cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
How are perceived stigma, self-stigma, and self-reliance related to treatment-seeking? A three-path model.

Objective Many college students may experience mental health problems but do not seek treatment from mental health professionals. The present study examined how perceived stigma and self-stigma toward seeking mental health treatment, as well as perceptions of self-reliance for coping with mental health problems, relate to college student treatment-seeking. Method In total, 246 students completed a self-report survey that included measures of perceived stigma and self-stigma for treatment-seeking, self-reliance for addressing mental health concerns, self-reported mental health problems, symptoms of depression and alcohol-related problems, attitudes toward treatment-seeking, and treatment-seeking behavior. Results Regression analyses revealed that higher perceived stigma, self-stigma, and self-reliance were all related to a more negative attitude toward treatment-seeking. In a 3-path mediation model, bootstrapping results indicated an indirect effect where perceived stigma was related to attitude toward treatment-seeking and treatment-seeking behaviors through self-stigma and self-reliance. Specifically, higher perceived stigma was related to higher self-stigma, higher self-stigma was related to higher self-reliance, and higher self-reliance was associated with a more negative attitude toward treatment-seeking in the overall sample, and a decreased probability of having sought treatment among those who screened positive for a mental health problem. Conclusions and implications for practice Perceived stigma may influence whether or not college students seek treatment for mental health problems by potentially increasing stigmatizing attitudes toward themselves and increasing preferences for handling problems on their own. Researchers and practitioners are recommended to seek a better understanding of the complex treatment barriers to reduce stigma and facilitate treatment-seeking.
A multivariate study of Calyptrogyne (Palmae).

Abstract Multivariate analyses of qualitative and quantitative characters taken from herbarium specimens of Calyptrogyne H. Wendl. (Palmae), together with analysis of geographic distributions, reveals 27 groups of specimens. Application of the Phylogenetic Species/Subspecies Concept to these groups gives 18 species and 13 subspecies, giving a total of 27 taxa in the genus. Eight species (C. tutensis, C. fortunensis, C. sanblasensis, C. baudensis, C. deneversii, C. coloradensis, C. panamensis, C. osensis) and seven subspecies (C. costatifrons subsp. occidentalis, C. costatifrons subsp. dariensis, C. allenii subsp. centralis, C. panamensis subsp. centralis, C. panamensis subsp. tutensis, C. panamensis subsp. occidentalis, C. ghiesbreghtiana subsp. hondurensis) are new, and two new combinations are made (C. ghiesbreghtiana subsp. spicigera, C. ghiesbreghtiana subsp. glauca). These taxa are distributed from southern Mexico to northwestern Colombia, with the greatest diversity in western Panama.
Benign Arterial Calcification on Screening Mammogram: A Marker for Coronary Artery Disease?

Abstract Background: Studies have shown several risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD), such as diabetes and hypertension, are associated with benign arterial calcifications (BACs) seen on screening mammograms. However, there are few studies examining the association of BACs with women who are diagnosed with CAD. The purpose of our study was to determine whether there is an association between BACs present on routine screening digital mammograms and the presence of CAD as documented on cardiac catheterization. Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed on women aged ≥40 years who had undergone a digital screening mammogram within two years of also having a cardiac catheterization from 1999 to 2010. Mammograms were reviewed for the presence of BACs. Cardiac catheterizations were reviewed for the presence of CAD. Patients with BACs were compared with those without BACs by chi-squared or Wilcoxon rank sum tests. Results: The final study cohort consisted of 198 patients with 101 patients havi...
Planning Level Estimates of Heavy Metals, Total PCBs and HCB Loading to The Buffalo River, NY from Combined Sewer Overflows.

The collection, transport and disposal of dry-weather and wet weather flow is an environmental problem for many U.S. cities (Roesner and Burgess, 1992). Combi…
Correlated Evolution of Short Wavelength Sensitive Photoreceptor Sensitivity and Color Pattern in Lake Malawi Cichlids

For evolutionary ecologists, the “holy grail” of visual ecology is to establish an unambiguous link between photoreceptor sensitivity, the spectral environment, and the perception of specific visual stimuli (e.g., mates, food, predators, etc.). Due to the bright nuptial colors of the males, and the role female mate choice plays in their evolution, the haplochromine cichlid fishes of the African great lakes are favorite research subjects for such investigations. Despite this attention, current evidence is equivocal; while distinct correlations among photoreceptor sensitivity, photic environment, and male coloration exist in Lake Victorian haplochromines, attempts to find such correlations in Lake Malawian cichlids have failed. Lake Malawi haplochromines have a wide variability in their short-wavelength-sensitive photoreceptors, especially compared to their mid- and long-wavelength-sensitive photoreceptors; these cichlids also vary in the degree to which they express one of three basic color patterns (vertical bars, horizontal stripes, and solid patches of colors), each of which is likely used in a different form of communication. Thus, we hypothesize that, in these fishes, spectral sensitivity and color pattern have evolved in a correlated fashion to maximize visual communication; specifically, ultraviolet sensitivity should be found in vertically-barred species to promote ‘private’ communication, while striped species should be less likely to have ultraviolet sensitivity, since their color pattern carries ‘public’ information. Using phylogenetic independent contrasts, we found that barred species had strong sensitivity to ultraviolet wavelengths, but that striped species typically lacked sensitivity to ultraviolet light. Further, the only variable, even when environmental variables were simultaneously considered, that could predict ultraviolet sensitivity was color pattern. We also found that, using models of correlated evolution, color pattern and ultraviolet sensitivity are correlated in Lake Malawi cichlid evolution, with the likely ancestor being a vertically-barred, ultraviolet-sensitive species, the descendants of which lost both ultraviolet sensitivity and a barred color pattern. These results, indicating that communication of ‘public’ and ‘private’ signals is mediated via differing perceptions of color patterns, suggest a functional connection between visual sensitivity and colour pattern, a novel finding in Lake Malawi cichlids.
Thermally Controlled Morphologies in a Block Copolymer Supramolecule via Nonreversible Order–Order Transitions

Block copolymer (BCP)-based supramolecules represent a versatile platform to generate functional nanostructures without the need for complex synthesis. The noncovalent bonding between the BCP and small molecules further opens opportunities to access thermal responsive assemblies. A BCP supramolecule containing cholesteric liquid crystal (LC) small molecules is observed to undergo thermally induced, nonreversible order–order transitions (OOTs), resulting in several well-defined morphologies readily tunable by annealing temperature. The nonreversible OOTs highlight the importance of small molecule phase transitions and intermolecular interactions on the overall phase behavior of the supramolecule. The present system also provides a route to manipulate local nanostructures via heating.
Beyond Detective Fiction: A Brief Study of Natsuo Kirino’s Gyokuran (Magnolia)

Natsuno Kirino (b. 1951) is a female detective fiction writer from Japan. She has published more than 20 novels and several of them, including Out (2004), Grotesque (2007), Real World (2008), and What Remains (2008), have been translated into English. Due to her close attention to female psychology in a patriarchal society, Kirino is often considered as a feminist writer. J. Madison Davis comments on Kirino’s rich imagination in Out in an article published in a recent issue of World Literature Today , in which he points out that her fiction creates not only fascinating plots but also a rare sense of reality, especially reality that women face in contemporary Japan. Out centers on a murder-mystery case, which involves a housewife killing her abusive husband with the help of three female coworkers from a bento -box factory. Behind the murder mystery there is a shocking depiction of reality—although Japan is among the most industrialized nations in the world, women still suffer social and economic inequality and violence within the family.
Narcolepsy/Cataplexy and Occult Neuroblastoma

Investigators at the University of Chicago and Northwestern University, Chicago, IL; University Hospital Southampton, UK; and Kiev Paediatric Hospital, Ukraine, report three children with narcolepsy and cataplexy subsequently diagnosed with neuroblastoma.
Binary particle swarm optimization algorithm for human face recognition

The binary particle swarm optimization(BPSO) algorithm is introduced for face recognition.Firstly,the original face images are changed into feature vectors by two-dimensional discrete cosine transform(DCT).Secondly,the features are selected by the BPSO algorithm from the feature vectors,in order to get the most representative features of human faces.Compared with genetic algorithms(GA),the BPSO algorithm can obtain a higher recognition rate by means of a few of feature.The results show that the BSPO algorithm has a high recognition rate for human face recognition applications.The BSPO algorithm is certificated as an effective feature selection method.
Addressing the impact of economic sanctions on Iranian drug shortages in the joint comprehensive plan of action: promoting access to medicines and health diplomacy

The U.S Congress initiated sanctions against Iran after the 1979 U.S. Embassy hostage crisis in Tehran, and since then the scope of multilateral sanctions imposed by the United States, the European Union, and the United Nations Security Council have progressively expanded throughout the intervening years. Though primarily targeted at Iran’s nuclear proliferation activities, sanctions have nevertheless resulted in negative public health outcomes for ordinary Iranian citizens. This includes creating vital domestic shortages to life-saving medicines, leaving an estimated 6 million Iranian patients with limited treatment access for a host of diseases. Sanctions have also crippled Iran’s domestic pharmaceutical industry, leading to the disruption of generic medicines production and forcing the country to import medicines and raw materials that are of lower or questionable quality. Countries such as the United States have responded to this medical crisis by implementing export control exemptions with the aim of easing the trade of humanitarian goods (including certain pharmaceuticals and medical devices). However, despite these efforts, pharmaceutical firms and international banking institutions remain cautious about doing business with Iran, leaving the country faced with continuing shortages. We conducted a review of key characteristics of the Iranian drug shortage that identified 73 shortage drugs that closely tracked with the disease burden in the country. Additionally, 44 % of these drugs were also classified as essential medicines by the World Health Organization. A vast majority of these drugs were also covered under export control exemptions that theoretically should make them easier to procure, but nevertheless will still in shortage. Based on our review of the sanctions regulatory framework and key characteristics of the Iranian drug shortage, we propose policy intervention leveraging the recently negotiated P5 + 1 agreement that begins the process of providing Iran relief from the international economic sanctions regime. This specifically includes advocating for the application of “health diplomacy” in ongoing multilateral negotiations following commencement of “implementation day,” by advocating for an additional set of reform measures incorporated into this historic negotiation that will finally address the humanitarian and medical crisis of drug shortages in Iran.
Estimating life-years: enter the argument to use split livers versus whole livers.

Division of donor livers has allowed effective expansion of the donor pool and has been associated with a reduction in the mortality of children awaiting liver transplantation. However, adult recipients of a split graft tend to have inferior transplant survival, compared with recipients of a whole graft. We have analysed the impact of the splitting programme at a particular centre on the life-years lost or gained in both adult and paediatric recipients. We estimate that at 1 year after transplantation, splitting livers has resulted in a gain of five life-years for the paediatric recipients with a loss of six adult patient years; at 5 years posttransplant, a gain of 25 life-years for the paediatric recipients balances a loss of 30 life-years for adult recipients. While this analysis is based on a number of assumptions, and so the results must be treated with caution, it does give rise to a number of ethical considerations which require open and public debate.
γ-Glutamyl transpeptidase in Hydralittoralis

Abstract Hydra littoralis exhibits high γ-glutamyl transpeptidase activity, i.e., about 12% of the activity (determined with glutathione) of rat kidney. Histochemical studies show that the enzyme is located mainly in the gastric and sub-hypostome regions; the enzyme is also present in the tentacles and basal disc. These results and the presence of other enzymes of the γ-glutamyl cycle suggest that the cycle plays a role in the metabolism of glutathione in hydras and that γ-glutamyl transpeptidase may function in their digestive and absorptive processes and possibly also in the behavioral response to glutathione.
Internet-of-everything oriented implementation of secure Digital Health (D-Health) systems

The past few decades have witnessed incredible advances in human health care, owing to the invention of devices such as MRI scanners, which allow physicians to monitor personal health in more detail than was ever previously possible. Such advances have drastically improved diagnostic quality and patient health care. Central to this incredible progress was the uncanny ability of technologists and academics to invent ever more useful tools to help physicians, be it the X-ray machine, CT, or MRI scanner. Whereas the aforementioned past-decades' tools aimed at acquiring personal data, the advent of the Internet-of-Things, vast computational power available in the cloud, and new data analytics algorithms will completely change the way we acquire and process medical data to improve health care going forward. In this paper, we conduct a quantitative feasibility study of a Digital Health (D-Health) system that is aimed at acquiring and processing health data using the emerging Internet-of-Everything paradigm. We specifically investigate the technological feasibility of communication, software, and data privacy aspects.
A trait‐mediated, neighbourhood approach to quantify climate impacts on successional dynamics of tropical rainforests

Summary Second-growth forests account for 40% of the terrestrial forest carbon sink and represent the dominant forest cover in tropical regions. Uncertainties in predicting responses of these ecosystems to climate change arise from high tree species diversity, complex links between eco-physiology and demography, and the role of ontogeny and competition in mediating individual tree responses to climate. The dynamic nature of second-growth forests adds further uncertainty to our ability to quantify the relative importance of climate in mediating successional trajectories. To address these uncertainties, we develop a hierarchical Bayesian neighbourhood modelling approach that quantifies how the joint response of two key functional axes, wood density and specific leaf area (SLA), modulate impacts of inter-annual variation in seasonal water stress (number of days during dry season > 1 kPa vapour pressure deficit) and night-time temperature on growth and survival of small (5–10 cm dbh) and large (≥ 10 cm dbh) trees for 171 rainforest species in 6 s-growth and 2 old-growth 1-ha mapped stands. We use model results to examine potential climate impacts on the successional trajectories of these stands. High water stress reduced large tree growth but favoured growth of small trees. Drought also reduced tree survival for both large and small trees. Tree species with high wood density suffered lower growth reductions and had higher survival under water stress. High SLA magnified the negative effects of water stress on tree growth and survival. Across all tree sizes, high night-time temperatures did not influence growth or survival. Simulated successional trajectories under different climate scenarios using these results suggest that multi-annual droughts will have substantial impacts of the successional trajectories of tropical forests, leading to lower stem numbers, basal area and biomass. Sustained drought will also shift functional composition of second-growth forest by favouring species with low SLA which tend to dominate in late stages of succession. By incorporating trait-mediated effects on key drivers of tree demography and successional dynamics, our approach provides an integrated perspective on interspecific variation in vulnerability to drought and consequences for successional trajectories in tropical rainforests. Our results suggest that multi-annual drought stress will significantly alter structure, composition and dynamics of second-growth forests and, from a functional perspective, accelerate succession. However, this effect may be hampered by dispersal limitation of old-growth species into second-growth forests.
Uncovering features in kindred programs

The detection of similar code can support many software engineering tasks such as program understanding and API replacement. Many excellent approaches have been proposed to detect programs having similar syntactic features. However, some programs dynamically or statistically close to each other, which we call kindred programs, may be ignored. We believe the detection of kindred programs can enhance or even automate the tasks relevant to program classification. In this proposal, we will discuss our current approaches to mine kindred programs having similar functional features and behavioral features. We will also roadmap our on-going development that integrates program analysis with machine learning models to extract statistical features from codebases.
Serum microRNAs as predictors of risk for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.

// Jie Lian 1 , Shu-Hong Lin 1 , Yuanqing Ye 1 , David W. Chang 1 , Maosheng Huang 1 , Colin P. Dinney 2 and Xifeng Wu 1 1 Department of Epidemiology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA 2 Department of Urology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA Correspondence to: Xifeng Wu, email: xwu@mdanderson.org Keywords: serum miRNA; biomarker; expression ratio; risk score; non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer Abbreviations: NMIBC: non-muscle invasive bladder cancer; miRNA: microRNA Received: May 24, 2017 Accepted: January 13, 2018 Epub: February 12, 2018 Published: March 13, 2018 ABSTRACT MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are implicated in the development of nearly all cancers and may function as promising biomarkers for early detection, diagnosis and prognosis. We sought to investigate the role of serum miRNAs as potential diagnostic biomarkers or biomarkers of risk for early-stage bladder cancer. First, we profiled global serum miRNAs in a pilot set of 10 non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) cases and 10 healthy controls matched on age, gender and smoking status. Eighty nine stably detectable miRNAs were selected for further testing and quantification by high-throughput Taqman analysis using the Fluidigm BioMark HD System to assess their association with NMIBC risk in both discovery and validation sets totaling 280 cases and 278 controls. We found miR-409-3p and six miRNAs expression ratios were significantly associated with risk of bladder cancer in both discovery and validation sets. Interestingly, we identified expression of miR-409-3p and miR-342-3p inversely correlated with age and age of onset of NMIBC. A risk score was generated based on the combination of three miRNA ratios (miR-29a-3p/miR-222-3p, miR-150-5p/miR-331-3p, miR-409-3p/miR-423-5p). In dichotomized analysis, we found individuals with high risk score showed increased risk of bladder cancer in the discovery, validation, and combined sets. Pathway enrichment analyses suggested altered miRNAs and cognate target genes are linked to the retinoid acid receptor (RAR) signaling pathway. Overall, these results suggested specific serum miRNA signatures may serve as noninvasive predictors of NMIBC risk. Biological insights underlying bladder cancer development based on the pathway enrichment analysis may reveal novel therapeutic targets for personalized medicine.
Limits of diversity: Jane Jacobs, the Just City, and anti-subordination

Abstract Diversity is a concept that Jane Jacobs places at the heart of her work and that Susan Fainstein similarly identifies as central to the definition of a just city. But what is the relationship between the diversity in the built environment that Jacobs emphasizes and the socio-economic diversity that Fainstein notes is so important? Drawing on Jacobs and Fainstein to analyze a case study of an affordable housing development in Boston, Massachusetts, we argue that planning with a just city in mind requires more than a commitment to diversity in urban form or demographic composition. Instead of setting out diversity as a goal that may help dominant individuals overcome irrational prejudices through the free flow of ideas when exposed to diverse peers, we argue for policies that identify and address historical inequalities and relations of domination along the lines of sex, sexuality, race, ethnicity, national origin, or other ascriptive characteristics.
How to Build Service Quality into Your Operation

Excerpt] You've probably heard about or used some kind of quality assurance program in your operation, including total quality management, Six Sigma, lean, quality circle, or Kaizen. These techniques or approaches have been developed to help operators define, create, and execute organizational processes to build and maintain service quality. Regardless of the approach you use, service quality initiatives and processes are widely recognized as critical tools for ensuring guest satisfaction and developing a competitive advantage. Needless to say, creating and delivering a consistent, quality product and service is a key to long-term business success. Hospitality service-quality initiatives require excellent service processes and consistently effective employees. As a manager, operator, or supervisor, most of your time will be spent working to understand, develop, and modify the behavior of your guests, employees, and owners. A total quality approach to management can help you gain better control over those important people. In this chapter, I present and discuss the foundations of service quality— in particular, what you can do to bring it into your organization.
Mass Transportation Operators’ Beliefs about Visual Impairment:

This study investigated 171 mass transit operators’ beliefs about blindness and the factors that may influence their beliefs. Results indicated that there were statistically significant differences...
The Self-Reinforcing Nature of Social Hierarchy: Origins and Consequences of Power and Status

Hierarchy is such a defining feature of organizations that its forms and basic functions are often taken for granted in organizational research. In this chapter, we revisit some basic sociological and psychological elements of hierarchy to explain why hierarchy is so pervasive across groups and organizations. We argue that status and power are two distinct and important bases of hierarchical differentiation, and we integrate a number of different literatures to explain why status and power hierarchies tend to be self-reinforcing. Power, related to one's control over valued resources, transforms individuals psychologically such that they think and act in ways that lead to the acquisition and retention of power. Status, related to the respect one has in the eyes of others, generates expectations for behavior that favor those with a prior status advantage.
Does the stock market contain information about economic growth? Time-varying out of sample causality tests

We present a new approach to conduct time-varying out of sample causality tests and apply our method to examine the information content of the stock market for economic growth in the US context. We...
Spillover Effects of Medicaid Expansion on Private Premiums: Evidence from Cost-Sharing Subsidy Thresholds

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) is one of the most debated, and dividing, pieces of legislation in recent memory. One of the main elements of the PPACA is the mandatory expansion of Medicaid eligibility to 138% of the poverty line and the inclusion of childless adults. Immediately following the law's passage, a number of states sued for the law to be ruled unconstitutional. While the majority of the law held up to judicial scrutiny, the Supreme Court did rule that the mandatory expansion violated states' rights and thus states could opt out. Nearly all of the debate has focused on the direct effects of the newly covered, but there are also important secondary effects to consider. If the newly-eligible portion differs from the general populace then an expansion of Medicaid can affect the private market for health insurance. In this paper, we use policy-level data from the Health Insurance Exchanges and a difference in differences strategy to identify and estimate the effects of Medicaid expansion on the private health insurance market. We find that expanding Medicaid reduces average monthly premiums by $32.40; a decrease of 11.86%.
Protein kinase C is involved in M1-muscarinic receptor-mediated facilitation of L-type Ca2+ channels in neurons of the major pelvic ganglion of the adult male rat.

We used patch clamp recording techniques to determine if muscarinic signaling mechanisms are present in dissociated autonomic neurons obtained from the major pelvic ganglion, which provides the cholinergic innervation of the urinary bladder and other pelvic organs. The M1 specific agonist, McN-A-343 (2–30 μM) enhanced Ca2+ currents in approximately 37% of neurons (by 50–80%). This enhancement was reduced by atropine (5–10 μM) or a PKC inhibitor (bisindolylmaleimide, 50–200 nM). In responsive neurons Ca2+ currents were also enhanced by the phorbol ester, phorbol-12, 13-dibutyrate (50–300 nM) and the dihydropyridine agonist Bay K 8644 (5 μM) and had kinetics of activation and inactivation as expected for L-type Ca2+ channels. We conclude that in a subpopulation of MPG neurons, M1-mediated activation of PKC phosphorylates and enhances L-type Ca2+ channel activities. This muscarinic facilitatory mechanism in MPG neurons may be the same as the M1-mediated facilitation of transmitter release reported previously at the nerve terminals in the urinary bladder.
Participation in Active Learning Correlates to Higher Female Performance in a Pipeline Course for Underrepresented Students in Medicine.

This study was designed to explore the relationship between participation (measured by percentage of time spoken) in team-based learning (TBL) exercises and final examination in a 4-week medical microbiology course for college students from backgrounds underrepresented in medicine (URM). A significant correlation was found between participation and examination scores in lower performing students. Although male participation was higher, a significant correlation between participation and examination scores was found only in females. These data suggest that female participation is based on knowledge of the subject under discussion and that affirmation in TBL positively reinforces self-confidence, increasing student’s efficiency during peer teaching.
Near Miss in Intraoperative Magnetic Resonance Imaging: A Case for In Situ Simulation.

Pediatric patients in intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging (iMRI) settings are at high risk for morbidity should an adverse event occur. We describe an experience in the iMRI scanner where no harm occurred, yet revealed an opportunity to improve the safety of patients utilizing the iMRI. The perioperative quality improvement team, resuscitation team, and radiology nurse leadership collaborated to understand the process better through in situ simulation. Methods After a problem analysis, the team planned an in situ, high-fidelity simulation with predefined learning objectives to identify previously overlooked opportunities for improvement. The iMRI simulation had unique considerations, including the use of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-compatible mannequin and ensuring participants' safety. Audiovisual equipment was placed in strategic locations to record the MRI and operating room (OR) segments of the simulation, and trained health-care simulation experts provided debriefing. Results After completion of the iMRI simulation, the quality improvement team solicited feedback from participants and reviewed the video-recorded simulation. Several opportunities for improvement surrounding staff responsibilities and unique aspects of the iMRI environment were identified. Conclusions iMRI in situ simulation has not been previously described. It presents unique challenges given the integration of personnel from OR and radiology environments, anesthetized patients, and risks from the high-powered MRI magnet. Other institutions utilizing hybrid ORs with iMRI may consider conducting in situ simulations using the described methods.
AttentivU: a Biofeedback Device to Monitor and Improve Engagement in the Workplace

Everyday work is becoming increasingly complex and cognitively demanding. A person’s level of attention influences how effectively their brain prepares itself for action, and how much effort they apply to a task. However, the various distractions of the modern work environment often make it hard to pay and sustain attention. To address this issue, we present AttentivU - a system that uses wearable electroencephalography (EEG) to measure the attention of a person in real-time. When the user’s attention level is low, the system provides real-time, subtle feedback to nudge the person to become attentive again. Users can choose to turn the device on or off based on whether their current task requires focused attention. We tested the system on 12 adults in a real workplace setting. The preliminary results show that the biofeedback redirects the attention of the participants to the task at hand and improves their performance.
Intrinsic Lung Diseases

Restrictive lung diseases (RLDs) are disease processes which limit expansion of the respiratory system resulting in a reduction in lung volumes when measured by pulmonary function tests (PFTs). Intrinsic lung diseases result when there is an increase in lung elastic recoil due to scarring or infiltrative processes. These physiologic abnormalities can lead to several increased perioperative risks. Currently, there are no evidence-based guidelines for the perioperative management of RLD. Preoperative evaluation should include a detailed history of functional status and other risk factors for postoperative pulmonary complications. Postoperative recommendations are based on the underlying etiology of disease and a pulmonary consult is warranted in patients with severe respiratory compromise.
The Roles of Body Composition and Specific Strength in the Relationship Between Race and Physical Performance in Older Adults

Background Socioeconomics may explain black-white differences in physical performance; few studies examine racial differences among socioeconomically similar groups. Performance is also affected by body composition and specific strength, which differ by race. We assessed whether racial differences in physical performance exist among older adults with high education and similar income and whether body composition and specific strength attenuate observed differences. Methods Cross-sectional analysis of 536 men (18% black) and 576 women (28% black) aged more than 60 years from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. Body composition was evaluated using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Specific strength was assessed by quadricep peak torque divided by height-normalized thigh cross-sectional area and grip strength divided by body mass index-normalized appendicular lean mass. Physical performance was assessed using usual gait speed and fast 400 m walk time. Sex-stratified linear regression models, adjusted for age, height, education, and recent income, determined whether body composition or specific strength attenuated associations between race and physical performance. Results Blacks were younger, with higher weight and appendicular lean mass. Black women had higher percent fat and specific strength. In both sexes, blacks had poorer physical performance after adjustment for socioeconomic factors. In women, neither body composition nor specific strength altered the association with gait speed. In men, neither body composition nor specific strength attenuated racial differences in either performance measure. Conclusions Poorer physical performance among black compared to white older adults persists among persons with high education and similar income and cannot generally be attributed to differences in body composition or specific strength.
Long Noncoding RNA GAS5 Regulates Macrophage Polarization and Diabetic Wound Healing.

A central feature of diabetic (Db) wounds is the persistence of chronic inflammation, which is partly due to the prolonged presence of proinflammatory (M1) macrophages. Using in vivo and in vitro analyses, we have tested the hypothesis that long noncoding RNA GAS5 is dysregulated in Db wounds. We have assessed the contribution of GAS5 to the M1 macrophage phenotype, as well as the functional consequences of knocking down its expression. We found that expression of GAS5 is increased significantly in Db wounds and in cells isolated from Db wounds. Hyperglycemia induced GAS5 expression in macrophages in vitro. Overexpression of GAS5 in vitro promoted macrophage polarization toward an M1 phenotype by upregulating signal transducer and activator of transcription 1. Of most significance in our judgment, GAS5 loss-of-function enhanced Db wound healing. These data indicate that the relative level of long noncoding RNA GAS5 in wounds plays a key role in the wound healing response. Reductions in the levels of GAS5 in wounds appeared to enhance healing by promoting transition of M1 macrophages to M2 macrophages. Thus, our results suggest that targeting long noncoding RNA GAS5 may provide a therapeutic intervention for correcting impaired Db wound healing.
Using wavelet transform and dynamic time warping to identify the limitations of the CNN model as an air quality forecasting system

Abstract. As the deep learning algorithm has become a popular data analytic technique, atmospheric scientists should have a balanced perception of its strengths and limitations so that they can provide a powerful analysis of complex data with well-established procedures. Despite the enormous success of the algorithm in numerous applications, certain issues related to its applications in air quality forecasting (AQF) require further analysis and discussion. This study addresses significant limitations of an advanced deep learning algorithm, the convolutional neural network (CNN), in two common applications: (i) a real-time AQF model, and (ii) a post-processing tool in a dynamical AQF model, the Community Multi-scale Air Quality Model (CMAQ). In both cases, the CNN model shows promising accuracy for ozone prediction 24 hours in advance in both the United States and South Korea (with an overall index of agreement exceeding 0.8). For the first case, we use the wavelet transform to determine the reasons behind the poor performance of CNN during the nighttime, cold months, and high ozone episodes. We find that when fine wavelet modes (hourly and daily) are relatively weak or when coarse wavelet modes (weekly) are strong, the CNN model produces less accurate forecasts. For the second case, we use the dynamic time warping (DTW) distance analysis to compare post-processed results with their CMAQ counterparts (as a base model). For CMAQ results that show a consistent DTW distance from the observation, the post-processing approach properly addresses the modeling bias with predicted IOAs exceeding 0.85. When the DTW distance of CMAQ-vs-observation is irregular, the post-processing approach is unlikely to perform satisfactorily. Awareness of the limitations in CNN models will enable scientists to develop more accurate regional or local air quality forecasting systems by identifying the affecting factors in high concentration episodes.
Backlund Transformations and Geometric and Complex-Analytic Background for Construction of Completely Integrable Lattice Systems

Topological and complex analytic background is given for the introduction of the concept of Backlund transformation (BT). Backlund transformation is introduced from the point of view of isomonodromy deformation. The axiom of permutability of BTs is equivalent to the Baxter-Zamolodchikov introduction of completely integrable quantum systems with factorized S-matrices. Many important concrete examples of classical and quantum completely integrable systems of field theory and statistical mechanics are considered.
Effects of Sleeve Gastrectomy on Bone Marrow Adipose Tissue in Adolescents and Young Adults with Obesity.

CONTEXT Sleeve gastrectomy (SG), the most common metabolic and bariatric surgery in adolescents, is associated with bone loss. Marrow adipose tissue (MAT) is a dynamic endocrine organ that responds to changes in nutrition and might serve as a novel biomarker for bone health. Two types of MAT have been described, which differ in anatomic location-proximal regulated MAT vs distal constitutive MAT. OBJECTIVE To determine the effects of SG on volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) and MAT in adolescents with obesity. We hypothesized that SG would lead to a decrease in vBMD and differential changes in MAT. DESIGN 12-month prospective study in 52 adolescents with moderate-to-severe obesity (38 female; mean age:17.5 ± 2.2 years; mean BMI 45.2 ± 7.0 kg/m2), comprising 26 subjects before and after SG and 26 nonsurgical controls. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Lumbar vBMD by quantitative computed tomography; MAT of the lumbar spine, femur and tibia by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy; abdominal fat and thigh muscle by magnetic resonance imaging. RESULTS Adolescents lost 34.1 ± 13.1 kg after SG vs 0.3 ± 8.4 kg in the control group (P < 0.001). Lumbar vBMD decreased in the SG group (P = 0.04) and this change was associated with a reduction in weight and muscle area (P < 0.05) and an increase in lumbar MAT (P = 0.0002). MAT of the femur and tibia decreased after SG vs controls (P < 0.05); however, the differences were no longer significant after controlling for change in weight. CONCLUSION SG in adolescents decreased lumbar vBMD associated with an increase in lumbar MAT and decrease in extremity MAT. This demonstrates differential changes of regulated MAT in the lumbar spine and constitutive MAT in the distal skeleton in adolescents in response to SG.
HMPDACC: a Human Microbiome Project Multi-omic data resource

The Human Microbiome Project (HMP) explored microbial communities of the human body in both healthy and disease states. Two phases of the HMP (HMP and iHMP) together generated >48TB of data (public and controlled access) from multiple, varied omics studies of both the microbiome and associated hosts. The Human Microbiome Project Data Coordination Center (HMPDACC) was established to provide a portal to access data and resources produced by the HMP. The HMPDACC provides a unified data repository, multi-faceted search functionality, analysis pipelines and standardized protocols to facilitate community use of HMP data. Recent efforts have been put toward making HMP data more findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable. HMPDACC resources are freely available at www.hmpdacc.org.
Accrual mispricing, value-at-risk, and expected stock returns

We investigate the extent to which a parsimonious measure of maximum likely loss that captures the tail risk of returns—known as value-at-risk (VaR)—explains the relationship between accruals and the cross-sectional dispersion of expected stock returns. We construct portfolios based on Sloan’s (Account Rev 71(3):289–315, 1996) total accruals (TA) measure and individual asset-level VaR, which reflects the dynamic behavior of the asset distribution. We document that VaR is in congruence with portfolio-level accruals and that there is a significant positive relationship between VaR and the cross-section of portfolio returns. Allowing a double-sort involving VaR and TA further suggests that the spread between low- and high-TA portfolios is significantly attenuated after controlling for VaR. We also conduct a firm-level cross-sectional regression analysis and demonstrate that the TA- and VaR-based characteristics—but not the factor-mimicking portfolios—are compensated with higher expected returns, and that VaR neither subsumes nor is subsumed by TA. Finally, our cross-sectional decomposition analysis suggests that the firm-level VaR captures at least 7% of the accrual premium even in the presence of size and book-to-market. These findings lend support for the mispricing explanation of the accrual anomaly.
Comparison of Echocardiographic Variables in Patients With Severe Aortic Stenosis and Preserved Ejection Fraction Grouped by Flow and Gradient.

The pathophysiology of severe aortic stenosis (AS) is complex with vascular, valvular, and myocardial components. To better define this process, we compared echocardiographic and clinical variables in patients with severe AS and preserved EF according to flow and gradient. We retrospectively studied the clinical and echocardiographic data of 287 patients (mean age 76 ± 11 years, 57% men) from 2012 to 2017 with severe AS (indexed aortic valve area 50%). Patients were divided into 4 groups based on flow (stroke volume index
Processes of Building Theories of Learning: Three Contrasting Cases

Theory building in the learning sciences is still in a relatively primitive state. We do not yet have a good, articulated grasp of how to build, test, and improve theories, what forms of theories are best adapted to learning and teaching, or how to use them optimally in practice. Here, we capitalize on several decades of work building theory within the Knowledge in Pieces (KiP) epistemological perspective. We sketch three different modes of theory development—and their diverse relations to empirical work and to instruction—which have proved successful. We close with a list of recommendations for advancing the art of theory building within science education and the learning sciences.
Revisiting the Pancreatic Fistula Risk Score: Clinical Nomogram Accurately Assesses Risk.

ObjectivesSurgeons have created numerous iterations of the pancreatic fistula risk score (FRS) to predict risk for clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula (CR-POPF). The multitude of o...
A Cost Analysis of Hospitalizations for Infections Related to Injection Drug Use at a County Safety-Net Hospital in Miami, Florida

Background Infections related to injection drug use are common. Harm reduction strategies such as syringe exchange programs and skin care clinics aim to prevent these infections in injection drug users (IDUs). Syringe exchange programs are currently prohibited by law in Florida. The goal of this study was to estimate the mortality and cost of injection drug use-related bacterial infections over a 12-month period to the county safety-net hospital in Miami, Florida. Additionally, the prevalence of HIV and hepatitis C virus among this cohort of hospitalized IDUs was estimated. Methods and Findings IDUs discharged from Jackson Memorial Hospital were identified using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, codes for illicit drug abuse and endocarditis, bacteremia or sepsis, osteomyelitis and skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs). 349 IDUs were identified for chart abstraction and 92% were either uninsured or had publicly funded insurance. SSTIs, the most common infection, were reported in 64% of IDUs. HIV seroprevalence was 17%. Seventeen patients (4.9%) died during their hospitalization. The total cost for treatment for injection drug use-related infections to Jackson Memorial Hospital over the 12-month period was $11.4 million. Conclusions Injection drug use-related bacterial infections represent a significant morbidity for IDUs in Miami-Dade County and a substantial financial cost to the county hospital. Strategies aimed at reducing risk of infections associated with injection drug use could decrease morbidity and the cost associated with these common, yet preventable infections.
Molecular neurobiology of Drosophila taste

Drosophila is a powerful model in which to study the molecular and cellular basis of taste coding. Flies sense tastants via populations of taste neurons that are activated by compounds of distinct categories. The past few years have borne witness to studies that define the properties of taste neurons, identifying functionally distinct classes of sweet and bitter taste neurons that express unique subsets of gustatory receptor (Gr) genes, as well as water, salt, and pheromone sensing neurons that express members of the pickpocket (ppk) or ionotropic receptor (Ir) families. There has also been significant progress in terms of understanding how tastant information is processed and conveyed to higher brain centers, and modulated by prior dietary experience or starvation.
Survey of subsurface treatment technologies for environmental restoration sites at Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico.

This report provides a survey of remediation and treatment technologies for contaminants of concern at environmental restoration (ER) sites at Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico. The sites that were evaluated include the Tijeras Arroyo Groundwater, Technical Area V, and Canyons sites. The primary contaminants of concern at these sites include trichloroethylene (TCE), tetrachloroethylene (PCE), and nitrate in groundwater. Due to the low contaminant concentrations (close to regulatory limits) and significant depths to groundwater ({approx}500 feet) at these sites, few in-situ remediation technologies are applicable. The most applicable treatment technologies include monitored natural attenuation and enhanced bioremediation/denitrification to reduce the concentrations of TCE, PCE, and nitrate in the groundwater. Stripping technologies to remove chlorinated solvents and other volatile organic compounds from the vadose zone can also be implemented, if needed.
Analysis of Resource Sharing and Cache Management in Scalable Video-on-Demand

The required real-time and high-rate transfers for multimedia data severely limit the number of requests that can be serviced by Video-on-Demand (VOD) servers. Resource sharing techniques can be used to address this problem. We evaluate through extensive simulation major resource sharing techniques, considering both the True Video-on- Demand (TVOD) and Near Video-on-Demand (NVOD) service models. Moreover, we propose a statistical approach for cache management and derive analytical models for optimal cache allocation to reduce the demands on the disk I/O when various resource sharing techniques are used.