cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Correlated sources over wireless channels: cooperative source-channel coding

We consider wireless sensor networks deployed to observe arbitrary random fields. The requirement is to reconstruct an estimate of the random field at a certain collector node. This creates a many-to-one data gathering wireless channel. One of the main challenges in this scenario is that the source/channel separation theorem, proved by Shannon for point-to-point links, does not hold any more. In this paper, we construct novel cooperative source-channel coding schemes that exploit the wireless channel and the correlation between the sources. In particular, we differentiate between two distinct cases. The first case assumes that the sensor nodes are equipped with receivers and, hence, every node can exploit the wireless link to distribute its information to its neighbors. We then devise an efficient deterministic cooperation strategy where the neighboring nodes act as virtual antennas in a beamforming configuration. The second, and more challenging, scenario restricts the capability of sensor nodes to transmit only. In this case, we argue that statistical cooperative source-channel coding techniques still yield significant performance gains in certain relevant scenarios. Specifically, we propose a low complexity cooperative source-channel coding scheme based on the proper use of low-density generator matrix codes. This scheme is shown to outperform the recently proposed joint source-channel coding scheme (Garcia-Frias et al., 2002) in the case of highly correlated sources. In both the deterministic and statistical cooperation scenarios, we develop analytical results that guide the optimization of the proposed schemes and validate the performance gains observed in simulations.
Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair Prospective Evaluation With Sequential Ultrasonography

BackgroundRecent studies have demonstrated predictable healing after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair at a single time point, but few studies have evaluated tendon healing over time.HypothesisRotator cuff tears that are intact on ultrasound at 1 time point will remain intact, and clinical results will improve regardless of healing status.Study DesignCohort study; Level of evidence, 3.MethodsThe Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Registry was established to determine the effectiveness of arthroscopic rotator cuff repair with clinical outcomes using the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score and ultrasound at 1 and 2 years, postoperatively. Patients were assigned to 1 of 3 groups based on ultrasound appearance: group 1, rotator cuff tendon intact at 1 and 2 years (n = 63); group 2, rotator cuff tendon defect at 1 and 2 years (n = 23); group 3, rotator cuff tendon defect at 1 year but no defect at 2 years (n = 7).ResultsThe ultrasound appearance was consistent at 1 and 2 years for 86 of the 93 patients (92.5%). T...
Single-molecule studies of repressor–DNA interactions show long-range interactions

We have performed single-molecule studies of GFP–LacI repressor proteins bound to bacteriophage λ DNA containing a 256 tandem lac operator insertion confined in nanochannels. An integrated photon molecular counting method was developed to determine the number of proteins bound to DNA. By using this method, we determined the saturated mean occupancy of the 256 tandem lac operators to be 13, which constitutes only 2.5% of the available sites. This low occupancy level suggests that the repressors influence each other even when they are widely separated, at distances on the order of 200 nm, or several DNA persistence lengths.
WALSH‐FOURIER ANALYSIS OF DISCRETE‐VALUED TIME SERIES

Abstract : An approach to the analyses of discrete-valued time series is discussed. The analyses are accomplished in the spectral domain using the Walsh-Fourier transform which is based on Walsh functions. This approach will enable an investigator of discrete systems to analyze the data in terms of square-waveforms and sequency rather than sine-waves and frequency. This document develops a general signal-plus-noise type model for discrete-valued time series in which Walsh-Fourier spectral analysis is of interest. The author considers the problems of detecting whether or not a common signal exists in repeated measures on discrete-valued time series and in discrete-valued processes collected in an experimental design. It is shown that these models may depend on unknown regression parameters and consistent estimates of these parameters based on the finite Walsh-Fourier transform are developed. Applications to certain Markov models are given, however, the methods presented also apply to non-Markov cases. (Author)
Maternal aggression is reduced in neuronal nitric oxide synthase-deficient mice.

Lactating females express rapid extremes in behavior, ranging from gentle nurturance toward offspring to fiercely protective aggression against intruders. Although males often behave aggressively against intruders, female rodents usually express aggression only when rearing and protecting pups. Nitric oxide (NO) inhibits male aggression; however, its role in maternal aggression is unknown. In the present study, female mice with targeted disruption of the neuronal nitric oxide synthase gene (nNOS−/−) displayed significant deficits in maternal aggression relative to wild-type (WT) mice in terms of percentage displaying aggression, the average number of attacks against a male intruder, and the total time spent attacking the male intruder. The nNOS−/− mice displayed normal pup retrieval behavior. Because the specific deficits in maternal aggression in the nNOS−/− mice suggested a possible role for NO in maternal aggression, we combined behavioral testing of WT mice with immunohistochemistry for citrulline, an indirect marker of NO synthesis, to examine indirectly NO synthesis during maternal aggression. A significant increase in the number of citrulline-positive cells was identified in the medial preoptic nucleus, the suprachiasmatic nucleus, and the subparaventricular zone regions of the hypothalamus in aggressive lactating females relative to control mice. In other regions of the brain, no changes in the number of citrulline-positive cells were observed across either groups or treatments. These results provide two indirect lines of evidence that NO release is associated with maternal aggression.
Efficient Certificate Distribution for Vehicle Heartbeat Messages

Vehicle heartbeat messages will enable a wide range of safety and efficiency applications. These messages, containing the position, kinematics, and state of a vehicle, will be sent over a wireless network to nearby vehicles at a high frequency. These messages will include a digital signature and a public key certificate to allow message recipients to validate the contents of a message. To minimize on the overhead, standards governing this network allow for the transmission of short certificate IDs instead of the full certificate. This paper proposes two distributed Certificate ID Scheduling algorithms, one in which a certificate is sent every nth message and another in which vehicles send full certificates only when a new neighbor is detected. Privacy considerations for certificate ID scheduling are analyzed, and the effectiveness of the protocols is evaluated through simulation of these heart-beat messages in a highway environment. These simulations show the first algorithm is most appropriate for high density, two-way traffic while the second algorithm can produce bandwidth savings that are close to the maximum for one-way or low density traffic.
Establishing Priorities Among Environmental Stresses

All scientists are taught that to understand what they observe and then to predict or control the course of events, they must know the underlying causes. Whether it is for this reason, or simply because of a tendency to look for someone to blame for our problems, it is frequently stated that the root of the environmental difficulties we see everywhere about us is the Judeo-Christian anthropocentric ethic of man holding dominion over all other creatures and the earth itself. We are told that the American Indians and the Eastern religions hold nature in reverence and seek to minimize any conflict between man and the rest of the world. Yi-Fu Tuan5 refutes this argument, pointing out for example that deforestation had become a serious problem in China well before the 3rd century B. C. In addition, it is known that North American Plains Indians sometimes fired the prairie in order to drive herds of bison over cutbanks where they could be butchered in quantity.
Asympitic approach to families of desigh problems

Examples are given that demonstrate the usefulness, for obtaining near-optimum designs in analytically intractable settings, of embedding such settings in a regular family of designs whose limit is easier to treat.
Innovative design systems: where are we, and where do we go from here? Part II: Design by exploration

Designing is a skill central to many human tasks. Designers are constantly producing newer and better artifacts, generating innovative solutions to problems in our world. This article looks at innovation and research that is aimed at developing theories and methodologies for innovative design. We view design as a process of association and exploration. These two approaches are fundamental to innovation. The aim of exploration is to generate a large variety of design alternatives by breaking away from the norms, by looking in unlikely places, and by relaxing binding constraints. Exploration exposes possibilities that would not normally have been considered, possibilities that may serendipitously lead to innovative solutions. Association, on the other hand, attempts to exploit previous design experiences in a new design context. This is done by recognizing useful analogies that can help in synthesizing parts of a design, recognizing unforeseen problems, and discovering opportunities. This article is the second part of a two-part paper that presents and discusses a variety of association and exploration methods. This part examines exploration techniques, some of which have been used in actual design systems, and others that point to the solution of some open questions in design research. We develop these ideas by examining connections between design research and other disciplines such as artificial intelligence, evolutionary epistemology, and the automated discovery literature.
Evaluation of Noble Gas Recharge Temperatures in a Shallow Unconfined Aquifer

Water table temperatures inferred from dissolved noble gas concentrations (noble gas temperatures, NGT) are useful as a quantitative proxy for air temperature change since the last glacial maximum. Despite their importance in paleoclimate research, few studies have investigated the relationship between NGT and actual recharge temperatures in field settings. This study presents dissolved noble gas data from a shallow unconfined aquifer heavily impacted by agriculture. Considering samples unaffected by degassing, NGT calculated from common physically based interpretive gas dissolution models that correct measured noble gas concentrations for ‘‘excess air’’ agreed with measured water table temperatures (WTT). The ability to fit data to multiple interpretive models indicates that model goodness-of-fit does not necessarily mean that the model reflects actual gas dissolution processes. Although NGT are useful in that they reflect WTT, caution is recommended when using these interpretive models. There was no measurable difference in excess air characteristics (amount and degree of fractionation) between two recharge regimes studied (higher flux recharge primarily during spring and summer vs. continuous, low flux recharge). Approximately 20% of samples had dissolved gas concentrations below equilibrium concentration with respect to atmospheric pressure, indicating degassing. Geochemical and dissolved gas data indicate that saturated zone denitrification caused degassing by gas stripping. Modeling indicates that minor degassing (,10% � Ne) may cause underestimation of ground water recharge temperature by up to 2� C. Such errors are problematic because degassing may not be apparent and degassed samples may be fit by a model with a high degree of certainty.
Effects of Long-Term Livestock Grazing on Fuel Characteristics in Rangelands: An Example From the Sagebrush Steppe

Livestock grazing potentially has substantial influence on fuel characteristics in rangelands around the globe. However, information quantifying the impacts of grazing on rangeland fuel characteristics is limited, and the effects of grazing on fuels are important because fuel characteristics are one of the primary factors determining risk, severity, continuity, and size of wildfires. We investigated the effects of long-term (70+ yr) livestock grazing exclusion (nongrazed) and moderate levels of livestock grazing (grazed) on fuel accumulations, continuity, gaps, and heights in shrub-grassland rangelands. Livestock used the grazed treatment through 2008 and sampling occurred in mid- to late summer in 2009. Nongrazed rangelands had over twofold more herbaceous standing crop than grazed rangelands (P , 0.01). Fuel accumulations on perennial bunchgrasses were approximately threefold greater in nongrazed than grazed treatments. Continuity of fuels in nongrazed compared to grazed treatments was also greater (P , 0.05). The heights of perennial grass current year’s and previous years’ growth were 1.3-fold and 2.2-fold taller in nongrazed compared to grazed treatments (P , 0.01). The results of this study suggest that moderate livestock grazing decreases the risk of wildfires in sagebrush steppe plant communities and potentially other semi-arid and arid rangelands. These results also suggest wildfires in moderately grazed sagebrush rangelands have decreased severity, continuity, and size of the burn compared to longterm nongrazed sagebrush rangelands. Because of the impacts fuels have on fire characteristics, moderate levels of grazing probably increase the efficiency of fire suppression activities. Because of the large difference between fuel characteristics in grazed and nongrazed sagebrush rangelands, we suggest that additional management impacts on fuels and subsequently fires need to be investigated in nonforested rangelands to protect native plant communities and prioritize management needs.
Bureaucratic Response to Citizen Contacts: Neighborhood Demands and Administrative Reaction in Dallas

The present study examines bureaucratic response to all citizen-initiated requests for service from the Dallas city government for January-December 1975. Utilizing this expanded data base, the authors test hypotheses derived from the three basic models proposed to explain bureaucratic response to citizen requests for service: the political model, the underclass model, and the bureaucratic decision-rule model. The study finds little support for either the political or the underclass model and some empirical support for the bureaucratic decision-rule one. In addition, the study finds significant variations in the contacting response relationships across categories of contact, strongly indicating that researchers must be careful in their generalizations about contacting response when small samples or single-category studies are the basis of the analysis.
Nuclear power plant instrumentation

In the past five years, rapid advances have taken place in the field of nuclear power plant instrumentation. The emphasis in this article is placed on the power plant systems and on detector requirements and designs, because it is in these areas that the major differences exist between conventional and nuclear power plants.
Lipid deposition in different fiber types of skeletal muscle of periparturient dairy cows.

The intracellular deposition of neutral lipid in skeletal muscle of dairy cows before and after calving has been studied in biopsy samples taken from 72 cows in three herds.The amounts of neutral lipid in individual fibers were estimated using Oil red O-stained sections and an average value was calculated for each fiber type within a sample. Intracellular lipid deposition occurred mainly in type I fibers and reached its highest level one week after calving. The amount of lipid in muscle at this time showed a high correlation with the amount of lipid in liver and with the rate of lipid mobilization from tissue reserves.
Association of age and survival in patients with gastroesophageal cancer undergoing surgery with or without preoperative therapy.

BACKGROUND: Meticulous selection of patients for esophageal cancer surgery is critical, because major surgical intervention can cause considerable consequences. For this study, the authors explored their institution’s large surgical experience to examine the impact of age on long-term patient survival and surgical complications. METHOD: Six hundred consecutive patients with esophageal cancer who underwent surgery (409 patients received preoperative therapy, and 191 patients underwent surgery first) were analyzed. All demographic information (including American Society of Anesthesiology risk scores) and therapy-related information was collected retrospectively. Multiple statistical methods were used to assess survival rates and surgical complications and their correlation with patient age. Twenty-one patients (30-day mortality) first were excluded (n ¼ 600) and then were included (n ¼ 621) in the analysis. RESULTS: By using the median age (� 60 years) as the cutoff point and creating 2 subgroups (ages 61 years to 70 years and aged >70 years) in patients older than the median age, univariate analysis demonstrated a higher risk of death with increasing age (P ¼ .019). In multivariate analysis, increasing age was an independent prognosticator of poor overall survival (P ¼ .041). The inclusion of 30-day mortality did not alter the results. Surgical complications were statistically significantly higher in older patients compared with younger patients in the following categories: aspiration pneumonia, adult respiratory distress syndrome, cardiovascular, neurologic, and miscellaneous complications. CONCLUSIONS: The data in this study demonstrated that patients aged � 60 years who underwent surgery for esophageal cancer achieved the best overall survival and experienced fewer surgical complications than patients aged >70 years. Age was identified as an important variable in the selection of patients for esophageal cancer surgery. Cancer 2009;115:4450–8. V C 2009
Structural characterization of a subtype-selective ligand reveals a novel mode of estrogen receptor antagonism.

The R,R enantiomer of 5,11-cis-diethyl-5,6,11,12-tetrahydrochrysene-2,8-diol (THC) exerts opposite effects on the transcriptional activity of the two estrogen receptor (ER) subtypes, ERα and ERβ. THC acts as an ERα agonist and as an ERβ antagonist. We have determined the crystal structures of the ERα ligand binding domain (LBD) bound to both THC and a fragment of the transcriptional coactivator GRIP1, and the ERβ LBD bound to THC. THC stabilizes a conformation of the ERα LBD that permits coactivator association and a conformation of the ERβ LBD that prevents coactivator association. A comparison of the two structures, taken together with functional data, reveals that THC does not act on ERβ through the same mechanisms used by other known ER antagonists. Instead, THC antagonizes ERβ through a novel mechanism we term 'passive antagonism'.
Reiterated Wnt signaling during zebrafish neural crest development.

While Wnt/β-catenin signaling is known to be involved in the development of neural crest cells in zebrafish, it is unclear which Wnts are involved, and when they are required. To address these issues we employed a zebrafish line that was transgenic for an inducible inhibitor of Wnt/β-catenin signaling, and inhibited endogenous Wnt/β-catenin signaling at discrete times in development. Using this approach, we defined a critical period for Wnt signaling in the initial induction of neural crest, which is distinct from the later period of development when pigment cells are specified from neural crest. Blocking Wnt signaling during this early period interfered with neural crest formation without blocking development of dorsal spinal neurons. Transplantation experiments suggest that neural crest precursors must directly transduce a Wnt signal. With regard to identifying which endogenous Wnt is responsible for this initial critical period, we established that wnt8 is expressed in the appropriate time and place to participate in this process. Supporting a role for Wnt8, blocking its function with antisense morpholino oligonucleotides eliminates initial expression of neural crest markers. Taken together, these results demonstrate that Wnt signals are critical for the initial induction of zebrafish neural crest and suggest that this signaling pathway plays reiterated roles in its development.
Gay-Straight Alliances: Youth Empowerment and Working toward Reducing Stigma of LGBT Youth

This article explores sexual minority youth empowerment by examining the experiences of Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) club members, advisors, and school administrators from four public high schools in the southeastern United States. Twelve GSA members, four GSA advisors, two high school principals, and two district administrators consented to be part of this study. Drawing on current research into heteronormativity and social stigma, the author applies Zimmerman’s three levels of empowerment—psychological, organizational, and community—to examine the ways in which GSA members are empowered (or not empowered) to challenge the heteronormative culture upon which their stigmatized sexual identity and the need for GSAs is based. The voices featured here suggest that GSAs successfully empower their members on a psychological level to “speak out” against antigay sentiments and behaviors but are limited by the fear of parental and community resistance in their ability to develop into fully empowered organizations o...
Studies of Intrinsic Hot Phonon Dynamics in Suspended Graphene by Transient Absorption Microscopy

Correlated transient absorption and atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements have been performed for monolayer graphene, both free-standing and supported on a glass substrate. The AFM images allow us to locate regions of the suspended graphene. The transient absorption traces show a fast instrument response limited decay, followed by a slower intensity dependent decay. The fast decay is assigned to a combination of coupling between the excited charge carriers and the optical phonon modes of graphene and the substrate, and diffusion of the charge carrier out of the probe region. The slow decay is due to the hot phonon effect and reflects the lifetime of the intrinsic optical phonons of graphene. The time constant for the slow decay is longer for suspended graphene compared to substrate-supported graphene. This is attributed to interactions between the excited charge carriers and the surface optical phonon modes of the substrate, which supplies an additional relaxation channel for supported graphene.
Mid-Guidance Instruction Calculation of MediumRange Air-to-Air Intercept Missile

The principle and the existing problems of radio amendment instruction consisted in the classical medium-range air-to-air intercept missile are described. Then a new method of variable period mid-guidance instruction is proposed. A variable period instruction model is established based on the Current Statistical Model( CSM) of target. The predicted target motion value is introduced into mid-guidance instruction,and the period of mid-guidance instruction is changed according to the estimated remaining time of midguidance. The simulation result indicates that the modified instruction model can improve the tracking efficiency of seeker and limit the error of target's designation angle in intercepting and capturing.
328 ARE PATIENTS RECEIVING ASPIRIN FOR PRIMARY AND SECONDARY PREVENTION OF CORONARY DISEASE

Purpose In 2002, the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommended use of aspirin for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. This study investigates the impact of the recommendation on physician prescribing patterns of aspirin. Methods Data from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) were used to determine the rates of aspirin use in target patients in 2001 and in 2003. As outlined by the USPSTF, patients were considered aspirin candidates if they met criteria for age (> 40 yo in males, > 51 yo in females) or medical conditions (diabetics > 30 yo and all hypertensives). Patients were excluded from consideration if they had contraindications to aspirin use. Results There were 460,460,000 visits in 2001 and 450,660,000 visits in 2003, which included diagnosis codes consistent with aspirin candidacy. These represent approximately half of the visits by adults. Among office visits by these eligible patients, 12.3% received aspirin in 2001 and 14.0% in 2003 (p = .0169). Among office visits by patients with coronary disease, 39.4% received aspirin in 2001 and 38.8% in 2003 (p = .0438). Conclusions Among patients eligible for aspirin use as primary prevention for cardiovascular disease, a small but significant increase in aspirin prescriptions was seen from 2001 to 2003. Since the USPSTF guideline regarding aspirin use was released in 2002, it is likely to have contributed to higher aspirin prescribing among physicians. Further research is needed to determine why physician adoption of this recommendation is not more widespread.
The Global Financial Crisis of 2008–2009: Implications for Emerging Asia

The onset of the crisis in the US and Western Europe initially had only marginal impacts on emerging Asia. In the first instance there was an increase in gross outflows from Asian investors in 2008, as the initial response of some Asian investors – especially sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) – was to invest aggressively in selected US and European financial and related assets, believing them to be grossly under-priced. However, as the crisis intensified, and with the prospect of being faced with significant capital losses with the collapse of major financial institutions and overall asset prices in the developed world, these gross outflows from Asia probably tapered off, if they were not reversed completely.
Ecological Consequences of Shoreline Hardening: A Meta-Analysis

Protecting coastal communities has become increasingly important as their populations grow, resulting in increased demand for engineered shore protection and hardening of over 50% of many urban shorelines. Shoreline hardening is recognized to reduce ecosystem services that coastal populations rely on, but the amount of hardened coastline continues to grow in many ecologically important coastal regions. Therefore, to inform future management decisions, we conducted a meta-analysis of studies comparing the ecosystem services of biodiversity (richness or diversity) and habitat provisioning (organism abundance) along shorelines with versus without engineered-shore structures. Seawalls supported 23% lower biodiversity and 45% fewer organisms than natural shorelines. In contrast, biodiversity and abundance supported by riprap or breakwater shorelines were not different from natural shorelines; however, effect sizes were highly heterogeneous across organism groups and studies. As coastal development increases, the type and location of shoreline hardening could greatly affect the habitat value and functioning of nearshore ecosystems.
Essentials of Probability Theory

Essentials of probability theory are reviewed and illustrated by examples. The review covers probability spaces, properties of probability measure, measurable functions and random elements, independence for \(\sigma\)-fields, events, and random elements, expectation operator, Fubini’s theorem, convergence concepts, Radon–Nikodym derivative, distribution and density functions, characteristic function, conditional expectation, discrete time martingales, and direct and improved Monte Carlo simulation.
Stereotypes, Prejudice, and the Taxonomy of the Implicit Social Mind1

How do cognition and affect interact to produce action? Research in intergroup psychology illuminates this question by investigating the relationship between stereotypes and prejudices about social groups. Yet it is now clear that many social attitudes are implicit (roughly, nonconscious or involuntary). This raises the question: how does the distinction between cognition and affect apply to implicit mental states? An influential view—roughly analogous to a Humean theory of action—is that “implicit stereotypes” and “implicit prejudices” constitute two separate constructs, reflecting different mental processes and neural systems. On this basis, some have also argued that interventions to reduce discrimination should combat implicit stereotypes and prejudices separately. We propose an alternative (anti-Humean) framework. We argue that all putative implicit stereotypes are affect-laden and all putative implicit prejudices are “semantic,” that is, they stand in co-activating associations with concepts and beliefs. Implicit biases, therefore, consist in “clusters” of semantic-affective associations, which differ in degree, rather than kind. This framework captures the psychological structure of implicit bias, promises to improve the power of indirect measures to predict behavior, and points toward the design of more effective interventions to combat discrimination.
Reward-related frontostriatal activity and smoking behavior among adolescents in treatment for smoking cessation.

Abstract Background Tobacco use is often initiated during adolescence and continued into adulthood despite desires to quit. A better understanding of the neural correlates of abstinence from smoking in adolescents may inform more effective smoking cessation interventions. Neural reward systems are implicated in tobacco use disorder, and adolescent smokers have shown reduced reward-related ventral striatal activation related to increased smoking. Methods The current study evaluated nondrug reward anticipation in adolescent smokers using a monetary incentive delay task in fMRI pre- and post- smoking cessation treatment ( n = 14). This study tested how changes in neural responses to reward anticipation pre- to post-treatment were related to reduced smoking. An exploratory analysis in a larger sample of adolescents with only pre-treatment fMRI ( n = 28) evaluated how neural responses to reward anticipation were related to behavioral inhibition and behavioral activation scales. Results Adolescent smokers showed pre- to post-treatment increases in reward anticipation-related activity in the bilateral nucleus accumbens and insula, and medial prefrontal cortex, and greater increases in reward anticipation-related activity were correlated with larger percent days of smoking abstinence during treatment. Conclusions These findings suggest that reduced smoking during smoking cessation treatment is associated with a “recovery of function” in frontostriatal responses to nondrug reward anticipation in adolescent smokers, although comparison with a developmental control group of adolescent nonsmokers is warranted.
LLVM Compiler Implementation for Explicit Parallelization and SIMD Vectorization

With advances of modern multi-core processors and accelerators, many modern applications are increasingly turning to compiler-assisted parallel and vector programming models such as OpenMP, OpenCL, Halide, Python and TensorFlow. It is crucial to ensure that LLVM-based compilers can optimize parallel and vector code as effectively as possible. In this paper, we first present a set of updated LLVM IR extensions for explicitly parallel, vector, and offloading program constructs in the context of C/C++/OpenCL. Secondly, we describe our LLVM design and implementation for advanced features in OpenMP such as parallel loop reduction, task and taskloop, SIMD loop and functions, and we discuss the impact of our updated implementation on existing LLVM optimization passes. Finally, we present a re-use case of our infrastructure to enable explicit parallelization and vectorization extensions in our OpenCL compiler to achieve ~35x performance speedup for a well-known autonomous driving workload on a multi-core platform configured with Intel® Xeon® Scalable Processors.
Measuring Adherence Among HIV-Infected Persons: Is MEMS Consummate Technology?

The measurement of adherence to antiretroviral medications has become a major focus of HIV research. Accurate means of assessing adherence is critical. The HIV epidemic has provided unique challenges in the quest to accurately determine adherence to medications. The strengths and weaknesses of the most common means for assessing adherence are briefly reviewed. Case studies from a research study assessing adherence in alcohol abusing patients with HIV are presented to illustrate the actual use of the Medication Events Monitoring System (MEMS) and patient self-report in a clinical research setting. Practical recommendations for optimizing measurement of adherence are provided. In research studies examining adherence to HIV medications, MEMS's potential to provide detailed accurate adherence information may be quite limited because of the complexity of the regimen, patient lifestyle factors, and the use of adherence aids such as pill boxes. Innovative measurement of medication adherence remains a critical research priority.
Estimation of game-level attendance in major league soccer: Outcome uncertainty and absolute quality considerations

Abstract Despite its continued growth, there are doubts about the sustainability of demand for Major League Soccer, which has a strong focus on superstar externalities through its designated player rules. Yet there is relatively limited research directly focusing on classical determinants of demand for league attendance. The authors set out to establish an estimate of the relative importance of relative quality – outcome uncertainty – and absolute quality in game attendance. They find that fans behave in ways more consistent with the loss aversion hypothesis than the uncertainty of outcome hypothesis, with considerable interest in both home and away team absolute quality.
Assessing health outcomes, quality of life, and healthcare use among school-age children with asthma

Objective: Asthma affects six million children in the United States. Most people can control their asthma symptoms with effective care, management, and appropriate medical treatment. Information on...
Reasons Associated with Total Thyroidectomy as Initial Surgical Management of an Indeterminate Thyroid Nodule.

Diagnostic hemithyroidectomy (HT) is the most widely recommended surgical procedure for a nodule with indeterminate cytology; however, additional details may make initial total thyroidectomy (TT) preferable. We sought to identify patient-specific factors (PSFs) associated with initial TT in patients with indeterminate thyroid nodules. Retrospective analysis of all patients with a thyroid nodule ≥ 1 cm and initial cytology of atypia of undetermined significance or suspicious for follicular neoplasm between 2012 and 2015 who underwent thyroidectomy. Medical records were reviewed for patient demographics, neck symptoms, nodule size, cytology, molecular test results, final histopathology, and additional PSFs influencing surgical management. Variables were analyzed to determine associations with the use of initial TT. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify independent associations. Of 325 included patients, 182/325 (56.0%) had HT and 143/325 (44.0%) had TT. While patient age and sex, nodule size, and cytology result were not associated with initial treatment, five PSFs were associated with initial TT (p < 0.0001). These included contralateral nodules, hypothyroidism, fluorodeoxyglucose avidity on positron emission tomography scan, family history of thyroid cancer, and increased surgical risk. At least one PSF was present in 126/143 (88.1%) TT patients versus 47/182 (25.8%) HT patients (p < 0.0001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that these variables were the strongest independent predictor of TT (odds ratio 45.93, 95% confidence interval 18.80–112.23, p < 0.001). When surgical management of an indeterminate cytology thyroid nodule was performed, several PSFs were associated with a preference by surgeons and patients for initial TT, which may be useful to consider in making decisions on initial operative extent.
Disparities in receipt of follow-up care instructions among female adult cancer survivors: Results from a national survey.

Abstract Objective To evaluate predictors of receipt of follow-up instructions at completion of cancer treatment among women with breast and gynecologic cancers (cervical, endometrial, ovarian) in the United States, and determine if the factors differ by cancer type. Methods We designed a cross-sectional study using data from the "Cancer Survivorship" module of the 2016 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). We created logistic regression models to determine characteristics associated with receipt of follow-up care instructions, and stratified by models by cancer type to evaluate differences in factors. Results Our sample included 954 (66%) and 492 (34%) women with breast and gynecologic cancers respectively. Even after adjustment, women treated for gynecologic cancer had 63% lower odds [0.37 (0.25–0.55)] of receiving follow-up instructions compared to women with breast cancer. Among breast cancer patients, those with an income 2 ) had higher odds of receiving follow-up instructions [1.91 (1.15–3.18)]. Among gynecologic cancer patients, those diagnosed 51–75 years had higher odds of receiving follow-up instructions compared to those diagnosed ≤50 years [2.54 (1.13–5.70)]. Conclusion In our study, gynecologic cancer patients less frequently received follow-up instructions compared to breast cancer patients. Receipt of follow-up instructions also differed by demographic and lifestyle factors. The results provide evidence for the need of public health initiatives to increase the frequency of follow-up instructions for gynecologic cancer patients, which can potentially increase the rate of follow-up and improve long-term outcomes.
Suicidal Behaviors in College Students: Frequency, Sex Differences, and Mental Health Correlates Including Sluggish Cognitive Tempo.

Abstract Purpose To (1) describe rates of suicidal behaviors in a sample of college students, (2) evaluate sex differences, and (3) provide a preliminary examination of the unique association of sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) symptoms and other mental health dimensions in relation to suicidal behaviors in college students. Methods Participants were 1,704 college students from two universities who completed measures assessing mental health symptoms and suicidal behaviors (i.e., past ideation/attempts, past-year ideation, disclosure of intent to commit suicide to another person, and likelihood of a future suicide attempt). Results Four percent of participants reported a previous suicide attempt and 2.2% indicated that it was likely they would attempt suicide someday. 7.5% reported thinking about killing themselves often in the past year; 41.4% of these participants reported they had never told someone they might attempt suicide. Approximately one quarter (24%) of participants were classified with suicide risk based on an empirically established cutoff score, though rates differed between women (26.1%) and men (20.4%). Women were also more likely than men to report a previous suicide attempt and to tell someone else about their suicidal ideation. In regression models, depression was the strongest correlate of suicidal behaviors. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms were unassociated with suicidal behaviors when accounting for internalizing symptoms. SCT remained significantly associated with increased suicidal behaviors beyond other mental health dimensions including depression. Conclusions A substantial minority of college students report suicidal behaviors, with sex differences dependent on the specific behavior examined. This study provides the first evidence linking SCT to suicidal behaviors in young adults.
Outcomes: giving credit where credit is due.

(2000). O UTCOMES : G IVING C REDIT W HERE C REDIT I S D UE. Prehospital Emergency Care: Vol. 4, No. 4, pp. 372-372.
A simulation of three dimensional oxygen transport in brain tissue with a single neuron-single capillary system by the Williford-Bruley technique.

Despite the importance of biological mass transfer, its mathematical models have been difficult to develop because of the complexity of biological systems and the lack of sufficient and efficient computational techniques to solve the resulting equations. The Williford-Bruley (W-B) Technique is a probabilistic numerical method which is found to be a better method to solve this kind of problems because of following advantages. In computation of the solution, this technique takes only mean distances of the probability distribution function instead of performing actual random walks which require enormous computation time. This property makes it simple to apply and reduces the computation time. The W-B technique can solve three dimensional time dependent diffusion-convection-reaction problems, which are very difficult to solve by other methods. The first objective of this simulation is the application of the W-B technique for solving a three dimensional time dependent bio-mass transport problem in a heterogeneous system (2, 21, 22).
Effects of program scale-up on time to resolution for patients with abnormal screening mammography results.

Effects of geographic program expansion to rural areas on screening program outcomes are understudied. We sought to determine whether time-to-resolution (TTR) varied significantly by service delivery time period, location, and participant characteristics across 19 North Texas counties. We calculated proportions undergoing diagnostic follow-up and resolved ≤ 60 days. We calculated median TTR for each time period and abnormal result BI-RADS 0, 4, 5. Cox proportional hazards regressions estimated time period and patient characteristic effects on TTR. Wilcoxon rank sum tests evaluated whether TTR differed between women who did or did not transfer between counties for services. TTR ranged from 14 to 17 days for BI-RADs 0, 4, and 5; 12.4% transferred to a different county, resulting in longer median TTR (26 vs. 16 days; p < .001). Of those completing follow-up, 92% were resolved ≤ 60 days (median 15 days). For BI-RAD 3, TTR was 208 days (including required 180 day waiting period). Follow-up was significantly lower for women with BI-RAD 3 (59% vs. 96%; p < .0001). Expansion maintained timely service delivery, increasing access to screening among rural, uninsured women. Policies adding a separate quality metric for BI-RAD 3 could encourage follow-up monitoring to address lower completion and longer TTR among women with this result.
Efficiency of identifying cancer patients who need smoking cessation support.

e13542Background: NCCN Guidelines recommend smoking cessation support for patients who report smoking within the past 30 days. However, few reports have evaluated the utility of standardized questi...
Comparisons of Citizen Science Data-Gathering Approaches to Evaluate Urban Butterfly Diversity.

By 2030, ten percent of earth’s landmass will be occupied by cities. Urban environments can be home to many plants and animals, but surveying and estimating biodiversity in these spaces is complicated by a heterogeneous built environment where access and landscaping are highly variable due to human activity. Citizen science approaches may be the best way to assess urban biodiversity, but little is known about their relative effectiveness and efficiency. Here, we compare three techniques for acquiring data on butterfly (Lepidoptera: Rhopalocera) species richness: trained volunteer Pollard walks, Malaise trapping with expert identification, and crowd-sourced iNaturalist observations. A total of 30 butterfly species were observed; 27 (90%) were recorded by Pollard walk observers, 18 (60%) were found in Malaise traps, and 22 (73%) were reported by iNaturalist observers. Pollard walks reported the highest butterfly species richness, followed by iNaturalist and then Malaise traps during the four-month time period. Pollard walks also had significantly higher species diversity than Malaise traps.
Who Would You Rather Work For? The Effect of Gender on Employee Perceptions

This study, a conjoint analysis, uses age, gender, and the leadership characteristics from the 12-item Bem Sex Role Inventory to determine how feminine and masculine characteristics affect the way ...
Bone Marrow T Cell Subpopulations in Patients with Newly Diagnosed B-Cell Precursor Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL).

Besides its role in hemato- and lymphopoiesis, bone marrow (BM) has emerged as a secondary lymphoid organ with important roles in both T cell priming and memory responses. Due to these properties, non-malignant T cells persisting within the BM of patients with acute leukemias may be involved in the immune response to leukemia and the control of minimal residual disease. Here, we investigated the phenotypic signature of residual T cells present at diagnosis in 25 pediatric patients (age 2–16 years) with B cell precursor ALL. Patients with high risk disease including Philadelphia chromosome-positive or MLL-rearranged leukemias were excluded from this analysis. Mononuclear cells were isolated from freshly aspirated BM by density gradient centrifugation and analyzed by six-color-flow cytometry using monoclonal antibodies directed towards various T-cell associated surface and intracellular markers, including CD3/CD56/TCRαβ/TCRγδ/CD86/HLA-DR (Panel 1); CD3/CD4/CD8/CCR7/CD45RA/ CD45RO (Panel 2); CD4/FoxP3/CD25/CD45RA/CD45RO/CCR7 (Panel 3). For each sample, ≥15,000 CD3+ cells (Panel 1, 2) or ≥8,000 CD4+ cells (Panel 3) were analyzed with FACS Canto and Diva Software. The Student’s t test was used to determine statistical significances between individual subgroups, and correlations were performed using the Pearson test. Consistent with published data on BM T cell subsets in healthy donors, the CD4+/CD8+ T cell ratio was 1.32±0.41. The predominant subset among CD8+ T cells (55.2±17.6%) had a naive T cell phenotype (CD45RA+CCR7+), while 20.7±11.5% were effector memory T cells (T EM ; CD45RA-CCR7-), and 7.1±6.2% were central memory T cells (T CM ; CD45RA-CCR7+). No differences were found between TEL/AML1 positive or negative leukemias, or between patients stratified into standard (SR) vs. medium risk (MR) groups according to the criteria of the ALL-BFM 2000 study group. T cells bearing γδ T cell receptors have been attributed important roles in the primary immune defense against microbes and in immune control of cancer. We found that 6.9±3.0% (1.8 to 11.8%) of BM T cells were γδTCR+ (Vγ9Vδ2). A statistically significant (p high Tregs among BM CD4+ T cells from all ALL patients. Again, no significant differences were found according to TEL/AML1 status or risk stratification. Recent attention was drawn on the existence of both naive and memory Treg subpopulations, differing by their expression of CD45RA and CCR7, and conflicting results were reported regarding the relative frequency of either subpopulation. We found a slight predominance of T EM Tregs (47.4±11.4%) above naive (36.0±10.1%) and T CM Tregs (9.8±4.4%). In summary, while γδ T cells were found at significantly distinct numbers between patients stratified into standard and medium risk groups, no major phenotypic differences were found in residual BM αβ T cell subsets between individual subgroups in non-high-risk pediatric ALL. Future experiments will establish the functional role of the T cell subpopulations in immune control or escape in pediatric ALL.