cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Financial Inclusion Landscape in the Asia-Pacific Region: A Dozen Key Findings

Financial inclusion is a multidimensional concept and countries have chosen diverse methods of enhancing financial inclusion with varying degrees of results. The heterogeneity of financial inclusion is particularly striking in the Asia-Pacific region as member countries range from those that are at the cutting edge of financial technology to others that are aiming to provide access to basic financial services. The wide disparity is not only inter-country but also intra-country. The focus of this paper is to take stock of the current state of financial inclusion in the Asia-Pacific region by highlighting twelve stylized facts about the state of financial inclusion in these countries. The paper finds that the state of financial inclusion depends on several factors, but a holistic approach calibrated to specific country conditions may lead to greater financial inclusion.
Comparison of the predictive value of area under the curve versus maximum serum concentration of intravenous tobramycin in cystic fibrosis patients treated for an acute pulmonary exacerbation

OBJECTIVES The primary objective of this study was to compare the therapeutic predictive value of area under the curve (AUC24 ) versus maximum concentration (Cmax ) in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients receiving intravenous (IV) tobramycin for a Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PsA) acute pulmonary exacerbation (APE). Acute kidney injury (AKI) incidence and the relationship between time undetectable and efficacy were also assessed. METHODS A retrospective review was conducted in patients aged at least 1 month with a diagnosis of CF receiving IV tobramycin for treatment of a PsA APE and admitted to the University of Kentucky between August 2015 and August 2019. Patients were excluded if they had no growth of PsA on sputum culture or if two postdose tobramycin levels were not obtained following a dose adjustment of ≥20%. RESULTS A total of 44 pediatric and 107 adult patient encounters met inclusion criteria. In patients with therapeutic success (n = 91), 75.8% had an AUC24 ≥80% and 80.3% had a Cmax ≥8 times the highest PsA minimal inhibitory concentration. There was a significant correlation between AUC24 and Cmax (r[149] = 0.727; p < 0.001). AKI incidence was significantly higher in patients receiving IV tobramycin dosed multiple times daily versus at least every 24 h (χ2 [1, 151] = 3.9; p = 0.047). CONCLUSIONS The results of this study indicate that both AUC24 and Cmax serve as relatively accurate predictors of tobramycin efficacy. Additionally, given the significant increase in incidence of AKI, multidaily dosing of IV tobramycin should be avoided in pediatric and adult patients with CF.
Effect of Inflow Control on Inlet Noise of a Cut-on Fan

The control of turbulence and other inflow disturbances in anechoic chambers for static turbofan noise studies was studied. A cut-on, high tip speed fan stage was acoustically tested with three configurations of an inflow control device in an anechoic chamber. Although this was a cut-on design, rotor inflow interaction appeared to be a much stronger source of blade passing tone radiated from the inlet than rotor stator interaction for the 1.6 mean rotor chord separation. Aft external suction applied to the area where the inflow control device joined the inlet produced a further reduction in blade passing tone, suggesting that disturbances in the forward flow on the outside of the inlet were superimposed on the inlet boundary layer and were a significant source of tone noise.
Wiener’s Lemma for Infinite Matrices II

In this paper, we introduce a class of infinite matrices related to the Beurling algebra of periodic functions, and we show that it is an inverse-closed subalgebra of ${\mathcal{B}}(\ell^{q}_{w})$ , the algebra of all bounded linear operators on the weighted sequence space $\ell^{q}_{w}$ , for any 1≤q<∞ and any discrete Muckenhoupt A q -weight w.
Mean field interaction on random graphs with dynamically changing multi-color edges

Abstract We consider weakly interacting jump processes on time-varying random graphs with dynamically changing multi-color edges. The system consists of a large number of nodes in which the node dynamics depends on the joint empirical distribution of all the other nodes and the edges connected to it, while the edge dynamics depends only on the corresponding nodes it connects. Asymptotic results, including law of large numbers, propagation of chaos, and central limit theorems, are established. In contrast to the classic McKean–Vlasov limit, the limiting system exhibits a path-dependent feature in that the evolution of a given particle depends on its own conditional distribution given its past trajectory. We also analyze the asymptotic behavior of the system when the edge dynamics is accelerated. A law of large number and a propagation of chaos result is established, and the limiting system is given as independent McKean–Vlasov processes. Error between the two limiting systems, with and without acceleration in edge dynamics, is also analyzed.
Regularized Brascamp–lieb Inequalities And An Application

We present a regularized version of Holder-Brascamp-Lieb inequalities studied by Bennett, Carbery, Christ, and Tao. These inequalities lead to a generalization of the multilinear Kakeya inequality.
Early Platelet dynamics during Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia is associated with dysregulated cytokine response and predictive of microbial persistence and mortality

Background Platelets play key roles in host immune response during sepsis. Microbial persistence and early dysregulated cytokine response predict poor outcomes in patients with Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (SAB). Our objective was to determine the relationship between early platelet trends and cytokine response, microbial persistence and 30-day mortality in patients with SAB. Methods A two-center observational study was conducted in hospitalized patients with monomicrobial SAB. Electronic medical records were reviewed for pertinent demographic, laboratory, and clinical information. Eligible subjects were grouped by platelet count at onset and Day 4 of SAB: normal platelet (NP, > 150 x 109/L) and thrombocytopenia (TC, < 150 x 109/L). The groups were compared for clinical characteristics and outcomes. Results 812 patients met inclusion criteria. The median age was 59 years with MRSA accounting for 34% of SAB. The most common comorbidities were hypertension followed by diabetes then renal disease. Thrombocytopenia (TC) occurred in 29% of patients at SAB onset: 15% (n = 120) were mild and 14% (n = 114) were moderate-to-severe (MS). Compared to patients with normal platelet (NP) at SAB onset (n = 578), higher proportion of patients with TC had alcohol use disorder (p = 0.015), active malignancy (p = 0.002), liver disease (p < 0.001), in addition to requiring intensive care unit (ICU) level of care during hospital stay (p < 0.001). TC patients had a longer duration of bacteremia (3 days vs 2 days; p = 0.008) and higher risk for 30-day mortality (18% vs 6%; p < 0.001) overall compared to those with NP. Changes in platelet count from SAB onset to Day 4 differed significantly between those with persistent (PB) versus resolving bacteremia (RB). Notably, patients who had NP at SAB onset but developed new onset of TC by Day 4 had a higher risk for 30-day mortality compared to those who maintained NP at Day 4 (20% vs 4%; p < 0.001). Those with recovery of their platelet count from TC to NP by Day 4 (n = 20) had their SAB shortened by one day (2 days vs 3 days; p = 0.413) and trended toward lower risk for 30-day mortality (5% vs 22%; p = 0.068) compared to those with sustained TC by Day 4 (n = 88). Conclusion Our results suggest that platelet dynamics during early course of SAB are associated with dysregulated cytokine response and predictive of 30-day mortality. Future studies should be conducted to assess the impact of utilizing platelet count within the first four days of S. aureus bacteremia to guide clinical interventions and to further investigate S. aureus virulence factors that impair recovery of platelet count in patients with thrombocytopenia.
Understanding neural code intelligence through program simplification

A wide range of code intelligence (CI) tools, powered by deep neural networks, have been developed recently to improve programming productivity and perform program analysis. To reliably use such tools, developers often need to reason about the behavior of the underlying models and the factors that affect them. This is especially challenging for tools backed by deep neural networks. Various methods have tried to reduce this opacity in the vein of "transparent/interpretable-AI". However, these approaches are often specific to a particular set of network architectures, even requiring access to the network's parameters. This makes them difficult to use for the average programmer, which hinders the reliable adoption of neural CI systems. In this paper, we propose a simple, model-agnostic approach to identify critical input features for models in CI systems, by drawing on software debugging research, specifically delta debugging. Our approach, SIVAND, uses simplification techniques that reduce the size of input programs of a CI model while preserving the predictions of the model. We show that this approach yields remarkably small outputs and is broadly applicable across many model architectures and problem domains. We find that the models in our experiments often rely heavily on just a few syntactic features in input programs. We believe that SIVAND's extracted features may help understand neural CI systems' predictions and learned behavior.
Institutional dual holdings and risk-shifting: Evidence from corporate innovation

Abstract This paper analyzes the impact of shareholder-creditor conflicts on corporate risk-taking. Specifically, I examine the role played by institutional dual-holders (i.e., those simultaneously holding the same firm's debt and equity) in corporate innovation. Baseline results show that firms held by dual-holders generate fewer but more valuable patents. To alleviate endogeneity concerns, I use a difference-in-differences approach based on financial institution mergers. Further analysis suggests that decreased sensitivity of managerial compensation to firm risk might be a possible channel. Overall, I provide new evidence that shareholder-creditor conflicts indeed exist and lead to risk-shifting, and that dual ownership can partially mitigate this problem.
Because of Bostock

In Bostock v. Clayton County, the Supreme Court extended Title VII to cover discrimination based on sexuality and gender identity. With most attention focused on the decision’s significance for LGBTQ+ equality, neither courts nor commentators have recognized Bostock’s potential to upend an entirely different feature of employment discrimination law. Bostock lays the groundwork for overturning the McDonnell Douglas burden-shifting framework—the onerous test courts apply to most Title VII claims. By requiring plaintiffs to prove that employers’ stated reasons for adverse employment actions are pretextual, McDonnell Douglas fails to recognize that discriminatory and nondiscriminatory but-for causes can coexist. Bostock implicitly rejects this assumption by recognizing that employment decisions can have multiple but-for causes, thereby arming litigants with the means to deliver a fatal blow to McDonnell Douglas.
Fully automated detection of paramagnetic rims in multiple sclerosis lesions on 3T susceptibility-based MR imaging.

Abstract Background and Purpose The presence of a paramagnetic rim around a white matter lesion has recently been shown to be a hallmark of a particular pathological type of multiple sclerosis lesion. Increased prevalence of these paramagnetic rim lesions is associated with a more severe disease course in MS, but manual identification is time-consuming. We present APRL, a method to automatically detect paramagnetic rim lesions on 3T T2*-phase images. Methods T1-weighted, T2-FLAIR, and T2*-phase MRI of the brain were collected at 3T for 20 subjects with MS. The images were then processed with automated lesion segmentation, lesion center detection, lesion labelling, and lesion-level radiomic feature extraction. A total of 951 lesions were identified, 113 (12%) of which contained a paramagnetic rim. We divided our data into a training set (16 patients, 753 lesions) and a testing set (4 patients, 198 lesions), fit a random forest classification model on the training set, and assessed our ability to classify paramagnetic rim lesions on the test set. Results The number of paramagnetic rim lesions per subject identified via our automated lesion labelling method was highly correlated with the gold standard count per subject, r = 0.86 (95% CI [0.68, 0.94]). The classification algorithm using radiomic features classified lesions with an area under the curve of 0.82 (95% CI [0.74, 0.92]). Conclusion This study develops a fully automated technique, APRL, for the detection of paramagnetic rim lesions using standard T1 and FLAIR sequences and a T2*phase sequence obtained on 3T MR images.
General biology: Creating a positive learning environment for elementary education majors

This article received the “Implications of Research for Educational Practice” award at the 1996 meeting of the Association for the Education of Teachers in Science. The award is made possible by Carolina Biological Supply. The article was published in The American Biology Teacher, April 1994, pp. 216–220, and is reprinted with their permission.
Sample-Efficient Low Rank Phase Retrieval

This work studies the Low Rank Phase Retrieval (LRPR) problem: recover an $n \times q$ rank- $r$ matrix ${ \boldsymbol {X}^{\ast}}$ from $\boldsymbol {y}_{k} = | \boldsymbol {A}_{k}^\top \boldsymbol {x}^{\ast} _{k}|$ , $k=1, 2,\ldots, q$ , when each $\boldsymbol {y}_{k}$ is an m-length vector containing independent phaseless linear projections of $\boldsymbol {x}^{\ast}_{k}$ . Here $|.|$ takes element-wise magnitudes of a vector. The different matrices $\boldsymbol {A}_{k}$ are i.i.d. and each contains i.i.d. standard Gaussian entries. We obtain an improved guarantee for AltMinLowRaP, which is an Alternating Minimization solution to LRPR that was introduced and studied in our recent work. As long as the right singular vectors of ${ \boldsymbol {X}^{\ast}}$ satisfy the incoherence assumption, we can show that the AltMinLowRaP estimate converges geometrically to ${ \boldsymbol {X}^{\ast}}$ if the total number of measurements $mq \gtrsim nr^{2} (r + \log (1/\epsilon))$ . In addition, we also need $m \gtrsim max(r, \log q, \log n)$ because of the specific asymmetric nature of our problem. Compared to our recent work, we improve the sample complexity of the AltMin iterations by a factor of $r^{2}$ , and that of the initialization by a factor of $r$ . We argue, based on comparison with related well-studied problems, why the above sample complexity cannot be improved any further for non-convex solutions to LRPR. We also extend our result to the noisy case; we prove stability to corruption by small additive noise.
Symplectic 4-manifolds on the Noether line and between the Noether and half Noether lines

We construct simply connected, minimal, symplectic 4-manifolds with exotic smooth structures and each with one Seiberg–Witten basic class up to sign, on the Noether line and between the Noether and half Noether lines by star surgeries introduced by Karakurt and Starkston, and by using complex singularities. We also construct certain configurations of complex singularities in the rational elliptic surfaces geometrically, without using any monodromy arguments. By using these configurations, we give symplectic embeddings of star shaped plumbings inside (some blow-ups of) elliptic surfaces.
Edge erasures and chordal graphs

We prove several results about chordal graphs and weighted chordal graphs by focusing on exposed edges. These are edges that are properly contained in a single maximal complete subgraph. This leads to a characterization of chordal graphs via deletions of a sequence of exposed edges from a complete graph. Most interesting is that in this context the connected components of the edge-induced subgraph of exposed edges are 2 -edge connected. We use this latter fact in the weighted case to give a modified version of Kruskal's second algorithm for finding a minimum spanning tree in a weighted chordal graph. This modified algorithm benefits from being local in an important sense.
Spatial Intention Maps for Multi-Agent Mobile Manipulation

The ability to communicate intention enables decentralized multi-agent robots to collaborate while performing physical tasks. In this work, we present spatial intention maps, a new intention representation for multi-agent vision-based deep reinforcement learning that improves coordination between decentralized mobile manipulators. In this representation, each agent’s intention is provided to other agents, and rendered into an overhead 2D map aligned with visual observations. This synergizes with the recently proposed spatial action maps framework, in which state and action representations are spatially aligned, providing inductive biases that encourage emergent cooperative behaviors requiring spatial coordination, such as passing objects to each other or avoiding collisions. Experiments across a variety of multi-agent environments, including heterogeneous robot teams with different abilities (lifting, pushing, or throwing), show that incorporating spatial intention maps improves performance for different mobile manipulation tasks while significantly enhancing cooperative behaviors.
Discrete mechanical model of lamellipodial actin network implements molecular clutch mechanism and generates arcs and microspikes.

Mechanical forces, actin filament turnover, and adhesion to the extracellular environment regulate lamellipodial protrusions. Computational and mathematical models at the continuum level have been used to investigate the molecular clutch mechanism, calculating the stress profile through the lamellipodium and around focal adhesions. However, the forces and deformations of individual actin filaments have not been considered while interactions between actin networks and actin bundles is not easily accounted with such methods. We develop a filament-level model of a lamellipodial actin network undergoing retrograde flow using 3D Brownian dynamics. Retrograde flow is promoted in simulations by pushing forces from the leading edge (due to actin polymerization), pulling forces (due to molecular motors), and opposed by viscous drag in cytoplasm and focal adhesions. Simulated networks have densities similar to measurements in prior electron micrographs. Connectivity between individual actin segments is maintained by permanent and dynamic crosslinkers. Remodeling of the network occurs via the addition of single actin filaments near the leading edge and via filament bond severing. We investigated how several parameters affect the stress distribution, network deformation and retrograde flow speed. The model captures the decrease in retrograde flow upon increase of focal adhesion strength. The stress profile changes from compression to extension across the leading edge, with regions of filament bending around focal adhesions. The model reproduces the observed reduction in retrograde flow speed upon exposure to cytochalasin D, which halts actin polymerization. Changes in crosslinker concentration and dynamics, as well as in the orientation pattern of newly added filaments demonstrate the model’s ability to generate bundles of filaments perpendicular (actin arcs) or parallel (microspikes) to the protruding direction.
Strontium and barium in aqueous solution and a potassium channel binding site.

Ion hydration structure and free energy establish criteria for understanding selective ion binding in potassium (K+) ion channels and may be significant to understanding blocking mechanisms as well. Recently, we investigated the hydration properties of Ba2+, the most potent blocker of K+ channels among the simple metal ions. Here, we use a similar method of combining ab initio molecular dynamics simulations, statistical mechanical theory, and electronic structure calculations to probe the fundamental hydration properties of Sr2+, which does not block bacterial K+ channels. The radial distribution of water around Sr2+ suggests a stable 8-fold geometry in the local hydration environment, similar to Ba2+. While the predicted hydration free energy of −331.8 kcal/mol is comparable with the experimental result of −334 kcal/mol, the value is significantly more favorable than the −305 kcal/mol hydration free energy of Ba2+. When placed in the innermost K+ channel blocking site, the solvation free energies and lowest energy structures of both Sr2+ and Ba2+ are nearly unchanged compared with their respective hydration properties. This result suggests that the block is not attributable to ion trapping due to +2 charge, and differences in blocking behavior arise due to free energies associated with the exchange of water ligands for channel ligands instead of free energies of transfer from water to the binding site.Ion hydration structure and free energy establish criteria for understanding selective ion binding in potassium (K+) ion channels and may be significant to understanding blocking mechanisms as well. Recently, we investigated the hydration properties of Ba2+, the most potent blocker of K+ channels among the simple metal ions. Here, we use a similar method of combining ab initio molecular dynamics simulations, statistical mechanical theory, and electronic structure calculations to probe the fundamental hydration properties of Sr2+, which does not block bacterial K+ channels. The radial distribution of water around Sr2+ suggests a stable 8-fold geometry in the local hydration environment, similar to Ba2+. While the predicted hydration free energy of −331.8 kcal/mol is comparable with the experimental result of −334 kcal/mol, the value is significantly more favorable than the −305 kcal/mol hydration free energy of Ba2+. When placed in the innermost K+ channel blocking site, the solvation free energies and low...
Private learning implies quantum stability

Learning an unknown $n$-qubit quantum state $\rho$ is a fundamental challenge in quantum computing. Information-theoretically, it is known that tomography requires exponential in $n$ many copies of $\rho$ to estimate it up to trace distance. Motivated by computational learning theory, Aaronson et al. introduced many (weaker) learning models: the PAC model of learning states (Proceedings of Royal Society A'07), shadow tomography (STOC'18) for learning "shadows" of a state, a model that also requires learners to be differentially private (STOC'19) and the online model of learning states (NeurIPS'18). In these models it was shown that an unknown state can be learned "approximately" using linear-in-$n$ many copies of rho. But is there any relationship between these models? In this paper we prove a sequence of (information-theoretic) implications from differentially-private PAC learning, to communication complexity, to online learning and then to quantum stability. Our main result generalizes the recent work of Bun, Livni and Moran (Journal of the ACM'21) who showed that finite Littlestone dimension (of Boolean-valued concept classes) implies PAC learnability in the (approximate) differentially private (DP) setting. We first consider their work in the real-valued setting and further extend their techniques to the setting of learning quantum states. Key to our results is our generic quantum online learner, Robust Standard Optimal Algorithm (RSOA), which is robust to adversarial imprecision. We then show information-theoretic implications between DP learning quantum states in the PAC model, learnability of quantum states in the one-way communication model, online learning of quantum states, quantum stability (which is our conceptual contribution), various combinatorial parameters and give further applications to gentle shadow tomography and noisy quantum state learning.
Understanding Hydrophobic Effects: Insights from Water Density Fluctuations

The aversion of hydrophobic solutes for water drives diverse interactions and assemblies across materials science, biology, and beyond. Here, we review the theoretical, computational, and experimen...
Complete logarithmic Sobolev inequalities via Ricci curvature bounded below

Abstract We prove that for a symmetric Markov semigroup, Ricci curvature bounded from below by a non-positive constant combined with a finite L ∞ -mixing time implies the modified log-Sobolev inequality. Such L ∞ -mixing time estimates always hold for Markov semigroups that have spectral gap and finite Varopoulos dimension. Our results apply to non-ergodic quantum Markov semigroups with noncommutative Ricci curvature bounds recently introduced by Carlen and Maas. As an application, we prove that the heat semigroup on a compact Riemannian manifold admits a uniform modified log-Sobolev inequality for all its matrix-valued extensions.
Writer's Palmar Impressions

In questioned document cases in which the writing cannot be positively identified, “writer's palm print(s)” can sometimes be developed below the questioned handwriting. The position of a writer's palm print can be used to infer that both the palm print and the handwriting originate from the same hand.
Magnetoreception: Homing in on vertebrates

Imagine being set adrift in a canoe in the middle of an ocean. Which way would you paddle? Most humans would be as lost as lost can be, but creatures such as pigeons, turtles and whales have no difficulty navigating in such circumstances. How they do so remains one of the biggest mysteries in the behavioural sciences, at the centre of which is the question of how organisms might sense the Earth's magnetic field and use it for navigation and homing (a topic with a chequered history — see box, overleaf). The mystery, however, is gradually being solved, and the latest instalment in the story comes in Walker and colleagues' study of rainbow trout (page 371 of this issue). All known sensory systems have specialized receptor cells designed to respond to the external stimulus, and these are always coupled to neurons to bring this information to the brain. In modern times the main objection to claims that magnetoreception is genuine was biophysical — that there was no evidence of appropriate receptors. The first clue towards meeting this objection came in an obscure place, the teeth of small molluscs. The late Heinz A. Lowenstam discovered that the major lateral teeth of the chitons are capped by massive amounts of a hardening agent, the permanently magnetic mineral magnetite (Fe_(3)O_4) (Fig. 1). Later, with the development of ultrasensitive superconducting moment magnetometers, came the recognition that tiny (parts per billion) levels of biogenic magnetite are naturally present in animals as diverse as insects, birds, fish and even humans. The final crack in the biophysical arguments against magnetoreception came with the discovery of the magnetotactic bacteria and protists (Fig. 2), which possess linear chains of either single-domain magnetite or greigite (Fe_(3)S_4). They provide unequivocal examples of biological activity being influenced by the geomagnetic field.
The Pivotal Mechanism and Organizational Control

Organizations with multiple individuals typically make decisions by following the will of the majority of some subset of stakeholders that are entitled to vote. This paper examines an alternative decision-making mechanism-the "pivotal" mechanism developed by Groves and Clarke. Unlike voting, the pivotal mechanism produces efficient outcomes in the presence of heterogeneous voter preferences. Moreover, the mechanism allows control rights to be allocated more widely, reducing the costs of opportunism when a controlling class of stakeholders has interests adverse to another class. These benefits come with costs. The pivotal mechanism's efficiency diminishes in the presence of collusion between voters and requires the creation of "pools" that disperse revenues created by the mechanism. The mechanism is therefore most attractive when the costs of heterogeneity are large and the risks of collusion are small. As a result, I propose the development of a legal basis for the pivotal mechanism as a menu option for organizational decision making.
WASTE HEAT RECOVERY IN TRUCK ENGINES

Improvement in fuel economy is examined and compared for a broad spectrum of truck engines and waste heat utilization concepts. Diesel, spark ignition, gas turbine, and Stirling engines are considered, with principal emphasis on the turbocharged, four-stroke diesel. Because of increased exhaust energy and a large potential for improved performance, the still-to-be-developed adiabatic diesel is also examined. Waste heat utilization concepts considered include preheating, regeneration, turbocharging, turbocompounding, and Rankine engine compounding. Predictions are based on fuel/air cycle analyses, computer simulation, and engine test data, with all options compared on the basis of maximum theoretical improvement. The diesel and adiabatic diesel are also evaluated in terms of maximum expected improvement and expected improvement over a driving cycle. The indication is that diesels should be turbocharged and aftercooled to the maximum possible level. Based on current design practices, up to 6% fuel economy improvements might be possible. Rankine engine compounding can provide about three times as much improvement as turbocompounding, but will cost three times as much. By turbocharging, turbocompounding, and Rankine engine compounding, driving cycle performance could be increased by up to 20% for a diesel and up to 40% for an adiabatic diesel. Rankine engine compounding can provide significant fuel economy improvement for gas turbine and spark ignition engines and regeneration could significantly enhance the performance of the latter. Because of the low heat content of its exhaust, the Stirling engine has only a small potential for further waste heat recovery.
Is there a surplus of obstetrician-gynecologists?

Abstract An excess of physicians ranging from 21,000 to 70,000 has been predicted for 1990, including a “surplus” of 10,450 obstetrician-gynecologists. Published supply figures have been overestimated. In 1990, the supply of and the demand for obstetrician-gynecologists should be essentially in balance. The classic law of supply and demand is beginning to operate in medical care.
Roles, co-descriptors, and the formal representation of quantified English expressions

A scheme is proposed for representing the logical form of English sentences, wherein the meaning of a network node depends on how it is related through "role-in" links to nodes representing more aggregate entities. It is argued that roles are a natural device for capturing many linguistic and philosophic distinctions, and that they are convenient for computational processing. In particular, it is shown how role-in links may be advantageously used in lieu of quantifier scope to represent quantificational dependencies.
Colocalization of ion channels involved in frequency selectivity and synaptic transmission at presynaptic active zones of hair cells

Calcium ions serve as intracellular messengers in 2 activities of hair cells: in conjunction with Ca2(+)-activated K+ channels, they produce the electrical resonance that tunes each cell to a specific frequency of stimulation, and they trigger the release of a chemical synaptic transmitter. Our experiments indicate that both of these functions are conducted within a region that extends a few hundred nanometers around each presynaptic active zone. In focal electrical recordings from the plasma membranes of isolated anuran hair cells, we found nearly all of a cell's Ca2+ channels and Ca2(+)-activated K+ channels clumped at a fixed ratio in an average of 20 clusters on the basolateral membrane surface. Because serial-section electron microscopy indicated that each hair cell has approximately 19 afferent synaptic contacts with a similar distribution upon its basolateral surface, we conclude that the channel clusters coincide with synaptic active zones. Ensemble-variance analysis of current fluctuations indicated that each cell has a total of approximately 1800 Ca2+ channels and approximately 700 Ca2(+)- activated K+ channels; if these are uniformly divided, we estimate that each channel cluster contains approximately 90 Ca2+ and approximately 40 Ca2(+)-activated K+ channels. Freeze-fracture electron microscopy demonstrated an average of 133 large intramembrane particles in the presynaptic membrane at each active zone, an observation that suggests that the particles are the clustered channels. We used the K+ channel's sensitivity to intracellular Ca2+ to assay the concentration of free Ca2+ in the presynaptic cytoplasm, which we found to vary between 10 microM and 1 mM over the physiological range of membrane potentials. The inferred concentrations agreed with the values predicted for free diffusion of Ca2+ away from Ca2+ channels scattered randomly within a 300-nm-diameter synaptic active zone. The close association among Ca2+ channels, Ca2(+)-activated K+ channels, and synaptic active zones is necessary both for the rapid activation of K+ currents required in electrical resonance and for the transmission at afferent synapses of information about the phases of high-frequency stimuli.
When People Evaluate Others, the Level of Others’ Narcissism Matters Less to Evaluators Who Are Narcissistic

Prior studies have documented how people in general respond to others’ narcissism, but existing research offers few clues about whether and how evaluator narcissism influences judgments of traits associated with narcissism. Participants completed the Narcissistic Personality Inventory and then evaluated hypothetical target persons. Target narcissism was conveyed through a single trait description (Study 1), a list of traits (Study 2), or Facebook content (Study 3). Narcissistic qualities were reliably viewed unfavorably, but narcissistic participants were comparatively less bothered by target narcissism and less positive in their judgments of targets without narcissistic qualities. In each study, symptoms of the presence or absence of narcissism had less impact on the social judgments of participants who were narcissistic.
Legislative institutions and Institutionalism in the United States

Today, there is much talk of ‘institutions’ and ‘institutionalism’ among scholars, and notably among students of parliaments and legislatures. Yet, the meaning of ‘institutions’ needs clarification. Moreover, the contrasting approaches of institutional inquiry ‐ the ‘rational‐choice’ perspective and the posture of ‘historical institutionalism’ ‐ should contribute to the common enterprise of understanding representation and collective action in legislative institutions. Finally, research on legislatures in the United States of America should be struck in a comparative vein, contributing to wider understanding of legislative institutions and life.
Diode-pumped moving-disc laser: a new configuration for high average power generation

In this paper we report a new geometry for diode laser pumping. We show that an efficient moving-disc laser can be designed which can operate at 20 kW of average power with existing diode laser technology.
Discovery of a Tidal Stream Extending from NGC 5053

Here we report the discovery of a 6° tidal stream related to NGC 5053 using the Sloan Digital Sky Survey data. A matched-filter analysis has been employed to optimize the contrast between the cluster and background noise. The stream of tidal debris associated with NGC 5053 corresponds to a projected length of approximately 1.7 kpc at the cluster's distance. The tidal detection is also seen in photometric data obtained at McDonald Observatory. Our result adds further observational evidence that low-concentration clusters are more likely to exhibit stellar tidal extensions.
THE CALM AFTER THE STORM: USING MEDIATION TO RESOLVE PARENTING DISPUTES IN THE WAKE OF NATURAL DISASTERS

Hurricane Katrina not only tore apart communities along the Gulf Coast, it displaced hundreds of thousands of families throughout the country. Included in the massive numbers of displaced families were children from divorced, separated, or unmarried parents. As a result, many children have since relocated far away from one of their parents without court permission, causing an influx of parenting disputes among the unmarried parents. Litigation concerning parenting disputes that follow natural disasters is not only expensive, but is emotionally taxing on both parents and children and floods the already drained court system. This Note discusses alternative ways in which parenting disputes can be resolved following natural disasters. It explains how children are affected by relocating away from one of their parents and how those effects are comounded by natural disasters. Further, it explains how alternative dispute resolution methods help alleviate the effects of parenting disputes, specifically relocation disputes, on children. Finally, this Note proposes that all parents should be mandated to mediate any parenting disputes following natural disasters.
Gerald M. Edelman (1929–2014)

Gerald M. Edelman, who was born in New York in 1929, died at his home in La Jolla, California, on 17 May 2014. With him, biology has lost a great scientist and something even rarer—a profound thinker. Edelman's work in the 1960s revealed the chemical structure of antibody molecules, for which he received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1972 with Rodney Porter. In the 1970s, Edelman turned to studying how cells stick to each other, which led to the discovery of cell adhesion molecules (CAMs). Afterward, Edelman directed much of his efforts to understanding “how the brain gives rise to the mind” and formulated a general theory of brain function—the theory of neuronal group selection.
Galvanic‐Induced Postural Movements As a Test of Vestibular Function in Humans

Galvanic stimulation produces postural sway and eye movements in humans. Since galvanic currents are thought to exert their effect at the trigger zone of the vestibular nerve, an intact vestibular nerve should be necessary to produce a response. We have used galvanic stimulation in humans to test the hypothesis that intact vestibular nerve fibers are required to obtain a postural sway response. Experimental subjects included normal subjects, patients who had undergone resection of an acoustic neuroma, and patients who had undergone vestibular neurectomy and surgical labyrinthectomy. Our results support the hypothesis that an intact vestibular nerve is necessary to produce a response. Moreover, two patients with recurrent vertigo following vestibular neurectomy and labyrinthectomy, who had absent ice-water caloric test responses in the operated ears, were found to have a positive galvanic response. This result suggested that their recurrent vertigo was based on intact residual vestibular nerve fibers. Although previous research has not yielded a routine clinical use for galvanic stimulation, our results suggest that galvanic stimulation of the vestibular system can provide unique and valuable diagnostic information.
Strategic robust supply chain design based on the Pareto-optimal tradeoff between efficiency and risk

Abstract The strategic design of a robust supply chain has to determine the configuration of the supply chain so that its performance remains of a consistently high quality for all possible future conditions. The current modeling techniques often only consider either the efficiency or the risk of the supply chain. Instead, we define the strategic robust supply chain design as the set of all Pareto-optimal configurations considering simultaneously the efficiency and the risk, where the risk is measured by the standard deviation of the efficiency. We model the problem as the Mean–Standard Deviation Robust Design Problem (MSD-RDP). Since the standard deviation has a square root expression, which makes standard maximization algorithms based on mixed-integer linear programming non-applicable, we show the equivalency to the Mean–Variance Robust Design Problem (MV-RDP). The MV-RDP yields an infinite number of mixed-integer programming problems with quadratic objective (MIQO) when considering all possible tradeoff weights. In order to identify all Pareto-optimal configurations efficiently, we extend the branch-and-reduce algorithm by applying optimality cuts and upper bounds to eliminate parts of the infeasible region and the non-Pareto-optimal region. We show that all Pareto-optimal configurations can be found within a prescribed optimality tolerance with a finite number of iterations of solving the MIQO. Numerical experience for a metallurgical case is reported.
Authoritarianism, religious fundamentalism, and the human prefrontal cortex

Objective: The psychological processes of doubting and skepticism have recently become topics of neuroscientific investigation. In this context, we developed the False Tagging Theory, a neurobiological model of the belief and doubt process, which proposes that the prefrontal cortex is critical for normative doubt regarding properly comprehended cognitive representations. Here, we put our theory to an empirical test, hypothesizing that patients with prefrontal cortex damage would have a doubt deficit that would manifest as higher authoritarianism and religious fundamentalism. Method: Ten patients with bilateral damage to the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), 10 patients with damage to areas outside the vmPFC, and 16 medical comparison patients, who experienced life-threatening (but non-neurological) medical events, completed a series of scales measuring authoritarianism, religious fundamentalism, and specific religious beliefs. Results: vmPFC patients reported significantly higher authoritarianism and religious fundamentalism than the other groups. The degrees of authoritarianism and religious fundamentalism in the vmPFC group were significantly higher than normative values, as well; by contrast, the comparison groups did not differ from normative values. Moreover, vmPFC patients reported increased specific religious beliefs after brain injury. Conclusions: The findings support the False Tagging Theory and suggest that the vmPFC is critical for psychological doubt and resistance to authoritarian persuasion. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved). Language: en
SU-FF-J-15: Onboard CT Imaging Quality and Its Effect On Online Patient Positioning Correction On TomoTherapy and Elekta Synergy Platforms

Purpose: To evaluate online imaging quality of implanted prostate gold markers on two clinical image‐guidedradiation therapy(IGRT) platforms — TomoTherapy HI‐ART and Elekta Synergy, and its effect on online patient registration accuracy in a typical IGRT workflow. Methods and Materials: Currently, our institution has two IGRT platforms in clinical use — TomoTherapy HI‐ART (Madison, WI) and Elekta Synergy (Elekta AB, Sweden). In external beam prostate treatment, 3 gold markers (Best Medical International, Springfield, VA) are implanted to help locate prostate on daily pre‐treatment CT scans, in order to register patient with corresponding planning CTimages and then perform online positional correction. However, because of very small physical dimensions of the implanted markers and their high Z material, there could be significant image reconstruction artifacts and geometrical distortions on either TomoTherapy's helical Megavoltage CT (MVCT) or Elekta's XVI kilovoltage cone‐beam CT(CBCT)images. As a result, accuracy of patients' inter‐fractional online position adjustment based on registering prostate markers could suffer. In this work, we systematically investigate this issue. First, we use a home‐made prostate marker‐solid water phantom to evaluate reconstructed image artifacts and geometrical distortion on both IGRT platforms. Then, we carefully exam the process and results of patient online position correction by registering pre‐treatment MVCT/CBCT images to corresponding planning CTimages, using both phantom images and patient images.Results: On both IGRT systems, significant image reconstruction artifacts and geometrical distortions of the gold markers were found on both the phantom images, and the patient pre‐treatment CTimages. However, the effect of this imaging quality problem on the accuracy of patients' inter‐fractional online position adjustment was found to be relatively small — both on phantom setup and patient daily online registrations. Findings are discussed in details and its meanings to general IGRT procedures are discussed in depth.
Development of functional tolerance to ethanol in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulata)

Abstract Four rhesus monkeys were extensively trained until performance reached asymptote on a two-choice discrimination-reversal task. Doses of ethanol (3 g/kg) or placebo (aqueous lactose solutions isocaloric to 3 g/kg of ethanol) were then administered by gavage 90 min prior to testing. Following an initial decrement when ethanol was first administered, performance gradually returned on subsequent days to levels which were equivalent to those found under placebo conditions despite continued drug administration. Ethanol treatment affected accuracy of responding during both the acquisition and reversal phases of the task as well as the quantity of behavior emitted by the animals. Changes in performance levels were independent of fluctuations in blood ethanol concentrations. Functional tolerance developed within approximately 18 days as indicated by the recovery of performance on the discrimination-reversal task. Furthermore, this tolerance was retained during a 24 day period during which no ethanol was administered.
Production of organometallic polymers by the interfacial technique. II. Kinetic study of the production of polyoxyethyleneoxy(diphenylsilylene) by the interfacial technique

The stirred interfacial production of polyoxyethyleneoxy(diphenylsilylene) was found to be five-thirds order and dependent on the concentrations of both ethylene glycol and diphenyldichlorosilane, indicating that the character of the rate-determining step involves reaction of the ethylene glycol or ethylene glycol derivative and diphenyldichlorosilane or diphenyldichlorosilane derivative. A model consisting of ethylene glycol droplets residing in the organic phase is proposed which follows the rate expression: This is in agreement with experimental findings. A rate constant of 1.4 × 10−4c.2/3 m2/3-sec is found. The rates in unstirred interfacial systems are found to be slower than in the stirred systems.
CDP-diacylglycerol synthetase-controlled phosphoinositide availability limits VEGFA signaling and vascular morphogenesis

Understanding the mechanisms that regulate angiogenesis and translating these into effective therapies are of enormous scientific and clinical interests. In this report, we demonstrate the central role of CDP-diacylglycerol synthetase (CDS) in the regulation of VEGFA signaling and angiogenesis. CDS activity maintains phosphoinositide 4,5 bisphosphate (PIP2) availability through resynthesis of phosphoinositides, whereas VEGFA, mainly through phospholipase Cγ1, consumes PIP2 for signal transduction. Loss of CDS2, 1 of 2 vertebrate CDS enzymes, results in vascular-specific defects in zebrafish in vivo and failure of VEGFA-induced angiogenesis in endothelial cells in vitro. Absence of CDS2 also results in reduced arterial differentiation and reduced angiogenic signaling. CDS2 deficit-caused phenotypes can be successfully rescued by artificial elevation of PIP2 levels, and excess PIP2 or increased CDS2 activity can promote excess angiogenesis. These results suggest that availability of CDS-controlled resynthesis of phosphoinositides is essential for angiogenesis.