cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adrenarche and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Tale of Two Hypotheses

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is an extremely common endocrine disorder affecting young women, with the potential for both reproductive and non-reproductive adverse outcomes. While oligomenorrhea, hyperandrogenism, and cystic ovarian morphology are recognized characteristics of this syndrome, the origin of these disturbances is not always apparent. During normal growth and development, adrenarche, the prepubertal onset of adrenal androgen secretion, results phenotypically in pubarche. Gonadarche, which is the ovarian response to gonadotropin releasing hormone-mediated gonadotropin secretion, also occurs, leading to reproductive competence, namely the establishment of ovulatory cycles, repeatedly. In this mini-review, an overview of adrenarche and gonadarche are presented, followed by two hypotheses. The first describes an evolutionary role for adrenarche: an advantage in the attainment of reproductive competence. The second proposes that the path to PCOS be viewed from a developmental perspective, namely, that PCOS is a maladaptation of the processes that lead to reproductive competence in women. Its defining characteristics of oligomenorrhea, hyperandrogenism, and cystic ovarian morphology are the final common pathway of multiple possible derangements. Elucidating and understanding these maladaptive processes will be the key to future endeavors at prevention and treatment of this common reproductive disorder.
Hydrodynamic fractionation of zircon age populations

Zircons in transport in the modern Ama- zon River range from coarse silt to medium sand. Older grains are smaller on average: Mesozoic and Cenozoic grains have aver- age equivalent spherical diameter (ESD) 122 ± 42 µm (lower fi ne sand), whereas grains >2000 Ma have average ESD 67 ± 14 µm (up- per coarse silt). As a full Wentworth size class separates the two values, zircons in these age populations are hydraulically distinct. Host sand size is correlated with average size of co-transported zircons, implying hydrodynamic fractionation. Zircon size is positively correlated with percent medium sand, and inversely correlated with percent very fi ne sand (p 50% medium sand, average zircon size is 100 µm, compared with 80 µm in samples with >50% very fi ne sand. We infer from these data that zircon deposition is not size-blind, and that zircons track with hydraulically comparable sand grains. As different aged grains tend to have different characteristic sizes, this indicates the pos- sibility of hydrodynamic fractionation of age populations. Five samples representing different hydro- dynamic microenvironments of a single dune present signifi cantly different detrital zircon age spectra, apparently the result of hydrau- lic processes. Peak mismatch (age peaks fail- ing to overlap at 2σ level) is the most com- mon disparity; but age populations present in some samples are missing from other samples. The lack of correspondence among the samples appears to exceed that attribut- able to random sampling. We conclude that hydrodynamic fractionation of zircons and zircon-age populations does occur. Zircon size should therefore be taken into consider- ation in detrital zircon provenance analysis.
Extinction ratios of GaAs and CdTe electrooptical modulators

Comparative extinction-ratio measurements for two electrooptical materials, GaAs and CdTe, are reported. The extinction ratio obtainable in the two materials is found to be similar, with the best samples approaching 104:1.
Populus Responses to Edaphic and Climatic Cues: Emerging Evidence from Systems Biology Research

The emergence of Populus as a model system for tree biology continues to be driven by a community of scientists dedicated to developing the resources needed to undertake genetic and functional genomic studies in this genus. As a result, understanding the molecular processes that underpin the growth and development of cottonwood, aspen, and hybrid poplar has steadily increased over the last several decades. Recently, our ability to examine the basic mechanisms whereby trees respond to a changing climate and resource limitations has benefited greatly from the sequencing of the P. trichocarpa genome. This landmark event has laid a solid foundation upon which biologists can now quantify, in breathtaking and unprecedented detail, the diversity of genes, proteins, and metabolites that govern the growth and development of some of the longest living and tallest growing organisms on Earth. Although the challenges likely to be encountered by scientists who work with trees are many, recent literature provides a few ...
Imidazole-modified porphyrin as a pH-responsive sensitizer for cancer photodynamic therapy

5,10,15,20-Tetrakis(N-(2-(1H-imidazol-4-yl)ethyl)benzamide)porphyrin produced twice as many singlet oxygen (1O2) molecules at pH 5.0 (quantum yield 0.53 ± 0.01) than at pH 7.4, whereas the 1O2 quenching rate was reduced by a factor of 2.5 for a pH change from 7.4 to 5.0.
MC/sup */: star functions for marching cubes

We describe a modification of the widely used marching cubes method that leads to the useful property that the resulting isosurfaces are locally single valued functions. This implies that conventional interpolation and approximation methods can be used to locally represent the surface. These representations can be used for computing approximations for local surface properties. We utilize this possibility in order to develop algorithms for locally approximating Gaussian and mean curvature, methods for constrained smoothing of isosurface, and techniques for the parameterization of isosurfaces.
A Review of “New Orleans after the Civil War: Race, Politics, and a New Birth of Freedom”

Reconstruction historiography, Justin Nystrom asserts, must be rescued from its Dunning and Revisionist straightjackets. In New Orleans after the Civil War: Race, Politics, and a New Birth of Freed...
Agricultural intensification, local labor markets, and deforestation in the Philippines

This paper examines agricultural intensification and its impact on deforestation in a frontier region of the Philippines. Panel data covering the period 1994–2000 are used to study labor demand and resource reallocation in response to lowland irrigation development. Results illustrate how irrigation has led to changes in employment, incomes, and activities at the forest margin. Findings indicate that the off-farm employment opportunities created by irrigation development have helped to reduce rates of forest clearing. Although some initial employment gains have been reversed, wage-induced increases in agricultural productivity in the uplands have reduced forest pressure. Results show that lowland irrigation has had direct, indirect, and lagged effects on rates of forest clearing, and that a virtuous cycle may be at play, with irrigation leading to both poverty reduction and reduced forest pressure.
A METHOD OF NOISE REDUCTION FOR LINEAR BEAM MICROWAVE DEVICES OF MEDIUM POWER

The minimum noise figure of a 1ongitudinal-beam amplifier utilizing velocity modulation is limited by the uncorrelated noise power in the slow space-charge waves [1] (p.148) because these are the active modes of a beam; that is, they have the properties of negative resistances. Beam noisiness constitutes the main contribution to the noise output of a similar
Parking guidance system for front wheel steering vehicles using trajectory generation

This paper first addresses the issues related to the parking trajectory generation problem of front wheel steering vehicles. Then, taking both the implicit vehicle dynamic control restricts and explicit obstacle avoidance requirements into consideration, the mapping and inverse mapping relationship between the sequence of the control action and the result parking trajectory is carefully analyzed and approximately modeled using wavelet transformation and RBF neural networks. Finally, a guidance system is constructed to help the driver to complete the parking process.
Random Composites Characterization Using a Classifier Model

A new method is introduced for characterizing and analyzing materials with random heterogeneous microstructure. The method begins with classifiers which process information from high-fidelity analyses of small-sized simulated microstructures. These classifiers are subsequently used in a multipass moving window to identify subregions of potentially critical microscale behavior such as strain concentrations. In the derivation of the method, it is shown how information theory-based concepts can be formulated in a Bayesian decision theory framework that addresses microstructural issues. Furthermore, it is shown how a sequence of classifiers can be constructed to refine the analysis of microstructure. While the method presented herein is general, a relatively simple example of a two-dimensional, two-phase composite is used to illustrate the analysis steps.
Profiling the profiloscope: facialization of race technologies and the rise of biometric nationalism in inter-war British India

AbstractThe history of race and technology in British India has avoided engaging with the way in which this played out amongst nationalists. The history of biometrics too has similarly overlooked the role of anti-colonial nationalists. The history of the now-forgotten profiloscope allows us to address both oversights. But the history of the profiloscope is more than just a history of a technological apparatus. It is also the trace of a forgotten political imaginary, viz. biometric nationalism. Biometric nationalism sought to deploy biometrics in developing a dynamically anti-essentialist and non-individualistic conception of nationhood at a time when the nation-form had come to largely monopolize mainstream of anti-colonial political discourse.
LGBT Youth in the Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice Systems: Charting a Way Forward

In step with the significant civil rights advances for LGBT adults over the last ten years, advocates for LGBT youth in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems have won major law and policy changes. This article sets forth the typical reasons that youth enter the child welfare and juvenile justice systems, analyzes the significance of the recently won legal and policy shifts, and offers thoughts for a more liberatory approach toward gender and sexuality that can reduce the numbers of youth in the system.
Notes toward a Definition of Technical Writing

Research in communication is continually underway in universities and colleges. This paper presents one project carried out in the stylistics of technical writing. A number of technical articles we...
Feeding efficiency of larval Hyalomma truncatum (Acari: Ixodidae) on hosts previously exposed to ticks.

The effect of guinea pig response to feeding larval Hyalomma truncatum Koch ticks was studied by measuring the percentage of ticks engorging and molting, their engorged weight, and hemoglobin content. Four guinea pigs were infested with 100, 200, 400, and 1,000 larvae, respectively, on three occasions at 21-d intervals, followed by a fourth infestation with 500 larvae. During the second, third, and fourth infestations, significantly fewer ticks engorged on each guinea pig than during the first infestation. The greatest reduction in percentage molting occurred during the fourth infestation on the animal with successive exposure to 400 larvae; only 24% of the ticks that fed molted. Ticks with the lowest mean weight and hemoglobin content also engorged on this animal during the fourth infestation. Guinea pigs exposed to 200 and 400 H. truncatum larvae elicited the greatest change in feeding efficiency during the fourth infestation. However, these hosts had no effect on a single subsequent fifth infestation with Amblyomma cajennense (F.) nymphs, as >95% successfully engorged.
0323 Workplace Psychosocial Risk Factors for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: A Pooled Prospective Study0323 Workplace Psychosocial Risk Factors for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: A Pooled Prospective Study

Objectives Seven research groups conducted coordinated studies of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). In this analysis of the pooled cohort, we estimate associations of workplace psychosocial factors and CTS incidence with adjustment for biomechanical factors. Method 3515 workers were followed up to 7 years. Case criteria included symptoms consistent with CTS and an abnormal electrodiagnostic study. Psychosocial exposure was measured using the Job Content Questionnaire to assess risk among those with high job strain measures. Individual level occupational biomechanical exposures included the%time spent >30° wrist extension, % time in >30° wrist flexion, total repetition rate, and the%time spent in forceful exertion (>1kg-pinch; >4kg-grip). A sub-cohort of 1091 participants had both psychosocial and biomechanical exposure data. Adjusted hazard ratios were estimated using Cox proportional hazards models. Results After adjustment for gender, age and BMI in the sub-cohort, high job strain (HR=1.40; 95% CI:0.86–2.28) and high psychological demand (HR=1.25; 95% CI:0.79–1.98) showed statistically non-significant elevation in risk of CTS, and high decision latitude (HR=0.70; 95% CI:0.44–1.13) showed non-significant decrease in risk. When the same models were adjusted for biomechanical exposures, confounding was not evident; the primary exposure effect estimates changed between 1–7% for high job strain (HR=1.30; 95% CI:0.81–2.17), high psychological demand (HR=1.17; 95% CI:0.74–1.83), and high decision latitude (HR=0.71; 95% CI:0.43–1.18). Conclusions For this sub-cohort analysis, adjustment for biomechanical exposures did not alter the associations between workplace psychosocial factors and incident CTS. The findings suggest that workplace psychosocial risk is independent of workplace biomechanical risk.
Dynamic photonic crystals: stopping light and time reversal

By combining photonic crystal resonances with dynamics, we show that photonic crystals can be used to stop, store and time-reverse light pulses. (1 page)
Statistical Characterization of Wind Power Ramps Via Extreme Value Analysis

Extreme power fluctuations in wind farms are rare but high-impact events, so proper characterization of these extreme fluctuations would assist with power systems operations planning in a power system with a high penetration of wind power. This work applies extreme value analysis methods to the statistical characterization of wind power ramps with 10-min resolution. The annual maxima series (AMS) method and peaks over threshold (POT) method are used to determine the probability of extreme wind power ramp events in a wind farm.
High-quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation: current and future directions

Purpose of reviewCardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) represents the cornerstone of cardiac arrest resuscitation care. Prompt delivery of high-quality CPR can dramatically improve survival outcomes; however, the definitions of optimal CPR have evolved over several decades. The present review will dis
Assessing access to surgical care in Nepal via a cross-sectional, countrywide survey.

Background Adequate surgical care is lacking in many low- and middle-income countries because of diverse barriers preventing patients from reaching providers. We sought to assess perceived difficulties to accessing surgical care in Nepal using the Surgeons OverSeas Assessment of Surgical Need tool. Methods Fifteen of 75 Nepali districts were selected proportionate to the population, with 1,350 households surveyed. Household heads answered questions regarding access to health facilities, and 2 household members were interviewed for medical history. Continuous and categorical variables were analyzed via Wilcoxon rank sum test and Pearson χ2 test. Multivariable logistic regressions for independent predictors of care access were performed controlling for age, sex, location, and literacy. Results Of respondents with a surgical condition (n = 1,342), 650 (48.4%) accessed care and 237 (17.7%) did not. Unadjusted analyses showed greater median travel times to all facilities (P Conclusion The data project that at least 2.4 million individuals lack access to needed surgical care in Nepal during their lifetimes, with those not accessing health facilities having lower literacy rates and fewer transport resources. Promoting education, outreach programs, and transportation access could lessen barriers but will require further exploration.
Axial heterogeneity of sodium-bicarbonate cotransporter expression in the rabbit proximal tubule.

It is generally accepted that Na(HCO3) n cotransport is the most important mechanism mediating basolateral bicarbonate efflux in the early proximal tubule. The presence of basolateral Na(HCO3) n co...
Attenuation of Multiphase Surface Waves in the Basin and Range Province Part II: The Fundamental Mode

In order to investigate the large errors which sometimes characterize fundamental-mode attenuation coefficient determinations, we have made many such determinations in the Basin and Range province and have plotted particle motion for the observed three-component seismograms. Rayleigh wave attenuation coefficient values determined for four two-station paths across the Basin and Range province fluctuate between about −2.0 × 10−3 km −1 and +3.0 × 10−3 km −1 at periods between 6 and 33 s. Partide motion plots indicate that many of those determinations are contaminated by arrivals from non-great circle paths and from waves generated at heterogeneities along the path, factors which lead to systematic errors in the measured attenuation coefficient values. Attenuation coefficient determinations for the path MNV to ELK, which is within 20° of being normal to the structural trends of the Sierra Nevada and Great Valley, are, however, relatively free from such contamination. Mean values for that path decrease rapidly with period from about 3.0 × 10−3 to about 0.7 × 10−3 km −1 between 6 and 10 s and then decrease slowly to about 0.3 × 10−3 km −1 at 33 s. Standard deviations range between 0.2 × 10−3 and 0.3 × 10−3 km −1 for most of the period range, but increase to about 0.4 × 10−3 at periods between 6 and 8 s. These results indicate that careful screening, based upon criteria such as three-dimensional particle motion, are necessary to obtain surface wave attenuation data of sufficient quality to use for inverting for crustal anelasticity in complex regions.
Environmental Control and International Trade: Competitive Effects

In this and the following chapter, we shall endeavour to trace through the impact of environmental management on international trade. We will be concerned with the more immediate impact of environmental policies on costs of production, product prices, international competiveness, the terms of trade, and the balance of trade. Chapter 4 will deal with the implications of pollution control for more fundamental and long-range questions of economic structure and international comparative advantage.
Enhancing ignition and combustion of micron-sized aluminum by adding porous silicon

Abstract Micron-sized aluminum (Al), due to its large volumetric energy density, is an important fuel additive for broad propulsion and energetic applications. However, micron-sized Al particles are difficult to ignite and react slowly, leading to problems such as incomplete combustion and product agglomeration. Many pioneering strategies have been investigated to overcome the above challenges, ranging from reducing Al particles to nanoscale, coating them with metallic or polymeric materials, to blending Al with other materials to form composites. On the other hand, porous Si has emerged as a promising energetic material with a volumetric energy density comparable to Al, high reactivity at low temperature, and ultrafast flame propagation speeds. To date, the potential of using porous Si as an additive to enhance ignition and combustion of micron-sized Al has not been explored. Herein, we experimentally investigated the effect of porous Si addition on the ignition and combustion characteristics of micron-sized Al with CuO nanoparticles. We consistently observed that the addition of porous Si facilitates both ignition and combustion of Al/CuO mixtures over a wide range of experimental conditions, ranging from slow heating rate conditions in differential scanning calorimetry, fast heating rate conditions in Xe flash ignition, flame propagation in microchannels, to constant-volume pressure vessel experiments. The enhancement effects are attributed to the easy ignition and fast burning properties of porous Si, which elevate the ambient temperature and/or pressure, and hence enhance the ignition, reaction rate, and combustion efficiency of micron-sized Al particles. This work demonstrates that adding porous Si is another viable strategy toward enhancing the ignition and combustion properties of micron-sized Al particles.
The magnetic recoil spectrometer (MRSt) for time-resolved measurements of the neutron spectrum at the National Ignition Facility (NIF)

The next-generation magnetic recoil spectrometer for time-resolved measurements of the neutron spectrum has been conceptually designed for the National Ignition Facility. This spectrometer, called MRSt, represents a paradigm shift in our thinking about neutron spectrometry for inertial confinement fusion applications, as it will provide simultaneously information about the burn history and time evolution of areal density (ρR), apparent ion temperature (Ti), yield (Yn), and macroscopic flows during burn. From this type of data, an assessment of the evolution of the fuel assembly, hotspot, and alpha heating can be made. According to simulations, the MRSt will provide accurate data with a time resolution of ∼20 ps and energy resolution of ∼100 keV for total neutron yields above ∼1016. At lower yields, the diagnostic will be operated at a higher-efficiency, lower-energy-resolution mode to provide a time resolution of ∼20 ps.
The New Middle Class and Law

Having discussed the potentiality for the new middle class to participate as a responsible, rational, public-minded citizenry, let us now turn to the problem of law. Since law was linked in its origins and its entire history with the commercial classes, since it was carried by these classes alone, will law decline and be replaced by bureaucratic mles and regulations? Or will law and legal authority be supported and sustained by the bureaucratically based new middle classes?
The Impact of Health Information Technology on the Doctor-Patient Relationship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

As health information technology continues to expand and permeate medicine, there is increasing concern for the effect on the therapeutic relationship between patient and psychiatrist. This article explores this impact, seeking wisdom from adult psychiatry and more broadly from general medical disciplines to draw conclusions regarding how the child psychiatry encounter may be affected. Several proposed strategies to mitigate potential negative impacts of health information technology on the therapeutic relationship across practice settings are offered.
Nano-chirality detection with vortex plasmon modes

Cathodoluminescence spectroscopy in a scanning transmission electron microscope is used to probe the spatio-spectral response of nanospiral aperture plasmonic vortex generators. Further, we demonstrate that plasmonic vortex modes can probe the chirality of nanoscale materials.
Anti-protein and anti-bacterial behavior of amphiphilic silicones

Silicones with improved water-driven surface hydrophilicity and anti-biofouling behavior were achieved when bulk-modified with poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) -silane amphiphiles of varying siloxane tether length: α-(EtO)3Si-(CH2)2-oligodimethylsiloxane m -block-poly(ethylene oxide)8-OCH3 (m = 0, 4, 13, 17, 24, and 30). A PEO8-silane [α-(EtO)3Si-(CH2)3-PEO8-OCH3] served as a conventional PEO-silane control. To examine anti-biofouling behavior in the absence versus presence of water-driven surface restructuring, the amphiphiles and control were surface-grafted onto silicon wafers and used to bulk-modify a medical-grade silicone, respectively. While the surface-grafted PEO-control exhibited superior protein resistance, it failed to appreciably restructure to the surface-water interface of bulk-modified silicone and thus led to poor protein resistance. In contrast, the PEO-silane amphiphiles, while less protein-resistant when surface-grafted onto silicon wafers, rapidly and substantially restructured in bulk-modified silicone, exhibiting superior hydrophilicity and protein resistance. A reduction of biofilm for several strains of bacteria and a fungus was observed for silicones modified with PEO-silane amphiphiles. Longer siloxane tethers maintained surface restructuring and protein resistance while displaying the added benefit of increased transparency.
State Repression and Nonviolent Resistance

In this article, we review decades of research on state repression and nonviolent resistance. We argue that these two research programs have converged around six consensus findings. We also highlig...
Is the Biblical Land Promise Irrevocable?: Post-Nostra Aetate Catholic Theologies of the Jewish Covenant and the Land of Israel

This article studies the various ways that Catholics have interpreted the biblical promise of the land of Israel to Abraham and his descendants after Nostra Aetate, which affirmed the continuing legitimacy of the Jewish covenant containing this promise. Specifically, it analyzes the range of views regarding the religious significance of the land promise in Catholic statements on Jews and Judaism. These official Vatican statements affirm the covenant in general but decline to offer any theological legitimacy to this particular aspect of it. I argue that their perspective on the covenant is circumscribed and self-referential. By contrast, other statements, despite beginning with nearly identical texts (both biblical and Catholic) and theological assumptions, not only affirm the covenant generically but insist that the land promise is itself an integral and legitimate part of the covenant.
Positive guaiac and bloody stool are poor predictors of intussusception.

Abstract Background Currant jelly stool is a late manifestation of intussusception and is rarely seen in clinical practice. Other forms of GI bleeding have not been thoroughly studied and little is known about their respective diagnostic values. Objective To assess the predictive value of GI bleeding (positive guaiac test, bloody stool and rectal bleeding in evaluation of intussusception. Methods We performed a retrospective cross-sectional study cohort of all children, ages 1 month-6 years of age, who had an abdominal ultrasound obtained evaluating for intussusception over 5 year period. We identified intussusception if diagnosed by ultrasound, air-contrast enema or surgery. Univariate and a multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed. Results During the study period 1258 cases met the study criteria; median age was 1.7 years (IQR 0.8, 2.9) and 37% were females. Overall 176 children had intussusception; 153 (87%) were ileo-colic and 23 were ileo-ileal. Univariate risk ratio and adjusted Odds ratio were 1.3 (95% CI, 0.8, 2.0) and 1.3 (0.7, 2.4) for positive guaiac test, 1.1 (0.6, 2.1) and 0.9 (0.3, 3.0) for bloody stool, and 1.7 (1.02, 2.8) and 1.3 (0.5, 3.1) for rectal bleeding . Conclusion Blood in stool, whether visible or tested by guaiac test has poor diagnostic performance in the evaluation of intussusception and is not independently predictive of intussusception. If the sole purpose of a rectal exam in these patients is for guaiac testing it should be reconsidered.
Slit2 modulates the inflammatory phenotype of orbit-infiltrating fibrocytes in Graves’ disease

Human CD34+ fibrocytes, circulating monocyte lineage progenitor cells, have recently been implicated in thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO), the ocular manifestation of Graves' disease (GD). Fibrocytes express constitutive MHC class II (MHC-2) and, surprisingly, thyroglobulin (Tg) and functional thyrotropin (TSH) receptor (TSHR). Underlying expression of these thyroid proteins is the autoimmune regulator protein (AIRE). Fibrocytes respond robustly to TSH and thyroid-stimulating Igs by generating extremely high levels of inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-6. In TAO, they appear to infiltrate the orbit, where they transition to CD34+ orbital fibroblasts (OF). There, they coexist with CD34- OF as a mixed fibroblast population (GD-OF). In contrast to fibrocytes, GD-OF express vanishingly low levels of MHC-2, Tg, TSHR, and AIRE. Further, the amplitude of IL-6 induction by TSH in GD-OF is substantially lower. The molecular basis for this divergence between fibrocytes and CD34+ OF remains uncertain. In this article, we report that Slit2, an axon guidance glycoprotein, is constitutively expressed by the CD34- OF subset of GD-OF. Culture conditioned medium (CM) generated by incubating with GD-OF and CD34- OF substantially reduces levels of MHC-2, Tg, TSHR, and AIRE in fibrocytes. Expression can be restored by specifically depleting CM of Slit2. The effects of CD34- OF CM are mimicked by recombinant human Slit2. TSH induces Slit2 levels in GD-OF by enhancing both Slit2 gene transcription and mRNA stability. These findings suggest that Slit2 represents a TSH-inducible factor within the TAO orbit that can modulate the inflammatory phenotype of CD34+ OF and therefore may determine the activity and severity of the disease.
Advantages of Real-time Imaging

There are two basic types of ultrasound imaging instrumentation: those producing static images and those producing images in motion (real-time or dynamic imaging).
The Effects of Inadmissible Testimony Objections and Rulings on Jury Decisions

Two experiments produced evidence indicating that (1) simulated jurors instructed by a judge to disregard sensational inadmissible testimony do not appear to do so when rendering their verdicts; (2...
Mining comparative sentences and relations

This paper studies a text mining problem, comparative sentence mining (CSM). A comparative sentence expresses an ordering relation between two sets of entities with respect to some common features. For example, the comparative sentence "Canon's optics are better than those of Sony and Nikon" expresses the comparative relation: (better, {optics}, {Canon}, {Sony, Nikon}). Given a set of evaluative texts on the Web, e.g., reviews, forum postings, and news articles, the task of comparative sentence mining is (1) to identify comparative sentences from the texts and (2) to extract comparative relations from the identified comparative sentences. This problem has many applications. For example, a product manufacturer wants to know customer opinions of its products in comparison with those of its competitors. In this paper, we propose two novel techniques based on two new types of sequential rules to perform the tasks. Experimental evaluation has been conducted using different types of evaluative texts from the Web. Results show that our techniques are very promising.
Deglycosylation of wogonoside enhances its anticancer potential

Introduction: Scutellaria baicalensis is commonly used in Asia as an herbal medicine to treat a variety of ailments, including cancer. Wogonoside, one major constituent of S. baicalensis, can be primarily converted to wogonin through deglycosylation via enteric microbiome metabolism. Materials and Methods: The antiproliferative effects of the glycoside (wogonoside) and its deglycosylated compound (wogonin) on a panel of human cancer cell lines from the most common solid tumors were evaluated using the MTS colorimetric assay. Cell cycle and apoptosis were determined using flow cytometry. Enzymatic activities of caspases were measured, and the interactions of wogonin and caspases were explored by a docking analysis. Results: Wogonoside did not have obvious antiproliferative effects on the cancer cells. In contrast, wogonin showed significant antiproliferative activities on all the tested cancer cells. Wogonin arrested the cells in the G1 phase and significantly induced cell apoptosis. The compound also activated the expression of caspases 3 and 9. The docking results suggest that the compound forms hydrogen bonds with Phe250 and Ser251, and π–π interactions with Phe256 in caspase 3, and with Asp228 in caspase 9. Conclusions: After wogonoside deglycosylation, wogonin significantly enhanced its anticancer potential as a potent anticancer compound derived from S. baicalensis.
A Recommendation Engine to Aid in Identifying Crime Patterns

The authors describe the development of a set of three supervised machine-learning models, which the New York City Police Department uses to help identify related crimes, including burglaries, robb...
Impact of enhanced recovery on oncological outcomes following minimally invasive surgery for rectal cancer.

BACKGROUND Oncological outcomes of locally advanced rectal cancer depend on the quality of surgical and oncological management. Enhanced recovery pathways (ERPs) have yet to be assessed for their oncological impact when used in combination with minimally invasive surgery. This study assessed outcomes with or without an ERP in patients with rectal cancer. METHODS This was a retrospective analysis of all consecutive adult patients who underwent elective minimally invasive surgery for primary rectal adenocarcinoma with curative intent between February 2005 and April 2018. Both laparoscopic and robotic procedures were included. Short-term morbidity and overall survival were compared between patients treated according to the institutional ERP and those who received conventional care. RESULTS A total of 600 patients underwent minimally invasive surgery, of whom 320 (53·3 per cent) were treated according to the ERP and 280 (46·7 per cent) received conventional care. ERP was associated with less overall morbidity (34·7 versus 54·3 per cent; P < 0·001). Patients in the ERP group had improved overall survival on univariable (91·4 versus 81·7 per cent at 5 years; hazard ratio (HR) 0·53, 95 per cent c.i. 0·28 to 0·99) but not multivariable (HR 0·78, 0·41 to 1·50) analysis. Multivariable analysis revealed age (HR 1·46, 1·17 to 1·82), male sex (HR 1·98, 1·05 to 3·70) and complications (HR 2·23, 1·30 to 3·83) as independent risk factors for compromised overall survival. Disease-free survival was comparable for patients who had ERP or conventional treatment (80·5 versus 84·6 per cent at 5 years respectively; P = 0·272). CONCLUSION Treatment within an ERP was associated with a lower morbidity risk that may have had a subtle impact on overall but not disease-specific survival.
Clinical Importance of the Compliant Conduit

A primary physiological function of the aorta and its major branches is to convert the highly pulsatile output of the left ventricle to a more nearly uniform and steady flow in the arterioles and capillaries, with a minimum loss of energy (McDonald, 1974). This requires that peripheral vascular input impedance (which is a complex function of arterial resistance, fluid inertance, and arterial compliance [capacitance, distensibility]) be matched to the output impedance of the heart. Thus, a complete mechanical description of the heart and its prospective replacements, or fluid mechanical description of blood flow in the major arteries must take into account arterial compliance. Compliance is defined in this chapter as the fractional change in volume per unit change in pressure: C=(ΔV/V)/ΔP. For cylinders of fixed length, a good approximation to the major blood vessels, this simplifies to twice the fractional change in diameter per unit change in pressure: C=2(ΔD/ΔP)/D. However, it has become commonplace with many authors (Baird, 1977; Megerman and Abbott, 1983; Klein et al.,1982) to omit the constant multiplier, “2”, and this practice will be followed here as well [i.e. C=(ΔD/D)/ΔP; units: % change in diameter/100 mmHg].
Using cultural, historical, and epidemiological data to inform, calibrate, and verify model structures in agent-based simulations

Agent-based simulation models are excellent tools for addressing questions about the spread of infectious diseases in human populations because realistic, complex behaviors as well as random factors can readily be incorporated. Agent-based models are flexible and allow for a wide variety of behaviors, time-related variables, and geographies, making the calibration process an extremely important step in model development. Such calibration procedures, including verification and validation, may be complicated, however, and usually require incorporation of substantial empirical data and theoretical knowledge of the populations and processes under study. This paper describes steps taken to build and calibrate an agent-based model of epidemic spread in an early 20th century fishing village in Newfoundland and Labrador, including a description of some of the detailed ethnographic and historical data available. We illustrate how these data were used to develop the structure of specific parts of the model. The resulting model, however, is designed to reflect a generic small community during the early 20th century and the spread of a directly transmitted disease within such a community, not the specific place that provided the data. Following the description of model development, we present the results of a replication study used to confirm the model behaves as intended. This study is also used to identify the number of simulations necessary for high confidence in average model output. We also present selected results from extensive sensitivity analyses to assess the effect that variation in parameter values has on model outcomes. After careful calibration and verification, the model can be used to address specific practical questions of interest. We provide an illustrative example of this process.
Physical Activity Intolerance and Cardiorespiratory Dysfunction in Patients with Moderate-to-Severe Traumatic Brain Injury

Moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a chronic health condition with multi-systemic effects. Survivors face significant long-term functional limitations, including physical activity intolerance and disordered sleep. Persistent cardiorespiratory dysfunction is a potentially modifiable yet often overlooked major contributor to the alarmingly high long-term morbidity and mortality rates in these patients. This narrative review was developed through systematic and non-systematic searches for research relating cardiorespiratory function to moderate-to-severe TBI. The literature reveals patients who have survived moderate-to-severe TBI have ~ 25–35% reduction in maximal aerobic capacity 6–18 months post-injury, resting pulmonary capacity parameters that are reduced 25–40% for weeks to years post-injury, increased sedentary behavior, and elevated risk of cardiorespiratory-related morbidity and mortality. Synthesis of data from other patient populations reveals that cardiorespiratory dysfunction is likely a consequence of ventilator-induced diaphragmatic dysfunction (VIDD), which is not currently addressed in TBI management. Thus, cardiopulmonary exercise testing should be routinely performed in this patient population and those with cardiorespiratory deficits should be further evaluated for diaphragmatic dysfunction. Lack of targeted treatment for underlying cardiorespiratory dysfunction, including VIDD, likely contributes to physical activity intolerance and poor functional outcomes in these patients. Interventional studies have demonstrated that short-term exercise training programs are effective in patients with moderate-to-severe TBI, though improvement is variable. Inspiratory muscle training is beneficial in other patient populations with diaphragmatic dysfunction, and may be valuable for patients with TBI who have been mechanically ventilated. Thus, clinicians with expertise in cardiorespiratory fitness assessment and exercise training interventions should be included in patient management for individuals with moderate-to-severe TBI.
Damage Monitoring, Life Prediction and Life Extension

In this paper the concept of in-situ, on-line damage monitors for use in service components where safety, high performance or severe environmental requirements is described. Particular attention is given to applications where low cycle fatigue is of concern. The purpose of these monitors is to provide useful information regarding the damage state of critical components during plant operation rather than to depend on the extrapolation of the up-front design process or on intermittent inspection to estimate performance. Some examples are given of damage monitors currently in use or under development for nuclear boiling water plant applications using the reversing dc electrical potential technique. The concept of remaining life as an on-line process is described. The use of smart monitor that can measure and assess the present and future damage state of a given component and provide the plant operator with important operational information about his plant is discussed.
An Evaluation of Adaptations Made to Check-In Check-Out:

Check-in check-out (CICO) is a widely implemented program aimed at increasing prosocial behavior. Aligned with the logic of Tier 2 supports, CICO has a standard protocol meant to be implemented in ...
Supporting Occasional Groups in Crowdsourcing Platforms

Contributors to online crowdsourcing systems generally work independently on pieces of a product. Task interdependencies may require collaboration, mostly implicitly, to develop a final product. Even individuals engaged in a group conversation may not stay with the same group for long, i.e., the group is an "occasional group". Further, occasional group interactions are often not well supported by the platforms. These factors particularly impact the process of group learning. I plan to develop a model of group learning in occasional groups and to test the model by using it to design a knowledge-based chatbot to improve learning in occasional groups.
Cell Cycle Influence of Stem Cell Differentiation in Culture.

Hierarchical models of hematopoiesis suppose an ordered system in which stem cells and progenitors with specific fixed differentiation potentials exist. We show that the potential of marrow stem cells to differentiate changes reversibly with cytokine-induced cell cycle transit. To address whether the cell cycle plays a role in the differentiation of stem cells, we co-cultured murine bone marrow Lin- Sca-1+ cells, at different points in their cycle, with the OP9-DL1 system. OP9-DL1 stromal cell layer has been transduced to allow T-cell differentiation in culture. We first induced cell cycle synchrony by exposing the isolated cells to a cytokine cocktail of TPO, Flt-3 and Stem Cell Factor. The cells were exposed to this primary culture for 0, 6, 24, 32 and 40 hours and were subsequently cultured on an OP9-DL1 stromal cell layer grown in 6-well plates. Cells were co-cultured for 8 days and 21 days, in the presence of IL-7 and Flt-3. Cultured cells were evaluated for CD4, CD8, B220, CD19, NK1.1, and Mac-1 surface markers, using flow cytometry. On Day 8, we found a significant hotspot at 32-hours (early-S phase) for B220+ cells (34.3 %), while Mac-1 positive cells demonstrated a 24-hour hotspot (18.1 %). As expected, terminal T and B-cell differentiation (CD 4, CD8, and CD19) was undetectable at 8 days. Three separate short-term (8 day) experiments have confirmed these data. Cells in culture for 21 days similarly show variation in differentiation outcome. CD4 cells demonstrate a peak at the 40 hour time point (mid-S phase) (69.9%), while CD8 positive cells were significantly increased at the 32 hour time point (34.4%). These data indicate both B and T cells show reversible differentiation fluxes linked to cell cycle. This work supports previous evidence that marrow hematopoiesis at the stem cell level is regulated on a continuum and that stem cells have reversible, cycle-related differentiation capacity.
Neoadjuvant Leuprolide Therapy with Radical Prostatectomy: Long-term Effects on Health-related Quality of Life.

Abstract Background Neoadjuvant androgen ablation (neoadjuvant androgen deprivation therapy [NADT]) is used prior to radical prostatectomy, contrary to guidelines, but its long-term effects on quality of life is unknown. Objective To determine the effect of NADT on patient’s long-term recovery following surgery. Design, setting, and participants From March 2011 to August 2013, 5808 men with newly diagnosed prostate were followed up to 24 mo. A cohort of men who received NADT prior to robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP; n = 51) was compared 1:3 with a matched group that underwent RALP only (n = 153). Outcome measurements and statistical analysis Patients were matched on Charlson comorbidities, biopsy Gleason score, and node status on final pathology. The Kruskall-Wallis test was used to compare the groups on their bowel, urinary, sexual, and hormonal domains of the 26-item Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite at baseline and at 1, 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 mo postoperatively. Results and limitations The urinary irritative, urinary incontinence, and bowel domains were similar in the two groups during the 24 mo (p = 0.832, 0.901, and 0.732, respectively). In the hormonal domain, the NADT group did worse (p Conclusions Patients who received NADT prior to RALP do not have worse sexual function, but have worse hormonal scores for up to 2 yr after surgery. Patient summary Neoadjuvant androgen deprivation therapy (NADT) is administered prior to robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP), contrary to clinical guidelines. NADT may not have worse sexual function outcomes up to 2 yr after RALP.
Life course trauma and muscle weakness in older adults by gender and race/ethnicity: Results from the U.S. health and Retirement Study.

Abstract Muscle weakness, as measured by handgrip strength, is a primary determinant of physical functioning and disability. There is a high burden of muscle weakness in the United States with close to 50 percent of older Americans meeting criteria for clinical muscle weakness. While previous racial/ethnic disparities have been documented among older adults, the extent to which lifecourse trauma shapes muscle strength trajectories is unknown. Using U.S. Health and Retirement Study (N = 20,472, Mean Age = 63.8 years) data on grip strength (2006–2014, up to 3 assessments) and retrospectively reported traumatic events, we fit gender-stratified growth curve models to investigate whether traumatic events experienced across the lifecourse or at distinct sensitive periods (childhood, early/emerging adulthood or mid-life) predicted later-life trajectories of grip strength. There was no association between cumulative trauma and trajectories of grip strength and the main effects for the life stage models were largely null. However, among White women, our results suggest that traumatic events experienced during childhood (β = −0.012; 95% CI = −0.024, 0.0004) compared to middle adulthood are associated with faster declines in grip strength in later life. Traumatic events reported during childhood was related to a slower decline in grip strength over time among Hispanic women compared to that for White women (β = 0.086, 95% CI = 0.044, 0.128). Among Black men, the association between traumatic events during early/emerging adulthood and age-related declines in grip strength was stronger for Black men than for White men (interaction β = −0.070; 95% CI = −0.138, 0.001). Traumatic events experienced during distinct life stages may influence later life declines in grip strength and exacerbate racial inequalities in later life. This study addresses an important gap by investigating the life course social determinants of later life muscle strength, which is a key driver of physical functioning and mobility.