cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Polynomial Regression, Area and Length Based Filtering to Remove Misclassified Pixels Acquired in the Crack Segmentation Process of 2D X-Ray CT Images of Tested Plaster Specimens

This work presents an effective and robust technique to remove misclassified pixels acquired in the crack segmentation process of 2D X-ray CT images of tested plaster specimens. Cracks have distinct properties, such as they are fairly piece-wise linear, and they have certain area and length ratios, which can be used to remove misclassified pixels from cracks segments. In this paper, a combination of polynomial regression and area-based, length-based filtering scheme is applied to remove undesired pixels from the 2D CT images of plaster specimen. With the help of experimental results the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed technique are verified.
Social Dividends, Entrepreneurial Discretion, and Bureaucratic Rules

The current literature on market socialism neglects the issues of social dividend payment and bureaucratization. Socialism replaces private dividends and financial markets with social dividends and central planning of investment. Socialization of dividends also leads to bureaucratization. Social dividends relate to the Principal–Principal problem of forming rational investment plans. Market Socialists address Principal–Agent problems, but do not address the Principal–Principal problem of forming investment plans.
Medicare Part D payments for neurologist-prescribed drugs.

Objective: To describe neurologists9 Medicare Part D prescribing patterns and the potential effect of generic substitutions and price negotiation, which is currently prohibited. Methods: The 2013 Medicare Part D Prescriber Public Use and Summary files were used. Payments for medications were aggregated by provider and drug (brand or generic). Payment, proportion of generic claims or day9s supply, and median payment per monthly supply of medication were calculated by physician specialty and drug. Savings from generic substitution were estimated for brand drugs with a generic available. Medicare prices were compared to drug prices negotiated by the federal government with pharmaceutical manufacturers for the Veterans Administration (VA). Results: Neurologists comprised 13,060 (1.2%) providers with $5.0 billion (4.8%) in total payments, third highest of all specialties, with a median monthly payment of $141 (interquartile range $85–225). Multiple sclerosis drugs had the highest payments ($1.8 billion). Within neurologic disease groups ($3.4 billion in payments), 54.2%–91.8% of monthly supplies were generic, but 11.9%–71.3% of the payment was for generic medications. Generic substitution resulted in a $269 million (6.5%) payment decrease. VA pricing resulted in $1.5 billion (44.5% of $3.4 billion) in savings. Conclusions: High payment per monthly supply of medication underlies the high total neurology drug payments and is driven by multiple sclerosis drugs. Lowering drug expenditures by Medicare should focus on drug prices.
A Proposed Regrowth Mechanism for the Enhancement of Schottky Barrier Height to N-GAAS

A systematic study of the enhancement of Schottky barriers to n-GaAs diodes has been carried out using the Ni-Al binary system. The diodes, Ni2Al3/n-GaAs, Ni2Al3/Ni/n-GaAs, Ni/Al/Ni/n-GaAs and NiAl/Al/Ni/n-GaAs, have been realized by sputter deposition at a base pressure ∼2xl0-7 Torr. A high Schottky barrier height ranging from 0.95 to 0.98 eV (deduced from current-voltage measurements) was observed for all the annealed contacts except for Ni2Al3/n-GaAs contacts. The enhancement of the Schottky barrier height in all the contacts was attributed to the formation of a high Al content (Al,Ga)As layer at the metal/semiconductor interface. The formation of this (Al,Ga)As layer was explained in terms of a regrowth mechanism. In this mechanism, Ni reacts with GaAs initially at low temperatures, forming NixGaAs. The NixGaAs layer is believed to react with the Ni-Al layer to form the (Al,Ga)As layer when subjected to a high temperature annealing. A (200) dark field XTEM image of the annealed contact was used to demonstrate the existence of this (Al,Ga)As phase.
Scene Understanding Datasets

Many visual dataset has been made public available for the researcher’s convenience. In this chapter, we will review the most important scene image understanding datasets. The introduction will reflect the key challenges and problems in current scene understanding researches.
Epidemiological analysis of measles in Nanning City from 2006-2011

[Objective]To study the epidemiological characteristics of measles in Nanning City,to discuss the measles control strategy,and provide scientific basic for the measles elimination.[Methods]Descriptive epidemiology was adopted for the analysis of measles surveillance data in Nanning City from 2006—2011.[Results] A total of 525 measles cases were reported from 2006-2011 in Nanning City,with average annual incidence of 1.24/ 100 000.Most cases concentrated in Xingning District,Xixiangtang District,Jiangnan District and Qingxiu District,occupying 77.5 % of total cases;March to August is the epidemical season for measles,with 86.86%(456/525)of total cases.The cases under 15 years old occupied 77.33 %(406/525);The number of cases without immunization and unknown was 445(84.8%);The cases of floating population occupied 31.62 %.[Conclusion]It is necessary to further strengthen routine immunization and supplementary immunization activities,to improve immunization coverage of floating population and eliminate the blank immunization.
Hematopoietic Stem Cells, Aging, and Cancer

Publisher Summary Stem cells are the ultimate resource for development, maintenance, regeneration, and repair in an organism. Self-renewal, the quintessential property of a stem cell, enables a cell to make an exact replica of itself during cell division. The resulting daughter cells have precisely the same potential for self-renewal and multilineage differentiation as the parental cell, thus ensuring a continued supply of stem cells for the life span of the organism. Stem cells are uniquely sensitive to damage accumulation from both intrinsic and extrinsic sources because they are longlived. One of the main perpetrators of damage is reactive oxygen species (ROS) that are generated by normal cellular metabolism. Long-term exposure to ROS is detrimental to many macromolecules, including proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. The natural course of aging and its undeniable association with cancer is not lost in a stem cell despite its amazing ability to self-renew and restore (some) tissues in times of need. The identification of malignant stem cells in cancers other than the hematopoietic system—such as the breast and brain—provides increasing evidence consistent with a general model of stem cell origin of disease.
Career mobility and racial diversity in law firms

Although the legal profession has become much more diverse in recent decades, observed attainment still varies with a lawyer’s race (Gorman and Kay, 2010; Payne-Pikus, Hagan, and Nelson, 2010). Black lawyers, in particular, experience higher attrition rates at nearly every career stage on the path to law firm partner. The Law School Admission Council (LSAC) reports that blacks constituted approximately 25% of all attendees at Law School Forums (a pre-application event) but only 11% of all law school applicants between 2000 and 2009 (Law School Admission Council 2009). Although blacks constituted 7% of all admitted law school applicants in 2010 and 2011, they constituted a smaller percentage of law school graduates and an even smaller percentage of all practicing attorneys (EEOC report 2003). Black lawyers also face significantly lower odds of making partner in large corporate law firms than white males, even after accounting for the racial composition of associates (EEOC report, 2003: 31). For example, the National Association for Law Placement’s (NALP) Directory of Legal Employers (available at www.nalpdirectory.com) reports that in 2011 black lawyers represented approximately 4.3% of all law firm associates but only 2% of all law firm partners. Despite extensive efforts of law firms to address such issues (e.g., Kay and Gorman 2012), such racial disparities are a persisting reality for the legal profession.
Segmenting Cranial MR Images using Edge-Region Integration

As part of the EEC funded AIM project COVIRA to improve visualisation of MR data for radiology, radiation therapy planning and neurosurgery, a data driven method for image segmentation has been developed. Its results have been compared to ideal data prepared manually by a group of radiologists. There was found to be an overlap between the manually and automatically produced results of 84% to 93% and an evaluation showed the usefulness of the overlapping edges as high.
“Memorialization Laws in the United Kingdom: A Response to Fear or an Increased Occurrence?”

Issues of sexual abuse, predation and rape have received an increased degree of attention over the last decade and as a result have overshadowed similarly offensive crimes. Various highly publicized cases of sexual violence against women and children have gripped both the United States and the United Kingdom and have resulted in the implementation of sexual violence laws. Media coverage of an ‘epidemic’ of sexual violence has led some to question whether the frenzy surrounding these publicized cases has created a “fear factor” among parents and caregivers, begging the question as to whether the incidence of sexual violence has increased or whether the heightened sensitivity is a result of increased media reporting. This article examines approximately 12 years of aggregate sexual abuse prevalence data (crimes reported to the police) in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and compared prevalence change points and sexual offense law implementation. The article then examines the possible theory of whether Sarah’s Law could potentially to be a result of increased fear or a moral panic. Findings indicate sex crime rates were declining prior to the law’s implementation, lending cautious support to the proposition that the genesis of Sarah’s Law may have been due to fear, rather than actual increases in sexual crimes.
Twin vaginal delivery: innovate or abdicate

Neonatal safety data along with national guidelines have prompted renewed interest in vaginal delivery of twins, particularly in the case of the noncephalic second twin. Yet, the rising rate of twin cesarean deliveries, coupled with the national decline in operative obstetrics, raises concerns about the availability of providers who are skilled in twin vaginal birth. Providers are key stakeholders for increasing rates of twin vaginal delivery. We surveyed a group of practicing obstetricians to explore potential barriers to the vaginal birth of twins with a focus on delivery of the noncephalic second twin. Among 107 responding providers, only 57% would deliver a noncephalic second twin by breech extraction. Providers who preferred breech extraction had a higher rate of maternal-fetal medicine subspecialty training (26.2% vs 4.3%; P 30 sets of twins annually (57.4% vs 34.8%; P=.02). Most providers (54.2%) were familiar with the findings from the recent randomized trial that demonstrated the safety of twin vaginal birth. However, knowledge of the trial was not associated statistically with a preference for breech extraction (62.3% vs 43.5%; P=.05). Providers who preferred breech extraction were more likely to agree with recent society guidelines that encourage the vaginal birth of twins (86.9% vs 63.0%; P<.01). In an adjusted analysis, the 46% of providers with a perceived need for more training were far less likely to prefer breech extraction for delivery of a noncephalic second twin (adjusted odds ratio, 0.38; 95% confidence interval, 0.16-0.95). Furthermore, 57% of providers who would not offer their patient breech extraction would be willing to consult a colleague for support with a noncephalic twin delivery. These results suggest that scientific evidence and society opinion are likely insufficient to reverse the national trends that favor cesarean delivery for twins. Instead, implementation of provider training and support programs is critical for increasing the rates of twin vaginal birth. Changing our national landscape of vaginal twin delivery may require innovation. Without novel provider-focused strategies, we may relinquish passively the requisite skills for not only our patients but also for future generations of obstetricians.
Draft Report of the Somali Criminal Law Recodification Initiative

The Government of Somalia and the International Development Law Organization (IDLO) jointly commissioned the drafting of a modern criminal code for Somalia that embodies fundamental Islamic principles. The proposed code developed by the Criminal Law Research Group in cooperation with the major Somali players of the criminal justice process is a modern and comprehensive penal code incorporating numerous cutting-edge innovations in drafting forms, code structure, and criminal law doctrine. It is also the first and only such code incorporating the major tenets and principles of Islamic law as currently practiced in Somalia. This two-volume report to the Somali Working Group includes a proposed draft text, draft commentary, summary grading table, milestone grading table, as well as conversion tables from the current law sections to the draft code sections and vice versa.
Winner-take-all or long tail? A behavioral model of markets with increasing returns

This paper develops a model of consumer choice that demonstrates why some markets with increasing returns converge to a winner-take-all outcome while many others have a power law market share distribution with a “long tail” of small-share products. The model takes the standard winner-take-all model of increasing returns and adds a simple behavioral assumption: when faced with complex choices, decision makers first quickly eliminate many of the available options using a simple heuristic before selecting from the remaining feasible set. We examine the market-level consequences of this model using an agent-based simulation. Under a wide range of parameters the model produces a power law share distribution. But when consumers have very large feasible sets the market converges to a winner-take-all outcome, and when consumers have very small feasible sets the model produces an evenly split market. Copyright © 2017 System Dynamics Society
Mental Illness, Police Use of Force, and Citizen Injury:

Police departments are increasingly becoming the primary entity for managing incidents involving persons with mental illness, thereby leading to calls for additional research. Drawing on a multicit...
The politics of love in contemporary China: Cosmopolitanism and competing masculinities in Best Time:

Since the new millennium, the television industry in China has witnessed a flourishing of television series addressing the aspirations, struggles and gender expectations of the urban middle class. ...
Fast and slow change in neighbourhoods: characterization and consequences in Southern California

ABSTRACTDue to data limitations, most studies of neighbourhood change within regions assume that change over the years of a decade is relatively constant from year-to-year. We use data on home loan information to construct annual measures of key socio-demographic measures in neighbourhoods (census tracts) in the Southern California region from 2000 to 2010 to test this assumption. We use latent trajectory modelling to describe the extent to which neighbourhood change exhibits temporal nonlinearity, rather than a constant rate of change from year to year. There were four key findings: (1) we detected nonlinear temporal change across all socio-demographic dimensions, as a quadratic function better fit the data than a linear one in the latent trajectories; (2) neighbourhoods experiencing more nonlinear temporality also experienced larger overall changes in percent Asian, percent black, and residential stability during the decade; neighbourhoods experiencing an increase in Latinos or a decrease in whites expe...
Influence of Storm–Storm and Storm–Environment Interactions on Tropical Cyclone Formation and Evolution

University of Arizona Office of Research and Discovery (ORD); Water, Environmental, and Energy Solutions (WEES); NOAA HFIP Award [NA12NWS4680005]
Demonstration of Smoke: A Deep Breath of Data-Intensive Lineage Applications

Data lineage is a fundamental type of information that describes the relationships between input and output data items in a workflow. As such, an immense amount of data-intensive applications with logic over the input-output relationships can be expressed declaratively in lineage terms. Unfortunately, many applications resort to hand-tuned implementations because either lineage systems are not fast enough to meet their requirements or due to no knowledge of the lineage capabilities. Recently, we introduced a set of implementation design principles and associated techniques to optimize lineage-enabled database engines and realized them in our prototype database engine, namely, Smoke. In this demonstration, we showcase lineage as the building block across a variety of data-intensive applications, including tooltips and details on demand; crossfilter; and data profiling. In addition, we show how Smoke outperforms alternative lineage systems to meet or improve on existing hand-tuned implementations of these applications.
On Replication in Communication Science

Replications are an important part of the research process because they allow for greater confidence in the findings of communication research. However, engaging in replications is often undervalue...
Dynamical scattering in coherent hard x-ray nanobeam Bragg diffraction

Unique intensity features arising from dynamical diffraction arise in coherent x-ray nanobeam diffraction patterns of crystals having thicknesses larger than the x-ray extinction depth or exhibiting combinations of nanoscale and mesoscale features. We demonstrate that dynamical scattering effects can be accurately predicted using an optical model combined with the Darwin theory of dynamical x-ray diffraction. The model includes the highly divergent coherent x-ray nanobeams produced by Fresnel zone plate focusing optics and accounts for primary extinction, multiple scattering, and absorption. The simulation accurately reproduces the dynamical scattering features of experimental diffraction patterns acquired from a GaAs/AlGaAs epitaxial heterostructure on a GaAs (001) substrate.
Neural Circuits and Behavior

The hypothesis has become widely accepted that behavior is the output of neural circuits; that a one-to-one relation exists between behavior and the spatiotemporal pattern of neuronal activity. One way to look at the physiology of the nervous system, sense organs, and effectors (chiefly muscles and glands) is to ask whether the observed behavior can be “explained” in terms of these systems. By “explain,” we usually mean describing what goes on at the next or another lower integrative level (organs, parts of organs, cells, parts of cells, molecules, ions, and processes including movements, modulations, reactions, triggering, blocking, gating, exciting, or inhibiting, etc.) leading to propagated signals that initiate or prevent organized and time-patterned activity of subsets, sets, and assemblies of sets of cells. The aims of this chapter are, first, to show that the hypothesis just stated can go very far in satisfying this definition of explanation (but see ref. 1, Chapter 6, “How Far Does Connectivity Get Us?”) and, second, to show that this “explanation” of behavior is quite inadequate and needs new terminology, new models, discovery of principles, phenomena and dependencies (which is to say, descriptive natural history), and the subsequent reductionist explanations of them.
Nonclinical Toxicology Testing Strategies and Applicable International Regulatory Guidelines for Using Nonhuman Primates in the Development of Biotherapeutics

Abstract This chapter describes the strategic and regulatory considerations when using nonhuman primates (NHPs) in nonclinical development of biotherapeutics (i.e., biologics). The foundation of the nonclinical development program is the selection of pharmacologically-relevant species, which is based on a weight-of-evidence approach using in silico, in vitro, and in vivo data. The NHP, in particular the cynomolgus monkey, is frequently selected as the relevant species for biotherapeutics programs because of the species specificity of these molecules (in contrast to small molecules, which usually have a broader range of relevant species). There are several international guidelines available to help guide nonclinical biotherapeutics development, the most notable being ICH S6(R1). These guidelines, combined with an understanding of the pharmacology of the target and the mechanism of action of the drug candidate, guide the development of the nonclinical strategy. This chapter focuses on important aspects of nonclinical toxicity programs using NHPs in the assessment of biotherapeutics, such as species selection, study design, and consideration of specialized end points/studies such as safety pharmacology, developmental and reproductive toxicity, and carcinogenicity. In addition, topics relevant to nonclinical biotherapeutics development, such as immunogenicity and hypersensitivity, are described.
The Pathogenesis of Visna, a Lentivirus Induced Immunopathologic Disease of the Central Nervous System

The slowly progressive paralytic disease of sheep, visna, represents the culmination of a complex series of host-virus interactions involving genetic susceptibility of selective populations of cells to infection, limited but continuous expression of viral proteins by antigen-presenting cells and an exuberant cellular immune response that ultimately causes widespread destruction of the neuropil. Much of the information on the pathogenesis of these lesions comes from experimental intracerebral inoculation of sheep with visna virus. However, in this chapter we have addressed the topic from the standpoint of a natural infection which leads to systemic disease and later neurological complications. By combining studies on virus replication in cultured host cells of the same type as those infected in the animal, with studies on cells obtained from naturally and experimentally-infected sheep, we have reconstructed events in the natural infection, tracing the course of the virus as it progresses from non-neural tissues to the central nervous system. Guided by the experimental data, we have formulated a possible virus-induced, immunopathologic basis for disease.
Effects of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers on Child Cognitive, Behavioral, and Motor Development

Polybrominated Diphenyl Ether (PBDE) flame retardants are environmental chemicals that cross the placenta during pregnancy and have shown evidence of neurotoxicity. As the in utero period is a sensitive developmental window, such exposure may result in adverse childhood outcomes. Associations between in utero PBDE exposure and neurodevelopment are found in animal models and increasingly in human population studies. Here, we review the epidemiological evidence of the association between prenatal exposure to PBDEs and motor, cognitive, and behavioral development in infants and children. Published work suggests a negative association between PBDE concentrations and neurodevelopment despite varying PBDE congeners measured, bio-specimen matrix used, timing of the biological sampling, geographic location of study population, specific developmental tests used, age of children at time of testing, and statistical methodologies. This review includes 16 published studies that measured PBDE exposure in maternal blood during pregnancy or in cord blood at delivery and performed validated motor, cognitive, and/or behavioral testing at one or more time during childhood. We evaluate possible mediation through PBDE-induced perturbations in thyroid function and effect measure modification by child sex. While the majority of studies support an adverse association between PBDEs and neurodevelopment, additional research is required to understand the mechanism of action, possibly through the perturbations in thyroid function either in the pregnant woman or in the child, and the role of biologically relevant effect modifiers such as sex.
To What Extent Are Title V Grants and Educational Expenditures Associated With Educational Attainment of Latinxs at Hispanic-Serving Institutions?:

Employing the institutional action framework, this study finds that Title V grants and expenditures in academic support and student services at 4-year Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) are positi...
Living Eastern and Western Understandings of Dialogue and Narrating Practices of Language Revitalization in Tibet

This essay dramatizes three key characteristics of dialogue shared between Eastern and Western voices. They have been vividly enacted during the first author’s ongoing 7-year ethnographic encounter...
Book Review: Handbook of Obesity Treatment. Edited by Thomas A. Wadden and Albert J. Stunkard. Guilford Press, 624 pp.

For specialists in the field of obesity, the Handbook of Obesity Treatment is a “must-buy” volume. For students and persons who want to have an excellent, up-to-date reference on obesity, this book is one that will be useful and informative for many years. Research on obesity has been growing at a fast pace over the last decade, and this text captures the most recent advances in the field. Written for students and health care professionals who specialize in obesity research and clinical practice, the Wadden and Stunkard book comprises a total of 27 chapters written by some of the most outstanding experts in their fields. This book provides an overview of obesity and the many factors that contribute to and result from this complex phenomenon. The text is divided into six major sections: (1) prevalence, consequences, and etiology of obesity; (2) health consequences of weight reduction; (3) assessment of the obese adult; (4) treatment of adult obesity; (5) treatment of adult obesity: additional approaches and resources; and (6) childhood obesity and obesity prevention. Of high interest and appeal for many readers of the Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, the volume offers chapters that are related directly to behavioral assessment and treatment of obesity in adults and children. Special strengths of the edited text are the chapters on the development of childhood obesity (Berkowitz & Stunkard), treatment of childhood obesity (Goldfield, Raynor, & Epstein), and prevention of obesity (Smitz & Jeffrey). These contributions are particularly informative. The book also contains chapters on several nontraditional topics including popular diets (Melanson & Dwyer), commercial weight loss programs (Womble, Wang, & Wadden), and nondieting approaches (Foster & McGuckin). In comparison to some of the medically oriented texts on obesity, this new book is an “easy-read” for professionals from nonmedical specialty areas. To summarize, the volume is highly recommended for a variety of audiences and would constitute a strong asset to your personal collection, as well as for your institutional library.
Multicultural Student-to-Student Dialogue and the Generation of Creative Ideas

AbstractBoth participation in dialog and exposure to others from different cultures have been theorized to increase the ability of an individual to be creative. This study focused on the multicultural student-to-student dialog that took place in one graduate level course. The purpose of this study was to explore how participation in this dialog might influence student creativity, specifically how the students generated creative ideas for their final course papers. No connection was found between participation in the multicultural student-to-student dialog and the generation of creative ideas for their final papers. However, insight was gained into the creative process used by students in generating their final paper ideas.
In T-cell lines dually sensitized with antigens from EBV and CMV or from EBV and WT1 the T-cells specific for CMV or WT1 are often restricted by hla alleles that differ from those restricting T-cells specific for EBV

Background & Aim Virus-specific T-cells generated from transplant or 3rd party donors can induce durable remissions of post-transplant severe infections or EBV lymphomas. T-cells simultaneously sensitized with antigens from multiple viruses have also shown promise. We hypothesized that in any individual donor, immunogenic peptides from different viruses might elicit T-cell responses restricted by different HLA alleles. In HLA non-identical patients, the T-cells, specific for one virus or tumor antigen will be effective only if they are restricted by an HLA allele shared by the patient. Methods, Results & Conclusion We analyzed HLA restrictions (HLA-R) of 42 CTL lines generated by dual sensitization with either autologous EBV-transformed B-cells (BLCL) loaded with a pool of overlapping 15-mer peptides spanning the sequence of CMVpp65 (BLCL/CMV CTL) (n=20) or autologous BLCL loaded with a pool of 15-mers spanning the oncofetal protein WT-1 (BLCL/WT1 CTL) (n=22). EBV CTL lines were generated by sensitization with BLCL alone. The HLA-R of the CMVpp65-specific T-cells(CMV-T), WT1 specific T cells (WT1-T) and EBV specific T cells (EBV-T) in each T cell product were assessed by their cytotoxic activity against a panel of Cr51 labeled peptide-loaded dendritic cells and BLCL sharing a single HLA allele with the T cell donor. In 13/20 BLCL/CMV CTL(65%) and 17/22 BLCL/WT1 CTL(77%) the CMV-T or WT1-T were restricted by single HLA alleles. In 10/20(50%) BLCL/CMV CTL, CMV-T and EBV-T in the same line were restricted by the same HLA allele. However, in the other 10(50%) the CMV-T were restricted by an HLA allele different from that of the EBV-T. Similarly, in 13/22(59%) BLCL/WT1 CTL, WT1-T and EBV-T in the same line were restricted by different HLA alleles. In 2/4 BLCL/CMV CTL and 2/5 BLCL/WT1 CTL, in which the HLA-R of CMV-T or WT1-T differed from that of EBV-T in the same culture, the HLA allele differentially presenting CMV or WT1 antigen but not an EBV antigen was a prominent restricting allele of EBV-T in the EBV CTL of the same origin. This suggests that while immunodominant EBV and CMV epitopes presented by certain prevalent HLA alleles such as HLA B0702 or HLA A0201 often induce responses to both viruses, in certain dual-sensitized cultures, immunogenic epitopes from different antigens may compete for presentation by a specific HLA allele or differ in their potential to induce a dominant T-cell response.
Information for Submitting to the Top Specialty Law Journals

January 2020 version includes highlighting new journals to the list, based on 2018 Washington & Lee rankings The following contains information about how to submit works to the top 50 U.S. based student edited specialty law journals, based on the most recent Washington & Lee journal rankings. Specifically, the chart derives from the journals’ websites and the Washington & Lee law journal ranking site, the following information: • Name of the journal • Washington & Lee specialty rankings • Submission via Expresso, Scholastica, or email Hein’s Law Journal database is the source that the new U.S. News scholarship ranking will be drawn from. All of the journals ranked here are in this database. There are limitations to this information. Because this information relies on journal’s websites, some journals may have alternative methods of submission (such as ExpressO or Scholastica) that are not mentioned on their website and therefore not included here. Additionally, while Washington & Lee listed the following journals as student edited, their websites stated that they are not: American Journal of International Law; Business Lawyer; Journal of Legal Education; plus Law and Contemporary Problems. This information does not include information on the submission process for any online supplements to these top specialty journals. This information is modeled on earlier information provided to the law community on the law review submission process to general focus law journals: Bridget J. Crawford, Information for Submitting to Online Law Review Companions (2019); Allen Rostron & Nancy Levit, Information for Submitting Articles to Law Reviews & Journals (2019); and Colin Miller, Submission Guide for Online Law Review Supplements (2013)
Challenges and Progress in Identifying Cervical Spine Injuries in Children.

* Abbreviations: CSI — : cervical spine injury NEXUS — : National Emergency X-Ray Utilization Study Over 8 million children are treated in the emergency department for traumatic injuries annually, many of whom undergo cervical spine evaluation.1 However, clinically significant cervical spine injury (CSI) is rare in children, occurring in only 1% to 2% of children undergoing cervical spine radiography after blunt trauma.2 Although most children with CSI have readily apparent signs or symptoms of injury, the risks of missing CSI can be grave, leaving clinicians with a quandary as to how to evaluate the unlikely possibility of CSI in the vast majority of injured children. Despite the infrequency of CSI among children without suggestive symptoms or signs, many clinicians have a low threshold for obtaining imaging studies to avoid the potentially serious and costly consequences of missing a CSI. However, the liberal use of imaging must be balanced against considerations of use, radiation exposure, and cost. Unfortunately, limited data exist to inform clinical decision-making regarding the need for diagnostic imaging for the evaluation of CSI in children. Most of the literature in this area has been retrospective in nature, and the … Address correspondence to Mark I. Neuman, MD, MPH, Division of Emergency Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, 300 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA 02115. E-mail: mark.neuman{at}childrens.harvard.edu
A precision medicine approach to defining the impact of doxorubicin on the bioenergetic-metabolite interactome in human platelets

Non-invasive measures of the response of individual patients to cancer therapeutics is an emerging strategy in precision medicine. Platelets offer a potential dynamic marker for metabolism and bioenergetic responses in individual patients since they have active glycolysis and mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation and can be easily isolated from a small blood sample. We have recently shown how the bioenergetic-metabolite interactome can be defined in platelets isolated from human subjects by measuring metabolites and bioenergetics in the same sample. In the present study, we used a model system to assess test the hypothesis that this interactome is modified by xenobiotics using exposure to the anti-cancer drug doxorubicin (Dox) in individual donors. We found that unsupervised analysis of the metabolome showed clear differentiation between the control and Dox treated group. Dox treatment resulted in a concentration-dependent decrease in bioenergetic parameters with maximal respiration being most sensitive and this was associated with significant changes in over 166 features. A metabolome-wide association study of Dox was also conducted, and Dox was found to have associations with metabolites in the glycolytic and TCA cycle pathways. Lastly, network analysis showed the impact of Dox on the bioenergetic-metabolite interactome and revealed profound changes in the regulation of reserve capacity. Taken together, these data support the conclusion that platelets are a suitable platform to predict and monitor therapeutic efficacy as well as anticipate susceptibility to toxicity in the context of precision medicine.
An attenuated Zika virus NS4B protein mutant is a potent inducer of antiviral immune responses.

Live attenuated vaccines (LAVs) are one of the most important strategies to control flavivirus diseases. The flavivirus nonstructural (NS) 4B proteins are a critical component of both the virus replication complex and evasion of host innate immunity. Here we have used site-directed mutagenesis of residues in the highly conserved N-terminal and central hydrophobic regions of Zika virus (ZIKV) NS4B protein to identify candidate attenuating mutations. Three single-site mutants were generated, of which the NS4B-C100S mutant was more attenuated than the other two mutants (NS4B-C100A and NS4B-P36A) in two immunocompromised mouse models of fatal ZIKV disease. The ZIKV NS4B-C100S mutant triggered stronger type 1 interferons and interleukin-6 production, and higher ZIKV-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell responses, but induced similar titers of neutralization antibodies compared with the parent wild-type ZIKV strain and a previously reported candidate ZIKV LAV with a 10-nucleotide deletion in 3′-UTR (ZIKV-3′UTR-Δ10). Vaccination with ZIKV NS4B-C100S protected mice from subsequent WT ZIKV challenge. Furthermore, either passive immunization with ZIKV NS4B-C100S immune sera or active immunization with ZIKV NS4B-C100S followed by the depletion of T cells affords full protection from lethal WT ZIKV challenge. In summary, our results suggest that the ZIKV NS4B-C100S mutant may serve as a candidate ZIKV LAV due to its attenuated phenotype and high immunogenicity. Live attenuated vaccines are used to protect against some flavivirus infections; however, no Zika virus (ZIKV) vaccine has yet been approved for human use. Here, Tian Wang and colleagues use nonstructural protein 4B (NS4B), which is involved in virus replication and evasion of host immunity, as a basis for a potential ZIKV vaccine. Using site-directed mutagenesis, they generated mutations in the conserved N-terminal and central hydrophobic regions of this protein, and identify three single-site mutations that caused the virus to become attenuated. One mutation in particular was found to be more attenuated in an immunocompromised mouse model of ZIKV—the NS4B-C100S mutant. When compared with the wild-type virus strain and a previously mutated ZIKV strain, it induced stronger antiviral immune responses in this mouse model, including increased type I IFN and IL-6 production, and increased ZIKV-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell responses, yet similar neutralizing antibody titerss. Both active and passive immunization with this mutant provided protection when mice were challenged with wild-type ZIKV, suggesting that this mutant strain may warrant further studies as a potential vaccine.
A Relaxation Argument for Optimization in Neural Networks and Non-Convex Compressed Sensing.

It has been observed in practical applications and in theoretical analysis that over-parametrization helps to find good minima in neural network training. Similarly, in this article we study widening and deepening neural networks by a relaxation argument so that the enlarged networks are rich enough to run $r$ copies of parts of the original network in parallel, without necessarily achieving zero training error as in over-parametrized scenarios. The partial copies can be combined in $r^\theta$ possible ways for layer width $\theta$. Therefore, the enlarged networks can potentially achieve the best training error of $r^\theta$ random initializations, but it is not immediately clear if this can be realized via gradient descent or similar training methods. The same construction can be applied to other optimization problems by introducing a similar layered structure. We apply this idea to non-convex compressed sensing, where we show that in some scenarios we can realize the $r^\theta$ times increased chance to obtain a global optimum by solving a convex optimization problem of dimension $r\theta$.
Movement is part of the meaning of music notation: A musical Stroop effect for trombonists:

Does seeing music notation activate the motor systems of expert musicians in preparation for playing, even when they do not have an instrument to play? Trombonists, non-trombonist musicians, and no...
Timber Price Dynamics After a Natural Disaster: A Reappraisal

Natural disasters such as a hurricane can result in massive timber loss in a forested region. Timber prices in the affected region can drop sharply at the beginning and then recover gradually. In this study, the determinants of timber price recovery and the magnitudes of their contributions are analyzed through a partial equilibrium displacement model. Hurricane Hugo of 1989 is used to calibrate the model for pine sawtimber and pulpwood markets separately in South Carolina, USA. The amount of timber inventory loss and intensity of salvage harvests are found to be the leading determinants behind timber price recovery, and they can explain the recovery thoroughly if the uncertainty of model inputs is also considered simultaneously. The impact of curve rotation (i.e., the change in demand or supply elasticity across the quarters) is small and hardly separable from that of model input uncertainty. A potential trade between the damaged and surrounding regions after the hurricane can be used to explain some of the price recoveries, but the amount of trade is likely to be small, especially for pulpwood.
Poemas que pintan en el poemario Por Costa Rica de viaje: sus trípticos de Jorge Chen Sham

This article presents an analysis of three poems from the collection Por Costa Rica de viaje: sus tripticos, that show how the poetic voice creates a painting with its words capturing not only the scenic space, but also sensations such as smells and flavors. A study of the poetic painting and a reflection of nature from the romantic point of view is made to create a theoretical framework that helps us to better understand the intentionality of the poet. The itinerant poetic voice takes us through different parts of Costa Rica and transmits their emotions through these poems, making us coparticipants in its adventures.
The Contributions of Diversity, Accuracy, and Group Size on Collective Accuracy

In this paper, we characterize a group's collective accuracy on a classification problem as a function of its diversity, size, and its member's individual accuracies. We first derive necessary and sufficient conditions on the individuals' classification models for the existence of an aggregation function that produces perfect accuracy. We then characterize the set of possible group accuracies under majority rule. For majority rule, we show that increasing individual accuracy produces a setwise increase in collective accuracy. In contrast, increases in diversity and size have conditional effects. For groups with low diversity, increasing either diversity or size increases the set of possible group accuracies but does not change the set's midpoint. For highly diverse groups, increasing diversity weakly increases setwise accuracy, whereas increases in group size need not. In an extension, we consider a collection of classification models drawn from a population and derive a general condition for increasing group size to raise or lower expected accuracy.
A Critical Look at Oral Decongestants

The use of decongestants for the common cold remains controversial. Topical decongestants appear effective in shrinking the nasal mucosa and relieving symptoms, but the rebound phenomenon and other undesirable side effects, especially with imidazolines, preclude their more common use in children.12 No clearcut evidence exists for the efficacy of oral decongestants and their use in this regard may be more in the nature of a placebo. Based on Miller9s study, decongestants may be helpful in maintaining eustachian tube patency in children with chronic serous otitis media, whereas Rubenstein et al.11 found them to be of no help in acute otitis media. Lacking convincing evidence, one cannot presently recommend on a rational basis the routine use of decongestants in upper respiratory infections.
KK-92A, a novel GABAB receptor positive modulator, attenuates the rewarding effects of nicotine in rats (661.9)

GABAB receptors (GABABR) are thought to be one of the most promising targets for the treatment of drug dependence. GABABR positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) have been shown to exhibit similar ef...
Methodological Choices In Detecting Divergent Earnings

This paper empirically tests for methodological superiority in detecting divergent earnings (the difference between actual and expected earnings). Divergent earnings are generated using Value Line forecasted and reported earnings data. Two hundred random samples of 100 cases each are drawn. One hundred independent two sample tests are performed with 0%, 1%, 3%, 5%, 7%, and 10 % positive earnings introduced. The two sample tests are performed using both parametric (t test), and nonparametric (Mann Whitney test) statistics. They are performed on the “divergent earnings” data deflated by: 1) forecasted earnings , and 2) the market price of the stock. The results indicate that the superior alternative is nonparametric statistical methods based upon ranks, and the deflator choice under these nonparametric methods is of little consequence.
ON THE ANALYSIS OF "INTERCEPT & FOLLOW" SURVEYS

Studies of participation levels and destinations for economic activities such as recreation have traditionally been analyzed using random samples of households, with either cross-section observations or panel data on repeat choices obtained from diaries. In travel demand analysis, an alternative sampling design is to conduct intercept surveys at sites. This can result in substantial reductions in survey costs, and guarantee adequate sample sizes for sites of interest, but the statistical analysis must take into account the "choice based" sample frame. There is a well-developed theory for this analysis in the case of cross-section observations, where data is collected only on the intercept trip. However, recently sampling schemes have emerged in the literature on recreational site choice that combine interception at sites with diaries that provide panel data on intercept respondents on subsequent choice occasions. This paper provides a statistical theory for these "Intercept and Follow" surveys, and indicates where analyses based on random sampling or simple choice-based sampling require correction. The problem is closely related to length-biased sampling in multiple-spell duration modeling, where similar issues and solutions emerge. Acknowledgements: The statistical questions addressed in this paper arose from my analysis for the Atlantic Richfield Company of litigation-related submissions in the case of State of Montana v. Atlantic Richfield Company. This research was supported by the E. Morris Cox endowment at the University of California, Berkeley, and by the Atlantic Richfield Company. The sponsors are not responsible for the conclusions I draw in this paper. I am indebted to Charles Manski and James Walker for useful comments.
Strategic Threat Probabilities with Hierarchical Spatiotemporal Predictions

After many years involved in unconventional warfare and an increase in fiscal constraints, quantitative support for decision making is more important today than in the past. Decisions focused on risk and strategic objectives are critical for changing how we approach the global terrorism threat. This article examines a framework for threat likelihood prediction models based on the underlying patterns in the multivariate, multilevel, spatial, and temporal correlations from previous incidents. The models in this research focus on logistic and discrete choice formulations and use a time-correlated cross-validation evaluation method to measure predictive performance. The information gained from these models serves to inform where national instruments of power could aid in deterring the global terrorism threat.