cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Classification, Natural History, and Evolution of Epiphloeinae (Coleoptera: Cleridae). Part V. Decorosa Opitz, a New Genus of Checkered Beetles from Hispaniola With Description of Its Four New Species

Abstract The new genus Decorosa Opitz, known only from the Dominican Republic, and its four new species are described: D. aladecoris, D. iviei, D. limatula, and D. neiba. Reduction of the seventh row of elytral punctations and filiform funicular antennomeres distinguish Decorosa specimens from other epiphloeines with antennae composed of 10 antennomeres. Aside from the conventional components of generic revisions this treatise also includes a review of Greater Antillean and Hispaniolan paleogeography, and comments about phylogenetics and zoogeographic considerations. Distributional records, in conjunction with analysis of intrageneric relationships suggest that Decorosa evolved in northern Hispaniola. Available specimens of Decorosa were collected from mountain forests of the Cordillera Central (1160–2885 m), Sierra de Neiba, (1856–1874 m), and from eastern terrain prehistorically considered part of the northern element of ancient Hispaniola. Compelling evidence from geology and biology suggests that exta...
A neural network architecture for cue-based motion planning

The principles of memory organization of plans are presented, and the role of sensory cues in the timely selection and execution of plans is demonstrated. The two major components of learning a cue-based plan, developing the ability to detect cues and associating cues with the relevant responses, are described. The preliminary development of neural-network mechanisms for learning cue-based plans is presented. It is shown that hard-wired neural networks provide the input to adaptive neural networks that learn an internal representation of the relevant cues and the threshold levels associated with them. Self-organizing neural networks learn to associate cues with changes in action and to construct cue-based plans. >
"The Marginal Cost of Redistribution": Reply

This article is a response to the several criticisms made by Dahlby and Ruggeri in their comment on Browning's 1993 article dealing with the marginal cost of redistribution (MCR). The author concludes that the findings of the 1993 article require little or no modification. Most significantly, it is deemed unnecessary to alter the conclusion that the efficiency cost of income transfers is extremely high.
ReDABLS: Revisiting Device Attestation with Bounded Leakage of Secrets (Transcript of Discussion)

Our work on device attestation with bounded leakage of secrets (DABLS) started in early 2010, when Adrian Perrig described an idea he had in an area that interests me quite a bit, namely how to obtain desirable security properties without relying on secrets. Briefly, he suggested that a Verifier might be able to authenticate a remote device, D, even if the device is contaminated with malicious software (malware) that could access any of D’s secrets. If both device D and Verifier could be initialized with the same large pool of high entropy secrets, S, and if the device’s output bandwidth, D ban , could be appropriately limited, then after deployment the device malware could not leak the entire secret pool S to a network collaborator before the Verifier would cause the device software to update and overwrite pool S to a new verifiable state S′ = f(n,S). Here, n is a Verifier-sent public nonce that has to be used in the pool update and f is the update function. The Verifier would send a fresh nonce to D every T s units of time, the device would use T up units of time to compute the pool update f(n,S) and respond to the Verifier’s challenge. The response would be computed with a message authentication code (MAC) function using the new secret S′, namely MAC(S′, constant). Adrian thought that we could find an update function f, which would preserve pool entropy, prevent the external malware collaborator from ever discovering an entire secret pool S, and successfully masquerading device D in response to a Verifier’s nonce-based challenge. Clearly, neither the device malware nor its external collaborator could predict a nonce n and construct a future state of pool S, given that the external collaborator’s power is bounded.
Relationship between external load and isolated myocyte contractile function with CHF in pigs

Past studies have demonstrated that the negative relationship between afterload and contractile performance of papillary muscles is shifted downward and to the left with the development of hypertrophy. However, it remained unclear whether a similar load-contractility relationship could be constructed for isolated myocytes, particularly with the development of congestive heart failure (CHF). Accordingly, the effect of incrementally increased external loads on the contractile performance of left ventricular (LV) myocytes isolated from pigs in the normal state (n = 5) and after the development of chronic supraventricular tachycardia (SVT)-induced CHF (SVT-CHF; 240 beats/min, 3 wk; n = 5) was examined. This study used precalibrated microspheres to impose a quantifiable load on isolated myocytes, and myocyte contractility was assessed by videomicroscopy. Steady-state unloaded extent of shortening was 5.4 +/- 0.2 microns in control myocytes (n = 80) and was significantly reduced in the myocytes with the development of SVT-CHF (4.4 +/- 0.2 microns, n = 93; P 0.85). For myocyte velocity of shortening, the slope of this relationship was significantly reduced in the SVT-CHF state compared with controls (-46.3 x 10(-6) and -34.6 x 10(-6) microns3.microN-1.s-1, respectively; P 0.18 x 10(-6) microN/microns2), the reduction in myocyte shortening extent under an equivalent relative resistive load was significantly greater in the SVT-CHF myocytes compared with controls (62.8 +/- 3.9 vs. 45.6 +/- 4.7%, respectively, P < 0.05). The present study demonstrated for the first time that a load-dependent relationship can be derived for intact isolated LV myocytes in both normal and CHF states. The defect in the capacity of SVT-CHF myocytes to respond to an increased relative resistive load is a likely contributory mechanism for the LV pump dysfunction that occurs in this model of CHF.
Identification of a barrier height threshold where brook trout population genetic diversity, differentiation, and relatedness are affected

The overall goal of the study was to evaluate effects of landscape features, barriers, on Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis population genetics and to identify a potential barrier height threshold where genetic diversity was reduced upstream of the barrier and differentiation and relatedness increase. We screened variation at eight microsatellite DNA loci within Brook Trout populations upstream and downstream of ten putative natural barriers ranging in height from 1.5 to 61 m to quantify allelic variation, differentiation (F ST), individual assignment probability (Q), and relatedness (r xy). Average gene diversity per locus (H), differentiation (F ST), and mean relatedness values (r xy) became significantly greater in relation to barrier height starting at 4 m according to piecewise linear regression. This potential barrier height threshold is greater than the barrier height criterion identified for Brook Trout based on physical criteria and jumping ability (0.74 m). The 4 m barrier-height criteria can be used to identify barrier sites where Brook Trout populations may be at risk due to reduced genetic diversity and increased relatedness.
The Possibility of Moral Absolutes: Some Thoughts in Response to Jeremy Waldron on Torture

Those who advocate for an absolute moral rule forbidding torture must deal with the important challenge that, sometimes, there is even greater human suffering if torture is not employed. The “ticking time bomb” scenario, in which many will die if a bomb’s location is not tortured out of a hapless detainee, provides a paradigmatic case. The root of the problem is that a simple moral rule against torture does not build in protection for other important values. The rule is able, as a result, to demand conduct in derogation of those values. The problem is very likely not, however, that the rule is not valid. Rather, it is merely a problem of defective formulation. The challenge is to formulate moral rules in such a way that they are absolute and, yet, sensitive to circumstances (such as consequences). The approach suggested in this paper is to take explicit account of mental states in formulating moral rules. For example, a defined wrong could consist of doing a specified act in the presence or absence of some specified belief as to consequences or other circumstances. The honest belief criterion can make the rule, as a practical matter, sensitive to circumstances even while its command is nonetheless absolute. The rule is absolute because the agent either has the requisite belief or does not and is commanded to act accordingly, without exception. Yet, the rule is sensitive to circumstances because, as a practical matter, agents’ honest beliefs will tend to have a high correlation with actual states of affairs. Taking explicit account of mental states in formulating moral rules allows rules that are both absolute in their command and, yet, morally sensitive to circumstances.
National Institutes of Health Support for Clinical Emergency Care Research, 2011 to 2014

Study objective I report on the results of a portfolio analysis of National Institutes of Health (NIH) support for clinical emergency care research. Methods A targeted query was created with data-mining techniques that accessed the NIH database for 2011 to 2014. The search was constructed to have a clinical focus; animal and bench research projects, as well as career development grants, were excluded. The search results were manually reviewed for appropriateness and then analyzed. Results Six-hundred eighty-eight applications were analyzed. During the study period, the number of new emergency care projects submitted to NIH increased from 62 in 2011 to 153 in 2014. A total of 112 new applications were funded for $100 million, with an overall success rate of 23%. The total amount of support for both new and existing projects during the 4-year study period was $263 million. One third of the funded principal investigators were emergency medicine faculty, and their success rate for R01 funding was twice the NIH average. Conclusion Emergency care research makes up 0.7% of NIH spending on new research project grants. The success rate is high for emergency medicine principal investigators conducting clinical work. The overall success rate for emergency medicine R01s is similar to that of other clinical specialties.
The dual role of helix – loop – helix-zipper protein USF in ribosomal RNA gene transcription in vivo

We have previously demonstrated that the core promoter of rat ribosomal RNA gene (rDNA) contains an E-box-like sequence to which the core promoter binding factor CPBF binds and that the 44 kDa subunit of this protein is immunologically related to USF1, the helix – loop – helix-zipper DNA binding protein. Further, we showed that RNA polymerase I (pol I) transcription in vitro is competed by oligonucleotides containing USF-binding site, which suggested a key role for USF in rDNA transcription. To prove the potential role of USF in pol I transcription in vivo, USF1 and USF2 homodimers and USF1/USF2 heterodimer were overexpressed in CHO cells by transfection of the respective cDNAs. Co-transfection of a plasmid containing rDNA followed by primer extension analysis showed that overexpression of USF1 and USF2 as homodimers resulted in inhibition of rDNA transcription by as much as 85 – 90% whereas overexpression of USF1/USF2 in the heterodimeric form activated transcription approximately 3.5-fold. Transfection of mutant USF2 cDNA that is devoid of the basic DNA-binding domain produced only minimal inhibition of rDNA transcription. These data show that USF can modulate transcription of rRNA gene in vivo by functioning as a repressor (homodimer) or activator (heterodimer) of pol I transcription in vivo and suggest that inhibition of rDNA transcription may be responsible for the antiproliferative action of USF homodimers.
Patient-focused migraine management: establishing needs.

Headache disorders represent a serious threat to the sufferer's quality of life and normal day-to-day functioning. Headache generates a substantial disability burden, being classified among the major public health disorders. There is no doubt that the emergence of the triptan class in the early 1990s dramatically advanced the treatment of migraine and has changed the perspective of the migraine sufferer with respect to the treatment. Triptan therapies for migraine relief have been proven to be safe and efficacious in clinical trials. Nevertheless, endpoint-based clinical trials are focused more on specific measures of efficacy and tolerability (e.g., relief, response and adverse event rates), and less on the patient's feelings and quality of life. For instance, in the U.S. only 29% of migraine sufferers are very satisfied with their usual treatment. The principal reasons for their dissatisfaction with therapy are as follows: pain relief takes too long (87%), treatment does not relieve all the pain (87%), treatment does not always work (85%), headache comes back (71%), and too many side effects (35%). Thus, this work is focused on patients' perspectives on migraine therapies attempting to establish their needs and to find better treatment possibilities for restoring patients' overall functionality.
Duration of inhibition of 3-methylindole production by monensin.

A series of in vitro and in vivo trials was conducted to determine if continuous monensin feeding for up to 56 d would reduce ruminal conversion of L-tryptophan (TRP) to 3-methylindole (3MI). Fourteen mature beef cows were adapted to a maintenance diet for 3 wk. In trial I, the sampling time to optimize 3MI production was determined. Trials II through IV were to determine the duration of efficacy of monensin on reducing 3MI concentrations in vitro and in vivo. During trials II, III and IV one-half of the cows were fed 200 mg monensin X head-1 X d-1 for 21, 36 and 55 d, respectively, while the remaining cows served as controls. All cows were fed the control diet for 21 d between each trial. Volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations and in vitro conversion of TRP to 3MI were determined in ruminal fluid samples collected during trials I through IV. On d 28 of trial IV, all cows were given an oral dose of .35 g TRP/kg of body weight to induce acute bovine pulmonary edema and emphysema (ABPE). Ruminal concentrations of 3MI and indole were measured at intervals for 96 h. Results of trial I demonstrated that ruminal fluid collected 15 h postfeeding produced the highest in vitro conversion of TRP to 3MI. Therefore, ruminal fluid samples were collected at that time in trials II, III and IV. In vitro conversion of TRP to 3MI was lower (P less than .01) in samples from monensin-treated cows (12.1%) compared with controls (25.6%). Monensin reduced 3MI production for 55 d, the longest time tested in these experiments.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
APPLICATION OF THE OXIDASE TEST TO REFRIGERATED DELICATESSEN FOODS

A total bacterial count, oxidase count, coliform, and yeast and mold count was made on each of 135 samples of delicatessen foods collected at retail outlets and food processing plants. Analysis of ...
Mechanisms Underlying the Nucleation and Kinesin-Driven Assembly of Microtubule Rings

Active self-assembly processes rely on the conversion of chemical energy into mechanical work to overcome the limitations associated with diffusion-driven, passive self-assembly. For example, the transport of biotinylated microtubule filaments by surface-adsorbed kinesin motor proteins results in the actively assembly of bundles, rings, and spools in the presence of streptavidin. Observing the nucleation and assembly of these structures has been hindered by issues including controlled buffer exchange and photo-oxidative damage from fluorescent excitation. To address these issues, we developed a custom PDMS microfluidic device to characterize the earliest events involved in active assembly of microtubule rings and spools. Three distinct nucleation mechanisms were observed: pinning, collisions, and induced curvature. Pinning occurred when the leading tip of a microtubule encounters and stalls at an inactive motor. Experiments and numerical energy minimizations suggest that the diameter of ring/spools formed by pinning is strongly dependent on the surface density of kinesin motors. Collision-induced nucleation occurred when three (or more) microtubules simultaneous collide, forming a closed triangle that further evolved into a ring/spool. Collision accounted for the majority of nucleation events when photodamage was mitigated with our microfluidic device. The third nucleation mechanism, induced-curvature, was only observed at long-time scale, and attributed to a frozen-in curvature due to the binding of streptavidin-coated quantum dots to microtubules. We further showed that nucleation mechanisms affected both the diameter and rotation direction of the assembled rings/spools. Collectively, our studies provide fundamental insights on active assembly processes, which may be applied for regulating the morphology and functional properties of the resulting structures.Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-mission laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.
Rhythm Perception and Its Role in Perception and Learning of Dysrhythmic Speech.

Purpose The perception of rhythm cues plays an important role in recognizing spoken language, especially in adverse listening conditions. Indeed, this has been shown to hold true even when the rhyt...
Abstract 3196: Effect Of Marital Status On Health-seeking Behavior Following Onset Of Acute Stroke Symptoms

Background: Each year, nearly 700,000 Americans suffer from strokes, resulting in 150,000 deaths and significant disability among survivors. Despite advances in therapeutic options for acute stroke within a critical time window, patient delay in seeking medical attention remains a significant barrier to improving outcomes. In a recent study of the effect of marital status on the timing of presentation for medical care in patients with chest pain, married men presented earlier than married women. In this study, we hypothesize that marital status is a predictor of earlier health-seeking behavior following the onset of stroke symptoms. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of 100 patients with acute stroke symptoms in our stroke alert quality initiative database who were brought by Emergency Medical Services (EMS) to the Mayo Clinic Hospital, Arizona between December 1, 2010 and June 30, 2011. Nine patients were excluded due to lack of data. The database contains the following information for each patient: age, gender, marital status, the time of symptom awareness, and the time of EMS dispatch. Using both an independent samples t-Test and ANOVA, we compared the time from symptom awareness to EMS dispatch both between married and single patients, and between men and women, (married and single). Results: The mean age of the 91 patients studied was 76 years (SD = 12.5 years) and 52% were women. Forty-five patients (49.5%) were married, and 46 (50.5%) were single. The mean time from symptom awareness to EMS activation was 52 minutes (median 21.0, SD 87.3, range 2-519 minutes.) Categorized by marital status, married patients activated EMS earlier that single patients, but this difference was not significant (43 versus 60 minutes, p=0.35.). Analyzing the data separately for gender, we found that married men activated EMS significantly earlier than married women (26 versus 72 minutes, p=0.04.). Single men activated EMS earlier than single women, but this difference was not significant (50 versus 66 minutes, p=0.60.) Conclusions: Among persons with acute stroke symptoms, earlier medical-seeking behavior was seen in married compared to single persons, and particularly in married men. We plan to analyze a larger sample of patients, and if these preliminary findings are confirmed, we will conduct a prospective study evaluating reasons why married men with stroke symptoms seek medical attention earlier.
A Nonlinear Sampled-Data Observer of Vehicle Lateral Velocity

Modeling and control of ground vehicles have become a major research field in the last few years, due to the increasing diffusion of driver assistance technologies and the persistent need for guaranteeing safety and comfort of driver and passengers. Although vehicle control systems require a large set of measurements to perform accurate computations, due to the possible unavailability and the non-negligible cost of sensors, it is not always possible to assume the direct knowledge of some important dynamic quantities involved, among which a major role is taken by its lateral velocity. In this letter, we address the design and implementation of an asymptotic sampled-data state observer for the vehicle single-track model. The observer only exploits the knowledge of sparse yaw-rate samples, which are obtained by relatively cheap digital gyroscopic devices, to reconstruct the continuous behavior of lateral velocity and yaw rate. However, due to the inherent properties of the vehicle single-track model, the observer is theoretically guaranteed to work only in the presence of sufficiently bounded driver maneuvers. Consequently and in view of a practical exploitation in a realistic setting, we preliminarily validate the approach by means of simulations of the observer applied to a more general vehicle model, including parameter variations, unmodeled dynamics, and quantization. The results seem to confirm the potential of the approach.
Optimal Injection Policies for Enhanced Oil Recovery

Abstract The theory of optimal control of distributed parameter systems is presented for determining the best possible injection policies for enhanced oil recovery processes. The optimization criterion is to maximize the amount of oil recovered while minimizing injection costs. Necessary conditions for optimality are obtained through application of the calculus of variations and Pontryagin's Weak Minimum Principle . A gradient method is used for the computation of optimal injection policies. The perforrnance of the algorithm was examined for the surfactant injection in a one di mensional flooding problem. Two types of interfacial tension behavior were cons idered: a type “A” system in which the interfacial tension is a monotically decreasing function with solute concentration and a type “B” system in which a minimurn in the in terfacial tension occurs at a nominal surfactant concentration. For a type “A” system, the shape of the optimum injection strateay was not unique, however, there is a unique optimum for the amount of surfacta nt needed. For a type “B” system, the shape of the optimum injection was unique as well as the amount injected. The results of this work show that given the properties of an oil reservoir and the properties of a surfactant solution, an optimum injection policy can be obtained using distributed parameter control theory.
Rheological characterization of yield stress gels formed via electrostatic heteroaggregation of metal oxide nanoparticles

Mixtures of fumed fractal metal oxide nanoparticles (np's) dispersed in water, at a solution pH where one species is positively charged and the other is negatively charged, form yield stress gels at volume fractions as low as 1.5%, due to electrostatic heteroaggregation into networks as confirmed by small-angle neutron scattering. These gels exhibit a measurable yield stress and an apparent viscosity that follows a power law relationship with shear rate. Rotational and oscillatory shear rheology is presented for binary mixtures of fumed silica, fumed alumina, and fumed titania in aqueous dispersions. Gels were characterized at various particle concentrations, solution pHs, mixture ratios, and salt concentrations. The strength of the gel network, as evaluated by the storage modulus and yield stress, is maximized when the mixture contains a mixture of particles with an approximately equal, but opposite, number of charged groups.
Physics in Curved Spacetime: General Relativity and Black Holes

The special theory of relativity can describe an enormous amount of physics. It can handle forces due to fluid or gas pressure, flow speeds up to the speed of light, electric and magnetic forces, and even viscous forces. One aspect that is completely missing, however, is gravity.
A comparison of dietarian identity profiles between vegetarians and vegans

Abstract Vegetarianism and veganism are often grouped together in nutritional and psychological investigations. Yet an emerging body of literature has highlighted that vegetarians and vegans differ along a number of neurological, attitudinal, and behavioral variables. In this research, I found that vegetarians and vegans exhibit different dietarian identity profiles. Compared to vegetarians, vegans saw their dietary patterns as more intertwined with their identity (higher centrality), had more positive feelings toward their dietary in-group (higher private regard), felt as if other people judge them more negatively for following their dietary patterns (lower public regard), evaluated out-group dieters more negatively (lower out-group regard), and had stronger motivations for following their dietary patterns (higher prosocial, personal, and moral motivations). By distinguishing between vegetarians and vegans more concretely, investigators can capture meaningful within-group heterogeneity in how people think, feel, and behave when it comes to eschewing animal products.
Metabolic Changes in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat Hearts Precede Cardiac Dysfunction and Left Ventricular Hypertrophy.

Background Sustained pressure overload leads to changes in cardiac metabolism, function, and structure. Both time course and causal relationships between these changes are not fully understood. Therefore, we studied spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) during early hypertension development and compared them to control Wistar Kyoto rats.
Comparison of Students' Readily Accessible Knowledge of Reaction Kinetics in Lecture- and Context-Based Courses

This study examines differences in the ability of undergraduate students taught in lecture-based or context-based general chemistry courses to describe reaction kinetics. The subjects included 210 students from a residential science college at a large research university. Two open-ended questions were used to engage students' surface knowledge of reaction kinetics in three classes (two lecture-based chemistry, one context-based chemistry). The constant comparison method was used to generate common themes mentioned by students for a quantitative assessment. The results showed that students in the context-based course accurately discussed mathematics (59% v. 31%), energy (44% v. 7.8%), rate-changing factors (46% v. 22%), and the particulate level (27% v. 14%) significantly more than those in the lecture-based course. Despite a much lower emphasis on quantitative problems, the context-based students were more likely to include accurate equations than their lecture counterparts (51% v. 11%). Through a separate qualitative analysis, half of context-based and one quarter of the lecture-based responses were judged as good or excellent. These findings provide evidence of the success of context-based learning in providing students with accurate and easily accessible knowledge of reaction kinetics.
A big data inspired preprocessing scheme for bandwidth use optimization in smart cities applications using Raspberry Pi

The advancement of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, such as low-cost embedded single board computers which integrate sensors, communication hardware, and processing power in one unit, has given more traction to the concept of Smart Cities. Having cheaper processing power at their disposal, the sensing units are capable of gathering increasingly larger amounts of raw data locally, which must be processed before being usable. One concern for this scheme is the amount of infrastructure and network bandwidth needed to transfer the data from the acquisition location to a server, which may be miles away, for further processing. The bandwidth available to the sensor network, distributed through the city, is expanding in a lower rate than the size and bandwidth demand of the network it serves. Therefore, transferring the unprocessed data to a central server does not seem feasible unless major compromises are made in terms of data resolution and size. This paper proposes a local big data based preprocessing scheme before the data is transferred to the storage. Using this scheme can free up the network bandwidth, exploit the otherwise wasted local processing power, and release processing load from the central server, allowing it to serve a larger network without the need for more powerful hardware. By making efficient use of network infrastructure the smart city applications are more affordable and scalable.
Efficient Load Management in Electric Ships: A Model Predictive Control Approach

This paper introduces a Model Predictive Control (MPC) approach for the Shipboard Power System (SPS) management under stressful high power loads. As part of the proposed approach, an optimization problem is formulated to mitigate the effects of a high power electrical load in the ship system and improve the overall system performance with respect to operating constraints. The nonlinear MPC also guarantees asymptotic stability of the closed-loop system by including a final cost in the objective function and a terminal inequality constraint. Moreover, a comparison of the controller performance under three different cases of load prediction, i.e. perfect prediction, no prediction and ARIMA prediction with different delays, is presented. In the case studies, a nonlinear model of Medium-Voltage DC shipboard power system is used for the control purpose. Simulation results illustrate the effectiveness of the presented MPC-based load management approach.
Nearest Neighbor Search-Based Bitwise Source Separation Using Discriminant Winner-Take-All Hashing.

We propose an iteration-free source separation algorithm based on Winner-Take-All (WTA) hash codes, which is a faster, yet accurate alternative to a complex machine learning model for single-channel source separation in a resource-constrained environment. We first generate random permutations with WTA hashing to encode the shape of the multidimensional audio spectrum to a reduced bitstring representation. A nearest neighbor search on the hash codes of an incoming noisy spectrum as the query string results in the closest matches among the hashed mixture spectra. Using the indices of the matching frames, we obtain the corresponding ideal binary mask vectors for denoising. Since both the training data and the search operation are bitwise, the procedure can be done efficiently in hardware implementations. Experimental results show that the WTA hash codes are discriminant and provide an affordable dictionary search mechanism that leads to a competent performance compared to a comprehensive model and oracle masking.
New Results from CLEO

New results are presented from the CLEO magnetic detector at the Cornell Electron Storage Ring (CESR). The branching ratio for the decay T’→T Π+ Π− is given. Various topics concerning B → meson decays are discussed including B → di-leptons and B → kaons. An upper limit on the B lifetime is also given. Finally, results of a scan above the T(4S) are presented.
Positive biotic interactions in freshwaters: A review and research directive

Positive interspecific interactions such as mutualism, commensalism, and facilitation are globally ubiquitous. Although research on positive interactions in terrestrial and marine systems has progressed over the past few decades, comparatively little is known about them in freshwater ecosystems. However, recent advances have brought the study of positive interactions in freshwater systems to a point where synthesis is warranted. In this review, we catalogue the variety of direct positive interactions described to date in freshwater ecosystems, discuss factors that could influence prevalence and impact of these interactions, and provide a framework for future research. In positive interactions, organisms exchange key resources such as nutrients, protection, transportation, or habitat to a net benefit for at least one participant. A few mutualistic relationships have received research attention to date, namely seed‐dispersing fishes, crayfishes and their ectosymbiotic cleaners, and communal‐spawning stream fishes. Similarly, only a handful of commensalisms have been studied, primarily phoretic relationships. Facilitation via ecosystem engineering has received more attention, for example habitat modification by beavers and bioturbation by salmon. It is well known that interaction outcomes vary with abiotic and biotic context. However, only a few of studies have examined context dependency in positive interactions in freshwater systems. Likewise, positive interactions incur costs as well as benefits; conceptualising interactions in terms of net cost/benefit to participants will help to clarify complex interactions. It is likely that there are many positive interactions that have yet to be discovered in freshwater systems. To identify these interactions, we encourage inductive natural history studies combined with hypotheses deduced from general ecological models. Research on positive interactions must move beyond small‐scale experiments and observational studies and adopt a cross‐scale approach. Likewise, we must progress from reducing systems to oversimplified pairwise interactions, toward studying positive interactions in broader community contexts. Positive interactions have been greatly overlooked in applied freshwater ecology, but have great potential for conservation, restoration, and aquaculture.
A WORKUP ON RECURRENT STROKE: WHAT DID WE MISS?

Persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) is a rare congenital malformation which results in a right-to-left intracardiac shunt when the left superior vena cava persists and drains into the left atrium. Acute stroke is an unusual presenting symptom. We present a case of PLSVC diagnosed after
Infographics Are More Effective at Increasing Social Media Attention in Comparison With Original Research Articles: An Altmetrics-Based Analysis

Purpose To compare social media attention and citation rates between infographics (visual abstracts) and original research articles. Methods All infographics in 2019 from electronic versions of Arthroscopy were matched by topic to articles in the “Original Research” section of the journal in a 4:1 ratio within the same year. The primary outcome was the Altmetric Attention Score (AAS), a cumulative measure of social media attention from various platforms such as Twitter and Facebook. Secondary outcomes included citation rates, article characteristics, and number of shares on social media platforms. Independent t tests and χ2 analyses were used to compare primary and secondary outcomes between infographics and control articles. Multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to determine the association between article type and social media attention while controlling for bibliometric characteristics. Results A total of 60 matched research articles (n = 48, 80.0%) and infographics (n = 12, 20.0%) published in 2019 in Arthroscopy were included. The mean AAS among all infographics was 29.75 ± 32.84 (range, 3-118), whereas the mean AAS among all control research articles was 5.75 ± 8.90 (range, 0-41), representing a statistically significant difference (P Conclusions Infographics resulted in significantly greater AAS and social media attention in comparison with original research articles of similar topics. We recommend the routine creation of infographics by journals to increase the social media attention that their research and chosen topics of interest receive. However, viewers of infographics should read them out of interest but turn their attention toward the original article or a source of more detailed information before making changes in clinical decision-making or practice, as they can be oversimplified. Clinical Relevance Infographics are an increasingly used by journals as a form of depicting research findings from select studies. By producing infographics, journals may increase the amount of social media attention received for a particular study or topic of interest.
Genome-Wide Screening of Oxidizing Agent Resistance Genes in Escherichia coli .

The use of oxidizing agents is one of the most favorable approaches to kill bacteria in daily life. However, bacteria have been evolving to survive in the presence of different oxidizing agents. In this study, we aimed to obtain a comprehensive list of genes whose expression can make Escherichiacoli cells resistant to different oxidizing agents. For this purpose, we utilized the ASKA library and performed a genome-wide screening of ~4200 E. coli genes. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and hypochlorite (HOCl) were tested as representative oxidizing agents in this study. To further validate our screening results, we used different E. coli strains as host cells to express or inactivate selected resistance genes individually. More than 100 genes obtained in this screening were not known to associate with oxidative stress responses before. Thus, this study is expected to facilitate both basic studies on oxidative stress and the development of antibacterial agents.
Water Infrastructure: Does the US Need a National Policy?:

Although its investment needs lag the dominant transportation category, water infrastructure addresses human needs at a foundational level because it plays public health and economic roles. Much of...
Compilation of herbal drug substitutes suggested in selected classical ayurvedic texts

Introduction: Ayurvedic literature suggests the use of readily available substitute drugs (Abhava Pratinidhi Dravya) with similar properties (rasa, guna, and veerya) for genuine drugs in its scarcity or absence (Abhava Dravya). Data Source: Ayurvedic texts – Yogaratnakara, Bhavaprakasha, Bhaishajya Ratnavali, and Vaidya Chintamani. Review Methods: The present review focuses on enlisting such alternative substitute plants or plant parts suggested in ayurvedic texts – Yogaratnakara, Bhavaprakasha, Bhaishajya Ratnavali, and Vaidya Chintamani. The International Plant Names Index and the Plant List were referred for citing the latest scientific names. Results: The compiled list of original substitute drug pairs includes Sanskrit name, scientific name, family, and their habit. Two of the pairs were found repeated in all the four texts while five pairs were found in three texts. Fourteen pairs were found repeated in two texts. Some of the plants for whom substitutes are being suggested come under, Ashtavarga Rare Medicinal Plants. Conclusion: This concept needs to be scientifically analyzed for identifying genuine substitutes. Comparative scientific studies on original and substitutes suggested can help to avoid adulteration in medicinal plants and can also act as a conservation strategy to protect rare medicinal plants.
Health Plans Struggle to Report on Depression Quality Measures That Require Clinical Data.

Abstract Objective Depression quality measures aligned with evidence-based practices require that health care organizations use standardized tools for tracking and monitoring patient-reported symptoms and functioning over time. This study describes challenges and opportunities for reporting five HEDIS measures which use electronic clinical data to assess adolescent and perinatal depression care quality. Methods Two learning collaboratives were convened with 10 health plans from five states to support reporting of the depression measures. We conducted content analysis of notes from collaborative meetings and individual calls with health plans to identify key challenges and strategies for reporting. Results Health plans used various strategies to collect the clinical data needed to report the measures, including setting up direct data exchange with providers and data aggregators and leveraging data captured in health information exchanges and case management records. Health plans noted several challenges to reporting and performance improvement: 1) lack of access to clinical data sources where the results of patient-reported tools were documented; 2) unavailability of the results of patient-reported tools in usable data fields; 3) lack of routine depression screening and ongoing assessment occurring in provider practices. Conclusions Our findings demonstrate ongoing challenges in collecting and using patient-reported clinical data for health plan quality measurement. Systems to track and improve outcomes for individuals with depression will require significant investments and policy support at the point of care and across the healthcare system.
Polyomavirus Infections of Humans

Research on polyomaviruses began in 1953 when Ludwik Gross isolated a filterable agent that induced tumours in newborn mice. This agent became the archetypal member of the Polyomaviridae family. In 1971, JC virus and BK virus were reported and named after the patients’ initials. More than 30 years passed before the Karolinska Institute virus and Washington University virus were identified from respiratory samples in paediatric patients. The Merkel cell polyomavirus was identified in 2008 for its association with the aggressive Merkel cell carcinoma skin cancer. Recently, polyomaviruses 6, 7, 9 and the trichodysplasia spinulosa-associated polyomavirus have been discovered. Along with simian virus 40, which has been associated with human disease, there are now 10 polyomaviruses relevant to humans. The range of diseases associated with these human polyomaviruses shows that they are significant causes of human infections. The accumulated knowledge gained from the study of each individual virus helps to understand each in their particular niche. Key Concepts: Polyomaviruses are DNA viruses. Polyomaviruses cause significant human infections, especially in the immunocompromised population. Human infection most likely occurs during childhood. Haemorrhagic cystitis and polyomavirus-associated nephropathy are significant clinical entities caused by the BK virus in solid organ transplant recipients. Progressive multifocal encephalopathy is a fatal demyelinating disease caused by the JC virus. Merkel cell virus and SV40 are potential oncogenic agents. Treatment is supportive and an effective antiviral agent has not been identified so far. Keywords: polyomavirus; human polyomavirus infections; polyomavirus nephropathy; haemorrhagic cystitis; progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy; trichodysplasia spinulosa; Merkel cell carcinoma; polyomavirus 6 and 7; human polyomavirus 9; KI and WU polyomavirus
Temporal Control of Plant Organ Growth by TCP Transcription Factors

The Arabidopsis petal is a simple laminar organ whose development is largely impervious to environmental effects, making it an excellent model for dissecting the regulation of cell-cycle progression and post-mitotic cell expansion that together sculpt organ form. Arabidopsis petals grow via basipetal waves of cell division, followed by a phase of cell expansion. RABBIT EARS (RBE) encodes a C2H2 zinc finger transcriptional repressor and is required for petal development. During the early phase of petal initiation, RBE regulates a microRNA164-dependent pathway that controls cell proliferation at the petal primordium boundaries. The effects of rbe mutations on petal lamina growth suggest that RBE is also required to regulate later developmental events during petal organogenesis. Here, we demonstrate that, early in petal development, RBE represses the transcription of a suite of CIN-TCP genes that in turn act to inhibit the number and duration of cell divisions; the temporal alleviation of that repression results in the transition from cell division to post-mitotic cell expansion and concomitant petal maturation.
Civil Society and the European Court of Human Rights

In the last fifty years, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) incrementally transformed human rights in Europe. The effects and role of states in this transformation is oft debated, problematizing the degree to which national sovereignty is unwillingly diminished or conversely the willingness of states to allow this evolution and expansion. Yet much less is known about the historical and present role of social activists and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in ECtHR litigation. I argue that the evolution of the Convention system was and continues to be critically linked to a dynamic interaction between civil society and the ECtHR. The legitimacy of this process remains a fine balance between societal inclusion and domestic government support.
Utility of Lower Extremity Doppler in Patients with Lower Extremity Cellulitis: A Need to Change the Practice?

OBJECTIVES Cellulitis and deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in the lower extremities (LE) often have similar presentations: erythema, swelling, and calf tenderness. The overlap of these symptoms often results in physicians ordering unnecessary LE Doppler ultrasounds in patients with LE cellulitis. This practice leads to subjecting patients to unwarranted procedures and results in increased healthcare costs. We aimed to determine the percentage of Doppler ultrasounds performed in patients admitted with LE cellulitis and the prevalence of DVT in that population. METHODS A retrospective chart review was performed of the patients admitted January 1, 2009 to June 30, 2013 who had a diagnosis of LE cellulitis. The number of Doppler ultrasounds performed and the presence of DVT was recorded. Patients were divided into groups of Doppler ultrasounds with no DVT and Doppler ultrasounds that were positive for DVT to compare the risk factors. RESULTS There were 624 patients identified using the International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision code for LE cellulitis at the time of admission. Slightly more than half of the subjects were men (315/624) and the average age was 61.4 ± 18.8 years (mean ± standard deviation). There were 417 (66.8%) patients who underwent Doppler ultrasound. Only 25 (5.9%) patients had DVT. Multivariate analysis showed that prior cerebrovascular accident, calf swelling, and history of thromboembolism were statistically significant predictors for DVT (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS A concurrent incidence of DVT and LE cellulitis is rare. In the absence of known risk factors of DVT, the yield of LE Doppler is low and Doppler ultrasound is not required as a part of a standard admission evaluation.
Nitrogen and Amino Acid Requirements: The Massachusetts Institute of Technology Amino Acid Requirement Pattern

We review the current international recommendations concerning the protein (nitrogen) and amino acid requirements of healthy individuals, from infancy to the later years of adult life and describe the changes in the recommendations for protein that have been made, since those issued in 1985 by Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization/United Nations University (FAO/WHO/UNU), by the International Dietary Energy Consultative Group. The current international requirements for the specific indispensable amino acids are critiqued briefly, and the rationale and basis for the proposed Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) amino acid requirement pattern are presented. The evidence is then summarized that supports its use in practical considerations of protein nutrition. It is suggested that this MIT amino acid requirement pattern provides the best current estimates of the minimum physiological requirements for the indispensable amino acids in children and adults. It is further concluded that it would be difficult to argue for the continued use of the amino acid requirement values proposed by FAO/WHO/UNU in 1985 in the planning and assessment of dietary protein intakes for population groups worldwide. The MIT amino acid requirement pattern supports and strengthens the relevance of dietary protein quality as an important factor in human protein and amino acid nutrition.