cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
MSH1 Is a Plant Organellar DNA Binding and Thylakoid Protein under Precise Spatial Regulation to Alter Development

As metabolic centers, plant organelles participate in maintenance, defense, and signaling. MSH1 is a plant-specific protein involved in organellar genome stability in mitochondria and plastids. Plastid depletion of MSH1 causes heritable, non-genetic changes in development and DNA methylation. We investigated the msh1 phenotype using hemi-complementation mutants and transgene-null segregants from RNAi suppression lines to sub-compartmentalize MSH1 effects. We show that MSH1 expression is spatially regulated, specifically localizing to plastids within the epidermis and vascular parenchyma. The protein binds DNA and localizes to plastid and mitochondrial nucleoids, but fractionation and protein-protein interactions data indicate that MSH1 also associates with the thylakoid membrane. Plastid MSH1 depletion results in variegation, abiotic stress tolerance, variable growth rate, and delayed maturity. Depletion from mitochondria results in 7%-10% of plants altered in leaf morphology, heat tolerance, and mitochondrial genome stability. MSH1 does not localize within the nucleus directly, but plastid depletion produces non-genetic changes in flowering time, maturation, and growth rate that are heritable independent of MSH1. MSH1 depletion alters non-photoactive redox behavior in plastids and a sub-set of mitochondrially altered lines. Ectopic expression produces deleterious effects, underlining its strict expression control. Unraveling the complexity of the MSH1 effect offers insight into triggers of plant-specific, transgenerational adaptation behaviors.
General systems approaches in mental health administration : developing state-university collaboration programs.

Developing state-university collaboration is the process of creating mechanisms to couple two systems for mutual benefit. Collaboration requires setting new organizational boundaries for both the state agency and the university and developing new patterns of information flow within and between the organizations. Each organization’s homeostatic properties resist change; this resistance must be balanced by leaders’ attention to the organization’s developmental needs. The impact of collaboration increases tremendously after key thresholds of involvement are attained and a “critical mass” of faculty exerts a synergistic effect that shifts both the state agency and the university department to new functional states.
Role of Physical Therapists in Reducing Hospital Readmissions: Optimizing Outcomes for Older Adults During Care Transitions From Hospital to Community

Hospital readmissions in older adult populations are an emerging quality indicator for acute care hospitals. Recent evidence has linked functional decline during and after hospitalization with an elevated risk of hospital readmission. However, models of care that have been developed to reduce hospital readmission rates do not adequately address functional deficits. Physical therapists, as experts in optimizing physical function, have a strong opportunity to contribute meaningfully to care transition models and demonstrate the value of physical therapy interventions in reducing readmissions. Thus, the purposes of this perspective article are: (1) to describe the need for physical therapist input during care transitions for older adults and (2) to outline strategies for expanding physical therapy participation in care transitions for older adults, with an overall goal of reducing avoidable 30-day hospital readmissions.
Abstract 3962: Mathematical models for cellular pharmacodynamics of fractionated radiation and radiochemotherapy

Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL Cellular response to radiation is generally described by the linear-quadratic equation, but the extension to complicated fractionated schedules, and to combined exposure with chemotherapeutic drugs is not well-established. Mathematical models for cellular response are needed for predictive quantitative modeling of treatment. Here, such models are formulated using the previously developed concepts of peak damage models and additive damage, which in prior studies proved successful in describing cellular pharmacodynamics of single-agent and combination chemotherapy. The exponential form of the linear-quadratic equation is replaced by Hill or cumulative lognormal functions of the peak value over time of a quantity termed “cellular damage.” Damage is a saturating function of radiation dose. Cell survival depends on whether the peak value of cellular damage ever exceeds a threshold value during treatment. This model is tested for a range of data sets for single-dose radiation, and compares favorably with the linear-quadratic. In one data set (Park et al 2008) the dose range was sufficiently wide to show the significant overestimation of cell kill by the linear-quadratic model at high doses; the Hill/lognormal formulation behaves more satisfactorily in this limit. The model is then extended to the case of fractionated radiation through the assumption that damage decays between treatments according to first-order kinetics, and damage from different cycles is additive. The model gives a satisfactory fit to literature data with multiple fractionation schedules for the same drug and cell line. Finally, the principle of additive damage is applied to model cellular response to radiochemotherapy, with damage as a linear superposition of terms from radiation and drug. Overall, the peak cellular damage model with additive damage was found to fit in vitro dose-response data well, and provides a tool for understanding and predicting response as schedule and dose are varied in combination treatments. It is expected that these models will have application in assessment of preclinical cellular pharmacodynamics data, as well as computational simulations of treatment response. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3962. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-3962
Abstract 2626: Thiazole antibiotic/proteasome inhibitor thiostrepton against cancer

Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL Thiazole antibiotic, thiostrepton was identified as an inhibitor of oncogenic transcription factor FoxM1, later demonstrated to exhibit proteasome inhibitory activity. We found that polymeric micelle-encapsulated thiostrepton reduced tumor growth rate in MDA-MB-231-luc breast cancer xenografts. Encapsulation of thiostrepton into polymeric micelles can aid its solubilization and increase its accumulation into tumor sites. Furthermore, its anti-cancer effects on breast cancer xenografts were found to be through reducing cell proliferation and inducing cell death. Thiostrepton is sulfur containing highly modified macrocyclic antibiotic with a central pyridine/tetrapyridine/dehydropiperidine ring with up to three thiazole substituents on positions 2, 3 and 6, which has macrocyclic loop connecting thiazole rings at position 2 and 3 described as ring A. In addition, it has a quinaldic acid macrocycle also connected to thiazole on position 2 described as ring B. Structural modification of thiostrepton to thiostrepton methyl ester (with open B ring) did not demonstrate proteasome inhibitory activity. These data suggest that B ring of thiostrepton and similar thiazole antibiotic Siomycin A that is absent in other thiazole antibiotics determines the proteasome inhibitory activity of these drugs. We investigated the therapeutic potential of the combination of thiostrepton and proteasome inhibitor bortezomib (Velcade) on various human tumor cell lines. Combination of sublethal concentrations of thiostrepton and bortezomib induced potent apoptosis and inhibition of long-term colony formation in a wide variety of human cancer cell lines. The synergistic realtionship between thiostrepton and bortezomib combination was also quantitatively demonstrated by low combination index between 0.1 and 0.8. The synergy between these drugs was based on their proteasome inhibitory activities of both drugs, because structurally similar thiostrepton modification, thiostrepton methyl ester that did not have proteasome inhibitory activity failed to increase apoptosis in combination with bortezomib Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2626. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-2626
A Formalized Daily Review Reduces the Critical Value Callback Defects

The Joint Commission requires healthcare organizations to track and improve the timeliness of reporting and receipt of critical test results. As part of our daily management, we initiated a formalized daily review of the critical value callbacks (CVC) by the directorial and the technical staff of the clinical core laboratory. A CVC defect was defined as a CVC pending …
Analysis on healthy life expectancy of elderly people in a district of Shanghai

Objective:To calculate healthy life expectancy(HLE)for people aged 60 and above in Jing'an District,and to analyze the change of HLE in 10 years.Methods:A total of 3 049 elderly people were chosen by multi-stage stratified random cluster sampling in 2011,Sullivan's method was used to calculate their HLE.Results:Life expectancy(LE)and HLE at 60~ years old in 2011 were 26.3 years and 18.94 years,LE for females was greater than that for males in all age groups,but HLE for males was greater than that for females.Diseases were the main factors affecting the quality of elderly people's lives.Disability prevalence for cerebrovascular disease was 60.9%.Conclusion:To extend HLE of elderly people,chronic non-communicable diseases should be prevented and controlled,and medical care services for females should be enhanced.
Cervical esophagogastric anastomosis for benign disease. Functional results.

Ninety-one adult patients (average age 49 years) with various benign esophageal disorders treated by total thoracic esophagectomy and a cervical esophagogastric anastomosis have been followed up with personal interviews and examinations from 6 to 104 months (average 34 months). Outpatient esophageal dilation has been used liberally for any degree of postoperative cervical dysphagia. At their latest follow-up, 39 patients (43%) eat without dysphagia; four patients (4%) have mild dysphagia necessitating no treatment; 34 patients (37%) have undergone one to three dilations during the first 6 to 12 postoperative months for intermittent dysphagia; and 14 patients (16%) have more severe dysphagia necessitating regular anastomotic dilations (two thirds of these perform home self-dilations). Mild regurgitation of gastric contents has been experienced by 27 (30%), particularly when recumbent after eating, but only four patients sleep with the head of the bed elevated to prevent nocturnal regurgitation. No patient has had pulmonary complications resulting from aspiration. Twenty patients (22%) have had varying degrees of “dumping syndrome,” generally transient and well controlled with medication. Two patients have required an additional gastric drainage operation 16 months and 82 months, respectively, after the esophagectomy. At their latest evaluation, 33% of the patients weigh 3 to 83 (average 19) pounds more than they weighed preoperatively, 38% weigh 5 to 40 (average 12) pounds less, and 29% have had no change in their weight. The stomach functions well as a visceral esophageal substitute and, like the esophagus, is more thick-walled and resilient than colon. Significant gastroesophageal reflux is uncommon after a properly performed cervical esophagogastric anastomosis. Postoperative dysphagia can be minimized by attention to technique in constructing the anastomosis. These data support our belief that the stomach is the preferred organ for esophageal replacement, not only for carcinoma, but also for benign diseases as well.
Cholinergic interneurons in the Q140 knockin mouse model of Huntington's disease: Reductions in dendritic branching and thalamostriatal input

We have previously found that thalamostriatal axodendritic terminals are reduced as early as 1 month of age in heterozygous Q140 HD mice (Deng et al. [] Neurobiol Dis 60:89-107). Because cholinergic interneurons are a major target of thalamic axodendritic terminals, we examined the VGLUT2-immunolabeled thalamic input to striatal cholinergic interneurons in heterozygous Q140 males at 1 and 4 months of age, using choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) immunolabeling to identify cholinergic interneurons. Although blinded neuron counts showed that ChAT+ perikarya were in normal abundance in Q140 mice, size measurements indicated that they were significantly smaller. Sholl analysis further revealed the dendrites of Q140 ChAT+ interneurons were significantly fewer and shorter. Consistent with the light microscopic data, ultrastructural analysis showed that the number of ChAT+ dendritic profiles per unit area of striatum was significantly decreased in Q140 striata, as was the abundance of VGLUT2+ axodendritic terminals making synaptic contact with ChAT+ dendrites per unit area of striatum. The density of thalamic terminals along individual cholinergic dendrites was, however, largely unaltered, indicating that the reduction in the areal striatal density of axodendritic thalamic terminals on cholinergic neurons was due to their dendritic territory loss. These results show that the abundance of thalamic input to individual striatal cholinergic interneurons is reduced early in the life span of Q140 mice, raising the possibility that this may occur in human HD as well. Because cholinergic interneurons differentially affect striatal direct vs. indirect pathway spiny projection neurons, their reduced thalamic excitatory drive may contribute to early abnormalities in movement in HD. J. Comp. Neurol. 524:3518-3529, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Creativity in the Design Curriculum

AbstractThis paper presents the results of empirical research from a university class for design students in creative problem solving. A small group of students received training in creativity and are compared with a larger group of design students who did not. Measured creativity of the treatment group significantly increased, apparently as a result of the class. This paper argues that creativity may require specific training to develop; at the very least, training is valuable in developing creativity in early design students. The nature of creativity and the structure of the class are described, followed by an outline of the research methodology and the use of the verbal Torrance Test of Creative Thinking.
Large reductions are possible in older driver crashes at intersections

Among all crash types, the largest percentage of older driver fatalities occur at intersections. Many explanations have been offered for older drivers' increased risks of crashing at intersections; however, only recently was it determined that older drivers were much less likely to glance for latent threats after entering an intersection than middle-aged drivers. In response, training programmes were designed to increase the frequency of such glances. The programmes have proven effective, doubling the frequency of these glances for up to a period of two years post-training. The programmes take only an hour to administer and are not directly targeted at remediating any of the underlying declines in cognitive, visual or motor function that can explain the decrease in the frequency of glances for threat vehicles among older drivers. The first question we addressed was, what are the basic declines that can explain the decrease in glances for threat vehicles? The second question we addressed was, how did the training programme achieve the results it did without directly addressing these declines? We hypothesise that drivers are learning to decouple hand, foot and head movements in the training programmes and that this serialisation of behaviour essentially sidesteps the major declines in cognitive, visual and motor functions. We provide evidence that the assumptions of the decoupling hypothesis about the capabilities of older drivers when the movements are decoupled, are consistent with the evidence from existing experiments. More research is needed to evaluate this hypothesis.
Novel electro-optically coupled MR-compatible PET detectors

A new magnetic resonance(MR) compatible PET detector design is being developed that uses electro-optical coupling to bring the amplitude and arrival time information of high speed scintillation pulses out of an MR system. The electro-optical coupling consists of a magnetically insensitive photodetector connected to a non-magnetic vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) diode. This scheme essentially acts as an optical wire. When compared to signal transmission over standard co-axial cables, electro-optical coupling will have little influence on a MR system because the optical fibers are not conductive. A single 3 mm × 3 mm × 20 mm LYSO crystal coupled to a SENSL SPMArray 3035G16 was placed in coincidence with a 4 mm × 4 mm × 4 mm LSO crystal coupled to a R9779-20 Hamamatsu PMT with and without non-magnetic VCSEL laser coupling. No change was measured in energy resolution of 15.6 +/− 0.4 % with electro-optical coupling versus coax-coupling energy resolution 15.5 +/− 0.4%. Also, no change in coincidence time resolution was measured between electro-optical coupling with 1.30 +/− 0.01 ns FWHM versus coax at 1.32 +/− 0.02 ns FWHM. High speed analog modulation using the VCSEL laser was successful and paves the way for a MR compatible PET block detector that has a significantly reduced electronic footprint than a standard MR compatible PET detector. This may provide the way to create a large axial FOV whole body clinical PET system that will have very little influence on a whole body clinical MR system performance.
On the Necessity of Ethical Guidelines for Novel Neurotechnologies

Because novel neurotechnologies may alter human identity and society in profound ways, we advocate for the early integration of ethics into neurotechnology. We recommend developing and adopting a set of guidelines, like the Belmont Report on human subject research, as a framework for development and use of brain-related technologies.
A Newborn Who Has Previously Undiagnosed Hydrops Fetalis

A 36-week appropriate-for-gestational age male was born with hydrops fetalis that was not diagnosed prenatally. The birth hospital had a Level II nursery. Pertinent points in the history include: Born to a 24-year-old G2P0010 (previous first-trimester spontaneous abortionwoman by emergency cesarean section due to failure to progress and decreased fetal heart rate variability. ### Prenatal Laboratory Results Preterm labor occurred 1 week prior to delivery, but was stopped successfully with tocolysis, and the mother was sent home after 6 hours of observation. Rupture of membranes occurred 6 hours prior to delivery with clear fluid. At delivery, the infant appeared grossly edematous, dusky, and floppy, with no spontaneous respiratory effort. Endotracheal intubation was difficult because of airway edema. Resuscitation consisted of positive pressure ventilation, chest compressions, and epinephrine administration via an umbilical venous catheter. ### Initial Arterial Blood Gas Results A chest radiograph showed bilateral pleural effusions. A kidney-ureter-bladder (KUB) radiograph showed ascites. Pleurocentesis released 45 mL of straw-colored fluid from the left side of the chest, but none from the right side of the chest. A total of 15 mL of straw-colored fluid was removed from the abdomen via paracentesis. ### Follow-up Arterial Blood Gas Results On physical examination, the infant exhibited gross body edema but no dysmorphic features. A II/VI systolic murmur was heard at the left sternal border. The liver was palpable 3 cm below the costal margin. There was mild glandular hypospadias with a minimal chordee, but testes were descended bilaterally. The infant developed seizures and received a loading dose of 20 …
Correlations between the Grenville Province and Sveconorwegian Orogenic Belt — Implications for Proterozoic Evolution of the Southern Margins of the Canadian and Baltic Shields

Adopting the hypothesis that the Grenville and Sveconorwegian fronts were part of the same tectonic margin during Lower-Middle Proterozoic times, and that the Baltic Shield rotated clockwise relative to the Canadian Shield prior to, and (or) during the Grenville Orogeny, the following model is proposed. The Archean cratons extending from Wyoming, U.S.A. to central Europe formed a linear protocontinent, on the peripheries of which continental margin sediments accumulated. Subsequently the southern Canadian and Baltic Shields bee ame the site of a long—lived Lower to Middle Proterozoic continental margin convergent plate boundary. Rotation of the Baltic Shield relative to the Canadian Shield initiated an intermittent Middle Proterozoic rifting regime and eventually caused progressive collision along the Canadian-Baltic Shield mutual southern boundaries, resulting in interior thrusting and regional structural trends oblique to orogen margins. A complimentary tensional regime farther north eventually triggered Late Proterozoic rifting that presaged the early Phanerozoic Iapetus Ocean.
Cardiac CT and MR Applications in Electrophysiology

The aims of this article are to discuss the role of cardiac computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) applications in cardiac electrophysiology and to review recent literature including emerging technologies. Applications of CT and MR are relevant to electrophysiology procedures in patients with both atrial and ventricular arrhythmias. CT and MR can identify anatomic landmarks and barriers to successful pulmonary vein ablation and left atrial appendage ligation. Further, the excellent tissue characterization provided by cardiac MR allows rapid identification of ventricular ablation targets without the use of ionizing radiation. The use of MR in patients with implanted cardiac devices has been an area of ongoing research as has the emerging technology of real-time interventional cardiac MR to guide electrophysiology procedures. Familiarity with these CT/MR techniques and applications will allow radiologists to further assist our colleagues in electrophysiology and to participate in this growing field.
The Health Correlates of Culture: Examining the Association Between Ethnic-Racial Identity and Diurnal Cortisol Slopes.

Abstract Purpose The objective of this study was to examine the link between ethnic-racial identity (ERI) components (exploration, resolution, and affirmation) and youths' diurnal cortisol slopes. Methods A sample of 103 U.S.-Mexican adolescents (M age = 15.29 years) living in the Southwest participated in an in-home interview and 3-day salivary sampling protocol. Results ERI affirmation, but not exploration or resolution, was related to steeper diurnal slopes (greater declines in cortisol from waking to bedtime) after controlling for adolescents' life stressors, acculturation level, ethnic-racial discrimination, and daily behaviors (i.e., caffeine use, hours of exercise, hours of sleep, and medication level). Conclusions This study provides initial evidence of the physiological benefits of ERI affirmation. Given that steeper diurnal slopes are thought of as an indicator of positive health, our findings point to the importance of examining cultural processes in the well-being of ethnic-racial minority youth.
Before and after the veterans affairs cooperative program 468 study: Deep brain stimulator target selection for treatment of Parkinson's disease

Abstract Introduction The Veterans Affairs Cooperative Study Program 468 study (CSP 468) produced significant findings regarding deep brain stimulation (DBS) target selection for Parkinson's Disease (PD) treatment, yet its impact on clinical practices has not been described. Here we assess how CSP 468 influenced target selection at a high-volume movement disorders treatment center. Methods We compared DBS target site selection between 4-year periods that immediately preceded and followed CSP 468 publication. Additionally, we examined how baseline clinical features influenced target selection following CSP 468. Results The STN was the predominant site of DBS implantation before and after CSP 468 publication (93.2% of cases, and 60.4%, respectively), but GPi targeting increased significantly following CSP 468 publication (from 5.3% to 37.4%; p Conclusions Key findings of CSP 468 were reflected in our target selection of DBS for Parkinson's Disease. Following CSP 468, GPi targeting increased, and it was selected for patients with poorer cognitive and mood indices.
Are Socioeconomic Inequalities in Physical Health Mediated by Embodied Environmental Toxins

Although established theoretical models suggest that socioeconomic inequalities in physical health are partially mediated or explained by exposures to environmental toxins, there is little empirica...
Insights into the Zonal-Mean Response of the Hydrologic Cycle to Global Warming from a Diffusive Energy Balance Model

AbstractRecent studies have shown that the change in poleward energy transport under global warming is well approximated by downgradient transport of near-surface moist static energy (MSE) modulate...
Strategies for Accessing Volume Markets in the Beef Industry: A Review of Three Case Studies

Given the increasing consolidation in the U.S. meat industry, smaller and specialty producers often have difficulty breaking into the market in profitable volumes. This paper examines three cooperative models for specialty beef producers. We offer a realistic examination of the potential for success of each model. Based on this, we identify the key attributes for a new model and offer guidance for future research efforts.
Lagrangian Dispersion Models

As introduced in Chapter 6, Lagrangian models provide an alternative method for simulating atmospheric diffusion. They are called Lagrangian because they describe fluid elements that follow the instantaneous flow. The “Lagrangian” term was initially used to distinguish the Lagrangian box models described in Section 8.2 from the Eulerian box models described in Section 6.4. In this case, the difference is manifest, since the Eulerian box does not move, while the Lagrangian box follows the average wind trajectory. The term has, however, been extended to describe all models in which plumes are broken up into “elements,” such as segments (see Section 7.7), puffs (see Section 7.8) or fictitious particles (see Section 8.3).
DYNAMIC ANALYSIS OF FLOATING BREAKWATER MOORING SYSTEMS

This paper presents a numerical model for computation of floating breakwater mooring forces. The model is based on time domain mooring analysis techniques which permit simulation of: (1) nonlinear mooring line load characteristics and (2) mooring line loads associated with second order wave drift forces. Numerical model results are compared to physical model tests (Torum, 1989) and prototype measurements (Nelson and Broderick, 1986) . These comparisons demonstrate that the numerical model provides good estimates of floating breakwater mooring line forces. Accordingly, it is concluded that the numerical model serves as a useful engineering tool for analysis and design of floating breakwater mooring systems.
Pulmonary Hypertension Associated with Connective Tissue Disease.

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) commonly complicates connective tissue disease and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in this population. The incidence of PH varies widely between connective tissue diseases; patients with systemic sclerosis are most likely to develop PH. Several different types of PH can present in CTD, including PH related to left heart disease, respiratory disease such as interstitial lung disease or chronic obstructive lung disease, chronic thromboembolic disease, and renal disease. Importantly, CTD patients are at risk for developing pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), in which PH is present without any of the aforementioned co-morbidities. However, despite this increased risk of development of PH, patients with PAH may benefit from specific pulmonary vasodilator therapy and thus, are an important group to identify. Unfortunately, response to pulmonary vasodilator therapy in general is less robust and survival is worse in CTD-associated PAH than in other patient populations with PAH. Still, early diagnosis and treatment of PH, if indicated, may allow for institution of pulmonary vasodilator therapy and for appropriate referral for lung transplantation.
Reviving the Nuanced Concept of Mother Earth in an Era of Non-Sustainability: A Serresian Reading of Marcel Pagnol’s L’eau des collines

This essay examines the efforts of the writer Marcel Pagnol and the philosopher Michel Serres to revive the nuanced Amerindian metaphor of “Mother Earth” in the Anthropocene epoch. Given that faulty anthropocentric logic and the unfounded doctrine of human exceptionalism concretize the nexus of the current era of non-sustainability, Pagnol and Serres attempt to breathe life back into this often misunderstood, multifaceted concept in an effort to (re-)envision a healthier relationship with the cosmic whole that sustains the existence of all sentient and non-sentient beings. As this study highlights, this rich Amerindian metaphor opens up into philosophical, spiritual, and scientific dimensions. Moreover, this investigation of the common threads that exist between Pagnol’s prose and Serres’s interdisciplinary, unconventional philosophy reveals the deep symbolism of the Amerindian metaphor of “Mother Earth. This ecocentric concept could represent an invaluable point of departure for articulating the radical paradigm shift in our homocentric thinking that is paramount in order to avert the impending, anthropogenic ecological crisis that threatens to destroy all abundant life on this planet. Pagnol’s prose and Serres’s philosophy promote a different way of being in the world in a human-centered universe that is increasingly defined by an environmental calamity of epic proportions.
Pink-awned weedy rice (Oryza sativa): a potential conduit for gene exchange in rice agro-ecosystems

Hybridisation between genetically distinct lineages results in increases in overall genetic diversity and is a potential mechanism for the origin and spread of adaptive alleles. Weed and crop hybridisation may result in weedy ecotypes, which have, in addition to classic weedy traits such as seed shattering and long seed dormancy, crop traits that enhance weediness, such as adaptation to field cultivation and harvest strategies. Weedy rice (Oryza sativa) hybridises with cultivated rice and, in the process, may produce new (pink‐awned) weedy rice varieties. Pink‐awned (PA) weedy rice plants have been observed in rice fields in Arkansas. We explored the genetic relationships between PA weedy rice, crop rice, global rice accessions and other weedy rice ecotypes present in the southern United States. Gene sequencing of 48 sequence‐tagged sites (STS loci) revealed a pattern of hybridisation and gene flow between blackhull weedy rice and tropical japonica rice (O. sativa subsp. japonica) cultivars. Our data suggest that PA rice originates from hybridisation between blackhull weedy rice and tropical japonica rice. PA rice offspring segregate phenotypic traits associated with weediness in rice. This segregation could lead to adaptive allele combinations in PA rice, which could potentially move into other weedy rice types through subsequent hybridisation events.
Bacterial symbionts use a type VI secretion system to eliminate competitors in their natural host.

Intraspecific competition describes the negative interaction that occurs when different populations of the same species attempt to fill the same niche. Such competition is predicted to occur among host-associated bacteria but has been challenging to study in natural biological systems. Although many bioluminescent Vibrio fischeri strains exist in seawater, only a few strains are found in the light-organ crypts of an individual wild-caught Euprymna scolopes squid, suggesting a possible role for intraspecific competition during early colonization. Using a culture-based assay to investigate the interactions of different V. fischeri strains, we found “lethal” and “nonlethal” isolates that could kill or not kill the well-studied light-organ isolate ES114, respectively. The killing phenotype of these lethal strains required a type VI secretion system (T6SS) encoded in a 50-kb genomic island. Multiple lethal and nonlethal strains could be cultured from the light organs of individual wild-caught adult squid. Although lethal strains eliminate nonlethal strains in vitro, two lethal strains could coexist in interspersed microcolonies that formed in a T6SS-dependent manner. This coexistence was destabilized upon physical mixing, resulting in one lethal strain consistently eliminating the other. When juvenile squid were coinoculated with lethal and nonlethal strains, they occupied different crypts, yet they were observed to coexist within crypts when T6SS function was disrupted. These findings, using a combination of natural isolates and experimental approaches in vitro and in the animal host, reveal the importance of T6SS in spatially separating strains during the establishment of host colonization in a natural symbiosis.
DOA Estimation of Nonstationary Signals

Abstract In this chapter, we discuss the direction finding problem of sources emitting or inducing nonstationary signals. The focus is on signals which are uniquely characterized by their instantaneous frequencies. Recognizing the quadratic time-frequency distributions as an effective tool to localize signal power in the time-frequency domain, we present nonstationary array processing in the context of time-frequency signal representations. The spatial time-frequency distribution (STFD) framework is used to re-introduce high-resolution direction-of-arrival estimation methods, in which a matrix of auto- and cross-bilinear distributions of the data observations across the array is used in lieu of the traditional covariance matrix. The high signal-to-noise ratio, achieved by selecting the entire, or part of the source time-frequency signatures, improves subspace and source angle estimations over covariance-based subspace methods. The chapter discusses time-frequency MUSIC, time-frequency maximum likelihood, and time-frequency ESPRIT methods. It also uses the STFD framework for direction finding in multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) configurations.
Joint Shock/Death Risk Prediction Model for Patients Considering Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillators.

Background The risk of death or appropriate therapy varies widely among recipients of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs). The goals of this study were to develop a risk prediction tool that jointly considers future outcome probabilities of ICD shock and death. Methods and results We performed a secondary analysis of patients receiving ICDs as part of the SCD-HeFT trial (Sudden Cardiac Death in Heart Failure Trial). We applied an illness-death regression model to jointly model both ICD shocks and death under the semi-competing risks framework, which predicts for each patient their probability of having received ICD shocks, dying, or both at any given point in time. Among 803 ICD recipients (mean age, 60 years; 23% women) followed for a median of 41.1 months, 430 (53.5%) patients completed the study without dying or receiving an ICD shock, 206 (25.7%) received at least 1 shock but survived, 113 (14.1%) died before experiencing a shock, and 54 (6.7%) received at least 1 shock and subsequently died. Predicted outcome probabilities based on baseline demographic and clinical variables reveal substantial heterogeneity in joint shock and death risks, both between patients at each time point and for each single patient across time. Overall, predictive performance for ICD shock and death individually was adequate, based on area under the curve at 5 years of 0.65 for shocks and of 0.79 for death. Conclusions Our analysis of outcomes after ICD implantation provides an alternative predictive model for individual risk of death or ICD shocks. If validated, this may provide a useful tool for individualized counseling regarding likely outcomes after device implantation, while also informing the design of further studies to focus the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of ICD therapy. Clinical trial registration URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00000609.
Normal myocardial native T 1 values in children using single-point saturation recovery and modified look-locker inversion recovery (MOLLI).

BACKGROUND T1 mapping is useful to quantify diffuse myocardial processes such as fibrosis, edema, storage disorders, or hemochromatosis. Normal pediatric myocardial T1 values are scarce using modified Look-Locker inversion recovery (MOLLI) sequences and unavailable using Smart1Map, a single-point saturation recovery sequence that measures true T1 . PURPOSE/HYPOTHESIS To establish normal pediatric myocardial T1 values by Smart1Map and to compare them with T1 by MOLLI. STUDY TYPE Prospective cohort study. SUBJECTS Thirty-four children and adolescents aged 8-18 years (14 males) without cardiovascular or inflammatory diseases. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCES 1.5T, MOLLI, Smart1Map. ASSESSMENT Mean T1 values of the left ventricular myocardium, the interventricular septum, and the blood pool were measured with MOLLI and Smart1Map in basal, mid-ventricular, and apical short axis slices. STATISTICAL TESTS T1 values were compared between locations and methods by paired samples t-tests, Wilcoxon signed ranks test, repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA), or Friedman's test. Pearson's correlation coefficient was calculated. For interobserver variability, intraclass correlation coefficients and coefficients of variation were calculated, and Bland-Altman analyses were performed. RESULTS T1 values were longer by Smart1Map than by MOLLI in all measured locations (myocardium: 1191-1221 vs. 990-1042 msec; all P 0.05) by either method. Septal vs. total myocardial T1 values in each slice did not differ by MOLLI (basal P = 0.371; mid-ventricular P = 0.08; apical P = 0.378) nor by Smart1Map (basal P = 0.056; mid-ventricular P = 0.918; apical P = 0. 392), after artifacts had been carefully excluded. DATA CONCLUSION We established pediatric normal native T1 values using the Smart1Map sequence and compared the results with T1 mapping with MOLLI. Septal T1 values did not differ from total myocardial T1 values in each of the myocardial slices. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 2 Technical Efficacy: Stage 2 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2020;51:897-903.
Microbial toxicity of gallium- and indium-based oxide and arsenide nanoparticles

III-V semiconductor materials such as gallium arsenide (GaAs) and indium arsenide (InAs) are increasingly used in the fabrication of electronic devices. There is a growing concern about the potential release of these materials into the environment leading to effects on public and environmental health. The waste effluents from the chemical mechanical planarization process could impact microorganisms in biological wastewater treatment systems. Currently, there is only limited information about the inhibition of gallium- and indium-based nanoparticles (NPs) on microorganisms. This study evaluated the acute toxicity of GaAs, InAs, gallium oxide (Ga2O3), and indium oxide (In2O3) particulates using two microbial inhibition assays targeting methanogenic archaea and the marine bacterium, Aliivibrio fischeri. GaAs and InAs NPs were acutely toxic towards these microorganisms; Ga2O3 and In2O3 NPs were not. The toxic effect was mainly due to the release of soluble arsenic species and it increased with decreasing particle size and with increasing time due to the progressive corrosion of the NPs in the aqueous bioassay medium. Collectively, the results indicate that the toxicity exerted by the arsenide NPs under environmental conditions will vary depending on intrinsic properties of the material such as particle size as well as on the dissolution time and aqueous chemistry.
VIDEODINING IN OLDER ADULTS AGING IN PLACE: A FEASIBILITY AND ACCEPTABILITY STUDY

Loneliness and a loss of commensality contribute to the decline in nutritional status observed in older adults. The use of video chatting while dining, i.e. “VideoDining”, provides an opportunity for older adults to eat with another person virtually while dining at home. We tested the acceptability and feasibility of VideoDining in older adults receiving Meals on Wheels (MOW) and explored whether it changed meal intake. Participants were recruited from a rural county in NY and ate their MOW meal while VideoDining with a companion diner at a different location. To assess acceptability, we conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with each participant and companion diners completed a written survey. The amount of the VideoDining meal consumed was compared to usual intake from three days of food records. 140 MOW clients were contacted,13 agreed to participate and 10 completed the VideoDining experience. Barriers to participation included being uncomfortable with the technology, lack of internet service and illness. Participants were 80% female, 100% white, and all lived alone. Average meal length was 39 minutes and 40% ate more than usual, 30% ate the same, and 30% ate less. Reasons for eating less included being nervous and eating when not their usual mealtime. All participants reported they would VideoDine again and companion diners rated the overall experience a 9.2 out of 10. Older adults are able to VideoDine with a new acquaintance and have a positive experience. Further study is needed to determine if VideoDining can increase dietary intake and decrease loneliness in older adults.
Performance of empirical Bayes estimation techniques used in probabilistic risk assessment

Abstract This paper analyzes, validates, compares, and contrasts parameter estimation techniques used in probabilistic risk assessment. The analysis and validation are performed using computer-simulated as well as real-world component reliability data collected in nuclear industry. The analysis is focused on parametric and nonparametric empirical Bayes as well as frequentists methods. Different techniques are analyzed in terms of total squared error risk. A recently published nonparametric Bayes method based on the solution of an integral equation is described and its performance is contrasted with parametric and hierarchical Bayes. The results show that the nonparametric Bayes can achieve a smaller squared error risk than other Bayesian methods and maximum likelihood estimators when applied to the data collected at different nuclear power plants. However, the improvement produced by empirical Bayes techniques is not uniform and cannot be guaranteed for each and every plant. The paper shows strengths and limitations of different estimations techniques and concludes with practical recommendations.
Prevention of Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections in Children: Current Challenges and Opportunities

No longer are healthcare-acquired conditions considered expected costs of care. Given the lack of randomized controlled trials in children, often we are left with extrapolating from adult literature, recommended prevention bundles, and expert opinion. Additionally, strategies that are considered adjunct to the standard prevention bundles have been examined. Here, we review standard central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) prevention bundles as well as adjunct prevention strategies. Due to the mortality and morbidity risk, indirect and direct costs, and the inevitable penalties associated with these largely preventable harms, we must reliably implement bundles to avoid these healthcare-acquired infections.
Shear-induced dispersion in peristaltic flow

The effective diffusivity of a Brownian tracer in unidirectional flow is well known to be enhanced due to shear by the classic phenomenon of Taylor dispersion. At long times, the average concentration of the tracer follows a simplified advection–diffusion equation with an effective shear-dependent dispersivity. In this work, we make use of the generalized Taylor dispersion theory for periodic domains to analyze tracer dispersion by peristaltic pumping. In channels with small aspect ratios, asymptotic expansions in the lubrication limit are employed to obtain analytical expressions for the dispersion coefficient at both small and high Peclet numbers. Channels of arbitrary aspect ratios are also considered using a boundary integral formulation for the fluid flow coupled to a conservation equation for the effective dispersivity, which is solved using the finite-volume method. Our theoretical calculations, which compare well with results from Brownian dynamics simulations, elucidate the effects of channel geometry and pumping strength on shear-induced dispersion. We further discuss the connection between the present problem and dispersion due to Taylor’s swimming sheet and interpret our results in the purely diffusive regime in the context of Fick–Jacobs theory. Our results provide the theoretical basis for understanding passive scalar transport in peristaltic flow, for instance, in the ureter or in microfluidic peristaltic pumps.
Investigating the Effects of Interruptions and Reliable Cueing on Change Detection within Dynamic Scenes

The goal of the present study was to examine the effects of cuing and task interruptions on change detection within dynamic scenes. Undergraduate students watched 24 brief videos (12 containing int...
AR/VR Tutorial System for Human-Robot Teaming

The role of human-robot teaming (HRT), or the interaction between humans and robots to complete tasks, is becoming increasingly important in the modern age. From medicine to military applications, robots have established themselves as powerful tools in the completion of human-directed objectives. Given the importance of this teaming, it is equally important that there exists a system to develop such partnerships. For this purpose we present a tutorial based on the framework of the Project Aquaticus human-robot teaming test-bed, where participants in previous experiments felt overwhelmed while working with an autonomous robot teammate. To improve and develop this participant-robot relationship, we developed a tutorial for HRT using the Unity game engine. The Project Aquaticus test-bed centers around a game of capture-the-flag played in boats on the water, where each team is equipped with two human-steered boats and two autonomous robot teammates. The tutorial is designed based on the analysis of previous literature and includes features found in other, effective training systems and tutorials. The creation of this automated tutorial system shows promise in improving the effectiveness of HRT in the context of Project Aquaticus. In the near future, the effectiveness of this tutorial system will be tested with human subjects to evaluate improvements to situational awareness and cognitive load.