cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Molecular Characterization of the Genital Organizer: Gene Expression Profile of the Mouse Urethral Plate Epithelium

Purpose: Lower urinary tract malformations are among the most common congenital anomalies in humans. Molecular genetic studies of mouse external genital development have begun to identify mechanisms that pattern the genital tubercle and orchestrate urethral tubulogenesis. The urethral plate epithelium is an endodermal signaling region that has an essential role in external genital development. However, little is known about the molecular identity of this cell population or the genes that regulate its activity.Materials and Methods: We used microarray analysis to characterize differences in gene expression between urethral plate epithelium and surrounding tissue in mouse genital tubercles. In situ hybridizations were performed to map gene expression patterns and ToppCluster (https://toppcluster.cchmc.org/) was used to analyze gene associations.Results: A total of 84 genes were enriched at least 20-fold in urethral plate epithelium relative to surrounding tissue. The majority of these genes were expressed t...
Book Review: Sudhir Mahadevan, A Very Old Machine: The Many Origins of the Cinema in India

Sudhir Mahadevan, A Very Old Machine: The Many Origins of the Cinema in India. Albany: SUNY Press, 2015, 256 pp., US$ 85, ISBN: 978-1-4384-5829-8
How to Enhance the Creativity of Software Developers: A Systematic Literature Review.

Success during software development depends on the creativity of software engineers. Knowledge plays a very important role in enhancing the creativity of software developers. Knowledge is available in different forms like repository knowledge (experiences of past projects) and community knowledge (gained through communication among software engineers). To help software engineers be more creative and successful, a systematic literature review was undertaken to find how knowledge influences creativity. The systematic literature review reports the various knowledge sources and how these can be accessed by developers to be more creative, and the methods used to access the knowledge sources.
A Simulation Framework for Sustainability Assessment in Evolving Socio-Technical Infrastructure Systems

Abstract Sustainability of infrastructure systems involves multiple interrelated objectives which are dependent on the dynamic behaviors of stakeholders, interdependencies between infrastructure assets, and evolving conditions in the social and environmental systems. This research contributes to the body of knowledge by creating a framework that integrates: (1) different dimensions of sustainability in infrastructure networks, and (2) dynamic changes in the behaviors of stakeholders, asset performance conditions, and the social and environmental conditions. The proposed framework includes an agent based simulation model to capture the dynamic behaviors of decision makers and the evolving performance of infrastructure assets under different socio-environmental conditions. The outcomes of the simulation model include the short- and long-term costs and environmental impacts of infrastructure networks under different scenarios related to the changes in the socio-environmental conditions. The application of the framework is shown in a numerical case study of a road network. The results include: (i) identification of infrastructure management strategies (e.g., maintenance planning and funding allocation) that optimize the tradeoff between annual cost and environmental impacts of the network; and (ii) discovering robust management strategies that lead to highly-likely desired sustainability outcomes across different uncertain scenarios related to the future socio-environmental conditions. The results show the capability of the proposed framework for sustainability assessment of infrastructure systems based on integrated analysis of the dynamic behaviors of decision-makers, infrastructure characteristics, and evolving socio-environmental conditions. Hence, it provides a predictive quantitative tool to inform decision-making and policy formulation toward improving the sustainability of infrastructure networks.
THU0329 Risk of Cancer is not Increased in Patients with Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus: A Population-Based Study

Background Systemic immune dysregulation associated with chronic autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) as well as immunomodulatory medications used for their treatment have been associated with an increased risk of malignancy. The pathogenesis of cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) is similar to SLE. It is unclear whether CLE is associated with an increased risk of malignancy. Objectives We estimated the cumulative incidence of malignancy in a population-based cohort of patients with CLE, and compared the risk with an age- and sex-matched cohort without CLE. Methods Patients with subtypes of CLE (discoid, subacute cutaneous lupus, lupus panniculitis and bullous lupus) were identified from a population-based cohort in 1965-2005. Age- and sex-matched subjects without CLE were selected from the same population. Non-CLE subjects were assigned an index date corresponding to the CLE diagnosis date of the matched CLE patient. For a random sample of 66 of the 156 patients with CLE and the non-CLE subjects matched to them, data were collected on all cancers via medical record review. The cumulative incidence of cancer after CLE diagnosis was estimated using Kaplan–Meier methods. Cox models were used to estimate the relative risk of malignancy in patients with CLE as compared to non-CLE adjusted for age, sex and calendar year of index date. Results We identified 66 patients with CLE (mean age at time of CLE diagnosis, 55±14y; 64% females; 68% Caucasian; mean BMI, 27.3±7.2 kg/m2; 34.8% smokers), who were followed over a median follow-up of 12.0 years (interquartile range [IQR], 8.1-17.3y). Positive antinuclear antibody, anti-SSA and anti-SSB were seen in 48%, 47% and 18% of patients with CLE, respectively. Median ESR was 11 mm/hour (IQR, 4.0-25.0) and CRP 2.9 mg/dL (IQR 1.5-3.9). Overall, we observed 14 cases of incident cancer (including 5 cases of non-melanoma skin cancer). The cumulative 1-, 5- and 10-year incidence of any malignancy after diagnosis of CLE was 3.4%, 10.9% and 14.6%, respectively. As compared to age- and sex-matched non-CLE controls, the overall risk of malignancies was not increased in patients with CLE (hazard ratio [HR], 1.09; 95% CI, 0.51-2.37; p=0.81). The cumulative 1-, 5- and 10-year incidence of all malignancies except non-melanoma skin cancers in patients with CLE was 1.7%, 7.1% and 11.1%, respectively. As compared to matched controls, the risk of all malignancies except non-melanoma skin cancer in patients with CLE was not increased (HR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.36-2.14; p=0.78). Conclusions The 10-year risk of any malignancy in a population-based cohort of patients with CLE is 14.6%. This risk is not increased as compared to age- and sex-matched subjects without CLE. Disclosure of Interest None declared
Racial Disparity in Renal Transplantation: Alemtuzumab the Great Equalizer?

OBJECTIVES Racial disparity as a barrier to successful outcomes in renal transplants for African Americans has been well described. Numerous unsuccessful attempts have been made to identify specific immunologic and socioeconomic factors. The objective of our study was to determine whether alemtuzumab (AL) induction abolishes this discrepancy and improves allograft survival in African American recipients. METHODS A retrospective chart review of consecutive adult renal transplants was conducted between 2006 and 2014. Kaplan-Meier analysis and hazard ratios were calculated for the African Americans (AA) and white groups. Multiple linear regressions were performed to assess independent variables (race, retransplant, sex, donor type, induction agent) on allograft survival. RESULTS A significant difference in allograft survival was identified between whites (n = 272) and AA (n = 445), with AA experiencing more graft losses (18.2% vs 12.1%, P = 0.0351). Induction with AL improved outcomes in all transplant recipients. Multiple linear regression identified that the strongest predictor of allograft failure was induction without AL (P < 0.0001). The data for a subset analysis matched for follow-up length demonstrated that whites compared with AA (n = 157, 67 whites and 90 AA) had lower rates of allograft failure in the absence of AL induction (14.9% vs 44.4%, P = 0.0156, hazard ratio = 2.077). In contrast, AL induction (n = 275, 105 whites and 170 AA) eliminated the racial disparity in allograft failure (5.7% vs 9.4%, P = 0.8248, hazard ratio = 1.504). CONCLUSIONS This is the first study to describe the effects of AL induction therapy on AA renal transplant recipients beyond the first posttransplant year. Our early results suggest that AL induction therapy abolishes the disparity in renal allograft failure.
ASTHMA CARE STANDARDIZATION IN A PEDIATRIC EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT: CHANGING TO DISCHARGE MEDICATIONS IN-HAND AND UNDERSTANDING EFFECTS ACROSS THE CARE CONTINUUM

Background Provision of medications in-hand at discharge improves adherence with recommended therapy. Objectives Among patients discharged from our emergency departments(ED)/urgent cares(UC) with an acute asthma exacerbation, we aimed to provide oral corticosteroid (OCS) in-hand so families did not have to fill a prescription after discharge. Methods Our multidisciplinary team created a key driver diagram to make explicit our theory for improvement. Key drivers included effective decision support, readily available medication with standard dispensing process, and provider education. Multiple plan-do-study-act cycles were conducted to address key drivers. Our primary outcome was provision of OCS in-hand at time of discharge and our secondary outcome was change to dexamethasone as preferred OCS in ED. Proportion of patients with a return visit within 7 days who required additional OCS was tracked as a balancing measure to ensure there were no unintended consequences. Results Statistical process control charts illustrated special cause variation in both our primary (2% to 96%, figure 1) and secondary (17% to 95%, figure 2) outcome measures. Our balancing measure remained was stable demonstrating only common cause variation (figure 3). Conclusions Using improvement methodology, we increased the proportion of patients seen in the ED/UC who received OCS in-hand at discharge from 2% to 96% without any increase in 7 day returns requiring additional OCS. This practice change within one division had a ripple effect across multiple care sites, including inpatient change to dexamethasone and a standardized process for outpatient follow-up. Future work will focus on standardization of key decisions across ED/UC in collaboration with all key stakeholders.
The Impact of Doctor-Patient Communication on Patients’ Perceptions of their Risk of Breast Cancer Recurrence

Doctor–patient communication is the primary way for women diagnosed with breast cancer to learn about their risk of distant recurrence. Yet little is known about how doctors approach these discussions. A weighted random sample of newly diagnosed early-stage breast cancer patients identified through SEER registries of Los Angeles and Georgia (2013–2015) was sent surveys about ~2 months after surgery (Phase 2, N = 3930, RR 68%). We assessed patient perceptions of doctor communication of risk of recurrence (i.e., amount, approach, inquiry about worry). Clinically determined 10-year risk of distant recurrence was established for low and intermediate invasive cancer patients. Women’s perceived risk of distant recurrence (0–100%) was categorized into subgroups: overestimation, reasonably accurate, and zero risk. Understanding of risk and patient factors (e.g. health literacy, numeracy, and anxiety/worry) on physician communication outcomes was evaluated in multivariable regression models (analytic sample for substudy = 1295). About 33% of women reported that doctors discussed risk of recurrence as “quite a bit” or “a lot,” while 14% said “not at all.” Over half of women reported that doctors used words and numbers to describe risk, while 24% used only words. Overestimators (OR .50, CI 0.31–0.81) or those who perceived zero risk (OR .46, CI 0.29–0.72) more often said that their doctor did not discuss risk. Patients with low numeracy reported less discussion. Over 60% reported that their doctor almost never inquired about worry. Effective doctor–patient communication is critical to patient understanding of risk of recurrence. Efforts to enhance physicians’ ability to engage in individualized communication around risk are needed.
Beyond Confinement: The Regulation of Girl Offenders’ Bodies, Sexual Choices, and Behavior

Throughout transformations in juvenile justice, control over girls’ bodies, sexual behavior, and reproductive choices has remained a constant focal point among decision makers, with girls infrequently charged with serious law violations and commonly judged in terms of their moral welfare and chasteness. Using interview data with 62 court and correctional decision makers, this article examines how the contemporary juvenile justice system responds to girls’ sexual behavior and explores the policies and procedures used to restrain sexual agency and reproductive choices, both physically and cognitively. This article also investigates the penalties enforced when girls resist such controls as well as intentions toward change and reform in the system.
Bone Marrow Tumors

Ewing’s sarcoma is a diffuse osseous tumor arising from the endothelial cells of bone marrow and was first described by Ewing (1921). In recent years, it has been shown that this tumor arises from either immature reticulum cells or from the primitive mesenchyme of the medullary cavity, and histopathologically could be considered to be one of the primary lymphomas of bone (Friedman and Gold, 1968). Ewing’s sarcoma presents a different clinical and therapeutic behavior, however, and has been classified as a separate entity.
Isotope Effects on Hydrogen Getter Rate

AbstractTritium Producing Burnable Absorber Rods (TPBARs) use nickel plated, zirconium tubing for gettering tritium. However, during the development phase of the getter design only protium gas was used to determine getter rate. The verification phase of getter performance (product acceptance testing) also used only protium gas. Thus, isotope mass effects on getter rate were not evaluated. A modified getter rate test using both protium and deuterium gas was performed to determine isotope mass effects. Test procedures were developed to measure isotope effect on getter rate versus temperature while minimizing experimental uncertainties with respect to surface cleanliness and variability of test results between different specimens.
An Exploratory Study of the Influence of Soft and Hard Skills on Entry Level Marketing Position Interviews

This exploratory study looks at the relative impact of student soft and hard skills on entry-level marketing job interview success. Marketing professionals with hiring experience conducted pre-course and post-course structured interviews with students in a Principles of Marketing course using behaviorally anchored rating scales to tap soft and hard skills. Results indicate a significant hierarchical effect of soft skills beyond hard skills on a candidate’s likelihood of being invited back for a second interview.
Human evolution. Ecce homo--behold mankind.

New molecular markers have provided a wealth of information about the evolution of modern humans, which occurred somewhere between 250,000 and 150,000 years ago. A meeting held last month discussed how short repeated sequences in DNA (Alu inserts and microsatellites) can be used to pinpoint more accurately when modern humans first appeared and when they first emigrated from Africa. It seems that the split between African and non-African populations occurred about 140,000 years ago and that the first 'out of Africa' diaspora may have arrived in Southeast Asia.
The Slippery Slope of Birth Trauma

In this chapter the author’s research program on traumatic childbirth is the focus. The series of 6 qualitative studies bring visibility to the invisible phenomena of the distressing consequences of birth trauma for women. Posttraumatic stress disorder due to childbirth, breastfeeding difficulties, the anniversary of birth trauma, and subsequent childbirth after a previous birth trauma are the unintended events that some women struggle with as they progressed down this slippery slope. The chapter ends on a positive note with mothers’ experiences of posttraumatic growth following a traumatic birth.
First row metal complexes of the hindered tridentate ligand 2,6-bis-(3′,5′-diphenylpyrazolyl)pyridine

Abstract Crystal structures of five first-row transition metal complexes of a recently-available bis-pyrazolylpyridine (bpp) ligand, 2,6-bis(3′,5′-diphenylpyrazolyl)pyridine (bdppp), prepared by reaction with transition metal chlorides, are reported. The ligand forms two types of structures, a 2:1 complex with Fe (II) chloride, and 1:1 complexes with Mn(II), Ni(II), Co(II), and Zn(II), chlorides, resulting in two different geometries. In all cases the ligand is tridentate, but in contrast to reported bpp structures, the plane of the pyridine ring coordinating with the metal is significantly distorted from the plane of the pyrazoles and metal.
Branching fraction for Z decays to four leptons and constraints on new physics

The LHC experiments have measured the branching fraction for $Z$ decays to four leptons (electrons or muons). We have combined these measurements with the result $\mathcal{B}(Z\ensuremath{\rightarrow}4\ensuremath{\ell})=(4.58\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.26)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}6}$, allowing a precise comparison to the standard model prediction of $(4.70\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.03)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}6}$. We use a minimal extension of the standard model to demonstrate that this combined value may be used to set stringent limits on new physics.
Undemocratic Layout: Eight Methods of Accenting Images

This essay compiles a range of 40 graphic narratives in order to identify and categorize the ways in which artists visually differentiate individual panels from other panels within page layouts. By differentiating or accenting a panel, creators give the accented panel’s story content greater value relative to other story content depicted on the same page. This essay explores the eight most common methods.
Biological Control of Musk Thistle (Asteraceae) by the Weevil Rhinocyllus conicus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and its Establishment on Nontarget Thistles in Georgia, USA1

Abstract The weevil Rhinocyllus conicus Froelich was introduced in Georgia, USA as a biological control agent of musk thistle, Carduus nutans L. (Asteraceae) in 1991. Musk thistle populations and R. conicus infestations were monitored over 10 yr at four sites in central Georgia. Musk thistle populations declined substantially as R. conicus populations increased at all sites, but thistle infestations remained problematic at some sites. A laboratory cage study found that R. conicus would lay eggs on flower buds of yellow thistle, Cirsium horridulum Michaux, bull thistle Cirsium vulgare (Savi) Tenore, and blessed milkthistle, Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertner in no-choice and choice tests with and without Ca. nutans. Carduus nutans was preferred over the other thistle species, but the other thistle species were acceptable for oviposition by R. conicus. One or more mixed field infestations of musk thistle and yellow, bull, or blessed milkthistles were sampled for R. conicus infestation. Rhinocyllus conicus was n...
Using Modeling and Creating a Research Discourse Community to Teach a Doctoral Action Research Course

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of teaching action research through modeling. Participants were 11 doctoral students enrolled in a two-semester practitioner-based research course. In this study, I was both instructor and member of the research com munity. I modeled the steps of action research as I conducted a study of my practice, which focused on having students engage in reflective activities for the purpose of aligning their core educational values and the actions taken in their research studies. The students and I engaged in discussions of our research projects, and as part of the research community, I shared my dilemmas, frustrations, and successes. I also kept a reflective journal, which students were able to access online and respond to, and made my research paper available to students as I wrote each section. Further, I modeled for students the refle ctive activities I used as I navigated my own action research study. Analysis of course artifacts, interviews and conferences, and observations indicated that students perceived modeling to be a powerful way to facilitate their learning and create a sense of community.
1.10 Tectonism, Climate, and Geomorphology

This essay examines a basic premise of geomorphology, namely that landforms and land-forming processes reflect interactions between Earth's tectonic framework and its atmospheric canopy. Five themes are developed. First, tectonism and tectonic change are outlined in terms of changing tectonic concepts, plate mechanics, continental interiors (cratons, platform covers), and continental margins (passive, active). Second, climate forcing is reviewed by defining weather and climate, early notions of climate change, and probable causes of climate change. Climates change through time in response to several interactive forces: those external to Earth, those related to Earth's orbital relations with the Sun, and those internal to the Earth system among which tectonism profoundly alters the playing field for climate and geomorphic processes. Third, the spatial implications for geomorphology of changing tectonic and climate forcing are viewed in the context of latitude and location, continentality and oceanicity, ocean gateways and land corridors, continental elevation and relief barriers, and vegetation cover. Fourth, prefaced by a discussion of the nature and rate of change, the temporal implications for geomorphology of tectonic and climate change over the past 300 million years are evaluated. Eight topics are discussed: the Pangea supercontinent, opening of the Atlantic Ocean and Tethys, opening of the Southern Ocean, uplift of North America's Western Cordillera, uplift of the Andes, uplift of the Eurasian Cordillera and Tethys closure, closure of the Central American isthmus, and volcanism. Last, three geomorphic feedbacks that affect tectonism and climate are discussed: denudation, sedimentation, and isostasy; biogeochemical cycling; and relative sea-level change.
What makes a screening exam “good”?

A physician examines the attributes of a screening test that make it eligible for widespread use in the prevention of disease. Virtual Mentor is a monthly bioethics journal published by the American Medical Association.
Photonic control of axonal guidance

: The emerging use of photonics tools in manipulation and control of neurons at micro- and nano-scales is discussed; specifically, use of axonal manipulation caused by various physical cues generated by near-infrared light. First, manipulation of neurons by optical tweezers is discussed, including the use of point optical tweezers for application of force on the axonal element and line optical tweezers for transport and alignment of intra-axonal elements and filopodia. Further, a brief discussion on the use of fiber-optical tweezers for control of axonal guidance is included. Use of optically-driven micro-motors for generation of microfluidic flow to enable axonal guidance is described next. Axonal guidance by temperature gradient generated by a near-infrared laser beam is described, emphasizing its advantages over other guidance methods. Finally, conclusions and a discussion of the future for neurophotonics technologies at nano-scale for understanding and control of neural circuitry, are provided.
Distributed feedback control for production, inventory, and co2 emissions in an assemble-to-order system

We study continuous variable feedback control of an assemble-to-order system with multiple components and multiple workstations to analyse interrelationships among the production system and corresponding CO2 emissions. The proposed dynamic models are designed by proportional and integral control laws, and represent assembly job arrivals along with the component consumption rates at each workstation for controlling finished-goods assembly schedule, and component production rate for controlling component stock levels, respectively. We also develop the unified feedback control algorithm whose objective is to minimize due date deviation from the customer-requested final assembly due date and component inventory discrepancy in respect to the optimum inventory level, simultaneously. Using numerical simulations, we show how dynamics between the inventory and production systems are interrelated, and resulting CO2 emission variation by the production system.
Evaluating the Application of Microbial Induced Calcite Precipitation Technique to Stabilize Expansive Soils

Expansive soils, also known as swell-shrink soils have been a problem for civil infrastructures including roads and foundations from ancient times. The use of chemical additives such as cement and lime to stabilize expansive soils is a common practice among geotechnical engineers, especially for lightly loaded structures. However, several occurrences of subgrade failures have been observed after stabilizing with chemical additives. Hence, engineers are in search of sustainable stabilization alternatives. Microbial Induced Calcite Precipitation (MICP) is gaining attention as an environmentally friendly soil improvement technique. Several researchers have successfully tested its feasibility in mitigating liquefaction-induced problems in sandy soils. In this research, the authors are evaluating its effectiveness in stabilizing expansive soils. For this purpose two natural expansive soils with high and low plasticity properties were subjected to MICP treatments. The soil samples were first augmented with bacterium Sporosarcina Pasteurii and then treated with Calcium Chloride and Urea. Variables such as microbial concentrations and curing times were studied in this research. Geotechnical testing including Atterberg limits and unconfined compression strength were performed to evaluate the efficacy of MICP treatments. Preliminary results indicate that there is a reduction in plasticity and swelling characteristics of the soils and increase in the unconfined compression strength.
Invention or diffusion: on the appearance of limestone temper in the late Holocene archeological record of southern Ohio, USA

One of the most fundamental questions archeologists face is whether some form or expression of material culture appears at a specific geo-temporal position in the archeological record as a result of invention or diffusion. As one of the most common archeological phenomena, ceramic technology at different times and places was either invented by, or diffused across, prehistoric populations. Here, we investigate whether the use of limestone temper—an additive added to clay before firing—could have been indigenously invented by prehistoric people in southern Ohio, USA. Since current evidence suggests that limestone temper was used on a limited basis during the Middle Woodland period in southern Ohio, it follows that if it were invented there indigenously, then evidence for its invention should be present in that period or the period prior, that is, during later portions of southern Ohio’s Early Woodland period. We tested this hypothesis via an assessment of 32 Early and Middle Woodland pottery sherds from southern Ohio using the HCL method. Our results unequivocally show that small amounts of limestone were indeed present in these early periods, consistent with possibility that the independent invention of limestone temper in southern Ohio could have occurred.
β-Technetium Dichloride: Solid-State Modulated Structure, Electronic Structure, and Physical Properties.

β-TcCl2 is synthesized by reaction of Tc metal and Cl2 in a sealed Pyrex tube at 450 °C for 24 h, and characterized by single crystal XRD, magnetic susceptibility, band gap, and charge transport measurements, and DFT calculations.
Use of the conditional reflex to assess the temporal characteristics of curarization effects on heart rate responding.

A Pavlovian methodological counterpart to the use of druginduced changes in operant rates of responding was used to assess the temporal characteristics of d-tubocurarine chloride effects on the heart rate conditional reflex in rats. After a stable conditional reflex had been established, the base heart rate, as well as the unconditional and conditional reflex, was monitored during administration of the drug. A sizable behavioral effect was reflected in all three measures, including a temporary abolition of the conditional and unconditional reflexes. An interpretation of these results was discussed, and further development and application of this specific methodology was explored.
Age modifies the efficacy and safety of carotid artery revascularization procedures.

Abstract Background Several randomized clinical trials have shown that carotid artery endarterectomy (CEA) is safer than carotid artery stenting (CAS) in the elderly. However, those studies were limited by their strict inclusion criteria that might make their findings inapplicable to real-world practice. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the association of age with the efficacy of CEA and CAS in a population-based registry. Methods The Vascular Quality Initiative database was inquired (2005-2017). The primary outcome was 30-day and 2-year stroke and a combined outcome of stroke/death. Logistic regression models with age-by-treatment interaction term were fitted adjusting for patients' characteristics. Restricted cubic spline modelling was also implemented. Two-year events were assessed via survival analysis methods. Results Overall, 89,853 patients were included, 26.9% were less than 65 years of age, 39.1% were 65 to 74 years of age, and 34.1% were 75 years of age or older. The CAS-to-CEA odds of 30-day stroke became significant at age 56.5 and doubled at age 72.5 years. After CEA, the risk of stroke rose by 1.3-fold when age increased from 76 to 85 (odds ratio [OR], 1.30; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05-1.62). Yet after CAS, when age increased from 65 to 71 years, the OR of stroke was 1.36 (95% CI, 1.04-1.76); from 71 to 76 years, the OR was 1.47 (95% CI, 1.10-1.96), and from 76 to 85 years the OR was 1.38 (95% CI, 1.06-1.81). The superiority of CEA with increasing age extended to 2 years after the procedure. The CAS-to-CEA 2-year hazard of stroke was significant at age 53 and it doubled at 71.5 years. Conclusions In this multicenter registry, we confirmed the effect modification role that age plays in the safety and efficacy of carotid revascularizations. The risk-adjusted effectiveness of CAS was particularly sensitive to patient age, whereas CEA performance was relatively stable across various age strata. Of note, the observed effect was more pronounced and a decade earlier than what previously reported in the ideal setting of a randomized clinical trial.
Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder: Toward a Contextual Understanding of Compensation of IT Professionals Within and Across Geographies

How do multinational corporations (MNCs) and domestic firms compensate technical and managerial skills of knowledge workers within and across geographies? This paper answers this question by examining how developed economy MNCs and emerging economy firms value MBA education and firm-specific IT experience of IT professionals in India; and how developed economy MNCs value MBA education and firm-specific IT experience differently across India and the U.S. Our analyses of archival data on more than 20,000 IT professionals reveal two important findings. First, for IT professionals in India, the marginal effect of firm-specific IT experience on compensation is greater for developed economy MNCs than for emerging economy firms, and the marginal effect of MBA education is greater for emerging economy firms than for developed economy MNCs. Second, when we compare compensation of IT professionals employed by MNCs across India and the U.S., we find a greater marginal effect of firm-specific IT experience in India but a greater marginal effect of MBA education in the U.S. These findings suggest that the manner in which MNCs and emerging economy firms value and compensate IT professionals across geographies is consistent with their firm-level strategies and capabilities. The findings provide important insights on compensation of IT professionals within and across geographies based on firm national origin. These contributions are important to understand the broader context of compensation of IT professionals across firm national origin and geographies.
“Hey, Kids. Who Wants a Shot from the Merch Gun?!”: LEGO Batman as a Gateway Commodity Intertext

In this chapter, authors McAllister and LaGroue consider the integrated messages of LEGO Batman’s various versions, including 2017s The LEGO Batman Movie. The authors argue that LEGO aimed to promote a desire for the LEGO and Batman brands’ ongoing commercialism by strategically developing multi-commodifiable elements and cross-promotional partners. The authors further argue that LEGO’s use of these elements can serve, more generally, to socialize children into a branded and commodified society. By pairing expensive, complex toy sets featuring a title character known for gadgets with a track record of partnering with (and promoting) other branded characters, and by presenting Batman as an isolated figure who could be reformed with other characters’ help, LEGO created many strategic opportunities for the cross-promotion of commodities to benefit its own brand and those of its franchise partners.
Rational Function Decomposition of Polynomials

We determine conditions under which an arbitrary polynomial can be expressed as the composition of two rational functions, generalizing the work of J. Rickards on the decomposition into two polynomials. We show that a polynomial can be expressed non-trivially as a composition of two rational functions if and only if it can be so decomposed into two polynomials. Acknowledgements: Special acknowledgement to Birmingham-Southern College Mathematics Department for encouragement and support. Page 54 RHIT Undergrad. Math. J., Vol. 13, No. 2
The Fascinating & Controversial New Science of CRISPR

CRISPR (also known as CRISPR-Cas9) is a powerful biotechnology tool that gives scientists unprecedented access to the genetic makeup of all living organisms, including humans. It originally evolved as an adaptive immune system in bacteria to defend against viruses. When artificially harnessed in the laboratory it allows scientists to accurately and precisely edit genes, almost as if using a word processor. In mice, CRISPR has already been used to treat diabetes, muscular dystrophy, cancer, and blindness. CRISPR has made cultured human cells immune to HIV, and a variety of CRISPR experiments involving human embryos are well under way. But CRISPR is not limited to biomedical applications. It is also revolutionizing the food industry and many areas of biological research. This article provides science educators a broad and up-to-date overview of CRISPR, including its discovery, application, and bioethical challenges. It is imperative that science educators help prepare students, both majors and nonmajors, for this compelling new era of biology.
Licensing Requirements by State and Territory for International Medical Graduates

In the United States, the process of obtaining initial medical licensure for international medical graduates (IMGs) is state and/or territory dependent. Hence, it is important to be meticulous about state- or territory-specific requirements, time lines, and notable exceptions. In this chapter, we first lay out the process for IMGs to become eligible to enter into Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) residency programs in three steps: (1) application for Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) certification, (2) medical licensing examinations including the United States Medical Licensing Examination Sequence (USMLE) Step 1, Step 2 Clinical Knowledge, and Step 2 Clinical Skills exams, and (3) medical education credential requirements. We then discuss the process of obtaining initial medical licensure for IMGs, which includes the successful completion of USMLE Step 3 and postgraduate residency training, with certain limits specific to each state or territory. Only after completion of these requirements are physicians able to successfully practice medicine in the United States.
Adolescent social stress decrease of adult morphine-induced behavioral sensitization is dependent upon genetic background

Deaths related to opioid use have skyrocketed in the United States, leading to a public health epidemic. Research has shown that both biological (genes) and environmental (stress) precursors are linked to opioid use. In particular, stress during adolescence - a critical period of frontal lobe development-influences the likelihood of abusing drugs. However, little is known about the biological mechanisms through which adolescent stress leads to long-term risk of opioid use, or whether genetic background moderates this response. Male and female C57BL/6J and BALB/cJ mice were exposed to chronic variable social stress (CVSS) or control conditions throughout adolescence (postnatal days, PND, 25-59) and then tested for morphine locomotor sensitization or morphine consumption in adulthood. To examine possible mechanisms that underlie stress-induced changes in morphine behaviors, we assessed physiological changes in response to acute stress exposure and miRNA gene expression in the prefrontal cortex. Male C57BL/6J mice exposed to adolescent CVSS had blunted morphine sensitization compared to control animals. No differences were observed in the acute locomotor response to morphine administration or morphine consumption in adult C57BL/6J mice. Stress did not influence morphine behaviors in BALB/cJ animals. C57BL/6J mice exposed to CVSS had a blunted corticosterone recovery following an acute stressor. Twelve miRNA were downregulated in the prefrontal cortex of C57BL/6J mice exposed to CVSS in adolescence, which suggests a biological mechanism through which stress may alter later morphine responses. The specificity of the effects for C57BL/6J versus BALB/cJ mice provides evidence of a gene by environmental interaction influencing opioid behaviors.
Collaborative human-autonomy semantic sensing through structured POMDP planning

Abstract Autonomous unmanned systems and robots must be able to actively leverage all available information sources — including imprecise but readily available semantic observations provided by human collaborators. This work develops and validates a novel active collaborative human–machine sensing solution for robotic information gathering and optimal decision making problems, with an example implementation of a dynamic target search scenario. Our approach uses continuous partially observable Markov decision process (CPOMDP) planning to generate vehicle trajectories that optimally exploit imperfect detection data from onboard sensors, as well as semantic natural language observations that can be specifically requested from human sensors. The key innovations are a method for the inclusion of a human querying/sensing model in a CPOMDP based autonomous decision making process, as well as a scalable hierarchical Gaussian mixture model formulation for efficiently solving CPOMDPs with semantic observations in continuous dynamic state spaces. Unlike previous state-of-the-art approaches this allows planning in large, complex, highly segmented environments. Our solution is demonstrated and validated with a real human–robot team engaged in dynamic indoor target search and capture scenarios on a custom testbed.
Flair: efficient analysis of Android inter-component vulnerabilities in response to incremental changes

Inter-component communication (ICC) among Android apps is shown to be the source of many security vulnerabilities. Prior research has developed compositional analyses to detect the existence of ICC vulnerabilities in a set of installed apps. However, they all lack the ability to efficiently respond to incremental system changes—such as adding/removing apps. Every time the system changes, the entire analysis has to be repeated, making them too expensive for practical use, given the frequency with which apps are updated, installed, and removed on a typical Android device. This paper presents a novel technique, dubbed FLAIR, for efficient, yet formally precise, security analysis of Android apps in response to incremental system changes. Leveraging the fact that the changes are likely to impact only a small fraction of the prior analysis results, FLAIR recomputes the analysis only where required, thereby greatly improving analysis performance without sacrificing the soundness and completeness thereof. Our experimental results using numerous collections of real-world apps corroborate that FLAIR can provide an order of magnitude speedup over prior techniques.
The search for anti-oxytotic/ferroptotic compounds in the plant world.

Oxytosis/ferroptosis is a form of non-apoptotic regulated cell death characterized by glutathione depletion and dysregulated production of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species that results in lethal lipid peroxidation. As the significance of oxytosis/ferroptosis to age-associated human diseases is now beginning to be appreciated, the development of innovative approaches to identify novel therapeutics that target the oxytosis/ferroptosis pathway could not be more timely. Due to their sessile nature, plants are exposed to a variety of stresses that trigger physiological changes similar to those found in oxytosis/ferroptosis. As such, they have evolved a rich array of chemical strategies to deal with those challenging conditions. This review details a drug discovery approach for identifying potent inhibitors of oxytosis/ferroptosis from plants for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, thereby highlighting the tremendous potential of plant-based research for developing new medicines while simultaneously being a catalyst for sustainability.
Vocabulary Interventions for Young Emergent Bilingual Children: A Systematic Review of Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Studies

Vocabulary plays a critical role in later reading achievement of emergent bilingual children (EBC) who are learning two languages. Given emerging vocabulary intervention research for EBC, we synthe...
Clergy-Clinician Collaboration

While the literature agrees on the value of clergy and mental health professionals working together, few models of successful collaboration are available. This chapter considers the distinct advantages of collaborating, the challenges of this work, and some possible ways forward.
China and the United States: the case for smart appeasement

How can ties between the United States and China be restored to good health? In this provocation, I argue that the deterioration of US-China relations has become so severe that it is now incumbent ...
Genetic Influences on Behavior in Nonhuman Primates

Current studies of genetic influences on behavior in nonhuman primates have both expanded and confirmed studies on genetic influences on human behaviors. Many behaviors have been shown to be heritable. Most of the genetic methods have focused on candidate gene approaches, looking at associations and linkages of candidate genes identified through the human literature, with particular focus on genes in the serotonin and dopaminergic systems. An advantage of studying these systems in nonhuman primates is that it is possible to get repeated measures of expression levels of these neurotransmitters, allowing for more accurate evaluation of the effects genetic variation have on neurotransmitter activity.
A new machine learning algorithm for removal of salt and pepper noise

Supervised machine learning algorithm has been extensively studied and applied to different fields of image processing in past decades. This paper proposes a new machine learning algorithm, called margin setting (MS), for restoring images that are corrupted by salt and pepper impulse noise. Margin setting generates decision surface to classify the noise pixels and non-noise pixels. After the noise pixels are detected, a modified ranked order mean (ROM) filter is used to replace the corrupted pixels for images reconstruction. Margin setting algorithm is tested with grayscale and color images for different noise densities. The experimental results are compared with those of the support vector machine (SVM) and standard median filter (SMF). The results show that margin setting outperforms these methods with higher Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio (PSNR), lower mean square error (MSE), higher image enhancement factor (IEF) and higher Structural Similarity Index (SSIM).
Nanotube-Enabled Vesicle–Vesicle Communication: A Computational Model

Cell-to-cell communications via the tunneling nanotubes or gap junction channels are vital for the development and maintenance of multicellular organisms. Instead of these intrinsic communication pathways, how to design artificial communication channels between cells remains a challenging but interesting problem. Here, we perform dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) simulations to analyze the interaction between rotational nanotubes (RNTs) and vesicles so as to provide a novel design mechanism for cell-to-cell communication. Simulation results have demonstrated that the RNTs are capable of generating local disturbance and promote vesicle translocation toward the RNTs. Through ligand pattern designing on the RNTs, we can find a suitable nanotube candidate with a specific ligand coating pattern for forming the RNT–vesicle network. The results also show that a RNT can act as a bridged channel between vesicles, which facilitates substance transfer. Our findings provide useful guidelines for the molecular desig...
The Simplex Method and Its Complexity

The article provides an overview of the simplex method and the research on polyhedra related to its worst case complexity. Keywords: linear programming; simplex method; Hirsch conjecture; diameter problem; worst case complexity
Pore structure and reactivity changes in hot coal gas desulfurization sorbents

The primary objective of the project was the investigation of the pore structure and reactivity changes occurring in metal/metal oxide sorbents used for desulfurization of hot coal gas during sulfidation and regeneration, with particular emphasis placed on the effects of these changes on the sorptive capacity and efficiency of the sorbents. Commercially available zinc oxide sorbents were used as model solids in our experimental investigation of the sulfidation and regeneration processes.
Transistor-less Spin Torque Transfer MRAM design

The magnetic random accessible memory (MRAM) is positioned as one of the potential candidates for future universal memory[1]. Although MRAM's endurance outperforms most of the competing technologies, MRAM has not demonstrated strong advantage on area density [2]. Furthermore, recent rapid progress on area density in competing technologies, such as, aggressive scaling on Phase Change Memory [3], multiple-level / multi-bit charge trapping flash memories [4], makes it more important to improve the MRAM array density.