cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sedimentological constraints on the evolution of the Cordilleran arc: New insights from the Sonsela Member, Upper Triassic Chinle Formation, Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona, USA)

The Sonsela Member of the Upper Triassic Chinle Formation in Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona, forms a distinctive part of an extensive fluviolacustrine complex that blanketed the Colorado Plateau region and surrounding areas. Upper Triassic sediments were deposited within a continental backarc setting, synchronous with the development of the Cordilleran magmatic arc. Although the Chinle Formation was derived from a broad variety of source terranes, petrographic and geochemical data clearly fingerprint the Cordilleran arc as a region important to provenance. The Sonsela Member exhibits a stratigraphically abrupt change in depositional style and sedimentary architecture that likely reflects the dynamics of the evolving backarc fluvial system and syndepositional arc magmatism. The stratigraphic boundary between the two disparate depositional styles is marked by a laterally persistent red silcrete horizon that is also associated with a biostratigraphically significant faunal turnover. The lower Sonsela Member—a coarse-grained assemblage dominated by persistent sheet sandstone and conglomerate bodies—reflects a coarse-grained progradation of sediment that suggests low rates of dynamic subsidence and high rates of sediment input. The upper Sonsela Member—characterized by an overall finer-grained assemblage and ribbon sand bodies with an increased proportion of encasing mudstone—reflects an increasing rate of basin subsidence that likely persisted throughout the deposition of the overlying Petrified Forest Member. These packages reflect a sharp change from lower- to higher-sinuosity river systems that closely coincides with the increased rate of subsidence across the regional stratigraphic marker. Previous studies have suggested the importance of the silcrete horizon as a key biostratigraphic marker associated with a significant faunal turnover. This study supports the hypothesis that this horizon may represent a regional unconformity as opposed to local channeling, perhaps the product of an abrupt change in basin geometry followed by an increase in basin subsidence. Because the Sonsela Member is the stratigraphically lowest unit of the Chinle Formation dominated by volcanic clastic detritus on the Colorado Plateau, architectural analysis of the Sonsela Member serves as the most reliable indicator of short-term fluctuations in arc dynamics of the poorly preserved and disjointed Mesozoic portion of the Cordilleran magmatic arc.
Novel Treatment of Radicular Pain With a Multi-Mechanistic Combination Topical Agent: A Case Series and Literature Review

Introduction Pharmacologic treatment of radicular pain with oral medications is limited by adverse effects and concern for dependence. While topical formulations have been explored in pain research, there is no published literature evaluating the efficacy in radicular pain. We present the first three cases of radicular pain successfully treated with a topical formulation of diclofenac, ibuprofen, baclofen, cyclobenzaprine, bupivacaine, gabapentin, and pentoxifylline (T7).
Comparison of De Novo Transcriptome Assemblers and k-mer Strategies Using the Killifish, Fundulus heteroclitus.

Background De novo assembly of non-model organism’s transcriptomes has recently been on the rise in concert with the number of de novo transcriptome assembly software programs. There is a knowledge gap as to what assembler software or k-mer strategy is best for construction of an optimal de novo assembly. Additionally, there is a lack of consensus on which evaluation metrics should be used to assess the quality of de novo transcriptome assemblies. Result Six different assembly strategies were evaluated from four different assemblers. The Trinity assembly was used in its default 25 single k-mer value while Bridger, Oases, and SOAPdenovo-Trans were performed with multiple k-mer strategies. Bridger, Oases, and SOAPdenovo-Trans used a small multiple k-mer (SMK) strategy consisting of the k-mer lengths of 21, 25, 27, 29, 31, and 33. Additionally, Oases and SOAPdenovo-Trans were performed using a large multiple k-mer (LMK) strategy consisting of k-mer lengths of 25, 35, 45, 55, 65, 75, and 85. Eleven metrics were used to evaluate each assembly strategy including three genome related evaluation metrics (contig number, N50 length, Contigs >1 kb, reads) and eight transcriptome evaluation metrics (mapped back to transcripts (RMBT), number of full length transcripts, number of open reading frames, Detonate RSEM-EVAL score, and percent alignment to the southern platyfish, Amazon molly, BUSCO and CEGMA databases). The assembly strategy that performed the best, that is it was within the top three of each evaluation metric, was the Bridger assembly (10 of 11) followed by the Oases SMK assembly (8 of 11), the Oases LMK assembly (6 of 11), the Trinity assembly (4 of 11), the SOAP LMK assembly (4 of 11), and the SOAP SMK assembly (3 of 11). Conclusion This study provides an in-depth multi k-mer strategy investigation concluding that the assembler itself had a greater impact than k-mer size regardless of the strategy employed. Additionally, the comprehensive performance transcriptome evaluation metrics utilized in this study identified the need for choosing metrics centered on user defined research goals. Based on the evaluation metrics performed, the Bridger assembly was able to construct the best assembly of the testis transcriptome in Fundulus heteroclitus.
Effects of early life adversity on cortisol/salivary alpha-amylase symmetry in free-ranging juvenile rhesus macaques

Early life adversity (ELA) affects physiological and behavioral development. One key component is the relationship between the developing Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis and the Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS). Recent studies suggest a relationship between early life adversity and asymmetry in cortisol (a measure of HPA activation) and salivary alpha-amylase (sAA: a correlate of SNS activation) responses to stress among human children, but to our knowledge there have been no comparable studies in nonhumans. Here, we investigate the responses of these two analytes in “low stress” and “high stress” situations in free-ranging juvenile rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) on Cayo Santiago, Puerto Rico. Behavioral data on maternal maltreatment were collected during the first 3 months of life to determine individual rates of ELA, and saliva samples were collected from subjects noninvasively during juvenility. Irrespective of ELA, salivary alpha-amylase levels were lower in low stress situations and higher in high stress situations. For cortisol however, high ELA subjects exhibited higher low stress concentrations and blunted acute responses during high stress situations compared to moderate and low ELA subjects. Cortisol and sAA values were positively correlated among low ELA subjects, suggesting symmetry, but were uncorrelated or negatively correlated among moderate and high ELA subjects, suggesting asymmetry in these individuals. These findings indicate dysregulation of the stress response among juveniles maltreated during infancy: specifically, attenuated cortisol reactivity coupled with typical sAA reactivity characterize the stress response profiles of juveniles exposed to higher rates of ELA during the first 3 months of life.
New Drug for Squamous Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

* Necitumumab (Portrazza) is a new epidermal growth factor receptor antagonist approved to treat advanced squamous non–small cell lung cancer in patients who haven't received medication for advanced lung cancer. * Risks include cardiac arrest and hypomagnesemia. The latter is extremely common. Electrolyte levels should be monitored closely.
Methods for Efficient Retrovirus-Mediated Gene Transfer to Mouse Hematopoietic Stem Cells

A variety of genetic and acquired diseases could conceivably be treated by gene therapy targeted to hematopoietic stem cells (HSC). Inevitably, the effort to develop reliable methods of gene transfer into stem cells has raised many questions about their biology and role in the development and maintenance of hematopoiesis. As a result, we currently have a convergence of research goals in the areas of stem cell biology and gene therapy. Murine models for stem cell transduction have played a useful role in establishing two basic principles: retroviral vectors can transduce pluripotent self-renewing hematopoietic stem cells and retroviral vectors can express foreign gene products in the differentiated progeny of stem cells. Murine models also have allowed the identification of several key factors that allow efficient transduction of stem cells and each of these is dealt with here. However, methods for stem cell transduction that are effective with mouse cells have only been partially successful in dog, nonhuman primate, and human models. Whereas scale-up of stem cell transduction procedures for human applications will present unique technical problems, mouse models may yet provide further insight into the mechanisms of efficient stem cell gene transfer that can then be used to design enhanced and reproducible protocols.
Abstract P257: Getting to the Golden Hour: Correlating “Door-To” Times with 60-Minute Administration of tPA in an Academic Medical Center

Introduction: The efficacy of intravenous tPA for the treatment of acute stroke diminishes over time. The AHA/ASA and NINDS recommend a goal door to needle time of 60 minutes or less. Objective: Identify potential barriers to tPA administration within 60 minutes of arrival. Methods: Retrospective review of tPA adsinistration using “Get With the Guidelines” (GWTG) and institutional records from January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2010 (n=100). Spearman rank correlation coefficients were calculated for the NINDS recommended time standards, age and NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score. We used a receiver-operator curve (ROC) to identify the door to CT time predictive of tPA administration ≤ 60 minutes. Results: Median door to physician, door to CT, and door to stroke team times were within the recommended goals. Door to CT (ρ=0.53, p<0.0001), and door to stroke team (ρ=0.33, p<0.01) times were positively correlated with door to tPA times. Last known well to arrival (ρ= -0.28, p<0.01) and NIHSS (ρ= -0.32, p<0.01) were negatively correlated with door to tPA times; patients with higher NIHSS and longer last-known-well to arrival times received tPA in a shorter time frame. Age and door to physician time were not correlated with tPA treatment times. After adjusting for the other benchmarks and NIHSS, only door to CT remained significantly correlated with door to IV tPA (partial correlation coefficient=0.40, p<0.001). The ROC curve showed that a goal time of 20 minutes or less for door to CT initiation had the best sensitivity and specificity for predicting tPA administration within 60 minutes. Conclusion: In keeping with the recommended time goals, median times for the intermediate steps were within target. Our median tPA times, however, did not meet the 60 minute goal. Door to CT initiation was the variable that most strongly correlated with door to needle times. Process issues such as order entry and scheduling protocols may be barriers to obtaining CT within the 20 minute time frame identified by our analysis. Other barriers after the CT scan is obtained must be identified to facilitate faster tPA administration. Further evaluation of these factors is warranted to better ensure the timely delivery of tPA to stroke patients, thereby improving patient outcomes.
Phase I Study of Bendamustine in Refractory Leukemia.

Abstract 4156 Background Alkylating agents are active in leukemia. Examples are cyclophosphamide, chlorambucil, melphalan, busulfan, and others. Bendamustine, a rationally designed drug that incorporates alkylating agent properties plus an adenosine-like ring structure, may be active in leukemia. Fractionated doses of alkylators may improve efficacy (e.g. fractioned cyclophosphamide in ALL). Methods We initiated a phase I-II study of bendamustine in patients with refractory leukemia, chronic myelomonocytic leukemia, or myelodysplastic syndromes. Starting dose was 50mg/m2 IV BID over 1-2 hours for 4 days every 4 weeks (3 pts.) with escalation to 75mg (3 pts.), and 100mg (6 pts). Three additional patients were treated at 50mg/m2 once that dose was declared safe as allowed by study design. Diagnoses were AML 12, ALL 2, MDS 1. Median age was 48 (range 22 to 88). All patients were refractory or had relapsed after multiple courses of chemotherapy. The median number of prior therapies was 3 (range 1 to 9). Five patients had chromosome 5, 7, or 8 abnormalities, 6 patients had miscellaneous abnormalities, 4 patients were diploid. Results Toxicity – Grade 1-2 expected toxicities of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and transient transaminase elevations were seen at all dose levels. At the 75 mg/m2 dose level grade 3 transaminase elevation was seen in 1 pt. which occurred with rash and diarrhea, was thought to be related to GVHD and all subsided with dose increase of tacrolimus. One patient who began therapy with a creatinine of 1.8 had creatinine increase to 3.3 mg/DL. At the 100mg/m2 dose level 2/3 patients developed creatinine increase to 3.2 and 2.6 mg/DL. The creatinine increase occurred on day 7 and subsided by day 11 in both pts. An additional 3 pts. were treated at this dose level with no increase in creatinine to >2 mg/DL. Results Response – Antileukemic activity was encouraging: 8/15 patients with peripheral blasts had >90% reduction of the leukemic cells; 2 patients had >50% reduction of marrow blasts % (90 to 10, 86 to 40). Bendamustine has shown activity in this heavily pretreated refractory leukemia group. While the creatinine elevations were not severe (grade 3-4 NCI CTC) they were consistent to consider a bendamustine dose schedule of 50-75 mg/m2 IV BID x 4 days as a reasonable phase II schedule to explore in better prognosis patients, particularly in adult ALL in phase II studies. Disclosures: Ravandi: Cephalon: Consultancy, Honoraria. Kantarjian: Cephalon: Research Funding.
Successful engraftment after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation with infusion of donor stem cells through the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation circuit

Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS) is a rare X-linked primary immunodeficiency due to mutations in the WAS gene expressed in hematopoietic cells. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is the treatment of choice when an appropriate human leukocyte antigen-matched donor is available. The use of the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) circuit to infuse donor cells for HSCT has not been previously published in the literature. We describe a case of a child who had successful engraftment after HSCT with infusion of the donor stem cells through the ECMO circuit.
Optimization of a High-Energy Ti–Al–B Nanopowder Fuel

Sonochemically generated reactive metal nanopowders containing Ti, Al, and B represent a new class of high-energy-density nanopowder fuels with superior energy content and air stability as compared to nano-aluminum. In this work, we optimize the energy density of a Ti–Al–B reactive metal nanopowder fuel by varying the Ti:Al:B ratios using a sonochemically mediated decomposition of a complex metal-hydride. After heating the recovered solids under vacuum to temperatures in the range between 150 to 300 °C, the powder’s air stability is significantly improved so that it can be handled in air. Variable-temperature vacuum heat treatment was used to produce fuels tuned to be stable with a gravimetric energy density exceeding that of pure bulk Al (>31 kJ/g). The density of the powder was found to be 2.62 g/cm3 by helium pycnometry, which translates to an impressive volumetric energy content of 89 kJ/cm3. In poly(methyl methacrylate)-protected bomb calorimetry tests commercial nano-aluminum (SkySpring Nanomaterial...
Reviews and Resources:Metabolism and Bacterial Pathogenesis: BOOKS

“Although several factors could theoretically contribute to a microorganism's ability to colonize the intestinal ecosystem, effective completion for nutrients is paramount to success.” So the editors reference researcher Rolf Freter in their introduction to this new, integrative text. This volume highlights this truth with a biochemical focus on bacterial pathogens and the human host. This includes chapters on enteric, respiratory, urinary tract, and intracellular pathogens. Some chapters also focus attention on the role of commensal communities, such as in dental plaque or in the gut through interaction with host immunity. More species-specific topics include central carbon metabolism by Borrelia burgdorferi, regulation of Escherichia coli fimbriae by host sialic acid, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa metabolism during infection of cystic fibrosis patients. Though it is sparse in its figures, this is a timely and information-rich collection that should be a welcome resource for many microbiologists.
Validation discussion of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) using JSBSim Flight Dynamics Model compared to MATLAB/Simulink AeroSim Blockset

A JSBSim Flight Dynamics Model (FDM) for a UAV has been developed to be used in current simulations and projects under software such as FlightGear and Robot Operating System (ROS). The importance of designing an accurate and high-fidelity FDM for certain applications could be fundamental to obtain good results on the field; specific conditions can be created and simulated before a real flight mission. UAV real flight tests are limited by the aerospace regulations, especially due to safety concerns. Simulators allow developers to test hazardous situations and recreate conditions, such as winds among other environmental settings. An example is found in Sense and Avoid strategies, where the near midair collision (NMAC) conditions have to be simulated before any real test.
The bumpy road from food to nutrition security – Slow evolution of India's food policy

Abstract Food Policy, in much of Asia, has been slow to transition from its historic focus on staple grain self-sufficiency to a more integrated approach to nutrition security. Research and policy discussions continue to focus on hunger and calorie deficiency rather than on the need for a balanced diets to address chronic micronutrient malnutrition and the emerging problems of over weight and obesity. Social welfare schemes aimed at improving nutrition also focus on ensuring calorie sufficiency, neglecting quality and diversity of diets and behavioral change towards better nutrition. This paper provides a detailed review of the evolution of food policy in India and a way forward in the transition towards nutrition security.
Terence Ranger, African studies and South African historiography

The breadth of themes that Terence Ranger has helped pioneer is as impressive as the influence of his scholarship is trans-national. The scope of his interventions ranges from urban to rural history, from political and social history and biography to religion, spirituality and culture to the environment, human rights, and wars.
Topological Andreev bands in three-terminal Josephson junctions

We study the emergent band topology of subgap Andreev bound states in the three-terminal Josephson junctions. We scrutinize the symmetry constraints of the scattering matrix in the normal region connecting superconducting leads that enable the topological nodal points in the spectrum of Andreev states. When the scattering matrix possesses time-reversal symmetry, the gap closing occurs at special stationary points that are topologically trivial as they carry vanishing Berry fluxes. In contrast, for the time-reversal broken case we find topological monopoles of the Berry curvature and corresponding phase transition between states with different Chern numbers. The latter is controlled by the structure of the scattering matrix that can be tuned by a magnetic flux piercing through the junction area in a three-terminal geometry. The topological regime of the system can be identified by nonlocal conductance quantization that we compute explicitly for a particular parametrization of the scattering matrix in the case where each reservoir is connected by a single channel.
Scheduling With Predictable Link Reliability for Wireless Networked Control

Predictable link reliability is required for wireless networked control, yet co-channel interference remains a major source of uncertainty in wireless link reliability. Formulated specifically for distributed predictable control of co-channel interference, the physical-ratio-K (PRK) interference model integrates the protocol model’s locality and the physical model’s high fidelity while addressing their weaknesses, and it transforms interference control in arbitrary networks to a problem involving coordination between close-by nodes only. To apply the PRK model in real-world settings, we design protocol PRKS that addresses the challenges of model instantiation and protocol signaling in PRK-based scheduling. In particular, PRKS uses a control-theoretic approach to instantiate the PRK model in dynamic uncertain networks, uses local signal maps to address the challenges of large interference range and anisotropic asymmetric wireless communication, and leverages the different timescales of PRK model adaptation and data transmission to decouple protocol signaling from data transmission. Through testbed-based measurement study, we show that, unlike existing scheduling protocols where link reliability is unpredictable and the ratio of links whose reliability meets application requirements can be as low as 0%, PRKS enables predictably high link reliability (e.g., 95%) for all the links in different network and environmental conditions without a priori knowledge of these conditions. Through local distributed coordination, PRKS also achieves a channel spatial reuse very close to what is enabled by the state-of-the-art centralized scheduler while ensuring the required link reliability. By ensuring the required link reliability in scheduling, PRKS also enables a lower communication delay and a higher network throughput than existing scheduling protocols.
Human Attention Allocation Strategies in Situations with Competing Criteria - Development of an Experimental Paradigm and Outlines for a Model

Abstract In supervisory control situations involving multiple human operators, proper cooperation and coordination among the operators is essential. In addition to their individual responsibilities, the operators are jointly responsible for certain aspects of the system. Time available for decisions may be limited, and various criteria may conflict with each other. Proper scheduling of tasks is necessary for optimal performance. In such situations it is usually not clear when and who should take responsibility for the joint tasks. Understanding how multiple operators interact requires the understanding of single operator performance. A model based on Pareto optimality and fuzzy set theory has been proposed for the human operator. An experimental paradigm has been developed based on a threat assessment situation. Features of the paradigm are explained. A detailed outline for the model structure is given, and experimental results are discussed.
Abstract 19681: The Combination of Allogeneic Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Cardiac Stem Cells Produce Synergistic Effects in Cardiac Regeneration

Introduction: Combining mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and cardiac stem cells (CSCs) has synergistic effects in reducing scar size and improving cardiac function for the treatment of ischemic cardio...
Agenda Setting through Social Media: The Importance of Incidental News Exposure and Social Filtering in the Digital Era:

Conventional models of agenda setting hold that mainstream media influence the public agenda by leading audience attention, and perceived importance, to certain issues. However, increased selectivi...
Critical role of angiographic acquisition modality and reconstruction on morphometric and haemodynamic analysis of intracranial aneurysms

Background Subtracted 3-D rotational angiography (3DRA) and cone-beam computed tomography angiography (CBCT-A) are often used in assessing cerebral aneurysm shape and haemodynamic profile. We sought to evaluate the effect of imaging modality, reconstruction parameters, and kernel selection on patient-derived aneurysm morphology and computational fluid dynamic (CFD) analysis to assess its potential contribution to inter-study variability. Methods Four patients ( five aneurysms) underwent concurrent 3DRA followed by high-resolution CBCT-A. Six models were reconstructed per aneurysm: 3DRA reconstructed with 0.28 and 0.14 mm voxel sizes (large and small volume of interest (VOI) respectively), and two kernel types (normal/smooth). CBCT-A was reconstructed over small VOI using normal/sharp kernel. Maximal dome dimension, neck diameter and dome/neck ratio were evaluated in 3D. Wall shear stress (WSS) magnitude was evaluated on the entire aneurysm dome and in the 5% dome areas covered by lowest (LWSS) and highest (HWSS) WSS. Parameters were evaluated with pairwise t-test analysis. Results Smaller VOI reconstructions resulted in smaller D max (P value=0.03) and D max /neck (P value=0.006) and in larger LWSS (P value=0.03). Use of sharp kernel led to narrower neck (P value=0.04) and higher D max /neck values (P value=0.02). CBCT-A resulted in statistically different aneurysm shape (up to 24% difference) and haemodynamics (up to 97% difference) compared with 3DRA. Conclusion The choice of catheter 3D angiographic modality and reconstruction kernel has a critical impact on derived aneurysm morphological and haemodynamic analysis. The resultant variability can confound and obscure underlying differences within patient populations and between studies performed at different centres using divergent techniques, compromising the accuracy of quantitative aneurysm analysis.
Market Modernization and the Sense of Place Lost in Transformation

Given the existing problems of shrinking traditional markets and declining commercial competitiveness in South Korea, hereafter referred to as Korea, the country’s national agencies and local government have launched various market revitalization programmes to assist with modernizing market facilities and improving business management. The 2006 Jagalchi Market Modernization project is an example of facility modernization that entailed the redevelopment of an existing building in one of the most historic seafood markets in Busan Metropolitan City. Established during the Korean War (1950–1953) while Busan was the city with the most war refugees, the market is a significant historic place that is imbued with a unique culture created by the people who have sustained the market over the past 60 years. This chapter highlights the significance of the market’s historical particularities and authentic sense of place, which are reflective of the people who have inhabited the marketplace. It also problematizes the outward-looking nature of the Jagalchi Market Modernization, which is represented by the architectural design of the new Jagalchi Market building and the street renovation project targeting outside visitors, and it discusses the unique sense of place that was either neglected or compromised during the process of market modernization.
Forget the Password: Password Memory and Security Applications of Augmented Cognition

Individual security behavior plays a central role in achieving secure computing. However, secure usage is difficult to guarantee in an open-ended context where different users have different perceptions of security as well as different cognitive loads when using security tools. In designing secure systems, it is not only necessary to define secure behavior but also to provide built-in support for such behavior in order to enable users to be complaint. In this work, we explore the viability of augmented cognition as a modality that can be used to support security-oriented behavior in authentication systems. Specifically, we explore how transformations of password character properties such as font and weight can improve password recall and recognition and reduce insecure habits, such as writing down passwords. In a previous study, we tested the accuracy of recall and recognition in an augmented password system. The system was designed to make use of character property transformations to minimize the need for complex passwords while not compromising security. Here we repeat the study, incorporating the use of neurophysiological measures to study human physiological responses during recognition and recall of character sets with different types of transformation. The results suggest that cognitive effort in recall of complex passwords can be alleviated with the performance of the augmented password task. This finding has important implications for future research.
Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and cytokines in heart failure: dose and effect?∗

Pharmacotherapeutic management of patients with heart failure has become extraordinarily complicated and requires several drugs in most patients [(1)][1]. This is because our understanding of the pathophysiology of the syndrome has increased over the last two decades, and treatment schemes have
Evaluating science communication

Effective science communication requires assembling scientists with knowledge relevant to decision makers, translating that knowledge into useful terms, establishing trusted two-way communication channels, evaluating the process, and refining it as needed. Communicating Science Effectively: A Research Agenda [National Research Council (2017)] surveys the scientific foundations for accomplishing these tasks, the research agenda for improving them, and the essential collaborative relations with decision makers and communication professionals. Recognizing the complexity of the science, the decisions, and the communication processes, the report calls for a systems approach. This perspective offers an approach to creating such systems by adapting scientific methods to the practical constraints of science communication. It considers staffing (are the right people involved?), internal collaboration (are they talking to one another?), and external collaboration (are they talking to other stakeholders?). It focuses on contexts where the goal of science communication is helping people to make autonomous choices rather than promoting specific behaviors (e.g., voter turnout, vaccination rates, energy consumption). The approach is illustrated with research in two domains: decisions about preventing sexual assault and responding to pandemic disease.
Aspiration of Tri-folded, Endothelium-In Grafts for Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty

Purpose In Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK), loading and positioning of tri-folded grafts into a cartridge is generally conducted with forceps or a hook, risking graft tear or trauma. We demonstrate the feasibility of loading tri-folded grafts into a cartridge with no touch to the endothelium required beyond the tri-folding process. Methods A corneoscleral rim with a prestripped DMEK graft is placed into a petri dish. After the graft is tri-folded with forceps and removed from its stromal attachment, the graft is gently wicked into the tip of a saline-filled Alcon B IOL cartridge connected to IV extension tubing and a 3 cc syringe, drawn into the cartridge by positioning it adjacent to the graft tip. The remainder of the graft is aspirated with the addition of saline. The cartridge orientation is reversed for graft injection. In this retrospective analysis, we analyzed surgical videos for preparation times, and assessed postoperative visual acuity, pachymetry, and endothelial cell density. Results Thirteen cases underwent this approach. Median preparation time from stain to cartridge eye contact was 8.5 minutes, and time from graft injection to final centration and bubbling was 2.9 minutes. Corneal thickness decreased from a median of 623 microns preoperatively to 566 μm at 1 month (P = 0.038). Visual acuity improved by 1 month by a median of 0.3 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) (P = 0.016). Endothelial cell density decreased by 32.4% at 1 month compared with baseline. Conclusions Endothelium-in DMEK grafts may be loaded into a plastic cartridge using a skill set similar to aspiration of a scroll.
Prevalence and prognostic impact of prior cancer in locally advanced lung cancer.

6578 Background: Locally advanced lung cancer patients with prior cancer diagnoses are generally excluded from clinical trials. Although the impact of prior cancer on outcomes has been described fo...
The Angle Mirror Outdoors.

Two mirrors, some small pieces of wood, and some glue are all that is needed. The size of the mirrors is unimportant. However, since tiny ones work just as well as large ones, and a small instrument is easier to handle, mirrors about one inch square are suggested. One way to mount them is to glue a small rectangular block to the back of each mirror and then glue the two blocks to a flat piece of wood. First glue one block so that the attached mirror is vertical to the base, then glue the other mirror so that the angle between the planes of the two mirrors is 45°. The reflecting surfaces should face each other. See figure 1.
The Borat Problem: Fraud, Assent, and the Behavioral Law and Economics of Standard Form Contracts

Two parties reach an oral agreement. The first then presents a standard- form contract, which the second signs without reading, or without reading carefully. When the second party later objects that the first did not perform according to the oral representations, the first party points out that the signed document includes different terms or disclaims prior representations and promises. I call this all-too-common occurrence the “Borat problem,” after litigation over the 2006 movie of that name based on this fact pattern. The Borat problem exists on the blurry border between tort and contract law. This article describes the doctrinal indeterminacy and the underlying normative problem of bilateral opportunism that has caused courts to respond to the problem in a variety of inconsistent and unsatisfying ways. It then makes the case that the costs of contracting can be minimized if parties who draft standard form contracts are required to obtain “specific assent” from their counterparts in order to contradict or disclaim prior representations, and non-drafting parties are required to satisfy a heightened evidentiary standard before being permitted to challenge the enforceability of standard form terms on the grounds of fraud or misrepresentation. This efficient solution to the Borat problem is consistent with established common law doctrinal principles.
Genotypic prevalence of norovirus GII in gastroenteritis outpatients in Shanghai from 2016 to 2018

With the help of an existing citywide comprehensive surveillance on gastroenteritis outpatients, although norovirus genogroup II (NoV GII) was tested routinely, its genotypes were never investigated systematically on a municipal level. This study aimed to understand the prevalence, major genotypes and evolutional trends of NoV GII in Shanghai during the period of 2016–2018, and to provide molecular bases for early warning for any potential NoV outbreaks. 27 sentinel hospitals from all 16 districts were recruited by stratified probability proportional to size (PPS) method in Shanghai comprehensive diarrhea surveillance programme. Stool samples were collected and screened for NoV GII by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). For samples that were positive in qRT-PCR, conventional RT-PCR was performed to amplify the ORF1-ORF2 junction of NoV GII gene. Generated sequences were typed by RIVM online genotyping tool, and then strains of interest were analyzed phylogenetically using MEGA 6.0. A total of 7883 stool samples were collected from diarrhea outpatients, among which 6474 were from adults and 1409 were from children. 13.66% (1077 cases) were screened positive in qRT-PCR for NoV GII, from which 71.96% (775 cases) were sequenced successfully. The top three genotypes were GII.Pe/GII.4 (37%), GII.P17/GII.17 (26%) and GII.P16/GII.2 (17%). While GII.Pe/GII.4 detection rate decreased significantly over the 3 years (from 48.4 to 20.9%); GII.P16/GII.2 appeared for the first time in October 2016 and rose rapidly to 27.0% in 2017, but fell back to 23.4% in 2018. Meanwhile there was a significant increase for both GII.P12/GII.3 and GII.P7/GII.6 recombinant genotypes detected in adult population in 2018. Phylogenic analysis revealed the existence of multiple gene clusters within both of these recombinant genotypes. Unlike the alternating circulation of GII.4 and non-GII.4 NoV observed in 2016 or 2017, the genotype profile of NoV GII in 2018 was characterized by the co-prevalence of multiple recombinant genotypes. A recent increase in detection rate in less reported recombinant genotypes such as GII.P12/GII.3 and GII.P7/GII.6 among adult population calls for a continuing close monitoring on NoV GII genotypes in case of potential local outbreaks.
Early cholecystectomy (< 72 h) is associated with lower rate of complications and bile duct injury: a study of 109,862 cholecystectomies in the state of New York.

The timing of cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis has been debated with most studies favoring early cholecystectomy (< 72 h of onset). However, most reported studies are from single institution studies with only a few population-based studies. The purpose of this study is to compare clinical outcomes of patients undergoing cholecystectomy within 72 h of emergency department (ED) presentation to patients undergoing cholecystectomy following 72 h in a large statewide database. The New York SPARCS administrative database was used to identify all adult patients presenting to the ED with a diagnosis of acute cholecystitis from 2005 to 2016. Patients aged < 18, missing data, or other biliary diagnoses were excluded from the analysis. Early cholecystectomy was defined as within 72 h of presentation to the emergency department. Early vs late groups were compared in terms of overall complications, bile duct injury (BDI), hospital length of stay (LOS), 30-days ED visits and readmissions. The linear trends of yearly early/late cholecystectomies were examined using a log-linear Poisson regression models. Multivariable logistic regression model was used to compare complications, BDI, and 30-day readmission/ED visits after controlling for confounding factors. Multivariable generalized linear regression for a negative binomial distributed count data was used to compare LOS. Following the application of the inclusion/exclusion criteria, there were 109,862 patients who presented to an ED with the diagnosis of acute cholecystitis. The majority of patients underwent early cholecystectomy (n = 93,761, 85.3%), whereas only 16,101 patients underwent late cholecystectomy (14.7%). There was an increasing trend of early cholecystectomy from 2005 (81.1%) to 2016 (87.8%). On multivariable regression, patients with early cholecystectomy were less likely to have complications (OR 0.542, 95% CI 0.518–0.566), had shorter LOS (ratio 0.461, 95% CI 0.458–0.465), were less likely to have 30-day readmission (OR 0.871, 95% CI 0.816–0.928), 30-day ED visits (OR 0.909, 95% CI 0.862–0.959), and bile duct injury (OR 0.654, 95% CI 0.444–0.962) compared to late cholecystectomy patients. Early cholecystectomy (< 72 h) is associated with fewer complications, specifically BDI, shorter LOS, and fewer 30-day readmissions and ED visits. For patients presenting to the ED for acute cholecystitis, early cholecystectomy should be preferred.
Motivational Benefits of Social Support and Behavioural Interventions for Smoking Cessation.

This study examined the role of social support and behavioural interventions used during the last unsuccessful quit attempt for smokers’ intentions to quit smoking within the next six months, and identified smokers’ attributes associated with the use of social support and behavioural interventions. The analytic sample included 7,195 adult daily smokers who responded to the 2010–2011 Tobacco Use Supplement to the Current Population Survey, conducted in the United States, and indicated having a serious quit attempt in the past 12 months. Smokers who relied on social support from friends and family had higher odds of intending to quit than those who did not (OR = 1.39, 95% CI = 1.22:1.58), and smokers who used interventions had higher odds of intending to quit than those who did not (OR = 1.36, 95% CI = 1.07:1.74). These associations were similar for both sexes, all age groups, and nicotine dependence levels. Both, relying on social support and the use of behavioural interventions were more common among smokers who were female, higher educated, residing in the Western US region, and those who used pharmacological aids for smoking cessation. Social support and behavioural interventions are associated with higher intentions to quit among attempters who relapsed and thus, may aid future smoking cessation.
Proteins by design

In the future, says University of Washington at Seattle professor of biochemistry and HHMI fellow DAVID BAKER, we'll have the power to create a brand new protein - a biosensor for any small molecule, say, or a novel enzyme - on demand, thanks to computational structural biology.
Delayed escape responses of male Basiliscus plumifrons (Squamata: Corytophanidae) during peak activity

Delayed escape responses of male Basiliscus plumifrons (Squamata: Corytophanidae) during peak activity. Many animals must balance their time spent active in a habitat against their perceived risk of predation. Factors that may increase that perceived risk, such as a faster predator approach, are therefore expected to cause prey to initiate escape quickly to avoid capture. At the same time, because patterns of daily activity can fuctuate throughout the day, the relative costs and benefts of initiating escape may also differ over time. Here I evaluated the escape responses of adult male emerald basilisk (Basiliscus plumifrons) lizards in two different time periods: morning (when daily activity peaks) and early afternoon (when activity is suppressed). Further, I approached each lizard at either a practiced slow or fast pace. Escape responses were recorded as fight-initiation (distance between observer and lizard prior to escape) and fight (distance travelled during escape) distance. No factor affected fight distance, and approach speed also had no effect on fight initiation distance. In contrast, time period affected fight initiation distance, with males approached in the morning delaying their escape response compared to males approached during the early afternoon. Because morning and early afternoon periods coincide with peak and suppressed periods of activity for basilisks at this study site, respectively, ambushforaging species like B. plumifrons may delay escape when active to avoid prematurely alerting the predator of their presence.
Unified Astronomy Thesaurus: Usage Stats and Release Cycle

The Unified Astronomy Thesaurus (UAT) is an open and community-supported thesaurus that was formally adopted by the American Astronomical Society on 2019 June 3. This article examines the usage of UAT concepts across AAS journals since its adoption and summarizes information about the variety of concepts used, the most commonly used concepts, and frequent concept co-occurrences. Finally, it provides an update on the documentation governing the release cycle for future versions of the UAT.
Chapter 8 – Lactobacillus reuteri

Lactobacillus reuteri is a Gram-positive, rod-shaped lactic acid bacterium that is found in humans, animals, and fermented foods. In the last 30 years, strains of L. reuteri have increasingly been used in humans and animals as probiotics. This chapter reviews various aspects of L. reuteri including its use as a probiotic in humans, ecological and physiological properties of this species, and recent research investigating the mechanisms by which strains of this species beneficially impact health.
Chapter 4 – Synaptic Plasticity

In this chapter we will consider two main types of plasticity. First, we will discuss short-term plasticity, the modulation of synaptic strength on the time scale of milliseconds to seconds. Second, we will learn about long-term plasticity, long-lasting changes to synaptic strength that form the basis of learning and memory. We will learn about the rules that govern synaptic plasticity and introduce intuitive mathematical models of plasticity. The toolboxes Neurons, Differential Equations, and Dynamical Systems provide helpful background for this chapter.
[Rapid detection of 8 veterinary drug residues in chicken by QuEChERS-ultra performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry].

Objective To develop a method for determination of 8 veterinary drug residues in chicken matrix by Qu ECh ERS-ultra performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Methods Chicken samples were extracted with acid acetonitrile, salting out, and then the organic phase were cleaned up by C18 and PSA. A Waters ACQUITYTM BEH C18column( 100 mm × 2. 1 mm × 1. 7 μm) was used for LC separation, ESI positive ion scan was used with multiple reaction monitoring( MRM)mode and quantified by matrix-matched external standard method. Results At the spiked level of 1, 2 and 4 μg / kg, the recoveries of each compound were in the range of 81. 2%- 94. 1% with the relative standard deviations of 4. 2%- 14. 3%. The qualitative limits of detections were 0. 1- 0. 2 μg / kg and the quantitative limits were 0. 2- 0. 5 μg / kg for the 8 targets compounds. The established method was applied to the detection of the 8targets compounds in 30 chicken samples, and none of the 8 veterinary drugs exceeded the residue limits. Conclusion The method is simple, rapid, high sensitivity and good stability, with a wide variety and a certain development. It can be used for the daily monitoring of the veterinary drug residues in chicken.
Mind reading of the proteins: Deep-learning to forecast molecular dynamics

Abstract Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have emerged to become the back-bone of today’s computational biophysics. Simulation tools such as, NAMD, AMBER and GROMACS have accumulated more than 100,000 users. Despite this remarkable success, now also bolstered by compatibility with graphics processor units (GPUs) and exascale computers, even the most scalable simulations cannot access biologically relevant timescales - the number of numerical integration steps necessary for solving differential equations in a million-to-billion-dimensional space is computationally in-tractable. Recent advancements in Deep Learning has made it such that patterns can be found in high dimensional data. In addition, Deep Learning have also been used for simulating physical dynamics. Here, we utilize LSTMs in order to predict future molecular dynamics from current and previous timesteps, and examine how this physics-guided learning can benefit researchers in computational biophysics. In particular, we test fully connected Feed-forward Neural Networks, Recurrent Neural Networks with LSTM / GRU memory cells with TensorFlow and PyTorch frame-works trained on data from NAMD simulations to predict conformational transitions on two different biological systems. We find that non-equilibrium MD is easier to train and performance improves under the assumption that each atom is independent of all other atoms in the system. Our study represents a case study for high-dimensional data that switches stochastically between fast and slow regimes. Applications of resolving these sets will allow real-world applications in the interpretation of data from Atomic Force Microscopy experiments.
Conclusion: Communism or Commonism?

In the conclusion, I will examine Zizek’s use of the term Communism and offer an alternative view of the future of global politics. By returning to the modern rhetoric of logos, I hope to show how we can move beyond the ethos of old ideas and the catharsis of guilt and shame. What we need to do is to focus on logos in the form of universal justice, scientific advancement, and global interdependence.