cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neighbourhood Effects and Asset Allocation

Previous research has shown racial/ethnic effects in asset allocation. We extend these results by showing how these effects depend on the racial composition of the neighbourhood. In particular, we show that in predominately white neighbourhoods there are significant differences in asset allocations across racial groups; however, in mixed or white minority neighbourhoods, this difference disappears. We also find that Asians, a previously understudied group, show a greater willingness to hold risky assets compared with other groups.
Descartes’ Argument from Dreaming and the Problem of Underdetermination

Very possibly the most famously intractable epistemological conundrum in the history of modern western philosophy is Descartes’ argument from dreaming. It seems to support in an irrefutable way a radical scepticism about the existence of a physical world existing independent of our sense-experience. But this argument as well as those we discussed in the last chapter and many others of the same kind rest on a conflation of evidence and confirmation: since the paradoxical or sceptical hypothesis has as much “evidence” going for it as the conventional or commonly accepted hypothesis, it is equally well supported by the data and there is nothing to choose between them. By this time, however, we understand very well that data that fail to discriminate hypotheses do not constitute “evidence” for any of them, i.e., that “data” and “evidence” are not interchangeable notions, that it does not follow from the fact that there is strong evidence for a hypothesis against one or more of its competitors that it is therefore highly confirmed, and that it does not follow from the fact that a hypothesis is highly confirmed that there is strong evidence for it against its rivals.
Design of a Virtual Reality Driving Environment to Assess Performance of Teenagers with ASD

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is an extremely common and costly neurodevelopmental disorder. While significant research has been devoted to addressing social communication skill deficits of people with ASD, relatively less attention has been paid to improving their deficits in daily activities such as driving. Only two empirical studies have investigated driving performance in individuals with ASD—both employing proprietary driving simulation software. We designed a novel Virtual Reality (VR) driving simulator so that we could integrate various sensory modules directly into our system as well as to define task-oriented protocols that would not be otherwise possible using commercial software. We conducted a small user study with a group of individuals with ASD and a group of typically developing community controls. We found that our system was capable of distinguishing behavioral patterns between both groups indicating that it is suitable for use in designing a protocol aimed at improving driving performance.
Non-invasive metabolic imaging of brain tumours in the era of precision medicine

The revolution in cancer genomics has uncovered a variety of clinically relevant mutations in primary brain tumours, creating an urgent need to develop non-invasive imaging biomarkers to assess and integrate this genetic information into the clinical management of patients. Metabolic reprogramming is a central hallmark of cancer, including brain tumours; indeed, many of the molecular pathways implicated in the pathogenesis of brain tumours result in reprogramming of metabolism. This relationship provides the opportunity to devise in vivo metabolic imaging modalities to improve diagnosis, patient stratification, and monitoring of treatment response. Metabolic phenomena, such as the Warburg effect and altered mitochondrial metabolism, can be leveraged to image brain tumours using techniques including PET and MRI. Moreover, genetic alterations, such as mutations affecting isocitrate dehydrogenase, are associated with unique metabolic signatures that can be detected using magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The need to translate our understanding of the molecular features of brain tumours into imaging modalities with clinical utility is growing; metabolic imaging provides a unique platform to achieve this objective. In this Review, we examine the molecular basis for metabolic reprogramming in brain tumours, and examine current non-invasive metabolic imaging strategies that can be used to interrogate these molecular characteristics with the ultimate goal of guiding and improving patient care.
The small-molecule 3G11 inhibits HIV-1 reverse transcription.

The small molecule 6-(tert-butyl)-4-phenyl-4-(trifluoromethyl)-1H,3H-1,3,5-triazin-2-one (3G11) inhibits HIV-1 replication in the human T cell line MT-2. Here we showed that 3G11 specifically and potently blocks HIV-1 infection. By contrast, 3G11 did not block other retroviruses such as HIV-2, simian immunodeficiency virus (SIVmac), bovine immunodeficiency virus (BIV), feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV), N-tropic murine leukemia virus (N-MLV), B-tropic murine leukemia virus (B-MLV) and Moloney murine leukemia virus (Mo-MLV). Analysis of DNA metabolism by real-time PCR revealed that 3G11 blocks the formation of HIV-1 late reverse transcripts during infection prior to the first-strand transfer step. In agreement, an in vitro assay revealed that 3G11 blocks the enzymatic activity of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase as strong as Nevirapine. Docking of 3G11 to the HIV-1 reverse transcriptase enzyme suggested a direct interaction between residue L100 and 3G11. In agreement, an HIV-1 virus bearing the reverse transcriptase change L100I renders HIV-1 resistant to 3G11, which suggested that the reverse transcriptase enzyme is the viral determinant for HIV-1 sensitivity to 3G11. Although NMR experiments revealed that 3G11 binds to the HIV-1 capsid, functional experiments suggested that capsid is not the viral determinant for sensitivity to 3G11. Overall, we described a novel non-nucleoside reverse transcription inhibitor that blocks HIV-1 infection. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
A Gain Boosting Array Technique for Weakly-Coupled Wireless Power Transfer

Wireless power transfer using near-field inductive coupling is the predominating technology to power up wireless devices such as radio frequency identification tags, sensors, and medical implants. Miniaturization is a new key requirement for the application in the internet of things and implantable medical devices. Realization of efficient RF power transfer using conventional techniques based on 900 MHz and 2.4 GHz is difficult, mainly due to the relatively large wavelength in these bands. On the other hand, conventional inductive coupling is very inefficient as the device becomes very small, limited by the small coupling factor and operating frequency. In this paper, we utilize a multicoil transmitting (Tx) array to power up very small receiving (Rx) devices in the near field by boosting the power gain to a much higher level. The power gain boosting is achieved by operating the array close to its self-resonance frequency and optimizing the phase relationship of the array elements. To validate the proposed technique, we implemented a prototype printed circuit board (PCB) to power a 1 cm $\times$ 1 cm small Rx coil at a distance of 20 cm. To demonstrate the improvement on power gain, we designed a 3 $\times$ 3 Tx coil array composed of nine 3 cm $\times$ 3 cm elements, as well as an individual large Tx coil with the same dimension of the array for fair comparison. Measured results show that the transducer power gain can be increased by 16.4 dB with the proposed technique.
Simulating a Predator Fish Attacking a School of Prey Fish in 3D Graphics

Schooling behavior is one of the most salient social and group activities among fishes. Previous work in 3D computer graphics focuses primarily on simulating interactions between fishes within the group in normal circumstances, such as maintaining distance between neighbors. Little work has been done on simulating the interactions between the schools of fish and attacking predators. How does a predator pick its target? How do a school of fish react to such attacks? In this paper, we introduce a method to model and simulate interactions between prey fishes and predator fishes in 3D graphics. We model a school of fish as a complex network with information flow, information breakage, and different structural properties. Using this model, we can simulate a predator fish targeting isolated peripheral fish, the primitive escape behavior of prey fishes, and some of the defensive maneuvers exhibited by fish schools.
Targeted inhibition of the centromere-associated protein E (CENP-E) with GSK923295A is effective in preclinical models of human neuroblastoma.

AACR Annual Meeting-- Apr 12-16, 2008; San Diego, CA 2999 Neuroblastoma (NB) is a common solid tumor of childhood that causes significant morbidity and mortality despite intensive chemotherapy. We therefore seek to identify novel therapeutics based on tumor biology. Using mRNA expression profiling, we identified several genes involved in mitotic spindle assembly, including the centromere-associated protein E ( CENP-E ), that were differentially overexpressed in the more aggressive subsets of NBs, including those with MYCN amplification. We evaluated the efficacy of GSK923295A, a selective and potent inhibitor of CENP-E, in preclinical models of NB. In vitro activity of GSK923295A was evaluated in 15 NB cell lines with the ACEA Biosciences RT-CES system that measures electrical impedance of adherent cells for real-time quantification of cell proliferation. IC50 was calculated from the AUC across a 4 log dose range (1-10,000 nM). All NB cell lines showed inhibition of proliferation with a median IC50 of 62 nM (range 27-267 nM). GSK923295A also showed significant single agent activity against the NB-1643 cell line ( MYCN amplified) xenografted into CB17 scid-/- mice. Mice were randomized to GSK923295A 125mg/kg IP or with vehicle (N=10/arm) on days 1, 2 and 3 for two weeks for a total of 6 doses, following xenotransplantation and establishment of a tumor at 200 mm3. There was significant tumor growth delay in the GSK923295A treatment arm versus control ( P < 0.0001). No toxicity was observed since GSK923295A does not inhibit murine Cenp-e. These data demonstrate that CENP-E inhibition is an effective strategy for inhibiting tumor proliferation in preclinical models of NB. Ongoing work in additional cell line models in vitro and in vivo will determine if there are biological surrogates for anti-tumor sensitivity and establish the optimum dosing schedule for early phase clinical trials.
Pathway from PTSD to respiratory health: Longitudinal evidence from a psychosocial intervention.

Objective Respiratory illness and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are common debilitating conditions that frequently co-occur. Observational studies indicate that PTSD, independently of smoking, is a major risk and maintenance factor for lower respiratory symptoms (LRS). The current study experimentally tested this etiologic pathway by investigating whether LRS can be reduced by treating PTSD symptoms. Method Ninety daily smokers exposed to the World Trade Center (WTC) disaster (mean age 50 years, 28% female; 68% White) completed 8-session group-based weekly comprehensive trauma management and smoking cessation treatment that focused on skills to alleviate PTSD symptoms. LRS, PTSD symptoms, and smoking were assessed weekly. Data was analyzed using multilevel models of within-person associations between LRS, PTSD symptoms, smoking, and treatment dose across 8 weekly sessions with concurrent and lagged outcomes. Results LRS improved significantly with treatment (reduction of .50 standard deviations). Reduction in PTSD symptoms uniquely predicted improvement in LRS at consecutive sessions 1 week apart and fully accounted for the treatment effect on LRS. The effect of PTSD symptoms was stronger than that of smoking, and the only effect to remain significant when both entered the model. Notably, reduction in LRS did not predict future improvement in PTSD symptoms. Conclusions The results are in line with the etiologic pathway suggesting that PTSD symptoms are a risk and maintenance factor for chronic LRS and that treatment of PTSD can help to alleviate LRS in trauma-exposed populations. PTSD is emerging as a novel and important treatment target for chronic respiratory problems. (PsycINFO Database Record
Reconfigurable metasurface aperture for security screening and microwave imaging

Microwave imaging systems have seen growing interest in recent decades for applications ranging from security screening to space/earth observation. However, hardware architectures commonly used for this purpose have not seen drastic changes. With the advent of metamaterials a wealth of opportunities have emerged for honing metasurface apertures for microwave imaging systems. Recent thrusts have introduced dynamic reconfigurability directly into the aperture layer, providing powerful capabilities from a physical layer with considerable simplicity. The waveforms generated from such dynamic metasurfaces make them suitable for application in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and, more generally, computational imaging. In this paper, we investigate a dynamic metasurface aperture capable of performing microwave imaging in the K-band (17.5–26.5 GHz). The proposed aperture is planar and promises an inexpensive fabrication process via printed circuit board techniques. These traits are further augmented by the tunability of dynamic metasurfaces, which provides the dexterity necessary to generate field patterns ranging from a sequence of steered beams to a series of uncorrelated radiation patterns. Imaging is experimentally demonstrated with a voltage-tunable metasurface aperture. We also demonstrate the aperture’s utility in real-time measurements and perform volumetric SAR imaging. The capabilities of a prototype are detailed and the future prospects of general dynamic metasurface apertures are discussed.
Ultra-thin lensless camera using a bare sensor and computational techniques

We demonstrate a computational image reconstruction using only a bare CMOS sensor and accidental imperfections. Once sensor is calibrated using LED array, complex objects displayed not only on LED array but also on LCD display could be reconstructed. We are now pursuing the direct use of raw sensor images in machine learning without reconstruction.
0.85 PW laser operation at 3.3 Hz and high-contrast ultrahigh-intensity λ = 400 nm second-harmonic beamline.

We demonstrate the generation of 0.85 PW, 30 fs laser pulses at a repetition rate of 3.3 Hz with a record average power of 85 W from a Ti:sapphire laser. The system is pumped by high-energy Nd:glass slab amplifiers frequency doubled in LiB3O5 (LBO). Ultrahigh-contrast λ=400 nm femtosecond pulses were generated in KH2PO4 (KDP) with >40% efficiency. An intensity of 6.5×1021 W/cm2 was obtained by frequency doubling 80% of the available Ti:sapphire energy and focusing the doubled light with an f/2 parabola. This laser will enable highly relativistic plasma experiments to be conducted at high repetition rate.
The Discovery of Irrational Numbers

The discovery of these “holes” is attributed to Pythagoras, founder of the celebrated Greek school of mathematics and philosophy in the sixth century B.C. The life of Pythagoras is shrouded in mystery, and the little we know about him is more legend than fact. This is partially due to an absence of documents from his time, but also because the Pythagoreans formed a secret society, an order devoted to mysticism, whose members agreed upon strict codes of communal life. There is some doubt whether many of the contributions attributed to Pythagoras were indeed his own, but there is no question that his teaching has had an enormous influence on the subsequent history of mathematics, an influence which lasted for more than two thousand years. His name, of course, is immortally associated with the theorem relating the hypotenuse of a right triangle to its two sides, even though there is strong evidence that the theorem had already been known to the Babylonians and the Chinese at least a thousand years before him. The theorem says that in any right triangle, the square of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares of the two sides: c2 = a2 + b2 (Fig. 8.1). The Pythagorean Theorem is probably the most well know, and certainly the most widely used theorem in all of mathematics, and it appears, directly or in disguise, in almost every branch of it.
Redwashing: Sedgwick's Blood Moon, a Case Study

This essay looks at the recently published book Blood Moon by John Sedgwick. The author and Colin Calloway were asked by the author and publisher to do readers reports on the book prior to publication. This essay discusses that process and the refusal of the author to make changes pointed out by the readers, including factual errors and negative stereotypes, all the while thanking the reviewers profusely in his acknowledgments, suggesting they had vetted and endorse the book.
Impact of Medical School Experience on Attrition From General Surgery Residency

Abstract Background Medical school experience informs the decision to pursue graduate surgical education. However, it is possible that inadequate preparation in medical school is responsible for the high rate of attrition seen in general surgery residency. Materials and methods We performed a national prospective cohort study of all categorical general surgery interns who entered training in the 2007-2008 academic year. Interns answered questions about their medical school experience and reasons for pursuing general surgery residency. Responses were linked with American Board of Surgery residency completion data. Multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between medical school experiences and residency attrition. Results Seven hundred and ninety-two surgery interns participated, and the overall attrition rate was 19.3%. Most interns had performed ≤8 wk of third year surgery clerkships (53.2% of those who completed versus 49.7% of those who dropped out, P = 0.08). After multivariable adjustment, shorter duration of third year rotations was protective from attrition (OR: 0.53, 95% CI: 0.29-0.99; P = 0.05). There was no difference in attrition based on whether a surgical subinternship was performed (OR: 0.67, 95% CI: 0.38-1.19; P = 0.18). Residents who perceived that their medical school surgical faculty were happy with their careers were less likely to experience attrition (OR: 0.57, 95% CI: 0.34-0.96; P = 0.03), but those who had gotten along well with attending surgeons had higher odds of attrition (OR: 2.93, 95% CI: 1.34-6.39, P Conclusions Increased quality, rather than quantity, of clerkships is associated with improved rates of residency completion. Learner relationships with positive yet demanding role models were associated with a reduced risk of attrition.
Some Historical Background

Some understanding of basic arithmetic and geometric concepts, some knowledge of mathematical relations, were in all probability a part of human culture long before there was any recording of knowledge. The earliest records that do exist tend to confirm this view. Unfortunately, such records are not so much a story of culture at the time as they are clues to such a story. The interpretation of these clues by research scholars is constantly adding to our understanding of early civilizations, but the history of mathematical knowledge is far from complete.
A GENERAL METHOD FOR ISOLATION OF REPAIR-DEFICIENT MUTANTS

ABSTRACT We have developed a rapid method for isolation of UV-sensitive mutants of Escherichia coli . The selection method involves production of growth and/or division delay in repair-deficient cells with low UV fluences, and killing of normally growing repair-proficient cells by penicillin treatment. Using this technique we have achieved about a 3000-fold enrichment for photoreactivationless ( phr −) mutants of E. coli K-12. We have also shown that the method can be used to isolate mutants deficient in dark repair functions.
Evidence of induced muscle regeneration persists for years in the mouse.

INTRODUCTION Efficient repositioning of centralized nuclei after injury has long been assumed, with centralized nuclei frequently cited as indicators of ongoing regeneration. However, reports of centralized nuclei that persist after full recovery of fiber area and muscle force production call into question the time course of nuclear repositioning. METHODS We evaluated regeneration after cardiotoxin-induced damage in 10-week-old mice by quantifying intracellular and extracellular pathology at 2 and 94 weeks post-injection. RESULTS Centrally nucleated fibers were still prevalent at 94 weeks post-injection, representing > 25% of muscle fibers. Areas with > 90% centrally nucleated fibers could still be identified. Extra-myocellular indicators of regeneration (e.g., fibrosis and fatty infiltration) also remained significantly elevated at the 94-week time-point. DISCUSSION These findings indicate that not all nuclei are repositioned at the conclusion of induced muscle regeneration. Muscle Nerve 58:858-862, 2018.
ACCURACY AND REPRODUCIBILITY OF A NOVEL ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE DEEP LEARNING-BASED ALGORITHM FOR AUTOMATED CALCULATION OF EJECTION FRACTION IN ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY

Ejection Fraction (EF) is the single most clinically relevant parameter reported in echocardiography (echo). However, high variability between readers limits its reliability. Artificial Intelligence (Deep learning, DL) provides an opportunity for automated calculation of EF to improve
Synthetic Studies toward the Preparation of Phosphonate Analogs of Sphingomyelin and Ceramide 1-Phosphate Using Pentacovalent Organophospholene Methodology.

Model studies for the syntheses of phosphonate analogs of sphingomyelin and ceramide 1-phosphate are described. The pentacovalent oxaphospholene 3b (derived from methyl vinyl ketone and triethyl phosphite) readily condensed with dialkyl azodicarboxylates (R = Et, t-Bu, CH2CCl3) to form β-hydrazido γ-ketophosphonates 5 and 8 in excellent yields. Cleavage of the N−N bond in 5a (R = Et) or 5b (R = t-Bu) via standard methods was unsuccessful. Upon reduction with NaBH4, 8 produced the oxazolidinone 9 (93%) as a diastereomeric mixture of 3:1. Treatment of 9 with Zn/HOAc/acetone at rt readily cleaved the N−N bond to form 11 (78−83%). Confirmation of stereochemical assignments in 11 (3:1, trans:cis) was accomplished via NOE experiments.
Ubiquitin and Receptor-Dependent Mitophagy Pathways and Their Implication in Neurodegeneration.

Abstract Selective autophagy of mitochondria, or mitophagy, refers to the specific removal and degradation of damaged or surplus mitochondria via targeting to the lysosome for destruction. Disruptions in this homeostatic process may contribute to disease. The identification of diverse mitophagic pathways and how selectivity for each of these pathways is conferred is just beginning to be understood. The removal of both damaged and healthy mitochondria under disease and physiological conditions is controlled by either ubiquitin-dependent or receptor-dependent mechanisms. In this review, we will discuss the known types of mitophagy observed in mammals, recent findings related to PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy (which is the most well-studied form of mitophagy), the implications of defective mitophagy to neurodegenerative processes, and unanswered questions inspiring future research that would enhance our understanding of mitochondrial quality control.
Combining efforts: Libraries as mental health safe spaces

In the face of seemingly insurmountable, persisting problems, what is one thing that you could do to lift that burden in your own space, in your own building, or on your own walls? This defining question led to the creation of Marshall University (MU) Libraries Mental Health Initiative. The initiative began with an art exhibition titled: “Don’t Call Me Crazy: Resiliency through Art.” The goal of this exhibition was to encourage students, faculty, and staff to create artwork informed by mental health or to help process their own mental health. With more than 30 artists and 50 pieces filling the four floors of the library, we used this artwork to launch other aspects of the initiative.
Detection and Identification of Flaviviruses by Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

We developed a reverse transcriptase/polymerase chain reaction (RT/PCR) for the detection and identification of flavivirus RNA in a single-tube assay. Universal flavivirus RT/PCR amplimers amplify an 832-bp region in the carboxyl portion of NS5 (nt9166-9997) which contains nucleotide sequences conserved among all flaviviruses at the 3′- and 5′-extremities and internal virus-specific variable regions. Hybridization probes were designed which hybridize specifically with the genomic RNAs and amplimer DNAs of the four dengue serotypes, yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis, West Nile encephalitis, Murray Valley encephalitis, St. Louis encephalitis, and Powassan viruses. The virus-specific RT/PCR employs a flavivirus group down-amplimer and a virus-specific up-amplimer. Because the binding site for the virus-specific upamplimer is unique, the size of the amplified DNA for each virus is different. Viruses are identified to serotype by agarose gel electrophoresis, ethidium bromide staining, and calculation of the fragment size. This RT/PCR test for medically important flaviviruses is specific, rapid, and simple.
Equalizing Time: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child as a Retrospective and Prospective Adaptation

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child poses interesting questions for fans and scholars of the whole Harry Potter series about the effects of adaptations on re-reads, as well as the ability of works to stand alone. This stage adaptation, by Jack Thorne, John Tiffany, and J. K. Rowling, possesses a unique status as both a Retrospective Adaptation, which rewards readers for their prior knowledge about the series, and as a Prospective Adaptation, which leads audiences to the source series. Thus, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child can be read as a stand-alone text since it requires no prior knowledge to navigate, but can also fit seamlessly into the full sequence of the Potter stories.
Cerebral vessel anatomy as a predictor of first-pass effect in mechanical thrombectomy for emergent large-vessel occlusion

OBJECTIVE Mechanical thrombectomy is effective in acute ischemic stroke secondary to emergent large-vessel occlusion, but optimal efficacy is contingent on fast and complete recanalization. First-pass recanalization does not occur in the majority of patients. The authors undertook this study to determine if anatomical parameters of the intracranial vessels impact the likelihood of first-pass complete recanalization. METHODS The authors retrospectively evaluated data obtained in 230 patients who underwent mechanical thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke secondary to large-vessel occlusion at their institution from 2016 to 2018. Eighty-six patients were identified as having pure M1 occlusions, and 76 were included in the final analysis. The authors recorded and measured clinical and anatomical parameters and evaluated their relationships to the first-pass effect. RESULTS The first-pass effect was achieved in 46% of the patients. When a single device was employed, aspiration thrombectomy was more effective than stent retriever thrombectomy. A larger M1 diameter (p = 0.001), decreased vessel diameter tapering between the petrous segment of the internal carotid artery (ICA) and M1 (p < 0.001), and distal collateral grading (p = 0.044) were associated with first-pass recanalization. LASSO (least absolute shrinkage and selection operator) was used to generate a predictive model for recanalization using anatomical variables. CONCLUSIONS The authors demonstrated that a larger M1 vessel diameter, low rate of vessel diameter tapering along the course of the intracranial ICA, and distal collateral status are associated with first-pass recanalization for patients with M1 occlusions.
Religion and the Sacred

I begin with the remark that “is sacred,” like “is beautiful,” but unlike “is red” is not a determining, but rather a modifying predicate (in Brentano’s sense of that distinction). The way I am now using the distinction between determining and modifying predicates has to be understood in the following manner.
Functional actin cytoskeleton is required in early stage of NETosis induction.

Neutrophil extracellular trap formation (NETosis) is a dynamic process featuring nuclear chromatin extrusion and extracellular trap formation (1) in which ruptures of nuclear envelope and plasma membrane are prerequisite events. Thiam et al. (1) analyze several important cellular events, including cytoskeleton organization, during NETosis using time-lapse microscopy. They conclude that NETosis begins with rapid disassembly of actin cytoskeleton, based on the microscopy analysis of a few hundred neutrophils (1). However, other studies have found that pharmacologic (2, 3) or genetic (4) inhibition of actin assembly decreases NET formation, indicating the role of functional actin cytoskeleton in NETosis induction. To systematically explore the dynamic changes of actin, our time course study with flow cytometry analysis … [↵][1]1Email: lium1{at}pennmedicine.upenn.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Factor Structure of the Revised Indecisiveness Scale and Association with Risks for and Symptoms of Anxiety, Depression, and Attentional Control

Indecisiveness is trait-like difficulty making decisions across time and situations. Past investigations indicate that indecisiveness is associated with Major Depressive Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder as well as with neuroticism, Intolerance of Uncertainty (IU), and avoidance. The most used measure of indecisive is Frost and Shows’ (Behav Res Therapy, 1993. http://doi.org/10.1016/0005-7967(93)90121-a) Indecisiveness Scale (IS), which has been revised to remove situation-specific indecision items. Research evaluating the original and revised IS (RIS) has found diverse factors, ranging from one to three, and scale content, reflecting positive attitudes towards decision-making, fears about decision-making consequences, and decisional avoidance. Given this variability across investigations, we performed exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses using the revised IS to evaluate competing factor models. Our analyses supported a two-factor model with Aversive Indecisiveness (RIS-AI) and Positive Attitudes Towards Decision-Making (RIS-Positive) best fitting the data for 511 participants. We also found that RIS-AI was a unique predictor of anxious arousal, IU, and multiple forms of avoidance over RIS-Positive. RIS-AI was also a stronger positive predictor of worry, general emotional distress, and self-appraised difficulty with attentional focus than RIS-Positive. In contrast, RIS-Positive uniquely and negatively predicted self-appraised attentional shifting difficulty over RIS-AI. RIS-Positive was also a stronger negative predictor of anhedonic depression than RIS-AI. Our results indicate that assessment of indecisiveness should use the RIS-AI and RIS-Positive scales. RIS-AI clearly fits within the nomological network of anxiety. Our findings provide preliminary evidence that RIS-Positive would fit within the nomological network for decisional self-efficacy.
Emergency department utilization by patients with gynecologic cancer in the United States

Introduction Payment reform will give oncologists increasing responsibility for how patients with cancer meet unexpected care needs. Objective To differentiate how patients with gynecologic cancers use emergency care, and to assess the characteristics associated with potentially avoidable treat-and-release visits. Methods We performed a retrospective cohort study using the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample, a stratified sample of visits in United States hospital-based emergency departments, from 2010 to 2014. Visits by patients with a diagnosis of gynecologic cancer were selected. Sample weights were applied to calculate national estimates of care patterns and trends. Associations with treat-and-release disposition were assessed with weighted logistic regression. Results In the study period, patients with gynecologic cancer made an estimated 370 104 annual emergency department visits (95% CI 351 997 to 388 211). A total of 50.2% of patients were treated and released, 48% were admitted, 1.6% were transferred, and 0.1% died. These visits corresponded to over US$1.27 billion in annual charges, with an average charge of US$3428 per visit (95% CI 3348 to 3509). Driven by growing treat-and-release utilization, annual visits increased, while admission rates fell over time. Patients with cervical cancer represented the plurality (36%) of visits; they were relatively younger, of lower socioeconomic status, and had fewer co-morbidities. Models for treat-and-release disposition did not vary significantly across different cancer populations. In the all-cancer model, increased odds of treat-and-release disposition was associated with cervical cancer diagnosis, younger age, lesser Elixhauser co-morbidity, Medicare coverage (OR=1.19; p Discussion Patients with gynecologic cancers have been using the emergency department at increasing rates, primarily driven by treat-and-release visits that did not result in admission or death. Patients with cervical cancer have higher rates of treat-and-release utilization and may over-use emergency department care.
The concept of responsibility in the ethics of self-defense and war

The focus of this paper is an influential family of views in the ethics of self-defense and war: views that ground the agent’s liability to be attacked in self-defense in the agent’s moral responsibility for the threat posed (“Responsibility Views”). I critically examine the concept of responsibility employed by such views, by looking at potential connections with the contemporary literature on moral responsibility. I start by uncovering some of the key assumptions that Responsibility Views make about the relevant concept of responsibility, and by scrutinizing those assumptions under the lens of more general theorizing about responsibility. I identify an important conflict that arises at that point. The problem is that the concept presupposed by Responsibility Views is in tension with the standard way of understanding the connection between the neutral and non-neutral forms of moral responsibility. I draw attention to a particular strategy that could be used to address this challenge, but I also identify some important obstacles that stand in the way.
Graphene-based physically unclonable functions that are reconfigurable and resilient to machine learning attacks

Graphene has a range of properties that makes it suitable for building devices for the Internet of Things. However, the deployment of such devices will also likely require the development of suitable graphene-based hardware security primitives. Here we report a physically unclonable function (PUF) that exploits disorders in the carrier transport of graphene field-effect transistors. The Dirac voltage, Dirac conductance and carrier mobility values of a large population of graphene field-effect transistors follow Gaussian random distributions, which allow the devices to be used as a PUF. The resulting PUF is resilient to machine learning attacks based on predictive regression models and generative adversarial neural networks. The PUF is also reconfigurable without any physical intervention and/or integration of additional hardware components due to the memristive properties of graphene. Furthermore, we show that the PUF can operate with ultralow power and is scalable, stable over time and reliable against variations in temperature and supply voltage. Disorder in the charge carrier transport of graphene-based field-effect transistors can be used to construct physically unclonable functions that are secure and can withstand advanced computational attacks.
Knowledge Discovery from Series of Interval Events

Knowledge discovery from data sets can be extensively automated by using data mining software tools. Techniques for mining series of interval events, however, have not been considered. Such time series are common in many applications. In this paper, we propose mining techniques to discover temporal containment relationships in such series. Specifically, an item A is said to contain an item B if an event of type B occurs during the time span of an event of type A, and this is a frequent relationship in the data set. Mining such relationships provides insight about temporal relationships among various items. We implement the technique and analyze trace data collected from a real database application. Experimental results indicate that the proposed mining technique can discover interesting results. We also introduce a quantization technique as a preprocessing step to generalize the method to all time series.
Information Hiding: Steganography and Steganalysis

The goal of steganography is to insert a message into a carrier signal so that it cannot be detected by unintended recipients. Due to their widespread use and availability of bits that can be changed without perceptible damage of the original signal images, video, and audio are widespread carrier media. Steganalysis attempts to discover hidden signals in suspected carriers or at the least detect which media contain hidden signals. Therefore, an important consideration in steganography is how robust to detection is a particular technique. We review the existing steganography and steganalysis techniques and discuss their limitations and some possible research directions.
Overture: Object-Oriented Tools for Applications with Complex Geometry

The Overture framework is an object-oriented environment for solving partial differential equations in two and three space dimensions. It is a collection of C++ libraries that enables the use of finite difference and finite volume methods at a level that hides the details of the associated data structures. Overture can be used to solve problems in complicated, moving geometries using the method of overlapping grids. It has support for grid generation, difference operators, boundary conditions, data-base access and graphics. In this paper we briefly present Overture, present some of the newer grid generation capabilities, and discuss our approach toward performance within Overture and the A++P++ array class abstractions upon which Overture depends, this work represents some of the newest work in Overture. The results we present show that the abstractions represented within Overture and the A++P++ array class library can be used to obtain application codes with performance equivalent to that of optimized C and Fortran 77. Further, the preprocessor mechanism for which approach we present results, is general in its application to any object-oriented framework or application and is not specific to Overture.
State‐space modeling to support management of brucellosis in the Yellowstone bison population

The bison (Bison bison) of the Yellowstone ecosystem, USA, exemplify the difficulty of conserving large mammals that migrate across the boundaries of conservation areas. Bison are infected with brucellosis (Brucella abortus) and their seasonal movements can expose livestock to infection. Yellowstone National Park has embarked on a program of adaptive management of bison, which requires a model that assimilates data to support management decisions. We constructed a Bayesian state-space model to reveal the influence of brucellosis on the Yellowstone bison population. A frequency-dependent model of brucellosis transmission was superior to a density-dependent model in predicting out-of-sample observations of horizontal transmission probability. A mixture model including both transmission mechanisms converged on frequency dependence. Conditional on the frequency-dependent model, brucellosis median transmission rate was 1.87 yr−1. The median of the posterior distribution of the basic reproductive ratio (R0) was...
First evidence of grass carp recruitment in the Great Lakes Basin

Abstract We use aging techniques, ploidy analysis, and otolith microchemistry to assess whether four grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella captured from the Sandusky River, Ohio were the result of natural reproduction within the Lake Erie Basin. All four fish were of age 1 +. Multiple lines of evidence indicate that these fish were not aquaculture-reared and that they were most likely the result of successful reproduction in the Sandusky River. First, at least two of the fish were diploid; diploid grass carp cannot legally be released in the Great Lakes Basin. Second, strontium:calcium (Sr:Ca) ratios were elevated in all four grass carp from the Sandusky River, with elevated Sr:Ca ratios throughout the otolith transect, compared to grass carp from Missouri and Arkansas ponds. This reflects the high Sr:Ca ratio of the Sandusky River, and indicates that these fish lived in a high-strontium environment throughout their entire lives. Third, Sandusky River fish were higher in Sr:Ca ratio variability than fish from ponds, reflecting the high but spatially and temporally variable strontium concentrations of southwestern Lake Erie tributaries, and not the stable environment of pond aquaculture. Fourth, Sr:Ca ratios in the grass carp from the Sandusky River were lower in their 2011 growth increment (a high water year) than the 2012 growth increment (a low water year), reflecting the observed inverse relationship between discharge and strontium concentration in these rivers. We conclude that these four grass carp captured from the Sandusky River are most likely the result of natural reproduction within the Lake Erie Basin.
Provision of ancillary medications during buprenorphine detoxification does not improve treatment outcomes.

ABSTRACT For individuals dependent on opioids, recovery efforts begin with a period of withdrawal that typically includes discomfort from symptoms, possibly precipitating a return to drug use. The study described here investigated whether the provision of ancillary medications for opioid withdrawal symptoms affected treatment outcomes in 139 participants receiving buprenorphine in a 13-day detoxification trial. Outcome measures include the number of opioid-free urine samples collected and retention in treatment. Ancillary medications were provided to 70% of participants: 59% received medication for insomnia, 45% for anxiety, 40% for bone pain, 35% for nausea, and 28% for diarrhea. Findings indicate no difference in the number of opioid-free urine samples between the group receiving ancillary medication and the group who did not, although tests of specific ancillary medications indicate that those who received diarrhea medication had fewer opioid-free urines than those who did not (P = .004). Results also ...
Metas de desenvolvimento do milênio, educação e igualdade de gênero

Na reuniao de Cupula do Milenio, realizada no ano 2000, lideres maximos de paises do mundo inteiro comprometeram-se a envidar todo tipo de esforcos para atingir oito metas de desenvolvimento ate 2015. O Secretario-Geral da ONU, tratando de mobilizar a vontade politica necessaria para implementar os compromissos assumidos com as metas, criou o Projeto Milenio para dar embasamento tecnico as formas mais eficientes de alcancar cada uma delas. Esse projeto possui varios grupos de trabalho, um dos quais esta encarregado da meta 2 (acesso universal a educacao primaria ate o ano de 2015) e da meta 3 (promocao da igualdade entre os generos e empoderamento das mulheres). Este artigo analisa alguns aspectos da intersecao desses dois temas porque, tradicionalmente, de um lado, as questoes de genero tem recebido pouca atencao nos debates educacionais e, de outro, a educacao tem tido pouco destaque na agenda da igualdade de generos.
Cylindrical surfaces of Delaunay

For the cylindrical norm onR 3, for which the isoperimetric shape is a cylinder rather than a round ball, there are analogs of the classical Delaunay surfaces of revolution of constant mean curvature.
Quantification of the Sulfated Cholecystokinin CCK-8 in Hamster Plasma Using Immunoprecipitation Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry/Mass Spectrometry

Cholecystokinin (CCK) and the different molecular forms of CCK are well established as biomarkers for satiety but accurate analysis has been limited by the multiple naturally occurring forms and extensive similarities to gastrin. Changes in levels of one form, CCK-8, a naturally occurring eight amino acid peptide of CCK, have been correlated with satiety responses. Endogenous CCK-8 has not been well characterized in Syrian Golden hamsters, an important model in the study of fat uptake and digestion. We have cloned and sequenced hamster CCK and identified and characterized endogenous CCK-8 from hamster plasma. Hamster CCK-8 is composed of eight amino acid residues which are highly conserved among other species. Following accurate identification and characterization of hamster CCK-8, we have developed a highly specific and sensitive immunoprecipitation based LC-MS/MS assay for its quantification. The present assay enables determination of active CCK-8 over a concentration range from 0.05 to 2.5 ng/mL in ham...
Progress and future of instrumental analytical chemistry applied to the environment

Abstract The recent trends in the development of environmental analysis are reviewed with emphasis on the progress of extraction techniques, of methods of analysis of pesticide residues in food, of the search for chemical and biological agents released into the environment, and of analytical instrumentation. A variety of new sorbents have been synthesized for the extraction and concentration of pollutants, including general purpose adsorbents (e.g., porous polystyrene/divinylbenzene resins) and polymers imprinted for specific compounds. New, faster, more selective and sensitive methods have been developed to improve analytical performance, e.g., synthetic fibers in the air pollution, stirbars coated with polymethylsiloxane. Bidimensional gas chromatography has brought a considerable leap in separation power and sensitivity. Finally the combination of open tubular columns and miniaturized quadrupole mass spectrometer allows the rapid identification of viral agents or a wide variety of chemicals.
Mormons as silent cinema villains: propaganda and entertainment

(1984). Mormons as silent cinema villains: propaganda and entertainment. Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television: Vol. 4, No. 1, pp. 3-14.
The effects of stress and relaxation in the presence of stress on urinary ph and smoking behaviors

The present study examined the influence of stress and relaxation in the presence of stress on smoking behavior and urinary pH. Thirty-two male heavy smokers were randomly assigned to one of three stress groups or a control group. The three stress groups were informed that the last phase of the experiment involved giving a speech to a group of graduate students. They then listened to either a stress enhancing tape, taped relaxation instructions, or a neutral tape. Stress instructions were omitted for the control subjects, and they listened to the neutral tape. Objective (skin conductance response) and subjective (state anxiety) measures of arousal indicated that the treatments had their intended effects. Following treatment subjects were left alone for a 35-minute period during which their smoking behaviors were monitored. The Relaxation Group smoked significantly fewer centimeters of cigarettes (p<.01) and at a significantly slower rate (p<.01) than the subjects in the two other stress groups. The relationships among stress, urinary pH, relaxation instructions, and smoking behaviors were discussed.