cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Operator Functional State Classification Using Neural Networks with Combined Physiological and Performance Features

Operator functional state assessment is a critical component of adaptive aiding systems. A combination of physiological and performance variables were used with a neural network to determine operator functional state. A multiple task battery provided three levels of mental workload. The data were randomly divided into two data sets, one was used to train a neural net and the other to test the accuracy of the trained neural net. The results showed an overall correct classification of 86.8% for the test data set. For the three levels of task difficulty the correct classification was 90.5% for low, 81.7% for the medium and 88.3% for the high. These results support the use of combined physiological and performance data to obtain high levels of operator functional state classification accuracy. The optimal approach to utilizing this information during system operation will have to be developed. With current technology the development of small, wearable operator state classifiers is possible.
Arrestin-2 Interacts with the Endosomal Sorting Complex Required for Transport Machinery to Modulate Endosomal Sorting of CXCR4

Arrestin-2 interacts with ESCRT-0 proteins STAM-1 and HRS to control the amount of chemokine receptor CXCR4 targeted into the degradative pathway by regulating the ubiquitination status of HRS.
A novel adenoviral vector labeled with superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles for real-time tracking of viral delivery

In vivo tracking of gene therapy vectors challenges the investigation and improvement of biodistribution of these agents in the brain, a key feature for their targeting of infiltrative malignant gliomas. The glioma-targeting Ad5/3-cRGD gene therapy vector was covalently bound to super-paramagnetic iron oxide (Fe(3)O(4)) nanoparticles (SPION) to monitor its distribution by MRI. Transduction of labeled and unlabeled vectors was assessed on the U87 glioma cell line and normal human astrocytes (NHA), and was higher in U87 compared to NHA, but was similar between labeled and unlabeled virus. An in vivo study was performed by intracranial subcortical injection of labeled-Ad5/3-cRGD particles into a pig brain. The labeled vector appeared in vivo as a T2-weighted hyperintensity and a T2-gradient echo signal at the injection site, persisting up to 72 hours post-injection. We describe a glioma-targeting vector that is labeled with SPION, thereby allowing for MRI detection with no change in transduction capability.
The need for research addressing alcohol use disorder and diabetes.

Keywords: Alcohol research; alcohol treatment; alcohol use disorder; type 1 diabetes; type 2 diabetes
LABORATORY FACILITIES FOR STUDYING WATER GRAVITY WAVE PHENOMENA

Details are given of the design of laboratory facilities at the University of California for studying water gravity wave phenomena.
Physical cues of ovulatory status: a failure to replicate enhanced facial attractiveness and reduced waist-to-hip ratio at high fertility.

We investigated women's facial attractiveness and body shape as a function of menstrual cycle phase, with the expectation from previous research that both would be enhanced during the high fertile phase. To control for the effects of women's daily behaviors on their appearance and waistline, we visited 37 normally cycling women twice in their dorm, where we photographed and measured them at low and high fertile days of their cycle immediately upon their waking. Seventy-four judges from a separate institution chose, for each woman, the picture they thought was more attractive. We analyzed a subset of 20 women who, by forward counting, had a High Fertility visit between Days 10–13 and a Low Fertility visit between Days 20–23; and we also analyzed a subsample of 17 women who, by reverse counting, had a High Fertility visit on the days leading to ovulation and a Low Fertility visit one week after ovulation. In neither set of analyses were women's waist-to-hip ratios lower nearer ovulation, and in neither set ...
Assessing Risk-Based Policies for Pretrial Release and Split Sentencing in Los Angeles County Jails.

Court-mandated downsizing of the CA prison system has led to a redistribution of detainees from prisons to CA county jails, and subsequent jail overcrowding. Using data that is representative of the LA County jail system, we build a mathematical model that tracks the flow of individuals during arraignment, pretrial release or detention, case disposition, jail sentence, and possible recidivism during pretrial release, after a failure to appear in court, during non-felony probation and during felony supervision. We assess 64 joint pretrial release and split-sentencing (where low-level felon sentences are split between jail time and mandatory supervision) policies that are based on the type of charge (felony or non-felony) and the risk category as determined by the CA Static Risk Assessment tool, and compare their performance to that of the policy LA County used in early 2014, before split sentencing was in use. In our model, policies that offer split sentences to all low-level felons optimize the key tradeoff between public safety and jail congestion by, e.g., simultaneously reducing the rearrest rate by 7% and the mean jail population by 20% relative to the policy LA County used in 2014. The effectiveness of split sentencing is due to two facts: (i) convicted felony offenders comprised ≈ 45% of LA County’s jail population in 2014, and (ii) compared to pretrial release, split sentencing exposes offenders to much less time under recidivism risk per saved jail day.
STUDENT CHEMICAL ENGINEERING REFLECTIVE ePORTFOLIOS ChE Student Perceptions of Learning From Refl ective ePortfolio Creation

Engineering educators and employers value and prioritize communication skills, but developing and assessing such skills in engineering programs is challenging. Reflective ePortfolios provide opportunities to enhance communication skills. The purpose of this three-year qualitative case study was to investigate the use of reflective ePortfolios in an undergraduate chemical engineering technical communication course. Chemical engineering students created reflective ePortfolios, perceived enhanced learning, and connected their learning to job knowledge and skills, future employability, and professional identity.
A least squares method for earthquake mechanism determination using S-wave data

abstract In this paper a numerical approach to the determination of focal mechanisms based on the observation of the polarization of the S wave at N stations is presented. Least-square methods are developed for the determination of the orientation of the single and double couple sources. The methods allow a statistical evaluation of the data and of the accuracy of the solutions.
Transfusion in Extremely Low-Birth-Weight Premature Neonates: Current Practice Trends, Risks, and Early Interventions to Decrease the Need for Transfusion

The goal of this review is to familiarize readers with current issues related to red blood cell transfusion and alternative strategies in the extremely low-birth-weight neonatal population. We discuss benefits associated with packed red blood cell transfusion and unique adverse outcomes in this fragile group. Alternative strategies for the prevention of anemia requiring transfusion are also reviewed.
Epidemic analysis on 1 560 cases of HFMD in Napo County of Guangxi Province

[Objective]To understand the epidemic characteristics of hand-foot-and-mouth disease(HFMD) in Napo County of Guangxi Province,and provide scientific evidence for developing control measures.[Methods]Descriptive epidemiology was adopted to analyze the data of HFMD cases.[Results] A total of 1 560 cases of HFMD were reported from January-October 2012,with incidence of 763.92/100 000,15 severe cases,without death case.There were 1 103 male cases and 457 female cases,with significant difference(P0.01).The high risk group was children under 4 years,most patients were scattered children.Cases concentrated in May to July,the peak appeared in October.Of 33 samples for pathogen detection,the positive rate of enterovirus nucleic acid was 63.64%(21/33),19 cases(90.48%) were EV 71 positive;1 case(4.76%) was CoxA 16 positive and 1 case(4.76%) of CoxA17 positive.[Conclusion]The epidemic of HFMD is at a high level.The HFMD control and prevention should focus on high incidence period and area as well as scattered children.
AVO intercept and gradient crossplot analysis and its application

AVO intercept and gradient crossplot analysis is an important analysis tool of hydrocarbon detection.In this paper,based on AVO technique,AVO theoretical models are computed by using Zoeppritz equation,P and G values are fitted according to Shuey's simplified equation.The effect of longitudinal wave velocities and Poisson's ratios on P-G Cross lines is dealt with by changing velocities and Poisson's ratios of layers.By analysis,we find that the slope of the P-G cross line increases along with the Poisson's ratio difference and that the length of the P-G cross line increases along with longitudinal wave velocity difference.By analyzing P-G crossplot of real seismic data,we approve that Poisson's ratio anomaly layers i.e.oil and gas bearing layers can be predicted according to the characteristics of the P-G cross line.
Preferential epigenetic programming of estrogen response after in utero xenoestrogen (bisphenol-A) exposure

Bisphenol-A (BPA) is an environmentally ubiquitous estrogen-like endocrine-disrupting compound. Exposure to BPA in utero has been linked to female reproductive disorders, including endometrial hyperplasia and breast cancer. Estrogens are an etiological factor in many of these conditions. We sought to determine whether in utero exposure to BPA altered the global CpG methylation pattern of the uterine genome, subsequent gene expression, and estrogen response. Pregnant mice were exposed to an environmentally relevant dose of BPA or DMSO control. Uterine DNA and RNA were examined by using methylated DNA immunoprecipitation methylation microarray, expression microarray, and quantitative PCR. In utero BPA exposure altered the global CpG methylation profile of the uterine genome and subsequent gene expression. The effect on gene expression was not apparent until sexual maturation, which suggested that estrogen response was the primary alteration. Indeed, prenatal BPA exposure preferentially altered adult estrogen-responsive gene expression. Changes in estrogen response were accompanied by altered methylation that preferentially affected estrogen receptor-α (ERα)-binding genes. The majority of genes that demonstrated both altered expression and ERα binding had decreased methylation. BPA selectively altered the normal developmental programming of estrogen-responsive genes via modification of the genes that bind ERα. Gene-environment interactions driven by early life xenoestrogen exposure likely contributes to increased risk of estrogen-related disease in adults.-Jorgensen, E. M., Alderman, M. H., III, Taylor, H. S. Preferential epigenetic programming of estrogen response after in utero xenoestrogen (bisphenol-A) exposure.
Lingual pressures associated with alveolar consonants.

Measures of lingual pressures which occurred during syllable utterances by 10 young adults were recorded superior and lingual to the left and right maxillary first molars and central incisors by st...
Abstract B53: Utilizing bimolecular fluorescent complementation to identify inhibitors of RAL and KRAS

We have identified RAL activity to be vital for NSCLC survival independent of KRAS or EGFR mutation status in a large panel of adenocarcinomas and have developed a novel high throughput screening assay based on Bimolecular Fluorescent Complementation (BiFC) in order to identify small molecules that impair RAL function. By coupling RALA and RALB to the C-terminus of the Venus protein (VC) and coexpressing either with direct binding effector RALBP1 fused to the N-terminus of the Venus protein (VN) results in a fluorescent signal when RAL-RALBP1 binding occurs in cells. This allows for the interrogation of small molecules to disrupt RAL-RALBP1 binding interactions (resulting in loss of fluorescence) in a real time, high throughput manner. Our preliminary screen with a natural compound library identified 14 small molecules that demonstrated high activity in disrupting both RALA- and RALB-RALBP1 binding and fluorescence. We are currently investigating these compounds9 mode of action and have recently expanded our assay to screen for molecules that impair mutant KRAS activity (VC-KRAS / RAF1-VN). BiFC provides a rapid, more physiologic method to identify molecules that can disrupt protein-protein interactions of targets considered ‘undruggable’ including membrane bound small GTPases such as RAL and KRAS. Citation Format: Marytheresa Ifediba, David Burnett, Nicholas Hovda, William Burnett, Matthew VanBrocklin. Utilizing bimolecular fluorescent complementation to identify inhibitors of RAL and KRAS. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on RAS Oncogenes: From Biology to Therapy; Feb 24-27, 2014; Lake Buena Vista, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2014;12(12 Suppl):Abstract nr B53. doi: 10.1158/1557-3125.RASONC14-B53
Analysis of the Heat Requirement for Sewage Sludge Incineration

The process design and evaluation of sludge incinerator performance is generally conducted using either generalized average parameters or, alternatively, complex and detailed calculations which require computer programming for their use. In the first instance the generalized parameters are found to be applicable only to an “average” incinerator which is not encountered in actual practice. In the second instance, the calculations are so numerous that a clear and general picture of what is occurring cannot be readily obtained. This paper presents a new analytical approach to incineration performance evaluation which has been developed in an attempt to redress this situation. A three-term linear equation is developed for the combustion heat balance using net heat value of the fuels. Net heat value is defined as that heat value, per pound of fuel, which is available to perform useful thermal work other than the discharge of its own combustion products. The well-established procedure of using ultimate chemical analyses of fuels together with an element by element accounting for combustion components has been simplified by defining three combustion ratios for a given fuel. These ratios are then used to determine the net available heat values for use in the heat balance equation. Operating data are used to illustrate the application of the analysis technique and to demonstrate the practical application of the procedure.
A hybrid equivalent capacity admission control algorithm for ATM congestion control

Admission control is an important method for congestion control in ATM networks. The authors propose an efficient hybrid algorithm for the calculation of the required equivalent bandwidth of a virtual circuit call given a traffic descriptor consisting of its class, average bit rate, peak bit rate and mean burst length. The algorithm is a hybrid of the class related rule and planar approximation methods thus accommodating homogeneous traffic as well as heterogeneous quality of service requirements traffic. The algorithm employs a limited statistical multiplexing method for improved network bandwidth exploitation. The combination of efficient operation for homogeneous virtual channels and a high statistical multiplexing gain for heterogeneous calls results in a more effective admission control strategy than either method alone. >
Design and fabrication of an articulated four axes microrobot arm

In order to carry out nanomanufacturing tasks, a microrobot requires both high precision and high reliability over prolonged periods of time. Articulated Four-Axis Microrobots (AFAM) have been introduced a decade ago as millimetric microrobots capable of carrying out nanoscale tasks. The original robot design relied on a Micro Electro Mechanical (MEMS) actuator bank positioned onto a Silicon substrate, and an assembled arm mechanically coupled to the actuators through a cable. Movement of two thermal actuator banks positions the AFAM’s end effector in 3-Dimensional space with approximately 75 microns workspace and 50 nm repeatability. However, failure of the AFAM’s cable mechanism was observed after less than 1 million cycles. In this paper, we propose a novel arm mechanism for AFAM that improve its performance. The design presented in this article substitutes the "wire-gluing" cable with an anchored electrostatic actuator, and therefore it simplifies assembly requirements, reduces overall footprint of the microrobot, and achieves higher operating frequency. Simulation results are presented for a rotary electrostatic comb drive as basis for the microrobot arm with overall dimensions of 2 mm × 2 mm. The AFAM arm cantilever is 1 mm long to achieve a workspace of dimension of 75 microns along the vertical axis. Experimental evaluation of the design was accomplished using a prototype fabricated on a silicon on insulator (SOI) wafer processed with the deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) process.
Viral Activation of Heparanase Drives Pathogenesis of Herpes Simplex Virus-1

Summary Herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) causes lifelong recurrent pathologies without a cure. How infection by HSV-1 triggers disease processes, especially in the immune-privileged avascular human cornea, remains a major unresolved puzzle. It has been speculated that a cornea-resident molecule must tip the balance in favor of pro-inflammatory and pro-angiogenic conditions observed with herpetic, as well as non-herpetic, ailments of the cornea. Here, we demonstrate that heparanase (HPSE), a host enzyme, is the molecular trigger for multiple pathologies associated with HSV-1 infection. In human corneal epithelial cells, HSV-1 infection upregulates HPSE in a manner dependent on HSV-1 infected cell protein 34.5. HPSE then relocates to the nucleus to regulate cytokine production, inhibits wound closure, enhances viral spread, and thus generates a toxic local environment. Overall, our findings implicate activated HPSE as a driver of viral pathogenesis and call for further attention to this host protein in infection and other inflammatory disorders.
Distributed power management for DC distribution system with model uncertainties

This paper presents an application of combined model reference adaptive control to a notional DC microgrid system for power sharing and bus voltage regulation. The algorithm is presented in detail and a brief stability analysis is provided. Then, the control algorithm is implemented on a two-converter system feeding a single load through a bus to demonstrate the current sharing accuracy and bus voltage stability provided by the method. MATLAB/Simulink is used to validate the effectiveness of the developed control algorithm through case studies representing typical operating scenarios.
Regiospecific Acetylation of Xylan is Mediated by a Group of DUF231-Containing O-Acetyltransferases

Xylan is a major hemicellulose in the secondary walls of vessels and fibers, and its acetylation is essential for normal secondary wall assembly and properties. The acetylation of xylan can occur at multiple positions of its backbone xylosyl residues, including 2-O-monoacetylation, 3-O-monoacetylation, 2,3-di-O-acetylation and 3-O-acetylation of 2-O-glucuronic acid (GlcA)-substituted xylosyl residues, but the biochemical mechanism controlling the regiospecific acetylation of xylan is largely unknown. Here, we present biochemical characterization of a group of Arabidopsis thaliana DUF231-containing proteins, namely TBL28, ESK1/TBL29, TBL30, TBL3, TBL31, TBL32, TBL33, TBL34 and TBL35, for their roles in catalyzing the regiospecific acetylation of xylan. Acetyltransferase activity assay of recombinant proteins demonstrated that all of these proteins possessed xylan acetyltransferase activities catalyzing the transfer of acetyl groups from acetyl-CoA onto xylooligomer acceptors albeit with differential specificities. Structural analysis of their reaction products revealed that TBL28, ESK1, TBL3, TBL31 and TBL34 catalyzed xylan 2-O- and 3-O-monoacetylation and 2,3-di-O-acetylation with differential positional preference, TBL30 carried out 2-O- and 3-O-monoacetylation, TBL35 catalyzed 2,3-di-O-acetylation, and TBL32 and TBL33 mediated 3-O-acetylation of 2-O-GlcA-substituted xylosyl residues. Furthermore, mutations of the conserved GDS and DXXH motifs in ESK1 were found to result in a complete loss of its acetyltransferase activity. Together, these results establish that these nine DUF231-containing proteins are xylan acetyltransferases mediating the regiospecific acetylation of xylan and that the conserved GDS and DXXH motifs are critical for their acetyltransferase activity.
The future of aspa: meeting the needs of tomorrowʼs public administrators

This article addresses whether ASPA, the primary association of public servants, is able to effectively meet the needs of those who rely upon the organization for professional development, networking, and for currency in the field. This article follows up on a 2003 survey of members of the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA), and asks a random group of 2007 members what the major challenges of public service are today and if ASPA is contributing to their ability to deal with these issues. The results of the current survey indicate that the challenges remain remarkably similar, and highlight the need for ASPA to modify their approach if the association is to remain relevant and a premier professional society
A Review: Emergency Management of Dogs With Suspected Epileptic Seizures

Dogs with seizure disorders are commonly presented to the general practitioner for initial evaluation. The most common diagnosis provided is idiopathic epilepsy. As witnessing seizures is often traumatic for owners, it is important for the practitioner to understand seizure classification, know when to initiate antiepileptic drug therapy and be comfortable with client education regarding seizures. This review briefly discusses the most up-to-date classification of seizures, the necessity to obtain accurate histories and complete examinations, base-line diagnostics to perform, the importance of owner education, and when to start medications. This is not intended to discuss detailed differential lists, in-depth information on antiepileptic drug therapy, long-term management of epileptics or those refractory to their current treatment.
Maneuvering Together, Apart, and at Odds: Residents' Care Convoys in Assisted Living.

Objectives Frail and disabled individuals such as assisted living residents are embedded in "care convoys" comprised of paid and unpaid caregivers. We sought to learn how care convoys are configured and function in assisted living and understand how and why they vary and with what resident and caregiver outcomes. Method We analyzed data from a qualitative study involving formal in-depth interviews, participant observation and informal interviewing, and record review. We prospectively studied 28 residents and 114 care convoy members drawn from four diverse assisted living communities over 2 years. Results Care convoys involved family and friends who operated individually or shared responsibility, assisted living staff, and multiple external care workers. Residents and convoy members engaged in processes of "maneuvering together, apart, and at odds" as they negotiated the care landscape routinely and during health crises. Based on consensus levels, and the quality of collaboration and communication, we identified three main convoy types: cohesive, fragmented, and discordant. Discussion Care convoys clearly shape care experiences and outcomes. Identifying strategies for establishing effective communication and collaboration practices and promoting convoy member consensus, particularly over time, is essential to the creation and maintenance of successful and supportive care partnerships.
Influence of Polymer Substrate Damage on the Time Dependent Cracking of SiNx Barrier Films.

This work is concerned with the long-term behavior of environmentally-assisted subcritical cracking of PECVD SiNx barrier films on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyimide (PI) substrates. While environmentally-assisted channel cracking in SiNx has been previously demonstrated, with constant crack growth rates over short periods of time (<1 hour) during which no substrate damage was observed, the present experiments over longer periods reveal a regime where cracking also develops in the polymer substrate. This time-dependent local cracking of the polymer underneath the channel crack is expected based on creep rupture or static fatigue. Our combined in-situ microscopy and finite-element modeling results highlight the combined effects of neighboring cracks and substrate cracking on the crack growth rate evolution in the film. In most cases, the subcritical crack growth rates decrease over time by up to two orders of magnitude until steady-state rates are reached. For SiNx on PI, crack growth rates were found to be more stable over time due to the lack of crack growth in the substrate as compared to SiNx on PET. These results provide a guideline to effectively improving the long-term reliability of flexible barriers by a substrate possessing high strength which limits substrate damage.
Application of Acoustics in the Land Environment

A great deal of effort has been directed toward acoustic applications in the marine environment. However, the earliest acoustic work was in the above ground environment and that remains an area of interest today. The purpose of this chapter is to discuss some aspects of this area that are relevant to vehicle detection, location, classification and identification. It is not intended to be exhaustive in nature but to emphasize fundamental effects, present relevant examples, and leave the reader with a broad view of the issues.
The Synthesis of Dilithio-Trimethylenemethane by Thermal Rearrangement of Monolithio-2-Methylpropene

Abstract Unsolvated dilithio-trimethylenemethane has been prepared by the thermal rearrangement of the two structural isomers, 1-lithio-2-methylpropene and 3-lithio-2-methylpropene. This further extends the Kawa-Lagow modified Ziegler rearrangement to olefinic systems.
Polymyositis has minimal effect on primary total knee or hip arthroplasty outcomes.

To assess whether polymyositis is associated with more complications and higher healthcare utilization after total knee or hip arthroplasty (TKA/THA). Using the 1998–2014 U.S. National Inpatient Sample data, we performed multivariable-adjusted logistic regression analyses to assess the association of polymyositis with in-hospital complications (implant infection, revision, transfusion, mortality) and healthcare utilization (hospital charges, length of hospital stay, discharge to non-home setting), controlling for important covariates and confounders. Sensitivity analyses additionally adjusted the main models for hospital location/teaching status, bed size, and region. Of the 4,116,485 THAs and 8,127,282 TKAs, 853 people with polymyositis had THAs (0.02%) and 1038 had TKAs (0.01%). In multivariable-adjusted analyses, compared to people without polymyositis, people with polymyositis had similar odds of hospital charges above the median, hospital stay > 3 days, and discharge to non-home setting post-TKA and post-THA. Polymyositis was associated with significantly lower odds ratio (OR; 95% confidence interval [CI]) of revision and mortality post-THA, 0.44 (0.36, 0.55) and 0.63 (0.48, 0.84), but not post-TKA, 2.98 (0.47, 18.95) and 4.40 (0.61, 31.64), respectively. Findings from the main analyses were confirmed in the sensitivity analyses. People with polymyositis had no increase in healthcare utilization post-TKA/THA. A lower revision rate and mortality post-THA in people with polymyositis need further confirmation. Study findings should reassure the key stakeholders about the benefits of TKA/THA, including people with polymyositis.
Genomic Signatures of Local Adaptation in Clam Shrimp (Eulimnadia texana) from Natural Vernal Pools.

Vernal pools are unique in their isolation and the strong selection acting on their resident species. Vernal pool clam shrimp (Eulimnadia texana) are a promising model due to ease of culturing, short generation time, small genomes, and obligate desiccated diapaused eggs. Clam shrimp are also androdioecious (sexes include males and hermaphrodites), and here we use population-scaled recombination rates to support the hypothesis that the heterogametic sex is recombination free in these shrimp. We collected short-read sequence data from pooled samples from different vernal pools to gain insights into local adaptation. We identify genomic regions in which some populations have allele frequencies that differ significantly from the metapopulation. BayPass (Gautier M. 2015. Genome-wide scan for adaptive divergence and association with population-specific covariates. Genetics 201(4):1555-1579.) detected 19 such genomic regions showing an excess of population subdivision. These regions on average are 550 bp in size and had 2.5 genes within 5 kb of them. Genes located near these regions are involved in Malpighian tubule function and osmoregulation, an essential function in vernal pools. It is likely that salinity profiles vary between pools and over time, and variants at these genes are adapted to local salinity conditions.
Counting the Hours: The Influence of Gender and Occupation on Work Hour Mismatch Prevalence and Resolution in Australia:

Existing research on work hour mismatches has examined gender and occupational differences, but it has largely assumed that these factors work independently of each other. This paper combines insig...
Unsupervised cluster analysis of SARS-CoV-2 genomes indicates that recent (June 2020) cases in Beijing are from a genetic subgroup that consists of mostly European and South(east) Asian samples, of which the latter are the most recent

Research efforts of the ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic have focused on viral genome sequence analysis to understand how the virus spread across the globe. Here, we assess three recently identified SARS-CoV-2 genomes in Beijing from June 2020 and attempt to determine the origin of these genomes, made available in the GISAID database. The database contains fully or partially sequenced SARS-CoV-2 samples from laboratories around the world. Including the three new samples and excluding samples with missing annotations, we analyzed 7, 643 SARS-CoV-2 genomes. Using principal component analysis computed on a similarity matrix that compares all pairs of the SARS-CoV-2 nucleotide sequences at all loci simultaneously, using the Jaccard index, we find that the newly discovered virus genomes from Beijing are in a genetic cluster that consists mostly of cases from Europe and South(east) Asia. The sequences of the new cases are most related to virus genomes from a small number of cases from China (March 2020), cases from Europe (February to early May 2020), and cases from South(east) Asia (May to June 2020). These findings could suggest that the original cases of this genetic cluster originated from China in March 2020 and were re-introduced to China by transmissions from samples from South(east) Asia between April and June 2020.
Shopping with a Conscience? The Epistemic Case for Relinquishment over Conscientious Consumption

Many people argue that we should practice conscientious consumption. Faced with goods from gravely flawed production processes, such as wood from clear-cut rainforests or electronics containing conflict minerals, they argue that we should enact personal policies to routinely shun tainted goods and select pure(r) goods. However, consumers typically should be relatively uncertain about which flaws in global supply chains are grave and the connection of purchases to those grave flaws. The threat of significant uncertainty makes conscientious consumption appear to be no better, or even worse, than an overlooked option. This overlooked option is consumption with relinquishment: disregarding each product’s possible connections with upstream grave flaws and using the time, money, and energy saved in this way to address grave flaws directly.
A decade of intraoperative ultrasound guided breast conservation for margin negative resection - Radioactive, and magnetic, and Infrared Oh My….

Abstract Background The oncologic goal of margin-negative breast conservation requires adequate localization of tumor. Intraoperative ultrasound remains most feasible but under-utilized method to localize the tumor and assess margins. Methods A prospectively maintained breast cancer database over a decade was queried for margin status in breast cancer patients undergoing breast conservation. Techniques of tumor localization, margin re-excision and closest margins were analyzed. Rate of conversion to mastectomy was determined. Results Of the 945 breast cancer patients treated at a university-based Breast Center of Excellence between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2018, 149(15.8%) had ductal carcinoma in situ; 712(75.3%) had invasive ductal carcinoma, and 63(6.7%) had invasive lobular carcinoma. Clinical stage distribution was: T1 = 372(39.4%); T2 = 257(27.2%); T3 = 87(9.2%). Five hundred and eighty three (61.7%) patients underwent breast conservation. The median (25th −75th centile) closest margin was 6(2.5, 10.0) mm. Thirty five (6.0%) patients underwent margin re-excision, of which 9(25%) were converted to mastectomy. Tumor localization was achieved with ultrasound in 521(89.4%) patients and with wire localization in 62(10.6%) patients. The median (25th-75th centile) closest margin with wire localization was 5.0(2.0, 8.5) mm versus 5.0 (2.0, 8.0) mm with ultrasound guidance [p = 0.6635]. The re-excision rate with wire localization was 14.5% versus 4.9% with ultrasound guidance [p = 0.0073]. The unadjusted Odds Ratio (95% CI) for margin revision in wire localized group compared with ultrasound was 3.2 (7.14, 1.42) [p = 0.0045]; multivariate adjusted OR (95%) was 4(9.09, 1.7) [p = 0.0013]. Conclusions Ultrasound guidance for localization of breast cancer remains the most effective option for margin negative breast conservation.
Single Cell RNA Sequencing of Human Milk-Derived Cells Reveals Sub-Populations of Mammary Epithelial Cells with Molecular Signatures of Progenitor and Mature States: a Novel, Non-invasive Framework for Investigating Human Lactation Physiology

Cells in human milk are an untapped source, as potential “liquid breast biopsies”, of material for investigating lactation physiology in a non-invasive manner. We used single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to identify milk-derived mammary epithelial cells (MECs) and their transcriptional signatures in women with diet-controlled gestational diabetes (GDM) with normal lactation. Methodology is described for coordinating milk collections with single cell capture and library preparation via cryopreservation, in addition to scRNA-seq data processing and analyses of MEC transcriptional signatures. We comprehensively characterized 3740 cells from milk samples from two mothers at two weeks postpartum. Most cells (>90%) were luminal MECs (luMECs) expressing lactalbumin alpha and casein beta and positive for keratin 8 and keratin 18. Few cells were keratin 14+ basal MECs and a small immune cell population was present (<10%). Analysis of differential gene expression among clusters identified six potentially distinct luMEC subpopulation signatures, suggesting the potential for subtle functional differences among luMECs, and included one cluster that was positive for both progenitor markers and mature milk transcripts. No expression of pluripotency markers POU class 5 homeobox 1 (POU5F1, encoding OCT4) SRY-box transcription factor 2 (SOX2) or nanog homeobox (NANOG), was observed. These observations were supported by flow cytometric analysis of MECs from mature milk samples from three women with diet-controlled GDM (2–8 mo postpartum), indicating a negligible basal/stem cell population (epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EPCAM)−/integrin subunit alpha 6 (CD49f)+, 0.07%) and a small progenitor population (EPCAM+/CD49f+, 1.1%). We provide a computational framework for others and future studies, as well as report the first milk-derived cells to be analyzed by scRNA-seq. We discuss the clinical potential and current limitations of using milk-derived cells as material for characterizing human mammary physiology.
Image Guidance in Radiation Therapy: Techniques, Accuracy, and Limitations, 2018 Summer School. P. Alaei, G. Ding, Editors. American Association of Physicists in Medicine: Medical Physics Monograph No. 39. Medical Physics Publishing, Madison, WI, 2018. Hardcover: 406pp. Price: $120.00. ISBN: 9781936366620.

This book is a part of the proceedings of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine 2018 Summer School. It offers a comprehensive overview of the current technology, application, and development of image guidance in radiation therapy (IGRT). World experts in IGRT contributed chapters that address x-ray, surface, ultrasound, and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging applications in guiding radiotherapy, as well as touching on fundamental algorithms, on-going research, and future directions.
Transsaccadic integration of visual information is predictive, attention-based, and spatially precise

Eye movements produce shifts in the positions of objects in the retinal image, but observers are able to integrate these shifting retinal images into a coherent representation of visual space. This ability is thought to be mediated by attention-dependent saccade-related neural activity that is used by the visual system to anticipate the retinal consequences of impending eye movements. Previous investigations of the perceptual consequences of this predictive activity typically infer attentional allocation using indirect measures such as accuracy or reaction time. Here, we investigated the perceptual consequences of saccades using an objective measure of attentional allocation, reverse correlation. Human observers executed a saccade while monitoring a flickering target object flanked by flickering distractors and reported whether the average luminance of the target was lighter or darker than the background. Successful task performance required subjects to integrate visual information across the saccade. A reverse correlation analysis yielded a spatiotemporal "psychophysical kernel" characterizing how different parts of the stimulus contributed to the luminance decision throughout each trial. Just before the saccade, observers integrated luminance information from a distractor located at the post-saccadic retinal position of the target, indicating a predictive perceptual updating of the target. Observers did not integrate information from distractors placed in alternative locations, even when they were nearer to the target object. We also observed simultaneous predictive perceptual updating for two spatially distinct targets. These findings suggest both that shifting neural representations mediate the coherent representation of visual space, and that these shifts have significant consequences for transsaccadic perception.
Antibiotic resistance of Escherichia coli urinary tract infections at a North Carolina community hospital: Comparison of rural and urban community type.

Abstract Objective We aimed to identify differences in urinary E. coli resistance rates based on community type of patient residence (rural and urban). Methods This cross-sectional study examined antibiotic resistance of E. coli isolates from 12,604 urine specimens at a North Carolina hospital between 2016 and 2018. Using multivariable logistic regression modeling, we investigated the association between resistance and community type, adjusting for patient age, gender, season, and setting of infection onset. Analyses were performed using SAS Version 9.3 (SAS Institute, Cary, NC) at alpha = 0.05. Results Prevalence of resistance was highest for ampicillin (42.2%), ampicillin-sulbactam (24.7%), ciprofloxacin (21.8%), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (SXT) (21.6%), and levofloxacin (21.4%). Rural compared to urban community type was significantly associated with resistance of E. coli urinary isolates to ciprofloxacin (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.29, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.16-1.43, P Conclusions Rural community type may influence urinary E. coli resistance to fluoroquinolones, SXT, and nitrofurantoin, indicating the need for antimicrobial stewardship interventions in medically underserved populations.
A unified bandwidth reservation and admission control mechanism for QoS provisioning in cellular networks: Research Articles

We propose a unified framework consisting of a differential bandwidth reservation (DBR) algorithm and a Quality of Service (QoS)-aware admission control scheme to provide QoS guarantees to on-going connections in cellular networks. The differential bandwidth reservation policy uses a sector of cells in making the bandwidth reservation for accepting a new call. Based on the distance of the target cells in the sectors, two different bandwidth reservation policies are applied to optimize the connection dropping rate (CDR), while maintaining a competitive connection blocking rate (CBR). In addition, two possible mobile terminal (MT) movements are analyzed using the DBR mechanism. In the first case, no knowledge of an MT's moving path is assumed to be known, while in the second case, prior knowledge of a user profile is used in bandwidth reservation, and it is called user profile-based DBR (UPDBR) algorithm. Using the DBR scheme, we propose an admission control algorithm that uses varying number of cells in a sector to meet admission decisions. Extensive simulation is performed to evaluate our methodology. Comparison of the proposed scheme with two prior schemes shows that our approach is not only capable of providing better QoS guarantees, but is also flexible in terms of using varying number of cells in satisfying the high-level QoS requirements. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Microcomputers in Forensic Science

In the last few years, there has been a revolution in computer technology. Small, inexpensive, and powerful microcomputers are assuming the work previously done by expensive and limited minicomputers and manual systems. New uses of microcomputers and several forensic science applications of user definable software is discussed. This paper also reviews basic computer systems and cautions for prospective users.
A data management system for graphical objects

An experimental data management system for graphical objects has been implemented. The system describes data using relations, but contains enhancements which allow it to represent objects and abstract data types more directly than traditional relational systems. This paper describes the new management system by showing how it can be used to describe a database representing a building.
Evaluations of hypothetical bereavement and grief: The influence of loss recency, loss type and gender

Individuals often hold strict and erroneous expectations for how others should grieve, yet this issue has been sparsely researched. A total of 161 undergraduates rated the appropriateness of various social and emotional behaviours of a hypothetical bereaved individual as a function of the recency of the death (1 month or 1 year ago), the nature of the loss (death of a spouse or child) and the gender of the bereaved. As expected, subjects deemed it inappropriate to show positive emotions and experiences 1 month after a hypothetical death and more inappropriate to show negative reactions 1 year later and there were generally higher expectations of socially appropriate behaviour for those who lost a child rather than a spouse. Unexpectedly, there were no significant differences regarding the gender of the bereaved. This study is among the first to show experimentally the widespread expectation that grief should be experienced early and be short-lived.
Cultura: uma visão antropológica

Define-se cultura como uma propriedade humana impar, baseada em uma forma simbolica, 'relacionada ao tempo', de comunicacao, vida social, e a qualidade cumulativa de interacao humana, permitindo que as ideias, a tecnologia e a cultura material se "empilhem" no interior dos grupos humanos.
Evidence-Based Practice: Pediatric Tonsillectomy

Tonsillectomy is one of the most common surgical procedures performed in children in the United States. Indications and recommendations for perioperative management are multiple and may vary among clinicians. Although tonsillectomy is a safe procedure, it can be associated with morbidity. Several techniques have been developed to reduce perioperative complications, but evidence of this reduction is lacking. This article provides clinicians with evidence-based guidance on perioperative clinical decision making and surgical technique for tonsillectomy.
What are the macrophages and stellate cells doing in pancreatic adenocarcinoma

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is a devastating disease characterized by a dense desmoplastic stroma. Chemo- and radio-therapeutic strategies based on targeting cancer cells have failed in improving the outcome of this cancer suggesting important roles for stroma in therapy resistance. Cells in the tumor stroma have been shown to regulate proliferation, resistance to apoptosis and treatments, epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) and stemness of cancer cells. Stellate cells in their activated state have been thought over the past decade to only have tumor promoting roles. However, recent findings suggest that stellate cells may have protective roles as well. The present review highlights the latest findings on the role of two major components of tumor stroma, pancreatic stellate cells and macrophages, in promoting or inhibiting pancreatic cancer, focused on their effects on EMT and cancer stemness.
EPIDEMIOLOGY OF TRIPLE NEGATIVE BREAST CANCERS

Triple negative (TN) breast cancers fail to express the three most common breast cancer receptors; i.e., estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2). Accumulating data demonstrate that epidemiological risk factor profiles also vary between TN (ER-PR-HER2-) and other breast cancers, especially the so-called Luminal A breast cancers (ER+PR ± HER2-) [1]. A more comprehensive understanding of the epidemiology of TN breast cancers has important public health implications for risk assessment [2], prevention and treatment. The epidemiology of TN breast cancers can be first understood in the age-related reproductive risk factor patterns for ER, PR, and HER2. For example, there is a clear and strong association between older age at diagnosis (and therefore postmenopausal status) and the development of ER positive, PR positive, and HER2 negative breast cancers. On the other hand, younger age at diagnosis (and premenopausal status) is related to the development of ER negative, PR negative, and HER2 positive breast cancers. This gives rise to the somewhat counterintuitive suggestion that menopause has a greater relative impact upon hormone receptor negative than positive breast cancers [3,4]. Throughout this review, we will primarily contrast ER-PR-HER2- (TN) with ER+PR ± HER2- (Luminal A) breast cancers. We will first summarize the population-based age-specific incidence rate patterns and clinical outcomes, and then will review the available analytical studies. Information sources for this review included the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results 13 Registries Public-Use Database [5], CANCERLIT, Index Medicus, and PubMed.