cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Codification in Developing Nations: Ritual and Symbol in Cambodia and Indonesia

This article examines the purposes served by written law in the developing nations of Cambodia and Indonesia. Its thesis is that in societies where ordering the behavior of people and governments is largely accomplished by mechanisms other than written law, written law necessarily has little to do with the regulation of conduct. As a result, the enactment of written law need not mean that the law is intended to be obeyed immediately. The article analyzes two different cases. The first is the Cambodian coup d'etat -- a single incidence of the use of state power to violate fundamental norms embodied in the most basic written law: a constitution. The second is the widespread disregard of certain laws (specifically the Indonesian land and marriage laws) by the people, and the tolerance of that disregard by their government.The article explores selected modern theories concerning the functions of written law as ritual and as symbol and analyses the applicability of these theories to Cambodia and Indonesia. It concludes by advancing three hypotheses. First, the command-and-obey function of written law is relatively unimportant in nations such as Cambodia and Indonesia where the primary means of social ordering are nonlegal. Second, the enactment of written law in Cambodia functions at times as ritual or a theatrical performance intended to role model the state-citizen relationships characteristic of liberal democracy. Third, in nations such as Indonesia that are characterized by legal pluralism in that several different mutually inconsistent normative systems operate simultaneously, national written laws function primarily as symbols of national unity, state ideology, state power, and governmental legitimacy rather than as commands backed by the coercive power of the state.
Environmental Conditions and Sex Activity of Synanthedon pictipes in Wisconsin, Monitored with Virgin Female Pheromone Traps

Daily catches of Synanthedon pictipes (Grote and Robinson) males in Door County, Wis., in traps baited with virgin females were correlated positively with maximum daily temperature and negatively with mean wind speed. The mean of the daily catch distribution was positively correlated to the onset of the “warm” period of the day. Maximum correlation ( r = 0.92) was obtained when the “warm” period was defined by air temperature of 21°C or greater. No significant correlation ( r = 0.3) was found between the mean of daily catch distribution and the termination of the warm period. Male catches gradually diminished to zero in a few hours of daily trapping although females were still calling. This phenomenon is interpreted as reflecting local depletion of the male population within the trap's “territory”. The components determining the effectiveness of a trapping system are briefly presented. The importance of the time when pheromone emission begins is discussed. The variability in the time of male response is incorporated into a mathematical model that predicts the number of matings on a given day.
Advances in C–O Bond Transformations in Lignin-Derived Compounds for Biofuels Production

Renewable energy sources such as lignocellulosic biomass provide an attractive source of renewable carbon that can be sustainably converted into fuels and chemicals to allow for a reduction in the need for fossil fuels and a net reduction in the amount of CO2 emitted. This perspective highlights recent advances in catalyst development for the production of biofuels from lignin and lignin-derived model compounds. Recent reports have focused on the direct cleavage of C–O bonds through various catalytic processes including (i) zeolite upgrading, (ii) hydrodeoxygenation, (iii) multiple-step upgrading, and (iv) unsupported, organometallic catalysts for slurry processing. Results show progress toward the potential commercialization of biofuels technologies from lignocellulosic biomass resources.
Abstract 2921: NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1 regulates pro-inflammatory mediators associated with prostate tumorigenesis.

Oxidative stress and inflammation are both important in the neoplastic transformation of the prostate. NAD(P)H Quinone Oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) is a key antioxidant enzyme that protects against quinone-derived reactive intermediates and maintains a cellular pool of antioxidants. Various studies conducted using NQO1 knockout mice suggested its potential role in carcinogenesis. However the role of NQO1 has not been fully explored in prostate cancer. Here we show that NQO1 silencing by a specific shRNA (shNQO1) increased cell survival, proliferation, colony formation, migration and hormone-independent survival in hormone-responsive human prostate cancer cells LNCaP. Genome wide array revealed that NQO1 blockade significantly upregulated pro-inflammatory mediators (e.g., IL-32, CCL2, IL-8, IL-17C, IL-10RA, CXCR2, CXCR7, NOS3) associated with prostate tumorigenesis. Cytokine profiling further confirmed the increased IL-8 production in conditioned-media from NQO1 knockdown cells compared to the parental cells. However, enforced expression of NQO1 in these cells did not alter IL-8 and other inflammatory mediators. Our data indicate that inflammatory mediators produced by NQO1 knockdown LNCaP cells may be responsible for the hormone-independent survival. Since these inflammatory mediators influence prostate cancer development and castration resistance, strategies modulating cellular antioxidants to regulate NQO1 and other important players in NQO1-signaling may provide multifaceted opportunities for prostate cancer prevention. Supported by a postdoctoral fellowship from CPRIT (DT) and RO1 CA 149516 (RG). Citation Format: Dinesh Thapa, Addanki P. Kumar, Rita Ghosh. NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1 regulates pro-inflammatory mediators associated with prostate tumorigenesis. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2921. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-2921
Sex Pheromones of Noctuid Moths. XXVI. Female Release Rate, Male Response Threshold, and Communication Distance for Trichoplusia ni,

About half of the sexually mature virgin females of Trichoplusia ni Hubner observed in the laboratory released sex pheromone on any given night. Those releasing pheromone typically did so for about 40 minutes per night in 2 or more separate periods. A gas-liquid chromatographic and a bioassay method were developed, allowing measurement of pheromone emanating from single females. The mean pheromone release rate for females was about 7×l0−3 µg/minute. The minimum male threshold of response to pheromone, determined by laboratory bioassay, was found to be at about 8 molecules/mm3 of air. These data are used to estimate potential female to male communication distances in the field.
Domestic violence. A clinician's strategy

As physicians we should continue to do those things we do well. But we need to focus our efforts in novel ways in order to address the pervasive and insidious problem of domestic violence. We need to become knowledgeable about the individual and public health consequences of domestic violence and the community resources available for patients. We need to be inquisitive in our practices, learning to identify women who are victims. We need to become advocates in our own practices, communicating to all patients our interest in domestic violence and our willingness to help victims. We need to become active in our communities in efforts to eliminate domestic violence and to improve services to victims.
Mental illness etiology beliefs among African American men with serious mental illness and their social support networks

ABSTRACTSemi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with 26 African American men with serious mental illness who were consumers of community mental health services and 26 members of their social support networks. All participants were asked what they believed had caused the consumers’ mental illness. Consumer participants most commonly identified chronic life stressors as a causal factor, while social supports most often identified intrinsic factors such as genetics or biology as causes of mental illness. Some support participants believed that unintentional drug use had precipitated the onset of mental illness or had no causal theories. The fact that some support participants could not identify a causal explanation may indicate failure on the part of mental health care systems to engage with consumers’ social support networks and provide education about mental illness and its causes. The implications of etiology beliefs on mental health service utilization are discussed.
The use of progesterone for ureteral stones: a preliminary report.

AbstractTwo ureteral stone patients were given injections of a progesterone derivative, resulting in prompt passage of the stones. The case reports are presented as well as a discussion of hydronephrosis of pregnancy and hormonal influences on the ureter.
Hepatitis B in the Female Population

Chronic hepatitis B infection in the female population has implications not just for the individual but for her children as well. This article discusses the natural history of hepatitis B and how it plays an important role in hepatitis B virus (HBV) transmission, the current strategies and new strategies to control HBV and reduce transmission, and the updated guidelines for the management of HBV.
Neonatal oxygen toxicity--is it preventable?

Present day concerns surrounding neonatal oxygen toxicity focus on the complex oxygen-associated neonatal syndromes of bronchopulmonary dysplasia, retrolental fibroplasia, and central nervous system neuronal necrosis. This article describes two basic mechanisms of injury caused by normobaric oxygen and the natural defenses that have developed against these injuries, and then examines the possible prevention of the three syndromes in the neonate.
Classical Lie algebras and Weyl groups

One of the main goals of the first half of this book is to construct Lie algebras and Weyl groups from certain labelled partially ordered sets known as heaps. The formal definition of heaps is in terms of categories, which will be defined in Chapter 2. The purpose of Chapter 1 is to show how particular examples of heaps can be used to give combinatorial constructions of algebraic objects. In Section 1.1, we summarize the basic properties of Lie algebras. In Section 1.2, we define the Lie algebras of types A n , B n , C n and D n in terms of matrices; that is, the Lie algebras sl ( n + 1, V ), so (2 n + 1, V ), sp (2 n, V ) and so (2 n, V ), respectively. Except in type B n , the Lie algebra representations given by these matrices will turn out to be “minuscule”. Because of this, they may easily be constructed in terms of heaps (shown in Figures 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3) as we explain in Section 1.3. Finally, in Section 1.4, we define the classical Weyl groups of types A n , B n and D n as abstract groups. We also explain how to construct the groups using the same three infinite families of heaps shown in Section 1.3. Lie algebras A Lie algebra is a vector space g over a field k equipped with a bilinear map [ , ] : g × g → g (the Lie bracket ) satisfying the conditions [ x, x ] = 0, [[ x, y ] , z ] + [[ y, z ] , x ] + [[ z, x ] , y ] = 0, for all x, y, z ∈ g . (These conditions are known respectively as antisymmetry and the Jacobi identity .)
Flagellar Length Control

Publisher Summary Chlamydomonas and other flagellated and ciliated organisms have evolved a specific and sophisticated mechanism for regulating flagellar length. The rate of regeneration of the growing flagellum is somehow coupled to the length of the resorbing flagellum. The strongest evidence that cells actively control flagellar length comes from experiments utilizing mutants with long flagella. Four genes, LF1, LF2, LF3 and LF4, have been identified in which mutation can lead to a long-flagella phenotype. Each of the genes has been cloned, and the gene product characterized. This is evidenced in this chapter with the mechanism of flagella length control. The LF1, LF2, and LF3 genes encode proteins (AAP83163, ABK34487, and AAO62545, respectively) that interact in the regulation of flagellar length. Although there may only be four genes that can produce a long-flagella phenotype upon mutagenesis, there are clearly many other genes involved in flagellar length control. Early models and balance point models are explained elaborately. Biochemical approaches to flagellar length control are likely to be the most important avenue for discovering additional proteins involved in the process.
Conserved Arginines at the P-Protein Stalk Binding Site and the Active Site Are Critical for Ribosome Interactions of Shiga Toxins but Do Not Contribute to Differences in the Affinity of the A1 Subunits for the Ribosome

The A1 subunits of Shiga toxin 1 (Stx1A1) and Shiga toxin 2 (Stx2A1) interact with the conserved C termini of ribosomal-stalk P-proteins to remove a specific adenine from the sarcin/ricin loop. We previously showed that Stx2A1 has higher affinity for the ribosome and higher catalytic activity than Stx1A1. To determine if conserved arginines at the distal face of the active site contribute to the higher affinity of Stx2A1 for the ribosome, we mutated Arg172, Arg176, and Arg179 in both toxins. We show that Arg172 and Arg176 are more important than Arg179 for the depurination activity and toxicity of Stx1A1 and Stx2A1. Mutation of a single arginine reduced the depurination activity of Stx1A1 more than that of Stx2A1. In contrast, mutation of at least two arginines was necessary to reduce depurination by Stx2A1 to a level similar to that of Stx1A1. R176A and R172A/R176A mutations eliminated interaction of Stx1A1 and Stx2A1 with ribosomes and with the stalk, while mutation of Arg170 at the active site reduced the binding affinity of Stx1A1 and Stx2A1 for the ribosome, but not for the stalk. These results demonstrate that conserved arginines at the distal face of the active site are critical for interactions of Stx1A1 and Stx2A1 with the stalk, while a conserved arginine at the active site is critical for non-stalk-specific interactions with the ribosome. Arginine mutations at either site reduced ribosome interactions of Stx1A1 and Stx2A1 similarly, indicating that conserved arginines are critical for ribosome interactions but do not contribute to the higher affinity of Stx2A1 for the ribosome.
Figuring the Other Within: The Gendered Underpinnings of Germ Narratives

Bollinger argues that contagion narratives tend to replicate cultural assumptions about gender and embodiment to the degree they commit to what she calls the “epidemic model.” She uses Katherine Anne Porter’s “Pale Horse, Pale Rider” (written shortly after the Spanish Flu virus was identified) as an archetype of this epidemic model. The chapter then reveals an alternative model of disease representation, which Bollinger terms the “endemic model.” This framework, she argues, constructs microbes as contributing to human biological/cultural evolution in positive ways. Narratives that follow this model, therefore, are capable of depicting the germ-incubating human body in ways that shirk traditional gender norms in showcasing all bodies—male and female—as spaces of productive gestation. In illustrating her point, she traces science fiction epidemic and endemic germ narratives from Jack London’s The Scarlet Plague (1912) and Harriet Stark’s The Bacillus of Beauty (1900) to the present, including Richard Matheson, Sandra Newman, Joan Slonczewski, and Greg Bear.
cuSTINGER: Supporting dynamic graph algorithms for GPUs

cuSTINGER, a new graph data structure targeting NVIDIA GPUs is designed for streaming graphs that evolve over time. cuSTINGER enables algorithm designers greater productivity and efficiency for implementing GPU-based analytics, relieving programmers of managing memory and data placement. In comparison with static graph data structures, which may require transferring the entire graph back and forth between the device and the host memories for each update or require reconstruction on the device, cuSTINGER only requires transferring the updates themselves; reducing the total amount of data transferred. cuSTINGER gives users the flexibility, based on application needs, to update the graph one edge at a time or through batch updates. cuSTINGER supports extremely high update rates, over 1 million updates per second for mid-size batched with 10k updates and 10 million updates per second for large batches with millions of updates.
The Rheological Behaviour of Ice at Small Strains

Many important ice engineering problems are associated with relatively small strain, dynamic loads and stress up to the failure value. The deformation behaviour of ice can be assumed to be made up of three components: fully elastic, delayed elastic and viscous. Based on this assumed rheological model and the results of laboratory and field investigations, the temperature, time, strain and stress conditions are defined for which ice can be assumed to behave in an elastic manner for engineering purposes.
The Distinctive Electronic Structures of Rhenium Tris(thiolate) Complexes, an Unexpected Contrast to the Valence Isoelectronic Ruthenium Tris(thiolate) Complexes.

The noninnocent 2-diphenylphosphino-benzenethiolate (DPPBT) ligand containing both phosphorus and sulfur donors delocalizes the electron density in a manner reminiscent of dithiolenes. The electronic structure of the [ReL3]n (L = DPPBT, n = 0, 1+, 2+) complexes was probed with density-functional theory (DFT) and high-level ab initio methods including complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF and CASPT2) and coupled cluster (CCSD and CCSD(T)). DFT predicts a slight preference for a closed-shell (CS) singlet ground state for the neutral [ReL3]0 and stronger preferences for low-spin ground states for the oxidized [ReL3]+ and [ReL3]2+. High-level ab initio methods confirm a CS singlet with a Re(III) (d4, S = 0) center as the ground state of [ReL3]0. Thus, this neutral Re species has considerably less thiyl radical character than the valence isoelectronic [RuL3]+, which is mainly a Ru(III) (d5, S = 1/2) anti-ferromagnetically (AF) coupled to a thiyl radical (S = 1/2). However, the oxidized derivative...
Abstract 3610: DMH4, A VEGFR2 inhibitor effectively suppresses proliferation and migration of lung cancer cells

Background Currently there is a major unmet medical need for effective therapy of the non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). It is well known that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling plays a critical role in regulating tumor angiogenesis, and bevacizumab is the only approved antiangiogenic agent for the treatment of NSCLC to date. Due to individual differences in drug response, developing novel angiogenic inhibitors is essential for NSCLC treatment. We have recently developed DMH4, a small molecule which specifically inhibits VEGF signaling by targeting VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2) (Hao, et al 2010). Here, we show that DMH4 can effectively suppress proliferation and migration of NSCLC cells. Method Briefly, NSCLC cell line H460, A549 and a lung fibroblast cell line MRC5 was treated by DMH4 at concentrations of 0.25 ug/ml, 0.5 ug/ml,1 ug/ml, 2 ug/ml, 4 ug/ml, 8 ug/ml and 16 ug/ml. MTT assay was taken out for testing cell viability at 24 hr, 48 hr and 72 hr. Meanwhile, FITC Annexin V/PI double staining was taken out to distinguish apoptosis and necrosis. Scratch assay was taken out to evaluate cell migration. Cell lysate was collected at the same time. Phospho-VEGF Receptor 2 level and Phospho-Akt level were tested through Western Blot. 43 apoptosis related protein levels were measured using human apoptosis antibody array assay. Result The data from MTT assay showed that DMH4 treatment decreased cell viability in a dose-depend manner. At the concentrations of 1 ug/ml, DMH4 effectively decreased viabilities of both H460 (82.1%, P Conclusion As it can effectively suppress cell proliferation and migration in NSCLC cells but not in normal lung cells, DMH4 may be a good drug lead as a new VEGFR2 inhibitor for NSCLC treatment in the future. Note: This abstract was not presented at the meeting. Citation Format: Hao Li, Chay Bae, Nicky Gazy, Jijun Hao, Li Zhong. DMH4, A VEGFR2 inhibitor effectively suppresses proliferation and migration of lung cancer cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 3610. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-3610
Non-Transferrin-Mediated Iron Delivery

In iron overload conditions such as thalassemia major and hereditary hemochromatosis, the iron-carrying capacity of plasma transferrin is exceeded, giving rise to non-transferrin-bound iron (NTBI). NTBI is taken up preferentially by the liver, and to a lesser extent, the kidney, pancreas, and heart. How NTBI is taken up by various tissues has been elusive. We recently demonstrated that the plasma membrane metal-ion transporter SLC39A14 (ZIP14) mediates NTBI uptake and iron loading of the liver and pancreas, but not the kidney, heart or most other tissues¹ Given that the heart is particularly susceptible to iron-related toxicity, we are currently investigating the contribution of other iron transporters to iron loading of this organ. Possible alternative cardiac iron importers include L-type and T-type calcium channels, divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1), and SLC39A8 (ZIP8). To examine the role of DMT1 and ZIP8 in cardiac iron metabolism, we generated mice with cardiomyocyte-specific disruption of DMT1 ( Dmt1 heart/heart ) or ZIP8 ( Zip8 heart/heart ). The mice were then crossed with hemojuvelin knockout ( Hjv -/- ) mice, a model of juvenile hemochromatosis characterized by high circulating levels of NTBI. Dmt1 heart/heart mice were found to have cardiac non-heme iron concentrations that were 30% lower ( P Hjv -/- ; Dmt1 heart/heart mice accumulated more cardiac non-heme iron (3.9X control) than did single-mutant Hjv -/- mice (2.3X control) at 6 weeks of age. Cardiac-specific disruption of Zip8 did not affect cardiac non-heme iron concentrations under basal conditions or when mice were crossed with Hjv -/- mice. Collectively, these data indicate that DMT1 and ZIP8 are dispensable for iron loading of the heart in a mouse model of hemochromatosis. Our data additionally suggest that DMT1 may play a role in normal cardiac iron metabolism. Reference: Jenkitkasemwong S, Wang C, Coffey R, et al. SLC39A14 is required for the development of hepatocellular iron overload in murine models of hereditary hemochromatosis. Cell Metabolism .2015; 22(1):138-150. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
The Nuclear Option: Domestic Treaty Withdrawal Mechanisms

Treaties are the main contractual instrument of cooperation between countries. A state can legally denounce a treaty in international law by adhering to the treaty’s withdrawal clause or to the default provisions outlined in the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties. Separate yet parallel withdrawal procedures exist in domestic legal systems. In a multi-year research dataset, 72% of the countries examined had enacted domestic withdrawal procedures which were more lenient than the international procedures; they lacked any notice period and required only the signature of the executive, allowing for swift withdrawal from treaties under domestic law. Domestic withdrawal mechanisms facilitate swift withdrawal when a country is in a state of emergency and unable to continue fulfilling its treaty obligations, but is simultaneously unable to fulfill the notice period imposed by international law. These mechanisms ameliorate only domestic consequences, not international repercussions. The force of a treaty frequently stems from domestic courts, therefore, adherence to domestic, not international, law is of utmost priority. When a treaty is terminated through domestic withdrawal procedures, its force in national courts, and any legal remedy it provides, is also terminated. Although legal under domestic law, unilateral withdrawal without notice is in violation of international law and would create enormous political costs. It is therefore dubbed the “nuclear option.” As with a nuclear strike, the domestic withdrawal mechanisms may never be invoked. Their existence, however, provides a security which likely contributes to countries’ decision to engage with the international system. Despite the widespread repercussions that might result from such internationally sanctioned withdrawal, the domestic mechanisms remain unexamined and unacknowledged by the scholarly community. The international system requires further study in light of the current theories of compliance with the reality that states continue to retain the nuclear option. This Note attempts to explain the continued existence of domestic withdrawal mechanisms despite the presence of flexibility-enhancing mechanisms in international treaty-making.
Synuclein and dopamine: the Bonnie and Clyde of Parkinson's disease.

Mouse models have generally failed to recapitulate the dopaminergic neurodegeneration seen in Parkinson's disease. Expressing mutant α-synuclein in a background of elevated dopamine generates mice with nigrostriatal degeneration.
Complications of the Treatment of Venous Insufficiency

Venous procedures of the lower extremity, when performed for venous insufficiency, have become minimally invasive and are primarily endovascular. This switch in approach from open to endovascular procedures has resulted in fewer and different complications than when open surgery procedures were the primary form of treatment of chronic venous insufficiency. The current endovenous approach leads to several complications that are more common than with open procedures, such as endovenous heat-induced thrombosis (EHIT) and DVT; several that are less common, such as wound infection and hematoma; and several that are uncommon with either approach, such as sensory nerve injury. Knowledge of the frequency and management of these complications is important for preoperative patient counseling, as well as benchmarking surgical practices and understanding the proper management when complications occur.
Reduction in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus biofilms from implant materials in a diffusion dominated environment.

Antibiotic-loaded calcium sulfate beads (CS-B) are used to treat biofilm-related periprosthetic joint infections (PJI). A previous study has shown that such beads are effective in reducing lawns biofilms grown on agar plates; however, the ability of CS-B to eradicate biofilms grown on solid orthopedic material surfaces has not been investigated. We grew biofilms of bioluminescent strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Xen41 and a USA300 MRSA Staphylococcus aureus SAP231 on ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (PE), hydroxyapatite (HA), and 316L stainless steel (SS) coupons for three days under static growth conditions, with daily nutrient exchange. The coupons were rinsed with sterile phosphate buffered saline (PBS) to remove planktonic bacteria and placed in a petri dish, surrounded by four either antibiotic vancomycin and tobramycin loaded (CS-BV+T ) or unloaded beads (CS-BU ). A thin layer of agar was overlaid to simulate a periprosthetic infection where an implant abuts soft tissue and then incubated for 72 h. The amount of biofilm was measured by bioluminescence imaging (BLI) for activity and viable cell count (CFUs). Coupons exposed to CS-BV+T showed a significant reduction in the amount of biofilm within 24 h, regardless of the bacterial strain or material type. The coupons exposed to control CS-BU had no effect on bacteria over 72 h. Statement of Clinical Significance: Antibiotic-loaded calcium sulfate beads (CS-B) were effective in significantly reducing mature biofilms of P. aeruginosa and S. aureus from orthopedic relevant surfaces in our in vitro agar model. © 2018 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 36:3081-3085, 2018.
The Niessen Approach to Singular Hamiltonian Systems

In 1910, Herman Weyl [7] took a major step in opening up the study of singular boundary value problems. He showed that if a second order problem, singular at one end, is restricted to a regular interval, then each regular, separated boundary condition imposed near a singular end is in a 1-to-1 correspondence with a point on a circle in the complex plane. That is, each such boundary condition corresponds to a different point on the circle, and every point on the circle corresponds to a different boundary condition.
Comparing cumulative index and factor analytic approaches to measuring maltreatment in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health

Abstract Child maltreatment is a complex and multifaceted construct in need of advanced statistical techniques to improve its measurement. The current study compared the predictive utility of a cumulative index to a factor analytic approach for constructing a measure of maltreatment. Data were from Waves III and IV of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Wave III: n = 14,800; Wave IV: n = 12,288). As adults, participants retrospectively reported on their childhood experiences of physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, physical neglect, supervisory neglect, and social services investigations. Both the cumulative index and a two-factor solution showed evidence of convergent validity, predicting lifetime incidence of homelessness, being paid for sex, and various measures of running away or living apart from biological parents, and prospectively predicting depression, substance use, and criminal behavior. The latent variables, derived from a factor analytic approach, had greater explanatory power for many outcomes compared to the cumulative index, even when controlling for sociodemographic variables. Results suggest that factor analysis is a better methodology than a cumulative index for measuring maltreatment in large datasets when explanatory power for external outcomes is of greatest concern.
Bronchoscopic and histologic findings during lymphatic intervention for plastic bronchitis

Background Percutaneous lymphatic intervention (PCL) is a promising new therapy for plastic bronchitis (PB). We characterized bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and cast morphology in surgically repaired congenital heart disease (CHD) patients with PB during PCL. We quantified respiratory and bronchoscopic characteristics and correlated them with post-intervention respiratory outcomes. Methods We retrospectively reviewed patients with PB and surgically repaired CHD undergoing PCL and bronchoscopy at our institution. Pre-intervention characteristics, bronchoscopy notes, BAL cell counts, virology, and cultures were collected. A pathologist blinded to clinical data reviewed cast specimens. Respiratory outcomes were evaluated through standardized telephone questionnaire. Results Sixty-two patients were included with a median follow-up of 20 months. No patients experienced airway bleeding, obstruction, or prolonged intubation related to bronchoscopy. Of BAL infectious studies, the positive results were 4 (8%) fungal, 6 (11%) bacterial, and 6 (14%) viral. Median BAL count per 100 cells for neutrophils, lymphocytes, and eosinophils were 13, 10, and 0, respectively. Of 23 bronchial casts analyzed, all contained lymphocytes, and 19 (83%) were proteinaceous, with 14 containing neutrophils and/or eosinophils. Median BAL neutrophil count was greater in patients with proteinaceous neutrophilic or eosinophilic casts compared to casts without neutrophils or lymphocytes (P = 0.030). Post-intervention, there was a significant reduction in respiratory medications and support and casting frequency. Conclusions The predominance of neutrophilic proteinaceous casts and high percentage of positive BAL infectious studies support short-term fibrinolytic and anti-infective therapies in PB in select patients. Flexible bronchoscopy enables safe assessment of cast burden. PCL effectively treats PB and reduces respiratory therapies.
Technique: Posterior Rectus Sheath Release

Approximately 4–5 million laparotomies are performed each year in the United States, 2–20% of which are complicated by incisional hernia (IH) [1]. IH is the most common complication of laparotomy requiring reoperation at a ratio beyond bowel obstruction of 3:1 [2]. The vast majority of hernias develop 6 months to 3 years after laparotomy and are associated with wound infection, obesity, tobacco abuse, immune suppression, and suture closure technique [3, 4]. As such, roughly 200,000 incisional hernia repairs are performed annually with a recurrence rate of 45–50% inclusive of all techniques and 20–30% with mesh repair in all-comers [1, 5, 6]. Factors impacting the success of operative repair include management and optimization of medical comorbidities (i.e., obesity, diabetes, smoking, pulmonary function, MRSA colonization) [2]. Tension-free mesh repair is currently the accepted standard of care given prohibitively high recurrence with suture repair alone [1, 6]. However, despite the groundbreaking work of many herniorrhapists over decades of research, the gold standard of mesh herniorrhaphy remains subject to debate [2].
Post-Occupancy Testing of Thermal Dynamics of Design-Build Residences in Tucson, Arizona

A series of low-cost residences were designed and constructed by students and faculty in the University of Arizona’s design-build program to examine the questions of appropriate materials and technology in the hot arid desert today. Descriptions of three projects representative of the spectrum of materials and conservation strategies in the series include design intentions, research questions, and methodology for study. Thermal sensors placed inside the wall assemblies measured thermal transfer, and post-occupancy assessments revealed energy use in each dwelling as well as occasional mismatches between design assumptions and occupant behavior. These case study prototypes, which were purchased and occupied by families earning less than 80% of the area’s median income, aim to alter default housing design in the Southwest to better suit the climate and available resources.
Deconstructing Successful and Unsuccessful Computer Science Undergraduate Interns

Internships play a crucial role in helping CS undergraduate students to commit to CS degrees and computing careers. Internships also promote students' personal and professional growth. Studies have also shown that pursuing an internship is positively correlated with an improved chance of getting a full-time job offer and a higher starting salary. However, previous research has shown that only 52.1% of undergraduate students pursue an internship before they graduate. In this poster, we present findings from a cross-sectional study focused on understanding the characteristics of CS undergraduate students who have interned at one or more companies and those who have not interned. We surveyed 97 and interviewed 14 CS undergraduates. We found that 41.2% of 97 students participated in one or more internships. The key characteristics that distinguish students who successfully interned and those who did not were: 1) 95% students who interned had career goals - either to join industry or pursue graduate school after they graduate. In contrast, 21% of the students who did not intern were unsure or confused about their career goals; 2) students who interned were more likely to have participated in an undergraduate research experience or a student organization; 3) students who interned intentionally prepared for interviews, while those who did not intern were not actively preparing, not confident enough to apply, or were unsuccessful in the interview process because of lack of preparation. This poster provides insight into CS students' competitiveness for securing internships and for developing programs to support professional development.
Skin Health and Healthy Aging: Skin Cosmetics

Human skin is amazing and beautiful. Like many body systems, human skin changes with increasing age. Some of these changes are intrinsic, but because our skin is what separates us from the environment we live in, our skin is also exposed to many potentially damaging environmental factors. These intrinsic and extrinsic factors put older patients at greater risk for certain skin conditions. Some of these conditions pose little medical threat and are best assessed with regard to their cosmetic impact. These conditions or findings include solar lentigines, seborrheic keratoses, seborrheic dermatitis, and rosacea.
Multi-stimuli responsive trigger for temporally controlled depolymerization of self-immolative polymers

For many decades, stimuli-responsive materials have been studied and utilized in various fields, ranging from chemical sensors to controlled drug release. Among these responsive materials are self-immolative polymers (SIPs) that allow for end-to-end depolymerization and the ability to release a desired cargo on demand or amplify analyte detection. However, in typical SIP systems, the triggering event leads to a relatively uncontrolled degradation process. Herein we present a multi-stimuli trigger that utilizes the combination of heat and acid to impart control over the trigger event and thus the degradation process. By controlling this reaction, we achieve temporal control over the trigger cleavage and subsequent depolymerization and release of cargo from the SIP.
Multi-resolution convolutional neural networks for fully automated segmentation of acutely injured lungs in multiple species

Abstract Segmentation of lungs with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a challenging task due to diffuse opacification in dependent regions which results in little to no contrast at the lung boundary. For segmentation of severely injured lungs, local intensity and texture information, as well as global contextual information, are important factors for consistent inclusion of intrapulmonary structures. In this study, we propose a deep learning framework which uses a novel multi-resolution convolutional neural network (ConvNet) for automated segmentation of lungs in multiple mammalian species with injury models similar to ARDS. The multi-resolution model eliminates the need to tradeoff between high-resolution and global context by using a cascade of low-resolution to high-resolution networks. Transfer learning is used to accommodate the limited number of training datasets. The model was initially pre-trained on human CT images, and subsequently fine-tuned on canine, porcine, and ovine CT images with lung injuries similar to ARDS. The multi-resolution model was compared to both high-resolution and low-resolution networks alone. The multi-resolution model outperformed both the low- and high-resolution models, achieving an overall mean Jacaard index of 0.963 ± 0.025 compared to 0.919 ± 0.027 and 0.950 ± 0.036, respectively, for the animal dataset ( N = 287 ). The multi-resolution model achieves an overall average symmetric surface distance of 0.438 ± 0.315 mm, compared to 0.971 ± 0.368 mm and 0.657 ± 0.519 mm for the low-resolution and high-resolution models, respectively. We conclude that the multi-resolution model produces accurate segmentations in severely injured lungs, which is attributed to the inclusion of both local and global features.
Intergenerational Coresidence and Depressive Symptoms of Rural and Urban Older Adults in China

Objectives:This study aimed to examine whether gender and marital status of coresiding adult children are associated with depressive symptoms of Chinese older adults.Methods:Using data from the Chi...
Building on the Promise of Cancer Vaccines for Solid Tumors

A novel telomerase vaccine (INVAC-1) has been evaluated in a phase I clinical trial (n = 26). It induced CD8+ and CD4+ T-cell responses and reduced circulating regulatory T cells. The findings support further development, especially in combination with vaccine adjuvants, plus therapies to increase immune infiltrates into solid tumor metastases.See related article by Teixeira et al., p. 588.
Contemporaneous avulsion fractures of the inferior clivus and bilateral occipital condyles with injury of the tectorial membrane.

Background Craniocervical junction (CCJ) injuries are highly variable, and there are only limited data to suggest their optimal treatment. Here, we present a rare case of concomitant bilateral occipital condyle fractures with an inferior clival avulsion fracture with concomitant focal injury of the tectorial membrane. Case description Following a motor vehicle accident, a 51-year-old female sustained multiple orthopedic and soft tissue injuries. The cervical computed tomography (CT) showed a bilateral occipital condyle avulsion fractures with an avulsion of the inferior clivus. The cervical magnetic resonance imaging additionally demonstrated focal injury to the tectorial membrane with edema of both atlanto-occipital joints. Although the patient was neurologically intact, the CCJ instability warranted an emergent occiput-C2 (O-C2) posterior instrumented arthrodesis using the modular (multiple piece) occipitocervical (OC) plates/rods. The surgery was uneventful, and the patient remained neurologically intact. The 3-month follow-up cervical X-ray demonstrated continued stability/bony fusion. Conclusion Bilateral condyle fractures with a concomitant inferior clivus fracture are rare, and there is no known optimal strategy. Here, in an intact patient, instability of the CCJ warranted an O-C2 fusion.
The Association Between Race, Obesity, and Sperm Quality Among Men Attending a University Physician Practice in Washington, DC

A decades-long decline in sperm counts in Western countries has coincided with an increase in obesity rates, prompting study into their association. Few of these studies have incorporated men of color, the sperm health of whom is relatively unknown. The present exploratory study evaluated the association between body mass index (BMI), race, ethnicity, and sperm parameters among a diverse sample of U.S. men attending a Washington, DC physician practice. Semen samples were collected and processed at a single laboratory and sperm concentration, motility, morphology, and count were evaluated according to World Health Organization (WHO) 5th edition criteria. Multivariate models accounted for covariates related to sperm health. The study population (n = 128) was largely obese (45.3%) or overweight (34.4%), and 36.0% were black or Hispanic. Black men had lower adjusted sperm concentration compared to white men (75.0 million/mL to 107.4 million/mL, p = .01) and were more likely to have oligozoospermia (p = .01), asthenozoospermia (p = .004), and low sperm count (p < .0001). Hispanic men had higher adjusted sperm concentration compared to non-Hispanic men (124.5 million/mL to 62.1 million/mL, p = .007) and were less likely to have teratozoospermia (p = .001). Obesity and BMI were associated with lower sperm motility and count in crude models only. Given the study's sample size its findings should be interpreted with caution but align with the limited epidemiological literature to date that has evaluated racial and ethnic differences in semen quality. Heightened clinical research attention is needed to ensure men of color are included in representative numbers in studies of urologic and andrologic health.
Social-Structure Learning:

Social-structure learning is the process by which social groups are identified on the basis of experience. Building on models of structure learning in other domains, we formalize this problem withi...
Far infrared characterization of semiconductor microstructures

Intricate semiconductor microstructures require varied methods to examine their properties. Far infrared (FIR) spectroscopy (10–400 cm−1) is contactless and nondestructive. A key to the technique is the simplicity of the FIR superlattice (SL) dielectric function, which at normal incidence is (1)
Semi-transparent p-type barium copper sulfide as a back contact interface layer for cadmium telluride solar cells

Abstract Optically transparent p-type materials play a critical role in transparent electronics including photovoltaic (PV) devices. P-type sulfide materials offer an alternative to oxides for PV application due to improved hole transport properties. Here, we report the solution-based synthesis of earth-abundant p-type transparent conducting barium copper sulfide (α-BaCu4S3, BCS) thin films. These films were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, UV–Vis–NIR spectrophotometry, Raman spectroscopy, and spectroscopic ellipsometry. BCS films of ~100 nm thickness transmit >70% of visible light. We report on tests of the hole transport properties of these BCS films for cadmium telluride (CdTe) photovoltaics, finding that the BCS deposition process forms a beneficial tellurium (Te) rich surface on CdTe by selectively removing Cd from the surface. Based on our study, the BCS interface layer plays dual functions for CdTe PV devices as a hole transport material and as an etchant, enhancing the resulting device performance. We observed a significant increase in open-circuit voltage of CdTe solar cells with the BCS buffer layer. Additionally, we discuss semitransparent CdTe solar cells with BCS as a hole transport layer and indium tin oxide as a finishing electrode. Semitransparent CdTe solar cells shows 13.3% conversion efficiency for the front side illumination and 1.2% efficiency for back side illumination, indicating high recombination of charge carriers generated close to the rear CdTe/BCS/ITO contact.
164. Development and validation of machine learning algorithms for predicting mortality following surgery for metastatic spine tumors: metastatic mortality scoring system (MMS)

BACKGROUND CONTEXT Preoperative prognostication of 30-day mortality in patients with metastatic spine tumors can optimize surgical risk stratification and guide the decision-making process to improve survival. PURPOSE To develop and validate a set of predictive variables of 30-day mortality following surgery for metastatic spine tumors. STUDY DESIGN/SETTING The patient cohort was identified from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (2005-2016). PATIENT SAMPLE Statistical analysis included 3,566 patients with 30-day mortality in 2.8% (n=100) patients. OUTCOME MEASURES Machine Learning Algorithm METHODS We performed logistic regression (enter, stepwise and forward) and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) method for selection of variables, which resulted in 18-candidate models. The final model was selected based upon clinical knowledge and numerical results. RESULTS The model with 10-predictive factors which included: gender, American Society of Anesthesiologiss Grade, body mass index, location of the tumor, type of surgery, functional health status, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, preoperative serum albumin, preoperative hematocrit and preoperative white blood cell count performed best on discrimination, calibration, Brier score and decision analysis to develop a machine learning algorithm. Logistic regression showed higher AUCs than LASSO across these different models. The predictive probability derived from the best model was uploaded on an open access web application which can be found at: https://spine.massgeneral.org/drupal/Mortality-MetastaticSpineTumor CONCLUSIONS Machine learning algorithms show promising results for predicting 30-day mortality following surgery for metastatic spine tumors. These algorithms can be useful aids for counseling patients, assessing pre-operative medical risks, and predicting survival after surgery. FDA DEVICE/DRUG STATUS This abstract does not discuss or include any applicable devices or drugs.