cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Design and evaluation of a portable smart-phone based peripheral neuropathy test platform

In this paper, we describe a novel portable test platform that can be used to test peripheral neuropathy either within a clinic or at home. The system, called the PeriVib, is comprised of (1) a small, custom vibration motor designed to apply a vibration stimulus to the toe with constant pressure to test sensation threshold, and (2) a custom smart-phone app that enables a patient to run a series of functional gait and balance tests. Vibration is applied by PeriVib in two separate modes. The first mode, ramp-up, starts at zero amplitude and increases to a maximum level while the patient indicates when they start feeling the pressure by lifting their finger off the touch-screen on the phone. The second mode, ramp-down, starts at a maximal intensity and decreases in intensity; the patient indicates when they stop feeling the vibration. The smart-phone app determines the patient’s threshold by recording the vibration amplitude when they indicate the onset or loss of vibratory sensation, depending on the mode. In both modes, the measurement is repeated five times. In addition to controlling the vibration motor during the vibration test, the smart phone app also enables collection of gait and sway metrics through the use of the accelerometer and gyroscope sensors on the smartphone. The entire set of tests requires approximately 5 minutes to complete and can be done by a patient with minimal instructions from a clinician. In a cohort of 28 subjects with a history of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, we compared the PeriVib performance with two established threshold sensing systems: (1) a Biothesiometer device and (2) a tuning fork. We found that the sensation threshold estimated by PeriVib correlated well with the Biothesiometer ($\mathrm{R}^{2}$ of 0.68) but less well with the tuning fork ($\mathrm{R}^{2}$ of 0.15). Functional gait and balance metrics did not correlate with peripheral neuropathy severity.
Abstract 118: Predictors of Post-Stroke Depression in Ischemic Stroke Patients using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9

Introduction: Post-stroke depression (PSD), which affects one-third of stroke patients, is an important psychosocial consequence after stroke linked with higher stroke morbidity, mortality, and rec...
Abstract A68: Targeting metabolic vulnerabilities of MDSCs to enhance the antitumor activity of PD-1 blockade

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are immature myeloid cells that differentiate from bone marrow precursors and expand in cancer-bearing hosts. MDSCs significantly contribute to tumor-induced immune suppression and represent a promising target for cancer immune therapies. Biguanides, such as the diabetes therapeutics metformin and phenformin, have demonstrated antitumor activity both in vitro and in vivo. However, their potential effects on the tumor microenvironment are largely unknown. Here we report that phenformin, a mitochondrial complex I inhibitor, selectively inhibits granulocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells (G-MDSCs) in spleens of tumor bearing mice and ex vivo. Metabolomics analysis reveal that, compared to CD11b+Ly6G- cells, CD11b+Ly6G+ MDSCs have lower levels of glutathione and NADPH/NADP+ ratio, suggesting these cells have higher level of endogenous ROS. Interestingly, phenformin further induces production of ROS in G-MDSC, whereas co-treatment of the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine dampens ROS levels in these cells and rescues the effect of phenformin on reducing the numbers of G-MDSCs. Importantly, co-treatment of phenformin enhances the effect of anti-PD-1 antibody therapy on inhibiting tumor growth in the BRAF V600E/PTEN null melanoma mouse model. Combination of phenformin and anti PD-1 cooperatively induces CD8+ T cell infiltration and decreases levels of proteins that are critical for immune suppressive activities of MDSCs. Our findings demonstrate a selective, inhibitory effect of phenformin on G-MDSCs-driven immune suppression and support that phenformin improves the anti-tumor activity of PD-1 blockade immunotherapy in melanoma. Citation Format: Sun Hye Kim, Man Li, Sebastian Trousil, bin zheng. Targeting metabolic vulnerabilities of MDSCs to enhance the antitumor activity of PD-1 blockade [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy; 2017 Oct 1-4; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2018;6(9 Suppl):Abstract nr A68.
Male Reproductive System

The male reproductive system (Fig. 18.1) consists of paired primary sex organs, the testes, and a series of secondary sex organs. The secondary organs are the (paired) rete testis, the ductuli efferentes, vas deferens, seminal vesicle and bulbourethral gland, the (single) prostate gland, and penis. The secondary organs are so called because they are dependent on a hormone (testosterone) from the testes for development and maintenance of their structure and function. In addition, there are secondary sex characters, such as hair and fat distribution, form of the laryngeal cartilages and of the pelvis, and sexual behavior patterns, which are also dependent on testosterone.
Being accompanied to liver discharge clinic: An easy measure to identify potential liver transplant candidates among those previously considered ineligible

Being accompanied to liver discharge clinic: An easy measure to identify potential liver transplant candidates among those previously considered ineligible
The Search for Homoaromatic Semibullvalenes. 5.1 1,5-Dimethyl-2,4,6,8-semibullvalenetetracarboxylic Dianhydride

The synthesis and study of a novel bisannelated semibullvalene that is calculated to be a neutral homoaromatic ground state molecule is presented. Through variable-temperature X-ray, 13C solution-p...
Measuring Romantic Competence in Young Adults: The Inventory of Romantic Relationship Competence

This article presents psychometric data for a 35-item self-report instrument measuring romantic relationship competence in two separate samples of young adult college students. In study 1 (N = 219), results from Parallel Analysis and Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) suggested the extraction of seven domains of romantic relationship competence: relationship locus of control, perspective taking, intimacy avoidance, emotion regulation, romantic appeal, conflict resolution skills, and temperament. In study 2 (N = 907), a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) provided support for the aforementioned factor structure albeit with minor revisions (i.e., correlated errors between three pairs of items). MIMIC modeling results provided support for partial measurement invariance across gender. A CFA-based method of estimating scale reliability demonstrated acceptable to good reliability indices. Bivariate correlations with other social competence and self-esteem measures provided support for convergent and divergent validity. An excel-based applet is available to readers who are interested in using the 35-item IRRC with individual respondents (e.g., practitioners). Researchers interested in using the measure within the context of structural equation modeling should model relevant non-invariant parameters before proceeding with the evaluation of structural parameters. This instrument demonstrates promise as an instrument for measuring domains of romantic relationship competence within the emerging adult population.
Reactivation of super-enhancers by KLF4 in human Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a disease of significant morbidity and mortality and rarely diagnosed in early stages. Despite extensive genetic and genomic characterization, targeted therapeutics and diagnostic markers of HNSCC are lacking due to the inherent heterogeneity and complexity of the disease. Herein, we have generated the global histone mark based epigenomic and transcriptomic cartogram of SCC25, a representative cell type of mesenchymal HNSCC and its normal oral keratinocyte counterpart. Examination of genomic regions marked by differential chromatin states and associated with misregulated gene expression led us to identify SCC25 enriched regulatory sequences and transcription factors (TF) motifs. These findings were further strengthened by ATAC-seq based open chromatin and TF footprint analysis which unearthed Kruppel-like Factor 4 (KLF4) as a potential key regulator of the SCC25 cistrome. We reaffirm the results obtained from in silico and chromatin studies in SCC25 by ChIP-seq of KLF4 and identify ΔNp63 as a co-oncogenic driver of the cancer-specific gene expression milieu. Taken together, our results lead us to propose a model where elevated KLF4 levels sustains the oncogenic state of HNSCC by reactivating repressed chromatin domains at key downstream genes, often by targeting super-enhancers.
Principal Component Analysis

Among linear DR methods, principal component analysis (PCA) perhaps is the most important one. In linear DR, the dissimilarity of two points in a data set is defined by the Euclidean distance between them, and correspondingly, the similarity is described by their inner product. Linear DR methods adopt the global neighborhood system: the neighbors of a point in the data set consist of all of other points. Let the original data set be H= {x 1 ··· x n ⊂ ℝ D and the DR data set of H be a d-dimensional set Y. Under the Euclidean measure, PCA finds a linear projection T: ℝ D → ℝ d so that the DR data Y = T(H) maximize the data energy. PCA is widely used in many applications. The present chapter is organized as follows. In Section 5.1, we discuss the description of PCA. In Section 5.2, we present the PCA algorithms. Some real-world applications of PCA are introduced in Section 5.3.
Important Differences in Gastroenterology

African Americans have the highest rate of acute hepatitis B and C virus infections of all racial groups in the US. Despite the higher occurrence of both hepatitis B and C, African Americans tend to be screened less often, and once diagnosed are referred for specialty care less often. The availability of DAA-based therapies for HCV cure has significantly improved treatment eligibility, treatment initiation, and treatment successes in African American patients. African Americans have increased risk for hepatocellular carcinoma and the related mortality, and it occurs at a significantly earlier age. GERD has a similar occurrence in African Americans when compared to European Americans but has a much lower transformation to esophagitis or adenocarcinoma. Barrett’s esophagus also has a decreased prevalence in African Americans. Finally, there is a higher prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infections in African Americans.
Fissuring Barriers to Inclusive Education for Students with Severe Disabilities

Inclusive education for students with severe disabilities has and continues to spark intense debate. To what extent should students with severe disabilities be educated in nonsegregated environment...
Poisoning the (Data) well in ML-Based CAD: a case study of hiding lithographic hotspots

Machine learning (ML) provides state-of-the-art performance in many parts of computer-aided design (CAD) flows. However, deep neural networks (DNNs) are susceptible to various adversarial attacks, including data poisoning to compromise training to insert backdoors. Sensitivity to training data integrity presents a security vulnerability, especially in light of malicious insiders who want to cause targeted neural network misbehavior. In this study, we explore this threat in lithographic hotspot detection via training data poisoning, where hotspots in a layout clip can be "hidden" at inference time by including a trigger shape in the input. We show that training data poisoning attacks are feasible and stealthy, demonstrating a backdoored neural network that performs normally on clean inputs but misbehaves on inputs when a backdoor trigger is present. Furthermore, our results raise some fundamental questions about the robustness of ML-based systems in CAD.
Using peers to increase veterans' engagement in a smartphone application for unhealthy alcohol use: A pilot study of acceptability and utility.

Mobile apps can only increase access to alcohol treatment if patients actively engage with them. Peers may be able to facilitate such engagement by providing supportive accountability and instruction and encouragement for app use. We developed a protocol for peers to support engagement in the Stand Down app for unhealthy alcohol use in veterans and tested the acceptability and utility of the protocol. Thirty-one veteran primary care patients who screened positive for unhealthy alcohol use and were not currently in addiction treatment were given access to Stand Down for four weeks and concurrently received weekly phone support from a Department of Veterans Affairs peer specialist to facilitate engagement with the app. App usage was extracted daily, and pre/post treatment assessments measured changes in drinking patterns, via the Timeline Followback interview, and satisfaction with care, via quantitative and qualitative approaches. A priori benchmarks for acceptability were surpassed: time spent in the app (M = 93.89 min, SD = 92.1), days of app use (M = 14.05, SD = 8.0), and number of daily interviews completed for tracking progress toward a drinking goal (M = 12.64, SD = 9.7). Global satisfaction, per the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire, was high (M = 26.4 out of 32, SD = 4.5). Pre to post, total standard drinks in the prior 30 days (MPre = 142.7, MPost = 85.6), Drinks Per Drinking Day (MPre = 5.4, MPost = 4.0), and Percent Heavy Drinking Days (MPre = 35.3%, MPost = 20.1%) decreased significantly (ps < .05). Findings indicate that Peer-Supported Stand Down is highly acceptable to veteran primary care patients and may help reduce drinking in this population. A larger controlled trial of this intervention is warranted. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
Social Media for Hematopathologists: Medical Practice Reinvented—#Hemepath

Social media engagement by medical professionals with varied background subspecialties has steadily gained popularity in recent years. As a heavily visual discipline, pathology has been able to leverage social media platforms for trainee education, curbside and official consultations, interdisciplinary communication, and interactions among medical professionals and patient education. The pathology community has been at the forefront of using social media as an educational forum, and the hematopathology community has emerged as one of the strongest and most influential presences on these online platforms. In this review, we perform an in-depth analysis of various Twitter metrics to demonstrate key trends in the usage of social media as it pertains to hematopathology using the hashtag #Hemepath and we describe specific details on how hematopathologists have managed to take advantage of Twitter in furthering our mission of advancing medical education and disseminating knowledge using these innovative virtual educational experiences. The hematopathology community has a great degree of enthusiasm among residents, fellows, and faculty in sharing educational material using case-based examples, participating in group-based online activities, introducing new publications by article authors or readership, and disseminating educational “pearls” from medical conferences, using hashtags and digital images that otherwise would not be readily available to many around the globe. This practice is helping reshape the structure of our field and is providing opportunities to optimize the educational experience by enhancing the instant exposure to cutting-edge information and expert opinions, among other valuable features. The hematopathology community has leveraged social media platforms for disseminating educational material and strengthening interdisciplinary interactions and is a “poster child” for a medical subspecialty that has thrived and flourished by more broadly adopting virtual educational platforms. We hope that this review will provide details on how social media platforms can be used by others in the medical field to achieve similar goals.
Technological Modes of Making Architecture

Architecture is a historical and cultural production tied to technological advances. This paper explores technology's effect on three different modes of making architecture (pre-mechanical, mechanical, digital) and their associated modes of visual recognition (handmade, machine made, digitally made). It especially makes note of the architectural challenges tied to the current information age and digital culture. The paper concludes with solutions on how to bridge the gaps between the physical and digital realms.
A New Spectrum Management Concept for Future NAS Communications

With the growth of aviation operations and the emergence of new entrants into the National Airspace System, there has been an increasing demand for aeronautical communications. However, the existing VHF/UHF frequency allocations for NAS operations have become increasingly scarce and unable to support the projected growth in demand. While traditional approaches to address the spectrum scarcity issue (such as reduction of channel bandwidth) have provided some relief, there is a need for a more scalable and sustainable solution. Consequently, NASA is investigating a new approach to spectrum management within the NAS using Artificial Intelligence and other advanced technologies. The concept considers both air-ground and air-air communication networks with the anticipated outcome that the proposed concept will meet the spectrum needs of future NAS communications.
High dose cyclophosphamide for cytoreduction in patients with acute myeloid leukemia with hyperleukocytosis or leukostasis.

Hyperleukocytosis may lead to multiple medical emergencies. Hydroxyurea, intensive chemotherapy, and leukapheresis are used for cytoreduction. However, there is little data regarding the best appro...
Expropiados y exclaustrados: efectos de los procesos desamortizadores del XIX en la Orden de San Agustín en España

espanolResena de: Ismael Arevalillo Garcia, Exclaustracion y desamortizacion eclesiastica en la Espana del siglo xix. Alcance y repercusion en los conventos de agustinos calzados, Madrid, Editorial Agustiniana, 2019, 550 pp. EnglishReview of: Ismael Arevalillo Garcia, Exclaustracion y desamortizacion eclesiastica en la Espana del siglo xix. Alcance y repercusion en los conventos de agustinos calzados, Madrid, Editorial Agustiniana, 2019, 550 pp.
Extended Anterior Inferior Approach to Endoscopic Medial Maxillectomy for Maxillary Sinus Lesions.

BACKGROUND Myriad open and endoscopic approaches are employed to resect maxillary sinus lesions, each with associated advantages and disadvantages. The inferior and anterior portion of the sinus remains a challenging space to access. OBJECTIVES To describe the extended anterior inferior approach to endoscopic medial maxillectomy (EAMM) as a novel and valuable addition to a stepwise approach for minimizing surgical morbidity without compromising tumor outcomes. To report the outcomes of patients treated with this approach. METHODS A retrospective case series study of 9 patients who underwent EAMM between 2016 and 2019 at a tertiary care referral center was performed. The endoscopic technique is described. The duration of follow-up ranged from 1 to 53 months. Intraoperative steps, including transection of the nasolacrimal duct and execution of an intraoperative dacryocystorhinostomy, were reviewed. Postoperative outcomes, including patient symptoms at follow-up and tumor recurrence, were recorded. RESULTS Adequate exposure with gross total tumor resection or margin-negative tumor resection was achieved in all cases. Sparing of the nasolacrimal duct was achieved in 2 patients. No patients reported persistent epiphora, empty nose syndrome, or changes in cosmesis such as alar or nasal tip collapse. One patient reported unilateral V2 hypoesthesia at 6 months postoperatively that had resolved by his next follow-up 18 months after surgery. Postoperative tumor surveillance was achieved by endoscopic examinations in all patients and there was no evidence of tumor recurrence at a median follow-up of 22 months. CONCLUSIONS The EAMM provides improved access to the inferior-posterior-medial maxillary sinus. This approach minimizes the risk of hypoesthesia and change in cosmesis present in other approaches, and obviates division of the nasolacrimal duct for inferior, posterior-medial attached lesions. This progressive escalation of approach for maxillary sinus lesions minimizes injury to nasal and nasolacrimal structures without compromising tumor outcomes.
Occupational Performance Limitations After Concussion in College Students.

Importance Occupational performance limitations (OPLs) are poorly understood sequelae of concussion. This study aimed to establish the need for occupational therapy services for people who have sustained a concussion and to support the profession's role in facilitating occupational performance for college students experiencing signs and symptoms after concussion. Objective To describe the types and frequency of, and assess risk factors for, OPLs in college students after concussion. Design Cross-sectional descriptive study. Setting Web-based survey on Qualtrics. Participants A total of 220 participants completed the survey; of those, 52 (23.6%) self-identified as having sustained a concussion and were further asked about OPLs after the concussion. Results Eighty-nine percent (n = 46) of the participants reported an OPL in at least one area, and higher OPL scores were associated with the number of concussion symptoms (r = .34, p = .02) and increased recovery time (≥3 days vs. Conclusions and relevance College students reporting concussions with more symptoms that persisted for longer periods were more likely to experience occupational performance loss. Frequent OPLs were reported in occupations associated with the participants' primary role of student. These results indicate a unique need for occupational therapy intervention with students to facilitate their continued success in academic pursuits. What This Article Adds: People who have sustained a concussion experience OPLs. Occupational therapy has a role in facilitating a return to occupational performance during recovery, especially in helping college students with concussion return to the classroom.
Adaptive Feedforward Reference Design for Active Vibration Rejection in Multi-Actuator Hard Disk Drives

In December 2017, Seagate unveiled the Multi Actuator Technology to double the data performance of the future generation hard disk drives (HDD). This technology will equip drives with two dual stage actuators (DSA) each comprising of a voice coil motor (VCM) actuator and a piezoelectric micro actuator (MA) operating on the same pivot point. Each DSA is responsible for controlling half of the drive's arms. As both the DSAs operate independently on the same pivot timber, the control forces and torques generated by one can affect the operation of the other and thereby worsening the performance drastically. In this paper, a robust adaptive feedforward controller is designed as an add-on controller to an existing stabilizing feedback controller to reject the disturbances transferred through the common pivot timber by shaping the references to the VCM actuator and the total output of the dual stage system.
Fundamental derivation of two Boris solvers and the Ge-Marsden theorem

It has been known for some time that when one uses the Lorentz force law, rather than Hamilton's equation, one can derive two basic algorithms for solving trajectories in a magnetic field formally similar to the velocity-Verlet (VV) and position-Verlet (PV) symplectic integrators independent of any finite-difference approximation. Because the Lorentz force law uses the mechanical rather than the canonical momentum, the resulting magnetic field algorithms are exact energy conserving, rather than symplectic. In general, both types of algorithms can only yield the exact trajectory in the limit of vanishing small time steps. This work shows that, for a constant magnetic field, both magnetic algorithms can be further modified so that their trajectories are exactly on the gyrocircle at finite time steps. The magnetic form of the PV integrator then becomes the well-known Boris solver, while the VV form yields a second, previously unknown Boris-type algorithm, unrelated to any finite-difference scheme. Remarkably, the modification needed for the trajectory to be exact is a reparametrization of the time step, reminiscent of the Ge-Marsden theorem.
Identification of Low Population States in Cryo-EM Using Deep Learning

Cryo-EM has made extraordinary headway towards becoming a semi-automated, high-throughput structure determination technique. In the general workflow, high-to-medium population states are grouped into two- and three-dimensional classes, from which structures can be obtained with near-atomic resolution and subsequently analyzed to interpret function. However, low population states, which are also functionally important, are often discarded. Here, we describe a technique whereby low population states can be efficiently identified with minimal human effort via a deep convolutional neural network classifier. We use this deep learning classifier to describe a transient, low population state of bacteriophage A511 in the midst of infecting its bacterial host. This method can be used to further automate data collection and identify other functionally important low population states.
Book Review: 'Towards Post-Modern Trade Relations?' A Review of Dennis Patterson and Ari Afilalo, 'The New Global Trading Order: The Evolving State and the Future of Trade'

In the years since the publication of The New Global Trading Order: The Evolving State and the Future of Trade, Dennis Patterson and Ari Afilalo’s ideas have lost none of their originality and their call for reimagining the law and institutions of international trade governance remains an open challenge. The authors offer a long-term historical reframing of the relationship between trade regulation and the dominant role of the state. The analysis hinges on what the authors view as a radical shift away from the dominant model of the ‘modern’ welfare nation-state after the fall of the Iron Curtain. They argue that despite the world being ushered into a different era at this historical moment, the institutions, law and politics of trade governance remained largely unchanged. The analysis culminates in proposals for a new style of statecraft, and institutions to match, that would be better suited to the political and economic realities of our time. At the core of this transformative project lies the argument that ‘neither politics nor economics alone hold the key to unlocking solutions to the problems presented by global trade’ (Patterson and Afilalo at 1). Rather, the authors’ focus is on the relationship between the state and trade governance. They argue that the trade order reflects the dominant constitutional order of the state at different points in history, and the current crisis regarding statehood and trade governance stems from the unacknowledged disconnect between the present de facto role of the state and the de jure status quo of trade regulation. Perhaps most intriguingly, the book seeks to combine a post-modern approach to trade law and statecraft with what is in many ways a historical, progressive, rationalist perspective.
Viability of Organic Production in Rural Counties: County and State-Level Evidence from the United States

We investigate the determinants of organic farming in the United States. State-level data show that the organic farming sector has grown over the last decade, but growth has beenvery heterogeneous with few states accounting for most of the growth. Further analyses of county data reveal that favorable natural amenities, water for irrigation, and government payments have a positive effect on most measures of organic farming used here. Results further point out that organic farming operations are more popular among young farmers. Adjacency to metro areas is also an important determinant for the number of organic operations. Organic farming is more important for the agricultural sector of the areas that are somewhat remote but that does not appear to be the case for very remote rural areas.
Spawning salmon increase brook trout movements in a Lake Michigan tributary

– Salmon and trout have been introduced to many ecosystems worldwide, yet the ecological impacts of salmonid introductions remain poorly understood. We investigated the effects of introduced Pacific salmon on stream-resident fish in the Great Lakes basin by monitoring the movements of passive integrative transponder (PIT)-tagged brook trout in a Lake Michigan tributary receiving a salmon spawning run and in a nearby stream not receiving salmon. Coincident with the September arrival of salmon, an estimated 52% of resident brook trout moved >200 m, while no such movements were detected in the nonsalmon stream. After 3–4 days, however, brook trout movement patterns became similar in the two streams, suggesting that salmon effects on brook trout movements were short-lived. Movements in the salmon stream were predominantly upstream in direction, with 50% of the tagged brook trout travelling from below to above the stationary PIT tag readers during the study. Declining water temperatures with the onset of fall coincided with low levels of brook trout movement at both sites, likely due to relocation for spawning. Increased brook trout movements coincident with the arrival of salmon spawners could be driven by a combination of interference competition and egg consumption. Using a bioenergetics model, we estimated that the energy lost to movement was likely compensated by the energy obtained from consuming salmon eggs. We conclude that salmon spawners can substantially increase brook trout movement, but in our study, these effects were short-lived and likely negligible from a bioenergetics perspective.
Molecularly cloned mammalian glucosamine-6-phosphate deaminase localizes to transporting epithelium and lacks oscillin activity

Glucosamine-6-phosphate deaminase (GNPDA) catalyzes the conversion of glucosamine-6-phosphate to fructose-6-phosphate, a reaction that under physiological conditions proceeds to the formation of fr...
Investor Relations and the Flow of Information through Investor Networks

This study develops a model to examine how companies' investor relations can impact the dissemination of information and how the dissemination of information affects the time-series behavior of bid-ask spreads. In our model, investors become aware of the information release either directly from investor relations or via person-to person communication. The person-to-person communication then spreads in a network of heterogeneous individuals, where some serve as 'hubs' with high connectivity to others. We show that the optimal investor relations strategy relies on targeting highly connected investors, especially for time-sensitive and complex information. We also show that targeted disclosure can reduce bid-ask spreads over long horizons, indicating a benefit in terms of lower trading costs. We also show that investor relations activities to expand the investor base facilitate the optimal information release by increasing the number of hub-type investors who follow the company and therefore receive the initial information release.
N. Wylie, (2010). Barbed Wire Diplomacy: Britain, Germany, and the Politics of Prisoners of War, 1939–1945.

For decades after the Second World War the number of academic works in English concerned with captured servicemen as an aspect of international relations could be counted on the fingers of one hand...
President Obama’s Memo: The Legal Justification for the Targeted Killing of Anwar Al-Awlaki

This Article analyzes whether the U.S. could legally kill Awlaki, an American-Yemeni dual citizen who was outside of the military battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan. This Article first describes the development of the CIA’s covert drone program. Next, this Article discusses the targeted killing of Awlaki and the legal debate inside the White House prior to the strike. Then, this Article analyzes the secret legal memo that the White House relied on to justify the strike, concluding that the CIA’s targeted killing was legal because of Awlaki was “cobelligerent” with al Qaeda.
Development of a silicon BJT integrated circuit chip performance simulator

For integrated circuit chips based on the silicon bipolar junction transistor (BJT) technology, computer efficient models of the various chip performance indicators have been developed and a user-friendly computer program called "BCHIPSIM" suitable for the simulation of the chip performance indicators for a microprocessor or a gate-array chip has been developed. In addition to predicting the various chip performance indicators such as its maximum clock frequency, power consumption, computational capacity, power efficiency, fabrication yield, functional throughput rate and the size of the chip with the given technology parameters, the program has also been used to simulate the dependences the various chip performance indicators on the technology feature sizes in the range 0.1-5 /spl mu/m and the chip integration levels in the range 100-1,000,000 logic gates on the chip. >
Changing trends in the treatment of femoral neck fractures: a review of the american board of orthopaedic surgery database.

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the trends in operative management of femoral neck fractures by orthopaedic surgeons applying for board certification. Methods: We queried the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery database to identify all femoral neck fractures that had been treated and reported by candidates taking Part II of the licensing examination from 1999 to 2011 to determine the utilization of internal fixation, hemiarthroplasty, and total hip arthroplasty. The longitudinal trends were then stratified by patient age (younger than sixty-five, sixty-five to seventy-nine, eighty and older) and the declared subspecialty of the candidate. Results: There were 19,541 femoral neck fractures that had been treated by 4450 board certification candidates. The use of total hip arthroplasty increased over time (0.7% of fractures in 1999, 7.7% in 2011, p < 0.001); use of hemiarthroplasty (67.1% in 1999, 63.1% in 2011, p = 0.020) and internal fixation (32.2% in 1999, 29.2% in 2011, p = 0.064) declined slightly. All geographic regions showed an increase in utilization of total hip arthroplasty, with substantial variation between locations. The proportion of patients younger than age sixty-five who were managed with total hip arthroplasty increased from 1.4% to 13.1% (p < 0.001). Candidates with a declared subspecialty of “adult reconstruction” showed a strong trend toward the use of total hip arthroplasty (4.3% from 1999 to 2002, 21.1% from 2009 to 2011, p < 0.001), while “trauma” subspecialty candidates demonstrated decreasing utilization of internal fixation (40.9% from 1999 to 2002, 32.9% from 2009 to 2011, p = 0.012). The percentage of candidates treating at least one femoral neck fracture decreased from 54.8% from 1999 to 2002 to 46.3% from 2009 to 2011 (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The most substantial changes in treatment of femoral neck fractures were seen in the younger group of patients. Currently, a smaller percentage of board certification candidates are treating femoral neck fractures than those in the past, possibly reflecting a trend toward specialty care.
Mass spectral correlations of halogenated 1,1,1,3,3,3‐hexafluoropropanes and 1,1,1‐trifluoroethanes

The mass spectral fragmentation patterns at 20 eV of twelve compounds of the type CF3CXYCF3 (X, Y =F, Cl, Br, I, H) and five compounds of the type CF3 CX2 Y (X, Y= F, Cl, Br) were analyzed. It was noted that the frequency of carbon–helogen and carbon–carbon bond cleavage was quite dependent on the substituents X and Y.
Modulation of Tcf7l2 Expression Alters Behavior in Mice

The comorbidity of type 2 diabetes (T2D) with several psychiatric diseases is well established. While environmental factors may partially account for these co-occurrences, common genetic susceptibilities could also be implicated in the confluence of these diseases. In support of shared genetic burdens, TCF7L2, the strongest genetic determinant for T2D risk in the human population, has been recently implicated in schizophrenia (SCZ) risk, suggesting that this may be one of many loci that pleiotropically influence both diseases. To investigate whether Tcf7l2 is involved in behavioral phenotypes in addition to its roles in glucose metabolism, we conducted several behavioral tests in mice with null alleles of Tcf7l2 or overexpressing Tcf7l2. We identified a role for Tcf7l2 in anxiety-like behavior and a dose-dependent effect of Tcf7l2 alleles on fear learning. None of the mutant mice showed differences in prepulse inhibition (PPI), which is a well-established endophenotype for SCZ. These results show that Tcf7l2 alters behavior in mice. Importantly, these differences are observed prior to the onset of detectable glucose metabolism abnormalities. Whether these differences are related to human anxiety-disorders or schizophrenia remains to be determined. These animal models have the potential to elucidate the molecular basis of psychiatric comorbidities in diabetes and should therefore be studied further.
ON THE DETERMINATION OF THE ROUGHNESS COEFFICIENT IN NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL WATERWAYS

SYNOPSIS It has always been a problem for the hydraulic engineer to obtain reasonable values for the roughness in a waterway. The writer feels that the idea put forward in this essay could help the parcticing engineer to obtain a roughness value without complicated procedure.
Efficient computation of unsteady vortical flow using flow-adaptive time-dependent grids

The objective of this study is to efficiently simulate vortex-dominated highly unsteady flows. In such flows, the locations as well as the extent of the regions requiring fine-mesh resolution vary with time. A technique has been developed to simulate these flows on a temporally adapting grid in which the adaption is based on the evolving flow solution. The flow in an axisymmetric constriction has been selected as an illustrative problem. The multiple and disparate length scales inherent in this complex flow make this problem ideally suited for evaluating the adaptive-grid technique. Adaption is based on the equidistribution of a weight function, through the use of forcing functions. The significance of this is that the method can be implemented into existing flow-analysis systems with minimal changes. The grid-generation equations developed are viewed as grid-transport equations. The time-dependent control functions perform the role of the convective speed in this transport mechanism. The equations provide the efficiency and flow tracking capability of parabolic equations, while maintaining the smoothness of computationally expensive elliptic equations. The efficiency and flow tracking capability of the approach is demonstrated for both steady and unsteady flows.
Pleistocene Shorelines: A New Test of Isostasy

Recent geophysical studies of glacial-isostatic deformation overlook the same fact that was overlooked in earlier studies: the loads of ice that were applied to continents during glacial ages were not loads added to the Earth9s crust, but were loads transferred from the oceanic 70 percent to the glaciated 5 percent of the crust by the hydrologic cycle. A realistic model of glacial isostasy must be represented by a balance, in which glaciated areas totaling about 5 percent of the Earth9s surface have loads of 140 to 170 bars added or removed on a time scale of 10 4 years, while synchronously the oceanic 70 percent of the Earth9s surface has a load of 10 to 12 bars or more removed or added on a similar time scale. The subcrustal mass transfer involved in such a balance is not well represented by harmonic equations, for the water and ice loads are not symmetrically disposed on the Earth9s surface. The suitability of the proposed balance model depends on whether the ocean floor will respond isostatically to a load of as little as 10 bars. Evidence from Lake Mead, Arizona, and Lake Bonneville, Utah, suggest that the continental crust, at least, does deform under a regional load of 10 bars or less. Pleistocene marine shorelines offer a means of testing the balance model of isostasy. If the ocean floor deforms under water loads, the amount of postglacial submergence of a coast should be in part a function of the regional proximity of deep ocean water. Coasts with nearby ocean water more than 100 m deep had the load of water from the postglacial rise of sea level added early and close; coasts bordering shallow seas had the load added late and generally far offshore. An averaging technique to show the regional water load on the Atlantic coast of the northeastern United States provides a basis for comparing the submergence histories of several localities with the average water depth offshore. In general, the amount of submergence is proportional to the proximity of deep water. Oceanic islands should record different Pleistocene shoreline levels than continental coasts. Local, detailed, late Pleistocene histories of a variety of coasts will provide a test of isostasy better than the familiar test of postglacial uplift.
Youth activists, youth councils, and constrained democracy:

This article provides a critical examination of a common form of adult attempts to promote civic engagement among young people, namely, youth advisory councils. While youth councils have been widel...
Fifteen-year results of a randomized prospective trial of hyperfractionated chest wall irradiation versus once-daily chest wall irradiation after chemotherapy and mastectomy for patients with locally advanced noninflammatory breast cancer

Purpose: To analyze the results of a Phase III clinical trial that investigated whether a hyperfractionated radiotherapy (RT) schedule could reduce the risk of locoregional recurrence in patients with locally advanced breast cancer treated with chemotherapy and mastectomy. Methods and Materials: Between 1985 and 1989, 200 patients with clinical Stage III noninflammatory breast cancer were enrolled in a prospective study investigating neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy. Of the 179 patients treated with mastectomy after neoadjuvant chemotherapy, 108 participated in a randomized component of the trial that compared a dose-escalated, hyperfractionated (twice-daily, b.i.d.) chest wall RT schedule (72 Gy in 1.2-Gy b.i.d. fractions) with a once-daily (q.d.) schedule (60 Gy in 2-Gy q.d. fractions). In both arms of the study, the supraclavicular fossa and axillary apex were treated once daily to 50 Gy. The median follow-up period was 15 years. Results: The 15-year actuarial locoregional recurrence rate was 7% for the q.d. arm and 12% for the b.i.d. arm ( p = 0.36). The rates of severe acute toxicity were similar (4% for q.d. vs. 5% for b.i.d.), but moist desquamation developed in 42% of patients in the b.i.d. arm compared with 28% of the patients in the q.d. arm ( p = 0.16). The 15-year actuarial rate of severe late RT complications did not differ between the two arms (6% for q.d. vs. 11% for b.i.d., p = 0.54). Conclusion: Although the sample size of this study was small, we found no evidence that this hyperfractionation schedule of postmastectomy RT offered a clinical advantage. Therefore, we have concluded that it should not be further studied in this cohort of patients.
Evaluation of Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE)-Like Activity of Acellular Hemoglobin

Despite the tremendous progress in research on hemoglobin (Hb) cellular and molecular responses, the current understanding of Hb's overall intrinsic toxicity is still limited. The complete mechanism of Hb-induced vasoconstriction has not yet been established, particularly the involvement of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS). Some studies emphasized that Hb may augment the vascular responsiveness to angiotensin (Ang)-II. It was also reported that Hb, as well as Ang-II, influences the synthesis of 8-iso prostaglandin F2 alpha, which has an impact on renal flow and possibly RAS. Hb in the presence of H(2)O(2) gains enzymatic activity. Thus, it is possible that Hb directly and/or indirectly can activate RAS. In this study, we monitored the effect of ferrous- and ferryl-Hb, and H(2)O(2) alone, on conversion of Ang-I to its active metabolites. The structural and immunological identity of the resulting products were evaluated by reversed phase C-18 HPLC and ELISA, respectively. Additionally, ACE-like activity of Hbs was measured spectrophotometrically by determining their ability to react with the ACE substrate, the synthetic tripeptide N-[3-(2-furyl)acryloyl]-L-phenylalanylglycylglycine. Results indicate that while ferrous-Hb can serve as a receptor for Ang-I, its ferryl form possesses ACE-like activity, being able to convert, within minutes, Ang-I to Ang-II, Ang-III, Ang-IV, Ang (1-7) and other unresolved fragments. H(2)O(2) itself had a very limited hydrolyzing effect on Ang-I. Based on this study, it can be concluded that ACE-like activity of Hb with rapid formation of active angiotensins may be a contributor to the still unexplained vasoconstrictive response observed immediately after Hb administration.
Predicting Dyslexia at 8 Years of Age Using Neonatal Brain Responses

Auditory event-related potentials recorded at birth to speech and nonspeech syllables from six scalp electrodes discriminated between newborn infants who 8 years later would be characterized as dyslexic, poor, or normal readers. These findings indicate that reading problems can be identified and possible interventions undertaken up to 9 years earlier than is currently possible.
Separating the edge-based detection of object motion from the detection of objectless motion energy: implications for visually guided locomotion

Evidence is provided for independent motion pathways that can serve to discriminate the motion of objects from the optic flow produced by the perceiver's egomotion, the latter based on detecting motion energy. Motion energy models are founded on the idea that low-level motion perception entails the detection of spatiotemporal changes in raw luminance (i.e., oriented energy), irrespective of the boundaries that segregate objects from their background and/or delineate the parts of objects. In the current study, it was shown that the distinction between motion based on detecting an object's edges and motion based on detecting motion energy corresponds to Wertheimer's distinction between beta motion and objectless phi motion. Evidence came from a stimulus for which luminance increments spread in one direction, but in a way that created stimulus information specifying successive edge motions in the opposite direction. Objectless phi motion is perceived only for brief frame durations (high speeds). Beta motion is perceived for relatively long frame durations (slower speeds) when luminance contrast decreases at one edge and simultaneously increases at another. These results, which cannot be accounted for by attentive feature tracking, indicate that there are independent mechanisms for detecting object motion and detecting objectless motion energy.