cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Slope Failures in Southern California: Rainfall Threshold, Prediction, and Human Causes

Rainfall during the winter of 1992–1993 reached 195 percent of normal and caused landslides and mudflow/debris flows reminiscent of previous wet years when the rainfall exceeded 140 percent, the apparent threshold for damaging flooding and slope failures. Winters with rainfall exceeding this threshold have occurred at predictable frequencies and are expected to continue. Annual losses average approximately $200,000,000 from slope/ground failure and flooding in California for years with more rain than 140 percent of normal. Slope movements can be reasonably predicted when successful and sufficient subsurface exploration and materials testing is combined with the proper application of existing knowledge. However, the actions of humans still cause many failures through ignorance of physical processes, faulty reasoning, and rejection of current technology. Prudent and diligent engineering geology coupled with good geotechnical engineering practiced during the past three decades have helped protect sites and tracts from slope movement and flood damage, but failures are still occurring. A responsible effort by building officials in review of reports and enforcement of existing grading codes and ordinances can help reduce losses by 90 to 95 percent.
Synthesis of indole derivatives. Part III. Extension of the amine oxide rearrangement

The synthesis of N,N-bis(4-aryloxy-2-butynyl)anilines and their rearrangement to 1,2,3-trisub-stituted indoles is described.
Help, I Cannot Stop the Bleeding!

A 78-year-old male is brought to the emergency department after falling on ice and sustaining head trauma outside of his home. A computed tomography (CT) head scan shows intracerebral hemorrhage. The patient is noted to have a medical history significant for non-valvular atrial fibrillation for which he takes dabigratran etexilate anticoagulant medication. Coagulation laboratory studies show prothrombin time (PT) 13.1 s, activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) 62.0 s. A type and screen (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, EDTA anticoagulant) is submitted to the blood bank along with a request for four units of fresh frozen plasma (FFP).
Overweight--some facts, foibles and fallacies.

Adverse effects of obesity are greater in males and younger persons, and the longer the period of observation.
The Importance of Generative Models for Assessing Network Structure

One persistent challenge for scholars who wish to study political networks lies in correctly assessing the structures of the networks under study, and relating their assessments to their substantive theories. In this article, I illustrate the importance of assessing network structure using a generative modelling approach, and of specifying and testing theories about the structure of political networks at multiple levels. Failure to correctly model the generative process can have significant consequences, from missing important alternative explanations for an observed network structure, to specifying a model which does not test the hypotheses that derive from the researcher's theory. I introduce a general framework for assessing the structural properties of political networks, and apply it to re-specify an existing political science study that seeks to engage with network concepts. I find that correctly applying generative models can dramatically affect inferences about the structure of a political system.
Enhanced convergence rate of inequality constraint shadow prices in PMP algorithm cleared distribution power markets

The extension of Transmission Locational Marginal Cost Prices (LMP) to Distribution node LMPs, or DLMPs, is a prerequisite for efficient demand response that may support significant integration of Renewables. AC load flow and non-linear distribution cost modeling needed to this end, render centralized market clearing Algorithms intractable, with Distributed Proximal Message Passing (PMP) Algorithms offering what appears to be the only scalable and tractable alternative. DLMPs of real and reactive power are associated with equality power balance constraint shadow prices at each distribution node, while, allowable voltage limit inequality constraints are associated with inequality constraint shadow prices. This paper addresses the slower convergence rate of voltage constraint shadow price estimates in PMP algorithms. In particular, we use first order optimality conditions to derive relations that characterize the interaction of equality and inequality shadow prices across the distribution network, and employ them to construct a filter that enhances the estimation accuracy of voltage inequality constraint shadow prices. We show that use of this filter results in a significant speedup of the PMP algorithm's convergence rate for both voltage shadow prices as well as DLMPs.
Programming effect of dietary fatty acids on performance of Holstein heifers from birth through first lactation

Abstract The objective was to evaluate the effect of supplementation of essential fatty acids (FA), primarily linoleic acid, to prepartum cows during the last 2 mo of pregnancy and to their subsequent heifers, during the preweaning period on the productive and reproductive responses of heifers for their first 3 years of life. During the last 8 weeks of pregnancy, Holstein cattle (n = 96) were fed either no fat supplement (CTL), a saturated FA (SFA) supplement enriched in C16:0 and C18:0, or an unsaturated FA supplement enriched in linoleic acid (EFA). Newly born heifers (n = 56) from these dams were blocked by dam diet and fed a milk replacer (MR) for 60 d with either low linoleic acid (LLA) or high linoleic acid (HLA) concentration. The MR was the sole feedstuff during the first 30 d. A grain mix with minimal linoleic acid was offered between 31 and 60 d of life. Profile of FA in colostrum reflected that of dam diets. Profiles of FA in plasma of heifers at 30 and 60 d of age reflected that of MR consumed. Heifers fed HLA compared with LLA MR had increased proportions (g/100 g of FA) of linoleic acid (45.8 vs. 40.7, P
Enable Robustness of Data System for Intel Assembly/Test Manufacturing Factories with High Degree of Data Integrity

This paper addresses the data integrity (DI) challenges faced by Intel manufacturing. Critical data missing in fab/sort/assembly/test manufacturing has brought Intel to a risk of shipping escapees to end customers as a consequence of inaccuracy in engineering analysis. This paper will describe about the capability to eliminate the risks of data missing. The capability is an automated solution to track the test DI performance, and effectively assist the DI root-cause tracing and analysis, and finally automate the DI recovery best known methods (BKM) to ensure the robustness of overall data system for all assembly/test factories, varies geography manufacturing site across Intel worldwide.
Reddit’s “Explain Like I’m Five”: Technical Descriptions in the Wild

ABSTRACTThe genre of technical description is seeing a resurgence, particularly in online locations, where new, hybrid versions have emerged. The technical explanation, one such hybrid, proliferates on the social message board site Reddit and the message board “Explain Like I’m Five,” in which answers to complex questions are crowdsourced. This study examines 233 such questions and their answers, identifying the effort needed to generate technical explanations as distributed and coordinative technical communication work.
Parkinson's disease diffusion MRI is not affected by acute antiparkinsonian medication.

Abstract Objective A prior longitudinal study demonstrates that free-water diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) tracks progression in the substantia nigra (Ofori et al., 2015b). Here, we test the acute effects of antiparkinsonian medication on this established imaging progression marker for the first time. Methods Fifteen PD patients underwent dMRI OFF and ON-medication one day apart. ON-medication, patients were tested approximately 45 min after their usual dose of antiparkinsonian medication. OFF-medication, patients were tested after not taking antiparkinsonian medication for > 12 h. OFF and ON-medication was counter-balanced across subjects. For dMRI, we computed free-water and free-water corrected fractional anisotropy (FAt) within the following regions: caudate, putamen, substantia nigra, and subthalamic nucleus. Results ON-medication significantly reduced parkinsonian motor symptoms compared with OFF-medication (p Conclusions Administration of an acute does of anti-parkinsonian medication in PD does not affect free-water and FAt in key nigrostriatal structures. Free-water and FAt biomarkers reflect the chronic state of the nigrostriatal circuit, and therefore are potential viable biomarkers for disease-modifying therapeutic studies in PD.
Elevated Hemoglobin F in an African American Girl with HbS/β Thalassemia: Unraveling the Mechanism.

Abstract Factors controlling hemoglobin F production beyond the neonatal period are poorly understood; however, unraveling the mechanisms underlying hereditary persistence of fetal hemoglobin (HPFH) could lead to therapies for β-thalassemia and sickle cell disease. We identified a non-anemic 5 year old girl with Hbs S, F, and A. Investigation revealed elevated HbF in the mother and paternal sickle trait. More than 90% of the gamma globin chains in the daughter were Gγ. Mother and daughter share the common -29 β thalassemia mutation, but have normal MCVs. Mother Father Child HbA 77.6% 54% 8.7% HbA2 3.6% 3% 2.7% HbF 18.8% 0% 32.4% HbS 0% 43% 56.2% Hemoglobin 11.4 15.3 13.3 MCV 85.7 82.4 78.2 We set out to determine: Whether a thalassemia trait explains the MCVs in the mother and child. Whether increased HbF is due to γ globin promoter mutations linked to the −29 β thalassemia mutation. A duplex PCR strategy was used to genotype family members for the common African −3.7 kb α-thalassemia deletion. Our studies show that the mother is heterozygous for the a globin −3.7 kb deletion while the father and child are homozygous for the wild type α globin locus. The upstream region (−627 to −5) of the Gγ-globin genes of each family member were amplified and the PCR products were digested with the Xmn1 restriction enzyme to determine whether the Xmn1 polymorphism ( C→T at position −158) contributed to the increased fetal hemoglobin. None of the family members had this polymorphism. Sequencing of the upstream region of the Gγ gene revealed that the patient is homozygous for a novel mutation (A →G) at position −309 for which both parents are heterozygous. In summary we describe a novel Gγ gene −309 A →G mutation in association with elevated HbF; further research is in progress to determine if this polymorphism contributes to the patient's elevated fetal hemoglobin.
Geographic Disparities in Availability of Opioid Use Disorder Treatment for Medicaid Enrollees

Objective To examine county-level geographic variation in treatment admissions among opioid treatment programs (OTPs) that accept Medicaid in the continental United States. Data Sources/Study Setting Data come from the 2012 National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services. Study Design/Data Collection We used local measures of spatial autocorrelation (LISA) analysis to identify (1) clusters of counties with higher and lower than average rates of opioid use disorders and (2) clusters of counties with higher and lower than average treatment admissions among OTPs that accept Medicaid, adjusting for county population size. Principal Findings Our results reveal several clusters of counties with higher than average rates of opioid use disorder (OUD) and lower than average treatment admissions among OTPs that accept Medicaid. These clusters are highly concentrated in the Southeast region of the country and include Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee. Conclusions Medicaid enrollees in areas in the Southeast have the largest gaps between county-level OUD rates and estimated county-level capacity for treatment, as measured by county-level total treatment admissions among OTPs that accept Medicaid. Policy makers should consider strategies to increase the availability of OTPs with the capacity to serve Medicaid enrollees.
Requirements Analysis: A Review

- Many software organizations often bypass the requirements analysis phase of the software development life cycle process and skip directly to the implementation phase in an effort to save time and money. The results of such an approach often leads to projects not meeting the expected deadline, exceeding budget, and not meeting user needs or expectations. One of the primary benefits of requirements analysis is to catch problems early and Minimize thier impact with respect to time and money. This paper is a literature review of the requirements analysis phase and the multitude of techniques available to perform the analysis. It is hoped that by compiling the information into a single document, readers will be more in a position to understand the requirements engineering process and provide analysts a compelling argument as to why it should be employed in modern day software development.
Microbiota-Derived Short-Chain Fatty Acids Modulate Expression of Campylobacter jejuni Determinants Required for Commensalism and Virulence.

ABSTRACT Campylobacter jejuni promotes commensalism in the intestinal tracts of avian hosts and diarrheal disease in humans, yet components of intestinal environments recognized as spatial cues specific for different intestinal regions by the bacterium to initiate interactions in either host are mostly unknown. By analyzing a C. jejuni acetogenesis mutant defective in converting acetyl coenzyme A (Ac-CoA) to acetate and commensal colonization of young chicks, we discovered evidence for in vivo microbiota-derived short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and organic acids as cues recognized by C. jejuni that modulate expression of determinants required for commensalism. We identified a set of C. jejuni genes encoding catabolic enzymes and transport systems for amino acids required for in vivo growth whose expression was modulated by SCFAs. Transcription of these genes was reduced in the acetogenesis mutant but was restored upon supplementation with physiological concentrations of the SCFAs acetate and butyrate present in the lower intestinal tracts of avian and human hosts. Conversely, the organic acid lactate, which is abundant in the upper intestinal tract where C. jejuni colonizes less efficiently, reduced expression of these genes. We propose that microbiota-generated SCFAs and lactate are cues for C. jejuni to discriminate between different intestinal regions. Spatial gradients of these metabolites likely allow C. jejuni to locate preferred niches in the lower intestinal tract and induce expression of factors required for intestinal growth and commensal colonization. Our findings provide insights into the types of cues C. jejuni monitors in the avian host for commensalism and likely in humans to promote diarrheal disease. IMPORTANCECampylobacter jejuni is a commensal of the intestinal tracts of avian species and other animals and a leading cause of diarrheal disease in humans. The types of cues sensed by C. jejuni to influence responses to promote commensalism or infection are largely lacking. By analyzing a C. jejuni acetogenesis mutant, we discovered a set of genes whose expression is modulated by lactate and short-chain fatty acids produced by the microbiota in the intestinal tract. These genes include those encoding catabolic enzymes and transport systems for amino acids that are required by C. jejuni for in vivo growth and intestinal colonization. We propose that gradients of these microbiota-generated metabolites are cues for spatial discrimination between areas of the intestines so that the bacterium can locate niches in the lower intestinal tract for optimal growth for commensalism in avian species and possibly infection of human hosts leading to diarrheal disease.
Response Elimination with DRO and Extinction: A Within-Subject Comparison

3 pigeons initially received nondifferential reinforcement training for keypecking on a 3-component multiple schedule, with identical variable-interval 30-sec. schedules in effect in each component. Following response rate stabilization in each component, the reinforcement contingencies were changed in 2 components. In one, reinforcement occurred whenever a response was not emitted for a designated time interval; in the other, reinforcement was no longer available. Responding was eliminated faster with DRO than with extinction in all Ss, and response rates above base-line consistently developed in the unaltered component. Findings from a retention test indicated that response elimination was very durable with DRO, whereas spontaneous recovery occurred with the extinction schedule.
Exercise and Pregnancy: Hormonal Considerations

This chapter summarizes information related to exercise during pregnancy and endocrine responses to that exercise. Hormones released from the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, adrenals, pancreas, adipose tissue, thyroid, parathyroid, liver, and placenta are included. Although a number of hormonal responses to exercise during pregnancy have been described in this chapter, the overall importance is unclear. Much remains unanswered and more studies with more subjects are needed before confident conclusions can be reached regarding exercise during pregnancy, changes in hormonal concentrations, and interpretations of the meaning of those changes.
A general dynamic network spatial price equilibrium model with gains and losses

The spatial price equilibrium models of Samuelson, and Takayama and Judge have provided the basic framework for the study of a variety of applications in the fields of agriculture, regional science, and energy markets. The central issue in such studies is the computation of the equilibrium regional production, consumption, and interregional commodity flow patterns.
A Sign of Severe Radiation Injury Observed in the Erythrocyte Sedimentation of Dogs

Erythrocyte sedimentation curves are analyzed by determining the constants of a linear relation between logarithm of sedimentation distance and logarithm of time that obtains for the initial part of the sedimentation process. The sedimentation curves obtained from dogs exposed to x-rays, or injected with radiostrontium or plutonium were analyzed in this manner. The pathologic sedimentation curves fall into two groups. Dogs that received sublethal dosages of x-ray, radiostrontium or plutonium showed a response (phase I response) in which decreased slope of the log-log line is associated with increased intercept. Dogs that received dosages in or beyond the LD 50 range showed, during the period of maximum acute death rate, a further increase in intercept associated with an increase in slope (phase II response). An increased slope indicates an increased rate of rouleau growth. It is inferred that the phase I response is due to decreased hematocrit and the phase II response to an increased titer of an agglutinating principle.
Improved assays to measure and characterize the inducible HIV reservoir.

Abstract Background Improved assays are critical to better characterize the HIV reservoir and to reliably evaluate candidate intervention strategies. Here we describe different methods to quantify the HIV reservoir. Methods We developed an optimized quantitative viral outgrowth assay (QVOA) to quantify the frequency of cells harboring replication-competent HIV, which is simpler and more sensitive than classical QVOAs. We also developed new inducible RNA assays that concomitantly measure the frequency of cell-associated [ca-] (gag and tat-rev) and cell-free [cf-] HIV RNA after three days of anti-CD3/CD28 stimulation. Findings The median frequency of the infected cells measured after induction was 94 IQR[60–132], 16 IQR [9–29] and 2.9 IQR[1.9–6.8] cells/106 CD4+ T-cells for ca-RNA gag and tat-rev, and cf-RNA, respectively. There are a large proportion of transcription-competent proviruses (ca-RNA) that seemed unable to form complete virions (cf-RNA), suggesting post-transcriptional blocks or defective proviruses. Importantly, the median frequency of infected CD4+ T-cells as estimated by 3-day inducible cf-RNA assay was not statistically different from the frequency measured by the QVOA (median of 3.3 [1.9–6.2] IUPM). The latently infected cells detected by the inducible cf-RNA assay correlated highly with the QVOA ( r= 0.67, p Interpretation These inducible RNA assays provide more sensitivity and a greater dynamic range for the monitoring of reduction of the reservoir by eradication strategies. Such assays may serve as robust and useful tools for clinical investigations of the HIV reservoir.
Housing in Ukraine: How Different Is Kiev from Western Cities?

This paper uses listings of residential real estate properties in Kiev, Ukraine to develop a picture of the principal underlying dimensions defining this market. It is possible to obtain valuable i...
Hyperintensional Questions

It has been known for decades that Montague's (1974 [1970]) possible-worlds semantics, which follows Kripke 1963 in treating worlds as unanalyzed primitives and propositions as sets of worlds, does not provide enough meaning distinctions to make correct predictions about a wide range of natural-language entailment patterns. This granularity problem, as it has come to be known, has many dimensions, of which the best known is that two declarative sentences which entail each other must express the same proposition. This is because entailment is modelled by the subset inclusion relation on the powerset of the set of propositions, and that relation is irretrievably antisymmetric. The most notorious consequence of this antisymmetry of entailment is the so-called logical omniscience problem, that (assuming knowledge is a relation between individuals and propositions) anyone who knows at least one necessary truth (e.g. that s/he is self-identical, or that two is even) must know every necessary truth, even an unresolved mathematical conjecture or its denial (whichever is true). Thus, e.g. if Paris Hilton knows that Paris Hilton is Paris Hilton, then she must also know that every nontrivial zero of the zeta-function has real part 1/2, if that is indeed the case, or else she must know that this is notthe case, if indeed it is not. In short, it seems to be a consequence of MS that a celebrity hotel heiress devoted to parties and shopping knows whether the Riemann Hypothesis is true. This is just one of the unsavory consequences of MS.
Temporal gating of synaptic competition in the lateral amygdala by cannabinoid receptor modulation of the thalamic input

The acquisition of fear memories involves plasticity of the thalamic and cortical pathways to the lateral amygdala (LA). The maintenance of synaptic plasticity requires the interplay between input-specific synaptic tags and the allocation of plasticity-related proteins (PRPs). Based on this interplay, weakly activated synapses can express long-lasting synaptic plasticity by cooperation with strongly activated ones. Increasing the number of activated synapses can shift cooperation to competition. Synaptic cooperation and competition can determine whether two events, separated in time, are linked or selected. The rules that determine whether synapses cooperate or compete are unknown. We found that synaptic cooperation and competition, in the LA, are determined by the temporal sequence of cortical and thalamic stimulation and that the strength of the synaptic tag is modulated by the endocannabinoid signalling. This modulation is particularly effective in thalamic synapses, suggesting a critical role of endocannabinoids in restricting thalamic plasticity. Also, we found that PRPs availability is modulated by the action-potential firing of neurons, shifting competition to cooperation. Our data present the first evidence that pre-synaptic modulation of synaptic activation, by the cannabinoid signalling, function as a temporal gating mechanism limiting synaptic cooperation and competition.
A Modified Frank-wolfe Algorithm for Tensor Factorization with Unimodal Signals

Unimodality-constrained matrix or tensor factorization has applications in various domains, such as non-parametric source localization and data clustering, where the signals of interest are unimodal. Such factorizations are challenged by the non-convex nature of unimodality constraints. This paper develops a modified Frank-Wolfe algorithm with a successive programming technique, which produces a sequence of linear subproblems with modified and adaptive constraints. The algorithm is proven to converge and the subproblems are shown to be solved easily. In an application example of solving unimodality-constrained tensor factorization problems, the proposed algorithm demonstrates substantial complexity reduction while achieving the same convergence performance as compared to a brute-force projected gradient algorithm.
The optimal threshold for removing noise from speech is similar across normal and impaired hearing—a time-frequency masking study

Hearing-impaired listeners' intolerance to background noise during speech perception is well known. The current study employed speech materials free of ceiling effects to reveal the optimal trade-off between rejecting noise and retaining speech during time-frequency masking. This relative criterion value (−7 dB) was found to hold across noise types that differ in acoustic spectro-temporal complexity. It was also found that listeners with hearing impairment and those with normal hearing performed optimally at this same value, suggesting no true noise intolerance once time-frequency units containing speech are extracted.
Coercive controlling behaviors in intimate partner violence in male same-sex relationships:A mixed-methods study

AbstractUsing mixed methods, we explored the role of coercive controlling behaviors in a high-risk sample of 126 men in violent same-sex relationships. Contrary to a prediction that separate factor...
High-Performance 3-D Fiber Network Composite Electrolyte Enabled with Li-Ion Conducting Nanofibers and Amorphous PEO-Based Cross-Linked Polymer for Ambient All-Solid-State Lithium-Metal Batteries

Solid electrolytes have gained attention recently for the development of next-generation Li-ion batteries since they can fundamentally improve the battery stability and safety. Among various types of solid electrolytes, composite solid electrolytes (CSEs) exhibit both high ionic conductivity and excellent interfacial contact with the electrodes. Incorporating active nanofibers into the polymer matrix demonstrates an effective method to fabricate CSEs. However, current CSEs based on traditional poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) polymer suffer from the poor ionic conductivity of PEO and agglomeration effect of inorganic fillers at high concentrations, which limit further improvements in Li+ conductivity and electrochemical stability. Herein, we synthesize a novel PEO based cross-linked polymer (CLP) as the polymer matrix with naturally amorphous structure and high room-temperature ionic conductivity of 2.40 × 10−4 S cm−1. Li0.3La0.557TiO3 (LLTO) nanofibers are incorporated into the CLP matrix to form composite solid electrolytes, achieving enhanced ionic conductivity without showing filler agglomeration. The high content of Li-conductive nanofibers improves the mechanical strength, ensures the conductive network, and increases the total Li+ conductivity to 3.31 × 10−4 S cm−1. The all-solid-state Li|LiFePO4 batteries with LLTO nanofiber-incorporated CSEs are able to deliver attractive specific capacity of 147 mAh g−1 at room temperature, and no evident dendrite is found at the anode/electrolyte interface after 100 cycles. A highly ionic-conductive 3-D fiber network composite solid electrolyte is introduced based on Li-ion conducting nanofibers and amorphous poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) cross-linked polymer. With the reinforcement of Li0.3La0.557TiO3 (LLTO) nanofibers, the continuous 3D conduction network formed within the polymer matrix greatly enhances the electrochemical and mechanical properties of resultant composite solid electrolytes. Consequently, the lithium dendrite is effectively controlled after long cycles, and the all-solid-state Li|LiFePO4 prototype cells demonstrate excellent cycling stability at room temperature.
Metabolic Remodeling Promotes Cardiac Hypertrophy by Directing Glucose to Aspartate Biosynthesis

Rationale: Hypertrophied hearts switch from mainly using fatty acids (FAs) to an increased reliance on glucose for energy production. It has been shown that preserving FA oxidation (FAO) prevents t...
Incidence and Risk Factors of Postoperative Mortality and Morbidity After Elective Versus Emergent Abdominal Surgery in a National Sample of 8193 Patients With Cirrhosis

Objective To describe the incidence and risk factors for mortality and morbidity in patients with cirrhosis undergoing elective or emergent abdominal surgeries. Background Postoperative morbidity and mortality are higher in patients with cirrhosis; variation by surgical procedure type and cirrhosis severity remain unclear. Methods We analyzed prospectively-collected data from the Veterans Affairs (VA) Surgical Quality Improvement Program for 8193 patients with cirrhosis, 864 noncirrhotic controls with chronic hepatitis B infection, and 5468 noncirrhotic controls without chronic liver disease, who underwent abdominal surgery from 2001 to 2017. Data were analyzed using random-effects models controlling for potential confounders. Results Patients with cirrhosis had significantly higher 30-day mortality than noncirrhotic patients with chronic hepatitis B [4.4% vs 1.3%, adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.80, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.57-4.98] or with no chronic liver disease (0.8%, aOR 4.68, 95% CI 3.27-6.69); mortality difference was highest in patients with Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) score ≥10. Among patients with cirrhosis, postoperative mortality was almost 6 times higher after emergent rather than elective surgery (17.2% vs. 2.1%, aOR 5.82, 95% CI 4.66-7.27). For elective surgeries, 30-day mortality was highest after colorectal resection (7.0%) and lowest after inguinal hernia repair (0.6%). Predictors of postoperative mortality included cirrhosis-related characteristics (high MELD score, low serum albumin, ascites, encephalopathy), surgery-related characteristics (emergent vs elective, type of surgery, intraoperative blood transfusion), comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cancer, sepsis, ventilator dependence, functional status), and age. Conclusions Accurate preoperative risk assessments in patients with cirrhosis should account for cirrhosis severity, comorbidities, type of procedure, and whether the procedure is emergent versus elective.
Outcomes of neonatal retinoblastoma in pre-chemotherapy and chemotherapy eras.

Purpose: To quantify outcomes for neonatal retinoblastoma patients treated during the pre-chemotherapy (1980–1994) and chemotherapy (1995–2018) eras. Methods: Retrospective review of retinoblastoma patients diagnosed within the first 28 days of life between 1/1/1980 and 11/30/2018. Student's t-test, Chi-square, and Fisher's exact test were performed to compare treatments and outcomes by era. Results: There were 68 patients with neonatal retinoblastoma (12% unilateral and 88% bilateral). According to era (pre-chemotherapy vs. chemotherapy), the number of treated patients was 26 (38%) vs. 42 (62%). Primary treatment was external beam radiotherapy (50% vs. 1%,P
Carbon Capture, Employment, and Coming Home from Prison

Finding and securing employment is a huge challenge for those who have been released from prison. In this paper, we argue that carbon capture technology carries the unique potential to positively i...
Increased Odds of Ventricular Arrhythmias Associated with Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor Use among the Pediatric and Young Adult Population: A Case-Control Study.

Objective To measure the association between selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) use and out-of-hospital ventricular arrhythmia among the pediatric and young adult population. Study design Case–control study using US claims data from 2007 to 2018. Cases were subjects with at least 1 event between ages 2 and 24 years. Controls (matched 10:1 on index date, age, sex, and continuous enrollment) had no events during study period. Independent association between current SSRI use (prescription fill with continuous exposure ending on, or after, the index date) and incident out-of-hospital ventricular arrhythmia (hospitalization or emergency room encounter with primary diagnostic code for ventricular arrhythmia) was estimated using multivariable conditional logistic regression. Separate analyses were performed for pediatric (2-17 years of age) vs young adult (18-24 years of age) subjects and between citalopram/escitalopram vs other SSRIs. Results During the study period, 237 eligible cases were identified with 2370 matched controls. Cases were more likely to have government insurance and have a mental health, cardiac, or other complex chronic condition. Thirteen cases (5%) and 15 controls ( Conclusions These findings demonstrate increased odds of out-of-hospital ventricular arrhythmia associated with SSRI use in the pediatric and young adult population, suggesting a need for heightened awareness and ongoing monitoring of this potential adverse effect.
Variational Inference for Nonlinear Structural Identification

Research interest in predictive modeling within the structural engineering community has recently been focused on Bayesian inference methods, with particular emphasis on analytical and sampling approaches. In this study, we explore variational inference, a relatively unknown class of Bayesian inference approaches which has potential to realize the computational speed, accuracy, and scalability necessary for structural health monitoring applications. We apply this method to the predictive modeling of a simulated Bouc-Wen system subject to base vibration and compare the performance of this inference approach to that of the unscented Kalman filter. From this investigation, we find that though variational inference is more computationally intensive than the unscented Kalman filter, it exhibits superior performance and flexibility.
Pediatric Bariatric Surgery and Sexual Developmental Milestones

Until recently, primary care providers and pediatricians have been reluctant to refer pediatric patients with obesity for bariatric surgery. Lack of familiarity with bariatric procedures may be partly to blame, but the elective nature of these major elective surgical procedures also means that complications are less likely to be seen as acceptable. Such complications include perioperative morbidity and mortality, nutritional deficiencies, and long-term effects on growth and development, including alterations in sexual developmental milestones and puberty. The objective of this review is to describe existing knowledge on the effects of pediatric bariatric surgery on sexual developmental milestones.
Political Decisions in a Low Information Environment: Local Leadership Turnover and Firm Subsidies in China

How do new politicians distribute government resources in regimes with no electoral considerations? We argue that when the payoffs are not immediately clear in a low information environment, politicians use heuristics to make decisions that minimize political risks. We propose that for new local politicians, firm ownership types serve as a useful source of informational shortcuts to evaluating political importance, and this decision making process benefits state-owned firms. Using firm-level subsidies data in China combined with leadership turnover data at the provincial level from 2007 to 2015, we find that new provincial governors, immediately after taking office, distribute a significantly smaller proportion of subsidies to private firms relative to state-owned enterprises. The effect gradually attenuates as new governors understand local conditions and establish connections with local private firms. This strategy also proves to be politically effective, with governors who adopt such a strategy more likely to be promoted at the end of their tenure.
Models are a nuisance

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Three recently developed software tools to evaluate associations between exposure mixtures and health outcomes have all converged on the same default estimate of the joint effec...
The Need for Reinventing Strategy

This book is about an innovative, new approach to business strategy that better reflects the realities of the global marketplace in a network economy. It was developed at MIT to help managers formulate, articulate, and implement more effective ways to achieve superior and sustainable financial performance and long-term profitability, providing a completely different perspective from the conventional strategic approaches used by most managers.
The cultured heart cell: problems and prospects.

Publisher Summary This chapter deals with the problems and prospects of the cultured heart cell. The first documented account of heart muscle in tissue culture described the outgrowth of spontaneously beating cells from an explant of embryonic chick heart fragments cultivated in a mixture of blood plasma and embryo extract. To evaluate the problems associated with establishing primary cultures of human heart cells, modified well-established methods are applied for the culture of embryonic avian heart cells. Fetal hearts, approximately 14–16 weeks of age, were obtained within 2 h after surgery and transported to the laboratory in cold medium 199. After 24 hours, cell attachment was generally poor, and few cells were spontaneously beating. The situation improved somewhat after 3 days in culture, although the results were markedly different from those routinely observed with embryonic avian heart cells. A continuous cell line from the heart of the box turtle was successfully cultivated but, by the sixth passage, the cells were entirely epithelial-like.
Genotype‐by‐Environment Interactions and Sexual Selection in Guppies

No species is more prolific in the diversity of phenotypic and genetic responses to the environment than the guppy (Poecilia reticulata), a tropical freshwater fish that has long captivated biologists (Endler, 1995; Houde, 1997; Magurran, 2005). Studies of guppies are therefore expected to yield valuable empirical counterparts to the theoretical work on genotype-by-environment interactions (GEI; Chapter 2). In this chapter, I briefly introduce GEI and the models that predict how GEI influences variation in sexually selected traits. I then review the guppy system in light of the theoretical framework, by describing the traits important for sexual selection, the patterns of selection acting on those traits, and fluctuation in the environments to which the traits are subject. The theme that emerges is that there is evidence for all of the elements needed for GEI to influence variation in sexually selected traits in this system: guppies exhibit substantial genetic variation and plastic responses to the environment for a host of traits under strong selection, and individuals frequently encounter temporally and spatially varying environmental conditions. However, surprisingly few studies have uncovered GEI for sexually selected traits in this species, and there is a paucity of studies addressing whether GEI primarily acts to maintain or erode the strength of sexual selection. I suggest broad approaches that could be fruitful areas for future research on GEI and sexual selection in this charismatic species.
Birth weight, gestational age, and type of delivery in rhesus monkeys.

Abstract The frequency distribution of birth weights at any given gestational age spans a wide range in human newborn infants. To describe the infants in whom a discrepancy between birth weight and gestational age has been remarkable, a variety of terms have been used: intrauterine growth retardation, dysmaturity, placental insufficiency syndrome, low birth weight infants, etc. The variability in birth weights of 471 rhesus monkeys at a specific gestational age was wide, just as in human newborn infants. The variability in birth weights, as indicated by the coefficient of variation, was roughly constant regardless of gestational age, sex, and type of delivery. Since gestational ages of these animals were presumed to be accurate because of timed matings, such a variability in birth weights could be a biological phenomenon; fetal development is highly independent even in similar environmental situations.
Advection, Diffusion, and Deposition From Distributed Sources

An efficient method for solving the advection-diffusionequation for a distributed source is proposed, using the Fast Fourier Transform. The governingequations include deposition, gravitational settling, in situ decay andanisotropic diffusion. The model uses the Fickian formulation, neglecting the verticalvariation in wind and turbulence. Various local balances and far field decay laws arediscussed. The model is extended to secondary pollutants.
Games in the computer science classroom

Computer science educators struggle constantly to find new and engaging examples to illustrate necessarily abstract concepts. A balance must be struck between examples that are too simple (and therefore fail to provide a realistic challenge) and examples that are too complex (where the bulk of students' time is spent on understanding the example). We find that games --- dice games, card games, board games, and explicitly computer games --- often fit the bill perfectly.
Timing Mechanisms in the Cerebellum: Testing Predictions of a Large-Scale Computer Simulation

We used large-scale computer simulations of eyelid conditioning to investigate how the cerebellum generates and makes use of temporal information. In the simulations the adaptive timing displayed by conditioned responses is mediated by two factors: (1) different sets of granule cells are active at different times during the conditioned stimulus (CS), and (2) responding is not only amplified at reinforced times but also suppressed at unreinforced times during the CS. These factors predict an unusual pattern of responding after partial removal of the cerebellar cortex that was confirmed using small, electrolytic lesions of cerebellar cortex. These results are consistent with timing mechanisms in the cerebellum that are similar to Pavlov's "inhibition of delay" hypothesis.
Multi-document summarization by maximizing informative content-words

We show that a simple procedure based on maximizing the number of informative content-words can produce some of the best reported results for multi-document summarization. We first assign a score to each term in the document cluster, using only frequency and position information, and then we find the set of sentences in the document cluster that maximizes the sum of these scores, subject to length constraints. Our overall results are the best reported on the DUC-2004 summarization task for the ROUGE-1 score, and are the best, but not statistically significantly different from the best system in MSE-2005. Our system is also substantially simpler than the previous best system.
Poland and Hungary, 1956: A Comparative Essay Based on New Archival Findings

Why did the Soviet Union intervene in Hungary in 1956 but not in Poland? This article reviews the “historical thesis”, “personality thesis”, and “neutrality thesis”. It concludes that, while the new archival sources do not radically alter these three older theses, they do yield some insights. Wladyslaw Gomulka was perhaps less successful in deterring the Soviet leaders during the latter’s 19 October visit to Poland and less secure politically in his own country than originally thought. In addition, Imre Nagy may not have been as progressive, given his initial opposition to the very decisions for which he has gone down in history as having made.
Prolog and Natural-Language Analysis

From the Publisher: A concise and practical introduction to logic programming and the logic-programming language Prolog, both as vehicles for understanding elementary computational linguistics and as tools for implementing the basic components of natural-language-processing systems.
Applying the Systems Engineering Method for the Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System (JCIDS)

To enable the transformation of the United States Department of Defense (DoD) military systems acquisition process from a “platform-based” point-of-view to a “capability-based” one, the Joint Chiefs of Staff established the Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System (JCIDS). JCIDS prescribes a joint forces approach to identify capability gaps against current force capability needs. JCIDS sets the framework for assessing capability redundancies as well as gaps, whereby requirements officers, acquisition sponsors, program managers and systems engineers evaluate alternate approaches toward achieving resolution of capability shortcomings of the overarching system of systems. JCIDS acknowledges that the acquisition of warfare systems is an evolutionary process of integrating capability improvements over a system life-cycle lasting in some cases, twenty years or more. The Systems Engineering (SE) Method applies to each iteration of the systems life-cycle from capability inception through system retirement. Good systems engineering practice is necessary for successfully implementing JCIDS.
The solvophobic effect in simple fluid mixtures

Abstract The “solvophobic” effect is the tendency of solute particles to cluster as the attractive interaction between solvent particles is strengthened. The potentials of mean force in the hypernetted chain approximation have been obtained for a simple fluid mixture consisting of two hard spheres immersed in a hard core/Yukawa tail solvent. The results clearly exhibit features attributable to the “solvophobic” effect.
Two Valence Bond State Model for Molecular Nonlinear Optical Properties. Comparison with Push-Pull Polyene Solution Measurements

The (hyper)polarizabilities obtained from the two valence bond state model including nonequilibrium solvation are compared to experiment. Specifically, the values of μg2αzz(0) and μgβzzz(0) in different solvents calculated from the model are compared to experimental measurements for several push−pull polyene molecules in a range of solvents. The model calculations are in qualitative agreement with the experimental results, but quantitatively the results are mixed. Implications for the two valence bond state model are discussed.