cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Initiation of Finite Amplitude Waves in Annealed Metals

Plastic wave initiation in the immediate vicinity of impacting surfaces for high purity large-grained multicrystals of fully annealed aluminum is shown to be consistent with first diameter behavior which has been obtained in fully annealed commercial purity aluminum, copper, and pure lead. These new data introduce considerable simplicity into the description of the process of plastic wave initiation since for the high purity polycrystal, the quasi-static stress-strain curve of the material and the parabolic law governing the finite amplitude wave propagation are identical. Thus for high purity aluminum, not only does the strain-rate-independent finite amplitude wave theory apply, but the governing stress-strain curve is the quasi-static stress-strain curve of the material.
Power Series Solutions of ODEs

Automatic differentiation with the use of computer allows one to evaluate the Taylor series of expansion of a function acurately and easily. After showing automatic differentiation of a class of functions, the power series of solutions of ordinary differential equation (ODE) and the system of ODE are explained.
Bursal Stem Cells as Targets for myc -Induced Preneoplastic Proliferation and Maturation Arrest

Induction of lymphomas in the bursa of Fabricius of chickens by replication competent, non-transforming avian retroviruses (Avian Leukosis Virus, ALV) is both an economically significant, naturally occurring disease and an experimental model system which has provided seminal insights into the role of the myc oncogene in B-cell neoplasia. Infection of the bursa of susceptible birds results in the development of lymphomas in a series of specific stages beginning with a preneoplastic proliferation of pyroninophilic B-lymphoblasts within individual bursal follicles, a lesion termed a transformed follicle (Cooper et al. 1968, Neiman et al. 1980a). Transformed follicles appear to be precursors of discrete bursal nodules and, later, metastasizing lymphomas (Neiman et al. 1980a, 1980b, Baba and Humphries 1985). These advanced lesions are clonal neoplasms (Neiman et al. 1980b) in which the expression of the c-myc proto-oncogene has been deregulated as a result of the nearby integration of an ALV provirus (Hayward et al. 1981).
Assessing nonsedated handheld cone flicker electroretingram as a screening test in pediatric patients: comparison to sedated conventional cone flicker electroretinogram.

Purpose To assess the RETeval (LKC Technologies, Gaithersburg, MD) handheld electroretingram (ERG) device as a screening tool for cone dysfunction in pediatric patients by comparing it to conventional ERG. Methods Patients scheduled for ERG under general anesthesia (GA) underwent three tests: (1) RETeval standard 30 Hz cone flicker ERG using skin electrodes prior to GA, (2) E3 Diagnosys (Diagnosys LLC, Lowell, MA) conventional complete standard protocol full-field ERG using bipolar contact lens electrodes and handheld stimulus under GA, and (3) repeat RETeval testing under GA. The 30 Hz cone flicker amplitudes and implicit times from the three methods were compared. Negative and positive predictive values were calculated by applying a previously established 5 μV amplitude cut-off. Results Thirty patients ≤18 years of age were enrolled. Impaired conventional ERGs were found in 18 patients. Compared to conventional ERG under GA, RETeval cone flicker amplitudes were smaller before GA (mean difference, −42.2 ± 45.3 μV) and under GA (−37.1 ± 44.5 μV), likely due to skin electrode; and implicit times were shorter before GA (−1.06 ± 2.83 ms) and longer under GA (1.28 ± 4.12 ms), likely due to GA. Comparing RETeval responses before and under GA, the amplitudes were lower (−3.05 ± 6.82 μV), and implicit times were shorter (−2.25 ± 3.28 μV) before GA. Overall, the positive predictive value of the RETeval was 85%; the negative predictive value, 90%. Conclusions The unsedated handheld RETeval 30 Hz cone flicker ERG is a feasible screening test for detecting cone dysfunction in pediatric patients. Full-protocol ERG is needed when screening ERG is reduced, equivocal, or clinically warranted.
Center-Embedded Sentences: An Online Problem or Deeper?

For gathering data on syntax-prosody relations, it has been unclear how to proceed experimentally. This is especially so for complex syntactic structures, such as the doubly center-embedded relative clause construction, which is syntactically well-formed but notoriously difficult to parse. These complex sentences can be especially revealing theoretically but cannot easily be elicited from speakers by presentation of picture choices or written preambles. While acknowledging that it may not be ideal, many studies of these and other complex constructions have resorted to a simple methodology in which written target sentences are read aloud. A basic methodological decision is then whether or not to permit (or encourage) the reader to preview the text before voicing it aloud. The results of reading with preview and of reading ‘cold’ without preview can both be informative, but in different ways. Reading without preview taps on-line performance, which can reveal possible syntactic/semantic expectations, and may shed light on the implicit prosody of silent reading. Reading with preview should provide a better window on prosodic competence: the reader’s inherent knowledge of the prosody/syntax alignment principles of the grammar. However, we maintain that previewing by reading aloud, as in the Double Reading design that we report on here, can be more informative of prosodic competence than the typical silent reading preview.
Prospective validation of a deep learning electrocardiogram algorithm for the detection of left ventricular systolic dysfunction

Objectives We sought to validate a deep learning algorithm designed to predict an ejection fraction (EF) less than or equal to 35% based on the 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) in a large prospective cohort. Background Patients undergoing routine ECG may have undetected left ventricular (LV) dysfunction that warrants further echocardiographic assessment. However, identification of these patients can be challenging. Methods We applied the algorithm to all ECGs interpreted by the Mayo Clinic ECG laboratory in September 2018. The performance of the algorithm was tested among patients with recent echocardiographic assessments of LV function. We also applied the algorithm in patients with no recent echocardiographic assessments of LV function to determine the rate of new "positive screens." Results Among 16 056 adult patients who underwent routine ECG, 8600 (age 67.1 ± 15.2 years, 45.6% male), had a transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) and 3874 patients had a TTE and ECG less than 1 month apart. Among these patients, the algorithm was able to detect an EF less than or equal to 35% with 86.8% specificity, 82.5% sensitivity, and 86.5% accuracy, (area under the curve, 0.918). Among 474 "false-positives screens," 189 (39.8%) had an EF of 36% to 50%. Among patients with no prior TTE, the algorithm identified 3.5% of the patients with suspected EF less than or equal to 35%. Exploratory analysis suggests false positives could be reduced by assessing NT-pro-BNP after the initial "positive screen." Conclusions A deep learning algorithm detected depressed LV function with good accuracy in routine practice. Further studies are needed to validate the algorithm in patients with no prior echocardiogram and to assess the impact on echocardiography utilization, cost, and clinical outcomes.
Retroscope: Retrospective Monitoring of Distributed Systems

Retroscope is a comprehensive lightweight distributed monitoring tool that enables users to query and reconstruct past consistent global states of the system. Retroscope achieves this by augmenting the system with Hybrid Logical Clocks (HLC) and by streaming HLC-stamped event logs for storage and processing; these HLC timestamps are then used for constructing global (or nonlocal) snapshots upon request. Retroscope provides a rich querying language (RQL) to facilitate searching for global predicates across past consistent states. The search is performed by advancing through global states in small incremental steps, greatly reducing the amount of computation needed to construct consistent states. The Retroscope search algorithm is embarrassingly-parallel and can employ many worker processes (each processing up to 150,000 consistent snapshots per second) to handle a single query. We evaluate Retroscope's monitoring capabilities in two case studies: Chord and Apache ZooKeeper.
The effects of past SARS experience and proximity on declines in numbers of travelers to the Republic of Korea during the 2015 MERS outbreak: A retrospective study.

Abstract Background The experience of previous sizable outbreaks may affect travelers’ decisions to travel to an area with an ongoing outbreak. Methods We estimated changes in monthly numbers of visitors to the Republic of Korea (ROK) in 2015 compared to projected values by selected areas. We tested whether areas’ experience of a previous SARS outbreak of ≥100 cases or distance to the ROK had a significant effect on travel to the ROK during the MERS outbreak using t-tests and regression models. Results The percentage changes in visitors from areas with a previous SARS outbreak of ≥100 cases decreased more than the percentage changes in visitors from their counterparts in June (52.4% vs. 23.3%) and July (60.0% vs. 31.4%) during the 2015 MERS outbreak. The percentage changes in visitors from the close and intermediate categories decreased more than the far category. The results from regression models and sensitivity analyses demonstrated that areas with ≥100 SARS cases and closer proximity to the ROK had significantly larger percentage decreases in traveler volumes during the outbreak. Conclusions During the 2015 MERS outbreak, areas with a previous sizable SARS outbreak and areas near the ROK showed greater decreases in percentage changes in visitors to the ROK.
Chemistry of Cationic Dicyclopentadienyl Group 4 Metal-Alky I Complexes

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the chemistry of cationic dicyclopentadienyl group 4 metal–alkyl complexes. Neutral, d 0 group 4 metal alkyl complexes of general form Cp 2 M(R) 2 (R = H, hydrocarbyl) or Cp 2 M(R)(X) (X = anionic, two–electron donor) comprise the most extensively studied class of group 4 organometallics (I). For many years, it has been suspected that cationic d 0 metal–alkyl species Cp 2 M(R) + are involved in metallocene-based Ziegler–Natta olefin polymerization catalyst systems of the general type Cp 2 MX 2 /AIR n X 3 – n . Several key advances in the early 1980s generated renewed interest in the proposal that Cp 2 M(R) + ions are active species in the soluble catalyst systems. A simple but key point in the development of this chemistry was the realization that noncoordinating, nonreactive counterions, such as BPh 4 – are required for the isolation of stable salts. In 1976, Kaminsky reported the isolation of [(C 5 H 5 ) 2 Zr(CH 2 C(H)– (AIEt 2 ) 2 )][C 5 H 5 ] from the reaction of (C 5 H 5 ) 4 Zr and AIEt 3 . Cationic Cp 2 M(R)(L) + complexes exhibit a variety of interesting structural features, which result from the high Lewis acidity of the cationic d 0 metal centers. The tetrahydrofuran (THF) ligands in these complexes are labile and generally undergo rapid (nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) time scale) exchange with free THF by dissociative or associative mechanisms at ambient temperature. Cationic, d 0 Cp 2 M(R)(L) + and base-free Cp 2 M(R) + complexes are easily prepared from readily available Cp 2 M(R) 2 compounds. There is strong evidence that Cp 2 M(R) + ions are the active species in Cp 2 MX 2 -based Ziegler–Natta olefin polymerization catalysts.
The Implications of Understanding That PISA Is Simply Another Standardized Achievement Test

It occurred to me one day that despite all the excitement, and both the satisfaction and handwringing engaged in by some nations after scores are released, that the Program for International Student Assessment, PISA, is merely another Standardized Achievement Test. Almost all Standardized Achievement Tests (SATs) try to adhere to certain principles of design, have similar correlates, and have similar limits on the interpretations of the results obtained. Neither the popular press nor most politicians ordinarily understand these realities and their implications. Opinion makers are unaware that many of the Standardized Achievement Tests we commonly use do not have the powers attributed to them. It is not far from the truth to call the scores derived from some of these assessments “talismanic” (Haney et al. 1987). That is, for many people, test scores have special powers, particularly of prophesy, a bit like the Kabbalah of the middle ages. Scores from SATs are a part of the metrification associated with the modern world, no doubt aided by a global market place in which business leaders and technologists, instead of humanists and educators, have garnered political power. Contributing to this trend toward metrification has been the ascendance of economics as an influential discipline throughout the world (Lingard et al. 2015). But in my opinion, economists, journalists, and politicians too often seek in metrics powers that are more illusionary than they are real.
Adolescent Posterior-Superior Glenoid Labral Pathology: Does Involvement of the Biceps Anchor Make a Difference?:

Background:Adolescent athletes are at risk of sustaining an injury to the posterior and superior labrum of the glenoid. Limited information is available regarding the outcomes of surgical intervent...
Relationships between vocal pitch perception and production: a developmental perspective

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between vocal pitch discrimination abilities and vocal responses to auditory pitch-shifts. Twenty children (6.6–11.7 years) and twenty adults (18–28 years) completed a listening task to determine auditory discrimination abilities to vocal fundamental frequency (fo) as well as two vocalization tasks in which their perceived fo was modulated in real-time. These pitch-shifts were either unexpected, providing information on auditory feedback control, or sustained, providing information on sensorimotor adaptation. Children were subdivided into two groups based on their auditory pitch discrimination abilities; children within two standard deviations of the adult group were classified as having adult-like discrimination abilities (N = 11), whereas children outside of this range were classified as having less sensitive discrimination abilities than adults (N = 9). Children with less sensitive auditory pitch discrimination abilities had significantly larger vocal response magnitudes to unexpected pitch-shifts and significantly smaller vocal response magnitudes to sustained pitch-shifts. Children with less sensitive auditory pitch discrimination abilities may rely more on auditory feedback and thus may be less adept at updating their stored motor programs.
Effect of reservoir elevation on energy consumption in water distribution systems

As precipitation and drought patterns alter in the future, it is unclear what the reservoir water elevations will be in various water sources. A modeling study performed in the present study, consi...
ARDS and Cytokine Storm in SARS-CoV-2 Infected Caribbean Vervets

Abstract SARS-CoV-2 induces a wide range of disease severity ranging from asymptomatic infection, to a life-threating illness, particularly in the elderly and persons with comorbid conditions. Up to now, SARS-CoV-2 has infected more than five million and led to more than 300,000 deaths worldwide. Among those persons with serious COVID-19 disease, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a common and often fatal presentation. SARS-CoV-2-induced ARDS is difficult to treat clinically, and new therapeutic strategies are needed. In order to evaluate such therapeutic strategies, animal models of SARS-CoV-2 infection that manifest severe disease are needed. Here we report fatal ARDS in two African green monkeys (AGMs) infected with SARS-CoV-2 that demonstrated pathological lesions and disease similar to severe COVID-19 in humans. Moreover, we report the observation of cytokine release (cytokine storm) in three of four infected AGMs. All four animals showed increased levels of IL-6 in plasma, a predictive marker and presumptive therapeutic target in humans infected with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our results suggest the AGM is a useful model to study disease pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2, and for the evaluation of therapeutic interventions designed to combat serious pulmonary disease associated with this infection.
Risk Factors for Peri-implantitis

This manuscript reviews the literature concerning risk factors associated with the development and/or progression peri-implantitis, focusing on studies published within the last 3 years (2017–2020). For the purpose of this review, all factors that can potentially contribute to the development of peri-implantitis will be considered “risk factors.” Recent studies have focused on evaluating various risk factors associated with the development of peri-implantitis. Research shows that peri-implantitis lesions are associated with complex microbial biofilms consisting of not only periodontal pathogens, but also certain unique bacteria and other microorganisms such as viruses, yeasts, and parasites. Recent evidence reinforces the role of previously well-established risk factors in the pathogenesis of peri-implantitis such as smoking, diabetes, lack of oral hygiene and maintenance, history of periodontitis, and poor peri-implant soft tissue quality. Bone quality, obesity, metabolic syndrome, implant surface characteristics, and placement depth have also been reported to be predisposing factors for the development of peri-implantitis. Few studies suggest that factors like certain medications, age, gender, vitamin D, and autoimmune diseases also play a role, but are currently not well-understood. The role of genetics is still unclear, but studies show that certain polymorphisms may be associated with peri-implantitis. Prosthetic risk factors such as improper restorative design, occlusal overload, microgap, and residual cement are significant as well. A recently emerging risk factor for peri-implantitis is the presence of peri-implant tissue-bound titanium particles. Several risk factors have been associated with peri-implantitis in the literature published over the past 3 years. While some risk factors such as smoking, diabetes, history of periodontitis, and some restorative factors are well-recognized, there is still a need for well-designed randomized controlled trials and longitudinal studies in order to establish the association of some other more recently emerging risk factors for peri-implantitis.
Recent Developments in Third-Party Funding

This article addresses recent developments in third-party funding that occurred during late 2012 and early 2013 in the three leading jurisdictions: Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. The most important developments are the following. On 22 April 2013, the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) issued regulatory guidelines clarifying the status of funders with respect to ASIC’s regulations and detailing how funders should manage conflicts of interest and handle certain provisions of their funding arrangements. In the United Kingdom, the Jackson Reforms took effect on 1 April 2013, bringing sweeping changes to the allowable fee agreements, discovery rules and cost allocations in that jurisdiction. In the United States, at least twenty pieces of legislation have been filed in various state legislatures since the beginning of 2013 aimed at regulating the third-party funding industry in a variety of different ways. Thus, in these three leading third-party funding jurisdictions, it appears that the legislatures – rather than the courts – are seeking to lead the way in shaping the future of the third-party funding industry.
Midterm outcome comparison between patients with bicuspid or tricuspid aortic stenosis undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement

Objective: To compare the prognosis of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in patients with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) or tricuspid aortic valve (TAV) stenosis. Methods: This was a retrospective study. Patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis, who underwent TAVR with follow-up time more than one year in Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital from April 2016 to August 2018, were included. According to aortic CT angiography, the patients were divided into BAV group and TAV group. The primary endpoint was the composite event of all-cause death and stroke, and the secondary endpoints were TAVR-related complications. Incidence of clinical endpoints and parameters derived from echocardiography were compared between the groups, and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to compare the composite event between the two groups. Results: A total of 49 patients were included. The age was (73.6±6.3) years, and 25(51.0%) were male. There were 32 patients in BAV group and 17 in TAV group, the follow-up time was 466 (390, 664) days. The incidence of composite endpoint of death and stroke at one year were comparable in BAV and TAV groups (6.3% (2/32) vs. 5.9% (1/17), P=1.00). Kaplan-Meier curves also showed a similar risk of the composite endpoint(HR=1.03，95%CI 0.09-11.24，Log-rank P=0.98) between two groups. The incidence of all-cause death, stroke, myocardial infarction, severe bleeding, major vascular complications, new-onset atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter, and permanent pacemaker implantation were all similar between the two groups(all P>0.05), and there was no acute kidney injury (stage 2 or 3) in both groups. Echocardiographic parameters at one year were similar between the two groups (all P>0.05). Conclusions: The midterm prognosis of TAVR in patients with BAV and TAV stenosis is similar. Clinical trials of large sample size with long-term follow-up are warranted to verify our findings.
UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase 2, a regulator of glycosylation and glycogen, is essential for pancreatic cancer growth

Abstract Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDACs) have enhanced nutrient uptake requirements and rapid metabolic processing. The enzyme UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase 2 (UGP2) rests at the convergence of multiple metabolic pathways, however the role of UGP2 in tumor maintenance and cancer metabolism remains unclear. Here, we identify an essential role for UGP2 in the maintenance of PDAC growth in both in vitro and in vivo tumor models. Transcription of UGP2 is directly regulated by the YAP/TEAD complex. Loss of UGP2 leads to decreased intracellular glycogen and defects in N-glycosylation targets important for cell growth including epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). In murine xenograft models, knockdown of UGP2 halted tumor growth and repressed expression of EGFR. The critical roles of UGP2 in cancer maintenance, metabolism, and protein glycosylation may offer new avenues of therapy for otherwise intractable PDACs. Impact Statement Convergent findings reveal that UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase 2 has a central role in growth and metabolism of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas, highlighting novel therapeutic possibilities for this deadly cancer.
Ionic Liquid Aggregation Mechanism for Nanoparticle Synthesis

Nanoparticle synthesis with silylamine reversible ionic liquids (RevILs) has been previously demonstrated to offer unique alternatives to traditional nanoparticle syntheses, allowing for size control and facile deposition onto support surfaces via the switchable nature of the IL. However, the mechanism of nanoparticle synthesis remains uncharacterized. The use of RevILs facilitates the synthesis of size-controlled nanoparticles without the use of additional stabilizing agents (i.e., surfactants, ligands, and polymers) that passivate the nanoparticle surface, which are traditionally required to control the nanoparticle size. Traditional techniques often require harsh activation steps that ultimately impact nanoparticle size and morphology. While RevIL syntheses offer an excellent alternative, as they do not require additional activation steps, the mechanism through which nanoparticles are synthesized in these systems has not been studied previously. Preceding work hypothesized nanoparticles prepared with RevILs are formed via a reverse micelle mechanism, in which nanoparticles are stabilized and templated within the aqueous core of the organized micelle structures. In this work, DOSY-NMR is used to demonstrate that nanoparticles synthesized with 3-aminopropyltriethylsilane RevIL are not formed through a reverse micelle mechanism but rather a switchable aggregation mechanism that affords control over the nanoparticle size via manipulation of the RevIL structure and concentration. Furthermore, it is shown that the addition of water to RevIL systems has detrimental effects on the aggregation behavior of the ionic liquid molecules in solution, causing disassembly of the ion pairs. However, because nanoparticle reduction likely occurs faster than the disassembly of the ion pairs, nanoparticle size is unaffected by the addition of water during nanoparticle reduction.
Individuals with mental illness who have multiple encounters with law enforcement

This exploratory study examined the impact of the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) model on criminal/legal encounters and mental health treatment engagement for individuals who have repeated encounte...
Assessing bias in diameter at breast height estimated from tree rings and its effects on basal area increment and biomass

Abstract Above-ground forest productivity can be reliably estimated from tree-ring width measurements. In doing so, annual growth is linked to the tree’s basal area increment (BAI), which is the change in cross-sectional area associated with each annual ring. When BAI is estimated from ring-width series, a value for the diameter of the tree is required. This diameter is ideally measured in the field, but can also be estimated as the sum of the annual ring widths. Tree biomass can also be estimated directly from the diameter estimates derived from tree-rings. Summing the ring widths, however, typically underestimates the tree’s true diameter. To evaluate this potential bias in diameter, we compared field-measured diameter and diameter estimated from the sum of the ring widths using tree-ring chronologies for seven common species in the eastern United States. We then evaluated the impacts of using the biased diameter estimates on derived BAI and biomass values. To simulate field-sampling error (i.e., failure to reach the pith when obtaining a core sample), we re-calculated BAI and biomass after removing a portion of the innermost rings from each tree. Comparisons of these various methods quantify the substantial and consistent underestimations in forest productivity estimates. To reduce the bias in diameter when using ring widths, we developed a regression model to adjust the diameter using core samples. This model is predicated on having some field-measured diameter values available at a site to calibrate and validate the model, but it can then be used to produce estimates at similar sites with similar species where no field-measured diameter values are available. Values of BAI and biomass derived from model-estimated diameter were more accurate at representing absolute growth than values produced by using the sum of the ring widths. Assessing the interannual variations in tree-growth is dependent on having metrics that accurately reflect the area and mass of wood produced. Our results suggest that published estimates of BAI and biomass using the sum of the ring widths to estimate diameter have substantially underestimated these productivity metrics. Our new procedure allows for more reliable estimates of productivity metrics that use diameter-at-breast height derived from tree rings.
Indicators of readiness and capacity for implementation of healthy food retail interventions

Healthy food retail (HFR) interventions are a recommended strategy to improve the dietary behaviors of low-income residents with limited access to healthy food; however, tools are needed to assess, tailor, and implement HFR plans to local contexts. The present study identifies factors influ­encing HFR implementation and presents findings related to identifying, operationalizing, and priori­tizing facilitators of and barriers to implementing HFR interventions within low-resource rural and urban contexts. Practitioners and community resi­dents, recruited from nine counties in Ohio, par­ticipated in semistructured interviews and focus groups. Grounded theory methodology was used to develop themes and indicators of readiness and capacity for successful HFR implementation. Con­sensus conference feedback from an expert panel prioritized themes and indicators based on their perceived relevance and importance for successful­ly implementing HFR interventions. Five themes were identified as influential factors: (1) corner store awareness and perception, (2) organizational and practitioner capacity, (3) community attitudes and perceptions, (4) logistical factors, and (5) net­works and relationships. Additionally, 18 indicators within the five themes were identified to further illustrate influential factors to HFR implementa­tion. The themes and indicators presented in this research have been synthesized into the PSE READI tool[1] (developed outside of this research). The PSE READI tool uniquely provides an oppor­tunity to assess, tailor, and implement HFR plans to the local contexts by considering the key themes and influential factors that emerged from this community-level, qualitative research. [1] The PSE READI website is https://PSEREADI.org
Droplet-Based Single-Cell Measurements of 16S rRNA Enable Integrated Bacteria Identification and Pheno-Molecular Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing from Clinical Samples in 30 min.

Empiric broad-spectrum antimicrobial treatments of urinary tract infections (UTIs) have contributed to widespread antimicrobial resistance. Clinical adoption of evidence-based treatments necessitates rapid diagnostic methods for pathogen identification (ID) and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) with minimal sample preparation. In response, a microfluidic droplet-based platform is developed for achieving both ID and AST from urine samples within 30 min. In this platform, fluorogenic hybridization probes are utilized to detect 16S rRNA from single bacterial cells encapsulated in picoliter droplets, enabling molecular identification of uropathogenic bacteria directly from urine in as little as 16 min. Moreover, in-droplet single-bacterial measurements of 16S rRNA provide a surrogate for AST, shortening the exposure time to 10 min for gentamicin and ciprofloxacin. A fully integrated device and screening workflow were developed to test urine specimens for one of seven unique diagnostic outcomes including the presence/absence of Gram-negative bacteria, molecular ID of the bacteriaas Escherichia coli, an Enterobacterales, or other organism, and assessment of bacterial susceptibility to ciprofloxacin. In a 50-specimen clinical comparison study, the platform demonstrates excellent performance compared to clinical standard methods (areas-under-curves, AUCs >0.95), within a small fraction of the turnaround time, highlighting its clinical utility.
Seasonal Patterns of Denitrification and N2O Production in a Southern New England Salt Marsh

Denitrification removes reactive nitrogen (N) from ecosystems by transforming nitrate (NO3−) to dinitrogen (N2) gas. Incomplete denitrification produces nitrous oxide (N2O), a potent greenhouse gas. In salt marshes, denitrification, N2O production, and N2O yield (the fraction of denitrification that produces N2O) have implications for N load reduction and greenhouse gas emissions. We collected soil cores from three salt marsh zones (low marsh, high marsh, and invasive Phragmites australis) on five sampling dates that spanned the growing season (May through October) to quantify seasonal patterns of potential denitrification, N2O production, and N2O yield. Potential denitrification peaked at the beginning and end of the growing season, with rates several times higher in May and October than in June, but we found no significant differences among salt marsh zones. In contrast, seasonal patterns of potential N2O production depended on marsh zone; N2O production was aseasonal in high marsh and P. australis zones, but in the low marsh, N2O production was lower in July compared to all other months sampled. In this salt marsh, seasonal variation of potential denitrification and N2O production was greater than spatial variation over the marsh zones, highlighting the importance of understanding temporal patterns of salt marsh N cycling.
A simulated patient experience in the self-care aisle utilizing Flipgrid as a platform for sharing nonprescription product information

Abstract Background and purpose Students visiting local pharmacies can enhance their learning about nonprescription products while improving their understanding of the patient self-care experience. This study was designed to examine student perceptions of an activity utilizing Flipgrid to share a simulated patient experience in the nonprescription aisle. Educational activity and setting Student groups traveled to local pharmacies to review available products pertaining to a self-care scenario. Students submitted brief video recordings with product recommendations and counseling points via the Flipgrid platform. Following the activity, students submitted brief reflections. At course conclusion, students completed a questionnaire regarding perceptions of Flipgrid. Findings Sixty-eight students completed the activity. Response rates were 91.2% for the project reflection and 79.4% for the Flipgrid questionnaire. In the reflections (n = 62), the majority of students (87.1%) found it easy or extremely easy to locate pertinent nonprescription products; no student found it extremely difficult. All except four students indicated the assignment helped develop empathy, and all except two indicated a greater likelihood to help a patient in the aisle. In the Flipgrid questionnaire (n = 54), most students found the platform enjoyable (74.1%) and easy to use (79.6%). Summary Students perceived that the project increased empathy for assisting patients with selection of nonprescription products. Students found the Flipgrid platform enjoyable and easy to use. This activity can be utilized to simulate a patient self-care experience, and the Flipgrid platform is a novel way to share information between student groups in pharmacy education.
Downstream funding success of early career researchers for resubmitted versus new applications: A matched cohort.

Background Early career researchers face a hypercompetitive funding environment. To help identify effective intervention strategies for early career researchers, we examined whether first-time NIH R01 applicants who resubmitted their original, unfunded R01 application were more successful at obtaining any R01 funding within 3 and 5 years than original, unfunded applicants who submitted new NIH applications, and we examined whether underrepresented minority (URM) applicants differentially benefited from resubmission. Our observational study is consistent with an NIH working group's recommendations to develop interventions to encourage resubmission. Methods and findings First-time applicants with US medical school academic faculty appointments who submitted an unfunded R01 application between 2000-2014 yielded 4,789 discussed and 7,019 not discussed applications. We then created comparable groups of first-time R01 applicants (resubmitted original R01 application or submitted new NIH applications) using optimal full matching that included applicant and application characteristics. Primary and subgroup analyses used generalized mixed models with obtaining any NIH R01 funding within 3 and 5 years as the two outcomes. A gamma sensitivity analysis was performed. URM applicants represented 11% and 12% of discussed and not discussed applications, respectively. First-time R01 applicants resubmitting their original, unfunded R01 application were more successful obtaining R01 funding within 3 and 5 years than applicants submitting new applications-for both discussed and not discussed applications: discussed within 3 years (OR 4.17 [95 CI 3.53, 4.93]) and 5 years (3.33 [2.82-3.92]); and not discussed within 3 years (2.81 [2.52, 3.13]) and 5 years (2.47 [2.22-2.74]). URM applicants additionally benefited within 5 years for not discussed applications. Conclusions Encouraging early career researchers applying as faculty at a school of medicine to resubmit R01 applications is a promising potential modifiable factor and intervention strategy. First-time R01 applicants who resubmitted their original, unfunded R01 application had log-odds of obtaining downstream R01 funding within 3 and 5 years 2-4 times higher than applicants who did not resubmit their original application and submitted new NIH applications instead. Findings held for both discussed and not discussed applications.
Angiotensin II-induced hypertensive renal inflammation is mediated through HMGB1-TLR4 signaling in rat tubulo-epithelial cells.

Abstract Background and purpose Angiotensin II is a vaso-constrictive peptide that regulates blood pressure homeostasis. Even though the inflammatory effects of AngII in renal pathophysiology have been studied, there still exists a paucity of data with regard to the mechanism of action of AngII-mediated kidney injury. The objective of this study was to elucidate the mechanistic role of HMGB1-TLR4 signaling in AngII-induced inflammation in the kidney. Experimental approach Rat tubular epithelial cells (NRK52E) were treated with AngII over a preset time-course. In another set of experiments, HMGB1 was neutralized and TLR4 was knocked down using small interfering RNA targeting TLR4. Cell extracts were subjected to RT-PCR, immunoblotting, flow cytometry, and ELISA. Key results AngII-induced inflammation in NRK52E cells increased gene and protein expression of TLR4, HMGB1 and key proinflammatory cytokines (TNFα and IL1β). Pretreatment with Losartan (an AT1 receptor blocker) attenuated the AngII-induced expression of TLR4 and inflammatory cytokines. TLR4 silencing was used to elucidate the specific role played by TLR4 in AngII-induced inflammation. TLR4siRNA treatment in these cells significantly decreased the AngII-induced inflammatory effect. Consistent observations were made when the Ang II treated cells were pretreated with anti-HMGB1. Downstream activation of NFκB and rate of generation of ROS was also decreased on gene silencing of TLR4 and exposure to anti-HMGB1. Conclusions and implications These results indicate a key role for HMGB1-TLR4 signaling in AngII-mediated inflammation in the renal epithelial cells. Our data also reveal that AngII-induced effects could be alleviated by HMGB1-TLR4 inhibition, suggesting this pathway as a potential therapeutic target for hypertensive renal dysfunctions.
A review of Genes that Act Downstream of the DAF-16 FOXO Transcription Factor to Influence the Life Span of C. Elegans

In the work we have described here (Murphy et al. 2003), an unbiased micro-array analysis was used to identify transcriptional targets of the DAF-2/DAF-16 pathway, and the identified genes were tested for their individual contributions to longevity. Because we applied an unbiased method of gene expression profiling of a combination of multiple mutant alleles as well as a time course of RNAi treatment, resulting in data from over 70 arrays, we were able to significantly reduce the number of false positives. We found not only the very few previously identified DAF-16 targets but also many novel targets, and the previously described DBE and a new motif were overrepresented in the promoters of the genes. The diversity of the core set of downstream targets suggests that the coordination of expression through DAF-16 is critical in the regulation of longevity.
Interprocedural Constant Propagation using Dependence Graphs and a Data-Flow Model

Aggressive compilers employ a larger number of well understood optimizations in the hope of improving compiled code quality. Unfortunately, these optimizations require a variety of intermediate program representations. A first step towards unifying these optimizations to a common intermediate representation is described. The representation chosen is the program dependence graph, which captures both control-flow and data-flow information from a program.
Impact of flow routing on catchment area calculations, slope estimates, and numerical simulations of landscape development

[1] Flow routing across real or modeled topography determines the modeled discharge and wetness index and thus plays a central role in predicting surface lowering rate, runoff generation, likelihood of slope failure, and transition from hillslope to channel forming processes. In this contribution, we compare commonly used flow-routing rules as well as a new routing rule, to commonly used benchmarks. We also compare results for different routing rules using Airborne Laser Swath Mapping (ALSM) topography to explore the impact of different flow-routing schemes on inferring the generation of saturation overland flow and the transition between hillslope to channel forming processes, as well as on location of saturation overland flow. Finally, we examined the impact of flow-routing and slope-calculation rules on modeled topography produced by Geomorphic Transport Law (GTL)-based simulations. We found that different rules produce substantive differences in the structure of the modeled topography and flow patterns over ALSM data. Our results highlight the impact of flow-routing and slope-calculation rules on modeled topography, as well as on calculated geomorphic metrics across real landscapes. As such, studies that use a variety of routing rules to analyze and simulate topography are necessary to determine those aspects that most strongly depend on a chosen routing rule.
CR-MODELS: an inference engine for CR-Prolog

CR-Prolog is an extension of the knowledge representation language A-Prolog. The extension is built around the introduction of consistency-restoring rules (cr-rules for short), and allows an elegant formalization of events or exceptions that are unlikely, unusual, or undesired. The flexibility of the language has been extensively demonstrated in the literature, with examples that include planning and diagnostic reasoning. In this paper we present the design of an inference engine for CR-Prolog that is efficient enough to allow the practical use of the language for medium-size applications. The capabilities of the inference engine have been successfully demonstrated with experiments on an application independently developed for use by NASA.
Mereology of Visual Form

Visual forms come in countless varieties, from the simplicity of a sphere, to the geometric complexity of a face, to the fractal complexity of a rugged coast. These varieties have been studied with mathematical tools such as topology, differential geometry and fractal geometry. They have also been examined, largely in the last three decades, in terms of mereology, the study of part-whole relationships. The result is a fascinating body of theoretical and empirical results. In this paper I review these results, and describe a new development that applies them to the problem of learning names for visual forms and their parts.
Gender and the h index in psychology

It has become increasingly common to rely on the h index to assess scientists' contributions to their fields, and this is true in psychology. This metric is now used in many psychology departments and universities to make important decisions about hiring, promotions, raises, and awards. Yet, a growing body of research shows that there are gender differences in citations and h indices. We sought to draw attention to this literature, particularly in psychology. We describe the presence of a gender effect in h index in psychology and analyze why the effect is important to consider. To illustrate the importance of this effect, we translate the observed gender effect into a meaningful metric--that of salary--and show that the gender difference in h index could translate into significant financial costs for female faculty. A variety of factors are discussed that have been shown to give rise to gender differences in impact. We conclude that the h index, like many other metrics, may reflect systematic gender differences in academia, and we suggest using caution when relying on this metric to promote and reward academic psychologists.
The Effect of Experience on Response Time When Judging Synthesized Voice Quality

Summary Objectives/hypothesis The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of level and type of experience on response time and the number of replays needed when judging voice quality. Study design This was a within-subjects group design. Methods Speech-language pathologists, singing voice teachers, speech-language pathology graduate students with and without experience with a voice client, graduate students who have completed a voice pedagogy course, and inexperienced listeners (n = 60) rated stimuli with systematically altered measurements of jitter, shimmer, and noise-to-harmonics ratio (NHR) on a visual analog scale ranging from mild to severe for overall severity, roughness, breathiness, strain, and pitch. Response time (in seconds) and number of replays were recorded during the experiment. Results Results showed that experienced listeners took the most time when rating the stimuli. Stimuli with two altered acoustical components also yielded longer response times compared with the stimuli with one altered acoustical component. Finally, level and type of experience had some effect on the number of replays for each stimulus during the rating task. Conclusions In conclusion, experience does affect response time when judging voice quality and the number of replays during voice quality rating tasks. Continued research is needed regarding the reasons for extended time and replays as per experience so as to enhance future training protocols.
A Meta-Analysis of Video-Modeling Based Interventions for Reduction of Challenging Behaviors for Students with EBD.

The current study examined the use of video modeling (VM)–based interventions to reduce the challenging behaviors of students with emotional or behavioral disorders. Each study was evaluated using Council for Exceptional Children’s (CEC’s) quality indicators for evidence-based practices. In addition, study effects were calculated along the three main categories of VM-based interventions (VM with other as model, video self-modeling, and video-feedback) using a response rate (calculated from visual analysis) and the percentage of non-overlapping data. None of the 12 included studies met all the quality indicators set forth by CEC. Overall effects were large for reducing challenging behaviors, though results should be taken with caution due to the small number of studies. Finally, implications for practice and future research are presented.