cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prospective study of abdominal adiposity and gallstone disease in US men

Background: Obesity is an established risk factor for gallstones, but whether abdominal adiposity contributes independently to the risk, particularly in men, remains unclear. Objective: The purpose of the study was to examine the associations of abdominal circumference and waist-to-hip ratio, as measures of abdominal adiposity, with the risk of symptomatic gallstone disease in men. Design: We prospectively studied measures of abdominal obesity in relation to the incidence of symptomatic gallstone disease in a cohort of 29 847 men who were free of prior gallstone disease and who provided complete data on waist and hip circumferences. Data on weight, height, and waist and hip circumferences were collected in 1986 and in 1987 through self-administered questionnaires. As part of the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, men reported newly diagnosed symptomatic gallstone disease on questionnaires mailed to them every 2 y. Results: We documented 1117 new cases of symptomatic gallstone disease during 264 185 person-years of follow-up. After adjustment for body mass index and other known or suspected risk factors for gallstones, men with a height-adjusted waist circumference 102.6 cm (40.4 in) had a relative risk of 2.29 (95% CI: 1.69, 3.11; P for trend 0.001) compared with men with a height-adjusted waist circumference 86.4 cm (34 in). Men with a waist-to-hip ratio 0.99 had a multivariate relative risk of 1.78 (1.38, 2.28; P for trend 0.001) compared with men with a waist-to-hip ratio 0.89. Conclusions: Our data suggest the presence of a significant association between abdominal adiposity and the incidence of symptomatic gallstone disease. As measures of abdominal adiposity, abdominal circumference and waist-to-hip ratio predict the risk of developing gallstones independently of body mass index. Am J Clin Nutr 2004;80:38 – 44.
Ace2p contributes to fission yeast septin ring assembly by regulating mid2+ expression

The fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe divides through constriction of an actomyosin-based contractile ring followed by formation and degradation of a medial septum. Formation of an organized septin ring is also important for the completion of S. pombe cell division and this event relies on the production of Mid2p. mid2+ mRNA and protein accumulate in mitosis. Recent microarray analyses identified mid2+ as a target of the Ace2p transcription factor, and ace2+ as a target of the Sep1p transcription factor. In this study, we find that Mid2p production is controlled by Ace2p functioning downstream of Sep1p. Consequently, both Sep1p and Ace2p are required for septin ring assembly and genetic analyses indicate that septin rings function in parallel with other Ace2p targets to achieve efficient cell division. Conversely, forced overproduction of Sep1p or Ace2p prevents septin ring disassembly. We find that Ace2p levels peak during anaphase and Ace2p is post-translationally modified by phosphorylation and ubiquitylation. Ace2p localizes symmetrically to dividing nuclei and functions independently of the septation initiation network.
A Grammar-Based Reverse Engineering Framework for Behavior Verification

A high assurance system requires both functional and nonfunctional correctness before the system is put into operation. To examine whether a system's actual performance complies with the requirement, an effective reasoning and verification mechanism is needed. This paper presents a graph grammar based reverse engineering framework for the behavior verification of high assurance systems. It casts the program verification problem to a visual language parsing problem, i.e. parsing the graphical representation of program behavior with user-specified constraints and properties expressed as a graph grammar. The approach allows developers to check the acceptable sequence of method calls corresponding to the specifications for some requirements.
Real Options and IT Platform Adoption: Implications for Theory and Practice

The decision processes surrounding investments in innovative information technology (IT) platforms are complicated by uncertainty about expected payoffs and irreversibilities in the costs of implementation. When uncertainty and irreversibility are high, concepts from real options should be used to properly structure the evaluation and management of investment opportunities, and thereby capture the value of managerial flexibility. However, while innovation researchers have posited that option value can influence the motivations of early adopters, and options researchers have identified emerging IT as a promising area for application of options valuation techniques, there has yet to be a systematic theoretical integration of work on IT innovation and real options.This paper seeks to fill this gap by developing a model of the determinants of option value associated with investments in innovative IT platforms. In so doing, the model addresses a central question in the innovation field: When should a firm take a lead role in innovation with emerging technologies? The analysis begins with an explanation of real options analysis and how it differs from conventional approaches for evaluating new technologies. Then a set of 12 factors--drawn from 4 complementary perspectives on organizational innovation (technology strategy, organizational learning, innovation bandwagons, and technology adaptation)--is synthesized into a model of the option value of IT platform investments. Rationales are provided to explain the direct effects of these factors on option value, and selected interactions among the factors are also considered. Finally, the implications of the model are presented in three areas: predicting IT platform initiation and adoption, valuing IT platform options, and managing IT platform implementation.
African-American injection drug users: association between pre-treatment services and entry into and completion of detoxification.

Abstract Research suggests that African–American injection drug users, when compared with other ethnic and racial groups of injection drug users, are more likely to have no history of substance abuse treatment. The project evaluated was designed to attract African–American injection drug users to treatment by providing comprehensive pre-treatment services including street outreach, drop-in center services, case management, and motivational counseling. The overall program goal was to facilitate clients’ acceptance of referral to treatment and readiness to utilize treatment. The evaluation described here examines whether, for this African–American population of hard-core drug users, utilization of pre-treatment services improved the intermediary treatment outcomes of entry into and completion of detoxification. Findings showed that high utilization of drop-in center services increased the frequency of entrance into detoxification programs. Entrance into detoxification has been shown to be significantly correlated with (a) entrance into further treatment, (b) reduced HIV/AIDS risk, and (c) successful linkage with health care and social services. Contrary to expectations, high utilization of pre-treatment services was not significantly correlated to increased completion of detoxification.
Expression of Anaplasma marginale Major Surface Protein 2 Variants during Persistent Cyclic Rickettsemia

Anaplasma marginale is an intraerythrocytic rickettsial pathogen of cattle in which infection persists for the life of the animal. Persistent A. marginale infection is characterized by repetitive rickettsemic cycles which we hypothesize reflect emergence of A. marginale antigenic variants. In this study, we determined whether variants of major surface protein 2 (MSP-2), a target of protective immunity encoded by a polymorphic multigene family, arise during persistent rickettsemia. By using a quantitative competitive PCR to identify rickettsemic cycles, msp-2 transcripts expressed in vivo were isolated from peak rickettsemia of sequential cycles. Cloning and sequencing of msp-2 cDNA revealed that genetic variants of MSP-2 emerge representing a minimum of four genetic variant types in each cycle during persistent infection. Two-color immunofluorescence using variant-specific antibody showed that emergence of MSP-2 variants resulted in expression of a minimum of three antigenic types of MSP-2 within one rickettsemic cycle. Therefore immune control of each cycle would require responses to an antigenically diverse A. marginale population. These findings demonstrate that polymorphic MSP-2 variants emerge during cyclic rickettsemia in persistent A. marginale infection and suggest that emergent variants play an important role in persistence.
Kernel Learning for Efficiency Maximization in the Conformal Predictions Framework

The Conformal Predictions framework is a recent development in machine learning to associate reliable measures of confidence with results in classification and regression. This framework is founded on the principles of algorithmic randomness (Kolmogorov complexity), transductive inference and hypothesis testing. While the formulation of the framework guarantees validity, the efficiency of the framework depends greatly on the choice of the classifier and appropriate kernel functions or parameters. While this framework has extensive potential to be useful in several applications, the lack of efficiency can limit its usability. In this paper, we propose a novel kernel learning methodology to maximize efficiency in the CP framework. This method is validated using the k-Nearest Neighbors classifier on three different datasets, and our results show immense promise in applying this method to obtain efficient conformal predictors that can be practically useful.
Constrained choice and ethical dilemmas in land management: environmental quality and food safety in California agriculture.

As environmental and conservation efforts increasingly turn towards agricultural landscapes, it is important to understand how land management decisions are made by agricultural producers. While previous studies have explored producer decision-making, many fail to recognize the importance of external structural influences. This paper uses a case study to explore how consolidated markets and increasing corporate power in the food system can constrain producer choice and create ethical dilemmas over land management. Crop growers in the Central Coast region of California face conflicting demands regarding environmental quality and industry imposed food safety standards. A mail survey and personal interviews were used to explore growers' perceptions and actions regarding these demands. Results indicate that in many cases growers face serious ethical dilemmas and feel pressured by large processing and retail firms to adopt measures they find environmentally destructive and unethical. Future strategies to address environmental issues on agricultural landscapes should consider the economic constraints producers face and the role of large firms in creating production standards.
Krüppel homolog ( Kr h ) is a dosage-dependent modifier of gene expression in Drosophila

A lethal mutation in the Kruppel homolog (Kr h) was isolated in screens of P-element insertion mutations for modifiers of white gene expression. The mutation occurs in the 5' untranslated region of the Kr h gene and causes a lightening of the eye colour for several alleles of white due to a decrease in white steady-state mRNA levels at pupal stages. Two related genes, scarlet and brown, were significantly affected as well in early pupae. Genetic analysis of different white alleles suggests that enhancer sequences are necessary for interaction with KR H. Thus, the Kr h gene is a member of the dosage-dependent hierarchy effective upon white.
Rapidity of treatment response and outcome in type 1 autoimmune hepatitis.

Background/Aims Corticosteroid therapy is effective in type 1 autoimmune hepatitis. This study determines if the rapidity of response affects outcome. Methods The duration of treatment to improve clinical and laboratory indices was determined retrospectively in 146 patients and correlated with outcome. Results Sixteen patients (11%) responded after ⩽6 months, and 20 patients did so after 36 months (14%). The rapid responders were older than those who responded slowly (54±3 years versus 41±4 years, P =0.007), and they had a lower frequency of HLA DRB1∗03 (36% versus 76%, P =0.03). Patients aged ⩾60 years responded within 6 months more commonly than adults aged P =0.02), and most had responded within 24 months (94% versus 64%, P =0.003). Elderly patients who responded quickly had HLA DRB1∗04 more commonly than adults aged P =0.0001). Progression to cirrhosis (18% versus 54%, P =0.03) and liver transplantation (2% versus 15%, P P =0.6) and relapse after drug withdrawal (81% versus 90%, P =0.6) were similar between patients with an early and late response. Conclusions A rapid treatment response decreases progression to cirrhosis and liver transplantation, but it does not alter the frequency of sustained remission or relapse after drug withdrawal. Elderly patients respond more quickly to treatment than adults aged
Identity Crisis: Experimental Film and Artistic Expansion∗

OCTOBER 137, Summer 2011, pp. 23–50. © 2011 October Magazine, Ltd. and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The radical transformations that took place in the arts after the Second World War reached a crescendo in the 1960s. The nature and possibilities of each art form were fundamentally rethought, while the idea that these art forms could be clearly distinguished from one another gave way to intensive experimentation with cross-fertilization and mixing. Recall Allan Kaprow’s statement, “The young artist of today need no longer say ‘I am a painter,’ or ‘I am a dancer.’ He is simply an ‘artist.’”1 Or this definition by Joseph Kosuth:
Bursal and thymic alloantigen expression in lymphoid tissues of the chicken.

Aves represent that point on the evolutionary tree where separation of lymphoid tissues into thymus-dependent (T cell) and thymus-independent (B cell) lymphoid systems has been compartmentalized to its fullest. Two primary lymphoid organs control differentiation of immunity in birds — the thymus governs development of lymphocytes primarily mediating cellular immune functions, while the bursa of Fabricius controls the maturation of antibody-forming cells (1, 2). The division into T and B cell systems is not as anatomically distinct in other vertebrates, but studies in a number of species indicate that functionally such compartmentalization does exist (3–6). Thus, although Aves present a unique opportunity for studying the relative contribution of T and B cells to immune functions, knowledge gained in this model system has far wider applicability.
Acromegaly-induced cardiomyopathy with dobutamine-induced outflow tract obstruction

A 50-year-old man with a history of acromegaly was referred for preoperative cardiac evaluation preceding trans-sphenoidal resection of a pituitary macroadenoma. Dobutamine stress echocardiography was negative for myocardial ischaemia. Resting left ventricular (LV) LV ejection fraction (LVEF) was 64% and there was hypertrophy of ventricular septum (18 mm) without resting LV outflow tract obstruction. With 40 µg/kg/min of dobutamine, the LVEF became hyperdynamic at 80%, and there was a maximal instantaneous LV outflow tract gradient of 77 mm Hg. There was no delayed myocardial enhancement on cardiac MRI and the pattern of hypertrophy was concentric. Acromegaly-induced cardiomyopathy can mimic hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in the setting of dobutamine provocation. Because cardiomyopathy is an important cause of mortality in acromegaly, diagnosis and appropriate management are critical to improve survival.
MULTIVARIABLE ROBUST SELF-TUNING DECOUPLING INDIRECT ALGORITHM

In this paper, a multivariable robust self-tuning decoupling indirect algorithm is presented, and the robustness analysis is also given under some conditions. By means of the simulation experiment results, the effectiveness of the presented algorithm is demonstrated.
Effect of surface roughness on pool boiling heat transfer at a heated surface having moderate wettability

Abstract The effect of surface roughness on pool boiling heat transfer coefficient and critical heat flux (CHF) at a copper surface having moderate wettability was studied in saturated water. Copper surfaces were polished with sandpapers of different average surface roughness (Ra), ranging from 0.041 μm to 2.36 μm. Test measurements included static and dynamic contact angles for each of the nine surfaces tested. Although the surface roughness, Ra, moderately influenced the contact angles, pool boiling test results successfully correlated with the coefficient, Csf, in the well-known Rohsenow correlation. The CHF showed noticeably strong dependence and an enhanced performance on the surface roughness as well. The CHF at the roughest surface (Ra = 2.36 μm) was 1625 kW/m2, which is approximately twice as much of that at the smoothest surface (Ra = 0.041 μm). The large increase in CHF with increasing surface roughness is considered to be a consequence of the capillary wicking from the surrounding liquid to the dry spot. A model for the CHF is obtained by modifying an existing correlation for pool boiling with the inclusion of the capillary wicking effect, and a comparison of the results with the experimental data shows good agreement when the wicking effect is included in the correlation.
Operative and postoperative management of the patient with follicular and Hürthle cell carcinoma. Do they differ

Most characteristics of follicular and Hurthle cell carcinoma are similar; however, important differences must be recognized. Approximately 20% of thyroid nodules that are deemed suspicious by fine-needle aspiration will prove to be malignant; the remaining 80% represent benign follicular or Hurthle cell nodules. Benign adenomas usually are managed with a unilateral total lobectomy, whereas carcinomas and tumors quite suspicious for carcinoma are removed through a total or near-total thyroidectomy. This affords not only complete clearance of the tumor, but facilitates postoperative follow-up both diagnostically and therapeutically with 131 I.
Local delivery of minocycline from metal ion-assisted self-assembled complexes promotes neuroprotection and functional recovery after spinal cord injury.

Many mechanisms contribute to the secondary injury cascades following traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). However, most current treatment strategies only target one or a few elements in the injury cascades, and have been largely unsuccessful in clinical trials. Minocycline hydrochloride (MH) is a clinically available antibiotic and anti-inflammatory drug that has been shown to target a broad range of secondary injury mechanisms via its anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and anti-apoptotic properties. However, MH is only neuroprotective at high concentrations. The inability to translate the high doses of MH used in experimental animals to tolerable doses in human patients limits its clinical efficacy. In addition, the duration of MH treatment is limited because long-term systemic administration of high doses of MH has been shown to cause liver toxicity and even death. We have developed a drug delivery system in the form of hydrogel loaded with polysaccharide-MH complexes self-assembled by metal ions for controlled release of MH. This drug delivery system can be injected into the intrathecal space for local delivery of MH with sufficient dose and duration, without causing any additional tissue damage. We show that local delivery of MH at a dose that is lower than the standard human dose (3 mg/kg) was more effective in reducing secondary injury and promoting locomotor functional recovery than systemic injection of MH with the highest dose and duration reported in experimental animal SCI (90-135 mg/kg).
Response surface method for assessing energy production from geopressured geothermal reservoirs

Developing low-enthalpy geothermal resources along the US Gulf Coast is attractive for reducing global warming and providing clean energy. In this work, synthetic yet representative models for typical geopressured geothermal reservoirs located along the US Gulf Coast are considered. A Box–Behnken experimental design is used to select a small set of these models to perform detailed reservoir simulation runs. Full quadratic linear models are fit to the simulation results, and their sufficiency is confirmed by comparing them to kriging response surfaces. To achieve a higher degree of efficiency in using the response surfaces, Hammersley sequence sampling (HSS) method is used instead of traditional Monte Carlo sampling. HSS ensures that the factor space is sampled more uniformly and the response distribution is converged in less time. By evaluating these proxy models in the sampled factor space, the sensitivity and uncertainty of the response to the factors can be assessed. In this work, the sensitivity and uncertainty of engineered convection is assessed. For quantifying engineered convection, five uncertain reservoir attributes were selected. The response was defined as the net extracted enthalpy. In particular, two different designs for harvesting energy from geothermal reservoirs were compared using the response surfaces. In the modeled systems, results show that the regular design is more effective than the reverse design for extracting energy from geopressured geothermal reservoirs.
Myelomeningocele Repair: Surgical Management Based on a 30-Year Experience.

Background Myelomeningocele (MMC) is a rare but severe spinal defect resulting from a failed neurulation process. Surgical repair is a delicate procedure that needs accurate neuroanatomical knowledge and adequate surgical planning.
The Northeast Avalon Atlantic Coastal Action Program: implementing integrated watershed management in Newfoundland and Labrador

AbstractThe Northeast Avalon Atlantic Coastal Action Program (NAACAP) is a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting watersheds and coastal environments through research, education, community engagement and strong cross-sectoral partnerships. NAACAP’s mission statement establishes the principles of integrated watershed management, which drive the efforts of the organization: local initiatives; partnerships and collaboration; watershed basis; and aquatic health. Central to NAACAP’s successes are strong partnerships with industry, other non-profits and local, provincial and federal governments. This is key to overcoming the ongoing anthropogenic and organizational challenges faced by NAACAP in the application of integrated watershed management in the Northeast Avalon region of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Dislocation Cross-Slip Controlled Creep at High Stresses and Transitional Creep Mechanisms in Zircaloy-4

Uniaxial creep tests were performed on Zircaloy-4 sheet in the temperature range of 500–600 °C at high stresses (>10−3E, E is the elastic modulus) to uncover the rate-controlling mechanism. Stress exponents and stress-dependent activation energies, respectively, in the range of 9.3–11 and 220–242 kJ/mol were obtained from the steady state creep rate data. TEM analyses on the deformed specimens revealed extensive hexagonal screw dislocation networks on the basal planes indicating recovery of screw dislocations by cross-slip to be the dominant mechanism. Furthermore, analysis of the creep data in the light of Friedel’s cross slip model for HCP metals and the activation volume of the operating deformation mechanisms measured using stress relaxation tests favor cross-slip of screw dislocations as the rate controlling mechanism in the creep testing conditions employed in this study. In addition, transitions in creep mechanisms of Zircaloy-4 are presented along with its application to the evaluation of the total strain accumulated in Zircaloy-4 fuel cladding during dry storage.
Paper-based Invasion Assays for Quantifying Cellular Movement in Three-dimensional Tissue-like Structures

To elucidate the chemical and environmental conditions that promote invasion of cancer cells, an assay is needed in which the chemical landscape of a tumor-like environment can be experimentally manipulated and probed. The three-dimensional paper-based invasion assays described here simulate poorly vascularized tissue and allow the invasion of cancerous cells to be visualized and quantified. These cultures are easy to assemble and allow multiple invasion assays to be performed in parallel. By using different materials to control gradients formed across the culture, the chemotactic potential of small molecules can be evaluated in a more representative tissue microenvironment. © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Keywords: chemotaxis; hypoxia; invasion; oxygen gradients; tumor microenvironment
Selective laser alloying of elemental titanium and boron powder: Thermal models and experiment verification

Abstract The purpose of this article was to introduce the concept of selective laser alloying (SLA) to print 3D parts directly from elemental powders, and report findings on an investigation of the governing thermal models of the process. Considering the effects of exothermic reaction between Ti and B during the alloying process, thermal models with three group of parameters were developed to predict the phenomena induced in the selective laser alloying process. To validate these models, a series of experiments, with different molar ratios between Ti and B, were conducted on Renishaw AM250 using premixed elemental Ti and B powders. The experiments validated the SLA concept and the results matched consistently with the models’ predictions, which validated the models.
Evidence-based practice (EBP) is not enough

AbstractCertainly times have changed, and incorporation of evidence-based practice into clinical practice is a welcome change from the past. Unfortunately, the expected improved efficiency and clinical outcomes have yet to be observed, and we believe this to be related to multiple disciplines working independently and a lack of focus on an interprofessional, systems-based approach to health care. Shared decision making amongst all members of the health care team is needed with a patient first mindset.
Association of Social Support Network Size With Receipt of Cataract Surgery in Older Adults.

Importance Cataract-related vision impairment is an important public health issue that tends to affect older adults. Little is known about the association between older adults’ social support networks and their likelihood of receiving cataract surgery. Objective To determine if older adults with smaller social support networks are less likely to receive cataract surgery. Design, Setting, and Participants Retrospective cohort study. The National Health and Aging Trends Study, a nationally representative US survey, administered annually from 2011 to 2015 to a cohort of Medicare beneficiaries 65 years and older with no cataract surgery prior to the start of the study. Main Outcomes and Measures Multivariable logistic regression was performed to evaluate if the number of persons in an individual’s social support network influenced whether that individual received cataract surgery during a given year of the study. Results Overall, 3448 participants were interviewed from 2011 to 2015 for a total of 9760 observations. Of these observations, 3084 (weighted, 38.81%; 95% CI, 37.28-40.35) were aged 70 to 74 years, 5211 (weighted, 52.32%; 95% CI, 50.19-54.44) were women; 5899 (weighted, 78.53%; 95% CI, 76.29-80.61) were white, 2249 (weighted, 9.55%; 95% CI, 8.45-10.78) were black, 537 (weighted, 7.18%; 95% CI, 5.88-8.73) were Hispanic, and 303 (weighted, 4.74%; 95% CI, 3.56-62.9) reported other races. Medicare beneficiaries with smaller social support networks (0-2 individuals) were less likely to receive cataract surgery in a given year (adjusted odds ratio, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.37-0.96) than those with larger support networks (≥3 individuals). The adjusted predicted proportion of Medicare beneficiaries undergoing cataract surgery was 4.7% (95% CI, 2.7%-6.7%) and 7.5% (95% CI, 6.9%-8.1%) for those with small and large social support networks, respectively. Having fewer non–spouse/partner family members in the support network was associated with decreased odds of receiving cataract surgery (adjusted odds ratio, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.43-0.85), but having spouses/partners (adjusted odds ratio, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.77-1.22) and nonfamily members (adjusted odds ratio, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.72-1.11) did not have a significant association. Conclusions and Relevance Medicare beneficiaries with fewer non–spouse/partner family members in their social support networks were less likely to receive cataract surgery. These findings suggest that attention should be given to patients with smaller support networks to ensure that they receive cataract surgery when it is indicated.
Modeling users' data usage experiences from scientific literature

In the new data-intensive science paradigm, data infrastructures have been designed and built to collect, archive, publish, and analyze scientific data for a variety of users. Little attention, however, has been paid to users of these data infrastructures. This study endeavors to improve our understanding of these users’ data usage models through a content analysis of publications related to a frequently cited project in the data-intensive science, Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). We find that 1) Content analysis of scientific publications could be a complementary method for researchers in HCI community; 2) although SDSS produced a large volume of astronomical data, users did not fully utilize these data; 3) users are not only consumers of scientific data, they are also producers; and 4) studies that can use multiple large scale data sources are relatively rare. Issues of data provenance and usability may prevent researchers from doing research that combines such data sources. Further HCI study of detailed usability issues associated with data infrastructures in the new paradigm is eagerly needed.
Poisson process models for a combination of points and counts in space

A spatial point process is a stochastic model determining the locations of events in some region A C . Events may be nests in a breeding colony of birds, tress in a forest, or cities in a country. One goal of spatial statistics is to model the underlying process and thus interpret a complicated point process through some parameter estimates based on the known locations of events from some spatial point processes. Techniques have been developed for estimating the parameters of spatial point pro­ cess, given data at either the aggregate or point levels. However, it remains unclear how to model aggregate data (i.e., counts for sections) with a subset of point data (i.e., exact locations of some events). This study investigates a nonhomogeneous Poisson process on A C with intensity function {A(s; 9) : 9 £ ©}. The intensity function may de­ pend on some spatial variable, spatial location s alone, or both. We propose a model for a mixture of an aggregate and point data to accommodate both aggregate level and point level information if possible. It turns out that the proposed model for combined data forms is useful if spatial covariates are available. The combined model appears to give better estimates of parameters in the intensity than does a model only based on aggregate (i.e., count) data. The study shows that the more exact locations we know the more precise maximum likelihood estimates become for parameters of the underlying process. The asymptotic properties of maximum likelihood estimator of the parameters of the combined model are also studied.
Disentangling Within- and Between-Person Effects of Shared Risk Factors on E-cigarette and Cigarette Use Trajectories From Late Adolescence to Young Adulthood

Background Longitudinal studies report associations between use of electronic cigarettes (ECs) and cigarettes over time among young people, but do not distinguish within- from between-person effects, which complicates interpretation of findings. Further, the role of shared risk factors, such as substance use and mental health, in explaining longitudinal associations between EC and cigarette use remains unclear. This study used within- and between-person analyses to assess longitudinal associations between youths' EC and cigarette use and shared risk factors. Methods Between 2015 and 2017, 2039 youths completed three Web-based surveys, allowing us to model EC and cigarette use from ages 16 to 20. Auto-regressive latent growth models with structured residuals (ALT-SR) examined both between-person and within-person associations between past-month frequency of EC use, cigarette use, and third variables (alcohol and marijuana use, mental health symptoms) over time. Results Models revealed robust reciprocal associations between EC and cigarette use, such that more frequent EC use at one time predicted more frequent cigarette use at the subsequent time, and vice versa. Between-person analyses showed associations between shared risk factors and both EC and cigarette use. However, shared risk factors did not predict frequency of subsequent EC and cigarette use in within-person analyses. Conclusions Findings add to a growing body of research suggesting that EC use among youth is prospectively associated with progression toward greater cigarette use. Shared risk factors may help explain differences in EC and cigarette use patterns between young people, but do not appear to influence longitudinal trajectories of EC and cigarette use within individuals. Implications This study examined within- and between-person associations between e-cigarette use, cigarette use, and shared risk factors (alcohol use, marijuana use, mental health symptoms) in a longitudinal cohort of youths. Within- and between-person analyses revealed reciprocal prospective associations between e-cigarette and cigarette use, suggesting a progression toward more frequent use of both products over time. The shared risk factors examined here did not affect escalations in e-cigarette or cigarette use over time within individuals, but likely influence which youths use these products. Findings add to a growing body of evidence suggesting that e-cigarette use increases subsequent cigarette use in young people.
The use of diffusion tractography to characterize a corpus callosum malformation in a dog.

INTRODUCTION The pathogenesis of corpus callosum malformations (CCM) is not well defined in the dog because of inherent limitations of structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to evaluate the white matter. We used the advanced neuroimaging technique of tractography to virtually dissect the white matter projections in a dog with a CCM and in a normal control dog. METHODS A 9-month-old male Coonhound that had a previous structural MRI diagnosis of CCM and a normal control dog underwent anesthesia and 3-Tesla MRI. Diffusion-tensor imaging and 3D T1-weighted and 2D T2-weighted sequences were acquired. Diffusion data were processed before tensor reconstruction and fiber tracking. Virtual dissections were performed to dissect out the major white matter projections in each dog. RESULTS In the dog with CCM, the corpus callosum exhibited interhemispheric crossing fibers at the level of the splenium and formed longitudinal callosal fasciculi (Probst bundles). In addition, the fornix was small and the cingula enlarged and exhibited increased dorsal connectivity relative to the normal control. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE We used tractography to describe a white matter malformation in a dog. The results suggest that, embryologically, formed axons fail to cross midline and instead create Probst bundles.
Clarence Thomas’s Concurrence/Dissent in Grutter v. Bollinger

In 2003 the U.S. Supreme Court decided Grutter v. Bollinger, with the majority opinion sanctioning the use of affirmative action in higher education. Justice Clarence Thomas wrote a separate opinion, concurring in part and dissenting in part from the Court’s judgment, in order to emphasize his view that government consideration of race for any purpose is unconstitutional. The case involved a challenge to the constitutionality of the University of Michigan Law School’s admission policies, under which the race of any applicant from a historically disadvantaged minority group was considered a “plus” factor in the evaluation of that applicant. The plaintiff, an unsuccessful white applicant, sued the law school, alleging that its use of such affirmative action in admissions violated the Constitution’s equal protection clause. The Court upheld the law school’s admission program, holding that institutions of higher education may consider an applicant’s race as one of many factors in a holistic, individualized assessment of each applicant in an effort to compose a diverse student body. Justice Thomas concurred in the majority’s reasoning that affirmative action programs should be viewed with suspicion, but he dissented from the Court’s holding that the law school’s admission program passed such heightened judicial scrutiny.
Effect of Local Norms on Racial and Ethnic Representation in Gifted Education

Educators have sought to understand and address the disproportional representation of students from certain student subgroups in gifted education. Most gifted identification decisions are made with...
Chemotaxis in Bacteria: A Beginner’s Guide to the Literature

Chemotaxis is a behavioral process that enables an organism to move toward regions in its environment that are chemically favorable or to avoid those that are not. The process involves data acquisition (chemoreception), data reduction (signalling, adaptation), and output (changes in locomotion). How are these steps carried out? The organism of choice for studies at the molecular level has proved to be the bacterium Escherichia coli (or its close relative Salmonella typhimurium). These are unicellular organisms of microscopic size (rods about 10-4 cm in diameter by 2 × 10-4 cm long). They possess specific receptors for a variety of sugars and amino acids. They swim by rotating thin helical filaments (flagella) that project into the external medium. The filaments spin alternately clockwise and counterclockwise. The direction of rotation depends, in part, on the way in which the occupancy of the receptors changes with time. Relatively little is known about the coupling between the receptors and the flagella.
CEMAP II: An Architecture and Specifications to Facilitate the Importing of Real-World Data into the CASOS Software Suite

Abstract : An often overbearing logistical problem that social network researchers and analysts face is the challenge of carrying out the basic data processing steps necessary to transform real-world source data into a form that is formatted specifically to the requirements of particular social network analysis software. In particular, this paper focuses on resolving the variety of real-world data forms that must be transformed into the format necessities of the software suite developed at the Center for Computational Analysis of Social and Organizational Systems (CASOS) at Carnegie Mellon University. This data processing or programming problem, while rather straightforward, can be daunting to non-I.T. users of these -- and any -- software tools, and at best case, laboriously costly for the programming savvy. This report outlines and describes a software architecture and user paradigm to address this ubiquitous problem. This report provides a basis for later detailed design and implementation of the ideas put forth in this report which will ultimately results in tangible features being made available and fully operational for users of the CASOS software suite (ORA, AutoMap, and Construct).
Relation of FTO to BOLD response to receipt and anticipated receipt of food and monetary reward, food images, and weight gain in healthy weight adolescents.

Although the fat mass and obesity-associated gene (FTO) correlates with elevated body mass, it is unclear how it contributes to overeating. We tested if individuals with the A allele show greater reward region responsivity to receipt and anticipated receipt of food and money and palatable food images. We also tested if these individuals show greater future weight gain. Initially healthy weight adolescents (Study 1, N = 162; Study 2, N = 135) completed different functional magnetic resonance imaging paradigms and had their body mass measured annually over 3 years. Adolescents with the AA or AT genotypes showed less precuneus and superior parietal lobe response and greater cuneus and prefrontal cortex response to milkshake receipt and less putamen response to anticipated milkshake receipt than those with the TT genotype in separate analyses of each sample. Groups did not differ in response to palatable food images, and receipt and anticipated receipt of money, or in weight gain over 3-year follow-up. Results suggest that initially healthy weight adolescents with vs without the FTO A allele show differential responsivity to receipt and anticipated receipt of food but do not differ in neural response to palatable food images and monetary reward and do not show greater future weight gain.
Culturally-Appropriate Orientation Increases the Effectiveness of Mental Health First Aid Training for Bhutanese Refugees: Results from a Multi-state Program Evaluation

Poor mental health remains a significant source of morbidity and mortality in the Bhutanese refugee community. Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is a promising intervention that has been used in other immigrant communities to prepare individuals to recognize and respond to mental health warning signs. This was a non-randomized program evaluation. Using pre- and post-training questionnaires developed for prior evaluations of MHFA, we examined the effectiveness of training offered with and without culturally-appropriate orientation to mental health terminology and concepts (N = 458). Pre- to post-training improvement in ability to recognize schizophrenia, ability to respond to schizophrenia and depression, and the overall mental health literacy was greater for Bhutanese refugees who attended orientation relative to other participants (P < 0.05). In scaling up MHFA training for other immigrant communities, we recommend developing and systematically evaluating culturally-appropriate orientation materials that introduce mental health vocabulary and contextualize mental health concepts.
Considerations for improvements to the 25 TW Saturn high-current driver

The Saturn X-ray generator is a 2.5 megavolt, 10 megampere electrical driver at Sandia National Laboratories. Saturn has been in operation for more than 30 years. Work is underway to identify key areas of the machine, improvement of which would benefit operational efficiency and reproducibility of the system. Saturn is used to create high-dose, short-pulse intense ionizing radiation environments for testing electronic and mechanical systems. Saturn has 36 identical modules driving a common electron beam bremsstrahlung load. Each module utilizes a microsecond Marx generator, a megavolt gas switch, and untriggered water switches in a largely conventional pulse-forming system. Achieving predictable and reliable radiation exposure is critical for users of the facility. Saturn has endured decades of continual use with minimal opportunities for research, improvements, or significant preventive maintenance. Because of degradation in components and limited attention to electrical performance, the facility has declined both in the number of useful tests per year and their repeatability. The Saturn system resides in a cylindrical tank 33m in diameter, and stores 5.6 MJ at the nominal operating Marx charge voltage. The system today is essentially identical to that described by Bloomquist in 1987. [1] Advances in technology for large pulsed power systems affords opportunities to improve the performance and more efficiently utilize the energy stored. Increased efficiency can improve reliability and reduce maintenance. The goals for the Saturn improvement work are increased shot rate, reduced X-ray dose shot-to-shot dose fluctuation, and reduced required maintenance. Major redesign with alternate pulsed power technology is considered outside the scope of this effort. More X-ray dose, larger exposure area, and lower X-ray endpoint energy are also important considerations but also deemed outside the scope of the present project due to schedule and resource constraints. The first considerations, described here, are improving the present design with better components.
Robotic Total Knee Arthroplasty vs Conventional Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Nationwide Database Study.

Abstract Background As robot-assisted equipment is continuously being used in orthopaedic surgery, the past few decades have seen an increase in the usage of robotics for total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Thus, the purpose of the present study is to investigate the differences between robotic TKA and nonrobotic TKA on perioperative and postoperative complications and opioid consumption. Methods An administrative database was queried from 2010 to Q2 of 2017 for primary TKAs performed via robot-assisted surgery vs non–robot-assisted surgery. Systemic and joint complications and average morphine milligram equivalents were collected and compared with statistical analysis. Results Patients in the nonrobotic TKA cohort had higher levels of prosthetic revision at 1-year after discharge (P Conclusions In the present study, the use of robotics for TKA found lower revision rates, lower incidences of manipulation under anesthesia, decreased occurrence of systemic complications, and lower opiate consumption for postoperative pain management. Future studies should look to further examine the long-term outcomes for patients undergoing robot-assisted TKA. Level of Evidence Level III.
Performance and Sustainability Tradeoffs of Oxidized Carbon Nanotubes as a Cathodic Material in Lithium-Oxygen Batteries.

Climate change mitigation efforts will require a portfolio of solutions, including improvements to energy storage technologies in electric vehicles and renewable energy sources, such as the high energy density lithium oxygen battery (LOB). However, if LOB technology will contribute to addressing climate change, improvements to LOB performance must not come at the cost of disproportionate increases in global warming potential (GWP) or cumulative energy demand (CED) over their lifecycle. Here, oxygen-functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotube (O-MWCNT) cathodes were produced and assessed for their initial discharge capacities and cyclability. Contrary to previous findings, the discharge capacity of O-MWCNT cathodes increased with the ratio of carbonyl:carboxyl moieties, outperforming pristine MWCNTs. However, increased oxygen concentrations decreased LOB cyclability, while high temperature annealing increased both discharge capacity and cyclability. Improved performance resulting from MWCNT post-processing came at the cost of increased GWP and CED, which in some cases, was disproportionately higher than the level of improved performance. Based on the findings presented here, there is a need to simultaneously advance research in improving LOB performance while minimizing or mitigating the environmental impacts of LOB production.