cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Combined renal sinus fat and perinephric fat renal cell carcinoma invasion has a worse prognosis than either alone.

Purpose: Recently groups reached differing conclusions when examining the prognostic significance of renal cell carcinoma perinephric and sinus fat invasion. We evaluated the impact of these pathological features on renal cell carcinoma survival and recurrence.Materials and Methods: We identified the pathological and clinical records of 110 patients treated surgically for renal cell carcinoma with extrarenal extension at our institution between 1997 and 2007. Patients with von Hippel-Lindau disease were excluded from study. We used Kaplan-Meier survival curves with the log rank statistic to evaluate differences between groups. Cox logistic regression analysis was used to control for metastatic disease, tumor size and renal vein involvement to determine differences among the groups.Results: Patients with perinephric plus sinus fat invasion had worse cancer specific survival than those with perinephric or sinus fat invasion alone (p <0.005). There was no difference in cancer specific survival between those ...
Thymus development in Macaca fascicularis (Cynomolgus monkey): an approach for toxicology and embryology.

Thymus development was studied in the cynomolgus monkey from day 35 of gestation (gd 35) to the stage of advanced involution in a 21-year-old monkey. Special emphasis was placed on thymus cell generation and cellular pattern formation. At gd 35, the epithelial bud of the thymus was visible in a sagittal position at the level of the thoracic aperture. At gd 50, first lymphocyte-like cells and few Human Leukocyte Antigen-D Region (HLA-DR) immunoreactive cells appeared. The cortico-medullary differentiation, Hassall’s body precursors and faint immunoreactivity for T-lymphocytes (CD 3-positive) were detected from gd 60 onwards. First macrophages (CD 68 positive) were apparent at day 70, first CD 20 immunoreactive cells (B-lymphocyte-like cells) at gd 85, and natural killer cells (M1014 immunoreactive) at gd 100. At gd 100 all evaluated cell populations present in the adult cynomolgus monkey thymus were in place, whereas no B- and T-cell precursors or (CD 34 and CD 117, respectively) dendritic cells (CD 35 positive cells) were present. All these immunopositive cells persisted, partly with changing distribution patterns, until the advanced age of 21 years with the exception of natural killer cells, which were present only until adult ages (evaluation at 4–7 years). The rationale of this study was to analyse thymic development in the cynomolgus monkey and to evaluate the relevance of the development of thymus in non-human primate as a model for corresponding human targeted toxicological research.
Precipitation growth in stratiform clouds

The radar observations along the vertical of precipitation in stratiform clouds are compared with the theoretical growth rates of ice crystals in such clouds. The analysis indicates that no liquid water exists in these clouds at levels above about −5°C. The variation of signal strength from the −3°C level through the ‘bright band’ and the drop-size distribution in the rain measured at the ground can be satisfied by reasonable assumptions concerning the coalescence of ice crystals.
Morality Politics vs. Political Economy: The Case of School‐Based Health Centers

Objective. Scholars continue to debate whether morally charged political issues constitute a distinct type of policy question or produce essentially the same political dynamic as public controversies lacking an overt moral dimension. The debate will not be resolved until scholars test the determinants of putative morality policies with predictors drawn both from morality politics theory and from the socioeconomic factors that account for the distribution of many other public policies. This study reports such a test. Methods. We analyze data from our national survey of directors of school-based health centers. We use ordinary least squares regression models to predict the level of reproductive health care services provided to adolescents. Results. Service levels were influenced not only by cultural considerations, as morality politics theory would anticipate, but also by the same socioeconomic forces that account for policy levels in other domains. Conclusions. Policy for morality issues appears different from that for nonmorality issues but less distinctive than commonly imagined.
Outcomes in breast cancer patients relative to margin status after treatment with breast-conserving surgery and radiation therapy: the University of Pennsylvania experience.

Abstract Purpose: To evaluate the significance of final microscopic resection margin status on treatment outcomes in women with early breast cancer who are treated with breast-conserving surgery and definitive breast irradiation. Methods and Materials: An analysis was performed of 1021 consecutive women with clinical Stage I or II invasive carcinoma of the breast treated with breast-conserving surgery and definitive breast irradiation. Complete gross excision of tumor was performed in all cases, and an axillary staging procedure was performed to determine pathologic axillary lymph node status. The 1021 patients were divided into four groups based on the final microscopic margin from the tumor excision or from the re-excision if performed. These four groups were: (a) 518 patients with negative margins; (b) 124 patients with focally positive margins; (c) 96 patients with focally close margins (≤ 2 mm); and (d) 283 patients with unknown margins. Results: Local failure was not significantly different in patients with negative, focally positive, focally close or unknown final pathologic margins of resection at 8 years (8% vs. 10% vs. 17% vs. 16%, respectively, p = 0.21). The 8-year outcome also was not different among the four groups for overall survival (86% vs. 83% vs. 88% vs. 81%, respectively, p = 0.13), cause-specific survival (89% vs. 86% vs. 88% vs. 83%, respectively, p = 0.14), no evidence of disease survival (81% vs. 73% vs. 86% vs. 77%, respectively, p = 0.09), and freedom from distant metastases (85% vs. 75% vs. 86% vs. 79%, respectively, p = 0.08). Conclusion: These results demonstrate that selected patients with focally positive or focally close microscopic resection margins can be treated with breast-conserving surgery and definitive breast irradiation with 8-year local control rates and survival rates that are similar to those seen in breast-conservation patients with negative or unknown final resection margins.
Distributions-oriented verification of probability forecasts for small data samples

Abstract The distributions-oriented approach to forecast verification uses an estimate of the joint distribution of forecasts and observations to evaluate forecast quality. However, small verification data samples can produce unreliable estimates of forecast quality due to sampling variability and biases. In this paper, new techniques for verification of probability forecasts of dichotomous events are presented. For forecasts of this type, simplified expressions for forecast quality measures can be derived from the joint distribution. Although traditional approaches assume that forecasts are discrete variables, the simplified expressions apply to either discrete or continuous forecasts. With the derived expressions, most of the forecast quality measures can be estimated analytically using sample moments of forecasts and observations from the verification data sample. Other measures require a statistical modeling approach for estimation. Results from Monte Carlo experiments for two forecasting examples sho...
An examination of flame shape related to convection heat transfer in deep-fuel beds

Fire spread through a fuel bed produces an observable curved combustion interface. This shape has been schematically represented largely without consideration for fire spread processes. The shape and dynamics of the flame profile within the fuel bed likely reflect the mechanisms of heat transfer necessary for the pre-heating and ignition of the fuel during fire spread. We developed a simple laminar flame model for examining convection heat transfer as a potentially significant fire spread process. The flame model produced a flame profile qualitatively comparable to experimental flames and similar to the combustion interface of spreading fires. The model comparison to flame experiments revealed that at increasing fuel depths (>0.7 m), lateral flame extension was increased through transition and turbulent flame behaviour. Given previous research indicating that radiation is not sufficient for fire spread, this research suggests that flame turbulence can produce the convection heat transfer (i.e. flame contact) necessary for fire spread particularly in vertically arranged, discontinuous fuels such as shrub and tree canopies.
Periodic Use of Inhaled Steroids in Children With Mild Persistent Asthma: What Are Pediatricians Recommending?

Although asthma treatment guidelines recommend daily inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) use for all persistent asthma, pediatricians may recommend alternative treatment plans for children with mild persistent disease. The authors administered a survey of pediatricians to describe prescribing patterns for mild persistent asthma. More than 99% of providers agreed that periodic ICS could be effective for some asthma patients. Overall, 129/251 providers (51%) reported prescribing daily ICS to most patients with mild persistent asthma, whereas 78 (31%) reported recommending periodic ICS for most such patients. Providers with patient populations > or = 25% black were significantly less likely to report prescribing daily ICS (odds ratio, 0.3; 95% confidence interval, 0.2-0.6) for mild persistent asthma. Further research is needed on the effectiveness of periodic ICS use for children with mild persistent asthma and on underlying reasons for differing provider practice patterns.
Development of a time-domain simulation methodology for the hybrid phase-pole interconnect macromodel

A new hybrid phase-pole macromodel (HPPM) was recently developed for modeling lossless interconnects. Now this HPPM is applied for the transient simulation of interconnects. First, the time-domain waveform is expanded in terms of triangular expansion functions. A knowledge of the triangle impulse response (TIR), which is represented in the form of a HPPM, then allows for the time domain simulation of the line voltage. A recursive convolution algorithm is adopted to carry out the required convolutions efficiently in the transient simulator. Combining this transient simulator with an HPPM extractor yields an efficient transient interconnect signal analysis tool. Work is ongoing to extend the technique to lossy interconnects.
DAISY: dynamic compilation for 100% architectural compatibility

Although VLIW architectures offer the advantages of simplicity of design and high issue rates, a major impediment to their use is that they are not compatible with the existing software base. We describe new simple hardware features for a VLIW machine we call DAISY (DynamicallyArchitectedInstructionSet fromYorktown). DAISY is specifically intended to emulate existing architectures, so that all existing software for an old architecture (including operating system kernel code) runs without changes on the VLIW. Each time a new fragment of code is executed for the first time, the code is translated to VLIW primitives, parallelized and saved in a portion of main memory not visible to the old architecture, by a Virtual Machine Monitor (software) residing in read only memory. Subsequent executions of the same fragment do not require a translation (unless cast out). We discuss the architectural requirements for such a VLIW, to deal with issues including self-modifying code, precise exceptions, and aggressive reordering of memory references in the presence of strong MP consistency and memory mapped I/O. We have implemented the dynamic parallelization algorithms for the PowerPC architecture. The initial results show high degrees of instruction level parallelism with reasonable translation overhead and memory usage.
WOMEN'S ACCESS TO FEDERAL CIVIL SERVICE MANAGEMENT POSITIONS: THE ISSUE OF VETERANS‘ PREFERENCE

Within the framework of affirmative action and the theory of representative bureaucracy with a focus on organizational barriers, this paper demonstrates the lack of significant success of women in attaining positions of authority (executive, administrative, managerial) in the federal civil service. The role of veterans' preference policies in limiting the access of women to federal public service management positions is shown. Assuming the continuation of a strong lobbying effect in support of the continuation of veterans' preference policies, recommendations are made to rectify the organizational barrier to women posed by veterans' preference policies through the adoption of a point system which would assign to qualified non-veterans additional points based upon qualifications which exceed the minimum.
Abrasives, Salt, Shells, and Miscellaneous Geological Raw Materials

This chapter contains reviews and discussions of geological raw materials that did not fit conveniently into the systematics of the other chapters.
Retroviral expression of Wnt-1 and Wnt-7b produces different effects in mouse mammary epithelium

Several Wnt genes are expressed in the postnatal mouse mammary gland and are thought to be involved in mammary gland development. Ectopic expression of Wnt-1, which is not normally expressed in the mammary gland, drives the formation of a pre-neoplastic hyperplasia. Cell culture-based assays have shown that Wnt-1 and some mammary-expressed Wnts transform C57MG cells. This has led to the suggestion that Wnt-1 functions as an oncogene through the inappropriate activation of developmental events that are normally controlled by the 'transforming' class of Wnts. In this study, Wnt-7b was expressed in vivo using recombinant retroviruses. Wnt-7b did not alter normal mammary gland development despite having similar effects to Wnt-1 in cell culture. We conclude that the in vitro classification of Wnts as 'transforming' does not correlate with the transformation in vivo. To facilitate the analysis of Wnt-expression, a lacZ-containing, bicistronic recombinant retrovirus was developed. Immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy identified retrovirally transduced myoepithelial and luminal epithelial cells in normal and hyperplastic tissues. The distribution of transduced cells in mammary outgrowths was consistent with current models of mammary stem cell identity.
Geologically-based permeability anisotropy estimates for tidally-influenced reservoirs using quantitative shale data

The effect of the vertical to horizontal permeability ratio (kv /kh) on many displacement properties is significant, making it an important parameter to estimate for reservoir models. Simple ‘streamline’ models have been developed which relate kv /kh at the reservoir scale to shale geometry, fraction and vertical frequency. A limitation of these models, especially for tidally influenced reservoirs, is the lack of quantitisative geological inputs. To address this lack of data, detailed shale characteristics were measured, using Lidar point clouds, from four different tidally-influenced reservoir analogues: estuarine point bar (McMurray Formation, Alberta, Canada), tidal sand ridge (Tocito Sandstone, New Mexico), as well as both unconfined and confined tidal bars (Sego Sandstone, Utah). Estuarine point bars have long (x– = 67.8 m) shales that are thick and frequent relative to the other units. Tidal sand ridges have short shales (x– = 8.6 m dip orientation) that are thin and frequent. Confined tidal bars contain shales that are thin, infrequent and anisotropic (x– = 16.3 m dip orientation). Unconfined tidal bars contain nearly equidimensional shales of intermediate length (x– = 18.6 m dip orientation) with moderate thicknesses and vertical frequency. The unique shale character of each unit results in a different distribution of estimated kv /kh values. Estuarine point bars have lower average kv/kh values (x– = 8.2 ×10−4) than any other setting because of the long shales they contain. Tidal sand ridges have short, but frequent shales, which results in moderate kv /kh estimates (x– = .011). Estimates of kv/kh are typically highest in confined tidal bars (x– = .038), which contain anisotropic and infrequent shales. Unconfined tidal bars have moderate lengths and frequency resulting in kv/kh estimates averaging 0.004. The results of this study highlight the link between heterogeneity, reservoir architecture and flow parameters.
The philosophical foundations of gender equality in liberalism and Marxism: a study of Mill and Marx

This paper traces the roots of liberal and Marxist feminism back to the thought of two of their 19th century exponents, John Stuart Mill and Karl Marx, respectively. It argues that, far from taking diametrically opposed positions on the topic of gender or sexual equality, the two authors both shared a concern about the injustices facing women in 19th-century Europe, and analysed those injustices in a similar fashion, although they differed on the best way in which to tackle them. While Mill focused primarily, although by no means exclusively, on legislative change as a means of combating specific injustices, something that later liberals have also tended to do, Marx, like later socialists, and especially those in the Marxist tradition, believed that only an overall change in societal conditions could tackle the problems of gender inequality. The paper argues that it is only by studying these two philosophers that we can understand the philosophical underpinnings of contemporary thought on the issues of ge...
Solid-state 2H NMR Reveals the Impact of DHA on Molecular Organization in Raft-Like Domains

Dietary consumption of fish oils rich in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs), such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6), has a wide variety of health benefits. A complete molecular mechanism is yet to be elucidated. One model that has emerged from biochemical and imaging studies of cells postulates that n-3 PUFAs are taken up into phospholipids in the plasma membrane and, due to their high disorder and aversion for cholesterol, reorganize lipid rafts. To investigate this model, we studied lipid bilayers composed of SM (sphingomyelin), PDPC (1-palmitoyl-2-docosahexaenoylphosphatidylcholine), and cholesterol (1:1:1 mol). The molecular organization of each lipid was investigated with solid-state 2H NMR using deuterated analogs of the lipids. Spectral components assigned to ordered raft-like domains and disordered non-raft domains were resolved, from which the composition of the domains and the order within them could be determined. Most of the SM (84%) and cholesterol (88%) was found in the raft-like domain, together with a substantial amount of PDPC (70%). Despite the infiltration of PDPC, however, there appears to be minimal effect on the order of SM or cholesterol. We speculate that PDPC molecules sequester into small groups minimizing the contact of DHA chains with cholesterol and SM, thereby interrupting the continuity of the raft-like environment.
The endocytosis machinery

In mammalian cells, cargo can be endocytosed via clathrin-coated pits, the clathrin-independent pathway or caveolae. In yeast cells the morphology of the internalization step is not yet defined. All internalization pathways lead to the appearance of cargo in the peripheral early endosomes. Coated
Demonstration of Instrumental Insemination of the Queenbee

The breeding of honeybees along definite lines of genetical and race improvement has to the present been impossible because the mating of the queenbee could not be controlled. She pursues her once-for-life nuptials in the open air free on the wing and she persistently refuses to mate under any other conditions. After 150 years of research by numerous experimenters in many lands, it has now for the first time been conclusively demonstrated by Dr. Lloyd R. Watson of Cornell University that she can at least be outwitted. By means of a sort of surgical operation involving very delicate microtechnique which is carried out under the lenses of a binocular microscope, the sperm from a selected drone is dissected out, and with the aid of a microsyringe, which in turn is stabilized and controlled by a micromanipulator, it is injected into the oviduct of the virgin queen as she rests dorsal side downward in a cradle carved out of a tiny operating-table, and held motionless by several loops of silk thread thrown over her body and around the table. To the present time about 50% of all the treated queens later showed insemination ranging all the way from perfectly normal down to very slight. This procedure is not adapted to the use of the ordinary beekeeper, nor to that of the ordinary commercial queen-raiser, but it is adapted to the use of any microscopist who knows bee-behavior and who can bring to the problem a fine degree of manual control.
TH‐B‐BRC‐00: How to Identify and Resolve Potential Clinical Errors Before They Impact Patients Treatment: Lessons Learned

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
The Profunda Artery Perforator Flap Experience for Breast Reconstruction.

Background:The profunda artery perforator flap was first introduced for breast reconstruction in 2010. In this article, the authors analyze the results of all profunda artery perforator flaps performed by their group to date.Methods:A retrospective review was completed of consecutive profunda artery
The Welfare State: The Costs of American Self-Sufficiency

When non-Americans complain about Americanization overtaking many areas of their lives, they rarely refer to social policy. United States welfare programmes are not an object of envy or imitation elsewhere in the world. Quite the opposite. Complaints are far more likely to be heard from Americans that their national policies are being ‘socialized’ (i.e. Europeanized) in ways inconsistent with native virtues. In caricature, these virtues teach that hard work by individuals supplies acquisitive rewards and personal independence; education opens opportunity for better work rewards; limited, divided government guarantees the competitive underpinning for individual opportunity and work; and that all this ought to be enough for anybody. Welfare is equated with antipoverty measures and treated as an affair requiring a neat, technical solution for those special residual groups that cannot succeed in the work-education competition. Americans, as the phrases go, stand on their own two feet; they pay their own way. In essence, the challenge confronting the American welfare state is to extract social equity from a credo of homogenized individualism and pulverized government.
Big graph visual analytics

This special issue of Information Visualization explores the technical challenges and technology development opportunities of graph visual analytics arising from the trend of big data. Big graph visual analytics is about applying visualization and analytics techniques to gather, analyze, and understand big graphs and the knowledge behind them.
After the after: The Biggest Loser and post-makeover narrative trajectories in digital media

ABSTRACTIn an age of media convergence, television makeover narratives increasingly extend beyond their traditional boundaries into digital media. The author identifies three main narrative trajectories “after the after”: (a) the saga continues (subject continues makeover, often in different form), (b) the student becomes the master (subject becomes a mentor to other makeover participants), and (c) joining the rebel alliance (subject questions or rejects makeover logic). This final trajectory, which provides valuable critique of the makeover’s treatment of fatness and weight loss, is particularly important. Examining the stories of particular The Biggest Loser contestants, the author shows how digital media both extend makeover discourse and enable resistance to its logics.
When is a patient-physician relationship established?

In nonemergencies, physicians are under no obligation to treat a patient unless they choose to, but a patient-physician relationship is generally formed when a physician affirmatively acts in a patient’s case.
Sarah Bay-Cheng, Jennifer Parker-Starbuck, and David Z. Saltz, Performance and Media: Taxonomies for a Changing Field

Performance and Media: Taxonomies for a Changing Field presents three different taxonomic models that aim to categorize theatre and new media performance practices.
The Intimacies of Four Continents

Within the discipline of history, geographic and chronological divisions, as well as archival organization, often shape the narratives we write. Despite the conscious recognition of the constructed...
Urologist Practice Affiliation and Intensity-modulated Radiation Therapy for Prostate Cancer in the Elderly.

Abstract Background Prostate cancer treatment is a significant source of morbidity and spending. Some men with prostate cancer, particularly those with significant health problems, are unlikely to benefit from treatment. Objective To assess relationships between financial incentives associated with urologist ownership of radiation facilities and treatment for prostate cancer. Design, setting, and participants A retrospective cohort of Medicare beneficiaries with prostate cancer diagnosed between 2010 and 2012. Patients were further classified by their risk of dying from noncancer causes in the 10 yr following their cancer diagnosis by using a mortality model derived from comparable patients known to be cancer-free. Intervention Urologists were categorized by their practice affiliation (single-specialty groups by size, multispecialty group) and ownership of a radiation facility. Outcome measurements and analysis Use of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and use of any treatment within 1 yr of diagnosis. Generalized estimating equations were used to adjust for patient differences. Results Among men with newly diagnosed prostate cancer, use of IMRT ranged from 24% in multispecialty groups to 37% in large urology groups ( p n =5133) were more likely to receive IMRT than those managed by single-specialty groups without ownership (43% vs 30%, p 75%) of noncancer mortality within 10 yr of diagnosis, both IMRT use (42% vs 26%, p p Conclusions Urologists practicing in single-specialty groups with an ownership interest in radiation therapy are more likely to treat men with prostate cancer, including those with a high risk of noncancer mortality. Patient summary We assessed treatment for prostate cancer among urologists with varying levels of financial incentives favoring intervention. Those with stronger incentives, as determined by ownership interest in a radiation facility, were more likely to treat prostate cancer, even when treatment was unlikely to provide a survival benefit to the patient.
Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD): single institutional experience of 141 patients

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder is a well-recognized but rare complication of hematopoietic stem cell and solid organ transplant. Due to rarity of this disease, retrospective studies from major transplant centers has been the main source to provide treatment guidelines, which are still in evolution. The sample size of this study is among one of the largest study on PTLD till date reported throughout the world. This study was performed at University of Florida which is one of the largest transplant center in South East United States. We performed treatment and survival analysis along with univariate and multivariate analysis to identify prognostic factors. We reviewed 141 patients diagnosed with PTLD over last 22 years with median follow-up of 2.4 years. The estimated median overall survival of the entire group was 15.0 years. Sub group analysis showed that 5-year overall survival rates of pediatric population were 88% (median not reached). For adults, median OS was 5.35 years while for elderly patients it was 1.32 years. The estimated median OS of patients with monomorphic PTLD was 9.0 years while in polymorphic PTLD was 19.3 years. Univariate analysis identified gender, age at transplant and PTLD diagnosis, performance status, IPI score, allograft type, recipient EBV status, multiple acute rejections prior to PTLD diagnosis, PTLD sub-type, extra-nodal site involvement, immunosuppressive drug regimen at diagnosis, initial treatment best response were statistically significant prognostic factors (p < 0.05). On multivariate analysis, age at PTLD diagnosis, recipient EBV status, bone marrow involvement, and initial best response were statistically significant prognostic factors (p < 0.05). Surprisingly, use of Rituximab alone as upfront therapy had poor hazard ratio in the cumulative group as well less aggressive PTLD subgroup comprising of early lesions and polymorphic PTLD. Our experience with treatment and analysis of outcomes does challenge current role of Rituximab use in treatment of PTLD. Currently as we define role of immunotherapy in cancer treatment, the role of acute rejections and immunosuppressant in PTLD becomes more relevant as noticed in our study. This study was also able to find new prognostic factors and also verified other known prognostic factors.
Teammates first: Favoring ingroup robots over outgroup humans

When it's between a robot on your team and a human member of a competing team, who will you favor? Past research indicates that people favor and behave more morally toward ingroup than outgroup members. Conversely, people typically indicate that they have more moral responsibilities toward humans than nonhumans. This study puts participants into two competing teams, each consisting of two humans and two robots, to examine how people behave toward others depending on Group (ingroup, outgroup) and Agent (human, robot) variables. Measures of behavioral aggression used in previous studies (i.e., noise blasts) and reported liking and anthropomorphism evaluations of humans and robots indicated that participants favored the ingroup over the outgroup, and humans over robots. Group had a greater effect than Agent, so participants preferred ingroup robots to outgroup humans.
Regulation of Phenylethanolamine N-Methyltransferase Synthesis and Degradation

The levels of rat adrenal phenylethanolamine N -methyltransferase fall dramatically following hypophysectomy and can be restored to normal values by the administration of adrenocorticotrophin or glucocorticoids. Studies using combined radiolabeling and immunochemical techniques reveal that hypophysectomy accelerates degradation of the enzyme and that proteolysis of the enzyme in vivo is under regulation by glucocorticoids. After hypophysectomy the stability of phenylethanolamine N -methyltransferase at 50° is profoundly reduced, suggesting that concomitant with the increased susceptibility of the enzyme to proteolysis in vivo is an enhanced vulnerability to thermal denaturation in vitro . The thermal stability of the enzyme seems to be regulated by a freezing-thawinglabile, dialyzable substance present in the adrenal glands of normal rats. This material, termed stabilizing factor, is lost after hypophysectomy and can be restored by the administration of ACTH or dexamethasone. The stabilizing factor appears to act by binding to phenylethanolamine N -methyltransferase and can be dissociated from the immunoadsorbed enzyme by washing. The partially purified stabilizing factor has an absorption maximum at 264 nm; preliminary results indicate that it may be S -adenosylmethionine. Thus it is possible that binding of the enzyme to S -adenosylmethionine confers stability against proteolysis in vivo and thermal denaturation in vitro .
Acculturative Family Distancing, Mother–Daughter Relationship, and Well-Being Among Asian Americans:

This study examined how mother–daughter connectedness may moderate: (a) the effect of acculturative family distancing (AFD) on psychological well-being (PWB), (b) the effect of mother–daughter conf...
Ignition enhancement by dual-pulse laser-induced spark ignition in a lean premixed methane-air flow

Abstract Ignition of fuel-lean premixed methane-air flow was investigated using single-pulse laser-induced spark (SPLIS) and dual-pulse laser-induced spark (DPLIS). Ignition enhancement was quantified with ignition probability in flow speeds and equivalence ratios of 3.75 m/s–12.5 m/s and 0.53–0.57, respectively. The range of total laser pulse energy per ignition event was 20–30 mJ. For DPLIS, the energy per pulse was half of the total energy and the time interval between pulses varied from 10 ns to 100 ns where pulse-to-pulse coupling increased the spark surface area. Broadband chemiluminescence within the visible wavelength region was used to determine ignition of the combustible mixture. The ignition probability increased with velocity for both SPLIS and DPLIS as more fuel-oxidizer mixture was exposed to the ignition source. For a fixed total energy, ignition probability was higher for DPLIS than SPLIS particularly as the equivalence ratio was increased. Depending on the flow velocity, a change in the total energy determined whether SPLIS or DPLIS had a higher ignition probability at a given flow velocity. The study showed that using DPLIS to ignite fuel-lean combustible mixtures can enhance ignition compared to SPLIS particularly at low total laser energy and high-speed flow conditions.
Infinite-state model checking of LTLR formulas using narrowing

The linear temporal logic of rewriting (LTLR) is a simple extension of LTL that adds spatial action patterns to the logic, expressing that a specific instance of an action described by a rewrite rule has been performed. Although the theory and algorithms of LTLR for finite-state model checking are well-developed [2], no theoretical foundations have yet been developed for infinite-state LTLR model checking. The main goal of this paper is to develop such foundations for narrowing-based logical model checking of LTLR properties. A key theme in this paper is the systematic relationship, in the form of a simulation with remarkably good properties, between the concrete state space and the symbolic state space. A related theme is the use of additional state space reduction methods, such as folding and equational abstractions, that can in some cases yield a finite symbolic state space.
Multimode Topology Morphing Control of Impedance Control Network Resonant DC-DC Converters

This paper introduces a multimode control approach for output voltage regulation in impedance control network (ICN) resonant dc-dc converters, in which the rectifier of the ICN converter dynamically alternates between full-bridge and half-bridge topologies. The proposed control approach allows the ICN converter to maintain soft-switching across power levels, while substantially reducing input and output capacitance requirements and improving partial-power efficiencies compared to the conventional burst mode (on/off) control. These performance enhancements are analytically evaluated and quantified for an example ICN converter design. A closed-loop control architecture for the proposed multimode topology morphing is also introduced, which ensures smooth mode transitions while regulating output voltage across input voltage and load transients. A prototype 1-MHz, 120-W step-down ICN resonant converter designed for an input voltage range of 18 V to 36 V, an output voltage of 12 V, and a 10:1 output power range is built and tested. Compared to burst mode control, the topology morphing control reduces the output capacitance requirement in the prototype ICN converter by 57% and reduces converter losses at partial power levels by up to 46.5%, validating the analytical predictions. The prototype converter is also tested under closed-loop control, and is shown to successfully regulate its output voltage with smooth mode transitions in the face of input voltage and load variations.
Prevalence of Seizures in Pediatric Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Patients as Measured by Continuous Electroencephalography.

Objectives:Standards for neuromonitoring during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support do not currently exist, and there is wide variability in practice. We present our institutional experience at an academic children’s hospital since establishment of a continuous electroencephalography monitor
Ambient Particulate Matter Size Distributions Drive Regional and Global Variability in Particle Deposition in the Respiratory Tract.

Human exposure to airborne particulate matter (PM) increases the risk of negative health outcomes; however, substantial uncertainty remains in quantifying these exposure-response relationships. In particular, relating increased risk of mortality to exposure to PM with diameters smaller than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) neglects variability in the underlying size distribution of PM2.5 exposure and size-resolved deposition in human airways. In this study, we combine a size-resolved respiratory particle-deposition model with a global size-resolved aerosol model to estimate the variability in particle deposition along the respiratory tract due to variability in ambient PM size distributions. We find that the ratio of deposited PM mass in the tracheobronchial and alveolar regions per unit ambient PM2.5 exposure (deposition ratio and DRTB + AV) varies by 20-30% between populated regions due to variability in ambient PM size distributions. Furthermore, DRTB + AV can vary by as high as a factor of 4 between the fossil-fuel-dominated region of the Eastern United States and the desert-dust-dominated region of North Africa. When considering individual PM species, such as sulfate or organic matter, we still find variability in the DRTB + AV on the order of 30% due to regional variability in the size distribution. Finally, the spatial distribution of DRTB + AV based on number or surface area is substantially different than the DRTB + AV based on mass. These results suggest that regional variability in ambient aerosol size distributions drive variability in PM deposition in the body, which may lead to variability in the health response from exposure to PM2.5.
Non-sulfated cholecystokinin-8 increases enteric and hindbrain Fos-like immunoreactivity in male Sprague Dawley rats.

Abstract Recently, we reported that non-sulfated cholecystokinin-8 (NS CCK-8) reduces food intake by cholecystokinin-B receptors (CCK-BR). To examine a possible site of action for this peptide, and based on the fact that both NS CCK-8 and CCK-BR are found centrally and peripherally, in the current study we hypothesized that NS CCK-8 increases Fos-like immunoreactivity (Fos-LI, a neuronal activation marker) in the dorsal vagal complex (DVC) of the hindbrain and the myenteric and submucosal plexuses of the small intestine. We found that intraperitoneal NS CCK-8 (0.5 nmol/kg) increases Fos-LI in the DVC, the myenteric and the submucosal plexuses of the duodenum and the myenteric plexus of the jejunum. The findings suggest, but does not prove, a potential role for the DVC and the enteric neurons in the feeding responses evoked by NS CCK-8.
Disrupted epigenetics in the Sotos syndrome neurobehavioral phenotype

Purpose of review Sotos syndrome is among a growing list of disorders resulting from mutations in epigenetic machinery genes. These Mendelian disorders of the epigenetic machinery (MDEMs) exhibit phenotypic overlap broadly characterized by intellectual disability and atypical growth and behaviors. Manifestations of Sotos syndrome include a distinct facial appearance, overgrowth, intellectual disability, and behavioral issues. Herein we review key aspects of Sotos syndrome, focusing on the neurobehavioral phenotype. Additionally, we highlight recent advances in our understanding of molecular pathogenesis implicating epigenetic mechanisms. Recent findings Increasing evidence suggests MDEMs account for ∼19% of intellectual disability and ∼45% of overgrowth combined with intellectual disability, with Sotos syndrome constituting most of the latter. Although the genetic cause of Sotos syndrome, disruption of the histone methyltransferase writer NSD1, is well established, recent studies have further delineated the neurobehavioral phenotype and provided insight into disease pathogenesis. Explicitly, NSD1 target genes accounting for a subset of Sotos syndrome features and a specific DNA methylation signature have been identified. Summary Sotos syndrome is, therefore, a genetic disorder with epigenetic consequences. Its characteristic neurobehavioral phenotype and those of related MDEMs illustrate the essential role epigenetic mechanisms play in neurologic development. Improvement in our understanding of molecular pathogenesis has important implications for development of diagnostic tests and therapeutic interventions.
Cerebellar Hippocampal and Basal Nuclei Transient Edema with Restricted diffusion (CHANTER) Syndrome

Abnormal restricted diffusion on magnetic resonance imaging is often associated with ischemic stroke or anoxic injury, but other conditions can present similarly. We present six cases of an unusual but consistent pattern of restricted diffusion in bilateral hippocampi and cerebellar cortices. This pattern of injury is distinct from typical imaging findings in ischemic, anoxic, or toxic injury, suggesting it may represent an under-recognized clinicoradiographic syndrome. Despite initial presentation with stupor or coma in the context of obstructive hydrocephalus, patients may have acceptable outcomes if offered early intervention. We identified an ad hoc series of patients at our two institutions between years 2014 and 2017 who presented to the neurocritical care unit with severe, otherwise unexplained cerebellar edema and retrospectively identified several commonalities in history, presentation, and imaging. Between two institutions, we identified six patients—ages 33–59 years, four male—with similar presentations of decreased level of consciousness in the context of intoxicant exposure, with acute cytotoxic edema of the cerebellar cortex, hippocampi, and aspects of the basal nuclei. All patients presented with severe cerebellar edema which led to obstructive hydrocephalus requiring aggressive medical and/or surgical management. The five patients who survived to discharge demonstrated variable degrees of physical and memory impairment on discharge and at follow-up. We present findings of a potentially novel syndrome involving a distinct pattern of cerebellar and hippocampal restricted diffusion, with imaging and clinical characteristics distinct from ischemic stroke, hypoxic injury, and known toxidromes and leukoencephalopathies. Given the potential for favorable outcome despite early obstructive hydrocephalus, early identification and treatment of this syndrome are critical.
Do Co-ethnic concentrated neighborhoods protect children with undocumented parents? Focusing on child behavioral functioning.

Abstract Undocumented immigrants concentrate in ethnic enclaves, but little is known about the implications of living in such neighborhoods for children of undocumented immigrants. Using data on Mexican-origin children from the Los Angeles Family and Neighborhood Survey and the decennial census, this paper examines the influence of co-ethnic concentrated neighborhoods on children's behavioral functioning, and the extent to which parental nativity and documentation status moderate the neighborhood effects. Multilevel linear regression models show that the proportion of co-ethnics in the neighborhood apparently has no influence on Mexican-origin children. However, cross-level interactions reveal that the neighborhood context has differential effects by parental documentation status. The higher the percentage of co-ethnics in the neighborhood, the lower (better) the externalizing scores for children of undocumented immigrants, a pattern not observed for children of US-born or documented parents. The mechanism through which co-ethnic enclaves benefit children of undocumented Mexican immigrants deserves future research.
Introduction: The Charlie Hebdo Affair as a Global “Meta-Media Event”

The assassination of some of the iconic figures of French satirical journalism in the terrorist attack on Charlie Hebdo was a global media event. The trauma of the Charlie Hebdo affair inspired individual and collective solidarities around the world. This chapter introduces the aim of the volume, namely, a comparative analysis of diverse journalistic conceptualizations of the clash of cultures and mentalities over the central human right of freedom of expression, and the right/rite of respect for religion, which is situated on the outer periphery of the human right of freedom of religion. The chapter also presents the theoretical perspectives within which the comparative analysis of the Charlie Hebdo affair is carried out: journalistic fields and paradigms, editorial independence, cultural and linguistic proximities, and establishmentalities (conceptualizations of the role of religion and the sacred in the life of the state and the public sphere). The chapter also presents the structure of the volume and summaries of its chapters.
Preclinical characterization of the ADME properties of a surrogate anti-IL-36R monoclonal antibody antagonist in mouse serum and tissues

The decision to pursue a monoclonal antibody (mAb) as a therapeutic for disease intervention requires the assessment of many factors, such as target-biology, including the total target burden and i...
Fully degradable and stretchable semiconducting polymers for transient electronics

Electronics that can be stretched and feature skin-inspired functionalities are opening doors for opportunities in health and environmental monitoring, sustainability, and next-generation consumer products. Degradability is an important attribute for applications on dynamic surfaces where manual recovery would be logistically or financially unpractical. A key step to realize such electronics is the development of a stretchable and degradable transistor with electrical performance independent of large mechanical stress. Herein, we decouple the design of stretchability and transience by harmonizing polymer physics principles and molecular design in order to demonstrate for the first time a material that simultaneously possesses three disparate attributes: semiconductivity, intrinsic stretchability, and full degradability. This polymeric system represents a promising advance towards developing multifunctional materials for skin-inspired electronics.
Certificate-of-Need Laws and Healthcare Utilization During COVID-19 Pandemic

This paper investigates the impact of state-level Certificate-of-Need (CON) laws on COVID and non-COVID deaths in the United States during the SARS-CoV-2 pandem