cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Can Intellectual Property Law Regulate Behavior? A 'Modest Proposal' for Weakening Unclean Hands

Surprisingly, current intellectual property law protects materials that are criminally prohibited or were made as a result of illegal criminal actions. Thus, a filmmaker may commit or induce various illegal acts, record them, and receive and enforce a copyright on the depictions, just as a corporation may patent drugs developed with stolen materials or through illegal experiments on human subjects. That creators who produce works with unclean hands may enjoy the benefits of federally protected monopolies is an oddity that requires scrutiny. This paper argues that a potential remedy to this situation would be the use of compliance conditions for copyright registration and patent grants. Though compliance conditions could be crafted in various ways, this paper suggests adopting federal legislation that would invalidate a copyright registration or a patent if the creator (or her agent) violated specific criminal laws in the immediate production of the material for which the protection is sought. Once implemented, compliance conditions might stop intellectual property laws from contributing, even remotely, to illegal conduct. This proposal also raises the more general question of when it is desirable to use one governmental function to aid the legitimate purposes of another. Thus, the viability of a compliance standard has potential implications for how we think about the disbursement of government privileges more broadly. The paper begins by examining how certain intellectual property doctrines already manifest some concern for compliance with various public policies. It then assesses the constitutionality of compliance conditions in intellectual property law and concludes by discussing the mechanics of implementing and administering a compliance standard in the more difficult context of copyright law. The paper ends with a suggestion of how a compliance standard can be justified.
Disposable subjects: The racial normativity of neoliberalism and Latino immigrants

This essay argues that a defining feature of the rise of the particular form of neoliberalism in the United States has been the adoption of “technologies” of racialization that leads to the framing of Latino immigrants as disposable and vulnerable subjects. These practices emerged as a way of mediating the contradictions between neoliberalism’s ostensible commitment to the normative foundation of liberal democracy, the necessity of securing sources of cheap labor, and the need to contain the perceived threat of those “unruly” subjects who are necessary, but suspicious and assumed to be unassimilable. What results is a state of “precariousness” and “indeterminateness” that characterize both the objective and subjective dimensions of the quotidian reality of Latino immigrants. These are not accidental or natural outcomes of their immigrant status, but rather the result of deliberate policies adopted by neoliberal economic and political elites who have used the “technologies” of racialization to create and control this liminal societal space. After providing a description of what it is about neoliberalism that has led to these conditions, I explain the neoliberal deployment of racial technologies by delineating the relationship between the context of Latino racialization, and how conditions of structural vulnerability produce disposability as both an objective and subjective characteristic of the lived experience of a specific sector of Latino immigrants.
On geodesics of the rotation group SO(3)

Geodesics on SO(3) are characterized by constant angular velocity motions and as great circles on a three-sphere. The former interpretation is widely used in optometry and the latter features in the interpolation of rotations in computer graphics. The simplicity of these two disparate interpretations belies the complexity of the corresponding rotations. Using a quaternion representation for a rotation, we present a simple proof of the equivalence of the aforementioned characterizations and a straightforward method to establish features of the corresponding rotations.
The Effect of Gel on the Deformational Behavior of Polyvinylchloride (PVC) and Nitrile Rubber (NBR) Blends

Abstract Deformational behavior of four different types of PVC and NBR blends were tested by dynamic shear measurements at small deformation and tensile stress—strain measurements at large deformation. Among these samples, three of them were partially compatible blends having the same acrylonitrile content (33%) but different gel contents and gel types (microgel and macrogel) in the NBRs. The last blend was a completely incompatible blend having a lower acrylonitrile content (21%) in the NBR. From the dynamic measurements, a temperature-independent log G′−log G′ curve was obtained for the partially compatible blends. The curve moved to the right as gel content increased, indicating that the sample having higher gel content behaved more elastic. No temperature-independent curve was obtained for the completely incompatible blend. The tensile properties of the completely incompatible blend were much worse than those of the partially compatible blends. The latter showed strain hardening during the course of t...
Subdural electrodes in focal epilepsy surgery at a typical academic epilepsy center.

PURPOSE To assess the use of subdural intracranial EEG (iEEG) on postoperative outcomes at an epilepsy center. METHODS Ninety-one epilepsy patients underwent iEEG. Array design was compared with noninvasive EEG with over 1 year of outcome. Patient demographics, implanted brain sites, electrodes, contacts/site, and surgical location were correlated with outcome. Fisher exact test and logistics regression were used to evaluate significance (P ≤ 0.05). RESULTS Of ninety-one women, 55 (mean age, 32.3 years; range, 11-60) underwent tailored iEEG. Seventy of ninety-one (76.9%) resections (70% temporal) yielded 24/91 (26.4%) seizure free (SF). Strips (57.1%), grids (5.5%), or both (37.4%) for iEEG use was commonly bilateral (58.2%; 65.3% bitemporal) but did not predict outcome (P = NS). A lesion (28/91) did predict a SF outcome (42.9%). The iEEG localized 45.7% of seizures beyond scalp EEG and changed the localization or lateralization in 75.7% of resected patients. Electrode design, localization, lateralization, and site of resection did not correlate with outcome (P = NS). Overall, iEEG use portended a non-SF outcome (P ≤ 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS The use of iEEG selected 46% additional patients for surgery, yet only 26% became SF. A magnetic resonance imaging lesion predicted a SF or seizure-improved outcome. Although iEEG changed the localization and lateralization of scalp ictal EEG in three quarters of patients, its use was a negative predictor for a favorable outcome. Preoperative counseling should emphasize expectations for seizure reduction in patients requiring iEEG.
Posttraumatic Growth and Transformation as Outcomes of Perinatal Loss

Perinatal loss in its many forms results in profound grief and distress for women, their partners, and families. The possibility of personal growth in the aftermath of perinatal loss has been suggested through early research; however, systematic research on posttraumatic growth after perinatal loss has not been well-developed. Posttraumatic growth is positive psychological change as a result of confronting a challenging life experience. After a short description of perinatal loss, this article presents the conceptual development of posttraumatic growth, its measurement, and early research suggesting that posttraumatic growth occurs after perinatal loss. Finally, future avenues for research are recommended, and suggestions are made as to how clinicians may acknowledge the positive transformative work of bereavement in order to enhance posttraumatic growth in their patients who have experienced the painful loss of their expected children.
A Pyrrhic Victory? The Limits to the Successful Crackdown on Informal-Sector Plastics Recycling in Wenan County, China

Wenan county in Hebei province was “North China’s plastic waste recycling capital,” home to around ten thousand informal enterprises that together processed millions of tons of waste plastic annually until they were finally shut down in 2011. Based on fieldwork in North China’s informal recycling sector and data from gazetteers, government documents, news articles, and Chinese blogs, this article sketches how the informal waste sector developed in Wenan since the 1980s and analyzes how local government approaches to the sector changed as the devastating pollution and health effects of the industry became increasingly apparent. While the 2011 crackdown finally eliminated the sector from Wenan county, it predictably resulted in scattering these polluting enterprises throughout the region to work in more covert conditions, contributing to a “race to the bottom” dynamic in the sector. The conclusion proposes an alternative policy approach to the problem and briefly evaluates a national-scale initiative agains...
Data analysis and utilization of infectious diseases surveillance reporting system in Zhejiang province

Objective To explore the status quo of data analysis and utilization of IDSRS in the elementary CDCs of Zhejiang Province,as well as to provide a basis for formulating plans of data analysis and establishing the mechanism for data efficient utilization.Methods Self-filling questionnaires were filled by informants from the elementary CDCs who were responsible for IDSRS.The data was recorded into the Epidata database,then was analyzed with SPSS.Results The use of IDSRS was mainly for surveying epidemic situation,however,only 27.48% of the informants used it for early warning and surveillance of epidemic situation.96.04% of the participants had ever analyzed the data with Excel,47.79% with EpiData.However,SAS and Stata were seldom used.Among the softwares,Excel was used most proficiently(54.37%),while others were not well-used.The main reasons which affected analysis and utilization of data were education background and mastery of statistical softwares.Conclusions In the elementary CDCs of Zhejiang Province,data analysis and utilization of IDSRS was poor,as well as statistical skill.Technical training needs to be enhanced for its inefficiency.
Complement-dependent killing of human hematopoietic progenitor cells with noncomplement-fixing monoclonal antibodies in an antiglobulin assay

A complement (C)-dependent antiglobulin assay was utilized to determine the reactivity of non-C-fixing monoclonal antibodies (MoAb) with human granulocyte-macrophage progenitor cells (CFU-GM). The variables of the assay were analyzed with non-C-fixing MoAb against Ia antigens, including CR11–462, which recognizes the same (or spatially close) determinant identified by the C-fixing anti-Ia MoAb Q5/13. The sensitivity of the antiglobulin assay was influenced by dilutions of anti-mouse Ig xenoantiserum and of rabbit C. Five non-C-fixing MoAb to Ia antigens, seven non-C-fixing MoAb to HLA-A,B antigens, and one non-C- fixing MoAb to beta 2-microglobulin induced marked inhibition of human CFU-GM in the antiglobulin assay. The activity of non-C-fixing MoAb in the antiglobulin assay was comparable to that of C-fixing anti-Ia and anti-HLA-A,B MoAb in the standard cytotoxicity assay. In addition, the cytotoxic effect of dilute C-fixing anti-Ia MoAb was enhanced when the antiglobulin technique was employed. The results of this study indicate that the antiglobulin assay is a rapid and simple technique for the characterization of antigens on human hematopoietic progenitors. Our data also indicate that Ia antigens are expressed on most CFU-GM and that the conflicting results in the literature (that is, those suggesting that Ia antigens are expressed on a smaller proportion of CFU-GM) may reflect differences in the cytolytic activity of the MoAb and rabbit C used.
Arthroscopy of the Wrist in Athletes

Athletes are prone to a variety of pathologic conditions of the wrist. Wrist arthroscopy has become an effective tool in the diagnosis and treatment of athletes with wrist problems. Because it is minimally invasive, wrist arthroscopy often allows early return to training and competition. This article discusses the causes of wrist problems in athletes, their classification, the portals, and the intra-articular anatomy in the context of arthroscopic intervention.
Occlusive changes at the coronary artery--bypass graft anastomosis. Morphologic study of 95 grafts.

Ninety-five bypass graft anastomoses in 52 patients dying up to 4 years after direct coronary revascularization were studied at autopsy by angiograms and serial histologic sectioning of the graft-artery anastomosis. When new coronary occlusions and narrowings occurred, they were adjacent to either the proximal or distal ends of the anastomosis and were due to compression or loss of circumference of the arterial lumen (40 per cent), thrombus formation (40 per cent), mural dissection of the coronary wall (8 per cent), or the combination of compression and thrombosis (12 per cent). Small coronary artery diameter, local atheromas, and extension of the arteriotomy into a branch vessel were significant factors predisposing to occlusive changes. The findings emphasize the importance of careful artery selection for bypass, the need to avoid local vascular disease and branch-points, and the technical difficulties encountered in the presence of local vascular lesions or small coronary arteries.
Association Between Medicare Accountable Care Organization Implementation and Spending Among Clinically Vulnerable Beneficiaries

Importance Accountable care contracts hold physician groups financially responsible for the quality and cost of health care delivered to patients. Focusing on clinically vulnerable patients, those with serious conditions who are responsible for the greatest proportion of spending, may result in the largest effects on both patient outcomes and financial rewards for participating physician groups. Objective To estimate the effect of Medicare accountable care organization (ACO) contracts on spending and high-cost institutional use for all Medicare beneficiaries and for clinically vulnerable beneficiaries. Design, Setting, and Participants For this cohort study, 2 study populations were defined: the overall Medicare population and the clinically vulnerable subgroup of Medicare beneficiaries. The overall Medicare population was based on a random 40% sample drawn from continuously enrolled fee-for-service beneficiaries with at least 1 evaluation and management visit in a calendar year. The clinically vulnerable study population included all Medicare beneficiaries 66 years or older who had at least 3 Hierarchical Condition Categories (HCCs). Beneficiaries entered the cohort during the quarter between January 2009 to December 2011 when they first had at least 3 HCCs and remained in the cohort until death. Cohort entry was restricted to the preperiod to account for potential changes in coding practices after ACO implementation. Difference-in-difference estimations were used to compare changes in health care outcomes for Medicare beneficiaries attributed to physicians in ACOs with those attributed to non-ACO physicians from January 2009 to December 2013. Exposures Medicare ACOs beginning contracts in January 2012, April 2012, July 2012, and January 2013 through the Pioneer and Medicare Shared Savings Programs. Main Outcomes and Measures Total spending per beneficiary-quarter, spending categories, use of hospitals and emergency departments, ambulatory care sensitive admissions, and 30-day readmissions. Results Total spending decreased by $49 (95% CI, −$73 to −$25) per beneficiary-quarter after ACO contract implementation across the overall Medicare population (n = 15 592 600) and decreased $147 in clinically vulnerable patients (n = 8 673 823) (95% CI, −$202 to −$93). In the overall Medicare cohort, hospitalizations and emergency department visits decreased by 4.2 and 2.9 events per 1000 beneficiaries per quarter, respectively (95% CIs: −5.0 to −3.3 and −4.5 to −1.3), and hospitalizations decreased in the clinically vulnerable cohort by 4.9 and 4.1 events per 1000 beneficiaries per quarter (95% CI: −6.9 to −2.9). Changes in total spending associated with ACOs did not vary by clinical condition of beneficiaries. Conclusions and Relevance Medicare ACO programs are associated with modest reductions in spending and use of hospitals and emergency departments. Savings were realized through reductions in use of institutional settings in clinically vulnerable patients.
Assessing the Quality of the A3 Thinking Tool for Problem Solving

The objective of this pilot study was to assess the inter-rater reliability of a newly developed A3 Quality Assessment (QA) rubric to evaluate the quality of completed Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) projects that used an A3 Thinking Tool (A3) for problem solving. One A3 was independently reviewed by 7 PDSA experts using 5 main levels and 22 sublevels. Evaluations were compared and coded for agreement and used for statistical analysis. Fleiss’ kappa statistics was performed to test for inter-rater reliability between experts across 5 main and 22 sublevels. Preliminary results suggest that the A3 QA rubric meets reliability criteria with a moderate level of agreement beyond chance alone (κ = 0.44) and it is applicable to measure progress on problem solving abilities spearheaded via PDSA cycles. Additional verification testing is needed across multiple A3 improvement projects completed in multiple A3 Thinking templates.
Effect of exposure time and crude oil composition on low-salinity water flooding

Abstract Rational and systematic approaches to the application of low-salinity water flooding have been slow to develop, due in part to a lack of understanding of the physics concerning oil/brine/rock interactions and uncertainty in assessments of wetting behavior of the rock. This paper provides insight into some of the factors controlling rock wettability during low-salinity water injection. A series of core flood experiments were performed on three crude oil samples with different resin and asphaltene concentrations. Three brine salinities of 122,000, 10,000, and 500 ppm were tested. Oil recovery, upstream pressure, and effluent pH were continuously monitored during the experiments. This study confirms that wettability alteration, during low-salinity water flooding, is sensitive to the heavy fractions of crude oil. Crude oils with a lower concentration of heavy ends are less responsive to low-salinity water injection. Additionally, this study indicates that the desorption of polar components is a time-dependent process, and sufficient exposure time between invaded low-salinity water and an in-situ oil/brine/rock system is required to ensure the complete transition from one wetting state to the next. These results add new experimental evidence to the literature that will assist in understanding the complex mechanism of wettability alteration in low-salinity water flooding.
Broadband Doppler compensation: Principles and new results

The underwater acoustic channel is particularly challenging for high-data-rate digital communications due to its large delay spread and rapid time variation. The transmitted signal bandwidth is also a substantial fraction of its center frequency, such that platform mobility gives rise to Doppler effects manifested as time-varying temporal scaling of the waveform. This paper develops a novel Doppler compensation method that recursively tracks the optimal (in an approximate MMSE sense) resampling of the received waveform. Performance on real ocean acoustic data verify an order of magnitude improvement over existing gross-Doppler plus phase-locked-loop methods.
The key residue within the second extracellular loop of human EP3 involved in selectively turning down PGE2- and retaining PGE1-mediated signaling in live cells.

Key residues and binding mechanisms of PGE1 and PGE2 on prostanoid receptors are poorly understood due to the lack of X-ray structures for the receptors. We constructed a human EP3 (hEP3) model through integrative homology modeling using the X-ray structure of the β2-adrenergic receptor transmembrane domain and NMR structures of the thromboxane A2 receptor extracellular loops. PGE1 and PGE2 docking into the hEP3 model showed differing configurations within the extracellular ligand recognition site. While PGE2 could form possible binding contact with S211, PGE1 is unable to form similar contacts. Therefore, S211 could be the critical residue for PGE2 recognition, but is not a significant for PGE1. This prediction was confirmed using HEK293 cells transfected with hEP3 S211L cDNA. The S211L cells lost PGE2 binding and signaling. Interestingly, the S211L cells retained PGE1-mediated signaling. It indicates that S211 within the second extracellular loop is a key residue involved in turning down PGE2 signaling. Our study provided information that S211L within EP3 is the key residue to distinguish PGE1 and PGE2 binding to mediate diverse biological functions at the initial recognition step. The S211L mutant could be used as a model for studying the binding mechanism and signaling pathway specifically mediated by PGE1.
Teaching Distributed Computing with WorkQueue (Abstract Only)

With the recent emphasis on Parallel and Distributed Computing topics in the Computer Science Curricula 2013, instructors are increasingly incorporating these topics into their undergraduate courses. Unfortunately, many universities lack the dedicated computing resources to provide hands-on experiences in this area. This workshop guides attendees through the open source WorkQueue software to teach parallel and distributed computing principles to undergraduate students. WorkQueue is a distributed master worker framework developed by the Cooperative Computing Lab at the University of Notre Dame. WorkQueue is well-suited for inclusion in undergraduate courses due to the ease of use and deployment on a wide range of computer systems, low administrative overhead, and scalability. WorkQueue can be deployed on any system, from a small Raspberry Pi cluster to a high-performance grid computing environment. This workshop walks attendees through the use of WorkQueue with three demonstrations: a "live demo" such as would be used to engage students in the classroom with a hands-on introduction to distributed computing principles, and a guided "tour" through two lab assignments. The first lab assignment will give attendees a hands-on example of a simple distributed computing problem from implementation to deployment. The second lab will demonstrate WorkQueue MapReduce, a simple framework that can be used to introduce the MapReduce programming model without the overhead of a Hadoop cluster or equivalent. A laptop is required to participate in the workshop; the presenters will provide a pre-configured Linux VirtualBox virtual machine to facilitate software setup, or attendees can use their own Linux installations.
Changes in Transportation and Agriculture

It is a favorite pastime, particularly among speakers who seek to make a favorable impression upon the farmer by their oratorical efforts, to proclaim that agriculture is the basic industry on which everyone depends. No one will quarrel with the idea that we must have food. However, it does not take extended reflection to arrive at the conclusion that our economic organization is not truly portrayed if it is pictured as resting on a single pedestal. While farming is one support, there are others that are essential and transportation certainly is one of these. Under our present development of agriculture, market organization, and population centers, the consumer commonly is found at a considerable distance from the point of production and the raising of the products on the farm would be largely wasted effort were it not for transportation facilities which can transfer them to the consumer. It is because of this fundamental importance of transportation to agriculture that any change in the methods, facilities, or costs of carrying farm commodities, produces very definite influences upon the industry. These changes often upset the relationships previously existing among competing areas with the consequence that their effects may be felt far from the areas where they take place. The development of this country furnishes illustrations of this fact. The initial settlements naturally took place in areas near the coast or accessible to the coast by natural waterways. While intrepid pioneers invaded the interior to a surprising extent, settlement of distant areas awaited transportation progress. For a long time, interest in transportation centered about waterways and highways. During those days livestock was driven overland long distances to market. Real agricultural settlement of the Middle West, however, followed in the wake of railroad building. The extension of railroads into the virgin prairies of the interior and the expansion in agricultural production created new and strenuous competition for farming areas in the East. An excellent illustration of a transportation development of far reaching effects upon farming is supplied by the refrigerator car. The earliest attempts at rail shipments in freight cars with special refrigeration protection came only some sixty years ago.
Umi no Utsuwa and Earth Vortex: Nobuho Nagasawa’s Interweaving of Oceanic and Island Imaginaries

By focusing on two recent site-specific sculptures created on Japanese islands – Umi no Utsuwa (Voyage Through the Void) and Earth Vortex , this article investigates the varying implications of the “island” embedded in the art of Nobuho Nagasawa. Having lived in Japan, Europe, and North America, and traveled extensively, Nagasawa has developed a nomadic sense of life which considers these passages as “islands.” The artist has us look within—using the insulating and introspective effects of islands, and without—to seek new connections and explore the world outside our individual islands of experience. This balance between self and the unknown is a recurring theme in her works. Building further on the concept of self, Nagasawa’s works are informed by the dynamics of community, family, and what it means to belong. In contrast, striking out on a nomadic journey represents freedom, creativity, and self-actualization, which can only be gained along the way.
U.S. News Media Coverage of Pharmaceutical Pollution in the Aquatic Environment: A Content Analysis of the Problems and Solutions Presented by Actors

Pharmaceutical pollution in the aquatic environment is an issue of concern that has attracted attention by the news media. Understanding the factors that contribute to media framing of pharmaceutical pollution may lead to a better understanding of the management and governance of this issue, including why these pollutants are generally unregulated at this time. This study conducted a content analysis of 405 newspaper articles (81 had substantive information on the topic) from 2007 to 2014, using the search terms “water” and “pharmaceuticals” in the Chicago Tribune, Denver Post, Los Angeles Times, New York Daily News, New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post. We sought to analyze the factors that contributed to the news media presentation of pharmaceutical pollution in the United States, including the presentation of the risks/safety and solutions by various actors. We found that the primary issues in the news media were uncertainty regarding public health and harm to the environment. The primary solutions recommended within the news media were implementing additional water treatment technologies, taking unused pharmaceuticals to predetermined sites for disposal (take-back programs), and trash disposal of unused pharmaceuticals. Water utilities and scientists presented improved water treatment technology, government actors presented take-back programs, and pharmaceutical representatives, while sparsely involved in the news media, presented trash disposal as their primary solutions. To advance the understanding of the management of pharmaceutical pollution, this article offers further insight into the debate and potential solutions within the news media presentation of this complex scientific topic.
Ada Deer and the Menominee Restoration: Rethinking Native American Protest Rhetoric

ABSTRACTUsing the Determination for the Rights and Unity of Menominee leader Ada Deer's opening statements at the congressional hearings on restoration, this essay argues Deer inverts the ideals of liberal democracy from being an argument that compelled termination to one that justifies restoration t by focusing on the right to self-determination and equality. Beginning with termination legislation as it was inspired by liberal democracy and capitalism, I explore the effects of termination and the burgeoning 1960s American Indian Movement. Next, I examine Deer and DRUMS’ advocacy through the lens of counterpublic theory and argue it stood in contrast to the confrontational tactics of AIM as an example of political moderation. Finally, I examine Deer's demands for the sovereignty of Menominee land and culture and argue it inverts liberal democracy and turns it into an argument for restoration. In closing, I reflect on the range of political strategies used by Native Americans and argue for a reevaluation o...
Developing a Logic-of-Inquiry-for-Action Through a Developmental Framework for Making Epistemic Cognition Visible

Academic institutions of higher education are beginning to recognize that in order to prepare learners to be leaders in the ever-changing and ill-defined environments of the twenty-first century and thereafter that we need a new way of developing students who can think and act independently with and through the collective (i.e., others and groups of people). This ever-increasing complexity necessitates new methods for elucidating independent critical thinking skills for developing leaders in structured academic contexts that inherently must involve epistemic cognition. Further, this type of thinking cannot be focused on ill-defined ideas; it must involve a method for guided growth that leads to a logic-of-inquiry-for-action that necessarily involves flexible social constructions by, for, and through the actions and behaviors of the actors involved. This chapter proposes a new way of conceptualizing a process for building capacity for leading using theories and methodologies from various disciplines through a sociocultural and ethnographic approach as an orienting theory in a dynamic framework for constructing a logic-of-inquiry-for-action for leading in complex and ill-defined environments. This inquiry-based approach is grounded in a reflexive design: requiring stepping back from ethnocentrism, reflecting on actions and outcomes, acquiring new information if needed, and then taking informed action in an iterative, recursive, and abductive decision-making process. This process also provides an accessible and dynamic framework for individual epistemic cognition.
Characterization of the behavioral phenotype and neuroinflammatory profile of the Fmr1 knockout mouse

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by a variety of behavioral, intellectual, and physiological abnormalities. It is caused by an expanded trinucleotide (CGG) repeat in the FMR1 gene, leading to hypermethylation and functional silencing of expression of fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP). In this current study, we examined social behavior, anxiety, locomotor activity, repetitive behavior, learning and memory, and ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) in adult male Fmr1 knockout (KO) and wild type (WT) mice on a FVB background strain. In comparison to WT mice, Fmr1 KO mice had significant increases in activity levels, as well as decreased anxiety and deficits in learning/memory. There were no differences detected in repetitive behavior and sociability between genotypes. The syndrome is also characterized by deficits in communication such as impairments in conversational speech, perseveration of words, and stuttering-like repetition of sounds. We utilized a female urine-induced paradigm to examine USVs and found extensive qualitative differences in vocalizations between Fmr1 KO and WT mice. There has been increasing evidence in both humans and mouse models suggesting dysregulated microglia activity and cytokine production to be associated with the pathogenesis of FXS, as well as evidence of anti-inflammatory agents having an effect on vocalization behavior. Thus, we also examined the hippocampal expression of key cytokines to determine whether an abnormal immune profile may be linked to the behavioral deficits.
Emergency information management needs and practices of older adults: A descriptive study.

Abstract Objective To better understand how older adults currently manage emergency information, the barriers and facilitators to planning and management of emergency information, as well as the potential role of information technology to facilitate emergency planning and management. Introduction Older adults face a much higher risk of sudden illness/injury and are the age group with the largest percentages of emergent and urgent healthcare visits. Emergency information (health information needed in an emergency situation such as emergency contact information, diagnoses, and advance directives) needs to be maintained and easily accessible to ensure older adults get appropriate care and treatment consistent with their wishes in emergency situations. Current health information technologies rarely take into consideration the emergency information needs of older adults, their caregivers, and emergency responders. Methods As part of a larger study we performed in-depth interviews with 90 older adults living in a variety of residential settings (independent living, retirement communities, assisted living) regarding how they manage information about their health. Interview sessions included photos of important health information artifacts. Interviews were transcribed and coded. Results Analysis of in-depth interviews revealed that emergency information is a type of health information that older adults frequently manage. Participants differed in whether they practice emergency planning (e.g. the preparation and continued management of emergency information), and in whether they involve others in emergency information and emergency planning. Despite its importance, emergency information was often not up-to-date and not always kept in locations readily apparent to emergency responders. Conclusion Emergency information, such as emergency contact information, diagnoses, and advance directives, is a type of health information that older adults manage. Considering emergency information in the design of health information technologies for older adults could address some of the barriers and support the facilitators to emergency planning and information management.
Impact of Teaching Intensity and Sociodemographic Characteristics on CMS Hospital Compare Quality Ratings

In July 2016, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released “Hospital Compare” ratings for 3576 U.S. hospitals to help consumers compare hospitals’ quality of care, which was distilled into a single overall rating between 1 and 5 stars based on 57 process- and outcomes-based clinical measures.1,2 A recent publication found differences in overall ratings by characteristics including a hospital’s teaching status.3 Professional groups (e.g., the American Hospital Association) have expressed concern that the current ratings scheme unfairly penalizes teaching hospitals, especially those serving low-income and otherwise disadvantaged patient populations.4 Our objective was to build a statistical model that adjusted for a more complete set of covariates than previous studies to analyze discrepancies in Hospital Compare ratings between teaching and non-teaching hospitals. Informed by previous findings, we attempted to more fully capture key aspects of an academic mission-driven hospital, including trainee development, research, and uncompensated care.3,5 We based our model on U.S. geographic healthcare markets to assess the potential impact of adjusting overall quality ratings for hospital characteristics, including their locations and the sociodemographic characteristics of their surrounding patient populations.
Disruptive power: the crisis of the state in the digital age

The information revolution has empowered individuals and various non-state actors at the expense of bureaucracies and governments. Communication, analytical, organizational and information resource...
Lorentz-Invariance in Modal Interpretations

Modal interpretations are hidden-variables theories, specifying at each time a set of possible properties of a system (represented by projection operators) and a probability measure over that set. We argue that there is no Lorentz-invariant dynamics governing the evolution of a system’s possessed properties in several types of modal interpretation. We also discuss why our argument is not already covered by existing arguments against Lorentz-invariant hidden-variables theories.
Delirium after coronary artery bypass surgery.

The incidence of postoperative delirium following coronary artery bypass surgery was 28 percent. This rate is comparable to that after open-heart surgery. However, of those variables which were previously found to correlate with delirium in the open-heart group, only severity of postoperative illness in the recovery room significantly correlated with delirium in patients having bypass. The relationship between personality type and delirium, previously found to be significant, was suggestively associated in these patients. A history of myocardial infarction prior to surgery was significantly associated with delirium.
Proctors for parliament: clergy, community and politics, c.1248–1539 (The National Archives, Series SC 10)

The most recent publications of the Canterbury and York Society represent a significant undertaking, the provision of a full printed edition of all surviving letters appointing those who served as ...
Between Christmas Day, 1895, and New Year’s Eve, 1922: Queer Suicide and Brazil's Long Fin de Siècle

This essay considers a heterogeneous and often unreadable group of fin-de-siecle Brazilian writers that includes Parnassians, Symbolists, and Decadents. These artists imagined themselves part of a cosmopolitan, transnational movement that posed as extravagant or queer, turning their back on both emerging nationalist sentiments and urgent social issues of their time. This detachment, I argue, points to a queer mode of historicity. I further argue that an affirmative rhetoric of hope and community is insufficient to understand or cope with negative figures, that is, those who turn away from social life, communication, and, ultimately, from futurity. I first focus on two queer fin-de-siecle writers who committed suicide, Raul Pompeia (1863-95) and the playwright Roberto Gomes (1882-1922). I then propose that an archive of Brazilian "suicidals" may provide ways of reading these fin-de-siecle writers, as well as others who resist accommodation in the genealogy of national culture.
Point-of-Sale Marketing in Recreational Marijuana Dispensaries Around California Schools.

Abstract Purpose After marijuana commercialization, the presence of recreational marijuana dispensaries (RMDs) was rapidly increasing. The point-of-sale marketing poses concerns about children's exposure. This study examined advertising and promotions that potentially appeal to children and access restrictions in RMDs around California schools. Methods This was a cross-sectional and observational study conducted from June to September 2018. Trained fieldworkers audited retail environments in 163 RMDs in closest proximity to 333 randomly sampled public schools in California. Results About 44% of schools had RMDs located within 3 miles. Regarding interior marketing, 74% of RMDs had at least one instance of child-appealing products, packages, paraphernalia, or advertisements. RMDs closer to a school had a higher proportion with interior child-appealing marketing. More than three fourths of RMDs had generic promotional activities; particularly, 28% violated the free-sample ban. Regarding exterior marketing, only 2% of RMDs had those appealing to children. More than 60% of RMDs had exterior signs indicative of marijuana. Approximately, one-third had generic advertisements, and 13% had advertisements bigger than 1,600 square inches. Regarding access restrictions, almost all RMDs complied with age verification, but 84% had no age limit signs, and only 40% had security personnel. Conclusions Despite minimal point-of-sale marketing practices appealing to children on the exterior of RMDs around California schools, such practices were abundant on the interior. Marketing practices not specifically appealing to children were also common on both the interior and exterior of RMDs. Dispensaries' violation of age verification law, lack of security personnel, and presence of child-appealing marketing should be continuously monitored and prevented.
Photovoltaic Materials Design by Computational Studies: Metal Sulfides

Materials design for the next generation of solar cell technologies requires an efficient and cost-effective research approach to supplement experimental efforts. Computational research offers a theoretical guide by applying cutting edge methodologies to the study of electronic structures of newly predicted materials. In this chapter, we present our recent research efforts on sulfides. First, we will also provide a brief overview of oxide-based photovoltaic materials. We have conducted a density functional theory (DFT) study of two sulfide systems: acanthite Cu2S and S-doped triclinic CuBiW2O8. With these two systems, we will demonstrate both the cation and anion doping mechanisms. In Cu2S, we investigate the effects of various cation doping in Cu sites, namely Zn, Sn, Bi, Nb, and Ta and contrast their electronic structures with that of a previously studied Ag-doped Cu2S system. A subsequent charge analysis provides a correlation between dopant charge states and detrimental mid-gap trap state concentrations. We then present our best dopant choice for Cu2S-based photovoltaic systems. Finally, for CuBiW2O8, a new experimentally verified DFT-predicted quaternary oxide, the effects of S-anion-doping in O sites are studied, and results indicate favorable photovoltaic properties. This highlights the potential of S-anion-doping as a mechanism for engineering suitable band gaps for solar cell applications.
Fetal CHD and perinatal outcomes.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate delivery management and outcomes in fetuses prenatally diagnosed with CHD. STUDY DESIGN A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 6194 fetuses (born between 2013 and 2016), comparing prenatally diagnosed with CHD (170) to those with non-cardiac (234) and no anomalies (5790). Primary outcomes included the incidence of preterm delivery and mode of delivery. RESULTS Gestational age at delivery was significantly lower between the CHD and non-anomalous cohorts (38.6 and 39.1 weeks, respectively). Neonates with CHD had a significantly lower birth weights (p < 0.001). There was an approximately 1.5-fold increase in the rate of primary cesarean sections associated with prenatally diagnosed CHD with an odds ratio of 1.49 (95% CI 1.06-2.10). CONCLUSIONS Our study provides additional evidence that the prenatal diagnosis of CHD is associated with a lower birth weight, preterm delivery, and with an increased risk of delivery by primary cesarean section.
Assessing crop response to simulated damage utilizing UAS imagery

Crop assessment through the use of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) have increased over recent years. More farmers or their service providers have access to their own UAS, although advanced sensors and UAS platforms may not have been widely adopted. Severe tropical weather events, such as hurricanes, can have widespread negative impacts to late-season crops. The timely response necessary to detect and quantify crop damage, has led to the need for farmers and other parties to have a quick and quantifiable method to assess lodging. Most, if not all, UAS users have access to visual band color imagery. Extraction of data from this imagery as different indices and as a digital elevation model creates the opportunity to identify metrics that can detect and quantify crop lodging damage. The goal of this study was to compare multiple vegetative indices which can be calculated from RGB imagery for their ability to detect simulated crop damage. Six indices as well as a digital elevation model were extracted from UAS flights occurring over 4 weeks over a maize field. Lodging was simulated at the root and ear level with new plots being damaged at each week of treatment. Results indicated that none of the indices or extracted data examined in this study would provide information on significant differences among treatments so it would not be advised to use these metrics on their own for detecting or classifying late-season maize lodging.
Advising the Buffalo Police Advisory Board: Toward a More Usable Technology

My research in the Community-based User Experience Lab at the University at Buffalo takes a critical research approach to understanding how residents interact with and experience the Buffalo Police Advisory Board. This poster assesses whether the BPAB is user-centered and usable according to its publicized purpose: to create a space for community members’ voices to be heard and to then advocate their concerns.
Comparison of reported versus measured content of over-the-counter and prescription prenatal multivitamins and minerals.

Abstract Objective To examine the measured contents of over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription (Rx) prenatal multivitamins and minerals (PMVMs) and compare the findings with the amounts reported on the nutrition labels. The findings were subsequently examined on the basis of cost and ability to adequately supplement dietary intake during pregnancy on the basis of The National Academies’ dietary reference intakes (DRIs) and tolerable upper intake levels. Methods This was an observational convenience sample of OTC and Rx PMVMs available through online retailers and retail pharmacies. The amounts of folic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin C, and choline were measured in triplicate using mass spectrometry. Results Twenty OTC and 16 Rx PMVMs were evaluated. The average measured quantities of the vitamins were not statistically different from the mean reported quantities for OTC and Rx PMVMs. When a standard diet was combined with the labeled nutrition information, 95% of the OTC PMVMs and 88% of the Rx PMVMs met the DRIs for folic acid and vitamins B6 and C. When a standard diet was combined with the actual measured PMVM quantities, 79% of the OTC PMVMs and 82% of the Rx PMVMs met the DRIs for folic acid and vitamins B6 and C. The measured choline content, with and without diet considerations, did not meet the DRIs. No statistically significant difference was found for the adequacy of supplementation between the OTC and Rx PMVMs on the basis of cost. Conclusion On the basis of a comparison of the measured and reported values for folic acid, vitamin C, vitamin B6, and choline, it seems that either OTC or Rx PMVMs at low or high cost can be recommended to supplement diets and meet the DRIs during pregnancy for these vitamins.