cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Distribution of trigeminothalamic and spinothalamic lamina I terminations in the macaque monkey

Thalamic terminations from trigeminal, cervical, and lumbosacral lamina I neurons were investigated with Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin (PHA-L) and labeled dextrans. Iontophoretic injections guided by physiological recordings were restricted to lamina I or laminae I–II. PHA-L-labeled trigemino- and spinothalamic (TSTT) terminations were identified immunohistochemically. TRITC- and FITC-labeled dextrans were injected at different levels to confirm topography. Terminations consistently occurred in two main locations: a distinguishable portion of posterolateral thalamus identified cytoarchitectonically as the posterior part of the ventral medial nucleus (VMpo) and a portion of posteromedial thalamus designated as the ventral caudal part of the medial dorsal nucleus (MDvc). In addition, isolated fibers bearing boutons of passage were observed in the ventral posterior medial and lateral (VPM and VPL) nuclei, and spinal terminations occurred in the ventral posterior inferior nucleus (VPI). Isolated terminations occasionally occurred in other sites (e.g., suprageniculate, zona incerta, hypothalamic paraventricular n.). Terminations in MDvc occurred in concise foci that were weakly organized topographically (posteroanterior = rostrocaudal). Terminations in VMpo consisted of dense clusters of ramified terminal arbors bearing multiple large boutons that were well organized topographically (anteroposterior = rostrocaudal). Terminations in VMpo colocalized with a field of calbindin-immunoreactive terminal fibers; double-labeled terminals were documented at high magnification. This propitious marker was especially useful at anterior levels, where VMpo can easily be misidentified as VPM. These findings demonstrate phylogenetically novel primate lamina I TSTT projections important for sensory and motivational aspects of pain, temperature, itch, muscle ache, sensual touch, and other interoceptive feelings from the body. J. Comp. Neurol. 477:119–148, 2004. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Caregivers of Veterans with “Invisible” Injuries: What We Know and Implications for Social Work Practice

Today, as a result of the longest volunteer-fought conflict in U.S. history, there are many wounded coming home not only with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but also with traumatic brain injury (TBI), which together have been called the "signature" or "invisible" injuries of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Caregivers are an important part of their recovery, yet little is known about them, as previous research on caregivers mostly focused on geriatric populations. According to one estimate 275,000 to 1 million people are currently caring or have cared for loved ones who have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan. These caregivers are unique in that they are younger, some with children, and they are caring for a unique under-studied population for longer periods of time. This article summarizes literature on caregivers of veterans who suffer from PTSD, TBI, or both; provides a theoretical framework; and discusses implications for social workers in assisting caregivers and their families.
Further Results With Trap Baits For Capturing the Codling Moth

The fifth year's tests were made in 1928 with trap baits for capturing the codling moth, Carpocapsa pomonella L. A severely infested orchard was used this season. Comparisons of various baits and their dilutions were made, and the use of bread and wild yeasts for starting fermentation, and of boric acid for preventing it. A comprehensive test made to determine the most efficient number of traps showed that the number of moths captured per trap increased with the number of trees from which moths could be attracted, but not in direct ratio. Experiments with trap baits for capturing the codling moth in 1928 were conducted in four different orchards, but for the purposes of this paper the results in only one, the A. B. Haueter orchard, are discussed.
USAWC Strategy Research Project: An Evaluation of the Canadian-Us Armies Reserve Relationship

The Armies Reserve of Canada and the United States have held six general officer summits since 1999. The purpose of these summits is to: forge personal relationships; exchange information; improve interoperability by training individuals and units in each other’s formations; and improve overall capabilities by training reserve soldiers in each other’s core competencies. But, senior leadership in both armies at national headquarters level and at major command level are oblivious to these meetings and to their potential. Furthermore, the activities of this forum are usually not coordinated, either vertically or horizontally, with other international activities of higher headquarters. This study evaluates the Canada-US Armies Reserve relationship using the process of the American Army International Activities Plan. First, it measures the stated purpose of this forum against national policy and doctrine of both countries. Then, it evaluates the value of the forum to national security using three criteria: the number and rank of senior leadership that attend; the perceptions of senior leadership as to the utility of this forum; and the work accomplished, on-going, and planned of the forum. The evaluation is that the forum is consistent with national policy and that it does have value and great potential. It is relevant and good for national security. However, the relationship must be reinvigorated with Terms of Reference and a strategic sponsor. That sponsor should be NORTHCOM in order to “put in place a framework and structure that transcends the personalities of the participants.”
The utility of parse-derived features for automatic discourse segmentation

We investigate different feature sets for performing automatic sentence-level discourse segmentation within a general machine learning approach, including features derived from either finite-state or contextfree annotations. We achieve the best reported performance on this task, and demonstrate that our SPADE-inspired context-free features are critical to achieving this level of accuracy. This counters recent results suggesting that purely finite-state approaches can perform competitively.
Implosive (flooding) therapy reduces symptoms of PTSD in Vietnam combat veterans.

In a randomized clinical trial, 24 Vietnam veterans with a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were randomly assigned either to a group receiving 14 to 16 sessions of implosive (flooding) therapy or to a waiting-list control. Standard psychometrics were administered before, following, and six months after treatment, and therapist ratings of symptomotology were concurrently obtained in personal interviews. When compared to the waiting-list control, those subjects receiving implosive therapy showed significant improvement across many of the psychometric measures and the therapist ratings of psychopathology. Specific changes in the re-experiencing dimension of PTSD, anxiety, and depression were notable, while treatment did not seem to influence the numbing and social avoidance aspects of PTSD. The results are discussed with respect to the importance of systematic exposure to traumatic memories, as one component of comprehensive treatment of combat-related PTSD, and the need for skills training interventions directed at improving social competence in interpersonal interactions.
Detection-theoretic analysis of warping attacks in spread-spectrum watermarking

This paper studies the effects of desynchronization attacks such as delay and warping on the performance of blind spread-spectrum watermark detection systems. The host signal is modeled as a colored Gaussian signal. Evaluation of the optimal likelihood ratio test is often computationally expensive, so as a practical alternative, we propose a family of quadratic detectors and construct the detector and family of watermarks that maximize the deflection criterion. Experiments are carried out to verify the suitability of the deflection as a performance index. Substantial improvements over conventional watermark designs are demonstrated.
A comparison of mail and telephone administration of district-level questionnaires for the School Health Policies and Programs Study (SHPPS) 2006: effects on estimates and data quality.

BACKGROUND: The School Health Policies and Programs Study (SHPPS) is a national study periodically conducted to assess school health policies and programs at the state, district, school, and classroom levels. For SHPPS 2006, district-level questionnaires were designed for telephone administration, but mixed-mode data collection that also used paper-and-pencil mail questionnaires was required to obtain an acceptable response rate. Because most mode effect research has involved person-level rather than institution-level data, little is known about the effects of mixed-mode data collection on data quality and prevalence estimates obtained through surveys of school personnel. METHODS: SHPPS 2006 used 1-stage stratified cluster sampling to select a nationally representative sample of public school districts. Personnel in about half of the 538 responding districts completed paper questionnaires and returned them via mail. Analyses were performed comparing data quality and prevalence estimates for mail and telephone administration. RESULTS: Prevalence estimates for only 7.0% (39) of 554 questions tested across the 7 questionnaires differed significantly by response mode at the p < .01 level. Regarding data quality, use of the “don't know” response was higher for telephone administration. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study demonstrate that SHPPS 2006 successfully used a mixed-mode approach, allowing the data to be used without concern about the mixed-mode administration. The results may also be useful to other researchers interested in using surveys to collect data on schools or school districts or other data that is not person level.
The interaction of media and learner

Professional communicators are faced with a vast array of delivery media ranging from paper to multimedia and virtual reality. At the same time, we often lack clear guidance when selecting the best medium or media mix for a given content, user, task and environment. This paper will examine these important issues and challenge our current focus on communication technologies as solutions in and of themselves. Instead, this paper develops an integrated model that incorporates the medium, symbol system, instructional methodology as well as the learner.
Longitudinal and Horizontal Integration of Nutrition Science into Medical School Curricula

The overall goal of our Nutrition Academic Award (NAA) medical nutrition program at Mercer University School of Medicine is to develop, implement and evaluate a medical education curriculum in nutrition and other aspects of cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention and patient management with emphasis on the training of primary care physicians for medically underserved populations. The curriculum is 1) vertically integrated throughout all 4 y of undergraduate medical education, including basic science, clinical skills, community science and clinical clerkships as well as residency training; 2) horizontally integrated to include allied healthcare training in dietetics, nursing, exercise physiology and public health; and 3) designed as transportable modules adaptable to the curricula of other medical schools. The specific aims of our program are 1) to enhance our existing basic science problem-based Biomedical Problems Program with respect to CVD prevention through development of additional curriculum in nutrition/diet/exercise and at-risk subpopulations; 2) to integrate into our Clinical Skills Program objectives for medical history taking, conducting patient exams, diet/lifestyle counseling and referrals to appropriate allied healthcare professionals that are specific to CVD prevention; 3) to enhance CVD components in the Community Science population-based medicine curriculum, stressing the health-field concept model, community needs assessment, evidence-based medicine and primary care issues in rural and medically underserved populations; 4) to enhance the CVD prevention and patient management component in existing 3rd- and 4th-y clinical clerkships with respect to nutrition/diet/exercise and socioeconomic issues, behavior modification and networking with allied health professionals; and 5) to integrate a nutrition/behavior change component into Graduate Residency Training in CVD prevention.
Generation of mid-infrared radiation in a highly absorbing nonlinear medium

We propose a novel scheme for generation of mid-infrared radiation in nonlinear waveguides with high absorption in that wavelength range. Coupling the absorbing nonlinear waveguide to a linear waveguide with low absorption allows the mid-infrared radiation to escape before absorption sets in, thus enhancing the frequency-conversion efficiency by as much as an order of magnitude.
Habitat Factors and Species' Traits Influence Riparian Community Recovery Following Removal of Bohemian Knotweed (Polygonum x bohemicum)

Abstract Removal of invasive plants to restore native community structure and function is an important component of riparian management in the Pacific Northwest, USA. However, little is known about the role of habitat factors and species' traits in mediating recovery of native riparian systems following removal of invasives. We experimentally investigated the response of riparian understories to removal of Bohemian knotweed (Polygonum x bohemicum). We measured abundance, diversity, and composition of herbaceous and woody species before and for two years after removal. Knotweed removal resulted in rapid and abundant colonization of native woody species and of native and non-native forbs. Variation in the responses of these groups was most commonly associated with two habitat factors, height above channel and depth of knotweed litter. Knotweed litter benefited native forbs (predominantly forest perennials) relative to non-native forbs (predominantly light-demanding annuals). Natives, which are adapted to na...
MOLECULAR SYSTEMATICS OF THE MIDDLE AMERICAN JUMPING PITVIPERS (GENUS ATROPOIDES) AND PHYLOGEOGRAPHY OF THE ATROPOIDES NUMMIFER COMPLEX

We used 1400 bp of mitochondrial DNA sequence from two gene fragments (ND4 and cyt-b) to investigate phylogenetic relationships within Atropoides, with emphasis on the subspecies of A. nummifer. Although many relationships within the genus are strongly supported, monophyly of Atropoides was never supported, although it could not be rejected with statistical confidence. In most analyses, the genus was paraphyletic with respect to Porthidium and Cerrophidion, due to the problematic placement of A. picadoi. Our results suggest that the current taxonomy may underestimate species diversity within this group. Atropoides nummifer was found to comprise three distinct phylogroups, generally coinciding with the current subspecies recognized under A. nummifer but paraphyletic with respect to A. olmec. Additionally, disjunct populations previously thought to represent A. nummifer in Oaxaca, Mexico, and Baja Verapaz, Guatemala, appear to represent A. olmec. We use the phylogeny recovered for A. nummifer and A. olmec t...
Redistricting Using Heuristic-Based Polygonal Clustering

Redistricting is the process of dividing a geographic area into districts or zones. This process has been considered in the past as a problem that is computationally too complex for an automated system to be developed that can produce unbiased plans. In this paper we present a novel method for redistricting a geographic area using a heuristic-based approach for polygonal spatial clustering. While clustering geospatial polygons several complex issues need to be addressed – such as: removing order dependency, clustering all polygons assuming no outliers, and strategically utilizing domain knowledge to guide the clustering process. In order to address these special needs, we have developed the Constrained Polygonal Spatial Clustering (CPSC) algorithm that holistically integrates do-main knowledge in the form of cluster-level and instance-level constraints and uses heuristic functions to grow clusters. In order to illustrate the usefulness of our algorithm we have applied it to the problem of formation of unbiased congressional districts. Furthermore, we compare and contrast our algorithm with two other approaches proposed in the literature for redistricting, namely – graph partitioning and simulated annealing.
A Freeze on Tailored Antiplatelet Therapy

It is widely known that there is interindividual variation in the response to aspirin and clopidogrel, drugs that represent 2 major classes of antiplatelet therapies in use today. Variation in response can be defined clinically (ie, not all patients who are exposed to the drug are protected from platelet-mediated thrombotic events such as myocardial infarction). Response can also be defined pharmacodynamically in the laboratory by using ex vivo measures of platelet inhibition such as the VerifyNow platform, a whole-blood, point-of-care test. A rich history of epidemiological and genetic data demonstrates an association between the variability in laboratory responses and clinical outcomes among patients receiving antiplatelet therapy. To test the hypothesis that measures of ex vivo platelet function are truly risk factors and not merely risk markers, the Double Randomization of a Monitoring Adjusted Antiplatelet Treatment Versus a Common Antiplatelet Treatment for DES Implantation, and a Interruption Versus Continuation of Double Antiplatelet Therapy, One Year After Stenting (ARCTIC) study randomly assigned patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) to a strategy of platelet function testing and subsequent adjustment of antiplatelet therapy versus usual care. The primary results from ARCTIC failed to demonstrate a benefit from incorporating platelet function test results into the management of antiplatelet therapies in this population.1 In a secondary analysis published in this issue of Circulation ,2 the ARCTIC investigators assessed the extent to which outcomes differed after hospital discharge by performing a landmark analysis. Similar to the previously reported primary findings, a strategy of platelet function test–driven treatment changes did not affect clinical outcomes from the time …
Green flash: Designing an energy efficient climate supercomputer

It is clear from both the cooling demands and the electricity costs, that the growth in scientific computing capabilities of the last few decades is not sustainable unless fundamentally new ideas are brought to bear. In this talk we propose a novel approach to supercomputing design that leverages the sophisticated tool chains of the consumer electronics marketplace. We analyze our framework in the context of high-resolution global climate change simulations C an application with multi-trillion dollar ramifications to the world economies. A key aspect of our methodology is hardware-software co-tuning, which utilizes fast and accurate FPGA-based architectural emulation. This enables the design of future exaflop-class supercomputing systems to be defined by scientific requirements instead of constraining science to the machine configurations. Our talk will provide detailed design requirements for a kilometer-scale global cloud system resolving climate models and point the way toward Green Flash: an application-targeted exascale machine that could be efficiently implemented using mainstream embedded design processes. Overall, we believe that our proposed approach can provide a quantum leap in hardware and energy utilization, and may significantly impact the design of the next generation of HPC systems.
Dietary Reference Intakes: Cutting Through the Confusion

The Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) include four sets of nutrient reference values created by the Institute of Medicine to be used for assessing and planning diets of individuals and groups. These values reflect the optimal amount of select nutrients needed to promote health and prevent disease, while also avoiding their overconsumption. The DRI replaces the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA), in use in the United States since 1941, and the Recommended Nutrient Intakes (RNI) in Canada. The DRI was first published in a series of reports between 1997 and 2005, and in 2006 a definitive summary and practitioner’s guide was issued (Dietary Reference Intakes: the essential guide to nutrient requirements, Washington, DC, 2006). The Netherlands, Japan, and South Korea adapted the concept of the DRI for use in their countries (Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 7(S2):416–9, 2008; Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 17(S2):420–44, 2008; Eur J Clin Nutr. 58:191–4, 2004).
The “Dulles Doctrine on Love”: Immigration, Gender, and Romance in American Diplomacy, 1956–1957

This article explores the gendered potential and limitations of eastern bloc immigration to the United States under Eisenhower and his Secretary of State, John Foster Dulles. When Dulles endorsed the romantic marriage of Czechoslovakian Olympic gold medalist Olga Fikotova to fellow Olympic winner – and American – Harold Connolly in 1957, he engineered a cultural-diplomacy coup that complimented the president's New Look brinkmanship abroad. Feminine, heteronormative, Protestant, and a world champion, Fikotova initially seemed an ideal Cold War immigrant. When she and her new husband arrived on American shores amid media fanfare, though, she exercised her newfound freedom of speech to criticize American social problems and advocate women's equality.
A Method of Studying Early Cleavage in Eggs of House Flies, Musca domestica

The technique of using whole mounts to study chromosomes and early cleavage in insect eggs was first developed by Schmuck and Metz (1931) ; subsequently, the technique was modified by Whiting (1950) and von Borstel and Lindsley (1958). The Schmuck-Metz method largely eliminates tedious embedding in paraffin and sectioning of eggs. However, we encountered difficulties when we attempted to use the technique or its modifications to study radiation- or chemosterilant-induced chromosomal abnormalities in house flies, Musca domestica L. We could not achieve the necessary reproducibility of staining or process large numbers of eggs without causing chromosomal distortion. Therefore, the method described here of obtaining acceptable whole-mount preparations for the study of chromosomal aberrations was developed.
Effect of tryptophan and its metabolites on gastric emptying of liquid meals in dogs.

SummaryThe effects of tryptophan and its metabolites were studied to determine whether the known inhibiting effect of tryptophan on emptying was due to local or systemic effects or due to tryptophan metabolites. In five dogs with chronic gastric fistulas, instillation of 300 ml of dl-kynurenine (5 mM), 5-hydroxytryptophan (5 mM), or 5-hydroxytryptamine (20 mM) into the gut did not slow gastric emptying. Furthermore, iv infusion of l-tryptophan (5, 20, 50 mM), dl-kynurenine (2, 5, 10 mM), 5-hydroxytryptamine (2 mM, 10 mM), and 3-indolepyruvic acid (2, 5, 10 mM) also did not slow gastric emptying.These studies indicate that tryptophan slows gastric emptying by exciting a receptor in the gut and not by a direct effect on the stomach or brain or via its major metabolites.This work was supported by Grant AM 15886 from the National Institutes of Health and Veterans Administration Research Funds.
Distribution of Pandora Moth Egg Masses and Pupae near Jacob Lake, Arizona

The distribution of egg masses and pupae of the pandora moth, Coloradia pandora Blake (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae), were studied near Jacob Lake, Ariz. Numbers of egg masses(EMs) per branch on the foliage of trees over 30 cm at breast height (DBH) were insignificantly greater in heavily defoliated stands than on trees the same size in lightly defoliated stands. Numbers were greatest on lower crown branches, least on upper crown branches. EMs per branch on the foliage of trees 18 to 24 cm DBH were significantly greater in heavily defoliated stands than in lightly defoliated stands, but they did not generally change significantly from the top of the crown to the bottom in either stand. Eggs per EM averaged 11. Numbers of EMs/900 cm2 on boles were greatest in the first 30 cm above ground. Pupal densities averaged about 3/900 cm2 or 32/m2 of ground surface.
Phase Separation in Blends of Polystyrene and Poly(P-Methylstyrene) Using Thermal Analysis and Small-Angle Neutron Scattering

Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to study blends of polystyrene (PS) and poly (p-Methylstyrene) (PpmS). The presence of two glass transitions on heating after quenching was interpreted as evidence of phase separation at the temperature of the liquid before quenching. The small difference between the glass transitions of the homopolymers in the PS/PpmS system of “13 K limits the reliable detection of double glass transitions for blends to concentrations between 30 and 70%. The results of the DSC technique are supported by comparison with small angle neutron scattering (SANS) data.
Characterization of Dark-Block Defects in Cantilever Epitaxial GaN on Sapphire

Cantilever epitaxy of GaN on sapphire has been augmented by the use of initial facetted GaN growth on narrow sapphire mesas (< 1μm) in order to turn remaining threading dislocations from vertical to horizontal, and thus reduce the overall dislocation density at the surface where devices would be placed. With this modification, isolated non-radiative block-like defect areas have been introduced that hinder optical and electronic material performance. Here we characterize these defects with microscopy, and show that they are arrays of lateral dislocations, with cracks and voids along their centerlines. We deduce that they result when tilted GaN is joined to neighboring oriented material. Their presence is independent of the type of nucleation layer used.
Attenuated Tonic and Enhanced Phasic Release of Dopamine in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

It is unclear whether attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) is a hypodopaminergic or hyperdopaminergic condition. Different sets of data suggest either hyperactive or hypoactive dopamine system. Since indirect methods used in earlier studies have arrived at contradictory conclusions, we directly measured the tonic and phasic release of dopamine in ADHD volunteers. The tonic release in ADHD and healthy control volunteers was measured and compared using dynamic molecular imaging technique. The phasic release during performance of Eriksen’s flanker task was measured in the two groups using single scan dynamic molecular imaging technique. In these experiments volunteers were positioned in a positron emission tomography (PET) camera and administered a dopamine receptor ligand 11C-raclopride intravenously. After the injection PET data were acquired dynamically while volunteers either stayed still (tonic release experiments) or performed the flanker task (phasic release experiments). PET data were analyzed to measure dynamic changes in ligand binding potential (BP) and other receptor kinetic parameters. The analysis revealed that at rest the ligand BP was significantly higher in the right caudate of ADHD volunteers suggesting reduced tonic release. During task performance significantly lower ligand BP was observed in the same area, indicating increased phasic release. In ADHD tonic release of dopamine is attenuated and the phasic release is enhanced in the right caudate. By characterizing the nature of dysregulated dopamine neurotransmission in ADHD, the results explain earlier findings of reduced or increased dopaminergic activity.
Partial Nephrectomy in a Metachronous Multilocular Cyst of the Kidney (Cystic Nephroma)

AbstractCystic nephroma, that is multilocular cyst, is an uncommon renal neoplasm once thought to occur only unilaterally. We report a rare case of bilateral metachronous cystic nephroma in a child, which was treated by partial nephrectomy. Because of its benign nature this lesion is best managed by nephron sparing surgery. Exploration of the contralateral kidney is not necessary if modern radiological techniques are used. Magnetic resonance imaging angiography is an excellent noninvasive method to assess renal vessels before partial nephrectomy. Periodic ultrasound or computerized tomography screening of the remaining renal unit is recommended.
Postmarketing Analysis of a Novel, Cordless Ultrasonic Dissector

Introduction. Tissue dissection and vessel sealing is performed using a variety of energy sources and surgical devices. We describe the postmarketing analysis of a cordless ultrasonic dissector and vessel sealer in a series of general and gynecological procedures. Methods. Patients were prospectively screened and consented for participation. Data collected included demographics, device activations/seals and failures, and patient complications. Surgeons were surveyed following each case. Data was analyzed using standard statistical methods. Results. A total of 110 patients were consented and participated in the study. The most frequently performed procedures were bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (n = 48) and total laparoscopic hysterectomy (n = 36). Mean age was 54.2 years and 79.2% were female. The most frequent number of device activations per case was between 26 and 50 (36.6%). Five failed seals occurred out of 4858 total estimated seals (0.11%). Failed seals were felt to be due to thickened, scarred tis...
Nanotwin Detection and Domain Polarity Determination via Optical Second Harmonic Generation Polarimetry

We demonstrate that optical second harmonic generation (SHG) can be utilized to determine the exact nature of nanotwins in noncentrosymmetric crystals, which is challenging to resolve via conventional transmission electron or scanned probe microscopies. Using single-crystalline nanotwinned CdTe nanobelts and nanowires as a model system, we show that SHG polarimetry can distinguish between upright (Cd–Te bonds) and inverted (Cd–Cd or Te–Te bonds) twin boundaries in the system. Inverted twin boundaries are generally not reported in nanowires due to the lack of techniques and complexity associated with the study of the nature of such defects. Precise characterization of the nature of defects in nanocrystals is required for deeper understanding of their growth and physical properties to enable their application in future devices.
Financial Analytics with R: Building a Laptop Laboratory for Data Science

Are you innately curious about dynamically inter-operating financial markets? Since the crisis of 2008, there is a need for professionals with more understanding about statistics and data analysis, who can discuss the various risk metrics, particularly those involving extreme events. By providing a resource for training students and professionals in basic and sophisticated analytics, this book meets that need. It offers both the intuition and basic vocabulary as a step towards the financial, statistical, and algorithmic knowledge required to resolve the industry problems, and it depicts a systematic way of developing analytical programs for finance in the statistical language R. Build a hands-on laboratory and run many simulations. Explore the analytical fringes of investments and risk management. Bennett and Hugen help profit-seeking investors and data science students sharpen their skills in many areas, including time-series, forecasting, portfolio selection, covariance clustering, prediction, and derivative securities.
PBA*: using proactive search to make A* robust to unplanned deviations

Many path planning algorithms leverage A* to determine optimal paths. However, when an actor deviates from the optimal path, a typical application of A* executes a new search from the deviation point to the goal. This approach redundantly calculates paths that may have been examined during the initial search, rather than leveraging previous information. We introduce Plan-B A* (PBA*), which uses A* for the initial search, and substantially reduces the number of searched states during all subsequent searches, while incurring minimal space overhead. PBA* not only remembers certain states it has examined, it proactively creates solution paths for the most likely deviations. In our experiments, PBA* searches only 10% of the A* search space when recovering from execution errors by storing a limited amount of search history.
Wrapper Drugs for Personalized Medicine

Personalized molecular therapy (“the right drug for the right person”) is regarded as a major imperative of post-genomic medicine. This perception is reinforced almost daily as promising therapeutic agents are recalled because of idiosyncratic side effects detected in small subpopulations of patients. However pressing the need, rational approaches to personalized drug therapy will ultimately and pivotally depend on our ability to translate genomic individualities and variations into molecular biomarkers that can guide a patient-tailored design. This chapter addresses this issue and describes how the wrapping design concept can be brought to fruition in this area. The chapter introduces plausible scenarios in which genomic idiosyncrasies and oncogenic variations may promote targetable differences in the wrapping patterns of the gene products.
A Homotopy Method for Parameter Estimation of Nonlinear Differential Equations with Multiple Optima

A numerical method for estimating multiple parameter values of nonlinear systems arising from biology is presented. The uncertain parameters are modeled as random variables. Then the solutions are expressed as convergent series of orthogonal polynomial expansions in terms of the input random parameters. Homotopy continuation method is employed to solve the resulting polynomial system, and more importantly, to compute the multiple optimal parameter values. Several numerical examples, from a single equation to problems with relatively complicated forms of governing equations, are used to demonstrate the robustness and effectiveness of this numerical method.
Statewide analysis of serum prostate specific antigen levels in Louisiana men without prostate cancer.

OBJECTIVES To examine age, racial, and regional differences in serum PSA levels among men in Louisiana. METHODS From January 1, 2001 through December 31, 2001, there were 10,012 serum PSA tests performed at Louisiana Health Care Services Division (HCSD) hospitals. Manual and electronic data mining were performed to select the earliest PSA value in those men who had multiple determinations. This PSA data file was then linked with those of the Louisiana Tumor Registry and from HCSD pathology laboratories, all matched cases were removed. Men younger than 40 years and older than 79 years were excluded from this study. The final data file contained 7,258 men, of whom 4,244 were African-Americans and 3,014 were Caucasians. Comparisons of median and geometric mean serum PSA level were made between and among races for each age-decade as well as among the hospitals to assess for racial and regional differences. RESULTS Median PSA levels were statistically significantly higher in African-American men than in Caucasian men for each age group (p < or = 0.0002). The median PSA (ng/ml) for African-American men was 0.7, 0.9, 1.3, and 2.3 for age-decades 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, and 70-79, respectively, whereas for Caucasian men the median PSA levels were 0.8, 1.2, and 1.6 for age-decades 50-59, 60-69, and 70-79, respectively. Nonparametric analysis of variance did not demonstrate a regional pattern of PSA values among the hospitals. CONCLUSIONS In a first statewide analysis of age and racial differences of serum PSA levels, African-American men without prostate cancer had significantly higher serum PSA levels than their age-matched Caucasian male counterparts. Additionally, there were no regional patterns of PSA values among the racial groups.
Female Physicians in Maternal–Fetal Medicine: A 32-Year Perspective

Objective To examine trends of female physicians either pursuing fellowships or in active practice in maternal–fetal medicine (MFM). Methods This observational study examined complete sets of MFM fellows and active members of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) between 1985 and 2016. Databases from SMFM, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), and Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education were used. Analysis of covariance testing was used to assess interactions over time between groups. Results The proportion of female MFM fellows increased steadily from 17.1% in 1985 to 72.5% in 2016. The proportion of females grew more rapidly among the MFM fellows than obstetrics and gynecology (ob-gyn) residents (2.1 vs. 1.4% per year; p = 0.001) and among those who were active SMFM members than ACOG Fellows (1.4 vs. 1.2% per year; p = 0.013). Slightly more than half (52.4%) of all SMFM members are now female and will approach two-thirds (64.4%) by 2025 (compared with 53.4% in 2016 and 65.3% in 2025 of ACOG fellows). Conclusion The rising proportion of female MFM fellows is directly related to the high number of female ob-gyn residents. Females comprise slightly more than half of all active SMFM members now and projected to approach two-thirds by 2025.
Eleven Strategies For Getting Into Graduate School in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology

Getting into graduate school can be tough if you have not done your homework. I outline eleven strategies for increasing your chances of successfully being accepted into an ecology or evolutionary biology lab. Try to get good grades as an undergraduate, do well on the Graduate Record Exam (if applicable), join a lab reading group or undertake an undergraduate thesis, take time to forge relationships so you can have strong reference writers, obtain relevant work experience, author a publication, read peer-reviewed literature, attend national meetings, come up with some good research ideas, develop a relationship with a potential advisor, and apply to at least ten schools. If you follow these strategies, you have a high probability of getting into graduate school in ecology and evolutionary biology.
Composition in the Ensemble Classroom: Ideas from Eight Researcher-Designed Methods.

Composition is a natural human activity that can both support other music instruction and help students develop creativity that is applicable to their extramusical endeavors. It also constitutes a ...
Synthetic aperture magnetometry and excess kurtosis mapping of Magnetoencephalography (MEG) is predictive of epilepsy surgical outcome in a large pediatric cohort.

Abstract Objective Resective surgery is the most effective treatment option for patients with refractory epilepsy; however identification of patients who will benefit from epilepsy surgery remains challenging. Synthetic aperture magnetometry and excess kurtosis mapping (SAM(g2)) of magnetoencephalography (MEG) is a non-invasive tool that warrants further examination in the pediatric epilepsy population. Here, we examined the utility of MEG with SAM(g2) to determine if MEG epileptiform foci correlates with surgical outcome and to develop a predictive model incorporating MEG information to best assess likelihood of seizure improvement/freedom from resective surgery. Methods 564 subjects who had MEG at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia between 2010–2015 were screened. Clinical epilepsy history and prior electrographic records were extracted and reviewed and correlated with MEG findings. MEG assessments were made by both a neurologist and neuroradiologist. Predictive models were developed to assess the utility of MEG in determining Engel class at one year and five years after resective epilepsy surgery. Results The number of MEG spike foci was highly associated with Engel class outcome at both one year and five years; however, using MEG data in isolation was not significantly predictive of 5 year surgical outcome. When combined with clinical factors; scalp EEG (single ictal onset zone), MRI (lesional or not), age and sex in a logistic regression model MEG foci was significant for Engel class outcome at both 1 year (p = 0.03) and 5 years (0.02). The percent correctly classified for Engel class at one year was 78.43% and the positive predictive value was 71.43. Significance MEG using SAM(g2) analysis in an important non-invasive tool in the identification of those patients who will benefit most from surgery. Integrating MEG data analysis into pre-surgical evaluation can help to predict epilepsy outcome after resective surgery in the pediatric population if utilized with skilled interpretation.
Leading in dickensian times: Address of the president-elect at the 2019 AACP annual meeting

It is the best of times, it is the worst of times. It is a day of tremendous opportunity, yet every day there is frustration or despair. It is a season where recognition of the good — and the harm — of medications for many stakeholders is as great as it has ever been. And, it is a season where
Queering Same-Sex Marriage: Gay Determinism, Queer Choice and the Determination to Love

At the heart of the debate on same-sex marriage is the question whether the restriction of marriage to opposite-sex partners is irrational or unfair to homosexual persons on the ground that homosexuality is genetically determined or innate. In this presentation I respond to this argument in two ways. First, I want to speak to the sociological plausibility of the claim that homosexuality is genetically determined. This presents an alternative scientific perspective to the biological research which undercuts, and in some ways helps us to understand, the biological claims for homosexuality. Second, I want to address the main rhetorical argument, and for many the most persuasive evidence, that homosexuality is determined, that is, the narrative reports of gay persons who have personally experienced or discovered their same-sex attraction to be innate and irresistible.
External Fixators for Deformity Correction

External fixators have reinvented the art of deformity correction by incorporating the 4D technology of gradual correction over time into the operative strategy. Computer navigation through the use of hexapod technology has further advanced the surgeon’s ability to realign malunited fractures and nonunions safely and reproducibly. Frame stability is paramount to successfully controlling the fixated bone fragments and performing accurate deformity correction with reliable healing. The biomechanics begin with a thorough evaluation of the patient and the radiographs to generate a comprehensive preoperative plan. A stable frame is applied in the operating room, and a minimally invasive surgery is performed when possible. Careful follow-up is done to check the frame integrity including strut markings, the adjacent soft tissues, and the radiographs. Problems and obstacles are addressed. Frame removal is determined by assessing many factors.
Durable clinical responses in patients with metastatic melanoma vaccinated with dendritic cells loaded with killed allogeneic melanoma cells

2576 Background: We demonstrated that DCs loaded with killed allogeneic tumors can cross-prime tumor-specific naive CD8+T cells in vitro. Clinically this approach would overcome HLA restriction inh...
A Presentation of a Follicular Lymphoma Incidentally Found in the Duodenum

Duodenal lymphomas are considered a rare etiology in the GI tract and are found incidentally in around one out of every 5000 esophagogastroduodenoscopies. These tumors are distinct from nodal follicular lymphomas but share some morphologic, immunochemical, and histological features. Further staging is performed via CT scan, PET scan for classification of the tumor burden of the disease. We present a case report of a healthy 63 year old male who was found to have an indolent variant of the follicular lymphoma classified as stage 1E follicular lymphoma. This disease process is generally benign and usually confers a good overall prognosis. Follicular duodenal lymphomas were further classified in 2016 by the World health organization; as these tumors have increased in incidence due to advancing techniques in endoscopies and determining whether or not treatment options are needed for these tumorswhich have excellent outcomes. Our case highlights that a watchful wait approach can be a good option for patients who do not present with concerns of systemicdisease.
Outside In: Chorus and clearing in the time of pandemic and protest

A sonic ensemble, this essay describes how the COVID-19 pandemic cleared the way for heightened protest against racial violence. Both the pandemic and Black Lives Matter address the acoustical threshold between the inside and outside, being a call to listen rather than simply to hear. Arguing that the call exceeds the confines of the first-person subject, particularly in its chants for justice, the essay moves through auditory fragments of pandemic and protest. These fragments are connected through the fact of air, breathe, and the recognition of a shared world and its chorus.
Photo-Triggered Delivery of siRNA and Paclitaxel into Breast Cancer Cells Using Catanionic Vesicles

Localized drug delivery holds great promise as a means of circumventing traditional chemotherapy side effects associated with high toxicity and prolonged treatments. Nanosized carriers (i.e., with ...
Overreaction to stock market news and misevaluation of stock prices by unsophisticated investors: Evidence from the option market☆

Abstract This paper examines investors' option activity on value and growth stocks before earnings announcements. The main finding is that unsophisticated investors enter option positions that load up on growth stocks relative to value stocks in the days leading up to earnings announcements. This occurs despite the fact that at earnings announcements value stocks outperform growth stocks by a wide margin. The paper's results provide evidence that unsophisticated option market investors (1) overreact to past news on underlying stocks and (2) mistakenly believe that mispriced stocks will move even further away from fundamentals at impending scheduled news releases.
Retinopathy in a Full-Term Infant with Cri-du-Chat Syndrome

Cri-du-chat (CdC) is a 5p chromosomal deletion syndrome. CdC has numerous systemic associations but only a few ocular manifestations have been documented. In this report we present novel ocular findings of peripheral avascular retina and retinal hemorrhages in a full-term female infant, born to non-consanguineous parents, who had clinical features of cri-du-chat syndrome and genetic confirmation. The retinal hemorrhages resolved. However, the temporal avascular retina in our full-term patient remained. Further analysis of the 5p locus showed 3 genes: CTNND2, SEMA5A and SLC6A18 that not only fit our patient's external phenotype and ophthalmoscopic findings of retinal hemorrhages, but were also key in proper ocular development and neurogenesis, suggesting a genetic contribution by the short-arm of chromosome 5 to proper retinal maturation. Given these findings and their association with cri-du-chat, special attention on screening examinations should include a thorough evaluation of retinal vascularization in CdC patients, even in full-term neonates.