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Converging evidence from studies of human and nonhuman animals suggests that the hippocampus contributes to sequence learning by using temporal context to bind sequentially occurring items. The fornix is a white matter pathway containing the major input and output pathways of the hippocampus, including projections from medial septum and to diencephalon, striatum, lateral septum and prefrontal cortex. If the fornix meaningfully contributes to hippocampal function, then individual differences in fornix microstructure might predict sequence memory. Here, we tested this prediction by performing tractography in 51 healthy adults who had undertaken a sequence memory task. Microstructure properties of the fornix were compared with those of tracts connecting medial temporal lobe regions but not predominantly the hippocampus: the Parahippocampal Cingulum bundle (PHC) (conveying retrosplenial projections to parahippocampal cortex) and the Inferior Longitudinal Fasciculus (ILF) (conveying occipital projections to perirhinal cortex). Using principal components analysis, we combined Free-Water Elimination Diffusion Tensor Imaging and Neurite Orientation Dispersion and Density Imaging measures obtained from multi-shell diffusion MRI into two informative indices: the first (PC1) capturing axonal packing/myelin and the second (PC2) capturing microstructural complexity. We found a significant correlation between fornix PC2 and implicit reaction-time indices of sequence memory, indicating that greater fornix microstructural complexity is associated with better sequence memory. No such relationship was found with measures from the PHC and ILF. This study highlights the importance of the fornix in aiding memory for objects within a temporal context, potentially reflecting a role in mediating inter-regional communication within an extended hippocampal system.

PURPOSE: To update and extend version 2 of the Carleton Laboratory for Radiotherapy Physics (CLRP) TG-43 dosimetry database (CLRP_TG43v2) for 33 high-energy (HE, $\geq50$~keV) brachytherapy sources using egs_brachy, an open-source EGSnrc application. A comprehensive dataset of TG-43 parameters is compiled, including detailed source descriptions, dose-rate constants, radial dose functions, 1D and 2D anisotropy functions, along-away dose-rate tables, Primary and Scatter Separated (PSS) dose tables, and mean photon energies escaping each source. The database also documents the source models which will be freely distributed with egs_brachy. ACQUISITION AND VALIDATION METHODS: Datasets are calculated after a recoding of the source geometries using the egs++ geometry package and its egs_brachy extensions. Air kerma per history is calculated in a 10x10x0.05 cm3 voxel located 100 cm from the source along the transverse axis and then corrected for the lateral and thickness dimensions of the scoring voxel to give the air kerma on the central axis at a point 100cm from the source's mid-point. Full-scatter water phantoms with varying voxel resolutions in cylindrical coordinates are used for dose calculations. For validation, data are compared to those from CLRP_TG43v1 and published data. DATA FORMAT AND ACCESS: Data are available at https://physics.carleton.ca/clrp/egs_brachy/seed_database_HDRv2 or http://doi.org/10.22215/clrp/tg43v2. POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS: The CLRP_TG43v2 database has applications in research, dosimetry, and brachytherapy planning. This comprehensive update provides the medical physics community with more precise and in some cases more accurate Monte Carlo TG-43 dose calculation parameters, as well as fully benchmarked and described source models which are distributed with egs_brachy., Comment: 28 pages, 11 figures

Implementation of evidence-informed educational interventions (EEI) involves applying and adapting theoretical and scientific knowledge to a specific context. Knowledge translation (KT) approaches can both facilitate and structure the process. The purpose of this paper is to describe lessons learned from applying a KT approach to help implement an EEI for clinical reasoning in medical students.Using the Knowledge to Action framework, we designed and implemented an EEI intended to support the development of students' clinical reasoning skills in a renewed medical curriculum. Using mixed-methods design, we monitored students' engagement with the EEI longitudinally through a platform log; we conducted focus groups with students and stakeholders, and observed the unfolding of the implementation and its continuation. Data are reported according to six implementation outcomes: Fidelity, Feasibility, Appropriateness, Acceptability, Adoption, and Penetration.Students spent a mean of 24 min on the activity (fidelity outcome) with a high completion rate (between 75% and 95%; feasibility outcome) of the entire activity each time it was done. Focus group data from students and stakeholders suggest that the activity was acceptable, appropriate, feasible, adopted and well-integrated into the curriculum.Through the process we observed the importance of having a structuring framework, of working closely and deliberatively with stakeholders and students, of building upon concurrent evaluations in order to adapt iteratively the EEI to the local context and, while taking students' needs into consideration, of upholding the EEI's core educational principles.

This study has employed mammalian transient expression systems to generate afucosylated antibodies and antibody Fc mutants for rapid candidate screening in discovery and early development. While chemical treatment with the fucose analogue 2-fluoro-peracetyl-fucose during transient expression only partially produced antibodies with afucosylated N-glycans, the genetic inactivation of the FUT8 gene in ExpiCHO-S™ by CRISPR/Cas9 enabled the transient production of fully afucosylated antibodies. Human IgG

Forage fish form a critical trophic link in marine ecosystems, and yet, for many species, there is limited information available. As nations move from single species stock assessments to ecosystem approaches to fisheries management (EAFMs), more information on forage fish will be required. In this study, 50 years of scientific literature were systematically mapped for 11 forage fish species in Canada's Arctic, Atlantic, and Pacific oceans. The objectives were to identify (1) knowledge clusters and gaps and (2) the pressures studied in relation to forage fish outcomes. Of the 2897 articles mapped, the majority studied adults and the distribution, productivity, growth, and life history of commercially fished species. Knowledge gaps were identified for forage fish: (1) that were noncommercially exploited; (2) egg and larval life history stages of most species and juveniles of noncommercial species; (3) diets of most species; (4) migration and performance for all species and survival of noncommercial species; and (5) the effects of some pressures (e.g., large-scale climate pressures). Addressing these knowledge gaps would improve the application of EAFMs.

Investment in capacity for implementation of leading practices in regional-level health workforce planning is essential to support equitable distribution of resources and deployment of a health workforce that can meet local needs. Ontario Health Toronto and the Canadian Health Workforce Network (CHWN) co-developed and operationalized an integrated workforce planning process to support evidence-based primary care workforce decision-making for the Toronto region. The resultant planning toolkit incorporates planning processes centred around engagement with stakeholders, including environmental scanning tools and a quantitative planning model. The outputs of the planning process include estimates of population need and workforce capacity and address challenges specific to Toronto, such as patient mobility, anticipated rapid population growth, and physician retirement. We highlight important challenges and key considerations in the development and operationalization of workforce planning processes, particularly at the regional level.

Prototypic Staphylococcus aureus and their small-colony variants (SCVs) are predominant in cystic fibrosis (CF), but the interdependence of these phenotypes is poorly understood. We characterized S. aureus isolates from adult CF patients over several years. Of 18 S. aureus-positive patients (58%), 13 (72%) were positive for SCVs. Characterization included genotyping, SCCmec types, auxotrophy, biofilm production, antibiotic susceptibilities and tolerance, and resistance acquisition rates. Whole-genome sequencing revealed that several patients were colonized with prototypical and SCV-related clones. Some clonal pairs showed acquisition of aminoglycoside resistance that was not explained by aminoglycoside-modifying enzymes, suggesting a mutation-based process. The characteristics of SCVs that could play a role in resistance acquisition were thus investigated further. For instance, SCV isolates produced more biofilm (p < 0.05) and showed a higher survival rate upon exposure to ciprofloxacin and vancomycin compared to their prototypic associated clones. SCVs also developed spontaneous rifampicin resistance mutations at a higher frequency. Accordingly, a laboratory-derived SCV (ΔhemB) acquired resistance to ciprofloxacin and gentamicin faster than its parent counterpart after serial passages in the presence of sub-inhibitory concentrations of antibiotics. These results suggest a role for SCVs in the establishment of persistent antibiotic-resistant clones in adult CF patients.

We examined the degree to which differences in face recognition rates across emotional expression conditions varied concomitantly with differences in mean objective image similarity. Effects of emotional expression on face recognition performance were measured via an old/new recognition paradigm in which stimuli at both learning and testing had happy, neutral, and angry expressions. Results showed an advantage for faces learned with neutral expressions, as well as for angry faces at testing. Performance data was compared to three quantitative image-similarity indices. Findings showed that mean human performance was strongly correlated with mean image similarity, suggesting that the former may be at least partly explained by the latter. Our findings sound a cautionary note regarding the necessity of considering low-level stimulus properties as explanations for findings that otherwise may be prematurely attributed to higher order phenomena such as attention or emotional arousal.

Higher-level classifications often must account for monotypic taxa representing depauperate evolutionary lineages and lacking synapomorphies of their better-known, well-defined sister clades. In a ranked (Linnean) or unranked (phylogenetic) classification system, discovering such a depauperate taxon does not necessarily invalidate the rank classification of sister clades. Named higher taxa must be monophyletic to be phylogenetically valid. Ranked taxa above the species level should also maximize information content, diagnosability, and utility (e.g., in biodiversity conservation). In spider classification, families are the highest rank that is systematically catalogued, and incertae sedis is not allowed. Consequently, it is important that family-level taxa be well defined and informative. We revisit the classification problem of Orbipurae, an unranked suprafamilial clade containing the spider families Nephilidae, Phonognathidae, and Araneidae sensu stricto. We argue that, to maximize diagnosability, information content, conservation utility, and practical taxonomic considerations, this “splitting” scheme is superior to its recently proposed alternative, which lumps these families together as Araneidae sensu lato. We propose to redefine Araneidae and recognize a monogeneric spider family, Paraplectanoididae fam. nov. to accommodate the depauperate lineage Paraplectanoides. We present new subgenomic data to stabilize Orbipurae topology which also supports our proposed family-level classification. Our example from spiders demonstrates why classifications must be able to accommodate depauperate evolutionary lineages, for example, Paraplectanoides. Finally, although clade age should not be a criterion to determine rank, other things being equal, comparable ages of similarly ranked taxa do benefit comparative biology. [Classification, family rank, phylogenomics, systematics, monophyly, spider phylogeny.]

Micro-expressions are brief facial expressions of emotion (40 to 500 ms) that are posited to represent true reflections of an individual’s emotional state that have 'leaked’ through voluntary attempts to neutralize or mask the involuntary expression. As such, correct recognition can have important benefits. The Japanese and Caucasian Brief Affect Recognition Task (JACBART) has been proposed as the standardized measure of affect recognition capabilities with micro-expression durations (i.e., facial expressions lasting less than 500 ms). In this paradigm target expressions of emotion are briefly presented between two neutral expressions. However, limited research has explored the temporal thresholds and the various factors that may influence performance in a JACBART paradigm. In three studies, the current thesis sought to determine the effects of a forward mask with a variable duration (Study 1), the inclusion/exclusion of a ‘neutral’ response category (Study 2), and expressions portrayed at lower intensities (Study 3). Although a variable-duration forward mask was found to have little effect on performance, significant effects were observed for the inclusion of a ‘neutral’ response option and when reducing the expression intensity. In addition, a trend was observed across all three studies that demonstrated a recognition advantage for expressions of happiness and surprise. Performances for these two expressions exceeded the psychometric threshold with durations of as little as 5 to 10 ms, whereas presentation times as long as 113 ms were necessary to elicit above-threshold recognition rates with negative emotions (i.e., anger, disgust, fear, and sadness). Altogether, the current findings present some methodological considerations for studies interested in measuring brief affect recognition with a JACBART paradigm. More generally, they expand our understanding of how various relevant factors affect the speed at which facial expressions can be processed.

Hippocampal somatostatin-expressing (Sst) GABAergic interneurons (INs) exhibit considerable anatomical and functional heterogeneity. Recent single cell transcriptome analyses have provided a comprehensiveSst-IN subtype census, a plausible molecular ground truth of neuronal identity whose links to specific functionality remain incomplete. Here, we designed an approach to identify and access subpopulations ofSst-INs based on transcriptomic features. Four mouse models based on single or combinatorial Cre- and Flp- expression differentiated functionally distinct subpopulations of CA1 hippocampalSst-INs that largely tiled the morpho-functional parameter space of theSst-INs superfamily. Notably, theSst;;Tac1intersection revealed a population of bistratified INs that preferentially synapsed onto fast-spiking interneurons (FS-INs) and were both necessary and sufficient to interrupt their firing. In contrast, theNdnf;;Nkx2-1intersection identified a population of oriens lacunosum-moleculare (OLM) INs that predominantly targeted CA1 pyramidal neurons, avoiding FS-INs. Overall, our results provide a framework to translate neuronal transcriptomic identity into discrete functional subtypes that capture the diverse specializations of hippocampalSst-INs.Significance statementGABAergic interneurons are important regulators of neuronal activity. Recent transcriptome analyses have provided a comprehensive classification of interneuron subtypes, but the connections between molecular identities and specific functions are not yet fully understood. Here, we developed an approach to identify and access subpopulations of interneurons based on features predicted by transcriptomic analysis. Functional investigation in transgenic animals revealed that hippocampal somatostatin-expressing interneurons (Sst-INs) can be divided into at least four subfamilies, each with distinct functions. Most importantly, theSst;;Tac1intersection targeted a population of bistratified cells that overwhelmingly targeted fast-spiking interneurons. In contrast, theNdnf;;Nkx2-1intersection revealed a population of oriens lacunosum-moleculare interneurons that selectively targeted CA1 pyramidal cells. Overall, this study reveals that genetically distinct subfamilies ofSst-INs form specialized circuits in the hippocampus with differing functional impact.

PDF file - 74K, The cell culture and introduction of AdipRs siRNA were performed as described in detail in the "Methods" section. The cells were treated with adiponectin (20 �g/ml) for 24 hr (A) and for 30 min (B). The proliferation assay and Western Blotting were performed as described in detail in the "Methods" section. All data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA followed by post-hoc test for multiple comparisons. Values are means (n=3) � SD. Means with different letters are significantly different, p

Perspective on This Article from Abdominal Obesity, Independent from Caloric Intake, Accounts for the Development of Intestinal Tumors in Apc1638N/+ Female Mice

PDF file - 134K, Immunohistochemical analysis was performed as described in detail in the "Materials and Methods" section. A&F: normal human proliferative endometrial tissue, B&G: human decidual, C&H: human hyperplastic endometrium, D&I: normal human secretory endometrial tissue, E&J: human endometrial adenocarcinoma. (400x magnification for all)

To determine whether visceral fat (VF), independent of other confounders, is causally linked to intestinal tumorigenesis, we surgically removed visceral fat in Apc1638/N+ mice. At 15 weeks of age, male and female Apc1638/N+ mice were randomized to one of three groups: ad libitum, visceral fat removal (VF-) and ad libitum fed, or caloric restriction, and were studied for effects on tumorigenesis and survival. As compared with ad libitum, VF− and caloric restriction reduced macroadenomas to a similar extent (P < 0.05), but only caloric restriction significantly improved survival (P < 0.05). Given that a significant group × gender interaction was observed, we next examined males and females separately. In females, macroadenomas were markedly attenuated by VF− (1.33 ± 0.23 mean ± SE; P < 0.05), but not by caloric restriction (2.35 ± 0.25; P = 0.71), as compared with ad libitum (2.50 ± 0.34). In males, however, caloric restriction (1.71 ± 0.26; P < 0.01), but not VF− (2.94 ± 0.42; P = 0.29), reduced macroadenomas, as compared with ad libitum males (3.47 ± 0.30). In females, both VF− (P = 0.05) and caloric restriction (P < 0.01) improved survival, but not in male mice (P = 0.15). The benefits observed with caloric restriction were consistent with favorable metabolic adaptations, but protection conferred in VF− females was despite lower adiponectin levels (P < 0.05), and failure to reduce body mass, total adiposity, glucose, insulin, leptin, and chemokine (C–X–C motif) ligand 1 (CXCL-1) levels. In conclusion, these data provide the first causal evidence linking visceral fat to intestinal cancer risk, and suggest that factors, other than known metabolic mediators, may impact tumor development. Furthermore, these data emphasize that strategies designed to deplete visceral fat stores in humans should be considered in the prevention of intestinal cancer. Cancer Prev Res; 6(3); 177–87. ©2012 AACR.

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PDF file - 67K, The cells were cultured as described in detail in the "Materials and Methods" section. Expression of adiponectin receptors in KLE and RL95-2 cell lines was detected by Western Blotting. Human subcutaneous adipose tissue (SCF) was used as a positive control. B: blank. 9.AdipoR1 and AdipoR2 mediate the anti-proliferative effect of adiponectin in endometrial cancer cells.

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research - Institute of Health Services and Policy Research's (IHSPR's) Strategic Plan 2021-2026 for accelerating health system transformation is well positioned to meet the strategic priorities being outlined by many health systems in Canada and internationally (CIHR IHSPR 2021). The IHSPR Health System Impact Fellow program has been a strong influence on the embedded research and scientist program in Nova Scotia, namely, the Network of Scholars Program, which was implemented just before the pandemic. The network includes scientists and scholars from diverse academic backgrounds and skill levels including alumni of the Health System Impact Fellow program. The Network of Scholars has over 30 scholars and approximately 100 academic partners and scientists supporting embedded activities such as rapid reviews, implementation science and rapid evaluation initiatives. These embedded activities are front facing to the needs and priorities of the health system. This commentary highlights the importance of IHSPR's outlined strategic plan and direction, which are consistent with the experience and the needs for embedded supports within the Nova Scotia health system.

Treatment of dairy white wastewater (WW) by reverse osmosis (RO) is usually performed to generate process water and to reclaim dairy components for their valorization. For this study, a mixture of pasteurized milk and WW from a dairy plant was concentrated by RO to achieve a protein concentration similar to that of skimmed milk. Retentates, which are concentrated WW, were used in the preparation of cheese milk. The effect of using model concentrated WW was evaluated on (1) the soluble–colloidal equilibrium between protein and salt, (2) the milk-coagulation kinetics, and (3) the cheese composition and yield. An economic assessment was also carried out to support the decision-making process for implementing a new RO system in a dairy plant for the valorization of dairy WW. The results showed that substituting more than 50% of the amount of cheese milk with model pasteurized WW concentrates decreased the moisture-adjusted cheese yield and impaired the coagulation kinetics. Excessive cheese moisture was observed in cheeses that were made from 50% and 100% model WW concentrates, correlating with a change in the soluble–colloidal equilibrium of salts, especially in calcium. To achieve sustainable and economic benefits, the ratio of added WW concentrates to cheese milk must be less than 50%. However, for such an investment to be profitable to a dairy plant within 0.54 years, a large-size plant must generate 200 m3 of WW per day with at least 0.5% of total solids, as the economic analysis specific to our case suggests.

Sparse regression codes with approximate message passing (AMP) decoding have gained much attention in recent times. The concepts underlying this coding scheme extend to unsourced random access with coded compressed sensing (CCS), as first demonstrated by Fengler, Jung, and Caire. Specifically, their approach employs a concatenated coding framework with an inner AMP decoder followed by an outer tree decoder. In their original implementation, these two components work independently of each other, with the tree decoder acting on the static output of the AMP decoder. This article introduces a novel framework where the inner AMP decoder and the outer tree decoder operate in tandem, dynamically passing information back and forth to take full advantage of the underlying CCS structure. This scheme necessitates the redesign of the tree code as to enable belief propagation in a computationally tractable manner. The enhanced architecture exhibits significant performance benefits over a range of system parameters. The error performance of the proposed scheme can be accurately predicted through a set of equations, known as state evolution of AMP. These findings are supported both analytically and through numerical methods.

Zooplanktivory is an important source of nutrients in corals, providing up to 35% of daily metabolic energy requirements in some species. However, little is known about coral zooplanktivory shortly after larval settlement and metamorphosis. In most species it is unclear if, when and under which conditions newly settled polyps are able to capture and ingest prey. This remains a critical knowledge gap, as zooplanktivory could allow coral settlers to replenish energy reserves shortly after metamorphosis, possibly improving settler condition during one of their most vulnerable life stages. Here, we documented the onset of prey (Artemia salina nauplii) capture in ten Caribbean coral species and assessed optimal water flow rates (WFR) for prey capture in five of these species. All species initiated zooplanktivory within six days following metamorphosis, with the exception of Acropora palmata which was never observed capturing nauplii during our 20-day study. Optimal WFR for prey capture varied among species, with Favia fragum displaying maximum prey capture rates in zero flow and Diploria labyrinthiformis most effectively capturing nauplii under WFR of 5–20 cm s−1. Under each species’ optimum WFR, prey capture abilities varied considerably, with F. fragum capturing up to one nauplius every two minutes compared to one nauplius every nine minutes in Colpophyllia natans. Using these findings, we make species-specific recommendations to optimize coral husbandry and larval-based restoration practices for these ten coral species.

Quantum computing is poised to solve practically useful problems which are computationally intractable for classical supercomputers. However, the current generation of quantum computers are limited by errors that may only partially be mitigated by developing higher-quality qubits. Quantum error correction (QEC) will thus be necessary to ensure fault tolerance. QEC protects the logical information by cyclically measuring syndrome information about the errors. An essential part of QEC is the decoder, which uses the syndrome to compute the likely effect of the errors on the logical degrees of freedom and provide a tentative correction. The decoder must be accurate, fast enough to keep pace with the QEC cycle (e.g., on a microsecond timescale for superconducting qubits) and with hard real-time system integration to support logical operations. As such, real-time decoding is essential to realize fault-tolerant quantum computing and to achieve quantum advantage. In this work, we highlight some of the key challenges facing the implementation of real-time decoders while providing a succinct summary of the progress to-date. Furthermore, we lay out our perspective for the future development and provide a possible roadmap for the field of real-time decoding in the next few years. As the quantum hardware is anticipated to scale up, this perspective article will provide a guidance for researchers, focusing on the most pressing issues in real-time decoding and facilitating the development of solutions across quantum and computer science.

Background The increased need for mental health and substance use health (MHSUH) services during the COVID-19 pandemic underscores the need to better understand workforce capacity. This study aimed to examine the pandemic’s impact on the capacity of MHSUH service providers and to understand reasons contributing to changes in availability or ability to provide services. Methods We conducted a mixed method study including a pan-Canadian survey of 2177 providers of MHSUH services and semi-structured interviews with 13 key informants. Survey participants answered questions about how the pandemic had changed their capacity to provide services, reasons for changes in capacity, and how their practice had during the pandemic. Thematic analysis of key informant interviews was conducted to gain a deeper understanding of the impact of the pandemic on the MHSUH workforce. Results Analyses of the survey data indicated that the pandemic has had diverse effects on the capacity of MHSUH workers to provide services: 43% indicated decreased, 24% indicated no change, and 33% indicated increased capacity. Logistic regression analyses showed that privately funded participants had 3.2 times greater odds of increased capacity (B = 1.17, p B = 0.88, p Conclusions The COVID-19 pandemic has had a substantial impact on the capacity of the MHSUH workforce to provide services. Findings indicate the importance of increasing and harmonizing funding for MHSUH services across the public and private sectors, developing standardized datasets describing the MHSUH workforce, and prioritizing equity across the spectrum of MHSUH services.

In Ontario, supporting "a system of care that provides women and their families with equitable choice in birth environment and provider," (PCMCH & MOHLTC, 2017, p.33) has been identified as one of the central objectives of the Provincial Council for Maternal and Child Health's Low Risk Maternal Newborn Strategy. In theory, pregnant people in Ontario can choose to seek maternity care from a midwife, a family physician, or an obstetrician; however, in practice, pregnant people's choice of provider remains constrained. Extant literature suggests that in order to afford pregnant people the opportunity to exercise autonomous choice of provider, health systems must ensure that an acceptable range of provider options is available and accessible within the local organization of maternity care, that pregnant people are made aware of and knowledgeable about the available provider options, and that pregnant people have the ability and resources to navigate access to their provider of choice (Mackenzie, 2014; Sutherns, 2004). As a result, I designed this thesis to fill a gap in the evidence base to determine whether or not provincial policies had translated into the levels of access, awareness, and resourcing required to afford pregnant people the opportunity, ability and propensity to exercise autonomous choice of provider within the local maternity care system in Ontario's Champlain Region. I sought to elicit the structural conditions that would be necessary to equitably support pregnant people's access to and choice of a maternity care provider. In the pursuit of these objectives, I adopted an integrated knowledge translation approach (Bowen & Graham, 2013), using an explanatory sequential mixed methods design (Creswell, 2014), which encompassed two complementary stages: (1) quantitative geospatial mapping to assess pregnant people's access to the full range of maternity care providers across the Champlain Region; and (2) qualitative focus groups and individual interviews with parents, providers, and policy-makers to explore the individual, organizational, and system-level factors that are enabling or restricting access and autonomy. Using a systems approach to the investigation of this locally-identified issue, I demonstrate in this thesis that pregnant people within the Champlain Region have inequitable opportunities to exercise autonomous choice of maternity care provider due to (1) system and organizational-level factors that are creating imbalances in the supply, distribution and mix of maternity care provider options, and (2) pregnant people's differential access to the enabling information and resources required to exercise autonomous choice of provider and to navigate access to their services.

Quantum error correction (QEC) plays an essential role in fault-tolerantly realizing quantum algorithms of practical interest. Among different approaches to QEC, encoding logical quantum information in harmonic oscillator modes has been shown to be promising and hardware efficient. In this work, we study multimode Gottesman-Kitaev-Preskill (GKP) codes, encoding a qubit in many oscillators, through a lattice perspective. In particular, we implement a closest point decoding strategy for correcting random Gaussian shift errors. For decoding a generic multimode GKP code, we first identify its corresponding lattice followed by finding the closest lattice point in its symplectic dual lattice to a candidate shift error compatible with the error syndrome. We use this method to characterize the error correction capabilities of several known multimode GKP codes, including their code distances and fidelities. We also perform numerical optimization of multimode GKP codes up to ten modes and find two instances (with three and nine modes) with better code distances and fidelities compared to the known GKP codes with the same number of modes. While exact closest point decoding incurs exponential time cost in the number of modes for general unstructured GKP codes, we give several examples of structured GKP codes (i.e., of the repetition-rectangular GKP code types) where the closest point decoding can be performed exactly in linear time. For the surface-GKP code, we show that the closest point decoding can be performed exactly in polynomial time with the help of a minimum-weight-perfect-matching algorithm (MWPM). We show that this MWPM closest point decoder improves both the fidelity and the noise threshold of the surface-GKP code to 0.602 compared to the previously studied MWPM decoder assisted by log-likelihood analog information which yields a noise threshold of 0.599., Comment: 33 pages, 5 figures, comments welcome!

Additional file 1. Supplementary Data: Hours and clients per week before and during the COVID-19 pandemic by primary workforce roleand gender.

We provide new estimates of an asymptotic upper bound on the entropy of English using the large language model LLaMA-7B as a predictor for the next token given a window of past tokens. This estimate is significantly smaller than currently available estimates in \cite{cover1978convergent}, \cite{lutati2023focus}. A natural byproduct is an algorithm for lossless compression of English text which combines the prediction from the large language model with a lossless compression scheme. Preliminary results from limited experiments suggest that our scheme outperforms state-of-the-art text compression schemes such as BSC, ZPAQ, and paq8h., Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures, 4 tables, preprint, added results on using LLMs with arithmetic coding

Background: Structural network damage is a potentially important mechanism by which cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) can cause cognitive impairment. As a central hub of the structural network, the role of thalamus in SVD-related cognitive impairments remains unclear. We aimed to determine the associations between the structural alterations of thalamic subregions and cognitive impairments in SVD. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 205 SVD participants without thalamic lacunes from the third follow-up (2020) of the prospective RUN DMC study (Radboud University Nijmegen Diffusion Tensor and Magnetic Resonance Cohort), which was initiated in 2006, Nijmegen, were included. Cognitive functions included processing speed, executive function, and memory. Probabilistic tractography was performed from thalamus to 6 cortical regions, followed by connectivity-based thalamic segmentation to assess each thalamic subregion volume and connectivity (measured by mean diffusivity [MD] of the connecting white matter tracts) with the cortex. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression analysis was conducted to identify the volumes or connectivity of the total thalamus and 6 thalamic subregions that have the strongest association with cognitive performance. Linear regression and mediation analyses were performed to test the association of least absolute shrinkage and selection operator-selected thalamic subregion volume or MD with cognitive performance, while adjusting for age and education. Results: We found that higher MD of the thalamic-motor tract was associated with worse processing speed (β=−0.27; P P =0.001), and memory (β=−0.28; P Conclusions: Our results suggest that the structural alterations of thalamus are linked to cognitive impairment in SVD, largely depending on the damage pattern of the white matter tracts connecting specific thalamic subregions and cortical regions.

Cell-Free Massive MIMO systems aim to expand the coverage area of wireless networks by replacing a single high-performance Access Point (AP) with multiple small, distributed APs connected to a Central Processing Unit (CPU) through a fronthaul. Another novel wireless approach, known as the unsourced random access (URA) paradigm, enables a large number of devices to communicate concurrently on the uplink. This article considers a quasi-static Rayleigh fading channel paired to a scalable cell-free system, wherein a small number of receive antennas in the distributed APs serve devices equipped with a single antenna each. The goal of the study is to extend previous URA results to more realistic channels by examining the performance of a scalable cell-free system. To achieve this goal, we propose a coding scheme that adapts the URA paradigm to various cell-free scenarios. Empirical evidence suggests that using a cell-free architecture can improve the performance of a URA system, especially when taking into account large-scale attenuation and fading.

Contains fulltext : 294270.pdf (Author’s version preprint ) (Open Access) The link between white matter hyperintensities (WMH) and cortical thinning is thought to be an important pathway by which WMH contributes to cognitive deficits in cerebral small vessel disease (SVD). However, the mechanism behind this association and the underlying tissue composition abnormalities are unclear. The objective of this study is to determine the association between WMH and cortical thickness, and the in-vivo tissue composition abnormalities in the WMH-connected cortical regions.In this cross-sectional study, we included 213 participants with SVD who underwent standardized protocol including multimodal neuroimaging scans and cognitive assessment (i.e., processing speed, executive function, and memory). We identified the cortex connected to WMH using probabilistic tractography starting from the WMH and defined the WMH-connected regions at three connectivity levels (low, medium, and high connectivity level). We calculated the cortical thickness, myelin and iron of the cortex based on T1-weighted, quantitative R1, R2*, and susceptibility maps. We used diffusion-weighted imaging to estimate the mean diffusivity (MD) of the connecting white matter tracts.We found that cortical thickness, R1, R2*, and susceptibility values in the WMH-connected regions were significantly lower than in the WMH-unconnected regions (all p-corrected

Belief propagation applied to iterative decoding and sparse recovery through approximate message passing (AMP) are two research areas that have seen monumental progress in recent decades. Inspired by these advances, this article introduces sparse regression LDPC codes and their decoding. Sparse regression codes (SPARCs) are a class of error correcting codes that build on ideas from compressed sensing and can be decoded using AMP. In certain settings, SPARCs are known to achieve capacity; yet, their performance suffers at finite block lengths. Likewise, LDPC codes can be decoded efficiently using belief propagation and can also be capacity achieving. This article introduces a novel concatenated coding structure that combines an LDPC outer code with a SPARC-inspired inner code. Efficient decoding for such a code can be achieved using AMP with a denoiser that performs belief propagation on the factor graph of the outer LDPC code. The proposed framework exhibits performance improvements over SPARCs and standard LDPC codes for finite block lengths and results in a steep waterfall in error performance, a phenomenon not observed in uncoded SPARCs. Findings are supported by numerical results.

Membranous obstruction of the inferior vena cava (MOIVC) is an infrequent disorder characterized by an acquired intrinsic obstruction of the hepatic portion of the vena cava. Clinical presentation may vary from an asymptomatic state, to a slowly evolving course of lower extremity swelling, ascites, and progressive cirrhosis. MOIVC may rarely be caused by prothrombotic disorders. Herein, we describe a patient with lupus-erythematosus-associated antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) who presented with subacute venous claudication and bilateral lower limb edema while on oral anticoagulation. Cavography confirmed a diagnosis of MOIVC. The patient successfully underwent percutaneous balloon angioplasty for definitive management and remained symptom-free at 4-year follow-up on long-term anticoagulation therapy. To our knowledge, this is the fourth case description of MOIVC associated with APS successfully treated with balloon angioplasty, but the first with a subacute clinical presentation.RésuméL’obstruction membraneuse de la veine cave inférieure est une pathologie peu fréquente caractérisée par une obstruction intrinsèque de la portion hépatique de la veine cave. La présentation clinique varie et inclut une absence de symptômes, des signes congestifs progressifs tels que de l’œdème des membres inférieurs, de l’ascite et une cirrhose progressive. L’obstruction membraneuse peut rarement être causée par des états pro-thrombotiques. Nous rapportons le cas d’une patiente porteuse d’un syndrome des antiphospholipides associé au lupus érythémateux et qui s’est présentée avec de l’œdème subaigu et bilatéral des membres inférieurs sous anticoagulothérapie orale. La cavographie a confirmé le diagnostic d’obstruction membraneuse de la veine cave. La patiente a bénéficié avec succès d’un traitement d’angioplastie par ballon et elle demeure asymptomatique sous anticoagulants après 4 ans de suivi. A notre connaissance, ce cas représente la 4ième description d’obstruction membraneuse de la veine cave associée au syndrome des antiphospholipides et traitée par angioplastie, mais la première avec une présentation clinique subaiguë.

A radial-to-femoral pressure gradient (RFPG) can occur in roughly one-third of cardiac surgical patients. Such a gradient has been associated with smaller stature and potentially smaller radial artery diameter. We hypothesized that preoperative radial artery diameter could be a predictor of RFPG. We also investigated the clinical impact of using a femoral versus a radial arterial catheter in terms of vasoactive support.Using ultrasound, we measured the bilateral radial artery diameters of 160 cardiac surgical patients. All arterial pressure values were continuously recorded. Significant RFPG was defined as ≥25 mm Hg in systolic and/or ≥10 mm Hg in mean arterial pressure. One hundred and forty-nine additional patients were used to validate the impact of our observations.Using 78,013 pressure datapoints in 129 patients, 34.8% of patients had an RFPG with a mean duration of 54 ± 48 minutes. Patients with a radial artery diameter1.8 mm were more likely to have an RFPG (n = 14 [48.3%] vs 12 [22.2%];A significant RFPG occurs in one-third of cardiac surgical patients and in 48% of those with a radial artery diameter1.8 mm. The use of a single radial arterial catheter instead of dual radial and femoral catheters was associated with greater vasopressor requirements in the operating room and in the intensive care unit. We do not recommend the use of a single radial artery catheter in cardiac surgery.

The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 (BNT162b2) vaccine is a lipid nanoparticle-formulated, nucleoside-modified mRNA vaccine encoding the prefusion spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. On August 23, 2021, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a Biologics License Application (BLA) for use of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, marketed as Comirnaty (Pfizer, Inc.), in persons aged ≥16 years (1). The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is also recommended for adolescents aged 12-15 years under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) (1). All persons aged ≥12 years are recommended to receive 2 doses (30 μg, 0.3 mL each), administered 3 weeks apart (2,3). As of November 2, 2021, approximately 248 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine had been administered to persons aged ≥12 years in the United States.* On October 29, 2021, FDA issued an EUA amendment for a new formulation of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for use in children aged 5-11 years, administered as 2 doses (10 μg, 0.2 mL each), 3 weeks apart (Table) (1). On November 2, 2021, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) issued an interim recommendation† for use of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in children aged 5-11 years for the prevention of COVID-19. To guide its deliberations regarding recommendations for the vaccine, ACIP used the Evidence to Recommendation (EtR) Framework§ and incorporated a Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach.¶ The ACIP recommendation for the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in children aged 5-11 years under an EUA is interim and will be updated as additional information becomes available. The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine has high efficacy (>90%) against COVID-19 in children aged 5-11 years, and ACIP determined benefits outweigh risks for vaccination. Vaccination is important to protect children against COVID-19 and reduce community transmission of SARS-CoV-2.

Three COVID-19 vaccines are currently approved under a Biologics License Application (BLA) or authorized under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and recommended for primary vaccination by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) in the United States: the 2-dose mRNA-based Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines and the single-dose adenovirus vector-based Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) COVID-19 vaccine (1,2) (Box 1). In August 2021, FDA amended the EUAs for the two mRNA COVID-19 vaccines to allow for an additional primary dose in certain immunocompromised recipients of an initial mRNA COVID-19 vaccination series (1). During September-October 2021, FDA amended the EUAs to allow for a COVID-19 vaccine booster dose following a primary mRNA COVID-19 vaccination series in certain recipients aged ≥18 years who are at increased risk for serious complications of COVID-19 or exposure to SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19), as well as in recipients aged ≥18 years of Janssen COVID-19 vaccine (1) (Table). For the purposes of these recommendations, an additional primary (hereafter additional) dose refers to a dose of vaccine administered to persons who likely did not mount a protective immune response after initial vaccination. A booster dose refers to a dose of vaccine administered to enhance or restore protection by the primary vaccination, which might have waned over time. Health care professionals play a critical role in COVID-19 vaccination efforts, including for primary, additional, and booster vaccination, particularly to protect patients who are at increased risk for severe illness and death.

An important component of Apery’s proof that ζ(3) is irrational involves representing ζ(3) as the limit of the quotient of two rational solutions to a three-term recurrence. We present various appr...