cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nativism and the End of the Mass Migration of the 1840s and 1850s

In 1855 the volume of immigration to the United States dropped precipitously, signaling the end of the first mass migration of Europeans. Although other work blames the decline on an economic depression, the outbreak of the Crimean War, or the improvement of conditions in Europe, this article argues that the rise ofnativism was the initiating cause of the decline. This result is important because it affects our view of the factors that have cyclical effects on the volume of immigration. In 1855 the volume of European immigration to the United States was less than half as large as in 1854. This decline marked the end of the first mass migration of Europeans to the United States, a flow that peaked in 1854 at over 428,000 individuals; in that year, immigration added 1.41 percent to the population, a rate that has never been surpassed (Figure 1). The causes of the unprecedented increase in volume in the years up to 1854 are well understood.' The reasons for the huge decline in 1855 are, however, not as clear. This article argues that the rise in and success of the nativism movement of the early 1 850s was the primary reason that immigrant volume fell in 1855, though improved conditions in Europe played a supporting role. This claim is controversial because most previous discussions of the volume decline view nativism as one of four explanations, and often not the most important factor. The other three explanations are a presumed economic downturn that occurred in 1854, a rise in shipping prices associated with the outbreak of the Crimean War, and changed local conditions in Europe. This article argues that the other three factors do not adequately fit-and that the rise and success of nativism does fit-a variety of empirical characteristics of the fall in immigration in 1855. Having a proper understanding of the reasons for the decline in immigration in 1855 is important for two reasons. First, the decline had political implications for the United States. The late 1 840s saw the breakup of the Whig Party. The election success of the nativist Know-Nothing Party in 1854 showed that it, rather than an anti-slave-expansion party, was poised
Non-target plant use by a weed biocontrol agent in idaho: host expansion or opportunistic behavior?

Abstract Larinus curtus Hochhuth (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) was first introduced into the western United States from Greece for the biological control of yellow starthistle (YST), Centaurea solstitialis L., in 1992. The discovery of L. curtus adults in the open flowerheads of safflower (SF), Carthamus tinctorius L., near Lewiston, Idaho in 2007 suggested this weevil might be expanding its host range to include a non-target crop species closely related to YST. In 2008 field plots near the 2007 observation site, 92 L. curtus adults fed in open SF flowerheads (pollen feeding and minor feeding on corolla tubes). No eggs were found in the ovarioles of 19 pollen-feeding females. No eggs, larvae, or evidence of larval feeding were detected in 39 tagged SF capitula, and no adults emerged from approximately 7,135 post-flowering SF capitula. These collective results are not indicative of an expanding developmental host-range of L. curtus. Also, they are consistent with pre-release host-specificity test results.
Trust regions based on conic functions in linear and nonlinear programming

An optimization method is developed based on ellipsoidal trust regions that are defined by conic functions. It provides a powerful unifying theory from which can be derived a variety of interesting and potentially useful optimization algorithms, in particular, conjugate-gradient-like algorithms for nonlinear minimization and Karmarkar-like interior-point algorithms for linear programming.
Bottlenecks in Bernoulli Serial Lines With Rework

The bottleneck (BN) of a production system is a machine with the strongest effect on the system's throughput. In this paper, a method for BN identification in serial lines with rework and Bernoulli machines is developed. The method can be applied using either calculated or measured data on blockages and starvations of the machines. For the case of calculated data, a technique for evaluating performance measures of Bernoulli lines with rework is developed. Along with these quantitative contributions, the paper provides three qualitative results. First, it shows that Bernoulli lines with rework do not observe the property of reversibility. Second, it demonstrates that downstream machines may have a larger effect on the throughput than upstream ones. Third, it demonstrates that BNs may be shifting not only because of changes in machine and buffer parameters but also due to changes in quality of parts produced.
At the limits of discourse: political talk in drag on Late Night Show with Begum Nawazish Ali

The liberalization of the television industry in Pakistan in 2003 resulted in an explosion of new cable channels and the proliferation of news, talk and commentary programmes. Late Night Show with Begum Nawazish Ali (Aaj TV, 2005–2007), hosted by a man in drag, was one of the shows that tested the limits of this new medisphere by openly discussing topics such as homosexuality and by criticizing military rule. I argue that the significance of this programme and other like it lay in how they made social and political conversations that used to take place in the private space of the living rooms of the elite visible to a broader public thus potentially enabling participation and critique. The limits of this participation can be seen in Late Night Show's cancellation that was a strategic concession by Aaj TV in a much larger struggle between television news channels and the government over the media's role in covering political protests and violence. I conclude by showing how the norms of television talk in P...
Increasing human and social capital by applying job embeddedness theory

S easoned leaders know there is no single silver bullet, golden handcuff, or platinum program that will keep their best and brightest employees productively engaged for the long-term. Yet, it is imperative that they find a way to do so. Recent studies indicate that the attraction and retention of valued employees are among the most critical issues faced by organizations. Replacement costs for employees can be higher than the salary of the person departing. In addition, the social relationships formed by employees inside and outside the organization are believed to create social capital, a resource that is being increasingly recognized as crucial for success in today’s organizations. When a valued person leaves a firm, the social network is disrupted and presumably some of the social capital leaves as well. Mounting empirical evidence also points to the importance of developing human capital as a strategic means for increasing firm value. While unpacking this relationship can be complex when attempting to cut across multiple industries, understanding the logic in the context of a single firm is not. Please consider the following example. Wegmans Food Markets Inc., a Rochester, New Yorkbased grocer, was 2005’s Fortune Best Company to Work For. As a private firm, Wegmans does not provide extensive financial data for analysis. Suffice it to say that the firm’s operating margins are about 7.5 percent – double what the big four grocers earn – and its sales per square foot are 50 percent higher than the industry average. While its stores are larger than average and they stock more products than most other grocers, top consultants point to Wegmans employees as the key to the company’s success. Darrell Rigby, head of consultancy at Bain & Co.’s global retail practice, notes that the reason Wegmans is a shopping experience like no other is that it is an employer like no other. You cannot separate its strategy as a retailer from its strategy as an employer. While Wegmans’ salaries and benefits are at the high end of the market, employees say this isn’t the whole story. The firm makes strategic investments in its people. Before opening its Dulles, Virginia store, Wegmans spent more than $5 million to train new employees there. Moreover, initial training is supplemented in many ways, including sending employees on company-sponsored trips; staffers merchandising wine and cheese might travel to France and Italy to see the vineyards and observe the cheese makers. While much of the investment is directly related to Wegmans core business – people who know how to pair wine, crackers and cheese tend to sell more product than those who don’t – Wegmans has also contributed $54 million for college scholarships to more than 17,500 full-time and part-time Organizational Dynamics, Vol. 35, No. 4, pp. 316–331, 2006 ISSN 0090-2616/$ – see frontmatter 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.orgdyn.2006.08.007 www.organizational-dynamics.com
Transform domain localized processing using measured steering vectors and non-homogeneity detection

This paper presents two transform domain non-homogeneity detectors (NHDs) that account for the non-ideal array and the non-homogeneous interference environment. Each of these effects has been accounted for separately before (Adve and Wicks 1998; and Chang 1997). However, this paper is the first attempt to incorporate both effects into a single STAP algorithm. The formulation developed for the joint domain localized algorithm is tested on measured data from the MCARM database. The example illustrates the effects in detection performance by considering both the non-ideal system and non-homogeneous interference scenario, individually and in combination. The results show that if only the non-homogeneous data is accounted for, the NHD might actually worsen the situation. Both system and interference scenario imperfections must therefore be accounted for.
Addisonian Crisis Complicated by Relative Hypertension, Edema, and Acute Streptococcus Hemolyticus Infection of the Throat

The progress in the treatment of Addison's disease received considerable impetus with the synthetic preparation of desoxycorticosterone acetate by Steiger and Reichstein (1). Clinical reports began to appear attesting to its efficacy in this disease (2–5) and, indeed, the enthusiasm manifested in these reports was well merited. The patients in Addisonian crisis responded satisfactorily and the distortion in the blood electrolyte pattern so characteristic of the crisis was promptly corrected. However, toxic manifestations, such as hypertension, edema, and heart failure resulting from overdosage with the drug were observed (4, 5). We have under our observation a patient with Addison's disease who developed acute adrenal insufficiency while under treatment with desoxycorticosterone acetate. The crisis was complicated, and perhaps even precipitated by a hemolytic streptococci tonsillitis. The picture was unusual in that the adrenal insufficiency occurred while the patient had a relative hypertension and diffu...
Informal financial Markets: The case of cameroon

Informal financial markets play an important role in providing capital in less developed countries. This paper presents the organization of such markets and provides examples of how these markets operate concurrent with the formal financial sector. Specifically, the paper provides a case study of the informal financial markets in the country of Cameroon. (Af. J. Finance and Management: 2002 11 (1): 60-67)
Patient, physician, and payment predictors of statin adherence.

Background: Although many patient, physician, and payment predictors of adherence have been described, knowledge of their relative strength and overall ability to explain adherence is limited. Objectives: To measure the contributions of patient, physician, and payment predictors in explaining adherence to statins. Research Design: Retrospective cohort study using administrative data. Subjects: A total of 14,257 patients insured by Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey who were newly prescribed a statin cholesterol-lowering medication. Measures: Adherence to statin medication was measured during the year after the initial prescription, based on proportion of days covered. The impact of patient, physician, and payment predictors of adherence were evaluated using multivariate logistic regression. The explanatory power of these models was evaluated with C statistics, a measure of the goodness of fit. Results: Overall, 36.4% of patients were fully adherent. Older patient age, male gender, lower neighborhood percent black composition, higher median income, and fewer number of emergency department visits were significant patient predictors of adherence. Having a statin prescribed by a cardiologist, a patient’s primary care physician, or a US medical graduate were significant physician predictors of adherence. Lower copayments also predicted adherence. All of our models had low explanatory power. Multivariate models including patient covariates only had greater explanatory power (C 0.613) than models with physician variables only (C 0.566) or copayments only (C 0.543). A fully specified model had only slightly more explanatory power (C 0.633) than the model with patient characteristics alone. Conclusions: Despite relatively comprehensive claims data on patients, physicians, and out-of-pocket costs, our overall ability to explain adherence remains poor. Administrative data likely do not capture many complex mechanisms underlying adherence.
Negotiating individualist and collectivist futures: Emerging subjectivities and social forms in Papua New Guinean high schools

This article explains the academic disengagement of a critical mass of high school students in Manus Province, Papua New Guinea, as resulting in part from emerging personal subjectivities and new social networks. Based on a year of ethnographic research in 1994–95, the article describes the authority these young people attributed to their own perceptions of the limited opportunity structures facing them and to the idealized village-based egalitarian student identity being circulated through peer networks. As such, it illuminates the educational implications of youth culture, and demonstrates how local and global processes are mediated through the social fields of high schools.
Neurotransmitter receptors in the proliferative zones of the developing primate occipital lobe.

Film autoradiography was used to investigate the expression of several neurotransmitter receptor subtypes in the transient ventricular and subventricular proliferative zones of the developing occipital lobe in two groups of macaque monkey fetuses. The first group of fetuses were between 60 and 93 days after conception (E60-E93), when the ventricular and subventricular zones of the monkey occipital lobe produce neurons destined for the visual cortex. In the second group, fetuses were between E107 and E128, after generation of cortical neurons has ceased. In the E60–E93 group of fetuses, ventricular and subventricular zones displayed high densities of 5-HT1-serotonergic, D1-dopaminergic, α1-and α2-adrenergic and high affinity kainate receptors. The activation of these receptors has previously been shown to stimulate cell proliferation in other cell systems. The possible involvement of these receptors in regulation of neuronal production is also supported by their absence in the deep laminae of the embryonic cerebral wall after E107, after cortical neurogenesis has been completed. The only exception is a high density of α2-adrenergic receptors maintained near the ventricular surface long after all cortical neurons have been generated. We also found that during neurogenesis, proliferative zones in E66–E90 fetuses displayed virtually no 5-HT2-serotonergic, D2-dopaminergic, β-adrenergic, M1-muscarinic cholinergic, gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA)A, N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), or β-amino-3-hydroxy-5-menthy-4-isoxazole proprionate (AMPA) sites; most of these receptor subtypes have been reported to mediate the suppression of cell proliferation. The present findings suggest that dividing and/or newly generated cortical neurons are capable of receiving specific signals from multiple neurotransmitters present in their environment. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Computer-aided coordination and overcurrent protection for distribution systems

Overcurrent protection and coordination studies for electrical distribution systems have become much easier to perform with the emergence of several commercially available software programs that run on a personal computer. These programs have built-in libraries of protective device time-current curves, damage curves for cable and transformers, and motor starting curves, thereby facilitating the design of a selectively coordinated protection system which is also well-protected. Additionally, design time when utilizing computers is far less than the previous method of tracing manufacturers` curves on transparent paper. Basic protection and coordination principles are presented in this paper along with several helpful suggestions for designing electrical protection systems. A step-by-step methodology is presented to illustrate the design concepts when using software for selecting and coordinating the protective devices in distribution systems.
Guidelines for Estimating Unmetered Industrial Water Use

The document provides a methodology to estimate unmetered industrial water use for evaporative cooling systems, steam generating boiler systems, batch process applications, and wash systems. For each category standard mathematical relationships are summarized and provided in a single resource to assist Federal agencies in developing an initial estimate of their industrial water use. The approach incorporates industry norms, general rules of thumb, and industry survey information to provide methodologies for each section.
Relation between small intestinal motor activity and transit in secretory diarrhea

Our objective in this study was to correlate small intestinal motor activity with transit time in the fed state under normal conditions and in the secretory state induced by cholera toxin. In the control state, transit time was strongly and inversely correlated with the mean distance of propagation and to a lesser degree with frequency and total duration of all contractions. By contrast, transit time was not correlated with total amplitude and area of all contractions. When contractions were separated into propagating and nonpropagating contractions, there was a highly significant inverse correlation between transit time and all parameters of propagating contractions but no relation with any parameter of nonpropagating contractions. Similar results were obtained during the secretory state induced by cholera toxin. The control data were used to develop a mathematical model to predict transit time from contractile parameters and was validated using the data obtained in the secretory state. Our findings demonstrate that transit through the small intestine in the normal and secretory states is strongly related to the parameters of propagating contractions but not to parameters of nonpropagating contractions.
Analysis of the pattern of potential woody cover in Texas savanna

Abstract While woody plant encroachment has been observed worldwide in savannas and adversely affected the ecosystem structure and function, a thorough understanding of the nature of this phenomenon is urgently required for savanna management and restoration. Among others, potential woody cover (the maximum realizable woody cover that a given site can support), especially its variation over environment has huge implication on the encroachment management in particular, and on tree-grass interactions in general. This project was designed to explore the pattern of potential woody cover in Texas savanna, an ecosystem with a large rainfall gradient in west–east direction. Substantial random pixels were sampled across the study area from MODIS Vegetation Continuous Fields (VCF) tree cover layer (250 m). Since potential woody cover is suggested to be limited by water availability, a nonlinear 99th quantile regression was performed between the observed woody cover and mean annual precipitation (MAP) to model the pattern of potential woody cover. Research result suggests a segmented relationship between potential woody cover and MAP at MODIS scale. Potential biases as well as the practical and theoretical implications were discussed. Through this study, the hypothesis about the primary role of water availability in determining savanna woody cover was further confirmed in a relatively understudied US-located savanna.
Electronic Learning-Spaced Education to Facilitate Resident Knowledge and Guide Program Didactics.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the use of mobile technology to facilitate resident learning, assess clinical knowledge, and guide curricular development in a busy clinical environment. METHODS This was a cross-sectional study conducted in a large (N=48) urban obstetrics and gynecology residency program. Question sets were created in the following areas: office gynecology, general obstetrics, gynecologic surgery and urogynecology, maternal-fetal medicine and ultrasonography, reproductive endocrinology and pediatric gynecology, and gynecologic oncology. Using an educational mobile application (app), questions were sent monthly to resident smartphones with immediate feedback on answer accuracy along with answer explanation and references. Outcomes included app use, which was determined by how quickly participants answered questions (very active-active indicates questions answered within 7 days) and proficiency (mean percentage correct) calculated for individuals, resident class level, and by content area. RESULTS All 48 residents participated and 77.4% were very active or active app users. On average, participants answered correctly 61.0% on the first attempt and improved to 78.3% on repeat attempt (P<.001). Proficiency was lowest for gynecologic surgery and highest for general obstetrics. CONCLUSION A mobile app to support e-learning was successfully implemented in our program; its use was associated with knowledge retention and identification of low-proficiency topics to guide curriculum development.
Electrostatic effects in the apparent contact line region under a vapor bubble

Evaporation and local interface shapes are investigated in the apparent contact line region formed when an isolated vapor bubble is attached to a heated substrate. The model takes into account the electrostatic effects due to presence of ions in the liquid, as appropriate for water and aqueous solutions. For the apparent contact line region under a stationary bubble, local interface shapes are obtained for different parameter values. The model is then applied to the case of an expanding vapor bubble.
The Titanium Mesh Cage for Bone Defect in Femur: Report of Two Cases

This report describes a new technique for treatment of a segmental defect in the femur using cylindrical titanium mesh cage in combination with cancellous bone autograft and buttress condylar plate. Two cases of femoral defect treated with this technique are presented. At one year follow up, both cases demonstrated excellent limb alignment, stability and bone healing radiographically with good limb functional recovery. Preliminary data suggest that this technique may be a reasonable alternative to currently used methods for management of long bone segmental defects.
Effect of filling rate on cystometric parameters in young and middle aged mice

Objectives: To investigate the effect of changing the bladder filling rate during cystometry in younger (2–3 months) and older (13–14 months) C57BL/6J male mice. Methods: Cystometry was performed on mice under anesthesia. Voiding cycles were established in each mouse at a pump delivery rate of 17 µl/min. After 30 min, the rate was increased sequentially to 25, 33, 41 and 49 µl/min. Each rate was maintained for 30 min. The following cystometric parameters were quantified: peak pressure amplitude, intercontractile interval (ICI), compliance, micturition pressure threshold and voiding efficiency. Results: Bladder weights were significantly greater in older mice (42 mg vs . 27 mg, P 0.93). Compliance was higher in the older mice at low filling rates (17 and 25 µl/min) but this difference diminished at higher rates. Compliance decreased with increasing flow rate in a non-linear manner, again with greater effects at low filling rates. Micturition pressure thresholds increased with increasing flow rate in a linear manner and older mice began voiding at higher pressures than younger. Both young and old mice exhibited voiding efficiencies of ~70%. Conclusions: The rate of volume delivery has complex effects on the timing of voiding and compliance. These findings argue for greater standardization of cystometry protocols and further investigation into afferent signaling to higher centers at different filling rates.
Sayette Group Formation Task (GFT) Spontaneous Facial Expression Database

Despite the important role that facial expressionsplay in interpersonal communication and our knowledge thatinterpersonal behavior is influenced by social context, nocurrently available facial expression database includes multipleinteracting participants. The Sayette Group Formation Task(GFT) database addresses the need for well-annotated videoof multiple participants during unscripted interactions. Thedatabase includes 172,800 video frames from 96 participantsin 32 three-person groups. To aid in the development ofautomated facial expression analysis systems, GFT includesexpert annotations of FACS occurrence and intensity, faciallandmark tracking, and baseline results for linear SVM, deeplearning, active patch learning, and personalized classification.Baseline performance is quantified and compared using identicalpartitioning and a variety of metrics (including meansand confidence intervals). The highest performance scores werefound for the deep learning and active patch learning methods.Learn more at http://osf.io/7wcyz.
Structural property of soybean lunasin and development of a method to quantify lunasin in plasma using an optimized immunoassay protocol.

Lunasin is a 43-amino acid naturally occurring chemopreventive peptide with demonstrated anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties. The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of temperature on the secondary structure of lunasin, to develop a method of isolating lunasin from human plasma using an ion-exchange microspin column and to quantify the amount of lunasin using an optimized enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Lunasin was purified using a combination of ion-exchange chromatography, ultrafiltration and gel filtration chromatography. Circular dichroism showed that increased in temperature from 25 to 100 °C resulted in changes on the secondary structure of lunasin and its capability to interact with rabbit polyclonal antibody. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay showed that lunasin rabbit polyclonal antibody has a titer of 250 and a specific activity of 0.05 mL/µg. A linear response was detected between 16 to 48 ng lunasin per mL (y = 0.03x – 0.38, R2 = 0.96). The use of diethylaminoethyl microspin column to isolate spiked lunasin in human plasma showed that most lunasin (37.8-46.5%) bound to the column eluted with Tris-HCl buffer, pH 7.5 with a yield up to 76.6%. In conclusion, lunasin can be isolated from human plasma by a simple DEAE microspin column technique and can be quantified using a validated and optimized immunoassay procedure. This method can be used directly to quantify lunasin from plasma in different human and animal studies aiming to determine its bioavailability.
Rebalancing, Deleveraging and Sustaining Growth in China

The Chinese economy is facing some critical challenges in the recent years. As it rebalances the economy away from investment and toward consumption, output growth has slowed down and the corporate...
The Paleoepidemiology of Enterobius vermicularis (Nemata: Oxyuridae) Among the Loma San Gabriel at La Cueva de los Muertos Chiquitos (600–800 CE), Rio Zape Valley, Durango, Mexico

One hundred coprolites excavated from La Cueva de los Muertos Chiquitos (600–800 CE) in the Rio Zape Valley of present-day Durango, Mexico, were examined for the presence of helminth eggs utilizing standard archaeoparasitological techniques. Eggs of the human pinworm (Enterobius vermicularis) were recovered from 34 of the 100 coprolites examined. Eggs of parasites were photographed and measured before egg concentration values were calculated for each positive sample. Egg concentration values demonstrated an overdispersed pattern of distribution among the samples (66% uninfected, 25% less than 100 eggs/g, 8% between 100 and 500 eggs/g, and 1% more than 500 eggs/g). Given that only 5% of infected hosts in modern cases of human enterobiasis pass the eggs of parasites in their stools, the recovery of E. vermicularis eggs in 34% of the coprolites supports the conclusion that virtually all of the individuals utilizing the site during the coprolite depositional time frame likely were infected with this parasite. These data are discussed in light of other studies of prehistoric human enterobiasis.
Menstrual nirvana: amenorrhea through the use of continuous oral contraceptives.

Patient autonomy in medicine has increased over recent decades especially in women’s health care. Women want to control their reproductive health choices including their menstrual cycles. Do women need a medical indication to avoid monthly menstrual bleeding? Why shouldn’t women be able to delay their periods for a special event such as a wedding or a vacation? Or for that matter why do they need to allow their menstrual periods to interfere with their everyday life? When menstrual cycles are eliminated with hormonal suppression there is no known adverse affect on health. Many studies have looked at the use of continuous oral contraceptives to delay menses from intervals of 6 weeks up to 1 year. In this paper the most recent evidence on continuous use of oral contraceptive pills for menstrual suppression is reviewed including a brief discussion of oral contraceptive physiology clinical indications side effects patient acceptability possible adverse affects and cost-effectiveness. (excerpt)
Femtosecond Photoemission Studies of Image Potential and Electron Dynamics in Metals

The combination of femtosecond laser generation techniques with photoemission electron spectroscopy can permit the measurement of surface state and electron dynamics on a femtosecond time scale. We describe the application of these techniques to perform the first time resolved measurements of image potential state dynamics in metals. Image potential states occur when an electron outside a metal surface is bound in a Coulombic potential produced by its image charge in the metal. These states form a Rydberg-like energy series and resemble a two dimensional electron gas. The lifetimes of the n = 1 and n = 2 states in Ag(100) are 15–35 fs and ~ 200 fs, respectively. In Ag(111) the lifetimes of the n = 1 and n = 2 states are less than ~ 20 fs. Experimental results are in qualitative agreement with theoretical models of image potential electron dynamics.
An expert system used to prevent the disclosure of sensitive information at the united states environmental protection agency

Abstract This paper describes an EXPERT SYSTEM for sensitive data/information disclosure avoidance developed by the author and used at the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Ballast Water Exchange and Invasion Risk Posed by Intracoastal Vessel Traffic: An Evaluation Using High Throughput Sequencing

Ballast water remains a potent vector of non-native aquatic species introductions, despite increased global efforts to reduce risk of ballast water mediated invasions. This is particularly true of intracoastal vessel traffic, whose characteristics may limit the feasibility and efficacy of management through ballast water exchange (BWE). Here we utilize high throughput sequencing (HTS) to assess biological communities associated with ballast water being delivered to Valdez, Alaska from multiple source ports along the Pacific Coast of the United States. Our analyses indicate that BWE has a significant but modest effect on ballast water assemblages. Although overall richness was not reduced with exchange, we detected losses of some common benthic coastal taxa (e.g., decapods, mollusks, bryozoans, cnidaria) and gains of open ocean taxa (e.g., certain copepods, diatoms, and dinoflagellates), including some potentially toxic species. HTS-based metabarcoding identified significantly differentiated biodiversity signatures from individual source ports; this signal persisted, though weakened, in vessels undergoing BWE, indicating incomplete faunal turnover associated with management. Our analysis also enabled identification of taxa that may be of particular concern if established in Alaskan waters. While these results reveal a clear effect of BWE on diversity in intracoastal transit, they also indicate continued introduction risk of non-native and harmful taxa.
Abstract 3715: Targeted nanotherapy using the PARP inhibitor talazoparib for breast cancer treatment

Introduction: PARP inhibitors exploit defects in DNA repair pathways to selectively target cancerous cells. These drugs are currently delivered orally, but Talazoparib, the most potent PARP inhibitor, exhibits greater toxicity than the others. Systemic administration of nanoparticles bypasses the first-pass metabolism of oral drugs and nanoparticles preferentially accumulate in tumors due to the leaky tumor vasculature. Additionally, nanoparticles can be actively targeted to tumors by conjugating different moieties such as antibodies that recognize overexpressed markers on the tumor cells. NanoTalazoparib (NanoTLZ) has been previously formulated and extensively characterized in breast, ovarian, and lung cancer models. Here we describe further characterization of NanoTLZ and the development of a next generation fluorescently labeled EPCAM targeted formulation of NanoTLZ for the treatment of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). Methods: Animals with orthotopic TNBC xenografts were injected with NanoTLZ and at various time points tumor biopsies were taken to assay tumor PAR levels. Blood was collected at various time points and plasma separated for drug extraction and quantification. Pharmacokinetic modeling is underway. Fluorescently labeled NanoTLZ was developed with the addition of Cy5, followed by further improvement via conjugation of anti-EPCAM antibodies. Targeting capability was assessed via laser scanning confocal microscopy after treatment of the TNBC cell line MDA-MB-231 with either non-targeted or targeted NanoTLZ. Therapeutic efficacy studies with targeted NanoTLZ alone and in combination with radiation are underway in an MDA-MB-231 xenograft model. Results: Pharmacodynamics indicated PAR suppression in tumors within 30 minutes of NanoTLZ treatment. Tumor PAR levels began to increase 24 hours after a single dose but remained significantly lower than control levels up to 72 hours (P Conclusions: The sustained release of Talazoparib from the nanoformulation decreases tumor PAR levels for up to 72 hours after a single dose, allowing for less frequent administration than the current daily regime used for oral Talazoparib. The targeted formulation of NanoTLZ shares the same physicochemical properties as the untargeted formulation, but is taken up much faster in vitro, suggesting it will allow for greater accumulation at the tumor site making it more effective than the previously tested untargeted NanoTLZ. Supported by ARMY/W81XWH-16-1-0731 and Rivkin Foundation. Citation Format: Paige Baldwin, Rajiv Kumar, Srinivas Sridhar. Targeted nanotherapy using the PARP inhibitor talazoparib for breast cancer treatment [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3715.
Playing with Integer Concepts: A Quest for Structure

How children play around with new numerical concepts can provide important information about the structure and patterns they notice in number systems. In this chapter, we report on data from 243 second graders who were asked to fill in missing numbers on a number path (encouraging them to play around with numbers less than zero) and to solve integer arithmetic problems (encouraging them to play around with the concepts of addition and subtraction involving negative integers). When playing around with the number paths, students made patterns, continued the number sequence in interesting ways, and used invented notation. When playing around with the operations, they interpreted negative signs as subtraction signs or added negative signs to their answers. Their play with the number path often connected to their play with operations, revealing that although some students were attuned to the pattern in the order of numbers and operations as movement in a particular direction, others focused more on numerical values and operations as changes in amount. The various ways in which children played with integers provide insight into their conceptual change process and can provide guidance for ways teachers could help students build on their logic.
Experimental study of double-pulse laser micro sintering: A novel laser micro sintering process

Abstract In laser micro sintering (LMS), good densification and low porosity of sintered material is often desirable for good mechanical properties. Recently, a novel LMS process, with the name of “double-pulse laser micro sintering” (DP-LMS), was proposed by the corresponding author. DP-LMS utilizes laser pulse group(s) consisting of “sintering laser pulse(s)” followed by “pressing laser pulse(s)” at a suitable delay time. This reported work has preliminarily demonstrated that, under the studied conditions, DP-LMS can produce an improved sintering result than those by LMS under similar conditions without using the “double-pulse” approach. The potential underlying mechanism has been discussed.
Malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the retroperitoneum and genitourinary tract: a clinicopathological correlation and review of the literature.

AbstractMalignant fibrous histiocytoma is an uncommon pleomorphic tumor of the soft tissues possibly arising from the histiocyte. A case of malignant fibrous histiocytoma in the retroperitoneal space is reported. Pathologic and clinical features of this genitourinary tract are discussed and suggestions lesion as they relate to the retroperitoneum and for therapy are presented.
Improved Survival With Higher Pre-diagnosis Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Men Who Developed Digestive System Cancers: A Prospective Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND/AIM Digestive system cancers are the leading cause of cancer mortality and have poor survival particularly in men. The study aimed to assess the association between pre-diagnosis cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and cancer mortality in a pilot sample of men who developed digestive system cancers. PATIENTS AND METHODS Pre-diagnosis CRF (treadmill exercise test) was assessed in 342 men (68.9±21.8 years) who developed digestive system cancers during 6.7±5 years from baseline evaluation. Cox multivariable hazard models were analyzed for total cancer mortality. RESULTS During 7.2±5 years follow-up from baseline, 120 participants died from cancer. Compared to low CRF, moderate and high CRF levels were associated with 57% [0.43, 95%CI=0.24-0.74] and 73% [0.27, 95%CI=0.12-0.59] reduced risks for cancer mortality, respectively (p trend=0.002). Survival time from baseline was longer among those with moderate [13.5 (range=12.1-14.9) years] and high [16.1 (range=14.0-18.2) years] compared to low CRF [7.9 (range=5.7-10.1) years]. CONCLUSION Higher pre-diagnosis CRF is independently associated with lower risk of cancer mortality and longer survival in men who later developed digestive system cancers.
Sleep Disturbance and PTSD Symptoms in Psychiatric Inpatients: the Role of Mindfulness Facets

Trauma exposure and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are significant concerns across psychiatric inpatient populations. Sleep disturbance is implicated in the etiology and maintenance of PTSD. Mindfulness facets, including observing, describing, acting with awareness, non-judging of inner experience, and non-reactivity to inner experience, may have clinical relevance to sleep disturbance and PTSD. No studies to date have examined associations among sleep disturbance, mindfulness facets, and PTSD symptom severity among psychiatric inpatients. Based upon the extant literature, greater sleep disturbance and lower acting with awareness, non-judging of inner experience, and non-reactivity to inner experience were expected to be associated with greater PTSD severity; sleep disturbance was expected to exert an indirect effect on PTSD severity through acting with awareness, non-reactivity to inner experience, and non-judging of inner experience. Covariates included trauma load and number of psychiatric diagnoses. Participants included 115 trauma-exposed psychiatric inpatients (40.0% female; Mage = 33.2, SD = 10.9). During an acute-care psychiatric inpatient hospitalization, participants were administered the Mini Mental Status Examination and completed a self-report packet, which included questionnaires used in the current investigation. Greater sleep disturbance and lower describing, acting with awareness, and non-judging of inner experience facets of mindfulness were each significantly associated with greater PTSD total symptom severity. Through non-judging of inner experience, sleep disturbance exerted an indirect effect on PTSD total symptom severity and the severity of PTSD symptom clusters, including intrusion, avoidance, negative cognitions and mood, and arousal and reactivity symptoms. Future research and clinical work may target the mindfulness facet of non-judging of inner experience in order to reduce the association between sleep disturbance and PTSD symptomatology among psychiatric inpatients.
The value of internal communication in enhancing employees’ health information disclosure intentions in the workplace

Abstract This study explores organizations’ communication practice as the antecedent of employees’ health-related perceptions and intentions to disclose their health information in the workplace. In particular, this study tests the impact of transparent internal communication and the quality of employee-organization relationship (EOR) on employees’ perceived risks and benefits of information disclosure for their health information. The results of an online survey with full-time employees in the United States showed that a positive EOR influenced by transparent communication increased the employees’ perceived benefits and decreased the employees’ perceived risks for disclosing their health information to their supervisor. Perceived risks and benefits were both significantly associated with employees’ intentions to disclose their physical health problems, while perceived benefits were significantly related to their intentions to disclose mental health problems. Theoretical and practical implications for public relations and health communication were discussed in this study.
Am I out of control? The application of statistical process control charts to children's surgery.

Abstract Aims To illustrate the construction of statistical control charts and show their potential application to analysis of outcomes in children's surgery. Patients and methods Two datasets recording outcomes following esophageal atresia repair and intestinal resection for Crohn's disease maintained by the author were used to construct four types of charts. The effects of altering the target signal, the alarm signal and the limits are illustrated. The dilemmas in choice of target rate are described. Simulated data illustrate the advantages over hypothesis testing. Results The charts show the author’s institutional leak rate for esophageal atresia repair may be within acceptable limits, but that this is dependent on the target set. The desirable target is contentious. The leak rate for anastomoses following intestinal resection for Crohn's disease leak is also within acceptable limits when compared to published experience, but may be deteriorating. The charts are able to detect deteriorating levels of performance well before hypothesis testing would suggest a systematic problem with outcomes. Conclusions Statistical process control charts can provide surgeons with early warning of systematic poor performance. They are robust to volume–outcome influences, since the outcome is tested sequentially after each procedure or patient. They have application in a specialty with low frequencies of operations such as children's surgery. Type of study Diagnostic test. Level of evidence Level II.
Predicting 5- and 10-Year Mortality Risk in Older Adults With Diabetes.

OBJECTIVE Several diabetes clinical practice guidelines suggest that treatment goals may be modified in older adults on the basis of comorbidities, complications, and life expectancy. The long-term benefits of treatment intensification may not outweigh short-term risks for patients with limited life expectancy. Because of the uncertainty of determining life expectancy for individual patients, we sought to develop and validate prognostic indices for mortality in older adults with diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We used a prevalence sample of veterans with diabetes who were aged ≥65 years on 1 January 2006 (N = 275,190). Administrative data were queried for potential predictors that included patient demographics, comorbidities, procedure codes, laboratory values and anthropomorphic measurements, medication history, and previous health service utilization. Logistic least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regressions were used to identify variables independently associated with mortality. The resulting odds ratios were then weighted to create prognostic indices of mortality over 5 and 10 years. RESULTS Thirty-seven predictors of mortality were identified: 4 demographic variables, prescriptions for insulin, sulfonylureas, or blood pressure medications, 6 biomarkers, previous outpatient and inpatient utilization, and 22 comorbidities/procedures. The prognostic indices showed good discrimination, with C-statistics of 0.74 and 0.76 for 5- and 10-year mortality, respectively. The indices also demonstrated excellent agreement between observed outcome and predictions, with calibration slopes of 1.01 for both 5- and 10-year mortality. CONCLUSIONS Prognostic indices obtained from administrative data can predict 5- and 10-year mortality in older adults with diabetes. Such a tool may enable clinicians and patients to develop individualized treatment goals that balance risks and benefits of treatment intensification.
Resolving a New Kind of Trade War Through ODR

This chapter, Resolving a New Kind of Trade War Through ODR, describes the development of "smart contracts" and the challenges in resolving disputes about them. It explains the need for good dispute system design to be built into smart contracts. This is published as part of John Lande’s new book, THEORIES OF CHANGE FOR THE DISPUTE RESOLUTION MOVEMENT: ACTIONABLE IDEAS TO REVITALIZE OUR MOVEMENT (John Lande, ed., 2020. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3533324