cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Expedited partner therapy for sexually transmitted diseases--are we there yet?

Repeat STIs cause a significant amount of reproductive morbidity and an important percentage of repeat infections are caused by re-infection from untreated sex partners.1 Expedited partner therapy (EPT), or the provision of medicine to a sex partner of a persons infected with an STI without the requirement of a clinical exam, was conceived to accelerate and facilitate partner treatment, thus reducing the chance of re-infection to the index person. EPT was endorsed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2006 as a useful option for partner management for selected STDs among heterosexuals. To date, at least 26 RCTs have been conducted to evaluate EPT. A recent meta-analysis of these RCTs found that EPT reduced repeat infections by 20–29% depending on the STD and the demographics of the index person and resulted in more partners being treated when compared to standard partner referral by the index patient.2 So there is good evidence that, in randomized trials, EPT is efficacious for reducing repeat STIs. In this edition of Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Vaidya et al. evaluated acceptance of patient-delivered partner therapy (PDPT), a form of EPT, in New York City STD clinics.3 Their findings were highly encouraging, in that, under the best circumstances (i.e. when legal, with funding, when offered by the provider) half of eligible index patients accept PDPT to bring to their sex partners. And for the majority of those who don’t accept, their reason for not accepting was that either their partner had already been treated or the partner was no longer accessible to the index person. So in essence, most partners who could or should get EPT, likely got it. This adds to the growing literature indicating that index patients will accept EPT if offered.4–6 The situation in NYC is a great model for how EPT could work. Unfortunately, in many parts of the U.S., EPT is still not widely used because of barriers that are further upstream in the EPT cascade such as legality, funding, policy and provider reticence. The cascade depicted in Figure 1 shows the steps that are needed for the partner to actually get treated via EPT. These steps are discussed below. Figure 1 EPT cascade
High-Resolution Coherent Three-Dimensional Spectroscopy of Br2

In the past, high-resolution spectroscopy has been limited to small, simple molecules that yield relatively uncongested spectra. Larger and more complex molecules have a higher density of peaks and are susceptible to complications (e.g., effects from conical intersections) that can obscure the patterns needed to resolve and assign peaks. Recently, high-resolution coherent two-dimensional (2D) spectroscopy has been used to resolve and sort peaks into easily identifiable patterns for molecules where pattern-recognition has been difficult. For very highly congested spectra, however, the ability to resolve peaks using coherent 2D spectroscopy is limited by the bandwidth of instrumentation. In this article, we introduce and investigate high-resolution coherent three-dimensional spectroscopy (HRC3D) as a method for dealing with heavily congested systems. The resulting patterns are unlike those in high-resolution coherent 2D spectra. Analysis of HRC3D spectra could provide a means for exploring the spectroscopy of large and complex molecules that have previously been considered too difficult to study.
Comparative analysis between Euro Union anti-dumping regulation and WTO rules

Euro Union is one of the most frequently using anti-dumping economy bodies,and its anti-dumping regulations has their own traits individually.China has always been the largest victim of the foreign anti-dumping,and among them,Euro Union's anti-dumping holds the absolute balance.Hence,for better dealing with the foreign anti-dumping,the deep understanding of the regulation contents of Euro Union's anti-dumping must be put forward.This thesis analyzes the characteristics of anti-dumpling regulations of Euro Union,and compares them with the WTO rules.This makes actual sense to the numerous domestic enterprises which actively cope with the lawsuit when encountering the anti-dumping from Euro Union.
Meta-analysis of high frequency oscillatory ventilation and conventional mechanical ventilation in the treatment of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome

AIM:To investigate the effect and safety of high frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) and conventional mechanical ventilation (CMV) in neonates with the respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). METHODS:Meta analysis was used to evaluate the data extracted from 12 published papers. Combined Odds ratio (OR) and its 95% confidence interval were calculated. RESULTS:Compared to CMV,HFOV was found to improve pulmonary function (P0.05) and reduce the incidence of chronic lung disease (CLD)(P0.01). However,the use of HFOV resulted in an increase in intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) (P0.05) in infants with RDS. There was no difference in the incidence of air leak induced by HFOV and CMV. CONCLUSION:HFOV is more benefical than CMV in its therapeutic effect on neonatal RDS and in its ability to reduce the incidence of CLD. This benefit may be offset by the increase in the occurrence of ICH when using this modality.
Developing and evaluating a kindergarten to third grade CBM mathematics assessment

The present study examined the technical adequacy of curriculum-based measurement (CBM) measure of early numeracy for kindergarten through third grade students. Our CBM measures were developed to reflect broad and theoretically derived categories of mathematical thinking: quick retrieval, written computation, and number sense. The mastery of these three categories comprises the larger construct of numeracy proficiency for the early elementary grades. Approximately 300 students in each grade (Kindergarten to Grade 3) were administered a standardized measure, WJ-III, and the following timed measures: kindergarten—counting, missing number, number identification, quantity discrimination; Grade 1—counting, missing number, next number, number facts, number identification, quantity discrimination; Grades 2 and 3—computation, concepts, missing number, number facts, quantity discrimination. Alpha and test–retest reliabilities were assessed, and construct validity and criterion validity were examined for the CBM measures developed in the study. Overall, the results indicated that the measures were reliable and showed evidence to support both construct and concurrent validity. Methods to improve the measures are discussed.
Gossamer: a lightweight programming framework for multicore machines

The key to performance improvements in the multicore era is for software to utilize the available concurrency. A recent paper [3] summarizes the challenges and describes twelve so-called dwarfs—types of computing and communication patterns that occur in parallel programs. One of the key points in the paper is that a general programming model has to be able to accommodate all of the patterns defined by the dwarfs, singly or in combination. The challenge is to do so both simply and efficiently. Parallel programming can be supported by providing a threads library [14, 15, 2]; by modifying compilers to extract parallelism or use optimistic code execution techniques [4, 6, 5]; by using concurrency features of existing languages such as Java or C#; by designing new programming languages such as Erlang [16], Fortress [24], X10 [22], and ZPL [7]; or by annotating sequential programs with directives that specify concurrency and synchronization, as in Cilk [11], Cilk++ [8], OpenMP [20], and others [25, 19, 1, 12, 17, 21]. All of these approaches are valuable and are producing useful results, but the last approach—annotating programs—has, in our opinion, the most potential to be simultaneously simple, general, and efficient. In particular, annotations are easier to use than libraries because they hide lots of bookkeeping details, and they are simpler to learn than an entire new programming language. Annotation-based approaches also have efficient implementations. However, no existing approach is general enough to support all the computational patterns (dwarfs) defined in [3]. This paper describes Gossamer, an annotation-based approach that is general as well as simple and efficient. Gossamer has three components: (1) a set of high-level annotations that one adds to a sequential program (C in our case) in order to specify concurrency and synchro-
CHAPTER 5 – Coxa Vara in Developmental and Acquired Abnormalities of the Femur: Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis, Proximal Femoral Focal Deficiency, Infantile Coxa Vara, Coxa Vara with Conyenital Short Femur, Coxa Vara with Skeletal Dysplasias

Coxa vara is not a disease; it is a descriptive term that refers to the deformed position of the head and neck of the femur in relation to the long axis of the shaft. In a strict structural sense, coxa vara refers to deformity of the proximal femur in which the head-neck axis on an anteroposterior radiograph forms an angle with the long axis of the femoral shaft that is 110 o or less. Careful consideration of the deformity leads to differentiation of coxa vara into four broad categories: (1) acquired coxa vara, (2) congenital coxa vara with a spectrum of femoral abnormalities, (3) infantile coxa vara, and (4) coxa vara associated with generalized skeletal dysplasiass. This chapter provides an overview of the four broad categories of coxa vara consistent with current concepts. Infantile coxa vara is a condition in which deformity is isolated to the proximal femur without abnormalities of the middle or distal femur or the rest of the skeleton. In addition, Coxa vara can occur in association with many of the generalized skeletal dysplasias like spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita and cleidocranial dysostosis .
Speech Rate and Pause in Conversational Interviews

Having established methods for the analysis of speech rate and silent pause duration, discussed the statistical techniques, and somewhat problematized the use of reading passage speech for determining social variation in speech timing, we turn now to examine a large dataset of recorded talk from conversational, sociolinguistic interviews in order to establish a quantitative picture of speech rate and pause patterns in spontaneous speech. The study presented in this chapter reflects the main analysis of speech rate and pause in this book. The following two chapters will attempt to expand on the insights gained here, with Chapter 8 changing focus from pause and speech rate as the dependent variables of analysis, the objects of inquiry, to tools for the investigation of other variable linguistic phenomena.
Somalia and Failed Transitional Federal Government: Is an Islamic Government a Solution to Piracy Problems in the Gulf of Aden?

Somalia is widely regarded as the epitome of a failed state. Even though the Transitional Federal Government (TFG), a contraption of Somalia’s neighbours and other international actors, has been the main entry for Western engagement with the Somali people, the TFG remains an incapable actor in relation to the destitution encountered by Somalis on a daily basis. State failure in Somalia may, to an important extent, be attributed to the fluctuant forces of (political) power the country has witnessed since pre-colonial times. The egalitarian anarchy, used to describe the clan-based social arrangements, which to a certain extent has transcended into the modern era, can explain the highly complex, factionalised and violent milieu of contemporary Somalia. However, the overwhelming majority of Muslims in Somalia and the continuing disagreements between the TFG and al-Shabaab – the main internal opposing faction to the TFG – have predominantly concentrated on the different role and function Islam ought to play in any new political arrangement. Somalia’s dismal state of affairs spans several decades, but the recent surge in pirate attacks in the Gulf of Aden has contributed to the renewed attention to the region. Although the lack of political authority should not be regarded as the sole cause for the endemic phenomenon of piracy, history suggests that a strong authority can be successful in containing the problems caused to the shipping industry and, consequently, the global economic trade. This thesis will advance the idea that the Union of Islamic Courts in 2006 ensured level of economic revival, widespread rule of law, and, consequently, a sharp decline in pirate attacks.
Recapturing the learning opportunities of university sustainability indicators

Reconfiguring student involvement in university sustainability assessments and reporting can create important learning opportunities. In the 1990s, students conducted campus environmental audits and assessments, which were often the first step towards improving university environmental practices and creating sustainability programs. These audits, often conducted as class projects, capstone projects, or theses, gave students agency in a significant environmental issue, and they provided integrative, compelling, and collaborative environmental learning experiences. Today, university sustainability ratings and rankings are largely developed by organizations outside universities, with data provided by university sustainability staff and administrators. Hundreds of colleges and universities participate in the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS) administered by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), posting information in 70 categories in public reports. Environmental Studies and Sciences (ESS) faculty and students can participate in the process of assessing university sustainability by producing their own sustainability indicator reports from the STARS data. A literature of sustainability indicators, particularly the work of Donella Meadows, describes indicators from a systems thinking perspective and explores how the selection of indicators can change system behavior by providing missing feedback or influencing a system’s goals. It describes an inclusive process for developing indicators to ensure they will be meaningful to the larger community. Students can use these theories and processes to critically evaluate sustainability data, to develop their own sense of the components of a sustainable institution or society, and to advance understanding of sustainability within their university community. Creating and communicating sustainability indicator reports for their particular university can provide an ongoing topic for ESS capstone courses.
3.14 – Vasopressin: Roles in Modulating Social Behaviors

Arginine vasopressin (Avp) is a peptide neurohormone involved in a variety of physiological and behavioral actions. Avp acts in the central nervous system through the Avpr1a and Avpr1b types, to modulate myriad cognitive functions, including the complex realm of socially oriented behaviors. In this chapter we review the necessary, sufficient, and contributing roles for Avp signaling, in regulating social behaviors. We focus on work performed primarily in rodent models investigating sociability, social memory, parental care, aggression, and pair bonding. We conclude Avp signaling contributes to behavioral modulation in species-, sex-, and environment-specific ways.
Abstract 205: Aging and Exercise Training Alter Coronary Microvascular Function: Role of the Adiponectin/AMPKinase Axis

Our lab has demonstrated age-related coronary microvascular dysfunction can be reversed by aerobic exercise training; however, the mechanisms that underlie age- and exercise training-induced adaptations of the coronary microvasculature remain to be identified. The adipokine, adiponectin, possesses cardioprotective properties, including anti-atherosclerotic and anti-inflammatory effects in the vascular wall, and is known to inhibit vascular smooth muscle (VSM) proliferation in large arteries. Circulating adiponectin declines with age and increases with regular exercise training. Therefore, we hypothesized that alterations in signaling through the adiponectin/AMPKinase axis contribute to age- and exercise training-induced adaptations of the coronary microvasculature, particularly in VSM. Young (4 mos) and old (22 mos) male Fischer 344 rats were randomly assigned to either a sedentary or an exercise training group. Circulating adiponectin levels were measured by ELISA. Coronary arterioles from the left ventricular (LV) free wall were isolated for assessment of contractile function and VSM proliferation, and levels of contractile and proliferative proteins. Circulating adiponectin levels decreased with age and increased after 10 wks of exercise training in both young and old rats. Age impaired contractile responses of coronary arterioles, and increased proliferation of arteriolar VSM. Age reduced levels of AMPKinase and contractile proteins, smooth muscle myosin 1 (SM1) and smooth muscle myosin 2 (SM2), and increased total levels and phosphorylation of ribosomal protein S6 (rpS6), a downstream effector of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). Exercise training reversed age-induced contractile dysfunction and attenuated VSM proliferation in coronary arterioles. Exercise training restored contractile function and reduced proliferation in coronary arterioles from old rats. Exercise training also returned AMPKinase, SM1, rpS6 and phosphorylated rpS6 levels in arterioles of old rats to those found in arterioles of young rats. These data indicate that changes in adiponectin/AMPKinase axis contribute to age- and exercise training-induced alterations of coronary microvascular phenotype and function.
With a Little Help from Their (Mostly White) Friends

I was 3 months short of 16 when Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band was released in the United States. It was the summer of 1967 and it seemed that this record was playing everywhere I went. My friends and I would join in with the playfully creative mood of the Sgt. Pepper genre and play air drums and guitar to the opening track or try to imitate the syncopated rhythms of the Indian drummers on Within You Without You.
Adding Flesh to Bones: Using Zooarchaeology Research to Answer the Big-Picture Questions

Faunal analysis can give clues to the quality of life for the elite and the general population. Many studies have discussed how a general Maya diet was affected by population pressure, but few have looked directly at the archaeological dietary remains. This paper looks at the adaptive responses to the increasing requirements for animal resources at Caracol, Belize, such as importation of animal products, specialization of animal use strategies, and animal management.
Fracture of a saddle fusion (weld) joint in high density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe

Abstract This article documents the materials evaluation of a fractured saddle fusion weld joint on high density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe. The fusion joint failed due to inadequate surface preparation or inadvertent contamination of pipe surfaces prior to fusion that led to a joint with incomplete fusion. Failure of a defective fusion joint at the service tee allowed natural gas to leak from the gas main and, in turn, the gas migrated into a building where it ignited. Optical, stereo microscope, and scanning electron microscope (SEM) were used to evaluate the fracture faces. Exemplar fusion joints were manufactured and subjected to drop weight testing. The fracture features from fusion joints subjected to drop weight testing provided invaluable guidance for determining the origin of the fracture and direction of fracture propagation. Fracture features from the fusion joint in HDPE pipe are displayed that are not readily available from open source reports.
Measles lessons in an anti-vaccination era: public health is a social duty, not a political option

Measles virus, member of the genus Morbillivirus in the family Paramyxoviridae, is a highly contagious human pathogen. An effective live-attenuated vaccine is available and its use has the potential to eradicate the disease from the human population. Although the vaccine was introduced in national vaccination schedules, several measles outbreaks have occurred because of insufficient vaccination coverage. Since early January 2017, a new outbreak of measles in Italy has been observed. We analyzed all the patients admitted to the Emergency Department of Bambino Gesu Children Hospital of Rome from the 1st of January 2017 to the end of May 2017 and discharged with diagnosis of suspected or confirmed measles or admitted to the Pediatric and Infectious Disease Unit. For each confirmed case, demographic data, vaccination history, exposure to source case, clinical presentation, date of onset of symptoms, hospitalization, laboratory test results, complications and therapy were collected. From the 1st of January 2017 to the 31st of May 2017, we enrolled 139 patients who were conducted to the Emergency Department of Bambino Gesu Children’s Hospital because of measles: 33 patients were discharged with the diagnosis of suspected measles by clinical manifestations; 33 discharged with the diagnosis of confirmed measles by laboratory tests and 73 were admitted to the Pediatric and Infectious Disease Unit. Seven patients, who were exposed to mothers with measles, were admitted to receive treatment with Measles Immune Globulin intravenously. Among the 66 patients admitted to the hospital with measles, 31 cases (47%) occurred in unvaccinated individuals who were age-eligible for measles vaccination; 29 (44%) were infants too young to be vaccinated; only five patients (8%) received one dose of measles-containing vaccine. Out of the 66 patients, 35 (53%) developed complications. Acute respiratory failure was the most reported complications (20%). Death, due to multiorgan failure by measles, occurred in one 9-girl-year-age patient with genetic disorders who was unvaccinated. Measles still represents a serious public health problem worldwide. Vaccination against measles is safe, effective, and cost-effective. High vaccination coverage (>95%) with two doses of measles vaccine is crucial to elimination. Health care professionals play an important role in vaccination uptake and prevention of measles spread during an outbreak.
Constituting Challenges in Differing Arenas of Power: Worker Centers, the Fight for $15, and Union Organizing

Too often, the comparing and contrasting of traditional and alt-labor are done as if they were different points on a single dimension. This false equivalency has sometimes led to odd, fanciful, and...
Estimation of arginase activity in homogenates.

The present procedures were developed prior to a study of the changes in arginase activity in epidermal carcinogenesis because none of the existing methods was found to meet the minimal requirements for a good assay (1). Recent advances in the determination of arginase activity of purified liver extracts (2) and in the knowledge of metallic activation of arginase (3) have served as the basis for the modifications described herein.
On the Tolerance Stability Conjecture

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the tolerance stability conjecture. It considers the tolerance stability conjecture of E. C. Zeeman in the topological formulation suggested by Takens.
Fighting for Hope: African American Troops of the 93rd Infantry Division in World War II and Postwar America

Review of: "Fighting for Hope: African American Troops of the 93rd Infantry Division in World War II & Postwar America," by Robert F. Jefferson.
Age-dependent visualization of neural progenitor cells within the rostral migratory stream via MRI and endogenously labeled micron-sized iron oxide particles

The subventricular zone (SVZ) is one of the primary sources for rodent neural progenitor cells (NPC), however, aging greatly impacts the substructure of the region and rate of new cell birth. To determine if age impacts the rate of in vivo migration within animals, we examined the rostral migratory stream (RMS) of animals across 12 days using an established MRI technique. To visualize NPCs, we injected micron sized particles of iron oxide (MPIO) into the lateral ventricle to endogenously label cells within the SVZ, which then appeared as hypo-intensive spots within MR images. Our in vivo MRI data showed that the rate of migration was significantly different between all ages examined, with decreases in the distance traveled as age progressed. The total number of iron oxide labeled cells within the olfactory bulb on day 12, decrease significantly when compared across ages in ex vivo high-resolution scans. We also, for the first time, demonstrated the endogenous labeling of cells within the dentate gyrus (DG) of hippocampus. Here too, there was a significant decrease in the number of labeled cells within the structure across age. Histology of the NPCs verified the decrease in labeling of cells with doublecortin (DCX) as age progressed for both regions. The dramatic reduction of labeling within the SVZ and DG observed with MRI, demonstrates the importance of understanding the impact of age on the relationship of NPC and disease.
Financial Burden of Employer-Sponsored High-Deductible Health Plans for Low-Income Adults With Chronic Health Conditions.

This cohort study examines the prevalence of high out-of-pocket health care spending across health plans with different deductible levels among adults in low-income families who have chronic conditions.
Islam as a Heresy: Christendom's Ideological View of Islam

The heresies discussed in the book by Jeffrey Burton Russell, Dissent and Order in the Middle Ages cover a variety of types. When heresies appeared across Europe, they were swiftly and often harshly dealt with. Witness the Cathars and the Albigensian Crusade concluding with the massacre of the Cathars at Montsegur in 1244. However, Islam presents a challenge to the student of Christian heresies, for it does not fit neatly into the same category as the Cathars. 1
Solar system. Pipelines to the planets.

Traces of water vapour have now been detected in the stratospheres of Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. It can't be coming from the deeper atmosphere — water freezes out too effectively at the cold tropopause, the lower boundary of the stratosphere. It is probably delivered continuously to these planets by interstellar dust, or from their ring systems.
Propagation of Osmanthus X fortunei by Softwood Cuttings

Moderate rooting (64%) was achieved with nontreated, softwood cuttings of Fortune's osmanthus (Osmanthus X fortunei Carr.). Treatment of cuttings with 2500 ppm indolebutyric acid (IBA) significantl...
Incorporating Active Learning into Your Educational Repertoire

This chapter examines the problems with instructor-centered education and offers pedagogical alternatives to make learning more engaging, participative, and enduring. The chapter begins with a critique of the traditional lecture method and offers interactive lecture as an alternative strategy. Next, active learning is defined with recommended activities to involve learners. Strategies for improving participation and learning are presented that are grounded in adult learning principles. Finally, strategies for designing active learning are provided to help instructors begin shifting their educational programs to more participative, effective learning sessions.
Is Religious Liberty under Threat? An Introduction to the Symposium:

This introduction surveys the contributions to this issue, which were originally delivered at Oxford University in 2018. By exploring the interconnections and shared motifs, this article suggests t...
Future Trends in Wearable Computing

This chapter concludes the book by presenting a critical view about novel interfaces for wearable technologies, focusing on the miniaturization of devices as well as on-body interfaces that employ multiple modalities. The examples of technology presented include electronic tattoos and implanted devices that are seamlessly connected to the users’ body to facilitate data collection and user interaction.
PROGNOSTIC IMPLICATION OF PAROXYSMAL ATRIAL FIBRILLATION ON PHASE ANALYSIS OF RIGHT ATRIAL FUNCTION IN DEGENERATIVE MITRAL REGURGITATION (DMR)

Left atrial (LA) dilatation is associated with the development of atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with DMR. However, the relationship between AF and right atrial (RA) function is unknown. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of paroxysmal AF (PAF) on RA function in DMR patients
Workforce Diversity in Police Hiring: The Influence of Organizational Characteristics

In recent years, many law enforcement agencies have found themselves in legitimacy crises, where police have difficulty winning the support and trust of the communities that they serve. One strateg...
Stability of nanobubbles in different salts solutions

Abstract The stability of nanobubbles in electrolyte solutions under different ion valence values was studied using deionized water, NaCl, Na2SO4, Na3PO4, CaCl2, and FeCl3. Nanobubbles were generated using hydrodynamic cavitation, and bubbles were tested for size and zeta potential. All the samples were stable for one week with no significant deviation in either bubble size or zeta potential values. The variation of size and zeta potential among six samples can be attributed to the solution properties and was mainly dependent on solution pH and the cation valency. The ion profiles revealed that the cation concentration at the bubble surface was higher than that of bulk, confirming that the bubbles were negatively charged for neutral and high pH values ( ≥ 4 ) under low valency cation adsorption. The high valency cations have the potential to neutralize or completely reverse the bubble charge. Anions or co-ions have minimal effect on the surface potential or the surface charge. The calculated internal pressures of bubble were unrealistically high, suggesting that the surface tension should be lower than that of water for nanobubble solutions. The interaction energy profile shows no significant energy barrier that overcomes the attractive van der Waals forces for all the solutions, except NaCl which had a 1.87 × 10−20 J barrier at a 5 nm separation distance. However, with the recorded stable bubbles, the calculation of the attractive van der Waals forces produced unrealistic values indicating that the Hamaker constant used for the calculation may not be valid at the nanobubble gas-liquid interface. This revealed that nanobubbles should contain exceptional interfacial properties that need to be carefully investigated and evaluated.
Bacterial "Virulence" Traits and Host Demographics Predict Escherichia coli Colonization Behaviors Within Households.

Background Although intestinal colonization precedes most extraintestinal Escherichia coli infections, colonization-promoting factors are incompletely understood. We compared within-household E. coli colonization patterns with host and bacterial traits. Methods Twenty-two veterans with a clinical E. coli isolate and their 46 human and animal household members underwent longitudinal fecal sampling. Distinct E. coli strains were characterized for phylogenetic background, virulence genes, antibiotic resistance, and colonization behaviors. Host and bacterial traits were assessed statistically as predictors of colonization behaviors. Results Among the 139 unique-by-household fecal E. coli strains, univariable predictors of colonization behavior included (i) host demographics, (ii) matching the index clinical isolate, and (iii) bacterial characteristics (2 phylogroups, 5 clonal lineages, 18 virulence genes, and molecular extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli status). Multivariable predictors of colonization behavior included veteran host, spouse host, matching the index clinical isolate, phylogroup F, ST73, hlyD (alpha hemolysin), hlyF (variant hemolysin), H7 fliC (flagellar variant), vat (vacuolating toxin), and iha (adhesin-siderophore). Conclusions Host demographics, multiple bacterial "virulence" traits, and matching the index clinical isolate predicted E. coli fecal colonization behaviors. Thus, certain bacterial characteristics may promote both colonization and pathogenicity. Future interventions directed toward such traits might prevent E. coli infections both directly and by disrupting antecedent colonization.
Witness Box Protocol: Automatic machine identification and authentication in industry 4.0

Abstract The current wave of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is reshaping the manufacturing sector with system interoperability, remote real-time process monitoring and advanced analytics. As digitally enabled manufacturing machines continue to grow exponentially, it becomes imperative to uniquely and securely identify them in the cyber-physical world, particularly in defense, biomedical, energy and aerospace manufacturing. Research about threats originating from internal adversaries’ i.e the machine/organization owner within a tiered digitally connected supply chain is scarce. This paper introduces a machine fingerprinting scheme named as the ‘Witness Box Protocol’ (WBP) that exploits the physical properties of manufacturing machines (legacy or smart) and their surroundings to create a unique biometric like fingerprint. WBP provides both machine registration and authentication on a digital network through a low cost, non-invasive approach. The fingerprint is generated by a Locality Sensitive Hashing (LSH) technique that accommodates small variations in physical signature data and can corroborate data provenance from machines by verifying machine identity through authentication. Additionally, this fingerprint hash simplifies asset management within a large enterprise or distributed network comprising of thousands of machines in a Manufacturing-as-a-Service (MaaS) paradigm. In this research, fingerprints were randomly generated from the statistical features of signals from 3D printers and CNC machine in a production-like lab environment. Using k-means clustering and Jaccard similarity index, these fingerprints are shown to identify the source equipment with 95 % accuracy.
Characterizing Immune Responses in Whole Slide Images of Cancer With Digital Pathology and Pathomics

Our goal is to show how readily available Pathomics tissue analytics can be used to study tumor immune interactions in cancer. We provide a brief overview of how Pathomics complements traditional histopathologic examination of cancer tissue samples. We highlight a novel Pathomics application, Tumor-TILs, that quantitatively measures and generates maps of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes in breast, pancreatic, and lung cancer by leveraging deep learning computer vision applications to perform automated analyses of whole slide images. Tumor-TIL maps have been generated to analyze WSIs from thousands of cases of breast, pancreatic, and lung cancer. We report the availability of these tools in an effort to promote collaborative research and motivate future development of ensemble Pathomics applications to discover novel biomarkers and perform a wide range of correlative clinicopathologic research in cancer immunopathology and beyond. Tumor immune interactions in cancer are a fascinating aspect of cancer pathobiology with particular significance due to the emergence of immunotherapy. We present simple yet powerful specialized Pathomics methods that serve as powerful clinical research tools and potential standalone clinical screening tests to predict clinical outcomes and treatment responses for precision medicine applications in immunotherapy.
Manipulating deformation mechanisms with Y alloying of Mg

Abstract The effect of Y concentration on the slip and twinning mechanisms in binary Mg–Y alloys are investigated using transmission electron microscopy, electron backscattered diffraction, and visco-plastic self-consistent polycrystal constitutive modeling. Four concentrations of Y are studied in hot-rolled and recrystallized sheet material. The materials were deformed in tension and compression in the rolling direction and compression in the normal direction in order to invoke distinct proportions of slip and twin mechanisms with each test. Within the single crystal hardening model used in polycrystal modeling, a slip-twin interaction law is introduced to account for dislocation density reductions due to dislocation absorption during twin boundary migration. We show that increasing Y concentration reduces the intensities of both the initial and deformation textures. During deformation, the plastic anisotropy in yield stress, the tension-compression asymmetry, and amount of 10 1 ‾ 2 ⟨ 1 ‾ 011 ⟩ twinning is shown to decrease with increasing Y. For each alloy, the model identifies a single set of material parameters that successfully reproduced all measured stress-strain curves and achieved agreement with measured deformation textures and twin area fractions. Transcending texture effects, the model interpretation of the flow responses suggests that increased concentrations of Y increase the critical resolved shear stress for basal slip but have negligible effects on the other slip modes. The reduced plastic anisotropy with increases in Y is explained by a concomitant decrease in the prismatic-to-pyramidal slip critical resolved shear stress ratio. The model suggests that their nearly equivalent critical resolved shear stress values lead to the enhanced non-basal activity of Mg–Y alloys, which was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. The calculations suggest that beyond any texture differences, this reduction in twinning can be attributed to a slightly increased resistance for 10 1 ‾ 2 ⟨ 1 ‾ 011 ⟩ twin propagation, particularly in the binary with the highest Y content.
Democratizing Gubernatorial Selection

At the time of American Independence in 1776, most state constitutions created governors in a form unrecognizable to us today. In virtually every state, governors were indirectly elected in some form. Over the nineteenth century, as American political institutions underwent significant democratic reforms, most of these methods of indirect election were eliminated outright. But some still exist today—either because the original methods were kept intact or because new methods were adopted during the Jim Crow era in the pursuit of black suppression. In recent years, states (and cities) around the country have started experimenting with different, sometimes radically democratic, methods of conducting elections. These efforts suggest that gubernatorial elections could be significantly reformed and made more democratically legitimate. This Article chronicles the untold history of gubernatorial elections—their initial character and their modification over time—and surveys how reform efforts currently underway could reshape their character today.
Cyclostratigraphy of the Cryogenian Fiq Formation, Oman and its implications for the age of the Marinoan glaciation

Abstract Cyclostratigraphy is a powerful tool in chronostratigraphic studies, and has shown its potential in Precambrian time. The Cryogenian Period is one of the most dynamic and intriguing intervals in Earth history and it is a witness to the most extreme climate changes on the planet, known as two Snowball Earth events. However, a robust chronostratigraphic framework is still lacking especially for the younger Marinoan Snowball Earth event, hampering the stratigraphic correlation and comparison among geographically separated records, as well as the understanding of the initiation and termination of this global-scale glaciation. The Cryogenian Fiq Formation in Oman is thought to be Marinoan-equivalent. The duration of the nonglacial units in the Fiq Formation could provide a conservative age constraint on the previously not well-determined onset age of the Marinoan glaciation. In this work, a cyclostratigraphic study has been conducted on three drill cores of the Fiq Formation. The multi-taper method (MTM) spectral analysis, the correlation coefficient (COCO), and the evolutionary correlation coefficient (eCOCO) analyses were performed on the high-resolution gamma-ray (GR) data from the three cores. A hierarchy of Milankovitch cycles (eccentricities, obliquities, and precessions) has been identified, which was used to estimate the optimal sedimentary accumulate rates and the duration of the Fiq Formation in each core. Based on the cyclostratigraphic results, the time scale of the Fiq Formation is at least ~6 Myr. Integrating the radiometric ages and the cyclostratigraphic data from other continents, the onset age of the Marinoan glaciation is suggested to be 650–641 Ma. This new result helps improve the chronostratigraphic framework for the Cryogenian Period and also provides critical temporal constraints for the geological and numerical models that explore the possible mechanisms for the Snowball Earth events.
Measurement report: Summertime and wintertime VOCs in Houston: Source apportionment and spatial distribution of source origins

Abstract. The seasonal variations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) was studied in the Houston metropolitan area in the summertime and wintertime of 2018. The analysis of hourly measurements obtained from the automated gas chromatograph (auto-GC) network showed the total VOC average concentrations of 28.68 ppbC in the summertime and 33.92 ppbC in the wintertime. The largest contributions came from alkane compounds, which accounted for 61 % and 82 % of VOCs in the summer and winter, respectively. We performed principal component analysis (PCA) and Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) and identified seven factors in the summertime and six factors in the wintertime, among which alkane species formed three factors according to their rate of reactions in both seasons: (1) the emissions of long-lived tracers from oil and natural gas (ONG long-lived species), (2) fuel evaporation, and (3) the emissions of short-lived tracers from oil and natural gas (ONG short-lived species). Two other similar factors were (4) emissions of aromatic compounds and (5) alkene tracers of ethylene and propylene. Summertime factor 6 was associated with acetylene, and one extra summertime factor 7 was influenced by the biogenic emissions. The factor 6 of wintertime was affected by vehicle exhaust. Higher nighttime and lower daytime values of the ethylene/acetylene ratios during the summertime indicated the stronger impacts of ethylene photochemical degradation. Also, the exploration of the photochemical processes of the VOCs showed that the ethylene and propylene had the highest contributions to the summertime and wintertime ozone formation as well as the emissions of the isoprene, which showed a high impact on summertime ozone. Our results acknowledged that ethylene and propylene continue to be significant emissions of VOCs, and their emissions control would help the mitigation of the ozone of Ship Channel. Based on trajectory analysis, we identified main VOC emission sources in Houston Ship Channel (HSC) local industrial areas and regions south of the HSC. Ambient VOC concentrations measured at the HSC were influenced by the emissions from the petrochemical sectors and industrial complexes, especially from the Baytown refinery and Bayport industrial district next to the HSC and Galveston Bay refineries at the south of the study area.
Synergistic Reactivation of Latent HIV Expression by Ingenol-3-Angelate, PEP005, Targeted NF-kB Signaling in Combination with JQ1 Induced p-TEFb Activation.

Although anti-retroviral therapy (ART) is highly effective in suppressing HIV replication, it fails to eradicate the virus from HIV-infected individuals. Stable latent HIV reservoirs are rapidly established early after HIV infection. Therefore, effective strategies for eradication of the HIV reservoirs are urgently needed. We report that ingenol-3-angelate (PEP005), the only active component in a previously FDA approved drug (PICATO) for the topical treatment of precancerous actinic keratosis, can effectively reactivate latent HIV in vitro and ex vivo with relatively low cellular toxicity. Biochemical analysis showed that PEP005 reactivated latent HIV through the induction of the pS643/S676-PKCδ/θ-IκBα/e-NF-κB signaling pathway. Importantly, PEP005 alone was sufficient to induce expression of fully elongated and processed HIV RNAs in primary CD4+ T cells from HIV infected individuals receiving suppressive ART. Furthermore, PEP005 and the P-TEFb agonist, JQ1, exhibited synergism in reactivation of latent HIV with a combined effect that is 7.5-fold higher than the effect of PEP005 alone. Conversely, PEP005 suppressed HIV infection of primary CD4+ T cells through down-modulation of cell surface expression of HIV co-receptors. This anti-cancer compound is a potential candidate for advancing HIV eradication strategies.
The Use of Traditional and Western Medicine among Korean American Elderly.

With the current wave of Asian immigration to the United States, awareness of their use of traditional medicine, often in combination with Western medicine, is an increasingly salient issue for health care professionals. This paper describes the use of traditional and Western medicine by Korean American elderly and factors that are associated with their health-seeking behaviors and health service utilization. Data were obtained from a convenience sample of 205 Korean elderly immigrants through interview. The findings revealed that health service utilization among Korean American elderly covered a broad spectrum of health resources, including the use of Western medicine, the traditional Korean medicine (hanbang), or both Western and traditional clinics. In addition, health insurance status and the source of health care were found to relate to the types of health service that Korean American elderly chose to utilize. Better understanding of patterns of health service utilization may improve the quality of health care by increasing health providers' cultural sensitivity and facilitating adequate communication between Asian immigrant clients and their care providers. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
Levels of complexity in discourse for anaphora disambiguation and speech act interpretation

This paper presents a discussion of means of describing the discourse and its components which makes speech act interpretation and anaphora disambiguation possible with minimal search of the knowledge in the database. A portion of this paper will consider how a frames representation of sentences and common sense knowledge provides a mechanism for representing the postulated discourse components. Finally some discussion of the use of the discourse model and of frames in a discourse understanding program for a personal assistant will be presented.
Some Observations on Erosion and Entrainment of Estuarine Fluid Muds

A matter of particular interest to estuarine sedimentation problems is the dynamic behavior of fluid muds. It is suggested that shear flow-induced interfacial instabilities leading to the erosion of fluid muds is a significant resuspension mechanism. Thus, the erosion process is controlled by the scale of near-bottom turbulence and the vertical velocity and density profile structures. Under strongly entraining conditions in which settling is small, the density profile microstructure of the entraining material is governed by buoyancy stabilized turbulent diffusion. A step-wise profile of the suspended sediment is theoretically developed under simplified physical conditions. Field and experimental data support the theoretical assumptions, while experience from other stratified flow phenomena provides valuable insight relative to studies required to quantify fluid mud erosion response to hydrodynamic forcing.