cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Implicit learning of non-spatial sequences in schizophrenia

Recent studies have reported abnormal implicit learning of sequential patterns in patients with schizophrenia. Because these studies were based on visuospatial cues, the question remained whether patients were impaired simply due to the demands of spatial processing. This study examined implicit sequence learning in 24 patients with schizophrenia and 24 healthy controls using a non-spatial variation of the serial reaction time test (SRT) in which pattern stimuli alternated with random stimuli on every other trial. Both groups showed learning by responding faster and more accurately to pattern trials than to random trials. Patients, however, showed a smaller magnitude of sequence learning. Both groups were unable to demonstrate explicit knowledge of the nature of the pattern, confirming that learning occurred without awareness. Clinical variables were not correlated with the patients' learning deficits. Patients with schizophrenia have a decreased ability to develop sensitivity to regularly occurring sequences of events within their environment. This type of deficit may affect an array of cognitive and motor functions that rely on the perception of event regularity.
A Survey of Soldiers’ Attitudes to Tattooing

A study was performed at the Garrison Medical Centre, Larkhill to assess the incidence of skin tattoos in a sample of soldiers. The soldiers were questioned with the aim of establishing where they had had their tattoos done, identifying any factors involved in becoming tattooed and assessing what proportion later regretted their actions. The study included 450 male soldiers. Assessment was by a questionnaire completed in the medical centre waiting room. Overall 44% of the soldiers questioned were tattooed. Most (85.7%) had had tattoos done by recognised artists in the United Kingdom. Younger soldiers had a significantly higher incidence of 'home made' tattoos. Peer pressure was identified as an important influence on the decision to become tattooed. 31.1% of tattooed soldiers regretted their tattoos. This figure rose to 44.6% in those over 26 years old. The author advocates increased education to encourage the young soldier to think hard about its implications before becoming tattooed.
Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the breast: Diagnosis by fine‐needle aspiration

Adenoid cystic carcinoma rarely occurs as a primary breast malignancy. When seen in fine-needle aspiration (FNA) material, it is identical to its counterpart in the salivary glands. We report six cases diagnosed by aspiration in patients aged 32-82 yr. The smears were highly cellular and featured extracellular spheres of metachromatic material. These were surrounded by small, uniform cells with bland nuclei and very little cytoplasm. Numerous similar cells occurred singly in the background. The cytologic differential diagnosis of adenoid cystic carcinoma includes other entities that produce extracellular metachromatic spheres including collagenous spherulosis. We describe and illustrate similar material originating in inspissated secretions or stromal fragments from fibrocystic change and fibroadenoma, as well as infiltrating ductal carcinoma. Diagnostic criteria for adenoid cystic carcinoma and the clinical relevance of distinguishing this rare tumor from typical infiltrating ductal carcinoma are discussed.
A metacognitive classifier using a hybrid ACT-R/leabra architecture

We present a metacognitive classifier implemented within a hybrid architecture that combines the strengths of two existing, mature cognitive architectures: ACT-R and Leabra. The classification of a set of items into previously seen and novel categories (TRAIN and TEST, respectively) is carried out in ACT-R using metacognitive signals supplied by Leabra. The resulting system performance is analyzed as a function of various architectural parameters, and future directions of research are discussed.
Long-Term Services Requiring Customer Participation And Compliance

This paper provides a theoretical conceptualization and classification of long-term services requiring customer participation and compliance. Long-term services which require both customer participation and compliance are known as compliance dependent services (CDS). In CDS the customer participates during the face-to-face exchange and must comply with his or her role once away from the provider to ensure positive outcome and customer satisfaction. CDS entail service delivery processes that are of longer duration. Compliance is integral to producing these services. Non-compliance, i.e., when a consumer regimen is not followed, most likely will lead to adverse impact on the consumer and provider. It is important that scholars understand the service delivery process of services, in particular CDS, whereby both customer participation and compliance are required.
The U.S. Aid ‘Surge’ to Pakistan: Repeating a Failed Experiment? Lessons for U.S. Policymakers from the World Bank’s Social-Sector Lending in the 1990s

During the 1990s, the World Bank and several donor partners provided a “surge” in external aid to support Pakistan’s social sectors. Despite the millions of donor dollars spent, the program failed. Poverty was higher in Pakistan in 2004 than it was a decade earlier when the antipoverty program began. This working paper re-releases a CGD analysis of the World Bank’s program, which was prepared in 2005 by CGD researchers Nancy Birdsall, Milan Vaishnav, and Adeel Malik. The analysis reports the many problems donors faced while working with Pakistan’s government to improve health and education outcomes. A new preface by Nancy Birdsall and Molly Kinder identifies the key lessons from this massive donor experiment that are relevant today, as the United States and other donors prepare to increase their assistance to Pakistan to historic levels.
Recent Soviet Conferences on Psychology and Psychophysiology: Topical Summaries

The following conferences, held in 1964 and 1965, were reported in the journals Voprosy psikhologii (V), Zhurnal vysshey nervnoy deyatel'nosti im. I. P. Pavlova (P), and Fiziologicheskiy zhurnal SSSR im. I. M. Sechenova (F).
Vietnam 1969--1973: engaging M&S to characterize cause and effect patterns of US withdrawal

This paper discusses the methodology and development of a computer model to mimic high-level cause and effect patterns that led to withdrawal of the United States military from Vietnam in 1973. System Dynamics is used to capture first order set of variables that facilitate modeling the Vietnam War to answer two research queries. The first query investigates how the increase of funding by the US government for research and development of new military capabilities hinders US advantage in the outcome of the conflict. The second query addresses the affect of media on US decision-making during the years 1969--1973. Bayesian Modeling is employed during the conceptual modeling phase to validate model development and prospective outputs.
Effects of intraperitoneally injected arginase on growth of mammary carcinoma implants in the mouse.

Summary1. Animals receiving arginase treatment did not die of their implanted tumors during the 21-day period. The controls (Group “A”) and those receiving arginine (Group “B”) died within this period. 2. Those animals receiving arginine indicate a tumor length weight ratio increase of 7.9% over group “A”. 3. The group receiving arginase (Group “C”) exhibited a 28% decrease in size as compared to the controls in group “A”. 4. The ratio of tumor length to weight was 26% lower in the group receiving arginase. 5. Tumor specific volume (tumor length to weight) is offered as an accurate tumor measurement method.
SCALING EFFECTS ON BEACH RESPONSE PHYSICAL MODEL

A modified modeling law based on the comprehensive work by Wang, etal. (1990) has been derived with the assumptions that the suspended sediment transport is the dominant mode under storm wave condition inside the surf zone and the wave breaking index is preserved. This, in essence, adds to the constraint that wave height is properly modelled in accordance to the preservation of breaking index instead of simple vertical geometrical scale. Four different scaling laws including the one proposed presently were examined in the laboratory using 2-D wave tank and 3-D basin models. The model results were compared to prototype data from German large wave tank experiment. The model performances under different scaling laws were evaluated separately in the dune region and bar region of the entire model beach profile. Several statistics, including the errors of sand bar location, bar volume, bar profile, dune erosion volume, and dune profile, between model and prototype, were calculated and the result showed that the newly proposed scaling law presented the best overall model performance among the ones compared.
The “New Left” in France

THE term "New Left" designates a state of mind-the desire to do away with the division and impotence of the old Left-rather than a definite sector of the political spectrum. It has, in fact, been used in three different contexts. In its most specific sense, it has meant the Nouvelle Gauche behind Claude Bourdet and his neutralist weekly, France-Observateur. In its broadest sense, it includes all the rebels at the Left, from the reformist followers of Mendes-France to non-Communist revolutionary Marxists. Finally, the term can designate-and this is how it is used here-the groups that occupy the no-man's-land between the Socialists and the Communists. Besides Bourdet's Nouvelle Gauche, they include the Christian Jeune Re'publique, already active in the interwar period, and the younger Mouvement de Liberation du Peuple (MLP), the former closer to the outlook of the Socialists, the latter to that of the Communists.' Recently a merger took place; in December 1957 a new party was created, the Union de la Gauche socialiste, combining the most important formations of the New Left: the Mouvement de Liberation du Peuple and Jeune Re'publique with the Nouvelle Gauche and a few rebels of the Socialist Party (SFIO).2 In Express (December 12, 1957), J. M. Domenach welcomed this synthesis of two old traditions of the French Left: that of French socialism from Proudhon to Jaures and that of "Christian liberalism" from Lamenais to Marc Sangnier. He saw in the new fusion the addition of "richesses exceptionelles" and the possibility of its becoming rather soon the formation having the most militant members after the Communist Party. He also saw in it a healthy sign of political renovation: ". . . it is abnormal that the great parties of the Left stay in the hands of bureaucracies that are more or
Predicting Sorting And Sand/shale Ratio From Seismic Attributes By Integrating Sequence stratigraphy And Rock Physics

We present a methodology to quantify spatial trends of sedimentological parameters, such as sorting and sand/shale ratio, combining sequence stratigraphic interpretations and rock physics models. The method is applied to a laminated, channelized, turbidite sequence deposited within a minibasin settings in offshore Equatorial Guinea, West Africa. Using the spill-and-fill sequence stratigraphic model the trends of mineralogical composition (sand/shale ratio) and textural maturity (sorting) are mapped through, to the AVO plane, via a rock physics model calibrated at the wells. The results are then applied to quantify spatial variations of porosity and sand/shale ratio from observed AVO attributes. Our modeling predicts high values of porosity (~40%) and sand/shale ratio (~1) at the further downdip locations indicating future resource potentials. The methods can be directly applied for explorations in analog deep-water environments, and can improve the prediction of reservoir properties from seismic attributes away from the wells.
Management in Perspective: Creative Leadership: Human vs. Metal Brains

The article discusses selected materials from the psychological and sociological literature which illustrate disagreement in the areas of management and organization. The author describes an invest...
Gender Differences in the Combined Effects of Cardiovascular Disease and Osteoarthritis on Progression to Functional Impairment in Older Mexican Americans

Comorbidity (COM) is an important issue in aging. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and osteoarthritis separately and together may modify the trajectories of functional decline. This analysis examines whether specific and unrelated COMs influence functional change differently and vary by gender.A cohort study of 1,789 (aged 60 years and older) Mexican Americans was followed annually for up to 10 years. We created four groups of COM (CVD alone, lower body osteoarthritis alone [OA], neither, or both). We employed mixed effects Poisson models with Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) as the outcome. We tested whether the association between COM and decline in functional status differed by gender.IADL impairments in those with CVD, OA, or both were significantly higher at baseline and increased more rapidly over time compared to those with neither condition. Compared to women with no COM, the number of IADL impairments in women with CVD alone were 1.36 times greater, with OA were 1.35 times greater, and both conditions were 1.26 times greater. Compared to men with no COM, IADL impairments in men with CVD alone were 1.15 times greater, OA alone were 1.12 times greater, and both were 1.26 times greater.Over time, the influence of COM on functional decline differs by specific combinations of COM and by gender. Aggregate COM scales obscure the biological and temporal heterogeneity in the effects of COM. Time-dependent-specific COMs better assess the development of impairment. Women experience a higher burden of functional impairment due to COM than men.
The Application of Multi-level Distributed System in Petroleum & Chemical Industry

The structure, functions and features of software and hardware in multi level distributed system which is available to the filling of petroleum are elaborated in detail. And the reliability and utility are given more description, which makes the measure control and management merge into an organic whole.
Earthquake Resistance Analysis for Buried Pipelines Crossing Fault

Damage mechanism and model designing for pipe crossing fault are the hot spot in lifeline engineering all the time.Current fault resistance analysis methods for buried pipelines have their merits and at the same time they also have defects.In the spring-pipeline-soil model,the soil near the fault is modeled by solid,the interaction between the soil and the pipe is modeled by contact,and the soil far away from the fault is modeled by equivalent nonlinearity springs.In finite element analysis,material nonlinearity and geometrical nonlinearity of pipelines is considered,and for the pipelines 4 node shell element is adopted.The result of codes are more different from finite element analysis result.Advises are proposed to start experimental study and develop codes after experimental testifying.
Pharmacokinetic Study on Ferulic Acid in Plasma of the Healthy Female Volunteers after Oral Administration of Shenghua Decoction

Objective To study the pharmacokinetics of ferulic acid (FA) in plasma of the healthy female volunteers after oral administration of Shenghua decoction.Methods Using p-hydroxybenzaldehyde as the internal standard, the plasma concentration of FA was determined by RP-HPLC. Plasma samples were extracted and treated with boiling water and 3P97 programme was used to calculate the pharmacokinetic parameters. Results The main pharmacokinetic parameters of FA were as follows: T1/2α=18.72 min ,T1/2β=79.21 min,T1/2 Ka=11.19 min,AUC=18004.87 μg·min·L-1,CL=0.17L·min-1·kg-1,Cmax=206.30 μg·L-1, Tpeak=22.78 min.Conclusion After oral administration of Shenghua decoction, FA could be absorbed and eliminated rapidly and pharmacokinetics of FA conforms to a two-compartment open model.
How Our Other Genome Controls Our Epi-Genome

Eukaryotes and prokaryotes produce extracellular nanovescicles that contain RNAs and other molecules that they exploit to communicate. Recently, inter-kingdom crosstalk was demonstrated between humans and bacteria through fecal microRNAs. We suggest here how bacteria interact with humans via RNAs within membrane vesicles to alter our epigenome, thus filling the gap and closing the circle. At the same time, there are indications that there could be a wider inter-kingdom communication network that might encompass all known kingdoms. Now that the connection with our other genome has been established, we also should begin to explore the ‘social’ network that we have around us.
TH-B-BRC-01: How to Identify and Resolve Potential Clinical Errors

Radiation treatment consists of a chain of events influenced by the quality of machine operation, beam data commissioning, machine calibration, patient specific data, simulation, treatment planning, imaging and treatment delivery. There is always a chance that the clinical medical physicist may make or fail to detect an error in one of the events that may impact on the patient's treatment. In the clinical scenario, errors may be systematic and, without peer review, may have a low detectability because they are not part of routine QA procedures. During treatment, there might be errors on machine that needs attention. External reviews of some of the treatment delivery components by independent reviewers, like IROC, can detect errors, but may not be timely. The goal of this session is to help junior clinical physicists identify potential errors as well as the approach of quality assurance to perform a root cause analysis to find and eliminate an error and to continually monitor for errors. A compilation of potential errors will be presented by examples of the thought process required to spot the error and determine the root cause. Examples may include unusual machine operation, erratic electrometer reading, consistent lower electron output, variation in photon output, body parts inadvertently left in beam, unusual treatment plan, poor normalization, hot spots etc. Awareness of the possibility and detection of error in any link of the treatment process chain will help improve the safe and accurate delivery of radiation to patients. Four experts will discuss how to identify errors in four areas of clinical treatment. D. Followill, NIH grant CA 180803
Le legs de la peur

La peur influence nos comportements individuels et collectifs qui en retour propulsent l’histoire humaine. Apres un apercu de quelques indices laissant entrevoir le role probable de la peur dans l’emergence de la cite, nous examinerons en detail l’experience de la peur. Puis nous aborderons son impact sur la memoire, sur le developpement du cerveau de l’enfant. Nous verrons ensuite jusqu’a quel point les structures mentales de la peur sont reproduites dans nos systemes de droits et de devoirs, pour conclure que la sauvegarde de nos democraties passe par l’apprivoisement et la rememoration de la peur.
The Clar and Fries structures of a fullerene I

Given the Kekule structure of a fullerene that gives its Clar structure, the Kekule edges that do not lie on any benzene ring of the Clar structure lie on open chains that pair up the pentagonal faces and perhaps some closed chains. In this paper, we introduce Fries chains and show that given the Kekule structure of a fullerene that gives its Fries structure, the Kekule edges that do not lie on two benzene rings lie on the union of a set of these Fries chains. The edges that lie on exactly one benzene ring belong to exactly one of these chains while edges that lie on no benzene ring belong to exactly two of these chains. We will see that the Fries chains will include the Clar chains in some cases and will be quite distinct from the Clar chains in other cases.Examples of fullerenes with the property that the set of benzene rings that give its Clar number are not a subset of the benzene rings that give its Fries number have been known for a few years. However, in all of these known examples, almost all of the benzene rings of its Clar structure are among benzene rings of its Fries structure. In this paper, we describe a class of fullerenes with the property that the set of benzene rings of its Clar structure and the set of benzene rings of its Fries structure practically disjoint.
Intent detection using semantically enriched word embeddings

State-of-the-art targeted language understanding systems rely on deep learning methods using 1-hot word vectors or off-the-shelf word embeddings. While word embeddings can be enriched with information from semantic lexicons (such as WordNet and PPDB) to improve their semantic representation, most previous research on word-embedding enriching has focused on improving intrinsic word-level tasks such as word analogy and antonym detection. In this work, we enrich word embeddings to force semantically similar or dissimilar words to be closer or farther away in the embedding space to improve the performance of an extrinsic task, namely, intent detection for spoken language understanding. We utilize several semantic lexicons, such as WordNet, PPDB, and Macmillan Dictionary to enrich the word embeddings and later use them as initial representation of words for intent detection. Thus, we enrich embeddings outside the neural network as opposed to learning the embeddings within the network, and, on top of the embeddings, build bidirectional LSTM for intent detection. Our experiments on ATIS and a real log dataset from Microsoft Cortana show that word embeddings enriched with semantic lexicons can improve intent detection.
What causes flag smut of wheat

The causal agent of flag smut of wheat is currently subject to strict quarantine regulations in many countries and is believed to have a wide host range on wild and cultivated grasses. This fungus has been classified as both Urocystis agropyri and Urocystis tritici. Urocystis agropyri was first described from Elymus repens in Germany and U. tritici was first described from Triticum vulgare (=T. aestivum). In 1953, G. W. Fischer placed U. tritici and a large number of other Urocystis species in synonymy with U. agropyri. The present study is the first attempt to clarify the taxonomy and phylogeny of flag smut pathogens of grasses using molecular analyses. Three loci, the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of rDNA, the RNA polymerase II subunit 2 (RPB2), and translation elongation factor (TEF) protein-coding regions were used for phylogenetic reconstruction to determine the species boundaries of 24 Urocystis specimens from triticoid hosts. Results indicate that there are several distinct lineages of flag smut pathogens, including the causal agent of flag smut of wheat, which is supported as a separate species, U. tritici. Sequences from specimens on E. repens, which are retained as U. agropyri, grouped in a clade distinct from those on wheat and rye. The closest relatives of U. tritici were found to be U. hispanica from Aegilops and Urocystis sp. from Thinopyrum junceiforme and Elymus trachycaulis. Recognition that U. tritici is genetically distinct from U. agropyri sensu stricto will impact regulatory policy and facilitate the development of diagnostic tests.
Biochemical Markers Reflecting Thyroid Function in Athyreotic Patients on Levothyroxine Monotherapy

Background: Some investigators reported that among athyreotic patients on levothyroxine (LT4) monotherapy following total thyroidectomy, the patients with normal serum thyrotropin (TSH) levels had mildly low serum free triiodothyronine (fT3) levels, whereas the patients with mildly suppressed serum TSH levels had normal serum fT3 levels, and the patients with strongly suppressed serum TSH had elevated serum fT3 levels. The objective of the present study was to clarify which of these three patient groups is closer to their preoperative euthyroid condition. Methods: A total of 133 consecutive euthyroid patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma who underwent a total thyroidectomy were prospectively studied. The patients' serum levels of lipoproteins, sex hormone-binding globulin, and bone metabolic markers measured preoperatively were compared with the levels measured at postoperative LT4 therapy 12 months after the thyroidectomy. Results: The postoperative serum sex hormone-binding globulin (p < 0.001) and ...
Phylogeny and Evolution of Neuropterida: Where Have Wings of Lace Taken Us?

The last 25 years of phylogenetic investigation into the three orders constituting the superorder Neuropterida—Raphidioptera, Megaloptera, and Neuroptera—have brought about a dramatic revision in our understanding of the evolution of lacewings, snakeflies, dobsonflies, and their diverse relatives. Phylogenetic estimations based on combined analyses of diverse data sources, ranging from adult and larval morphology to full mitochondrial genomic DNA, have begun to converge on similar patterns, many times in accordance with hypotheses put forth by Cyril Withycombe nearly a century ago. These data, in combination with information from the fossil record, have given a revised perspective on the historical evolution and classification of Neuropterida, necessitating an overhaul of their organization and providing focus and insight on fruitful future efforts for neuropterology.
Hospital recruitment for a pragmatic cluster-randomized clinical trial: Lessons learned from the COMPASS study.

Pragmatic randomized clinical trials are essential to determine the effectiveness of interventions in “real-world” clinical practice. These trials frequently use a cluster-randomized methodology, with randomization at the site level. Despite policymakers’ increased interest in supporting pragmatic randomized clinical trials, no studies to date have reported on the unique recruitment challenges faced by cluster-randomized pragmatic trials. We investigated key challenges and successful strategies for hospital recruitment in the Comprehensive Post-Acute Stroke Services (COMPASS) study. The COMPASS study is designed to compare the effectiveness of the COMPASS model versus usual care in improving functional outcomes, reducing the numbers of hospital readmissions, and reducing caregiver strain for patients discharged home after stroke or transient ischemic attack. This model integrates early supported discharge planning with transitional care management, including nurse-led follow-up phone calls after 2, 30, and 60 days and an in-person clinic visit at 7–14 days involving a functional assessment and neurological examination. We present descriptive statistics of the characteristics of successfully recruited hospitals compared with all eligible hospitals, reasons for non-participation, and effective recruitment strategies. We successfully recruited 41 (43%) of 95 eligible North Carolina hospitals. Leading, non-exclusive reasons for non-participation included: insufficient staff or financial resources (n = 33, 61%), lack of health system support (n = 16, 30%), and lack of support of individual decision-makers (n = 11, 20%). Successful recruitment strategies included: building and nurturing relationships, engaging team members and community partners with a diverse skill mix, identifying gatekeepers, finding mutually beneficial solutions, having a central institutional review board, sharing published pilot data, and integrating contracts and review board administrators. Although we incorporated strategies based on the best available evidence at the outset of the study, hospital recruitment required three times as much time and considerably more staff than anticipated. To reach our goal, we tailored strategies to individuals, hospitals, and health systems. Successful recruitment of a sufficient number and representative mix of hospitals requires considerable preparation, planning, and flexibility. Strategies presented here may assist future trial organizers in implementing cluster-randomized pragmatic trials. Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT02588664 . Registered on 23 October 2015.
Teacher–child relationships in the context of poverty: the role of frequent school mobility

Children's relationships with their teachers are critical for classroom-based learning, but children growing up in poverty may be at risk for lower-quality relationships with teachers. Little is known about how changing schools, one poverty-related risk, affects teacher-child relationships. Using growth curve models that control for a host of other poverty-related risks, this study explores the association between children changing schools frequently (defined as three or more school moves) between preschool and third grade and the quality of their relationships with their teachers over these five years in a low-income, ethnic-minority sample. Children who frequently moved schools were reported to be less close to their teachers in third grade and experienced steeper declines in closeness than children who did not change schools frequently. Moreover, the effects of frequent school mobility at third grade were robust to other poverty-related risks, including residential mobility, parental education risk, family income, and single-parent households. Changing schools was unrelated to children's conflict with teachers. We discuss these findings in the context of policies that support students' transitions when changing schools.
Abdominal multi-organ segmentation with organ-attention networks and statistical fusion

Accurate and robust segmentation of abdominal organs on CT is essential for many clinical applications such as computer-aided diagnosis and computer-aided surgery. But this task is challenging due to the weak boundaries of organs, the complexity of the background, and the variable sizes of different organs. To address these challenges, we introduce a novel framework for multi-organ segmentation of abdominal regions by using organ-attention networks with reverse connections (OAN-RCs) which are applied to 2D views, of the 3D CT volume, and output estimates which are combined by statistical fusion exploiting structural similarity. More specifically, OAN is a two-stage deep convolutional network, where deep network features from the first stage are combined with the original image, in a second stage, to reduce the complex background and enhance the discriminative information for the target organs. Intuitively, OAN reduces the effect of the complex background by focusing attention so that each organ only needs to be discriminated from its local background. RCs are added to the first stage to give the lower layers more semantic information thereby enabling them to adapt to the sizes of different organs. Our networks are trained on 2D views (slices) enabling us to use holistic information and allowing efficient computation (compared to using 3D patches). To compensate for the limited cross-sectional information of the original 3D volumetric CT, e.g., the connectivity between neighbor slices, multi-sectional images are reconstructed from the three different 2D view directions. Then we combine the segmentation results from the different views using statistical fusion, with a novel term relating the structural similarity of the 2D views to the original 3D structure. To train the network and evaluate results, 13 structures were manually annotated by four human raters and confirmed by a senior expert on 236 normal cases. We tested our algorithm by 4-fold cross-validation and computed Dice-Sorensen similarity coefficients (DSC) and surface distances for evaluating our estimates of the 13 structures. Our experiments show that the proposed approach gives strong results and outperforms 2D- and 3D-patch based state-of-the-art methods in terms of DSC and mean surface distances.
Aperture: Optics: An Opening, Usually Circular, That Limits The Quantity Of Light That Can Enter An Optical Instrument

I have seen my brother's eyes very few times. Eye contact is always brief—he tries to escape it whenever possible. Watching is an act of great importance for him. Merely glancing at him is an offense. Looking at him intently could result in a tantrum. His tantrums are huge, vocal, physical attacks. He is the unstable element: eyes like lithium. Just look at it and it will explode. Flashes of dark brown—flecks of gold—or is it the way the light shines off them? What I know I've stolen through the years. In a yellowed photo of my brother taken a month after his birth, his pale face is blank, his pupils wide in the dim light. It's a close-up: just his face and shoulders. The dark afghan my mother made is wrapped around him loosely, fuzzes up around his chin. No one is holding him. He looks calm. A deeper perspective is impossible—the room blurs behind him. I think of the birth I wasn't alive to witness.
A Helly-Type Theorem for Intersections of Compact Connected Sets in the Plane

For a family C of nonempty compact sets in the plane, the following conditions are equivalent:
Chest Wall Injury

Elderly patients are at increased risk for chest wall injuries including rib and sternal fractures. In addition, these patients have increased morbidity and mortality related to these injuries when compared to younger patients. The purpose of this chapter is to review the current literature regarding the patterns of chest wall injury in the geriatric population, evaluate the factors contributing to worse outcome, and discuss injury prevention and management strategies for patients with these injuries.
State Diagrams for Automating Disease "Risk Pyramid" Data Collection and Tailored Clinical Decision Support

Transitioning to value-based care makes new demands on understanding and managing patient risk for a variety of adverse outcomes in multiple conditions. Optimizing use of finite healthcare resources then proves challenging, and would benefit from a data-driven approach. Modelling the "risk triangle" paradigm of disease management as a state diagram within the electronic health record helps bring clinical situational awareness and tailored decision support interventions to individual patients at the point-of-care, while automatically capturing new types of state duration and transition sequence data across the whole population. Such data can iteratively inform improving risk prediction models.
RECIDIVISM IN ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES: SUCCESS OR FAILURE?

Few studies have evaluated outcomes of Adult Protective Services (APS), the most widely used intervention in responding to abuse and neglect of vulnerable older adults. One indicator used to assess success or failure of APS is recidivism, though the meaning is unclear due to heterogeneity of case situations. Using administrative data from Maine’s APS Information System, this study compared characteristics of two types of substantiated cases for adults age 65 and older where: 1) the client refused services (n = 549) and 2) the danger to the client was resolved (n = 2352). Cases were opened between 2005 and 2013 and were compared on demographics, types of maltreatment substantiated, functional status, cognitive impairment, mental health status, and recidivism rate, which was defined as a new investigation within 180 days of case closure. Refusers were significantly more likely to be younger and to have greater functional ability than the service accepters, who were more likely to have cognitive impairment and to be confirmed for neglect by others. No differences were found on gender, self-neglect or mental health status. The overall recidivism rate of 11.9% did not significantly differ by case status. However, due to differences in characteristics associated with each type of case, recidivism or recurrence may represent either a positive or negative development. While the rate of return to APS is similar, the reasons for recidivism may differ depending on client characteristics, and should be the subject of future studies that closely examine intervention activities and client characteristics.
Understanding Consumer-Generated Content About Luxury Brands Using Big Data: An Abstract

Social media has become an important communication platform for both marketers and consumers. As a result, large amounts of potentially useful UGC data are generated by these consumers on a daily basis. However, although many articles have studied brands on social media, there is a dearth of published works examining luxury brands in this context. Accordingly, this study investigates the following research questions. What are consumers’ perceptions of and attitudes toward luxury brands on social media? What luxury brand content and topics are consumers interested in? What are consumers’ sentiments toward luxury brands?
A Quasi-LTI Frequency-Selective SAW Circulator

A novel topology to obtain 3 port nonreciprocal propagation in a magnetless medium is here presented. A modulation frequency of 15 MHz guarantees 10 dB of nonreciprocal contrast at 870 MHz by modulating a SAW filter with a switched capacitor network. An unprecedented 40dBc first order Inter Modulation Distortion (IMD) is achieved thanks to unique features of RF acoustic filters, obtaining a Linear Periodically Time Variant (LPTV) circuit behaving as a quasi-LTI circuit.
Development of a goosegrass (Eleusine indica) draft genome and application to weed science research

Background Genomes are vital to the study of genomics, population genetics, and evolution of species. To date, only one genome (Echinochloa crus-galli) for C4 annual weedy grass species has been sequenced. Research was conducted to develop a draft genome of goosegrass (Eleusine indica; 2n = 2x = 18), one of the most common and troublesome weeds in the world. Results A draft assembly of an approximately 492 Mb whole-genome sequence of goosegrass was obtained by de novo assembly of paired-end and mate-paired reads generated by Illumina sequencing of total genomic DNA. The genome was assembled into 24,072 scaffolds with N50 = 233,459 bp. More than 99% of transcriptome sequences were mapped to the goosegrass draft genome, and 95% of the commonly conserved plant genes were present. The assembled genome contains 25,467 unique protein-coding genes. Genes associated with herbicide resistance were obtained and variant calling allowed the detection of 754,409 single nucleotide polymorphisms. In addition, we also report 115,417 simple sequence repeats which can be deployed in population genetics and phylogenetic analysis. Conclusion This is the first report of genome sequence of goosegrass. Our assembly was able to identify all major herbicide-resistance related genes and develop a useful tool for other genomic and evolutionary analysis. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.
Defect Study of Group V Doped CdTe By Thermoelectric Effect Spectroscopy

Shallow acceptors in single crystal CdTe induced by Group V (P, As, and Sb) doping are identified by thermoelectric effect spectroscopy (TEES). Understanding defects in Group V doped CdTe is critical to improving and controlling the acceptor density and lifetime in the absorber material which is an important factor determining the open circuit voltage and efficiency in CdTe solar cells.
Sigma receptor-induced heavy drinking in rats: Modulation by the opioid receptor system.

Abstract Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, for which new efficacious treatments are necessary. The opioid receptor system is a mediator of the rewarding effects of alcohol; in particular, while activation of μ opioid receptors enhances ethanol intake in rodents, opioid-receptor antagonists, such as naloxone and naltrexone, reduce its pleasurable and reinforcing effects, thereby decreasing alcohol. Sigma receptors (Sig-Rs) have been proposed as modulators of the effects of alcohol and, therefore, as a potential new pharmacological target for AUD. Somewhat analogously to μ opioid ligands, SigR agonists increase, while SigR antagonists decrease alcohol intake in animal models of excessive alcohol drinking. However, a potential cross-talk between these two receptor systems in relation to alcohol consumption has so far not been investigated. Here, we addressed this question pharmacologically, by testing the effects of either activating or inhibiting opioid receptors on the heavy alcohol drinking induced by chronic stimulation of SigR in alcohol-preferring rats. We found that the opioid receptor agonist morphine, which per se increases ethanol intake, at a sub-threshold dose reduces the binge-like drinking induced by the repeated treatment with the SigR agonist 1,3-di-o-tolylguanidine (DTG); conversely, the opioid receptor antagonist naltrexone, which per se reduces ethanol intake, at a sub-threshold dose potentiates the DTG-induced binge-like drinking. Our data show a cross-talk between the opioid and SigR systems relevant to the modulation of alcohol drinking, which provides important insights into the neurobiology of AUD and may lead to the development of novel therapies, either standalone or in combination.
Persistent panmixia despite extreme habitat loss and population decline in the threatened tricolored blackbird (Agelaius tricolor).

Habitat loss and alteration has driven many species into decline, often to the point of requiring protection and intervention to avert extinction. Genomic data provide the opportunity to inform conservation and recovery efforts with details about vital evolutionary processes with a resolution far beyond that of traditional genetic approaches. The tricolored blackbird (Agelaius tricolor) has suffered severe losses during the previous century largely due to anthropogenic impacts on their habitat. Using a dataset composed of a whole genome paired with reduced representation libraries (RAD-Seq) from samples collected across the species' range, we find evidence for panmixia using multiple methods, including PCA (no geographic clustering), admixture analyses (ADMIXTURE and TESS conclude K = 1), and comparisons of genetic differentiation (average FST = 0.029). Demographic modeling approaches recovered an ancient decline that had a strong impact on genetic diversity but did not detect any effect from the known recent decline. We also did not detect any evidence for selection, and hence adaptive variation, at any site, either geographic or genomic. These results indicate that species continues to have high vagility across its range despite population decline and habitat loss and should be managed as a single unit.
IS Lower Esophageal Contractility A RELIABLE INDICATOR OF THE ADEOTJACY OF OPIOID ANESTHESIA

Assessing the adequacy of anesthesia in the patient who is without neuromuscular blockade is usually based on somatic as well as sympathetic and hemodynamic responses to stimulation. Because somatic responses are lost in the patient with neuromuscular blockade, a method is needed to replace these signs as an indicator of inadequate anesthesia. This study attempted to determine the relationship between lower esophageal contractility and somatic signs in detecting inadequate fentanyl anesthesia in 20 patients who were undergoing coronary artery surgery and who were hemodynamically stable in the preoperative period. Premedication included midazolam, 0.05 mg/kg intramuscularly, and ranitidine, 2 mg/kg orally. Anesthesia was induced with fentanyl, 50 µg/kg, and maintained by an infusion of fentanyl, 0.2 µg · kg−1 · min−1. After endotracheal intubation, a disposable 24-F esophageal monitoring probe equipped with provoking and measuring balloons was inserted, and both the amplitude of provoked and the rate of spontaneous lower esophageal contractions were displayed and recorded. Inadequate anesthesia was indicated by defined somatic signs in response to noxious stimulation. The presence of these responses was correlated with the amplitude of the provoked and the rate of the spontaneous contractions at five specific times during the period preceding initiation of cardiopulmonary bypass. A total of 208 episodes of stimulation were recorded: at insertion of the nasal temperature probe (n=8), at skin penetration by towel clips (n=25), at skin incision (n=20), at sternotomy (n=20), and during multiple episodes of electrocauterization (n=135). These provoked 23 somatic responses. The fentanyl concentration in plasma of the 20 patients during the study period was 30±10 ng/ml (mean±SD). The rate of the spontaneous contractions at times of response (6.0±4.8 contractions per 3-minuteperiod, mean±SD) was significantly greater than that at times of no response (2.6±3.0 contractions per 3-minute period), whereas there was no significant difference in the amplitude of provoked contractions (18.2±11.4 versus 16.2±8.5 mm Hg). The most favorable cutoff point was determined to be a rate of 6 contractions per 3-minute period. This produced a false-positive rate of 11.9% and a sensitivity (true-positive rate) of 52.2%. We conclude that the use of lower esophageal contractility is not reliable for detection of inadequate anesthesia when an opioid (fentanyl) is used as the primary anesthetic agent.
Utopia and dystopia in the age of the Anthropocene

A product of Modernity, utopian and dystopian thought has always hinged upon an assessment as to whether humanity would be able to fulfil the promise of socio-economic, political and techno-scientific progress. In this paper, I argue that the predominantly dystopian outlook of the past century or so marked a move away from former views on human progress. Rather than commenting on humanity’s inability to build a better society, current dystopianism betrays the view that the human species as such is an impediment to harmonious life on Earth. I discuss the shift from utopia to dystopia (and back) as a result of regarding humans as a force that does more harm than good, and I consider the possibility of human extinction within the framework of dystopian and utopian visions. The final section of the chapter turns to Margaret Atwood’s MaddAddam trilogy as a fictional example that plays out the prospect of a world in which humans have all but become extinct.
Not in my Backyard!? Lessons from a Community Conflict

We present a case study of a local community debate about a land development proposal. The debate was not amicably resolved. It entrained an encampment, a lawsuit, a local electoral upheaval, and sustained outrage. It was a serious community conflict. Through a set of converging interviews and field visits with key actors from throughout the community, researchers reconstructed what happened, gathered diverse views about how and why it happened, and reviewed the shorter- and longer-term outcomes of the conflict. As can be true in significant conflicts, all participants can be seen as rational and well-intentioned, and some of the outcomes are clearly positive for the community. But the cost was high in terms of civility, trust, and community coherence. Implications include both insights into, and opportunities to re-conceive and redesign, local governance and planning policies, practices, and information support.
Witcher: Systematic Crash Consistency Testing for Non-Volatile Memory Key-Value Stores

The advent of non-volatile main memory (NVM) enables the development of crash-consistent software without paying storage stack overhead. However, building a correct crash-consistent program remains very challenging in the presence of a volatile cache. This paper presents Witcher, a systematic crash consistency testing framework, which detects both correctness and performance bugs in NVM-based persistent key-value stores and underlying NVM libraries, without test space explosion and without manual annotations or crash consistency checkers. To detect correctness bugs, Witcher automatically infers likely correctness conditions by analyzing data and control dependencies between NVM accesses. Then Witcher validates if any violation of them is a true crash consistency bug by checking output equivalence between executions with and without a crash. Moreover, Witcher detects performance bugs by analyzing the execution traces. Evaluation with 20 NVM key-value stores based on Intel's PMDK library shows that Witcher discovers 47 (36 new) correctness consistency bugs and 158 (113 new) performance bugs in both applications and PMDK.