cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A class of scalable architectures for high-performance, cost-effective parallel computing

The family of reconfigurable generalized hypercube (RGH) architectures is proposed for the construction of scalable parallel computers. The objective is to reduce the high VLSI complexity of generalized hypercubes while maintaining to high extent their outstanding performance. Generalized hypercubes are versatile topologies of very high cost that optimally emulate binary hypercubes and k-ary n-cubes. RGH's, which are lower-cost reconfigurable systems, emulate efficiently generalized hypercubes for application algorithms that use regular communication patterns. RGH's generally perform better than binary hypercubes and k-ary n-cubes with the same number of nodes. To illustrate the viability of RGH's, extensive cost analysis and comparisons with relevant systems are carried out. The hardware cost of RGH's is shown to be even lower than that of fat trees. Therefore, scalable RGH's are viable candidates for the construction of versatile parallel computers. >
Mixing and Matching: Assessing the Concomitants of Mixed-Ethnic Relationships

Does the self-esteem or relationship quality of those dating outside their ethnic group differ from those in a same-ethnic relationship? This study addresses this question, assessing personal (e.g., self-esteem and clarity) and relationship characteristics (commitment, satisfaction, realistic expectations, the level to which expectations were met, and partner preferences) with an emphasis on ethnic identity. We studied 131 undergraduates, 58 in same-ethnic heterosexual relationships (SERs) and 73 from mixed-ethnic heterosexual relationships (MERs). Counter to the assumptions of many lay people and scientists, we found no differences between the two groups. Ethnic identity was more predictive of relationship quality and commitment than was relationship composition (same versus mixed-ethnic). Furthermore, commitment was significantly associated with the extent to which expectations were met for members of MERs, but not for those in SERs. Results are discussed in the context of social psychological theories ...
Poor Man, Rich Man, Big-man, Chief: Political Types in Melanesia and Polynesia

With an eye to their own life goals, the native peoples of Pacific Islands unwittingly present to anthropologists a generous scientific gift: an extended series of experiments in cultural adaptation and evolutionary development. They have compressed their institutions within the confines of infertile coral atolls, expanded them on volcanic islands, created with the means history gave them cultures adapted to the deserts of Australia, the mountains and warm coasts of New Guinea, the rain forests of the Solomon Islands. From the Australian Aborigines, whose hunting and gathering existence duplicates in outline the cultural life of the later Paleolithic, to the great chiefdoms of Hawaii, where society approached the formative levels of the old Fertile Crescent civilizations, almost every general phase in the progress of primitive culture is exemplified.
The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy—Lung and Lung Cancer Subscale assess quality of life and meaningful symptom improvement in lung cancer

Abstract Treatment options for patients with advanced lung cancer who have received prior chemotherapy are largely palliative, with little hope for cure. Current therapies may provide only modest survival benefits to patients while potentially adding treatment-related toxicities to lung cancer-related symptoms. However, new treatments have been developed that may improve disease-related symptoms and quality of life with only mild toxicities. The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy—Lung, a validated, disease-specific quality-of-life instrument, effectively correlates quality-of-life changes with clinical outcomes in patients with non—small-cell lung cancer. In a large randomized trial from the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group study 5592, a change of two to three points in the Lung Cancer Subscale of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy—Lung was found to be clinically meaningful and correlated well with patient symptom differences at baseline, changes in symptoms after treatment, tumor response, and time to disease progression. Results from trials that include symptom improvement and quality of life as end points, in addition to the more standard outcomes of tumor response and survival, will provide meaningful information in evaluating the clinical benefits of new cancer treatments.
Why People Decide to Participate in State Politics

Many have investigated who participates in politics and why they choose to do so. Here, the authors consider where people choose to participate. Using survey data from the American Citizen Participation Study, the authors investigate why people choose to participate in state politics versus local or national venues. If the decision of where to participate is resource driven, then people will engage in state politics for the same reasons they participate in politics generally. But if participatory choices reflect one’s motivation and incentives for action, then the reasons to engage in state politics will be unique, connected to individual interest and political environments.
The co-occurrence of cigarette smoking and bipolar disorder: phenomenology and treatment considerations.

Heffner JL, Strawn JR, DelBello MP, Strakowski SM, Anthenelli RM. The co-occurrence of cigarette smoking and bipolar disorder: phenomenology and treatment considerations. Bipolar Disord 2011: 13: 439–453. © 2011 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Objectives: Despite recent advances in understanding the causes and treatment of nicotine dependence among individuals with psychiatric disorders, smoking among individuals with bipolar disorder (BD) has received little attention. The goal of this review is to synthesize the literature on the epidemiology, consequences, and treatment of smoking and nicotine dependence among individuals with BD and to delineate a future research agenda. Methods: We conducted a PubMed search of English-language articles using the search terms bipolar disorder, mania, tobacco, nicotine, and smoking, followed by a manual search of the literature cited in the identified articles. Articles were chosen by the authors on the basis of their relevance to the topic areas covered in this selective review. Results: Adults with BD are two to three times more likely to have started smoking and, on the basis of epidemiological data, may be less likely to initiate and/or maintain smoking abstinence than individuals without psychiatric disorders. Smoking cessation is achievable for individuals with BD, but challenges such as chronic mood dysregulation, high prevalence of alcohol and drug use, more severe nicotine dependence, and limited social support can make quitting more difficult. Effective treatments for tobacco cessation are available, but no controlled trials in smokers with BD have been conducted. Conclusions: Cigarette smoking is a prevalent and devastating addiction among individuals with BD and should be addressed by mental health providers. Additional research on the mechanisms of, and optimal treatment for, smoking and nicotine dependence in this population is desperately needed.
Power and Rate Control with Dynamic Programming for Cognitive Radios

Power and rate control schemes for a single cognitive radio (CR) channel are considered in the presence of licensed primary radios (PRs). A dynamic programming (DP) based algorithm is proposed to maximize the long-term average rate for the CR link under constraints on the total energy budget and the CR-to-PR disturbance. In the proposed algorithm, the behavior of PRs is modeled as a two-state Markov chain. Based on such a model, the optimal power and rate control strategy for each time slot is derived, which is a function of the energy level at the beginning of current time slot and the previous behavior of PRs. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm can lead to a significant performance improvement in term of the long-term average rate while keeping the probability of CR-to- PR disturbance below a given level.
A comprehensive analysis of parotid and salivary gland cancer: worse outcomes for male gender.

Background To determine the effects of patient demographics, socioeconomic status (SES) and clinical variables on outcomes for patients with salivary and parotid gland tumors. Methods Florida cancer registry and inpatient hospital data were queried for cancer of the salivary glands diagnosed between 1998 - 2002. Results A total of 1573 patients were identified. Women were diagnosed at a younger age (median age (years): women 60.8 versus men 64.3, P = 0.003). Men were more often diagnosed with high grade tumors (65.1% versus 41.9% for women, P stage III: 60.2 versus 49.4%, P versus 55.6%, P = 0.001). By multivariate analysis, adjusted for patient comorbidities, age over 65 (HR 3.43 P = 0.008), advanced disease stage (HR 8.05 P P P = 0.011). Tumors located in the parotid gland (HR 0.631 P = 0.003) and receiving both surgical extirpation and radiation were predictors of improved survival. Conclusion Salivary gland tumors carry a worse prognosis than tumors of the parotid. Male patients have worse outcomes.
Ac-SDKP Reverses Inflammation and Fibrosis in Rats With Heart Failure After Myocardial Infarction

Inflammation may play an important role in the pathogenesis of cardiac fibrosis in heart failure (HF) after myocardial infarction (MI). N -acetyl-seryl-aspartyl-lysyl-proline (Ac-SDKP) is a naturally occurring antifibrotic peptide whose plasma concentration is increased 4- to 5-fold by angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors. We tested the hypothesis that in rats with HF after MI, Ac-SDKP acts as an anti-inflammatory cytokine, preventing and also reversing cardiac fibrosis in the noninfarcted area (reactive fibrosis), and thus affording functional improvement. We found that Ac-SDKP significantly decreased total collagen content in the prevention group from 23.7±0.9 to 15.0±0.7 μg/mg and in the reversal group from 22.6±2.2 to 14.4±1.6 ( P 2 , P 2 , P 2 , P 2 , P
Linearity testing of precision analog-to-digital converters using stationary nonlinear inputs

As the performance of Analog-to-Digital Converters continues to improve, it is becoming more challenging and costly to develop sufficiently fast and low-drift signal generators that are adequately more linear than the ADC for the purpose of linearity testing. This work relaxes the linearity requirements on the signal generators used for ADC testing by alternatively employing multiple non-linear inputs. Assuming minimal prior knowledge of the input non-linearity, a testing methodology is introduced that is based upon first identifying and computationally removing the source non-linearity and then accurately estimating the ADC linearity. Production test hardware is used for validating the performance of this testing methodology using a high performance 16-bit SAR ADC as a test vehicle. Integral linearity error readings are identified to well within the +/-2 LSB range of the device specification by using only 8-bit linear inputs. This approach provides an enabling technology for costeffective full-code testing of high performance ADCs in production test and for a cost-effective implementation of built-in self-test (BIST).
The revenue impacts of cross-border lottery shopping in the presence of spatial autocorrelation

Abstract In this paper we perform the first-ever analysis of cross-border lottery shopping. We directly estimate the lottery revenue gains and losses between a state and its neighbors using models that account for spatial dependence between cross-sectional units. This methodology has been rarely used in studies exploring regional public finance issues and is shown to improve upon standard OLS estimation of cross-sectional data. We find that cross-border lottery shopping can lead to significant reductions in lottery revenue. Given that 37 states rely on lotteries to fund certain state programs, our results have significant policy implications for state officials and lottery operators.
erbB-2 and Response to Doxorubicin in Patients With Axillary Lymph Node-Positive, Hormone Receptor- Negative Breast Cancer

Background: Overexpression of the erbB-2 protein by breast cancer cells has been suggested to be a predictor of response to doxorubicin. A retrospective study was designed to test this hypothesis. Methods: In National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project protocol B-11, patients with axillary lymph node-positive, hormone receptor-negative breast cancer were randomly assigned to receive either L-phenylalanine mustard plus 5-fluorouracil (PF) or a combination of L-phenylalanine mustard, 5-fluorouracil, and doxorubicin (PAF). Tumor cell expression of erbB-2 was determined by immunohistochemistry for 638 of 682 eligible patients. Statistical analyses were performed to test for interaction between treatment and erbB-2 status (positive versus negative) with respect to disease-free survival (DFS), survival, recurrence-free survival (RFS), and distant disease-free survival (DDFS). Reported P values are two-sided. Results: Overexpression of erbB-2 (i.e., positive immunohistochemical staining) was observed in 239 (37.5%) of the 638 tumors studied. Overexpression was associated with tumor size (P = .02), lack of estrogen receptors (P = .008), and the number of positive lymph nodes (P = .0001). After a mean time on study of 13.5 years, the clinical benefit from doxorubicin (PAF versus PF) was statistically significant for patients with erbB-2-positive tumors-DFS: relative risk of failure (RR) = 0.60 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.44-0.83), P = .001; survival: RR = 0.66 (95% CI = 0.47-0.92), P =.01 ; RFS: RR = 0.58 (95% CI = 0.42-0.82), P = .002; DDFS: RR = 0.61 (95% CI = 0.44-0.85), P = .003. However, it was not significant for patients with erbB-2-negative tumors-DFS: RR = 0.96 (95% CI = 0.75-1.23), P = .74; survival: RR = 0.90 (95% CI = 0.69-1.19), P = .47; RFS: RR = 0.88 (95% CI = 0.67-1.16), P = .37; DDFS: RR = 1.03 (95% CI = 0.79-1.35), P = .84. Interaction between doxorubicin treatment and erbB-2 overexpression was statistically significant for DFS (P = .02) and DDFS (P = .02) but not for survival (P = .15) or RFS (P = .06). Conclusions: These data support the hypothesis of a preferential benefit from doxorubicin in patients with erbB-2-positive breast cancer.
A Knowledge Element Model for Knowledge Abstract and Fusion System

The amount of digitally available informaition is growing at an exponential rate. Educational resource systems are in widespread use and knowledge develops and spreads rapidly in quality, quantity, profundity and extension. This paper describes a new model of knowledge element to organize knowledge and to share the educational resource, and presents the framework of a knowledge abstract and fusion system based on it.
Endoscopic treatments of obesity: a comprehensive review

Abstract Background Obesity remains a significant problem in the United States. Bariatric surgery is the most effective treatment for obesity, but it is cost-prohibitive on both a national and individual scale. Access is also limited, and less than 1% of the eligible population receives bariatric surgery. Endoscopic therapies for obesity have emerged as an alternative to bariatric surgery, 2 of which have recently been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This study provides a comprehensive overview of the endoscopic treatments of obesity and summarizes their outcomes. Objectives To provide clinicians with a comprehensive overview of the endoscopic treatments of obesity. Setting University Hospital, United States. Methods Multiple searches of PubMed were conducted using various keywords and MeSH terms. Backwards citation searching and hand-searching were also conducted to ensure completeness. Results The current endoscopic treatments of obesity can be divided into 6 main categories: 1) space-occupying devices, 2) restrictive procedures, 3) bypass liners, 4) electrical stimulation, 5) aspiration therapy, and 6) other therapies. Intragastric balloons, a space-occupying device, are the best-studied of all the treatments. They show 30%–50% excess weight loss after device removal but lack significant long-term follow-up. Conclusions With the recent Food and Drug Administration approval of intragastric balloons, this treatment is likely to rise in popularity. Short-term outcomes appear promising but long-term results are unclear.
Starting Here, Starting Now: Using the Lawyer as Impasse-Breaker During the Pre-Mediation Phase

Success always comes when preparation meets opportunity. Negotiations have reached an impasse, and mediation may be the next step. Or, litigation is proceeding, and mediation is strongly recommended as the next step. But is it the right step? In large part, whether or not mediation is the right step depends on the attorneys involved in the case. For those attorneys who are hell-bent on stonewalling the mediation, this mediator concedes your victory. Mediation is not the right step for your case. After all, an unspoken reality about mediation success is that most cases will only settle in mediation if all the attorneys involved in the case want the case to settle. However, if the attorneys on the case belong to the increasing numbers of resolution-sophisticated attorneys who are motivated to settle, mediation may be the right step. This chapter will explain how during the pre-mediation phase, the time between contracting with the mediator and actually convening for mediation, mediators may guide those settlement motivated attorneys to overcome impasse and resolve their case in mediation. From the first phone call, pre-mediation opportunities abound for astute mediators to support savvy attorneys to overcome negotiation impasses. What is the impasse? Why is the impasse preventing settlement? How might all the parties, lawyers and mediators collaborate to overcome the impasse? This chapter will highlight the pre-mediation opportunities for mediators to help attorneys and their clients develop collaborative, coordinated and effective advocacy approaches during three critical events in the pre-mediation phase: the first phone call, the client preparation and the briefing paper.
Complementary feeding the Code and the Codex.

The principal international instruments regulating the composition and marketing of processed complementary foods are the International Code of Marketing of Breast- Milk Substitutes adopted by the World Health Assembly in 1981 subsequent relevant World Health Assembly Resolutions and the Codex Alimentarius Standards for Canned Baby Foods and for Processed Cereal-Based Foods for Infants and Children. The Code and Resolutions emphasize the use of a variety of locally available foods in addition to breastmilk in ensuring a balanced diet for infants from around the age of six months. Complementary foods should not be marketed in ways that interfere with breastfeeding and governments should support education for parents in the appropriate feeding of infants. (authors)
Chemosterilants Applied as Sprays Against Populations of Boll Weevils on Cotton in Field Cages

In the first large-scale tests with sprays of chemosteriants against any insect pest, apholate applied to the cotton in 21½-acre screened cages at rates of 1, 2, or 4 pounds per acre for control of Anthonomus grandis Boheman suppressed populations compared with an untreated check whether the initial infestations were begun with virgin or mated pairs. Hempa, at a rate of 2 lb per acre, was ineffective. At 4 lb per acre, apholate reduced production of squares compared with an untreated check, but the toxicity of this compound was too great for general use. Since the technique proved effective, other less hazardous chemosterilants are being sought.
Exploring the Relationship between Planning and Prospective Memory Describing the Role of Working Memory Task Load

Articulatory suppression / manipulations of working memory (i.e., poetic language) were examined in relation to planning and prospective memory, memory for actions to be performed in the future. Tw...
Concentrating Capacity of the Kidney as Revealed by Injection of Posterior Pituitary Extract

SummaryIn dogs, placed under conditions similar to those employed clinically for revealing the concentration capacity of the kidney, that is, under restriction of food and water, the administration of posterior pituitary extract results in the formation of a more concentrated urine than follows from restriction alone.
Analysis of epidenic features of notifiable diseases in Chaohu city from 2004 to 2011

Objective To analyze and discuss the incidence trends and epidemiological features of the legal infections diseases reported in recent years after the implementation of direct reporting through network system in Chaohu,and provide reference for the formulation of prevention and control measures.Methods Descriptive epidemiological analysis was conducted on the incidence data of A,B,C class infectious diseases collected from national disease reporting information system in chaohu during 2004-2011.Results A total of 29 kinds of legal infections diseases(71,636 cases in total) were reported during 2004-2011.The annual incidence was between 143.582/105 and 304.596/105,and the average incidence rate was 207.484/105.There was significant difference among different years(χ2=2868.73,P0.01).Of the total reported cases,infectious diseases of class A were 4 cases of 1 disease,class B were 50,672 cases of 19 diseases,and class C were 20,960 cases of 9 diseases.Average annual incidence rates of B and C infectious diseases were 146.765/105 and 60.708/105,respectively.Conclusions The infectious disease in Chaohu showed a gradually rising trend.Pulmonary tuberculosis and hepatitis B of B class infectious diseases were epidemic.Blood and sexually transmitted disease increased obviously.Incidence of hand-foot-mouth disease of C class infectious diseases increased obviously.We should pay more attention to the control and prevention of frequently-occurring diseases and key ones.
Nelfinavir is effective against human cervical cancer cells in vivo: a potential treatment modality in resource-limited settings

Objective The standard treatment for cervical cancer in developed countries includes surgery and chemoradiation, with standard of care lagging in developing countries. Even in the former case, treatment frequently yields recalcitrant tumors and women succumb to disease. Here we examine the impact of nelfinavir, an off-patent viral protease inhibitor, which has shown promise as an antineoplastic agent.
High-frequency autorotational testing of the vestibulo-ocular reflex.

Rotational testing is useful for clinical evaluation of vestibular dysfunction affecting the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR). Early applications relied on visual observation of nystagmus following turning. In modern use, control theory descriptors (e.g., gain and phase) are applied to patient data for comparisons with normal values. Motorized rotational chairs are used to passively oscillate patients with sinusoidal harmonic acceleration (SHA) stimulus profiles, usually at low frequencies (0.02 to 0.2 Hz). Changes in low-frequency phase and asymmetry, relative to normal values, provide useful indications of pathology. Vestibular autorotation testing (VAT) is a new, portable testing technique that utilizes microcomputers and patients' active head movements at high frequencies (2 to 6 Hz) to test both horizontal and vertical VOR responses. A head strap contains sensors and microelectronics for monitoring both head and eye movements. Higher-frequency VOR testing offers the advantages that the VOR is most active during locomotion at these frequencies and that other ocular motor systems are functionally insensitive above about 1 Hz. Results from VAT evaluation of patients with acute-stage Meniere's disease showed high vertical VOR gains, whereas patients receiving cisplatin chemotherapy showed pronounced low horizontal VOR gains and reduced phase lags. Practical experience in 4 years' clinical testing with the VAT has shown that this test is comfortable, efficient, clinically accurate, portable, and low cost, without requiring the dedicated, installed facility characteristic of other vestibular tests.
Review of the influence of polypeptide hormone forms on immunoassay results.

Various forms of the polypeptide hormones that occur in blood, fluids, or tissues can differ according to physiologic and pathologic states. Forms include subunits of luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, human chorionic gonadotropin, and thyroid-stimulating hormone. Hormonal isoforms occur for these hormones as well as for prolactin and growth hormone. Variation in hormonal forms appears to contribute significantly to the wide variation in immunoassay results for these polypeptide hormones. Subunits and isoforms of the polypeptide hormones can overreact or underreact in monoclonal antibody assays. The underreaction or overreaction can occur with standards, controls, and patient specimens as well as with the assay label
Toward an Entrepreneurial Public Sector: Using Social Exchange Theory to Predict Public Employee Risk Perceptions

An entrepreneurial public agency pursues the implementation of innovative programs that may broaden public service choices, increase service quality, and more effectively serve citizens. Such public entrepreneurship depends on risk taking and risk tolerance; however, public servants tend to be generally risk averse in their behaviors and personal preferences, and are therefore less likely to pursue entrepreneurial approaches to public problems. Using social exchange theory as a framework to understand the reciprocal relationship between agency and employee, this study examines whether agency behaviors might alter the risk aversion of those employees and make the agency environment more conducive to entrepreneurship. Findings suggest that managers’ demonstration of risk tolerance, reward for creativity and innovation, and agency solicitation of employee input are positively related to employee perceptions of higher risk tolerance among their peers.
Hodgkin–Huxley Models

Most theoretical and computational studies of neuronal function are based on a model for action potential generation developed more than 50 years ago by AL Hodgkin and AF Huxley. In this article, we review the historical and biophysical context that surrounded the creation of this model. We describe the fundamental properties of the Hodgkin and Huxley model, emphasizing its capability to replicate experimental results which it was not explicitly built to account for. Finally, we compare the original and modern physical interpretations of the model and briefly discuss its limitations and other alternative models.
Is Intravenous Heparin a Contraindication for TPA in Ischemic Stroke

There are approximately 2 million cardiac catheterizations that occur every year in the United States and with an aging population this number continues to rise. Adverse events due to this procedure occur at low rates and include stroke, arrhythmia, and myocardial infarctions. Due to the high volume of procedures there are a growing number of adverse events. Stroke after cardiac catheterization (SCC) has an incidence between 0.27 and 0.5% and is one of the most debilitating complications leading to high rates of mortality and morbidity. Given the relatively uncommon clinical setting of stroke after cardiac catheterization, treatment protocols regarding the use of IV or IA thrombolysis have not been adequately developed. Herein, we describe a case of a 39-year-old male who developed a stroke following a cardiac catheterization where IV thrombolysis was utilized although the patient was on heparin prior to cardiac catheterization.
Current Theories of Planning

Publisher Summary Planning can best be envisioned as a continuous, and sometimes irregular, cycle of thought and action that can help to design more durable and effective systems. It is not a discrete activity with a clear beginning and end. Systems thinking provides the philosophical outlook and methodological tools that help planners manage complexity rather than merely submit to it and hope that things will somehow work themselves out. This chapter focuses on problems that call for intervention and planning. Planning has been studied from many perspectives. It has also been thought about in terms of general political, social, economic, and cultural environments in which it takes place, the particular system in such environments to which planners direct their attention, and the level of detail needed to produce a plan. The chapter discusses some characteristics of planning. It presents a comparison of three philosophies of planning, namely, formal, incremental, and systemic, according to the way in which they are used to structure problems, to identify and evaluate alternatives, and to implement plans. Systemic planning is a synthesis of formal and incremental planning.
Flavoring Chemicals and Aldehydes in E-Cigarette Emissions

Regulations on e-cigarettes in the U.S. do not provide guidelines on the chemical content of e-cigarette liquids. We evaluated emissions of aldehydes and flavoring chemicals in e-cigarette vapor under typical usage conditions. We selected 24 e-cigarette flavors from the top selling disposable e-cigarette brands. E-cigarettes were connected to a pump drawing air for two second puffs with sixty-second intervals between puffs. The vapor was analyzed for the presence of aldehydes using high-performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet detector and for the presence of flavoring chemicals with gas chromatography and an electron capture detector. All e-cigarette emissions tested contained at least one aldehyde and/or flavoring chemical on either the FEMA “High Priority Chemicals” or FDA Harmful and Potentially Harmful Constituents lists when sampled at typical usage conditions. Diacetyl, a known respiratory hazard, along with acetoin, were the most prevalent of the flavoring chemicals in e-cigarette vapor, bein...
Determinants of Hair Manganese, Lead, Cadmium and Arsenic Levels in Environmentally Exposed Children

Biomarkers of environmental metal exposure in children are important for elucidating exposure and health risk. While exposure biomarkers for As, Cd, and Pb are relatively well defined, there are not yet well-validated biomarkers of Mn exposure. Here, we measured hair Mn, Pb, Cd, and As levels in children from the Mid-Ohio Valley to determine within and between-subject predictors of hair metal levels. Occipital scalp hair was collected in 2009-2010 from 222 children aged 6-12 years (169 female, 53 male) participating in a study of chemical exposure and neurodevelopment in an industrial region of the Mid-Ohio Valley. Hair samples from females were divided into three two centimeter segments, while males provided a single segment. Hair was cleaned and processed in a trace metal clean laboratory, and analyzed for As, Cd, Mn, and Pb by magnetic sector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Hair Mn and Pb levels were comparable (median 0.11 and 0.15 µg/g, respectively) and were ~10-fold higher than hair Cd and As levels (0.007 and 0.018 µg/g, respectively). Hair metal levels were higher in males compared to females, and varied by ~100-1000-fold between all subjects, and substantially less ( 10-fold lower than levels reported in other studies in children, most likely because of more rigorous hair cleaning methodology used in the present study, leading to lower levels of unresolved exogenous metal contamination of hair.
The effects of segregated and partially integrated school programs on self concept and academic achievement of educable mental retardates.

The effects of 2 types of school programs upon self concept and academic achievement of educable mentally retarded children were compared by means of a pretest posttest battery over an 8 month inte...
Chemical Ecology and Sociality in Aphids: Opportunities and Directions

Aphids have long been recognized as good phytochemists. They are small sap-feeding plant herbivores with complex life cycles that can involve cyclical parthenogenesis and seasonal host plant alternation, and most are plant specialists. Aphids have distinctive traits for identifying and exploiting their host plants, including the expression of polyphenisms, a form of discrete phenotypic plasticity characteristic of insects, but taken to extreme in aphids. In a relatively small number of species, a social polyphenism occurs, involving sub-adult "soldiers" that are behaviorally or morphologically specialized to defend their nestmates from predators. Soldiers are sterile in many species, constituting a form of eusociality and reproductive division of labor that bears striking resemblances with other social insects. Despite a wealth of knowledge about the chemical ecology of non-social aphids and their phytophagous lifestyles, the molecular and chemoecological mechanisms involved in social polyphenisms in aphids are poorly understood. We provide a brief primer on aspects of aphid life cycles and chemical ecology for the non-specialists, and an overview of the social biology of aphids, with special attention to chemoecological perspectives. We discuss some of our own efforts to characterize how host plant chemistry may shape social traits in aphids. As good phytochemists, social aphids provide a bridge between the study of insect social evolution sociality, and the chemical ecology of plant-insect interactions. Aphids provide many promising opportunities for the study of sociality in insects, and to understand both the convergent and novel traits that characterize complex sociality on plants.
Genetic variants in RORA and DNMT1 associated with cutaneous melanoma survival

Cutaneous melanoma (CM) is considered as a steroid hormone-related malignancy. However, few studies have evaluated the roles of genetic variants encoding steroid hormone receptor genes and their related regulators (SHR-related genes) in CM-specific survival (CMSS). Here, we performed a pathway-based analysis to evaluate genetic variants of 191 SHR-related genes in 858 CMSS patients using a dataset from a genome-wide association study (GWAS) from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC), and then validated the results in an additional dataset of 409 patients from the Harvard GWAS. Using multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis, we identified three-independent SNPs (RORA rs782917 G > A, RORA rs17204952 C > T and DNMT1 rs7253062 G > A) as predictors of CMSS, with a variant-allele attributed hazards ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval of 1.62 (1.25-2.09), 1.60 (1.20-2.13) and 1.52 (1.20-1.94), respectively. Combined analysis of risk genotypes of these three SNPs revealed a decreased CMSS in a dose-response manner as the number of risk genotypes increased (ptrend < 0.001); however, no improvement in the prediction model was observed (area under the curve [AUC] = 79.6-80.8%, p = 0.656), when these risk genotypes were added to the model containing clinical variables. Our findings suggest that genetic variants of RORA and DNMT1 may be promising biomarkers for CMSS, but these results needed to be validated in future larger studies.
The Ape that Used E-Mail: Understanding E-Communication Behavior Through Evolution Theory

This article reviews theoretical research on e-communication behavior, identifying two main types of theories – technological and social. This review provides the rationale for developing a new theory, based on Darwin’s theory of evolution, that is neither technological nor social. Three theoretical principles are developed from evolution theory: media naturalness, innate schema similarity, and learned schema variety. The article concludes by illustrating how the theoretical principles can be used as a basis for developing a simple predictive model in the context of an online broker.
The ill effects of world wide web on the Google generation: an analysis and criticism of ways in which the world wide web is altering young learners' cognitive behaviors

While this paper values the different ways in which the World Wide Web is making data ubiquitous and more accessible, it questions some of its subtle yet destructive effects on the Google Generation/those born after 1993. This paper will look over the learners' interactions with online information, analyze the negative behavioral and psychological consequences caused by these interactions, question the consequences and in each case ask that designers of online experiences be more careful as they make design decisions when creating online interfaces. This paper poses the following research question: "How can the design of online activities on the World Wide Web positively affect the Google Generation's ability to focus, socialize, and think deeply? Most importantly, this presentation seeks to stir discourse that agree and/or disagree with the idea that the World Wide Web is negatively affecting the Google Generation's---those born after 1993---wellbeing. It hopes that discourse will lead to possible solutions to the current and increasing problem relating to attention, memory, patience, stress, and critical thinking in young learners.
Youth and adult visitation and physical activity intensity at rural and urban parks.

Less physical activity among rural residents may contribute to rural-urban health disparities. Parks can be ideal community resources for promoting physical activity. This study compared park visitation and activity intensity at 15 urban and 15 rural parks matched for acreage and amenities. Parks were observed in the morning, afternoon, and evening on 4 days to determine number of visitors, activity intensity, and amenity use. A total of 5486 visitors were observed with no differences in percentages of males (55.5% vs. 53.9%) and females (44.5% vs. 46.1%) or percentages of weekday (82.4% vs. 81.9%) and weekend (17.6% vs. 18.1%) visitors. The probability of visitors sitting was greater and in moderate intensity activity lower at rural parks. A greater proportion of children (25.0% vs. 14.5%) in rural parks, and teens in urban parks (8.0% vs. 69.6%), were observed on sport fields. A greater proportion of adults in urban areas (12.5% vs. 46.0%) were observed spectating sports. Greater proportions of rural children (10.9% vs. 3.5%), teens (34.1% vs. 12.4%), and adults (38.9% vs. 10.1%) were observed using shelters. Thus, when similar amenities are available, rural and urban parks are used differently, especially by youth. The urban park study results cannot be wholly applied to rural parks.
Improved Modelling Technique for Reconfigurable Photovoltaics with Embedded CMOS

Mostly a reconfigurable Photovoltaics (PV) modules uses a comparative analysis technique to detect fault or partial/complete shading condition. In the comparative analysis, the measured power for a particular configuration is compared with the computed power. For calculating the computed power mostly 1-diode or 2-diode based PV module modeling technique is used which is very complex to implement on an embedded board and power intensive due to the presence of exponential term. The proposed technique presented in this paper compares the currently measured power with the previously recorded power of the load from the memory of Raspberry PI for fault detection and mitigation. The mathematical model presented is validated using SPICE simulation.
Interfaith friendship as incarnational mission practice: Presidential Address, ASM 2018:

Believing that the love of our triune God enables love of others and faithful witness to our lives in Christ, interfaith friendships are a testimony to the incarnational nature and power of God’s l...
Effect of Network Architecture and Linker Polarity on Ion Aggregation and Conductivity in Precise Polymerized Ionic Liquids

Four polymerized ionic liquids (PILs) were systematically designed to study the effect of polymer architecture and linker polarity on ion aggregation and transport. Specifically, linear and network...
Treatment of displaced subcapital and transcervical fractures of the femoral neck by muscle-pedicle-bone graft and internal fixation. A preliminary report on one hundred and fifty cases.

Beginning in 1967, all qualified patients (under seventy years of age, ambulatory with a displaced femoral fracture in the neck or subcapital) were treated either by use a fibular graft (twenty-one not considered in detail in this report) or by an iliac graft with quadriceps muscle pedicle in addition to Hagie pins. Four of the 150 patients were lost to follow-up. There were seven deaths and three infections which required removal of the femoral head. Of the remaining 136 patients, there were fifteen non-unions (11 per cent). When, in addition, a posterior defect was found and was filled with bone graft, union occurred in 97 per cent (sixty-four of sixty-six). Of the fifteen non-unions, eight had unsatisfactory reductions or were in uncooperative patients. Late segmental collapse occurred in five patients (of sixty-three followed eighteen or more months) and varus position in sixteen. At follow-up, five patients were practically confined to a wheel chair, fifteen used a walker and seventeen a cane, while the rest were freely ambulatory.
Heterogeneous Integration of a Fan-Out Wafer-Level Packaging Based Foldable Display on Elastomeric Substrate

We describe a Fan-Out Wafer-Level Packaging (FOWLP) integration process that is used to build an extremely flexible heterogeneous integration platform called "FlexTrateTM". We integrated a daisy chain connected 10×20 array of 1 mm2 Si dies over a 35 mm × 18 mm area using vertically corrugated Cu interconnects of 40 µm pitch and ~5 µm thickness. The system is reliable even upon bending to 1 mm bending radius for over 1000 bending cycles. We demonstrate a 37 mm × 52 mm foldable display with 1 mm2 InGaN LEDs using this technology. Cyclic mechanical bending (1 mm bending radius), optical, and thermal reliability of integrated display are investigated.
Heat Shock Proteins: Endogenous Modulators of Ferroptosis

The heat shock response is a transcriptional reprogramming mechanism used by cells to prevent damage or death. This highly conserved process is often involved in the upregulation of heat shock proteins (HSPs) by the activation of heat shock factors in response to external or internal stresses. Based on their molecular size, HSPs can be classified into six subfamilies, namely, HSP100, HSP90, HSP70, HSP60, HSP40, and small heat shock proteins. These HSPs play multiple roles in protein homeostasis, including the folding, unfolding, assembly, transport, sorting, or degradation of proteins. A dynamic HSP family network has long been implicated in the regulation of oxidative stress and regulated cell death. Ferroptosis is an iron- and lipid peroxidation-dependent type of necrosis that is implicated in tissue injury and cancer therapy. Unlike their role in mediating apoptosis resistance, HSPs play a dual role in ferroptosis, according to recent studies. In particular, inducible HSPB1 (also known as HSP25 in mouse or HSP27 in human)-dependent actin dynamics as well as inducible HSPA5 (also known as BIP or GRP78)-mediated GPX4 protein stability inhibits ferroptosis via blocking iron uptake and lipid peroxidation, respectively. In contrast, constitutively HSP90-related LAMP2A protein stability promotes GPX4 degradation and subsequent ferroptosis via the upregulation of HSPA8 (also known as HSC70)-mediated autophagy. In this chapter, we summarize the classification and function of HSPs and discuss the regulation of ferroptosis by HSPs.
Neurodevelopment of HIV-Exposed Uninfected Infants Born to Women with Perinatally-Acquired HIV in the United States.

Background Lifelong HIV and antiretroviral therapy may confer neurodevelopmental risk on the children of women with perinatally acquired HIV infection (PHIV). Setting We analyzed data from HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU) infants born to women with PHIV vs. non-perinatally acquired HIV (NPHIV) enrolled in the Surveillance Monitoring for Antiretroviral Therapy Toxicities (SMARTT) study. Methods Using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, third Ed. (Bayley-III), we compared neurodevelopmental outcomes at the age of 1 year in HEU infants born to women with PHIV vs. NPHIV. Those with valid Bayley-III data at the age of 1 year and a mother born after 1982 were included. Cognitive, language, and motor domains were assessed as continuous composite scores. Linear mixed effects models were fit to estimate the mean difference in Bayley-III scores between groups, adjusting for confounders. Results Five hundred fifty women with HIV gave birth to 678 HEU children (125 and 553 born to women with PHIV and NPHIV, respectively). Mean scores for each of the Bayley-III domains were not significantly different between infants born to women with PHIV vs. NPHIV in unadjusted models. After adjustment, infants of women with PHIV had lower language (91.9 vs. 94.8, P = 0.05) and motor (93.7 vs. 96.8, P = 0.03) composite scores, but no differences in cognitive composite scores. Conclusions Cognitive domain outcomes of infants born to women with PHIV vs. NPHIV are reassuring. Differences in early language and motor functioning, while of modest clinical significance, highlight the importance of long-term monitoring of neurodevelopment in children of women with PHIV.
A protocol for automated a posteriori adaptive meshing with SimVascular: a test case.

Operational details regarding the use of the adaptive meshing (AM) algorithm available in the SimVascular package are scarce despite its application in several studies. Lacking these details, novice users of the AM algorithm may experience undesirable outcomes post-adaptation such as increases in mesh error metrics, unpredictable increases in mesh size, and losses in geometric fidelity. Here we present a test case using our proposed iterative protocol that will help prevent these undesirable outcomes and enhance the utility of the AM algorithm. We present three trials (conservative, moderate, and aggressive settings) applied to a scenario modelling a Fontan junction with a patient-specific geometry and physiologically realistic boundary conditions. In all three trials, an overall reduction in mesh error metrics is observed (range 47%–86%). The increase in the number of elements through each adaptation never exceeded the mesh size of the pre-adaptation mesh by one order of magnitude. In all three trials, the protocol resulted in consistent, repeatable improvements in mesh error metrics, no losses of geometric fidelity and steady increments in the number of elements in the mesh. Our proposed protocol prevented the aforementioned undesirable outcomes and can potentially save new users considerable effort and computing resources.