cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Treatment endpoints for advanced cholangiocarcinoma

At present, there is no standard treatment for cholangiocarcinoma, a fatal cancer of the biliary tree. New therapies for cholangiocarcinoma are difficult to evaluate because treatment endpoints are ill-defined. This viewpoint explains why the current endpoints are problematic and proposes a new quantitative system for assessing disease progression.
Modelling recurrent events: a tutorial for analysis in epidemiology

In many biomedical studies, the event of interest can occur more than once in a participant. These events are termed recurrent events. However, the majority of analyses focus only on time to the first event, ignoring the subsequent events. Several statistical models have been proposed for analysing multiple events. In this paper we explore and illustrate several modelling techniques for analysis of recurrent time-to-event data, including conditional models for multivariate survival data (AG, PWP-TT and PWP-GT), marginal means/rates models, frailty and multi-state models. We also provide a tutorial for analysing such type of data, with three widely used statistical software programmes. Different approaches and software are illustrated using data from a bladder cancer project and from a study on lower respiratory tract infection in children in Brazil. Finally, we make recommendations for modelling strategy selection for analysis of recurrent event data.
Encoding of pitch in the human brainstem is sensitive to language experience

Neural processes underlying pitch perception at the level of the cerebral cortex are influenced by language experience. We investigated whether early, pre-attentive stages of pitch processing at the level of the human brainstem may also be influenced by language experience. The human frequency following response (FFR), reflecting sustained phase-locked activity in a population of neural elements, was used to measure activity within the rostral brainstem. FFRs elicited by four Mandarin tones were recorded from native speakers of Mandarin Chinese and English. Pitch strength (reflecting robustness of neural phase-locking at the pitch periods) and accuracy of pitch tracking were extracted from the FFRs using autocorrelation algorithms. These measures revealed that the Chinese group exhibits stronger pitch representation and smoother pitch tracking than the English group. Consistent with the pitch data, FFR spectral data showed that the Chinese group exhibits stronger representation of the second harmonic relative to the English group across all four tones. These results cannot be explained by a temporal pitch encoding scheme which simply extracts the dominant interspike interval. Rather, these results support the possibility of neural plasticity at the brainstem level that is induced by language experience that may be enhancing or priming linguistically relevant features of the speech input.
Cause and Event: Supporting Causal Claims through Logistic Models

Efforts to identify and support credible causal claims have received intense interest in the research community, particularly over the past few decades. In this paper, we focus on the use of statistical procedures designed to support causal claims for a treatment or intervention when the response variable of interest is dichotomous. We identify seven key features of logistic regression studies that should play a critical role in estimating a causal effect and discuss their implications for causal inference. These include elaboration of research design, clarification of link function, model specification, challenges and limitations of sample size, interpretation of treatment effect through odds ratios, statistical tests and examination of model fit, and the potential for multilevel logistic models in pursuit of causal claims. Our recommendations are intended to guide researchers in the critical evaluation of logistic regression models for analyses culminating in causal claims and to promote stronger design and modeling strategies for reliable causal inference.
Retrospective, longitudinal, and cross sectional study of visual acuity impairment in choroideraemia.

Background/aims: Few studies have reported on the change in visual acuity (VA) in patients with choroideraemia. In order to determine the degree and rate of VA impairment associated with this disease, the central VA was analysed in a large group of patients with choroideraemia. Methods: The authors completed a retrospective, cross sectional review of 115 patients with choroideraemia from three tertiary care centres. A longitudinal analysis was performed on 45 of these patients who met the inclusion criteria of at least three visits over a minimum period of 4.5 years. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to explore the 5 year rate of VA change while controlling for initial VA and initial age. Multiple logistic regression was also used to investigate VA impairment. Results: In the cross sectional group (n = 115), 84% (87/103) of patients under the age of 60 had a VA of 20/40 or better while 33% (4/12) of patients 60 years of age or older had a VA of 20/200 or worse at their most recent visit. The majority of the patients (93%) in the longitudinal subgroup of 45 patients had a VA of 20/30 or better at their initial visit. The mean 5 year rate of VA change was 0.09 logMAR equivalent (approximately one line on the Lighthouse chart). Conclusion: In this cohort of patients with choroideraemia, there was typically a slow rate of VA loss and the prognosis for central VA retention was, as a group, favourable until the seventh decade.
Dynamic Pricing of Network Goods with Boundedly Rational Consumers

We present a model of dynamic monopoly pricing for a good that displaysnetwork effects. In contrast with the standard notion of arational-expectations equilibrium, we model consumers as boundedlyrational, and unable either to pay immediate attention to each pricechange, or to make accurate forecasts of the adoption of the networkgood. Our analysis shows that the seller's optimal price trajectory hasthe following structure: the price is low when the user base is below atarget level, is high when the user base is above the target, and is setto keep user base stationary once the target level has been attained. Weshow that this pricing policy is robust to a number of extensions, whichinclude the product's user base evolving over time, and consumers basingtheir choices on a mixture of a myopic and a "stubborn"expectation of adoption. Our results differ significantly from thosethat would be predicted by a model based on rational-expectationsequilibrium, and are more consistent with the pricing of network goodsobserved in practice.
The Agricultural Basis of Comparative Development

This article shows, in a two-sector Malthusian model of endogenous population growth, that output per capita, population density, and industrialization depend upon the labor intensity of agricultural production. Because the diminishing returns to labor are less pronounced, high labor intensity (as in rice production) leads not only to a larger population density but also to lower output per capita and a larger share of labor in agriculture. Agronomic and historical evidence confirm that there are distinct, inherent differences between rice and wheat production. A calibration of the model shows that a relatively small difference in labor intensity in agriculture can account for a large portion of the observed differences in industrialization, output per capita, and labor productivity between Asia and Europe prior to the Industrial Revolution. Significantly, these differences can be explained even though sector-level total factor productivity levels and the efficiency of factor markets are held constant in the two regions.
Analysis of a Traffic-Groomed Optical Network with Alternate Routing

Advances in telecommunication networks have allowed WDM to emerge as a viable solution to the ever-increasing demands of the Internet. Because these networks carry large amounts of traffic, alternate routing methods are designed in order to allow traffic to be properly re-routed from source to destination in the event of certain events, such as link blocking or failure. In this paper, we consider a tandem traffic-groomed optical network, modeled as a multi-level overflow system, where each level represents a wavelength between adjacent nodes. The queueing network is analyzed using a combination of methods. As will be shown, the decomposition method provides a good approximate analysis of large overflow systems supporting traffic from multiple sources
A Review of Numerical Models for Predicting the Energy Deposition and Resultant Thermal Response of Humans Exposed to Electromagnetic Fields

For humans exposed to electromagnetic (EM) radiation, the resulting thermophysiologic response is not well understood. Because it is unlikely that this information will be determined from quantitative experimentation, it is necessary to develop theoretical models which predict the resultant thermal response after exposure to EM fields. These calculations are difficult and involved because the human thermoregulatory system is very complex. In this paper, the important numerical models are reviewed and possibilities for future development are discussed.
The bHLH transcription factor hand2 plays parallel roles in zebrafish heart and pectoral fin development

The precursors of several organs reside within the lateral plate mesoderm of vertebrate embryos. Here, we demonstrate that the zebrafish hands off locus is essential for the development of two structures derived from the lateral plate mesoderm - the heart and the pectoral fin. hands off mutant embryos have defects in myocardial development from an early stage: they produce a reduced number of myocardial precursors, and the myocardial tissue that does form is improperly patterned and fails to maintain tbx5 expression. A similar array of defects is observed in the differentiation of the pectoral fin mesenchyme: small fin buds form in a delayed fashion, anteroposterior patterning of the fin mesenchyme is absent and tbx5 expression is poorly maintained. Defects in these mesodermal structures are preceded by the aberrant morphogenesis of both the cardiogenic and forelimb-forming regions of the lateral plate mesoderm. Molecular analysis of two hands off alleles indicates that the hands off locus encodes the bHLH transcription factor Hand2, which is expressed in the lateral plate mesoderm starting at the completion of gastrulation. Thus, these studies reveal early functions for Hand2 in several cellular processes and highlight a genetic parallel between heart and forelimb development.
NPSNET: JANUS-3D providing three-dimensional displays for a two-dimensional combat model

The integration of the US Army's existing combat modeling tool, JANUS(A), with the real-time three-dimensional graphics display offered by NPSNET is discussed. A scripting tool capable of rendering JANUS(A) scenarios previously executed in the traditional two-dimensional model is discussed. This replay capability allows the gamer/analyst the ability to watch the three-dimensional battle unfold from any position on the battlefield. Also, the implementation of a real-time, networked link from the two-dimensional JANUS model to NPSNET is detailed. This link involves an Ethernet connection from a Sun workstation, which houses the two-dimensional model, to a Silicon Graphics workstation used for rendering the real-time three-dimensional simulation. >
Public knowledge and its discontents

Ideally, public knowledge should encapsulate the achievements of millennia of inquiry, making them available to individuals and groups for the promotion of their various ends. I explore the ways in which the actual situation fails to live up to this ideal. Our investigations are not always directed towards the questions of most concern to most people, the results on which experts agree are not always based on reasons the broader public is prepared to endorse, and the dissemination of information is so distorted as to make supposedly free discussion and debate an unproductive shouting match. The consequences for democracy are severe, since a healthy system of public knowledge, able to discharge its function, is an essential component of a flourishing democratic society.
Effect of Seasonal Changes in Soil Temperature and Moisture on Wood Consumption and Foraging Activity of Formosan Subterranean Termite (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)

The objective of this study was to determine how seasonal changes affect the foraging activity and wood consumption of the Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae), in New Orleans, LA. There was a significant correlation between wood consumption and air temperature, soil temperature, and soil moisture, but not precipitation or number of rainy days. In the first year of the study, wood consumption was the lowest in December, February, and March. Wood consumption in January was not significantly different from consumption during the rest of the year. There were no seasonal changes in the number of underground monitoring stations occupied by termites. In the second year of the study, wood consumption was lowest from January to March. There was a significant decrease in the number of monitoring stations occupied by termites during the winter. This study determined that C. formosanus will remain in monitoring stations and resume feeding during warmer periods of a mild winter if average soil temperatures remain above 15°C. Only prolonged periods of cold weather, with average soil temperatures below 15°C, caused a significant number of termites to abandon underground monitoring stations. Seasonal changes in foraging activity would probably only disrupt baiting programs during severe winters in New Orleans, LA.
Quantification of extra-capsular prostate tissue from reconstructed tissue images

Currently there are little objective parameters that can quantify the success of one form of prostate surgical removal over another. Parameters such as the percent of coverage and depth of extra-capsular soft tissue removed with the prostate by the various surgical approaches can aid in quantifying prostate surgery success. Previously, we presented visualization methods as well as measurement algorithms to determine extra- capsular tissue coverage. In this paper, we present a modification to the coverage algorithm where we changed the way of mapping the reconstructed model as well as applying different neighborhood check approaches.
Windowed Distribution Strategies for Substitutive Television Content: An Audience-Centric Typology

An audience-centric typology is conceptualized to assist media managers implementing windowed distribution strategies in an attempt to account for media consumption cannibalization. Diffusion theory identifies the demographics most likely to consume substitutive television content, while uses, gratifications, media habits, and consumption values are collaboratively used to re-segment the audiences based on platform selection motivators. Psychographic labels are then applied using the dominant characteristic of each audience type and then matched to a specific windowed distribution strategy. The strategies are based on existing windowing tactics used by ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC or emerging strategies that are reflective of changing market trends. ACCESS TO FULL TEXT
IL-15 Superagonist Expands mCD8+ T, NK and NKT Cells after Burn Injury but Fails to Improve Outcome during Burn Wound Infection.

Background Severely burned patients are highly susceptible to opportunistic infections and sepsis, owing to the loss of the protective skin barrier and immunological dysfunction. Interleukin-15 (IL-15) belongs to the IL-2 family of common gamma chain cytokines and stimulates the proliferation and activation of T (specifically memory CD8), NK and NKT cells. It has been shown to preserve T cell function and improve survival during cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced sepsis in mice. However, the therapeutic efficacy of IL-15 or IL-15 superagonist (SA) during infection after burn injury has not been evaluated. Moreover, very few, if any, studies have examined, in detail, the effect of burn injury and infection on the adaptive immune system. Thus, we examined the effect of burn and sepsis on adaptive immune cell populations and the effect of IL-15 SA treatment on the host response to infection. Methods Mice were subjected to a 35% total body surface area burn, followed by wound infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In some experiments, IL-15 SA was administered after burn injury, but before infection. Leukocytes in spleen, liver and peritoneal cavity were characterized using flow cytometry. Bacterial clearance, organ injury and survival were also assessed. Results Burn wound infection led to a significant decline in total white blood cell and lymphocyte counts and induced organ injury and sepsis. Burn injury caused decline in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in the spleen, which was worsened by infection. IL-15 treatment inhibited this decline and significantly increased cell numbers and activation, as determined by CD69 expression, of CD4+, CD8+, B, NK and NKT cells in the spleen and liver after burn injury. However, IL-15 SA treatment failed to prevent burn wound sepsis-induced loss of CD4+, CD8+, B, NK and NKT cells and failed to improve bacterial clearance and survival. Conclusion Cutaneous burn injury and infection cause significant adaptive immune dysfunction. IL-15 SA does not augment host resistance to burn wound sepsis in mice despite inducing proliferation and activation of lymphocyte subsets.
Evolution and Future of Building Codes in the USA

While harmonization of structural design codes in Europe has been a carefully coordinated and organized process, significant similar changes in American codes occurred in the late 1990s and early 2...
The Influence of Size at Release on Performance of Imnaha River Chinook Salmon Hatchery Smolts

AbstractTen brood years (BYs 1988–1990 and 1992–1998) of spring–summer Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha smolts that were reared at Lookingglass Fish Hatchery (Oregon) and released from the Imnaha River Weir and Acclimation Facility were evaluated to determine whether size at release affected juvenile migration survival, smolt-to-adult survival (SAS) rate, smolt-to-adult return (SAR) rate, production efficiency, age composition, straying rate, or harvest rate. Smolts were marked with adipose fin clips and were tagged with coded wire tags (all BYs) and PIT tags (BYs 1992–1998). For BYs 1992–1998, the out-migration survival rate to Lower Granite Dam (LGD) on the Snake River was greater for large smolts (30–38 g) than for small smolts (18–23 g). This juvenile survival difference did not translate to an adult survival difference, as the total (ages 3–5) and adult (ages 4–5) SAR and SAS rates did not differ between large and small smolts. Straying rates were less than 0.02% and harvest rates were less th...
Effect Of Ceramic Dispersoids On The High Temperature Strength Of Mechanically Alloyed MoSi2

Mechanical alloying (MA) has been used to synthesize MoSi2 from elemental Mo and Si powders. SiC and Al2O3 dispersoids were also incorporated as a means of increasing high temperature strength. After synthesis, the powders were consolidated using vacuum hot pressing. It is shown that the size and volume fraction of porosity increases anomalously with increasing hot pressing temperature over the range 1200 to 1700°C. The strengths of the Al2O3 composite are, in most instances, considerably higher than the monolithic material produced under similar conditions.
Richard II, Martyr

FEW months ago in The Listener,' that admirable log of BBC talks, the English historian V. H. Galbraith addressed himself to the subject of "Richard II in, Fact and Fiction". Having explored the difficulties of recreating the personality of Richard, who by altering the course of affairs royal and English made himself an enigma for generations of historians, Galbraith reaches the conclusion that between the historian and the fact of history will always intrude the fiction of Shakespeare's Richard. "There are two Richards II, the one historical, the other Shakespearean." And he grudgingly admits being worsted by Shakespeare, for Shakespeare's Richard is likely to outlive reality and "bedevil the path of the mere historian". In his attempt to define Richard's character Galbraith notes Richard's religious orthodoxy, his ungovernable temper, and his mystical belief in his prerogative, and concludes, as does Shakespeare, that, although there was a flaw running through Richard's character, "he was not ignoble". Proof of nobility Galbraith finds in the same action with which Shakespeare completes his characterization of Richard: Richard's violent death, which, says Galbraith, "brought him more and more lasting friends than ever he had in life." Here we have an arresting statement, for every writer on Shakespeare's Richard or on the historical Richard, every interpreter of the unhappy king, all of his "lasting friends"-as every viewer of the play must call himself-agree that Richard was not ignoble. We know this because Richard perished nobly. Shakespeare depends upon this seemingly instinctive recognition of Richard's final nobility in order to effect a unity of character in his protagonist. This sympathy and admiration is reminiscent of the late Middle Ages when Richard, the last English king to possess the full sanctity of medieval kingship, became an exemplar of royal martyrdom. Shakespeare encountered this attitude in his sources, which drew in turn upon anti-Lancastrian treatises that made Richard a martyr and compared him to Christ and his accusers to Pilate.2 In his characterization Shakespeare does not, to be sure, use the words martyr-king, but he does employ certain of their connotations.3
Quantitative Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy as a Tool To Evaluate Chemical Modification of Deep Hydrotreated Recycled Lube Oils

The applications of 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and two-dimensional 1H/13C NMR spectroscopy have been shown to be useful techniques for the qualitative and quantitative characterization of hydrotreated recycled lube oils. The addition of hydrogen to aromatic and alkene hydrocarbons can be quantitatively and selectively measured. The decrease of oxygen/nitrogen/sulfur species can also be inferred from the reduction of specific resonances in the NMR spectra. Treated recycled lube oil was subsequently hydrotreated with Pd catalysts deposited by either atomic layer deposition (ALD) or incipient wetness impregnation (IWI) on a SiO2/Al2O3 support. In both cases, much lower hydrogenation temperatures were required than had been observed with typical NiMo or CoMo on Al2O3. In addition, the ALD-deposited catalyst was more effective for the reduction of aromatics and heteroatom components than the IWI catalyst. The lube oil fractions were of high purity (low aromaticity and low heteroatom content) e...
Practical Aspects Of Masw Inversion Using Varying Density

We use multi-channel analysis of surface waves (MASW) on seismic data to assess the practical impact of the assumed compressional-velocity and density parameters on the inverted shear-wave velocity results. The practical secondary-parameter impact evaluation was performed on data acquired in the arctic. The ice-sheet compressional-, shear-wave velocity and density variations with depth were available from laboratory and field measurement and served as reference for analyzing the MASW inversion.
Passing on the Faith: The Father's Role in Religious Transmission

Abstract Many religious scholars have asserted that the mother's role is the most important in the transmission of religiosity to the child. However, the role of the father in passing on religious beliefs and practices is not as well understood and literature directly concerning this phenomenon is scarce. Previous literature asserts that the father's influence in the socialization process, and in religious transmission specifically, is minimal. However, could this be changing as a result of new gender role definitions? As more women move into the workforce, and as more men are encouraged to take on a larger portion of the home responsibilities than previously assumed, it would stand to reason that the changes may affect the father's impact. This analysis utilizes a national poll (n = 1,058) of American Catholics titled the Catholic Pluralism Project. The single most important finding in this study is the importance of the father's religiosity in religious transmission. There is a consistent pattern of sig...
Campaign Intensity and Voter Information A Look at Gubernatorial Contests

Although campaigns for public office are popularly thought to “matter,” conventional academic wisdom suggests otherwise. However, an alternative perspective posits that campaigns, at a minimum, inform voters. I hypothesize that campaigns for governor in the American states raise levels of information among state voters. In particular, I expect that hard-fought contests will inform state voters, whereas low-key races will fail to inform the state electorate. I employ a standard ordinary least squares multivariate model of voter information, using data from a variety of sources, including the American National Election Study's Senate 1990 Study, campaign spending data on governors' races, and additional aggregate-level measures. I find that the level of information among state electorates is dependent on gubernatorial campaign intensity. These findings allow me to speculate on the possible relationship between campaign intensity and vote choice in these previously understudied and poorly understood contests.
Application of Point-Estimation Method to Calculate Uncertainties in Discharges from Stage-Discharge Ratings

Most discharge records are developed using stage -discharge relations (ratings) to estimate the discharge based on measured water stages , permitting a fast and relatively inexpensive means to determine the discharge. However, for all but the simplest stage-discharge ratings, uncertainties in the resulting discharges have either been ignored or were based on a statistical estimate of the fit betwee n the rating and calibration measurements. Recent research has demonstrated the feasibility of developing stage -discharge ratings theoretically, rather than empirically , providing unprecedented opportunity to examine the uncertainties in the rating and i n discharges determined from the rating. Reliability-analysis methods, particularly, the point estimation method, can be applied to estimate the uncertainty in discharges determined from theoretically developed ratings and appropriately addresses complica ting factors such as correlation among independent variables. This paper presents an overview of the application of reliability -analysis methods to determine the uncertainty in theoretical developed ratings. An example for an existing gauging station shows the uncertainties in discharges determined from the theoretical rating and the stage record from the site.
Progress in Research of Core Collections and Namesakes of Rice Genetic Resources

The core collections are the basic materials for rice b reeding so the research of core collections is very important in the conservatio n and research of rice genetic resources.The evaluation of the namesakes or het erogenous resources with same names is a very important part of the evaluation o f core collections.In this paper,the significance,methods and progress of the research of the core collections and namesakes in rice genetic resources were s ummarized and discussed.
Examining College Opportunity Structures for Students of Color at High-"Minority," High-Poverty Secondary Schools in Texas.

This study conducts an intersectional analysis of two adjoined qualitative studies, reanalyzing the data using a college opportunity framework (Gonzalez, Stoner, & Jovel, 2003) to examine how sourc...
Risk of Urinary Incontinence following Radical Prostatectomy

Of 143 prostatic cancer patients treated with radical prostatectomy 38 had undergone transurethral resection of the prostate before the prostatectomy. After radical prostatectomy 5 per cent of the patients who did not have a resection and 8.1 per cent of those who did were severely incontinent. This difference is not statistically significant.
Endogenous TNFα Mediates Cell Survival and Chemotherapy Resistance by Activating the PI3K/Akt Pathway in Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

Expression of endogenous TNFα (enTNF) by tumor cells has been shown to confer a survival advantage and resistance to chemotherapy. Here we report that constitutive activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway is an important mechanism for cell survival and chemotherapy resistance in enTNF+ acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). We analyzed two pediatric ALL cell lines, EU-1 (enTNF+) and EU-3 (enTNF-) for the regulation of Akt by enTNF in association with cell growth and sensitivity to doxorubicin. EU-1 cells constitutively expressed activated/phosphorylated Akt (p-Akt) and were resistant to doxorubicin, whereas EU-3 cells were negative for p-Akt and sensitive to this drug. Treatment of EU-3 cells with supernatant from EU-1 cultures rapidly induced expression of p-Akt. Conversely, treatment with either anti-TNFα or anti-TNF-receptor 2 (TNFR2) antibodies rapidly downregulated constitutive p-Akt in EU-1 cells, and blocked p-Akt induction in EU-3 cells cultured with EU-1 supernatant. Inhibition of p-Akt either by a PI3K inhibitor Ly294002 or by TNF siRNA suppressed EU-1 growth and sensitized these cells to doxorubicin. These results suggest that enTNF produced by EU-1 activates Akt in both EU-1 and supernatant-treated EU-3 cells by binding to cell-surface TNFR2, and that enTNF-activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway may be associated with drug-resistance in pediatric ALL.
Hippocampal volume reduction is associated with intellectual functions in adolescents with congenital heart disease

Adolescents undergoing early cardiopulmonary bypass surgery for congenital heart disease (CHD) may demonstrate a variety of neurocognitive impairments. These impairments can affect overall intellectual functions, but also specific memory deficits, language, and executive functions. As the hippocampus is a critical structure involved in these functions, we sought to determine whether hippocampal volume was reduced in adolescents with CHD and whether altered volumes were related to functional outcome. At a mean age of 13.8 y, 48 adolescent survivors of childhood cardiopulmonary bypass surgery for CHD and 32 healthy controls underwent neurocognitive testing and cerebral magnetic resonance imaging. Images were quantitatively analyzed using an automated regional segmentation tool (FSL-FIRST). Adolescents with CHD had 10% lower total hippocampal volumes compared with controls. After controlling for total brain volume, total hippocampal volume correlated with total IQ, with working memory, and verbal comprehension in CHD patients, but not in controls. In adolescent survivors of cardiopulmonary bypass surgery for CHD, specific brain regions such as the hippocampus may show long-term persistent alteration and correlate with intellectual deficits, particularly with verbal and memory functions.
Refugee Safety and Humanitarianism Discourse

The previous chapter has analyzed the use of particular refugee camp management methods, examined the legal status of refugees in camps, including children, and considered the unsettled identity of refugee children by drawing on the case study of Palestinian refugees. This chapter analyzes the theoretical nexus between refugee safety and humanitarianism.
Comparing oxytocin and cortisol regulation in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, hydrocortisone challenge pilot study in children with autism and typical development

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show marked impairment in social functioning and poor adaptation to new and changing contexts, which may be influenced by underlying regulatory processes. Oxytocin (OT) and cortisol are key neuromodulators of biological and behavioral responses, show a synergistic effect, and have been implicated in the neuropathological profile in ASD. However, they are rarely investigated together. The purpose of the pilot study was to evaluate the relationship between cortisol and OT in children with ASD under baseline and physiological stress (hydrocortisone challenge) conditions. Arginine vasopressin (AVP), structurally similar to OT, was also examined. A double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomly assigned, crossover design was employed in 25 children 8-to-12 years with ASD (N = 14) or typical development (TD, N = 11). A low dose of hydrocortisone and placebo were administered via liquid suspension. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to examine the within-subject factor “Condition” (hydrocortisone/placebo) and “Time” (pre and post) and the between-subject factor “Group” (ASD vs. TD). Pearson correlations examined the relationship between hormone levels and clinical profile. There was a significant Time × Condition × Group interaction F (1.23) = 4.18, p = 0.05 showing a rise in OT during the experimental condition (hydrocortisone) and a drop during the placebo condition for the TD group but not the ASD group. There were no group differences for AVP. Hormone levels were associated with social profiles. For the TD group, an inverse relationship was observed. OT increased during physiological challenge suggesting that OT played a stress-buffering role during cortisol administration. In contrast for the ASD group, OT remained unchanged or decreased during both the physiological challenge and the placebo condition, suggesting that OT failed to serve as a stress buffer under conditions of physiological stress. While OT has been tied to the social ability of children with ASD, the diminished moderating effect of OT on cortisol may also play a contributory role in the heightened stress often observed in children with ASD. These results contribute to our understanding of the growing complexity of the effects of OT on social behavior as well as the functional interplay and differential regulation OT may have on stress modulation.
Askesis and the logic of the spiral

ABSTRACTThis essay sets out to demonstrate a strong connection between eros and askesis in Foucault’s writings. Analogous to Huffer’s argument about eros, I suggest that askesis does not invoke a return to an imagined Greek past, but operates generatively to destabilize subjectivity and normativity. Askesis is central to Foucault’s methodology and, indeed, askesis and eros, two terms that Huffer depicts as “strange” and “untranslatable,” are both requisite for the projects of political, social, and personal liberation toward which Foucault labored.
Cervical Burst Fracture in a Patient with Contiguous 2-Level Cervical Stand-Alone Cages.

Background Cervical stand-alone interbody cages have seen increasingly wider use over the plate-and-screw construct in single-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) in the treatment of cervical disc herniation and degenerative spondylotic conditions. Despite positive clinical outcomes, the efficacy and safety of using these devices in contiguous multilevel ACDF has remained controversial. This report discusses a burst fracture seen as a complication in multilevel cervical stand-alone cage use. Case Description A 39-year-old woman with a history of C5-C6 and C6-C7 ACDF with contiguous stand-alone interbody cages 2 years prior, presented with recurrent arm and neck pain with myelopathy. Computed tomography scan revealed a burst fracture of the C6 vertebral body with retropulsion of fragments compressing the spinal cord. Conclusions This case suggests that use of cervical stand-alone cages in contiguous levels may cause late complications despite good instrumentation and illustrates the need for more careful consideration of technique selection in multilevel ACDF.
Comparison of Perianal Swab and Stool Samples for Detection of Gastrointestinal Colonization with Ceftriaxone-Resistant and Fluoroquinolone-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae.

AbstractBackgroundStool samples are the gold standard for detecting gastrointestinal colonization with multidrug-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (MDR-E), but they cannot be rapidly collected. Perianal swabs can be efficiently collected and are considered safe in neutropenic patients, but there are sparse data comparing their performance characteristics to those of stool samples for detecting colonization with MDR-E.MethodsStool and perianal swab samples (ESwab™) were collected as part of a prospective study of patients with acute leukemia and hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients. We analyzed perianal swab and stool samples that were collected from subjects simultaneously, defined as within one day of each other. One-hundred microliters of vortexed Amies liquid from the swab and 1 μL of stool were directly plated onto chromogenic ESBL agar and MacConkey agar with 1 μg/mL ciprofloxacin (Mac-Cipro), and these plates were incubated for 48 and 24 hours, respectively. Colonies isolated on these plates were identified by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and underwent antimicrobial susceptibility testing. We then compared the yield of stool and swab samples for detection of ceftriaxone-resistant (CRO-R-E) and fluoroquinolone-resistant (FQ-R-E) Enterobacteriaceae.ResultsA total of 108 patients had 122 perianal swab and stool samples collected simultaneously and had these samples plated onto ESBL agar. Twenty-one of these paired samples yielded CRO-R-E from either sample, including 17 cases where CRO-R-E were detected from the perianal swab (81% sensitivity) and 18 cases where CRO-R-E were detected from stool (86% sensitivity). The most common CRO-R-E were Escherichia coli (n = 13), Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 5), and Citrobacter freundii (n = 3). Sixty paired perianal swab and stool samples were also plated onto Mac-Cipro agar and 21 yielded FQ-R-E in either sample. The perianal swab sample was positive in all 21 cases (100% sensitivity) and the stool samples were positive in 20 of these cases (95% sensitivity). All FQ-R-E were E. coli (n = 18) or K. pneumoniae (n = 5).ConclusionPerianal swabs have comparable performance characteristics to stool samples for detection of CRO-R-E and FQ-R-E, and thus may be employed to rapidly and safely detect gastrointestinal colonization with MDR-E on an inpatient unit.Disclosures M. Satlin, Hardy Diagnostics: Investigator, Research support; T. J. Walsh, The Medicines Company: Consultant and Investigator, Consulting fee and Research grant; Astellas: Consultant and Investigator, Consulting fee and Research grant; Allergan: Consultant and Investigator, Consulting fee and Research grant; Merck: Consultant and Investigator, Consulting fee and Research grant; S. G. Jenkins, Cormedix: Consultant, Consulting fee; Bayer: Consultant, Consulting fee; Merck: Grant Investigator and Scientific Advisor, Research grant
The Basics of Orbital Imaging

In current practice, orbital radiography has been nearly totally abandoned and is now only utilized for the detection of metallic foreign bodies that might preclude MRI, and in rare instances, when CT is unavailable and there is suspicion for gross fracture. Cross-sectional imaging using CT and MRI has now become the primary tool for evaluation of orbital and intracranial pathology. These imaging modalities are also applied to vascular pathology in the form of CTA and MRA, and additional advances have been made in conventional angiography with the advent of digital subtraction angiography (DSA), CT arteriography, and various interventional techniques. These modalities are constantly evolving, and it is important for the ocular oncologist, ophthalmologist, and the oculoplastic surgeon to be aware of all the options in their imaging armamentarium so that they may order the safest, most appropriate study. This chapter primarily covers the basic imaging physics, indications, and contraindications of routine and more advanced CT, MR, and angiographic techniques; it also summarizes some of the image-guided orbital interventions.
Three Essays on Climate Law

These essays deal with aspects of climate change law that cut across national borders. "Governance Principles and Climate Disasters" examines how climate disasters present relate to general issues in public law such as federalism, emergency authority, protection of property rights, and administrative transparency and rationality. "The Unifying Force of Climate Change Scholarship" argues that climate change is a unifying theme for the sprawling field of environmental law, providing a focal point for environmental law scholarship. "Historical Responsibility for Environmental Harms" examines the issue of climate compensation through the lens of U.S. and EU tort law principles. It argues that the tort law background supports providing some form of compensation for harms caused by past carbon emissions, whether via litigation or otherwise.
Predicting Reinforcement of Pitch Sequences via LSTM and TD.

We examine the use of a recurrent neural network called Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) with a prediction algorithm called temporal difference (TD) to predict the outcome of a music pitch sequence, while the sequence is being played. This is part of a larger system that will use this prediction in order to choose pitches to play. We describe our previous results using the LSTM network for musical tasks and then show its ability to predict a positive or negative outcome for a short musical task of chromatic lead-in to a chord tone. Then we describe its ability to predict positive outcomes when certain chord tones are played on the last beat of each bar of ii-V-I
INTERACTIONS BETWEEN CYTOCHROME P-450 AND NADPH-CYTOCHROME P-450 REDUCTASE IN THE MICROSOMAL MEMBRANE

Publisher Summary The endoplasmic reticulum of liver cells contains a monooxygenase system that catalyzes the biotransformation of steroids, fatty acids, drugs, carcinogens, and various other xenobiotics. In this enzyme system, the reducing equivalents from NADPH are transferred through NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase to cytochrome P-450, which in turn catalyzes the oxygenation of various substrates. Cytochrome P-450 can account for as much as fifteen percent of the microsomal protein, and the number of this hemoprotein can be 10–25 times greater than that of the reductase molecule in the membrane. The existence of a lipophilic mobile electron carrier between these two enzymes has never been demonstrated. It appears that one reductase molecule has to interact with a great number of cytochrome P-450 molecules for efficient catalysis. The NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase is an amphipathic protein with a molecular weight of about 80,000 Da, and cytochrome P-450 is an integral membrane protein with a molecular weight of about 50,000 Da. The chapter presents an experiment that studies the interactions of these two enzymes in the membrane and attempts to elucidate the nature of the organization of the microsomal monooxygenase enzymes.
Resource Bounded Kolmogorov Complexity and Statistical Tests

This paper investigates the statistical properties of resource bounded Kolmogorov-random strings. In an attempt to define random sequences, Martin-Lof has shown that the Kolmogorov-random strings (strings with no short description) possess all the statistical properties of random strings. We look at the statistical properties of resource bounded Kolmogorov-random strings. For space bounds, we show that there is a direct relation between the space bound on the Kolmogorov randomness classes and the space required to check a statistical property. The problem is still open for time bounds. We then relate this notion of random sequences to Yao’s definition of secure pseudo random number generators.
Daily Emergency Department Surveillance System --- Bergen County, New Jersey.

The purpose of the Daily Emergency Department Surveillance System (DEDSS) is to provide consistent, timely, and robust data that can be used to guide public health activities in Bergen County, New Jersey. DEDSS collects data on all emergency department visits in four hospitals in Bergen County and analyzes them for aberrant patterns of disease or single instances of certain diseases or syndromes. The system monitors for clusters of patients with syndromes consistent with the prodrome of a terrorism-related illness (e.g., anthrax or smallpox) or naturally occurring disease (e.g., pandemic influenza or food and waterborne outbreaks). The health department can use these data to track and characterize the temporal and geographic spread of a known outbreak or demonstrate the absence of cases during the same period (e.g., severe acute respiratory syndrome [SARS] or anthrax). DEDSS was designed to be flexible and readily adaptable as local, state, or federal surveillance needs evolve.
Influences on the Elicitation of Interpersonal Space with Virtual Humans

The emergence of low cost virtual and augmented reality systems has encouraged the development of immersive training applications for medical, military, and many other fields. Many of the training scenarios for these various fields may require the presentation of realistic interactions with virtual humans. It is thus vital to determine the critical factors of fidelity required in those interactions to elicit naturalistic behavior on the part of trainees. Negative training may occur if trainees are inadvertently influenced to react in ways that are unexpected and unnatural, hindering proper learning and transfer of skills and knowledge back into real world contexts. In this research, we examined whether haptic priming (presenting an illusion of virtual human touch at the beginning of the virtual experience) and different locomotion techniques (either joystick or physical walking) might affect proxemic behavior in human users. The results of our study suggest that locomotion techniques can alter proxemic behavior in significant ways. Haptic priming did not appear to impact proxemic behavior, but did increase rapport and other subjective social measures. The results suggest that designers and developers of immersive training systems should carefully consider the impact of even simple design and fidelity choices on trainee reactions in social interactions.
System Modeling, Characterization, and Design Considerations for Generators in Commercial Watches With Application to Energy Harvesting for Wearables

This paper presents the characterization of the energy generators embedded in commercial watches with a focus on the Kinetron microgenerator system. These motion-powered watches are potential benchmarking subjects for any effort to develop wearable energy harvesters, and yet have not been systematically characterized. We have developed a system-level model including both the kinematics of the rotational proof mass and the dynamics of the electromechanical transducer for the energy generator based on a generalized rotational energy harvester model. Our experimental characterization includes both controlled bench-top swing arm tests as well as human subject tests. Multiaxial inertial inputs either constructed or obtained from real-world measurement serve as the inputs in the simulation. These characterization results not only serve as a means for model validation but also to provide insight into the state-of-the-art of commercially available wearable energy harvesting capabilities. The experimentally validated model allows us to perform numerical simulations to study scaling relationships and explore pathways to improved power output.