cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Current Concepts in Biomarker Technology for Bladder Cancers

Background: Transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder (TCC) is the second most common malignancy of the urinary tract. More than 70% of treated tumors recur, and 30% of recurrent tumors progress. Currently, pathologic staging and grading are valuable prognostic factors for detecting and monitoring TCC. Urinalysis, cystoscopy, and cytology are either invasive or lack sensitivity and specificity. The availability of a noninvasive, reliable, and simple test would greatly improve the detection and monitoring of patients with TCC. Several biomarkers for bladder cancer have been proposed, but no single marker has emerged as the test of choice. Approach: We undertook a comprehensive literature search using Medline to identify all publications from 1980 to 1999. Articles that discussed potential biomarkers for TCC were screened. Only compounds that demonstrated high sensitivity or specificity, significant correlation with TCC diagnosis and staging, and extensive investigation were included in this review. Content: Potential biomarkers of disease progression and prognosis include nuclear matrix protein, fibrin/fibrinogen product, bladder tumor antigen, blood group-related antigens, tumor-associated antigens, proliferating antigens, oncogenes, growth factors, cell adhesion molecules, and cell cycle regulatory proteins. The properties of the biomarkers and the methods for detecting or quantifying them are presented. Their sensitivities and specificities for detecting and monitoring disease were 54–100% and 61–97%, respectively, compared with 20–40% and 90% for urinalysis and cytology. Summary: Although urine cytology and cystoscopy are still the standard of practice, many candidate biomarkers for TCC are emerging and being adopted into clinical practice. Further research and better understanding of the biology of bladder cancer, improved diagnostic techniques, and standardized interpretation are essential steps to develop reliable biomarkers. It is possible that using the current biomarkers as an adjuvant modality will improve our ability to diagnose and monitor bladder cancer.
Utilizing Traditional Storytelling to Promote Wellness in American Indian Communities

Utilizing storytelling to transmit educational messages is a traditional pedagogical method practiced by many American Indian tribes. American Indian stories are effective because they present essential ideas and values in a simple, entertaining form. Different story characters show positive and negative behaviors. The stories illustrate consequences of behaviors and invite listeners to come to their own conclusions after personal reflection. Because stories have been passed down through tribal communities for generations, listeners also have the opportunity to reconnect and identify with past tribal realities. This article reports on a research intervention that is unique in promoting health and wellness through the use of storytelling. The project utilized stories to help motivate tribal members to once more adopt healthy, traditional life-styles and practices. The authors present and discuss the stories selected, techniques used in their telling, the preparation and setting for the storytelling, and the involvement and interaction of the group.
Conditions for Extraction and Concentration of Beef Fat Volatiles with Supercritical Carbon Dioxide

Beef fat was fractionated using supercritical carbon dioxide at 40 o C and pressures from 10.3-27.6 MPa. Fractions were analyzed for volatile content using purge and trap gas chromatography. One hundred six volatiles were identified. The concentrations of straight or branched-chain hydrocarbons, aldehydes, ketones, olefins, enals, lactones, and total volatiles were significantly influenced by extraction conditons. The control contained the least volatiles in each class analyzed. Total volatiles were concentrated over controls by 10-100 fold depending on treatment, with lowest pressure extraction conditions yielding highest concentrations of volatiles
A Computational Model for C. elegans Locomotory Behavior: Application to Multiworm Tracking

A computational approach is presented for modeling and quantifying the structure and dynamics of the nematode C. elegans observed by time-lapse microscopy. Worm shape and conformations are expressed in a decoupled manner. Complex worm movements are expressed in terms of three primitive patterns-peristaltic progression, deformation, and translation. The model has been incorporated into algorithms for segmentation and simultaneous tracking of multiple worms in a field, some of which may be interacting in complex ways. A recursive Bayesian filter is used for tracking. Unpredictable behaviors associated with interactions are resolved by multiple-hypothesis tracking. Our algorithm can track worms of diverse sizes and conformations (coiled/uncoiled) in the presence of imaging artifacts and clutter, even when worms are overlapping with others. A two-observer performance assessment was conducted over 16 image sequences representing wild-type and uncoordinated mutants as a function of worm size, conformation, presence of clutter, and worm entanglement. Overall detected tracking failures were 1.41%, undetected tracking failures were 0.41%, and segmentation errors were 1.11% of worm length. When worms overlap, our method reduced undetected failures from 12% to 1.75%, and segmentation error from 11% to 5%. Our method provides the basis for reliable morphometric and locomotory analysis of freely behaving worm populations.
(\pm)-anti-7-Ethyl-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)-5,5,syn-8-trimethyl-2-oxabicyclo[2.2.2]octan-3-one, a bicyclic δ-lactone

The title bicyclic δ-lactone, C19H26O3, (I), was formed in the reaction of (\pm)-cis-2,6,6-tri­methyl-trans-3-ethyl-4-oxo­cyclo­hexane­carboxyl­ic acid with p-methoxy­phenyl­magnesium bromide, following acidification. The kinetically favored (I) was formed rapidly but reversibly, allowing the thermodynam­ically favored γ-lactone to be formed and isolated after a longer treatment with acid. The expected corresponding carboxyl­ic acids were not isolable under these conditions. In lactone (I), basically composed of an aromatic ring appended to a [2.2.2] bicyclic system, the O—C(O)—C group is asymmetric, its O—C=O angle being 119.46 (19)° and its O=C—C angle being 127.82 (19)°.
Database of RNA binding protein expression and disease dynamics (READ DB)

RNA Binding Protein (RBP) Expression and Disease Dynamics database (READ DB) is a non-redundant, curated database of human RBPs. RBPs curated from different experimental studies are reported with their annotation, tissue-wide RNA and protein expression levels, evolutionary conservation, disease associations, protein–protein interactions, microRNA predictions, their known RNA recognition sequence motifs as well as predicted binding targets and associated functional themes, providing a one stop portal for understanding the expression, evolutionary trajectories and disease dynamics of RBPs in the context of post-transcriptional regulatory networks. Database URL: READ DB is freely available on the web at http://darwin.soic.iupui.edu/ with all major browsers supported.
Joint Registration and Shape Analysis of Curves and Surfaces

The shapes of boundaries of objects in images can be conveniently represented as parameterized curves and surfaces. Their analysis, however, is made complicated by the fact that a re-parameterization is shape preserving, and one needs metrics and other analysis tools that are invariant to re-parameterizations. We summarize recent progress in developing Riemannian methods that remove the parameterization variability using equivalence relations and quotient spaces. They exploit the parameterization variability as a tool for registration, that is, matching of points across objects, and provide elastic Riemannian metrics that allow for both simultaneous registration and analysis of shapes. The resulting deformations and shape statistics improve performance over the existing methods in terms of feature preservation and model efficiency. While the original metrics are complicated, we discuss novel mathematical representations, of both curves and surfaces, that reduce shape spaces to standard Hilbert spaces and many of the existing algorithmic tools can be applied. We will illustrate these ideas using examples from shape analysis of curves and surfaces.
Is Your Product Really Green? A Content Analysis to Reassess Green Advertising

This article investigates the changes in green advertising by conceptually replicating and extending Carlson, Grove, and Kangun's 1993 study. A content analysis of 433 unique ads from 18 magazine titles published in 2009 and 2010 demonstrates that advertisers attempted to address growing public concern for the environment and the demand for green products and services as emerge from the analyses of the ads' target, objective, and the executional elements. Contrary to Carlson, Grove, and Kangun's findings, the majority of environmental claims were deemed acceptable, implying a trend toward more trustworthy and reliable green advertising.
Hybrid InGaAs/SiGe technology platform for CMOS applications

High-mobility channel materials such as indium-galium-arsenide (InGaAs) and silicon-germanium(SiGe) alloys are considered to be the leading candidates for replacing silicon (Si) in future lowpower complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) circuits. Numerous challenges haveto be tackled in order to turn the high-mobility CMOS concept into an industrial solution. Thisthesis addresses the majors challenges which are the integration of InGaAs on Si, the formationof high-quality gate stacks and self-aligned source and drain (S/D) regions, the optimizationof self-aligned transistors and the co-integration of InGaAs and SiGe into CMOS circuits. Allinvestigated possible solutions are proposed in the framework of very-large-scale integration requirements.Chapter 2 describes two different methods to integrate InGaAs on Si. Chapter 3 detailsthe developments of key process modules for the fabrication of self-aligned InGaAs metal-oxidesemiconductorfield-effect transistors (MOSFETs). Chapter 4 covers the realization of varioustypes of self-aligned MOSFETs towards the improvement of their performance. Finally, chapter5 demonstrates three different methods to make hybrid InGaAs/SiGe CMOS circuits.
Thiouracil and mammary growth.

ConclusionIt would appear that there exist differences in the reaction of the mouse and rat to experimentally induced hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, possibly dependent upon the relative thyroxin secretion rates of the two species.
Sexual conflict and choice in a phoretic fly, Borborillus frigipennis (Sphaeroceridae)

In the phoretic sphaerocerid Borborillus frigipennis, male size is important to sexual success. Large males prevent smaller rivals from approaching mates and have a higher rate of copulation per female encounter. The latter may be due to female preference for larger mates rather than male ability to force females into submission. Smaller males abandon beetles bearing formidable rivals.
THE PERFECT STAGE OF GLIOCLADIUM ROSEUM

SUMMARYThis paper describes the isolation and identification of the perfect stage of Gliocladium roseum (Link) Bainier. The perfect stage is characterized as a homothallic fungus assignable to the ...
The Groundwork of Freedom

This chapter describes proposals of the 20 religious leaders in the meeting with Sherman and gives some perspective and insight on the meaning of freedom for the formerly enslaved. It explains the means by which they hoped and believed that they could positively transform their condition. It is posited that this meeting established the Black church as the face and representative of African American communities, a role they would continue to play throughout the Reconstruction period and beyond.
DNA vaccination targeting mesothelin combined with anti-GITR antibody induces rejection of pancreatic adenocarcinoma

1395 Introduction: Mesothelin is a membrane bound glycoprotein that is over-expressed in 100% of pancreatic adenocarcinomas. Regulatory T-cells inhibit the immune response to cancer and vaccines. Here, we target mesothelin using a xenogeneic DNA vaccine in combination with anti-GITR antibody in an attempt to overcome T-reg suppression and reject pancreatic cancer. Materials and Methods: Mice were vaccinated with a gene gun and 4μg of full length human mesothelin cDNA once a week, for three weeks. Experimental groups consisted of 10-15 mice per group. Anti-GITR antibody (TolerRx/ Clone 2F8) (1mg/mouse) injections were given IP one day prior to the 2nd and 3rd vaccinations. Intradermal injections of 50,000 cells/mouse of a syngeneic murine mesothelin expressing pancreatic cell line were given 4 days after the final vaccination. Tumor free survival was measured and plotted using a Kaplan-Meier curve, and experimental groups were compared using a log-rank test. Results were considered significant when there was a p value of less than 0.05. Results: Fifty percent of mice vaccinated with mesothelin alone versus 0% of non-treated mice were tumor free 25 days after tumor injections (p
Towards packet-less ultrasonic sensor networks for energy-harvesting structures

This paper proposes and evaluates an energy-aware pulse switching architecture for a through-substrate ultrasonic sensor network. The network is run from vibration energy harvested on an airplane stabilizer structure, whose health is monitored using the through-substrate network. Pulse- switching-based protocols use single pulses instead of multi-bit packets for information delivery with ultra-high energy-efficiency. Pulse switching using ultrasound is particularly well suited for event reporting through metal / composite substrates used in structures such as bridges, aircraft wings, etc. This can eliminate the need for out-of-substrate radio or wired links. This paper presents a large-scale simulation model in which structural vibration modeling using finite element methods, energy harvesting modeling from such vibrations, and energy-aware pulse networking models are integrated for end-to-end architecture level performance evaluation. Simulation results are used for demonstrating the sensitivity of network performance to key system parameters, namely, structural vibration intensity, energy harvesting efficiency of the used piezoelectric material, and the energy storage capacity at the pulse switching sensor nodes. In addition to event reporting delay, the impacts of pulse loss have been thoroughly characterized using the integrated simulator.
Treatment of Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM)

Treatment strategies for lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) have historically been based on the antagonism of estrogen action, driven by the remarkable predilection of the disease for patients of the female gender, expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors on LAM cells, and anecdotes of accelerated progression caused by estrogen-containing agents, pregnancy, premenopausal status, and the menstrual cycle. Multiple small, uncontrolled antiestrogen trials have produced conflicting results, and the jury is still out on the role of GnRh agonists, estrogen receptor antagonists, and selective estrogen response modifiers in the treatment of LAM. Advances in the understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of LAM, especially the key role of dysregulation of the mTOR pathway, have identified multiple additional therapeutic targets. A recent double-blind randomized trial called MILES has revealed that the mTOR inhibitor, sirolimus, stabilizes lung function and improves measure of functional performance and quality of life in patients with moderately severe LAM. Menopausal status had a dramatic effect on disease progression in the placebo group of MILES, with a fivefold increase in the rate of lung function decline in the premenopausal cohort, stimulating interest in a future controlled trial of estrogen antagonism. This section provides a comprehensive review of the therapeutic strategies available for LAM.
Cerebellins are differentially expressed in selective subsets of neurons throughout the brain

Cerebellins are secreted hexameric proteins that form tripartite complexes with the presynaptic cell-adhesion molecules neurexins or 'deleted-in-colorectal-cancer', and the postsynaptic glutamate-receptor-related proteins GluD1 and GluD2. These tripartite complexes are thought to regulate synapses. However, cerebellins are expressed in multiple isoforms whose relative distributions and overall functions are not understood. Three of the four cerebellins, Cbln1, Cbln2, and Cbln4, autonomously assemble into homohexamers, whereas the Cbln3 requires Cbln1 for assembly and secretion. Here, we show that Cbln1, Cbln2, and Cbln4 are abundantly expressed in nearly all brain regions, but exhibit strikingly different expression patterns and developmental dynamics. Using newly generated knockin reporter mice for Cbln2 and Cbln4, we find that Cbln2 and Cbln4 are not universally expressed in all neurons, but only in specific subsets of neurons. For example, Cbln2 and Cbln4 are broadly expressed in largely non-overlapping subpopulations of excitatory cortical neurons, but only sparse expression was observed in excitatory hippocampal neurons of the CA1- or CA3-region. Similarly, Cbln2 and Cbln4 are selectively expressed, respectively, in inhibitory interneurons and excitatory mitral projection neurons of the main olfactory bulb; here, these two classes of neurons form dendrodendritic reciprocal synapses with each other. A few brain regions, such as the nucleus of the lateral olfactory tract, exhibit astoundingly high Cbln2 expression levels. Viewed together, our data show that cerebellins are abundantly expressed in relatively small subsets of neurons, suggesting specific roles restricted to subsets of synapses.
DPPG: A Dynamic Password Policy Generation System

To keep password users from creating simple and common passwords, major websites and applications provide a password-strength measure, namely a password checker. While critical requirements for a password checker to be stringent have prevailed in the study of password security, we show that regardless of the stringency, such static checkers can leak information and actually help the adversary enhance the performance of their attacks. To address this weakness, we propose and devise the Dynamic Password Policy Generator , namely DPPG , to be an effective and usable alternative to the existing password strength checker. DPPG aims to enforce an evenly-distributed password space and generate dynamic policies for users to create passwords that are diverse and that contribute to the overall security of the password database. Since DPPG is modular and can function with different underlying metrics for policy generation, we further introduce a diversity-based password security metric that evaluates the security of a password database in terms of password space and distribution. The metric is useful as a countermeasure to well-crafted offline cracking algorithms and theoretically illustrates why DPPG works well.
Understanding the role of interpersonal identification in online review evaluation

We examine online review evaluation through a distinctly social lens, emphasizing the role of dyadic social information processing.Combining identity theory and ELM, we develop a robust theoretical model of dyadic social influence through online reviews.We introduce three types of identificationvalue-, consumption-, and website-drivenwhich drive online review adoption. While the proliferation of online reviews has increased consumers access to resources for informing the purchase decision, it has also substantially increased the cognitive effort required for finding personally relevant information through this channel. In the face of this challenge, an increasingly valuable capability of online review platforms relates to delivering the right reviews to the right consumer at the right time. Many platforms have sought to develop this capability by leveraging generic review characteristics like recency and valence, or crowd-level performance metrics like helpfulness score. While useful, these approaches may be overlooking important individual-to-individual (dyadic) social mechanisms that underpin review evaluation and selection. In an effort to inform the development of more robust information management capabilities of online review platforms, we introduce and test a model that highlights the influence of dyadic social information processing in online review evaluation. Results from model testing support most of the hypotheses and reveal important social selection mechanisms consumers employ in this context, which could be leveraged to add additional value through online review platforms.
Cooperative H∞ output regulation of heterogeneous parameter-dependent multi-agent systems

Abstract This paper addresses the cooperative output regulation problem for heterogeneous multi-agent systems with parameter-dependent linear fractional transformation (LFT) dynamics and unknown local, external perturbations. A novel distributed semi-LFT gain-scheduling protocol is proposed to achieve cooperative output regulation and H ∞ disturbance attenuation performance. This new distributed control scheme advances existing techniques in two important ways: (1) more general heterogeneous uncertain agent dynamics are considered under a directed communication topology; and (2) new distributed control synthesis conditions are derived and formulated as independent sets of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) plus linear matrix equations, such that the optimal distributed control solution can be obtained effectively via convex optimization. Two examples have been used to demonstrate the effectiveness and usefulness of the proposed approach in multi-agent consensus and formation control, respectively.
A Knowledge Graph Framework for Detecting Traffic Events Using Stationary Cameras

With the rapid increase in urban development, it is critical to utilize dynamic sensor streams for traffic understanding, especially in larger cities where route planning or infrastructure planning is more critical. This creates a strong need to understand traffic patterns using ubiquitous sensors to allow city officials to be better informed when planning urban construction and to provide an understanding of the traffic dynamics in the city. In this study, we propose our framework ITSKG (Imagery-based Traffic Sensing Knowledge Graph) which utilizes the stationary traffic camera information as sensors to understand the traffic patterns. The proposed system extracts image-based features from traffic camera images, adds a semantic layer to the sensor data for traffic information, and then labels traffic imagery with semantic labels such as congestion. We share a prototype example to highlight the novelty of our system and provide an online demo to enable users to gain a better understanding of our system. This framework adds a new dimension to existing traffic modeling systems by incorporating dynamic image-based features as well as creating a knowledge graph to add a layer of abstraction to understand and interpret concepts like congestion to the traffic event detection system.
Technology in Parenting Programs: A Systematic Review of Existing Interventions

Behavioral parent training is an evidence-based intervention that reduces child problem behavior. Unfortunately, there are notable disparities in access to and use of evidence-based parenting interventions, including BPT. One way to address the service gap is through technology-based parenting interventions. The purpose of this systematic review is to identify the populations targeted in technology-based parenting interventions, the effectiveness of these interventions, and areas and populations where future research is warranted. A search of three databases yielded 31 articles that met inclusion criteria. We included articles if they (a) were treatment outcome studies using web-based interventions or (b) discussed methodologies or models pertaining to web-based interventions, (c) specified demographic information such as race, ethnicity, and SES, and (d) were published in English or Spanish. We coded 25 treatment outcome studies and six feasibility studies. Technology-based parenting interventions have successfully improved parenting variables such as parent knowledge, behavior, and self-efficacy. Yet the vast majority of these interventions are validated with White American families and lack adaptations that may make them more accessible to underserved populations. As the burgeoning area of technology-based interventions continues to grow, researchers should consider underserved populations and appropriate cultural adaptations that could reduce mental health disparities and increase the scope of evidence-based interventions.
Robotic-Assisted Laparoscopic Myomectomy

Approximately 600,000 hysterectomies are performed each year in the United States. Uterine fibroids are the leading indication for this procedure. Some patients choose a more conservative approach. Approximately 81 % of patients who undergo myomectomy have a resolution of their symptoms, but the risk of regrowth of myomas and possible reoperation must be discussed with the patient. Of the almost 40,000 myomectomies performed each year in the United States, only a small fraction are performed in a minimally invasive fashion. The new robotic platform, the da Vinci surgical system (Intuitive Surgical, Inc.; Sunnyvale, CA), was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in April 2005, allowing the surgeon the advantage of a three-dimensional view of the operative field and the ability to use wristed instruments with 7° of motion, thereby providing a new viable option for patients. This chapter reviews the robotic-assisted laparoscopic myomectomy while providing the most current data.
Pediatric Functional Outcome Measures

This article presents a review of conceptual and methodologic issues regarding the selection of pediatric functional outcome measures in clinical practice. Selected functional outcome measures, their technical and clinical merits, and state-of-the-art advances in instrument development are described. Suggestions regarding the use of functional outcome measures for improved clinical documentation, evaluation studies, and the establishment of multi-institutional outcome studies in pediatric rehabilitation are made.
Meningococcal vaccine for infants

With the incidence of meningococcal disease declining in all age groups, ACIP is weighing the need for vaccination in children <2 years.
Optical band gap analysis and modeling for ultra-thin high-k dielectrics in high-k/metal gate transistors

A highly precise band gap measurement based on deep UV spectroscopic ellipsometry along with Bruggeman effective model approximation was developed for high-k/metal gate CMOS with ultrathin EOT (<1.5 nm). By applying and comparing the measurement for HfO2 on SiO2 and SiON interfacial layers with different thicknesses, N%, and annealing conditions, two new sub band gap states corresponding to nitrogen in the film are observed. Together with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and electrical measurements, it is found that the band gap energies can be correlated to N% and the leakage current of the high-k films by linear regression (R2 = 0.95). This indicates that the method is capable of quantifying physical and electrical properties of high-k dielectrics, and therefore a time consuming physical analysis or expensive electrical test on fully built devices for gate dielectrics can be avoided.A highly precise band gap measurement based on deep UV spectroscopic ellipsometry along with Bruggeman effective model approximation was developed for high-k/metal gate CMOS with ultrathin EOT (<1.5 nm). By applying and comparing the measurement for HfO2 on SiO2 and SiON interfacial layers with different thicknesses, N%, and annealing conditions, two new sub band gap states corresponding to nitrogen in the film are observed. Together with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and electrical measurements, it is found that the band gap energies can be correlated to N% and the leakage current of the high-k films by linear regression (R2 = 0.95). This indicates that the method is capable of quantifying physical and electrical properties of high-k dielectrics, and therefore a time consuming physical analysis or expensive electrical test on fully built devices for gate dielectrics can be avoided.
Multiple-Partner Fertility: Variation Across Measurement Approaches

Contemporary US families are characterized by high levels of complexity but measuring complexity, such as multiple-partner fertility (MPF), can be difficult. Scholars generally use indirect methods rather than direct items to measure MPF due to data limitations. The redesigned 2014 Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) and the 2011–2015 Cycle of the National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) provide a unique opportunity to evaluate different measurement approaches. We document variation in prevalence estimates of MPF among women aged 15–44 across approaches and datasets. Overall, our findings suggest that 20–25% of mothers experience MPF. Direct measures of MPF produce lower prevalence estimates compared to semi-direct and indirect approaches, pointing to the possibility of social desirability bias. Moreover, direct measures seem to perform particularly poorly for less advantaged women. Further, variation in identifying MPF has implications for its association with other behaviors and outcomes. We conclude with a discussion of these findings and make recommendations for future data collection and research endeavors.
Preparation of natural matrix type samples for performance evaluation of resource conservation and recovery act (RCRA) contract laboratories

The Quality Assurance (QA) Branch develops, analyzes, and distributes natural matrix samples to evaluate the performance of laboratories conducting analyses for the Office of Solid Waste (OSW). In these studies each laboratory is requested to analyze an organic sample and an inorganic sample using the analytical methods specified by OSW. The sample designs and reference values are established by multiple analyses in the QA Branch laboratory and contract referee laboratories. These data are evaluated statistically and must be judged acceptable before samples are distributed to the 50-60 RCRA contract laboratories. These data are also furnished to OSW for use in evaluating the results reported by the contract laboratories.
A Dose of Reality: How 20 Years of Incomplete Physics and Dosimetry Reporting in Radiobiology Studies May Have Contributed to the Reproducibility Crisis.

Purpose A large proportion of preclinical or translational studies using radiation have poor replicability. For a study involving radiation exposure to be replicable, interpretable, and comparable, its experimental methodology must be well reported, particularly in terms of irradiation protocol, including the amount, rate, quality, and geometry of radiation delivery. Here we perform the first large-scale literature review of the current state of reporting of essential experimental physics and dosimetry details in the scientific literature. Methods and Materials For 1758 peer-reviewed articles from 469 journals, we evaluated the reporting of basic experimental physics and dosimetry details recommended by the authoritative National Institute of Standards and Technology symposium. Results We demonstrate that although some physics and dosimetry parameters, such as dose, source type, and energy, are well reported, the majority are not. Furthermore, highly cited journals and articles are systematically more likely to be lacking experimental details related to the irradiation protocol. Conclusions These findings show a crucial deficiency in the reporting of basic experimental details and severely affect the reproducibility and translatability of a large proportion of radiation biology studies.
Pediatric Practicums Conducted in School Settings: An Integrative Review.

Background Examining nursing pedagogical strategies is important to assure that nursing students have opportunities to become knowledgeable and skilled clinicians. However, little is known about the nursing pedagogical strategy of using schools for pediatric practicum. The purpose of this review is to integrate the evidence regarding the use of schools as practicum sites for nursing students to obtain pediatric clinical experience. Method Searches were conducted in three electronic databases resulting in 70 publications; eight publications met the inclusion criteria. Results Five themes were identified using content analysis: description of practicum settings; level of education, number of students, clinical time and geographic region of the college; theoretical framework; nursing student activities and assignments; nursing student outcomes, evaluation of pediatric practicum experience, and school student health outcomes. Conclusion Findings support the use of schools for pediatric practicums. This practicum broadens nursing students' knowledge of promoting health among well and chronically ill children.
Fast and accurate approximation of the joint site frequency spectrum of multiple populations

Abstract The site frequency spectrum (SFS) is a statistic that summarizes the distribution of derived allele frequencies in a sample of DNA sequences. The SFS provides useful information about genetic variation within and among populations and it can used to make population genetic inferences. Methods for computing the SFS based on the diffusion approximation are computationally efficient when computing all terms of the SFS simultaneously and they can handle complicated demographic scenarios. However, in practice it is sometimes only necessary to compute a subset of terms of the SFS, in which case coalescent-based methods can achieve greater computational efficiency. Here, we present simple and accurate approximate formulas for the expected joint SFS for multiple populations connected by migration. Compared with existing exact approaches, our approximate formulas greatly reduce the complexity of computing each entry of the SFS and have simple forms. The computational complexity of our method depends on the index of the entry to be computed, rather than on the sample size, and the accuracy of our approximation improves as the sample size increases.
Information security trades in tactical wireless networks

Wireless networks are now ubiquitous across the tactical environment. They offer unprecedented communications and data access capabilities. However, providing information security to wireless transmissions without impacting performance is a challenge. The information security requirement for each operational scenario presents a large trade space for functionality versus performance. One aspect of this trade space pertains to where information security services are integrated into the protocol stack. This paper will present an overview of the various options that exist and will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each option.
Veterinary contribution to Covid-19 pandemic.

I’d like to respond to John Mackinnon ( VR , 3/10 October 2020, vol 187, pp 277–278) who suggests that veterinary expertise has been overlooked in the fight against Covid-19 and that this is a result of the profession (and by extension the BVA and the RCVS) being too small animal focused. Vets have played a critical role in the UK’s response to Covid-19 – from our role in keeping the country’s food supply going, to offering PPE and ventilators at a local level, to caring for the nation’s pets in difficult circumstances at a time when the mental health benefits of pet …
Spike-and-slab Lasso biclustering

Biclustering methods simultaneously group samples and their associated features. In this way, biclustering methods differ from traditional clustering methods, which utilize the entire set of features to distinguish groups of samples. Motivating applications for biclustering include genomics data, where the goal is to cluster patients or samples by their gene expression profiles; and recommender systems, which seek to group customers based on their product preferences. Biclusters of interest often manifest as rank-1 submatrices of the data matrix. This submatrix detection problem can be viewed as a factor analysis problem in which both the factors and loadings are sparse. In this paper, we propose a new biclustering method called Spike-and-Slab Lasso Biclustering (SSLB) which utilizes the Spike-and-Slab Lasso of Rockova and George (J. Amer. Statist. Assoc. 113 (2018) 431–444) to find such a sparse factorization of the data matrix. SSLB also incorporates an Indian Buffet Process prior to automatically choose the number of biclusters. Many biclustering methods make assumptions about the size of the latent biclusters; either assuming that the biclusters are all of the same size, or that the biclusters are very large or very small. In contrast, SSLB can adapt to find biclusters which have a continuum of sizes. SSLB is implemented via a fast EM algorithm with a variational step. In a variety of simulation settings, SSLB outperforms other biclustering methods. We apply SSLB to both a microarray dataset and a single-cell RNA-sequencing dataset and highlight that SSLB can recover biologically meaningful structures in the data. The SSLB software is available as an R/C++ package at https://github.com/gemoran/SSLB.
High surface area reverse electrowetting energy harvesting with power conditioning circuitry for self-powered motion sensors

Monitoring human health in real-time using wearable and implantable electronics (WIE) has become one of the most promising and rapidly growing technologies in the healthcare industry. In general, these electronics are powered by batteries that require periodic replacement and maintenance over their lifetime. To prolong the operation of these electronics, they should have zero post-installation maintenance. On this front, various energy harvesting technologies to generate electrical energy from ambient energy sources have been researched. Many energy harvesters currently available are limited by their power output and energy densities. With the miniaturization of wearable and implantable electronics, the size of the harvesters must be miniaturized accordingly in order to increase the energy density of the harvesters. Additionally, many of the energy harvesters also suffer from limited operational parameters such as resonance frequency and variable input signals. In this work, low frequency motion energy harvesting based on reverse electrowetting-ondielectric (REWOD) is examined using perforated high surface area electrodes with 38 µm pore diameters. Total available surface area per planar area was 8.36 cm2 showing a significant surface area enhancement from planar to porous electrodes and proportional increase in AC voltage density from our previous work. In REWOD energy harvesting, high surface area electrodes significantly increase the capacitance and hence the power density. An AC peak-to-peak voltage generation from the electrode in the range from 1.57-3.32 V for the given frequency range of 1-5 Hz with 0.5 Hz step is demonstrated. In addition, the unconditioned power generated from the harvester is converted to a DC power using a commercial off-theshelf Schottky diode-based voltage multiplier and low dropout regulator (LDO) such that the sensors that use this technology could be fully self-powered. The produced charge is then converted to a proportional voltage by using a commercial charge amplifier to record the features of the motion activities. A transceiver radio is also used to transmit the digitized data from the amplifier and the built-in analog-to-digital converter (ADC) in the micro-controller. This paper proposes the energy harvester acting as a self-powered motion sensor for different physical activities for wearable and wireless healthcare devices.
Unraveling the Enigma of Neonatal Herpes: A Novel Tool for Assessing Risk of Infection.

* Abbreviations: CNS — : central nervous system HSV — : herpes simplex virus SEM — : skin, eye, and mouth In October 1939, the world was on fire. Nazi Germany had invaded Poland on September 1, and 2 days later Great Britain and France declared war on Germany. The war on the western front was hot, but, initially at least, all was quiet on the eastern front. During those tumultuous first months of the Second World War, it was unclear what Russia’s involvement would be. On October 1, 1939, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill delivered one of his most famous quotations during a radio broadcast on the BBC: “I cannot forecast to you the action of Russia. It is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma.” Although obviously very different from global war, herpes simplex virus (HSV) also is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma. The virus can be devastatingly brutal to the body of a neonate who acquires the virus at the time of delivery, but it also is exceedingly rare, occurring in only 1 in roughly 2000 deliveries.1 We have powerful molecular testing tools that can identify minute amounts of HSV DNA, technologies that have revolutionized our diagnostic capabilities for neonatal HSV2 but that also can be prone to false-positive results given how … Address correspondence to David W. Kimberlin, MD, 1600 Seventh Ave South, CHB 303, Birmingham AL 35233. E-mail: dkimberlin{at}peds.uab.edu
Rapid evolution and strain turnover in the infant gut microbiome

ABSTRACT While the ecological dynamics of the infant gut microbiome have been intensely studied, relatively little is known about the evolutionary dynamics in the infant gut microbiome. Here we analyze longitudinal fecal metagenomic data from >700 infants and their mothers over the first year of life and find that the evolutionary dynamics in infant gut microbiomes are distinct from that of adults. We find evidence for almost 100-fold increase in the rate of evolution and strain turnover in the infant gut compared to healthy adults, with the mother-infant transition at delivery being a particularly dynamic period in which gene loss dominates. Within a few months after birth, these dynamics stabilize, and gene gains become increasingly frequent as the microbiome matures. We furthermore find that evolutionary changes in infants show signatures of being seeded by a mixture of de novo mutations and transmissions of pre-evolved lineages from the broader family. Several of these evolutionary changes occur in parallel in multiple infants, highlighting candidate genes that may play important roles in the development of the infant gut microbiome. Our results point to a picture of a volatile infant gut microbiome characterized by rapid evolutionary and ecological change in the early days of life.
Earthen construction materials: Assessing the feasibility of improving strength and deformability of compressed earth blocks using polypropylene fibers

Abstract Earthen construction materials are often ecologically friendly and locally available. They are however weaker and poor in damage resilience compared to mainstream walling materials like fired bricks and concrete masonry units (CMU). Compressed earth blocks (CEB), a modern form of the adobe brick, are gaining popularity as a construction material globally because they are stronger and more dimensionally stable compared to earlier forms of earthen construction methods/techniques. Despite the strength improvement achieved through using CEBs over other traditional forms of earthen construction, they are still more brittle and weaker in bending and compression in comparison to CMU and fired bricks. This research investigated the potential of addressing some of the shortcomings of earthen construction materials by assessing the influence of polypropylene fibers on the strength, ductility, and deformability of CEBs. CEBs were produced using different fiber weight fractions and tested in both compression and bending. Overall, performance in bending and ductility were improved by the addition of fibers. The quantity of fibers present was found to have an influence on block strength, post-crack response, and deformability. The findings presented in this paper suggest that polypropylene fibers are a feasible fiber option for CEB production.
Loving Children: A Design Problem (2002)

The Sky Mall catalogue, conveniently available as an anes-thetic for irritated airplane passengers, recently offered an item that spoke volumes about our approach to raising children. For a price of several hundred dollars, parents could order a device that could be attached to a television set that would control access to the television. Each child would be given a kind of credit card, programmed to limit the hours he or she could watch TV. The child so disciplined would presumably benefit by imbibing fewer hours of mind-numbing junk. He or she might also benefit from the perverse challenge to discover the many exciting and ingenious ways to subvert the technology and the intention behind it, including a flank attack on parental rules and public decency via the Internet.
Investment in privacy-preserving technologies under uncertainty

Entrepreneurs face investment decisions on privacy-preserving technology (PPT) adoption as privacy-concerned consumers may decide whether to use firms' services based on the extent of privacy that firms are able to provide. Kantarcioglu et.al. (2010) [9] contributes to guidelines for entrepreneurs' adoption decisions through a novel framework, which combines copula functions and a Stackelberg leader-follower game with consumers taking the role of the follower (referred as static-copula-game model hereafter). The valuation requires a clearly defined bivariate distribution function of two random variables, the consumer's valuation of private information and the consumer's profitability to a firm. Copula functions are used to construct the bivariate distribution function from arbitrarily univariate marginals with various dependence structures fitting into different market/industry segments. This study extends the static-copula-game model to include project value uncertainty, simultaneously considering different market competition structures and the regulatory promise of random arrival of government mandatory adoption. The project value from the static-copula-game model is used as an estimate of the initial (current) project value for the stochastic evolution. By doing so, we retain the advantages of applying copulas and preserve the established valuation property exclusively applicable to the valuation of PPT adoption. The extension model makes several improvements including: (1) Reduce concerns about myopic PPT adoption decisions that may result when static valuation is employed. (2) Overcome the potential biased PPT adoption decision that may arise due to negligence of market competition impact. (3) Understand the regulatory influence of government mandatory adoption with uncertainty. We find that: (1) If one can link univariate marginals and dependence structures to industry groups, one can determine for which industries project value uncertainty has no impact on the entrepreneur's immediate PPT adoption decision. For these industries, there is no need for government intervention/regulation to accelerate/induce PPT adoption even though the project value is uncertain. (2) Under project value uncertainty, competition may suggest either a later or an earlier PPT adoption compared with the monopoly case. (3) The promise of government mandatory adoption has the potential to accelerate PPT adoption. The PPT adoption guidelines considering competition and regulatory promises of government mandatory adoption when the project value is uncertain bring useful recommendations to both entrepreneurs and policymakers.