cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Infection as an Environmental Trigger of Multiple Sclerosis Disease Exacerbation

Over the past several decades, significant advances have been made in identifying factors that contribute to the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS) and have culminated in the approval of some effective therapeutic strategies for disease intervention. However, the mechanisms by which environmental factors, such as infection, contribute to the pathogenesis and/or symptom exacerbation remain to be fully elucidated. Relapse frequency in MS patients contributes to neurological impairment and, in the initial phases of disease, serves as a predictor of poor disease prognosis. The purpose of this review is to examine the evidence that supports a role for peripheral infection in modulating the natural history of this disease. Evidence supporting a role for infection in promoting exacerbation in animal models of MS is also reviewed. Finally, a few mechanisms by which infection may exacerbate symptoms of MS and other neurological diseases are discussed. Those who comprise the majority of MS patients acquire approximately two upper-respiratory infections per year; furthermore, this type of infection doubles the risk for MS relapse, underscoring the contribution of this relationship as being potentially important and particularly detrimental.
Gamow-Teller strength in nuclei with N=Z from 12C to 100Sn

Abstract Experimental and theoretical Gamow-Teller strength in N=Z nuclei from 12C to 100Sn are discussed. The effects of ground-state correlations for the total strength are calculated with full 0ħω 1p and 1d2s shell wavefunctions, and the relative importance of 0ħω and higher ħω correlations is pointed out. The GT strength in 16O which vanishes in the LS closed-shell limit is calculated in a 4ħω shell model basis. Unique features of the GT decay of 100Sn and neighboring nuclei are presented.
Energy management strategies for a hybrid electric vehicle

In this paper a fuzzy logic, rule based control strategy is proposed for a parallel, hybrid electric vehicle. The energy management optimizes engine operational efficiency while maintaining battery state of charge. Fuzzy logic shifting strategy improves the drivability and performance and avoids undesirable frequent shifting. Simulation has been conducted in a forward-looking model to implement the design. The improvements are presented with simulation results as well as the comparison with those performed using default controller.
Experimental Dynamos and the Dynamics of Planetary Cores

Laboratory experiments using liquid metals and nonmetallic liquids reveal a rich set of dynamical processes active in Earth's core and in the cores of other terrestrial planets. These processes include thermochemical convection and a variety of instabilities driven by irregularities in rotation, such as precession, libration, and tides. The spectrum of fluid motions in these experiments ranges from turbulence and inertial wave motions at high frequencies to global-scale zonal flows at low frequencies, and they result from the interplay between buoyant forces, rotational effects, melting and solidification, magnetic fields, and the spherical geometry of the core. This review summarizes strengths and limitations of laboratory fluid experiments for modeling core dynamics, identifies the key physical parameters, and highlights recent advances in understanding the complex flows that control the evolution of the core. Special emphasis is given to ongoing efforts to develop self-sustaining fluid dynamos.
A spatial taxonomy of broadband regions in the United States

The steady growth of broadband penetration in the United States is indicative of a major shift in advanced data services and last-mile infrastructure in the deregulated telecommunication environment. Although there are concerns with the equitable provision of broadband services in urban, rural and remote areas, the diffusion process has also created a unique landscape of broadband availability that reflects elements of competition, federal policy, local government initiatives, technological limitations and location. This paper explores the dynamic and diverse spatial landscape of broadband availability in the United States at the zip code level, for 2004. In addition, this study provides a multivariate, spatial taxonomy of broadband regions, highlighting their socioeconomic and demographic differences.
From Caliban to CARICOM: Encountering Legality in the Caribbean Mindie Lazarus‐Black. Legitimate Acts and Illegal Encounters: Law and Society in Antigua and Barbuda. Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1994. Pp. 357. $49.00 cloth; $24.95 paper.

Author(s): Maurer, B | Abstract: Until recently, research in sociolegal studies has tended to ignore the Caribbean region. Sociolegal scholars may have assumed that the Carib, bean, like other places outside the United States, more properly deserved the attention of anthropologists than themselves-after all, "they" have "custom" while "we" have "law."1 Or, assuming that the colonial project represented an encounter between competing legal systems, sociolegal scholars may have left such studies to anthropologists interested in legal pluralism. 2 Caribbeanist anthropologists, who have tended to neglect legal processes in the region, may have assumed that the effects of law in Caribbean societies were self,evident: that slave era law helped maintain the plantation system, that indenture law ensured a pliant labor force after slavery ended, and that law in the colonial and decolonizing Caribbean simply did what its ideology claims it does by mediating disputes, administering justice, and governing populations. 3 Or they may have considered law to be a concern of Caribbean elites or colonial officials, not the stuff of popular class social and cultural life, and hence unworthy of the "thick description" that animates Caribbean village ethnography.
The effects of interviewers' initial impressions on information gathering

Abstract M. Synder and W. B. Swann, Jr. (1978 , Journal of Personality and Social Psychology , 36 , 1202–1212) suggest that people adopt information seeking strategies that confirm their hypotheses. To investigate whether or not these findings can be extended to employment interviews, an experiment was conducted examining the effects of interviewers' initial impressions and their decision task on the questions they formulate to assess applicants for a sales position. Twenty-six persons with varied interviewing experience reviewed the paper credentials of three applicants and then stated the questions they would ask each one. In separate sessions, ninety-two persons took the role of interviewee and responded to these questions. Contrary to the findings of P. Sackett (1982 , Personnel Psychology , 35 , 789–803) and T. McDonald and M. D. Hakel (1985 , Personnel Psychology , 38 , 321–334), the questions that interviewers asked of an applicant with poor credentials were biased in a more negative direction than the questions that were asked of moderately and highly qualified applicants. Consistent with these studies, however, no evidence was found for the strong confirmatory biases revealed in the Snyder and Swann (1978) research.
Phorcysia thermohydrogeniphila gen. nov., sp. nov., a thermophilic, chemolithoautotrophic, nitrate-ammonifying bacterium from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent

A novel hyperthermophilic, anaerobic, chemolithoautotrophic bacterium, designated strain HB-8T, was isolated from the tube of Alvinella pompejana tubeworms collected from the wall of an actively venting sulfide structure on the East Pacific Rise at 13° N. The cells were Gram-negative rods, approximately 1.0–1.5 µm long and 0.5 µm wide. Strain HB-8T grew between 65 and 80 °C (optimum 75 °C), 15 and 35 g NaCl l−1 (optimum 30 g l−1) and pH 4.5 and 8.5 (optimum pH 6.0). Generation time under optimal conditions was 26 min. Growth occurred under chemolithoautotrophic conditions with H2 as the energy source and CO2 as the carbon source. Nitrate and sulfur were used as electron acceptors, with concomitant formation of ammonium or hydrogen sulfide, respectively. The presence of lactate, formate, acetate or tryptone in the culture medium inhibited growth. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 47.8 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene and of the alpha subunit of the ATP citrate lyase of strain HB-8T indicated that this organism formed a novel lineage within the class Aquificae , equally distant from the type strains of the type species of the three genera that represent the family Desulfurobacteriaceae : Thermovibrio ruber ED11/3LLK8T, Balnearium lithotrophicum 17ST and Desulfurobacterium thermolithotrophum BSAT. The polar lipids of strain HB-8T differed substantially from those of other members of the Desulfurobacteriaceae , and this bacterium produced novel quinones. On the basis of phylogenetic, physiological and chemotaxonomic characteristics, it is proposed that the organism represents a novel genus and species within the family Desulfurobacteriaceae , Phorcysia thermohydrogeniphila gen. nov., sp. nov. The type strain of Phorcysia thermohydrogeniphila is HB-8T ( = DSM 24425T = JCM 17384T).
Around and Around: The Rotating Electron in Electromagnetic Fields

In the atomic model introduced by Niels Bohr in 1913 the electron was presumed to follow a circular orbit about the atomic nucleus. Although the nonrelativistic quantum theory of the hydrogen atom later confirmed the Bohr atom energy spectrum (in the absence of spin-related relativistic interactions), it also showed that the concept of orbits was in general no longer tenable. The bound electron could have any possible separation from the nucleus according to a distribution function determined from the radial wave equation.
F-BAR/EFC Domain Proteins: Some Assembly Required

Polymeric spirals of crescent-shaped BAR-domain superfamily proteins are touted to girdle eukaryotic phospholipid bilayers into narrow tubules for trafficking and membrane remodeling events. But McDonald et al. (2015) in this issue of Developmental Cell question whether this broadly held view and conceptually appealing mechanism for membrane sculpting is really overhyped.
New Analytical Solutions of Selected Electromagnetic Problems in Wave Diffraction Theory

The chapter presents explicit analytical solutions for some sophisticated electromagnetic problems. The analysis of these solutions made it possible, in particular, to explain the physics of a cycle slipping phenomenon when very long electromagnetic waves propagate in the Earth-ionosphere waveguide, to establish the rigorous criterion of the boundary ‘sharpness’ for transient radiation and to show that the well-known negative refraction phenomenon in isotropic double-negative media is a direct consequence of the energy conservation law and Maxwell’s equations.
ALA Sources—Plants, Seeds, and Nuts

Alpha-linolenic fatty acid (18:3ω[omega]3), often abbreviated as ALA or written as α(alpha)-linolenic fatty acid or just as acid, is one of the four omega-3 fatty acids commonly discussed in the press and scientific literature. The other omega-3 acids are EPA (20:5ω[omega]3), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA—22:5ω[omega]3), and DHA (22:6ω[omega]3). Of these, only ALA is considered to be an essential fatty acid (EFA) since it cannot be synthesized by the body and therefore must be supplied by dietary sources. EPA, DPA, and DHA are not considered essential omega-3 fatty acids since the body can convert ALA into these forms of omega-3 fatty acids. ALA is called a short-chain omega-3 fatty acid, while DHA, DPA, and EPA are called long-chain omega-3 fatty acids since in the conversion process the molecules are elongated (added to).
The Influence of Facebook Engagement on Relationship Quality and Consumer Behavior in the National Basketball Association

ABSTRACTThis study investigated the relationships between fans' engagement with their favorite teams' Facebook pages, relationship quality with their favorite team, and purchase and referral intentions using relationship marketing as a framework. Results indicated that individuals who engaged more on Facebook also had greater relationship quality. Additionally, a higher level of engagement with teams' Facebook pages had a significant, positive impact on purchase intentions. The indirect effects of Facebook engagement on purchase and referral intentions as mediated by relationship quality were significant and positive. In summary, Facebook engagement had a positive impact on fans' relationship quality and purchase and referral intentions.
Association Between Depression and Antiretroviral Therapy Use Among People Living with HIV: A Meta-analysis.

Depression is common among people living with HIV (PLHIV). Studies on the relationship between depression and use of antiretroviral therapy (ART) are inconclusive. A meta-analysis was conducted to summarize the relationship between depression and ART use among PLHIV. Ten electronic databases, conference abstracts, and dissertations were searched. A random effects meta-analysis was performed to pool the odds ratio estimates from eligible studies. Subgroup analyses and meta-regression were conducted for moderator analysis. Sensitivity analysis was performed to find influential studies. A funnel plot, the Egger test, and the trim and fill analysis were used to detect publication bias. The pooled sample size was 7375 PLHIV from nine eligible studies. The pooled prevalence of depression was 41% (95% confidence interval [CI] 29–53%). The pooled ART use rate was 52% (95% CI 37–67%). PLHIV with depression were 14% less likely (pooled odds ratio [OR] = 0.86; 95% CI 0.71–1.05) to use ART than those without depression. Subgroup analyses showed that depression was significantly associated with no ART use (pooled OR 0.84; 95% CI 0.71–0.99) among studies with a prospective study design (11 estimates from nine studies). Moderator analyses did not show any statistically significant effects. The publication bias analyses showed small study effects may not exist. Depression was associated with non-use of ART among PLHIV. Studies are needed to explore this association in other countries with varied populations, as most published studies have been conducted in the United States.
The Impact of Dietary Calcium and Oxalate Ratios on Stone Risk

Objective To determine whether the ratio of dietary calcium and oxalate consumption at mealtime affects gastrointestinal oxalate absorption and urinary oxalate excretion. Methods A study was conducted with 10 non–stone-forming adults placed on controlled diets with daily calcium and oxalate contents of 1000 and 750 mg, respectively. Subjects consumed a balanced calcium/oxalate ratio diet for 1 week, observed a minimum 1-week washout period, and subsequently consumed an imbalanced calcium/oxalate ratio diet for one week. Urine specimens were collected on the last 4 days of each diet. Outcome measures included urinary creatinine, calcium, and oxalate as well as the Tiselius index for assessing urinary calcium oxalate supersaturation. Results Total daily calcium excretion, oxalate excretion, and Tiselius index were similar between balanced and imbalanced dietary phases. There were significant differences in calcium excretion (mg/g creatinine) between balanced and imbalanced diets in the 1-6 pm (83.1 vs 110.2, P pm (71.3 vs 107.2, P pm -8 am collections (55.0 vs 41.8, P pm time period (28.1 vs 16.7, P Conclusion These results demonstrate that the sequence of ingesting relatively large amounts of oxalate does not significantly affect calcium oxalate stone risk if the recommended daily quantity of dietary calcium is consumed.
Computer Assisted Proofs of Stability of Matter

We review some recent progress in the study of Schrodinger equations for arbitrarily many fermions interacting via Coulomb forces. The goal is to prove lower bounds for the infimum of the spectrum which are reasonably close to optimal. Some of the key estimates are established with the help of a computer.
Advanced fabrication of biosensor on detection of Glypican-1 using S-Acetylmercaptosuccinic anhydride (SAMSA) modification of antibody

Glypican-1 (GPC-1) has been recognized as biomarker of pancreatic cancer. Quantification of GPC-1 level is also pivotal to breast cancer and prostate cancer’s patients. We hereby report the first biosensor for GPC-1 detection. Instead of using crosslinking technique and surface immobilization of antibody, we applied a novel method for biosensor fabrication, using S-Acetylmercaptosuccinic anhydride (SAMSA) to modify the Anti-GPC-1 producing a thiol-linked Anti-GPC-1. The thiol-linked Anti-GPC-1 was then directly formed a single-layer antibody layer on the gold biosensor, minimizing the biosensor preparation steps significantly. Time of Flight Secondary Ions Mass Spectroscopy (TOF-SIMS) characterization verified the thiol-linked antibody layer and demonstrated a unique perspective for surface protein characterization. Differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) was applied to quantify GPC-1 antigen in undiluted human serum with a concentration range of 5,000 pg/µL to 100 pg/µL. The performance of this newly designed biosensor was also compared with modified self-assembled monolayer system fabricated biosensor, demonstrating the high-sensitivity and high-reproducibility of the SAMSA modified antibody based biosensor. This simple fabrication method can also expand to detection of other biomolecules. The simplified operation process shows great potential in clinical application development.
A Modular Multilevel Converter With Self-Voltage Balancing Part I: Mathematical Proof

The modular feature of the modular multilevel converter (MMC) distinguishes itself from other topologies for medium-/high-voltage applications. However, as the count of submodules increases, the control complexity of voltage balancing for each submodule sharply increases. Conventionally, the MMC is deemed to have no inherit voltage balancing property without voltage monitoring and control. This paper mathematically proves that MMC capacitor voltage is self-balanced by nature if considering certain submodule patterns. This implies that MMC could achieve the submodule capacitor voltage balancing without any monitoring or control. The mathematical proof starts from observing the two- and three-level MMCs. Mathematically, two- and three-level MMCs are proved to be self-balanced. Then, a similar observation is extended to $N$ -level MMC. And $N$ -level MMC is proven to be self-balanced mathematically. The modulation which utilizes this MMC merit and secures the self-voltage balancing for MMC will be fully explained in Part II.
GENOME-WIDE ANALYSIS OF SNP-BY-SEX INTERACTION EFFECTS ON RISK FOR SCHIZOPHRENIA, MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER, AND BIPOLAR DISORDER

Background Sex differences are pervasive in psychiatric disorders, including Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Schizophrenia (SZ), and Bipolar Disorder (BD). MDD is more prevalent in females; SZ more prevalent in males. BD prevalence is similar by sex, but age at onset, illness course, and prognosis vary considerably by sex, for all three disorders. Although the direction of sex effects in prevalence differ, there may be shared sex effects in genetic risk, given shared sex differences in brain abnormalities across these disorders. This is not surprising given previous findings on cross-disorder genetic risk in the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium (PGC) of SZ, BD, and MDD cohorts. Thus using the PGC data we performed a genome-wide analysis of SNP-by-sex interactions. Methods 30,608 SZ patients (65% male) and 38,441 controls (50% male), 18,958 BD patients (65% male) and 29,996 controls (65% male), and 15,961 MDD patients (33% male) and 24,923 controls (49% male) were included. SZ data include 7.6% East Asian (EAS) subjects; all others are of European (EUR) ancestry. Analyses included and excluded EAS subjects. The PGC already described sample acquisition, genotyping, quality control, and 1000 Genomes imputation. Cohort-specific genome-wide association analyses were performed using linear regression in PLINK with a main effect for each SNP, SNP-by-sex interaction terms, and using an additive model. Ancestry principal components were included to control for population stratification. SNPs with poor imputation quality (IMPUTE2 INFO score Results One locus on Chromosome 8 showed genome-wide significant evidence for SNP-by-sex interaction across disorders (EUR: p=3.7×10^−8) with the most significant marker being rs80198067, intronic to the ANKRD46 gene. The association was driven by SZ (p=1.6×10^−4) and MDD (p=8.7×10^−4), not BD (p=1.5×10^−2). ANKRD46 encodes a protein containing multiple ankyrin repeat domains that function in protein-protein interactions in a variety of cellular processes. ANKRD46 is highly expressed in the brain (GTEx; www.gtexportal.org), particularly in frontal cortex. Additionally, several loci showed suggestive (p Discussion Phenotypic sex differences in brain function and structure are commonly observed in SZ, MDD, and BD. We identified one locus with genome-significant evidence for SNP-by-sex interaction across SZ, BD, and MDD. The locus contains the ANKRD46 gene, which is most strongly expressed in the frontal cortex, similar areas of which are abnormal structurally and functionally in SZ and MDD. Further, the shared sex-by-genotype interaction effect on risk of SZ and MDD, but not BD, is consistent with stronger sex differences in prevalence for these disorders than for BD. Future investigation of this locus will be important for understanding the interactions between sex, genes, and brain pathophysiology that cross psychiatric disorders.
EMERGENCE CHARACTERISTICS OF FOUR ANNUAL WEED SPECIES

Emergence characteristics, including initial time of emergence, magnitude of emergence, and mean time of emergence, of Amaranthus rudis Sauer, Setaria faberi Herrm., Eriochloa villosa (Thunb.) Kunth, and Abutilon theophrasti Medik. were studied in central Iowa during the first 3 yr following burial of seed collected and buried in the fall of 1994 or 1995. Although the initial emergence date varied among years, the emergence sequence among species was consistent. Eriochloa villosa and A. theophrasti were the first species to emerge, with initial emergence occurring between April 28 and May 10. Initial emergence dates for these species were the same, except for 1995 when A. theophrasti emerged 4 d prior to E. villosa. Amaranthus rudis was the last species to emerge, with initial emergence ranging from 5 to 25 d after A. theophrasti. First-year emergence in 1995 was 8% for A. theophrasti, 7% for A. rudis, 41% for E. villosa, and 33% for S. faberi, based on the number of buried seed. Proportional emergence during the first year following burial in 1996 was similar to 1995 for A. theophrasti and S. faberi, but greater emergence was observed in 1996 for E. villosa and A. rudis. During the 3 yr of both studies, cumulative emergence of the two grass species (43 to 71%) was higher than for the broadleaf species (13 to 35%). A high percentage of the total annual emergence of E. villosa occurred within the first 2 wk of initial emergence, whereas a high percentage of A. rudis emergence occurred late in its emergence period. Emergence characteristics of the four species were consistent among years and seed sources.
Penalties for Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act Violations Involving Obstetrical Emergencies.

Introduction The Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) was intended to prevent inadequate, delayed, or denied treatment of emergent conditions by emergency departments (ED). While controversies exist regarding the scope of the law, there is no question that EMTALA applies to active labor, a key tenet of the statute and the only medical condition - labor - specifically included in the title of the law. In light of rising maternal mortality rates in the United States, further exploration into the state of emergency obstetrical (OB) care is warranted. Understanding civil monetary penalty settlements levied by the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) related to EMTALA violations involving labor and other OB emergencies will help to inform the current state of access to and quality of OB emergency care. Methods We reviewed descriptions of all EMTALA-related OIG civil monetary penalty settlements from 2002-2018. OB-related cases were identified using keywords in settlement descriptions. We described characteristics of settlements including the nature of the allegation and compared them with non-OB settlements. Results Of 232 EMTALA-related OIG settlements during the study period, 39 (17%) involved active labor and other OB emergencies. Between 2002 and 2018 the proportion of settlements involving OB emergencies increased from 17% to 40%. Seven (18%) of these settlements involved a pregnant minor. Most OB cases involved failure to provide screening exam (82%) and/or stabilizing treatment (51%). Failure to arrange appropriate transfer was more common for OB (36%) compared with non-OB settlements (21%) (p = 0.041). Fifteen (38%) involved a provider specifically directing a pregnant woman to proceed to another hospital, typically by private vehicle. Conclusion Despite inclusion of the term "labor" in the law's title, one in six settlements related to EMTALA violations involved OB emergencies. One in five settlements involved a pregnant minor, indicating that providers may benefit from education regarding obligations to evaluate and stabilize minors absent parental consent. Failure to arrange appropriate transfer was more common among OB settlements. Findings suggesting need for providers to understand EMTALA-specific requirements for appropriate transfer and for EDs at hospitals without dedicated OB services to implement policies for evaluation of active labor and protocols for transfer when indicated.
Endovascular Repair of a Large Ruptured Popliteal Aneurysm

Ruptured popliteal aneurysm was treated by an endovascular repair in an 84-year-old male with successful exclusion of the aneurysm. Patient developed surgical site infection at the entry site of 10 F sheath which was treated with wound care and antibiotics.
Psychosocial Well-Being of Adults Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

Background Psychosocial well-being can interfere with engagement in activities of daily life. Consideration of psychosocial domains within hearing health care can expand audiologists' ability to understand treatment barriers and provide an opportunity to jointly address challenges. Purpose This study explored psychosocial well-being and predictors among adults who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH). Research Design Cross-sectional survey. Study Sample Two-hundred and sixty-nine surveys were included in the analysis. Data Collection and Analysis Data were collected online. Backward elimination regression analyses were used to identify significant predictors of psychosocial well-being. Results Findings indicated most (∼70–80%) of the respondents' scores were below clinical cut-off for psychological distress, self-efficacy, quality of life, overall well-being, functioning, and relationship satisfaction, with the remainder falling between mild to severe clinical cut-offs. Psychological distress was predicted by more psychological inflexibility, presence of additional disabilities, and younger age. Increased functional impairment was predicted by psychological inflexibility. Conclusion The majority of adults who are DHH in this study had positive indicators for psychosocial well-being. Screening patients for psychological flexibility could be included in standard hearing health care practices to help clinicians identify individuals who may benefit from additional or different support.
Hospital laboratory experience with SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) molecular assay sample pooling method in New York City.

The ongoing SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic has been a huge challenge for healthcare systems worldwide. Laboratories have been confronted with rapidly increasing testing demands that exceed testing capacity. Regions with a low SARS-CoV-2 molecular assay positivity rate are looking for ways to increase testing capacity and prevent a second wave while returning to ‘normal’ life. One aspect of this process is to reopen non-COVID-19 related medical services that were shut down due to SARS-CoV-2 transmission risk. Sample pooling method has been used for mass testing of several infectious diseases for decades and is currently proposed as a new strategy to increase COVID-19 testing capacity in low-risk regions.1–5 New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) requires patients to be tested for COVID-19 using a molecular assay for detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA before medical procedures. While the number of medical procedures were rapidly increasing at our hospital, the supply of SARS-CoV-2 molecular assay reagents has been insufficient and inconsistent. To meet the need of testing before medical procedures in a timely manner and prevent possible delays in patient care, Lenox Hill Hospital laboratory implemented the sample pooling method for patient testing. We, herein, report our 6-week experience with pool testing for COVID-19. In the beginning of July 2020, we validated the pooling testing method for COVID-19 using the Cepheid Xpert Xpress SARS-2 CoV-2 (EUA) cartridges on GeneXpert System (Cepheid, Sunnyvale, California, USA) by using the recent guidelines published by the Food and Drug Administration and NYSDOH.6 7 The SARS-CoV-2 positivity rate at Lenox Hill Hospital of Northwell Health was <3% over the last month with the majority of the days being 0%–1%. Briefly, a sample pool was created by combining 200 µL of Universal Transport Medium from each patient …
Features of peptide fragmentation spectra in single cell proteomics

Abstract The goal of proteomics is to identify and quantify the complete set of proteins in a biological sample. Single cell proteomics specializes in identification and quantitation of proteins for individual cells, often used to elucidate cellular heterogeneity. The significant reduction in ions introduced into the mass spectrometer for single cell samples could impact the features of MS2 fragmentation spectra. As all peptide identification software tools have been developed on spectra from bulk samples and the associated ion rich spectra, the potential for spectral features to change is of great interest. We characterize the differences between single cell spectra and bulk spectra by examining three fundamental spectral features that are likely to affect peptide identification performance. All features show significant changes in single cell spectra, including loss of annotated fragment ions, blurring signal and background peaks due to diminishing ion intensity and distinct fragmentation pattern compared to bulk spectra. As each of these features is a foundational part of peptide identification algorithms, it is critical to adjust algorithms to compensate for these losses.
Multiple consecutive runs of multi-state trials: Distributions of (k1,k2,…,kℓ) patterns

Abstract The pattern ( k 1 , k 2 , … , k l ) is defined to have at least k 1 consecutive 1’s followed by at least k 2 consecutive 2’s, … , followed by at least k l consecutive l ’s. By iteratively applying the method that was developed previously to decouple the combinatorial complexity involved in studying complicated patterns in random sequences, the distribution of pattern ( k 1 , k 2 , … , k l ) is derived for arbitrary l . Numerical examples are provided to illustrate the results.
Disciplining the Akratic user: Constructing digital (un)wellness:

Contemporary discourse around digital well-being tends to focus on self-control when it comes to “addicting” social media apps and digital devices. By acting on behalf of users, designers and engin...
Topology abstraction schemes in multi-domain full wavelength conversion DWDM networks

This paper addresses the important area of inter-domain routing and lightpath provisioning in DWDM networks with opto-electronic conversion. Unlike previous work, the more challenging case of full wavelength conversion is considered which requires the handling of converter state. To address this challenge a novel full-mesh abstraction scheme is devised to summarize both wavelength and converter state. Performance analysis results are then presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed mechanisms.
Vibration of Circular Plates at Large Amplitudes

The vibration of circular plates when the amplitude is large is governed by nonlinear partial differential equations. An approximate formulation of these equations for the static case has previously been proposed by H. M. Berger. These equations are here extended to the dynamic case. A simplification in the statement of the problem is introduced by requiring that the in-plane displacement at the boundary of the plate vanish. A modified Galerkin procedure is then used for solving the resulting equations. It is shown that for both simply supported and clamped circular plates the vibration can be expressed in terms of elliptic functions. Numerical results are given for the calculation of frequencies and stresses. A method is suggested for solving forced vibration problems.
Pressure and flow: are these the true vascular neuroeffectors?

Activity of the efferent nerve supply to the vasculature results in local increases or decreases in the tone of the vascular smooth muscle cells with corresponding changes in diameter. This results in
Marriage, Money, Notice, and Presumptions

This article functions as an intellectual checklist for navigating community property issues in divorce cases where title to the family home has been taken in only one spouse’s name. The discussion includes potential claims, constructive and inquiry notice, and the evidence code presumption.
Nonmonotonic logics and their algebraic foundations

The goal of this note is to provide a background and references for the invited lecture presented at Computer Science Logic 2006. We briefly discuss motivations that led to the emergence of nonmonotonic logics and introduce two major nonmonotonic formalisms, default and autoepistemic logics. We then point out to algebraic principles behind the two logics and present an abstract algebraic theory that unifies them and provides an effective framework to study properties of nonmonotonic reasoning. We conclude with comments on other major research directions in nonmonotonic logics.
Thermal Studies in Liquid Crystals

This article has no abstract. Keywords: liquid crystals; thermal study; mesophase; phase transition; AC calorimetry; critical exponent
LEADERSHIP AND MEMBERSHIP IN THE NUCLEAR FREEZE MOVEMENT: A Specification of Resource Mobilization Theory

Participation in social movement activities is distinguished from occupancy of leadership positions in social movement organizations. Two alternative theoretical models derived from the resource mobilization literature, the progression and circulation models, are summarized and their implications regarding participation and leadership are specified. Hypotheses are enumerated for the explanatory factors of individual's self-interest and resources; attitudes, beliefs, and ideology; past organizational experience; background characteristics; and the nature of the association of the individual to the organization. Particular attention is paid to areas where the theoretical models indicate different relationships between the explanatory factors and the outcome variables of participation level and leadership status, and critical tests between the two models are specified. The hypotheses and critical tests are applied to data gathered from a survey of participants in the Cleveland nuclear freeze organization. Self-interest, resource and background characteristics are not found to be associated with either participation level or leadership status. Past experiences and beliefs are important in determining participation levels whereas leadership status is largely explained by the nature of organizationalindividual association. The results of the critical testing indicate the circulation model fits the data better than the progression model. The theoretical implications of these findings are discussed and some additional factors helpful in explaining the results are considered. Why do people spend time, effort, and resources on activities that do not typically hold much promise of individual return or tangible compensation? This question has plagued social movement theorists, who have developed several varieties of explanation ranging from material incentives to interpersonal rewards to pure altruism. This article reports a test of hypotheses deduced from two competing theories which explain individuals' varying levels of active involvement and leadership status in the nuclear weapons freeze movement-a movement yielding few, if any, immediate or tangible rewards to its participants.
On distributed real-time scheduling in networked embedded systems in the presence of crash failures

We consider the problem of scheduling distributable realtime threads in networked embedded systems that operate under runtime uncertainties including those on thread execution times, thread arrivals, and node failure occurrences. We present a distributed scheduling algorithm called CUA. We show that CUA satisfies thread time constraints in the presence of crash failures, is early-deciding, has an efficient message complexity of O(fn) (where f is the number of crashes that actually occur and n is the number of nodes), and is time-optimal with a time lower bound of O(D + fd + nk) (where D is the message delay upper bound, d is the failure detection bound, and k is the maximum number of threads). In crash-free runs, the algorithm constructs schedules within O(D + nk), and yields optimal total utility if nodes are also not overloaded. The algorithm is also "best-effort" in that a high importance thread that may arrive at any time has a very high likelihood for feasible completion (in contrast to classical admission control algorithms which favor feasible completion of admitted threads over admitting new ones, irrespective of thread importance).
Do recurrences after paraesophageal hernia repair matter? : Ten-year follow-up after laparoscopic repair

The recurrence rate for paraesophageal hernias (PEH) can be as high as 30% following laparoscopic repair. The aim of this study was to determine the severity of symptoms in patients with recurrences and the need for reoperation 10 years after surgery. Consecutive laparoscopic paraesophageal cases performed at a single institution between 1993 and 1996 were identified from the institution’s foregut database. Patients were asked about the presence and severity of symptoms (heartburn, chest pain, regurgitation, and dysphagia). Patients were also asked whether they had (1) been diagnosed with hernia recurrence or (2) undergone repeat surgical intervention. Complete follow-up was obtainable in 31 of the total of 52 patients (60%). The proportion of patients reporting moderate/severe symptoms was less at 10 years than preoperatively: heartburn 12% versus 54% (p < 0.001), chest pain 9% versus 36% (p = 0.01), regurgitation 6% versus 50% (p < 0.001), and dysphagia 3% versus 30% (p = 0.001). Two patients underwent repeat surgical intervention for symptomatic recurrences within the first postoperative year. Eight more patients have been diagnosed with hernia recurrences on either contrast esophagram or upper endoscopy but had not required reoperation. At ten years, more patients with hernia recurrence had heartburn than those who did not have recurrences (60% versus 14%; p < 0.05). Despite a hiatal hernia recurrence rate of 32% 10 years after surgery, laparoscopic PEH was a successful procedure in the majority of patients; most remained symptomatically improved and required no further intervention 10 years after surgery.
Climate impacts at multiple scales: evidence for differential population responses in juvenile Chinook salmon.

Summary 1 We explored differential population responses to climate in 18 populations of threatened spring–summer Chinook salmon Onchorynchus tshawytscha in the Salmon River basin, Idaho. 2 Using data from a long-term mark–release–recapture study of juvenile survival, we found that fall stream flow is the best predictor of average survival across all populations. 3 To determine whether all populations responded similarly to climate, we used a cluster analysis to group populations that had similar annual fluctuations in survival. The populations grouped into four clusters, and different environmental factors were important for different clusters. 4 Survival in two of the clusters was negatively correlated with summer temperature, and survival in the other two clusters was positively correlated with minimum fall stream flow, which in turn depends on snow pack from the previous winter. 5 Using classification and regression tree analysis, we identified stream width and stream temperature as key habitat factors that shape the responses of individual populations to climate. 6 Climate change will likely have different impacts on different populations within this metapopulation, and recognizing this diversity is important for accurately assessing risks.
Synergistic activation of simian immunodeficiency virus and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 transcription by retinoic acid and phorbol ester through an NF-kappa B-independent mechanism.

Abstract The activation of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) expression in latently infected cells by exogenous agents is believed to be important in the progression of AIDS. Most factors that are known to activate HIV-1 gene expression increase the binding of NF-kappa B or NF-kappa B-like transcription factors to the HIV-1 core enhancer region. In this report, we demonstrate that retinoic acid (RA) treatment of promonocytic U937 cells stimulates expression from the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIVmac) long terminal repeat (LTR). Furthermore, RA and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) synergistically stimulated both SIVmac and HIV-1 LTRs to levels of expression comparable to that achieved by the viral transactivator Tat. The cis-acting elements required for a response to RA and PMA cotreatment are located between nucleotides -50 and +1 of SIVmac and between nucleotides -83 and +80 of HIV-1. Thus, the synergistic stimulation induced by RA and PMA is NF-kappa B independent. Analysis of deletion mutants of the SIVmac LTR demonstrates that RA and PMA stimulation cooperates with NF-kappa B and Sp1. An SIVmac LTR-reporter gene construct [pLTR(-50/+466)CAT] lacking NF-kappa B and Sp1 binding sites was not activated by Tat in untreated cells but was activated in cells that were cotreated with RA and PMA. Furthermore, gel retardation assays demonstrated that RA treatment causes a change in the pattern of a cellular factor(s) which binds to the -50 through +1 region of the SIVmac LTR. These data suggest that RA induces a PMA-activatable cellular factor that cooperates with NF-kappa B, Sp1, or Tat to stimulate LTR-directed transcription.
Coupled Multigroup Proton/Neutron Cross Sections for Deterministic Transport

The limited availability of coupled multigroup proton/neutron cross-section libraries has hampered the use of deterministic transport methods for solving shielding problems involving energetic prot...
The Development of a Handbook for Astrobee F Performance and Stability Analysis

An astrobee F performance and stability analysis is presented, for use by the NASA Sounding Rocket Division. The performance analysis provides information regarding altitude, mach number, dynamic pressure, and velocity as functions of time since launch. It is found that payload weight has the greatest effect on performance, and performance prediction accuracy was calculated to remain within 1%. In addition, to assure sufficient flight stability, a predicted rigid-body static margin of at least 8% of the total vehicle length is required. Finally, fin cant angle predictions are given in order to achieve a 2.5 cycle per second burnout roll rate, based on obtaining 75% of the steady roll rate. It is noted that this method can be used by flight performance engineers to create a similar handbook for any sounding rocket series.
Exact solutions for pure torsion of shape memory alloy circular bars

Shape memory alloy (SMA) structures are usually analyzed numerically; there are very few closed-form solutions in the literature. In this paper, we study the pure torsion of SMA bars with circular cross sections. First, a three-dimensional phenomenological macroscopic constitutive model for polycrystalline SMAs is reduced to the one-dimensional pure shear case and then a closed-form solution for torsional response of SMA bars in loading and unloading is obtained. Several case studies are presented in order to investigate the influence of different parameters, e.g. temperature and material properties on the torsional response of SMA circular bars.
Optical decoherence times and spectral diffusion in an Er-doped optical fiber measured by two-pulse echoes, stimulated photon echoes, and spectral hole burning

Abstract Two-pulse and stimulated photon echoes and spectral hole burning were measured on the transition from the lowest component of the 4 I 15/2 manifold to the lowest component of 4 I 13/2 of Er 3+ in a silicate optical fiber at 1.6 K. The two-pulse echo decays gave decoherence times as long as 230 ns for magnetic fields above 2 T. A large field dependent contribution to the homogeneous line width of >2 MHz was found and interpreted in terms of coupling to magnetic tunneling modes (TLS) in the glass. The stimulated echoes measured at 2 T showed spectral diffusion of 0.8 MHz/decade of time between 0.4 and 500 μs. Spectral diffusion in this high field region is attributed to coupling to elastic TLS modes which have a distribution of flip rates in glasses. Time-resolved spectral hole burning at very low field showed stronger spectral diffusion of 5.7 MHz/decade of time, attributed to coupling to magnetic spin-elastic TLS modes.
Does Decapitation Work?: Assessing the Effectiveness of Leadership Targeting in Counterinsurgency Campaigns

Is killing or capturing insurgent leaders an effective tactic? Previous research on interstate war and counterterrorism has suggested that targeting enemy leaders does not work. Most studies of the efficacy of leadership decapitation, however, have relied on unsystematic evidence and poor research design. An analysis based on fresh evidence and a new research design indicates the opposite relationship and yields four key findings. First, campaigns are more likely to end quickly when counterinsurgents successfully target enemy leaders. Second, counterinsurgents who capture or kill insurgent leaders are significantly more likely to defeat insurgencies than those who fail to capture or kill such leaders. Third, the intensity of a conflict is likelier to decrease following the successful removal of an enemy leader than it is after a failed attempt. Fourth, insurgent attacks are more likely to decrease after successful leadership decapitations than after failed attempts. Additional analysis suggests that these findings are attributable to successful leadership decapitation, and that the relationship between decapitation and campaign success holds across different types of insurgencies.