cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exploring the Concept of Seismic Resilience for Acute Care Facilities

This paper explores the operational and physical resilience of acute care facilities, recognizing that the key dimension of acute care facilities is not a simple engineering unit. Quantification of resilience is first approached from the broader societal context, from which the engineering subproblem is formulated, recognizing that, to operate, hospitals depend intricately on the performance of their physical infrastructure from the integrity of structural systems and nonstructural systems, lifelines, components, and equipment. Quantification relates the probability of exceeding floor accelerations and interstory drifts within a specified limit space, for the structural and nonstructural performance. Linear and nonlinear structural responses are considered, as well as the impact of retrofit or repair. Impact on time to recovery is considered in all cases. The proposed framework makes it possible to relate probability functions, fragilities, and resilience in a single integrated approach, and to further develop general tools to quantify resilience for sociopolitical-engineering decisions. DOI: 10.1193/1.2431396
Estimating methyl bromide exposure due to offgassing from fumigated commodities.

Methyl bromide (MB) is used to fumigate diverse commodities. During fumigation, the commodity can sorb a substantial mass of MB, which does not chemically react and is termed a residue. During subsequent commodity handling, the residue offgasses and can lead to MB inhalation exposure among processing workers. Although MB has a low 1 ppm 8-hr TLV-TWA as recommended by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH®) and is considered a potential occupational carcinogen by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the recent industrial hygiene literature contains no pertinent exposure data. Limited measurements made in 1992 by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation are summarized here, but associated information on exposure determinants is lacking. In this article, mathematical models are used to integrate data on MB residue offgassing with several processing scenarios to estimate potential exposure levels. The main finding is that if a large volume of commo...
SELECTIVE AND REVERSIBLE INHIBITION OF THE SYNTHESIS OF BACTERIAL DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID BY PHENETHYL ALCOHOL

Berrah, Ghoulem (Indiana University, Bloomington) and Walter A. Konetzka. Selective and reversible inhibition of the synthesis of bacterial deoxyribonucleic acid by phenethyl alcohol. J. Bacteriol. 83: 738–744. 1962.—The selective inhibitory effects of phenethyl alcohol on gram-negative bacteria were confirmed with a variety of species. At a concentration of 0.25%, phenethyl alcohol was bacteriostatic for gram-negative bacteria; gram-positive cells were unaffected. Pseudomonas fluorescens required higher concentrations of the compound for inhibition than did the other gram-negative bacteria, and the gram-positive, acid-fast mycobacteria resembled the majority of gram-negative bacteria in sensitivity. In the presence of phenethyl alcohol, gram-negative cells formed long filaments. There was no net synthesis of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in such cells, whereas protein and ribonucleic acid (RNA) syntheses were unaffected. Upon removal of phenethyl alcohol, multiplication of the cells immediately ensued, with concomitant DNA synthesis. Yeast extract stimulated both RNA and protein synthesis in phenethyl alcohol-treated Escherichia coli , but no detectable stimulation of DNA synthesis occurred under these conditions.
Modeling and resource allocation for mobile video over WiMAX broadband wireless networks

The key to proper resource allocation for mobile video on wireless networks is to have a good model for the resource demands. In this paper, we present the results of analysis of a number of mobile video streams and show that a simple seasonal ARIMA model (SAM) can provide a very good representation for both MPEG4-Part2 and MPEG4-Part10 videos, the formats that are commonly used for mobile videos. The model has been implemented to provide both video frame and RTP packet generators. The model can be used to represent different movies and can be easily adjusted to produce different workloads for simulation studies. We use the SAM generator to compare the performance of three different scheduling methods for video over WiMAX networks: Earliest Deadline First (EDF), Deficit Round Robin (DRR) and a combination of the two. The results show that under overload, EDF introduces unfairness. DRR with deadline is fair and gives the best performance.
Commentary on Bryan Dowd's Paper “Separated at Birth: Statisticians, Social Scientists, and Causality in Health Services Research”

This issue of the journal contains a very insightful and informative paper by Bryan Dowd. Although health services research is a relatively new field, there are valuable lessons to be learned from an historical review of critical junctures involving its core methodological disciplines, including statistics, economics, and sociology. Extensive use of observational data and need for causally defensible results makes health services research an ideal stage for comparing disciplines. This commentary begins by addressing some of the major points in Dowd (2011, this issue) followed by a review of how causality has featured in my own work. The commentary concludes by describing causality from the operational subjective statistics viewpoint, which complements Dowd's paper because it has a different philosophical foundation than the frequentist and Bayesian paradigms and a different viewpoint of causality.
Using Multicultural Children's Literature to Teach Diverse Perspectives

AbstractAs increasing numbers of students from diverse cultures are entering schools, educators need to include diversity in their teaching to promote diverse perspectives and help students become global citizens. The author offers tips for elementary teachers on using multicultural children's literature in their classrooms. Teachers are encouraged to model positive attitudes toward diversity, select high-quality multicultural children's books, plan effective instruction, use the books across the curriculum, and partner with the community.
Shift-complex Sequences

A Martin-Lof random sequence is an infinite binary sequence with the property that every initial segment σ has prefix-free Kolmogorov complexity K(σ) at least |σ| − c, for some constant c ∈ ω. Informally, initial segments of Martin-Lof randoms are highly complex in the sense that they are not compressible by more than a constant number of bits. However, all Martin-Lof randoms necessarily have contiguous substrings of arbitrarily low complexity. If we demand that all substrings of a sequence be uniformly complex, then we arrive at the notion of shift-complex sequences. In this paper, we collect some of the existing results on these sequences and contribute two new ones. Rumyantsev showed that the measure of oracles that compute shift-complex sequences is zero. We strengthen this result by proving that the Martin-Lof random sequences that do not compute shift-complex sequences are exactly the incomplete ones, in other words, the ones that do not compute the halting problem. In order to do so, we make use of the characterization by Franklin and Ng of the class of incomplete Martin-Lof randoms via a notion of randomness called difference randomness. Turning to the power of shift-complex sequences as oracles, we show that there are shift-complex sequences that do not compute Martin-Lof random (or even Kurtz random) sequences.
Current Status of Transurethral Thermotherapy at the Mayo Clinic

With the ever-expanding elderly population in the United States, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) has become a widespread condition. Although surgical intervention (open prostatectomy and transurethral resection of the prostate) was the typical management approach for BPH in the past, other options currently include drug therapy and transurethral thermotherapy, a minimally invasive procedure that involves the targeting of heat deep within the prostate transition zone while cooling the surrounding anatomic structures with circulating water. Two thermotherapy devices—the Prostatron and the T3 transurethral thermoablation therapy catheter—have been studied in randomized, controlled clinical trials at the Mayo Clinic. Both devices were shown to be effective in a substantial subset of patients with BPH: symptom scores decreased, peak urinary flow rates increased, and total serum prostate-specific antigen levels increased, an indication of destruction of adenomatous tissue. All patients were able to complete the treatment without the need for general or regional anesthesia, and thermotherapy was associated with few postprocedural events. Although this therapeutic strategy is currently used selectively in patients with lateral lobe prostatic adenoma, improvements in technology and understanding of the thermoregulatory properties of the prostate should broaden the application of thermotherapy devices in the management of BPH.
Physical Properties of Acinetobacter Glutaminase-Asparaginase with Antitumor Activity

Abstract Acinetobacter glutaminase-asparaginase has been shown to consist of 4 subunits (molecular weight 33,000) by sedimentation equilibrium in 5.5 m guanidine HCl and electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulfate on polyacrylamide gels after cross-linking the protein with dimethyl suberimidate. Moving boundary velocity experiments showed that most of the native enzyme sediments as the tetramer (s20,w = 7.42 ± 0.03 S). On the other hand, equivalent boundary calculations always showed a smaller s20,w. Analytic sedimentation equilibrium experiments revealed a tetramerdimer dissociation with a dimer molecular weight of 69,000 ± 3000. The molecular weight on calibrated Sephadex G-200 and Bio-Gel P-200 was 97,000 and 93,000, respectively, which may indicate reversible dissociation. The hydrolysis of 5-diazo-4-oxonorvaline was used to determine the sedimentation coefficient of the active species. Sedimentation of the enzyme in 5-diazo-4-oxonorvaline showed complex patterns with ultraviolet optics due to protein absorbance. A new double sector cell was devised which allows layering of enzyme into both sectors simultaneously, cancelling the absorbance of the enzyme. The s20,w value for the species which degraded 5-diazo-4-oxonorvaline was 7.6 ± 0.2 S. By matching zone sedimentation and active enzyme experiments, enzyme species smaller than tetramer were shown to have 4% or less of the activity of the tetramer.
Regulated portals of entry into the cell

The plasma membrane is the interface between cells and their harsh environment. Uptake of nutrients and all communication among cells and between cells and their environment occurs through this interface. 'Endocytosis' encompasses several diverse mechanisms by which cells internalize macromolecules and particles into transport vesicles derived from the plasma membrane. It controls entry into the cell and has a crucial role in development, the immune response, neurotransmission, intercellular communication, signal transduction, and cellular and organismal homeostasis. As the complexity of molecular interactions governing endocytosis are revealed, it has become increasingly clear that it is tightly coordinated and coupled with overall cell physiology and thus, must be viewed in a broader context than simple vesicular trafficking.
Surgical Anatomy of the Thymus Gland

The thymus is an H-shaped, bilobed gland that sits largely in the anterior mediastinum but extends also into the lower neck. In infancy through adolescence the gland it quite large, filling the entire anterior mediastinum and even bulging the pleurae out laterally into each hemithorax. With increasing age, as its role in maturation of the immune system diminishes, the thymus shrinks dramatically. By age 50, the normal thymus is a diminutive, mostly fatty structure.
Fairness Feuds: Competing Conceptions of Title VII Discriminatory Testing

On the twenty-year anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1991, this Article examines “reverse discrimination” lawsuits filed by whites who contend that an employment testing practice discriminates against them in violation of Title VII. It asserts that Title VII discriminatory testing claims filed by whites are typically explicit or implicit claims that the failure to hire them in accordance with rank-order scores on general intelligence tests is racially motivated and intended to decrease the number of whites selected. It also contends that the central logic of reverse discrimination testing challenges rests on a now scientifically questioned theory — the theory that selecting employees based solely on “general intelligence” (“g”) employment tests is superior to all available alternative employment criteria. This Article describes the research and development of new alternative employment tests and testing practices with smaller racial differences in scores than sole reliance on “g”-based employment tests. It also relays the findings of new research questioning the previously established conclusions that statistically defined “test bias” in employment testing is nonexistent and that, if test bias exists, it only occurs in a manner that favors racial minority groups. Finally, this Article concludes that much of the statistical and empirical research on employment testing spurred by the passage of the 1991 Civil Rights Act presents substantial hurdles for the most common reverse discrimination testing claims.
The Day After Tomorrow: The Politics of Public Employee Retirement Benefits

The Pew Center estimates that as of July 2008, state and local governments in the United States had promised current and future retirees $3.34 trillion in benefits but had only $2.35 trillion of projected assets to pay for them. The investment losses that public employee pension funds experienced during the market downturn of 2008-09 made the trillion dollar gap much larger. In this paper I discuss how the pension funding gap has developed, compare the situation in California with that of other states, and discuss the ways in which the state government and local governments in California are responding to the increasing strains pension obligations place on their finances. I recommend that the constitution of California be amended to forbid the state and all local governments from ever again issuing pension obligation bonds, and to forbid the state of California, as well as all local governments within the state, from ever again offering their employees defined benefit pension plans.
On the Surface Effects of Nanofluids in Cooling-System Materials

Nanofluids are nano-size-powder suspensions in liquids that are of interest for their enhanced thermal transport properties. They are studied as promising alternatives as compared to ordinary cooling fluids, but the effects of nanofluids on wall materials are largely unknown. The authors developed an instrument that uses a low-speed jet on material targets to test such effects. The work is presented of the authors’ experimental research on the early interactions of selected nanofluids (2% weight of alumina nanopowders in distilled water, and in solutions of ethylene glycol in water) with aluminum and copper samples as typical cooling-system materials. The observed surface changes (and possible nanoparticle deposition) for test periods as long as 14 hours were assessed by roughness and volumetric-removal wear measurements, and by microscope studies. Comparative roughness measurements indicate that alumina nanofluids in water and ethylene glycol solutions can start surface changes on aluminum surfaces, but show no effects on copper for the same testing conditions. These investigations set a baseline for further research and provide a suitable method for the testing of nanofluids effects in cooling system-materials.
A Defense of "The Case for Conserving Disability".

Rosemarie Garland-Thomson’s argument for disability as a sociocultural resource challenges the commonsense understanding of disability as a deficit.
Elevated steady-state bladder preload activates myosin phosphorylation: detrusor smooth muscle is a preload tension sensor.

In rabbit bladder wall (detrusor) muscle, the degree of tone induced during physiological filling (filling tone) is the sum of adjustable preload tension and autonomous contractile tension. The pre...
Human Ecology in the Solomon Islands: Biomedical Observations Among Four Tribal Societies

Data are presented from the first four groups studied in a longrange investigation of human ecology in the Solomon Islands. The groups varied in habitat, way of life, genetic background, and exposure to Western influence. Coverage of residents in designated hamlets was 78% for Kwaio, Malaita Island; 91% for Nasioi, Bougainville Island; and over 95% for both Lau and Baegu of Malaita. In all, 1626 persons were studied: 256 Nasioi, 443 Kwaio, 442 Lau, and 485 Baegu. All four groups were demographically “young,” with a high ratio of persons under 15 to those over 45 years of age, but a significant proportion lived to old age. Nutrition was adequate, though low in protein and fat. They had very little color-blindness and virtually no myopia, astigmatism, glaucoma, or hypertensive and coronary heart disease. Malaria, trachoma, and intestinal parasitism reflected differences in habitat and ways of life, but tuberculosis did not. Despite a density as high as that recorded for any human population, the Lau, living on small artificial islets in a saltwater lagoon, enjoyed robust health.
A dBASE IIITM Surgical Pathology Reporting and Encoding Microcomputer System

The authors have developed a menu-driven dBASE IIITM system for surgical pathology reporting and encoding in Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine (SNOMED). The system requires no knowledge of dBASE and is readily installed on any IBM®- standard personal computer equipped with a fixed disk. The use of dBASE memo fields provides the integration of word processing and database functions. Preliminary gross examination reports are automatically accompanied by data from former cases on the same patient. Patient demographics, SNOMED codes, and final diagnoses are stored on the fixed disk; complete reports are saved on floppy diskettes. Cases can be retrieved by patient name, surgical number, or SNOMED codes. Daily work lists, frozen section-final diagnosis correlations, turnaround time reports, and listings of incomplete cases are easily obtained. Cytologic results can also be entered, allowing automatic correlation with surgical cases.
Making Sense of Principal Leadership in Content Areas: The Case of Secondary Math and Science Instruction

ABSTRACTWe drew upon sense making and leadership content knowledge to explore how high school administrators’ understanding of content areas informed their leadership. We used math and science to illustrate our interpretations, noting that other content areas may pose different challenges. We found that principals’ limited understanding of these content areas prompted them to reframe challenges in ways that did not require them to possess content-area expertise. Principals relied upon their ability to hire classroom teachers and secure external professional development providers to improve instruction. We conclude the article by noting how the findings expand upon existing understandings of instructional leadership.
Wastewater Reclamation and Reuse System

Water reclamation and reuse provides a unique and viable opportunity to augment traditional water supplies. As a multi-disciplined and an important element of water resources development and management, water reuse can help to close the loop between water supply and wastewater disposal. Effective water reuse requires integration of water and reclaimed water supply functions. The successful development of this reliable water resource depends upon close examination and synthesis of elements from infrastructure and facilities planning, wastewater treatment plant siting, treatment process reliability, economic and financial analyses, public acceptance, and water utility management. A key factor limiting the implementation of water reuse systems is often the cost of infrastructure needed for a conventional water reuse system, where the water reuse system consists generally of an upgraded secondary treatment process sited at an existing wastewater-treatment facility. It is often prohibitive logistically to return reclaimed water to urban areas where it could be used at maximum benefit to offset potable water supply consumption. The issues related to the return of reclaimed water to urban areas can be overcome, in part, using distributed water reuse systems such as satellite and decentralized configurations. In addition to a discussion on the alternative infrastructure approaches for water reuse, applications for reclaimed water, treatment technologies, and source control for upstream management of specific constituents are described briefly.
The ‘Counterpoint’ of Mathematics and Music

Joining mathematics and music for most of us creates a love-hate relationship, although historically, with the Pythagorean origin, these two fields of human knowledge and activity were united. In this book we don’t want to enforce their unification for two reasons: different evolution of these fields, and major creative interaction.
Enabling re-executable workflows with near-realtime visualization, provenance capture and advanced querying for mass spectrometry data

Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) enables simultaneous spatially-resolved analysis of numerous ionizable molecules on a sample surface. Ambient ionization techniques are attractive because they enable imaging without sample pretreatment. The current analysis pipeline involves analyzing the data coming off the instrument using a tool called MSI Quickview and saving the results onto a storage drive before moving on to the next experiment. While this works well for single datasets, there is a demand for more scalable, flexible workflows that are re-executable across datasets, support extensive querying and ease collaboration. Here, we present a workflow that moves data analysis from a mere desktop application for single experiments to a more general capability that can be possibly extended to perform multi-modal analysis across datasets. The core components of the workflow include (1) MSI Quickview, a desktop application for the near-real time visualization and analysis of mass spectrometry data; (2) Provenance Environment (ProvEn), a provenance production and collection framework that provides components supporting the production and collection of provenance information for distributed application environments; (3) Elasticsearch, a readily-scalable, broadly-distributable, enterprise-grade search engine that is accessible through an elaborate and extensive API to power extremely fast indexing and searches that support your data discovery applications; (4) Logstash, processing of log files; and (5) Kibana, a platform to visualize, analyze and explore data from multiple sources including Elasticsearch and Logstash.
A systematic review of the impact of pain on overall survival in patients with cancer

Pain commonly occurs in cancer patients, and has been associated with shorter survival. However, the importance of pain is less clear when analyzed with other known prognostic variables. This systematic review was performed to better understand how pain impacts overall survival (OS) in common cancers when key clinical variables are included in multivariate analysis. A Medline search was completed to find studies examining the relationship between pain, clinical variables, and OS in patients with breast, colorectal, lung, or prostate cancer. Multivariate analysis included known prognostic variables including age, performance status, disease burden, and laboratory parameters. Fifty studies met inclusion criteria. In patients with breast, colorectal, and lung cancer, pain was not a significant prognostic factor for OS on multivariate analysis in most studies. In contrast, several studies suggest that pain is an independent prognostic factor for OS in advanced prostate cancer, even when relevant clinical prognostic variables are included. However, analgesic use was often used as a surrogate for prostate cancer pain, making it difficult to determine whether pain or opioid exposure was more important in influencing survival. Pain may be associated with shorter survival in patients with cancer, but the mechanism for this relationship is unknown. The available evidence is insufficient to definitively determine if pain independently influences survival in patients with breast, colorectal, or lung cancer. The majority of studies in prostate cancer show pain to be an independent prognostic factor for OS, and often also incorporate opioid analgesic use in multivariate analysis. Prospective studies are needed to better understand how opioid utilization and pain may affect cancer progression and survival in diverse malignancies.
Surgery for Ischemic Strokes

Abstract Treatment for acute ischemic stroke has changed significantly over the years. Overall outcomes have improved substantially, with lower morbidity and mortality than ever before. Thrombolytic therapy with intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) and, more recently, with endovascular mechanical thrombectomy has dramatically altered the course of the disease. Patients with large-vessel occlusions and concomitant large ischemic infarcts once had an 80% mortality rate. New technologies now help nearly 80% of these patients to have long-term functional independence. If thrombectomy and/or t-PA is not beneficial, then decompressive surgery is an option for select patients with anterior circulation strokes, such as the middle cerebral artery territory, and for many patients with large-territory cerebellar stroke. Younger patients with early decompression do significantly better long term.
Time-driven activity-based costing: A dynamic value assessment model in pediatric appendicitis

Abstract Objectives Healthcare reform policies are emphasizing value-based healthcare delivery. We hypothesize that time-driven activity-based costing (TDABC) can be used to appraise healthcare interventions in pediatric appendicitis. Methods Triage-based standing delegation orders, surgical advanced practice providers, and a same-day discharge protocol were implemented to target deficiencies identified in our initial TDABC model. Post-intervention process maps for a hospital episode were created using electronic time stamp data for simple appendicitis cases during February to March 2016. Total personnel and consumable costs were determined using TDABC methodology. Results The post-intervention TDABC model featured 6 phases of care, 33 processes, and 19 personnel types. Our interventions reduced duration and costs in the emergency department (−41min, −$23) and pre-operative floor (−57min, −$18). While post-anesthesia care unit duration and costs increased (+224min, +$41), the same-day discharge protocol eliminated post-operative floor costs (−$306). Our model incorporating all three interventions reduced total direct costs by 11% ($2753.39 to $2447.68) and duration of hospitalization by 51% (1984min to 966min). Conclusion Time-driven activity-based costing can dynamically model changes in our healthcare delivery as a result of process improvement interventions. It is an effective tool to continuously assess the impact of these interventions on the value of appendicitis care. Level of evidence II, Type of study: Economic Analysis.
Factors associated with in-hospital mortality among critically ill surgical patients with multidrug-resistant Gram-negative infections.

Abstract Purpose Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative infection increases risk of mortality, other complications, and costs. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of and identify factors associated with in-hospital mortality among critically ill surgical patients. Materials and methods This case-control study included critically ill surgical patients from 2011 to 2014 who had a carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), MDR P. aeruginosa, or MDR Acinetobacter spp. infection. Characteristics of patients surviving to hospital discharge were compared to those of non-survivors. Results Sixty-two patients were included. Of these, 21 (33.9%) died prior to discharge. Vasopressors and mechanical ventilation prior to index culture were more common in non-survivors vs. survivors (76.2% vs. 46.3%, p = 0.03; and 100% vs. 63.4%, p = 0.001). ICU and hospital LOS prior to index culture was longer in non-survivors vs. survivors (median 19 vs. 4 days, p = 0.001; and median 25 vs. 7 days, p = 0.009). In multivariate logistic regression, achievement of source control was the only variable associated with decreased in-hospital mortality [0.04 (95% CI 0.003–0.52); p = 0.01]. Conclusions MDR Gram-negative infection is associated with significant in-hospital mortality among critically ill surgical patients. Source control, along with prior ICU LOS, mechanical ventilation status, vasopressor use, and definitive antibiotic choice, are important predictors of survival in this population.
Symbolic Ties That Bind

Place attachment is the symbolic relationship formed by people giving culturally shared emotional/affective meanings to a particular space or piece of land that provides the basis for the individual’s and group’s understanding of and relation to the environment. This chapter applies this definition of place attachment in order to identify a range of types of place attachment in cultural terms, and to present ethnographic examples of each type. It is argued that while there are often strong individualistic feelings that may be unique to specific people, these feelings are embedded in a cultural milieu. Thus, place attachment is more than an emotional and cognitive experience, and includes cultural beliefs and practices that link people to place. This discussion is illustrated with examples of how these often overlapping place attachment processes occur in the central plaza of San Jose, Costa Rica. Future research directions for a cultural analysis of place attachment are suggested as part of the conclusion.
Demand elasticities and service selection incentives among competing private health plans

We examine selection incentives by health plans while refining the selection index of McGuire et al. (2014) to reflect not only service predictability and predictiveness but also variation in cost sharing, risk-adjusted profits, profit margins, and newly-refined demand elasticities across 26 disaggregated types of service. We contrast selection incentives, measured by service selection elasticities, across six plan types using privately-insured claims data from 73 large employers from 2008 to 2014. Compared to flat capitation, concurrent risk adjustment reduces the elasticity by 47%, prospective risk adjustment by 43%, simple reinsurance system by 32%, and combined concurrent risk adjustment with reinsurance by 60%. Reinsurance significantly reduces the variability of individual-level profits, but increases the correlation of expected spending with profits, which strengthens selection incentives.
Sin and Christian Teaching

To fully comprehend our vocation as Christian educators, it is essential to recognize the realities of sin and grace. In spite of a culture that tends to lessen sin, Christian teachers are messenge...
SCHOOL START TIME AND PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH IN ADOLESCENTS.

Later school start times are associated with a number of benefits for adolescents. The purpose of the current review is to summarize the literature regarding the effects of delaying school start times on adolescent psychological health. We identified eight observational studies that examined the relationship between schools’ starting times and psychological outcomes. Of these, three were longitudinal studies that reported measures of adolescent mental health improved following a start time delay. Two cross-sectional studies showed that mental health scores were higher in schools with later compared to earlier start times. Three studies found no relationship between start time and mental health. In the majority of studies reviewed, later school start times were associated with greater adolescent psychological health. However, inherent design drawbacks in the studies prevent us from concluding that these associations are causal. There are a wide range of potential benefits, beyond mental health, that later high school start times offer. This encouraging, emergent literature on delayed start times has led many school districts to consider changes to their start times.
New Architectures for Faster Automotive Design Cycles

Today we observe the following megatrends in the automotive industry: The connectivity inside the car is increasing. Hydraulics and belt-driven mechanics are being replaced by electronics. New telematics merge into the car which turns it always “ON-LINE”. Alternate propulsion research is yielding first results for sustained mobility.
Competing Risks Survival Analysis

This chapter considers survival data in which each subject can experience only one of several different types of events over follow-up. This situation contrasts with the topic of the preceding chapter in which subjects could experience more than one event of a given type. When only one of several different types of event can occur, we refer to the probabilities of these events as “competing risks,” which explains the title of this chapter.
Competitive Impacts of Means-Tested Vouchers on Public School Performance: Evidence from Louisiana

Given the significant growth rate and geographic expansion of private school choice programs over the past two decades, it is important to examine how traditional public schools respond to the sudd...
Latin script keyboards for South Asian languages with finite-state normalization

The use of the Latin script for text entry of South Asian languages is common, even though there is no standard orthography for these languages in the script. We explore several compact finite-state architectures that permit variable spellings of words during mobile text entry. We find that approaches making use of transliteration transducers provide large accuracy improvements over baselines, but that simpler approaches involving a compact representation of many attested alternatives yields much of the accuracy gain. This is particularly important when operating under constraints on model size (e.g., on inexpensive mobile devices with limited storage and memory for keyboard models), and on speed of inference, since people typing on mobile keyboards expect no perceptual delay in keyboard responsiveness.
Identity, Role, and Oppression: Experiences of LGBTQ Resource Center Graduate Assistants

Utilizing oppression as a conceptual framework, this article explores themes that emerged from qualitative research using epistemological bricolage on data from five graduate assistants who served ...
A Probabilistic Data-Driven Method for Photovoltaic Pseudo-Measurement Generation in Distribution Systems

This paper presents a probabilistic data-driven method to model the uncertainty of distributed photovoltaic (PV) generation to enhance the observability of distribution grids with a high penetration of renewable resources. The proposed method employs a kernel density estimation (KDE) technique to develop the conditional probability density function (PDF) of PV outputs given the time of the day, using the measurement data from observed PV systems. Then time series of output power of unmeasured PV generators, located at the same grid, are generated according to the corresponding PDF and used as pseudo-measurements in distribution system state estimation (DSSE). The proposed model has been tested and verified using real PV data and utility networks.
A Longitudinal Investigation of Symptom Recovery following Concussion in Youth Soccer.

Objective To prospectively evaluate symptom outcomes after youth soccer-related concussion. Study design Using a prospective cohort design, we enrolled male and female competitive soccer players age 8-17 years into 3 groups: concussed (n = 23), matched control (n = 23), and orthopedic injury (n = 24). Postconcussive symptoms were monitored serially via both athlete and parent report at days 1-2, 4, 7, 10, 30, and 90. Results Repeated-measures analyses revealed a significant time by group interaction (F [12, 402] = 19.91, P Conclusions The natural clinical history of concussion symptoms in youth competitive soccer players was similar to that seen in older athletes, with resolution in days to a few weeks. Additional study will be required to investigate which factors best predict symptom outcomes for individual athletes and how symptom report relates to performance-based outcome measures and underlying neurophysiologic recovery.
TP53 hot spot mutations in ovarian cancer: Selective resistance to microtubule stabilizers in vitro and differential survival outcomes from The Cancer Genome Atlas

Objective To test if TP53 hot spot mutations (HSMs) confer differential chemotherapy resistance or survival outcomes, the effects of microtubule stabilizers on human ovarian carcinoma cells (OCCs) expressing TP53 HSMs were studied in vitro. Survival outcomes of patients with high grade serous epithelial ovarian carcinoma (HGS EOC) expressing matched HSMs were compared using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data.
Phase Shifter-Relaxed and Control-Relaxed Continuous Tuning 4×4 Butler Matrix

A novel continuous tunable phase progression beamforming feeding network is proposed using 4×4 Butler matrix and tunable phase shifters. To tune the progressive phase difference at the output ports, four phase shifters (i.e. two phase shifters with tuning range 90°, and other two with 180° phase tuning range) are integrated with Butler matrix. Two channel digital voltages control all four phase shifters simultaneously to tune the phase difference in 90° range for each input excitation of Butler matrix, and the 360° full range of phase difference is realized by switching four input ports. The theoretical analysis is carried out to reduce the number of phase shifters as well as their phase tuning ranges, and the closed-form equations are derived to minimize the control complexity. To prove the design concept, a prototype of proposed tunable Butler matrix is designed at 5.8 GHz, and the experimental results agree well with the simulation results to prove the design theory.
Analysis of Special 301 Listings, 2009-2020

Since its inception, the Special 301 Report has been an instrument used by the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to pressure foreign nations to change their laws at the behest of American business interests. Policies that allow countries to access lower-priced generic medicines feature prominently in USTR’s allegations of inadequate, ineffective protection of intellectual property. This working paper reviews trends in Special 301 listings over the past 12 years. USTR has reduced the number of countries listed in the Report, but it has been consistent in its responsiveness to country listing requests by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA). This is especially true for the countries prioritized by PhRMA (those which PhRMA asked to have designated a Priority Foreign Country or placed on the Priority Watch List). USTR included between 75% and 100% of these PhRMA-prioritized countries in each year’s Special 301 Report over the period studied. USTR also consistently focused its attention on middle-income countries and populous countries. USTR has regularly used the report to criticize countries for using TRIPS flexibilities. There has been an increased number of complaints about countries issuing compulsory licenses or adopting pro-compulsory licensing policies. Data exclusivity, patent linkage and the scope of patentability continue to be criticized in the Special 301 Reports. There have been increased complaints against countries for inadequate enforcement of intellectual property that affects pharmaceutical firms, and complaints over allegedly discriminatory market access policies. This working paper was written in the author's capacity as the Shamnad Basheer IP/Trade Fellow at Texas A&M University School of Law.
Prenatal polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, altered ERα pathway-related methylation and expression, and mammary epithelial cell proliferation in offspring and grandoffspring adult mice.

Abstract Background Airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) possess carcinogenic and endocrine disrupting properties linked to mammary tumorigenesis. These effects may be initiated during a prenatal period of susceptibility to PAH activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (Ahr) and through downstream effects on estrogen receptor (Er) α. Purpose We hypothesized prenatal airborne PAH exposure induces sustained effects in female adult wild type BALB/cByj mice detected in the offspring (F1) and grandoffspring (F2) generation. We hypothesized these effects would include altered expression and epigenetic regulation of Erα and altered expression of aryl hydrocarbon receptor repressor (Ahrr, Ahrr/aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator (Arnt), and breast cancer type 1 susceptibility (Brca1). Further, we hypothesized that PAH would induce precancerous outcomes such as epithelial cell proliferation and epithelial cell hyperplasia in mammary glands of adult female offspring and grandoffspring. Results Prenatal ambient PAH exposure lowered Erα mRNA expression (F1 and F2: p Conclusions Prenatal PAH exposure induces DNA methylation and alters gene expression in the Erα-mediated pathway across generations, and suggests that functional outcomes such as mammary cell proliferation also may occur in offspring as a result.
Caroline Criado Perez. Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men . New York, NY: Abrams Press, 2019. 411p. Paper, $27.00 (ISBN 978-1-4197-2907-2). LC 2018-59561.

Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men illustrates how we continue to naturalize sex and gender discrimination by failing to collect data on women. As a society we have accepted and normalized the ways in which, as Simone de Beauvoir put it, the “representation in the world, like the world itself, is the work of men; they describe it from their point of view, which they confuse with the absolute truth.” The default is male. Caroline Criado Perez refers to this “tradition” as the gender data gap.
Venous Thrombosis and Breast Cancer in Older Women: Racial Disparity in Risk Factors and Outcomes

Abstract Introduction: Racial differences in thrombotic risk factors in women with breast cancer are not known. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of venous thrombosis in older white and black women with breast cancer and to evaluate the risk factors and outcomes associated with venous thrombosis by race. Materials & Methods: For this population based cohort study, the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data, capturing 28% of US population, and linked to the Medicare inpatient database were used for women 65 years and older diagnosed with breast cancer. Venous thrombosis (VTE) was defined as a diagnosis of either deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE) or both. Demographic characteristics, diagnoses of comorbidities and size, stage, grade and receptor status of breast cancer were the covariates extracted from the database. The chi-square (χ2) test was used to compare frequency distributions for categorical variables. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the unadjusted and adjusted ORs with 95% CIs for thrombotic risk factors and for mortality associated with VTE in women with breast cancer stratified by race. Results: There were 251,945 white and 24,083 black women 65 years and older diagnosed with breast cancer from 2000 to 2011 in the SEER-Medicare database. 6.4% white and 10.1% black women (p In white women with breast cancer, adjusted analysis demonstrated that VTE was associated with advancing age (76-80 years: OR=1.31, 95% CI, 1.08-1.58 and over 80 years: OR=1.39, 95% CI, 1.16-1.66), distant metastasis (OR=2.58, 95% CI, 1.57-4.24), hypertension (OR=3.00, 95% CI, 2.54-3.52), heart failure (OR=1.77, 95% CI, 1.50-2.08), liver disease (OR=1.64, 95% CI, 1.09-2.46), kidney disease (OR=1.62, 95% CI, 1.35-1.94), COPD (OR=1.49, 95% CI, 1.23-1.80), hyperlipidemia (OR=1.46, 95% CI, 1.27-1.68) and myocardial infarction (OR=1.42, 95% CI, 1.13-1.79). In black women with breast cancer, hypertension (OR=3.22, 95% CI, 2.05-5.04), heart failure (OR=2.08, 95% CI, 1.40-3.10) and hyperlipidemia (OR=1.79, 95% CI, 1.26-2.54) were the risk factors associated with VTE. The size, grade and receptor status of the breast cancer were not associated with VTE risk in either white or black women after adjustment for other risk factors. Higher proportions of both white and black women with breast cancer had less than a 12 month survival with VTE compared to those without VTE (white women: 9.9% vs. 7.5%, p Conclusion: The study identified differences in thrombotic risk factors and risk of death associated with VTE between older white and black women with breast cancer. This may help to stratify the risk of individual patients and develop targeted prevention and management strategies for older women with breast cancer. Disclosures Philipp: Spark: Other: Data Safety Monitoring Board; Hemabiologics: Consultancy; Bayer: Consultancy.
STUDIES ON CARTILAGE CELLS IN VITRO. I. MORPHOLOGY AND GROWTH OF CARTILAGE CELLS IN MONOLAYER CULTURES.

Abstract 1. 1. Certain characteristics of articular and epiphyseal cartilage cells, dissociated from femora of 13-day chick embryos and grown in monolayer cultures were studied. Changes in the morphology and growth of these cells following various periods of cultivation were described. 2. 2. No increase in cell number was observed during the first 2 days of cultivation; thereafter, growth was rapid with a generation time of 21.1 hr in culture medium containing 10 per cent horse serum. 3. 3. Early cultures of freshly dissociated chondrocytes comprised fibroblast-like and round cells. The former increased in number much more rapidly than the latter. The round cells were frequently enclosed in “capsules” that stained like cartilage matrix. The round cells tended to cluster and the formation of detectable cartilage matrix was associated preferentially with these clusters. 4. 4. With continued cultivation, the number of round cells decreased markedly, concurrent with a decline in the presence of detectable matrix. Eventually, the cultures were dominated by fibroblast-like cells with no tendency for clustering and no evidence of matrix formation. 5. 5. Some of the changes in the characteristics of the population of the monolayer grown chondrocytes were briefly discussed.
Text Meaning Representation as a Basis for Representation of Text Interpretation

In this paper we propose a representation for what we have called an interpretation of a text. We base this representation on TMR (Text Meaning Representation), an interlingual representation developed for Machine Translation purposes. A TMR consists of a complex feature-value structure, with the feature names and filler values drawn from an ontology, in this case, ONTOS, developed concurrently with TMR. We suggest on the basis of previous work, that a representation of an interpretation of a text must build on a TMR structure for the text in several ways: (1) by the inclusion of additional required features and feature values (which may themselves be complex feature structures); (2) by pragmatically filling in empty slots in the TMR structure itself; and (3) by supporting the connections between feature values by including, as part of the TMR itself, the chains of inferencing that link various parts of the structure.