cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An Exploration of the Health Care Experiences Encountered by Lesbian and Sexual Minority Women in Guyana

abstractThis qualitative study explored the experiences of Guyanese lesbian and other sexual minority women when encountering health care. Sixteen Guyanese, cisgender, adult women self-identifying as non-heterosexual participated in semi-structured interviews which were then thematically analyzed. Identified themes included infrequent health care usage attributable to varied influences, such as tentative sexuality disclosure, feeling vulnerable and disrespected in the health care system, absent discussions on sexual health and general female preventive care, and the pathologizing of sexual minority identities. Deficits in comprehensive health care delivery for sexual minority women will require interventions addressing barriers at the health care, societal, and governmental levels.
Figures of Nothingness in Hugo's Poetry

The figure of the shadow occurs frequently in Hugo's poetry, and possesses a value different from the one inherited from Plato. Early on, shadow is an image: as in Plato, the shadow in Hugo allegor...
75. MicroRNA-Based Multi-Tissue Detargeted Mengovirus Therapy for Multiple Myeloma

Multiple myeloma is a plasma cell malignancy for which no cure is currently available. It is a disseminated cancer that is highly vascular, expresses minimal extracellular matrix, and is metabolically active making it an ideal candidate for oncolytic virotherapy. Oncolytic picornaviruses for cancer therapy have shown great promise in human clinical trials. Mengovirus is a novel picornavirus with potent oncolytic activity in a broad range of cancer cells, however it causes encephalitis and myocarditis. The pathogenesis of this virus can be attenuated by shortening a polycytidine tract in the 5’ untranslated region (UTR), but the toxicity profile of this virus (MC24) in mice bearing multiple myeloma tumors is still suboptimal. In this study we enhanced the safety profile of MC24 by incorporating sequences complementary to miR-124 (enriched in nervous tissue), miR-133 and miR-208 (both enriched in cardiac tissue) in the 5’ and 3’ UTRs of the viral genome. All microRNA target sequences were tolerated by MC24 and the viral replication kinetics in HeLa cells was unaltered. miR-124 targets in the 5’ UTR suppressed replication in the central nervous system. Insertions in the 3’ UTR led to nonspecific suppression of viral pathogenicity. The combination of miR-133 and miR-208 targets in the 3’ UTR resulted in suppressed viral replication in cardiac tissue. Finally, a dual-targeted virus, MC24-NC, eliminated the toxicity of the virus while maintaining oncolytic efficacy similar to unmodified MC24. 5 out of 10 immune competent BALB/c mice bearing subcutaneous murine multiple myeloma MPC-11 tumors developed hind-limb paralysis in the first five days following intratumoral treatment with MC24. In contrast no mice treated with MC24-NC developed hind-limb paralysis in the first five days. 2 out of 10 mice in both groups developed hind-limb paralysis between days 24 and 29 following treatment, however no infectious virus could be recovered from the nervous or cardiac tissues of these animals and all had developed metastatic tumor nodules. MC24-NC resulted in complete tumor regression in 4 out of 10 mice and significantly prolonged survival compared to saline treated mice.This study showed that dual-tropic microRNA-targeting of MC24 significantly improves the safety profile of the virus without altering the oncolytic activity.
Enhanced flow boiling in microchannels through integrating multiple micro-nozzles and reentry microcavities

In a microchannel system, a higher mass velocity can lead to enhanced flow boiling performances, but at a cost of two-phase pressure drop. It is highly desirable to achieve a high heat transfer rate and critical heat flux (CHF) exceeding 1 kW/cm2 without elevating the pressure drop, particularly, at a reduced mass velocity. In this study, we developed a microchannel configuration that enables more efficient utilization of the coolant through integrating multiple microscale nozzles connected to auxiliary channels as well as microscale reentry cavities on sidewalls of main microchannels. We achieved a CHF of 1016 W/cm2 with a 50% less mass velocity, i.e., 680 kg/m2s, compared to the two-nozzle configuration developed in our previous studies. Two primary enhancement mechanisms are: (a) the enhanced global liquid supply by four evenly distributed micronozzles, particularly near the outlet region and (b) the effective management of local dryout by the capillary flow-induced sustainable thin liquid film resulting from an array of microscale cavities. A significantly improved heat transfer coefficient of 131 kW/m2 K at a mass velocity of 680 kg/m2s is attributed to the enhanced nucleate boiling, the established capillary/thin film evaporation, and the induced advection from the present microchannel configuration. All these significant enhancements have been achieved with a ∼55% lower two-phase pressure drop.
Active Learning Across Three Dimensions: Integrating Classic Learning Theory with Modern Instructional Technology

Many educational researchers have proposed moving away from the traditional pedagogical model of long lectures with students as passive learners, listening and taking notes. There is over a century of pedagogical and cognition research that strongly suggests learning occurs best when students take an active role in the construction of their own knowledge. The call for change has only been accelerated by the increasing availability of computer-based educational technology and the exponential growth of digitally available information. This paper combines the long history of educational research with the rapid advancements of instructional technologies to build an Active Learning Model with three active dimensions (teachers, students, and technology). This model can help create an optimal space for authentic learning and can be applied to a wide range of academic disciplines and pedagogies. A Case Study is presented illustrating how the model helps improve student satisfaction as reported in standardized teaching evaluation metrics.Â
Automated detection and classification of printing sub-resolution assist features using machine learning algorithms

Sub-Resolution Assist Feature (SRAF) printing is a critical yield detractor and known issue in OPC technology. SRAF print avoidance models can be used to determine where undesirable printing is likely to occur, but such models lack the necessary robustness and reliability for the detection of all SRAF printing cases. Classification of printing SRAFs is a subjective and manual task where many engineering hours are spent. In this work we demonstrate a reliable way to accurately classify images according to SRAF printing risk. Testing multiple sets of data, across multiple processes, yielded a prediction success rate of 97% wherein only a single image was under-predicted. Under-prediction is when a model fails to predict printing SRAFs; a key defect generator, as it means the model will not be able to remove the SRAF shape in the OPC iteration before mask build. We propose a new methodology as to accurately auto-classify and filter images with SRAF printing on wafer. This scalable solution will improve the quality and reliability of SRAF print avoidance models and reduce the risk of printing SRAF by removing the manual, highly subjective, image classification step.
On the Harnessing of Birth in the Technological Age

This chapter applies the concept of the reproductive enframing to technophilic and technophobic approaches to childbirth. It focuses on the over medicalization of childbirth, especially as it takes place in the form of cesarean sections, and on nontechnological forms of childbirth such as Lamaze. With the help of feminist phenomenology the chapter shows that, although these two examples of technophilic and technophobic childbirth appear to be in opposition to each other, they in fact express different stages of the reproductive enframing.
Distinct Coping Profiles Are Associated With Mental Health Differences in Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Adults

OBJECTIVE This study assessed the unique coping strategies of transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) individuals in the United States used to manage gender-related stress, and examined associations between specific coping profiles and mental health. METHODS Data were from 316 participants in the 2014-2015 Transgender Stress and Health Study, an online study of TGNC mental and sexual health. A factor analysis of the coping measure (Brief COPE) was followed by a k-means cluster analysis to evaluate distinct profiles of coping with gender-related stress. Proportional odds models and logistic regression models indicated how coping profiles related to levels of self-reported depressive symptoms and suicidality. RESULTS A 4-factor structure was identified with three distinct profiles of coping with gender-related stress, each representative of the frequency (high or low) in which participants used functional and dysfunctional coping strategies: (a) high-functional/low-dysfunctional, (b) high-functional/high-dysfunctional, and (c) low-functional/low-dysfunctional. There were significant differences in depressive symptoms and suicidality based on distinct gender-related coping profiles. The high-functional/high-dysfunctional group reported significantly poorer mental health compared with the high-functional/low-dysfunctional group. CONCLUSION To improve mental health outcomes in TGNC individuals, health providers and researchers should strive to not only promote functional coping strategies for managing gender-related stress but also decrease dysfunctional coping strategies.
Parent-delivered CBT may reduce intervention cost, but questions arise about effectiveness

Commentary on: Creswell C, Violato M, Fairbanks H, et al . Clinical outcomes and cost-effectiveness of brief guided parent-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy and solution-focused brief therapy for treatment of childhood anxiety disorders: a randomised controlled trial. Lancet Psychiatry 2017;4:529–539. Psychological treatment of anxiety-related problems in youth has a rich history, dating back to Sigmund Freud’s work.1 After decades of clinical literature and scores of treatment outcome studies, a growing consensus formed among experts that cognitive–behavioural methods were especially effective, particularly the behavioural component involving graded exposure to feared stimuli. Delivery of this treatment approach by professional therapists can involve substantial cost, so the effort by Creswell and colleagues to investigate the use of parents to deliver the treatment has practical significance, and the study’s comparison between brief guided parent-delivered cognitive–behavioural therapy (GPD-CBT) and solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) could add to the practical …
Influence of Cotton Plant Structures on Heliothine Larval Development and the Production and Infectivity of Occlusion Bodies of Nucleopolyhedrovirus in Larvae

Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) and Heliothis virescens (F.), reared on different cotton structures, were studied for larval growth and development, susceptibility to H. zea nucleopolyhedrovirus (HzNPV), and production of occluded virus (OBs). Larval weight of both species after 10 d of rearing differed with larvae on artificial diet having the highest weight and those on square bracts the lowest weight. In both species, pupal weight and length of pupal developmental period were positively correlated with the larval weight, but length of the larval developmental period was negatively correlated with larval weight. Mortality from virus infection of H. zea and H. virescens larvae on squares, square bracts or flowers did not differ significantly among the structures. In both species, the number of viral OBs produced was greater in larvae fed flowers than those fed other structures and was positively correlated with the weight gained by a healthy larva on that plant structure. The mean LC50 for OBs produced in H. ze...
We, Too, Sing America: Where Do We Go from Here?

This final chapter summarizes major findings and observations discussed throughout the book. Lorick-Wilmot shares participants’ reflections on the book’s premise as well as her reflections on conducting this type of research. She discusses her insider–outsider position as both a researcher and a member of the MSGCI population and speculates how these positions possibly increased participants’ comfort levels when telling their stories. Reflecting on directions for future research, Lorick-Wilmot argues the United States’ tendency to make racial and ethnic distinctions is based on a white supremacist notion of a hierarchal structure between minorities that not only continues to divide these communities, force divisive and unequal racial identities upon them, and ignore the systemic inequalities institutional racism provides but also maintains MSGCIs’ overall visibility for years to come.
Dopamine D2 Receptors Modulate Pyramidal Neurons in Mouse Medial Prefrontal Cortex through a Stimulatory G-Protein Pathway.

Dopaminergic modulation of prefrontal cortex (PFC) is thought to play key roles in many cognitive functions and to be disrupted in pathological conditions, such as schizophrenia. We have previously described a phenomenon whereby dopamine D2 receptor (D2R) activation elicits afterdepolarizations (ADPs) in subcortically projecting (SC) pyramidal neurons within L5 of the PFC. These D2R-induced ADPs only occur following synaptic input, which activates NMDARs, even when the delay between the synaptic input and ADPs is relatively long (e.g., several hundred milliseconds). Here, we use a combination of electrophysiological, optogenetic, pharmacological, transgenic, and chemogenetic approaches to elucidate cellular mechanisms underlying this phenomenon in male and female mice. We find that knocking out D2Rs eliminates the ADP in a cell-autonomous fashion, confirming that this ADP depends on D2Rs. Hyperpolarizing current injection, but not AMPA receptor blockade, prevents synaptic stimulation from facilitating D2R-induced ADPs, suggesting that this phenomenon depends on the recruitment of voltage-dependent currents (e.g., NMDAR-mediated Ca 2+ influx) by synaptic input. Finally, the D2R-induced ADP is blocked by inhibitors of cAMP/PKA signaling, insensitive to pertussis toxin or β-arrestin knock-out, and mimicked by G s -DREADD stimulation, suggesting that D2R activation elicits the ADP by stimulating cAMP/PKA signaling. These results show that this unusual physiological phenomenon, in which D2Rs enhance cellular excitability in a manner that depends on synaptic input, is mediated at the cellular level through the recruitment of signaling pathways associated with G s , rather than the G i/o -associated mechanisms that have classically been ascribed to D2Rs. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Dopamine D2 receptors (D2Rs) in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) are thought to play important roles in behaviors, including working memory and cognitive flexibility. Variation in D2Rs has also been implicated in schizophrenia, Tourette syndrome, and bipolar disorder. Recently, we described a new mechanism through which D2R activation can enhance the excitability of pyramidal neurons in the PFC. Here, we explore the underlying cellular mechanisms. Surprisingly, although D2Rs are classically assumed to signal through G i/o -coupled G-proteins and/or scaffolding proteins, such as β-arrestin, we find that the effects of D2Rs on prefrontal pyramidal neurons are actually mediated by pathways associated with G s -mediated signaling. Furthermore, we show how, via this D2R-dependent phenomenon, synaptic input can enhance the excitability of prefrontal neurons over timescales on the order of seconds. These results elucidate cellular mechanisms underlying a novel signaling pathway downstream of D2Rs that may contribute to prefrontal function under normal and pathological conditions.
Metabolic Links between Plasma Cell Survival, Secretion, and Stress

Humoral immunity is generated and maintained by antigen-specific antibodies that counter infectious pathogens. Plasma cells are the major producers of antibodies during and after infections, and each plasma cell produces some thousands of antibody molecules per second. This magnitude of secretion requires enormous quantities of amino acids and glycosylation sugars to properly build and fold antibodies, biosynthetic substrates to fuel endoplasmic reticulum (ER) biogenesis, and additional carbon sources to generate energy. Many of these processes are likely to be linked, thereby affording possibilities to improve vaccine design and to develop new therapies for autoimmunity. We review here aspects of plasma cell biology with an emphasis on recent studies and the relationships between intermediary metabolism, antibody production, and lifespan.
Transportation Planning for Connected Autonomous Vehicles: How It All Fits Together:

As connected and autonomous vehicle (CAV) technology continues to evolve and rapidly develop new capabilities, it is becoming increasingly important for transportation planners to consider the effects that these vehicles will have on the transportation network. It is evident that this trend has already started; over 60% of long-range transportation plans in the largest urban areas now include some discussion of CAVs, up from just 6% in 2015. There are also numerous CAV pilot programs currently underway that entail testing vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) interaction in both isolated and real-world environments. In this review of the current assessments for CAV impacts, two primary trends are identified. First, there is a great deal of uncertainty that is not being explicitly considered and properly accounted for in the transportation-network planning process. Second, the predictions that are being made are not considering potential policy or planning actions that could shape or...
Reading the Story of Miriai on Two Levels: Evidence from Mandaean Anti-Jewish Polemic about the Origins and Setting of Early Mandaeism

New Testament scholars, drawing on Mandaean sources to shed light on the Gospel of John, may have done more harm than good to both Johannine and Mandaean studies. Nonetheless, approaches to the Gospel of John developed over the past 50 years have shed light on the Gospel’s Jewish context and the clues its polemical emphases can provide about the time and setting in which it was written. J. L. Martyn’s suggestion that the Gospel of John can be read on “two levels”, telling us about the context in which it was written while telling a story set in the time of Jesus, has the potential for fruitful application to Mandaean literature as well. As in the case of the Gospel of John, there is good reason to think that the anti-Jewish features of some Mandaean literature may ultimately provide evidence of the Jewish origins, or at the very least context, of the community that produced it. This article examines the story of Miriai, and what it presupposes about the relationship between Jews and Mandaeans and the nature of conversion at the time of its writing. The Mandaeans have long fascinated scholars with a wide range of different interests, and in a wide range of disciplines, and this is not surprising. No one who has engaged in the academic study of the Gospel of John, for instance, will have failed to encounter the intriguing (not to mention problematic) attempts made in the 20 century to appeal to Mandaean sources as background to the Fourth Gospel. Likewise students of Gnostic
The Botulinum Neurotoxin Complex and the Role of Ancillary Proteins

All seven known serotypes of botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) are produced in the form of a complex with a group of neurotoxin-associated proteins (NAPs). The BoNT complex is encoded by a gene cluster regulated by its own transcription factor, and the proteins coded by polycistronic messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) self-assemble into complexes of 300–900 kDa. Types A, B, C, D, and G complexes contain hemagglutinin (HA), whereas types E and F complexes do not contain HA. Sequence homology among respective BoNTs and NAPs range from 55.3 to 98.5 %, and all the proteins in the BoNT complex belong to a stable class of protein with high longevity inside mammalian cells. A new 250-kDa protein (P-250) with high immunogenicity has been identified in the BoNT/A complex which is not part of the neurotoxin gene cluster. The 33-kDa hemagglutinin (HA-33) is the most abundant NAP. The HA-33 is protease resistant and is highly immunogenic. HA-33 appears to play an important role in the translocation of the neurotoxin across the gut wall, enhancing the endopeptidase activity of BoNT and protection of BoNT against proteases. The role of other NAPs is not as clear, and their role in the biology of the bacteria is not understood at all. BoNT complexes are used as therapeutic product, although a therapeutic product without NAPs appears to retain the properties of the complex-based products. NAPs in therapeutic products may have other subtle long-term effects which need to be investigated.
Structural Basis for Katanin Self-Assembly

The reorganization of microtubules in mitosis, meiosis and development requires the microtubule-severing activity of katanin. Katanin is composed of a AAA ATPase subunit and a regulatory subunit. Microtubule severing requires ATP hydrolysis by katanin9s conserved AAA ATPase domains. Whereas other AAA ATPases form stable hexamers, we show that wild-type katanin only forms heterodimers and heterotetramers. Heterododecamers were only observed for an ATP hydrolysis deficient mutant in the presence of ATP, suggesting an auto-inhibition mechanism that prevents oligomerization. X-ray structures of katanin9s AAA ATPase in monomeric nucleotide-free and pseudo-oligomeric ADP-bound states reveal conformational changes in AAA subdomains and N and C-terminal expansion segments that explain this auto-inhibition of assembly. These data lead to a model in which self-inhibited heterodimers bind to a microtubule, then transition into an assembly-competent conformation upon ATP binding. Microtubule-bound heterododecamers then promote tubulin extraction from the microtubule prior to oligomer dissociation.
An Inexpensive, Open-Source Mini-Centrifuge

The centrifuge is an important piece of equipment for any biology lab, necessary for a wide variety of experiments. Cost, however, often prevents the use of centrifuges in many teaching labs, greatly limiting educational experiences for students. As a result, we describe how to construct a “homemade” single-speed mini-centrifuge using inexpensive parts easily acquired online or at hardware or other stores (e.g., a 4.7-quart plastic bowl and lid, standard computer cooling fan, AC/DC adapter, electrical wire, etc.). We further used this design and a commercial mini-centrifuge to pellet 1-mL samples of Tetrahymena thermophila, and we found that the two performed comparably. Finally, because our plans and the materials needed to build this device are all open source, we call our design the OPN Minifuge, and we hope that it will help to expand the scope of experiments that students can run in introductory and upper-level biology teaching labs.
Size-dependent variability in the formation and trade-offs of facultative aggregations in golden orb-web spiders ( Nephila clavipes )

The vast majority (> 99.99%) of spiders are solitary, but in some species, individuals form stable groups or, alternatively, looser aggregations that fluctuate over space and time. While previous work has documented trade-offs associated with being part of intraspecific groups, rather than being solitary, we know less about why grouping behavior would be facultative. Residing in a group can reduce predation risk, but also lead to competition for food, and we hypothesized that variation in these trade-offs could provide insights into the optional nature of clustering. We used a Costa Rican population of golden orb-web spiders, Nephila clavipes, to ask two questions. First, we tested whether a spider’s size influenced the trade-offs of clustering, and second, whether inter-annual variation in predator and prey abundance could help explain clustering patterns. We also examined the process of cluster formation and dissolution in relation to spider size. Data collected on over 1500 spiders over 4 years indicated that in each year, small spiders experienced the greatest reduction in predation if clustered and also were most likely to initiate aggregations. Overall rates of predation varied significantly among years, and small spiders were most likely to cluster in the year with highest predation. We also detected a cost of clustering in the form of reduced prey capture, but only in years with relatively high overall prey acquisition. Together, these findings suggest that trade-offs that vary individually and over time could influence a spider’s decision to cluster and, hence, explain the facultative nature of aggregating in this population. Animals within a population can show variability in a range of behaviors, such as foraging and predator avoidance, and at times, the ideal way of behaving depends on individual or environmental conditions. In this study, we asked why some female golden orb-web spiders (Nephila clavipes) form groups, while in the same population, others are solitary. This is an interesting question given how rare aggregations are among spiders. In our study, small spiders benefited most from clustering in terms of higher survival when aggregated compared to when solitary. At the same time, spiders of all sizes captured less prey when aggregated, although this cost was only detected in years with relatively abundant prey. Together, these findings suggest that trade-offs that vary individually and over time could influence a spider’s decision to cluster and, hence, explain the optional nature of aggregating in this population.
A Novel Discharging Control Strategy for Modular Multilevel Converter Submodules without Using External Circuit

A novel discharging control strategy is proposed and implemented for submodules in modular multilevel converters (MMCs). By sequentially controlling the arm currents of a MMC to the arm resistors, all submodule capacitors are discharged safely and rapidly without adding additional devices and circuits, resulting in improved performance and reduced cost. Both open- and closed-loop control methods are evaluated for effectiveness of the new control strategy. Simulation and experimental results are provided to validate the new control strategy.
Cholesterol crystals promote endothelial cell and monocyte interactions via H2O2-mediated PP2A inhibition, NFκB activation and ICAM1 and VCAM1 expression.

Abstract In the present study, we show that cholesterol crystals induce NFκB activation, and ICAM1 and VCAM1 expression via xanthine oxidase-mediated H2O2 production and PP2A inhibition in influencing endothelial cell and monocyte interactions and all these adverse effects of cholesterol crystals could be attenuated by proresolving lipid mediator RvD1. In addition, feeding mice with cholesterol rich diet (CRD) increased xanthine oxidase expression, its activity and H2O2 production leading to PP2A inhibition, NFκB activation, and ICAM1 and VCAM1 expression and RvD1 attenuated all these effects of CRD substantially. Furthermore, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from wild type mice when injected into mice that were fed with CRD or RvD1 + CRD showed increased leukocyte trafficking to arteries of CRD-fed mice as compared to RvD1 + CRD mice. These findings suggest that cholesterol crystals via promoting oxidant stress and inhibiting Ser/Thr phosphatases such as PP2A stimulate NFκB activation and ICAM1 and VCAM1 expression, and thereby enhance EC-monocyte interactions. In addition, proresolving lipid mediators such as RvD1 appear to exert their anti-inflammatory effects via countering the adverse effects of cholesterol crystals or CRD.
The role of biological dose-escalation for pancreatic cancer.

Abstract The role of chemo-radiotherapy for treatment of locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) has been discussed for many years, and the absence of an overall survival benefit compared to gemcitabine chemotherapy alone in the recent LAP07 study seems to have increased the controversy. However, even in this study, chemo-radiotherapy resulted in decreased local progression (p = 0.03). In combination with increased efficacy of novel systemic therapy consisting of oxaliplatin, irinotecan, fluorouracil and leucovorin (FOLFIRINOX), radiation dose-escalation may show to be beneficial in LAPC. Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) can be expected to be the most suitable approach to perform local radiation dose-escalation, and has been shown to be both effective and tolerable at doses of 25–35 Gy in 3–5 fractions. Whether further dose-escalation for LAPC will be both feasible and useful is debatable, because of dose restrictions to adjacent critical organs at risk, and the observation that thus far a benefit of delivering BED10 in excess of 70 Gy has not shown to improve local control significantly. If an attempt to further dose-escalate is performed, stereotactic MR-guided adaptive radiation therapy (SMART) theoretically has the highest potential. In addition to superior soft-tissue setup without the need for implanted fiducial markers and online MR-guidance during delivery with minimal safety margins, daily plan adaptation directed at avoiding undue high doses to critical organs such as the duodenum, stomach and bowel are advantages of this technique over current SBRT. This paper aims to illustrate the SMART technique, which has been delivered in 300 fractions for LAPC or locally recurrent pancreatic cancer at Amsterdam UMC since early 2016.
Appropriate Correction for Multiple Comparisons in Decoding of ERP Data: A Re-Analysis of Bae & Luck (2018)

Bae & Luck (2018) reported a study of visual working memory in which the orientation being held in memory was decoded from the scalp distribution of sustained ERP activity and alpha-band EEG oscillations. Decoding accuracy was compared to chance at each point during the delay interval, and a correction for multiple comparisons was applied to find clusters of consecutive above-chance time points that were stronger than would be expected by chance. However, the correction used in that study did not account for the autocorrelation of the noise and may have been overly liberal. Here, we describe a more appropriate correction procedure and apply it to the data from Bae & Luck (2018). We find that the major clusters of time points that were significantly above chance with the original correction procedure remained above chance with the updated correction procedure. However, some minor clusters that were significant with the original procedure were no longer significant with the updated procedure. We recommend that future studies use the updated correction procedure.
Implications & Trends for Financial Services

With an emerging area such as blockchain and blockchain based assurance and attestation services it is always difficult to know what to include as current news or current use cases, but several trends do appear worth of inclusion as current or topical news stories.
Density of outdoor advertising of consumable products in NYC by neighborhood poverty level.

To determine if outdoor advertising density for non-alcoholic drinks, food, tobacco products, and alcohol, is associated with neighborhood poverty or other Census-level characteristics in New York City (NYC). From June – July of 2015, photographs were taken of all street-level, stationary outdoor advertising (posters, stickers, decals, etc.) for consumable products in a sample of 953 NYC retail-dense street segments. Density of product images was analyzed by neighborhood poverty level and other characteristics using multivariate negative-binomial regression. A total of 16,305 discrete advertisements displaying 50,673 product images were photographed. Total product image prevalence relative to retail density was not significantly higher in high- vs. low-poverty neighborhoods, as hypothesized (OR: 1.31; 95% CI: 0.98, 1.77). However, total product image prevalence was higher in neighborhoods with a higher percentage of Black residents (OR: 1.08; 95% CI: 1.04, 1.12), and for sugary drinks in areas with a higher percentage of adults with <HS diploma (OR: 1.32; 95% CI: 1.11, 1.58). Product images were abundant throughout NYC’s retail-dense areas, with marginally greater prevalence by some Census-level demographics, irrespective of the content displayed.
Genomic Evidence for Complex Domestication History of the Cultivated Tomato in Latin America.

The process of plant domestication is often protracted, involving underexplored intermediate stages with important implications for the evolutionary trajectories of domestication traits. Previously, tomato domestication history has been thought to involve two major transitions: one from wild Solanum pimpinellifolium L. to a semidomesticated intermediate, S. lycopersicum L. var. cerasiforme (SLC) in South America, and a second transition from SLC to fully domesticated S. lycopersicum L. var. lycopersicum in Mesoamerica. In this study, we employ population genomic methods to reconstruct tomato domestication history, focusing on the evolutionary changes occurring in the intermediate stages. Our results suggest that the origin of SLC may predate domestication, and that many traits considered typical of cultivated tomatoes arose in South American SLC, but were lost or diminished once these partially domesticated forms spread northward. These traits were then likely reselected in a convergent fashion in the common cultivated tomato, prior to its expansion around the world. Based on these findings, we reveal complexities in the intermediate stage of tomato domestication and provide insight on trajectories of genes and phenotypes involved in tomato domestication syndrome. Our results also allow us to identify underexplored germplasm that harbors useful alleles for crop improvement.
Embedding Virtual Networks in Flexible Optical Networks with Sliceable Transponders

Emerging inter-datacenter applications involving data transferred, processed, and analyzed at multiple data centers, such as virtual machine migrations, real-time data backup, remote desktop, and virtual data centers, can be modeled as virtual network requests that share computing and spectrum resources of a common substrate physical inter-datacenter network. Recent advances make flexible optical networks an ideal candidate for meeting the dynamic and heterogeneous connection demands between datacenters. In this paper, we address the static (offline) version of the virtual network embedding problem in flexible optical networks equipped with sliceable bandwidth variable transponders (SBVTs). The objective is to minimize the total number of required SBVTs in the network. An Integer Linear Programming (ILP) formulation is presented, lower bounds are derived, and four heuristics are proposed and compared. Simulation results are presented to show the effectiveness of the proposed approaches.
Gamification of Hazards Recognition in Mining with a Tabletop Card Game

We have developed a card game called Very Good Day to facilitate higher order thinking skills for hazard recognition and mitigation. Using a three-way matching game mechanic, learners are incentivized through competition and challenge to mitigate hazards by applying the hierarchy of critical controls. The game also emphasizes communication, as no mitigation strategy is valid without attaining group consensus. Stealth evaluation is provided via a composite “safety index” which is based on gameplay choices. Increasingly sophisticated controls require more thought to implement, translating to higher composite safety indices. Play testing was conducted over a 10-month period with 211 learners in the mining industry. Results indicated a high level of engagement, with 95% of users able to apply better controls than the minimums to mitigate hazards.
Complexes of Platinum Group Metals with a Conformationally Locked Scorpionate in a Metal-Organic Framework: An Unusually Close Apical Interaction of Palladium(II).

We report synthetic strategies for installing platinum group metals (PGMs: Pd, Rh, Ir, and Pt) on a scorpionate-derived linker (TpmC*) within a metal-organic framework (MOF), both by room-temperature postsynthetic metalation and by direct solvothermal synthesis, with a wide range of metal loadings relevant for fundamental studies and catalysis. In-depth studies for the palladium adduct Pd(II)@Zr-TpmC* by density-functional-theory-assisted extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy reveals that the rigid MOF lattice enforces a close Pd(II)-Napical interaction between the bidentate palladium complex and the third uncoordinated pyrazole arm of the TpmC* ligand (Pd-Napical = 2.501 ± 0.067 A), an interaction that is wholly avoided in molecular palladium scorpionates.
Management Systems to Structure Continuous Quality Improvement

Objectives This review describes the processes and effectiveness of the primary management systems that structure and sustain consistent behaviors and result in a transformed culture of continuous quality improvement (CQI) from top to bottom throughout the Henry Ford medical laboratory enterprise. Methods Through a 17-year focus to achieve a functional CQI enterprise, quality management systems were developed and continuously improved by teams of laboratory leaders, managers, and quality specialists to coordinate and standardize human efforts, and provide actionable knowledge and data to engage improvement efforts at all levels of work. Lean and ISO 15189 discipline and requirements were addressed in annual management review of functionality and effectiveness to close gaps and further refine the management systems. Results Improvements in the use and effectiveness of 4 management systems are illustrated. Conclusions The 4 primary management systems that provide structure and support transformation to a culture of CQI are the team leader, Plan-Do-Check-Act problem-solving, deviation management, and daily management systems. These management systems are designed to deepen the effectiveness of the continuous improvement culture by helping managers understand variation in the work they oversee and providing guidance for more effective employee engagement in the daily processes of quality improvement.
A Heartbreaking Calamity: Sudden Death in the Athlete

The sudden deaths of prominent athletes in the United States and abroad have drawn intense attention in the media and bewildered the public. In this chapter, the effect of athletics on the heart, athletic activity and triggering of SCD, heart disease in athletes dying suddenly in the United States as compared to those in Europe, and pre-screening of comparative athletes are discussed.
Associations of Family Distress, Family Income, and Acculturation on Pediatric Cognitive Performance Using the NIH Toolbox: Implications for Clinical and Research Settings.

OBJECTIVE There is a growing recognition that the use of conventional norms (e.g., age, sex, years of education, race) as proxies to capture a broad range of sociocultural variability on cognitive performance is suboptimal, limiting sample representativeness. The present study evaluated the incremental utility of family income, family conflict, and acculturation beyond the established associations of age, gender,maternal years of education, and race on cognitive performance. METHOD Hierarchical linear regressions evaluated the incremental utility of sociocultural factors on National Institutes of Health Toolbox in a nationally representative sample of pre-adolescent children (n = 11,878; Mage = 10.0 years; Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study). A regression-based norming procedure was implemented for significant models. Paired sample t-tests were used to compare original and newly created demographically corrected T-scores. RESULTS Nearly all regression models predicted performance on the NIH-TB subtests and composite scores (p < .005). Greater family income and lower family conflict predicted better performance, although the effect sizes were small by traditional standards. Acculturation scores did not explain additional variance in cognitive performance. Lastly, there were no significant differences between the original and newly created demographically corrected T-scores (Mdiff < 0.50). CONCLUSIONS The present study highlights that, although family income, family conflict, and acculturation have been shown to routinely influence cognitive performance in preadolescent children, the NIH-TB appears to be highly robust to individual differences in sociocultural factors in children between ages 9 and 10. Contextual and temporal implications of the present results are discussed.
Byzantine Jewry in the Mediterranean Economy

Using primary sources, Joshua Holo uncovers the day-to-day workings of the Byzantine-Jewish economy in the middle Byzantine period. Built on a web of exchange systems both exclusive to the Jewish community and integrated in society at large, this economy forces a revision of Jewish history in the region. Paradoxically, the two distinct economic orientations, inward and outward, simultaneously advanced both the integration of the Jews into the larger Byzantine economy and their segregation as a self-contained body economic. Dr Holo finds that the Jews routinely leveraged their internal, even exclusive, systems of law and culture to break into - occasionally to dominate - Byzantine markets. In doing so, they challenge our concept of Diaspora life as a balance between the two competing impulses of integration and segregation. The success of this enterprise, furthermore, qualifies the prevailing claim of Jewish economic decline during the Commercial Revolution.
Second Interlude Larger Examples

The papers in the next two Parts present complete examples. The examples include specifications, code, and verification. They are large enough to show how the language features interact in real programs; indeed, they were selected for that purpose.
Loss of hippocampal function impairs pattern separation on a mouse touch-screen operant paradigm

The hippocampus is heavily involved in the learning and memory processes necessary to successfully encode environmental stimuli and representations over time. Impairment of hippocampal function is associated with numerous neuropsychiatric diseases and can lead to detriments in the quality of life. In order to take full advantage of preclinical models of these disorders, there is a need for the development of more refined measures of clinically relevant hippocampal behaviors. While arena-based navigation tasks have provided fundamental information regarding the role of the hippocampus in spatial memory, the development of automated operant variants have had mixed results. Recently, an automated touch-screen paradigm has been shown to be highly sensitive to hippocampal function in the rat and eliminated mediating strategies that arose in previous tasks. Here we show that mice with lesions encompassing the entire ventral portion of the dorsal hippocampus are impaired on pattern separation behavior using a delayed nonmatching-to-location (TUNL) adapted for mice. Lesioned mice readily acquired the task at control rates when separations were maximal and delay periods were short while decreasing separations significantly impaired lesion mice. However, in contrast to previously reported results in the rat, consistently increasing delays did not significantly impair performance in the lesion group. Presentation of a variable delay within a session significantly impaired performance in lesion mice across delay periods. The current results demonstrate the utility of a touch-screen paradigm for measuring hippocampal-dependent pattern separation in the mouse and establish the paradigm as an important platform for future studies in disease models.
Applications in Physics and Geometry

The representation of a curve by an equation y = f(x) imposes a serious geometrical restriction: A curve so represented must not be intersected at more than one point by any parallel to the y-axis. Usually, this restriction can be overcome by decomposing the curve into portions each representable in the form y = f(x). Thus a circle of radius a about the origin is given by the two functions \(y = \sqrt {{a^2} - {x^2}} \) and \(y = - \sqrt {{a^2} - {x^2}} \) defined for −a ≤ x ≤ a. However, for as simple a curve as a parallel to the y-axis this device does not work.
Bad Timing For Deeds In Lieu

This article discusses the right of redemption and the rule against clogging and why a deed in lieu that is given after the mortgage has already been executed may be enforceable notwithstanding that one given at the same time as the mortgage is not.
Impact injuries in pregnancy: I. Experimental studies☆☆☆

Abstract Eleven pregnant baboons were subjected to 12 experimental impacts. At the 20 g level of decelerative force, maternal injuries were minimal. Fetal death occurred in association with traumatic head injury, placental separation, and maternal shock. Although prevention of body flexion during impact did not prevent elevation of intrauterine pressure, fetal injury, or placental separation, the number of animals is too small to draw conclusions regarding the superiority of one restraint system over another. The lap belt should be worn by pregnant women, and it should be snugly placed across the pelvis and not over the fundus.