cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Learning and Future Time Perspective: The Promise of the Future – Rewarding in the Present

Future Time Perspective (FTP) has been characterized by researchers as how far individuals plan into the future, how they perceive individual future needs, and the degree to which the present is connected to the past and future. FTP has important implications for individual learning, cultural and societal facets of learning, and for practical implementations in learning environments. As has been illustrated by several studies using Zimbardo’s Time Perspective Inventory, TP contributes to students’ motivation for learning, it influences students’ valuing of their coursework, the academic choices they make, and their persistence in the face of failure. Research has shown that future oriented students are likely to be more successful especially when classroom activities foster students’ FTP.
Bortezomib sensitizes human glioblastoma stem cells to adoptive natural killer cell cytotoxicity

Meeting abstracts Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common primary malignant human brain tumor and one of the most lethal of all cancer types. Despite the introduction of numerous non-surgical therapies for GBM, clinically relevant responses to treatment are rarely durable. Small
A Note on Induction and Probability in the 19th Century

This short chapter addresses itself to two of the more puzzling features of the historical development of the philosophy of science; first, why did it take so long for philosophers of science to bring the techniques of the mathematical theory of probability to bear on the logic of scientific inference? Why did we have to wait for Stanley Jevons, and C. S. Peirce, writing in the 1870s, rather than Hume in the 1740s or Mill in the 1840s, to find someone systematically arguing that inductive logic is based on probability theory? Still more curious is the fact that Jevons’ well-publicized attempt to ‘reduce’ induction to probability was repudiated by the great majority of the ‘inductive logicians’ of his day (Peirce being the major exception), and that his program lay dormant for half a century until it was resurrected by Keynes, Carnap and Reichenbach in the 1920s and 1930s. What sort of obstacles made it impossible for our forebears to accept what many philosophers of science today view as the self-evident commonplace that probability theory provides the language for inductive logic? In this chapter, I want to suggest some tentative answers to these very complex historical puzzles.
Tablet-Based Braille Entry via a Framework Promoting Custom Finger Spacing

This paper outlines the development of the AccessBraille framework, an iOS framework designed to provide a Braille keyboard to an iOS application. The proof-of-concept app developed with this framework is presented as an example of how the framework can be utilized, demonstrating its use across multiple contexts where Braille entry is used. The AccessBraille keyboard framework provides a natural way for blind users to enter US Type 1 or Type 2 Braille text into an app. The keyboard allows for users to customize finger placement for comfort and hand size. User feedback was solicited through observation on the task of entering Braille using the framework at various stages of development. In addition, feedback was gathered for the deployed app itself. The feedback will provide input into the prioritization of revisions and new features.
Potent Inhalational Anesthetics for Dentistry

Nitrous oxide and the volatile inhalational anesthetics have defined anxiety and pain control in both dentistry and medicine for over a century. From curious experimentation to spectacular public demonstrations, the initial work of 2 dentists, Horace Wells and William T. G. Morton, persists to this day in modern surgery and anesthesia. This article reviews the history, similarities, differences, and clinical applications of the most popular inhalational agents used in contemporary dental surgical settings.
A Numerical Study of Swirling Buoyant Laminar Jets at Low Reynolds Numbers

The effect of swirl on laminar buoyant jets with low Reynolds numbers is explored. Three dimensional direct numerical simulations are performed to solve the time-dependent, incompressible Navier-Stokes equations. We use a body fitted grid system and employ the finite volume method to discretize the governing equations. A second-order central difference scheme is employed for all spatial derivative terms. The numerical simulation is advanced in time by a fractional step method with the second-order Adams-Bashforth scheme for explicit-convection terms and the Crank-Nicholson scheme for implicit-diffusion terms. The amount of swirl and buoyancy is varied from zero to very large values and the effect on the velocity field, jet width, entrainment and vortex are examined. Comparisons with analytical and experimental models are discussed.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
How to stabilize the banking system: lessons from the pre-1914 London money market

Copyright © European Association for Banking and Financial History e.V. 2016. This article argues that the British financial system in the era prior to World War I provides modern policymakers with a successful model of how to stabilize the banking system. This model had two components: incentives were structured to ensure that all banks that originated or traded assets on the money market sought only to trade in high-quality assets; and macro-prudential regulation promoted the segregation of money markets from capital markets, monitored the growth of money market credit, and restricted trade on the money market in assets issued by entities and sectors whose money market liabilities were growing so fast that the most reasonable explanation was that the money market was being used to finance longer-term investment. These facts indicate that policymakers can successfully stabilize the banking system through a combination of structural reform and regulation of the growth of credit.
In situ TEM characterization of shear-stress-induced interlayer sliding in the cross section view of molybdenum disulfide.

The experimental study of interlayer sliding at the nanoscale in layered solids has been limited thus far by the incapability of mechanical and imaging probes to simultaneously access sliding interfaces and overcome through mechanical stimulus the van der Waals and Coulombic interactions holding the layers in place. For this purpose, straightforward methods were developed to achieve interlayer sliding in molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) while under observation within a transmission electron microscope. A method to manipulate, tear, and slide free-standing atomic layers of MoS2 is demonstrated by electrostatically coupling it to an oxidized tungsten probe attached to a micromanipulator at a bias above ±7 V. A first-principles model of a MoS2 bilayer polarized by a normal electric field of 5 V/nm, emanating from the tip, demonstrates the appearance of a periodic negative sliding potential energy barrier when the layers slide into the out-of-registry stacking configuration, hinting at electrostatic gating as a me...
The resilience dividend: Being strong in a world where things go wrong

We are living in a highly connected but uncertain time. Due to the complexity of our lives and systems, we often confront various types of disruptions or crises, which make human society more vulne...
A Method for Computing the Average Spearman Rank Correlation Coefficient from Ordinally Structured Confusion Matrices

Researchers have used either average correlation or the percentage of objects correctly predicted in assessing the accuracy of attitude models. Because the two measures are not directly comparable,...
Simultaneous spectroscopic measurements of the interior temperature and induced cargo release from pore-restricted mesoporous silica nanoparticles

Temperature changes initiated within nano structures are being increasingly used to externally activate responsive delivery vehicles. Yet, the precise measurement of the nano environment temperature increase and its correlation with the induced macroscopic cargo release are difficult to achieve. In this study, we focus on a photothermally activated drug delivery system based on mesoporous silica nanoparticles, and use an optical nanothermometer – NaYF4:Yb3+,Er3+ crystals – for a ratiometric temperature measurement. Using fluorescent dyes as the payload molecule, both the nanoparticle interior temperature change and the macroscopic cargo release amount are monitored simultaneously by fluorescent spectroscopy. We found that the cargo release lags the temperature increase by about 5 min, revealing the threshold temperature that the particles have to reach before a substantial release could happen. Using this spectroscopic method, we are able to directly compare and correlate a nano environment event with its stimulated macroscopic results.
On Money Shops Funded by Ningbo Merchants

The money shops run by Ningbo merchants rose in the time of Kangxi and Qianlong in the Qing Dynasty and developed in the middle and late part of the 19th century.Then,these money shops were particularly influential in the middle and lower reaches of the Changjiang River.The posting system,developed in the process of the development of the money shops played an important role in the business of Ningbo Merchants in Modern China.
Arbeitsmedizinische Tätigkeit der Suva

Die Gruppe Arbeitsmedizin der Suva hat normative (z.B. Festlegung von MAK-Werten) und versicherungsmedizinische (Beurteilung der Berufskrankheitenfalle) Aufgaben. Dazu kommt eine bedeutende praventivmedizinische Tatigkeit. Mittels 100000 Untersuchungen pro Jahr und 40 Untersuchungsprogrammen werden 330000 Arbeitnehmer in 20000 Betrieben erfasst. Es handelt sich nicht um eine allgemeine Gesundheitsprophylaxe, sondern um gezielte arbeitsmedizinische Pravention. Die Eignungsuntersuchungen (Eintritts- und periodische Kontrolluntersuchungen) dienen der Abklarung der Eignung fur bestimmte gefahrdende Arbeiten und der Entdeckung von eventuellen Vorstadien von Berufskrankheiten.
Contribution of silver nanoparticles to extend Salmonella typhimurium growth under various respiration regimes.

Living cells interact with different forms of metal; the resulted biochemical alteration depends on the dose. Over an average dose in ionic form, metals interact with respiration processes at various levels, and it induces oxidative stress by shifting the whole oxydoreduction equilibrium. To correct the toxicity, cell develops different ways to cancel the effect of the exceeded charges, and it reduces the ion to get a more stable form. In the case of nanoparticles, the reactivity of surface has been enhanced that can alter the biological mechanisms; the cell may develop different strategies to minimize this reactivity. The current study is focused on the pursuing of cell behavior regarding the presence of nanoparticles and their associated metals. Nanoparticles have been synthesized using bio-reducing agents and then were structurally characterized using X-ray diffraction, UV–Vis, and infra-red spectroscopy. The oxydoreduction flexibility of the post-synthesis modified nanoparticles was tested in vitro. Interactions with cells were done using Salmonella under various respiration conditions. The final results show the possible correction of oxidative stress effects and the recuperation of respiration.
Imaging Matrix Metalloproteinase Activity Implicated in Breast Cancer Progression

Proteolysis has been cited as an important contributor to cancer initiation and progression. One can take advantage of tumor-associated proteases to selectively deliver imaging agents. Protease-activated imaging systems have been developed using substrates designed for hydrolysis by members of the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) family. We presently describe approaches by which one can optically image matrix metalloproteinase activity implicated in breast cancer progression, with consideration of selective versus broad protease probes.
Design for Sustainable Aging: Improving Design Communication Through Building Information Modeling and Game Engine Integration

Abstract Accommodating the rapidly increasing senior population in the U.S. is a grand effort that necessitates sustainable solutions to address its social, economic and environmental impacts. From the building industry's standpoint, design for sustainable aging implies creating the physical and service environment that is resilient and adaptable to the needs associated with the aging process. The professional community has responded with well-conceived strategies such as universal and sustainable aging design. In practice, there is an inherent challenge in traditional paper-based design communication when professionals and clients have a hard time to understand each other at the desired level. Recent technological advancement in 3D modeling applications, exemplified by the prevalence of building information modelling (BIM), has reinvigorated sustainable aging design practices. Meanwhile, serious gaming has been gaining recognition as valuable enhancement to academic learning and professional training by effectively engaging participants with meaningful and programmable visualization and interaction. This study proposed to create a unique framework that leverages the integration of BIM and game engine to streamline and contextualize design communication in sustainable aging projects. A prototype framework, Design for Sustainable Aging (DfSA), was developed and discussed in this paper. Essentially, DfSA transforms a static design model into a robust 3D gaming environment wherein design information is preserved while user-centered and experience-based interactions with model components are achieved. DfSA holds the promise to improve design communication by establishing a brand new platform for design presentation meanwhile providing an experiential instrument to elucidate the design intention.
Thermally stable single-atom platinum-on-ceria catalysts via atom trapping

Catalysts based on single atoms of scarce precious metals can lead to more efficient use through enhanced reactivity and selectivity. However, single atoms on catalyst supports can be mobile and aggregate into nanoparticles when heated at elevated temperatures. High temperatures are detrimental to catalyst performance unless these mobile atoms can be trapped. We used ceria powders having similar surface areas but different exposed surface facets. When mixed with a platinum/aluminum oxide catalyst and aged in air at 800°C, the platinum transferred to the ceria and was trapped. Polyhedral ceria and nanorods were more effective than ceria cubes at anchoring the platinum. Performing synthesis at high temperatures ensures that only the most stable binding sites are occupied, yielding a sinter-resistant, atomically dispersed catalyst.
Power Scaling and Seasonal Changes of Floe Areas in the Arctic East Siberian Sea

The cumulative number versus floe area distribution of seasonal sea floes from six satellite images of the Arctic Ocean during the summer breakup and melting is fit by two scale-invariant power law scaling regimes for floe areas ranging from 30 to 28,400,000 m2. Scaling exponents, β, for larger floe areas range from −0.6 to −1.0 with an average of −0.8. Scaling exponents, β, for smaller floe areas range from −0.3 to −0.6 with an average of −0.5. The inflection point between the two scaling regimes ranges from 283 × 102 to 4850 × 102 m2 and generally moves from larger to smaller floe areas through the summer melting season. The stability of the power scaling results is demonstrated for two of the images by dividing each in half and analyzing each half separately, with the result that the scaling exponents and the size of the inflection points are nearly the same for each half as for the whole image. We propose that the two scaling regimes and the inflection between them are established during the initial breakup of sea ice solely by the process of fracture. The distributions of floe size regimes retain their scaling exponents as the floe pack evolves from larger to smaller floe areas from the initial breakup through the summer season, due to grinding, crushing, fracture, and melting. The scaling exponents for floe area distribution are in the same range as those reported in previous studies of Arctic floes and for the single scaling exponents found for crushed and ground geologic materials including streambed gravel, lunar debris, and artificially crushed quartz. The single scaling exponent found for fault gouge falls below the range for floes possibly because the fracturing and grinding process in fault gouge takes place under high confining pressure. A probabilistic model of fragmentation is proposed that generates a single power law scaling distribution of fragment size.
CT-guided Cervical Bone Biopsy in 43 Patients: Diagnostic Yield and Safety at Two Large Tertiary Care Hospitals.

Rationale and Objectives The cervical spine is a high-risk area for percutaneous biopsy compared to the thoracic and lumbar regions. Biopsy of the cervical spine is less commonly undertaken, and previously published series on diagnostic yield and safety of cervical spine biopsy have been limited to 12 patients or less. The purpose of our study is to further define the diagnostic yield of computed tomography (CT)-guided biopsy for bony lesions identified in the cervical spine, by combining data from two large tertiary care referral centers. Methods A retrospective review of an imaging database was performed to identify all percutaneous CT-guided biopsies of the cervical spine performed at two tertiary care hospitals from 2010 to 2015. Core biopsies were obtained whenever possible and supplemented with fine-needle aspiration in some cases. Histopathologic results of the biopsy were recorded, as were changes in subsequent management, need for repeat biopsy, and complications. Results Forty-three patients underwent CT-guided biopsy of the cervical spine. Sufficient tissue for histopathologic analysis was obtained in 41 out of 43 cases, for a yield of 95%. One case was false-negative and one was deemed insufficient by the pathologist for diagnostic purposes; in both of these cases, only a fine-needle aspiration was obtained. There were no immediate or delayed complications. Conclusions Percutaneous biopsy of the cervical spine is a safe and high-yield method of obtaining a tissue diagnosis when performed under image guidance with CT.
Basic Needs: Paternalistic Government Welfare Policy with Distortionary Taxation

This article analyzes government welfare policy in a general equilibrium setting with distortionary taxation. Government welfare policy is in accordance with the preferences of donor-taxpayers who ...
A Delay Efficient MAC and Packet Scheduler for Heterogeneous M2M Uplink

In this paper, we present a joint delay-efficient channel assignment and packet scheduling scheme for a heterogeneous M2M uplink system. The uplink sensor traffic is aggregated at multiple M2M aggregators (MAs) and then processed at a M2M application server (AS). The system bandwidth is divided into multiple orthogonal subcarriers to be assigned to different MA-AS wireless links. We categorize the uplink traffic into multiple classes based on the maximum packet delay, arrival rate and payload size. The delay-requirements of each class are mapped onto sigmoidal utility functions. We then determine the joint subcarrier assignment and packet scheduling scheme such that it maximizes a proportionally-fair system utility metric. The centralized optimization is a mixed integer non-linear programming (MINLP) problem with high computational complexity. Therefore, we propose a two-stage distributed optimization problem that is solved independently across MAs and AS. We first determine the delay-efficient subcarrier assignment and then determine the corresponding delay-efficient packet scheduler. Using Monte-Carlo simulations, we numerically show that distributed optimization does not result in any loss in delay-performance and also outperforms other state-of-the-art schemes.
Abstract 158: Regulation of miR-21 Expression by Acetylation in Myocardial Infarction

Cardiovascular diseases are one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the world, underlining the need for innovative therapies and diagnosis. Recent reports have identified microRNAs (miRNAs) as central players in regulating gene expression and showed that several miRNAs are aberrantly expressed in cardiac arrhythmia, hypertrophy, fibrosis, ischemia, vascular atherosclerosis and heart failure. Gene expression is also regulated at the transcriptional level by histone deacetylases (HDACs) under basal and pathological conditions. We previously demonstrated that 1) class I and class II HDACs play an important role in the basal expression and upregulation of the sodium-calcium exchanger (Ncx1) gene in adult cardiomyocytes and pressure-overloaded ventricle and 2) treatment with class I/IIb HDAC inhibitors trichostatin (TSA) or suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) improved ventricular function by suppressing matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) gene expression in myocardial infarction (MI).Therefore it is possible that protein acetylation regulates the expression of some miRNAs and we hypothesize that HDAC inhibition would attenuate the shift in expression of certain miRNAs that are aberrantly expressed post-MI. In a pilot study, ligation of the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery was performed to induce MI with and without SAHA treatment. Because of its misregulation and relevance in cardiac hypertrophy and MI, we examined the expression level of miR-21. qRT-PCR confirmed that miR-21 is increased by 8 fold 7 days post-MI. Interestingly, SAHA treatment significantly attenuated the abnormal expression of miR-21. To our knowledge, it is the first report of the regulation of a miRNA by HDACs in the heart. We anticipate that not only miR-21 but other miRNAs will fall under the same mechanistic control via acetylation. The miR-21 promoter contains binding sites for several transcription factors that get acetylated and we speculate that one or more HDAC mediate the expression of miR-21 by controlling the acetylation state of transcription factors interacting with the miR-21 promoter.
What is Feminism? College Students’ Definitions and Correlates

Feminism may have different meanings to different people. Three Texas college student samples (N = 272, N = 156, N = 404) were surveyed and provided information about their definitions of feminism as well as their gender role and sexist attitudes. Based on gender comparison MANOVAs, women agreed more with defining feminism from a liberal feminist perspective that focused on male/female similarities and equal rights. Men, however, were more likely to define feminism from a man-hating perspective (Studies 1 and 3). Defining feminism from a liberal feminist perspective was correlated with a womanist, more inclusive, perspective, but defining feminism from a man-hating perspective was related to cultural feminist perspectives that identified differing male/female characteristics/values (Studies 2 and 3). Across all three studies defining feminism from a liberal feminist perspective was associated with nontraditional gender role attitudes and less sexism. However, perceiving feminists as man-haters was related to more traditional values and more sexist attitudes. In each of the three studies, fewer than half of the participants indicated that they were feminists. Although many college students define feminism from a liberal feminism perspective associated with less traditional gendered values, others may be more likely to think of feminists with more negative connotations.
Bankruptcy and Small Business

Congress is again attempting to reform federal bankruptcy law by making bankruptcy less favorable for households whose incomes are above the median level. Whatever the merits of that legislation, it would have a negative impact on small business and on U.S. workers who receive their income from such businesses. Among the proposed reforms are limits on the current "fresh start" provision that protects bankrupt individuals' future earnings. Data show that small business growth is more vigorous when bankruptcy laws offer more protection of entrepreneurs' assets. That suggests that, if "fresh start" reform is adopted, it could dissuade risk-adverse potential entrepreneurs from starting new businesses.
Mucosal inflammation in Candida esophagitis has distinctive features that may be helpful diagnostically

The diagnosis of Candida esophagitis can be challenging when the epithelium containing Candida filamentous forms is not readily seen or is entirely sloughed away. Mucosal inflammation could be helpful diagnostically, if distinctive. However it is thought to be nonspecific in Candida esophagitis. The goal of this retrospective study was to identify features of mucosal inflammation helpful in alerting a pathologist to the possibility of Candida esophagitis when Candida mycelia are not readily observed. The study group consisted of 99 consecutive cases of Candida esophagitis and a control group of 64 consecutive cases of reflux esophagitis diagnosed at our institution from 2008–2016. Band-like superficial intraepithelial neutrophils and increased intraepithelial lymphocytes were observed in 75 and 67% of Candida esophagitis cases, respectively and only in 14 and 19% of reflux esophagitis cases, respectively (p < .0001). Intraepithelial lymphocytes were peripapillary or CD4-predominant in 75% of Candida esophagitis cases with increased lymphocytes, in contrast to 17% of reflux esophagitis cases (p = .0011). Concurrent presence of intraepithelial neutrophils and increased lymphocytes showed increased specificity for Candida esophagitis and was observed in 61% of patients with Candida esophagitis and only in 2% of patients with reflux esophagitis (p < .0001). In addition, superficial band-like neutrophils were observed concurrently with increased peripapillary lymphocytes or CD4-predominant lymphocytes in 35 and 50% of Candida esophagitis cases, respectively, in contrast to no reflux esophagitis cases. Basal cell hyperplasia and elongation of stromal papillae were frequent in both groups. The data suggest that when Candida microorganisms are not readily observed, concurrent presence of superficial band-like neutrophils and increased lymphocytes may be indicative of Candida etiology of active esophagitis.
Adolescents' Civic Engagement: Concordant and Longitudinal Associations Among Civic Beliefs and Civic Involvement.

Associations between adolescent civic and organized activities (volunteering, standard political, social movement, school/community, religious) and civic beliefs (comprised of should, obligation, and respect judgments) were examined. Cross-sectional models (N = 703, Mage = 15.87) indicated domain specificity between adolescent civic beliefs and behaviors. Longitudinal models (n = 219, Mage = 15.39) indicated that adolescents' standard political beliefs predicted greater levels of standard political involvement one year later, and school/community activities predicted greater standard political beliefs a year later. Youth volunteering predicted lower standard political beliefs, and standard political involvement predicted lower community service beliefs one year later. Findings support the assessment of adolescent sociomoral civic beliefs and demonstrate how civic experiences and civic beliefs can mutually promote each other during adolescence.
Simultaneously Broadband and Back-Off Efficient mm-Wave PAs: A Multi-Port Network Synthesis Approach

Spectrally efficient operation with high power and high efficiency at deep backoff will be critical for the next generation of millimeter-wave (mm-wave) transmitters for 5G and beyond. In addition, as larger non-contiguous chunks of the mm-wave spectrum open up, dynamic frequency reconfiguration while ensuring high spectral and energy efficiency can become a key toward optimal utilization of spectral resources. In this paper, we present a generalized network synthesis approach that enables simultaneous frequency and back-off reconfigurability in an mm-wave power amplifier (PA) architecture to maintain high-efficiency operation with spectrally efficient codes across a wide frequency range. We show that frequency reconfigurability and back-off enhancement can be treated in a similar fashion with dynamic impedance synthesis. The method is based on the synthesis of a multi-port combiner network that exploits the interaction of mm-wave DAC cells switched asymmetrically to synthesize the optimal impedances across the 2-D space of reconfiguration: frequency and backoff. As a proof of concept, a PA is presented in $0.13-\mu \text{m}$ SiGe BiCMOS process, which operates across 30–55 GHz with peak $P_{\mathrm{ sat}}$ of 23.7 dBm at 40 GHz, output collector efficiency $\eta _{\text {out}}$ of 34.5% and 22% at the 0- and −6-dB backoff, respectively. The PA maintains $\eta _{\text {out}} > 16\%$ at −6-dB backoff across the range. Non-constant modulation is demonstrated with data rates up to 4 Gb/s across the frequencies from 30 to 50 GHz.
A comparison of perinephric fat surface area and Mayo Adhesive Probability score in predicting malignancy in T1 renal masses.

Abstract Introduction Recent studies have proposed that nearby fat deposits may have metabolic influence on kidney cancer pathobiology. Both fat quantity and quality may play unique roles in this complex relationship. As such, we investigated whether perinephric fat surface area (PFA), a quantitative measure of fat, or Mayo Adhesive Probability (MAP) score, a qualitative measure, were predictive of malignant pathology or Fuhrman grade in small renal masses. Methods A total of 317 patients undergoing minimally invasive partial nephrectomy between 2010 and 2016 for renal masses were retrospectively reviewed. Preoperative abdominal CT and MRI scans were measured for PFA and MAP scores. Multiple binary logistic regression models were created to identify predictive factors of malignant disease and Fuhrman grade. Results A total of 253 patients had malignant masses, while 64 had benign masses. A total of 189 of the malignant masses were T1a, while 64 were designated T1b. A total of 221 patients with malignant masses had reported Fuhrman grades. Of these 211 patients, 143 (64.7%) had low-grade and 78 (35.3%) had high-grade disease. Mean PFA was 18.0 ± 13.3 cm2, while mean MAP score was 2.6 ± 1.2. Binary logistic regression analysis yielded three variables in the best-fit model for predictors of malignant pathology: MAP score (OR = 1.374, 95% CI: 1.007–1.873, P = 0.045), male sex (OR = 2.058, 95% CI: 1.004–4.218, P = 0.049), and BMI (OR = 1.064, 95% CI: 0.998–1.135, P = 0.059). Neither MAP nor PFA was predictive of Fuhrman grade. Conclusions MAP score, a measure of perinephric fat quality, but not PFA, a qualitative measure of fat quantity, was predictive of malignant pathology, raising the question whether fat quality rather than quantity may be involved in the pathophysiology of RCC in a large and diverse patient population. Understanding the increasing burden of obesity, further studies are needed to elaborate on these findings and to discern the exact relationship between perinephric fat deposits and renal tumorigenesis.
Rambling and Restlessness

This chapter picks up on Tim Cresswell’s study of The Tramp in America and draws out an extension of this type of social being into the 1960s and 1970s in the form of the Outlaw Country musician. In a sort of Barthesian mythification process, the often-demonized tramp of the late nineteenth century is transformed in the hands of some “Outlaw” musicians into an emblem of American independence and a persona of a grassroots, restless, and pragmatic patriot. How this shift occurred and its effects in cultural perception are explored, along with what motivated these artists to reimagine the role of the rambler. This analysis will also be linked to other historical rambling figures such as the ramblin’ man, the wandering artist outlaw, and the American folk outlaw. The life and wanderings of Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio around Italy in the sixteenth century and the rambling banjo picker Charlie Poole will also be examined as significant influences on the modern Outlaw Country movement.
K-medoids inverse regression

AbstractK-means inverse regression was developed as an easy-to-use dimension reduction procedure for multivariate regression. This approach is similar to the original sliced inverse regression meth...
The impact of agency on time and risk preferences

Scholars have long argued for the central role of agency-the size of one's choice set-in the human experience. We demonstrate the importance of agency in shaping people's preferences. We first examine the effects of resource scarcity-which has been associated with both impatience and a lack of agency-on patience and risk tolerance, successfully replicating the decrease in patience among those exposed to scarcity. Critically, however, we show that endowing individuals with agency over scarcity fully moderates this effect, increasing patience substantially. We further demonstrate that agency's impact on patience is partly driven by greater risk tolerance. These results hold even though nearly all individuals with greater agency do not exercise it, suggesting that merely knowing that one could alleviate scarcity is sufficient to change behavior. We then demonstrate that the effects of agency generalize to other adverse states, highlighting the potential for agency-based policy and institutional design.
Web Series, YouTube, and Politics: Affective and Emotional Dimensions of WIGS Lauren’s User Comments:

This study aims to investigate the complex relationship among entertainment contents, networked publics, and politics by offering an overview of literatures in the fields and suggests that the emot...
Multiparametric amplification and qubit measurement with a Kerr-free Josephson ring modulator

Reliably measuring qubits is a necessary step for developing more involved quantum technologies. A method that takes advantage of interference between multiple parametric drives is developed and experimentally tested, showing that a Josephson ring modulator can be operated to provide 21 dB of phase-sensitive transmission gain with high quantum efficiency and enhanced bandwidth.
TOPOLOGICAL DATA ANALYSIS FOR QUANTIFYING INTER-PATIENT SIMILARITIES IN CARDIAC FUNCTION

Topological Data Analysis (TDA) is a state-of-the-art analytic approach for extracting meaningful insight from multidimensional data. We explored TDA for identifying patients who are similar across several echocardiographic metrics of left ventricular systolic and diastolic function. We applied TDA
ICE CORE METHODS | Conductivity Studies

Electrical measurements of ice cores are used to obtain high time resolution records of past climate. The electrical conductivity method is sensitive to the acidity of the ice. The dielectric profiling method is sensitive to both, the acidity of the ice and the concentration of NH4+ and Cl−. Both methods are frequently used to identify annual layers and fallout from volcanic eruptions.
Design of a Fault-tolerant Job-flow Manager for Grid Environments Using Standard Technologies, Job-flow Patterns, and a Transparent Proxy.

The execution of job flow applications is a reality today in academic and industrial domains. Current approaches to execution of job flows often follow proprietary solutions on expressing the job flows and do not leverage recurrent job-flow patterns to address faults in Grid computing environments. In this paper, we provide a design solution to development of job-flow managers that uses standard technologies such as BPEL and JSDL to express job flows and employs a two-layer peer-to-peer architecture with interoperable protocols for crossdomain interactions among job-flow mangers. In addition, we identify a number of recurring job-flow patterns and introduce their corresponding fault-tolerant patterns to address runtime faults and exceptions. Finally, to keep the business logic of job flows separate from their fault-tolerant behavior, we use a transparent proxy that intercepts job-flow execution at runtime to handle potential faults using a growing knowledge base that contains the most recently identified job-flow patterns and their corresponding fault-tolerant patterns.
Validation of an inverse model of zone air heat balance

Abstract This paper presents the validation method and results of an inverse model of zone air heat balance. The inverse model, implemented in EnergyPlus and published in a previous article [1], calculates highly uncertain model parameters such as internal thermal mass and infiltration airflow by inversely solving the zone air heat balance equation using the easy-to-measure zone air temperature data. The paper provides technical details of validation from the experiments using LBNL's Facility for Low Energy eXperiment in Buildings (FLEXLAB) that measures zone air temperature under the controlled experiment of two levels of internal mass and four levels of infiltration airflow. The simulation results of the zone infiltration airflow and internal thermal mass from the inverse model agree well with the measured data from the FLEXLAB experiments. The validated inverse model in EnergyPlus can be used to enhance the energy modeling of existing buildings that enables energy performance assessments for energy efficiency improvements.
Brain and Language

While it is happily the case that one of the main objectives of neuroscience is to understand how the brain manages such complex behaviors as language and speech, it is sadly apparent that the field is nowhere near setting limiting conditions for a theory of language as a result of possessing specific knowledge about neural networks. The literature to date mostly reflects correlations in the grossest terms. Lateralized damage or disconnections yield patients with a general loss of this or that kind, and in the main, these observations have not produced enough information for a theory of brain and language. Indeed, the a priori issue of whether a system that is handling such a complex phenomenon can be studied after it is placed in such total disarray, as is the case following brain damage, is largely ignored.
Construction and Case Study of Flexibility Evaluation System for Power Generation Enterprises in the Auxiliary Service Market

At present, the flexible transformation of thermal power is an effective measure to solve the problem of renewable energy consumption. At the same time, the improvement of the electricity auxiliary service market makes the power generation enterprises improve their ability to provide auxiliary services through flexible transformation and obtain benefits while serving the power system. Therefore, how to construct the flexibility evaluation system of regional units according to the characteristics of the auxiliary service market in different regions is of great significance to power generation enterprises. In this paper, the flexibility evaluation system of the auxiliary market environment is designed. Analytic hierarchy process and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method were used to determine the weight and final evaluation basis.
Correction: Detection of Chlamydia in the peripheral blood cells of normal donors using in vitro culture, immunofluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry techniques

Upon close examination of the representative image depicted in 'figure 2' from [1] and a figure published elsewhere [2], we realized that the 'figure 2' of this work was a lower magnification of a section of the same microscope slide used in the previous manuscript [2]. The experiments leading to the data for these two manuscripts were generated during the same time period, in the same laboratory and were compiled, annotated and stored in the same folder, since pictures are taken in bulk at our microscopy facility on a fee for service basis. The figures both describe tissue culture of Chlamydia from clinical samples on the same tissue culture substrate (J774A.1 cells) and were in a single data base of figures with different alpha numeric designations. We believe that sometime during the compilation and annotation process, the representative 'figure 2' previously shown in this work was incorrectly labeled. After careful scrutiny, we have determined that the image was in fact taken from a culture coverslip that was infected with lysates from pediatric bronchial lavage samples and not normal blood donor buffy coat (BC) samples. The original published figure was a 600× immunofluorescence image [2], part of which can be seen in the lower magnification image (400×) in this work. The authors deeply regret this error in image annotation and later image selection and therefore submit a representative image from this work to replace the earlier incorrect image depicted in 'figure 2', which is provided with this manuscript (see figure ​figure11). Figure 1 This image is provided as a replacement for the original figure 2; Chlamydiae within Peripheral Blood Transfer Infection when Cultured in vitro on J774A.1 host cell monolayers. BC from NBD peripheral blood samples were isolated, lysed and layered onto ...
Evolutionary Perspectives on the Loss of a Twin

The nature and origin of kin relations, and their implications with respect to familial inheritance, parental favoritism, resource provision, and other social and caretaking behaviors, have been of considerable interest to evolutionary psychologists (Buss, 2019). In contrast, evolutionary perspectives on variation in response to the loss of a relative have received relatively less attention despite arguments favoring such an approach. For example, Hofer (1984) noted that while Bowlby placed attachment and loss in the perspectives of development and evolution, views anticipated by Darwin, we only see “the dim outlines of what the biology of bereavement may turn out to be” (p. 183). It is also the case that adult sibling loss, in general, and twin loss, in particular, have been generally neglected by bereavement researchers (see McIlroy, 2012; Parkes & Prigerson, 2010).
High power diode laser pump sources in the 1.2-1.9 μm range

The design, fabrication and characterization of high power diode laser pump sources covering the wavelength from 1.2-1.9 μm are described. Problem statements of designing a shorter wavelength of 1.2 μm using InGaAsP/InP are elucidated as mainly due to the low electron confinement at the heterobarrier and an alternative reliable combination of InGaAsP/AlInGaAs/InP is proposed. High power laser diodes with wavelength range from 1.28μm to 1.9μm can be reliably manufactured using a conventional InGaAsP/InP alloy system.
What’s Been Keeping Me Awake at Night: The Future(?) of “The Field”

This essay integrates pieces and parts of three recent talks given at three separate professional conferences, all with a common goal of commenting on the future of the field. “The Field” is offere...
Fault Diagnosis of Ball Screw in Industrial Robots Using Non-Stationary Motor Current Signals

Abstract With the advancement of intelligent manufacturing, different kinds of industrial robots have been applied in modern factories. The liquid crystal display transfer robot (LCDTR) has been widely used in LCD production lines to transport panels. Effective fault diagnosis and prognosis of the industrial robots are of great importance, since unplanned downtime caused by faulty robots significantly reduces the production capacity. Specifically, the ball screw is the critical component in the LCDTR. The failure of the ball screw can cause long downtime. Conventionally, the fault diagnosis of the ball screw is usually based on the vibration signals. However, it is extremely difficult to install the vibration sensors in the industrial robots. Therefore, in order to address this issue in condition monitoring, this paper proposes a data-driven fault diagnosis methodology using the motor current signals of the ball screw. Two time-frequency domain analysis methods are investigated, including short-time Fourier transform (STFT) and wavelet packet decomposition (WPD). The statistical features are extracted, and Fisher score is used to select features. Furthermore, the logistic regression and k-nearest neighbors are applied for the final fault diagnosis. Experiments on a real-world industrial robot dataset are carried out for validation. 100% diagnosis accuracy can be basically achieved by the proposed method, which indicates the non-stationary current signal can be effectively used to identify the health states of the ball screw in the LCDTR.
Association between blood lead levels and blood pressure in American adults: results from NHANES 1999–2016

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between blood lead level (BLL) and hypertension in adults when lead exposure for the general population is low. The study used data from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999–2016. Participants aged 20 to 79 years were included in our study. Weighted multiple linear regression and logistic regression were conducted to test the association between BLL and systolic/diastolic blood pressure and hypertension status, respectively, while controlling for age, gender, race/ethnicity, body mass index, income level, and education. A total of 30,467 participants were included in this study. There was no association between BLL and hypertension status for the overall sample. Among those who were not taking antihypertensive medication, after adjusting for covariates, systolic blood pressure was positively correlated with BLL in non-Hispanic Whites (P = 0.004) and non-Hispanic Blacks (P = 0.0005), but not Hispanics (P = 0.07) nor Others (P = 0.37). The relationship between diastolic blood pressure and lead levels was also significant in non-Hispanic Whites and non-Hispanic Blacks. This study showed that higher BLL was associated with higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure in some population groups, but not associated with hypertension status.
Abstract IA13: Opportunities and challenges in melanoma early detection

It is well established that survival outcomes for melanoma are highest when these tumors are diagnosed and surgically removed at their earliest stages, prior to the escape of tumor cells to regional and distant anatomic sites. Screening efforts in other malignancies such as colorectal and cervical cancers have yielded benefits in reducing the incidence of invasive cancers and their respective mortalities. Therefore, early detection through broad-based skin cancer screening appears to be a logical step to reduce melanoma mortality. To date, this strategy has not been endorsed by the United States Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) due to a lack of conclusive evidence. For example, the initially promising reductions in melanoma mortality observed during a skin cancer screening program in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, were not replicated in subsequent years in Schleswig-Holstein itself or throughout Germany when the screening program was extended countrywide. The lack of solid evidence demonstrating the benefits of skin screening on melanoma mortality, coupled with the potential harms of screening, and the phenotypic heterogeneity of melanoma raise important concerns regarding the utility of broad-based skin cancer screening programs. Nevertheless, melanoma’s visibility on the skin compared to internal malignancies, and the development of new diagnostic technologies, may help balance the benefits and harms of melanoma screening when considering the varied patient populations in which screening could be deployed. In this presentation we will review current data in the context of developing early-detection strategies to reduce melanoma mortality and/or the cost of care while minimizing potential harms. Citation Format: David Polsky. Opportunities and challenges in melanoma early detection [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Melanoma: From Biology to Target; 2019 Jan 15-18; Houston, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(19 Suppl):Abstract nr IA13.