cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Role of the Human Prefrontal Cortex in Social Cognition and Moral Judgment

Results from functional magnetic resonance imaging and lesion studies indicate that the prefrontal cortex (PFC) is essential for successful navigation through a complex social world inundated with intricate norms and moral values. This review examines regions of the PFC that are critical for implicit and explicit social cognitive and moral judgment processing. Considerable overlap between regions active when individuals engage in social cognition or assess moral appropriateness of behaviors is evident, underscoring the similarity between social cognitive and moral judgment processes in general. Findings are interpreted within the framework of structured event complex theory, providing a broad organizing perspective for how activity in PFC neural networks facilitates social cognition and moral judgment. We emphasize the dynamic flexibility in neural circuits involved in both implicit and explicit processing and discuss the likelihood that neural regions thought to uniquely underlie both processes heavily interact in response to different contextual primes.
Traffic pollution is associated with early childhood aeroallergen sensitization

Abstract Background No large, prospective, epidemiologic study has investigated the association between diesel exhaust particle (DEP) exposure and early aeroallergen sensitization and allergic rhinitis (AR) at 4 years of age. Objective To determine how exposure to traffic exhaust during infancy is associated with aeroallergen sensitization and AR at 4 years of age and the predictive utility of the wheal area at 1 to 3 years of age on AR at 4 years of age. Methods Infants born to aeroallergen sensitized parents were evaluated annually with skin prick tests to 15 aeroallergens with measurement of wheal areas. At 4 years of age, AR was defined as at least one positive aeroallergen skin prick test result and the presence of sneezing and a runny nose without a cold or flu. Infant (DEP) exposure was estimated using data from 27 air sampling monitors and a land use regression model. Results Complete data were available for 634 children at 4 years of age. Prevalence of AR increased annually from 6.9% to 21.9%. A positive trend was observed for high DEP exposure and aeroallergen sensitization at 2 and 3 years of age (odds ratio, 1.40; 95% confidence interval, 0.97–2.0) and (odds ratio, 1.35; 95% confidence interval, 0.98–1.85) but not with AR. At 2 years of age, every 1-mm 2 increase in the wheal area of timothy and Alternaria significantly increased the odds of AR at 4 years of age. At 3 years of age, every 1-mm 2 increase in the wheal area of fescue, dog, and Penicillium significantly increased the odds of AR at 4 years of age. Conclusion DEP exposure enhances the risk of early aeroallergen sensitization. Aeroallergen wheal area at 2 and 3 years of age is associated with AR at 4 years of age.
Rosuvastatin preserves renal function and lowers cystatin C in HIV-infected subjects on antiretroviral therapy: the SATURN-HIV trial.

Background. In chronic human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, plasma cystatin C may be influenced by factors other than glomerular filtration rate such as inflammation. Statins may improve cystatin C by improving glomerular function or by decreasing inflammation. Methods. The Stopping Atherosclerosis and Treating Unhealthy Bone With Rosuvastatin in HIV (SATURN-HIV) trial randomized 147 patients on stable antiretroviral therapy (ART) with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ≤130 mg/dL to blinded 10 mg daily rosuvastatin or placebo. We analyzed relationships of baseline and 0- to 24-week changes in plasma cystatin C concentration with measures of vascular disease, inflammation, and immune activation. Results. Median age was 46 (interquartile range, 40–53) years; 78% were male, 68% African American. Tenofovir and protease inhibitors were used in 88% and 49% of subjects, respectively. Baseline cystatin C was associated with higher carotid intima-media thickness and epicardial adipose tissue independent of age, sex, and race. Biomarkers of endothelial activation and inflammation were associated with cystatin C in a multivariable model independent of creatinine-based estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFRcr). After 24 weeks, statin use slowed mean eGFRcr decline (1.61 vs −3.08 mL/minute/1.73 m2 for statin vs placebo; P = .033) and decreased mean cystatin C (−0.034 mg/L vs 0.010 mg/L; P = .008). Within the statin group, changes in cystatin C correlated with changes in endothelial activation, inflammation, and T-cell activation. Conclusions. Rosuvastatin 10 mg daily reduces plasma cystatin C and slows kidney function decline in HIV-infected patients on ART. Reductions in cystatin C with statin therapy correlate with reductions in inflammatory biomarkers. Relationships between cystatin C, kidney function, and cardiovascular risk in HIV may be mediated in part by inflammation. Clinical Trials Registration. {"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT01218802","term_id":"NCT01218802"}}NCT01218802.
The Calcimimetic Agent AMG 073 Lowers Plasma Parathyroid Hormone Levels in Hemodialysis Patients with Secondary Hyperparathyroidism

Treatment with vitamin D sterols can lower plasma parathyroid hormone (PTH) in many patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism due to end-stage renal disease, but hypercalcemia, hyperphosphatemia, or both often develop during treatment. As such, alternative therapeutic approaches to managing excess PTH secretion are needed. Calcimimetic agents directly inhibit PTH secretion by activating the calcium-sensing receptor in the parathyroid glands, but clinical experience with them is limited. Fifty-two hemodialysis patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism were given single orally administered doses of the calcimimetic agent AMG 073 ranging from 5 to 100 mg, or placebo. Plasma PTH levels decreased 2 h after 25-, 50-, 75-, or 100-mg doses, falling by a maximum of 43 +/- 29%, 40 +/- 36%, 54 +/- 28%, or 55 +/- 39%, respectively. Plasma PTH levels decreased in all patients given doses of > or =25 mg but did not change in those who received placebo. In patients treated with daily doses of 25 or 50 mg of AMG 073 for 8 d, plasma PTH levels declined for the first 3 to 4 d and remained below baseline values after 8 d of treatment. Serum calcium concentrations also decreased by 5 to 10% from pretreatment levels in patients given 50 mg of AMG 073 for 8 d, but values were unchanged in those who received lower doses. Serum phosphorus levels and values for the calcium-phosphorus ion product both decreased after treatment with AMG 073. Thus, 8 d of treatment with AMG 073 effectively lowers plasma PTH levels and improves several disturbances in mineral metabolism that have been associated with soft tissue and vascular calcification and with adverse cardiovascular outcomes in patients with end-stage renal disease.
The influence of parameters variability on biomass selection for energy use

Biomass selection integrates heterogeneous variables such as fuel composition, fuel morphology and operating conditions. One important challenge in fuel selection field is to determine the influence of each individual variable in the combustion process to obtain the most efficient energy. This paper investigates an optimization design of different combustion parameters for biomass combustion in fixed-bed counter-current boiler. A new application of error propagation theory (EPT) and grey relational analysis (GRA) has been proposed to analyse the combined effect of the most influential variables in the operating conditions; i.e. the ignition mass flux and the maximum temperature. This methodology combines the GRA to rank the alternatives and EPT to compute input measurement uncertainty propagation through the subsequent computing operations. The behaviour of seven biomasses [i.e. brassica pellet, poplar pellet, refuse-derived fuel pellet, wood pellets, almond shell and olive stone] that are readily available in Spain, in southern Europe, was analysed. The results presented are based on 43 experimental tests with these fuels. This paper proposes a new tool based on grey relational analysis and error propagation theory, for making quick and easy decisions regarding fuel performance. The main advantages of this new tool are its simplicity, versatility and reliability, which have been verified by comparing obtained results with other studies. The influence of operational parameters and fuel properties were analysed. The results showed that air supply injected on the bed basis and size particle are the most influenced variables on the combustion.
Vote.com and Internet Politics: A Comment on Dick Morris' Vision of Internet Democracy

A much sought-after political advisor, Dick Morris is also a successful Internet entrepreneur. His popular Web site "vote.com" sponsors informal polls on political issues and hosts discussion of nonpolitical topics such as travel, technology, business, and sports. In Direct Democracy and the Internet, Dick Morris assumes yet another role, that of Internet prophet. His provocative essay demonstrates, however, that even the most politically astute observer faces difficulties in predicting the Internet's impact on the future of American politics. In his essay, as well as in his recently published book vote.com, Morris portrays a dramatically improved post-Internet political landscape, which he develops in three predictions. First, Morris forecasts cheaper elections due to the Internet's influence. Second, he argues that the move of the electoral franchise online will encourage greater voter participation. Third, Morris believes that the general movement of politics from television to the Internet will stimulate an evolution of our system of governance to a more direct form of democracy. In this essay, I examine each of Morris' three predictions in turn and find them contestable. Like Morris, however, I am unable to resist the role of cyberspace seer and throughout this paper speculate on the Internet's likely impact on democratic self-rule in the United States. My conclusions are generally pessimistic. I am skeptical that political use of the Internet in the United States will stimulate cheaper elections or lead to broader-based voter participation. As a normative matter, moreover, I am doubtful as to the glories of greater direct democracy through use of Internet referenda. Finally, I identify one additional point for pessimism, the impact of Internet politics on information privacy. Yet, the Internet, like our political system, is malleable. The question for the future is how we might shape cyberspace and the political process on it to avoid negative and encourage positive results from any move to online politics.
Insurance Perspectives on Federal Financial Regulatory Reform: Addressing Misunderstandings and Providing a View from A Different Paradigm

Much of the current call for Federal regulatory reform of insurance is based on fundamental misunderstandings regarding American International Group (AIG) and the financial crisis, and because insurance, which is regulated predominately at the state level, provides a different, and potentially useful, regulatory paradigm. The first section of this article will analyze the role of insurance in the financial crisis. It exposes the misunderstandings and explain how insurance had little, if any, role in the crisis. The second section outlines the current, state-based regulatory paradigm for insurance, and will explain how this paradigm has become a barrier for Federal reform in the insurance area. The final section addresses the powerful role played by the courts in insurance regulation, and will suggest that financial regulatory reform could benefit from use of a similar model for other financial services.
Current-mode Circuits From A Translinear Viewpoint: A Tutorial

This chapter will describe many examples of translinear circuits, which come as close to true current-mode operation as any circuit can. These circuits were based on the remarkable fact that the trans conductance of a BJT is linearly proportional to its collector current, hence the term trans-linear. Further, the word carried with it the connation of “lying somewhere between familiar home territories of the linear circuit and the formidable terrains of the nonlinear”. Indeed, in addition to their well-known application in multipliers and other nonlinear circuits, translinear concepts are found embedded in many contemporary linear integrated circuits. The most familiar example is the current mirror; the classical four-transistor Class-AB output stage of almost any op-amp can be viewed in translinear terms; the current conveyor, used in the recently-rediscovered current-feedback amplifier, is yet another example.
Velocity Model Determination for Accurate Location of Mining- induced Seismic Events

Determining the location of mining-induced seismic events is strongly dependent on having an accurate velocity model. However, such a model is seldom available. This paper describes the determination of a velocity model for seismic event location, using the seismic events themselves as sources whose location is to be determined along with the parameters of the velocity model (a simultaneous inversion of event locations and velocity structure). Seismic monitoring of a mine in Colorado is used as an example, with an array of geophones installed both on the surface and in underground roadways. Velocity models of increasing complexity are considered, starting with a homogeneous velocity, moving to a (slightly dipping) layered-earth model, and eventually including static time shifts to account for the effects of a weathered, near-surface, low-velocity layer on arrival times at geophones mounted on the surface, This series of increasingly complex models obviously shows increasingly better fits to the data, but also shows more plausible event locations, and with more realistic elevation spans. Examination of spatial patters in the residuals indicates that there are likely mining-induced changes in velocity that are not accounted for in the model.
How to Eat Right in America: Power, Knowledge, and the Science of Hmong American Food and Health

AbstractThis paper investigates the cultural politics of knowledge production regarding Hmong American food-related health issues. Textual analysis of ten research papers published in the last twenty years leads to the critique that mainstream scientific discourse, rooted in Eurocentric epistemology, has in effect constituted Hmong Americans as subjugated Others. We demonstrate how this discourse (1) demarcates between the subject and the object from a Eurocentric viewpoint; (2) associates Hmong-ness with tradition while dissociating tradition from American-ness; (3) overlooks multiple differences within Hmong American communities; and (4) keeps silent on institutional racism as a barrier to healthy living. We explicate the power relations inherent in science research regarding marginalized communities, and call for decolonizing knowledge and research.
Unleashing Leadership through Artwork

Howard Gardner (1993) continued endeavors to establish a way to account for differences in individuals beyond traditional intelligence measures. Pedagogical strategies to address “multiple intelligences” are a unique way to develop course material, whether the setting is secondary or post-secondary. While some students thrive in traditional course experiences others may be lost in the material, looking for something else to assist them with comprehension. As an instructor the use of alternative teaching methods to reach beyond the textbook, PowerPoint presentation, and lecture is essential in bringing the reality of leadership to all students. “Using artwork to communicate the role of leadership through history is a creative and engaging way to encourage students to see leadership beyond the text and beyond their [personal] experiences” (Stedman, 2007). The intent of this paper is to provide a theoretical foundation and examples for using contemporary artwork in leadership classrooms.
Optimum Packet Service and Arrival Rates in Advanced Metering Infrastructure Architecture of Smart Grid

Smart grid as a communication network uses advancedmetering infrastructure architecture to collect the measureddata by smart meters and other devices such as powermeasurement units from different parts of the power grid andanalyzes them for billing and sends the collected data to theutility center for further analyses and being stored. In thispaper, we propose a three-layer aggregation architecture foradvanced metering infrastructure in smart grid based on theM/M/1 queuing system. We derive an expression for packetdelay and define three objective functions (total cost, payoff, and cost-reward per unit time) based on two performance metrics (congestion and load) in terms of service cost rate, waiting cost rate, packet delay, reward, packet service rate, and packet arrival rate. We obtain the optimum value of packet service and arrival rates of collectors by minimizing or maximizing the proposed objective functions.
First Results from the HAWC Gamma-Ray Observatory

Abstract The High Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC) Observatory is a TeV gamma-ray detector located at an altitude of 4100 meters on the northern slope of the Sierra Negra volcano in the state of Puebla, Mexico. The detector will consist of 300 water Cherenkov detectors spread on a 22,000 square meter area, and is expected to be fully constructed by the end of 2014. Thanks to its large field-of-view, good angular resolution and >90% duty cycle, HAWC will allow us to study the Galactic sources at high energies (100 GeV – 100 TeV), diffuse gamma-ray emission, and transient emissions from active galactic nuclei and gamma-ray bursts. The detector started its continuous operation in August 2013 with a fraction of the array, and its size has been increasing since then. The first results of the experiment, with almost one year of data from the partial array, are reviewed in this proceedings.
Immunization-Induced Syncopal Attacks

The clinical features and morbidity of a total of 697 cases of syncope after vaccination reported to the national Vaccine Adverse Reporting System were analyzed at the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Rockville, Md.
Dependence of Exchange Stiffness on Metallic Spacer Layer Material and Thickness in Dual-Interface CoFeB/MgO Magnetic Thin Films

The dependence of exchange stiffness and domain wall width on spacer layer material and thickness in double-layer Co 20 Fe 60 B 20 films is investigated. The exchange stiffness and wall width are inferred from magneto-optic Kerr microscope images of domain structure in conjunction with ferromagnetic resonance spectroscopy and vibrating sample magnetometer measurements of anisotropy and saturation magnetization. Samples include MgO-CoFeB-spacer-CoFeB-MgO films stacks with 0.3 nm, 0.5 nm, or 0.7 nm thick spacer layers consisting of W or Ta. These measurements allow for prediction of the thermal stability factor and nucleation diameter of magnetic tunnel junctions fabricated from these films.
“Frank” presentations as a novel research construct and element of diagnostic decision‐making in autism spectrum disorder

Many individuals with ASD have a distinctive behavioral presentation that is recognizable within moments, a phenomenon we call "frank" ASD. This phenomenon has been discussed informally for decades, perhaps as "classic" ASD; however, there is no unitary "classic" presentation, and classic autism does not seem to correspond to level of functioning. Thus, neither "frank" nor "classic" autism has been delineated or studied as a research construct. To initiate the empirical study of frank ASD, we surveyed 151 clinicians, from a range of disciplines that diagnose ASD, about this phenomenon. Respondents completed a 13-item questionnaire about frank ASD, which was analyzed using a mixed-methods approach. Ninety-seven percentage of respondents were familiar with the phenomenon. Respondents estimated that 40% of the ASD population has a frank presentation. Respondents reported the most highly specific behaviors associated with frank presentations were a general sense of impaired reciprocity, quality of eye contact, atypical vocal prosody, presence of motor mannerisms, and atypical gait or posture. In general, respondents reported detecting frank features rapidly, with the majority forming their impressions within the first ten minutes of interaction or observation. Although unstudied empirically, "frank" presentations of ASD are familiar to diagnosing clinicians, and appear to be based on behaviors both central to ASD diagnostic criteria (e.g., impaired reciprocity), and absent from diagnostic criteria (e.g., atypical gait or posture). We discuss these findings within the context of diagnostic decision-making and behavioral phenotyping of ASD. Autism Res 2016,. © 2016 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Autism Res 2017, 10: 653-662. © 2016 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Demand Propagation in ERP Integrated Assembly Supply Chains: Theoretical Models and Empirical Results

This chapter studies supply chain demand propagation in an ERP-integrated manufacturing environment, where item demands are interrelated by their assembly structure. The integrated planning environment is commonplace in industries such as automotive and electronics, where detailed production and material requirements decisions are communicated electronically between facilities and then refreshed frequently. While tightly integrated supply chains have clear benefits, distortion can occur in the demand signals between the facilities that assemble end-items and those that manufacture sub-assemblies and components. Using both analytical and empirical tools, we explore an ERP model using basic lot-sizing logic under fairly general settings. We examine key factors that influence demand variation in the assembly supply chain, assess their effects, and develop insight into the underlying supply processes. We find that (1) order batching by downstream facilities plays a principal role in upstream demand amplification, (2) the commonly used schedule release policy in ERP systems may cause unnecessary nervousness in the supply chain, (3) the interplay of component sharing and demand correlation may contribute significantly to upstream demand fluctuation, and (4) tightly set production capacity may help to dampen demand variations, while paying a price on increased supply chain inventory. We also find that end-item demand variation, a commonly believed source of uncertainty, has no significant impact on overall demand amplification under the conditions studied here.
Clinical Characteristics of Synthetic Cannabinoid Use in a Large Urban Psychiatric Emergency Setting.

ABSTRACTBackground: Increasing reports of synthetic cannabinoid (SC)-related adverse events have largely comprised case reports and analyses of calls to poison control centers. Existing studies have also mostly involved white male populations. Objectives: The purpose of this study is to systematically describe clinical characteristics of SC use in a relatively large, diverse, urban sample presenting to a psychiatric emergency setting. Methods: SC users (n = 110) were identified by reviewing charts (n = 948) from the psychiatric emergency service of a large, urban public hospital in the United States for November 2014, which was randomly selected from the 12 months of that year. Sociodemographic data were collected from administrative databases and clinical data were collected from the electronic medical record. Results: SC users were mostly non-white (90.0%) males (95.5%), who were likely to be police-involved (34.5%) and homeless (84.5%). SC users also had significant and often pre-existing psychiatric a...
Geometry of Molecular Motions in Dye Monolayers at Various Coverages

Molecular motion in monolayers is thought to influence the kinetics of charge transport and recombination in systems such as dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). In this work, we use ab initio molecular dynamics to evaluate the geometry and time scale of such molecular motion in a D102 monolayer. D102, a dye that is routinely used in DSSCs, contains two chemical groups, namely, indoline and triphenylethylene, that are also present in many other dyes. We find that, at low surface coverage, the dye molecule exhibits two main tilting axes around which it heavily distorts within 10 ps. Further, the two benzene rings in the triphenylethylene group rotate with a 3–4-ps period. We observe that these large-amplitude movements are suppressed at full coverage, meaning that dye molecules in a monolayer are locked into place and undergo only minor conformational changes. Our observations indicate that, counterintuitively, charge diffusion across dye monolayers might be faster in the parts of the system that are charac...
Thirty-Month Visit

Jerabelle is an active 30-month-old girl who lives with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Mercado. The grandmother, Mrs. Castro, has come to live with them from the Philippines to help watch Jerabelle and her older sibling Camille, age 6, while the parents work. Jerabelle’s current weight is 11.8 kg (25.6 lb). Her height is 87 cm (34.8 in.)—the 25th percentile for height and weight. Her head circumference is 46.4 cm (18.56 in.), the 30th percentile. The Mercados have rent an apartment in a two-family house owned by Mr. Mercado’s uncle in a city neighborhood that is home to many Filipinos and near transportation to their jobs. Mrs. Mercado and the grandmother bring Jerabelle to the checkup. Mrs. Mercado is concerned that her daughters fight a lot, with Jerabelle hitting and biting her sister when frustrated. Jerabelle attends regular day care during weekday mornings, taken by her grandmother. The mother says Jerabelle has no interest in toilet training. Mrs. Mercado is concerned about discipline at home and Jerabelle’s increasing negative interactions with her sibling. Jerabelle likes to feed herself, but her grandmother is concerned because she makes a mess. Jerabelle takes her socks off by herself but her grandmother would prefer to dress her because it is faster and she has to get Camille to first grade and Jerabelle to day care on time. Jerabelle likes to wear her favorite sleeveless dress even when it is 15 degrees outside. The grandmother asks you what she should do because Jerabelle ends up crying when the grandmother insists that Jerabelle wear the clothes she wants, not what grandma picked.
VCAM-1 Mediates Cigarette Smoke Extract Enhancement of Monocyte Adhesion to Human Carotid Vascular Endothelial Cells.

Atherosclerosis is a cardiovascular disease that begins with inflammation and ends in decreased lumen diameter, occlusion and rupture if not addressed appropriately. Markers of vascular inflammation are, but not limited to, increased expression of Cell Adhesion Molecules on the vascular endothelium, recruitment of serum monocytes to the endothelium, and increases in the presence of inflammatory cytokines. Many factors can contribute to vascular inflammation and atherosclerosis, including diabetes, obesity, smoking, and genetic factors. In this report, we examine how cigarette smoke extract (CSE) contributes to the onset of vascular inflammation by (1) increasing VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 expression in endothelium in a time- and dose-dependent manner, (2) affecting cytokine expression in endothelial cells, (3) increasing monocyte adhesion to carotid endothelial cells and (4) increasing the number of monocytes that migrate across a monolayer of carotid endothelial cells.
Silicon and SiC MOSFET electro-thermal performance assessment within smart distributed generation inverters with dynamic reactive compensation grid support for resilient microgrids

As advanced functionality is being demanded from distributed generation (DG) systems, smart inverters are being developed to provide reactive compensation to provide system support during grid disturbances. This compensation, however, leads to increased semiconductor device stress in the inverter. This work investigates the electro-thermal impacts of inverter grid support upon the longevity of SiC power MOSFET and Si IGBT products. This work is meant to inform the evolving standard development for smart inverter design. All modeling is performed in ANSYS Simplorer.
A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials to evaluate the risk of gastrointestinal and hepatic toxicities in patients with hormone receptor-positive HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer treated with CDK 4/6 inhibitors.

209Background: Hormonal therapies function through CDK4/CDK6/E2F axis which is essential in luminal estrogen receptor positive breast cancer. Reactivation of these CDK4 and CDK6 kinases has been implicated in endocrine resistance. Many CDK 4/6 inhibitors were employed in studies with noteworthy safety concerns. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to determine the risk of gastrointestinal (GI) and hepatic toxicities. Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE databases and meeting abstracts from inception through June 2017 were queried. RCTs that mention GI symptoms and elevation of liver enzymes as adverse effects were incorporated in the analysis. Mantel-Haenszel method was used to calculate the estimated pooled risk ratio with 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: We included five RCTs with a total of 2671 patients treated with CDK 4/6 inhibitors. The study arm used palbociclib-letrozole, palbociclib-fulvestrant, ribociclib-letrozole and abemaciclib-fulvestrant while...
Colorectal Cancer Disparity in African Americans: Risk Factors and Carcinogenic Mechanisms

African Americans have the highest incidence and mortality rates of colorectal cancer (CRC) of any ethnic group in the United States. Although some of these disparities can be explained by differences in access to care, cancer screening, and other socioeconomic factors, disparities remain after adjustment for these factors. Consequently, an examination of recent advances in the understanding of ethnicity-specific factors, including genetic and environmental factors relating to risk of CRC, the biology of CRC progression, and the changes in screening and mortality, is important for evaluating our progress toward eliminating the disparities. An overarching limitation in this field is the number and sample size of studies performed to characterize the etiological bases of CRC incidence and mortality in African Americans. Despite this limitation, significant differences in etiology are manifest in many studies. These differences need validation, and their impacts on disparities need more detailed investigation. Perhaps most heartening, improvements in CRC screening can be attributed to the smallest difference in CRC incidence between African Americans and whites since the late 1980s. Cancer mortality, however, remains a persistent difference.
Constructing a Culturally Informed Spanish Decision-Aid to Counsel Latino Parents Facing Imminent Extreme Premature Delivery

Objective How Latino parents perceive and understand antenatal counseling for extreme prematurity, < 26 weeks of gestational age (GA), is not clear. We aim to characterize Latino parental perceptions of antenatal counseling in order to construct and validate a Spanish decision-aid (SDA) to improve parental knowledge of prematurity after antenatal consults. Methods This is a three-phased, prospective, multicenter study. First, interviews of 22 Latino parents with a history of birth < 26 weeks GA were conducted. Thematic analysis identified themes valued during antenatal counseling for decisions regarding neonatal resuscitation. Next, we incorporated these themes into the SDA. Finally, improvement in knowledge of prematurity in two Spanish-speaking groups, ‘experienced’ parents with a history of extremely premature birth and ‘naive’ adult Latino volunteers, was measured using a multiple choice test before and after simulated counseling with the SDA. Result Twenty-two interviews generated seven unique themes. An SDA was constructed that preserved six themes paralleled by those found in a previously studied English population, and addressed a novel theme of “intercultural linguistic barriers” unique to our population. Knowledge scores rose in “naive” volunteers, 41 ± 12% to 71 ± 15% (P < 0.001), after simulated counseling with the SDA. ‘Experienced’ parents had a ceiling effect in knowledge scores, 62 ± 9% to 65 ± 11% (P = 0.22). The SDA was well received by participants. Conclusions for Practice Interviews of Latino parents with a history of premature birth generated similar themes to English-speaking parents, with intercultural linguistic barriers as a novel theme. An SDA for Latino parents facing extremely premature birth may improve comprehension of antenatal counseling.
Topological Order Generated by a Random Field in a 2D Exchange Model.

We study a 2D exchange model with a weak static random field on lattices containing over ${10}^{8}$ spins. Ferromagnetic correlations persist on the Imry-Ma scale inversely proportional to the random-field strength and decay exponentially at greater distances. We find that the average energy of the correlated area is close to the ground-state energy of a Skyrmion, while the topological charge of the area is close to $\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1$. The correlation function of the topological charge density changes sign at a distance determined by the ferromagnetic correlation length, while its Fourier transform exhibits a maximum. These findings suggest that static randomness transforms a 2D ferromagnetic state into a Skyrmion--anti-Skyrmion glass.
Support for Social and Cultural Capital Development in Real-time Ridesharing Services

Today's transportation systems and technologies have the potential to transform the ways individuals acquire resources from their social networks and environments. However, it is unclear what types of resources can be acquired and how technology could support these efforts. We address this gap by investigating these questions in the domain of real-time ridesharing systems. We present insights from two qualitative studies: (1) a set of semi-structured interviews with 13 Uber drivers and (2) a set of semi-structured interviews with 13 Uber riders. Our results show that both drivers and riders acquired and benefited from informational, emotional and instrumental resources, as well as cultural exchanges via interactions with each other and with online platforms. We argue that these interactions could support the development of social and cultural capital. We discuss our findings in the context of labor and contribute design implications for in-car social and cultural experiences and for the ways technologies such as GPS and location-based services can support the additional emotional, social, and cultural labor that drivers provide to their riders.
Clinical Practice with Employed Women

The increased entrance of women into the labor force has resulted in increased stress for women who must deal with multiple role responsibilities. An assessment and intervention approach is propose...
Science and National Security Decisions

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the role of science in national security decisions. The introduction of the permissive action links in the early 1960s coincided with the early days of the Kennedy administration, when the President's Science adviser, Jerome Wiesner, together with Harold Agnew, Spurgeon Keeny, and a number of others observed that it was better if nuclear weapons went off only when they wanted them to and that there ought to be a balance between their going off by accident and their not going off when they wanted them to. Up to that time, it was not at all clear that one couldn't have credible accidents, such as bombs falling off airplanes, which would result in nuclear detonations. Those accidents are no longer credible as a result of the actions taken in those days. But it took people, a program, and investigation in the field working closely with the people at Sandia and in the nuclear weapons design laboratories, with the military, and with the Atomic Energy Commission in those days. Ballistic missile defense has a long history. It was the next program in line for the Army as it solved the problems of continental air defense.
Inhibition of protein kinase C activity by the Leishmaniadonovani lipophosphoglycan

Purified lipophosphoglycan from Leishmania donovani was found to inhibit the activity of protein kinase C isolated from rat brain. Protein kinase C inhibition by lipophosphoglycan was continuous for 30 minutes. The glycoconjugate was a competitive inhibitor with respect to diolein, a noncompetitive inhibitor with respect to phosphatidylserine, and had no significant effect on protein kinase M and protein kinase A. A possible physiological role of lipophosphoglycan as a negative effector of protein kinase C is suggested.
Preservice Teachers of Color and the Intersections of Teacher Identity, Race, and Place

In this chapter I focus on the experiences of preservice teachers of Color, particularly those who attend predominantly White institutions (PWIs) and the ways in which their developing identities as teachers are influenced by the intersections of their racial/ethnic identities and the context (place) of the environment of their teacher education programs. I explore the intersections of race and place by first discussing how preservice teachers of Color describe their decisions to become teachers. Particular attention is given to understanding the ways in which preservice teachers of Color view their initial reasons for entry into the profession and commitments to teaching as a way of understanding their early or beginning teacher identity. Next, I look at their experiences in teacher education programs at PWIs. I specifically focus on the context of PWIs because much of the literature on teacher preparation occurs in these contexts. I end the chapter with a discussion on how race and place impact the teacher identity development of preservice teachers of Color, particularly in regards to developing socially just and critically conscious perspectives.
Effect of Molecular Structure on Mesomorphism: 141 Difluorinated Siamese Twin Mesogens

Siamese Twin liquid crystalline compounds are of inherent interest since they represent mesogenic species in which two independently liquid crystalline ‘half’ molecules are joined through chemical bond(s).
A comparison of professional versus citizen journalistic roles: Views from visual journalists:

Using a Web-based survey targeting visual professionals, this study examines their professional role conceptions along with their views on emerging visual citizen contributors’ roles. While partici...
A Small Molecule TrkB Neurotrophin Receptor Partial Agonist as Possible Treatment for Experimental Nonarteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy.

ABSTRACTPurpose: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and activation of its high affinity receptor tropomyosin kinase (Trk) B promote retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) survival following injury. In...
Continuous saline bladder irrigation for two hours following transurethral resection of bladder tumors in patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer does not prevent recurrence or progression compared with intravesical Mitomycin-C

Intravesical Mitomycin-C (MMC) following transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT), while efficacious, is associated with side effects and poor utilization. Continuous saline bladder irrigation (CSBI) has been examined as an alternative. In this study we sought to compare the rates of recurrence and/or progression in patients with NMIBC who were treated with either MMC or CSBI after TURBT. We retrospectively reviewed records of patients with NMIBC at our institution in 2012–2015. Perioperative use of MMC (40 mg in 20 mL), CSBI (two hours), or neither were recorded. Primary outcome was time to recurrence or progression. Descriptive statistics, chi-squared analysis, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, and Cox multivariable regression analyses were performed. 205 patients met inclusion criteria. Forty-five (22.0%) patients received CSBI, 71 (34.6%) received MMC, and 89 (43.4%) received no perioperative therapy. On survival analysis, MMC was associated with improved DFS compared with CSBI (p = 0.001) and no treatment (p = 0.0009). On multivariable analysis, high risk disease was associated with increased risk of recurrence or progression (HR 2.77, 95% CI: 1.28–6.01), whereas adjuvant therapy (HR 0.35, 95% CI: 0.20–0.59) and MMC (HR 0.43, 95% CI: 0.25–0.75) were associated with decreased risk. Postoperative MMC was associated with improved DFS compared with CSBI and no treatment. The DFS benefit seen with CSBI in other studies may be limited to patients receiving prolonged irrigation. New intravesical agents being evaluated may consider saline as a control given our data demonstrating that short-term CSBI is not superior to TURBT alone.
Design and Performance of the Tropics Radiometer Components

The Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats (TROP-ICS) mission was selected by NASA as part of the Earth VentureInstrument (EVI-3) program and is now in development with planned launch readiness in late 2019. TROPICS comprises a constellation of six CubeSats in three low-Earth low-inclination orbital planes. Each CubeSat will host a high performance radiometer to provide temperature profiles using seven channels near the 118.75 GHz oxygen absorption line, water vapor profiles using three channels near the 183 GHz water vapor absorption line, imagery in a single channel near 90 GHz for precipitation measurements (when combined with higher resolution water vapor channels), and a single channel at 205 GHz that is more sensitive to precipitation-sized ice particles. Expected NEDTs range from approximately 0.5 to 1.0 K for an 8.333 msec integration time. Spatial resolution at nadir ranges from approximately 15 km for the G-band channels to 30 km for the W-band channels.
Hearing Impairment and Cognitive Decline in Older, Community-Dwelling Adults.

Background Hearing impairment is prevalent among older adults and has been identified as a risk factor for cognitive impairment and dementia. We evaluated the association of hearing impairment with long-term cognitive decline among community-dwelling older adults. Methods A population-based longitudinal study of adults not using hearing aids who had hearing acuity and cognitive function assessed in 1992-1996, and were followed for a maximum of 24 years with up to five additional cognitive assessments. Hearing acuity was categorized based on pure-tone average (PTA) thresholds: normal (PTA ≤ 25 dB), mild impairment (PTA > 25-40 dB), moderate/severe impairment (PTA > 40 dB). Results Of 1,164 participants (mean age 73.5 years, 64% women), 580 (49.8%) had mild hearing impairment and 196 (16.8%) had moderate/severe hearing impairment. In fully adjusted models, hearing impairment was associated with steeper decline on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) (mild impairment β = -0.04, p = .01; moderate/severe impairment β = -0.08, p = .002) and Trails B (mild impairment β = 1.21, p = .003; moderate/severe impairment β = 2.16, p = .003). Associations did not differ by sex or apolipoprotein E (APOE) ϵ4 status and were not influenced by social engagement. The MMSE-hearing association was modified by education: mild hearing impairment was associated with steeper decline on the MMSE among participants without college education but not among those with college education. Moderate/severe hearing impairment was associated with steeper MMSE decline regardless of education level. Conclusions Hearing impairment is associated with accelerated cognitive decline with age, and should be screened for routinely. Higher education may provide sufficient cognitive reserve to counter effects of mild, but not more severe, hearing impairment.
Highway Cluster Density and Average Speed Prediction in Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks (VANETs)

With huge amounts of data being generated from almost everywhere, our universe has become data-driven. Decision making, risk prevention and mitigation, and systems assessment will not be as effective as desired without having the right data. The projected impacts and benefits of Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks (VANETs) are the driving forces for researchers to develop and further enhance VANET technology. One of the challenging and imperative issues in VANETs research is the unavailability of data. To the best of our knowledge, in this research, we are the first to create a VANET traffic dataset by using real-life traffic data. We massage the data by applying VANET human behavioral model. We experiment and validate our dataset by focusing on traffic congestion prediction. Traffic congestion can be determined by traffic density and average speed at any given point. Highly dense roads are the basic definition of congestion resulting in lower speeds of moving vehicles. We develop three time-series models ARIMA, BATS, TBATS, and a neural network model and apply them to our created VANET data to analyze and predict the total number of nodes in a cluster (density) and the average speed of the nodes. We have validated these time series prediction models by comparing the four developed models in terms of MSE, MAE, MAPE, and MASE. The created dataset and developed models can assist in predicting cluster density and average node speed to detect congestion, which will enhance route navigation.
Aza-Rubottom Oxidation: Synthetic Access to Primary α-Aminoketones

An aza analogue of the Rubottom oxidation is reported. This facile transformation takes place at ambient temperature and directly converts silyl enol ethers to the corresponding primary α-aminoketones. The use of hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP) as the solvent is essential for the success of this reaction. Overall this process is well-suited for the aza-functionalization and derivatization of complex organic molecules.
Answering the “who am I” question: Raising students’ sense of self-competence with the 30-second elevator pitch

Courses: Public Speaking, Advanced Public Speaking, Capstone Courses.Objective: This activity is designed to help students identify different components of an elevator speech and assemble elevator ...
Prevention of Infection in the Perioperative Setting in Patients with Rheumatic Disease Treated with Immunosuppression

Patients with autoimmune rheumatic disease are at increased risk of infection after surgery. The goal of this manuscript is to review current evidence on important contributors to infection risk in these patients and the optimal management of immunosuppression in the perioperative setting. Recent studies have confirmed that patients with autoimmune rheumatic disease, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), are at increased risk of infection after surgery, with most evidence coming from studies of joint replacement surgery. Immunosuppression, disease activity, comorbidities, demographics, and surgeon and hospital volume are all important contributors to post-operative infection risk. Recently published guidelines regarding immunosuppression management before joint replacement recommend continuing the conventional disease-modifying drugs used to treat RA (e.g., methotrexate) without interruption, holding more potent conventional therapies for 1 week unless the underlying disease is severe, and holding biologic therapies for one dosing interval before surgery. Recent observational data suggests that holding biologics may not have a substantial impact on infection risk. These data also implicate glucocorticoids as a major contributor to post-operative infection risk. Observational data supports recent recommendations to continue many therapies in the perioperative period with only short interruptions of biologics and other potent immunosuppression. Even brief interruptions may not significantly lower risk, although the field continues to evolve. Clinicians should also consider other risk factors and should focus on minimizing glucocorticoids before surgery when possible to limit the risk of post-operative infection.