cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Managing the risk of childhood overweight and obesity in primary care practice.

Obesity is a complex, multifaceted chronic disorder that is the result of genetic, epigenetic, environmental, and behavioral factors. It can be helpful for clinicians to examine the graphic showing the onset of the pediatric obesity epidemic (Fig 1). Abruptly, beginning in the mid-1970s, rates of overweight and obesity started to rise and continued unabated into the early part of this century, first for older children and teens, and later for preschoolers and toddlers (www.cdc.gov). Why did obesity suddenly become a problem? Although the media frequently focuses attention on individual factors as major contributors to excess weight, such as fast food or high fructose corn syrup or video games, the fact is that a confluence of many factors seemed to arise abruptly in the late 1960s and early 1970s, associated with the sudden accumulation of excess body weight among both adults and children. Consider that soft drinks became the national drink, replacing water and milk. Processed snack foods proliferated along with niche advertising directed specifically toward the kids market. Cable television, home movies, and early computer games enticed children indoors. The information age was ushered in by computers. Suburban layouts fostered driving and drive-through business, eating in cars, and longer commutes. The list could be very long. Fundamentally, American life changed. Consider it another example of Malcolm Gladwell’s “tipping point” concept, in which several small contributors result in an seismic shift away from the norm. 1 For both children and adults, the diet has shifted from natural, whole foods toward a hybrid comprising high-calorie low-nutrient, highly processed foods, while at the same time, routine physical activity has given way to a rising number of sedentary hours per day.
Assimilatory and dissimilatory processes of microorganisms affecting metals in the environment

Microorganisms use a variety of strategies to extract trace metals from minerals. In addition to meeting metabolic needs, these microbe–mineral interactions affect mineral weathering and element cycling. Evidence of these interactions in the geological record could be used as 'biosignatures' to detect the evolution of microbial metal metabolism over geological time. Here, we review the use of inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to investigate trace metal extraction from minerals by microorganisms. These metals may be taken up, or assimilated, by the microorganisms for use in enzymes and cellular components. Alternatively, in dissimilatory processes, extracted metals remain outside the cell where they are reduced or oxidized to remove or provide electrons for cellular energetics. Data obtained by ICP-MS and complementary methods demonstrate changes in metal content within cells, as well as in the surrounding media and minerals, leading to a greater understanding of microbe–mineral interactions. The development and application of new ICP-MS technology, such as high resolution ICP-MS and, more recently, multiple-collector ICP-MS, continues to add to our understanding of these processes.
Monocyte:astrocyte interactions regulate MCP-1 expression in both cell types

As astrocytes are a source of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and lie in close apposition to brain microvessels, interactions between astrocytes and infiltrating monocytes might regulate production of this chemokine. To investigate this possibility, a monocyte:astrocyte co-culture model was utilized to assess the respective roles of these two cell types in regulating MCP-1 production. Results indicate that, while neither monocytes nor astrocytes alone produce detectable levels of MCP-1, co-culture of these two cell types results in time-dependent production of this chemokine. Such production requires de novo protein synthesis and is dependent on physical contact between monocytes and astrocytes, involving engagement of the cell-adhesion molecules ICAM-1 and VCAM-1. Additionally, interleukin 1-beta (IL-1beta) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) are soluble mediators of this response. These findings imply that monocyte extravasation into the CNS may be critically regulated at the blood-brain barrier by specialized monocyte:astrocyte interactions.
Characterization of Biodegradable Polyester Films and their Interaction with Hepatocytes

Polymers derived from lactic and glycolic acid have achieved success in many medical applications and have been investigated as possible materials for degradable scaffolds required in tissue transplantation. Previous investigators have found significant differences in the behavior of cells cultured on chemically similar polyesters of this family but the mechanisms for these differences have remained unclear. In this study, we fabricated polylactic acid, polylactic-co-glycolic acid, and blend films by melt-processing. The bulk and surface properties of these films were characterized by GPC, DSC, WAXS, SEM, and contact angle. All films were smooth and amorphous and differed only in chemical composition. The films were assessed for their ability to sustain or promote hepatocyte attachment, growth, and function. Cells adhered to and exhibited similar morphology on all substrates. Cells decreased in number to 50–60% of the initial cell number but exhibited high retention of differentiated function on all of the polymer substrates over five days. Cell response was not statistically different on the different substrates indicating that chemical composition, in our range of polymer formulations, does not affect cell behavior.
A one-microphone algorithm for reverberant speech enhancement

We present an algorithm for reverberant speech enhancement using one microphone. We first propose a novel pitch-based reverberation measure for estimating reverberation time (RT60) based on the distribution of relative time lags. This measure of pitch strength correlates with reverberation and decreases systematically as detrimental effects of reverberation on harmonic structure increase. Then a reverberant speech enhancement method is developed to estimate and subtract later echo components. The results show that our approach appreciably reduces reverberation effects.
Direct measurement of surface energy of CeO2 by differential scanning calorimetry

Surface energy of cerium oxide was measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Nanocrystalline CeO2 samples were synthesized by a nonaqueous sol–gel method and their surface and interfacial areas were determined from nitrogen adsorption, X-ray diffraction, and electron microscopy measurements. Three samples were repeatedly heated in a differential scanning calorimeter and the excess enthalpy was obtained from the difference in DSC traces between first heating, during which coarsening occurred, and second heating. Surface enthalpy was calculated from excess enthalpy and from changes in surface and interfacial areas. The measured surface enthalpy for CeO2, 1.2 ± 0.2 J/m2, is consistent with values from oxide melt solution calorimetry on samples with different surface areas. This is the first successful measurement of surface energy using scanning calorimetry.
Punjabi immigrant mobility in the United States: adaptation through race and class

American media in the twentieth century transformed a commonplace taxi cab into an icon of a city that purportedly never sleeps. While taxi cabs have become an indispensible part of New York City's...
Keap1 Regulates the Oxidation-Sensitive Shuttling of Nrf2 into and out of the Nucleus via a Crm1-Dependent Nuclear Export Mechanism

Keap1 is a negative regulator of Nrf2, a transcription factor essential for antioxidant response element (ARE)-mediated gene expression. We find that Keap1 sequesters Nrf2 in the cytoplasm, not by docking it to the actin cytoskeleton but instead through an active Crm1/exportin-dependent nuclear export mechanism. Deletion and mutagenesis studies identified a nuclear export signal (NES) in the intervening region of Keap1 comprised of hydrophobic leucine and isoleucine residues in agreement with a traditional NES consensus sequence. Mutation of the hydrophobic amino acids resulted in nuclear accumulation of both Keap1 and Nrf2, as did treatment with the drug leptomycin B, which inactivates Crm1/exportin. ARE genes were partially activated under these conditions, suggesting that additional oxidation-sensitive elements are required for full activation of the antioxidant response. Based on these data, we propose a new model for regulation of Nrf2 by Keap1. Under normal conditions, Keap1 and Nrf2 are complexed in the cytoplasm where they are targeted for degradation. Oxidative stress inactivates Keap1's NES, allowing entry of both Keap1 and Nrf2 into the nucleus and transcriptional transactivation of ARE genes.
The SCHEDULE parallel programming package with recycling job queues and iterated dependency graphs

The SCHEDULE parallel programming package has been modified so that many more total processes may be spawned as long as the number of currently active processes satisfy the former limits of the package rather than the cumulative total number. This has been accomplished principally by changing the queueing system for both the job parameter queue and the ready jobs queue. The original linear queues are converted to circular queues, in that finished places in the queues are reused for new jobs and that the physical end of the queue is logically connected to the physical beginning of the queue. Two additional features facilitate the change in queues. The first is the implementation of a third queue, a free list, which keeps a list of the currently free slots on the job parameter queue. The second new feature is the use of SCHEDULE generated job tags rather than user-generated job tags within the package. The user program now gets a job tag number from SCHEDULE with a subroutine call. Another improvement permits the iteration of dependency graphs, with minimal restoration of dependency data. This improvement facilitates the application of the SCHEDULE package to iterations and time-stepping problems, by saving and reusing the iterated part of the dependency graph. This feature can result in a significant reduction in the number of newly spawned processes that would otherwise be needed for iterations.
Note on the direct calculation of mobility functions for two equal-sized spheres in Stokes flow

A simple, direct method is presented for the calculation of mobility functions for the translational and rotational velocities and stresslets of two equal-sized spheres in unbounded low-Reynolds-number flow when the ambient velocity field is a superposition of a uniform stream, a vorticity and a rate-of-strain field. Our numerical procedure furnishes accurate values for touching spheres and coefficients for the near-field asymptotic expansions. The singular behaviour of the mobility functions is clarified. These results have been used to determine accurately the coefficient of the O(c2) term in the expression for the bulk stress in a suspension of spheres (6.95c2 instead of 7.6c2).
A Statistician’s View on Bayesian Evaluation of Informative Hypotheses

Theory testing lies at the heart of the scientific process. This is especially true in psychology, where, typically, multiple theories are advanced to explain a given psychological phenomenon, such as a mental disorder or a perceptual process. It is therefore important to have a rigorous methodology available for the psychologist to evaluate the validity and viability of such theories, or models for that matter. However, it may be argued that the current practice of theory testing is not entirely satisfactory.
Business Networks in Transition Economies: Norms, Contracts and Legal Institutions

Networks of informal relationships between businesses appear to dominate economic activity in several emerging economies. These networks usually involve exchange of favors which make doing business easier for those within the network. Recent empirical studies in the organizational behavior literature suggest that these networks are a response to inadequate institutional support, essentially in terms of legal infrastructure that guarantees written contracts and private property. This paper will try to advance the understanding of these business networks from both a theoretical and empirical perspective. A simple theoretical framework will be used to show that while such networks benefit the participants, who thus have a vested interest in their preservation, from a general equilibrium perspective these networks retard the efficient functioning of the economy. The empirical literature on business networks will be reviewed. The objectives of this review are several: to link the sustainability of business networks to the unreliability of the legal system; to examine whether the existence of networks stunts the effectiveness of formal institutions; and to examine whether there is a tendency for informal contract enforcement institutions to wither if formal legal infrastructure develops. The efficiency implications for the overall economy will also be an important issue considered. Policy implications of the theoretical and empirical analyses will be drawn to assist policy-makers who must make choices about which institutions to manipulate.
Development of the Military Compass of Shame Scale

ABSTRACTThe Military Compass of Shame Scale (M-CoSS) was designed to evaluate a service member's response to four maladaptive shame regulation strategies. The M-CoSS is composed of two externalizing subscales (attack other, AO; avoidance, AV) and two internalizing subscales (withdrawal, WD; attack self, AS). The final version of the scale was administered to a sample of U.S. Navy sailors preparing to deploy to Iraq and Afghanistan (n = 379). The final sample consisted of active duty patients clinically diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and undergoing residential treatment (n = 27). Internal consistency reliability was acceptable to good within both the large predeployment sample (α = .70 to .89) and the PTSD sample (α = .79 to .89). Exploratory factor analysis provided evidence of construct validity in the predeployment sample. Last, compared to the predeployment sample, the PTSD sample was significantly more likely to utilize three of the four maladaptive shame regulation strategies, w...
Change of isotopic spin in the Kπ2 decay

In the slow decays-of hyperons and K-mesons into other strongly interacting particles, isotopic spin I is defined before and after the decay but is not conserved. In fact I changes by half-integers. For all such decays that are known, the rule ΔI_z = ± 1/2 (or = ΔS ± 1. where S is strangeness) seems to obtain (1). In particular, the apparent absence of the process Ξ → π + N is attributed to this rule.
A novel technique of odontoidoplasty and C1 arch reconstruction: anatomical and biomechanical basis.

BACKGROUND: Transoral odontoidectomy and resection of the anterior C1 arch destabilize the atlantoaxial joint and risk its stability. OBJECTIVE: To preserve stability in such cases we devised and evaluated a proof-of-concept study. The arch and dens were dissected and decompression was performed on cadavers. The dens was replaced with an odontoid screw, and the C1 arch was replaced with a rib-graft substitute using miniplates. We assessed the biomechanical strength of the C1 ring and 3D occipitoatlantoaxial flexibility before and after the repair. METHODS: Five silicon-injected fixed cadaver heads were dissected. The arch of C1 and dens were preserved and reconstructed using odontoid screws and miniplates. Once the feasibility of the technique was established, we biomechanically tested 6 cadaveric occiput-C2 specimens in 3 phases: (1) intact/normal range of motion (ROM), (2) after transection of dens and C1 arch, and (3) with odontoidoplasty using odontoid screws and C1 arch reconstruction. RESULTS: After odontoidectomy and arch removal, angular ROM increased significantly in all directions of loading. Resection increased flexion-extension at the occiput-C1 and at C1-C2 by 21% and 129%, respectively. Reconstruction slightly increased flexion-extension stability (16% and 107%, respectively) relative to normal. With 70 N applied compression, the C1 ring separation was 1145% greater than normal. After reconstruction, the separation was only 89% greater than normal (statistically significant, P = .002). CONCLUSION: C1 arch reconstruction with or without odontoidoplasty restores only partial angular stability of the atlantoaxial joint but provides restoration of the ability of the C1 lateral masses to resist splaying, often observed as postodontoidectomy cranial settling.
A Comparative Study of International Competitiveness on Service Trade between China and USA

Due to the rapid development of service trade in China,the amount of import and export exceeded more than $ 470 billion for the first time in 2012,ranking third in the world. However,China's international competitiveness is still very weak,only 10% of the total trade volume in scale,44% of USA in amount. This article uses the services statistics data announced by the UNCTAD,Ministry of Commerce of China and Customs of China,and analyses the International Competitiveness on Service Trade in the international market share,TC index,RCA index and STO index of service trade between China and USA. It is concluded that China's service trade develops rapidly in the computer and information services,and China has competitive advantage and comparative advantage at the same time in the construction service,while has competitive disadvantage and comparative disadvantage in the financial services,royalties and license fees services.
Epidemiological Study of Typhoid in Huadu District, Guangzhou,in 1990～2004

Objective To analyze the epidemic of typhoid in Huadu district and provide the foundation for establishing the strategy and methods for the control of typhoid. Methods Epidemiological methods were used to analyze the occurrence of typhoid in Huadu district from 1990 to 2004. Results The average annual incidence of typhoid was 3.18/105.The incidence of the disease in male was higher than in female and the sex ratio was 1.8∶1. The incidence of the disease was highest in peasantry (36.69 % of total numbers of cases). The annual incidence of typhoid in the district was decreasing, and reached a lowest level in the past 3 years. Conclusion Through the use of an "integrated control method", the spreading of typhoid was well under control.
Tryptophan and Indole Analog Mediated Plastid Transformation

A nonantibiotic/herbicide-resistance selection system for plastid transformation is described here in technical detail. This system is based on the feedback-insensitive anthranilate synthase (AS) α-subunit gene of tobacco (ASA2) as a selective marker and tryptophan (Trp) or indole analogs as selection agents. AS catalyzes the first reaction in the Trp biosynthetic pathway, naturally compartmentalized in the plastids, by converting chorismate to anthranilate and is subjected to feedback inhibition by Trp. In addition to Trp, various Trp analogs and indole compounds that can be converted to Trp analogs can also inhibit AS activity and therefore are toxic to cells. When cells are made to express the feedback-insensitive ASA2, they acquire resistance to these analogs and can be selected for during transformation process. We have demonstrated the feasibility of this selection system in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Petit Havana). ASA2-expressing transplastomic plants were obtained on medium supplemented with either 7-methyl-DL-tryptophan (7-MT) or 4-methylindole (4-MI). These plants show normal phenotype and fertility and transmit the resistance to the selection agents strictly maternally.
Cyclotron Resonance in Cell Membranes: The Theory of the Mechanism

The search for mechanisms to explain electromagnetic (EM) field interactions with living systems was concentrated almost entirely in studies of electric fields in and the dielectric properties of the living systems prior to 1984. Magnetic fields had been studied as a prime mover, but primarily only high level magnetic fields such as one might find in the power generation industry or near superconducting magnetics had been considered. Any effects of very low level magnetic fields were assumed to be small enough to be ignored since living systems are primarily dielectric, not magnetic (from a material property viewpoint). The flaw in this reasoning is that a non-time varying (dc) magnetic field combined with a carefully chosen electric field can possibly alter the way in which a dielectric material responds to the electric field.
‘Pleiotypic’ and ‘Specific’ Hormonal Control of Gene Expression in Mammalian Cells

I should like to propose that regulation by a variety of hormones and other growth-stimulating substances is effected in two ways, which I shall refer to as the ‘pleiotypic’ [1] and ‘specific’ modes of regulation. The pleiotypic control system refers to a coordinated set of reactions which respond in a characteristic way when cellular growth is stimulated by a specific hormone. Some of the reactions under this type of general control are: (1) the uptake of glucose and of various precursors for macromolecular synthesis; (2) RNA synthesis, particularly of ribosomal and transfer RNA; (3) protein synthesis and the state of polysome assembly (probably determined by the initiation reaction); (4) the degradation of intracellular proteins and other macromolecules. Responses in all of the above reactions follow the administration of the steroid hormones, thyroxin, insulin and growth hormone to animals (see [1] for references); similar reactions are regulated when lymphocytes are stimulated by phytohemagglutinin, erythroid cells by erythropoietin, and in other conditions where the growth of certain cells is stimulated by a specific humoral agent. Table 1 lists some of the reaction under pleiotypic control and how they are regulated in specific situations.
A case study in integrated management: Sacramento–San Joaquin Rivers and Delta of California, USA

Abstract Over the past 150 years dams have been constructed and water diverted from the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers to provide water for the San Francisco Bay area, the Central Valley and Southern California. Together with land reclamation and sedimentation from hydraulic mining practices during the gold rush, this has led to major changes in the delta environment. In 1994 the Federal and State Governments established the CALFED program, which had as its objectives: (1) to attempt to ensure the reliability of water supplies; (2) to improve the water quality of the Delta; (3) to attempt to restore the Delta ecosystem; and (4) to improve levee protection. More recently CALFED has been superseded by the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Reform Act to manage all activities in the Delta in support of the “two co-equal goals” of water supply reliability and ecosystem restoration, with the Bay-Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) drafted with the intent to guide both the operation of water infrastructure and the ecosystem restoration activities. The act also created a new administrative agency, the Delta Stewardship Council with the mandate to develop a comprehensive management plan for the Delta, the Delta Plan ( DSC, 2013 ). There remains a challenge to balance fiercely competing interests and develop a science-based adaptive management approach which can produce an outcome that all stakeholders can live with.
Advances in Structural and Single-Molecule Methods for Investigating DNA Lesion Bypass and Repair Polymerases

Innovative advances in X-ray crystallography and single-molecule biophysics have yielded unprecedented insight into the mechanisms of DNA lesion bypass and damage repair. Time-dependent X-ray crystallography has been successfully applied to view the bypass of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2′-deoxyguanine (8-oxoG), a major oxidative DNA lesion, and the incorporation of the triphosphate form, 8-oxo-dGTP, catalyzed by human DNA polymerase β. Significant findings of these studies are highlighted here, and their contributions to the current mechanistic understanding of mutagenic translesion DNA synthesis (TLS) and base excision repair are discussed. In addition, single-molecule Forster resonance energy transfer (smFRET) techniques have recently been adapted to investigate nucleotide binding and incorporation opposite undamaged dG and 8-oxoG by Sulfolobus solfataricus DNA polymerase IV (Dpo4), a model Y-family DNA polymerase. The mechanistic response of Dpo4 to a DNA lesion and the complex smFRET technique are described he...
Disability and Medical Theory

This essay compares in a preliminary way, concepts of disability to those of medicine, especially medical theory. Besides minor theses, I reach four major, not wholly original, conclusions. First, it does not seem that, in most usage, ‘disability’ has a clear enough meaning to determine how disability relates to medical status. Whether in common sense, ethics, or law, disability is a highly indeterminate concept. One reason is that the few paradigm cases at its core fall within many possible outer boundaries. Worse yet, even some core examples are disabilities in one context but not another. So, in practice, there is no one disability concept—or, if there is, it is ambiguous in including several variables fixed only by context. Second, all types of practical disability may be species of a value-free generic concept: organismic dysfunction, or gross impairment. But to call gross impairment disability will have consequences unattractive to many writers. Third, in two important contexts where usage is fairly clear by definition and example, disability currently bears no simple relation to the basic concept of medical theory, disorder or pathological condition.
Using Laboratory Test Results at Hospital Admission to Predict Short-term Survival in Critically Ill Patients With Metastatic or Advanced Cancer

Abstract Context Accurately estimating the life expectancy of critically ill patients with metastatic or advanced cancer is a crucial step in planning appropriate palliative or supportive care. Objectives We evaluated the results of laboratory tests performed within two days of hospital admission to predict the likelihood of death within 14 days. Methods We retrospectively selected patients 18 years or older with metastatic or advanced cancer who were admitted to intensive care units or palliative and supportive care services in our hospital. We evaluated whether the following are independent predictors in a logistic regression model: age, sex, comorbidities, and the results of seven commonly available laboratory tests. The end point was death within 14 days in or out of the hospital. Results Of 901 patients in the development cohort and 45% died within 14 days. The risk of death within 14 days after admission increased with increasing age, lactate dehydrogenase levels, and white blood cell counts and decreasing albumin levels and platelet counts (P Conclusions Our results suggest that laboratory test results performed within two days of admission are valuable in predicting death within 14 days for patients with metastatic or advanced cancer. Such results may provide an objective assessment tool for physicians and help them initiate conversations with patients and families about end-of-life care.
Neoadjuvant Therapy for Breast Cancer: State of the Science and Future Directions

Systemic neoadjuvant chemotherapy has long been known to confer clinical benefits for breast cancer patients by downstaging inoperable disease or providing those with operable disease the opportunity for breast conservation, without compromising risk of recurrence. In recent years, its benefits have broadened as it has become a pivotal platform for clinical research, providing new prognostic and predictive insights into in vivo response to therapy and long-term outcomes. The use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in the research setting has expanded our knowledge of heterogeneity in tumor biology and chemosensitivity and provided insights into the relationships between molecular signatures of tumors, pathologic complete response (pCR), and long-term outcomes. This has provided opportunities to specifically select patients who might benefit from novel therapies and test these in a more efficient manner. Despite these major advancements, however, the majority of patients do not attain a pathologic complete response with systemic neoadjuvant chemotherapy. This review describes the standard of care for systemic neoadjuvant therapy for breast cancer and discusses current management controversies and ongoing clinical trials designed to increase the proportion of patients who currently achieve a pCR.
Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor: Correlations between MRI features, tumor biology, and clinical outcome after surgery.

Purpose To assess which magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features are associated with pNETs (pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors) grade based on the WHO classification, as well as identify MRI features related to disease progression after surgery. Materials and methods In this Institutional Review Board (IRB)-approved study, 1.5T and 3.0T MRI scans of 80 patients with surgically verified pNETs were assessed. The images were evaluated for tumor location; size; pattern; predominant signal intensity on precontrast T1 - and T2 -weighted images, as well as on postcontrast arterial and portal venous phase T1 -weighted sequences; presence of pancreatic duct dilatation; pancreatic atrophy; restricted diffusion; vascular involvement by the tumor; extrapancreatic tumor spread; and synchronous liver metastases. Tumors were graded based on the WHO classification and patients were followed-up with computed tomography (CT) or MRI after surgical resection. Data were analyzed with Student's t and chi-square tests, logistic regression, and Kaplan-Meier curves. Results The MRI features that were associated with aggressive tumors were: size >2.0 cm (odds ratio [OR] = 4.8, P = 0.002), "T2 nonbright lesions" on T2 -weighted images (OR = 4.6, P = 0.008), presence of pancreatic ductal dilatation (OR = 4.9, P = 0.024), and restricted diffusion within the lesion (OR = 4.9, P = 0.013). Differences in progression-free survival distribution were found for patients whose pNETs were associated with the following MRI features: size >2.0 cm (χ2 (1) = 6.0, P = 0.014), "nonbright lesions" on T2 -weighted images (χ2 (1) = 6.8, P = 0.009), and presence of pancreatic duct dilatation (χ2 (1) = 10.9, P = 0.001). Conclusion MRI features can be used to assess pNETs aggressiveness and identify patients at risk for early disease progression after surgical resection. Level of evidence 3 Technical Efficacy: Stage 3 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2018;47:425-432.
The Werther Effect Revisited: Measuring the Effect of News Items on User Behavior

People are moved to act following exposure to media coverage of specific events. For example, the ``Werther Effect" is the popular term for the observed increase in suicides following media coverage of suicides. Here we develop a fine-grained method for assessing the effect of news stories on the intentions of internet users. Our method assesses the likelihood that a person was exposed to a given news story via the temporal and spatial distances between the location of the person and the location of the news story and/or the website where it was published. This analysis of likelihoods allows us to estimate the contribution of a particular news story to a person's intent, as manifested in specific, intent-driven, search engine queries. Data were gathered over a ten-month period and cover both the search engine queries of a large population and the news stories to which this population was exposed. We estimated the contribution of news stories to negative effects (i.e. media coverage of suicides and their effect on queries indicating suicidal intention), and positive effects (e.g. media coverage of disease prompting queries into disease screening). We demonstrate that the contribution of news stories can be assessed at the level of individual users, and we analyzed titles and phrases therein for their effect. Finally, we propose a predictive model to be utilized by media outlets to predict the likely effect of specific stories prior to their publication.
Phoenix: A Constraint-Aware Scheduler for Heterogeneous Datacenters

Today’s datacenters are increasingly becoming diverse with respect to both hardware and software architectures in order to support a myriad of applications. These applications are also heterogeneous in terms of job response times and resource requirements (eg., Number of Cores, GPUs, Network Speed) and they are expressed as task constraints. Constraints are used for ensuring task performance guarantees/Quality of Service(QoS) by enabling the application to express its specific resource requirements. While several schedulers have recently been proposed that aim to improve overall application and system performance, few of these schedulers consider resource constraints across tasks while making the scheduling decisions. Furthermore, latencycritical workloads and short-lived jobs that typically constitute about 90% of the total jobs in a datacenter have strict QoS requirements, which can be ensured by minimizing the tail latency through effective scheduling. In this paper, we propose Phoenix, a constraint-aware hybrid scheduler to address both these problems (constraint awareness and ensuring low tail latency) by minimizing the job response times at constrained workers. We use a novel Constraint Resource Vector (CRV) based scheduling, which in turn facilitates reordering of the jobs in a queue to minimize tail latency. We have used the publicly available Google traces to analyze their constraint characteristics and have embedded these constraints in Cloudera and Yahoo cluster traces for studying the impact of traces on system performance. Experiments with Google, Cloudera and Yahoo cluster traces across 15,000 worker node cluster shows that Phoenix improves the 99th percentile job response times on an average by 1.9× across all three traces when compared against a state-of-the-art hybrid scheduler. Further, in comparison to other distributed scheduler like Hawk, it improves the 90th and 99th percentile job response times by 4.5× and 5× respectively.
Using residual resource consumption to resample top-k monitoring reports

Top-k reports are compound metrics that provide useful information when diagnosing problems in a system, e.g., to identify persistent CPU usage by a process. In large systems, these reports are collected at regular intervals and need to be resampled to a coarser granularity to answer user queries for different sampling periods, or to save space and make it possible to keep historical data for long term performance analysis. However, resampling top-k reports, i.e., aggregating several reports collected for small time intervals into a single top-k report can introduce inaccuracies. For example, a process that consistently uses CPU over the aggregation interval but did not make it to the short term top-k reports will be missing from the aggregated report. In this paper, we present an algorithm that collects top-k reports at regular intervals and can aggregate them with little or no error. This is done by including residual resource consumption of unreported, but potentially significant entities in the top-k reports, and using these residual values during aggregation. We show different approaches to including residual resource consumption in individual top-k reports, analyze the error introduced, and demonstrate the effectiveness of the algorithm in real-world scenarios.
Auto++: Detecting Cars Using Embedded Microphones in Real-Time

In this work, we propose a system that detects approaching cars for smartphone users. In addition to detecting the presence of a vehicle, it can also estimate the vehicle’s driving direction, as well as count the number of cars around the user. We achieve these goals by processing the acoustic signal captured by microphones embedded in the user’s mobile phone. The largest challenge we faced involved addressing the fact that vehicular noise is predominantly due to tire-road friction, and therefore lacked strong (frequency) formant or temporal structure. Additionally, outdoor environments have complex acoustic noise characteristics, which are made worse when the signal is captured by non-professional grade microphones embedded in smartphones. We address these challenges by monitoring a new feature: maximal frequency component that crosses a threshold. We extract this feature with a blurred edge detector. Through detailed experiments, we found our system to be robust across different vehicles and environmental conditions, and thereby support unsupervised car detection and counting. We evaluated our system using audio tracks recorded from seven different models of cars, including SUVs, medium-sized sedans, compact cars, and electric cars. We also tested our system with the user walking in various outdoor environments including parking lots, campus roads, residential areas, and shopping centers. Our results show that we can accurately and robustly detect cars with low CPU and memory requirements.
Unifying Micro-level and Macro-level Analyses of Segregation

Casting segregation indices in the difference of means framework provides a valuable option previously not available to researchers. It enables them to seamlessly connect macro-level segregation – as measured by the index score for a city – to micro-level processes of residential attainment. At the simplest level the value of any index placed in the difference of means framework can be obtained by performing an individual-level attainment analysis that predicts index-relevant residential outcomes (y, scored from area group proportion p) for individuals with a dummy variable (0,1) for racial group membership. The regression coefficient for race will exactly equal the index score obtained by standard computing formulas. This introduces a new interpretation of segregation index scores; their values reflect the effect of race on the attainment of residential outcomes that determine the segregation index score for the city.
Beneficial effects of Trametes versicolor pretreatment on saccharification and lignin enrichment of organosolv-pretreated pinewood

While previous studies have shown that white-rot fungal pretreatment reduces the severity of chemical pretreatments and improves enzymatic saccharification yields, very few have investigated the synergistic effects of fungal pretreatment combined with organosolv pretreatment on lignin recovery and quality. In this study, loblolly pine chips were incubated with Trametes versicolor for 15, 30 and 45 days, prior to organosolv pretreatment and enzymatic saccharification. Fungal pretreatment for 15 days improved the saccharification yield by 23%, and higher amounts (56%) of lignin-enriched fractions were obtained. Fungal pretreatment for 45 days led to extensive depolymerization, structural modification and enrichment of lignin in the organosolv precipitates (OP). Characterization of the OP fraction showed that samples pretreated for 30 and 45 days contained higher amounts of hydroxyl groups and p-hydroxyphenyl (H) subunits, and showed increases in depolymerization of carbohydrates as well as decreases in G/H lignin ratio. It became apparent that further investigations are needed to explore the benefits of combining fungal and organosolv pretreatments for improving lignin yields from softwoods.
The Pediatric Heart Failure Workforce: An International, Multicenter Survey

Our objective was to understand the scope of pediatric heart failure (HF) and the current staffing environment of HF programs. An online survey was distributed to members of the Pediatric Heart Transplant Study and the Pediatric Council of the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation. All participants received the primary 23-question survey. Additionally, HF program directors received a 32-question supplemental survey. Of 235 invitations sent, there were 69 (29%) primary surveys and 34 program director surveys completed (24 U.S. programs, 9 outside non-U.S., and one non-specified location). A formal HF program was reported by 88% of directors. There were 150 [IQR 50–200] outpatients/institution and 40% [25–50] of patients had congenital heart disease. Inpatient HF census was 3 [2–4] patients. Most programs (70%) used a consulting service model to provide HF specialty care, while only 10 (30%) utilized an inpatient HF service. Inpatient HF service programs had a higher daily inpatient census versus consult service model programs (4 [3–7] vs. 2 [1–4], respectively; p = 0.022) and had a higher number of full-time equivalents dedicated to HF (5.5 [2–7] vs. 2.5 [1–4], respectively; p = 0.024). Only 47% of programs report a general fellowship rotation devoted to HF. Advanced practice providers (APP) were utilized in 15 programs, nurse coordinators in 2, and both in 3. Most HF programs are formalized, utilize APP, and have inadequate HF staffing to utilize a separate inpatient HF service. Exposure of general pediatric cardiology fellows to HF care is variable between institutions.
Lipids and Membranes in Brain Aging

Major advancements have been made in our understanding of biological membranes both within and outside of the central nervous system. The membrane has been viewed as a homogeneous structure, but it is now recognized as having a heterogeneous environment of lipids and proteins consisting of both macro and micro domains. Alterations in neural membranes have historically been an attractive hypothesis to explain cell dysfunction in aged organisms. This article examines brain membranes and aging from the perspectives of changes in fluidity, lipid composition, and membrane domains, and it identifies areas in which further study is needed.
The Evolving Role of the Counselor

The counseling profession is now approximately 100 years old and, in 2003, the American Counseling Association celebrated its 50th anniversary. The growth and change in the counseling profession reflect a dynamic field full of energy and innovation. Rapid changes over the past 25 years have led to expansion and flexibility in the counseling profession as well as increasing responsiveness to the needs of our multicultural society.
Inclusive reporting of feedstock energy and stored carbon: asphalt case study

Environmental product declarations (EPDs) are reports of resource use and potential environmental impacts based on environmental life cycle assessment (LCA) methods. They tend to be related to a specific 'gate' such as prior to use or construction. Asphalt paving and some other industries have some features that might not readily be captured in EPDs if the impacts are only included to the gate. These include stored energy (feedstock energy), stored carbon, recycled content and its high recyclability. The feedstock energy and stored carbon might be valuable assets for future considerations. This research proposes the use of optional reporting modules in EPDs based on international standards to capture the stored energy and carbon, and recyclability aspects. These proposed schemes for expanding EPDs with these benefits and loads beyond the system boundary information modules, should allow decision makers and life cycle analysts to have more comprehensive information for future decisions, research and analyses.
Tossing Coins Under Monotonicity

This paper considers the following problem: we are given n coin tosses of coins with monotone increasing probability of getting heads (success). We study the performance of the monotone constrained likelihood estimate, which is equivalent to the estimate produced by isotonic regression. We derive adaptive and non-adaptive bounds on the performance of the isotonic estimate, i.e., we demonstrate that for some probability vectors the isotonic estimate converges much faster than in general. As an application of this framework we propose a two step procedure for the binary monotone single index model, which consists of running LASSO and consequently running an isotonic regression. We provide thorough numerical studies in support of our claims.
Antibiotic sensitivity and clinical outcomes in staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome.

Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome causes widespread skin denudation primarily in infants < 1 year old. Selection of empiric therapy is complicated by rising rates of antibiotic resistance in community-acquired staphylococcal infections. Consistent with a previous study, this retrospective review found that SSSS-associated isolates were more likely to be clindamycin-resistant and less likely to be methicillin-resistant compared to overall staphylococcal infections. We favor cephalosporins and penicillinase-resistant penicillins (eg, oxacillin) for empiric management of SSSS, with consideration of adding MRSA coverage in communities with high MRSA prevalence or failure to improve following several days of treatment.
Urinary N7-(1-hydroxy-3-buten-2-yl) guanine adducts in humans: temporal stability and association with smoking

1,3-Butadiene (BD) is a known human carcinogen found in cigarette smoke, automobile exhaust, and urban air. Workers occupationally exposed to BD in the workplace have an increased incidence of leukemia and lymphoma. BD undergoes cytochrome P450-mediated metabolic activation to 3,4-epoxy-1-butene (EB), 1,2,3,4-diepoxybutane (DEB) and 1,2-dihydroxy-3,4-epoxybutane (EBD), which form covalent adducts with DNA. We have previously reported a quantitative nanoLC/ESI+-HRMS3 method for urinary N7-(1-hydroxy-3-buten-2-yl) guanine (EB-GII) adducts as a mechanism-based biomarker of BD exposure. In the present study, the method was updated to include high throughput 96-well solid phase extraction (SPE) and employed to establish urinary EB-GII biomarker stability and association with smoking. Urinary EB-GII levels were measured bimonthly for 1 year in 19 smokers to determine whether single adduct measurement provides reliable levels of EB-GII in an individual smoker. In addition, association of EB-GII with smoking was studied in 17 individuals participating in a smoking cessation program. EB-GII levels decreased 34% upon smoking cessation, indicating that it is associated with smoking status, but may also originate from sources other than exposure to cigarette smoke.
Dysbiosis of the Oral Microbiome

The oral cavity is influenced by the dietary characteristics of each individual. It is in the oral cavity that food will cause the first impact within the human body and its microbiome, due to its composition and consistency. On the other hand, the oral microbiome will affect food processing and impact the human gut microbiome, since bacterial biofilm that is processed within saliva forms the food bolus, which will then be swallowed. The mouth is one of the most heavily colonized parts of our bodies and its microbiome consists of microorganisms that live in symbiosis with healthy individuals who have adequate dietary and oral hygiene habits. Nevertheless, perturbations in the microbiome due to certain stress factors, such as high carbohydrate intake and biofilm accumulation, can lead to dysbiosis and the development of oral diseases. The most prevalent diseases in the oral cavity are dental caries and periodontal diseases including gingivitis and periodontitis, but endodontic (pulp) and soft tissue infections are also prevalent. Thus, this chapter will describe the influence of dietary habits on the oral microbiome, the development of prevalent oral diseases, and their relation to the gut microbiome.