cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
New chemotherapeutic agents for the treatment of low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphomas.

Several variables contribute to the successful outcome of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. During the first 4 weeks after reinfusion of allogeneic marrow, morbidity and mortality rates related to pancytopenia are high. After this time the development of graft-versus-host disease and/or recurrence of malignancy may further increase morbidity and limit survival. Hematopoietic growth factors such as recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage and recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factors reduce morbidity of patients receiving high-intensity chemotherapy regimens by stimulating earlier neutrophil recovery. Studies in allogeneic bone marrow transplantation patients who receive recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage, recombinant human granulocyte, and recombinant human macrophage colony-stimulating factors suggest that these factors are well tolerated. The severity of graft-versus-host disease is not adversely affected, morbidity is less, and survival may be improved in certain patient populations. Results of phase I and II trials with hematopoietic growth factors in patients undergoing allogeneic bone marrow transplantation will be reviewed.
Fabrication-Aware Geometry Processing

The advent of commodity 3D manufacturing is increasing the demand for advanced design tools that make the designed shapes physically realizable. This is a short overview of fabrication-aware algorithms to solve classical geometry processing problems such as intersection-free mesh deformation, surface parametrization, semi-regular meshing and vector field design.
The Impact of Marijuana Use on Memory in HIV-Infected Patients: A Comprehensive Review of the HIV and Marijuana Literatures

Background: The most robust neurocognitive effect of marijuana use is memory impairment. Memory deficits are also high among persons living with HIV/AIDS, and marijuana is the most commonly used drug in this population. Yet research examining neurocognitive outcomes resulting from co-occurring marijuana and HIV is limited. Objective: The primary objectives of this comprehensive review are to: (1) examine the literature on memory functioning in HIV-infected individuals; (2) examine the literature on memory functioning in marijuana users; (3) synthesize findings and propose a theoretical framework to guide future research. Method: PubMed was searched for English publications 2000-2013. Twenty-two studies met inclusion criteria in the HIV literature, and 23 studies in the marijuana literature. Results: Among HIV-infected individuals, memory deficits with medium to large effect sizes were observed. Marijuana users also demonstrated memory problems, but results were less consistent due to the diversity of samples. Conclusion: A compensatory hypothesis, based on the cognitive aging literature, is proposed to provide a framework to explore the interaction between marijuana and HIV. There is some evidence that individuals infected with HIV recruit additional brain regions during memory tasks to compensate for HIV-related declines in neurocognitive functioning. Marijuana is associated with disturbance in similar brain systems, and thus it is hypothesized that the added neural strain of marijuana can exhaust neural resources, resulting in pronounced memory impairment. It will be important to test this hypothesis empirically, and future research priorities are discussed.
Calibration of context-specific survey items to assess youth physical activity behaviour

ABSTRACTThis study tests calibration models to re-scale context-specific physical activity (PA) items to accelerometer-derived PA. A total of 195 4th–12th grades children wore an Actigraph monitor and completed the Physical Activity Questionnaire (PAQ) one week later. The relative time spent in moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA%) obtained from the Actigraph at recess, PE, lunch, after-school, evening and weekend was matched with a respective item score obtained from the PAQ’s. Item scores from 145 participants were calibrated against objective MVPA% using multiple linear regression with age, and sex as additional predictors. Predicted minutes of MVPA for school, out-of-school and total week were tested in the remaining sample (n = 50) using equivalence testing. The results showed that PAQ β-weights ranged from 0.06 (lunch) to 4.94 (PE) MVPA% (P < 0.05) and models root mean square error ranged from 4.2% (evening) to 20.2% (recess). When applied to an independent sample, differences between PAQ and acceleromete...
Some Correlates of Consumer Dissatisfaction with Retail Complaint Handling Performance

The viability of modern-day retail organizations is largely contingent upon the ability of management to monitor and respond constructively to consumerism. Although retailers have made considerable progress in this direction, consumer dissatisfaction rema.ins with certain facets of retail performance, including the capability of retailers to satisfactorily resolve customer complaints.
Safe Landing Strategies During a Fall: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objectives To systematically synthesize information on safe landing strategies for a fall, and quantitatively examine the effects of the strategies to reduce the risk of injury from a fall. Data sources PubMed, Web of Science, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and Cochrane Library. Study selection Databases were searched using the combinations of keywords of "falls," "strategy," "impact," and "load." Randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, pre-post studies, and cross-sectional studies were included. Data extraction Fall strategies were extracted and categorized by falling direction. Measurements of impact loads that reflect the risk of injuries were extracted (eg, impact velocity, impact force, fall duration, impact angle). Hedges' g was used as effect size to quantify the effect of a protective landing strategy to reduce the impact load. Data synthesis A total of 7 landing strategies (squatting, elbow flexion, forward rotation, martial arts rolling, martial arts slapping, relaxed muscle, stepping) in 13 studies were examined. In general, all strategies, except for the martial arts slapping technique, significantly reduced impact load (g values=.73-2.70). Squatting was an efficient strategy to reduce impact in backward falling (g=1.77), while elbow flexion with outstretched arms was effective in forward falling (g=.82). Also, in sideways falling strategies, martial arts rolling (g=2.70) and forward rotation (g=.82) were the most efficient strategies to reduce impact load. Conclusions The results showed that landing strategies have a significant effect on reducing impact load during a fall and might be effective to reduce the impact load of falling. The current study also highlighted limitations of the previous studies that focused on a young population and self-initiated falls. Further investigation with elderly individuals and unexpected falls is necessary to verify the effectiveness and suitability of the strategies for at-risk populations in real-life falls.
GDGT and alkenone flux in the northern Gulf of Mexico: Implications for the TEX86 and UK'37 paleothermometers

The TEX86 and U37K' molecular biomarker proxies have been broadly applied in downcore marine sediments to reconstruct past sea surface temperature (SST). Although both TEX86 and U37K' have been interpreted as proxies for mean annual SST throughout the global ocean, regional studies of glycerol dibiphytanyl glycerol tetraethers (GDGTs) and alkenones in sinking particles are required to understand the influence of seasonality, depth distribution, and diagenesis on downcore variability. We measure GDGT and alkenone flux, as well as the TEX86 and U37K' indices in a 4 year sediment trap time series (2010–2014) in the northern Gulf of Mexico (nGoM), and compare these data with core-top sediments at the same location. GDGT and alkenone fluxes do not show a consistent seasonal cycle; however, the largest flux peaks for both occurs in winter. U37K' covaries with SST over the 4 year sampling interval, but the U37K'-SST relationship in this data set implies a smaller slope or nonlinearity at high temperatures when compared with existing calibrations. Furthermore, the flux-weighted U37K' value from sinking particles is significantly lower than that of underlying core-top sediments, suggesting preferential diagenetic loss of the tri-unsaturated alkenone in sediments. TEX86 does not covary with SST, suggesting production in the subsurface upper water column. The flux-weighted mean TEX86 matches that of core-top sediments, confirming that TEX86 in the nGoM reflects local planktonic production rather than allochthonous or in situ sedimentary production. We explore potential sources of uncertainty in both proxies in the nGoM but demonstrate that they show nearly identical trends in twentieth century SST, despite these factors.
Surface reliability of annealed and tempered solar protective glasses: Indentation and scratch behavior

Abstract Solar glass is exposed to mechanical contact cleaning and sand particle impact during operation in outdoor environments resulting in optical efficiency loss as well as decrease in mechanical integrity, durability and reliability. The current study investigates the mechanical behavior of two different solar surface glasses through a series of low and high load indentation and scratch experiments. Nanoindentation experiments are performed on the glass substrate in order to measure the hardness and elasticity moduli at different depths below the surface. Scratch experiments are also preformed to find the critical load for the extent of plastic zone or the onset of micro-cracking. The influence of heat treatment for photovoltaic glasses on mechanical properties such as elastic modulus and hardness, and surface properties such as friction coefficient and elastic recovery is examined in this study in which heat treatment is found to affect both mechanical and surface properties. Also, different resistance behavior is observed in low and high load experiments as well as in indentation vs. scratch experiments.
The subversion of Arabic instruction in Jewish schools in Israel

Arabic instruction in Israeli government schools in the Jewish sector is unsatisfactory by both subjective and objective measures. The general consensus among educators, academics and other interested parties, most notably the security apparatus—the main employer of Jews with knowledge of Arabic—is that not enough students study Arabic, and that those who do fail to achieve proficiency in the language (Uhlmann 2010, Ben-Rafael and Brosh 1991, Spolsky and Shohamy 1991, Spolsky et al. 1995, Lustigman 2008, State Comptroller 1996:367). Dissatisfaction with Arabic instruction has been an integral feature of the field since the very inception of the modern, secular, public Hebrew school system in the days of the British Mandate over Palestine (see especially early papers in Yonai 1992 and Landau 1961). This enduring educational fecklessness is remarkable given the available resources and the powerful stakeholders that drive for deepening and broadening Arabic instruction in Jewish schools.Previous analyses of the problems of Arabic instruction have focused on language ideology and Jewish pupils’ attitudes towards Arabic and Arabs (e.g. Ben-Rafael & Brosh 1991, Ben-Rafael 1994, Kraemer and Olshtain 1994, cf. the comprehensive overview by Spolsky et al. 1995). However, language ideology is but one aspect of the broad political and institutional structuring of Arabic instruction in Israel, and it is this complex as a whole that is responsible for the state of Arabic instruction.
Staying in the Family: The Impact of Institutions and Mental Models on Entrepreneurship Development in Post-Soviet Transition Countries

After the breakup of the Soviet Union, the 15 newly independent countries had a decision to make: to reinstate their old economic and political ties or to enter into new economic alliances. Two main country groups emerged: the European Union (EU)-oriented and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)-oriented groups. In this chapter, we introduce the use of mental models in order to explore the possible influence of individual cognition on changing or perpetuating existing institutional arrangements and attitudes toward entrepreneurship. It is argued that CIS countries are more likely to accept commonly held Soviet-based attitudes toward institutions and entrepreneurship as the norm, further reinforced through inter-CIS-based migration and media control.
On Bayesian Exponentially Embedded Family for Model Order Selection

In this paper, we derive a Bayesian model order selection rule by using the exponentially embedded family (EEF) method, termed Bayesian EEF. It shows that the Bayesian EEF can use vague proper priors and improper noninformative priors to be objective in the elicitation of parameter priors. Moreover, the penalty term of the rule is shown to be the sum of half of the parameter dimension and the estimated mutual information between the parameter and observed data. This helps to reveal the EEF mechanism in selecting model orders and may provide new insights into the open problem of choosing an optimal penalty term for model order selection from information-theoretic viewpoints. The Bayesian EEF that uses a g -prior is derived for the linear model. The Bayesian EEF is extended for nonlinear models by using Jeffreys’ prior. Interestingly, it coincides with the EEF rule derived by a frequentist strategy. This shows another relationship between the frequentist and Bayesian philosophies for model selection.
Compact representations of character-sets

Programming libraries for text processing, such as those for string- and pattern-matching, require a method for representing sets of characters, such as the set of lower-case Latin letters or the set of numerals. A compact and efficient representation of character sets is especially important with the adoption of Unicode, and its very large domain (over a million code points). This paper studies design criteria for such representations, reviews existing implementations, describes new representations, and provides an experimental comparison of representations on real and synthetic data. The new representations combine the strengths of bitmaps and inversion lists while avoiding the worst-case behavior of both.
Refinement of strong stackelberg equilibria in security games

Given the real-world deployments of attacker-defender Stackelberg security games, robustness to deviations from expected attacker behaviors has now emerged as a critically important issue. This paper provides four key contributions in this context. First, it identifies a fundamentally problematic aspect of current algorithms for security games. It shows that there are many situations where these algorithms face multiple equilibria, and they arbitrarily select one that may hand the defender a significant disadvantage, particularly if the attacker deviates from its equilibrium strategies due to unknown constraints. Second, for important subclasses of security games, it identifies situations where we will face such multiple equilibria. Third, to address these problematic situations, it presents two equilibrium refinement algorithms that can optimize the defender's utility if the attacker deviates from equilibrium strategies. Finally, it experimentally illustrates that the refinement approach achieved significant robustness in consideration of attackers' deviation due to unknown constraints.
Guanine Nucleotide Regulatory Proteins in Inflammatory and Immune Responses

Initially discovered in studies of hormone-regulated adenylate cyclase activity (Rodbell, 1980), guanine nucleotide regulatory proteins (G proteins) are now known to couple receptors for many different types of extracellular signals to several different types of effector. Recent evidence shows that G proteins are involved in transduction of inflammatory and immune response signals in neutrophils, macrophages, and lymphocytes. With the appreciation of the diversity of receptors and effectors coupled by G proteins has come an appreciation of the diversity of the G proteins themselves. At least five different G proteins have been identified to date and more will certainly be discovered. A distinctive form of G protein appears to be particularly abundant in neutrophils and possibly other leukocytes. Notwithstanding the diversity of G proteins, each member of this family of signal transducers shares certain common features. In this chapter, I will review these common features of G proteins, highlight specific aspects of G-protein structure and function, and review information on G proteins and the transduction of inflammatory and immune response signals.
DeepCPU: serving RNN-based deep learning models 10x faster

Recurrent neural networks (RNNs) are an important class of deep learning (DL) models. Existing DL frameworks have unsatisfying performance for online serving: many RNN models suffer from long serving latency and high cost, preventing their deployment in production. This work characterizes RNN performance and identifies low data reuse as a root cause. We develop novel techniques and an efficient search strategy to squeeze more data reuse out of this intrinsically challenging workload. We build DeepCPU, a fast serving library on CPUs, to integrate these optimizations for efficient RNN computation. Our evaluation on various RNN models shows that DeepCPU improves latency and efficiency by an order of magnitude on CPUs compared with existing DL frameworks such as TensorFlow. It also empowers CPUs to beat GPUs on RNN serving. In production services of Microsoft, DeepCPU transforms many models from non-shippable (due to latency SLA violation) to shippable (well-fitting latency requirements) and saves millions of dollars of infrastructure costs.
Specific Circumstances: Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)

Acute respiratory distress syndrome, (ARDS) is a condition of diffuse alveolar damage and inflammation, secondary to numerous possible etiologies. Few interventions in critical care have been as reproducibly beneficial to patients as low tidal volume ventilation. Prevention of ventilator-induced lung injury is a key benefit of active ventilator management in the ED. In ARDS, as well as other patients, maintaining a plateau pressure of less than 30cmH2O is essential to preventing ventilator-induced lung injury. Recruitment maneuvers, neuromuscular blockade, and prone positioning should be used for persistent or severe hypoxemia. Inhaled pulmonary vasodilators can improve oxygenation, and ECMO should be considered for severe ARDS.
Exploiting connectivity structures for decomposing process plants

Abstract Process plants are typically characterized by a large number of variables which renders traditionally deployed process systems algorithms computationally intractable for online applications. As parallelization and distribution of computational methods are becoming increasingly important and feasible, this paper proposes a method for structural analysis of plants in order to estimate connectivity strengths among various sub-processes making the process system algorithms amenable for distributed computing. In this work, analogy is drawn to the neuroscience literature where connectivity of neuronal population is established using data from magnetic resonance imaging. By using an input-state-output deterministic model for process systems and parameterizing this model to reflect connectivity and coupling, a Bayesian scheme is developed to estimate connectivity while incorporating priors. The algorithm is successfully applied to three case studies- one to demonstrate computational efficacy, one for which exact quantitative information of the structural connectivity is available and another where only qualitative information of the structural connectivity can be deduced.
Characterization of optical and spin properties of single tin-vacancy centers in diamond nanopillars

Color centers in diamond have attracted much interest as candidates for optically active, solid-state quantum bits. Of particular interest are inversion-symmetric color centers based on group-IV impurities in diamond because they emit strongly into their zero-phonon lines and are insensitive to electric field noise to first order. Early studies of the negatively charged tin-vacancy (${\mathrm{SnV}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$) center in diamond have found the ${\mathrm{SnV}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ to be a promising candidate: it has high quantum efficiency, emits strongly into its zero-phonon lines, and is expected to have a long ${T}_{2}$ spin coherence time at 4 K. To develop the ${\mathrm{SnV}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ into a spin qubit requires further characterization, especially of the spin and optical properties of individual ${\mathrm{SnV}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ in nanofabricated structures. In this work, we isolate single ${\mathrm{SnV}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ centers in diamond nanopillars and characterize their emission properties and their spin response to a magnetic field. We observe narrow emission linewidths $l250$ MHz, as well as a strong polarization dependence of each transition. We also find the Zeeman splitting under a magnetic field to be in good agreement with theoretical prediction. Our results pave the way toward future employment of single ${\mathrm{SnV}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ centers as optically accessible quantum memories.
Analysis of seismic damage mitigation for a pile-supported wharf structure

Abstract This paper evaluates earthquake-induced permanent ground deformations and the structural response of a typical pile-supported wharf structure built over loose granular fill. Using numerical simulations for a suite of 55 reference seismic ground motions, we investigate the effectiveness of an array of PV drains installed behind the pile-supported deck in mitigating structural damage associated with deformations of the fill. Numerical analyses use a sub-structuring approach in which the ‘free-field’ 2D coupled deformations, and seepage within the soil fill are simulated using the u-p formulation in the OpenSees finite element framework. The complex non-linear and inelastic stress-strain properties of the sand under cyclic loading are represented using the Dafalias-Manzari (DM2004) bounding surface plasticity model, while customized 1-D finite elements are used to describe flow in the PV drains. The resulting ground deformations and excess pore water pressures are treated as boundary conditions in modeling the response of the wharf structure, through macro-elements that represent local pile-soil interactions (after Varun and Assimaki, 2012 [1]). We discuss the associated soil behavior and show how lateral spreading is mitigated by the proposed PV drain array. This mitigation system limits the potential damage to the pile-deck connections enabling much simpler structural retrofit for the wharf.
From the World's Factory to a World Creditor: China's External Wealth and Excess Returns, 1997-2016

We study China’s external wealth, its net foreign assets position with valuation adjustment, and its excess returns. The net foreign assets of China, which are mainly dominated by foreign reserve assets and foreign direct investment liabilities, have grown rapidly since its entry to the World Trade Organization in 2001 and exceeded 14 percent of its gross domestic product at the end of 2016. In contrast, the excess returns of gross assets over gross liabilities, which mostly correspond to the sizable capital gains from the latter, are negative. These results occur mainly because of the composition effect between risky liabilities and safe assets, where China takes a short position in equity and a long position in debt. Our findings help elucidate the mechanism through which a high growth economy like China transfers its external wealth to the rest of the world when the domestic financial markets are less developed and safe assets are scarce in the international monetary system.
Current operative management of congenital lobar emphysema in children: A report from the Midwest Pediatric Surgery Consortium

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical presentation and operative outcomes of patients with congenital lobar emphysema (CLE) within a large multicenter research consortium. Methods After central reliance IRB-approval, a retrospective cohort study was performed on all operatively managed lung malformations at eleven participating children's hospitals (2009–2015). Results Fifty-three (10.5%) children with pathology-confirmed CLE were identified among 506 lung malformations. A lung mass was detected prenatally in 13 (24.5%) compared to 331 (73.1%) in non-CLE cases (p Conclusions Among lung malformations, CLE is associated with several unique features, including a low prenatal detection rate, a predilection for the upper/middle lobes, and infrequent utilization of thoracoscopy. Although respiratory distress at birth is common, CLE often presents clinically in a delayed and more insidious fashion. Level of Evidence Level III.
Gambling, Casinos, and Game Simulation.

In 1973, the University of Northern Col orado (UNC) initiated a new under graduate general education program for the purpose of encouraging innovative courses and interdisciplinary cooperation. The university has never required mathe matics as a part of its general education program. However, the Mathematics De partment at UNC is becoming more in volved with service courses for other de partments. In the hope of encouraging more students to take some mathematics, I developed a course entitled "Gambling, Casinos, and Game Simulation." This ar ticle explains the objectives, the content, and the intent of the course.
Low-Intensity Exercise in Mice Is Sufficient to Protect Retinal Function During Light-Induced Retinal Degeneration

Purpose We previously reported that a specific treadmill running exercise regimen protects against light-induced retinal degeneration (LIRD) in mice. We hypothesized that this protective effect varies with running intensity. To test this, mice undergoing LIRD were run at different treadmill speeds and retinal function was assessed. Methods BALB/c mice were assigned to LIRD groups at varying treadmill speeds-0, 5, 10, or 20 m/min labeled inactive, low, medium, and high, respectively-and compared with naive mice exposed to standard lighting (50 lux; naive). Following 2 weeks of exercise, a subset of mice were exposed to toxic light (10,000 lux; LIRD) for 4 hours. After 5 additional days of exercise, retinal function was assessed by ERG. Corticosterone levels in serum and cathepsin B (CTSB) protein levels in muscle, brain, serum, and retina were measured. The retinal gene expression of complement factor 1qa (C1qa) and CTSB were measured. Results The low+LIRD and medium+LIRD exercise groups had greater a- and b-wave ERG amplitudes when compared with the inactive+LIRD group (P < 0.02). The high+LIRD mice only differed from the inactive+LIRD mice in their dark-adapted b-waves. Serum corticosterone increased in the high+LIRD mice (P < 0.006). Retinal CTSB protein levels were higher in the low+LIRD versus high+LIRD mice (P < 0.004) but were otherwise unchanged. Exercise of any intensity decreased C1qa gene expression. Conclusions Faster running did not additionally protect against LIRD, but it did increase serum corticosterone, suggesting stress-induced limits to exercise benefits. Unexpectedly, exercise did not increase CTSB proteins levels in muscle or serum, suggesting that it may not mediate exercise effects. Our results have implications for the use of low-intensity exercise as a vision loss treatment.
Statistical Evaluation of the Effects of Mix Design Properties on Performance Indices of Asphalt Mixtures

A variety of testing and performance index parameters are available to assess the asphalt mixture performance with respect to different structural distresses. However, because of continuous improvements in asphalt material production and construction techniques, it is necessary to regularly evaluate the correlation of the performance index parameters with mixture design properties. It is also important to determine the correlation between index parameters from different tests to help save time and financial resources by making engineering-based adjustments to the mixture design before conducting multiple tests. This study explores the statistical correlation between mixture design properties and performance index parameters as well as the correlations among the performance index parameters from different tests. A total of 14 commonly used asphalt mixtures in New Hampshire were evaluated using the complex modulus (E*), resilient modulus (Mr), direct tension cyclic fatigue (S-VECD), Semicircular bend Illinois flexibility index (SCB-IFIT), and disk-shaped compact tension (DCT) tests to assess the correlations between various performance indices and mix design properties. The results indicate that the aggregate fractions that pass 4.75 mm and 75 μm sieve sizes, the binder’s useful temperature interval, and recycled asphalt content significantly affect most of the index parameters. Medium-to-high correlations were observed between S-VECD, DCT, and SCB-IFIT with respect to different index parameters.
Outcomes of Pediatric Pelvic Fractures: A Level I Trauma Center's 20-Year Experience.

Abstract Background Pediatric pelvic fractures are rare. The contribution of pelvic fracture pattern, risk factors for associated injuries, and mortality are poorly defined in this population. Methods Patients aged 0-17 with pelvic fractures at a level I trauma center over a 20-y period were reviewed. Fracture patterns were classified according to the Young-Burgess classification when applicable. Fractures were analyzed for location, pubic symphysis or sacroiliac widening, and contrast extravasation. Results There were 163 pelvic fractures in 8758 admissions (incidence 2%). The most common associated injures were extremity fractures (60%, n = 98), abdominal solid organ (55%, n = 89), and chest (48%, n = 78), with the majority (61%, n = 99) sustaining injuries to multiple organs. Unstable fractures were associated with injures to the thorax (70% versus 40%), heart (15% versus 2%), and spleen (40% versus 18%), all P Conclusions Pediatric pelvic fractures are rare but critical injuries associated with significant morbidity and need for interventions. Increasing fracture severity corresponds to injuries to other body systems and increased mortality.
Information Bottleneck Problem Revisited

In this paper, we revisit the information bottleneck problem whose formulation and solution are of great importance in both information theory and statistical learning applications. We go into details as to why the problem was first introduced and how the algorithm proposed using Lagrangian method to solve such problems fell short of an exact solution. We then revisit the limitations of such Lagrangian methods, and propose to adopt a more systematic method, namely, Alternate Direction Method of Multipliers (ADMM) to develop a more efficient ADMM algorithm with randomized permutation orders to solve such problems. More importantly, we mathematically demonstrate how our suggested method outperforms the original Information Bottleneck (IB) method. At the end, we provide numerical results to demonstrate the notable advantages our algorithm attains as compared with the well-known IB approach in terms of both attained objective function values and the resulting constraints. We further inspect the concepts of accuracy and convergence and the trade-off between them in our method.
Using Parsons Problems to Scaffold Metacognitive Awareness

After novice programmers learn to code, they ideally move directly through a six-stage programming problem-solving process when programming. However, they are usually unaware of this process and often skip stages in the problem-solving process or move through these stages in a sub-optimal order. Avoiding those errors requires a metacognitive awareness of their problem-solving process, which novices often lack. This paper reports on the results of an intervention, which utilizes a Parsons Problem, designed to determine if implicit guidance up through the solution search stage of the problem-solving process will lead to better outcomes for the students as they build a metacognitive scaffolding to support their problem-solving process.
Using Naturally Occurring Bioluminescent Enzymes to Track Specific Cell Populations

Luminol-based bioluminescence imaging allows noninvasive tracking of oxidatively active cells such as neutrophils. Luminol is given intravenously or intraperitoneally, followed by bioluminescence imaging at 425 nm. Here we describe a method for tracking neutrophil extravasation into an inflammatory site, especially focusing on mammary carcinoma.
Novel Diagnostic Methods and Posttreatment Clinical Phenotypes Among Intracranial Germ Cell Tumors

Background Central nervous system (CNS) germ cell tumors (GCT) are rare and complex pediatric neoplasms, the optimal management of which remains an area of active investigation. Objective To present an updated cohort study, with particular attention to novel diagnostic methods and posttreatment clinical phenotypes. Methods A single-institution cohort study of 80 primary, neurosurgically managed, CNS GCTs was conducted at Mayo Clinic, 1988-2017. Results Postchemotherapy resection (eg, second-look surgery) was frequently required (27.0%), especially after adjuvant therapies for nongerminomatous GCTs (NGGCTs; 14 of 28 cases, excluding mature teratoma) and significantly associated with pineal lesions, as compared to neurohypophyseal or bifocal lesions (43.6% vs 5.9% vs 6.7%, P = .004), a finding that retained statistical significance after adjusting for index extent of resection and histology (P = .04). Essentially every NGGCT case underwent at least 1 craniotomy, either on presentation, as second-look surgery, or following local recurrence. Mature teratomatous tissue was highly incident in second-look specimens (84.2%), even among lesions initially diagnosed as germinomas. Pretreatment cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cell fraction analysis demonstrated an association between single lesions and neutrophil predominance, whereas nongerminomatous GCTs were associated with increased monocyte fractions. Conclusion CNS GCTs are clinically heterogeneous lesions, resulting in numerous opportunities for improved understanding and clinical management via novel diagnostic and therapeutic protocols. Samples from second-look surgeries for recurrent germinomas frequently demonstrate teratomatous tissue, suggesting possible underdiagnosis of mixed GCTs-particularly among pineal lesions. GCT subtypes demonstrate differential cell fraction distributions on CSF analysis, a novel and perhaps diagnostically helpful finding that requires validation in external cohorts.
Effects of Age, Word Frequency, and Noise on the Time Course of Spoken Word Recognition

This study assessed the effects of age, word frequency, and background noise on the time course of lexical activation during spoken word recognition. Participants (41 young adults and 39 older adults) performed a visual world word recognition task while we monitored their gaze position. On each trial, four phonologically unrelated pictures appeared on the screen. A target word was presented auditorily following a carrier phrase ("Click on the ________"), at which point participants were instructed to use the mouse to click on the picture that corresponded to the target word. High- and low-frequency words were presented in quiet to half of the participants. The other half heard the words in a low level of noise in which the words were still readily identifiable. Results showed that, even in the absence of phonological competitors in the visual array, high-frequency words were fixated more quickly than low-frequency words by both listener groups. Young adults were generally faster to fixate on targets compared to older adults, but the pattern of interactions among noise, word frequency, and listener age showed that older adults' lexical activation largely matches that of young adults in a modest amount of noise.
Infrared sensing technologies assisting environmental monitoring

A diversified infrared technology base has been developed over the recent decades for various civilian and military sensing needs. The technology has been optimized to balance performance and affordability constraints for a variety of end-use goals. Simplistically, these goals might involve the detection and measurement of nearby, bright sources that fill even the largest angular fields-of-view of pixels in simple, low-magnification systems for which abundant signal makes possible infrared detection and measurement with less-sensitive, uncooled sensor arrays. At another extreme are ultra-cryogenically-cooled systems operating below thermoelectric cooler capabilities and which enable the detection and measurement of much fainter sources that underfill even the tiny angular pixel fields of view set by the diffraction limit of large, high magnification optical systems. Our emphasis is closer to the latter for the applications described here. As one example of the environmental monitoring capabilities made possible in the infrared, gas leak detection in transmission pipelines is vitally important for safe operation and for protecting the environment by accounting for and assessing the impact of leaks that adversely affect climate change. Gas leak detection in the infrared spectrum is facilitated by the distinctive spectral fingerprints of fundamental molecular vibrational modes which can be exploited for the detection of the gas. Sensitivity becomes paramount for many applications requiring faint signal detection, and large sensor array formats facilitate surveillance coverage. Many climate change assessments are expected to involve wide-area coverage of Earth scenes with revisit times sufficiently short to capture important transitory events. Shorter term monitoring of containment compliance requires detecting sufficiently small gas leak flows over broad expanses of the Earth’s surface with high detection sensitivities. In this paper we described supporting technologies in the areas of sensor arrays and optical sub-systems, with an emphasis on dispersive spectrometers. There are a plethora of applications involving the stewardship of a range of biological assets, both in the ocean and on land environments, as well as large-scale sensing of atmospheric properties, including concentrations of greenhouse gases.
Malunions of the Distal Femur

Distal femur fractures represent a common complex traumatic pathology fraught with potential complications and reoperation rates in excess of 15%. In the course of treatment of distal femur fractures, eventual malunion complications can occur from iatrogenic causes, implant failure, patient noncompliance, or from the original severe fracture morphology. The best treatment for a malunion is prevention of an index malreduction. This requires technical brilliance and employment of several various strategies which can help reduce their incidence, but occurrence remains possible. When dealing with malunions, early identification, recognition, and quantification of deformity are the keys to preventing further debilitation and potential joint destruction. Patient considerations and extensive counseling must be carefully navigated for the appropriate treatment strategy to be selected. Methods for correction depend largely on the plane(s) and severity of deformity, but also on patient demographics, comorbidities, and biology. Options for correction include varying types of osteotomies – uniplanar, biplanar, or double oblique – combined with internal fixation or combined with osteoplasty in the method of Ilizarov. Fixation depends on the type of strategy employed but can be done with plating, intramedullary nailing, or external fixation.
Trends in the Mortality of Biliary Tract Cancers Based on Their Anatomical Site in the United States From 2009 to 2018.

Introduction Recent trends in the incidence and mortality of biliary tract cancers are unknown. We estimated the trends in biliary tract cancers-related incidence and mortality stratified by anatomical site, age, sex, and race/ethnicity in the US adults. Methods We performed a population-based trend analysis using the US national incidence (2009-2017) and mortality records (2009-2018). We identified age-standardized incidence and mortality from intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, gallbladder cancer, and ampulla of Vater cancer using appropriate ICD-10 code. Temporal mortality was calculated by joinpoint trend analysis with estimates of annual percentage change (APC) described as each trend segment. Results The incidence rates of ICC increased linearly (APC 8.9%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 7.8%-10.0%) while gallbladder cancer-related incidence rates remained stable early and decreased significantly later in the study (APC -2.8%, 95% CI -5.5% to -0.0% [2014-2017]). Age-standardized mortality from biliary tract cancers steadily increased with an annual increase of 2.0% (95% CI 1.6%-2.3%). Although there was a linear increase in the ICC-related mortality (APC 3.5%, 95% CI 3.1%-3.8%), extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma-related mortality tended to remain stable earlier and increased later (APC 7.0%, 95% CI 4.6%-9.5% [2013-2018]). By contrast, gallbladder cancer-related mortality steadily decreased over 10 years (APC -1.6%, 95% CI -2.1% to -1.1%). Significant differences in mortality and changes in trends over time were observed in non-Hispanic blacks, Hispanics, and non-Hispanic Asians. Discussion In this analysis of nationally representative data, changing mortality trends in various biliary tract cancers was noted with a disproportionately higher burden of fatality in minorities.
Legal Ethics, Legal Dualism, and Fidelity to Law

This Article argues that there is an important relationship between the nature of law and legal ethics. A crucial claim in support of this thesis is that the nature of law varies with the purpose for which it is being interpreted. In particular, the Article contends that natural law provides the best account of the nature of law when an interpreter seeks moral guidance from the law, and legal positivism provides the best account when an interpreter seeks instead to describe the law or to predict how others will interpret it. This philosophical position it labels “legal dualism.” Legal dualism has a significant implication for legal ethics: to the extent the law serves as a source of moral guidance for interpreters, they must act as natural lawyers. The Article tests legal dualism and its corollary for legal ethics against Bradley Wendel’s justly lauded book, LAWYERS AND FIDELITY TO LAW. Wendel pairs legal positivism and the moral legitimacy of law, commitments that legal dualism suggests are incompatible. The Article argues that, while Wendel makes many important contributions, his argument is not fully successful to the extent it conflicts with legal dualism. It concludes that he—and others—should acknowledge and address the need for ethical attorneys to act as natural lawyers. That means lawyers sometimes must make moral judgments in saying what the law is.
Selectively and effectively converting syngas into gasoline fuel

Selectively converting syngas to target hydrocarbon products is highly desired but challenging. In this issue of Chem Catalysis, Liu, Zhu, and co-workers report a (CZA + Al2O3)/N-ZSM-5(97) dual-bed catalyst for direct syngas conversion to gasoline, with which they achieved C5–11 selectivity as high as 80.6% at 86.3% CO conversion with no deactivation in 110 h.
Polarized NORTIA accumulation in response to pollen tube arrival at synergids promotes fertilization

Summary Signal-mediated regulation of protein trafficking is an elegant mechanism for controlling the delivery of molecules to a precise location for critical signaling events that occur over short time frames. During plant reproduction, the FERONIA receptor complex is critical for intercellular communication that leads to gamete delivery; however, the impact of the FERONIA signal transduction cascade on protein trafficking in synergid cells remains unknown. Live imaging of pollen tube reception has revealed that a key outcome of FERONIA signaling is polar accumulation of the MLO protein NORTIA at the filiform apparatus in response to signals from an arriving pollen tube. Artificial delivery of NORTIA to the filiform apparatus is sufficient to bypass the FERONIA signaling pathway and to promote interspecific pollen tube reception. We propose that polar accumulation of NORTIA leads to the production of a secondary booster signal to ensure that pollen tubes burst to deliver the sperm cells for double fertilization.
Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Pricing Policies: Simulation of Minimum Price Laws and Taxes in New York City

Introduction Minimum price laws, which set a price below which a product cannot be sold, are a promising but understudied strategy for reducing the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. New York City has implemented a minimum price law for tobacco products and could consider this policy for sugar-sweetened beverages. This study projects the impacts of a sugar-sweetened beverage minimum price law among New York City adults, with effects of a sugar-sweetened beverage excise tax examined for comparison. Methods In 2020–2021, a microsimulation model of dietary behaviors and body weight was developed using population-based survey data, research on responsiveness to and avoidance of price increases, and a validated weight change model. Analyses applied the model to simulate the impacts of implementing a minimum price law (8 or 10 cents/ounce price floors) or an excise tax (1 or 2 cents/ounce tax rates) on diet and body weight among New York City adults for more than 5 years. Sensitivity analyses varied assumptions about price responsiveness, caloric compensation, and avoidance. Results A sugar-sweetened beverage minimum price law with an 8 cents/ounce floor would reduce average sugar-sweetened beverage intake by 16.5 calories/day (95% uncertainty interval= −17.2, −15.8) and obesity prevalence by 0.86 percentage points (95% uncertainty interval= −1.03, −0.69). Benefits were similar for a minimum price law with a 10 cents/ounce floor and for 1 and 2 cents/ounce taxes (range of obesity reductions: −0.84 to −1.24 percentage points). Benefits persisted in sensitivity analyses and were larger for Black and Hispanic than for White and Asian adults and for adults with lower than for those with higher income. Conclusions Excise taxes and minimum price laws for sugar-sweetened beverages could both reduce New York City adults’ sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and obesity prevalence and narrow sociodemographic disparities in obesity.