cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Static and run-time algorithms for all-to-many personalized communication on permutation networks

With the advent of new routing methods, the distance that a message is sent is becoming relatively less and less important. Thus, assuming no link contention, permutation seems to be an efficient collective communication primitive. In this paper, we present several algorithms for decomposing all-to-many personalized communication into a set of disjoint partial permutations. We discuss several algorithms and study their effectiveness from the view of static scheduling as well as run-time scheduling. An approximate analysis shows that with n processors, and assuming that every processor sends and receives d messages to random destinations, our algorithm can perform the scheduling in O(dn In d) time, on average, and can use an expected number of d+log d partial permutations to carry out the communication. We present experimental results of our algorithms on the CM-5. >
Grandparents Providing Care to Grandchildren A Population-Based Study of Continuity and Change

This study examines transitions in grandchild care and the characteristics of grandparents making these transitions, using longitudinal data from a nationally representative sample of 13,626 grandparents in the 1998-2008 Health and Retirement Study. More than 60% of grandparents provided grandchild care over the 10-year period; more than 70% of those did it for 2 years or more. Grandparents with fewer functional limitations and more economic resources were more likely to start or continue nonresidential care, whereas relatively disadvantaged grandparents were more likely to start and continue coresidential care. Grandparents who were African American, younger, married, living with fewer minor children of their own, or had more grandchildren were more likely to start care, particularly nonresidential care. African Americans and Hispanics were more likely than Whites to start and continue coresidential care. These findings demonstrate the heterogeneity of caregiving and point to the lack of resources among ...
Metabolism of Dihydrotestosterone in Human Liver: Importance of 3α- and 3β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase1

This study compared the enzyme activity of 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3αHSD) and 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3βHSD) in the human liver. 3αHSD was found in both microsomal and cytosolic liver fractions. Contrary to that in rat liver, microsomal 3αHSD activity was 12-fold higher than cytosolic 3αHSD activity, and 3αHSD was not inhibited by indomethacin (10 μmol/L). The rate of 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) reduction to 5α-androstane-3α,17β-diol (3αDIOL) by 3αHSD was 2 times higher than the rate of 3αDIOL oxidation to DHT. 3βHSD was present primarily in the microsomal fraction of the human liver, and the rate of DHT reduction to 5α-androstane-3β,17β-diol (3βDIOL) by 3βHSD was 3 times higher than the rate of 3βHSD oxidation to DHT. When 3αHSD and 3βHSD activities were compared, the rate of DHT reduction by 3βHSD was 3-fold lower than the rate of DHT reduction by 3αHSD. No sex or age differences were found in either 3αHSD or 3βHSD activity. As the activity of DHT-metabolizing enzymes is not sex depen...
CpG DNA Induces Self and Cross-Hyporesponsiveness of RAW264.7 Cells in Response to CpG DNA and Lipopolysaccharide: Alterations in IL-1 Receptor-Associated Kinase Expression

Exposure of macrophages to LPS induces a state of hyporesponsiveness to subsequent challenge with LPS. It has not been known whether previous exposure to CpG DNA induces a similar suppressive response to subsequent stimulation with CpG DNA. In the present study, we demonstrate that pretreatment with CpG DNA induces suppression of cytokine release in a murine macrophage-like cell RAW264.7 in response to subsequent challenge by CpG DNA. Additionally, CpG DNA-mediated activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases, including c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase, extracellular signal-regulated kinase, and p38, and activation of transcription factors AP-1, CREB, NF-kappaB, and STAT1 are greatly suppressed in the cells pre-exposed to CpG DNA. Pretreatment with CpG DNA also partially inhibited LPS-mediated production of cytokines and activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases and transcription factors. Neither LPS nor CpG DNA treatment inhibited Toll-like receptor 4, MD2, Toll-like receptor 9, myeloid differentiation factor 88, Toll/IL-1R domain-containing adaptor protein, Tollip, and TNF-alpha receptor-associated factor 6 expression. Interestingly, CpG DNA or LPS stimulation led to the inhibition of IL-1R-associated kinase expression. These results indicate that CpG DNA-induced refractory of RAW264.7 cells may be, at least in part, due to suppressed IL-1R-associated kinase expression.
Variable Lifetime Annuities: Can You Live Long Enough To Receive Fair Value?

This article presents an analysis of variable lifetime annuities and quantifies the advantages and disadvantages associated with this type of instrument. Given recent long-term rates of return and current low inflation rates, variable annuity contracts provide an effective means of compensating for inflation. An individual only needs to invest a small portion of retirement funds in variable annuities to protest the entire portfolio against the risk of long-term inflation without the risk of having ones entire retirement income based on variable annuities.
Game-tree search over high-level game states in RTS games

From an AI point of view, Real-Time Strategy (RTS) games are hard because they have enormous state spaces, they are real-time and partially observable. In this paper, we present an approach to deploy game-tree search in RTS games by using game state abstraction. We propose a high-level abstract representation of the game state, that significantly reduces the branching factor when used for game-tree search algorithms. Using this high-level representation, we evaluate versions of alpha-beta search and of Monte Carlo Tree Search (MCTS). We present experiments in the context of StarCraft showing promising results in dealing with the large branching factors present in RTS games.
An Automated Framework for Recommending Program Elements to Novices (N)

Novice programmers often learn programming by implementing well-known algorithms. There are several challenges in the process. Recommendation systems in software currently focus on programmer productivity and ease of development. Teaching aides for such novice programmers based on recommendation systems still remain an underexplored area. In this paper, we present a general framework for recognizing the desired target for partially-written code and recommending a reliable series of edits to transform the input program into the target solution. Our code analysis is based on graph matching and tree edit algorithms. Our experimental results show that efficient graph comparison techniques can accurately match two portions of source code and produce an accurate set of source code edits. We provide details on implementation of our framework, which is developed as a plugin for Java in Eclipse IDE.
The Breast Cancer Prevention Trial: Evaluating Tamoxifen’s Efficacy in Preventing Breast Cancer

Objective: To review the literature on tamoxifen and breast cancer, focusing on the Breast Cancer Prevention Trial (BCPT). Data Sources: Computerized searches on MEDLINE and CINAHL. Study Selection: Articles from indexed journals in the English language related to the topics in this review and published after 1983 (except for earlier classic pieces) were evaluated. Data Extraction: Data were extracted and information was organized under the following headings: magnitude of the problem of breast cancer, definition of chemoprevention, tamoxifen's mode of action, risks and benefits, use as an adjuvant and in chemoprevention, the BCPT, study protocol, pros and cons, and nursing implications. Data Synthesis: The BCPT is a study testing tamoxifen's ability to prevent the development of breast cancer in healthy women at increased risk for developing the disease. About 16,000 women who are age 35years or older are being randomized to receive oral tamoxifen (20mg/day) or placebo for an initial period of 5years. Conclusions: The BCPT will contribute to our knowledge about tamoxifen's ability to prevent breast cancer in women at increased risk. Nurses have a role to play in implementing this strategy to find a means for preventing breast cancer.
Health Insurance and Moral Hazard: A Misdiagnosis

A common misunderstanding of moral hazard emerges from an inaccurate definition of health-care insurance. What we call health insurance is actually a bundle of two services — insurance for catastrophic care and subsidies for routine care. The insurance portion covers insurable medical events and the subsidized portion provides additional compensation to employees and taxpayer-funded coverage for the poor and elderly. This bundling approach has made it difficult to draw a bright line between what is medical insurance and what is merely a tax-free subsidy of the cost of routine care. As a result, many economists have chosen to include the over-consumption of routine care in the moral hazard bundle instead of attributing the behavior to the subsidy. This approach leads to confusing discussions of public policy.
G-Estimation of Structural Nested Models: Recent Applications in Two Subfields of Epidemiology

Correct adjustment for time-varying confounding affected by prior exposure is often not straightforward. G-estimation of structural nested models is a method of data analysis that allows for estimation of the combined effects of exposures that vary over time in a longitudinal cohort study. The method has not been widely adopted, but its use has increased in recent years, particularly in two subfields of epidemiology. Pharmacoepidemiologists have explored its applications to randomized trials with non-adherence or treatment switching and to finding optimal dynamic treatment regimens. Occupational epidemiologists have used it to correct for healthy worker survivor bias. Pharmacoepidemiologists have used simulations to illustrate extensions and novel applications, while occupational epidemiologists have focused on practical applications to observational data, often with careful attention to the handling of exposures. In theory, g-estimation of an appropriate structural nested model should be considered in the context of any longitudinal cohort in which at least one time-varying confounder is affected by prior exposure.
Obesity and immigration in Hispanic women.

A36 Background: The prevalence of obesity is increasing and higher rates of obesity are found in Hispanics than whites. Obesity is an important risk factor for cancer. Limited previous research has found a positive association between acculturation and obesity in Hispanics. Methods: Using data collected in the Chicago Breast Health Project Phases I and II, we examined the association of obesity with language acculturation and years in the US in a sample of 388 Hispanic women. Duplicate measures of height and weight were taken and used to calculate body mass index (BMI). Women with a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 were considered obese. Women self-reported the number of years they had lived in the US. Women also reported their preferred language for reading and speaking, speaking at home, thinking and speaking with friends. This was used to calculate a language acculturation score. Logistic regression was used to estimate the association between both language acculturation and years in the US with obesity. Results: Nearly all the women (98%) were born outside the US with the majority (65%) born in Mexico. Over half of the women were obese (56%). The mean number of years in the US was 17.6 years. The majority of women (69%) had the lowest possible language acculturation score, reflecting an answer of "only Spanish" on every language acculturation question. In multivariable analysis, adjusting for age, education, smoking status, hours per day spent sitting and occupational status, odds of obesity increased with years in the US (OR per year = 1.02, 95% CI 1.01-1.04). For each decade longer in the US, women were 1.25 times as likely to be obese. In contrast, language acculturation was not associated with odds of obesity (OR=1.07, 95% CI 0.97-1.17). Conclusion: Increasing years in the US increases the odds that Hispanic women will be obese. However, there is no association of obesity with language acculturation perhaps indicating mechanisms other than language are contributing to the immigration effect.
Arteriovenous Malformations of the Brain

Arteriovenous malformations (AVM) of the brain (also known as pial or parenchymal AVMs) are defined as intracranial space-occupying lesions composed of feeding arteries, draining veins, and a nidus of tangled vessels without an intervening capillary bed. There is no normal interposed brain tissue, but there can be surrounding gliosis. Morphology can vary, but AVMs are typically triangular in shape with the base towards the cortex and the apex towards the ventricular system [Brown et al. Mayo Clin Proc 80(2):269–81, 2005; Winn. Youmans neurological surgery. 6th edn. Elsevier, Philadelphia, PA, 2011; Moftakhar et al. Neurosurg Focus 26(5):E10, 2009]. While much of the pathophysiology, epidemiology, and natural history remain unclear, there has been successful advancement in the understanding and management of these complex lesions, especially with regard to the application of microsurgical, radiosurgical, and endovascular therapies.
Stimulus Control for Semi-autonomous Computer Canine-Training

For thousands of years, humans have domesticated and trained dogs to perform tasks for them. Humans have developed areas of study, such as Applied Behavior Analysis, which aim to improve the training process. We introduce a semi-autonomous, canine-training system by combining existing research in Applied Behavior Analysis with computer systems consisting of hardware, software, audio, and visual components. These components comprise a biohybrid system capable of autonomously training a dog to perform a specific behavior on command. In this paper we further our previous computer canine-training system by the application of stimulus control over a newly-acquired, free operant behavior. This system uses light and sound as a discriminative stimulus for the behavior of a dog pushing a button with its nose. Indications of simple stimulus control of this behavior were achieved. Our pilot of this system indicates canine learning comparable to that from a professional dog trainer.
Sequence analysis of cyclic polyester copolymers using ion mobility tandem mass spectrometry

Abstract Tandem mass spectrometry (MS2) via collisionally activated dissociation (CAD), coupled with ion mobility (IM) separation, has been employed to determine the sequence of macrocyclic polyester copolymers with thermoresponsive properties. The polyesters were synthesized by polyesterification of succinic acid with two diols functionalized with different, bioinspired amide pendants. MS analysis confirmed the formation of cyclic and linear chains composed of two different polyester repeat units, N and P. MS2 experiments on the sodiated macrocyclic trimer P3 showed that fragmentation encompasses ring opening by 1,5-H rearrangement over an ester group and consecutive dissociation of the ring-opened species via the same mechanism. Investigation of the macrocyclic trimers N1P2 and N2P3 revealed that ring opening occurs randomly at any of the ester groups of the macrocycle. Armed with these data, the sequence of the macrocyclic tetramer N2P2 was elucidated based on the dimeric NN, NP (or PN), and PP fragments generated by CAD of the sodiated ion. The observed fragment distribution provided evidence that the tetramer had predominantly a block architecture, viz. cyclo-NNPP. Preference for the block arrangement of the monomers was also found for a linear oligomer with four diol units. The IM dimension enabled the examination of singly sodiated cyclic or linear chains that overlapped with higher charge states of larger oligomers. The described sequencing strategy should be generally applicable to polymers with ester groups in the backbone. The architectural information deduced by such sequencing would significantly facilitate structure/property correlations and the design of copolymers with the desired physical properties.
Midlife adults with functional limitations: Comparison of adults with early- and late-onset arthritis-related disability.

Abstract Background Arthritis is the most common cause of disability among U.S. adults. Objective This study examined how the onset of arthritis-attributable disability affects midlife individuals. Methods Using the 2014–2015 National Health Interview Survey, this study compared three groups of midlife adults (ages 50–64): individuals without any physical limitations (n = 13,779); individuals with early-onset arthritis that has limited their functioning for more than 20 years (n = 330); and individuals suffering from late-onset arthritis-attributable disability for less than five years (n = 299), in relation to five domains in the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework. Stata's SVY procedures were used for bivariate and multivariate comparisons. Results Compared with the two groups with arthritis-attributable disability, midlife adults without disability were more likely to be married, college educated, high income, and employed. They also reported considerably lower levels of financial worries, barriers to healthcare access, and psychological distress (p Conclusions This study clearly indicates how experiencing arthritis-attributable disability on top of aging is challenging for midlife adults and how considering the onset of disability is important for practitioners and researchers.
Waveform design and orthogonal netted radar systems

Orthogonal Netted Radar System (ONRS) is proposed to significantly improve radar performances by using a group of specially designed coding waveforms. Possible approaches to design the coding waveforms for ONRS are introduced and some design results are presented.
Triple-negative breast cancers - a panoply of cancer types.

The biological complexity of triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) and the lack of highly recurrent targetable genetic alterations pose major challenges for the implementation of targeted therapies for this disease. A recent multiomic in silico study has identified genetic drivers of five different TNBC molecular subtypes, providing new opportunities for precision medicine approaches.
Exosomal biomarkers in oral diseases

Exosomes have emerged as novel nanovesicles that facilitate intracellular communication. The molecular content of exosomes is specific to their cell type of origin and reflective of the cells physiological status. Combined with their stability and accessibility in a variety of biofluids, exosomes may be used as biomarkers in a variety of diseases. Recent evidence suggests that exosomes have immunomodulatory functions that play a role in the severity and development of autoimmune disorders and cancers. This article focuses on the biomarker and therapeutic potential of exosomes for oral manifestation of autoimmune diseases and head and neck cancers.
Identifying aerosolized cyanobacteria in the human respiratory tract: A proposed mechanism for cyanotoxin-associated diseases.

Abstract Cyanobacteria produce harmful toxins that have been associated with several acute conditions and chronic human diseases, like gastroenteritis, non-alcoholic liver disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Aerosol from waterbodies appears to be a likely mechanism for exposure. We conducted a study of human biospecimens focused on the cyanobacterial aerosilization process by evaluating the extent to which cyanobacteria can invade the human respiratory tract. Our study suggests that humans routinely inhale aerosolized cyanobacteria, which can be harbored in the nostrils and the lungs. Using PCR, cyanobacteria were found at high frequencies in the upper respiratory tract (92.20%) and central airway (79.31%) of our study subjects. Nasal swabs were not predictive of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) when detecting inhaled cyanobacteria. Interestingly, we found no evidence that time of year was a significant factor for cyanobacteria positivity (BAL cytology p = 1.0 and PCR p = 1.0); (nasal swab cytology p = 0.051 and PCR p = 0.65). Additionally, we found that proximity to a waterbody was not a significant factor for cyanobacteria positivity in BAL and nasal swabs collected during cyanobacteria bloom season [May–October] (p = 0.46 and p = 0.38). These data suggest that cyanobacteria exposure may be a prevalent and chronic phenomenon not necessarily restricted to waterbodies alone. Sources of indoor exposure warrant future investigation. Given the widespread prevalence of cyanobacterial exposure in the airway, investigation of the aerosol spread of cyanotoxins, more specifically, is warranted. Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that aerosol is a significant route for cyanobacteria exposure, and thus a likely route of transmission for cyanotoxin-associated human diseases.
P330 Diagnostic yield of lower gastro-intestinal endoscopy in tunisian children

Introduction Lower gastrointestinal endoscopy (LGIE) in children has diagnostic and therapeutic value. Pediatric LGIE is increasingly being used, but few studies have recently evaluated the diagnostic yield in children. This study aimed to investigate the indications and the diagnostic yield of diagnostic colonoscopy among Tunisian children. Methods A retrospective study of children who underwent LGIE from January 2010 to December 2017, in a referral tertiary pediatric endoscopy center in Tunis was performed. Data on age, gender, indications, colonoscopic features and final diagnoses were collected and analyzed. The diagnostic yield of LGIE was defined as the percentage of patients in which the procedure showed endoscopic lesions. Results Two hundred and ten children with 107 colonoscopies and 103 sigmoidoscopies were enrolled. The rate of successful ileocecal approach was 9%. The diagnostic yield of colonoscopy was 83/210 (39%). The most common indication was lower gastrointestinal bleeding (LGIB) 120/210 (57.1%), followed by endoscopy performed for a diagnosis of suspected inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) 61/210 (29%). Out of the children who underwent colonoscopy, 39/210 (18.6%) were confirmed to have polyps, 20/210 (9.5%) to have IBD, 10/210 (4.7%) to have intestinal lymphoid nodular hyperplasia and 12/210 (5.7%) to have no specific colitis and two cases of colic tumors. The diagnostic yields of colonoscopy according to the major indications were 41.7% in LGIB and 45.9% in suspected IBD. There were no major procedure-related complications. LGIE contributed to the final diagnosis of gastrointestinal disorder in 102/210 (48.6%) by showing histological findings in favor of the diagnosis in biopsies or negative signs allowing to eliminate the diagnosis or by revealing abnormalities in proctologic examination. Conclusion Rates of endoscopic and histological abnormalities from LGIE vary based on age and indication for endoscopy. The diagnostic yield of LGIE was moderate (39%). However, LGIE contributed to diagnosis and management of patients in about half of the cases (48.6%). Negative findings from LGIE can contribute in a positive way to the diagnosis and management of children with gastrointestinal symptoms. A study must be conducted to identify factors associated with diagnostic yield of LGIE in children.
Hollowed out Heartland, USA: How capital sacrificed communities and paved the way for authoritarian populism

Abstract Communities prosper when they are able to appropriate the wealth they produce and their institutions make peoples’ lives meaningful. They wither when the institutions that permit this weaken or vanish. Sacrifice zones — abandoned, economically shattered places, with growing social and health problems — are spreading in historically white rural areas and small towns across the United States. Rural decline, rooted in economic restructuring and financialization, causes severe stress, exacerbates racial resentment, and creates a breeding ground for regressive authoritarian politics. A multidimensional approach must analytically connect long-term and recent trends affecting economy and livelihoods, institutions, health, and community life. The “racial resentment” and “economic distress” explanations for authoritarian populism are inextricably connected. Since the 1980s, and in intensified form after the 2008 financial crisis, capital has systematically undermined the institutions — mutually-owned banks, credit unions, mom-and-pop businesses, family farms — that fostered reinvestment of locally-produced wealth, especially but not only in rural areas. While many Trump voters were affluent suburbanites, another important sector of supporters consists of downwardly mobile inhabitants of zones where financialization and austerity destroyed the institutions that earlier allowed people to appropriate the wealth that they produced and where the social safety net, always fragile, is increasingly in tatters. The United States now has a poor and near-poor majority. Scholars and the media have underestimated the human toll of this crisis and the interconnectedness of the multiple processes of social decomposition affecting rural zones.
The State of Bee Monitoring in the United States: A Call to Refocus Away From Bowl Traps and Towards More Effective Methods

Effective monitoring is necessary to provide robust detection of bee declines. In the United States and worldwide, bowl traps have been increasingly used to monitor native bees and purportedly detect declines. However, bowl traps have a suite of flaws that make them poorly equipped to monitor bees. We outline the drawbacks of bowl traps, as well as other passive sampling methods. We emphasize that current methods do not monitor changes in bee abundance. We then propose future approaches to improve bee monitoring efforts, which include improving our understanding of the efficacy and drawbacks of current methods, novel molecular methods, nest censusing, mark-recapture, sampling of focal plant taxa, and detection of range contractions. Overall, we hope to highlight deficiencies of the current state of bee monitoring, with an aim to stimulate research into the efficacy of existing methods and promote novel methods that provide meaningful data that can detect declines without squandering limited resources.
Separate Effect of Perioperative Recombinant Human Factor VIIa Administration and Packed Red Blood Cell Transfusions on Midterm Survival in Lung Transplantation Recipients.

Abstract Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between blood product transfusion, with or without recombinant human activated factor VIIa, and survival after lung transplantation. Design Retrospective analysis of a single center with follow-up out to 6 years post-transplantation. Setting Single-center academic lung transplantation program. Participants The study comprised 265 adult patients who underwent single or bilateral sequential lung transplantation from March 2011 to June 2017. Interventions Overall survival using Kaplan-Meier curves was compared among the following 3 cohorts: those not transfused with blood products, those transfused with blood products, and those given blood products and recombinant human activated factor VIIa. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs), confidence intervals (CIs), and p values. Measurements and Main Results Seventy-eight patients received no packed red blood cell transfusions, 149 received packed red blood cell transfusions, and 38 received both packed red blood cell transfusions and recombinant human activated factor VII. Packed red blood cell transfusion was associated with an increased risk of mortality that did not reach statistical significance (HR 2.168, CI 0.978-4.805; p = 0.057). Additional packed red blood cells beyond 15 U were associated with worsened survival (HR 1.363, CI 1.137-1.633; p = 0.001), but recombinant human activated factor VIIa did not increase the risk of mortality. Conclusion Blood product transfusion during and after lung transplantation is associated with decreased survival, especially with large-volume transfusions. Survival is not worse with recombinant human activated factor VIIa administration, but additional studies are needed to determine whether recombinant human activated factor VIIa administration reduces the need for blood product transfusions.
Peripheral cytokines are not influenced by the type of surgical approach for non-small cell lung cancer by four weeks postoperatively.

Abstract Objectives The influence of surgical approach on systemic inflammatory response and the subsequent oncologic impact for non-small cell lung cancer is debated. We aimed to measure the effects of thoracic surgical approach on peripheral cytokine milieu over time. Methods Patients undergoing primary lung resection without neoadjuvant therapy (2016–2018) were evaluated. A panel of 43 cytokines, angiogenic factors, and inflammatory molecules (CAFs) were evaluated in peripheral blood preoperatively, at 24 -hs and 4-weeks postoperatively. Differences between CAFs in patients undergoing thoracotomy versus video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) at all timepoints were assessed using Student’s t-test. Results 76 patients with available peripheral CAF panels met inclusion criteria. Thoracotomy was performed in 53 (70 %) patients while VATS was undertaken in 23 (30 %). Upon examination of known inflammatory CAFs, including IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IFN-γ, and soluble (s) CD27, no differences were detected at 24 h or 4 weeks postoperatively between surgical groups. Examination of trends over time did not demonstrate any temporal derangements for these CAFs, with return to baseline levels by 4 weeks postoperatively for both groups. Evaluation of soluble (s) checkpoint molecules, including sPD-1, sPD-L1, sTIM-3, and sCTLA-4, did not reveal any differences in the immediate postoperative or long-term recovery period. Conclusions Peripheral immune profiles following pulmonary resection do not appear to differ between VATS and thoracotomy postoperatively. CAF fluctuations are transient and recover rapidly. These results, at the peripheral cytokine level, suggest that the surgical approach for lung cancer is unlikely to alter the effectiveness of novel immune-modulating systemic therapies, although more studies are needed to validate these findings.
On teaching biopolicy and values in selected reproductive technologies: abortion, in vitro fertilization, and surrogate motherhood.

This article is divided into three parts: “Faculty Preparation: Immersion in the Literature,” “Conceptualizing and Organizing the Course,” and “Course Design.” The first part is addressed particularly to readers without access to a computer search of the literature. It suggests resource materials for each of the technologies. It also speaks to the meanings of and approaches which may be used to study biopolitics. Biopolicy is the approach used in the course. The second part addresses the problem of finding a unifying concept which would bring cohesion to the multiple and diverse materials and issues. It also includes the statement of purpose and course objectives. It is here that the development of identifying and demonstrating the nexus between the reproductive technologies and public policy begins. It also discusses methodologies used in the course. The third part lists the activities that served as a guide in designing the course and cites remaining caveats in course development. The paper concludes with statements about required reading materials, review materials, audio-visual aids, and a broad outline of the course.
The Historical and Current Status of IFRS Adoption Around the World

This is an earlier draft of the article titled "The Historical and Current Status of Global IFRS Adoption: Obstacles and Opportunities for Researchers" forthcoming in The International Journal of Accounting (2022). Dataset available at: https://about.illinoisstate.edu/mktrimb/song-trimble-2020-dataset/ Using a cross-reference of sources from the IASB, World Bank and Big 4, this paper documents the historical and current IFRS adoption status of over 200 countries around the world. Following the call of Zeff (2017), this paper aims to provide a clear identification of IFRS adoption dates and types for future IFRS studies as well as provide areas of interest for future researchers. This working paper was included as part of Madeline Trimble's dissertation "The Status and Reporting Effects of IFRS Adoption Across the Globe" at the University of Mannheim in Mannheim, Germany.
Corporate Law: Publicly Traded Corporations

Abstract The article focuses on the importance of the corporate business form and publicly traded corporations where shares of stock representing its ownership interests can be traded in stock markets. Corporate law primarily deals with protection of shareholders and the need for those who manage the corporation to be able to do so. The share ownership of publicly traded corporations in the United States and in other countries may be widely dispersed without any controlling group of shareholders or concentrated with control groups and the public shareholders in the minority. Each ownership structure had advantages and disadvantages, and there are different explanations of why these differing ownership structures developed around the world. In order to protect shareholders, different approaches have been suggested. In addition, there are differing views on the extent to which corporate law should also protect stakeholders other than shareholders.
Reports from the 2020 Virtual Federal Depository Library Conference October 20–23, 2020

Each October, the multiday FDL fall conference brings together the national Depository Library Council (DLC), federal agency representatives, librarians working with selective, regional, and digita...
Fear Avoidance Predicts Persistent Pain in Young Adults With Low Back Pain: A Prospective Study

Objectives To (1) quantify relationships between low back pain (LBP) symptoms, physical activity, and psychosocial characteristics in young adults and (2) identify subclasses of young adults with d...
Concurrent Error Detection in Embedded Digital Control of Nonlinear Autonomous Systems Using Adaptive State Space Checks

The advent of pervasive autonomous systems such as self-driving cars and drones has raised questions about their safety and trustworthiness. This is particularly relevant in the event of on-board subsystem errors or failures. In this research, we show how encoded Extended Kalman Filter can be used to detect anomalous behaviors of critical components of nonlinear autonomous systems: sensors, actuators, state estimation algorithms and control software. As opposed to prior work that is limited to linear systems or requires the use of cumbersome machine learned checks with fixed detection thresholds, the proposed approach necessitates the use of time-varying checks with dynamically adaptive thresholds. The method is lightweight in comparison to existing methods (does not rely on machine learning paradigms) and achieves high coverage as well as low detection latency of errors. A quadcopter and an automotive steer-by-wire system are used as test vehicles for the research and simulation and hardware results indicate the overhead, coverage and error detection latency benefits of the proposed approach.
A Longitudinal Evaluation of Speech Rate in Primary Progressive Apraxia of Speech.

Purpose Individuals with primary progressive apraxia of speech (PPAOS) have apraxia of speech (AOS) in which disruptions in articulation or prosody predominate the speech pattern, referred to, resp...
Association of Health Status and Nicotine Consumption with SARS-CoV-2 positivity rates

Much of what is known about COVID-19 risk factors comes from patients with serious symptoms who test positive. While risk factors for hospitalization or death include chronic conditions and smoking; less is known about how health status or nicotine consumption is associated with risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection among individuals who do not present clinically. Two community-based population samples (including individuals randomly and nonrandomly selected for statewide testing, n = 8214) underwent SARS-CoV-2 testing in nonclinical settings. Each participant was tested for current (viral PCR) and past (antibody) infection in either April or June of 2020. Before testing, participants provided demographic information and self-reported health status and nicotine and tobacco behaviors (smoking, chewing, vaping/e-cigarettes). Using descriptive statistics and a bivariate logistic regression model, we examined the association between health status and use of tobacco or nicotine with SARS-CoV-2 positivity on either PCR or antibody tests. Compared to people with self-identified “excellent” or very good health status, those reporting “good” or “fair” health status had a higher risk of past or current infections. Positive smoking status was inversely associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Chewing tobacco was associated with infection and the use of vaping/e-cigarettes was not associated with infection. In a statewide, community-based population drawn for SARS-CoV-2 testing, we find that overall health status was associated with infection rates. Unlike in studies of COVID-19 patients, smoking status was inversely associated with SARS-CoV-2 positivity. More research is needed to further understand the nature of this relationship.
The Epigenetics of Age-Related Cancers

Individuals of all ages can be detrimentally affected by cancer, albeit the disease is more prevalent in aging individuals. Epigenetic modulation is essential for normal development and becomes altered in cancer and aging. The most well-studied epigenetic elements include DNA methylation, histone modifications, miRNAs, and the binding of co-regulatory proteins such as Polycomb group and Trithorax proteins. Each of these “contributors” to the epigenetic landscape is subjected to aberrant events that are associated with aging and with cancer. We discuss the types of epigenetic modifications that are associated with cancers that affect the young and those that affect adults. It is known that erroneous DNA damage repair, inflammation, and proinflammatory signaling occur frequently in the elderly and that these processes can also result in aberrant epigenetic modifications. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is one type of cancer that spans the entire lifetime from birth to the aged and demonstrates a number of age-related differences in clinical behavior. Therefore, ALL provides an excellent model to begin to decipher age-related epigenetic impacts on the disease. Finally, mechanistic scenarios are given which may explain the relationship between aging and the development of cancer, and future directions which will augment the elucidation of the complex relationship between cancer and aging are discussed.
Chapter 19 Changes in peripheral and central axonal projections of sensory fibers following muscle nerve transection

Publisher Summary Experiments on regenerating muscle nerves have revealed that both muscle spindles and Golgi tendon organs can be reinnervated, although the former in greater proportion. The chapter discusses whether fibers that reinnervate these receptors after peripheral nerve transection are ones that previously innervated such receptors or whether reinnervation is random. The central projections of these fibers have been used to identify them as group Ia fibers, normally innervating muscle spindles, or group Ib fibers, normally innervating Golgi tendon organs. The central projections of these fibers can be distinguished quite accurately by recording in the homonymous motoneuron pool with an extracellular microelectrode. The stimulation of single group Ia fibers reliably evokes an electric field potential consisting of either or both a brief triphasic spike signalling the arrival of the afferent impulse, followed by a negative potential mirroring the intracellularly recorded synaptic potential that reflects the synaptic event. The stimulation of group Ib fibers reliably causes no potentials recorded by the same electrode. These differences were anticipated from a long history of studies on the physiology and anatomy of groups Ia and Ib fibers, but were established in a group of nine normal animals using techniques identical to those used in the experimental preparations.
Transient Stability Augmentation of PV/DFIG/SG-Based Hybrid Power System by Nonlinear Control-Based Variable Resistive FCL

This paper proposes three nonlinear controllers such as fuzzy logic controller (FLC), static nonlinear controller (SNC), and adaptive-network-based fuzzy inference system (ANFIS)-based variable resistive-type fault current limiter (VR-FCL) to augment the transient stability of a large-scale hybrid power system consisting of a doubly fed induction generator (DFIG)-based wind farm, a photovoltaic (PV) plant, and a synchronous generator (SG). Appropriate resistance generation of the VR-FCL during a grid fault to provide better transient stability is the main contribution of the work. The effectiveness of the proposed control methods in improving the transient stability of the hybrid power network is verified by applying both balanced and unbalanced faults in one of the double circuit transmission lines connected to the system. Simulation results show that the proposed FLC-, SNC-, or ANFIS-based VR-FCL are effective in improving the transient stability of the studied hybrid system. Moreover, all the proposed methods exhibit almost similar performance. Therefore, any of the methods can be chosen for the transient stability enhancement of the hybrid power system.
Sodium Tails of Comets: Na/O and Na/Si Abundances in Interplanetary Dust Particles

The average measured Na/O=2.7×10−2 (atomic ratio) in chondritic interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) is an order of magnitude higher than the cosmic abundance, and Na/Si=0.11 is about twice the cosmic value. These ratios are similar to those measured in the mixed and silicate dust particles ejected from the nucleus of comet Halley. The observations indicate that dust in a comet nucleus is the main repository of sodium and that cometary ices are mostly Na free. The measured Na/O value in Hale-Bopp's sodium tail is much less than 0.1 times the cosmic abundance, which is lower than the sodium abundance measured in cluster IDPs collected in the Earth's lower stratosphere.
Using stable isotopes to test for trophic niche partitioning: a case study with stream salamanders and fish

SUMMARY 1. Stream salamanders and fish often co-occur even though fish prey on and outcompete salamanders. However, the mechanisms that allow palatable salamanders to coexist with fish are unknown. 2. We tested mechanisms in the field that promote coexistence between Idaho giant salamanders (Dicamptodon aterrimus) and stream salmonid fishes in headwater streams. Previous research in this system indicated that salamander dispersal did not promote coexistence with fish. We tested the hypothesis that D. aterrimus shift their diet when they occur with fish, facilitating coexistence through local niche partitioning. 3. We used nitrogen and carbon stable isotopes to describe the trophic niche of D. aterrimus and fish in three co-occurring populations of salamanders and fish and three populations of salamanders without fish. We used two approaches to quantify trophic niche partitioning with stable isotopes: 95% kernel density estimators and isotopic mixing models. 4. We found that salamanders and fish were generalists that consumed aquatic invertebrates primarily, but both species were also cannibalistic and predatory on one another. We also found no support for trophic niche partitioning as a coexistence mechanism because there were no differences in the trophic niche metrics among salamander populations with and without fish. 5. Although we did not identify mechanisms that facilitate salamander and fish coexistence, our empirical data and use of novel approaches to describe the trophic niche did yield important insights on the role of predator–prey interactions and cannibalism as alternative coexistence mechanisms. In addition, we found that 95% kernel estimators are a simple and robust method to describe population-level measure of trophic structure.
Developmental studies of the dipteran salivary gland: I. The effects of actinomycin D on larval development, enzyme activity, and chromosomal differentiation in Chironomus thummi☆

Abstract The effect of actinomycin D on Chironomus thummi was studied for its action on survival and metamorphosis of larvae, the puffing activity of salivary gland chromosomes, and the activity of salivary gland enzymes. Control prepupae developed rapidly into pupae and adults. Introduction of 1–10 μg actinomycin per milliliter into the medium was lethal to prepupae in 1–3 days, depending upon the concentration added and the age of the animals. More than 50% of the prepupae treated with 0.01–0.1 μg/ml survived, but did not develop further. Some prepupae exposed to these lower concentrations did proceed to pupate, but were killed during or shortly after pupation. These results indicate that DNA-primed RNA synthesis is required for pupation: partial inhibition of RNA synthesis allows some development which, however, is incomplete and usually ends in death. The Balbiani rings, puffs, and the nucleolus of the chromosomes are known to be major regions of RNA synthesis. The specific pattern of puffs in the salivary gland is probably related to the secretory function of the gland. Actinomycin caused a characteristic degree and rate of regression of puffing of the nucleolus and the Balbiani ring at region c within 24 hours; the ring at region b appeared to be unaffected. Trehalase and hyaluronidase are two major components discovered in the salivary gland secretion. Activity of these two enzymes, as well as salivary gland malate dehydrogenase, is significantly depressed by exposure of larvae to actinomycin. These results suggest that many of the chromosomal puffs in Chironomus thummi larvae reflect DNA-primed RNA synthesis, inhibitable by actinomycin D. Since survival of earlier larval stages is unaffected at several concentrations of actinomycin for periods of up to 5 days, it appears that the metabolic activities necessary for survival can continue for relatively long periods under conditions which limit RNA synthesis. In contrast, the continued secretion of specific macromolecules by the salivary gland requires continued and unimpaired DNA-primed RNA synthesis, as does morphogenesis and development in general. In addition to requiring maximal production of RNA, processes of development may also require de novo synthesis of different species of DNA-dependent RNA. These experiments support the idea that one regulating mechanism of development may be a sequence of gene activations and inactivations.
The Sense of Relationship in Women Who Have Encountered Abuse

BACKGROUND. This study was built on previous work (Farrell, 1992) that explored the sense of healing in women who encountered abuse. Relationship, one of the main themes of the study, was defined as the integration of all aspects of the self and a sense of connectedness between self and others. A sense of relationship was a central aspect in the healing of women who participated in the study. The relational model used as part of the conceptual framework for the study describes bow a woman's sense of self develops because of the relationships that occur within her life.OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the study was to explore the sense of relationship in women who encountered abuse.STUDY DESIGN: A phenomenologic approach was used. This method involves description, reduction, essences, and intentionality. Seventeen women who responded to notices in local newspapers agreed to complete the study. The data collection methods used in the study included in-depth interviewsfield notes, and demographic data sheets.RESUL...