cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Diversity analysis of bacteria capable of removing nitrate/nitrite in a shrimp pond

Nitrogen accumulation is a serious concern in aquaculture. Among otherforms of nitrogen nitrite is more harmful because of its low transformation rate and high toxicity. In this study, 27 strains, which can reduce nitrate to nitrite, were isolated from a shrimp pond by using selective enrichment cultures under alternating oxic-anoxic denitrifying conditions. Among these strains, 24 strains effectively decreased nitrate and nitrite concentrations during a 7-day test. The strains LZX21, LZX22, LZX23, LZX27 deceased nitrate concentrations from 422.25mg/L to lower than 4.00mg/L, and deceased nitrite concentrations to lower than 0.40mg/L. Sequence analysis of 16S rDNA indicated that the 27 strains belonged to five separate groups of α-proteobacteria (1), γ-proteobacteria (10), Actinobacteria (12), Firmicutes (3), and bacteroides (1). Moreover, these strains were classified into or showed close relationship to 11 genera including Pseudomonas, Halomonas, Acinetobacter, Paracoccus, Arthrobacter, Microbacterium, Cellulosimicrobium, Bacillus, Stenotrophom, and Sphingobacterium. These data suggest that a high diversity of bacteria capable of removing nitrate/nitrite was present in the shrimp pond. Several species were reported for the first time to have capability of nitrate/nitrite removal. These strains provide a plentiful resource for further selecting nitrite cleaners.
Investigation report of cockroach background at lodging school in Handan city

Objective To grasp the original background of species distribution of cockroach at lodging school so as to offer scientific basis for epidemic monitor and effectively control. Methods Glue and catching method.Results 1 964 pieces of Blattella germanica were caught.The rate of invasion and density in thirteen lodging school mess halls were the highest and they were 28.74% and 7.65 pieces per sheet respectively. Conclusion According to the local environment and the character of vector biology,general management was necessary to control insects.
Disinfection of wastewater by photodynamic oxidation.

The inability of chlorine to act as an effec tive disinfectant against viruses in wastewater and the possible production of toxic and car cinogenic chlorinated compounds has led to a call for the development of alternate disin fectants.1 In addition, a disinfection method must be developed which is capable of achiev ing very large reductions of pathogenic micro organisms if reclamation of wastewater for potable use is to become a reality. In work previously reported from this laboratory, the inactivation of bacteria, fungi, and viruses by sensitizing these agents with photoreactive dyes and exposing them to white light or monochromatic light to bring about photo dynamic oxidation has been described.2'3 The current study was conducted to extend the authors' previous work and to delineate the optimal parameters for photoinactivation of bacteria and viruses in wastewater by m?thyl ?ne blue.
Jean Anouilh (1910

Theatre ‘must create by every artifice possible something truer than truth,’ wrote Jean Anouilh.1 He has succeeded admirably in achieving his goal in The Traveller Without Luggage (1937), and in many other plays. The theatrical medium was a perfect vehicle for him to lay bare the soul of his protagonists, to probe those eternal questions of identity, integrity, and the dichotomy between the real and the unreal worlds. The techniques used by him to point up the ambiguities and contentions which lie at the heart of his works (coincidences, shock, improvisation, puns, jokes, the play within the play, a variety of images and symbols, masks, and other devices) also convey the mysteries of the heart and mind which haunt humankind. The multiple attitudes toward life which Anouilh delineates in his stage plays may seem harsh and brutal at times; nevertheless, they enrich the viewer and the reader by underscoring the indecisive nature of so many who seem to be immersed in an ever-alluring fantasy world. Derisive, fascinating, frustrating, his works are endowed with point and humour, with artistry; they glisten with urgency and meaning.
Multi-sensor platform for automatic disorders detection in circadian rhythm

Anomalies in the circadian rhythm may cause psychological or neurological disorders, mainly in elderly people. Early detection of anomalies in circadian rhythm could be useful for the prevention of such problems. This work describes a multi-sensor platform for anomalies detection in circadian rhythm. Three detectors with different sensing principles are considered: a Time-Of-Flight camera, a MEMS wearable wireless accelerometer and an Ultra-Wideband radar. The inputs of the platform are sequences of human postures, even simulated, extensively used both for analysis of Activities of Daily Living and human behavior understanding. A postures simulator, calibrated on real experiments performed by each detector involved in the platform, has been implemented in order to compensate the lack of wide datasets containing long-term data for the analyzed context. Finally, a reasoner layer infers knowledge by using a suitable activity recognition module; by means of an unsupervised clustering technique, the reasoner is able to detect specific circadian anomalies, providing a tool for clinical evaluations. Experimental evaluation shows the effectiveness of the implemented solution and the ability to detect circadian anomalies at varying sensing technology.
Microwave-driven smart material actuator

NASA's Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST) has a large deployable, fragmented optical surface (>= 8 m in diameter) that requires autonomous correction of deployment misalignments and thermal effects. Its high and stringent resolution requirement imposes a great deal of challenge for optical correction. The threshold value for optical correction is dictated by (lambda) /20 (30 nm for NGST optics). Control of an adaptive optics array consisting of a large number of optical elements and smart material actuators is so complex that power distribution for activation and control of actuators must be done by other than hard-wired circuitry. The concept of microwave-driven smart actuators is envisioned as the best option to alleviate the complexity associated with hard-wiring. A microwave-driven actuator was studied to realize such a concept for future applications. Piezoelectric material was used as an actuator that shows dimensional change with high electric field. The actuators were coupled with microwave rectenna and tested to correlate the coupling effect of electromagnetic wave. In experiments, a 3 X 3 rectenna patch array generated more than 50 volts which is a threshold voltage for 30-nm displacement of a single piezoelectric material. Overall, the test results indicate that the microwave-driven actuator concept can be adopted for NGST applications.
PPE Surface Proteins Are Required for Heme Utilization by Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Iron is essential for replication of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, but iron is efficiently sequestered in the human host during infection. Heme constitutes the largest iron reservoir in the human body and is utilized by many bacterial pathogens as an iron source. While heme acquisition is well studied in other bacterial pathogens, little is known in M. tuberculosis To identify proteins involved in heme utilization by M. tuberculosis, a transposon mutant library was screened for resistance to the toxic heme analog gallium(III)-porphyrin (Ga-PIX). Inactivation of the ppe36, ppe62, and rv0265c genes resulted in resistance to Ga-PIX. Growth experiments using isogenic M. tuberculosis deletion mutants showed that PPE36 is essential for heme utilization by M. tuberculosis, while the functions of PPE62 and Rv0265c are partially redundant. None of the genes restored growth of the heterologous M. tuberculosis mutants, indicating that the proteins encoded by the genes have separate functions. PPE36, PPE62, and Rv0265c bind heme as shown by surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy and are associated with membranes. Both PPE36 and PPE62 proteins are cell surface accessible, while the Rv0265c protein is probably located in the periplasm. PPE36 and PPE62 are, to our knowledge, the first proline-proline-glutamate (PPE) proteins of M. tuberculosis that bind small molecules and are involved in nutrient acquisition. The absence of a virulence defect of the ppe36 deletion mutant indicates that the different iron acquisition pathways of M. tuberculosis may substitute for each other during growth and persistence in mice. The emerging model of heme utilization by M. tuberculosis as derived from this study is substantially different from those of other bacteria. Importance Tuberculosis is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis and is a devastating disease affecting eight million people each year. Iron is an essential nutrient for replication of M. tuberculosis in the human host. More than 70% of iron in the human body is bound in heme. Not surprisingly, many bacterial pathogens, including M. tuberculosis, are able to acquire iron from heme. However, the mechanism of heme uptake by M. tuberculosis is poorly understood. We have identified two novel surface proteins that bind heme and are required for heme utilization by M. tuberculosis These findings constitute a major advancement of our understanding of iron acquisition by M. tuberculosis and show that M. tuberculosis has evolved heme uptake systems different from the paradigms established by other bacteria.
Mathematical Theories as Models

The thoughts in this paper follow a suggestion by Reuben Hersh that pluralists think of mathematical theories as models of other parts of mathematics. Through this lens, the totality of ‘mathematics’ is then a game of interpretation of one theory by another. As a discipline, mathematics is sui generis.
Will gasb 34 induce changes in local government forecasting practice? a preliminary investigation

Certain of GASB Statement 34’s requirements might on their face induce an upgrading of local sector forecasting capacity as well as a reduction of tolerated forecast error. Results from our national survey of local and county finance officers suggest that respondents with graduate degrees who work in offices with forecasting software may respond to GASB 34 implementation in a manner consistent with this expectation. Others are unlikely to view the standard as a cue to enhance their forecast capacity at this early stage of rollout. Our results also suggest that the norm of revenue underforecasting is deep-seated and that survey results understate its magnitude. These results are a baseline; further experience with the GASB 34 may alter practitioner perception of need and lead to deployment of more advanced forecasting methodology and heightened expectations of forecast accuracy.
Noise mechanisms in synaptic transmission and their impact on spike-timing precision

In the nervous system, communication occurs via synaptic transmission where signaling molecules (neurotransmitters) are released by the presynaptic neuron, and they influence electrical activity of another neuron (postsynaptic neuron). The inherent probabilistic release of neurotransmitters is a significant source of noise that critically impacts the timing of spikes (action potential) in the postsynaptic neuron. We develop a stochastic model that incorporates noise mechanisms in synap-tic transmission, such as, random docking of neurotransmitter-filled vesicle to a finite number of docking sites, with each site having a probability of vesicle release upon arrival of an action potential. This random, burst-like release of neurotransmitters serves as an input to an integrate-and-fire model, where spikes in the postsynaptic neuron are triggered when its membrane potential reaches a critical threshold for the first time. We derive novel analytical results for the probability distribution function of spike timing, and systematically investigate how underlying model parameters and noise processes regulate variability in the inter-spike times. Interestingly, in some parameter regimes, independent arrivals of action potentials in the presynaptic neuron generate strong dependencies in the spike timing of the postsynaptic neuron. Finally, we argue that probabilistic release of neurotransmitters is not only a source of disturbance, but plays a beneficial role in synaptic information processing.
Bi-directional dominance for measure modeled uncertainty

Abstract Our objective here is to provide a formulation for a dominance relationship between variables having uncertain values, represented by measures, which can be used for ordering these uncertain values. We first discuss the use of monotonic set functions, fuzzy measures, for the representation of uncertain information. We consider the issue of comparing and ordering variables whose values are uncertain and represented via a measure and we suggest the use of bi-directional dominance, which can be seen as a generalization of stochastic dominance that is used to order probability distributions. We note the establishment of a dominance relationship between uncertain values is often not possible. In order to circumvent this we introduce the idea of surrogates for bi-directional dominance, here we associate with each uncertain value, measure, a scalar value that provides an ordering between all uncertain values. These surrogates are defined so that they maintain any relationship between measures that can be established with the use of bi-directional dominance.
Rate of recalibration to changing affordances for squeezing through doorways reveals the role of feedback

Recalibration of affordance perception in response to changing motor abilities can only occur if observers detect appropriate perceptual information. Recent work suggests that although many affordances can be recalibrated without practicing the specific action to gather outcome feedback—information about whether the attempted action succeeded or failed—calibration of other affordances might depend on outcome feedback (Franchak, Attent Percept Psychophys 79:1816–1829, 2017). However, past work could not rule out the possibility that practicing the action produced perceptual–motor feedback besides outcome feedback that facilitated recalibration. The results of two experiments support the hypothesis that recalibration in a doorway squeezing task depends on outcome feedback as opposed to perceptual–motor feedback. After putting on a backpack that changed participants’ doorway squeezing ability, affordance judgments were uncalibrated and remained so even after making repeated judgments. However, after practicing the action, which produced outcome feedback, judgments rapidly calibrated. Moreover, the order of feedback information directly impacted participants’ judgments: Participants did not recalibrate if they received only success experience or only failure experience. Recalibration only occurred after participants received both types of feedback experiences, suggesting that outcome feedback is necessary for recalibration in the doorway squeezing task. More generally, the results of the current study support a key tenet of ecological psychology—that affordance perception depends on action-specific information about body–environment relations.
Biological Treatment of Metallic Pollutants

This chapter addresses the use of biological technologies for the treatment of hazardous metals and radionuclides released into subsurface media — soils and sediments. The subsurface is defined here as occurring at least 30 cm from the surface, and includes the vadose and saturated zones. The H2O solubility of metals is considered critical to their human and environmental hazard assessment. Water is considered to be present in arid, humid, and hydric environments. Water exists either as a fluid filling all pores within sediments or saturated soils; as a vapor in the unsaturated zone; or as films on particle surfaces and within the interstices of all natural media. The latter kind of water includes “intrinsic” moisture, which is almost impossible to remove. The following text will consider the (bio)chemistry that occurs within or adjacent to H2O in all its forms.
Public Preferences for Bipartisanship in Congress

Does a bipartisan image improve citizens' perceptions of Congress and its members? If so, why has partisan polarization presumably increased (and bipartisan cooperation declined) in Congress since the 1970s? To address these questions, we unpack the ―electoral connection‖ by exploring the mass public’s preferences for bipartisanship in Congress via two original survey experiments in which we manipulated characteristics of individual members and Congress as a whole. We find that a bipartisan image improves perceptions of Congress as an institution among citizens across the partisan spectrum. However, there exists heterogeneity by strength of party identification with respect to evaluations of individual members. Independents and weak partisans are more supportive of members that espouse a bipartisan image, whereas strong partisans are less supportive. Hence, people with strong attachments to a political party support the abstract notion of bipartisanship in the aggregate but not when evaluating individual members. This empirical pattern helps us understand why members in safely partisan districts continue to engage in partisan conflict even though partisanship damages the collective reputation of the institution, as well as why members from competitive districts attempt to project a bipartisan image.
Biases induced by using geography and environment to guide ex situ conservation

Ex situ germplasm collections seek to conserve maximum genetic diversity in a small number of samples. Geographic and environmental information have long been treated as surrogate measures of genetic diversity, proposed to be useful for increasing allelic diversity of collections. We examine the effect of maximizing geographic and environmental diversity on the retention of distinct haplotype blocks in germplasm subsets, using three species with extensive genomewide genotypic data. We show that maximizing diversity in the surrogate measures produces subsets with uneven representation of haplotypic diversity across the genome. Some regions are well-conserved, exhibiting high haplotypic diversity, while others are poorly-conserved and contain significantly less haplotypic diversity than would be obtained via random sampling. In two of three species, poorly-conserved genomic regions were enriched in regulatory genes which, as a class, contribute to phenotypic variation. The specific genes affected varied by species but, overall, haplotypic diversity was poorly-conserved at genes controlling ~ 10% of major molecular functions and biological processes. While this study was limited to three exemplar species, we find little evidence to support continued use of geographic or environmental surrogates for ex situ conservation activities attempting to capture maximum genomewide allelic diversity. Although geographic and environmental diversity have proven to be reliable predictors of allele frequency differences and ecotypic differentiation across species ranges, they appear to be poor predictors of allelic diversity per se, offering little opportunity to enrich collections for haplotypic diversity overall, and ample opportunity to bias the conservation of important functional genetic variation. We propose a bioinformatic bridge between haplotypic diversity and the potential phenotypic diversity residing in collections using the Gene Ontology.
Fundamental Vibrational Analyses of the HCN Monomer, Dimer and Associated Isotopologues.

In this work we provide high level ab initio treatments of the structures, vibrational frequencies, and electronic energies of the HCN monomer and dimer systems along with several isotopologues. The plethora of information related to this system within the literature is summarized and serves as a basis for comparison with the results of this paper. The geometry of the dimer and monomer are reported at the all electroncoupled-cluster singles, doubles, and perturbative triples level of theory [AE-CCSD(T)] with the correlation consistent quadruple-zeta quality basis sets with extra core functions (cc-pCVQZ) from Dunning. The theoretical geometries and electronic structures are further analyzed through the use of the Natural Bond Orbital (NBO) method and Natural Resonance Theory (NRT). At the AE-CCSD(T)/cc-pCVQZ level of theory, the full cubic with semi-diagonal quartic force field for nine dimer and four monomer isotopologues (the parent isotopologue along with 15 N, 13 C, and D derivatives) were obtained to treat the anharmonicity of the vibrations via second order vibrational perturbation theory (VPT2). Lastly, the enthalpy change associated with the formation of the dimer from two monomer units was determined using the focal point analysis. Computations including coupled-cluster through perturbative quadruples as well as basis sets up to six-zeta quality, including core functions (cc-pCVXZ, X=D,T,Q,5,6) were used to extrapolate to the AE-CCSDT(Q)/CBS energy associated with this hydrogen-bond forming process. After appending anharmonic zero-point vibrational, relativistic, and diagonal Born-Oppenheimer corrections, we report a value of -3.93 kcal mol-1 for the enthalpy of formation. To our knowledge, each set of results (geometries, vibrational frequencies, and energetics) reported in this study represents the highest-level and most reliable theoretical predictions reported for this system.
Abstract TP356: Advanced Stroke Life Support® Course Significantly Improves Knowledge of Stroke Diagnosis and Management for Prehospital and Hospital-Based Providers

Introduction: Comprehensive stroke education is necessary for rapid and effective diagnosis and treatment of stroke victims, especially in the prehospital and emergency department settings. Early a...
Residential greenness and cognitive function in the oldest-old in China: a prospective cohort study

Abstract Background There is evolving evidence about the effect of greenness on health, with findings from several studies showing a relationship with mortality. How greenness can affect mental and neurological systems has not been clearly elucidated. Currently, there are no prospective studies of how greenness can prevent the decline of cognitive function in the elderly in China. Methods We used the 1998 wave of the China Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS), a prospective cohort representative of the general elderly population (age ≥80 years) in China. We assessed residential greenness using satellite-derived Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) in a 250 m radius around each participant's residential address from 2000 to 2014, and categorised them into quartiles. We assessed cognitive function using an adapted Chinese version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). We defined participants with scores less than 24 as having abnormal cognition. We excluded participants with abnormal cognition at baseline in 2000. We used mixed-effects logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (OR) and their corresponding 95% CIs for MMSE scores, adjusted for age, sex, ethnicity, marital status, childhood and adult socioeconomic status, smoking status, alcohol consumption, exercise status, activity of daily living, and time since study entry. Findings There were 2345 participants without cognitive impairment at baseline. The mean cohort age was 90 years (SD 6·6). Participants who developed cognitive impairment over time were more likely to be older, female, not married, have low childhood and adult socioeconomic status, smoke, do not exercise, and had poor physical function at baseline. One quartile increase in NDVI values was associated with an odds ratio (OR) of 0·92 of developing cognitive impairment during follow-up (95% CI 0·86–0·99). Age, sex, marital status, socioeconomic status, smoking, exercise, and activities of daily living were significant predictors of cognitive impairment; 1 year of age was associated with an OR of 1·05 (95% CI 1·03–1·06) of developing cognitive impairment. Interpretation Our findings suggest that an increase in exposure to greenness might be an effective strategy to prevent cognitive decline in the oldest-old (aged ≥80 years), which could have implications for dementia and Alzheimer's disease (now the fifth leading cause of death in China). Funding None
Tocilizumab as first-line therapy for steroid-refractory acute graft-versus-host-disease: analysis of a single-center experience.

Acute graft-versus-host-disease (aGVHD) is a complication after allogeneic stem cell transplant. After the failure of treatment with high dose corticosteroids, steroid-refractory aGVHD (SR aGVHD) i...
Cold Adaptations of Tundra Insects

Abstract Even though insects cannot regulate their internal temperature through metabolism, they manage to live in some of the coldest regions of the planet. They achieve this through a wide variety of adaptations. The active part of their life cycle is compressed into the few short weeks of Arctic summer. In order to build up the necessary nutrients and metabolic energy to fulfill their life cycle, most Arctic insects live several years, either in the larval or adult stage. Arctic insects avoid lethal polar winter air temperatures by seeking shelter beneath snow, inside plant tissues, beneath leaves or in mud. As summer turns to winter, polar insects prepare physiologically for freezing temperatures. Some species are freeze-tolerant, and others avoid freezing. Most Arctic insects are freeze-tolerant, meaning they allow ice to form inside their body cavities, but carefully control the location of ice crystals to avoid tissue damage. Freeze avoiding insects build up antifreeze chemicals in their hemolymph that allow their bodies to super-cool to temperatures well below the normal freezing point of water. Some small and soft-bodied insects that live in soil allow most of the water in their bodies to be drawn out into the soil as it freezes, and so avoid frozen tissues through desiccation.
Patients With Greater Stroke Severity and Premorbid Disability Are Less Likely to Receive Therapist Consultations and Intervention During Acute Care Hospitalization.

Background A substantial number of patients with stroke never receive acute care therapy services, despite the fact that therapy after stroke reduces the odds of death and disability and improves patients' functioning. Objective The aim of this study was to estimate the proportion of and factors associated with receipt of therapist consultations and interventions during acute care hospitalization following ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. Design This was a single-center longitudinal observational study. Methods Adults with a diagnosis of ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke (N = 1366) were enrolled during their hospitalization in an acute stroke center in a large metropolitan area. The main outcomes were receipt of therapist consultations, interventions, or both. Results Participants with acute hemorrhagic stroke (intracerebral: odds ratio [OR] = 0.34 [95% CI = 0.19-0.60]; subarachnoid: OR = 0.52 [95% CI = 0.28-0.99]) and with greater stroke severity by National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score (NIHSS score of > 15: OR = 0.34 [95% CI = 0.23-0.51]) were less likely to receive therapist consultations. Participants with moderate stroke severity (NIHSS score of 6-15: OR = 1.43 [95% CI = 1.01-2.33]) were more likely to receive therapy interventions. Those who were able to ambulate before admission were more than 5 times as likely to receive therapy interventions (OR = 5.08 [95% CI = 1.91-13.52]). Also, participants with longer lengths of stay (ie, more intensive care unit and non-intensive care unit days) were more likely to receive therapist consultations and interventions. Tests or procedures were the most common reasons for unsuccessful attempts to complete therapist consultations. Limitations Lack of operational and qualitative data prohibited detailed explorations of barriers to delivery of therapist consultations and interventions. Conclusions Approximately 1 in 4 participants with acute stroke received neither a consultation nor an intervention. Efforts to improve the delivery of acute care therapy services are needed to optimize care for these people.
Coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention in cardiac arrest survivors with non-shockable rhythms and no STEMI: A systematic review.

Abstract Background Emergency coronary angiography (CAG) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are thought to improve outcomes in cardiac arrest (CA) survivors with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and those without STEMI but likely cardiac etiology (shockable rhythms). However, the role of CAG ± PCI in OHCA survivors with non-shockable rhythms and no STEMI post-resuscitation remains unclear. Methods We searched Ovid/MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science, and ClinicalTrials.gov from inception to January 2019. Two reviewers independently screened titles and abstracts of all records retrieved in the database searches and full texts of all articles selected in the title/abstract screen, with disagreements resolved by consensus. Risk of bias was assessed using the Strobe checklist. Results Fourteen out of 1174 articles met criteria for full review. Only two studies including 152 patients with confirmed non-shockable rhythms and no STEMI post resuscitation met all criteria and were analyzed. One study reported 97 patients (of 1497 in the registry) underwent CAG and 24.7% underwent PCI. The second study reported 55 patients (of 545 in the cohort) underwent CAG and acute coronary lesions were found in 16.4% but only 9.1% underwent PCI and no survival benefit was demonstrated. Conclusions There is limited data describing the prevalence of CAD and the role of CAG ± PCI in CA survivors with non-shockable rhythms and no STEMI post-resuscitation. In the two studies meeting criteria for this systematic review, 16% of patients with non-shockable rhythms underwent PCI.
“Down with 1989!”: The Peculiar Right-Wing Backlash against 1968 in Poland:

This article is part of the special cluster titled Generation ’68 in Poland (with a Czechoslovak Comparative Perspective).Whereas much of the European right greeted the fiftieth anniversary of 1968...
Highly efficient Bayesian updating using metamodels: An adaptive Kriging-based approach

Abstract Bayesian updating offers a powerful tool for probabilistic calibration and uncertainty quantification of models as new observations become available. By reformulating Bayesian updating into a structural reliability problem via introducing an auxiliary random variable, the state-of-the-art Bayesian updating with structural reliability method (BUS) has showcased large potential to achieve higher accuracy and efficiency compared with conventional approaches based on Markov Chain Monte Carlo simulations. However, BUS faces a number of limitations. The transformed reliability problem often involves a very rare event especially when the number of observations increases. This along with the fact that conventional reliability analysis techniques are not efficient, and often not capable of accurately estimating the probability of rare events, unavoidably lead to a very large number of evaluations of the likelihood function and simultaneously insufficient accuracy of the derived posterior distributions. To overcome these limitations, we propose Simple Rejection Sampling with Multiple Auxiliary Random Variables (SRS-MARV), where the limit state function in BUS is decomposed into a system reliability problem with multiple limit state functions. The main advantage of this approach is that the acceptance rate of each decomposed limit state function is significantly improved, which facilitates effective integration of adaptive Kriging-based reliability analysis into SRS-MARV. Moreover, a new stopping criterion is proposed for efficient, adaptive training of the Kriging model. The proposed method called BUAK is shown to be highly computationally efficient and accurate based on results of comprehensive investigations for three diverse benchmark problems. Compared to the state-of-the-art methods, BUAK substantially reduces the computational demand by one to three orders of magnitude, therefore, facilitating the application of Bayesian updating to computationally very intensive models.
Employing Blockchain Technology for Decentralized Crowdsourced Data Access and Management

In recent years, the crowdsourced data analytics have gained an unprecedented interest and adoption from the research communities. In data crowdsourcing, large scientific problems can be solved by utilizing collective human intelligence, where various researchers or groups work on solving various sub-problems. However, the main challenges that encompasses a crowdsourcing system are data access, management, and analysis along with user privacy and trust preservation. In this paper, we present a decentralized data access and control framework to handle data crowdsourcing using blockchain technology. Leveraging on blockchain, our permissioned system enables confidentiality, accountability and traceability of the Crowdsourced data while maintaining control of it via Proof of Stake consensus algorithm. The proposed framework will be employed to crowdsource operational data to the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC) users at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
Developmentally-orchestrated mitochondrial processes prime the selection against harmful mtDNA mutations

Abstract Although mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is prone to mutation and not all conventional DNA repair systems operate in mitochondria, deleterious mutations are exceedingly rare. How the transmission of detrimental mtDNA mutations is restricted through the maternal lineage is debated. Here, we use Drosophila to dissect the mechanisms of mtDNA selective inheritance and understand their molecular underpinnings. Our observations support a purifying selection at the organelle level based on a series of developmentally-orchestrated mitochondrial processes. We demonstrate that mitochondrial fission, together with the lack of mtDNA replication in early germarium, effectively segregates mtDNA into individual organelles. After mtDNA segregation, mtDNA transcription begins, which leads to the activation of respiration in each organelle. The expression of mtDNA-encoded genes allows the functional manifestation of different mitochondrial genotypes in heteroplasmic cells, and hence functions as a stress test for each individual genome and sets the stage for the replication competition. We also show that the Balbiani body has a minor role in mtDNA selective inheritance by supplying healthy mitochondria to the pole plasm. The two selection mechanisms may act synergistically to secure the transmission of functional mtDNA through Drosophila oogenesis.
Vending Machines and Cardiovascular Prevention: How to Implement Healthy Dietary Habits at School

Too many children in Europe are overweight. The unregulated marketing of unhealthy products target to children, and the installation of vending machines stocked with unhealthy snacks in public venues, are contributing factors. While innovative legislation on the regulation of the nutritional quality of food and beverages sold in vending machines in schools has become law in some European countries, it is not on the political agenda in others. However, an easy alternative solution could be to introduce a clause in all new tenders for vending machines, which states that the successful supplier must commit to ensuring that at least 50% of the products sold have a medium-to-small portion size, are low in saturated fat, salt, calories, and have no added sugar. This strategy, called "A vending machine for a friend", was developed at CNR of Rome, and with the support of the SIPREC, the LHA and the EHN, and with the alliance with teachers and students, is being rolled out in some Italian and Lithuanian high schools. Creating a healthy nutritional environment with the aim of encouraging healthier choices, is a real possibility.
Pulmonary and systemic toxicity in rats following inhalation exposure of 3-D printer emissions from acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) filament.

Fused filament fabrication 3-D printing with acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) filament emits ultrafine particulates (UFPs) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). However, the toxicological imp...
Architectural and Financial Considerations for Deploying 5G Based Fixed Wireless Access

5G based Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) technology is considered a superior choice in offering broadband communication services in a variety of markets. However, there are several different ways of deploying 5G WFA. This paper discusses various deployment scenarios, business opportunities, and competition for the FWA use case. Deploying 5G FWA networks is not a small undertaking; in addition to many designs, development, migration, and deployment challenges, there are also many economic and financial options that must be carefully explored. The paper identifies four deployment alternatives based on the spectrum, infrastructure, region, and mobility requirements. The paper also introduces a framework for identifying the best financing option for each of the four alternatives.
18 U.S.C. section 3553(a)'s Undervalued Sentencing Command: Providing a Federal Criminal Defendant with Rehabilitation, Training, and Treatment in 'the Most Effective Manner'

The vast majority of federal criminal defendants are sentenced to prison, and non-incarceration sentences have become vanishingly small. During the sentencing process, federal district court judges are required to consider what sentence will provide the defendant with necessary rehabilitation and treatment in the most effective manner pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a)(2)(d). Courts regularly undervalue, ignore, or even violate this statutory command. Some courts seem to believe that the Bureau of Prisons can provide adequate rehabilitation and treatment and do not explain how this squares with what the statute requires. Other courts barely engage with the issue. Only a minority of courts take the statutory command seriously. This is problematic because evidence shows that the Bureau of Prisons is ill-equipped to provide defendants with the most effective rehabilitation and treatment, particularly medical care and mental health care. This article concludes that the courts should take § 3553(a)(2)(D)’s mandate much more seriously in sentencing federal criminal defendants. Likewise, defense attorneys should engage in vigorous advocacy at sentencing to ensure that courts understand the Bureau of Prisons’ severe limitations in providing effective, let alone adequate, rehabilitation and treatment.
A Novel Hybrid Single Ventricular Assist Device (SVAD) Strategy for a Neonate with Ventricular Septal Defect, Aortic Arch Hypoplasia, and Biventricular Dysfunction

Introduction Neonates requiring biventricular VAD (BiVAD) support remain a high-risk population. Common challenges include limited space for multiple cannulae, poor wound healing, and difficulties establishing adequate VAD fill and ejection. Given these concerns, we present a unique case using a hybrid procedure and SVAD implant in a neonate with two-ventricle(2V) circulation. Case Report Female term neonate (birth weight 3.2 kg; BSA 0.2 kg/m2) born with a moderate-sized ventricular septal defect (VSD), aortic arch hypoplasia, and severe biventricular dysfunction due to a MHY7 mutation. In light of her weight, likely need for biventricular support given her underlying cardiomyopathy and need for extensive arch repair, we elected to proceed with a hybrid SVAD support strategy. We hypothesized that this approach would decrease the duration of bypass and minimize the number of cannula over the traditional approach of VSD and arch repair with BiVAD support. We also hoped this strategy would provide improved LV decompression, thus improving pulmonary mechanics and nutritional support. On day 6 of life, she underwent atrial septectomy, bilateral PA band placement, and implant of a 10 ml Berlin EXCOR using a 6 mm EXCOR cannula in the right atrium and a 5 mm EXCOR cannula in the main pulmonary artery. A PDA stent was placed using a perventricular approach. She progressed well post-operatively with discontinuation of inotropic support on post-operative day (POD) 3 and extubation on POD 4. VAD fill and ejection have been appropriate. The clinical course is noteworthy for diaphragm paralysis requiring plication and ongoing BiPAP support. Additionally, she developed NEC on POD 23 and has only tolerated ∼30% of her nutritional needs enterally. To date, she has remained on VAD support > 100 days while awaiting transplant. Summary We present a unique case of a neonate with 2V congenital heart disease who has been supported with a hybrid SVAD strategy using a Berlin EXCOR. While this approach has been advantageous in avoidance of VSD and arch repair and requiring fewer cannulae, it also has had challenges; namely, the need for ongoing respiratory and feeding support. We speculate that this may reflect the challenges of optimal PA band placement as well as difficulties providing balanced systemic and pulmonary flow on SVAD support.
Targeted NPR-C PET/MR imaging of carotid atherosclerosis in humans: correlation with ex vivo plaque immunohistochemistry (IHC)

636 Objectives: It is unclear which asymptomatic patients with ≥ 70% diameter carotid stenosis may benefit from carotid endarterectomy (CEA) intervention. We have identified a natriuretic peptide receptor (NPRC) that is present in deep intimal macrophages and vascular smooth muscle cells and is up-regulated in plaque with features of instability. We have developed a nanoparticle radiotracer, 64Cu-CANF-Comb, directly targeting this receptor. We hypothesize that uptake of this radiotracer will correlate with both presence of NPRC on immunohistochemistry (IHC) of ex vivo carotid specimens in patients who went on to CEA surgery, and to features of instability (large lipid pool, hemorrhage). Methods: Fourteen patients (average age 73.5, range 60-85 years; 7 men, 7 women) scheduled for CEA underwent carotid PET/MRI imaging approximately 18 hours after injection of 3.5-5.1 mCi 64Cu-CANF-Comb. PET acquisition was list mode for ~ 30 min. MR imaging consisted of high-resolution (0.5-0.7 mm) bright blood 3D GRE, T2 3D SPACE, dark blood TSE T1, and T2/PD imaging using small neck surface coils. CEA specimens were collected post surgery for IHC. Eight specimens were stained with an antibody (anti-NPRC, 1:100 in blocking serum) and a secondary antibody labeled with a blue chromogen and counterstained with nuclear fast red. Five 100X random fields were randomly selected in the superficial intima, deep intima and media of the specimens. NPRC positive cells were counted in each field, and an average was derived for the 15 fields. A supervised classifier software program in Matlab was developed to segment the carotid MR images to determine the maximal morphological component (calcium, fibrous cap, lipid pool, hemorrhage). Highest PET SUV of plaque was compared to NPRC readout on IHC and to primary plaque component on MRI. Results: Highest SUV in the region of carotid stenotic plaque removed for CEA across subjects (N=8) ranged from 0.27-2.72, mean 1.18 (SD .82) and showed strong correlation with IHC presence of NPRC, r= 0.90, 95% CI (0.501, 0.980), P = 0.002. NPRC presence on IHC was highest in the deep intima. On MRI, SUV showed strong correlation with percent plaque volume of combined lipid rich necrotic core and hemorrhage, r= 0.90, 95% CI (0.469, 0.986), P = 0.007 (N=7). Conclusions: We have translated a receptor-targeted PET radiotracer, 64Cu-CANF-Comb, into human subjects and show that PET uptake correlates with plaque expression of NPRC, the receptor it targets. This receptor is expressed in deep intimal macrophages and vascular smooth muscle cells in carotid plaque with features of instability.
Prior exercise and circulorespiratory endurance.

Abstract Subjects (N = 12) performed a circulorespiratory endurance task 2 min. after completing 10 min. of exercise at each of four intensities of prior exercise (PE). The PE was adjusted to maintain heart rate (HR) at resting levels (no exercise), 110, 140, and 170 bpm. The criterion task required the subject to pedal against a resistance of 3 kg. at a starting rate of 68 rpm. As he tired and could not maintain the pace, he kept going as fast as possible. His score was the number of revolutions for each minute of the 10-min. task. For the sixth minute of the task, performance following the PE at HR 170 was significantly worse (P < .05) than that following rest, 110 and 140 bpm, while the latter three treatments did not differ significantly. For the rest, 140 and 170 treatments there was a significant tendency for the subjects to slow down from minute 1-6 and then to speed up from minutes 8-10. The slight deterioration in performance following PE at 170 bpm was attributed to possible lactate accumulation...
Privacy through Fake yet Semantically Real Traces.

Camouflaging data by generating fake information is a well-known obfuscation technique for protecting data privacy. In this paper, we focus on a very sensitive and increasingly exposed type of data: location data. There are two main scenarios in which fake traces are of extreme value to preserve location privacy: publishing datasets of location trajectories, and using location-based services. Despite advances in protecting (location) data privacy, there is no quantitative method to evaluate how realistic a synthetic trace is, and how much utility and privacy it provides in each scenario. Also, the lack of a methodology to generate privacy-preserving fake traces is evident. In this paper, we fill this gap and propose the first statistical metric and model to generate fake location traces such that both the utility of data and the privacy of users are preserved. We build upon the fact that, although geographically they visit distinct locations, people have strongly semantically similar mobility patterns, for example, their transition pattern across activities (e.g., working, driving, staying at home) is similar. We define a statistical metric and propose an algorithm that automatically discovers the hidden semantic similarities between locations from a bag of real location traces as seeds, without requiring any initial semantic annotations. We guarantee that fake traces are geographically dissimilar to their seeds, so they do not leak sensitive location information. We also protect contributors to seed traces against membership attacks. Interleaving fake traces with mobile users' traces is a prominent location privacy defense mechanism. We quantitatively show the effectiveness of our methodology in protecting against localization inference attacks while preserving utility of sharing/publishing traces.
Recurrent “non-Hodgkin's lymphoma” presenting with gingival enlargement

Abstract A 66-year-old white woman with recurrent “non-Hodgkin's lymphoma” is discussed. Her initial manifestation of recurrent disease was gingival enlargement. We reviewed the oral manifestations of lymphoma and discussed the course of this patient's disease, with particular attention to the local treatment of the gingival enlargement.