cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
DNA barcoding in land plants: developing standards to quantify and maximize success

The selection of a DNA barcode in plants has been impeded in part due to the relatively low rates of nucleotide substitution observed at the most accessible plastid markers. However, the absence of consensus also reflects a lack of standards for comparing potential barcode markers. While many publications have suggested a host of plant DNA barcodes, the studies cannot be readily compared with each other through any quantitative or statistical parameter, partly because they put forward no single compelling rationale relevant to the adoption of a DNA barcode in plants. Here, we argue that the efficacy of any particular plant DNA barcode selection should reflect the anticipated performance of the resulting barcode database in assignment of a query sequence to species. While legitimate scientific disagreement exists over the criteria relevant to “database performance”, the notion gives a unifying rationale for prioritizing selection criteria. Accordingly, we suggest a measure of barcode efficacy based on the rationale of database performance, “the probability of correct identification” (PCI). Moreover, the definition of PCI is left flexible enough to handle most of the scientific disagreement over how to best evaluate DNA barcodes. Finally, we consider how different types of barcodes might require different methods of analysis and database design and indicate how the analysis might affect the selection of the most broadly effective barcode for land plants.
Adaptive Introspection and Deployment for Robust Long Duration Autonomy

Abstract : Long duration autonomy for unmanned systems is difficult to achieve as current systems are limited to anticipated exceptions and do not adapt to long-term changes in the environment. The project goal is to enable long-term operation in unpredictable environments through adaptive introspection and deployment approaches, emphasizing vehicle and system level adaptation and robustness as a robotic team cooperates toward a common and persistent mission goal. At the vehicle level, we address the problems of identifying unexpected vehicle states and developing robust mitigation policies and behaviors through introspection. At the system level, we propose long-term planning methodologies that coordinate the robot team toward a common mission objective while learning, adapting to, and anticipating changing vehicle and environment conditions. The proposed research outcomes will be broadly applicable to unmanned vehicle systems operating over long time horizons to achieve a common and persistent mission. In order to evaluate the performance of the proposed methods, we also pursue an integration and experimentation design that will provoke exceptions over long durations.
Investigation into the changes in bending stiffness of a textile reinforced composite due to in-plane fabric shear: Part 1 – Experiment

Abstract A study to investigate the factors that contribute to the variation among the stiffnesses of consolidated composite plates reinforced by plain-weave fabrics with various degrees of in-plane shear is presented. The first part of the two-part study focuses on the experiments performed. Three-point bend tests were used to measure the effective stiffness of the composite plates along the global X and Y axes, which were aligned with the weft and warp orientations, respectively, in the undeformed configuration at 0° of shear. The warp yarns were sheared 0°, 10°, 20°, 25° and 30° toward the weft yarns. It was observed that as the shear angle in the plates increased, the thickness of the plates also increased. An increase in stiffness for bending in X-direction with increasing shear angle was observed as was expected, but the change in stiffness for bending in Y-direction was observed to be inconsistent with the expected decrease with increasing degree of shear.
Adapt or avoid

An enzyme called p38 MAP kinase helps nematodes to adapt to low-oxygen environments, and also to escape from them.
Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers in U.S. Meat and Poultry from Two Statistically Designed Surveys Showing Trends and Levels from 2002 to 2008

Polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) body burdens in the general U.S. population have been linked to the consumption of red meat and poultry. Exposure estimates have also indicated that meat products are a major contributor to PBDE dietary intake. To establish solid estimates of PBDE concentrations in domestic meat and poultry, samples from two statistically designed surveys of U.S. meat and poultry were analyzed for PBDEs. The two surveys were conducted in 2002-2003 and 2007-2008, between which times the manufacturing of penta-BDE and octa-BDE formulations had ceased in the United States (December 2004). Thus, the data provided an opportunity to observe prevalence and concentration trends that may have occurred during this time frame and to compare the mean PBDE levels among the meat and poultry industries. On the basis of composite samples, the average sum of the seven most prevalent PBDEs (BDE-28, -47, -99, -100, -153, -154, and -183) decreased by >60% from 1.95 ng/g lipid in 2002-2003 to 0.72 ng/g lipid in 2007-2008 for meat and poultry. PBDEs measured in individual samples in 2008 showed that beef samples had the lowest PBDE levels followed by hogs and chickens and then by turkeys. The PBDE congener pattern was the same for both surveys and resembled the penta-BDE formulation with BDE-47 and -99 accounting for 30 and 40% of the total, respectively. On the basis of the data from the two surveys, it appears that PBDE levels in U.S. meat and poultry have declined since manufacturing ceased; however, exposure pathways of PBDEs to livestock are still not known.
Publics and Intellectuals, both Real and Unreal

The Evolving Citizen: American Youth and the Changing Norms of Democratic Engagement, by Jay P. Childers. University Park: Penn State UP, 2012. 220 pp. $56.95 (cloth).After the Public Turn: Composi...
Influence of Downstream Boundary Conditions on Scramjet-Isolator Simulations

In previous numerical simulations, a constant pressure boundary condition was imposed at the scramjet isolator exit to simulate the effect of the back-pressure valve in the experimental setup. This can, however, sometimes create a reverse flow near the outflow boundary, which in turn generates numerical instability and causes the solution to diverge. The alternative approach used here is to specify a choked nozzle in place of the backpressure valve to create a high pressure region in the scramjet isolator. The flow at the exit of the choked nozzle is supersonic, so that an extrapolation boundary condition can be applied at the outflow. The present research explores the implications of this boundary condition. Three different choked nozzle lengths were used in the prediction of the flow features within the isolator. It was found that the shorter the choked nozzle, the smaller the throat height needed to create a shock train system within the scramjet isolator. In addition, the location of the leading edge of the shock train was found to depend strongly on the height of the nozzle throat. With a longer configuration, on the other hand, higher viscous losses occur and a thicker boundary layer is formed. This creates higher Pb, back pressure at the isolator exit and thus the location of the leading edge of the shock system is less sensitive to throat height. Consequently it produces higher back pressure at the isolator exit. The leading edge of the shock train system is further upstream and closer to experimental data for the similar Pb conditions. All the numerical simulations predicted pressure oscillations along the centerline of the bottom wall, which was not observed experimentally.
WDM laser transmitters for mobile free-space laser communications

Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (Contract FA8721-05-C-0002)
A search engine for finding and reusing architecturally significant code

A code search engine to automate the discovery, extraction and indexing of tactics.A big data compatible architecture to search through 22 million source files.Novel techniques to detect tactics and technical context in which they are used.Introducing a novel ranking algorithm to order the retrieved tactical files.Enhancing the state-of-the-art code search engines in finding tactical-code. Architectural tactics are the building blocks of software architecture. They describe solutions for addressing specific quality concerns, and are prevalent across many software systems. Once a decision is made to utilize a tactic, the developer must generate a concrete plan for writing code and implementing the tactic. Unfortunately, this is a non-trivial task even for experienced developers. Often, developers resort to using search engines, crowd-sourcing websites, or discussion forums to find sample code snippets to implement a tactic. A fundamental problem of finding implementation for architectural tactics/patterns is the mismatch between the high-level intent reflected in the descriptions of these patterns and the low-level implementation details of them. To reduce this mismatch, we created a novel Tactic Search Engine called ArchEngine (ARCHitecture search ENGINE). ArchEngine can replace this manual internet-based search process and help developers find and reuse tactical code from a wide range of open source systems. ArchEngine helps developers find implementation examples of an architectural tactic for a given technical context. It uses information retrieval and program analysis techniques to retrieve applications that implement these design concepts. Furthermore, it lists and rank the code snippets where the patterns/tactics are located. Our case study with 21 graduate students (with experience level of junior software developers) shows that ArchEngine is more effective than other search engines (e.g., Krugle and Koders) in helping programmers to quickly find implementations of architectural tactics/patterns.
Unsteady state measurement of oxygen transfer in patients with rheumatic heart disease.

SUMMARY 1. Breath-to-breath oxygen uptake at the alveolar capillary membrane has been measured by an improved method during exercise in thirty-two patients with valvular heart disease and twenty-four control subjects. Exercise was of up to 3 min duration on a treadmill usually at 3-4 m.p.h.; the gradient was increased on successive walks up to the breaking point. 2. In the normal subjects the oxygen uptake over the last 0.3 min up to the breaking point (Po2 BP) was on average higher than the maximum predicted by the method of Astrand. In two subjects Po2 BP was also higher than that obtained by the conventional method. Thus it is believed to be an approximation of maximal oxygen uptake. In two thirds of the patients the Po2 BP was reduced compared with the control subjects. 3. The curves relating oxygen uptake to time for exercise of increasing severity showed poor separation in thirteen of the patients compared with the other subjects studied. This finding is evidence for a defect in oxygen uptake during submaximal exercise in some cardiac patients which is identifiable by physiological means without recourse to clinical data. The ability of patients with heart disease to increase oxygen uptake with exercise in a normal fashion has been demonstrated by many investigators over the last 4 decades; much of the earlier experience has been reviewed by Simonsen & Enzer, 1942. More recent studies have been confined to the registration of maximal oxygen uptake (vo2 max) (Blackmon, Rowell, Kennedy, Twiss & COM, 1967; Chapman, Mitchell, Sproule, Polter & Williams, 1960). With the development of a method for recording oxygen uptake (Po,) on a breath-to-breath basis (Auchincloss, Gilbert & Baule, 1966, 1968), we have been able to return to a continuously recording system and, therefore, to explore the possibility that the defective increase in Po2 begins shortly after the onset of exercise.
Prevalence of metabolic syndrome among residents in Fangshan district,Beijing

Objective To understand the prevalence of metabolic syndrome among the residents in Fangshan district,Beijing. Methods Cross-sectional survey was conducted among 4249 local residents aged 20 years,who were selected through stratified random sampling in Fangshan,to analyze the prevalence and distribution of metabolic syndrome among them according to the diagnostic criteria developed by the diabetes branch of Chinese Medical Association in 2004. Results The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 20. 38%. With the increase of age,the prevalence of metabolic syndrome increased significantly( χ2= 252. 34,P 0. 001). The prevalence was highest in age group 60 years. The prevalence rate was 20. 44% in males and 20. 32% in females,the difference had no statistical significance( χ2= 0. 018,P 0. 05). In age group 40 years,the prevalence rate in males was higher than in females,and in the age group 50 years,the prevalence in females was higher than in males. Conclusion Metabolic syndrome has become a major health problem among the residents in Fangshan. It is very important to carry out community based comprehensive prevention and treatment of metabolic syndrome.
Optical and microstructural characterization of multilayer Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 thin films correlating ellipsometry and nanoscopy

Optical and microstructural characteristics of sol–gel-deposited multilayer Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 thin films were investigated employing several analytical techniques both invasive and non-destructive types. Optical responses probed by variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry (VASE) were used to derive the optical properties and geometrical parameters of the multilayer thin films. STEM and TEM studies were performed to verify the nano-structural specifics and to correlate the results obtained using VASE. Crystallographic orientation and epitaxial interrelations of the layers were also investigated using selected area diffraction patterns with compositional profiles derived from energy dispersive X-ray analysis. Ferroelectric domain switching of the sol–gel-deposited films were studied by Piezoelectric Force Microscopy (PFM) revealing both the polarization–electric field hysteresis (P-E loop) relation and the butterfly-shaped surface displacement amplitude responses. The advantages and limitations of the non-invasive VASE characterization technique in terms of resolving a multilayer structure of thin films were explored in detail.
How does biology affect local therapy decisions

Breast cancer represents a biologically diverse set of diseases. Previous data suggest that the estrogen/progesterone receptor (ER/PR) status and HER2/neu status are important determinants of prognosis and response to various systemic treatments. Recent data also suggest that these receptors correlate with outcomes of local-regional therapies. Specifically, patients with ER-positive HER2/neu-negative disease have an excellent outcome with radiation treatments, either given as a component of breast-conservative therapy (BCT) or for those with more advanced disease, when given after mastectomy. For patients with triple-negative disease, data suggest that the proportional benefits offered from radiation in reducing local-regional recurrences may be less. This article will highlight some of these data and discuss strategies for new local-regional research avenues that are based on breast cancer biologic subtype.
Individual Difference Moderators of Country-of-Origin Effect on Product Evaluations

This study tested the moderating effects of (1) consumers familiarity with the product class (sub-compact automobiles) and (2) sex upon the relationship between country-of-origin and product quality perceptions and preference. Moderated regression analysis results indicate that while familiarity does not moderate the quality perceptions of automobiles from different countries, it does have an effect upon product preference. Regarding the moderating effect of the sex of the respondents; males and females perceive quality differences between the automobiles but the impact of the country-of-origin is not contingent upon the sex of the respondent in the determination of product preference.
Alterations in cultured rat pulmonary artery endothelial cells with hyperoxia; effect of age.

The integrity of the vascular endothelial cell layer is vital in separating the intravascular system from the parenchyma and thus in preserving whole-organ structure and function. As endothelial cells interface directly with the blood, they are exposed to relatively high concentrations of oxygen and its associated toxic metabolites. In order to adapt to this hyperoxic stress, the endothelial cells have evolved various antioxidant defense systems, including the enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT).1
A Preliminary Report on the Dialects of Mintung

(1977). A Preliminary Report on the Dialects of Mintung. Monumenta Serica: Vol. 33, No. 1, pp. 326-348.
UNIQUENESS AND EXISTENCE OF SOLUTIONS OF BOUNDARY VALUE PROBLEMS FOR ORDINARY DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the uniqueness and existence of solutions of boundary value problems for ordinary differential equations. An important and very well-known property of linear ordinary differential equations is that the uniqueness of a solution of a boundary value problem implies the existence of a solution of the problem.
Purple States in the 2016 Presidential Election

According to the U.S. Constitution, the outcomes of American presidential elections are determined by the Electoral College, within which each state is awarded its electoral voters on the basis of ...
Modeling of the effect of substrate temperature on Na diffusion through molybdenum films

In this study, Mo thin films were deposited on soda lime glass substrates at various temperatures using direct-current magnetron sputtering to observe the influence of substrate temperature (Tss) on Na diffusion. Tss was varied from room temperature to 200 °C. Structural analyses of the as deposited films were performed using scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and reflection measurements, while secondary ion mass spectroscopy measurements were carried out to obtain Na depth profile. Both theoretical and numerical models were used for simulating and understanding grain boundary diffusion mechanism for Na through Mo films as a function of substrate temperature.
Mode-evolution-based coupler for high saturation power Ge-on-Si photodetectors.

We propose a mode-evolution-based coupler for high saturation power germanium-on-silicon photodetectors. This coupler uniformly illuminates the intrinsic germanium region of the detector, decreasing saturation effects, such as carrier screening, observed at high input powers. We demonstrate 70% more photocurrent generation (9.1–15.5 mA) and more than 40 times higher opto-electrical bandwidth (0.7–31 GHz) than conventional butt-coupled detectors under high-power illumination. The high-power and high-speed performance of the device, combined with the compactness of the coupling method, will enable new applications for integrated silicon photonics systems.
In Reply: Caring for international patients.

Readers comment on caring for international patients (November 2016) and on acid-base disorders (January 2017).
Kinetics of thorium and particle cycling along the U.S. GEOTRACES North Atlantic Transect

Abstract The high particle reactivity of thorium has resulted in its widespread use in tracing processes impacting marine particles and their chemical constituents. The use of thorium isotopes as tracers of particle dynamics, however, largely relies on our understanding of how the element scavenges onto particles. Here, we estimate apparent rate constants of Th adsorption (k1), Th desorption (k−1), bulk particle degradation (β-1), and bulk particle sinking speed (w) along the water column at 11 open-ocean stations occupied during the GEOTRACES North Atlantic Section (GA03). First, we provide evidence that the budgets of Th isotopes and particles at these stations appear to be generally dominated by radioactive production and decay sorption reactions, particle degradation, and particle sinking. Rate parameters are then estimated by fitting a Th and particle cycling model to data of dissolved and particulate 228,230,234Th, 228Ra, particle concentrations, and 234,238U estimates based on salinity, using a nonlinear programming technique. We find that the adsorption rate constant (k1) generally decreases with depth across the section: broadly, the time scale 1 / k 1 averages 1.0 yr in the upper 1000 m and (1.4–1.5) yr below. A positive relationship between k1 and particle concentration (P) is found, i.e., k 1 ∝ P b , where b ≥ 1 , consistent with the notion that k1 increases with the number of surface sites available for adsorption. The rate constant ratio, K = k 1 / ( k − 1 + β − 1 ) , which measures the collective influence of rate parameters on Th scavenging, averages 0.2 for most stations and most depths. We clarify the conditions under which K / P is equivalent to the distribution coefficient, KD, test that the conditions are met at the stations, and find that K / P decreases with P, in line with a particle concentration effect ( dK D / dP 0 ). In contrast to the influence of colloids as envisioned by the Brownian pumping hypothesis, we provide evidence that the particle concentration effect arises from the joint effect of P on the rate constants for thorium attachment to, and detachment from, particles.
Functions and Applications of Geosynthetics In Roadways

Abstract Geosynthetics have been successfully used to fulfill a number of functions that contribute significantly to the good performance of roadways. They include the functions of separation, filtration, reinforcement, stiffening, drainage, barrier, and protection. One or more of these multiple functions have been used in at least six important roadway applications. The applications include the migration of reflective cracking in asphalt overlays, separation, stabilization of road bases, stabilization of road soft subgrades, and lateral drainage. This paper illustrates the mechanisms as well as key advances in each one of these multiple applications.
Abstract #5576: Celecoxib results in hypoxia-independent transcriptional activation of VEGF in a process requiring p38-MAP kinase and Sp1

Increasing evidence indicates that cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) plays a critical role in the initiation and maintenance of many cancer types. Given that increased COX-2 expression have been linked to increased angiogenesis and, with malignant gliomas and other tumor types, a worse prognosis, we became interested in assessing the response of glioma cell lines to treatment with celecoxib, a selective COX-2 inhibitor. Interestingly, contrary to its reported anti-angiogenic effects, we found that treatment with celecoxib (15-30 \#956;M) actually induced the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) mRNA and protein in multiple glioma cell lines. The degree of induction was comparable to, if not greater than, that found after exposure of these cells to hypoxia. This phenomenon was not restricted to glioma cell lines with multiple breast, colon, head and neck, and prostate carcinoma lines also showing similar responses at the mRNA level. Through experiments utilizing pharmacological inhibition and siRNA silencing of expression, p38-MAPK and the Sp1 transcription factor were both found to be required for celecoxib-induced VEGF expression. Consistent with the documented role of the Sp1 transcription factor in this effect, increased VEGF expression was found to be due to transcriptional activation and not changes in the stability of VEGF mRNA. We speculate that treatment with celecoxib may, in some instances, enhance tumor cell expression of VEGF and, consequently, may have detrimental effects on the response of tumors to this drug. This response gives further rationale for potentially combining celecoxib with an anti-VEGF therapy. Citation Information: In: Proc Am Assoc Cancer Res; 2009 Apr 18-22; Denver, CO. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; 2009. Abstract nr 5576.
Phase 2a clinical trial of mitochondrial protection (Elamipretide) during stent revascularization in patients with atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis

Background—Atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis reduces renal blood flow (RBF) and amplifies stenotic kidney hypoxia. Revascularization with percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasty (PTRA) and ...
Development of a free-solution SERS-based assay for point-of-care oral cancer biomarker detection using DNA-conjugated gold nanoparticles

It is estimated that the number of new cases of oral cancers worldwide is 529,000 and more than 300,000 deaths each year. The five-year survival rate remains about 50%, and the low survival rate is believed to be due to delayed detection. The primary detection method is through a comprehensive clinical examination by a dentist followed by a biopsy of suspicious lesions. Systematic review and meta-analysis have revealed that clinical examination alone may not be sufficient to cause the clinician to perform a biopsy or refer for biopsy for early detection of OSCC. Therefore, a non-invasive, point-of-Care (POC) detection with high sensitivity and specificity for early detection would be urgently needed, and using salivary biomarkers would be an ideal technology for it. S100 calcium binding protein P (S100P) mRNA presenting in saliva is a potential biomarker for detection of oral cancer. Further, surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has been shown to be a promising POC diagnostic technique. In this research, a SERS-based assay using oligonucleotide strains was developed for the sensitive and rapid detection of S100P. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as a SERS substrate were used for the conjugation with one of two unique 24 base pair oligonucleotides, referred to as left and right DNA probes. A Raman reporter molecule, malachite green isothiocyanate (MGITC), was bound to left-probe-conjugated AuNPs. UV-vis spectroscopy was employed to monitor the conjugation of DNA probes to AuNPs. The hybridization of S100P target to DNA-conjugated AuNPs in sandwich-assay format was confirmed by Raman spectroscopy and shown to yield and R2 of 0.917 across the range of 0-200 nM and a limit of detection of 3 nM.
Oxygen and sulfur adsorption on vicinal surfaces of copper and silver: Preferred adsorption sites

We present an extensive density functional theory (DFT) study of adsorption site energetics for oxygen and sulfur adsorbed on two vicinal surfaces of Cu and Ag, with the goal of identifying the most stable adsorption site(s), identifying trends and common themes, and comparing with experimental work in the literature where possible. We also present benchmark calculations for adsorption on the flat (111) and (100) surfaces. The first vicinal surface is the (211), and results are similar for both metals. We find that the step-doubling reconstruction is favored with both adsorbates and is driven by the creation of a special stable fourfold hollow (4fh) site at the reconstructed step. Zig-zag chain structures consisting of X-M-X units (X = chalcogen, M = metal) at the step edge are considered, in which the special 4fh site is partially occupied. The zig-zag configuration is energetically competitive for oxygen but not sulfur. DFT results for oxygen agree with experiment in terms of the stability of the reconstruction, but contradict the original site assignment. The second vicinal surface is the (410), where again results are similar for both metals. For oxygen, DFT predicts that step sites are filled preferentially even at lowest coverage, followed by terrace sites, consistent with the experiment. For sulfur, in contrast, DFT predicts that terrace sites fill first. Oxygen forms O-M-O rows on the top edge of the step, where it occupies incomplete 4fh sites. This resolves an experimental ambiguity in the site assignment. For both the (211) and (410) surfaces, the interaction energy that stabilizes the X-M-X chain or row correlates with the linearity of the X-M-X unit, which may explain key differences between oxygen and sulfur.
“It shall teach all Ladies the right path to rectifie their issue”: Bastardy Law in John Webster’s The Devil’s Law-Case

Anxiety over violation of legitimate issue runs through John Webster’s canon. Alison Findlay’s important 1994 volume Illegitimate Power: Bastards in Renaissance Drama discusses Webster’s The Devil’...
Parallel genesis for large-scale modeling

Simulations of computational models are limited in size and speed by the power and capacity of the computational platform. We have parallelized the GENESIS object-oriented neural simulator [1] for networked workstations, multiprocessors and massively parallel supercomputers. These can provide two orders of magnitude increase in the size of the models that can be effectively simulated. As larger models are partitioned across many processors, interprocessor communication can limit the effective speedup obtainable. This suggests two classes of problems that may benefit most from parallel simulation: parameter searching and network models.
From “Public Archaeologist” to “Public Intellectual”: Seeking Engagement Opportunities Outside Traditional Archaeological Arenas

Cornel West has said that the role of the intellectual is to try to turn easy answers into critical questions and then put those questions to people with power. To whom do public archaeologists address these questions? I am currently involved in an ongoing experiment to use typically nonarchaeological venues to engage with multiple publics about “history matters.” This includes participation in historical societies, commissions, and committees which may have stated aims to discuss, celebrate, and preserve history, but which frequently (sometimes unconsciously) perpetuate and reproduce traditional race/class inequities and power imbalances. My archaeological focus on inner-city African American neighborhoods in Houston, Texas, means that both my research and this larger project take place in settings where insensitive gentrification is impeding grassroots efforts to maintain and reclaim control of historical landscapes and narratives. This article will examine and critique this work, owning mistakes made and (usually small) victories achieved.
Prey Interception: Predictive and Nonpredictive Strategies

Insectivorous bats use echolocation as their sole source of information to detect, locate, approach and capture flying insects. Although the sequence of behaviors they go through is relatively sterotyped (Webster, 1967b; Kick and Simmons, 1984), much remains unknown about how bats accomplish this incredible feat. I am particularly concerned here with what bats do with the positional information they obtain about a target by echolocation: how does a bat choose its flight path so as eventually to intercept the target?
Depression in Women: Epidemiology, Explanations, and Impact on the Family

Depression is a disorder of special importance when one is considering the health of women. A review of the epidemiological literature finds few exceptions to the observation that clinical depression is more common in women than in men.1 Moreover, its incidence may be increasing, and it is no longer confined to the middle-aged, the elderly, or the hospitalized. Today, the typically depressed patient is apt to be a young woman in her reproductive years, often married, living at home, and rearing children. The illness has a serious impact on her capacity to enjoy life.
Additive functions and special sets of integers

An additive function i is one that satisfies f(m.n)=f(m)+f(n) for positive integers m and n with (m,n)=1. A special set of integers S is any subset of the positive integers. We discuss the value distribution of f(n) for m ∈ S. Generalisations and extensions of the Hardy-Ramanujan results on normal order, the Turan-Kubilius inequality, and the Erdos-Kac theorem are obtained. Two kinds of special sets are considered. One class consists of sets S that are obtained as multiplicative semigroups generated by a prescribed collection of prime powers. The second class of sets are those in which the frequency of elements which are multiples of an integer d can be given in a convenient form in terms of d. This is a preliminary report of our recent researches in this area.
Non-parametric polygenic risk prediction using partitioned GWAS summary statistics

In complex trait genetics, the ability to predict phenotype from genotype is the ultimate measure of our understanding of genetic architecture underlying the heritability of a trait. A complete understanding of the genetic basis of a trait should allow for predictive methods with accuracies approaching the trait9s heritability. The highly polygenic nature of quantitative traits and most common phenotypes has motivated the development of statistical strategies focused on combining myriad individually non-significant genetic effects. Now that predictive accuracies are improving, there is a growing interest in practical utility of such methods for predicting risk of common diseases responsive to early therapeutic intervention. However, existing methods require individual level genotypes or depend on accurately specifying the genetic architecture underlying each disease to be predicted. Here, we propose a polygenic risk prediction method that does not require explicitly modeling any underlying genetic architecture. We start with a set of summary statistics in the form of SNP effect sizes from a large GWAS cohort. We then remove the correlation structure across summary statistics arising due to linkage disequilibrium and apply a piecewise linear interpolation on conditional mean effects. In both simulated and real datasets, this new non-parametric shrinkage (NPS) method can reliably correct for linkage disequilibrium in summary statistics of 5 million dense genome-wide markers and consistently improves prediction accuracy. We show that NPS significantly improves the identification of groups at high risk for Breast Cancer, Type 2 Diabetes, Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Coronary Heart Disease, all of which have available early intervention or prevention treatments. The NPS software is available at http://github.com/sgchun/nps/.
Fast radio burst source properties from polarization measurements

Recent polarization measurements of fast radio bursts (FRBs) provide new insights on these enigmatic sources. We show that the nearly 100 per cent linear polarization and small variation of the polarization position angles (PAs) of multiple bursts from the same source suggest that the radiation is produced near the surface of a strongly magnetized neutron star. As the emitted radiation travels through the magnetosphere, the electric vector of the X-mode wave adiabatically rotates and stays perpendicular to the local magnetic field direction. The PA freezes at a radius where the plasma density becomes too small to be able to turn the electric vector. At the freeze-out radius, the electric field is perpendicular to the magnetic dipole moment of the neutron star projected in the plane of the sky, independent of the radiation mechanism or the orientation of the magnetic field in the emission region. We discuss a number of predictions of the model. The variation of PAs from repeating FRBs should follow the rotational period of the underlying neutron star (but the burst occurrence may not be periodic). Measuring this period will provide crucial support for the neutron star nature of the progenitors of FRBs. For FRB 121102, the small range of PA variation means that the magnetic inclination angle is less than about 20° and that the observer’s line of sight is outside the magnetic inclination cone. Other repeating FRBs may have a different range of PA variation from that of FRB 121102, depending on the magnetic inclination and the observer’s viewing angle.
Improvement Science as a Promising Alternative to Barriers in Improving STEM Teacher Quality through Professional Development.

STEM teaching occurs within national and state policy contexts that are constantly shifting in terms of standards and accountability due to the current and intense focus on students’ STEM outcomes....
Self-control Strategies: Interpreting and Enhancing Augmented Cognition from a Self-regulatory Perspective

Recent work on augmented cognition has begun to highlight the importance of self-regulatory processes. In an effort to expand further in this direction, this paper outlines the nature and potential implications of an emerging view of self-regulation focusing on five major self-control strategies. In particular, we discuss how this self-control strategies perspective may help inform our understanding of current augmented cognition approaches, suggest new directions for the development of mitigation strategies, and highlight new research directions. This preliminary discussion integrating self-control strategies and augmented cognition may stimulate additional work that could benefit both research areas.
Detection of Damaged Infrastructure on Disaster Sites using Mobile Robots

Mobile robots play an important role in search and rescue operations in post-disaster scenarios such as earthquakes and hurricanes due to the hazardous nature of these sites. Mobile robots can use Lidar devices to scan affected infrastructure and identify the hazard level of different buildings on the disaster site. This research proposes a method for mobile robots to efficiently scan a disaster site and detect damaged regions based on the acquired 3D point clouds. Disaster scenarios such as earthquakes and explosions are first simulated on a CAD model of a nuclear power plant using rigid body physics. 3D point clouds are obtained from the simulated sites using ray-tracing from a virtual mobile robot. Finally, the damage extent is estimated by comparing the acquired point cloud to the original 3D model. Validation results showed that the method achieved 43%-100% precision and 40%-82% recall rate averaged over four scenarios. The proposed research has potential to improve the safety and efficiency of search and rescue operations on disaster sites.
Increasing omission of radiation therapy and sentinel node biopsy in elderly patients with early stage, hormone‐positive breast cancer

Prospective evidence demonstrates that there is limited benefit of axillary staging with sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) or radiation therapy (RT) in patients over age 70 with clinical stage I, hormone-positive breast cancer. The clinical impact of this literature is unknown. Our hypothesis is that omission of SLNB and RT has increased over time in these patients, and patient and tumor characteristics can predict when omission strategies are used. A single-center tumor registry was queried for all patients over age 70 with ER+, Her2/neu-negative, clinical T1N0 invasive breast cancer from 2009 to 2017, who underwent breast conservation (n = 141). Date of treatment, age, tumor characteristics, use of SLNB, and use of RT were evaluated. The trend of treatment strategy over time was evaluated. Multivariable analysis was performed on the subgroup of patients after publication of the long-term follow-up CALGB 9343 data1 . Patients undergoing treatment with omission of RT and SLNB increased over the study period (P = .0006). Patients who did not receive RT were older (78.76 years ± 5.48 vs 73.37 ± 3.63, P < .01). There was no difference between tumor grade and size between uses of RT. Of patients who received SLNB (n = 84), only 3 (3.5%) had a positive LN. On multivariable analysis of patients who were treated after publication of the CALGB 9343 data (2014-2017), only age was predictive of being treated with RT (OR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.67-0.88). Omission of both RT and SLNB are increasing in clinical practice in appropriately selected patients. The likelihood that patients are offered omission of these interventions increases with age. Low nodal positivity rates suggest that this strategy may be underutilized. Tumor grade and size were not predictive of omission of RT in this group of low-risk patients. Long-term data are needed as these approaches are increasingly adopted.
A Low Cost Through-Wall Radar for Vital Signs Monitoring

For civil and military surveillance applications, a remote through-wall radar offers more practical solution compared to the conventional wired methods. For example, it helps emergency and military personnel to quickly detect tiny movements of limbs, breathing, or heartrate in a complex environment such as a collapsed building. This paper describes a low cost through-wall radar for monitoring vital signs. Three test cases along with their results are presented. Testing highlights the challenges of isolating human movement through various materials along with effectiveness of the proposed system in identifying human movements.
Preoperative cefazolin rather than clindamycin or metronidazole is associated with lower postpartum infection among women with chorioamnionitis delivering by cesarean delivery.

Abstract Background The optimal antibiotic regimen to prevent maternal postpartum infection among high-risk women treated for chorioamnionitis delivering by cesarean remains to be defined. Emerging data suggest cefazolin decreases the risk of cesarean surgical site infection. Objective To investigate whether intrapartum antibiotic therapy with cefazolin versus the current standard clindamycin or metronidazole decreases the risk of postpartum infectious morbidity among women delivering by cesarean receiving a base regimen of ampicillin or penicillin with gentamicin for chorioamnionitis. Methods A secondary analysis from the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network (MFMU) Cesarean Registry. We included women who delivered by cesarean with presumptive chorioamnionitis (intrapartum fever >100.4°F and receipt of intrapartum antibiotics). All women received a base regimen of penicillin or ampicillin with gentamicin. We compared antibiotic therapy with cefazolin versus clindamycin or metronidazole. The primary outcome was a composite of postpartum maternal infection, including endometritis and surgical site infection. Multivariable logistic regression was used, adjusting for age, parity, race, insurance, body mass index at delivery, tobacco use, pregestational diabetes, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification, trial of labor prior to cesarean, and postpartum antibiotics. Results Among 1,105 women with presumptive chorioamnionitis who delivered by cesarean, 22.0% (n=244) received cefazolin versus 77.9% (n=861) clindamycin or metronidazole. Most women were in labor prior to cesarean (93.8%) and received postpartum antibiotics (88.4%). Almost a tenth (9.5%) were diagnosed with a postpartum infection, most commonly endometritis (80.9%) followed by surgical site infection (20.9%) (not mutually exclusive). Women treated with cefazolin rather than clindamycin or metronidazole had lower odds of postpartum infectious morbidity (adjusted odds ratio, AOR: 0.49, 95% CI: 0.26 to 0.90). This association held when the outcome was restricted to surgical site infection (AOR: 0.11; 95% CI: 0.01 to 0.92), but not endometritis. Similar results were observed with propensity score analysis. Conclusions Among women delivering by cesarean treated for chorioamnionitis, additional antibiotic therapy with cefazolin decreased the risk of postpartum infection, primarily surgical site infection, compared to the current standard clindamycin or metronidazole.
Characterization of 350 Hz Thermoacoustic Driven Orifice Pulse Tube Refrigerator with Measurements of the Phase of the Mass Flow and Pressure

The world’s first 350 Hz thermoacoustic driven orifice pulse tube refrigerator (TADOPTR) has been designed and built by Tektronix, Inc., in cooperation with Los Alamos National Laboratories (LANL) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). This highly instrumented system includes hot wire anemometers and pressure sensors for measuring the phase of the mass flow and pressure at all key locations in the TADOPTR, permitting for the first time detailed comparison to analytical models developed by LANL and NIST. Characterization results for velocity and pressure phase, pressure amplitude, and enthalpy flow show good agreement with the simulations. We have also demonstrated a new design method that uses the inertance of the pulse tube at 350 Hz to achieve the desired phase between the mass flow and pressure, rather than the usual double inlet design. We have designed and characterized single stage and two stage 350 Hz TADOPTRs.
Functional impact of HIV-1 Tat on cells of the CNS and its role in HAND

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) transactivator of transcription (Tat) is a potent mediator involved in the development of HIV-1-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). Tat is expressed even in the presence of antiretroviral therapy (ART) and is able to enter the central nervous system (CNS) through a variety of ways, where Tat can interact with microglia, astrocytes, brain microvascular endothelial cells, and neurons. The presence of low concentrations of extracellular Tat alone has been shown to lead to dysregulated gene expression, chronic cell activation, inflammation, neurotoxicity, and structural damage in the brain. The reported effects of Tat are dependent in part on the specific HIV-1 subtype and amino acid length of Tat used. HIV-1 subtype B Tat is the most common subtype in North American and therefore, most studies have been focused on subtype B Tat; however, studies have shown many genetic, biologic, and pathologic differences between HIV subtype B and subtype C Tat. This review will focus primarily on subtype B Tat where the full-length protein is 101 amino acids, but will also consider variants of Tat, such as Tat 72 and Tat 86, that have been reported to exhibit a number of distinctive activities with respect to mediating CNS damage and neurotoxicity.
“I Feel Like Less of a Mom”: Experiences of Weight Stigma by Association among Mothers of Children with Overweight and Obesity

Background: Parents of children with higher weight are blamed and shamed for their children's weight. However, parents' experiences of this form of stigma, termed weight stigma by association, are ...
Optimal Policies for E-Commerce Sites with Hybrid Revenue Streams: Differentiated Quality Approach

In last few years, several e-commerce organizations have adopted the strategy of providing two web sites that differ in quality, subscription fee and level of advertisements. Most of these organizations charge a subscription fee for better quality web site and provide free service at the low quality web site. We develop an optimal control theory based model to study the pricing and advertising strategy of such e-commerce organizations dynamically. Since the pricing and advertising strategy of one site affects the decision of other site, we optimize the decisions of both the sites simultaneously. Moreover, since the decision at one time period affects the decisions of subsequent time periods, the proposed dynamic model provides a global optimal solution. We consider consumers' sensitivity to quality, price and advertisement for finding the optimal price and advertisement levels over time for both the web sites. In order to present important managerial implications, we conduct several sensitivity analyses and provide different analytical and graphical results.