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Finding prehistoric sites, on the sea floor off the United States, has proven to be a difficult task. Over four decades of innovative attempts have produced few discoveries. This discussion outlines the difficulties in finding submerged prehistory on the sea floor, examines current methodology(ies), and presents a new methodology that demonstrates promise based on research conducted over the past decade. The purpose of this discussion is to outline the problems facing archaeologists searching the sea floor for archaeological sites. It is less of a critique of past efforts and methodologies used in those attempts. Without those efforts, a reason for developing a different methodological approach would be unnecessary. Any “one size fits all” methodology is limiting, and the scant number of marine archaeological sites located off the shores of the United States can attest to the need for practitioners to continue refining their methods. This is especially the case on the continental shelf of the eastern United States, where sediment cover is often meters, or several meters, thick. This opportunistic methodology developed on the continental shelf of the Georgia Bight, western Atlantic Ocean, has located intact paleo-landforms with in situ, palaeoecological remains thereby offering promise for future archaeological discoveries.

Abstract MPS IIIC is a lysosomal storage disease caused by mutations in heparan‐α‐glucosaminide N‐acetyltransferase (HGSNAT), for which no treatment is available. Because HGSNAT is a trans‐lysosomal‐membrane protein, gene therapy for MPS IIIC needs to transduce as many cells as possible for maximal benefits. All cells continuously release extracellular vesicles (EVs) and communicate by exchanging biomolecules via EV trafficking. To address the unmet need, we developed a rAAV‐hHGSNATEV vector with an EV‐mRNA‐packaging signal in the 3′UTR to facilitate bystander effects, and tested it in an in vitro MPS IIIC model. In human MPS IIIC cells, rAAV‐hHGSNATEV enhanced HGSNAT mRNA and protein expression, EV‐hHGSNAT‐mRNA packaging, and cleared GAG storage. Importantly, incubation with EVs led to hHGSNAT protein expression and GAG contents clearance in recipient MPS IIIC cells. Further, rAAV‐hHGSNATEV transduction led to the reduction of pathological EVs in MPS IIIC cells to normal levels, suggesting broader therapeutic benefits. These data demonstrate that incorporating the EV‐mRNA‐packaging signal into a rAAV‐hHGSNAT vector enhances EV packaging of hHGSNAT‐mRNA, which can be transported to non‐transduced cells and translated into functional rHGSNAT protein, facilitating cross‐correction of disease pathology. This study supports the therapeutic potential of rAAVEV for MPS IIIC, and broad diseases, without having to transduce every cell.

Despite the economic and social importance, high-yielding cassava cultivars are only released after extensive research, mainly due to the low multiplication rate. This study aimed to assess the impact of using smaller-sized seed cuttings treated with agrochemicals (8MP) compared to the conventional planting size (16 cm) on genetic parameters, agronomic performance, and the ranking of cassava clones based on yield and growth attributes. The evaluation was carried out in clonal evaluation trial (CET), preliminary yield trial (PYT), and uniform yield trials (UYT). Additionally, a new selection scheme for cassava breeding programs was proposed. A total of 169 clones were evaluated, including 154 improved clones at different stages of selection and 15 local varieties used as checks. Field trials were conducted using both sizes of propagative material (8MP and 16 cm) in each phase of the breeding program. The data were analyzed using mixed models, considering the random effects of genotype and genotype-environment interaction (G×E) to determine variances and heritabilities. Bland-Altman concordance and correlation analysis of selection indices were employed to examine the consistency in the ranking of cassava clones using different seed cutting sizes. The distribution of variance components, heritabilities, means, and range of the 8MP and 16 cm trials in different phases of the cassava breeding program exhibited remarkable similarity, thereby enabling a comparative assessment of similar genetic effects. With a selection intensity of 30%, the concordance in clone ranking was 0.41, 0.57, and 0.85 in CET, PYT, and UYT trials, respectively, when comparing the selection based on 8MP and 16 cm trials. It is worth noting that the ranking of the top 15% remained largely unchanged. Based on the findings, proposed changes in the cassava selection scheme involve increasing the number of trials starting from the CET phase, early incorporation of G×E interaction, elimination of the PYT trial, reduction of the breeding cycle from 5 to 3 years, and a decrease in the time required for variety development from 11 to 9 years. These modifications are expected to lead to cost reduction and enhance the effectiveness of cassava breeding programs.

Abstract This article presents an optimization-based approach for counting and localizing stars within a small cluster, based on photon counts in a focal plane array. The array need not be arranged in any particular way, and relatively small numbers of photons are required to ensure convergence. The stars can be located close to one another, as the location and magnitude errors were found to be low when the separation was larger than 0.2 Rayleigh radii. To ensure generality of our approach, it was constructed as a special case of a general theory built upon topological signal processing using the mathematics of sheaves that is applicable to general source decomposition problems.

Anemia is a commonly encountered finding either during the preoperative assessment or during the postoperative management of the patient. Anemia often gets overlooked while more emphasis is paid to cardiovascular and pulmonary evaluation. Evidence, however, suggests that the presence of anemia in the perioperative period can predispose patients to other complications. Awareness of the consequences of anemia in the perioperative period can lead to better recognition and early management of this potentially modifiable risk factor. In this review, we focus on the effects of anemia on the cardiac, pulmonary, neurologic, cognitive, and functional status outcomes of patients. We also review management strategies that could be employed, depending on the available time and resources.

Sport concussions can be difficult to diagnose and if missed, they can expose athletes to greater injury risk and long-lasting neurological disabilities. Discovery of objective biomarkers to aid concussion diagnosis is critical to protecting athlete brain health. To this end, we performed targeted proteomics on plasma obtained from adolescent athletes suffering a sports concussion. A total of 11 concussed male athletes were enrolled at our academic Sport Medicine Concussion Clinic, as well as 24 sex-, age- and activity-matched healthy control subjects. Clinical evaluation was performed and blood was drawn within 72 h of injury. Proximity extension assays were performed for 1,472 plasma proteins; a total of six proteins were considered significantly different between cohorts (P < 0.01; five proteins decreased and one protein increased). Receiver operating characteristic curves on the six individual protein biomarkers identified had areas-under-the-curves (AUCs) for concussion diagnosis ≥0.78; antioxidant 1 copper chaperone (ATOX1; AUC 0.81, P = 0.003), secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC; AUC 0.81, P = 0.004), cluster of differentiation 34 (CD34; AUC 0.79, P = 0.006), polyglutamine binding protein 1 (PQBP1; AUC 0.78, P = 0.008), insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-like 1 (IGFBPL1; AUC 0.78, P = 0.008) and cytosolic 5'-nucleotidase 3A (NT5C3A; AUC 0.78, P = 0.009). Combining three of the protein biomarkers (ATOX1, SPARC and NT5C3A), produced an AUC of 0.98 for concussion diagnoses (P < 0.001; 95% CI: 0.95, 1.00). Despite a paucity of studies on these three identified proteins, the available evidence points to their roles in modulating tissue inflammation and regulating integrity of the cerebral microvasculature. Taken together, our exploratory data suggest that three or less novel proteins, which are amenable to a point-of-care immunoassay, may be future candidate biomarkers for screening adolescent sport concussion. Validation with protein assays is required in larger cohorts.

Abstract Background Patient-reported outcome measures developed using Classical Test Theory are commonly comprised of ordinal level items on a Likert response scale are problematic as they do not permit the results to be compared between patients. Rasch analysis provides a solution to overcome this by evaluating the measurement characteristics of the rating scales using probability estimates. This is typically achieved using commercial software dedicated to Rasch analysis however, it is possible to conduct this analysis using non-specific open source software such a R. Methods Rasch analysis was conducted using the most commonly used commercial software package, RUMM 2030, and R, using four open-source packages, with a common data set (6-month post-injury PRWE Questionnaire responses) to evaluate the statistical results for consistency. The analysis plan followed recommendations used in a similar study supported by the software package’s instructions in order to obtain category thresholds, item and person fit statistics, measures of reliability and evaluate the data for construct validity, differential item functioning, local dependency and unidimensionality of the items. Results There was substantial agreement between RUMM2030 and R with regards for most of the results, however there are some small discrepancies between the output of the two programs. Conclusions While the differences in output between RUMM2030 and R can easily be explained by comparing the underlying statistical approaches taken by each program, there is disagreement on critical statistical decisions made by each program. This disagreement however should not be an issue as Rasch analysis requires users to apply their own subjective analysis. While researchers might expect that Rasch performed on a large sample would be a stable, two authors who complete Rasch analysis of the PRWE found somewhat dissimilar findings. So, while some variations in results may be due to samples, this paper adds that some variation in findings may be software dependent.

Honeycomb structures display extraordinary stiffness-to-weight ratio when loaded in the out-of-plane direction. When realized using thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), the structures offer the potential for repeatable and high specific energy absorption. Varying the cell size and wall thickness of TPU honeycombs facilitates changes in stiffness magnitude, though affords only modest capacity to alter the shape of the stress-strain curve. 3D printing facilitates advanced design exploration, beyond that of straight walls. Origami fold patterns have demonstrated the ability to influence the buckling behavior of tubular structures. Here we demonstrate the incorporation of origami folds into square honeycombs. The fold parameters facilitate significant tailoring of the stress-strain curve, allowing a range of profiles from quasi-rectangular to quasi-linear to be achieved; such structures can find applications in situation-specific energy absorption scenarios.

Thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) are commonly used to fabricate structures for application in repeatable, energy absorption environments. The emergence of additive manufacturing (AM) means scope now exists to design and build complex TPE components that can mechanically outperform traditionally manufactured equivalents. The ability to efficiently characterize these new TPE AM materials is, however, a barrier preventing wider industrial uptake. This study aims to establish a novel pathway for efficiently characterizing materials used in transient, dynamic applications, to ultimately enable accurate finite element (FE) simulation. A laser sintered TPE powder was characterised by performing low, intermediate and high rate uniaxial tension tests, plus planar and equibiaxial loading states. These data demonstrated significantly different behaviour across strain rates and deformation modes, necessitating fit of an augmented hyperelastic and linear viscoelastic model. FE software was then used to calibrate material model coefficients, with their validity evaluated by comparing the simulated and experimental behaviour of the material in isolated (uniaxial tensile) and mixed modal (lattice-based impact) deformation states. Close correlation demonstrated this novel approach efficiently generated valid material model coefficients, removing a barrier to industry adopting these materials. This creates opportunity to exploit these new technologies for the design optimization and fabrication of high-performance components. Keywords: Thermoplastic elastomer, Polymer characterisation, Hyperelastic, Viscoelastic, High strain-rate FEA analysis, Laser sintering

Abstract is in the attached word document

The ubiquitous nature and diffusion of songs sung in English has meant that a great number of EFL and ESP students are listening to English and acquiring some notions about the language almost subconsciously. Such songs have also been incorporated into English as an L2 practice for, probably, almost as long as English has been taught as a foreign language. However, sometimes they are used as filler exercises or only as an exercise to keep the students happy. Slowly, songs have been gaining more acceptance as a valid didactic tool to be used in various moments of the general English L2 lesson and for various functions (Tegg 2018). This article reports on a project to use songs in English for Specific purposes lessons at an Italian university with students of two Master degree courses (Social Work and Social Policy; Sociology and Social Research). During the English modules, songs from various artists were specifically chosen and language-learning exercises devised around them to be used in almost every lesson for different learning objectives: these included introducing a new subject, presenting and revising grammar, learning individual words or short phrases including idiomatic expressions, as lead-ins to discussions. At the end of the course, the students completed a questionnaire aimed at eliciting their opinions about the use of songs in ESP lessons. The results indicate that the use of popular songs is an effective tool in an ESP lesson and that their inclusion can help motivate students as well as help them learn.

Integration of multiple, heterogeneous sensors is a challenging problem across a range of applications. Prominent among these are multi-target tracking, where one must combine observations from different sensor types in a meaningful and efficient way to track multiple targets. Because different sensors have differing error models, we seek a theoretically justified quantification of the agreement among ensembles of sensors, both overall for a sensor collection, and also at a fine-grained level specifying pairwise and multi-way interactions among sensors. We demonstrate that the theory of mathematical sheaves provides a unified answer to this need, supporting both quantitative and qualitative data. Furthermore, the theory provides algorithms to globalize data across the network of deployed sensors, and to diagnose issues when the data do not globalize cleanly. We demonstrate and illustrate the utility of sheaf-based tracking models based on experimental data of a wild population of black bears in Asheville, North Carolina. A measurement model involving four sensors deployed among the bears and the team of scientists charged with tracking their location is deployed. This provides a sheaf-based integration model which is small enough to fully interpret, but of sufficient complexity to demonstrate the sheaf’s ability to recover a holistic picture of the locations and behaviors of both individual bears and the bear-human tracking system. A statistical approach was developed in parallel for comparison, a dynamic linear model which was estimated using a Kalman filter. This approach also recovered bear and human locations and sensor accuracies. When the observations are normalized into a common coordinate system, the structure of the dynamic linear observation model recapitulates the structure of the sheaf model, demonstrating the canonicity of the sheaf-based approach. However, when the observations are not so normalized, the sheaf model still remains valid.

We examine the temporal properties of cyclical drumming patterns in an expert performance of Afro-Cuban rumba recorded in Santiago de Cuba. Quantitative analysis of over 9,000 percussion onsets collected from custom sensors placed on various instruments reveals different types and degrees of rhythmic variation across repetitions of each of five characteristic guaguancó patterns (clave, cascara, quinto, segundo, and tumba). We assess each instrument’s variability using principal component analysis and multidimensional scaling, complementing our quantitative exploration with insights from music theory. Through these methods, we uncover details of timing that are insufficiently conveyed with standard music notation in order to shed light on the role of improvised variation in solo and accompaniment ensemble roles.

Multiple regional medical campuses (RMCs) have been established in North America as part of the effort to train physicians in locations geographically removed from the main medical school campus. RMCs may vary in size, geographic location and mission from the main campus, but scholarly activity by faculty and students is expected and should be promoted on all campuses. If the definition of scholarship is limited to research demonstrated by publication, and academic recognition and advancement is largely based on this criterion, faculty at the RMC who fail to participate may be at a disadvantage. Thus, in addition to expanding research opportunities at the RMC, it is argued that the definition of scholarship needs to be expanded to recognize the accomplishments of RMC faculty. RMC students must also be introduced to biomedical research principles and provided opportunities to engage in scholarly pursuits. Documented participation in scholarly activity may be necessary to make the student more competitive for residency positions. The authors review an expanded definition of scholarship, present an approach to promote faculty and student scholarship, and describe achievable options for scholarly activity on the RMC.

Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery„ has been notorious since its first publication in 1948, but rarely, if ever, has it been read in light of its immediate historical context. This essay draws on literature, philosophy, and anthropology from the period to argue that Jackson’s story, which scholars have traditionally read through the lens of gender studies, invokes the themes of Holocaust literature. To support this argument, the essay explores imaginative Holocaust literature from the period by David Rousset, whose Holocaust memoir The Other Kingdom appeared in English translation in 1946, anthropological discourse from the period on scapegoating and European anti-Semitism, and critical discourse on the Holocaust and anti-Semitism from the period by Hannah Arendt and Theodor Adorno. The analysis finds that, in representing the phenomena of scapegoating and death selection in a small town in the US, Jackson’s story belongs to an abstract discourse on Holocaust-related themes and topics that was actively produced at midcentury, as evidenced partly by Rousset’s influential memoir. A master of the horror genre, Jackson could have drawn on her own experience of anti-Semitism, along with her known interest in the study of folklore, to contribute this chilling representation of the personal experience of death selection to a discourse on Holocaust-related themes. As this article shows, the abstract discourse Jackson’s story joined is marked by skepticism about or disinterest in ethnic difference and anthropological concepts. Due to the fact that this article features comparative analysis of Holocaust literature, a sub-topic is the debate among scholars concerning the ethics of literary representation of the Shoah and of analysis of Holocaust memoir. Jackson’s story and its context invoke perennially important questions about identity and representation in discourse about the Shoah and anti-Semitism.

For a given semilinear parabolic equation with polynomial nonlinearity, many solutions blow up in finite time. For a certain class of these equations, we show that some of the solutions which do not blow up actually tend to equilibria. The characterizing property of such solutions is a finite energy constraint, which comes about from the fact that this class of equations can be written as the flow of the L^2 gradient of a certain functional.

It is well known that for many semilinear parabolic equations there is a global attractor which has a cell complex structure with finite dimensional cells. Additionally, many semilinear parabolic equations have equilibria with finite dimensional unstable manifolds. In this article, these results are unified to show that for a specific parabolic equation on an unbounded domain, the space of heteroclinic orbits has a cell complex structure with finite dimensional cells. The result depends crucially on the choice of spatial dimension and the degree of the nonlinearity in the parabolic equation, and thereby requires some delicate treatment.

Entire solutions of parabolic equations (those which are defined for all time) are typically rather rare. For example, the heat equation has exactly one entire solution - the trivial solution. While solutions to the heat equation exist for all forward time, they cannot be extended backwards in time. Nonlinearities exasperate the situation somewhat, in that solutions may form singularities in both backward and forward time. However, semilinear parabolic equations can also support nontrivial entire solutions. This article shows how nontrivial entire solutions can be constructed for a semilinear equation that has at least two distinct equilibrium solutions. The resulting entire solution is a heteroclinic orbit which connects the two given equilibria.

Objectives To build and test a model for the collection of computerised retrospective primary care data from the UK, and to assess its quality for use in medical and pharmaceutical research. Design Collection and evaluation of sampled retrospective general practice data recording. Setting General practices, using the Vision practice management software in the UK. Main outcome measures Quality indicators of completeness of data recording. Results Initial audit of 236 practices indicated good recording of prescribing in all practices and a high level of completeness of recording of clinical information in many of the practices. Conclusions In the group of practices studied, levels of recording were generally assessed to be of sufficient quality to enable a database of quality-evaluated, anonymised primary care records to be created.