cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Can Congress Create Procedures for the Supreme Court's Original Jurisdiction Cases?

This article takes off from the short concurring opinion of Chief Justice Roberts (joined by Justice Souter) in Kansas v. Colorado, 556 U.S. (2009), to examine the constitutional text and historical precedent relevant to the question whether Congress has the power to dictate procedures the Supreme Court must follow in original jurisdiction — as opposed to appellate jurisdiction — cases. The article concludes that the more persuasive view is that Congress lacks such authority, but that the Court has avoided answering the question for more than 200 years and may well never have to address this question of constitutional power on the merits.
Scooter crashes at university: intervention tactics for modified behavior and helmet use.

Objective: Mopeds and scooters are defined as 2-wheeled vehicles with engine displacement ranging from 49 to 250 cm3. These vehicles have experienced a resurgence in modern culture and are especially popular on large university campuses. Increased operation of mopeds and scooters has been a contributor to increased accidents and in some cases fatalities. Available statistics indicate that a majority of individuals involved in scooter crashes were not wearing helmets. The objective of this study was to explore perceptions of helmets and the significance of behavioral intention related to attitude toward helmet use among operators of these potentially dangerous motor vehicles. Methods: The study collected a sample from the general population of scooter operators on a major southeastern university campus (N = 151). Criteria examined included gender differences related to perception of helmet use, perception of helmet attributes (safety, price, appearance, comfort) as predictors of perceived risk, and behavio...
Association of A1c Levels with Vitamin D Status in U.S. Adults: Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

OBJECTIVE Data relating vitamin D status with indices of glucose homeostasis as manifested by A1C in the U.S. adult population are few. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We examined the association between serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] and A1C levels in 9,773 adults (age ≥18 years old) participating in the 2003–2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Multivariate linear regression analyzed the association after accounting for potential confounders. RESULTS Serum 25(OH)D levels were inversely associated with A1C levels in subjects age 35–74 years ( P = 0.0045) and those who did not report a history of diabetes ( P = 0.0282). CONCLUSIONS These findings support a mechanistic link between serum vitamin D concentrations, glucose homeostasis, and the evolution of diabetes in a large segment of the U.S. adult population. Screening people with elevated A1C levels for vitamin D insufficiency should be considered.
Ripley's Game and The American Friend: A Modernist and Postmodernist Comparison

L'A. met en perspective les differences de point de vue exprimes dans le roman de Patricia Highsmith, Ripley's Game (1974), et dans le film du cineaste allemand Wim Wenders, L'ami americain (1977), inspire par le roman de Highsmith. A travers l'analyse du traitement differencie des deux personnages Jonathan et Ripley, il suggere notamment qu'il existe une difference dans le questionnement moral inscrit et dans le roman et dans le film. Highsmith presente un dilemme existentiel, moderniste, ou Jonathan, un Anglais, doit choisir (Sartre), et il fait le mauvais choix et doit faire face aux consequences inevitables. Le film, d'un autre cote, met en evidence une condition postmoderne de la moralite futile - ou du moins de la difficulte a maintenir un equilibre moral dans l'environnement deconnecte et aliene du capitalisme global et englobant. Les deux personnages (dans le livre et le film) sont des produits du sens des temps et des lieux dans lesquels leurs createurs evoluent et representent la societe qui les entoure.
Familial Aorto-Cervicocephalic Arterial Dissections and Congenitally Bicuspid Aortic Valve

Background A primary arteriopathy is often implicated in the etiology of spontaneous cervicocephalic arterial dissections, but its exact nature usually remains unknown. We describe the familial occurrence of spontaneous arterial dissections and congenitally bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) and propose a common developmental defect in these families. Summary of Report In the first family, a 63-year-old man suffered an extracranial internal carotid artery (ICA) dissection, and his 43-year-old cousin with BAV suffered an intracranial vertebral artery (VA) dissection. Two other family members had pathologically proven BAV. In the second family, a 31-year-old woman suffered bilateral extracranial ICA and VA dissections. Her father, at age 46, suffered an aortic dissection associated with cystic medial necrosis and BAV. Her paternal uncle died from an aortic dissection at age 59. In the third family, a 39-year-old woman suffered extracranial ICA and VA dissections, and her brother died at age 48 from an aortic dissection associated with a BAV. Conclusions The familial occurrence of spontaneous arterial dissections and BAV suggests a common developmental defect. The aortic valvular cusps and the arterial media of the aortic arch and its branches are derived from neural crest cells, suggesting that a neural crest defect may be the underlying abnormality in these families.
Response to Comment on Wu and Spiegelman. Irisin ERKs the fat. Diabetes 2014;63:381-383.

Despite the claims of Elsen et al. (1), there are now over 45 articles that have measured human irisin, using a variety of immunoassays with independently derived …
Optimization of control reconfiguration strategies

A mega-controller architecture is introduced for reconfiguration of discrete event system controllers with dynamic observation sets. The mega-controller uses several reconfiguration strategies to revise the control policies based on the availability of the observation means. It is known that the mega-controller could have multiple choices of reconfiguration strategies in a given state and therefore it should decide between these choices. The current paper provides an optimization model for this decision process. By converting the finite automata model of the reconfigured controller (or mega-controller) to a Markov decision process, the minimum cost reconfiguration policy at every state of the mega-controller is determined. The optimal policy is obtained by minimizing the cost over all policies. Computation of this optimization problem is further reduced for a special class of systems by the applying two lemmas proposed in this paper
Paradigm for building robust real-time distributed mission-critical systems

We demonstrate a new computing paradigm for the evolution of the long life-cycle defense system with stringent safety, timing and dependability requirements, namely, the multiple target tracking (MTT) part of a surveillance radar system. We demonstrate the new paradigm's capability for the support of system upgrades in system software, hardware, and application software while maintaining the existing baseline performance. This new paradigm shares many characteristics with the SEI/CMU Simplex Architecture whose applicability has been demonstrated for a prototypical industrial feedback control application. We present the concepts of our paradigm, lessons learned in applying the paradigm to surveillance radar, and lessons learned implementing the paradigm by integrating standard technologies.
All‐Photonic Molecular XOR and NOR Logic Gates Based on Photochemical Control of Fluorescence in a Fulgimide–Porphyrin–Dithienylethene Triad

A molecular triad consisting of a porphyrin linked to two photochromes, a fulgimide, and a dithienylethene, is synthesized and studied. When both photochromes are in their visible-light-absorbing forms, excitation of the fulgimide at 470 nm initiates a two-step singlet energy-transfer relay wherein excitation migrates first to the porphyrin and then to the dithienylethene. Photoisomerization of the dithienylethene to the open form using visible light prevents the second step, and excitation ultimately resides on the porphyrin, which fluoresces. Photoisomerization of the fulgimide eliminates significant absorption by the molecule at 470 nm, and consequently porphyrin excitation by energy transfer. Photoisomerization of each photochrome may be preferentially achieved, allowing access to all four isomeric states of the molecule. These states correspond to the outputs of logic gates, allowing solutions of the triad to perform either NOT-OR (NOR) or exclusive OR (XOR) functions using only optical inputs and outputs.
Effect of Extended Storage Time on the Toxicity of Sediment-Associated Cadmium on Midge Larvae (Chironomus tentans)

The effect of the duration of spiked sediment storage on cadmium toxicity was studied. Sediment samples were spiked with cadmium to obtain concentrations of 0.6,16.0, 29.0 and 53.0 μg Cd per g sediment (dry weight). The spiked sediment was then stored in sealed plastic containers at 4°C in the dark. Sediment bioassays, using Chironomus tentans, were conducted immediately and at periodic intervals for up to 4 months. Though the levels of cadmium in the bulk sediment samples from different stored periods were not significantly different, different toxicity levels to C. tentans were observed. The toxicity was significantly different between subsequent storage times. There was a significant decrease in the bioaccumulation factor (BAF) values with extended storage times, indicating a reduction in the bioavailability of cadmium. This study suggests that the storage of spiked sediment used in sediment toxicity study can influence the results.
Committing to Research: Librarians and Grantsmanship

I've been coming down this week off that wired feeling that results from the stress of submitting a big grant proposal. It's the breathless, adrenaline-fueled kind of stress from the intensity of e...
Polarization and wavelength effects on the scattering from dielectric cylinders

The scattered intensity patterns of large dielectric cylinders (ka ≅ 1000) are studied using the exact solution for the case of normal incidence. The two different polarizations of the incident electric field, parallel and normal to the axis of the cylinder, are considered. A comparison between the scattered patterns of the two polarizations is presented. The fine structure of the scattering pattern is also presented. It is shown that the scattered intensity has resonances as the wavelength is scanned. An experimental investigation is carried out to illustrate the theory, and good agreement between theory and experiment is achieved.
n -Step Cycle Inequalities: Facets for Continuous n -Mixing Set and Strong Cuts for Multi-Module Capacitated Lot-Sizing Problem

In this paper, we introduce a generalization of the well-known continuous mixing set (which we refer to as the continuous n-mixing set) \(Q^{m,n}:=\{ (y, v,s) \in ( {\mathbb{Z}} \times{\mathbb{Z}}_{+}^{n-1})^{m} \times{\mathbb R}^{m+1}_{+}: \sum_{t=1}^n{\alpha_t y_t^i} + v_i + s\geq{\beta}_i, i=1,\ldots,m\}\). This set is closely related to the feasible set of the multi-module capacitated lot-sizing (MML) problem with(out) backlogging. For each n′ ∈ {1,…,n }, we develop a class of valid inequalities for this set, referred to as the n′-step cycle inequalities, and show that they are facet-defining for conv(Q m,n ) in many cases. We also present a compact extended formulation for Q m,n and an exact separation algorithm for the n′-step cycle inequalities. We then use these inequalities to generate valid inequalities for the MML problem with(out) backlogging. Our computational results show that our cuts are very effective in solving the MML instances with backlogging, resulting in substantial reduction in the integrality gap, number of nodes, and total solution time.
Ftz-F1 is a cofactor in Ftz activation of the Drosophila engrailed gene

The fushi tarazu pair-rule gene is required for the formation of alternating parasegmental boundaries in the Drosophila embryo. fushi tarazu encodes a homeodomain protein necessary for transcription of the engrailed gene in even-numbered parasegments. Here we report that, within an engrailed enhancer, adjacent and conserved binding sites for the Fushi tarazu protein and a cofactor are each necessary, and together sufficient, for transcriptional activation. Footprinting shows that the cofactor site can be bound specifically by Ftz-F1, a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily. Ftz-F1 and the Fushi tarazu homeodomain bind the sites with 4- to 8-fold cooperativity, suggesting that direct contact between the two proteins may contribute to target recognition. Even parasegmental reporter expression is dependent on Fushi tarazu and maternal Ftz-F1, suggesting that these two proteins are indeed the factors that act upon the two sites in embryos. The two adjacent binding sites are also required for continued activity of the engrailed enhancer after Fushi tarazu protein is no longer detectable, including the period when engrailed, and the enhancer, become dependent upon wingless. We also report the existence of a separate negative regulatory element that apparently responds to odd-skipped.
Xanthine oxidase-induced injury to endothelium: role of intracellular iron and hydroxyl radical.

The major objective of the present study was to characterize the sequence of events leading to endothelial cytotoxicity induced by oxidants generated extracellularly by xanthine oxidase. 51Cr-labeled monolayers of calf pulmonary artery endothelial cells were exposed to a reaction mixture containing hypoxanthine, xanthine oxidase, and chelated iron (HX/XO) and endothelial cell injury was quantitated as 51Cr release into the media. Catalase, but not mannitol or superoxide dismutase, prevented endothelial cell injury induced by HX/XO, indicating that H2O2 was the mediator of the cytotoxicity. Pretreatment of the cells with free deferoxamine (an iron chelator), but not with deferoxamine bound to dextran (mol wt 40,000), prevented endothelial cell injury induced by HX/XO or H2O2. Of the membrane-permeant hydroxyl radical scavengers dimethylsulfoxide and dimethylthiourea, only dimethylthiourea prevented 1) HX/XO or H2O2-induced endothelial cytotoxicity and 2) deoxyribose degradation by hydroxyl radicals (.OH) generated by an iron-catalyzed reaction on the sugar (site-specific reaction). The concentration of ferritin required to produce significant quantities of .OH was much greater than that present in endothelial cells, and ferritin-catalyzed .OH formation was not affected by deferoxamine, indicating that ferritin-bound iron is most likely not the physiologically active catalyst. We conclude that extracellularly generated H2O2 can enter the cell and interact with nonferritin iron to produce the cytotoxic .OH via a site-specific reaction.
Single-shot, high-resolution, fiber-based phase-diversity photodetection of optical pulses

Temporally characterizing optical pulses is an important task when building, optimizing, and using optical sources. Direct photodetection with high-bandwidth photodiodes and real-time oscilloscopes is only adequate for optical pulses longer than ~10 ps; diagnostics based on indirect strategies are required to characterize femtosecond and sub-10-ps coherent sources. Most of these diagnostics are based on nonlinear optics and can be difficult to implement for the single-shot characterization of nonrepetitive events. A temporal diagnostic based on phase diversity is demonstrated in the context of picosecond high-energy laser systems, where single-shot pulse measurements are required for system safety and interpretation of experimental results. A plurality of ancillary optical pulses obtained by adding known amounts of chromatic dispersion to the pulse under test are directly measured by photodetection and processed to reconstruct the input pulse shape. This high-sensitivity (~50-pJ) diagnostic is based on a pulse replicator composed of fiber splitters and delay fibers, making it possible to operate with fiber sources and free-space sources after fiber coupling. Experimental data obtained with a high-bandwidth real-time oscilloscope demonstrate accurate characterization of pulses from a high-energy chirped-pulse amplification system, even for pulses shorter than the photodetection impulse response.
Personality, Emotions, and the Emotional Disorders

We examined symptom-level relations between the emotional disorders and general traits within the five-factor model of personality. Neuroticism correlated strongly with the symptoms of general dist...
Neoadjuvant nab-paclitaxel in the treatment of breast cancer

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy has the advantage of converting unresectable breast tumors to resectable tumors and allowing more conservative surgery in some mastectomy candidates. Chemotherapy agents, including taxanes, which are recommended in the adjuvant setting, are also considered in the neoadjuvant setting. Here, we review studies of nab-paclitaxel as a neoadjuvant treatment for patients with breast cancer. PubMed and conference or congress proceedings were searched for clinical studies of nab-paclitaxel in the neoadjuvant treatment of breast cancer. We also searched ClinicalTrials.gov for ongoing trials of nab-paclitaxel as a neoadjuvant agent in breast cancer. Twenty studies of nab-paclitaxel in the neoadjuvant setting were identified. In addition to reviewing key efficacy and safety data, we discuss how each trial assessed response, focusing on pathologic complete response and residual cancer burden scoring. Safety profiles are also reviewed. nab-Paclitaxel demonstrated antitumor activity and an acceptable safety profile in the neoadjuvant treatment of breast cancer. Ongoing and future trials will further evaluate preoperative nab-paclitaxel in breast cancer, including in combination with many novel immunological targeted therapies.
The Association of Inflammation with Premenstrual Symptoms.

Abstract Background: About 80% of women experience premenstrual symptoms (PMSx), and about 50% of women seek medical care for them, posing a large medical care burden. However, despite women's use of anti-inflammatory agents for relief from these symptoms, and the fact that anti-inflammatory agents provide relief from some PMSx, the relationship of inflammation to PMSx has not been well investigated. Methods: We, therefore, undertook the present cross-sectional analyses using baseline data from the longitudinal Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN), a racially/ethnically diverse cohort of midlife women (n = 2939), to determine if a biomarker of inflammation, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), was associated with PMSx. We performed factor analyses with Varimax rotations to determine five groupings of eight symptoms to develop a parsimonious set of outcome variables. We conducted backward stepwise multiple logistic regression models for each grouping, eliminating non-significant (p > 0...
Epidemiological analysis of measles in Hedong District of Tianjin City from 2005—2011

[Objective] To understand the epidemiological characteristics of measles in Hedong District of Tianjin City,and provide scientific evidence for its control and elimination.[Methods]Epidemiological descriptive analysis method was conducted on the data of measles reported in Hedong District between 2005 and 2011.[Results] A total of 565 cases of measles were reported in Hedong District from 2005-2011 with the average incidence rate of 11.67/100 000.Infants aged 0-4 years and adults aged 25-30 years accounted for the major which were 29.2% and 19.12% respectively.Morbidity time concentrated from March to May,accounting for 61.24% of total cases.The peak incidence appeared in May,accounting for 21.95% % of the total cases.33.45% had no immunization history,18.94% had immunization history,while 47.61% had unknown immunization history.[Conclusion]Timely immunization of all the children from eight months to 14 years old can effectively improve the protection rate of the targeted children.The important way to control and eliminate measles is to enhance and improve regular measles immunization,to pay attention to prevention and control of measles in adults,especially on women of child-bearing age,and to strengthen surveillance and monitoring of nosocomial infection.
The Changing Landscape of Trademark Law in Tinseltown: From Debbie Does Dallas to The Hangover

This Essay, a chapter published in the book Hollywood and the Law (Palgrave Macmillan / British Film Institute, 2015), explores how courts have sought to balance the competing interests at stake when filmmakers make unauthorized uses of trademarks in their work and brand owners threaten liability for infringement. Using the seminal Rogers v. Grimaldi decision as a key pivot point, the Essay traces the remarkable change in approaches that courts have taken to First Amendment defenses in trademark cases in the past few decades. In presenting case studies of two opinions -- Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, Inc. v. Pussycat Cinema, Ltd. (decided a decade before Rogers) and Louis Vuitton v. Warner Bros. (decided two decades after Rogers) -- the Chapter contextualizes the growing judicial recognition of free speech defenses by filmmakers, the critical limitations of this solicitousness to artistic choice, and the way in which this trend may have impacted the artistry and economics of Hollywood.
Conditioned hypoglycemia and conditioned insulin secretion.

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of conditioned hypoglycemia and conditioned insulin secretion. Conditioned hypoglycemia is a relatively rapid decrease of blood glucose that occurs over a short period of time. For this to be accomplished, there are a few possibilities. There must be a net increase of glucose utilization/uptake by tissues and/or a net decrease of glucose entry into the blood from the liver and gut. These in turn could be accomplished either by a decreased activity of hyperglycemic reflexes hormones or else an increased activity of hypoglycemic ones. When insulin is administered to animals during conditioning, some of it gets into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and triggers the secretion of endogenous insulin. Conditioned hypoglycemia would develop if there is an increase of CSF insulin associated with a neutral stimulus, without the necessity of a change of peripheral insulin or peripheral glucose level. Even though plasma insulin normally fluctuates rapidly, CSF insulin changes very slowly. Thus, the brain may not normally experience rapid increases of insulin as occurring on conditioning trials.
Characteristics and outcomes of patients with postoperative cardiovascular pseudoaneurysms

Abstract Background Data regarding long-term outcomes in cardiovascular pseudoaneurysms are sparse. In patients with prior cardiovascular surgery, we sought to assess characteristics and outcomes in patients with cardiovascular pseudoaneurysms (excluding ischemic left ventricular pseudoaneurysms). Methods We included 114 patients (mean age, 57 ± 16 years; 70% were men) with prior cardiovascular surgery who presented with paravalvular (n = 71, 59 aortic and 12 mitral valve) and ascending aortic (n = 43) pseudoaneurysms (27% with systemic infection). Baseline, surgical, and follow-up data were recorded. A composite end point of stroke or death during follow-up was recorded. Results Additive European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation was high (10%), and 81% of patients underwent another redo cardiovascular surgery. Over a mean follow-up period of 5.2 ± 4 years, there were 37 (32%) composite events (32 deaths and 5 strokes). Within the surgical subgroup, there were 10 (11%) composite events during the in-hospital stay. The 1-, 2-, 5-, and 10-year freedom from composite events were 86%, 82%, 74%, and 55%, respectively. Additive European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation (hazard ratio, 1.14) and presence of a documented systemic infection (hazard ratio, 3.90) were associated with a higher rate of composite events, whereas subsequent cardiovascular surgery as a time-dependent covariate hazard ratio (hazard ratio, 0.30) was associated with improved freedom from composite events (all P Conclusions Patients with a history of cardiovascular surgery in whom cardiovascular pseudoaneurysms subsequently develop have a high rate of short- and long-term adverse events. A higher additive European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation and documented systemic infection were associated with a higher rate of composite events, whereas cardiovascular surgery (to correct cardiovascular pseudoaneurysms) during follow-up was associated with improved freedom from adverse events.
On Primary Care and Spinal Cord Injury.

We congratulate you on publishing Dr. Ho's excellent article detailing the challenges of providing primary care for people with spinal cord injuries (SCI) (“Primary care for persons with spinal cor...
A three-dimensional polyhedral unit model for grain boundary structure in fcc metals

One of the biggest challenges in developing truly bottom-up models for the performance of polycrystalline materials is the lack of robust quantitative structure–property relationships for interfaces. As a first step in analyzing such relationships, we present a polyhedral unit model to classify the geometrical nature of atomic packing along grain boundaries. While the atomic structure in disordered systems has been a topic of interest for many decades, geometrical analyses of grain boundaries has proven to be particularly challenging because of the wide range of structures that are possible depending on the underlying macroscopic crystallographic character. In this article, we propose an algorithm that can partition the atomic structure into a connected array of three-dimensional polyhedra, and thus, present a three-dimensional polyhedral unit model for grain boundaries. A point-pattern matching algorithm is also provided for quantifying the distortions of the observed grain boundary polyhedral units. The polyhedral unit model is robust enough to capture the structure of high-Σ, mixed character interfaces and, hence, provides a geometric tool for comparing grain boundary structures across the five-parameter crystallographic phase-space. Since the obtained polyhedral units circumscribe the voids present in the structure, such a description provides valuable information concerning segregation sites within the grain boundary. We anticipate that this technique will serve as a powerful tool in the analysis of grain boundary structure. The polyhedral unit model is also applicable to a wide array of material systems as the proposed algorithm is not limited by the underlying lattice structure.
Closed-form mismatched filter synthesis for complementary range response

The combined response of a pair of complementary waveforms has zero range sidelobes and could significantly improve synthetic aperture radar (SAR) image quality by reducing multiplicative noise. However, complementary waveforms may not be practical for SAR imaging for reasons such as Doppler tolerance and unimodular waveform constraints. By using mismatched filters to achieve either a complementary or near-complementary response, two or more practical waveforms could be employed and SAR image quality improved. A closed-form approach was developed that calculates mismatched filters so that the coherent sum of the range responses from each waveform and its corresponding mismatched filter is complementary. A second approach reduced sidelobes while retaining a frequency response close to the waveforms’ frequency responses. Images processed using X-band radar data collected under the Air Force Gotcha program exhibited improvements in image quality over those processed using matched filters. The closed-form approach is presented for both complementary and reduced-sidelobe mismatched filters and image quality is quantified. The approach developed in this work offers improved image quality, is suitable for near real-time operation, and is independent of the waveforms.
Diosgenin inhibits Akt-mediated signaling in breast cancer cells

632 Constitutive over expression of Akt has been implicated in de novo resistance to current treatments in many cancer types including breast cancer. Akt mediates a variety of biological responses and is associated with a poor prognosis in breast carcinoma resulting in resistance to hormone -, radiation- and chemo-therapy. Our research is focused on exploring the role of a natural dietary compound, Diosgenin (a major constituent of fenugreek) in Akt signaling and its ability to sensitize breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo models. Inhibition of Akt kinase activation resulted in the downregulation of its downstream targets (Raf, MEK and ERK) in breast cancer cells. Also, inactivation of NFκB and downregulation of Bcl-2 resulted in an induction of caspase activation in breast cancer cells. The complete inhibition of pro-survival signaling by disogenin resulted in cell cycle arrest and induction of apoptosis in breast cancer cells. Additional studies revealed a downregulation in G1 cell cycle regulatory proteins - cyclin D1 and cdk-4 following treatment with Diosgenin in a time dependent fashion. Interestingly, diosgenin had minimal toxicity in normal breast epithelial cells, MCF-10A, showing that it specifically targets cancer cells sparing the normal cells. In vivo studies suggested that diosgenin significantly inhibited tumor growth in both MCF-7 and MDA-231 xenografts in nude mice. Our results suggest that diosgenin can be used as a potential chemopreventive or chemotherapeutic agent for breast cancer.
Replicated Sensing in Wireless-Networked Smart Systems with Cloud-assisted Support

Existing works on IoT deal with computing and communications as incorporated in networked objects. These are handled in the D-to-D and M-to-M communication layers over wireless networks. We believe that a decision-making functionality to enable system-wide control of sensor accuracy is necessary to make the transition from an IoT to a smart system amenable for infusion in data-intensive applications. Our paper focuses on the system-level mechanisms needed to make this transition. A key element of our approach is to deal with data fuzziness and system uncertainty with replicated and distributed sensing techniques. These are augmented by a system-wide mechanism to realize virtualized sensors with controllable accuracy.
Emmy Grant: Immigration as Repetition of Trauma and as Potential Space

Some environments are so toxic that one needs to move far away to extricate oneself from their poisonous field of gravity. The desire to escape a noxious interpersonal constellation in a corrupt society can be a motivating factor in the choice to leave one’s country. Oedipus fled from Corinth to evade the fate of murdering his father and marrying his mother, as predicted by the oracle at Delphi, only to find himself in Thebes, where he was born, murdering his father and marrying his mother, thus fulfilling the prophecy he set out to escape. Like Oedipus, immigrants frequently find themselves in the kind of milieu they were hoping to leave behind. Life in a strange land, far from a familiar environment may recapitulate and even intensify the disjointed experience of a poisoned childhood. Away from one’s original environment reality no longer intrudes upon fantasy, and one’s destructive introjects gain free reign. The past remains arrested and it can easily turn into an imaginary static realm. Paradoxically...
Sucrose response thresholds of honey bee (Apis mellifera) foragers are not modulated by brood ester pheromone.

Abstract Division of labor is a hallmark of eusocial insects and their ecological success can be attributed to it. Honey bee division of labor proceeds along a stereotypical ontogenetic path based on age, modulated by various internal and external stimuli. Brood pheromone is a major social pheromone of the honey bee that has been shown to affect honey bee division of labor. It elicits several physiological and behavioral responses; notably, regulating the timing of the switch from performing in-hive tasks to the initiation of foraging. Additionally, brood pheromone affects future foraging choice. In honey bees, sucrose response threshold is a physiological correlate of age of first foraging and foraging choice. Brood pheromone has been shown to modulate sucrose response threshold in young bees, but its effects on sucrose response thresholds of bees in advanced behavioral states (foragers) are not known. In this study we examined the sucrose response thresholds of two different task groups, foragers (pollen and non-pollen) and non-foraging bees, in response to honey bee brood pheromone. Sucrose response thresholds were not significantly different between brood pheromone treatment and controls among both non-pollen and pollen foragers. However, the sucrose response threshold of non-foraging bees was significantly higher in the brood pheromone treatment group than in the control group. The switch to foraging task is considered a terminal one, with honey bee lifespan being determined at least partially by risks and stress accompanying foraging. Our results indicate that foragers are physiologically resistant to brood pheromone priming of sucrose response thresholds.
Self-in-Relation Theory and Latency-Age Boys:

The authors' analysis of a group of latency-age children suggests that self-in-relation theory, a feminist theory of development, can be an effective intervention with latency-age boys. The theory ...
Connections with the Lorentz Group of Special Relativity

The Lorentz transformations and their origin in physics at the beginning of this century are described. It is shown that there is an isomorphism between the direct isometry group of the hyperbolic plane and the restricted Lorentz group in two space variables and time. A peculiar feature of the Lorentz group is shown to be connected with a property of the hyperbolic isometry group discussed in Section 8.3. We then generalize to one more dimension and show an isomorphism between the direct isometry group of three-dimensional hyperbolic space and the Lorentz group in three space variables and time. We then describe the so-called relativistic velocity space and show that it has the same geometry as the three-dimensional hyperbolic space.
Logistic regression with variables subject to post randomization method

The Post Randomization Method (PRAM) is a disclosure avoidance method, where values of categorical variables are perturbed via some known probability mechanism, and only the perturbed data are released thus raising issues regarding disclosure risk and data utility. In this paper, we develop and implement a number of EM algorithms to obtain unbiased estimates of the logistic regression model with data subject to PRAM, and thus effectively account for the effects of PRAM and preserve data utility. Three different cases are considered: (1) covariates subject to PRAM, (2) response variable subject to PRAM, and (3) both covariates and response variables subject to PRAM. The proposed techniques improve on current methodology by increasing the applicability of PRAM to a wider range of products and could be extended to other type of generalized linear models. The effects of the level of perturbation and sample size on the estimates are evaluated, and relevant standard error estimates are developed and reported.
Deep Bed Filtration Models

The basic principles, which may be used in formulating phenomenal models of deep bed filtration, are discussed. As the dynamic behavior of clean filters is well known, the emphasis is placed on the effect of deposition on the change of media structure during the course of filtration. The role played by the retained particles, the increase of medium flow resistance due to the presence of deposited particles, and the function of the deposited particles as additional particle collectors are examined and the effects quantified. Models can then be developed by incorporating these effects into the macroscopic equation of deep bed filtration. Several models so formulated are given as examples.
Abstract 5319: Genetic regulation of DNA methylation in breast cancer

Aberrant DNA methylation plays an important role in breast cancer initiation and progression. It is believed that changes in DNA methylation occur early in breast cancer development or even in normal tissue before tumor occurrence, and these changes could be a useful source for early detection, prognosis, and targeted therapy. DNA methylation is tissue-specific and is influenced by inherited genetic variations in the human genome. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified more than 600 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with breast cancer risk and outcome. However, how these germline genetic variants influence DNA methylation in breast tissue, especially in normal breast tissue, remains largely unknown. We performed a methylation quantitative trait loci (meQTL) analysis to examine the association between the GWAS identified breast cancer risk loci and DNA methylation in 48 women with paired blood and breast tissue samples. Genotyping of SNPs was performed using blood-derived DNA and the Illumina HumanOmni 2.5-4v1_D array chip. Genome-wide DNA methylation was measured using breast tissue derived genomic DNA and the new Illumina TruSeq Methyl Capture EPIC sequencing technology. We found that GWAS-identified breast cancer risk loci were associated with DNA methylation sites close to genes enriched in pathways related to cell differentiation and morphogenesis, DNA damage, cell movement, and hormonal signaling pathways. We identified more cis-acting than trans-acting meQTLs, and the peak enrichment for meQTLs was in close proximity to transcription start sites. We further compared our results with those from the meQTL studies conducted with lymphoblastoid cell lines and peripheral blood samples. We found more than 60% of the identified association between genetic variants and DNA methylation in our study are tissue-type specific. Our study may provide a post-GWAS functional characterization of breast cancer risk loci and shed light on epigenetic mechanisms that underlie the observed GWAS association. Citation Format: Nan Lin, Aditi Shendre, JinPeng Liu, Chi Wang, Yunlong Liu, Chunyan He. Genetic regulation of DNA methylation in breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 5319.
Secure and Private Information Retrieval (SAPIR) in Cloud Storage Systems

An information theoretic approach to security and privacy for cloud data storage systems is introduced in this paper. The approach called Secure and Private Information Retrieval (SAPIR) is a random combination of all contents that are stored across the network by using Random Linear Fountain codes. SAPIR achieves asymptotic perfect secrecy. To retrieve a content, a group of servers collaborate with each other to form a Repair Group. Further, an information theoretic Private Information Retrieval scheme based on random queries is proposed that ensures that a user privately downloads its desired content without the servers knowing the requested content index. The proposed scheme is adaptive and can provide privacy against a significant number of colluding servers.
Communication involving special populations: older adults with cancer.

Purpose of review Cancer has a high incidence and death rate among older adults. The objective of this article is to summarize current literature about communication between older adults and medical professionals in cancer care. Our article addresses four categories related to communication: first, ageism; second, screening; third, treatment; and fourth, end of life (EoL) care. Recent findings Current literature suggests that cancer treatment for older patients may be influenced by ageist biases. Older patients prefer that clinicians incorporate health status to individualize screening decisions although some patients don't consider life expectancy to be an important factor in screening. Patients often agree with the oncologists' treatment recommendations but want to be involved in the decision-making process. Lastly, work is being conducted to associate quality communication of EoL issues with hospital performance measures. Summary Patients are at risk of age-based disparities in cancer screening, treatment, and EoL care. Older adults are not a homogenous group and all elderly cancer patients need to have an individualized approach to care. Medical professionals must understand patients' goals and values and involve them in shared decision-making and preparation for EoL.
Exciting black hole modes via misaligned coalescences. I. Inspiral, transition, and plunge trajectories using a generalized Ori-Thorne procedure

The last gravitational waves emitted in the coalescence of two black holes are quasinormal ringing modes of the merged remnant. In general relativity, the mass and the spin of the remnant black hole uniquely determine the frequency and damping time of each radiated mode. The amplitudes of these modes are determined by the mass ratio of the system and the geometry of the coalescence. This paper is part I of an analysis that aims to compute the ``excitation factors'' associated with misaligned binary black hole coalescence. To simplify the analysis, we consider a large mass-ratio system consisting of a nonspinning body of mass $\ensuremath{\mu}$ that inspirals on a quasicircular trajectory into a Kerr black hole of mass $M$ and spin parameter $a$, with $\ensuremath{\mu}/M\ensuremath{\ll}1$. Our goal is to understand how different modes are excited as a function of the black hole spin $a$ and an angle $I$ which characterizes the misalignment of the orbit with the black hole's spin axis. Though the large mass-ratio limit does not describe the binaries that are being observed by gravitational-wave detectors today, this limit makes it possible to quickly and easily explore the binary parameter space, and to develop insight into how the system's late ringing waves depend on the binary's geometry. In this first analysis, we develop the worldline which the small body follows as it inspirals and then plunges into the large black hole. Our analysis generalizes earlier work by Ori and Thorne to describe how a nonequatorial circular inspiral transitions into a plunging trajectory that falls into the black hole. The worldlines which we develop here are used in part II as input to a time-domain black hole perturbation solver. This solver computes the gravitational waves generated by such inspirals and plunges, making it possible to characterize the modes which the coalescence excites.
Patient Perceptions of Planned Organ Removal During Hysterectomy.

Purpose Previous reports indicate many women may not have a firm grasp on likely outcomes of different hysterectomy procedures. This study aimed to assess women's self-reported expectations of how they think their anatomy will change after hysterectomy. Methods Women scheduled for hysterectomy at a tertiary care hospital, for non-oncological reasons, reported their planned procedure type and the organs they understood would be removed 2 weeks prior to surgery. Patient reports and electronic medical records were reviewed, and kappa statistics (κ) were calculated to assess agreement for all women and within subgroups. Results Most of the 456 study participants (mean age: 48.02 ± 8.29 years) were either white/Caucasian (n=238, 52.2%) or African American (n=196, 43.0%). Among the 145 participants who reported a partial hysterectomy, 130 (89.7%) women indicated that their uterus would be removed and 52 (35.9%) reported that their cervix would be removed. Of those whose response was total hysterectomy (n=228), 208 (91.2%) participants reported their uterus would be removed and 143 (62.7%) reported their cervix would be removed. Among 144 women reporting a planned partial hysterectomy, only 15 (10.4%, κ=0.05) had a partial hysterectomy recorded in the electronic medical record. Among the 228 women who reported a planned total hysterectomy, 6.1% (κ=0.05) had a different procedure. While 125 participants reported planned ovary removal, only 93 (74.4%, κ=0.55) had an oophorectomy. Similarly, 290 participants reported planned fallopian tube removal, with 276 (95.2%, κ=0.06) having a salpingectomy. Conclusions A considerable proportion of women undergoing hysterectomy do not accurately report the organs that are planned be removed during their hysterectomy. This work demonstrates the need to improve patient understanding of their clinical care and its implications.
Comparative effectiveness study of face-to-face and teledermatology workflows for diagnosing skin cancer

Background The effectiveness and value of teledermatology and face-to-face workflows for diagnosing lesions are not adequately understood. Objective We compared the risks of biopsy and cancer diagnosis among 2 face-to-face workflows (direct referral and roving dermatologist) and 4 teledermatology workflows. Methods Retrospective study of 59,279 primary care patients presenting with a lesion from January through June 2017. Results One teledermatology workflow achieved high-resolution images with use of a dermatoscope-fitted digital camera, a picture archiving and communication system, and image retrieval to a large computer monitor (in contrast to a smartphone screen). Compared with direct referral, this workflow was associated with a 9% greater probability of cancer detection (95% confidence interval [CI], 2%-16%), a 4% lower probability of biopsy (relative risk, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.93-0.99), and 39% fewer face-to-face visits (relative risk, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.57-0.65). Other workflows were less effective. Limitations Differing proficiencies across teledermatology workflows and selection of patients for direct referral could have caused bias. Conclusion Implementation is critical to the effectiveness of teledermatology.
Risk Factors for Bleeding and Thrombosis Events on Veno-Arterial Extracorporeal Life Support: An ELSO Analysis

Purpose Our prior work demonstrated Bleeding and thrombosis events (BTEs) are common in adult patients supported with veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) but risk factors for these complications are not well understood. Methods We queried the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO) Registry for all adults supported with VA-ECMO between Jan/2010 and Dec/2017. We excluded patients receiving E-CPR, multiple ECLS runs, or with diagnoses of coagulopathy or hemorrhage prior to initiating VA-ECMO. Major bleeding was defined as hemorrhage in the brain, lungs, pericardium , or GI tract. The major thrombotic complication was ischemic stroke . Multivariate logistic regression modeling was used to examine pre-ECMO clinical and circuit factors associated with major bleeding and ischemic stroke. Results Of 12,306 patients supported with VA-ECMO, 19.9% had at least one major bleeding event and 3.7 % had ischemic stroke. Relevant patient and circuit characteristics are shown (Table). Central cannulation [adj-OR=2.8, CI 95%= 2.5-3.2] and older age [adj-OR=1.2, CI 95%= 1.1-1.2] were significantly associated with increased rates of major bleeding. A longer duration of ECLS support and lower pH at the time of initiation were associated with higher rates of major bleeding and ischemic stroke (Figure). Conclusion Major bleeding is more common than ischemic stroke in adult patients supported with VA-ECMO. Age, initial pH, central cannulation, and the duration of ECMO support are associated with the risk of these BTEs. Additional studies are needed to refine the risk factors associated with BTEs.