cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Geographic Information Systems Analysis of Geologic Controls on the Distribution on Dolines in the Ozarks of South-Central Missouri, USA

Geoloski vzroki, ki pogojujejo razporeditev in razvoj vrtac na Salem planoti, Ozarki, južno-osrednji Missouri, ZDA, so bili statisticno analizirani z uporabo GIS. Geoloski vzroki predstavljajo litostratigrafijo, geolosko strukturo, povrsje in globino do talne vode. Obravnavali so podrocje za tockovne podatke 2.613 vrtac na dveh 30’ × 60’ kartah s 30 m intervali. Izracunali so % pogostosti vrtac za pet litostratigrafskih enot, pri cemer so ugotovili, da je v Jefferson City dolomitu in Roubidoux formaciji najvecja gostota vrtac. Opravljena je bila analiza žariscne vsote sosedstva, da bi ugotovili, ce ima razporeditev vrtac znacilnost združevanja v skupine ali znacilnost linearnosti, kar kaže na vpliv geoloske strukture. Usmerjenost skupin vrtac na SZ se pojavlja vzdolž projekcije prelomne cone Bolivar-Mansfield v južno-osrednjem Missouriju. Vecina vrtac na obravnavanem terenu se nahaja na obmocjih uravnav in na položnih pobocjih, kar je pogosteje kot na mocno razclenjenih podrocjih. Mocna razpokanost v bližini regionalnih prelomnih con lahko pospesi razvoj vrtac na planoti. Razumevanje kraskega sistema je pomembno za boljse urejanje uporabe zemlje v Ozarkih, vkljucno z ohranjanjem naravnih virov, urejanjem talne vode in varovanjem okolja, se posebno ker raziskani teren vsebuje možne ekonomsko ugodne zaloge Pb in Zn. The geologic controls on the distribution and development of dolines in the Salem Plateau of the Ozark Plateaus Province, south-central Missouri, USA, was statistically analyzed by using a geographic information system. The controls include lithostratigraphy, geologic structure, slope, and depth to water table. Area and point data for 2,613 dolines in two 30’ x 60’ quadrangles were compiled on a 30-meter grid. The percent area of dolines was calculated for five lithostratigraphic units, and it was determined that the Jefferson City Dolomite and Roubidoux Formation have the highest density of dolines. A focal sum neighborhood analysis was performed to determine if the distribution of dolines had any clustering or linearity that may suggest structural control. A northwest alignment of doline clusters occurs along a projection of the Bolivar-Mansfield fault zone in south-central Missouri. Most dolines in the study area occur on the plateau areas and on gentle slopes rather than in the highly dissected areas. Intense fracturing near regional fault zones may enhance doline development on the plateau areas. An understanding of the karst system is important for better landuse management practices in the Ozarks, including conservation of natural resources, ground-water management, and environmental protection, especially because the study area includes potential economic lead and zinc mineralization.
Isolation of Peripheral Blood CD8 T Cells Specific to Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus Utilizing Porcine CD137 Activation Marker.

Abstract CD137 is a costimulatory molecule transiently expressed on activated T cells after mitogen or antigen stimulation that can be exploited for isolating antigen-specific T cells as reported in mouse models. By utilizing an antiporcine CD137 monoclonal antibody (mAb, clone 3B9) developed in our laboratory, we isolated virus-specific CD8β T cells from peripheral blood of pigs experimentally infected with different porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) strains. Similar to mouse, porcine CD8β T cells also express CD137 transiently upon Concavalin A stimulation while the unstimulated cells did not. Most frequently, virus-specific CD8β T cells were isolated at low levels from peripheral blood of pigs experimentally infected with PRRSV strains VR2385, NADC20, and MN184B at 49 and 63 days postinfection. The results suggest that porcine CD137-specific mAb is a useful tool for isolating virus-specific CD8 T cells from peripheral blood and tissues of pigs after in vitro stimulation with v...
The possible role of collagen fibrils and collagen-phosphoprotein complexes in the calcification of bone in vitro and in vivo

Samples of decalcified chicken bone containing varying concentrations of phosphoproteins from bone or egg yolk (phosvitin) were used in vitro as heterogenous nucleators for the induction induction of Ca-P apatite crystals from operationally metastable solutions of Ca and P in vitro. The lag time between exposure of the collagen-phosphoprotein complexes to a metastable solution of Ca and P and the time nucleation of crystals occurred decreased as the concentration of Ser(P) and Thr(P) increased. Enzymatic cleavage of the phosphate groups by wheat germ acid phosphatase reversed this effect, indicating that the phosphate groups per se are necessary, but may not be sufficient for the facilitation of the nucleation of Ca-P crystals by collagen complexed to phosphoprotein.
Chapter 9 metabolic potentials of deep-sea fishes: A comparative approach

Publisher Summary The deep-sea is an environment that has long been regarded with wonder. From the early belief that it was stagnant and without life, studies in the later half of the last century revealed that it contained an abundance of life, often of bizarre forms. The idea that deep-sea life was somehow different, being removed as it is from the turbulent surficial realms, fueled early speculation that evolutionary relics “living fossils” might persist there. The belief that the deep-sea is a mysterious realm, whose biota has been relatively untouched by time, has persisted up until the present and, as a result, many poorly documented assertions about deep-sea life have been kept alive far past the time when the data available no longer supported them. In light of this changed view of the deep-sea, this chapter examines the available data beating on the metabolic rates of deep-sea fish. It first describes the patterns of variation in these rates as functions of depth and other oceanographic parameters and then examines hypotheses that may explain these patterns. Description of the patterns and testing of hypotheses focuses on data available on large numbers of fishes from different depths and regions.
Tissue-specific expression of functional platelet factor XI is independent of plasma factor XI expression

Platelet factor XI is an alternatively spliced product of the factor XI gene expressed specifically within megakaryocytes and platelets as an approximately 1.9-kb mRNA transcript (compared with approximately 2.1 kb in liver cells) lacking exon V. Flow cytometry with an affinity-purified factor XI antibody, with PAC1 antibody (to the GPIIb/IIIa complex on activated platelets), and with S12 antibody (to P-selectin, an alpha-granule membrane protein expressed on the platelet surface during secretion) on platelets activated with ADP, thrombin, thrombin receptor peptide (SFLLRN amide), or collagen at various concentrations exposed platelet factor XI and PAC1 antibody binding in parallel. Unactivated platelets expressed approximately 40% of total platelet factor XI but no PAC1 binding sites. Enhanced membrane exposure of platelet factor XI is independent of alpha-granule secretion, because ADP and collagen exposed platelet factor XI but no S12 binding sites. Platelets from four patients with plasma factor XI deficiency (<0.04 U/mL) had normal constitutive and activation-dependent expression of platelet factor XI. Well-washed platelets from normal and from factor XI-deficient donors incubated with low concentrations of thrombin (0. 05 to 0.1 U/mL) corrected the clotting defect observed with factor XI-deficient plasma. Thus, functionally active platelet factor XI is differentially expressed on platelet membranes in a tissue-specific manner both constitutively and in a concentration-dependent fashion by various agonists in the absence of detectable plasma factor XI.
Window Into Retinal Studies

Professor Gustavo Aguirre discusses the context of his research studies at the University of Pennsylvania, which are currently concentrating on the degenerative disease, retinitis pigmentosa.
Sex Attractant Pheromone of Saturniid Moth Coloradia velda

The female-produced sex attractant pheromone of Coloradia velda has been identified by a combination of analytical methods and field tests as a blend of (10E,12Z)-hexadecadien-1-yl acetate (10E,12Z–16:Ac), (10E,12E)-hexadecadien-1-yl acetate (10E,12E–16:Ac), and (10E,12Z)-hexadecadien-1-ol (10E,12Z–16:OH) in a 10:1:0.33 ratio, respectively. The corresponding aldehyde (10E,12Z–16:Ald) was also found in extracts of female pheromone glands, but in blends with 10E,12Z–16:Ac and 10E,12E–16:Ac at low doses did not significantly increase the attractiveness of baits to male moths.
Advanced Topics in Deep Learning

This book will cover several advanced topics in deep learning, which either do not naturally fit within the focus of the previous chapters, or because their level of complexity requires separate treatment.
Graph data models, query languages and programming paradigms

Numerous databases support semi-structured, schemaless and heterogeneous data, typically in the form of graphs (often restricted to trees and nested data). They also provide corresponding high-level query languages or graph-tailored programming paradigms.The evolving query languages present multiple variations: Some are superficial syntactic ones, while other ones are genuine differences in modeling, language capabilities and semantics. Incompatibility with SQL presents a learning challenge for graph databases, while table orientation often leads to cumbersome syntactic/semantic structures that are contrary to graph data. Furthermore, the query languages often fall short of full-fledged semistructured and graph query language capabilities, when compared to the yardsticks set by prior academic efforts.We survey features, the designers' options and differences in the approaches taken by current systems. We cover both declarative query languages, whose semantics is independent of the underlying model of computation, as well as languages with an operational semantics that is more tightly coupled with the model of computation. For the declarative languages over both general graphs and tree-shaped graphs (as motivated by XML and the recent generation of nested formats, such as JSON and Parquet) we compare to an SQL baseline and present SQL reductions and extensions that capture the essentials of such database systems. More precisely, rather than presenting a single SQL extension, we present multiple configuration options whereas multiple possible (and different) semantics are formally captured by the multiple options that the language's semantic configuration options can take. We show how appropriate setting of the configuration options morphs the semantics into the semantics of multiple surveyed languages, hence providing a compact and formal tool to understand the essential semantic differences between different systems.Finally we compare with prior nested and graph query languages (notably OQL, XQuery, Lorel, StruQL, PigLatin) and we transfer into the modern graph database context lessons from the semistructured query processing research of the 90s and 00s, combining them with insights on current graph databases.
Health Technology Use: Implications for Physical Activity Behaviors Among College Students

ABSTRACTCollege is a time of transitioning as individuals move from the teenage years to adulthood. Accompanying this transition, there is a potential to establish lifelong behaviors such as a regu...
Early colonization of the gut microbiome and its relationship with obesity

Abstract Adult and childhood obesity rates are increasing. Childhood obesity, in particular, is a complicated, multifactorial condition that is not always explained by overeating. To address rising rates of obesity, researchers have begun to address how the composition of the gastrointestinal microbiome influences metabolism, energy absorption, and weight regulation. Colonization of the gut begins in early life and is highly influenced by method of birth (vaginal versus Caesarean), method of feeding (formula feeding versus breastfeeding), and exposure to antibiotics. Not surprisingly, an infant’s gut microbiome is very likely to resemble that of its mother. However, this means that aberrant bacteria characterized by an obese microbiome can also get passed on from an obese mom to child. To promote the colonization of a healthy infant gut microbiome, the optimal strategy generally is to have a vaginal delivery followed by exclusive breastfeeding until 6 months of age with minimal exposure to antibiotics. However, this is not always possible and overweight or obese mothers risk passing on aberrant bacteria to her children. In such cases, in conjunction with medical professionals, women can consider adding pre- and probiotics to their diets during pregnancy and lactation as well as other mitigation strategies. The colonization of an infant’s gut with optimal bacteria may help reduce the risk of obesity later in life.
Does patient health literacy impact adherence to adjuvant endocrine therapy in breast cancer patients

Purpose Functional health literacy is critical for patients' functional understanding and management of disease including adherence to medications and treatment recommendations. The purpose of this study was to determine if there is a relationship between self-reported health literacy and 1) decision to take adjuvant endocrine therapy and 2) adherence to adjuvant endocrine therapy at 2 years among women with breast cancer. Methods We initiated a prospective health literacy assessment to determine the relationship between health literacy and breast health outcomes. Among our overall cohort, we determined women who had estrogen receptor positive (ER+) disease and were recommended to take adjuvant endocrine therapy, those who initiated treatment, and those adherent at 2 years following diagnosis. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were calculated to determine the relationship between health literacy and both initiation and adherence. Results Among the 340 patients in the sample who were recommended to take adjuvant endocrine therapy, 296 (87.1%) initiated the therapy. Two-year follow-up data are available in 136 patients with ER+ tumors. Among the patients with 2-year longitudinal data available, 108 (79.4%) were adherent and still taking the endocrine therapy at 2 years following diagnosis. In univariate logistic regression analysis, there was no statistical significance between health literacy and initiation of adjuvant endocrine therapy or adherence to adjuvant endocrine therapy at 2 years. Conclusion Despite the underpinnings regarding health literacy and medication adherence supporting our hypothesis, we did not find an association between health literacy and the decision to initiate therapy or continued adherence at 2 years following diagnosis. Further study is needed to determine the nuances in adherence to adjuvant endocrine therapy for women with breast cancer.
Changes in the Stool Virome and Fungome of Children Undergoing Bone Marrow Transplant

Background Bacterial dysbiosis is associated with acute graft versus host disease (GVHD) and blood stream infections (BSI) after bone marrow transplant (BMT). Intestinal viral and fungal changes after BMT are unknown in children. Methods Metagenomic shotgun paired reads sequencing was performed for 56 patients who underwent a BMT at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. Stool samples were collected pre BMT and at least one post BMT time point (range day+1-day+35). Metagenomics data were analyzed using DIAMOND / MEGAN6 CE and NCBI RefSeq database. Results Demographics are shown in Figure 1. A total of 180 stool samples were analyzed. Twelve of 56 patients had stool samples analyzed at 2 time points (pre BMT and post BMT) while 44 patients had stool analyzed at > 2 time points with one being a pre BMT sample. All patients were on fungal and viral prophylaxis. Fungome Fungi were detected in 19 of 56 patients' stool samples (Fig 2A). The most frequent fungi isolated from stool were Candida sp. Nine of 56 patients had evidence of clinical fungal infection after BMT (Candida N=7, Malassezia N=1, Rhizopus N=1). One patient with clinical Candida infection had Candida detected from stool pre BMT but the remaining patients did not have a fungal infection similar to the fungi isolated from stool. BSI occurred in 7/19 in patients with fungi isolated from stool compared to 11/37 in patients without fungi in stool. GI GVHD occurred in 7/16 (43%) in allogeneic BMT patients with fungi in stool compared to 5/35 (14%) patients without fungi isolated in stool. likely reflecting antibiotic exposure and resultant dysbiosis. Virome Viruses were identified in 31 of 56 patients' stool samples (Fig 2B). Caudalovirales (bacteriophages) were the most frequent organisms seen in stool (n=20). Interestingly Caudalovirales in stool were detected in 18 patients who were on human milk as their nutritional source. Mastadenovirus sp. (adenovirus in clinical practice) was observed in 5 patients. Mastadenoviruses in stool were seen with ATG (n=1) or alemtuzumab (n=4) exposure. Ten of 56 patients had clinical adenoviral reactivation. Four of the 10 patients with clinical adenoviral reactivation had adenovirus isolated in the stool prior to onset of clinical viremia (pre BMT n=1; day+1 n=2; day+13 n=1). Conclusion We observed that fungi were not frequently detected from stool, and presence of fungi did not always imply clinical fungal infection with the same organism but could reflect antibiotic exposure and contribute to intestinal dysbiosis leading to acute GVHD. Presence of bacteriophages in stool is a novel observation, which could be reflective of a diet of human milk. We have previously shown that human milk lowers intestinal inflammation after BMT and these findings will be explored in independent studies. Mastadenovirus was detected in stool before or early after BMT and frequently heralded clinical viral reactivation.
Micromechanical modeling of the effects of adiabatic heating on the high strain rate deformation of polymer matrix composites

Abstract Fiber reinforced polymer matrix composites are increasingly being used to fabricate energy-absorbing aerospace structural components susceptible to impact loading , such as jet engine containment structures subjected to blade-out events. The development and certification of such structures necessitates a detailed understanding of the dynamic behavior of the constituent materials, particularly the strain rate, temperature, and pressure dependent polymer matrix , and their complex interaction. As the rate of deformation increases, the thermodynamic condition transitions from isothermal to adiabatic. The conversion of plastic work to heat causes local adiabatic heating in the polymer matrix, but the rapid nature of impact events does not allow sufficient time for heat to dissipate; ballistic impact events can therefore be regarded as fully adiabatic. Local adiabatic heating can significantly affect the high rate deformation response if thermal softening effects outweigh strain and strain rate hardening effects and therefore, must be explicitly modeled at the appropriate length scale. In this paper, an existing isothermal viscoplastic strain rate and pressure-dependent polymer constitutive formulation is extended to nonisothermal conditions by modifying the inelastic strain rate tensor components to explicitly depend on temperature based on the Arrhenius equation for nonisothermal processes. A methodology based on shifting neat resin dynamic mechanical analysis data is utilized to determine the polymer elastic properties over a range of strain rates and temperatures. Temperature rises due to the conversion of plastic work to heat are computed, assuming adiabatic conditions. It is demonstrated that the modified polymer constitutive model is capable of capturing strain rate and temperature dependent yield as well as thermal softening associated with the conversion of plastic work to heat at high rates of strain. The nonisothermal polymer constitutive model is then embedded within the Generalized Method of Cells micromechanics framework to investigate the manifestation of matrix thermal softening, due to the conversion of plastic work to heat, on the high strain rate response of a T700/Epon 862 unidirectional composite. Adiabatic model predictions for high strain rate composite longitudinal tensile, transverse tensile, and in-plane shear loading are presented. Results show a substantial deviation from isothermal conditions ; significant thermal softening is observed for matrix dominated deformation modes (transverse tension and in-plane shear), highlighting the importance of accounting for local adiabatic heating in the polymer matrix in the high strain rate analysis of polymer matrix composite structures.
Association between student characteristics and rankings when applying for a residency in health-system pharmacy administration.

PURPOSE Results of a study to identify characteristics associated with pharmacy residency applicant success in obtaining an invitation to interview and a top candidate ranking are reported. Subsequent development and initial validation of a predictive model based on those characteristics are described. METHODS Bivariable analyses were performed for planned stratifications of applicants to a health-system pharmacy administration residency program according to whether they were offered an on-site interview or were among the 8 top candidates by final candidate ranking. A Random Forest algorithm was created to identify predictors of the likelihood of an applicant being offered an on-site interview. RESULTS Applicants who were offered interviews had a higher median pharmacy school grade point average (GPA) than those not invited to interview: 3.63 (interquartile range [IQR], 3.46-3.79) versus 3.35 (IQR, 3.2-3.49); p < 0.001. Invited applicants also received more scholarships during pharmacy school (median, 2 [IQR, 1-3) versus 1 [IQR, 0-2]; p = 0.002). Applicants with prior work experience as a hospital pharmacy intern were also more likely than those without such experience to be offered an interview (70.0% versus 37.8% were invited, p = 0.001), as were applicants who presented a poster at a national meeting during pharmacy school (80% versus 60%, p = 0.02) or who served in a national pharmacy organization leadership position (41.4% versus 20%, p = 0.03). Pharmacy school GPA was associated with final candidate ranking; top-ranked candidates had a significantly higher median GPA than lower-ranked applicants (3.68 [IQR, 3.51-3.8] versus 3.48 [IQR, 3.23-3.7]; p = 0.003). CONCLUSION Objective criteria within the realms of academic performance and prior work experience may be used to streamline the applicant screening process when determining candidates to invite for an on-site interview. Pharmacy school GPA was the only characteristic found to be associated with applicant final ranking.
The Susceptibility to Other Infectious Diseases Following Measles During a Three Year Observation Period in Switzerland.

Background Measles virus infection leads to significant immunosuppression. In developing countries, this translates to an increased nonspecific mortality, whereas its effects in developed countries are less clear. Methods We performed a cohort study to investigate whether children hospitalized with measles (cases) between 2000 and 2015 in Switzerland would have a higher frequency of hospital admissions due to other infectious diseases thereafter than children who did not have measles (controls). Cases were identified by ICD-10 discharge diagnoses for measles and/or keyword search and matched to 2 controls by time of hospitalization, age and sex. All hospitalizations ≤3 years after original admission, infectious or noninfectious in origin, were identified in cases and controls. Results One hundred thirteen cases (56% males), mean age 9.0 years (range 2 weeks-17.8 years), and 196 controls were identified. Twelve rehospitalizations due to an infectious disease occurred in 11 cases and 6 in 6 controls (episode rates 0.106 versus 0.031 per person; ratio 3.47; 95% CI: 1.20-11.3; P = 0.012) in 3 years of follow-up. Of these, 9 and 3 occurred in cases and controls, respectively, during year 1 [ratio 5.20 (95% CI: 1.30-29.88; P = 0.012)]. Infectious diseases following measles affected various organ systems, were neither particularly severe nor fatal and revealed no specific pattern. Conclusions The increased risk for nonspecific infectious disease hospitalizations supports the concept of immunologic amnesia after measles. Universal immunization against measles provides additional benefit beyond protection against measles itself.
A Statistical Methodology for Post-Fabrication Weight Tuning in a Binary Perceptron

In this paper, we present an efficient statistical approach for analyzing the robustness of threshold logic gates in the presence of process variations and using the results of that analysis to tune the weights of the threshold gate to maximize yield. Although the proposed methodology is completely general and can be applied to any circuit (digital, mixed-signal or analog), we demonstrate it using the flash transistor based threshold logic gate reported in [1]. The statistical approach presented in this paper involves construction of an efficient database and the design of a stochastic simulator based on an extension to the polynomial chaos technique. The results demonstrate that this methodology when using the stochastic simulator achieves a maximum speed up of 56.5X in reducing the number of HSPICE iterations without loss of accuracy.
Process simulation and techno-economic analysis for production of industrial sugars from lignocellulosic biomass

Abstract Hexose (C6 sugar) and pentose (C5 sugar) derived from lignocellulosic biomass are the precursors to bio-based fuels, chemicals and materials. This study compares the economic viability of two types of sugar products (mixed or separated C5 and C6 sugar solutions) and finds the impact of a combined heat and power (CHP) system on the economic performance. It also evaluates utilization of the residual biomass for energy recovery or carbon sequestration. For good reliability of process simulation, experimental data in the laboratory was used to simulate the pretreatment of eucalyptus wood in a diluted sulfuric acid solution. The minimum selling price (MSP) of the sugars is used as a key economic indicator. The unity production cost can be reduced by 2.2-fold with the capacity being scaled up by 100 times. A CHP system has dual effects on sugar MSP. It increases the sugar MSP by 0.03 US$ kg−1, but reduces its sensitivity to steam price fluctuation. The sugar MSP is 0.31, 0.34, 0.38 $ kg−1 in three scenarios (I, II and III), respectively, with a capacity of 2,000 metric tons biomass (dry) per day. The sugar MSP is most sensitive to biomass cost, followed by enzymes in Scenarios I and II. In contrast, the steam cost has the greatest impact on the MSP of separated C5 and C6 sugars in Scenario III. If the residual biomass is not burned for energy recovery, a carbon tax credit could be an additional revenue to reduce the sugar MSP by 20 %.
Pre-Clinical Remote Undergraduate Medical Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Survey Study&nbsp

Background : The COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated a sudden transition to remote learning in medical schools. We aimed to assess student perceptions of remote learning during the pre-clinical curricular training phase. Methods: A survey was distributed to first- and second-year medical students enrolled at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine in March 2020. Frequencies of responses to structured multiple-choice questions were compared regarding impacts of remote learning on quality of instruction and ability to participate, value of various remote learning resources, living environment, and preparedness for subsequent stages of training. Responses to open-ended questions about strengths and weaknesses of the remote curriculum and overall reflections were coded for thematic content. Results: Of 268 students enrolled, 104 responded (53.7% of first-year students and 23.9% of second-year students). Overall, students felt the quality of instruction and their ability to participate had been negatively affected. Most (64.1%) preferred the flexibility of learning material at their own pace. Only 25.5% of respondents still felt connected to the medical school or classmates. Most second-year students (56.7%) felt their preparation for the USMLE Step 1 exam was negatively affected and 43.3% felt unprepared to begin clerkships. In narrative responses, most appreciated the increased flexibility of remote learning but recognized that digital fatigue, decreased ability to participate, and lack of clinical skills and hands-on lab learning were notable deficits. Conclusions: Videocasted lectures uploaded in advance, electronic health record and telehealth training for students, and training for teaching faculty to increase technological fluency may be considered to optimize remote learning curricula.
Integrated optimization model and algorithm for pattern generation and selection in logical analysis of data

Abstract In this paper, we present a new integrated optimization model and a greedy algorithm for generating patterns, directly derived from original data instead of binarized data, in logical analysis of data (LAD). Pattern generation, following data discretization (binarization) and support set selection to handle non-binary data, is a building block that largely influences LAD classification. These stand-alone steps are generally considered optimization problems, which are difficult to solve and make the LAD procedure very tedious. To this end, we propose a new mixed-integer linear program, in which data discretization and support set selection are integrated into a single pattern generation optimization model, aiming to generate multiple logical patterns to cover observations maximally in the original data space. Furthermore, we develop a greedy search algorithm, in which the optimization model is reduced and solved iteratively to efficiently generate patterns. We then examine the effectiveness of the generated patterns in both one-class and large-margin LAD classifiers. The computational results for simulated and real datasets demonstrate the competitive performance in terms of classification accuracy in a relatively short runtime compared with previously developed pattern generation methods and other state-of-the-art machine learning algorithms.
A reply to "TCR+/BCR+ dual-expressing cells and their associated public BCR clonotype are not enriched in type 1 diabetes".

We have recently identified a novel lymphocyte that is a dual expresser (DE) of TCRαβ and BCR. DEs in T1D patients are predominated by a public BCR clonotype (clone-x) that encodes a potent autoantigen that cross-activates insulin-reactive T cells. Betts and colleagues were able to detect DEs but alleged to not detect high DE frequency, clone-x, or similar clones in T1D patients. Unfortunately, the authors did not follow our methods and when they did, their flow cytometric data at two sites were conflicting. Moreover, contrary to their claim, we identified clones similar to clone-x in their data along with clones bearing the core motif (DTAMVYYFDYW). Additionally, their report of no increased usage of clone-x VH/DH genes by bulk B cells confirms rather than challenges our results. Finally, the authors failed to provide data verifying purity of their sorted DEs, making it difficult to draw reliable conclusion of their repertoire analysis. This Matters Arising Response paper addresses the Japp et al. (2021) Matters Arising paper, published concurrently in Cell.
Gear Fault Diagnostics Using Extended Phase Space Topology

This paper applies a novel feature extraction method called Extended Phase Space Topology (EPST) in order to diagnose various faults in a gear-train system. The EPST method, that our research team has been developing, is based on characterizing the vibration data using the topology of phase space, computing its density distribution and then expanded in a series of orthogonal functions. The resulting coefficients are subsequently used in a machine learning algorithm. For this study, multiple test gears with different health conditions (such as a healthy gear and defective gears with root crack on one tooth, multiple cracks on five teeth and missing tooth) are studied. The vibration data of a gear-train is measured by a triaxial accelerometer installed on the test. Results indicate that EPST is efficient in diagnosing the status of the health of the gear system and characterizing the dynamic behavior. Moreover, the EPST procedure does not require a priori knowledge about the dynamics of the system. EPST needs no noise reduction, signal prepossessing, feature ranking or selection, and therefore can easily be applied in a relatively automated process.
Problemática del Parque Nacional Río Abiseo

A partir de la decada del 60, con el descubrimiento del Gran Pajaten, surge el interes por la proteccion del area que hoy comprende el Parque Nacional Rio Abiseo (PNRA), que fue creado por propuesta de la Universidad Nacional Agraria en 1982. Este parque alberga la mayor diversidad ecologica en el Peru, por lo que la UNESCO lo reconocio como Patrimonio Natural de la Humanidad en 1990. A continuacion, se presenta un analisis detallado de la problematica especifica de este Parque que responde a problemas de implicancia biologica y a los surgidos por la accion del hombre.
Naturalistic Stress Hormone Levels Drive Cumulative Epigenomic Changes along the Cellular Lifespan

Environmental stress is ubiquitous in modern societies and can exert a profound and cumulative impact on cell function and health phenotypes. This impact is thought to be in large part mediated by the action of glucocorticoid stress hormones, primarily cortisol in humans. While the underlying molecular mechanisms are unclear, epigenetics—the chemical changes that regulate genomic function without altering the genetic code—has emerged as a key link between environmental exposures and phenotypic outcomes. The present study assessed genome-wide DNA (CpG) methylation, one of the key epigenetic mechanisms, at three timepoints during prolonged (51-day) exposure of cultured human fibroblasts to naturalistic cortisol levels, which can be reached in human tissues during in vivo stress. The findings support a spatiotemporal model of profound and widespread stress hormone-driven methylomic changes that emerge at selected CpG sites, are more likely to spread to nearby located CpGs, and quantitatively accrue at open sea, glucocorticoid receptor binding, and chromatin-accessible sites. Taken together, these findings provide novel insights into how prolonged stress may impact the epigenome, with potentially important implications for stress-related phenotypes.
Effects of β-adrenergic blockade on left ventricular remodeling among Hispanics and African Americans with chronic heart failure.

Background Although β-blockers (BBs) have been shown to improve cardiac function, there is individual and ethnic variation in BB clinical response. We examined the effects of BBs on left ventricular remodeling among African Americans (AAs), Hispanics, and Caucasians with systolic heart failure. Hypothesis There is ethnic variability in the effects of BBs on cardiac remodeling. Methods There were 185 AAs, 159 Hispanics, and 74 Caucasians selected with ejection fraction ≤40% from any etiology. Change in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular end-diastolic dimensions (LVEDD), and degree of mitral regurgitation (MR) in response to 1 year of BBs was evaluated retrospectively. Results Overall, there was a significant improvement in LVEF, LVEDD, and degree of MR in AAs and Caucasians after 1 year of BBs (P < 0.001 vs baseline). Compared with other races, Hispanics (%) had no significant improvement in LVEDD and degree of MR, and had fewer patients with reverse remodeling: LVEF (42.77%), LVEDD (5.03%), and MR (16.35%). In multivariable analysis, Hispanic and AA race were important predictors of LVEF and LVEDD (P < 0.01) but not MR response. Conclusions Although most patients demonstrated improvement of LVEF, there seems to be ethnic variability in the effects of BBs on cardiac remodeling. Degree of MR and LVEDD failed to show improvement among Hispanics.
The Transfer and Its Applications

The subject of this chapter is one of the basic techniques of finite group theory, the transfer homomorphism. Since the kernel of this homomorphism has abelian quotient group, it is especially useful in the study of insoluble groups. It will be seen that this technique underlies many deep and important theorems about finite groups.
Justice Scalia's Truthiness and the Virtues of Judicial Candor

Antonin Scalia is by far the Supreme Court’s greatest wit and most colorful personality. His judicial opinions are also remarkably passionate and frank. He has received intense criticism for supposedly being “too political” in some of his opinions, such as his scorching dissent in last year’s case about Arizona laws aimed at illegal immigrants or his bitter denunciation of the Court’s last major ruling on the detention of suspected terrorists. But what purpose is really served by judges hiding their motivations behind a false veneer of detachment and stilted formalism? Scalia can be so refreshingly candid in his judicial work that it pains me when I see his opposite tendency emerge in other contexts, such as in his response to criticism of the Court's handling of the Bush v. Gore election controversy or in his evasion of responsibility for his remarks about the 14th Amendment's applicability to gender discrimination. If there is anyone in a position of great power in htis country who has the freedom to speak plain truths, it is Scalia and his fellow members of the Supreme Court. If they really want to be persuasive, they might find that straight talk goes a lot further than spin.
Febrile Reaction Associated With Urokinase

Urokinase is an endogenously produced human proteolytic enzyme used to treat many thrombotic disorders. A 54-year-old man with recurrent myocardial infarction experienced fever during intracoronary urokinase infusion into a saphenous vein graft; the fever resolved after discontinuation of the infusion. After excluding all other possible etiologies of fever, urokinase was determined to be the cause. Several studies indicated that this reaction may be associated with urokinase infusion, but it is actually recognized by few individuals. This is the first published case report of the adverse event to our knowledge.
Cannabis and epilepsy.

Summary Anticonvulsant activity is widespread among the cannabinoids, including major constituents of marihuana, synthetic congeners and metabolites of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC). A potential therapeutic value of these anticonvulsants became a reality with the recognition that some are devoid of the characteristic psychotoxicity of marihuana and that some have a protective index (P.I.: TD50/ED50) greater than one, which is an expression of a selectivity of anticonvulsant action relative to neurotoxicity. Of the non-psychoactive agents, cannabidiol (CBD) has the most favorable P.I. The anticonvulsant activity is not only widespread but, in mice, it varies greatly, and the differences in potency between stereoisomers are suggestive evidence for the existence of specific receptors. Marked species differences in the potency of CBD and Δ9-THC were also noted; these results contrasted with those of phenytoin (PTN) and phenobarbital (PB), which have essentially identical potency in rat, mouse and frog. Furthermore, a comparison of the pharmacokinetics of CBD and PTN in brain with their pharmacodynamics revealed that the peak brain concentrations are identical, which implies that they may have comparable intrinsic activity, despite a large disparity in their ED50s. The pharmacokinetics of CBD and PTN correlate well with their pharmacodynamics. Such is not the case for Δ9-THC, which may derive its anticonvulsant activity from a metabolite. The anticonvulsant effects of CBD were recorded in a variety of electro- and chemoshock tests; in these tests, CBD resembles PTN rather than ethosuximide (ETS). Tolerance to antiseizure effects was evaluated in the different electros hock tests and it was found that tolerance is not a prominent characteristic of either CBD or PTN. The electrophysiological actions of CBD were compared with those of PTN and ETS on focal epileptic potentials, on posttetanic potentiation (PTP) and on after-discharges (ADs) elicited by electrically induced limbic seizures. CBD, like PTN, failed to suppress ETS-sensitive, cobalt-induced epileptic foci in rats. In contrast, Δ9-THC enhanced focal epileptic potentials and seizure activity, suggesting that this drug may be contraindicated in epileptics. CBD resembled PTN by decreasing PTP in isolated bullfrog ganglia; Δ9-THC had no effect, but both its mono- and dihydroxylated metabolites were potent inhibitors of PTP. Finally, CBD's effects on the AD associated with limbic seizures were unique, compared with those of either PTN or ETS. CBD elevated AD threshold and depressed AD duration and amplitude, PTN only elevated threshold and ETS decreased all three AD parameters. From the results of the electrophysiological studies, the mechanism of action of CBD and PTN may involve a depression of seizure spread (PTP) and the generation of seizure activity (ADs), rather than a depression of focal epileptic discharges. Their specific effects, however, on the epileptic AD are not the same. CBD's unique anticonvulsant properties and its relative lack of known toxicity combine to enhance its potential as an antiepileptic drug.
The presence of active larvae delays the emergence of conspecifics in the tupelo leafminer, Antispila nysaefoliella

Hypothesis: In many systems, density-dependent effects on fitness often can be mitigated with adaptations such as individual mobility or increased competitive ability. However, in sessile or sedentary systems, immobility might preclude individuals from directly choosing their group or patch, thus making it difficult for them to respond to the costs and benefits of group living or variation in density in general. In this study, I test the effect of density on delayed emergence of an effectively sessile species. Study system: Tupelo leafminer, Antispila nysaefoliella Clemens (Lepidoptera: Heliozelidae), a specialist of black gum, Nyssa sylvatica Marsh (Cornaceae). The study population is located in the northern Shenandoah Valley in Clarke Co., Virginia. Methods: In 2004 and 2008, I conducted field experiments where I reduced the initial density of larvae on leaves and compared the frequency of occurrence of new larvae after the experimental treatment. In 2008, I also enclosed half of the leaves with fine-mesh bags to exclude compensatory oviposition as a possible cause of subsequent larval emergence. Prediction and result: The prediction that the removal of active larvae would lead to more occurrences of secondary larval emergence on experimental leaves compared with control leaves was supported in both years of the experiment. The mesh enclosure treatment (2008) had no effect, which suggests that the higher rate of secondary emergence was not due to eggs that were deposited after larvae were removed. Conclusion: The experimental results demonstrate that the presence of active larvae may suppress the development of conspecific larvae (or unhatched eggs). Therefore, the potential number of A. nysaefoliella larvae on leaves might not be realized immediately at the beginning of the season. Rather, as individuals in the initial cohort die, typically due to parasitism, others may emerge subsequently. Although the mechanism is currently unknown, delayed emergence appears to be associated with larval density.
Multistatic target tracking for passive radar in a DAB/DVB network: initiation

A passive radar system that coopts digital broadcast (DAB/ DVB) signals is appealing but challenging: a single-antenna receiver system can only measure a bistatic range/range-rate; and, due to the energy-efficient multitransmitter commercial implementation, there is a confounding uncertainty as to which transmitter (illuminator) was responsible for a given “hit.” In a companion paper we proposed some ways to track directly in native geographic coordinates. Here we suggest and compare two approaches for track initiation.
The significance of developmental sequences for investigating the what and how of development

Developmental sequences are an important tool for analyzing the content and process of development.
Acculturation and Acculturation Stress: A Social‐Epidemiological Approach to Mexican Migrant Farmworkers' Health1

Utilizing a cluster sampling design to maximize representativeness, we look at the health effects of acculturation and acculturation stressors among 1,001 adult migrant farmworkers in Fresno, California. Using self-ratings of mental and physical health as well as the CES-D depression scale, we find that the amount of time one spends in the United States, the level of English-language usage, as well as the intensity of acculturation stresses that one reports, are all related to declines in health. In addition, acculturation stress has more deleterious effects on self-rated health (both physical and mental) among the more highly acculturated.
D65 simulation with a xenon arc

A new Commission Internationale de l’Eclairage daylight D65 filter has been developed for a xenon arc. The filter comprises a pair of multilayer stacks, and excellent agreement is obtained between the spectral power distribution associated with this filter–source combination and that of daylight for the entire wavelength range from 300 to 800 nm.
Alternative source of inflow to the donor hepatic arteries

Background Alternatives to the hepatic artery (HA) are needed in liver transplantation when the native HA cannot be used or when HA complications develop. We describe the indications, technique, and results of our experience using the right gastroepiploic (RGEA) and left gastric (LGA) arteries as alternative HA inflow in adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). Methods From January 1999 to June 2006, 130 patients underwent primary adult-to-adult LDLT (excluding dual graft transplantations). Seven patients required an HA alternative due to hepatic arterial complication. The recipient and graft demographic characteristics, arterial complication, and alternate arteries used were analyzed. Results One hundred twenty-six (126) patients received right lobe liver grafts and four received left lobe grafts. Four patients required an HA alternative due to intimal dissection of the recipient HA found during primary transplant, and three patients had salvage during re-operation for HA thrombosis. The RGEA was used in five patients and LGA in two patients. Four patients had no further complication on long-term follow-up. One patient had biliary stricture requiring intervention, and two patients had bile leak. One bile leak recipient had his bile leakage resolved spontaneously without sequelae. One patient with two graft HA reconstructed had graft loss due to bile leak and sepsis following re-operation for HA occlusion. Conclusion The RGEA and LGA can be successfully used as alternative HA inflow for hepatic arterial revascularization with good results in LDLT. The method has the advantage of single anastomosis compared to an interposition graft.
The longevity of antibody to Rickettsia tsutsugamushi in patients with confirmed scrub typhus

Serological surveillance for up to two years of 114 patients with laboratory confirmed scrub typhus showed that antibody to Rickettsia tsutsugamushi as demonstrated by the indirect fluorescent antibody test is short-lived. The mean reversion time from mean peak titre (1:499) was 48.9 weeks and the calculated annual reversion rate to a titre less than 1:50 was 61%. This can be used to estimate attack rates based on point prevalence of antibody. The relationship between antibody prevalence and attack rates observed by other workers was confirmed using this model. The possible uses of the finding and its implications in Malaysia are briefly discussed.