cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A STUDY ON THE IRRIGATION STRUCTURE OF THE VILLAGES IN THE NARA BASIN

This paper is concerned with the problems on the irrigation structure of the villages in the Nara Basin and to clarify the characters of the villages and their regionalities. The irrigation structure here shows a special phase to have several methods of irrigation, because this is not favored with enough precipitation and, moreover, has none of large rivers and reservoirs. The author summarizes the essential points as follows :1. The irrigation structure in this basin differenciates on account of the geographical and historical condtions. 57.53% of the whole villages depend upon several methods of irrigation, and they are located main-ly in the southern part of the basin, while the remaning 42.47% make use of only one method especially in the northern part.2. In most cases, the control of the irrigation structure is carried out in connection with administrative measures, especially in the case of the control of reservoirs. Some of them, however, keep their oldfashioned characters. This shows the peculiarity of the villages in this basin, but in the villages depending upon irrigation by rivers is naturally different.3. In this basin, the irrigation arrangement was completely done in an earlier period than in any other basins in our country, but the farmers have been always suffering from troublesome events because of water shortage. In the middle of Meiji era when cotton fields were changed to rice fields, many irrigation ponds were constructed everywhere. After that, they could make use of underground water in full grade, and gain enough water for irrigation. However, the irrigation structure was so complicated that larger cost and labor were required.4. The more the irrigation structure got complicated, the more powerful effect was produced on the mutual connections among villages, and therefore the difference of the strength of rights about irrigation showed the economic strength of villages. But recently, such difference has been gradually decreasing due to the improvement of irrigation structure.
Vanadium oxide nanotube spherical clusters prepared on carbon fabrics for energy storage applications.

Vanadium oxide nanotubes have shown great promise as electrode materials for energy storage devices. In this study, we report the synthesis of V2O5 nanotube (VNT) clusters, which form densely packed radial arrangements of VNTs on high-surface-area carbon fiber fabrics (CF). This was achieved by coating the CF with V2O5 by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). Hydrothermal treatment of the PLD films in the presence of excess intercalated V2O5 results in formation of well-adhered VNT clusters on the CF. The densely packed VNTs have inner and outer diameters and interlayer distances of ∼24, ∼70, and ∼2.4 nm, respectively. Coin cell type supercapacitors (CR2032) were assembled using VNT-CF as the anode material and electrochemical properties were evaluated.
What is new in prenatal care?: Best articles from the past year.

This month we focus on current research in prenatal care. Dr. Turrentine discusses four recent publications, and each is concluded with a “bottom line” that is the take-home message. The complete reference for each can be found in Box 1 on this page, along with direct links to the abstracts.
Practical considerations in Doppler stress testing

Although other chapters detail the scientific and clinical basis for Doppler stress testing, this book would be less effective if practical aspects were not discussed. It is the purpose of this chapter to orient the beginner to equipment, stress testing protocols, details of patient study, discrimination of good and bad data, and data analysis. With these issues in mind, it should be possible for novices to confidently approach patients in the stress testing laboratory.
Methods Based on Selection on Unobservables

This chapter covers econometric methods for estimating average treatment effects (ATEs) of social and economic programs under the assumption of “selection on unobservables”. When nonobservable factors significantly drive the nonrandom assignment to treatment, recovering consistent estimations of average treatment effects relying only on observables is no longer possible. As a consequence, econometric methods only based on assuming “selection on observables” become inappropriate. This chapter illustrates methods suitable for dealing with unobservable selection, thus critically discussing various Instrumental-variables (IV) approaches, by introducing the Heckman Selection-model, and by illustrating the Difference-in differences (DID) estimator both in a repeated cross section and in a longitudinal data structure. The chapter concludes by focusing on a number of applications of previous methods using built-in and user-written Stata commands on real and simulative datasets.
Retroperitoneal Iliac Fossa Abscess Presenting as Primary Disease of the Genitourinary Tract

An iliac fossa abscess is a clinical entity that has not been described in the urologic literature. Three patients presenting with urologic symptoms were evaluated and found to have iliac fossa abscesses. It is important for the urologist to be aware of the existence, diagnosis and treatment of this entity.
Dimensions of Organizational Conflict: A Functional Analysis of Communication Tactics

(1983). Dimensions of Organizational Conflict: A Functional Analysis of Communication Tactics. Annals of the International Communication Association: Vol. 7, Communication Yearbook 7, pp. 517-531.
Disclosing Genetic Risk for Coronary Heart Disease: Attitudes Toward Personal Information in Health Records.

Introduction Incorporating genetic risk information in electronic health records (EHRs) will facilitate implementation of genomic medicine in clinical practice. However, little is known about patients' attitudes toward incorporation of genetic risk information as a component of personal health information in EHRs. This study investigated whether disclosure of a genetic risk score (GRS) for coronary heart disease influences attitudes toward incorporation of personal health information including genetic risk in EHRs. Methods Participants aged 45–65 years with intermediate 10-year coronary heart disease risk were randomized to receive a conventional risk score (CRS) alone or with a GRS from a genetic counselor, followed by shared decision making with a physician using the same standard presentation and information templates for all study participants. The CRS and GRS were then incorporated into the EHR and made accessible to both patients and physicians. Baseline and post-disclosure surveys were completed to assess whether attitudes differed by GRS disclosure. Data were collected from 2013 to 2015 and analyzed in 2015–2016. Results GRS and CRS participants reported similar positive attitudes toward incorporation of genetic risk information in the EHR. Compared with CRS participants, participants with high GRS were more concerned about the confidentiality of genetic risk information (OR=3.67, 95% CI=1.29, 12.32, p =0.01). Post-disclosure, frequency of patient portal access was associated with positive attitudes. Conclusions Participants in this study of coronary heart disease risk disclosure overall had positive attitudes toward incorporation of genetic risk information in EHRs, although those who received genetic risk information had concerns about confidentiality.
Advancing Women Faculty at the New Jersey Institute of Technology through Collaborative Research Networks: an Analysis of Preliminary Results and Methodology

By stimulating and supporting interdisciplinary research synergies, NJIT ADVANCE endeavors to expand women’s social and professional networks, improve information flow, and stimulate social capital formation. In this paper, we report the initial results of our efforts—and, discuss the distinctive assessment strategy we have designed to measure faculty advancement: mapping networks in research oriented social space over time. We present an overview of our datacollection methodologies and a preliminary analysis of the data we have obtained thus far. “If one could get far enough away from it, human life would become pure pattern.” Introduction: The Problem of Small Numbers Thirty-five years ago when I first came to teach at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, the most popular show on television was “M*A*S*H*.” All the doctors were male. Off-screen, too. Less than 10% of US physicians were female, and only 4% of US lawyers. Ally McBeal and Shirley Schmidt were nowhere in sight. The signs of change were already there, however; and over the next three decades, women made dramatic progress in virtually every field. Today, nearly a third of all lawyers and doctors are women (WEPAN 2006). So are more than half of the nation's corporate managers. Women now own and run over nine million US companies (Catalyst 2004). There is one startling exception to this trend, however: engineering. During the 1980’s and 1990’s there was a small but steady increase in the percentage of women in the US engineering workforce; however, the ascent peaked in 1998 at 11.2% (n = 240,000). During the last decade, both the percentage and actual number of female engineers have drifted downward. Today, only 10.1% of practicing engineers are women (WEPAN 2006). Female undergraduate engineering enrollments have followed the same parabolic course, rising modestly from 15.7% in 1984 to 19.8% in 1999, and then declining (WEPAN 2006). In recent years, the percentage of US women earning doctoral degrees in engineering has increased; however, this is largely an artifact of the steady decline in the numbers of male engineering doctoral students (WEPAN 2006). Although there have been slight increases in the proportion of female junior faculty in several engineering disciplines, some of this apparent growth is really a function of male attrition as well. The absolute number of women engineering academics at all ranks remains dauntingly small. In 2004, there were only 2260 tenured or tenure track female
How Close Is Close Enough? A Multimodal Analysis of Temporal Matching Between Visual and Tactile Signaling

Research has shown beneficial performance gains from concurrent multimodal presentation of visual and tactile signaling. Studies have also suggested the importance of closely matching or emulating the spatial characteristics of tactile signaling to its visual counterpart, resulting in intuitive tactile signals that are easily learned and that provide immediate benefits in the absence or concurrent presentation of visual signaling. The purpose for this study was to inform display design regarding how closely the tactile signaling should match the visual signaling temporally, before the observer detects the difference. Participants observed a visual signal presentation of six different circular patterns, that spatially matched a concurrent tactile presentation, with the visual presentation being temporally faster, slower, or the same speed as the tactile presentation. Results showed that participants were better at identifying a difference between the visual and tactile stimuli when the visual stimuli were faster. The incremental nature of the faster and slower visual presentations results in helpful guidelines for multimodal display design on how perceptible the temporal difference is between tactile and visual modalities.
Cocaine-like discriminative stimulus effects of "norepinephrine-preferring" monoamine releasers: time course and interaction studies in rhesus monkeys.

The therapeutic potential of monoamine releasers with prominent dopaminergic effects is hindered by their high abuse liability. The present study examined the effects of several novel “norepinephrine (NE)-preferring” monoamine releasers relative to non-selective monoamine releasers, d-amphetamine and d-methamphetamine, in rhesus monkeys trained to discriminate cocaine. NE-preferring releasers were approximately 13-fold more potent for NE compared to dopamine release and ranged in potency for serotonin release (PAL-329 < l-methamphetamine < PAL-169). Adult rhesus macaques were trained to discriminate 0.4 mg/kg, IM cocaine on a 30-response fixed ratio schedule of food reinforcement. Substitution studies determined the extent to which test drugs produced cocaine-like discriminative stimulus effects and their time course. Drug interaction studies determined whether pretreatment with test drugs altered the discriminable effects of cocaine. Results show that cocaine, d-amphetamine, and d-methamphetamine dose-dependently substituted for cocaine with similar potencies. Among the “NE-preferring” releasers, PAL-329 and l-methamphetamine also dose-dependently substituted for cocaine but differed in potency. PAL-169 failed to substitute for cocaine up to a dose that disrupted responding. When administered prior to cocaine, only d-amphetamine and PAL-329 significantly shifted the cocaine dose-effect function leftward indicating enhancement of cocaine’s discriminative stimulus effects. These data suggest that greater potency for NE relative to dopamine release (up to 13-fold) does not interfere with the ability of a monoamine releaser to produce cocaine-like discriminative effects but that increased serotonin release may have an inhibitory effect. Further characterization of these and other “NE-preferring” monoamine releasers should provide insight into their potential for the management of cocaine addiction.
Melanomagenic Gene Alterations Viewed from a Redox Perspective: Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Opportunities

The causative involvement of altered redox homeostasis and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-dependent signaling in the control of survival, proliferation, and invasiveness of cancer cells has recently emerged. A large body of experimental and epidemiological research has substantiated the causative involvement of specific genetic alterations in melanomagenesis. Strikingly, some of the proteins encoded by specific genes underlying melanomagenesis (CDKN2A, MC1R, MITF, KIT, NRAS, BRAF, AKT3, PTEN, RAC1, MAP3K5, KEAP1, MYC) assume mechanistic roles in the control of cellular redox signaling and oxidative stress, thereby fulfilling molecular functions relevant to suppression or promotion of tumorigenesis that reach beyond their canonical activities, a significant yet underappreciated phenomenon that may open avenues towards novel redox-directed chemotherapeutic interventions as discussed in this chapter.
Moodiness in Patients with ADHD and Substance Use Disorders

In adolescents and adults, substance use and alcohol use disorders (SUDs) occur more commonly in individuals with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) than without it. Emotional symptoms of SUDs may include mood dysregulation, irritability, agitation, sedation, depression, or anxiety, depending on the particular substance and whether a person is experiencing a state of intoxication or withdrawal from it. Such “moody” symptoms can be hard to differentiate from those of ADHD and other psychiatric disorders that commonly co-occur with ADHD. Evaluation of patients with ADHD and such mood symptoms requires careful assessment for potential underlying SUDs. SUDs diagnosed with ADHD will usually require additional treatment planning, and closer monitoring of compliance and treatment response. In this chapter, we discuss the extent of ADHD and SUDs, especially in clinical populations, and the etiological relationships between ADHD and SUDs. We also will briefly review their clinical management, from screening, assessment, and diagnosis, to treatment planning and specific interventions. We finally will review these topics regarding how they pertain to true mood disorders that frequently co-occur in patients with ADHD and SUDs.
Intestinal Intraepithelial Lymphocytes: Sentinels of the Mucosal Barrier

Intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) are a large and diverse population of lymphoid cells that reside between the intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) that form the intestinal mucosal barrier. Although IEL biology has traditionally focused on T cells, recent studies have identified several subsets of T cell receptor (TCR)-negative IELs with intriguing properties. New insight into the development, homeostasis, and functions of distinct IEL subsets has recently been provided. Additional studies have revealed intricate interactions between different IEL subsets, reciprocal interactions between IELs and IECs, and communication of IELs with immune cells that reside outside the intestinal epithelium. We review here sentinel functions of IELs in the maintenance of the mucosal barrier integrity, as well as how dysregulated IEL responses can contribute to pathology.
Utility of Repeat Head CT in Patients with Blunt Traumatic Brain Injury Presenting with Small Isolated Falcine or Tentorial Subdural Hematomas.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: In blunt traumatic brain injury with isolated falcotentorial subdural hematoma not amenable to neurosurgical intervention, the routinely performed, nonvalidated practice of serial head CT scans frequently necessitates increased hospital resources and exposure to ionizing radiation. The study goal was to evaluate clinical and imaging features of isolated falcotentorial subdural hematoma at presentation and short-term follow-up. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of patients presenting to a level 1 trauma center from January 2013 to March 2015 undergoing initial and short-term follow-up CT with initial findings positive for isolated subdural hematoma along the falx and/or tentorium. Patients with penetrating trauma, other sites of intracranial hemorrhage, or depressed skull fractures were excluded. Patient sex, age, Glasgow Coma Scale score, and anticoagulation history were obtained through review of the electronic medical records. RESULTS: Eighty patients met the inclusion criteria (53 males; 27 females; median age, 61 years). Of subdural hematomas, 57.1% were falcine, 33.8% were tentorial, and 9.1% were mixed. The mean initial Glasgow Coma Scale score was 14.2 (range, 6–15). Isolated falcotentorial subdural hematomas were small (mean, 2.8 mm; range, 1–8 mm) without mass effect and significant change on follow-up CT (mean, 2.7 mm; range, 0–8 mm; P = .06), with an average follow-up time of 10.3 hours (range, 3.9–192 hours). All repeat CTs demonstrated no change or decreased size of the initial subdural hematoma. No new intracranial hemorrhages were seen on follow-up CT. CONCLUSIONS: Isolated falcotentorial subdural hematomas in blunt traumatic brain injury average 2.8 mm in thickness and do not increase in size on short-term follow-up CT. Present data suggest that repeat CT in patients with mild traumatic brain injury with isolated falcotentorial subdural hematoma may not be necessary.
Visceral vascular anomalies.

Gastrointestinal endoscopy is an essential modality often used for initial diagnostic assessment and staging of visceral vascular anomalies, especially when bleeding is the presenting symptom. Some lesions have a pathognomonic appearance on endoscopy. Others are less clearly indentifiable and require a multidisciplinary assessment, including histopathology, for a correct diagnosis. Proper application of nomenclature is crucial to prevent the institution of improper therapies. Advanced endoscopic methods, including endosonography and various hemostatic techniques, are useful to evaluate the depth and character of gastrointestinal wall involvement and to provide minimally invasive treatment when appropriate.
Serum uric acid in relation with the metabolic syndrome components and adiponectin levels in Lebanese university students

Background: The relation between serum uric acid (SUA) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) parameters has never been studied in a young Middle-Eastern population. In addition, the relation between SUA and adiponectin was poorly studied. Methods: We looked at the relation between SUA, and both adiponectin and MetS components in 381 randomly selected Lebanese university students (201 males and 180 females). Results: SUA was positively correlated with body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), waist circumference (WC), fasting blood glucose (FPG), triglycerides, total and LDL-cholesterol, and homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) index (p<0.001 for all variables, p<0.01 for FPG) and inversely correlated with HDL-cholesterol and adiponectin (p<0.001 for both variables). In men, SUA was positively correlated with BMI, WC, SBP, DBP, FPG, triglycerides, total and LDL-cholesterol, and HOMA index and inversely correlated with adiponectin (p<0.001 for all variables, p<0.05 for adiponectin); these correlations persisted after BMI adjustment, for WC, FPG, triglycerides, total-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and HOMA index. In women, SUA was positively correlated with total and LDL-cholesterol (p<0.001), independently of BMI. In a multiple regression analysis, SUA was independently associated with WC, triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and adiponectin in the overall population while, in men, it was associated with triglycerides, total-cholesterol, and WC. Conclusion: Our results suggest, in young adults, a gender difference in the relation between SUA and both adiponectin and MetS parameters. In addition, we observed in both genders a strong relation of SUA with total cholesterol. Further studies are needed in larger populations in order to elucidate these findings.
Intergenerational relationships in Chinese transnational families: A typology study

Using latent class analysis, this study examined the overall patterns of multifaceted intergenerational relationships of 604 parent-child dyads in 292 transnational families in Beijing, China. Thre...
Rethinking language within the larger biosemiosic web of communication in Michel Serres's late philosophy

This essay explores Michel Serres's rethinking of human language in his late philosophy. Adopting a biosemiotic, interdisciplinary approach, this investigation of Serres's radical reworking of language highlights the profound linguistic and philosophical implications of his recent texts such as Le Mal propre (2008), Biogee (2010), Yeux (2014), and Le Gaucher boiteux (2015). Delving into the principles of modern science and the rich field of biosemiotics, Serres compellingly posits that we have underestimated the complexity of the 'signs' being exchanged all around us by other sentient and non-sentient beings. Specifically, the radical paradigm shift that Serres proposes urges us to (re-)conceptualise language within the larger biosemiosic web of communication in which it occurs. Moreover, this unconventional philosopher of science issues a rending, urgent plea, which demonstrates why this last bastion of human exceptionalism in the form of language is not only scientifically inaccurate but it is also emblematic of the kind of outdated, anthropocentric ideology that represents the nexus of the current ecological crisis in the Anthropocene epoch.
Effects of Stress from Mine Drainage on Diversity, Biomass, and Function of Primary Producers in Mountain Streams

This paper proposes a hypothesis that relates biodiversity, community biomass, and ecosystem function to a gradient of stress. According to this hypothesis, biodiversity has a low threshold of response to stress, whereas biomass and function are stable or increase under low to moderate stress and decrease only under high stress. This hypothesis was tested by examining communities of primary producers in streams under stress from mine drainage in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, USA. Mine drainage exerts chemical stress (low pH, dissolved metals) as well as physical stress (deposition of metal oxides) on stream biota. Diversity of primary producers was usually more sensitive to stress from mine drainage than community biomass (chlorophyll a) or primary production. Diversity was negatively related to all stresses from mine drainage, but it was especially low in streams with low pH or high concentration of dissolved zinc. Biomass and production were high in streams with only chemical stress, but they were often low in streams with physical stress caused by metal oxide deposition. Stream sites with aluminum oxide deposition usually had very little algal biomass. The rate of metal oxide deposition, presence of aluminum oxides, and pH together explained 65% of the variation in biomass. The rate of net primary production was highly correlated with biomass and had a similar response to stress from mine drainage. Overall, chemical stresses (low pH, high concentration of zinc) generally led to the hypothesized trends in our model of ecosystems under stress. Physical stress (deposition of metal oxides), however, led to variable responses, and often decreased biomass and function even at low intensity, contrary to the original hypothesis. Thus, the nature of ecosystem response to stress may differ for chemical and physical stresses.
The Fienberg Problem: How to Allow Human Interactive Data Analysis in the Age of Differential Privacy

Differential Privacy is a popular technology for privacy-preserving analysis of large datasets. DP is powerful, but it requires that the analyst interact with data only through a special interface; in particular, the analyst does not see raw data, an uncomfortable situation for anyone trained in classical statistical data analysis. In this note we discuss the (overly) simple problem of allowing a trusted analyst to choose an ``"interesting" statistic for popular release (the actual computation of the chosen statistic will be carried out in a differentially private way).
Opinion Pieces in Surgery

David Sackett, the father of evidence-based medicine once said, “Good doctors use both individual clinical expertise and the best available external evidence, and neither alone is enough”. This quote represents the delicate balance of evidence and opinion in the practice of evidence-based medicine (EBM) and evidence-based surgery (EBS). Doctors and surgeons alike are constantly dealing with an ever-changing environment, as well as individual patients who require individualized care. Therefore, while evidence from high-quality clinical trials should be considered, some evidence may not be applicable for an individual patient or situation. It is times like these, where a surgeon may need to seek out an expert opinion, either in person or within the literature. Currently, expert opinion is at the bottom of the hierarchy of evidence, yet it remains to be an integral part of the practice of EBS. Due to the importance of expert opinion in the practice of EBS, surgeons and surgeon-researchers need to understand what makes a reliable and trustworthy source. This chapter will outline, for the reader, the value and limitations of expert opinion, where expert opinion fits into surgery, and if it applies to the readers’ practice. Lastly, the reader will be given a set of questions that can be used to appraise the article, and the author of that article to ensure that the opinions stated can be trusted.
Addressing academic researcher priorities through science and technology entrepreneurship education

A key feature of the movement to create more entrepreneurial universities is incentivizing researchers to move discoveries beyond the laboratory and into society. This places additional expectations on Ph.D. students and faculty in science and engineering disciplines, who are encouraged to explore the commercialization of their research to promote the role of universities in innovation and job creation. A major barrier to this movement is that traditional Ph.D. training does not prepare researchers to participate in entrepreneurial activity, and as such its relevance to scientific work may not be evident. In this paper, we propose a course model for science and technology entrepreneurship education that has been designed to enable academic researchers to play a more active and informed role in the commercialization of their discovery. Its curricular foundation is a set of 14 factors that address the following four priorities: (1) technology readiness and timing, (2) intellectual property pathway decisions, (3) engagement with the entrepreneurial ecosystem, and (4) personal career choices. We describe the rationale for the course, its content and outcomes.
Sex-related outcomes after open type IV thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm repair

Abstract Objective Although outcomes after infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm surgery are worse in women, sex-specific differences in outcomes after open type IV thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA) surgery are undefined. The goal of this study was to define sex-based disparities in short- and long-term outcomes after open type IV TAAA surgery. Methods All open type IV TAAA repairs performed during 27 years were evaluated using a single institutional database. Charts were retrospectively evaluated for major adverse events (in-hospital death, other major in-hospital complication) and long-term complications (graft- and aortic-related events and death). Univariate analyses were performed using the Fisher’s exact test for categorical variables and Wilcoxon rank-sum testing for continuous variables. Logistic multivariable regression was used for the in-hospital end points death and major complication, and survival analyses were performed with Cox proportional hazards modeling and Kaplan-Meier techniques. Results During the 27-year study period, 234 patients had an open type IV TAAA repair; 85 were female and 149 were male. There were 26 (17.5%) men and 16 (18.8%) women who suffered a major in-hospital complication/death. There were eight (3.4%) in-hospital deaths, all occurring in men. Unadjusted survival at 5 years was 67.9% for women and 58.4% for men. Multivariable analyses revealed no sex-based difference in combined major in-hospital events and death (female: odds ratio [OR], 1.8; confidence interval [CI], 0.83-4.0; P = .13) or any complication (OR, 1.0; CI, 0.55-1.8; P = .99). However, women were less likely than men to be discharged to home (OR, 0.28; CI, 0.13-0.60; P = .001) and had decreased survival compared with men after discharge (hazard ratio, 2.1; CI, 1.2-3.5; P = .008). Conclusions No sex-based differences were found for the in-hospital outcomes of death or major complication after open type IV TAAA repair. However, women are less likely than men to be discharged home. Among those who survive the index operation, female sex portends decreased survival following discharge after repair.
Efficient Tensor Decomposition

This chapter studies the problem of decomposing a tensor into a sum of constituent rank one tensors. While tensor decompositions are very useful in designing learning algorithms and data analysis, they are NP-hard in the worst-case. We will see how to design efficient algorithms with provable guarantees under mild assumptions, and using beyond worst-case frameworks like smoothed analysis.
Adolescents and Parents’ Perspectives of a Modified Protein-Sparing Modified Fast (PSMF) for Adolescents with Severe Obesity

Purpose: Among U.S. adolescents, ages 12 to 19, 1 in 5 have obesity, and 1 in 11 have severe obesity. Unfortunately, youth with severe obesity respond poorly to current conventional lifestyle interventions when compared to their overweight and obese peers, and have limited access to bariatric surgery. One alternative treatment is the protein-sparing modified fast (PSMF), a low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet shown to result in substantial and potentially sustainable weight loss. However, this treatment option is not yet offered regularly to adolescents with severe obesity. The purpose of this study was …
A randomized comparison of 4 vs. 16 weeks of psychosocial treatment for stimulant users.

Abstract Controlled studies provide little empirical evidence to inform clinical recommendations for the optimal duration (i.e., “dosage”) of psychosocial treatment for substance use disorders (SUDs). The current study prospectively examined the relationships among treatment dosage, participant adherence to the treatment regimen, and treatment outcomes in a population of adults with stimulant use disorder (cocaine and/or methamphetamine). The study randomly assigned eighty-five participants to receive either 4 weeks or 16 weeks of standardized outpatient treatment. The treatment consisted of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and content covered was identical for each condition; only the planned duration of participation differed. Although both groups reduced stimulant use over time, participants in the 16-week condition were significantly more likely than those in the 4-week condition to provide stimulantnegative urine specimens 26 and 52 weeks following randomization. Participant adherence to treatment correlated significantly with drug-use outcomes: we observed a greater likelihood of stimulant-negative urine tests among those who completed treatment, irrespective of group assignment. Both the number of sessions attended and the percentage of prescribed sessions attended were associated with reductions in stimulant-use frequency 26 and 52 weeks after admission.
Rupture and rupture repair in clinical supervision: some thoughts and steps along the way

Ruptures have long been an issue of concern in the supervision literature: They have the potential to compromise, if not derail and destroy, the entirety of the supervision relationship. Two basic ...
Venomous Snakes Reveal Ecological and Phylogenetic Factors Influencing Variation in Gut and Oral Microbiomes.

The gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of vertebrates contains a series of organs beginning with the mouth and ending with the anus or cloacal opening. Each organ represents a unique environment for resident microorganisms. Due to their simple digestive anatomy, snakes are good models for studying microbiome variation along the GIT. Cloacal sampling captures the majority of the microbial diversity found in the GIT of snakes—yet little is known about the oral microbiota of snakes. Most research on the snake mouth and gut microbiota are limited to studies of a single species or captive-bred individuals. It therefore remains unclear how a host’s life history, diet, or evolutionary history correlate with differences in the microbial composition within the mouths and guts of wild snakes. We sampled the mouth and gut microbial communities from three species of Asian venomous snakes and utilized 16S rRNA microbial inventories to test if host phylogenetic and ecological differences correlate with distinct microbial compositions within the two body sites. These species occupy three disparate habitat types: marine, semi-arboreal, and arboreal, our results suggest that the diversity of snake mouth and gut microbial communities correlate with differences in both host ecology and phylogeny.
Investigating transmission dynamics of influenza in a public indoor venue: An agent-based modeling approach

Abstract Despite much effort, influenza continues to be one of the major public health concerns. To understand its transmission dynamics, extensive epidemiological models have been developed in various spatial contexts, from small-scale community to larger-scale area such as city and country. However, there is a significant lack of rigorous models designated for characterizing specific transmission patterns in fine-scale spatial contexts, particularly, in public indoor venues such as shopping malls, airports, and grocery stores. In fact, the transmissions in such settings could be very critical as the infected individuals can quickly spread the disease area wide. In modeling the transmission dynamics in public venues, one of the biggest challenges is to appropriately capture the “random” contacts occurred between individuals within a dynamic and highly mobile population. Focusing on the public indoor environment, this study conceptualized an agent-based modeling framework for investigating human-to-human transmissions via an explicitly represented contact network. By applying this framework, a computer simulation model was developed to mimic how the influenza can be transmitted in a real shopping mall in the U.S. The impacts of three contributing factors – timing, number and role (shopper or mall employee) of the introductory cases – was examined under different hypothetical disease scenarios using computer experiments. Furthermore, the effectiveness of employee-targeted vaccination and public social distancing strategies were evaluated with different vaccine efficacies and mall hour reductions, respectively. Our findings are valuable for local health authorities to take actions as they prepare and control the seasonal flu as well as the potential epidemics.
Clinical and Pathologic Spectrum of DDX41-Mutated Hematolymphoid Neoplasms.

Objectives This study seeks to further characterize the clinicopathologic spectrum of DDX41-mutated hematolymphoid malignancies. Methods We identified DDX41 mutations from a cohort of known or suspected hematologic disorders and reviewed the corresponding clinical, genetic, phenotypic, and morphologic findings. Results DDX41 mutations were identified in 20 (1.4%) of 1,371 cases, including 8 cases of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), 5 cases of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), 2 cases of therapy-related MDS/AML, 1 case of primary myelofibrosis, 1 case of chronic myeloid leukemia, 1 case of clonal cytopenia of uncertain significance (CCUS), 1 case of T-cell large granular lymphocytic leukemia (T-LGL), and 1 case of multiple myeloma. DDX41-mutated neoplasms were morphologically heterogeneous with a median cellularity of 20% (range, 10%-100%). Megakaryocyte dysplasia occurred in 7 (35%) of 20 cases and trilineage dysplasia in 1 (5%). Frequently comutated genes include a second, somatic DDX41 mutation (8/19, 42%) followed by mutations in TET2 (20%), DNMT3A (20%), ASXL1 (20%), and CUX1 (20%). Karyotypes were noncomplex in 17 (89%) of 19. Conclusions This report extends the spectrum of DDX41-mutated disorders to include CCUS, T-LGL, and plasma cell disorders. The morphologic features are heterogeneous and nonspecific, highlighting the importance of DDX41 testing during routine workup of hematolymphoid neoplasms.
A comparison of child abuse and neglect encounters before and after school closings due to SARS-Cov-2

Abstract Background Risk factors for child abuse and neglect and commonly used reporting mechanisms were highly affected by SARS-Cov-2 pandemic; yet, little is known about the effects of SARS-Cov-2 on rates of child abuse and neglect. Objective To compare overall rates, demographics, types of abuse and acuity of child abuse and neglect encounters seen at one university health system for the 6 months before and after school closings due to the SARS-Cov-2 pandemic. Participants and setting Data was extracted from a database of billed ICD10 codes for child abuse and neglect including sexual abuse codes. There were 579 encounters for patients Methods In addition to ICD10 code and pre/post school closing, each encounter was identified to be inpatient, outpatient and/or emergency department. Demographic data such as age, gender, ethnicity, and race were extracted. Incident rate ratios in addition to descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U test, two-sample t-test, or the chi-square test of association were used in the analysis. Results No significant differences were identified for total rates of child abuse and neglect encounters (p = .08), physical abuse (p = .91) nor child maltreatment (p = .86) codes or in the age (p = .46), gender (p = .58), and race/ethnicity (p = .15) of patient encounters pre- versus post-school closings. The sexual abuse incidence and inpatient encounters increased by 85% (IRR = 1.85, p Conclusions Our findings provide a unique contribution to the existing literature in that we identified a significant increase in the incidence of sexual abuse and higher patient acuity as evidenced by higher rates of inpatient encounters after school closing due to SARS-Cov-2.
Understanding Latin America's Educational Orientations: Evidence from 14 Nations

Latin American countries have evolved over the years. Still, after years of military reign, socioeconomic-instability, and civil wars, the region has been known for its anti-hegemonic economic growth (educational-policies) strategies. Central and South America's educational system has long been under investigation by researchers both theoretically and empirically. The transition of its education system through the introduction of centralized, liberalized, and populist ideology has sparked many researchers' interest. This paper aims to understand and compare 14 Latin American countries' education orientation. The study uses a matrix table to visualize the qualitative finding.
XGBoost and Deep Neural Network Comparison: The Case of Teams’ Performance

In the educational setting, working in teams is considered an essential collaborative activity where various biases exist that influence the prediction of teams performance. To tackle this issue, machine learning algorithms can be properly explored and utilized. In this context, the main objective of the current paper is to explore the ability of the eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) algorithm and a Deep Neural Network (DNN) with 4 hidden layers to make predictions about the teams’ performance. The major finding of the current paper is that shallow machine learning performed better learning and prediction results than the DNN. Specifically, the XGBoost learning accuracy was found to be 100% during teams learning and production phase, while its prediction accuracy was found to be 95.60% and 93.08%, respectively for the same phases. Similarly, the learning accuracy of the DNN was found to be 89.26% and 81.23%, while its prediction accuracy was found to be 80.50% and 77.36%, during the two phases.
Mass and Heat Transfer: Analysis of Mass Contactors and Heat Exchangers

This text allows instructors to teach a course on heat and mass transfer that will equip students with the pragmatic, applied skills required by the modern chemical industry. This new approach is a combined presentation of heat and mass transfer, maintaining mathematical rigor while keeping mathematical analysis to a minimum. This allows students to develop a strong conceptual understanding, and teaches them how to become proficient in engineering analysis of mass contactors and heat exchangers and the transport theory used as a basis for determining how critical coefficients depend upon physical properties and fluid motions. Students will first study the engineering analysis and design of equipment important in experiments and for the processing of material at the commercial scale. The second part of the book presents the fundamentals of transport phenomena relevant to these applications. A complete teaching package includes a comprehensive instructor's guide, exercises, case studies, and project assignments.
Role of Type I IFNs in Pulmonary Complications of Pneumocystis murina Infection

Despite the advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy, pulmonary complications in AIDS are a common clinical problem. Pneumocystis jiroveci infection causes a life-threatening pneumonia, especially in individuals with CD4 T cell deficiencies as occurs in AIDS. Although Pneumocystis sp. is an extracellular fungal pathogen, CD8 T cells are the predominant lymphocyte recruited to the lung in CD4-deficient humans and mice during Pneumocystis pneumonia, and we have found that these CD8 T cells are responsible for subsequent lung damage in CD4 T cell-depleted mice. Comparing CD4 T cell-depleted IFN-α receptor knockout (KO) mice to wild-type mice, we found that this CD8 T cell recruitment and lung damage is type I IFN (IFN-αβ) dependent. However, in both CD4 competent, wild-type and IFN-α receptor (IFNAR) KO mice, Pneumocystis infection leads to an eosinophilic granulocyte influx with bronchial epithelial changes as seen in asthma. This response is delayed in IFNAR KO mice, as is pathogen clearance. Although the inflammation is transient in wild-type animals and resolves upon Pneumocystis clearance, it is more severe and persists through day 35 postinfection in IFNAR KO mice, leading to fibrosis. In addition, IFNAR KO, but not wild-type, mice mount a Pneumocystis- specific IgE response, an indicator of allergic sensitization. Thus, in the absence of IFNAR signaling and CD4 T cells, Pneumocystis -mediated lung damage does not occur, whereas in CD4-competent animals, the absence of IFNAR signaling results in an exacerbated Th2 response, asthma-like symptoms, and fibrosis. Therefore, both CD4 T cell- and type I IFN-mediated mechanisms can determine pulmonary complications from Pneumocystis infection.
Influence of Reinforcement Content on Tensile Response and Fracture Behavior of an Aluminum Alloy Metal Matrix Composite

In this paper, the results of a study that examined the intrinsic influence of ceramic particulate reinforcements on tensile deformation and fracture behavior of aluminum alloy 2014 is presented and discussed. The candidate aluminum alloy was reinforced with two volume fractions of the alumina (Al2O3) particulates. Influence of particulate reinforcement on microstructural development is highlighted. Samples of the aluminum alloy-based metal matrix composite were deformed in uniaxial tension. The influence of nature of loading and intrinsic microstructural effects on stress versus strain response, mechanical properties, deformation and final fracture behavior are neatly elaborated and discussed in light of intrinsic microstructural effects, deformation characteristics of the microstructural constituents and nature of loading.
Zn0.9Co0.1O-based diluted magnetic semiconducting thin films

Here we report a systematic study of structural, optical, and magnetic measurements on epitaxial Zn0.9Co0.1O films grown on c-plane sapphire single crystal, at various temperatures (500–650°C), using pulsed-laser deposition. The main emphasis in this work has been on the correlation of microstructure with properties, specifically with magnetic properties and the fate of cobalt ions into substitutional sites versus precipitates. The reasons for room-temperature ferromagnetism are explored, and convincingly proved to be one of the inherent properties of the material. Most importantly, the presence of nanoclusters of any magnetic phase was ruled out. This was determined by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, coupled with electron energy loss spectroscopy and STEM-Z (scanning transmission electron microscopy-atomic number) contrast studies.
True Stories of An Imaginary Number

An Imaginary Tale The Story of ÷-1. Paul J. Nahin. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, 1998. 277 pp. $24.95, £18.95. ISBN 0-691-02795-1. Nahin provides an outstanding integration of the history of imaginary numbers and a lot of interesting mathematics, much of which will be new to college mathematics majors or to professional scientists and engineers.
Management options for reducing CO2 emissions from agricultural soils

Crop-based agriculture occupies 1.7 billion hectares, globally, with a soil C stock of about 170 Pg. Of the past anthropogenic CO2 additions to the atmosphere, about 50 Pg C came from the loss of soil organic matter (SOM) in cultivated soils. Improved management practices, however, can rebuild C stocks in agricultural soils and help mitigate CO2 emissions.
Arrhythmia associated with buprenorphine and methadone reported to the Food and Drug Administration

Aim To assess the relative frequency of reporting of adverse events involving ventricular arrhythmia, cardiac arrest, QTc prolongation, or torsade de pointes to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) between buprenorphine and methadone.