Benefits and Pitfalls of Using Capture The Flag Games in University Courses

The concept of Capture the Flag (CTF) games for practicing cybersecurity skills is widespread in informal educational settings and leisure-time competitions. However, it is not much used in university courses. This paper summarizes our experience from using jeopardy CTF games as homework assignments in an introductory undergraduate course. Our analysis of data describing students' in-game actions and course performance revealed four aspects that should be addressed in the design of CTF tasks: scoring, scaffolding, plagiarism, and learning analytics capabilities of the used CTF platform. The paper addresses these aspects by sharing our recommendations. We believe that these recommendations are useful for cybersecurity instructors who consider using CTF games for assessment in university courses and developers of CTF game frameworks

SNANA: A Public Software Package for Supernova Analysis

We describe a general analysis package for supernova (SN) light curves, called SNANA, that contains a simulation, light curve fitter, and cosmology fitter. The software is designed with the primary goal of using SNe Ia as distance indicators for the determination of cosmological parameters, but it can also be used to study efficiencies for analyses of SN rates, estimate contamination from non-Ia SNe, and optimize future surveys. Several SN models are available within the same software architecture, allowing technical features such as K-corrections to be consistently used among multiple models, and thus making it easier to make detailed comparisons between models. New and improved light-curve models can be easily added. The software works with arbitrary surveys and telescopes and has already been used by several collaborations, leading to more robust and easy-to-use code. This software is not intended as a final product release, but rather it is designed to undergo continual improvements from the community as more is learned about SNe. Below we give an overview of the SNANA capabilities, as well as some of its limitations. Interested users can find software downloads and more detailed information from the manuals at http://www.sdss.org/supernova/SNANA.html .Comment: Accepted for publication in PAS

Wild Buckwheat Is Unlikely to Pose a Risk to Buckwheat-Allergic Individuals

Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) is a commonly allergenic food especially in Asia where buckwheat is more commonly consumed. Wild buckwheat (Polygonum convolvulus, recently changed to Fallopia convolvulus) is an annual weed prevalent in grain-growing areas of the United States. Wild buckwheat is not closely related to edible buckwheat although the seeds do have some physical resemblance. A large shipment of wheat into Japan was halted by the discovery of the adventitious presence of wild buckwheat seeds over possible concerns for buckwheat-allergic consumers. However, IgE-binding was not observed to an extract of wild buckwheat using sera from 3 buckwheat-allergic individuals either by radio-allergosorbent test inhibition or by immunoblotting after protein separation by sodium dodecyl sulfate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Furthermore, the extract of wild buckwheat was not detected in a buckwheat enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay developed with antisera against common buckwheat. Thus, wild buckwheat is highly unlikely to pose any risk to buckwheat-allergic individuals. The common names of plants should not be a factor in the risk assessment for possible cross-allergenicity

Challenges in Gluten Analysis: A Comparison of Four Commercial Sandwich ELISA Kits

Gluten is composed of prolamin and glutelin proteins from several related grains. Because these proteins are not present in identical ratios in the various grains and because they have some differences in sequence, the ability to accurately quantify the overall amount of gluten in various food matrices to support gluten-free labeling is difficult. Four sandwich ELISAs (the R-Biopharm AG R5 RIDASCREEN®, the Neogen Veratox® R5, the Romer Labs AgraQuant® G12, and the Morinaga Wheat kits) were evaluated for their performance to quantify gluten concentrations in various foods and ingredients. The Morinaga and AgraQuant® G12 tests yielded results comparable to the two R5 kits for most, but not for certain, foods. The results obtained with the Morinaga kit were lower when compared to the other kits for analyzing powders of buckwheat and several grass-based products. All four kits were capable of detecting multiple gluten-containing grain sources including wheat, rye, barley, semolina, triticale, spelt, emmer, einkorn, Kamut™, and club wheat. Users of the ELISA kits should verify the performance in their hands, with matrices that are typical for their specific uses. The variation in results for some food matrices between test methods could result in trade disputes or regulatory disagreements

Computational simulations demonstrate altered wall shear stress in aortic coarctation patients previously treated by resection with end-to-end anastomosis

Background.  Atherosclerotic plaque in the descending thoracic aorta (dAo) is related to altered wall shear stress (WSS) for normal patients. Resection with end-to-end anastomosis (RWEA) is the gold standard for coarctation of the aorta (CoA) repair, but may lead to altered WSS indices that contribute to morbidity. Methods.  Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models were created from imaging and blood pressure data for control subjects and age- and gender-matched CoA patients treated by RWEA (four males, two females, 15 ± 8 years). CFD analysis incorporated downstream vascular resistance and compliance to generate blood flow velocity, time-averaged WSS (TAWSS), and oscillatory shear index (OSI) results. These indices were quantified longitudinally and circumferentially in the dAo, and several visualization methods were used to highlight regions of potential hemodynamic susceptibility. Results.  The total dAo area exposed to subnormal TAWSS and OSI was similar between groups, but several statistically significant local differences were revealed. Control subjects experienced left-handed rotating patterns of TAWSS and OSI down the dAo. TAWSS was elevated in CoA patients near the site of residual narrowings and OSI was elevated distally, particularly along the left dAo wall. Differences in WSS indices between groups were negligible more than 5 dAo diameters distal to the aortic arch. Conclusions.  Localized differences in WSS indices within the dAo of CoA patients treated by RWEA suggest that plaque may form in unique locations influenced by the surgical repair. These regions can be visualized in familiar and intuitive ways allowing clinicians to track their contribution to morbidity in longitudinal studies

Degree of Scaffolding: Learning Objective Metadata: A Prototype Leaning System Design for Integrating GIS into a Civil Engineering Curriculum

Digital media and networking offer great potential as tools for enhancing classroom learning environments, both local and distant. One concept and related technological tool that can facilitate the effective application and distribution of digital educational resources is learning objects in combination with the SCORM (sharable content objects reference model) compliance framework. Progressive scaffolding is a learning design approach for educational systems that provides flexible guidance to students. We are in the process of utilizing this approach within a SCORM framework in the form of a multi-level instructional design. The associated metadata required by SCORM will describe the degree of scaffolding. This paper will discuss progressive scaffolding as it relates to SCORM compliant learning objects, within the context of the design of an application for integrating Geographic Information Systems (GIS) into the civil engineering curriculum at the University of Missouri - Rolla

Travel history and malaria infection risk in a low-transmission setting in Ethiopia: a case control study

BACKGROUND: Malaria remains the leading communicable disease in Ethiopia, with around one million clinical cases of malaria reported annually. The country currently has plans for elimination for specific geographic areas of the country. Human movement may lead to the maintenance of reservoirs of infection, complicating attempts to eliminate malaria. METHODS: An unmatched case–control study was conducted with 560 adult patients at a Health Centre in central Ethiopia. Patients who received a malaria test were interviewed regarding their recent travel histories. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to determine if reported travel outside of the home village within the last month was related to malaria infection status. RESULTS: After adjusting for several known confounding factors, travel away from the home village in the last 30 days was a statistically significant risk factor for infection with Plasmodium falciparum (AOR 1.76; p=0.03) but not for infection with Plasmodium vivax (AOR 1.17; p=0.62). Male sex was strongly associated with any malaria infection (AOR 2.00; p=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Given the importance of identifying reservoir infections, consideration of human movement patterns should factor into decisions regarding elimination and disease prevention, especially when targeted areas are limited to regions within a country

Effect of Molecular Flexibility upon Ice Adhesion Shear Strength

Ice formation on aircraft surfaces effects aircraft performance by increasing weight and drag leading to loss of lift. Current active alleviation strategies involve pneumatic boots, heated surfaces, and usage of glycol based de-icing fluids. Mitigation or reduction of in-flight icing by means of a passive approach may enable retention of aircraft capabilities, i.e., no reduction in lift, while reducing the aircraft weight and mechanical complexity. Under a NASA Aeronautics Research Institute Seedling activity, the effect of end group functionality and chain length upon ice adhesion shear strength (IASS) was evaluated with the results indicating that chemical functionality and chain length (i.e. molecular flexibility) affected IASS. Based on experimental and modeling results, diamine monomers incorporating molecular flexibility as either a side chain or in between diamine functionalities were prepared, incorporated into epoxy resins that were subsequently used to fabricate coatings on aluminum substrates, and tested in a simulated icing environment. The IASS was found to be lower when molecular flexibility was incorporated in the polymer chain as opposed to a side chain