cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ragweed as an Example of Worldwide Allergen Expansion

Multiple factors are contributing to the expansion of ragweed on a worldwide scale. This review seeks to examine factors that may contribute to allergen expansion with reference to ragweed as a well-studied example. It is our hope that increased surveillance for new pollens in areas not previously affected and awareness of the influence the changing environment plays in allergic disease will lead to better outcomes in susceptible patients.
Behavioral and Neural Representation of Emotional Facial Expressions Across the Lifespan

Humans' experience of emotion and comprehension of affective cues varies substantially across the lifespan. Work in cognitive and affective neuroscience has begun to characterize behavioral and neural responses to emotional cues that systematically change with age. This review examines work to date characterizing the maturation of facial expression comprehension, and dynamic changes in amygdala recruitment from early childhood through late adulthood while viewing facial expressions of emotion. Recent neuroimaging work has tested amygdala and prefrontal engagement in experimental paradigms mimicking real aspects of social interactions, which we highlight briefly, along with considerations for future research.
A Comparison of the Caregiving Networks of Dependent Elderly Individuals Who Are Lucid and Those Who Are Demented

Individuals who were demented were cared for mostly by members of the immediate household whereas those who were lucid received primarily extra-household assistance. Demented persons also received fewer hours of care from outside the household and from formal providers. It is argued that in cases of dementia, the household is likely to be the key unit of caregiving and adaptation. Implications of household insularity are discussed.
Microencapsulation of Cheese Ripening Systems: Formation of Microcapsules

Abstract Microcapsules were formed that consisted of a milk fat coat containing aqueous protein or glucose "carrier" vacuoles stabilized by sorbitan esters of stearate or oleate. Microencapsulation was accomplished by extruding a water/oil emulsion, consisting of an aqueous solution (carrier) dispersed in a molten mixture of milk fat and emulsifier, under high pressure through an orifice submerged in a chilled dispersion fluid (water or milk). Extent of encapsulation was dependent on process variables such as emulsifier type, concentration and proportions of different emulsifiers, dispersion fluid temperature, ratio of aqueous carrier solution to milk fat, and concentration of solids in the aqueous vacuoles. Maximum encapsulation efficiency ranged between 80 and 90%.
Angiotensin II receptors and aldosterone production in rat adrenal glomerulosa cells.

Specific receptors for angiotensin II (A II) were demonstrated in membrane fractions and collagenase- dispersed cells from the zona glomerulosa of the rat adrenal gland. The equilibrium association constant (Ka) of the A II binding sites was similar in particulate fractions (2.0 ± 0.4 (SE) × 109 M-1) and intact glomerulosa cells (1.8 ± 0.3 × 109 M-1). Specific binding of [125I]iodo-A II was enhanced by increasing sodium concentration, and in the presence of dithiothreitol, EDTA, and EGTA. Plasma membrane fractions prepared by density gradient centrifugation showed increased binding of [125I]iodo-A II, and were correspondingly enriched in adenylate cyclase and sodium-potassium- dependent ATPase. Steroid production by collagenase-dispersed adrenal glomerulosa cells was highly responsive to A II and ACTH. Significant increases in aldosterone and corticosterone production were elicited by A II concentrations as low as 3 × 10-11, equivalent to normal blood levels of A II in rats (5 × 10-11). The maximum increa...
Surface Wind Fields of 1995 Hurricanes Erin, Opal, Luis, Marilyn, and Roxanne at Landfall

Hurricanes Erin, Opal, Luis, Marilyn, and Roxanne were the most destructive hurricanes of 1995. At landfall, Luis and Marilyn contained maximum sustained winds (marine exposure) estimated at near 60 and 46 m s21, respectively. The strongest landfalling storm of the 1995 season, Luis, decreased in intensity from a category 4 to 3 on the Saffir‐Simpson scale shortly before the eyewall crossed the Islands of Antigua, Barbuda, St. KittsNevis, St. Barthelemy, St. Martin, and Anguilla. Hurricane Marilyn strengthened as it approached the U.S. Virgin Islands, with St. Thomas bearing the brunt of the north and south eyewall winds of 46 m s21 (marine exposure) and St. Croix being affected by the relatively weak western eyewall peak winds of 35‐40 m s21 (marine exposure). For Luis and Marilyn only surface winds with marine exposures were analyzed because of unknown small-scale interactions associated with complex island terrain with 500‐1000-m elevations. Wind engineering studies suggest that wind acceleration over blunt ridges can increase or ‘‘speed up’’ winds by 20%‐80%. Topographic effects were evident in damage debris analyses and suggest that an operational method of assessing terrain-induced wind gusts (such as a scaled down mesoscale model) is needed. After landfall as a marginal hurricane over central Florida, Hurricane Erin regained strength over the Gulf of Mexico with a well-defined radar reflectivity structure. Erin struck the Florida panhandle near Navarre Beach with maximum sustained surface winds of 35‐ 40 m s21 affecting the Destin‐Ft. Walton area. Hurricane Opal made landfall in nearly the identical area as Erin, with maximum sustained surface winds of 40‐45 m s21, having weakened from an intensity of nearly 60 m s21 only 10 h earlier. Opal was characterized by an asymmetric structure that was likely related to cold front interaction and an associated midlevel southwesterly jet. Roxanne struck Cozumel, Mexico, with sustained surface winds (marine exposure) of 46 s21, crossed the Yucatan, and meandered in the southwest Gulf of Mexico for several days. While in the Bay of Campeche, Roxanne’s large area of hurricane-force winds disabled a vessel, which lead to the drowning deaths of five oil industry workers. High-resolution wind records are critical to preserving an accurate extreme wind climatology required for assessment of realistic building code risks. Unfortunately, power interruptions to Automated Surface Observing Stations on the U.S. Virgin Islands (St. Croix, St. Thomas) and Destin, Florida, prevented complete wind records of the eyewall passages of Marilyn and Opal, respectively.
Cost-effectiveness of 30- compared to 20-milliliter blood cultures: a retrospective study

The importance of blood culture (BC) volume for detection of bloodstream infections (BSIs) is documented. Recently, improved diagnostic sensitivity was demonstrated for 30- versus 20-ml BCs in adults (Cockerill FR, Wilson JW, Vetter EA, Goodman KM, Torgerson CA, Harmsen WS, Schleck CD, IIstrup DM, Washington JA, Wilson WR. Clin Infect Dis 38:1724-1730, 2004, http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/JCM.01314-11). Hospitals receive higher reimbursement for patients with documented septicemia. We determined the cost-effectiveness of 30-ml versus 20-ml BCs using results from our institution and previously published data. Positive BC results from 292 bacteremic episodes were reviewed. The costs of the reagents, equipment, phlebotomist, and technologist time were determined. The medical records department provided Medicare reimbursement (MR) data for patients with selected ICD-9 codes. These data provided an estimate of the annualized increase in MR versus costs associated with conversion to 30-ml BCs. MR for 464 annual primary BSIs was $24,808/episode. An expected 7.2% increase in BSIs detected using 30-ml BCs would add 34 additional cases annually and increase MR by $843,472. Comparative MR data for cases where septicemia complicated another diagnosis were available for 4 International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes: laparoscopic cholecystectomy, biliary tract disorders, pneumonia, and cellulitis. The mean incremental MR was $9,667 per episode, which projected to a $483,350 revenue increase annually. The annual cost associated with conversion to 30-ml BCs was estimated to be $157,798. Thus, the potential net increase in hospital revenue would be $1,169,031 for 30-ml versus 20-ml BCs. Our results suggest that conversion to 30-ml BCs may not only improve patient care by detecting more BSIs but also increase hospital revenue substantially.
Complications of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

Acute esophageal exposure to gastric and/or duodenal refluxate can result in pyrosis and symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), as well as erosive esophagitis. The pathophysiology underlying GERD and the esophageal response to acute acid exposure, including esophageal defense mechanisms, are discussed elsewhere in this book. Chronic esophageal acid exposure can result in anatomic and structural changes to the esophagus—ranging from benign lesions (peptic stricture), to premalignant lesions (Barrett’s esophagus), to esophageal adenocarcinoma. These esophageal complications of chronic GERD will be discussed in the following chapter.
Effects of X-Ray Irradiation on Male Navel Orangeworm Moths (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) on Mating, Fecundity, Fertility, and Inherited Sterility

Male adult navel orangeworm, Amyelois transitella (Walker), were irradiated using a laboratory scale x-ray irradiation unit to determine the required dose for complete egg sterility of mated female moths and inherited sterility of F1 and F2 generations. Adult male A. transitella were irradiated in two separate experiments at 100-300 Gy and 50-175 Gy. Mating frequency, fecundity, and fertility of normal females crossed with irradiated parental males was compared with the mating of nonirradiated moths. Mating frequency was 100% for females crossed with nonirradiated control males. At male treatment doses of ≥150 Gy the percentage of females found unmated increased, while multiple-mated females decreased. Female fecundity was not affected while fertility was affected in a dose-dependent relationship to exposure of parental males to x-ray irradiation. Embryonic development of eggs to the prehatch stage and egg eclosion did not occur at radiation doses ≥125 Gy. Emergence of F1 adults was low and occurred only for progeny of parental males exposed to doses ≤100 Gy, with no emergence at ≥125 Gy. Though fecundity appeared similar for control and irradiated F1 females, no F2 eggs hatched for the test exposures of 50-100 Gy. Based on our results, a dose of ≥125 Gy had efficacy in inducing both primary parental sterility in treated male moths and inherited sterility in F1 male and female moths. Results suggest that A. transitella might be considered a candidate for the sterile insect technique using adults irradiated at these relatively low x-ray exposure doses.
“I Know You, But I Don’t Know Who You Are”: Siblings’ Discursive Struggles Surrounding Experiences of Transition

When young adults leave home and seek independence from their family-of-origin, their sibling relationships undergo various changes. The present study used relational dialectics theory to understand how siblings make meaning of their changing relationships during the transition to adulthood. Interviews were conducted with 19 individuals who had left home and moved away from a sibling within the last 4 years. An analysis of siblings’ talk about their experiences of relationship transition revealed discursive struggles between old and new relational meanings and between certainty and uncertainty. Participants also reported that moving away from their sibling helped them develop a stronger, more meaningful bond. Findings suggest that siblings face both challenges and opportunities for growth during the transition to adulthood.
A State Identification Method for 1-D Measurements with Gaps**

A technique is presented for estimating the states of a system that characterize the scattering centers on a target using one-dimensional (1-D) output measurements with gaps. The algorithm computes a set of matrices from an augmented system obtained from states that best describe the target dynamics within the measured data. The augmented matrices are used as a first order estimation to interpolate between the measurement bands. An iterative procedure is carried out to minimize the error between the model and the measured data to compute the states associated with the scatterers over the full bandwidth. A modal decomposition approach is used to estimate the position and identify the scattering centers that lay on the target body. The effectiveness of the algorithm is confirmed using static-range radar data from a canonical test object.
Anticoagulant from the Sea Anemone Rhodactis howesii

SummaryAn anticoagulant factor has been demonstrated in the extract of the sea anemone Rhodactis howesii. It is not related to the lethal “neuro”- toxin and the hemo-lysin which occur in that anemone. The factor is non-dialyzable. It is resistant to a pH of 2.0 and 10.5 in the cold, to autoclaving for 2 hours at 120°C under 15 lb pressure, and to treatment with acetone and chloroform. By the plasma recalcincation method 700 μg of the total dry organic material of the extract afford a 10-times prolongation of coagulation time as compared with 3.3 μg of heparin. Calcium deprivation as a possible mechanism, for the anticoagulant effect has been ruled out.
Differential Adjustment Among Rural Adolescents Exposed to Family Violence

This study examines differences in psychological adjustment in a sample of rural adolescents who have been exposed to family violence. Self-report questionnaires were administered to 580 adolescents and their primary caregivers. The results revealed that over two thirds of the study participants (68.8%) had been exposed to violence in their families. As hypothesized, cluster analysis identified several profiles among adolescents, distinguished by their psychological and emotional functioning: well adjusted (46.2%), moderately adjusted (44.3%), and struggling (9.5%). Discriminant function analysis confirmed the groupings and revealed that family functioning was among the most influential factors explaining adjustment differences. Multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVAs) further showed that adolescents from each of the three adjustment profiles reported significantly different levels of family social support, parental involvement, and perceived neighborhood safety. Overall, the results confirm heterogeneity of adolescent adaptation in the aftermath of family violence and provide insights into family and neighborhood factors that account for variability in adolescents' reactions to violence. Implications for future research and practical interventions are discussed.
Weakening obstacles to transit use changes in relationships with child rearing and automobile access from 2000 to 2010

Early indications of a significant generational change in travel behavior have raised hopes of robust growth in transit use in the immediate future, especially as the millennial generation comes of age. The eventual transition to family life and child rearing, however, has led to significant declines in the transit use rates of older-age cohorts. For high transit-use rates of millennials to be durable, the relationship between the presence of children and travel behavior must change. Despite lower rates of automobile ownership by millennials than by previous cohorts, automobile ownership is still widespread: increased attraction of choice riders is important for growth in transit use as well. This study looks for changes in the basic relationship between the presence of young children or automobile access and the probability of transit use from 2000 to 2010 on the basis of data from the decennial Travel Behavior Inventory by the Metropolitan Council of the Twin Cities in Minnesota. Pooled logistic regress...
Complete Genome Sequence of Streptomyces venezuelae ATCC 15439, Producer of the Methymycin/Pikromycin Family of Macrolide Antibiotics, Using PacBio Technology.

ABSTRACT Here, we report the complete genome sequence of Streptomyces venezuelae ATCC 15439, a producer of the methymycin/pikromycin family of macrolide antibiotics and a model host for natural product studies, obtained exclusively using PacBio sequencing technology. The 9.03-Mbp genome harbors 8,775 genes and 11 polyketide and nonribosomal peptide natural product gene clusters.
Study on Quantum Error-Correcting Code in Electric Power System Communication

The technique of quantum error correcting code(QECC) is the foundation of quantum information utility,and for introduction of quantum technology to power system,it's necessary to choose a coding scheme suitable for the overhead line of electric power system and the strong electromagnetic environment of transformer substation.This paper first describes the development history of QECC and then compares the four typical QECC schemes from the principles,advantages and disadvantages,practicability,and finally analyzes the special environment faced by power system communication as compared with that by public communication network.Quantum LDPC is regarded as a scheme suitable for power system communication.
Novel dose-finding designs and considerations on practical implementations in oncology clinical trials

One of the main objectives in phase I oncology trials is to evaluate safety and tolerability of an experimental treatment by estimating the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) based on the rate of dose-limiting toxicities (DLT). To meet emerging challenges in dose-finding studies, over the past two decades, extensive research has been conducted by statistical and medical researchers to create innovative dose finding designs that perform better than the standard 3 + 3 design, which often exhibits undesirable statistical and operational properties. However, clinical implementation and practical usage of these new designs have been limited. This article begins with a review of the most recent literature and then provides some perspectives on implementing novel adaptive dose finding designs in oncology phase I trials from a pharmaceutical industry perspective. Statistical planning and logistical considerations on how to effectively execute such designs in multi-center clinical trials are discussed using two recent case studies.
Population-based risk for peripartum hysterectomy during low- and moderate-risk delivery hospitalizations

Background Postpartum hysterectomy is an obstetric procedure that carries significant maternal risk that is not well characterized by hospital volume. Objective The objective of this study was to determine risk for peripartum hysterectomy for women at low and moderate risk for the procedure. Study Design This population-based study used data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample to characterize risk for peripartum hysterectomy. Women with a diagnosis of placenta accreta or prior cesarean and placenta previa were excluded. Obstetrical risk factors along with demographic and hospital factors were evaluated. Multivariable mixed-effects log-linear regression models were developed to determine adjusted risk. Based on these models receiver operating characteristic curves were plotted, and the area under the curve was determined to assess discrimination. Results Peripartum hysterectomy occurred in 1 in 1913 deliveries. Risk factors associated with significant risk for hysterectomy included mode of delivery, stillbirth, placental abruption, fibroids, and antepartum hemorrhage. These factors retained their significance in adjusted models: the risk ratio for stillbirth was 3.44 (95% confidence interval, 2.94–4.02), abruption 2.98 (95% confidence interval, 2.52–3.20), fibroids 3.63 (95% confidence interval, 3.22–4.08), and antepartum hemorrhage 7.15 (95% confidence interval, 6.16–8.32). The area under the curve for the model was 0.833. Conclusion Peripartum hysterectomy is a relatively common event that hospitals providing routine obstetric care should be prepared to manage. That specific risk factors are highly associated with risk for hysterectomy supports routine use of hemorrhage risk-assessment tools. However, given that a significant proportion of hysterectomies will be unpredictable, the availability of rapid transfusion protocols may be necessary for hospitals to safely manage these cases.
ACQUIRING AND USING KNOWLEDGE

Locally elected leaders know their constituents better than authorities at the national level and so should be well positioned to provide the public services local residents want and need. The World Bank (1999, p. 108) I need not dwell on the deficiencies of the central authority in detailed knowledge of local persons and things … but in comprehension of the principles even of purely local management, the superiority of the central government, when rightly constituted, ought to be prodigious … the knowledge and experience of any local authority is but local knowledge and experience, confined to their own part of the country and its modes of management, whereas the central government has the means of knowing all that is to be learnt from the united experience of the whole kingdom, with the addition of easy access to that of foreign countries. John Stuart Mill (1991 [1861], p. 423) Two common arguments concern how political decentralization affects the quality of the information on which policies are based. Some see in decentralization a means of incorporating into public decision making the “local knowledge” individuals glean from everyday experience. Others contend that decentralized political institutions stimulate policy experimentation. I consider both arguments in this chapter but find neither to be both general and convincing. Information To some of its advocates, the greatest virtue of decentralization is that it makes for policies that are informed by detailed and specific knowledge of local circumstances. Arguments to this effect come in three forms.
Gatherings of the Saints in England and the Netherlands

Most of those discussed in the previous chapter retained the ideal of a national church while seeking to transform it. John Cotton’s “inner congregation” was located in St. Botolph’s, Lincolnshire. John Davenport and John Wilson sought approval of parishioners to take up livings in established parishes. But the slow pace of reform led some of the godly to question their adherence to the Church of England. The more fervent their commitment to the task of leading godly lives, the more reluctant they were to compromise. Increasingly, many puritans found in their communion with fellow saints a community they valued above that of the national church. This chapter examines those who separated themselves from the Church of England either formally or by relocating in the Netherlands, where they found a greater freedom to reform, even if some still claimed kinship with the English church.
The t(14;18)(q32;q21) Confers Resistance to Apoptosis-Induced by Smoothened Inhibitors In Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma That Can Be Restored by Functional Inhibition of BCL2

Abstract 2479 Generally in cancers, high expression of anti-apoptotic proteins induced by oncogenic signaling pathways is a major cause for treatment failure. Previously, we have demonstrated that Hedgehog (Hh) signaling is activated and functional in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and that its inhibition, using the Smoothened (SMO) inhibitor cyclopamine-KAAD, induces apoptosis in cell lines of DLBCL of activated B-cell (ABC) subtype and cell cycle arrest (G1-phase) in those of germinal center (GC) subtype. Induction of apoptosis in ABC-DLBCL was due to decrease of BCL2 expression (protein and mRNA levels), a direct target of Hh signaling (Leukemia 2010;24:1025–36). We also found that BCL2 is upregulated in the tumor cells in the presence of stroma and that Hh inhibition abrogates this upregulation (Oncogene 2011, in press). Here, we explored the possibility of overcoming resistance to apoptosis-induced by Hh inhibition in GC-DLBCL using a combination of the SMO inhibitor “Hh antagonist” (Genentech Inc) with the BH3 mimetic ABT-737 (Abbot laboratories) in a panel of 5 GC type DLBCL cell lines, 4 of them with the t(14:18)(q32;q21) (DOHH2, SUDHL4, Toledo and OCI-LY19) and one without the translocation (HT). ABT-737 is a functional inhibitor of three major anti-apoptotic proteins of the BCL2 family (BCL2, BCL-xL and BCL-W). Combinatorial treatments were performed with increasing concentrations of the Hh antagonist (2.5, 5.0 and 7.5 μM) and with variable but minimal lethal doses of ABT-737 (inducing cell death less than 20%). Using cell viability, apoptosis (annexin-V) and cell cycle based assays, we found that the combined treatments resulted in a additive/synergistic decrease of cell viability and increase of apoptosis in comparison to the treatment with the Hh antagonist alone. In contrast to ABC type DLBCL cell lines, in DLBCL cells with t(14;18), Hh antagonist did not result in decrease expression of BCL2, BCL-xL and BCL-W indicating that the additive effect of ABT-737 was due to their functional inhibition and not by suppressing expression levels of these proteins. On the other hand, treatments with the Hh antagonist resulted in a concentration dependent decrease of BCL2 protein levels in HT cells. In summary, our data confirm that in the presence the t(14;18), inhibition of SMO does not result in decrease of BCL2 expression. In these cases, concomitant inhibition of BCL2 function and SMO is needed to induce apoptosis. Combined inhibition of Hh signaling and BCL2 function may have a therapeutic value for lymphomas with the t(14;18)(q32;q21). Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Exponential Sums and Stationary Phase (I)

With a view toward applications to number theory, coding theory, and combinatorics, we consider in this article Gauss sums defined over finite rings, especialy those arising from p-adic fields. The principal theme is the application of the classical method of stationary phase in a number theoretic context. After surveying the well known results of Kummer, Lamprecht, and Dwork, we indicate some generalizations which include and extend certain results of Hua in the one variable case, and Igusa in the case of several variables. In general, Gauss sums over finite rings possess asymptotic expansions whose leading term can be expressed in terms of quadratic Gauss sums. The principal tool turns out to be an arithmetic analogue of Morse’s Lemma.
A randomized controlled trial of expressive writing in breast cancer survivors with lymphedema

Objective: Breast cancer survivors who develop lymphedema report poorer quality of life (QoL) than those without lymphedema. Expressive writing is a potential intervention to address QoL.Design: Ad...
Effect of Genetics, Environment, and Phenotype on the Metabolome of Maize Hybrids Using GC/MS and LC/MS.

We evaluated the variability of metabolites in various maize hybrids due to the effect of environment, genotype, phenotype as well as the interaction of the first two factors. We analyzed 480 forage and the same number of grain samples from 21 genetically diverse non-GM Pioneer brand maize hybrids, including some with drought tolerance and viral resistance phenotypes, grown at eight North American locations. As complementary platforms, both GC/MS and LC/MS were utilized to detect a wide diversity of metabolites. GC/MS revealed 166 and 137 metabolites in forage and grain samples, respectively, while LC/MS captured 1341 and 635 metabolites in forage and grain samples, respectively. Univariate and multivariate analyses were utilized to investigate the response of the maize metabolome to the environment, genotype, phenotype, and their interaction. Based on combined percentages from GC/MS and LC/MS datasets, the environment affected 36% to 84% of forage metabolites, while less than 7% were affected by genotype...
Toward local family relationship discovery in location-based social network

The local family relationship discovery problem in location-based social network (LBSN) services is to identify whether two local residents in a city belong to the same family or not by using their check-in traces on LBSNs. This information is critical for many applications, such as social relationship analysis, targeted ads of local businesses, census study, localized news and travel recommendations. In this study, we propose an unsupervised approach to solving the local family relationship discovery problem by exploiting spatial–temporal, categorical and social constraints from the noisy LBSN data. The spatial–temporal constraint represents the correlations between people and the venues they visit, the categorical constraint represents the category of the visited venues and the social constraint represents the social connections between people. In particular, we develop a local family relationship discovery (LFRD) framework that contains two major components: (1) a localness-aware expectation maximization scheme to correctly identify the local residents in a city and (2) a family relationship discovery scheme to discover family relationships between the identified local people. We study the performance of the LFRD framework using four real-world datasets collected from Foursquare. The LFRD is shown to outperform the state-of-the-art baselines by significantly improving the accuracy of family relationship discovery.
Contractions of Polygons in Abstract Polytopes, Part I

There are several well-known constructions of new polytopes from old, such as the pyramid construction. We define a new local construction on abstract polytopes, called digonal contraction, which allows digonal sections to be removed by merging their two edges into a single edge. This contraction also extends to the question of contracting an edge of a polytope by merging its two vertices. Digonal contraction cannot be applied arbitrarily; we present necessary and sufficient conditions for its use. Digonal contraction also has interesting interactions with another new construction, the k-bubble construction introduced by Helfand, which we describe.
Mitral Valve Adaptation: Can We Win the Race?

See Article by Nishino et al Ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR) is a common complication of ischemic heart disease that doubles mortality after myocardial infarction (MI) and is a major driving factor increasing heart failure.1,2 IMR is caused by post-MI left ventricle (LV) remodeling: inferior wall bulging displaces the papillary muscle, tethering the leaflets into the LV cavity, and restricting their closure.3 The mitral valve (MV) has been thought of as an unchanging structure. However, its ability to adapt to expansion of the remodeling LV is increasingly recognized.4–7 Although mechanically displacing the papillary muscles without MI causes compensatory MV growth,8 this adaptive process is altered in the infarcted ventricle by excessive profibrotic processes, impairing closure, and augmenting MR.9–11 There is a need to understand the timing of compensatory valve growth versus counterproductive fibrosis and the potential effects of therapy on these competing processes.12 IMR can vary from early post-MI to the chronic stage, but previous studies have mainly focused on IMR in the subacute or chronic setting, and little is known about the mechanism of acute IMR. The study by Nishino et al13 in this issue of Circulation: Cardiovascular Imaging provides new insights into the mechanism of acute IMR. This sophisticated 3-dimensional echocardiographic study included 80 patients with significant IMR (44 patients with acute IMR; 36 with chronic IMR) compared with 3 …
A reexamination of salary discrimination in professional basketball

Objective. Recent studies of race-based salary discrimination in professional basketball have found that black players are paid less than white players for similar levels of performance. This paper reexamines the question using an alternate method of sample selection. Methods. Rather than use annual salaries for all players from a given season, this analysis will focus on free-agent salaries over a 12-year period. In much of the literature annual wage figures for players are measured against performance that was conducted long after their multiyear contracts, and the prevailing salaries used in the samples, were negotiated. By focusing solely on players who have recently negotiated new contracts, a better fit between salary and past performance is achieved. Results. Controlling for performance and other explanatory effects, regression results indicate that no significant salary shortfall exists for black players. This null finding is supported by an accompanying Chow test, which shows that the return in the form of salary to higher performance levels is the same for both races. Conclusions. This study analyzes whether race-based salary discrimination exists in the NBA after measurement error prevalent in other analyses is reduced. Findings from a less noisy sample indicate that race is not a factor in determining salary. This suggests that, at least with regard to veteran free agents, the NBA is a level playing field for players of both races
Factors related to physical activity and recommended intervention strategies as told by midlife and older African American men.

Objective Few interventions have targeted preventive health behaviors of midlife and older African American (AA) men. This study derived pertinent information with personal interviews to develop a tailored physical activity (PA) intervention for AA men -45 years of age. Methods Participants were 49 AA men aged 45-88 years. Personal interviews ascertained PA barriers, enablers, and preferences, and components that would render a PA program appropriate for and appealing to AA men of similar ages. Taped interviews were transcribed and organized in NVivo for analysis. Common themes were identified by multiple research staff. Results Most often cited barriers to PA included time constraints, lack of social support, low motivation, poor access, and factors related to chronic conditions and aging. Although men preferred traditional forms of sports and exercise when younger, they learned to adapt the intensity and duration as they aged, and walking was viewed as an acceptable alternative. Recommended strategies for a community-based PA program were building social support, camaraderie, and accountability among men through healthy/friendly competition and social interaction, using accessible community facilities, and including education about men's and aging-related health issues. Conclusion The qualitative research process yielded new and insightful information that can be used to develop a tailored PA and health program for midlife and older AA men.
Control and Regulation

Once a system is operating, it must be controlled; that is, its operation must be regulated so that it will continue to meet expectations and move in the direction of the intended goals. Steady-state conditions, as found in physical systems, are unattainable when considering human organizations and social systems. Rather, we look for progress toward goals and some sort of self-regulation which depends on the characteristics of the system components and their relationship.
Craving, cortisol and behavioral alcohol motivation responses to stress and alcohol cue contexts and discrete cues in binge and non-binge drinkers.

Alcohol use disorders are associated with high craving and disruption of stress biology, but their role in behavioral alcohol motivation is less clear. We examined the effects of craving and cortisol responses on behavioral alcohol motivation to stress, alcohol cue and neutral-relaxing context cues, in addition to discrete alcohol cues, in demographically matched binge/heavy (BH) and moderate (MD) social drinkers. Subjects participated in a 3-day laboratory experiment of provocation by three personalized guided imagery contexts and discrete alcohol cues followed by the 'alcohol taste test' (ATT) to assess behavioral motivation, as measured by ATT intake. Post-ATT alcohol effects on craving and cortisol responses were also examined. Results indicate BH consumed significantly more alcohol than MD in the ATT. Stress and alcohol cue contexts, relative to neutral, led to significantly greater ATT intake across both groups, which also correlated positively with self-reported alcohol use in past 30 days. Stress and alcohol context and discrete alcohol cues each significantly increased alcohol craving, more so in the BH than MD, and significantly predicted greater ATT intake in BH only. The BH showed significantly lower cortisol responses than MD overall and blunted cortisol responses to cues predicted significantly greater ATT intake in the stress condition for BH and in the alcohol cue condition for MD. Higher ATT intake predicted greater cortisol response and higher craving post-ATT, and these effects were moderated by group status. In sum, findings suggest a role for sensitized context-induced craving and blunted cortisol responses in increased behavioral motivation for alcohol.
Open government data in the smart city: Interoperability, urban knowledge, and linking legacy systems

Open government data (OGD) promise to reveal new insights and inform governance decisions related to changing populations, departmental operations, and economic drivers. Yet, where OGD figure promi...
Overview of the Smart Ocean Energy Converter

In this chapter, an overview of ocean energy (wave and tidal) converter is presented. The basic concepts and technical challenges hindering the advancement of these technologies are summarized. Smart-WEC, a new type of wave energy converter, with a unique underwater wireless power transfer system is introduced.
Relationship between physical and cognitive performance in community dwelling, ethnically diverse older adults: a cross-sectional study.

Background Regular exercise training stimulates physiological adaptations to improve physical performance, reduce chronic disease risk, and slow age-related cognitive decline. Since the physiological mechanisms responsible for aging-associated cognitive decline are not yet fully understood, and training-induced physiological adaptations responsible for performance measure improvements are specific to the type (aerobic vs. strength) and intensity of training, studies are needed to assess the relationships between physical performance measures and cognitive performance in older adults. These results could be used to guide exercise prescriptions with the goal of improving age-related cognitive performance. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between physical performance measures and cognitive performance in a population of community dwelling, ethnically diverse older adults. Methods The cognitive performance of ninety independent, community dwelling participants (69 female, 21 male), aged 75 ± 9.5 years (mean ± SD) was measured with the Modified Mini-Mental State Test (3MS), Trailmaking Tests A and B (TMT A & B), and the Animal Naming test. Sociodemographic (age, sex, ethnicity, medication use, years of education) and anthropometric data were collected, physical activity was assessed with the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE), peak hand-grip strength, distance walked in the 6MWT, and heart rate pre-, during, and up to 5 min. post- 6MWT were measured. Forward stepwise multiple regression analyses were performed with each cognitive measure as a dependent variable. Results and Discussion Controlling for sociodemographic covariates, peak heart rate during the 6MWT (6MWT HRPEAK) was positively correlated with performance in the 3MS (p < 0.017), and TMT A (p < 0.001) and B (p < 0.029). Controlling for sociodemographic covariates, PASE was positively (p = 0.001), and β-blocker use negatively (p = 0.035), correlated with performance on the Animal Naming test. Also, controlling for sociodemographic covariates, PASE was positively correlated with performance on the TMT A (p = 0.017). Here we show that higher peak heart rate during the 6MWT is positively correlated with cognitive performance in a population of community dwelling, ethnically diverse older adults (ages 60-95 years). Conclusion Higher peak heart rate during the 6MWT was found to be independently and positively correlated with cognitive function in community-dwelling older adults. Although additional work is needed, these results are promising and suggest that physicians, exercise professionals, and/or fitness/fall prevention programs may use peak heart rate during the 6MWT to easily monitor exercise intensity to support cognitive health.
Infusing CS Graduate Transition Curriculum with Professional, Technical and Data Science Competencies

Contact: herbertk@montclair.edu The United States does not produce sufficient numbers of well-qualified professionals in STEM, and in computing/ technology in particular. The number of students pursuing undergraduate degrees in computer science or related field continues to grow but is still not pacing industry growth. Employers repeatedly suggest that good professional and technical competencies, including "soft skills", are a major factor in both obtaining and succeeding in STEM careers. Moreover, both the Council on Graduate Studies and the National Science Board in the NSF 2018 STEM Trends report support the need of such skills for success in STEM. These competencies comprise (1) communication, oral and written, and in technical, business and general settings; (2) working in and leading teams, in varying roles; (3) managing business and professional relationships; (4) planning, problem solving, and critical thinking; (5) mathematical capabilities including numeracy; and (6) an understanding of ethical, social, managerial, and economic perspectives; plus, responding to recent developments in science and science careers, (7) an interdisciplinary perspective and overview understanding of data science. In this poster we present a proposal for a post baccalaureate certificate curriculum, which we suggest also assists students transitioning from other fields, and can be applied more widely across STEM.
On Philosophical Deliberation

Experience-based conjecture—theorizing if you will—is the most promising available instrument for question resolution in the face of imperfect information. It is a tool for use by finite intelligences, providing them not with the best possible answer (in some rarified sense of this term), but with the best available answer, the putative best that one can manage to secure in the existing conditions in which we do and must conduct our epistemic labors.
Trends in Out-of-Pocket Burden in United States Adults with Kidney Disease: 2002-2011.

ABSTRACT Background High out-of-pocket (OOP) cost is a barrier to healthcare access and treatment compliance. Our study examined high OOP healthcare cost and burden trends in adults with kidney disease (KD). Methods Using Medical Expenditure Survey 2002-2011 data, we examined the proportion of people greater than 17 years old with KD whose OOP burden was high. Trends by insurance status (private, public or none) and trends by income level (poor, low, middle or high income) were also examined in this study. Results Approximately 16% of people with KD faced high OOP burden in 2011. The proportion of adults with high OOP burden between 2002 and 2011 fell by 9.7 percentage points. The proportion of privately insured adults facing high OOP burden decreased by 4.7, those who were publicly insured 22.4, and those who were uninsured, 3.1 percentage points. The proportion of those facing high OOP burden who were poor/near poor fell by 26.5, those who had low income 13.4, and those who had middle income, 9 percentage points. Conclusions Though high OOP burden declined between 2002 and 2011 in the US population with KD, most of the decline was among the publicly insured, so the uninsured populations with KD remain vulnerable. Providers and policy makers should be aware of the vulnerability of uninsured individuals with KD to high OOP burden.
It's not all fun and games: An investigation of the reported benefits and disadvantages of conducting activities while commuting

Abstract Travel-based multitasking, or the performance of activities while traveling, is more feasible than ever before, as the expanding availability of shared ride services and increasing vehicle automation coincide with the ubiquity of portable information and communication technology devices. However, the question of whether, and if so, how these increasingly blurred boundaries between activities are truly helping rather than hurting us is not presently well-understood. Using an attitudinally-rich travel survey of Northern California commuters (N ≈ 2500), we develop a conceptual and empirically-based framework for studying benefits and disadvantages of travel-based multitasking. Through latent variable models of reported benefits and disadvantages of activities conducted on a recent commute, we identify constructs associated with hedonic and productive benefits, and with affective and cognitive disadvantages. This empirically-developed framework informs the definition of binary variables indicating the presence/absence of each construct for a given traveler on the commute in question. We then present two bivariate binary probit models that examine the effects of person and trip attributes such as personality traits, chosen mode, commute preferences, and activities conducted while traveling on the presence of those benefits and disadvantages, respectively. Notably, we find evidence that conditions/activities that may facilitate multitasking benefits can also simultaneously yield disadvantages; for example, several activities – conspicuously including talking on or otherwise using a phone – increase the probability of receiving benefits while also increasing the probability of experiencing cognitive disadvantages. This finding resonates with the general multitasking literature, and empirically corroborates the suggestion that travel-based multitasking may not uniformly increase trip utility.
A Systematic Method for Preprocessing and Analyzing Electrodermal Activity

Electrodermal activity (EDA) is a measure of sympathetic tone using sweat gland activity that has applications in research and clinical medicine. We previously identified never-before-seen statistical structure in EDA. However, there is no systematic method to preprocess and analyze EDA data to capture such statistical structure. Therefore, in this study, we analyzed the data of two healthy volunteers while awake and at rest. We used a systematic process that takes advantage of the tail behavior of various statistical distributions to ensure capturing the point process structure in EDA. We verified the presence of this temporal structure in a new dataset of subjects. Our results demonstrate for the first time that point process structure of EDA pulses can be identified across multiple datasets using a systematic method that is still rooted in the underlying physiology.
Conditional Direction Dependence Analysis: Evaluating the Causal Direction of Effects in Linear Models with Interaction Terms

AbstractDirection dependence analysis (DDA) makes use of higher than second moment information of variables (x and y) to detect potential confounding and to probe the causal direction of linear var...
Parity or Disparity? Outcomes of Court-Involved Youth With and Without Disabilities:

Youth with disabilities are overrepresented in the juvenile justice system, but few studies have investigated the mechanisms by which this occurs. In this study, we considered how juvenile court ad...
Thermally Stable, Efficient, Vapor Deposited Inorganic Perovskite Solar Cells

We report on thermally stable inorganic mixed halide perovskite solar cells deposited using a vapor deposition technique with no loss in device performance at 200 °C for 72 h. X-ray diffraction ana...
Single-Pass vs 2-Pass Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine-Needle Biopsy Sample Collection for Creation of Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Organoids.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has one of the poorest prognoses of all malignancies, with a 5-year survival rate <8%.1,2 Suspicious lesions are typically diagnosed via endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration or endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle biopsy (EUS-FNB).3 Fewer needle passes decreases the risk of postprocedure complications, including pancreatitis and hemorrhage, while allowing additional needle passes to be used for adjuvant tissue testing, such as organoid creation and DNA sequencing.