cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chiral porous metal-organic frameworks with dual active sites for sequential asymmetric catalysis

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a class of organic–inorganic hybrid materials built from metal-connecting nodes and organic-bridging ligands. They have received much attention in recent years owing to the ability to tune their properties for potential applications in various areas. Properly designed MOFs with uniform, periodically aligned active sites have shown great promise in catalysing shape-, size-, chemo-, regio- and stereo-selective organic transformations. This study reports the synthesis and characterization of two chiral MOFs (CMOFs 1 and 2 ) that are constructed from Mn-salen-derived dicarboxylic acids [salen is ( R , R )- N , N ′-bis(5- tert -butylsalicylidene)-1,2-cyclohexanediamine], bis(4-vinylbenzoic acid)-salen manganese(III) chloride (H 2 L 4 ) or bis(benzoic acid)-salen manganese(III) chloride (H 2 L 3 ) and [Zn 4 (μ 4 -O)(O 2 CR) 6 ] or [Zn 5 (H 2 O) 2 (μ 3 -OH) 2 (O 2 CR) 8 ] secondary building units (SBUs), respectively. The SBUs in CMOF- 1 are connected by the linear ditopic Mn-salen-derived linkers to construct a fourfold interpenetrated isoreticular MOF (IRMOF) structure with pcu topology. In CMOF- 2 , the Mn-salen centres dimerize in a cross-linking way to form a diamondoid structure with threefold interpenetration. CMOF- 1 was examined for highly regio- and stereo-selective tandem alkene epoxidation/epoxide ring-opening reactions by using the Mn-salen andZn 4 (μ 4 -O)(carboxylate) 6 active sites, respectively. Our work demonstrated the potential utility of chiral MOFs with multiple active sites in the efficient synthesis of complex molecules with excellent regio- and stereo-controls
Animal Evolution: Interrelationships of the Living Phyla

Kingdom Animalia early animal radiation prelude: phylum choanoflagellata phylum porifera phylum placozoa eumetazoa phylum cnidaria tripoblastica phylum ctenophora phylum bilateria protostoma spiralia schizocoelia phylum sipuncula articulata phylum mollusca euarticulata phylum annelida panarthropoda phylum onychophora phylum arthropoda phylum tardigrada bryozoa phylum entoprocta phylum ectoprocta parenchymia phylum platyhelminthes phylum nemertini gnath ifera phylum rotifera phylum gnathostomulida phylum chaetognatha cycloneuralia phylum gastrotricha introverta. (Part contents)
Sperm deoxyribonucleic acid fragmentation assessment in normozoospermic male partners of couples with unexplained recurrent pregnancy loss: a prospective study

Objective To determine whether sperm DNA integrity in normozoospermic male partners plays a role in idiopathic recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). Design Prospective, cohort study. Setting Academic tertiary care center. Patient(s) Group I: 26 male partners of women with unexplained RPL. Group II: 31 normozoospermic males with proven fertility. Intervention(s) Semen samples were collected by masturbation after 48–72 hours of abstinence. After liquefaction at room temperature, semen analysis was performed according to World Health Organization standards. Only samples with >20 × 10 6 spermatozoa/mL with at least 50% progressive sperm motility and 30 % normal morphology were selected for the study. DNA fragmentation of the sperm was assessed with TUNEL assay followed by flow cytometric analysis. Main Outcome Measure(s) Sperm DNA fragmentation in both groups. Result(s) Mean DNA fragmentation (mean ± SD) was significantly more in men with RPL (36.8 ± 5) compared with controls (9.4 ± 2.7). Conclusion(s) Sperm DNA fragmentation may play a role in unexplained RPL despite normal semen analysis parameters.
Lack of Fc-e Receptors on Murine Eosinophils: Implications for the Functional Significance of Elevated IgE and Eosinophils in Parasitic Infections

Chronic infection with Schistosoma mansoni induces in humans and mice a Th2-dominant immune response in which eosinophils and IgE are conspicuously elevated. Human eosinophils express IgE receptors that participate in an IgE-dependent eosinophil-mediated ADCC reaction against Schistosomula larvae in vitro. To investigate the expression of IgE receptors on murine eosinophils, they were purified (>95% pure by Giemsa-stained cytospin preparations) from liver granulomas of Schistosoma-infected mice. Flow cytometric analysis showed the absence of the low-affinity IgE receptor Fc-epsilon RII (CD23) and Mac-2 and the absence of binding of murine IgE. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis of granuloma eosinophil mRNA did not detect transcripts for Fc-epsilon RII or the alpha-chain of the high-affinity IgE receptor Fc-epsilon RI, but did detect transcripts that encode Mac-2 and the low-affinity IgG receptors Fc-gamma RIIb2, Fc-gamma RIII, and the FcR-associated gamma-chain. In vitro stimulation of granuloma eosinophils with interleukin-4 (IL-4) did not induce IgE binding, surface expression of Mac-2, or the transcription of Fc-epsilon receptors (Fc-epsilon RI, Fc-epsilon RII/CD23). To investigate normal murine eosinophils, we cultured normal mouse bone marrow cells with recombinant IL-3, recombinant IL-5, and recombinant granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, conditions that promote eosinophil differentiation. Flow cytometric analysis of bone marrow-derived eosinophils failed to detect IgE binding or cell surface expression of Fc-epsilon RII and Mac-2, and RT-PCR analysis of fluorescence-activated cell sorted bone marrow-derived eosinophils failed to detect transcripts that encode Fc-epsilon RI or Fc-epsilon RII. These findings show that, in contrast to human eosinophils, murine eosinophils do not express cell surface receptors that bind IgE. However, because IgG receptors (Fc-gamma RIIb2, Fc-gamma RII) were present on eosinophils purified from granulomas, we investigated whether they might be involved in eosinophil activation. We found that an oxidative burst in eosinophils could be triggered through their IgG receptors.
Using Morphological Analysis for Final Project Planning in Multimedia Journalism Courses.

Courses: Multimedia production.Objectives: This single-class activity should enable students to understand the logic of planning a project, analyze the strengths and weaknesses of different media tools in telling a story, and practice critical thinking. It is useful for students planning their final projects. It helps them to practice visualizing and articulating the major components of a final project by utilizing a table called a morphological matrix. Students first refresh their knowledge about strengths and weaknesses of various multimedia tools in telling a story. Then they brainstorm possible reporting angles of a hypothetical project and work in groups to match a story angle with a story form for the ideal presentation. Finally, students report their ideas back to the class, which allows them to discuss the efficiency of the match of content and form for each idea.
Private Governance in the Supply Chain

Although there has always been risk in business, information availability, globalization, outsourcing, and electronic commerce have fundamentally changed how and where business takes place. These developments have led to more formal approaches for managing the entire enterprise, including those dedicated to understanding vulnerabilities and mitigating risks in the supply chain. Today, legal compliance, contractual compliance, and associated risk management systems are required, but insufficient, for the satisfactory performance of individual suppliers and the entire supply chain. This article describes noneconomic interdependencies in the supply chain and advocates for the role of social responsibility and private governance approaches for managing reputation. Through an analysis of supplier codes of conduct we examine marketing in practice and suggest future research opportunities.
PRELIMINARY VIEW ON OBJECT OF SCIENCE OF SCIENCE AND ITS DISCIPLINE SYSTEM

In this paper,the auther holds that the science of science is a discipline, the object of which is to study various science relations.The science relations refer to some realistic relations between science and science,science and man, science and material and man and man in scientific production process.They are essentials of scientific production process.Research on these relations forms he framework of this discipline.
Effect of Pretransplant Blood Transfusions and Splenectomy on Renal Allograft Survival in the Lewis Rat

Both pretransplant blood transfusions and pretransplant splenectomy have been shown to improve renal allograft survival in humans and experimental animals. A study was undertaken using the Lewis rat to determine if any combination of pretransplant splenectomy and pretransplant blood transfusions exerted either a synergistic or deleterious effect on renal allograft survival. Pretransplant splenectomy and pretransplant blood transfusions used singly significantly prolonged renal allograft survival. Pretransplant splenectomy followed by 3 blood transfusions also significantly prolonged renal allograft survival. This finding implies that secondary sites of suppressor cell activity, for instance lymph nodes, can be stimulated by blood transfusion and produce prolonged allograft survival in the absence of the spleen. No combination of pretransplant blood transfusion and splenectomy was synergistic. In fact, the group that had pretransplant transfusions followed by splenectomy had allograft survival no different from the control group.
Quasi-Passive Satellite Relay Communication System

Proposed methods of relaying communications via satellites have been either passive, as with Echo, or active, such as with Advent. The passive approaches have the advantages of simplicity, invulnerability, and ultimate reliability in the vehicle; but those versions which permit usage from any location within the field of view of the satellite are so limited in sensitivity by the two-way space attenuation as to restrict their information-handling capacity severely. Active satellites have much greater information-handling capacity but are less reliable, more vulnerable to jamming, and require significant on-board power consumption.
South Coast New Guinea Cultures: Women's status

Recent analyses have made differing assessments of women's status in south New Guinea. Gilbert Herdt (1984a:66) suggests that female status was particularly low where ritualized homosexuality was practiced, and Harriet Whitehead (1986:286f.) suggests that variations in New Guinea fertility cults illustrate different cultural forms of male dominance. Daryl Feil (1987:ch.7), on the other hand, argues that the status of women was quite high in the “homosexual societies” of south New Guinea. Shirley Lindenbaum (1987:226) suggests for these societies that relations of production were roughly egalitarian, with men having a slight edge, but that men were dominant in cultural practice, since “the production and exchange of semen … creates status differences between older and younger men and especially between men and women.” Moving beyond a logical configuration of gender and exchange, there is a large and interesting range of variation in female status, both within the central portion of south New Guinea where ritualized homosexuality was practiced and more widely along the south coast. Female status is a notoriously difficult concept, but for heuristic purposes in the present context, I follow Herdt (1984a:66) and Feil (1987:170) and consider high female status to be reflected in (a) women's sexual and marital choice; (b) female acquisition of and control over culturally valued property; (c) female participation in public affairs and ritual celebrations – to which one might add recognition of women's role in cosmological fertility; and (d) low incidence of female pollution beliefs and of generally disparaging images of women.
Landscape Ecology and Population Dynamics

The patchy distribution of habitats in landscapes determines how populations are organized in local breeding groups and how frequently individuals move between these groups. This landscape structure and these life-history traits determine the population structure and the conservation problems faced by endangered species. In fragmented landscapes, isolated populations in small patches face a number of problems ranging from loss of genetic diversity to edge effects. Habitat heterogeneity occurs at multiple spatial scales and influences different aspects of population dynamics.
Examining Inequities in Campaign Money in State Legislative Elections

There is a striking level of inequality in campaign money in state legislative elections as many candidates have relatively little campaign money while a few candidates raise much more. This paper examines the origins of these inequalities. The paper conceptualizes contributions as a type of attachment between donors and candidates, and analyzes how these attachments are formed over the course of a campaign. The study considers a preferential attachment process in which donors are likely to contribute to candidates that already have many previous donors. This model not only has implications for donor-level decision-making but also implies a rich-get-richer effect which could account for candidate-level inequalities. The research design analyzes data on nearly 900,000 contributions in the 2010 state legislative elections and finds strong empirical support for the preferential attachment process.
Metrics for interpreting the microstructure of sea ice using X-ray micro-computed tomography

Abstract As the character and dynamics of sea ice change in a rapidly changing climate, it is critical to have a detailed understanding of the fine microstructure of sea ice. Advances in X-ray micro-computed tomography (μCT) technology have enabled non-destructive three dimensional analysis of the brine channel morphology with resolution down to several microns. In this study, we examine six ice cores collected from the Ross Sea, Antarctica. Metrics were developed to describe the shape, size, and topology of the brine channels and air pockets in sea ice. A cubic sub-sample measuring 6.0 mm on edge was found to be the representative elementary volume for sea ice μCT analysis with these metrics. All samples were observed to have vertically oriented cylindrical brine channels, with increased branching and connectivity observed at lower depths. The highest degree of vertical anisotropy was detected through the middle, with increased variability near the top and bottom of each core. Air pockets were found to be mostly spherical in shape, except vertically elongated in multi-year ice.
VR What We Eat: Guidelines for Designing and Assessing Virtual Environments as a Persuasive Technology to Promote Sustainability and Health:

Environmental sustainability has grown as a topic of interest in the scientific community and has gained mainstream attention. This paper focuses on issues to consider when designing and assessing ...
The past is a key to the future: Lessons paleoecological data can provide for management of the African Great Lakes

Abstract Rapid ecological changes in the African Great Lakes (AGL) present lake managers with extraordinary challenges to understand the changes' underlying causes and forecast what they portend for the future. Monitoring and experimental data from the AGL are essential but are limited in duration and continuity. The magnitude of change suggests that a centennial-millennial timescale perspective is needed to identify drivers of change and prepare for changes yet to come. In this review I propose that paleoecological and paleolimnological approaches can provide this perspective. AGL paleorecords have documented the impacts of excess sedimentation, external nutrient loading, and climate change, and can demonstrate the specific ecosystem responses associated with these various drivers. Paleorecords can help us understand how multiple stressors interact and in some cases can falsify specific cause-and-effect hypotheses when the putative causes can be shown to have occurred after the effect started. The number of useful AGL paleorecords is still quite small. Replication is needed to test if patterns seen and hypotheses inferred from single localities are robust for an entire lake, and to understand regional variability within and between lakes. Because many paleorecord methods are quite inexpensive it would be highly desirable if these approaches were incorporated into the routine tool kit of local AGL scientists working in tandem with fisheries and water-quality scientists. Training African lake scientists and conservation biologists to analyze paleorecords should be a high priority for AGL stakeholders interested in the long-term prognoses for the economic and biodiversity resources that they oversee.
"Maybe black girls do yoga": A focus group study with predominantly low-income African-American women.

Abstract Objective To explore African American (AA) women’s use of mind-body therapies, such as yoga and mindfulness, and factors that impact their experiences, observations and opinions. Design Focus groups were conducted to better understand how AA women perceive mind-body therapies and how to best bring these interventions into their community. Interviews were audiotaped and transcribed. Setting The urban Midwest. Outcome measures In addition to qualitative outcomes, descriptive measures included the Perceived Stressor Scale, Beliefs About Yoga Scale, and Determinants of Meditation Practice Inventory (DOMPI). Results Twenty-two, predominantly low-income (75% reported income Conclusions AA women acknowledged stress in their lives and recognized the need for additional coping measures. Although women reported interest in yoga/mindfulness they identified barriers, including limited access to convenient classes, and offered suggestions for bringing yoga and mindfulness to their communities.
Experimental Analysis of Continuous Folded Plates

An experimental investigation of the structural action of three aluminum folded plate models is presented. Tests were conducted on a single-span structure with simply supported ends, a single-span structure with overhangs at each end, and a two-span, continuous structure with simply-supported ends. A comparison is made between the experimental and theoretical values of longitudinal stresses and transverse moments.
Polyclonal B-cell activation of autoantibodies in ( CBA N × NZB)F1 mice by polyinosinic polycytidylic acid

Abstract CBA N × NZB F 1 male mice, which fail to produce a primary antibody response to rI·rC, were capable of responding to multiple injections of rI·rC with an IgG antibody response. Such antibody was made only after 4–5 months of treatment with rI·rC which was markedly delayed in comparison with NZB × CBA N F 1 males and CBA N × NZB F 1 females. In addition, CBA N × NZB F 1 males responded to rI·rC injection with anti-DNA production. LPS was somewhat less effective than rI·rC with regard to autoantibody stimulation. Treatment with rI·rC reduced survival in these crosses by 50% in comparison with untreated mice. However, the X-linked immune defect in serum IgM concentrations in ( CBA N × NZB)F 1 male mice was maintained. Thus, the presence of the X-linked defect in ( CBA N × NZB)F 1 male mice did not provide protection from stimulation of autoantibody production by prolonged administration of a polyclonal B-cell activator.
ANTES DE CHEGAR AO CAMPO MISSIONÁRIO

Este artigo tem por objetivo destacar a importância da fase pre-campo na vida do missionario. Desde o seu chamado ate o momento de sua chegada ao campo missionario, existem etapas a serem cumpridas e responsabilidades a serem partilhadas. O treinamento adequado, propiciando ao missionario a possibilidade de executar seu trabalho com muito mais e ciencia e e cacia, o levantamento de sustento apropriado tambem e abordado, devido a sua relevância. Por ultimo, mas nao menos importante, tanto o momento do envio quanto o compromisso firmado pela igreja local (enviadora) e pela junta ou agencia missionaria sao analisados. Os resultados desta pesquisa demonstram a importância dessa fase que antecede a chegada ao campo e as consequencias dela na vida do futuro missionario. Palavras-chave : Pre-campo. Missionario. Chamado. Treinamento.Levantamento de sustento. Envio. Igreja local. Junta missionaria. Before getting to the mission field ABSTRACT This article aims to highlight the importance of pre- eld stage in the missionary life. Since his call to the moment of his arrival at the mission eld, there are steps to be accomplished and responsibilities to be shared. Proper training, providing the missionary with the ability to run their missionary work much more e ciently and e ectively, the appropriate support raising is also covered due to its relevance. Last but not least, both the moment of sending and the commitment made by the local church (sender) and the mission board or agency are analyzed. These results demonstrate the importance of this phase prior to arrival at the camp and its consequences in the life of the future missionary. Keywords : Pre-field. Missionary. Call. Training. Support raising. Sending. Local church. Mission board.
Attacking altitude estimation in drone navigation

Current counter-drone solutions have fairly limited capabilities, because they mostly use physical approaches or depend on specific drone implementations. In this paper, we analyze popular altitude estimation algorithms used in common drone navigation systems, identify their vulnerabilities, and propose several effective attacks. First, we carefully review current popular altitude estimation methods, and point out their weaknesses. Then, we develop a few attacks to two of the most popular altitude estimation methods: KF-based estimation and sensor-model-based estimation. For the KF-based estimation, we propose a maximum False Data Injection (FDI) attack and conduct a comprehensive analysis. We are currently developing a generic FDI attack based on this analysis. For the sensor-model-based estimation, we propose two attacks to expand its confidence intervals and manipulate its altitude estimations. We are currently evaluating these attacks and countermeasures, which will be presented soon.
Passive transfer of anti-herpes simplex virus type 2 monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies protect against herpes simplex virus type 1-induced but not herpes simplex virus type 2-induced stromal keratitis.

PURPOSE To investigate whether passive transfer of antibodies to viral glycoproteins would protect against herpes simplex virus type 2-induced stromal keratitis. METHODS Balb/c mice were infected on the scarified cornea with herpes simplex virus types 1 or 2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2, respectively), and monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies were administered intraperitoneally 24 hr later. Eyes were monitored for corneal opacity. Flow cytometry was used to examine the expression of glycoproteins on the surface of HSV-infected cells. RESULTS Passive transfer of monoclonal antibodies to viral glycoproteins gB, gD, or gE or anti-HSV-2 hyperimmune serum were all highly effective (P < 0.005) at preventing blinding disease induced by HSV-1. In contrast, none of the antibody preparations could prevent stromal keratitis when the animals were challenged with various HSV-2 strains. However, antibody treatment could prevent the development of fatal encephalitis in the majority of HSV-2 infected hosts. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that gD and gB expression on the membranes of HSV-2 infected corneal epithelial cells isolated from excised corneas was substantially less (P < 0.005) than that detected on HSV-1 infected cells at both 24 and 48 hours postinfection. This antigenic difference was not due to the failure of HSV-2 to replicate in corneal epithelial cells in vivo. CONCLUSIONS Decreased levels of membrane glycoprotein antigen expression may be one factor contributing to the refractiveness of HSV-2-induced ocular disease to humoral immunotherapy.
Time Really Passes

It is common to dismiss the passage of time as illusory since its passage has not been captured within modern physical theories. I argue that this is a mistake. Other than the awkward fact that it does not appear in our physics, there is no indication that the passage of time is an illusion.
Functional Classification of Plant Plasma Membrane Transporters

A short overview of the very large and diverse group of plasma membrane transport systems is presented here. Emphasized are the transporters with important physiological functions in higher plants, which are localized to the plasma membrane. Members of gene families or transporters that do not localize to the PM are generally not discussed in this overview. In most cases, structural features of transporters rather than their transport activity were used for functional classification because many groups and families of transporters have a broad transport spectrum and can assume characteristics of biphasic or high- and low-affinity transporters. Expression data was mentioned if it helped to indicate possible functional aspects of transporters.
Diversifying Theory and Science: Expanding the Boundaries of Empirically Supported Interventions in School Psychology

Abstract In many ways a revolution has been occurring in applied areas of psychology through the recent emphasis on empirically supported interventions (ESIs) and their application to child and adult problems. The task force on interventions by the American Psychological Association (APA, Task Force on Promotion and Dissemination of Psychological Procedures, 1995) stimulated considerable enthusiasm among many about the role of ESIs in practice. Although clinical psychology has taken leadership in this movement, especially with recent advances in ESIs for children (see Lonigan, Elbert, & Bennett Johnson, 1998 ), counseling psychology (Division 17) also has made conceptual breakthroughs in the development of principles for identification of ESIs that can be applied in research and practice (Wampold, Lichtenberg, & Waehler, in press) . Most recently, APA Division 16 and the Society for the Study of School Psychology (SSSP) supported development of a Task Force on Empirically Supported Interventions in Schools (School Psychology Task Force, Kratochwill & Stoiber, 2000).
The origin of the Semitic relative marker

All Semitic languages use a relative marker as at least one strategy of relativization, and all branches show reflexes or relics of reflexes of an interdental relative marker. The wide consensus that the relative pronoun was originally identical to the proximal demonstrative is based on the formal identity between the bases of the two in West Semitic, and on the wide attestation of the process Demonstrative > Relative in world languages. In this paper, we will show that there are a number of significant problems with the reconstruction of the relative pronoun, which, when taken together, make tracing its origin to the demonstrative highly unlikely. Instead we will argue that the opposite is true: the demonstrative in West Semitic is a secondary formation on the basis of the relative marker.
Examining the Interrelations Among Objective and Subjective Health Literacy and Numeracy and Their Associations with Health Knowledge.

Health literacy and numeracy influence many health-related behaviors and outcomes. Health literacy and numeracy have been assessed objectively and subjectively, but interrelationships among the measures and the consistency of their association with health knowledge have not been examined. To increase understanding of the structure and interrelations among objective and subjective health literacy and numeracy and how these constructs relate to knowledge of risk factors of two major diseases. Secondary analysis of cross-sectional survey data, weighted to be representative of the general US population of non-institutionalized adults. Participants (N = 1005, 55.2% response rate) were recruited from GfK KnowledgePanel. The unweighted sample included 52% women, 26% racial/ethnic minorities, and 37% with no college experience. Objective health literacy, subjective health literacy, objective numeracy, subjective numeracy. Objective and perceived knowledge of diabetes and colon cancer risk factors were also assessed. Confirmatory factor analyses indicated that a model with correlated (r = 0.16–0.56) but separate factors for each of the four literacy/numeracy constructs best fit the data (RMSEA = 0.055 (95% CI 0.049–0.061), CFI = 0.94). Consistency between measures in classifying people as having adequate or limited health literacy or numeracy was 60.9–77.1%, depending on the combination of measures. All four literacy/numeracy constructs were independently associated with objective diabetes knowledge and objective colon cancer knowledge (all ps < .04). Subjective (but not objective) literacy and numeracy measures were associated with diabetes perceived knowledge (all ps < .02). No literacy/numeracy measures were associated with perceived colon cancer knowledge. We identified objective and subjective health literacy and numeracy as four distinct but related concepts. We also found that each construct accounts for unique variance in objective (but not subjective) disease knowledge. Until research uncovers what psychological processes drive subjective measures (e.g., motivation, self-efficacy), research investigating the relationship between health literacy and health outcomes should consider assessing all four measures.
Academic Librarianship, 2nd Edition. (2018): by G. Edward Evans and Stacey Greenwell, Chicago, IL: Neal-Schuman. chapters xvii, 284 pp., $95.00, ISBN 978-0-8389-1563-9.

The second edition of this textbook is geared toward library science graduate students who are interested in pursuing careers in academic librarianship. The book provides a detailed history of high...
Spatiotemporal Characteristics of the COVID-19 Epidemic in the United States.

Background A range of near-real-time online/mobile mapping dashboards and applications have been used to track the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic worldwide; however, small area-based spatiotemporal patterns of COVID-19 in the United States remain unknown. Methods We obtained county-based counts of COVID-19 cases confirmed in the United States from 22 January to 13 May 2020 (N = 1 386 050). We characterized the dynamics of the COVID-19 epidemic through detecting weekly hotspots of newly confirmed cases using Spatial and Space-Time Scan Statistics and quantifying the trends of incidence of COVID-19 by county characteristics using the Joinpoint analysis. Results Along with the national plateau reached in early April, COVID-19 incidence significantly decreased in the Northeast (estimated weekly percentage change [EWPC]: -16.6%) but continued increasing in the Midwest, South, and West (EWPCs: 13.2%, 5.6%, and 5.7%, respectively). Higher risks of clustering and incidence of COVID-19 were consistently observed in metropolitan versus rural counties, counties closest to core airports, the most populous counties, and counties with the highest proportion of racial/ethnic minorities. However, geographic differences in incidence have shrunk since early April, driven by a significant decrease in the incidence in these counties (EWPC range: -2.0%, -4.2%) and a consistent increase in other areas (EWPC range: 1.5-20.3%). Conclusions To substantially decrease the nationwide incidence of COVID-19, strict social-distancing measures should be continuously implemented, especially in geographic areas with increasing risks, including rural areas. Spatiotemporal characteristics and trends of COVID-19 should be considered in decision making on the timeline of re-opening for states and localities.
The genetics and genome-wide screening of regrowth loci, a key component of perennialism in Zea diploperennis

Perennialism is common among the higher plants, yet little is known about its inheritance. To address this, six hybrids were made by reciprocally crossing perennial Zea diploperennis Iltis, Doebley & R. Guzman with inbred lines B73 and Mo17 and Rhee Flint, a heirloom variety, of Z. mays L. ssp. mays. All the F1 plants demonstrated several cycles of growth, flowering, senescence and regrowth into normal flowering plants, indicating a dominant effect of the Z. diploperennis alleles. The regrowability (i.e. the plants9 ability to regrow after senescence) was stably transmitted to progeny of the hybrids, so we focused on this trait. Segregation ratios in the F2 generations are consistent with the trait controlled by two dominant, complementary loci, but do not exclude the influence of other modifiers or environment. Genome-wide screening with genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) indicated two major regrowth loci, regrowth 1 and regrowth 2, were on chromosomes 2 and 7, respectively. These findings lay the foundation for further exploration of the molecular mechanism of regrowth in Z. diploperennis.
An evaluation of PJP prophylaxis and anemia among renal transplant recipients.

Background Dapone and atovaquone are therapeutic options for PJP prophylaxis in renal transplant recipients. The objective of this study was to evaluate the incidence of anemia in renal transplant recipients receiving these agents. Methods This is an IRB-approved, retrospective analysis of adult renal transplant recipients who received either dapsone or atovaquone. The primary endpoint was the change in hemoglobin within 90 days of drug initiation. Other endpoints of interest included incidence and management of anemia at multiple time points post-transplant. Categorical variables were compared with Pearson's chi-squared or Fischer's exact test and continuous data were compared utilizing Wilcoxon rank-sum test. Statistical analyses were performed using Stata 14.2. Results A total of 478 patients were screened for inclusion; 50 patients were evaluated in both the dapsone and atovaquone groups. In the dapsone and atovaquone groups, the median age was 52 and 50.5 years, 44% and 42% were Caucasian, and median time to treatment initiation was 27 and 39 days post-transplant, respectively. All patients receiving dapsone had normal G6PD function. There was no difference in baseline hemoglobin between groups (9.7 g/dL vs 9.8 g/dL, P = .83). The median nadir hemoglobin values were 8.6 g/dL and 9.6 g/dL in the dapsone and atovaquone groups, respectively (P = .047). The median decrease in hemoglobin from baseline to nadir was 1.3 g/dL in dapsone patients and 0.2 g/dL in atovaquone patients (P = .001). Dapsone was discontinued in 46% of patients, whereas atovaquone was discontinued in 18% (P = .001). Conclusion Among renal transplant recipients with normal G6PD activity, dapsone is associated with greater hemoglobin reductions and rates of drug discontinuation as compared to atovaquone.
Free Will and Quantum Mechanics: Much Ado about Nothing

In a recent series of papers and lectures, John Conway and Simon Kochen presented The Free Will Theorem. "It asserts, roughly, that if indeed we humans have free will, then elementary particles already have their own small share of this valuable commodity." Perhaps the primary motivation of their papers was to place stringent constraints on quantum mechanical hidden variable theories, which they indeed do. Nevertheless, the notion of free will is crucial to the proof and they even speculate that the free will afforded to elementary particles is the ultimate explanation of our own free will. I don't challenge the mathematics/logic of their proof but rather their premises. Free will and determinism are, for me, not nearly adequately clarified for them to form the bases of a theoretical proof. In addition, they take for granted supplemental concepts in quantum mechanics that are in need of further explanation. It's also not clear to me what utility is afforded by the free will theorem, i.e., what, if anything, follows from it. Despite the cheeky subtitle of my essay, I do think that the explicit introduction of free will into discussions of hidden variables and other interpretations of quantum mechanics might help expose foibles in many of those deliberations. For this reason, I consider the Conway-Kochen free will theorem to be a positive contribution to the philosophy of quantum mechanics.
Sequence-based Machine Learning Models in Jet Physics.

Sequence-based modeling broadly refers to algorithms that act on data that is represented as an ordered set of input elements. In particular, Machine Learning algorithms with sequences as inputs have seen successfull applications to important problems, such as Natural Language Processing (NLP) and speech signal modeling. The usage this class of models in collider physics leverages their ability to act on data with variable sequence lengths, such as constituents inside a jet. In this document, we explore the application of Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs) and other sequence-based neural network architectures to classify jets, regress jet-related quantities and to build a physics-inspired jet representation, in connection to jet clustering algorithms. In addition, alternatives to sequential data representations are briefly discussed.
Waitlist Outcomes for Heart Transplant Candidates before and after the 2018 UNOS Allocation Policy Change

Purpose The 2018 UNOS heart allocation policy change was intended to prioritize sicker patients while also improving waitlist outcomes. Here, we investigate competing outcomes of patients waitlisted one year before and after this policy change (10/18/2018). Methods Patients on the waitlist for heart transplant were identified through the UNOS registry one year before (PRE, n=3,924) and after (POST, n=3,825) the UNOS policy change. Baseline characteristics were compared using Mann-Whitney U test and Chi-square test as appropriate. Competing outcomes analysis was performed to compare (1) death or deterioration, (2) heart transplant or recovery, or (3) continuation on waitlist at 6 months. . Results At 180 days, patients in the POST group showed decreased waitlist death or deterioration (5.25% vs 6.37%, p=0.035), greater proportion of transplant or recovery (56.6% vs 48.4%, p Conclusion Following the policy change, there was a reduction in death or deterioration on the waitlist and an increase in the proportion of patients undergoing heart transplantation or experiencing myocardial recovery. Additional analysis is needed to better understand factors contributing to these improved outcomes and longer term implications of this policy change.
The Feasibility And Satisfaction Of Using Telemedicine To Provide Tertiary Pediatric Obesity Care.

The use of telemedicine in Pediatric tertiary obesity care is in its infancy. Although Telemedicine implementation in tertiary care has been tried, the satisfaction and outcome data is limited largely due to small sample sizes and the marked variation of methods and personnel by which the telemedicine technology is delivered and participants assessed. The objective of our study was to determine the feasibility of using telemedicine to deliver Pediatric tertiary obesity care and to evaluate Patient/MD/Staff satisfaction. We conducted a prospective …
U.S. Military Logistics Outsourcing and the Everywhere of War

Over the past two decades a network-centric “revolution in military affairs” has profoundly reshaped the geographies of war. No less revolutionary has been the U.S. military’s increasing reliance on private companies that employ a global army of civilian laborers to provide logistical support for operations around the world. This article provides an overview of the scale, scope, and emergence of this phenomenon, supplemented by an analysis of contracting activities at the peak of the war in Iraq in 2008. Following this, I detail three notable geopolitical and geo-economic entanglements that logistics contracting has engendered: 1) subcontracting and the exploitation of a largely South and Southeast Asian subcontracting workforce that is fueled by inadequate military oversight and the down-sourcing of risk, 2) the geopolitics of contractor deaths, travel bans and troop withdrawals instituted by labor exporting countries, and 3) the duality of prosperity and precarity experienced by Bosnians who have worked for U.S. military logistics contractors over the past two decades. Impacting politics, economic livelihoods, and social relations in countries around the world, these entanglements require a rethinking of the spatial dimensions of war.
Anti-arrhythmic Drugs—a Review and Comment on Relevance in the Current Era: Part 1

There is apprehension and a general lack of familiarity with regard to using the ionic channel specific anti-arrhythmic agents among internists and even general cardiologists. This may be related to their relative infrequent use, complicated mechanisms of actions, and real or perceived risks involved with their use. For example, the fact that coronary artery disease is listed as contraindication to the prescription of class IC agents, when so many patients are noted to have presence of non-obstructive disease on increasingly done CT scans, causes confusion and uncertainty about their use. This review paper will attempt to lay out the general pharmacology of the commonly used anti-arrhythmic drugs and discuss their relevance and safe use in current clinical medicine.
Meteorology and Climatology of Coastal Cities

Built-up areas usually have a higher temperature than their surrounding rural environs. There are many reasons for this urban heat island. These factors generally combine to give urban areas temperatures that are most elevated relative to the surrounding rural areas in the evening and nighttime hours, perhaps by 2–6 C°. In general, the larger the city, the larger the urban heat island. Urban areas also have other meteorological and climatological differences from adjacent rural areas. Coastal cities are subject to the same everyday meteorological and climatological effects observed in other cities. However, the proximity to water bodies may mitigate the urban heat island in some cases, especially during the afternoon sea breeze. Coastal cities are generally more prone to severe storms than other cities. Because of the propensity for storms and the vulnerability of a large coastal population amid continually rising global sea levels, creative approaches to enhance resilience are of special importance in coastal urban design. One possibility is to elevate structures above the 100-year base flood elevation. Other design features can also make built-up areas more resilient to coastal storms. Wise planning at the community level can also enhance urban storm resilience and enhance environmental, social, and economic sustainability of our cities.
Exploring Transformative Justice Principles to Inform Survivor-Centered Design for Muslim Women in the United States

Domestic violence (DV) is a social, political, and legal problem and requires contextual examination. In the U.S., earlier advocacy work focused on law reform to empower survivors in influencing the public and state in taking DV seriously and providing resources to support and protect survivors. However, harm is still perpetuated systemically and socially for survivors, especially from religious and racial minorities. In my dissertation work, I focus on DV within the Muslim population in the U.S. due to the unique issues Muslim survivors face when dealing with governmental services and service providers (e.g., gendered Islamophobia, racial discrimination, punitive actions) and within the Muslim community itself (e.g., community trauma, untrained faith leaders in dealing with abuse). I argue that in order to validate the Muslim survivor’s experience, provide competent resources and information, and allow for informed decision making, a transformative justice (TJ) approach supported by Islamic feminism and trauma-informed healing concepts must be integrated into design, to provide a multidimensional approach to tackling DV within the Muslim community. I will conceptually explore the strengths and weaknesses of using a TJ model through using design as a mode of social inquiry to elicit and understand the social phenomena of DV and TJ within sociotechnical interventions.
Global supply chain management: The selection of globally competent managers

Abstract The ability of organizations to effectively compete in the global marketplace is contingent on identifying and selecting an adequate number of qualified global managers. Nowhere is the shortage of managerial talent more evident than in the management of global supply chains. The complex and vexing set of problems facing global supply chain managers makes the task of selecting an adequate supply of managers much more daunting. Given the historic perspective of manning supply chain positions (i.e., managers with a operation and functional orientation), human resource managers are modifying and updating the profile of the global supply chain manager's position to encompass political, cultural/social, network, and an awareness of the significant differences to be found in global markets. In an effort to develop a criteria for the selection of global supply chain managers, a competency-based theoretical perspective is used and eight intelligences are examined that can be used in the selection of global supply chain managers.
I Am My Keeper; I Am My Brother's Keeper

In response to a 1987 General Assembly bill, all political jurisdictions in Maryland were required to conduct a needs assessment for school-age child care. The bill did not dictate how the assessment was to have been done; therefore, different jurisdictions solicited somewhat different information. Baltimore City, the ninth largest city in the United States (population = 790 000), selected grades in 60 and 10 randomly selected elementary and middle schools, respectively, to distribute approximately 10 000 surveys to parents for completion. The results were startling. Overall, when parents were not at home, 4.3%, 20.4%, and 41.2% of 5- through 8-, 9- through 11-, and 12- through 14-year-olds, respectively, were in their own care, and another 25.4%, 37.2%, and 42.3% of 5- through 8-, 9- through 11-, and 12-through 14-year-olds, respectively, were home with only a sibling (age undetermined). 1
Reducing the cost of designing, implementing and modifying intelligent systems by the synergistic use of advanced abstractions

This paper investigates and describes how advanced programming language capabilities can be used to significantly reduce the cost of implementing computer programs for large complex computer programming requirements of the Department of Defense. Representative programming tasks that are discussed include the Navy AEGIS Weapons system and an Air Force planning benchmark used to asses various DARPA supported automatic planning systems. These examples show that programming languages, such as Logistica, which allow a wide variety of synergistic features can provide the most effective way for reducing the complexity of the programming task. It is also suggested that the complexity of the programming process is worse than linear with respect to the size of the resulting program code, the size of the code is inversely proportional to the used design space of the programming language, and the design space provided by a programming language is exponentially related to the number of synergistic features it has.
Nucleotide sequence and functions of mrk determinants necessary for expression of type 3 fimbriae in Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Abstract The nucleotide sequence of six genes involved in the expression of type 3 fimbriae of Klebsiella pneumoniae was determined. In addition to the genes that encode the fimbrial subunit (mrkA) and adhesion (mrkD), the mrkB, mrkC, and mrkE genes appear to be involved in assembly of the fimbrial filament and regulation of type 3 fimbrial expression. The mrkF gene product is required to maintain the stability of the fimbrial filament on the cell surface.