cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Family Transitions and Child Well-Being: Evidence from Adolescents

This paper uses panel data from the National Education Longitudinal Study (NELS) for 1988-2000 to examine the effects of family transitions during the teenage years on adolescent short-term high school performance and long-term adult outcomes. To deal with the potential endogeneity problem, I use OLS and first-difference models. The distinct feature of the NELS data allows for testing the OLS and first-difference estimates. The results indicate that parental death, in the short run, is associated with low test scores and this association can be interpreted as causality. Parental separation and parental job loss, in contrast, are associated with lower educational attainment in the future.
Green Strength of Carbon-Black-Filled Styrene—Butadiene Rubber

Abstract The green strengths of a gum SBR and two black-filled samples, at twenty-three volume percent filler, have been determined at various strain rates and temperatures. At higher temperatures, all samples exhibit yielding, followed by strain-softening. The gum exhibits this type of behavior down to −20°C, whereas, filled specimens undergo strain hardening at this temperature. Yield strength increases with decreasing temperature or increasing rate, indicating that it is largely controlled by chain mobility. Yield strengths at various temperatures may be shifted along the rate axis to form mastercurves. The dependence of yield stress on reduced rate is similar for the gum and the composition filled with the large-sized thermal black (N990). Stiffening is reasonably well accounted for by strain and strain-rate amplification, using the well-known Guth—Gold amplification factor. At low reduced rates, the extent of stiffening is substantially greater for samples filled with the much finer furnace black, N1...
Theory of efficient second harmonic generation in germanosilicale fibers

The discovery by Osterberg and Margulis of efficient (>5%) conversion of 1.06-μm light to the second harmonic (0.532 μm) in a phosphorus and germanium-doped glass fiber has resulted in an interesting yet unexplained physical effect which has generated a great deal of excitement in the applications arena.1
Abstract 4324: Loss of TGF-beta receptor I and PTEN promotes HNSCC

The precise molecular mechanisms that contribute to the initiation and progression of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) have not been clearly delineated. Here, we report that defects in the TGF-β and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways are common in human HNSCCs. Activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway due to PTEN deletion gives rise to hyperproliferation in the head and neck epithelia, but only a few lesions progressed to HNSCCs. Strikingly, PTEN deletion, in combination with a loss of Tgfbr1, caused HNSCC with complete penetrance. Molecular analysis revealed enhanced cell proliferation, increased expression of CCND1 and decreased expression of CDKN1A in the basal layer of the head and neck epithelia, as well as in the tumors of Tgfbr1/PTEN double conditional knockout (2cKO) mice. These tumors displayed pathology and multiple molecular alterations that resembled human HNSCCs. Furthermore, the neoplastic transformation was due to senescence evasion and was associated with an increased number of putative (CD44+, CD133+) cancer stem cells. In addition, myeloid derived suppressor cell (MDSC) infiltration, angiogenesis and immune suppression in the tumor microenvironment also accompanied mouse head and neck carcinogenesis. The Tgfbr1/PTEN 2cKO mouse model is suitable for preclinical intervention and has significant implications in the development of diagnostic cancer biomarkers as well as effective preventive and therapeutic strategies for the treatment of HNSCCs. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4324. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-4324
Heart failure: diagnosis and healthcare burden.

Almost 900,000 people in the UK live with heart failure.1 This syndrome can affect people at any age but the average age at diagnosis is 76 years.2 The prevalence is steadily increasing due to ageing of the population and improved survival from acute cardiac disease such as myocardial infarction (MI). The annual incidence of heart failure is estimated to be 1–4 cases per 1,000 population. Despite improvements in management, mortality in the first year after diagnosis remains high (40%), although thereafter it falls to 10% per annum (Fig 1).3 Heart failure reduces self-reported quality of life more than most other chronic medical conditions. Consequently there is an increasing number of long-term survivors but with limiting symptoms. Such patients visit the primary care health team more than eleven times each year and are at high risk of admission to hospital with decompensated heart failure, particularly if chronic disease management is poor.1 Estimates suggest that 5% of all emergency admissions relate to heart failure, often with a long hospital stay. Approximately 2% of the NHS budget (around £700 million) is spent on the care of people with heart failure, hospitalisation accounting for more than 60% of this figure.4 Hospital admissions for heart failure are predicted to rise by 50% over the next 25 years.
Swimming reptiles make their mark in the Early Triassic: Delayed ecologic recovery increased the preservation potential of vertebrate swim tracks

Fossil tetrapod swim tracks have been reported from deposits throughout the world, ranging in age from the Carboniferous (Mississippian) to the Neogene (Pleistocene). A normalized analysis of these occurrences demonstrates that lower Triassic strata contain an anomalously high number of occurrences. Lower Triassic swim tracks also tend to be better preserved, showing exceptionally detailed features such as scale striae and crescent-shaped claw margins. Preservation of these features required a firm and semicohesive substrate in order to maintain track detail before and after burial. Swim-track localities from the lower Triassic Moenkopi Formation in Utah (USA) are characterized by sedimentary and trace fossil features that demonstrate the widespread development and persistence of firmground substrates in a large delta plain complex. Within this delta, complex low-diversity invertebrate trace fossil assemblages consist of locally high densities of diminutive, millimeter-scale traces characteristic of stressed brackish-water faunas. We suggest that the depauperate infauna characteristic of such environments was repressed due to delayed biotic recovery following the end-Permian mass extinction, resulting in extremely low intensities of bioturbation. Lack of biogenic mixing promoted semiconsolidation of dewatered mud substrates and the widespread production and persistence of firmgrounds capable of recording and maintaining swim tracks. Thus a combination of factors, unique to the Early Triassic, increased the preservation potential of detailed swim tracks: (1) depositional environments that promoted the production of firmground substrates, (2) delayed ecologic recovery resulting in the lack of well-bioturbated sediment, and (3) the swimming behavior of various Early Triassic tetrapods.
Analyzing on the Prevalence of Malaria in Guangzhou City from 1996 to 2000

Objective Based on the analysis of malaria prevalence in Guangzhou, experience in the prevention of the disease would be summarized and the effect of preventive measures would be reviewed. Methods The epidemic situation reports, the malaria cases questionnaire, the blood test of fever case records and epidemiology summary had been analyzed. The caught anopheles mosquitoes were classified. Results The main vector of malaria in Guangzhou is Anopheles sinensis. The prevalence of malaria had been control effectively, and the incidence has declined greatly. The total cases of malaria is 1246 in whole city from 1996 to 2000, and the outbreak and P. falciparum transmition have not been occured. Conclusions To control malaria spreading, different divisions must be cooperated and integrated methods must be adopted in period of malaria prevalence. In the primary control period, the main works is to enforce the establishment of the microscope checking stations and the checking for plasmodium in all fever cases.
Ecological Security Evaluation Based on PSR Model for Shengzhong Reservoir in Sichuan Province

The evaluation index of ecological security system was built using the PSR(pressure—state—response) model,entropy method was applied to define the weights of seventeen assessment indexes,and the Excel software for data processing was used to evaluate the ecological security of Shengzhong Reservoir. Results showed that the ecological security situation from 2004 to 2007 was improved. At last,several environmental protection measures for reservoir ecosystem were discussed,such as banning cage farming fertilizer,strengthening the solid waste and wastewater treatments of reservoir residents,controlling soil erosion,reducing point source and non-point source pollution by nitrogen and phosphorus,preventing the spread of water hyacinth,focusing on the management of water eutrophication,and maintaining the reservoir storage capacity in a reasonable level. At the same time,it should be noted that the new factors such as reservoir fishing or other factors affected the ecological balance of Shengzhong Reservoir.
Resuscitation of hemorrhagic shock with hypertonic saline/dextran or lactated Ringer's supplemented with AICA riboside

Anesthetized and ventilated swine were bled 23 ml/kg (34% of calculated blood volume) to a mean arterial pressure < 50 mm Hg. After 60 min, a bolus of either 7.5% hypertonic saline/6% dextran 70 (HSD, 4 ml/kg x 5 min) or lactated Ringer's (LR, 32 ml/kg x 5 min) was infused i.v. LR (25-30 ml/kg) was administered to all animals for the next 60 min. Amino imidazole carboxamide riboside (AICAR), which increases endogenous adenosine in ischemic tissues, was added to the initial bolus and the subsequent LR (10 mg/kg bolus + 0.5 mg/kg x 60 min) in half the study population. At 2 hr post-shock, hematocrit, urine output, arterial pressure, pulmonary artery pressure, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, portal venous O2 saturation, and pulmonary arterial O2 saturation were similar in all groups. With HSD vs. LR, cardiac outputs and stroke volumes were each significantly higher, while right atrial pressures and pulmonary vascular resistances were each significantly lower, which is consistent with augmented cardiac contractility with HSD. Furthermore, systemic oxygen consumptions were significantly higher, and intracranial pressures were each significantly lower with HSD. Nevertheless, no variables were far outside the normal range in either group. The addition of AICAR to LR and HSD eliminated the difference in intracranial pressure, systemic oxygen consumption, reduced heart rate by 30-40 beats/min during the first hour of resuscitation, and increased stroke volume by 20-30%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Color as an instructional variable.

The purpose of this experiment was to measure the relative effectiveness of eight types of visual illustrations used to complement oral instruction and to investigate the hypothesis that color is an important instructional variable for facilitating student achievement of specific educational objectives. Nine complete slide sequences possessing differing degrees of realistic detail were produced so that variations in visual stimuli could be assessed in terms of their ability to facilitate student achievement on five criterial measures. Two hundred sixty-one college students were randomly assigned to one of the nine treatment groups. Each student received a pretest, participated in one of the instructional presentations, and received four individual criterial measures. The results of this study suggest a number of conclusions to be taken into consideration in the preparation of visualized instruction at the college level: 1. For specific learning objectives the addition of color in certain types of visuals appears to be an important instructional variable in improving student achievement. 2. The use of visuals (both black-and-white and color) to complement oral instruction does not automatically improve student achievement of all types of learning objectives. 3. Different types of colored illustrations differ in the effectiveness with which they facilitate student achievement of identical educational objectives. 4. Different types of black-and-white illustrations differ in the effectiveness with which they facilitate student achievement of identical educational objectives.
Review: Some Therapies for Treating the Irritable Bowel Syndrome May Be Effective for Symptom Improvement

Source Citation Lesbros-Pantoflickova D, Michetti P, Fried M, Beglinger C, Blum AL. Meta-analysis: the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2004;20:1253-69. 15606387
Reducing grain storage losses in developing countries

We investigated the use of insecticide-treated material and modified atmosphere storage for reducing insect damage in stored maize. Results showed that insecticide-treated netting and insecticide-treated seed bags protected grain from insect damage, with the treated seed bags protecting grain for up to nine months if the grain was free from insects before storing. Covering the opening of grain storage containers with treated netting provided good control of stored-grain insects and may offer additional protection for grain silos being promoted in developing countries. Neither treated bags nor netting provided control if the grain contained insects before storage, thus emphasising the need to provide some means of controlling initial infestations at the time of storage when using bags or netting. We also showed that good control of insects can be achieved if the grain is stored in air-tight rigid containers that cannot be penetrated by insects or rodents. Hermetic plastic bags were readily penetrated by in...
Lower Urinary Tract

The lower urinary tract extends from the kidney pelvis through the ureters, emptying into the urinary bladder, with final excretion through the urethra. Most toxicologic pathology lesions involve the mucosa, the distinctive urothelium. Toxicity usually occurs through urinary exposure rather than systemically. Any urothelial damage leads to regenerative proliferation. Ulceration leads to hemorrhage, acute inflammation, and granulation tissue. Proliferative lesions of the bladder range from simple to nodular and/or papillary hyperplasia and diffuse papillomatosis, which are reversible. Most lower urinary tract neoplasms are epithelial, primarily urothelial (transitional cell) papilloma and carcinoma, with occasional squamous cell carcinoma and others. Mesenchymal tumors are uncommon. Methods have been established for identifying histopathologic changes, superficial cytotoxicity, and increased proliferation, and sensitive methods are available for examination of urine. Uroplakins serve as a specific urothelial marker identifiable by immunohistochemistry. Modes of action and relevance to humans can be systematically investigated.
Abstracting complex domains using modular object-oriented Markov decision processes

We present an initial proposal for modular object-oriented MDPs, an extension of OO-MDPs that abstracts complex domains that are partially observable and stochastic with multiple goals. Modes reduce the curse of dimensionality by reducing the number of attributes, objects, and actions into only the features relevant for each goal. These modes may also be used as an abstracted domain to be transferred to other modes or to another domain.
Physics, Philosophy, and Education

The proper teaching of science in general, and physics in particular, requires an understanding of the philosophical basis of science. Such a basis was established in the 1920s and 1930s by the scientists and philosophers of the Vienna Circle, only to be cast aside by the remarkable influence of Thomas Kuhn’s The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. Even scientists who should know better are waiting breathlessly for the next revolution that will replace atoms with something that will allow them to fly to the stars.
Molecular Testing Turnaround Time for Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer in Routine Clinical Practice Confirms Feasibility of CAP/IASLC/AMP Guideline Recommendations: A Single-center Analysis

Abstract Introduction Molecular testing to identify targetable driver mutations is the standard of care for patients with advanced-stage non–small cell lung cancer. Recent guideline recommendations by the College of American Pathologists (CAP), International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC), and Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP) established a benchmark turnaround time (TAT) target of 10 working days for results to be available to the treating oncologist and ≤ 3 days for specimens to arrive at a commercial testing laboratory if testing is not performed in-house. Methods and Materials To provide insights regarding the pre-testing, post-testing, and testing intervals that constitute the overall TAT target, we performed a detailed workflow analysis. A total of 157 lung cancer specimens were sent out for molecular testing at a commercial vendor from a single academic medical center during the calendar year 2015. Results Overall, 128 specimens (81.5%) met the recommended 10-working day TAT, with a median total TAT of 9 weekdays (mean ± standard deviation, 9.17 ± 4.15 days). The pre-testing interval was ≤ 3 days for 146 specimens (93.0%), and the post-testing reporting interval was Conclusion Overall, the findings indicated that the CAP/IASLC/AMP TAT guideline recommendations are feasible for most lung cancer specimens when a streamlined system is in place.
Practice Patterns of Dermatologists in the Pediatric Contact Dermatitis Registry.

Background/Objectives U.S. adults and children are equally likely to have allergic contact dermatitis. Historically the narrow geographic location of data-reporting providers has quantitatively and qualitatively limited the pediatric contact dermatitis data. The Pediatric Contact Dermatitis Registry was used to evaluate self-identified pediatric patch test providers within the United States with regard to demographic characteristics, geographic location, and practice patterns. Methods A wide range of U.S. providers were invited to join the registry by completing a secure online 11-question registration survey. Results There were 252 respondents from 50 states and the District of Columbia; 28.6% were pediatric dermatologists and members of the Society for Pediatric Dermatology (SPD), and 38% were members of the American Contact Dermatitis Society. The cumulative range of pediatric patch-test evaluations performed each year was 1,726 to 4,613 children. SPD members had a significantly greater likelihood of performing a commercially available patch test (odds ratio 7.14 [95% confidence interval 5.11, 9.97], p < .001) than those who were not SPD members. SPD members also had significantly lower odds of performing North American Contact Dermatitis Group standard tests than nonmembers. Conclusions The frequency of patch test evaluations in children is significantly underreported. This study provides insight into the practice patterns of various providers who are patch testing children and makes recommendations for evidence-based modifications regarding these practices. Limitations of the study include survey responder selection bias and small sample size.
Stopping Time of Invariant Sequential Probability Ratio Testst

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on stopping time of invariant sequential probability ratio tests. Wald's (1945, 1947) sequential probability ratio test (SPRT) for testing a simple hypothesis against a simple alternative has been researched extensively, and many of its properties are well known. For instance, it possesses the Wald–Wolfowitz optimum property; power function (if there is an imbedding one-parameter family of distributions) and expected sample sizes can be obtained at least approximately. By contrast, very little is known in general about sequential tests of composite hypotheses, which may arise when nuisance parameters are present. One of the earliest examples is provided by the sequential t -test. No simple optimum property is known for these tests. However, there is one aspect of these tests on which, in the past 25 years, a considerable amount of work has been done. This concerns the random sample size N , also called stopping time. The most basic question is whether N is finite with probability one. A more refined question is how fast the tail probabilities in the distribution of N go to zero. Substantial progress has been made on these problems.
Trends in Stream Pollution Research and Control

Although the advance in our knowledge of stream pollution and progress in the application of control measures during the past decade may have appeared erratic at times, yet, considered in its broader aspects, a definite gain has been made in the direction of improvement of procedures, both administrative and technical, for conservation of our water resources. It is to be expected that such advances will be more or less orderly, influenced as they are by changes in the intensity of public interest, governmental support and industrial activity. A review of some of the more important developments in the field of stream sanitation is the purpose of this paper.
The Inappropriateness of the Bad Checks Penalty

The Internal Revenue Code of 1986 provides many penalties for actions or failures to act on matters concerning the tax law. Section 6657 applies a penalty to a person who tenders an instrument to the IRS as a payment if the instrument is not duly paid. The penalty does not apply if the person tendered the instrument in good faith and with reasonable cause to believe that it would be duly paid. In this article, the authors argue that the penalty for sending a bad check to the IRS is excessive and that the reasonable cause exception should apply to any honest factual error.
12 – Virus Cycles in Aquatic Mammals, Poikilotherms, and Invertebrates

This chapter discusses virus cycles in aquatic mammals, poikilotherms, and invertebrates. It reviews the survival mechanisms and movements of ocean caliciviruses through diverse ecosystems and hosts. Members of the family Caliciviridae are naked single-stranded positive-sense RNA icosahedral viruses having one major capsid polypeptide and distinctive cuplike surface depressions. Caliciviruses have been shown to impact animal health while also receiving a high biological security classification as a foreign animal disease virus. These agents move through the environment in water and food, so that concerns for water quality and the public health aspects of food safety arise. The caliciviruses of ocean origin provide a classic model of RNA virus quasi-species movements played out across the global reaches of oceans, land masses, and the air. Viruses can be transported across the land and through the air, but they replicate only in water substrate. Their release from host tissues into bodies of water frequently provides them with a highly effective means of transport and survival outside the host cell.
Cryopreservation of embryos and ova

Development of techniques for cryopreservation of embryos of several species, principally the mouse, laid the foundation for cryopreservation of human embryos. As IVF has become more widely available and the need for the cryopreservation of human embryos has become apparent, pressure for technical development has increased. The ideal method would be simple, inexpensive, and effective. The most effective method for cryopreservation of early human embryos, such as those at the 1-cell pronuclear stage and up to the 4-cell stage, now appears to be stepwise cooling in 1,2-propanediol with sucrose in plastic ministraws. The preferred method for intermediate stage embryos uses DMSO with cooling and thawing at slow rates in a programmed biologic freezer. For the human blastocyst, slow cooling in glycerol and rapid thawing is the only method reported with survival rates comparable to those achieved for intermediate stage embryos using DMSO. The rates of survival from freezing and thawing blastocysts are not sufficiently high, however, to justify the losses associated with prolonged in vitro incubation. Even at the current level of technical achievement, cryopreservation of human embryos provides the clearest opportunity to improve the clinical results obtained with IVF. Research now underway in the modification of methods for vitrification and ultrarapid freezing holds promise for both simplification of technology and improvement of outcome. In view of legal and ethical considerations involved in embryo preservation, the desirability of ova preservation is widely accepted. Although a small number of human unfertilized mature ova have been cryopreserved using various methods, success rates are still low. Methods for the cryopreservation of eggs should be developed, but these methods probably should be proved by animal experiments to be safe, especially with regard to genetic damage, before a policy of transfer of embryos derived from frozen-thawed human ova is applied on a large scale.
When Cutting Edge Technology Meets Clinical Practice: Ethical Dimensions of e-Health

The purpose of this chapter is to identify problems generated by electronic health (e-Health) and to explore their impact on ethical clinical conduct in order to identify ameliorative strategies. More generally the chapter is an exploration of how to deal with change and reaffirm what is fundamental in health care. Healthcare is primarily a moral enterprise in which action means values. The clinicians’ primary value commitment must always be to the patients’ welfare and best interests. Using a set of indicators as standards of performance for the sociotechnical e-Health system, including pervasive information and computing technology (PICT), the chapter explores the impact of technology performance, vendor and health-related entity management and law and regulation on clinical conduct.
Hypolipidemic drugs and lipoprotein metabolism.

Insight into the mechanism of action and efficacy of hypolipidemic drugs has awaited the development of the current concepts of lipid transport (1). Fundamental is the fact that the blood fats-- cholesterol, phospholipid, and triglyceride-- do not circulate free in the plasma. Lipids exist in a soluble form in the blood only because they are bound to protein. These proteins serve as detergents and solubilize the otherwise insoluble lipid. It is as lipid protein complexes or lipoproteins that all fat enters and leaves the blood stream.
Investigation of Artificial Neural Networks for Classifying Levels of Financial Distress of Firms: The Case of an Unbalanced Training Sample

Accurateprediction of financial distress of firms is crucial to bank lending officers, financial analysts, and stockholders as all of them have a vested interest in monitoring the firms’ financial performance. Most of the previous studies concerning predicting financial distress were performed for a dichotomous state such as nonbankrupt versus bankrupt or no going concern opinion versus going concern opinion. Many studies used well-balanced samples. Much less than one-half of firms become distressed and firms generally progress through different levels of financial distress before bankruptcy. Therefore, this study investigates the usefulness of artificial neural networks in classifying several levels of distress for unbalanced but somewhat realistic training samples. The chapter also compares the classification ability of neural networks and logistic regression through extensive computer simulation of several experiments. Results from these experiments indicate that analysis with two cascaded neural networks produce the best classification results. One network separates healthy from distressed firms only, the other network classifies those firms identified as distressed into one of three distressed states.
Cultural and Social Diversity in the United States: A Compelling National Interest

Cultural and social diversity in the United States (USA) is demanded by a need for cultural competency and a representative bureaucracy in public institutions. Cultural competency is desired due to its recognition as an essential means of ensuring institutional effectiveness in a pluralistic society such as the USA. Furthermore, given the basic premise in a democratic republic like the USA is that its people should be represented in the governance of the country, a representative bureaucracy is a means of realizing this ideal. This chapter examines the various strategies utilized by educational and other public entities in efforts to achieve cultural competency and a representative bureaucracy in the workplace. To ensure that these principles are implemented, the USA realizes the importance of educational access as a means of promoting a successful transition to the workplace. Achieving these ideals is still a work in progress. Legal confrontations have ensued in efforts at extending educational opportunities to all cultural and social groups in US society. In the process, these confrontations have allowed a policy initiative to be forged in the courts, declaring cultural and social diversity a compelling national interest in higher education.
Venovenous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation and Pulmonary Resection for Necrotizing Pneumonia

We describe the case of a 35-year-old man who presented in respiratory failure after influenza B infection requiring initiation of venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and eventual pulmonary resection for necrotizing pneumonia. Following a successful wean off venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and once hemodynamically stable, he was taken to the operating room for decortication and left pulmonary resection. Recovery was complicated by persistent airleak requiring placement of endobronchial valves, but otherwise he recovered very well. This case demonstrates the benefits of lung resection for necrotizing pneumonia.
Situating videoconferencing in a connected class toward intercultural knowledge development: A comparative reflection approach

Abstract The paper discusses how the intercultural knowledge is enhanced in a technology-enabled learning environment. We developed a comparative reflection approach, for an undergraduate course participated by three groups of students, who were globally distributed in the US, Mainland China, and Taiwan. Made possible by the videoconferencing technology, the approach included two group-based tasks of describing, comparing, analyzing, and reflecting on everyday activities and cultural practices. To evaluate the design effectiveness, we conducted a discourse-based ethnographic study to examine the knowledge construction stimulated by the task design. We identified that, while all the three groups constructed cultural-specific knowledge on the first task, some constructed deep cultural knowledge and insightful cross-cultural interpretations on the second task. As student groups undertook the two progressive tasks, they worked through various levels of understandings, hence moving from surface to deep learning.
Drafting a Robot Manifesto – New Insights from the Robotics Community gathered at the European Robotics Forum 2018

The world is discussing the impact of Robotics, Artificial Intelligence and Automation. Their potentially disruptive power stokes excitement in press and media, awareness and fear in the civil society, populism with influencers and activism in politics. While some claim the decay of humanity, others predict the loss of all jobs and further groups yearn for utopian scenarios in which all wealth will be redistributed and humankind can bloom in a workless society driven by cultural and intellectual progress based on universal basic income. The future is unpredictable. Nevertheless, the discussion about how to handle the evolution of disruptive technologies is crucial and overdue. Interdisciplinary, stakeholder driven discourse must be sparked, (Robotic & AI) Governance frameworks must be established and an ethical Code of Conduct - a Robot Manifesto - has to be established. At the European Robotics Forum (ERF) 2018, an initial effort was taken to engage the European robotics community and discuss first steps towards a Robot Manifesto in a workshop with roboticist. This paper outlines the underlying concepts and sums up the findings of this workshop.
Multigenerational metabolic profiling in the Michigan PBB registry

Although polychlorinated biphenyls and polybrominated biphenyls are no longer manufactured the United States, biomonitoring in human populations show that exposure to these pollutants persist in human tissues. The objective of this study was to identify metabolic variations associated with exposure to 2,2'4,4',5,5'-hexabromobiphenyl (PBB-153) and 2,2'4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (PCB-153) in two generations of participants enrolled in the Michigan PBB Registry (http://pbbregistry.emory.edu/). Untargeted, high-resolution metabolomic profiling of plasma collected from 156 individuals was completed using liquid chromatography with high-resolution mass spectrometry. PBB-153 and PCB-153 levels were measured in the same individuals using targeted gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and tested for dose-dependent correlation with the metabolome. Biological response to these exposures were evaluated using identified endogenous metabolites and pathway enrichment. When compared to lipid-adjusted concentrations for adults in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) for years 2003-2004, PCB-153 levels were consistent with similarly aged individuals, whereas PBB-153 concentrations were elevated (p<0.0001) in participants enrolled in the Michigan PBB Registry. Metabolic alterations were correlated with PBB-153 and PCB-153 in both generations of participants, and included changes in pathways related to catecholamine metabolism, cellular respiration, essential fatty acids, lipids and polyamine metabolism. These pathways were consistent with pathophysiological changes observed in neurodegenerative disease and included previously identified metabolomic markers of Parkinson's disease. To determine if the metabolic alterations detected in this study are replicated other cohorts, we evaluated correlation of PBB-153 and PCB-153 with plasma fatty acids measured in NHANES. Both pollutants showed similar associations with fatty acids previously linked to PCB exposure. Thus, the results from this study show metabolic alterations correlated with PBB-153 and PCB-153 exposure can be detected in human populations and are consistent with health outcomes previously reported in epidemiological and mechanistic studies.
Marketing channel evolution: From contactual efficiency to brand value co-creation and appropriation within the platform enterprise

AbstractIn recent years, major technological advances have been a primary force driving channel evolution. In particular, the Internet of things has provided a means for some firms to experience th...
Between an iPhone and a safe space: tracing desire in connective (auto)ethnographic research with LGBTQ youth

Reflecting on data from a longitudinal connective ethnographic study exploring how six lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) youths mobilized digital literacies to write against in...
Abstract IA23: Single cell-resolution lineage tracing of tumors in a mouse xenograft model reveals rapid and multidirectional metastasis

The pairing of CRISPR/Cas9-based gene editing with massively parallel single-cell readouts now enables large-scale, single-cell lineage tracing exploration of the phylogenetic principles that govern important biologic processes at unprecedented resolution and scale. We recently described a flexible, high-information, multichannel molecular recorder with a single-cell readout and applied it as an evolving lineage tracer to define a mouse cell fate map from fertilization through gastrulation. In the present study, we now apply our Cas9-based lineage tracer to investigate metastatic progression in a lung cancer xenograft model in mouse. We describe >100 single cell-resolution phylogenies for tens of thousands of cancer cells from multiple tumors, and we observe a wide range of clade-specific behaviors. From these family trees, we infer the number of ancestral metastatic events and thus calculate the metastatic potential for every population, the frequency of metastasis, and the tissue routes through which metastases transit. We overlay single-cell transcriptomic signatures on the phylogenies and find distinct clone- or clade-specific expression signatures that correlate with metastatic potential, highlighting the diversity of cancer phenotypes even within this single xenograft model. We illustrate numerous examples of complex, multidirectional metastatic architectures, including self-seeding, monoclonal seeding, and seeding cascades. More generally, our approach provides an unprecedented ability to monitor tumor formation, evolution, growth, and spread in an in vivo setting. Citation Format: Jonathan S. Weissman. Single cell-resolution lineage tracing of tumors in a mouse xenograft model reveals rapid and multidirectional metastasis [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on the Evolving Landscape of Cancer Modeling; 2020 Mar 2-5; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(11 Suppl):Abstract nr IA23.
Examining the link between positive affectivity and anxiety reactivity to social stress in individuals with and without social anxiety disorder.

Abstract Background Positive affect (PA) attenuates negative reactivity to stress; however, this adaptive function of PA is seldom studied in psychiatric conditions characterized by more extreme forms of affective responding. We tested distinct associations of PA and negative affect (NA) with anxiety reactivity in participants with social anxiety disorder (SAD)—a condition characterized by heightened NA and diminished PA—and non-SAD control subjects. Method Adults with a principal diagnosis of SAD (n = 71) and those without a psychiatric history (n = 36) rated their PA and NA during the past week, and were exposed to a laboratory stressor wherein they delivered a video-recorded speech on a controversial topic. Anxiety reactivity was assessed in terms of anticipatory anxiety prior to the speech, and observer-rated anxiety-related behavior during the speech. Results Across all participants, higher PA significantly predicted lower anticipatory anxiety and less anxiety-related behavior, beyond level of NA; lower NA significantly predicted attenuated anticipatory anxiety, but not anxiety-related behavior, beyond level of PA. The association between PA and stress reactivity was diminished for individuals with especially elevated NA, as well as for individuals with SAD compared to those without. Conclusions PA may be protective against negative reactivity to social stress; however, theoretical models and clinical applications should consider possible interactive effects of PA and NA in modulating stress reactivity.
Post-transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder: Early and Polymorphic Lesions

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLDs) are a group of lymphocytic or plasmacytic (often both) proliferations that develop as a consequence of immunosuppression in a recipient of a solid organ, bone marrow, or stem cell allograft. The spectrum of lesions ranges from reactive to neoplastic. Early lesions are clinically benign LPDs that often present as distinct masses. Neoplastic or monomorphous PTLDs are similar to lymphomas that arise in the nonimmunodeficient setting. Polymorphic PTLDs fit within the middle of the PTLD spectrum, with some cases behaving benignly and others more aggressively, more akin to monomorphous PTLDs.
The neoliberal discourse in Latin American higher education: A call for national development and tighter government control

Using critical discourse analysis (CDA), we explored how educational leaders and policymakers in Mexico, Peru, Chile, and Argentina address complex issues while responding to – and in fact, developing – broader understandings (discourses) on the role of higher education in Latin America. Fairclough’s (1993) theory of discourse underscores that language is a social practice, socially and historically situated, and encompassing social identities, relations, and systems of knowledge and beliefs. Therefore, discourses, which are represented by all kinds of texts, exercise power because they can produce, reproduce, and transform social structures, including education policy. This study uncovers the nuances of the tensions that globalized discourses such as neoliberalism in particular face when met with national and local needs in Latin American higher education. These tensions need to be addressed in order to design policies that could effectively close the equity gap in the region amidst massification and the uncontrolled proliferation of private universities in many countries, offering access to underserved students to higher education but of questionable quality. This study suggests research like this is important in order to understand how discourses that are deemed global play out at national and local levels and possibly, to uncover alternatives to the status quo.
Foucault, biopolitics, and the critique of state reason

The concept of biopolitics was first outlined by Michel Foucault (2003, 2007, 2009) in his lectures at the College de France in the late 1970s in order to name and analyze emergent logics of power ...
Scaling Relations for Autothermal Operation of Catalytic Reactors

Autothermal operation (AO) has several advantages for carrying out highly exothermic catalytic partial oxidation (CPO) and/or oxidative dehydrogenation (ODH) reactions compared to traditional cooled multitubular reactors. In steady-state autothermal operation (AO), there is no heat addition to the reactor or intentional heat removal by cooling through reactor walls; the heat of reaction is removed mainly by convective flow of the cold feed. The existence of an ignited high temperature (and conversion) state at the lowest possible feed temperature and/or space time is essential. This work examines the impact of various design and operating variables on the feasibility and economic scale-up of shallow packed-bed catalytic reactors for autothermal operation. Specifically, we present scaling relations that can be used to examine the impact of effective bed thermal conductivity, bed length, particle size, catalyst activity, reaction kinetics, and operating pressure on the extinction (blow-out) flow rate or feed temperature for large scale autothermal CPO and ODH reactors operated close to the adiabatic limit. The scale-up relations derived for a single-step CPO/ODH reaction are verified by numerical simulations. They are also validated using the highly complex oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) as an example.
Sex Differences in Ablation Strategy, Lesion Sets, and Complications of Catheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation: An Analysis From the GWTG-AFIB Registry.

Background: When presenting for atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation, women, compared with men, tend to have more nonpulmonary vein triggers and advanced atrial disease. Whether this informs differenc...
Introduction to Plasmids: a Selective View of Their History

In the late 1950s, a number of laboratories took up the study of plasmids once the discovery was made that extrachromosomal antibiotic resistance (R) factors are the responsible agents for the transmissibility of multiple antibiotic resistance among the enterobacteria. The use of incompatibility for the classification of plasmids is now widespread. It seems clear now on the basis of the limited studies to date that the number of incompatibility groups of plasmids will likely be extremely large when one includes plasmids obtained from bacteria that are normal inhabitants of poorly studied natural environments. The presence of both linear chromosomes and linear plasmids is now established for several Streptomyces species. One of the more fascinating developments in plasmid biology was the discovery of linear plasmids in the 1980s. A remarkable feature of the Ti plasmids of Agrobacterium tumefaciens is the presence of two DNA transfer systems. A definitive demonstration that plasmids consisted of duplex DNA came from interspecies conjugal transfer of plasmids followed by separation of plasmid DNA from chromosomal DNA by equilibrium buoyant density centrifugation. The formation of channels for DNA movement and the actual steps involved in DNA transport offer many opportunities for the discovery of proteins with novel activities and for establishing fundamentally new concepts of macromolecular interactions between DNA and specific proteins, membranes, and the peptidoglycan matrix.
Teratoma in a thyroglossal duct cyst: A rare occurrence

Although teratoma is a relatively commonly encountered pediatric tumor, cervical teratomas are rare, with only 217 cases recorded to date. These are thought to arise from the thyroid gland, with only anecdotal reports of teratomas arising in thyroglossal duct cysts.
Studies in sickle-cell anemia: II. Clinical manifestations of sickle-cell anemia in children (an analysis of thirty-seven cases with observation on the use of ACTH and cortisone in two additional cases)

Summary Thirty-seven cases of sickle-cell anemia have been reviewed. The disease occurred in twenty-seven males and ten females. The average age of onset of symptoms was 3.5 years while the average age of first admission to the hospital was 4.5 years. Abdominal and joint pains and anorexia were the most frequent symptoms observed in these cases. Respiratory infections, pallor, icterus, splenomegaly, and cardiac murmurs were the most outstanding physical findings. Some of the clinical difficulties encountered in the diagnosis of sickle-cell anemia are discussed. The parameter test of Winsor and Burch has been useful in the differential diagnosis of this disease. The therapy in these cases was essentially supportive, consisting chiefly of blood transfusions and measures to combat respiratory infections. There were five deaths in this series, representing a mortality of 13.5 per cent. The prognosis in sickle-cell anemia has improved since the advent of modern chemotherapy and antibiotics. Two cases in which ACTH and cortisone were successful in relieving joint pains have been reported. ACTH and cortisone give promise of value in the management of hemolytic crises by controlling severe joint and abdominal pains. Should future clinical observations confirm our preliminary impression regarding the value of ACTH and cortisone in the control of hemolytic crises, the questionable use of splenectomy with its attendant mortality may be discontinued in the management of this disease.
Likelihood ratios for time-continuous data models: The white noise approach

We develop a formula for likelihood functionals for signals in additive noise in the time-continuous case using a white noise approach. It is shown that the formula differs from the well-known formula in the Wiener process version by the appearance of an additional term corresponding to the conditional mean square filtering error.