cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Worker Satisfaction and Performance Pay: The Case of Child Care Workers in India

Using data generated from a field experiment involving 145 day care centers with over 4,000 children aged 3 to 6 years old, we analyze the conditions creating the greatest positive change in work satisfaction under different service regimes. There were three treatment arms: a performance-based bonus on top of a fixed wage to a government child care worker in charge of running a day care center, an informational intervention on the demand-side, and a combination of the first two treatments – incentives to supply-side and information to demand-side. Results indicate that performance pay leads to higher work satisfaction only when information is also supplied to the demand-side, leading to more effective worker effort. We believe that these results will help in allocating public resources most effectively, making workers more satisfied and improving the quality of public services.
An improved constraint-propagation algorithm for diagnosis

Diagnosing a system requires the identification of a set of components whose abnormal behavior could explain the faulty system behavior. Previously, model-based diagnosis schemes have proceeded through a cycle of assumptions - predictions observations assumptions-adjustment, where the basic assumptions entail the proper functioning of those components whose failure is not established. Here we propose a scheme in which every component's status is treated as a variable; therefore, predictions covering all possible behavior of the system can be generated. Remarkably, the algorithm exhibits a drastic reduction in complexity for a large family of system-models. Additionally, the intermediate computations provide useful guidance for selecting new tests. The proposed scheme may be considered as either an enhancement of the scheme proposed in [de Kleer, 1986] or an adaptation of the probabilistic propagation scheme proposed in [Pearl, 1986] for the diagnosis of deterministic systems.
Abstract IA07: ER stress responses as new immune checkpoints in cancer

Harnessing the intrinsic ability of our immune system to eliminate malignant cells represents the most promising anticancer strategy since the development of chemotherapy. However, cancer cells employ diverse strategies that enable them to thrive under adverse conditions while simultaneously inhibiting antitumor immune responses. Diverse microenvironmental conditions within tumor masses, such as hypoxia and nutrient deprivation, disturb the protein-folding capacity of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and provoke a cellular state of “ER stress.” Sustained activation of ER stress sensors endows malignant cells with greater tumorigenic, metastatic, and drug-resistant capacity. Interestingly, recent studies demonstrate that tumor-infiltrating immune cells also experience ER stress, and that this process causes severe immune cell dysfunction and immunosuppression in cancer hosts. Aggressive ovarian cancers, for instance, cripple protective immunity by inducing excessive activation of the IRE1-XBP1 arm of the ER stress in tumor-associated dendritic cells. These recent findings uncover a new immunoregulatory role for ER stress in the tumor microenvironment and suggest that targeting aberrant ER stress responses may represent a new strategy to control tumor-induced immunosuppression and enhance the effectiveness of emerging immunotherapies. Citation Format: Juan R. Cubillos-Ruiz. ER stress responses as new immune checkpoints in cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR International Conference held in cooperation with the Latin American Cooperative Oncology Group (LACOG) on Translational Cancer Medicine; May 4-6, 2017; Sao Paulo, Brazil. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2018;24(1_Suppl):Abstract nr IA07.
Abstract A63: Characterizing the role of ancestry-specific variants of the Duffy Antigen Receptor for Chemokines (DARC) gene in the breast tumor microenvironment

Chemokines play an important role in cancer, as they direct infiltrating immune cells and mediate angiogenesis, tumor progression, and direct metastasis to distal sites. This work focuses on an atypical chemokine receptor, named the Duffy Antigen Receptor for Chemokines (DARC). DARC is a nonsignaling receptor that can bind two structural classes of inflammatory chemokines, and mainly acts as a regulator of chemokine homeostasis by removing chemokines from circulation when expressed on red blood cells, or moving them from sites of inflammation into circulation to recruit appropriate immune cell types. The purpose of this study is to investigate how polymorphic variants of the DARC gene found across global populations influence ancestry-specific immune responses, and how these changes in the immune response influence the breast tumor microenvironment. A well-studied example of this is a variant restricted to recent decedents of sub-Saharan Africa, known as the Duffy-Null allele. This variant removes expression of DARC from red blood cells, causing those individuals carrying the Duffy-Null allele to lose the ability to sequester chemokines in circulation. In terms of immune response, Duffy-Null status is shown to be predictive of chronic low white blood cell counts observed in individuals of African descent. By using 1000 Genomes Project variant calling data, we have been able to identify additional gene variants restricted to varying global populations. Our initial study is focused on variants found in the regulatory region of the gene, as these variants will likely change how the DARC gene will be expressed. Preliminarily, using data from the Genotype-Tissue Expression project (GTEx), we have been able to show that our DARC gene variants are also tissue-specific expression quantitative trait loci, showing significant changes in tissue-specific gene expression in association with our variants of interest. By studying these variants with panels of human breast cell lines, ancestry-specific cell lines, and human tissue, we will be able to identify these ancestry-specific changes in immune response, and resulting breast tumor microenvironment. Citation Format: Rachel N. Martini, Brittany D. Jenkins, Melissa B. Davis. Characterizing the role of ancestry-specific variants of the Duffy Antigen Receptor for Chemokines (DARC) gene in the breast tumor microenvironment [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Advances in Breast Cancer Research; 2017 Oct 7-10; Hollywood, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2018;16(8_Suppl):Abstract nr A63.
Mechanically Enhancing Planar Lipid Bilayers with a Minimal Actin Cortex.

All cells in all domains of life possess a cytoskeleton that provides mechanical resistance to deformation and general stability to the plasma membrane. Here, we utilize a two-dimensional scaffolding created by actin filaments to convey mechanical support upon relatively fragile planar bilayer membranes (black lipid membranes, BLMs). Robust biomembranes play a critical role in the development of protein nanopore sensor applications and might also prove helpful in ion-channel research. Our investigation utilizes a minimal actin cortex (MAC) that is formed by anchoring actin filaments to lipid membranes via a biotin–streptavidin–biotin bridge. We characterize the joined structure using various modes of optical microscopy, electrophysiology, and applied mechanical stress (including measurements of elastic modulus). Our findings show the resulting structure includes a thin supporting layer of actin. Electrical studies indicate that the integrity of the MAC–bilayer composite remains unchanged over the limits o...
Assessment of lesion-specific ischemia using fractional flow reserve (FFR) profiles derived from coronary computed tomography angiography (FFRCT) and invasive pressure measurements (FFRINV): Importance of the site of measurement and implications for patient referral for invasive coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention.

Abstract Background Fractional flow reserve (FFR)-derived from computed tomography angiography (CTA; FFRCT) and invasive FFR (FFRINV) are used to assess the need for invasive coronary angiography (ICA) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The optimal location for measuring FFR and the impact of measurement location have not been well defined. Methods 930 patients (age 60.7 + 10 years, 59% male) were included in this study. Normal and diseased coronary arteries were classified into stenosis grades 0–4 in the left anterior descending artery (LAD, n = 518), left circumflex (LCX, n = 112) and right coronary artery (RCA, n = 585). FFRCT (n = 1215 arteries) and FFRINV (n = 26 LAD) profiles were developed by plotting FFR values (y-axis) versus site of measurement (x-axis: ostium, proximal, mid, distal segments). The best location to measure FFR was defined relative to the distal end of the stenosis. FFR ≤0.8 was considered positive for ischemia. Results In normal and stenotic coronary arteries there are significant declines in FFRCT and FFRINV from the ostium to the distal vessel (p Conclusion FFRCT and FFRINV values are influenced by stenosis severity and the site of measurement. FFR measurements from the distal vessel may over-estimate lesion-specific ischemia and result in unnecessary referrals for ICA and PCI.
Otolaryngology interest groups: A potential solution to the residency match crisis.

Objective To determine whether medical student Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (Oto-HNS) interest groups increase student and resident interest in the specialty and influence decisions to apply to Oto-HNS residency. Methods Two web-based surveys were distributed by the Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at UConn Health: one to current medical students at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine and the other to currents residents at Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-approved otolaryngology training programs. Results Fifty medical students and 89 residents completed the surveys. Several components were assessed in these surveys, including factors contributing to the selection process, interest group availability, attendance of meetings, availability of otolaryngology mentors, and interest in the specialty. A majority of medical students noted that interest groups play a role in influencing their interest in a medical specialty (56%). Medical students who attended Oto-HNS interest group were more likely to consider applying for otolaryngology residency (P < .0001) and had improved understanding of otolaryngology than those that did not attend (P = .0003). Residents who attended interest group meetings were more likely to be influenced to apply to otolaryngology than those that did not attend. Conclusion Oto-HNS interest groups improve medical student understanding of the specialty. Medical students and residents who participated in interest groups were more likely to be influenced positively regarding the specialty than those that did not attend. Oto-HNS interest groups may foster greater interest in otolaryngology residency and offer a potential solution to the current match concerns. Level of Evidence xx.
Insulin Dependence Is Associated With Increased Medical Complications and Mortality After Shoulder Arthroscopy

Purpose To compare complications after shoulder arthroscopy in patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), patients with non–insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), and nondiabetic patients. Methods A retrospective analysis of the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database for the years 2005 to 2016 was conducted. Logistic regression analyses were used to assess the relation between diabetic status (nondiabetic patients, n = 50,626; NIDDM patients, n = 5,332; and IDDM patients, n = 2,484) and outcomes. Multivariate models were established to adjust for age, sex, body mass index, hypertension, congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, smoking status, American Society of Anesthesiologists classification, and functional status. Results Patients with IDDM were at a higher risk of medical complications, with an adjusted odds ratio (AOR) of 1.524 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.082-2.147), including pulmonary complications (AOR, 2.078; 95% CI, 1.089-3.964) and urinary tract infections (AOR, 2.129; 95% CI, 1.027-4.415). Patients with IDDM also had a higher risk of 30-day hospital admission (AOR, 1.581; 95% CI, 1.153-2.169) and 30-day mortality (AOR, 3.821; 95% CI, 1.243-11.750). Conversely, patients with NIDDM had comparable risks of medical and surgical complications, unplanned hospital admission, and death to nondiabetic patients. Conclusions Medical complications, 30-day hospital admission, and death after shoulder arthroscopy were more likely in patients with IDDM. These risks diminished among patients with NIDDM, with their risks being comparable with those of nondiabetic patients. Level of Evidence Level III, retrospective comparison study.
A CONVENIENT SYNTHESIS OF N-Boc-4-FORMYLPIPERINE

(2000). A CONVENIENT SYNTHESIS OF N-Boc-4-FORMYLPIPERINE. Organic Preparations and Procedures International: Vol. 32, No. 1, pp. 96-99.
The Arithmetic of Recursively Run-Length Compressed Natural Numbers

We study arithmetic properties of a new tree-based canonical number representation, recursively run-length compressed natural numbers, defined by applying recursively a run-length encoding of their binary digits.
HDF5 as a vehicle for in transit data movement

For in transit processing, one of the fundamental challenges is the efficient movement of data from producers to consumers. Exploiting the flexibility offered by the SENSEI generic in situ framework, we have developed a number of different in transit data transport mechanisms. In this work, we focus on the transport mechanism that leverages the HDF5 parallel I/O library, and investigate the performance characteristics of this transport mechanism. For in transit use cases at scale on HPC platforms, one might expect that an in transit data transport mechanism that uses faster layers of the storage hierarchy, such as DRAM memory, would always outperform a transport that uses slower layers of the storage hierarchy, such as an NVRAM-based persistent storage presented as a distributed file system. However, our test results show that the performance of the transport using NVRAM is competitive with the transport that uses socket-based data movement across varying levels of producer and consumer concurrency.
Sp2 regulates late neurogenic but not early expansive divisions of neural stem cells underlying population growth in the mouse cortex.

Cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the switch from self-amplification of cortical stem cells to neuronal and glial generation are incompletely understood despite their importance for neural development. Here we investigated the role of the transcription factor Specificity Protein 2 (Sp2) in expansive and neurogenic divisions of the developing cerebral cortex by combining conditional genetic deletion with the Mosaic Analysis with Double Markers (MADM) system in mice. We find that loss of Sp2 in progenitors undergoing neurogenic divisions results in prolonged mitosis due to extension of early mitotic stages. This disruption is correlated with depletion of the populations of upper layer neurons in the cortex. In contrast, early cortical neural stem cells proliferate and expand normally in the absence of Sp2. These results indicate a stage-specific requirement for Sp2 in neural stem and progenitor cells and reveal mechanistic differences between the early expansive and later neurogenic periods of cortical development.
The smartphone in self-regulated learning and student success: clarifying relationships and testing an intervention

This two-part observational and intervention study addressed the role of the smartphone in self-regulated learning (SRL) and student success as measured by achievement. Smartphone usage among students has been identified as contributing to lower academic achievement in a variety of settings. What is unclear is how smartphone usage contributes to lower outcomes. This study surveyed participants’ self-regulated learning skills and smartphone usage at the beginning and end of the term for first semester undergraduates. A regression analysis demonstrated that when controlling for prior achievement, general SRL measures had a positive impact on first semester achievement. Smartphone related SRL did not have a direct impact on achievement. The second part of the study evaluated the efficacy of a brief intervention to ameliorate factors contributing to lower achievement. Students were presented with either SRL strategies, awareness and attention strategies or career planning guidance (control). A regression analysis of the brief intervention resulted in modest gains in SRL but did not influence achievement.
New era of parasite control

Control of gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) may have economic and health impacts in beef cattle operations. In the past several decades, GIN control has relied almost exclusively on the use of anthelmintics. With the increase in anthelmintic resistance (AR) new strategies must be developed. Knowledge of GIN biology and epidemiology in the region based on climate and weather, and specific information from the ranch, such as quantitative fecal egg counts, estimates of AR through fecal egg count reduction tests, ages of the cattle and pasture management are necessary to develop GIN control programs. Control programs should integrate grazing management, management of the immune system so cattle can resist infection, and anthelmintic use.
Breeding Effort and Hydroperiod Indicate Habitat Quality of Small, Isolated Wetlands for Amphibians Under Climate Extremes

The distribution and function of small, temporarily ponded wetlands such as vernal pools are driven by climate variation, especially precipitation. These wetland ecosystems provide important habitat for amphibians, whose breeding effort (egg deposition) is often used to characterize pool habitat quality. However, whether breeding effort consistently predicts larval survival, juvenile production, and overall reproductive output—key indicators of habitat quality for amphibians in a varying environment—remains unclear. We assessed the occurrence of spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) and wood frog (Lithobates sylvaticus) larvae in 71 vernal pools in New York, USA during the spring and summer of 2016 and 2017—the fifth driest and third wettest years in regional history, respectively—to better understand the relationship between breeding effort and metamorph production under environmental extremes. Breeding effort was an important predictor of whether late-stage larvae occurred in pools for both species. However, occurrence of late-stage larvae was substantially lower for both species during 2016, i.e., the drought year, when pools dried rapidly. These outcomes suggest that, in the face of an increasingly variable climate, prioritizing clusters of pools that encompass a range of hydroperiods and include high-productivity pools would help maintain populations of vernal-pool dependent amphibians.
Online Incidental Exposure to News Can Minimize Interest-Based Political Knowledge Gaps: Evidence from Two U.S. Elections:

Concerns persist over the potential for the fragmented media environment to promote motivation-based political knowledge gaps between those who are interested in politics and those who are not. Yet...
Potential Blood-Based Biomarkers for Predicting Change in Cognitive, Functional and Neuroimaging Parameters over Subsequent Years in Prodromal Alzheimer’s Subjects.

1564 Objectives: To test prognostic value of several potential blood biomarkers in predicting course of decline in prospectively recruited subjects with prodromal Alzheimer’s disease over subsequent two years of follow-up. Methods: This present analysis included levels of 6 constituents of human blood [plasma neurofilament light chain (NfL), creatinine (Cr), arginine (Arg), methionine, asymmetric dimethylarginine and symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA)] measured in 81 non-demented subjects enrolled in Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) GO and ADNI 2. Subjects represented a consecutive series of those having clinically documented non-reversible clinical impairment and longitudinal neuroimaging data collected over at least two years as of January 2019. Each constituent was tested for its value in predicting disease progression, as assessed by clinical and functional neuropsychological instruments, as well as neuroimaging parameters indexing amyloid plaque frequency assed with florbetapir-PET, regional metabolic decline assessed with FDG-PET, and cerebral volume loss and T1-hypointensities assessed with structural MRI. Subgroups comprising those subjects falling above or below mean level for each constituent were statistically compared with respect to magnitude of change in cognitive [Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) and Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale (ADAS-Cog)], functional [Functional Activities Questionnaire (FAQ)], and neuroimaging [both region-of-interest (ROI) and voxel-based] parameters, and subgroup differences in those parameters were considered significant if p
CERTIORARI AS CODA: After Lexmark Rejects Multifactor Measures for Standing, Which Challengers Stand in the Zone of Interests for Lanham Act Remedies?, 25 Fed. Circuit B.J. 699 (2016) and SSRN 2807167.

The U.S. Supreme Court interpreted the provision in Lanham Act that provides remedies to "any person who believes that he is or will be damaged," The Court set forth a two-prong test tied to the Act that should be used to assess whether a statutory "person" can seek remedies. The Fourth Circuit followed the Court's decision and applied the test to petitions to cancel trademarks. The Federal Circuit used a "real interest" and "reasonable belief" approach, which the Supreme Court criticized. A petition for certiorari will be filed which asks for the Court to resolve this conflict between the Circuits on a threshold issue of federal statutory law. The petition for certiorari is no. 20-1309 on the docket of the Supreme Court of the U.S.
WTO Legal Issues Arising from Carbon Border Measures: An Introductory Primer

Carbon border measures (CBMs) are an important tool for integrating climate and trade policy. At the same time, however, they raise novel issues for the World Trade Organization (WTO). Although these issues may present themselves as legal issues, they are significant diplomatically and politically for a number of reasons. First, U.S. allies, the European Union (EU) in particular, are politically invested in the WTO as the center of a rules-based international trading system. Allies are therefore reluctant to adopt or acquiesce to measures that do not have a plausible justification under WTO rules. Diplomatic engagement on allies’ policies, such as the EU’s forthcoming CBM, is thus most effective when it is informed by WTO issues. Second, U.S. allies have perceived the United States under the Trump administration as actively undermining the WTO. They therefore would be especially sensitive now to U.S. policies, such as a potential U.S. CBM, that could fly in the face of WTO rules. Third, U.S. allies, led by the EU, are eager to rebuild the WTO’s Appellate Body (the lynchpin of the WTO’s dispute settlement system), which the Trump administration incapacitated following years of bipartisan discontent with the body. CBMs present a challenge to this endeavor. If the Biden administration adopts CBMs that cannot at least plausibly be justified before the WTO’s dispute settlement system, reviving dispute settlement at the WTO will be considerably more difficult. Preemptively thinking through WTO legal issues with CBMs may thus smooth the diplomatic and political path for adopting such measures and presenting them to both the U.S. business/environmental communities and U.S. allies. For simplicity, this memo focuses on the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), the cornerstone of WTO rules. Additional analysis under other WTO rules, such as the Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement or the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures, can be provided upon request. The GATT follows a system of primary rules with which members must comply unless an exception to those primary rules applies. This memo discusses briefly why CBMs are likely to violate the GATT’s primary rules, before turning to issues that arise in justifying a CBM under GATT exceptions. We conclude with a discussion as to why the approach we’ve argued for elsewhere1 is perhaps particularly well suited to being defended under GATT exceptions.
Changes in Care Provision During COVID-19 Impact Patient Well-Being

The fast onset and extensive impact of COVID-19 necessitated strict public health measures and temporary diversion of personnel and resources from other types of medical care. This study examined the prevalence of such disruptions and their impacts on patient-perceived well-being using an untargeted survey. The majority of surveyed patients experienced changes in their routine medical care. Of those whose appointments were postponed or canceled, most patients indicated an overall negative impact on their emotional and physical well-being. We highlighted the impact of disruptions in nonurgent medical care during a large-scale public health emergency.
Bridging Hierarchies in Multi-Scale Models of Neural Systems: Look-Up Tables Enable Computationally Efficient Simulations of Non-linear Synaptic Dynamics.

Synapses are critical actors of neuronal transmission as they form the basis of chemical communication between neurons. Accurate computational models of synaptic dynamics may prove important in elucidating emergent properties across hierarchical scales. Yet, in large-scale neuronal network simulations, synapses are often modeled as highly simplified linear exponential functions due to their small computational footprint. However, these models cannot capture the complex nonlinear dynamics that biological synapses exhibit and thus, are insufficient in representing synaptic behavior accurately. Existing detailed mechanistic synapse models can replicate these nonlinear dynamics by modeling the underlying kinetics of biological synapses, but their high complexity prevents them from being a suitable option in large-scale models due to long simulation times. This motivates the development of more parsimonious models that can capture the complex nonlinear dynamics of synapses accurately while maintaining a minimal computational cost. We propose a look-up table approach that stores precomputed values thereby circumventing most computations at runtime and enabling extremely fast simulations for glutamatergic receptors AMPAr and NMDAr. Our results demonstrate that this methodology is capable of replicating the dynamics of biological synapses as accurately as the mechanistic synapse models while maintaining the fast speeds of the exponential synapse models. This powerful approach allows for multi-scale neuronal networks to be simulated at large scales, enabling the investigation of how low-level synaptic activity may lead to changes in high-level phenomena such as memory and learning.
An automated 60 GHz open resonator system for precision dielectric measurement

An automated open resonator system designed and constructed for precision measurement of loss tangent and dielectric permittivity of low absorbing materials at 60 GHz is reported. The use of a high-Q hemispherical Fabry-Perot cavity together with highly stabilized synthesized phase-locked Gunn oscillator sources and the superheterodyne receiver enabled a loss tangent value as low as 10 mu rad to be measured. The system is automated by means of a precision lock-in amplifier, a V-band Hewlett-Packard spectrum analyzer and a Hewlett-Packard Vectra computer system with analog-to-digital conversion accessories. The synthesizer allows the collection of data at very small steps over the complete Gaussian beam, and, together with a statistical fitting, the Q determination can be made very accurately. >
Does the level of infant mortality affect the rate of decline?: Time series data from 21 countries

Abstract Some scholars have suggested that an inverse care law holds for infant mortality—that infant mortality reductions are more rapid in regions with lower infant mortality. This theory has not been subjected to proper quantitative analysis. This paper examines time series data on infant mortality from 21 countries to test whether percentage reductions in infant mortality are larger when infant mortality is lower. We apply the Dickey–Fuller generalized least squares (DFGLS) unit root test to infant mortality rate (IMR) time series data from 21 mostly European nations for 1870–1988 to test the statistical significance of β in a regression analysis of Δln IMR t = α + β ln IMR t −1 + ɛ t . Evidence that β is significant and negative would support the claim that infant mortality declines more rapidly when substantial mortality reductions have already been achieved. With the preferred specification, the DFGLS unit root test rejected the inverse benefit hypothesis in all countries except the Netherlands at the 5% and 10% cutoffs and Australia at the 10% cutoff. The rejection of the inverse benefit hypothesis was robust to alternative specifications of the lag structure of IMR and to transformations of IMR other than logarithmic. Based on late 19th and 20th century data from countries in Europe and Latin America, there is scarce evidence that percentage reductions in infant mortality are generally smaller in higher mortality countries. These findings suggest that large percentage reductions in infant mortality are possible for countries at any stage in economic development and are reflective of durable advances in human knowledge, social institutions and physical capital.
"MACHISMO," DRUGS AND STREET SURVIVAL IN A US-MEXICO BORDER COMMUNITY

This article examines how many of the behavioral norms. values, and attitudes encapsulated in the cultural ideal of "machismo" are expressed through the interrelated activities of drug use and aggression among male Mexican heroin addicts ("tecatos") in a US-Mexico border community. Ideals of excess. risk. and outstripping others frame the onset and tra1ectory of drug use careers. The aggressive aspects of "machismo" provide the "tecato"with an effective means of adapting to a social life-world fraught with a variety of personal risks. Through enacting and re-creating the ideal of "machismo" in his day-to-day interactions the "tecato" gains social status as well as a means of self-defense and a strategy for drug use management. While recognizing the practical value of these attitudes many"tecatos" are also aware of their costs. In the context of life in the streets, aggression, along with excessive drug use, are emphasized to the exclusion of other more positive male attributes in Mexican society, including personal control and familial responsibility. On an ideal level such positive aspects of male gender expressions are recognized and culturally available but on a practical level they are rarely practiced. It is suggested that structural factors may mitigate against the expression of these more positive aspects of "machismo."
Use of two-limit probit regression model: An analysis of lender response to loan requests

Abstract Research problems where the observed dependent variable is restricted to lie within an interval with massing of some of the observations at the limiting values of the interval are frequent in business research studies. This paper analyzes one such problem—that of lender response to a business loan application. The unique features of a regression model with a doubly limited dependent variable are explained and interpreted. Parameter estimation for such models is undertaken by maximum-likelihood techniques. In this paper maximum likelihood estimates are obtained for an empirical problem and compared with ordinary least-squares estimators. Results show substantial differences between least-squares and maximum-likelihood estimates, indicating a possibility for serious errors by using least-squares methods on models with a doubly limited dependent variable.
The Cytonuclear Effects of Facultative Apomixis: II. Definitions and Dynamics of Disequilibria in Tetraploid Populations

We develop a cytonuclear framework for tetraploid populations in which a diallelic nuclear marker exhibits tetrasomic inheritance. This system requires two separate parameterizations, with six cytonuclear disequilibria (nonrandom associations) in tetraploid individuals and four in their diploid gametes. Double reduction during meiosis adds further complexity by causing gametic output to vary with the distance of the nuclear locus from the centromere. We derive and analyze dynamical solutions for the disequilibria under generalized mixed mating, with any combination of apomixis, selfing, and outcrossing, with and without double reduction. As in comparable diploid systems, all disequilibria ultimately decay to zero, unless nuclear and cytoplasmic alleles are nonrandomly associated and outcrossing is absent, in which case permanent associations result. Selfing and apomixis retard the decay of disequilibria (or approach to equilibrium), and often to the same extent. In contrast, double reduction can accelerate the loss of tetraploid cytonuclear associations, but only negligibly in hybrid zones, and this loss is never faster than in diploids. Only in the absence of allelic associations or outcrossing is the asymptotic approach to equilibrium differentially affected by apomixis and selfing or slower under tetrasomic than disomic inheritance. To facilitate empirical applications, we also examine tetraploid hybrid zone dynamics and offer practical guidelines for experimental design and data analysis, showing how the consequences of the mating system alone provide a valuable baseline for drawing evolutionary inferences from the observed patterns of cytonuclear associations.
Review of Microbial Genetics

The term mutation refers to an abrupt and usually stably inherited change in properties of an organism. Mutations can occur either spontaneously, or may be induced by a mutagen.
Understanding Our Changing World through Web- Mapping Based Investigations

800x600 Maps have always been a rich source of information on a variety of topics in a medium requiring only a small amount of space. Today’s web maps show more than simply the locations of physical and cultural objects. They also allow students to do more with them. They foster understanding relationships, linkages, and patterns inherent between and among such phenomena as ecoregions, land use, demography, watersheds, commerce, natural hazards, and social networks. With the evolution of today’s mapping technologies into cloud-based platforms, educators and students as never before have a wide variety of data and tools at their fingertips that allow them to explore key issues of the 21 st Century at scales from local to global. Students can upload their own data into these web maps alone or as part of citizen science projects, and share their maps with others in an online environment. These maps become multimedia-rich tools that students engage with while gaining critical thinking skills, career skills, and interdisciplinary content knowledge. Normal 0 14 false false false IT X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Tabella normale"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
Piano music transcription modeling note temporal evolution

Automatic music transcription (AMT) is the process of converting an acoustic musical signal into a symbolic musical representation such as a MIDI piano roll, which contains the pitches, the onsets and offsets of the notes and, possibly, their dynamic and source (i.e., instrument). Existing algorithms for AMT commonly identify pitches and their saliences in each frame and then form notes in a post-processing stage, which applies a combination of thresholding, pruning and smoothing operations. Very few existing methods consider the note temporal evolution over multiple frames during the pitch identification stage. In this work we propose a note-based spectrogram factorization method that uses the entire temporal evolution of piano notes as a template dictionary. The method uses an artificial neural network to detect note onsets from the audio spectral flux. Next, it estimates the notes present in each audio segment between two successive onsets with a greedy search algorithm. Finally, the spectrogram of each segment is factorized using a discrete combination of note templates comprised of full note spectrograms of individual piano notes sampled at different dynamic levels. We also propose a new psychoacoustically informed measure for spectrogram similarity.
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM SEQUELAE IN A CHILD FOLLOWING ASEPTIC MENINGITIS ASSOCIATED WITH LEPTOSPIRAL INFECTION

A case of Leptospira canicola complicated by aseptic meningitis and later behavioral deterioration in a previously normal white male child of 4 years is discussed. Clinical, psychological, and electroencephalographic evidence of brain damage were recorded, and both showed spontaneous improvement over a 4-year period, with continued regression of symptoms. Leptospiral infection may involve the central nervous system without the signs and symptoms classically associated with acute leptospirosis. It is suggested that a study of leptospiral antibody titers of the acute and convalescent sera of patients may be worthwhile as a routine investigation where the provisional diagnosis is encephalitis or aseptic meningitis. The possibility that the onset of aberrant behavior in a previously normal child is not always due to psychodynamic factors alone should be kept in mind, and a careful inquiry with appropriate examinations should be made.
Accounting for Heterogeneity, Diversity and General Equilibrium in Evaluating Social Programmes

This paper considers the merits and limitations of alternative criteria proposed to evaluate social programmes in the modern welfare state and the information required to implement them when individual responses to programmes are heterogeneous. Participation in programmes is based, in part, on this heterogeneity and the programmes have general equilibrium impacts on the economy. Particular attention is devoted to the voting criterion used in modern positive political economy and the ranking of alternative social states based on anonymity postulates. Evidence on heterogeneity is presented. Conflicts among the criteria are revealed in two empirical studies. Partial equilibrium approaches are shown to be misleading.
Surgical treatment of multiligament knee injuries

To analyse one institution’s experience with multiligament knee injuries. Over 10 years, 133 multiligament knee injuries including 130 patients were included in the study. Inclusion criteria included: (1) injury to two or more knee ligaments (2) multiligament knee repair/reconstructive surgery. The average age at time of injury was 26 years old, and 76 % were male. Fifty-one (38 %) multiligament knee injuries had >2 ligaments injured. Peroneal injuries occurred in 26 patients (20 %), and four (3 %) had associated vascular injuries. A high energy mechanism of injury was noted in 39 %. Twenty-five per cent of patients had an additional orthopaedic injury and, 11.5 % suffered additional non-orthopaedic injuries. Definitive surgical intervention was performed acutely ( 2 ligament injury or had surgery acutely were at an increased risk of knee stiffness requiring manipulation under anaesthesia (MUA) (p = 0.016 and p = 0.047, respectively). Knees with >2 ligaments injured were associated with higher post-operative complications (p = 0.007). Knee dislocation IV knees were at increased risk to undergo revision surgery (p = 0.041). Obese patients were more likely to have a post-operative infection (p = 0.038). Repair, reconstruction or type of graft used had no impact on need for revision surgery. Multiligament knee injured patients undergoing surgical intervention are a highly complex patient population. This study outlines the patient population, treatment, and complications of one academic institution over 10 years. Overall complications were higher in patients with >2 ligaments injured. Knee stiffness requiring MUA was more common in patients who had >2 ligaments ruptured and those treated acutely. Knees with all four ligaments injured were more likely to undergo revision surgery. Retrospective case series, Level IV.
First prize: Chitosan and the urothelial barrier: effects on ureteral intraluminal drug penetration and peristalsis.

Abstract Introduction: Relaxing the ureter prior to endourologic procedures could ease instrument access. In an ex-vivo model, intraluminal nifedipine has been shown to relax the ureter. Chitosan is the deacetylation product of chitin and can alter bladder urothelium. This study examines the effect of nifedipine on peristalsis before and after pretreating the ureter with chitosan. Methods: Intact 4-cm tubular porcine ureteral segments were placed in a novel organ bath. To induce peristalsis, phenylephrine (10 μM) was added. Chitosan (0.5% [w/v], 30 minutes) or Krebs (control) was then used to treat the urothelium. The rate and amplitude of ureteral peristalsis was then measured. Intraluminal nifedipine (1 μM) was then added to the intraluminal reservoir. Peristaltic rate and amplitude and the time to aperistalsis were measured. Methylene blue was then added after treatment with chitosan or control to measure diffusion. Results: After Krebs pretreatment, intraluminal nifedipine (1 μM) significantly reduced...
The geography of drug activity and violence: analyzing spatial relationships of non-homogenous crime event types.

The pervasiveness of interest regarding the theme of a relationship between street-level drug activity and violence has been reflected throughout criminal justice research, policy, and practice as well as in public opinion. Most research has focused on the connection between the two at the individual level. This study extends previous research by examining the place-based relationship between drugs and violence. To do so, this project employs three spatial statistical approaches—measures of spatial intensity/density, measures of spatial dependence for drugs and violence separately, and a modified spatial dependence approach for non-homogenous populations to explore the relationship between drug activity and violence. The findings indicate that while drugs and violence often exhibit overlapping spatial patterns, important variations exist in the spatial relationship between the two.
The use of digitized intravenous angiography in a clinical setting. A retrospective review of 58 patients.

Abstract Digitized intravenous angiography (DIVA) is a frequently used alternative to conventional intra-arterial angiography for the evaluation of cerebrovascular disease. In an attempt to identify factors that may increase the diagnostic capacity of DIVA, a retrospective study of 58 patients evaluated by DIVA for cerebrovascular disease was performed. The reason for the DIVA study was the presence of focal symptoms in 25 patients and nonfocal or vertebrobasilar symptoms in nine. Twenty-four patients were asymptomatic. DIVA was found to be adequately diagnostic in 37 patients (64%), and further evaluation was required in 21 (36%). When the 42 patients who had ocular pneumoplethysmography (OPG-Gee) results available were classified according to their presenting symptoms, 85% of those with focal symptoms and positive OPG-Gee had a diagnostically successful DIVA study. A high DIVA accuracy rate was also obtained in the asymptomatic patients, whether the OPG-Gee results were positive (60%) or negative (78%). The category of patients for whom the DIVA was the least successful was the group with nonfocal or vertebrobasilar symptoms. As many as 56% of these patients required additional testing. Thus it appears that the yield of diagnostic DIVA is increased when the clinical presentation and noninvasive testing are considered. A prospective study is underway to further verify this hypothesis. (J VASC SURG 1985;2:327-31.)
AN ANALYSIS OF AORTIC PRESSURE CURVES TAKING INTO ACCOUNT VISCO-ELASTIC PROPERTIES OF THE AORTA AND VARIATIONS IN PERIPHERAL RESISTANCE.

The aortic pressure curve necessarily reveals the mechanical properties of the aorta and peripheral resistance as well as of the dynamics of blood flow. The present study uses a reasonable model of visco-elastic properties of the aorta, a reasonable form for variations in peripheral resistance and blood flow to predict an aortic pressure tracing. Numerical values of constants measured experimentally were available in the published literature. These were used in the nonlinear differential equations of motion of the system under analysis. The equations yielded to piece-wise solution, giving the aortic circumference and the aortic pressure as functions of time. The form of both curves resembles clinical tracings, but numerical values of circumference were higher and of pressure lower thanin vivo. The discrepancies between predicted and clinical curves may reveal certain inadequacies in published measurements on visco-elastic constants. These measurements have been made on longitudinal rather than circumferential strips often containing dead rather than living muscle. The discrepancies, therefore, indicate specific gaps in our knowledge of aortic behaviorin vitro. The suggested model of the system aided in the design of experiments which could supply data necessary to substantiate or to revise the model.
Hemoglobin Baylor [α2β281(EF5) Leu→ arc]-an Unstable Mutant with High Oxygen Affinity

The amino acid substitution in a new homoglobin variant, Hb Baylor [α2β281(EF5) Leu-Arg], has been determined by application of column chromatography and amino acid analysis of the tryptic peptides. The hemoglobin is somewhat unstable and it has a high oxygen affinity. The porosities shows the opposing hematologic effects of these two properties-the instituionability being associated with increased destruction, and the high O2 affinity with increased production, of erythrocytes.
Psychosocial Barriers to Cervical Cancer Screening: Concerns With Self‐presentation and Social Evaluation1

The incidence of cervical cancer has decreased over 70% in the last several decades due in large part to the Papanicolaou (Pap) test. Despite the acknowledged efficacy of this test, however, many women do not receive cervical screening. The present study investigated the contributions of individual differences in concerns with self-presentation and social evaluation to the prediction of intentions and behavior involving cervical screening. Eighty-two Caucasian women completed measures of social anxiety, physique anxiety, public and private self-consciousness, fear of negative evaluation, and self-esteem, in addition to questions assessing their knowledge and behavior regarding cervical screening. Social anxiety significantly predicted intention to receive cervical screening for a medical reason, as well as the frequency with which the women actually received gynecological examinations. Physique anxiety accounted for a significant percentage of the variance in women's likelihood of receiving cervical screening within the next year. Interpersonal aspects of the gynecological exam, as well as implications of the findings for gynecological practice are discussed.