cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Solar Neighbourhood

The stars currently lying in the immediate vicinity of the Sun are the products of numerous star-forming events spread over a wide-range of Galactic radii and environments within the disc of the Milky Way. As such, these local stars provide a means of assessing global properties, notably the binary fraction, the luminosity function and the initial mass function (IMF), the number of stars forming as a function of mass within a molecular cloud. The IMF is a crucial parameter in understanding galaxy evolution since the relative number of high- and low-mass stars determines what fraction of material is reprocessed and returned to the interstellar medium to enrich new stellar generations, and what fraction is effectively locked up forever in long-lived dwarfs. As discussed in this chapter, most evidence is consistent with the IMF having a universal form, although there are intriguing indications for variations in some extreme environments. These analyses rest on statistical techniques that are susceptible to systematic bias; the appendix to this chapter describes how to estimate the extent of some of those effects, notably Malmquist bias and Lutz-Kelker corrections.
Isolated hypoaldosteronism in adults. A renin-deficiency syndrome.

Abstract To clarify the mechanism causing isolated hypoaldosteronism in adults, we studied six patients with unexplained hyperkalemia. On a normal sodium intake, excretion of tetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone, tetrahydrocorticosterone, and 17-hydroxycorticoids was normal and increased normally with ACTH stimulation. Excretion of metabolites of aldosterone and 18-hydroxycorticosterone was subnormal or barely normal, and aldosterone excretion failed to respond normally to sodium depletion and ACTH. Plasma renin activity (PRA) and concentration were subnormal and failed to increase normally with upright posture and sodium depletion; furosemide increased PRA in only one patient. Restoration of normal serum potassium with cation exchange resin failed to increase PRA in the three patients studied. Plasma renin substrate was normal or slightly elevated. The patients studied differ from patients with Addison's disease and infants with enzymatic defects in aldosterone biosynthesis in whom PRA is increased. The data su...
Comparison of Virulence Gene Identification, Ribosomal Spacer PCR, and Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis for Typing of Staphylococcus aureus Strains Isolated from Cases of Subclinical Bovine Mastitis in the United States

Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most important pathogens causing contagious mastitis in dairy cattle worldwide. The objectives of this study were to determine if recently described S. aureus genotype B was present among previously characterized isolates from cases of bovine intramammary infection in the United States and to compare pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) to the combination of ribosomal spacer PCR (RS-PCR) and virulence gene identification for typing of S. aureus strains. The hypothesis was that isolates that were previously characterized as contagious would be identified as genotype B and that the results of the two strain-typing methods would be comparable. Isolates were selected from a collection of S. aureus isolates from eight dairy farms. Mammary quarter milk somatic cell count (SCC) and N-acetyl-β-d-gluconaminidase (NAGase) activity data were known and used to evaluate strain pathogenicity. RS-PCR was performed with conventional gel electrophoresis, and PCR was used for toxin gene identification. RS-PCR patterns were associated with a specific virulence gene pattern, as previously reported. Five RS-PCR banding patterns were identified. None of the isolates were characterized as genotype B. No association between RS-PCR types and milk SCC was found; however, NAGase activity was significantly higher in milk from mammary glands infected with RS-PCR banding type 1 (RSP type 1) than in milk from those infected with RSP type 2. The discriminatory power values were 1.0 and 0.46 for PFGE and RS-PCR, respectively. These data suggest that genotype B may have a limited geographic distribution and that PFGE is more discriminatory than RS-PCR performed with conventional gel electrophoresis for typing of S. aureus isolates of bovine origin.
Delayed Umbilical Cord Clamping in the 21st Century: Indications for Practice.

Background Health care providers have debated the timing of umbilical cord clamping since the days of Aristotle. Delayed cord clamping was the mainstay of practice until about the 1950s when it was changed to immediate clamping on the basis of a series of blood volume studies combined with the introduction of active management of the third stage of labor. However, in recent years, several systematic reviews advise that delayed cord clamping should be used in all births for at least 30 to 60 seconds. Purpose The purpose of this article is to discuss the physiology of umbilical cord clamping, the potential benefits and adverse effects of delayed cord clamping, and how this affects the advanced practice nurse. Search strategy A search of PubMed, Cochrane Reviews, and Clinical Key was used to find relevant research on the topic of umbilical cord clamping. Results Potential benefits of delayed cord clamping include decreased frequency of iron-deficiency anemia in the first year of life with improved neurodevelopmental outcomes in term infants, reduced need for blood transfusions, possible autologous transfusion of stem cells, and a decreased incidence of intraventricular hemorrhage. Apprehension exists regarding the feasibility of the practice as well as the potential hindrance of immediate resuscitation. Implications for practice There is a need to begin to look for populations for which delayed cord clamping can be implemented. Implications for future research Recommendations are inconsistent on the patient population and timing; therefore, further studies are needed to understand the multiple variables that affect timing of umbilical cord clamping.
Neural patterning Deconstructing the organizer

Since it was discovered over 70 years ago, the ‘organizer’ has been regarded as a group of cells that produces the signals that induce development of neural tissue. Indeed it does, but a new paper shows that it is just one of what could be a series of organizing centres that specify initial patterning of the central nervous system along the anteroposterior and forebrain-to-spinal-cord axes. Unlike the organizer, which is found posterior to the neural ectoderm, the new centre is found at the prospective anterior end of the zebrafish neuraxis.
Network tomography in theory and practice

Network tomography has recently emerged as a promising method for indirectly inferring network state information from end-to-end measurements. In this thesis, I present novel methodologies for several challenging network inference problems. I also tackle practical problems faced in deploying tomographic techniques in the Internet and provide practical solutions to address and overcome some of these difficulties. The major contributions are four-fold. First, a passive monitoring technique for estimating internal link-level drop rates is proposed. This approach only requires TCP traces from the end hosts, and it is more effective and less invasive than other tomography schemes. I have demonstrated its effectiveness using ns-2 simulations. I have also conducted theoretical queuing analysis which corroborates the results obtained through simulation experiments. Second, in delay distribution estimation, a non-parametric wavelet-based approach is developed for estimating link-level queuing delay characteristics. The approach overcomes the bias-variance tradeoff caused by delay quantization, a problem associated with most existing delay estimation methods. Realistic network simulations are carried out using ns-2 simulations to demonstrate the accuracy of the estimation procedure. Third, in order to make tomographic inference techniques more practical, I investigated a Round Trip Time (RTT) based measurement technique. This novel technique does not require clock synchronization and does not require special-purpose cooperation from receivers, enabling deployment of my tomographic tool from any host in the Internet. I demonstrated that my RTT method is effective under a wide range of operating conditions both in an emulation environment and in the Internet. Finally, to make inference techniques more reliable and robust, I formulated the tomographic data collection process as an optimal experimental design problem, in which a fixed number of network probes are optimally distributed to minimize the squared estimation error of the tomographic reconstruction. Explicit forms for the estimation errors are derived in terms of topology, noise levels, and number and distribution of probes. This analysis reveals the dominant sources causing ill-conditioning and scalability issues in network tomography.
Chapter 5 Irish Dancing: “When Irish Feet Are Twinkling”

Shay begins the chapter with a history of Ireland, and its Gaelic origins. He especially concentrates on the fraught relations between the English and the Irish, pointing out that Ireland and Ukraine were the only colonized nations in Europe. Following the disaster of the Potato Famine in the mid-nineteenth century, strong anti-English feelings of nationalism arose. The Gaelic League in 1893 therefore identified two elements—Irish dancing and the Gaelic language—to use as tools to construct Irish national identity. The League established a commission to oversee dance activities in the 1920s. The author describes four stages of Irish dancing: sean-nos, an improvised form of step dancing from the west of Ireland, dancing master-led step dancing from other areas, competition step dancing, and finally the spectacle of Riverdance.
The emergency medicine approach to transplant complications

Abstract Introduction Organ transplantation provides improved quality of life and longevity in patients with end-organ disease. These patients have significant physiological and anatomical modifications, and with new immunosuppressive agents, many of these patients will present to the emergency department with complications. Objective The objective was to provide emergency physicians with a review of transplant complications, including infection, rejection, medication adverse effects, and specific complications related to the transplant. Discussion Transplant patients present significant challenges due to a large spectrum of complications that may arise. Infection is the most common complication and can be separated into different periods. The first month after transplant is associated with nosocomial and surgical infections, 1 month to 6 months after transplant with opportunistic infection, and greater than 6 months acquired infection. Rejection occurs in the hyperacute, acute, and chronic phases, with symptoms dependent on the specific organ. Medication adverse effects due to immunosuppressive agents are common and include renal dysfunction, anemia, metabolic syndrome, and gastrointestinal effects. Renal transplant dysfunction includes vascular complications, hematoma, obstruction, and lymphocele. Liver transplant complications include vascular defects, biliary tract malfunctions, and fluid collections. Heart transplant complications manifest with vasculopathy and dysrhythmia. Lung transplant complications include airway dysfunction, phrenic nerve dysfunction, and pleural fluid collections. All transplant patients in the emergency department require close communication with the transplant physician and emergency provider. Conclusions Transplant patients can present significant challenges to the emergency provider. Knowledge of these complications may improve patient care. All cases require contact with the transplant physician.
Limber Pine (Pinus flexilis James), a Flexible Generalist of Forest Communities in the Intermountain West.

As forest communities continue to experience interactions between climate change and shifting disturbance regimes, there is an increased need to link ecological understanding to applied management. Limber pine (Pinus flexilis James.), an understudied species of western North America, has been documented to dominate harsh environments and thought to be competitively excluded from mesic environments. An observational study was conducted using the Forest Inventory and Analysis Database (FIAD) to test the competitive exclusion hypothesis across a broad elevational and geographic area within the Intermountain West, USA. We anticipated that competitive exclusion would result in limber pine’s absence from mid-elevation forest communities, creating a bi-modal distribution. Using the FIAD database, limber pine was observed to occur with 22 different overstory species, which represents a surprising number of the woody, overstory species commonly observed in the Intermountain West. There were no biologically significant relationships between measures of annual precipitation, annual temperature, or climatic indices (i.e. Ombrothermic Index) and limber pine dominance. Limber pine was observed to be a consistent component of forest communities across elevation classes. Of the plots that contained limber pine regeneration, nearly half did not have a live or dead limber pine in the overstory. However, limber pine regeneration was greater in plots with higher limber pine basal area and higher average annual precipitation. Our results suggest limber pine is an important habitat generalist, playing more than one functional role in forest communities. Generalists, like limber pine, may be increasingly important, as managers are challenged to build resistance and resilience to future conditions in western forests. Additional research is needed to understand how different silvicultural systems can be used to maintain multi-species forest communities.
Real-Time Kinetic Probes Support Monothiol Glutaredoxins As Intermediate Carriers in Fe-S Cluster Biosynthetic Pathways.

Iron–sulfur (Fe–S) clusters are protein cofactors that are required for many essential cellular functions. Fe–S clusters are synthesized and inserted into target proteins by an elaborate biosynthetic process. The insensitivity of most Fe–S assembly and transfer assays requires high concentrations for components and places major limits on reaction complexity. Recently, fluorophore labels were shown to be effective at reporting cluster content for Fe–S proteins. Here, the incorporation of this labeling approach allowed the design and interrogation of complex Fe–S cluster biosynthetic reactions that mimic in vivo conditions. A bacterial Fe–S assembly complex, composed of the cysteine desulfurase IscS and scaffold protein IscU, was used to generate [2Fe–2S] clusters for transfer to mixtures of putative intermediate carrier and acceptor proteins. The focus of this study was to test whether the monothiol glutaredoxin, Grx4, functions as an obligate [2Fe–2S] carrier protein in the Fe–S cluster distribution netwo...
Local Resiniferatoxin Induces Long-Lasting Analgesia in a Rat Model of Full Thickness Thermal Injury

Article originally published in Pain Medicine, Volume 18, Issue 12, Pages 2453–2465. English. Published online December 2017. https://doi.org/10.1093/pm/pnw260
Optimization-based image reconstruction from low-dose patient breast CT Data

Current dedicated breast-CT prototypes use analytic-based algorithms such as FDK for image reconstruction, which require a large number of densely sampled views. Because the total imaging dose delivered to a patient in a breast-CT scan is kept about the same as that in a typical two-view mammography exam, the use of a large number of views thus can lead to projection data of low SNR and images with high noise, which makes reconstruction improvement challenging. Recently, there exists increased interest in development and evaluation of optimization-based (i.e. iterative) image reconstruction algorithms for low-dose cone-beam CT (CBCT). In the work, we focus on investigation of optimization-based image reconstruction for low-dose breast CT by tailoring a TV-minimization-based algorithm, adaptive-steep-descent (ASD)-projection-onto-convex-set (POCS) algorithm, for image reconstruction from low-SNR patient data. We performed inverse-crime studies for verifying if the algorithm is solving the designed optimization program, and studied the effect of optimization program parameter, e, on the reconstruction images. We also studied the change of image power spectra with e and iteration numbers. The results indicate that optimization-based algorithms may improve image quality over analytic-based algorithm for low-dose dedicated breast CT.
Dimensions of Expertise in Wine Evaluation

This article explores the question of what distinguishes novices from experts in wine evaluation. Is it experts’ superior sensory abilities related to taste and smell, their superior cognitive abilities related to knowledge and memory, or a combination of both—and if a combination, which of the two dimensions of expertise, sensory or cognitive, seems to be more important? I address these issues by considering what has been learned in the past 30+ years from research concerning the sensory and cognitive dimensions of expertise in wine evaluation. The research examines expert/novice differences at both the chemical component level (detecting, discriminating among, and describing wine-relevant chemical components) and the holistic level (hedonic evaluation of wine as an integrated manifestation of its components). (JEL Classification: C93)
Augmented Split Block Experiment Design

A new class of augmented experiment designs is presented. These designs are useful for experiments involving screening new treatments over a variety of conditions. The designs are also useful for screening mixtures of materials such as for intercropping experiments. At the later stages of screening material such as genotypes, herbicides, fungicides, etc., it may be desirable to screen over a variety of conditions. A class of experiment designs is presented for screening new material over conditions such as date of planting, fertilizer level, spacing, herbicide level, etc. A number of examples are presented to illustrate various versions of augmented split block experiment designs. A numerical example with computer code and output is presented in the Appendix.
Stress management and reduction of aggression in grade school children

School violence, peer relationships, academic stress, anger, depression and family struggles, such as divorce, are all serious issues for school age children. The increasing incidence of violent acts both at the primary and secondary school level committed by children is alarming. Children need to learn how to deal with emotions and situations beginning at an early age as a prevention to violence and aggression. Young children are given more responsibility to deal autonomously with situations both at home and at school. Interventions by parents and teachers lessen; therefore, students need the skills necessary to manage stressful life situations effectively.
Immune Control System Modelling and Identification

Abstract A bilinear mathematical model of the imune system and its circulation is presented Then a joint algorithm for parameter and state estimation is derived. The estimation procedure is applied to the discrete bilinear stochastic model. Data for estimation is taken from a pure strain of female rats by means of compartmental tracer techniques for tagged lymphocytes.
Application of Q-method to the measurement of public opinion

A formal model is described for representing qualitative attributes of public opinion. These were the subject of a paper by George Carslake Thompson in 1886, which, though reprinted in recent years, has never been reduced to operations. The proposed method covers Thompson’s schema in all its parts, and offers a way to measure opinions as individual understandings, operant as Q-sorts in Q-methodology.
Critical Care Resource Utilization and Outcomes of Children With Moderate Traumatic Brain Injury

Objectives:To characterize admission patterns, critical care resource utilization, and outcomes in moderate pediatric traumatic brain injury.Design:Retrospective cohort study.Setting:National Trauma Data Bank.Patients:Children under 18 years old with a diagnosis of moderate traumatic brain injury (a
Wald Sequential Sampling for Attribute Inspection

A BASIC program is presented that eliminates the need for lengthy manual calculations for attribute sequential sampling plans. The program prints out a table of accept/reject numbers and probabilit...
Helium segregation and transport behavior near ⟨100⟩ and ⟨110⟩ symmetric tilt grain boundaries in tungsten

We report the results of a systematic atomistic modeling study of small helium cluster behavior near tungsten symmetric tilt grain boundaries. This behavior was studied qualitatively by molecular dynamics simulations and quantitatively by molecular statics simulations combined with elastic inclusion theory. The sink strength is used to describe the magnitude of the clusters' attraction to the grain boundary. We find that small helium clusters show impeded transport behavior relative to the bulk around all types of grain boundaries, including low-angle, high-angle, low-Sigma-value, and high-Sigma-value grain boundaries. Helium clusters tend to become trapped near, but typically not directly on, the grain boundary plane. Both the distance between the helium cluster and the grain boundary when the cluster first becomes immobilized and the sink strength are correlated with helium cluster size, grain boundary formation energy, grain boundary tilt angle, excess volume, and other aspects of grain boundary structure. We expect similar impeded transport behavior for other types of grain boundaries and in other metals, because helium is effectively insoluble in most materials and has a similar interstitial-based diffusion mechanism in most metals.
Chemical conjunctivitis and diffuse lamellar keratitis after removal of eyelash extensions

Abstract Purpose There have been several reports in the literature demonstrating the adverse effects of multiple ocular cosmetic procedures, such as eyelash extensions, eyeliner tattoo, and eyelash dyeing. To our knowledge, there is limited literature on the adverse effects specifically attributed to the chemicals and process of eyelash extension removal. Our purpose is to demonstrate the possible ocular injuries from misapplication of eyelash extension removal solvent. Observations We present a unique case of a 46-year-old female with a prior history of laser assisted in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK) who presented with bilateral chemical conjunctivitis and diffuse lamellar keratitis (DLK) secondary to epithelial defects following the misapplication of eyelash extension removal gel. Conclusionand importance Given that our patient suffered significant dry eyes, corneal haze, and visual fluctuation, we believe this case underscores the importance of continuing closer and careful evaluation into the chemicals present in these cosmetics to improve the safety of our patients and to limit such incidents from occurring hereafter.
Strategies for managing transfusional iron overload: conventional treatments and novel strategies.

Purpose of reviewFor individuals who have transfusion-dependent anemia, iron overload is the long-term complication, which results in significant morbidity. Ameliorating this is now the biggest unmet need. This review specifically addresses this issue.Recent findingsOver the last decade or so, major
4,5-Diisopropyl-B-[(E)-[(3‘-menthofuryl)dimethylsilyl]allyl]-1,3,2- dioxaborolane, an Improved Chiral Reagent for the Anti α-Hydroxyallylation of Aldehydes: Application to the Enantioselective Synthesis of (−)-Swainsonine

Diisopropyl tartrate-modified (E)-[γ-(furyldimethylsilyl)allyl]boronates 10 and 11 were designed for the enantioselective synthesis of substituted anti-3,4-dihydroxy-1-butenes 9 via the anti-α-hydroxyallylation of aldehydes. The reactions of aldehydes with 10 and 11 provided furyldimethylsilyl-substituted anti-1,2-silanols 12 and 13 with good enantioselectivity (74−82% ee), and the silanols were oxidized to the corresponding anti-1,2-diols 9 by a modified Fleming−Tamao oxidation protocol. The high reactivity of the (menthofuryl)silane unit toward electrophilic substitution allowed complete protodesilylation of menthofuryl-substituted silanols 13 and subsequent oxidation to diols 9 in a one-pot operation without competing protodesilylation of the allylsilane unit. However, a two-step protocol was required for the protodesilylation−oxidation of the less reactive 2-(5-methyl)furyl-substituted silanols 12. Reagents 10 and 11 exhibited similar diastereoselectivity in double asymmetric reactions with three chir...
Feasibility and prognostic value of vasodilator stress perfusion CMR in elderly patients > 75 years without known CAD

Introduction The World's ageing population raises the question of the benefit of screening for coronary artery disease (CAD) in very old patients. To assess the prognostic value of vasodilator stress perfusion cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) in elderly patients aged > 75 years without previous known CAD. Method Consecutive elderly patients > 75 years without known CAD referred for vasodilator stress perfusion CMR were followed for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) defined as cardiac death, non-fatal myocardial infarction or stroke. Univariable and multivariable Cox regressions for MACE were performed to determine the prognostic association of inducible ischemia or late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) by CMR beyond traditional clinical risk indexes. Results Of 754 elderly high risk patients (82 ± 4 years, 48.4% men), 747 (99%) completed the CMR protocol, and among those 659 (88.2%) completed the follow-up (median follow-up 5.7 ± 2.5 years). Patients without inducible ischemia or LGE experienced a substantially lower annual rate of MACE (5.5% vs. 9.9% for those with ischemia and vs. 6.9% for those with ischemia and/or LGE). In a multivariable stepwise Cox regression including clinical characteristics and CMR indexes, the absence of inducible ischemia was an independent predictor of a lower incidence of MACE at follow-up (hazard ratio 0.46; 95% confidence interval: 0.34 to 0.62; P Fig. 1 ) and all-cause mortality (hazard ratio 0.67; 95% confidence interval: 0.45 to 0.97; P = 0.037). Using Kaplan-Meier analyses, the presence of myocardial ischemia identified the occurrence of future CV events (P Conclusion Stress CMR is safe and has discriminative prognostic value in very elderly patients without known CAD, with a very low negative event rate in patients without ischemia or infarction, and with a higher rate of future CV event or death in patients with ischemia. Kaplan Meier curves ( Fig. 1 )
Finding the Key to Positive Leadership: Applying Virtue Ethics and Inclusivity

Positive leadership has evolved from the study of positive psychology and brain research (Carleton et al, Can J Behav Sci 50:185–194. https://doi.org/10.1037/cbs000010, 2018; Hannah et al, J Organ Behav 30:269–290. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.586, 2009; Luthans, J Organ Behav 23:695–706. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.165, 2002; Saladis, Positive leadership in project management. Paper presented at PMI Global Congress 2015—EMEA. Project Management Institute, London/Newtown Square, 2015; van Dierendonck, J Manag 37:1228–1261. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206310380462, 2010) and seeks to better understand the role that leaders have on their followers through invoking positive and purposeful modeling, leading to enhancing positive emotions and outcomes. The work of Kim Cameron (Positive leadership. Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc., San Francisco, 2008) provides a solid launching pad for the study positive leadership, which includes vital traits and skills such as positive affect, mindfulness, virtuousness, moral integrity, emotional stability, and hope. Cameron’s three connotations of positive leadership are as follows: (1) it facilitates positively deviant performance; (2) it features an affirmative bias, meaning that it is oriented toward positive instead of negative strengths; and (3) it fosters the good in people. This chapter builds on Cameron’s notion that positive leadership “fosters the good in people” and creates a formula that Virtuous Ethics + Inclusivity = Positive Leadership. This new organic leadership (and followership) framework uses virtuous ethics and inclusiveness as a roadmap to the state of organizational and personal flow. If positive leaders increase the flow of positive emotions for people to optimize their inherent strengths, then this intentional leadership style will bring out the best in people. There will be “net” positive interactions (more positive than negative); the culture will be inclusive, transparent, supportive; and there will be underlying virtue ethics at the core.
It's F**ing Chaos: COVID-19's Impact on Juvenile Delinquency and Juvenile Justice.

An early examination of the impact of COVID-19 on juvenile delinquency and juvenile justice in America, this review provides initial scholarship to rapidly evolving areas of research. Our appraisals of these topics are made after nearly 2 months of national COVID-19 mitigation measures, like social distancing and limited "non-essential" movement outside the home but also as states are gradually lifting stricter directives and reopening economic sectors. We consider the impact of these pandemic-related changes on twenty-first century youths, their behaviors, and their separate justice system. To forecast the immediate future, we draw from decades of research on juvenile delinquency and the justice system, as well as from reported patterns of reactions and responses to an unprecedented and ongoing situation. As post-pandemic studies on juvenile delinquency and juvenile justice proliferate, we urge careful consideration as to how they might influence societal and the system responses to youths' delinquency. Additional practical implications are discussed.
Exogenous Reproductive Hormones nor Candida albicans Colonization Alter the Near Neutral Mouse Vaginal pH.

While human vaginal pH in childbearing aged women is conclusively acidic, the mouse vaginal pH is reported as being near neutral. However, this information appears to be somewhat anecdotal with respect to vulvovaginal candidiasis as such claims in the literature frequently lack citations of studies that specifically address this physiological factor. Given the disparate pH between mice and humans, the role of exogenous hormones and colonization by the fungal pathogen Candida albicans in shaping vaginal pH was assessed. Use of a convenient modified vaginal lavage technique with the pH indicator dye phenol red demonstrated that indeed vaginal pH was near neutral (7.2 ± 0.24) and was not altered by delivery of progesterone or estrogen in C57BL/6 mice. These trends were conserved in DBA/2 and CD-1 mouse backgrounds commonly used in the mouse model of vaginitis. It was also determined that vaginal colonization with C. albicans did not alter the globally neutral vaginal pH over the course of one week. Construction and validation of a C. albicans reporter strain expressing GFPy driven by the pH-responsive PHR1 promoter confirmed that the murine vaginal pH to be at least ≥ 6.0. Collectively, our data convincingly demonstrate a stable and conserved near neutrality of the mouse vaginal pH during vulvovaginal candidiasis and should serve as a definitive source for future reference. Implications and rationale for disparate pH in this model system are also discussed.
Mixed Reality as a Bidirectional Communication Interface for Human-Robot Interaction

We present a decision-theoretic model and robot system that interprets multimodal human communication to disambiguate item references by asking questions via a mixed reality (MR) interface. Existing approaches have either chosen to use physical behaviors, like pointing and eye gaze, or virtual behaviors, like mixed reality. However, there is a gap of research on how MR compares to physical actions for reducing robot uncertainty. We test the hypothesis that virtual deictic gestures are better for human-robot interaction (HRI) than physical behaviors. To test this hypothesis, we propose the Physio-Virtual Deixis Partially Observable Markov Decision Process (PVD-POMDP), which interprets multimodal observations (speech, eye gaze, and pointing gestures) from the human and decides when and how to ask questions (either via physical or virtual deictic gestures) in order to recover from failure states and cope with sensor noise. We conducted a between-subjects user study with 80 participants distributed across three conditions of robot communication: no feedback control, physical feedback, and MR feedback. We tested performance of each condition with objective measures (accuracy, time), as well as evaluated user experience with subjective measures (usability, trust, workload). We found the MR feedback condition was 10% more accurate than the physical condition and a speedup of 160%. We also found that the feedback conditions significantly outperformed the no feedback condition in all subjective metrics.
Abstract 5: Establishment of ASCP Equipment Donation Program to Support International Histopathology Laboratories

Purpose: In order to address the unmet needs of international histopathology laboratories with regard to procurement of laboratory equipment and consumables, the ASCP Center for Global Health has established a program which facilitates donation of these goods to laboratories in need. Methods: Using a member-based outreach approach, donors with key histopathology laboratory equipment or consumables submit an interest in donation to ASCP. ASCP performs an assessment of the quality and longevity of the donated item. ASCP pairs the donation with a laboratory within the Partners for Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Initiative network which has expressed need. Recipient lab-specific parameters are further evaluated (e.g. space, voltage compatibility, need for service contract, etc.). Should the donation be a compatible fit, ASCP works with both recipient and international shippers to facilitate the donation. Results: Since August 2018, ASCP has supported nearly 20 international equipment donations (fair market value of goods totaling approximately $120K) to 12 countries. These donations are composed of routine histopathology lab consumables (e.g. tissue cassettes, glass slides, etc.) as well as specialized equipment (e.g. whole slide imaging scanners, microtomes, microscopes, etc.), basic laboratory operations equipment (e.g. computers, keyboards, etc), and educational materials (e.g. textbooks, etc.). Conclusions: This donation program allows for redistribution of key histopathology lab equipment and consumables to laboratories in needs. The impact of this program has been far-reaching, both relieving laboratory strain associated with under-procurement often experienced in international laboratories to expanding capacitation of diagnostic testing services including, in some cases, telepathology-based secondary consultations from subspecialty pathologists unavailable in-country. Citation Format: Debby Basu, Lola Tashpulatova, Dan Milner, Kenneth Landgraf. Establishment of ASCP Equipment Donation Program to Support International Histopathology Laboratories [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 9th Annual Symposium on Global Cancer Research; Global Cancer Research and Control: Looking Back and Charting a Path Forward; 2021 Mar 10-11. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2021;30(7 Suppl):Abstract nr 5.
Psychopathy: Developmental perspectives and their implications for treatment

Psychopathy is a mental disorder marked by deficient emotional responses, lack of empathy, and poor behavioral controls, commonly resulting in persistent antisocial deviance and criminal behavior. Accumulating research suggests that psychopathy follows a developmental trajectory with strong genetic influences, and which precipitates deleterious effects on widespread functional networks, particularly within paralimbic regions of the brain. While traditional therapeutic interventions commonly administered in prisons and forensic institutions have been notoriously ineffective at combating these outcomes, alternative strategies informed by an understanding of these specific neuropsychological obstacles to healthy development, and which target younger individuals with nascent symptoms of psychopathy are more promising. Here we review recent neurobehavioral and neuroimaging literature that informs our understanding of the brain systems compromised in psychopathy, and apply these data to a broader understanding of its developmental course, ultimately promoting more proactive intervention strategies profiting from adaptive neuroplasticity in youth.
Factorization of Polynomials

Algorithms for factoring polynomials in one or more variables over various coefficient domains are discussed. Special emphasis is given to finite fields, the integers, or algebraic extensions of the rationals, and to multivariate polynomials with integral coefficients. In particular, various squarefree decomposition algorithms and Hensel lifting techniques are analyzed. An attempt is made to establish a complete historic trace for today’s methods. The exponential worst case complexity nature of these algorithms receives attention.
Host Range of Certain Virulent and Temperate Bacteriophages attacking Group D Streptococci.

Brock, Thomas D. (Indiana University, Bloomington). Host range of certain virulent and temperate bacteriophages attacking group D streptococci. J. Bacteriol. 88:165–171. 1964.—Host range studies with five bacteriophages isolated from sewage showed that a high degree of strain specificity occurred among the species Streptococcus faecalis, S. faecalis var. zymogenes, and S. faecalis var. liquefaciens. Certain phages were able to attack various members of these subgroups but not other members. A high degree of strain specificity was also found with respect to eight phages attacking strains of S. faecium. Many strains of this latter group were resistant to all the phages available. The only firm conclusion was that no phage attacked both S. faecium and S. faecalis strains. In several selected strains of the S. faecalis-liquefaciens-zymogenes group, resistance to several virulent phages seemed to be related to the presence of certain prophages in these strains. A search for transduction with the temperate phages was unsuccessful. Mutants of S. faecium 8043 resistant to certain growth-factor analogues showed unpredictable changes in resistance and sensitivity to two virulent phages.
The Challenges of Cognitive Aging: Integrating Approaches from Neuroscience to Intergenerational Relationships

The individual and social challenges created by population aging and especially the growing number of people labeled with dementia demand new innovative and comprehensive approaches. A broader integrative biology needs to replace reductionist, overly simplistic biomedical solutions that dominate today's scientific discourse. For example Alzheimer's is a heterogeneous syndrome characterized more fully at a system rather than molecular level. Coordinated scientific and community responses are needed, including new attention to intergenerational relationships, innovative learning organizations, and empowering health practices. The Intergenerational School is a successful public charter school that provides learning opportunism for elementary school children and adults of various ages including those with dementia. InterWell is a planned primary care and public health practice to be associated with the school. Both represent innovations that address growing social challenges associated with changes in populat...
The Interface Theory of Perception

Perception is a product of evolution. Our perceptual systems, like our limbs and livers, have been shaped by natural selection. The effects of selection on perception can be studied using evolutionary games and genetic algorithms. To this end, we define and classify perceptual strategies and allow them to compete in evolutionary games in a variety of worlds with a variety of fitness functions. We find that veridical perceptions--strategies tuned to the true structure of the world--are routinely dominated by nonveridical strategies tuned to fitness. Veridical perceptions escape extinction only if fitness varies monotonically with truth. Thus, a perceptual strategy favored by selection is best thought of not as a window on truth but as akin to a windows interface of a PC. Just as the color and shape of an icon for a text file do not entail that the text file itself has a color or shape, so also our perceptions of space-time and objects do not entail (by the Invention of Space-Time Theorem) that objective reality has the structure of space-time and objects. An interface serves to guide useful actions, not to resemble truth. Indeed, an interface hides the truth; for someone editing a paper or photo, seeing transistors and firmware is an irrelevant hindrance. For the perceptions of H. sapiens, space-time is the desktop and physical objects are the icons. Our perceptions of space-time and objects have been shaped by natural selection to hide the truth and guide adaptive behaviors. Perception is an adaptive interface.
Surface acoustic wave design fundamentals

This paper will provide a fundamental approach to the design of SAW transducers and filters. Although SAW devices are often modeled with complex and large programs, the basic design principles can be analyzed with simple programs and commercially available analysis tools, such as Mathcad or Matlab. The beginning of the paper reviews the basis for the impulse response model. Design equations for fundamental window time functions as applied to apodized transducers will be presented. The development shows an analytical approach to the solution of apodized transducers. The solutions provide the SAW radiating beam profile as a function of frequency as well as the frequency dependent acoustic transducer parameters. The electrical network effects on the overall transducer response are presented which provides a complete first order analysis for fundamental SAW trandsucer design.
Multicenter evaluation of a new enzyme immunoassay for detection of Clostridium difficile enterotoxin A.

The Premier Clostridium difficile toxin A enzyme immunoassay (PTA EIA) (Meridian Diagnostics, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio) for rapid diagnosis of antibiotic-associated colitis (AAC) was evaluated in a multicenter study. Stool samples from 421 patients suspected of having AAC were tested for toxin A by the PTA EIA and for toxin B by three tissue culture assays (TCA) employing WI-38 cells (New England Deaconess Hospital) in conventional tubes or foreskin fibroblasts (Children9s Hospital) or Vero cells (Beth Israel Hospital) in microwells. The tubes and plates were examined at 24 and 48 h for cytotoxicity. Clinical criteria, repeat testing at another site, and culture of frozen stool samples for C. difficile were used to evaluate discrepant results. Of 504 samples, 66 were positive and 409 were negative by both tests. Eight samples had indeterminate PTA EIA results and were excluded from this analysis. Of 21 discrepancies, 9 were PTA EIA positive and TCA negative and 12 were PTA EIA negative TCA positive. Following resolution of the discrepancies, 11 of 12 PTA EIA-negative-TCA-positive and 5 of 9 PTA EIA-positive-TCA-negative samples were considered true positive for AAC. The sensitivity and specificity were, respectively, 86.6 and 99.0% for the PTA EIA and 93.9 and 99.8% for TCA. The predictive values of positive and negative tests were, respectively, 94.7 and 97.4% for the PTA EIA and 98.7 and 98.8% for TCA. We conclude that the PTA EIA is a rapid, simple EIA technique whose accuracy in detecting enterotoxin A approaches that of reference TCA methods for detection of cytotoxin B.
The Crossroads of Power: Michel Foucault and the US/Mexico Border Wall

This paper draws on the work of Michel Foucault in order to analyze the constellation of political strategies and power at the US/Mexico border wall. These strategies, however, are incredibly diverse and often directly antagonistic of one another. Thus, this paper argues that in order to make sense of the seemingly multiple and contradictory political strategies deployed in the operation of the US/Mexico border wall, we have to understand the coexistence and intertwinement of at least three distinct types of power at work there: the sovereign exclusion of illegal life, the disciplinary detention of surveilled life, and the biopolitical circulation of migratory life. By doing so this paper offers an original contribution to two major areas of study: in Foucault studies this paper expands the existing literature on Foucault by analyzing the crossroads of power particular to the US/Mexico border wall, which has not yet been done, and in border studies this Foucauldian approach offers a unique political analysis that goes beyond the critique of sovereignty and toward an analysis of coexisting strategies of power.
Mechanisms of prescription drug diversion among drug-involved club- and street-based populations.

University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA ABSTRACT Objective. Prescription drug diversion involves the unlawful channeling of regulated pharmaceuti- cals from legal sources to the illicit marketplace, and can occur along all points in the drug delivery process, from the original manufacturing site to the wholesale distributor, the physician's office, the retail pharmacy, or the patient. However, empirical data on diversion are limited. Method. In an attempt to develop a better understanding of how specific drug-using populations are diverting prescription opioids and other medications, or obtaining controlled drugs that have already been diverted, qualitative interviews and focus group data were collected on four separate populations of prescription drug abusers in Miami, Florida—club drug users, street-based illicit drug users, methadone maintenance patients, and HIV positive individuals who abuse and/or divert drugs. Results. Sources of abused prescription drugs cited by focus group participants were extremely diverse, including their physicians and pharmacists; parents and relatives; "doctor shopping"; leftover supplies following an illness or injury; personal visits to Mexico, South America and the Caribbean; prescriptions intended for the treatment of mental illness; direct sales on the street and in nightclubs; pharmacy and hospital theft; through friends or acquaintances; under-the-door apartment flyers advertising telephone numbers to call; and "stealing from grandma's medicine cabinet." Conclusion. While doctor shoppers, physicians and the Internet receive much of the attention regarding diversion, the data reported in this paper suggest that there are numerous active street markets involving patients, Medicaid recipients and pharmacies as well. In addition, there are other data which suggest that the contributions of residential burglaries, pharmacy robberies and thefts, and "sneak thefts" to the diversion problem may be understated.
Accelerated Frank–Wolfe Algorithms

This paper presents a class of iterative procedures, called accelerated Frank–Wolfe algorithms, It shows that a subclass, namely the nontrivial proper algorithms, is of special interest. An algorithm parametrized by an integer q is exhibited and it is then seen that for every $q > 0$, the algorithm is a nontrivial proper accelerated Frank–Wolfe algorithm.
The association of Amyloid P-Component (AP) With The Amyloid Fibril: An updated Method for Amyloid Fibril Protein Isolation

An amyloid fibril isolation procedure is proposed which uses citrate as well as saline washes to dissociate the calcium dependent linkage of amyloid P-component (AP) from the amyloid fibril. In two amyloid rich tissues, the amount of AP was quantitated in each saline and citrate wash and totalled 13.8% and 20.8% of the amyloid fibrils isolated. The amount of AP removed from these and 22 additional amyloid rich tissues was greater than had previously been recognized. AP protein was present in tissue only when amyloid fibrils were present. It could not be found in normal non-amyloidotic tissue, nor could it be found in tissue sediment after the fibrils were removed.