cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Preleukemic state preceding adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

A cute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in adults typically presents fulminantly. However, there are numerous examples in the literature where ALL developed from an antecedent hematologic disorder. These preceding disorders include chronic granulocytic leukemia [1,2], polycythemia vera [3], the myelodysplastic syndromes [4-15], chronic lymphocytic leukemia [16-18], paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria [19], apparent aplastic anemia in children [20-27] or young adults [28-30], and isolated neutropenia [31,32] or erythroid hypoplasia [33]. These cases are characterized by a lack of morphologically distinguishable lymphoblasts during the "preleukemic phase." There is one case report of a 12-year-old patient with ALL who presented with a syndrome that resembled aplastic anemia and who demonstrated an increased number of CALLA (common acute lymphocytic leukemia antigen)-positive cells in the initial bone marrow. However, the authors were unable to clearly identify lymphoblasts in the bone marrow specimen [20]. Myelodysplasia (MDS) classically encompasses a group of disorders with a relatively high propensity to progress to acute myelogenous leukemia. However, occasional case reports clearly demonstrate that MDS also has the potential to progress to ALL [4-11] or biphenotypic leukemia [12-15]. All these cases showed obvious multilineage maturation abnormalities and no evidence of increased numbers of lymphoblasts prior to acute transformation. In this article, we report data on two patients with adult ALL who presented with an extended preleukemic phase ultimately terminating in overt ALL after several months. These patients differed somewhat in their presentation, yet both were characterized by leukopenia. No morphologic abnormalities were found in any lineage other than the lymphocytic lineage. From the outset, there was ev-
Racial and ethnic differences in subclinical myocardial function: the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

Background Racial/ethnic differences in the incidence and severity of heart failure (HF) are not well understood, but may be related to pre-existing variations in myocardial function. Objective To examine racial/ethnic differences in regional myocardial function among asymptomatic individuals free of known cardiovascular disease. Design, setting and patients The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis is a prospective, observational study of individuals without baseline cardiovascular disease, representing four major racial/ethnic groups. A total of 1099 study participants underwent cardiac MRI with tissue tagging; for each study, peak systolic strain (Ecc) and strain rate (SRs) were determined in four left ventricular (LV) regions. Main outcome measures Multiple linear regression was used to analyse the relationship between race/ethnicity and regional strain (Ecc and SRs) while adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors. Results Compared with other racial/ethnic groups, Chinese-Americans had the greatest magnitude of Ecc in a majority of LV regions (−19.60±3.78, p Conclusions Important race-based differences in regional LV systolic function in a large cohort of asymptomatic individuals have been demonstrated. Further research is needed to investigate the possible mechanisms related to the race/ethnicity-based variations found in this study.
Authority without Power: Law and the Japanese Paradox

This interpretive study of the role of law in contemporary Japan argues that the weakness of legal controls throughout Japanese history has assured the development and strength of informal community controls based on custom and consensus to maintain order - an order characterized by remarkable stability with an equally significant degree of autonomy for individuals, communities and businesses. The author examines Japan's legal evolution, beginning with the influence of Chinese legal models through the development of feudal institutions and the introduction of 19th century Western law. He describes the potential threat that Western models of law enforcement posed to Japan's social order in the late 1920s and 1930s, their containment through the discovery and adaptation of "traditional" patterns of control, and the contribution of legal reforms under the Allied Occupation. The text concludes by showing how Japan's weak legal system has reinforced pre-existing patterns of extralegal social control, thus explaining many of the fundamental paradoxes of political and social life in contemporary Japan.
Diet and Psoriasis: Part I. Impact of Weight Loss Interventions

One of the most frequently asked questions by patients with psoriasis is whether dietary changes can improve their condition. Included in this discussion is whether dietary weight loss can benefit their skin disease. Obesity has been associated with a proinflammatory state and several studies have demonstrated a relationship between body mass index and psoriasis severity. However, the question of whether weight loss interventions can impact psoriasis outcome is less clear. Here, we review the literature to examine the efficacy of weight loss interventions, both dietary and surgical, on psoriasis disease course.
Transcriptional Analysis of Clonal Deletion In Vivo

Engagement of the TCR on CD4(+)CD8(+) thymocytes initiates either a program of survival and differentiation (positive selection) or death (clonal deletion), which is dictated in large part by the affinity of the TCR for self-peptide-MHC complexes. Although much is known about the factors involved in positive selection, little is understood about the molecular mechanism leading to clonal deletion. To gain further insight into this process, we used a highly physiological TCR transgenic mouse model to compare gene expression changes under conditions of nonselection, positive selection, and negative selection. We identified 388 genes that were differentially regulated in negative selection compared with either nonselection or positive selection. These regulated genes fall into many functional categories including cell surface and intracellular signal transduction, survival and apoptosis, transcription and translation, and adhesion and migration. Additionally, we have compared our transcriptional profile to profiles of negative selection in other model systems in an effort to identify those genes with a higher probability of being functionally relevant. These included three up-regulated genes, bim, nur77, and ian1, and one down-regulated gene, lip1. Collectively, these data provide a framework for understanding the molecular basis of clonal deletion.
On the power of unique 2-prover 1-round games

A 2-prover game is called unique if the answer of one prover uniquely determines the answer of the second prover and vice versa (we implicitly assume games to be one round games). The value of a 2-prover game is the maximum acceptance probability of the verifier over all the prover strategies. We make the following conjecture regarding the power of unique 2-prover games, which we call the Unique Games Conjecture:(MATH) The Unique Games Conjecture: For arbitrarily small constants $ \ \zeta, \ \delta > 0$, there exists a constant $k = k(\zeta,\delta)$ such that it is NP-hard to determine whether a unique 2-prover game with answers from a domain of size $k$ has value at least $1-\zeta$ or at most $\delta$. \medskip.(MATH) We show that a positive resolution of this conjecture would imply the following hardness results:For any $\frac{1}{2} 0$, it is NP-hard to distinguish between the instances of the problem 2-Linear-Equations mod 2 where either there exists an assignment that satisfies $1-\epsilon$ fraction of equations or no assignment can satisfy more than $1-\epsilon^t$ fraction of equations. As a corollary of the above result, it is NP-hard to approximate the Min-2CNF-deletion problem within any constant factor.For the constraint satisfaction problem where every constraint is the predicate Not-all-equal($a,b,c$), $ \ a, b, c \in GF(3) \ $, it is NP-hard to distinguish between the instances where either there exists an assignment that satisfies $1-\epsilon$ fraction of the constraints or no assignment satisfies more than $\frac{8}{9}+\epsilon$ fraction of the constraints for an arbitrarily small constant $\epsilon > 0$. We also get a hardness result for a slight variation of approximate coloring of 3-uniform hypergraphs. (MATH) We also show that a variation of the Unique Games Conjecture implies that for arbitrarily small constant $\delta > 0$ it is hard to find an independent set of size $\delta n$ in a graph that is guaranteed to have an independent set of size $\Omega(n)$.The main idea in all the above results is to use the 2-prover game given by the Unique Games Conjecture as an "outer verifier" and build new probabilistically checkable proof systems (PCPs) on top of it. The uniqueness property plays a crucial role in the analysis of these PCPs.(MATH) In light of such interesting consequences, we think it is an important open problem to prove (or disprove) the Unique Games Conjecture. We also present a semi-definite programming based algorithm for finding reasonable prover strategies for a unique 2-prover game. Given a unique 2-prover game with value $1-\zeta$ and answers from a domain of size $k$, this algorithm finds prover strategies that make the verifier accept with probability $1-O(k^2 \zeta^{1/5} \sqrt{\log (\frac{1}{\zeta})})$. This result shows that the domain size $k = k(\zeta, \delta)$ must be sufficiently large if the Unique Games Conjecture is true.
Cable-free wearable sensor system using a DC powerline body network in a conductive fabric vest

A wearable DC powerline communication (PLC) network for health monitoring and rehabilitation is proposed. The network infrastructure is based on a novel use of conductive fabrics as the electrical transmission medium. Whereas other wearable networks rely on bulky sensors and cables, we combine PLC technology and intelligent sensor design to create a noninvasive, comfortable, flexible, and washable monitoring network. Additionally, the design allows us to incorporate multiple nodes in a single network. The network consists of three components; sensor nodes that are composed of a sensor, microprocessor, and local amplifier, a 'central' node that provides power to and processes information from the various sensor nodes in the network, and a two conductive sheets as the medium for power and data transmission. Using this medium, we can collect and record biological data from multiple sensor nodes to monitor the user's state. We will begin by reviewing a novel DC PLC network. Next, we will discuss the design of the conductive fabric vest and its salient features. Finally, we will present results of our initial experimental results and the future plans for this work.
Switching network logic approach to sequential MOS circuit design

A novel, systematic approach to sequential MOS circuit design is described. The approach aims at minimizing the number of transistors needed to implement a given switching function. The techniques used are based on the switching network logic (SNL) approach, which was previously introduced as a systematic method of designing MOS combinational logic circuits. The authors extend the approach to sequential MOS circuit design. Examples are given to show that the proposed method reduces the number of MOSFETs as compared to existing design methods. A CAD (computer-aided design) program based on the SNL approach is presented as a finite state machine generator. >
SECONDARY SEXUAL CHARACTERS IN THE NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF THE GENUS IPS (COLEOPTERA: SCOLYTIDAE)

The sexes of all but three of the North American species of Ips DeGeer can be separated reliably using characters on the frons, vertex of the head, protibiae, or declivital armature. In general, these secondary sexual characters are consistent within Hopping’s species groups.
Rotation Velocity and Neutral Hydrogen Distribution Dependency on Magnetic Field Strength in Spiral Galaxies

The rotation velocity of a simulated plasma galaxy is compared to the rotation curves of Sc type spiral galaxies. Both show ‘flat’ rotation curves with velocities of the order of several hundred kilometers per second, modified by E × B instabilities. Maps of the strength and distribution of galactic magnetic fields and neutral hydrogen regions, as-well-as as predictions by particle-in-cell simulations run in the late 1970s, are compared to Effelsberg observations.
Flat-band voltage dependence on channel length in short-channel threshold model

This paper describes a modified short-channel threshold model that incorporates the flat-band voltage dependence on the channel length. Results obtained from the threshold voltage measurement on n-channel MOSFET's before and after total dose radiation are in good agreement with the proposed model.
P-N COMPOUNDS 33. PHOSPHAMINIMIDES 7. N-METHYL-N-PHOSPHINYLAMINO-1,2,5,6- TETRAHYDROPYRIDINIUM INNER SALTS

Abstract Phosphinylaminopyridinium inner salts were reduced and methylated to yield N-methyl-N-phosphinylamino-1,2,5,6-tetrahydropyridinium iodides. Dehydroiodination of these intermediates gave the title compounds.
Growth retardation in premenarchial female rhesus monkeys during chronic administration of a GnRH agonist (leuprolide acetate)

Leuprolide acetate in depot form (0.75 mg/kg body weight/month, i.m.) was administered to four female rhesus monkeys from 18-30 months of age, a period that includes the premenarchial growth spurt. They were compared to eight age matched controls. As anticipated, sexual maturation was blocked in the Leuprolide group and menarche did not occur. Growth was also severely retarded; no weight gain occurred during the study in the Leuprolide group as compared to a 25% weight gain (P = .044) in the control group. The Leuprolide group also lost muscle mass. Food intake normalized for body weight was not affected. Linear growth averaged 35% less in the Leuprolide group. Serum IGF-1 concentrations increased from 486 +/- 84 to 965 +/- 47 ng/mL (P = .0025) in the Leuprolide group and from 838 +/- 139 to 3,006 +/- 545 ng/mL (P = .0016) in the control group. These data suggest that premenarchial pituitary/gonadal suppression results in a distinctive pattern of growth retardation in monkeys.
A Hyperlink and Semantic Network Analysis of the Triple Helix (University-Government-Industry): The Interorganizational Communication Structure of Nanotechnology

This study investigates the interorganizational communication structures of the academic, private, and public sectors of nanotechnology in cyberspace. Few studies have examined systematically the ways these three major sectors contribute to the social construction of nanotechnology. The current study examines hyperlink and semantic networks of nanotechnology websites. Results show that academic websites revealed specific aspects of nanotechnology such as the uses and scales (units) of nanotechnology. However, the business sector exhibited a salient clustering of words regarding the developers and possible applications of nanotechnology. In hyperlink networks, the industry website nanobot.blogspot.com demonstrated high centrality. There were transitive and cyclic linkages among the 3 sectors. Findings offer important implications for the social construction of nanotechnology. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A New Squeaker Frog (Arthroleptidae: Arthroleptis) from Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea

Abstract A new species of squeaker frog (genus Arthroleptis) is described from Pico Basile on Bioko Island (Equatorial Guinea), which lies just off the coast of Cameroon in the Gulf of Guinea. A previous molecular phylogenetic study indicates that this new species is nested within a species complex—Arthroleptis poecilonotus—that comprises morphologically indistinguishable populations that represent several cryptic species. The new species from Bioko is, however, easily distinguishable from both closely related and geographically proximate Arthroleptis by a combination of its moderately large body size (approximately 25% larger than frogs in the remaining poecilonotus species complex) and unique ventral color pattern. It is further distinguished from all other Arthroleptis by the presence of spines on the crus in large males and from other populations in the poecilonotus species complex by the occasional presence of a supernumerary tubercle at the base of pedal digit II. Statistical analyses of measurement...
Functional Differential Realization of the SU(2) Kac-Moody Algebra

We derive an explicit realization of the SU(2) Kac–Moody algebra based on the bosonic coordinates of the Kac–Moody group manifold. Kac–Moody commutation equations are exactly evaluated for the SU(2) case. Normal-ordering is not used in these derivations.
If they really wanted to, they would The press discourse of integration of the European Roma, 1990–2006

This study explores the solidification of the discourse of integration of the Gypsy/Roma in the European press following the fall of Communism. A discourse analysis focuses on the British and Romanian press between 1990 and 2006, and it suggests that, in the midst of opening of EU borders and talks of a European Constitution, the idea and necessity of integration grew in political popularity as a means to peaceably alleviate interethnic conflict. However, the discourse of integration has continuously shifted between assimilationist voices and projects that attempt to change the Gypsy other into a non-Gypsy, on the one hand, and human rights-inspired defense and advocacy for the Roma, on the other. This article further suggests that the press does more than confirm stereotypes; instead, uncertainties, contradictions, and changes mark press writing.
Policy Research: The Field Dimension

Field research, defined as an unstructured contact with public problems and programs, is essential to realistic policy research. Research linking governmental action to good outcomes is rare, because those who study government and those whose who analyze public problems are seldom the same. Field inquiry can help give policy research more governmental content. A lack of field contact is one reason why much of the research surrounding welfare reform has been incorrect. Ideally, the connections between policy and outcomes that respondents claim during field research should be verified by statistical analyses that use program data. Unfortunately, field research is discouraged by academic incentives favoring rigor at the expense of realism.
Job Satisfaction and Organizational Culture

This study looked at job satisfaction and organizational culture using a very large diverse sample. Three propositions state that individual job satisfaction is positively correlated with a "constructive" organizational culture and negatively correlated with both a "passive/defensive" culture and an "aggressive/defensive culture." From these three propositions, 12 hypotheses are developed based on the 12 OCI subcultural scales. The subcultural scales are tested by multi-level regression analysis, using 3500 archival surveys. Previous work is extended by examining the degree to which an employee fits in with the organization. The study finds strong support for a positive correlation between the perception of the four constructive subcultures and job satisfaction and general support for a negative correlation that the four passive-defensive subcultures have with job satisfaction. The findings regarding the correlation between the perception of an aggressive-defensive subculture and job satisfaction were largely inconclusive. The mixed results for the defensive subcultures appear to be due, in part, to the dominance of constructive cultures in the random sample.
Neutralization of Formaldehyde Gas by Ammonium Bicarbonate and Ammonium Carbonate

Formaldehyde gas, generated by the depolymerization of paraformaldehyde and in the presence of water vapor, has been traditionally used for biological decontamination of equipment and spaces utiliz...
Pegylated liposomal doxorubicin in recurrent serous carcinoma of the uterus

e16538 Background: Serous carcinoma of the uterus behaves in a much more aggressive fashion than endometrioid tumors of the uterus with risks almost equivalent to ovarian cancers. Given this, we were interested in seeing if pegylated liposomal doxorubicin had a differential benefit in serous cancers of the uterus when compared to endometrioid carcinomas. Methods: Patients with recurrent serous and endometrioid uterine cancer treated with pegylated liposomal doxorubicin between 1999 and 2007 were identified. Demographics, stage, grade, and prior lines of chemotherapy were collected. The primary objectives were to determine progression-free (PFS) and overall survivals (OS) in these subsets of women with recurrent endometrial cancer. Results: Twenty-three patients with recurrent serous histology and 24 with endometrioid histology were identified. The median age at diagnosis in the serous group was 70 (45–89) and 62 (37–94) in the endometrioid cohort. The majority of patients in both groups were Caucasian. Th...
Ariel Ahram: Proxy Warriors: The Rise and Fall of State-Sponsored Militias Timothy D. Sisk: International Mediation in Civil Wars: Bargaining with Bullets Amalendu Misra: Politics of Civil Wars: Conflict, Intervention and Resolution

This review addresses three different books that have civil wars as a common denominator. More specifically, these books tackle, among other things, the issue of civil war resolution and terminatio...
Mobilities in Socialist and Post-Socialist States. Societies on the Move

Conventional wisdom on East-Central Europe and the Soviet Union associates communism with complete, chronic, state-imposed immobility, while representing the post-communist period as a rosy-hued ag...
Social Reforms and Regime Stabilization: The Case of Moroccan Arab Spring

In late 2010, the Arab Spring spread from a small town in Tunisia to engulf most of the MENA region. Moroccos Arab Spring lasted from the 20th of February to the 9th of March of 2011, but largely concluded after a televised address wherein King Mohammed VI pledged to make changes to the constitution. Although driven by many of the same grievances as protestors in other Arab Spring countries  including lack of rights, high levels of inequality, political corruption, and the absence of truly meaningful elections  the Moroccan Arab Spring was comparatively short-lived. My paper seeks to understand why the regimes promise of reforms were largely successful in extinguishing the Moroccan Arab Spring, and thus were able to stabilize the regime in a time of great flux. I argue that Moroccos history of social reforms has institutionalized the regimes response mechanisms to widespread protests and thus have acted as a stabilizing force.
STUDIES ON PERIPHERAL BLOOD CATECHOLAMINE LEVELS DURING HEMORRHAGIC SHOCK IN DOGS.

SummaryPeripheral blood catecholamines were studied in dogs during hemorrhagic shock. When determined by the fluorimetric procedure, with values corrected for recovery, epinephrine increased from control levels of 0.4 ± 0.2 μg/1 to 27.6 ±8.7 μg/1; norepi-nephrine increased from 3.4 ± 1.6 μg/1 to 11.6 ± 3.4 μg/1. Thus during hemorrhagic shock in dogs the catecholamines found in the peripheral arterial blood are largely epinephrine (70%); and to a lesser extent nor-epinephrine (30%). Significant quantities of epinephrine-norepinephrine usually appear in the blood when the mean arterial pressure has dropped to about 80 mm Hg. As the pressure is lowered further the circulating catecholamines increase very rapidly. This increase is largely due to epinephrine and to a lesser extent to norepinephrine. Simultaneous estimation showed epinephrine concentration to be greatest in the inferior vena cava followed by the femoral artery and lowest in the femoral vein. These experiments indicate most of the catecholamines...
Another Critical Review of New’s Reanalysis of the Impact of Antiabortion Legislation

In New’s response to our article he concedes that (1) his dataset had over 150 misclassification errors, (2) used an incorrect weight to correct for heteroscedasticity, (3) did not control for inte...
Research on the stability of diaphragm walls subjected to earthquake using pseudo-static method

The effects of the water table,the ultimate pullout force of the rockbolt,the soil friction angle,and the penetration depth of the diaphragm wall on the stability of the wall under seismic conditions were investigated.The earth pressure,the groundwater pressure and the inertial force of the wall were calculated using "general wedge earthquake analysis".The pseudo-static method was used for analyzing the stability of the wall from the perspective of the safety factors against overturning and sliding.The calculated results show that the stability of the diaphragm wall decreases as the horizontal seismic acceleration coefficient increases;the water table on the non-excavation side,the soil friction angle,the ultimate pullout force of the rockbolt,and the penetration depth of the diaphragm wall play an important role on the stability;moreover,the soil friction angle has greater effect on the safety factor against sliding than on the safety factor against overturning,but the ultimate pullout force of the rockbolt has greater effect on the safety factor against overturning than on the safety factor against sliding.
Transformative Environmental Education Within Social Justice Models: Lessons from Comparing Adult Ecopedagogy Within North and South America

Inherently political, environmental destruction benefits some while negatively affecting many others. The most crucial environmental concern is learning to critically and dialectically determine the connections between environmental degradation and social injustices (socio-environmental issues). Such knowledge allows for critical understanding of the deeper roots of the causes and effects of environmental devastation. Connections between the environmental and the social are often hidden by those who, in many cases, benefit from specific environmental devastation.
Wellness Issues for Higher Education

Wellness Issues for Higher Education is an edited book authored by university professionals with extensive experience working with college students. This work addressed a myriad of college wellness...
Strength and scales of itinerant spin fluctuations in 3 d paramagnetic metals

The full spin density fluctuations (SDF) spectra in $3d$ paramagnetic metals are analyzed from first principles using the linear response technique. Using the calculated complete wave vector and energy dependence of the dynamic spin susceptibility, we obtain the most important, but elusive, characteristic of SDF in solids: on-site spin correlator (SC). We demonstrate that the SDF have a mixed character consisting of interacting collective and single-particle excitations of similar strength spreading continuously over the entire Brillouin zone and a wide energy range up to femtosecond time scales. These excitations cannot be adiabatically separated and their intrinsically multiscale nature should always be taken into account for a proper description of metallic systems. Overall, in all studied systems, despite the lack of local moment, we found a very large SC resulting in an effective fluctuating moment of the order of several Bohr magnetons.
Robotic-Assisted Excision of a Urachal Diverticulum

Abstract Study Objective To demonstrate a combined robotic-assisted laparoscopic technique with concomitant cystoscopy use for excision of a urachal diverticulum to ensure complete resection of diverticulum and bladder cuff. Design Step-by-step demonstration and explanation of the procedure using video illustration. Institutional Review Board/Ethics Committee ruled that approval was not required for this case report; however, patient consent was obtained (Canadian Task Force Classification III). Setting Vesicourachal diverticula account for approximately 3% to 5% of congenital urachal anomalies. Although usually asymptomatic, the diverticulum may be associated with an increased risk of urinary tract infections, intraurachal stone formation, and an increased prevalence of carcinoma after puberty. When diverticula become symptomatic or infected, surgical management is warranted. Patient A 68-year-old gravida 0 woman was evaluated with cystoscopy for recurrent culture-proven urinary tract infections. A suspected vesicourachal diverticulum was identified on cystoscopy, and the diagnosis was confirmed on computed tomography. She was counseled on management options and elected to undergo robotic-assisted excision of the urachal remnant with concomitant cystoscopy. Intervention After identifying the diverticulum both laparoscopically and on cystoscopy, the anterior peritoneum was incised to dissect the diverticulum off the anterior abdominal wall. The dissection was carried down to the level of the bladder dome, necessitating entry into the retropubic space of Retzius. A partial cystectomy was performed to ensure complete resection of the diverticulum. The bladder was repaired in 2 layers. Concurrent laparoscopy and cystoscopy allowed for assurance of watertight closure by retrograde filling of the bladder and observing laparoscopically. Although entered, the space of Retzius is an avascular potential space between the pubic symphysis and the bladder and does not necessitate closure. Surgery was performed successfully without intraoperative or postoperative complications. On final pathology, a benign urachal diverticulum was completely excised. The patient’s presenting symptoms resolved postoperatively. Conclusion Robotic-assisted excision of a vesicourachal diverticulum with concomitant use of cystoscopy is a safe, effective, and efficient technique for successful, minimally invasive, management of symptomatic urachal diverticula.
Tangible Things: Making History through Objects

Review of: Tangible Things: Making History through Objects, by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, Ivan Gaskell, Sara J. Schechner, and Sarah Anne Carter, with photo-graphs by Samantha S. B. van Gerbig.
The Effects of Prior Beliefs on Student Interactions in Online Debates

Because prior beliefs can affect how people argue and respond to controversial claims, in this study we examined how patterns in students’ responses posted in online debates were associated with students’ initial positions on given claims prior to debate. Students that held initial opposing positions to the claim exhibited the tendency to respond to challenges from the opposition with explanations and to respond to explanations from the opposition with challenges. This response pattern was not observed among students with initial supporting and neutral positions. These findings suggest that manipulating group composition based on prior beliefs and manipulating the direction and phrasing of the claim under debate may help to elicit more frequent exchange of opposing viewpoints and raise the level of critical discourse.
Evaluation of cII gene mutation in the brains of Big Blue mice exposed to acrylamide and glycidamide in drinking water

Potential health risks for humans from dietary exposure to acrylamide (AA) and its reactive epoxide metabolite, glycidamide (GA), exist because substantial amounts of AA are found in a variety of fried and baked starchy foods. AA is tumorigenic in rodents, and a large number of studies indicate that AA is genotoxic in multiple organs of mice and rats. Although AA is neurotoxic, there are no reports on AA-induced gene mutations in the mouse brain. Therefore, to investigate if gene mutation can be induced by AA or its metabolite GA, we screened brains for cII mutant frequency (MF) and scored for mutation types in previously treated male and female Big Blue mice with 0, 1.4 mM, and 7.0 mM AA or GA in drinking water for up to 4 weeks. High doses of AA and GA induced similar cII MFs in males and females but only the induced cII MF in males was significantly higher than the corresponding male control MF (p < 0.05). Molecular analysis of the cII mutants from males showed that AA and GA each induced at least a 2.5-fold increase in the incidence of G:C → T:A, A:T → T:A, and A:T → C:G transversions compared to the vehicle controls, with similar mutational spectra observed when comparing AA with GA treatment. These results suggest that the MFs and types of mutations induced by AA and GA in the brain are consistent with AA exerting its genotoxicity via metabolism to GA.
Granularity and the cost of error recovery in resilient AMR scientific applications

Supercomputing platforms are expected to have larger failure rates in the future because of scaling and power concerns. The memory and performance impact may vary with error types and failure modes. Therefore, localized recovery schemes will be important for scientific computations, including failure modes where application intervention is suitable for recovery. We present a resiliency methodology for applications using structured adaptive mesh refinement, where failure modes map to granularities within the application for detection and correction. This approach also enables parameterization of cost for differentiated recovery. The cost model is built with tuning parameters that can be used to customize the strategy for different failure rates in different computing environments. We also show that this approach can make recovery cost proportional to the failure rate.
Clinical trial participation as part of end-of-life (EOL) cancer care: Associations with medical care near death and bereaved caregivers’ mental health.

9102 Background: Clinical trial participation is necessary to improve existing therapies, encouraged by national guidelines, and common among advanced cancer patients. The relationships between trial participation and important EOL outcomes such as aggressive care are unknown. Methods: Coping with Cancer Study, an NCI-funded multicenter prospective cohort study of advanced cancer patients and their caregivers, enrolled September 2002 – February 2008. Patients were interviewed at baseline, and clinical trial participation was documented by chart review. Patients were followed to death, (median 4.4 months from baseline). Medical care and quality of life (QOL) in the last week of life was assessed by caregiver interview and chart review. Caregiver interview 6 months post-bereavement assessed QOL and mental health (Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-IV). The primary outcome was aggressive EOL care (ventilation, resuscitation, or chemotherapy in the last week of life). Secondary outcomes were bereaved c...
Association between urinary sodium and potassium excretion and blood pressure and inflammation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Hypertension is highly prevalent in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In other populations, high sodium (Na+) and low potassium (K+) intake are associated with an increased risk of hypertension, and in animal models, a high salt intake exacerbated arthritis. Patients with RA have many comorbidities associated with salt sensitivity, but their salt intake and its relationship to blood pressure and inflammation is unknown. Using the Kawasaki formula, Na+ and K+ urinary excretion (reflecting intake) was estimated in 166 patients with RA and 92 controls, frequency matched for age, sex, and race. Inflammatory markers and disease activity were measured in RA patients. We tested the associations between blood pressure and Na+ and K+ excretion. Estimated 24-h Na+ excretion was similarly high in both RA (median [IQR] 5.1 g, [3.9–6.6 g]) and controls (4.9 g, [4.0–6.5 g]), p = 0.9, despite higher rates of hypertension in RA (54 vs. 39%, p = 0.03). The Na+:K+ excretion ratio was significantly higher in RA (2.0 [1.6–2.4]) vs. 1.7 [1.5–2.1]), p = 0.02] compared to controls. In RA, a lower K+ excretion was inversely correlated with diastolic blood pressure (adjusted β = − 1.79, p = 0.04). There was no significant association between Na+ or K+ excretion and inflammatory markers. Despite a similar Na+ excretion, patients with RA had higher rates of hypertension than controls, a finding compatible with increased salt sensitivity. Patients with RA had a lower Na+:K+ excretion ratio than controls, and lower K+ excretion was associated with higher diastolic blood pressure in RA.
Gadolinium Deposition within the Pediatric Brain: No Increased Intrinsic T1-Weighted Signal Intensity within the Dentate Nucleus following the Administration of a Minimum of 4 Doses of the Macrocyclic Agent Gadoteridol

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Our aim was to evaluate whether serial administration of the macrocyclic gadolinium-based contrast agent gadoteridol in children is associated with T1-weighted hyperintensity within the dentate nucleus, an imaging surrogate for gadolinium deposition. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We identified a retrospective cohort of 10 patients younger than 18 years of age who underwent between 4 and 8 gadoteridol-enhanced MR imaging examinations of the brain from 2016 to 2017. For comparison, we identified a retrospective cohort of 9 pediatric patients who each underwent 6 gadodiamide-enhanced MR imaging examinations. For each examination, both dentate nuclei were contoured on unenhanced images and the mean dentate-to-pons signal intensity ratio was calculated. Dentate-to-pons signal intensity ratios from the first and last scans were compared using paired t tests. RESULTS: In the gadoteridol group, there was no significant change in the mean dentate-to-pons signal intensity ratio from the first to the last scan (0.99 versus 0.99, P = .59). In the gadodiamide group, there was a significant increase in the mean dentate-to-pons signal intensity ratio from the first to the last scan (0.99 versus 1.10, P = .001). CONCLUSIONS: Repeat administration of the macrocyclic gadolinium-based contrast agent gadoteridol in children was not associated with T1-weighted dentate hyperintensity, while the repeat administration of the linear gadolinium-based contrast agent gadodiamide was associated with T1-weighted dentate hyperintensity, presumably due to gadolinium deposition.
First-year success in a nursing baccalaureate plan of study: A descriptive research study.

Abstract Background Predicting students' aptitude for post-secondary success remains a widely studied topic. This descriptive study explored demographic variables contributing to success in quantitative courses required by the nursing degree plan. Identification of an “at risk” student profile may inform interventions with which to support attainment of an academic degree. Objective The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between demographic characteristics and successful completion of baccalaureate nursing courses thought to enhance quantitative reasoning skills: first-year math, first-year chemistry, and second-year pathopharmacology nursing. Methods This retrospective analysis accessed 4521 academic records of students who took these three courses at a United States university sometime between Fall 2008 and Fall 2015. De-identified student data included course grades, gender, full-time study, income, marital status, first generation, secondary school (also known as high school) location, dual credit, and high school and university grade point averages. Descriptive statistical analysis was conducted to describe the important features of the data. Results Of the 4521 records, 2556 undergraduates (57%) passed the courses in which they were enrolled. Among successful students, females outnumbered males (66%), ages ranged from 20 to 24 years, 86% were classified as low income, 54% fit the designation of first generation, and 12% earned dual credit (university credit during secondary school). Our data demonstrate a positive relationship between dual credit and success, with the strongest correlation (0.62) noted for students in pathopharmacology. Conclusion In the baccalaureate-nursing plan of study, courses thought to enhance students' quantitative reasoning skills remain difficult for some to successfully complete. We conclude that the more successful students tend to be older, have a higher income, and a higher high school grade point average, while those less successful are directly out of high school and have not earned dual credit.
Advances in genetic and molecular understanding of Omenn syndrome - implications for the future

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Omenn syndrome is a rare form of leaky severe combined immunodeficiency, characterized by a widespread thickened exfoliating, protein-losing erythrodermic rash, with scaling with severe alopecia associated with widespread lymphadenopathy and hepatosplenomegaly. Unravelling the pathophysiology has revealed new understandings of the immune system.Areas covered: The description of the clinical phenotype was followed by case descriptions of the immunopathology, description of the genetic defects and realization that Omenn syndrome was a form of severe combined immunodeficiency, with features of severe autoimmunity due to a loss of central and peripheral tolerance. Differences in recombinase activity lead to variable immunological and clinical phenotypes.Expert opinion: As Omenn syndrome is a form of severe combined immunodeficiency, universal introduction of newborn screening will have a significant impact on outcome, as earlier diagnosis will favor better transplant results. Natural kil...
New Directors for Consumer Behavior: Adding Services Fuel to the Fire

While the debate concerning the domain of consumer research currently focuses on its degree of independence from management application, other relevant issues also appear to have a potentially substantial impact. In particular, the consideration of services as having theoretically unique effects on consumer behavior raises new possibilities for consumer research. Expansion of the domain, into the consideration of service consumers as producers, and service producers as consumers, is discussed.
Simulation: Conflicts between Real-Time and Software

ABSTRACT When a dynamic system has to be simulated, we usually find that there are two very important considerations. The first is that such systems are non-linear and have some large eigenvalues, both near the imaginary axis (due to natural oscillations in the system) and near the negative real axis (due to rapidly reacting, stable control systems). The second is that the system is being changed frequently in a design process, which implies that the software structure must reflect the structure of the physical system, particularly with respect to its control flow, so that the model can be changed and compared to the proposed design easily. It is not, in general, possible to write down differential equations describing the system; rather we must work with sets of programs describing each component. Real-time simulation is required when it' is necessary to simulate part of the system and use actual equipment or people in other parts of the system. This introduces a number of additional problems. Significant delays between the input of a signal from people or equipment and response to that signal cannot be tolerated, so a smallish integration step is indicated. Real-time also implies that implicit methods cannot be used in the usual sense. The length of the program and the need to retain system structure in the program imply that the basic steps cannot be very small, so that integration methods are restricted to single function evaluation explicit methods. This paper addresses these conflicting requirements and discusses some of the quasi-implicit methods that have been investigated.
When is a Work-Conserving Switch Not?

Crossbar-based switches are commonly used to implement routers with throughputs up to about 1 Tb/s. The advent of work-conserving crossbar scheduling algorithms now makes it possible to engineer systems that perform well, even under extreme traffic conditions. Unfortunately, all the published work-conservation results for crossbar scheduling apply only to systems that switch fixed-length cells, not variable length packets. Routers that use a cellbased crossbar with a nominally work-conserving scheduler to switch variable length packets can fail to be work-conserving at the external links, since the router cannot forward a packet until all of its constituent cells reach the output line card. Speedups as large as the number of inputs and outputs can be required to achieve work-conservation, using schedulers that operate only on cells. There appear to be fundamental obstacles to achieving practical workconservation for variable length packet switches based on unbuffered crossbars. However, we show that adding buffers to crossbars allows work-conservation to be achieved for variable length packet switching, using modest speedups. In particular we define packet versions of the Group by Virtual Output Queue (GVOQ) scheduler of Chuang et. al. and the Least Occupied Output First (LOOFA) scheduler of Krishna et. al. and show that they are both workconserving for speedups ≥2. Specific versions of both algorithms are also shown to be orderpreserving for speedups ≥2, meaning that they can exactly emulate an ideal, output queued switch.
Immunization and Vaccination

Vaccines have been recognized as one of the most successful public health measures. In this chapter, we provide a historical overview of immunization measures and discuss the basics of immunization and vaccination in the context of a pandemic outbreak. We will also discuss vaccine hesitancy, the factors that lead to vaccine acceptance and refusal, the determinants of individual decision-making about vaccination, and strategies of how to approach it on an individual, community, and global level.
Sex Composition of Children and Spousal Sexual Violence in Sub-Saharan Africa

Objective In societies with a cultural preference for sons over daughters, women who do not bear sons may be at increased risk for spousal violence. This study examined whether women with daughters only are at an elevated risk for spousal sexual violence compared to women with sons only in Sub-Saharan Africa. The study tested the hypothesis that the association between sex composition of children and spousal sexual violence would be observed only in large families. Methods Data were from the most recent (as at February, 2016) Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in 22 Sub-Saharan African countries for 37,915 women. Odds ratios comparing experience of spousal sexual violence of women with sons only to those with daughters only were estimated, separately for women with three or fewer children and those with four or more children, controlling for age, age at first cohabitation, age at first birth, educational attainment, urban residence, and household wealth. Results Having daughters only was associated with a greater likelihood of spousal sexual violence among women with many children (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.53; 95% CI 1.02–2.30) but not among those with few children (AOR = 0.92; 95% CI 0.82–1.04). Conclusions for Practice A higher risk of sexual violence for women without sons suggests that son preference may have implications on women’s health and wellbeing. Efforts to further understand and address increased risk of sexual violence for women without sons should consider son preference and intra-couple conflict concerning fertility intentions.
Weakly-Supervised Action Segmentation with Iterative Soft Boundary Assignment

In this work, we address the task of weakly-supervised human action segmentation in long, untrimmed videos. Recent methods have relied on expensive learning models, such as Recurrent Neural Networks (RNN) and Hidden Markov Models (HMM). However, these methods suffer from expensive computational cost, thus are unable to be deployed in large scale. To overcome the limitations, the keys to our design are efficiency and scalability. We propose a novel action modeling framework, which consists of a new temporal convolutional network, named Temporal Convolutional Feature Pyramid Network (TCFPN), for predicting frame-wise action labels, and a novel training strategy for weakly-supervised sequence modeling, named Iterative Soft Boundary Assignment (ISBA), to align action sequences and update the network in an iterative fashion. The proposed framework is evaluated on two benchmark datasets, Breakfast and Hollywood Extended, with four different evaluation metrics. Extensive experimental results show that our methods achieve competitive or superior performance to state-of-the-art methods.