cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transradial and transfemoral coronary angiography and interventions: 1-year outcomes after initiating the transradial approach in a cardiology training program.

Background Limited data are available regarding the safety and feasibility of initiating transradial (TR) diagnostic coronary angiography (CA) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in cardiology fellowship programs. Methods From July 2010 to June 2011, University of California, Davis Medical Center, adopted the TR approach with supervised cardiology fellows as the primary operators. Procedural variables and clinical outcomes of TR and transfemoral (TF) procedures were compared. To minimize confounding variables, ST-elevation myocardial infarction, bypass graft interventions, chronic total occlusions, and procedures with concomitant right heart catheterizations were excluded. To reflect the learning curve of the TR approach, this experience was assessed in 2 sequential 6-month periods. Results A total of 402 diagnostic CAs and 255 PCIs were included. Transradial access was used in 141 (35%) of the CAs and in 72 (28%) of PCIs. Within the TR-CA and TF-CA (n = 261) groups, there was no difference between fluoroscopy (10.4 ± 6.0 vs 11.0 ± 8.9, P = .63) or procedure (31.8 ± 11.5 vs 33.2 ± 13.8, P = .55) time throughout the academic year with a significant trend toward lower contrast use (128 ± 52 vs 110 vs 50, P = .04) by the second half. In addition, during the second half of the academic year, the TR-CA showed significantly higher fluoroscopy (11.0 ± 8.9 vs 6.7 ± 6.8, P = .001) and procedure (33.2 ± 13.8 vs 27.2 ± 11.6, P = .0015) times when compared with TF-CA. Transfemoral PCI (n = 183) and TR-PCI showed no significant difference between all fluoroscopy and procedure time and contrast use when comparing the 2 halves of the academic year. When comparing TF with TR within each academic half year, there was no difference within the PCI group. Vascular complications were less with the TR approach. Overall procedural success rates were high, and there were low rates of crossover and periprocedural complications in both the TR and the TF groups. Conclusion A TR approach is safe for CA and PCI when performed by supervised operators in training. Although the learning curve for trainees appears slower for TR-CA compared with TF-CA, cardiology fellowship training programs should be encouraged to adopt TR procedures as part of their curriculum.
Vibrationally modulated hyperfine coupling in the EPR spectrum of the oxiranyl radical

Abstract Hyperfine coupling constants are calculated for the oxiranyl radical as functions of hydrogen motion at the ab initio level. The effect of averaging these constants over such motion is shown to be non-negligible.
Filopodial calcium transients regulate growth cone motility and guidance through local activation of calpain.

Abstract Spontaneous intracellular calcium ([Ca 2+ ] i ) transients in growth cone filopodia reduce filopodial motility, slow neurite outgrowth, and promote turning when generated asymmetrically; however, the downstream effectors of these Ca 2+ -dependent behaviors are unknown. We report that Ca 2+ transients in filopodia activate the intracellular protease calpain, which slows neurite outgrowth and promotes repulsive growth cone turning upon local activation. Active calpain alters the balance between tyrosine kinase and phosphatase activities in filopodia, resulting in a net decrease in tyrosine phosphorylation, which mediates both filopodial stabilization and reduced lamellipodial protrusion. Our findings indicate that locally generated Ca 2+ signals repel axon outgrowth through calpain-dependent regulation of phosphotyrosine signaling at integrin-mediated adhesion sites.
PGIS: Electronic diary data integration with GPS data initial application in substance-abuse patients

Quantification of exposure to psychosocial stressors and drug availability might assist in the prevention and treatment of substance-use problems. The core of such interventions lies in combining real-time self-report data (via Ecological Momentary Assessment, EMA) with real-time geolocation data (via GPS logging). Combining these types of data and linking the result with patients' clinical research records has inherent technical challenges. In this paper, we describe how we have addressed those challenges with our Psychosocial Geolocation Integration System (PGIS), which we successfully used in two clinical studies involving polydrug-abusing participants.
EVALUATING VEGETABLE PRODUCTION FOR MARKET WINDOWS AS AN ALTERNATIVE FOR LIMITED RESOURCE FARMERS

Increased vegetable production for the fresh not be adequate as a planning horizon. Often market often has been suggested as an agricul- growers use only a "naive" price expectation tural alternative that will improve the income model such as the price received the previous situation of small-scale farmers. Because vege- year or the fresh market price just prior to the table production is an intensive activity and planting season. The simple cobweb model is high incomes per acre are possible, it has politi- one illustration of this practice. Year to year cal appeal as a quick solution to the low income fluctuation in production often results from levels generally associated with small farm the partial adjustment reaction of producers operations. This study was developed from the using these "naive" planning tools. The effect small farm program of the University of Flori- of price variability between years and even beda, which has concentrated on the northern tween weeks of the same season often appears and panhandle areas of Florida. Trials con- to be overlooked. Because marketing alternaducted by the Vegetable Crops Department of tives for fresh market vegetables are limited, the University of Florida in 1974 and 1975 price variability translates directly into income indicate that by variation of the planting sea- variability for the grower. Limited resource son and control of insects and diseases, vege- farmers often lack sufficient reserves to carry tables can be produced during periods of the them over a bad year; therefore, it is more imyear when the north Florida area has not portant for them to consider price variability historically competed in the fresh vegetable when developing their price expectations and market [4]. production plans than it is for other agricul
Heuristic Reusable Dynamic Programming: Efficient Updates of Local Sequence Alignment

Recomputation of the previously evaluated similarity results between biological sequences becomes inevitable when researchers realize errors in their sequenced data or when the researchers have to compare nearly similar sequences, e.g., in a family of proteins. We present an efficient scheme for updating local sequence alignments with an affine gap model. In principle, using the previous matching result between two amino acid sequences, we perform a forward-backward alignment to generate heuristic searching bands which are bounded by a set of suboptimal paths. Given a correctly updated sequence, we initially predict a new score of the alignment path for each contour to select the best candidates among them. Then, we run the Smith-Waterman algorithm in this confined space. Furthermore, our heuristic alignment for an updated sequence shows that it can be further accelerated by using reusable dynamic programming (rDP), our prior work. In this study, we successfully validate "relative node tolerance boundrdquo (RNTB) in the pruned searching space. Furthermore, we improve the computational performance by quantifying the successful RNTB tolerance probability and switch to rDP on perturbation-resilient columns only. In our searching space derived by a threshold value of 90 percent of the optimal alignment score, we find that 98.3 percent of contours contain correctly updated paths. We also find that our method consumes only 25.36 percent of the runtime cost of sparse dynamic programming (sDP) method, and to only 2.55 percent of that of a normal dynamic programming with the Smith-Waterman algorithm.
Energy efficient economizer based data centers with air cooled servers

This paper focuses on alternative highly energy-efficient data center configurations with air-cooled servers that eliminate the use of chillers. In the first method, outdoor air is directly pumped through one side of an indirect air-to-air heat exchanger with air flow through the other side being passed through the data center to cool the air-cooled server racks. This method is called Indirect Air Side Economizer (IASE). In the second method, an external wet cooling tower or a dry cooler is used to reject the data center heat load to the ambient from a circulating liquid loop that is routed inside the data center for use inside a heat exchanger cooled rack. In this method, an air-to-liquid heat exchanger is used at the rack level to transfer the rack heat load dissipated by the servers from the exhaust air stream into the circulating water loop. In some cases, the external dry cooler may be enhanced to include evaporative cooling of outdoor air to reduce its' dry bulb temperature to be closer to the outdoor wet bulb temperature. These methods are called Dry Cooler with Rack Heat Exchanger (DRHx) and Evaporative Dry Cooler with Rack Heat Exchanger (EDRHx). This paper discusses these data center configurations in the context of their cooling power use and realizable energy savings compared with traditional chiller plant based cooling loops. Hour by hour outdoor air temperature data for a typical summer day in conjunction with simple transfer functions are used to predict the server inlet air temperatures with the use of different cooling configurations. Power use at the electronic equipment is also discussed.
Age-specific detection of high risk HPV DNA in cytologically normal, computer-imaged ThinPrep Pap samples.

Abstract Objective. Recent cervical cancer screening guidelines for women over age 30 seek to improve the sensitivity of cytology by incorporating high-risk (HR) human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA testing into the screening algorithm, a recommendation based largely on data that utilized the conventional Pap smear and were not stratified by patient age. Data on the rate of HR HPV among women over age 30 undergoing liquid-based Pap test screening are limited. The objective of this study was to determine the rate of HR HPV DNA positivity in women ages 30 and over with a cytologically negative liquid-based Pap test result. Methods. Consecutive residual ThinPrep Pap samples from women with a cytologically negative result following computer-assisted screening were tested for HR HPV using the Hybrid Capture 2 (HC2) method. All HC2-positive samples were additionally tested with the Linear Array (LA) HPV Genotyping Test. Results. 1000 cytologically negative specimens from women aged 30 to 45 years (38.9±4.7 years) were evaluated. The overall HC2 HR HPV positivity rate in this age group was 3.9% (confidence interval 2.8–5.3%). When stratified by age group, the rate was inversely proportional to age (ages 30–35: 6.7%; 36–40: 3.0%; 41–45: 2.6%) and lower than most previous reports (1–17%). Some of the cases that were positive for HR HPV by HC2 were negative by LA, or showed only low-risk virus. Conclusions. The HR HPV rates in women ages 30–45 with a cytologically negative, computer-imaged ThinPrep test result are low. If these findings are confirmed in future studies, the added benefit of HPV testing to liquid-based cytology for women ages 30 and over should be critically evaluated.
Thermal Degradation of Asphaltene and Infrared Characterization of Its Degraded Fractions

Abstract Petroleum asphaltene and its thermally degraded fractions are characterized using thermal analysis and infrared spectrometry, respectively. Thermal analysis of asphaltene has demonstrated that heating rate is important in studying thermal degradation of asphaltene. Asphaltene goes through three stages of mass reduction under thermogravimetric analysis from 25 to 1,000°C at a heating rate of 1°C/min and below. The products from thermal degradation of asphaltene at three different temperature intervals are collected. The collected fractions are characterized using a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer. The fraction collected between 220 and 350°C demonstrates similar infrared spectrum to that of asphaltene, however, with less aromatic properties. The fraction collected between 350 and 450°C resembles the undegraded asphaltene most based on the infrared spectra obtained. The fraction collected between 450 and 650°C demonstrates a spectrum that is totally different from those of the undegraded as...
TP53 and CDKN2a mutations in never-smoker oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma

Objectives/Hypothesis To determine the incidence and clinical significance of TP53 and CDKN2a somatic mutations in never smokers with oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC). Study Design Case series. Methods Fifty-one paraffin-embedded tumors from never smokers with OTSCC were obtained. p53 and p16 expression was determined by immunohistochemical (IHC) staining. Tumor DNA was amplified by polymerase chain reaction, and direct sequencing and mutation analysis was performed. Statistical relationships among p53 and p16 IHC findings, TP53 and CDKN2a mutation status, and clinicopathologic characteristics were determined. Univariate and multivariate Cox models for survival were performed. Results Sixteen tumors (31.4%) showed strong expression of p53 by IHC. There was no correlation between p53 status and clinicopathologic variables or survival outcomes. TP53 mutations were seen in 10 tumors (19.6%). Patients with TP53 mutations had higher tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage (P = 0.049), worse tumor differentiation (P = 0.025), earlier recurrence (P = 0.024), and more often died from their disease (P = 0.043) than those without mutations. Five tumors (9.8%) showed p16 positivity by IHC. There was no correlation between p16 status and clinicopathologic variables or survival. CDKN2a mutations were seen in four tumors (7.8%). Patients with CDKN2a mutations had earlier recurrence (P = 0.019) and more often died from their disease (P = 0.010) than those without mutations. Kaplan-Meier curves show worse disease-free survival (P = 0.0162, P = 0.0025) and overall survival (P = 0.0095, P = 0.0001) for TP53 and CDKN2a mutations, respectively. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that TP53 and CDKN2a mutations were independent predictors of disease-free survival (P = 0.038 and P = 0.039, respectively). Conclusions TP53 and CDKN2a mutations in never-smoker OTSCC are associated with worse clinicopathologic characteristics and poorer survival outcomes. Level of Evidence N/A. Laryngoscope, 124:E267–E273, 2014
An Investigation of Interceptor Guidance Methods through Modeling and Simulation

During the past half century, proportional navigation (PN) has been the de facto standard for guiding numerous types of missiles that track moving targets such as ships or aircraft. Angular acceleration guidance (AAG) is a relatively new guidance method that seeks to achieve better performance against targets with non-constant velocity. In general, AAG causes the interceptor to take a more direct route towards the interception point resulting in faster intercepts that expend less energy. The PN method, though slower and more costly, demonstrated more robustness to the initial conditions and yielded a higher rate of success. To capitalize on the predictive behavior of AAG and the robustness of PN, a hybrid solution was created where the interceptor's guidance system used AAG initially and switched to PN during the endgame. The proximity to the target determined when the switch occurred. Numerical simulations reveal that this hybrid method increases the number of successful intercepts compared to the AAG-only solution while significantly reducing the energy costs and intercept time compared to the equivalent PN intercept.
Assessment of self, opponent and resource during male–male contests in the sierra dome spider, Neriene litigiosa: Linyphiidae

Contestants in agonistic encounters may use assessments of self, opponent and resource quality as a basis for making behavioural decisions. Ritualized displays reduce risk and energy expenditure during assessments, but may lead to injurious fighting behaviour under certain circumstances. In this study, we examined the decision-making process of male sierra dome spiders (Neriene (¼Linyphia) litigiosa: Linyphiidae) during 323 maleemale contests using multivariate analysis. In contests over females, male ritualized displays include distinct phases by which males facultatively escalate fights: ritualized noncontact display, pedipalp wrestling, and unritualized biting and grappling. Amongst these phases we found evidence for all three types of assessment. Self-assessment was indicated by effects of the lighter male’s mass and the metabolic effect of temperature. These factors influenced the duration of noncontact display, likelihood of escalation and energetic expenditures. Opponent assessment, indicated by the effects of the difference in mass between contestants, influenced all aspects of fight behaviour when differences in body mass were large. When differences in body mass were small, relative mass only affected the duration of the fight, primarily by lengthening noncontact display. Resource assessment, measured through effects of female reproductive value and the males’ future reproductive opportunities, primarily influenced the decision to escalate to unritualized combat and the duration of the unritualized combat. Our multivariate analysis of behaviourally distinct phases of contests showed that contestants use diverse information to adjust investment in displays and potentially injurious fighting. We discuss the roles of information transfer versus raw attempts to influence outcomes in this complex contest system.
The Downside of Goal-Focused Leadership: The Role of Personality in Subordinate Exhaustion

Exhaustion has a significant impact on employees and organizations, and leader behavior may affect it. We applied Conservation of Resources Theory to test propositions regarding the joint effects of goal-focused leadership (GFL) and personality on employee exhaustion. We proposed that the relationship between GFL and exhaustion depends on employees’ standing on both conscientiousness and emotional stability. Specifically, we expected that high-conscientiousness subordinates experience greater compatibility with a goal-focused leader because of their predisposition to direct resources toward achievement and goal-setting, resulting in lower exhaustion under such a leader than among low-conscientiousness employees. Furthermore, high emotional stability may compensate for GFL incompatibility among low-conscientiousness employees by providing additional resources to manage GFL. In contrast, employees low on both traits likely experience greater exhaustion under a goal-focused leader compared to other employees. Results revealed a three-way interaction in two independent samples and were generally supportive of our predictions. GFL was associated with heightened exhaustion among individuals in the low-emotional stability, low-conscientiousness group, but not among workers having any other trait combination.
Endothelial Mechanisms of Flow-Mediated Athero-Protection and Susceptibility

See related article, pages 97–105 The arterial endothelium survives remarkably well as the interface between blood and vessel wall in an environment of constantly changing biomechanical stresses as well as acute and chronic exposure to inflammatory stimulants (eg, cytokines and hypercholesterolemia respectively).1 Cell turnover, which tends to occur in regional clusters,2 is otherwise very low in this monolayer. The endothelium also plays an important regulatory role in the pathogenesis of vascular disease. The cells readily respond to diverse stimuli through a repertoire of mechanisms to enhance their own survival even as they facilitate inflammatory, proatherogenic responses in the subendothelial tissue. The necessity to be a responsive cellular interface probably accounts for much of the endothelial phenotype heterogeneity that exists between vascular beds as well as within discrete regions of the arterial circulation.3,4 Hemodynamic characteristics that vary with blood vessel geometry predict the location of arterial sites that are susceptible to atherosclerosis.5 Curved and branching vessel geometries create sites of flow separation that contain transient flow reversals, lower average shear stresses, and occasional turbulence, (collectively, disturbed flow) and that are predictive of lesion formation. In contrast, pulsatile unidirectional laminar flow (and higher average shear stresses) is associated with regions where atherosclerosis rarely occurs, despite there being equivalent exposure to plasma risk factors such as hypercholesterolemia throughout the circulation. Although the signatures of endothelial phenotype in such regions in vivo are varied and complex, data are emerging from genomic5–7 and protein8 analyses of endothelium at such sites that identify molecular differences. Some of these are accessible for study in vitro to investigate detailed mechanisms under more controlled conditions. …
Biochemical properties, tissue expression, and gene structure of a short chain dehydrogenase/ reductase able to catalyze cis-retinol oxidation.

We have identified a retinol dehydrogenase (cRDH) that catalyzes the oxidation of 9- cis - but not all- trans -retinol and proposed that this enzyme plays an impor- tant role in synthesis of the transcriptionally active retinoid, 9- cis- retinoic acid. There is little information regarding either the biochemical properties of cRDH or how its 9- cis - retinol substrate is formed. We now report studies of the properties and expression of human and mouse cRDH and of the characteristics and location of the murine cRDH gene. Additionally, we report mouse hepatic 9- cis -retinol concentrations and demonstrate that 9- cis -retinol is formed in a time- and protein-dependent manner upon incubation of all- trans -retinol with cell homogenate. Human and mouse cRDH display similar substrate specificities for cis -isomers of retinol and retinaldehyde. Moreover, human and mouse cRDH show marked sensitivity to inhibition by 13- cis -retinoic acid, with both being inhibited by approximately 50% by 0.15 m M 13- cis -retinoic acid (for substrate concentrations of 10 m M ). Lesser inhibition is seen for 9- cis - or all- trans -retinoic acids. Immunoblot analysis using antiserum directed against human cRDH demonstrates cRDH expression in several tis- sues from first trimester human fetuses, indicating that cRDH is expressed early in embryogenesis. Adult mouse brain, liver, kidney, and to a lesser extent small intestine and placenta express cRDH. The murine cRDH gene consists of at least 5 exons and spans approximately 6 kb of genomic DNA. Backcross analysis mapped the mouse cRDH gene to the most distal region of chromosome 10. Taken to- gether, these data extend our understanding of the proper- ties of cRDH and provide additional support for our hy- pothesis that cRDH may play an important role in 9- cis - retinoic acid formation. —Gamble, M. V., E. Shang, R. P. Zott, J. R. Mertz, D. J. Wolgemuth, and W. S. Blaner. Bio- chemical properties, tissue expression, and gene structure of a short chain dehydrogenase/reductase able to catalyze cis -retinol oxidation. J. Lipid Res. 1999. 40: 2279-2292.
Fast distributed k -center clustering with outliers on massive data

Clustering large data is a fundamental problem with a vast number of applications. Due to the increasing size of data, practitioners interested in clustering have turned to distributed computation methods. In this work, we consider the widely used k-center clustering problem and its variant used to handle noisy data, k-center with outliers. In the noise-free setting we demonstrate how a previously-proposed distributed method is actually an O(1)-approximation algorithm, which accurately explains its strong empirical performance. Additionally, in the noisy setting, we develop a novel distributed algorithm that is also an O(1)-approximation. These algorithms are highly parallel and lend themselves to virtually any distributed computing framework. We compare each empirically against the best known sequential clustering methods and show that both distributed algorithms are consistently close to their sequential versions. The algorithms are all one can hope for in distributed settings: they are fast, memory efficient and they match their sequential counterparts.
Pioglitazone Inhibits the Development of Hyperalgesia and Sensitization of Spinal Nociresponsive Neurons in Type 2 Diabetes

Abstract Thiazolidinedione drugs (TZDs) such as pioglitazone are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes. However, whether TZDs reduce painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN) remains unknown. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that chronic administration of pioglitazone would reduce PDN in Zucker Diabetic Fatty (ZDF fa/fa [ZDF]) rats. Compared with Zucker Lean (ZL fa/+ ) controls, ZDF rats developed: 1) increased blood glucose, hemoglobin A1c, methylglyoxal, and insulin levels; 2) mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia in the hind paw; 3) increased avoidance of noxious mechanical probes in a mechanical conflict avoidance behavioral assay, to our knowledge, the first report of a measure of affective–motivational pain-like behavior in ZDF rats; and 4) exaggerated lumbar dorsal horn immunohistochemical expression of pressure-evoked phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase. Seven weeks of pioglitazone (30 mg/kg/d in food) reduced blood glucose, hemoglobin A1c, hyperalgesia, and phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase expression in ZDF. To our knowledge, this is the first report to reveal hyperalgesia and spinal sensitization in the same ZDF animals, both evoked by a noxious mechanical stimulus that reflects pressure pain frequently associated with clinical PDN. Because pioglitazone provides the combined benefit of reducing hyperglycemia, hyperalgesia, and central sensitization, we suggest that TZDs represent an attractive pharmacotherapy in patients with type 2 diabetes-associated pain. Perspective To our knowledge, this is the first preclinical report to show that: 1) ZDF rats exhibit hyperalgesia and affective–motivational pain concurrent with central sensitization; and 2) pioglitazone reduces hyperalgesia and spinal sensitization to noxious mechanical stimulation within the same subjects. Further studies are needed to determine the anti-PDN effect of TZDs in humans.
Possible Routes Towards Carbon-Free Vehicles

This chapter analyzes the main energy and environmental issues that justify the present interest towards the development of novel technologies for sustainable means of transportation. The potentialities and limitations of hydrogen fuel cell technology, as alternative solution for efficient and not polluting vehicles, are presented in the context of the most stringent questions to deal with in this field: the scarcity of fossil resources, the necessity of further reductions in current engine emissions to meet the severe incoming legislative limits and the global warming risks related to the green-house effect. A well-to-wheel analysis, effected for different types of vehicles starting from both fossil and renewable primary energy resources, evidences the viable paths in the direction of novel clean technologies for transportation means.
Circannual Rhythms Mammals

Orientation in time, which ranks among the most important of organismal adaptations, is apparent in the ubiquitous distribution of seasonal rhythms: mammals anticipate and take advantage of predictable changes in the external environment imposed by the 12-month geophysical cycle. Striking seasonal changes in temperature, humidity, and day length, as well as prominent seasonal variation in biotic factors such as food availability, presence of predators, and access to mates, place a premium on accurate timing. The array of mammalian functions that varies seasonally includes, among others, reproduction, food intake, sleep, body and brain mass, thermoregulation, affiliative and agonistic social behaviors, pelage characteristics, secretion of hormones, and neurotransmitter concentrations in brain (Bartness & Wade, 1985; Buijset al.1986; Dark, Dark, & Zucker, 1987; Ferkin & Zucker, 1991; Goldman & Nelson, 1993; Heldmaier & Steinlechner, 1981; Sadlier, 1969; Turek & Van Canter, 1994; Walker, Haskell, Berger, & Heller, 1980). Seasonal rhythms are evident at all levels of biological organization.
The United States Court for China: A Triumph of Local Law

A description of the court's jurisdiction, procedure, and application of substantive law is used to illustrate the thesis that local law exerts an inexorable force upon trial courts. The operation of the court and the cases it decided for the most part show, I argue, that those with the greatest familiarity with a problem have the most impact on the courts that are faced with that problem. This was the case at the United States Court for China despite the United States' efforts to maintain control over it and exclude local law from impact upon it. My aim is to invite a rethinking of the conventional position taken in scholarship on American legal history and scholarship on Chinese legal history that national law was superior, in many senses, to local law.
Agent-based modeling and evolutionary computation for disseminating public advisories about hazardous material emergencies

Abstract In the event of a large-scale disaster, an important aspect of humanitarian logistics is the distribution of information or warnings to the affected population. This research develops the problem formulation and solution approach for a specific routing for relief problem, in which warnings should be disseminated to an affected community, using public announcement systems mounted on emergency vehicles. The problem statement is formulated to maximize the number of individuals of a community who are protected. An evolutionary algorithm framework is developed by coupling an agent-based model with a variable-length genetic algorithm to route emergency vehicles. The dynamics of interactions among consumers, emergency vehicles, and the spatiotemporal trajectory of the hazard are simulated using an agent-based modeling approach, and a variable-length genetic algorithm approach selects routes to warn a maximum number of consumers before they are affected by the emergency. The example that is explored in this research is contamination of a water distribution network. A fleet of emergency vehicles is equipped with public address systems and is deployed to warn consumers to stop using contaminated water. The framework is demonstrated for an illustrative virtual city, Mesopolis. The results of the evolutionary algorithm framework are compared with two conventional routing optimization approaches, including a covering tour problem approach and a manual routing approach, for four contamination scenarios. The evolutionary algorithm can be applied to route emergency service vehicles to broadcast information for other emergencies, such as flash flooding, hazardous materials incidents, and severe weather.
Association between interleukin-6 and neurocognitive performance as a function of self-reported lifetime marijuana use in a community based sample of African American adults.

The purpose of the current study was to determine if self-reported lifetime marijuana use moderates the relationship between interleukin-6 (IL-6) and neurocognitive performance. Participants included 161 African American adults (50.3% women), with a mean age of 45.24 ( SD =11.34). Serum was drawn upon entry into the study and participants completed a demographic questionnaire, which included drug use history, and a battery of neuropsychological tests. Using multiple regression analyses and adjusting for demographic covariates, the interaction term comprised of IL-6 and self-reported lifetime marijuana use was significantly associated with poorer performance on the Written (β=−.116; SE =.059; p =.049) and Oral trials (β=−.143; SE =.062; p =.022) of the Symbol Digit Modalities Test, as well as the Trail Making Test trial A (β=.157; SE =.071; p =.028). Current findings support previous literature, which presents the inverse relationship between IL-6 and neurocognitive dysfunction. The potential protective properties of marijuana use in African Americans, who are at increased risk for inflammatory diseases, are discussed. ( JINS , 2014, 20 , 773–783)
Direct conversion of cinnamate esters into β,β-disubstituted ketones mediated by cyano-magnesio cuprates

Abstract The clean synthesis of unsymmetrical ketones from carboxylic acid derivatives has been a challenge in the organic community dating back over 80 years. Herein we report the conversion of simple alkyl cinnamates to β,β-disubstituted ketones with cyano-magnesio cuprates in high yields with no observation of tertiary alcohol byproduct. The lack of tertiary alcohol is attributed to a putative enolate intermediate that serves as a ketone protecting group. A distinctive steric inhibition trend was observed related to both the size of the R group on the parent ester and the nucleophilic cuprate. Lastly, we demonstrate that this reaction can be coupled with known copper mediated allylic substitution reactions yielding β,γ-disubstituted ketone (8) from parent α-chloro-β,γ-ethylenic ester (7).
Issues in the Design and Implementation of Instruction Processors for Multicomputers (Position Statement)

A processor in a multicomputer operates in an environment very different from that of a sequential computer. In addition to dealing with memory latency as in a sequential computer, a multicomputer processor must also communicate and synchronize with its peers. In such a system, a process may idle waiting for a memory reference, a message, or a synchronization event. By rapidly switching processes when waiting on an event, a multithreaded processor maximizes the utilization of the processor and its associated memory and network bandwidth in the presence of uncertain delays.
Relationships of eggshell, air cell, and cloacal temperatures of embryonated broiler hatching eggs during incubation,

Abstract The relationships of eggshell, air cell, and embryo cloacal temperatures in Ross × Ross 708 broiler hatching eggs were determined. Twenty eggs were weighed and set on each of 3 tray levels of a single incubator. Eggshell temperature (EST) of the eggs were recorded once in the morning (AM) and afternoon (PM) between 0 and 19 d of incubation (DOI) using an infrared thermometer (IRT). All eggs were candled and a transponder was implanted in the air cell of eggs containing live embryos (12 per tray level) at 12 DOI. At 19 DOI, transponders were implanted in the cloaca of live embryos from those same eggs. Air cell temperature (ACT) and EST readings were recorded once in the AM and PM between 12 and 19 DOI, and ACT and cloaca temperature (CLT) readings were recorded every 6 h between 19 and 21 DOI. The EST and ACT readings between 13 and 19 DOI were positively correlated. However, their respective mean temperatures between 13 and 19 DOI differed. The EST and ACT were not significantly influenced by tray level. Nevertheless, a main effect due to location (eggshell vs. air cell), and an interaction between DOI and time of day (AM and PM) in the 13 to 19 DOI interval were observed. Furthermore, an interaction was observed between location (air cell and cloaca) and the 6 h sequential time periods in the 19 to 21 DOI interval. However, across the entire 19 to 21 DOI interval, mean ACT and CLT were not significantly different, and were positively correlated. These data suggest that ACT readings are higher than those of EST during the last half of incubation, and that between 13 and 19 DOI, ACT readings may have the potential for use as a minimally invasive method by which to more accurately estimate the true core body temperature of broiler embryos. The effects of this method on hatchability and post-hatch performance need determination to better establish its practicality.
Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Blockade for Treatment of Acute Kawasaki Disease

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α has a key role in the development of coronary artery aneurysms in acute KD. Blockade of the TNF-α inflammatory cascade is thus a logical therapeutic aim. Infliximab, a chimeric monoclonal antibody that specifically binds TNF-α, and etanercept, a TNF-α receptor blocker, have both been used as rescue therapy for treatment-resistant KD. A prospective trial of intensification of primary therapy with infliximab in acute KD demonstrated that infliximab was safe and reduced inflammation, days of fever, and left anterior descending coronary artery diameter more rapidly than IVIG alone. A trial of etanercept as adjunctive therapy in acute KD is currently in progress.
Refugees in Our Midst: Applying International Human Rights Law to the Bullying of LGBTQ Youth in the United States

This Article explores the severe bullying of LGBTQ students from a comparative international human rights perspective. Modern international refugee law, in existence since 1951 and accepted by 146 countries, provides a useful framework for evaluating the seriousness of the harm experienced by bullied LGBTQ youth in the United States. Applying international refugee law, this Article assesses whether the failure of U.S. schools and governments to protect children who are victims of physical and psychological bullying on account of their actual or perceived sexual orientation constitutes a violation of human rights such that were such students to seek asylum in another country they would likely qualify. In order to make this determination, the article assesses whether bullied LGBTQ students in the United States suffer harm severe enough to constitute persecution; whether the persecution occurs on account of the students’ membership in the particular social group of “transgender students and students with actual or perceived lesbian, gay or bisexual sexual orientation”; whether the federal government has refused to provide protection to such students by failing to pass legislation that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, or legislation specifically aimed at protecting LGBTQ students from violence and other forms of severe bullying in schools; and whether individual state and local governments have allowed the persecution of LGBTQ students to proliferate by curtailing, refusing to enforce, or refusing to implement policies aimed at protecting them. The Article concludes with a determination of whether bullied LGBTQ youth in some U.S. locations are victims of state-sponsored or state-permitted human rights violations and provides appropriate recommendations.
Towards a Cognitively-Based Analytic Model of Human Control of Swarms.

Robotic swarms are nonlinear dynamical systems that benefit from the presence of human operators in realistic missions with changing goals and constraints. There has been recent interest in safe operations of robotic swarms under human control. Verification and validation techniques for these human-machine systems could be deployed to provide formal guarantees of safe performance. A current limitation that hinders practical significant applications of verification to human-machine systems is the lack of analytic models of the human operator that include realistic cognitive constraints. Our research aims to develop high fidelity analytic human models via abstraction of cognitive models based on ACT-R. In this paper, we report on results from the first step in this process. We designed a 2-choice control task of a robotic swarm, obtained data from human operators and compared the fit of these data to two analytic models and an ACT-R based cognitive model. We present the experimental results and discuss our future plans on how the analytic model will be derived from the cognitive model so that the whole human-swarm system could be amenable to verification techniques.
From law to reality: Factors influencing the pattern of additional screening examinations for women with dense breasts after implementation of a breast density notification law in Texas.

e17507 Background: Given the increased risk of breast cancer associated with dense breasts and the limitations of screening mammography, 19 states including Texas, have passed laws requiring notifi...
Towards a Universal Knowledge Accelerator

The human mind remains an unparalleled engine of innovation, with its unique ability to make sense of complex information and find deep analogical connections driving progress in science and technology over the past millennia. The recent explosion of online information available in virtually every domain should present an opportunity for accelerating this engine; instead, it threatens to slow it as the information processing limits of individual minds are reached. In this talk I discuss our efforts towards building a universal knowledge accelerator: a system in which the sensemaking people engage in online is captured and made useful for others, leading to virtuous cycles of constantly improving information sources that in turn help people more effectively synthesize and innovate. Approximately 70 billion hours per year in the U.S. alone are spent on complex online sensemaking in domains ranging from scientific literature to health; capturing even a fraction of this could provide significant benefits. We discuss three integrated levels of research that are needed to realize this vision: at the individual level in understanding and capturing higher order cognition; at the computational level in developing new interaction systems and AI partners for human cognition; and at the social level in developing complex and creative crowdsourcing and social computing systems.
De Csepel v. Republic of Hungary

In de Csepel v. Republic of Hungary, heirs of Erzsebet, Andras, and Istvan Herzog sued to recover the family’s art collection, which was seized by the Nazis in Budapest 1944 and later placed in several museums and university collections in Hungary. This chapter examines the legal questions raised by the case, which include a series of issues of international law and foreign state immunity.
Type 2 Diabetes Education and Support in a Virtual Environment: A Secondary Analysis of Synchronously Exchanged Social Interaction and Support.

Background: Virtual environments (VEs) facilitate interaction and support among individuals with chronic illness, yet the characteristics of these VE interactions remain unknown. Objective: The objective of this study was to describe social interaction and support among individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D) who interacted in a VE. Methods: Data included VE-mediated synchronous conversations and text-chat and asynchronous emails and discussion board posts from a study that facilitated interaction among individuals with T2D and diabetes educators (N=24) in 2 types of sessions: education and support. Results: VE interactions consisted of communication techniques (how individuals interact in the VE), expressions of self-management (T2D-related topics), depth (personalization of topics), and breadth (number of topics discussed). Individuals exchanged support more often in the education (723/1170, 61.79%) than in the support (406/1170, 34.70%) sessions or outside session time (41/1170, 3.50%). Of all support exchanges, 535/1170 (45.73%) were informational, 377/1170 (32.22%) were emotional, 217/1170 (18.55%) were appraisal, and 41/1170 (3.50%) were instrumental. When comparing session types, education sessions predominately provided informational support (357/723, 49.4%), and the support sessions predominately provided emotional (159/406, 39.2%) and informational (159/406, 39.2%) support. Conclusions: VE-mediated interactions resemble those in face-to-face environments, as individuals in VEs engage in bidirectional exchanges with others to obtain self-management education and support. Similar to face-to-face environments, individuals in the VE revealed personal information, sought information, and exchanged support during the moderated education sessions and unstructured support sessions. With this versatility, VEs are able to contribute substantially to support for those with diabetes and, very likely, other chronic diseases. [J Med Internet Res 2018;20(2):e61]
Applications of High Resolution Laser: Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy for Environmental and Biological Samples

This chapter details the application of LIBS in a number of environmental areas of research such as carbon sequestration and climate change. LIBS has also been shown to be useful in other high resolution environmental applications for example, elemental mapping and detection of metals in plant materials. LIBS has also been used in phytoremediation applications. Other biological research involves a detailed understanding of wood chemistry response to precipitation variations and also to forest fires. A cross-section of Mountain pine (pinceae Pinus pungen Lamb.) was scanned using a translational stage to determine the differences in the chemical features both before and after a fire event. Consequently, by monitoring the elemental composition pattern of a tree and by looking for abrupt changes, one can reconstruct the disturbance history of a tree and a forest. Lastly we have shown that multivariate analysis of the LIBS data is necessary to standardize the analysis and correlate to other standard laboratory techniques. LIBS along with multivariate statistical analysis makes it a very powerful technology that can be transferred from laboratory to field applications with ease.
Surgeon Attitudes Toward the Omission of Axillary Dissection in Early Breast Cancer.

Importance The American College of Surgeons Oncology Group (ACOSOG) Z0011 study demonstrated the safety of sentinel node biopsy alone in clinically node-negative women with metastases in 1 or 2 sentinel nodes treated with breast conservation. Little is known about surgeon perspectives regarding when axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) can be omitted. Objectives To determine surgeon acceptance of ACOSOG Z0011 findings, identify characteristics associated with acceptance of ACOSOG Z0011 results, and examine the association between acceptance of the Society of Surgical Oncology and American Society for Radiation Oncology negative margin of no ink on tumor and surgeon preference for ALND. Design, Setting, and Participants A survey was sent to 488 surgeons treating a population-based sample of women with early-stage breast cancer (N = 5080). The study was conducted from July 1, 2013, to August 31, 2015. Main Outcomes and Measures Surgeons were categorized as having low, intermediate, or high propensity for ALND according to the outer quartiles of ALND scale distribution. A multivariable linear regression model was used to confirm independent associations. Results Of the 488 surgeons invited to participate, 376 (77.0%) responded and 359 provided complete information regarding propensity for ALND derived from 5 clinical scenarios. Mean surgeon age was 53.7 (range, 31-80) years; 277 (73.7%) were male; 142 (37.8%) treated 20 or fewer breast cancers annually and 108 (28.7%) treated more than 50. One hundred seventy-five (49.0%) recommended ALND for 1 macrometastasis. Of low-propensity surgeons who recommended ALND, only 1 (1.1%) approved ALND for any nodal metastases compared with 69 (38.6%) and 85 (95.5%) of selective and high-propensity surgeons ( P 51: −0.48; 95% CI, −0.71 to −0.24; P P 9%: −0.37; 95% CI, −0.63 to −0.11; P = .02), and Los Angeles Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results site (−0.18; 95% CI, −0.35 to −0.01; P = .04). Conclusions and Relevance This study shows substantial variation in surgeon acceptance of more limited surgery for breast cancer, which is associated with higher breast cancer volume and multidisciplinary interactions, suggesting the potential for overtreatment of many patients and the need for education targeting lower-volume breast surgeons.