cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multipolar electrocoagulation versus injection therapy in the treatment of bleeding peptic ulcers. A prospective, randomized trial

This study prospectively compares multipolar electrocoagulation and injection therapy in high-risk patients with bleeding ulcers. Patients were considered for entry if they had a bloody nasogastric aspirate, melena, or hematochezia and unstable vital signs, transfusion of greater than or equal to 2 U of blood in 12 hours, or a decrease in hematocrit of greater than or equal to 6% in 12 hours. Sixty patients with endoscopic evidence of an ulcer with active bleeding (n = 26) or a nonbleeding visible vessel (n = 34) were randomly assigned to receive multipolar electrocoagulation or injection with absolute ethanol. Hemostasis was achieved in 14 of 14 actively bleeding patients with multipolar electrocoagulation vs. 10 of 12 (83%) treated with injection. No significant differences were observed between electrocoagulation and injection therapy in any parameter assessed during the hospitalization: incidence of further bleeding (6% vs. 10%), units of blood transfused after treatment (1.8 +/- 0.6 vs. 1.3 +/- 0.4), incidence of surgery for bleeding (6% vs. 7%), length of hospital stay in days (5.8 +/- 0.9 vs. 7.2 +/- 2.5), cost of hospitalization (+7160 +/- +1630 vs. +8520 +/- +2960), or mortality rate (3% vs. 3%). Treatment induced bleeding in nonbleeding visible vessels in 35% of subjects in each group, but this was controlled with continued treatment in all patients. One delayed perforation occurred 9 days after multipolar electrocoagulation. Multipolar electrocoagulation and injection therapy are of comparable efficacy in the treatment of patients with clinical evidence of a major upper gastrointestinal bleed and endoscopic evidence of an ulcer with active bleeding or a nonbleeding visible vessel.
Friendship and Depression Among Couples in Later Life: The Moderating Effects of Marital Quality.

Objectives The aims of the study were to examine within-person associations between social interactions with friends (one's own and partner's) and depressive symptoms over time among couples in later life and to investigate whether marital quality moderated the associations. Methods We used longitudinal data from the Health and Retirement Study (2004-2012) to examine a sample of coupled individuals (dyad N = 6,833). Dyadic growth curve models were employed to test the study hypotheses. Results Results indicated that more frequent social interactions with friends were associated with fewer depressive symptoms of individuals and there were cross-spousal effects for this association. Further, marital quality moderated the within-person association between social interaction with friends and depressive symptoms such that the association was stronger for individuals experiencing poor marital quality compared to those with better marital quality. Discussion Friendship is an important contributor to individuals' mental health in later life, with its benefits having far-reaching consequences for one's significant other. The implications of friendship interactions for other health domains also require investigation within the marital context.
Process and Reactor Level Simulations of Coal-Direct Chemical-looping Combustion

Reducing carbon emissions from fossil-fueled power plants has been an active area of research in recent years. One technology that appears to be very promising for high-efficiency low-cost carbon capture is chemical-looping combustion (CLC) (Leion et al. 2009a). CLC involves combustion of fuels (either gas or solid) by heterogeneous chemical reactions with an oxygen carrier, usually a particulate metal oxide. Because of the absence of air in the fuel reactor, the combustion products are not diluted by other gases (e.g., N2), resulting in high purity of CO2 available at the fuel reactor outlet. Also, the net energy release from a CLC process is theoretically identical to that from conventional combustion of the fuel (Abad et al. 2012; Linderholm et al. 2013; Mattisson et al. 2009a). Research by Lyngfelt et al. (2001) has shown that the energy cost of solid circulation, which is the only energy cost of separation, is a very small percentage (approximately 0.3 %) of the total energy released by the combustion process compared to other pre-combustion technologies such as the oxy-fuel combustion in which the oxygen separation process consumes nearly 15 % of the electricity generation (Hong et al. 2009a, b). Therefore, CLC holds significant promise as a next-generation combustion technology due to its potential to allow zero CO2 emission with little effect on the efficiency of the power plant.
A Prospective Study Comparing Distance-based vs. Time-based Exercise Prescriptions of Walking and Running in Previously Sedentary Overweight Adults

Prior work has reported that the declines observed in body mass index (BMI) and circumference measurements in their cross-sectional data were twice as large when calculated from distance energy expenditure estimations compared to energy expenditure estimations based on time and intensity. The primary purpose of this study was to compare walking/running for distance to walking/running for time as part of an exercise intervention. This study followed a between-subjects, repeated measures design. Fifteen overweight, but otherwise healthy participants completed the study. The time-based group walked/ran for self-reported time while the distance-based group walked/ran for self-reported distance. A mixed-factor repeated-measures ANOVA was used to compare all dependent variables both within-subjects and between-subjects. Weekly adherence rates to the exercise program did not exhibit a significant difference (p > 0.05). Significant interactions were shown for mean body mass loss between groups as well as mean blood glucose level (p < 0.05). Distance-based group exhibited a decline in body mass and blood glucose while the time-based group exhibited an increase in both variables. To the best of the authors' knowledge, the present study is the first to directly compare a distance-based vs. a time-based exercise program for walking and running for improvement of risk factors of cardiovascular disease. The results of this study would suggest that a distance-based exercise prescription of walking or running should provide a clinician or researcher with a closer estimation of overall accumulated exercise and resultant weight loss.
Trafficking and Immigration Policy: Intersections, Inconsistencies, and Implications for Public Education:

A growing body of interdisciplinary research examines the dynamics of, policies concerning, and implications of large-scale contemporary displacement in the United States. Yet less of this research...
THE IMPACT OF LOAD BEARING CAPACITY OF AIRFIELD PAVEMENT STRUCTURES ON THE AIR TRAFFIC SAFETY

Airfield pavement is a marked and appropriately prepared surface of an airfield functional element that performs a definite function in aircraft operations. The structure of airfield pavement is most often composed of a set of layers whose task is to absorb and transfer loads coming from moving aircraft onto the ground in a way that ensures its definite durability. Structures of airfield pavements are designed for a definite exploitation period on the assumption of predicted volume and structure of the air traffic. Safety of air operations conducted by aircrafts on airfield pavements depends mainly on the state of bearing capacity of their construction. Due to the above, control tests of bearing capacity shall be periodically conducted, since information regarding the current state of an airfield pavement constitutes the basis for decisions concerning the types of aircrafts permitted to land and take off, traffic volume and dates of starting renovation or modernization works. In addition to loads generated by aircraft, on the condition of airfield pavement load bearing capacity is influenced by many external factors, including weather conditions. The ACN-PCN non-destructive method is currently used in the assessment of airfield bearing capacity, which has been introduced by ICAO. According to its assumptions, the airfield construction bearing capacity may be expressed in PCN or permissible number of air operations. The fundamental problem by measuring airfield pavements is to assume the correct computational model of a structure, which describes the way of cooperation and mechanical properties of individual layers. This paper contains the way of assessing and description of PCN as well as presentation of the possibility of expressing bearing capacity results by determination of permissible number of aircraft operations. There is also interrelation between PCN and the permissible number of aircraft operations presented in a graphic way. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3846/enviro.2017.124
Effectiveness of a Lytic Phage SRG1 against Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus faecalis in Compost and Soil.

Nosocomial infections caused by vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus have become a major problem. Bacteriophage therapy is proposed as a potential alternative therapy. Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria and are ubiquitous in nature. Lytic bacteriophage was isolated from sewage water that infects VREF, the causative agent of endocarditis, bacteraemia, and urinary tract infections (UTIs). The phage produced clear plaques with unique clear morphology and well-defined boundaries. TEM results of phage revealed it to be nm long and nm wide. The characterization of bacteriophage revealed that infection process of phage was calcium and magnesium dependent and phage titers were highest under optimum conditions for VREF, with an optimal temperature range of 37–50°C. The maximum growth was observed at 37°C, hence having 100% viability. The latent period for phage was small with a burst size of 512 viral particles per bacterial cell. The phage was tested against various clinical strains and results proved it to be host specific. It can be used as a potential therapeutic agent for VREF infections. The phage efficiently eradicated VREF inoculated in cattle compost, poultry compost, and a soil sample which makes it a potential agent for clearing compost and soil sample.
Abstract 5472: Expression Of TCTP Antisense In CD4+CD25High Regulatory T Cells Weakens The Cell Survival And Aggravates Vascular Inflammation

Suppression of atherosclerosis and adaptive immune responses by CD4+CD25 high regulatory T cells (Tregs) has been reported. However, the role of Tregs in suppressing adaptive immunity-independent acute vascular inflammation remains poorly defined. In addition, the question of whether signaling pathways in regulating Treg apoptosis can be modulated for regulation of inflammation is less well known. We examined our hypotheses that anti-apoptotic protein translationally controlled tumor protein (TCTP) expression in Tregs is critical for Treg survival and homeostasis, and that modulation of Treg apoptosis pathway affects development of vascular inflammation. We found that lower TCTP expression in Tregs than in CD4+CD25-T cells was associated with the higher susceptibility of Tregs to apoptosis induced by interleukin-2 (IL-2, a Treg survival cytokine) withdrawal. To determine whether the expression of TCTP in Tregs is critical for Treg generation and survival, we established a Tregs-specific TCTP antisense transgenic mouse model. Overexpression of TCTP antisense in Tregs in TCTP transgenic mice led to decreased positive selection of CD25 high thymic Tregs and reduced survival of peripheral Tregs. In addition, TCTP antisense transgene conferred higher susceptibility of Tregs to apoptosis induced by IL-2 withdrawal than wild-type Tregs, which was suppressed by exogenous supply of IL-2, suggesting that IL-2 promotes Treg survival at least partially due to promoting TCTP expression. Finally, decreased expression of TCTP in Tregs aggravated experimental vascular inflammation, presumably due to increased Treg apoptosis and failure of decreased Tregs in suppressing inflammatory cells and immune cells. The result is correlated to our previous reports that the overexpression of TCTP antisense cDNA knocks down the expression of anti-apoptotic TCTP protein and promotes T cell apoptosis, and that higher expression of pro-apoptotic protein Bax in Tregs increases vascular inflammation. These results suggest that Tregs suppress acute vascular inflammation, and that the modulation of Tregs apoptosis/survival may be used as a new therapeutic approach for treating inflammatory cardiovascular diseases.
Robust wireless communication in adversarial settings

Robust wireless communication is critical to the functioning of military, civilian and commercial systems. In this thesis, we explore the security of existing wireless communication systems in the presence of adversaries who are trying to interfere with ongoing communication. By broadcasting RF signals over an open medium, wireless networks make themselves vulnerable to jamming attacks. Furthermore, the growing demand for ubiquitous wireless technology has led to increasingly complex medium–access and resource–sharing mechanisms. This creates security bottlenecks for the whole system since an adversary can now focus all of its jamming on these control mechanisms in-turn enabling smart energy-efficient Denial of Service (DoS) attacks. In our work, we show that, with the help of readily available, low-cost, fully configurable software-defined radio platform, an adversary can deploy highly efficient DoS attacks by targeting these bottlenecks. We investigate their impact and devise energy-and-computationally efficient, resiliency mechanisms. In the past, robust communication relied on the existence of pre-shared secret information used by legitimate clients to access the control information sent by the server on specific communication channels. Here, we consider a scenario where the adversary knows this information. Adversaries can be compromised users or “traitors” who are trying to deny the control channel communication. This leads to very efficient attacks, since jamming control channel communication results in the disruption of the longterm communication. In response, we first present several adversary-resilient control–information sharing mechanisms that allow users to receive medium–access information in the presence of adversaries, without requiring any hardware modifications. Then, we propose a method - based on Spread Spectrum (SS) - which, with hardware support, allows longterm communication without the need to pre-share secrets. This method significantly degrades the effects and efficiency of smart jamming attacks. We analyze the efficiency of proposed solutions and evaluate their resilience under various jamming regimes, using a USRP/GNURadio/GPU-aided network platform. Finally, we study the resilience of the longterm IEEE802.11 communication against jamming attacks. We specifically look at attacks that exploit the vulnerabilities within the IEEE802.11 MAC protocols and rate-adaptation algorithms, and devise jamming-resilient mechanisms to address the identified weaknesses. We evaluate these mechanisms using analysis, simulation, and where applicable, real-world experiments with carefully designed system prototypes.
A CMOS fuse for safe release of CMOS-MEMS devices

This paper reports a safe release mechanism for MEMS devices fabricated using plasma etching based dry processes. The proposed smart fuse is particularly designed for CMOS-MEMS devices where inherent CMOS thin films are used as structural materials. Properly designed polysilicon heater sandwiched between CMOS layers is the critical element of the fuse. Upon applying current through the heaters in ambient, the elevated temperature would melt the CMOS metal layer and create material defects in the oxide layer. The development of the defects lead to eventual breaking of the fuse and release of the MEMS structures in ambient, avoiding otherwise sudden release of MEMS in high-vacuum processing chamber where failures of the device may occur due to the low damping.
A First Course in Factor Analysis. By Andrew L. Comrey, Factor Analysis. By Richard L. Gorsuch, Modern Factor Analysis (Third Edition Revised). By Harry H. Harman

(1979). A First Course in Factor Analysis. By Andrew L. Comrey, Factor Analysis. By Richard L. Gorsuch, Modern Factor Analysis (Third Edition Revised). By Harry H. Harman. Journal of Leisure Research: Vol. 11, No. 2, pp. 156-159.
Effect of Monensin on Total Volatile Fatty Acid Production by Steers Fed a High Grain Diet

Four rumen-fistulated steers, averaging 315 kg during two experimental periods were used in a replicated 2 X 2 Latin square study designed to determine the effects of monensin supplementation on rumen volatile fatty acid (VFA) production, pH and liquid volume. A 72% steam-flaked, sorghum grain diet was fed twice daily at 0700 and 1700 h at 2.0% of live body weight. Production rates were determined at 11 times during a 24-h feeding cycle by short-term in vitro incubations of whole rumen contents. Monensin increased moles/100 mol (P less than .05) and production rate (mumoles X liter-1 X min-1; P greater than .01) of propionate and depressed moles/100 mol (P less than .01) and production rate (P less than .05) of butyrate. Moles of acetate/100 mol were not affected (P greater than .05) by monensin. Daily propionate production (moles) was increased (P less than .01) by 37% by monensin. Monensin increased total production of acetate (11%) and total VFA production (16%), both nonsignificantly. Both rumen pH and liquid volumes were increased nonsignificantly by monensin.
Less Cyber, More Café

Shared models access to information and communication technologies (ICTs), e.g. telecenters and cyber cafes, have been considered as one means to reduce the digital divide. Cyber cafes in particular have proliferated in some locales yet not in others with apparently similar characteristics. This paper questions the prevailing emphasis on the “cyber” characteristics of access, e.g. computing and interne access as is currently known, and attempts to refocus the conversation by considering computing and access in the context of the “cafe”, e.g. as public life in the sense of Habermas. This analysis is based on extant literature and direct ethnographic research in several public places in six countries. We offer design perspectives based on a reflection of “third places” as inspiration for appropriate innovation in the provision of computing and communications.
The Influence of Credit Ratings on Capital Structure

We find partial support for the Credit Rating-Capital Structure hypothesis: firms make a larger effort to avoid a potential credit rating downgrade; but not to achieve an upgrade. Credit ratings provide information to investors, and therefore changes in credit ratings affect markets. Financial markets punish firms which have a downgrade in credit ratings via covenant restrictions. Firms near a potential credit downgrade make larger capital structure changes in capital structure decisions. However, the extent of the effect of credit ratings to capital structure choice may vary across the types of companies. This article examines to what extent credit ratings affect the choice of capital structure in business segments. The paper identifies the magnitude of capital structure changes vary for financial firms and for utility companies, is greater for non-investment (i.e. speculative) grade firms due to a certification effect, and the magnitude varies over both time and across the credit spectrum, and is related to credit spreads.
Glucocorticoid-Induced Osteoporosis: Update on Management

Glucocorticoids (GCs) are potent anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressant drugs that are used to treat many inflammatory conditions across different fields of medicine. Glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP) is a significant comorbidity associated with long-term steroid use (> 3 months). The purpose of this review is to provide an update in the management of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis. New data for use of denosumab in GIOP includes a large clinical trial showing greater gains in bone density and no differences in adverse effects compared to risedronate. Another study suggests a reduction in hip fractures with alendronate. Meta-analyses and systematic reviews demonstrate an increase in bone mineral density as well as reduction in vertebral fractures with bisphosphonates in GIOP. Recent guidelines from the American college of Rheumatology provide concise suggestions for screening, prevention, and treatment of patients with GIOP. Adequate clinical fracture risk assessment should be obtained for each patient who is expected to receive glucocorticoids for long term. All patients should receive calcium, vitamin D supplementation, and lifestyle counselling. Pharmacologic treatment should be offered to patients who have a moderate to high risk of fractures. Oral followed by IV bisphosphonate remain the first line of treatment. The guidelines recommend other agents including teriparatide and denosumab to be considered as second- and third-line agents, respectively. Glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis caused by long-term steroid use is associated with significant comorbidity and is often under-treated by clinicians. New clinical trials, meta-analyses, and guidelines offer new strategies for assessment and management.
Manipulation of $$\hat l$$ Texture by Counterflow in Superfluid 3He A1

A rectangular resonator chamber is fitted with three pairs of second sound transducers for studying the spin-entropy wave propagation in3He A1. The anisotropy in the spin-entropy wave propagation velocity is unambiguously established by simultaneously measuring the modes propagating in both parallel and perpendicular directions to the applied magnetic field. The anisotropic \(\hat l\) texture within the cell is ”manipulated” by introducing oscillatory counterflows with one transducer. The manipulated texture is monitored by measuring the resonant mode with the pair of transducers which are orthogonal to the drive transducer. The manner of texture manipulation depends on both the amplitude and frequency of the drive. In some cases, the observed changes in texture are abrupt and hysteretic. The texture transitions may be of first order.
Targeting the TLK1/NEK1 DDR axis with Thioridazine suppresses outgrowth of androgen independent prostate tumors.

Standard therapy for advanced Prostate Cancer (PCa) consists of antiandrogens, which provide respite from disease progression, but ultimately fail resulting in the incurable phase of the disease: mCRPC. Targeting PCa cells before their progression to mCRPC would greatly improve the outcome. Combination therapy targeting the DNA Damage Response (DDR) has been limited by general toxicity, and a goal of clinical trials is how to target the DDR more specifically. We now show that androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) of LNCaP cells results in increased expression of TLK1B, a key kinase upstream of NEK1 and ATR and mediating the DDR that typically results in a temporary cell cycle arrest of androgen responsive PCa cells. Following DNA damage, addition of the TLK specific inhibitor, thioridazine (THD), impairs ATR and Chk1 activation, establishing the existence of a ADT > TLK1 > NEK1 > ATR > Chk1, DDR pathway, while its abrogation leads to apoptosis. Treatment with THD suppressed the outgrowth of androgen-independent (AI) colonies of LNCaP and TRAMP-C2 cells cultured with bicalutamide. Moreover, THD significantly inhibited the growth of several PCa cells in vitro (including AI lines). Administration of THD or bicalutamide was not effective at inhibiting long-term tumor growth of LNCaP xenografts. In contrast, combination therapy remarkably inhibited tumor growth via bypass of the DDR. Moreover, xenografts of LNCaP cells overexpressing a NEK1-T141A mutant were durably suppressed with bicalutamide. Collectively, these results suggest that targeting the TLK1/NEK1 axis might be a novel therapy for PCa in combination with standard of care (ADT).
Hydrogen Chemisorption Isotherms on Platinum Particles at Catalytic Temperatures: Langmuir and Two-Dimensional Gas Models Revisited

Density functional theory (DFT) and dihydrogen chemisorption uptakes at temperatures relevant to catalysis are used to determine and interpret adsorption enthalpies and entropies over a broad range...
Postlaryngectomy Respiratory System and Speech Breathing

This chapter discusses the disruption of the complex integration of the biological function of respiration with typical speech production following a total laryngectomy. Neural and structural changes in the upper airway, the likelihood of respiratory compromise, age-related changes, and predictable post-laryngectomy physiologic responses within the respiratory system all interact to influence rehabilitation in alaryngeal speakers. Each alaryngeal speech method differs in its reliance upon the respiratory system for speaking. The combined phonatory source changes and varying speech demands following a total laryngectomy result in necessary compensatory changes in speech breathing in alaryngeal speakers.
A new approach to estimate supersaturation fluctuations in stratocumulus cloud using ground-based remote-sensing measurements

Abstract. Supersaturation, crucial for cloud droplet activation and condensational growth, varies in clouds at different spatial and temporal scales. In-cloud supersaturation is poorly known and rarely measured directly. On the scale of a few tens of meters, supersaturation in clouds has been estimated from in situ measurements assuming quasi-steady-state supersaturation. Here, we provide a new method to estimate supersaturation using ground-based remote-sensing measurements, and results are compared with those estimated from aircraft in situ measurements in a marine stratocumulus cloud during the Aerosol and Cloud Experiment (ACE-ENA) field campaign. Our method agrees reasonably well with in situ estimations, and it has three advantages: (1) it does not rely on the quasi-steady-state assumption, which is questionable in clean or turbulent clouds, (2) it can provide a supersaturation profile, rather than just point values from in situ measurements, and (3) it enables building statistics of supersaturation in stratocumulus clouds for various meteorological conditions from multi-year ground-based measurements. The uncertainties, limitations, and possible applications of our method are discussed.
Stud designs and their correlated load paths

The majority of NFL injuries transpire to the foot and ankle region, accounting for 26% of all reported injuries (Wilson, Bonnie, & Alberto, 2013). A significant but unknown number are related to e...
Counterexample Guided Abstraction Refinement for Polyhedral Probabilistic Hybrid Systems

We consider the problem of safety analysis of probabilistic hybrid systems, which capture discrete, continuous and probabilistic behaviors. We present a novel counterexample guided abstraction refinement (CEGAR) algorithm for a subclass of probabilistic hybrid systems, called polyhedral probabilistic hybrid systems (PHS), where the continuous dynamics is specified using a polyhedral set within which the derivatives of the continuous executions lie. Developing a CEGAR algorithm for PHS is complex owing to the branching behavior due to the probabilistic transitions, and the infinite state space due to the real-valued variables. We present a practical algorithm by choosing a succinct representation for counterexamples, an efficient validation algorithm and a constructive method for refinement that ensures progress towards the elimination of a spurious abstract counterexample. The technical details for refinement are non-trivial since there are no clear disjoint sets for separation. We have implemented our algorithm in a Python toolbox called Procegar; our experimental analysis demonstrates the benefits of our method in terms of successful verification results, as well as bug finding.
Differential response to rituximab in anti-AChR and anti-MuSK positive myasthenia gravis patients: a single-center retrospective study.

Abstract Background B-cell targeted therapy with rituximab has shown durable response in treating refractory myasthenia gravis (MG). This study compares the response to rituximab between patients with acetylcholine receptor autoantibody positive (AChR+) and muscle-specific kinase autoantibody positive (MuSK+) MG. Methods This retrospective study included 33 patients with either AChR+ or MuSK+ MG who were treated with rituximab from 05/31/2003 to 05/31/2017. Pretreatment and post-treatment immunotherapy regimens, clinical symptoms, and examination findings were evaluated. Results Median MGFA Class of II at baseline improved to an asymptomatic median classification at 12-months and last follow-up (p-values Conclusion Rituximab treatment response is observed in both AChR+ and MuSK+ patients supporting the role of B cell depletion in the management of MG. While there was no significant difference between these groups in terms of clinical improvement, symptom-free state, and prednisone burden, MuSK+ MG patients may experience greater benefits, including earlier time to remission, fewer exacerbations and hospitalizations post-treatment.
CRT-600.21 Clinical Outcomes of Transcatheter Aortic-Valve Replacement Versus Surgical Aortic-Valve Replacement in Low- to Intermediate-Risk Patients With Severe Aortic Stenosis

Studies have shown similar outcomes of transcatheter aortic-valve replacement (TAVR) and surgical aortic-valve replacement (SAVR) in high-risk patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS). This meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) aims to compare outcomes in low- to intermediate-risk
Abnormal blood-brain barrier water exchange in chronic multiple sclerosis lesions: A preliminary study

Abstract Relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) is associated with persistent blood-brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction. The impact of this persistent dysfunction in both active and chronic MS lesions has yet to be investigated due to technological challenges associated with invasive assessment of BBB water transportation (e.g. 15O-PET). The purpose of this study was to test if persistent BBB dysfunction in RRMS manifests as lower BBB water exchange in chronic lesions using a recently developed noninvasive MRI paradigm. Patients with relapsing-remitting MS and healthy subjects were recruited for this prospective study. The novel Intrinsic Diffusivity Encoding of Arterial Labeled Spins (IDEALS) MRI method was used to map BBB water extraction fraction (Ew) and water permeability surface area product (PSw), as well as cerebral blood flow (CBF). Regional differences in BBB water exchange were evaluated between MS patients (normal appearing white matter [NAWM] and normal appearing gray matter [NAGM]) and healthy subjects (white matter [WM] and gray matter [GM]) and within MS subjects in non gadolinium-based contrast-agent (GBCA) enhancing chronic lesions, perilesional areas, and NAWM. Significantly lower PSw and Ew were observed in NAWM compared to WM (ΔPSw: −11.9 mL/100 g/min, p
Korean Reality Television-Travel Shows in Constructing Latin American Cultural Identities (2010–Present)

Latin America was, and still is, the most “Far West” (with a question mark in “West”) region for South Koreans. There have been no significant sociocultural exchanges/encounters between Latin America and South Korea that could evoke a “collective memory.” The wide void of knowledge about Latin America has been easily filled by the global cultural powerhouse that is U.S. media. In this context, the salience of Latin America(ns) in the Korean media productions since 2010 deserves more scholarly attention to examine the images and cultural identities of Latin America(ns). This article examines the two travel-entertainment shows that have most impacted on Koreans’ understanding of Latin America(ns): Youth Over Flowers (2014) filmed in Peru and Welcome, First Time in Korea? (2017) with Mexican travelers.
QRTest: Automatic Query Reformulation for Information Retrieval Based Regression Test Case Prioritization

The most effective regression testing algorithms have long running times and often require dynamic or static code analysis, making them unsuitable for the modern software development environment where the rate of software delivery could be less than a minute. More recently, some researchers have developed information retrieval-based (IR-based) techniques for prioritizing tests such that the higher similar tests to the code changes have a higher likelihood of finding bugs. A vast majority of these techniques are based on standard term similarity calculation, which can be imprecise. One reason for the low accuracy of these techniques is that the original query often is short, therefore, it does not return the relevant test cases. In such cases, the query needs reformulation. The current state of research lacks methods to increase the quality of the query in the regression testing domain. Our research aims at addressing this problem and we conjecture that enhancing the quality of the queries can improve the performance of IR-based regression test case prioritization (RTP). Our empirical evaluation with six open source programs shows that our approach improves the accuracy of IR-based RTP and increases regression fault detection rate, compared to the common prioritization techniques.
Cancer-Related Cognitive Impairment

Cancer-related cognitive impairment, or “chemobrain,” is reported by up to 75% of breast cancer patients during treatment with 35% of survivors experiencing lasting effects. Cognitive deficits can be observed in any of the eight cognitive domains, and imaging supports organic brain injury via several proposed mechanisms including inflammation, hormonal and cytokine alterations, and direct neural damage. Screening is best accomplished by referral for neuropsychological testing, though components can be used by the oncology care team. Referral to a cognitive or occupational therapist is recommended to identify and treat the cognitive deficits, and comorbid conditions such as pain, fatigue, and sleep disturbance should be addressed. Small trials of brief exposure to CNS stimulants or anti-dementia medications report minimal benefit.
The programming language concurrent Pascal

The paper describes a new programming language for structured programming of computer operating systems. It extends the sequential programming language Pascal with concurrent programming tools called processes and monitors. Part I explains these concepts informally by means of pictures illustrating a hierarchical design of a simple spooling system. Part II uses the same example to introduce the language notation. The main contribution of Concurrent Pascal is to extend the monitor concept with an explicit hierarchy of access rights to shared data structures that can be stated in the program text and checked by a compiler.
Fathers anonymous: beyond the best interests of the sperm donor.

Current AID practices are based primarily on consideration of protecting the interests of practitioners and donors rather than recipients and children. The most likely reason for this is found in exaggerated fears of legal pitfalls. It is suggested that policy in this area should be dictated by maximizing the best interests of the resulting children. The evidence from the Curie-Cohen survey is that current practices are dangerous to children and must be modified. Specifically, consideration should be given to the following: 1. Removing AID from the practice of medicine and placing it in the hands of genetic counselors or other nonmedical personnel (alternatively, a routine genetic consultation could be added for each couple who request AID); 2. Development of uniform standards for donor selection, including national screening criteria; 3. A requirement that practitioners of AID keep permanent records on all donors that they can match with recipients; I would prefer this to become common practice in the profession, but legislation requiring filing with a governmental agency may be necessary; 4. As a corollary, mixing of sperm would be an unacceptable practice; and the number of pregnancies per donor would be limited; 5. Establishment of national standards regarding AID by professional organizations with input from the public; 6. Research on the psychological development of children who have been conceived by AID and their families. Dr. S.J. Behrman concludes his editorial on the Curie-Cohen survey by questioning the "uneven and evasive" attitude of the law in regard to AID, and recommending immediate legislative action: The time has come--in fact, is long overdue--when legislatures must set standards for artificial insemination by donors, declare the legitimacy of the children, and protect the liability of all directly involved with this procedure. A better public policy on this question is clearly needed. I have suggested that agreement with the need for "a better public policy" is not synonymous with immediate legislation. The problem with AID is that there are many unresolved problems with AID, and few of them are legal. There is no social or professional agreement on indications, selection of donors, screening of donors, mixing of donor sperm, or keeping records on sperm donations. Where there is agreement, such as in requiring the signature of the donor's wife on a "consent" form, the reasons for such agreement are unclear. It is time to stop thinking about uniform legislation and start thinking about the development of professional standards. Obsessive concern with self-protection must give way to concern for the child.
Is Fiscal Stimulus a Good Idea

The results in this paper, using a structural multicountry macroeconometric model, suggest that there is at most a small gain from fiscal stimulus in the form of increased transfer payments or increased tax deductions if the increased debt generated must eventually be paid back. The gain in output and employment on the way up is roughly offset by the loss in output and employment on the way down as the debt from the initial stimulus is paid off. This conclusion is robust to different assumptions about monetary policy. To the extent that there is a gain, the longer one waits to begin paying the debt back the better. Possible caveats regarding the model used are that (1) monetary policy is not powerful enough to keep the economy at full employment, (2) potential output is taken to be exogenous, (3) possible permanent effects on asset prices and animal spirits from a stimulus are not taken into account, and (4) the model does not have the feature that in really bad times the economy might collapse without a stimulus.
Evaluating the Economic Potential and Feasibility of Producing Bioenergy from Underutilized Crops in Sri Lanka

Households living in peripheral villages of the natural forests are primarily dependent on agriculture and secondarily dependent on forest gatherings. High rates of forest dependency occur, in part, from the efforts of inefficient farmers securing subsistence. Due to excessive use, the productivity of the remaining forests is at a critical stage. Technical efficiency in agriculture in forest peripheries is one aspect in which agricultural capacity and rural incomes can be enhanced. The study's main objective was to assess the efficiency of farming in forest margins and to determine its effect on dependency on forest resources by rural households. The findings of the study showed that the mean technical efficiency in agricultural farming in forest peripheries ranges between 67 - 73 percent. Factors such as age, education, experience, extension, and the nutrition status of the household head are mainly responsible for determining the level of inefficiency. Further, study findings showed factors such as technical efficiency in agriculture, off-farm income, wealth and the diversification index had negative and significant effects on dependency of rural households on forest resource extraction. It is estimated that on average, an increase in mean technical efficiency in agriculture by 10 percent would increase agricultural revenue by 2,142 - 3,987 rupees/farm. Based on the threshold efficiency levels needed to arrest forest dependency, it is estimated that increasing agricultural income through increasing technical efficiency can be partly compensated for forest resource extraction. Compared to the measured efficiency levels, the efficiency gaps needs to be addressed by policy measures range from 2-14 percent for NTFP categories and 10-26 percent for the fuelwood category. Technical efficiency in agriculture can be minimized via policies to enhance farmer education, extension and nutrition status of households. Income diversification and off-farm employment, may be other viable options to minimize forest dependency. Based on the economic value of forest products extracted from each forest reserve, it is estimated that increasing technical efficiency in agriculture by 10 percent would reduce the opportunity cost of biodiversity conservation by 27, 46, 34 and 75 percents respectively in the forest under investigation. The study findings showed that intersectoral activities such as agriculture produce positive externalities in forest conservation. Additional revenue generated by improving technical efficiency of agriculture can be partly compensated for the income gained by extracting forest goods. Hence, improving technical efficiency in farming in forest peripheries should be an integral part of forest conservation policy in Sri Lanka.
The independent neighborhoods process

A triangle T(r) in an r-uniform hypergraph is a set of r+1 edges such that r of them share a common (r-1)-set of vertices and the last edge contains the remaining vertex from each of the first r edges. Our main result is that the random greedy triangle-free process on n points terminates in an r-uniform hypergraph with independence number O((n log n)1/r). As a consequence, using recent results on independent sets in hypergraphs, the Ramsey number r(T(r),Ks(r)) has order of magnitude sr/ log s. This answers questions posed in [4, 10] and generalizes the celebrated results of Ajtai–Komlos–Szemeredi [1] and Kim [9] to hypergraphs.
The Post-TSA Airport: A Constitution Free Zone?

The tension between national security and citizen privacy is clamant. Since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the federal government has been charged with fighting a “war on terror,” ensuring that a terrorist attack of that magnitude does not reoccur on U.S. soil. While the war on terror has taken many forms and is fought in a number of places, this article explores the war on terror’s most symbolic theatre, the American airport. Federally mandated airport security measures involving the use of standard metal detectors and x-ray baggage scanners have been in place since the 1970s. As soon as the measures were introduced, they were challenged as unconstitutional searches under the Fourth Amendment. Every federal court of appeals that reviewed the issue held that the airport security measures were justified by a pressing government interest, and therefore were constitutional. And as the Supreme Court never weighed in on the issue, these security measures became widely accepted and constitutional challenges dissipated. Following 9/11, the federal government took control over airport security. By creating the Transportation Security Administration, the government seized control of airport security, deploying federal agents at all American airports and ramping up airport security measures. These new security measures included the use of AIT scanning--a full-body scan, for targeted secondary screening. Then, in 2010, following the Christmas Day Underwear Bomber scare, the TSA took airport security up a notch, employing AIT scanning as the primary screening mechanism, and in so doing, subjecting every passenger wishing to travel by air in America to a virtual strip-search. This highly intrusive search mechanism has received little attention from the courts. Despite numerous challenges and widespread protest, only one federal appellate court has analyzed the constitutionality of this new screening regime. This article fills a void in legal discourse, examining the constitutionality of current TSA screening measures, including the use of AIT scanning and behavioral profiling. Furthermore, as people continue to protest against TSA screening practices, First Amendment rights are implicated, and therefore the article sets forth what passengers’ First Amendment rights look like in the airport.
Forward and backward in time dispersion of fluid and inertial particles in isotropic turbulence

In this paper, we investigate both theoretically and numerically the Forward-In-Time (FIT) and Backward-In-Time (BIT) dispersion of fluid and inertial particle-pairs in isotropic turbulence. Fluid particles are known to separate faster BIT than FIT in three-dimensional turbulence, and we find that inertial particles do the same. However, we find that the irreversibility in the inertial particle dispersion is in general much stronger than that for fluid particles. For example, the ratio of the BIT to FIT mean-square separation can be up to an order of magnitude larger for the inertial particles than for the fluid particles. We also find that for both the inertial and fluid particles, the irreversibility becomes stronger as the scale of their separation decreases. Regarding the physical mechanism for the irreversibility, we argue that whereas the irreversibility of fluid particle-pair dispersion can be understood in terms of a directional bias arising from the energy transfer process in turbulence, inertial...
Does Government Health Insurance Reduce Job Lock and Job Push

I study job lock and job push, the twin phenomena believed to be caused by employment-contingent health insurance (ECHI). Using variation in Medicaid eligibility among household members of male workers as a proxy for shifts in workers’ dependence on employment for health insurance, I estimate large job lock and job push effects. For married workers, Medicaid eligibility for one household member results in an increase in the likelihood of a voluntary job exit over a four-month period by approximately 34%. For job push, the transition rate into jobs with ECHI among all workers falls on average by 26%.
Cancer and Heredity

Excerpt There are two aspects of this work that I wish especially to stress at this time. First I wish to show with what complete accuracy problems in the relation of heredity to disease can be wor...
Spectral Radii of Large Non-Hermitian Random Matrices

By using the independence structure of points following a determinantal point process, we study the radii of the spherical ensemble, the truncation of the circular unitary ensemble and the product ensemble with parameters n and k. The limiting distributions of the three radii are obtained. They are not the Tracy–Widom distribution. In particular, for the product ensemble, we show that the limiting distribution has a transition phenomenon: When $$k/n\rightarrow 0$$ , $$k/n\rightarrow \alpha \in (0,\infty )$$ and $$k/n\rightarrow \infty $$ , the liming distribution is the Gumbel distribution, a new distribution $$\mu $$ and the logarithmic normal distribution, respectively. The cumulative distribution function (cdf) of $$\mu $$ is the infinite product of some normal distribution functions. Another new distribution $$\nu $$ is also obtained for the spherical ensemble such that the cdf of $$\nu $$ is the infinite product of the cdfs of some Poisson-distributed random variables.