cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chapter 2 Growth of III-V Nitrides by Molecular Beam Epitaxy

This chapter discusses the growth of III–V nitrides by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). The full potential of III–V nitrides for various optoelectronic applications requires significant progress in the areas of heteroepitaxial growth, crystal structure and microstructure, impurity doping, formation of defects, alloying phenomena, and the formation of homojunction and heterojunction structures. MBE is a thin-film deposition process in which thermal beams of atoms or molecules react on the clean surface of a single-crystalline substrate that is held at high temperatures under ultrahigh-vacuum conditions to form an epitaxial film. Thus, the MBE process is a physical method of thin-film deposition. Modern MBE deposition systems are designed to produce high-quality materials and devices at high throughput. The chapter highlights the requirement of maintaining an ultrahigh-vacuum environment while simultaneously improving the throughput through the design of MBE systems that comprises of multiple chambers separated by gate valves.
Legionella, Bartonella, Haemophilus

Haemophilus, Bartonella, and Legionella are all fastidious Gram-negative pathogens, each of which requires a specialized condition for in vitro cultivation. However, as pathogens, they represent a diversity of pathophysiologic and epidemiologic features. Haemophilus spp. are primarily extracellular pathogens that infect mucosal surfaces and are transmitted by respiratory droplets or by direct contact between humans. Consequently, they have evolved to adapt to and evade the human immune response. In contrast, Bartonella are intracellular pathogens in their natural hosts, transmitted by arthropod bites and evolved to evade immune clearance in the reservoir host. Bartonella infections of accidental hosts, such as in humans with cat scratch disease (CSD), are extracellular infections, and the manifestations of disease depend on the integrity of host immunity. Legionella bacteria are residents of natural biofilms and occasional intracellular pathogens of free-living amoebae. When they are inhaled by humans in the form of aerosols from environmental water sources, they grow in alveolar macrophages. As human-to-human transmission does not occur, the bacterial functions that confer intracellular growth are evolved in phagocytic protozoa. These three pathogenic genera represent a strictly human pathogen transmitted by direct contact (Haemophilus), a zoonotic pathogen transmitted by arthropods (Bartonella), and an environmental bacterium that becomes a fortuitous, dead-end pathogen in humans (Legionella).
Synthesis of Prostaglandins and Leukotrienes Effects of Ethanol

Prostaglandins, thromboxane, and leukotrienes are metabolites of arachidonic acid that have a variety of physiological effects at low concentrations. Effects include smooth muscle contraction, platelet aggregation, platelet disaggregation, bronchoconstriction, increased capillary permeability, cardiac dysfunction, and polymorphonuclear leukocyte accumulation. Although their formation does not appear to be essential for life, these eicosanoid activities are wide ranging and have important roles in normal physiology as well as pathophysiology. At the center of eicosanoid biosynthesis lies the plasma cell membrane which serves as the arachidonic acid reservoir. It has been widely appreciated that ethanol exerts effects on the lipid bilayer, and it is not surprising that a growing body of evidence supports the concept that important interactions between ethanol and eicosanoid biosynthesis can occur. Furthermore, at various steps leading to ultimate prostaglandin, thromboxane and leukotriene production, reactive intermediates such as radicals are involved whose lifetime in the biological milieu can be profoundly modulated by ethanol.
Winning & Proving Hybrid Games

This chapter begins the development of the logical characterization of the dynamics of hybrid games, which proves from which states which player can win which game. It investigates compositional reasoning principles with dynamic axioms for adversarial dynamical systems, where each axiom captures how the existence of a winning strategy for a more complex hybrid game relates to the existence of corresponding winning strategies for simpler game fragments. These dynamic axioms enable rigorous reasoning for adversarial CPS models and axiomatize differential game logic, which turns the specification logic dGL into a verification logic for CPS. This is the cornerstone for lifting hybrid systems reasoning techniques to hybrid games.
Permian-Triassic Charophytes: Distribution, Biostratigraphy and Biotic Events

Permian charophytes are known from the Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, Germany, Saudi Arabia, China, the USA, Brazil, Paraguay and India. Most of these records are of Middle- Late Permian Age and are the basis of local biostratigraphic zonation in southern Russia and China. Development of a robust Permian charophyte biostratigraphy will require a more extensive record. Triassic charophytes are known from Germany, Sweden, Poland, Slovenia, Bulgaria, the Ukraine, Russia, Morocco, Congo, the USA, Argentina, Kazakhstan and China. This encompasses records from all Triassic stages and has been the basis of detailed biostratigraphic zonation in southern Russia-Kazakhstan-eastern Europe. Permian and Triassic charophyte biostratigraphy at the level of genus does not provide detailed correlations beyond local or regional schemes. Nevertheless, it does identify some important evolutionary datums that constrain the timing of important biotic events in the Permian-Triassic evolutionary history of the Charophyta, including: (1) Early Permian extinction of the Palaeocharaceae; (2) Late Permian extinction of the “Trochiliscales” (Moellerinales); (3) Carboniferous origin of the paraphyletic Porocharaceae, soon followed during the Permian by the origin of the multicellular basal plate; and (4) an important generic turnover of charophytes across the Triassic-Jurassic boundary, though there are insufficient data to identify this as a mass extinction.
Effect of temperature and fiber coating on the strength of E-glass fibers and the E-glass/epoxy interface for single-fiber fragmentation samples immersed in water

The effect of absorbed moisture on the strengths of fibers and the fiber/matrix interface for an epoxy reinforced with continuous fibers of E-glass is under investigation. Single-fiber fragmentation tests of glass/epoxy model composites have shown degradation of the strengths of both the fiber and the interface after immersion in water. The fragmentation specimens were tested as-fabricated and after immersion in distilled water at 25 and 75 C for more than 4000 h. Two coatings were applied to the fibers, one epoxy-compatible and the other vinylester-compatible, in an effort to include the initial interfacial shear strength as a variable. Analyses of the fragmentation test results adapting the approach of Wagner and coworkers were used to determine moisture-induced changes in the fiber strength, making it possible to also evaluate changes in the interfacial strength.
Three-breed rotational crossbreds of Montbéliarde, Viking Red, and Holstein compared with Holstein cows for dry matter intake, body traits, and production.

Rotational crossbred cows of the Montbeliarde, Viking Red, and Holstein (HO) breeds (CB) were compared with HO cows for dry matter intake (DMI), body weight (BW), cow height, body condition score (BCS), and production during the first 150 d of first, second, and third lactations. Primiparous and multiparous CB (n = 63 and 43, respectively) and HO (n = 60 and 37, respectively) cows calved from September 2014 to June 2017. Cows were fed the same total mixed ration twice daily, with refusals weighed once daily. The BW was recorded twice weekly, and height at the withers and the hips was recorded monthly. The BCS was evaluated weekly. The fat plus protein production from 4 to 150 d in milk was calculated from monthly test days using best prediction. Primiparous and multiparous cows were analyzed separately. Statistical analysis for primiparous cows included the fixed effects of year of calving and breed group, and the analysis for multiparous cows included the fixed effect of breed group and the repeated effect of cow nested within breed group. Primiparous CB cows (2,807 kg) had lower mean DMI than HO cows (2,948 kg) from 4 to 150 d in milk of first lactation. Mean BW was not different for the CB (562 kg) and HO (556 kg) cows, but primiparous CB cows had mean wither height that was 4.0 cm shorter and mean hip height that was 2.0 cm shorter than that of HO cows. Primiparous CB cows (3.46) had higher mean BCS compared with HO cows (3.20). Mean fat plus protein production did not differ for the primiparous CB and HO cows (331 vs. 329 kg, respectively). Multiparous CB cows (3,360 kg) also had lower mean DMI than HO cows (3,592 kg) and did not differ (636 kg) from HO cows (644 kg) for mean BW. The CB cows had mean wither height that was 3.5 cm shorter than that of HO cows, but mean hip height did not differ for multiparous CB (145.2 cm) and HO (146.4 cm) cows. Mean BCS was higher for multiparous CB cows (3.25) than for HO cows (3.06), and mean fat plus protein production was not different for multiparous CB (445 kg) and HO (441 kg) cows. The lower DMI of the CB cows than HO cows resulted in less feed cost without loss of revenue from fat plus protein production.
How we get free: black feminism and the Combahee river collective

How We Get Free is an in-depth analysis of black feminism as an historically political tool in advocating for the rights of black women, as seen in the radical activism of the influential Combahee ...
Loss Aversion and Other-Regarding Preferences

By combining loss aversion a la Koszegi and Rabin (2006, 2007) and other-regarding preferences, I assume that a person's reference point is the probabilistic beliefs she held in the recent past about "the difference between her own outcome and others' outcomes." I first postulate several alternative forms of utility functions to capture this idea. I then model a game in which assuming such utility functions can generate a distinct prediction. Using the most simplified version of such utility function, I derive one possible prediction. I suggest a potentially worthwhile project of conducting an experiment of the game and fitting the experimental data using the utility functions I postulate.
Micromechanics as a Basis for Damage Mechanics

A review of the micromechanics of composites is given herein. This includes the concepts of geometric scales, the representative volume element, and volume averaging of state variables in the representative volume element. These concepts are first reviewed for composites composed of linear elastic constituents and then extended to include the case of composites with time dependent microcracks. A brief review is then given of recent micromechanics solutions which include the effects of damage. Results are discussed for both laminated composites and composites with one or more inelastic phases.
Which body shape dimensions and sizes predict depression

Abstract Background Obesity is associated with depression, but a common measure of obesity, body mass index (BMI), combines height and weight. Consequently, which body shape dimensions and sizes are most relevant to depression is unclear. Method Data were analyzed from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey years 2007–2016, focusing on adults age 20 and older who were not pregnant. In this nationally-representative sample (N = 23,739), relations of depressive symptoms with body shape variables were tested, controlling for age, gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. Results Body weight and BMI, but not standing height, predicted depressive symptoms. Adults with relatively high body weight or BMI (roughly the top 30–40% of women or 10% of men) had substantively elevated depressive symptoms (d ≥ 0.20) within genders. BMI ranges predicting elevated depressive symptoms among women (BMI ≥ 30) and men (BMI ≥ 36) were higher than standard overweight and obesity definitions, respectively. Limitations This observational study was cross-sectional. Future longitudinal and experimental research is needed to clarify potential causal relations between body weight and depression. Other body shape variables may also predict depression. Conclusions Body weight but not height predicted concurrent risk for depressive symptomatology in the United States. Future research should test whether assessment focused on body weight not adjusted for height, as in BMI, improves depression prevention and treatment.
A Principled Approach to Using Machine Learning in Qualitative Education Research

This Full Paper in the Research Category presents a principled approach to integrate machine learning within qualitative education research. More specifically, we show how to build on an existing theory or conceptual framework using machine learning applied to qualitative data in order to make valid conclusions. Our model is guided by the assessment triangle. One case study is presented. The study focuses on habits of mind and their relationship to course outcomes. Patterns among students are identified using the n-TARP clustering method and validated statistically. Students are represented by a profile representing the patterns they follow and their individual course outcomes. We subsequently test for the existence of a relationship between the patterns of habits of mind and the course outcomes using a statistical approach in order to meaningfully interpret the profiles.
Multivariate Machine Learning Approaches for Data Fusion: Behavioral and Neuroimaging (Functional Near Infra-Red Spectroscopy) Datasets

Coupling behavioral with neuroimaging datasets promises to provide insight into medical data analyses. Here, we investigate the relation between psychopathic traits and brain activities captured by functional near infra-red spectroscopy during a moral judgment task.
Minimax game-theoretic approach to multiscale H-infinity optimal filtering

Sensing in complex systems requires large-scale information exchange and on-the-go communications over heterogeneous networks and integrated processing platforms. Many networked cyber-physical systems exhibit hierarchical infrastructures of information flows, which naturally leads to a multi-level tree-like information structure in which each level corresponds to a particular scale of representation. This work focuses on the multiscale fusion of data collected at multiple levels of the system. We propose a multiscale state-space model to represent multi-resolution data over the hierarchical information system and formulate a multi-stage dynamic zero-sum game to design a multi-scale robust filter. We present numerical experiments for one and two-dimensional signals and provide a comparative analysis of the minimax filter with the standard Kalman filter to show the improvement in signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).
Licensing Domination: Foreign Will and Social Benefit

Research ethicists are worried about twin threats to vulnerable groups of potential research participants related to the kinds and amounts of benefits they get from participation. On one hand, many...
Bridges from Research to Practice in Education of Visually Handicapped People.

Failure to apply research findings to educational practice is a long-standing problem. Several reasons for this are discussed. Five dissemination models that may insure that research findings are t...
Clinical and surgical management of holocervical spinal cord ependymomas.

Author(s): Mckay, Kevin; Attiah, Mark; Niu, Tianyi; Nagasawa, Daniel; Patel, Kunal; Gaonkar, Bilwaj; Van de Wiele, Barbara; Moreland, Natalie; Tucker, Alexander; Churchman, Pedro; Batzdorf, Ulrich; Macyszyn, Luke | Abstract: Background:Spinal ependymomas are rare tumors of the central nervous system, and those spanning the entire cervical spine are atypical. Here, we present two unusual cases of holocervical (C1-C7) spinal ependymomas. Case Description:Two patients, a 32-year-old female and a 24-year-old male presented with neck pain, motor, and sensory deficits. Sagittal MRI confirmed hypointense lesions on T1 and hyperintense regions on T2 spanning the entire cervical spine. These were accompanied by cystic cavities extending caudally into the thoracic spine and rostrally to the cervicomedullary junction. Both patients underwent gross total resection of these lesions and sustained excellent recoveries. Conclusion:Two holocervical cord intramedullary ependymomas were safely and effectively surgically resected without incurring significant perioperative morbidity.
Cytokine/chemokine dysregulation in progressive MS patient is apparent and can be modulated by calpain inhibition.

This study examines the cytokine/chemokine profile of a 62-year-old African American male with progressive multiple sclerosis (MS). MRI images of the MS patient demonstrated generalized white matter involvement with multiple lesions in the periventricular area. A 42-plex Discovery Assay® (Eve Technologies) of the patient’s plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) supernatant or PBMC-derived T cell supernatant samples from two separate clinic visits revealed vastly differing cytokine/chemokine levels. In addition, certain cytokine/chemokine profiles had notable differences when compared to the larger patient group or patients’ PBMCs treated with a calpain inhibitor in vitro. Interestingly, large numbers of cytokines/chemokines and growth factors in MS PBMCs are modulated by calpain inhibition, suggesting the clinical significance of these findings in designing better therapeutics against progressive MS.
Online personalized feedback intervention reduces cannabis-related problems among college students with high problem distress.

Despite experiencing problems related to using cannabis, very few undergraduate cannabis users are interested in treatment for cannabis-related problems or benefit from cannabis-focused online personalized feedback interventions (PFIs). Thus, it may be important to determine whether individuals perceive their problems as distressing, as only those who are distressed by their problems may be motivated to change their cannabis use or benefit from cannabis-related interventions. The current study examined cannabis-related problem distress, its relation to motivation to change cannabis use, and whether problem distress impacted outcomes of a problem-focused online PFI. Past-month cannabis-using undergraduates who endorsed experiencing at least one cannabis-related problem in the past 3 months were randomized to a PFI (n = 102) or a personalized normative feedback (PNF)-only condition (n = 102). Problem distress was robustly related to readiness, importance, and confidence to change cannabis use at baseline. Among those with high levels of problem distress at baseline, those in the PFI condition reported a greater decrease in problems than those in the PNF-only condition. This was not the case among those with lower levels of problem distress. Further, the number of cannabis-related problems did not moderate intervention outcomes. Cannabis users who perceive their problems as more distressing may be more motivated to change their cannabis use and more likely to benefit from a problem-focused PFI relative to a PNF-only intervention. Results have implications for the personalization of cannabis-focused interventions to maximize the impacts of interventions and decrease cannabis-related problems. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
Syphilis in Adolescents and Young Adults

Less than 20 years ago, infectious syphilis was on the verge of eradication in the United States. Since that time, however, syphilis rates have increased dramatically in the United States particularly among adolescents and young adults. While young, Black MSM have the highest risk of acquiring syphilis, it is important to keep in mind that rates have increased in adolescents and young adults of every age, gender, and sexual orientation. This chapter examines the changing epidemiology of syphilis as well as the microbiology and pathophysiology and clinical manifestations at different stages of the syphilitic infection. It then goes on to consider current approaches to diagnostic testing, including diagnostic testing algorithms, and treatment of the different stages of syphilis. Prevention and other public health considerations such as syphilis screening are also discussed. The chapter ends with other considerations that affect syphilis and its treatment such as HIV coinfection, pregnancy, and syphilis in MSM.
A machine learning based approach for phononic crystal property discovery

Phononic crystals are artificially structured materials that can possess special vibrational properties that enable advanced manipulations of sound and heat transport. These special properties originate from the formation of a bandgap that prevents the excitation of entire frequency ranges in the phononic band diagram. Unfortunately, identifying phononic crystals with useful bandgaps is a problematic process because not all phononic crystals have bandgaps. Predicting if a phononic crystal structure has a bandgap, and if so, the gap's center frequency and width is a computationally expensive process. Herein, we explore machine learning as a rapid screening tool for expedited discovery of phononic bandgap presence, center frequency, and width. We test three different machine learning algorithms (logistic/linear regression, artificial neural network, and random forests) and show that random forests performs the best. For example, we show that a random phononic crystal selection has only a 17% probability of having a bandgap, whereas after incorporating rapid screening with the random forests model, this probability increases to 89%. When predicting the bandgap center frequency and width, this model achieves coefficient of determinations of 0.66 and 0.85, respectively. If the model has a priori knowledge that a bandgap exists, the coefficients of determination for center and width improve to 0.97 and 0.85, respectively. We show that most of the model's performance gains are achieved for training datasets as small as ∼5000 samples. Training the model with just 500 samples led to reduced performance but still yielded algorithms with predictive values.
Management of primary vasculitides with biologic and novel small molecule medications.

Purpose of review Vasculitides can affect small, medium and/or large vessels, leading to end-organ damage, decreased quality of life and death. Glucocorticoids remain the backbone of treatment for systemic vasculitis but are associated with numerous toxicities. In recent years, the efficacy of glucocorticoid-sparing biologic and novel small molecule therapies has been demonstrated. Recent findings In giant cell arteritis, tocilizumab was superior to glucocorticoid monotherapy in maintenance remission and cumulative glucocorticoid exposure and is now approved for the treatment of giant cell arteritis. In addition to the previously demonstrated efficacy of rituximab for remission induction in antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis, recent trials have also demonstrated its superiority for remission maintenance compared to alternative approaches. Mepolizumab is superior to standard of care alone with regard to remission rates and glucocorticoid-sparing effect in refractory eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis. Avacopan has shown significant promise in ANCA-associated vasculitis as part of a glucocorticoid-free induction regimen in a recently completed phase 3 trial. Use of biologics in rarer vasculitides remains guided by reports from small case series. Summary Biologics and other novel therapies have an increasingly important role in the management of systemic vasculitis. Additional studies are needed to define their optimal use and to guide their use in more rare forms of vasculitis.
e-Sourcing in Procurement: Theory and Behavior in Reverse Auctions with Non-Competitive Contracts

One of the goals of procurement is to establish a fair price while affording the buyer some flexibility in selecting the suppliers to deal with. Reverse auctions do not have this flexibility, because it is the auction rules and not the buyer that determine the winner. But an important advantage of having this flexibility is that it allows buyers and suppliers to establish long-term relationships. This is one of the reasons that buyers often combine non-competitive purchasing with auctions. We find that in theory such hybrid mechanisms that remove some suppliers and a corresponding amount of demand from the auction market increase competition and make buyers better off as long as suppliers are willing to accept non-competitive contracts. And it turns out that suppliers often do because under a wide variety of conditions these contracts have a positive expected profit. Our theory relies on two behavioral assumptions: (1) bidders in a multi-unit uniform-price reverse auction will follow the dominant strategy of bidding truthfully, and (2) the suppliers who have been removed from the market will accept non-competitive contracts that have a positive expected profit. Our experiment demonstrates that bidders in the auction behave very close to following the dominant strategy regardless of whether this auction is a stand-alone or a part of a hybrid mechanism. We also find that suppliers accept non-competitive contracts sufficiently often (although not always) to make the hybrid mechanism outperform the reverse auction in the laboratory as well as in theory.
Quantitative Characterization of Tumor Proximity to Stem Cell Niches: Implications on Recurrence and Survival in GBM Patients.

Purpose Emerging evidence has linked glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) recurrence and survival to stem cell niches (SCNs). However, the traditional tumor–ventricle distance is insufficiently powered for an accurate prediction. We aimed to use a novel inverse distance map for improved prediction. Methods and Materials Two T1-magnetic resonance imaging data sets were included for a total of 237 preoperative scans for prognostic stratification and 55 follow-up scans for recurrent pattern identification. SCN, including the subventricular zone (SVZ) and subgranular zone (SGZ), were manually defined on a standard template. A proximity map was generated using the summed inverse distances to all SCN voxels. The mean and maximum proximity scores ( PS m − SCN and PS max − SCN ) were calculated for each primary/recurrent tumor, deformably transformed into the template. The prognostic capacity of proximity score (PS)-derived metrics was assessed using Cox regression and log-rank tests. To evaluate the impact of SCNs on recurrence patterns, we performed group comparisons of PS-derived metrics between the primary and recurrent tumors. For comparison, the same analyses were conducted on PS derived from SVZ alone and traditional edge/center-to-ventricle metrics. Results Among all SCN-derived features, PS m − SCN was the strongest survival predictor (P PS max − SCN was the best in risk stratification, using either evenly sorted (P = .0001) or k-means clustering methods (P = .0045). PS metrics based on SVZ only also correlated with overall survival and risk stratification, but to a lesser degree of significance. In contrast, edge/center-to-ventricle metrics showed weak to no prediction capacities in either task. Moreover, PS m − SCN , PS m − SVZ , and center-to-ventricle metrics revealed a significantly closer SCN distribution of recurrence than primary tumors. Conclusions We introduced a novel inverse distance-based metric to comprehensively capture the anatomic relationship between GBM tumors and SCN zones. The derived metrics outperformed traditional edge or center distance-based measurements in overall survival prediction, risk stratification, and recurrent pattern differentiation. Our results reveal the potential role of SGZ in recurrence aside from SVZ.
Cross-System Communication in Early Childhood Settings in the United States: An Exploratory Study Using the National Survey of Children’s Health

Communication between a child’s health care provider, child care and other community providers (cross-system communication) may facilitate access and referral to early intervention (EI). This study...
Vision Impairment, Poor Diet, and Food Insecurity in the United States

Objectives To test the hypotheses that poor diet and food insecurity are associated with both measured and self-reported vision impairment (VI).
The Dangers of Data Colonialism in Precision Public Health

Precision public health has been defined as using multi‐level and relatively novel data types (such as patient‐provided digital data from internet applications and digital medical records) in order to predict and track population level disease dynamics as well as develop targeted interventions (Khoury, 2015, Khoury et al., 2018). Despite the promises of precision public health, it is also important to examine the field’s potential pitfalls, specifically its resonance with data colonialism. Without adequate attention to this emerging field’s vulnerabilities, precision public health efforts may continue histories of extraction and marginalization.
Ten practical questions to improve data quality

On the Ground • High-quality rangeland data are critical to supporting adaptive management. However, concrete, cost-saving steps to ensure data quality are often poorly defined and understood. • Data quality is more than data management. Ensuring data quality requires 1) clear communication among team members; 2) appropriate sample design; 3) training of data collectors, data managers, and data users; 4) observer and sensor calibration; and 5) active data management. Quality assurance and quality control are ongoing processes to help rangeland managers and scientists identify, prevent, and correct errors in past, current, and future monitoring data. • We present 10 guiding data quality questions to help managers and scientists identify appropriate workflows to improve data quality by 1) describing the data ecosystem, 2) creating a data quality plan, 3) identifying roles and responsibilities, 4) building data collection and data management workflows, 5) training and calibrating data collectors, 6) detecting and correcting errors, and 7) describing sources of variability. • Iteratively improving rangeland data quality is a key part of adaptive monitoring and rangeland data collection. All members of the rangeland community are invited to participate in ensuring rangeland data quality.
Identification of Best Plane-of-Array Irradiance Sensor for PV System Performance Analytics

As the amount of available photovoltaic (PV) system performance data increases, there is an increased need to develop automated tools to handle data preparation tasks historically performed by hand. One such task is determining the best irradiance sensor to use as a reference when multiple sensor data streams (or derived/modeled data streams) are available. We present an algorithm for identifying the best irradiance data stream to use, given a PV system power generation signal. This algorithm is based on the concept of cross-validation from the discipline of statistical learning, and is implemented in the Solar Data Tools Python package.
Changes in Ultra-Processed Food Consumption and Lifestyle Behaviors Following COVID-19 Shelter-in-Place: A Retrospective Study

Ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption poses a potential risk to public health and may be related to shelter-in-place orders. This study utilized the level of food processing as a lens by which to examine the relationships between diet, weight change, and lifestyle changes (including cooking, snacking, and sedentary activity) that occurred during regional shelter-in-place orders. This study used a cross-sectional, retrospective survey (n = 589) to assess baseline demographics, changes in lifestyle behaviors using a Likert scale, and changes in dietary behaviors using a modified food frequency questionnaire from mid-March to May 2020; data were collected in the California Bay Area from August to October 2020. Foods were categorized by level of processing (minimally processed, processed, and ultra-processed) using the NOVA scale. Stepwise multiple linear regression and univariate linear regression models were used to determine the associations between these factors. Increased snacking was positively associated with a change in the percent of the calories derived from UPF and weight gain (β = 1.0, p < 0.001; β = 0.8 kg, p < 0.001) and negatively associated with the share of MPF calories consumed (β = −0.9, p < 0.001). These relationships have public health implications as interventions designed around decreased snacking may positively impact diet and weight management and thereby mitigate negative health outcomes.
B Cell Intrinsic IRF4 Haploinsufficiency Impairs Affinity Maturation.

The germinal center (GC) reaction is a coordinated and dynamic ensemble of cells and processes that mediate the maturation and selection of high-affinity GC B cells (GCBs) from lower-affinity precursors and ultimately results in plasma cell and memory cell fates that exit the GC. It is of great interest to identify intrinsic and extrinsic factors that control the selection process. The transcription factor IRF4, induced upon BCR and CD40 signaling, is essential for the acquisition of plasma cell and GCB cell fates. We hypothesized that beyond this early requirement, IRF4 continuously operates at later phases of the B cell response. We show that IRF4 is expressed in GCBs at levels greater than seen in resting cells and plays a role in efficient selection of high-affinity GCBs. Halving Irf4 gene copy number in an Ag-specific murine B cell model, we found that Ag presentation, isotype switching, GC formation and zonation, somatic hypermutation rates, and proliferation were comparable with cells with a full Irf4 allelic complement. In contrast, Irf4 haploinsufficient GCBs exhibited impaired generation of high-affinity cells. Mechanistically, we demonstrate suboptimal Blimp-1 regulation among high-affinity Irf4 haploinsufficient GCBs. Furthermore, in cotransfer settings, we observed a marked disadvantage of Irf4 haploinsufficient cells for GC entry, evidential of ineffective recruitment of T cell help. We propose that, analogous to its role in early GC entry, IRF4 continues to function in the late phase of the Ab response to promote productive T follicular helper cell interactions and to activate optimal Blimp-1 expression during GC selection and affinity maturation.
Cutaneous Emergencies in the HIV-Positive Patient

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a member of the retrovirus family of enveloped RNA viruses. Retroviruses rely on an RNA-dependent DNA polymerase (reverse transcriptase) for their replication [1]. HIV is the causative organism in the development of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Although a complete review of the pathogenesis of HIV is beyond the scope of this text, a basic comprehension of the mechanism of HIV infection is helpful in understanding its resultant clinical manifestations. Briefly, HIV initiates infection of cells bearing the CD4 receptor through the interaction of the gp120 envelope glycoprotein present on the surface of HIV particles [2, 3]. Binding of gp120 to CD4 on the surface of T helper (TH) lymphocytes, monocyte-derived macrophages (including tissue-specific macrophages such as brain microglia), and dendritic cells (including Langerhans cells of the skin) results in a conformational change in gp120 that facilitates binding to the chemokine co-receptors CCR5 and CXCR4 and exposes the HIV gp41 envelope protein, allowing membrane fusion and viral entry into a given cell [3]. Once it has entered a host cell, HIV initiates the synthesis of a double-stranded DNA molecule from its original RNA genome via reverse transcriptase activity; this may result in direct cellular lysis or altered activity of host cells, causing immune dysregulation and subsequent release of HIV virions into the bloodstream [4]. Alternatively, viral DNA may be integrated into the host genome, where it can remain latent in cellular reservoirs (most commonly macrophages). When a host cell infected with latent virus receives subsequent signals to proliferate, this concomitantly activates transcription of the original RNA virus, allowing for continued viral dissemination [4]. Of note, following primary infection there is a rapid rise in HIV viral counts that typically precedes the production of HIV-specific antibodies between 1 and 3 months post infection; it is these antibodies that are detected by HIV screening tests [2, 5, 6]. As a result of their viremia, individuals newly infected with HIV are more infectious and are at increased risk of transmitting the virus to others before being identified as seropositive [5, 7].
Sidekick 2 directs formation of a retinal circuit that detects differential motion

In the mammalian retina, processes of approximately 70 types of interneurons form specific synapses on roughly 30 types of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in a neuropil called the inner plexiform layer. Each RGC type extracts salient features from visual input, which are sent deeper into the brain for further processing. The specificity and stereotypy of synapses formed in the inner plexiform layer account for the feature-detecting ability of RGCs. Here we analyse the development and function of synapses on one mouse RGC type, called the W3B-RGC. These cells have the remarkable property of responding when the timing of the movement of a small object differs from that of the background, but not when they coincide. Such cells, known as local edge detectors or object motion sensors, can distinguish moving objects from a visual scene that is also moving. We show that W3B-RGCs receive strong and selective input from an unusual excitatory amacrine cell type known as VG3-AC (vesicular glutamate transporter 3). Both W3B-RGCs and VG3-ACs express the immunoglobulin superfamily recognition molecule sidekick 2 (Sdk2), and both loss- and gain-of-function studies indicate that Sdk2-dependent homophilic interactions are necessary for the selectivity of the connection. The Sdk2-specified synapse is essential for visual responses of W3B-RGCs: whereas bipolar cells relay visual input directly to most RGCs, the W3B-RGCs receive much of their input indirectly, via the VG3-ACs. This non-canonical circuit introduces a delay into the pathway from photoreceptors in the centre of the receptive field to W3B-RGCs, which could improve their ability to judge the synchrony of local and global motion.
A vehicle-centric logic for decentralized and hybrid route guidance

The paper presents a decentralized route guidance algorithm that can function alone or as a component of a hybrid centralized/decentralized route guidance system. The focus of the algorithm's design is on vehicle-level communication and computation, for the purpose of developing vehicle-centric route guidance. The algorithm has been implemented and tested on a sample network in which both guided and unguided drivers are modeled. Results are given which show that the algorithm is successful at responding to small amounts of network stochasticity as well as to congestion caused by incidents. The results also illustrate the potential of tuning the algorithm's parameters in real-time, using vehicle-level intelligence.
Homing Endonuclease I-TevI: An Atypical Zinc Finger with a Novel Function

I-TevI is a site-specific, sequence-tolerant homing endonuclease encoded by the td intron of bacteriophage T4. The enzyme consists of an N-terminal catalytic domain and a C-terminal DNA-binding domain that are connected by a long, flexible linker. The crystal structure of the DNA-binding domain of I-TevI, residues 130 to 245, complexed with the 20-bp primary binding region of its DNA target, reveals the presence of a zinc finger, comprising residues 151 to 167, that makes backbone contacts with the DNA from the minor groove. Biochemical data have shown that the zinc finger does not contribute to the DNA-binding affinity or to the specificity of the enzyme, but rather that it has a novel function and acts as a distance determinant that controls the relative positions of the catalytic and DNA-binding domains.
Toward a software-based network: integrating software defined networking and network function virtualization

Communication networks are changing. They are becoming more and more “software- based.” Two trends reflect this: the use of software defined networking and the use of virtualization to exploit common off-the-shelf hardware to provide a wide array of network-resident functions. To truly achieve the vision shared by many service providers of a high-performance software-based network that is flexible, lowercost, and agile, a fast and carefully designed network function virtualization platform along with a comprehensive SDN control plane is needed. The shift toward software-based network services broadens the type of networking capabilities offered in provider networks and cloud platforms by allowing network services to be dynamically deployed across shared hosts. Combining this with an SDN control plane that recognizes the power of a dynamically changing network infrastructure allows network functions to be placed when they are needed and where they are most appropriate in the network. Our system, SDNFV harmoniously combines the two fast moving technological directions of SDN and virtualization to further the goal of achieving a true software-based network.
Histopathology of Listeria monocytogenes After Oral Feeding to Mice

Ingestion by mice of Listeria monocytogenes in drinking water induced micro-abscesses of the liver and ulcerative enteritis. In pregnant mice, these lesions were larger and more extensive than in nonpregnant female and male mice. Pregnancy is interrupted by a purulent panmetritis and necrotizing placentitis. The early microabscess is unique in that it consists of monocytic cells with bizarre-shaped nuclei. The experimentally induced pathological changes in livers and intestines of mice used in this study are similar to those observed in listeric neonatal septicemia of human infants.
Determination and correlation of 137Cs and unsupported 210Pb activities in soil

To ascertain the feasibility of using 137Cs and 210Pb in soil erosion models a Compton suppression system with a Be window was used to simultaneous detect both of the naturally occurring isotopes. In particular, the system allowed the use of only 20 g of soil material instead of the usual needed 0.5-1.0 kg in similar soil studies.
Passive model order reduction of multiconductor interconnects

A new, computationally efficient, discrete model is presented for passive model order reduction of high-speed interconnects. The proposed model utilizes the theory of compact differences to reduce the number of degrees of freedom used in the discretization of the generalized Telegrapher's equations. Lossy interconnects with position-dependent parameters can be handled.
Exact computation of probability landscape of stochastic networks of Single Input and Coupled Toggle Switch Modules

Gene regulatory networks depict the interactions between genes, proteins, and other components of the cell. These interactions often are stochastic that can influence behavior of the cells. Discrete Chemical Master Equation (dCME) provides a general framework for understanding the stochastic nature of these networks. However solving dCME is challenging due to the enormous state space, one effective approach is to study the behavior of individual modules of the stochastic network. Here we used the finite buffer dCME method and directly calculated the exact steady state probability landscape for the two stochastic networks of Single Input and Coupled Toggle Switch Modules. The first example is a switch network consisting of three genes, and the second example is a double switching network consisting of four coupled genes. Our results show complex switching behavior of these networks can be quantified.
The effects of an inpatient palliative care team on discharge disposition

Abstract Overview: Inpatient palliative care teams' (PCT) contribution to improved quality of life and patient satisfaction as well as decreased utilization and costs has been well established. Yet few studies have examined the specific effect of an inpatient PCT on discharge disposition, despite evidence of an association between hospice enrollment, decreased rehospitalization, and improved resource utilization. Methods: Patients admitted to a large nonprofit multisite hospital between June 2004 and December 2007 and seen by the PCT were matched to usual care (UC) patients on age, mortality risk, prior year hospitalized days, and disease severity. Discharge disposition and demographic factors were abstracted from hospital administrative claims; mortality data was collected from the social security death index. Analyses were performed using Wilcoxon's test, χ2 analysis, and multinomial logit regression. Results: Three hundred sixty-one matched pairs were available for analysis. Compared to UC, patients wh...
Oxidative modification of a carboxyl-terminal vicinal methionine in calmodulin by hydrogen peroxide inhibits calmodulin-dependent activation of the plasma membrane Ca-ATPase.

In order to investigate the possibility that calmodulin (CaM) may be a principal target of reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced under conditions of oxidative stress, we have examined wheat germ CaM for the presence of highly reactive sites that correlate with the loss of function. Using reversed-phase HPLC and FAB mass spectrometry after proteolytic digestion, we have identified the sites of modification by hydrogen peroxide. We find that one of the vicinal methionines (i.e., Met146 or Met147) near the C-terminus of CaM is selectively oxidized. The ability of CaM to bind and to activate the plasma membrane (PM)-Ca-ATPase from erythrocytes was measured. There is a 30-fold decrease in the calcium affinity of oxidatively modified CaM. While there is a little change in the binding constant between the carboxyl-terminal domain of calcium-saturated CaM and a peptide homologous to the autoinhibitory sequence of the PM-Ca-ATPase, we find that there is a 9-fold reduction in the affinity of the amino-terminal domain of CaM with respect to the ability to bind target peptides. The extent of oxidative modification to one of the vicinal methionines near the carboxyl-terminal domain correlates with the loss of CaM-dependent activation of the PM-Ca-ATPase. The presence of oxidatively modified CaM prevents native CaM from activating the PM-Ca-ATPase, indicating that the oxidatively modified CaM binds to the autoinhibitory sequence on the Ca-ATPase in an altered nonproductive conformation. We suggest that the functional sensitivity of CaM to the oxidation of one of the C-terminal vicinal methionines permits CAM to serve a regulatory role in modulating cellular metabolism under conditions of oxidative stress. The predominant oxidation of a methionine near the carboxyl terminal of CaM is rationalized in terms of the enhanced solvent accessibility of these vicinal methionines.