cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
DAVID AYALON, Eunuchs, Caliphs and Sultans: A Study of Power Relationships (Jerusalem: Magnes Press, Hebrew University, 1999). Pp. 387. $38.00 cloth.

David Ayalon died in June 1998 after a scholarly career of well over half a century, during which he molded the historiography of the Mamluk sultanate, to say nothing of Mamluk studies generally. Throughout his career, he remained an unabashedly old-school empiricist, poring over Arabic narrative sources to recover the elusive realities of the Mamluk sultanate and earlier Islamic polities. His output consisted principally of lengthy, unassailably scholarly articles, each a model of painstaking source criticism and meticulous argumentation. As a result of those articles, we know the structures of the Mamluk sultanate's armies; the true nature of the Mamluk sultanate's relationship to the Mongols; the uses of banishment in the Mamluk sultanate; the place of Circassians in the sultanate; and the overall history of the mamlu¯k, or military slave, institution, to list but a few of the many key topics on which his research shed light—more often than not, the first rays of light. Surprisingly, Ayalon produced only two books before his death: L'esclavage du mamelouk (Israel Oriental Society, 1951) and Gunpowder and Firearms in the Mamluk Kingdom: A Challenge to Medieval Society (Frank Cass, 1978). Nevertheless, his English-language articles alone easily fill four Variorum reprints volumes, with many to spare.
Legislating Equality: Minority Populations and Same-Sex Marriage Legislation

This paper examines the relationship between the racial and ethnic composition of state legislators and the introduction of same-sex marriage legislation in Texas and New Mexico. Using competition frames, this paper finds that African American and Latino legislators are more likely to introduce legislation detrimental to the LGBT community if they propose anything at all.
Book Review: Pritchard PA and Grant CS [eds.]. 2015. Success Strategies from Women in STEM: A Portable Mentor. Academic Press, Oxford, United Kingdom, 519 p.

This book contains a wealth of information for women interested in career paths in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The 2nd part of the title, “A Portable Mentor,” is an accurate descriptor as this book focuses on advice and useful tips for career advancement, success, and balance of work with a personal life. This is the 2nd edition of the book Success Strategies for Women in Science, which was originally published in 2005. View this article in BioOne
Differential performance of beet armyworm and cabbage looper (Lepidoptera : Noctuidae) larvae on selected Apium graveolens cultivars

Three Apium graveolens (L.) varieties and cultivars within varieties were evaluated for host plant suitability to two polyphagous lepidopteran herbivores: the beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua (Hubner), and the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni (Hubner). Overall, there were no significant differences in survivorship, developmental time, and pupal weight of S. exigua or T. ni reared on the two varieties A. graveolens var. dulce and A. graveolens var. rapaceum . Intravarietal differences did exist between cultivars of A. graveolens var. rapaceum ; S. exigua reared on ‘Kockanski’ had a significantly lower mean survivorship to pupation (27.5 versus 82.5%), a significantly longer mean time to pupation (18.5 versus 13.7 d), and a significantly lower mean pupal weight (37.6 versus 75.0 mg) than S. exigua reared on ‘PI 223333’, a different cultivar of A. graveolens var. rapaceum . In contrast to the response of S. exigua , there were no significant differences in the life history variables among T. ni reared on the same cultivars of A. graveolens var. rapaceum. Quantitative nutritional analysis showed that the differential response of S. exigua and T. ni to the two A. graveolens var. rapaceum cultivars was caused by inability of S. exigua to compensate for reduced efficiencies of conversion of ‘Kockanski’ to larval biomass. Variation in total nitrogen contents were not responsible for the observed variation in compensatory abilities.
Epitaxial Layer Misorientation in CdTe on GaAs

X-ray diffraction has been used to characterize the relative misorientation of [001] and [111] CdTe layers grown by hot-wall epitaxy on GaAs substrates. The magnitude of the misorientation of the CdTe epitaxial layer relative to the GaAs substrate depends on the magnitude of the miscut of the substrate; in addition, the [111] oriented CdTe exhibited significantly larger misorientations than did the [001] CdTe films. The azimuthal direction of the tilt of the epitaxial layer depends strongly on the nominal crystallographic orientation of the film. The [111] CdTe exhibited an azimuthal dependence of the tilt that is approximately coincident with the miscut of the substrate, while the azimuthal direction of tilt in the [001] CdTe layers differed from the substrate miscut direction by as much as 116°. These observations of epitaxial layer misorientation are discussed in terms of a dislocation model for layer tilt and azimuthal rotation in lattice-mismatched epitaxial systems.
Some Plant Host Effects on Lyes hesperus (Hemp tera: Myriad)

The effect of switching hosts on the longevity and fertility of Lygus hesperus Knight was studied. Callow adults of both sexes reared on alfalfa or broad bean (first host) were caged on tomato, mustard, wheat, or green bean (second host). Their longevity and the fertility of the females were determined for each possible combination of first and second hosts. Analysis of variance of longevity indicated highly significant differences due to sex, the second host, the two-way interactions of first and second hosts, and the three-way interactions of sex, first, and second hosts. Analysis of variance of the number of progeny indicated highly significant differences due to second host and the interaction of first and second hosts.
Endophyte-host associations in forage grasses. III: In vitro inhibition of fungi by Acremonium coenophialum

pathogens. Isolates of A. coenophialum were obtained from seeds of F. arundinacea (cul? tivar, Triumph) by the method of Clark et al (1983). Mycelial fragments were used to inoculate the center of plates of fresh Difco potato dextrose agar (PDA) which were incubated at 25 C for 50 da (until the colonies were 10-15 mm diam). The plates were then inoculated peripherally with 3 equally-spaced, 5 mm diam agar disks obtained from the margins of actively growing colonies ofthe following fungi: Alternaria alternata (Fr.) Keissler, Aspergillus flavus Link, Aspergillus niger van Tieghem, Cladosporium cladosporioides (Fres.) de Vries, Nigrospora sphae? rica (Sacc.) Mason, Penicillium funiculosum Thom, Periconia macrospinosa Lefebvre & A. G. Johnson, Phoma sorghina (Sacc.) Boerema, Dorenbosch, & van Kesteren, Rhizoctonia cerealis van der Hoeven, and Trichoderma harzianum Rifai. The fungi in this test were recent isolates from healthy roots of F. versuta Beal. Three replica plates were used for each fungus tested. Plates were incubated at 25 C for an additional 14 da, after which the zones of growth inhibition were measured and recorded (Table I). In a second experiment, a flask containing 200 ml of defined amino acid and
Rotavirus Diarrhea in Infants and Children in Sichuan,2006-2010

Objective To provide scientific evidence for vaccine development and disease control by understanding the epidemiological characteristics of rotavirus diarrhea in the sentinel hospitals in Sichuan.Methods The monitoring objects from the monitoring site(Chengdu Children's Hospital) in Sichuan province were children under 5 years old,with diarrhea in clinics or hospitalized.The excrement samples of these children from 2006 to 2010 have been collected in order to detect the rotavirus by ELISA and classify them by RT-PCR.Results There were 353 strains of rotavirus were detected in 972 samples,the positive rate was 36.3%.The high-risk age of rotavirus infection was found between 6 months to 1.5 years,and the incidence peaked from October to December around the year.Conclusion Rotavirus is the main pathogen of infantile diarrhea in the sentinel hospitals of Sichuan,viral strain prevalence shows certain regularity and diversity.
Research on the Simulation of Communication Time Delay for Uninhabited Combat Aerial Vehicles

The communication is the ligament between Uninhabited Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAV) and Ground Control Station (GCS),it's important role in the UCAV.This paper expatiated the factors lead to UCAV communication time delay,analyzed some kinds of communication modes ,presented the way which simulate communication time delay in line of sight mode and different relay modes by network simulation-2 (NS2).At the same time,the results of simulation are analyzed and explained.
Augmentation of antitumor immunity by tumor cells transduced with a retroviral vector carrying the interleukin-2 and interferon-gamma cDNAs.

leading to tumor rejecti~n.~~~.’~ The synergistic interaction of cytokines has been shown in several biologic systems. By transducing a tumor cell with the cDNA’s for both IL-2 and IFN-y, we have attempted to induce increased antitumor immunity by activating the afferent as well as the efferent arm of the immune response. IFN-y should act by enhancing the immunogenicity of the target cell and by activating nonspecific cytotoxic effector cells, whereas IL-2 should provide the costimulatory signal necessary to activate and expand cytotoxic T cells, presumably present in close proximity to the transduced tumor ~ells.~’-~~ Because mixing two tumor cell populations (each population secreting one cytokine) could lead to preferential elimination of one of the populations” and, thus, to the premature cessation of the effects of one cytokine, we have decided to express both cytokines by the same tumor cell to increase cellular antitumor response in vivo. Because a single transduction step providing signals for optimum primary rejection would be desirable for in vivo use, we have developed double cytokine retroviral vectors carrying both IL-2 and IFN-y genes or IL2 and GM-CSF genes and, as controls, single cytokine ret
Wound Closure in Sheared Endothelial Cells is Enhanced by Modulation of Vascular Endothelial-Cadherin Expression and Localization:

We previously demonstrated that laminar shear stress enhances human coronary artery endothelial cell (HCAEC) wound closure via the mechanisms of cell spreading and migration. Because cell–cell junctional proteins such as vascular endothelial cell cadherin (VE–cadherin) are critical to cell–cell adhesion and motility, we tested the hypothesis that modulation of VE–cadherin expression under shear stress may be linked to this enhancement in wound closure. HCAEC monolayers were preconditioned to attain cellular alignment by shearing at 12 dynes/cm2 for 18 hr in a parallel-plate flow chamber. Subsequently, they were divided into the following three groups: (i) control; (ii) treated with anti-cadherin-5 antibody; or (iii) treated with the calcium chelating agent EGTA. Next, the monolayers were wounded with a metal spatula and resheared at 20 dynes/cm2 or left static. Time-lapse imaging was performed during the first 3 hr after imposition of these conditions, immunocytochemistry or Western blot analyses for VE–c...
Pulmonary granuloma formation in the rat is partially dependent on monocyte chemoattractant protein 1

BACKGROUND We have examined the role of MCP-1 (monocyte chemoattractant protein 1; also known as monocyte chemotactic and activating factor or the murine JE gene product) in the pathogenesis of glucan-induced granulomatous vasculitis in the rat. While in vitro studies indicate that MCP-1 possesses monocyte chemotactic and activating activities, little is known about its biologic role in pathologic processes. Glucan-induced pulmonary granulomatous vasculitis is an ideal model in which to study the role of MCP-1, because the granulomas develop rapidly and synchronously and are monocyte/macrophage-rich. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN The purpose of this study was to define the topographic distribution and temporal pattern of MCP-1 expression in the lungs of rats with evolving glucan-induced granulomatous vasculitis and to determine the effect of neutralization of MCP-1 activity on granuloma formation. Glucan-induced pulmonary granulomatous vasculitis was induced in rats by the intravenous infusion of yeast cell wall glucan. At the indicated time points after glucan infusion, rats were sacrificed and the lungs processed for Northern, immunohistochemical and in situ hybridization analyses of MCP-1 production. Morphometric analysis was used to quantify the effect of neutralization of MCP-1 activity on granuloma formation. RESULTS Granuloma formation was accompanied by a biphasic increase in steady-state whole lung MCP-1 mRNA levels that peaked at 1 and 6 to 24 hours. In situ hybridization and immunohistochemical analyses revealed that components of the bronchial and vascular walls are responsible for the early rise (1 hour) in MCP-1 mRNA and protein expression, whereas granuloma-associated alveolar macrophages are the predominant source of MCP-1 later (6 to 24 hours) in the evolution of these lesions. Intravenous infusion and/or intratracheal instillation of neutralizing concentrations of anti-rat MCP-1 antibody raised against recombinant rat MCP-1 resulted in a dramatic decrease in the number and size of glucan-induced granulomas as well as in the numbers of mononuclear phagocytes retrieved in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. CONCLUSIONS These studies demonstrate that glucan-induced granulomatous vasculitis is accompanied by increased local expression of MCP-1 mRNA and protein, that there is a coordinated production of MCP-1 by different cell types within the lung during evolving glucan-induced pulmonary vasculitis, and that MCP-1 plays a requisite role in pulmonary granuloma formation.
Chronic opioid treatment augments caveolin-1 scaffolding: relevance to stimulatory μ-opioid receptor adenylyl cyclase signaling.

Caveolin-1 is the predominant structural protein of caveolae, a subset of (lipid) membrane rafts that compartmentalize cell signaling. Caveolin-1 binds most to G protein-coupled receptors and their signaling partners, thereby enhancing interactions among signaling cascade components and the relative activation of specific G protein-coupled pathways. This study reveals that chronic opioid exposure of μ-opioid receptor (MOR) expressing Chinese hamster ovary cells (MOR-CHO) and chronic in vivo morphine exposure of rat spinal cord augmented recruitment of multiple components of MOR-adenylyl cyclase (AC) stimulatory signaling by caveolin-1. Strikingly, in MOR-CHO and spinal cord, blocking the caveolin-1 scaffolding domain substantially attenuated the chronic morphine-induced increased interaction of caveolin-1 with MOR, Gsα, protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), and AC. Chronic morphine treatment also increased interactions among the above signaling proteins, thus enabling sufentanil to stimulate (rather than inhibit) cAMP production within lipid membrane microdomains. The latter finding underscores the functionality of augmented interactions among MOR, Gs α, PP2A, and AC. In the aggregate, our data strongly suggest that augmented caveolin-1 scaffolding undergirds the ability of chronic opioids to recruit an ancillary signaling pathway by acting as an organizing template for MOR-Gs α-AC signaling and delimiting the membrane compartment(s) in which it occurs. Since caveolin-1 binds to a wide spectrum of signaling molecules, altered caveolin-1 scaffolding following chronic opioid treatment is likely to pertain to most, if not all, MOR signaling partners. The chronic morphine-induced trigger that augments caveolin-1 scaffolding could represent a seminal perturbation that initiates the wide spectrum of adaptations thought to contribute to opioid tolerance and dependence.
Schistosoma mansoni cercariae swim efficiently by exploiting an elastohydrodynamic coupling

The success with which the parasite Schistosoma mansoni infects humans is due largely to its efficient motility. Experiments, modelling and robotics suggest that it swims via an elastohydrodynamic mechanism, rather than using active muscle control.
Antegrade Dissection/Re-entry

Dissection/re-entry can be achieved either in the antegrade or in the retrograde direction. Antegrade dissection can be achieved using “knuckled” guidewires or using the CrossBoss catheter. Antegrade re-entry can be achieved using guidewires or using the Stingray balloon and guidewire. Antegrade dissection/re-entry can be divided into four steps. First, a decision is made to attempt antegrade dissection/re-entry as a primary strategy or after failure of other crossing techniques. Second, a microcatheter (or an over-the-wire balloon) is advanced to the chronic total occlusion (CTO). Third, a knuckle guidewire or the CrossBoss catheter is used to subintimally cross the CTO. Fourth, re-entry into the distal true lumen is achieved using guidewires or the Stingray system. Minimization of the subintimal dissection length is desired, as long subintimal crossing length can lead to side-branch occlusion and high in-stent restenosis rates.
Is Public Service Motivation a Better Explanation of Nonprofit Career Preferences Than Government Career Preferences

Public service motivation (PSM) is a multifaceted theory that explains, among other things, the career preferences of individuals. Some have suggested that PSM is not inherently government specific...
MEMS Reconfigurable Broadband Patch Antenna for Conformal Applications

An MEMS reconfigurable broadband pixelated patch antenna is introduced for conformal applications, such as in aircrafts or vehicles. The proposed design considers structural fiberglass composite, Rohacell foam, structural epoxy, ultrathin graphite fibers, and conductive epoxy to be the materials of choice. A nonconventional method of MEMS switch installation is developed and used, which requires connecting the MEMS chips to the antenna or feed traces using very small amounts of conductive epoxy and then curing the specimen in an oven. The proposed fabrication and assembly process is a low temperature process and is not limited in terms of specimen size. The proposed reconfigurable antenna has three reconfiguration states that allow it to operate from 1.13 to 1.7 GHz with 3–7 dBi gain, excellent radiation patterns, and low cross polarization.
Step 4: Scaling Complementary and Compensatory Remediation

The purpose of the scaling step of the equivalency analysis is to determine the amount of remediation required to offset damages to natural resources or services. It involves calculating the benefits (credits) for relevant remediation options and determining how much of the selected remediation is required to generate sufficient credit to offset the damage (debit). The determination of how much of the selected remediation is required is called scaling. Estimating the costs of undertaking the necessary amount of remediation options is also discussed.
Gynecologic Etiologies of Chronic Pelvic Pain

Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) is a common diagnostic and management dilemma which spans a wide diversity of clinical settings. One of the most significant challenges in the diagnosis and treatment of this disorder lies in a lack of consensus of diagnostic criteria. Although there is no gold standard definition, most diagnostic criteria for any pain disorder such as this are predicated on the duration (chronicity), location, and severity of symptoms. In gynecologic publications, the majority of authors have used duration of 6 months or more as the major diagnostic criterion for the definition of chronicity [1]. Despite general agreement regarding chronicity, some controversy exists with regard to temporal characteristics of symptoms. Many have debated whether acceptable symptoms for the diagnosis of CPP should include cyclic (e.g., dysmenorrhea associated with menses or pain during a particular phase of the menstrual cycle), intermittent (e.g., dyspareunia), or noncyclic pain (unpredictable onset). There is also disagreement of what constitutes the “pelvic” location of symptoms. Although CPP has been traditionally considered to be a process of the peritoneal and lower abdominal viscera below the umbilicus and within the boundaries of the anatomic pelvis, some authors have also included portions of the external genitalia (vulva, vagina) and musculoskeletal system (e.g., sacroiliac joint) in close proximity to the bony pelvis.
Isozymes of pyruvate kinase in tissues and eggs of Rana, pipiens

Abstract At least five isozymes of pyruvate kinase have been detected electrophoretically in certain tissue extracts from the grassfrog, Rana , pipiens . The five individual isozymes occurring in egg have been separated by DEAE-Sephadex chromatography and compared to the isozymes in other tissues by electrophoresis. Evidence is presented that shows that there is probably no skeletal muscle type pyruvate kinase in egg. Extracts of pyruvate kinase from egg and liver are activated by FDP.
Multiple metal exposures and metabolic syndrome: A cross-sectional analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011-2014.

Abstract Background Epidemiologic studies suggest toxic metals are linked with diabetes and cardiovascular disease, while experimental studies indicate nutritionally essential metals are involved in the metabolism of macronutrients and defense against oxidative stress. Objectives We sought to evaluate how essential and toxic metals are cross-sectionally related to metabolic syndrome, a clustering of cardiometabolic conditions. Methods Using data from the 2011–2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (n = 1088), we characterized metal concentrations as measured in spot urine (arsenic, cadmium, and inorganic/elemental mercury), whole blood (manganese, lead, methylmercury, and selenium), and serum (copper and zinc) samples. Principal component analysis was performed to derive patterns of exposures. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to the 2009 Joint Scientific Statement as the presence of ≥ 3 of the following conditions: high blood pressure, high triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol, high fasting glucose, and abdominal obesity. Results After adjustment for potential confounders, prevalence ratios for metabolic syndrome comparing the highest to the lowest quartiles were 1.41 (95% CI: 1.18–1.67) for the arsenic-inorganic/elemental mercury pattern, 0.95 (0.78–1.16) for the methylmercury-manganese pattern, 0.73 (0.57–0.94) for the cadmium-lead pattern, 0.91 (0.76–1.10) for the copper pattern, and 1.36 (1.13–1.63) for the selenium-zinc pattern. The positive associations observed for the arsenic-inorganic/elemental mercury pattern were due to an elevated prevalence of high blood pressure, low HDL cholesterol, and high triglycerides among those with greater exposures. Associations for the selenium-zinc pattern were driven by a positive relationship with high triglycerides. Greater lead-cadmium co-exposures were related to a lower prevalence of dyslipidemia and abdominal obesity. Conclusions These cross-sectional findings suggest both toxic and essential metal exposures may contribute to cardiometabolic health, but need to be confirmed with prospective data.
Bullying and Mental Health

The social worker perspective on bullying is that here is a strong link between bullies and their mental health. Bullying is a form of misplaced aggressive behavior often carried through by using intimidation, shaming, and profound hurtful comments. Young people who have experienced bullying are more likely to experience mental health issues, and those who have mental health issues are more likely to be bullied. Stress and anxiety caused by bullying and harassment can make it more difficult for kids to learn. This chapter illustrates the serious effects of childhood bullying on health, resulting in substantial costs for individuals, their families, and their communities. Recommendations for consideration on practices, research, and policies conclude this chapter.
An Experimental Investigation of Transverse Tension Fatigue Characterization of IM6/3501-6 Composite Materials Using a Three-Point Bend Test

As composites are introduced into more complex structures with out-of-plane loadings, a better understanding is needed of the out-of-plane, matrix-dominated failure mechanisms. This work investigates the transverse tension fatigue characteristics of IM6/3501 composite materials. To test the 90 degree laminae, a three-point bend test was chosen, potentially minimizing handling and gripping issues associated with tension tests. A finite element analysis was performed of a particular specimen configuration to investigate the influence of specimen size on the stress distribution for a three-point bend test. Static testing of 50 specimens of 9 different sized configurations produced a mean transverse tensile strength of 61.3 Mpa (8.0 ksi). The smallest configuration (10.2 mm wide, Span-to-thickness ratio of 3) consistently exhibited transverse tensile failures. A volume scale effect was difficult to discern due to the large scatter of the data. Static testing of 10 different specimens taken from a second panel produced a mean transverse tensile strength of 82.7 Mpa (12.0 ksi). Weibull parameterization of the data was possible, but due to variability in raw material and/or manufacturing, more replicates are needed for greater confidence. Three-point flex fatigue testing of the smallest configuration was performed on 59 specimens at various levels of the mean static transverse tensile strength using an R ratio of 0.1 and a frequency of 20 Hz. A great deal of scatter was seen in the data. The majority of specimens failed near the center loading roller. To determine whether the scatter in the fatigue data is due to variability in raw material and/or the manufacturing process, additional testing should be performed on panels manufactured from different sources.
Recurrence pattern and outcomes in T4 colon cancer: A single institution analysis

Background and objectives Patients with T4 colon adenocarcinoma have an increased risk of locoregional and distant recurrence. This study defines the metastatic pattern, predictors of recurrence, and efficacy of adjuvant treatment in T4 colon cancer. Methods A retrospective review was performed of patients with T4 colon adenocarcinoma from May 2005 to November 2015 at a tertiary care hospital. Baseline factors, follow-up, recurrence, and survival were collected and analyzed. Results Locoregional recurrence (LR) rates for N0, N1, and N2 were 21/85 (24.7%), 14/50 (28%), and 21/46 (45.7%), respectively (P = .014). Multivariate analysis for distant recurrence was significant for positive nodes (hazard ratio [HR], 3.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1-9.9). Multivariate analysis for LR was significant for the following variables: perforation (HR, 2.7; 95% CI, 1.2-6.2), lymphovascular invasion (HR, 2.7; 95% CI, 1.1-6.7), positive nodes (HR, 2.8; 95% CI, 1.2-6.9), and positive margins (HR, 5.0; 95% CI, 2.1-12.1). Multivariate analysis for overall survival was significant for: signet ring histology (HR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.2-5.8), positive nodes (HR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.2-4.4), and positive margin (HR, 2.8; 95% CI, 1.4-5.8). Conclusion T4 colon adenocarcinoma has a high risk of LR and mortality. Clinical trials utilizing the aforementioned high-risk features may increase the ability to demonstrate beneficial intervention.
Classification and Regression Tree (CART) model of sonographic signs in predicting thyroid nodules malignancy.

Abstract Purpose To develop a Classification and Regression Tree (CART) model in order to recognize the most suspicious sonographic features of thyroid nodules and efficiently guide their management. Methods 791 thyroid fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) performed under ultrasound guidance between January 2015 and January 2017 were reviewed. Retrieved data consisted in qualitative (patient’s gender, composition, echogenicity, shape, margins and echogenic foci of the nodule) and quantitative (patient’s age and maximal diameter of the nodule) variables as well as the Bethesda score. Results Patients were 48.5 ± 13.7 years old with female to male ratio of 8:2. The nodules had median size of 2.3 (1.5–3.5) cm with a majority of solid (62.5 %) and isoechoic (50.8 %) features. 700 nodules (88.5 %) had a wider-than-tall shape, 600 (75.9 %) smooth margins and 113 (14.3 %) ill-defined ones. Echogenic foci were absent in 388 nodules (49.1 %) and, when present, largely dominated by punctate foci (32.5 %). Bethesda classes 3, 4 and 5, which require surgery, represented only 10.6 % of cases. They were significantly correlated with the taller-than-wide shape and with solid or predominantly solid features. There was no significant correlation between echostructure and Bethesda scores but we did find more nodules classified Bethesda 4 and 5 in the categories hypoechoic and severely hypoechoic. In the CART model we developed, the sequence leading to most nodules classified Bethesda 4 and 5 is: taller-than-wide shape, solid composition and hypoechoic or severely hypoechoic feature. Conclusions Taller-than-wide, solid or predominantly solid, hypoechoic or severely hypoechoic nodules are likely to require surgery and might benefit from FNAC.
An empirical investigation of wagering behavior in a large sample of slot machine gamblers

Abstract Using individual transaction gambling data from a casino, we examine the existence of positively or negatively autocorrelated betting behavior in a panel of 42,669 gamblers observed over a period of 108 consecutive days encompassing over 17 million slot machines plays. The statistical analysis suggests that gamblers increase their bet sizes significantly more after win streaks, with the largest increase occurring after three wins in a row. This increase in bet size following win streaks remains significant after variables are introduced for demographics, wealth, habit, house money effects, time spent gambling and account balance, gambling excitement, and player fixed effects. Although ultimately we cannot definitively separate out the influence of win streaks from wealth effects, increasing the amount bet following a win streak is not inconsistent with a hot hand belief that another win is more likely on the next spin.
The Paradoxes of Love: Some Theological Remarks on the Work of Harry Frankfurt

On Harry Frankfurt’s account of love, love not only has its own ‘reasons’, in that love generates a powerful source of motivation for actions, but also its paradoxes. This chapter considers three paradoxes in Frankfurt’s portrayal of love: (1) love frees the lover insofar as it delimits and binds the lover’s will; (2) self-love is the highest form of love and yet is always ‘indirect’; and (3) love creates value and worth in the beloved rather than finding it. Each of these paradoxes has its ready equivalent and counterpart within religious and theological discourses concerning love, and they are thus worth interrogating from a theological standpoint. This chapter’s questioning of Frankfurt focuses on the third paradox, but what this interrogation will uncover generally is that Frankfurt’s account of love and care is compelling in its stark portrayal of love’s ‘whylessness’ and overlaps with a certain understanding of Christian agape, but finally remains inadequate as a Christian account of love. It is inadequate as a Christian account, firstly, because it seems not to take stock of the systemic perversions of, or obstacles to, love which Christian theology considers under the heading of the fall and its effects. The second inadequacy of Frankfurt’s account lies in his unwillingness to say that our loves, and the moral and aesthetic commitments they ground, have an objective basis, or that there might be some normativity guiding what we can or ought to love. Finally, in a Christian account of love, the condition of possibility for our loves—and so a source of normativity—is that we have been loved first, and even that the world itself is loved long before.
Reply to “More steps forward to optimize the dosing of hydroxychloroquine”

First, regarding "triple positivity" (meaning positive for lupus anticoagulant, anticardiolipin and anti-beta 2 glycoprotein). In our cohort we have not found "triple positivity" to be that useful in predicting thrombotic events. For one thing, we have observed that lupus anticoagulant fluctuates over time in SLE, but even when intermittently positive, is still a risk factor for thrombosis (1). Furthermore, we have shown that anticardiolipin does not add to the thrombotic risk in SLE (2) over and above lupus anticoagulant.
Natural capital, ecological scarcity and rural poverty

Much of the rural poor -- who are growing in number -- are concentrated in ecologically fragile and remote areas. The key ecological scarcity problem facing such poor households is a vicious cycle of declining livelihoods, increased ecological degradation and loss of resource commons, and declining ecosystem services on which the poor depend. In addition, developing economies with high concentrations of their populations on fragile lands and in remote areas not only display high rates of rural poverty, but also are some of the poorest countries in the world today. Policies to eradicate poverty therefore need to be targeted at the poor where they live, especially the rural poor clustered in fragile environments and remote areas. The specific elements of such a strategy include involving the poor in payment for ecosystem services schemes and other measures that enhance the environments on which the poor depend; targeting investments directly to improving the livelihoods of the rural poor, thus reducing their dependence on exploiting environmental resources; tackling the lack of access of the rural poor in less favored areas to well-functioning and affordable markets for credit, insurance, and land; and reducing the high transportation and transaction costs that prohibit the poorest households in remote areas from engaging in off-farm employment and limit smallholder participation in national and global markets.
Integrating pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy: an emerging field of study

The mind-brain barrier is being challenged by clinicians using both medications and psychotherapy for the major psychiatric disorders. In this paper, six categories of study are outlined: 1) Diagnosis specific questions, 2) psychotherapy during randomized controlled mediation trials, 3) psychotherapeutic aspects of pharmacotherapy, 4) pharmaco-therapist and the non-medical psychotherapist, 5) meaning of medications during psychotherapy, and 6) neurology of psychotherapy. Three of these are elaborated upon: 1) diagnostic questions as they relate to panic disorder, 2) pharmacotherapy during the stages of psychotherapy, and 3) the neurology of psychotherapy.
Plurality voting under uncertainty

Understanding the nature of strategic voting is the holy grail of social choice theory, where game-theory, social science and recently computational approaches are all applied in order to model the incentives and behavior of voters. In a recent paper, Meir et al. (2014) made another step in this direction, by suggesting a behavioral game-theoretic model for voters under uncertainty. For a specific variation of best-response heuristics, they proved initial existence and convergence results in the Plurality voting system. This paper extends the model in multiple directions, considering voters with different uncertainty levels, simultaneous strategic decisions, and a more permissive notion of best-response. It is proved that a voting equilibrium exists even in the most general case. Further, any society voting in an iterative setting is guaranteed to converge to an equilibrium. An alternative behavior is analyzed, where voters try to minimize their worst-case regret. As it turns out, the two behaviors coincide in the simple setting of Meir et al. (2014), but not in the general case.
Lie to Others as You Would have Others Lie Unto You: Community Standards of Deception

The belief that deception is unethical rests on the assumption that people value truth. In many circumstances, however, individuals would prefer to be deceived. Existing research on deception has f...
The Central Role of Bayes’ Theorem for Joint Estimation of Causal Effects and Propensity Scores

Although propensity scores have been central to the estimation of causal effects for over 30 years, only recently has the statistical literature begun to consider in detail methods for Bayesian estimation of propensity scores and causal effects. Underlying this recent body of literature on Bayesian propensity score estimation is an implicit discordance between the goal of the propensity score and the use of Bayes’ theorem. The propensity score condenses multivariate covariate information into a scalar to allow estimation of causal effects without specifying a model for how each covariate relates to the outcome. Avoiding specification of a detailed model for the outcome response surface is valuable for robust estimation of causal effects, but this strategy is at odds with the use of Bayes’ theorem, which presupposes a full probability model for the observed data that adheres to the likelihood principle. The goal of this article is to explicate this fundamental feature of Bayesian estimation of causal effec...
A Forty Year Odyssey in Metallo-Organic Chemistry.

In this invited Perspective, I provide a personal account highlighting several of my group’s research contributions in metallo–organic chemistry over the past 40 years. Our early work focused primarily in stoichiometric structure/reactivity of transition metal–organic compounds and their use in organic synthesis. More recent efforts have centered on the discovery and development of new metal-catalyzed organic reactions via reactive metal–organic intermediates. The major research findings that are described here include (1) propargyl-cobalt complexes as electrophilic agents for C–C and C–Nu coupling; (2) the activation of carbon dioxide by metal complexes; (3) metal-promoted C–H nitrogenation reactions; (4) oxo–metal catalyzed deoxygenation reactions; and (5) catalyst discovery via dynamic templating with substrate- and transition-state analogues.
Single gate p-n junctions in graphene-ferroelectric devices

Graphene's linear dispersion relation and the attendant implications for bipolar electronics applications have motivated a range of experimental efforts aimed at producing p-n junctions in graphene. Here we report electrical transport measurements of graphene p-n junctions formed via simple modifications to a PbZr0.2Ti0.8O3 substrate, combined with a self-assembled layer of ambient environmental dopants. We show that the substrate configuration controls the local doping region, and that the p-n junction behavior can be controlled with a single gate. Finally, we show that the ferroelectric substrate induces a hysteresis in the environmental doping which can be utilized to activate and deactivate the doping, yielding an “on-demand” p-n junction in graphene controlled by a single, universal backgate.
Asymmetric design for compound elliptical concentrators (CEC) and its geometric flux implications

The asymmetric compound elliptical concentrator (CEC) has been a less discussed subject in the nonimaging optics society. The conventional way of understanding an ideal concentrator is based on maximizing the concentration ratio based on a uniformed acceptance angle. Although such an angle does not exist in the case of CEC, the thermodynamic laws still hold and we can produce concentrators with the maximum concentration ratio allowed by them. Here we restate the problem and use the string method to solve this general problem. Built on the solution, we can discover groups of such ideal concentrators using geometric flux field, or flowline method.
Restrictions imposed by superconformal invariance on quantum field theories

We derive unitarity restrictions on the scaling dimensions of primary operators in a superconformal quantum field theory, in d=3,4,5,6.
High-Rate Locally Correctable Codes via Lifting

We present a general framework for constructing high-rate error correcting codes that are locally correctable (and hence locally decodable if linear) with a sublinear number of queries, based on lifting codes with respect to functions on the coordinates. Our approach generalizes the lifting of affine-invariant codes (of Guo, Kopparty, and Sudan) and its generalization automorphic lifting (alluded to in the work of Ben-Sasson et al., but distinct from their degree lifting), which lifts algebraic geometry codes with respect to a group of automorphisms of the code. Our notion of lifting is a natural alternative to the degree lifting of Ben-Sasson et al. and it carries two advantages. First, it overcomes the rate barrier inherent in degree lifting. Second, it requires no special properties (e.g. linearity and invariance) of the base code, and requires a very little structure on the set of functions on the coordinates of the code. As an application, we construct new explicit families of locally correctable codes by lifting algebraic geometry codes. Like the multiplicity codes of Kopparty, Saraf, Yekhanin, and the affine-lifted codes of Guo, Kopparty, and Sudan, our codes of block length $N$ can achieve $N^\epsilon $ query complexity and $1-\alpha $ rate for any given $\epsilon , \alpha > 0$ , while correcting a constant fraction of errors, in contrast to the Reed–Muller codes and the degree-lifted AG codes of Ben-Sasson et al., which face a rate barrier of $\epsilon ^{O(1/\epsilon )}$ . However, like the degree-lifted AG codes, our codes are over an alphabet significantly smaller than that obtained by Reed–Muller codes, affine-lifted codes, and multiplicity codes.
Software for Behavioral Genetics

Algorithms for computing heritability and other statistics of interest to quantitative geneticists have been available for almost 100 years. In the past 20 years there has been considerable growth in software development for behavior genetic studies, which was largely motivated by a desire to obtain maximum likelihood estimates and to compare how well alternative models or hypotheses fit the data. Initially these methods were implemented in purpose-built programs of very limited utility, which were difficult to use and to modify. LISREL overcame these problems by providing a more general modeling interface, but this was also found to be limited for the analysis of data collected from relatives. Mx was developed to reduce or eliminate these shortcomings; having a matrix algebra interpreter it permits specification of complex models for both traditional genetic epidemiology such as twin studies, as well as for linkage and association studies, and permits specification of mixture distributions and alternate model fitting methods. Keywords: algorithm; twin; structural equation model; maximum likelihood; analysis; pedigree; missing data; constraint; software; Bayes; matrix algebra
The present outlook for trade negotiations in the World Trade Organization

The Uruguay Round agreements established the World Trade Organization (WTO), overhauled and strengthened the GATT rules on trade in goods, and added rules on trade in services and intellectual property. Individual countries made wide-ranging commitments to liberalize trade policies. A new round of multilateral trade negotiations may be launched in the year 2000 or soon after. The author reviews the probable agenda for these negotiations and reactions thereto. Agriculture is a certainty for negotiations, with agricultural exporters insisting on liberalized markets. Net food importers fear such reforms will increase food costs and endanger food security. Trade in services is certain to be on the agenda, but some developing countries see little to gain in this area, unless their workers gain opportunities to provide services in other countries. Many developing countries are determined to avoid opening up the Uruguay Round agreement on textiles and clothing. They also fear that any WTO agreement on environmental issues will provide excuses to increase barriers on their exports. They all oppose WTO discussion of labor standards. They are divided about whether to reach an agreement on investment but tend to favor seeking an agreement on competition issues. Developing countries' attitudes toward further WTO negotiations are divided; they tend to be negative, but may be shifting toward support. Small and underdeveloped countries are unenthusiastic because they cannot participate effectively in negotiations in Geneva, and are distracted by upcoming negotiations with the European Union. Many developing countries feel their levels of commitment are already heavy, they need more time to absorb the consequences of their commitments, and it would be counterproductive to rush into another round of negotiations. They argue that industrial countries have yet to deliver on liberalization important to their trade. Countries that favor negotiations favor a broad agenda for negotiations because they have relatively wide trade interests, best served by a single negotiation that offers something for all participants and allows tradeoffs.
XQuery Processing with Relevance Ranking

We are presenting a coherent framework for XQuery processing that incorporates IR-style approximate matching and allows the ordering of results by their relevance score. Our relevance ranking algorithm is based on both stem matching and term proximity. Our XQuery processor is stream-based, consisting of iterators connected into pipelines. In our framework, all values produced by XQuery expressions are assigned scores,and these scores propagate and are combined when piped through the iterators. The most important feature of our evaluation engine is the use of structural and content-based inverse indexes that deliver data in document order and facilitate the use of efficient merge joins to evaluate path expressions and search predicates. We present the rules for the translation from a large part of XQuery to iterator pipeline. Our modular approach of building pipelines to evaluate XQuery scales up to any query complexity because the pipes can be connected in the same way complex queries are formed from simpler ones.
Density functional calculations for III-V diluted ferromagnetic semiconductors: A Review

In this paper we review the latest achievements of density functional theory in understanding the physics of diluted magnetic semiconductors. We focus on transition-metal-doped III–V semiconductors, which show spontaneous ferromagnetic order at relatively high temperature and good structural compatibility with existing III–V devices. We show that density functional theory is a very powerful tool for (i) studying the effects of local doping defects and disorder on the magnetic properties of these materials, (ii) predicting properties of new materials, and (iii) providing parameters, often not accessible from experiments, for use in model Hamiltonian calculations. Such studies are facilitated by recent advances in numerical implementations of density functional theory, which make the study of systems with a very large number of atoms possible.