cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Newer Endoluminal Interventions for Obesity

At present, several primary endoluminal weight loss procedures are under investigation, all of which aim to reproduce more invasive, restrictive or malabsorptive operations. They are in various stages of development and clinical application, in the United States of America (USA) and the rest of the world. They have been designed to address refractory obesity for patients with Body Mass Index (BMI) in the range of 30–35, as well as for those individuals who currently are candidates for more traditional bariatric surgery (BMI >35).
The association of urinary polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon biomarkers and cardiovascular disease in the US population

Abstract Background Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are potent atmospheric pollutants produced by incomplete combustion of organic materials. Pre-clinical and occupational studies have reported a positive association of PAHs with oxidative stress, inflammation and subsequent development of atherosclerosis, a major underlying risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). The aim of the current study is to estimate the association between levels of PAH biomarkers and CVD in a national representative sample of United States (US) adults. Methods We examined adult participants (≥ 20 years of age) from the merged US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2001–2010. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the associations of each urinary PAH biomarker and CVD. Post-exploratory structural equation modeling was then used to address the interdependent response variables (angina, heart attack, stroke and coronary heart disease) as well as the interdependencies of PAH biomarkers. Results PAH biomarkers were positively associated with cardiovascular disease in multiple logistic regression models, although some associations were not statistically robust. Using structural equation modeling, latent PAH exposure variable was positively associated with latent CVD level variable in the multivariable adjusted model (β = 0.12; 95% CI: 0.03, 0.20). Conclusion A modest association between levels of PAH biomarkers and CVD was detected in US adults. Further prospective studies with adequate sample size are needed to replicate or refute our findings.
An Adrenal Cortical Rest Within the Fetal Ovary: Report of a Case

The presence of heterotopic adrenal cortical tissue within the fetal ovary is recorded. The embryologic basis for this observation and its possible significance are discussed.
A Three-Terminal Switch Model of Constant On-Time Current Mode With External Ramp Compensation

Multiphase constant on-time current-mode control based on pulse distribution structure is widely used in voltage regulator application for microprocessor. To minimize ripple cancellation effect, external ramp compensation is used in commercial products. However, external ramp will introduce dynamic to the system and stability margin will be suffered without considering its effect. This paper first studies the effect of external ramp by deriving small-signal transfer function based on describing function method. It is found that external ramp brings additional dynamic, with time constant related with switching period. Then, a simple equivalent circuit model based on three-terminal switch concept is proposed, which considers the effect of external ramp by adding an additional R–L branch. The equivalent circuit model can be reduced to previous unified three-terminal switch model when external ramp is zero and can be reduced to model of constant on-time voltage mode control when external ramp is much larger than inductor current ramp. The proposed three-terminal switch model is a complete model, which can be used to examine all transfer functions and is accurate up to half of switching frequency. The analytical transfer functions are provided for easy reference. The model is verified by SIMPLIS simulation and experimental measurement.
Why Engaging in the Practices of Science Is Not Enough to Achieve Scientific Literacy

Abstract The National Research Council's Framework for K—12 Science Education and the resulting Next Generation Science Standards call for engaging students in the practices of science to develop scientific literacy. While these documents make the connections between scientific knowledge and practices explicit, very little attention is given to the shared values and commitments of the scientific community that underlie these practices and give them meaning. I argue that effective science education should engage students in the practices of science while also reflecting on the values, commitments, and habits of mind that have led to the practices of modern science and that give them meaning. The concept of methodological naturalism demonstrates the connection between the values and commitments of the culture of science and its practices and provides a useful lens for understanding the benefits and limitations of scientific knowledge.
Energy and its interplay with global corporate social responsibility and sustainability efforts

There are many advantages to mandating CSR policies and practices that deal with the use of energy, with much that that responsibility of promoting green-based approaches and sustainability as part of a socially responsible company on it marketing activities. It is important to identify what each organisation could do to promote environmental gains directly related to the use of energy and the need to minimise the use of green-washing campaigns in order to boost company's reputation at minimal costs. Market expectations general illustrate that if an organisation does not provide certain services or products in a satisfactory manner, another organisation will gain business or popularity. Public awareness of energy, CSR, and eco-friendly actions at the corporate level are increasing playing a role in the global economy and empowered customers' purchase intentions.
Enyne [4+4] Cycloaddition/Oxidation: Ring Contraction via Cyclopropanones and Their Anionic Ring-Opening Reactions.

Irradiation of a 1,3-enyne tethered to a 2-pyridone, in the presence of oxygen, leads to formation of a seven-membered ring product, an overall [4+4−1] reaction. This transformation involves two unstable intermediates and a sequence of unusual reactions. An initial [4+4] photocycloaddition of the enyne with the pyridone yields a 1,2,5-cyclooctatriene. Photooxidation of this triene forms a cyclopropanone and subsequent photoextrusion of carbon monoxide gives the observed 1,4-cycloheptadiene product. The first-formed cyclooctatriene and the cyclopropanone could be observed and characterized spectroscopically. The cyclopropanone underwent CO extrusion both photochemically and thermally to give the cycloheptadiene product. Addition of fluoride or acetylide to the most stable cyclopropanone occurred chemoselectively at the two different silicon groups rather than the carbonyl group. The resulting cyclopropanone ring openings gave unsaturated aldehydes.
Drug Eluting Stents for Very Long Lesions: Go Long, But Know the Risks.

Key Points Long coronary artery lesions are increasingly treated with new technologies including current generation drug eluting stents (DES) despite a lack of robust data on outcomes. In the current study, patients receiving Xience V DES for very long lesions (>35 mm) compared to lesions 25–35 mm had similar outcomes. Future research should address late outcomes, stent thrombosis rates, as well as investigation of lesions greater than 60 mm.
Statistical Analysis of Immune Response Assays in Cancer Immunotherapy Trials

The continued attention to immunotherapy as a promising and critical component in the development of novel cancer therapies has also stimulated the development of new assays to assess the effect of these novel biotherapies on the immune system. For these new immunotherapies, pilot trials are needed to establish proof of principal: that the therapy can affect the patient and produce a change in the immunological status that has the potential to translate to an antitumor effect. Unfortunately, the majority of immune response assays in cancer immunotherapy trials have not been “validated” in the clinical setting. The development and validation of an immune response assay can be considered as having four general phases: 1. To establish accuracy/precision or sensitivity/specificity, and consistency/reproducibility of assay (in the laboratory). 2. To establish that assay can be used in clinical setting and is correlated with other established assays of same aspect of immune status or immunological effect. 3. To characterize of the association between assay result and antitumor effect. 4. To validate the assay as a surrogate end point.
Evaluating Parental Autism Disclosure Strategies

The relative effects of different autism disclosure methods on the perceptions of a mother–child dyad were investigated. Using three conditions, disclosure card, disclosure bracelet, and no disclosure, U.S. community parents (N = 383) were asked 18 questions about their perceptions of the dyad. An ANOVA revealed significant protection from stigma for those in either disclosure condition compared to the no disclosure condition on two factors, Critical of the Mother/Child and Need to Protect Own Child, as well as a single item, Embarrassment for the Mother. These results reinforce findings that disclosure may effectively and efficiently reduce negative perceptions. The availability of multiple, effective methods of disclosure that reduce stigma allows parents to choose the method that best suits their individual preferences.
Predictive modeling for US commercial building energy use: A comparison of existing statistical and machine learning algorithms using CBECS microdata

Abstract With the growing trove of publicly available building energy data, there are now ample opportunities to apply machine learning methods for prediction of building energy performance. In this study, we test different predictive modeling approaches for estimating Energy Use Intensity (EUI) for US commercial office buildings and the individual energy end-uses of HVAC, plug loads, and lighting, based on the latest Commercial Building Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS) 2012 microdata. After preliminary statistical analysis, six regression or machine learning techniques are applied and compared for prediction performance. Among all candidates, Support Vector Machine and Random Forest demonstrate both accuracy and stability. However, machine learning algorithms are better than the linear regression only to a limited extent, with on average 10–15% lower prediction errors for Total EUI prediction. Conversely, linear regression models slightly outperform machine learning methods in estimating Plug Loads EUI. These mixed results suggest careful consideration in applying advanced predictive algorithms to the CBECS dataset. Individual variable importance was tested using Random Forest, with the top 10 predictors differing for the total and sub-system EUIs. The analysis demonstrates that, for the techniques applied, the variables reported in CBECS have inadequate predictive power to map actual energy consumption. Filling information gaps in areas such as occupant behavior, power management, building thermal performance, and their interactions may help to improve predictive modeling.
Alcohol Availability and Violence: A Closer Look at Space and Time

Alcohol availability plays an important role in violence. Less is known about how spatiotemporal patterns of alcohol–violence association vary across time of day and across various crime types. Thi...
Triacetone Triperoxide (TATP)

Information on thermophysical properties of energetic materials is limited and scattered in the literature. Although peroxides have been known as energetic materials for a long time, triacetonetriperoxide has become prominent as a homemade explosive in the recent years. The properties of TATP are extremely important in its detection, and this chapter reviews the synthesis, properties, for-mulations, detonation, and detection of triacetonetriperoxide.
Assertive Training and the Christian Therapist

Assertive training discussed by Wolpe (1973) and others gives the Christian therapist a useful tool to use in helping his clients achieve proper emotional expression. The techniques can be easily s...
Cosmetics: A dermatologist looks to the future : Promises and problems

The cosmetic industry is a huge worldwide business, destined to grow rapidly owing to its universal appeal for improving the quality of life. In the United States, more money is spent on skin and hair care products than on education. There are more Avon ladies in Brazil than enlisted personnel in the army. Demographic changes are partly responsible for this enormous outlay of money to look and feel better. The postwar generation of baby boomers is aging, with wrinkles and blotches clear signs of mortal decay and the inevitable despoilation of appearance. The boomer generation has money, is obsessed with youth, is health conscious, and knows that it will live a lot longer than their grandparents. They are the antiaging generation and are determined to look young and sexy until death. An incredible array of products are available to combat the ravages of time and to prevent premature aging. The fashion magazines and the mass media are awash in advertisements that promise eternal youth and happiness. The cosmetic industry is extremely competitive and is dominated by less than a half-dozen juggernauts that use every legal means to capture and hold market share. Consumers do not understand that cosmetics, in contrast to drugs, are not regulated by agencies such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). No premarketing proof of efficacy or safety is required. This is a free-for-all situation in which claims can be made, often by unscrupulous start-ups, that lie clearly in the domain of fantasy and humbuggery. These powerful new winds of commerce are blowing up a set of new problems that need to be addressed honestly.
GROWTH FACTORS, RECEPTORS, AND MOLECULAR ALTERATIONS IN PANCREATIC CANCER: Putting It All Together

Because of the dismal prognosis of advanced ductal pancreatic adenocarcinoma, recent investigational strategies have focused on improved detection and therapeutic intervention in early-stage pancreatic cancer. The obvious cost constraints of screening populations at risk but with a low tumor yield will restrict screening protocols to only the highest risk groups (hereditary pancreatitis = age 50, certain hereditary pancreatic cancer kindreds). The vast majority of patients, either lacking or exhibiting an inherited predisposition to pancreatic cancer, will continue to present with disease not resectable for cure. The authors believe that the best hope for these patients lies in the further delineation of the integrative pathophysiology driving tumor growth; this would facilitate the future development of a computer program or other modality that would predict the dominant pathways driving the growth and spread of each tumor based on its "molecular profile." This article reviews the authors' current knowledge regarding the growth factors, receptors, and molecular alterations driving uncontrolled proliferation, local invasion, and metastatic spread of these tumors. The current and potential contributions of studies in cohorts with an inherited predisposition to pancreatic cancer to this pathophysiologic model are also discussed. The future strategy for incorporating this information into a working pathophysiologic road map with clinical relevance is subsequently outlined.
Rapid synapse-specific regulation of hypothalamic magnocellular neurons by glucocorticoids.

Abstract Glucocorticoids secreted in response to stress activation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis feed back onto the hypothalamus to rapidly suppress neuroendocrine activation, including oxytocin and vasopressin secretion. Here we provide a brief review focused on our recent findings of a rapid glucocorticoid-induced opposing regulation of glutamate and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) inputs to magnocellular neurons via the release of distinct retrograde messengers. The stress hormone corticosterone and its synthetic analogue dexamethasone elicit the rapid retrograde release of endocannabinoids by activating a novel membrane-associated, G protein-coupled receptor in parvocellular and magnocellular neuroendocrine cells of the hypothalamic paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei. Glucocorticoids also cause the rapid retrograde release of an unknown messenger that facilitates presynaptic GABA release onto magnocellular neuroendocrine cells. These finding suggest that there is a strict synapse-specific segregation of the opposing actions of the two retrogradely released messengers. Thus, the combined actions of glucocorticoids cause a rapid synaptic inhibition of the magnocellular neurons and would be expected, therefore, to mediate a rapid feedback inhibition of the secretion of oxytocin and vasopressin during stress activation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis.
Bedside Ultrasound Improves The Accuracy of Jugular Venous Pressure Assessment

Background Evaluation of jugular venous pressure (JVP) can provide a valuable estimate of intravascular volume status, however its sensitivity and accuracy are operator dependent and highly variable. Hypothesis Bedside ultrasound (US) of the internal jugular vein will improve the accuracy of JVP assessment. Methods Three internal medicine residents underwent a 30-minute practicum on ultrasound assessment of JVP. Over the following 13 months the residents evaluated 64 total patients immediately prior to invasive right heart catheterization (RHC). The residents measured patients’ neck circumference and then assessed JVP first by physical exam (PE-JVP) followed by ultrasound (US-JVP, Site Rite, Bard Inc.). The results were compared to central venous pressure (CVP) measured by RHC (CVP-RHC) using correlation coefficients and receiver operating curve analysis. Results Overall, US-JVP was more sensitive than PE-JVP in detecting an elevated CVP (≥10 cm H2O) (91% versus 75%); however, specificity was just 46% for both. There was modest agreement between PE-JVP (r = 0.38, p Conclusion Use of bedside US improves the accuracy of noninvasive assessment of CVP, particularly in patients with larger neck circumference. As with any learned skill considerable inter-operator variability exists related to training and frequency of use.
A Hexavalent Basket for Bottom-Up Construction of Functional Soft Materials and Polyvalent Drugs through a "Click" Reaction.

Inspired by polyvalency and its prevalence in nature, we developed an efficient synthetic route for accessing a large variety of multivalent and dual-cavity baskets from inexpensive and abundant starting materials. First, the cycloaddition of vinyl acetate to anthracene was optimized to, upon hydrolysis, give dibenzobarrelene derivative 6, which after five functional group transformations and then cyclotrimerization gave heptiptycene dodecaester 4 in an overall 17 % yield. Following that, compound 4 was converted into D3h symmetric 1, composed of two fused cavitands each holding three terminal alkynes at the rim for conjugation to functional molecules using the highly efficient CuAAC reaction. To survey the reactivity of hexavalent 1, we "clicked" 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-β-d-glucopyranosyl azide 3,4,6-triacetate (carbohydrate), methoxypolyethylene glycol azide (PEG, Mn =2000; polymer) and benzyl azide (aromatic) to obtain hexavalent conjugates 12-14 in 50-79 % yields. In summary, dual-cavity 1 is an accessible, structurally-unique and hexavalent host that can be "clicked" to a variety of functional molecules for (a) combinatorial lead identification of drugs, (b) preparation of hierarchical soft materials and (c) design of selective chemosensors, scavengers, or supramolecular catalysts.
Marijuana-associated ST-elevation myocardial infarction: is this a benign drug

Marijuana is the most commonly used psychoactive drug in the USA. A 35-year-old man with a medical history of marijuana abuse is admitted to the hospital due to crushing substernal chest pain. ECG shows evolving ST-segment elevation with a rise in cardiac enzymes, consistent with ST-elevation myocardial infarction. A urine toxicology screen is positive for cannabis and negative for cocaine and other stimulant drugs. An emergent cardiac catheterisation reveals no evidence of coronary artery disease or thrombosis. A diagnosis of coronary vasospasm is strongly considered, and the patient is started on calcium channel blocker, with a resolution of symptoms and ECG changes. Marijuana-induced coronary spasm causing myocardial infarction has rarely been reported. Marijuana is becoming a social norm in adolescents and there remains a misconception that it is harmless and even beneficial. Increasing drug abuse remains a public health concern, necessitating population education by physicians for safer healthcare practices.
Perfluorocarbon-based O2 nanocarrier for efficient photodynamic therapy

Tumor hypoxia is considered as one of the major factors that limit the efficiency of photodynamic therapy (PDT), in which oxygen (O2) is needed to generate singlet oxygen (1O2) for cell destruction. Inspired by the excellent O2 carrying ability of perfluorocarbon molecules in artificial blood, we prepared a series of polymer micelles with a perfluorocarbon core to carry both photo-sensitizer and O2 to the tumor site, aiming to improve PDT efficiency. We found that the accelerated generation of 1O2 correlated with the increased perfluorocarbon amount in solution. In vitro cell study further showed that the new perfluorocarbon formulation not only improved the production of 1O2, leading to enhanced photodynamic therapy efficiency, but also significantly reduced cell toxicity when compared with the one without these perfluoro units. This work provides a new option for improving PDT efficiency with the new perfluorocarbon-incorporated nanoplatform.
Use of Antipsychotic Drugs During Pregnancy.

Antipsychotics are frequently prescribed to women of childbearing age and are increasingly prescribed during pregnancy. A small, but growing, body of research on implications for pregnancy and infant outcomes is available to inform the risks and benefits of in utero exposure to antipsychotics. This review examines the existing published research on the use of common typical and atypical antipsychotics in pregnancy and the implications for pregnancy and infant outcomes. The majority of studies do not show associations with major malformations and antipsychotic use in pregnancy, with the possible exception of risperidone. There is concern that atypical antipsychotics may be associated with gestational diabetes. Metabolic changes during pregnancy may necessitate dose adjustments. In general, it is recommended that women who need to take an antipsychotic during pregnancy continue the antipsychotic that has been most effective for symptom remission. Further study on risperidone is needed to better understand its association with malformations, and it is not considered a first-line agent for use during pregnancy.
The home hemodialysis patient experience: A qualitative assessment of modality use and discontinuation

Introduction Home hemodialysis (HHD) is an under-utilized renal replacement modality in the United States in part because of high rates of discontinuation and transfer to in-center hemodialysis. Understanding, from the perspective of patients, facilitators, and barriers to sustained use of HHD is important for increasing successful use of this modality. Methods We conducted 25 semistructured interviews with 15 current and 10 former adult patients treated with home hemodialysis (23 short daily HHD and 2 nocturnal HHD). Interview transcripts were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, and thematically analyzed. Findings Five themes related to continuation or discontinuation of HHD emerged: (1) degree of independence (increased flexibility, burden of therapy), (2) availability of support (emotional and physical support and caregiver burden), (3) technical aspects (familiarity with machine), (4) home environment (ability to organize supplies, space in home), and (5) attitude and expectations (positive or negative outlook about performing HHD). For each theme, positive aspects facilitated continuation of HHD and negative aspects contributed to discontinuation of HHD. Discussion HHD can be burdensome to patients and family members, and some discontinuations may be preventable. Helping patients with scheduling and organization, improving communication about expectations and trouble-shooting, supporting patients as well as family members, adapting the dialysis prescription to the patient's lifestyle when possible, and providing respite when needed may make HHD more sustainable for patients.
Development of an Algorithm to Identify Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Disease Severity Based on Healthcare Costs in a US Administrative Claims Database (P2.052)

Objective: To develop an MS disease severity algorithm in a US administrative claims database Background: MS severity is variable and impacts disease management and patient outcomes. Although observational studies have utilized claims datasets, the absence of risk stratification by severity remains a significant limitation in real-world research. Prior research suggests association between healthcare costs and severity, making this a viable surrogate. Design/Methods: MS patients (18–65 years in 2015) were identified from a US claims database. MS symptoms were identified over the 1-year pre-index period and categorized as visual, brainstem, gait, cerebellar, pyramidal, sensory, speech, bowel/bladder, cognition, fatigue, or use of assistive walking device. In a multivariate regression, MS symptoms, patient demographics, hospitalizations, relapses, and use of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) at pre-index were predictors of the total healthcare costs (excluding DMT costs) over the 1-year post-index period (surrogate for MS severity). MS severity score was based on algorithm generated from the regression model (sum of the assigned weights to each predictor, based on the estimated regression coefficient values). Results: 26,278 MS patients were identified in the database. Mean age was 47.7, 77% were female, 45% were DMT-treated, and 9.5% and 9.1% had hospitalization and relapsed during the 1-year pre-index, respectively. Regression coefficients showed 1-year pre-index hospitalization as the strongest predictor of disease severity followed by pre-index relapse and use of infusible DMT (all assigned weights of 3; p-values Conclusions: This claims-based study provides an algorithm to identify MS severity in relation to healthcare costs in real-world research. Validation of the algorithm is an important next step. Study Supported by: Study supported by Biogen. Disclosure: Dr. Nicholas has received research support from Biogen Idec, Novartis, PeerView CME, Genzyme, Teva, and Medtronic. Dr. Ontaneda has received personal compensation for activities with Teva Neuroscience, Mallincrkodt, and Genzyme Corporation. Dr. Carraro has nothing to disclose. Dr. Wu has received personal compensation for activities with Biogen Idec as an employee. Dr. Wu holds stock and/or stock options in Biogen Idec. Dr. Jhaveri has received personal compensation for activities with Biogen as an employee. Dr. Jhaveri has received research support from Biogen. Dr. Yang has nothing to disclose. Dr. Jones has received personal compensation for activities with Lundbeck and Biogen Idec as an employee. Dr. Livingston has received personal compensation for activities with Biogen as an employee.
Comparing Political and Economic Attitudes: A Generational Analysis

The government of Kazakhstan has invested heavily in educating an independently thinking generation of young people, one that is qualitatively different from the generations that came before. Yet, what constitutes “independent thinking”? Is it the expression of views that differ from prior generations? Is it the expression of views that challenge government policy? An analysis of the political and economic attitudes of the “Nazarbayev generation,” aged 18–29, reveals that young people indeed interpret the world in distinct ways. Data show that, when compared to older Kazakhstanis, they are more passive and trusting in (certain) state institutions, less in favor of questioning government decisions, and less likely to be troubled by nepotism and family rule.
Distinct striatal subregions and corticostriatal connectivity for effort, action and reward

The ventral striatum is believed to encode the subjective value of cost/benefit options; however, this effect has strikingly been absent during choices that involve physical effort. Prior work in freely-moving animals has revealed opposing striatal signals, with greater response to increasing effort demands and reduced responses to rewards requiring effort. Yet, the relationship between these conflicting signals remains unknown. Using fMRI with a naturalistic maze-navigation paradigm, we identified functionally-segregated regions within ventral striatum that separately encoded action initiation, effort activation, and effort discounting of rewards. Additionally, activity in regions associated with effort activation and discounting oppositely predicted striatal encoding of effort during effort-based decision-making. Our results suggest that the dorsomedial region hitherto associated with action may instead represent the cost of effort, and raises fundamental questions regarding the interpretation of striatal reward signals in the context of effort demands. This has implications for uncovering the neural architecture underlying motivated behavior.
Taking back the boulevard: Art, activism, and gentrification in Los Angeles, by Jan Lin: New York, New York University Press, 2019

This book explores the changing social, demographic, and commercial landscapes of several neighborhoods in Northeast Los Angeles with a special focus on the role of art, artists, and community acti...
Fog Computing to Enable Geospatial Video Analytics for Disaster‐incident Situational Awareness

Geospatial video analytics involves “data collection” of massive image/video data from the Internet of Things (IoT), and “data processing” through seamless computing at the infrastructure edge and core/public cloud platforms. Particularly in cases of (man‐made or natural) disaster incident response coordination scenarios, geospatial video analytics is valuable to provide situational awareness. The edge computing or fog computing needs to be designed with resilient performance while interfacing with the core cloud in order to cater to user's (i.e. incident commander's, first responder's) quality of experience (QoE) expectations. An additional barrier for geospatial video analytics is the fact that the distributed locations generating imagery or video content are rarely equipped with high‐performance computation capabilities to run computer vision algorithms. In this chapter, we explain the main architectural concepts of fog computing that can help in overcoming the resource scale/diversity limitations for real‐time geospatial video analytics, while also ensuring that reliability and management challenges are met.More specifically, we describe a novel cloud‐fog computing paradigm that integrates computer vision, edge routing, and computer/network virtualization areas in geospatial video analytics. We detail the state‐of‐the‐art techniques and illustrate our new/improved solution approaches based on “function‐centric” computing for the two problems of (1) high‐throughput data collection from IoT devices at the wireless edge, and (2) seamless data processing at the infrastructure edge and core cloud platforms. To assist the high‐throughput IoT data collection at the wireless edge, we present a novel deep learning‐augmented geographic edge routing that relies on physical area knowledge obtained from satellite imagery. To assist the seamless data processing, we describe a novel cloud‐fog computing framework that utilizes microservice decomposition and service chaining supported by a constrained‐shortest‐path algorithm. We conclude with a list of open challenges for adopting fog computing in geospatial video analytics for a variety of applications (e.g. face recognition in crowds, object tracking in aerial wide‐area motion imagery, reconnaissance, and video surveillance) relevant to delivering disaster‐incident situational awareness.
Diabetes mellitus is associated with a lower risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Abstract Background/aims : Previous studies have suggested that diabetes mellitus (DM) could be a protective factor against amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) although the results are inconsistent. This study aimed to comprehensively investigate this relationship by identifying all available studies and summarizing their results. Methods A systematic review was conducted in MEDLINE and EMBASE database from inception to January 1st, 2020 to identify cohort studies and case-control studies that investigated the risk of development of ALS among patients with DM versus individuals without DM. Point estimates and standard errors from eligible studies were pooled together using the generic inverse variance method, as described by DerSimonian and Laird. Visualization of the funnel plot was used to assess for the presence of publication bias. Results A total of 1683 articles were identified by the search strategy. After two rounds of review, three cohort studies and eight case-control studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. The risk of developing ALS was significantly lower among patients with DM than individuals without DM with the pooled relative risk of 0.68 (95 % CI, 0.55 – 0.84; I2 81 %). The funnel plot was relatively symmetric and was not suggestive of the presence of publication bias. Conclusion A significantly decreased risk of ALS among patients with DM was observed in this meta-analysis.
Social interaction anxiety and perceived coping efficacy: Mechanisms of the association between minority stress and drinking consequences among sexual minority women

Sexual minority women (SMW; individuals who identify as women and as lesbian, bisexual, or with another sexual minority identity) are at increased risk for problematic alcohol use compared to their heterosexual counterparts. This increased risk has been attributed to minority stress. However, longitudinal research examining associations between minority stress and alcohol use outcomes is extremely limited and examinations of these associations at the daily level are nearly non-existent. Further, few longitudinal studies have examined mechanisms through which minority stress may impact alcohol use. We utilized data from a 14-day daily diary study of 98 SMW to examine daily-level associations between experiences of minority stress, alcohol consumption and consequences, and two proposed mediators of these associations (perceived coping efficacy, social interaction anxiety). Results indicated that on days when participants experienced minority stress events, they experienced lower coping efficacy, higher social interaction anxiety, and more drinking consequences than usual. Minority stress was not associated with same-day alcohol consumption. Perceived coping efficacy and social interaction anxiety mediated the same-day association between minority stress and drinking consequences. No prospective associations were significant, suggesting that studies with multiple assessments per day may be necessary to detect immediate effects of minority stress. Findings highlight the potential impact of daily experiences of minority stress on alcohol consequences and provide evidence that two general psychological processes may be mechanisms through which minority stress impacts alcohol consequences. These results provide evidence of a need for interventions that teach SMW skills for coping with minority stress and its psychological consequences.
Treatment-Emergent Central Apnea: Physiologic Mechanisms Informing Clinical Practice.

The purpose of this review was to describe our management approach to patients with treatment-emergent central sleep apnea (TECSA). The emergence of central sleep apnea during positive airway pressure therapy occurs in approximately 8% of titration studies for OSA, and it has been associated with several demographic, clinical, and polysomnographic factors, as well as factors related to the titration study itself. TECSA shares similar pathophysiology with central sleep apnea. In fact, central and OSA pathophysiologic mechanisms are inextricably intertwined, with ventilatory instability and upper airway narrowing occurring in both entities. TECSA is a "dynamic" process, with spontaneous resolution with ongoing positive airway pressure therapy in most patients, persistence in some, or appearing de novo in a minority of patients. Management strategy for TECSA aims to eliminate abnormal respiratory events, stabilize sleep architecture, and improve the underlying contributing medical comorbidities. CPAP therapy remains a standard therapy for TECSA. Expectant management is appropriate given its transient nature in most cases, whereas select patients would benefit from an early switch to an alternative positive airway pressure modality. Other treatment options include supplemental oxygen and pharmacologic therapy.
Child Rights, Child Poverty and Islam: a Comparative Analysis of Islamic and Rights-based Approaches to Child Poverty Reduction with Particular Reference to the Islamic Republic of Iran

مقاله حاضر از اتخاذ رویکرد مبتنی بر«شأن انسانی» در سیاست‌گذاری در جهت مبارزه با فقر کودکان در کشورهای اسلامی مانند جمهوری اسلامی ایران حمایت می‌کند. چنین رویکردی، مفاهیم و ارزش‌های اسلامی درباره عدالت اجتماعی را با نقاط قوت رویکرد حقوق بشری از جمله تحلیل داده‌ها و تدوین سیاست‌ها با محوریت کودک و توجه به عوامل تعیین کننده در رابطه با فقر کودکان تلفیق می کند. انجام پژوهش بیشتر درباره رویکردهای مبتنی بر شأن انسانی در رابطه با فقر کودکان در ادیان و فرهنگ‌های دیگر در ارتقا درک متقابل و ایجاد ائتلاف میان سازمان‌های مذهبی و غیرمذهبی فعال در زمینه کودکان مفید خواهد بود.
The State of the Art of a Tough Place in Science and Psychology, Parapsychology. Parapsychology: A Handbook for the 21st Century edited by Etzel Cardeña, John Palmer, and David Marcusson-Clavertz

Is it fortunate, fortuitous, or foreboding that this book emerges from the shadows of the publishing world even as the embers of the Daryl Bem “feeling the future” controversy are still aglow? Whatever the case may be, and whatever your view of the data at the center of it, many thanks are due Daryl Bem for opening up the tough and much-needed conversation about the nature of science, methodology, statistics, replication, meta-analysis, and, yes, prejudice, via his now well-known Journal of Personality and Social Psychology article (Bem 2011). Moreover, I am reminded of P. T. Barnum’s wily wisdom, “I don’t care what you say about me, just spell my name right!” During the writing of this review I had a chance encounter with a young man in his third year of Ph.D. studies in psychology at a large (distant) state university. When I mentioned my own special interest in parapsychology, he asked, “What’s that?” But as soon as I started to tell him “ . . . telepathy, clairvoyance, . . . ,” he blurted out, “Oh, the Bem stuff!” Thank you, Daryl Bem! And I for one am looking forward to the rounds still to come (Bem, Tressoldi, Rabeyron, & Duggan 2015).Thanks also to editors Cardena, Palmer, and Marcusson-Clavertz for their service in putting together this arguably controversial volume, Parapsychology: A Handbook for the 21st Century. For those who are brave and confident enough to go to the tough places in science and psychology, with an open mind, this book is just your ticket. All of the issues raised by the Bem-o-versy are here, and much, much, more.
Abstract P178: The Association Between Multiparity And Endogenous Sex Hormone Levels In The Multi-ethnic Study Of Atherosclerosis (mesa)

Introduction: Parity is a risk factor for adverse cardiovascular events in women compared to nulliparity. A more androgenic sex hormone profile, with increased testosterone to estrogen ratio, is as...
When outliers are different

When does the presence of an outlier in some measured property indicate that the outlying object differs qualitatively, rather than quantitatively, from other members of its apparent class? Historical examples include the many types of supernovae and short {\it vs.\/} long Gamma Ray Bursts. There may be only one parameter and one outlier, so that principal component analyses are inapplicable. A qualitative difference implies that some parameter has a characteristic scale, and hence its distribution cannot be a power law (that can have no such scale). If the distribution is a power law the objects differ only quantitatively. The applicability of a power law to an empirical distribution may be tested by comparing the most extreme member to its next-most extreme. The probability distribution of their ratio is calculated, and compared to data for stars, radio and X-ray sources, and the fluxes, fluences and rotation measures of Fast Radio Bursts.
Examining how early childhood preservice teacher funds of knowledge shapes pedagogical decision making

Abstract Preservice teachers (PSTs) must learn to approach curriculum and pedagogy in a socially just way. Descriptive examination of early childhood PSTs’ personal funds of knowledge is crucial to inform preparation programs. Drawing on a study that investigated subjectivities of and conceptualization of culture held by PSTs in rural Midwest (USA), this paper specifically focuses on teaching in the early years. I argue that PSTs personal funds of knowledge serve as a main catalyst for pedagogical decision making. Majority of PSTs express the need to examine hegemony, privilege, and bias yet struggle to be pedagogical agents of change in practice.
Hydrophobic Lightweight Cement with Thermal Shock Resistance and Thermal Insulating Properties for Energy-Storage Geothermal Well Systems

This study assessed the possibility of using polymethylhydrosiloxane (PMHS)-treated fly ash cenospheres (FCS) for formulating a thermally insulating and thermal shock (TS)-resistant cementitious blend with calcium aluminate cement. To prevent FCS degradation in an alkaline cement environment at high temperatures, the cenospheres were pre-treated with sodium metasilicate to form silanol and aluminol groups on their surface. These groups participated in a dehydrogenation reaction with the functional ≡Si-H groups within PMHS with the formation of siloxane oxygen-linked M-FCS (M: Al or Si). At high hydrothermal temperatures of 175 and 250 °C, some Si-O-Si and SiCH3 bonds ruptured, causing depolymerization of the polymer at the FCS surface and hydroxylation of the raptured sites with the formation of silanol groups. Repolymerization through self-condensation between the silanol groups followed, resulting in the transformation of siloxane to low crosslinked silicon-like polymer as a repolymerization-induced product (RIP) without carbon. The RIP provided adequate protection of FCS from pozzolanic reactions (PR), which was confirmed by the decline in zeolites as the products of PR of FCS. Cements with PMHS-treated FCS withstood both hydrothermal and thermal temperature of 250 °C in TS tests, and they also showed improved compressive strength, toughness, and water repellency as well as decreased thermal conductivity. The lubricating properties of PMHS increased the fluidity of lightweight slurries.
The Worldwide Spread of Democracy

Three developments contributed to the spread of democracy during the last 200 years: the rise of constitutional government in the republics; the democratization of the republics; and the expansion of citizenries within the republics. This chapter examines how these developments contributed to global social change and improved citizen wellbeing in the republics. It also analyzes the role that social movements played in advancing, assisting, and resisting change.
The Fragility of Goodness: Non-scientific deliberation

I was just conscious, vaguely, of being on the track of a law, a law that would fit, that would strike me as governing the delicate phenomena – delicate though so marked – that my imagination found itself playing with. A part of the amusement they yielded came, I daresay, from my exaggerating them – grouping them into a larger mystery (and thereby a larger ‘law’) than the facts, as observed, yet warranted; but that is the common fault of minds for which the vision of life is an obsession. I should certainly never again, on the spot, quite hang together, even though it wasn't really that I hadn't three times her method. What I too fatally lacked was her tone. Henry James, The Sacred Fount , Chapters 1, 14 Aristotle says two anti-Platonic things about practical deliberation. First, that it is not and cannot be scientific: ‘That practical wisdom is not scientific understanding ( epistēmē ) is obvious’ ( EN 1142a23–4). Second, that the appropriate criterion of correct choice is a thoroughly human being, the person of practical wisdom. This person does not attempt to take up a stand outside of the conditions of human life, but bases his or her judgment on long and broad experience of these conditions. These two features of Aristotle's view are connected, clearly: for the reason why good deliberation is not scientific is that this is not the way this model good judge goes about deliberating; and the reason why this judge is normative for correct choice is that his procedures and methods, rather than those of a more ‘scientific’ judge, appear the most adequate to the subject matter.