cadets from the U.S. Military Academy, was followed throughout the 6-week CBT in the summer of 1993. The investigator observed daily activities and participated in select field training experiences. Daily field observations were taped, and field notes were generated chronicling the experience. After CBT, 10 of the 60 upperclass cadets participated in a 20-minute structured interview. Field and interview notes were systematically reviewed to identify and categorize stressors and coping techniques. Stressors included anticipatory stress, time management pressures, sleep deprivation, performance evaluations, conflicts between teamwork and competitive grading, and inexperience in the leadership role. Coping techniques identified included perceiving social support, humor, and rationalization. Three new hypotheses were generated from the observations.
A macroscopic dynamic theory of stability and instability of cracks under impulsive loading

For a plane crack in an infinite plate under symmetric loading by two elastic tension waves of the same constant intensity and of the same duration whose plane fronts are parallel to the crack area and arrive there simultaneously, the following questions will be answered: 1. Under what conditions will the crack be propagated? 2. If it will be propagated, when will propagation start? 3. If it has been propagated, what was its initial acceleration? 4. Is there a limiting (terminal) propagation velocity and, if so, what is its value? The ‘energy approach’ together with Lagrange’s technique will be used.
eStrategy - A Poem

The dotcom strategies, as a class, may be called experimental-radical strategies. Experimental, as opposed to logical: willing to act without the guidance of theory. Radical, in contrast to incremental: breaking with the past. The counterpoint to the dotcom strategies, the traditional strategies, would be the familiar logical-incremental - guided by theory and continuity with the past. Complementing these two are the two other combinations logical-radical, exemplified by business process reengineering (BPR) and out-of-the-box thinking, and experimental-incremental, epitomized by the total quality management (TQM)-based strategies. These four strategies constitute a simple 2x2 typology. The Internet punctuated the equilibrium in the business environment. It opened new opportunities on a scale unparalleled in recent business history and mobilized resources on a matching scale. The explosion of experimental-radical strategies was a result of this combination of resources and opportunity - angel investors chasing foolish entrepreneurs. Now, there is a new post-punctuation equilibrium; there is a new balance between the four strategies. The Internet has transformed business strategies. The poem "eStrategy" explains the above typology and transformation of strategy with concepts from cybernetics, semiotics, general systems theory, biology, psychology, thermodynamics, information theory, organization theory, and strategic management. At the core of its thesis are the symbiotic relationships among three pairs of constructs: organization and information, information generation and information dissipation, and strategy and entropy. The semiotic engine drives these three symbioses. Everything, after all, is a construction of our mind.
A Boundary Value Problem for a Singularly Perturbed System of Nonlinear Differential Equations

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the existence and asymptotic character of solutions of the nonlinear boundary value problem. A solution of differential system is constructed by satisfying the boundary conditions. The boundary value problem is not expected to have a solution of different type unless f and g are severely restricted. Boundary problems for second order differential equations are written as special cases, which have been treated by Coddington and Levinson, von Mises and Wasow. The asymptotic character of solutions in the chapter aims a constructional procedure for the solution of the boundary value problem by convergent and asymptotic series.
Historical Background of the Mycological Society of America

(1937). Historical Background of the Mycological Society of America. Mycologia: Vol. 29, No. 1, pp. 1-25.
Cochrane Interactive Learning

Cochrane Interactive Learning (CIL) is a modular, self-directed, educational tool for researchers performing systematic reviews. Systematic reviews present unbiased, transparent, and reproducible syntheses of all research pertaining to a well-formulated question and are a critical tool to inform clinical practice and decision-making. Researchers must adhere to a rigorous set of standards when performing systematic reviews, and robust training is required to learn the complex requirements of the methodology. CIL provides an accessible, well-designed, step-by-step guide for navigating the systematic review process. This resource review outlines the major features of CIL and discusses the usability and accessibility of this learning tool for both researchers and librarians.
The power of proteasome inhibition in multiple myeloma

INTRODUCTION Proteasome inhibitors (PIs) are therapeutic backbones of multiple myeloma treatment, with PI-based therapies being standards of care throughout the treatment algorithm. Proteasome inhibition affects multiple critical signaling pathways in myeloma cells and interacts synergistically with mechanisms of action of other conventional and novel agents, resulting in substantial anti-myeloma activity and at least additive effects. Areas covered: This review summarizes the biologic effects of proteasome inhibition in myeloma and provides an overview of the importance of proteasome inhibition to the current treatment algorithm. It reviews key clinical data on three PIs, specifically bortezomib, carfilzomib, and ixazomib; assesses ongoing phase 3 trials with these agents; and looks ahead to the increasingly broad role of both approved PIs and PIs under investigation in the frontline and relapsed settings. Expert commentary: Progress to date with PIs in multiple myeloma has been impressive, but there remain unmet needs and challenges, as well as increasing opportunities to optimize the use of these agents. Understanding discrepancies between PIs in terms of efficacy and safety profile is a key goal of ongoing research, along with proteomics-based efforts to identify potential biomarkers of sensitivity and resistance, thereby enabling increasingly personalized treatment approaches in the future.
Emily Brontë reappraised: a view from the twenty-first century

Scholars are increasingly called upon to demonstrate the reach and impact of their research on communities outside the academy. And for those of us who work on the Brontes – authors who aren’t just...