cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Frontal and parietal participation in problem solving in the Tower of London: fMRI and computational modeling of planning and high-level perception

This study triangulates executive planning and visuo-spatial reasoning in the context of the Tower of London (TOL) task by using a variety of methodological approaches. These approaches include functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), functional connectivity analysis, individual difference analysis, and computational modeling. A graded fMRI paradigm compared the brain activation during the solution of problems with varying path lengths: easy (1 and 2 moves), moderate (3 and 4 moves) and difficult (5 and 6 moves). There were three central findings regarding the prefrontal cortex: (1) while both the left and right prefrontal cortices were equally involved during the solution of moderate and difficult problems, the activation on the right was differentially attenuated during the solution of the easy problems; (2) the activation observed in the right prefrontal cortex was highly correlated with individual differences in working memory (measured independently by the reading span task); and (3) different patterns of functional connectivity were observed in the left and right prefrontal cortices. Results obtained from the superior parietal region also revealed left/right differences; only the left superior parietal region revealed an effect of difficulty. These fMRI results converged upon two hypotheses: (1) the right prefrontal area may be more involved in the generation of a plan, whereas the left prefrontal area may be more involved in plan execution; and (2) the right superior parietal region is more involved in attention processes while the left homologue is more of a visuo-spatial workspace. A 4CAPS computational model of the cognitive processes and brain activation in the TOL task integrated these hypothesized mechanisms, and provided a reasonably good fit to the observed behavioral and brain activation data. The multiple research approaches presented here converge on a deepening understanding of the combination of perceptual and conceptual processes in this type of visual problem solving. © 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
The Impact Of Audit Quality On Earnings Management To Achieve User Reference Points In EPS

Prior research (Thomas, 1989; Das and Zhang, 2003; Jordan et al., 2008a) presents evidence that managers manipulate income to round up earnings per share (EPS) to key user reference points when unrounded EPS fall only slightly below these breakpoints. In the U.S., studies on audit quality suggest that, relative to small audit firms, large CPA firms provide higher quality audits and, as such, more aggressively constrain their clients’ attempts to manage earnings in general (e.g., see Francis and Krishnan, 1999; Krishnan, 2003). However, research outside the U.S. finds no consistent audit quality differential based on auditor size (e.g., see Piot and Janin, 2007; Maijoor and Vanstraelen, 2006). The current study examines whether audit quality, as proxied by auditor size, in the U.S. constrains earnings management to effect user reference points in EPS. Using the Big 4 versus non-Big 4 dichotomy as the measure of auditor size and audit quality, results suggest that audit quality significantly restricts management’s attempts at rounding up EPS as clients of Big 4 firms show no major signs of this manipulative behavior while non-Big 4 auditees appear to round up the first digital position right of the decimal point in EPS across zero to increase the digit immediately left of the decimal point by one.
The hippo signaling pathway: implications for heart regeneration and disease

Control of cell number and organ size is critical for appropriate development and tissue homeostasis. Studies in both Drosophila and mammals have established the Hippo signaling pathway as an important modulator of organ size and tumorigenesis. Upon activation, this kinase cascade modulates gene expression through the phosphorylation and inhibition of transcription co-activators that are involved in cell proliferation, differentiation, growth and apoptosis. Hippo signaling serves to limit organ size and suppress malignancies, and has been implicated in tissue regeneration following injury. These outcomes highlight the important role that Hippo signaling plays in regulating both physiologic and pathologic processes. In this review, an overview of the signaling pathway will be discussed as well as recent work that has investigated its role in cardiac development, regeneration and disease.
Use of a New Hybrid Heparin-Bonded Nitinol Ring Stent in the Popliteal Artery: Procedural and Mid-term Clinical and Anatomical Outcomes.

To report the immediate and mid-term clinical and anatomical outcomes of a novel, hybrid, heparin-bonded, nitinol ring stent (TIGRIS; Gore Medical) when used for the treatment of lesions located in the popliteal artery. This was a prospective single-centre registry. Patients eligible for inclusion were individuals suffering from symptomatic popliteal arterial occlusive disease (Rutherford–Becker stage 3–6; P1–P3 segments) and treated with placement of the TIGRIS stent(s). Patients were prospectively scheduled for clinical review and duplex ultrasound follow-up after 6 and 12 months. Outcome measures included immediate technical success, primary vessel patency, in-stent binary restenosis (evaluable by Duplex at 50 % threshold; PSVR > 2.0), freedom from target lesion revascularization (TLR) and amputation-free survival (AFS) estimated by Kaplan–Meier (K–M) survival analysis. Cox proportional-hazards regression analysis was also performed to adjust for confounders and search for independent predictors of outcomes. From August 2012 to March 2014, a total of 54 popliteal TIGRIS stents were implanted in 50 limbs of 48 patients (27 men and 21 women; mean age 76.0 ± 1.7 years). Median Rutherford–Becker stage was five at baseline and 37/50 (74.0 %) were chronic total occlusions. Technical success was achieved in all cases (100 %). Stented lesion length was 114.2 ± 36.9 mm (range 6–20 cm). Median follow-up was 11.8 ± 0.8 months. After 12 months, primary patency of the TIGRIS stent was 69.5 ± 10.2 % with an 86.1 ± 5.9 % freedom from TLR and 87 ± 5.0 % AFS (K–M estimates). The TIGRIS hybrid heparin-bonded nitinol ring stent is a safe and effective endovascular option for complex occlusive disease of the popliteal artery.
Development of cranial parasympathetic ganglia requires sequential actions of GDNF and neurturin.

The neurotrophic factors that influence the development and function of the parasympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system are obscure. Recently, neurturin has been found to provide trophic support to neurons of the cranial parasympathetic ganglion. Here we show that GDNF signaling via the RET/GFR(alpha)1 complex is crucial for the development of cranial parasympathetic ganglia including the submandibular, sphenopalatine and otic ganglia. GDNF is required early for proliferation and/or migration of the neuronal precursors for the sphenopalatine and otic ganglia. Neurturin exerts its effect later and is required for further development and maintenance of these neurons. This switch in ligand dependency during development is at least partly governed by the altered expression of GFR(α) receptors, as evidenced by the predominant expression of GFR(α)2 in these neurons after ganglion formation.
Characterization of the Early Proliferative Response of the Rodent Bladder to Subtotal Cystectomy: A Unique Model of Mammalian Organ Regeneration

Subtotal cystectomy (STC; surgical removal of ∼75% of the rat urinary bladder) elicits a robust proliferative response resulting in complete structural and functional bladder regeneration within 8-weeks. The goal of these studies was to characterize the early cellular response that mediates this regenerative phenomenon, which is unique among mammalian organ systems. STC was performed on eighteen 12-week-old female Fischer F344 rats. At 1, 3, 5 and 7-days post-STC, the bladder was harvested 2-hours after intraperitoneal injection of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU). Fluorescent BrdU labeling was quantified in cells within the urothelium, lamina propria (LP), muscularis propria (MP) and serosa. Cell location was confirmed with fluorescently co-labeled cytokeratin, vimentin or smooth muscle actin (SMA), to identify urothelial, interstitial and smooth muscle cells, respectively. Expression of sonic hedgehog (Shh), Gli-1 and bone morphogenic factor-4 (BMP-4) were evaluated with immunochemistry. Three non-operated rats injected with BrdU served as controls. Less than 1% of cells in the bladder wall were labeled with BrdU in control bladders, but this percentage significantly increased by 5-8-fold at all time points post-STC. The spatiotemporal characteristics of the proliferative response were defined by a significantly higher percentage of BrdU-labeled cells within the urothelium at 1-day than in the MP and LP. A time-dependent shift at 3 and 5-days post-STC revealed significantly fewer BrdU-labeled cells in the MP than LP or urothelium. By 7-days the percentage of BrdU-labeled cells was similar among urothelium, LP and MP. STC also caused an increase in immunostaining for Shh, Gli-1 and BMP-4. In summary, the early stages of functional bladder regeneration are characterized by time-dependent changes in the location of the proliferating cell population, and expression of several evolutionarily conserved developmental signaling proteins. This report extends previous observations and further establishes the rodent bladder as an excellent model for studying novel aspects of mammalian organ regeneration.
Cognitive Distortions among Depressed and Suicidal Drug Abusers

A very high proportion of drug abusers have psychiatric problems, with depressive symptoms particularly common. Nonabusing depressed patients have been found to demonstrate elevated levels of cognitive distortions, relative to normals, and to benefit from therapies that address such cognitive distortions. The present study investigated the prevalence of cognitive distortions in a sample of 52 inpatient depressed and/or suicidal drug abusers. Levels of cognitive distortion were found to be comparable to those reported in other studies for noninpatient depressed subjects, but lower than those of nonabusing depressed inpatients. Within the present relatively homogeneous sample, degree of cognitive distortion was nevertheless related to levels of depression, hopelessness, and suicidally. It is concluded that cognitive therapy may be indicated for depressed drug abusers.
DIFFERENTIAL PATTERNS OF INTROGRESSION ACROSS THE X CHROMOSOME IN A HYBRID ZONE BETWEEN TWO SPECIES OF HOUSE MICE

A complete understanding of the speciation process requires the identification of genomic regions and genes that confer reproductive barriers between species. Empirical and theoretical research has revealed two important patterns in the evolution of reproductive isolation in animals: isolation typically arises as a result of disrupted epistatic interactions between multiple loci and these disruptions map disproportionately to the X chromosome. These patterns suggest that a targeted examination of natural gene flow between closely related species at X-linked markers with known positions would provide insight into the genetic basis of speciation. We take advantage of the existence of genomic data and a well-documented European zone of hybridization between two species of house mice, Mus domesticus and M. musculus, to conduct such a survey. We evaluate patterns of introgression across the hybrid zone for 13 diagnostic X-linked loci with known chromosomal positions using a maximum likelihood model. Interlocus comparisons clearly identify one locus with reduced introgression across the center of the hybrid zone, pinpointing a candidate region for reproductive isolation. Results also reveal one locus with high frequencies of M. domesticus alleles in populations on the M. musculus side of the zone, suggesting the possibility that positive selection may act to drive the spread of alleles from one species on to the genomic background of the other species. Finally, cline width and cline center are strongly positively correlated across the X chromosome, indicating that gene flow of the X chromosome may be asymmetrical. This study highlights the utility of natural populations of hybrids for mapping speciation genes and suggests that the middle of the X chromosome may be important for reproductive isolation between species of house mice.
Imaging Ferroelectric Domains and Domain Walls Using Charge Gradient Microscopy: Role of Screening Charges

Advanced scanning probe microscopies (SPMs) open up the possibilities of the next-generation ferroic devices that utilize both domains and domain walls as active elements. However, current SPMs lack the capability of dynamically monitoring the motion of domains and domain walls in conjunction with the transport of the screening charges that lower the total electrostatic energy of both domains and domain walls. Charge gradient microscopy (CGM) is a strong candidate to overcome these shortcomings because it can map domains and domain walls at high speed and mechanically remove the screening charges. Yet the underlying mechanism of the CGM signals is not fully understood due to the complexity of the electrostatic interactions. Here, we designed a semiconductor–metal CGM tip, which can separate and quantify the ferroelectric domain and domain wall signals by simply changing its scanning direction. Our investigation reveals that the domain wall signals are due to the spatial change of polarization charges, whi...
Uncoupling the Constitutional Right to Self-Defense from the Second Amendment: Insights from the Law of War

This article responds to two powerful and seemingly antagonistic arguments that have gained wide currency in academic literature and the popular press in the last few years. The first is that firearms are necessary to realize the right to self-defense – particularly for people and communities who cannot count on government protection. The second, with which the current author is often associated, is that notwithstanding the opinions of Justice Scalia in District of Columbia v. Heller and Justice Alito in MacDonald v. City of Chicago, serious historical inquiry cannot support the claim that the Second Amendment as originally understood contemplated private access to firearms for purposes of personal self-defense. This article suggests that the entirely valid concerns of those favoring constitutional enforcement of a fundamental right of individual self-defense would be better and more honestly served by judicial analysis of the law of self-defense in terms of general principles of law familiar from the international law of armed conflict, and incorporation of those principles into U.S. constitutional jurisprudence through procedural due process, substantive due process, the Ninth Amendment, Privileges or Immunities, and allied constitutional doctrines long associated with federal judicial enforcement of constitutional rights not specified in the constitutional text.
Intercept 1961: From Air Defense SA-1 to Missile Defense System A [Scanning our Past]

This article tells a little known story of the first anti-aircraft system SA-1 in the Soviet Union, the first nonnuclear intercept of a long-range ballistic missile, and emergence of missile defense.
Carbochlorination of Fly Ash in a Fused Salt Slurry Reactor

Carbochlorination of the metal oxides in fly ash by suspending the solid reactants in a NaCl-AlCl3 melt at 530–850°C and then sparging chlorine into the melt has been investigated. A mechanically agitated, semi-batch reactor was used to test the effects of temperature, oxide and carbon loading, salt composition and gas flow on the reaction rate. The process was modeled using the carbochlorination of pure alumina, the rate of which was found to be chemical reaction controlled at temperatures below about 650°C and gas-liquid mass transfer controlled at higher temperature. The carbochlorination rate of the mixed oxides in coal fly ash was also mass transfer controlled at higher temperatures when aluminum recoveries were less than about 50%. At higher aluminum recoveries, the overall rate was limited by the rate of ash dissolution into the melt.
Interface Quality and Interdiffusion in Si-Ge Heterostructures

The evolution of interfaces of short-period (SimGen)p superlattices upon annealing has been studied by x-ray reflectometry and Raman scattering spectroscopy. Isothermal annealing treatments at 700° C resulted in a significant material redistribution as evidenced by a strong decay of the superlattice x-ray satellites and by the decay of longitudinal acoustic modes and changes in the optical mode intensity ratios in Raman scattering. Interdiffusion was more pronounced in superlattices of short periodicity. This may possibly be explained by the strong composition dependence of the diffusivity of Ge atoms in Si1−xGex alloys and the degree of preexisting interfacial mixing. This composition dependence of the diffusion may favor atomic displacement parallel to the interfaces leading to an initial smoothing of the interfaces.
Electrolyte content of the corneal stroma of the bullfrog.

SummaryThe Na+, K+, and Cl- content of aqueous humor of the bullfrog is 100, 2.4, and 82 meq/kg of water, respectively. The [Na+] and [K+] of the corneal stroma are significantly higher than those of the aqueous humor while the Cl- content of the stroma is essentially the same as that of the aqueous humor.
Thermodynamic Stability of Binary Oxides in Contact with Silicon

Using tabulated thermodynamic data, a comprehensive investigation of the thermodynamic stability of binary oxides in contact with silicon at 1000 K was conducted. Reactions between silicon and each binary oxide at 1000 K, including those involving ternary phases, were considered. Sufficient thermodynamic data exists to conclude that all binary oxides except the following are unstable in contact with silicon at 1000 K: LiO2, the alkaline earth oxides (BeO, MgO, CaO, SrO, and BaO), the column IIIB oxides (Sc2O3, Y2O3, and Re2O3 where Re is a rare earth), ThO2, ZrO2, HfO2, and Al2O3. Of these remaining oxides, sufficient thermodynamic data exists to conclude that MgO, CaO, and ZrO2 are thermodynamically stable in contact with silicon at 1000 K.
Correlation of Tunnel Support Loads with Geology

Installation of load cells under steel supports during construction permitted a statistical study to be made of geologic and construction variables that influenced measured loads on steel supports in a portion of the Bureau of Reclamation9s Bousted Tunnel. The load cells were installed when the supports were placed behind the face. Periodic measurements of the cells recorded load fluctuation to tunneling at distances of over 3,000 ft from the face. Hours to final stabilized load varied from 475 hours to more than 2,000 hours after support installation. Correlation of the geologic and construction variables to set loads revealed that the composite construction variable of blocking points plus section modulus has the highest significance in influencing the set load. The following geologic variables in order of their significance influence set load: mean dip of major joints sets, thickness of nearest fault, degree of faulting, degree of alteration, and water inflow condition. Prediction of rock loads from Terzaghi9s classification resulted in conservative (higher) values when compared with measured rock loads.
Pediatric Patients: Do Not Resuscitate Decisions

The ethical challenges surrounding do not resuscitate (DNR) decisions in pediatric patients differ significantly from those in adult patients. Pediatric patients are in an ethical class of their own, and rely, in most cases, on their parents to make decisions for them, albeit with the pediatric patient’s assent when appropriate. Both the initial decision to enter a DNR order and then the reevaluation of that order in the perioperative setting require timely, open, and compassionate communication on the part of the healthcare providers with the involved parties. The physician’s primary obligation in these cases is to the patient with thoughtful awareness of the needs of the family. It is the family that will have to cope with the death of their child and the decisions they have made for the rest of their lives.
Interobserver Variation Among Pathologists in Evaluating Perineural Invasion for Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

The aims of this study are as follows: (1) to assess variations among pathologists in evaluating perineural invasion (PNI) in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), (2) to survey PNI criteria used by pathologists and how they came to adopt those criteria. An electronic survey was sent to 363 oral and/or surgical pathologists. Eligibility criteria included pathology board certification. The survey participants were asked to rate whether PNI was present, absent, or uncertain for 15 provided photomicrographs, which depicted various types of tumor-nerve relationships without excessive desmoplasia or lymphocytic host response. The survey obtained information regarding demographics, whether PNI criteria were taught during residency, criteria used by participants to evaluate PNI, how the participants developed their criteria, and agreement with six proposed PNI definitions. 88 pathologists completed the survey. The participants included 47 males and 41 females, with average age = 49 years and average practice experience = 17 years. Practice settings included dental school (40 %), medical school (36 %), private pathology lab (13 %), and other (11 %). Agreement between participants in rating PNI status for the provided images was fair (κ = .38, 95 % CI .37–.39). 56 % of respondents indicated that they were taught PNI criteria during residency training. The basis for criteria currently used by participants included residency training (n = 42), published literature (n = 29), and own experience/views (n = 32). Agreement regarding six proposed PNI definitions was slight (κ = .10, 95 % CI .08–.11). In conclusion, interobserver agreement in assessing PNI status was fair. Our results suggest that more widely accepted, objective, and reproducible criteria are needed for evaluating PNI in OSCC.
Survival of translocated sharp-tailed grouse: temporal threshold and age effects

Context The Columbian sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus columbianus) is a subspecies of conservation concern in the western United States, currently occupying ≤10% of its historic range. Land and management agencies are employing translocation techniques to restore Columbian sharp-tailed grouse (CSTG) populations. However, establishing self-sustaining populations by translocating grouse often is unsuccessful, owing, in part, to low survivorship of translocated grouse following release. Aims We measured and modelled patterns of CSTG mortality for 150 days following translocation into historic range, to better understand patterns and causes of success or failure in conservation efforts to re-establish grouse populations. Methods We conducted two independent multi-year translocations and evaluated individual and temporal factors associated with CSTG survival up to 150 days following their release. Both translocations were reintroduction attempts in Nevada, USA, to establish viable populations of CSTG into their historic range. Key results We observed a clear temporal threshold in survival probability, with CSTG mortality substantially higher during the first 50 days following release than during the subsequent 100 days. Additionally, translocated yearling grouse exhibited higher overall survival (0.669 ± 0.062) than did adults (0.420 ± 0.052) across the 150-day period and higher survival than adults both before and after the 50-day temporal threshold. Conclusions Translocated CSTG are especially vulnerable to mortality for 50 days following release, whereas translocated yearling grouse are more resistant to mortality than are adult grouse. On the basis of the likelihood of survival, yearling CSTG are better candidates for population restoration through translocation than are adult grouse. Implications Management actions that ameliorate mortality factors for 50 days following translocation and translocations that employ yearling grouse will increase the likelihood of population establishment.
Monitoring of somatosensory evoked potentials during surgical procedures on the thoracoabdominal aorta. II. Use of somatosensory evoked potentials to assess adequacy of distal aortic bypass and perfusion after thoracic aortic cross-clamping.

Pulsatile left atrial–femoral artery bypass was instituted after aortic cross-clamping distal to the left subclavian artery in a canine experimental model to determine the relationship of distal aortic perfusion pressure with spinal cord blood flow and somatosensory evoked potentials. In six animals (Group I) distal aortic perfusion pressure was maintained at 100 mm Hg throughout a 1 hour interval of aortic cross-clamping. During this period, somatosensory evoked potentials and spinal cord blood flow (radioactive microspheres) showed no significant change from baseline. In six other dogs (Group II) distal aortic perfusion pressure was initially maintained at 100 mm Hg after aortic cross-clamping and then progressively decreased to 70, 40, and 25 mm Hg. Somatosensory evoked potentials and spinal cord blood flow were preserved at baseline levels for all distal perfusion pressures greater than 70 mm Hg. At 40 mm Hg, abnormalities in amplitude of the somatosensory evoked potentials were noted in all animals with progression to complete loss of evoked potential activity at lower perfusion pressures. Maintenance of adequate somatosensory spinal cord conduction after thoracic aortic cross-clamping is dependent on a critical level of distal aortic perfusion pressure that can be accomplished by use of an adjunct such as pulsatile left atrial–femoral artery bypass. The critical level of distal aortic perfusion pressure to maintain normal somatosensory evoked potentials and spinal cord blood flow in this canine experimental study was 70 mm Hg or greater. Because inadequate distal aortic perfusion can be easily detected by monitoring of somatosensory evoked potentials, these techniques should prove helpful in evaluating the effectiveness of distal perfusion techniques during clinical aortic cross-clamping for procedures on the thoracoabdominal aorta.
Ferrimagnetism in PrCoO3 epitaxial films

We demonstrate the stabilization of a ferrimagnetic ground state in epitaxial films of PrCoO${}_{3}$ grown on SrTiO${}_{3}$ (001) substrates, in stark contrast to paramagnetic behavior observed in bulk. Heteroepitaxial strain is found to induce long-range ordering of the Co ions, which we deduce to be in a high-spin state. The ferromagnetic ordering of the CoO${}_{6}$ array is accompanied by ordering of the Pr sublattice in an antiparallel orientation to the Co. The ordering of the Pr sublattice provides evidence for significant Co-Pr exchange likely facilitated by the presence of high-spin Co.
Langerian Mindfulness and Optimal Sport Performance

This chapter celebrates the brilliance of the pioneering and broadly impactful life work of Ellen Langer. In particular, the chapter makes a call for sport psychology practitioners to intentionally apply Langerian mindfulness to interventions focused on facilitating athletes’ optimal sport performance. Sport psychology consultants have long understood the value of being fully engaged to achieve optimal performance, yet still there seems to lack a theoretical grounding about how to create a fully present state of mind. Traditional sport psychology interventions are focused on using techniques to help athletes replicate their past best performances. This chapter offers a theoretical discussion that connects Langerian mindfulness as a direct pathway to enhance performance to Czikszentmihalyi’s concept of flow (a fully engaged experience). In addition, we offer an example that demonstrates how Langerian mindfulness can be integrated into a sport intervention and provide case examples of elite athletes applying Langerian mindfulness that, together, highlight the significant benefit of applying Langerian mindfulness to the world of sport.
Updating PageRank for Streaming Graphs

Incremental graph algorithms can respond quickly to small changes in massive graphs by updating rather than recomputing analysis metrics. Here we use the linear system formulation of PageRank and ideas from iterative refinement to compute the update to a PageRank vector accurately and quickly. The core idea is to express the residual of the original solution with respect to the updated matrix representing the graph. The update to the residual is sparse. Solving for the solution update with a straight-forward iterative method spreads the change outward from the change locations but converges before traversing the entire graph. We achieve speed-ups of 2x to over 40x relative to a restarted, highly parallel PageRank iteration for small, low-latency batches of edge insertions. These cases traverse 2x to nearly 10,000x fewer edges than the restarted PageRank iteration. This provides an interesting test case for the ongoing GraphBLAS effort: Can the APIs support our incremental algorithms cleanly and efficiently?
Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis: Early Treatment Responses of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors and Clomipramine in Pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Objective We conducted a meta-analysis to examine the following: the time course of response to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and clomipramine in pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD); whether higher doses of SSRIs are associated with an improved response in pediatric OCD; differences in efficacy among SSRI agents; differences in efficacy between SSRIs and clomipramine; and whether the time course and magnitude of response to SSRIs are different in pediatric and adult patients with OCD. Method We searched PubMed and CENTRAL for randomized controlled trials comparing SSRIs (or clomipramine) to placebo for the treatment of pediatric OCD and using the Children's Yale−Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale as an outcome. We extracted weekly symptom data from trials to characterize the trajectory of pharmacological response to SSRIs. Pooled estimates of treatment effect were calculated based on weighted mean differences between the treatment and placebo groups. Results Nine trials involving 801 children with OCD were included in this meta-analysis. A logarithmic model indicating that the greatest benefits occurred early in treatment best fit the longitudinal data for both clomipramine and SSRIs. Clomipramine was associated with a greater measured benefit compared to placebo than SSRIs. There was no evidence for a relationship between SSRI dosing and treatment effect, although data were limited. Adults and children with OCD demonstrated a similar degree and time course of response to SSRIs in OCD. Conclusion These results suggest that the greatest incremental treatment gains in pediatric OCD occur early in SSRI treatment (similar to adults with OCD and children and adults with major depression).
Exposure to SSRI-type antidepressants increases righting time in the marine snail Ilyanassa obsoleta

Exposure to human antidepressants has been shown to disrupt locomotion and other foot-mediated mechanisms in aquatic snails. We tested the effect of three selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)- and one selective serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI)-type antidepressants on the righting response in the marine snail, Ilyanassa obsoleta. All four antidepressants (fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine, venlafaxine) significantly increased righting time compared with controls with an exposure time as short as 1 h. Dose responses were nonmonotonic with effects seen mainly at the lowest exposure concentrations and shortest duration. The lowest concentration to show an effect was 3.45 μg/L fluoxetine with a 2-h exposure period and is about 3.71 times higher than environmental concentrations. Our results highlight rapid disruption of another foot-mediated behavior in aquatic snails by SSRI-type antidepressants. We discuss these and other reported nonmonotonic dose responses caused by antidepressants in terms of the various possible physiological mechanisms of action in nontarget aquatic species.
Event-Specific Uncertainty and its Expected Resolution

Disclosure models predict stronger responses to new information when investors are more uncertain prior to the announcement of that information, and that returns will be concentrated in periods in which uncertainty is expected to be resolved. Yet empirical tests of these predictions have generated only modest support. We hypothesize that investor response to new information will depend upon the combined effect of uncertainty about the disclosed information and the extent to which that information will resolve uncertainty about firm value; we term the combined effect “event-specific uncertainty”. We examine investor response to earnings announcements, and find that investors respond more strongly when event-specific uncertainty is higher. We then show that a larger proportion of annual returns are realized during earnings announcement periods that are characterized by relatively higher ex ante event-specific uncertainty. Importantly, other measures of uncertainty do not demonstrate these results. Finally, we show that relative ex ante event specific uncertainty varies intuitively with the characteristics of a firm’s information environment.
The Association Between Preconception Care Receipt and the Timeliness and Adequacy of Prenatal Care: An Examination of Multistate Data from Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) 2009–2011

Objectives Prenatal care (PNC) is a critical preventive health service for pregnant women and infants. While timely PNC has been associated with improved birth outcomes, improvements have slowed since the late 1990s. Therefore, focus has shifted to interventions prior to pregnancy. Preconception care is recommended for all women of reproductive age. This study aimed to examine preconception care and its association with timeliness and adequacy of PNC. Methods This retrospective cohort study used data from a large sample of United States first-time mothers (n = 13,509) who participated in the 2009–2011 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System in ten states. Timeliness and adequacy of PNC data came from birth certificates, while preconception care receipt was self-reported. Logistic regression provided odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to model the association between preconception care receipt and the two PNC outcomes. Results After adjustment, women who received preconception care had statistically significant increased odds of timely (OR 1.30, 95% CI 1.08, 1.57), but not adequate PNC (OR 1.08, 95% CI 0.94, 1.24) as compared to women who did not receive preconception care. Pregnancy intention modified these associations. Associations were strongest among women with intended pregnancies (timely PNC: OR 1.63 and adequate PNC: OR 1.22). Conclusions for Practice Given that untimely PNC is associated with adverse birth outcomes, the observed association warrants increased focus on implementing preconception care. Future studies should investigate how specific components of preconception care are associated with PNC timeliness/adequacy, health behaviors during pregnancy, and birth outcomes.
Regulating Backyard Slaughter: Strategies and Gaps in Municipal Livestock Ordinances

As the alternative food movement continues to grow and urban homesteading practices spread, many cities are revising their codes to more clearly address agricultural activities. Butler's (2012) study demonstrated a set of fairly coherent strategies for regulating the keeping of poultry and livestock. Related to livestock keeping, livestock slaughter appears to be spreading as well. The regulation of backyard slaughter, however, has scarcely been addressed in the literature. Building on Butler's study, this research examines the animal policies in 22 cities and identifies five approaches to governing backyard slaughter. Many of the cities do not address the practice at all, and in others significant gaps and inconsistencies leave the regulations open to interpretation. Drawing on examples from the 22 sample cities, the final discussion considers whether and how municipalities have chosen to regulate backyard slaughter, and suggests that policy-makers have a range of regulatory options for meeting local priorities, whether those are reducing nuisances, protecting public health, or addressing animal well-being.
Impossible Citizens: Dubai's Indian Diaspora.

The Arab Gulf states have undergone rapid and radical socioeconomic transformations that are reflected in many areas, including urbanization and migration processes. The region has the second highe...
Instability in Indian Agriculture: An Inter-State Analysis

Instability in agricultural production has attracted renewed attention due to change in factors that affect instability positively as well as negatively. There is considerable concern about effect of climate change on production trend. Studies on instability found in the literature have not gone beyond mid 2000s after which Indian agriculture witnessed a structural change in growth. In this paper instability analysis is extended to year 2010-11 to capture recent developments. The study covers entire post-Independence period since 1950-51. The analysis is undertaken at the national and state levels. The analysis reveals that the instability in foodgrains production in India has undergone substantial decline whereas oilseeds production showed significant increase over time. The states which are well endowed with irrigation facility are showing more stability in foodgrains production. The increase in crop yield has been a major factor for accelerating production in the country. The better irrigation facilities, use of modern seed varieties, and improved fertilizer consumption helped to improve foodgrains output in the country.
Left lateral decubitus position on patients with atrial fibrillation and congestive heart failure

Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) is a cardiovascular disease that affects about 5.7 million people in the US. The most prevalent comorbidity to CHF is Atrial Fibrillation (AF). These two pathologies present in a mutually worsening manner in that patients diagnosed with CHF are more likely to develop AF and patients who are diagnosed with AF are more likely to develop CHF. The underlying pathophysiological mechanisms have been studied for several years and the most recent efforts are in the cellular and molecular basis. In this paper, we focus on manifestation of CHF and AF symptoms as influenced by the posture assumed by a patient. We consider three postures – Left lateral decubitus, right lateral decubitus and supine. We review the clinical evidence gathered thus far relating enhanced sympathetic activity to the left lateral decubitus and supine positions with equivalent evidence on the enhanced vagal activity when the right lateral decubitus posture is assumed. We conclude with a compilation of all the hypotheses on the mechanism by which the right lateral decubitus posture alleviates the symptoms of CHF and AF, and future avenues for investigation.
Minerals In Food: Crystal Structures of Ikaite and Struvite From Bacterial Smears On Washed-Rind Cheese

Abstract Food contains inorganic elements and compounds that are important for human nutrition and human health. Although these substances have been investigated and characterized in many foods for their nutritive value, little is known about the crystal phases that form in foods. In this study, we investigated crystals that form in the bacterial smears on the surface of washed-rind cheese. Washed-rind cheeses have been consumed for centuries, but the crystals that often contribute detectable grittiness to the surface of these cheeses have never been identified. The crystals were characterized with petrographic microscopy and identified with single crystal X-ray diffractometry as ikaite (CaCO 3 ·6H 2 O), a rare metastable phase that has only been observed in freezing marine and lacustrine environments, and struvite (NH 4 MgPO 4 ·6H 2 O), a mineral that is often associated with bacterial activity. These crystals are important to cheesemakers because they affect cheese texture and sensory characteristics. The potential importance of the bacterial smear in the nucleation of these phases is discussed, and the possibility of using cheese as a model system to investigate geological biomineralization phenomena is explored.
Abstract 5604: Novel biomarkers Ly6E/K play important role in drug resistance and tumor immune escape

Stem cell antigen Sca-1 is implicated in murine cancer stem cell biology and breast cancer models, but the role of its human homologs Ly6K and Ly6E in breast cancer are not established. Here we report increased expression of Ly6K/E in human breast cancer specimens correlates with poor overall survival, with an additional specific role for Ly6E in poor therapeutic outcomes. Increased expression of Ly6K/E also correlated with increased expression of the immune checkpoint molecules PDL1 and CTLA4, increased tumor-infiltrating T regulatory cells, and decreased natural killer (NK) cell activation. Mechanistically, Ly6K/E was required for TGFβ signaling and proliferation in breast cancer cells, where they contributed to phosphorylation of Smad1/5 and Smad2/3. Furthermore, Ly6K/E promoted cytokine-induced PDL1 expression and activation and binding of NK cells to cancer cells. Finally, we found that Ly6K/E promoted drug resistance and facilitated immune escape in this setting. Overall, our results establish a pivotal role for a Ly6K/E signaling axis involving TGFβ in breast cancer pathophysiology and drug response, and highlight this signaling axis as a compelling realm for therapeutic invention. Citation Format: Midar A. Hossiny, William R. Frazier, Noriko Steiner, Bhaskar Kallakury, Rakesh Kumar, Geeta Upadhyay. Novel biomarkers Ly6E/K play important role in drug resistance and tumor immune escape [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 5604. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-5604
Toward Hodge Theory for Complex Manifolds

From now on, we are going to work almost exclusively with complex-valued functions and forms. So we revise our notation accordingly. Given aC∞ manifold X, let C ∞ X (respectively 蒖k X) now denote the space of complex-valued C ∞ functions (respectively k -forms). We write C ∞ X,ℝ (or 蒖k X,ℝ) for the space of real-valued functions or forms. Let us say that a complex-valued form is exact, closed, or harmonic if its real and imaginary parts both have this property. Then de Rham’s theorem and Hodge’s theorem carry over almost word for word: H k(X,ℂ is isomorphic to the space of complex closed k-forms modulo exact forms, and if X is compact and oriented with a Riemannian metric, then it is also isomorphic to the space of complex harmonic k-forms. This can be checked easily by working with the real and imaginary parts separately.
Fetal hydrops and the risk of severe preeclampsia

Objective: To assess the incidence and severity of preeclampsia in pregnancies complicated by fetal hydrops.Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of singleton gestations from 2005 to 2...
Designing moving magnet pumps for high-temperature, liquid-metal systems

Abstract Moving magnet pumps (MMP’s) operate on the same principles as other induction-style electromagnetic pumps. However, MMP’s generate a travelling magnetic field with a spinning array of permanent magnets instead of polyphase field coils. This difference allows MMP’s to be made much more quickly, reliably, and inexpensively than other types of electromagnetic pumps. For these reasons, MMP’s are a promising technology that can be used to enhance liquid-metal systems in the nuclear, concentrated solar power, and energy storage industries. This paper will provide a background on MMP design and present an updated theory that can accurately predict MMP performance – even if the magnetic field produced by the MMP is non-sinusoidal. The new theory will be tested for a range of operating conditions (magnet configurations, magnet spacing, magnet type, etc.) and compared to experimental results.
A Wrestling Life: The Inspiring Stories of Dan Gable

Review of: "A Wrestling Life: The Inspiring Stories of Dan Gable," by Dan Gable with Scott Schulte.
Leveraging focus spot monitoring Data in FEOL to resolve a high impact MOL defect: DI: Defect inspection and reduction

As feature sizes shrink in 14nm technology and beyond, focus window limited immersion lithography steps like those in the middle of line (MOL) are most susceptible to hotspots caused by small localized variations in wafer topography. Hotspots in MOL are almost always killer, with a near 100% probability of the entire die failing due to the presence of a single hotspot defect. Focus spots are identified by the leveling system in the lithography scanner and the reported as a fault detection and classification (FDC) signal, driving wafer disposition and tool actions. Comprehensive reporting of focus spot signals opens up the possibility of utilizing high volume focus spot data in lieu of defect data where spatially unique hotpsot signals may be lost in the random baseline defectivity. We have analyzed focus spot data collected at a lower impact front end of line (FEOL) step to drive down hotspots at a high impact MOL step, both of which are affected by incoming defectivity due to repeat passes on a common identified tool. This work is an example of the smart resolution of a cross-module contamination issue by innovatively leveraging high volume focus spot monitoring data.
Intravenous immunoglobulin therapy for ocular cicatricial pemphigoid: a preliminary study

Abstract Objective To report the effects of intravenous immunoglobulin treatment of ten patients with progressive ocular cicatricial pemphigoid who did not respond to conventional immunomodulatory regimens. Design Noncomparative, interventional case series. Participants Ten patients with biopsy-proven progressive cicatricial pemphigoid affecting the eyes who did not respond adequately to other local and systemic immunosuppressive treatment regimens. Intervention Intravenous infusions of pooled human immunoglobulin, 2 to 3 g/kg body weight/cycle, divided over 3 days, and repeated every 2 to 6 weeks. Main outcome measures Reduction in conjunctival inflammation, prevention of progression of subepithelial conjunctival fibrosis, improvement in ocular symptoms (discomfort, photophobia), improved visual acuity, reduction in extraocular mucosal lesions. Results Clinical deterioration was arrested and resolution of chronic conjunctivitis was documented in all ten patients. Maximum therapeutic effect was observed and maintained after a minimum of 4 cycles of therapy; three patients required 12 cycles before disease control. The duration of therapy in these ten patients has been 16 to 23 months (mean, 19.3 months) with no treatment-induced side effects. Extraocular mucosal lesion resolution has occurred in all but one patient. Visual acuity has stabilized or improved in all ten patients, and subjective complaints of discomfort and photophobia have decreased in all patients. Conclusions Intravenous immunoglobulin immunomodulatory therapy can be a safe and effective therapy for otherwise treatment-resistant ocular cicatricial pemphigoid.