cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
LDEPTH: A low diameter hierarchical P2P network architecture

In this paper, we present a new approach to designing a scalable, hierarchical overlay P2P system which provides highly efficient data lookup operations as well fault tolerance. Instead of using a distributed hash table (DHT) based approach, we propose the use of Linear Diophantine Equation (LDE) as the mathematical basis to realize a hierarchical P2P architecture. LDE provides a significantly lighter weight mechanism to create and maintain the overlaid P2P structure as compared to DHT based schemes. To the best of our knowledge, ours is the first work that proposes the use of LDEs in designing P2P topologies. In our proposed hierarchical P2P architecture, the number of hops required to search for a resource is independent of the number of nodes/peers in the network n and is instead bounded by (1 + r/2), r being the number of distinct resource types. For most practical purposes, r is significantly smaller than n and hence our proposed architecture provides a highly efficient resource look-up procedure. We have also presented algorithms for handling of new resources and peers joining and leaving the P2P network and fault tolerance in the event of peers crashing or leaving.
Size-Matched Radical Multivalency.

Persistent π-radicals such as MV+• (MV refers to methyl viologen, i.e., N,N′-dimethyl-4,4′-bipyridinum) engage in weak radical–radical interactions. This phenomenon has been utilized recently in supramolecular chemistry with the discovery that MV+• and [cyclobis(paraquat-p-phenylene)]2(+•) (CBPQT2(+•)) form a strong 1:1 host–guest complex [CBPQT⊂MV]3(+•). In this full paper, we describe the extension of radical-pairing-based molecular recognition to a larger, square-shaped diradical host, [cyclobis(paraquat-4,4′-biphenylene)]2(+•) (MS2(+•)). This molecular square was evaluated for its ability to bind an isomeric series of possible diradical cyclophane guests, which consist of two radical viologen units that are linked by two ortho-, meta-, or para-xylylene bridges to provide different spacing between the planar radicals. UV–Vis–NIR measurements reveal that only the m-xylylene-linked isomer (m-CBPQT2(+•)) binds strongly inside of MS2(+•), resulting in the formation of a tetraradical complex [MS⊂m-CBPQT]4(+...
End-stage renal disease secondary to renal malignancy: Epidemiologic trends and survival outcomes.

Abstract Objectives Loss of renal parenchyma after surgery may contribute to chronic kidney disease; however, the long-term consequences of chronic kidney disease may differ by cause. We analyzed the outcomes of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) based on various medical and surgical causes. Materials and methods In the United States Renal Data System from the period 1983 to 2007, patients with renal tumors, traumatic surgical loss, diabetes, or other known causes were identified. The annual incidence, prevalence, and influence of age, race, sex, and primary cause on survival were evaluated. Results Of 1.3 million patients, 6,812 (0.49%) had renal malignancy–related ESRD (RM-ESRD). An increased over time was noted in the standardized incidence rates of patients with RM-ESRD (R2 = 0.973, P Conclusions The incidence of RM-ESRD is increasing, possibly owing to the increased rate of renal cell carcinoma treatment. Although overall survival for RM-ESRD was worse than either that of nonmalignant surgical loss or other known causes, non–cancer-specific mortality was decreased compared to diabetic causes, likely due to systemic effects by cause of ESRD.
Latent analysis of Complete Streets and traffic safety along an urban corridor

Abstract Background To evaluate Complete Street implementations that covary, the present paper aims to: 1) explore the development of typologies of intersections; and 2) examine how these typologies relate to traffic safety. Methods The study site is a five-mile segment in Los Angeles County, California. Multiple indicators of environmental features were collected in 2012 and were included in a latent analysis. Latent classes were then analyzed as a predictor of the number of pedestrian injuries/fatalities and injuries/fatalities for all modes in separate models using negative binomial regression and controlling for exposures. Injuries/fatalities for a 6-year period were used (2009-2014), representing the most recent crash data available surrounding the environmental data collection time point. We also examined the role of alcohol. Results For a relatively short segment of an urban corridor, we identified two distinct classes of intersections. One class was more complete with respect to pedestrian features but was also associated with indicators of increased potential conflict and was predictive of higher overall injuries/fatalities for all modes. This class also had higher pedestrian volumes but was not predictive of higher pedestrian injuries/fatalities in the final models. The alcohol involvement in crash injuries at these locations did not differ by intersection class but was positively associated with injuries/fatalities for all modes and with severe/fatal injuries for pedestrians in the final models. Conclusions Typologies can be used to understand the combination of features and to prioritize locations for treatment. While Complete Streets may help counter pedestrian injury trends, the efforts captured in this data are insufficient for municipalities aiming for Vision Zero. Ideally, future research can examine these intersections after the implementation of additional improvements in order to isolate treatment effects. These findings suggest additional intersection countermeasures are needed, in addition to efforts to address social problems such as alcohol use and traffic safety.
Phonological Working Memory for Words and Nonwords in Cerebral Cortex.

Purpose The primary purpose of this study was to identify the brain bases of phonological working memory (the short-term maintenance of speech sounds) using behavioral tasks analogous to clinically...
The Pax-6 homeobox gene is expressed throughout the corneal and conjunctival epithelia.

Purpose Heterozygous defects in the highly conserved PAX6 homeobox gene are associated with aniridia, an inherited human disorder affecting several ocular structures, including the adult cornea. This work establishes the pattern of Pax-6 gene expression in the surface epithelia of the late embryonic and adult eye. Methods Chick embryo sections and wholemounts, as well as adult mouse and monkey tissues, were analyzed by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry with probes specific to Pax-6. Western immunoblots were used to detect Pax-6 protein, and mRNA expression was analyzed by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Results In days 5 and 6 chick embryos, Pax-6 protein is found in the nuclei of all cells within the corneal epithelium and in the future conjunctiva. Although not detected in the cornea by in situ hybridization, Pax-6 mRNA is, in fact, present at levels comparable to those observed in the retina. In the mature mouse, Pax-6 protein was expressed in all cells of the corneal epithelium, the limbus, and the entire conjunctiva. Similar results were obtained for the monkey cornea. Conclusions These data indicate that in addition to its role in the embryo, Pax-6 is expressed strongly in surface epithelia of the adult cornea and conjunctiva. In cells of these tissues, the gene may function by regulating structural or secretory specializations. Pax-6 might play a direct role in the maintenance and proliferation of corneal stem cells, a vital process that appears to be defective in aniridia.
Beyond connectivity: how the structure of dispersal influences metacommunity dynamics

Dispersal within metacommunities can play a major role in species persistence by promoting asynchrony between communities. Understanding this role is crucial both for explaining species coexistence and managing landscapes that are increasingly fragmented by human activities. Here, we demonstrate that spatial patterning of dispersal connections can drastically alter both the tendency toward asynchrony and the effect of asynchrony on metacommunity dynamics commonly used to infer the potential for persistence. We also demonstrate that changes in dispersal connections in strictly homogeneous predator-prey metacommunities can generate an extremely rich variety of dynamics even when previously investigated properties of connectivity such as the magnitude and distribution of dispersal among patches are held constant. Furthermore, the dynamics we observe depend strongly on initial conditions. Our results illustrate the effectiveness of measures of spatial structure for predicting asynchrony and its effects on community dynamics, providing a deeper understanding of the relationship between spatial structure and species persistence in metacommunities.
Grassroots organizations and influencing public policy processes: Lessons from around the world

This overview article for the Symposium on Grassroots Organizations and Public Policy Processes for the International Journal of Organization Theory and Behavior, addresses three questions: 1) To what extent are grassroots organizations (GOs) capable of having an impact on public policy processes9 2) How do they influence public policy processes? and 3) what lessons can we draw to inform GOs’ effectiveness in the future? More specifically, the article reviews the strategies of GOs presented in the eight articles included in the Symposium, examines the type of policy influence in which they engage, discusses the structures, resources, and tools they have at their disposal, and draws implications for GOs’ approaches to influencing public policy processes The Symposium and its analysis in this article reveals 1) the flexibility of GOs in adopting a variety of structures and strategies; 2) the resilience of GOs in operating in a range of political and cultural contexts with varied degrees of favorability, and 3) the resourcefulness of GOs in fully utilizing all their resources, gaining access to new ones, and conserving latent capacity for when it really counts.
Crystalline Empowerment: Negotiating Tensions in Refugee Resettlement:

As the number of forcibly displaced people continues to rise worldwide, humanitarian organizations are playing a growing role in finding solutions. This study investigates one of the world’s larges...
Grand Theory in Folkloristics

Grand Theory in Folkloristics is a dramatic dialogue about folklore scholarship. The book opens with Alan Dundes’s lecture at the 2004 Annual Meeting of the American Folklore Society on ‘Folklorist...
Presence and degree of residual venous obstruction on serial duplex imaging is associated with increased risk of recurrence and progression of infrainguinal lower extremity deep venous thrombosis.

Abstract Objective The role of follow-up venous duplex ultrasound (DUS) after acute lower extremity deep vein thrombosis (DVT) remains unclear, yet it is commonly performed. We aimed to clarify the role of follow-up DUS. Our primary objective was to determine the association between the presence of residual venous obstruction (RVO) on DUS and DVT recurrence or propagation (rDVT). Secondary objectives included finding risk factors associated with RVO and rDVT. Methods We conducted a retrospective study of patients diagnosed with DVT on DUS from January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2013, that received a follow-up DUS. Patient demographics, risk factors, medications, and DUS findings were recorded. Ten segments from the common femoral to distal calf veins were checked for the presence of RVO, DVT propagation, and recurrence. RVO was defined as any nonacute venous obstruction with more than 40% of luminal diameter remaining during compression or the presence of chronic post-thrombotic occlusive disease. rDVT was measured as either a new acute DVT in the previously involved segment, or involvement of a new segment in the same extremity. Results A total of 185 lower extremities representing 156 patients met the inclusion criteria. RVO was noted in 61.1% of limbs. The 3-year rDVT rate was 10.3%. Patients with recurrent venous thromboembolism or thrombophilia had a higher risk of developing RVO (odds ratio [OR], 2.89, P Conclusions Extremities with larger initial clot burden exhibited an increased risk of subsequent RVO. The presence of RVO and, interestingly, the number of involved segments on follow-up DUS increased the risk of rDVT. Our results suggest that the presence of residual disease and increased RVO burden on follow-up DUS after an acute DVT may identify those patients who are at an increased risk for rDVT and may help guide the duration of anticoagulation therapy.
Concepts and Proofs in Mathematics

English translation of Moritz Pasch,“Begriffsbildung und Beweis in der Mathematik,” Annalen der Philosophie und philosophischen Kritik 4 (1925), pp. 348–367, 417–426. This paper consists of five independent essays. In “Proof and Definition in Mathematics,” Pasch analyzes the notion of direct proof . In “Equality in Mathematics,” he explains why “equals” in mathematics is best understood as “is identical to.” In “The Decidability Requirement in Mathematics,” he offers examples of decidable and undecidable properties and concludes that we cannot understand the logical structure of mathematics without clearly distinguishing between the two. In “Approximations of Arbitrary Numbers; the Indefinite Infinite,” he provides an implicit definition of the “indefinite infinite,” an infinite number that is neither positive nor negative and neither greater nor less than any real number . “The Imaginary in Mathematics” is a semi-popular introduction to complex numbers.
On the Use of Confidence Regions to Test Hypotheses

The relationship between the rest of equality for two population means and the intersection of confidence intervals for the two means was developed in "Using Confidence Intervals to Test Hypotheses" by D.R. Barr in the October 1969 issue of JQ..
NUT carcinoma: a rare and devastating neoplasm.

A 45-year-old woman with no significant medical history had 1 month of productive cough empirically treated with azithromycin and dyspnoea on exertion. She was never a smoker and denied any constitutional symptoms, including unexpected weight loss. A CT of the chest was performed after she developed haemoptysis, which demonstrated a 6.3×4.6 cm right hilar mass with hilar, subcarinal and cardiophrenic adenopathy (figure 1A). She underwent bronchoscopy which revealed complete occlusion of the right middle lobe by a tumour extending into the bronchus intermedius. Debridement of this mass was performed, with re-establishment of airway patency to the right lower lobe. Pathology from the debrided tumour as well as the subcarinal lymph node was consistent with poorly differentiated non-small cell lung carcinoma with Thyroid Transcription Factor 1 (TTF-1) and Programmed Death-Ligand 1 (PD-L1) negativity. …
Nanotechnology Therapeutics in Oncology-Recent Developments and Future Outlook

Abstract Narrow therapeutic index and side effects continue to be a hurdle for pharmacotherapy of cancer. Advances in our knowledge of molecular biology of cancer and pathways involved in malignant transformation of cells are revolutionizing the approach to cancer treatment in terms of the molecules employed. However, targeted drug delivery to tumor tissues remains an elusive challenge, and nanotechnology has been promoted as a promising solution to address this. Several nanoparticulate therapeutics are approved for use (e.g., Abraxane, Doxil), for cancer treatment, and have been on the market for some time. This chapter is intended to survey (i) the advantages that these therapeutics have over conventional therapeutics, (ii) the current development of new improved nanoparticulate therapeutics for cancer, and (iii) an overview of emerging technologies for the development of tumor-targeted nanomedicines.
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Enforcement and Related Developments

This article, part of a continuing series of yearly analysis of Foreign Corrupt Practices Act enforcement and related developments, provides a detailed overview of quantitative and qualitative FCPA and related information and will be of value to anyone seeking to elevate their FCPA knowledge. Section I of this article discusses how, similar to prior years in the FCPA’s modern era, 2018 was another year of robust FCPA enforcement against companies large and small and across industry sectors. In fact, 2018 was the third most active year in the FCPA’s forty-plus years in terms of the quantity of core corporate enforcement actions. Section II of this article switches gears to discuss various qualitative FCPA enforcement issues including the long time periods associated with FCPA scrutiny, the general lack of judicial scrutiny of enforcement theories; the substantial gap between corporate and individual enforcement; how much of the largeness of FCPA enforcement is due to enforcement actions against foreign companies; and certain statutory interpretation issues. Section III of this article highlights FCPA jurisprudence in 2018 and how courts rejected expansive enforcement theories as well as revisions to FCPA relevant enforcement agency policy as Trump administration officials settled into their positions.
From sensation to stigma: Changing standards for suicide coverage in US journalism textbooks, 1894–2016:

Suicide has long been a major category of news, but conceptions of newsworthiness and ethical approaches to coverage of suicide have changed dramatically over the past century. This interpretive te...
Integrating atmospheric models and measurements using passivity-based input observers

Abstract Atmospheric aerosol models simulate the concentration of gaseous pollutants and particulate matter in the atmosphere. These models include significant mismatch from the true atmosphere resulting from uncertainty in the inputs including meteorology and emission fields, extrapolation and simplification of experimentally-derived relationships for the process dynamics, and possibly un-accounted for processes. In this paper we estimate time-varying parameters that adjust uncertain dynamics to account for some of the model mismatch. We show how to design a passivity-based input observer (PBIO) using proportional feedback so that the model-measurement error exponentially decays. As a case study, the PBIO is applied to an atmospheric aerosol model simulating a uniformly mixed control volume to estimate the particulate matter emission rate. A relationship between known measurement noise and uncertainty in the PBIO-estimated unknown parameters is developed and illustrated in a case study that utilizes noisy measurements.
Comparisons of Infant and Adult Mice Reveal Age Effects for Liver Depot Gene Therapy in Pompe Disease.

Pompe disease is caused by the deficiency of lysosomal acid α-glucosidase (GAA). It is expected that gene therapy to replace GAA with adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors will be less effective early in life because of the rapid loss of vector genomes. AAV2/8-LSPhGAA (3 × 1010 vector genomes [vg]/mouse) was administered to infant (2-week-old) or adult (2-month-old) GAA knockout mice. AAV vector transduction in adult mice significantly corrected GAA deficiency in the heart (p 50 weeks. However, in infant mice, the same treatment only partially corrected GAA deficiency in the heart (p
Fear, Institutionalized Racism, and Empathy: The Underlying Dimensions of Whites' Racial Attitudes

For nearly 75 years, scholars of American public opinion have sought to measure whites’ attitudes toward blacks: social scientists have invented and revised ways to measure what we could refer to as “racial prejudice.” With each revision, scholars who believe they have captured new forms of racial animus are met with opposition from those who believe that old-fashioned anti-black affect is a thing of the past. We directly answer these claims by collecting a surfeit of attitudinal measures to simultaneously estimate the relationship between cognitive beliefs about the racial status quo and emotional reactions to racism. First, we uncover that two higher-order dimensions undergird whites’ racial attitudes. Second, we validate a four-item version of our new battery using the 2016 Cooperative Congressional Election Study.
Transfer of endogenous small RNAs between branches of scions and rootstocks in grafted sweet cherry trees.

Grafting is a well-established agricultural practice in cherry production for clonal propagation, altered plant vigor and architecture, increased tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses, precocity, and higher yield. Mobile molecules, such as water, hormones, nutrients, DNAs, RNAs, and proteins play essential roles in rootstock-scion interactions. Small RNAs (sRNAs) are 19 to 30-nucleotides (nt) RNA molecules that are a group of mobile signals in plants. Rootstock‐to‐scion transfer of transgene‐derived small interfering RNAs enabled virus resistance in nontransgenic sweet cherry scion. To determine whether there was long-distance scion-to-rootstock transfer of endogenous sRNAs, we compared sRNAs profiles in bud tissues of an ungrafted ‘Gisela 6’ rootstock, two sweet cherry ‘Emperor Francis’ scions as well as their ‘Gisela 6’ rootstocks. Over two million sRNAs were detected in each sweet cherry scion, where 21-nt sRNA (56.1% and 55.8%) being the most abundant, followed by 24-nt sRNAs (13.1% and 12.5%). Furthermore, we identified over three thousand sRNAs that were potentially transferred from the sweet cherry scions to their corresponding rootstocks. In contrast to the sRNAs in scions, among the transferred sRNAs in rootstocks, the most abundant were 24-nt sRNAs (46.3% and 34.8%) followed by 21-nt sRNAs (14.6% and 19.3%). In other words, 21-nt sRNAs had the least transferred proportion out of the total sRNAs in sources (scions) while 24-nt had the largest proportion. The transferred sRNAs were from 574 cherry transcripts, of which 350 had a match from the Arabidopsis thaliana standard protein set. The finding that “DNA or RNA binding activity” was enriched in the transcripts producing transferred sRNAs indicated that they may affect the biological processes of the rootstocks at different regulatory levels. Overall, the profiles of the transported sRNAs and their annotations revealed in this study facilitate a better understanding of the role of the long-distance transported sRNAs in sweet cherry rootstock-scion interactions as well as in branch-to-branch interactions in a tree.
Leisure Time Physical Activity in Relation to Mortality Among African American Women.

Introduction African American women have a life expectancy 2.7 years shorter than that of white women and are less likely than white women to meet national physical activity guidelines. Physical activity has been found to reduce mortality, but evidence concerning African American women is limited. Methods In the Black Women's Health Study, a prospective cohort study of African American women begun in 1995, a total of 52,993 participants who were free of cardiovascular disease and cancer at enrollment were followed through 2017. Cox proportional hazards models evaluated the associations of repeated measures of physical activity with mortality, adjusting for demographic, medical, and lifestyle factors. Statistical analyses were last performed in September 2019. Results During the 22 years of follow-up, 4,719 deaths occurred. Higher levels of physical activity were associated with reduced all-cause, cardiovascular disease, and cancer mortality. Hazard ratios for walking ≥5 hours per week relative to no walking were 0.69 (95% CI=0.62, 0.77), 0.71 (95% CI=0.57, 0.87), and 0.80 (95% CI=0.67, 0.96) for all-cause, cardiovascular disease, and cancer mortality, respectively. The comparable hazard ratios for vigorous exercise for ≥5 hours per week vs none were 0.58 (95% CI=0.50, 0.67), 0.66 (95% CI=0.50, 0.87), and 0.52 (95% CI=0.39, 0.72). Conclusions Both walking for exercise and vigorous exercise were associated with reductions in mortality among African American women, including deaths from cardiovascular disease and deaths from cancer, both of which are disproportionately high in the African American population. These findings underline the importance of institutional and individual changes that will lead to increased physical activity.
Improvement in Activities of Daily Living during a Nursing Home Stay and One‐Year Mortality among Older Adults with Sepsis

Background/objective To describe the recovery of activities of daily living (ADLs) during a skilled nursing facility (SNF) stay and the association with 1-year mortality after SNF discharge among Medicare beneficiaries treated in intensive care for sepsis. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Skilled nursing facilities in the United States. Participants Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries admitted to an SNF within 3 days of discharge from a hospitalization that included an intensive care unit (ICU) stay for sepsis between January 1, 2013, and September 30, 2015 (N = 59,383). Measurements Data from the Minimum Data Set (MDS) were used to calculate a total score for seven ADLs. Improvement was determined by comparing the total ADL scores from the first and last MDS assessments of the SNF stay. Proportional hazard models were used to estimate the association between improvement in ADL function and 1-year mortality after SNF discharge. Results Approximately 58% of SNF residents had any improvement in ADL function. Residents who had improvement in ADL function had 0.72 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.69-0.74) lower risk for mortality following SNF discharge than residents who did not improve. Residents who improved 1-3 points (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.82, 95% CI = 0.79-0.84) and four or more points (HR = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.55-0.60) in ADL function had significantly lower mortality risk than residents who did not improve. Conclusion Older adults treated in an ICU with sepsis can improve in ADL function during an SNF stay. This improvement is associated with lower 1-year mortality risk after SNF discharge. These findings provide evidence that ADL recovery during an SNF stay is associated with better health outcomes for older adults who have survived an ICU stay for sepsis.
Telemedicine in an Academic Movement Disorders Center during COVID-19.

Objective: Telemedicine has rapidly gained momentum in movement disorder neurology during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic to preserve clinical care while mitigating the risks of in-person visits. We present data from the rapid implementation of virtual visits in a large, academic, movement disorder practice during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: We describe the strategic shift to virtual visits and retrospectively examine elements that impacted the ability to switch to telemedicine visits using historical prepandemic in-person data as a comparator, including demographics, distance driven, and diagnosis distribution, with an additional focus on patients with deep brain stimulators. Results: A total of 686 telemedicine visits were performed over a five-week period (60% of those previously scheduled for in-office visits). The average age of participants was 65 years, 45% were female, and 73% were Caucasian. Men were more likely to make the transition (p = 0.02). Telemedicine patients lived farther from the clinic than those seen in person (66.47 km vs. 42.16 km, p < 0.001), age was not associated with making the switch, and patient satisfaction did not change. There was a significant shift in the distribution of movement disorder diagnoses seen by telemedicine compared to prepandemic in-person visits (p < 0.001). Patients with deep brain stimulators were more likely to use telemedicine (11.5% vs. 7%, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Telemedicine is feasible, viable and relevant in the care of movement disorder patients, although health care disparities appear evident for women and minorities. Patients with deep brain stimulators preferred telemedicine in our study. Further study is warranted to explore these findings.
An ecophysiological explanation for manganese enrichment in rock varnish

Desert varnish is a dark rock coating that forms in arid environments worldwide. It is highly and selectively enriched in manganese, the mechanism for which has been a long-standing geological mystery. We collected varnish samples from diverse sites across the western United States, examined them in petrographic thin section using microscale chemical imaging techniques, and investigated the associated microbial communities using 16S amplicon and shotgun metagenomic DNA sequencing. Our analyses described a material governed by sunlight, water, and manganese redox cycling that hosts an unusually aerobic microbial ecosystem characterized by a remarkable abundance of photosynthetic Cyanobacteria in the genus Chroococcidiopsis as the major autotrophic constituent. We then showed that diverse Cyanobacteria, including the relevant Chroococcidiopsis taxon, accumulate extraordinary amounts of intracellular manganese-over two orders of magnitude higher manganese content than other cells. The speciation of this manganese determined by advanced paramagnetic resonance techniques suggested that the Cyanobacteria use it as a catalytic antioxidant-a valuable adaptation for coping with the substantial oxidative stress present in this environment. Taken together, these results indicated that the manganese enrichment in varnish is related to its specific uptake and use by likely founding members of varnish microbial communities.
Team Belonging: Integrating Teamwork and Diversity Training Through Emotions:

With the worldwide focus shifting toward important questions of what diversity means to society, organizations are attempting to keep up with employees’ needs to feel recognized and belong. Given t...
Spatial analysis leveraging machine learning and GIS of socio-geographic factors affecting cost overrun occurrence in roadway projects

Abstract This study analyzes cost overrun occurrence (COO) in the context of socioeconomic conditions leveraging machine learning techniques and geographic information systems due to little information about the relationship between SE factors and cost overruns in transportation infrastructure improvement projects. We extract socio-geospatial features in multiple sources of data sets and establish a random forest model to discover their associations with COO. The developed models reveal highly significant features affecting COO, which include original amounts, original duration, management districts, number of lanes, population over 16-years-old, commuting behavior, industrial topography, and average temperature, indicating that socioeconomic conditions play an important role in actual project expenses. Our findings will assist practitioners and decision-makers to better forecast and reflect the likely impacts of socioeconomic conditions surrounding the project in their planning, budgeting, and operation and maintenance. The software for the statistical analysis can be found in github.com/jonghyun-yun/dico .
Short Methods in Adjustment of Observations

Short cuts devised to eliminate large part of labor of calculation that is involved in formal application of method of least squares; discussion of such rules and their applicability to observations which should determine either straight line, or curve which can be reduced to straight line in its logarithmic form.
A Linear Time Algorithm for Ordered Partition

We present a deterministic linear time and space algorithm for ordered partition of a set \(T\) of \(n\) integers into \(n^{1/2}\) sets \(T_0 \le T_1 \le \cdots \le T_{n^{1/2}-1}\), where \(|T_i|=\theta (n^{1/2})\) and \(T_i \le T_{i+1}\) means that \(\max T_i \le \min T_{i+1}\).
Regulatory-compliant data management

Digital societies and markets increasingly mandate consistent procedures for the access, processing and storage of information. In the United States alone, over 10,000 such regulations can be found in financial, life sciences, health - care and government sectors, including the Gramm - Leach - Bliley Act, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, and Sarbanes - Oxley Act. A recurrent theme in these regulations is the need for regulatory - compliant data management as an underpinning to ensure data confidentiality, access integrity and authentication; provide audit trails, guaranteed deletion, and data migration; and deliver Write Once Read Many (WORM) assurances, essential for enforcing long - term data retention and life - cycle policies.
Antimicrobial efficacy of eugenol microemulsions in milk against listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli O157: H7

The antimicrobial activity of eugenol microemulsions (eugenol encapsulated in surfactant micelles) in ultrahigh-temperature pasteurized milk containing different percentages of milk fat (0, 2, and 4%) was investigated. Antimicrobial microemulsions were prepared from a 5% (wt) aqueous surfactant solution (Surfynol 485W) with 0.5% (wt) eugenol. Two strains each of Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli O157:H7 previously shown to be the least and most resistant to the microemulsion in microbiological media were used to inoculate sterile milk (10(4) CFU/ml). Samples were withdrawn and plated at 0, 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 h for enumeration. Microemulsions completely prevented growth of L. monocytogenes for up to 48 h in skim milk and reduced both strains of E. coli O157:H7 to less than detectable levels in less than 1 h. Similarly, in 2% fat milk, eugenol-Surfynol combinations reduced both strains of E. coli O157:H7 to less than detectable levels in less than 1 h but only increased the lag phase of both strains of L. monocytogenes. In full-fat milk (4% fat), microemulsions inhibited growth of the least resistant strains of L. monocytogenes and E. coli but were ineffective against the two resistant strains. Unencapsulated eugenol was slightly more or as inhibitory as microemulsions against target pathogens. Results were attributed to diffusional mass transport of antimicrobials from microemulsions to the macroemulsion (milk). Results suggest that food composition, especially fat level, may affect the efficiency of targeting of foodborne pathogens with surfactant-encapsulated antimicrobials.
Implementing Educational Language Policy in Arizona-Legal, Historical and Current Practices in SEI M. Beatriz Arias and Christian Faltis, New York: Multilingual Matters, 2012, 181 pages

Implementing Educational Language Policy in Arizona-Legal, Historical and Current Practices in SEI, presents a critical examination of Arizona’s restrictive language policies as they influence teacher preparation and practice by bringing together scholars, researchers, and educators. The two editors of Implementing Educational Language Policy in Arizona , Beatriz Arias and Christian Faltis have a significant and substantial trajectory in the area of instructional policy of English learners. They have compiled a volume of chapters that provides us with a multidimensional analysis of the implementation and impact of state prescribed educational policies and their impact on language minority students in Arizona. These language-learning experts expose the effects of one state with the educational authority to impose educational policies that prescribes structured English immersion as the only model for instruction of language minorities. They reveal, layer-by-layer, the consequences of the Structured English Immersion (SEI) model and how it prescribes the complete segregation of English learners for four hours a day from English speakers and academic content for a minimum of one year. Furthermore, the book exposes the limited educational practices available to educational administers, teachers, and parents in determining opportunities for English learners resulting from the mandatory and restrictive language for instructional practices.
Comparing Artificial Neural Networks, General Linear Models and Support Vector Machines in Building Predictive Models for Small Interfering RNAs

Background Exogenous short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) induce a gene knockdown effect in cells by interacting with naturally occurring RNA processing machinery. However not all siRNAs induce this effect equally. Several heterogeneous kinds of machine learning techniques and feature sets have been applied to modeling siRNAs and their abilities to induce knockdown. There is some growing agreement to which techniques produce maximally predictive models and yet there is little consensus for methods to compare among predictive models. Also, there are few comparative studies that address what the effect of choosing learning technique, feature set or cross validation approach has on finding and discriminating among predictive models. Principal Findings Three learning techniques were used to develop predictive models for effective siRNA sequences including Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs), General Linear Models (GLMs) and Support Vector Machines (SVMs). Five feature mapping methods were also used to generate models of siRNA activities. The 2 factors of learning technique and feature mapping were evaluated by complete 3×5 factorial ANOVA. Overall, both learning techniques and feature mapping contributed significantly to the observed variance in predictive models, but to differing degrees for precision and accuracy as well as across different kinds and levels of model cross-validation. Conclusions The methods presented here provide a robust statistical framework to compare among models developed under distinct learning techniques and feature sets for siRNAs. Further comparisons among current or future modeling approaches should apply these or other suitable statistically equivalent methods to critically evaluate the performance of proposed models. ANN and GLM techniques tend to be more sensitive to the inclusion of noisy features, but the SVM technique is more robust under large numbers of features for measures of model precision and accuracy. Features found to result in maximally predictive models are not consistent across learning techniques, suggesting care should be taken in the interpretation of feature relevance. In the models developed here, there are statistically differentiable combinations of learning techniques and feature mapping methods where the SVM technique under a specific combination of features significantly outperforms all the best combinations of features within the ANN and GLM techniques.
An integrated approach to the management of Alzheimer's disease: assessing cognition, function and behaviour

Alzheimer's disease is characterized by deterioration in the domains of cognition, function and behaviour. Cognitive decline is manifest as short-term memory, language and visuospatial deficits. These, along with deficits in perception and executive function affect the patient's ability to function, as indicated by loss of ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs). Abnormal behaviours, including depression, delusions and aggression are frequently a feature of Alzheimer's disease, occurring at different stages of the disease. Although Alzheimer's disease is primarily associated with cognitive deficits, functional decline and aberrant behaviours are its most problematic aspects for both patients and their caregivers. Loss of ability to perform ADLs imposes the need for increased levels of care. Moreover, caregiver burden is closely associated with the type and severity of behavioural disturbances. Although cognition is correlated with ability to perform ADLs, the fact that behavioural symptoms also play a role in deteriorating function means that cognitive testing alone cannot accurately predict disease progression. Hence, an integrated approach, involving measurement of cognition, function and behaviour is required for accurate diagnosis, assessment of the stage and progression of dementia, the effects of intervention, and the amount and type of assistance that the Alzheimer's disease patient requires.
Does Excess Resources Influence Entry Mode Decisions of Firms: A Resource Imbalance Perspective

ABSTRACT Hymer (1976) proposed that a firm needs to possess unique resources while venturing abroad to overcome liabilities of foreignness. Using the resource imbalance theory proposed by Moon and Roehl (1993), this paper empirically tests the notion that the imbalance between the various resources held by a firm, rather than unique resources, drives foreign investment. Using 340 entry decisions into the U.S., this study's findings support the general notion that a firm's resource profile influences the entry mode choice of firms.
Intraocular pressure response to scleral indentation.

PURPOSE: Intraocular pressure (IOP) is influenced by many factors. Our purpose was to determine the immediate response of the IOP to scleral indentation (SI). METHODS: Twenty-five subjects had IOP measured using Goldmann applanation tonometry before and after SI. The total indentation time was 40 s. IOP was remeasured in a masked fashion. RESULTS: Average IOP for the control eyes was 15.32 mm Hg (range: 10 to 22 mm Hg) before SI and 14.80 mm Hg (range: 9 to 24 mm Hg) after SI. The average IOP for the subject eyes was 15.08 mm Hg (range: 8 to 22 mm Hg) before SI and 13.14 mm Hg (range: 6 to 22 mm Hg) after SI. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate an average decrease of 1.94 mm Hg for the subject eyes vs. 0.52 mm Hg for the control eyes in response to SI. This represents a statistically significant drop in IOP among the subject eyes in response to SI (p < 0.001).
HOW TO CHANGE HISTORY

The recent death of Eric Hobsbawm provides a fitting occasion to take stock of the entire trajectory of his work. Taking his final book, How to Change the World, as its starting point, this essay considers Hobsbawm's effort to change the way history was written. It divides his career into three main phases: 1) during the 1940s and 50s when he served his apprenticeship and emerged as a leading labor historian of modern Britain. Working in conjunction with colleagues in the Communist Party Historian's group, Hobsbawm helped to raise Marxist history to academic respectability; 2) during the 1960s and 70s, Hobsbawm reached the apogee of his career, publishing the first two volumes of his synoptic history of modern capitalism, as well a multitude of more specialized and critical works. No longer just one among a group of Marxist scholars, he—along with E. P. Thompson—became one of the most famous and influential historians in the world. 3) For Hobsbawm, as for other Marxists, the 1980s and 1990s were a time of crisis, when Marxism was destabilized and communism collapsed. Ironically, this essay argues, it was during this challenging period that Hobsbawm's most influential work appeared—most notably, his studies of modern nationalism and his analysis of the “invention of tradition”. Whereas the early Hobsbawm had worked to bring Marxist history into the academy, the later Hobsbawm (perhaps inadvertently) showed how the academy could absorb analytical elements initially formulated in a Marxist framework by translating them into non-Marxist terms. Whatever one thinks of Hobsbawm's intellectual legacy, one must acknowledge his status as a polymathic giant who wrote global history that was at once theoretically grounded, publicly accessible, and historiographically consequential.
Should the government assure scientific integrity

The author argues that the somewhat Orwellian Office of Research Integrity needs careful scrutiny as to whether it should exist at all or whether its purported social benefits could be better achieved by other mechanisms. First, social issues specifically related to scientific misconduct need to be clarified so as to consider alternative regulatory measures. Constructive social policy requires balanced judgments that keep all goals in view and strives to promote science and to deal effectively with what may go awry (for example, falsification and fabrication, and plagiarism). Second, the regulation of scientific misconduct raises important questions, such as whether universities are able to police themselves. But is government regulation the best answer? The author suggests that a freestanding, nonprofit investigative foundation be formed and staffed by experts in investigations of scientific fraud as well as legal experts aware of investigative and due-process issues. Such a structure would remove the government from regulation (a boon) and relieve the university of the conflicts inherent in a duty to investigate and judge allegations. By the same token, the scientific community, including professional societies, would be at the center of the policing efforts of the foundation.
U.S. Spanish on the Air: Good Waves for the Classroom?

: Radio stations that provide Spanish-language broadcasts intended primarily for Spanish-speaking audiences can be encountered in most regions and major metropolitan areas of the United States. Using segments of programming taped from stations in eight US. states, the researchers compiled data on the presence of Anglicisms in commercials and announcements; commentaries and discussions; and news, weather, and traffic reporting. Possible reasons for the use of these Anglicisms and the effect that the phenomenon might have on the maintenance of Spanish within the Latino community are discussed, The authors suggest ways in which these samples of authentic speech might be used in the classroom to present not only the idealized speech of the so-called “educated native speaker,” but also dynamic and current models of interlocutors from many nations, interacting effectively as they transmit and receive information in the language.
Investment and emission control under technology and pollution externalities

This paper studies incentives to develop advanced pollution abatement technology when technology may spillover across agents and pollution abatement is a public good. We are motivated by a variety of pollution control issues where solutions require the development and implementation of new pollution abatement technologies. We show that at the Nash equilibrium of a simultaneous-move game with R&D investment and emission abatement, whether the free rider effect prevails and under-investment and excess emissions occur depends on the degree of technology spillovers and the effect of R&D on the marginal abatement costs. There are cases in which, contrary to conventional wisdom, Nash equilibrium investments in emissions reductions exceed the first-best case.
Environmental Policy and Party Divergence in Congress

The question of whether parties converge or diverge over time has attracted a great deal of theoretical and empirical attention. In this article we make two contributions to this literature. First, rather than looking at general measures of ideology, we examine a specific policy area-environmental policy to see whether the parties have diverged or converged. We utilize ratings produced by the League of Conservation Voters to obtain measures of congressional voting. Unlike other issue-specific studies of divergence, we adjust these scores, using a methodology recently developed by Groseclose, Levitt, and Snyder (1999), to make them comparable across time. Our results show that Republicans and Democrats in Congress have diverged over time on environmental issues. Second, once we determine that the parties have diverged, we analyze the underlying causes of this divergence. We provide three explanations for divergence between the two parties, based on the fact that parties are not monolithic but rather are ma...