cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sufficiency Economy and Santi Asoke: Buddhist Economic Ethics for a Just and Sustainable World

Mainstream economic thought and practice has resulted in widespread socioeconomic disparity and environmental devastation in all corners of the world, unmitigated by a multi-billion dollar development industry informed by these same economic models. To reverse this trend, the dominant forms of economic thought and practice must be reunited with ethics that are more caring of the human-nature base. Such ethics may be found in alternative economic models based on religious, spiritual, environmental, or feminist values. This essay considers one such alternative: Buddhist economics. After outlining a theory of Buddhist economics, this essay considers two models: the Royal Thai Sufficiency Economy Model and the approach adopted by the Santi Asoke Buddhist Reform Movement of Thailand. Both are conducive to economic activity that is more socially just and environmentally * Soka University of America. Email: jessen@soka.edu 71 Journal of Buddhist Ethics sustainable, particularly due to their ethics of self-reliance, moderation, and interdependence.
Neutralization of Lewis antibodies in vivo and transfusion of Lewis incompatible blood.

The anti-Lewis antibodies of two patients were temporarily but completely suppressed by the administration of plasma from Lewis-positive individuals. This was done in order to circumvent the problem of finding a large number of Le(a-b-) donors in an emergency. Thirteen units of originally incompatible blood were transfused into one of these patients. Following the transfusion, there was a rapid and striking immune response, culminating in a peak by about the fourth week. There were no signs of a hemolytic transfusion reaction, either immediate or delayed. It is suggested that this was clue to elution of the Lewis substances from the surface of infused cells before the occurrence of the immune response. The second patient received only plasma. The posttransfusion courses of both patients were without complication, attesting to the safety of the procedure.
Veiled voices in the films of Yamina Benguigui

ABSTRACTYamina Benguigui's films have often been praised for ‘giving a voice’ to the Maghrebi population in France and bringing to the fore experiences that have been overlooked or under-represented in cultural productions and the media in France. Closer analysis of her cinematic corpus reveals, however, that there are much more selective and complex processes at work in her films when it comes to giving a voice—or not giving a voice—to certain members of the Maghrebi population. This article highlights the ways in which, especially through the aesthetic illusions generated through the formal conventions of the documentary, Benguigui's films construct a misleading vision of Islam as it is practised by the Maghrebi population in France—and in particular by first-generation Maghrebis—as a moderate form of Islam that does not constitute a barrier to integration in France, while silencing the voices of young Franco-Maghrebi women who wear the Islamic headscarf and casting them in a consistently negative light.
'Journal Bias' in peer-reviewed literature: an analysis of the surgical high-grade glioma literature

The core premise of evidence-based medicine is that clinical decisions are informed by the peer-reviewed literature. To extract meaningful conclusions from this literature, one must first understand the various forms of biases inherent within the process of peer review. We performed an exhaustive search that identified articles exploring the question of whether survival benefit was associated with maximal high-grade glioma (HGG) resection and analysed this literature for patterns of publication. We found that the distribution of these 108 articles among the 26 journals to be non-random (p<0.01), with 75 of the 108 published articles (69%) appearing in 6 of the 26 journals (25%). Moreover, certain journals were likely to publish a large number of articles from the same medical academic genealogy (authors with shared training history and/or mentor). We term the tendency of certain types of articles to be published in select journals 'journal bias' and discuss the implication of this form of bias as it pertains to evidence-based medicine.
NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF IMPACT EFFECT EXPERIMENT OF PROJECTILES

In order to extend the achievements of the model experiment,the work conditions of projectiles impacting on concrete with corundum-boulder matrix targets were simulated by the non-linear finite element software ANSYS/LS-DYNA. The numerical simulation reveals well the physical process of experimental at damage, inclading the crater formation, the back scabbing and the crack occurring in concrete targets, the corundum-boulder splash in the impact site of the concrete with corundum-boulder matrix targets front, and the damage of projectiles impacting against corundum-boulder. The numerical calculation results of penetration depth and displacement and velocity time history of projectile tails are in good agreement with the high-speed camera test data.
Effect of ganciclovir on murine cytomegalovirus-induced reactivation of toxoplasma pneumonia

Active cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection induces immunosuppression and predisposes to the development of life-threatening superinfections in immunocompromised patients. We have described a mouse model in which acute murine CMV (MCMV) infection reactivates previously dormant Toxoplasma gondii infection, manifested as pneumonia. To determine whether therapy with ganciclovir might prevent MCMV-induced reactivation of T. gondii pneumonia, we administered ganciclovir to mice starting 1 day before to 2 days after MCMV infection and continuing for 14 days. When ganciclovir was begun early (before, on the day of, or 1 day after MCMV infection), the severity of T. gondii pneumonia reactivated by MCMV was significantly reduced. However, when therapy was delayed, no beneficial effect of ganciclovir was observed and the severity of MCMV-induced reactivation of T. gondii pneumonia was comparable to that seen in untreated animals. We conclude that ganciclovir therapy can attenuate but not eliminate MCMV-induced reactivation of T. gondii pneumonia and that prophylactic or very early administration of the drug is necessary to achieve protection.
Rapid Environmental Change Drives Increased Land Use by an Arctic Marine Predator

In the Arctic Ocean’s southern Beaufort Sea (SB), the length of the sea ice melt season (i.e., period between the onset of sea ice break-up in summer and freeze-up in fall) has increased substantially since the late 1990s. Historically, polar bears (Ursus maritimus) of the SB have mostly remained on the sea ice year-round (except for those that came ashore to den), but recent changes in the extent and phenology of sea ice habitat have coincided with evidence that use of terrestrial habitat is increasing. We characterized the spatial behavior of polar bears spending summer and fall on land along Alaska’s north coast to better understand the nexus between rapid environmental change and increased use of terrestrial habitat. We found that the percentage of radiocollared adult females from the SB subpopulation coming ashore has tripled over 15 years. Moreover, we detected trends of earlier arrival on shore, increased length of stay, and later departure back to sea ice, all of which were related to declines in the availability of sea ice habitat over the continental shelf and changes to sea ice phenology. Since the late 1990s, the mean duration of the open-water season in the SB increased by 36 days, and the mean length of stay on shore increased by 31 days. While on shore, the distribution of polar bears was influenced by the availability of scavenge subsidies in the form of subsistence-harvested bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus) remains aggregated at sites along the coast. The declining spatio-temporal availability of sea ice habitat and increased availability of human-provisioned resources are likely to result in increased use of land. Increased residency on land is cause for concern given that, while there, bears may be exposed to a greater array of risk factors including those associated with increased human activities.
Observation on the Nature of Russia's Virtual Economy

The rapid expansion in Russia of the virtual economy, a system characterized by a network of barter, has recently received much attention. This article analyzes the origin, the nature, efficiency and welfare implication, of the virtual economy. While the system is criticized by many economists as a retreat from reform, this article argues that the virtual economy has merit and economic rationality, given the special circumstances in Russia. In particular, the system results in a net welfare gain, and it functions by using its own criterion of cost efficiency.
Selecting Live-Case Projects for the Advertising Class

Marketing educators increasingly use live-case projects in their course in order to provide a more meaningful learning experience. However, the use of such live-cases can provide several undesirable side effects. The purpose of this paper is to provide a decision framework for effectively incorporating live-case projects into the advertising class.
Marcuse’s Critique of Bureaucratic Communism: Soviet Marxism

Marcuse’s Soviet Marxism (hereafter SM) is an interpretation of both the political phenomenon of Communism in the Soviet Union and its ideological doctrine and departures from classical Marxism. His study combines Marxian ideology critique with political analysis of the Soviet Union, using as sources documents, speeches and party pronouncements, as well as the classical texts of Marxism-Leninism. The interconnection of philosophical and political factors makes Marcuse’s study a complicated and often difficult presentation of a complex and controversial phenomenon; consequently, SM demands a detailed analysis and criticism of Marcuse’s interpretation — a task neglected in most previous discussions of Marcuse’s thought.
Small-signal and DC characterization of stressed GaN-on-Si HEMTs

Shifts in GaN-on-Si HEMT device characteristics due to the combined effects of high electrical field stress, thermal stress, and electron trapping are reported. A stressing experiment is carried out to analyze the effects of high symmetrical electric field distributions upon device degradation for four groups of commercial GaN-on-Si devices. Characterization of degradation involved analyzing I-V characteristics, transfer characteristics, and S-parameters before and after stressing. Results from these experiments show an expected increase in gate leakage, but also return an increase in saturation drain current, a negative shift in threshold voltage, and a decrease in reverse transmission gain and associated small signal gate-to-drain capacitance after stressing under a symmetrical electric field distribution.
Nonlinear bipolar conduction with sinusoidal voltage excitations

A drift dominated conduction model is often used in the analysis of charge transport through a dielectric where the velocities of charge carriers are proportional to the local electric field through their mobilities. In return the electric field is also related to the carrier charge densities through Gauss's law. Using this conduction model recent work has developed a generalized method which solves for the electric field and space charge distributions and the time dependence of the terminal current for any initial and boundary conditions with any terminal excitation or constraint.1–5 While this past work has emphasized the transient response to a step voltage, in this study we consider a sinusoidally varying applied voltage for bipolar conduction including Langevin recombination6 and also consider the effects of a lossy dielectric with ohmic conductivity. Analytical solutions for the terminal current are compared to preliminary experiments.
Wood Turtle Home Range and Habitat Use in the Central Appalachians

Abstract Conservation of wood turtles (Glyptemys insculpta) requires improved ecological knowledge near the southern extent of their geographic range. Our objectives were to determine home range sizes and structural habitat characteristics of wood turtles near the southern border of their geographic range in eastern West Virginia. We captured 284 wood turtles (137 males, 88 females, and 59 juveniles) along a 13.7-km reach of river from spring 2009 to summer 2011. Home ranges (95% minimum convex polygons) varied from 0.62 to 36.97 ha; male home ranges tended to be elongated along the river, whereas female and juvenile home ranges encompassed a greater proportion of terrestrial habitat. Low bare ground and rock cover and high vegetative vertical density were structural characteristics associated with the turtles' habitat compared with random plots. Our study provides vital data about home range, movements, and habitat use of wood turtles along the southern border of their range. These data will assist in pl...
A Five Layer Architecture for Real Time Object Detection in Indoor Environments

Abstract The prognosis for autonomous mobile service robots for transportation tasks in indoor environments, e.g. multistory buildings differs a lot from todays reality. The robots have to act in dynamic environments with a huge number of components. The robots total repertoire of affordances and intelligence is highly according to the complexity of the building and its respective task. Difficult tasks can only be achieved of the base on immediate sensing of the environment and real-time evaluation of the sensor processing modules. This paper describes two components; a five layer sensor architecture which integrates a spatial database for multistory buildings and different modules of medium and limited intelligence but with real-time capabilities. A basic feature extraction algorithms of layer II is presented as an example of the modules.
Parenting, Anger, and Effortful Control as Predictors of Child Externalizing Behavior: The Role of Child Sex as a Moderator.

Externalizing behaviors observed in early childhood have been found to be stable, particularly for boys, but little research has investigated the antecedents of these behaviors, especially how the ...
Knowledge–based dynamic scheduling and decision support

The purpose of this article is to illustrate the role that knowledge–based system technologies can play in the development and implementation of more effective decision–support systems. The prototyping of a knowledge–based decision–support system (KBDSS) for supporting the complex, resource–constrained problem of scheduling subsystems and experiments for NASA's space station programme is discussed and serves to highlight various concepts. The dynamic payload scheduling (DYPAS) system, unlike most previous scheduling approaches, is capable of handling the many dynamic elements which characterise a broader class of scheduling problems such as those related to flexible manufacturing systems and computer–integrated manufacturing environments. Also, the integration of knowledge–based decision support, and operations research technologies into a more generic knowledge–based, scheduling shell is discussed, as well as, directions for future research for accomplishment of this shell.
Role of Algorithm-Based Levator Aponeurectomy in Small-Incision External Ptosis Surgery for Involutional Ptosis

ImportanceExternal surgical treatment of involutional ptosis with normal levator function is challenging owing to lack of an established algorithm. Developing an algorithm-based technique could imp...
Crystal-storing histiocytosis associated with thymic extranodal marginal zone lymphoma.

![Figure][1] A 27-year-old woman presented with a thymic mass containing cystic spaces and an atypical lymphoid infiltrate with plasma-cell differentiation. Juxtaposed to the lymphoid component were numerous histiocytes with abundant cytoplasm filled with crystalline and/or globular
Anxious, Coughing, and Bound to Obstruct

This case describes several issues that are encountered frequently in the performance of a pediatric anesthetic, dealing with a recent upper respiratory infection, the question of premedication, and how to diagnose and deal with laryngospasm.
Whole Atmosphere Simulation of Anthropogenic Climate Change

We simulated anthropogenic global change through the entire atmosphere, including the thermosphere and ionosphere, using the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model‐eXtended. The basic result was that even as the lower atmosphere gradually warms, the upper atmosphere rapidly cools. The simulations employed constant low solar activity conditions, to remove the effects of variable solar and geomagnetic activity. Global mean annual mean temperature increased at a rate of +0.2 K/decade at the surface and +0.4 K/decade in the upper troposphere but decreased by about −1 K/decade in the stratosphere‐mesosphere and −2.8 K/decade in the thermosphere. Near the mesopause, temperature decreases were small compared to the interannual variation, so trends in that region are uncertain. Results were similar to previous modeling confined to specific atmospheric levels and compared favorably with available measurements. These simulations demonstrate the ability of a single comprehensive numerical model to characterize global change throughout the atmosphere.
An optimal control model for assessing human agility trajectories

Agility is typically defined as the ability to rapidly change velocity or direction. However, measurement of agility is often experimentally limited to completion time in a planned agility course, which does not reveal the underlying biomechanics contributing to performance. Additional contributing factors to interpreting agility include understanding the trajectory of the path and the technique used to achieve that path. In selecting a motor strategy, previous research has shown that human motion planning can be a function of kinematic, dynamic, and time criteria. It is unclear how these criteria may affect the trajectory in a planned agility course. In this paper, an agility task is formulated as an optimal control problem and the relationship between estimated path trajectories and the selected objective function is investigated. Here we specifically consider the criterion of minimizing the magnitude of the squared jerk and minimizing final time, with constraints on speed, acceleration, and maximum ground reaction force that can be produced while running without slipping. Since this frictional constraint takes gravity into account, the trajectories are examined for Earth, as well as reduced gravity environments such as the Moon and Mars. The computed optimal trajectories for the agility task are compared to previously collected experimental data. By comparing the experimental and optimal trajectories, insight is gained on participant strategy. Extending to reduced gravity conditions provides quantitative insights on limitations for astronaut locomotion.
Traumatic brain injury as a risk factor for behavioral disorders in children

The most common behavioral problems that are associated with traumatic brain injury in children are the same behaviors that prompt referral to special education for behavioral disorder. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is an association between traumatic head injury in children and subsequent behavioral disorders for which special educational services are provided. A case-control design was used to compare occurrences of prior head injury in children receiving special educational services for behavioral disorders (cases) to similar occurrences in children in regular education (controls). Subjects included 170 case and 197 control students in grades 1 through 5 in a single large school district during 1988-1989. Data were collected by parent questionnaire and school record review. The odds ratio (OR) of a history of head injury among children with behavioral disorders relative to controls was 3.3 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.3-8.3); the OR of a history of head injury sustained during the preschool years was 8.7 (95% CI 2.5-30.7) in cases relative to controls. Mean IQ scores were significantly lower for cases injured at two years of age or less in comparison with cases injured later. Full scale IQs (+/- SD) were 88 +/- 5 versus 107 +/- 14 (t = 3.5, p = .008), performance IQs 91 +/- 9 versus 108 +/- 12 (t = 3.0, p = .012), and verbal IQs 86 +/- 7 versus 106 +/- 15 (t = 3.2, p = .008). Achievement test results did not differ between cases with and those without histories of head injury.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Postacute Neuropsychological Rehabilitation

The aim of this chapter is to articulate the key conceptual foundations of the holistic, therapeutic millieu approach to postacute neuropsychological rehabilitation. For a description of the structural, programmatic, and cognitive–psychotherapeutic remedial elements of such a program, the reader is referred to Chapter 12, this volume.
Filtering for Random Finite Group Homomorphic Sequential Systems

The nonlinear filtering problem has proven to be an extremely difficult one. When the filtering problem is described by a set of stochastic differential equations, the optimal nonlinear filter in general requires the solution of a stochastic partial differential equation for the conditional density or the solution of an infinite set of stochastic differential “moment” equations.1 In the case of discrete-time partially observable finite-state Markov processes (POFSMP), the solution is conceptually simpler, as the conditional distribution can be computed sequentially via straightforward finite-dimensional difference equations.2 However, even in this conceptually simple case, the nonlinear filtering problem can be computationally nontrivial. Specifically, we note that if we are considering an n-state POFSMP, a straightforward implementation of the conditional distribution update equations requires 0(n2) multiplications. For n of reasonable size this becomes an extremely demanding computational task.
The Transition to Data-Driven Quality Metrics: Determining the Optimal Surveillance Period for Complications After Surgery.

Abstract Background Thirty-day complications frequently serve in the surgical literature as a quality indicator. This metric is not meant to capture the full array of complication resulting from surgical intervention. However, this period is largely based on convention, with little evidence to support it. This study sought to determine the optimal surveillance period for postsurgical complications, defined as the shortest period that also encompassed the highest proportion of postsurgical adverse events. Methods TRICARE data (2006-2014) were queried for adult (18-64 y) patients who underwent one of 11 surgical procedures. Patients were assessed for complications up to 90 d after surgery. Kaplan–Meier curves, linear spline regression models at each incremental postsurgical day, and adjusted R-squared values were used to identify critical time point cutoffs for the surveillance of complications. Optimal length of surveillance was defined as the postsurgical day on which the model demonstrated the highest R-squared value. A supplemental analysis considered these measures for orthopedic and general surgical procedures. Results One lakh ninety-eight patients met the inclusion criteria. A total of 21.8% patients experienced at least one complication during the follow-up period, with 59% occurring within the first 15 d. Kaplan–Meier curves for complications showed a demonstrable inflection before 20 d and 14-15 d possessed the highest R-squared values. Conclusions In this analysis, the optimal surveillance period for postsurgical complications was 15 d. While the conventional 30-d period may still be appropriate for a variety of reasons, the shorter interval identified here may represent a superior quality measure specific to surgical practice.
Development of a student-driven information technology support service

Abstract Background and purpose To share our experience of a partnership created amongst students, staff, and faculty in order to address a gap in campus information technology (IT) customer services provided to students. Educational activity and setting Student reliance on a complex educational technology ecosystem requires a robust IT infrastructure; however, campus IT services are often stretched in terms of their capacity to deliver immediate customer support. Compounding this problem is the inability of campus IT services to address issues arising from pharmacy education specific hardware or software. A student help desk (SHD), a student-initiated technology user group was developed. The support provided by the SHD covers student devices to the level of ensuring access to required curriculum technological resources. Findings Over 24 months, a total of 259 cases were addressed by the SHD. When examining the type of submissions, the top five requested categories included computer-based assessment, e-mail synchronization, curricular management software synchronization, wireless printing and encryption. These results suggest the perceived value and confidence by students and faculty in the service provided by the SHD. Summary The use of a SHD helped to resolve technology issues faced by students for curriculum engagement. Regardless of the challenges institutions may face in delivering their curriculum, students have the desire to be engaged in the governance of their curriculum. By creating a collaborative triad, this represents one example of how student motivation can be leveraged to conquer not just gaps in IT customer service, but potentially other programmatic issues within an institution.
The Paradox of Progress: Jazz, Resistance, and Black Musical Labor in Pittsburgh (1955–1974)

ABSTRACTThis article examines jazz musicians as Black musical laborers in the context of urban redevelopment and the Civil Rights era. I focus specifically on the activities of Local 471: Pittsburg...
Un/Doing Intersectionality through Higher Education Research

Grounded in Black feminist and critical race theories, legal scholar Kimberle Crenshaw introduced the term “intersectionality” to the academy in 1989 to demonstrate how U.S. structures, such as the...
Colonial Wars of North America, 1512-1763 (Routledge Revivals) : An Encyclopedia

First published in 1996, this encyclopedia is a comprehensive reference resource that pulls together a vast amount of material on a rich historical era, presenting it in a balanced way that offers hard-to-find facts and detailed information. The volume was the first encyclopedic account of the United States' colonial military experience. It features 650 essays by more than 130 historians, archaeologists, anthropologists, geographers, and other scholarly experts on a variety of topics that cover all of colonial America's diverse peoples. In addition to wars, battles, and treaties, analytical essays explore the diplomatic and military history of over 50 Native American groups, as well as Dutch, English, French, Spanish, and Swiss colonies. It's the first source to consult for the political activities of an Indian nation, the details about the disposition of forces in a battle, or the significance of a fort to its size, location, and strength. In addition to its reference capabilities, the book's detailed material has been, and will continue to be highly useful to students as a supplementary text and as a handy source for reporters and papers.
Learning to Communicate in the Classroom

It is now generally accepted that second language (L2) acquisition can take place as a result of learning how to communicate in the L2. It is less clear, however, whether the kind of communication that occurs in a classroom is sufficient to ensure development of full target language competence. This article examines the extent to which the opportunities for communication in an English as a Second Language (ESL) classroom result in the acquisition of one particular illocutionary act—requests. A total of 410 requests produced by two child learners over 15–21 months were examined. The results suggest that although considerable development took place over this period, both learners failed to develop either the full range of request types or a broad linguistic repertoire for performing those types that they did acquire. The learners also failed to develop the sociolinguistic competence needed to vary their choice of request to take account of different addressees. One explanation for these results is that although the classroom context fostered interpersonal and expressive needs in the two learners, it did not provide the conditions for real sociolinguistic needs.
Transitioning From High School to College Athletics: Recommendations for School Counselors Working With Athletes

College student-athletes often meet additional challenges and stressors compared to their nonathlete peers. Because of their training and skills in academic, personal, and career development, high ...
Indole-3-acetic acid biosynthesis in Lemna gibba studied using stable isotope labeled anthranilate and tryptophan

IAA biosynthesis in many plants, including Lemna gibba, has been shown to involve at least two different pathways, one from tryptophan and a tryptophan-independent route. To study the kinetics of IAA biosynthesis in Lemna, we simultaneously measured the incorporation of label from [15N]-anthranilate and [2H5]-tryptophan into IAA by Lemna plants in short term feeding studies. The data show that label from anthranilate rapidly goes into IAA and tryptophan. Labeling of the IAA pool by [15N]-anthranilate slightly precedes labeling of the tryptophan pool, confirming that more than one route to IAA exists in these plants. Longer term feeding studies (5–25 h) suggest that exogenous tryptophan is used preferentially to label IAA as compared to tryptophan made by the plant. This is indicated by the fact that the IAA pool was more enriched than the tryptophan pool in [2H5]-label, but less enriched than the tryptophan pool in [15N] (which comes about by de novo synthesis of tryptophan from [15N]-anthranilate by the plant).
Discordance Between Clinical Assessment and Invasive Hemodynamics in Patients With Advanced Heart Failure.

Abstract Background Historically, invasive hemodynamic guidance was not superior compared to clinical assessment in patients admitted with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). This study assessed the accuracy of clinical assessment vs invasive hemodynamics in patients with ADHF. Methods and Results We conducted a prospective cohort study of patients admitted with ADHF. Prior to right-heart catheterization (RHC), physicians categorically predicted right atrial pressure, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, cardiac index and hemodynamic profile (wet/dry, warm/cold) based on physical examination and clinical data evaluation (warm = cardiac index > 2.2 L/min/m2; wet = pulmonary capillary wedge pressure > 18 mmHg). We collected 218 surveys (of 83 cardiology fellows, 55 attending cardiologists, 45 residents, 35 interns) evaluating 97 patients. Of those patients, 46% were receiving inotropes prior to RHC. The positive and negative predictive values of clinical assessment compared to RHC for the cold and wet subgroups were 74.7% and 50.4%. The accuracy of categorical prediction was 43.6% for right atrial pressure, 34.4% for pulmonary capillary wedge pressure and 49.1% for cardiac index, and accuracy did not differ by clinician (P > 0.05 for all). Interprovider agreement was 44.4%. Therapeutic changes following RHC occurred in 71.1% overall (P Conclusions Clinical assessment of patients with advanced heart failure presenting with ADHF has low accuracy across all training levels, with exaggerated rates of misrecognition of the most high-risk patients.
Association of white matter microstructural integrity with cognition and dementia

Abstract Late-life measures of white matter microstructural integrity may predict cognitive status, cognitive decline, and incident MCI or dementia. We considered participants of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study who underwent cognitive assessment and neuroimaging in 2011-2013 and were followed through 2016-2017 (n=1775 for analyses of prevalent MCI and dementia, baseline cognitive performance, and longitudinal cognitive change, n=889 for analyses of incident MCI, dementia, or death). Cross-sectionally, both overall white matter fractional anisotropy and overall white matter mean diffusivity were strongly associated with baseline cognitive performance and risk of prevalent MCI or dementia. Longitudinally, greater overall white matter mean diffusivity was associated with accelerated cognitive decline, as well as incident MCI, incident dementia, and mortality, but white matter fractional anisotropy was not robustly associated with cognitive change or incident cognitive impairment. Both cross-sectional and longitudinal associations were attenuated after additionally adjusting for likely downstream pathologic changes. Increased white matter mean diffusivity may provide an early indication of dementia pathogenesis.
A Robust Estimator of the Efficient Frontier

Convex optimization solutions tend to be unstable, to the point of entirely offsetting the benefits of optimization. For example, in the context of financial applications, it is known that portfolios optimized in-sample often underperform the naive (equal weights) allocation out-of-sample. This instability can be traced back to two sources: (i) noise in the input variables; and (ii) signal structure that magnifies the estimation errors in the input variables. A first innovation of this paper is to introduce the nested clustered optimization algorithm (NCO), a method that tackles both sources of instability. Over the past 60 years, various approaches have been developed to address these two sources of instability. These approaches are flawed in the sense that different methods may be appropriate for different input variables, and it is unrealistic to expect that one method will dominate all the rest under all circumstances. Accordingly, a second innovation of this paper is to introduce MCOS, a Monte Carlo approach that estimates the allocation error produced by various optimization methods on a particular set of input variables. The result is a precise determination of what method is most robust to a particular case. Thus, rather than relying always on one particular approach, MCOS allows users to apply opportunistically whatever optimization method is best suited in a particular setting. Presentation materials are available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3469964.
Image-guided doxorubicin delivery with ultrasound and microbubbles in a mouse model of hepatocellular carcinoma using a diagnostic ultrasound system

Despite advances in chemotherapeutic drug development, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is still the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide with a <30% 5-year survival rate. This poor prognosis can be attributed to the fact that HCC most commonly occurs in patients with pre-existing liver conditions, rendering many systemic options too aggressive. Patient survival rates could be improved by a more targeted approach. Ultrasound and microbubbles can provide a means for overcoming traditional barriers defining drug uptake. The goal of this work was to evaluate preclinical efficacy of image-guided drug delivery of doxorubicin with ultrasound and microbubbles. To this end, therapy settings were created on a Philips EpiQ and S5-1 phased array probe to provide focused sound for treatment. Sonovue was chosen as a clinically approved microbubble. A genetically engineered mouse model was bred and used as a physiologically relevant preclinical analog to human HCC. It was observed that ultrasound and microbubble therapy resulted in enhanced doxorubicin distribution as seen in fluorescent microscopy. Further, immediate vascular shutdown was observed in treated animals. The combination of these effects may be exploited to treat a challenging malignancy.
Radon From the Ground into Our Schools: Parent and Guardian Awareness of Radon:

Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. Exposure in schools may be harmful to schoolchildren and staff. However, states differ considerably in their approaches to mandating rad...
Ranking of Ligand Binding Kinetics Using a Weighted Ensemble Approach and Comparison with a Multiscale Milestoning Approach

To improve lead optimization efforts in finding the right ligand, pharmaceutical industries need to know the ligand's binding kinetics, such as binding and unbinding rate constants, which often correlate with the ligand's efficacy in vivo. To predict binding kinetics efficiently, enhanced sampling methods, such as milestoning and the weighted ensemble (WE) method, have been used in molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of these systems. However, a comparison of these enhanced sampling methods in ranking ligands has not been done. Hence, a WE approach called the concurrent adaptive sampling (CAS) algorithm that uses MD simulations was used to rank seven ligands for β-cyclodextrin, a system in which a multiscale milestoning approach called simulation enabled estimation of kinetic rates (SEEKR) was also used, which uses both MD and Brownian dynamics simulations. Overall, the CAS algorithm can successfully rank ligands using the unbinding rate constant koff values and binding free energy ΔG values, as SEEKR did, with reduced computational cost that is about the same as SEEKR. We compare the CAS algorithm simulations with different parameters and discuss the impact of parameters in ranking ligands and obtaining rate constant and binding free energy estimates. We also discuss similarities and differences and advantages and disadvantages of SEEKR and the CAS algorithm for future use.
Elucidation of Photocatalytic Properties of Gold–Platinum Bimetallic Nanoplates Using Tip-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

Plasmonic catalysis is based on a unique property of noble metal nanostructures to harvest electromagnetic radiation converting it into hot carriers. These high energy species can catalyze chemical...
Social Support Does Not Modify the Risk of Readmission for Patients with Decompensated Cirrhosis.

Patients with decompensated cirrhosis are at high risk of frequent hospitalizations. Whether the level of perceived social support impacts this risk is unknown. We sought to determine the relationship between social support and burden of hospitalization in patients with decompensated cirrhosis. A total of 73 patients, all with decompensated cirrhosis and an index cirrhosis-related admission between 7/1/2017 and 7/1/2019, completed the modified medical outcomes study social support (mMOS-SS) survey. We retrospectively assessed the relationship between mMOS-SS scores and probability of readmission 90-days after the index admission. Additionally, we prospectively analyzed the association between mMOS-SS scores at enrollment and risk of 90-day hospitalization. At enrollment, 50.7% were female, median age 61 years, and median mMOS-SS score was 87.5. Median model for end-stage liver disease sodium (MELD-Na) at the time of the index admission was 15 and was 13 at the time of enrollment. The mMOS-SS score did not modify the rate of readmission 90 days after the index admission date (adjusted HR 1.01, 95%CI 0.98-1.03) nor was it associated with the rate of admission 90 days after enrollment prospectively (adjusted HR 0.99, 95%CI 0.96–1.02). The MELD-Na score at enrollment was the only significant predictor of hospitalization during prospective follow-up (adjusted HR 1.18, 95%CI 1.09–1.27). Social support, as measured by the mMOS-SS survey, in patients with decompensated cirrhosis was high. However, this did not modify the risk of cirrhosis-related hospitalizations. Future investigation to define the specific components of social support that could modify readmission risk is needed.
Macrophage-derived Wnt signaling increases endothelial permeability during skeletal muscle injury

The inflammatory response and the presence of macrophages are reported to be necessary for proper muscle regeneration. However, our understanding of the molecular mechanisms governing how macrophages signal to promote muscle regeneration is incomplete. Here we conditionally deleted Wls, which is required for Wnt secretion, from macrophages and examined the impact on endothelial permeability following muscle injury. The expression of Wnt ligands and Wls was increased in the tibialis anterior (TA) of mice 2 days following BaCl2 injury. Loss of macrophage Wls inhibited the loss of endothelial barrier function, as measured by transendothelial resistance and Evans blue dye permeability assays. Interestingly, the blockade in endothelial permeability correlated with reduced VEGF levels and pretreatment of wild type endothelial cells with a VEGFR2 blocking antibody was sufficient to reduce endothelial permeability induced by stimulated macrophage supernatant. We also found that macrophage Wls-null TAs had myocytes with reduced cross-sectional area 7 day post-injury suggesting a delay in muscle regeneration. Our results indicate that macrophage-derived Wnt signaling increases endothelial permeability in a VEGF-dependent fashion following muscle injury. Our findings implicate macrophages as a primary source of Wnt ligands following muscle injury and highlight the Wnt pathway as a therapeutic target following injury.
Overview of Child Telebehavioral Interventions Using Real-Time Videoconferencing

Because of the widening access gap between evidence-supported child behavioral interventions and access to these services across clinical child psychology, pediatric psychology, and applied behavior analysis and developmental medicine, the need for technology-enabled solutions is growing. The evidence continues to support the use of videoconferencing delivered therapies across child externalizing disorders to improve parent management strategies and symptoms related to Attention-Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD). Pediatric psychology interventions delivered via videoconferencing are increasingly being tested to provide continuing education and promote self-care adherence in patients with different chronic illnesses. Medical providers can assess health outcomes more frequently and facilitate near real-time monitoring and feedback for patients who are unable to attend recurrent clinic visits. The use of videoconferencing-based telehealth to provide developmental pediatric diagnosis and intervention has increased in recent years. Studies confirming this trend were conducted largely with children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The majority of the studies of ASD and videoconferencing-based telehealth have focused on behavioral assessment and intervention-based research. The authors summarize the available videoconferencing evidence, to date, and conclude with implications for future research and practice.
Efficacy of the Unified Protocol for the treatment of comorbid alcohol use and anxiety disorders: Study protocol and methods.

Abstract Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) and anxiety disorders (ANX) are each highly prevalent and frequently co-occur, resulting in a complex clinical presentation. The existing literature to date has not yet identified how to best treat comorbid AUD/ANX, partially due to limitations in understanding what factors and mechanisms are implicated in their co-occurrence. This manuscript describes the rationale and methods for an ongoing randomized-controlled trial designed to evaluate the efficacy of a cognitive behavioral intervention, the Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders (UP), compared to Take Control (TC), a psychosocial and motivational treatment serving as a control condition in this study, for comorbid AUD/ANX. Sixty individuals with comorbid AUD/ANX will be randomized to UP or TC, and complete assessments at pre- and post-treatment, as well as one- and six-month follow-up points. We hypothesize that the UP, compared to TC, will result in significantly greater reductions in drinking-related outcomes, as well as anxiety and depressive-related outcomes. Additionally, the current study is designed to evaluate exploratory aims to contribute to our theoretical understanding of why AUD and ANX frequently co-occur. Specifically, we will examine the relationship between changes in AUD and ANX symptoms in relation to changes in emotional disorder mechanisms, such as emotion regulation. Because the UP is a transdiagnostic treatment that specifically targets underlying components of emotional disorders generally, it may be well suited to effectively target comorbid AUD/ANX.
An acidic sequence within the cytoplasmic domain of furin functions as a determinant of trans-Golgi network localization and internalization from the cell surface.

Abstract The mammalian endopeptidase, furin, is predominantly localized to the trans-Golgi network (TGN) at steady state. The localization of furin to this compartment seems to be the result of a dynamic process in which the protein undergoes cycling between the TGN and the plasma membrane. Both TGN localization and internalization from the plasma membrane are mediated by targeting information contained within the cytoplasmic domain of furin. Here, we report the results of a mutagenesis analysis aimed at identifying the source(s) of targeting information within the furin cytoplasmic domain. Our studies show that there are at least two cytoplasmic determinants that contribute to the steady-state localization and trafficking of furin. The first determinant corresponds to a canonical tyrosine-based motif, YKGL (residues 758-761), that functions mainly as an internalization signal. The second determinant consists of a strongly hydrophilic sequence (residues 766-783) that contains a large cluster of acidic residues (E and D) and is devoid of any tyrosine-based or di-leucine-based motifs. This second determinant is capable of conferring localization to the TGN as well as mediating internalization from the plasma membrane. Thus, these observations establish the existence of a novel, autonomous determinant distinct from sorting signals described previously.
Selection for lambing rate and clean fleece weight in sheep.

This study was designed to compare the effectiveness of selection for lambing rate (LB) and clean fleece weight (CFW) separately or by a combination of both traits at once. Two flocks of approximately 200 western white faced ewes per flock were maintained at two locations. Each flock was divided into four equal selection groups of similar initial birth type and age. The basis of selection in each flock was as follows: Line I, single trait selection for LB; Line II, single trait selection for CFW; Line III, multiple trait selection for LB and CFW; and Line IV; visual selection based on conformation and general fleece quality. Repeatability and heritability estimates were .18 and .16 +/- .04, respectively, for LB and .66 and .60 +/- .09, respectively, for CFW. The genetic correlation between LB and CFW was .26 +/- .16. Linear regression coefficients (number born/year) of annual response for LB in Lines I to IV were .018 +/- .008, .009 +/- .006, .011 +/- .005, and .009 +/- .005 (P > .05). Linear regression coefficients (kg/year) of annual observed response for CFW in lines I to IV were -.001 +/- .006, .027 +/- .009, .019 +/- .006, and .008 +/- .006. Response in Lines II and III was significant for CFW (P < .05) compared with Lines I and IV. In this study, CFW was increased by selection in white-faced sheep with little effect on lambing rate.
On obligation, time, and defeasibility in systems for electronic commerce

A logical system is proposed for storing and reasoning about business messages. This system is envisioned to have mechanisms for reasoning defeasibly, reasoning about time, and reasoning about obligation. The authors describe how these capabilities allow the asking of questions that could otherwise not be asked about a message database. Further research opportunities are described. >