cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A heuristic with bounded guarantee to compute diverse paths under shared protection in WDM mesh networks

Establishing a fault-tolerant connection in a network involves computation of diverse working and protection paths. The shared risk link group (SRLG) (J. Strand et al. (2001) concept is used to model several types of failure conditions such as link, node, fiber conduit, etc. In this work we focus on the problem of computing optimal SRLG/link diverse paths under shared protection. Shared protection technique improves network resource utilization by allowing protection paths of multiple connections to share resources. In this work we propose an iterative heuristic for computing SRLG/link diverse paths. We present a method to calculate a quantitative measure that provides a bounded guarantee on the optimality of the diverse paths computed by the heuristic. The experimental results on computing link diverse paths show that our proposed heuristic is efficient in terms of number of iterations required (time taken) to compute diverse paths when compared to other previously proposed heuristics
Trainer selection strategies for coevolving rank predictors

Despite the range of applications and successes of evolutionary algorithms, expensive fitness computations often form a critical performance bottleneck. A preferred method of reducing the computational overhead is to coevolve rank predictors, providing a coarse and lightweight fitness approximation that has proven to drastically increase performance. However, the majority of previous work on rank predictor coevolution focused solely on improving the predictor heuristics while strategies to select the equally important trainer population is often an afterthought. Four different strategies are presented and benchmarked on a symbolic regression problem using hundreds of test problems with varying complexities. Of the four strategies, updating the trainer population with the solution of the highest rank variance is found to be significantly superior, resulting in a four to ten fold reduction in computational effort for similar convergence rates over the remaining strategies.
Early Paleozoic Ostracoda of the Atlantic Margin, Other Than Eastern Canada

Abstract Cambrian Archaeocopida and Ordovician and Silurian ostracodes are better developed in the marginal areas of the North Atlantic than those of the South Atlantic where rocks of those ages are only sparsely represented. The most useful assemblages biostratigraphically are those of the middle Ordovician and middle Silurian of both the eastern and western North Atlantic.
Current management of urethral stricture disease.

Introduction: Broadly defined, urethral strictures are narrowing of the urethral lumen that is surrounded by corpus spongiosum, i.e., urethral meatus through the bulbar urethra. Urethral stenosis is narrowing of the posterior urethra, i.e., membranous urethra through bladder neck/prostate junction, which is not enveloped by corpus spongiosum. The disease has significant quality of life ramifications because many times younger patients are affected by this compared to many other urological diseases. Methods: A review of the scientific literature concerning urethral stricture, stenosis, treatment, and outcomes was performed using Medline and PubMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health). Abstracts from scientific meetings were included in this review. Results: There is level 3 evidence regarding the etiology and epidemiology of urethral strictures, stenoses, and pelvic fracture urethral injuries. Outcomes data from literature regarding intervention for urethral stricture are largely limited to level 3 evidence and expert opinion. There is a single level 1 study comparing urethral dilation and direct vision internal urethrotomy. Urethroplasty outcomes data are limited to level 3 case series. Conclusions: Progress is being made toward consistent terminology, and nomenclature which will, in turn, help to standardize treatment within the field of urology. Treatment for urethral stricture and stenosis remains inconsistent between reconstructive and nonreconstructive urologists due to varying treatment algorithms and approaches to disease management. Tissue engineering appears to be future for reconstructive urethral surgery with reports demonstrating feasibility in the use of different tissue substitutes and grafts.
Facade: High-Throughput, Deniable Censorship Circumvention Using Web Search

Censorship circumvention systems that use HTTP as cover traffic make tradeoffs between deniability and performance by offering either deniability at the expense of performance (e.g., Infranet) or performance at the expense of deniability (e.g., StegoTorus). These systems do so because HTTP is typically very asymmetric, with very little capacity to carry covert data in each HTTP GET request; higher throughput channels achieve performance by generating sequences of HTTP GET requests that do not mimic normal user traffic patterns. Fortunately, the emergence of new web services makes it increasingly common for any individual HTTP GET requests to contain more entropy. For example, site-specific search services create GET requests that contain sequences of search terms that can encode more bits than a single deniable HTTP request otherwise would. In this paper, we design a new encoding technique that uses web search terms to encode hidden messages in an upstream channel for censorship circumvention; implement the encoding technique in a system that resists fingerprinting attacks; and compare the security and performance of Facade to existing censorship circumvention systems that use HTTP as cover traffic.
Rediscovering area CA2: unique properties and functions

Hippocampal area CA2 has several features that distinguish it from CA1 and CA3, including a unique gene expression profile, failure to display long-term potentiation and relative resistance to cell death. A recent increase in interest in the CA2 region, combined with the development of new methods to define and manipulate its neurons, has led to some exciting new discoveries on the properties of CA2 neurons and their role in behaviour. Here, we review these findings and call attention to the idea that the definition of area CA2 ought to be revised in light of gene expression data.
Vapor-Phase (p, ρ, T, x) Behavior and Virial Coefficients for the (Methane + Propane) System

The (p, ρ, T, x) behavior of three (methane + propane) mixtures was measured with a two-sinker magnetic suspension densimeter over the temperature range of (248.15 to 373.15) K with pressures up to the dew-point pressure or 6 MPa, whichever was lower. The compositions of the gravimetrically prepared mixtures were (0.74977, 0.50688, and 0.26579) mole fraction methane. A detailed uncertainty analysis is presented. The relative combined expanded uncertainty (k = 2) in density considering all effects, including the uncertainty in composition, was 0.05 % or lower for most points, except it was larger at densities less than 5 kg·m–3. Comparisons to the GERG-2008 equation of state for natural-gas mixtures showed significant deviations in density (as large as −1.3 %) that increased with decreasing temperature, with increasing pressure, and with increasing propane fraction in the mixture. The experimental values were also used to calculate interaction virial coefficients B12(T) for this system. The B12(T) agreed w...
Estimating Absolute Density of Nymphs of Lygus lineolaris (Heteroptera: Miridae) in Cotton Using Drop Cloth and Sweep-Net Sampling Methods

The efficiencies of the drop cloth and sweep net for capturing tarnished plant bug, Lygus lineolaris (Palisot de Beauvois), nymphs were determined by, sampling nymphs placed on cotton each week during the first 5–6 wk of fruit production. Capture efficiency for both sampling methods was compared with plant height by regression analysis, and significant regression values were 0.72 for the drop cloth and 0.58 for the sweep net. The accuracies of the regression equations obtained were tested by sampling a natural infestation of tarnished plant bugs in a cotton field at Stoneville, MS, in 1990 and 1991 during the first 5 wk of fruit production. The actual nymphal population present in the field was estimated using absolute samples, and by correcting counts from sweep-net and drop-cloth samples using the regression equations for sample efficiency. Percentage agreement between numbers of nymphs captured in the absolute samples and in corrected drop cloth samples was 84.2% (92.8%during the first 3 wk) in 1990; in 1991 it was 83.2% (87.5% during the first 3 wk). The regression equation for sweep-net efficiency did not satisfactorily correct nymphal numbers, and only 36.4 and 40.5% of the corrected number were found in the absolute samples in 1990 and 1991, respectively. Accuracy of the drop cloth counts, taken during the first 3 wk of fruit production and corrected by the regression equation, should be adequate for researchers and producers to determine infestation rates of plant bug nymphs in cotton.
Heme flattening is sufficient for signal transduction in the H-NOX family.

The H-NOX family of nitric oxide (NO) sensing proteins has received considerable attention because its members include the mammalian NO sensor, soluble guanylate cyclase. Despite this attention, the mechanism of signal transduction has not been elucidated. Structural studies of bacterial members of the family have revealed that the H-NOX heme cofactor is extremely distorted from planarity. Furthermore, it has been determined that heme distortion is maintained primarily by a conserved proline residue located in the proximal heme pocket. It has been suggested that changes in heme planarity may contribute to signal transduction. Here we demonstrate that heme flattening is, indeed, sufficient for signal transduction in the H-NOX family. Using our previously described H-NOX/diguanylate cyclase functional partners from Shewanella woodyi, we demonstrate that mutation of the conserved proline (P117 in SwH-NOX) to alanine, which results in heme flattening, has the same affect on phosphodiesterase activity as NO bi...
A systematic review and meta-analysis of psychiatric treatments for excoriation (skin-picking) disorder

Abstract Objective While individual trials suggest benefit of interventions for excoriation (skin-picking) disorder (ExD), limited systematic evaluation of treatments, or their collective benefit, exists. Methods The present study examined the current state of treatments for ExD in a systematic review and meta-analysis and explored potential treatment moderators. Twelve trials were identified for review, including five with a control condition. Of these, nine were eligible to be included in the meta-analysis (three with a control). Results A fixed-effects meta-analysis found a large overall treatment effect size ( g =1.13), comprised of large effects for behavioral treatments ( g =1.19), lamotrigine ( g =0.98) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors ( g =1.09). Clinician-rated measures did not significantly differ from self-rated measures; however, larger effects were observed on self-rated measures of severity, as compared to impairment [Q(1)=4.63, P =.03]. Treatment type, trial length and trial methodological quality were not significant moderators. For controlled trials, the comparative efficacy of treatments for ExD was in the moderate range ( g =0.47). Conclusion Findings suggest that treatment for ExD has benefit; however, the meta-analysis did not provide strong evidence to support any specific treatment or to suggest its unique clinical benefit over control conditions. Overall, there is a lack of study on treatments for ExD and additional randomized controlled trials with inclusion of multiple informants in assessment is needed.
Monitoring of Soil-transmitted Nematodes in Yuedong Town of Cangxi County,in 2011

Objective To analyze the dynamic and influential factors on the disease of soil-transmitted nematodes,in order to provide scientific basis for countermeasure making and the effect evaluation in the future.Methods Totally 500 residents above age were randomly selected as survey sample with examination rate above 90%.Method of Kato-Katz was adopted,by which we conducted 3 tests on one sample to check the eggs of soil-transmitted ematodes.As for children age from 3 to 12,we added a test called cellophane tape method to check the eggs of pinworm.In addition,soil samples were randomly collected from another 10 families in the same village respectively from their vegetable garden,restroom,kitchen,and courtyard,on which we used the improvement of the saturated sodium nitrate floating method to monitor the infection of Ascaris lumbricoides eggs.Results Four types of soil-transmitted nematodes were found from 508 residents.The total infection rate in human is 5.71%(29/508),among which Roundworm 3.15%(16/508),Hookworm 2.56%(13/508),Whipworm 0.2%(1/508),and pinworm 5.56%(2/36).There exist statistical differences in infection rate among the worms(χ2=9.82,P0.05).The infection rate of men and women are respectively 5.18%(13/251)and 6.23%(16/257).The difference makes no statistical difference(χ2=2.13,P0.05)and(χ2=2.49,P0.05);the highest infection rate(6.09%) was found within farmers.We did not find any Roundworm egg in the 40 soil samples.Conclusion Differences were detected from distribution and species of soil-transmitted nematodes,gender as well as age was not contributor to the differences,which provided scientific basis for diagnosis and treatment as well as prevention of soil-transmitted nematodes disease.
Measured basal water pressure variability of the western Greenland Ice Sheet: Implications for hydraulic potential

The gradient of the hydraulic potential field at the ice-bedrock interface beneath the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) dictates the routing and energetics of subglacial water, thereby influencing drainage system characteristics and sliding dynamics. In the ablation zone of the GrIS, variable water pressure due to an active subglacial drainage system and basal topography with high relief potentially interact to drive unknown spatial patterns and temporal changes in the hydraulic potential field. Here we present a suite of water pressure measurements collected in 13 boreholes along a 46 km transect on the western GrIS to investigate the role of spatial and temporal basal water pressure adjustments in hydraulic potential gradient dynamics. All borehole sites show pressures with similar seasonality, having relatively steady and high values during winter, variable and irregular behavior during spring and fall, and diurnal cycles that can persist for multiple weeks during the peak melt season. Despite much higher variability during the melt season, the median pressure of the summer period is nearly the same as the median pressure of the winter period. However, time variability of water pressure due to basal drainage processes can force changes in the magnitude and orientation of the hydraulic potential field over diurnal periods. We find that the basal water pressure across the transect generally mimics the ice thickness field but with superimposed large pressure gradients that develop at shorter scales within the basal drainage system. This leads to a complex hydraulic potential field across regions of similar ice thickness.
Longitudinal consistency of the relationship between depression symptoms and cognitive functioning in multiple sclerosis.

Background Lifetime prevalence rates of cognitive dysfunction and depression in multiple sclerosis (MS) have typically been reported to be approximately 50 percent. However, an inconsistent relationship between these two common features of MS has been reported in the literature. Because neurovegetative depression symptoms overlap with MS symptoms, it may be that literature inconsistencies can partly be explained by the fact that only those depression symptom clusters unambiguously reflective of depression are associated with cognitive dysfunction. Objective To explore the relationship between different depression symptom clusters and a battery of tests measuring cognitive domains commonly impaired in MS and was examined at two time points 3 years apart. Methods The Chicago Multiscale Depression Inventory was employed to measure mood, negative evaluative, and neurovegetative symptom clusters in 53 MS patients who were also administered a battery of neuropsychological tests. Results At time point 1, Mood and Evaluative Chicago Multiscale Depression Inventory scales were significantly associated with tasks of complex speeded attention, planning, and working memory. At time point 2, the Evaluative scale was still significantly associated with these domains, in addition to spatial memory; however, all of the significant correlations with the Mood scale dropped out. Conclusion These results show that negative evaluative depression symptoms are most consistently predictive of cognitive dysfunction in MS. It may be that negative evaluative depression symptoms use up available cognitive capacity, thus compromising performance on cognitive capacity demanding tasks in MS patients.
Habitat Characteristics That Influence the Occurrence of Wood Turtles at the Southern Limits of Their Range in the Central Appalachians

Abstract Topographical features and environmental variables form geographic range boundaries and limit species' distributions. Studies of Wood Turtle (Glyptemys insculpta) limitations in the northern reaches of their geographic range are fairly well documented; however, few studies exist that investigate ecological factors that affect distribution at the southern extent of their range. Our objectives were to 1) determine aquatic and terrestrial habitat characteristics relevant to Wood Turtle presence or absence and 2) determine the approximate southern geographic boundary of Wood Turtles in the Cacapon River Watershed, West Virginia, USA. We conducted random surveys of 100 sites along the Lost and North rivers during summer 2010, and 64% contained Wood Turtles. Proximity to the Cacapon River, elevation, soil pH, canopy cover, and slope influenced the presence of Wood Turtles. In addition, Wood Turtles occurred at sites with higher herbaceous species richness and diversity, especially in locations along th...
SU-F-T-42: MRI and TRUS Image Fusion as a Mode of Generating More Accurate Prostate Contours

Purpose: Transrectal Ultrasound (TRUS) imaging is utilized intra-operatively for LDR permanent prostate seed implant treatment planning. Prostate contouring with TRUS can be challenging at the apex and base. This study attempts to improve accuracy of prostate contouring with MRI-TRUS fusion to prevent over- or under-estimation of the prostate volume. Methods: 14 patients with previous MRI guided prostate biopsy and undergone an LDR permanent prostate seed implant have been selected. The prostate was contoured on the MRI images (1 mm slice thickness) by a radiologist. The prostate was also contoured on TRUS images (5 mm slice thickness) during LDR procedure by a urologist. MRI and TRUS images were rigidly fused manually and the prostate contours from MRI and TRUS were compared using Dice similarity coefficient, percentage volume difference and length, height and width differences. Results: The prostate volume was overestimated by 8 ± 18% (range: 34% to −25%) in TRUS images compared to MRI. The mean Dice was 0.77 ± 0.09 (range: 0.53 to 0.88). The mean difference (TRUS-MRI) in the prostate width was 0 ± 4 mm (range: −11 to 5 mm), height was −3 ± 6 mm (range: −13 to 6 mm) and length was 6 ± 6 (range: −10 to 16 mm). Prostate was overestimated with TRUS imaging at the base for 6 cases (mean: 8 ± 4 mm and range: 5 to 14 mm), at the apex for 6 cases (mean: 11 ± 3 mm and range: 5 to 15 mm) and 1 case was underestimated at both base and apex by 4 mm. Conclusion: Use of intra-operative TRUS and MRI image fusion can help to improve the accuracy of prostate contouring by accurately accounting for prostate over- or under-estimations, especially at the base and apex. The mean amount of discrepancy is within a range that is significant for LDR sources.
Language and Identity in Australian Immigration Policy

Australia’s immigration policies have remained an unsettled area subject to political disputation since the promulgation of the Immigration Restriction Act 1901 (Cth) (IRA). Section 3(a) of this Act required that all prospective immigrants from non-European countries had to pass a dictation test in any European language selected by the immigration officer. Asian racial groups were the main target of this legislation, which was embraced as part of the ‘White Australia’ policy. Far from being an objective assessment of language proficiency skills, the dictation test was a discursive construct ostensibly designed to be failed and to exclude people whose political and racial affiliations were considered undesirable. The period from 1901–1957 marked an important chapter in the history of Australia’s immigration policies because it was during these early years of federation that successive Australian governments embraced explicit formal policies on testing language skills of intending immigrants. Since then the language question has continued to feature prominently in political and public debates on Australia’s citizenship and immigration laws. Events that happened during the formative years of a federated Australia continue to inform political and legislative decisions on Australian immigration policy.
Theranostic nanoparticles give the best of both worlds

The delivery of therapeutics into tumors poses a number of challenges, including leaky neovascular networks that feed cancer cells, dense stroma associated with many tumors, and acidic interstitial spaces that act to reduce drug delivery. Theranostics—agents that have both therapeutic and
The Relationship of Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors to Sleep Disturbance: a Review of Recent Findings

Sleep disturbance has emerged as a significant factor in the development and course of psychopathology. Its cross-cutting nature, demonstrated impact on co-occurring disorders, and the presence of efficacious interventions to address it, make sleep a desirable treatment target among individuals suffering from various mental and physical health disorders. In the past several years, researchers and clinicians alike have come to appreciate the role that sleep disturbance plays in the development and course of suicidal thought and behavior. The present review synthesizes the sleep and suicide literature published since 2012. A search of the PubMed and psycINFO databases yielded 41 articles that were appropriate for the present review. Consistent with prior reviews, sleep disturbance, insomnia, and nightmares were, overall, positively associated with suicidal thought and behavior. Future studies should seek to expand current lines of research in the sleep and suicide arena beyond global constructs and into investigations of mechanism.
Turning distaste into taste: context-specific habitus and the practical congruity of culture

This article proposes a rethinking of Bourdieu’s habitus as context-specific, multiple, and decentralized based on nine months of participant-observation fieldwork with dumpster divers in New York City. Dumpster divers are mostly white, college-educated people in their twenties and thirties who eat food from retail trash as a lifestyle choice. Sociologists have recently theorized culture as a fragmented, incoherent “toolkit” of cultured capacities acquired throughout the lifetime. Bourdieu on the contrary, theorized socialized culture as habitus, a relatively durable, classed structure acquired during childhood. While he recognized the possibility of acquiring “specific” habitus (Bourdieu 2000) later in life, he never developed the theoretical implications of socialization across multiple contexts. Building on ethnographic evidence of dumpster divers’ contradictory pursuit of food taste through the distasteful behavior of eating from the trash, I develop an alternative model of habitus as interlinked bundles of dispositions acquired in specific contexts. To theorize the bundled quality of habitus, I introduce what I call the practical congruity of dispositions. I show how rather than being disparate elements of a cultural repertoire, ways of seeing, common sense, dexterity, and orientations “make sense” in conjunction as actors mobilize them in specific contexts: dumpster diving acquires a commonsensical character based on the practical sense practitioners acquire. My understanding of habitus goes beyond the fragmentation assumed in notions of culture as a repertoire of cultured capacities, on the one hand, and the continuity and coherence premised in notions of primary and secondary habitus, on the other hand.
Robotic Assisted Radical Cystoprostatectomy and Intracorporeal Ileal Conduit Urinary Diversion for a Kidney Transplant Recipient

ABSTRACT Introduction and Objectives: Robotic assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) is an alternative to open radical cystectomy. As experience is gained with the RARC approach the technique is being applied to more complex surgical cases. We describe here our technique for RARC with intracorporeal ileal conduit urinary diversion for a renal transplant recipient. Materials and Methods: The patient is a 60-year old man with high-grade muscle invasive bladder cancer. He has a history of renal failure due to polycystic kidney disease and received a deceased donor renal transplant in 2008. His hospital course at time of transplant was complicated by low-level BK virus viremia. Interestingly his trans-urethral bladder tumor resection specimen at time of bladder cancer diagnosis stained positive for SV40. His native kidneys were anuric so bilateral laparoscopic nephrectomy was performed in a staged fashion 2 weeks prior to RARC. Our surgical technique utilizes 6 trocars, of note a 12-mm assistant trocar is placed 1 cm superior to the pubic symphysis, and this trocar is solely used to pass a laparoscopic stapler to facilitate the excision of the ileal segment and the stapled enteric anastomosis. Surgical steps include: identification of native ureters bilaterally (removed en bloc with the bladder specimen); identification of the transplanted ureter at the right bladder dome; posterior bladder and prostate dissection along Denonvilliers’ fascia; development of the space of Retzius; ligation and transection of the bladder and prostate vascular bundles; apical prostate dissection and transection of urethra; left pelvic lymphadenectomy; ilium resection for creation of the ileal conduit; stapled enteric anastomosis; ureteroileal anastomosis; maturation of the ileal conduit stoma. Results: The surgery had no intraoperative complications. Operative time was 443 minutes (7.4 hours). Estimated blood loss was 250 cc. Length of hospital stay was 5 days. The patient did not experience any postoperative complications. The patient maintained good renal graft function with no decline in eGFR to date. Conclusions: As surgeon comfort and experience with robotic assisted surgery grows, robotic surgery can successfully be applied to less frequently performed procedures. Here we successfully performed a robotic assisted radical cystoprostatectomy with intracorporeal ileal conduit urinary diversion for a renal transplant recipient.
Winter Grazing in a Grass-Fed System: Effect of Stocking Density and Sequential Use of Autumn-Stockpiled Grassland on Performance of Yearling Steers

Winter grazing can help reduce the need for purchased feeds in livestock production systems, when finishing cattle on pasture. Our objective was to evaluate the influence of stocking density and grazing stockpiled forage on performance of yearling steers during winter. Three grasslands were winter grazed for two years: I, naturalized pastureland, and II and III, sown and managed for hay production during the growing season but grazed in winter. Two stocking densities were used: low 7.41 and high 12.35 steers ha−1. Herbage mass was estimated before and after each grazing event, and disappearance (consumption, weathering, and trampling) was the difference between both. Forage mass and residual differed by stocking density (SD), year (YR), and grazing interval (GI), and disappearance differed by YR and GI. Grass and dead constituents of botanical composition differed by YR and GI. No differences were found for legumes and forbs. CP differed by YR and GI, and NDF and ADF differed only by YR. Steer average daily gain was 0.15 kg d−1 in 2011 and 0.68 kg d−1 in 2012 and varied by YR and GI. Acceptable gains in 2012 may be a product of environmental conditions that influenced herbage mass and nutritive value during stockpile and animal behavior during winter.
Effect of feeding on neurovegetative response to olfactory stimuli

Meal consumption brings to several consequences on the sympathetic and parasympathetic activation of the autonomic nervous system. Furthermore, olfactory sensitivity decreases at satiation with respect to hunger. However, no research was conducted on the effect of odors on the sympathovagal balance before and after meal. Here, 31 healthy volunteers (16 males, age 31.8±6.7 years) were measured Electrocardiographic parameters during both Pre- and Post-meal session together with the presentation of odorous stimuli. Low-Frequency/High-Frequency ratio was increased during Task, at both Pre- (Baseline: 2.3±2.3, Task: 4.2±2.4, Recovery: 2.7±2.0, χ2=18.105, p<0.001) and Post-meal (Baseline: 2.2±1.6, Task: 3.8±2.2, Recovery: 2.5±2.1, χ2=8.778, p=0.012) assessment, with a similar slope. No difference was found in the autonomic parameters between Pre- and Post-meal. In conclusion, an increase in sympathetic activity was found in response to olfactory stimuli, independently from meal. Further investigations are warranted to explain the role of food-like vs. non-food-like odorous stimuli in this specific domain.
ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORD ASSOCIATED STRESS IN ADULT CONGENITAL CLINICS

Physician burnout has many undesirable consequences including a negative impact on the delivery of patient care and physician career satisfaction. Electronic Health Records (EHRs) may accelerate physician burnout by increasing physician workload. We conducted a national survey of adult congenital
Venous Access Management

Bleeding from the 24 F femoral venous access site in the MitraClip procedure is a potentially important complication. The access site is commonly managed using manual pressure, a figure-of-8 (or Z-tie), or using a preclose technique using two Proglide devices. This chapter reviews the steps of the latter two techniques.
Is It the Government’s Responsibility to Reduce Income Inequality? An Age-Period-Cohort Analysis of Public Opinion toward Redistributive Policy in the United States, 1978 to 2016

This study examines age, period, and cohort (APC) effects on changing opinions among the American public toward the federal government’s responsibility for income redistribution. More specifically,...
Transcriptional regulation of cell shape during organ morphogenesis

The emerging field of transcriptional regulation of cell shape changes aims to address the critical question of how gene expression programs produce a change in cell shape. Together with cell growth, division, and death, changes in cell shape are essential for organ morphogenesis. Whereas most studies of cell shape focus on posttranslational events involved in protein organization and distribution, cell shape changes can be genetically programmed. This review highlights the essential role of transcriptional regulation of cell shape during morphogenesis of the heart, lungs, gastrointestinal tract, and kidneys. We emphasize the evolutionary conservation of these processes across different model organisms and discuss perspectives on open questions and research avenues that may provide mechanistic insights toward understanding birth defects.
Dissemination of PhD Dissertation Research by Dissertation Format: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

PURPOSE The study purpose was to compare dissemination of PhD dissertation research by dissertation format: traditional (five-chapter document providing a complete and systematic account of the PhD research) versus an alternate (substudy [document containing three smaller studies but not written as stand-alone manuscripts] or publication [document containing three or more related manuscripts intended for submission or published in a peer-reviewed journal]) format. DESIGN A retrospective study of all PhD dissertations (1999-2019) from one research intensive school of nursing. METHODS Following identification of graduates via the school's PhD database, we searched ProQuest and PubMed databases for the dissertation and first authored peer-reviewed publications of each graduate to determine dissertation format, study design, timing and number of dissertation research publications, and inclusion of dissertation sponsor in authorship. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Wilcoxon rank sum tests. FINDINGS Of 113 graduates, 80 (70.8%) employed a traditional format, with the remaining graduates structuring dissertations using an alternate (substudy [n = 12], publication [n = 21]) format. Of those using the traditional format, 33 graduates (41.3%) never published dissertation research findings in a peer-reviewed journal. For those who published their dissertation research in a peer-reviewed journal, time to first publication was 1.4 ± 2.1 years (median 1.6 years) following degree conferral. In contrast, all graduates who utilized alternate formats published one or more components of their dissertation research with shorter time to first published manuscript (-0.6 ± 1.1 years; median -0.5 years; p < .001). Number of peer-reviewed publications was higher for those who utilized an alternate format compared to the traditional format (2.9 ± 1.5 [median 3.0] vs. 1.8 ± 1.1 [median 1.0], p = .001). Acknowledgment of the sponsor's contribution via publication authorship was higher for those using an alternate format compared to the traditional format (100% vs. 70.2%). CONCLUSIONS Number and timeliness of peer-reviewed publications stemming from dissertation research was higher for PhD graduates who utilized an alternate dissertation format. Alternate dissertation formats should be encouraged by PhD programs as one means to improve dissemination of PhD nursing research. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Dissemination of PhD research through peer-reviewed publications promotes the continued development of nursing science to inform nursing practice and advances the career trajectory of PhD graduates.
Displaying information collected by intraoral tomosynthesis as multi-view synthetic radiographs

Purpose. Explore the potential value of displaying information collected by stationary intraoral tomosynthesis (sIOT) as multi-view synthetic radiographs, using vertical root fractures (VRFs) as a model system. Methods. Filled and unfilled extracted tooth roots containing artificially-induced VRFs were imaged by sIOT and standard periapical radiography. sIOT collected 7 views across a 12° angle span, providing information for an image processing chain that included reconstruction, weighting, and forward projection to generate a set a synthetic two-dimensional (2D) images. Qualitative assessments of fracture conspicuity were used for comparison. Results. The conspicuity of VRFs changed significantly with the angle of imaging, suggesting benefit to displaying a set of synthetic images across a span of viewing angles. Although high-density in-plane and out-of-plane artifacts, which could limit the conspicuity of VRFs, were prominent in the three-dimensional (3D) stack of reconstructed image slices, these artifacts were minimal in the synthetic radiographs. As such, some fractures were displayed more clearly in the synthetic 2D images compared to the reconstructed 3D image stack. Also, in some cases, the fractures were more conspicuous in the sIOT-generated synthetic images than the standard periapical radiographs. Conclusion. Multi-view synthetic radiography can improve the display of VRFs in images generated by sIOT. As such, this approach to dental imaging may offer a useful clinical tool, with potential application to a host of imaging tasks.
Chapter VA6 – Idiopathic Edema

Publisher Summary Idiopathic edema is a poorly understood disorder that affects primarily women and causes salt retention and edema in the absence of cardiac, renal, hepatic, or thyroid disease. Despite many studies of the various factors controlling the renal handling of sodium and water, the disease remains idiopathic. It may represent a heterogenous collection of edematous disorders, since a variety of abnormalities have been discovered in different subsets of patients. A uniform explanation for its pathophysiology has been lacking and the causes have been postulated to be hormonal, metabolic, or psychologic. The disorder provides a dramatic demonstration of the problem that occurs when fine control of extracellular volume is lost. The usual complaint is troublesome edema of the legs, hands, and periorbital region, with a sensation of swelling and distention in the abdomen. The edema may recur intermittently or can be persistent as discussed in this chapter. Although many women gain weight during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, premenstrual edema has not been a common complaint in patients with idiopathic edema. A high familial incidence of Type II diabetes has been reported in several series, and abnormal glucose tolerance has been noted in many patients; however, fewer than 50% of patients are overweight. There are some similarities between idiopathic edema and anorexia nervosa in that both are primarily noted in women and both can be associated with disturbances of body image. Due to the poorly understood nature of the disorder and its many postulated mechanisms, no single treatment for idiopathic edema exists.
Chapter 22 – Modifying VMs

Publisher Summary Virtual machines are made up of two files. The vmx file is the virtual machine's configuration file, while the virtual machine disk format (VMDK) file is the virtual machine's disk file or hard drive. When working with virtual machines, there are two main components or files that need to be understood. A virtual machine disk (VMDK) file is an encapsulation of an entire server or desktop environment in a single file. In a way, it can be seen as the hard drive for a virtual machine. The VMDK file can have four different forms. Type 0 (monolithic sparse disk), Type 1 (growable; split into 2 GB files), Type 2 (single pre-allocated; monolithic sparse disk), and Type 3 (pre-allocated; split into 2 GB fi les). Types 1, 2, and 3 use a disk descriptor file, while type 0 does not. To make changes to the VMDK file, it has to open and view the disk descriptor; otherwise, with the type 0 single disk. VMware products offer two modes for host emulation of the graphics inside the virtual machine: GDI (Graphics Device Interface; the classic Windows graphics mode) and DirectDraw (a mode designed for games and other applications that write directly to the hardware). This chapter also examines changing an IDE drive to a SCSI drive. Before changing the settings, it is needed to get the SCSI drivers in the system first. The easiest way to do this is to add another hard disk to the virtual machine as a secondary drive and configure this drive to be a SCSI drive.
Hypertrophic Pyloric Stenosis (HPS) in Infancy

Gastric outlet obstruction requires decompression with a gastric tube placed either through the nose (NG) or the mouth. A shallow longitudinal incision is made just through the serosa. The duodenum is closest to the serosa immediately adjacent to the pylorus, so it is prudent to begin the incision 2 mm proximal to its junction with the stomach. The incision extends well onto the antrum, a distance of about 2 cm. There is a path for the incision free of visible vessels over the anterior aspect of the pylorus and antrum. A blunt scalpel handle or the serrated edge of one jaw of a clamp is appropriate to begin splitting the muscle. Once the muscle begins to divide the muscularis is split to the level of the submucosa. The major technical pitfall is mucosal perforation at the duodenal–pyloric junction.
Effects of Randomized Corruption Audits on Early-Life Mortality in Brazil.:

Background: Various studies suggest that corruption affects public health systemsacross the world. However, the extant literature lacks causal evidence about whether anti-corruption interventions can improve health outcomes. We examine the impact of randomized anti-corruption audits on early-life mortality in Brazil. Methods: The Brazilian government conducted audits in 1,949 randomly selected municipalities between 2003 and 2015. To identify the causal effect of anti-corruption audits on early-life mortality, we analyse data on health outcomes from individuallevel vital statistics (DATASUS) collected by Brazil’s government before and after the random audits. Data on the audit intervention are from the Controladoria-Geral da Uni˜ao, the government agency responsible for the anti-corruption audits. Outcomes are neonatal mortality, infant mortality, child mortality, preterm births, and prenatal visits. Analyses examine aggregate effects for each outcome, as well as effects by race, cause of death, and years since the intervention. Results: Anti-corruption audits significantly decreased early-life mortality in Brazil. Expressed in relative terms, audits reduced neonatal mortality by 6.7% (95% CI -8.3%, -5.0%), reduced infant mortality by 7.3% (-8.6%, -5.9%), and reduced child mortality by 7.3% (-8.5%, -6.0%). This reduction in early mortality was higher for nonwhite Brazilians, who face significant health disparities. Effects are greater when we look at deaths from preventable causes, and show temporal persistence with large effects even a decade after audits. In addition, analyses show that the intervention led to a 12.1% (-13.4%, -10.6%) reduction in women receiving no prenatal care, as well as a 7.4% (-9.4%, -5.5%) reduction in preterm births; these effects are likewise higher for nonwhites and are persistent over time. All effects are robust to various alternative specifications. Interpretation: Governments have the potential to improve health outcomes through anti-corruption interventions. Such interventions can reduce early-life mortality and mitigate health disparities. The impact of anti-corruption audits should be investigated in other countries, and further research should further explore the mechanisms by which combating corruption affects the health sector.
Checkerboard: a Bayesian efficacy and toxicity interval design for phase I/II dose-finding trials

The rise of targeted therapy and immunotherapy has challenged the conventional more-is-better phase I trial design paradigm that focuses on finding the MTD. In this article, we propose a novel model-assisted phase I/II design, called checkerboard design, that considers both toxicity and efficacy. As an extension of the keyboard design, the checkerboard design models the joint distribution of toxicity and efficacy, and divides toxicity and efficacy domain into a series of equal-width intervals or keys. In light of interim data, the checkerboard design continuously updates the posterior distribution of toxicity and efficacy, and adaptively determine the optimal dose for treating the next cohort of patients based on the posterior probability of toxicity and efficacy keys. As a model-assisted design, one important advantage of the checkerboard design is that its decision rule can be pretabulated, greatly simplifying its implementation. We also extend the checkerboard design to handle continuous efficacy endpoint. Simulations study shows that the checkerboard design yields competitive performance comparable to existing model-based phase I/II designs, but is simpler and easier to implement in real applications.
Problems Encountered in Translating Alternative Questions From Arabic into English

This paper is an attempt to tackle problems and difficulties faced by the university students of English when translating alternative questions from Arabic into English in their written performance. A questionnaire of 10 sentences taken from Modern standard Arabic is designed and distributed to a sample of 40 students. The participants have been asked to translate Arabic alternative questions into English. It is hypothesized that the learners of English are not fully aware when translating alternative questions from Arabic to English. The study aims at examining the students’ awareness of alternative questions and trying to focus on the problems that students face when they want to express the alternative questions in both English and Arabic in order to be understood and helpful for learners, translators and other pedagogical issues. The findings imply that many contributors used synonymy and literal translation and different tenses to translate alternative questions or they paraphrase the sentences according to their knowledge and perform the English equivalent. This is because of the lack of knowledge of alternative questions. Some recommendations that can help translators, learners and students to develop their competence of alternative questions are also given in this study.
Glial AP1 promotes early TBI recovery but chronically drives tauopathy

The emergence of degenerative disease after traumatic brain injury is often described as an acceleration of normal age-related processes. Whether similar molecular processes occur in injury and in age is unclear. Here we identify a functionally dynamic and lasting transcriptional response in glia, mediated by the conserved transcription factor AP1. In the early post-TBI period, glial AP1 is essential for recovery, ensuring brain integrity and animal survival. In sharp contrast, chronic AP1 activation promotes human tau pathology, tissue loss, and mortality. We show a similar process activates in healthy brains with age. Importantly, AP1 activity is present in moderate human TBI, decades after injury, and associates with microglial activation and tauopathy. Our data provide key molecular insight into glia, highlighting that the same molecular process drives dynamic and contradictory glia behavior in TBI, first acting to protect but chronically promoting disease.
Interpretable modeling of genotype-phenotype landscapes with state-of-the-art predictive power

Abstract Large-scale measurements linking genetic background to biological function have driven a need for models that can incorporate these data for reliable predictions and insight into the underlying biochemical system. Recent modeling efforts, however, prioritize predictive accuracy at the expense of model interpretability. Here, we present LANTERN (https://github.com/usnistgov/lantern), a hierarchical Bayesian model that distills genotype-phenotype landscape (GPL) measurements into a low-dimensional feature-space that represents the fundamental biological mechanisms of the system while also enabling straightforward, explainable predictions. Across a benchmark of large-scale datasets, LANTERN equals or outperforms all alternative approaches, including deep neural networks. LANTERN furthermore extracts useful insights into the landscape including its inherent dimensionality, a latent space of additive mutational effects, and novel metrics of landscape structure. LANTERN facilitates straightforward discovery of fundamental mechanisms in GPLs, while also reliably extrapolating to unexplored regions of genotypic-space.
Hear Me Roar: What Provokes Supreme Court Justices to Dissent from the Bench?

Before the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1988 Term Justice Harry Blackmun was asked whether he believed Roe v. Wade1 would be overturned. His outlook for the future of Roe was pessimistic: “The next question is, ‘[w]ill Roe v. Wade go down the drain?’ . . . I think there’s a very distinct possibility that it will, this term. You can count the votes.”2 When the Court added Webster v. Reproductive Health Services3 to its docket Blackmun’s prediction seemed prescient. He was only partially right, however; while the Court used Webster to enhance states’ ability to restrict abortions, it did not overrule Roe.4