cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Efficient isolation of targeted Caenorhabditis elegans deletion strains using highly thermostable restriction endonucleases and PCR

The authors would like to apologize for failing to correct an error in their description of the two-step PCR used in their protocol, which reverses the order of the primer pairs used for the first and second rounds of PCR. This error is found in two locations in the manuscript: On page 2, ‘Two rounds of amplification were used, an initial round of 35 cycles with the inner primer set, followed by a second round of 35 cycles with the corresponding outer primer set.’ should be changed to ‘Two rounds of amplification were used, an initial round of 35 cycles with the outer primer set, followed by a second round of 35 cycles with the corresponding inner primer set.’ On page 3, in the legend for Figure 1, ‘Second round PCRs (outer primers) were performed with a dilution of the first round (inner primers) reaction.’ should be changed to ‘Second round PCRs (inner primers) were performed with a dilution of the first round (outer primers) reaction.’ The correct order of primer sets that they used for two-step PCR is outer primer set for the first round, followed by inner primer set for the second round. This descriptive error does not alter any of the conclusions of the paper. The authors regret any inconvenience or misunderstanding that their error may have caused.
Efficient memory safety for TinyOS

Reliable sensor network software is difficult to create: applications are concurrent and distributed, hardware-based memory protection is unavailable, and severe resource constraints necessitate the use of unsafe, low-level languages. Our work improves this situation by providing efficient memory and type safety for TinyOS 2 applications running on the Mica2, MicaZ, and TelosB platforms. Safe execution ensures that array and pointer errors are caught before they can corrupt RAM. Our contributions include showing that aggressive optimizations can make safe execution practical in terms of resource usage; developing a technique for efficiently enforcing safety under interrupt-driven concurrency; extending the nesC language and compiler to support safety annotations; finding previously unknown bugs in TinyOS; and, finally, showing that safety can be exploited to increase the availability of sensor networks applications even when memory errors are left unfixed.
The Removal of Objections to the Last Solution

There is natural resistance to accepting this solution upon hearing it for the first time. It certainly provides no consolation for the sufferer to hear, not that his sad plight contains some ray of hope, that things are perhaps not as bad as they look, but that God has no obligations toward him. The solution also sounds highly paradoxical in that it claims that God, who can do so much more than human beings, is obliged to do less rather than more than a human being.
Central Venous Catheterization: Are We Using Ultrasound Guidance?

OBJECTIVES To assess the self-reported frequency of use of ultrasound guidance for central venous catheterization by emergency medicine (EM) residents, describe residents' perceptions regarding the use of ultrasound guidance, and identify barriers to the use of ultrasound guidance. METHODS A longitudinal cross-sectional study was conducted at 5 academic institutions. A questionnaire on the use of ultrasound guidance for central venous catheterization was initially administered to EM residents in 2007. The same questionnaire was distributed again in the 5 EM residency programs in 2013. RESULTS In 2007 and 2013, 147 and 131 residents completed questionnaires, respectively. A significant increase in the use of ultrasound guidance for central venous catheterization was reported in 2013 compared to 2007 (P< .001). In 2007, 53% (95% confidence interval, 44%-61%) of residents reported that they were initially trained in central venous catheterization using ultrasound guidance compared to 96% (95% confidence interval, 92%-99%) in 2013 (P < .0001). In 2007, more residents thought that faculty were insufficiently adopting ultrasound (42% versus 9%), and there was a lack of ultrasound teaching during residency training (14% versus 5%) compared to 2013. CONCLUSIONS The use of self-reported ultrasound guidance for central venous catheterization significantly increased from 2007 to 2013 at academic institutions. Most residents were aware of the benefits of using ultrasound guidance. Although faculty adoption of ultrasound for central venous catheterization remains a barrier, it has decreased.
Direct Observation of Gold/Palladium Transmetalation in an Organogold Heck Reaction

A new Heck-type reaction accessed the migratory insertion chemistry of palladium from organogold complexes. Observation, isolation, and characterization of a palladium intermediate established the role of gold/palladium transmetalation in this reaction. Recent reports of combining the reactivity of organogold compounds with palladium in organic synthesis generally assume a gold-to-palladium transmetalation step, although this step had not been directly observed in these reactions. The results herein furnish experimental evidence for the mechanisms of reactions mediated or catalyzed by both gold and palladium and reveal a migratory insertion strategy for outcompeting homocoupling pathways.
Comparison of Lipoprotein Lipase Activities in Chickens and Turkeys

Abstract Three experiments were conducted to compare the role of lipoprotein lipase in fatty acid metabolism in chickens and turkeys. An initial experiment to determine the effect of fasting on the enzyme activity of chicken and turkey muscle and adipose tissues demonstrated that fasting decreased the lipoprotein lipase activity of adipose tissue, while increasing the enzyme activity of muscle tissue in chickens only. Quantitatively, turkey samples showed a greater enzyme activity in both muscle and adipose tissue than the chicken samples. In a second experiment both insulin and epinephrine added in vitro significantly increased activity of lipoprotein lipase from chicken adipose tissue, but not from turkey adipose tissue. In a third experiment conducted to examine the effects of carbohydrate and fat feeding on lipoprotein lipase activity of chicken and turkey adipose tissue, fat feeding increased activity the greatest amount. In both species, refeeding, regardless of the energy source, produced a significant increase in the lipoprotein lipase activity of adipose tissue. Differences in lipoprotein lipase activity does not appear to be related to differences in rate of body fat deposition observed between broiler chickens and turkeys.
Experimental and Theoretical Study of the Structure and Reactivity of Fe1-2O≤6- Clusters with CO

Synergistic studies employing experiments in the gas phase and theoretical first principles calculations have been carried out to investigate the structure, stability, and reactivity toward CO of iron oxide cluster anions, FexOy- (x = 1−2, y ≤ 6). Collision-induced dissociation studies of iron oxide species, employing xenon collision gas, show that FeO3- and FeO2- are the stable building blocks of the larger iron oxide clusters. Theoretical calculations show that the fragmentation patterns leading to the production of O or FeOn fragments are governed both by the energetics of the overall process as well as the number of intermediate states and the changes in spin multiplicity. Mass-selected experiments identified oxygen atom transfer to CO as the dominant reaction pathway for most anionic iron oxide clusters. A theoretical analysis of the molecular level pathways has been carried out to highlight the role of energetics as well as the spin states of the intermediates on the oxidation reaction.
Minimal dilaton model and the diphoton excess

In light of the recent 750 GeV diphoton excesses reported by the ATLAS and CMS collaborations, we investigate the possibility of explaining this excess using the minimal dilaton model. We find that this model is able to explain the observed excess with the presence of additional top partner(s), with the same charge as the top quark, but with mass in the TeV region. First, we constrain model parameters using in addition to the 750 GeV diphoton signal strength, precision electroweak tests, single top production measurements, as well as Higgs signal strength data collected in the earlier runs of the LHC. In addition we discuss interesting phenomenology that could arise in this model, relevant for future runs of the LHC.
Phalloidin prevents leukocyte emigration induced by proinflammatory stimuli in rat mesentery

The objective of this study was to determine whether phalloidin, a potent microfilament stabilizer, can modify inflammatory mediator-induced leukocyte adhesion and extravasation in postcapillary venules of the rat mesentery. To address this issue, the rat mesentery was prepared for in vivo microscopic observation. Venules with initial diameters ranging between 25 and 35 microns were selected for study. Erythrocyte velocity, vessel diameter, leukocyte rolling velocity, and the number of adherent (stationary for 30 s) and emigrated leukocytes were initially determined during superfusion of the mesentery with phosphate-buffered saline. After these variables were recorded during the control period, either 100 nM platelet-activating factor (PAF), 20 nM leukotriene B4 (LTB4), or 1 microM N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP) was added to the superfusate. Repeat measurements were obtained between 50 and 60 min after initial exposure to the inflammatory mediator. In some experiments, rats were given phalloidin (25 or 500 micrograms/kg iv) 30 min before superfusion with the inflammatory mediators. Superfusion of the mesentery with either PAF, LTB4, or FMLP enhanced leukocyte adherence and emigration and reduced leukocyte rolling velocity. Pretreatment with the low dose of phalloidin effectively prevented leukocyte emigration but had no effect on the increased leukocyte adherence elicited by the three inflammatory mediators. However, when administered at the higher dose, phalloidin prevented both leukocyte adherence and emigration. Neither dose of phalloidin altered the upregulation of neutrophil membrane CD11/CD18 glycoprotein adherence complex induced by PAF or LTB4. These results are consistent with the concept that PAF, LTB4, and FMLP increase leukocyte extravasation by a process that may involve alterations in the endothelial cell cytoskeleton.
Machine Learning in Big Data

Machine learning is an artificial intelligence method of discovering knowledge for making intelligent decisions. Big Data has great impacts on scientific discoveries and value creation. This paper introduces methods in machine learning, main technologies in Big Data, and some applications of machine learning in Big Data. Challenges of machine learning applications in Big Data are discussed. Some new methods and technology progress of machine learning in Big Data are also presented.
"Surgery interrupted": The effect of multitasking on cognitive and technical tasks in medical students.

Abstract Introduction Today's medical learners are Millennials, and reportedly, multitasking pros. We aim to evaluate effect of multitasking on cognitive and technical skills. Materials and methods 16 medical students completed a mock page and laceration closure separately on day 1 and day 13, and in parallel on day 14. Suturing was graded using GRS and mock pages scored. Total time, suturing and loading times, and percent correct on mock page were compared. Results Percent correct on mock page improved from days 1–13 and 14 (p Conclusions Medical students can complete cognitive and technical tasks in parallel, without compromising acceptability. However, multitasking results in longer times to complete the complex component of the technical task.
An efficient cascade of half-band filters for software defined radio transmitters

Power consumption is an important issue in the software defined radio transmitter and receiver. In this paper we present a technique that aliases an arbitrary bandwidth signal from base-band to its desired center frequency using a sequence of 1-to-2 up-sampling half-band filters embedded in 4-path polyphase engines with center frequencies aligned with the 4-cardinal directions. By judicious choice of the appropriate filter parameters the proper alias of the 1-to-2 up sampled input signal is passed to the next stage for further up-sampling and alias shifting. The number of stages in the cascade is optimized according to the desired output sampling frequency. An initial frequency offset is applied at the low input sample rate by a complex heterodyne prior to the frequency shifting process provided by the cascade of aliased half-band up-sampling operations. A 1-of-4 selection process guides the input spectrum to extract the spectral alias of the appropriate center frequency path at each stage to place the final alias at the desired frequency location. The paper provides detailed workload analysis that motivate the selection of the proposed structure among the others available. Simulation results are presented at the end for supporting the theoretical results.
The Covenant of Beating the Fool

This chapter focuses on the covenantal promises of God that required that his “son” be disciplined with the “rod.” It focuses on the use of familial language in the covenants with Moses and David. The book of Proverbs provides the canonical context for understanding how familial relationships should function, including the discipline of a fool.
Design and experimental studies of an energy harvesting backpack with mechanical motion rectification

In this short paper, we report a design of an energy harvesting backpack with a mechanical motion rectifier (MMR). Also, we report the experiment studies conducted on two male subjects who carry two types of energy harvesting backpacks, including the MMR-based and traditional energy harvesting backpack, while walking on a treadmill at 3 and 3.5 mph. The harvested power of the backpacks shunted with different resistors are reported with each walking speed to demonstrate the high efficiency of the MMR-based backpack harvester. During the tests, the MMR-based backpack harvest generated more power regardless of walking speeds and resistor values. Finally, a maximum average power of 4.8 Watts and instant power of 12.8 Watts were obtained by one subject, carrying the MMR-based backpack harvester and walking at 3.5 mph.
Social Status, Discrimination, and Minority Individuals' Mental Health: a Secondary Analysis of US National Surveys.

Our study measured minority individuals’ social status factors and frequency of discrimination experiences, in order to delineate social mechanisms linking race/ethnicity to mental status (specifically, to current mood/anxiety disorder and self-rated mental health). In this nationally representative secondary research, our data analyses drew on the cross-sectional “Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Surveys,” dating 2001–2003. The sample for the final model numbered 9368 respondents (2016 Asians, 2676 Latinos, 4676 blacks). Across races/ethnicities, better mental health was associated with male gender, higher income, marriage, more education, and less-frequent discrimination experiences; discrimination experiences could impair health, especially among blacks. Marriage’s strong contribution to Asians’ mental health did not hold among blacks; education’s contribution to Latinos’ mental health did not hold among blacks either. Blacks’ mental health was unaffected by immigration status, but Asian and Latino immigrants showed less-robust mental health than native-born counterparts. Across the three racial/ethnic groups studied, differences were noted in relationships between self-reported mental health status and the employed social status and discrimination factors.
Comparison of Foliar and Soil-Drench Applications of Aqueous Rubidium Chloride Solutions to Plants for Marking Feeding Aphids (Homoptera: Aphidae)

Aqueous solutions of rubidium chloride, RbCl, (10 g/1, 10,000 ppm) were applied to foliage or soil of potted bell pepper and tomato. After 48 h, green peach aphid (Myzus persicae Sulzer) and potato aphid (Macrosiphum euphorbiae Thomas) were transferred to pepper and tomato, respectively. Leaf and aphid samples were collected after 6 d; remaining aphids were transferred to untreated plants. Aphid samples were collected periodically for 5 to 7 d. All samples were analyzed for Rb content. Results were similar for the pepper and tomato experiments. Soil-drench treatment produced significantly greater levels of Rb in leaf and initial aphid samples relative to foliar treatment. Levels of Rb in aphids from the two treatments were comparable after aphids fed on untreated plants for 24 h. Levels of Rb in aphids declined rapidly after removal from the source: undetectable by Day 6 in the potato experiment and reduced by nearly 90% by Day 5 in the tomato experiment. Foliar application of RbCl solution should be used...
Index to Volume XXXVIII, 1931

(1931). Index to Volume XXXVIII, 1931. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 38, No. 10, pp. 595-608.
Trainer taming: part 1⇓

Your trainer knows what he or she wants from you—but what can you expect from your trainer? Ray Clarke was last year9s winner of the Silver Scalpel, a national award for excellence in surgical training. This is the first of three articles offering an insider9s guide to getting the best from your trainer
Surgical management of adult type 1 split cord malformation. Report of two cases with literature review.

Abstract Split cord malformation (SCM) is a rare form of spinal dysraphism wherein the spinal cord is divided longitudinally into two distinct hemicords. Surgery is usually performed in children while management in adults, who rarely manifest symptoms, remains controversial. Both expectant management and prophylactic surgery have been variously advocated. The present article describes our experience in two adult patients with predominant pain-related complaints who underwent surgical excision of type 1 SCM lesions. A comprehensive review of the literature on SCM in adults is also provided. While pain, disability, and quality of life scores improved in these two patients, further larger studies will be required to define the role of surgery in adults with type 1 SCM and a pain-dominant presentation.
Modelling instruction for university physics: examining the theory in practice

In spite of a lack of consensus about the nature of scientific models, the role of models and modelling are well established in the practice of science. Students who participate in developing, validating, deploying, and refining models are engaged in authentic scientific practices. Modelling instruction (MI) was developed to promote the role of models and modelling in introductory university physics classes. MI for university physics is founded on the basis of two theoretical foundations, modelling theory of science and modelling theory of instruction. We claim that the translation of these theories into classroom practice supports learning in science. We substantiate this claim by first describing how these theories establish complementary cycles of content development and student participation. Then we provide evidence of these interacting cycles by analysing the development of a conceptual model in a MI university physics class using video data. The video data we present includes students developing a scientific conceptual model first in a small student group and a later in the full class. We argue that the integration of the theoretical components underlying MI are key supports in providing the opportunity for students to develop conceptual models and engage in the practice of doing physics.
A digital, constant-frequency pulsed phase-locked-loop instrument for real-time, absolute ultrasonic phase measurements.

A digitally controlled instrument for conducting single-frequency and swept-frequency ultrasonic phase measurements has been developed based on a constant-frequency pulsed phase-locked-loop (CFPPLL) design. This instrument uses a pair of direct digital synthesizers to generate an ultrasonically transceived tone-burst and an internal reference wave for phase comparison. Real-time, constant-frequency phase tracking in an interrogated specimen is possible with a resolution of 0.000 38 rad (0.022°), and swept-frequency phase measurements can be obtained. Using phase measurements, an absolute thickness in borosilicate glass is presented to show the instrument’s efficacy, and these results are compared to conventional ultrasonic pulse-echo time-of-flight (ToF) measurements. The newly developed instrument predicted the thickness with a mean error of −0.04 μm and a standard deviation of error of 1.35 μm. Additionally, the CFPPLL instrument shows a lower measured phase error in the absence of changing temperature and couplant thickness than high-resolution cross-correlation ToF measurements at a similar signal-to-noise ratio. By showing higher accuracy and precision than conventional pulse-echo ToF measurements and lower phase errors than cross-correlation ToF measurements, the new digitally controlled CFPPLL instrument provides high-resolution absolute ultrasonic velocity or path-length measurements in solids or liquids, as well as tracking of material property changes with high sensitivity. The ability to obtain absolute phase measurements allows for many new applications than possible with previous ultrasonic pulsed phase-locked loop instruments. In addition to improved resolution, swept-frequency phase measurements add useful capability in measuring properties of layered structures, such as bonded joints, or materials which exhibit non-linear frequency-dependent behavior, such as dispersive media.
A max-algebra solution to the supervisory control problem for real-time discrete event systems

For timed systems the supervisory control problem is to impose delays on controllable events to modify system behavior to meet some specified performance goal. Using the tools of max-algebra it is possible to compute the uncontrolled behavior of a timed event graph, define a specification for some new desired behavior, and determine whether the specification can be realized by any supervisor given the set of controllable events. When the desired behavior cannot be realized (i.e, it is uncontrollable), a minimally restrictive behavior which meets the original specification always exists. All of these concepts have direct analogy in the control of untimed automata.
Calcium/Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases

The calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase enzyme family is activated by increases in intracellular calcium ions (Ca 2+ ) and transfer phosphates from adenosine triphosphate to specific serine or threonine residues in other proteins. Generally, these enzymes contain an autoinhibitory domain that interferes with catalysis by direct interaction with the catalytic site, and this interaction is relieved by the binding of Ca 2+ /calmodulin. Family members vary in expression level, subcellular location, and substrate specificity. They are essential for signal transduction in all cells and modulate various physiological processes including learning and memory, metabolism, gene transcription, messenger RNA translation, and muscle contraction.
Development of a natural language processing system to identify timing and status of colonoscopy testing in electronic medical records.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates are low despite proven benefits. We developed natural language processing (NLP) algorithms to identify temporal expressions and status indicators, such as “patient refused” or “test scheduled.” The authors incorporated the algorithms into the KnowledgeMap Concept Identifier system in order to detect references to completed colonoscopies within electronic text. The modified NLP system was evaluated using 200 randomly selected electronic medical records (EMRs) from a primary care population aged ≥50 years. The system detected completed colonoscopies with recall and precision of 0.93 and 0.92. The system was superior to a query of colonoscopy billing codes to determine screening status.
Radiology resident mammography training: interpretation difficulty and error-making patterns.

Rationale and Objectives The purpose of this study was to better understand the concept of mammography difficulty and how it affects radiology resident performance. Materials and Methods Seven radiology residents and three expert breast imagers reviewed 100 mammograms, consisting of bilateral medial lateral oblique and craniocaudal views, using a research workstation. The cases consisted of normal, benign, and malignant findings. Participants identified abnormalities and scored the difficulty and malignant potential for each case. Resident performance (sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC]) was calculated for self- and expert-assessed high and low difficulties. Results For cases classified by self-assessed difficulty, the resident AUCs were 0.667 for high difficulty and 0.771 for low difficulty cases (P = .010). Resident sensitivities were 0.707 for high and 0.614 for low difficulty cases (P = .113). Resident specificities were 0.583 for high and 0.905 for low difficulty cases (P Conclusions Increased self- and expert-assessed difficulty is associated with a decrease in resident performance in mammography. However, while this lower performance is due to a decrease in specificity for self-assessed difficulty, it is due to a decrease in sensitivity for expert-assessed difficulty. These trends suggest that educators should provide a mix of self- and expert-assessed difficult cases in educational materials to maximize the effect of training on resident performance and confidence.
Depth, persistence, and timing of poverty and the development of school readiness skills in rural low-income regions: Results from the family life project

Abstract The gap in school readiness skills between children growing up in poverty and other children has become a major policy issue as increasing proportions of families are living in poverty, especially in low-wealth rural communities. The purpose of this paper was to document the degree to which depth, persistence, and timing of poverty was related to the early development of children in a representative sample of 1,292 families in two of the four poor rural regions in the United States, labeled Appalachia and the Black South. Analyses documented the emergence of the poverty gap in the child’s first 5 years of life, asking when the gap emerged and whether it continued to grow through the early childhood period. Findings indicated that families who experienced poverty during the child’s first 2-years showed substantially lower cognitive, language, executive functioning, and social skills by 2 to 3 years of age (0.5 to 1.0 SD difference) and these gaps appeared to stabilize between 3 and 5 years of age. Transitions into deep poverty during the preschool period (3- to 5-years) were also related to substantially lower scores, and to a lesser extent, transitions out of poverty were related to higher skill levels. Accounting for baseline demographic and maternal characteristics diminished the poverty gap, but did not eliminate it. The poverty gaps at 3-years in language, executive functioning, and social skills accounted for much of the poverty gaps observed at 5-years. Policy implications for early care and education programming are discussed.
Probabilistic Physics of Failure Based Uncertainty Analysis of a Mortar System Gun Tube

This Physics of Failure (PoF) case-study is a fracture mechanics Modeling & Simulation (M&S)-based assessment of a 120mm mortar gun tube reliability from a probabilistic perspective. Best-practices in Design and Analysis of Computer Experiments (DACE) and Uncertainty Quantification (UQ) are utilized to understand the gun barrel PoF fatigue and safety and reliability design margins relative to limit states, pressure variations, operational usage conditions, initial crack sizes, and various locations. Analytical techniques highlighted include Design of Experiments-based M&S emulator incorporating ‘live’ test data, Monte-Carlo Methods, graphical and distribution analysis.
Homicides and Weapons: Examining the Covariates of Weapon Choice:

This study examines the covariates of weapon choice in homicide incidents. Two research questions are examined. The first research question is: what variables influence the use of a particular type...
From Burlesque to Grand Theft Auto: A Historical Analysis of the Treatment of the Media-Crime Relationship in Criminology Texts

The degree to which criminological scholarship on the media-crime relationship has been subject to the tides of moral panics is not well-understood, although there are theoretical reasons to hypothesize about the role of scientists in moral panics. Textbooks are one location in which a discipline chronicles its scholarly history and speaks to the public, making texts an important site for understanding how scholars interpret the media-crime relationship. A content analysis of over 200 criminology texts, ranging in publication dates from 1880 to 2012, was conducted. Almost half the texts covered the media-crime relationship. These texts often appeared to be responding to and concurring with public debates brought on by moral panics. Textbooks most frequently took a negative stance on the media-crime relationship, as opposed to a more neutral stance or balanced approach. Proportionally, the media-crime relationship received the most coverage in the 1950s, 1990s, and 2000s, decades that correspond to surges of public debates about comics and video games. The decision of many authors to take a negative position in texts, while others cited contrary evidence, may reflect scholarly authors’ participation, intentionally or not, in the panic process.
A Pilot Study of Use of a Software Platform for the Collection, Integration, and Visualization of Diabetes Device Data by Health Care Providers in a Multidisciplinary Pediatric Setting

Abstract Background: Diabetes devices provide data for health care providers (HCPs) and people with type 1 diabetes to make management decisions. Extracting and viewing the data require separate, p...
Pervasive off-target and double-stranded DNA nicking by CRISPR-Cas12a

Abstract Cas12a (formerly Cpf1) is an RNA-guided endonuclease in the CRISPR-Cas immune system that can be easily programmed for genome editing. Cas12a can bind and cut dsDNA targets with high specificity in vivo, making it an ideal candidate for precise genome editing applications. This specificity is contradictory to the natural role of Cas12a as an immune effector against rapidly evolving phages. However, the native cleavage specificity and activity remains to be fully understood. We employed high-throughput in vitro cleavage assays to determine and compare the native specificities of three Cas12a orthologs. Surprisingly, we observed pervasive nicking of randomized target libraries, with strong nicking activity observed against targets with up to four mismatches. Nicking and cleavage activities are dependent on mismatch type and position, and vary depending on the Cas12a ortholog and crRNA sequence. Our high-throughput and biochemical analysis further reveal that Cas12a has robust activated non-specific nicking and weak non-specific dsDNA degradation activity in trans. Together, our findings reveal Cas12a cleavage activities that could be beneficial in the context of bacterial CRISPR-Cas immunity but may be detrimental for genome editing technology.
Prescribing of different antibiotics, rates of sepsis-related mortality and bacteremia in the US and England, and the utility of antibiotic replacement vs. reduction in prescribing

Abstract Background Antibiotic use contributes to the rates of bacteremia, sepsis and associated mortality, particularly through lack of clearance of resistant infections following antibiotic treatment. At the same time, there is limited information on the effects of prescribing of some antibiotics vs. others on the rates of outcomes related to severe bacterial infections. Methods We looked at associations (univariate, as well as multivariable for the US data) between the proportions (state-specific in the US, Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)-specific in England) of different antibiotic types/classes among all prescribed antibiotics in the outpatient setting (oral antibiotics in the US), and rates of outcomes (mortality with sepsis, ICD-10 codes A40-41 present on the death certificate in different age groups of US adults, and E. coli and MSSA bacteremia in England) per unit of antibiotic prescribing (defined as the rate of outcome divided by the rate of prescribing of all antibiotics). Results In the US, prescribing of penicillins was associated with rates of mortality with sepsis for persons aged 75-84y and 85+y between 2014-2015, while multivariable analyses also shown an association between the percent of individuals aged 50-64y lacking health insurance, as well as the percent of individuals aged 65-84y who are African-American and rates of mortality with sepsis. In England, prescribing of penicillins other than amoxicillin/co-amoxiclav was associated with rates of both MSSA and E. coli bacteremia for the period between financial years 2014/15 through 2017/18. Conclusions Our results suggest that prescribing of penicillins is associated with rates of E. coli and MSSA bacteremia in England, and rates of mortality with sepsis in older US adults, which agrees with our earlier findings. Those results, as well as the related epidemiological data suggest that replacement of certain antibiotics, particularly penicillins should be considered for reducing the rates of outcomes related to severe bacterial infections.
“It’s Sort Of, Like, in My Family’s Blood”: Exploring Latino Pre-adolescent Children and Their Parents’ Perceived Cultural Influences on Food Practices

ABSTRACTThis study examined the perceived connections between culture and food practices among Latino pre-adolescents (n = 17) and their parents (n = 15) through semi-structured interviews. Results...
Sticky stuff: xerostomia in patients undergoing head and neck radiotherapy—prevalence, prevention, and palliative care

Xerostomia remains one of the most common and impactful side effects associated with radiotherapy for head and neck malignancies. With improvements in oncologic therapy and an improved prognosis for patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) overall, the long-standing effects of therapy have become even more significant. Recent efforts have primarily focused on prevention of this morbidity through technological advances, reductions in radiotherapy fields, and radioprotectants. The promises of de-intensified strategies and proton radiation warrant ongoing investigation. However, palliative care for and active management of xerostomia before, during, and after treatment deserve further attention and research to define optimal approaches.
Characteristic landslide distributions: An investigation of landscape controls on landslide size

Abstract Estimation of landslide erosion rates and hazard prediction require a firm understanding of the physical controls on landslide size. In this study we seek to understand how the characteristics of different landscapes and forcing events influence the distribution of landslide size at a regional scale. We explore the parameter space of a mechanically-based landslide model through a series of simulations using digital elevation data. Consistent with previous studies, we find that large slope failures are infrequent due to the scarcity of large, steep hillslopes in typical mountainous topography. On the other hand, we find that the occurrence of small landslides is limited by the cohesive strength of hillslope material, which overcomes the weaker driving forces on short slopes. We test our model results with an empirical investigation of frequency-size distributions for eight real co-seismic landslide inventories. Although empirical data are noisy, we find a positive correlation between landslide size and hillslope relief, while the effects of PGA on landslide size are less pronounced. We conclude that landslide size distributions reflect the available distribution of hillslope geometries in a given landscape, and that external forcing (e.g., seismic ground motion) determines which subset of the hillslope distribution fails during a particular event. For a given landscape and forcing event, there is a particular length-scale over which landsliding is statistically favored, leading to the concept of characteristic landslide size distributions.
Predictors of attrition in a longitudinal population-based study of aging.

Background: Longitudinal studies predictably experience non-random attrition over time. Among older adults, risk factors for attrition may be similar to risk factors for outcomes such as cognitive decline and dementia, potentially biasing study results. Objective: To characterize participants lost to follow-up which can be useful in the study design and interpretation of results. Methods: In a longitudinal aging population study with 10 years of annual follow-up, we characterized the attrited participants (77%) compared to those who remained in the study. We used multivariable logistic regression models to identify attrition predictors. We then implemented four machine learning approaches to predict attrition status from one wave to the next and compared the results of all five approaches. Results: Multivariable logistic regression identified those more likely to drop out as older, male, not living with another study participant, having lower cognitive test scores and higher clinical dementia ratings, lower functional ability, fewer subjective memory complaints, no physical activity, reported hobbies, or engagement in social activities, worse self-rated health, and leaving the house less often. The four machine learning approaches using areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves produced similar discrimination results to the multivariable logistic regression model. Conclusions: Attrition was most likely to occur in participants who were older, male, inactive, socially isolated, and cognitively impaired. Ignoring attrition would bias study results especially when the missing data might be related to the outcome (e.g. cognitive impairment or dementia). We discuss possible solutions including oversampling and other statistical modeling approaches.
Combinatorial therapy of sirolimus and heparin by nanocarrier inhibits restenosis after balloon angioplasty ex vivo

Aim: To develop poly(lactide-co-glycolide)-graft-polyethylenimine (PgP) as a dual drug-delivery carrier for sirolimus (SR) and heparin (Hep) to inhibit restenosis after balloon angioplasty. Materials & methods: SR was loaded in the hydrophobic core and negatively charged Hep complexed with the positively charged hydrophilic shell of PgP. SR- and Hep-loaded PgP was tested on rat aortic smooth muscle cells in vitro and injured porcine coronary arteries after balloon angioplasty ex vivo. Results & conclusion: SR and Hep loading efficiency in PgP were approximately 37 and 82%, respectively. SR- and Hep-loaded PgP treatment decreased smooth muscle cell proliferation up to 14 days post-treatment and decreased proliferation, collagen deposition and neointimal thickness and increased patency in porcine coronary arteries after balloon angioplasty ex vivo.
Pointer Data Structure Synthesis from Answer Set Programming Specifications.

We develop an inductive proof-technique to generate imperative programs for pointer data structures from behavioural specifications expressed in the Answer Set Programming (ASP) formalism. ASP is a non-monotonic logic based formalism that employs negation-as-failure which helps emulate the human thought process, allowing domain experts to model desired system behaviour succinctly. We argue in this paper that ASP's reliance on negation-as-failure makes it a better formalism than those based on first-order logic for writing formal specifications. We assume the a domain expert provides the representation of inductively defined data structures along with a specification of its operations. Our procedures combined with our novel proof-technique reason over the specifications and automatically generate an imperative program. Our proof-technique leverages the idea of partial deduction to simplify logical specifications. By algebraically simplifying logical specifications we arrive at a residual specification which can be interpreted as an appropriate imperative program. This work is in the realm of constructing programs that are correct according to a given specification.
Demo Abstract: Loop Avoidance in Computer Networks Using a Meshed Tree Protocol

Loop-avoidance is essential in Ethernet networks to avoid indefinite looping of broadcast traffic. Traditionally, spanning trees are constructed on network topologies to overcome this problem. However, during topology changes, data forwarding latency is introduced when rebuilding and identifying new spanning tree paths. Meshed Tree Bridging through the Meshed Tree Protocol provides a novel loop-avoidance system that decreases downtime latency and efficiently reconverges networks. This is proven via testing and demonstrations on the Global Environment for Network Innovations testbed.
Research in University Students: Real Needs for the Implementation of a Formative Research Program

Research is an important part of professional education, development and improvement, whose results are observed in the socioeconomic development of a country. This is evidenced in the investment of resources made by developed countries to carry out this activity and the increase of their knowledge production. However, this situation is not the same in Latin America. Although the current legal framework recognizes the importance of research, its implementation process is still emerging. This encourages higher education centers to look for strategies to improve students’ research skills during undergraduate and postgraduate studies. This study is aimed at making a diagnosis of the research awareness of the entrants to a private university in Lima as a starting point for the implementation of a future formative research program. Data were obtained from a 22 item Likert-type questionnaire with scores based on a 5-point scale applied to a sample of 193 selected students. Among the main findings, we identified a difference between the high interest in research and the low level of knowledge about its practice. Subtler results could be obtained by observing generational aspects (greater interest is expressed among younger ones) and the familiarity of Social Sciences and Humanities students with tools related to scientific writing.
AlInAsSb avalanche photodiodes on InP substrates

We report the gain, noise, and dark current characteristics of random alloy Al0.79In0.21As0.74Sb0.26 (hereafter AlInAsSb)-based avalanche photodiodes (APDs) on InP substrates. We observe, at room temperature, a low excess noise corresponding to a k value (ratio of impact ionization coefficients) of 0.018 and a dark current density of 82 μA/cm2 with a gain of 15. These performance metrics represent an order of magnitude improvement of the k-value over commercially available APDs with InAlAs and InP multiplication layers grown on InP substrates. This material is also competitive with a recently reported low noise AlAsSb on InP [Yi et al., Nat. Photonics 13, 683 (2019)], with a comparable excess noise and a room temperature dark current density almost three orders of magnitude lower at the same gain. The low excess noise and dark current of AlInAsSb make it a candidate multiplication layer for integration into a separate absorption, charge, and multiplication layer avalanche photodiode for visible to short-wavelength infrared applications.
A Note on the Permuted Puzzles Toy Conjecture.

In this note, we show that a "Toy Conjecture" made by (Boyle, Ishai, Pass, Wootters, 2017) is false, and propose a new one. Our attack does not falsify the full ("non-toy") conjecture in that work, and it is our hope that this note will help further the analysis of that conjecture. Independently, (Boyle, Holmgren, Ma, Weiss, 2021) have obtained similar results.
China's Defense of its Human Rights Policies

Although the United States has launched repeated attacks on China’s human rights policies for the past three decades, China’s Communist Party has been able to mount an effective defense and counterattack that has resonated with China’s citizens, the most important constituency for the Party. Without the trust and support of its citizens, the Party will lose its power. China has been able to mount this defense based on three prongs: tradition, law, and morality. Appealing to traditional Confucian doctrine, the Party portrays itself as an authoritarian but benevolent patriarch. In the area of law, China, a skillful litigator in the WTO, has been able to overturn the first wave of punitive tariffs imposed by the Trump Administration. China has also been able to gain the higher moral ground. Cleverly using arguments first raised by politicians and others in the United States, China claims that the United States has engaged in human rights abuses that are far more egregious than any in China. For the past three decades, the United States has attempted to pressure or cajole China into progress in its human rights policies without success. Meanwhile China the tiger cub has grown into China the tiger. The United States must finally accept the sober realization that it is unlikely to be able to influence significant positive change in China’s human rights policies. Criticism of China’s human rights policies can realistically only serve two purposes: it can used to justify sanctions against China in other areas, such as trade, the environment, and the military. This appears to have been the strategy of the Trump Administration, which advanced a new view of China as the arch villain of the modern world. Otherwise, criticism will serve a symbolic purpose only. Only with this sober recognition will the United States and the Biden Administration be able to approach its relationship with China now and in the future with realistic expectations.
Maternal Hyperoxygenation Testing in Fetuses with Hypoplastic Left-Heart Syndrome: Association with Postnatal Atrial Septal Restriction.

INTRODUCTION In fetuses with hypoplastic left-heart syndrome (HLHS), maternal hyperoxygenation (MHO) may aid risk stratification. We hypothesized that pulmonary vein (Pvein) velocity time integral (VTI) change with MHO would more reliably identify neonates who undergo emergent atrial septoplasty (EAS) than changes in pulmonary arterial pulsatility index (PA PI). METHODS Fetuses with HLHS who underwent MHO testing at our institution between 2014 and 2019 were identified. Data were reviewed in a blinded, retrospective manner. Pvein VTI ratio (prograde:retrograde) was calculated. The primary outcome was neonatal EAS. RESULTS Twenty-seven HLHS fetuses underwent MHO, and 5 (19%) underwent EAS. Without MHO, a Pvein VTI ratio <3 conferred 60% sensitivity and 100% specificity for EAS. With MHO, a Pvein VTI ratio <6.5 conferred 100% sensitivity and specificity. For an intermediate group of fetuses with a baseline Pvein VTI ratio 3-7, the ratio decrease with MHO conferred 100% sensitivity and specificity. Compared to the Pvein VTI ratio, PA PI was less accurate in identifying EAS neonates. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION Addition of MHO appears to improve the diagnostic ability of the Pvein VTI ratio to identify HLHS fetuses who undergo EAS. The Pvein VTI ratio change may more accurately identify fetuses who undergo EAS than change in PA PI and has less interobserver variability.