cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Document Content Extraction Using Automatically Discovered Features

We report an automatic feature discovery method that achieves results comparable to a manually chosen, larger feature set on a document image content extraction problem: the location and segmentation of regions containing handwriting and machine-printed text in documents images. This approach is a greedy forward selection algorithm that iteratively constructs one linear feature at a time. The algorithm finds error clusters in the current feature space, then projects one tight cluster into the null space of the feature mapping, where a new feature that helps to classify these errors can be discovered. We conducted experiments on 87 diverse test images. Four manually chosen linear features with an error rate of 16.2% were given to the algorithm; the algorithm then found an additional ten features; the composite 14 features achieve an error rate of 13.8%. This outperforms a feature set of size 14 chosen by Principal Component Analysis (PCA) with an error rate of 15.4%. It also nearly matches the error rate of 13.6% achieved by twice as many manually chosen features. Thus our algorithm appears to compete with both the widely used PCA method and tedious and expensive trial-and-error manual exploration.
Multiagent route choice game for transportation engineering

In undergraduate transportation engineering courses, traffic assignment is a difficult concept for instructors to teach and for students to learn because the concept involves advanced mathematical modeling and computations. A multiplayer game, called multiagent route choice, is designed to engage students in making route choices so that they can visualize how traffic gradually reaches a user equilibrium. In addition, the Braess paradox phenomenon, a concept not generally taught in undergraduate transportation courses, is embedded in the game for students to explore. A before-and-after comparison and a case–control study are performed to evaluate the effectiveness of the game as a curriculum tool. The impact of students’ learning preferences is also investigated.
A probabilistic constructive approach to optimization problems

We propose a new optimization paradigm for solving intractable combinatorial problems. The technique, named Probabilistic Constructive (PC), combines the advantages of both constructive and probabilistic algorithms. The constructive aspect provides relatively short runtime and makes the technique amenable for the inclusion of insights through heuristic rules. The probabilistic nature facilitates a flexible trade-off between runtime and the quality of solution. In addition to presenting the generic technique, we apply it to the Maximal Independent Set problem. Extensive experimentation indicates that the new approach provides very attractive trade-offs between the quality of the solution and runtime, often outperforming the best previously published approaches.
Aberrant Expression of CD7 in Myeloblasts Is Highly Associated With De Novo Acute Myeloid Leukemias With FLT3/ITD Mutation

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with normal cytogenetics represents approximately 40% to 50% of de novo AML. This heterogeneous AML subgroup constitutes the single largest cytogenetic group with an intermediate prognosis. Previous studies have suggested that the Fms-like tyrosine kinase-3 internal tandem duplication (FLT3/ITD) mutation–positive de novo AML may represent a distinctive subgroup of AML. We analyzed the clinical and pathologic features of 15 cases of de novo AML with normal cytogenetics and with the FLT3/ITD mutation. In comparison with patients with AML without the FLT3/ITD mutation, patients with FLT3/ITD+ AML are relatively younger, more often have marked peripheral leukocytosis with a higher number of circulating blasts at initial examination, more often have minimal differentiation morphologic features, more frequently have abnormal CD7 coexpression, and have poorer outcome. Close association of aberrant CD7 expression and FLT3/ ITD mutation in the myeloblasts of FLT3/ITD+ AML suggests that FLT3/ITD-mediated leukemic transformation occurs in the more early stage of myeloid progenitor cells.
Laboratory Evaluation of a Fully Automated Chemiluminescence Immunoassay for Rapid Detection of HBsAg, Antibodies to HBsAg, and Antibodies to Hepatitis C Virus

The performance of a fully automated, random access, enhanced chemiluminescence immunoassay (Ortho/ECi) for the detection of antibody to hepatitis C virus (HCV) (anti-HCV), HBsAg, and antibody to HBsAg (anti-HBsAg), in human serum was compared to a Abbott second-generation enzyme immunoassay (EIA 2.0). The Ortho/ECi assays employ an immunometric technique with enhanced chemiluminescence for optimal assay performance. With regard to the study of clinical laboratory performance, six groups of sera prescreened with Abbott EIAs were assayed: anti-HCV-negative samples (n = 318), anti-HCV-positive samples (n = 177), anti-HBsAg-negative samples (n = 241), anti-HBsAg-positive samples (n = 239), HBsAg-positive samples (n = 158), and HBsAg-negative samples (n = 312). Sera with discrepant results in the two serological assays were resolved by confirmatory tests. Sera with indeterminate results by one or more confirmatory tests were evaluated by reviewing medical records. The overall concordance between the Ortho/ECi assay and the Abbott EIA were 97.78, 93.54, and 97.66% for anti-HCV antibodies, anti-HBsAg antibodies, and HBsAg, respectively. After resolving the discrepancies, the specificities of the new assay for anti-HCV and anti-HBsAg antibodies and HBsAg were 98.1, 92.8, and 100%, respectively. The sensitivities of the new assay for anti-HCV, anti-HBsAg, and HBsAg were 100, 98.8, and 97.4%, respectively. In conclusion, The Ortho/ECi assays for diagnosis of HCV and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections are highly specific and sensitive assays. The rapid turnaround time, random access, full automation, and high throughput make it an effective assay system for clinical laboratory diagnosis of HCV and HBV infections.
Classification of EEG Signals From a Music Perception Experiment Using Empirical Dynamical Models

In this paper we describe a data classification method as applied to a set of EEG signals provided to the international workshop on Nonlinear Techniques in Physiological Time Series Analysis (Dresden, 1995). This method is derived from the theory of nonlinear dynamics, and consists of a classification processing chain which utilizes estimated sets of nonlinear ODEs as a data model. The investigation consisted of a blind analysis of the EEG recordings from a single human subject, taken while the subject was exposed to music segments of varying and controlled dynamical complexity. From this analysis, we find firstly that there appears to be dynamical similarity between many of the sensors, but that most sensors do not provide significant classification capability. However, at least one sensor is seen to demonstrate a strong classification performance, and this was used to generate a relative classification scheme for the data. This scheme shows significant distinction between certain musical samples, and from this we infer several general conclusions about the sensitivity of the particular subject to the musical data classes.
Cost‐effectiveness Analysis of Follow‐up Strategies for Thunderclap Headache Patients With Negative Noncontrast CT

Objectives Accurate diagnosis of acute subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is critical in thunderclap headache patients due to high morbidity and mortality associated with missed aneurysmal bleeds. The objective of this study was to determine the utility of computed tomography angiography (CTA) in managing patients with acute, severe headaches and negative noncontrast CT and assess the cost-effectiveness of three different screening strategies—no follow up, CTA, and lumbar puncture (LP). Methods A modeling-based economic evaluation was performed with a time horizon of 1 year for thunderclap headache patients in the emergency department with negative noncontrast CT for SAH. Sensitivity analyses were performed to determine the effect of sensitivity of CT and the prevalence of SAH on cost-effectiveness. Results Lumbar puncture follow-up has the lowest cost and the highest utility in the mathematical model. The Monte Carlo simulation shows noncontrast CT with LP follow-up to be the most cost-effective strategy in 85.3% of all cases even at a $1 million/quality-adjusted life-years willingness-to-pay. Sensitivity analyses demonstrate that LP follow-up should be performed, except for when CT sensitivity exceeds 99.2% and the SAH prevalence is below 3.2%, where no follow-up may be considered. Conclusions Although CTA is frequently used for evaluation of thunderclap headache patients, its utility is not clearly defined. LP follow-up is shown to be the most cost-effective strategy for evaluation of thunderclap headache patients in most clinical settings.
Optimal Carbon Monoxide Criteria to Confirm Smoking Status Among Postpartum Women

Introduction Although expired-air carbon monoxide (CO) is a well characterized biomarker of cigarette smoking, limited research has assessed whether the standard clinical CO cutoffs need to be altered for postpartum women and whether these cutoffs remain constant across the postpartum year. Accordingly, the present study evaluated the effectiveness of using CO as a method to confirm smoking status relative to salivary cotinine among postpartum women and assessed optimal CO criteria to confirm smoking status across the postpartum year. Differences in optimal CO criteria to confirm smoking status also were examined between black and white postpartum women. Methods Women (N = 208) for the present study had quit smoking for their current pregnancy and were enrolled in a larger postpartum relapse prevention intervention. Smoking status was assessed at 12, 24, and 52 weeks postpartum using both expired-air CO and salivary cotinine. Results Receiver-operating characteristic analyses indicated that CO provided moderately high diagnostic accuracy to distinguish between women who were and were not smoking when using salivary cotinine as the reference criterion to confirm smoking status. CO cutoffs of 2 and 3 parts per million (ppm) had the highest overall efficiency and combined sensitivity and specificity across the postpartum year. Results were consistent for black and white women. Conclusions These findings indicate that optimal CO criteria to confirm smoking status remains stable throughout the postpartum year and support a need to utilize CO cutoffs much lower than the standard clinical CO criterion of 8 ppm to confirm abstinence among postpartum women. Implications Findings from the present study confirm the value of CO as a biomarker of smoking status among postpartum women. Results indicate that CO cutoffs of 2 and 3 ppm were optimal for confirming smoking status across the entire postpartum year in both black and white women. These findings offer a replication and extension of previous work and indicate that optimal CO criteria to confirm smoking status remain stable throughout the postpartum period and further support a need to utilize CO cutoffs much lower than the standard clinical criterion of 8 ppm to confirm smoking status among postpartum women.
The Effect of Centrifugation on the Rapid Detection of Adenovirus in Shell Vials

Monoclonal antibody, specific for the adenovirus group-reactive hexon antigen, was used for the detection of this agent by immunofluorescence 24 and 48 hours after inoculation of HEp-2 cell monolayers in 1-dram shell vials after low-speed centrifugation (700 X g, 30 minutes). Of 31 adenovirus isolates, 16 (sensitivity, 52%) and 30 (sensitivity, 97%) were detected after incubation for 24 hours and 48 hours, respectively. All adenovirus strains were detected in conventional tube cell cultures but required an average of four days incubation. The shell vial assay is rapid, sensitive, and specific and can be easily implemented in laboratories with cell culture experience.
Emulating US Counterinsurgency Doctrine: Barriers for Developing Country Forces, Evidence from Peru

ABSTRACTRecent US advances in counterinsurgency doctrine have been adopted by developing country armed forces. Nevertheless, no systematic study has examined the barriers they face to implementing highly involved counterinsurgency strategy. Tracing the evolution of Peruvian doctrine demonstrates that Peru was able to quickly improve the unity of effort, intelligence capacity, and military basing to meet the demands of a population-centric hearts-and-minds approach to counterinsurgency. Nevertheless, the limited tactical initiative and flexibility of Peruvian forces remains a challenge. The Peruvian experience is instructive for other militaries undergoing similar transitions. However, given the diversity of insurgent conflicts, this doctrine is not universally appropriate.
Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Survival Among Patients With Young-Onset Colorectal Cancer

PurposeRacial disparities in colorectal cancer (CRC) persist, despite overall reductions in morbidity and mortality. In addition, incidence is rising among individuals younger than 50 years of age. We compared the survival of young-onset CRC among non-Hispanic black (NHB), non-Hispanic white (NHW), and Hispanic individuals.Patients and MethodsUsing the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program data, we identified individuals between the ages of 20 and 49 years, diagnosed with CRC between 2000 and 2009. Survival rates and Cox proportional hazards models were used to compare stage-specific 5-year survival among NHBs, NHWs, and Hispanics.ResultsWe identified 28,145 patients with young-onset CRC (19,497 NHW; 4,384 NHB; 4,264 Hispanic) during the 10-year study period. Overall survival at 5 years after CRC diagnosis was 54.9% among NHB, 68.1% among NHW, and 62.9% among Hispanic individuals (P < .001). NHB individuals had a significantly higher hazard of cancer-specific deat...
Existential Subjectivity on Trial: The Crying of Lot 49 and the Politics of Despair

Can existential subjectivity still constitute itself once the individual and the socius are symbiotically dissolved in the self-emptying commodity-signs of which contemporary American culture consists? This is the question posed by Thomas Pynchon's second novel, The Crying of Lot 49 (1966). Protagonist Oedipa Maas, as her name implies, is on the Lacanian Oedipal cusp between the Imaginary and Symbolic Orders. Upon leaving Kinneret-Among-the-Pines, California–where she has lived a one-dimensional life of Tupperware and fondue parties with her husband, Wendell "Mucho" Maas–she leaves behind the flat but stable referents that have defined her existence, and now she must find her way in a new and frightening semiotic domain. In San Narciso, where she goes to execute the will of her former lover, corporate entrepreneur Pierce Inverarity, and later in San Francisco, where she spends the night wandering alone, her experiences echo Kerouac's On the Road, with a twist: the America she discovers has become a proliferation of self-emptying commodity-signs circulating in an endless profusion that anticipates Jean Baudrillard's notion of simulacra and Umberto Eco's concept of the hyperreal. These signs–which sell themselves as fetishized abstractions, as non-threatening substitutes for, and thus protection against, existential experience–are cultural productions, and the novel is organized around Oedipa's desperate attempt to decipher them, not only so she can know the culture in which she lives, but so she can reconstitute her own selfhood. For in Lot 49, the collective escape from existential subjectivity is a cultural fait accompli, and, in the person of Oedipa Maas, the possibility of its reconstruction is put on trial.
Sex differences and subclinical retinal injury in pediatric-onset MS

Objective:To assess retinal ganglion cell (RGC) injury and sex differences in axon loss in pediatric multiple sclerosis (MS).Methods:This is a cross-sectional evaluation of consecutive pediatric MS...
Robotic mitral valve surgery: overview, methodology, results, and perspective.

Robotic mitral valve repair began in 1998 and has advanced remarkably. It arose from an interest in decreasing patient trauma by operating through smaller incisions with videoscopic assistance. In the United States, following two clinical trials, the FDA approved the daVinci Surgical System in 2002 for intra-cardiac surgery. This device has undergone three iterations, eventuating in the current daVinci XI. At present it is the only robotic device approved for mitral valve surgery. Many larger centers have adopted its use as part of their routine mitral valve repair armamentarium. Although these operations have longer perfusion and arrest times, complications have been either similar or less than other traditional methods. Preoperative screening is paramount and leads to optimal patient selection and outcomes. There are clear contraindications and some softer ones that must be considered. Three-dimensional (3D) echocardiographic studies optimally guide surgeons in operative planning. Herein, we describe the selection criteria as well as our operative management during a robotic mitral valve repair. Major complications are detailed with tips to avoid these issues. Operative outcomes from the author’s series as well as those from the largest experiences in the United States are described. They show that robotic mitral valve repair is safe and effective, as well as economically reasonable because of lower costs of hospitalization. Thus, the future of this operative technique is bright for centers having the “heart team” approach, adequate clinical volume, and a dedicated and experienced mitral repair surgeon.
Nondimensionalization and Characteristic Parameters

This appendix outlines the role of several key dimensional and nondimensional parameters in micro- and nanoscale fluid mechanics that come from nondimensionalization of governing equations. A key advantage of nondimensionalization is that it leads to a compact description of flow parameters (i.e., Re ) and thus leads to generalization. Nondimensionalization can be a powerful tool, but it is useful only if implemented with insight into the physics of the problems. Our stress here is the process of nondimensionalization, rather than a listing of nondimensional parameters, and we focus on only a few examples. BUCKINGHAM Π THEOREM The Buckingham Π theorem is a theorem in dimensional analysis that quantifies how many nondimensional parameters are required for specifying a problem. It also provides a process by which these nondimensional parameters can be determined. The Buckingham Π theorem states that a system with n independent physical variables that are a function of m fundamental physical quantities can be written as a function of n – m nondimensional quantities. As an example, the steady Navier–Stokes equations have four parameters: a characteristic length l, a characteristic velocity U , the viscosity η, and the fluid density ρ. These are a function of three fundamental physical quantities: mass, length, and time. Thus the system can be described in terms of 4 − 3 = 1 nondimensional quantity, and it can be shown that the nondimensional quantity must be proportional to ρ U l/η to some power.
Dinitrogenase-Driven Photobiological Hydrogen Production Combats Oxidative Stress in Cyanothece sp. Strain ATCC 51142.

ABSTRACT Photobiologically synthesized hydrogen (H 2 ) gas is carbon neutral to produce and clean to combust, making it an ideal biofuel. Cyanothece sp. strain ATCC 51142 is a cyanobacterium capable of performing simultaneous oxygenic photosynthesis and H 2 production, a highly perplexing phenomenon because H 2 evolving enzymes are O 2 sensitive. We employed a system-level in vivo chemoproteomic profiling approach to explore the cellular dynamics of protein thiol redox and how thiol redox mediates the function of the dinitrogenase NifHDK, an enzyme complex capable of aerobic hydrogenase activity. We found that NifHDK responds to intracellular redox conditions and may act as an emergency electron valve to prevent harmful reactive oxygen species formation in concert with other cell strategies for maintaining redox homeostasis. These results provide new insight into cellular redox dynamics useful for advancing photolytic bioenergy technology and reveal a new understanding for the biological function of NifHDK. IMPORTANCE Here, we demonstrate that high levels of hydrogen synthesis can be induced as a protection mechanism against oxidative stress via the dinitrogenase enzyme complex in Cyanothece sp. strain ATCC 51142. This is a previously unknown feature of cyanobacterial dinitrogenase, and we anticipate that it may represent a strategy to exploit cyanobacteria for efficient and scalable hydrogen production. We utilized a chemoproteomic approach to capture the in situ dynamics of reductant partitioning within the cell, revealing proteins and reactive thiols that may be involved in redox sensing and signaling. Additionally, this method is widely applicable across biological systems to achieve a greater understanding of how cells navigate their environment and how redox chemistry can be utilized to alter metabolism and achieve homeostasis.
Use of Nitrite and Nitrite-Sparing Agents in Meats: A Review.

Nitrite plays a major role in the curing of meats. However, the potential problem of nitrosamine formation has been responsible for reduction or elimination of nitrate and nitrite in curing. Reduced amounts of nitrite in curing can provide less protection against botulism, and subsequent investigations have examined solutions to this situation. Residual nitrite has been reduced by limiting the ingoing nitrite and by introducing curing substances, i.e., phosphates, lactobacillus cultures, and phenolic smoke compounds, to lower the pH. Ascorbates, alpha-tocopherol and other blocking agents have been used with nitrite in an attempt to devise a curing system that can provide a safe product with the color and flavor associated with nitrite-cured products while retarding nitrosopyrrolidine formation. This review focuses on the efficacy of various curing methods using nitrites that have the goal of reducing formation of nitrosamines.
Body image in adult women: Associations with health behaviors, quality of life, and functional impairment:

This study examined body image in adult women along with probable correlates including health behaviors, negative affect, quality of life, and functional impairment. Adult women (N = 738, age = 25–...
DNA Replication and Chromosome Reproduction

In each DNA synthetic (S) phase, the two strands of the DNA double helix separate by unwinding. Each strand serves as a template for synthesis of a completely new complementary strand from the deoxyribonucleotides dA, dG, dC, and dT, hereafter called A, G, C, and T. Since the new DNA double helix consists of one conserved strand and one newly synthesized strand, replication is called semi-conservative. This was first demonstrated at the chromosomal level by autoradiography, growing cells in the presence of [3H]thymidine during one cell cycle and in the absence of this radioactive DNA precursor during the next cycle. If replication is semi-conservative and each chromatid contains a single DNA molecule, label will be incorporated into the newly replicated strand of DNA in each chromatid at the first cycle but into neither new strand of DNA at the second cycle. The result will be a radiolabeled strand in only one of the two sister chromatids. This was confirmed autoradiographically by placing a photographic emulsion on metaphase chromosome preparations. Electrons produced by radioactive decay of the tritium (3H) produced silver grains in the emulsion, mostly within 1 micrometer (µm) of the source, and these were concentrated over one of the two chromatids (Fig. 3.1). Occasionally, however, a region of the second chromatid would be labeled while the corresponding region of the other chromatid lacked label. This reciprocal labeling pattern is the result of breakage and rejoining of sister chromatids, resulting in an exchange between them (Taylor, 1963).
Driving under the influence of cannabis: an examination of driving beliefs and practices of medical and recreational cannabis users across the United States

Trends toward the legalization of cannabis are raising concerns about driving under the influence of cannabis (DUIC). The goal of this study was to examine the percentage of cannabis users who believe DUIC is safe, who drive within one hour of using cannabis, and who have experienced a DUIC-related incident (i.e., ticket/accident). We further sought to compare these percentages in exclusively medical versus exclusively recreational versus mixed cannabis users and in participants surveyed before versus after legal sales of recreational cannabis. Finally, we examined predictors of DUIC beliefs, practices, and incidents. An anonymous online survey was administered to cannabis users across the 50 United States (N=1773; 54% Male) to assess DUIC beliefs, practices, and incidents. 52.4% reported believing DUIC is safe, 52.1% admitted to driving within one hour of using cannabis, but only 3.9% reported experiencing a DUIC-related incident. No significant differences were found in exclusively medical, exclusively recreational, and mixed cannabis users or in WA respondents surveyed before- and after-legal sales in WA state. Older age, less education, higher frequency and quantities of use, and driving within one hour of use predicted beliefs DUIC is safe. Younger age, more education, higher frequency and quantities of use, younger age of first use, and beliefs DUIC is safe predicted driving within one hour of using cannabis. Male gender, lower income, and higher frequency of use predicted DUIC-related incidents. Rates of DUIC are high among cannabis users but self-reported accidents/tickets are low. Recreational cannabis sales do not appear to be exacerbating these rates. DOI: 10.26828/cannabis.2018.02.001
Intercellular Communication in the Early Embryo

The existence of positional information within an embryo is an essential element of many theories of developmental biology. It is assumed that an embryonic cell is capable of responding to a message concerning its location in the embryo and that its future differentiation is determined by the message received. This concept is consistent with a great many experimental observations which indicate, as Goodwin and Cohen (1969) have suggested, that the embryo must possess a map and a clock and that the cells must be capable of reading both. Experiments on a variety of embryos have demonstrated that the clock is programmed during oogenesis. However, in many instances the map can be redrawn during early development to accommodate the number of cells in the embryo. The timing of many events (such as cell division and orientation of cleavages planes) appears to be primarily an intracellular phenomenon with an inflexible clock. But the decision of a cell to differentiate in one direction and not another often involves interaction with neighboring cells. Thus it is felt that the cell acquires information on its position in the embryo by reception of a message transmitted by another cell. These messages are critical for development because, whatever the intracellular mechanisms of differentiation are, the signal that selects the proper developmental pathway depends positional information.
Abstract 140: Reducing Costs and Length of Stay Using Standardized Dysphagia Evaluation in Acute Stroke Patients

Introduction: Dysphagia is common after acute stroke. Variability in predicting who will require a gastrostomy tube (G-tube) prior to discharge can prolong length of hospital stay (LOS) and increas...
Hepatitis A, B, and C

Viral hepatitis remains the leading cause of liver failure and is the primary indication for liver transplantation worldwide. Hepatitis viruses are categorized into five distinct subtypes that collectively render significant morbidity and mortality in transplanted patients. Each subtype has a distinct replication pattern, pathology, and treatment. While the primary pathology mediated by these viruses occurs within the liver, significant extrahepatic disease may be observed with particular subtypes of hepatitis and warrant special treatment modalities prior to and following transplantation. Advances in the management of hepatitis B and C have recently revolutionized the treatment paradigm from supportive care to cure. In this section, each hepatitis subtype is described separately and accompanied by diagnostic and treatment strategies with emphasis on care for the transplanted patient.
Next-generation sequencing for diagnosis of infection: is more sensitive really better?

Background The utility of next-generation sequencing (NGS) in differentiating between active infection and contaminant or baseline flora remains unclear. The purpose of this study is to compare NGS with culture-based methods in primary shoulder arthroplasty. Methods A prospective series of primary shoulder arthroplasty patients with no history of infection or antibiotic use within 60 days of surgery was enrolled. All patients received standard perioperative antibiotics. After skin incision, a 10 × 3-mm sample of the medial skin edge was excised. A 2 × 2-cm synovial tissue biopsy was taken from the rotator interval after subscapularis takedown. Each sample set was halved and sent for NGS and standard cultures. Results Samples from 25 patients were analyzed. Standard aerobic/anaerobic cultures were positive in 10 skin samples (40%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 20%-60%) and 3 deep tissue samples (12%, 90% CI 1%-23%]). NGS detected ≥1 bacterial species in 17 of the skin samples (68%, 95% CI 49%-87%) and 7 deep tissue samples (28%, 95% CI 9%-47%). There was a significant difference (P Conclusion NGS identified bacteria at higher rates in skin and deep tissue samples than standard culture did in native, uninfected patients undergoing primary procedures. Further research is needed to determine which NGS results are clinically relevant and which are false positives before NGS can be reliably used in orthopedic cases.
High-Q 3D Micro-Shell Resonator with High Shock Immunity and Low Frequency Mismatch for MEMS Gyroscopes

In this work we report an improved design and method for fabrication of precision shell integrating (PSI) resonators for gyroscopes. PSI resonators are designed for lower thermomechanical noise and higher shock tolerance. We demonstrate fused silica (FS) micro-shell resonators with tailored sidewall thickness to tune the stiffness and mass of different regions in the resonators. PSI resonators of 10 mm diameter are demonstrated with low frequency split (1.2 Hz), high Q (7.5 million) and long ring-down time (6 minutes). The resonator's sidewall thickness is tailored to achieve large effective mass (>8 mg) and obtain $n=2$ wine-glass mode frequency at 6–7 kHz for immunity to vibrations. The shells were successfully tested for survivability under 7000g shock. These parameters are critical in achieving near navigation-grade performance ( $\text{ARW} , Bias Instability < 1mdeg/hr) for a MEMS gyroscope.
Reactive oxygen species induce antibiotic tolerance during systemic Staphylococcus aureus infection

Staphylococcus aureus is a major human pathogen that causes an array of infections ranging from minor skin infections to more serious infections, including osteomyelitis, endocarditis, necrotizing pneumonia and sepsis1. These more serious infections usually arise from an initial bloodstream infection and are frequently recalcitrant to antibiotic treatment1. Phagocytosis by macrophages and neutrophils is the primary mechanism through which S. aureus infection is controlled by the immune system2. Macrophages have been shown to be a major reservoir of S. aureus in vivo3, but the role of macrophages in the induction of antibiotic tolerance has not been explored. Here, we show that macrophages not only fail to efficiently kill phagocytosed S. aureus, but also induce tolerance to multiple antibiotics. Reactive oxygen species generated by respiratory burst attack iron-sulfur cluster-containing proteins, including TCA-cycle enzymes, result in decreased respiration, lower ATP and increased antibiotic tolerance. We further show that respiratory burst induces antibiotic tolerance in the spleen during a murine systemic infection. These results suggest that a major component of the innate immune response is antagonistic to the bactericidal activities of antibiotics.
Group size and social rank predict inhibitory control in spotted hyaenas

Inhibitory control is the ability to resist performing a prepotent, but ultimately incorrect, behaviour in situations that demand restraint. Inhibitory control is linked to brain size and intelligence in humans and animals, but it is unclear just how it evolves. Inhibitory control is thought to be particularly important in complex social environments where demands can shift frequently based on the social context and the identities or behaviours of other individuals in a group. Indeed, the social intelligence hypothesis suggests that the demands of living in complex social groups led to the evolution of sophisticated cognition. Here, we tested inhibitory control in wild spotted hyaenas, Crocuta crocuta, whose large social groups are structured by linear dominance hierarchies. We tested inhibitory control using the cylinder test, which requires subjects to inhibit going straight for a food reward. In support of our predictions, hyaenas living in larger groups had greater inhibitory control. In particular, the size of the cohort in which young hyaenas grew up, rather than the size of adult groups, had the strongest effect. In addition, the effect of group size was significantly stronger for low-ranking hyaenas, which must frequently inhibit both feeding and aggression in the presence of higher-ranking hyaenas. Contrary to our predictions, adult male hyaenas, which always occupy very low rank positions as adults, did not have better inhibitory control than adult females. This suggests that inhibition is not a canalized trait, but instead may be a flexible one such that its development is influenced by early life social environments.
The future of disaster volunteerism

Abstract This chapter concludes the volume by recognizing that, given population growth and related political, social, and economic pressures, both disasters and humanitarian crises will increase and worsen in frequency, magnitude, scope, and impacts. New disasters will appear, and will challenge how we respond to and recover from such events. Understanding that disasters rarely remain confined within human-established borders, the chapter discusses the particular challenges of events that cross boundaries and impact highly vulnerable people. Given these scenarios, the chapter then looks at where volunteers will be needed in the life cycle of emergency management. For those who seek future volunteers, a section addresses likely future sources of volunteers. The chapter concludes with action steps that will move forward the future of disaster volunteerism policy, practice, and research.
Engineering transport systems for microbial production

The rapid development in the field of metabolic engineering has enabled complex modifications of metabolic pathways to generate a diverse product portfolio. Manipulating substrate uptake and product export is an important research area in metabolic engineering. Optimization of transport systems has the potential to enhance microbial production of renewable fuels and chemicals. This chapter comprehensively reviews the transport systems critical for microbial production as well as current genetic engineering strategies to improve transport functions and thus production metrics. In addition, this chapter highlights recent advancements in engineering microbial efflux systems to enhance cellular tolerance to industrially relevant chemical stress. Lastly, future directions to address current technological gaps are discussed.
Latency-Aware, Static, and Dynamic Decision-Tree Placement Algorithm for Containerized SDN-VNF in OpenFlow Architectures

The preliminary work conducted as a part of this research evaluated two virtualization technologies, virtual machines (VM) and containers, for a software-defined networking controller virtual network function (SDN-VNF) – per the NFV Research Group (NFVRG) testing guidelines. Although the VNF benchmarking experiment results have proved that container-based VNFs offer various performance advantages (memory/throughput) over VM-based VNFs, prior work lacks the development of optimal containerized VNF placement algorithms. The goal of this research is to further the preliminary work that presented a resilient SDN/NFV infrastructure per ETSI-NFV design considerations that actively orchestrates and monitors the network infrastructure comprising of SDN-VNF by designing a decision-tree (DT) algorithm to perform an optimal placement of containerized SDN-VNFs in an OpenFlow network architecture. The research compares two approaches for implementing the DT algorithm – first, using cbench as the OpenFlow statistics advisor and second, using a northbound application as the OpenFlow statistics advisor. The result indicates that the DT algorithm offers comparatively smaller and near-constant total placement time when it is coupled with a northbound application compared to the former approach that uses cbench. Moreover, the second approach removes any OpenFlow switch Operating System (OS) dependency (that is required in case of cbench) which further benefits its adoption in multi-faceted OpenFlow networks. The outcome of this research enhances the body of knowledge on implementing optimal containerized SDN-VNF placement algorithms that facilitate Internet Service Providers (ISPs) understanding of the benefits of containerized SDN-VNF adoption.
Endothelium-targeted deletion of the miR-15a/16-1 cluster ameliorates blood-brain barrier dysfunction in ischemic stroke

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) maintains a stable brain microenvironment. Breakdown of BBB integrity during cerebral ischemia initiates a devastating cascade of events that eventually leads to neuronal loss. MicroRNAs are small noncoding RNAs that suppress protein expression, and we previously showed that the miR-15a/16-1 cluster is involved in the pathogenesis of ischemic brain injury. Here, we demonstrated that when subjected to experimentally induced stroke, mice with an endothelial cell (EC)-selective deletion of miR-15a/16-1 had smaller brain infarcts, reduced BBB leakage, and decreased infiltration of peripheral immune cells. These mice also showed reduced infiltration of proinflammatory M1-type microglia/macrophage in the peri-infarct area without changes in the number of resolving M2-type cells. Stroke decreases claudin-5 abundance, and we found that EC-selective miR-15a/16-1 deletion enhanced claudin-5 mRNA and protein abundance in ischemic mouse brains. In cultured mouse brain microvascular ECs (mBMECs), the miR-15a/16-1 cluster directly bound to the 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) of Claudin-5, and lentivirus-mediated ablation of miR-15a/16-1 diminished oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD)-induced down-regulation of claudin-5 mRNA and protein abundance and endothelial barrier dysfunction. These findings suggest that genetic deletion of endothelial miR-15a/16-1 suppresses BBB pathologies after ischemic stroke. Elucidating the molecular mechanisms of miR-15a/16-1-mediated BBB dysfunction may enable the discovery of new therapies for ischemic stroke.
Present and Proposed Uses of Low-Energy Electron Diffraction in Studying Surfaces

At the present time the physics of surfaces may represent the frontier of all of solid-state physics. It is the field that is least understood, probably because sufficiently sensitive techniques have not been available. There are now sharp, new methods for studying surfaces, and the backwardness of this field of science may be nearly ended. The new techniques include low-energy electron diffraction, field ion microscopy, infrared absorption, and other spectroscopic techniques. It is guessed that, of the first two, low-energy electron diffraction will be the more important, although both have a field of usefulness. This paper concerns only low-energy electron diffraction or LEED.
Stigma cities: The reputation and history of Birmingham, San Francisco, and Las Vegas, by Jonathan Foster

In Stigma Cities, Jonathan Foster explores the impact of reputation on the history of three cities—Birmingham, San Francisco, and Las Vegas—and concludes that reputation and history are deeply inte...
Cycling cancer persister cells arise from lineages with distinct transcriptional and metabolic programs

Abstract Non-genetic mechanisms have recently emerged as important drivers of therapy failure in cancer (Salgia and Kulkarni, 2018), where some cancer cells can enter a reversible drug-tolerant persister state in response to treatment (Vallette et al., 2019). While most cancer persisters, like their bacterial counterparts, remain arrested in the presence of drug, a rare subset of cancer persisters can re-enter the cell cycle under constitutive drug treatment (Sharma et al., 2010). Little is known about the non-genetic mechanisms that enable cancer persisters to maintain proliferative capacity in the presence of drug. Here, using time-lapse imaging, we found that cycling persisters emerge early in the course of treatment of EGFR-mutant lung cancer cells with the EGFR inhibitor osimertinib. To study this rare, transiently-resistant, proliferative persister population we developed Watermelon, a new high-complexity expressed barcode lentiviral library for simultaneous tracing each cell’s clonal origin, proliferative state, and transcriptional state. Analysis of Watermelon-transduced PC9 cells demonstrated that cycling and non-cycling persisters arise from different pre-existing cell lineages with distinct transcriptional and metabolic programs. The proliferative capacity of persisters is associated with an upregulation of antioxidant gene programs and a metabolic shift to fatty acid oxidation in specific subpopulations of tumor cells. Mitigating oxidative stress or blocking metabolic reprograming significantly alters the fraction of cycling persister cells. In human tumors, programs associated with cycling persisters were induced in malignant cells in response to multiple tyrosine kinase inhibitors. The Watermelon system enabled the identification of rare persister lineages, that are preferentially poised through specific gene programs to proliferate under drug pressure, thus exposing new vulnerabilities that can be targeted to delay or even prevent disease recurrence.
Bacillus amyloliquefaciens ALB65 Inhibits the Growth of Listeria monocytogenes on Cantaloupe Melons.

ABSTRACT Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen that causes high rates of hospitalization and mortality in people infected. Contamination of fresh, ready to eat produce by this pathogen is especially troubling because of the ability of this bacterium to grow on produce under refrigeration temperatures. In this study, we created a library of over 8,000 plant phyllosphere-associated bacteria and screened them for the ability to inhibit the growth of L. monocytogenes in an in vitro fluorescence-based assay. One isolate, later identified as Bacillus amyloliquefaciens ALB65, was able to inhibit the fluorescence of L. monocytogenes by >30-fold in vitro. B. amyloliquefaciens ALB65 was also able to grow, persist, and reduce the growth of L. monocytogenes by >1.5 log CFU on cantaloupe melon rinds inoculated with 5 × 103 CFU at 30°C and was able to completely inhibit its growth at temperatures below 8°C. DNA sequence analysis of the B. amyloliquefaciens ALB65 genome revealed six gene clusters that are predicted to encode genes for antibiotic production; however, no plant or human virulence factors were identified. These data suggest that B. amyloliquefaciens ALB65 is an effective and safe biological control agent for the reduction of L. monocytogenes growth on intact cantaloupe melons and possibly other types of produce. IMPORTANCEListeria monocytogenes is estimated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to cause disease in approximately 1,600 to 2,500 people in the United States every year. The largest known outbreak of listeriosis in the United States was associated with intact cantaloupe melons in 2011, resulting in 147 hospitalizations and 33 deaths. In this study, we demonstrated that Bacillus amyloliquefaciens ALB65 is an effective biological control agent for the reduction of L. monocytogenes growth on intact cantaloupe melons under both pre- and postharvest conditions. Furthermore, we demonstrated that B. amyloliquefaciens ALB65 can completely inhibit the growth of L. monocytogenes during cold storage (
Assessment of CSF biomarkers and microRNA-mediated disease mechanisms in SMA

Abstract Objective Cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) is a promising biospecimen for the detection of central nervous system (CNS) biomarkers to monitor therapeutic efficacy at the cellular level in neurological diseases. Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) patients receiving intrathecal antisense oligonucleotide (nusinersen) therapy tend to show improved motor function, but the treatment effect on cellular function remains unknown. The objective of this study was to assess the potential of extracellular RNAs and microRNAs in SMA patient CSF as indicators of neuron and glial health following nusinersen treatment. Methods CSF samples from SMA Type 1-3 patients were screened using quantitative RT-PCR to assess expression of extracellular RNAs associated with inflammation and cellular stress, and microRNAs previously implicated in SMA pathogenesis. We also used mRNA sequencing and multi-electrode array approaches to assess the transcriptional and functional effects of astrocyte-associated miR-146a on healthy and SMA induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived motor neurons. Results Extracellular RNA analysis is suggestive of ongoing cellular stress, even in nusinersen treated samples. microRNAs previously associated with SMA pathology tended to show improvement in expression levels in nusinersen treated samples, with the exception of the astrocyte-secreted miR-146a. miR-146a treated iPSC-derived motor neurons showed a downregulation of extracellular matrix genes found in the synaptic perineuronal net and decreased spontaneous activity. Interpretation Extracellular RNAs and microRNAs can be detected in SMA patient CSF samples, potentially serving as useful biomarkers to monitor cellular health during nusinersen treatment. Astrocyte health and response to nusinersen are important aspects to address in SMA pathogenesis and treatment strategies.
Novel Cell and Immune Engagers in Optimizing Tumor- Specific Immunity Post-Autologous Transplantation in Multiple Myeloma.

Autologous transplant is an important component of treatment of multiple myeloma. The post ASCT setting offers a unique opportunity to increase myeloma specific immunity through enhancement of T and NK cell responses. The vast array of therapeutics which are being developed for myeloma including cell-based therapies, dendritic vaccines, bispecific antibodies, IL-15 agonists give us the opportunity to increase tumor specific immunity. Maintenance therapies including Immunomodulatory drugs, proteasome inhibitors and daratumumab exhibit a significant anti myeloma response by modulating the immune system. Lenalidomide promotes an anti-tumoral immune microenvironment, while daratumumab can potentially cause NK cell fratricide. Hence understanding the effects of commonly used maintenance drugs on the immune system is important. In this review, we look at current and emerging therapeutics and their integration post ASCT in the context of immune reconstitution to improve clinical responses in myeloma.
Antimicrobial resistance: Wildlife as indicators of anthropogenic environmental contamination across space and through time.

Summary Prior assessments support wildlife as indicators of anthropogenically influenced antimicrobial resistance across the landscape. A ground-breaking new study suggests that wildlife may also provide information on antimicrobial resistance in the environment through time.