cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Italian-American Folklore and Literature in West Virginia

"The impact of the immigrant differs considerably in rural regions and urban centers, for in the country he enters into regional folk culture." "People act in the present partly as a function of what they perceive the past to have been in short, as they perceive others acted before them. The way ou r children view the mountain past depends largely upon what we do today to preserve oral sources from which tomorrow's history will be written. "2
White Light Interferometry for Highly Sensitive Strain and Temperature Measurements

The spectral shift of resonance bands in small cavity length, high-finesse extrinsic fiber Fabry-Perot interferometers is employed to implement strain and temperature sensors with resolutions 0.015 µΣ and 0.001 °C, respectively.
Fossilized Memories and Loss in Monique Bosco’s La Femme de Loth

Monique Bosco’s intriguing novel, La Femme de Loth, is a text that explores the obsessive loss of the narrator’s married lover through the repetition of the moment of abandonment. As a Jewish transnational writer, Bosco uses the biblical story of Lot’s wife as a compelling archetype to direct the reader’s focus to the narrator’s memories, which are indelibly etched in the past. This article will focus on petrified memories and the loss of self through the lens of Bosco’s biblical archetypes. To enhance the study of entrapment by past memories, a psychological perspective on traumatic memory will be used to add dimension to the narrator’s cultural hybridity. The latter part of the discussion will consider the role of writing with emphasis on the recovery of the narrator’s absent self.
A WAVE Prototype Based on the IEEE802.11p Standard

Wireless access in vehicular environments (WAVE) systems based on IEEE 802.11.p will be the infrastructure for intelligent transportation system applications that improve transport safety,efficiency,and convenience.This paper discusses the background,technical challenges,and broader impacts of WAVE systems and reports on recent activities at the Center for Vehicular Communications and Networks at the University of Michigan-Dearborn.These activities include research into a WAVE prototype based on field programmable gate array (FPGA) and research into a vehicular network simulator.
Caps on noneconomic damages' effect on the number of paid malpractice claims in various American states

Background: Tort reform with caps on noneconomic damages, such as pain and suffering, has been proposed as a way of decreasing the national cost of healthcare in the United States. In this paper we measure the impact of noneconomic damage caps at the state level. Methods: Changes in the rate of paid claims are estimated using an interrupted time series design which identifies changes in trends following the implementation of an intervention. Data from the National Practitioner’s Data Bank are used to create yearly trends in state malpractice claims using a linear spline model with a knot at the year that noneconomic caps were implemented to estimate the effect of the noneconomic caps. The effect of statutes of limitations are also modeled with a spline model. Finally, a difference-in-difference design matches states that instituted or significantly changed noneconomic caps to states that did not. Findings: Of the fifteen states that implemented caps on noneconomic damages or significantly changed their caps since 2000, two had statistically significant differences in the absolute number of paid claims and six had significant changes to their trend of paid claims. Conclusions: Tort reforms that address caps on noneconomic damages, though facially similar, have significantly different results when implemented in individual states. Qualitative studies of the individual state policies need to evaluate how the state policies differ and why they led to different results to direct other states and the federal government as they consider similar policies.
Accuracy of the Adverse Outcome Index: An Obstetrical Quality Measure.

Article-at-a-Glance Background In obstetrics, a nationally accepted set of quality indicators for patient safety was not available in the United States until the development of a set of 10 adverse outcome measures—the Adverse Outcome Index (AOI). The National Perinatal Information Center (NPIC) developed hospital discharge data–based algorithms combined with a small set of supplemental patient data for calculation of the AOI. A study was conducted to determine the specificity, sensitivity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of the AOI by using the National Perinatal Information Center (NPIC) algorithm. Methods A retrospective chart review of 4,252 obstetrical and neonatal charts from 2003 through 2007 was performed. NPIC definitions were compared with the "gold standard"—chart review. Results A total of 229 deliveries among the 4,000 randomly selected charts had at least one adverse outcome, ­reflecting an AOI of 5.7%. For detection of the 10 adverse outcomes within the AOI, the overall sensitivity of the AOI was 81.7%, specificity was 98.2%, PPV was 86.3%, and NPV was 97.4%. The Kappa value for agreement between the coded charts and the chart review was 0.82 (standard deviation=0.01, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.80–0.85), which is considered very good. Discussion The AOI is highly reliant on accurate coding and provider documentation and requires validation with manual chart review. Concurrent chart review improves the accuracy of the AOI. Caution is advised when using the AOI as an exclusive measure of assessing obstetric quality because it may be heavily influenced by a single outcome measure; perineal laceration rates represented twice the frequency of all ­other outcomes combined. The AOI should be modified to better measure preventable adverse events and include a means of accounting for preexisting conditions.
Advances in origin and pathogenesis of epithelial ovarian cancer

卵巢癌是致死率最高的女性生殖系统肿瘤,近年有关其发生机制的研究进展从根本上挑战了经典理论,很多传统观念将被改变.在此,我们对有关卵巢癌发病机制研究的新进展进行简要介绍. 一、卵巢癌发病总体模型
Detecting and Locating Radioactive Signals with Wireless Sensor Networks

Methods of detecting and locating nuclear ra-dioactive targets via wireless sensor networks (WSN) are pro-posed in this paper. In real applications, a nuclear radioactivetarget can be interpreted either as a hidden nuclear weaponheld by nuclear terrorists or as a leak of nuclear radioactivematerials at a unit of nuclear power stations. Assume a WSN iscomposed of radiation detectors deployed at different locationsover the area of interest. Detection and location methods havebeen proposed based on physical law that radiation received bya sensor is composed of a background plus a signal, in whichthe signal rate decreases as the distance increases. Based on thesimulation evaluations, the proposed methods have been shownefficient and effective. This research will have wide applicationsin the nuclear safety and security problems.
Sexual Possibilities and Impossibilities

What is the problem of sexual love? The very concept of sexual love is an impure category, if the reader will pardon the pun: it is neither inclusive of all representations and practices of sexuality, nor is it always fully synonymous with an idealized mythos of romantic love. Rather, sexual love as desire, act or affect is constituted by the highly charged intersection of sexuality and romantic love, a space where gender is imagined and enacted. What Havelock Ellis called the ‘problem’ of modern Western society clearly has enormous implications for understanding the construction of gender in our culture. The focus of my study will be on representations of the relation between women and sexual love in four major British novelists because these works have revealed a particularly vexed relation between love and sexuality, between definitions of womanhood and the way these are constructed through the deadly serious play of sexual love.
"Winging It": How Older Breast Cancer Survivors Persist With Aromatase Inhibitor Treatment.

Purpose:Aromatase inhibitors (AIs) are an important and effective hormonal adjuvant treatment for early-stage breast cancer. Up to 50% of women stop AIs prematurely, missing a valuable therapeutic intervention.Patients and Methods:We used grounded theory methodology to conduct in-depth, semistructured interviews and analyze data among patients with breast cancer diagnosed at age 65 years or older who were receiving an AI. The goal of the interviews was to understand decision making regarding persisting with AIs. Interview transcripts were systematically analyzed to identify emergent categories and relationships.Results:Interviews were conducted with 27 women. After completion of primary treatment, women in our sample found themselves “winging it” as they faced substantial struggles with infrequent support during this new phase of the cancer trajectory. Self-management of AI adverse effects occurred in the contexts of older age and early survivorship. “Bearing it” emerged as another important management pr...
Implementing Analogies Using APE Rules in an Electronic Tutoring System

In a corpus of eighty-one human tutoring sessions in physiology, the use of analogy to help students make correct inferences was successful 81% of the time. As a result, we are adding the most important tutor-proposed analogies that have a base in the domain to our intelligent tutoring system CIRCSIM-Tutor. We are using the APE dialogue planner because it allows for both hierarchical schemas and changes to the plan when the tutor wants to correct a student's error.
Surgical Outcomes of Prolactinomas in Recent Era: Results of a Heterogenous Group

Objective: Prolactinomas are primarily treated with medical therapy. Given the efficacy of dopamine agonists (DAs), surgery has remained a second-line treatment option. Despite medical therapy, some tumors display resistance and/or patients maybe intolerant of DA and require alternative treatment options. We examined the indications, efficacy, and safety of pituitary surgery for the treatment of prolactinomas. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of all patients who had surgery for a prolactinoma at our institution from January 1993 to October 2014. Results: Seventy-eight patients (46 females, mean age 32 years) with a median follow-up of 12 months were analyzed. Macroprolactinomas accounted for 65% (51/78) of tumors. The most common indication for surgery in microprolactinomas was medication intolerance (37%, 10/27) and medication failure (33%, 17/51) in macroprolactinomas. DA therapy had been tried in 76% (59/78) patients prior to surgery. Following surgery, long-term remission was seen in 72%...
Genetic and Epigenetic Regulation of TOX3 Expression in Breast Cancer.

Genome wide association studies (GWAS) have identified low penetrance and high frequency single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that contribute to genetic susceptibility of breast cancer. The SNPs at 16q12, close to the TOX3 and CASC16 genes, represent one of the susceptibility loci identified by GWAS, showing strong evidence for breast cancer association across various populations. To examine molecular mechanisms of TOX3 regulation in breast cancer, we investigated both genetic and epigenetic factors using cell lines and datasets derived from primary breast tumors available through The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). TOX3 expression is highly up-regulated in luminal subtype tumors compared to normal breast tissues or basal-like tumors. Expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) analyses revealed significant associations of rs3803662 and rs4784227 genotypes with TOX3 expression in breast tumors. Bisulfite sequencing of four CpG islands in the TOX3 promoter showed a clear difference between luminal and basal-like cancer cell lines. 5-Aza-2’-deoxycytidine treatment of a basal-like cancer cell line increased expression of TOX3. TCGA dataset verified significantly lower levels of methylation of the promoter in luminal breast tumors with an inverse correlation between methylation and expression of TOX3. Methylation QTL (mQTL) analyses showed a weak or no correlation of rs3803662 or rs4784227 with TOX3 promoter methylation in breast tumors, indicating an independent relationship between the genetic and epigenetic events. These data suggest a complex system of TOX3 regulation in breast tumors, driven by germline variants and somatic epigenetic modifications in a subtype specific manner.
Targeting the P2X7 Receptor in Age-Related Macular Degeneration

The P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) is a membrane receptor for the extracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP). It functions as a ligand-gated non-selective cation channel and can mediate formation of a large non-selective membrane pore. Activation of the P2X7R induces multiple downstream events, including oxidative stress, inflammatory responses and cell death. Although the P2X7R has been identified in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and different layers of retina, its biological and pathological functions as well as its downstream signaling pathways in the RPE and retina are not yet fully understood. Better understanding of the function of P2X7R in the RPE and retina under normal and disease states might lead to novel therapeutic targets in retinal diseases, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD). This brief review will mainly focus on recent findings on in vitro and in vivo evidence for the role of the P2X7R in the RPE and AMD.
Coordinated follow-up Breast Cancer Survivorship Care Program study.

e17727 Background: Previous research has demonstrated that cancer survivors often fail to receive recommended care, but also often receive redundant or unnecessary care, reducing care quality and i...
‘An Injurious Effect on the Neighbourhood’: Narratives of Neighbourhood Decline and Racialised Class Identities in Late Nineteenth-Century San Francisco

Spatial narratives of neighbourhood decline – stories about threats to neighbourhood resources – were crucial in reinscribing racialised class boundaries in the late nineteenth century. In 1894, wh...
Estimation of Woody and Herbaceous Leaf Area Index in Sub-Saharan Africa Using MODIS Data

Savannas are widespread global biomes covering ~20% of terrestrial ecosystems on all continents except Antarctica. These ecosystems play a critical role in regulating terrestrial carbon cycle, ecosystem productivity, and the hydrological cycle and contribute to human livelihoods and biodiversity conservation. Despite the importance of savannas in ecosystem processes and human well-being, the presence of mixed woody and herbaceous components at scales much finer than most medium and coarse resolution satellite imagery poses significant challenges to their effective representation in remote sensing and modeling of vegetation dynamics. Although previous studies have attempted to separate woody and herbaceous components, the focus on greenness indices and fractional cover provides little insight into spatio-temporal variability in woody and herbaceous vegetation structure, in particular, leaf area index (LAI). This paper presents a method to partition 1km spatial resolution Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aggregate green leaf area index (LAIA) from 2003-2015, into separate woody (LAIW) and herbaceous (LAIH) constituents in both drought seasonal savannas and moist tropical forests of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). In our analysis, we use an allometric relationship describing the variation in peak within-canopy woody LAI of dominant tree species (LAIWpinc) across gradients in mean annual precipitation (MAP), coupled with independent estimates of woody canopy cover (τw), to constrain seasonally changing LAIW. We present the LAI partitioning approach and highlight the broad spatial and temporal patterns of woody and herbaceous LAI across SSA. The long-term average 8-day phenologies of woody and herbaceous LAI (averaged across 2003-2015) are available for evaluation, research and application purposes.
A hands-on hardware-based approach to teaching computer science concepts

Traditional introductory computer science courses begin with learning how to program in some high-level language, typically Java, Python, C++, etc. Students start off by learning correct language syntax and then how to generate simple output, e.g., "Hello World". This approach lacks an explanation of application and purpose. Since electronic digital devices are ubiquitous, including cell phones, the theory is to use electronic hardware to teach computer science concepts and programming. There is strong evidence indicating that students using a "hands-on" hardware-based approach to develop applications that are of interest to them will result in a broader and stronger understanding of computer science. A "hands-on" approach is achieved by developing a video game that communicates with an Arduino microcontroller that reads data from an accelerometer. This approach is designed to motivate students and encourage them to pursue an education in the STEM fields.
Growing Out of Autism

This chapter is about one autistic child, as she was and as she is today. It cannot be a case study-there is no room for that. It took nearly 300 pages to describe her first 8 years (C. C. Park, 1967). But because her earlier development has been described in more published detail than, I believe, that of any other autistic child (see also C. C. Park, 1977, 1978, 1982; D. Park, 1974; D. Park & Youderian, 1974), it should be of use at least to sketch her continuing progress as she has grown, not to young womanhood in any complete sense but into a person able to enjoy her life and to make a real contribution to her family and to society.
The role of personality in patients with fibromyalgia.

Previous studies suggest personality, the multifaceted characteristics underlying a person’s affect, cognition, and behavior, may influence fibromyalgia. We examined associations among personality, fibromyalgia impact, and health-related outcomes in patients with fibromyalgia. We further tested whether anxiety and depression mediated the effect of personality on fibromyalgia impact. We performed a secondary analysis using baseline data from a randomized trial on fibromyalgia. Personality was assessed using the NEO-Five Factor Inventory 3. Fibromyalgia impact was evaluated using the revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQR). We also measured symptom severity, anxiety, depression, stress, quality of life, social support, self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and mindfulness. Multivariable linear regression was performed to evaluate each association. Mediation analysis assessed whether anxiety and depression mediated the relationship between personality and FIQR. There were 92 participants, 95% female, mean age 52 years, body mass index (BMI) 30 kg/m2, 52% white, and mean duration of body pain 14 years. Higher neuroticism was significantly associated with higher FIQR (P = 0.002) and symptom severity (P = 0.008), as well as higher levels of anxiety, depression and stress, worse mental component quality of life, and lower self-efficacy, mindfulness, and social support. Higher conscientiousness and extraversion were associated with better psychological health and health-related outcomes. The effect of neuroticism on fibromyalgia impact was mediated by anxiety and depression. Personality was associated with fibromyalgia impact and a variety of health outcomes. Identifying the factors that influence fibromyalgia will help us better understand the condition and provide insight for more effective treatment.
Part I: Out-of-field dose mapping for 6X and 6X-flattening-filter-free beams on the TrueBeam for extended distances

Purpose With increasing cancer treatment success rates, many patients go on to live long, productive lives following recovery. Therefore, minimizing potential side effects due to dose outside the treated field is becoming a significant consideration in radiation therapy. With many potential treatment configurations available, it is important to quantify how out-of-field dose varies with common variables such as distance from isocenter, couch angle, jaw size, and flattening-filter setting. The accurate quantification of out-of-field dose at extended distances could also benefit researchers and detector developers. While data exist for out-of-field dose from older linear accelerator (Linac) models, the phenomenon has not been described for the latest generation of machines, such as the Varian TrueBeam. The purpose of this study was to comprehensively quantify out-of-field dose for the Varian TrueBeam Linac low energy photons in a wide range of positions and treatment geometries. Method and materials Out-of-field doses were measured using two phantom setups: (a) A large volume ion chamber with a buildup sleeve to quantify head leakage and collimator scatter background dose; and (b) A farmer ion chamber in solid water to incorporate phantom scatter in addition to collimator scatter, and head leakage background dose. In both cases, the ion chamber was positioned with its length along the slowly varying transverse direction (perpendicular to the radial from isocenter). Doses were measured for four symmetric jaw settings (2 × 2 cm2 , 4 × 4 cm2 , 10 × 10 cm2 , and 20 × 20 cm2 ) for a range of distances from the isocenter (0-100 cm). The angular dependence of the out-of-field dose was measured using four different angles: 0°, 45°, 90°, and 135° with respect to the in-plane direction. All measurements were performed for both 6X and 6X-flattening-filter-free (FFF) beams. Results The lowest out-of-field doses were observed at 60 cm away from isocenter in both in-plane and cross-plane directions for fields smaller than 10 × 10 cm2 . Out-of-field dose decreased with decreasing jaw size (a factor of 4.7 for 6X-FFF and a factor of 3.1 for 6X going from 20 × 20 cm2 to 2 × 2 cm2 at 60 cm from isocenter in the in-plane direction). The 6X-FFF beam produced out-of-field doses as low as 64% of the 6X beam. Conclusion This study presents a comprehensive description of 6X and 6X-FFF out-of-field doses on a Varian TrueBeam Linac including measurements at a range of positions, angles, and jaw settings and with and without phantom scatter.
Homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia with valvulopathy

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is an autosomal codominant genetic disorder of lipid metabolism. The occurrence of its homozygous form is rare. This is a case of a young girl who presented with syncope and was found to have multiple tuberous xanthomas and valvulopathy, along with deranged lipid profile, suggestive of homozygous FH.
Assessing the Workplace Culture and Learning Climate in the Inpatient Operating Room Suite at an Academic Medical Center.

Objective The purpose of this study was to elicit perspectives from operating room (OR) personnel on the workplace culture and learning climate in the surgical suite, and to identify behaviors associated with a positive culture and learning climate. Design Qualitative analyses using survey methodology. Setting Main hospital OR suite at a large academic medical center. Participants Nurses, faculty, and residents who work in the OR suite. Results To improve the OR environment, survey respondents (n = 60) recommended: (1) promoting a respectful "no blame" culture; (2) promoting social cohesion and cross-collaboration; (3) improving communication regarding performance feedback and patient safety; (4) building small interdisciplinary teams working toward common goals; and (5) improving learning opportunities that support professional growth. Conclusions Opportunities exist to improve the OR workplace culture and thereby the learning environment.
100.36 Ischemic Versus Bleeding Risk Consideration for the Duration of Dual Antiplatelet Therapy in Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Interventions

Patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) often have clinical risk factors that predispose them to both ischemic events and increased bleeding. Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) is required for PCI but does heighten the risk of bleeding. This study aimed to determine whether the
Realities and Challenges of III-V/Si Integration Technologies

The complexity of photonic integrated circuits has progressed rapidly, but serious problems remain to be solved to enable widespread application in Tbps transceivers and optical scanners. A summary of progress, problems and potential solutions is provided.
Negotiating access to water in central Mozambique: Implications for rural livelihoods

Access to water underpins a range of smallholder livelihood strategies. Consequently, it is the intersections of water and land use and access that structure rural livelihoods. Drawing on eighteen months of ethnographic research in the town of Sussundenga in central Mozambique, this article examines how residents differentiated by class and gender negotiate access to water under a fragmented water regime. Increasing competition for commercially valuable wetlands and stream‐bank plots is creating new exclusions from these sites that have long been central to subsistence production. While the commercialization of the town's rural water supply network also has the potential to exclude residents who are unable to pay new water users' fees, residents have been less willing to exclude poorer households from using the new infrastructure. Exploring how the commercialization of some water use produces exclusions while other forms do not, this article suggests that water's meanings and values change as it moves across the hydrosocial landscape.
Culturing and Framing: Working on the Ills of the Past, in the Present, for Tomorrow’s Benefits

The proliferation of climate-related images and symbolisms, such as pictures of emasculated bears, drowned cities, and polluted air, had led to some climate action but was weakly received in general. This weak reception occurs for myriad reasons. The behavioral and brain sciences suggest that the human moral judgment system is poorly equipped to identify future, large-scale, and long-term hazards such as those brought about by climate impacts. Culturing and framing are essential in effective climate action communication and require a better understanding of human behaviors. Visceral experiences of trigger events, mostly in the form of some psychological tipping points remain important; but they are never guaranteed. Campaigns where individuals could care about a sustainable and just future and empathize with people affected by climate impacts are the ones that are well received. Culturing and framing, thus, would involve narratives of hope, the sense of the possible, pride, and gratitude that could be attached to many climate actions in spaces where people can contribute using their existing capacities.
Impact of red palm oil on human nutrition and health.

The oil that is first obtained in harvesting the fruit of the oil palm is red because it contains carotenes, tocopherols, and tocotrienols. in the past, this fraction was separated from the palm ol...
TRPV4 disrupts mitochondrial transport and causes axonal degeneration via a CaMKII-dependent elevation of intracellular Ca 2+

The cation channel transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) is one of the few identified ion channels that can directly cause inherited neurodegeneration syndromes, but the molecular mechanisms are unknown. Here, we show that in vivo expression of a neuropathy-causing TRPV4 mutant (TRPV4R269C) causes dose-dependent neuronal dysfunction and axonal degeneration, which are rescued by genetic or pharmacological blockade of TRPV4 channel activity. TRPV4R269C triggers increased intracellular Ca2+ through a Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII)-mediated mechanism, and CaMKII inhibition prevents both increased intracellular Ca2+ and neurotoxicity in Drosophila and cultured primary mouse neurons. Importantly, TRPV4 activity impairs axonal mitochondrial transport, and TRPV4-mediated neurotoxicity is modulated by the Ca2+-binding mitochondrial GTPase Miro. Our data highlight an integral role for CaMKII in neuronal TRPV4-associated Ca2+ responses, the importance of tightly regulated Ca2+ dynamics for mitochondrial axonal transport, and the therapeutic promise of TRPV4 antagonists for patients with TRPV4-related neurodegenerative diseases.
Evolution of Developmental Venous Anomalies in the Setting of a Torcular Dural Arteriovenous Fistula and Cerebrofacial Venous Metameric Syndrome

Background We describe evolution of a developmental venous anomaly (DVA) over time in a patient with a complex intracranial vascular malformation. Case Description A 26-year-old male patient initially presented with a scalp vascular malformation and was later diagnosed to have a torcular dural arteriovenous fistula resembling a dural sinus malformation. The dural fistula increased in size over 4 years. The dural fistula also was associated with multiple complex developmental venous anomalies draining the bilateral cerebral hemispheres and cerebellum. The DVA was only faintly demonstrated on the baseline magnetic resonance imaging but appeared to increase in size and extent over time as the dural arteriovenous fistula developed more aggressive angioarchitecture features. In addition to the evolution manifestation of the DVAs, the patient developed multiple de novo cavernous malformations in the venous radicles of the DVA. Increased venous hypertension in the superficial venous system from the dural fistula likely resulted in growth of the DVAs, as they served as the primary means of venous drainage for the bilateral cerebral hemispheres. The patient also had reopening of the persistent falcine sinus, which was not present at baseline. Conclusions This would be the first reported case of growth or evolution of a DVA in association with a dural arteriovenous fistula in an adult patient and highlights the dynamic nature of both the medullary venous and dural venous sinuses of the cerebral venous system, even into adulthood.
Reasons why Chinese smokers prefer not to use electronic cigarettes

Introduction China is the world's largest e-cigarette manufacturer. It also has the world's largest smoking population. Although smoking is strongly associated with e-cigarette use, the prevalence of e-cigarette use is low among Chinese smokers compared with smokers in countries such as the US and UK. This study aims to explore the reasons why Chinese smokers prefer not to use e-cigarettes. Methods Cross-sectional data from the Tobacco Questions for Surveys (TQS) conducted in four large Chinese cities (Chengdu, Wuhan, Xiamen, and Xi'an) in 2017-2018 were analyzed. A multi-stage cluster sampling approach was applied to select a representative sample of adults for each city. Weighted percentages and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated for self-reported reasons why smokers in China had never tried e-cigarettes, in total and by demographic characteristics. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to examine the adjusted associations between the top reasons why smokers never tried e-cigarettes and demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. Results The top three reasons that Chinese adult smokers reported for never having tried e-cigarettes were: 'I do not want to quit smoking' (35.35%), 'I do not think they would help me quit or cut down' (24.31%), and 'I am not addicted to smoking and don't need help to quit' (14.93%). Other prominent reasons included: 'I am concerned they are not safe enough', and 'I do not want to substitute one addiction for another'. Generally, there were no statistically significant associations between reasons why smokers never tried e-cigarettes and demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. Conclusions Our results suggest that many Chinese smokers associate e-cigarette use with smoking cessation. Continued monitoring of smokers' views, beliefs, and risk perceptions regarding e-cigarettes is warranted. Health education campaigns communicating the risks of e-cigarettes are also needed.
Adult Chinese Immigrants Learning English

This article provides an account of a group of adult Chinese immigrants learning English at a cultural center serving the local Asian community. The focus of this teacher-research descriptive case ...
A refinement of Betti numbers and homology in the presence of a continuous function, I

We propose a refinement of the Betti numbers and the homology with coefficients in a field of a compact ANR X, in the presence of a continuous real-valued function on X. The refinement of Betti numbers consists of finite configurations of points with multiplicities in the complex plane whose total cardinalities are the Betti numbers, and the refinement of homology consists of configurations of vector spaces indexed by points in the complex plane, with the same support as the first, whose direct sum is isomorphic to the homology. When the homology is equipped with a scalar product, these vector spaces are canonically realized as mutually orthogonal subspaces of the homology. The assignments above are in analogy with the collections of eigenvalues and generalized eigenspaces of a linear map in a finite-dimensional complex vector space. A number of remarkable properties of the above configurations are discussed.
Investigating the natural history and prognostic nature of NTRK gene fusions in solid tumors.

Background. Several TRK inhibitors have demonstrated clinical efficacy in patients with solid tumors harboring NTRK gene fusions. However, the natural history and prognostic implications of NTRK fusions in solid tumors remain unknown. Methods. A cohort of 77 MD Anderson Cancer Center patients (MDACC) with NTRK gene fusions was identified and retrospectively compared to a second cohort from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Due to paucity of events in early stage cancers and lack of TCGA data in rare tumors, 25 randomly selected MDACC patients were matched to 122 TCGA patients without NTRK gene fusion. Next we assessed the associations between NTRK gene fusion and overall (OS) and progression-free survivals (PFS). Results. Among the 77 MDACC patients with NTRK gene fusions, 18 NTRK fusion partners were identified. There were insufficient OS events for analysis in the matched cohort. PFS was not significantly different (p = 0.49) between the NTRK-fusion positive MDACC patients (median PFS 786 weeks, 95% CI 317-NE) and the NTRK-fusion negative TCGA patients (median PFS NE). The adjusted hazard ratio comparing TCGA patients to MDACC patients was HR = 0.72 (95% CI: 0.23–2.33), which trended towards a reduced rate of progression or death experienced by TCGA patients. Conclusions. This study did not identify statistically significant associations between NTRK fusion and PFS. Nonsignificant trends estimated increases in the risk of progression or death events for patients with NTRK fusions when compared to matched controls. Our findings help illuminate the influence of NTRK fusions on the natural history of a variety of solid tumors.
Detection and resolution of anomalies in firewall policy rules

A firewall is a system acting as an interface of a network to one or more external networks. It implements the security policy of the network by deciding which packets to let through based on rules defined by the network administrator. Any error in defining the rules may compromise the system security by letting unwanted traffic pass or blocking desired traffic. Manual definition of rules often results in a set that contains conflicting, redundant or overshadowed rules, resulting in anomalies in the policy. Manually detecting and resolving these anomalies is a critical but tedious and error prone task. Existing research on this problem have been focused on the analysis and detection of the anomalies in firewall policy. Previous works define the possible relations between rules and also define anomalies in terms of the relations and present algorithms to detect the anomalies by analyzing the rules. In this paper, we discuss some necessary modifications to the existing definitions of the relations. We present a new algorithm that will simultaneously detect and resolve any anomaly present in the policy rules by necessary reorder and split operations to generate a new anomaly free rule set. We also present proof of correctness of the algorithm. Then we present an algorithm to merge rules where possible in order to reduce the number of rules and hence increase efficiency of the firewall.
Graph-Based Parallel Query Processingand Optimization Strategies for Object-Oriented Databases

Much work has been accomplished in the past on the subject of parallel query processing and optimization in parallel relational database systems; however, little work on the same subject has been done in parallel object-oriented database systems. Since the object-oriented view of a database and its processing are quite different from those of a relational system, it can be expected that techniques of parallel query processing and optimization for the latter can be different from the former. In this paper, we present a general framework for parallel object-oriented database systems and several implemented query processing and optimization strategies together with some performance evaluation results. In this work, multiwavefront algorithms are used in query processing to allow a higher degree of parallelism than the traditional tree-based query processing. Four optimization strategies, which are designed specifically for the multiwavefront algorithms and for the optimization of single as well as multiple queries, are introduced. The query processing algorithms and optimization strategies have been implemented on a parallel computer, nCUBE2; and the results of a performance evaluation are presented in this paper. The main emphases and the intended contributions of this paper are (1) data partitioning, query processing and optimization strategies suitable for parallel OODBMSs, (2) the implementation of the multiwavefront algorithms and optimization strategies, and (3) the performance evaluation results.
Toppling the King of the Hill: Understanding Innovation in House Practice

One of the methods used by the House Rules Committee to structure the consideration of amendments between 1980 and 1994 was so-called “king-of-the-hill” rules (and their close cousin “queen-of-the-hill” rules between 1995 and 2002). The conventional wisdom about these rules assumes their use as a method to help ensure passage of legislation in a form suitable to the majority party leadership by allowing electorally vulnerable Representatives to vote in favor of multiple competing alternatives. This conventional wisdom, however, does not hold up well when individual cases are examined in detail, as the outcome was rarely affected by the specific way that king-of-the-hill rules structured consideration of competing amendments. This paper provides the historical context for analysis of the use of these rules and concludes that the procedure originated as a tool for more efficient management of time in an era when the House was vexed by inefficiency in the amending process, and that over time it was the Republican Party raising the specter of potential confusion or perverse results, as well as eventually becoming the majority party, that led to their ultimate demise.
Atmospheric Dynamics of Uranus and Neptune: Theoretical Considerations

Uranus, because of its pole-on orientation and low internal heat source, is in a dynamically different atmospheric regime from Jupiter and Saturn. Neptune resembles Jupiter and Saturn in orientation and internal heating, but its extremely long radiative time constant puts Neptune in a different class. Voyager observations of seasonal temperature gradients, equator-to-pole temperature gradients, infrared emission, Bond albedo, possible cloud structures (bands, spots, eddies), and cloud motions should greatly improve our ability to classify planetary atmospheres according to their dynamical regimes.
Free metal ion depletion by “Good's” buffers: I. N-(2-acetamido)iminodiacetic acid 1:1 complexes with calcium(II), magnesium(II), zinc(II), manganese(II), cobalt(II), nickel(II), and copper(II)

Abstract Formation (affinity) constants for 1:1 complexes of N -(2-acetamido)iminodiacetic acid (ADAH 2 ) with Ca(II), Mg(II), Mn(II), Zn(II), Co(II), Ni(II), and Cu(II) have been determined. Probable structures of the various metal chelates existing in solution are discussed. Values for the deprotonation of the amide group in [Cu(ADA)] and subsequent hydroxo complex formation are also reported. The use of ADA as a buffer is considered in terms of metal buffers complexes which can be formed at physiological pH, i.e., at pH 7.0 there is essentially no free metal ion in 1:1 M 2+ to ADA solutions.
Binary Black Holes in Quasi-Stationary Circular Orbits

We propose a method of determining solutions to the constraint equations of General Relativity approximately describing binary black holes in quasi-stationary circular orbits. Black holes with arbitrary linear momenta are constructed in the manner suggested by Brandt and Brugmann. The quasi-stationary circular orbits are determined by local minima in the ADM mass in a manner similar to Baumgarte and Cook; however, rather than fixing the area of the apparent horizon, we fix the value of the bare masses of the holes. We numerically generate an evolutionary sequence of quasi-stationary circular orbits up to and including the innermost stable circular orbit. We compare our results with post-Newtonian expectations as well as the results of Cook and Baumgarte. We also generate additional numerical results describing the dynamics of the geometry due to the emission of gravitational radiation.
O, Orgasm and Beyond

The author posits a distinction-union structure made up substructures veering more toward distinction (difference) and more toward union. Mixtures of these subtendencies open many experiential dimensions. Discussion includes Bion’s O, Marion Milner’s zero (pregnant emptiness), communion (co-union), scenes from Bion’s A Memoir of the Future, orgasmic thought, jouissance, and a climactic orgasm-death scene in the Zohar. There are so many kinds of O-moments reaching beyond imaginings, opening one’s heart to unknown intimacies.
Development of a semi-automated method for subspecialty case distribution and prediction of intraoperative consultations in surgical pathology

Background: In many surgical pathology laboratories, operating room schedules are prospectively reviewed to determine specimen distribution to different subspecialty services and to predict the number and nature of potential intraoperative consultations for which prior medical records and slides require review. At our institution, such schedules were manually converted into easily interpretable, surgical pathology-friendly reports to facilitate these activities. This conversion, however, was time-consuming and arguably a non-value-added activity. Objective: Our goal was to develop a semi-automated method of generating these reports that improved their readability while taking less time to perform than the manual method. Materials and Methods: A dynamic Microsoft Excel workbook was developed to automatically convert published operating room schedules into different tabular formats. Based on the surgical procedure descriptions in the schedule, a list of linked keywords and phrases was utilized to sort cases by subspecialty and to predict potential intraoperative consultations. After two trial-and-optimization cycles, the method was incorporated into standard practice. Results: The workbook distributed cases to appropriate subspecialties and accurately predicted intraoperative requests. Users indicated that they spent 1-2 h fewer per day on this activity than before, and team members preferred the formatting of the newer reports. Comparison of the manual and semi-automatic predictions showed that the mean daily difference in predicted versus actual intraoperative consultations underwent no statistically significant changes before and after implementation for most subspecialties. Conclusions: A well-designed, lean, and simple information technology solution to determine subspecialty case distribution and prediction of intraoperative consultations in surgical pathology is approximately as accurate as the gold standard manual method and requires less time and effort to generate.
Nonlinear spectroscopy of polydiacetylenes

The third order susceptibility of a polydiacetylene polymer was investigated by three different nonlinear spectroscopic techniques in order to test two existing microscopic theories which predict the nonlinear response of such molecular systems. We previously found good agreement between a four essential state model and the THG spectra of (pi) -electron conjugated backbone polymers. However, when such a model was extended to two additional third order susceptibility spectra, poor agreement was found. In contrast the recently developed anharmonic oscillator model fitted well all four experimentally obtained spectra of the third order susceptibility.
Readability of printed sources of diet and health information

This study surveyed nutrition education materials which are low in cost, brief and the type most used in patient education to determine which might be useful with low literacy clients. Readability of 209 pamphlets from professional health organizations, commercial organizations, government agencies, and educational institutions was assessed using three different tests. Using the Flesch and Raygor tests, materials from educational institutions had significantly lower reading levels than materials from professional organizations and government agencies. No significant differences were seen among the sources using the Fry test. Sixty-eight percent (142) of the publications were written at ninth grade level or higher. Eleven percent (24) scored at sixth grade or below on either the Fry or Raygor scale. Only two publications were written at the third grade level. Many of the publications reviewed can be read and understood by many Americans, but there were few for the millions that have limited literacy skills.
War propaganda, war crimes, and post-conflict justice in Serbia: an ethnographic account

Recent international criminal trials of incitement have brought about a novel precedent for prosecuting war propagandists that not only moves incitement from being inchoate to causally proven but also neglects the voices of perpetrators. Following recent ethnographic research in Rwanda, this article examines the new precedent and suggests that incitement should return to being inchoate. The discussion centres on interview data collected among Serbian veterans of the Yugoslav Wars about the degree to which wartime media motivated them during the breakup of Yugoslavia and interview data collected among Serbian prosecutors about the alleged influence of Serbian wartime media. Serbian veterans report that they were not motivated by wartime media but rather former conflicts, peer-to-peer stories on the frontline and evident threats to Serbs. Moreover, prosecutors’ assumptions about the influence of war propaganda and the unwillingness to interview ‘perpetrators’ about their motivations illuminate the complexit...
Field assisted sintering of SiC using extreme heating rates

Several challenges still exist in the fabrication of silicon carbide (SiC) ceramic components associated with using multiple step processes and sintering at high temperature which result in long lead times. This challenge is being addressed by exploring an emerging sintering technology called field assisted sintering technology (FAST), also known as spark plasma sintering. The objective of this study is to sinter SiC to near theoretical density using the FAST technique and study the effect of using extreme heating rates during sintering. All samples were sintered under identical temperature and pressure of 2000 °C and 45 MPa. Resulting samples were characterized for density, microhardness, grain size, and microstructure evolution. The results showed that density decreased slightly and grain size increased as heating rate was varied from 50 to 400 °C/min.
Extrasensory Perception Examined Using a Reaction Time Measure

ESP research has depended almost exclusively on measures of accuracy. Such measures are much less sensitive than reaction time measures, which have never been used to evaluate claims for ESP. In th...