cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Our circuits, ourselves: What the autism spectrum can tell us about the Research Domain Criteria Project (RDoC) and the neurogenetic transformation of diagnosis

The Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) project is an ambitious new initiative by the National Institute of Mental Health that aims to comprehensively redefine mental illnesses as problems of neurogenetic ‘circuitry’. This essay explores potential implications of this nascent approach. Drawing on data from two studies that examine the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, itself recently reconceptualized along lines similar to this new diagnostic paradigm, I argue that such ‘circuit disorders’ differ from their predecessors in two significant ways. First, while psychiatric disease entities under the previous paradigm were understood as fundamentally separable from the affected person, circuit disorders are bound up in intimate neuropsychological processes such as memory, perception and desire; they are thus often experienced as constitutive of identity by those living under their description. Second, rather than being limited to matters of ‘clinically significant impairment’, circuit disorders are multivalent, encompassing valued as well as devalued traits. Given that one major aim of the RDoC is to allow for pre-emptive biomedical intervention upon pre-symptomatic states, these emergent qualities of circuit disorders raise complex ethical concerns. I conclude by illustrating the way these concerns become obscured in the transition to an ostensibly value-neutral biophysiological paradigm.
A Note on Revenue Versus Profitability as Indicators of Motion Picture Performance

We examine systematic differences between motion picture performance results based on revenue and profitability, using a measure of ROI based on box office revenue relative to the combined production and advertising budget. Special attention is given to the endogeneity of revenue, budget, and the number of screens. In addition, the modeling approach explicitly addresses self-selection associated with sequel decisions. We show that the coefficients of the non-budget variables are the same for both revenue and profit when budget is one of the regressors, and produce only small differences in them when the budget variable is omitted. Substantively, we find major producers and distributors are associated with lower revenue and profits once budgets and screens are controlled. They tend to utilize higher budgets but do not produce more successful movies with them. Sequels are associated with advantages in terms of both ROI and revenue. Contrary to common speculation, they cost less to produce than similar original films. Relative to past research, we find that genres matter more and MPAA ratings matter less than previously suggested. We also highlight the high elasticity between movie buzz and profitability. Similar to previous studies, we find that budgets are positively related to revenue and negatively to profits, which indicates that studios generally overspend. However, we further show that while most films are unprofitable (even when rental sales are considered), ones that resonate with audiences can profitably utilize much larger budgets.
Postoperative Migration of an Edwards-SAPIEN XT Mitral Valve-in-Valve Treated With Direct Vision Implantation During Beating-Heart Bypass.

Transcatheter valve-in-valve mitral valve replacement provides treatment options to high-risk patients but is subject to its own complications. We present the migration of a transcatheter balloon-expandable Edwards-SAPIEN XT valve (Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, CA) within a previously implanted surgical Carpentier-Edwards valve (Edwards Lifesciences) and our novel approach to its treatment.
From Bailouts to Bogs -- Shaking the Takings Money Tree

Recently, shareholders of the insurance giant AIG, which received billions of dollars in bailout funds from the federal government at the height of the 2008 financial crisis, filed suit against the United States government for $40 billion. One might think that this claim would be absurd on its face. Commentators – legal and otherwise – appeared to have been caught off guard as to how this could be a plausible legal case. If the government simply offers you a deal, which you can take or leave, how can you sue – later – if you don’t like its terms? This might sound astounding, but it is not. To understand the theory of the AIG litigation, one must go to its deeper, festering root in American takings law. In a series of “exactions” cases, the United States Supreme Court has held that when government offers something (which it has no obligation to offer), in exchange for value of some sort, courts must ensure that this is “fair” – even though the offeree is under no obligation to take it. In short, we should not be surprised by AIG. It is simply Nollan/Dolan’s progeny.
Bayesian inference for Heston-STAR models

The Heston-STAR model is a new class of stochastic volatility models defined by generalizing the Heston model to allow the volatility of the volatility process as well as the correlation between asset log-returns and variance shocks to change across different regimes via smooth transition autoregressive (STAR) functions. The form of the STAR functions is very flexible, much more so than the functions introduced in Jones (J Econom 116:181---224, 2003), and provides the framework for a wide range of stochastic volatility models. A Bayesian inference approach using data augmentation techniques is used for the parameters of our model. We also explore goodness of fit of our Heston-STAR model. Our analysis of the S&P 500 and VIX index demonstrates that the Heston-STAR model is more capable of dealing with large market fluctuations (such as in 2008) compared to the standard Heston model.
Determination of apparent hippuric acid and free glycine in urine by microbiological assay.

SummaryApparent free glycine and apparent hippuric acid in urine have been determined by microbiological analysis after fractionating it by a 4-cell, 7-transfer countercurrent distribution between n-butanol and 5% hydrochloric acid. The effectiveness of this procedure was demonstrated by separating hippuric acid from free glycine in known mixtures and by recovering known amounts of these metabolites added to urine before subjecting it to the fractionation procedure. The apparent concentrations of free glycine and hippuric acid in normal pooled urine were 3.1 and 4.6 μ/ml, respectively.
Negative Results from Treating the American Cockroach, Periplaneta americana, with Carrageenin

Carrageenins are polysaccharides usually obtained by extraction from the marine alga Chrondrus crispus . Carrageenin from Chrondrus and related red seaweeds contains 2 distinct polysaccharide components, Kappa-carrageenin and Lambda-carrageenin. The Kappa fraction is composed of alternating sugar units of D-galactose and 3,6 anhydro-L-galactose. The D-galactose contains sulfate esters at the C4 position and in some cases the anhydro galactose has the D configuration. Lambda-carrageenin is a sulfated galactan; structural analysis has shown that most, if not all, of the linkages are 1–3 (Smith and O'Neill 1955).
Behavioral Research In Public Law

During the past half dozen years or so, beginning in the mid-1950's, a somewhat revolutionary change has been taking place in the research orientation of the political science profession toward what traditionally has been called the study of public law. Typical of the metamorphosis now in process are the recent publication of a volume of research studies in judicial behavior in a yearbook series dedicated to the analysis of political behavior from an interdisciplinary and cross-cultural point of view, and the contributions of several political scientists to a law journal which recently devoted an entire issue to a symposium on the prediction and measurement of judicial behavior. Although it would hardly be accurate to say that the new approach is characteristic of anything approaching a majority of the political scientists who are teachers of constitutional law, the judicial process, and allied subjects, it is certainly no exaggeration to state that the bulk of the research on these same subjects, published in political science journals during this period, has been produced by the behavioralists, as they tend to be called. The purpose of this paper is to summarize this recent research in judicial behavior.
ERRATUM: “SPIRALS, BRIDGES, AND TAILS: A GALAXY EVOLUTION EXPLORER UV ATLAS OF INTERACTING GALAXIES” (2010, AJ, 139, 1212)

Due to an error at the publisher, the name of the last author was accidentally omitted from the published article. The complete list of authors appears above. IOP Publishing sincerely regrets this error.
Threshold effects of habitat fragmentation on fish diversity at landscapes scales

Habitat fragmentation involves habitat loss concomitant with changes in spatial configuration, confounding mechanistic drivers of biodiversity change associated with habitat disturbance. Studies attempting to isolate the effects of altered habitat configuration on associated communities have reported variable results. This variability may be explained in part by the fragmentation threshold hypothesis, which predicts that the effects of habitat configuration may only manifest at low levels of remnant habitat area. To separate the effects of habitat area and configuration on biodiversity, we surveyed fish communities in seagrass landscapes spanning a range of total seagrass area (2-74% cover within 16 000-m2 landscapes) and spatial configurations (1-75 discrete patches). We also measured variation in fine-scale seagrass variables, which are known to affect faunal community composition and may covary with landscape-scale features. We found that species richness decreased and the community structure shifted with increasing patch number within the landscape, but only when seagrass area was low (<25% cover). This pattern was driven by an absence of epibenthic species in low-seagrass-area, highly patchy landscapes. Additional tests corroborated that low movement rates among patches may underlie loss of vulnerable taxa. Fine-scale seagrass biomass was generally unimportant in predicting fish community composition. As such, we present empirical support for the fragmentation threshold hypothesis and we suggest that poor matrix quality and low dispersal ability for sensitive taxa in our system may explain why our results support the hypothesis, while previous empirical work has largely failed to match predictions.
Idiopathic infantile arterial calcification. In utero diagnosis.

Presented here are two cases for which prenatal diagnosis was possible by ultrasound and confirmed by in utero computed chromatography (CT)
Multiplication of Salmonella enteritidis in egg yolks after inoculation outside, on, and inside vitelline membranes and storage at different temperatures.

Prompt refrigeration to restrict bacterial growth is important for reducing eggborne transmission of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis (SE). The nutrient-rich yolk interior is a relatively infrequent location for initial SE deposition in eggs, but migration across the vitelline membrane can result in rapid bacterial multiplication during storage at warm temperatures. The objective of the present study was to measure the multiplication of SE in yolks after introduction at three different locations and subsequent storage at a range of temperatures. Using an in vitro egg contamination model, approximately 100 CFU of SE was inoculated either inside yolks, onto the exterior surface of vitelline membranes, or into the adjacent albumen. After storage of samples from each inoculation group at 10, 15, 20, and 25°C for 24 h, SE was enumerated in yolks. For all three inoculation locations, the final SE levels in yolks increased significantly with increasing storage temperatures. At all storage temperatures, si...
Homunculi Are People Too! Lewis's Definition of Personhood Debugged

David Lewis (1976a: 22) defends the following "non-circular definition of personhood": "something is a continuant person if and only if it is a maximal R-interrelated aggregate of person-stages. That is: if and only if it is an aggregate of person-stages, each of which is R-related to all the rest (and to itself), and it is a proper part of no other such aggregate." I give a counterexample, involving a person who is a part of another, much larger person, with a separate mental life. I then offer an easy repair, which preserves the virtues of Lewis's definition without introducing any new vices.
3DFAR: A three-dimensional fabric for reliable multi-core processors

In the past decade, silicon technology trends into the nanometer regime have led to significantly higher transistor failure rates. Moreover, these trends are expected to exacerbate with future devices. To enhance reliability, several approaches leverage the inherent core-level and processor-level redundancy present in large chip multiprocessors. However, all of these methods incur high overheads, making them impractical. In this paper, we propose 3DFAR, a novel architecture leveraging 3-dimensional fabrics layouts to efficiently enhance reliability in the presence of faults. Our key idea is based on a finegrained reconfigurable pipeline for multicore processors, which minimizes routing delay among spare units of the same type by using physical layout locality and efficient interconnect switches, distributed over multiple vertical layers. Our evaluation shows that 3DFAR outperforms state-of-the-art reliable 2D solutions, at a minimal area cost of only 7% over an unprotected design.
Ability to Discriminate Between Sustainable and Unsustainable Heat Stress Exposures—Part 2Physiological Indicators

Objectives There are times when it is not practical to assess heat stress using environmental metrics and metabolic rate, and heat strain may provide an alternative approach. Heat strain indicators have been used for decades as tools for monitoring physiological responses to work in hot environments. Common indicators of heat strain are body core temperature (assessed here as rectal temperature Tre), heart rate (HR), and average skin temperature (Tsk). Data collected from progressive heat stress trials were used to (1) demonstrate if physiological heat strain indicators (PHSIs) at the upper limit of Sustainable heat stress were below generally accepted limits; (2) suggest values for PHSIs that demonstrate a Sustainable level of heat stress; (3) suggest alternative PHSIs; and (4) determine if metabolic rate was an effect modifier. Methods Two previous progressive heat stress studies included 176 trials with 352 pairs of Sustainable and Unsustainable exposures over a range of relative humidities and metabolic rates using 29 participants. To assess the discrimination ability of PHSIs, conditional logistic regression and stepwise logistic regression were used to find the best combinations of predictors of Unsustainable exposures. The accuracy of the models was assessed using receiver operating characteristic curves. Results Current recommendations for physiological heat strain limits were associated with probabilities of Unsustainable greater than 0.5. Screening limits for Sustainable heat stress were Tre of 37.5°C, HR of 105 bpm, and Tsk of 35.8°C. Tsk alone resulted in an area under the curve of 0.85 and the combination of Tsk and HR (area under the curve = 0.88) performed the best. The adjustment for metabolic rate was statistically significant for physiological strain index or ∆Tre-sk as main predictors, but its effect modification was negligible and could be ignored. Conclusions Based on the receiver operating characteristic curve, PHSIs (Tre, HR, and Tsk) can accurately predict Unsustainable heat stress exposures. Tsk alone or in combination with HR has a high sensitivity, and makes better discriminations than the other PHSIs under relatively constant exposure (metabolic rate and environment) for an hour or so. Screening limits with high sensitivity, however, have low thresholds that limit utility. To the extent that the observed strain is low, there is good evidence that the exposure is Sustainable.
Genetics of Methylotrophic Yeasts

Biochemical and physiological investigations of methylotrophic yeasts have produced a number of intriguing observations with regard to the ability of these yeasts to grow on methanol [1, 2]. At least two observations are of particular interest to geneticists and molecular biologists. The first is that many of the enzymes involved in methanol utilization are normally present only when the yeasts are growing on methanol. It should be most interesting to determine the mechanisms by which the expression of this family of genes appears to be regulated by methanol. The second observation is that some of the methanol-metabolizing enzymes, such as alcohol oxidase and dihydroxyacetone synthase [3,4], are sequestered in organelles called the peroxisomes or microbodies. We would like to understand the processes and signals involved in the compartmentalization of these enzymes in peroxisomes.
Regional lymph node involvement and outcomes in appendiceal neuroendocrine tumors: a SEER database analysis

// Amir Mehrvarz Sarshekeh 1 , Shailesh Advani 1 , Daniel M. Halperin 1 , Claudius Conrad 2 , Chan Shen 3 , James C. Yao 1 and Arvind Dasari 1 1 Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA 2 Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA 3 Department of Health Services Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA Correspondence to: Arvind Dasari, email: adasari@mdanderson.org Keywords: appendix, neuroendocrine, right hemicolectomy, survival, tumor size Received: May 09, 2017 Accepted: June 30, 2017 Published: August 19, 2017 ABSTRACT Background: Appendiceal neuroendocrine neoplasms are most often diagnosed incidentally during appendectomy. The need for subsequent right hemicolectomy (RHC) is determined based on the risk of regional lymph node (LN) involvement. Tumor size has historically been used as an indicator of this risk, but controversy remains regarding its cut off. Furthermore, the impact of RHC on survival is unclear. Methods: We used the SEER database to identify patients diagnosed with appendiceal neuroendocrine tumors. Results: Of 1731 patients, 38.0% had well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors (WDNETs), 60.8% had mixed histology tumors (MHTs), and 1.2% had poorly differentiated neuroendocrine carcinomas (PDNECs). In patients with WDNETs and MHTs who had adequate lymphadenectomy, higher rates of LN involvement were noted for tumors size 11–20 mm than ≤10 mm (56.8% vs. 11.6%, p <0.001; 32.9% vs. 10.4%, p =0.004, respectively). The type of surgery did not affect OS in cases with MHTs with LN involvement (HR 1.00; 95% CI, 0.53–1.89; p =0.99). Patients with regionally advanced WDNET showed excellent survival and only 3 patients (out of 118) died from cancer within 10 years. Conclusions: 10 mm appears to be a more appropriate cutoff than 20 mm for predicting LN metastasis in appendiceal NETs. Cases with WDNETs and nodal involvement demonstrate overall excellent prognosis irrespective of type of surgery (i.e. RHC may not improve outcome). In MHTs with LN metastases, survival is markedly worse in spite of RHC. The role of adjuvant therapy should be evaluated in this subset.
Stochastic Optimization for Discrete Overcurrent Relay Tripping Characteristics and Coordination

The inverse-time operating characteristic of overcurrent relays is the primary protective element in distribution system protection schemes and has been utilized for several decades. As the distribution system becomes increasingly complex due to the growth of distributed generation, the protection task based on existing methodologies will become more difficult. Faster relay operating times while maintaining selectivity is critical. In this paper, a stochastic mixed-integer linear program is formulated to minimize a relay’s tripping time at discrete fault current intervals and considers the cost of tripping a relay as the objective function. The formulation takes into account the probabilistic nature of the fault current observed at each relay, which can be impacted by fault location, fault resistance, device failure, and DG output. Monte Carlo simulation is used to determine the empirical probabilities of each relay observing a particular fault current. Probabilistic fault scenarios are simulated on the IEEE 34-node test feeder. The proposed approach shows a decrease in expected energy loss due to faults up to 11.5% compared to conventional TCC curves for 10 000 Monte Carlo fault scenarios.
An Industrial Viewpoint on Uncertainty Quantification in Simulation: Stakes, Methods, Tools, Examples

Simulation is nowadays a major tool in R&D and engineering studies. In industrial practice, in both design and operating stages, the behavior of a complex system is described and forecast by a computer model, which is, most of time, deterministic. Yet, engineers coping with quantitative predictions using deterministic models deal actually with several sources of uncertainties affecting the inputs (and occasionally the model itself) which are transferred to the outputs. Therefore, uncertainty quantification in simulation has garnered increased importance in recent years. In this paper we present an industrial viewpoint of this practice. After a reminder of the main stakes related to uncertainty quantification and probabilistic computing, we will focus on the specific methodology and software tools which have been developed for treating this problem at EDF R&D. We conclude with examples illustrating applied studies recently performed by EDF R&D engineers arising from different physical domains.
The Effect of Founder Prior Experience on Search Pattern of New Venture in Li-Ion Battery Industry

New ventures’ search strategies play a crucial role in their innovative performance. Yet little is known about the antecedents of the two types of search strategies - breadth and depth. Drawing on ...
Increased cross-bridge recruitment contributes to transient increase in force generation beyond maximal capacity in human myocardium.

Abstract Cross-bridge attachment allows force generation to occur, and rate of tension redevelopment (ktr) is a commonly used index of cross-bridge cycling rate. Tension overshoots have been observed briefly after a slack-restretch ktr maneuver in various species of animal models and humans. In this study, we set out to determine the properties of these overshoots and their possible underlying mechanism. Utilizing human cardiac trabeculae, we have found that tension overshoots are temperature-dependent and that they do not occur at resting states. In addition, we have found that myosin cross-bridge cycle is vital to these overshoots as inhibition of the cycle results in the blunting of the overshoots and the magnitude of the overshoots are dependent on the level of myofilament activation. Lastly, we show that the number of cross-bridges transiently increase during tension overshoots. These findings lead us to conclude that tension overshoots are likely due to a transient enhancement of the recruitment of myosin heads into the cross-bridge cycling, regulated by the myocardium, and with potential physiological significance in determining cardiac output. News and noteworthy We show that isolated human myocardium is capable of transiently increasing its maximal force generation capability by increasing cross-bridge recruitment following slack-restretch maneuver. This process can potentially have important implications and significance in cardiac contraction in vivo.
Aberrant functional network connectivity in psychopathy from a large (N = 985) forensic sample

Psychopathy is a personality disorder characterized by antisocial behavior, lack of remorse and empathy, and impaired decision making. The disproportionate amount of crime committed by psychopaths has severe emotional and economic impacts on society. Here we examine the neural correlates associated with psychopathy to improve early assessment and perhaps inform treatments for this condition. Previous resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies in psychopathy have primarily focused on regions of interest. This study examines whole-brain functional connectivity and its association to psychopathic traits. Psychopathy was hypothesized to be characterized by aberrant functional network connectivity (FNC) in several limbic/paralimbic networks. Group-independent component and regression analyses were applied to a data set of resting-state fMRI from 985 incarcerated adult males. We identified resting-state networks (RSNs), estimated FNC between RSNs, and tested their association to psychopathy factors and total summary scores (Factor 1, interpersonal/affective; Factor 2, lifestyle/antisocial). Factor 1 scores showed both increased and reduced functional connectivity between RSNs from seven brain domains (sensorimotor, cerebellar, visual, salience, default mode, executive control, and attentional). Consistent with hypotheses, RSNs from the paralimbic system-insula, anterior and posterior cingulate cortex, amygdala, orbital frontal cortex, and superior temporal gyrus-were related to Factor 1 scores. No significant FNC associations were found with Factor 2 and total PCL-R scores. In summary, results suggest that the affective and interpersonal symptoms of psychopathy (Factor 1) are associated with aberrant connectivity in multiple brain networks, including paralimbic regions.
Mechanisms Underlying the Association of Exposure to Family of Origin Violence and Adolescent Dating Violence

Abstract Children and adolescents who experience and witness family violence are more likely to be involved in romantic relationships during adolescence where violence occurs. In this chapter, we describe several advancements in our understanding of the intergenerational transmission of violence, with particular emphasis on the significance of the type of violence exposure, timing and continuity of violence exposure, and gender of child victim and adult perpetrator. Even though there is a connection between exposure to violence in the family and violence in dating relationships, the intergenerational transmission of violence is not universal. We also review three well-studied and supported mechanisms linking violence in the family of origin to dating violence: (1) attitudes and cognitive biases in information processing, (2) deviant peer affiliations, and (3) attachment disruptions and trouble with emotional regulation, including symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder and related psychiatric comorbidity, which are defined in part by problems with emotion regulation.
Simulation of Arbitrary Mixed-Mode Crack Growth Using an Energy-Based Approach

A finite-element-based simulation technique is being developed to predict 3-D, arbitrary, non-planar evolution of mixed-mode crack growth. The approach combines a geometrically explicit crack front re-meshing scheme, and an energy-based growth formulation to predict extension magnitudes along the crack front. The technique also leverages a new 3-D mixed-mode energy release rate decomposition using the virtual crack extension (VCE) method. The energy-based crack growth formulation, previously implemented for planar crack growth, is extended to non-planar growth situations by employing a basis-function approach to describe crack front extensions. Rather than determining point-by-point extensions, calculating a governing function alleviates numerical influences on the crack growth predictions. The simulation technique seeks to mitigate computationally biased crack growth, as found in prescribed and mesh dependent methods, for example.
Melanoma and melanoma in-situ diagnosis after excision of atypical intraepidermal melanocytic proliferation: A retrospective cross-sectional analysis

Background There is little evidence to guide surgical management of biopsies yielding the histologic descriptor atypical intraepidermal melanocytic proliferation (AIMP). Objective Determine frequency of and factors associated with melanoma and melanoma in-situ (MIS) diagnoses after excision of AIMP and evaluate margins used to completely excise AIMP. Methods Retrospective, cross-sectional study of 1127 biopsies reported as AIMP and subsequently excised within one academic institution. Results Melanoma (in situ, stage 1A) was diagnosed after excision in 8.2% (92/1127) of AIMP samples. Characteristics associated with melanoma/MIS diagnosis included age 60-79 years (odds ratio [OR] 8.1, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.5-26.2), age ≥80 years (OR 7.2, 95% CI 1.7-31.5), head/neck location (OR 4.9, 95% CI 3.1-7.7), clinical lesion partially biopsied (OR 11.0, 95% CI 6.7-18.1), and lesion extending to deep biopsy margin (OR 15.1, 95% CI 1.7-136.0). Average ± standard deviation surgical margin used to excise AIMP lesions was 4.5 ± 1.8 mm. Limitations Single-site, retrospective, observational study; interobserver variability across dermatopathologists. Conclusion Dermatologists and pathologists can endeavor to avoid ambiguous melanocytic designations whenever possible through excisional biopsy technique, interdisciplinary communication, and ancillary studies. In the event of AIMP biopsy, physicians should consider the term a histologic description rather than a diagnosis, and, during surgical planning, use clinicopathologic correlation while bearing in mind factors that might predict true melanoma/MIS.
When to Be an Originalist

Constitutional theory lacks an account of when each of the familiar methods of interpretation - textualism, originalism, stare decisis, and so on - should be used. The dominant tendency is to regard all methods as potentially applicable in every case. In contrast, this Article proposes that each method should be understood as applicable in some categories of cases but not in others, much as a physical tool is appropriate for some but not all kinds of household tasks. The Article then applies this approach to identify the categories of cases in which attention to original meaning is, or is not, a valid factor in constitutional decisionmaking.
Human Reason and a Common World: Why Wittgenstein and Rawls Are Both Wrong

Science and techno logy preceded the great period of Greek philosophy. However, in a unique development in intellectual history, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle sought a reasoned understanding of the world — that is, a mutually understandable account of the world, of things in it, and of relationships among them — based upon a synoptic understanding of the science of their age. Key elements of the accounts of the three philosophers depended upon identity, an invariant relationship between concepts and at least some elements of the world.
The relationship between creative industries and the urban economy in the USA

This study presents a new CQ (cluster quotient) and 3Q (quality and quantity quotient) index to find the magnitude and type of creative clusters and highlights the relationship between creative ind...
DeStress: Deep Learning for Unsupervised Identification of Mental Stress in Firefighters from Heart-Rate Variability (HRV) Data

In this work we perform a study of various unsupervised methods to identify mental stress in firefighter trainees based on unlabeled heart rate variability data. We collect RR interval time series data from nearly 100 firefighter trainees that participated in a drill. We explore and compare three methods in order to perform unsupervised stress detection: (1) traditional K-Means clustering with engineered time and frequency domain features (2) convolutional autoencoders and (3) long short-term memory (LSTM) autoencoders, both trained on the raw RR data combined with DBSCAN clustering and K-Nearest-Neighbors classification. We demonstrate that K-Means combined with engineered features is unable to capture meaningful structure within the data. On the other hand, convolutional and LSTM autoencoders tend to extract varying structure from the data pointing to different clusters with different sizes of clusters. We attempt at identifying the true stressed and normal clusters using the HRV markers of mental stress reported in the literature. We demonstrate that the clusters produced by the convolutional autoencoders consistently and successfully stratify stressed versus normal samples, as validated by several established physiological stress markers such as RMSSD, Max-HR, Mean-HR and LF-HF ratio.
Amoxicillin and amoxicillin-clavulanate resistance in urinary Escherichia coli antibiograms of cats and dogs from the Midwestern United States.

Background Antibiograms are stewardship tools that provide antimicrobial resistance data for regional bacterial isolates to guide treatment of infections. Objectives To develop regional antibiograms of urinary Escherichia coli isolates from cats and dogs. Animals Escherichia coli isolates cultured from feline (N = 143) and canine (640) urine from 2013 to 2017, from Kansas State University (N = 335) and private practice (N = 448) patients in the Midwestern United States. Methods Retrospective review of urine culture and susceptibility results. Antibiograms were created for 10 commonly used antimicrobial agents using Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institutes guidelines. Results No isolates from cats were susceptible to amoxicillin-clavulanate (susceptibility [S] ≤ 0.25/0.12) or amoxicillin (S ≤ 0.25); isolates from dogs had low susceptibility to amoxicillin 53% (S ≤ 8). Conversely, isolates from dogs had high susceptibility to amoxicillin-clavulanate 92% (S ≤ 8/4), despite equal 90th percentile minimum inhibitory concentrations (8 μg/mL) for feline and canine populations. Resistance to other antimicrobials was uncommon (≤7% for isolates from cats, ≤14% for isolates from dogs). Conclusions and clinical importance The disparity in susceptibility for amoxicillin and amoxicillin-clavulanate between isolates from cats and dogs likely reflects higher breakpoints for urinary tract infections (UTIs) in dogs. Urine concentration data for these antimicrobials in cats might support a UTI-specific breakpoint for cats and increase potential therapeutic options for managing UTIs in cats with first-line antimicrobials. Decreased susceptibility among isolates from dogs to amoxicillin (53%) compared to amoxicillin-clavulanate (92%) might support amoxicillin-clavulanate as a better empirical choice for UTIs in dogs in this geographical region.
Tunnel Book Narratives: Telling Stories of Microaggressions.

“Let me tell you about the time when….”So many of us begin a moment of empathy with such a segue into a story of personal experience. When we tell another story in conversation, we acknowledge that...
Evaluation of a performance index of the padding material in an external hip protector.

One of the concomitants of the demographic phenomenon popularly known as the “graying of the population” is the increase in the annual rates of cervical and/or trochanteric fractures of the hip, thus making these fractures a major public health problem. (In the United States, estimates of total direct costs associated with hip fractures are expected to rise from about $7.3 billion in 1983 to $16.0 billion in 2040 (in constant 1984 $) [1].) Thus, it is understandable that strategies to reduce the incidence of these fractures and/or ameliorate the effects (when fractures occur) are a cornerstone of current research and development work in the fields of gerontology and rehabilitation. One group of these efforts focuses on the design of external hip protectors [2]. To date, the materials aspect of these protectors has received less research attention than the mechanics aspect [3]. In the present work, a methodology for evaluating the performance of the padding material in an external hip protector, from the materials perspective, is given. As the purpose of an external hip protector is to prevent fracture of the hip if a person falls, it is clear that the protector is designed to be in an impact mode. Thus, the germane material properties for the padding material are as follows: (a) Energy loss in the protector upon impact on the ground (EL). Thus, EL should be as low as possible. (b) Maximum deceleration, dmax, which is an indication of the shock loading that needs to be attenuated by a person’s musculoskeletal system when he/she falls. Thus, dmax should be as low as possible. (c) Time taken to achieve dmax (tmax), which is an indication of the period over which dmax acts. Thus,
Convergence of electric quadrupole rotational invariants from the nuclear shell model

Background: Nuclei exhibit both single-particle and collective degrees of freedom, with the latter often subdivided into vibrational and rotational motions. Experimentally identifying the relative roles of these collective modes is extremely challenging, particularly in the face of possible shape coexistence. Model-independent, invariant quantities describing the deformation of a nucleus in the intrinsic frame have long been known but their determination potentially requires a large quantity of experimental data to achieve convergence.Purpose: Through comparison with the nuclear shell model, the question of convergence is addressed.Methods: Shell-model calculations performed in the $sd$- and $pf$-shell model spaces are used to determine electric-quadrupole matrix elements for a multitude of low-lying states using the first 40 states of the relevant spins. Relative contributions to the rotationally invariant quantities from multiple states can therefore be determined.Results: It is found that, on average, the inclusion of four intermediate states results in the leading-order invariant, $\ensuremath{\langle}\stackrel{\ifmmode \hat{}\else \^{}\fi{}}{{Q}^{2}}\ensuremath{\rangle}$, converging to within 10% of its true value and the triaxiality term, $cos\left(3\ensuremath{\delta}\right)$, converging to its true value, though some variance remains. Higher-order quantities relating to the softness of the nuclear shape are found to converge more slowly.Conclusions: The convergence of quadrupole rotationally invariant sum rules was quantified in the $sd$- and $pf$-shell model spaces and indicates the challenge inherent in a full determination of nuclear shape. The present study is limited to relatively small valence spaces. Larger spaces, such as the rare-earth region, potentially offer faster convergence.
Detection of Infection and Sepsis in Burns.

Background: Infection is the most frequent complication after severe burns and has a propensity to progress into sepsis then septic shock and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). Improving outcomes in acute burn care depends on early detection of infection to allow prompt interventions. Diagnosis of sepsis in severe burns is uniquely challenging because otherwise-typical clinical signs are masked by the hypermetabolic state and systemic inflammation induced by the burn itself. For this reason, burns have historically been excluded from high-impact studies on the diagnosis and treatment of sepsis. Methods: This article provides a comprehensive three-fold review of current findings and guidelines pertinent to the early detection of infection and sepsis in severe burns. Results: First, evidence-based detection of the most common infections encountered in the burn intensive care unit is reviewed. Second, we analyze the evolution of the diagnostic criteria for sepsis and the evidence regarding their utility in severe burns. Last, we examine the development of biomarkers, from procalcitonin to molecular genomics, for the detection of sepsis. Conclusions: Although gold standard methods of early detection of sepsis in burn patients have yet to be identified, improved understanding and appropriate application of the available diagnostic criteria and assays are paramount to providing effective care of patients with severe burns.
A Randomized Prospective Time and Motion Comparison of Techniques to Process Autologous Fat Grafts.

Background Time and motion studies provide a reliable methodology to quantify efficiency and establish recommendations for best practices in autologous fat grafting. The purpose of this study was to compare the rate of graft processing of three frequently used systems for graft preparation. Methods The authors conducted a prospective randomized comparison of three methods to prepare adipose tissue for autologous fat grafting: an active filtration system (Revolve; LifeCell Corporation, Branchburg, N.J.), a passive filtration system (PureGraft 250; Cytori Therapeutics, San Diego, Calif.), and centrifugation. An independent observer collected data according to the study's behavioral checklist. The primary outcome measure was rate of adipose tissue processed. Results Forty-six patients (mean age, 54 years; mean body mass index, 28.6 kg/m2) were included in the study (15 per arm; one patient was included with intention to treat after a failed screening). The rate of adipose tissue preparation was greater for the active filtration system compared with the others (active filtration: 9.98 ml/min versus passive filtration: 5.66 ml/min versus centrifugation: 2.47 ml/min). Similarly, there was a significant difference in total grafting time (active: 82.7 ± 8.51 minutes versus passive: 152 ± 13.1 minutes, p = 0.0005; versus centrifugation: 209.9 ± 28.5 minutes, p = 0.0005); however, there was no difference in total operative time (p = 0.82, 0.60). Conclusions As the number of fat grafting procedures increases, there is interest in developing techniques to harvest, process, and inject fat to improve clinical outcomes and operative efficiency. The results of this study indicate that an active fat processing system is more time efficient at graft preparation than a passive system or centrifugation.
Cleft Lip and Palate in Infants With Prenatal Opioid Exposure

Objective:This study examines phenotypic presentation and perioperative outcomes of cleft-related procedures for infants with cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) and prenatal opioid exposure.Design:This...
Theranostic Differences Between the United States and the Rest of the World

3050 Objectives: The landscape for Nuclear Medicine is undergoing a transformation and the main driver is the emergence of Theranostics. Currently, the two main therapies are 177Lu-DOTATATE which is FDA-approved for the treatment of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) and 177Lu-PSMA which is not FDA approved but in clinical trials for the treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. However, these therapies have been standard of care for many parts of the world leaving the United States to play catch-up. The objective of this study is to compare and contrast the differences of these therapies between the US and other parts of the world. Methods: Protocols, patient selection and pricing were reviewed through published literature for treatment with 177Lu-DOTATATE in the United States and compared to Australia. The same was then done with Lu-PSMA comparing the United States with Germany. Results: Comparing literature review for 177Lu-DOTATATE, we found that the FDA approved treatment for patients with NETs affecting the pancreas or gastrointestinal tract whereas in Australia all NETs can be treated. In addition, the US has a standard protocol for all treatments which does not take into account the tumor aggressiveness measured by Ki-67, does not do dosimetry, and requires only 68Ga-DOTATATE PET-CT prior to therapy. On the other hand, Australia has a more personalized treatment for the patient as it will tailor therapy based on the aggressiveness of the tumor, performs dosimetry, and may require both 68Ga-DOTATATE and 18F-FDG PET-CTs prior to therapy. The price of the study also varies significantly costing $50,000 USD per dose in the US vs $5,500 USD in Australia.Comparing the literature for 177Lu-PSMA is not as straightforward since it is still undergoing clinical trials in the US. Nevertheless, in Germany the total cost of the treatment is $16,000 USD which includes admission into the hospital for 5 days and all labs/imaging. If it is assumed the US follows the same pattern with pricing as with 177Lu-DOTATATE, it will be significantly more expensive than the German counterpart. Conclusion: The United States continues to trail behind the rest of the world in Theranostics. The therapies in the US lack personalization and are offered at a significantly higher cost. The counterparts across the world are able to tailor these therapies to their patients at a fraction of the cost. Differences such as these may leave the United States with lower success rates while having some of the highest healthcare costs in the world.
Crack cocaine use among aging Mexican American men with heroin use histories: motivations and polydrug use patterns

Knowledge about the motivations for crack cocaine use and the long-term effects among people who inject heroin is limited. This study aims to understand motivations associated with this co-use drug...
Treatment of Rose Oil Processing Effluent with Chlorella sp. Using Photobioreactor and Raceway.

Abstract The integration of treatment of wastewater from agro-based industries with microalgae cultivation can reduce costs associated with cultivation while treating wastewater to meet the discharge limits for chemical quality of irrigation in agriculture and to obtain biofertilizers. Rose Oil Processing Effluent (ROPE) can be utilized as a growth medium for Chlorella sp. and thus can be used for biofertilizer production. The present study is aimed at determining the feasibility of the cultivation of Chlorella sp. in ROPE using a tubular photobioreactor with a capacity of 50 L and a raceway to treat ROPE while consuming less energy. The optimum mixing ratio ([ROPE/(ROPE + Bold Basal Medium (BBM)] × 100) was determined as 50% using 2-L Erlenmeyer flasks based on the COD removal efficiency. Better removal efficiencies with regard to COD, BOD5, NH 4 + − N , and NO 3 − − N were obtained from the raceway compared to the tubular photobioreactor. The effluents from both systems met the chemical quality of irrigation water. The results of the biomasses harvested from both systems in macro and microelements revealed that they have a potential as a biofertilizer in agriculture. The energetic analysis of the ROPE treatment using the tubular photobioreactor and raceway showed that the raceway system had a better net energy ratio while consuming less energy and producing more energy during cultivation. Overall, the raceway appeared to be a better option to treat ROPE with production of biofertilizer and irrigation water quality while consuming less energy.
Examining the Effect of Pedestrian Crashes on Vulnerable Populations in North Carolina.

BACKGROUND Over the last several years, pedestrian fatalities have increased in North Carolina; however, fatalities represent a small proportion of the total number of nonfatally injured pedestrians. Therefore, we linked statewide motor vehicle crash (MVC) and emergency department (ED) visit data to better understand the circumstances and characteristics of pedestrians treated in North Carolina emergency departments (EDs) for injuries related to crashes. METHODS We linked information for pedestrians and bicyclists from 2017 North Carolina police-reported MVCs to population-based ED visit data using hierarchical deterministic methods. RESULTS We linked 45% of pedestrian crash records to ED visit records (N = 1383 incident ED visits). The rate of pedestrians treated in North Carolina EDs for their injuries was 13.6 ED visits per 100,000 person years. For pedestrian injuries treated in North Carolina EDs, rates (per 100,000 person years in parentheses) were higher among men (15.5) and Black pedestrians (22.7) than women (10.6) and White pedestrians (8.2). Sociodemographic characteristics associated with serious injuries included age, sex, race/ethnicity, and expected source of payment for the ED visit. Crash characteristics associated with serious injuries included posted speed limit, ambient light, number of lanes, and striking vehicle type. LIMITATIONS The study involved the use of secondary data, not collected specifically for pedestrian injury surveillance. CONCLUSIONS Pedestrian injuries and fatalities place a considerable burden on the population of North Carolina, especially among persons of color and older adults. Injury prevention programs are actively addressing this problem, but more needs to be done.