cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Minerva: User-centered science operations software capability for future human exploration

In June of 2016, the Biologic Analog Science Associated with Lava Terrains (BASALT) research project conducted its first field deployment, which we call BASALT-1. BASALT-1 consisted of a science-driven field campaign in a volcanic field in Idaho as a simulated human mission to Mars. Scientists and mission operators were provided a suite of ground software tools that we refer to collectively as Minerva to carry out their work. Minerva provides capabilities for traverse planning and route optimization, timeline generation and display, procedure management, execution monitoring, data archiving, visualization, and search. This paper describes the Minerva architecture, constituent components, use cases, and some preliminary findings from the BASALT-1 campaign.
Stapled Transabdominal Ostomy Reinforcement with retromuscular mesh (STORRM): Technical details and early outcomes of a novel approach for retromuscular repair of parastomal hernias.

Abstract Background Parastomal hernia repair (PHR) remains a challenge with no optimal repair technique. During retromuscular hernia repair, traversing the stomal conduit through the abdominal wall can result in angulation and compression. Widening of traditional cruciate incisions in mesh and/or fascia likely contributes to recurrences. To address these pitfalls, the Stapled Transabdominal Ostomy Reinforcement with Retromuscular Mesh (STORRM) technique utilizing a circular stapler was developed. Methods A prospective registry of consecutive patients undergoing STORRM was analyzed. We characterized demographics, hernia characteristics, and perioperative results. Primary outcomes were complications, surgical site events (SSEs) and hernia recurrence. Results 12 patients underwent PHR with STORRM; mean age 64 and BMI 36 kg/m2. Synthetic mesh was used in 92% of patients. We observed two (17%) SSEs, one case of cellulitis and one organ space infection. With mean 12.8-month follow-up, we documented two recurrences. Conclusions STORRM represents a safe method to repair parastomal hernias. The unified aperture with stapled reinforcement results in reproducible repairs, minimizing intestinal angulation associated with traditional stoma passage. Early outcomes evidenced minimal complications and favorable recurrence rate.
Effect of Ambient Wind Velocity on Planetary Nebula Morphology

Planetary Nebulae (PNe) are formed by the interaction of the fast wind from a post-Asymptotic Giant Branch Star with the slow ambient wind from a previous epoch. If the two interacting winds have constant properties, the velocity of the PN shell tends towards a constant with time and the shape becomes self-similar. Additionally, if the velocity of the fast wind is much higher than the expansion velocity of the shell, the interior of the hot shocked bubble becomes isobaric. Using semi-analytical methods, complemented by hydrodynamic simulations, we have calculated the shapes of PNe in the self-similar stage (Dwarkadas et al. 1996). We have investigated the contribution of the ambient wind velocity to PN morphology, which has hitherto not received much attention since the work of Kahn & West (1985). We find that the nebular morphology is a consequence of the density contrast between pole and equator in the ambient medium, the steepness of the density profile and the velocity of the ambient wind; classification of PNe purely on the basis of the first two factors may be misleading. In particular, the ratio of ambient wind velocity to PN velocity is important in determining whether the nebula shows a bulge or a cusp at the equator. A high density contrast coupled with a low velocity for the external medium gives rise to extremely bipolar nebulae. For large density contrasts and a significant value of the slow wind velocity, the surface density maximum of the shell shifts away from the equator, giving rise to peanut-shaped structures with pronounced equatorial bulges. As long as the external wind velocity is small compared to the expansion velocity of the nebula, the PNe tend to be more bipolar, even with a moderate density contrast. If the PN velocity is close to that of the external wind, the shape is relatively spherical. However, inclusion of an asymmetric velocity profile in the slow wind, with the velocity increasing towards the pole, can lead to a bipolar nebula if the equatorial velocity is sufficiently low. Preliminary results with a slow wind velocity increasing towards the equator (as is found in calculations of common envelope evolution) show that the nebulae tend to be more oblate, which is not often observed in nature. Representative results for shapes of PNe using various values of the relevant parameters are presented.
The psychological sequelae of abortion performed for a genetic indication

Psychometric testing and psychiatric interviews were conducted on 13 families in which the women had undergone amniocentesis for the prenatal detection of a genetic defect in the fetus and, upon receiving positive results, elected to have a therapeutic abortion. The indication for amniocentesis was maternal age in two families, a previous child with Down's syndrome in one family, a previous child with a recessively inherited inborn error of metabolism in four families, and the mother being a carrier for an X-linked disease in six families. The incidence of depression following selective abortion may be as high as 92 per cent among the women and as high as 82 per cent among the men studied, and was greater than that usually associated with elective abortion for psychosocial indications or with delivery of a stillborn. Four families experienced separations during the pregnancy-abortion period. Despite the emotional trauma of the procedure, most of the families studied would repeat their course of action and consider selective abortion preferable to the alternative birth of a defective child. Several modifications in the amniocentesis and selective abortion procedure which might diminish the concomitant emotional trauma are suggested.
Impact of public electric vehicle charging infrastructure

Abstract This work uses market analysis and simulation to explore the potential of public charging infrastructure to spur US battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales, increase national electrified mileage, and lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. By employing both scenario and parametric analysis for policy driven injection of public charging stations we find the following: (1) For large deployments of public chargers, DC fast chargers are more effective than level 2 chargers at increasing BEV sales, increasing electrified mileage, and lowering GHG emissions, even if only one DC fast charging station can be built for every ten level 2 charging stations. (2) A national initiative to build DC fast charging infrastructure will see diminishing returns on investment at approximately 30,000 stations. (3) Some infrastructure deployment costs can be defrayed by passing them back to electric vehicle consumers, but once those costs to the consumer reach the equivalent of approximately 12 ¢ /kWh for all miles driven, almost all gains to BEV sales and GHG emissions reductions from infrastructure construction are lost.
Less Is More: Thoughts on Simplifying and Personalizing Teacher Education

This article advocates for simplicity and an emphasis on relationship building, all while preparing teachers within the confines of current bureaucracy. While the author's area of emphasis is physi...
New Developments in the Genetics of Inclusion Body Myositis

Our goal is to review the recent literature pertaining to the genetics of sporadic inclusion body myositis (IBM). In a study of 252 IBM patients, the class II MHC allele HLA-DRB1*03:01 showed the most significant association with IBM, and that risk could be largely attributed to amino acids within the peptide-binding pocket. Candidate gene sequencing identified rare missense variants in proteins regulating protein homeostasis including VCP and SQSTM1. An unbiased approach employing exome sequencing of genes encoding rimmed vacuole proteins identified FYCO1 variants in IBM. Ongoing GWAS approaches may shed new light on genetic risk factors for IBM. Many variants have been reported at an increased frequency in IBM in small studies; however, only HLA association has shown genome-wide significance. Future studies are needed to validate variants in larger cohorts and to understand the molecular roles these risk factors play in IBM.
Infliximab-Induced Aseptic Meningitis in a Patient with Crohn's Disease

Infliximab is an anti-tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) monoclonal antibody that treats moderate-to-severe Crohn's disease. In rare cases, infliximab has been associated with drug-induced aseptic meningitis. We present a 46-year-old woman with migraines and inflammatory Crohn's colitis treated with intravenous infliximab and methotrexate. She developed nuchal rigidity, photophobia, and headache 2 days after each of her infliximab infusions, with symptom resolution 1 week post-infusion. Her exam, imaging, and cerebrospinal fluid analysis were consistent with drug-induced aseptic meningitis. She discontinued infliximab and started vedolizumab with continued remission of her Crohn's disease.
Cardiac Arrhythmias and Their Non-Pharmacological Treatment: An Overview

Arrhythmias represent a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in CHD. They can occur in each phase of the natural history of the disease, from the prenatal period to the late follow-up. Their relevance is increasing especially as a consequence of the good results achieved by corrective surgery, with more and more patients reaching adulthood with the possibility of developing long-term complications, often represented by arrhythmias. Their substrate can depend on the congenital abnormality itself or on surgical scars consequent to its correction, or both. To understand mechanisms underlying arrhythmias, knowledge of the physiology of the normal cardiac conduction system is necessary. This chapter gives an overview of different arrhythmias and their incidence according to the subtype of CHD, also providing basic concepts about their non-pharmacological treatment, in particular cardiac pacing for the treatment of bradyarrhythmias and ablation and ICD implantation for the treatment of tachyarrhythmias. Special emphasis is given to the particular features that arrhythmias have when they occur in congenitally abnormal hearts and in particular to the peculiar aspects of device implantation and arrhythmia ablation in the field of CHD compared to normally structured hearts.
Promoting Brain Repair and Regeneration After Stroke: a Plea for Cell-Based Therapies

After decades of hype, cell-based therapies are emerging into the clinical arena for the purposes of promoting recovery after stroke. In this review, we discuss the most recent science behind the role of cell-based therapies in ischemic stroke and the efforts to translate these therapies into human clinical trials. Preclinical data support numerous beneficial effects of cell-based therapies in both small and large animal models of ischemic stroke. These benefits are driven by multifaceted mechanisms promoting brain repair through immunomodulation, trophic support, circuit reorganization, and cell replacement. Cell-based therapies offer tremendous potential for improving outcomes after stroke through multimodal support of brain repair. Based on recent clinical trials, cell-based therapies appear both feasible and safe in all phases of stroke. Ongoing translational research and clinical trials will further refine these therapies and have the potential to transform the approach to stroke recovery and rehabilitation.
Ethical Issues in Substance-Use Prevention Research

Substance use and dependency among individuals living in the United States has been recognized as a public health crisis. Substance-use prevention scientists are at the forefront of identifying current and continually evolving individual and social factors contributing to the misuse of prescription and illegal drugs and for designing and empirically validating preventive and treatment approaches that can inform public health policy. Along with the benefits of a substance-use science agenda are the ethical challenges associated with conducting socially sensitive research involving participants whose daily lives are vulnerable to psychological, social, legal, and economic harms. Given these vulnerabilities, investigators often encounter roadblocks to the conduct of scientifically valid and socially valuable research as a result of IRB requirements that may be the result of overestimation of participant risk and lack of information on the adequacy of risk protections developed specifically for this population. IRB concerns often include questioning whether monetary compensation will condone or increase illicit substance use, if street recruitment will draw police attention to illegal behaviors, whether cravings or withdrawals are indications of incapacity to consent, and if questions regarding factors associated with substance use such as sexual risk behaviors, depression, and interpersonal violence will in themselves cause emotional distress or internalized stigma. This chapter discusses these challenges through examination of four domains essential for the responsible conduct of addiction science: balancing of research risks and benefits, informed consent, confidentiality and disclosure policies, and fair and noncoercive compensation. We conclude with a discussion of the importance of community perspectives and the applicability of the goodness-of-fit ethics model for enhancing participant protections in substance-use prevention research.
Neonatal Eating Assessment Tool–Bottle-Feeding: Norm-Reference Values for Infants Less Than 7 Months Old:

The Neonatal Eating Assessment Tool (NeoEAT)-Bottle-feeding is a parent-report assessment of bottle-feeding behavior in infants less than 7 months old with evidence of validity and reliability. The purpose of this study was to establish norm-reference values to guide score interpretation and clinical decision making. Parents of 478 healthy, typically developing infants completed the NeoEAT-Bottle-feeding. Descriptive statistics were calculated for the following age groups: 0 to 2, 2 to 4, 4 to 6, and 6 to 7 months. NeoEAT-Bottle-feeding total scores decreased with increasing infant age. The Infant Regulation subscale contributed the most to the total score and remained high across the first 6 months of life, then decreased dramatically in the 6- to 7-month age group. The 90th and 95th percentile values for the total score and subscale scores can be used to identify infants with problematic feeding, guide referral, tailor treatment, and assess response to treatment.
A Phase 2 Study of Pembrolizumab during Lymphodepletion after Autologous Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for Multiple Myeloma.

ABSTRACT The programmed death-1 (PD-1) axis can suppress immune surveillance against multiple myeloma (MM). We tested the safety and efficacy of pembrolizumab, an anti-PD-1 antibody, in MM after autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (AHCT). We enrolled patients with MM who did not achieve a complete response (CR) to induction therapy. The study intervention involved a total of 9 doses of i.v. pembrolizumab, with 1 dose given every 21 days starting on day +14 post-AHCT. The primary endpoint was the rate of CR at end of treatment (EOT) in patients receiving ≥2 pembrolizumab doses. Thirty-two patients were enrolled, but 3 withdrew consent before receiving the first dose. The study was terminated early after failing to meet its interim analysis endpoint to detect a 20% difference in EOT CR rate conversion. The median patient age was 59 years. All but 1 patient received triplet induction for a median of 4 cycles (range, 2 to 7 cycles), with 69% partial response (PR) and 31% very good PR (VGPR). No grade 4/5 toxicities or graft failures occurred. Among 26 evaluable patients, 23 had an EOT evaluation, and 7 of these 23 (31%) achieved CR. Two patients had EOT serologic CR but no bone marrow confirmation (CRu), and 1 patient had no EOT evaluation. Bone marrow was minimal residual disease-negative by flow cytometry in 12 of 16 patients (75%) at day +180. With a median follow-up of 23.7 months (range, 15.1 to 33.5 months), no patient achieving EOT CR/CRu had relapsed, whereas 3 patients progressed before EOT and 1 patient progressed at 8 months after EOT VGPR. The estimated 2-year progression-free rate was 83% (95% confidence interval, 68% to 100%). Our data show that early post-AHCT pembrolizumab with lenalidomide maintenance is feasible; however, the efficacy is uncertain and requires further study. This trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02331368).
Land grabbing or economic development? A modernisation debate enacted on Bugala Island, Uganda

Globally, the phenomenon of large-scale land leasing, or ‘land grabbing’, is the subject of increasing concern. At the heart of the criticism of this phenomenon is the debate over the most appropri...
A Chrnb3‐Cre BAC transgenic mouse line for manipulation of gene expression in retinal ganglion cells

The mechanisms by which retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) make specific connections during development is an intense area of research and have served as a model for understanding the general principles of circuit wiring. As such, genetic tools allowing for specific recombination in RGCs are critical to further our understanding of the cell-specific roles of different genes during these processes. However, many RGC-specific Cre lines have drawbacks, due to their broad expression in other cell types and/or retinorecipient regions or lack of expression in broad swaths of the retina. Here, we characterize a Cre BAC transgenic line driven by elements of the cholinergic receptor nicotinic beta 3 subunit (Chrnb3). We show that Cre expression is restricted to RGCs in the retina and sparsely expressed in the brain, importantly excluding retinorecipient regions. Furthermore, Chrnb3-Cre mice label a wide variety of RGCs distributed throughout the retina and Cre activity is detected embryonically, shortly following RGC differentiation. Finally, we find that Chrnb3-Cre-labeled RGCs innervate multiple retinorecipient areas that serve both image-forming and nonimage forming functions. Thus, this genetic tool will be of broad use to investigators studying the RGC-specific contributions of genes to visual circuit development.
Hotspot Mutations in DICER1 Causing GLOW Syndrome-Associated Macrocephaly via Modulation of Specific microRNA Populations Result in the Activation of PI3K/ATK/mTOR Signaling

Background We have previously described mosaic mutations in the RNase IIIb domain of DICER1that display global developmental delays, lung cysts, somatic overgrowth, macrocephaly and Wilms tumor. This constellation of phenotypes was classified as GLOW syndrome. Due to the phenotypic overlap between GLOW and syndromes caused by mutations in the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, we hypothesized that alterations in miRNA regulation of this pathway cause its specific constellation of phenotypes. Objective To test the hypothesis that DICER1 "hot spot" mutations associated with GLOW syndrome activate PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling. Methods We developed HEK293T cells with loss of exon 25 in DICER1, a genetic modification that is synonymous with the "hot spot" RNAseIIIb mutations that cause GLOW syndrome. We assayed the cells for activation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. Results We observed activation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway as demonstrated by increased pS6Kinase, p4EBP1 and pTSC2 levels. Additionally, these cells demonstrate a striking cellular phenotype, with the ability to form spheres when the serum is removed from their growth medium. The cells in these spheres are Oct4 and Sox2 positive and exhibit the property of reversion with the addition of serum. We queried miRNA expression data and identified a population of miRNAs that increase due to these mutations and target negative regulators of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. Conclusion This work identifies the delicate and essential role for miRNA control of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. We conclude that the phenotypes observed in the GLOW syndrome are the result of PI3K/AKT/mTOR activation.
The Reliability of 2-Station Clerkship Objective Structured Clinical Examinations in Isolation and in Aggregate.

Background:Most medical schools in the United States report having a 5- to 10-station objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) at the end of the core clerkship phase of the curriculum to as...
Surface association induces cytotoxic alkyl-quinolones in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Abstract Surface attachment, an early step in the colonization of multiple host environments, activates the virulence of the human pathogen P. aeruginosa. However, the signaling pathways and downstream toxins specifically induced by surface association to stimulate P. aeruginosa virulence are not fully understood. Here, we demonstrate that alkyl-quinolone (AQ) secondary metabolites are rapidly induced upon surface association and represent a major class of surface-dependent cytotoxins. AQ cytotoxicity is direct and independent of other AQ functions like quorum sensing or PQS-specific activities like iron sequestration. Furthermore, the regulation of AQ production can explain the surface-dependent virulence regulation of the quorum sensing receptor, LasR, and the pilin-associated candidate mechanosensor, PilY1. PilY1 regulates surface-induced AQ production by repressing the AlgR-AlgZ two-component system. AQs also contribute to the known cytotoxicity of secreted outer membrane vesicles. These findings collectively explain previously mysterious aspects of virulence regulation and provide new avenues for the development of anti-infectives.
HYPOTHYROIDISM AND GOITER IN A YOUNG MALE WITH SUSPECTED DIETARY IODINE DEFICIENCY FOLLOWED BY THYROTOXICOSIS AFTER IODINE SUPPLEMENTATION.

ABSTRACT Objective: Iodine deficiency disorders (IDDs) remain a major public health concern in most parts of the world but are extremely rare in North America. We describe a case of goiter in a you...
Real-World Effectiveness of Smoking Cessation Strategies for Young and Older Adults: Findings From a Nationally Representative Cohort.

Introduction Young adults have high combustible cigarette and e-cigarette use rates, and low utilization of evidence-based smoking cessation strategies compared to older adults. It is unknown whether young adults who try to quit smoking without assistance, with evidence-based strategies, or with e-cigarettes, are equally successful compared to older adults. Aims and methods This analysis used a population-based sample from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health study of young adult (aged 18-24, n = 745) and older adult (aged 25-64, n = 2057) established cigarette smokers at Wave 1 (2013-2014) who reported having made a quit attempt at Wave 2 (2014-2015). Cessation strategies were: behavioral therapy, pharmacotherapy, product substitution, 2+ strategies, and unassisted. Logistic regression estimated associations between cessation strategy and short-term cessation status at Wave 2 (quit, no quit); multinomial logistic regression predicted long-term cessation patterns at Waves 2 and 3 (sustained quit, temporary quit, delayed quit, no quit). Results No cessation strategy (ref: unassisted) significantly predicted short-term cessation. No cessation strategy (ref: unassisted) significantly predicted long-term cessation patterns for young adults. Substitution with e-cigarettes predicted short-term cessation for older daily smokers of ≥5 cigarettes/day (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 1.70; 95% confidence interval: 1.08, 2.67) but did not predict long-term cessation patterns. Conclusions Despite differences in cessation strategy use between young and older adult smokers, strategy effectiveness largely did not differ by age group. No strategy examined, including e-cigarettes, was significantly associated with successful cessation for young adults. More work is needed to identify effective interventions that help young adult smokers quit. Implications (1) Neither behavioral support, pharmacotherapy, nor product substitution was associated with short-term cessation for young or older adults compared to quitting unassisted. (2) Neither behavioral support, pharmacotherapy, nor product substitution was associated with longer-term cessation for young or older adults compared to quitting unassisted. (3) Substitution with e-cigarettes predicted short-term cessation for older daily smokers of ≥5 cigarettes/day but was not associated with longer-term cessation.
Morphological Analysis of Retinal Microvasculature to Improve Understanding of Retinal Hemorrhage Mechanics in Infants.

Purpose In this experimental study, we quantify retinal microvasculature morphological features with depth, region, and age in immature and mature ovine eyes. These data identify morphological vulnerabilities in young eyes to inform the mechanics of retinal hemorrhage in children. Methods Retinal specimens from the equator and posterior pole of preterm (n = 4) and adult (n = 9) sheep were imaged using confocal microscopy. Vessel segment length, diameter, angular asymmetry, tortuosity, and branch points were quantified using a custom image segmentation code. Significant differences were identified through two-way ANOVAs and correlation analyses. Results Vessel segment lengths were significantly shorter in immature eyes compared to adults (P < 0.003) and were significantly shorter at increasing depths in the immature retina (P < 0.04). Tortuosity significantly increased with depth, regardless of age (P < 0.05). These data suggest a potential vulnerability of vasculature in the deeper retinal layers, particularly in immature eyes. Preterm retina had significantly more branch points than adult retina in both the posterior pole and equator, and the number increased significantly with depth (P < 0.001). Conclusions The increased branch points and decreased segment lengths in immature microvasculature suggest that infants will experience greater stress and strain during traumatic loading compared to adults. The increased morphological vulnerability of the immature microvasculature in the deeper layers of the retina suggest that intraretinal hemorrhages have a greater likelihood of occurring from trauma compared to preretinal hemorrhages. The morphological features captured in this study lay the foundation to explore the mechanics of retinal hemorrhage in infants and identify vulnerabilities that explain patterns of retinal hemorrhage in infants.
Continuous and Discontinuous Phase Transitions in the Laser with a Saturable Absorber

It is well known theoretically that the laser with a saturable absorber (LSA) is capable of exhibiting nonequilibrium phase transitions, analogous to the mean field first-order (discontinuous) and second order (continuous) phase transitions in equilibrium systems1,2. At the intersection of the first order and second-order line the LSA provides an example of nonequilibrium tricritical behavior2,3. Experimentally, the tricritical behavior in the LSA has not been observed. Some evidence for its existence comes from the experiments of Ruschin and Buer4. Evidence for first-order phase transition has come from the observed hysteresis in the output of the laser5. However, because of long relaxation times of of metastable states involved the first-order phase transition has not been observed directly. The second-order phase transition in the laser has already been observed6. By adding an intracavity Ne absorber tube in the He:Ne laser we have succeeded in observing both the first-order and the second-order phase transitions in the LSA. With our system we have also been able to study the tricritical behavior in the LSA.
Self-care as an ethical obligation for nurses

As members of the largest and most trusted healthcare profession, nurses are role models and critical partners in the ongoing quest for the health of their patients. Findings from the American Nurses Association Health Risk Appraisal suggested that nurses give the best patient care when they are operating at the peak of their own wellness. They also revealed that 68% of the surveyed nurses place their patients' health, safety, and wellness before their own. Globally, several nursing codes of ethics include the requirement of self-care. Often, these codes embed the responsibility to protect and promote one's own health within the clearly described obligation to provide safe patient care. The American Nurses Association Code of Ethics for Nurses is unique in that it states explicitly that nurses must adopt self-care as a duty to self in addition to their duty to provide care to patients. One of the basic assumptions of Watson's Philosophy and Science of Caring is that caring science is the essence of nursing and the foundational disciplinary core of the profession. Watson's theory of human caring provides support for the engagement in self-care. Two important value assumptions of Watson's Caritas are that "we have to learn how to offer caring, love, forgiveness, compassion, and mercy to ourselves before we can offer authentic caring and love to others" and we also must "treat ourselves with loving-kindness and equanimity, gentleness, and dignity before we can accept, respect, and care for others within a professional caring-healing model." Embedded within several caritas processes is an outline for a holistic approach to caring for self and others that can guide nurses to improve their mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health.
Joint reconstruction of initial pressure distribution and spatial distribution of acoustic properties of elastic media with application to transcranial photoacoustic tomography

Photoacoustic computed tomography (PACT) is an emerging computed imaging modality that exploits optical contrast and ultrasonic detection principles to form images of the photoacoustically induced initial pressure distribution within tissue. The PACT reconstruction problem corresponds to a time-domain inverse source problem, where the initial pressure distribution is recovered from the measurements recorded on an aperture outside the support of the source. A major challenge in transcranial PACT brain imaging is to compensate for aberrations in the measured acoustic data that are induced by propagation of the photoacoustic wavefields through the skull. To properly account for these effects, previously proposed image reconstruction methods for transcranial PACT require knowledge of the spatial distribution of the elastic parameters of the skull. However, estimating the spatial distribution of these parameters prior to the PACT experiment remains challenging. To circumvent this issue, in this work a method to jointly reconstruct the initial pressure distribution and a low-dimensional representation of the elastic parameters of the skull is developed and investigated. The joint reconstruction (JR) problem is solved by use of a proximal optimization method that allows constraints and nonsmooth regularization terms. The proposed method is evaluated by use of large-scale three-dimensional (3D) computer-simulation studies that mimic transcranial PACT experiments.
Connections Between the Meshfree Peridynamics Discretization and Graph Laplacian for Transient Diffusion Problems

Formulations for diffusion processes based on graph Laplacian kernels have been recently used to solve linear transient heat transfer problems with insulated boundary conditions by way of a spectral-based semi-analytical approach. This has been called the “spectral graph” (SG) approach. In this paper, we show that the meshfree discretization for corresponding peridynamic (PD) models leads to a graph structure that allows us to introduce the “graph Laplacian PD” (GL-PD) method using the semi-analytical approach employed in the SG approach to solve the transient heat diffusion problems. The new method, GL-PD, can be seen as a “hybrid” between SG and PD with meshfree discretization. We discuss the similarities and differences between the GL-PD and the SG approaches. Main differences are related to calibration and discretization procedures. We use a 1D heat diffusion example to highlight some limitations the spectral-based semi-analytical method in the SG approach has compared with the direct time-integration normally used in computing solutions to transient diffusion problems. We then propose an extension of the semi-analytical approach to solve transient diffusion problems with Dirichlet boundary conditions, using a recent scaling and squaring algorithm that calculates the matrix exponential of non-symmetric matrices.
Parameters of Heating Curves of Electrical Machinery

When a body is being heated by a uniform addition of a constant quantity of heat per unit time, its temperature above the ambient air (the latter being assumed to remain at a constant temperature) increases approximately according to an exponential law. The exponent is proportional to the ratio between the heat capacity of the body and the coefficient of thermal dissipation into surounding medium. In a paper read before the Institute's Midwinter Cnvention, 1925, (JOURNAL, Vol. 44, p. 142) Doctor A. FE Kennelly has proposed to include such a coefficient among other characteristics of an electrical machine. In the present paper it is pointed out that for thermal purposes an electrical machine cannot be considered as a single body, since the stator consists of two metal bodies (the winding and the core) between which there may be a considerable heat interchange, and that the rotor is also such a composite body. Differential equations of heat flow in a combinational body are established and solved. The stator winding is thermally determined by its heat capacity and its heat dissipation coefficient, and so is the stator core; further, there is a coefficient of mutual flow. The rotor also requires five similar coefficients. Thus, while an electrical machine could be defined by its thermal coefficients, and the temperature rise of the different parts predicted for a given operating regime, the number of required parameters is much larger than for a single body.
Environmental mastitis pathogens isolated from bulk tank milk collected on California dairies

The objective of this prospective study was to determine the prevalence of potential environmental bacterial mastitis pathogens in bulk tank milk, and to determine their antibiotic susceptibility patterns. Bulk tank milk samples from over 400 California dairies routinely submitting samples to the Milk Quality Laboratory were initially screened. Once potential environmental bacterial mastitis pathogens were found in bulk milk from a dairy, the dairy was repeatedly sampled on a monthly basis. Over a nine-month period, 93 dairies were identified with these bacteria, and 381 isolates were collected. Most common isolates were Streptococcus uberis (42.3%), Streptococcus dysgalactiae (16.3%) and Enterococcus faecium (10.5%). Bacterial isolates (335) from 73 dairies which had at least three isolates were subjected to Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) testing using 10 antibiotics. A wide range of susceptibility to antibiotics was found. Streptococcus dysgalactiae tended to have lower MIC values to the test antibiotics than the other isolates. The non-streptococcal bacteria tended to have the highest MIC values.
Memory-like Differentiation Enhances NK Cell Responses to Melanoma

Purpose: Treatment of advanced melanoma is a clinical challenge. Natural killer (NK) cells are a promising cellular therapy for T cell–refractory cancers, but are frequently deficient or dysfunctional in patients with melanoma. Thus, new strategies are needed to enhance NK-cell antitumor responses. Cytokine-induced memory-like (ML) differentiation overcomes many barriers in the NK-cell therapeutics field, resulting in potent cytotoxicity and enhanced cytokine production against blood cancer targets. However, the preclinical activity of ML NK against solid tumors remains largely undefined. Experimental Design: Phenotypic and functional alterations of blood and advanced melanoma infiltrating NK cells were evaluated using mass cytometry. ML NK cells from healthy donors (HD) and patients with advanced melanoma were evaluated for their ability to produce IFNγ and kill melanoma targets in vitro and in vivo using a xenograft model. Results: NK cells in advanced melanoma exhibited a decreased cytotoxic potential compared with blood NK cells. ML NK cells differentiated from HD and patients with advanced melanoma displayed enhanced IFNγ production and cytotoxicity against melanoma targets. This included ML differentiation enhancing melanoma patients9 NK-cell responses against autologous targets. The ML NK-cell response against melanoma was partially dependent on the NKG2D- and NKp46-activating receptors. Furthermore, in xenograft NSG mouse models, human ML NK cells demonstrated superior control of melanoma, compared with conventional NK cells. Conclusions: Blood NK cells from allogeneic HD or patients with advanced melanoma can be differentiated into ML NK cells for use as a novel immunotherapeutic treatment for advanced melanoma, which warrants testing in early-phase clinical trials.
Forming a conductive large area AA6061 HDPE metal-polymer composite via top plate friction stir processing

Abstract In this study, a new method of forming conductive large area metal/polymer composites called top plate friction stir processing was performed using a thin aluminum plate and HDPE sheet. To form the composite, a rotary tool uses friction to heat and stir lapped aluminum into HDPE. This method differs from other forms of friction stir processing polymers because the base material does not need modification prior to processing, increasing the total manufacturing efficiency. Upon processing, the top plate becomes the composite filler material in addition to controlling surface quality by containing the molten polymer and distributing heat. Optical analysis, electrical and thermal conductivity tests, and tensile tests were performed to determine the material distribution, conductivity, and mechanical properties of processed specimens. These tests revealed that top plate friction stir processing improved the electrical and thermal conductivity over the base HDPE. Electrical resistance across specimens measured just several ohms and thermal conductivity increased up to 108%, but mechanical properties have room for improvement.
Frailty, an Imperfect ICU Rationing Criterion.

We welcome and applaud Wilkinson’s (2021) impressive and subtle exploration of the possible (legitimate and illegitimate) considerations of frailty as a criterion for triage in times of pandemic-dr...
Context-dependent representations of movement in Drosophila dopaminergic reinforcement pathways.

Dopamine plays a central role in motivating and modifying behavior, serving to invigorate current behavioral performance and guide future actions through learning. Here we examine how this single neuromodulator can contribute to such diverse forms of behavioral modulation. By recording from the dopaminergic reinforcement pathways of the Drosophila mushroom body during active odor navigation, we reveal how their ongoing motor-associated activity relates to goal-directed behavior. We found that dopaminergic neurons correlate with different behavioral variables depending on the specific navigational strategy of an animal, such that the activity of these neurons preferentially reflects the actions most relevant to odor pursuit. Furthermore, we show that these motor correlates are translated to ongoing dopamine release, and acutely perturbing dopaminergic signaling alters the strength of odor tracking. Context-dependent representations of movement and reinforcement cues are thus multiplexed within the mushroom body dopaminergic pathways, enabling them to coordinately influence both ongoing and future behavior. By recording from the Drosophila mushroom body during active odor navigation, Zolin et al. reveal that dopaminergic reinforcement pathways encode rewards and goal-directed actions through similar patterns of neural activity and dopamine release.
Operators and their Symbols

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses operators and their symbols. Horrnander and Duistermaat introduced an important class of operators, the Fourier integral operators, with which they obtained many new results in the theory of linear partial differential equations. Their results depended on the notion of the symbol of such an operator and a functional calculus relating operators to their symbols. The class of Fourier integral operators is not linear and is not closed under composition in general. The chapter improves this calculus to a class of operators containing the Fourier integral operators, which is closed under linear combinations and composition. The usual letters are used for the usual Schwartz spaces on a Riemannian manifold. The chapter discusses the basic definitions of the symbol and related notions as well as establishes the essentials of the functional calculus. The completeness of the symbol is proved.
An Evaluation of the PNM Dense Gas Transport Theory

The current level of theoretical understanding of transport phenomena in dense media in terms of predictive ability is not clearly defined. This paper presents a partial evaluation of one type of such theory, that due to Prigogine and Nicolis and Misguich. The representation of the potential terms is qualitatively correct, but the neglect of the kinetic terms makes a precise comparison impossible. The Enskog hard sphere representation does as well or better than the more sophisticated version.
Emerging Vaccine Technologies

Vaccination has proven to be an invaluable means of preventing infectious diseases by reducing both incidence of disease and mortality. However, vaccines have not been effectively developed for many diseases including HIV-1, hepatitis C virus (HCV), tuberculosis and malaria, among others. The emergence of new technologies with a growing understanding of host-pathogen interactions and immunity may lead to efficacious vaccines against pathogens, previously thought impossible.
Exploiting large system dynamics for designing simple data center schedulers

The number and size of data centers has seen a rapid growth in the last few years. It is no longer uncommon to see large data centers with thousands or even tens of thousands of machines. Hence, it is critical to develop scalable scheduling mechanisms for processing the enormous number of jobs handled by popular paradigms such as the MapReduce framework. This work explores the possibility of simplifying the scheduling procedure by exploiting the “largeness” of the data center system. Specifically, we consider the problem of minimizing the total flow time of a sequence of jobs under the MapReduce framework, where the jobs arrive over time and need to be processed through both Map and Reduce procedures before leaving the system. We show that any work-conserving scheduler is asymptotically optimal under a wide range of traffic loads, including the heavy traffic limit. Our results are shown for scenarios in which the tasks can be preempted and served in parallel over different machines, as well as scenarios when each task has to be served only on one machine and cannot be preempted. This result implies, somewhat surprisingly, that when we have a large number of machines, there is little to be gained by optimizing beyond ensuring that a scheduler should be work-conserving. For long running applications, we also study the relationship between the number of machines and total running time, and show sufficient conditions to guarantee the asymptotic optimality of work-conserving schedulers. Further, we run extensive simulations, that indeed verify that when the total number of machines is large, state-of-the-art work-conserving schedulers have similar and close-to-optimal delay performance.
Electronically steered and focused forward-looking scan sonar

A forward-looking sonar that generates side scan like, two dimensional high-resolution images of the sea floor has been developed and built for use by the new generation of autonomous underwater vehicles under development at Florida Atlantic University. The sonar can be used to locate sea floor and midwater targets.
Multiple Cutaneous Melanomas and Clinically Atypical Moles in a Patient With a Novel Germline BAP1 Mutation.

Importance Several kindreds having germline BAP1 mutations with a propensity for uveal and cutaneous melanomas and other internal malignancies have been described in an autosomal dominant tumor predisposition syndrome. However, clinically atypical moles have not been previously recognized as a component of this syndrome, to our knowledge. We describe the first kindred to date with a germline mutation in BAP1 associated with multiple cutaneous melanomas and classic dysplastic nevus syndrome. Observations We describe a 53-year-old man who was initially seen in 2003 with dysplastic nevus syndrome, multiple atypical melanocytic proliferations showing loss of immunostaining for BAP1 , and 7 cutaneous melanomas. Germline testing was performed in the proband, his 16-year-old son, and his 13-year-old daughter, revealing a germline mutation in the BAP1 gene (c.592G>T, p.Glu198X) in the proband and in his 16-year-old son. CDKN2A and CDK4 genes were wild type. No members of this kindred reported a history of uveal melanoma. Conclusions and Relevance To our knowledge, this is the first report of a patient with multiple melanomas, dysplastic nevus syndrome, and an inactivating germline BAP1 mutation. The coexistence of dysplastic nevus syndrome and a BAP1 germline mutation extends the spectrum of the BAP1 tumor predisposition syndrome and may confer a greater risk for cutaneous melanomas.
Stress and Riemannian Metrics in Nonlinear Elasticity

In Doyle and Ericksen [1956, p. 77] it is observed that the Cauchy stress tensor σ can be derived by varying the internal energy e with respect to the Riemannian metric on space: σab = 2pбe/σgab Their formula has gone virtually unnoticed in the elasticity literature. In this lecture we shall explain some of the reasons why this formula is, in fact, of fundamental significance. Some additional reasons for its importance follow. First of all, it allows for a rational derivation of the Duhamel-Neumann hypothesis on a decomposition of the rate of deformation tensor see Sokolnikoff [1956, p. 359]), which is useful in the identification problem for constitutive functions. This derivation, due to Hughes, Marsden and Pister, is described in Marsden and Hughes [1983, p. 204–207]. Second, it is used in extending the Noll-Green-Naghdi-Rivlin balance of energy principle (using invariance under rigid body motions) to a covariant theory which allows arbitrary mappings. This is described in Section 2.4 of Marsden and Hughes [1983] and is closely related to the discussion herein. Finally, in classical relativistic field theory, it has been standard since the pioneering work of Belinfante [1939] and Rosenfeld [1940] to regard the stress-energy-momentum tensor as the derivative of the Lagrangian density with respect to the spacetime (Lorentz) metric; see for example, Hawking and Ellis [1973, Sect. 3.3] and Misner, Thorne and Wheeler [1973, Sect. 21.3]. This modern point of view has largely replaced the construction of “canonical stress-energy-momentum tensors”. Thus, for the Lagrangian formulation of elasticity (relativistic or not) the Doyle-Ericksen formulation plays the same role as the Belinfante-Rosenfeld formula and brings it into line with developments in other areas of classical field theory