cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The role and identification of dialog acts in online chat

In recent years, online chat has become a dominant mode of communication. This text-based medium has the potential of improving information awareness within an organization, but only if the critical information within messages can be identified and directed to where it is most needed. Such a goal has many challenges that traditional Information Extraction (IE) approaches have rarely addressed: the text is "dirty" (containing typos, misspellings, sparse punctuation, etc.), messages are fragmented and refer implicitly to previous messages and shared knowledge, messages from multiple topics are interleaved, etc. Past work in conversation analysis has included in-depth discussions of dialog acts, i.e., the individual utterances that comprise conversations. This paper describes how dialog acts within online chat differ from those within two-person voice conversations. It then presents methods for identifying dialog acts and the role that dialog acts play in identifying individual conversations within a chat stream. Identifying conversations is a necessary step for extracting actionable information, such as identifying individuals with specific expertise, recognizing reports of offline activities, and alerting decision makers to critical developments. Finally, we describe Chat-IE, a prototype software system that performs live dialog identification on chat streams.
Locating Multiples of Primes in Pascal's Triangle

(1989). Locating Multiples of Primes in Pascal's Triangle. The College Mathematics Journal: Vol. 20, No. 4, pp. 324-328.
Regulation of macrophage polarization and plasticity by complex activation signals

Macrophages are versatile cells of the immune system that play an important role in both advancing and resolving inflammation. Macrophage activation has been described as a continuum, and different stimuli lead to M1, M2, or mixed phenotypes. In addition, macrophages expressing markers associated with both M1 and M2 function are observed in vivo. Using flow cytometry, we examine how macrophage populations respond to combined M1 and M2 activation signals, presented either simultaneously or sequentially. We demonstrate that macrophages exposed to a combination of LPS, IFN-γ, IL-4, and IL-13 acquire a mixed activation state, with individual cells expressing both M1 marker CD86 and M2 marker CD206 instead of polarizing to discrete phenotypes. Over time, co-stimulated macrophages lose expression of CD86 and display increased expression of CD206. In addition, we find that exposure to LPS/IFN-γ potentiates the subsequent response to IL-4/IL-13, whereas pre-polarization with IL-4/IL-13 inhibits the response to LPS/IFN-γ. Mathematical modeling of candidate regulatory networks indicates that a complex inter-dependence of M1- and M2-associated pathways underlies macrophage activation. Specifically, a mutual inhibition motif was not by itself sufficient to reproduce the temporal marker expression data; incoherent feed-forward of M1 activation as well as both inhibition and activation of M2 by M1 were required. Together these results corroborate a continuum model of macrophage activation and demonstrate that phenotypic markers evolve with time and with exposure to complex signals.
Lab-on-a-chip mRNA purification and reverse transcription via a solid-phase gene extraction technique

Extraction and purification of high quality RNA is a crucial initial step required for a variety of genomic assays. We report a solid phase gene extraction (SPGE) method for automated extraction, purification and reverse transcription of mRNA in a microfluidic device. This is performed using a 130 μm diameter stainless steel needle that is amino-linked to dT(15) oligonucleotides for selective hybridization of mRNA. By inserting this probe into the biological sample for only 30 seconds, mRNA is captured with high selectivity and a yield greater than 10 pg per mm of probe length. The probe is then inserted into a lab-on-a-chip device, where the bound poly-adenylated RNA is thermally released and immediately reverse transcribed for subsequent PCR amplification. The insertion of the probe into the microfluidic device is straightforward: the microchannel is formed with an elastomer (PDMS) that, when punctured, will seal around the probe. The specificity and RNA loading capacity of the probes were evaluated using conventional qPCR. This procedure was successfully used to extract, purify, and transcribe mRNA from rat glioblastoma cell spheroids in less than seven minutes. Analysis of the product confirmed that the SPGE technique selectively captures and inherently purifies high-quality mRNA directly from biological material with no need for additional pre-processing steps. Integrating this elegant sample preparation method into a complete lab-on-a-chip system will substantially enhance the speed and automation of mRNA assays for research and clinical diagnostics.
Now you see race, now you don’t: Verbal cues influence children’s racial stability judgments

Abstract Research suggests that young children do not consistently believe that race is stable (e.g., that a Black child will grow up to be a Black adult). Here, we tested the strength of White and minority children’s beliefs by testing whether verbal cues influenced the extent to which they believed in the relative stability of race versus emotional expression. We presented participants (5–6 years, 9–10 years, adults) with images of children who were Black or White, and happy or angry, and asked them to indicate which of two adults each child would grow up to be: one matching on emotion but not race, or one matching on race but not emotion. Verbal cuing had strong effects on both younger and older children's choices (e.g., cuing emotional expressions strengthened emotion-matches; cuing skin color strengthened race-matches), although racial minorities were less susceptible to cuing. Verbal cues had weaker effects on children's judgments about the stability of gender. These results show that race concepts vary across age and racial groups, that verbal framing influences younger and older children’s beliefs about racial stability, and that belief in racial stability is relatively weak between the ages of 5 and 10.
Postmortem Analysis and the Role of the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory

The clinical microbiology laboratory frequently receives specimens for culture collected at autopsy. The results generated from these culture requests can either provide valuable information or pro...
Wide field-of-view and mid-range distance imaging LIDAR by digital micro-mirror device

A Digital Micro-mirror Device enables a fast, wide field-of-view, mid-range distance mapping while minimizing requirements for mechanical scanning components. The optical architecture offers a compact, low-cost solution to an imaging LIDAR with a single detector.
A Second Edition of Lepidoptera, Rhopaloceres and Heteroceres by Herman Strecker, with Notes on the First Edition and Supplements

The first edition of the book Lepidoptera, Rhopaloceres and Heteroceres, Indigenous and Exotic by F. H. Herman Strecker was originally published in 15 parts between 1872 and 1878. The first few parts were partially financed by Edward P. Boas, a banker in Reading, Pennsylvania. Contrary to popular accounts, Emily L. Morton was employed to color many of the plates for the first edition. Strecker suffered a great deal of criticism for his scathing remarks about other lepidopterists. Based on new evidence, the publication date of Part 15 is amended to 9 July 1878. Virtually overlooked in entomological literature, a rare second edition of the book was published as a single volume in 1879. At least five plates were ultimately reproduced for this edition using a photomechanical process with hand-coloring. Five signatures of letterpress were slightly revised for the second edition. The three supplements to the book are also discussed, including a one-page description, which is best treated as an addendum to the third supplement. Finally, a summary of the publication of Rhopaloceres and Heteroceres, including its supplements, is presented.
Palliative Care Simulations in Undergraduate Nursing Education: An Integrative Review

Abstract This integrative review summarized the findings from 19 studies about the known effects of simulation on nursing students' preparation for delivery of palliative care (PC), identified gaps in the literature, and provided directions for future research. Three mixed method studies, 10 quantitative studies, and 6 qualitative studies were reviewed. The outcomes support PC simulation in developing nursing student competence by providing meaning and context to the care they deliver to seriously ill patients. Future investigations examining the relationships between PC simulation, students' role in simulation, and effects on student knowledge, self-awareness, and clinical performance in providing PC are warranted.
Kenalog Injection into Hunner's Lesions as a Treatment for Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome.

Introduction This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of kenalog injection into Hunner's lesions. Materials and methods All patients had cystoscopy and bladder hydrodistention with corticosteroid injection into Hunner's lesions over a 2.5-year period. Data include patient characteristics and pre- and post-operative validated questionnaires. Spearman Correlation and Wilcoxon t-tests were used for analysis. Results One hundred patients were reviewed retrospectively. There was a 1.1 point decrease in pain at 12 weeks post-operation (p = 0.435). Urinary frequency decreased from a mean of 11.7 to 9.1 daily episodes (p = 0.05), and nocturia from a mean of 3 to 1.6 nightly episodes (p = 0.008). Conclusion The use of a corticosteroid may be beneficial to symptom control and improvement in the quality of life of interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome patients. Patients had improved frequency and nocturia 12 weeks post injection.
Regularly incremented phase encoding - MR fingerprinting (RIPE-MRF) for enhanced motion artifact suppression in preclinical cartesian MR fingerprinting.

Purpose The regularly incremented phase encoding–magnetic resonance fingerprinting (RIPE-MRF) method is introduced to limit the sensitivity of preclinical MRF assessments to pulsatile and respiratory motion artifacts. Methods As compared to previously reported standard Cartesian–MRF methods (SC-MRF), the proposed RIPE-MRF method uses a modified Cartesian trajectory that varies the acquired phase-encoding line within each dynamic MRF dataset. Phantoms and mice were scanned without gating or triggering on a 7T preclinical MRI scanner using the RIPE-MRF and SC-MRF methods. In vitro phantom longitudinal relaxation time (T1) and transverse relaxation time (T2) measurements, as well as in vivo liver assessments of artifact-to-noise ratio (ANR) and MRF-based T1 and T2 mean and standard deviation, were compared between the two methods (n = 5). Results RIPE-MRF showed significant ANR reductions in regions of pulsatility (P < 0.005) and respiratory motion (P < 0.0005). RIPE-MRF also exhibited improved precision in T1 and T2 measurements in comparison to the SC-MRF method (P < 0.05). The RIPE-MRF and SC-MRF methods displayed similar mean T1 and T2 estimates (difference in mean values < 10%). Conclusion These results show that the RIPE-MRF method can provide effective motion artifact suppression with minimal impact on T1 and T2 accuracy for in vivo small animal MRI studies. Magn Reson Med, 2017. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
β-adrenergic stimulation augments transmural dispersion of repolarization via modulation of delayed rectifier currents I Ks and I Kr in the human ventricle

Long QT syndrome (LQTS) is an inherited or drug induced condition associated with delayed repolarization and sudden cardiac death. The cardiac potassium channel, IKr, and the adrenergic-sensitive cardiac potassium current, IKs, are two primary contributors to cardiac repolarization. This study aimed to elucidate the role of β-adrenergic (β-AR) stimulation in mediating the contributions of IKr and IKs to repolarizing the human left ventricle (n = 18). Optical mapping was used to measure action potential durations (APDs) in the presence of the IKs blocker JNJ-303 and the IKr blocker E-4031. We found that JNJ-303 alone did not increase APD. However, under isoprenaline (ISO), both the application of JNJ-303 and additional E-4031 significantly increased APD. With JNJ-303, ISO decreased APD significantly more in the epicardium as compared to the endocardium, with subsequent application E-4031 increasing mid- and endocardial APD80 more significantly than in the epicardium. We found that β-AR stimulation significantly augmented the effect of IKs blocker JNJ-303, in contrast to the reduced effect of IKr blocker E-4031. We also observed synergistic augmentation of transmural repolarization gradient by the combination of ISO and E-4031. Our results suggest β-AR-mediated increase of transmural dispersion of repolarization, which could pose arrhythmogenic risk in LQTS patients.
Humiliation at Work and Union Interest: An Empirical Analysis of Community Union Satisfaction as Related to Status Enhancement

How noneconomic benefits claimed by labor unions relate to union interest is not well articulated. Based on Torres and Bergner’s (Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, 38, 195–204, 2010; Psychotherapy, 49, 492–501, 2012) analysis of severe public humiliation, in which status enhancement underlies recovery, we examined an augmented relationship between humiliation at work (the underside of dignity at work) and willingness to join a union. As hypothesized, nonunion employees who were less detached from work showed more willingness to join when presented with evidence that members of a union were satisfied with community aspects of membership related to status enhancement above and beyond their satisfaction with economic aspects. Implications for union interest research and applications are discussed.
Modification of Lipase with Poly(4-acryloylmorpholine) Enhances Solubility and Transesterification Activity in Anhydrous Ionic Liquids.

Tuning the molecular interaction between enzymes and their solvent environment through polymer modification can greatly improve activity and thus utility in biocatalytic reactions. In this work, this approach was exploited to enhance the activity of lipase A (LipA) from Bacillus subtilis in anhydrous ionic liquids (ILs), which are highly attractive solvents for biocatalysis. Specifically, we showed that the transesterification activity of LipA in anhydrous 1-butyl-3-methyl imidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([BMIM][PF6]) was improved up to 19-fold via covalently conjugating the enzyme with the IL-soluble polymer poly(4-acryloylmorpholine) (PAcMO). The increase in transesterification activity correlated with an increase in LipA solubility in [BMIM][PF6] as well as, notably, the number of conjugated PAcMO repeat units. Light scattering results further showed that the attachment of PAcMO disrupted the aggregation of LipA in aqueous buffer, which was used as a proxy to understand the mechanism of activation of L...
The Death of an Atheist

Just over three months after Balthasar Bekker was excluded from the communion of the Dutch Reformed church an event, took place in Westminster, England, that bore ironic resemblance to Bekker’s experience in the spirit debate. The unhappy nobleman who died in Westminster on December 8th, 1692, had had the benefit, in his younger years, of an excellent education in religion and morality. He learned much faster than most boys of his age, becoming highly skilled in Latin and Greek by the age of 16, and he was zealous in the exercise of religion as well. He went on to university, where he stayed five years and again did very well. His friends considered him a blessing and the jewel of his family.
bQueue: a coarse-grained bucket QoS scheduler

We consider the problem of providing QoS guarantees in a clustered storage system whose data is distributed over multiple server nodes. Storage objects are encapsulated in a single logical bucket and QoS is provided at the level of buckets. The service that a single bucket receives is the aggregate of the service it receives at the nodes holding its constituent objects. The service depends on individual time-varying service demands and congestion at the physical servers. In this paper, we present bQueue, a coarse-grained scheduling algorithm that provides reservation and limit QoS for buckets in a distributed storage system, using tokens to control the amount of service received at individual storage servers. bQueue uses the max-flow algorithm to periodically determine the optimal token distribution based on the demands of the buckets at different servers and the QoS parameters of the buckets. Our experimental results show that bQueue provides accurate QoS among the buckets with different access patterns, and handles runtime demand changes in a reasonable way.
Facilitators and barriers to optimal preventive service use among providers and older patients.

Abstract Preventive service use remains low among Medicare beneficiaries despite the Affordable Care Act's waiver of coinsurance. This study sought to understand barriers and facilitators to preventive service provision, access, and uptake. We used a mixed methods approach synthesizing quantitative survey and qualitative focus group data. Self-reported utilization of and factors related to preventive services were explored using quantitative data from the 2012 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey. Qualitative data from 16 focus groups conducted in 2016 with a range of providers, health advocates, and Medicare beneficiaries explored perspectives on preventive service use. Providers indicated time and competing priorities as factors for not offering patients a full range of preventive services, while beneficiaries reported barriers related to knowledge, perception, and trust. Current healthcare reform efforts incorporating team-based care, nurses and other non-physician providers, and coordinated electronic health records could support enhanced use of preventive services if fully implemented and utilized.
Quadratic convergence to the optimal solution of second-order conic optimization without strict complementarity

Under primal and dual nondegeneracy conditions, we establish the quadratic convergence of Newton's method to the unique optimal solution of second-order conic optimization. Only very few approaches...
Identification of differences in the formation of plasma glycated proteins between dogs and humans under diabetes-like glucose concentration conditions.

Abstract Dogs have been proposed as a translational model and used for studying aging, diabetes, and diabetes-related complications in humans. However, no studies have ever compared the glycation of plasma proteins between dogs and humans under similar experimental conditions. Thus, the aim of this study was to fill this gap by comparing the plasma protein glycation patterns of dogs and humans in an ex-vivo system. Canine and human plasma samples were incubated with glucose at concentrations comparable to those observed in diabetic patients. The final glucose plasma concentration resulted in similar glucose:albumin ratios in both species. Glycated proteins were evaluated by measuring the content of fructosamine, protein carbonyls, and the formation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs). The concentrations of fructosamine and protein carbonyls in canine and human plasma increased in a glucose concentration-dependent manner (P
The expansion of National Healthcare Safety Network enrollment and reporting in nursing homes: Lessons learned from a national qualitative study.

Background This study explored nursing home (NH) personnel perceptions of the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN). Methods NHs were purposively sampled based on NHSN enrollment and reporting status, and other facility characteristics. We recruited NH personnel knowledgeable about the facility's decision-making processes and infection prevention program. Interviews were conducted over-the-phone and audio-recorded; transcripts were analyzed using conventional content analysis. Results We enrolled 14 NHs across the United States and interviewed 42 personnel. Six themes emerged: Benefits of NHSN, External Support and Motivation, Need for a Champion, Barriers, Risk Adjustment, and Data Integrity. We did not find substantive differences in perceptions of NHSN value related to participants' professional roles or enrollment category. Some participants from newly enrolled NHs felt well supported through the NHSN enrollment process, while participants from earlier enrolled NHs perceived the process to be burdensome. Among participants from non-enrolled NHs, as well as some from enrolled NHs, there was a lack of knowledge of NHSN. Conclusions This qualitative study helps fill a gap in our understanding of barriers and facilitators to NHSN enrollment and reporting in NHs. Improved understanding of factors influencing decision-making processes to enroll in and maintain reporting to NHSN is an important first step towards strengthening infection surveillance in NHs.
Stellar Structure of Dark Stars: A First Phase of Stellar Evolution Resulting from Dark Matter Annihilation

Dark stars are the very first phase of stellar evolution in the history of the universe: the first stars to form (typically at redshifts -->z ~ 10–50) are powered by heating from dark matter (DM) annihilation instead of fusion (if the DM is made of particles which are their own antiparticles). We find equilibrium polytropic configurations for these stars; we start from the time DM heating becomes important ( -->M ~ 1–10 -->M☉) and build up the star via accretion up to 1000 -->M☉. The dark stars, with an assumed particle mass of 100 GeV, are found to have luminosities of a few times 106 -->L☉, surface temperatures of 4000-10,000 K, radii ~1014 cm, and lifetimes of at least 0.5 Myr and are predicted to show lines of atomic and molecular hydrogen. Dark stars look quite different from standard metal-free stars without DM heating: they are far more massive (e.g., ~800 -->M☉ for 100 GeV WIMPs), cooler, and larger and can be distinguished in future observations, possibly even by JWST or TMT.
Endothelium-Derived Factors Influence Differentiation of Fat-Derived Stromal Cells Post-Exercise in Subjects with Prediabetes

Abstract Purpose: We investigated the effect of aerobic and resistance exercise on abdominal subcutaneous fat-derived stromal cells in middle-aged subjects with prediabetes, pre- and post-exercise ...
Gender is not “a dummy variable”: a discussion of current gender research in accounting

Hardies and Khalifa present an insightful and timely paper, describing emerging themes and publishing patterns of gender research in accounting from 2000 to 2014. Taking the position that researche...
Tumor uptake of triazine dendrimers decorated with four, sixteen, and sixty-four PSMA-targeted ligands: Passive versus active tumor targeting

Various glutamate urea ligands have displayed high affinities to prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA), which is highly overexpressed in prostate and other cancer sites. The multivalent versions of small PSMA-targeted molecules are known to be even more efficiently bound to the receptor. Here, we employ a well-known urea-based ligand, 2-[3-(1,3-dicarboxypropyl)-ureido] pentanedioic acid (DUPA) and triazine dendrimers in order to study the effect of molecular size on multivalent targeting in prostate cancer. The synthetic route starts with the preparation of a dichlorotriazine bearing DUPA in 67% overall yield over five steps. This dichlorotriazine reacts with G1, G3, and G5 triazine dendrimers bearing a 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid (DOTA) group for 64Cu-labeling at the core to afford poly(monochlorotriazine) intermediates. Addition of 4-aminomethylpiperidine (4-AMP) and the following deprotection produce the target compounds, G1-(DUPA)4, G3-(DUPA)16, and G5-(DUPA)64. These targets include 4/16/64 DUPA groups on the surface and a DOTA group at the core, respectively. In vitro cell assay using PC3-PIP (PSMA positive) and PC3-FLU (PSMA negative) cells reveals that G1-(DUPA)4 has the highest PC3-PIP to PC3-FLU uptake ratio (10-fold) through the PSMA-mediated specific uptake. While G5-(DUPA)64 displayed approximately 12 times higher binding affinity (IC50 23.6 nM) to PC3-PIP cells than G1-(DUPA)4 (IC50 282.3 nM) as evaluated in a competitive binding assay, the G5 dendrimer also showed high non-specific binding to PC3-FLU cells. In vivo uptake of the 64Cu-labeled dendrimers was also evaluated in severe combined inmmunodeficient (SCID) mice bearing PC3-PIP and PC3-FLU xenografts on each shoulder, respectively. Interestingly, quantitative imaging analysis of positron emission tomograph (PET) displayed the lowest tumor uptake in PC3-PIP cells for the midsize dendrimer G3-(DUPA)16 (19.4 kDa) (0.66 ± 0.15%ID/g at 1 h. p.i., 0.64 ± 0.11%ID/g at 4 h. p.i., and 0.67 ± 0.08%ID/g at 24 h. p.i.). Through the specific binding of G1-(DUPA)4 to PSMA, the smallest dendrimer (5.1 kDa) demonstrated the highest PC3-PIP to muscle and PC3-PIP to PC3-FLU uptake ratios (17.7 ± 5.5 and 6.7 ± 3.0 at 4 h p.i., respectively). In addition, the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect appeared to be an overwhelming factor for tumor uptake of the largest dendrimer G5-(DUPA)64 as the uptake was at a similar level irrelevant to the PSMA expression.
Evaluation of clear cell subtypes of ovarian and uterine malignancies with anti-PD-L1 and anti-PD1 immunohistochemical expression and their association with stage and survival.

Abstract Objective Clear cell carcinomas (CCCs) of the ovary and uterus are rare and associated with poor prognosis. Information regarding expression of PD-1 positive tumor infiltrating lymphocytes or PD-L1 within gynecologic clear cell malignancies is limited and their role as a biomarker has not been explored. Methods This was a retrospective study of paraffin-embedded pure ovarian or uterine CCCs from 1992-2017. We assessed stage, endometriosis, and survival time. Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining for PD-1 associated TILs, PD-L1 percentage positivity, and PD-L1 Combined Positive Score (CPS) were performed. Results Of the 46 eligible patients, 35 were pure ovarian CCCs and 11 pure uterine CCCs. Most (29/46, 63.0%) were FIGO Stage I or II. We found 34.3% of ovarian tumors and 60% of the uterine tumors were PD-L1 CPS ≥1. PD-1 positive lymphocytes were present in 39.4% of ovarian tumors and 80% of the uterine tumors. When correlated to stage, ovarian cancer PD-L1 CPS was ≥1 in 28.6% stage I/II, 66.7% stage III, and 0% stage IV cancers (p=0.03) and PD-1 positive lymphocytes were found in 33.3% stage I/II, 66.7% stage III and 20% stage IV cancers (p=0.227). Within the uterine cohort, there were no significant differences in expression between stages. Multivariate analysis revealed no other significant correlations. There were no differences in overall survival for PD-L1 CPS positive versus negative cohorts among the ovarian cancer population (p = 0.79). Conclusions While limited by sample size, these findings suggest that more advanced ovarian cancer is less likely to express PD-L1 CPS, and that uterine cancers are more likely to have PD-1 positive lymphocytes than ovarian cancers. This biomarker information may better inform exploration of immune checkpoint therapy targeting.
Salvage Therapy for Non–muscle-invasive Bladder Cancer: Novel Intravesical Agents

Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG)-refractory high-grade non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer remains a challenging problem. Radical cystectomy is standard of care, but carries significant morbidity. Therefore, there is a need for effective treatments. Previous salvage intravesical therapies have had disappointing results with long-term follow-up; however, a wide array of novel agents is currently under investigation. These include novel combinations of existing intravesical agents, novel modes of delivery such as hyperthermia, viral mediated therapies, and immunotherapy. We review the need for novel treatment with existing agents and their long-term results, and discuss novel intravesical therapies and the data currently available on these therapies.
Optimizing leukapheresis product yield and purity for blood cell-based gene and immune effector cell therapy.

Purpose of review A critical common step for blood-based ex-vivo gene and immune effector cell (IEC) therapies is the collection of target cells for further processing and manufacturing, often accomplished through a leukapheresis procedure to collect mononuclear cells (MNCs). The purpose of this review is to describe strategies to optimize the apheresis product cell yield and purity for gene and IEC therapies. Relevant data from the conventional bone marrow transplant literature is described where applicable. Recent findings Product yield is affected by three main factors: the peripheral blood concentration of the target cell, optimized by mobilizing agents, donor interventions or donor selection; the volume of peripheral blood processed, tailored to the desired product yield using prediction algorithms; and target cell collection efficiency, optimized by a variety of device and donor-specific considerations. Factors affecting product purity include characteristics of the donor, mobilizing agent, device, and device settings. Summary Strategies to optimize product yield and purity for gene and IEC therapies are important to consider because of loss of target cell numbers or function with downstream steps and detrimental effects of nontarget cells on further manufacturing and patient outcome.
A machine learning framework for early detection of lithium plating combining multiple physics-based electrochemical signatures

Summary A key challenge for lithium (Li)-ion batteries is the capability to manage battery performance and predict lifetime. Early detection of battery-aging phenomena and the implications for the performance are crucial for maintaining warranty and avoiding safety-related liabilities. We established a framework for early detection of loss of Li inventory, which is further separated into Li plating and normal solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation. Although SEI formation is inevitable, Li plating causes serious degradation and safety issues. Therefore, Li plating must be identified and avoided. Our framework differentiates Li plating from SEI-formation-dominated cells based on data from the first 25 aging cycles. This classification framework is based on machine learning (ML); multiple coherent and physically meaningful electrochemical signatures along the aging process are used. We also demonstrate that multiple electrochemical signatures must be combined to increase accuracy in the classification.
‘95% less harmful’? Exploring reactions to quantitative modified risk claims for snus and e-cigarettes

Objectives Studies examining perceptions of ‘modified risk tobacco product’ (MRTP) messages for e-cigarettes and smokeless tobacco have indicated consumers want statistics and quantification of harm reduction. However, limited research exists on reactions to quantitative MRTP messages. Design We conducted 12 focus groups in the USA in 2019—6 focused on e-cigarette messages and 6 on snus messages. Eight groups were with current smokers (ages 21–66) and four with young adult (ages 18–25) non-smokers (n=57). Participants discussed messages stating that use of snus and vaping products have been estimated by scientists to be about 90% and 95% less harmful than smoking cigarettes, respectively. Results Several participants agreed the messages strongly communicated that the products are less harmful than cigarettes, were attention getting and could be ‘convincing’. However, participants expressed scepticism about the source and accuracy of the stated figures, and some noted the claims could be misleading and attractive to young people. Comments also reflected some claim misunderstandings (eg, that e-cigarettes only pose a 5% chance of harm). Participants also agreed that stating e-cigarette risks ‘are unlikely to exceed 5% of cigarette smoking harms’ was confusing and less impactful than the ‘95% less harmful’ wording. Conclusions Quantitative claims suggesting high levels of reduced risk when comparing e-cigarettes or smokeless tobacco/snus relative to cigarettes may be successful in gaining attention and being persuasive for some audiences, particularly, if from more credible sources. However, message developers, users and evaluators should be mindful of message limitations and aim to mitigate unintended consequences.
Childhood cross-ethnic exposure predicts political behavior seven decades later: Evidence from linked administrative data

Does contact across social groups influence sociopolitical behavior? This question is among the most studied in the social sciences with deep implications for the harmony of diverse societies. Yet, despite a voluminous body of scholarship, evidence around this question is limited to cross-sectional surveys that only measure short-term consequences of contact or to panel surveys with small samples covering short time periods. Using advances in machine learning that enable large-scale linkages across datasets, we examine the long-term determinants of sociopolitical behavior through an unprecedented individual-level analysis linking contemporary political records to the 1940 U.S. Census. These linked data allow us to measure the exact residential context of nearly every person in the United States in 1940 and, for men, connect this with the political behavior of those still alive over 70 years later. We find that, among white Americans, early-life exposure to black neighbors predicts Democratic partisanship over 70 years later.
Retargeted Self-Haptics for Increased Immersion in VR without Instrumentation

Today’s consumer virtual reality (VR) systems offer immersive graphics and audio, but haptic feedback is rudimentary – delivered through controllers with vibration feedback or is non-existent (i.e., the hands operating freely in the air). In this paper, we explore an alternative, highly mobile and controller-free approach to haptics, where VR applications utilize the user’s own body to provide physical feedback. To achieve this, we warp (retarget) the locations of a user’s hands such that one hand serves as a physical surface or prop for the other hand. For example, a hand holding a virtual nail can serve as a physical backstop for a hand that is virtually hammering, providing a sense of impact in an air-borne and uninstrumented experience. To illustrate this rich design space, we implemented twelve interactive demos across three haptic categories. We conclude with a user study from which we draw design recommendations.
Understanding and Managing the Hazards and Opportunities of Lunar Regolith in Greenhouse Agriculture

Lunar settlements will include industrial agriculture, so an artificial agricultural environment will be part of the landscape and work space for early settlements. Provision of capacity and development of new capabilities will pose both opportunities and risks for engineers, scientists and project managers. Lunar regolith is the layer of particles on the surface of the Moon which has been generated by micro-meteorite impact and resembles volcanic ash. The finest particles are less than 100 µm particle size diameter and are generally referred to as dust. Particle sizes are as small as 0.01 µm and show an abundance of agglutinate glasses and metallic iron and the low electrical conductance allows grain to retain electrostatic charge. Lunar regolith appears to contain all essential minerals to support agriculture. Using lunar soil simulants, studies have shown that it is possible to grow certain plants for up to 50 days without addition of nutrient and to sow seeds to permit germination and crop harvest by the addition of organic matter.
The time-dependent and persistent effects of amphetamine treatment upon recovery from hemispatial neglect in rats.

Abstract Neglect is a neuropsychological disorder characterized by the failure to report or respond to stimuli presented to the side of the body opposite a brain lesion and occurs in approximately 40% of right hemisphere strokes. The need for effective therapies to treat neglect in humans has led to the development of a rodent model. Unilateral destruction of medial agranular cortex (AGm), which is part of a cortical network for directed attention, produces severe multimodal neglect with deficits similar to those seen in humans. Amphetamines have previously been investigated for inducing plasticity and recovery of function following brain damage. Amphetamine treatment has been shown to produce recovery from visual, frontal, and sensorimotor cortex damage in animals and this recovery may be the result of axonal growth originating from the opposite, unlesioned hemisphere. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether amphetamine treatment would induce recovery from neglect produced by unilateral AGm destruction, the time frame in which amphetamine must be administered in order to be effective, and the permanence of recovery following treatment. The results indicated that subjects injected with 2 mg/kg of d -amphetamine on days 0, 2, and 5 recovered in significantly fewer days than saline-treated controls, even when administration was delayed by 2 and 7 days. Additionally, these studies indicated that recovery persisted for at least 60 days suggesting that recovery is likely to be long term.
Proximity-Driven Enhanced Magnetic Order at Ferromagnetic-Insulator-Magnetic-Topological-Insulator Interface

Magnetic exchange driven proximity effect at a magnetic-insulator-topological-insulator (MI-TI) interface provides a rich playground for novel phenomena as well as a way to realize low energy dissipation quantum devices. Here we report a dramatic enhancement of proximity exchange coupling in the MI/magnetic-TI EuS/Sb(2-x)V(x)Te3 hybrid heterostructure, where V doping is used to drive the TI (Sb2Te3) magnetic. We observe an artificial antiferromagneticlike structure near the MI-TI interface, which may account for the enhanced proximity coupling. The interplay between the proximity effect and doping in a hybrid heterostructure provides insights into the engineering of magnetic ordering.
Robotic crystal loading

The advantages and challenges of robotic crystal loading are discussed, and two approaches are described. Keywords: robotic crystal loading; automation; cryocrystallography
Sustained Monomorphic Ventricular Tachycardia

The clinical significance, evaluation and management, and pathophysiology of sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (VT) is very much dependent upon the presence or absence and type of underlying organic heart disease [1]. Sustained monomorphic VT usually occurs in the presence of organic heart disease, most often ischemic heart disease with prior myocardial infarction in this country, although almost any type of organic heart disease can be associated with sustained monomorphic VT. In patients with ischemic heart disease, Buxton et al. [2] recently evaluated the role of clinical variables to predict inducible sustained VT in patients with coronary artery disease and clinical nonsustained VT. Although the number of variables was significantly associated with inducible VT, they had limited utility to guide clinical decisions regarding the use of electrophysiologic testing. In patients with acute myocardial infarction treated with lytic therapy, VT alone or VT with VF early ( two days) after myocardial infarction conferred a negative impact on one year mortality [3]. Additional research in patients with ischemic heart disease has demonstrated that sustained monomorphic VT is unusual in the recovery period following coronary artery bypass surgery but a recent study has demonstrated that the placement of a bypass graft across a noncollateralized totally occluded vessel supplying an infarct zone was associated with the development of VT [4]. Several recent studies have highlighted the importance of bundle branch reentrant VT in patients with or without organic heart disease. Five of six patients with myotonic dystrophy had no apparent organic heart disease and bundle branch reentrant VT was presumably related to the known frequent involvement of the conduction system in patients with myotonic dystrophy [5]. Although bundle branch reentrant VT most often does occur in patients with organic heart disease, it has previously been reported in patients with His-Purkinje system disease in the absence of identifiable organic heart disease [6]. Of 31 patients with sustained monomorphic VT after valve surgery, the mechanism of VT was bundle branch reentrant in 9, myocardial reentry in 20 and both in 2 patients [7]. Bundle branch reentrant VT occurred much earlier after surgery (median 10 days compared to 72 months) compared to myocardial VT and 40% of patients with bundle branch reentrant VT had normal left ventricular function suggesting that post-operative conduction system abnormalities alone may create the appropriate electrophysiologic milieu for the development of bundle branch reentrant VT. In these patients with bundle branch reentrant VT, 40% had right bundle branch block morphology VT, which is generally much less common than left bundle branch block morphology.
Electric load management and energy conservation

Electric load management and energy conservation relate heavily to the major problems facing power industry at present. The three basic modes of energy conservation are identified as demand reduction, increased efficiency and substitution for scarce fuels. Direct and indirect load management objectives are to reduce peak loads and have future growth in electricity requirements in such a manner to cause more of it to fall off the system's peak. In this paper, an overview of proposed and implemented load management options is presented. Research opportunities exist for the evaluation of socio-economic impacts of energy conservation and load management schemes specially on the electric power industry itself.
A Computer Graphics Rendering Algorithm for Use on a SIMD Machine

An algorithm to render shaded pictures is presented which takes advantage of the architecture of a vector computer for improved performance. This paper indicates the changes which need to be considered when designing and implementing a vectorized scanline rendering algorithm. This paper includes general information on the Convex C-1, a SIMD computer, and specific details on an approach taken to vectorize a scanline algorithm.
Review of MIGA's experience with safeguards and sustainability policies (1999-2008)

The objective of this study is to respond to the overarching question posed for the Independent Evaluation Group's (IEG) evaluation of the World Bank Group's (WBG) experience with safeguards and sustainability policies (1999-2008), based on experience of the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (IEG 2010): how effective has the safeguards policy framework of the WBG been in preventing and mitigating adverse environmental and social impacts? The study is organized in four Chapters. Chapter one introduces the objective of the study, outlines the evolution of the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency's (MIGA) sustainability framework, summarizes highlights from earlier evaluations and describes the approach for the study. Chapter two reviews MIGA's implementation of the sustainability framework's processes, including the projects initial screening and review, monitoring and supervision. Chapter three reviews the outcomes from MIGA's implementation of its environmental and social policies, to the extent that they can be discerned from the available information. Chapter four presents some concluding reflections.
Cytochrome bc1 complexes of microorganisms.

The cytochrome bc1 complex is the most widely occurring electron transfer complex capable of energy transduction. Cytochrome bc1 complexes are found in the plasma membranes of phylogenetically diverse photosynthetic and respiring bacteria, and in the inner mitochondrial membrane of all eucaryotic cells. In all of these species the bc1 complex transfers electrons from a low-potential quinol to a higher-potential c-type cytochrome and links this electron transfer to proton translocation. Most bacteria also possess alternative pathways of quinol oxidation capable of circumventing the bc1 complex, but these pathways generally lack the energy-transducing, protontranslocating activity of the bc1 complex. All cytochrome bc1 complexes contain three electron transfer proteins which contain four redox prosthetic groups. These are cytochrome b, which contains two b heme groups that differ in their optical and thermodynamic properties; cytochrome c1, which contains a covalently bound c-type heme; and a 2Fe-2S iron-sulfur protein. The mechanism which links proton translocation to electron transfer through these proteins is the proton motive Q cycle, and this mechanism appears to be universal to all bc1 complexes. Experimentation is currently focused on understanding selected structure-function relationships prerequisite for these redox proteins to participate in the Q-cycle mechanism. The cytochrome bc1 complexes of mitochondria differ from those of bacteria, in that the former contain six to eight supernumerary polypeptides, in addition to the three redox proteins common to bacteria and mitochondria. These extra polypeptides are encoded in the nucleus and do not contain redox prosthetic groups. The functions of the supernumerary polypeptides of the mitochondrial bc1 complexes are generally not known and are being actively explored by genetically manipulating these proteins in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Images
Characterization of prostaglandin synthesis in the housefly, Musca domestica (L.)

Abstract The in vitro formation of prostaglandins (PG) was examined in the housefly Musca domestica . PG synthetase activity was detected in homogenates of whole insects and in head and thorax, abdomen, ovary and male reproductive tissues. Studies to determine the sub-cellular localization of PG synthetase indicated that the microsomal fraction contained the highest activity. Products obtained from radiolabeled arachidonic acid (20:4) and 8,11,14-eicosatrienoic acid (20:3, n-6) were PGE 2 and PGE 1 , respectively, with lower amounts of the PGF series also present. In microsomal preparations from whole insects and reproductive tissues from both males and females, 20:3(n-6) was 2–2.5 times more efficiently converted to PG than was 20:4. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) fed to houseflies did not inhibit PG production from 20:4, whereas when they were included in microsomal preparations at high levels, they inhibited PG synthesis.
Spectral statistics for 1-D disordered systems: a semiclassical approach

Abstract A semiclassical theory for the spectral fluctuations of disordered systems is presented. The use of statistical concepts not only for the quantal spectrum but also for the classical periodic orbits allows to relate the spectral form factor to the classical phase-space return probability. For systems with a diffusive classical dynamics and localized quantal eigenstates, this relation implies spectral two-point correlations which depend on a single parameter g . It can be interpreted as the ratio of the localization length to the system size, or as a dimensionless conductance. In the limit of small g , corresponding to the regime of strong disorder, Poissonian level correlations are approached. In the opposite limit, the two-point correlations coincide with those of the appropriate canonical random-matrix ensemble. Extensions to two and three dimensions are briefly discussed. The semiclassical theory is applied to two complementary prototype models, the truncated kicked rotor and quasi-one-dimensional chains of connected chaotic billiards (the “domino billiard”). Numerical results based on these two systems illustrate and lend evidence to the semiclassical predictions.