cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
14: An Institutional Review of Molecular Profiling in Lung and Colorectal Carcinomas: Guideline Adherence and Test Utilization

Purpose: Tumor molecular profiling is becoming an increasingly common component of cancer diagnostic algorithms, driven largely by the need to determine eligibility for targeted molecular therapies. Despite the significant volume and cost of testing, guideline adherence and use of results are not well described. The purpose of our study was to review all lung adenocarcinoma (LAC) and colorectal cancer (CRC) cases sent for clinician-ordered molecular testing over a 3-year period to assess: (1) adherence to guidelines, (2) whether results guided molecular …
At Risk on the Border: Assessment of Student Learning at an Hispanic Serving Institution

Hispanics face multiple barriers to academic achievement. This study measured learning in an undergraduate criminal justice program at an Hispanic Serving Institution bordering Mexico. We e...
On Reliability of Routes Computed Based on Crowdsourced Points of Interest

Today’s routing services provide routes that meet different needs and preferences of different users. To compute desired (optimal) routes, these services must support databases that contain accurate origin and destination locations, a high accuracy road network database, and an optimization algorithm. Origin and destination (O/D) locations are commonly collected by professional, commercial, and crowd sources via manual or automatic (geocoding) approaches. The routes computed for the same pairs of locations (O/D) obtained from different sources may be different. Considering the increased interest in collecting points of interest (POIs) through crowdsourcing, in this chapter, we address this research question: Are the routes computed using crowdsourced POIs (as O/D) reliable? To address this question, we conducted experiments where routes (shortest and fastest) computed using crowdsourced POIs (e.g., through OpenStreetMap) were compared with the routes computed using POIs obtained from professional and commercial sources. Metrics including route length, travel time, Euclidian distance, and number of road segments were used in the comparisons. The results reveal that, in general, though there are no significant differences between the routes, differences usually occur at or near origins and destinations.
Phase Composition Maps integrate mineral compositions with rock textures from the micro-meter to the thin section scale

Abstract Textures and compositions are critical information for interpreting rock formation. Existing methods to integrate both types of information favor high-resolution images of mineral compositions over small areas or low-resolution images of larger areas for phase identification. The method in this paper produces images of individual phases in which textural and compositional details are resolved over three orders of magnitude, from tens of micrometers to tens of millimeters. To construct these images, called Phase Composition Maps (PCMs), we make use of the resolution in backscattered electron (BSE) images and calibrate the gray scale values with mineral analyses by energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS). The resulting images show the area of a standard thin section (roughly 40 mm × 20 mm) with spatial resolution as good as 3.5 μm/pixel, or more than 81 000 pixels/mm 2 , comparable to the resolution of X-ray element maps produced by wavelength-dispersive spectrometry (WDS). Procedures to create PCMs for mafic igneous rocks with multivariate linear regression models for minerals with solid solution (olivine, plagioclase feldspar, and pyroxenes) are presented and are applicable to other rock types. PCMs are processed using threshold functions based on the regression models to image specific composition ranges of minerals. PCMs are constructed using widely-available instrumentation: a scanning-electron microscope (SEM) with BSE and EDS X-ray detectors and standard image processing software such as ImageJ and Adobe Photoshop. Three brief applications illustrate the use of PCMs as petrologic tools: to reveal mineral composition patterns at multiple scales; to generate crystal size distributions for intracrystalline compositional zones and compare growth over time; and to image spatial distributions of minerals at different stages of magma crystallization by integrating textures and compositions with thermodynamic modeling.
Rare case of pulmonary involvement in an adult with Kawasaki disease

Kawasaki disease is an acute, self-limited, febrile vasculitis typically seen in early childhood. Pulmonary involvement is uncommon and is not part of the conventional diagnostic criteria. We add to the literature a unique case of a 22year-old male with Kawasaki disease and pulmonary involvement. It illustrates the importance of recognizing unusual presentations of Kawasaki disease and highlights the possibility of pulmonary abnormalities on physical and imaging examination. Awareness of such presentations can help avoid delayed diagnosis, prevent the development of coronary aneurysms, and allow careful observation for imaging resolution.
Effects of extinction of a nontarget CS on performance to a target CS

Abstract When a target conditioned stimulus (CS A) is paired with an unconditioned stimulus in the presence of a second, conditioned stimulus (CS B) during compound conditioning trials, the associative strength of CS B can influence the magnitude of the conditioned response (CR) to CS A. For example, extinction of the competing, nontarget CS B can influence the CR to CS A. An enhancement of the CR to the target CS A due to extinction of the nontarget CS B after compound conditioning is sometimes referred to as “recovery from overshadowing” – a type of retrospective revaluation. The present experiments examined retrospective revaluation effects using a conditioned taste aversion procedure. The experiments obtained an effect on the CR to CS A following extinction of CS B. The results are discussed with respect to the comparator hypothesis, within-compound associations, and retrieval as well as other relationships between the target CS and nontarget CS.
Monitoring in Acute Care Environments: Unique Aspects of Intensive Care Units, Operating Rooms, Recovery Rooms, and Telemetry Floors

The major goal of care for patients in high-acuity settings is to correct detrimental physiologic states while avoiding, preventing, or mitigating additional insults. Achieving this goal by collecting monitor data can be problematic due to the challenges of data resolution, storage limitations, and a lack of device interoperability that all limit device integration and the automatic collection of data. Artifacts in the data collected may exist due to an absence of filters, increasing the signal-to-noise ratio. In many circumstances, artifacts lead to false positives and can create “alarm fatigue.” Artifacts also decrease the data quality needed for data-driven or model-based decision support. Ultimately, the application of bedside monitors’ real-time data through decision support engines could facilitate communication and predict, identify, diagnose, and guide the treatment of evolving medical conditions to improve outcomes and avoid suboptimal care. However, improved outcomes solely using monitoring data have proved elusive thus far.
Loneliness and Social Anxiety

A great deal of recent research in psychology has focused on the role of close personal relationships in behavior and experience. For example, topics such as social support, friendship, jealousy, marriage, and divorce have received increasing attention in recent years. Such research has extended our appreciation of the centrality of personal relationships while also verifying the relevance of close relationships to a wide variety of psychological and other processes, including, for example, physical and mental health.
Temperament and Intelligence

In this chapter, we address one of the central themes of development charted in the FLS, intelligence. The interface and overlap between temperament and cognitive ability from infancy though adolescence are examined. As noted in chapter 1, five issues will be addressed: 1 1. Which dimensions of temperament correlate with concurrently-administered standardized tests of intelligence? The temperamental concomitants of intelligence are examined across the infant, preschool, middle childhood, and adolescent eras. 2 2. Can the temperament-intelligence relationship be explained by test-taking behaviors during the administration of the intellectual tests? At three points in time during the FLS, test-taking behavior as a possible mediating variable between temperament and intelligence test scores was examined. 3 3. Are the relations evident between temperament and cognitive skills as measured by standardized tests also evident when parent reports of developmental progress are used? As another approach to explore the possible mediating effect of test taking behavior on the relation between temperament and intelligence, we examined the relation between temperament and parent reports of developmental progress on standardized inventories of child development. 4 4. To what extent do aspects of earlier temperament forecast or predict intellectual development throughout childhood and adolescence? A necessary but not sufficient observation for temperament to influence children’s cognitive/intellectual growth is that earlier temperament relate to subsequent intelligence. In this section, the degree of relation between earlier temperament and intelligence across shorter and longer intervals of time are examined. 5 5. To what extent do earlier measures of children’s intelligence predict temperament and personality? In the final section, FLS measures of intelligence are examined as potential predictors of children’s behavioral style and personality. Concurrent temperament-intelligence relations do not elucidate whether individual differences in children’s ability to process and coordinate information and communicate their needs effectively may impact their behavioral styles. Hence, earlier measures of intelligence as predictors of subsequent temperament are examined to ascertain whether empirical evidence exists to support this possible direction of relation. Furthermore, discussion regarding the intersection between personality and intelligence has been revisited recently (Collis & Messick, 2001). In chapter 3, data from the FLS failed to show direct links between temperament during infancy, preschool years, or middle childhood with personality at age 17. To conclude chapter 5, we examine the extent to which early measures of intelligence foretell personality.
Descriptions and Assessments of Defendants

For both prosecution and defense, a prominent factor in the discussion of what should be done with Frank Bryan’s case was their assessment of what kind of person he was. Observers of discretion in the criminal-justice process generally argue that talk about “who a defendant is” is at least as important in the determination of what should be done as are the so-called “facts” of the case.1 This view has to be modified somewhat in light of the argument of the last chapter that many cases are settled routinely, without extensive deliberation of “character” or “facts.” Yet, in cases where lawyers take strong adversary stances, they do consider background factors not legally relevant to the question of whether the defendant is guilty as charged (cf. Newman, 1966: 114–130), including the person’s age, mentality, respectability, and so on.
Use of lidar-derived landscape parameters to characterize alternative harvest system options in the Inland Northwest

ABSTRACTAs innovative harvest systems are developed, the extent to which they can be utilized on the landscape based on machine capabilities is often unclear to forest managers. Spatial decision support models may aid contractors and forest planners in choosing appropriate logging systems based on topography and stand characteristics. Lidar and inventory data from 91 sample plots were used to model site characteristics for 2627 stands in the Slate Creek drainage on the Nez Perce Clearwater National Forest in north-central Idaho, USA, and were integrated into a decision support model to compare harvest system selection using five harvest systems and three scenarios. In two of the scenarios, shovel harvester-based logging systems, which are not common in the area, were included to determine potential sites where integration of these systems is possible based on landscape and stand conditions. Lidar-derived predictions for volume and trees per hectare were determined with model accuracies of 76.4% and 70.3%,...
Iridium-promoted conversion of terminal epoxides to primary alcohols under acidic conditions using hydrogen

A strategy for the conversion of terminal epoxides to primary alcohols is presented. The reaction uses hydrogen as the only stoichiometric reagent and is promoted by an iridium precatalyst under acidic conditions. Selectivity for the formation of a terminal alcohol over an internal alcohol is observed for both alkyl- and aryl-substituted terminal epoxides in isolated yields of up to 50% and 72% respectively.
Improvement on Security of SMS Verification Codes

Nowadays many online service providers use SMS verification codes as a major or supplementary authentication method to verify identity of the user. However, we notice that there are several ways to intercept the SMS verification codes so that the attacker can impersonate the actual user. To counter this type of attacks, we bring up the idea that requires the SMS verification code be sent to not only the exact phone number but also the exact phone of the registered user and be used to generate a one time passcode (OTP). We propose a possession-based SMS verification framework and implementation algorithms in it, and analyze the security and performance features of them. The solution is generic to all platforms and operating systems, and our analysis demonstrates that even in the case that the attacker manages to intercept the original SMS verification code successfully by any technical or social engineering means, derivation of a valid OTP is computationally infeasible.
Percutaneous Cryogenic Neurolysis of the Articular Nerve of Luschka

Percutaneous cryogenic block of the facet nerve of Luschka was attempted in an effort to extend the duration of relief from intractable back pain. Following study in dogs, the method was tried in ten patients, with dramatic immediate improvement in nine, and significant relief continuing up to three months in four of the patients. Criteria for selection of patients and the technique are described.
Witty Latina grandmas, silly skeletons, and birthday cakes: A library program focused on bilingual literacy

72 In this article, we present a series of recommendations to increase the patronage of Latino/a families in Indiana libraries. We briefly describe a collaborative effort to develop a bilingual program at a public library in the Greater Lafayette area in Indiana, which was funded by a small service-learning grant from Purdue University. We focus on five lessons learned in this initiative and its implications for improving library services for culturally and linguistically diverse families. In particular, we encourage libraries to establish partnerships with local institutions that may help in recruiting patrons and securing funds for library programs. Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Cambria","serif";}
Lifetime lamb and wool production of targhee or Finn-Dorset-Targhee ewes managed as farm or range flock: II. Cumulative lamb and wool production

Cumulative lifetime (five lamb crops) lamb production and wool production of 681 ewes were evaluated in this study. Lamb production and wool production from each ewe at the end of age 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 yr were added to the previous year's production and analyzed within age of ewe. If a ewe failed to lamb, died, or was culled, it received a zero for that year and subsequent years. Main effects in the model included ewe breed and management system. Per ewe entering the study, Finn-Dorset-Targhee (FDT) ewes had a higher (P < .01) number of lambs born (7.42 vs 5.70), number of lambs weaned (5.39 vs 4.48), and total lamb weight weaned (131.7 vs 110.5 kg) than did Targhee ewes. Targhee ewes produced more (P < .01) wool (16.1 vs 13.6 kg) than FDT ewes. Range flock ewes had a higher number of lambs born (6.74 vs 6.38; P < .05), number of lambs weaned (5.39 vs 4.48; P < .01), and total lamb weight weaned (135.8 vs 106.5 kg; P < .01) than did farm flock ewes. Farm flock ewes produced more (P < .01) wool (15.2 vs 14.5 kg). A second analysis based on only those ewes retained at the start of each subsequent breeding season showed FDT ewes had a higher (P < .01) number of lambs born (9.96 vs 8.11), number of lambs weaned (7.61 vs 6.57), and total lamb weight weaned (183.8 vs 165.7 kg) after five lamb crops. Targhee ewes produced more (P < .01) wool (22.5 vs 17.6 kg). Farm flock ewes had a higher (P < .10) number of lambs born (9.18 vs 8.89) and produced more (P < .01) wool (21.1 vs 19.0 kg) than range flock ewes. Range flock ewes weaned more (P < .05) lambs (7.27 vs 6.92) and had more (P < .01) total lamb weight weaned (184.3 vs 165.2 kg) than farm flock ewes.
Comparison of animal daily doses and days of therapy for antimicrobials in species of veterinary importance

Abstract Characterizing antimicrobial use in animal populations is critical for purposes of antimicrobial stewardship. While dose-based metrics such as the animal daily dose (ADD) are typically used for such purposes, duration of therapy is emerging as a critical and more intuitive metric. In theory, the number of ADDs should approximate the number of days of therapy (DOTs), but no studies have examined whether this is the case. The objective of this study was to compare antimicrobial ADDs with antimicrobial DOTs in three populations: canine patients, large animal hospital patients, and dairy herds. In the first two populations, dose-based metrics were calculated using administrative hospital records while duration-based metrics were ascertained from manual chart review of individual animals. In the dairy herds, both metrics were obtained via farmer self-report. We found that the correlation between the number of ADDs and DOTs was poor for hospital patients (Lin correlation coefficients of 0.16 and 0.18 for small and large animals, respectively) and that there were often large differences between the two metrics for all populations, with ADDs most often overestimating the number of DOTs. While the median (IQR) differences between the number of DOTs and ADDs were relatively small (-9.4 (-25.7-(-0.92)), 0.34 (-5.0–4.0), and 0.0 (-18.0–9.0) among canine patients, large animal hospital patients, and dairy herds, respectively), the limits of agreement (-89.4–13.2, -37.7–9.9, and -100.0–53.0, respectively) were likely too large to be acceptable for most investigative purposes. Increased discrepancies between the two metrics were significantly associated with certain animal species (e.g., dogs, small ruminants) and drug classes (e.g., penicillins, cephalosporins, macrolides), decreased animal weight, and increased length of hospital stay. While the number of ADDs can approximate the number of DOTs under certain circumstances, the large limits of agreement between these two measurements suggest that the ADD is generally not a reliable proxy for the duration of therapy.
Morphologic and Functional Changes after LVAD Implantation in Patients with Preoperative Severe Mitral Regurgitation

Purpose Examined cardiac changes after continuous flow left ventricular assist device (cfLVAD) implantation in patients with preop severe mitral regurgitation (MR). Methods From 2003-2017, 134 patients with severe MR had cfVLAD implant without mitral valve (MV) intervention. We assessed echocardiographic (echo) features pre-cfLVAD, early post-cfLVAD, and the last available echo. Ventricular and atrial volumes were calculated from established area-length formulas. Volumes were normalized to predicted volume given sex, body habitus and age. Values were compared using paired or independent t-test or Wilcoxon analysis. Two step cluster analysis based on preop normalized left ventricular and atrial volumes and MV height identified 3 groups with a silhouette measure of 0.4 (table). Results Median echo follow up for early and late times were 0.92 months (IQR=0.90) and 15.16 months (IQR=33.00) respectively. MR improved early after cfLVAD by 2.10+1.16 g rades (P Conclusion Smaller overall cardiac dimension predicts improvement in severe MR after cfLVAD. Larger left atrial size is independently predictive of MR improvement perhaps reflecting MR chronicity. Despite cfLVAD, right heart function continues to decline over time.
Discovery Principles and Materials for Symmetry-Protected Persistent Spin Textures with Long Spin Lifetimes

Summary Persistent spin textures (PSTs) in solid-state materials arise from a unidirectional spin-orbit field in momentum space and offer a route to deliver the necessary long carrier spin lifetimes utilized in future quantum microelectronic devices. Nonetheless, few bulk materials host PSTs owing to crystal symmetry and chemical requirements, with even fewer experimentally demonstrated examples. This scarcity makes both PST materials discovery and performance assessment challenging. Here, we demonstrate that bulk PSTs exist in the family of layered A3B2O7 oxides and that a persistent spin helix (PSH) occurs over a large region of the Brillouin zone—a feature essential to experimental realization. By solving the spin-diffusion equations in the strong coupling limit and using the PST performance criteria we formulate, we find that the spin lifetime of the PSH is ∼63 ns in Sr3Hf2O7—substantially larger than that predicted (∼10 ns) and demonstrated experimentally (∼600 ps) in GaAs/AlGaAs quantum wells.
Exploring Single-Cell Data with Multitasking Deep Neural Networks

Handling the vast amounts of single-cell RNA-sequencing and CyTOF data, which are now being generated in patient cohorts, presents a computational challenge due to the noise, complexity, sparsity and batch effects present. Here, we propose a unified deep neural network-based approach to automatically process and extract structure from these massive datasets. Our unsupervised architecture, called SAUCIE (Sparse Autoencoder for Unsupervised Clustering, Imputation, and Embedding), simultaneously performs several key tasks for single-cell data analysis including 1) clustering, 2) batch correction, 3) visualization, and 4) denoising/imputation. SAUCIE is trained to recreate its own input after reducing its dimensionality in a 2-D embedding layer which can be used to visualize the data. Additionally, it uses two novel regularizations: (1) an information dimension regularization to penalize entropy as computed on normalized activation values of the layer, and thereby encourage binary-like encodings that are amenable to clustering and (2) a Maximal Mean Discrepancy penalty to correct batch effects. Thus SAUCIE has a single architecture that denoises, batch-corrects, visualizes and clusters data using a unified representation. We show results on artificial data where ground truth is known, as well as mass cytometry data from dengue patients, and single-cell RNA-sequencing data from embryonic mouse brain.
Surgery Provider Perceptions on Telehealth Visits During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Room for Improvement.

Abstract Background COVID-19 has mandated rapid adoption of telehealth for surgical care. However, many surgical providers may be unfamiliar with telehealth. This study evaluates the perspectives of surgical providers practicing telehealth care during COVID-19 to help identify targets for surgical telehealth optimization. Materials and methods At a single tertiary care center with telehealth capabilities, all department of surgery providers (attending surgeons, residents, fellows, and advanced practice providers) were emailed a voluntary survey focused on telehealth during the pandemic. Descriptive statistics and Mann–Whitney U analyses were performed as appropriate on responses. Text responses were thematically coded to identify key concepts. Results The completion rate was 41.3% (145/351). Providers reported increased telehealth usage relative to the pandemic (P Conclusions Telehealth remains a new experience for surgical providers despite its expansion. Optimization strategies should target technology barriers and include specialized virtual exam and communication training.
Evaluation of Conotruncal Abnormalities

Conotruncal malformations encompass a group of congenital heart defects with abnormal ventriculo-arterial connections. The conotruncal abnormalities are often seen in association with other cardiac defects, and the intracardiac anatomy can be quite complex. Cardiac surgery is almost always required to repair the anatomic abnormalities and restore normal physiology. As such, transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is often required in the intraoperative setting in order to evaluate and confirm preoperatively the cardiac abnormalities, and to assess the cardiac repair postoperatively. Moreover, patients with a conotruncal malformation (operated and sometimes unoperated) will survive into adulthood, and in the ambulatory setting, TEE can provide important anatomic and physiologic information superior to that available by transthoracic echocardiography. This chapter discusses the TEE evaluation of the most common and important conotruncal defects, including tetralogy of Fallot, double outlet right ventricle, truncus arteriosus, transposition of the great arteries (also known as complete, or D-transposition of the great arteries), and congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries.
A Pharmacist-Driven Intervention Designed to Improve Medication Accuracy in the Outpatient Kidney Transplant Setting.

Background Medication errors are one of the leading causes of complications and readmissions in healthcare and stem directly from inadequate medication lists. In transplantation, medication discrepancies can lead to fluctuating levels of immunosuppression, resulting in rejection, infection, or drug toxicity. Methods We implemented a pharmacist-driven intervention designed to improve the accuracy of outpatient kidney transplant patients' medication lists in the electronic medical record (EMR). Baseline medication error rates (Phase 1) were collected, and the intervention was a dedicated pharmacist (Phase 2) who performed medication reconciliation with patients. The primary outcome was the percent of patients with inadequate medication reconciliation determined by any one error in medication reconciliation (Phase 1 vs Phase 2). Secondary outcomes included the number of medication errors, of all medications and high-risk medications, identified per patient sample using statistical process control phase analysis. Results Pharmacist-driven medication reconciliation significantly reduced medication list discrepancies from 95% to 28% (P<0.05). There were a total of 398 errors in the control group and 49 errors in the intervention group. In addition, there were 73 high-risk medication discrepancies in the control group and three in the intervention group. The total number of medication errors decreased post-intervention with a marked reduction in the variation of control limits (LCL, UCL: phase 1, -34.3, 113.9; phase 2, -7.1, 15.3) and average number of medication errors per sample (phase 1, 39.8; phase 2, 14.1). For high-risk medications, phase analysis demonstrated a marked reduction in control limit variation between phases (LCL, UCL: phase 1, -10.4, 25.0; phase 2, -0.5, 0.7) and average number of medication errors per sample (phase 1, 7.3; phase 2, 0.1). Discussion A dedicated pharmacist improved medication list accuracy over conventional practice that utilizes transplant nurses and physicians. Further studies into the cost-effectiveness of this strategy should further justify this approach.
The development of a current events and dialogue forum at a large U.S. academic medical center.

The Vanderbilt Community Circle (VC2) was designed to provide all faculty, staff, and students within the entire Vanderbilt University Medical Center community a dedicated venue to discuss current events and ongoing societal issues. During the 2017–18 academic year, four VC2 events were held on: “Race, identity, and conflict in America,” “Gun violence in America,” “Gender in the workplace,” and “Immigration in America.” Facilitators guided participants to share their views and perspectives on these matters with pre-developed open-ended questions. Attendees started discussions in small groups and then eventually combined into a large one. Pre- and post-event surveys were administered to measure the program’s effectiveness. One-hundred and twenty-four participants were included, 75 of whom completed both the pre- and post-event surveys. Sixty-four of the 75 (85%) agreed or strongly agreed that “multiple perspectives and opinions were represented” and 73% felt that their “own perspective was broadened on the issue.” Most (89%) believed that the format and setting of the event was conducive to dialogue and discussion, and almost all (91%) reported that they would attend a similar event in the future. Groningen Reflection Ability Scale scores were high before (94 [25th–75th: 88–99]) and remained high after the events (93 [25th–75th: 88–93.3], p > 0.05). We successfully implemented a medical center-wide, recurring current events and dialogue forum in hopes of increasing reflection, unity, and understanding across our own community.
Microbiome Dynamics During Chemoradiotherapy for Anal Cancer

Abstract IMPORTANCE Patients with localized squamous cell carcinoma of the anus (SCCA) who experience treatment toxicity or recurrences have few therapeutic options. Investigation into the microbiome’s influence on treatment toxicity or its potential use as a predictive biomarker in this rare disease could improve these patients’ outcomes. OBJECTIVE To longitudinally characterize the SCCA tumor microbiome and assess its association with treatment-related toxicities. DESIGN Prospective cohort study. SETTING Single tertiary cancer center. PARTICIPANTS Twenty-two patients with biopsy-confirmed non-metastatic SCCA receiving standard-of-care chemoradiotherapy as part of an Institutional Review Board-approved study from April 2017 to July 2019. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Diversity and taxonomic characterization of the SCCA microbiome throughout chemoradiotherapy using swab-based anorectal microbial specimen collection and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. RESULTS Twenty-two SCCA patients were included in this study with a median (range) age of 58.5 (39-77), and 18 (82%) were women. Alpha diversity remained relatively stable throughout chemoradiotherapy, except for decreases in the Chao1 (P=0.03) and Observed Features (P=0.03) indices at week 5 relative to baseline. Tumor microbial compositions measured using weighted UniFrac changed significantly by the end of treatment (P=0.03). Linear discriminant analysis effect sizes revealed differential enrichment of bacteria at specific time points, including the enrichment of Clostridia at both baseline and follow-up and the enrichment of Corynebacterium at week 5. Patients experiencing high toxicity at week 5 had higher relative abundances of Clostridia, Actinobacteria, and Clostridiales at baseline (P=0.03 for all). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Our study presents the first longitudinal characterization of the SCCA microbiome throughout chemoradiation. The tumor microbiome undergoes significant changes during and after chemoradiotherapy, and patient-reported toxicity levels are associated with patients’ microbial profiles. Further studies into these microbial characterizations and associations are needed to elucidate the tumor microbiome’s role in predicting treatment-related outcomes for SCCA patients. Key Points QUESTION How does the squamous cell anal tumor microbiome change during chemoradiotherapy, and how do these changes influence treatment-related toxicity? FINDINGS Prospective longitudinal characterization of anal cancer patients revealed significant modulation of the local tumor microbiome in response to chemoradiotherapy including shifts in overall composition and differential enrichment of key taxa. Additionally, enrichment of specific taxa at baseline was associated with increased levels of treatment-related toxicities by the end of treatment. MEANING The anal tumor microbiome is significantly altered by chemoradiotherapy and could potentially serve as a biomarker for treatment-related toxicities.
Capitalization versus Expensing: Evidence on the Uncertainty of Future Earnings from Capital Expenditures versus R&D Outlays

We propose and implement a new method to estimate the relation between R&D investments and the uncertainty of future benefits from those investments. The empirical analysis compares the relative contributions of current investments in R&D and PP&E to future earnings variability using a sample of roughly 50,000 firm-year observations from 1972–1997. Evidence is strongly consistent with the hypothesis that R&D investments generate future benefits that are far more uncertain than benefits from investments in PP&E. Our results should help the current discussion on accounting for R&D and the methodology might be helpful in standard setting in other contexts as well.
Recent Advances in the L-A-S Software used in CAD of Control Systems

Abstract This paper reviews the basic features of a high-level, interactive, conversational language called L-A-S (Linear AIgebra and Systems). Particular emphasis is placed upon recent developments of this Computer-Aided Design (CAD) language. Unlike the conventional menu-driven approach of many CAD packages, L -A -S provides the user with considerable flexibility in the development and maintenance of linear algebra and control algorithms. L-A-S is both a language and an interpreter. Users or L-A-S write programes while interacting with the Interpreter. Programs may he edited, stored, recalled, and executed with the same or a differernt data set. L-A-S data strunures include matrices, polynomials (continuos or discrete). and matrices of polynomials. In this paper. we briefly review the basics or the L-A-S language. Then. we concentrate on those features of L-A-S which have been added within the last year. These include the Multiple Operator Statement (MOS), L-A-S lNT-delined suhroutines. and the most-reccnt “echo” feature for interaction with the interpreter. Example, accompany the text to illustrate each new feature.
Studying Thermomechanical Fatigue of Hastelloy X using Digital Image Correlation

Hastelloy X, a nickel based superalloy, has been extensively used in the past for high temperature applications. However, less is known about its thermomechanical fatigue response compared to other structural metals. Generally, the relation between microscale and macroscale is vital in order to identify specific phenomena that contribute to the cracked component fatigue lifetime. In this work, Hastelloy X notched samples were used to investigate fatigue crack nucleation near the notch and subsequent fatigue crack growth. Isothermal experiments at varying temperatures (up to 1,000°C) were performed while the specimen was fatigue loaded to advance the crack. Macroscale Digital Image Correlation (DIC) was performed on images taken at various stages of crack growth. In addition, using images obtained directly behind the crack tip, microscale DIC was used to quantify the effects of crack closure. The interaction of crack closure and far-field loading was investigated as a function of temperature. The combination of full-field macroscale and near-tip microscale measurements will aid in the development and understanding of a multiscale fatigue crack growth model.
The effect of nonphysical traits on the perception of physical attractiveness: Three naturalistic studies

From an evolutionary perspective, beauty is regarded as an assessment of fitness value. The fitness value of a social partner can be influenced by both physical and nonphysical traits. It follows that the perceived beauty of a social partner can be influenced by nonphysical traits such as liking, respect, familiarity, and contribution to shared goals in addition to physical traits such as youth, waist-to-hip ratio, and bilateral symmetry. We present three studies involving the evaluation of known social partners showing that judgments of physical attractiveness are strongly influenced by nonphysical factors. Females are more strongly influenced by nonphysical factors than males and there are large individual differences within each sex. In general, research on physical attractiveness based on the evaluation of purely physical traits of strangers might miss some of the most important factors influencing the perception of physical attractiveness among known associates.
Near-side Δη Correlations of High pT Hadrons from STAR

Abstract Systematic measurements of pseudorapidity (Δ η ) and azimuthal (Δ ϕ ) correlations between high- p T charged hadrons and associated particles from the high statistics 200 GeV Au+Au dataset will be presented. This extends previous measurements where differences in the near-side Δ η correlation between central Au+Au and the lighter systems, d+Au and p+p, were observed, including a long-range near-side correlation in Au+Au collisions. Studies to characterize the properties of the long-range correlation are presented.
Structural default model with mutual obligations

In this paper we consider mutual obligations in an interconnected bank system and analyze their impact on the joint and marginal survival probabilities for individual banks. We also calculate prices of the corresponding credit default swaps and first-to-default swaps. To make the role of mutual obligations more transparent, we develop a simple structural default model with banks’ assets driven by correlated multidimensional Brownian motion with drift. We calculate closed form expressions for many quantities of interest and use them for the efficient model calibration. We demonstrate that mutual obligations have noticeable impact on the system behavior.
Digital piracy: Price-quality competition between legal firms and P2P network hosts

Abstract This paper examines competition between firms that produce legal information goods and host sites that index P2P links. Specifically, we develop a simple model in which a legal firm determines price for its information good and a P2P host site decides on its investment to improve the quality and accessibility of the information goods linked to its site for free download. In the analysis, users choose between goods that are both horizontally and vertically differentiated. We show conditions under which the profitability of legal firms may or may not be negatively affected by the presence of a P2P network. In addition, we demonstrate the resilience of P2P host sites to distribute digital goods. Our approach extends earlier studies in the literature to further allow for price-quality competition between legal firms and P2P network hosts.
A lower bound on the competitive ratio of truthful auctions

We study a class of single-round, sealed-bid auctions for a set of identical items. We adopt the worst case competitive framework defined by [6,3] that compares the profit of an auction to that of an optimal single price sale to at least two bidders. In this framework, we give a lower bound of 2.42 (an improvement from the bound of 2 given in [3]) on the competitive ratio of any truthful auction, one where each bidders best strategy is to declare the true maximum value an item is worth to them. This result contrasts with the 3.39 competitive ratio of the best known truthful auction [4].
Querying the uncertain position of moving objects

In this paper we propose a data model for representing moving objects with uncertain positions in database systems. It is called the Moving Objects Spatio-Temporal (MOST) data model. We also propose Future Temporal Logic (FTL) as the query language for the MOST model, and devise an algorithm for processing FTL queries in MOST.
Static Program Analysis via 3-Valued Logic

Abstract interpretation serves as a powerful theoretical tool for developing and justifying program-analysis algorithms. It provides a way to establish that information extracted from a program by a program-analysis algorithm is a meaningful characterization of what can occur when the program is executed. Typically, however, it is not an easy task to obtain the appropriate abstract state-transformation functions and to show that they are correct. On the contrary, papers on program analysis often contain exhaustive (and exhausting) proofs to demonstrate that a given abstract semantics provides answers that are safe with respect to a given concrete semantics.
Toll-Like Receptors: Linking Innate and Adaptive Immunity

Work in recent years has shown an essential role for Toll-like receptors (TLRs) in the activation of innate and adaptive immunity in vertebrate animals. These germ-line encoded receptors, expressed on a diverse variety of cells and tissues, recognize conserved molecular products derived from various classes of pathogens, including Gram-positive and -negative bacteria, DNA and RNA viruses, fungi and protozoa. Ligand recognition induces a conserved host defense program, which includes production of inflammatory cytokines, upregulation of costimulatory molecules, and induction of antimicrobial defenses. Importantly, activation of dendritic cells by TLR ligands is necessary for their maturation and consequent ability to initiate adaptive immune responses. How responses are tailored by individual TLRs to contain specific classes of pathogens is not yet clear.
Rapid: Rapidly accelerated proximal gradient algorithms for convex minimization

In this paper, we propose a new algorithm to speed-up the convergence of accelerated proximal gradient (APG) methods. In order to minimize a convex function ƒ(x), our algorithm introduces a simple line search step after each proximal gradient step in APG so that a biconvex function ƒ(θx) is minimized over scalar variable θ > 0 while fixing variable x. We propose two new ways of constructing the auxiliary variables in APG based on the intermediate solutions of the proximal gradient and the line search steps. We prove that at arbitrary iteration step t(t ≥ 1), our algorithm can achieve a smaller upper-bound for the gap between the current and optimal objective values than those in the traditional APG methods such as FISTA [1], making it converge faster in practice. We apply our algorithm to many important convex optimization problems such as sparse linear regression. Our experimental results demonstrate that our algorithm converges faster than APG, even comparable to some sophisticated solvers.
Relational reinforcement learning in infinite mario

Relational representations in reinforcement learning allow for the use of structural information like the presence of objects and relationships between them in the description of value functions. Through this paper, we show that such representations allow for the inclusion of background knowledge that qualitatively describes a state and fan be used to design agents that demonstrate learning behavior in domains with large state and actions spaces such as computer games.
Statistical Databases for Economic Research on the Financing of Small Firms in the United States

This paper updates information about the databases available for researchers in conducting small business financial research. A definition of a statistical database is provided first as a basis for selecting a database suitable for statistical research. Five major databases are discussed in detail, followed by a brief discussion of eight data sources for time series information on activities in specific financing markets for small firms. Comments are provided on the strengths and weakness of each of the five major databases regarding their uses for conducting different types of research and on possible areas for improvement.
Ethical Theory and Business

For forty years, successive editions of Ethical Theory and Business have helped to define the field of business ethics. The 10th edition reflects the current, multidisciplinary nature of the field by explicitly embracing a variety of perspectives on business ethics, including philosophy, management, and legal studies. Chapters integrate theoretical readings, case studies, and summaries of key legal cases to guide students to a rich understanding of business ethics, corporate responsibility, and sustainability. The 10th edition has been entirely updated, ensuring that students are exposed to key ethical questions in the current business environment. New chapters cover the ethics of IT, ethical markets, and ethical management and leadership. Coverage includes climate change, sustainability, international business ethics, sexual harassment, diversity, and LGBTQ discrimination. New case studies draw students directly into recent business ethics controversies, such as sexual harassment at Fox News, consumer fraud at Wells Fargo, and business practices at Uber.
Hydrogen Effects in Refractory Metals

The effects of hydrogen on the refractory metals molybdenum, tungsten, columbium, and tantalum are reviewed. Solubility, permeability, and diffusion of hydrogen in the refractory metals, refractory metal-hydrogen phase diagrams, and the effects of absorbed hydrogen and hydrogen environments on mechanical properties are covered. Molybdenum and tungsten have very low solubilities for hydrogen and are essentially unaffected by hydrogen. Columbium and tantalum can absorb large quantities of hydrogen and form hydrides, and are greatly embrittled by relatively small amounts of hydrogen at low temperatures. However, the solubility of hydrogen in columbium and tantalum decreases to low values above approximately l600 F (870 C), the hydrides are stable only at relatively low temperatures, and relatively large quantities of hydrogen are required to cause embrittlement at elevated temperatures. Embrittlement of columbium and tantalum by hydrogen at room temperature and below is usually associated with hydride formation. No investigations have been made of the mechanism of embrittlement by hydrogen at higher temperatures. Columbium and tantalum specimens will fragment when cooled from elevated temperatures in hydrogen or, under certain conditions, when exposed to hydrogen at room temperature.
What you don’t know won’t hurt you: a laboratory analysis of betrayal aversion

Recent research argues “betrayal aversion” leads many people to avoid risk more when a person, rather than nature, determines the outcome of uncertainty. However, past studies indicate that factors unrelated to betrayal aversion, such as loss aversion, could contribute to differences between treatments. Using a novel experiment design to isolate betrayal aversion, one that varies how strategic uncertainty is resolved, we provide rigorous evidence supporting the detrimental impact of betrayal aversion. The impact is substantial: holding fixed the probability of betrayal, the possibility of knowing that one has been betrayed reduces investment by about one-third. We suggest emotion-regulation underlies these results and helps to explain the importance of impersonal, institution-mediated exchange in promoting economic efficiency.