cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Improved short-channel n-FET performance with virtual extensions

A method is presented to use electrostatic coupling from a metal of appropriate effective workfunction, separated from the extension region by a thin insulator, to create a "virtual extension" in doped source/drain (S/D) MOSFETs. This electrostatically induced charge layer allows for lower extension doping and increased underlap between the doped extension and the gate, "sharpening" the carrier profile and improving short-channel device performance. In a typical n-channel MOSFET, switching currents in clock-limiting circuit paths are predicted to be 24% higher.
On the statistics of block errors in bursty channels

In the development of encoding algorithms for image, video, and other mixed media transmissions, it is important to note that the channel "seen" by the applications is the physical channel as modified by the error-correcting mechanisms used at the physical level. Therefore, the statistics of the residual error process is relevant to the design of encoding algorithms. In this paper, we study the second- and third-order statistics of the residual error process when block transmissions are performed over a bursty channel. The effect of interleaving is explicitly studied. The conditions under which a Markovian model for the block errors is adequate are identified. Derivations of the parameters of the block error process are then presented in terms of the parameters of the bit/symbol error process. At higher data speeds an effective interleaving strategy is found to require a very large buffer.
Foundations for an Ecological Aesthetic: Can Information Alter Landscape Preferences?

Ecological restoration often requires altering existing environmental conditions. Public acceptance of restoration options may be contingent on perceptions of aesthetic qualities and knowledge of ecological benefits for existing and proposed conditions. This experiment investigated the effect of ecological information on scenic beauty and acceptability judgments for a sample of woodland sites. A computer-implemented survey presented images of woodland scenes, ranging from open (savannah) to dense (woodland). “Woodland” message subjects were presented with information emphasizing ecological benefits of dense/closed canopies, while “savannah” message subjects received information that emphasized benefits of open canopies. No-message conditions received minimal information. Subjects in all conditions exhibited strong preferences across the scenes presented. In spite of the information manipulations intended to foster differential perceptual judgments, correlations between treatment groups were uniformly stro...
Attributions and Assignment of Responsibility in Sexual Harassment

Although research has investigated the extent to which sexual harassment exists and what people are or are not doing about it, little has been written about the personal attributions made for these behaviors by either those who have or those who have not been sexually harassed. Research on rape and the assignment of responsiblity for a rape may be useful as a base from which to generalize about sexual harassment and the various ways in which victims and viewers respond to it. This study consists of data from an initial survey investigating the occurrence of sexual harassment at the workplace and follow-up interviews with female workers who reported in the initial survey having been sexually harassed. The research focused on the application of attribution theory in four areas: 1) sex differences in assignment of responsibility for sexual harassment, 2) effects of having experienced sexual harassment on assignment of responsibility, 3) self-blame in cases of sexual harassment and its affective and work-related effects, 4) the role of sex-role beliefs on assignment of responsibility to self and others. One of the stronger findings of the study concerned the role of sex-role beliefs. Women who have traditional sex-role beliefs are more likely to blame themselves and other victims for being sexually harassed.
Reminders to Pay: Using Behavioral Economics to Increase Child Support Payments

A low-cost behavioral intervention produced a modest increase in the number of parents in Franklin County, Ohio, who made at least one child support payment over four months. This test is part of the Behavioral Interventions to Advance Self-Sufficiency project, sponsored by the federal Administration for Children and Families.
Personalized karaoke

In this paper, a personalized karaoke system, P-karaoke, is proposed. In the P-karaoke system, personal home videos and photographs, which are automatically selected from users' multimedia database according to their content, users' preferences or music, are utilized as the background videos of the karaoke. The selected video clips, photographs, and lyrics obtained from the lyric service or manual labeling, are aligned with the music rhythm connected by specific content-based transitions. Additionally, photographs are converted into motion photo clips by a Photo2Video technology, which automatically converts a photograph or photographic series into a video by simulating camera motions. Furthermore, a query by humming (QBH) system can be integrated into P-karaoke easily, which enables users to find their desired music/songs efficiently.
UNIDIRECTIONAL CYTOPLASMIC INCOMPATIBILITY IN THE MOSQUITO, AEDES ALBOPICTUS

Endosymbiont-modulated cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) is known to occur in several genera of insects includingAedes (Beckett et al., 1978; Trpis et al., 1981), Culex (Barr, 1982; Subbarao, 1982), Drosophila (Hoffmann et al., 1986; Hoffmann and Turelli, 1988; O'Neill and Karr, 1990), Laodelphax (Noda, 1984), Hypera (Hsiao and Hsiao, 1985), Nasonia (Breeuwer and Werren, 1990) and Tribolium (Wade and Stevens, 1985; O'Neill, 1989). CI is a phenomenon in which two conspecific, sympatric or allopatric, populations are reproductively incompatible due to cytoplasmic ("nongenetic") factors. In some cases, interspecific reproductive isolation has also been attributed to endosymbiont-modulated CI (e.g., Trpis et al., 1981). Infection of the ovaries and the testes with the rickettsia, Wolbachia sp., has been implicated in cases of insect CI. A pair of infected, conspecific populations may be unidirectionally incompatible, bidirectionally incompatible or bidirectionally compatible. Treatment of infected individuals with antibiotics may restore compatibility (e.g., Barr, 1982; O'Neill, 1989). CI has attracted the attention of evolutionary biologists because of its potential role in speciation (Laven, 1967; Fine, 1978). In this study, we report on intraspecific, unidirectional CI in the mosquito, Aedes albopictus (Skuse) (Diptera: Culicidae). A. albopictus is native to Asia; its distribution includes most of Asia, parts of the South Pacific, and the islands of Hawaii, Madagascar, and Mauritius. It was introduced recently into the continental United States and Brazil from Japan (Kambhampati and Rai, 1991; Kambhampati et al., 1991). CI has not previously been reported among conspecific populations of A. albopictus, although Wright and Barr (1980) had reported the presence of Wolbachia in the ovaries of A. albopictus collected in Thailand. We have previously reported on the influence of unidirectional CI on frequencies of mitochondrial DNA haplotypes in laboratory cage populations of A. albopictus (Kambhampati et al., 1992). The crossing relationships we describe are as follows. Female A. albopictus from the island of Mauritius, when mated to males from five geographic locations, produce eggs that do not hatch. The reciprocal cross, the Mauritius intrapopulation cross, as well as all other inter-
Survey on the Surveillance Ability on Chronic Diseases at Different CDC Levels in Gansu Province

OBJECTIVE To throughout understand the surveillance ability on chronic diseases at each levels of Center for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC)in Gansu Province,to provide basal supporting data for developing and improving the monitoring,prevention and relative strategies for province's chronic disease.METHODS "The 2010 questionnaires on chronic disease preventive and control ability in Gansu Province" were used to this survey;qualitative interviews and network reporting were adapted to obtain the relative data to evaluate and analyze the monitoring ability for main chronic disease and related risk factors.RESULTS A total of 101 questionnaires(100%)were collected using the qualitative interviews and network reporting.There were about 25.74% CDCs which had carried out the monitoring activities focusing on main chronic diseases and its risk factors,in which there were about 28 CDCs and 24 CDCs to develop the main chronic surveillance and the monitoring on the main chronic risk factors,respectively,however,the covering ranges on such activities to the chronic diseases and its related risk factors were relatively limited,there were lack of the systematic monitoring data,and the activities on chronic disease monitoring had not yet been taken as the routine work for each CDC.CONCLUSION The each department of the government and the managements charging in hygiene should put more financial investment and policy supporting to the surveillance ability in chronic diseases,develop and improve monitoring systems covering the whole Province,in order to provide the technique support for the chronic disease prevention and control at all levels of CDC.
Erzeugung, Erhitzung und Trocknung des Windes

Das vorliegende Thema ist mit dem Betrieb des Eisenhochofens aufs innigste verknupft; hat aber daneben auch mehr oder weniger Bedeutung fur andere huttenmannische Verfahren. Die grundlegenden Prinzipien sind physikalischer Art — der Mechanik und der Warmelehre entnommen — und konnen auf die verschiedensten huttenmannischen Fragen Anwendung finden.
Sleep laboratory studies of flurazepam: A model for evaluating hypnotic drugs

The results from six separate evaluations of flurazepam 30 mg in the sleep laboratory were combined to determine the effectiveness of the drug in inducing and maintaining sleep and its effects on sleep stages in a large sample of insomniac subjects. The combined studies provide a model from which a detailed profile of the effects of a hypnotic drug over short-, intermediate-, and long-term conditions can be thoroughly evaluated. Although sleep was significantly improved on the first night of flurazepam administration, peak effectiveness of the drug did not result until the second and third consecutive drug nights. Flurazepam continued to be effective in inducing and maintaining sleep with intermediate-and long-term drug use with only a slight loss of effectiveness with long-term use. Sleep was also significantly improved on the first and second nights of drug withdrawal. Carryover effectiveness of active metabolites of flurazepam from one drug night to the next drug night and to withdrawl nights is discussed. The clinical implications are discussed with regard to the time of peak effectiveness of the drug, dosage recommendations and schedule, minimizing possible effects of the drug on daytime performance, and the rationale and method for using drug holidays in the treatment regimen. With this comprehensive profile of the drug's actions, the physician is able to more rationally and effectively utilize the drug in treating the insomniac patient. With short-term administration, flurazepam produced a slight decrease in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and an increase in REM latency. These effects were much more pronounced with intermediate-term drug administration, again possibly due to the accumulation of active metabolites. After withdrawal there was no rebound in REM sleep. Stages 3 and 4 sleep decreased progressively through short and intermediate drug administration. With initial withdrawal, there was a slight recovery in both sleep stages.
Curation: a theoretical treatment

ABSTRACTCuration is a key mechanism of sociality in a digital era. With an abundance of information, sifting, sorting, selecting, hiding, and standing out become laborious tasks. While researchers have diligently documented people’s curatorial strategies, digital curation remains undertheorized in its own right. I therefore theorize digital curation by disentangling productive curation from consumptive curation, addressing how people curate content that they share, and that which they consume. I embed these agentic curatorial practices within structural bounds, both social and technological. In doing so, I offer a basic theoretical model that captures a dynamic relationship between individual curators, their social networks, and technological design.
Comparison of Serum Amyloid A in Horses With Infectious and Noninfectious Respiratory Diseases

Abstract The acute phase protein serum amyloid A (SAA) has been shown to be a useful inflammatory parameter in the horse, but studies showing SAA responses to specific respiratory disease etiologies are limited. The goal of this study was to evaluate SAA responses in horses with infectious and noninfectious respiratory diseases as well as healthy, control horses. Two hundred seven horses were grouped into the following categories: equine influenza virus (EIV), equine herpesvirus-4 (EHV-4), Streptococcus equi subspecies equi ( S. equi ss equi ), inflammatory airway disease (IAD), and healthy controls. Serum amyloid A concentrations were determined for all horses on serum using a stall-side lateral flow immunoassay test. Serum amyloid A levels were found to be significantly greater for infectious respiratory diseases (EIV, EHV-4, S. equi ss equi ) and horses with IAD when compared to control horses. There was a significant difference between viral and bacterial infections and IAD. Although SAA values from horses with S. equi ss equi were significantly greater when compared to horses with viral infections (EIV/EHV-4), the wide range of SAA values precluded accurate classification of the infectious cases. In conclusion, SAA is more reliably elevated with infections of the respiratory tract rather than noninfectious airway conditions. This can facilitate early detection of respiratory infections, help track disease progression, and aid practitioners in making recommendations about proper biosecurity and isolation of potentially contagious horses.
Bioethics: Democracy in vitro

Insoo Hyun weighs up a treatise exploring the ethical deliberations surrounding embryo research.
A Physics-Based (Verilog-A) Compact Model for DC, Quasi-Static Transient, Small-Signal, and Noise Analysis of MOSFET-Based pH Sensors

High-resolution pH measurement is important for biomedical, food, pharmaceutical industries as well as agricultural/environmental monitoring. Among the pH-meters, FET sensors (pH-FETs) offer several advantages, such as, higher sensitivity, lower cost, and smaller size. In this paper, we develop a physics-based (Verilog-A) compact model to simulate dc, quasi-static transient, small-signal, and noise performance of pH-FET sensors. The Verilog-A implementation would allow pH-FET integration with complex signal processing circuits, and prediction of the integrated performance. The model predicts that FET thermal noise dominates in subthreshold, while FET flicker noise dominates above threshold. The minimum pH resolution is dictated by an interplay of FET and electrolyte noise sources, which are in turn functions of transistor geometry and operating condition. For a given technology node, if the sensor is designed to operate in subthreshold regime, pH-FET with shorter but wider channel has better pH resolution. In contrast, for sensor designed to operate in the inversion regime, longer and wider channel is preferred. Finally, we demonstrate the utility of the Verilog-A implementation by circuit simulation of a low-power sensor interface.
Do Memory B Cells Form Secondary Germinal Centers? It Depends

The memory B-cell pool in an immune individual is more heterogeneous than previously recognized. The different types of memory B cells likely play distinct roles in tuning the secondary immune response because they differ in their potential to generate plasmablasts, which secrete antibodies, or germinal center (GC) cells, which generate new and higher affinity memory cells. We propose that the production of plasmablasts or GC cells by a memory B cell is controlled by its state of differentiation and the amount and affinity of antigen-specific antibodies present in the individual in which it resides.
End-to-end speech recognition and keyword search on low-resource languages

In recent years, so-called, “end-to-end” speech recognition systems have emerged as viable alternatives to traditional ASR frameworks. Keyword search, localizing an orthographic query in a speech corpus, is typically performed by using automatic speech recognition (ASR) to generate an index. Previous work has evaluated the use of end-to-end systems for ASR on well known corpora (WSJ, Switchboard, TIMIT, etc.) in high-resource languages like English and Mandarin. In this work, we investigate the use of Connectionist Temporal Classification (CTC) networks, recurrent encoder-decoders with attention, two end-to-end ASR systems for keyword search and speech recognition on low resource languages. We find end-to-end systems can generate high quality 1-best transcripts on low-resource languages, but, because they generate very sharp posteriors, their utility is limited for KWS. We explore a number of ways to address this limitation with modest success. Experimental results reported are based on the IARPA BABEL OP3 languages and evaluation framework. This paper represents the first results using “end-to-end” techniques for speech recognition and keyword search on low-resource languages.
Chlorinated adenosine analogue induces AMPK and autophagy in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia cells during therapy.

Summary 8-chloro-adenosine (8-Cl-Ado) is currently in phase-I clinical trials for acute myeloid leukaemia and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). Previously, we demonstrated that treatment with 8-Cl-Ado leads to diminished ATP levels. We hypothesized that AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signalling would be initiated in these cells, leading to induction of autophagy. AMPK activation and induction of autophagy were demonstrated during preclinical incubations in CLL cells with the analogues. Importantly, we extended similar observations in CLL lymphocytes during an 8-Cl-Ado phase-I trial. In conclusion, 8-Cl-Ado treatment induces autophagy in CLL lymphocytes in vitro as well as in vivo during clinical trial.
Dynamics of a single buoyant plume in a FENE-P fluid

The dynamics of a single laminar buoyant plume in a FENE-P (finitely extensible nonlinear elastic-Peterlin) fluid has been investigated by performing a series of direct simulations over a range of Weissenberg numbers. Examination of this flow has given insight into the heat transfer reduction phenomenon observed recently in more complex Rayleigh-Benard turbulence. The simulations, which were performed with a Rayleigh number of 2.53×106 and a maximal polymeric extension of L = 100, show that the wall heat flux is reduced by about 28% at a Weissenberg number of 20, which is in reasonable agreement with the results obtained in Rayleigh-Benard turbulence. In addition, the global flow kinetic energy was reduced by about one order of magnitude.
A Recovery Time after Recall Crises in the Pharmaceutical Industry

While studies showing that product recalls hurt firm performance are common, studies on how long it takes for firms to recover sales losses associated with product recalls remain scant. We fill thi...
Mentors’ personal growth and development in a college access mentorship program

As the prevalence of mentoring programs in higher education institutions continues to grow, there remains little research on the growth and development that comes from serving as a mentor. In this ...
Viral Disease, Air Pollutants, Nanoparticles, and Asthma

Health care providers who treat patients with respiratory disease are often asked by their patients, “What caused my asthma? And what causes my asthma suddenly to become worse?” These questions have always been difficult to answer, and moving directly to a discussion of the management of asthma is a much easier road to take. In recent years, though, enough information has accumulated about the causes of asthma that one can weave a story containing useful advice that may help patients participate in the management of their disease. And there are also recent studies that can provide answers to the questions posed by physicians who have watched in puzzlement as their previously well-controlled asthma patients have spiraled rapidly out of control. This story has been growing increasingly complex, with an ever-expanding cast of players that sometimes creates a tangled web of interactions.
US Aid and gender equality: social movement vs civil society models of funding

ABSTRACTDespite the fact that the assumed link between women’s empowerment, peace, and democratization has taken a firm hold in both theory and practice, the effectiveness of funding empowerment remains highly contested in the literature on gender, war, and democratic transformations. Drawing upon over a decade of fieldwork, this article offers lessons from the Balkans for funding women’s empowerment, with a particular focus on postconflict political transitions. I argue that there are two fundamentally different approaches to funding women’s empowerment, what I call the civil society model and the social movement model, and I lay out theoretical reasons why the social movement model is more likely to achieve enduring political change. I then provide a case study of how the United States government promoted elements of the social movement model in Croatia and Serbia as part of its democratization assistance, focusing on the challenges and promise of this approach.
VISUAL PERCEPTION MODEL FOR ONLINE TARGET MARKETING

A lot of studies in the information systems, advertising, and marketing literature have shown that for the past two decades online banner ad click-through rate is decreasing steadily (Idemudia et al. 2007). To address this issue, we develop the Visual Perception Model (VP) for Online Target marketing and then conducted an experiment by manipulating the independent variables (i.e. perceived security of online banner ads and match between web user’s need and banner ad contents). The theoretical background for the VP Model is the Visual Perception Theories. The VP Model shows that perceived usefulness of online banner ads have a positive and significant effect on the intention to click online banner ads. Also, the VP Model shows that both perceived security of online banner ads and match between web user’s need and banner ad contents has a positive and significant effects on perceived usefulness of online banner ads. The result provides support for the visual perception theories.
Plenary lecture 4: a possible solution of trisection problem

A solution of the ancient Greek problem of trisection of an arbitrary angle employing only compass and straightedge and its algebraic proof are presented. It is shown that while Wantzel's theory of 1837 concerning irreducibility of the cubic x3-3x-1=0 is correct it does not imply impossibility of trisection of arbitrary angle since rather than a cubic equation the trisection problem is shown to depend on the quadratic equation y2-3+c=0 where c is a constant. The earlier formulation of the problem by Descartes the father of algebraic geometry is also discussed. If one assumes that the ruler and the compass employed in the geometric constructions are in fact Platonic ideal instruments then the trisection solution proposed herein should be exact.
Participatory Creativity: Introducing Access and Equity to the Creative Classroom

Participatory Creativity: Introducing Access and Equity to the Creative Classroom presents a systems-based approach to examining creativity in education that aims to make participating in invention and innovation accessible to all students. Moving beyond the gifted-versus-ungifted debate present in many of today’s classrooms, the book’s inclusive framework situates creativity as a participatory and socially distributed process. The core principle of the book is that individuals are not creative, ideas are creative, and that there are multiple ways for a variety of individuals to participate in the development of creative ideas. This dynamic reframing of invention and innovation provides strategies for teachers, curriculum designers, policymakers, researchers, and others who seek to develop a more equitable approach towards establishing creative learning experiences in various educational settings.
Perilesional Resection of Glioblastoma Is Independently Associated With Improved Outcomes.

BACKGROUND Resection is a critical component in the initial treatment of glioblastoma (GBM). Often GBMs are resected using an intralesional method. Circumferential perilesional resection of GBMs has been described, but with limited data. OBJECTIVE To conduct an observational retrospective analysis to test whether perilesional resection produced a greater extent of resection. METHODS We identified all patients with newly diagnosed GBM who underwent resection at our institution from June 1, 1993 to December 31, 2015. Demographics, presenting symptoms, intraoperative data, method of resection (perilesional or intralesional), volumetric imaging data, and postoperative outcomes were obtained. Complete resection (CR) was defined as 100% resection of all contrast-enhancing disease. Univariate analyses employed analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Fisher's exact test. Multivariate analyses used propensity score-weighted multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS Newly diagnosed GBMs were resected in 1204 patients, 436 tumors (36%) perilesionally and 766 (64%) intralesionally. Radiographic CR was achieved in 69% of cases. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that perilesional tumor resection was associated with a significantly higher rate of CR than intralesional resection (81% vs 62%, multivariate odds ratio = 2.5, 95% confidence interval: 1.8-3.4, P < .001). Among tumors in eloquent cortex, multivariate analysis showed that patients who underwent perilesional resection had a higher rate of CR (79% vs 58%, respectively, P < .001) and a lower rate of neurological complications (11% vs 20%, respectively, P = .018) than those who underwent intralesional resection. CONCLUSION Circumferential perilesional resection of GBM is associated with significantly higher rates of CR and lower rates of neurological complications than intralesional resection, even for tumors arising in eloquent locations. Perilesional resection, when feasible, should be considered as a preferred option.
Distal Femoral Fractures (Hoffa/Periprosthetic)

Distal femur fractures are challenging injuries to treat and their outcomes rely on restoration of length, rotation, alignment, and articular congruity. Special care must be taken with intra-articular femur fractures to carefully assess preoperative imaging for the presence of coronal shear fractures, as these must be reduced and fixed independently. Understanding the anatomical relationships of the knee joint, as well as being able to evaluate articular congruity, is key when reconstructing distal femur fractures. Also, understanding the implants being used and how they are intended to be applied to the distal femur is important in delivering a good outcome for this challenging injury.
Semi-Automated Assessment of Human Islet Viability Predicts Transplantation Outcomes in a Diabetic Mouse Model:

In clinical and experimental human pancreatic islet transplantations, establishing pretransplant assessments that accurately predict transplantation outcomes is crucial. Conventional in vitro viability assessment that relies on manual counting of viable islets is a routine pretransplant assessment. However, this method does not correlate with transplantation outcomes; to improve the method, we recently introduced a semi-automated method using imaging software to objectively determine area-based viability. The goal of the present study was to correlate semi-automated viability assessment with posttransplantation outcomes of human islet transplantations in diabetic immunodeficient mice, the gold standard for in vivo functional assessment of isolated human islets. We collected data from 61 human islet isolations and 188 subsequent in vivo mouse transplantations. We assessed islet viability by fluorescein diacetate and propidium iodide staining using both the conventional and semi-automated method. Transplantations of 1,200 islet equivalents under the kidney capsule were performed in streptozotocin-induced diabetic immunodeficient mice. Among the pretransplant variables, including donor factors and post-isolation assessments, viability measured using the semi-automated method demonstrated a strong influence on in vivo islet transplantation outcomes in multivariate analysis. We calculated an optimized cutoff value (96.1%) for viability measured using the semi-automated method and showed a significant difference in diabetes reversal rate for islets with viability above this cutoff (77% reversal) vs. below this cutoff (49% reversal). We performed a detailed analysis to show that both the objective measurement and the improved area-based scoring system, which distinguished between small and large islets, were key features of the semi-automated method that allowed for precise evaluation of viability. Taken together, our results suggest that semi-automated viability assessment offers a promising alternative pretransplant assessment over conventional manual assessment to predict human islet transplantation outcomes.
Perforin-2 limits pathogen proliferation at the maternal-fetal interface

Placental immune responses are highly regulated to strike a balance between protection and tolerance. For relatively mild infections, protection encompasses both the mother and fetus; however, during worsening conditions, protection becomes exclusively reserved for the mother. Previously, we and others have shown that the host factor Perforin-2 plays a central role in protecting mice and cells against infection. Here, we analyzed Perforin-2 activity in the mouse placenta to determine whether Perforin-2 plays a similarly protective role. We show that Perforin-2 is critical for inhibiting Listeria monocytogenes colonization of the placenta and fetus and that this protection is due to both maternal and fetal-encoded Perforin-2. Perforin-2 mRNA is readily detectable in individual immune cells of the decidua and these levels are further enhanced specifically in decidual macrophages during high-dose infections that result in fetal expulsion. Unexpectedly, inductive Perforin-2 expression in decidual macrophages did not occur during milder infections in which fetal viability remained intact. This pattern of expression significantly differed from that observed in splenic macrophages in which inductive Perforin-2 expression was observed in both high and mild infection conditions. In the placenta, inductive Perforin-2 expression in decidual macrophages was co-incident with their polarization from a M2 to M1 phenotype that normally occurs in the placenta during high-burden infections. Our results suggest that Perforin-2 is part of a host response that is protective either for both the mother and fetus in milder infections or exclusively for the mother during high-dose infections.
Right Brain: Echoes of loss.

I come into your room every morning to try to wake you. I start by gently speaking your name and then say it loudly into your ear. I pinch your skin and press on your sternum but you still do not acknowledge me. I open your eyelids. You stare straight ahead, not moving to the sound of my voice. I always hope I will see your pupils react to the light when I flash it into your eyes; they do not. You don't cough or gag when I move the tubing into your throat. I see the tiniest of movement when I stimulate your corneas with a drop of saline. Relief floods me. Some reaction is still there.
Plasma lipidomic profiling identifies a novel complex lipid signature associated with ischemic stroke in chronic kidney disease

Rationale and objective Despite contribution of dyslipidemia to ischemic stroke, plasma lipidomic correlates of stroke in CKD is not studied. This study is aimed to identify plasma lipid alterations associated with stroke. Study design Cross sectional. Setting and population 214 participants of Clinical Phenotyping and Resource Biobank Core (CPROBE). Clinical data and plasma samples at the time of recruitment were obtained and used to generate lipidomic data by liquid chromatography/mass-spectrometry-based untargeted platform. Predictors Various levels of free fatty acids, acylcarnitines and complex lipids. Outcome Stroke. Analytic approach includes compound by compound comparison of lipids using t-test adjusted by false discovery rate in patients with and without stroke, and application of logistic regression analysis to identify independent lipid predictors of stroke and to estimate the odds associated with their various levels. Results Overall, we identified 330 compounds. Enrichment analysis revealed overrepresentation of differentially regulated phosphatidylcholines (PC)s and phosphatidylethanolamines (PE)s were overrepresented in stroke (P<0.001). Abundance of PC38:4, PE36:4, PC34:0, and palmitate were significantly higher, but those of plasmenyl-PE (pPE)38:2, and PE 32:2 was significantly lower in patients with stroke (p≤0.0014). After adjusting, each 1-SD increase in palmitate and PC38:4 was independently associated with 1.84 fold (95% CI: 1.06-3.20, p=0.031) and 1.84 fold (1.11-3.05, p=0.018) higher risk of stroke, respectively. We observed a significant trend toward higher abundance of PCs, PEs, pPEs, and sphingomyelins in stroke (p≤0.046). Limitations Small sample size; unclear, if similar changes in the same or opposite direction preceded stroke, as the cross-sectional nature of the observation does not allow determining the effect of time course on lipid alterations. Conclusion Differential regulation of palmitate, PCs, and PEs in patients with CKD and a history of stroke may represent a previously unrecognized risk factor and might be a target of risk stratification and modification.
Effectiveness of Injection Laryngoplasty for Aspiration in Acute Iatrogenic Vocal Fold Paralysis: A Systematic Review

Objective/hypothesis To review current evidence on effectiveness of injection laryngoplasty on aspiration outcomes in acute unilateral vocal fold paralysis. Study design Systematic review. Methods A literature search was performed on MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library from inception of each database to May 2019. Inclusion criteria included case series, case-control studies, prospective cohort studies, and randomized controlled trials assessing the outcomes of early injection laryngoplasty on aspiration in unilateral vocal fold paralysis, in the acute setting. Only English articles with adult study populations were included. Two independent investigators screened all abstracts and manuscripts. Data on study design, patient demographics, interventions, and outcome measures were systematically extracted by both authors for included studies. Results Fourteen case series studies comprising 582 patients were included. Results were not quantitatively synthesized due to the heterogeneity of outcome measures. Eleven studies reported that a majority (ranging 50%-100%) of patients in each respective study showed improvement in diet intake (progression from nil per os to oral) or Penetration-Aspiration Scale (PAS) scores after injection laryngoplasty. However, none of the investigations used a control group, and therefore, did not account for the possibility of improvement of function related to placebo or Hawthorne effects rather than attributed to intervention. Conclusions No robust evidence was found to support injection laryngoplasty as an effective measure to improve aspiration outcomes in acute iatrogenic vocal fold paralysis. Current practices rely on empirical observations and scarce expert opinions. Further prospective investigations with controlled objective measures are necessary to definitively demonstrate the effectiveness of IL for aspiration management. Laryngoscope, 2020.
Capital constraints and asset bubbles: An experimental study

Abstract This paper evaluates the effects of credit constraints in an asset market experiment with present value considerations induced by interest payments on cash. All markets exhibit price bubbles, with peak prices exceeding the present value of dividends and redemptions by 30–130%. Starting with a baseline condition (low income, tight credit), a relaxation of credit constraints generates significantly higher price bubbles. A price increase of similar magnitude results from an increase in exogenous income, holding credit tightness constant.
Effect of adult’s workplace harassment on child’s odds of mental health problem

Workplace harassment is associated with harmful health outcomes for the victim. However, there is limited research on whether an individual’s experience of workplace harassment affects the health of his/her household members. This study examines the association between an adult’s recent experience of workplace harassment and the child in the household having a probable mental health problem. Our analytical sample consisted of 10,586 children 4–17 years of age from the National Health Interview Survey 2010 and 2015 waves, the only two waves where experiences of workplace harassment were assessed in a nationally representative survey in the US. We used multivariable logistic regression to model the association between adult-reported experiences of workplace harassment in the past 12 months and the outcome of a child in the family having a probable mental health problem. We found that adult work harassment was associated with increased odds of a child in the household having a mental health problem (aOR = 1.48, 95% CI = 1.24, 1.76) after adjusting for potential confounders. Our calculated E-values indicate that an unmeasured confounder would need to be associated with an almost 2-fold increase in the likelihood of experiencing workplace harassment and having a child with a mental health problem to account for our finding. These results highlight the need for further research on how workplace harassment extends its reach beyond the immediate victims.
Intensity-modulated chemoradiation for treatment of stage III and IV oropharyngeal carcinoma: the University of California-San Francisco experience.

BACKGROUND. Treatment outcomes for stage III and IV oropharyngeal carcinoma treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and concurrent chemotherapy without prior surgical resection were reviewed. METHODS. Between April 2000 and September 2004, 71 patients underwent IMRT concurrent with chemotherapy without prior surgical resection for stage III and IV oropharyngeal carcinoma. Chemotherapy was platinum based. The gross tumor volume (GTV) received 70 Gy in 2.12 Gy per fraction. The high-risk clinical tumor volume (CTV) received 59.4 Gy in 1.80 Gy per fraction, and the low-risk CTV received 54 Gy in 1.64 Gy per fraction. RESULTS. With a median follow-up of 33 months, the 3-year local, regional, and locoregional progression-free probabilities were 94%, 94%, and 90%, respectively. The 3-year overall survival estimate was 83%. Locoregional failures occurred in the GTV in 7 patients. Acute grade 3 or 4 toxicity developed in 35 patients. A feeding gastrostomy was placed in 25 patients. Late xerostomia was grade 0 in 16 patients, grade 1 in 31 patients, and grade 2 in 24 patients at last follow-up. No patients experienced grade 3 or 4 late toxicity, except for 1 who developed osteoradionecrosis of the mandible. CONCLUSIONS. Excellent local and regional control was achieved with IMRT and concurrent chemotherapy without prior surgical resection in the treatment of stage III and IV oropharyngeal carcinoma. Significant sparing of the parotid glands and other critical normal tissues was possible using IMRT with moderate acute toxicities and minimal severe late effects. Cancer 2008. © 2008 American Cancer Society.
Determining the Amount, Timing and Causes of Mortality among Infants with Down Syndrome.

Objective To examine the amount, timing and causes/correlates of infant mortality among newborns with Down syndrome. Methods Using the Tennessee Department of Health Birth, Hospital Discharge and Death records, infants were identified who were born with Down syndrome from 1990 to 2006. Those who died during the first year were separated into three groups (first day death, neonatal mortality, post-neonatal mortality) and data from the Birth and Death records were used to compare the three death groups and the survival group on correlates of mortality. Results Of 1305 infants born in Tennessee with Down syndrome from 1990 to 2006, 97 died within the first year, for a mortality rate of 74 per 1000. Most Down syndrome infant deaths occurred during the post-neonatal period (56%), although many occurred during the first day (27%). Newborns who died during the first day had significantly lower birthweight, 5-min Apgar scores and gestational lengths, whereas those who died in the post-neonatal period had significantly more heart-related causes of death (all Ps < 0.001). No associations were found in this sample between increased infant mortality and maternal age, education, race, marital status or familial urban residence. Conclusions Infants with Down syndrome experience high rates of mortality occurring at three distinct times during the first year. These groupings are tied to specific, different causes of death.
Improving a Manufacturing Process Using Data‐Based Methods

Data-based methods and simple graphical analyses can be used broadly to improve quality for manufacturing processes. We provide a case study dealing with the manufacture of stator bars used in electric power generation equipment. We describe the examination of existing data, capability and stability assessment, addressing measurement error, using the preceding evaluations to reduce deviations from target and variability, and subsequent statistical monitoring. Some concluding remarks deal briefly with various further topics, including the importance of a proactive approach. Takeaways and added comments, spread throughout the article, provide further elaboration on or beyond the case study. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Lectures on the Langlands program and conformal field theory

These lecture notes give an overview of recent results in geometric Langlands correspondence which may yield applications to quantum field theory. We start with a motivated introduction to the Langlands Program, including its geometric reformulation, addressed primarily to physicists. I tried to make it as self-contained as possible, requiring very little mathematical background. Next, we describe the connections between the Langlands Program and two-dimensional conformal field theory that have been found in the last few years. These connections give us important insights into the physical implications of the Langlands duality.
Novel Loci Control Variation in Reproductive Timing in Arabidopsis thaliana in Natural Environments

Molecular biologists are rapidly characterizing the genetic basis of flowering in model species such as Arabidopsis thaliana. However, it is not clear how the developmental pathways identified in controlled environments contribute to variation in reproductive timing in natural ecological settings. Here we report the first study of quantitative trait loci (QTL) for date of bolting (the transition from vegetative to reproductive growth) in A. thaliana in natural seasonal field environments and compare the results with those obtained under typical growth-chamber conditions. Two QTL specific to long days in the chamber were expressed only in spring-germinating cohorts in the field, and two loci specific to short days in the chamber were expressed only in fall-germinating cohorts, suggesting differential involvement of the photoperiod pathway in different seasonal environments. However, several other photoperiod-specific QTL with large effects in controlled conditions were undetectable in natural environments, indicating that expression of allelic variation at these loci was overridden by environmental factors specific to the field. Moreover, a substantial number of QTL with major effects on bolting date in one or more field environments were undetectable under controlled environment conditions. These novel loci suggest the involvement of additional genes in the transition to flowering under ecologically relevant conditions.
Immigration Enforcement, Policing, and Crime

Research Summary In 2008, the federal government introduced “Secure Communities,” a program that requires local law enforcement agencies to share arrestee information with federal immigration officials. We employed the staggered activation of Secure Communities to examine whether this program has an effect on crime or the behavior of local police. Supporters of the program argue that it enhances public safety by facilitating the removal of criminal aliens. Critics worry that it will encourage discriminatory policing. We found little evidence for the most ambitious promises of the program or for its critics’ greatest fears. Policy Implications Although a large body of evidence reports that municipal police can have an appreciable effect on crime, involving local police in federal immigration enforcement does not seem to offer measurable public safety benefits. Noncitizens removed through Secure Communities either would have been incapacitated even in the absence of the program or do not pose an identifiable risk to community safety.
P wave area for quantitative electrocardiographic assessment of left atrial remodeling.

Background Left atrial (LA) dilation provides a substrate for mitral regurgitation (MR) and atrial arrhythmias. ECG can screen for LA dilation but standard approaches do not assess LA geometry as a continuum, as does non-invasive imaging. This study tested ECG-quantified P wave area as an index of LA geometry.
Mg++ Modification of the NMDA Receptor During Graded Hypoxia in Newborn Piglet Brains. † 880

Previous studies have shown that during normoxia N-methyl-D-aspartate(NMDA) receptor ion channel opening is enhanced by low concentrations of Mg++ and inhibited by high concentrations of Mg++ as measured by3[H]-MK-801 binding in the cerebral cortex of newborn piglets. The present study tests the hypothesis that Mg++ modification of NMDA receptor ion channel opening during hypoxia correlates with the progressive decrease in cerebral energy metabolism induced by hypoxia. Studies were performed in 6 normoxic (Nx) and 9 hypoxic (Hx) ventilated piglets. In the Hx group varying degrees of cerebral energy metabolism were achieved by different concentrations of FiO2 (5-9%) and documented by tissue phosphocreatine(PCr) levels. 3[H]MK-801 binding was performed with 100μM glutamate, 100μM glycine, 12.5nM 3[H]MK-801 and [MgSO4] from 0.05-15 mM in P2 membrane fractions. Nonspecific binding was determined in the presence of 10μM unlabeled MK-801. Mg++% activation and Mg++ 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC50) were determined. In the Nx group mean±SD PCr value was 3.0±1.3 μmol/g brain and IC50 3.2±1.1 mM. Low concentrations of Mg++ (0.05-1mM) increased3[H]MK-801 binding in the Nx group (to 137±26% of baseline), significantly greater than in the Hx group (109±13%), p<0.05. Receptor activation correlated with brain tissue levels of PCr, with% maximal activation decreasing linearly as PCr levels decreased (r=0.7). Higher levels of Mg++ (2.5-15mM) caused inhibition of 3[H]-MK-801 binding, with IC50 levels decreasing in a linear relationship as PCr values decreased (r=0.9). The data demonstrate that as brain cell oxidative phosphorylation decreases, maximal receptor activation by low levels of Mg++ decreases and receptor inhibition by high levels of Mg++ increases in a linear relationship. We speculate that during hypoxia dephosphorylation of the ion channel of the NMDA receptor increases Mg++ blockade of the receptor by increasing Mg++ accessibility to its binding site and that receptor modification may be initiated by subtle decreases in tissue oxygenation in the newborn brain. (Funded by NIH#HD-20337, Wyeth).