Affective Symmetry: Affect and Networks in Blizzard’s StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void

This paper employs a social network analysis of StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void to examine how the single-player campaign structures a largely non-player character (NPC) community. This analysis, which includes a convergence of social network analysis and affect theory, explores the dynamic interactive gameplay network experience of Legacy of the Void. Additionally, the data visualizations map the complex network of communal interactions that exist even in the single player campaign through the virtual community of NPCs into which a player immerses him or herself

Elevated protein concentrations in newborn blood and the risks of autism spectrum disorder, and of social impairment, at age 10 years among infants born before the 28th week of gestation

Among the 1 of 10 children who are born preterm annually in the United States, 6% are born before the third trimester. Among children who survive birth before the 28th week of gestation, the risks of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and non-autistic social impairment are severalfold higher than in the general population. We examined the relationship between top quartile inflammation-related protein concentrations among children born extremely preterm and ASD or, separately, a high score on the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS total score ≥65) among those who did not meet ASD criteria, using information only from the subset of children whose DAS-II verbal or non-verbal IQ was ≥70, who were assessed for ASD, and who had proteins measured in blood collected on ≥2 days (N = 763). ASD (N = 36) assessed at age 10 years is associated with recurrent top quartile concentrations of inflammation-related proteins during the first post-natal month (e.g., SAA odds ratio (OR); 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.5; 1.2–5.3) and IL-6 (OR; 95% CI: 2.6; 1.03–6.4)). Top quartile concentrations of neurotrophic proteins appear to moderate the increased risk of ASD associated with repeated top quartile concentrations of inflammation-related proteins. High (top quartile) concentrations of SAA are associated with elevated risk of ASD (2.8; 1.2–6.7) when Ang-1 concentrations are below the top quartile, but not when Ang-1 concentrations are high (1.3; 0.3–5.8). Similarly, high concentrations of TNF-α are associated with heightened risk of SRS-defined social impairment (N = 130) (2.0; 1.1–3.8) when ANG-1 concentrations are not high, but not when ANG-1 concentrations are elevated (0.5; 0.1–4.2)

Cross-Cancer Genome-Wide Analysis of Lung, Ovary, Breast, Prostate, and Colorectal Cancer Reveals Novel Pleiotropic Associations

Identifying genetic variants with pleiotropic associations can uncover common pathways influencing multiple cancers. We took a two-stage approach to conduct genome-wide association studies for lung, ovary, breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer from the GAME-ON/GECCO Network (61,851 cases, 61,820 controls) to identify pleiotropic loci. Findings were replicated in independent association studies (55,789 cases, 330,490 controls). We identified a novel pleiotropic association at 1q22 involving breast and lung squamous cell carcinoma, with eQTL analysis showing an association with ADAM15/THBS3 gene expression in lung. We also identified a known breast cancer locus CASP8/ALS2CR12 associated with prostate cancer, a known cancer locus at CDKN2B-AS1 with different variants associated with lung adenocarcinoma and prostate cancer, and confirmed the associations of a breast BRCA2 locus with lung and serous ovarian cancer. This is the largest study to date examining pleiotropy across multiple cancer-associated loci, identifying common mechanisms of cancer development and progression. Cancer Res; 76(17); 5103-14. ©2016 AACR

Alien Registration- Blomquist, Carl (Norridgewock, Somerset County)

https://digitalmaine.com/alien_docs/9214/thumbnail.jp

Alien Registration- Blomquist, Carl (Norridgewock, Somerset County)

https://digitalmaine.com/alien_docs/9214/thumbnail.jp

BOJ-modellen - ett ramverk över affärssystemens kostnader

Bakgrund och Problem: Tidigare studier har visat att affärssystemprojekt ofta blir dyrare än beräknat. Det har dock visats sig svårt att hitta studier som täcker in hela affärssystemets livscykel samt tar hänsyn inte bara till vilka kostnaderna är, utan också till vilka faktorer som orsakar och driver kostnadernas storlek. Syfte: Att konstruera ett ramverk över ett affärssystems kostnader och kostnadsdrivare som skall kunna underlätta styrning av affärssystemets kostnader över hela dess livscykel. Avgränsningar: Uppsatsen skall fokusera enbart på affärssystemets kostnader och ej ta hänsyn till dess fördelar. I studien skall heller inga absoluta tal redovisas då dess storlek ej har betydelse för uppsatsens syfte. Metod: Studien omfattar nio företag. Fyra av dessa är företag som implementerat och använder affärssystem, de resterande fem är konsultföretag som jobbar med att sälja och implementera affärssystem. En kvalitativ undersökning av dessa har gjorts genom djupintervjuer med väl insatta personer på dessa företag. Resultat och slutsatser: Studiens resultat visar att det finns en rad faktorer som driver affärssystemets kostnader under dess livscykel. Dessa kostnadsdrivare kan delas upp i orsakande och påverkande drivare. De orsakande faktorerna har sin grund i de förutsättningar företaget har att lyckas och de påverkande bestäms av på vilket sätt företaget väljer att ta sig an problemet. Dessa drivare påverkar kostnader tvärsigenom alla faser av affärssystemets livscykel och de är dessa som ligger till grund för vårt ramverk. Utifrån ramverket har BOJmodellen konstruerats, vilken består av orsakande och påverkande kostnadsdrivare som på olika sätt inverkar på de kostnader som identifierats under affärssystemets livscykel. Förslag till fortsatt forskning: Den fortsatta forskningen skulle kunna inrikta sig på att studera de fördelar som ett affärssystem genererar. Denna studie skulle kunna kopplas till vårt ramverk över kostnader för att studera om det finns något samband mellan ökade kostnader och ökad nytta av affärssystemet

A new de-airing technique that reduces systemic microemboli during open surgery: a prospective controlled study.

OBJECTIVE: We have evaluated a new technique of cardiac de-airing that is aimed at a) minimizing air from entering into the pulmonary veins by opening both pleurae and allowing lungs to collapse and b) flushing out residual air from the lungs by staged cardiac filling and lung ventilation. These air emboli are usually trapped in the pulmonary veins and may lead to ventricular dysfunction, life-threatening arrhythmias, and transient or permanent neurologic deficits. METHODS: Twenty patients undergoing elective true left open surgery were prospectively and alternately enrolled in the study to the conventional de-airing technique (pleural cavities unopened, dead space ventilation during cardiopulmonary bypass [control group]) and the new de-airing technique (pleural cavities open, ventilator disconnected during cardiopulmonary bypass, staged perfusion, and ventilation of lungs during de-airing [study group]). Transesophageal echocardiography and transcranial Doppler continually monitored the air emboli during the de-airing period and for 10 minutes after termination of the cardiopulmonary bypass. RESULTS: The amount of air embolism as observed on echocardiography and the number of microembolic signals as recorded by transcranial Doppler were significantly less in the study group during the de-airing time (P < .001) and the first 10 minutes after termination of cardiopulmonary bypass (P < .001). Further, the de-airing time was significantly shorter in the study group (10 vs 17 minutes, P < .001). CONCLUSION: The de-airing technique evaluated in this study is simple, reproducible, controlled, safe, and effective. Moreover, it is cost-effective because the de-airing time is short and no extra expenses are involved