Two surveys of principal investigators conducted between April 2020 and January 2021 reveal that while the COVID-19 pandemic’s initial impacts on scientists’ research time seem alleviated, there has ...been a decline in the rate of initiating new projects. This dimension of impact disproportionately affects female scientists and those with young children and appears to be homogeneous across fields. These findings may have implications for understanding the long-term effects of the pandemic on scientific research.The pandemic has caused disruption to many aspects of scientific research. In this Comment the authors describe the findings from surveys of scientists between April 2020 and January 2021, which suggests there was a decline in new projects started in that time.
We quantify the magnitude of R&D spillovers created by grants to small firms from the US Department of Energy. Our empirical strategy leverages variation due to state-specific matching policies, and ...we develop a new approach to measuring both geographic and technological spillovers that does not rely on an observable paper trail. Our estimates suggest that for every patent produced by grant recipients, three more are produced by others who benefit from spillovers. Sixty percent of these spillovers occur within the United States, and many of them occur in technological areas substantially different from those targeted by the grants. (JEL H81, L25, O33, O34, Q40)
COVID-19 has not affected all scientists equally. A survey of principal investigators indicates that female scientists, those in the ‘bench sciences’ and, especially, scientists with young children ...experienced a substantial decline in time devoted to research. This could have important short- and longer-term effects on their careers, which institution leaders and funders need to address carefully.
Aggressive cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is often a disfiguring and lethal disease. Very little is currently known about the mutations that drive aggressive cSCC.
Whole-exome sequencing ...was performed on 39 cases of aggressive cSCC to identify driver genes and novel therapeutic targets. Significantly, mutated genes were identified with MutSig or complementary methods developed to specifically identify candidate tumor suppressors based upon their inactivating mutation bias.
Despite the very high-mutational background caused by UV exposure, 23 candidate drivers were identified, including the well-known cancer-associated genes TP53, CDKN2A, NOTCH1, AJUBA, HRAS, CASP8, FAT1, and KMT2C (MLL3). Three novel candidate tumor suppressors with putative links to cancer or differentiation, NOTCH2, PARD3, and RASA1, were also identified as possible drivers in cSCC. KMT2C mutations were associated with poor outcome and increased bone invasion.
The mutational spectrum of cSCC is similar to that of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and dominated by tumor-suppressor genes. These results improve the foundation for understanding this disease and should aid in identifying and treating aggressive cSCC.
During September 1, 2020–April 30, 2021, the California Department of Public Health, Richmond, California, USA, received 255 positive influenza molecular test results that matched with severe acute ...respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 molecular test results; 58 (23%) persons were co-infected. Influenza activity was minimal in California, and co-infections were sporadic.
•Ground truth and STRmix™-derived measures of degradation show good levels of concordance.•Weight-of-evidence statistics for degraded DNA profiles are comparable to those for corresponding intact ...profiles.•Joint interpretation of multiple degraded profiles has an overall neutral effect on the weight-of-evidence statistic.•Known limitations in the STRmix™ degradation model can be overcome in some instances through end-user intervention.
This study examined the DNA degradation modeling capacity of STRmix™, a widely implemented DNA interpretation software program. As a part of the CAL DOJ STRmix™ v2.4 validation, a large volume of STR profile data was generated from intact template DNA exposed to DNase I for a series of increasing time intervals. The resulting degraded profile data was analyzed with STRmix™ v2.4, and the efficacy of the analysis was assessed, both in terms of how the degradation modeling parameter values from the STRmix™ analysis compared to ground truth values, and how the weight-of-evidence statistics calculated for degraded profiles compared to those calculated for corresponding intact profiles. An additional set of differentially degraded mixture data was generated in silico to further challenge the STRmix™ degradation model, as well as to determine the extent to which end-user adjustment of the model’s application can assist in resolving analysis problems that arise when high levels of degradation are observed in a profile. This work demonstrates that the degradation model in STRmix™ is capable of addressing a wide range of degraded STR profile data. The assessment expands the range of samples that have been rigorously examined using probabilistic genotyping approaches, as called for by forensic advisory bodies such as the United States President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.
Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is being used increasingly to address health disparities and complex health issues.The authors propose that CBPR can benefit from a systems science ...framework to represent the complex and dynamic characteristics of a community and identify intervention points and potential "tipping points." Systems science refers to a field of study that posits a holistic framework that is focused on component parts of a system in the context of relationships with each other and with other systems. Systems thinking tools can assist in intervention planning by allowing all CBPR stakeholders to visualize how community factors are interrelated and by potentially identifying the most salient intervention points. To demonstrate the potential utility of systems science tools in CBPR, the authors show the use of causal loop diagrams by a community coalition engaged in CBPR activities regarding youth drinking reduction and prevention.
In this contribution we demonstrate that metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with suitable underlying topological structure are amenable for the preparation of MOF-based substitutional solid-solutions ...(SSS) that follow Vegard's law. Preparation of multivariate (MTV) libraries of Porous Interpenetrated Zirconia Organic Frameworks (PIZOF) using homeomorphic links of different length (18.6 and 19.3 Å) result in the formation of SSS that exhibit linearity between composition and structure. We prepared seven MTV MOF libraries (40 unique compositions) and observed relations in composition input/output ratio, composition/lattice parameter (Vegard's law), and between composition obtained from NMR and from PXRD. We further show that SSS formation has dependence on linker solubility, stability, and steric hindrance caused by the presence of functional groups. We demonstrate that solid-solution strategies can be utilized as part of the synthetic toolkit for the preperation of reticular crystals with desired composition, structure, and properties.
In this contribution we demonstrate that metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with suitable underlying topological structure are amenable for the preparation of MOF-based substitutional solid-solutions (SSS) that follow Vegard's law.
Biomechanics of Long Cane Use Wall Emerson, Robert; Kim, Dae Shik; Naghshineh, Koorosh ...
Journal of visual impairment & blindness,
05/2019, Letnik:
113, Številka:
3
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Introduction:
The modern long cane has been used by people who are blind for traveling for decades. This article describes parameters surrounding the collection of over 10,000 trials of people ...walking with the long cane to detect drop-offs or obstacles.
Methods:
The data include 10,069 trials representing 101 different participants in 366 conditions over 11 studies spanning the 9 years from 2007 to 2016. Each of the studies investigated different participant or cane characteristics or both in terms of their effect on either drop-off or obstacle detection. Results of detection performance in these studies appear in other articles. This article describes biomechanical measures derived from 3-D motion analysis equipment used during the studies.
Results:
Initial treatment of the large data set indicated that participants tended to not center their cane arc laterally on their body, deviating up to about 20 centimeters from midline. Arc widths averaged almost a meter, and arcs were generally centered. Participants were generally poor at being in step or having consistent rhythm. Coverage rates averaged about 85%.
Discussion:
Although participants might have demonstrated artificially high skill performance due to being in a research study, data do offer insights into mechanical performance of skills. This survey of the data set indicates that not centering the hand holding the cane does not decrease body coverage less than about 85%. However, further analyses will be conducted to delve more deeply into all aspects of the data.
Implications for practitioners:
Basic cane skills can be taught with short sessions and massed practice. Novices can acquire basic cane skills on par with cane users who are blind, but individual differences exist and the interplay of biomechanical variables needs to more fully understood.
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