cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Diagnostic Utility of Urinary LTE4 in Asthma, Allergic Rhinitis, Chronic Rhinosinusitis, Nasal Polyps, and Aspirin Sensitivity.

Background Urinary leukotriene E4 (LTE4) is a well-validated marker of the cysteinyl leukotriene pathway, and LTE4 elevation has been described in conditions such as asthma, aspirin sensitivity, and chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). There have been a number of reports investigating the role of spot urine LTE4 to predict aspirin sensitivity; however, variability in urinary LTE4 may affect the accuracy of this approach. Objective Here, we explored the utility of 24-hour urinary LTE4 in 5 clinical diagnoses of allergic rhinitis, asthma, chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP), CRS without nasal polyps, and aspirin sensitivity. Methods This was a retrospective review of patients who had 24-hour quantification of urinary LTE4 by a clinically validated liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method and their assigned diagnoses after assessment and clinical care. Results Twenty-four-hour urinary LTE4 elevations were seen in those with asthma and those with CRSwNP but influenced by underlying aspirin sensitivity. Elevation in LTE4 was significant in those with CRSwNP after adjusting for aspirin sensitivity. Allergic rhinitis was not associated with elevated LTE4 excretion. Receiver operator characteristic analysis of 24-hour urinary LTE4 showed that a cutoff value of 166 pg/mg Cr suggested the presence of history of aspirin sensitivity with 89% specificity, whereas a cutoff value of 241 pg/mg Cr discriminated "challenge-confirmed" aspirin-sensitive subjects with 92% specificity. Conclusions Elevated 24-hour excretion of urinary LTE4 is a reliable and simple test to identify aspirin sensitivity in patients with respiratory diagnoses.
ROOM TEMPERATURE ISOLATIONS CAN BIAS AGAINST SELECTION OF LOW TEMPERATURE MICROFUNGI IN TEMPERATE FOREST SOILS

Very different microfungal species were obtained from forest soils in Rhode Island when two different isolation temperatures (0 C and 25 C) were used, even though isolates were obtained from the sa...
Time-dependent PPARγ Modulation of HIF-1α Signaling in Hypoxic Pulmonary Artery Smooth Muscle Cells.

Background Pathogenesis of pulmonary hypertension is complex and involves activation of the transcription factor, hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) that shifts cellular metabolism from aerobic respiration to glycolysis, in part, by increasing the expression of its downstream target pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase-1 (PDK-1), thereby promoting a proliferative, apoptosis-resistant phenotype in pulmonary vascular cells. Activation of the nuclear hormone transcription factor, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), attenuates pulmonary hypertension and pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell (PASMC) proliferation. In the current study, we determined whether PPARγ inhibits HIF-1α and PDK-1 expression in human PASMCs.
Therapeutic Effect of Anti-virus Oral Liquid(I) on the Respiratory Viral Infection

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of Anti-virus liquid(I) on respiratory viral infection.Methods: Respiratory syncytial virus,adenovirus,influenza viruses and other pathogens were detected by fluorescent quantitative PCR.Patients with respiratory viral infection were screened.According to their clinical symptoms and signs,300 patients were randomly divided into 3 groups: A Group: Anti-virus liquid(I);B Group: Ribavirin control;C Group: Anti-virus liquid(I) + Ribavirin control.Three groups were observed for the effect of improvement of clinical symptoms and signs and the decline of viral nucleic acid concentration after two weeks.Results: The clinical symptoms and signs were significantly improved and the viral nucleic acid concentrations were significantly lower after treatment.A group and B group showed no significant difference(P0.05),C group and B group showed significant difference(P0.05).Conclusion: Anti-virus liquid(I) does have a good effect in the treatment of respiratory viral infections,and is bioequivalent to Ribavirin.The effect is additiv when they are combined.
Investigation on inapparent infection situation of HFMD in nursery schools in a district of Shenzhen,2010

Objective:To investigate inapparent infection rate of HFMD in nursery schools in a district of Shenzhen,and find out prevention and control measures.Methods:Anus swab of all children who did not suffering with HFMD in three nursery schools were collected.Specific genes of EV71 and CA16 were detected and the result was analyzed by statistical method.Results:1305 samples were collected and the positive rate of EV71 was 4.67% while CA16 was 1.30%.There were statistical significances among three schools and among different ages.Conclusion:The high positive rate of EV71 and CA16 indicated that there really existed a portion of inapparent infections among children in prevalent period of HFMD,which made a conclusion that controlling inapparent infection population was very important to the control and prevention of HFMD.Different nursery schools got different inapparent infection rates,and children younger than three years old got the highest inapparent rate,which pointed out that health education should be paid more attention and underage children should be the key crowd in HFMD control and prevention.
A Brief Introduction Hadoop-based Big Data Query System

In recent years,with the rapid development of computer technology,its area ushers in the era of big data.With the emergence of big data,the traditional relational database connot meet the needs of high storage capacity when the low cost cloud database with good parallelism and scalability comes into being at the historic moment.It uses a Key-value data model and the distributed computing environment. But the problem that query of huge amounts of data in the Key-value database lacks efficiency and has bad real-time performance is universal. To solve low efficiency in query,this system applies multidimensional data model and the indexing technology to the Key-value database,storing fact data in forms of multidimensional data and indexing on the multidimensional model in order to speed up the query.The establishment of multidimensional data model and the implementation of indexing technology is systematically described.Finally the thesis briefly compares it to the mainstream Key-value database in terms of advantages and disadvantages.
Cultivation experiments on water-saving and drought tolerant hybrid rice Hanyou No.3

Hanyou No.3 is one of the water-saving and drought tolerant rice hybrids which evaluated and approved firstly in the south of China.It was introduced from Shanghai Agricultural Biological Gene Center into Guangxi in 2005 to plant experimentally for investigating ecological adaptability and yield potential and exploring the cultivation techniques under water-saving condition.The results indicated that Hanyou No.3 was tolerant to drought and low temperature,resistant to rice blast,high yield with good grain quality,and wide adaptability.The grain yield reached to 6000.0kg/hm2 generally,and the yield potential may reach to 7500.00 kg/hm2 under high-yield cultivation conditions.The whole growth period is the same as hybrid rice Teyou 63.It can be planted as early rice,late rice and middle rice,so it is a promising variety in Guangxi rice drought area.
Frequency Standards for SSB

The application of precision frequency control has played an important role in establishing SSB as a reliable means of radio communications. The crystal oscillator thus provides one of the vital links required for the implementation of SSB. As will be seen subsequently, the crystal oscillators used for SSB are often required to maintain a higher degree of accuracy than those used in many other applications. The material covered in this chapter deals primarily with crystal oscillators in the frequency stability range required for SSB equipment operating at HF or VHF bands. The design of higher-precision frequency standards that might be used for microwave SSB links is beyond the scope of this book, and the reader is referred to the references at the end of this chapter. Thus, both temperature-compensated crystal oscillators and crystal ovens of the type used to achieve a frequency stability in the ppm range are addressed. Since the quartz crystal itself plays such a vital role in determining the oscillator performance, a section is included discussing many of the characteristics of the crystal itself. A brief sketch is also included presenting a historical review of frequency control in SSB equipment.
Youth social skills groups: A training platform for promoting graduate clinician interprofessional competence

Abstract Despite growing recognition of the benefits of interprofessional (IP) education and practice, many graduate programs in allied health fields still do not target such skills directly in their training programs, nor assess students' IP competence. We describe a social skills group program that involves collaboration between graduate students and faculty in clinical psychology and speech-language pathology to deliver patient-centered care designed to improve children's social communication. Groups consist of 6–8 children who meet weekly for a 50-min session for 8–10 weeks; graduate student clinicians co-lead the groups following an evidence-based curriculum and meet weekly with faculty for group supervision. Qualitative feedback from graduate student clinicians indicates that the social skills program fosters their IP competence in the four key areas identified by the Interprofessional Education Collaboration Expert Panel (2011) – values and ethics, roles and responsibilities, communication, and teams and teamwork – while addressing a significant clinical need.
Gibbs posterior inference on the minimum clinically important difference

Abstract It is known that a statistically significant treatment may not be clinically significant. A quantity that can be used to assess clinical significance is called the minimum clinically important difference (MCID), and inference on the MCID is an important and challenging problem. Modeling for the purpose of inference on the MCID is non-trivial, and concerns about bias from a misspecified parametric model or inefficiency from a nonparametric model motivate an alternative approach to balance robustness and efficiency. In particular, a recently proposed representation of the MCID as the minimizer of a suitable risk function makes it possible to construct a Gibbs posterior distribution for the MCID without specifying a model. We establish the posterior convergence rate and show, numerically, that an appropriately scaled version of this Gibbs posterior yields interval estimates for the MCID which are both valid and efficient even for relatively small sample sizes.
Effects of embryo temperature estimation methodology on the determination of eggshell conductance values in Ross 708 broiler hatching eggs with consideration given to eggshell pigmentation variation.

In a preliminary experiment, the influence of pigment color variation on the temperature readings of the shells (EST) of live embryonated Ross 708 broiler hatching eggs was tested. Prior to set, eggshell color in L*, a*, and b* coordinates were measured at the equator of each egg. Eggshell pigmentation was found not to influence EST from zero through 18 d of incubation (DOI). In a subsequent experiment, EST, as well as air cell (ACT) and cloaca (CLT) temperature measurements were used for the calculation of absolute (GH2O) and specific (gH20) eggshell conductance values for these same types of eggs. An infrared thermometer was used to determine EST from zero to 19 DOI, ACT was measured using a transponder from 12 to 19 DOI, and CLT was determined using a transponder at 4:00 PM at 19 DOI. In the 12 to 19 DOI interval, the values for GH2O as well as for gH20 that were calculated using either EST or ACT were significantly correlated (r ≥ 0.99; P < 0.0001). A similar correlation level for both GH2O and gH20 was likewise observed in the 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM time period at 19 DOI when either EST, ACT, or CLT was used. However, in the 12 to 19 DOI interval, calculated GH2O and gH20 values based on ACT were significantly different from those based on EST. In addition, a significant difference in calculated GH2O and gH20 values resulted when ACT was used rather than when EST or CLT was used in the 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM time period at 19 DOI. In both time periods, GH2O and gH20 values calculated using ACT were significantly lower than those derived using the other 2 types of measurements. These findings suggest that although EST was not affected by shell coloration, because ACT more closely reflects embryo body temperature, it should be used to more accurately calculate the GH2O and gH20 of Ross 708 broiler hatching eggs.
Presidential greatness in the black press: ranking the modern presidents on civil rights policy and race relations, 1900–2016

Rankings of presidential leadership based on retrospective surveys of experts are a staple of the literature on American politics. We develop an alternative method – the editorial opinion score (EO...
Ethylperoxy radical: approaching spectroscopic accuracy via coupled-cluster theory

Interest in peroxy radicals derives from their central role in tropospheric and low-temperature combustion processes; however, their transient nature limits the scope of possible experimental characterization. As a result, theoretical methods (notably, coupled-cluster theory) have become indispensable in the reliable prediction of properties of such ephemeral open-shell systems. Herein, the and A state conformers of ethylperoxy radical (C2H5O2) have been structurally optimized at the CCSD(T)/ANO2 level of theory. Relative enthalpies at 0 K [including A ← transition origins (T0)] are reported, incorporating CCSD(T) electronic energies extrapolated to the complete basis set limit via the focal point approach. Higher-level computations, employing basis sets as large as cc-pV5Z and post-HF methods up to CCSDT(Q), prove essential in achieving predictions to within 10 cm−1 for experimental T0; we predict 7363 and 7583 cm−1 for the trans and gauche conformers, respectively. Furthermore, predictions of state fundamental transitions incorporating CCSD(T)/ANO0 anharmonic contributions are given. For each conformer, all 21 modes were characterized, improving upon the 16 modes reported in the experimental literature, and providing predictions for the 5 remaining modes.
Oropharyngeal Administration of Colostrum Increases Salivary Secretory IgA Levels in Very Low-Birth-Weight Infants.

Aim Oropharyngeal administration of colostrum (OAC) has been proposed to provide mother's early milk to very low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants in the first few days of life. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that OAC would increase salivary secretory IgA (SsIgA). Patients and Methods Overall, 30 VLBW infants randomized to receive OAC or sterile water had salivary sampling for SsIgA on the day of life (DOL) 2, 7, and 14. The incidence of late-onset sepsis (LOS) and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) was determined prospectively. Within and between-group comparisons were made by paired and independent samples t-tests. Results Baseline characteristics were similar between groups. SsIgA was higher in OAC versus the control group (p Conclusion OAC increased SsIgA at DOL 7. A large, multicenter trial is needed to determine if OAC decreases LOS or NEC in VLBW infants.
Research on Communication Attitude and Stuttering in Adults: A Critical Analysis

A review of the communication disorder literature reporting empirical results on the relationship between communication attitude and stuttering was conducted. Findings were organized around three primary issues recurring in the stuttering literature. The reviewed results indicate: (1) stutterers' communication attitudes are significantly poorer than those of nonstutterers; (2) pre-therapy concurrent correlations between communication attitude and stuttering severity are all positive and range widely from negligible to moderate; (3) severity lagged correlations between communication attitude and post-therapy stuttering are all positive, moderately strong, and consistently larger than concurrent correlations. While review findings support maintaining communication attitude as part of the stuttering construct, they are not responsive to the issue of causal connections between pre-therapy attitude and therapy outcome.
Ancient Analogues for Recent Environmental Changes at Lake Victoria, East Africa

Fine-interval (~29–35 14C year) diatom analysis of a sediment core from northern Lake Victoria provides a long-term context for recent environmental changes in the lake, which include increased water column stability, a switch from Aulacoseira- to Nitzschia-dominated diatom assemblages, and an overall increase in cyanobacteria relative to diatoms. The sediment record indicates that similar events have occurred abruptly and repeatedly in the lake since ~7.2 14C ka, apparently due to climatically driven disruptions of mixing regimes. Holocene fluctuations in the fossil diatom assemblages display strong periodicities (~500, ~1100, ~1400, and ~2,350~2,550 calendar year cycles) which point to global-scale forcing mechanisms. This paleolimnological record suggests that Lake Victoria and its algal communities are inherently unstable, and that future environmental and fishery management models should consider the lake’s sensitivity to climatic changes.
Faith-Based Groups as a Bridge to the Community for Military Veterans: Preliminary Findings and Lessons Learned in Online Surveying

This report examines responses to a brief online survey, comparing how faith-based (n = 27) and non-faith-based (n = 61) organizations engage with Veteran populations as well as the supportive services they provide. Data were analyzed using two-sample z-tests and Chi-squared tests. No significant differences were noted between respondents for self-reported confidence in responding to health care issues/concerns or engagement with Veteran populations. Faith-based respondents were found to provide significantly less mental health, suicide prevention, education/outreach, and other services, while providing significantly more spiritual care. There appears to be ample opportunity for expanding the supportive services provided by faith-based organizations.
Trademarks, Geographical Indications (GIs) and Commercial Aspects of Wine Distribution Agreements

The marketing of goods under geographical names has always been common. In addition to introducing commercial facets of wine distribution agreements, this chapter discusses the justifications, principles and policies that lie behind the protection of geographical indications (‘GIs’) for wine on an international level as well as in the Old World and, to a lesser degree, in the New World. The scope and shape of the GI system will then be scrutinized in light of its own justifications and in the light of its impact on international trade, intellectual property and agricultural policy.
Factors Influencing eSports Viewership: An Approach Based on the Theory of Reasoned Action:

The current study employs the theory of reasoned action to examine factors that correlate with the behavioral intentions of watching eSports. A structural equation modeling analysis is performed to...
Antibiotics in the Pipeline for Treatment of Infections due to Gram-Negative Organisms

We systematically review the literature on antibiotics approved by the Food and Drug Administration since 2015 or that are in development through phase III trials for the treatment of infections due to gram-negative organisms. The crisis of antimicrobial resistance creates a dire need for the development of novel antimicrobials with enhanced activity against resistant bacteria. Of the agents that are currently in the pipeline or recently approved, few are from new classes and most represent modifications of preexisting agents. There continues to be a lack of treatment options especially for infections caused by organisms that produce metallo-β-lactamases. Furthermore, there is a paucity of data investigating the efficacy of these new antimicrobials for treatment of infections due to multidrug-resistant organisms. This review outlines the antimicrobials in development for the treatment of infections due to gram-negative bacteria. There are various agents in development that seem promising, but more studies are needed to evaluate the efficacy of these agents in treating infections, especially those due to multidrug-resistant organisms. The development of new antimicrobials is critical to combat the crisis of antimicrobial resistance.
Lewis Acid Promoted Hetero [2 + 2] Cycloaddition Reactions of Aldehydes with 10-Propynyl-9(10H)-acridone. A Highly Stereoselective Synthesis of Acrylic Acid Derivatives and 1,3-Dienes Using an Electron Deficient Variant of Ynamine

Reactivities of 10-propynyl-9(10H)-acridone toward various aldehydes in BF3·Et2O-promoted hetero [2 + 2] cycloaddition reactions are described here. This electron deficient variant of ynamine is more stable and easier to handle than most ynamines but possesses comparable reactivity. These reactions lead to a highly stereoselective synthesis of trisubstituted alkenes. A mechanistic model based on the stereochemical assignment is also described here. 10-Propynyl-9(10H)-acridone is also reactive toward α,β-unsaturated aldehydes and ketones. It provides hetero [2 + 2] products in reactions with α,β-unsaturated aldehydes but gives only the inverse demand [4 + 2] cycloadduct in a reaction with methyl vinyl ketone.
PET-RAFT polymerization catalyzed by cadmium selenide quantum dots (QDs): Grafting-from QDs photocatalysts to make polymer nanocomposites

We report herein the first example of light-controlled radical reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization facilitated by cadmium selenide (CdSe) quantum dots (QDs) as the photocatalyst and the grafting-from CdSe QDs nanoparticles to create polymer-QDs nanocomposites in a one pot photopolymerization. The CdSe QDs undergo a monophase ligand exchange with chain transfer agents (CTAs) via bithiol groups, enabling dispersion of CdSe in polar solvents as well as the grafting of CTAs on the surface of QDs. Photoinduced electron transfer (PET) between QDs and free CTAs facilitates the polymerization of multitude of functional monomers with temporal control, low dispersity (Đ ≈ 1.06), and high chain-end fidelity. More importantly, we leveraged CdSe QDs bound to CTAs to synthesize well-dispersed core–shell organic–inorganic polymer-QDs nanocomposites using a grafting-from polymerization approach.
P183 Are quality of life concerns different by sex among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Background Not much is known about health outcomes among women, in comparison to men, in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). Quality of life (QOL) is one of the core health outcome measures in SLE. This study compared health outcomes among SLE patients, stratified by sex, to facilitate better management strategies. Methods Existent cross-sectional data from SLE patients from a multicenter health outcomes study was utilized. Demographic data, disease activity (SELENA-SLEDAI), damage (SLICC-SDI/ACR), QOL (SF-36, LupusQoL) were compared by sex. Multivariate analysis (adjusted for age, disease activity and damage) were undertaken for QOL, using sex as the independent variable. Results Of the 325 participants, 33 were men. Mean age was 41.9 ± 13.0 years, and over 53% were Caucasians. Mean SELENA-SLEDAI scores were 4.8± 3.8. There were no age, race or disease activity differences among the two groups. Damage was significantly greater among men than women. On univariate analysis, no differences in SF-36 QOL were observed by sex. However, women fared significantly worse than men in (Physical health, fatigue, Intimate relationship) LupusQoL domains. On multivariate analysis, female sex was an independent predictor of worse functioning on SF-36 (Physical function, vitality) and LupusQoL (Physical Health, Fatigue, Intimate Relationship) (table 1). Conclusion SLE has differential effects on QOL among men and women. Use of disease specific QOL tool offers more comprehensive and disease pertinent evaluation of SLE impact. Women with SLE report worse impact on physical health, fatigue and intimate relationships. Further studies are required to better understand plausible reasons for these observations.
What if the Influenza Vaccine Did Not Offer Such Variable Protection

BACKGROUND The protection that an influenza vaccine offers can vary significantly from person to person due to differences in immune systems, body types, and other factors. The question, then, is what is the value of efforts to reduce this variability such as making vaccines more personalized and tailored to individuals. METHODS We developed a compartment model of the United States to simulate different influenza seasons and the impact of reducing the variability in responses to the influenza vaccine across the population. RESULTS Going from a vaccine that varied in efficacy (0-30%) to one that had a uniform 30% efficacy for everyone averted 16.0-31.2 million cases, $1.9-$3.6 billion in direct medical costs, and $16.1-$42.7 billion in productivity losses. Going from 0-50% in efficacy to just 50% for everyone averted 27.7-38.6 million cases, $3.3-$4.6 billion in direct medical costs, and $28.8-$57.4 billion in productivity losses. Going from 0-70% to 70% averted 33.6-54.1 million cases, $4.0-$6.5 billion in direct medical costs, and $44.8-$64.7 billion in productivity losses. CONCLUSIONS This study quantifies for policy makers, funders, and vaccine developers and manufacturers the potential impact of efforts to reduce variability in the protection that influenza vaccines offer (eg, developing vaccines that are more personalized to different individual factors).
Secret lifestyles of pyrophilous fungi in the genus Sphaerosporella

Premise Pyrophilous fungi form aboveground fruiting structures (ascocarps) following wildfires, but their ecology, natural history, and life cycles in the absence of wildfires are largely unknown. Sphaerosporella is considered to be pyrophilous. This study explores Sphaerosporella ascocarp appearance following a rare 2016 wildfire in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP), compares the timing of ascocarp formation with recovery of Sphaerosporella DNA sequences in soils, and explores the association of Sphaerosporella with post-fire Table Mountain pine (Pinus pungens) seedlings. Methods Burned sites in the GSMNP were surveyed for pyrophilous fungal ascocarps over 2 years. Ascocarps, mycorrhizae, and endophyte cultures were evaluated morphologically and by Sanger sequencing of the nuclear ribosomal ITS gene region (fungal barcode; Schoch et al., 2012). DNA from soil cores was subjected to Illumina sequencing. Results The timing and location of post-fire Sphaerosporella ascocarp formation was correlated with recovery of Sphaerosporella DNA sequences in soils. Genetic markers (fungal barcode) of Sphaerosporella were also recovered from mycorrhizal root tips and endophyte cultures from seedlings of Pinus pungens. Conclusions This study demonstrates that Sphaerosporella species, in the absence of fire, are biotrophic, forming both mycorrhizal and endophytic associations with developing Pinus pungens seedlings and may persist in nature in the absence of wildfire as a conifer symbiont. We speculate that Sphaerosporella may fruit only after the host plant is damaged or destroyed and that after wildfires, deep roots, needle endophytes, or heat-resistant spores could serve as a source of soil mycelium.
Carotid body chemosensitivity at 1.6 ATA breathing air versus 100% oxygen.

We demonstrate that carotid body chemosensitivity to brief exposures of hypercapnia was unchanged during a 4-h dive in a dry hyperbaric chamber at 1.6 ATA regardless of breathing gas condition [i.e...
Long-term simulation of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) accumulation and breakthrough in infiltration-based stormwater management practices (SMPs).

Abstract Stormwater management practices (SMPs) rely on infiltration and adsorption capabilities of soil and vegetative cover to mitigate the harmful impacts of contaminants in stormwater runoff, including potentially toxic elements (PTEs). Under chemical equilibrium conditions, the soil-water distribution coefficient (Kd) quantifies the relationship between the solid and aqueous phase PTE concentrations, and thus the PTE removal efficiency and mobility through the SMP soil layers during the infiltration process. The SMP loading ratio (LR), the ratio of the drainage area to the SMP infiltration area, combined with runoff concentration determines SMP mass loading and is also expected to impact PTE transport. In this study, a simulation model was developed to investigate PTE breakthrough and build-up in SMP media, considering the impacts of Kd and LR. Eight PTEs were simulated (Cl−, Cr, Fe, Zn, Cu, As, Cd, and Pb), and Cl− was the only PTE that showed high mobility and reached the groundwater table (e.g., ~ 1 year for breakthrough). Conversely, other PTEs were effectively immobilized in the top ~60 cm of soil for a simulated lifespan of 20 years. Soil and porewater contaminant indices, as indicators of SMP lifespan, were estimated based on the ratio of PTE porewater and soil concentrations after 20 years to published standards, suggesting the following order of environmental significance (most concern to least): Cl− > Cr > As > Pb > Fe > Cu > Cd > Zn. After 20 years of simulated use, only Cl− pore water concentrations at the groundwater table exceeded regulatory values, with porewater contamination index values of 4 to 7.5. Chloride also exceeded the surficial media soil contamination index, as did As and Cr, though these exceedences were largely associated with media background concentrations. Generally, higher LR and Kd contributed to higher accumulation of PTEs in top layers; however, simulations showed that the combination of low LR and high Kd may result in lower PTE accumulation in the media, such that the PTE concentration in soil may decrease in deeper layers. In these scenarios, a notable fraction of PTE load was adsorbed on top layers and considerably lower PTE concentrations reached the lower layers. Sensitivity analysis revealed that dispersion, infiltration rate, and kinetically-limited sorption did not impact the PTE accumulation and mobility to a practical extent. The results from this simulation may be adapted to various environmental conditions to enhance the design and maintenance of SMPs.
TEST_POSITIVE at W-NUT 2020 Shared Task-3: Joint Event Multi-task Learning for Slot Filling in Noisy Text.

The competition of extracting COVID-19 events from Twitter is to develop systems that can automatically extract related events from tweets. The built system should identify different pre-defined slots for each event, in order to answer important questions (e.g., Who is tested positive? What is the age of the person? Where is he/she?). To tackle these challenges, we propose the Joint Event Multi-task Learning (JOELIN) model. Through a unified global learning framework, we make use of all the training data across different events to learn and fine-tune the language model. Moreover, we implement a type-aware post-processing procedure using named entity recognition (NER) to further filter the predictions. JOELIN outperforms the BERT baseline by 17.2% in micro F1.
RingdateR: A statistical and graphical tool for crossdating

Abstract Crossdating is the defining technique of dendrochronology, ensuring that all measurements in a dataset are annually resolved and absolutely dated. This level of accuracy allows for the development of high-resolution environmental reconstructions of climate, disturbance, and productivity not only in trees, but also in other ring-forming organisms including fish, corals, and bivalves. However, crossdating is a laborious process and can be a significant bottleneck in the development of new chronologies, especially when attempting to find matches among undated, dead-collected material. Several software packages have been developed to aid in crossdating, yet efficiently identifying matches among large numbers of dead-collected samples of unknown antiquity remains a gap in functionality. To address this issue we present RingdateR, a new stand-alone and web-based application for statistical and graphical crossdating that shares many key features with established crossdating applications, but has been optimised for crossdating large collections of dead-collected material. The workflow allows users to load undated measurement time series in common file types (e.g. pos, lps, csv, and xlsx) to be matched against one another (i.e. pairwise analyses) or against an existing chronology. RingdateR provides graphical tools to help identify false or missed rings remaining in the matched measurement time series and to evaluate the impact of the newly crossdated measurement time series on chronology statistics. Whilst the decision as to whether a sample is correctly crossdated ultimately lies with careful visual inspection and discretion of the investigator, guidance from RingdateR can greatly expedite the process, especially when building chronologies that involve dead-collected samples.
R-Spondins 2 and 3 Are Overexpressed in a Subset of Human Colon and Breast Cancers

Wnt signaling is activated in many cancer types, yet targeting the canonical Wnt pathway has been challenging for cancer therapy. The pathway might be effectively targeted at many levels depending on the mechanism by which it has become hyperactive. Recently, mouse genetic screens have found that R-spondins (RSPOs) act as oncogenes. Evidence includes recurrent genomic rearrangements that led to increased RSPO2 or RSPO3 expression in human colorectal adenocarcinomas, exclusive of APC mutations. RSPOs modulate Wnt signaling to promote epithelial cell proliferation and survival. These secreted proteins modulate Wnt signaling by binding to G-coupled receptors LGR4/5/6, ultimately inhibiting frizzled membrane clearance by RNF43 and ZNRF3. They also exert their function independent of leucine-rich repeat-containing, G protein-coupled receptors (LGRs) by binding to ZNRF3 and RNF43. This results in increased β-catenin concentration that, after translocation to the nucleus, acts as a transcriptional coactivator of genes necessary for proliferation and cell survival. In this article, we aimed to identify the role of RSPOs in colon and breast cancers by using in silico and in vitro studies. We found that expression of RSPO2 and RSPO3 at high levels characterized a subset of colorectal cancers (CRCs). RSPO2 expression was found to characterize a subset of triple-negative breast cancers. In both instances, increased expression of RSPOs was associated with an activated Wnt signaling gene expression profile. Furthermore, knockdown of RSPO2 decreased Wnt signaling and proliferation in human breast cancer cells. Our findings show and confirm that RSPO2 and RSPO3 expression is upregulated in a subset of colorectal adenocarcinomas and breast cancers and that both are attractive druggable oncoprotein targets against such cancers. We also describe novel fusion transcripts that occur in CRC.
Common features of aging fail to occur in Drosophila raised without a bacterial microbiome.

Summary Lifespan is limited both by intrinsic decline in vigor with age and by accumulation of external insults. There exists a general picture of the deficits of aging, one that is reflected in a pattern of age-correlated changes in gene expression conserved across species. Here, however, by comparing gene expression profiling of Drosophila raised either conventionally, or free of bacteria, we show that ∼70% of these conserved, age-associated changes in gene expression fail to occur in germ-free flies. Among the processes that fail to show time-dependent change under germ-free conditions are two aging features that are observed across phylogeny, declining expression of stress response genes and increasing expression of innate immune genes. These comprise adaptive strategies the organism uses to respond to bacteria, rather than being inevitable components of age-dependent decline. Changes in other processes are independent of the microbiome and can serve as autonomous markers of aging of the individual.
Bandwidth limits for wide-field-of-view achromatic metalenses

Broadband metalenses with wide field-of-views are potentially of immense practical importance. In this context, we show that the spectral and angular bandwidth of metasurface systems designed for wide-field-of-view and achromatic operation are not independent. Specifically, metalens devices with a wider field of view necessarily have smaller spectral bandwidths for achromatic operation as compared to devices with a smaller field of view. We describe the origin of this fundamental bandwidth bound and discuss potential strategies to approach and bypass these limitations.
I2.4: Invited Paper: Rethinking the Imaging Pipeline for Energy‐Efficient Privacy‐Preserving Continuous Mobile Vision

Current mobile imaging pipelines, provisioned for high quality photography, are ill-suited for wearable vision analytics, due to their high power consumption and privacy concerns, as exemplified by the slow adoption of wearables, such as Google Glass. Rather than constructing incremental improvements, we believe it is necessary to completely redesign a dedicated imaging pipeline for vision analytics. Toward this goal, we study a novel imaging pipeline, revolving around an in-imager analog vision processor that exports a low bandwidth irreversibly encoded signal, generating vision features before analog-to-digital conversion. To produce this signal at low power, we introduce energy-scaling mechanisms into the imager's analog frontend to produce the encoded signal. We use these mechanisms to generate a low-power signal that cannot be used to reconstruct the image, yet suffices as input for vision analytics. This imaging pipeline design will simultaneously achieve privacy and efficiency for continuous mobile vision tasks.
Fluids on differentiated asteroids: Evidence from phosphates in differentiated meteorites GRA 06128 and GRA 06129

Abstract– Paired meteorites Graves Nunatak 06128 and 06129 (GRA) represent an ancient cumulate lithology (4565.9 Ma ± 0.3) containing high abundances of sodic plagioclase. Textures and stable isotope compositions of GRA indicate that superimposed on the igneous lithology is a complex history of subsolidus reequilibration and low-temperature alteration that may have extended over a period of 150 Myr. In GRA, apatite is halogen-rich with Cl between 4.5 and 5.5 wt% and F between 0.3 and 0.9 wt%. The Cl/(Cl+F+OH) ratio of the apatite is between 0.65 and 0.82. The Cl and F are negatively correlated and are heterogeneously distributed in the apatite. Merrillite is low in halogens with substantial Na in the 6-fold coordinated Na-site (≈2.5%) and Mg in the smaller octahedral site. The merrillite has a negative Eu anomaly, whereas the apatite has a positive Eu anomaly. The chlorine isotope composition of the bulk GRA leachate is +1.2‰ relative to standard mean ocean chloride (SMOC). Ion microprobe chlorine isotope analyses of the apatite range between −0.5 and +1.2‰. Textural relationships between the merrillite and apatite, and the high-Cl content of the apatite, suggest that the merrillite is magmatic in origin, whereas the apatite is a product of the interaction between merrillite and a Cl-rich fluid. If the replacement of merrillite by apatite occurred at approximately 800 °C, the fluid composition is f(HCl)/f(H2O) = 0.0383 and a HCl molality of 2.13 and f(HCl)/f(HF) = 50–100. It is anticipated that the calculated f(HCl)/f(H2O) and a HCl molality are minimum values due to assumptions made on the OH component in apatite and basing the calculations on the apatite with the lowest XCl. The bulk δ37Cl of GRA is a >2σ outlier from chondritic meteorites and suggests that parent body processes resulted in fractionation of the Cl isotopes.
Analyzing Student Performance in Specific Subject Area Indicators on the ETS Major Field Test in Business

The Major Field Test is a commonly used assessment instrument, but little emphasis has been put on analyzing student-level subject area indicator scores. The Educational Testing Service recently made these data available to institutions, and it is analyzed here. This analysis builds on previous work by incorporating demographic and programmatic information regarding individual students' course of study. The statistical framework employed allows the determination of drivers of student scores, and suggests likely avenues for improving future performance. The results suggest the number of courses a student takes in particular subject areas plays a role in the student's subscores and overall scores.
Path Dependence, Behavioral Rules, and the Role of Entrepreneurship in Economic Change: The Case of the Automobile Industry

This paper develops a complementary theory of path dependence based on rigidity resulting from the choice of management system within the firm. Rules-following behavior introduces rigidity which can lead to inefficient path dependence within a firm. Entrepreneurial alertness, in a crisis, can prevent lock-in from occurring since it leads people to alter perceptions and change behavior. An empirical look at the automobile industry explores the idea of rules-following behavior inducing path dependence development and the potential for change despite inefficient path dependent behavior.
Formen und Methoden des Sprachaufbaues

In Teil II soll gezeigt werden, wie die symbolische Logik angewendet werden kann, sei es zur Symbolisierung von allgemeinen Sprachen, sei es zur Formulierung von besonderen Axiomensystemen. Dabei werden im allgemeinen die in Teil I dargestellten symbolischen Sprachen verwendet, zuweilen mit gewissen Modifikationen (z. B. in 40).
Microwave and millimeter-wave ranging for coherent distributed RF systems

Microwave and millimeter-wave ranging systems, waveforms, and experimental results are described for coherent distributed RF systems applications. Measured results show that coherent distributed systems operating at carrier frequencies with coherence at λ/10 are possible well into the millimeter-wave regime by using widely separated two-tone ranging waveforms. The two-tone waveform in the context of continuous-wave ranging is introduced. A method for overcoming the range-ambiguous output of the matched filter processing is described. Microwave and millimeter-wave ranging measurements are shown and compared to the Cramer-Rao lower bound for range accuracy.
Reversal of multidrug resistance by novel inhibitors of human P-glycoprotein in cell culture (974.2)

Multidrug resistance (MDR) and chemotherapy failure are often due to overexpression of members of the ABC-transporter superfamily of proteins like MDR1 P-glycoprotein (P-gp). These membrane transporters protect cells from the accumulation of harmful toxins by using ATP hydrolysis to move a broad range of compounds across the plasma membrane. In MDR, however, the administration of chemotherapeutics selects for cancerous cells which overexpress P-gp thereby creating a population of cancer cells resistant to many types of chemotherapeutics. Using targeted molecular dynamic simulations and massively parallel drug docking studies, we have identified several novel compounds that inhibit transport by P-gp by targeting the ATP binding domains. Biochemical and biophysical studies have shown that these inhibitors do indeed bind to the nucleotide binding domains of P-gp and inhibit ATP hydrolysis. In the studies reported here, we have been able to re-sensitize MDR prostate and ovarian cancer cell lines in culture to...
Outcrop‐Aided Characterization of a Faulted Hydrocarbon Reservoir: Arroyo Grande Oil Field, California, USA

The Arroyo Grande Oil Field in Central California has been in production since 1905 from the Miocene-Pliocene Edna member of the Pismo Formation. The Edna member is a massive, poorly consolidated sandstone with an average porosity of 0.2 and a permeability of 1000-5000 md. The producing levels are shallow, 100 to 500 m from the earth's surface. We mapped the major structures of the oil field in outcrops and determined the distribution and orientation of small faults (deformation bands) both in cores and outcrops. We established the relationship between deformation band density and major faults by detailed mapping, and we used image analysis to determine the petrophysical properties of the sandstone in outcrop and in cores. Outcrop, aerial photo, and core data analysis provided insight into the fault distribution and the petrophysical properties of the reservoir rocks, showing a good correspondence between subsurface and outcrop data. The permeability of faults is on average three orders of magnitude lower than that of the host rock and capillary pressure is 1-2 orders of magnitude larger in faults than in the host rock. Faults with tens of meters offsets are associated with an high density of deformation bands (10 to 250 m-') and with zones of cement precipitation that extend up to 30 m from the fault. This implies that cement precipitation together with cataclasis could form permeability barriers or baffles. We used synthetic logs based on core data and neutron porosity detector characteristics to simulate the log signature of deformation bands in sandstone and we show that the detection of these small faults is very difficult with the conventional logging methods.
A 0.5 V fully differential gate-input operational transconductance amplifier with intrinsic common-mode rejection

In this paper we present an ultra-low voltage gate-input operational transconductance amplifier using pMOS input devices and nMOS load devices with local common-mode feedback. This topology has a good intrinsic common-mode rejection. Simulations for a two-stage, 0.5 V fully differential operational transconductance amplifier (OTA) with a gain of 55 dB and a common-mode rejection ratio of 61 dB are reported. The amplifier consumes 77 /spl mu/W and has a gain-bandwidth product of 8.7 MHz when designed in 0.18 /spl mu/m CMOS technology.
Richard Swinburne, The Existence of God, and Principle P

Swinburne relies on principle P in The Existence of God to argue that God is simple and thus likely to exist. In this paper, I argue that Swinburne does not support P. In particular, his arguments from mathematical simplicity and scientists’ preferences both fail. Given the central role P plays in Swinburne’s overall argument in The Existence of God, I conclude that Swinburne should further support P if his argument that God likely exists is to be persuasive.
Relations of agentic and communal personality traits to health behavior and substance use among college students

This study examined relations of agentic and communal personality traits to health behavior, substance use, and consequences of substance use in a sample of 201 undergraduates. As predicted, unmitigated agency was associated with a variety of maladaptive health behaviors, including binge eating, reckless driving, and substance use. By contrast, agency was associated with adaptive health behaviors such as physical activity and healthy eating patterns. Unmitigated communion was unrelated to behavior. Findings are consistent with a growing body of theory and research suggesting that unmitigated agency is a risk factor for externalizing problems, whereas agency is linked to positive health practices.