cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Probabilistically Driven Particle Swarms for Optimization of Multi Valued Discrete Problems : Design and Analysis

A new particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm that is more effective for discrete, multi-valued optimization problems is presented. The new algorithm is probabilistically driven since it uses probabilistic transition rules to move from one discrete value to another in the search for an optimum solution. Properties of the binary discrete particle swarms are discussed. The new algorithm for discrete multi-values is designed with the similar properties. The algorithm is tested on a suite of benchmarks and comparisons are made between the binary PSO and the new discrete PSO implemented for ternary, quaternary systems. The results show that the new algorithm's performance is close and even slightly better than the original discrete, binary PSO designed by Kennedy and Eberhart. The algorithm can be used in any real world optimization problems, which have a discrete, bounded field
Petrie and the Intriguing Idiosyncrasies of Racism

William Matthews Flinders Petrie, ‘generally regarded as the father of modern Near Eastern archaeology’ (Silberman 1991:80), is remembered as a veritable genius, renowned for his powerful memory and intellectual abilities which played an important part in many of the ground-breaking developments in methodology he brought about. Yet modern archaeologists are selective in deciding which parts of Petrie’s legacy are to be highlighted. As a corrective to this, Silberman (1991, 1999) has not only drawn attention to the racist ideology that permeated Petrie’s thinking, but also suggests that this framework of thought crucially influenced many of his revolutionary interpretive techniques. The final deed Petrie envisaged for himself was the donation of his head to the Royal College of Surgeons in London ‘for further scientific study . . . [and] as a specimen of a typical British skull’ (Drower 1985:424). As far as Silberman (1999) is concerned, such an act was wholly symbolic of Petrie’s raciallyinformed viewpoint and of his self-identity.
Revision of the Neotropical ant subfamily Leptanilloidinae

. The rare Neotropical ant subfamily Leptanilloidinae is revised and its internal phylogeny and biogeography discussed. A new genus, Asphinctanilloides gen.n., including three new species, A. amazona, A. anae and A. manauara, and three new species of Leptanilloides, L. improvisa, L. legionaria and L. sculpturata are described. The only previously known species of the subfamily, L. biconstrictaMann (1923), is redescribed, and the larva of L. legionaria sp.n. is described. Keys to the genera and the species, and a phylogeny of the group are provided. Emphasis has been placed on the study of abdominal and sting characters.
Organization of the neuronal circuits in the central nervous system during development.

UNLABELLED The human brain is a product of genetic instructions, cellular interactions and influences of innate activity and external stimulation. The formation of the neural tube and the patterning of the brain are determined by homeotic genes. After a prosencephalic phase with the formation of the hemispheres, the neurons prolipherate to number about 100 billion halfway through gestation. They also migrate to their final positions in an inside-outside fashion with the newly formed neurons at the outer layer of the cortex, followed by synaptogenesis, programmed cell death and organization of the neuronal circuits. This phase is probably determined not only by genes but also by innate activity, which for example has been detected in the foetal retina: "Cells that fire together wire together while those which don't won't". CONCLUSION Development of the neuronal circuits in the CNS can be viewed as epigenetic. i.e. many different components must come together at the right time and place.
Between Profit and State: Intermediate Organizations in Britain and the United States

Mutuals and the Supply of Goods and Services Economic Competition Involving Charities Financial Autonomy and the "Independent Sector" The Growth and Transformation of Volunteering Dangerous Areas of State Involvement? The Regulation of Intermediate Organizations Intermediate Organizations and Democracy.
Noncancer pain conditions and risk of suicide

Importance There are limited data on the extent to which suicide mortality is associated with specific pain conditions. Objective To examine the associations between clinical diagnoses of noncancer pain conditions and suicide among individuals receiving services in the Department of Veterans Affairs Healthcare System. Design Retrospective data analysis. Setting Data were extracted from National Death Index and treatment records from the Department of Veterans Healthcare System. Participants Individuals receiving services in fiscal year 2005 who remained alive at the start of fiscal year 2006 (N = 4 863 086). Main Outcomes and Measures Analyses examined the association between baseline clinical diagnoses of pain-related conditions (arthritis, back pain, migraine, neuropathy, headache or tension headache, fibromyalgia, and psychogenic pain) and subsequent suicide death (assessed in fiscal years 2006-2008). Results Controlling for demographic and contextual factors (age, sex, and Charlson score), elevated suicide risks were observed for each pain condition except arthritis and neuropathy (hazard ratios ranging from 1.33 [99% CI, 1.22-1.45] for back pain to 2.61 [1.82-3.74] for psychogenic pain). When analyses controlled for concomitant psychiatric conditions, the associations between pain conditions and suicide death were reduced; however, significant associations remained for back pain (hazard ratio, 1.13 [99% CI, 1.03-1.24]), migraine (1.34 [1.02-1.77]), and psychogenic pain (1.58 [1.11-2.26]). Conclusions and Relevance There is a need for increased awareness of suicide risk in individuals with certain noncancer pain diagnoses, in particular back pain, migraine, and psychogenic pain.
Communicative Practices in the Workplace: A Historical Examination of Genre Development:

Although studies of actual communication practices in the workplace are now commonplace, few historical studies in this area have been completed. Such historical studies are necessary to help researchers understand the often complicated origins of genre conventions in professional discourse. Historical research that draws on contemporary genre theory helps address this void. A genre perspective is particularly valuable for helping researchers trace a given type of document's emergence and evolution. This perspective also provides a way of accounting for the connections between communicative practices and the other activities that occupy the attention of workplace organizations. To illustrate what this perspective brings to historical research in professional communication, I examine the development of communicative practices at a national production company that relied on texts to mediate its organizational activities across geographically dispersed locations.
BDVal: reproducible large-scale predictive model development and validation in high-throughput datasets

Summary: High-throughput data can be used in conjunction with clinical information to develop predictive models. Automating the process of developing, evaluating and testing such predictive models on different datasets would minimize operator errors and facilitate the comparison of different modeling approaches on the same dataset. Complete automation would also yield unambiguous documentation of the process followed to develop each model. We present the BDVal suite of programs that fully automate the construction of predictive classification models from high-throughput data and generate detailed reports about the model construction process. We have used BDVal to construct models from microarray and proteomics data, as well as from DNA-methylation datasets. The programs are designed for scalability and support the construction of thousands of alternative models from a given dataset and prediction task. Availability and Implementation: The BDVal programs are implemented in Java, provided under the GNU General Public License and freely available at http://bdval.campagnelab.org Contact: ude.llenroc.dem@3002caf
Metropolis photon sampling with optional user guidance

We present Metropolis Photon Sampling (MPS), a visual importance-driven algorithm for populating photon maps. Photon Mapping and other particle tracing algorithms fail if the photons are poorly distributed. Our approach samples light transport paths that join a light to the eye, which accounts for the viewer in the sampling process and provides information to improve photon storage. Paths are sampled with a Metropolis-Hastings algorithm that exploits coherence among important light paths. We also present a technique for including user selected paths in the sampling process without introducing bias. This allows a user to provide hints about important paths or reduce variance in specific parts of the image. We demonstrate MPS with a range of scenes and show quantitative improvements in error over standard Photon Mapping and Metropolis Light Transport.
Reliability analysis of hierarchical computer-based systems subject to common-cause failures

The results from reliability modeling and analysis are key contributors to design and tuning activities for computer-based systems. Each architecture style, however, poses different challenges for which analytical approaches must be developed or modified. The challenge we address in this paper is the reliability analysis of hierarchical computer-based systems (HS) with common-cause failures (CCF). The dependencies among components introduced by CCF complicate the reliability analysis of HS, especially when components affected by a common cause exist on different hierarchical levels. We propose an efficient decomposition and aggregation (EDA) approach for incorporating CCF into the reliability evaluation of HS. Our approach is to decompose an original HS reliability analysis problem with CCF into a number of reduced reliability problems freed from the CCF concerns. The approach is represented in a dynamic fault tree by a proposed CCF gate modeled after the functional dependency gate. We present the basics of the EDA approach by working through a hypothetical analysis of a HS subject to CCF and show how it can be extended to an analysis of a hierarchical phased-mission system subject to different CCF depending on mission phases.
Comments on ``A New Coastal Wave Model. Part V: Five-Wave Interactions''

Recent calculations by Lin and Perrie (1997) on the surface wave spectral energy fluxes due to the wave nonlinearity in deep and shallow water appeared after previously published works by Krasitski (1993), Shrira et al. (1996), and Kalmykov (1993, 1995, 1997), while presenting results that are qualitatively different from those obtained previously. This comment is on these obvious differences and why it appears that the conclusions of Lin and Perrie cannot be justified. Surface waves in deep water as well as in shallow water are very well described by the four-wave kinetic equation as shown by Hasselmann and Hasselmann (1985) and Herterich and Hasselmann (1980). Analogous computation of the five-wave kinetic equation for deep and shallow water show that a five-wave contribution is very small: only 3%–5% of the fourwave one (Kalmykov 1998). Therefore we can conclude that the four-wave kinetic equation still remains dominant for the shallow and deep water wave modeling and that all this discussion is of only academical interest. During the past 15 years many studies have been made in this area, some of which are not cited by Lin and Perrie (1997), including Parts I and II of the series leading to the present article under discussion (Part III). They present results of their own calculations of the spectral transfer rates in a JONSWAP spectrum, which are qualitatively different from various previously published results, while offering no explanation for the differences found. The subject of five wave–wave interactions among surface gravity waves is not new. First discussions concerning the energy transfer by five-wave interactions in wave spectra took place at Zakharov’s seminar in 1993 in Moscow, where the present author made a report (Kalmykov 1993). In experiments, it was first
Time to Lung Transplantation: Lung Allocation Score and Other Factors

Copyright: © 2012 Afshar K. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Lung transplantation is a therapeutic option for selected patients with severe pulmonary disease who are refractory to medical therapy and continue to have progressive clinical deterioration. 38,119 lung transplants have been performed worldwide till June 30, 2010 [1]. In the United States, waitlist time is overseen by the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN), which is operated by the United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS). Currently, there are 1,665 patients on the waitlist for a lung transplant [2].
Book review: Books on Allied Topics to Statistics

About Advanced Calculus [1] Advanced Calculus with Applications in Statistics, by Andre I. Khuri, 2003, John Wiley and Sons Inc. Publication, Hoboken, NJ, USA, ISBN: 0 471 39104–2, pp. 673 + xix. $...
Regulation of Glycosphingolipid Anabolism in Fibroblasts by Ionophores, Plasma Membrane ATP-ase Inhibition, and Growth Factors

We have undertaken studies on the effects of a monovalent cation transporter (monensin) on the anabolism of plasma membrane glycosphingolipids in human fibroblasts, and made comparisons with related (cat)ionophores, and with epidermal growth factor (EGF) and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA). Monensin at a concentration of 10 nanomoles per litre of growth medium caused a great increase in the cellular content of glucosyl and lactosyl ceramide, and marked inhibition of incorporation of labelled galactose into ganglio-sides as well as globotriaosyl- and globotetraosyl ceramides. The plasma membrane sodium-potassium ion ATP-ase inhibitor, ouabain, and the calcium ionophore, A23187, had an effect similar to monensin although less effective. TMB-8, an intracellular calcium antagonist, induced an increase in [3H]Gal incorporation, after epimerization, into glucosyl ceramide. Cyclic AMP had no significant effect on these glycosphingolipids or on the changes induced by monensin. PMA induced a higher incorporation of labelled galactose into almost all glycosphingolipids; EGF showed no effect. Ionic flux should influence the anabolic composition of plasma membrane glycosphingolipids, and this effect may be independent from that of mitogenic growth factors.
Effect of hypoxia on steady-state arachidonic acid metabolism in bovine aortic endothelial cells

At the onset of acute hypoxia, eicosanoid synthesis by bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC) markedly decreases, reflecting a decreased release of arachidonic acid from endogenous stores. To determine the cause of decreased arachidonic acid release, we pulse-labeled BAEC with [14C]arachidonic acid for 5 min under normoxic conditions and chased cells for 1 h under normoxic or hypoxic conditions. The 14C incorporation and specific activity (disintegrations per minute per nanomole) of three major arachidonyl molecular species (16:0-20:4, 18:1-20:4, and 18:0-20:4) of each phospholipid class were determined in cells chased under either of the two conditions. There was no relevant difference between normoxic and hypoxic cells in the metabolism of any of the arachidonyl molecular species of diacyl lipids. However, there was a marked decrease (approximately 40%) in the turnover of arachidonyl alkenylacyl phosphatidylethanolamine in the hypoxic cells. From these results, it appears that the source of arachidonic acid supporting constitutive eicosanoid synthesis in BAEC is alkenylacyl phosphatidylethanolamine and that the limiting enzyme activity determining the rate of eicosanoid synthesis is a plasmalogen-specific phospholipase A2.
Circular dichroism studies on intermolecular interactions of amphotericin B in ionic liquid-rich environments.

Aggregation of amphotericin B (AmB) in an ionic liquid-rich environment was investigated using circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. It was found that nature of the ionic liquids’ anion had a strong impact not only on the aggregation of AmB, but more importantly on the nature of AmB aggregates, as observed in the asymmetry of the exciton couplet of the aggregate in CD spectra. Unique CD signals for AmB aggregates were observed in three different 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium ionic liquid solutions: [C4-mim]Br favored the formation of AmB aggregates that were similar to those found in water, whereas [C4-mim]BF4 and [C4-mim]NO3 produced AmB aggregates that were different from each other and those found in water. The obtained results suggest that the designer solvent ability of ionic liquids could be expanded to address numerous intermolecular processes. Chirality 25:487-492, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Ovarian suppression and breast cancer.

Issues about the value and timing of castration by oophorectomy (prophylactic or therapeutic), the method used to achieve it (surgery or radiation), and the use of combined adjuvant treatment plus castration (steroids and/or chemotherapy) are addressed.
Evaluation of Microbial Contamination Reduction Methods for Keyboards in a Radiopharmacy Cleanroom

489 Objectives Microbial contamination of computer keyboards in patient care settings is a potential source of healthcare-associated infections. Despite frequent cleaning and disinfection, keyboards in radiopharmacy cleanrooms could similarly serve as a potential reservoir for pathogens. The purpose of this study was to evaluate two methods for reduction of microbial contamination compared to control (naked, untreated) keyboards in a functioning radiopharmacy cleanroom. Methods Microbial contamination was determined by surface sampling using TSA media contact plates (ET1000, Q.I. Medical, Grass Valley, CA), which were pressed against a portion of the keyboard encompassing nominally 6 keys. Following incubation at 30-35 degrees for 48-72 hours, the number of colony forming units (CFUs) on each plate was counted. An untreated naked keyboard served as the control, another keyboard was covered with a molded thermoplastic polyurethane film impregnated with a long lasting quaternary ammonium compound (BIOSAFE, Pittsburgh, PA), and a third keyboard was treated with 3-trimethoxsilylpropyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium chloride spray (BioShield75, IndusCo, Greensboro, NC). Sampling of each keyboard was performed approximately weekly, for a total of 52 samples for each. Samples were taken at the end of a work period, before cleaning, as a worst case situation in an active radiopharmacy setting. Results were analyzed to provide mean +/- standard deviation (SD) and for significant difference using the two-tailed t test. Results The average (+/- SD) number of CFUs on surface sample plates for control, covered, and treated keyboards were 1.04 (+/- 1.14), 0.77 (+/- 1.06), and 1.23 (+/- 1.28), respectively. The values for the covered keyboard and for the treated keyboard did not differ significantly from the control keyboard (p=0.23 and p=0.38, respectively). Engineering controls and operational procedures for the radiopharmacy cleanroom followed USP . The maximum number of CFUs on any sample plate was 4, which is less than the action level of >5 recommended in USP for ISO Class 7 areas. Although results for the covered keyboard were not statistically different than for the control keyboard, the cover did provide a slight tendency toward reducing microbial contamination. Moreover, the cover provided a non-interrupted surface which was much easier to clean and disinfect. Conclusions Two methods for reducing microbial contamination on keyboards in a radiopharmacy cleanroom did not statistically differ from the control keyboard. However, the keyboard cover has the advantage of easier cleanability.
Stacked interval sparse partial least squares regression analysis

Abstract A new method based on a combination of stacked interval partial least squares (SIPLS) and sparse partial least squares (SPLS) regression, called stacked interval sparse PLS (SISPLS) regression, is explored. The proposed method is based on splitting spectral data into discrete, equally-spaced intervals, building optimized SPLS models on each region, and weighting the local models based on the cross-validation error achieved during the optimization. The method is highly flexible and only performs explicit variable selection when advantageous; instead the aim is to find favorable rotations of the classical PLS solution while also utilizing local information in a spectrum. The SISPLS model regression vector clearly highlights regional and variable importance in the data, permitting a more straightforward interpretation of the resulting model. For a specific dataset, the optimal interval size is determined via a random sampling of the calibration data and exhaustive testing of the feasible interval sizes. The method is demonstrated on two NIR datasets and a Raman dataset. In addition to the multi-faceted interpretational advantage from the variable selection and weighting, we show that the predictions from the method are competitive with those from PLS, SPLS, SIPLS, and VIP selection.
Engaging Graduate Students throughout the Research Writing Process

The purpose of this article is to encourage graduate students and committee members to examine how they approach research writing, and whether or not their approach propels or hinders graduate candidates from moving forward in their research. We reflect on our experiences as PhD candidates and a graduate research committee chair in order to spark a discussion about the value of the research writing process and how that process should incorporate best practices in order to allow graduate candidates to explore questions in their field without having to fear perfection or judgment along the way. We explore themes that were created after collecting and analyzing data on a professional songwriter’s process and how those themes are applicable to the completion of graduate-level research. After reflecting on the research and the process of writing up research, we created five pointers that can be applied to graduate research writing (A) low-stakes writing is an integral part of the process, (B) trust is vital, (C) co-writes/collaborative creativity and conversation drive the process forward, (D) take small risks, and (E) know the genre. Writing is possibly the single most important skill a graduate candidate will have to develop and refine during his/her program. Taking highly effective writing strategies and applying them to graduate level programs could prove to be beneficial to all parties involved.
Electrochemically-correlated measurement of electronic transport in battery nanoelectrodes using single nanowire devices

In order to achieve electrochemical cycling at high rates for batteries with improved power densities, battery electrodes need to support the efficient insertion / extraction of both, electrons and intercalation ions within their constituent material systems. This paper presents an on-chip, single nanowire electrochemical device for measuring the electrical properties of a battery nanoelectrode as a function of its electrochemical state of charge (SOC). These measurements are performed on alpha-phase manganese oxide nanowires, which present crystalline tunnels along their longitudinal axis for ionic intercalation. Our results show a degradation in the electrical conductance of nanowire electrodes as the amount of lithium loading is increased and points to the need for optimizing crystal structures so that the electrical transport property of the host material is not degraded during electrochemical intercalation.
Stratified UWHAM and Its Stochastic Approximation for Multicanonical Simulations Which Are Far from Equilibrium.

We describe a new analysis tool called Stratified unbinned Weighted Histogram Analysis Method (Stratified-UWHAM), which can be used to compute free energies and expectations from a multicanonical ensemble when a subset of the parallel simulations is far from being equilibrated because of barriers between free energy basins which are only rarely (or never) crossed at some states. The Stratified-UWHAM equations can be obtained in the form of UWHAM equations but with an expanded set of states. We also provide a stochastic solver, Stratified RE-SWHAM, for Stratified-UWHAM to remove its computational bottleneck. Stratified-UWHAM and Stratified RE-SWHAM are applied to study three test topics: the free energy landscape of alanine dipeptide, the binding affinity of a host–guest binding complex, and path sampling for a two-dimensional double well potential. The examples show that when some of the parallel simulations are only locally equilibrated, the estimates of free energies and equilibrium distributions provid...
General Theory of Linear Systems

The main topic of this chapter is the structure of solutions of a linear system $$ \frac{{d\vec y}}{{dt}} = A(t)\vec y + \vec b(t), $$ (LP) where entries of the n × n matrix A(t) are complex-valued (i.e.,ℂ-valued) continuous functions of a real independent variable t, and the ℂn-valued function \(\mathop{{{\text{ }}b}}\limits^{ \to } (t)\) is continuous in t. The existence and uniqueness of solutions of problem (LP) were given by Theorem I-3-5. In §IV-1, we explain some basic results concerning n x n matrices whose entries are complex numbers. In particular, we explain the S-N decomposition (or the Jordan-Chevalley decomposition) of a matrix (cf. Definition IV-1-12; also see [Bou, Chapter 7], [HirS, Chapter 6], and [Hum, pp. 17-18]). The S-N decomposition is equivalent to the block-diagonalization which separates distinct eigenvalues. It is simpler than the Jordan canonical form. The basic tools for achieving this decomposition are the Cayley-Hamilton theorem (cf. Theorem IV-1-5) and the partial fraction decomposition of reciprocal of the characteristic polynomial. It is relatively easy to obtain this decomposition with an elementary calculation if all eigenvalues of a given matrix are known (cf. Examples IV-1-18 and IV-1-19). In §IV-2, we explain the general aspect of linear homogeneous systems. Homogeneous systems with constant coefficients are treated in §IV-3. More precisely speaking, we define e tA and discuss its properties. In §IV-4, we explain the structure of solutions of a homogeneous system with periodic coefficients. The main result is the Floquet theorem (cf. Theorem IV-4-1 and [F1]).
Environmentally Induced Heart Malformations

Congenital heart defects (CHDs) are the most commonly diagnosed birth defect and their incidence is increasing. CHDs affect 0.7% of all live births, and this may represent an underestimate as cardiac screening of neonates is not performed routinely. While some CHDs are genetic in origin, a majority have unknown etiology, and thus environmental contributions to CHDs are receiving increased scrutiny. Advances in our understanding of developmental cardiogenesis, as well as improvements in imaging moieties, have significantly improved our ability to detect and study how toxicants affect CHD risk. Goals of this review are several fold. First, we present a short overview of new approaches in CHD assessment, with an emphasis upon animal models, and how their adoption can advance our understanding of risk. Second, we detail our current knowledge regarding the effects and mechanism of several key cardiac teratogens, including retinoic acid (RA), nitrofen, ethanol, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), trichloroethylene (TCE), and thalidomide. These were selected for the insights they offer into the diverse mechanisms by which environmental agents perturb the developing heart. These mechanisms include direct effects upon the processes of cardiac morphogenesis (RA, thalidomide), secondary structural effect due to primary impairments of cardiac function (ethanol, TCE, TCDD), and effects by mimicking endogenous cardiogenic signals (nitrofen, RA). The recent advances in developmental cardiology have made it clear that the past emphasis upon overt structural malformations, while useful, is no longer adequate for the assessment and study of teratogens. In particular, it is now essential to also consider milder functional or structural deficits that can become life threatening in older adults or in situations of extended cardiac challenge, such as intense exercise or hypertension.
Prognosis of Six-Month Glasgow Outcome Scale in Severe Traumatic Brain Injury Using Hospital Admission Characteristics, Injury Severity Characteristics, and Physiological Monitoring during the First Day Post-Injury

Abstract Gold standard prognostic models for long-term outcome in patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) use admission characteristics and are considered useful in some areas but not for...
Clostridioides difficile in transplant patients: early diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.

Purpose of reviewClostridioides difficile infection is common in solid organ transplant and hematopoietic stem-cell transplant recipients and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. These populations are also underrepresented in clinical trials, making optimal management difficult. B
Characterization of a novel non-classical CD4+ clone with broad reactivity against human renal cell carcinomas (RCCs)

3866 Introduction: Renal cell cancer affects the immunsystem by inhibiting the process of differentiation of antigen-resenting cells from their myeloid precursors by secreting tumor-derived factors such as VEGF. Immature myeloid cells (ImC) induce a profound state of immune suppression that foster tumor tolerance by inhibition of tumor specific T cells. In this study, we asked whether increased ImC frequencies can be found in peripheral blood from RCC patients and if ImC frequencies correlated positively with increased levels of tumor-derived serum markers. Methods: ImC frequencies in peripheral blood from healthy volunteers and RCC patients were determined by FACS. ImC were isolated by magnetic bead separation techniques and their immunosuppressive activity was determined in CTL assays, IFN-γ ELISPOT analyses and T-cell proliferation assays. The production of reactive oxygen species by ImC was analyzed utilizing specific probes and inhibitors. Tumor-derived serum markers were quantified by ELISA, enzyme immune assays and cytometric bead arrays. Microarray analyses were performed to identify novel and highly specific ImC markers. Results: RCC patients demonstrate higher ImC frequencies (0.8 - 3.2 % of total PBMC) compared to healthy donors. The increased ImC frequencies are positively correlated with serum levels of VEGF, PGE-2, IL-13 and M-CSF in RCC patients and the concentration of byproducts of oxidative burst, including iso-prostane and malondialdehyde, was significantly enhanced. Isolated ImC exhibited profound immunosuppressive effects on CTL and CD4+ T cell response in an antigen specific fashion. Immunosuppression by ImC was mediated by release of ROS, including peroxide and superoxide anions and by generation of nitric oxide radicals as evidenced in functional assays. Results from microarray analyses reveal EP-1, EphA5, and PEX-5 as novel ImC markers. Conclusions: These data suggest that RCC may induce the development of immunosuppressive ImC population through secretion of cytokines such as VEGF, IL-13, M-CSF and PGE-2. Inhibition of specific cytokine activity or the use of differentiating agents may represent strategies to decrease immunosuppressive ImC population. Results from a phase I clinical trial investigating the effects of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) on differentiation of ImC in RCC patients will be presented.
Cerebral asymmetry during development using linear measures from MRI

Asymmetry of the human brain is a well-known phenomenon, but the nature and extent of these differences throughout postnatal development have not been examined. Accordingly, linear measurements of the brains of 121 infants, children, and adolescents were determined to ascertain cerebral hemispheric asymmetries. Using multiple statistical methods, the results showed that: 1) the frontal lobe is wider on the right, while the occipital lobe is wider on the left; 2) there are no side to side differences in cerebral hemispheric length or height; and 3) there are no major sex differences. Especially notable is the lack of any correlation between side to side differences in length, width, or height and increasing age, which was also the case for cerebral hemispheric area or volume with increasing age. Regarding petalias: 1) the right frontal petalia occurs in 61%, the left occipital in 60%, and both petalias in 36% of the cohort; 2) the right frontal and left occipital petalias are of similar lengths; 3) the distances of both petalias increase with advancing age but not when scaled to either cerebral hemispheric area or volume, indicating that petalias are equally prominent early in postnatal life compared to later development; and 4) there are no major sex differences in the frequency or magnitude of either petalia. These findings provide comprehensive new information regarding age and sex related cerebral hemispheric asymmetries during development.
Outdoor Atmospheric Microbial Diversity is Associated with Three-Dimensional Urban Landscape Structure and Differs from Indoor-Transit Systems

Microbes are abundant inhabitants of the near-surface atmosphere. Furthermore, urban areas are among the fastest growing ecosystems and host large and dense human populations. The distribution of microbial communities may benefit or hinder human wellbeing and ecosystem function. Surveys of airborne microbial diversity are uncommon. Studies which investigate these communities take place at isolated points in the city, thus missing the continuous exposure to microbes that covary with three-dimensional urban structure. Individuals in cities are generally mobile and would be exposed to diverse urban structures outdoors and within indoor-transit systems in a day. Microbiomes in these systems are especially relevant to public health. We used mobile monitoring of microbial diversity and geographic information systems, across Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA in outdoor and indoor-transit (subways and train cars) environments. This study is the first of its kind to complete an analysis of the role of three-dimensional urban structure in structuring atmospheric microbiomes. We found more diverse communities outdoors that significantly differ from indoor-transit air in microbial community structure, function, likely source environment, and potentially pathogenic fraction of the community. Variation in the structure of the urban landscape was associated with diversity and function of the near-surface atmospheric microbiome in outdoor samples.
The Prevalence of Disability Health Training and Residents With Disabilities in Emergency Medicine Residency Programs.

Objectives Individuals with disabilities experience significant health care disparities due to a multitude of barriers to effective care, which include a lack of adequate physician training on this topic and negative attitudes of physicians. This results in disparities through inadequate physical examination and diagnostic testing, withholding or inferior treatment, and neglecting preventative care. While much has been published about disability education in undergraduate medical education, little is known about the current state of disability education in emergency medicine (EM) residency programs. Methods In 2019, a total of 237 EM residency program directors (PDs) in the United States were surveyed about the actual and desired number of hours of disability health instruction, perceived barriers to disability health education, prevalence of residents and faculty with disabilities, and confidence in providing accommodations to residents with disabilities. Results A total of 104 surveys were completed (104/237, 43.9% response rate); 43% of respondents included disability-specific content in their residency curricula for an average of 1.5 total hours annually, in contrast to average desired hours of 4.16 hours. Reported barriers to disability health education included lack of time and lack of faculty expertise. A minority of residency programs have faculty members (13.5%) or residents (26%) with disabilities. The prevalence of EM residents with disabilities was 4.02%. Programs with residents with disabilities reported more hours devoted to disability curricula (5 hours vs 1.54 hours, p = 0.017) and increased confidence in providing workplace accommodations for certain disabilities including mobility disability (p = 0.002), chronic health conditions (p = 0.022), and psychological disabilities (p = 0.018). Conclusions A minority of EM PDs in our study included disability health content in their residency curricula. The presence of faculty and residents with disabilities is associated with positive effects on training programs, including a greater number of hours devoted to disability health education and greater confidence in accommodating learners with disabilities. To reduce health care disparities for patients with disabilities, we recommend that a dedicated disability health curriculum be integrated into all aspects of the EM residency curriculum, including lectures, journal clubs, and simulations and include direct interaction with individuals with disabilities. We further recommend that disability be recognized as an aspect of diversity when hiring faculty and recruiting residents to EM programs, to address this training gap and to promote a diverse and inclusive learning environment.
Data Analysis and Visualization of Traffic in Chicago with Size and Landuse-Aware Vehicle to Buildings Assignment.

Besides vehicles, buildings are one of the main energy users in urban areas. The rate of energy usage of a particular building depends on features such as human activities, the number of people inside, weather, and the surrounding landscape. Such complex interactions makes energy usage of buildings hard to understand. In this work, we analyze the energy usage of Chicago loop under the effects of several features. Through our extensive experiments, we explore the connections between energy usage and these features. Moreover, we proposed an algorithm that assigns vehicles to buildings by considering three parameters: location of the building, its size, and land-use.
Fighting for Fat: Gluttonous Tumors and Starved T Cells

In this issue of Cell, Ringel et al. reveal a link between lipid utilization in the tumor microenvironment and anti-tumor immunity in obese mice. These findings provide one explanation for how obesity worsens cancer outcomes and may point to a new metabolic approach to treating some cancers.
The CD200–CD200R Axis Promotes Squamous Cell Carcinoma Metastasis via Regulation of Cathepsin K

The CD200-CD200R immunoregulatory signaling axis plays an etiological role in the survival and spread of numerous cancers primarily through suppression of anti-tumor immune surveillance. Our previous work outlined a pro-metastatic role for the CD200-CD200R axis in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) that is independent of direct T cell suppression but modulates the function of infiltrating myeloid cells. To identify effectors of the CD200-CD200R axis important for cSCC metastasis, we conducted RNA-Seq profiling of infiltrating CD11B+Cd200R+ cells isolated from CD200+ versus CD200-null cSCCs and identified the cysteine protease cathepsin K (Ctsk) to be highly upregulated in CD200+ cSCCs. CD11B+Cd200R+ cells expressed phenotypic markers associated with myeloid-derived suppressor cell-like cells and tumor-associated macrophages and were the primary source of Ctsk expression in cSCC. A Cd200R+ myeloid cell-cSCC co-culture system showed that induction of Ctsk was dependent on engagement of the CD200-CD200R axis, indicating that Ctsk is a target gene of this pathway in the cSCC tumor microenvironment. Inhibition of Ctsk, but not matrix metalloproteinases (MMP), significantly blocked cSCC cell migration in vitro. Finally, targeted CD200 disruption in tumor cells and Ctsk pharmacological inhibition significantly reduced cSCC metastasis in vivo. Collectively, these findings support the conclusion that CD200 stimulates cSCC invasion and metastasis via induction of Ctsk in CD200R+ infiltrating myeloid cells.
Does courtship behavior predict parentage in Collared Lizards? Influence of male social status and habitat structure

Incorporating microsatellite techniques to determine parentage is a powerful addition to behavioral mating system studies in wild animals. Nonetheless, in some tetrapod taxa such as lizards, there are relatively few direct comparisons of individual reproductive success measured genetically versus estimates based on behavioral interactions, especially in species where males and females do not maintain prolonged social contact. We combined observations of behavior with microsatellite analysis of parentage over ten seasons in male Collared Lizards, (Crotaphytus collaris), to test the extent to which the proportion of each female’s total courtship interactions with different males predicted the proportion of total offspring sired by those males (proportion of paternity). Territorial males (T-males) court females frequently. Non-territorial (NT) males on the other hand behave stealthily. This allows them to court females, albeit less frequently, while limiting attacks by T-males. Both T- and NT-males occupied habitats that varied in structural complexity which might influence which males court and sire offspring with individual females, therefore we included habitat type (simple vs. complex) and male social tactic as possible predictors in our test. Proportion of courtship by NT-males did not predict their proportion of paternity in either habitat type. Courtship by T-males was a strong predictor of paternity in simple habitats but not complex habitats. Our findings support the hypothesis that courtship is a more accurate predictor of T-male mating success in simple habitats, which is consistent with previous findings suggesting that reduced area and topographical heterogeneity, especially the absence of subsurface crevices in simpler habitats, makes it more economical for T-males to prevent surreptitious mating by NT-males. Our study, therefore, highlights the importance of considering possible effects of alternative social tactics and variation in environmental conditions when testing the accuracy of behaviorally based estimates of breeding relationships, especially in polygamous species with multiple paternity.
Automated Privacy Policy Annotation with Information Highlighting Made Practical Using Deep Representations

The privacy policy statements are the primary mean for service providers to inform Internet users about their data collection and use practices, although they often are long and lack a specific structure. In this work, we introduce TLDR, a pipeline that employs various deep representation techniques for normalizing policies through learning and modeling, and an automated ensemble classifier for privacy policy classification. TLDR advances the state-of-the-art by (i) categorizing policy contents into nine privacy policy categories with high accuracy, (ii) detecting missing information in privacy policies, and (iii) significantly reducing policy reading time and improving understandability by users.
SU-D-213-02: Characterization of the Effect of a New Commercial Transmission Detector On Radiotherapy Beams

Purpose: To evaluate the influence of a new commercial transmission detector on radiotherapy beams of various energies. Methods: A transmission detector designed for online treatment monitoring was characterized on a TrueBeam STx linear accelerator with 6MV, 6FFF, 10MV, and 10FFF beams. Measurements of beam characteristics including percentage depth doses (PDDs), inplane and crossplane off-axis profiles at different depths, transmission factors, and skin dose were acquired at field sizes of 3×3cm, 5×5m, 10×10cm, and 20×20cm at 100cm and 80cm source-to-surface distance (SSD). All measurements were taken with and without the transmission detector in the path of the beam. A CC04 chamber was used for all profile and transmission factor measurements. Skin dose was assessed at 100cm, 90cm, and 80cm SSD and using a variety of detectors (Roos and Markus parallel-plate chambers, and OSLD). Results: The PDDs showed small differences between the unperturbed and perturbed beams for both 100cm and 80cm SSD (≤4mm dmax difference and <1.2% average profile difference). The differences were larger for the flattened beams and at larger field sizes. The off-axis profiles showed similar trends. The penumbras looked similar with and without the transmission detector. Comparisons in the central 80% of the profile showed a maximum average (maximum) profile difference between all field sizes of 0.756% (1.535%) and 0.739% (3.682%) for 100cm and 80cm SSD, respectively. The average measured skin dose at 100cm (80cm) SSD for 10×10cm field size was <4% (<35%) dose increase for all energies. For 20×20cm field size, this value increased to <10% (≤45%). Conclusion: The transmission detector has minimal effect on the clinically relevant radiotherapy beams for IMRT and VMAT (field sizes 10×10cm and less). For larger field sizes, some perturbations are observable which would need to be assessed for clinical impact. The authors of this publication has research support from IBA Dosimetry.
A Pluralistic Account of Intellectual Property

This essay reviews six different approaches to intellectual property. It and argues that none of these accounts provide an adequate justification of intellectual property laws and policies because (1) there are many different types of intellectual property, and (2) a variety of incommensurable values play a role in the justification of intellectual property. The best approach to intellectual property is to assess and balance competing moral values in light of the particular facts and circumstances.
Self-consistent quantum kinetic theory of diatomic molecule formation

A quantum kinetic theory of molecule formation is presented which includes three-body recombination and radiative association for a thermodynamically closed system which may or may not exchange energy with its surrounding at a constant temperature. The theory uses a Sturmian representation of a two-body continuum to achieve a steady-state solution of a governing master equation which is self-consistent in the sense that detailed balance between all bound and unbound states is rigorously enforced. The role of quasibound states in catalyzing the molecule formation is analyzed in complete detail. The theory is used to make three predictions which differ from conventional kinetic models. These predictions suggest significant modifications may be needed to phenomenological rate constants which are currently in wide use. Implications for models of low and high density systems are discussed.
Upper Ocean Dynamics and Horizontal Variability in Low Winds

Abstract : Our long-term goal is to observe and understand the temporal and spatial variability of the upper ocean and to identify the processes that determine that variability. Air-sea interaction is of particular interest, but we will also investigate the coupling of the sub-thermocline ocean to the mixed layer. We seek to make observations over a wide range of environmental conditions with the intent of improving our understanding of upper ocean dynamics and of the physical processes that determine both the vertical and horizontal structure of the upper ocean.
An Exploration of Nonprehensile Two-Palm Manipulation: Planning and Execution

This paper describes our current research into nonprehensile palm manipulation. The term “palm” refers to the use of the entire device surface during manipulation, as opposed to use of the fingertips alone. The term “nonprehensile” means that the palms hold the object without wrapping themselves around it, as distinguished from a force/from closure grasp often employed by a fingered hand. Indeed, nonprehensile operations such as purposeful sliding and constrained dropping constitute important palm primitives.