cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
California Women with Young Children Use Active Transportation Most Often in Very Unsafe Neighborhoods Regardless of SES

Background Women are typically less physically active than men, and active transport can help women meet physical activity recommendations. Little is known about special populations of women, such as women with young children, who may be especially sensitive to neighborhood conditions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the associations of neighborhood context with active transport among women with children after controlling for sociodemographic variables. Methods We used data from the Geographic Research on Wellbeing study (GROW). In 2012-2013, GROW surveyed mothers who participated in California’s Maternal and Infant Health Assessment. The dependent variable was active transport vs. inactive transport. Mothers were coded as doing active transport if they responded that they “walked,” “walked and took public transportation,” or ‘rode a bike,” to most places they went in the past 7 days, and were coded as doing inactive transport if they responded that they “drove” any kind of vehicle or “got rides from someone else.” The independent variables were neighborhood-level (census tract) poverty rates, and income inequality, and perceived neighborhood safety. Using a stratified sample of poor or near-poor ( Results One seventh of mothers reported active transport with mothers in poor/near-poor families having higher proportion of active transport than mothers in higher income families (24% vs. 3%). In adjusted models, poor/near-poor mothers in very unsafe neighborhoods had 2.5 times higher odds of active transport compared with those in very safe neighborhoods, and non-poor mothers in very unsafe neighborhoods had 7.5 times higher odds of active transport compared with those in very safe neighborhoods. Neighborhood-level poverty and income inequality were not statistically significant in the adjusted models. Conclusions Both poor and non-poor women with young children have higher rates of active transportation if they perceive their neighborhoods as very unsafe vs. very safe, presenting added risk for crime, injury, and psychological distress to these most vulnerable women. In contrast, objectively measured poverty rates and income inequality were not related to active transportation. Policy and community resources should be allocated to provide safe routes for women in very unsafe areas where active transport is most likely to occur.
Behavior of Telenomus podisi (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) Adults under Overwintering Conditions

Abstract To assess overwintering refuge preferences by Telenomus podisi Ashmead, artificial refuges of varying geometries and composition were provided to wasps when exposed to overwintering conditions in an environmental chamber. Field sampling of leaf-litter and tree bark was also used in an effort to determine site preference of overwintering wasps. Under artificial overwintering conditions, wasps preferred to hang inverted while quiescent, regardless of the refuge design, indicating behavior that avoids precipitation or extreme temperature fluctuations during overwintering in field conditions. Wasps preferred refuges with wider gaps between upper and lower surfaces, avoiding spaces that were narrower than their standing height. Parasitoids also preferred settling at least 60 mm from refuge edges. Results suggest that T. podisi has a preference for the type of overwintering refuge that leaf-litter may offer.
Compositionally-distinct ultra-low velocity zones on Earth’s core-mantle boundary

The Earth’s lowermost mantle large low velocity provinces are accompanied by small-scale ultralow velocity zones in localized regions on the core-mantle boundary. Large low velocity provinces are hypothesized to be caused by large-scale compositional heterogeneity (i.e., thermochemical piles). The origin of ultralow velocity zones, however, remains elusive. Here we perform three-dimensional geodynamical calculations to show that the current locations and shapes of ultralow velocity zones are related to their cause. We find that the hottest lowermost mantle regions are commonly located well within the interiors of thermochemical piles. In contrast, accumulations of ultradense compositionally distinct material occur as discontinuous patches along the margins of thermochemical piles and have asymmetrical cross-sectional shape. Furthermore, the lateral morphology of these patches provides insight into mantle flow directions and long-term stability. The global distribution and large variations of morphology of ultralow velocity zones validate a compositionally distinct origin for most ultralow velocity zones. Ultralow velocity zones are detected on the core-mantle boundary, but their origin is enigmatic. Here, the authors find that the global distribution and large variations of morphology of ultralow velocity zones are consistent with most having a compositionally-distinct origin.
Effects of abamectin on Phidippus audax (Hentz) (Araneae: Salticidae) when ingested from prey.

Phidippus audax (Hentz) were allowed to feed on bollworm, Heliothis zea (Boddie), larvae which had ingested diet containing three concentrations of abamectin. Significantly reduced weight gain was noted for spiders feeding on the treated larvae and toxicity effects were visible in most of the spiders within 48 h. Over 80% of the spiders that fed on larvae from diet containing 10 ppm abamectin were either torpid or dead, and 100% of spiders that fed on larvae from diet containing 40 ppm abamectin were torpid or dead.
Novel chloroacetamido compound CWR-J02 is an anti-inflammatory glutaredoxin-1 inhibitor

Glutaredoxin (Grx1) is a ubiquitously expressed thiol-disulfide oxidoreductase that specifically catalyzes reduction of S-glutathionylated substrates. Grx1 is known to be a key regulator of pro-inflammatory signaling, and Grx1 silencing inhibits inflammation in inflammatory disease models. Therefore, we anticipate that inhibition of Grx1 could be an anti-inflammatory therapeutic strategy. We used a rapid screening approach to test 504 novel electrophilic compounds for inhibition of Grx1, which has a highly reactive active-site cysteine residue (pKa 3.5). From this chemical library a chloroacetamido compound, CWR-J02, was identified as a potential lead compound to be characterized. CWR-J02 inhibited isolated Grx1 with an IC50 value of 32 μM in the presence of 1 mM glutathione. Mass spectrometric analysis documented preferential adduction of CWR-J02 to the active site Cys-22 of Grx1, and molecular dynamics simulation identified a potential non-covalent binding site. Treatment of the BV2 microglial cell line with CWR-J02 led to inhibition of intracellular Grx1 activity with an IC50 value (37 μM). CWR-J02 treatment decreased lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory gene transcription in the microglial cells in a parallel concentration-dependent manner, documenting the anti-inflammatory potential of CWR-J02. Exploiting the alkyne moiety of CWR-J02, we used click chemistry to link biotin azide to CWR-J02-adducted proteins, isolating them with streptavidin beads. Tandem mass spectrometric analysis identified many CWR-J02-reactive proteins, including Grx1 and several mediators of inflammatory activation. Taken together, these data identify CWR-J02 as an intracellularly effective Grx1 inhibitor that may elicit its anti-inflammatory action in a synergistic manner by also disabling other pro-inflammatory mediators. The CWR-J02 molecule provides a starting point for developing more selective Grx1 inhibitors and anti-inflammatory agents for therapeutic development.
FLiT: Cross-platform floating-point result-consistency tester and workload

Understanding the extent to which computational results can change across platforms, compilers, and compiler flags can go a long way toward supporting reproducible experiments. In this work, we offer the first automated testing aid called FLiT (Floating-point Litmus Tester) that can show how much these results can vary for any user-given collection of computational kernels. Our approach is to take a collection of these kernels, disperse them across a collection of compute nodes (each with a different architecture), have them compiled and run, and bring the results to a central SQL database for deeper analysis. Properly conducting these activities requires a careful selection (or design) of these kernels, input generation methods for them, and the ability to interpret the results in meaningful ways. The results in this paper are meant to inform two different communities: (a) those interested in seeking higher performance by considering “IEEE unsafe” optimizations, but then want to understand how much result variability to expect, and (b) those interested in standardizing compiler flags and their meanings, so that one may safely port code across generations of compilers and architectures. By releasing FLiT, we have also opened up the possibility of all HPC developers using it as a common resource as well as contributing back interesting test kernels as well as best practices, thus extending the floating-point result-consistency workload we contribute. This is the first such workload and result-consistency tester underlying floating-point reproducibility of which we are aware.
The Plural Quanta: Expanding the Wavefunction

The double-slit experiment—no matter how much it might “make sense” according to its own weird internal logic—nevertheless may leave you feeling like the victim of a grand conspiracy. Trying to observe exactly how the interference pattern is formed is a bit like trying to see a reflection of yourself with your eyes closed. One may get the distinct impression that quantum particles are mischievous little beings, who only “play nice” when they know they are being watched. If this is how you feel, then hold on to your hat, because things will get a whole lot weirder.
Development and validation of a quality of life instrument for patients with laryngeal cleft.

Abstract Objective To develop and validate a novel pediatric health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) instrument for patients with laryngeal cleft and their families. Methods We surveyed primary caregivers of patients that underwent endoscopic repair of Type I or II laryngeal cleft. The proposed HR-QoL instrument consists of 40 items representing four domains, assessing the patient's physical symptoms, the patient's and family's social functioning, and the family's emotions regarding the patient's illness pre- and post-operatively. Confirmatory factor analysis was employed to assess construct validity, dimensionality, and optimal simple structure. Results Of 78 eligible participants reached by phone, 40 (51%) of them completed the questionnaire. Confirmatory factor analysis suggested that all four measured constructs were well supported by the measured items in comparison to a unidimensional model. All factor loadings and factor correlations were significant and factor correlations ranged between 0.723 and 0.879. Indices of test-retest reliability and internal consistency reliability were well above recommended standards. There was a significant correlation between current instrument and PedsQL™ score. The overall QoL score significantly improved from 112.3 (±28.1) before surgery to 158.0 (±28.5) after surgery (mean difference 45.7; 95% CI: 37.3, 54.1; p Conclusion Our proposed pediatric HR-QoL instrument is a valid tool for measuring quality of life in patients with laryngeal cleft and their families. This instrument can provide insight into the effects of medical and surgical therapy and guide pre- and post-operative management of laryngeal cleft.
The kinase domain of CK1 enzymes contains the localization cue essential for compartmentalized signaling at the spindle pole.

CK1 protein kinases contribute to multiple biological processes, but how they are tailored to function in compartmentalized signaling events is largely unknown. Hhp1 and Hhp2 (Hhp1/2) are the soluble CK1 family members in Schizosaccharomyces pombe. One of their functions is to inhibit the septation initiation network (SIN) during a mitotic checkpoint arrest. The SIN is assembled by Sid4 at spindle pole bodies (SPBs), and though Hhp1/2 colocalize there, it is not known how they are targeted there or whether their SPB localization is required for SIN inhibition. Here, we establish that Hhp1/2 localize throughout the cell cycle to SPBs, as well as to the nucleus, cell tips, and division site. We find that their catalytic domains but not their enzymatic function are used for SPB targeting and that this targeting strategy is conserved in human CK1δ/e localization to centrosomes. Further, we pinpoint amino acids in the Hhp1 catalytic domain required for SPB interaction; mutation of these residues disrupts Hhp1 association with the core SPB protein Ppc89, and the inhibition of cytokinesis in the setting of spindle stress. Taken together, these data have enabled us to define a molecular mechanism used by CK1 enzymes to target a specific cellular locale for compartmentalized signaling.
Transurethral ureteral stone manipulation.

SUMMARY Most urologists use stone manipulation at some time for the treatment of ureteral stones. About 40 to 50 per cent of ureteral calculi that require surgery are retrievable by stone manipulation. Yet one finds very little about this procedure in urologic literature or texts. The procedure has a remarkably good success rate (about 80 per cent) and a very low morbidity rate (1 per cent or less), so that it has an established place in every urologist's treatment plans. Although percutaneous transrenal techniques may supplant some transurethral ureteral stone manipulations, the transurethral approach will continue to be used most often because of the known higher incidence of lower ureteral stones. Equipment for stone manipulation has improved over the past several decades. We can now use various high-quality baskets, loops, or flexible multiple catheter techniques for stone retrieval. Newer approaches such as intraureteral stone fragmentation are on the horizon. It is our task to absorb and apply the benefits of these new techniques of ureteral stone manipulation to benefit our patients as quickly as is practical.
Nearness Spaces and Extensions of Topological Spaces

Publisher Summary Not every nearness space can be extended to a topological space. The nearness spaces that can be so extended turn out to have a neat internal characterization: The condition is that every nearness collection should be a subset of some bunch. For those nearness spaces, the extension process gives rise to a functor, that is, nearness preserving maps are all extendible. To have a more convenient language in which to express the results, certain categories are defined and certain functors are studied. The first such category is a category denoted Ex whose objects are certain continuous maps. The chapter discusses grills and bunches to define a functor G:Near→Ex. The chapter discusses a certain full subcategory Bun of Near. Bun is a bicoreflective subcategory of Near and the restrictions to Bun of the functors have many nice properties.
James Buchanan and Gordon Tullock: A Half-Century On

James Buchanan and Gordon Tullock both have contributed extensively, independently, and importantly to the scholarly literatures of, inter alia, political philosophy and economics, as well as to various subfields thereof, including public finance, law and economics, and bioeconomics. But the two are forever joined and probably best known as the coauthors of The Calculus of Consent: Logical Foundations of Constitutional Democracy, published in 1962, which launched the modern disciplines of public choice and that of its sister, constitutional political economy. This chapter singles out and summarizes, in an idiosyncratic way, three key areas of Buchanan and Tullock’s work that have influenced my own thinking and scholarly writings, namely, the costs associated with collective decision-making, the rent-seeking insight, and analyses of public budget deficits and the public debt.
Discussion of: kinetics of low solids biodenitrification of water supplies

L'objectif de cette discussion sur un article etudiant les cinetiques de denitrification d'alimentation en eau, est de mettre en evidence les erreurs mathematiques les plus importantes et d'offrir une interpretation correcte des resultats. Ainsi, une simplification de l'equation de Monod n'est pas satisfaisante dans le cas de systemes de croissance ou les microorganismes sont fixes
A Humanistic Approach to Helping Underachieving Students.

A successful group tutoring program validates the importance of a collaborative relationship between the social worker and the school principal
Daily movement patterns of red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) on a large artificial reef

Abstract Red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) are at the center of many artificial reef efforts in the Gulf of Mexico. To elucidate red snapper use of artificial structure for fisheries management, their fine-scale movements need to be examined further. Much effort until now has focused on examining movement patterns of red snapper at isolated reef structures, yet fish may behave differently on reefs covering larger areas. To address this, 15 red snapper were internally tagged with V9P transmitter tags and tracked with VR2W receivers for three months at a large artificial reef (PS-1047, 0.8 km2, bottom depth range 21 m–23 m) that was comprised of a tugboat and over 4800 concrete culverts deployed randomly around the area. Ten receivers were arranged on the reef to calculate center of activity and depth for each fish every 20 min. Kernel densities (KDE) were calculated at 95% (77,905.04 ± 1843.27 m2) and 50% (16,797.25 ± 413.02 m2) to address home range and core area use, respectively. There were differences in KDE and depth per day, and depth exhibited diel patterns. There were significant decreases in KDE and increases in depth use after a drastic drop in sea surface temperature. Overall fish use of PS-1047 resulted in two key areas (50% KDE), which comprised of two main groups of fish without overlap and highlighted two different structure areas (tugboat vs. culvert). Home range and core area values were more than 4 times larger than reported in other studies on red snapper.
Bounds on ultralight hidden-photon dark matter from observation of the 21 cm signal at cosmic dawn

Ultralight hidden-photon dark matter produces an oscillating electric field in the early Universe plasma, which in turn induces an electric current in its ionized component whose dissipation results in heat transfer from the dark matter to the plasma. This will affect the global 21 cm signal from the dark ages and cosmic dawn. In this work we focus on the latter, in light of the reported detection by the EDGES collaboration of an absorption signal at frequencies corresponding to redshift z∼17. By measuring the 21 cm global signal, a limit can be placed on the amount of gas heating, and thus the kinetic mixing strength ϵ between the hidden and ordinary photons can be constrained. If the recent measurements are evidence of—and corroborated as—21 cm absorption in standard cosmology, one can derive a constraint on the amount of heating due to hidden-photon dark matter based on the requirement that the 21 cm brightness temperature does not exceed a given value. To demonstrate the promise of this method, without loss of generality, we calculate the constraints in the limit of infinite Lyman-α coupling, for fiducial measurements of T21=0 mK or T21=-100 mK. The inferred bounds on ϵ in the mass range 10-23 eV≲mχ≲10-13 eV would be the strongest yet.
Abstract TP70: Systemic Review of Intravenous tPA for Patients With Central Retinal Artery Occlusion

Introduction: Central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) causes monocular visual loss adversely impacting quality of life and functional outcome. Spontaneous visual recovery occurs in only 10-20% of p...
On the Derivation of the Wallis Formula for $$\pi $$ in the 17th and 21st Centuries

The formula for \(\pi \) as an infinite product known as the Wallis formula was developed by John Wallis in 1655 by methods that pre-date the establishment of calculus. Herein I introduce said formula with its original derivation. Then I show how, 360 years later, Carl Hagen and I rediscovered this 17th century formula in the quantum mechanics of the hydrogen atom.
Regulation of Respiration: Interrelationships between Morphology, Physiology, and Control Mechanisms

Publisher Summary This chapter explores the interrelationships between morphology, physiology, and control mechanisms in the respiratory system. Breathing is regulated by a complex system of multiple feedback loops in which operating levels simultaneously satisfy input–output relationships through self-optimizing servocontrol mechanisms. The time-varying course of all respiratory variables is affected by metabolic functions, external stimuli mediated by chemical and neural elements, and inherent oscillations of respiratory control elements located within the central nervous system. Though the mechanoreceptor sensory units contribute to the exquisite control and coordination of the respiratory response, the primary effect of the entire ventilatory apparatus is to provide an efficient means of controlling the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide gases. In this chapter, the concept of the respiratory control system as a series of multiple feedback loops functioning on the basis of implicit summing is discussed. The chapter also explains the contribution of tissue metabolism to ventilatory functions and the dynamics of gas exchange.
Powers of Division: “Smart” Spaces as Controlling Workplace Activity Fragmentation

In this article we argue that “smart” work spaces are created through access to wireless networks and mobile cloud computing collaboration software. Yet the power relations embedded in these overla...
An Effective Hard Thresholding Method Based on Stochastic Variance Reduction for Nonconvex Sparse Learning

We propose a hard thresholding method based on stochastically controlled stochastic gradients (SCSG-HT) to solve a family of sparsity-constrained empirical risk minimization problems. The SCSG-HT uses batch gradients where batch size is pre-determined by the desirable precision tolerance rather than full gradients to reduce the variance in stochastic gradients. It also employs the geometric distribution to determine the number of loops per epoch. We prove that, similar to the latest methods based on stochastic gradient descent or stochastic variance reduction methods, SCSG-HT enjoys a linear convergence rate. However, SCSG-HT now has a strong guarantee to recover the optimal sparse estimator. The computational complexity of SCSG-HT is independent of sample size n when n is larger than 1/e, which enhances the scalability to massive-scale problems. Empirical results demonstrate that SCSG-HT outperforms several competitors and decreases the objective value the most with the same computational costs.
Diffusion Basis Spectrum Imaging with Deep Neural Network Differentiates Distinct Histology in Pediatric Brain Tumors

Abstract High-grade pediatric brain tumors constitute the highest mortality of cancer-death in children. While conventional MRI has been widely adopted for examining pediatric high-grade brain tumor clinically, accurate neuroimaging detection and differentiation of tumor histopathology for improved diagnosis, surgical planning, and treatment evaluation, remains an unmet need in the clinical management of pediatric brain tumor. We employed a novel Diffusion Histology Imaging (DHI) approach that incorporates diffusion basis spectrum imaging (DBSI) and deep neural network. DHI aims to detect, differentiate, and quantify heterogenous areas in pediatric high-grade brain tumors, which include normal white matter (WM), densely cellular tumor (DC tumor), less densely cellular tumor (LDC tumor), infiltrating edge, necrosis, and hemorrhage. Distinct diffusion metric combination would thus indicate the unique distributions of each distinct tumor histology features. DHI, by incorporating DBSI metrics and the deep neural network algorithm, classified pediatric tumor histology with an overall accuracy of 83.3%. Receiver operating analysis (ROC) analysis suggested DHI’s great capability in distinguishing individual tumor histology with AUC values (95%CI) of 0.983 (0.985-0.989), 0.961 (0.957-0.964), 0.993 (0.992-0.994), 0.953 (0.947-0.958), 0.974 (0.970-0.978) and 0.980 (0.977-0.983) for normal WM, DC tumor, LDC tumor, infiltrating edge, necrosis and hemorrhage, respectively. Our results suggest that DBSI-DNN, or DHI, accurately characterized and classified multiple tumor histologic features in pediatric high-grade brain tumors. If further validated in patients, the novel DHI might emerge as a favorable alternative to the current neuroimaging techniques to better guide biopsy and resection as well as monitor therapeutic response in patients with high-grade brain tumors.
Indeterminate Interests: Comments on Justin Remhof’s Nietzsche’s Constructivism

In his book Nietzsche’s Constructivism: A Metaphysics of Material Objects Justin Remhof defends, using resources from Nietzsche’s thought, the constructivist view that all objects themselves are constitutively dependent (i.e. dependent for being what they essentially are) on human representational practices. I offer several criticisms of this defense. First, I criticize aspects of Remhof’s defense of the plausibility of such constitutive dependence - viz., his contention that constitutive dependence is (a) distinct from and more plausible than causal dependence, and (b) is compatible with the view that many objects would have existed even if human beings had never existed. Second, I criticize Remhof’s contention that constructivism can provide a powerful and plausible solution to the problem of compositional vagueness. Specifically, I argue that human representational practices can’t settle a broad enough range of boundary questions to alleviate the worries behind this problem.
Coupling–Decoupling Transition between Li+ Transport and Segmental Relaxation in Solid Polymer Electrolytes

Solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) provide a potential to enable lithium-ion and lithium-metal batteries to achieve high energy density, advanced manufacturing capabilities, and enhanced safety. How...
Creating the suburban school advantage: Race, localism, and inequality in an American metropolis, by John L. Rury: Ithaca and London, Cornell University Press, 2020

Urbanologists are familiar with the unequal distribution of resources within metropolitan areas in the United States, but how did this inequality arise? And, how is this inequality manifest in publ...
What Factors Affect the Use of Rural Development Subsidy Funds for the Period 2007–2013, Axis III and IV

The main objective of this IAEI internal research project was to assess what factors influence drawing of subsidies from the 3rd and 4th Axis Rural Development Programme in the Czech Republic over the period 2007 – 2013. We analyze factors of rural development and employ a questionnaire survey. One part concentrates on quantitative analysis and assesses available data on factors of development on the level of municipality (village), categorised by individual measures of the Rural Development Programme 2007 – 2013 in Axes 3 and 4 (from 2007 through June 2013). The other part considers selected municipalities and their successful applicants. Results of the analysis of available data showed that the statistical methods did not produce sufficient explanation of factors that affect the utilization of grant funds for measures of Axis 3 and 4. Quantitative approach is suitable for a general categorization of territorial monitor progress. For an explanation of the factors that influence the utilization of grant funds is necessary qualitative investigation, such as questionnaires. The questionnaire showed that the initial information about the project is being received almost exclusively randomly. Therefore, it is recommended to increase promotion of public awareness of rural development measures in next period (2014-2020).
Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and FADS genotype: is personalised prevention of asthma on the horizon?

Findings replicated in two cohort studies showed that in children with a common fatty acid desaturase (FADS) variant, a higher intake of omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA was associated with a lower risk of asthma incidence in adolescencehttps://bit.ly/3fJT5b3
Assessment of Excess Mortality and Household Income in Rural Bangladesh During the COVID-19 Pandemic in 2020.

Importance: A slow or incomplete civil registry makes it impossible to determine excess mortality due to COVID-19 and difficult to inform policy. Objective: To quantify the association of the COVID-19 pandemic with excess mortality and household income in rural Bangladesh in 2020. Design, Setting, and Participants: This repeated survey study is based on an in-person census followed by 2 rounds of telephone calls. Data were collected from a sample of 135 villages within a densely populated 350-km2 rural area of Bangladesh. Household data were obtained first in person and subsequently over the telephone. For the analysis, mortality data were stratified by month, age, sex, and household education. Mortality rates were modeled by bayesian multilevel regression, and the strata were aggregated to the population by poststratification. Data analysis was performed from February to April 2021. Exposures: Date and cause of any changes in household composition, as well as changes in income and food availability. Main Outcomes and Measures: Mortality rates were compared for 2019 and 2020, both without adjustment and after adjustment for nonresponse and differences in demographic variables between surveys. Income and food availability reported for January, May, and November 2020 were also compared. Results: Enumerators collected data from an initial 16â¯054 households in January 2020; 14â¯551 households (91%) responded when contacted again by telephone in May 2020, and 11â¯933 households (74%)responded when reached again over the telephone in November 2020, for a total of 58â¯806 individuals (29â¯726 female participants [50.5%]; mean [SD] age, 26.4 [19.8] years). A total of 276 deaths were reported between February and the end of October 2020 for the subset of the population that could be contacted twice over the telephone, slightly below the 289 deaths reported for the same population over the same period in 2019. After adjustment for survey nonresponse and poststratification, 2020 mortality changed by -8% (95% CI, -21% to 7%) compared with an annualized mortality of 6.1 deaths per 1000 individuals in 2019. However, in May 2020, salaried primary income earners reported a 40% decrease in monthly income (from 17â¯485 to 10â¯835 Bangladeshi Taka), and self-employed earners reported a 60% decrease in monthly income (23â¯083 to 8521 Bangladeshi Taka), with only a small recovery observed by November 2020. Conclusions and Relevance: In this study of households in rural Bangladesh, all-cause mortality was lower in 2020 compared with 2019. Restrictions imposed by the government may have limited the scale of the COVID-19 pandemic in rural areas, although economic data suggest that these restrictions need to be accompanied by expanded welfare programs.
A theoretically-based calibration and evaluation procedure for vibrating-tube densimeters

Abstract A calibration procedure for vibrating-tube densimeters is developed which properly accounts for the effects of pressure and temperature on the Young's modulus and internal volume of the vibrating-tube. The calibration equation is based on the theoretical dependence of the Young's modulus, the compressibility, and the thermal expansion coefficient of the tube material on temperature and pressure. Experience shows that the vibration period of the evacuated tube can shift a small amount over time as the stresses in the tube and welds age. Therefore, the calibration equation is formulated relative to a vacuum reference period to adjust for these shifts. A first-order approximation of our theoretically-based equation is also derived. The calibration procedure is accomplished in two parts. First, the evacuated tube is calibrated to characterize the elastic modulus and linear thermal expansion coefficient of the tube as a function of temperature. Second, the change of the internal volume of the tube with temperature and pressure is characterized using two or more well-characterized calibration fluids. A procedure for choosing calibration fluids, temperatures, and pressures for the calibration points is developed. The densimeters are thoroughly tested with a variety of gases and liquids to show the validity of the equation over the calibration range. Finally, the magnitude of the temperature and pressure corrections are shown using propane+i–butane as a test system.
Risk Analysis in Big Data

Society has become increasingly interconnected with networks linking people, the environment, information, and technology. This complexity is a challenge for risk analysis. Traditional risk analysis methods typically underestimate the probability and impact of risks (e.g., terrorist attacks, power failures, and natural disasters such as hurricanes) because normal data and independent observations are assumed. Cascading failures occur in complex systems, such as a hurricane that causes a power failure resulting in flooding. Big data offers enormous promise for improving risk analysis, but cannot replace the importance of appropriate assumptions, data quality, continued validation, and human understanding of risk analysis for effective risk mitigation. The blessing and curse of big data for risk analysis is illustrated by the example of Google Flu Trends, which was accurate at first but then became inaccurate.
Spread of skin deformation and mechanoreceptor discharge.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the results from two types of investigation of mammalian glabrous skin and its mechanoreceptors, recently completed in the laboratory. The chapter reviews the role of viscoelastic properties of glabrous skin in determining mechanoreceptor discharge. It also considers the role of lateral spread of skin indentation in determining the responses of slowly adapting mechanoreceptors to suprathreshold indentations. All animals were anesthetized with pentobarbital sodium, and single fiber isolation was achieved by microdissection. The availability of a small-motion biological stimulator that allows precise control over either stimulus position or force, and the simultaneous monitoring of both, has made possible new approaches to the study of the role of mechanical properties of skin in determining the responses of glabrous skin mechanoreceptors to tactile stimulation. Viscoelastic properties of forepaw glabrous skin were studied at an additional 12 sites in raccoons, two in squirrel monkeys, and seven in domestic cats.
AEG-1/MTDH/LYRIC: Signaling Pathways, Downstream Genes, Interacting Proteins, and Regulation of Tumor Angiogenesis

Astrocyte elevated gene-1 (AEG-1), also known as metadherin (MTDH) and lysine-rich CEACAM1 coisolated (LYRIC), was initially cloned in 2002. AEG-1/MTDH/LYRIC has emerged as an important oncogene that is overexpressed in multiple types of human cancer. Expanded research on AEG-1/MTDH/LYRIC has established a functional role of this molecule in several crucial aspects of tumor progression, including transformation, proliferation, cell survival, evasion of apoptosis, migration and invasion, metastasis, angiogenesis, and chemoresistance. The multifunctional role of AEG-1/MTDH/LYRIC in tumor development and progression is associated with a number of signaling cascades, and recent studies identified several important interacting partners of AEG-1/MTDH/LYRIC in regulating cancer promotion and other biological functions. This review evaluates the current literature on AEG-1/MTDH/LYRIC function relative to signaling changes, interacting partners, and angiogenesis and highlights new perspectives of this molecule, indicating its potential as a significant target for the clinical treatment of various cancers and other diseases.
Environmental “Citizen Suits” in the Czech Republic

For several decades citizens of the Czech Republic have endured a severely degraded environment, stemming partially from reportedly lax enforcement of environmental protection laws. During this period, Czech citizens have lacked the right to litigate citizen suits as a means of increasing environmental enforcement and have never initiated civil litigation against a polluter. However, since 1958, Czech citizens have exercised the right to use citizen correspondence as a means of pursuing their legal interests by alerting government agencies to environmental problems. By Czech law, citizen correspondence obligates government agencies to respond to the cited environmental problems. This paper analyzes how environmental authorities responded to citizen correspondence related to water problems (e.g., drinking water contamination) during the years 1988 to 1992. Since responses may include enforcement actions—monetary fines, remediation requirements (i.e., mandatory cleanup), and correction requirements (e.g., replacement of a leaky storage tank), this type of legal action on the part of citizens approximates a citizen suit. By examining enforcement actions taken in response to these “citizen suits,” this paper is able to test hypotheses regarding the relationships among the three different types of enforcement actions and empirically identify the liability rule guiding each type of enforcement action.
Laparoscopic Toupet fundoplication for gastroesophageal reflux: a series of 131 neurologically impaired pediatric cases at a single children’s hospital

To present the medium to long-term outcome of the largest pediatric series of laparoscopic Toupet fundoplications (LTF) performed at a single institution. Subjects were 131 neurologically impaired children (81 M, 50 F) who underwent LTF between 2003 and 2013. Our LTF involves full dissection of the crus of the diaphragm to allow the intraabdominal esophagus to be mobilized at least 3–4 cm. Preoperative mean fraction time for pH <4 was 14.6 %. Mean age at LTF was 6.7 years (3 months–18 years). Mean duration of follow-up was 5.7 years (range 1.2–12.1 years). One case required conversion to open surgery. Intra-operative complications were all injuries to the esophagus/gastric wall (n = 4; 3.0 %) including full-thickness perforation (n = 1; 0.8 %). Postoperative complications included pyloric stenosis (n = 4; 3.0 %), dysphagia (n = 1; 0.8 %), incisional hernia (n = 1; 0.8 %), hemorrhage requiring transfusion (n = 1; 0.8 %), recurrence (n = 3; 2.3 % at 11, 13, and 48 months, respectively), and gastrostomy site infection (n = 7; 5.3 %). Mean operative time decreased significantly with experience from 180.8 min for the first quarter of subjects to 150.6 (2nd quarter), 128.6 (3rd) and 109.2 min (4th). Our LTF would appear to be safe for treating GERD in children because of reliable outcome and low recurrence.
Retrofitting decision tree classifiers using kernel density estimation

A novel method for combining decision trees and kernel density estimators is proposed. Standard classification trees, or class probability trees, provide piecewise constant estimates of class posterior probabilities. Kernel density estimators can provide smooth non-parametric estimates of class probabilities, but scale poorly as the dimensionality of the problem increases. This paper discusses a hybrid scheme which uses decision trees to find the relevant structure in high-dimensional classification problems and then uses local kernel density estimates to fit smooth probability estimates within this structure. Experimental results on simulated data indicate that the method provides substantial improvement over trees or density methods alone for certain classes of problems. The paper briefly discusses various extensions of the basic approach and the types of application for which the method is best suited.
Algorithms for genomics and genetics: compression-accelerated search and admixture analysis

Rapid advances in next-generation sequencing technologies are revolutionizing genomics, with data sets at the scale of thousands of human genomes fast becoming the norm. These technological leaps promise to enable corresponding advances in biology and medicine, but the deluge of raw data poses substantial mathematical, computational and statistical challenges that must first be overcome. This thesis consists of two research thrusts along these lines. First, we propose an algorithmic framework, "compressive genomics," that accelerates bioinformatic computations through analysis-aware compression. We demonstrate this methodology with proof-of-concept implementations of compression-accelerated search (CaBLAST and CaBLAT). Second, we develop new computational tools for investigating population admixture, a phenomenon of importance in understanding demographic histories of human populations and facilitating association mapping of disease genes. Our recently released ALDER and MixMapper software packages provide fast, sensitive, and robust methods for detecting and analyzing signatures of admixture created by genetic drift and recombination on genome-wide, large-sample scales. (Copies available exclusively from MIT Libraries, libraries.mit.edu/docs - [email protected])
Community Clustering: Leveraging an Academic Crowd to Form Coherent Conference Sessions.

Creating sessions of related papers for a large conference is a complex and time-consuming task. Traditionally, a few conference organizers group papers into sessions manually. Organizers often fail to capture the affinities between papers beyond created sessions, making incoherent sessions difficult to fix and alternative groupings hard to discover. This paper proposes committeesourcing and authorsourcing approaches to session creation (a specific instance of clustering and constraint satisfaction) that tap into the expertise and interest of committee members and authors for identifying paper affinities. During the planning of ACM CHI'13, a large conference on human-computer interaction, we recruited committee members to group papers using two online distributed clustering methods. To refine these paper affinities — and to evaluate the committeesourcing methods against existing manual and automated approaches — we recruited authors to identify papers that fit well in a session with their own. Results show that authors found papers grouped by the distributed clustering methods to be as relevant as, or more relevant than, papers suggested through the existing in-person meeting. Results also demonstrate that communitysourced results capture affinities beyond sessions and provide flexibility during scheduling.
A Physicist’s Introduction to Brains and Neurons

1 Introduction 2 Binary vs. Analog Coding 3 Interpreting Cortical Spike Trains 4 Anatomical and Physiological Facts 4.1 Simplified Models of Neurons 4.2 "Realistic" Models in Space and Time 5 Conclusions References
Sorption of Cesium and Strontium on Hanford Soil

The sorption behavior of strontium and cesium on soil collected from the US Department of Energy Hanford site, Washington State, was investigated under batch experiments. The sorption ratio was determined as a function of time and radionuclide concentration. All experiments were performed at 25 °C under argon atmosphere. Cesium and strontium were extensively sorbed on the soil. The sorption data were well described by a Freundlich isotherm.
Mucoceles of the paranasal sinuses: MR imaging with CT correlation

The MR findings in six cases of paranasal sinus mucoceles are described. Two basic MR appearances were encountered: either moderate to marked signal hypointensity in the expanded sinuses on T1- and T2-weighted images (four patients) or moderate to marked signal hyperintensity on T1- and T2-weighted images (two patients). These patterns appear to represent inspissated or hydrated sinus contents, respectively. CT correlation revealed hyperdense mucoceles in the decreased MR signal group and hypo- or isodense mucoceles in the increased MR signal group. Superimposed allergic Aspergillus sinusitis was also present in two patients with hypointense mucoceles on MR.
Design and Synthesis of Carbohydrate Mimetics: A New Strategy for Tackling the Problem of Carbohydrate‐Mediated Biological Recognition

Carbohydrates have been known as poor candidates for drug development. Recent studies have, however, shown that structurally simplified small molecules as mimics of complex carbohydrates recognized by receptors can be developed as inhibitors of carbohydrate-mediated biological recognition. In addition, small molecules with higher affinity and specificity than the parent ligands can be developed by incorporating additional hydrophobic or charged groups in the carbohydrate mimetic which contains essential functional groups for receptor binding. Representative examples are illustrated in the studies of sialyl Lewis x - selectin interactions, glycosidase and glycosyltransferase reactions and aminoglycoside antibiotic - RNA interactions.
Persistent diabetic macular edema is associated with elevated hemoglobin A1c

Purpose To assess the correlation between persistent diabetic macular edema and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1C). Design Retrospective study. Methods Records of type 2 diabetic patients who received eye care for persistent clinically significant macular edema (CSME) from January 2002 to January 2004 were reviewed. Subjects who met one of two criteria were identified: 1) persistent CSME, detected by contact lens biomicroscopy and fluorescein angiography, despite at least two focal laser photocoagulations (FLP) performed at least 3 months before the current diagnosis, or 2) a history of CSME with resolution of macular edema at the time of examination. Patients also needed to have had their HbA1C measured at the Johns Hopkins Hospitals within 3 months of meeting these criteria. Results The study identified 92 patients (152) eyes with persistent CSME and 32 patients (56 eyes) with resolved CSME. HbA1C values ranged from 5.3% to 15.6% (mean, 8.9%; median, 8.7%) and 5.3% to 9.7% (mean, 6.7%; median, 6.6%) among patients with persistent and resolved edema (P = .0005). Among the 32 patients with persistent unilateral CSME, mean HbA1C was 8.6% (median 8.5%), and among the 60 patients with bilateral CSME, mean HbA1C was 9.1% (median, 8.9%). Of patients with persistent CSME, 74% had HbA1C greater than 7.5% compared with 12.5% of the patients with resolved CSME (P = .0005). Conclusions Persons with type 2 diabetes and persistent CSME have higher HbA1C at time of their disease than patients with resolved CSME. Patients with bilateral disease have more elevated HbA1C than those with unilateral disease.
Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide and plant biology: the overlooked paradigm.

As human populations continue to expand, concurrent increases in energy and food will be required. Consequently, fossil-fuel burning and deforestation will continue to be human-derived sources of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). The current annual rate of CO2 increase ( 0.5%) from these sources is expected to continue with concentrations exceeding 600 parts per million (ppm) by the end of the current century (Schimel, et al. 1996). Because carbon dioxide absorbs heat leaving the earth’s atmosphere, there is widespread agreement that increasing CO2 will result in increasing global temperatures. The extent to which temperatures increase, and the potential biological consequences—from sea-level rise, to the spread of malaria—have been discussed and debated extensively in both the scientific and popular literature. Unfortunately, given the focus on global warming, it is seldom acknowledged that no matter what the end effect of rising temperatures, the ongoing increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide, of and by itself, has affected, and will continue to affect, all life on the planet.