cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An efficient binning scheme with application to statistical crack mechanics

Summary A computational scheme is developed for sampling-based evaluation of a function whose inputs are statistically variable. After a general abstract framework is developed, it is applied to initialize and evolve the size and orientation of cracks within a finite domain, such as a finite element or similar subdomain. The finite element is presumed to be too large to explicitly track each of the potentially thousands (or even millions) of individual cracks in the domain. Accordingly, a novel binning scheme is developed that maps the crack data to nodes on a reference grid in probability space. The scheme, which is clearly generalizable to applications involving arbitrary numbers of random variables, is illustrated in the scope of planar deformations of a brittle material containing straight cracks. Assuming two random variables describe each crack, the cracks are assigned uniformly random orientations and non-uniformly random sizes. Their data are mapped to a computationally tractable number of nodes on a grid laid out in the unit square of probability space so that Gauss points on the grid may be used to define an equivalent subpopulation of the cracks. This significantly reduces the computational cost of evaluating ensemble effects of large evolving populations of random variables. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Abasic sites and survival in resected patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

Apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP or abasic) sites are common DNA lesions that arise from spontaneous depurination or by base excision repair (BER) of modified bases. Accumulation of impaired AP sites could lead to increased genomic instability that in turn could lead to a more malignant phenotypic behavior of tumors. We, therefore, evaluated the effects of AP sites on survival in resected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Resected tumor specimens from 99 patients with NSCLC who underwent surgical resection were collected. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was applied to measure the levels of AP sites in tumor DNA. The median number of AP sites per 105 nucleotides was 12.4 for all the study subjects. Patients with low levels of AP site had significantly longer survival time compared with ones with medium or high levels of AP site (log-rank test: P=0.015). In Cox regression analysis, patients with medium or high levels of AP sites had over twofold increased hazard of death. In addition, we found a statistically significant correlation between levels of AP sites and age (ρ=0.560, P<0.001). The results of this study demonstrated that levels of AP sites could predict survival in resected NSCLC patients. We postulate that an intact BER mechanism may reduce the accumulation of oxidative DNA damage that are thought to contribute to the tumor's malignant potential and therefore the risk of death.
Spatial scaling of protected area influences on human demography and livelihoods in Botswana

A growing body of ‘people and parks’ literature examines the interactions between protected areas (PAs) and people who live around them. This study of Chobe National Park (Botswana), which has one of the largest concentrations of wildlife in Africa, highlights a PA's influence beyond its buffer zone and provides a more detailed understanding of the complex dynamics within a PA buffer. Overall net population growth in the areas adjacent to Chobe National Park (hereafter referred to as the ‘buffer’ area) does not preclude outmigration from certain Park buffer areas where declining agricultural opportunities have pushed working-age residents in search of work to urban areas around and beyond the Park. At the same time, skilled workers have moved to some of these rural Park buffer villages to take advantage of new civil service positions. The PA also influences long-time rural dwellers’ social and economic exchanges with urban kin and exacerbates dependence relations, placing economic strain upon urban migrants. In this way, the economic and social effects of PAs are neither uniform across their borders nor limited to those borders. These outcomes have important implications for biodiversity conservation in rural areas as they suggest that population growth may not be an accurate proxy for threats to biodiversity, if new and long-term residents come to rely on less resource-intensive livelihood practices.
Depression, somatization and the “new cross-cultural psychiatry”

Abstract Contrary to Singer's contention that the features of depressive disorders do not exhibit significant cross-cultural differences, the author uses material from field research in Taiwan and data from recent anthropological and clinical investigations to support the opposite view that such differences exist and are a function of the cultural shaping of normative and deviant behavior. Somatization amongst Chinese depressives is used as an illustration. This discrepancy reflects substantial changes in the nature of more recent cross-cultural studies by anthropologists and psychiatrists, changes which are giving rise to a new cross-cultural approach to psychiatric issues. Some features and implications of that approach are described.
The predictive and interactive effects of equity sensitivity in teamwork-oriented organizations

Many studies have investigated the relationship between equity sensitivity and other variables of organizational importance. Although theoretical grounds support a link between equity sensitivity and job performance, to date no studies have found equity sensitivity to be a valid predictor of non self-reported job performance in field research. The two field studies reported here empirically support this link and demonstrate that equity sensitivity may also interact with personality traits in predicting job performance. Limitations of the current investigations and future research are discussed. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Synthesis of Fraud-Related Research

SUMMARY: We synthesize academic literature related to fraudulent financial reporting with dual purposes: (1) to better understand the nature and extent of the existing literature on financial repo...
Measuring the longitudinal evolution of the online anonymous marketplace ecosystem

February 2011 saw the emergence of Silk Road, the first successful online anonymous marketplace, in which buyers and sellers could transact with anonymity properties far superior to those available in alternative online or offline means of commerce. Business on Silk Road, primarily involving narcotics trafficking, rapidly boomed, and competitors emerged. At the same time, law enforcement did not sit idle, and eventually managed to shut down Silk Road in October 2013 and arrest its operator. Far from causing the demise of this novel form of commerce, the Silk Road take-down spawned an entire, dynamic, online anonymous marketplace ecosystem, which has continued to evolve to this day. This paper presents a long-term measurement analysis of a large portion of this online anonymous marketplace ecosystem, including 16 different marketplaces, over more than two years (2013- 2015). By using long-term measurements, and combining our own data collection with publicly available previous efforts, we offer a detailed understanding of the growth of the online anonymous marketplace ecosystem. We are able to document the evolution of the types of goods being sold, and assess the effect (or lack thereof) of adversarial events, such as law enforcement operations or large-scale frauds, on the overall size of the economy. We also provide insights into how vendors are diversifying and replicating across marketplaces, and how vendor security practices (e.g., PGP adoption) are evolving. These different aspects help us understand how traditional, physical-world criminal activities are developing an online presence, in the same manner traditional commerce diversified online in the 1990s.
The Statecraft Simulation and Foreign Policy Attitudes Among Undergraduate Students

ABSTRACTProfessors of international relations are increasingly realizing that simulations can be a fun and effective way of teaching the complexities of the field to their students. One popular simulation that has emerged in recent years—the Statecraft simulation—is now used by more than 190 colleges and universities worldwide. Despite Statecraft’s popularity, however, little scholarship has attempted to assess its impact on learning objectives and students’ perceptions of the real world. This article attempts to help fill that void by evaluating Statecraft’s influence on foreign policy attitudes among undergraduate students. It finds that, while participation in Statecraft did not generally change students’ foreign policy preferences, it did have the effect of inducing foreign policy moderation among students who were initially very hawkish or dovish in their foreign policy orientations. The most important individual characteristics predicting foreign policy attitudes include a student’s political orient...
Modified Walker for Patients with Polyarticular Rheumatoid Arthritis

Individuals with severe polyarticular rheumatoid arthritis affecting the upper and lower extremities may not be able to grip or lift a standard walker for transfers or walking. For these individuals, a standard walker can be converted easily to a rolling platform walker that facilitates standing transfers and walking (Figure). The approximate cost for the modification is $30.00. WALKER MODIFICATION To convert a standard walker to a rolling platform walker, affix a 22-in × 8-in × .4-in* plywood board to the walker handgrips with strapping and metal screws. The board provides a stable platform on which to pull up to standing and perform forearm weight bearing for ambulation. Place soft padding over the board to prevent splintering while providing greater weight-bearing comfort. Insert two Lumex Auto-Stop† wheels into the front legs of the walker to permit easy forward rolling while providing a braking action, which prevents rolling during forearm weight bearing.
pH, PC02 and P02 in “High-volume” Platelet Concentrates Prepared by Discontinuous-flow Centrifugation and Stored in Polyvinylchloride and Polyethylene Containers

High-volume (200 ml) platelet concentrates prepared by discontinuous-flow centrifugation, with counts as high as ca . 2.0 × 1012/1, were stored in either 600 ml-capacity polyvinylchloride bags or 800-ml capacity polyethylene bags. Both polyvinylchloride and polyethylene bags appeared adequate for 24-hour storage of platelet concentrates with counts greater than 0.5 × 1012/1. However, at 24 hours the platelet concentrates in polyvinylchloride bags showed a reduction in p H and an increase in PCO2, that were proportional to the platelet count. Only with storage in polyethylene bags did the p H and PCo2 of the platelet concentrates show little change for periods of as long as 120 hours.
Interaction of heparin with auto-agglutinins in idiopathic acquired hemolytic anemia.

Summary1. Heparin was found to inhibit in vitro the agglutination of red blood cells in 3 consecutive cases of idiopathic acquired hemolytic anemia. 2. Following incubation of patients cells with heparin, the auto-agglutination disappeared. The Coombs reaction also became negative while the anticoagulant activity of heparin greatly diminished. The heparin tolerance, tested in the first 2 cases, was abnormally high. 3. No interaction in vitro was observed between heparin and iso-agglutinins. 4. The possible mechanism, specificity and clinical value of the reaction is discussed, and certain implications with respect to the clotting mechanism are pointed out.
"Teachers-as-Researchers" or Action Research: What Is It, and What Good Is It for Art Education?

Conceptions of "teacher-as-researcher" or action research are examined in epistemological, professional, sociopolitical, and historical contexts. Using examples, the author presents six assumptions underlying action research: (a) teachers theorize and develop theories-in-practice, (b) action research involves more than technical problem solving, (c) a practitioner of any professional field and at any level can engage in action research, (d) research methods matter and are usually interpretive or qualitative, (e) action research can be collaborative, and (f) such inquiry can purposefully address social inequities and issues of power. Questions are raised that action research proponents themselves have not addressed to any great extent but which should be discussed by art educators who are interested in action research. Learning to teach is a lifelong endeavor. Were we to know all there is to know about art, teaching, students, and ourselves upon initial certification, the remainder of our life's work would be incredibly predictable, unresponsive, and boring. Fortunately, neither life nor any profession is like this, and learning things that matter to us is never predictable or boring. Thus, I am operating on the assumption that most of us are not "burned out" or cynical about teaching and that teaching art matters to us a great deal. Also, I am assuming that our collective work in art education is guided by a strong commitment to enhancing teaching and learning in art, whether or not
Some Health States Are Better Than Others: Using Health State Rank Order to Improve Probabilistic Analyses.

Background. Probabilistic sensitivity analyses (PSA) may lead policy makers to take nonoptimal actions due to misestimates of decision uncertainty caused by ignoring correlations. We developed a method to establish joint uncertainty distributions of quality-of-life (QoL) weights exploiting ordinal preferences over health states. Methods. Our method takes as inputs independent, univariate marginal distributions for each QoL weight and a preference ordering. It establishes a correlation matrix between QoL weights intended to preserve the ordering. It samples QoL weight values from their distributions, ordering them with the correlation matrix. It calculates the proportion of samples violating the ordering, iteratively adjusting the correlation matrix until this proportion is below an arbitrarily small threshold. We compare our method with the uncorrelated method and other methods for preserving rank ordering in terms of violation proportions and fidelity to the specified marginal distributions along with PS...
Changes of dietary pattern among residents in Yangpu district of Shanghai from 2007 to 2012

Objective To understand the food intake and to analyze the dietary pattern and its changes among residents in Yangpu district of Shanghai from 2007 to 2012. Methods The data from "Health and Nutrition Survey among Residents in Shanghai", which were conducted three times in Yangpu district in 2007, 2011 and 2012, was respectively collected and analyzed, and the average food intake and dietary pattern were calculated and compared with the recommended food intake in the "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese". Results From 2007 to 2009, the average food intakes of cereal foods, vegetables, fruits, meats, eggs and milk had an increasing trend(all P0.05) and increased respectively by 20.3%, 56.7%, 78.9%, 30.4%, 55.9% and 32.1%. The intakes of energy, protein, fat and carbohydrate also had an increasing trend(all P0.05) and increased respectively by 24.5%, 12.4%, 16.7%,35.7%. The energy supplied by fat had a descending trend(P0.05) and the energy supplied by carbohydrate had an increasing trend(P0.05). Conclusion The residents' dietary status have gradually improved, but the dietary pattern is unbalanced. The residents' consumption of milk, fruits, beans and nuts are still at a low level and the intakes of oil and salt are excessive. The ratio of the energy supplied by fat is too high. The residents should be encouraged to eat more vegetables, fruits, milk, beans and nuts and less oil, salt and animal food. More health education should be carried out and the rational diet should also be recommended to residents to improve the residents' health level.
Observation of Single-Protein and DNA Macromolecule Collisions on Ultramicroelectrodes.

Single-molecule detection is the ultimate sensitivity in analytical chemistry and has been largely unavailable in electrochemical analysis. Here, we demonstrate the feasibility of detecting electrochemically inactive single biomacromolecules, such as enzymes, antibodies, and DNA, by blocking a solution redox reaction when molecules adsorb and block electrode sites. By oxidizing a large concentration of potassium ferrocyanide on an ultramicroelectrode (UME, radius ≤150 nm), time-resolved, discrete adsorption events of antibodies, enzymes, DNA, and polystyrene nanospheres can be differentiated from the background by their “footprint”. Further, by assuming that the mass transport of proteins to the electrode surface is controlled mainly by diffusion, a size estimate using the Stokes–Einstein relationship shows good agreement of electrochemical data with known protein sizes.
The search: body, mind, and human purpose.

Psychiatry's appropriate agenda and severe distractions in sustaining it are presently a concern and have historically been so as we struggle with the issues of linking body, mind, and human purpose. Biology requires behaving, variability, and the development of regulations to implement «purpose» in coping with the milieu. Psychiatry begins and ends with our patients-with their diseases and dysfunctions, their biographies and aspirations-which, as a clinical medical science, we must systematically study. Doing that, we will borrow from and pose problems for all the life sciences
Supportive care of patients with bone marrow failure.

(1974). Supportive Care of Patients With BONE MARROW FAILURE. Postgraduate Medicine: Vol. 55, No. 5, pp. 191-196.
Low SNR track detection with OTHR based on a refraction model

The Maximum Likelihood Probabilistic Multi-Hypothesis Tracker (ML-PMHT), which is a Deep Track Extractor (DTE), is formulated for and applied to several Over-The-Horizon radar (OTHR) scenarios: a surface target, a constant altitude target, and a constant vertical acceleration target. We use a refraction-based ionosphere model through the application of a ray tracing algorithm. Each scan can contain multiple measurements (up to four) originating from each target; each of these target-originated measurements takes one of four possible round-trip paths and any of these may fail to be detected. Also a large number of false alarms, indistinguishable from the target-originated measurements, are present due to the necessary low detection threshold for low SNR targets. The multipath ML-PMHT likelihood ratio models this uncertainty in the measurement path which then allows for the fusion of multipath data in the presence of false measurements. This tracker is shown to have a high track detection probability and track accuracy with a low probability of false track in very low signal to noise ratio (SNR) OTHR scenarios.
Attitudes, perceptions and practice of alcohol and drug screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment: a case study of New York State primary care physicians and non-physician providers

Abstract Objectives Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) has been endorsed by the United States Preventive Services Task Force as an evidence-based strategy to address risky alcohol use among adults in primary care. Nevertheless, very few healthcare professionals report using SBIRT in their practice. The purpose of this study was to explore attitudes regarding addressing substance use; perceptions of effectiveness, role responsibility, and self-efficacy; and current SBIRT practice among primary care physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants to identify factors which may impact routine delivery of SBIRT in primary care. Study design A cross-sectional design was used to meet study objectives. Responses of physicians and non-physician providers (nurse practitioners and physician assistants) were compared. Methods Primary care members of three New York State physician, nurse practitioner, and physician assistant professional organizations were surveyed between October 2013 and November 2013. Results Barely half of participants (57%) reported screening their patients for substance use, and less than half provided brief intervention (46%) or referral to treatment (47%). Using a standardized tool to screen patients for risky substance use and assessing readiness to change were practised least frequently. Compared to physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants felt less responsible for addressing substance use ( P = 0.019), felt less comfortable discussing substance use ( P = 0.004), had more negative attitudes toward addressing substance use ( P = 0.015), and were less likely to conduct brief intervention (52% vs 32%; P P = 0.001). Conclusions This study identifies important attitudinal and perceptual differences between physicians and non-physician providers which may be targeted by education and training and underscores an opportunity for using non-physician providers to conduct SBIRT.
Traveling-Wave-Based Fault-Location Algorithm for Hybrid Multiterminal Circuits

This paper presents a traveling-wave-based fault-location algorithm for hybrid multiterminal transmission systems that consist of one onshore overhead lines and multiple offshore submarine cables. Such hybrid transmission systems are common for interconnection of offshore wind farms to the main grid. The input to the algorithm is synchronized transient voltage measurements from all of the receiving ends. These measurements are obtained by optical voltage transducers equipped with global positioning system receivers for time synchronization. The discrete wavelet transformation is utilized to decompose the mode-1 voltages at the receiving ends. The first wave arrival times are then obtained by observing the squares of the wavelet transformation coefficient (WTC 2 ). The transient simulations and the postfault analysis are carried out using EMTP-RV and MATLAB Wavelet Toolbox, respectively. The accuracy, limitations, and capabilities of the proposed algorithm are presented and discussed for different fault conditions.
Introduction to Pediatric Endocrinology: The Endocrine System

The endocrine system regulates reproduction, growth and development, homeostasis of the organism (or maintenance of the internal environment), and the production, storage, and utilization of energy. The endocrine system was originally understood to regulate metabolism by biochemical messengers or hormones that were released from specialized organs (glands) into the general circulation so that they could act at a distance. Thus, hormones were classically defined as circulating messengers, with the location of their action far from the site of secretion, endocrine action. Hormone action also may be paracrine (acting on adjacent neighboring cells to the cell of origin of the hormone by diffusion) or autocrine (acting on the cell of origin of the hormone itself by diffusion) or intracrine (acting on the cell of origin without actually being secreted); often agents acting in these ways are called factors rather than hormones. Indeed, these factors (e.g., growth factors) may be produced in most cells of the body rather than discrete endocrine glands (Fig. 1.1). The effects of hormones and factors may be generally considered to be directed toward the processes of cell differentiation, cell growth, and metabolism of the cell and the organism.
Influence of pore tortuosity on hydraulic conductivity of pervious concrete: Characterization and modeling

Abstract A variety of empirical models have been proposed by other researchers correlating hydraulic conductivity to effective porosity for pervious concrete (PC). However, most of these models do not account for the influence of pore tortuosity or require complicated measurements. To quantify the influence of pore tortuosity, PC with different microstructure is proportioned through varying workability of matrix, amount of binder and size of aggregate. A relationship between relative mean pore size and pore tortuosity is proposed and incorporated into the Kozeny-Carman model. The relative mean pore size is defined as the ratio of mean pore size to aggregate size. Mean pore size is derived from the pore size distribution (PSD) extracted from linear path function (LPF) tailored to PC. The modified Kozeny-Carman model is validated by the agreement between predicted and experimentally obtained results.
Analyzing slow drying in a porous medium placed adjacent to laminar airflow using a pore-network model

ABSTRACTA novel unified implicit computational framework and a unique pore-to-cell meshing method is used to predict, by coupling the inside-drying outside-flow processes, the slow drying of a pore-network-represented porous medium placed adjacent to a laminar flow of air in a slit. The effects of numerical algorithms, spatial and temporal discretization schemes, and meshing methods in minimizing computational effort are studied. The numerical solutions of the outer and inner processes are tested against several benchmark studies. The external air velocity affects drying during the initial stages. The microstructure of the pore network (P-N is found to have a strong influence on drying.
The role of body image dissatisfaction in the association between treatment-related scarring or disfigurement and psychological distress in adult survivors of childhood cancer.

Objective To examine the potential mediating role of body image dissatisfaction on the association between treatment-related scarring/disfigurement and psychological distress in adult survivors of childhood cancer. Methods Participants included 1714 adult survivors of childhood cancer (mean [SD] age at evaluation = 32.4 [8.0] years, time since diagnosis = 24.1 [8.1] years) enrolled in the St. Jude Lifetime Cohort Study. Survivors completed measures of body image, emotional distress, and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). Body image dissatisfaction (BID) was categorized into 2 groups (cancer-related and general) based on factor analysis. Using causal mediation analysis, we estimated the proportion of psychological distress associated with treatment-related scarring/disfigurement that could be eliminated by resolving BID through a hypothetical intervention. Results Among survivors with scarring/disfigurement of the head, a sizable proportion of the relative excess of psychological distress could be eliminated if BID was successfully treated (males: [cancer-related BID: depression: 63%; anxiety: 100%; PTSS: 52%]; [general BID: depression: 70%; anxiety: 100%; PTSS: 42%]; females: [cancer-related BID: depression: 20%; anxiety; 36%; PTSS: 23%]; [general BID: depression: 32%; anxiety: 87%; PTSS: 38%]). The mediating effect of BID was less pronounced for the association between scarring/disfigurement of the body and psychological distress for both males and females. Conclusions Body image dissatisfaction mediates the association treatment-related scarring/disfigurement and psychological distress among adult survivors of childhood cancer, particularly among survivors with scarring/disfigurement of the head and male survivors. Successful treatment of body image dissatisfaction has the potential to eliminate a substantial proportion of psychological distress related to scarring/disfigurement among adult survivors of childhood cancer.
A novel microRNA regulator of prostate cancer epithelial–mesenchymal transition

The most frequent alteration in the prostate oncogenome is loss of chromosome (chr) 8p21 that has been associated with loss of NKX3.1 homeobox gene. Chr8p21 deletions increase significantly with tumor grade and are associated with poor prognosis in prostate cancer (PCa), suggesting critical involvement of this region in tumor progression. Recent studies suggest that apart from NKX3.1, this region harbors alternative tumor suppressors that are yet undefined. We proposed a novel, paradigm shifting hypothesis that this locus is associated with a miRNA gene cluster-miR-3622a/b- that plays a crucial suppressive role in PCa. Here we demonstrate the crucial role of miR-3622a in prostate cancer epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). MicroRNA expression profiling in microdissected human PCa clinical tissues showed that miR-3622a expression is widely downregulated and is significantly correlated with poor survival outcome and tumor progression. To understand the functional significance of miR-3622a, knockdown and overexpression was performed using non-transformed prostate epithelial and PCa cell lines, respectively, followed by functional assays. Our data demonstrate that endogenous miR-3622a expression is vital to maintain the epithelial state of normal and untransformed prostate cells. miR-3622a expression inhibits EMT, progression and metastasis of PCa in vitro and in vivo. Further, we found that miR-3622a directly targets EMT effectors ZEB1 and SNAI2. In view of these data, we propose that frequent loss of miR-3622a at chr8p21 region leads to induction of EMT states that in turn, promotes PCa progression and metastasis. This study has potentially significant implications in the field of prostate cancer as it identifies an important miRNA component of a frequently lost chromosomal region with critical roles in prostate carcinogenesis which is a highly significant step towards understanding the mechanistic involvement of this locus. Also, our study indicates that miR-3622a is a novel PCa biomarker and potential drug target for developing therapeutic regimens against advanced PCa.
Posttraumatic Growth Reported by Emerging Adults: a Multigroup Analysis of the Roles of Attachment, Support, and Coping

The purpose of this research was to examine reports of and pathways to posttraumatic growth (PTG) by emerging adults who have experienced trauma during adolescence compared with a comparison group recruited from the same sample frame. The sample consisted of 546 college students; 359 reported having experienced a traumatic event during adolescence, and 187 college students reporting no such trauma made up the comparison group. Independent t-tests revealed that the comparison group reported more growth in the domain of new possibilities; whereas, the trauma group reported more growth in the domains of spiritual change and appreciation for life. Structural equation modelling revealed no differences in factor loadings or path regression weights between the groups, suggesting that there was consistency in the influence that attachment, social support, and coping had on reports of PTG. However, constraining the intercepts did result in a poorer model fit; specifically, scores of growth in new possibilities and engagement in intrapersonal coping strategies (active, positive reframing, planning) were higher for the comparison group. Because these coping strategies also had the strongest path coefficient to PTG across groups, engagement in intrapersonal coping strategies appears to be a pathway to realizing growth, which is more likely to be experienced by college students but less likely to be achieved by emerging adults of adolescent trauma.
Gossip-based distribution estimation in peer-to-peer networks

We propose a novel gossip-based technique that allows each node in a system to estimate the distribution of values held by other nodes. We observe that the presence of duplicate values does not significantly affect the distribution of values in samples collected through gossip, and based on that explore different data synopsis techniques that optimize space and time while allowing nodes to accumulate information. Unlike previous aggregation schemes, our approach focuses on allowing all nodes in the system to compute an estimate of the entire distribution in a decentralized and efficient manner. We evaluate our approach through simulation, showing that it is simple and scalable, and that it allows all nodes in the system to converge to a satisfactory estimate of the distribution in a small number of rounds.
Stressful Work Trajectories and Depressive Symptoms in Middle-Aged Couples: Moderating Effect of Marital Warmth.

Objectives: The present study investigated the decade-long actor and partner infleunces between husbands’ and wives’ trajectories of stressful work conditions (SWCs) and their depressive symptoms w...
Symmetrical and Nonsymmetrical Meso–Meso Directly Linked Hydroporphyrin Dyads: Synthesis and Photochemical Properties

A series of a rigid meso–meso directly linked chlorin–chlorin, chlorin–bacteriochlorin, and bacteriochlorin–bacteriochlorin dyads, including free bases as well as Zn(II), Pd(II), and Cu(II) complexes, has been synthesized, and their absorption, emission, singlet oxygen (1O2) photosensitization, and electronic properties have been examined. Marked bathochromic shifts of the long-wavelength Qy absorption band and increase in fluorescence quantum yields in dyads, in comparison to the corresponding monomers, are observed. Nonsymmetrical dyads (except bacteriochlorin–bacteriochlorin) show two distinctive Qy bands, corresponding to the absorption of each dyad component. A nearly quantitative S1–S1 energy transfer between hydroporphyrins in dyads, leading to an almost exclusive emission of hydroporphyrin with a lower S1 energy, has been determined. Several symmetrical and all nonsymmetrical dyads exhibit a significant reduction in fluorescence quantum yields in solvents of high dielectric constants; this is attr...
Granger Causality Analysis of Interictal iEEG Predicts Seizure Focus and Ultimate Resection

BACKGROUND A critical conceptual step in epilepsy surgery is to locate the causal region of seizures. In practice, the causal region may be inferred from the set of electrodes showing early ictal activity. There would be advantages in deriving information about causal regions from interictal data as well. We applied Granger's statistical approach to baseline interictal data to calculate causal interactions. We hypothesized that maps of the Granger causality network (or GC maps) from interictal data might inform about the seizure network, and set out to see if "causality" in the Granger sense correlated with surgical targets. OBJECTIVE To determine whether interictal baseline data could produce GC maps, and whether the regions of high GC would statistically resemble the topography of the ictally active electrode (IAE) set and resection. METHODS Twenty-minute interictal baselines obtained from 25 consecutive patients were analyzed. The "GC maps" were quantitatively compared to conventionally constructed surgical plans, by using rank order and Cartesian distance statistics. RESULTS In 16 of 25 cases, the interictal GC rankings of the electrodes in the IAE set were lower than predicted by chance (P < .05). The aggregate probability of such a match by chance alone is very small (P < 10-20) suggesting that interictal GC maps correlated with ictal networks. The distance of the highest GC electrode to the IAE set and to the resection averaged 4 and 6 mm (Wilcoxon P < .001). CONCLUSION GC analysis has the potential to help localize ictal networks from interictal data.
Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy in patients with heart failure and left ventricular assist devices as a bridge to transplant.

Abstract Background Obesity is an epidemic that is closely associated with heart failure. The ultimate treatment for end-stage heart failure is cardiac transplantation. Patients with morbid obesity are often excluded from receiving donor organs. Many transplant centers use body mass index (BMI) >35 kg/m2 as a contraindication to listing for heart transplant. Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) were developed as a bridge to transplant for many heart failure patients, but bariatric surgery for LVAD patients has not been well described. Objectives The purpose of our study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) in LVAD patients and the impact on heart failure recovery as a bridge to cardiac transplantation. Setting University hospital. Methods A retrospective study was conducted to evaluate the outcomes of patients with morbid obesity and LVADs who underwent LSG at a large academic medical center between 2013 and 2017. Age, BMI, percent excess weight loss, cardiac ejection fraction, listing status for transplantation, and success of transplant were reviewed. Results Eleven patients were identified with morbid obesity and heart failure with LVAD support who underwent LSG. There were no perioperative deaths. Four patients (37%) achieved BMI Conclusions LSG can be safely used in patients with morbid obesity and end-stage heart failure requiring LVAD support to lower their BMI and become eligible for cardiac transplantation.
Exploring the use of texting to support family-school engagement in early childhood settings: teacher and family perspectives

New technologies offer exciting opportunities for improving home-school communication, family engagement, and children’s learning in early childhood. This paper presents the results of an explorato...
The Psychology of Decision Making

Abstract This chapter overviews general theoretical advances including developmental perspectives in the study of decision-making behavior and their applicability in understanding how individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) approach interpersonal decisions in their lives. Of particular importance are the theoretical explications of the roles of cognitive and noncognitive processes (e.g., motivation and emotion), and the contextual demands of different decision tasks, as possible loci of the decision-making difficulties observed in individuals with IDD. Extant decision-making research with individuals with IDD is summarized and a Pathways of Decision Processing model is outlined for the systematic study of their decision-making processes and building adaptive decision-making strategies. The chapter examines distinct disability-specific patterns of decision-making difficulties associated with underlying etiologies and phenomenological characteristics of the subtypes of IDD, with implications for the need for differentiated interventions to improve the decision making of individuals with different forms of IDD, including those with intellectual disabilities, Williams syndrome, and autism spectrum disorders.
Phylogeny of Primate Higher Taxa

There is a consensus among mammalian systematists insofar as most hold the composition of the bulla and, to a lesser degree, the circulatory patterns associated with the middle ear to be both conservative in some features and sufficiently diversified in others to be extremely useful. It is this combination that renders basicranial evidence valuable in formulating phylogenetic hypotheses for taxa above the generic and family rank.
Changes in REIT Stock Prices, Trading Volume and Institutional Ownership Resulting from S&P REIT Index Changes

Executive Summary. This study investigates the announcement effects of additions and deletions of individual stocks in the S&P REIT Index. The findings indicate a small but significant stock price reaction to additions. However, an addition or deletion has no impact on trading volume and institutional ownership. Overall, there is but limited opportunity for institutional investors to earn abnormal returns around changes in the REIT Index because of trading costs and other incidental expenses. However, individual investors may be able to exploit the arbitrage opportunity if their trading costs are lower. Finally, significant long-term valuation gains following deletions are found—apparently, deletions serve to discipline managers to improve performance.
Abstract 4453: Successful Treatment of Clopidogrel Hypersensitivity Without Drug Interruption

Premature discontinuation of dual antiplatelet therapy is an important predictor of stent thrombosis. Hypersensitivity affects 6% of patients treated with clopidogrel often resulting in drug discontinuation. Clopidogrel desensitization has been previously described utilizing a protocol of dose titration following a washout period to enable detection of reaction to desensitizing dose. This technique is problematic in patients with recently implanted stents since therapy interruption carries significant risk of stent thrombosis. The purpose of this study was to assess a strategy of clopidogrel hypersensitivity management without drug interruption utilizing corticosteroids and antihistamines to allow for development of physiologic tolerance. A retrospective analysis of clopidogrel hypersensitivity following stent placement was performed in patients treated from January 1, 2005 to April 30, 2008. The primary outcome was response of hypersensitivity symptoms to treatment regimen. Secondary outcomes included duration of clopidogrel therapy and recurrence of hypersensitivity reaction. The study population consisted of 20 patients (15 men and 5 women) with mean age 62 ± 9 years who underwent PCI and subsequently developed clopidogrel hypersensitivity at mean 6 ± 2 days of therapy. Indications for revascularization included STEMI (14%), acute coronary syndrome (43%), stable angina (5%), and positive stress test (38%). Patients received a mean of 2.2 stents, with drug eluting stents in 16 cases (76%). Treatment of clopidogrel hypersensitivity was successful in 17 of 20 patients (85%). Treatment regimens included corticosteroids (15) and antihistamines (17) with combination therapy in 11. Median duration of corticosteroid therapy was 6 days (range 6 –20). Mean duration of clopidogrel therapy was 257 ± 287 days with a median of 151 days. Two patients required repeat course of corticosteroids for relapse. Only 3 patients prematurely discontinued clopidogrel therapy due to persistent symptoms. In conclusion, patients who develop clopidogrel hypersensitivity after stent placement can be successfully treated with short-course corticosteroids and antihistamines without interruption of dual antiplatelet therapy.
The Hydraulic Fracturing Method of Stress Measurement: Theory and Practice

Publisher Summary Hydraulic fracturing, or hydrofracturing, is the best-known method of assessing the state of in situ stress at great depths. In the last two decades it has become an indispensable tool in the preexcavation design of large underground projects such as hydroelectric powerhouses, tunnels, mines, waste disposal galleries, energy storage caverns, etc. It has been increasingly used in the planning of oil and gas fields and the design of wellbore stimulation. It has also become a requisite field measurement in tectonophysics research, and in earthquake prediction, mechanism and control studies. Conventional hydraulic fracturing stress measurements have generally been very successful and have provided crustal stress information that is consistent with other measurements, as well as other stress indicators, or observations.
Chapter 29 Computational Methods and Models of Politics

Abstract In this chapter, we assess recent contributions of computational models to the study of politics. We focus primarily on agent-based models developed by economists and political scientists. These models address collective action problems, questions related to institutional design and performance, issues in international relations, and electoral competition. In our view, complex systems and computational techniques will have a large and growing impact on research on politics in the near future. This optimism follows from the observation that the concepts used in computational methodology in general and agent-based models in particular resonate deeply within political science because of the domains of study in the discipline and because early findings from agent-based models align with widely known empirical regularities in the political world. In the process of making our arguments, we survey a portion of the growing literature within political science.
Stress Analysis of Coplanar Statically Determinate Trusses

In this chapter we will explain basic concepts of truss configuration, how to compute stresses in the members of idealized statically determinate trusses, and how to compute truss deflections.
Metastasis of breast tumor cells to brain is suppressed by targeting RLIP alone and in combination with 2'-Hydroxyflavanone.

Abstract Brain metastasis is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in cancer-patients. Breast tumor cells frequently metastasize to brain and initiate severe therapeutic complications. In the present study, we evaluated the anti-metastatic effects of 2′-hydroxyflavanone (2HF) alone and in combination with RLIP targeted therapy in a novel murine model of breast tumor metastasis. The MDA-MB231Br (brain-seeking) breast cancer (BC) cells stably-transfected with luciferase were injected into the left-ventricle of NSG mouse heart and the migration of cells to brain was monitored using a non-invasive bioluminescent imaging system. To evaluate the tumor growth suppressive effects, mice were given 2HF (50 mg/kg, b.w., alternate days orally), RLIP-antibody (Rab; 5 mg/kg, b.w., weekly i.p.) or combination of 2HF+Rab starting day1 after intra-cardiac injection. Our results reveal that 2HF and Rab significantly prevented the metastasis of BC cells to brain. Further, mice treated with combination of 2HF+Rab exhibited no metastasis as compared to either or the single agent-treated mice. This study for the first time demonstrates the anti-metastatic effects of 2HF and RLIP-inhibition in-vivo in a novel breast tumor metastasis model and provides the rationale for further clinical investigation.
Intraventricular Pilocytic Astrocytoma With KIAA1549/BRAF Fusion Arising in a 44-Year Old

Rare pilocytic astrocytomas (PA) have been described to arise in the ventricles of children. They are even less common in this location for the adult population. We present the case of a 44-year old man presenting with vision and mental status changes. Brain imaging revealed an intraventricular mass within the right ventricular atrium, most consistent with a meningioma. Microscopic examination revealed a neoplasm composed of elongated to plump bipolar astrocytes arranged in a fascicular architecture, accompanied by foci containing numerous Rosenthal fibers. By immunohistochemistry, the tumor cells were positive for vimentin and glial fibrillary acid protein, whereas negative for epithelial membrane antigen. Isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (R132H) was also negative. By fluorescence in situ hybridization, we detected a KIAA1549/BRAF fusion gene. These findings supported the diagnosis of intraventricular PA arising in an adult.
Cyclin-dependent kinases as therapeutic targets: Examination of palbociclib (PD 0332991) and flavopiridol in human tumor primary culture microspheroids.

e13504 Background: The cyclin dependent kinases (CDK) are a family of enzymes that mediate cell cycle progression. CDK dysregulation is a common event in human carcinogenesis, making CDK inhibition...
“Bedtime” for a Boston Marriage: Sarah Orne Jewett's Illustrated Deephaven

The illustrations in 1893 edition of Deephaven crosse conventional boundaries, arresting the objectification that is often inherent in portraits and landscapes. Jewett and the illustrators preserve...
High School Years

In those days, entering high school from Shōnan Gakuen meant that the wealthy students went to Keiō Gijuku High School, and the students from middle class income families with decent grades chose the prefectural public Shōnan High School. I had no doubt that I could get into Shōnan High School. This was because the selection could be done with just a transcript from middle school.
“The Vilest Man in the Newspaper Business”: F. G. Bonfils’s Case against the Rocky Mountain News

ABSTRACTDenver Post publisher F. G. Bonfils sued the rival Rocky Mountain News for libel in 1932. This research details the efforts of News investigative reporter Wallis Reef, who was sent on a mon...