cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Selection procedure and responses to affirmative action

Although it has been recognized that a large number of issues linked to the social policy of affirmative action are of a social psychological nature, research investigating such issues has not considered the social psychological importance of implementation procedures. Social policy analysts have differentiated implementation procedures on the degree to which they include relevant achievement criteria. In the present research this differentiation is couched within the theoretical framework of procedural justice and is utilized to critique the work of Austin et al. (1977). These researchers investigated the responses of individuals favorably treated in an affirmative action like situation and conclude that affirmative action is evaluated as “absolutely” unfair by these individuals. Based on the critique, a 2 (qualifications)×2 (history of discrimination)×2 (procedure) role play experiment was conducted. The results of the experiment unambiguously support the hypothesis that implementation procedure will greatly affect a variety of individual responses such as general affect, evaluations of procedural fairness, evaluations of outcome fairness, and evaluations of a relevant subunit of the involved institution.
Le travail non rémunéré: le débat n'est pas clos

Le debat sur la mesure du travail non remunere - donc sur la sous-estimation du travail des femmes dans les statistiques sur la main-d'oeuvre et les comptes nationaux - ne date pas d'hier. L'A. presente brievement les grandes questions theoriques et pratiques debattues au cours des vingt dernieres annees. Elle fait le point sur les progres realises en matiere conceptuelle, theorique et methodologique, de meme qu'elle signale les problemes nouveaux. Elle repond egalement a trois formes de critiques recurrentes selon lesquelles : cet effort de mesure n'a guere d'utilite pratique, le travail non remunere est qualitativement different du travail marchand et ne doit pas etre traite de la meme maniere, cette mesure conduit a une impasse theorique
Use of Colored Petri Nets to Model, Analyze, and Evaluate Service Composition and Orchestration

The Concurrency, communications, resource constraints, and quality of service attributes are distinguishing features of web services. Assessment and determination of impact of the nonfunctional aspects such as service granularity, governance, composition, and orchestration is an overarching concern and this exercise should be carried out at the architecture design stage rather than post implementation and deployment. In this paper we illustrate, by means of a simple example, the use of Colored Petri Nets (CPNs) to model service composition and orchestration. We use the associated software tool called CPN Tools to perform the analysis. The results can be used in many ways such as to determine design alternative or to check conformance with existing service level agreements, etc. Colored Petri Nets, being a graphical modeling language suitable for modeling distributed, concurrent, deterministic and nondeterministic systems with synchronous and asynchronous communications, offer a natural choice for this endeavor. Although the example is given in the context of web services, CPNs view of interaction and coordination of systems is
Oligarchy or Elite Democracy? Aristotle and Modern Representative Government

Theories of elite democracy claim to show how representative institutions can govern in the common interest and maintain the confidence of the citizenry. Critics have brought attention to the problem of inequality in representative systems, but usually in terms of a participatory concept of democracy. Instead, this article turns to Aristotle to evaluate representative government in terms of moderation and stability that should be favorable to the claims of elite democracy. Even allowing for a moderate degree of inequality, representative government should be considered a form of oligarchy. From this perspective, a wide range of audiences (not just participatory democrats) can recognize a crisis of political inequality and the need for participatory reforms.
Birth Control Experience Among Pregnant Adolescents: The Process of Unplanned Parenthood

This paper questions the common assumption that premarital pregnancy is specially motivated. Instead, it contends that pregnancy is usually the unanticipated outcome of sexual activity. If this is so, it becomes important to investigate why birth control is not used more often to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Results of research on a sample of 337 unmarried black teen-agers indicates that experience with birth control was strongly related to the way sex was viewed by their mothers. Moreover, the influence of the family appears to be conditional on the nature of the male-female relationship: contraceptives were most often used by couples who maintained an ongoing relationship. It appears that only in such relationships is it possible for a girl to benefit from her mother's instructions and exert influence on her sexual partner.
Partially Filled Viscous Ring Nutation Damper

The problem of a spinning satellite with a partially filled viscous ring nutation damper is investigated. It is shown that there are two distinct modes of motion, previously named the nutation synchronous mode and the spin synchronous mode. An approximate solution for the nutation angle time history is obtained and time constants for the two modes are given as a function of suitable dimensionless parameters. Comparison is then made with the exact solution obtained by numerical integration of the exact equations of motion. From a consideration of the fluid dynamics several methods are developed for determining the damping constant.
CHARGE RECOMBINATION IN DYE-SENSITIZED NANOCRYSTALLINE TIO2 SOLAR CELLS

Charge recombination between dye-sensitized nanocrystalline TiO2 electrodes and the I3-/I- couple in nonaqueous solution is described. The sensitizer was [RuL2(NCS)2] (L = 2,2‘-bipyridyl-4,4‘-dicarboxylic acid). An apparent inequality between the dark current and the recombination current is ascribed to a voltage shift caused by a potential drop at the SnO2/TiO2 interface, ohmic losses in the SnO2 and TiO2, and an overpotential for the redox reaction at the Pt counter electrode. Treating the dye-coated TiO2 electrodes with pyridine derivatives (4-tert-butylpyridine, 2-vinylpyridine, or poly(2-vinylpyridine)) improves significantly both the open-circuit photovoltage Voc (from 0.57 to 0.73 V) and the cell conversion efficiency (from 5.8 to 7.5%) at a radiant power of 100 mW/cm2 (AM 1.5) with respect to the untreated electrode. An analytical expression relating Voc to the interfacial recombination kinetics is derived, and its limitations are discussed. Analysis of Voc vs radiant power data with this expressi...
VORPAL: a computational tool for the study of advanced accelerator concepts

VORPAL, a fully object-oriented, dimension-free plasma simulation code, now has matured and is being used to study advanced accelerator concepts, particularly Laser Wake Field Acceleration (LWFA). Both fluid and PIC models exist in the code and they can be used independently or in conjunction to perform hybrid simulations. VORPAL has a moving window and the ability to launch laser pulses from boundaries or initialize pulses in the plasma. VORPAL can accommodate a variety of different issues in LWFA, including chirped pulses, propagation of pulse in plasma channels, and optical injection of particle beams.
Path concentration profile reconstruction of optical remote sensing measurements using polynomial curve fitting procedures

Abstract Open path Fourier transform infrared (OP-FTIR) spectroscopy is one of several optical remote sensing (ORS) techniques that can identify and quantify many air pollutants. These instruments provide path-integrated measurements along the scanning beam path. There is a growing interest in gaining spatial resolution from ORS through innovative multiple-beam configurations and mathematical algorithms. In this study, we explored the use of a polynomial curve directly fitted to the path-integrated concentration (PIC) data for this application. The derivative of the fitted curve is the reconstructed density function of the underlying line concentration profile. We first validated this approach with a series of simulated Gaussian plumes. The PIC data were simulated by integrating the Gaussian functions over each beam path. We found that the piece-wise polynomial (cubic spline) algorithm performs better than the global polynomial algorithm. This approach was also applied to data collected previously in a ventilation chamber. Nitrous oxide was released from a point source as a tracer gas. A unistatic OP-FTIR collected the PIC data with 4 retroreflectors located along a one-dimensional domain for 15 min. For a wide plume, the concentration profile reconstructed from the OP-FTIR measurements fits well to the plume measured from 14 point samples collected simultaneously during the experiments (R2=0.83). For a narrow plume, the R2 value between the point samples and the reconstructed plume is 0.40, similar to the one calculated from applying 4 ray-traced PIC. From the ray-traced synthetic data, it was also found that an additional PIC could improve the fitted R2 value significantly to above 0.7.
Measurement of the Complete Oxidation Kinetics of QA-in Spinach Leaves Using Flash Fluorescence

Measurements of oxygen evolution from normally functioning photosystem II (PSII) complexes have determined that PSII complexes turn over every few ms under steady-state illlumination conditions. Evidence has arisen, however, that an inactive fraction of photosystem II exists which does not donate electrons into the intersystem plastoquinone pool (1,2,3,4). Both in intact leaves (5) and thylakoid membranes (6) of spinach (spinacea oleracea), it has recently been demonstrated that approximately one-third of photosystem II (PSII) reaction centers turn over at rates 1000 fold slower than active PSII complexes. Inactive PSII centers display a half time recovery of approximately 2 s at room temperature and require 100s to recovery fully. The slow turnover rate appears to be the consequence of an impaired oxidation of the primary quinone acceptor, QA − (5,6).
Operating Performance and the Method of Payment in Takeovers

This study investigates the relation between the method of payment in acquisitions, earnings management, and operating performance for a large sample of firms that conducted acquisitions between 1985 and 1997. Prior to their acquisitions, acquirers exhibit levels of operating performance that exceed that of their respective industry peers. We find no evidence that acquirers manage their earnings prior to acquisitions, despite the possible incentives of managers who plan stock-based acquisitions to temporarily inflate their stock's purchasing power. Subsequent to acquisitions, acquirers continue to exhibit superior performance relative to their industry and experience significantly higher levels of operating performance than control firms with similar pre-event operating performance. Although the extant literature documents significant relations between the form of acquisition payment, announcement returns, and the post-acquisition excess return of acquirers, we find no evidence that the method of payment conveys information about the acquirer's future operating performance.
Toughening Mechanisms in Cemented Carbides

Plastic zones much larger than previously expected have been observed around cracks in several cemented carbide materials. A preliminary estimate of the crack tip shielding due to the plastic zone in one material suggests that a substantial fraction of the fracture toughness may be due to the zone. Moreover, reduced zone sizes were observed in regions of rapid crack growth, implying that the dynamic fracture toughness may be smaller than the quasi-static value.
Real-time Implementation and Validation of a New Hierarchical Path Planning Scheme of UAVs via Hardware-in-the-Loop Simulation

We present a real-time hardware-in-the-loop simulation environment for the validation of a new hierarchical path planning and control algorithm for a small fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The complete control algorithm is validated through on-board, real-time implementation on a small autopilot having limited computational resources. We present two distinct real-time software frameworks for implementing the overall control architecture, including path planning, path smoothing, and path following. We emphasize, in particular, the use of a real-time kernel, which is shown to be an effective and robust way to accomplish real-time operation of small UAVs under non-trivial scenarios. By seamless integration of the whole control hierarchy using the real-time kernel, we demonstrate the soundness of the approach. The UAV equipped with a small autopilot, despite its limited computational resources, manages to accomplish sophisticated unsupervised navigation to the target, while autonomously avoiding obstacles.
CT-guided percutaneous lung biopsy: comparison of conventional CT fluoroscopy to CT fluoroscopy with electromagnetic navigation system in 60 consecutive patients.

Abstract Purpose To determine if use of an electromagnetic navigation system (EMN) decreases radiation dose and procedure time of CT fluoroscopy guided lung biopsy in lesions smaller than 2.5 cm. Materials/methods 86 consecutive patients with small lung masses ( Results Average fluoroscopy time using CTF was 28.2 s compared to 35.0 s for EMN (p = 0.1). Average radiation dose was 117 mGy using CTF and 123 mGy for EMN (p = 0.7). Average number of needle repositions was 3.7 for CTF and 4.4 for EMN (p = 0.4). Average procedure time was 15 min for CTF and 20 min for EMN (p = 0.01). There were 7 pneumothoracesin the CTF group and 6 pneumothoraces in the EMN group (p = 0.7). One pneumothorax in the CTF group and 3 pneumothoraces in the EMN group required chest tube placement (p = 0.1). One pneumothorax patient in each group required hospital admission. Diagnostic specimens were obtained in 31/34 patients in the CTF group and 22/26 patients in the EMN group (p = 0.4). Conclusions EMN was not statistically different than CTF for fluoroscopy time, radiation dose, number of needle repositions, incidence of pneumothorax, need for chest tube, or diagnostic yield. Procedure time was increased with EMN.
Working Beyond the Reach or Grasp of Employment Law

This chapter surveys how low-wage workers fall beyond the reach or grasp of employment law protections. Labor and employment law regulates only specific work arrangements; it does not apply to all firms and all workers. Among those within this reach, many nonetheless slip through the law's grasp because of imperfect enforcement. I provide a framework uniting what often have been distinct inquiries into the challenges to employment law coverage posed by new ways of structuring labor and the limitations of employment law enforcement. Because employers benefit whenever worker protections do not stick, exploiting limitations in coverage or enforcement may be alternative strategies. Moreover, they interact in important ways. Attention to these limits shows employment law to be a partial method of regulating work. This partiality is being challenged by new legal strategies. Some seek to extend the reach or strengthen the grasp of existing employment law. Others rely less heavily on employer-employee relationships as the foundation of worker protection, turning instead to consumers or the citizenry at large. I argue that these innovations reinforce the idea that employment law is but one institutional approach to worker protection. They also invite critical reflection on and imagination of reform possibilities that share employment law's substantive goals but not its traditional means. Navigating this field of institutional design will require greater clarity about employment law's normative foundations, especially with regard to which workers should receive support or protection, and from whom.
‘We Do Not Play’: Toward Pragmatic Black Voting Theory

Voting theory, as it stands, is not in a position to adequately assess black political participation and thus not able to make ethical statements about Blacks voting in American Democracy. This study aims to reconcile voting theory with black political participation and blacks response to systemic and structural barriers to voting. There is an implicit axiom held in voting theory that voting is a unilinear function of democracy. Viewing democracy as a social construction, however, I argue that without historical foundations it is not possible to sufficiently understand voting simply theoretically or philosophically because of the polarized experiences of Blacks in the voting system – proving that voting can not be viewed unililearly.
The 2012 Elections in Sierra Leone: Manipulated or Free and Fair?

The acceptability of election outcomes in Africa is increasingly being measured by pronouncements made by international observers, particularly those from western nations. Some scholars have accused some observers of knowingly endorsing unfair elections as credible. Winners of such elections incessantly invoke statements of international observers to defend the legitimacy of their victory while losers contest the results as being anything but free and fair. Such is becoming a recurring theme in elections in Africa and Sierra Leone is no exception. This paper argues that the declaration of the 2012 elections in Sierra Leone by elections observers as free and fair was misleading and does not reflect the realities that obtained in the country. The paper further argues that the international observers did not have the capacity in Sierra Leone to make such a declaration. The paper concludes that to further enhance the credibility of the pronouncement of election observers and election results, auditing of results should be considered as part of election observation.
Southwest climate gap: poverty and environmental justice in the US Southwest

ABSTRACTThis article examines the “climate gap” in the Southwest US (Arizona and New Mexico), referring to the “disproportionate and unequal implications of climate change and climate change mitigation” for “people of color and the poor” [Shonkoff, S.B., et al., 2011. The climate gap: environmental health and equity implications of climate change mitigation policies in California. Climatic Change, 109 (Suppl. 1), S485–S503]. The climate and poverty relationship is examined using multi-scaled analysis across three indicators of climate vulnerability, focusing on connections to health, food, and energy during the period 2010–2012. We provide an overview of climate-related social vulnerability in the Southwest based on available federal, state, and county-level census data. We then summarise the results from a stakeholder workshop and in-depth interviews about climate vulnerabilities with social service providers in southern Arizona. We identify a significant Southwest climate gap based on census data and in...
Jointly Modeling Inter-Slot Relations by Random Walk on Knowledge Graphs for Unsupervised Spoken Language Understanding

A key challenge of designing coherent semantic ontology for spoken language understanding is to consider inter-slot relations. In practice, however, it is difficult for domain experts and professional annotators to define a coherent slot set, while considering various lexical, syntactic, and semantic dependencies. In this paper, we exploit the typed syntactic dependency theory for unsupervised induction and filling of semantics slots in spoken dialogue systems. More specifically, we build two knowledge graphs: a slot-based semantic graph, and a word-based lexical graph. To jointly consider word-to-word, word-toslot, and slot-to-slot relations, we use a random walk inference algorithm to combine the two knowledge graphs, guided by dependency grammars. The experiments show that considering inter-slot relations is crucial for generating a more coherent and compete slot set, resulting in a better spoken language understanding model, while enhancing the interpretability of semantic slots.
Why Do We Need to Protect Institutional Diversity

In past decades, scholars have tended to recommend ‘optimal’ solutions for coping with common-pool resources. Examples exist of both successful and unsuccessful efforts to establish government property, private property, or community property. The absence of any property rights – open access – related to valuable resources is associated with overuse. The resource institutions that research has documented as working well in the field differ substantially in their detailed design but can usually be characterised as adaptive, multilevel governance systems related to complex, evolving resource systems. We need to overcome the tendency to recommend panaceas and encourage, instead, considerable experimentation at multiple levels to reduce the threats of massive collapses of valuable resources.
Human Rights: Not Merely an Internal Affair

Many of my ideas about society’s obligation to protect the basic human rights of its citizens crystallized in 1966, when I came face to face with unspeakable poverty during a trip to northwestern China.2 I had joined the Red Guard in early 1966, the first year of the Cultural Revolution. Following Mao’s orders, the Red Guard traveled about the countryside, “exchanging revolutionary experiences” with Communist Parry cadres and “lighting revolutionary fires.” But once our initial enthusiasm had worn off a bit, we began to have doubts: If the people who held the power and were the objects of these rebellions were all bad, then, we reasoned, the entire nation and party must have gone bad! None of this was easy for a sixteen-year-old like myself to figure out. I felt that the only way to interpret this complex and contradictory situation accurately was to gain more practical information, so my friends and I boarded a train heading for the Northwest.
Extrarenal rhabdoid tumor of the brachial plexus in a five-year-old female: A case report and review of the literature

Abstract Rhabdoid tumor is a rare, aggressive, and highly fatal disease that typically presents in the kidneys of children. Extrarenal rhabdoid tumor has been identified in various tissue types throughout the body, most commonly in the brain, but despite its wide phenotypic diversity nearly all rhabdoid tumors share the same genotypic origin. We present a case of rhabdoid tumor of the brachial plexus, the second such case to be reported, and a brief review of the literature. Our patient is a five-year-old female who presented with sensorimotor symptoms of her arm. Her initial imaging suggested a possible malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor. She underwent surgical decompression via an infraclavicular approach; complete resection was not possible. The pathology was consistent with extrarenal rhabdoid tumor. She is being treated with alternating cycles of chemotherapy consisting of ICE and VDC.
Appellant's Brief in Rubin v. Old York Department of Social Services

This is the brief submitted by the Appellant for the case of Rubin vs. Old York DSS, a mock case which forms the basis for discussion in my forthcoming article The Plot Thickens: The Appellate Brief as Story. The article describes the process of writing this brief, and includes excerpts from this document. This document contains the entire brief so the reader of the article can follow the author's thought processes as she constructs her brief using narrative theory. The record of this case is also available on SSRN.
Reward, salience, and attentional networks are activated by religious experience in devout Mormons.

ABSTRACTHigh-level cognitive and emotional experience arises from brain activity, but the specific brain substrates for religious and spiritual euphoria remain unclear. We demonstrate using functional magnetic resonance imaging scans in 19 devout Mormons that a recognizable feeling central to their devotional practice was reproducibly associated with activation in nucleus accumbens, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, and frontal attentional regions. Nucleus accumbens activation preceded peak spiritual feelings by 1–3 s and was replicated in four separate tasks. Attentional activation in the anterior cingulate and frontal eye fields was greater in the right hemisphere. The association of abstract ideas and brain reward circuitry may interact with frontal attentional and emotive salience processing, suggesting a mechanism whereby doctrinal concepts may come to be intrinsically rewarding and motivate behavior in religious individuals.
Invasion and stabilization of recent beaches by salt grass ( Distichilis spicata ) at Mono Lake, Mono County, California

Invasion of plant species onto recently exposed beaches of Mono Lake, California, was documented. Three vegetation zones were evident on these beaches. The first was formed entirely of annual species. The second was composed of annuals mixed with salt grass, and the third was formed entirely of salt grass. Stabilization of these beaches was accomplished by the aggressive growth of salt grass rhizomes.
The impact of helmet use on outcomes after a motorcycle crash.

Abstract Background Helmet use in a motorcycle collision has been shown to reduce head injury and death. Its protective effect on the cervical spine (C-spine), however, remains unclear. The objective of this study was to explore the relationship between helmet use and C-spine injuries. Method Retrospective National Trauma Data Bank (NTDB) study. All motorcycle collisions between 2007 and 2014 involving either a driver or passenger were included. Data collected included demographics, vital signs, Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS), Injury Severity Score (ISS) and specific injuries. The primary outcome was the prevalence of C-spine injuries. Secondary outcomes included were overall mortality, ventilation days, intensive care unit length of stay (LOS), total hospital LOS, and in-hospital complications. Results A total of 270,525 patients were included. Helmets were worn by 57.6% of motorcyclists. The non-helmeted group was found to have a higher incidence of head injury with head AIS > 2 (27.6% vs 14.8%, p 2 (3.2% vs 2.6%, p Conclusions Helmet use reduces the risk of head injury and death among motorcyclists; however, no association with C-spine injuries could be detected.
Requirements of amount of carbon nanotubes for damage detection in large polymer composite structures

Abstract Due to their very high electrical conductivity, the addition of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into polymers such as epoxies makes these materials conductive. This conductivity has been utilized to provide damage sensing in composite structures. Usually, the amount of CNTs needs to be more than the percolation threshold to assure electrical conductivity. The percolation threshold is usually determined using small samples. For large samples, the amount of CNTs needs to be higher to take into account some non-uniformity of the dispersion. More CNTs would provide better conductivity. One normally expects that more CNTs would also provide better damage detection. However, it was found that this is not the case. Certainly, the amount of CNTs needs to be more than a certain lower limit to assure conductivity throughout the large structures. Once this condition is met, adding more CNTs would reduce the sensitivity for damage detection. The sensitivity of damage detection can be measured by the change in electrical resistance (due to the occurrence of damage) between grid points that are attached on the surface of the composite structure. Higher sensitivity in damage detection would enable coarse grids (larger distance between grid points). Coarse grid points would mean lower number of grid points, less space, less wiring and less weight. This paper describes this phenomenon in detail. It provides models that simulate the conductivity configurations. It also introduces a new term call “Aggregately Conductive Materials” to distinguish the particular conductive characteristics of materials that are made conductive by the addition of nano-particles.
The Intergenerational Effects Of Trauma: Integrating Narrative And Neuroscience To Understand Adversity And Resilience

Background The evidence for vulnerability and resilience as responses to traumatic events points to a range of long-term effects following trauma. The factors that modify the adaptation to trauma include the environment and prior experience. This study compares recent work in the field of neuroscience, particularly the application of epigenetic methods to trauma studies, with findings related to the transformative power of trauma narratives. Methods The Transcending Trauma Project has collected and analyzed 300 in-depth narratives of Holocaust survivors and their family members. Our approach points to the influence of narratives shared about the memories of trauma on shaping the worldview of those who listen. The Transcending Trauma Project team has focused on the comprehensive study of coping and adaptation after extreme trauma through the expansion of current paradigms by applying the principles of qualitative research to the study of a large sample consisting of family units comprised of intergenerational members of the same family. The challenge we faced included devising methods for the management of a large data set and methods for assessing qualitative narrative material on the individual and family system levels. Our observations are compatible with recent epigenetic modifications that have been shown to correlate with the intergenerational transmission of posttraumatic stress disorder risk. Results When a particular attribute of a survivor parent is emotionally compelling, this attribute can become an organizing value system in the identity of the child. We have framed the process as the communication of transformative narratives. Integrating epigenetics into a model that probes the mechanisms through which the meaning of prior experience is expressed and transmitted is consistent with the approach we have used to trace the impact of pivotal narratives. Discussion Through this analysis, we underline the importance of a developmental view that evaluates the complex biological and psychological processes that contain both the elements of positive adaptation and negative consequences as they are experienced by trauma survivors and their offspring
Philosophy and the State in Africa

My concern in this chapter is primarily with the problem of African statehood, with the issue of the state in Africa. My discussion begins by examining the differences that may be said to hold between some related concepts—concepts such as those between “country” and “state,” “nation” and “nation-state.” My discussion of these concepts serves as grounding for the salient philosophical point that I make, namely, that the criticism often leveled against African states as “failed states” is one that is meaningful only by reference to some goal or end. A crucial part of my discussion is the distinction that I make between the nature of political morality and common morality, on the one hand, and the person and citizen, on the other hand—distinctions that, I believe, further my larger aim of making sense of the current understandings of statehood in Africa.
Military Sexual Trauma: Violence and Sexual Abuse

Military sexual trauma includes sexual assault and sexual harassment in military settings by intimate partners and active duty personnel. Such violence triggers a syndrome of episodic, clustered, psychological and physiological symptoms that may be fatal. Despite its pervasiveness, many clinicians fail to recognize as many as 95% of cases among veterans and active duty personnel. Many victims receive inadequate medical treatment or education. They face a decreased quality of life, high morbidity and mortality rates, and economic losses. Their children may also be at risk for abuse. In many settings, clinicians may not realize the high prevalence of this military sexual abuse among veterans and active duty personnel. Clinicians should understand the clinical manifestations, to detect abuse early, to treat it appropriately, and to minimize sequelae.
SUV QUANTIFICATION OF 99MTC-PYP IMAGING IN TTR-CARDIAC AMYLOIDOSIS USING A CZT CAMERA: A NEW TOOL IN THE ARMAMENTARIUM

Transthyretin (TTR) cardiac amyloidosis (CA) is an increasingly recognized cause of heart failure. Diagnosis of TTR-CA relies on visual and semi-quantitative interpretation of planar 99mTc-PYP imaging. However, new methods that directly quantify PYP uptake may improve risk stratification and/or
PD-1 immune checkpoint blockade promotes brain leukocyte infiltration and diminishes cyst burden in a mouse model of Toxoplasma infection.

Abstract Tissue cysts, the hallmark of chronic Toxoplasma gondii infection, are predominantly located in the brain making clearance of the parasite difficult. Currently available anti-T. gondii drugs are ineffective on cysts and fail to prevent reactivation of latent toxoplasmosis. We examined whether abrogation of inhibitory signaling pathways that maintain T cells in an exhausted state can be exploited for treating T. gondii tissue cysts. By using a mouse model of chronic toxoplasmosis, we showed immune checkpoint blockade directed against the programmed death-1 (PD-1) pathway results in a significant reduction in brain cyst number (77% lower). We showed leukocyte infiltration (CD3+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, and CD11b + cells) in the leptomeninges, choroid plexus, and subependymal tissue, which are known routes of entry of immune cells into the brain, and in proximal brain parenchyma. Our study provides proof of concept for blockade of immune checkpoint inhibitors as a therapy for chronic toxoplasmosis and potentially for other brain pathogens.
Valvular Heart Disease in Patients ≥80 Years of Age.

Abstract In the United States, the octogenarian population is projected to triple by 2050. With this aging population, the prevalence of valvular heart disease (VHD) is on the rise. The etiology, approach to treatment, and expected outcomes of VHD are different in the elderly compared with younger patients. Both stenotic and regurgitant lesions are associated with unfavorable outcomes if left untreated. Surgical mortality remains high due to multiple co-morbidities, and long-term survival benefit is dependent on many variables including valvular pathology. Quality of life is an important consideration in treatment decisions in this age group. Increasingly, octogenarian patients are receiving transcatheter therapies, with transcatheter aortic valve replacement having the greatest momentum. Numerous transcatheter devices for management of other valve lesions are currently in early clinical trials. This review will describe the epidemiology, etiology, diagnosis, and therapeutic options for VHD in the oldest old, with a focus on transcatheter technologies.
The Alternative Complement System Mediates Cell Death in Retinal Ischemia Reperfusion Injury

Ischemia reperfusion (IR) injury induces retinal cell death and contributes to visual impairment. Previous studies suggest that the complement cascade plays a key role in IR injury in several systemic diseases. However, the role of the complement pathway in the ischemic retina has not been investigated. The aim of this study is to determine if the alternative complement cascade plays a role in retinal IR injury, and identify which components of the pathway mediate retinal degeneration in response to IR injury. To accomplish this, we utilized the mouse model of retinal IR injury, wherein the intraocular pressure (IOP) is elevated for 45 min, collapsing the retinal blood vessels and inducing retinal ischemia, followed by IOP normalization and subsequent reperfusion. We found that mRNA expression of complement inhibitors complement receptor 1-related gene/protein-y (Crry), Cd55 and Cd59a was down-regulated after IR. Moreover, genetic deletion of complement component 3 (C3-/-) and complement factor b (Fb-/-) decreased IR-induced retinal apoptosis. Because vascular dysfunction is central to IR injury, we also assessed the role of complement in a model of shear stress. In human retinal endothelial cells (HRECs), shear stress up-regulated complement inhibitors Cd46, Cd55, and Cd59, and suppressed complement-mediated cell death, indicating that a lack of vascular flow, commonly observed in IR injury, allows for complement mediated attack of the retinal vasculature. These results suggested that in retinal IR injury, the alternative complement system is activated by suppression of complement inhibitors, leading to vascular dysfunction and neuronal cell death.
Developing Leadership Competencies for STEM Fields: The Case of Purdue Polytechnic Leadership Academy:

The ProblemEmployers view today’s science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) program graduates as deficient in interpersonal skills that are essential for team and organizational performance...
Endoscopic Papillary Large Balloon Dilation Versus Endoscopic Sphincterotomy for Treatment of Bile Duct Stones

To review the current literature focusing on the indications, efficacy, and safety of endoscopic papillary balloon dilation (EPBD) and endoscopic papillary large balloon dilation (EPLBD) with or without endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST) in the treatment of bile duct stones. • EPBD without EST is associated with a higher risk of post-procedural pancreatitis and lower rate of stone clearance than EST alone. • EPBD without EST should be at least 2 min in duration, and placement of a pancreatic stent and other measures to reduce pancreatitis risk should be considered. • EPBD without EST is most useful to reduce risk of bleeding in patients with coagulopathy. • EPLBD combined with EST can be used as an alternative or adjunct to mechanical lithotripsy in the removal of large or difficult bile duct stones. • EPLBD combined with EST results in fewer complications than EST alone for removal of bile duct stones.
Improving market performance in the digital economy

The digital economy has substantially reduced market frictions but also posed new challenges for the efficient functioning of markets. In particular, the drastic reductions in the costs of search, entry, transportation, and reproduction have profound implications for the role of platforms, the value of innovation, and the balance between firms' data needs and consumer privacy. I review some recent economic research that sheds light on these issues, and discuss how well-designed policies on competition, regulation, IP protection, and consumer privacy can improve market performance in the digital economy.
Analysis of inquirer in Shanghai Jing'an district AIDS voluntary counseling and testing

Objective To analyze the situation of inquirer in Shanghai Jing'an district AIDS voluntary coun-seling and testing(VCT). Methods Inquirer were serviced by trained counselors before and after HIV antibody tes-ring,each inquirer were asked to complete a "Advisory Cases Registration Form". Results Inquirer were male-domi-nated,accounting for 85.7%. And inquirer's age were mainly 25 ～ 34 years old, which accounting for 55.8%. The types of inquirer were mainly because of male non-married heterosexual sexual contact, female non-married heterosex-ual contact, male homosexual sexual sexual contact, which accounted for 77.4%, 11.8% and 3.7%, respectively. For the total of three categories accounted for 92.9%. Inquirer aged 25 ～ 34 years old in 2007 were more than 2006 ,and inquirer because of male non-married heterosexual sexual contact in 2007 were more than 2006. There were 2 infectors because of male homosexual sexual contact in 3 positive infectors who were screened in 2007. Conclusion VCT played more and more important role in AIDS prevention and control, and it should be further strengthened and ex-panded. Key words: AIDS; Voluntary counseling and testing
E-076 Outcomes of large vessel occlusion thrombectomy in patients with CT perfusion defined large core stroke

Introduction The benefit of endovascular thrombectomy (ET) is well established in patients with small anterior circulation infarctions and large penumbra. However, this benefit is not proven in patients with a baseline large core infarction. This subpopulation was excluded from major thrombectomy clinical trials. The purpose of this study was to report the outcome of patients with large baseline core based on CTP who underwent stroke thrombectomy at 4 large stroke centers. Methods Prospectively collected large vessel occlusion databases were queried to identify patients with large baseline infarct cores (CBF greater than 30% ≥ 50 mL; based on Computed Tomography Perfusion [CTP] processed by RAPID Software [iSchemaView]). All patients treated with thrombectomy were included in the study. Modified Rankin Scale (mRS) was used for evaluation of clinical outcomes at baseline and 90 days. Demographic information, baseline clinical data, radiological features (infarct core size, penumbra and collaterals) and follow-up were collected. Results A total of 75 patients were included in the study. Mean age was 65 ±14.9 years and 45.3% were male. Median infarct core was 75.5 mL (IQR 39) and median ASPECTS was 7 (range 3–10). Close to half (50.7%) of patients received IV tPa. Only 8.3% of patients had good collaterals. Mean time to groin puncture was 373±384 minutes and 88% of patients achieved TICI 2b or higher. Rates of good outcome (mRS 0–2) and acceptable outcome (mRS 0–3) were 28.4% and 35.5% respectively. Rate of Parenchymal Hematoma type 2 was 10.6%. The rate of good outcome was significantly higher in patients treated Conclusions Acute stroke thrombectomy may be beneficial in some patients with large core based on CTP especially those who present early ( Disclosures A. Aghaebrahim: None. S. Desai: None. A. Monteiro: None. M. Granja: None. G. Agnoletto: None. G. Cortez: None. D. Gonsales: None. C. Legault: None. C. Powers: None. A. Jadhav: None. E. Sauvageau: None. G. Albers: 5; C; CEO of RAPID Software (iSchema View). T. Jovin: None. R. Hanel: 2; C; Microvention, Codman, Stryker, Medtronic.
So You Want to Sing Spirituals: A Guide for Performers: by Randye Jones (So You Want to Sing: Guides for Performers and Professionals), Lanham, MD, Rowman & Littlefield, 2019, 288 pp., $40.00 (paper), ISBN 978-1-5381-0734-8

This guide for the study and performance of spirituals provides not only a wonderful overview of the history of this musical style, but also practical suggestions and advice for the vocalist and te...
Biomarkers in Cutaneous Melanoma: Implications for Patient Education and Support.

BACKGROUND Elucidation of key biomarkers, as indicators and drivers of the pathologic processes in cutaneous melanoma (CM), has led to the development of effective targeted therapies. OBJECTIVES This article provides an overview of key concepts in advanced CM, particularly the essential role of biomarkers and biomarker testing to guide treatment. METHODS A comprehensive literature search was conducted in CINAHL® and PubMed® using the following search terms. FINDINGS Targeted BRAF/MEK inhibitors, as well as immune checkpoint inhibitors, have vastly improved long-term outcomes in advanced CM. Deepening understanding of the biologic and genomic features of CM and their interactions with the host immune system is critical for predicting treatment and survival outcomes and developing new therapies.
Buying Frenzies with Resale Market: Operational Strategies under Social Externality

This paper considers a monopolist firm selling two collections of a single product sequentially to satisfy consumers' different social externalities. The first "capsule" collection has a unique design and is sold within a limited time frame. The second "mass" collection has the same functional features except for the appearance. Both snobs who pursue exclusivity and conformists who desire conformity are present in the market. Speculators, who have no consumption value for the product, enter the market to speculate quick money by reselling the purchased capsule collection on the resale market. All three groups of buyers are forward-looking. We examine the monopolist's pricing and production decisions at the beginning of each period and the buyers' behavior in each market. We find only snobs and speculators are willing to purchase the capsule collection. In the selling season of the mass collection, a large proportion of conformists lead to an upward-sloping demand curve, which allows the monopolist to use a "static" pricing scheme for both collections. Even though the monopolist can price the speculator out, she sets a lower price and releases more capsule products to foster the resale market. It can rivet the snobs with the capsule collection and reduces their protective effects on the law of demand for the mass collection. The resale market's presence also triggers more need for the mass collection by social influence and increases consumers' valuation of the product. Finally, we identify the conditions under which the monopolist prefers static pricing to dynamic pricing.
Oil consumption, economic growth, and oil futures: The impact of long-run oil supply uncertainty on asset prices

Abstract High levels of uncertainty about long-run oil supplies from 2005 to 2012 coincided with significant changes in oil futures markets. Motivated by this fact, this paper provides new evidence on the relations between oil consumption, oil prices, and economic growth, and builds on this evidence to develop a quantitative real business cycle model to study oil price risk. Calibrated model results can match relations between oil prices and economic quantities, and can rationalize behavior in equity and futures markets over this period as a consequence of changing risk premia driven by an increase in long-run oil supply uncertainty.
Learning and Teaching Undergraduate Introductory Programming Courses in Java – The Use of an IDE VS Command Line

A topic of debate among Java teachers is whether to use an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) or a text editor paired with a command line compiler to teach introductory Java programming courses. Is it really in the student’s favor to start their programming journey using an IDE or is it better to just use any text editor to write the code and then compile and run the code using the command line? Which approach will help the students really understand the programming concepts and be able to debug their code when they have errors? In this paper we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of both approaches and we compare the performance of two groups of students in which the first group used a text editor with command line commands and the other group used Eclipse IDE.