cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Asynchronous HMM with applications to speech recognition

We develop a novel formalism for modeling speech signals which are irregularly or incompletely sampled. This situation can arise in real world applications where the speech signal is being transmitted over an error prone channel where parts of the signal can be dropped. Typical speech systems based on hidden Markov models, cannot handle such data since HMMs rely on the assumption that observations are complete and made at regular intervals. We introduce the asynchronous HMM, a variant of the inhomogeneous HMM commonly used in bioinformatics, and show how it can be used to model irregularly or incompletely sampled data. A nested EM algorithm is presented in brief which can be used to learn the parameters of this asynchronous HMM. Evaluation on real world speech data, which has been modified to simulate channel errors, shows that this model and its variants significantly outperform the standard HMM and methods based on data interpolation.
Functional genomics in virology and antiviral drug discovery.

Virology research and antiviral drug discovery are poised to benefit from the post-genomic revolution for three main reasons. First, viruses need the host to replicate and are therefore vulnerable to inhibition of cellular pathways. Knowledge of complete genomic sequences of both virus and host now permits the study of this interplay on a global scale. Combining transcriptomics and proteomics with large-scale gene knockdown experiments will enable the identification of novel antiviral targets. Second, massive parallel assay systems, such as DNA microarrays, which define the post-genomic era, will facilitate viral diagnostics. Third, the combination of genetics with genomics will enable the analysis of viral mutants and strains on an unprecedented scale. The dramatic effects of viral infection on host cell transcriptional patterns have been well-documented and will be briefly highlighted. In addition, we discuss recent trends that apply functional genomics methods to the discovery of new targets and therapies for viral disease.
Stress and Phase Changes in Ion-Assisted Evaporation of Thin Tantalum Films

Ion-assisted evaporation was used to study the stress and phase changes in thin Ta films. Using a series of ion energies from 63 to 500 cV, the stress in 100 nm thick films was changed from tensile to compressive by increasing the argon ion flux incident on the growing films. The resulting films were characterized primarily by x-ray diffraction and electrical resistivity measurements, as well as RBS. The resistivity in all sets of films shows a large decrease with increasing argon ion flux. The x-ray diffraction results are somewhat more complex, but suggest that increasing ion flux does change the amount of alpha phase present.
The Dynamic Relationship Between Freedom of Expression and Equality

This Article examines the dynamic intersection between expressive and equality rights, with a particular focus on race and LGBT equalities. Unlike other works on expression and/or equality, the Article emphasizes the broad relational and bi-directional connections between expressive and equality rights. Freedom of expression has played a critical role in terms of advancing constitutional equality. However, with regard to both race and LGBT equality, expressive rights have failed in important respects to facilitate equality claims and movements. Advocacy and agitation on behalf of equality rights have also left indelible positive and negative marks on free expression doctrines and principles. The expressive-equality relationship underscores several important lessons regarding reliance on expressive rights to advance constitutional equality. Moreover, through comparative analysis, the Article demonstrates that freedom of expression intersects in distinctive ways with different types of equalities. The Article’s general lessons and comparative observations carry important implications for future equality movements, including the campaign for transgender equality.
A citation study of computer science literature

The bibliographic reference and citations which exist among documents in a given document collection can be used to study the history and scope of particular subject areas and to assess the importance of individual authors, documents, and journals. A clustering study of computer science literature is described, using bibliographic citations as a clustering criterion, and conclusions are drawn regarding the scope of computer science and the characteristics of individual documents in the area. In particular, the clustering characteristics lead to a distinction between core and fringe areas in the field and to the identification of particularly influential articles.
Holding the state at bay: understanding media freedoms in Africa

ABSTRACTFocused on democratic and hybrid regimes in sub-Saharan Africa, this article explores the factors and conditions that dissuade or restrain governments from clamping down on press freedoms. We suggest that governments might hesitate to interfere with the media for three reasons: they may face excessive political or legal costs for such interference; they might have limited options available to them to curtail media freedoms, and, finally, under some circumstances, governments may obtain a limited payoff from efforts to clamp down on the media. Consistent with anecdotal evidence that motivates some of our hypotheses, our findings suggest that strong media sectors within civil society encourage government respect for media freedoms. We also find that the rule of law is associated with more favourable climates for the media. This likely reflects the protection free media receive from independent judiciaries.
A 3-D admittance-level computational model of a rat hippocampus for improving prosthetic design

Hippocampal prosthetic devices have been developed to bridge the gap between functioning portions of the hippocampus, in order to restore lost memory functionality in those suffering from brain injury or diseases. One approach taken in recent neuroprosthetic design is to use a multi-input, multi-output device that reads data from the CA3 in the hippocampus and electrically stimulates the CA1 in an attempt to mimic the appropriate firing pattern that would occur naturally between the two areas. However, further study needs to be conducted in order to optimize electrode placement, pulse magnitude, and shape for creating the appropriate firing pattern. This paper describes the creation and implementation of an anatomically correct 3D model of the hippocampus to simulate the electric field patterns and axonal activation from electrical stimulation due to an implanted electrode array. The activating function was applied to the voltage results to determine the firing patterns in possible axon locations within the CA1.
Onboarding for Pathology Residency Programs—The Montefiore Experience:

Onboarding is a system frequently used in the corporate world as a means of orienting incoming employees to their duties and inculcating the workplace values. The program aims to facilitate transition into new work roles and improve employee retention rates. At Montefiore, we have instituted an onboarding curriculum that is given to new anatomic and clinical pathology residents about a month prior to the start of residency. The program includes an introductory video series of basic histology and a series of anatomic and clinical case studies illustrating basic laboratory principles. This didactic content is tagged to learning objectives and short self-assessment modules. In addition, content related to the work ethos at Montefiore and the role of the core competencies and milestones in residency education are included. Finally, a broader component of the onboarding gives the incoming residents a social welcome to our area, including key information about living in the area surrounding Montefiore. The program has been well received by our residents for whom the content has helped to boost confidence when starting. We feel that the program is helpful in ensuring that all incoming residents start having received the same baseline didactic content. Transmitting this didactic content via onboarding allows our residents to begin the work of learning pathology immediately, rather than spending the first weeks of residency covering remedial content such as basic histology. Such a program may be useful to other pathology residencies, most of whom have residents from a range of backgrounds and whose prior exposure to pathology may be limited.
Comparative analysis of cuticular hydrocarbons from the ectoparasitoids Cephalonomia waterstoni and Laelius utilis (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae) and their respective hosts, Cryptolestes ferrugineus (Coleoptera: Cucujidae) and Trogoderma variabile (Coleoptera: Dermestidae)

Cuticular hydrocarbons have been identified from the immatures and adults of two bethylid wasps and their larval beetle hosts. Cephalonomia waterstoni Gahan is host specific on Cryptolestes ferrugineus (Stephens), whereas Laelius utilis Cockerell is commonly associated with a variety of dermestid larvae, including Trogoderma variabile Ballion. The cuticular hydrocarbons of C. waterstoni larvae consist of n-alkanes (C21-C33), 2-, 3-, 5-, 7-, 11-, and 13-methyl alkanes, one dimethyl alkane (11,15-dimethyl C27), and a C31 monoene and diene. The cuticular hydrocarbon composition of their beetle host differs somewhat, consisting of n-alkanes (C25-C32), 3-, 5-, 11-, and 13-methyl alkanes, a series of Z-8/Z-9-monoenes, and a series of dienes with the double bonds separated by 12 methylene units. No dimethyl alkanes are present in the C. ferrugineus larvae. Considerable ontogenetic changes in cuticular hydrocarbon composition occur when C. waterstoni eclose to adults. Although both sexes contain the same major cuticular hydrocarbons, their relative abundances vary. In addition to n-alkanes (C23-C27), 2-, 3-, and 5-methyl alkanes, 5,15-, 5,17-, and 5,19-dimethyl alkanes, and a series of Z-11-monoenes are present in both sexes. In addition, the males possess small quantities of Z-7-monoenes. The males have the monoenes as their major components, whereas the females have the 5-methyl alkanes and the dimethyl alkanes as their major components. The cuticular hydrocarbon composition of L. utilis and its host T. variabile differs considerably from the Cephalonomia-Cryptolestes pairing. The major components of the Laelius larvae consist of n-alkanes (C23-C33), 3-, 5-, 13-, and 15-methyl alkanes, and a series of Z-9-monoenes. The T. variabile larval hydrocarbons consist only of n-alkanes (C22-C35) and 3-, 5-, and 13-methyl alkanes. No unsaturated components were detected. As with C. waterstoni , considerable ontogenetic changes in hydrocarbon composition occur for L. utilis upon adult eclosion. Unlike C. waterstoni , however, only slight differences in composition occur between the sexes. The adult Laelius hydrocarbons consist of n-alkanes (C21-C29), 2-, 3-, 7-, 9-, and 13-methyl alkanes, and a series of Z-9-monoenes.
Maternal Functioning Differences Based on ADHD Subtype.

Objective: Maternal functioning differences in parenting stress, parental efficacy, and parenting behaviors were examined for mothers of children with ADHD. Method: Participants included 29 mothers of children with ADHD, Predominantly Inattentive Type (ADHD-I) and 38 mothers of children with ADHD, Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive or Combined Type (ADHD-HI/C). Results: Findings suggest that mothers of children with ADHD-HI/C reported significantly greater parenting stress and engaged in more negative parenting behaviors than mothers of children with ADHD-I. Conclusion: This study suggests that tailoring behavioral parent training based on ADHD subtype may be particularly helpful for parents of children with ADHD-HI/C.
RACIAL DISCRIMINATION, GENDER DISCRIMINATION, AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE AMONG LATINA/OS NATIONWIDE

This study investigates the relationship between discrimination and substance abuse among Latina/os, and further examines whether this relationship differs by gender and type of discrimination. Analyses focus on the Latina/o respondents (n = 1,039 men; n = 1,273 women) from the National Latino and Asian American Study carried out from 2002-2003. Outcomes were alcohol abuse and drug abuse measured using DSM-IV definitions and criteria. Additional covariates included immigrant characteristics and demographics. Analyses were completed using gender-stratified multinomial logistic regression. Men reported more discrimination (39.6% vs. 30.3%) and had higher prevalence of alcohol abuse (16.5% vs. 4.5%) and drug abuse (9.5% vs. 2.3%) than women. Discrimination was significantly associated with increased risk of alcohol abuse for women and increased risk of drug abuse for men. Men and women also varied in the types of discrimination (e.g., racial vs. gender) reported, and in the associations between these types of discrimination and substance abuse. These data indicate that discrimination is associated with different substance abuse outcomes between genders. Future research should consider the mechanisms that explain these differences.
A Study of the Volume Fraction, Temperature and Pressure Dependence of the Resistivity in a Ceramic‐Polymer Composite using a General Effective Media Equation

A quantitative general effective media (GEM) equation is used to describe quantitatively the resistivity of an Fe3O4-epoxy composite system over a large range of volume fractions in terms of the resistivities of each component and two percolation morphology parameters. One parameter is the critical (percolation) volume fraction, φc, and the other is an exponent,t. Preliminary models, also based on the GEM equation, are used to describe the positive temperature coefficient of resistivity (PTC) and the piezoresistivity (uniaxial pressure) of the composite when the composition is near the percolation threshold.
Disorders of lysosomal acidification—The emerging role of v-ATPase in aging and neurodegenerative disease

Autophagy and endocytosis deliver unneeded cellular materials to lysosomes for degradation. Beyond processing cellular waste, lysosomes release metabolites and ions that serve signaling and nutrient sensing roles, linking the functions of the lysosome to various pathways for intracellular metabolism and nutrient homeostasis. Each of these lysosomal behaviors is influenced by the intraluminal pH of the lysosome, which is maintained in the low acidic range by a proton pump, the vacuolar ATPase (v-ATPase). New reports implicate altered v-ATPase activity and lysosomal pH dysregulation in cellular aging, longevity, and adult-onset neurodegenerative diseases, including forms of Parkinson disease and Alzheimer disease. Genetic defects of subunits composing the v-ATPase or v-ATPase-related proteins occur in an increasingly recognized group of familial neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we review the expanding roles of the v-ATPase complex as a platform regulating lysosomal hydrolysis and cellular homeostasis. We discuss the unique vulnerability of neurons to persistent low level lysosomal dysfunction and review recent clinical and experimental studies that link dysfunction of the v-ATPase complex to neurodegenerative diseases across the age spectrum.
Does U-Pb date Earth's core formation?

Arising from: B. J. Wood & A. N. Halliday Nature 437, 1345–1348 (2005); Wood & Halliday reply Constraining the timing of the formation of Earth's core, which defines the birth of our planet, is essential for understanding the early evolution of Earth-like planets. Wood and Halliday1 and Halliday2 discuss the apparent discrepancy between the U–Pb (60–80 Myr) and Hf–W clocks (30 Myr) in determining the timescale of Earth's accretion and core formation. We find that the information the authors present is at times contradictory (for example, compare Fig. 1 in ref. 1 with Fig. 1 in ref. 2) and confusing and could suggest that the U–Pb clock constrains core formation better than the Hf–W system. Here we point out the limitations of the U–Pb system and show that the U–Pb age cannot be used to argue for protracted accretion and/or core formation (>50 Myr) because this clock only records the processes that occurred during the last 1% of Earth's accretion and core formation in the Wood and Halliday mechanism1.
Aspects of Symmetry: Selected Erice Lectures

For almost two decades, Sidney Coleman has been giving review lectures on frontier topics in theoretical high-energy physics at the International School of Subnuclear Physics held each year at Erice, Sicily. This volume is a collection of some of the best of these lectures. To this day they have few rivals for clarity of exposition and depth of insight. Although very popular when first published, many of the lectures have been difficult to obtain recently. Graduate students and professionals in high-energy physics will welcome this collection by a master of the field.
The General Hospital School of Nursing

The General Hospital School of Nursing has shown striking parallels, in its history and development, with the development of diploma schools of nursing throughout America. It was founded at the turn of the century at a time when diploma schools were growing in number (between 1890 and 1910 the number of such schools in America rose from 35 to 1,069).1 In its early decades, the development of its nursing education program was closely linked with the hospital’s policies. The board of directors of the hospital passed on
Taqiyya: War and Deceit in Islam

Today, at a time of wars and rumors of wars emanating from the Islamic world—from the perpetual Arab-Israeli conflict, to the saber-rattling of nuclear-armed Pakistan and soon-to-be Iran, to the myriad and unnamed jihadis who daily promise “infidels” death and destruction—the need for non-Muslims to better understand Islam’s doctrines and objectives concerning war and peace, and everything in between (e.g., treaties) has become pressing. For instance, what does one make of the fact that, after openly and vociferously making it clear time and time again that its ultimate aspiration is to see Israel annihilated, an Islamist organization like Hamas also pursues “peace treaties,” insisting on various forms of concessions from Israel—and receives them? Moreover, even if the “true” nature of Islam were peaceful, that would not change the fact that some Muslims will assume, and therefore act upon the notion, that Islam does preach jihadi violence. In other words, many apologists for Islam concede that the “radical” interpretation is still that, an interpretation, albeit a flawed one, that “hijacks” the true Islam. And since that is the case, since “radical Islam,” whether the true face of Islam or not, is still nonetheless a viable alternative for some, the West must conclude that it will have violent jihadist enemies for the foreseeable future.
Strategic selection of capacity and mileage bids in California ISO performance-based regulation market

A new optimization framework is proposed to operate a large, and price-maker generation firm in a performance-based regulation market. It takes into account various design factors such as the details about the underlying performance-based regulation market rules and Automatic Generation Control (AGC) dispatch mechanisms, as well as the system dynamics of generators, e.g., for the case of a steam-turbine generator. Without loss of generality, our focus is on the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) performance-based regulation market and its two available bidding components, namely regulation capacity bidding and regulation mileage bidding. Case studies are presented to gain insights about the proposed bidding method, its characterizes, and its practical implications.
Dynamic association of epigenetic H3K4me3 and DNA 5hmC marks in the dorsal hippocampus and anterior cingulate cortex following reactivation of a fear memory

Epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation and histone methylation are critical regulators of gene transcription changes during memory consolidation. However, it is unknown how these epigenetic modifications coordinate control of gene expression following reactivation of a previously consolidated memory. Here, we found that retrieval of a recent contextual fear conditioned memory increased global levels of H3 lysine 4-trimethylation (H3K4me3) and DNA 5-hydroxymethylation (5hmC) in area CA1 of the dorsal hippocampus. Further experiments revealed increased levels of H3K4me3 and DNA 5hmC within a CpG-enriched coding region of the Npas4, but not c-fos, gene. Intriguingly, retrieval of a 30-day old memory increased H3K4me3 and DNA 5hmC levels at a CpG-enriched coding region of c-fos, but not Npas4, in the anterior cingulate cortex, suggesting that while these two epigenetic mechanisms co-occur following the retrieval of a recent or remote memory, their gene targets differ depending on the brain region. Additionally, we found that in vivo siRNA-mediated knockdown of the H3K4me3 methyltransferase Mll1 in CA1 abolished retrieval-induced increases in DNA 5hmC levels at the Npas4 gene, suggesting that H3K4me3 couples to DNA 5hmC mechanisms. Consistent with this, loss of Mll1 prevented retrieval-induced increases in Npas4 mRNA levels in CA1 and impaired fear memory. Collectively, these findings suggest an important link between histone methylation and DNA hydroxymethylation mechanisms in the epigenetic control of de novo gene transcription triggered by memory retrieval.
Locating Economic Risks for Adolescent Mental and Behavioral Health: Poverty and Affluence in Families, Neighborhoods, and Schools

Research has identified risks of both poverty and affluence for adolescents. This study sought to clarify associations between income and youth mental and behavioral health by delineating economic risks derived from family, neighborhood, and school contexts within a nationally representative sample of high school students (N = 13,179, average age 16). Attending schools with more affluent schoolmates was associated with heightened likelihoods of intoxication, drug use, and property crime, but youth at poorer schools reported greater depressive and anxiety symptoms, engagement in violence, and for male adolescents, more frequent violence and intoxication. Neighborhood and family income were far less predictive. Results suggest that adolescent health risks derive from both ends of the economic spectrum, and may be largely driven by school contexts.
Quirky Desires and Well-Being

According to a desire-satisfaction theory of well-being, the satisfaction of one’s desires is what promotes one’s well-being. Against this, it is frequently objected that some desires are beyond the pale of well-being relevance, for example: the desire to count blades of grass, the desire to collect dryer lint and the desire to make handwritten copies of War and Peace, to name a few. I argue that the satisfaction of such desires – I call them “quirky” desires – does indeed contribute to a desirer’s well-being, when (and only when) the desirer is able to provide what Anscombe calls a desirability characterization of the object of the desire. One successfully provides such a characterization when one is able to describe the object of desire in such a way as to make comprehensible to others what she sees as positive, worthy of pursuit, in that object. To make the case, I consider common desires such as the desires to take a walk on the beach, drink a beer or listen to music. I argue that, although the well-being relevance of such common desires normally is not questioned, their satisfactions contribute to well-being just in case the same condition is met. I then argue by analogy with common desires that quirky desires are also relevant to well-being just in case that condition is met. After sketching this solution to the problem of quirky desires, I show that this response is better than other responses that have been given by desire theorists. I then develop several aspects of this account in response to objections that can be raised against it. Among these (to name a few) are the objection that my account does not apply to the well-being of infants and other inarticulate persons; the objection that intrinsic desires, such as for pleasure, cannot be given desirability characterizations; and the objection that desirability characterizations must advert to pleasure or to objectively good properties of the object of desire, so that my account reduces either to hedonism or to an objective view of well-being.
State Failure and Political Instability: The Impact of Educational Attainment in Africa

I investigate the role of educational attainment on state failure and political stability across the African continent. For the empirical analysis, I estimate a Linear Probability Model (LPM) for State Failure by Ordinary Least Squares (OLS). I hypothesize that differences in educational attainment in Africa can explain differences in political stability and state failure. Furthermore, I believe that this effect has persisted over time and that early educational attainment in the late colonial and early independence era is a significant determinant of state affairs in more recent times. I find that early secondary educational attainment explains higher state stability, while tertiary education explains more state instability later on.
Men who ‘Marry Out’: unsettling masculinity, kinship, and nation through migration across the Taiwan Strait

AbstractFamily reunification has become a widely recognized means to move across borders in the contemporary world. As a migration strategy, family reunification redefines the relationship of kinship to nation, diversifying the ‘national family’ and its gendered role expectations. This article uses cross-border marriages between Chinese and Taiwanese to interrogate how immigration affects the experiences of men who migrate through or in conjunction with marriage, integrating scales of family, citizenship, and nation in an analysis of migrant masculinity. Migrant husbands describe their disempowerment as male providers and citizens through the patrilineal and patrilocal kinship language of having ‘married out.’ The article examines the salience of this kinship model for immigrant husbands seeking to redefine their relationship to patrilineal gender privileges and secure citizenship status. How do men who migrate through marriage negotiate gendered kinship principles that may work to their benefit in their ...
Concentrations of polyphenols from blueberry pomace extract using nanofiltration

Abstract Polyphenols extracted from blueberry ( Vaccinium corymbosum ) pomace were concentrated using nanofiltration. Crossflow filtration was shown to be a feasible method for concentrating the polyphenols present in dilute aqueous solutions. High-performance liquid chromatography was employed for the determination of total anthocyanins, total flavonols and chlorogenic acid in the hot water extract. Both nanofiltration membranes (NF245 and NF270) showed complete rejection of phenolic compounds at good permeances, whereas crossflow mode of filtration was found to reduce membrane fouling considerably. Furthermore, a suitable protocol was developed for clean-in-place of the used membranes. After repeated filtrations followed by the cleaning protocol, the rejection performance was preserved unaltered and the relative permeance was recovered up to 73% for NF245 membrane and more than 99% for NF270 membrane.
Strategies for Success: The Long Game

Adopting a “promotion mindset” from the beginning of an academic career starts with ensuring appointment to the optimal rank and track. Sustaining progress depends on regular reviews, appropriate advice and mentoring, individualized faculty development, creating and using opportunities to build credentials, and keeping consistent documentation. Clinical faculty members need to be well informed about the expectations for academic promotion in their schools and to seek opportunities in routine activities to enhance their promotion credentials, including scholarship. Many clinical and educational activities have scholarship potential if carefully planned, conducted, and reported. External advisors and national organizations can be important resources. Maintaining appropriate records is essential to monitor progress and prepare for academic promotion.
The art of Head Start: Intensive arts integration associated with advantage in school readiness for economically disadvantaged children

Abstract The present study examined the impact of intensive arts integration on school readiness for economically disadvantaged children attending Head Start preschool. Participants were 265 children, ages 3–5 years. Of these, 197 attended a fully arts-integrated Head Start, where children received daily music, dance, and visual arts classes in addition to homeroom, and 68 attended a matched comparison program that did not include arts classes. The Bracken Basic Concepts Scale, Third Edition- Receptive (BBCS-3:R) was used to measure children’s school readiness at the start and end of a year of preschool attendance. According to a repeated-measures multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA), children at the arts-integrated Head Start showed greater gains in school readiness compared to their peers at the comparison program. Univariate tests revealed that attendance at the arts-integrated preschool was associated with greater gains on a general school readiness composite as well as in specific concept areas of texture/material and self/social awareness. Findings suggest that the arts can add value to Head Start preschool. Implications concern the arts as a vehicle for equalizing educational opportunities for young, economically disadvantaged children.
Introduction to the IEEE Solid-State Circuits Letters

The fast-evolving nature of the semiconductor industry has created a need for a publication with a short turnaround time so that the latest developments can be reported with minimal delay. The IEEE Solid-State Circuits Letters (SSCL) is introduced to fulfill this need. Aiming for a submission-to-publication period of about three months, the SSCL serves as a peer-reviewed, archival journal having acceptance standards similar to those of the IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, but with a four-page limit for the papers. The SSCL invites submissions containing new ideas whose efficacy is demonstrated by experimental results.
Prostate Specific Antigen Cannot Distinguish Stage T1a (A1) Prostate Cancer from Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

To determine if serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) has decreased the prevalence of stages T1a (A1) and T1b (A2) prostate cancer, and to compare the PSA values for patients with stages T1a and T1b prostate cancer and men with symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia, 966 patients undergoing transurethral resection of the prostate were evaluated retrospectively. Included in the study population were 499 consecutive patients who underwent transurethral resection of the prostate for obstructive urinary symptoms in 1986 (no PSA group), and 467 consecutive patients who underwent resection in 1989 and 1990 who were evaluated with serum PSA preoperatively (PSA group). The mean age for the no PSA group was 71 years compared to 70 years for the PSA group (p = 0.36). The overall prevalence of stages T1a and T1b prostate cancer in the no PSA group was 8.6% compared to 10.3% in the PSA group (p = 0.37). The prevalence of stages T1a and T1b prostate cancer in the no PSA group was 3.6% and 5.0%, respectively, compared to 7.3% and 3.0%, respectively, for the PSA group (p = 0.01). In the PSA group the median PSA value for patients with stages T1a and T1b prostate cancer was 3.8 ng/ml compared to 3.4 ng/ml for the patients without cancer (p = 0.59). The median PSA level for the stage T1a cancer patients was 2.4 ng/ml, which was not statistically different from that in patients without cancer (p = 0.31), and the median PSA level for the stage T1b cancer patients was 5.9 ng/ml, which was statistically different than that in patients without cancer (p = 0.01). These findings suggest that the routine use of serum PSA does not decrease the prevalence of stage T1a prostate cancer and that PSA may decrease the prevalence of stage T1b tumors but a larger study would be necessary to document this finding.
Impoliteness and the moral order in online gaming

Abstract In recent years, eSports, online gaming, and live computer game streaming have grown into a global, multi-million dollar industry. In the context of online gaming, however, there is a prevailing moral order (Kadar 2017) that allows and perhaps even encourages impoliteness against female gamers, positioning them as inferior, unwelcome, or peripheral. Drawing from a corpus of over 150 hours of live game streams and concurrent open-forum chat, this paper identifies rituals and tropes (such as spam and banter) that reinforce gendered practices as they relate to the moral order in the online gaming setting. It then explores strategies used by one female gamer to manipulate the expectations of the online gaming medium and its hegemonic notions of femininity. In this way, she can resist a moral order which positions her as disempowered, and thereby gain social capital within the community.
Energy Management and Storage Technologies in Micro-Hybrid Vehicles

Micro-hybrids offer minimum hybrid functionality with a 14 V electrical system. Advanced energy management is the key to CO2 savings and to robust operation of such vehicles.
Utilization of a breast cancer risk assessment tool by internal medicine residents in a primary care clinic: impact of an educational program

Despite strong evidence of benefit, breast cancer risk assessment and chemoprevention are underutilized by primary care physicians. This study evaluates the impact of an educational program on knowledge and utilization of the NCI Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool (BCRAT) by internal medicine residents. Internal medicine residents at the primary care clinic at William Beaumont Hospital participated in an educational program on breast cancer risk assessment and chemoprevention. A questionnaire was used to assess knowledge and practice before and after participation. Electronic health records of women between the ages of 35 and 65 who were seen by participating residents for annual health exams between Dec 15, 2015 and Dec 14, 2016 were reviewed. Utilization of BCRAT by the residents was compared pre- and post-educational program. A total of 43 residents participated in the study. 31 (72.1%) residents reported no prior knowledge about BCRAT. The remaining 12 (27.9%) reported limited knowledge of BCRAT, but the majority of these (n = 10, 83.3%) had not used it in the last six months. For each question on the pre-educational knowledge assessment, fewer than 10% of the residents responded correctly. After implementation of the educational program, there was a significant increase in the proportion of residents who answered correctly (Range: 67 to 100%, p < 0.001). Electronic health records of 301 clinic patients were reviewed, 118 (39.2%) in the pre-educational program group and 183 (60.8%) in the post-educational program group. There was a higher use of BCRAT in the post-educational program group compared to the pre-intervention group (3.8% vs. 0%, p < 0.05). However, a majority (n = 294, 98.7%) of eligible patients from both groups did not undergo breast cancer risk assessment. Our study demonstrates that an educational intervention improved residents’ knowledge of BCRAT. Despite this improvement, a significant proportion of patients did not undergo breast cancer risk assessment. Expanding the scope and duration of this intervention and combining it with innovative use of technology to improve utilization should be the subject of future investigation.
Tactical distributed ledger: an enabling technology for deploying resilient decentralized systems

This work develops a principled approach for coordinating decentralized systems that can exchange information, issue and service requests, and perform outcome-focused actions together. It harnesses the resiliency and robustness offered by blockchain frameworks to enable sustained activity in the presence a diverse set of failure modes, operating constraints, and changing task requirements. We accomplish this through the Tactical Distributed Ledger, a distributed computer that can accommodate a wide range of sensors, agents, vehicles, and devices to create a decentralized system. We have used this framework to deploy a multi-participant system that combines sensing, vehicle mobility, and situational awareness to perform coordinated activities in a simulated city environment. The key mechanism that enables this interaction is a robust auction framework implemented on top of a smart contract blockchain system. This paper details the design, components, and features of the auction system.
Robot-Assisted Thoracoscopic Mediastinal Parathyroidectomy: A Single Surgeon Case Series.

Abstract Objective: Minimally invasive (video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery) mediastinal parathyroidectomy has been described as a technique for surgical management of primary hyperparathyroidism ...
Deciphering Molecular Control of VEGFR2 Regulation in Hematopoietic Progenitors: GATA1-Mediated Repression of VEGFR2 Promotes Optimum Erythropoiesis

VEGFR2 (also known as Flk1) is expressed in hemetopoietic precursors and is essential for both hematopoietic and vascular development. Interestingly, development of differentiated hematopoietic cell from hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) is associated with VEGFR2 repression, whereas VEGFR2 expression is maintained throughout endothelial development. This differential regulation of VEGFR2 has been implicated as a key step to successfully branch out hematopoietic vs. endothelial development. However, molecular mechanisms that regulate transcriptionally active vs. repressive Vegfr2 chromatin domains in hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) vs. differentiated hematopoietic cells are incompletely understood. Here, we report that transcription factor GATA1, a master-regulator of erythroid differentiation, is essential to repress VEGFR2 expression in erythroid progenitors. Genetic complementation analysis demonstrated that VEGFR2 expression in maintained in GATA1-null erythroid progenitors and rescue of GATA1-function induces VEGFR2 repression. Mechanistic studies in primary hematopoietic progenitors from mouse fetal liver and differentiating mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) identified a repressor element at the (-)88 kb region of the Vegfr2 locus from which GATA1 represses Vegfr2 transcription in erythroid progenitors. Furthermore, CRISPR/Cas9-mediated deletion of the Vegfr2(-)88 kb region results in reduced erythroid differentiation during fetal liver hematopoiesis. These results indicate that GATA1-mediated repression of VEGFR2 could be a determinant of optimum erythropoiesis. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Are Current Account Deficits Sustainable? Evidence from Dynamic Panel Data Analysis

This paper examines two issues, namely, whether the current account deficit (CAD) is sustainable, and the degree of sustainability for a panel consisting of 129 countries over the period 1981–2013. To this end, we investigate the relationship between exports and imports for various income and region categories. Our finding from the pooled mean group estimator suggests that CAD is “weakly” sustainable in most of the country groups. This implies that sustainable current account is consistent with the sustainability of external debts. Further, the adjustment coefficient is found to be rather low for all the country groups. This indicates that the speed of convergence toward the long-run equilibrium in the event of short-run disturbances is faster. Finally, we discuss policy implications of our findings.
An additive score optimized by a genetic learning algorithm predicts readmission risk after glioblastoma resection.

Abstract Thirty-day readmission following glioblastoma (GBM) resection is not only correlated with decreased overall survival but also increasingly tied to quality metrics and reimbursement. This study aimed to determine factors linked with 30-day readmission to develop a simple risk stratification score. From 2005 to 2016, 666 unique resections (467 patients) of primary/recurrent tissue-confirmed glioblastoma were retrospectively identified. We recorded patient demographics and medical history, tumor characteristics, post-operative complications and 30-day readmission. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression, optimized using a genetic learning algorithm, were used to determine factors associated with readmission. The multivariate model was converted to a simple additive score. The 30-day readmission rate was 20.3% in our cohort of 666 unique resections (60.7% first resection). Lower pre/post-operative KPS, recurrent resection, surgical-site infection, post-operative VTE, post-operative VPS, and discharge to a rehabilitation facility were significantly associated with an increased readmission risk (p
How the use of the artificial intelligence could improve surgical skills in urology: state of the art and future perspectives.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW As technology advances, surgical training has evolved in parallel over the previous decade. Training is commonly seen as a way to prepare surgeons for their day-to-day work; however, more importantly, it allows for certification of skills to ensure maximum patient safety. This article reviews advances in the use of machine learning and artificial intelligence for improvements of surgical skills in urology. RECENT FINDINGS Six studies have been published, which met the inclusion criteria. All articles assessed the application of artificial intelligence in improving surgical training. Different approaches were taken, such as using machine learning to identify and classify suturing gestures, creating automated objective evaluation reports, and determining surgical technical skill levels to predict clinical outcomes. The articles illustrated the continuously growing role of artificial intelligence to address the difficulties currently present in evaluating urological surgical skills. SUMMARY Artificial intelligence allows us to efficiently analyze the surmounting data related to surgical training and use it to come to conclusions that normally would require human intelligence. Although these metrics have been shown to predict surgeon expertise and surgical outcomes, evidence is still scarce regarding their ability to directly improve patient outcomes. Considering this, current active research is growing on the topic of deep learning-based computer vision to provide automated metrics needed for real-time surgeon feedback.
Genome-wide family-based study in torus palatinus affected individuals.

Abstract Objective Tori or exostoses are bony growths that appear in different oral regions. Torus palatinus, more specifically, develop in the palate midline and can impair proper word pronunciation and hinder the fabrication and use of dentures. Even though a multifactorial inheritance model has been suggested for torus palatinus appearance, precise genetic factors involved in its etiology remain unclear. Hence, in this study we aimed to identify variants across the genome of individuals from 46 Filipino families that associate with torus palatinus. Design All families were composed of fishermen or landless rural dwellers who provided blood samples for DNA extraction and genotyping. A total of 3519 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were analyzed through a transmission disequilibrium test in individuals affected by torus palatinus and their unaffected family members. Results Fourteen SNPs showed trends for associations to the level of p Conclusions Trends for associations were identified for several markers across the genome, supporting the hypothesis that torus palatinus has a multifactorial mode of inheritance. We hope that our study contributes to a better understanding of torus palatinus etiology and helps guide future research in examining genes for this often-overlooked condition in different populations.
Milliken’s Legacy in the ‘eLearning Era’ - Redefining Remedies to Address Amplified Academic Achievement Gaps in America’s Public Schools

The Supreme Court’s 1954 ruling in Brown v. Board of Education finding racial segregation in America’s public schools unconstitutional, is widely regarded as a landmark decision. Popular perception credits the case with transforming education for Black students, permitting them equal access to and integration within our nation’s classrooms. But popular perception too often excludes consideration of a much lesser studied Supreme Court case: Milliken v. Bradley. In 1974, the Milliken Court effectively halted and reversed Brown’s integration efforts by holding that if a school district line is drawn in any plan for nearly any reason, desegregation efforts do not have to cross over that line. Legal scholars suggest Milliken “entrenched the power of the school district border in desegregation efforts.” Where Brown took two steps forward, Milliken took ten steps back. Today, nearly 50 years later, Milliken’s legacy has resulted in a system of splintered communities—a system in which public schools are dependent on an equally splintered funding system and in which nearly 25 million public school students do not attend integrated schools. Segregation in America’s public schools is no new phenomenon. Yet this Article proffers a new understanding of segregation in our nation’s public schools: segregation in the Era of COVID-19—a time this Article coins the “eLearning Era.” The ongoing global pandemic has amplified and evolved the inequities in our country’s public education system that Milliken codified and perpetuated. Today, as the majority of children across America are learning in remote settings for the first time in history, segregation in K-12 public education is not only more profound than ever before, but it also appears in an unprecedented manner. This Article identifies three specific areas of inequity in today’s eLearning Era, particularly for students of color, students with disabilities, and students of lower socioeconomic status: (1) quality of education, (2) access to education, and (3) evaluation of educational outcomes. Analyzing how these inequities are rooted in Milliken and its progeny, this Article argues that we must mitigate this segregation by implementing innovative remedies. Looking to Milliken as a cautionary tale, this Article recommends that to remedy the pervasive inequities COVID-19 has amplified in our nation’s public schools, we must focus on the state level rather than seeking relief from the federal courts. Ultimately, this Article asserts that state legislatures are best suited to do this work, but the federal government must assist by creating new funding opportunities for state education systems as a direct response to COVID-19.