cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intraventricular Hemangiopericytoma: A Case Report and Literature Review

Background Hemangiopericytomas are rare intracranial neoplasms that generally occur in the fifth decade of life and are commonly dural-based, supratentorial tumors. They are classified as World Health Organization grade II or III because of their aggressive nature with high rates of local recurrence and distant metastasis. This case is of an intraventricular hemangiopericytoma in a 23-year-old man. Intraventricular locations are rare, with only 10 cases reported in the literature. Our patient is the youngest to be diagnosed with an intraventricular hemangiopericytoma outside a pediatric case discovered at autopsy. Clinical Presentation A 23-year-old man with a left intraventricular hemangiopericytoma presenting with headache, word-finding difficulties, blurred vision, nausea, vomiting, photophobia, and right-sided weakness and numbness. Using a left superior parietal lobule approach, a piecemeal resection was completed, achieving radiographic gross total resection. Pathology was consistent with a hemangiopericytoma. He was treated adjunctively with 60 Gy of local radiation. At 6-month follow-up, the patient had resolution of his aphasia and improvement in his headaches, with no signs of recurrence or metastasis on imaging. Conclusions Standard treatment for central nervous system hemangiopericytoma includes aggressive surgical resection. The role of adjuvant radiation is less well defined but is commonly pursued postoperatively. Regardless of extent of resection or adjuvant treatment, close follow-up to evaluate for evidence of local recurrence and distant metastasis is essential.
Our achievements

Professor McMillan herein reports on the progress of the Institute during his administration as President. In the course of that year, membership increased by more than 13 percent, with a subsequent increase in Section and committee activities, a new publications policy was formulated, and plans for a new Engineering Societies Center were considered.
Benefits and transaction costs of purchasing local foods in school districts

Abstract Although there are several benefits associated with the consumption and increased awareness of locally grown foods in school districts, there are also costs that prevent increasing the purchase of local foods. This study examined the main benefits and transaction costs perceived by school foodservice directors in a Northeastern State when purchasing local foods. Qualitative semi-structured interviews with school districts’ foodservice directors (N = 11) were conducted. The main criteria for participation was to target school districts who previously or currently purchased locally grown food items. The study showed that school foodservice directors categorized price, food safety and availability as the main components of transaction costs associated with the purchase of locally grown products. They also identified several benefits, such as supporting the local economy, providing better quality food, and ensuring students have access to healthier foods. Future studies could build on these findings to identify specific measures of transaction costs.
Ode to fine wines and rocks

![Figure][1] Geologist Charles Frankel's Land and Wine: The French Terroir is not so much a scientific expose as it is a beautifully described love triangle involving wine, rocks, and French history. With stories of Charles the Fat (839 to 888 CE), Philip the Bold (1342 to 1404), and Joan of
Studies of SiH2Ci2/H2 Gas Phase Chemistry for Selective Thin Film Growth of Crystalline Silicon, c-Si, Using Remote Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition

Conventional high temperature, >800°C, CVD processes, utilizing SiH2Ci2 promote selective deposition of c-Si onto c-Si, but not on SiO2 surfaces. We show that low temperature, 300°C remote PECVD, with rf-excited He plasmas, and SiH2Ci2 and H2 injected downstream, also selectively deposits c-Si on c-Si and not SiO2 surfaces. This preliminary study employs in-situ mass spectrometry, MS, to determine the species responsible for selective deposition process reaction pathways. These MS studies suggest that species responsible for film deposition are Si-containing fragments of the SiH2Ci2 molecule, e.g., SiH2Ci, SiCi2H, etc., while the species responsible for inhibiting deposition on the SiO2 surfaces are by-products of the break-up of the SiH2Ci2 molecule in the gas phase, e.g., H-atoms, HCI and H2Ci+ ions.
Classroom Construction of Women's Self-Ideal Image: Note on Spence and Helmreich's Personality Attributes Questionnaire

At the beginning and later in the 1995 spring semester, 87 students (23 men and 64 women) in five classes rated themselves according to Spence and Helmreich's 1978 short Personality Attributes Questionnaire which measures traits desirable in both men and women, Instrumental (Masculine or M) and Expressive (Feminine or F), and traits inversely acceptable in men and women (M-F). The mean scores on M-F of women in two sections of one class significantly increased. The mean scores on Femininity of women in another class decreased. Pearson correlations indicated that the subjects had formed a coherent, consistent view that nevertheless did change during the semester. Their changed means suggest that the content of a course might influence an idealized self-image.
Nucleotides Acting at P2Y Receptors: Connecting Structure and Function

Eight G protein–coupled P2Y receptor (P2YR) subtypes are important physiologic mediators. The human P2YRs are fully activated by ATP (P2Y2 and P2Y11), ADP (P2Y1, P2Y12, and P2Y13), UTP (P2Y2 and P2Y4), UDP (P2Y6 and P2Y14), and UDP glucose (P2Y14). Their structural elucidation is progressing rapidly. The X-ray structures of three ligand complexes of the Gi-coupled P2Y12R and two of the Gq-coupled P2Y1Rs were recently determined and will be especially useful in structure-based ligand design at two P2YR subfamilies. These high-resolution structures, which display unusual binding site features, complement mutagenesis studies for probing ligand recognition and activation. The structural requirements for nucleotide agonist recognition at P2YRs are relatively permissive with respect to the length of the phosphate moiety, but less so with respect to base recognition. Nucleotide-like antagonists and partial agonists are also known for P2Y1, P2Y2, P2Y4, and P2Y12Rs. Each P2YR subtype has the ability to be activated by structurally bifunctional agonists, such as dinucleotides, typically, dinucleoside triphosphates or tetraphosphates, and nucleoside polyphosphate sugars (e.g., UDP glucose) as well as the more conventional mononucleotide agonists. A range of dinucleoside polyphosphates, from triphosphates to higher homologs, occurs naturally. Earlier modeling predictions of the P2YRs were not very accurate, but recent findings have provided much detailed structural insight into this receptor family to aid in the rational design of new drugs.
The Tentative Understanding on Chinese-foreign Co-operative Way of Running a School

After China抯 entry into WTO, Sino-foreign co-operative way of running a school is the only road to the internationalization of China higher education. At present, there are four kinds of modes of co-operative way of running a school in our country. The realization of co-operative way of running a school will center on the settlement of the interflow of credit. And we will import advanced conception of running a school to strengthen the management.
The Rao test for testing handedness of complex-valued covariance matrix

Banding the inverse of covariance matrix has become a popular technique to estimate a high dimensional covariance matrix from limited number of samples. However, little work has been done in providing a criterion to determine when a matrix is bandable. In this paper, we present a detector to test the bandedness of a Cholesky factor matrix. The test statistic is formed based on the Rao test, which does not require the maximum likelihood estimates under the alternative hypothesis. In many fields, such as radar signal processing, the covariance matrix and its unknown parameters are often complex-valued. We focus on dealing with complex-valued cases by utilizing the complex parameter Rao test, instead of the traditional real Rao test. This leads to a more intuitive and efficient test statistic. Examples and computer simulations are given to investigate the derived detector performance.
Towards empirical dialog-state modeling and its use in language modeling

Inspired by the goal of modeling the dialog state and the speaker’s mental state, moment by moment, we apply Principal Component Analysis to a vector of 76 prosodic features spanning 6 seconds of context. This gives a multidimensional representation of the current state. We find that word probabilities vary strongly with several of these dimensions, that the use of this information in a language model gives a 27% reduction in perplexity, and that many of the dimensions do relate to aspects of mental state and dialog state.
Ovarian carcinoma. The problems of staging and grading.

Abstract A review of 148 cases of primary ovarian cancer is presented. The data have been analyzed on the basis of information collected from a review of the literature. Studies of the histology of these tumors indicated the following: 1. 1. Survival figures based on histogenetic classifications were of dubious value. This was in part due to the large number of undifferentiated tumors that were unclassifiable. 2. 2. Classifications based on tumor grade provided a satisfactory separation of prognostic groups. 3. 3. Histologic grade appeared to remain relatively constant in a given tumor. 4. 4. Cell differentiation provided better criteria of degree of malignancy than did the ever-all structure of the tumor. 5. 5. Stromal invasion was not of statistical value in this study, as it occurred in over 85 per cent of the specimens examined. Tabulation of cases on the basis of anatomic spread indicated: (1) extent of spread furnished significantly different prognostic groups; (2) unilateral tumors, whether confined or whether complicated by excrescences, rupture, or adhesions, appeared to have a better prognosis than corresponding bilateral tumors; however, there appeared to be no prognostic difference between unilateral or bilateral tumors when spread beyond the ovary had occurred; and (3) although ascites was associated with more advanced tumors, it did not appear to affect the prognosis in cases with similar anatomic spread. Attempts to use any of the several published staging methods demonstrated the current lack of a satisfactory staging system. Because of the multiple variables involved, conclusions regarding therapeutic modalities could not be made in this study.
The role of receptor topology in the vitamin D3 uptake and Ca(2+) response systems.

Abstract The steroid hormone, vitamin D3, regulates gene transcription via at least two receptors and initiates putative rapid response systems at the plasma membrane. The vitamin D receptor (VDR) binds vitamin D3 and a second receptor, importin-4, imports the VDR-vitamin D3 complex into the nucleus via nuclear pores. Here we present evidence that the Homo sapiens VDR homodimer contains two transmembrane (TM) helices (327E – D342), two TM “half-helix” (264K N276), one or more large channels, and 16 cholesterol binding (CRAC/CARC) domains. The importin-4 monomer exhibits 3 pore-lining regions (226E – L251; 768V – G783; 876S – A891) and 16 CRAC/CARC domains. The MEMSAT algorithm indicates that VDR and importin-4 may not be restricted to cytoplasm and nucleus. VDR homodimer TM helix-topology predicts insertion into the plasma membrane, with two 84 residue C-terminal regions being extracellular. Similarly, MEMSAT predicts importin-4 insertion into the plasma membrane with 226 residue extracellular N-terminal regions and 96 residue C-terminal extracellular loops; with the pore-lining regions contributing gated Ca2+ channels. The PoreWalker algorithm indicates that, of the 427 residues in each VDR monomer, 91 line the largest channel, including two vitamin D3 binding sites and residues from both the TM helix and “half-helix”. Cholesterol-binding domains also extend into the channel within the ligand binding region. Programmed changes in bound cholesterol may regulate both membrane Ca2+ response systems and vitamin D3 uptake as well as receptor internalization by the endomembrane system culminating in uptake of the vitamin D3-VDR-importin-4 complex into the nucleus.
Overlook of Patient Time Log Entry Errors During Emergency Department Processes

Patients visiting emergency departments need appropriate medical care on time from the point of arrival to discharge. Time logs are essential for keeping track of patient status during the visit. The accuracy of time logs is not supposed to be compromised to the speed of data entry. The objective of this study was to investigate how falsely patient time logs were entered during emergency department processes. Data omissions and false entries of time logs were considered to estimate the likelihood of data entry errors. Results showed that omission errors were occurred at the doctor’s examination process and false entry errors at the registration process. The modality change of data entry from keying data to voice activated data entry would be a suggestion to reduce the false time log data entry at emergency department processes.
Percutaneous Tricuspid Repair Techniques

Percutaneous repair or replacement techniques for the aortic and mitral valves have widespread acceptance as effective alternatives for patients who are not surgical candidates. Similar techniques for the tricuspid valve are now on the rise. Tricuspid valve disease is prevalent in a diverse population of patients ranging from 8 to almost 80 years of age. Currently there is a substantial division between the treated and diseased population, with the latter increasing in number. Experience and studies have shown that surgery for moderate or severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR) has a significant negative impact on morbidity and mortality. Progressive TR in itself has been shown to be a risk factor for decreased survival. Percutaneous techniques for management of TR offer these patients an attractive and efficient option. Novel devices have been constructed with the intent to restore the anatomy and physiology of the tricuspid valve complex. TR is most commonly due to secondary causes like left heart failure. Results so far are promising for most devices, and some human trials are underway. In coming years, feasibility and safety data along with experience with these devices will grow. It is possible that percutaneous tricuspid repair may become an alternative for some patients with TR.
Selective Ablation of GIRK Channels in Dopamine Neurons Alters Behavioral Effects of Cocaine in Mice

The increase in dopamine (DA) neurotransmission stimulated by in vivo cocaine exposure is tempered by G protein-dependent inhibitory feedback mechanisms in DA neurons of the ventral tegmental area (VTA). G protein-gated inwardly rectifying K+ (GIRK/Kir3) channels mediate the direct inhibitory effect of GABAB receptor (GABABR) and D2 DA receptor (D2R) activation in VTA DA neurons. Here we examined the effect of the DA neuron-specific loss of GIRK channels on D2R-dependent regulation of VTA DA neuron excitability and on cocaine-induced, reward-related behaviors. Selective ablation of Girk2 in DA neurons did not alter the baseline excitability of VTA DA neurons but significantly reduced the magnitude of D2R-dependent inhibitory somatodendritic currents and blunted the impact of D2R activation on spontaneous activity and neuronal excitability. Mice lacking GIRK channels in DA neurons exhibited increased locomotor activation in response to acute cocaine administration and an altered locomotor sensitization profile, as well as increased responding for and intake of cocaine in an intravenous self-administration test. These mice, however, showed unaltered cocaine-induced conditioned place preference. Collectively, our data suggest that feedback inhibition to VTA DA neurons, mediated by GIRK channel activation, tempers the locomotor stimulatory effect of cocaine while also modulating the reinforcing effect of cocaine in an operant-based self-administration task.
An Evaluation of the Community Land Model (Version 3.5) and Noah Land Surface Models for Temperature and Precipitation Over Nebraska (Central Great Plains): Implications for Agriculture in Simulations of Future Climate Change and Adaptation

With increasing evidence of climate change, future decision-making among crop modelers and agronomists will require the inclusion of high-resolution climate predictions from regional climate models as input into agricultural system simulation models to assess the impacts of projected ambient CO2 increases, temperature and general climatic change on crop production. Before they can be implemented in climate adaption studies and decision-support systems, weather variables must be reliable and accurate. This study evaluated weather variables generated from computer simulations using two land surface models, (LSMs) coupled to a regional climate model, namely, Weather Research Forecasting (WRF 3.2). The land surface models tested are the Community Land Surface Model CLM 3.5 and the Noah Land surface model. Ground truth observations from 7 stations in Nebraska from a dry year, a normal year and a wet year (2002, 2005 and 2008 respectively) were used to evaluate the model results. Model results were also compared for their spatial ability to mimic distance-standard error weather variables. Both LSMs performed well in predicting the maximum and minimum temperatures in 2002, 2005 and 2008. Rainfall predictions by both models were not as reliable, based on evaluation for individual stations as well as spatially (state-wide).
Factors affecting minimum safe leakage distance

There are several important factors which determine the minimum safe leakage distance for insulation. However, two basic factors are (a) the magnitude of surface leakage currents, and (b) the effects of these currents on the insulation. The magnitude of this current depends upon the characteristic of the surface, surface contamination and the voltage gradient. Since the power loss caused by the leakage current is inconsequential in power systems, concern need be given only to the damage these currents may do to the surface of the insulation.
Single Turn Multi-Megagauss System at the NHMFL-LOS Alamos to study plutonium

By utilizing a fast capacitor bank and the single-turn coil technique, a new megagauss system has been commissioned at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The system is specially designed for condensed matter physics experimentation on metallic plutonium and other actinides in extremely high magnetic fields. In addition to special conditions required for handling hazardous samples, the system features 24 synchronous switches at a maximum voltage of 60 kV and a maximum current approaching 4 MA. Peak magnetic fields approaching 300 tesla are predicted for the system. System design and issues related to condensed matter physics experimentation are discussed.
VTOS in the Competitive Athlete

Axillary-subclavian vein (ASCV) effort thrombosis (Paget-Schroetter syndrome) is the acute manifestation of venous thoracic outlet syndrome (VTOS). While relatively uncommon, this condition is probably the most frequently encountered vascular disorder in the young, healthy, competitive athlete. Understanding VTOS is particularly important for vascular and thoracic surgeons caring for athletes, as well as orthopedic surgeons, emergency room physicians, and sports medicine specialists, since delayed diagnosis and/or incomplete treatment can prevent further participation in sports and recreational activities. Although the treatment options to be considered for VTOS are similar for all patients, competitive athletes often present special circumstances that need to be taken into account in the decision-making process. With early recognition, proper initial treatment, and definitive surgical care, most competitive athletes affected by VTOS can return to previous levels of performance within several months of diagnosis.
Weighting recent performance to improve college and labor market outcomes

Abstract There is a great deal of policy interest in reducing college dropout rates, increasing graduation rates, and improving labor market outcomes. To this end, individual colleges and state university systems use high school grade point averages and class rankings in an effort to offer admission and scholarships to students who are most likely to achieve long-run success. However, a significant fraction of students exhibit steep positive or negative performance trends during high school. This study shows that academic performance in later grades is given no greater weight in admissions but is the best predictor of college and labor market outcomes, greatly exceeding prior grades and entrance exam scores. Placing greater weight on later grades and extending application deadlines to allow the consideration of 12th grade performance is shown to significantly alter which students are admitted to college and to improve their expected long-run outcomes. Importantly, weighting recent performance does not appear to affect college diversity. Evidence is presented that the predictive power of later grades is driven primarily by students who experience large negative performance trajectories during high school.
White Racial Identity Models A Critique and Alternative Proposal

Existing models of White racial identity development (WRID) are challenged as being deficient in terms of: (a) being based on the oppression-adaptive models of minority identity development, (b) focusing primarily on attitudes toward racial/ethnic out-groups, not on White identity attitudes; and (c) depicting the process as developmental in nature. An alternative conceptualization, based on the construct of White racial consciousness, is presented as a more parsimonious explanation for the role of racially oriented attitudes. Three types of unachieved White racial consciousness (avoidant, dependent, and dissonant) are proposed along with four types of achieved White racial consciousness (dominative, conflictive, reactive, and integrative). Changes in attitudes characteristic of one type to those more representative of another are explained in terms of dissonance reduction. Information is provided regarding the availability of an assessment device designed to identify the types of White racial consciousness.
Is there a “July effect” in pediatric neurosurgery?

The belief that July, when resident physicians’ training year begins, may be associated with increased risk of patient morbidity and mortality is known as the “July effect.” This study aimed to compare complication rates after pediatric neurosurgical procedures in the first versus last academic quarters in two national datasets. Data were extracted from the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program-Pediatrics (NSQIP-P) database for year 2012 for 30-day complication events and the Kids’ Inpatient Database (KID) for year 2012 for in-hospital complication events after pediatric neurosurgical procedures. Descriptive and analytic statistical methods were used to characterize the impact of seasonal variation between the first and last quarters on complications. Three thousand six hundred twenty-four procedures in the NSQIP-P dataset and 14,855 hospitalizations in KID were included in the study cohort. No significant difference was observed between the first and fourth quarters for these complication events: wound disruption/dehiscence, wound infection, nerve injury, bleeding requiring transfusion, central line-associated BSI, deep venous thrombosis/pulmonary embolism, urinary tract infection, renal failure, re-intubation/pulmonary failure, cardiac arrest, stroke, coma, and death. There was no difference in the average length of stay or average length of surgical time. In the NSQIP-P, the first quarter was associated with a significantly increased incidence of pneumonia and unplanned re-operation; there was a trend towards increased incidence of unplanned re-admission and sepsis. In KID, there was no difference in the rate of pneumonia or sepsis. For the majority of morbidity and mortality events, no significant difference was found in occurrence rates between the first and last quarters.
From Ads to Interventions: Contextual Bandits in Mobile Health

The first paper on contextual bandits was written by Michael Woodroofe in 1979 (Journal of the American Statistical Association, 74(368), 799–806, 1979) but the term “contextual bandits” was invented only recently in 2008 by Langford and Zhang (Advances in neural information processing systems, pages 817–824, 2008). Woodroofe’s motivating application was clinical trials whereas modern interest in this problem was driven to a great extent by problems on the internet, such as online ad and online news article placement. We have now come full circle because contextual bandits provide a natural framework for sequential decision making in mobile health. We will survey the contextual bandits literature with a focus on modifications needed to adapt existing approaches to the mobile health setting. We discuss specific challenges in this direction such as: good initialization of the learning algorithm, finding interpretable policies, assessing usefulness of tailoring variables, computational considerations, robustness to failure of assumptions, and dealing with variables that are costly to acquire and missing.
Student-Teacher Ethno-Racial Matching and Reading Ability Group Placement in Early Grades.

This article investigates the relationship between student–teacher ethno-racial matching and students’ placement in reading ability groups in kindergarten and first grades in the United States. Multilevel regression analysis of a nationally representative sample of students shows that Latino/a first graders are more likely to be placed in higher ability groups when assigned to Latino/a teachers. Furthermore, teachers’ perception of students’ learning behavior, a variable that has been linked to teacher–student racial congruence in the literature, has a strong positive effect on ability group placement in kindergarten and first grades. These findings have implications for minority teacher recruitment policies in school districts.
A pilot study of neuropsychological functions, APOE and amyloid imaging in patients with gliomas

Brain tumor patients treated with radiotherapy (RT) often develop cognitive dysfunction, and recent studies suggest that the APOE e-4 allele may influence cognitive outcome. The e-4 allele is known to promote beta (β) amyloid deposition in the cortex, and preliminary evidence suggests that RT may be associated with this process. However, it is unknown whether β-amyloid accumulation contributes to treatment neurotoxicity. In this pilot study, we assessed neuropsychological functions and β-amyloid retention using 18F-florbetaben (FBB) PET in a subset of brain tumor patients who participated in our study of APOE polymorphisms and cognitive functions. Twenty glioma patients treated with conformal RT ± chemotherapy participated in the study: 6 were APOE e-4 carriers and 14 were non-e-4 carriers. Patients completed a neuropsychological re-evaluation (mean time interval = 5 years, SD = 0.83) and brain MRI and FBB PET scans. Wilcoxon signed-rank test comparisons between prior and current neuropsychological assessments showed a significant decline in attention (Brief Test of Attention, p = 0.018), and a near significant decline in verbal learning (Hopkins Verbal learning Test-Learning, p = 0.07). Comparisons by APOE status showed significant differences over time in attention/working memory (WAIS-III digits forward, p = 0.028 and digits backward, p = 0.032), with a decline among APOE e-4 carriers. There were no significant differences in any of the FBB PET analyses between APOE e-4 carriers and non-e-4 carriers. The findings suggest that glioma patients may experience worsening in attention and executive functions several years after treatment, and that the APOE e-4 allele may modulate cognitive decline, but independent of increased β-amyloid deposition.
Distributed optical fiber sensing based on coherence-length gated microwave photonics interferometry

This paper reports a highly sensitive distributed optical fiber sensing technique based on resolving the optical interference information in the microwave frequency domain. This technique uses a microwave intensity modulated coherent light through cascaded weak reflectors along a single mode fiber (SMF). The microwave is used to resolve the location of each reflector along the SMF. The coherence length of the optical carrier performs as the time domain gate and segments the optical interference between reflectors in the time domain. Within the coherence length, a small optical path difference change between two reflectors produces a change in the amplitude of the corresponding time domain pulses. The sensitivity of sub-μe for distributed strain sensing has been demonstrated.
Nitrogen pollution: a key building block for addressing climate change

The current national commitments under the Paris Climate Agreement fall short of what is needed to stay below a 2 °C increase in global average temperature. One approach that has been proposed to close this ambition gap is the building blocks strategy, which aims to encourage initiatives focused on non-climate actions that can deliver a climate benefit. A key option under this framework is reducing global nitrogen pollution. Nitrogen pollution—driven largely by the inefficient use of synthetic fertilizer and manure—is one of the most important environmental issues of the twenty-first century, not least because of its climate impacts. Ambitiously mitigating nitrogen pollution could avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 5–10% of the remaining allowable emissions consistent with the 2 °C target. However, the climate benefits would be a minor component of the overall environmental benefits of reducing nitrogen pollution, which would come mainly from avoided water and air pollution. The fact that these benefits would accrue mostly at local scales is especially important for countries like the United States, marked by a shift toward “economic nationalism.” In these countries, the most politically viable climate actions will likely be ones that produce local benefits as great, if not greater, than those achieved internationally. This is also likely to be true in countries like China, where local nitrogen-related issues such as air and water pollution remain major national priorities. Nevertheless, there are several challenges that could stand in the way of improved nitrogen management being a successful building block: integrated nitrogen management solutions that reduce the risk of pollution swapping need to be developed, the policy challenges related to changing and monitoring farmer behavior need to be addressed, and nitrogen’s role as an essential agricultural input needs to be respected. A better understanding of these challenges could also help policy-makers develop viable climate mitigation strategies across the entire agricultural sector.
Visual analytics with unparalleled variety scaling for big earth data

We have devised and implemented a key technology, SpatioTemporal Adaptive-Resolution Encoding (STARE), in an array database management system, i.e. SciDB, to achieve unparalleled variety scaling for Big Earth Data, enabling rapid-response visual analytics. STARE not only serves as a unifying data representation homogenizing diverse varieties of Earth Science Datasets, but also supports spatiotemporal data placement alignment of these datasets to optimize a major class of Earth Science data analyses, i.e. those requiring spatiotemporal coincidence. Using STARE, we tailor a data partitioning and distribution strategy for the data access patterns of our scientific analysis, leading to optimal use of distributed resources. With STARE, rapid-response visual analytics are made possible through a high-level query interface, allowing geoscientists to perform data exploration visually, intuitively and interactively. We envision a system based on these innovations to relieve geoscientists of most laborious data management chores so that they may focus better on scientific issues and investigations. A significant boost in scientific productivity may thus be expected. We demonstrate these advantages with a prototypical system including comparisons to alternatives.
Ontogeny of Sleep

Humans and other mammals never sleep more than when they are young. However, as any new parent is aware, infant sleep differs from that of adults in that it accumulates in short bouts across the day and night. It is only with age that sleep bouts consolidate and occur preferentially during the night. These basic developmental processes of consolidation and emergence of circadian rhythmicity are typical of mammals, whether they occur prenatally (in precocial species such as sheep) or postnatally (in altricial species such as rats). Another feature of sleep development is that some of the components that are used to define it in adults are initially absent in infants. Close inspection has revealed that sleep–wake cycles are expressed initially as relatively rapid fluctuations of high and low muscle tone coupled with wake-related behaviors (e.g., kicking, stretching) or sleep-related movements called myoclonic twitches. It is upon this foundation that other components of sleep, including the delta activity that characterizes quiet sleep, are added. Although brainstem mechanisms are sufficient to support the foundational components of sleep–wake cycling, forebrain components are necessary for consolidation, circadian rhythmicity, and sleep rebound after periods of sleep deprivation. Finally, although it is not yet fully understood why infants exhibit such high quantities of sleep – especially active sleep – in early infancy, or why infants exhibit such high rates of twitching, recent work is shedding new light on these important issues by focusing on the perinatal period as a time of increased brain plasticity.
Overview of Pelvic Resections: Surgical Considerations and Classification

The bony pelvis and its enveloping soft tissues are a common site for bone and soft-tissue tumors. Extensive pelvic surgeries, either for oncologic reasons or following trauma, are highly demanding because of the irregular and complex shape of the bony pelvis, numerous muscle attachments, and the proximity of major blood vessels, nerves, and visceral organs (Figure 10.1).
Proapolipoprotein A-I metabolism in the human and the rat.

Apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) is the major protein constituent of HDL and is polymorphic in plasma consisting of a series of isoforms denoted apoA-I-1 through apoA-I5. Human apoA-I is secreted primarily by the liver and the small intestine1 - 5 Initial studies on the in vitro biosynthesis of human apoA-I by fetal and adult intestine, fetal liver and a hepatoma cell line indicated that newly secreted apoA-I was a more basic isoprotein than plasma apoA-I.6-8 Thus it was suggested that the conversion of the newly secreted apoA-I to the circulating mature apoA-I takes place in the plasma; however, the nature of this conversion process, which resulted in a net change of two positive charges, was unknown. Recent advances in our understanding of the biosynthesis of human apoA-I have allowed a more definitive analysis of the processing and metabolism of plasma apoA-I. Initial studies have revealed that apoA-I is biosynthesized as a 267 amino acid precursor protein, preproapoA-I.9-11 The presegment is 18 amino acids long and cotranslational cleavage of preproapoA-I to proapoA-I occurs intracellularly during vectoral translocation into the lumen of the rough endoplasmic reticulum. Human proapoA-I contains six amino acids, Arg-His-Phe-Trp-Gln-G1n, attached to the amino terminal end of the mature apoA-I. In more recent studies proapoA-I has been isolated from human plasma and lymph and correspond to the apoA-I-1 isoform on isoelectrofocusing12 plasma, proapoA-I accounts for less than 5% of the total mass of circulating apoA-I.12
EPS molecular weight and foam density effects in the lost foam process

The effects of pattern molecular weight and density on casting formation in the lost foam process have been studied. The tensile properties of injection molded ASTM D638 tensile rods have been measured for various densities and molecular weights. Thermogravimetry, differential scanning calorimetry and other techniques have been used to study the thermal degradation characteristics of the pattern. A thermometric technique has been used to study the mold filling behavior with aluminum alloy A356. The results indicate that the tensile properties in the foam generally improve with increasing molecular weight and density. The structural characteristics of the foam may have a greater influence on mechanical properties than molecular weight. The rate of volatilization of the polymer increases as the weight average molecular weight, M w, is lowered from 304,000 g/mol to 152,000 g/mol. The mold fill time increases with pattern density and M w. The data suggest that pattern density and molecular weight may have a significant effect on the quality of the casting.
Early intervention practices with families of children with handicaps

A survey to examine the degree to which early intervention activities currently focus on the family was distributed to service providers for birth to 6-year-old children with handicaps from six randomly selected states. Most goals selected by providers were child-focused clinical goals, although family intervention goals were cited frequently. Forty-percent of the sample reported spending no time with families during a typical week. Published programs or curricula were rarely used as a basis for working with families. Service providers reported that they successfully achieved goals set for many of their families, yet they also encountered several problems, including insufficient time for family services. Comparisons were made between providers working with 0- to 3-year-old children and those working with 3- to 6-year-old children. Suggestions concerning the implementation of the family-focused agenda of P.L. 99-457 were made.
A subset of co-expressed genes in Slug-based cancer mesenchymal transition signature remains coexpressed in normal samples in a tissue-specific manner

A recently identified gene expression signature of EMT markers containing the transcription factor Slug was found present in samples from many publicly available cancer gene expression datasets of multiple cancer types except leukemia. We also found many of these genes co-expressed in human cancer xenografted cells, but not in mouse stroma cells, suggesting that the signature is largely produced by cancer cells undergoing some type of EMT. Here we report that a partial signature consisting of a subset of the co-expressed genes of the full signature, including at least Slug (SNAI2), collagens COL1A1, COL1A2, COL3A1, COL6A3 and genes DCN and LUM, is also present in leukemia, in which case it is also strongly associated with the chemokine CXCL12 (aka SDF1). The same subset of co-expressed genes is also strongly present even in normal samples in a tissue-specific manner, with lowest expression in brain tissues and highest expression in reproductive system tissues. The full signature, with prominent presence of COL11A1, THBS2 and INHBA appears to be triggered in solid cancers particularly when cancer cells encounter adipocytes.
Toward Cost-Effective Memory Scaling in Clouds: Symbiosis of Virtual and Physical Memory

When deploying memory-intensive applications to public clouds, one important yet challenging problem is selecting a specific instance type whose memory capacity is large enough to prevent out-of-memory errors while the cost is minimized without violating performance requirements. The state-of-the-practice solution is trial and error, causing both performance overhead and additional monetary cost. This paper investigates two memory scaling mechanisms in public cloud: physical memory (good performance and high cost) and virtual memory (degraded performance and no additional cost). In order to analyze the trade-off between performance and cost of the two scaling options, a performance-cost model is developed that is driven by a lightweight analytic prediction approach through a compact representation of the memory footprint. In addition, for those scenarios when the footprint is unavailable, a meta-model based prediction method is proposed using just-in-time migration mechanisms. The proposed techniques have been extensively evaluated with various benchmarks and real-world applications on Amazon Web Services: the performance-cost model is highly accurate with errors ranging from 1% to 4% and the proposed just-in-time migration approach reduces the monetary cost by up to 66%.
Retirement in the Land of Lincoln: The Illinois Secure Choice Savings Program Act

Illinois has now become the first state to complete legislative enactment of a state-mandated, state-operated retirement system for private employers. As it debated, the Illinois General Assembly had before it The California Secure Choice Retirement Savings Trust Act, adopted earlier by California’s legislature. The Illinois legislation, as enacted and signed by the governor, bears obvious similarities to the earlier-adopted California law. However, the Illinois statute also makes notable departures from the California legislation.As a legal matter, the Illinois private sector retirement plan will pass muster under both the Internal Revenue Code (Code) and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). The Illinois accounts will qualify as Roth IRAs under the Code. The Illinois program will not be an ERISA-regulated employee benefit plan but, rather, will be an IRA payroll deposit arrangement. Even if the Illinois arrangement is an ERISA-governed plan, Illinois employers and the state itself will have no ERISA liability. That, as a matter of law, the Illinois private sector retirement arrangement qualifies under the Code and ERISA does not mean that this arrangement is sound as a matter of policy. The choices made by Illinois’ legislators are noteworthy because they represent the choices of the first state to authorize a state-operated, state-mandated private sector retirement program. Those choices are thus an important contribution to a critical national debate, but will not end that debate.
Synthesis and Structure of a Nonstoichiometric Zr 3.55 Pt 4 Sb 4 Compound

A nonstoichiometric ternary antimonide, Zr3.55Pt4Sb4, with a new structure type (hP24), has been synthesized via arc-melting. Its crystal structure was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction with hexagonal space group P63/mmc and lattice parameters a = 4.391(3) A, c = 30.53(2) A, and V = 509.7(8) A3. It features the unique Pt4Sb4 slab with Pt-Pt bonds and is reminiscent to hexagonal diamond substructures. Three different Zr atoms, occupying three different sites, aid in the close-packing of the Pt and Sb atoms. Electronic structure calculations show the half occupancy of one Zr site creates a pseudogap at the Fermi level and optimizes the Pt-Sb bonding interactions. This enhances the electronic stability and accounts for the very narrow phase width observed for this nonstoichiometric compound. Furthermore, strong Zr-Pt and Zr-Sb interactions play a crucial role in the chemical bonding of the title compound. Electrical transport measurements show metallic behavior of this compound down to 2 K, consistent with the band structure calculations.
Genomics of Eating Behavior and Appetite Regulation

Abstract A strong link has been established between appetite and food selection patterns and their impact on health and chronic diseases. Whereas some eating behaviors are acquired, there has been a strong understanding of the influence of genetic factors in different nutritional preferences and eating disorders in humans. Family studies have been invested in understanding three general patterns of eating behavior: restraint, disinhibition, and hunger. Genetic variations were shown to influence the perception of taste, which can translate into individual variation in sugar consumption, as well as strongly effect individuals' choices of meal size and frequency through certain hormones that regulate hunger and satiety. Other genes were shown to be related to hypothalamic signaling pathways that control different appetite traits. There is increased interest understanding the influence of gut microbiome on metabolic disorders such as diabetes and obesity. The gut microbiome has become a novel platform to develop new strategies to affect human eating behavior and health.
Rock-Salt-Type MnCo2O3/C as Efficient Oxygen Reduction Electrocatalysts for Alkaline Fuel Cells

The search for nonprecious metal-based electrocatalysts with high activity and long durability for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) has been long pursued by the renewable energy material communi...
138 Examination of the impact of recurrent overdose and medication-assisted treatment on affecting mortality among West Virginia medicaid beneficiaries

Statement of Purpose The study aims to explore the trend of survival rates associated with recurrent overdose, and evaluate the effectiveness of MAT among the West Virginia (WV) Medicaid population. Methods The primary outcome events include recurrent overdose and death. The occurrence of first nonfatal overdose was identified and an overdose cohort was then determined to allow 12 months of observation after the event. Kaplan–Meier method and log-rank test were used to assess the difference of time-to-events between subgroups. Results A total of 446565 (87%) continuously enrolled WV Medicaid beneficiaries from 2014 to 2016 were analyzed in the study. The overdose cohort included 2081 subjects, and 261 (12.5%) subjects experienced recurrent overdose. Only 483 subjects received MAT other than methadone, and approximately 29% (N=139) of them initiated MAT after the index overdose. People who experienced a recurrent overdose in the 12 month follow the index overdose had a rapidly decreased survival rates, compared with those who did not (p=0.0123). For subjects who received any MAT and those who had longer duration receiving MAT were both significantly associated with a higher survival rates (p=0.0398 and 0.0458). Surprisingly, people who received any MAT were associate with a non-significantly higher incidence rates of recurrent overdose. This situation was further compounded by the observation that an early initiation of MAT after the index overdose was associated with a non-significantly lower survival rates. Conclusion Recurrent nonfatal overdose increases mortality risk. Although MAT has been proven to be effective in preventing death, many subjects received MAT too late to be saved from another overdose event. Significance Findings from this study will provide compelling evidence to inform MAT expansion and policy reform efforts in West Virginia to timely deliver MAT to fulfill patients’ urgent needs.
The relationship between knowledge, attitudes, and practices of community pharmacists regarding persons with substance use disorders.

Community pharmacists can play a meaningful role in identification and treatment of substance use disorders (SUD). However, inadequate disease knowledge and negative attitudes are known barriers. T...