cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
THE MAMMALIAN CELL-VIRUS RELATIONSHIP I. ATTACHMENT OF POLIOVIRUS TO CULTIVATED CELLS OF PRIMATE AND NON-PRIMATE ORIGIN

Primary or established strain cultures of a variety of primate cells that were susceptible to cytopathic infection strongly adsorbed poliovirus. Insusceptible non-primate cells in primary or established-strain culture did not so adsorb virus (or propagate it), with exception of the ERK-1 embryo rabbit kidney strain. All tested cells, regardless of type or susceptibility, adsorbed about 1 per cent of input virus, which became cell-associated (CAV) without loss of infectivity. In combination with susceptible or insusceptible cells, CAV was only about 90 per cent neutralized by homotypic antiserum. CAV eluted continuously from non-susceptible cells with continued incubation; eluted virus gave rise to infection and new CAV to the same degree in susceptible cells as did original virus.
Partially Self-Checking Circuits and Their Use in Performing Logical Operations

A new class of circuits called "partially self-checking circuits" is described. These circuits have one mode of operation called secure mode in which every fault is tested in normal operation and no fault can cause an undetected error. They also have an insecure mode of operation in which undetected errors can occur; however, every fault that can cause an error in insecure mode is tested by some input in secure mode. One application of these circuits is in the arithmetic and logic unit (ALU) of a computer with data encoded in an error-detecting code. While there is no code simpler than duplication which detects single errors in logical operations such as AND and OR, it is shown that there exist partially self-checking networks to perform these operations. A commercially available medium-scale integration (MSI) chip, the 74181 4-bit ALU, can be used in a partially self-checking network to perform arithmetic and logical operations.
Comparison of Commercially Available Disposable Chemical Hand and Foot Warmers

Abstract Objective.—Small chemical hand and foot warmers are used by many winter sport athletes and other outdoor enthusiasts. The purpose of this study was to characterize the thermal behaviors of 14 commercially available hand and foot warmers. Methods.—Both types of warmers were instrumented with a fast-responding thermistor. One of each pair of warmers was placed in a boot or glove. Temperature was recorded in a data logger for a period of hours to more than a day until the heat output of the devices ceased and returned to room temperature. Thermal behaviors were characterized and graphed, including peak temperature, time to peak temperature, and duration of temperature greater than 30°C. Reliability was determined by comparing thermal behavior of 2 hand or foot warmers of the same type and from the same manufacturer. Comparisons were also made between package claims and measured behaviors. Results.—Measured outcomes were most noteworthy in their variability within and between manufacturers and types ...
New Approaches to Radiation Protection

Radioprotectors are compounds that protect against radiation injury when given prior to radiation exposure. Mitigators can protect against radiation injury when given after exposure but before symptoms appear. Radioprotectors and mitigators can potentially improve the outcomes of radiotherapy for cancer treatment by allowing higher doses of radiation and/or reduced damage to normal tissues. Such compounds can also potentially counteract the effects of accidental exposure to radiation or deliberate exposure (e.g., nuclear reactor meltdown, dirty bomb, or nuclear bomb explosion); hence they are called radiation countermeasures. Here, we will review the general principles of radiation injury and protection and describe selected examples of radioprotectors/mitigators ranging from small-molecules to proteins to cell-based treatments. We will emphasize agents that are in more advanced stages of development.
Generality with specificity: the dynamic field theory generalizes across tasks and time scales

A central goal in cognitive and developmental science is to develop models of behavior that can generalize across both tasks and development while maintaining a commitment to detailed behavioral prediction. This paper presents tests of one such model, the Dynamic Field Theory (DFT). The DFT was originally proposed to capture delay-dependent biases in spatial recall and developmental changes in spatial recall performance. More recently, the theory was generalized to adults’ performance in a second spatial working memory task, position discrimination. Here we use the theory to predict a specific, complex developmental pattern in position discrimination. Data with 3- to 6-year-old children and adults confirm these predictions, demonstrating that the DFT achieves generality across tasks and time scales, as well as the specificity necessary to generate novel, falsifiable predictions.
Teammate familiarity and risk of injury in emergency medical services

Objective We investigated the association between teammate familiarity and workplace injury in the emergency medical services (EMS) setting. Methods From January 2011 to November 2013, we abstracted a mean of 29 months of shift records and Occupational Safety Health Administration injury logs from 14 EMS organisations with 37 total bases located in four US Census regions. Total teammate familiarity was calculated for each dyad as the total number of times a clinician dyad worked together over the study period. We used negative binomial regression to examine differences in injury incidence rate ratios (IRRs) by familiarity. Results We analysed 715 826 shift records, representing 4197 EMS clinicians and 60 701 unique dyads. We determined the mean shifts per dyad was (5.9, SD 19.7), and quartiles of familiarity were 1 shift worked together over the study period, 2–3 shifts, 4–9 shifts and ≥10 shifts worked together. More than half of all dyads worked one shift together (53.9%, n=32 739), 24.8% of dyads 2–3 shifts, 11.8% worked 4–9 shifts and 9.6% worked ≥10 shifts. The overall incidence rate of injury across all organisations was 17.5 per 100 full-time equivalent (FTE), range 4.7–85.6 per 100 FTE. The raw injury rate was 33.5 per 100 FTEs for dyads with one shift of total familiarity, 14.2 for 2–3 shifts, 8.3 for 4–9 shifts and 0.3 for ≥10 shifts. Negative binomial regression confirmed that dyads with ≥10 shifts had the lowest incidence of injury (IRR 0.03; 95% CI 0.02 to 0.04). Conclusions Familiarity between teammates varies in the EMS setting, and less familiarity is associated with greater incidence of workplace injury.
A Review of “The Story of Sexual Identity: Narrative Perspectives on the Gay and Lesbian Life Course”

Researchers and practitioners in psychology and the social sciences are increasingly recognizing the value of narrative and life story approaches to understanding lived experience (McAdams & Pals, ...
Local and Global Dynamics in Polypropylene Glycol/Silica Composites

The local segmental and global dynamics of a series of polypropylene glycol/silica nanocomposites were studied using rheometry and mechanical and dielectric spectroscopies. The particles cause substantial changes in the rheology, including higher viscosities that become non-Newtonian and the appearance of stress overshoots in the transient shear viscosity. However, no change was observed in the mean relaxation times for either the segmental or normal mode dynamics measured dielectrically. This absence of an effect of the particles is due to masking of the interfacial response by polymer chains remote from the particles. When the unattached polymer was extracted to isolate the interfacial material, very large reductions in both the local and global relaxation times were measured. This speeding up of the dynamics is due in part to the reduced density at the interface, presumably a consequence of poorer packing of tethered chains. In addition, binding of the ether oxygens of the polypropylene glycol truncate...
How do social determinants affect human trafficking in Southeast Asia, and what can we do about it? A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: The sale of women and children accounts for the greatest proportion of human trafficking globally, with Southeast Asia acting as the illegal industry's largest international hub. At least 225,000 women and children are trafficked from the region every year, accounting for approximately one-third of the global human trade. The health ramifications of trafficking are severe: many survivors contract infectious diseases including sexually transmitted infections and develop mental health conditions, including anxiety, panic disorder, and major depression. The complications associated with studying a highly secretive illegal trade have severely limited research on effective prevention measures. Because this presents a challenge for organizations that hope to develop prevention strategies, we asked the following question: How do social determinants facilitate or mitigate trafficking of women and children in Southeast Asia, and what recommendations does the literature provide for combating trafficking via these social determinants? METHODS: Using a Cochrane-based systematic search methodology, five independent researchers reviewed 1,148 articles from the past ten years (2001-2011). After three phases of independent review, they selected and analyzed 61 articles to identify the determinants that impact trafficking of women and children in Southeast Asia. RESULTS: Key social determinants that facilitate trafficking include poverty, female gender, lack of policy and enforcement, age, migration, displacement and conflict, ethnicity, culture, ignorance of trafficking methods, and caste status. Conversely, protective determinants that mitigate trafficking include formal education, citizenship, maternal education, higher caste status, and birth order. Recommendations relating to a variety of the determinants are identified and discussed in detail. CONCLUSIONS: Social determinants are central to the processes that mitigate and facilitate the sale and exploitation of women and children in Southeast Asia. Specifically, the facilitation of education and empowerment, along with the creation and enforcement of effective policies, could lessen the vulnerability of women and children to modern-day slavery. Language: en
The ‘Two Worlds’ Theory in the Phaedo

ABSTRACTAt least in some dialogues, Plato has been thought to hold the so-called Two Worlds Theory (TW), according to which there can be belief but not knowledge about sensibles, and knowledge but not belief about forms. The Phaedo is one such dialogue. In this paper, I explore some key passages that might be thought to support TW, and ask whether they in fact do so. I also consider the related issue of whether the Phaedo argues that, if knowledge is possible at all, we can have it only when discarnate.
Evaluation of [18F]-ammonium BODIPY dyes as potential PET radiotracers for myocardial perfusion imaging

1227 Objectives PET myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) holds several benefits for diagnosing coronary artery disease and related cardiac disorder. Previously, we have demonstrated the potential of the [18F]-trimethyl ammonium BODIPY dye for the cardiac imaging application. In this study, we report novel ammonium BODIPY derivatives and their capability as PET-MPI agents. Methods Three new cationic BODIPY dyes were prepared with different ammonium substituents, including ethyl, propyl, and benzyl groups (1, 2, and 3). The synthesized BODIPY dyes were radio-labeled via SnCl4-promoted 18F-19F isotopic exchange protocol. The resulting radiotracers were subjected to in vivo metabolic stability evaluation, microPET imaging, and biodistribution studies in murine model. Results The novel [18F]-ammonium BODIPY dyes were obtained in high radiochemical purity (>95%). Noninvasive microPET experiments revealed that the ethyl BODIPY showed the most promising heart uptake images. The biodistribution data demonstrated that the radioactivity uptake in the heart at 1 hour post-injection of the ethyl BODIPY (5.34 %ID/g) is higher than that of the propyl BODIPY (4.63 %ID/g) and the benzyl BODIPY (1.74 %ID/g), respectively, which are consistent with the microPET studies. Conclusions Our experiments displayed that subtle ammonium substituent changes have a drastic effect on the stability and the cardiac uptake of the [18F]-BODIPY dyes in murine model.
Estimating undiscovered resources and reserve growth: contrasting approaches

Assessments of oil and gas potential provide insight into future energy use. With regard to undiscovered resources, this paper contrasts the approach of pure statistical extrapolation with an alternate approach based on geological study of petroleum systems combined with a study of the exploration history of the assessed area. With regard to reserve growth, this paper contrasts a simplified approach with an approach relying on more detailed analysis of the data. An approach to estimating undiscovered resources using pure statistical extrapolation is quick, inexpensive and requires relatively little data and few personnel. Subjective judgment is not avoided, however, in that the choice of one assessment methodology over another is, in itself, very subjective. By calculating resource estimates based on a limited number of variables, statistical extrapolation ignores critical types of information. These methodologies commonly rely on assumptions that production history curves are simplistic, despite evidence to the contrary. Pure statistical extrapolation methodologies also inappropriately apply play-level exploration trends to larger features such as basins or countries. Reserve growth, the additions to booked reserves of previously discovered fields, is quantitatively a large portion of the potential additions to oil and gas supply. Reserve growth is not just a US phenomenon, but has been demonstrated in many countries. Even estimates that, by definition, should grow 50% of the time and shrink 50% of the time, grow much more often than they shrink. Nor was it brought about merely by OPEC countries trying to increase their production quotas. Although M. King Hubbert’s work was advanced for his time, the reported success of his prediction of the year of peak US oil production has been overrated and is more than balanced by a lack of success in other predictions. The focus on the year of peak world oil production in Hubbert’s methodology distracts attention from the more important questions of what the real constraints on increased production are, and how regional distribution of resources has a great effect on economics and politics world-wide.
Research in Pediatrics

Children have often been underrepresented in clinical research studies, in part, because many issues make translational research in children both different from and sometimes more difficult than research in adults. Considerations that must be taken into account when performing translational and clinical research in children include pediatric-specific disease processes, developmental differences in physiology and metabolism, practical limitations related to physical size, small numbers of subjects available for inclusion in studies, and the need for long-term follow-up to determine study outcomes. In addition, specific regulatory and ethical issues must be considered when performing clinical research in children.
Medical Oncologists’ Experiences in Using Genomic Testing for Lung and Colorectal Cancer Care

Purpose:Genomic testing improves outcomes for many at-risk individuals and patients with cancer; however, little is known about how genomic testing for non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and colorectal cancer (CRC) is used in clinical practice.Patients and Methods:In 2012 to 2013, we surveyed medical oncologists who care for patients in diverse practice and health care settings across the United States about their use of guideline- and non–guideline-endorsed genetic tests. Multivariable regression models identified factors that are associated with greater test use.Results:Of oncologists, 337 completed the survey (participation rate, 53%). Oncologists reported higher use of guideline-endorsed tests (eg, KRAS for CRC; EGFR for NSCLC) than non–guideline-endorsed tests (eg, OncotypeDX Colon; ERCC1 for NSCLC). Many oncologists reported having no patients with CRC who had mismatch repair and/or microsatellite instability (24%) or germline Lynch syndrome (32%) testing, and no patients with NSCLC who had ALK test...
An Admix Approach To Determine Counter Anion Effects on Metal-Free Arylation Reactions with Diaryliodonium Salts

A method to determine the effect of counter anions in metal-free arylation reactions of diaryliodonium salts is described. This approach avoids the independent synthesis of individual diaryliodonium salts and potentially enables assessment of a large number of different counter anions, including those that are synthetically challenging to install. Diaryliodonium tosylate salts serve as a general precursor for this approach, and an azide arylation reaction was used to develop this strategy. Further optimization and representative scope of azide arylation is demonstrated in yields that range from 74–95% (89% average). The use of this method as a screening tool has also been validated with arylation reactions of three different nucleophiles employing diphenyliodonium tosylate.
Defining Exponential and Trigonometric Functions Using Differential Equations

SummaryThis note addresses the question of how to rigorously define the functions exp(x), sin(x), and cos(x), and develop their properties directly from that definition. We take a differential equations approach, defining each function as the solution of an initial value problem. Assuming only the basic existence/uniqueness theorem for solutions of linear differential equations, we derive the standard properties and identities associated with these functions. Our target audience is undergraduates with a calculus background.
The Frontloading Argument

Maybe the most important argument in David Chalmers’s monumental book Constructing the World is the one he calls the ‘Frontloading Argument’, which is used in Chapter 4 to argue for the book’s central thesis, A Priori Scrutability. And, at first blush, the Frontloading Argument looks very strong. I argue here, however, that it is incapable of securing the conclusion it is meant to establish.
Consider All Stakeholders in Quality Assurance of Preprofessional Education

This commentary explains (via a schematic and some detail) that quality assurance in the teaching and learning process is not a hierarchical relationship among stakeholders but rather an ongoing re...
The Parameterization or Modeling of Microphysical Processes in Clouds

Abstract Chapter 4 provides an overview of the general theory of cloud precipitation processes. We then review cloud microphysics parameterization methodologies. We conclude but summarizing how cloud microphysics impacts cloud dynamics.
The tensile root strength of five emergent coastal macrophytes.

Abstract The root biomass of emergent macrophytes in coastal wetlands is essential for anchorage and erosion protection. The tensile root strength of these plants is an important component in determining the strength of coastal wetland soils. We made 1449 tensile strength measurements of roots
Efficient Cluster Algorithm for Spin Glasses in Any Space Dimension

Spin systems with frustration and disorder are notoriously difficult to study, both analytically and numerically. While the simulation of ferromagnetic statistical mechanical models benefits greatly from cluster algorithms, these accelerated dynamics methods remain elusive for generic spin-glass-like systems. Here, we present a cluster algorithm for Ising spin glasses that works in any space dimension and speeds up thermalization by at least one order of magnitude at temperatures where thermalization is typically difficult. Our isoenergetic cluster moves are based on the Houdayer cluster algorithm for two-dimensional spin glasses and lead to a speedup over conventional state-of-the-art methods that increases with the system size. We illustrate the benefits of the isoenergetic cluster moves in two and three space dimensions, as well as the nonplanar chimera topology found in the D-Wave Inc. quantum annealing machine.
Deep History, Interspecies Coevolution, and the Eco-imaginary

The recent turn to deep history reveals an interrelational story of hominin emergence among myriad other living creatures, full of bodily intimacies, shared habitats, and interspecific cultural communications. This essay examines studies of coevolution, symbiosis, and mimicry expressing pervasive intersubjectivity that are increasingly acknowledged by biologists and biosemioticians. Traditional oral narratives, rituals, and early literary texts encode sedimented evolutionary histories of such relationships, preserving and continuing memories that are semiotic scaffoldings of cultural mimicry, mirroring and mapping the living world where our ancestors saw themselves in dynamic interrelation with the other animal species around them. These constitute an eco-imaginary expressing the human participation in coevolved animality that Merleau-Ponty saw as the logos of the sensible world.
Combined computational and experimental investigation of high temperature thermodynamics and structure of cubic ZrO2 and HfO2

Structure and thermodynamics of pure cubic ZrO2 and HfO2 were studied computationally and experimentally from their tetragonal to cubic transition temperatures (2311 and 2530 °C) to their melting points (2710 and 2800 °C). Computations were performed using automated ab initio molecular dynamics techniques. High temperature synchrotron X-ray diffraction on laser heated aerodynamically levitated samples provided experimental data on volume change during tetragonal-to-cubic phase transformation (0.55 ± 0.09% for ZrO2 and 0.87 ± 0.08% for HfO2), density and thermal expansion. Fusion enthalpies were measured using drop and catch calorimetry on laser heated levitated samples as 55 ± 7 kJ/mol for ZrO2 and 61 ± 10 kJ/mol for HfO2, compared with 54 ± 2 and 52 ± 2 kJ/mol from computation. Volumetric thermal expansion for cubic ZrO2 and HfO2 are similar and reach (4 ± 1)·10-5/K from experiment and (5 ± 1)·10-5/K from computation. An agreement with experiment renders confidence in values obtained exclusively from computation: namely heat capacity of cubic HfO2 and ZrO2, volume change on melting, and thermal expansion of the liquid to 3127 °C. Computed oxygen diffusion coefficients indicate that above 2400 °C pure ZrO2 is an excellent oxygen conductor, perhaps even better than YSZ.
Linking nanomaterial properties to biological outcomes: analytical chemistry challenges in nanotoxicology for the next decade.

The field of nanotoxicology has evolved rapidly in the past two decades. Starting from simple nanomaterials and established toxicity assays, researchers’ foci have shifted towards understanding the mechanisms underlying nanotoxicity. Furthermore, an important goal has been linking nanomaterial properties to biological responses to build predictive models for safer nanomaterial design. Here, we provide our perspectives, as analytical chemists, on the analytical challenges in nanotoxicology as the field is entering its third decade. We have identified these challenges to include understanding causal relationships in mechanistic studies of nanotoxicity, overcoming nanomaterial interferences for accurate nanotoxicity assays, connecting nanoparticle interactions to cellular responses at the single-cell level, and making chemical measurements at the nano–bio interface in real-time and in situ.
Relating measured moisture of gypsum board to estimated water activity using moisture meters

Abstract Dampness and mold in buildings are linked to multiple adverse health effects. The principal factor allowing microbial growth in a material is the water activity (aw), the amount of metabolically available water. To assess the practicality of a portable “aw sensor” that estimates aw by measuring equilibrium relative humidity (ERH) at a surface, we measured the time required, starting at typical room RH, to reach a stable ERH reading on gypsum board at an elevated aw supportive of microbial growth. To estimate aw with commonly used moisture meters, we compared multiple meters (two types: pinless or 2-pin) to each other and to the portable aw sensor, for several gypsum board configurations, at multiple targeted ERH conditions. The aw sensor response was too slow for practical use. Across board configurations (i.e., single or double layers, unpainted or painted, and moisture-resistant), relationships between moisture meter readings and estimated aw differed, as expected, between sorbing and desorbing conditions. Some pinless meters showed inadequate sensitivity to low moisture conditions. Unexpected irregularities in responses were seen, especially on painted board. We provide estimated ranges of moisture meter readings, for each meter and board configuration, corresponding with selected aw values potentially supportive of microbial growth. One or two meters showed most promise for use in estimating critical aw values, although with substantial caveats. The irregularities observed may limit the potential for estimating aw from moisture meter readings in real world applications, even with prior collection of the data needed across different meters, conditions, and building materials.
Race/ethnicity, nativity, and lifetime risk of mental disorders in US adults

There has been no comprehensive examination of how race/ethnicity and nativity intersect in explaining differences in lifetime prevalence of mental disorders among Asian, Black, Latino, and White adults. This study aims to estimate racial/ethnic differences in lifetime risk of mental disorders and examine how group differences vary by nativity. Survival models were used to estimate racial/ethnic and nativity differences in lifetime risk of DSM-IV anxiety, mood, and substance use disorders in a nationally representative sample of over 20,000 respondents to four US surveys. Asians had the lowest lifetime prevalence of mental disorders (23.5%), followed by Blacks (37.0%), Latinos (38.8%), and Whites (45.6%). Asians and Blacks had lower lifetime risk than Whites for all disorders even after adjusting for nativity; Latinos and Whites had similar risk after adjusting for nativity. Risk of disorder onset was lowest for foreign-born respondents in years before migration. There were significant race/ethnicity and nativity interactions for mood and substance use disorders. Odds of mood disorder onset were higher for Whites with at least one US-born parent. Odds of substance use disorder onset among Asians were higher for US-born respondents; for Latinos, they were higher for those with at least one US-born parent. Parental foreign-born nativity is associated with a low risk of mental disorders, but not uniformly across racial/ethnic groups or disorders. Exposure to the US context may be associated with greater mental disorder risk for Latinos and Whites particularly. Investigations of cultural processes, including among Whites, are needed to understand group differences.
Communicating Campus Sexual Assault: A Mixed Methods Rhetorical Analysis

This article reports on a mixed methods rhetorical analysis of a data set of news reports on campus sexual assault. A macro-level qualitative analysis of narratives combined with micro-level quanti...
Few-body physics on a spacetime lattice in the worldline approach

We formulate the physics of two species of nonrelativistic hard-core bosons with attractive or repulsive delta function interactions on a spacetime lattice in the worldline approach. We show that worm algorithms can efficiently sample the worldline configurations in any fixed particle-number sector if the chemical potential is tuned carefully. Since fermions can be treated as hard-core bosons up to a permutation sign, we apply this approach to study nonrelativistic fermions. The fermion permutation sign is an observable in this approach and can be used to extract energies in each particle-number sector. In one dimension, nonrelativistic fermions can only permute across boundaries, and so our approach does not suffer from sign problems in many cases, unlike the auxiliary field method. Using our approach, we discover limitations of the recently proposed complex Langevin calculations in one spatial dimension for some parameter regimes. In higher dimensions, our method suffers from the usual fermion sign problem. Here we provide evidence that it may be possible to alleviate this problem for few-body physics.
Imaging Distal Aqueous Outflow Pathways in a Spontaneous Model of Congenital Glaucoma.

Purpose To validate the use of aqueous angiography (AA) in characterizing distal aqueous outflow pathways in normal and glaucomatous cats. Methods Ex vivo AA and optical coherence tomography (OCT) were performed in nine adult cat eyes (5 feline congenital glaucoma [FCG] and 4 normal), following intracameral infusion of 2.5% fluorescein and/or 0.4% indocyanine green (ICG) at physiologic intraocular pressure (IOP). Scleral OCT line scans were acquired in areas of high- and low-angiographic signal. Tissues dissected in regions of high- and low-AA signal, were sectioned and hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)-stained or immunolabeled (IF) for vascular endothelial and perivascular cell markers. Outflow vessel numbers and locations were compared between groups by Student's t-test. Results AA yielded circumferential, high-quality images of distal aqueous outflow pathways in normal and FCG eyes. No AA signal or scleral lumens were appreciated in one buphthalmic FCG eye, though collapsed vascular profiles were identified on IF. The remaining eight of nine eyes all showed segmental AA signal, distinguished by differences in time of signal onset. AA signal always corresponded with lumens seen on OCT. Numbers of intrascleral vessels were not significantly different between groups, but scleral vessels were significantly more posteriorly located relative to the limbus in FCG. Conclusions A capacity for distal aqueous humor outflow was confirmed by AA in FCG eyes ex vivo but with significant posterior displacement of intrascleral vessels relative to the limbus in FCG compared with normal eyes. Translational Relevance This report provides histopathologic correlates of advanced diagnostic imaging findings in a spontaneous model of congenital glaucoma.
Portable Resource-Independent Blood–Plasma Separator

The centrifuge is the gold standard for lab-based sample processing. While extremely efficient and robust, centrifuges are seldom used in the field due to the high-power requirements, size, and operational complexity. The lack of viable alternatives for remote sample collection has crippled the ability for mobile practitioners in human and animal medicine to reliably collect blood samples from their patients. There is no truly resource-independent solution that is able to perform highly efficient blood-plasma separation. Here, we describe our initial efforts in developing the High Efficiency Rapid Magnetic Erythrocyte Separator (H.E.R.M.E.S) sleeve, an apparatus that uses a magnetic bead-based separation assay in a scaled-up form factor to achieve highly efficient separation of erythrocytes from plasma within a short amount of time. The sleeve is easy-to-use, is completely resource independent, and achieves highly efficient separation in sample volumes as large as 1 mL by means of a unique mixing scheme. We demonstrate the performance of the sleeve with human blood samples and compare it against conventional end-over-end mixing.
RISK OF ARRHYTHMIC EVENTS FOLLOWING ALCOHOL SEPTAL ABLATION FOR HYPERTROPHIC CARDIOMYOPATHY USING CONTINUOUS IMPLANTABLE LOOP RECORDING

Alcohol septal ablation (ASA) in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients may lead to heart rhythm disturbances including complete heart block (CHB), atrial and ventricular arrhythmias. We aimed to evaluate the utility of long-term arrhythmia monitoring with an implantable loop recorder (ILR).
Polarization and the US Electoral College

In light of the 2000 and 2016 presidential elections, there has been doubt about whether the electoral college is a "fair'' way of selecting a presidential candidate. Rather than taking a position on the issue, this paper attempts to quantify the importance of such a discussion. Toward this end, we consider a voting model based on regional and personal biases, which provides a unifying framework for other probabilistic models in the literature along with offering new ones. Our main contribution is the derivation of simple expressions for the asymptotic likelihood of a "referendum paradox,'' whereby one candidate wins the election according to the electoral college, but loses the popular vote. We then consider how this likelihood varies depending on the heterogeneity of opinions within and across regions of a country, which may also differ in population. We conclude that rising polarization of political beliefs leading up to the 2020 election has made these two election formats increasingly more incompatible.
Machine Learning Enabled Computational Screening of Inorganic Solid Electrolytes for Suppression of Dendrite Formation in Lithium Metal Anodes.

Next generation batteries based on lithium (Li) metal anodes have been plagued by the dendritic electrodeposition of Li metal on the anode during cycling, resulting in short circuit and capacity loss. Suppression of dendritic growth through the use of solid electrolytes has emerged as one of the most promising strategies for enabling the use of Li metal anodes. We perform a computational screening of over 12 000 inorganic solids based on their ability to suppress dendrite initiation in contact with Li metal anode. Properties for mechanically isotropic and anisotropic interfaces that can be used in stability criteria for determining the propensity of dendrite initiation are usually obtained from computationally expensive first-principles methods. In order to obtain a large data set for screening, we use machine-learning models to predict the mechanical properties of several new solid electrolytes. The machine-learning models are trained on purely structural features of the material, which do not require an...
Reliability and Concurrent Validity of Shoulder Tissue Irritability Classification.

Objective Rating tissue irritability has been recommended to aid decision making in several recent clinical practice guidelines. An explicit method for rating tissue irritability was proposed as part of the Staged Algorithm for Rehabilitation Classification: Shoulder Disorders (STAR-Shoulder), but the reliability and validity of this classification are unknown. The purpose of this study was to examine the reliability and concurrent validity of shoulder tissue irritability ratings as part of a system designed to guide appropriate treatment strategy and intensity. Methods A clinical measurement, prospective repeated-measures cross-sectional design was used. The 101 consecutive participants with primary complaints of shoulder pain were assessed by pairs of blinded raters (24 raters in total) and rated for tissue irritability. Patients completed 3 patient-rated outcome (PRO) measures reflecting both pain and disability, and these scores were compared with ratings of tissue irritability. Paired ratings of irritability were analyzed for reliability with prevalence-adjusted, bias-adjusted Kappa for ordinal scales (PABAK-OS). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare PRO measures across different levels of irritability. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was utilized to derive cut-off scores for 3 PRO instruments. Results Interrater reliability was 0.69 (95% CI = 0.59-0.78), with 67% agreement. All PRO measures were significantly different among 3 levels of tissue irritability. Conclusion There appear to be acceptable reliability and a strong relationship between PRO measures and therapist-rated tissue irritability, supporting the use of the STAR-Shoulder irritability rating system. Impact Several clinical practice guidelines have recommended that clinicians rate tissue irritability as part of their examination. This study provides important new information supporting the reliability and validity of the STAR-Shoulder tissue irritability rating system.
Further insight into analyte transport processes and water vapor, aerosol loading in ICP-OES and ICP-MS

Abstract Simple concepts that control the amount of analyte, solvent aerosol and solvent vapor that enter the plasma are used to explain changes in analyte transport efficiency as a function of sample uptake rate in pneumatic nebulizer/spray chamber sample introduction systems. These include droplet-droplet collision/coalescence, evaporation of solvent from the sample aerosol and droplet impact on the walls of the spray chamber. We show that even small (2 to 5 μm diameter) droplets have a poor (
Physiology and pathology of saccades and gaze holding

INTRODUCTION: Foveation is the fundamental requirement for clear vision. Saccades rapidly shift the gaze to the interesting target while gaze holding ensures foveation of the desired object. PURPOSE: We will review the pertinent physiology of saccades and gaze holding and their pathophysiology leading to saccadic oscillations, slow saccades, saccadic dysmetria, and nystagmus. SUMMARY: Motor commands for saccades are generated at multiple levels of the neuraxis. The frontal and parietal eye field send saccadic commands to the superior colliculus. Latter then projects to the brain-stem saccadic burst generator. The brain-stem burst generators guarantee optimum signal to ensure rapid saccadic velocity, while the neural integrator, by mathematically integrating the saccadic pulse, facilitates stable gaze holding. Reciprocal innervations that ensure rapid saccadic velocity are prone to inherent instability leading to saccadic oscillations. In contrast, suboptimal function of the burst generators causes slow saccades. Impaired error correction, either at the cerebellum or the inferior olive, leads to impaired saccade adaptation and ultimately saccadic dysmetria and oculopalatal tremor. Impairment in the function of neural integrator causes nystagmus. CONCLUSION: Neurophysiology of saccades, gaze holding, and their deficits are well recognized. These principles can be implemented to define novel therapeutic and rehabilitation approaches. Language: en
Use of a Lateral Infraclavicular Puncture to Obtain Proximal Venous Access with Occluded Subclavian/Axillary Venous Systems for Cardiac Rhythm Devices

Background Venous occlusion is not uncommon and total venous obstruction with more proximal patency may occur in as many as 10% of previous implants. Many techniques are available to obtain ipsilateral access; however, most require special equipment or skills. We describe a technique of infraclavicular cannulation of the brachiocephalic vein ipsilateral to the occlusion that is safe and feasible for most implanters. Methods Fourteen patients with subclavian/axillary occlusions ipsilateral to the implanted device and requiring revision or upgrade of their system or venous occlusion with contraindication to implant on the contralateral side underwent lead addition/placement via a brachiocephalic approach. Following venography, an 18-gauge needle was used to gain brachiocephalic access. The needle was initially positioned in a lateral infraclavicular location. The needle was then advanced under the clavicle in a horizontal plane and advanced toward the sternal notch under fluoroscopic guidance. Results Fourteen patients underwent an attempt at brachiocephalic access. Cannulation of the brachiocephalic was possible in all 14 and lead(s) were successfully implanted in all. There were no complications with the procedure, specifically no pneumothoraces. In follow-up (mean 36 months, range 1–86 months), all implanted leads function well, with no evidence of lead failure or impedance changes. Conclusion A lateral infraclavicular approach is a safe and effective technique for obtaining brachiocephalic access when the subclavian/axillary vein is occluded. This technique is easy to learn and may be useful for implanters without the equipment or skills needed for lead extraction or microdissection or in cases where patients refuse these procedures.
Mechanisms and Consequences of Double-Strand DNA Break Formation in Chromatin

All organisms suffer double-strand breaks (DSBs) in their DNA as a result of exposure to ionizing radiation. DSBs can also form when replication forks encounter DNA lesions or repair intermediates. The processing and repair of DSBs can lead to mutations, loss of heterozygosity, and chromosome rearrangements that result in cell death or cancer. The most common pathway used to repair DSBs in metazoans (non-homologous DNA end joining) is more commonly mutagenic than the alternative pathway (homologous recombination mediated repair). Thus, factors that influence the choice of pathways used DSB repair can affect an individual's mutation burden and risk of cancer. This review describes radiological, chemical, and biological mechanisms that generate DSBs, and discusses the impact of such variables as DSB etiology, cell type, cell cycle, and chromatin structure on the yield, distribution, and processing of DSBs. The final section focuses on nucleosome-specific mechanisms that influence DSB production, and the possible relationship between higher order chromosome coiling and chromosome shattering (chromothripsis).
Dimension reduction and variable selection for genomic selection: application to predicting milk yield in Holsteins.

Summary Genome-assisted prediction of genetic merit of individuals for a quantitative trait requires building statistical models that can handle data sets consisting of a massive number of markers and many fewer observations. Numerous regression models have been proposed in which marker effects are treated as random variables. Alternatively, multivariate dimension reduction techniques [such as principal component regression (PCR) and partial least-squares regression (PLS)] model a small number of latent components which are linear combinations of original variables, thereby reducing dimensionality. Further, marker selection has drawn increasing attention in genomic selection. This study evaluated two dimension reduction methods, namely, supervised PCR and sparse PLS, for predicting genomic breeding values (BV) of dairy bulls for milk yield using single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). These two methods perform variable selection in addition to reducing dimensionality. Supervised PCR preselects SNPs based on the strength of association of each SNP with the phenotype. Sparse PLS promotes sparsity by imposing some penalty on the coefficients of linear combinations of original SNP variables. Two types of supervised PCR (I and II) were examined. Method I was based on single-SNP analyses, whereas method II was based on multiple-SNP analyses. Supervised PCR II was clearly better than supervised PCR I in predictive ability when evaluated on SNP subsets of various sizes, and sparse PLS was in between. Supervised PCR II and sparse PLS attained similar predictive correlations when the size of the SNP subset was below 1000. Supervised PCR II with 300 and 500 SNPs achieved correlations of 0.54 and 0.59, respectively, corresponding to 80 and 87% of the correlation (0.68) obtained with all 32 518 SNPs in a PCR model. The predictive correlation of supervised PCR II reached a plateau of 0.68 when the number of SNPs increased to 3500. Our results demonstrate the potential of combining dimension reduction and variable selection for accurate and cost-effective prediction of genomic BV.
“I’m Stuck!”: A Contextual Inquiry of People with Visual Impairments in Authentication

Current authentication mechanisms pose significant challenges for people with visual impairments. This paper presents results from a contextual inquiry study that investigated the experiences this population encounters when logging into their computers, smart phones, and websites that they use. By triangulating results from observation, contextual inquiry interviews and a hierarchical task analysis of participants’ authentication tasks, we found that these users experience various difficulties associated with the limitations of assistive technologies, suffer noticeable delays in authentication and fall prey to confusing login challenges. The hierarchical task analysis uncovered challenging and time-consuming steps in the authentication process that participants performed. Our study raises awareness of these difficulties and reveals the limitations of current authentication experiences to the security community. We discuss implications for designing accessible authentication experiences for people with visual impairments.
Sharp wave-associated high-frequency oscillation (200 Hz) in the intact hippocampus: network and intracellular mechanisms

Sharp wave bursts, induced by a cooperative discharge of CA3 pyramidal cells, are the most synchronous physiological pattern in the hippocampus. In conjunction with sharp wave bursts, CA1 pyramidal cells display a high-frequency (200 Hz) network oscillation (ripple). In the present study extracellular field and unit activity was recorded simultaneously from 16 closely spaces sites in the awake rat and the intracellular activity of CA1 pyramidal cells during the network oscillation was studied under anesthesia. Current source density analysis of the high-frequency oscillation revealed circumscribed sinks and sources in the vicinity of the pyramidal layer. Single pyramidal cells discharged at a low frequency but were phase locked to the negative peak of the locally derived field oscillation. Approximately 10% of the simultaneously recorded pyramidal cells fired during a given oscillatory event. Putative interneurons increased their discharge rates during the field ripples severalfold and often maintained a 200 Hz frequency during the oscillatory event. Under urethane and ketamine anesthesia the frequency of ripples was slower (100–120 Hz) than in the awake rat (180–200 Hz). Halothane anesthesia prevented the occurrence of high-frequency field oscillations in the CA1 region. Both the amplitude (1–4 mV) and phase of the intracellular ripple, but not its frequency, were voltage dependent. The amplitude of intracellular ripple was smallest between -70 and -80 mV. The phase of intracellular oscillation relative to the extracellular ripple reversed when the membrane was hyperpolarized more than -80 mV. A histologically verified CA1 basket cell increased its firing rate during the network oscillation and discharged at the frequency of the extracellular ripple. These findings indicate that the intracellularly recorded fast oscillatory rhythm is not solely dependent on membrane currents intrinsic to the CA1 pyramidal cells but it is a network driven phenomenon dependent upon the participation of inhibitory interneurons. We hypothesize that fast field oscillation (200 Hz) in the CA1 region reflects summed IPSPs in pyramidal cells as a result of high-frequency barrage of interneurons. The sharp wave associated synchronous discharge of pyramidal cells in the millisecond range can exert a powerful influence on retrohippocampal targets and may facilitate the transfer of transiently stored memory traces from the hippocampus to the entorhinal cortex.
A Prototype Probe for Iron(II) in Sediment Water

Abstract The use of sensitive, selective calorimetric reagents incorporated into solid forms sufficiently rugged to be inserted directly into sediments was investigated. This paper describes the preparation of ceramic probes and the reflectance method used for their analysis. Ortho-phenanthroline was impregnated into ceramic rods, or probes. Laboratory evaluation indicates that phenanthroline-impregnated probes can be used for the determination of iron(II) in sediments, but care is needed in storage of exposed probes.