cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Estimation of range and bearing of RF emitters using direction-of-arrival data

This paper presents results of ongoing research to develop a passive transportable system for measuring the range and bearing of RF emitters in the PCS band (1850-1910 MHz). Among several possible candidate approaches that were considered in the initial stages of the program the one chosen for further development employs emitter signal direction-of-arrival (DOA) information measured with two array antennas whose phase centers are displaced by a known distance (baseline). In keeping with the transportability requirement of the system one of the key objectives was to minimize the baseline while maintaining good range estimation accuracy. The design goal was set for a baseline on the order of 1 m while accommodating emitter ranges up to 1 km. This translates into a DOA estimation accuracy of better than 0.1 degree. To achieve such accuracy levels novel DOA algorithms and antenna array design approaches are employed. The design approach and system performance evaluation will be presented using numerical simulations of a dual 4-element patch array together with the associated RF and DSP components. A data collection system incorporating the patch antenna array was designed and built and is currently being used to validate the theoretical predictions. Preliminary results on range estimation accuracy and bearing indicate good agreement with theory.
A modified collocation method and a penalty formulation for enforcing the essential boundary conditions in the element free Galerkin method

The Element free Galerkin method, which is based on the Moving Least Squares approximation, requires only nodal data and no element connectivity, and therefore is more flexible than the conventional finite element method. Direct imposition of essential boundary conditions for the element free Galerkin (EFG) method is always difficult because the shape functions from the Moving Least Squares approximation do not have the delta function property. In the prior literature, a direct collocation of the fictitious nodal values u used as undetermined coefficients in the MLS approximation, uh(x) [uh(x)=Φ·u], was used to enforce the essential boundary conditions. A modified collocation method using the actual nodal values of the trial function uh(x) is presented here, to enforce the essential boundary conditions. This modified collocation method is more consistent with the variational basis of the EFG method. Alternatively, a penalty formulation for easily imposing the essential boundary conditions in the EFG method with the MLS approximation is also presented. The present penalty formulation yields a symmetric positive definite system stiffness matrix. Numerical examples show that the present penalty method does not exhibit any volumetric locking and retains high rates of convergence for both displacements and strain energy. The penalty method is easy to implement as compared to the Lagrange multiplier method, which increases the number of degrees of freedom and yields a non-positive definite system matrix.
Less help for mother: The decline in coresidential female support for the mothers of young children, 1880–2000

Research on changes in women’s parenting has focused primarily on their increased likelihood of combining parenthood with paid employment, exploring the pressures that result from this “second shift” or “double burden.” This article complements this approach by focusing instead on the likely reduction in the help that mothers of small children have received as declines both in fertility and the coresidence of nonnuclear adults have reduced the number of other women in the household. Using national census data for the period 1880 to 2000, we show a substantial decline in the presence and availability of other females in the household, as fewer are coresident and more of those who are coresident are employed or in school. Although all mothers experience this decline, it is most acute for mothers working for pay in nonagricultural activities.
Study of Termination of Parental Rights: An Analysis of Israeli Court Decisions in Favor or Against Termination of Parental Rights

A court decision to terminate parental rights and declare a child eligible for adoption (TPR) has far-reaching consequences. However, little is known about the legal decision-making process involved. This study aims to fill this gap and identify the main considerations taken into account by the courts in TPR cases. After analyzing the contents of 261 court decisions, the study found differences between decisions in favor or against TPR based on the characteristics of the child–parent relationship, the parents and the child. Predictors of TPR decisions were also identified. The study discusses the findings and their implications for social work and legal practices and suggests directions for future research.
Motor Imagery, Physical Practice, and Memory: The Effects on Performance and Workload

-The theoretical explanations used to explain changes in performance during motor imagery and physical practice conditions are inconsistent when memory retrieval is and is not required. This study measured performance time and workload during acquisition, a retention test requiring memory retrieval, and a retention test not requiring memory retrieval using a key-pressing task. The participants were assigned to physical practice with or without instructions to learn or motor imagery with or without instructions to learn. A diagram of the keys was presented during the practice trials and the first retention test, but was not presented during the second test. The results revealed no effect for the learning instructions or performance changes during the practice phases. However, during both retention tests participants in the physical practice conditions performed significantly faster than those in the motor imagery conditions. Also, higher levels of workload were reported for the motor imagery conditions when the retention test required memory retrieval compared to the other phases. A discussion of the implications of workload on performance is presented with respect to varying practice conditions.
Power system observability and dynamic state estimation for stability monitoring using synchrophasor measurements

Abstract Growing penetration of intermittent resources such as renewable generations increases the risk of instability in a power grid. This paper introduces the concept of observability and its computational algorithms for a power grid monitored by the wide-area measurement system (WAMS) based on synchrophasors, e.g. phasor measurement units (PMUs). The goal is to estimate real-time states of generators, especially for potentially unstable trajectories, the information that is critical for the detection of rotor angle instability of the grid. The paper studies the number and siting of synchrophasors in a power grid so that the state of the system can be accurately estimated in the presence of instability. An unscented Kalman filter (UKF) is adopted as a tool to estimate the dynamic states that are not directly measured by synchrophasors. The theory and its computational algorithms are illustrated in detail by using a 9-bus 3-generator power system model and then tested on a 140-bus 48-generator Northeast Power Coordinating Council power grid model. Case studies on those two systems demonstrate the performance of the proposed approach using a limited number of synchrophasors for dynamic state estimation for stability assessment and its robustness against moderate inaccuracies in model parameters.
Epitaxial growth of Cu-Ni Single Crystal Alloys and Multilayers by Molecular Beam Epitaxy

Epitaxial growth of thin films, alloys, and multilayers from the Cu-Ni system are being explored as a means of fabricating a substrate to lattice match diamond. These single crystal films are superior to commercially available substrate material. Due to the high reactivity of the metal surfaces in atmosphere, all processing must be done under UHV conditions. In vacuo preparation, growth, and analysis of the metals is described.
Effect of initial pH on hydrogen production from vinegar residue

Hydrogen was produced by anaerobic fermentation in which vinegar residue was used as substrate and cattle manure as inoculation.The ef-fect of initial pH on hydrogen content,cumulative production of biogas,cumulative production of hydrogen,lag time of gas production and pH were investigated.The results showed that the optimal initial pH was 6.0,in which hydrogen content was above 70%,the maximum yield of biogas and hy-drogen reached 7650ml and 4195ml,respectively.the lag time of gas production was reduced to 4h.All final pH were acidic and increased with the enhancement of the initial pH.
Landscape Ecology: Linking Landscape Metrics to Ecological Processes

Landscape ecology is a search for patterns in ecological process as well as the causes and consequences of those patterns, often at landscape scales. Conservation biology, historically, was largely focused at a species level; however, there is an increasing acknowledgment among conservation biologists on the need to account for ecosystem and landscape perspectives that form the basis of a species’ existence. As such, the fields of landscape ecology and conservation biology are increasingly linked. The natural history characteristics of large carnivores often make them prone to extinction, but also excellent ambassadors for ecosystem or landscape-level conservation interventions as keystone or umbrella species. Research into the landscape ecology of snow leopards is still in its infancy. As such, much may be learned by considering the techniques and findings of research conducted on other cat species such as leopards and cougars, as well as other large carnivores.
Fetal MRI in Prenatal Diagnosis of CNS Abnormalities

The value of fetal MRI (fMRI) compared to ultrasound in the prenatal detection of CNS abnormalities and impact on counseling were determined in 25 pregnant women examined at University of Dusseldorf, Germany.
The Hypocholesteremic Effect of Milk - A Review.

Each Maasai tribesman in Africa ordinarily consumes 4–5 liters of fermented whole milk per day in addition to substantial quantities of meat. In spite of this diet high in saturated fat and cholesterol, the Maasai have low serum cholesterol levels and a very low incidence of clinical coronary heart disease. In studying this paradox, Mann and co-workers serendipitiously discovered that there is apparently a milk factor (MF) in the fermented milk responsible for the low serum cholesterol levels of the Maasai. A hypocholesteremic effect of fermented whole and skim milk was subsequently confirmed on American volunteers, each consuming 2–4 liters per day. Administration of radioactive acetate to human subjects on the fermented milk diet indicated that cholesterol biosynthesis was inhibited by MF. In later studies with human volunteers, English workers demonstrated a hypocholesteremic effect of unfermented whole and skim milk when consumed at a level of about 2 liters per day per caput for 2 weeks. Although the...
Intensive treatment for adults with anorexia nervosa: The cost of weight restoration

Objective Weight restoration in anorexia nervosa (AN) is associated with lower relapse risk; however rate of weight gain and percent of patients achieving weight restoration (BMI ≥ 19 at discharge) vary among treatment programs. We compared both cost/pound of weight gained and cost of weight restoration in a hospital-based inpatient (IP)-partial hospitalization (PH) eating disorders program to estimates of these costs for residential treatment. Method All adult first admissions to the IP-PH program with AN (N = 314) from 2003 to 2015 were included. Cost of care was based on hospital charges, rates of weight gain, and weight restoration data. Results were compared with residential treatment costs extracted from a national insurance claims database and published weight gain data. Results Average charge/day in the IP-PH program was $2295 for IP and $1567 for PH, yielding an average cost/pound gained of $4089 and $7050, respectively, with 70% of patients achieving weight restoration. Based on published mean weight gain data and conservative cost/day estimates, residential treatment is associated with higher cost/pound, and both higher cost and lower likelihood of weight restoration for most patients. Discussion The key metrics used in this study are recommended for comparing the cost-effectiveness of intensive treatment programs for patients with AN.
Hanging by a Thread in the Homeland: The Four Institutional Monologues of George Saunders

This essay examines the intersections of selected polemical and literary texts by George Saunders, highlighting the memos and missives in Four Institutional Monologues (2000) and selections from his collected fiction and essays. Saunders has noted in interviews that fiction can speak effectively to issues of alienation, disconnection and anxiety in contemporary American culture, and this essay scaffolds and examines that insight. Analysis of the discursive power—and semantic play—of language in these intersections reveals the sophisticated semiotic and critical explorations of American cultural reality in his work. In particular, Four Institutional Monologues deserves more critical attention than it has received to date because the four pieces are profitably revisited in the light of Saunders’s more-recent work, worth considering as a short-story sequence that speaks presciently, as a set, that illuminates an arc of American work and life.
An improved dynamic expanding cavity model for high-pressure and high-strain rate response of ceramics

Abstract An extended Mohr–Coulomb (M–C) model, capable of capturing the high pressure-dependent shear deformation of ceramics, is incorporated into a spherical dynamic expanding cavity model (d-ECM) to capture the dynamic response of semi-infinite brittle ceramics under steady-state penetration. It is shown that this improved d-ECM can better predict the target resistance of structural ceramics reported in penetration experiments. The brittle ceramic is assumed to undergo cracking when the hoop stress reaches its tensile strength and is subsequently comminuted when the radial stress reaches its compressive strength. The constitutive behavior of the comminuted ceramic is predicted using a modified form of the extended M–C model. The extended M–C model captures the strain rate-independent exponential pressure-shear response of intact ceramics in a normalized universal strength model. A single set of three parameters can be used to describe the response of all intact ceramics. This constitutive model has been suitably modified into a two-parameter exponential model, applicable to comminuted ceramics. These two parameters have been calibrated using experimental penetration data along with analytical estimations, and it has been shown that a single set of universal parameters can be used to describe the response of most comminuted ceramics. By incorporating these models, the improved d-ECM can be used to estimate the target resistance of a ceramic when relevant experimental data is not readily available. The results of the analysis further reveal that, in the case of steady-state penetration into semi-infinite monolithic targets, the properties of the comminuted material have a greater influence on the target resistance of ceramics than those of its intact state. The model proposed is applicable for thick monolithic ceramic targets under steady-state penetration conditions, and not for layered targets.
Abstract #2746: Fc fusion proteins with Notch3 ligand binding regions inhibit human non _ small cell lung cancers tumorigenesis

The Notch signaling pathway is a highly conserved signaling pathway that functions in regulating many cellular processes during embryonic development and throughout adulthood. Notch3, a member of the Notch family of receptors, is over-expressed in around 40% of lung cancer tumors, and inhibition of Notch signaling in both NSCLC cell lines and xenograft mouse model inhibits tumor growth and promotes apoptosis. Interruption of Notch3-ligand interaction using receptor decoys can prevent Notch3 activation. We have identified several peptides derived from the Notch3 extracellular domain that can interrupt Notch3 signaling. These peptides are localized to purported ligand binding regions. While these synthetic peptides are useful in the biochemical studies of Notch signaling, Fc-fusion proteins are more valuable for studying protein function both in vitro and in vivo and have potential therapeutic and diagnostic use in the clinical setting. Here we report the generation of six Fc fusion proteins containing small regions of the Notch3 extracellular domain and demonstrate that they inhibit tumor growth by interrupting Notch3-ligand interaction. We created six Fc fusion protein constructs expressed in the pFUSE-hIgG1-Fc2 plasmid vector (Invitrogen). Using transient transfection of Fc constructs into HCC2429, we observed a decrease in both Notch3 intracellular domain production and expression of its ligand Jagged1. In vitro treatment of tumor cells using Fc fusion proteins induced apoptosis, reduced tumor growth, and suppressed transcription of Notch3-depenent gene, Hey1. Furthermore, HCC2429, stably transfected with these fusion proteins showed slower growth and reduction of Notch3 intracellular domain production as compared tumors transfected with vector controls. Taken together, our results suggest that Fc fusion proteins have potential clinical utility in the treatment of patients with NSCLC with activated Notch3 signaling. Citation Information: In: Proc Am Assoc Cancer Res; 2009 Apr 18-22; Denver, CO. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; 2009. Abstract nr 2746.
What’s Past (and Present) Is Prologue: Interactions Between Justice Levels and Trajectories Predicting Behavioral Reciprocity:

Much of organizational justice research has tended to take a static approach, linking employees’ contemporaneous justice levels to outcomes of interest. In the present study, we tested a dynamic model emphasizing the interactive influences of both justice levels and trajectories for predicting behavioral social exchange outcomes. Specifically, our model posited both main effects and interactions between present justice levels and past justice changes over time in predicting helping behavior and voluntary turnover behavior. Data over four yearly measurement periods from 4,348 employees of a banking organization generally supported the notion that justice trajectories interact with absolute levels to predict both outcomes. Together, the findings highlight how employees invoke present fairness evaluations within the context of past fairness trends—rather than either in isolation—to inform decisions about behaviorally reciprocating at work.
The Innovation Opportunity in Pharmacy Education Standards

The changing landscape of healthcare and recent formal Standards for innovation in pharmacy education presents a unique opportunity. To realize this opportunity, pharmacy should learn from the successes of other fields to make use of the rich environment for improvement in healthcare. The University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy presents one example of a Program that utilizes a curriculum, projects, and partners to realize innovation. Educators in pharmacy can make use of the opportunity for innovation by learning from successful examples and embracing the process’s challenges of iteration. Type: Commentary
Monolithically integrated III-V gain material on virtual substrates on Si using template-assisted selective epitaxy

Monolithically integrated light sources on silicon are key for future semiconductor microchips that comprise Si CMOS and on-chip optical interconnects as prerequisite for more energy efficient computers and data centres. Recently, major advances were achieved regarding direct integration of III-V gain material on silicon without introducing threading dislocations, especially via heteroepitaxy of semiconductor nanowires [1]. In particular, lasing of III-V nanowires on silicon [2] have been reported demonstrating the high potential of such devices for future on-chip light sources. However, nanowire cavities provide only low optical feedback from the NW-end facets which increases their lasing threshold. Additionally, vertically grown nanowires hinder efficient coupling to in-plane photonic waveguides and circuitries.
Antibiotic killing through oxidized nucleotides

The alarming global rise of antibiotic resistance among bacterial pathogens necessitates not only urgent discovery of new antibiotics but also practical strategies to preserve those that are currently used (1, 2). A system-level understanding of the killing mechanisms of bactericidal antibiotics holds the promise of shortening treatment time courses and decreasing the chances that sensitive bacteria will evolve resistance during treatment (3). As different classes of bactericidal antibiotics have different primary cellular target(s), it is not surprising that a significant aspect of the bacterial killing mechanism is specific to the essential function targeted by each antibiotic class: β-lactams induce a futile cycle of cell wall synthesis (4), aminoglycosides induce mistranslation of peptides that compromise inner membrane integrity (5), and fluoroquinolones cause DNA breaks by inhibiting DNA gyrase or topoisomerase IV (6). However, regardless of the primary cellular target, different bactericidal antibiotics all induce a similar cascade of events that contribute to their lethality in Escherichia coli : accelerated respiration (7); changes in iron and redox metabolism (8); formation of reactive oxygen species (9); oxidative damage of DNA (10), RNA, and proteins (11); and cell death. Interestingly, the same killing cascade is seen in a number of antibiotic-independent killing phenomena, for example, T6SS-effector dependent killing (12) and expression of a toxic fusion protein (13). In PNAS, Fan et al. (14) explore whether different classes of bactericidal antibiotics used to treat Mycobacterium tuberculosis , the causative agent of tuberculosis, share a common killing cascade. They used bactericidal antibiotics of the aminoglycoside and fluoroquinolone classes that were also used in previous bactericidal antibiotic lethality studies in E. coli . They discovered that lethal oxidative DNA damage does occur in nongrowing M. tuberculosis cells treated with different bactericidal antibiotics. They also used rifampicin, an RNA polymerase inhibitor that is not bactericidal in … [↵][1]1To whom correspondence should be addressed. Email: evgeny.nudler{at}nyumc.org. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Mechanism of N–N Bond Formation by Transition Metal–Nitrosyl Complexes: Modeling Flavodiiron Nitric Oxide Reductases

Nitric oxide (NO) has a number of important biological functions, including nerve signaling transduction, blood pressure control, and, at higher concentrations, immune defense. A number of pathogenic bacteria have developed methods of degrading this toxic molecule through the use of flavodiiron nitric oxide reductases (FNORs), which utilize a nonheme diiron active site to reduce NO → N2O. The well-characterized diiron model complex [Fe2(BPMP)(OPr)(NO)2]2+ (BPMP- = 2,6-bis[(bis(2- pyridylmethyl)amino)methyl]-4-methylphenolate), which mimics both the active site structure and reactivity of these enzymes, offers key insight into the mechanism of FNORs. Presently, we have used computational methods to elucidate a coherent reaction mechanism that shows how one and two-electron reduction of this complex induces N-N bond formation and N2O generation, while the parent complex remains stable. The initial formation of a N-N bond to generate hyponitrite (N2O22-) follows a radical-type coupling mechanism, which requires strong Fe-NO π-interactions to be overcome to effectively oxidize the iron centers. Hyponitrite formation provides the largest activation barrier with Δ G‡ = 7-8 kcal/mol (average of several functionals) in the two-electron, super-reduced mechanism. This is followed by the formation of a N2O22- complex with a novel binding mode for nonheme diiron systems, allowing for the facile release of N2O with the assistance of a carboxylate shift. This provides sufficient thermodynamic driving force for the reaction to proceed via N2O formation alone. Surprisingly, the one-electron "semireduced" mechanism is predicted to be competitive with the super-reduced mechanism. This is due to the asymmetry imparted by the BPMP- ligand, allowing a one-electron reduction to overcome one of the primary Fe-NO π-interactions. Generally, mediation of N2O formation by high-spin [{M-NO-}]2 cores depends on the ease of oxidizing the M centers and breaking of the M-NO π-bonds to formally generate a "full" 3NO- unit, allowing for the critical step of N-N bond formation to proceed (via a radical-type coupling mechanism).
Expanding The Design Space Through Innovative Design and Manufacturing Processes

The subject of design and manufacturing has received increasing attention in practically all industrialised countries. Ever increasing competition has forced most manufacturing organisations to rethink the process by which they create new products and improve existing ones. The following paper attempts to describe the traditional product evolution cycle by reviewing historic as well as modern methods of product design and manufacturing. Several limitations and constraints in the traditional process are identified and related to innovative methods under development at Carnegie Mellon’s Engineering Design Research Center and at Stanford’s Rapid Prototyping Laboratory.
Interaction between buyer power in agricultural procurement and seller power in food retailing, and optimal allocation of anti-trust efforts

In order to take appropriate and effective actions against anticompetitive behaviors in the agricultural sector, it is essential to understand the interaction between buyer power in agricultural procurement and seller power in food retailing and the optimal allocation of anti-trust efforts between markets to maximize welfare. This paper finds that, even if the policy objective is to maximize farmer welfare, anti-trust efforts may need to put to both farm and retail markets. More importantly, the optimal allocations of anti-trust efforts are the same for three different policy objectives: to maximize farmer welfare, to maximize consumer welfare, and to maximize social welfare. The steepness of farm supply and consumer demand curve, along with processors’ buyer power and retailers’ seller power, can affect the optimal allocation of anti-trust efforts. Some guidelines and formula are suggested for designing optimal allocation of anti-trust efforts between farm and retail markets.
Development and validation of a contextual behavioral distress intolerance task in cigarette smokers.

Abstract Introduction Distress intolerance, an individual's perceived or actual inability to withstand negative emotional or physical distress, contributes to the maintenance of smoking. However, there is limited understanding of the contextual factors that impact distress intolerance in general or among smokers specifically. This study aimed to adapt and test a computerized behavioral persistence task that requires re-typing a passage while adhering to specific instructions (Contextual-Frustration Intolerance Typing Task [C-FiTT]). C-FiTT was designed to model contextual factors that influence distress intolerance, negative affect, and smoking urges. Method Daily smokers (n = 550) were recruited through the use of Qualtrics Panels. Using a 2 × 2 + 1 experimental design, participants were randomly assigned to one of four C-FiTT conditions that crossed task difficulty (low or high difficulty) with passage content (neutral or tobacco withdrawal text), or a neutral control group. Results C-FiTT produced an average persistence time of 94.1 ± 114.3 s and 64.7% of participants self-terminated the task. C-FiTT also produced small to medium sized-increases in negative affect and smoking urges. Between-condition comparisons indicated that the high-difficulty C-FiTT produced shorter behavioral persistence, greater self-termination likelihood, and larger increases in negative affect and smoking urges. The combination of high-difficulty and withdrawal content resulted in the shortest persistence time, 100% self-termination rate, and largest increases in negative affect and smoking urges, compared to other conditions Conclusions Findings provide initial evidence for the validity of C-FiTT in smokers within the context of tobacco withdrawal at low and high levels of task difficulty. Avenues for refinement and use of C-FiTT are discussed.
A Systematic Review and Gap Analysis of Advance Care Planning Intervention Components and Outcomes Among Cancer Patients Using the Transtheoretical Model of Health Behavior Change.

Abstract Context Despite the benefits of advance care planning (ACP), cancer patients rarely engage in ACP. ACP is a process that parallels health behavior change. This makes the Transtheoretical Model of Health Behavior Change (TTM) an important framework for understanding how to increase ACP among cancer patients. Objectives This study aimed to systematically review ACP interventions for cancer patients by 1) categorizing ACP intervention components according to the stages and processes of behavior change in the TTM, 2) conducting a gap analysis among the categorized components, and 3) identifying patterns between the categorized intervention components and the intervention outcomes. Methods PubMed, CINAHL Plus, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases were searched for articles related to ACP and cancer. ACP intervention components were abstracted, assessed for theoretical relevance, organized according to the stages and process of change in the TTM, and then synthesized. Results The search produced 4604 articles, with 25 meeting criteria for review. Most intervention components targeted the precontemplation and contemplation stages of change, with fewer targeting preparation, action, or maintenance. Multiple processes of change were not addressed. Interventions that resulted in ACP engagement tended to take an interdisciplinary approach to implementation and consisted of multiple consultations staged over time. Conclusion ACP likely requires "high touch" interventions to induce behavior change. ACP interventions that are stage-matched, use diverse mechanisms to engage ACP (i.e., processes of change), address ACP as a process, and monitor engagement across the illness trajectory are needed for cancers patients and their caregivers.
A Double-Strand Break Does Not Promote Neisseria gonorrhoeae Pilin Antigenic Variation.

ABSTRACT The major subunit of the type IV pilus (T4p) of Neisseria gonorrhoeae undergoes antigenic variation (AV) dependent on a guanine quadruplex (G4) DNA structure located upstream of the pilin gene. Since the presence of G4 DNA induces genome instability in both eukaryotic and prokaryotic chromosomes, we tested whether a double-strand break (DSB) at the site of the pilE G4 sequence could substitute for G4-directed pilin AV. The G4 motif was replaced by an I-SceI cut site, and the cut site was also introduced to locations near the origin of replication and the terminus. Expression of the I-SceI endonuclease from an irrelevant chromosomal site confirmed that the endonuclease functions to induce double-strand breaks at all three locations. No antigenic variants were detected when the G4 was replaced with the I-SceI cut site, but there was a growth defect from having a DSB in the chromosome, and suppressor mutations that were mainly deletions of the cut site and/or the entire pilE gene accumulated. Thus, the pilE G4 does not act to promote pilin AV by generating a DSB but requires either a different type of break, a nick, or more complex interactions with other factors to stimulate this programmed recombination system. IMPORTANCE Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the causative agent of gonorrhea, possesses a DNA recombination system to change one of its surface-exposed antigens. This recombination system, known as antigenic variation, uses an alternate DNA structure to initiate variation. The guanine quadruplex DNA structure is known to cause nicks or breaks in DNA; however, much remains unknown about how this structure functions in cells. We show that inducing a break by different means does not allow antigenic variation, indicating that the DNA structure may have a more complicated role.
Reducing routine laboratory tests in patients with isolated extremity fractures: a prospective safety and feasibility study in 246 patients.

Daily routine laboratory testing is unnecessary in most admitted patients. The opportunity to reduce daily laboratory testing in orthopaedic trauma patients has not been previously investigated. A prospective observational study was performed based on a new laboratory testing reduction protocol for 12 months at two tertiary care trauma centers. Admitted patients with surgically treated isolated upper or lower extremity fractures were included (n = 246). The testing protocol consisted of a complete blood count (CBC) and basic metabolic panel (BMP) on postoperative day 2. Thereafter, tests were obtained at individual providers’ discretion. Patients were followed for 30 days postoperatively. The primary outcome was number of laboratory tests reduced. Secondary outcomes included provider protocol compliance, and adverse patient outcomes. Chi-squared tests were used to compare differences in categorical variables among the cohorts. Analysis of variance tests were used for continuous variables. The relative reductions in testing utilization were calculated using our division’s standard-of-care before program implementation (1 CBC and 1 BMP per patient per inpatient day). Significance was defined as P < 0.05. Of the 246 patients, there were 45 protocol fall outs due to provider deviation (n = 24) or medically justified necessity for additional testing (n = 21). Across all groups, a total of 778 CBC or BMP tests were avoided, amounting to a 69% reduction in testing compared to the pre-implementation baseline. Ninety-five percent of protocol group patients were safely discharged either without laboratory testing or with one set of tests obtained on postoperative day 2. There were no 30-day readmissions or reported complications associated with the new laboratory testing protocol. In patients with surgically treated fractures about the elbow and knee, obtaining a single set of laboratory tests on postoperative day 2 is safe and efficacious in terms of reducing inappropriate resource utilization. retrospectively registered.
FRANTEXT ’s Corpus of Nineteenth-Century French

FRANTEXT was first collected in the 1960s for the Tresor de la langue francaise dictionary. Due to demand from researchers it was cleaned up and released on CD-ROM and on the Internet in the 1980s and 1990s. The original intent was to base it on a representative sample, but due to time constraints it was compiled using an unrepresentative “Principle of Authority.” For the period 1800–1815 the result is four texts chosen based on the subjective interests of literary historians.
Mothers' Influences on Latino Collegians: Understanding Latinx Mother-Son Pedagogies.

Research suggests that the role of parents is essential to the educational trajectories of Latinx college students, including their access to and graduation from postsecondary education. In this st...
The Drama of Predatory Heteromasculinity Online

Using Erving Goffman’s ideas about theatre as a metaphor for social life, a dramaturgical framework is deployed to analyze content on an online neo-masculinist social movement community, The Red Pill (TRP). TRP is a subreddit, or category, on the social bookmarking site, Reddit. Neo-masculinity is defined as an ideology that is a contemporary redeployment of older, male supremacist tropes of masculinity, femininity, and sexuality such as gender essentialism, gender complementarity, and male superiority. Predatory heteromasculinity is described as a form of masculinity that is affirmatively heterosexual, sexually entitled, and focused on hunting women as sexual prey. The author describes how participants on The Red Pill use dramaturgical techniques to perform discourses of predatory heteromasculinity and neo-masculinism, and analyzes how the site functions dramaturgically for actor-adherents’ performances of the discourses. Key concepts include: TRP as a stage; re-performances for TRP audience; actors’ sincerity of belief in the part played; ideological stage setting; character creation and maintenance; and the use of costumes and props.
BCR ABL Fusion Protein Detection by a Modern Approach: Fluroscent Immuno Bead Assay

ABSTRACT Introduction Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) is probably the most extensively studied human malignancy. CML patients (90-95%) harbor the Philadelphia (Ph) chromosome, a shortened chromosome 22, resulting from a reciprocal translocation t (9; 22) (q34; q11) between the long arms of chromosome 9 and 22, fusion ABL proto-oncogene on chromosome 9 with the BCR gene on chromosome 22. BCR-ABL fusion gene plays a key role in pathogenesis of the disease. Approximately 15-30% of adult and 2-5% of childhood ALL and Materials and methods Study Period: June 2009- February 2012 Test Specimen Peripheral blood or Bone marrow from 242 CML patient (from hospital registry of a tertiary cancer institute of Eastern India) Normal (as negative control): Peripheral blood from 20 individuals BCR-ABL positive cell line: K562 FISH was performed using (for 100 samples) directly labeled dual color prob for detection of BCR-ABL as standard laboratory protocol. Isolation of WBC were done by lysis buffer. Then lysate treatment were done to release the intracellular BCR-ABL protein. After fluorescent immune bead assay were performed by captured bead and detector reagent. After forming a sandwich complex (if sample contain targeted protein), they were analysed by flowcytometry method. Result In 242 cases 166 (68.6%) were positive for BCR ABL fusion protein by Flowcytometric Bead Assay. Approximately 96% cases were observed as positive by both techniques FISH and Flowcytometric Bead Assay. Conclusion We conclude that the Flowcytometry Immuno Bead Assay is a faster, easier and reliable technique for detection of BCR ABL protein in leukemic cells and shows promise for serial evaluation of patients undergoing treatment. The main advantage of immune bead assay is not dependence on the breakpoint position in the BCR gene. Moreover this technique is based on protein translation label. Disclosure All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.
Chapter 7 – Array Beamforming

Because images are formed from pulse echoes, this chapter introduces time domain diffraction approaches that are suited to short pulses. The benefit of the time domain approach is that it involves a single convolution calculation with a pulse. Both time and frequency approaches are used to describe arrays that can be thought of as continuous apertures sampled along spatial coordinates. Arrays are made up of arrangements of individually addressable elements that act as imperfect samplers. For element spacing greater than the Nyquist rate, grating lobes may be formed that introduce artifacts in images. Elements also have directivity, which affects the overall ability of an array to focus and steer a beam by appropriate time delays controlled electronically. Effects of apodization and focusing on the acoustic field are explained in detail, The trade-offs of one-dimensional (1D), 1.5D, and 2D arrays are compared. Effects caused by sparse arrays and arrays with defective elements are examined. The effects of aberration and absorption on beam quality and images are discussed. Future prospects of operator-independent conformable arrays are explored.
Transient inhibition of mTOR in human pluripotent stem cells enables robust formation of mouse-human chimeric embryos

It has not been possible to generate naive human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) that substantially contribute to mouse embryos. We found that a brief inhibition of mTOR with Torin1 converted hPSCs from primed to naive pluripotency. The naive hPSCs were maintained in the same condition as mouse embryonic stem cells and exhibited high clonogenicity, rapid proliferation, mitochondrial respiration, X chromosome reactivation, DNA hypomethylation, and transcriptomes sharing similarities to those of human blastocysts. When transferred to mouse blastocysts, naive hPSCs generated 0.1 to 4% human cells, of all three germ layers, including large amounts of enucleated red blood cells, suggesting a marked acceleration of hPSC development in mouse embryos. Torin1 induced nuclear translocation of TFE3; TFE3 with mutated nuclear localization signal blocked the primed-to-naive conversion. The generation of chimera-competent naive hPSCs unifies some common features of naive pluripotency in mammals and may enable applications such as human organ generation in animals.
Recommendations for the reform of medical education in China: A SWOT analysis

Abstract Phenomenon Numerous political, demographic, and policy changes have influenced the evolving structure of healthcare in China. As China continues to experience healthcare reform, the medical educational system should strive for parallel advancement. Approach We conducted a review of the literature to describe the nature of healthcare reform in China and establish recommendations for the reform of medical education. Specifically, we aim to summarize the current challenges faced by medical education in China and identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats for the development of new medical schools. Findings The Chinese medical education system is currently experiencing problems in organization, training, standardization, and evaluation. New medical schools in China have an immense opportunity to be a disruptive force in healthcare by introducing business and engineering concepts into the curriculum, research enterprise, and clinical delivery. Insights The need for physicians capable of meeting the healthcare needs of the Chinese population only becomes more imperative as the population continues to grow and change. Given the numerous challenges experienced by healthcare professionals, new medical schools have the ability to adopt strategies used by the United States, United Kingdom, among other countries, to establish a robust, effective medical education system.
Efficacy and Safety of Pembrolizumab in Combination With Bevacizumab and Oral Metronomic Cyclophosphamide in the Treatment of Recurrent Ovarian Cancer: A Phase 2 Nonrandomized Clinical Trial

Importance Treatment options for recurrent ovarian cancer are of limited clinical benefit and adversely affect patient quality of life, representing an unmet need for tolerable effective therapies. Objective To assess the efficacy and safety of a combination of pembrolizumab with bevacizumab and oral metronomic cyclophosphamide in patients with recurrent platinum-sensitive, platinum-resistant, or refractory epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer. Design, Setting, and Participants This open-label, single-arm phase 2 cohort study enrolled patients from September 6, 2016, to June 27, 2018, at a single institution in the United States. Eligible patients had recurrent ovarian cancer, measurable disease per immune-related Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors (irRECIST), and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 to 1. Data were analyzed from September 6, 2016, to February 20, 2020. Interventions Patients received intravenous pembrolizumab, 200 mg, and bevacizumab, 15 mg/kg, every 3 weeks and oral cyclophosphamide, 50 mg, once daily during the treatment cycle until disease progression, unacceptable toxic effects, or withdrawal of consent. Main Outcomes and Measures Primary outcomes were objective response rate (ORR) and progression-free survival (PFS). Results Of the 40 women enrolled, 30 (75.0%) had platinum-resistant and 10 (25.0%) had platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer with a mean (SD) age of 62.2 (9.4) years. Three women (7.5%) had complete responses, 16 (40.0%) had partial responses, and 19 (47.5%) had stable disease in response to treatment based on irRECIST criteria, with an ORR of 47.5%, clinical benefit in 38 (95.0%), and durable response in 10 (25.0%). Median PFS was 10.0 (90% CI, 6.5-17.4) months. The most common grade 3 to 4 treatment-related adverse events were hypertension (6 [15.0%]) and lymphopenia (3 [7.5%]). The most frequently reported adverse events included fatigue (18 [45.0%]), diarrhea (13 [32.5%]), and hypertension (11 [27.5%]). Conclusions and Relevance In this phase 2 nonrandomized clinical trial, the combination of pembrolizumab with bevacizumab and oral cyclophosphamide was well tolerated and demonstrated clinical benefit in 95.0% and durable treatment responses (>12 months) in 25.0% of patients with recurrent ovarian cancer. This combination may represent a future treatment strategy for recurrent ovarian cancer. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:NCT02853318
The vexing relationship between socioeconomic status and health

In a recent issue of this Journal, Politzer, Shmueli, and Avni estimate the economic costs of health disparities due to socioeconomic status (SES) in Israel (Politzer et al., Isr J Health Policy Res 8: 46, 2019). Using three measures of SES, the socioeconomic ranking of localities, individual income, and individual education, Politzer and colleagues estimate welfare loss due to higher mortality, productivity loss due to poorer health, excess health care treatment costs, and excess disability payments for individuals with below median SES relative to those with above median SES. They find the economic costs of health disparities are substantial, adding up to between 1.1 and 3.1 billion USD annually—between 0.7 and 1.6% of Israel’s GDP. This paper is useful and informative. It is, to our knowledge, the first comprehensive quantification of the economic costs stemming from health disparities in Israel. In spite of many social policies designed to level economic opportunity and social welfare generally, by most measures, Israel is among the most unequal in the distribution of income among all OECD countries (Cornfeld and Danieli, Isr Econ Rev 12:51–95, 2015). Politzer and colleagues expose the magnitude and sources of health-related loss that Israel faces because of such inequality and shows how the costs of inequality are borne to some degree by all members of society. This short commentary discusses the complicated relationship between SES and health and puts the findings from Politzer and colleagues in the context of the international literature on the subject.
In-air hearing in Hawaiian monk seals: implications for understanding the auditory biology of Monachinae seals

The auditory biology of Monachinae seals is poorly understood. Limited audiometric data and certain anatomical features suggest that these seals may have reduced sensitivity to airborne sounds compared to related species. Here, we describe the in-air hearing abilities of a Hawaiian monk seal (Neomonachus schauinslandi) trained to participate in a psychophysical paradigm. We report absolute (unmasked) thresholds for narrowband signals measured in quiet conditions across the range of hearing and masked thresholds measured in the presence of octave-band noise at two frequencies. The behavioral audiogram indicates a functional hearing range from 0.1 to 33 kHz and poor sensitivity, with detection thresholds above 40 dB re 20 µPa. Critical ratio measurements are elevated compared to those of other seals. The apparently reduced terrestrial hearing ability of this individual—considered with available auditory data for a northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris)—suggests that hearing in Monachinae seals differs from that of the highly sensitive Phocinae seals. Exploration of phylogenetic relationships and anatomical traits support this claim. This work advances understanding of the evolution of hearing in amphibious marine mammals and provides updated information that can be used for management and conservation of endangered Hawaiian monk seals.