cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Relations of Positive and Negative Expressivity and Effortful Control to Kindergarteners' Student-Teacher Relationship, Academic Engagement, and Externalizing Problems at School.

Abstract The current study examined the role of naturally-occurring negative and positive emotion expressivity in kindergarten and children’s effortful control (EC) on their relationships with teachers, academic engagement, and problems behaviors in school. Further, the potential moderating role of EC on these important school outcomes was assessed. Emotion and engagement were observed at school. EC was assessed by multiple methods. Teachers reported on their student–teacher relationships and students’ externalizing behaviors. Children’s emotion expressivity and EC were related to engagement and relationships with teachers as well as behavioral problems at school. Children low in EC may be particularly vulnerable to the poor outcomes associated with relatively intense emotion expressivity as they struggle to manage their emotions and behaviors in the classroom.
The Many Faces of Granulomatosis With Polyangiitis: A Review of the Head and Neck Imaging Manifestations

OBJECTIVE. Wegener granulomatosis has recently been renamed as granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA). In this review, we examine the clinical criteria and pathologic and pathophysiologic mechanisms of GPA, with an emphasis on findings encountered in the realm of head and neck imaging. Particular attention is paid to generating an appropriate differential diagnosis, because many of the imaging features of GPA overlap with those of other diseases, most notably lymphoma and sarcoidosis. Recent therapeutic advancements have underscored the importance of the radiologist in suggesting the diagnosis early, resulting in earlier treatment and decreased patient morbidity. This is particularly true for the head and neck manifestations of GPA; although they are less common, they often herald a refractory disease course that requires aggressive immunosuppressive therapy. Knowledge of common and uncommon imaging findings enables the radiologist to diagnose GPA early enough to start treatment promptly and reduce patien...
Synthesis of an Endogenous Steroidal Na Pump Inhibitor Marinobufagenin, Implicated in Human Cardiovascular Diseases, Is Initiated by CYP27A1 via Bile Acid Pathway.

Background— The bioactive steroid, marinobufagenin, is an endogenous Na/K-ATPase bufadienolide inhibitor that is synthesized by adrenocortical and placental cells. Marinobufagenin binding to Na/K-ATPase initiates profibrotic cell signaling, and heightened marinobufagenin levels are implicated in the pathogenesis of hypertension, preeclampsia, and chronic kidney disease. Steroids are derived from cholesterol through the traditional steroidogenesis pathway initiated by enzyme CYP11A1, and via the acidic bile acid pathway, which is controlled by enzyme CYP27A1. The mechanism of marinobufagenin biosynthesis in mammals, however, remains unknown. Methods and Results— Here, we show that post-transcriptional silencing of the CYP27A1 gene in human trophoblast and rat adrenocortical cells reduced the expression of CYP27A1 mRNA by 70%, reduced total bile acids 2-fold, and marinobufagenin levels by 67% when compared with nontreated cells or cells transfected with nontargeting siRNA. In contrast, silencing of the CYP11A1 gene did not affect marinobufagenin production in either cell culture, but suppressed production of progesterone 2-fold in human trophoblast cells and of corticosterone by 90% in rat adrenocortical cells when compared with cells transfected with nontargeting siRNA. In vivo, in a high-salt administration experiment, male and female Dahl salt-sensitive rats became hypertensive after 4 weeks on a high-NaCl diet, their plasma marinobufagenin levels doubled, and adrenocortical CYP27A1 mRNA and protein increased 1.6-fold and 2.0-fold. Conclusions— Therefore, the endogenous steroidal Na/K-ATPase inhibitor, marinobufagenin, is synthesized in mammalian placenta and adrenal cortex from cholesterol through the novel acidic bile acid pathway. These findings will help to understand the role of marinobufagenin in highly prevalent human cardiovascular diseases.
Overview and Future Trends of Manufacturing Lubrication and Conditioning Monitoring Technologies (Keynote)

The longevity of component and fluid life can be greatly extended by controlling, within acceptable limits, root-cause aberrations. In fluid lubricated systems, the stability of a basic lubrication program and a vehicle for prediction of potential root-causes of failure must be considered and incorporated in the equipment design process. Condition monitoring and proactive maintenance are critical tools for achieving significant improvement in tribological performance of mechanical components and extended lubricant life.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Metformin use and the risk of esophageal cancer in Barrett esophagus.

OBJECTIVES Diabetes mellitus is a significant risk factor for total cancer incidence and mortality. Metformin, a commonly used antidiabetic drug, has been shown to be protective against different types of cancers; however, its role in esophageal cancer is unknown. The goal of this study was to determine whether the use of metformin modifies the risk of development of esophageal adenocarcinoma in patients with Barrett esophagus. METHODS Patients with diagnoses of Barrett esophagus and esophageal cancer were identified during a 20-year period. Demographic and clinical data were collected. The outcome variable was esophageal adenocarcinoma. Univariate analysis was performed using two-sample t tests for continuous variables or the Fisher exact test for categorical variables. Multiple logistic regression analysis was then performed using the significant variables. RESULTS A total of 583 patients were identified with the diagnosis of Barrett esophagus or esophageal adenocarcinoma from 1992 to 2012. Of these, 115 had esophageal adenocarcinoma and 468 had Barrett esophagus. Age, smoking, and diabetes mellitus were found to be significant risk factors for the development of esophageal cancer with the following results: age (P < 0.001), smoking (P = 0.003), diabetes mellitus (P = 0.007). Statin use was protective against the development of cancer with P = 0.001. Metformin use was neither associated with an increased nor a decreased risk of esophageal cancer. CONCLUSIONS The three independent variables that predicted progression of Barrett esophagus to esophageal adenocarcinoma in our study were older age, smoking, and diabetes mellitus. Statin use showed protective effect against development of esophageal adenocarcinoma. Metformin use did not demonstrate any statistically significant protective effect.
Hospital Volume and Survival After Hepatocellular Carcinoma Diagnosis

OBJECTIVES The association between hospital volume and outcome following high-risk low volume cancer surgery is well documented. However, this association is not well understood in cancer patients undergoing non-surgical therapies. We explored this association in a cohort of newly diagnosed patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS Data from the 2000 through 2011 in Texas Cancer Registry were used to study adults with newly diagnosed HCC (17,231 patients from 322 hospitals). Hospital volume was stratified into low and high volume using Contal's outcome-based method. A multivariable Cox regression with shared frailty was used to evaluate the association between hospital volume and overall survival. The relationship between treatment modality and hospital volume was explored using mixed effects logistic regression. RESULTS The majority (61%) of HCC patients were seen in 21 high-volume hospitals. An annual hospital volume cutoff point of 24 patients was determined to stratify between high- and low-volume hospitals. Patients at high-volume hospitals presented more commonly with localized disease (56 vs. 50%, P<0.01) and were more likely to receive curative therapies including surgical resection, liver transplantation, or ablation (22 vs. 12%, P<0.01). High-volume hospitals were significantly associated with improved survival (HR=0.96, 95% CI=0.94-0.98). In multivariable analysis, hospital volume was associated with increased overall treatment utilization (OR=1.3, 95% CI=1.2-1.4). CONCLUSIONS Hospital volume is associated with improved overall survival, particularly in localized HCC. Improved survival may be mediated by increased utilization of treatments in high HCC volume hospitals.
Coal and the Contradictions of Neoliberalism

This concluding chapter examines the contradictions and fissures in the rhetoric of coal industry advocacy. By identifying inconsistencies in the coal industry’s public discourse, the chapter shows where neoliberalism’s footing is not secure and reveals how the coal industry’s rhetoric is a cobbled-together project, not a discursive and ideological monolith. It buttresses a rationality that requires constant rhetorical upkeep, a smoothing and suturing of the various and contradictory neoliberal impulses. The authors argue that these contradictions are sites where environmental and climate advocates can continue to apply pressure and leverage, and that coal is the harbinger of things to come for oil and gas, as climate change awareness, renewable fuels, and regulatory policies continue to apply pressure to the fossil fuel industry.
Aneurysm Neck Remnants: A Strong Case Can Be Made for Re-treatment

Endovascular treatment of intracranial aneurysms, both ruptured and unruptured, is now more prevalent than surgical methods. While the increased surveillance inherent to endovascular success has introduced the concept of “coil compaction,” the neck remnant has been a topic of surgical discussion for a generation. In 1965, McKissock classically reported the recurrence of a middle cerebral aneurysm following “excision and double clipping” [1]. While many such recurrences were historically found at autopsy, advanced imaging has not only improved detection but also increased consternation over the appropriate management of the aneurysm neck remnant (ANR).
Karl Dietrich Bracher

Studium der Geschichte in Tubingen; 1948 Promotion mit einer Dissertation zur Alten Geschichte; danach Beginn politikwissenschaftlicher und zeitgeschichtlicher Studien; 1955 Habilitation an der Freien Universitat Berlin; 1959–1987 Professur fur Politische Wissenschaft und Zeitgeschichte an der Universitat Bonn; Gastprofessuren und Fellowships in den USA, Grosbritannien, Israel und Japan; Orden Pour le merite fur Wissenschaften und Kunste; Mitglied bedeutender Forschungseinrichtungen und Akademien.
SocialQ&A: An Online Social Network Based Question and Answer System

Question and Answer (Q&A) systems play a vital role in our daily life for information and knowledge sharing. Users post questions and pick questions to answer in the system. Due to the rapidly growing user population and the number of questions, it is unlikely for a user to stumble upon a question by chance that (s)he can answer. Also, altruism does not encourage all users to provide answers, not to mention high quality answers with a short answer wait time. The primary objective of this paper is to improve the performance of Q&A systems by actively forwarding questions to users who are capable and willing to answer the questions. To this end, we have designed and implemented SocialQ&A, an online social network based Q&A system. SocialQ&A leverages the social network properties of common-interest and mutual-trust friend relationship to identify an asker through friendship who are most likely to answer the question, and enhance the user security. We also improve SocialQ&A with security and efficiency enhancements by protecting user privacy and identifies, and retrieving answers automatically for recurrent questions. We describe the architecture and algorithms, and conducted comprehensive large-scale simulation to evaluate SocialQ&A in comparison with other methods. Our results suggest that social networks can be leveraged to improve the answer quality and asker’s waiting time. We also implemented a real prototype of SocialQ&A, and analyze the Q&A behavior of real users and questions from a small-scale real-world SocialQ&A system.
Visual plasticity in the auditory pathway: visual inputs induced into auditory thalamus and cortex illustrate principles of adaptive organization in sensory systems

We have induced, by appropriate surgery in newborn ferrets, retinal projections into the medial geniculate nucleus, the principal auditory thalamic nucleus. In operated animals studied as adults, retinal ganglion cells that give rise to the projection have small and medium sized somata and heterogeneous dendrite morphologies. Each retina projects to the auditory thalamus in patchy fashion. Various nuclei in auditory thalamus project normally to auditory cortex. Visual cells in auditory thalamus have circular receptive fields and receive input from slowly conducting afferents characteristic of retinal W cells. Many visual cells in primary auditory cortex have oriented receptive fields that resemble those of complex cells in striate cortex. Primary auditory cortex also contains a two dimensional visual field map. Our results carry several implications for sensory cortical function. A parsimonious explanation for the visual receptive field properties in auditory cortex is that sensory cortex carries out certain stereotypical transformations on input regardless of modality. The response features of visual cells and the two dimensional visual field map in primary auditory cortex appear to be products of adaptive organization arising from a highly divergent thalamocortical projection characteristic of the auditory system.
Human Biological and Psychological Diversity

Many evolutionary psychologists have asserted that there is a panhuman nature, a species typical psychological structure that is invariant across human populations. Although many social scientists dispute the basic assumptions of evolutionary psychology, they seem widely to agree with this hypothesis. Psychological differences among human populations (demes, ethnic groups, races) are almost always attributed to cultural and sociological forces in the relevant literatures. However, there are strong reasons to suspect that the hypothesis of a panhuman nature is incorrect. Humans migrated out of Africa at least 50,000 years ago and occupied many different ecological and climatological niches. Because of this, they evolved slightly different anatomical and physiological traits. For example, Tibetans evolved various traits that help them cope with the rigors of altitude; similarly, the Inuit evolved various traits that help them cope with the challenges of a very cold environment. It is likely that humans also evolved slightly different psychological traits as a response to different selection pressures in different environments and niches. One possible example is the high intelligence of the Ashkenazi Jewish people. Frank discussions of such differences among human groups have provoked strong ethical concerns in the past. We understand those ethical concerns and believe that it is important to address them. However, we also believe that the benefits of discussing possible human population differences outweigh the costs.
Chemistry and petrology of paired feed coal and combustion ash from anthracite-burning stoker boilers

Abstract The feed coal and corresponding ash from a series of stoker boilers burning Pennsylvania anthracite were investigated for their petrographic and chemical characteristics. The coals have low-S and moderate-ash contents with similar major oxide and minor element compositions. The volatile minor elements, such as Zn and As, decrease in concentration from the feed coal to the stoker ash (comparisons on the ash basis). The light rare earth elements (La through Sm) decrease in concentration relative to the heavy rare earth elements (Eu through Lu) from the coal ash to the stoker ash.
High thermal coarsening resistance of irradiation-induced nanoprecipitates in Cu-Mo-Si alloys

Abstract Irradiation by 1.8 MeV Kr ions at room temperature (RT) was employed to induce nanoprecipitation in two Cu-Mo-Si ternary alloys, Cu96Mo1Si3 and Cu90Mo3.5Si6.5. The nature and the stability of these precipitates during high temperature annealing and irradiation were studied using X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. In Cu90Mo3.5Si6.5, Kr irradiation at RT resulted in the formation of a high number density (>1023 m−3) of Mo-Si rich nanoprecipitates, ∼3 nm in size, the formation of which was attributed to Mo-Si interactions during the thermal spike phase of displacement cascades. The size of these irradiation-induced Mo-Si precipitates remained unchanged after annealing at 750 °C for 1hr. This near absence of thermal coarsening contrasted with a significant thermal coarsening of the more Mo-rich precipitates formed by direct annealing in that same ternary alloy, and with the even larger coarsening of pure Mo precipitates formed by RT irradiation in binary Cu-Mo alloys. During high temperature irradiation, precipitation is also observed, and some precipitates were significantly enriched in Mo. As for thermal annealing, those precipitates displayed increased coarsening. The remarkable thermal coarsening resistance of RT irradiation-induced Mo-Si precipitates is attributed to the suppression of Mo solubility in a Cu matrix containing Si-rich precipitates, and to the narrow precipitates size distribution generated by RT irradiation. This former point was quantified using thermodynamic calculations with the CALPHAD method.
The turtle visual system mediates a complex spatiotemporal transformation of visual stimuli into cortical activity

The three-layered visual cortex of turtle is characterized by extensive intracortical axonal projections and receives non-retinotopic axonal projections from lateral geniculate nucleus. What spatiotemporal transformation of visual stimuli into cortical activity arises from such tangle of malleable cortical inputs and intracortical connections? To address this question, we obtained band-pass filtered extracellular recordings of neural activity in turtle dorsal cortex during visual stimulation of the retina. We discovered important spatial and temporal features of stimulus-modulated cortical local field potential (LFP) recordings. Spatial receptive fields span large areas of the visual field, have an intricate internal structure, and lack directional tuning. The receptive field structure varies across recording sites in a distant-dependent manner. Such composite spatial organization of stimulus-modulated cortical activity is accompanied by an equally multifaceted temporal organization. Cortical visual responses are delayed, persistent, and oscillatory. Further, prior cortical activity contributes globally to adaptation in turtle visual cortex. In conclusion, these results demonstrate convoluted spatiotemporal transformations of visual stimuli into stimulus-modulated cortical activity that, at present, largely evade computational frameworks.
Survey of Nonprescription Medication and Antibiotic Use in Patients with Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis, and Overlap Syndrome

Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), and overlap syndrome (SJS-TEN) are rare, serious skin and mucosa break-down conditions frequently associated with antibiotic use. The role of nonprescription medications alone, or in combination with antibiotics in triggering SJS/TEN, is largely unknown. This study summarized data collected from patient surveys about nonprescription and antibiotic use prior to a SJS/TEN diagnosis. The survey was administered online to members of the U.S. SJS Foundation who had been diagnosed with SJS/TEN or were the parent of a child who had been diagnosed with SJS/TEN. Respondents were asked about nonprescription medications taken within the year before diagnosis, and the approximate point in time before diagnosis that they had taken them. They were also asked about specific prescription medications, including antibiotics, that they took before diagnosis. An estimated 4500 patients received an invitation to complete the survey. 251 patients completed it, resulting in a response rate of 5.6%. The mean age of respondents was 43 years (SD (standard deviation) = 17.3) and 70% were female. 32.3% of respondents indicated that a prescription antibiotic triggered their reaction. 14.1% indicated a nonprescription medication had triggered their SJS/TEN, and 18.1% said a nonprescription medication may have triggered their SJS/TEN. 85.5% of respondents said they took a nonprescription medication within three months of their SJS/TEN diagnosis. Of those respondents who reported that an antibiotic triggered their SJS/TEN, 35.2% reported taking a nonprescription medication within the three months prior to their diagnosis. This survey captured valuable information about nonprescription and antibiotic use in SJS/TEN patients. It is important for future studies to estimate the impact of antibiotics on SJS/TEN, and account for nonprescription medication use in that relationship.
Mechanisms underlying the J-curve for diastolic blood pressure: Subclinical myocardial injury and immune activation

Abstract Background Low diastolic blood pressure (DBP) is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events. In patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), limitations in coronary blood flow and immune activity are implicated mechanisms, but evidence is lacking. We investigated the association between DBP, biomarkers of myocardial injury, inflammation, immune activation and incident events in patients with CAD. Methods We studied 2448 adults (mean age 65 ± 12 years, 68% male, median follow-up 4.5 years) with CAD. DBP was categorized into 10 mm Hg increments. Biomarkers of myocardial injury (high sensitivity cardiac troponin-I [hs-cTnI]) and immune activity/inflammation (soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor [suPAR]) were dichotomized at their median values. DBP 70–79 mm Hg was used as the referent group, and individuals were followed prospectively for adverse outcomes. Results After adjusting for demographic and clinical covariates, individuals with DBP Conclusion In patients with CAD, DBP
An Unusual Case of Unilateral Absent Infundibulopelvic Ligament in a Patient With Primary Infertility: Highlighting the Importance of Diagnostic Laparoscopy

During laparoscopy, pelvic anatomical variations may be expected but an absent infundibulopelvic ligament with present bilateral adnexa has not been reported in the literature thus far. We present a case report of a 33-year-old nulliparous lady who desires fertility and has had no previous surgery who underwent a laparoscopic cystectomy in which this was observed, highlighting the importance of diagnostic laparoscopy, and discuss the possible etiologies of how this may have arisen. J Med Cases. 2019;10(3):78-80 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/jmc3260
"Health selectivity of internal migrants in Mexico: Evidence from the Mexican Family Life Survey"

The present paper examines health selectivity of migrants using data from the Mexican Family Life Survey; a panel ideally suited for this as it allows a comparison of migrants with non-migrants, with measures taken prior to migration. The analysis consists of logistic regressions of whether respondents, from urban/rural origins, migrated to another locality within Mexico between 2002 and 2005. Covariates include physical assessments of health and self-reported measures. The analytical sample is comprised of 8,567 individuals aged 15-49 years. Overall I found evidence of varying selectivity depending on the age group: positive health selection is associated with migrants age 20 or older while negative health selection is associated with younger migrants. In rural areas particularly, I found positive health selection on the basis of perceived health, and negative selection on the basis of chronic conditions.
Efficient Model-free Reinforcement Learning in Metric Spaces.

Model-free Reinforcement Learning (RL) algorithms such as Q-learning [Watkins, Dayan 92] have been widely used in practice and can achieve human level performance in applications such as video games [Mnih et al. 15]. Recently, equipped with the idea of optimism in the face of uncertainty, Q-learning algorithms [Jin, Allen-Zhu, Bubeck, Jordan 18] can be proven to be sample efficient for discrete tabular Markov Decision Processes (MDPs) which have finite number of states and actions. In this work, we present an efficient model-free Q-learning based algorithm in MDPs with a natural metric on the state-action space--hence extending efficient model-free Q-learning algorithms to continuous state-action space. Compared to previous model-based RL algorithms for metric spaces [Kakade, Kearns, Langford 03], our algorithm does not require access to a black-box planning oracle.
A Multifunctional On-Line Brain Stimulation System: Investigation of Alcohol and Aging Effects

A multifunctional on-line brain stimulation system designed for brain stimulation reward (BSR) research is described. This microcomputer-based system provides programs which permit determination of BSR thresholds, BSR response rates, and brain resistance. Studies using this system to investigate the reinforcing effects of ethanol and the effects of aging on BSR are discussed.
Testing weak nulls in matched observational studies

We develop sensitivity analyses for weak nulls in matched observational studies while allowing unit-level treatment effects to vary. The methods may be applied to studies using any optimal without-replacement matching algorithm. In contrast to randomized experiments and to paired observational studies, we show for general matched designs that over a large class of test statistics, any valid sensitivity analysis for the entirety of the weak null must be unnecessarily conservative if Fisher's sharp null of no treatment effect for any individual also holds. We present a sensitivity analysis valid for the weak null, and illustrate why it is generally conservative if the sharp null holds through new connections to inverse probability weighted estimators. An alternative procedure is presented that is asymptotically sharp if treatment effects are constant, and that is valid for the weak null under additional restrictions which may be deemed benign by practitioners. Simulations demonstrate that this alternative procedure results in a valid sensitivity analysis for the weak null hypothesis under a host of reasonable data-generating processes. The procedures allow practitioners to assess robustness of estimated sample average treatment effects to hidden bias while allowing for unspecified effect heterogeneity in matched observational studies.
Growth Mechanisms of Mesoscale Prussian Blue Analogue Particles in Modifier-free Synthesis

The growth mechanism of mesoscale, 100–500 nm, Prussian blue analogue (PBA) particles synthesized via a modifier-free coprecipitation method was investigated. A series of Co2+ and Ni2+ analogues, R...
Effects of early application of pediatric amino acids on extrauterine growth and development of preterm and small for gestational age infants

Objective To explore the effect of early application of pediauic amino acids on extrauterine growth and development of preterm and small for gestational age infants.Methods A total of 106preterm and small for gestational age infants was selected in our NICU from June 2011 to May 2013,and randomly divided into two groups:treatment group (group T) and control group (group C).Next,each group was divided into two subgroups according to gestational age and birth weight.Such as ≥34W group (group T1,group C1),＜ 34W group (group T2,group C2),＜ 1.5 kg group (group T3,group C3) and ≥ 1.5 kg group (group T4,group C4).They were observed the effect of extrauterine growth and correlative serum biochemical indicators with application of pediatric amino acid in postnatal 6 hours and 12 hours.Resuits After 2-week treatment,the head circumference and weight growth of group T were higher than that of group C (P ＜ 0.05,or P ＜ 0.01),and the time of birth weight recovery was significantly shortened(P ＜ 0.05,or P ＜ 0.01).The incidence rate of extrauterine growth retardation(EUGR) in the group T was lower than that in group C,there is significantly statistical differences(P ＜ 0.01).The concentration of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) in group T was obviously increased than that in the group C(P ＜0.01).The levels of ALT,aspartate aminotransferase (AST),total bilirubin (TBIL),cholesterol (CH) and triglycerides (TG) were not different between the group T and group C.The comparison of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were statistically significant between group C4 and group T4.In the different gestational age groups,the concentration of BUN in group T was obviously higher than that in the group C after 2-week treatment(P ＜0.05),the levels of AST,TBIL,CH and TG were not different between the group T and group C (P ＞ 0.05).The incidence rate of EUGR in the 4th group C was increased significantly than that in the 4th group T(P ＜0.05).Conclusions The preterm and small for gestational age infants were safe after the pediatric amino acid was used at the 6 h after birth.Amino acid can promote growth of head circumference and weight,shorten the birth weight recovery time and reduce the incidence of EUGR. Key words: Amino acids/therapeutic use; Growth disorders/therapy; Infant, small for gestational age; Infant, premature
Spontaneous iliac vein rupture in the setting of a long dwelling intravenous vena cava filter.

Venous thromboembolism impacts as many as 600,000 individuals each year in the United States, leading to significant morbidity and mortality. While typically treated with anticoagulants, retrievable inferior vena cava (IVC) filters may also be used for acute prevention of pulmonary embolism. The FDA recommends removing IVC filters within 29–54 days because long dwelling filters are associated with serious complications from the filter itself, such as perforation of adjacent structures and filter fracture. We report an unusual case in which a patient had an inferior venous cava filter in place for two years before experiencing spontaneous rupture of the left iliac vein. There was no evidence of filter migration or inferior venous cava perforation. Spontaneous iliac vein ruptures are rare, with fewer than 50 reported cases, and are not typically seen with a long-dwelling IVC. This case describes a unique complication of retrievable filters and highlights the importance of retrieving filters as soon as the acute danger of pulmonary embolism has resolved.
Combined effect of anthropogenic noise and artificial night lighting negatively affect Western Bluebird chick development

Sensory pollutants such as anthropogenic noise and night lighting now expose much of the world to evolutionarily novel sound and night lighting conditions. An emerging body of literature has reported a variety of deleterious effects caused by these stimuli, spanning behavioral, physiological, population, and community-level responses. However, the combined influence of noise and light has received almost no attention despite the co-occurrence of these stimuli in many landscapes. Here we evaluated the singular and combined effects of these stimuli on Western Bluebird (Sialia mexicana) reproductive success using a field-based manipulation. Nests exposed to noise and light together experienced less predation than control and light-exposed nests, and noise-exposed nests experienced less predation than control nests, yet overall nest success was only higher in noise-exposed nests compared to light-exposed nests. Although exposure to light decreased nestling body condition and evidence was mixed for the singular effects of noise or light on nestling size, those nestlings exposed to noise and light together were smaller across several metrics than nestlings in control nests. Our results support previous research on the singular effects of either stimuli, including potential benefits, such as reduced nest predation with noise exposure. However, our results also suggest that noise and light together can negatively affect some aspects of reproduction more strongly than either sensory pollutant alone. This finding is especially important given that these stimuli tend to covary and are projected to increase dramatically in the next several decades.LAY SUMMARYNoise and light pollution often occur together, but their combined influence on wildlife is poorly understood.We manipulated traffic noise and artificial night lighting exposure at Western Bluebird nests.Relative to control nests, those exposed to noise experienced lower nest predation and produced more fledglings whereas chicks in nests exposed to light took longer to fledge and had lower body condition.Nests exposed to noise and light together produced smaller nestlings than control nests and, for some body measurements, those exposed to either noise or light alone.
Precipitate Phase Stability and Mechanical Properties of Alloy 263 and Variants in Wrought or Cast Form

Alloy 263 is a candidate Ni-based superalloy for use in advanced ultra-supercritical (AUSC) power plants that are targeted to operate above 700 °C. Exposure times in this type of environment are considerable with target creep properties specified at 100,000 h making phase stability an important parameter in the alloy selection process. In this investigation, the microstructure of alloy 263 and two modified compositions in both cast and cast/wrought forms were investigated after exposure at 800 °C for various times ranging from 1000 to 10,000 h. Tension and creep properties were assessed for all alloys in both forms. Modification to the Ti and Al concentrations successfully slowed down the γ′ to η transformation while doubling the γ′ fraction. Thin elongated η needles or platelets formed in the wrought products, while thicker, plate-like, η precipitates were found in the castings. The effect of the various microstructures on the creep properties was determined using isothermally aged specimens aged at 800 °C for 3000 and 10,000 h prior to creep screening. Strong precipitation of the η phase was found to considerably decrease creep life and increase minimum creep rate. By modifying the Ti and Al content, the creep life and ductility of the new formulation tested on specimens isothermally aged for 3000 and 10,000 h were near that of the nominal alloy in its standard aged condition.
Blanco river riparian forest regeneration following a record flood in central texas

A record flood in 2015 resulted in widespread disturbance of the Blanco River riparian corridor with extensive loss of vegetation through floodplain stripping. The riparian forest along the Blanco River is slowly recovering via two primary pathways—natural regeneration from the seedbank and through resprouting of damaged trees. We conducted a study of woody riparian vegetation along the Blanco River to quantify the composition of the recovering forest community and the proportion of trees that are regenerating by resprouting vs. seedbank colonizers. The study captured overall compositional and density patterns as well as comparisons among three geomorphic settings including instream channel bars, the riverbank and near-channel lower elevation floodplain, and the higher-elevation floodplain to upland terraces. Seedlings represented 90% of the density and only 2% of the biomass; in contrast, resprouted trees represented 10% of the density and 98% of the biomass. Fast-growing pioneer species such as sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) and black willow (Salix nigra) were dominant nearest the river channel while facultative and upland species such as pecan (Carya illinoiensis) and hackberry (Celtis spp.) dominated plots higher on the floodplain. Seedlings were far more numerous than resprouts, and seedling density was highest in plots along the riverbank and closest to the channel.
A Needle Found: Machine Learning Does Not Significantly Improve Corporate Fraud Detection Beyond a Simple Screen on Sales Growth

Recent papers have been highly promotional of the benefits of machine learning in the detection of corporate fraud. For example, Bao, Ke, Li, Yu, and Zhang (2020) recently published in the Journal of Accounting Research report that their machine learning model increases performance by +75% above the current parsimonious standard in the accounting literature, the financial ratio-based F-Score (Dechow, et al. 2011), when measured at the highest risk levels. They also show that raw variables alone, rather than financial ratios, can achieve this task. However, a quick peak under the hood reveals an issue that, if corrected for, reduces the results to no better than the F-Score. In this paper, I create a machine learning model applying the latest in machine learning known as XGBoost to over 100 financial ratios sourced from prior literature. I compare this model to an XGBoost model applying the 28 raw variables suggested by Bao, et al. Additional models are benchmarked include the F-Score, the M-Score (Beneish 1999), the FSD Score based on Benford’s Law (Amiram, et al. 2015), and a simple screen on 4-year sales growth. A Wilcoxon rank sum test will show that differences between the models at the top 1% of risk are not significantly different. In fact, at this level, the models fail often in any given year. At the top 10% of risk where models produce consistent annual results, advanced methods match the performance of the F-Score, or even a simple univariate screen on sales growth I measure performance using positive predictive values (PPV) also known as precision which measures the likelihood of a fraud case within the top 1% or top 10% list. My XGBoost model outperforms the models at the 1% level, but positive predictive values remain quite low to be of any practical use with PPVs in the 3% range. A discussion will follow to explain what would be required to move positive predicted values beyond the single digits for this research question.
INTOSIS: Interactive Observation of Smartphone Inferred Symptoms for In-The-Wild Data

Current research in passive health monitoring utilizes machine learning methods to infer users’ symptoms and health status from smartphone-sensed data, which can be gathered on a large scale. However, reasoning about smartphone-sensed health behaviors should engage health experts who may not want to solely rely on computational approaches as they provide limited insights. We designed and proposed a visualization framework for the INTeractive Observation of Smartphone-Inferred Symptoms (INTOSIS), that supports contextualization of symptomatic days by presenting a holistic picture of complex smartphone data for analysts to find c oncerning b ehavior patterns. For instance, while sedentary behavior caused by the flu is concerning, sedentary behaviors on holidays are non-concerning. INTOSIS visualizes multiple smartphone sensor data channels such as geo-location, app usage and screen usage. It uses visual metaphors to effectively represent the data to help analysts derive important human-understandable spatio-temporal contexts and assign health consequences with corresponding semantic labels. INTOSIS provides timeline visualizations of contextual clues such as screen and app usage at night that support an analyst in being able to reason about and then extract plausible explanations for the occurrence of certain symptoms, such as, sleep problems. We validate INTOSIS with intuitive use cases, using a real-world smartphone-sensed dataset, along with expert evaluation.
Understanding Shadow Economy of Violent Extremism in Charity Lens

Violent extremism was not spread for free, it has cost trillions of dollars to support the radical activities in different contexts for which the money is being raised through different channels that are least to be tracked. To finance narratives and activities of extremism and violence, extremist groups preferably use illegal methods but also the legal ones. This paper reviews the shadow economy of violent extremism in the lens of charity that is often misused to finance operations of violent extremism under an umbrella of humanitarian organizations. For this purpose, reflections have been drawn using descriptive methods around the relevant content and theories from the academic and practice fields to understand religious and financial aspects.
Preoperative Patient Optimization in Total Joint Arthroplasty—The Paradigm Shift from Preoperative Clearance: A Narrative Review

Background: Total joint arthroplasty (TJA) is one of the most common procedures performed in the United States. Outcomes of this elective procedure may be improved via preoperative optimization of ...
Campus Racial Climate, Boundary Work and the Fear and Sexualization of Black Masculinities on a Predominantly White University

This article presents data from a study of Black men and masculinities at a predominantly White university. I argue that the campus racial climate on predominantly White universities are important ...
Harmony search in water pump switching problem

The purpose of this paper is to introduce a recently-developed nature-inspired algorithm, harmony search (HS), and to apply the algorithm to water pump switching problem. The HS algorithm is conceptualized using the musical improvisation process of searching for a better state of harmony. This paper describes a HS algorithm-based approach for the optimal switching problem in serial water pumping system. A standard example from the literature is presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method, and the results are compared to genetic algorithm and branch & bound method. Computational results indicate that the HS approach becomes a good optimization model for solving water pump switching problem.
Paranatal factors affecting adjustment in childhood.

In an unselected series of 226 children, 73.9% were judged to be in good physical condition during the first two days of life. Of the children in good physical condition, only 19.2% were later judged to be maladjusted; whereas, of the children in poor physical condition, 39.0% were later considered maladjusted. This is a highly significant difference and it is concluded that a child9s neonatal condition may effect his adjustment in later childhood. No single factor among the ones studied is demonstrably critical in affecting later adjustment. However, several maternal factors acting in gestation and during delivery, certain specific neonatal difficulties, and certain factors which might act anatomically or environmentally, are shown to increase the percentage of infants judged to be in poor neonatal condition. Intelligence, as revealed by the intelligence quotient, is not the critical factor which determines adequacy of adjustment in childhood, although it is related to it. The maladjusted child may be a victim of a physically damaged brain. He should be given all possible aid in his development and in his relations to other human beings. A child whose history includes a difficult birth and neonatal period should be brought up with more than the usual regard for his possible emotional deficiencies and difficulties. Many paranatal factors may affect the condition of the newborn infant. With a knowledge of the relationship of neonatal condition to childhood maladjustment, it is hoped that all of these factors may be studied with a broader perspective for their possible effects beyond the first days of life.
The Injury-in-Fact Barrier to Initiative Proponent Standing: How Article III Might Prevent Federal Courts from Enforcing Direct Democracy

This article discusses whether states can ever statutorily vest initiative proponents with a particularized interest in the validity of their ballot measures that is sufficient to confer federal standing. Part I places this inquiry in the context of the Proposition 8 litigation. In Part II, I provide a brief overview of federal standing and discuss the purposes of the doctrine. In Part III, I address whether state law can vest proponents with a particularized interest in their approved initiatives, and I critique the delegation theory of initiative proponent standing relied upon by the California Supreme Court and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Ultimately, I conclude that the federal courts may be ill-equipped to enforce state direct democracy systems.
Tobacco-Induced Diseases: An Emphasis on Mental Health Conditions that May Result from Cigarette Use

Besides the widely known risks to physical health, smoking cigarettes appears to pose mental health risks as well. However, research and public awareness campaigns typically focus on the relationship between smoking and physical health issues. Research has also paid significant attention to smoking as a self-medicating behavior. However, little attention has been given to research focused on cigarette smoking as a risk factor for the onset of psychological disorders. In this literature review, cigarette smoking is examined in its role as a catalyst for psychiatric illnesses. Increased awareness in this area may be particularly beneficial for mental health providers, healthcare practitioners, smokers, and individuals contemplating whether to smoke.
Analysis of endonuclease R-EcoRI fragments of DNA from lambdoid bacteriophages and other viruses by agarose-gel electrophoresis.

By means of agarose-gel electrophoresis, endonuclease R.EcoRI-generated fragments of DNA from various viruses were separated, their molecular weights were determined, and complete or partial fragment maps for lambda, phi80, and hybrid phages were constructed.
Gene Profile of Electroconvulsive Seizures: Induction of Neurotrophic and Angiogenic Factors

Electroconvulsive seizure therapy (ECS) is a clinically proven treatment for depression and is often effective even in patients resistant to chemical antidepressants. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the therapeutic efficacy of ECS are not fully understood. One theory that has gained attention is that ECS and other antidepressants increase the expression of select neurotrophic factors that could reverse or block the atrophy and cell loss resulting from stress and depression. To further address this topic, we examined the expression of other neurotrophic-growth factors and related signaling pathways in the hippocampus in response to ECS using a custom growth factor microarray chip. We report the regulation of several genes that are involved in growth factor and angiogenic-endothelial signaling, including neuritin, stem cell factor, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), VGF (nonacronymic), cyclooxygenase-2, and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-1. Some of these, as well as other growth factors identified, including VEGF, basic fibroblast growth factor, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor, have roles in mediating neurogenesis and cell proliferation in the adult brain. We also examined gene expression in the choroid plexus and found several growth factors that are enriched in this vascular tissue as well as regulated by ECS. These data suggest that an amplification of growth factor signaling combined with angiogenic mechanisms could have an important role in the molecular action of ECS. This study demonstrates the applicability of custom-focused microarray technology in addressing hypothesis-driven questions regarding the action of antidepressants.
Synthetic establishment data: Origins and introduction to current research

The papers in this section of the June Statistical Journal of the IAOS are an outgrowth of a project supported by the National Science Foundation (US-NSF), Census Bureau (US-Census), Internal Revenue Service (US-IRS), and Institut fur Arbeitsmarktund Berufsforschung (DE-IAB) to promote collaboration between researchers at the statistical agencies (Census and IAB) and at Cornell, Duke, Michigan and Simon Fraser universities.1 The goal of the research projects was to explore the potential for using synthetic data methods in the manner originally suggested by Little (1993) and Rubin (1993; see citation in Jarmin et al., this section) for the protection and release of micro-data from establishment censuses, linked employer-employee administrative records, linked survey-administrative record data, large scale surveys, and household censuses. Summaries of the papers from this project were presented at the NSF-Census-IRS Workshop on Synthetic Data and Confidentiality Protection (2009).2