cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
As the Wind Blows? Understanding Hurricane Damages at the Local Level through a Case Study Analysis

An understanding of the potential drivers of local-scale hurricane losses is developed through a case study analysis. Two recent category-3 U.S. landfalling hurricanes (Ivan in 2004 and Dennis in 2005) are analyzed that, although similar in terms of maximum wind speed at their proximate coastal landfall locations, caused vastly different loss amounts. In contrast to existing studies that assess loss mostly at the relatively aggregate level, detailed local factors related to hazard, exposure, and vulnerability are identified. State-level raw wind insured loss data split by personal, commercial, and auto business lines are downscaled to the census tract level using the wind field. At this scale, losses are found to extend far inland and across business lines. Storm size is found to play an important role in explaining the different loss amounts by controlling not only the size of the impacted area but also the duration of damaging winds and the likelihood of large changes in wind direction. An empirical analysis of census tract losses provides further evidence for the importance of wind duration and wind directional change in addition to wind speed. The importance of exposure values however is more sensitive to assumptions in how loss data are downscaled. Appropriate consideration of these local drivers of hurricane loss may improve historical loss assessments and may also act upscale to impact future projections of hurricane losses under climate and socioeconomic change.
Distributed data processing for public health surveillance

Many systems for routine public health surveillance rely on centralized collection of potentially identifiable, individual, identifiable personal health information (PHI) records. Although individual, identifiable patient records are essential for conditions for which there is mandated reporting, such as tuberculosis or sexually transmitted diseases, they are not routinely required for effective syndromic surveillance. Public concern about the routine collection of large quantities of PHI to support non-traditional public health functions may make alternative surveillance methods that do not rely on centralized identifiable PHI databases increasingly desirable. The National Bioterrorism Syndromic Surveillance Demonstration Program (NDP) is an example of one alternative model. All PHI in this system is initially processed within the secured infrastructure of the health care provider that collects and holds the data, using uniform software distributed and supported by the NDP. Only highly aggregated count data is transferred to the datacenter for statistical processing and display. Detailed, patient level information is readily available to the health care provider to elucidate signals observed in the aggregated data, or for ad hoc queries. We briefly describe the benefits and disadvantages associated with this distributed processing model for routine automated syndromic surveillance. For well-defined surveillance requirements, the model can be successfully deployed with very low risk of inadvertent disclosure of PHI – a feature that may make participation in surveillance systems more feasible for organizations and more appealing to the individuals whose PHI they hold. It is possible to design and implement distributed systems to support non-routine public health needs if required.
Clinical and Pathological Aspects of Parkinsonism in Alzheimer's Disease A Role for Extranigral Factors?

To examine the natural history and pathogenesis of parkinsonism in Alzheimer's disease, 44 subjects with clearly established senile dementia of the Alzheimer type were studied during a 66-month period. Sixteen subjects (36%) developed idiopathic parkinsonism, and 12 subjects (27%) developed drug-induced parkinsonism; the chief clinical features of both types were bradykinesia and rigidity, but not resting tremor. The presence of parkinsonism was associated with global (rather than selective) cognitive impairment, as determined by psychometric testing, and with more rapid progression to advanced stages of dementia. The pathological correlates of clinical parkinsonism were heterogeneous in 10 subjects with Alzheimer's disease who were examined post mortem. Coexistent Parkinson's disease was observed in five cases and nonspecific nigral degenerative lesions were present in another three; however, two cases had neither histological changes nor reduced neuronal densities in the substantia nigra. These two cases suggested that extranigral lesions, possibly involving mesocortical dopaminergic pathways, may contribute to the development of parkinsonism in subjects with Alzheimer's disease.
Grade 3 liposomal-doxorubicin-induced skin toxicity in a patient following complete resolution of moderately severe sunburn.

Abstract Purpose . Palmar–plantar erythrodysestehsia (PPE) is a potentially serious toxicity of a number of cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agents, including liposomal doxorubicin. Activities that may increase the risk of this toxicity should be avoided. Case report. A patient with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, responded to, and tolerated (including no skin rash) an initial cycle of liposomal doxorubicin (40 mg/m 2 ). Unfortunately, several days before her next scheduled cycle, she developed significant sunburn (intense erythema without blistering). Despite an additional 1-week delay (total of 5 weeks from the prior liposomal doxorubicin), and complete visual recovery from the effects of the sunburn, the patient developed severe (grade 3) PPE involving both hands (pain, pronounced erythema, blistering, without ulceration), and a slightly less extensive reaction of both feet, following subsequent treatment with a 25% reduced dose of the agent (30 mg/m 2 ). Conclusion . Caution is advised when considering the administration of liposomal doxorubicin following a major sunburn, despite total resolution of the visible effects on the skin. A delay of several weeks may be appropriate to avoid exacerbation by the chemotherapeutic agent of persistent subclinical damage to normal epithelial cells.
The mediating roles of anticipated risks, anticipated benefits, and attitudes on the decision to seek professional help: An attachment perspective.

This study examined the mediating effects of anticipated risks, benefits, and attitudes toward seeking counseling on the link between adult attachment and help-seeking intentions for psychological and interpersonal concerns in a sample of 821 undergraduates. The structural equation modeling results indicated that the link between higher attachment avoidance and less intent to seek help was mediated by lower anticipated benefits, higher anticipated risks, and less positive attitudes toward seeking help. Conversely, the link between higher attachment anxiety and greater intent to seek help was mediated by higher anticipated benefits and risks and more positive attitudes toward seeking help. Thus, attachment contributed to perceptions of the benefits and risks of counseling, which, in turn, influenced help-seeking attitudes and, eventually, help-seeking intentions.
A Conceptual Model for the Influence of TUTT Cells on Tropical Cyclone Motion in the Northwest Pacific Ocean

Abstract Eleven (10 Pacific, 1 Atlantic) tropical cyclones (TCs), which include typhoons/hurricanes and tropical storms, are examined using the latest 40-yr ECMWF Re-Analysis (ERA-40) dataset and Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) best-track data to determine if and how tropical upper-tropospheric trough (TUTT) cells influence TC tracks. This type of interaction has led to rather large TC track forecast errors at 72 h (2000+ km) in the northwest Pacific and is often ignored or poorly forecast due to inadequate numerical model TUTT cell predictions. Ten selected cases out of the initial 25 potential Pacific cases exhibited a “nonstandard” TC track; a TUTT cell was the sole large-scale transient feature within 2000 km of the TC’s center, and the TC intensity was >17 m s−1. The circulations’ separation distance, orientation, intensity, and TUTT cell’s closed circulation size are critical characteristics in determining the likelihood of a TUTT cell influencing a TC track. Interactions occur at distances grea...
Capacity reservation and time pacing of product introductions in hi-tech manufacturing firms

Accelerating the New Product Development process has emerged as a key strategy for hi-tech manufacturing firms to survive in the global markets. Hi-tech manufacturing firms are often faced with a decision to trade-off old product with new products vis-a-vis their rewards. In view of the above situation, it is in the firm's interest to a reserve capacity for the new products. It is quite evident that both time pacing of New Product Introduction (NPI) and capacity reservation problems are coupled. In this paper, we consider the problem of determining the best rate of introduction of new products in the presence of old products, and further address the problem of capacity reservation. Specifically, we present a stylised MMPP/GI/1 queuing model for analysing the dynamics of NPI, and propose and solve an attendant non-linear optimisation problem for maximising the expected annual profit. We also provide several key managerial insights in this context.
Network2Canvas: network visualization on a canvas with enrichment analysis.

Motivation: Networks are vital to computational systems biology research, but visualizing them is a challenge. For networks larger than ∼100 nodes and ∼200 links, ball-and-stick diagrams fail to convey much information. To address this, we developed Network2Canvas (N2C), a web application that provides an alternative way to view networks. N2C visualizes networks by placing nodes on a square toroidal canvas. The network nodes are clustered on the canvas using simulated annealing to maximize local connections where a node’s brightness is made proportional to its local fitness. The interactive canvas is implemented in HyperText Markup Language (HTML)5 with the JavaScript library Data-Driven Documents (D3). We applied N2C to visualize 30 canvases made from human and mouse gene-set libraries and 6 canvases made from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drug-set libraries. Given lists of genes or drugs, enriched terms are highlighted on the canvases, and their degree of clustering is computed. Because N2C produces visual patterns of enriched terms on canvases, a trained eye can detect signatures instantly. In summary, N2C provides a new flexible method to visualize large networks and can be used to perform and visualize gene-set and drug-set enrichment analyses. Availability: N2C is freely available at http://www.maayanlab.net/N2C and is open source. Contact: ude.mssm@nayaam.iva Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
T cells in atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the artery wall. Atherosclerotic lesions contain monocytes, macrophages, smooth muscle cells and T lymphocytes. Here, we review the role of T-lymphocyte subsets in atherosclerosis. Among CD4+ T cells, Th1 cells are pro-atherogenic, Treg cells are athero-protective and the role of Th2 and Th17 cells remains unclear. The role of follicular helper T cells in atherosclerosis remains unknown, as is the role of CD8+ T cells. NKT cells bind glycolipid antigens and exert a pro-atherogenic role. The antigen specificity of T-cell responses in atherosclerosis is poorly understood. In order to enable antigen-specific prevention or therapy, a better understanding of these mechanisms is needed.
Regional distribution of the enzymes of haem biosynthesis and the inhibition of 5-aminolaevulinate synthase by manganese in the rat brain.

The activity of 5-aminolaevulinate synthase, the rate-limiting enzyme of haem biosynthesis, is differentially distributed in various regions of the rat brain. The cerebellum possessed the highest enzyme activity of the eight regions studied. The cerebral cortex and the midbrain also exhibited high 5-aminolaevulinate synthase activity; the septum, hypothalamus, thalamus, amygdala and the hippocampus possessed much lower enzyme activity. However, the total porphyrin and haem contents of the different brain segments did not vary greatly. Mn2+, when administered subcutaneously to rats, effectively inhibited the activity of 5-aminolaevulinate synthase in the cerebellum, midbrain and cerebral cortex; however, repeated injections of the metal ion neither decreased the haem and porphyrin contents of the brain nor induced haem oxygenase activity. Mn2+ was not an effective inhibitor of 5-aminolaevulinate synthase activity in vitro. On the other hand, studies carried out with the liver in vivo suggested that Mn2+ may alter the turnover rate of cellular haem and haemoproteins. In that event, it is likely that the inhibition of 5-aminolaevulinate synthase by Mn2+ was in part a result of the inhibition of protein synthesis by the metal ion. It is postulated that the haem and porphyrin contents of the brain are maintained at a steady-state level, due in part to the refractoriness to inducers of the regulatory mechanism for haem catabolic enzymes and in part to the ability of the organ to utilize haem precursors derived from extraneuronal sources.
Peripheral T-cell lymphoma in lckpr-bcl-2 transgenic mice

t(14;18) is the most common translocation in human lymphoid malignancy and results in bcl-2 overexpression. Bcl-2 blocks apoptosis and constitutes the initial member of a new category of oncogenes, ie, regulators of cell death. Bcl-2-Ig transgenic mice develop follicular hyperplasia and progress to malignant B-cell lymphoma. To assess the oncogenic potential of bcl-2 in the T-cell lineage, a cohort of 68 lckpr-bcl-2 transgenic mice and 56 control littermates were monitored for signs of malignancy over a 24-month period. Eighteen (26%) lckpr- bcl-2 mice developed diffuse, predominantly large-cell lymphomas at a mean age of 18 months. In contrast, only one nontransgenic control mouse developed lymphoma. CD3 surface expression and clonal T-cell receptor beta rearrangements support the T-lineage classification of these neoplasms. lckpr-bcl-2-enforced lymphomas are predominantly CD4+CD8-, consistent with a mature peripheral T-cell phenotype. These data provide support for the thesis that violation of homeostasis through the repression of cell death can be a primary mechanism of tumorigenesis in multiple lineages.
Oviductal estrogen receptor α signaling prevents protease-mediated embryo death

Development of uterine endometrial receptivity for implantation is orchestrated by cyclic steroid hormone-mediated signals. It is unknown if these signals are necessary for oviduct function in supporting fertilization and preimplantation development. Here we show that conditional knockout (cKO) mice lacking estrogen receptor α (ERα) in oviduct and uterine epithelial cells have impaired fertilization due to a dramatic reduction in sperm migration. In addition, all successfully fertilized eggs die before the 2-cell stage due to persistence of secreted innate immune mediators including proteases. Elevated protease activity in cKO oviducts causes premature degradation of the zona pellucida and embryo lysis, and wild-type embryos transferred into cKO oviducts fail to develop normally unless rescued by concomitant transfer of protease inhibitors. Thus, suppression of oviductal protease activity mediated by estrogen-epithelial ERα signaling is required for fertilization and preimplantation embryo development. These findings have implications for human infertility and post-coital contraception.
Neo-Darwinism, niche construction theory, and the initial domestication of plants and animals

The initial domestication of plants and animals and the subsequent emergence of agricultural economies, which began independently more than 10,000 years ago in a number of different world regions, represent a major evolutionary transition in earth history. It is these domesticates, and the agricultural economies based on them, that have formed the lever with which humans have substantially modified the earth’s terrestrial ecosystems over the past ten millennia. General explanations for this transition from hunting and gathering to food production economies formulated over the past 40 years have been based on standard evolutionary theory (SET) and employ the assumption of unidirectional adaptation—that environments change and species adapt. Here I compare these proposed SET—based externalist explanations for domestication with a recently formulated alternative developed from niche construction theory (NCT). Archaeological and paleoenvironmental records from two independent centers of domestication in the Americas—eastern North America and the Neotropics of northern South America, are found to support the NCT-based explanatory approach but not the SET explanations, underscoring the limitations of externalist SET approaches and the need for broader conceptualization of the processes that direct evolutionary change in order to gain a better general understanding of initial domestication as well as other major evolutionary transitions.
Mechanical properties of indium tin oxide on polyethylene napthalate substrate

This work investigates the mechanical properties of ITO on PEN substrates as a function of processing conditions, including rf power, substrate temperature, and substrate treatment. The best mechanical performance is obtained from high substrate temperature and low rf power. Plasma treatment gases also influence mechanical properties, with mixture of nitrogen and hydrogen gases producing the best results. This work provides an initial understanding of the impact of sputter process conditions on film’s mechanical performance.
Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors (ACEIs) or Angiotensin- Receptor Blockers (ARBs) during CF-LVAD Support Are Associated with Sustained Improvement in Renal Function

s S59 Austria; 2Department of Cardiac Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; 3Center for Med. Phys. & Biomed. Eng. L. B. Cluster for Cardiovasc. Res. Dept of Cardiac Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; 4Rehabilitation Clinic Felbring, Muthmannsdorf, Austria. Purpose: Left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) are increasingly implanted for long support times and destination therapy. Therefore, focus is shifting from pure survival to quality of life and physical performance. The present study was designed to evaluate the development of exercise capacity within the first 2 years of LVAD support. Methods: Data obtained during rehabilitation of 12 patients undergoing LVAD implantation for terminal heart failure between June 2010 and July 2012 were retrospectively analyzed (age 57±10 y, female: 17%, HeartWareHVAD: 58%, Thoratec-HeartmateII: 42%, INTERMACS Level I: 42%, II: 17%, III: 25% and IV-VII: 16%). Patients underwent cardiac rehabilitation including cardiopulmonary stress tests twice, after LVAD implantation and a second time after 1 to 2 years. Study endpoints were peak-workload and peak-VO2 obtained with spiroergometry. Results: Patients were admitted to the rehabilitation clinic the first time 6.1±2.5 weeks after LVAD implantation and the second time at 1.7±0.4 years post-implant. An increase in peak-workload was observed between the two rehabilitation periods (81.6±20.8 vs. 55.1±23.6 W, p= 0.001), which reflected an overall improvement of muscular strength and coordination observed. However, the peak-VO2 did not increase, even slightly decreased although not significantly (11.1±2.0 vs. 12.5±2.9 ml/min/kg, p= 0.223). A probable reason for this decrease was a considerable gain of body weight (95.8±10.9 vs. 84.9±11.1 kg, p< 0.001) in the same observation period. Conclusion: Within the first two years of LVAD support patients show a general improvement in peak exercise workload but no changes in the peak oxygen uptake. The increase in the aerobic capacity seems limited by the still suboptimal pumping function of heart and LVAD combined.
INFRARED RESONANT DESORPTION OF H2O FROM ICE MULTILAYERS

The resonant desorption of H2O from ice multilayers was studied using a train of picosecond pulses from an infrared free electron laser. The infrared light was used to excite the O−H stretching vibration in H2O in the ice multilayers and to cause H2O resonant desorption. The H2O resonant desorption spectrum was measured at infrared wavelengths between λ = 2.8 μm and λ = 3.4 μm. The peak H2O desorption yield occurred at λ = 3.0 μm. The H2O resonant desorption spectrum was substantially enhanced relative to the infrared absorption spectrum of ice at infrared wavelengths shorter than λ ∼ 3.1 μm. This enhancement was attributed to the melting of the ice film prior to H2O desorption and the temperature-dependent absorption coefficient of the O−H stretching vibration. The H2O desorption yields from 1 and 5 μm thick films were also measured at λ = 2.94 μm and λ = 3.09 μm for successive infrared pulses and versus pulse energy. The results were consistent with the melting of the ice film and the expected optical p...
Accelerated Obstruction at the Ureteropelvic Junction in Adults

Abstract Accelerated obstruction at the initially normal or minimally abnormal ureteropelvic junction was seen in 5 kidneys in 4 women after intervals of 2 to 15 years. Three kidneys had to be removed although the patients had been under observation. Hydronephrosis from ureteropelvic junction obstruction does not always progress gradually from the prenatal period but may rapidly increase in the adult without adequate warning.
Treating Obesity in a Primary Care

The comprehensiveness of the current primary care setting is lacking, while typically treating acute or episodic conditions appropriately; a breakdown in the system occurs when treating more chronic conditions. As health-care costs continue to rise and outcomes within the USA are lacking, a cost-effective, comprehensive model of primary care is needed. The patient-centered medical home (PCMH) model includes the integration of psychological services to primary care teams to address the psychological, behavioral, and social factors contributing to increased medical utilization, decreased treatment adherence, and breakdown of communication between professionals. Considering that obesity is a prevalent medical concern within the USA, and is now a worldwide phenomenon, appropriate treatment of obesity within primary care settings is needed. Integration of psychologists to primary care teams has been shown to be efficacious in increasing patient and provider satisfaction, improved patient outcomes, and reduced overall medical costs. Furthermore, psychologists are well equipped to address emerging roles in primary care such as preventative programs, clinical consultation with primary medical teams, organizational functioning, as well as classic direct behavioral care, screening, assessment, and monitoring. Traditional medical and behavioral treatments for obesity are explored, as well as how the behavioral treatments available could be implemented in a PCMH setting and the expected benefits of doing so.
Pressure-volume Index as a Function of Cerebral Perfusion Pressure, Autoregulation and Anesthesia

Using a bolus technique, the pressure-volume index (PVI) of the cranio-spinal axis can be calculated. As the rise in intracranial pressure (ICP) which follows a bolus injection is instantaneous, it is generally accepted that the PVI is mainly a reflection of the response of the intracranial vascular compartment (Avezaat et al. 1980; Shapiro et al. 1980). The vascular compartment itself is influenced by many factors, including the cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP), carbon dioxide tension (PaCO2), blood viscosity and many anesthetic agents. This present study was carried out to test the hypotheses that the PVI will change with changes in CPP and will also be influenced by the type of anesthetic agent employed.
A Revision of the Genus Diastolinus Mulsant and Rey (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)

Abstract The West Indian genus Diastolinus Mulsant and Rey, 1859 (type species: Blaps clathratus Fabricius) is revised. The genus now includes 18 species divided among three species-groups, eight of which are described as new species herein: Diastolinus chalumeaui Hart and Ivie, new species (Guadeloupe Archipelago); Diastolinus leewardensis Hart and Ivie, new species (Leeward Islands); Diastolinus shieli Hart and Ivie, new species (Redonda); Diastolinus azuaensis Hart and Ivie, new species (Hispaniola); Diastolinus desecheo Hart and Ivie, new species (Desecheo Island); Diastolinus doyeni Hart and Ivie, new species (Puerto Rico); Diastolinus vaderi Hart and Ivie, new species (Hispaniola); and Diastolinus hoppae Hart and Ivie, new species (St. Lucia). The following new synonymies are proposed: Diastolinus hummelincki Marcuzzi, 1962 = Diastolinus clavatus Mulsant and Rey, 1859, new synonymy; Diastolinus mulsanti Marcuzzi and D'Aguilar, 1971 = Diastolinus clavatus Mulsant and Rey, 1859, new synonymy; and Dias...
Gamma Knife radiosurgery for neurofibromatosis type 2-associated meningiomas: a 22-year patient series

Neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) is a debilitating genetic condition with potential development of multiple meningiomas. We report our experience treating a series of NF2-associated intracranial meningiomas with Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS). Between 1992 and 2013, 15 consecutive patients (age 20–54 years) with 62 intracranial meningiomas were treated with single-fraction GKRS. Fifty-five percent of tumors involved the convexity or parasagittal/falx. The median prescription dose was 16 Gy (range 13–20 Gy). The median tumor diameter was 2.1 cm (range 0.7–4.5 cm). The median radiographic and clinical follow-up periods were 103 and 111 months, respectively. The 5-year and 10-year local controls were both 96 %. The disease specific survival was 93 % at 5 years and 68 % at 10 years. Fifty-three percent of patients had multiple meningiomas and received multiple GKRS treatments (range 1–7) for new or enlarging intracranial meningiomas. 11 (73 %) patients were alive at last follow-up, with 60 (97 %) tumors controlled (smaller or unchanged in size). There were 2 in-field failures, one at 1 year and the other at 3.5 years. There were no marginal failures. Major Complications after GKRS included: 1 case of radiation necrosis, 1 case of post treatment edema, and 1 case of a presumed radiation induced cavernous malformation 5 years after GKRS. GK is an effective treatment for enlarging NF2–associated meningiomas. No cases of malignant transformation or secondary malignancies were seen during the follow-up period.
Hyperbolic Sets, Symbolic Dynamics, and Strange Attractors

The solutions of ordinary differential equations can have an erratic time dependence which appears in some ways to be random. We have seen several such examples in Chapter 2. The present chapter is devoted to a discussion of simple, geometrically defined systems in which such chaotic motion occurs. We shall describe both the irregular character of individual solutions and the complicated geometric structures associated with their limiting behavior. The principal technique which we use is called symbolic dynamics and the general approach to the questions we adopt is referred to as dynamical systems theory. We shall not develop this theory systematically but will state some of its major results and provide a brief guide to its literature. Our strategy in solving specific problems will generally involve the use of numerical or perturbation methods, such as those of Chapter 4, to establish the existence of interesting geometrical structure in appropriate Poincare maps, followed by the use of the methods of this chapter.
Overview of the Ophthalmic System

Drug delivery to the eye is a challenging task given the inherent structural and physiological uniqueness of the eye. The eye is a composite organ comprised of unique structures with distinct structure and functions that work together for the perception of sight. Structures like the cornea, the crystalline lens, and the vitreous humor are avascular structures, while the uveal tract is primarily the vascular layer of the eye. The retinal neuro-circuitry is complex and situated deep inside the eye and is a derivative of neuroectoderm. Similar to the blood–brain barrier, there is the blood–retina barrier in the eye. The limited external surface area and the deep isolated location of the different structures of the eye along with avascularity of some of the structures and the blood–retina barrier pose unique challenges for delivery of drugs to intraocular structures.
Low utility of Oncotype DX® in the clinic.

Precision medicine tools are currently making their way into the clinic and being utilized to diagnose, prognose, and individualize cancer care. The multi-gene expression-based assay, Oncotype DX® (ODX), is a genomic tumor profiling tool that determines the expression of 21 tumor- associated genes; it helps determine the risk for distant recurrence and whether chemotherapy is an appropriate course of treatment in patients with early stage, estrogen receptor (ER) positive, HER2 negative, and lymph node negative (or 1–3 positive lymph nodes) invasive BCa. The aim of this study was to determine the overall utilization and uptake of the ODX genomic test in a cross-sectional analysis of the Virginia Tumor registry, compare utilization in African Americans (AAs) and Caucasian Americans (CAs), and determine the profile of patients referred for testing. Caucasian (89.7%) patients made up the majority of the ODX testers compared to AAs (10.3%) (P < 0.0001). Those who received ODX testing were less likely to have higher grade and higher stage tumors, and were less likely to be ER negative (RR = 0.21, 95% CI: 0.01–0.31), progesterone receptor (PR) negative (RR = 0.35, 95% CI: 0.27–0.45), HER2 amplified (RR = 0.27, 95% CI: 0.17–0.43), or triple negative (RR = 0.21, 95% CI: 0.14–0.33). Of the patients that were eligible (n = 3924), 10.5% (n = 412) received ODX testing. Specifically, 11.7% of the Caucasian patients and 5.1% of AAs patients received ODX testing (P < 0.001). Our analysis confirmed that the utilization of ODX was low and that AAs were much less likely to receive ODX testing.
Grand Strategy vs. Emergent Strategy in the conduct of foreign policy

ABSTRACTDoes a great power need to formulate a long-term Grand Strategy to guide its foreign policy actions? While some scholars continue to debate the competing merits of various grand strategies, a growing literature now emphasizes emergent learning and improvisation as the keys to success, as opposed to implementing a long-term design. In this article, I explore these scholarly arguments by framing the debate as one between two schools of thought, Grand Strategy and Emergent Strategy. After presenting the main arguments and the historical examples associated with each school, I evaluate the two approaches across four categories: the type of international security environment each of them is most suited for, the way each approach deals with short-term vs. long-term priorities, the domestic political conditions needed for each approach to be successful, and the type of presidential management qualities each school demands. Lastly, I discuss the implications of these arguments for the scholarship and the ...
Batching and dynamic allocaton techniques for increasing the stream capacity of an on-demand media server

Abstract A server for an interactive distributed multimedia system may require thousands of gigabytes of storage space and high I/O bandwidth. In order to maximize system utilization, and thus minimize cost, the load must be balanced among the server's disks, interconnection network and scheduler. Many algorithms for maximizing retrieval capacity from the storage system have been proposed. This paper presents techniques for improving server capacity by assigning media requests to the nodes of a server so as to balance the load on the interconnection network and the scheduling nodes. Five policies for dynamic request assignment are developed. An important factor that affects data retrieval in a high-performance continuous media server is the degree of parallelism of data retrieval. The performance of the dynamic policies on an implementation of a server model developed earlier is presented for two values of the degree of parallelism.
Human Herpesviruses: Malignant Lymphoma

The human gammaherpesviruses, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV, or HHV4) and Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV, or HHV8), are associated with lymphoma. EBV was first discovered in the 1960s in association with Burkitt lymphomas arising in sub-Saharan Africa, while the discovery of KSHV in 1994 was associated with Kaposi sarcoma tumors and driven by the AIDS epidemic. While EBV infection is ubiquitous, KSHV is restricted to certain populations. EBV-associated lymphoproliferative diseases are likewise more common than KSHV-associated lymphoproliferative disease. These two herpesviruses nonetheless share many characteristics. Particularly relevant to lymphoma and lymphoproliferative disease is the ability of these two viruses to infect and establish a reservoir of infection in lymphocytes. Whereas some herpesviruses establish latency in nondividing terminally differentiated cells such as neurons, the gammaherpesviruses establish latency in lymphocytes. The gammaherpesviruses have evolved mechanisms for persisting as extrachromosomal genomes in dividing cells. These cells may be driven to proliferate or be protected from cell death pathways by viral gene expression. The result may be a self-limited lymphoproliferation that establishes or maintains a reservoir of latently infected cells or, under certain circumstances, a malignant lymphoproliferation.
The current inadequacy of exposure assessments and controls for airborne particulate matter (PM) mixtures.

The current inadequacy of exposure assessments and controls for airborne particulate matter (PM) mixtures
POSTOPERATIVE INSULIN REQUIREMENTS IN BARIATRIC SURGERY

ABSTRACT Objective: Though insulin dose reduction months after surgery is a well-studied outcome, there are limited data on immediate postoperative changes. The goals of the present study were to (1) To determine peri-operative glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) on insulin who have undergone Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and (2) to compare pre- and postoperative insulin regimens and dosages in these patients. Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted on patients with type 2 DM on insulin who underwent RYGB surgery. Blood glucose (BG) levels and insulin doses were compared prior to surgery, on the day of surgery (DOS), and postoperative days (POD) 1 and 2. Subgroup analysis was performed to see if insulin dose was related to glucose control. Results: There were 114 subjects with a mean (SD) age of 52.8 ± 9.8 years, body mass index (BMI) 46.2 ± 8.0 kg/m2, glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) 8.3% (67 mmol/mol) ± 1.7%, and 66% on insulin plus noninsulin medications and 34%...
ADAP-GC 3.2: Graphical Software Tool for Efficient Spectral Deconvolution of Gas Chromatography-High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry Metabolomics Data.

ADAP-GC is an automated computational workflow for extracting metabolite information from raw gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS) metabolomics data. Deconvolution of co-eluting analytes is a critical step in the workflow and the underlying algorithm has proven to perform similar or better than other freely available software tools. We report herein additions and improvements that have made deconvolution more efficient, user-friendly, and capable of processing high resolution GC/MS data. The improved workflow, versioned ADAP-GC 3.2, has been evaluated using both unit and high mass resolution data and the deconvolution performance has been compared to that of its predecessor. ADAP-GC 3.2 has been incorporated into MZmine 2 empowering the latter to preprocess not only LC/MS but GC/MS metabolomics data as well.
Tunable Broadband Electro-Optic Comb Generation Using an Optically Filtered Optoelectronic Oscillator

Tunable electrooptic combs are generated in an optoelectronic oscillator that is optically filtered using a 100 000 finesse Fabry–Perot etalon. Optical and electrical outputs of the oscillator are combined in a series of external phase modulators to generate spectrally flat, broadband optical combs. Adjustment of a variable delay in the oscillator allows for tuning of output combline spacing to harmonics of the etalon’s 1.5-GHz free spectral range. Experimental results demonstrate regeneratively created electrooptic combs whose comb teeth spacing can be tuned to 7.5, 9, 10.5, and 12 GHz, with center comb tooth linewidths on the order of hundreds of Hertz. In the best case, the output electrooptic modulation comb consists of 52 individual comblines within a 10-dB amplitude deviation over a span of approximately 5 nm. Linear pulse compression is used to demonstrate ultrashort pulses with a 2.6-ps autocorrelation pulse width at a repetition rate of 10.5 GHz.
Measurement of Stress with AC Magnetic Bridges

AC magnetic bridges have been used to detect applied stress in steel and aluminum test specimens. The data show effects of mechanical hysteresis. In the steel test specimens, changes in real and imaginary reluctance occur. In aluminum samples only changes in imaginary reluctance are observed. From these observations it is concluded that AC magnetic bridges can be used for the NDE of stress and could possibly be used to determine residual stress.
Pulsed infrared releases Ca2+ from the endoplasmic reticulum of cultured spiral ganglion neurons

Infrared radiation-induced photothermal effects release Ca2+ from the endoplasmic reticulum of primary spiral ganglion neurons. This Ca2+ release is mediated by activation of transient receptor pot...
Neurological Specializations for Manual Gesture and Tool Use in Humans

Primates possess a unique ability to manipulate their environments through dexterous use of the hands. Neuroantomical and physiological data from Old and New World monkeys suggest the existence of functionally specialized parietofrontal circuits involved in sensorimotor transformations that are necessary to control manual prehension (reaching, grasping, and object manipulation). Recent findings in macaques indicate that simple tool use behaviors may arise through experience-dependent changes within these representations. Although necessary, these sensorimotor transformations alone are insufficient to account for the complex tool use behaviors of ancestral and modern humans. These abilities require additional input from mechanisms that represent the physical properties of objects, and semantic knowledge concerning their acquired functions and uses. Data from human neuropsychology and functional neuroimaging suggest that a distributed network within the human left cerebral hemisphere may be critical for these semantically mediated actions.
3 – Plane Wave Propagation and Reflection

This chapter provides an overview of plane wave propagation and reflection. Plane waves are the simplest solution of Maxwell's equations in a homogeneous region of space, such as free space (vacuum). Plane waves played an important role throughout the development of electromagnetic, starting from the time of the earliest radio transmissions through the development of modern communications systems. Furthermore, plane waves are important for several reasons. First, the far-field radiation from any transmitting antenna has the characteristics of a plane wave sufficiently far from the antenna. The incoming wave field impinging on a receiving antenna can therefore usually be approximated as a plane wave. Second, the exact field radiated by any source in a region of space can be constructed in terms of a continuous spectrum of plane waves via the Fourier transform. Understanding the nature of plane waves is thus important for understanding both the far-field and the exact radiation from sources. The theory of plane wave reflection from layered media is also a well-developed area, and relatively simple expressions suffice for understanding reflection and transmission effects when layers are present.
Surplus Labor and Subjectivity in Urban Agriculture: Embodied Work, Contested Work

This article examines unpaid work within urban agriculture sites. It focuses on the extra work—the surplus labor—that is performed to sustain these sites and how this work relates to subject formation. Land access and subjectivities are widely discussed in the urban agriculture literature, particularly in the Global North, but recent research has also identified the continual supply of labor as a crucial issue as well. However, work dynamics of urban agriculture have seldom been the object of analysis, and little is known about the relationship between unpaid urban agriculture work and subjectivity. I argue that surplus labor is useful for analysis because of the surplus value that is produced through urban agriculture. I draw on the theoretical framework of diverse economies to examine surplus labor through an antiessentialist form of class analysis. A case study from New Jersey, USA, is based on two years of participant observation and forty-eight interviews in twenty cities. The case study reveals how surplus labor is performed, the techniques used to appropriate and distribute surplus labor, the subject formation that occurs through this surplus labor, and models of surplus food distribution that emerge from the juncture of surplus and subjectivity. Conclusions point to contested work practices and the embodied experience of surplus production as keys to subject formation. More broadly, it sheds light on the processes through which surplus labor is performed in unpaid informal forms of enterprise and the role that subject formation plays in that labor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Improving Out-of-Sample Prediction of Quality of MRIQC

MRIQC is a quality control tool that predicts the binary rating (accept/exclude) that human experts would assign to T1-weighted MR images of the human brain. For such prediction, a random forests classifier performs on a vector of image quality metrics (IQMs) extracted from each image. Although MRIQC achieved an out-of-sample accuracy of \(\sim \)76%, we concluded that this performance on new, unseen datasets would likely improve after addressing two problems. First, we found that IQMs show “site-effects” since they are highly correlated with the acquisition center and imaging parameters. Second, the high inter-rater variability suggests the presence of annotation errors in the labels of both training and test data sets. Annotation errors may be accentuated by some preprocessing decisions. Here, we confirm the “site-effects” in our IQMs using t-student Stochastic Neighbour Embedding (t-SNE). We also improve by a \(\sim \)10% accuracy increment on the out-of-sample prediction of MRIQC by revising a label binarization step in MRIQC. Reliable and automated QC of MRI is in high demand for the increasingly large samples currently being acquired. We show here one iteration to improve the performance of MRIQC on this task, by investigating two challenging problems: site-effects and noise in the labels assigned by human experts.
Predictors of Latino English Learners’ Reading Comprehension Proficiency

Poor literacy achievement among English learners has contributed significantly to their high dropout rates, poor job prospects, and high poverty rates. The National Literacy Panel on Language Minority Children and Youth has suggested that English learners benefit from the same direct, systematic instruction in the five essential components of reading shown effective for native-English-speaking students: phonemic awareness, phonics, oral reading fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Implementing effective reading instructional practices for English learners may reduce the literacy achievement gap between English learners and native English speakers. In this study, we used multiple regression to examine data for 1,376 third-grade Latino English learners to determine the strength of oral English proficiency, oral reading fluency, and academic vocabulary knowledge as predictors of reading comprehension proficiency. Findings of this study indicate a mismatch between English learners’ instructional needs and a widely used reading program component, assessment of words correct per minute (as a measure of oral reading fluency). Significant conclusions of this study suggest that educators seeking to promote the reading comprehension proficiency of Latino English learners consider using words correct per minute assessments and activities cautiously and strive to allocate more time for instruction and assessment of the prosodic dimension of oral reading fluency and academic vocabulary knowledge and skills.
Diesel exhaust particles dysregulate multiple immunological pathways in murine macrophages: Lessons from microarray and scRNA-seq technologies.

Abstract Exposure to ambient particulate matter has been shown to promote a variety of disorders, including cardiovascular diseases predominantly of ischemic etiology. However, the mechanisms linking inhaled particulates with systemic vascular effects, resulting in worsened atherosclerosis, are not well defined. We assessed the potential role of macrophages in translating these effects by analyzing gene expression patterns in response to diesel exhaust particles (DEP) at the average cell level, using Affymetrix microarrays in peritoneal macrophages in culture (in vitro), and at the individual cell level, using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) in alveolar macrophages collected from exposed mice (in vivo). Peritoneal macrophages were harvested from C57BL/6J mice and treated with 25 μg/mL of a DEP methanol extract (DEPe). These cells exhibited significant (FDR
Risk Factors for Infection Following Total Wrist Arthroplasty and Arthrodesis: An Analysis of 6641 Patients.

Background: Infection following wrist arthroplasty (WA) or wrist fusion (WF) is an uncommon but difficult complication often resulting in explantation and prolonged courses of antibiotics. The purposes of this study are to: (1) characterize the demographic trends of individuals undergoing WA and WF; (2) determine the incidence of postoperative infection; and (3) identify risk factors for postoperative infection. Methods: The PearlDiver database was used to query 100% Medicare Standard Analytic files from 2005 to 2014. Patients undergoing WA or radiocarpal WF were identified using Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes. Diagnosis for infection within 1 year of operative intervention was assessed by International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes or CPT codes related to infection. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate the risk factors for postoperative infection. Results: Of the 6641 patients included, 1137 (17.1%) underwent arthroplasty and 5504 (82.9%) underwent arthrodesis. Within 1 year of the index procedure, 3.5% had a diagnosis of, or procedure for, postoperative infection (WA: n = 40 of 1137; WF: n = 192 of 5504). Risk factors for infection following WA include age >85, tobacco use, depression, diabetes mellitus, and chronic kidney disease. Risk factors following radiocarpal WF include male sex, age >85, body mass index 85, depression, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, and posttraumatic arthritis.
Composing with Multidimensional Timbre Representations

The author discusses her work and approach to timbre-based composition. Emergent in her works is a common theme and exploration of “timbre spaces” and “timbre in space.” The two pieces that will be...