cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Distributed Robot-assisted Node Localization in Active Sensor Networks

In this paper we proposed a new sensor network architecture called active sensor network (ASN) where multiple small, sensor network-friendly mobile robots are integrated into a traditional sensor network. Such sensor networks have the following merits: adaptivity, self healing, responsiveness and longer lifetime. The focus of this paper is to develop a distributed sensor node localization with the help of multiple mobile robots. A potential-based robot area partition algorithm and a localization algorithm are developed. We verified our proposed algorithms in simulation.
The Integration of Clinical Care and Laboratory Research. A Model for Medical Progress.

THE DUTIES of the President of the Western Surgical Association center on the delivery of this address, and as I was escorted to the podium 1 year ago, I began the mental search for a topic that would catch the interest of the membership. To help in that search, I have reviewed the Presidential Addresses delivered since 1947 and have classified those according to topic to avoid redundancy and to identify an ecologic niche ( Table 1 ). The box score of Presidential Address topics made it obvious that neither clinical activities nor research had been overworked. Accordingly, I have chosen to address both of those "orphan" topics and illustrate how the planned integration of clinical care and multidisciplinary laboratory research at the US Army Burn Center in San Antonio, Tex, has resulted in significant advances in burn patient care, all of which are applicable to other critically ill patients as well.
Mantle flow and multistage melting beneath the Galápagos hotspot revealed by seismic imaging

Upwelling mantle plumes are thought to be sheared by the motions of the overlying tectonic plates. Seismic imaging of a hotspot beneath the Galapagos Islands, however, identifies a plume that is not deflected in the direction of plate motion and whose characteristics are instead controlled by multistage melting processes.
Outsmarting cancer: the power of hybrid genomic/proteomic biomarkers to predict drug response

A recent study by Niepel and colleagues describes a novel approach to predicting response to targeted anti-cancer therapies. The authors used biochemical profiling of signaling activity in basal and ligand-stimulated states for a panel of receptor and intracellular kinases to develop predictive models of drug sensitivity. In some cases, the response to ligand stimulation predicted drug response better than did target abundance or genomic alterations in the targeted pathway. Furthermore, combining biochemical profiles with genomic information was better at predicting drug response. This work suggests that incorporating biochemical signaling profiles with genomic alterations should provide powerful predictors of response to molecularly targeted therapies.
On the relationship between cultural values and preferences and affective health in Nepal.

Background: The westernization of developing countries has improved physical health and life expectancy. Modernization, however, is believed to have injurious effects on mental health. Some research suggests that the effects of modernization vary, hurting some but benefiting others. Economic disparity is usually presumed to cause the mental health problems. The purpose of this study was to determine if aspects of westernization other than economic status predicted depression scores in a sample of adults occupying similar economic stations in Nepal.Methods: Survey data were collected from 276 teachers in Nepal. The questionnaire was administered in Nepali. Statistical tests sought to determine the relationship between scores on a measure of depression and having a western cultural orientation.Results: Bivariate and multi-variate analyses indicate that a higher western orientation was associated with lower depression scores. Non-traditional attitudes towards the Nepalese caste system and gender political eq...
Postural Synergies and Their Development

The recent developments of a particular approach to analyzing motor synergies based on the principle of motor abundance has allowed a quantitative assessment of multieffector coordination in motor tasks involving anticipatory adjustments to self-triggered postural perturbations and in voluntary posturalsway. This approach, the uncontrolled manifold (UCM) hypothesis, is based on an assumption that the central nervous system organizes covariation of elemental variables to stabilize important performance variables in a task-specific manner. In particular, this approach has been used to demonstrate and to assess the emergence of synergies and their modification with motor practice in typical persons and persons with Down syndrome. The framework of the UCM hypothesis allows the formulation of testable hypotheses with respect to developing postural synergies in typically and atypically developing persons.
The Effects of Variations in Manufacturing on PCB Thermal Properties

The thermal performance of an electronic device is heavily dependent on the properties of the printed circuit board (PCB) to which it is attached. However, even small variations in the process used to fabricate a PCB can have drastic effects on its thermal properties. Therefore, it is necessary to experimentally verify that each stage in the manufacturing process is producing the desired result. Steady state thermal resistance measurements, taken with a comparative cut bar apparatus based on ASTM D 5470-06, were used to compare PCBs manufactured from the same design by different vendors and the effects of vias filled with epoxy versus unfilled vias on the thermal resistance of a PCB. It was found that the thermal resistance of the PCBs varied by as much as 30% between vendors and that the PCBs with epoxy filled vias had a higher thermal resistance than those with unfilled vias, possibly due to the order in which the manufacturing steps were taken.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Adjuvant Endocrine Therapy for Postmenopausal Women with Early Breast Cancer

Results from multiple clinical trials involving aromatase inhibitors have added to the knowledge base relating to endocrine therapy of postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive early breast cancer. In the extended adjuvant setting, data from the Austrian Breast and Colorectal Cancer Study Group 6a trial showed an advantage for anastrozole following 5 years of tamoxifen treatment, consistent with the more robust MA.17 trial that examined letrozole versus placebo following 5 years of tamoxifen treatment. The combined analysis of the Austrian Breast and Colorectal Cancer Study Group 8 trial and the German Arimidex Nolvadex 95 trial, plus the Italian Tamoxifen Anastrozole trial, have shown the advantage of switching to anastrozole over continuing the tamoxifen to complete the full 5 years of adjuvant therapy. These trials support the previously reported larger and double-blind Intergroup Exemestane Study. The Arimidex, Tamoxifen, Alone or in Combination trial now has data out to 68 months of median follow-up showing the maintenance of a significant advantage of anastrozole over tamoxifen for disease-free survival. In this initial treatment setting, the Breast International Group 1-98 trial recently showed a significant advantage for letrozole over tamoxifen. The current debate is centered on whether the optimal strategy is to give an aromatase inhibitor initially or after several years of tamoxifen treatment. Multiple important questions remain, including the predictive value of molecular markers such as progesterone receptor, the optimal duration of aromatase inhibitor therapy, the long-term adverse effects, and the relative efficacy and toxicity of the different aromatase inhibitors.
Here's what i did: sharing and reusing web activity with ActionShot

ActionShot is an integrated web browser tool that creates a fine-grained history of users' browsing activities by continually recording their browsing actions at the level of interactions, such as button clicks and entries into form fields. ActionShot provides interfaces to facilitate browsing and searching through this history, sharing portions of the history through established social networking tools such as Facebook, and creating scripts that can be used to repeat previous interactions at a later time. ActionShot can also create short textual summaries for sequences of interactions. In this paper, we describe the ActionShot and our initial explorations of the tool through field deployments within our organization and a lab study. Overall, we found that ActionShot's history features provide value beyond typical browser history interfaces.
What Financial Incentives Will Be Created by Medicare Bundled Payments for Total Hip Arthroplasty

Abstract Background Bundled payments are gaining popularity in arthroplasty as a tactic for encouraging providers and hospitals to work together to reduce costs. However, this payment model could potentially motivate providers to avoid unprofitable patients, limiting their access to care. Rigorous risk adjustment can prevent this adverse effect, but most current bundling models use limited, if any, risk-adjustment techniques. This study aims to identify and quantify the financial incentives that are likely to develop with total hip arthroplasty (THA) bundled payments that are not accompanied by comprehensive risk stratification. Methods Financial data were collected for all Medicare-eligible patients (age 65+) undergoing primary unilateral THA at an academic center over a 2-year period (n = 553). Bundles were considered to include operative hospitalizations and unplanned readmissions. Multivariate regression was performed to assess the impact of clinical and demographic factors on the variable cost of THA episodes, including unplanned readmissions. (Variable costs reflect the financial incentives that will emerge under bundled payments). Results Increased costs were associated with advanced age ( P P = .005), surgery performed for hip fracture ( P P P Conclusion If generalizable, our results suggest that Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services bundled payments encompassing acute inpatient care should be adjusted upward by the aforementioned amounts (regression coefficients above) for advanced age, increasing BMI, cases performed for fractures, elevated ASA grade, and major complications (as defined by Medicare MCC modifiers). Furthermore, these figures likely underestimate costs in many bundling models which incorporate larger proportions of postdischarge care. Failure to adjust for factors affecting costs may create barriers to care for specific patient populations.
High Quantum Efficiency AlGaN/InGaN Photodetectors

High efficiency photon counting detectors in use today for high energy particle detection applications have a significant spectral mismatch with typical sources and have a number of practical problems compared with conventional bialkali photomultiplier tubes. Numerous high energy physics experiments that employ scintillation light detectors or Cherenkov detectors would benefit greatly from photomultipliers with higher quantum efficiencies. The need for extending the sensitivity of photon detectors to the blue and UV wavebands comes from the fact that both Cherenkov light and some scintillators have an emission spectrum which is peaked at short wavelengths. This research involves the development of high quantum efficiency, high gain, UV/blue photon counting detectors based on AlGaN/InGaN photocathode heterostructures grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). The work could eventually lead to nearly ideal light detectors with a number of distinct advantages over existing technologies for numerous applications in high-energy physics and particle astrophysics. Potential advantages include much lower noise detection, better stability and radiation resistance than other cathode structures, very low radioactive background levels for deep underground experiments and high detection efficiency of individual UV-visible photons. We are also working on the development of photocathodes with intrinsic gain, initially improving the detection efficiency of hybrid semiconductor-vacuum more » tube devices, and eventually leading to an all-solid-state photomultiplier device. « less
Commentary: responsibility and insurance coverage of the mentally ill.

Should criminal law principles be applied to life insurance claims made by the beneficiaries of an insured person who commits suicide? Any discussion of the criminal law and the M9Naghten test of criminal responsibility, as sometimes used by the courts and recommended by the authors, obfuscates the resolution of contemporary issues.
An approach to placental examination

The placenta is fundamentally a foetal organ with a limited life span. By virtue of its structure, maturational features, and interface with maternal circulation and inner uterus, it can provide valuable diagnostic information about the existence of adverse intrauterine conditions, facing the foetus, and evidence of underlying maternal disorders. Examination of the placenta can reveal pathological features that have significant implications for the newborn, risks for recurrence of pathology affecting outcomes of future pregnancies, and/or explain the cause of intrauterine foetal death. Also, there is mounting evidence that low infant birthweight, due to prematurity and/or intrauterine growth restriction, both of which may be related to utero-placental insufficiency and adverse intrauterine conditions, may contribute to the risks for developing chronic diseases in childhood and adulthood, including cardiovascular disease and hypertension. The placenta may exhibit pathology that may become important in identifying which individuals may later be at risk for developing such complications. This presentation will focus on (1) practical techniques of how to examine and sample the placenta, (2) diagnostic terminology and criteria for common and uncommon placental pathologies, and (3) information concerning the implications of placental inflammation, meconium staining, and chorionic villous ischaemic, thrombotic, and involutional changes.
Posttranscriptional regulation of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 in human lung carcinoma cells in vitro

Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), the major circulating inhibitor of urokinase [urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA)], has been linked to the pathogenesis of lung cancer. PAI-1 belon...
Differential Toxicity of Insecticides to the Cabbage Aphid and Two Associated Entomophagous Insect Species

Ten insecticides were applied as sprays to cole crops, and the effects upon population levels of the cabbage aphid, Brevicoryne brassicae (L.), its principal parasite, Diaeretiella rapae (McIntosh), and coccinellids, Hippodamia spp., were measured. Demeton and endosulfan appeared to have a considerable selective advantage, being more toxic to the aphids than to the beneficial species. Phosdrin®(a mixture of the alpha isomer of 2-carbomethoxy-l-methylvinyl dimethyl phosphate (not less than 60%) and related compounds (not more than 40%)) and Zectran® (4-dimethylamino-3,5-xylyl methylcarbamate) were highly destructive to the mobile stages of the parasites and coccinellids, but were of low toxicity to the late larval and pupal stages of the parasite within aphid mummies. DDT, dimethoate, ethion, and phosphamidon showed evidence of low toxicity to D. rapae stages within mummified aphids and to D. rapae adults.
Nano-Mechanical Probing of Synaptic Activity at Dendritic Spines

Dendritic spines are small structures found covering the dendrites of neurons, forming excitatory synapses throughout the brain. These structures are a fundamental element in neural circuits, allowing many synaptic inputs to be processed by a single neuron. Due to their sub-micron size, however, it is very difficult to study the individual synaptic properties of spines using conventional methods such as electrophysiology and optical measurements. In particular, direct measurement of the membrane depolarization that occurs in the spines is needed to fully understand their function. While probing spines with Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) we have observed spontaneous, mechanical events at the spine head which last for ∼10ms. During these events, the apparent height of spines increases abruptly with a temporal pattern that exhibits features similar to action potentials. Using different AFM recording modes we have measured changing forces between the AFM tip and spine head that accompany these height changes. We have used these measurements to test a mechanical model of the spine that can explain the observed behavior. Our observations suggest a strong electromechanical coupling phenomenon occurring specifically at spines that may facilitate non-invasive probing of individual synaptic activity by AFM.
Preventing and healing infant birth trauma

Birth trauma can affect infants in adverse ways. The results of birth trauma can include feeding problems, bonding issues and emotional health. There are many ways that midwives and parents can prevent such trauma as well as help infants and children heal from birth trauma.
Vulvar Intraepithelial Neoplasia

The precursor to vulvar carcinoma, vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN), is divided into two main categories. The majority of VIN, VIN of the usual type (uVIN), is associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and may be classified on morphologic grounds into warty and basaloid types. This HPV-associated lesion typically affects younger women, often with other HPV-associated lesions elsewhere in the lower anogenital tract, and progresses less often to invasive disease. When it does progress, the associated tumors show a warty and/or basaloid morphology similar to uVIN. A minority of VIN, VIN of the differentiated type, (dVIN), is not associated with HPV but is associated with vulvar dermatoses, principally lichen sclerosus and squamous hyperplasia/lichen simplex chronicus. Patients with dVIN are typically older, and such lesions are much more likely to progress to invasive disease. When carcinoma evolves from dVIN, it is typically of the well-differentiated keratinizing type, morphologically distinct from the tumors arising in uVIN. The morphologic, epidemiologic, and etiologic distinctions between uVIN and dVIN and their associated tumors are the basis for the current understanding that there are two pathways to the development of squamous carcinoma of the vulva, one of which is HPV related and involved in a minority of cases and one of which is independent of HPV and involved in the majority of cases.
Stability guarantees for primary frequency control with randomized flexible loads

There has recently been interest in diversifying the technologies that provide primary frequency control of the power grid beyond generation. One method of interest to obtain frequency control by turning on or off flexible loads in response to local measurements of line frequency. Because of the large number of loads involved, it is desirable to implement this control without communication among the loads or to a centralized controller. One proposal that does not require communication is to have each load choose the frequency at which it switches on or off randomly. In this paper we use tail bounds and absolute stability to obtain stability guarantees that are satisfied with high probability. This stability result considers not only grid inertia and damping but local measurement delays.
Define Phase and Strategy

This chapter focuses on the definition of a project, including the designation of who is responsible for what progress by when. By definition, those applying six sigma methods must answer some or all of these questions in the first phase of their system improvement or new system design projects. Also, according to what may be regarded as a defining principle of six sigma, projects must be cost-justified or they should not be completed. Often in practice, the needed cost justification must be established by the end of the “define” phase.
No Merit Badge for CPR.

It takes courage to wonder whether we are “fetishizing” resuscitation of those stricken with life-threatening cardiac arrest. This is especially true given the large number of organizations that ha...
Public awareness of the HPV vaccine: A national population-based study.

1574 Background: Human papilloma virus (HPV) is associated with a number of malignancies. While national guidelines exist for the use of HPV vaccines in men and women up to the age of 26, data are lacking regarding public awareness of these vaccines. Methods: The National Health Interview Survey is conducted annually by the CDC, and is designed to be representative of the US population. Questions regarding the HPV vaccine were fielded in 2010, and formed the basis of this analysis. Results: 9120 men and 10946 women between the ages of 18 and 64 were surveyed. More women than men had heard about the HPV vaccine (68.1% vs. 34.0%, p<0.001), and young people (aged 18-26) were more likely to have heard about the vaccine than their older counterparts (54.3% vs. 50.5%, p=0.002). Factors associated with awareness of HPV vaccines amongst the younger cohort (eligible for the vaccine) are shown below. On multivariate analysis, race, insurance, and education were significant predictors of HPV vaccine awareness. Concl...
Taming the Gods: How Religious Conflict Shapes State Repression:

Despite a robust literature on general forms of state repression, the determinants of religious repression remain unclear. This article argues that a regime’s experience with religious conflict wil...
Compromised Structures: Verbal Descriptions of Mechanism Diagrams

We report our research of seven pairs of students enrolled in the second semester of sophomore-level organic chemistry as they attempted to describe (in their own words) and draw, respectively, three electron-pushing diagrams of three-step reaction mechanisms. The tasks’ objective was to accurately reproduce the diagrams based solely on the mechanistic language descriptions, because the goals of this research were to identify characteristics of effective descriptions and to describe factors that impede students in constructing those descriptions. Both members of each pair had at least one opportunity to describe and one to draw. To eliminate nonverbal communication the students were unable to see each other but were free to ask questions to their partners. Though most of the groups were able to successfully replicate the diagrams, they struggled to describe and draw chemical structures. Instead of falling back on the IUPAC system of nomenclature, they used iconic symbols and geometric shapes to characteri...
Constructing the Dialogue of Civilizations: A Case of Islamic Norm-Making in International Society

Since the late 1990s, Islamic activists have been active in promoting a series of initiatives and institutions known as the “dialogue of civilizations.” This agenda was initiated by the former Iranian President Muhammad Khatami and subsequently promoted by faith-based movements like Gulen Movement, and organizations like the Organization of Islamic Conference. This (agenda of) dialogue provides an excellent opportunity to study “Islamic norm entrepreneurs” and their strategies. This chapter argues that the discourse of the dialogue of civilizations is a response to the discourses of the end of history, the clash of civilizations, and the rejection of the West by the Muslim fundamentalist. Islamist activists adopt dichotomous frames for promoting their agenda: when interacting with non-Muslims, they appeal to the “dialogue of civilizations” and “interfaith dialogue” for mutual understanding, coexistence, and peaceful solutions to conflicts to argue for dialogue in international society. Among Muslims, however, they appeal to (the) dawa, the propagation of Islam, to justify their dialogue-related activism.
The existence of optimal molecular weight for poly(acrylic acid) binders in silicon/graphite composite anode for lithium-ion batteries

Abstract Poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) based binders have been widely used for the high capacity silicon anodes of lithium-ion batteries. While numerous promising progress has been reported, there is no general guideline for choosing the right PAA binders for optimized cycling performance. In this report, aiming to optimize the cycling performance of the Si/graphite composite anodes (15 wt% Si), we systemically investigated a series of PAA binders by validating their molecular weights (MWs) and correlating them to the cycling performance of the anodes fabricated with such binders. The gel permeation chromatography (GPC) was used to validate the MWs of six PAA binders (PAA1 to PAA6). Those binders then underwent a series of characterizations, including rheology study, half-cell cycling, scanning electron microscope (SEM), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). It is observed that the MWs of PAA binders not only affected the viscosities of the binder solutions but also impacted the cycling performance, possibly due to the cohesion changes. A range of 24–150 kDa is found to be optimal for minimizing the rate and extent of capacity fade and maintaining the cohesion in the electrode matrix despite the dramatic volumetric changes due to Si alloying.
Evidence for Redox Mechanisms in Organometallic Chemisorption and Reactivity on Sulfated Metal Oxides

The chemical and electronic interactions of organometallic species with metal oxide support materials are of fundamental importance for the development of new classes of catalytic materials. Chemisorption of Cp*(PMe3)IrMe2 on sulfated alumina (SA) and sulfated zirconia (SZ) led to an unexpected redox mechanism for deuteration of the ancillary Cp* ligand. Evidence for this oxidative mechanism was provided by studying the analogous homogeneous reactivity of the organometallic precursors toward trityl cation ([Ph3C]+), a Lewis acid known to effect formal hydride abstraction by one-electron oxidation followed by hydrogen abstraction. Organometallic deuterium incorporation was found to be correlated with surface sulfate concentration as well as the extent of dehydration under thermal activation conditions of SA and SZ supports. Surface sulfate concentration dependence, in conjunction with a computational study of surface electron affinity, indicates an electron-deficient pyrosulfate species as the redox-active moiety. These results provide further evidence for the ability of sulfated metal oxides to participate in redox chemistry not only toward organometallic complexes but also in the larger context of their application as catalysts for the transformation of light alkanes.
EFFECTS OF FATTY ACID STRUCTURE ON YEAST CELL PHYSIOLOGY

ABSTRACT Growth, cellular aggregation and mitochondrial replication has been found to be influenced by fatty acid structure in mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In many examples, the relative effectiveness of a fatty acid can be related to its ability to maintain the fluidity of cellular membranes. Occasionally two acids of similar structure and physical properties induce different physiologic consequences, suggesting the occurrence of previously unrecognized selective metabolic or enzymatic events. For example, 18:1-t(n-11) has a much greater ability than 18:1-t(n-10) to inhibit cell growth and induce triglyceride accumulation. Alternatively, growth in glucose led to a high degree of flocculation when the 11, 14, 17-20:3 (n-3) was provided, but not with the 8, 11, 14-20:3 (n-6). This fatty acid-dependent aggregation did not occur with any fatty acid when cells were grown on glycerol as the carbon source. Growth with 20:3 (n-3) led to 40% cells that formed petite colonies and did not synthesize mt-DNA or grow on glycerol, whereas growth with 20:3 (n-6) did not. Further studies of the selective inhibitory effect of trans isomers on cell growth of the heme-requiring mutant, KD-46, showed that added heme allowed endogenous synthesis of cis- unsaturated fatty acids (similar to that seen in wild type yeast) and relieved the inhibition of most trans isomers. The 18:1 trans (n-12) isomer however, strongly inhibited growth and was also inhibitory to wild type cells under some conditions. The different abilities of KD-46 and KD-115 to incorporate decosenoic acids suggests that several separate acyltransferase(s) in yeast may act upon the very long chain fatty acids. The possibility that some different acyltransferase selectivities (not recognized in in vitro cell-free studies) mediate some of the selective physiologic effects will be evaluated. KEYWORDS S. cerevisiae, metabolic regulation, membrane fluidity, flocculation, petite mutants, fatty acid structure.
Symmetry breaking in linear ZnCl2+: A theoretical study

Abstract The four lowest excited states ( 2 Π g , 2 Π u , 2 Σ u + , and 2 Σ g + ) of ZnCl 2 + are calculated using the EOMIP-CCSD method and the spectroscopic constants are reported. It is found that all the states have linear structures, while the 2 Π g and 2 Σ u + states are noncentrosymmetric with two equivalent global minima due to the pseudo Jahn–Teller effect. The computed barriers between the two minima are 88 and 169 cm−1, respectively, being much smaller and more reliable than the previous published multi-configurational results because of inaccurate treatment of the static correlation in the latter. For the ground 2 Π g state, anharmonic vibrational levels are also simulated using the finite element method. It shows that the configuration of the vibronic ground state is also noncentrosymmetric.
Abstract TP474: Implementation of a Nursing Stroke Change Scale: A Multicenter Challenge

Background and Issues: The Houston Methodist Stroke Change Scale (HMSCS) was developed to identify neurological changes for ischemic stroke patients who received tissue plasminogen activator (tPA)....
What Constitutes a Riot

This chapter discusses the difficulties in defining a riot. An abundance of definitions of a riot can be found in literature, which makes examining riots and the response taken by the police problematic. The chapter also attempts to understand why riots occur and examines critical consensus, such as whether the police cause riots and the perspective of the police as to the causes of riots. The relationship that the police have with the community within a riot context is considered and the factors that influence the behavior of a crowd and the relationship of the police with a crowd are discussed. The final section of the chapter offers an analysis of the response tactics adopted by the police.
Working in the City: An Historical Bioarchaeology of Activity in Urban New Spain

The shifting sociopolitical environment of colonial Mexico City (1521–1821) resulted in a reorganization of labor obligations and opportunities for the city’s inhabitants. Bioarchaeological analysis of skeletal indicators of activity, in combination with historical documentary evidence, provide an avenue for understanding this change in daily-life activities. In particular, the intersection of different aspects of identity results in groups of individuals that shared similar kinds of biomechanical stress that may not have been identified using a traditional methodology of dividing data according to age and sex groups. Additionally, the kind of work a person performed may have had an impact on the social perception of identity in colonial life, which was based more on how a person lived than on physical appearance.
PREVALENCE OF ATRIAL FIBRILLATION WITH CANCERS AND ASSOCIATED MORTALITY: A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY

Studies have shown that the incidence of atrial fibrillation (Afib) in cancer is most likely due to the presence of inflammatory markers. Certain cancers release more systemic inflammatory markers. The purpose of our study is to determine whether cancers with greater inflammatory markers lead to
When Extremely Good is not Enough for Sustainability Disclosures: An Abstract

The wide array of sustainability labels used in retail environments across the globe is staggering. One source indicates that there are currently 463 labels used in 199 countries across 25 industries and the number of labels used is anticipated to grow (Ecolabel Index 2018). Despite this widespread labeling, however, consumers still express confusion over the green attributes of products, suggesting that the information presented on these product labels is frequently insufficient and that this may be a contributing factor to unsustainable choices (Frazier 2007).
Soft Variable Stiffness Joints for Controllable Grasp Synergies in Underactuated Robotic Hands

This paper presents the design and implementation of a soft robotic mechanism for joint stiffening to enable synergy control of an underactuated grasper. Typical underactuated grippers exhibit reduced cost and weight and automatic conforming to object shapes relative to fully actuated grippers but have minimal control over grasp shape and typically a smaller size range of graspable objects. These proposed controllable-stiffness joints (CSJs) act to augment the advantages of underactuated grippers by giving additional pose control and by increasing the size range of graspable objects. The CSJs are implemented here in a parallel gripper to show proof-of-concept, and grasping experiments were performed with and without the controllable-stiffness joints demonstrating their improvements to grasping capability. Over the seven objects tested, the CSJs enabled grasping for two objects that the underactuated gripper was unable to grasp, and for the remaining objects increased the distances from the gripper at which it could successfully grasp the objects by an average of 16.8 mm, representing increases in individual object grasp acquisition space from 16% to 600%.
Stem cell derived extracellular vesicles for vascular elastic matrix regenerative repair

Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) are localized expansions of the abdominal aorta that develop due to chronic proteolytic disruption of the structural extracellular matrix (ECM) components (elastin and collagen) within the aorta wall. Major limitations in arresting or reversing AAAs lie in naturally poor and aberrant regeneration and repair of elastic matrix structures in the aorta wall. Bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) have emerged as a promising regenerative tool and their therapeutic effects are also known to be effected through their paracrine secretions. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) present in these secretions have emerged as critical cellular component in facilitating many therapeutic benefits of MSCs. EV treatment is thus potentially appealing as a stem cell-inspired cell-free approach to avoid possible phenotypic plasticity of MSCs in vivo. In this study, we investigated the thus far unknown effects of BM-MSC derived EVs on vascular elastic matrix repair in the context of AAA treatment. EVs isolated from BM-MSC source were characterized and their pro-regenerative and their anti-proteolytic effects were evaluated on our established in vitro experimental conditions derived from AAA rat model. Our studies revealed the efficacy of BM-MSC derived EVs in attenuating the proteolytic activity and also in imparting elastic matrix regenerative benefits under aneurysmal environment. Interestingly, compared to cell culture conditioned media (CCM), EVs demonstrated superior regenerative and anti-proteolytic benefits in a proteolytic injury culture model of AAA. From these studies, it appears that EVs derived from BM-MSCs could be beneficial in undertaking a reparative effort in AAA induced degeneration of vascular tissue. Statement of Significance Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) are localized, rupture-prone expansions of the aorta which result from loss of wall flexibility due to enzymatic breakdown of elastic fibers. There are no established alternatives to surgery, which possess high risk for the mostly elderly patients. Our previous studies have established the elastic regenerative and reparative effect of cell culture secretions derived from adult stem cell source. In this study, we propose to isolate extracellular vesicles (exosomes) from these secretions and evaluate their regenerative benefits in AAA smooth muscle cell culture model. This simple and innovative treatment approach has the potential to arrest or reverse AAA growth to rupture, not possible so far.
The Critical Point of Unoriented Random Surfaces with a Noneven Potential

The discrete model of the real symmetric one-matrix ensemble is analyzed with a cubic interaction. The partition function is found to satisfy a recursion relation that solves the model. The double scaling-limit of the recursion relation leads to a Miura transformation relating the contributions to the free energy coming from oriented and unoriented random surfaces. This transformation is the same kind as found with a quartic interaction.
The mysterious values of adipose tissue density and fat content in infants: MRI-measured body composition studies.

Adipose tissue is a type of connective tissue composed of closely packed adipocytes with collagenous and elastic fibers. These adipocytes store triglycerides at a high percentage and the estimate of this amount is important for the calculation of body fat mass. For example, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measures adipose tissue volume, but adipose tissue density (fat content percentage and density) is required to calculate fat mass. However, in previously published studies, the conversion factor for white adipose tissue density varies from study to study. This paper aimed to investigate the different adipose tissue densities used as conversion factors to clarify differences between studies. Furthermore, we include a new proposal for adipose tissue density and fat content of infants based on the results of recent water–fat MRI studies.
Bacterial community analysis of purulent material from liver abscesses of crossbred cattle and Holstein steers fed finishing diets with or without tylosin.

Liver abscesses in feedlot cattle are polymicrobial infections. Culture-based studies have identified Fusobacterium necrophorum as the primary causative agent, but a number of other bacterial species are frequently isolated. The incidence of liver abscesses is highly variable and is affected by a number of factors, including cattle type. Holstein steers raised for beef production have a higher incidence than crossbred feedlot cattle. Tylosin is the commonly used antimicrobial feed additive to reduce the incidence of liver abscesses. The objective of this study was to utilize 16S ribosomal RNA amplicon sequence analyses to analyze the bacterial community composition of purulent material of liver abscesses of crossbred cattle (n=24) and Holstein steers (n=24), each fed finishing diet with or without tylosin. DNA was extracted and the V3 and V4 regions of the 16S rRNA gene were amplified, sequenced and analyzed. The minimum, mean, and maximum sequence reads per sample were 996, 177,070, and 877,770, respectively, across all the liver abscess samples. Sequence analyses identified five phyla, 14 families, 98 genera and 102 amplicon sequence variants (ASV) in the four treatment groups. The dominant phyla identified were Fusobacteria (52% of total reads) and Proteobacteria (33%). Of the top 25 genera identified, 17 genera were Gram negative and 8 were Gram positive. The top three genera, which accounted for 75% of the total reads, in the order of abundance, were Fusobacterium, Pseudomonas, and Bacteroides. The relative abundance, expressed as percent of total reads, of phyla, family and genera did not differ (P > 0.05) between the four treatment groups. Generic richness and evenness, determined by Shannon-Weiner and Simpson's diversity indices, respectively, did not differ between the groups. The UniFrac distance matrices data revealed no clustering of the ASV indicating variance between the samples within each treatment group. Co-occurrence network analysis at the genus level indicated a strong association of Fusobacterium with 15 other genera, and not all of them have been previously isolated from liver abscesses. In conclusion, the culture-independent method identified the bacterial composition of liver abscesses as predominantly Gram negative and Fusobacterium as the dominant genus, followed by Pseudomonas. The bacterial community composition did not differ between crossbred and Holstein steers fed finishing diets with or without tylosin.
A Brave New World for Leveraged U.S. Real Estate Partnerships

In this report, Adam Wallwork discusses how tax rules applicable to leveraged partnerships, facilitate investments by foreign persons in U.S. real estate and infrastructure through domestically-controlled real estate investment trusts (REIT). Domestically-controlled REITs remain one of the only vehicles for foreigners to invest in U.S. real estate or infrastructure without incurring significant U.S. tax, withholding and filing obligations under the 1980 Foreign Investments in Real Property Tax Act (FIRPTA). To mitigate these risks, foreign investors in U.S. real property increasingly invest in domestically-controlled REITs indirectly through leveraged partnerships because such partnership tax rules confer on partners advantages from basis increases in respect of partnership debt to tax-free contributions of encumbered property, which REIT shareholders cannot match. After exploring each of the two REIT umbrella structures through which practitioners estimate that 75 percent of domestically-controlled REITs are held, the report considers in this context how Treasury's recent bottom-dollar payment and disguised sale rules apply with respect to each such structure.
Conflicts Cases and the Problem of Relevant Time

This paper, rediscovered by the author in 2017, is a comment on the Supreme Court’s interest-analystic Allstate Ins. Co. v. Hague, which had held constitutional an application of the law of an after-acquired residence, against a different branch of the defendant insurer than the contracting branch, based on events in another state. The paper comes to the defense of Hague and argues the legitimate interests of the forum state in that case. Readers of this work will know that the test laid down in Hague by Justice Brennan was repeated and approved in Phillips Petroleum Co v. Shutts by Chief Justice Rehnquist.
Attention, rumination and depression in youth with negative inferential styles: A prospective study.

Abstract Background Negative inferential style, rumination and attention are cognitive vulnerabilities implicated in depression that first emerge in childhood and adolescence. Methods The current study used a prospective longitudinal design to examine whether rumination mediates the relationship between attention (selective attention, sustained attention, attentional switching, and divided attention) and depression (depressive symptoms and depressive episode onset) conditional on negative inferential style. A diverse community sample of adolescents (n = 364) completed semi-structured diagnostic interviews, behavioral measures of attention, and self-report measures of rumination, negative inferential style, and depression annually for three consecutive years. Results Rumination mediated the relationship between strong sustained attention and both depressive symptoms and disorder onset conditional on negative inferential style. Specifically, adolescents high in negative inferential style with strong sustained attention were more likely to experience increased subsequent rumination that, in turn, led to increased depressive symptoms and episode onset. In contrast to study hypotheses, there were no significant effects for models that included selective attention, attentional switching, or divided attention. Limitations Significant effects were relatively small, and therefore, should be interpreted with caution and require replication. We were unable to control for intelligence, and as a result, stronger sustained attention may be indicative of higher intelligence. Conclusions Stronger sustained attention in early adolescence compared to peers may facilitate rumination on negative self-evaluation and subsequent depression. Use of non-emotion-relevant stimuli to assess attention may account for the lack of findings for selective attention, attentional switching, or divided attention. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.
The Design of Randomly Rough Surfaces That Scatter Waves in a Specified Manner

It is our aim in this chapter to provide an introduction to a form of the inverse problem in rough surface scattering, and methods for its solution, that differs somewhat from the usual form of this problem. In the usual formulation of this problem scattering data, such as the angular and polarization dependence of the intensity of the scattered field, are provided by experimentalists, and the surface profile function, or some statistical properties of it, such as the power spectrum of the surface roughness, or just the rms height of the surface, is extracted from these data. The type of inverse problem we consider here is how to design a one-or two-dimensional randomly rough surface that scatters in a specified manner a wave or a beam incident on it. We consider two different cases: (i) the scattered field is required to have a prescribed angular dependence of its mean intensity; and (ii) it is required to have a specified wavelength dependence of its mean intensity at a fixed scattering angle. Applications of each of these types of surfaces will be presented.
Economic Phases in Soil Erosion Control

THE continued loss of our soil must ultimately result in reduced output of farm products, and this presumably is the nub of our present concern about soil erosion and its control. It is generally agreed that the problem of soil erosion is now fairly well recognized by the urban worker as well as the farmer, and by the consumer as well as the producer. Newspapers, periodicals and the radio have all added fuel to this newly lighted flame of interest with the result that the Federal as well as several of the State Governments have taken steps to check erosion, by providing legal and administrative machinery and by setting up programs of operation. Aside from Federal and State programs many farmers, both individually and collectively, are adopting practices which will eliminate or at least reduce soil losses.
Olympia Revisited: Summer Session of the International Olympic Academy

(1965). Olympia Revisited: Summer Session of the International Olympic Academy. Journal of Health, Physical Education, Recreation: Vol. 36, No. 2, pp. 71-72.
Climate Finance for Limiting Emissions and Promoting Green Development: Mechanisms, Regulation and Governance

Preventing risks of severe damage from climate change not only requires deep cuts in developed country greenhouse gas emissions, but also enormous amounts of public and private investment to limit emissions while promoting low-carbon growth in developing countries. While attention has focused on emissions limitations commitments and architectures, the crucial issue of what must be done to mobilize and govern the necessary financial resources has received too little consideration. This paper attempts to present a succinct overview of the emerging field of climate finance by defining the legal, political and economic issues and outlining the leading proposals for financial, regulatory, and governance mechanisms to fund climate change mitigation, and low-carbon development. We argue that effective mitigation of climate change will depend on a complex mix of public funds, private investment though carbon markets, and structured incentives that leave room for developing country innovations. This will require sophisticated national and global regulation of cap-and-trade and offset markets, forest and energy policy, international development funding, international trade law, and coordinated tax policy.