cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Firearm-Related Laws in All 50 US States, 1991–2016

Objectives. To describe a new database containing detailed annual information on firearm-related laws in place in each of the 50 US states from 1991 to 2016 and to summarize key trends in firearm-related laws during this time period.Methods. Using Thomson Reuters Westlaw data to access historical state statutes and session laws, we developed a database indicating the presence or absence of each of 133 provisions of firearm laws in each state over the 26-year period. These provisions covered 14 aspects of state policies, including regulation of the process by which firearm transfers take place, ammunition, firearm possession, firearm storage, firearm trafficking, and liability of firearm manufacturers.Results. An examination of trends in state firearm laws via this database revealed that although the number of laws nearly doubled during the study period, there was substantial heterogeneity across states, leading to a widening disparity in the number of firearm laws.Conclusions. This database can help advan...
A modest proposal for improving American justice

In this piece, Professors Tiller and Cross suggest that the federal justice system could be improved by limiting the practice of randomly assigning cir? cuit court judges to panels and by acknowledging the partisan component of judging. Complete random assignment, they argue, creates political imbalance on panels when three judges from the same political orientation are chosen. In those situations, judges mayfeel less constrained in closely following established legal doctrines when doing so conflicts with their policy preferences. Tiller and Cross propose that no more than two members on each panel be selectedfrom the same political party (as determined by the political party of each judge's appointing President). The presence of a minority judge on the panel constrains the political behavior of the majority and enhances the credibility of the judging enterprise. The practical implications of implementing the proposal are also discussed.
Editorial: Widening the Use of the Functional Lumen Imaging Probe to Kids With Eosinophilic Esophagitis: Esophageal Narrowing is not Just an Adult Problem

Editorial: Widening the Use of the Functional Lumen Imaging Probe to Kids With Eosinophilic Esophagitis: Esophageal Narrowing is not Just an Adult Problem
Twitter-Based Detection of Illegal Online Sale of Prescription Opioid.

Objectives. To deploy a methodology accurately identifying tweets marketing the illegal online sale of controlled substances.Methods. We first collected tweets from the Twitter public application program interface stream filtered for prescription opioid keywords. We then used unsupervised machine learning (specifically, topic modeling) to identify topics associated with illegal online marketing and sales. Finally, we conducted Web forensic analyses to characterize different types of online vendors. We analyzed 619 937 tweets containing the keywords codeine, Percocet, fentanyl, Vicodin, Oxycontin, oxycodone, and hydrocodone over a 5-month period from June to November 2015.Results. A total of 1778 tweets (< 1%) were identified as marketing the sale of controlled substances online; 90% had imbedded hyperlinks, but only 46 were “live” at the time of the evaluation. Seven distinct URLs linked to Web sites marketing or illegally selling controlled substances online.Conclusions. Our methodology can identify ille...
Microaggressions, Macroaggressions, and Modern Racism in the Workplace

Using interview data from American employees, this chapter examines the various ways race-based microaggressions and macroaggressions manifest in workplaces. The chapter also addresses how microaggressions and macroaggressions negatively impact targets and allies in workplaces.
Foodborne pathogens in horticultural production systems: Ecology and mitigation

Abstract Foodborne pathogen outbreaks have become an increasing problem in the horticultural industry due to changes in diets, production, processing and distribution practices, as well as greater awareness and detection. Once produce is infected, outbreaks can spread rapidly resulting in illness and even death among large groups of people. Strict new food safety laws have been implemented to reduce risks, but outbreaks are still occurring. Pathogens with the greatest threat in ready-to-eat horticultural crops include Salmonella enterica, Escherichia coli (STEC), and Listeria monocytogenes, with contamination introduced through animal manure, water, seeds and plant debris. While previously thought to be only transient inhabitants of horticultural production systems, it is now clear that enteric pathogens are adapted to survive for prolonged periods outside of their animal hosts, attaching tenaciously to plants via biofilm formation and internalization in plant tissues. Management practices including treating animal manure, water and seeds, increasing soil biological diversity and activity, and limiting damage to plants via pests and equipment can help reduce food safety risks in pre-harvest production systems. Further reducing food safety risks in these systems will require innovative, interdisciplinary research that integrate the fields of soil microbial ecology, plant pathology, plant breeding and engineering. Specifically, we advocate for additional research to: 1) better understand how soil and phyllosphere ecology affects pathogen residence time, 2) identify key traits and markers to integrate selection for enteric pathogens into crop breeding programs, and 3) develop new detection technologies that rapidly and accurately detect enteric pathogens on produce.
Public Opinion: Political Aspects

Scholars of public opinion attempt to describe and account for the politically relevant preferences and beliefs of ordinary citizens, and to assess the political impact of those preferences and beliefs. The development and proliferation of systematic opinion surveys transformed the study of public opinion in the last half of the twentieth century. Analysts have used survey data to examine the social bases, structure, and sophistication of political opinions in elaborate detail, often with an eye toward evaluating the democratic competence of citizens. They have generally been more successful in characterizing and accounting for public opinion than in specifying its role in the broader political process. Efforts to specify the political causes and consequences of public opinion will no doubt be facilitated by the continuing accumulation of survey data over time and space, but will also require scholars of public opinion to make more ingenious and eclectic use of other relevant evidence in combination with survey data.
Undergraduate Introductory Human Geography Textbooks: Less Theoretical and Basic, More Descriptive and Applied

Geographic education is a subfield of geography that deals with the teaching of geographic concepts and techniques. Emphasis is placed on what to teach as well as how to teach it. Undergraduate geographic education has undergone many changes recently, reflecting geography’s expanded scope of inquiry or research, and the adoption of new computer related technologies. As a result, undergraduate curricula and textbooks have changed to include such topics and techniques as locational analysis, quantitative methods, remote sensing, and computer cartography. These new curricula and textbooks also reflect the respective authors’ attitudes toward how geographic concepts and techniques should be taught, using either a ‘basic’ or an ‘applied’ research perspective.
Control Flow in Modula-2

Unless instructed otherwise, a computer will process the operations in a program in order, one after another. However most programming tasks have repetitive elements, and most involve alternatives. Repetitive elements are managed by instructing the computer to return to a earlier point in the program. Alternatives are managed by directing the computer to go to one of several places in a program. In either case the programmer is controlling the flow of execution of the program.
AGING | Poststroke Epilepsy and the Aged Brain

Poststroke seizures and epilepsy have been described in numerous clinical and epidemiological studies over many years. In contrast, the pathophysiological events occurring in injured brain that establish poststroke epileptogenesis and epilepsy have had limited study in animal models. However, during the last several years, various models of ischemia (combined with video-EEG recordings) have contributed to a significantly improved understanding of the progressive biochemical, anatomical, and physiological changes associated with both early and late seizures following stroke. Because this area of research continues to be relatively under-explored, it provides numerous opportunities for new investigations.
Insight into the Etiology of Undifferentiated Soft Tissue Sarcomas from a Novel Mouse Model

Aberrant activation of the Hedgehog signaling pathway has been linked to the formation of numerous cancer types, including the myogenic soft tissue sarcoma, embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma (eRMS). Here, we report PCG2, a novel mouse model in which human GLI2A, a constitutive activator of Hedgehog signaling, induced undifferentiated sarcomas that were phenotypically divergent from eRMS. Rather, sarcomas arising in PCG2 mice featured some characteristics that were reminiscent of Ewing sarcoma. Even though it is widely understood that Ewing sarcoma formation is driven by EWS-ETS gene fusions, a genetically defined mouse model is not well-established. While EWS-ETS gene fusions were not present in PCG2 sarcomas, precluding their designation as Ewing sarcoma, we did find that GLI2A induced expression of known EWS-ETS gene targets essential to Ewing pathogenesis, most notably, Nkx2.2. Moreover, we found that naive mesenchymal progenitors originate tumors in PCG2 mice. Altogether, our work provides a novel genetic mouse model, which directly connects oncogenic Hedgehog activity to the etiology of undifferentiated soft tissue sarcomas for the first time. IMPLICATIONS: The finding that activation of Gli2 transcription factor is sufficient to induce Ewing-like sarcomas provides a direct transformative role of the Hedgehog signaling pathway in undifferentiated soft tissue sarcoma.
Dihydrotestosterone inhibits arylsulfatase B and Dickkopf Wnt signaling pathway inhibitor (DKK)-3 leading to enhanced Wnt signaling in prostate epithelium in response to stromal Wnt3A.

Background In tissue microarrays, immunostaining of the enzyme arylsulfatase B (ARSB; N-acetylgalactosamine-4-sulfatase) was less in recurrent prostate cancers and in cancers with higher Gleason scores. In cultured prostate stem cells, decline in ARSB increased Wnt signaling through effects on Dickkopf Wnt Signaling Pathway Inhibitor (DKK)3. The effects of androgen exposure on ARSB and the impact of decline in ARSB on Wnt signaling in prostate tissue were unknown. Methods Epithelial and stromal tissues from malignant and normal human prostate were obtained by laser capture microdissection. mRNA expression of ARSB, galactose-6-sulfate-sulfatase (GALNS) and Wnt-signaling targets was determined by QPCR. Non-malignant human epithelial and stromal prostate cells were grown in tissue culture, including two-cell layer cultures. ARSB was silenced by specific siRNA, and epithelial cells were treated with stromal spent media following treatment with IWP-2, an inhibitor of Wnt secretion, and by exogenous recombinant human Wnt3A. Promoter methylation was detected using specific DKK3 and ARSB promoter primers. The effects of DHT and of ARSB overexpression on DKK expression were determined. Cell proliferation was assessed by BrdU incorporation. Results Normal stroma showed higher expression of vimentin, ARSB, and Wnt3A than epithelium. Normal epithelium had higher expression of E-cadherin, galactose 6-sulfate-sulfatase (GALNS), and DKK3 than stroma. In malignant epithelium, expression of ARSB and DKK3 declined, and expression of GALNS and Wnt signaling targets increased. In cultured prostate epithelial cells, Wnt-mediated signaling was greatest when ARSB was silenced and cells were exposed to exogenous Wnt3A. Exposure to 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) increased ARSB and DKK3 promoter rmethylation, and effects of DHT on DKK3 expression were reversed when ARSB was overexpressed. Conclusions Androgen-induced declines in ARSB and DKK3 may contribute to prostate carcinogenesis by sustained activation of Wnt signaling in prostate epithelium in response to stromal Wnt3A.
Triebel–Lizorkin space estimates for evolution equations with structure dissipation

In this paper, we are concerned with the generalized wave equations in the homogeneous Triebel–Lizorkin spaces. The long time decay estimates are obtained by the decomposition of the unit, duality property and the multiplier theorems, extending the known results for the generalized wave equations with structure dissipation in the real Hardy spaces.
Post-Homophobic Comedy: Macho, Hazlo como hombre

This chapter treats a new trend in Mexican mainstream film, comedies in which it is not the homosexual, but the homophobe, who is the butt of the joke. It interweaves this sexual theme with that of urban space, arguing that the city is inextricable from new gender identities. The stars treated are Miguel Rodarte and Mauricio Ochmann, previously and most incongruously known for their macho and heterosexual romantic roles, respectively.
A German Generation: An Experiential History of the Twentieth Century

“The Kaiser is a dear man, he liveth in Berlin/And if it weren’t so far away, I’d run right there to him/And what I’d with the Kaiser do, I’d offer him my hand/and present him flowers that were the...
Aerobic heterotrophy and RuBisCO-mediated CO2 metabolism in marine Thaumarchaeota

Thaumarchaeota constitute an abundant and ubiquitous phylum of Archaea that play critical roles in the global nitrogen and carbon cycles. Most well-characterized members of the phylum are chemolithoautotrophic ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA), which comprise up to 5 and 20 % of the total single-celled life in soil and marine systems, respectively. Using two high-quality metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs), here we describe a divergent marine thaumarchaeal clade that is devoid of the ammonia-oxidation machinery and the AOA-specific carbon-fixation pathway. Phylogenomic analyses placed these genomes within the uncultivated and largely understudied marine pSL12-like thaumarchaeal clade. The predominant mode of nutrient acquisition appears to be aerobic heterotrophy, evidenced by the presence of respiratory complexes and various organic carbon degradation pathways. Unexpectedly, both genomes encoded a form III RuBisCO. Genomic composition of the MAGs is consistent with the role of RuBisCO in nucleotide salvage, as has been proposed previously for archaea harboring the form III variant. Metabolic reconstructions revealed a complete nonoxidative pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) and gluconeogenesis, which can cyclize the RuBisCO-mediated carbon metabolic pathway. We conclude that these genomes represent a hitherto unrecognized evolutionary link between predominantly anaerobic basal thaumarchaeal lineages and mesophilic marine AOA, with important implications for diversification within the phylum Thaumarchaeota.
Interferons alpha and gamma with monocytes as a therapeutic strategy for ovarian cancer.

9Background: In the presence of pro-inflammatory cytokines, monocytes are cytotoxic to tumor cells. We previously showed that monocytes stimulated with interferon alpha and gamma result in synergis...
The 2014 Ebola outbreak: narratives from UK/USA and West Africa media

This study explored how elite press in Britain and the United States framed the 2014 Ebola outbreak compared to how three West African countries covered the same epidemic. This comparison showed th...
Recommender Systems for Software Requirements Engineering: Current Research & Challenges

Recommender systems have been used to improve software requirements engineering activities. This paper reviews literature on recommender systems for requirements engineering research since 2012. It discusses the common techniques used in recommender systems, the issues addressed by the recommender systems found in the literature, and challenges that still need to be addressed. Approaches to address some of the challenges are proposed.
Intermediate Survival Outcomes after Heart Transplantation Using Donor HCV NAT Positive Hearts

Purpose The availability of hepatitis C (HCV) antiviral therapy has made transplantation of HCV NAT+ donor hearts a new reality, expanding the pool of donor organs. We report the utilization and outcomes of transplantation of HCV NAT positive (HCV NAT+) hearts recorded in the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) database. Methods 11,252 heart transplant (HT) patients with HCV NAT status were reported by UNOS (2010-2019), of which 274 received an HCV NAT+ donor organ. Survival was evaluated at 24 months post HT. Demographics, comorbidities, hemodynamics were compared using standard statistical methods. Multivariate Cox-proportional hazard regression analysis (adjusted for age, sex, diabetes, ethnicity, ischemic time, dialysis, life support and HLA mismatch) was also performed for survival analysis. Results 274 patients received heart transplantation from HCV NAT+ donors. No significant difference in survival was identified at 24 months post-transplant (NAT + vs. -: 16.7% vs. 9.3%, p=0.70) despite longer allograft ischemic times in the HCV NAT+ group. HCV NAT+ recipients were older (Mean 53.6 ± 12.7 vs. 55.4 ±11.7 years, p=0.01) and also had older donors (Mean 32.1 ± 11.1 vs. 33.6 ± 8.1 years, p=0.02). Additionally, HCV NAT+ recipients had shorter median waitlist times (Median [inter-quartile range], 86.5 [18.0, 254.0] vs. 100.0 [29.0, 301.0], p=0.002). Multivariate analysis yielded a hazard ratio of 0.87 (CI 0.51-1.48) comparing NAT + to NAT - recipients. Conclusion Intermediate survival post-transplantation is similar between HCV NAT+ and HCV NAT- recipients. Expansion of the donor pool via the inclusion of HCV NAT+ donors may shorten waitlist times and may extend donor organ availability.
Assessment of Competence to Stand Trial

Competence to stand trial is a constitutional prerequisite to adjudication of criminal cases and essential to preserving the fairness, accuracy, dignity, and autonomy of criminal proceedings. Psychologists are called upon to address the issue of competence more often than any other issue in the criminal law. Increasingly, case law developments and psychological formulations of the concept of trial competence have focused on not only the knowledge-based or foundational aspects of competence, but the decisional aspects as well. Competency assessment instruments, multiple sources of data, and psychological measures of cognitive functions, personality, and malingering contribute to the evaluation of competency. The task is complicated by the need to consider the relationship between psycho-legal impairments and symptoms of psychopathology and by the fluid nature of competency across time and across specific case demands. The empirical literature on correlates and factors associated with competence provides some support for the validity of psychological opinions regarding trial competence. Treatment, the needs of special populations, competency assistance strategies, and the problem of the permanently incompetent defendant are further considerations in the evaluation of competence. Psychology makes a significant contribution to the understanding of trial competence through the development of measures, theoretical and empirical research, assessment and treatment, and consultation with courts and attorneys. Keywords: assessment; attorneys; competence; court; crime; defendant; trial
Effects of Attentional Focus on Repetitions-to-Failure & Motor Unit Excitation During Submaximal Bench Press Performance

Attentional focus strategies refer to the use of cues or other stimuli to enhance an individual’s concentration for the purpose of improving performance within a given task. PURPOSE: To examine the effects of an internal (INT), external proximal (EPr), and external distal (ED) method of attentional focus on motor unit excitation and repetitions-to-failure (RTF) during submaximal bench press performance. METHODS: Twenty-five recreationally-active males and females completed a one-repetition maximum (1RM) bench press test, followed by three days of submaximal testing at 85% 1RM to muscular failure. For each submaximal day, a specific attentional focus strategy was given by auditory cues (i.e., INT, EPr, ED) with the individual instructed to focus solely on the cue. Motor unit recruitment of the anterior deltoid, pectoralis major, and triceps brachii was measured, via electromyography (EMG), for each repetition for all interventions. RESULTS: Results indicated no differences for motor unit excitation (chest: p=0.59; triceps: p=0.50; deltoids: p=0.17) or RTF (p=0.89) among the three conditions. The INT cue, as compared to EPr and ED, elicited a ~7-10% average increase in pectoralis major motor unit excitation, despite an average of one less repetition. All effect sizes were deemed small or trivial, except for RTF between INT and ED which elicited a moderate effect size (ES=0.55). CONCLUSIONS: These findings support previous literature demonstrating increases in motor unit excitation with an internal attentional focus. However, this strategy may place a greater demand on the targeted musculature to complete a given task; thus, decreasing performance.
A novel case of reverse Takotsubo cardiomyopathy following brain biopsy

Reverse Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (rTTC) is a variant of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC) or stress-induced cardiomyopathy. TTC is a transient cardiomyopathy resulting in a heart failure syndrome, triggered by emotional and/or physical stressors, that is usually self-limited. rTTC is characterized by basal wall hypokinesis and apical wall hyperkinesis, the opposite of TTC. rTTC is more commonly associated with neurologic conditions, most notably intracranial hemorrhage. We present the first case in the literature of rTTC specifically following brain biopsy.
Virulent disease epidemics can increase host density by depressing foraging of hosts

All else equal, parasites that harm host fitness should depress densities of their hosts. However, parasites that alter host traits may increase host density via indirect ecological interactions. Here, we show how depression of infected host foraging rate can produce such a hydra effect. Using a foraging assay, we quantified reduced foraging rates of a zooplankton host infected with a virulent fungal parasite. We then parameterized a dynamical model of hosts, parasites, and resources with this foraging function, showing how foraging depression can create a hydra effect. Mathematically, the hydra arose when increased resource productivity exceeded any increase in resource consumption per host. Therefore, the foraging-mediated hydra effect more likely emerged (1) for hosts which strongly control logistic-like resources and (2) during larger epidemics of moderately virulent parasites. We then analyzed epidemics from 13 fungal epidemics in nature. We found evidence for a foraging-mediated hydra effect: large outbreaks depressed foraging rate and correlated with increased densities of both algae and hosts. Therefore, depression of foraging rate of infected hosts can produce higher host densities even during epidemics of parasites that increase host mortality. Such hydras might prevent collapse of host populations but also could produce higher densities of infected hosts.
2D Materials for Universal Thermal Imaging of Micro- and Nanodevices: An Application to Gallium Oxide Electronics

We highlight the flexibility of two-dimensional (2D) materials for advancing current technologies through the introduction of 2D Raman thermography (2DRT). 2DRT combines monolayer materials and Ram...
Predictors of early, recurrent, and intractable seizures in low-grade glioma.

Background Seizures are common among patients with low-grade glioma (LGG) and can significantly affect morbidity. We sought to determine the association between the clinical and molecular factors with seizure incidence and refractoriness in LGG patients. Methods We conducted a retrospective review at the University of Virginia in patients with LGG (World Health Organization, WHO Grade II) evaluated between 2002 and 2015. Descriptive statistics were calculated for variables of interest, and the Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate survival curves, which were compared with the log-rank test. Results A total of 291 patients were included; 254 had molecular testing performed for presence of an isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutation and/or 1p/19q codeletion. Sixty-eight percent of patients developed seizures prior to LGG diagnosis; 41% of all patients had intractable seizures. Using WHO 2016 integrated classification, there was no significant difference in seizure frequency during preoperative and postoperative periods or in developing intractable seizures, though a trend toward increased preoperative seizure incidence among patients with the IDH mutation was identified (P = .09). Male sex was significantly associated with higher seizure incidence during preoperative (P < .001) and postoperative periods (P < .001); men were also more likely to develop intractable seizures (P = .01). Conclusions Seizures are common among patients with LGG. Differences in preoperative or postoperative and intractable seizure rates by WHO 2016 classification were not detected. Our data showed a trend toward higher seizure incidence preoperatively in patients with IDH-mutant LGG. We describe a unique association between male sex and seizure incidence and intractability that warrants further study.
Home-Based Primary and Palliative Care in the Medicaid Program: Systematic Review of the Literature.

Background/objectives To describe the use of home-based medical care (HBMC) among Medicaid beneficiaries. Design A systematic review of the peer-reviewed and gray literature of home-based primary care and palliative care programs among Medicaid beneficiaries including dual eligibles. Setting HBMC including home-based primary care and palliative care programs. Participants Studies describing Medicaid beneficiaries receiving HBMC. Measurements Three groups of studies were included: those focused on HBMC specifically for Medicaid beneficiaries, studies that described the proportion of Medicaid patients receiving HBMC, and those that used Medicaid status as a dependent variable in studying HBMC. Results The peer-reviewed and gray literature searches revealed 574 unique studies of which only 16 met inclusion criteria. Few publications described HBMC as an integral care delivery model for Medicaid programs. Data from the programs described suggest the use of HBMC for Medicaid beneficiaries can reduce healthcare costs. The addition of social supports to HBMC appears to convey additional savings and benefits. Conclusion This systematic literature review highlights the relative dearth of literature regarding the use and impact of HBMC in the Medicaid population. HBMC has great potential to reduce Medicaid costs, and innovative programs combining HBMC with social support systems need to be tested.
Capital-labor substitution elasticity: A simulated method of moments approach

Abstract The elasticity of substitution between capital and labor plays an important role in the analysis of economic and policy issues such as factors' share in national income and tax policies on business capital formation. Rather than focusing on long-run relationships to estimate this elasticity, I exploit the short-run variations in the labor income share due to changes in capital-embodied technology. Using the simulated method of moments approach, I obtain an elasticity estimate that is clearly less than one. The study indicates that estimates based on the long-run relationship of factor's share may tend to be significantly larger.
Incidence and Dosimetric Predictors of Radiation-Induced Gastric Bleeding After Chemoradiation for Esophageal and Gastroesophageal Junction Cancer.

Purpose To determine the incidence and predictors of gastric bleeding after chemoradiation for esophageal or gastroesophageal junction cancer. Methods and Materials We reviewed patients receiving chemoradiation to at least 41.4 Gy for localized esophageal cancer whose fields included the stomach and who did not undergo surgical resection. The primary endpoint was grade ≥3 gastric hemorrhage (GB3+). Comprehensive stomach dose-volume parameters were collected, and stomach dose-volume histograms were generated for analysis. Results A total of 145 patients met our inclusion criteria. Median prescribed dose was 50.4 Gy (range, 41.4-56 Gy). Median stomach Dmax was 53.0 Gy (1.0-62.7 Gy), and median stomach V40, V45, and V50 Gy were 112 cm3 (0-667 cm3), 84 cm3 (0-632 cm3), and 50 cm3 (0-565 cm3), respectively. Two patients (1.4%) developed radiation-induced GB3+. The only dosimetric factor that was significantly different for these patients was a higher stomach Dmax (58.1 and 58.3 Gy) than the cohort median (53 Gy). One of these patients also had cirrhosis, and the other had a history of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use. Five other patients had GB3+ events associated with documented tumor progression. A Cox proportional hazards model based on stomach Dmax with respect to the development of GB3+ was found to be statistically significant. Time-to-event curves and dose-volume atlases were generated, demonstrating an increased risk of GB3+ only when stomach Dmax was >58 Gy (P < .05). Conclusions We observed a low rate of GB3+ events in patients who received chemoradiation to a median dose of 50.4 Gy to volumes that included a significant portion of the stomach. These results suggest that when prescribing 50.4 Gy for esophageal cancer, there is no need to minimize the irradiated gastric volume or dose for the sake of preventing bleeding complications. Limiting stomach maximum doses to <58 Gy may also avoid bleeding, and particular caution should be taken in patients with other risk factors for bleeding, such as cirrhosis.
PET image quantification using regularized image reconstruction

1975 Objectives Regularized image reconstruction has the advantage of reaching convergence while suppressing noise. Time of flight imaging (TOF) increases the SNR of reconstructed images compared to non-TOF imaging. Point Spread Function (PSF) modeling has been shown to recover image sharpness. The objective of this study is to investigate the interplay of these three advances in image reconstruction on the SUVmax measurements of lesions using a phantom study. Methods A NEMA IEC phantom with six spheres (10 - 37 mm diameter) and a lung insert was imaged on a GE 710 PET/CT scanner. Phantom background was filled with an activity concentration of 0.1 uCi/ml. Three sphere to background ratios were investigated (4, 8 and 10:1). For each case, ten noise realizations of equivalent integral counts were acquired for a total of thirty realizations. Seven reconstructions for each noise realization were performed: Time of flight(TOF) Regularized with Beta values (150, 350, and 550)(REG_TOF), non-TOF Regularized with Beta values(150, 350, and 550)(REG_NT), and TOF PSF OSEM(OSEM_TOF_PSF) using 3it, 24 ss, and a 6mm Gaussian filter, for a total of 210 reconstructions. All regularized reconstructions had PSF. For each case the recovery coefficient of each sphere is calculated as the ratio between measured SUVmax and the known sphere to contrast activity ratio. For each sphere to background ratio, sphere size, and reconstruction algorithm, the average recovery coefficient (ARC) of the ten noise realizations was calculated and the data was plotted. Results General trends of the plots show that as sphere to background ratio increases there is a marked decrease in the underestimation of the lesion SUVmax with decreasing sphere sizes for all tested reconstruction algorithms. Furthermore, TOF_REG showed a marked positive bias in SUVmax for the 10 mm sphere with increasing sphere to background ratio. The bias was further increased with a lower regularization beta value as expected. Similar results with REG_NT were only observed with the lowest beta value of 150. For example for the 4:1 ratio, the ARCs for REG_NT (150, 350, and 550) were 0.93, 0.61, and 0.50; while for TOF_REG (150, 350 and 550) the ARCs were 1.15, 0.84, and 0.68; and for OSEM_TOF_PSF the ARC was 0.68. For the 8:1 ratio, the ARCs for REG-NT (150, 350, and 550) were 1.59, 1.07, and 0.73; while for TOF_REG (150, 350 and 550) the ARCs were 1.63, 1.33, and 1.07; and for OSEM_TOF_PSF the ARC was 0.75. For the 10:1 ratio, the ARCs for REG_NT (150, 350, and 550) were 1.65, 1.21, and 0.87; while for TOF_REG (150, 350 and 550) the ARCs were 2.02, 1.73, and 1.45; and for OSEM_TOF_PSF the ARC was 0.90. Conclusions Regularized reconstruction in combination with TOF and PSF has the tendency to increase the SUVmax with increasing lesion to background ratio particularly for small lesions which could ultimately negatively impact patient management.
Deep Learning in Biomedical Optics

This article reviews deep learning applications in biomedical optics with a particular emphasis on image formation. The review is organized by imaging domains within biomedical optics and includes microscopy, fluorescence lifetime imaging, in vivo microscopy, widefield endoscopy, optical coherence tomography, photoacoustic imaging, diffuse tomography, and functional optical brain imaging. For each of these domains, we summarize how deep learning has been applied and highlight methods by which deep learning can enable new capabilities for optics in medicine. Challenges and opportunities to improve translation and adoption of deep learning in biomedical optics are also summarized. Lasers Surg. Med. © 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Heat capacity and thermodynamic functions of partially dehydrated cation-exchanged (Na+, Cs+, Cd2+, Li+, and NH4+) RHO zeolites

Abstract Synthetic zeolites have a myriad of applications in industry due to their porous frameworks, potential to exhibit flexibility, and specific interactions with guest molecules. One topology of zeolites, RHO, is known to be flexible and have strong interactions with both H2O and CO2. We have performed heat capacity measurements on three partially dehydrated zeolite RHO samples containing extra-framework cations Na+ and Cs+, Cd2+ and Cs+, and Li+ and NH4+ to understand the energetics of these materials. Based on fits of the heat capacity data, we report smooth thermodynamic functions of Cp,m, ΔT0Sm , ΔT0Hm , and Φm for these samples. The standard Sm at 298.15 K are 76.3 ± 0.8, 72.1 ± 0.8, and 68.8 ± 0.7 J∙K−1∙mol−1 for the Na,Cs RHO, Cd,Cs RHO, and Li,NH4 RHO samples, respectively, and the standard Hm at 298.15 K are 12.1 ± 0.1, 11.4 ± 0.1, and 11.4 ± 0.1 kJ∙mol−1. Our measurements also show a transition in the heat capacity of Na,Cs RHO, the sample with the highest water content, between 180 and 300 K that is not clearly observed in the other two samples. We attribute this transition to labile water and cations in the framework. This movement could also be coupled with a temperature-induced lattice expansion. Future work will include heat capacity measurements on fully dehydrated and fully hydrated zeolite RHO in order to separate these two possible phenomena.
Evolutionary Implications of Altered Perspectives on Hominine Demes and Populations in the Later Pleistocene of Western Eurasia

This contribution outlines my own current perspective on some important aspects of the hominine fossil record of western Eurasia with particular reference to demes and populations. Such aggregates comprise essential components for the recognition of lower taxonomic categories (species). They afford the necessary basis for assessments of phylogenetic affinities, for recognition of evolutionary trends, for measurement of evolutionary tempo, and for study of questions of dispersal, isolation, provincialism, and extinctions. The term deme was introduced by Gilmour and Gregor (1939) for a local interbreeding population or community (“any assemblage of taxonomically closely related individuals” [Gilmour and Gregor 1939:333]), and distinguishable by reproductive (genetic), geographic and ecological (habitat) parameters. Carter, who urged employment of the concept, considered the deme “as the unit of natural history and of evolutionary divergence,” and defined it as “a communal interbreeding population within a species” (1951:142). A modern definition is, for example, that of Mayr and Ashlock: “a local population of a species; the community of potentially interbreeding individuals at a given locality” (1991:413). Together, of course, demes (even as isolates, sometimes) constitute subspecies, that is the “aggregate of local populations of a species inhabiting a geographic subdivision of the range of the species” (Mayr and Ashlock 1991:413). Trinkaus has also considered that “the best approach . . . is probably one that regards the available fossil samples (or specimens) as representative of prehistoric populations or lineages acting as portions of dynamic evolutionary units” (1990:9). Past hominine demes are denominated as paleo-demes (p-demes) (Howell 1996). Familiar examples of significant p-deme sam-
The T-Cell Receptor Signalosome

The mechanisms by which ligand recognition by cell-surface receptors are converted into intracellular signals is a central problem in cell biology. B- and T-cell receptors (BCR and TCR, respectively) are expressed on the cell-surface of lymphocytes, which are central players in the adaptive branch of the immune system. Understanding the unique properties of these receptors and how signals are initiated and terminated upon ligand recognition constitute important themes in cellular immunology. This article explores the models which have been proposed to account for signal initiation, information coding, and termination of signal transduction by the TCR signalosome following ligand recognition.
Relationship between degree of focal kyphosis correction and neurological outcomes for patients undergoing cervical deformity correction surgery

Object Reversal of the normal cervical spine curvature, as seen in cervical kyphosis, can lead to mechanical pain, neurological dysfunction, and functional disabilities. Surgical intervention is warranted in patients with sufficiently symptomatic deformities in an attempt to correct the deformed cervical spine. In theory, improved outcomes should accompany a greater degree of correction toward lordosis, although there are few data available to test this relationship. The purpose of this study is to determine if the degree of deformity correction correlates with improvement in neurological symptoms following surgery for cervical kyphotic deformity. Methods A retrospective review of 36 patients with myelopathic symptoms who underwent cervical deformity correction surgery between 2001 and 2009 was performed. Preoperative and postoperative radiographic findings related to the degree of kyphosis were collected and compared with functional outcome measures. The minimum follow-up time was 2 years. Results A sign...
Econometrics of Option Pricing

The information content of a cross-section of European option prices written on a given stock with a given time to maturity is summarized by the volatility smile. This article discusses how to graph the volatility smile, to interpret its asymmetry, convexity, term structure and time variation. Implied volatility, implied risk aversion, risk neutral valuation, and pricing kernels are discussed in the context of dynamic mixtures of geometric Brownian motions, possibly featuring stochastic volatility, long range dependence in volatility, and Poisson jumps. More general stochastic processes with possibly infinite activity jump processes as well as more data-driven nonparametric approaches are also sketched. Keywords: option pricing; volatility smile; moneyness; stochastic volatility; pricing kernel; geometric Brownian motion; mixtures; jumps; risk neutral valuation
Dynamic performance analyze of swing angle torque permanent magnet motor under different structure and winding parameters

A swing angle torque permanent magnet motor operating mechanism is presented which applied in the high voltage circuit breaker. The motor is a permanent magnet motor with limited angle and only working in the starting stage. Based on the operation requirement of high voltage circuit breaker, the dynamic performance of driving motor operating mechanism is achieved by employing the finite element method. The parameters behavior of driving motor is obtained under the different structure and winding parameters, such as the length to diameter ratio, turns and line width ratio, thickness of permanent magnet, pole arc coefficient, length of air-gap and operating voltage. The results indicate that the motor operating mechanism have a good mechanical characteristics and reach the operation of high voltage circuit breaker.
Helium abundance in galaxy clusters and Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect

It has long been suggested that helium nuclei in the intracluster plasma can sediment in the cluster gravitational potential well. Some theoretical estimates for the cores of relaxed clusters predict an excess of helium abundance by up to a factor of a few over its primordial value. The intracluster helium abundance cannot be measured directly. This presents a significant source of uncertainty for cosmological tests based on the X-ray derived cluster quantities, such as the gas mass, total mass, and gas mass fraction, all of which depend on the assumed helium abundance. We point out that cluster distances derived by combining the Sunyaev-Zeldovich (SZ) and X-ray data also depend on the helium abundance. This dependence can be used to measure the abundance, provided the distance is known independently. For example, if one adopts the WMAP H_0 value, then the recent H_0 measurement by Bonamente and collaborators, derived from SZ data on 38 clusters assuming a primordial helium abundance, corresponds to an abundance excess by a factor of 1.9+-0.8 within r~1 Mpc (using only their statistical errors). This shows that interesting accuracy is within reach. We also briefly discuss how the SZ and X-ray cluster data can be combined to resolve the helium abundance dependence for the d_a(z) cosmological test.
O004 Using type III interferon to improve the efficacy of vaccine and oncolytic viral vectors

Introduction Vaccines based on replicating viral vectors that express foreign antigens can generate superior durable antibody and memory CD8 T cell responses compared to inactivated virus or recombinant protein, with the added benefit of potential needle-free intranasal administration. Despite these significant advantages, safety concerns related to viral vectors as vaccine platforms can be an issue with this approach. Replicating viral vectors are perceived as less safe alternatives compared to other immunization modalities, especially in the context of intranasal administration, where the potential exists for systemic virus spread from the lung. The type III interferons (IL-29, IL-28A, IL-28B; also known as IFN-lambda1, 2, and 3) play a critical role in protecting epithelial cells in the lung and gut from virus infection, and can also stimulate adaptive immunity. We therefore examined the ability of this cytokine family to improve the safety and efficacy of a viral vector by limiting its systemic spread and vector-associated pathological effects after intranasal delivery. Methods Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) based vectors are promising candidates for use as vaccines and oncolytic agents. We generated recombinant VSV vectors expressing mouse IL-28A either from the fifth position or the more highly expressing first position of the viral genome, and measured virus replication in cell culture and mice. Results We found that IL-28A is properly expressed, secreted, and active when produced by VSV-infected cells. In cell culture, expression of IL-28A from VSV attenuated virus replication in type III IFN-sensitive cells, but not in type III IFN-resistant cells. Following intranasal inoculation in mice, spread of the VSV.IL28A vector from the lung to the lymph nodes, spleen, blood, liver, and brain was significantly reduced compared to recombinant wild-type VSV. Despite this attenuation, the VSV.mIL28A vector generated virus-specific CD8 T cell and antibody responses in mice that were comparable to wild-type VSV. Conclusion These studies demonstrate the ability of the type III interferon cytokine family to improve the safety and efficacy of a clinically promising viral vaccine vector. These results may potentially also inform the enhancement of VSV oncolytic activity by increasing selectivity of the virus for type III IFN-resistant tumor cells.
Optically detected time resolved epr of radical ion pairs in pulse radiolysis of liquids

Abstract Time resolved EPR spectra of aromatic radical ion pairs are measured by optical detection of microwave modulation (ODMR) of the fluorescence of excited aromatics from recombination of radical ion paris produced by pulse radiolysis ODMR data in solutions of pyrene in decalin indicate that geminate recombination processes are the major source of the excited states.
An efficient algorithm for modelling progressive damage accumulation in disordered materials

This paper presents an efficient algorithm for the simulation of progressive fracture in disordered quasi-brittle materials using discrete lattice networks. The main computational bottleneck involved in modelling the fracture simulations using large discrete lattice networks stems from the fact that a new large set of linear equations needs to be solved every time a lattice bond is broken. Using the present algorithm, the computational complexity of solving the new set of linear equations after breaking a bond reduces to a simple triangular solves (forward elimination and backward substitution) using the already Cholesky factored matrix. This algorithm using the direct sparse solver is faster than the Fourier accelerated iterative solvers such as the preconditioned conjugate gradient (PCG) solvers, and eliminates the critical slowing down associated with the iterative solvers that is especially severe close to the percolation critical points. Numerical results using random resistor networks for modelling the fracture and damage evolution in disordered materials substantiate the efficiency of the present algorithm. In particular, the proposed algorithm is especially advantageous for fracture simulations wherein ensemble averaging of numerical results is necessary to obtain a realistic lattice system response.
Sorbitol Increases Shelf Life of Fresh Mushrooms Stored in Conventional Packages

Trays containing 100g of mushrooms overwrapped with PVC film were held at 12°C. Two 3 mm holes were made on top of the overwrap for ventilation and a Tyvek R pouch containing sorbitol was placed at the bottom of the tray before storage. Surface moisture content of mushrooms decreased in the presence of sorbitol. Mushrooms packaged with 10g sorbitol had a constant surface moisture content and those packaged with 15g sorbitol had the best overall color. Principal component analysis of Vis-NIR spectra revealed that surface moisture content affected the scattering of incident light and mushroom color. Lowering of the inpackage relative humidity did not affect the maturation rate of mushrooms, but reduced bacterial growth, suggesting that improvement in color was probably due to reduced bacterial activity.