cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Structural Stigma and the Health of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Populations

Psychological research has made significant advancements in the study of stigma but has tended to focus on individual and interpersonal stigma processes. Recently, researchers have expanded the stigma construct to consider how broader, macrosocial forms of stigma—termed structural stigma—also disadvantage stigmatized individuals. In this article, I review cross-sectional, quasi-experimental, and longitudinal studies demonstrating that structural stigma is a risk indicator for psychiatric and physical-health morbidities among lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations. As this work is still in its infancy, the next generation of research will benefit from identifying mediators and moderators of the structural stigma–health association and from examining direct and synergistic relationships between structural and individual forms of stigma.
Family Functioning and Income Does Low-Income Status Impact Family Functioning?

This study explored the impact of income status (low-income vs. non-low-income) on family functioning, social support, and quality of life in a community sample of 125 families. The sample identifi...
Role-based profile analysis for scalable and accurate insider-anomaly detection

Sensitive organizations such as the intelligence community (IC) have faced increasing challenges of insider threats because insiders are not always friends, but can be significant threats to the corporate assets. Statistically, it is accepted that the cost of insider threats exceeds that of outsider threats. Many security technologies have been invented to prevent threats from outsiders, but they have limited use in countering insiders' abnormal behaviors. Furthermore, individual-based monitoring mechanisms are not scalable for a large enterprise system. Therefore, in this paper, we introduce a scalable and accurate approach with the role-based profile analysis for countering insider threats, focusing on the relationship between insiders and their systems to detect anomalies. Also, we describe our simulation with synthetic data sets of baseline and threat scenarios.
The impact of Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 expression on prognosis for metastatic colon cancer.

Abstract Background Cancer stem cells may be associated with tumor progression and prognosis for colon cancer. We hypothesized that expression of Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1) would increase with tumor progression and be associated with survival. Methods Tissue was obtained from resection specimens for isolation of cancer stem cells. In addition, paraffin blocks from resected colon cancers with normal colon, primary tumor, and lymph node and liver metastasis from 2000 to 2010 were identified and stained with ALDH1. Results In in vitro models (adherent and tumor spheres) ALHD1+ cells grew more efficiently than ALDH1− cells. ALDH1 expression was highest in peritumoral crypt cells (0.137 μm2, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.125–0.356) and normal crypts (median 0.091 μm2, 95% CI 0.064–0.299) followed by lymph node metastasis (median 0.025 μm2, 95% CI 0–0.131) and the primary cancers (median 0.014 μm2, 95% CI 0.0123–0.154). Samples were divided into high and low ALDH1 expression. Survival was associated with expression in the primary tumor (9 versus 23 mo, P = 0.0016) expression but not peritumoral tissue (21 versus 20.5 mo, P = 0.32), normal colon (19 versus 27 mo, P = 0.289), or lymph node metastasis (23 versus 21 mo, P = 0.69). On univariate analysis, ALDH1 expression and grade were associated with survival but ages, number of lymph node metastasis, race, or grade were not associated. On multivariate analysis, only ALDH1 status continued to be associated with survival, odds ratio 4.4, and P = 0.011. Conclusions ALDH1 is indicative of stemness and is a biomarker marker in colon cancer. Expression did not increase with progression from normal colon to primary tumors and metastasis.
Hybridization in freshwater fishes: a review of case studies and cytonuclear methods of biological inference

Interspecific hybridization occurs widelyacross a taxonomically diverse array of fishspecies. Multiple factors typically interactto effect the outcome of hybridization events. Human influences have been frequently cited ascontributing factors (nearly 50% of reviewedcase studies). Aquacultural activities,species introductions, and loss or alterationof habitats were frequently implicated. Wehighlight the utility of genetic markers andnovel methods of statistical analysis forinferring the extent, rate, direction, andlikely causes of hybridization. Emphasis isplaced on cytonuclear genetic systems. Wedemonstrate the utility of cytonuclear modelsfor hypothesis testing using empirical data.
Similarity is a Geometer

Multimedia databases (in particular image databases) are different from traditional system since they cannot ignore the perceptual substratum on which the data come. There are several consequences of this fact. The most relevant for our purposes is that it is no longer possible to identify a well defined meaning of an image and, therefore, matching based on meaning is impossible. Matching should be replaced by similarity assessment and, in particular, by something close to human preattentive similarity. In this paper we propose a geometric model of similarity measurement that subsumes most of the models proposed for psychological similarity.
Assessing Evidence of Environmental Inequities: A Meta‐Analysis

Over the past decade activists, academics, and policymakers have devoted a great deal of attention to “environmental equity,” or the notion that sources of potential environmental risk may be concentrated among racial and ethnic minorities and the poor. Despite these efforts, the existence and extent of environmental inequities is still the subject of intense scholarly debate. This manuscript reports the results from a meta-analysis of 49 environmental equity studies. The analysis demonstrates that while there is ubiquitous evidence of environmental inequities based upon race, existing research does not support the contention that similar inequities exist with respect to economic class. © 2005 by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management
Public Health Ethics Related Training for Public Health Workforce: An Emerging Need in the United States

Background: Ethics is a discipline, which primarily deals with what is moral and immoral behavior. Public Health Ethics is translation of ethical theories and concepts into practice to address complex multidimensional public health problems. The primary purpose of this paper was to conduct a narrative literature reviewaddressing role of ethics in developing curriculum in programs and schools of public health, ethics-related instruction in schools and programs of public health and the role of ethics in developing a competent public health workforce. Methods: An open search of various health databases including Google scholar and Ebscohost yielded 15 articles related to use of ethics in public health practice or public health training and the salient features were reported. Results: Results indicated a variable amount of ethics’ related training in schools and programs of public health along with public health practitioner training across the nation. Bioethics, medical ethics and public health ethics were found to be subspecialties’ needing separate ethical frameworks to guide decision making. Conclusions: Ethics based curricular and non-curricular training for emerging public health professionals from schools and programs of public health in the United States is extremely essential. In the current age of public health challenges faced in the United States and globally, to have an ethically untrained public health force is arguably, immoral and unethical and jeopardizes population health. There is an urgent need to develop innovative ethic based curriculums in academia as well as finding effective means to translate these curricular competencies into public health practice.
Haptic system for hand rehabilitation integrating an interactive game with an advanced robotic device

A haptic system for hand rehabilitation is presented that combines robotics and interactive virtual reality to facilitate repetitive performance of task specific exercises for patients recovering from neurological motor deficits. A two degree of freedom robotic interface allows coordinated motions of the forearm and the hand (pronation/supination and grasp/release, respectively). It is driven by two novel Electro-Rheological Fluid (ERF) based hydraulic actuators. Tests were conducted to characterize these actuators, and feed-forward controllers were developed for their force/torque control. A virtual reality environment (maze game) was developed in which the robot applies force fields to the user as the user navigates the environment, forming a haptic interface between the patient and the game. Proof of concept testing was performed on the virtual environment to analyze the use interaction of haptic feedback and a virtual game.
Bootstrapping the Mind: Analogical Processes and Symbol Systems

Human cognition is striking in its brilliance and its adaptability. How do we get that way? How do we move from the nearly helpless state of infants to the cognitive proficiency that characterizes adults? In this paper I argue, first, that analogical ability is the key factor in our prodigious capacity, and, second, that possession of a symbol system is crucial to the full expression of analogical ability.
Relative CEO Underpayment and CEO Behaviour Towards R&D Spending

Arguments based on labour market theory suggest that there may be CEO behavioural issues related to pay deviations from the labour market rate for CEO pay; however, few studies examine this phenomenon. This study attempts to address such behavioural issues by examining the influence of relative CEO underpayment on reductions in R&D spending, the differences in this relationship between firms in high R&D intensive versus low R&D intensive industries, and the moderating affect of ownership structure on the CEO underpayment and R&D spending relationship. Results suggest that relative CEO underpayment is associated with reductions in R&D spending in low R&D intensive industries and increases in R&D spending in high R&D intensive industries. Also, greater relative CEO underpayment leads to greater reductions in R&D spending in manager-controlled organizations as compared to owner-controlled organizations. This study provides evidence that pay deviations may, in fact, affect certain CEO behaviours, specifically relating to innovation.
Unique Gonococcal Phenotype Associated with Asymptomatic Infection in Men and with Erroneous Diagnosis of Nongonococcal Urethritis

The percentage of gonococcal isolates in King County, Washington, requiring citrulline and uracil (CU auxotype) increased from 1.6% in 1986 to 16.5% in 1997. Among men, urethral infection with the CU auxotype (n=93), in comparison with infection by other auxotypes (n=1211), was associated with coexisting chlamydial infection, younger age, heterosexual contact, and fewer new recent partners (P<. 05). Among heterosexual men, urethral infection with the CU auxotype, compared with infection with other auxotypes, less often produced symptoms of urethral discharge (75% vs. 92%) or dysuria (47% vs. 74%) or signs of moderate or profuse urethral discharge (57% vs. 89%, P<.05 for each comparison), produced symptoms of longer duration (7. 0 vs. 4.5 days, P<.01), less often resulted in urethral smears showing gram-negative intracellular diplococci (67% vs. 95%, P<.01), and thus more often was erroneously diagnosed as nongonococcal urethritis. Several mechanisms could explain reduced inflammatory response to the CU auxotype and its recent spread.
The roles of sex and serotonin transporter levels in age- and stress-related emotionality in mice

Mood disorders are influenced by genetic make-up and differentially affect men and women. The s/l promoter polymorphism in the serotonin transporter (SERT) gene moderates both trait emotion and the vulnerability to develop depressive states in humans. Similarly, male mice lacking SERT (Knockout/KO) display an elevated emotionality phenotype. We now report that the SERT-KO phenotype is maintained throughout late-adulthood, and that female KO mice develop a larger emotionality phenotype with increasing age. Thus, to test the hypothesis that these findings reflected a putative sexual dimorphism in SERT-mediated modulation of emotionality, we submitted adult male and female wild-type, heterozygous (HZ) and KO mice to unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) and assessed behavioral changes. In males, the elevated SERT-KO emotion-related behavior converged with other groups after UCMS. Conversely, female SERT-KO displayed a normal non-stressed baseline, but highest UCMS-induced emotionality. SERT-HZ displayed variable and intermediate phenotypes in both experiments. Thus, consistent results across different biological modalities (age, stress) revealed a high contribution of SERT genotype for baseline "trait" emotionality in males, and low contribution for females. In contrast, age-correlated and stress-induced behavioral changes resulted in a high SERT genotype-mediated behavioral variance in females, but low in males. This suggests that high emotionality states associated with low SERT were differentially achieved in males (high baseline/trait) compared to females (increased vulnerability to develop high emotionality). This sex-by-SERT double dissociation provides a framework to investigate molecular substrates of emotionality regulation in concert with serotonin function and may contribute to the sexually dimorphic features of mood disorders.
The Vulnerability of the Medical Student: Posthumous Presentation of L. L. Stephens' Ideas

L.L. Stephens described several critical issues in medical professionalization. The encounter with morbidity and mortality heightens the student's feelings of vulnerability. If he over-identifies with patients, he may suffer more and be unable to provide rational medical care. If he protects himself by dehumanizing patients, humane treatment suffers. Students have surreal perceptions of their responsibility for patients. Recognition of unconscious motivation may be troubling to students. Finally, there are emotional barriers to the recognition of psychosocial elements in disease. To optimize students' personal and professional functioning, medical training should deal with these concerns. Support can be provided by small continuing learning groups for students and clinical faculty, in which these issues, illustrated by videotapes of patient-student encounters and other clinical examples, are discussed in the context of providing comprehensive medical care. Support should continue during internship.
An Assessment Of Patterns Of Coauthorship For Academic Accountants Within Premier Journals Edited Outside The U.S.: Evidence From 1995 - 2009

Research in accounting indicates that accounting faculty publish less in their elite journals than marketing, management, and finance faculty publish in their respective elite journals (Swanson, 2004). This paper investigates co-authorship ratios for twelve premier non-U.S. edited accounting and finance journals over the fifteen year period from 1995 to 2009. Our results suggest that for the years considered, the aggregate co-authorship ratio for non-U.S. premier accounting journals has increased significantly. Also our findings indicate that the financial accounting specialization has the highest level of co-authorship. Additionally, the co-authorship ratio for Top 25 non-U.S. universities is not significantly different than that of lower ranked non-U.S. academic institutions. We also observe that co-authorship among non-U.S. researchers is lower than that of U.S. researchers. The findings of this study indicate that trends of increasing co-authorship among non-U.S. premier accounting journals are consistent with those of U.S. premier accounting journals.
Segmentation of Noisy Signals Generated By a Nanopore

Nanopore-based single-molecule sequencing techniques exploit ionic current steps produced as biomolecules pass through a pore to reconstruct properties of the sequence. A key task in analyzing complex nanopore data is discovering the boundaries between these steps, which has traditionally been done in research labs by hand. We present an automated method of analyzing nanopore data, by detecting regions of ionic current corresponding to the translocation of a biomolecule, and then segmenting the region. The segmenter uses a divide-and-conquer method to recursively discover boundary points, with an implementation that works several times faster than real time and that can handle low-pass filtered signals.
Abstract 215: Validation of a Simple White-light 3D Body Volume Scanner to Assess Body Composition

Introduction: Estimating body fat content has shown to better predict adiposity-related cardiovascular risk than the commonly used body mass index (BMI). The white-light 3D Body Volume Index Scanner (BVI) is a non-invasive device normally used in the clothing industry to asses body shapes and sizes. We assessed the hypothesis that volume obtained by BVI is comparable to the volume obtained by air displacement plethysmography (BodPod) (COSMED Concord, CA, USA) and thus capable of assessing body fat mass using the bicompartmental principles of body composition. Methods: We compared BVI to BodPod, a validated bicompartmental method to assess body fat percent that uses pressure/volume relationships in isothermal conditions to estimate body volume. Volume is then used to calculate body density (BD) applying the formula density= Body mass/Volume. Body fat mass percentage is then calculated using the Siri formula (4.95/BD – 4.50) х 100. Subjects were members of the Mayo Clinic Dan Abraham Healthy Living Center undergoing a wellness evaluation. Measurements from both devices were obtained the same day. A prediction model for total BodPod volume was developed using linear regression based on 80% of the observations (N=971), as follows: Predicted BodPod Volume (L) = 9.498 + 0.805*(BVI volume, L) - 0.0411*(Age, years) - 3.295*(Male=0, Female=1) + 0.0554*(BVI volume, L)*(Male=0, Female=1) + 0.0282*(Age, years)*(Male=0, Female=1). Predictions for BodPod volume based on the estimated model were then calculated for the remaining 20% (N=243) and compared to the volume measured by the BodPod. Results: Mean (SEM) age was 41.5(0.41) years, 39.4% were men, weight 81.6(0.67) kg, BMI was 27.8 (0.20) kg/m2. Average difference between volume measured by BodPod- predicted volume by BVI was 0.0 L, median: -0.4 L, IQR: -1.8 L to 1.5 L. Average difference between Body fat % measured - predicted was -1%, median: -2.7%, IQR: -13.2 to 9.9, R2 = 0.9845 (Figure 1-A, B). Conclusion: Body fat mass can be estimated using volume measurements obtained by a white- light 3D body scanner (Figure 1-A). ![][1] [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
Revisiting Time-Resolved Protein Phosphorescence:

Analysis of time-resolved phosphorescence data from proteins presents certain problems. Care must be taken in establishing that the analysis is not confounded in the early part of the decay by other emitting species. These species may include tyrosine, impurities found in the solvent, or impurities bound to the protein. In this paper, analysis of the phosphorescence of simple mixtures of tryptophan, tyrosine, and tryptophan + tyrosine in glycerol-water solvent has demonstrated the necessity of accounting for tyrosine emission in the analysis of protein phosphorescence. The tyrosine emission is especially strong at cold temperatures and becomes negligible above approximately 185 K in this solvent. Two fitting procedures have been developed to describe the bimodal emission that results from a single-tryptophan protein that contains a significant number of tyrosine residues. The methods utilize either a maximum entropy method-derived lifetime distribution or the stretched exponential function. In both cases some prior information regarding the expected decay characteristics of the tryptophan residue is applied to guide the separation of the tryptophan component from the tyrosine component. This prior information is obtained by comparing the tail of the protein decay to decays of free-tryptophan in solvent at a variety of temperatures until a match is found having close overlap on a log-intensity decay plot.
The ecology of automaticity: toward establishing the conditions needed to produce automatic processing effects.

In the past 15 years, the single term automatic has been applied to a diversity of laboratory phenomena that differ as to the preconditions necessary for their occurrence. Several major strains of automaticity are distinguished, based on the experimental conditions under which they are obtained: preconscious automatic processes, requiring only the proximal stimulus event; postconscious automatic processes, similar to preconscious effects but needing a recent activation or "priming" event for their operation; and goal-dependent automatic processes, which occur only when a specific, intentional processing goal is in place. It is argued that to more accurately specify the conditions under which an automatic effect will occur in the natural environment, greater attention needs to be given to aspects of the experimental paradigm (e.g., subjects' task goal, questionnaire administrations, previous tasks) that might be necessary to produce the effect.
Opposite roles of cAMP and cGMP on volume loss in muscle cells

It is controversial whether changes in adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) and in the cAMP-to-guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) ratio are involved with cell swelling and in the activation of volume-regulatory mechanisms. We examined whether these nucleotides are involved in cell volume regulation in skeletal muscle. Isolated (intact and internally perfused) barnacle muscle cells were used because these cells, when exposed to a hyposmotic environment, undergo an extracellular Ca2+ (Cao)-dependent regulatory volume decrease (RVD). Using intact cells we found that dibutyryl cAMP and forskolin significantly promoted RVD in cells exposed to Cao-free solutions and that dibutyryl cGMP significantly inhibited RVD in cells exposed to Cao-containing solutions. In perfused cells in which the intracellular free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) was heavily buffered [with 8 mM ethylene glycol-bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (EGTA)], cAMP induced a volume loss that was inhibited by presence of cGMP. Furthermore, if perfused cells were exposed to hyposmotic conditions, they swelled and underwent RVD provided that [Ca2+]i buffering was low (with 2 mM EGTA). This effect was inhibited by presence of the cAMP antagonist, [R]-p-adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphorothioate.
Non-arthroplasty Treatments for PTA in the Lower Extremity

Post-traumatic arthrosis (PTA) after intra-articular fracture of the lower extremity has not been erased by modern fracture care. Total joint replacements are best for the treatment of severe or end-stage PTA of the hip, knee, and ankle. Nonetheless, total joint replacements for PTA have a higher risk of complications and poor outcome. Prior to the consideration of total joint replacement, non-arthroplasty (non-total joint replacement) options have an important role in the treatment of PTA. This chapter will discuss the non-arthroplasty options, both nonoperative and operative, for PTA of the hip, knee, and ankle. Additional evidence-based medicine and systematic reviews to further clarify the efficacy of these non-arthroplasty options, and their future role in the treatment of PTA of the hip, knee, and ankle, are needed.
Fundraising Policy Reform and its Impact on Nonprofits in China: A View from the Trenches

After decades of strict charitable solicitation regulation, the Chinese government has recently begun to experiment with fundraising policy reforms in some local jurisdictions. In this comparative study of two metropolitan cities, Shanghai and Guangzhou, we examine the nature, content, and scope of the reform and its impact on nonprofit organizations. Our archival analysis indicates that the new policies in both cities helped create a more supportive regulatory environment for the nonprofit sector, though they differed in the extent to which policy change departed from the status quo. Yet somewhat surprisingly, the reform elicited a lukewarm reaction from the nonprofit sector: only a very small fraction of nonprofit organizations actually fundraised under the new policies, and their performance varied remarkably. Our field work further reveals that many nonprofit leaders had reservations about the policy initiatives. Possible reasons for such reservations include fragmented policies on nonprofit registration and taxation, discretionary authorization system, and the weak fundraising capacity of nonprofits.
The Inquisition/Torture of the Tenure Track

This autoethnographic narrative addresses the mental anguish and chaos that were the author’s constant companions during the year of waiting for the results of her tenure decision at a Research I university. Having chosen a non-traditional path to tenure, she found that autoethnography and critical pedagogy could be acceptable forms of scholarship despite their creating numerous questions and consternations on the part of all involved in the process. She uses autoethnography to make sense of the process of moving through self-questioning and doubt into a place of renewed and revitalized strength and belief in her Self and her writing. She concludes with further questions about the tenure and promotion process and the devastating effect it can produce on faculty who covet the assurance of a permanent position in a university.
Rotational Dynamics in Ionic Liquids from NMR Relaxation Experiments and Simulations: Benzene and 1-Ethyl-3-Methylimidazolium

Temperature-dependent 2H longitudinal spin relaxation times (T1) of dilute benzene-d6 in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([Im41][BF4]) and two deuterated variants of the 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium cation (Im21+-d1 and Im21+-d6) in 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([Im21][Tf2N]), measured at multiple Larmor frequencies, were used to probe rotational dynamics in ionic liquids. Rotational correlation times significantly faster than predicted by slip hydrodynamic calculations were observed for both solutes. Molecular dynamics simulations of these systems enabled extraction of more information about the rotational dynamics from the NMR data than rotation times alone. The multifrequency 2H T1(T) data could be fit to within uncertainties over a broad region about the T1 minimum using models of the relevant rotational time correlation functions and their viscosity/temperature dependence derived from simulation. Such simulation-guided fitting provided confidence in the s...
On shape sensitivities with heaviside-enriched XFEM

This paper investigates the behavior of shape sensitivities within the context of the eXtended Finite Element Method (XFEM) using a Heaviside enrichment strategy, wherein the shape derivative is computed by the adjoint method. The Heaviside function is discontinuous by construction. This feature of the enrichment function presents advantages as well as challenges in the computation of shape sensitivities, both of which are discussed in detail in this paper. Using continuum and discrete approaches, we present the derivation of analytical shape sensitivities with respect to the design variables which define the design geometry. We propose a robust semi-analytical approach to computing the shape sensitivities, which provides great ease of implementation as compared to fully analytical approaches. The behavior of the XFEM-based shape sensitivities is analyzed using linear heat diffusion examples in 2D, and an incompressible fluid flow example in 3D. We compare XFEM-based shape sensitivities against shape sensitivities obtained through the classical approach of using a body-fitted mesh. It is found that the former are not as smooth as those obtained using a comparable body-fitted mesh. This discrepancy is shown to be an outcome of the discretization error of the design geometry on a background mesh and is not a consequence of the approach by which the XFEM-based shape sensitivities are computed.
Supporting Diverse Young Adolescents: Cooperative Grouping in Inclusive Middle-level Settings

The middle level classroom presents unique challenges to educators who strive to provide opportunities that acknowledge learner diversity in terms of social, cognitive, physical, and emotional deve...
Characterizing the costs of complications after cystectomy: Can we target the primary drivers?

304Background: Radical Cystectomy (RC) is subject to substantial morbidity and patients face complication rates as high as 64% at 90-days. Understanding the costs of complications after RC is essential to improving care. We studied the financial cost of different categories of complications after RC in order to identify drivers of expenditures. Methods: Using the Premier Hospital Database we identified adult patients who underwent RC for bladder cancer from 600 hospitals across the US from 2003-2013. Ninety-day complications were captured using ICD9 codes. Complications were categorized according to Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Clinical Classification Software. The primary outcome was cost of complication and secondary outcomes were mortality, length of stay (LOS), and discharge disposition. A generalized liner model conforming to a gamma distribution was used to evaluate cost data. Analyses were survey weighted, and all models were adjusted for patient (age, race, obesity, marital status, p...
Outcomes of anatomical vs. functional testing for coronary artery disease : Lessons from the PROMISE trial.

The development of coronary artery disease (CAD) is a major, final common pathway in heart disease worldwide. With a rise in stress testing and increased scrutiny on cost-effectiveness and radiation exposure in medical imaging, a focus on the relative merits of anatomic versus functional characterization of CAD has emerged. In this context, coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) is a noninvasive alternative to functional testing as a first-line test for CAD detection but is complimentary in its nature. Here, we discuss the design, results, and implications of the PROMISE trial, a randomized comparative effectiveness study of 10,003 patients across 193 sites in the United States and Canada comparing the prognostic and diagnostic power of CCTA and standard stress testing. Specifically, we discuss the safety (e. g., contrast, radiation exposure) of CCTA versus functional testing in CAD, the need for improved selection for noninvasive testing, the frequency of downstream testing after anatomic or functional imaging, the use of imaging results in clinical management, and novel modalities of CAD risk determination using CCTA. PROMISE demonstrated that in a real-world, low-to-intermediate risk patient population referred to noninvasive testing for CAD, both CCTA and functional testing approaches have similar clinical, economic, and safety-based outcomes. We conclude with open questions in CAD imaging, specifically as they pertain to the utilization of CCTA.
A Survey of Retirement Readiness Among African-Americans

This study addresses African-Americans’ retirement readiness and the factors that contribute to African Americans being prepared or not prepared for retirement. Specifically, this study explores the relationship between educated African-Americans’ financial literacy and their retirement readiness. To analyze this relationship, a binary logistic regression model was fitted to primary data collected from graduates, professors, and business professionals associated with a liberal arts university located in the southeastern USA. The researchers found that educated African-Americans who are more financially literate are more likely to be ready for retirement versus educated African-Americans who are less financially literate. This finding suggests that education does not equate to financial literacy. Moreover, millennials are more likely to be prepared for retirement compared to other age groups, and those who are single and those who do not work full time are less likely to be prepared for retirement.
A Repeat Offender of Corruption: South MunaiGas Case Study

ABSTRACT: Fraud is a serious and growing international problem, and can greatly affect a company's performance. The current case highlights the impact that culture can have on corporate corruption through the culture of a specific organization, as well as through the broader culture of a society. In this case, Russian NorthOilService (NOS) acquired 98 percent of the shares of the near-bankrupt Kazakh drilling company, South MunaiGas (SMG) in 2007. NOS management realized that SMG's weak financial standing was caused by corporate fraud and corruption, among other factors. Unfortunately, NOS was unable to prevent the new management team of SMG from committing fraud, despite NOS's anti-fraud efforts after acquisition. This actual case study focuses on the accounting and other frauds perpetrated by the SMG management team and the anticorruption measures implemented by NOS. It addresses fraud, bribery, corruption, and misappropriation of assets through inappropriate procurement procedures, in a cultural enviro...
Gadolinium-based Contrast Agents: The Plot Thickens

Data are now accumulating to suggest that significant stratifications may exist within the classes of macrocyclic and linear gadolinium-based contrast agents, which may blur the perceived quantification borders between these two groups.
Comparison of Hive's query optimisation techniques

The ever increasing size of data sets in this big data era has forced data analytics to be moved from traditional RDBMS systems to distributed technologies like Hadoop. Since data analysts are more familiar with SQL than the MapReduce programming paradigm, HiveQL was built on Hadoop's MapReduce framework. Traditional RDBMS query optimisation techniques used in the rule-based optimiser (RBO) of Hive do not perform well in the MapReduce environment, hence, the correlation optimiser (CRO) and cost-based optimisers (CBOs) were developed. These optimisers perform query optimisations taking the MapReduce execution framework into account. In this work, the three optimisers, RBO, CRO, and CBO are compared. Queries with common intra-query operations are found to be better optimised with CRO.
Antigravity ESD - double-balloon-assisted underwater with traction hybrid technique.

Background and study aims Complex colorectal polyps or those positioned in difficult anatomic locations are an endoscopic therapeutic challenge. Underwater endoscopic submucosal dissection (UESD) is a potential technical solution to facilitate efficient polyp removal. In addition, endoscopic tissue retraction has been confined to limited methods of varying efficacy and complexity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of a unique UESD technique for removing complex polyps using double-balloon-assisted retraction (R). Materials and methods Using fresh ex-vivo porcine rectum, 4-cm polyps were created using electrosurgery and positioned at “6 o’clock” within an established ESD model. Six resections were performed in each group. Underwater techniques were facilitated using a novel double-balloon platform (Dilumen, Lumendi, Westport, Connecticut, United States). Three different polypectomy methods were compared: 1. UESD with retraction (UESD-R), 2. UESD, 3. Traditional cap-assisted ESD technique. Results UESD-R had a significantly shorter total procedural time than cap-assisted ESD and UESD alone (24 vs. 58 vs. 56 mins). UESD-R produced a dissection time on average of 5 minutes, attributed to the retraction provided. There was also a subjective significant reduction in electrosurgical smoke with the underwater techniques contributing to improved visualization. Conclusions Here we report the first ex-vivo experience of a unique double-balloon endoscopic platform optimized for UESD with tissue traction capability. UESD-R removed complex lesions in significantly shorter time than conventional means. The combined benefits of UESD and retraction appeared to be additive when tackling complex polyps and should be studied further.
Synthesis of biotin-labeled RNA for gene expression measurements using oligonucleotide arrays.

Using gene arrays, it is currently possible to simultaneously measure mRNA levels of many genes in any tissue of interest. Undoubtedly, comprehensive measurements of gene expression as part of carefully designed experiments will continue to further our understanding of audition and have the potential to open up new avenues of research. This chapter describes a reliable protocol to prepare high-quality biotin-labeled RNA target, specifically for oligonucleotide array experiments. The procedure includes isolation of high-quality total RNA, synthesis of double-stranded cDNA engineered for in vitro transcription with T7 RNA polymerase, subsequent in vitro transcription in the presence of biotin-labeled ribonucleotides, and fractionation of the RNA to ~ 500 bp fragments, suitable for oligonucleotide array experiments. Because the membranous labyrinth is composed of functionally interdependent cellular structures, which themselves contain numerous, highly differentiated cell types, comprehensive analysis of gene expression in the cochlea is best complemented by immunohistotochemical studies or, if no suitable antibodies are available, by in situ hybridization studies. Either one of these techniques will identify the specific cell types that express the genes of interests.
Modeling cognition-emotion of users for improved interaction with software systems

In this article, a strong case for the need to include emotions in the user model is developed and documented.
Adult Langerhans cell histiocytosis: A contemporary single-institution series of 186 patients.

7018Background: Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a rare histiocytic neoplasm driven by MAPK-ERK mutations in majority of patients. Contemporary data on treatments and outcomes in adult LCH ar...
Neighborhood foreclosures and health disparities in the U.S. cities

Abstract This study examines the association between neighborhood foreclosures and various health outcomes during the U.S. national foreclosure recovery. Using multilevel modeling with neighborhood foreclosure rates in 17,433 census tracts in 395 cities within 193 metros, this study finds more than 3 years of long-term adverse effects of foreclosures on the status of health. The spillover effects of home foreclosures on neighborhood health, however, varied according to the type of market, based on housing price trajectories. From a cross-sectional perspective, the high concentration of home foreclosures in 2014, after the 2011 peak in foreclosure rates, was more strongly associated with adverse health conditions in cities in boom-bust markets that were hit hard by the foreclosure crisis than in other cities and markets. From a longitudinal perspective, substantial drops in foreclosure rates in cities in boom-bust markets from 2011 to 2014 reduced heart-related diseases (i.e., stroke and coronary heart disease), but not other diseases; in cities in weak markets, the spillover effects of home foreclosures on health appeared to worsen over time. To promote healthier neighborhoods, policy makers should acknowledge the diverse relationship between the concentration of foreclosed properties and health outcomes across the types of markets.
Bench Evaluation of Oxygen Delivery Using Portable Ventilators Paired With Portable Oxygen Concentrators

Background: Military transport of critically ill/injured patients requires judicious use of resources. Maintaining oxygen (O2) supplies for mechanically ventilated is crucial. O2 cylinders are difficult to transport and add the risk of fire in an aircraft. The proposed solution is the use of a portable oxygen concentrator (POC) to supply O2 for mechanical ventilation. As long as power is available, a POC can provide a continuous supply of O2. Evidence suggests that 3 L/min of O2 could manage 2/3 of the mechanically ventilated aeromedical transport patients. Methods: We evaluated two each of the AutoMedx SAVe II, Hamilton T1, Zoll 731,and one Ventec VOCSN portable ventilator over a range of settings paired with two Caire SAROS POCs. The VOCSN operates from an internal O2 concentrator using pulsed dose delivery equivalent to 6 L/min continuous flow O2. Each ventilator was attached to one chamber of a Michigan Instruments Training Test Lung (TTL). Output from the POC was bled-in to each ventilator via the mechanism provided. A Fleisch pneumotach was placed between the ventilator circuit and the TTL to measure delivered tidal volume (VT) and a fast response O2 analyzer (Oxigraf) sampled gas from the TTL to measure FIO2. Deadspace was added between the ventilator circuit and TTL for pulsed dose delivery. Ventilator parameters and FIO2 were continuously measured and recorded for later analysis. One-way ANOVA was used to determine statistically significant differences (P
Solar Pre-Flare Classification with Time Series Profiling

Space weather encapsulates the impact of variable solar activity on the vicinity of Earth and elsewhere in the solar system. A major agent of space weather, with significant effort already devoted to its prediction, is solar flares. Most existing analysis in this direction focus on the instantaneous (point-in-time) magnitude of various pre-flare parameters in flare host locations, solar active regions. Nonetheless, a recent trend places data-intensive studies, focusing on the pre-flare time series of these parameters, to the forefront. We take on this task in this study, focusing on the shape of pre-flare active region parameter time series by introducing a data-driven class profiling and clustering of these time series. We rely on data provided by the Space Weather ANalytics for Solar Flares (SWAN-SF) benchmark dataset. Our results indicate some potentially interesting temporal patterns that are unrelated to parameter magnitudes and may be used, both in tandem and independently from magnitudes, for future flare forecasting efforts. Our analysis also provides flexibility to define custom flare classes relying on pre-flare time series behavior and relate them to the existing, conventional NOAA / GOES flare classes.
The size of sonoporation pores on the cell membrane

Sonoporation generates transient pores on the cell membrane and has been exploited as a promising intracellular drug and gene delivery strategy. The size of the pores in the membrane resulting from sonoporation determines the size of molecules or agents that can be delivered using the technique. However, size information has not been readily available due to the challenges in measuring dynamic, submicron-sized pores. Post ultrasound assays such as AFM or SEM, often time consuming and labor intensive, have been used to gauge pore size but are intrinsically limited to static measurements that may not accurately represent the relevant size. We have previously demonstrated the utility of voltage clamp techniques for monitoring sonoporation in real time via the trans-membrane current (TMC) change of a single cell under voltage clamp. Using Xenopus oocytes as the model system in this study, the TMC change during sonoporation (0.2 s, 0.3 MPa, 1 MHz) of single cells in solution with Definity microbubbles was recorded in a whole cell voltage clamp configuration. As the changes of the TMC are related to the diffusion of ions through the pores on the membrane, they can potentially provide relevant information of the pore size generated in sonoporation. By controlling the microbubble concentration, experiments were designed to allow measurement of the TMC corresponding to a single pore on the membrane. An electro-diffusion model was developed to relate the TMC with pore size from the ion flow through the pores on the membrane.
A Transparent and Adaptable Method to Extract Colonoscopy and Pathology Data Using Natural Language Processing.

Key variables recorded as text in colonoscopy and pathology reports have been extracted using natural language processing (NLP) tools that were not easily adaptable to new settings. We aimed to develop a reliable NLP tool with broad adaptability. During 1996–2016, Kaiser Permanente Northern California performed 401,566 colonoscopies with linked pathology. We randomly sampled 1000 linked reports into a Training Set and developed an NLP tool using SAS® PERL regular expressions. The NLP tool captured five colonoscopy and pathology variables: type, size, and location of polyps; extent of procedure; and quality of bowel preparation. We used a Validation Set (N = 3000) to confirm the variables’ classifications using manual chart review as the reference. Performance of the NLP tool was assessed using the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and Cohen’s κ. Cohen’s κ ranged from 93 to 99%. The sensitivity and specificity ranged from 95 to 100% across all categories. For categories with prevalence exceeding 10%, the PPV ranged from 97% to 100% except for adequate quality of preparation (prevalence 92%), for which the PPV was 65%. For categories with prevalence below 10%, the PPVs ranged from 62% to 100%. NPVs ranged from 94% to 100% except for the “complete” extent of procedure, for which the NPV was 73%. Using information from a large community-based population, we developed a transparent and adaptable NLP tool for extracting five colonoscopy and pathology variables. The tool can be readily tested in other healthcare settings.
Successful induction of diabetes in mice demonstrates no gender difference in development of early diabetic retinopathy

Purpose Female mice have been found to be resistant to streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes, and pre-clinical research related to diabetic complications commonly omits females. The purpose of this study was to develop a method to induce diabetes in female mice, and to determine if retinas of diabetic female mice develop molecular changes and histopathological abnormalities comparable to those which develop in male diabetic mice. Methods To induce diabetes, animals of both sexes received daily intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of STZ for 5 consecutive days at 55 mg/kg BW (a dose that is known to induce diabetes in male mice) or for females, 75 mg/kg BW of STZ. Retinal abnormalities that have been implicated in the development of the retinopathy (superoxide generation and expression of inflammatory proteins, iNOS and ICAM-1) were evaluated at 2 months of diabetes, and retinal capillary degeneration was evaluated at 8 months of diabetes. Results Daily i.p. injection of STZ for 5 consecutive days at a concentration of 55 mg/kg BW was sufficient to induce diabetes in 100% of male mice, but only 33% of female mice. However, females did become hyperglycemic when the dose of STZ administered was increased to 75 mg/kg BW. The resulting STZ-induced hyperglycemia in female and male mice was sustained for at least 8 months. After induction of the diabetes, both sexes responded similarly with respect to the oxidative stress, expression of iNOS, and degeneration of retinal capillaries, but differed in the limited population evaluated with respect to expression of ICAM-1. Conclusions The resistance of female mice to STZ-induced diabetes can be overcome by increasing the dose of STZ used. Female mice can, and should, be included in pre-clinical studies of diabetes and its complications.