cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation and Stability Analysis of Video-Based Navigation System for Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery on In Vivo Clinical Data

Functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) is one of the most common outpatient surgical procedures performed in the head and neck region. It is used to treat chronic sinusitis, a disease characterized by inflammation in the nose and surrounding paranasal sinuses, affecting about 15% of the adult population. During FESS, the nasal cavity is visualized using an endoscope, and instruments are used to remove tissues that are often within a millimeter of critical anatomical structures, such as the optic nerve, carotid arteries, and nasolacrimal ducts. To maintain orientation and to minimize the risk of damage to these structures, surgeons use surgical navigation systems to visualize the 3-D position of their tools on patients’ preoperative Computed Tomographies (CTs). This paper presents an image-based method for enhanced endoscopic navigation. The main contributions are: (1) a system that enables a surgeon to asynchronously register a sequence of endoscopic images to a CT scan with higher accuracy than other reported solutions using no additional hardware; (2) the ability to report the robustness of the registration; and (3) evaluation on in vivo human data. The system also enables the overlay of anatomical structures, visible, or occluded, on top of video images. The methods are validated on four different data sets using multiple evaluation metrics. First, for experiments on synthetic data, we observe a mean absolute position error of 0.21mm and a mean absolute orientation error of 2.8° compared with ground truth. Second, for phantom data, we observe a mean absolute position error of 0.97mm and a mean absolute orientation error of 3.6° compared with the same motion tracked by an electromagnetic tracker. Third, for cadaver data, we use fiducial landmarks and observe an average reprojection distance error of 0.82mm. Finally, for in vivo clinical data, we report an average ICP residual error of 0.88mm in areas that are not composed of erectile tissue and an average ICP residual error of 1.09mm in areas that are composed of erectile tissue.
Supporting Collaborative Idea Generation: A Closer Look Using Statistical Process Analysis Techniques

We are developing a conversational agent called VIBRANT to provide adaptive support for brainstorming in pairs in a scientific inquiry context. Our previous experimental study indicated that although adaptive support was effective for learning, it did not mitigate the negative influence of social interaction on idea generation. In this paper, we present a process analysis that makes the effect of the adaptive support on the idea generation process more apparent and suggests directions for future work.
Segmenting Large-Scale Cyber Attacks for Online Behavior Model Generation

Large-scale cyber attack traffic can present challenges to identify which packets are relevant and what attack behaviors are present. Existing works on Host or Flow Clustering attempt to group similar behaviors to expedite analysis, often phrasing the problem as offline unsupervised machine learning. This work proposes online processing to simultaneously segment traffic observables and generate attack behavior models that are relevant to a target. The goal is not just to aggregate similar attack behaviors, but to provide situational awareness by grouping relevant traffic that exhibits one or more behaviors around each asset. The seemingly clustering problem is recast as a supervised learning problem: classifying received traffic to the most likely attack model, and iteratively introducing new models to explain received traffic. A graph-based prior is defined to extract the macroscopic attack structure, which complements security-based features for classification. Malicious traffic captures from CAIDA are used to demonstrate the capability of the proposed attack segmentation and model generation (ASMG) process.
An Evaluation of the Program‐Specific Paragraph in the Otolaryngology Residency Application

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS The recent addition of mandatory program-specific paragraphs within the personal statement during the otolaryngology match process has been controversial. It is unclear whether applicants customize these paragraphs for programs, or if they are largely uniform across applications. The objective of our study was to assess the degree of variability among program-specific paragraphs. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective cohort analysis. METHODS An analysis of deidentified program-specific paragraphs of 2016 otolaryngology residency applicants at two institutions was performed. Applicants who applied to both and had program-specific paragraphs were included. Paragraphs were assessed for 24 parameters, including quantitative content analysis. Subjective and objective similarity scores were assigned to each pair, using a five-point scale and Levenshtein distance function respectively. Differences between institutions were calculated using χ2 and two-sided t tests. RESULTS Two hundred eight-five applications were reviewed, and 181 applied to both programs and had program-specific paragraphs. The median subjective similarity score among all paragraphs was "mildly similar" (2/5). The mean objective similarity score was 0.59. There were statistical differences between institutions in 13 parameters. One institution garnered more applicants who mentioned interest in research or global surgery (71.3% vs. 57.5%, P = .006; 17.7% vs. 4.4%, P < .0001, respectively), whereas the other attracted mention of clinical aspects and geographical ties (80.0% vs. 45.3%, P < .0001; 72.4% vs. 45.3%, P < .0001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Our study suggests that applicants tailor program-specific paragraphs to the individual residency programs. These findings may aid programs and students in understanding the role of this new element of the application. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 4 Laryngoscope, 2508-2513, 2018.
Epigenetic regulation of an oxidative stress mediator Rac1, in the development of diabetic retinopathy

Purpose Generation of cytosolic reactive oxygen species in diabetes via NADPH oxidase 2 (Nox2) damages retinal mitochondria, leading to the development of diabetic retinopathy. Nox2 is a multicomponent enzyme, and a small molecular weight G protein, Rac1, an important stabilizing component of the Nox2 holoenzyme, is also activated. Diabetes also favors many epigenetic modifications, and alters the activities of enzymes implicated in maintaining DNA methylation status. Retinal Rac1 promoter undergoes dynamic DNA methylation in diabetes, and the binding of both DNA methyl transferase (Dnmt1) and DNA hydroxymethyl transferase (Tet2) is altered. Dnmt1 recruitment at the CpG sites of a promoter can also be regulated by histone modifications. The present study aims to investigate a possible link between histone and DNA methylation in the transcriptional regulation of Rac1 in diabetes. Methods Microvessels were prepared by hypotonic shock method from the retina obtained from streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. 5-methyl cytosine and 5-hydroxymethyl cytosine levels were measured at the Rac1 promoter by DNA immunoprecipitation technique. H3K9 methylation, and the binding of methyltransferase Suv39H1 and demethylase Kdm4A, were quantified by chromatin immunoprecipitation assay, and gene transcripts by qRT-PCR. Results Compared to age-matched normal mice, retinal microvessels from diabetic mice had increased levels of 5-hydroxymethyl cytosine at the Rac1 promoter, and while H3K9me3 levels were increased, H3K9me2 and H3K9me1 levels were decreased. Concomitant with this, the enzymes responsible for regulating H3K9 methylation status, Suv39H1 and Kdm4A, were significantly elevated. However, the binding of Suv39H1 at the Rac1 promoter was increased, but that of Kdm4A was decreased. Conclusion Activation of Suv39H1 in diabetes methylates H3K9 and the trimethylated H3K9 assists in the recruitment of DNA methylation machinery at the Rac1 promoter, leading to its activation. Thus, modulating epigenetic modifications could alleviate Rac1 activation and prevent oxidative stress in diabetic retinopathy.
A Highly Sensitive Microwave Biosensor for Single Biological Cell Characterization

A highly sensitive label-free biosensor for detection and characterization of human cells is presented. The biosensor is based on a split-ring resonator with a split-cut of 35µm wide that operates at 2 GHz. The biosensor is designed and simulated using a full-wave simulation tool (Ansys HFSS). Two types of human cells ware modeled as solid spheres with their corresponding experimentally measured electrical properties found in the literature. The resonator successfully differentiated between the two human cells by the means of frequency shifts and changes in its insertion loss.
Proceedings of the second ACM SIGCOMM workshop on Networking, systems, and applications on mobile handhelds

It is our great pleasure to welcome you to the 2010 ACM SIGCOMM Workshop on Networking, Systems, and Applications on Mobile Handhelds -- MobiHeld'10. This year's workshop builds on the success of last year's initial workshop. The mission of the workshop is to generate discussion about the future of computing on handheld devices through presentation of new ideas, preliminary research results, and experience reports from all layers of the mobile-handheld stack. The call for papers attracted 17 submissions from Asia, Europe, and North America. The program committee accepted 9 papers that cover a variety of topics, including service architectures, wireless networks, and novel user interfaces. The program also includes a keynote speech by Sanjoy Paul on the rapidly evolving functionality of handhelds and their place in the larger computing landscape as well as a poster and demo session. We hope that these proceedings will serve as a valuable reference for researchers and developers interested in handheld computing.
Distribution of Proteins at the Inner Nuclear Membrane Is Regulated by the Asi1 E3 Ligase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Inner nuclear membrane (INM) protein composition regulates nuclear function, affecting processes such as gene expression, chromosome organization, nuclear shape, and stability. Mechanisms that drive changes in the INM proteome are poorly understood, in part because it is difficult to definitively assay INM composition rigorously and systematically. Using a split-GFP complementation system to detect INM access, we examined the distribution of all C-terminally tagged Saccharomyces cerevisiae membrane proteins in wild-type cells and in mutants affecting protein quality control pathways, such as INM-associated degradation (INMAD), ER-associated degradation, and vacuolar proteolysis. Deletion of the E3 ligase Asi1 had the most specific effect on the INM compared to mutants in vacuolar or ER-associated degradation pathways, consistent with a role for Asi1 in the INMAD pathway. Our data suggest that Asi1 not only removes mistargeted proteins at the INM, but also controls the levels and distribution of native INM components, such as the membrane nucleoporin Pom33. Interestingly, loss of Asi1 does not affect Pom33 protein levels but instead alters Pom33 distribution in the nuclear envelope through Pom33 ubiquitination, which drives INM redistribution. Taken together, our data demonstrate that the Asi1 E3 ligase has a novel function in INM protein regulation in addition to protein turnover.
ACMSD: A Novel Target for Modulating NAD+ Homeostasis

NAD+ has a pivotal role in regulating many biological processes. A recent study (Palzer et al., Cell Rep. 2018, 25;1359–1370) demonstrated that alpha-amino-beta-carboxy-muconate-semialdehyde decarboxylase (ACMSD) is a key regulator of NAD+ metabolism and overexpression of human ACMSD leads to niacin dependency for NAD+ biosynthesis in mice, providing important insights into human diseases associated with niacin/NAD+ deficiency.
Introduction to the Symposium on Ronald Dworkin's Religion Without God

Boston University School of Law and the Boston University Law Review are proud to publish this Symposium on Dworkin’s final book, Religion Without God (Harvard University Press, 2013), as a sequel to our 2009 Symposium on his Justice for Hedgehogs. The Symposium includes an introduction and eulogy by James E. Fleming and contributions by a number of the most distinguished scholars of law and religion in the United States and the United Kingdom: Jeremy Waldron, Stephen L. Carter, Paul Horwitz, Andrew Koppelman, Cecile Laborde, Linda C. McClain, Micah Schwartzman, and Steven D. Smith.
RACE AND IMMIGRATION IN THE AMERICAN CITY: INTRODUCTION: New Perspectives on Twenty-First Century Intergroup Relations

This special section of the Du Bois Review had its origin in a conference on “Race and Immigration in the American City: New Perspectives on Twenty-First Century Intergroup Relations,” which the Center for the Study of Race, Politics, and Culture convened at the University of Chicago on May 27, 2011. The conference explored the nature of intergroup dynamics within multiracial and multiethnic contexts since 1964, when cities across the land were gradually transformed by the arrival of large numbers of new immigrants hailing from Asia and Latin America. Of particular interest were relations between African Americans and Latinos, two highly racialized groups who are often deemed in fierce competition with each other for poorly paid, unskilled jobs. The essays gathered here are the fruits of that conference.
Automated semantic labeling of pediatric musculoskeletal radiographs using deep learning

An automated method for identifying the anatomical region of an image independent of metadata labels could improve radiologist workflow (e.g., automated hanging protocols) and help facilitate the automated curation of large medical imaging data sets for machine learning purposes. Deep learning is a potential tool for this purpose. To develop and test the performance of deep convolutional neural networks (DCNN) for the automated classification of pediatric musculoskeletal radiographs by anatomical area. We utilized a database of 250 pediatric bone radiographs (50 each of the shoulder, elbow, hand, pelvis and knee) to train 5 DCNNs, one to detect each anatomical region amongst the others, based on ResNet-18 pretrained on ImageNet (transfer learning). For each DCNN, the radiographs were randomly split into training (64%), validation (12%) and test (24%) data sets. The training and validation data sets were augmented 30 times using standard preprocessing methods. We also tested our DCNNs on a separate test set of 100 radiographs from a single institution. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) with area under the curve (AUC) were used to evaluate DCNN performances. All five DCNN trained for classification of the radiographs into anatomical region achieved ROC AUC of 1, respectively, for both test sets. Classification of the test radiographs occurred at a rate of 33 radiographs per s. DCNNs trained on a small set of images with 30 times augmentation through standard processing techniques are able to automatically classify pediatric musculoskeletal radiographs into anatomical region with near-perfect to perfect accuracy at superhuman speeds. This concept may apply to other body parts and radiographic views with the potential to create an all-encompassing semantic-labeling DCNN.
How Young Children Learn Language and Speech

Pediatric clinicians are on the front line for prevention of language and speech disorders. This review uses prevailing theories and recent data to justify strategies for prevention, screening and detection, diagnosis, and treatment of language and speech disorders. Primary prevention rests on theories that language learning is an interaction between the child's learning capacities and the language environment. Language learning occurs in a social context with active child engagement. Theories support parent education and public programs that increase children's exposure to child-directed speech. Early detection of delays requires knowledge of language milestones and recognition of high-risk indicators for disorders. Male sex, bilingual environments, birth order, and chronic otitis media are not adequate explanations for significant delays in language or speech. Current guidelines recommend both general and autism-specific screening. Environmental and genetic factors contribute to primary language and speech disorders. Secondary and tertiary prevention requires early identification of children with language and speech disorders. Disorders may be found in association with chromosomal, genetic, neurologic, and other health conditions. Systematic reviews find that speech-language therapy, alone or in conjunction with other developmental services, is effective for many disorders. Speech-language interventions alter the environment and stimulate children's targeted responding to improve their skills.
Patient perceptions of treatment with medication treatment for opioid use disorder (MOUD) in the Vermont hub-and-spoke system.

Abstract In 2013, Vermont leaders implemented the “hub-and-spoke” (H & S) system to increase access to medication treatment for opioid use disorder (MOUD). “Hubs” are licensed specialty opioid treatment programs (OTPs) with the authority to dispense buprenorphine/naloxone and methadone. “Spokes” are primary care practices that provide office-based opioid treatment, primarily with buprenorphine/naloxone. This report describes the qualitative component of an evaluation of the H&S system, conducted in 2016. The qualitative data collection assessed patient perspectives about the positive and negative aspects of treatment in the H & S system. The data collected included 80 responses to five open-ended questions and 24 in-depth interviews. Five open-ended questions were completed with hub (n = 40) and spoke (n = 40) participants. In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with different hub (n =12) and spoke (n =12) participants. Findings from both data collection approaches suggest positive perceptions about treatment overall by patients treated in both settings. Participants treated in spokes reported a positive treatment environment, minimal stigma, and few obstacles to treatment and a strong positive relationship with their prescriber. Hub patients valued the MOUD and expressed gratitude for having access to MOUD, but reported the treatment environment was somewhat challenging, with long lines and drug talk in the clinic, high staff turnover and “cookie cutter” treatment. There appear to be some differences in patient perceptions of MOUD treatment between patients treated in primary care settings and specialized OTP settings.
Violent Neoliberalism: Development, Discourse, and Dispossession in Cambodia

Simon Springer. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan, 2015. xiii and 219 pp., map, figures, table, notes, bibliography, index. $100.00 paper (ISBN 978-1-349-50363-6); $89.99 cloth (ISBN 978-1-137-48532...
Positioning Therapies in the Management of Crohn’s Disease

In the past decade, several new therapies with different mechanisms of action have been approved for the management of moderate to severe Crohn's disease. However, there is limited guidance on optimal positioning of agents as first- or second-line therapies because of the absence of head-to-head trials. Furthermore, given the lack of comparative studies, treatment guidelines have provided limited insight. In this review, we discuss data on key treatment attributes, comparative efficacy and safety, factors predictive of response to each agent, and propose an algorithm for positioning therapies for the management of patients with low-risk and high-risk Crohn's disease.
4G coverage mapping with an ultra-micro drone

Drone mapping of 4G cellular network coverage is presented using an ultra-micro drone of weight less then 300 g with a 1 hour flight time. The data show a 10 dB increase in RSSI (received signal strength indication) per 100 feet (30 m) of altitude gain. This method could be broadly adopted by cell phone carriers as an economical, efficient way to map 4G network coverage over large areas.
Clinical, Demographic, and Imaging Correlates of Anemia in Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction (from the RELAX Trial).

Anemia is a commonly occurring comorbidity among patients of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) but limited data exists on the cardiovascular phenotype of anemia in HFpEF. We sought to characterize the clinical features, exercise capacity, and outcomes in patients with HFpEF to elucidate the phenotype and pathophysiology of anemia in HFpEF. Post hoc analyses of participants enrolled in the RELAX (Phosphodiesterase-5 Inhibition to Improve Clinical Status and Exercise Capacity in Diastolic Heart Failure) trial was performed. Anemia was defined as hemoglobin
Republished: A case of right middle cerebral artery ‘tendonectomy’ following mitral valve replacement surgery

Following mechanical mitral valve replacement surgery, a 69-year-old woman had an ischemic stroke in the right middle cerebral artery territory. Mechanical thrombectomy showed the embolus to be a piece of chordae tendineae excised during the valve replacement surgery.
Chapter 30 – Cancer Chemotherapy

The liver plays a major role in metabolism and disposition of many anticancer drugs. Liver disease or biliary obstruction may preclude their use or predispose to toxicity to the liver or other organs. Risk factors for drug-induced liver injury (DILI) from anticancer drugs include the narrow therapeutic range of anticancer drugs, the polypharmacy implicit in combination regimens, malnutrition, and the many supportive drugs used in this patient population. Mild or moderate elevations of liver tests without clinical toxicity are commonly seen with anticancer therapy and may often be ignored. Despite the risk factors, frank liver injury is uncommon in patients treated with conventional dose chemotherapy. The diagnosis of DILI may be complicated by liver disease caused by the underlying cancer or cancer therapy.
Effects of supplementation with high linoleic or oleic cracked safflower seeds on postpartum reproduction and calf performance of primiparous beef heifers

Primiparous Angus x Gelbvieh (n = 36) rotationally crossed beef cows (initial BW = 487.9 +/- 10.5 kg, body condition score = 5.5 +/- 0.02) were utilized to determine effects of supplemental safflower seeds high in linoleic (76% 18:2) or oleic (72% 18:1) acid on cow BW change, body condition score, milk production and composition, calf weight gain, cow serum metabolites, and metabolic hormones. On d 3 postpartum, cows were randomly assigned to one of three isonitrogenous dietary supplements with equal total quantity of TDN: corn-soybean control supplement (n = 12); high-linoleate safflower seeds (n = 12); or high-oleate safflower seeds (n = 12). Safflower-seed supplements were formulated to provide 5% DMI as fat. Supplements were individually fed from d 3 postpartum through 90 d postpartum. Cows had ad libitum access to native grass hay (7.8% CP), trace-mineralized salt, and water. Date of parturition was evenly distributed across treatments with all cows calving within 14 +/- 0.8 d. There were no differences (P = 0.65) in total OM intake among treatments. Although cow BW change did not differ (P = 0.33) by treatment, supplementation influenced cow body condition score (P = 0.02) with linoleate-supple-mented cows in higher (P = 0.005) condition overall than oleate-supplemented cows (5.1 +/- 0.06 vs 4.9 +/- 0.06). Twenty-four-hour milk production did not differ (P = 0.68) among treatments. Percentage milk fat was not different at d 30; however, at d 60 and d 90 percentage milk fat was greater (P ( 0.05) in control and oleate-supplemented cows than in linoleate-supplemented cows. Calf BW gains (P = 0.27) and adjusted 205-d weights (P = 0.48) were not affected by supplement treatment. Supplementation did not influence serum concentrations of glucose (P = 0.38), NEFA (P = 0.61), GH (P = 0.29), IGF-I (P = 0.81), insulin (P = 0.26), or IGF-I binding proteins (P > or = 0.11). Days to conception did not differ (P = 0.40) among treatments. Although overall productivity of the primiparous cows and their calves was not altered by safflower-seed supplementation, differential effects were noted between supplements. Oleate supplementation increased percentage milk fat at d 60, and cow body condition score was lower than in linoleate-supplemented cows. Linoleate-supplemented cows had greater body condition scores by 90 d postpartum than either corn-soybean- or oleatesupplemented cows.
Foundation Species Shift Alters the Energetic Landscape of Marsh Nekton

Climate change driven sea level rise and mangrove expansion are rapidly altering coastal systems in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Such substantial and wide-spread change will likely have substantial effects on the flow of energy through the food webs in these systems. Using stable isotopes and habitat cover maps, we built energetic landscapes (E-scapes) for three nekton species to determine how the landscape’s ability to produce energy changes with changing habitat cover over a 5-year period. Between 2015 and 2020, 25% (367.26 ha) of marsh habitat converted into mangrove habitat and 10% (144.93 ha) of marsh habitat transitioned into water. We observed an overall decrease in the energetic benefit to all consumers with increasing mangrove cover, due to the fact mangrove detritus is not used as a food source by consumers in our system. Edge habitat had a positive relationship with overall energetic production, likely due to the increase in available area for benthic algal production. The relationship between edge habitat and water habitat suggests that while these areas may initially increase in their ability to support consumer species, continued sea level rise will lead to reductions in the landscape’s ability to produce energy for consumers as land is converted to water. As these coastal areas experience rapid habitat cover changes, the reduction in energetic quality of habitats could lead to a reduction in the ability of these systems to support existing consumer species.
JAK inhibitors and VTE risk: how concerned should we be?

Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors have become standard treatment for patients with rheumatoid arthritis who do not respond well to other DMARDs. Concerns have been raised over an increased risk of venous thromboembolism with JAK inhibitors, tempering enthusiasm for their use in the clinic, but are these concerns justified?
Winners and Losers: U.S. Country and Industry Estimates of Pillar One Amount A

This project started with a clue and a hunch. The clue: The OECD’s Economic Impact Assessment (EIA) mentions that its estimates for automated digital services (ADS) use U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) data on the information sector. The hunch: BEA data might provide fine-grained estimates of the impacts of Pillar One Amount A at the country and industry levels for ADS and consumer-facing businesses (CFB). The hunch was correct. To the best of my knowledge, this article is the first to provide public estimates of the impacts of Amount A at the individual country and industry levels, from a single-country perspective. Corporate income tax (CIT) base gains and losses, by country and industry, are provided for both jurisdictions with MOFAs (majority-owned foreign affiliates with U.S. parents) and MOUSAs (U.S. majority-owned affiliates with foreign parents). Estimates using 2018 preliminary BEA data are provided for ADS, four CFB industries (pharma, retail trade, transportation, and wholesale trade), and all industries. The key results are: (1) From the U.S. perspective, Pillar One Amount A is primarily a U.S.-Europe story since MOFAs in Europe and European MOUSAs in the United States dominate foreign affiliate sales and profits for ADS, CFB, and all industries. (2) Europe in its role as host to MOFAs and the United States as host to European MOUSAs would, for most industries, be tax-relieving jurisdictions expected to give up CIT base under Amount A. Comparing the relative sizes of U.S. and European CIT base changes across industries suggests that Europe would lose relative to United States. (3) Amount A shifts the CIT base from jurisdictions with more profitable affiliates to jurisdictions with less profitable affiliates, as measured by their return on sales (ROS). An unintended negative consequence of using ROS to re-allocate MNE taxable profits could be discouraging investment and growth. (4) Most Residence jurisdictions including the United States follow a territorial CIT system that exempts foreign source income from tax. Thus, CIT base relief under Amount A must come from other Source jurisdictions. Since Source jurisdictions have incentives to game the Amount A formula, the net effect would be to increase the MNE global tax base. (5) The United States, as a large country with market power, could reap additional benefits from gaming the Amount A formula by underproviding or refusing to provide tax base relief for high-performing MOUSAs while also levying more Amount A taxes on low-performing MOUSAs. U.S. tax games could, however, trigger tit-for-tat retaliation by other large jurisdictions (e.g., the European Union) against MOFAs. (6) Amount A could be used by tax authorities to discriminate against foreign-owned affiliates, which would favor domestic firms and violate the national treatment and most favored nation principles; thus Amount A could have the unintended consequence of becoming a trade-related investment measure (TRIM).
Effect of a narrative intervention on individual-level abortion stigma: a randomised controlled trial.

Objective To evaluate the effect of a narrative intervention on individual-level abortion stigma in patients undergoing abortion. Study design This randomised controlled trial examined individual-level abortion stigma and psychological distress among patients undergoing outpatient abortion. Patients were randomised to a narrative intervention verus usual care. The intervention consisted of viewing a digital narrative and responding to a writing prompt. Abortion stigma was measured using the Individual Level Abortion Stigma Scale (ILAS) and psychological distress was assessed with a modified Profile of Mood States-Short Form (POMS-SF) at baseline and after 2 weeks. The primary outcome compared change in ILAS score from baseline to follow-up between groups. The secondary outcome compared change in the modified POMS-SF score. Results We randomised 215 participants. Baseline characteristics were similar between groups. Overall baseline stigma scores were low. The study groups did not differ significantly in the primary ILAS outcome (mean change=0.07 in both groups with score range 0 to 3.5, 95% CI -0.11 to 0.11, p=0.98). There was also no significant difference in the secondary modified POMS-SF outcome (mean change −0.64 for the intervention group and −0.65 for the control group with score range −8 to 8, 95% CI -1.10 to 1.12, p=0.98). Black participants, comprising the majority, demonstrated lower levels of individual-level abortion stigma and psychological distress at baseline than participants identifying with any other race (mean baseline ILAS score of 0.70 vs 1.00 and mean modified POMS-SF score of −3.00 vs −1.45, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.46 and 95% CI 0.28 to 2.01, p=0.001 and p=0.02, respectively). Conclusions Patients who participated in a narrative intervention did not score lower on an individual-level abortion stigma scale compared with a control group at 2-week follow-up. Demographic characteristics may predict levels of individual-level abortion stigma and psychological distress among patients seeking abortion.
Pneumonia rebound after stopping steroid in a patient with COVID-19: A case report.

Patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can develop a systemic inflammatory response that can lead to lung injury and multisystem organ dysfunction. The current treatment guideline recommends the use of corticosteroids in patients who require supplemental oxygen or are mechanically ventilated. This study reports a patient with severe COVID-19 pneumonia. Initially, the patient was treated with dexamethasone for 10 days and remdesivir for 5 days. There was clinical improvement following the treatments. However, on day 15, the patient experienced rebound pneumonia and clinical deterioration. His clinical condition improved until dexamethasone was re-administered. This case demonstrates the rebound phenomenon after the steroid was discontinued. The duration and timing of steroids are crucial to reduce the risk of prolonged systemic inflammation and rebound pneumonia.
Single-pass Object-adaptive Data Undersampling and Reconstruction for MRI.

There is much recent interest in techniques to accelerate the data acquisition process in MRI by acquiring limited measurements. Often sophisticated reconstruction algorithms are deployed to maintain high image quality in such settings. In this work, we propose a data-driven sampler using a convolutional neural network, MNet, to provide object-specific sampling patterns adaptive to each scanned object. The network observes very limited low-frequency k-space data for each object and rapidly predicts the desired undersampling pattern in one go that achieves high image reconstruction quality. We propose an accompanying alternating-type training framework with a mask-backward procedure that efficiently generates training labels for the sampler network and jointly trains an image reconstruction network. Experimental results on the fastMRI knee dataset demonstrate the ability of the proposed learned undersampling network to generate object-specific masks at fourfold and eightfold acceleration that achieve superior image reconstruction performance than several existing schemes. The source code for the proposed joint sampling and reconstruction learning framework is available at https://github.com/zhishenhuang/mri.
Subnational EBED Cases

Local or subnational EBED projects exemplify how programs and projects are organized to meet EBED goals by regional, state, or local governments; nonprofits; entrepreneurs; and communities. Local approaches are important because they can be initiated at a lower overall cost than national approaches, and they can be shaped to meet the specific needs of a community or region within a country. Further, when national governments are confined or restricted within their EBED strategy or agenda, subnational regions and localities can often break through those barriers and be laboratories of innovation for EBED. Subnational cases presented in this chapter are initiatives set in Sao Paulo, Brazil; Oregon, United States; Copenhagen, Denmark; rural villages in Cambodia; southwestern Pennsylvania, United States; and villages in Rwanda.
Innovation and Diffusion in a Single Europe: Institutional Structure and Industrial Prospects for the European Communities

The recent flurry of motion toward the goal of a Single Europe (at least for the 12 members of the European Communities) has been marked by considerable optimism about the effects of the elimination of internal barriers on the economy of the European Communities (EC). Indeed, the high expectations of economic gains are inseparable from the progress toward integration because the expected economic gains are a principal benefit that compensates for the costs of conveying some control over national ways of life to the strange quasi-government of the EC. Because the integration process will cause some losses in the national individuality that people value, progress toward integration would be unlikely to occur if people did not expect economic gains.
Accelerated Strength Testing of Thermoplastic Composites

Constant ramp strength tests on unidirectional thermoplastic composite specimens oriented in the 90 deg. direction were conducted at constant temperatures ranging from 149 C to 232 C. Ramp rates spanning 5 orders of magnitude were tested so that failures occurred in the range from 0.5 sec. to 24 hrs. (0.5 to 100,000 MPa/sec). Below 204 C, time-temperature superposition held allowing strength at longer times to be estimated from strength tests at shorter times but higher temperatures. The data indicated that a 50% drop in strength might be expected for this material when the test time is increased by 9 orders of magnitude. The shift factors derived from compliance data applied well to the strength results. To explain the link between compliance and strength, a viscoelastic fracture model was investigated. The model, which used compliance as input, was found to fit the strength data only if the critical fracture energy was allowed to vary with temperature reduced stress rate. This variation in the critical parameter severely limits its use in developing a robust time-dependent strength model. The significance of this research is therefore seen as providing both the indication that a more versatile acceleration method for strength can be developed and the evidence that such a method is needed.
Lumbar vertebral body bone microstructural scaling in small to medium-sized strepsirhines.

Bone mass, architecture, and tissue mineral density contribute to bone strength. As body mass (BM) increases any one or combination of these properties could change to maintain structural integrity. To better understand the structural origins of vertebral fragility and gain insight into the mechanisms that govern bone adaptation, we conducted an integrative analysis of bone mass and microarchitecture in the last lumbar vertebral body from nine strepsirhine species, ranging in size from 42 g (Microcebus rufus) to 2,440 g (Eulemur macaco). Bone mass and architecture were assessed via mCT for the whole body and spherical volumes of interest (VOI). Allometric equations were estimated and compared with predictions for geometric scaling, assuming axial compression as the dominant loading regime. Bone mass, microarchitectural, and vertebral body geometric variables predominantly scaled isometrically. Among structural variables, the degree of anisotropy (Tb.DA) was the only parameter independent of BM and other trabecular architectural variables. Tb.DA was related to positional behavior. Orthograde primates had higher average Tb.DA (1.60) and more craniocaudally oriented trabeculae while lorisines had the lowest Tb.DA (1.25), as well as variably oriented trabeculae. Finally, lorisines had the highest ratio of trabecular bone volume to cortical shell volume (� 3x) and while there appears to be flexibility in this ratio, the total bone volume (trabecular þ cortical) scales isometrically (BM 1.23 ,r 2 ¼ 0.93) and appears tightly constrained. The common pattern of isometry in our measurements leaves open the question of how vertebral bodies in strepsirhine species compensate for increased BM. Anat Rec, 296:210–226, 2013. V C 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Over-the-counter sales of out-of-state and counterfeit tax stamp cigarettes in New York City

Background New York City (NYC) has strict minimum cigarette price and tax stamp laws, but evidence regarding the extent of evasion of such laws in over-the-counter sales is scarce. Methods 830 packs were purchased at licensed tobacco retailers at 92 randomly selected neighbourhoods in NYC in spring and fall 2014, following the establishment of NYC9s minimum price law. The χ 2 analyses of illegal tax stamps on pack, by retailer type and data collection period, are presented. Results Over 15% of packs purchased had out-of-state (4.5%) or counterfeit tax stamps (10.6%). Purchases resulted in at least one illegal pack obtained in 70% of neighbourhoods, largely from independent stores. In 21.5% of sampled neighbourhoods, it was possible to purchase an illegal pack each collection period. Conclusions Enhanced enforcement of retail sales of cigarettes is needed to ensure the full benefit of existing tobacco control laws in NYC.
Effects of radiative processing steps on inversion layer mobility and channel hot carrier damage in reoxidized nitrided oxide MOSFETs

The effects of x-ray irradiation and a subsequent low temperature anneal on the properties of reoxidized nitrided oxide (RNO) MOSFET's were examined. Irradiation was found to degrade conventional SiO2 MOSFET lifetime under channel hot carrier stress far more strongly than RNO lifetime, particularly for p-channel devices. This is attributed to reduced bulk neutral electron trap generation in RNO. The inversion layer mobility of RNOn-MOSFET's (and, to a lesser degree,p-MOSFET's) was found toincrease after irradiation and anneal. 1/f noise measurements indicate that this change in mobility is due to a reduction in the density of near-interface electron traps.
Parameter-free model of the correlation-polarization potential for electron-molecule collisions

A model potential that includes both correlation and polarization effects is proposed for electron-molecule collisions. It is based, as suggested by O'Connell and Lane, on a hybridization of local electron-gas theory for short distances and the asymptotic form of the polarization potential. It is energy independent and very simple to apply, depending only on the molecular charge density and polarizabilities. The potential has been calculated for several molecules (H/sub 2/, N/sub 2/, CO/sub 2/, HF, HCl, and CO); the crossing point between the correlation and polarization potentials is remarkably constant, averaging 0.96 eV. Application in scattering calculations for H/sub 2/ and N/sub 2/ yields very encouraging results.
Why Are China's Exports Special?: The Role of FDI, Regional Trade, and Government Policies

This paper investigates why China is able to achieve a high level of technological sophistication in its exports beyond its current level of development. It concludes that a great portion of the high-tech exports are of the processing and assembly type and produced by foreign-invested enterprises. China's comparative advantage of labor abundance and the Chinese government's foreign direct investment (FDI) policy have encouraged the expansion of FDI-led export in general and FDI-led processing trade in particular. Given the disadvantages of the FDI-led export expansion, reform of the government's FDI and trade policies is needed to improve technological development and to enhance China's production and trade structures.
Street Baptism: Chicano Gang Initiation

Initiation into Chicano barrio street gangs has developed over the years into a kind of "street baptism," functioning as a rite of passage for the initiate and a rite of solidarity for the gang. At the same time, it fulfills a pragmatic need to screen potential new members for fighting skills and courage valued by the gang as well as some of the psychological needs for youths attempting to cope with adolescent age and gender role identity crises. Most gang members are intitiated at about age 12 or 13 and, for a majority, the ritual simply formalizes the membership toward which participation in street activities had long been preparing them. The initiation typically involves several gang members attacking the prospective member at the same time; the intitiate is expected to fight back, but cannot show any fear or weakness. The severity of the beating inflicted depends both on the initiate's prior standing with the gang (those who grew up with the gang members or who have relatives in the gang fare better) ...
Foster family care in Korea

The main thrust of this article is to present a strategy for foster family care operation in Korea. The article is organized with five themes: a brief history of Korean foster care operation, the present condition and problems of foster family care, an operational plan, recommendations, and an overview of the American experience with foster family care to explore its implications for Korea. The authors make these recommendations in order to bring the true nature of foster care operation to Korea: strengthen financial aid and arrange special benefits for foster care families, provide intervention of professionals in foster care agencies, and increase community awareness and citizen participation.
An efficient and systematic method to generate xslt stylesheets for different wireless pervasive devices

It is a tedious and cumbersome process to update directly a WML document for the wireless Web because its content composes of both data and presentation. Thus, XML is used to handle the data while its XSLT stylesheet is used to extract and format the data for presentation. However, different stylesheets have to be used for different devices. An efficient and systematic method based on the idea of generating two separate sets of rules corresponding to content extracting and formatting parts of the stylesheet is described in this paper. The data extraction part is constructed from content rules while the formatting part is constructed from presentation rules. They are then combined together to form a stylesheet by an XSLT generator. A large number of stylesheets corresponding to different devices and a number of standard DTD documents or XML schemas can be generated in this way and stored in the pool during application setup stage. They will be individually selected from the pool by an XSLT engine to produce different WML documents for different devices during run time.
Diversity as a Concept and its Measurement

Abstract This paper puts forth the view that diversity is an average property of a community and identifies that property as species rarity. An intrinsic diversity ordering of communities is defined and is shown to be equivalent to stochastic ordering. Also, the sensitivity of an index to rare species is developed, culminating in a crossing-point theorem and a response theory to perturbations. Diversity decompositions, analogous to the analysis of variance, are discussed for two-way classifications and mixtures. The paper concludes with a brief survey of genetic diversity, linguistic diversity, industrial concentration, and income inequality.
First to Market: Issue Management Pacesetters and the Pharmaceutical Industry Response to AIDS in Africa:

Institutional and resource dependency theories are used to develop a conceptual framework that describes how an “issue pacesetter” affects corporate issue management. The pacesetter model is develo...
Drosophila Dorsal Paired Medial Neurons Provide a General Mechanism for Memory Consolidation

Summary Memories are formed, stabilized in a time-dependent manner, and stored in neural networks. In Drosophila , retrieval of punitive and rewarded odor memories depends on output from mushroom body (MB) neurons [1–5], consistent with the idea that both types of memory are represented there. Dorsal Paired Medial (DPM) neurons innervate the mushroom bodies, and DPM neuron output is required for the stability of punished odor memory [6, 7]. Here we show that stable reward-odor memory is also DPM neuron dependent. DPM neuron expression of amnesiac ( amn ) in amn mutant flies restores wild-type memory. In addition, disrupting DPM neurotransmission between training and testing abolishes reward-odor memory, just as it does with punished memory [7]. We further examined DPM-MB connectivity by overexpressing a DScam variant that reduces DPM neuron projections to the MB α, β, and γ lobes. DPM neurons that primarily project to MB α′ and β′ lobes are capable of stabilizing punitive- and reward-odor memory, implying that both forms of memory have similar circuit requirements. Therefore, our results suggest that the fly employs the local DPM-MB circuit to stabilize punitive- and reward-odor memories and that stable aspects of both forms of memory may reside in mushroom body α′ and β′ lobe neurons.