cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Researching Juror Judgment and Decision Making in Cases of Alleged Auditor Negligence: A Toolkit for New Scholars

ABSTRACT: This paper provides methodological guidance to individuals interested in audit-related, juror judgment and decision-making (JDM) research. Specifically, we discuss key issues surrounding experimental design including participant selection, case selection and design, and identifying important independent, process, and dependent variables—discussions often omitted from published research in this area. We also address several issues encountered during the review process and through discussions with or presentations by other scholars. Overall, this paper is aimed at (1) increasing scholars', particularly newer scholars', awareness of the different design options that are available when planning juror JDM studies; (2) enhancing scholars' understanding of the costs and benefits of those options; and (3) helping scholars better foresee how different design choices ultimately will impact the inferences that can be drawn from their studies. Thus, this paper provides an easily accessible resource to help ...
Unsupervised parsing of gaze data with a beta-process vector auto-regressive hidden Markov model

The first stage of analyzing eye-tracking data is commonly to code the data into sequences of fixations and saccades. This process is usually automated using simple, predetermined rules for classifying ranges of the time series into events, such as "if the dispersion of gaze samples is lower than a particular threshold, then code as a fixation; otherwise code as a saccade." More recent approaches incorporate additional eye-movement categories in automated parsing algorithms by using time-varying, data-driven thresholds. We describe an alternative approach using the beta-process vector auto-regressive hidden Markov model (BP-AR-HMM). The BP-AR-HMM offers two main advantages over existing frameworks. First, it provides a statistical model for eye-movement classification rather than a single estimate. Second, the BP-AR-HMM uses a latent process to model the number and nature of the types of eye movements and hence is not constrained to predetermined categories. We applied the BP-AR-HMM both to high-sampling rate gaze data from Andersson et al. (Behavior Research Methods 49(2), 1-22 2016) and to low-sampling rate data from the DIEM project (Mital et al., Cognitive Computation 3(1), 5-24 2011). Driven by the data properties, the BP-AR-HMM identified over five categories of movements, some which clearly mapped on to fixations and saccades, and others potentially captured post-saccadic oscillations, smooth pursuit, and various recording errors. The BP-AR-HMM serves as an effective algorithm for data-driven event parsing alone or as an initial step in exploring the characteristics of gaze data sets.
Services as Activities: Towards a Unified Definition for (Public) Services

I present a novel definition of services (in particular, public services) which sees each of them as the sum of all activities that realize a public authority's commitment to make available to individuals, businesses, or other public authorities some capabilities intended to answer their needs, giving them some possibilities to control how and when such capabilities should be manifested.
A revised look at management in network structures

Many complicated community problems (i.e., health, economic development, crime, etc.) require organized collaborative efforts. Many of these organized efforts result in a unique structural arrangement called a network structure. In network structures people must actively work together to accomplish what is recognized as a problem or issue of mutual concern. A network structure does not just involve the ability to co-ordinate individual efforts, but rather the ability to manage interdependencies. There are a number of unique management problems which are the result of both structural characteristics as well as the processes involved in operating in a network structure. Applying management theories that may apply to individual organizations may do more harm than good in these settings. Instead, managers will need to develop new ways to build and maintain a network structure. These include: Influencing/Building Legitimacy; Maintaining Legitimacy/Building Consensus and Building Management Skills.
Hydrogen Bonding Aggregation of a Series of Bis-Amidinium Halide Salts in the Solid State

A series of bis-amidinium derivatives has been prepared and shown to form ordered aggregates in the solid state. The primary organizing interactions are bidentate hydrogen bonds between the syn-hydrogen atoms of the amidinium ions and the halide counter anion.
Probing Acid Sites in Zeolites by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy Using Pyridine as a Probe Molecule

The large pore zeolites containing 12-membered ring pore openings designated as Omega, Beta, ZSM- 20 and Mordenite have been investigated for their acidic properties using N1s X-ray photoelectron and FTIR spectra of chemisorbed pyridine. Deconvolution of N1s XPS spectra revealed that all zeolite samples of the present study contain relatively strong Bronsted, weak Bronsted and Lewis acid sites. The binding energy of the N1s component peak associated with strong Bronsted acid sites in Omega zeolite was found to be significantly higher than those Bronsted acid sites present in other zeolites. The results were compared with normal HY zeolite which contained only one type of Bronsted acid site and Lewis acid sites. Comparison of XPS results with IR spectroscopy data suggest that the N1s XPS method is a sensitive and reliable method to measure the strength of Bronsted acidity in zeolitic materials. Based on the N1s binding energy value zeolites are arranged for their Bronsted acid strength as follows: Omega >Beta ≥ ZSM-20 > Mordenite > HY.
Widening the Disparity Gap: Differences in Outcomes for Racial and Ethnic Groups in Youth Substance Abuse Prevention Programming

This study examined racial and ethnic differences in the outcomes of a universal evidence-based program targeted to children and adolescents. Using data collected in 2015 and 2016 from the Alcohol:...
Immunologic indicators of prognosis in bladder cancer: the importance of cell surface antigens.

AbstractThe loss of isoantigens on the surface of cells has been correlated with invasion in 89 patients with bladder cancer: 73 underwent cystectomy and 16 had stage A tumor and were followed. Tumors from these 89 patients were re-examined for the presence or absence of A, B and O (erythrocytic) isoantigens on the surface of neoplastic cells by the red cell adherence test. In 97 per cent of the cystectomy patients with transitional carcinoma lacking superficial cellular antigens (red cell negative tumors) there was documented evidence of invasion and 71 per cent of the patients with stage A, red cell negative tumors eventually had invasion. This high degree of correlation between the loss of cellular antigens and the presence of invasion lends credence to the usefulness of the specific red cell adherence test as an important adjunct in the decision for appropriate therapy of cancer of the bladder.
The UNIveral PArtial Least Squares, UNIPALS, algorithm for Partial Least Squares, PLS, regression

PLS regression is one of the most powerful data analytic methods to become available for the analysis of chemical data. It was developed by a chemist to be applied to measured data and has evolved into a method which can be applied to theoretical (computed) data as well. It is usually applied as the Nonlinear Iterative PArtial Least Squares, NIPALS, algorithm. Here, an alternative, the UNIPALS algorithm is discussed.
Historical Durability of Resistance to Wheat Diseases in Kansas

Abstract In Kansas, estimated annual losses from wheat diseases averaged 16% from 1976 through 1988; however, losses have declined to 10% in recent years. This decline is mainly due to emphasis on ...
Depression and Chronic Medical Illness: New Treatment Approaches

When depression co-occurs with a chronic medical condition, it can have negative effects on both mental and physical health: Depression can lead to worsened treatment adherence and outcomes for the medical condition, while the medical condition may contribute to increased distress and depression. In addition, the combination causes problems for the larger health-care system as a whole by increasing health-care utilization and costs. As a result, researchers, providers and policymakers have turned their attention to treating depression comorbid with medical illnesses. For example, some individual-level interventions involve utilizing psychotherapy techniques to promote behavior change and better disease management while also addressing the depressive symptoms; others identify common treatment components such as encouraging physical activity. On a broader level, some interventions entail system-wide change to implement disease management models that can manage the comorbid conditions. In this chapter, we describe several emerging treatment approaches utilizing psychotherapeutic or population health approaches for this population.
COMPARISON OF REVASCULARIZATION AND IN-HOSPITAL MORTALITY IN PATIENTS WITH TRUE POSTERIOR WALL MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION VERSUS OVERALL ST-ELEVATION MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION

Patients suffering from True Posterior Wall Myocardial Infarction (MI) have been classically described as being at an elevated risk of delayed diagnosis. This is due to absence of ‘traditional’ electrocardiographic infarct signs such as ST-segment elevation, which may result in errors or delays
Coincidences between homological densities, predicted by arithmetic

Abstract Motivated by analogies with basic density theorems in analytic number theory, we introduce a notion (and variations) of the homological density of one space in another. We use Weil's number field/function field analogy to predict coincidences for limiting homological densities of various sequences Z n ( d 1 , … , d m ) ( X ) of spaces of 0-cycles on manifolds X. The main theorem in this paper is that these topological predictions, which seem strange from a purely topological viewpoint, are indeed true. One obstacle to proving such a theorem is the combinatorial complexity of all possible “collisions” of points. This problem does not arise in the simplest (and classical) case ( m , n ) = ( 1 , 2 ) of configuration spaces. To overcome this obstacle we apply the Bjorner–Wachs theory of lexicographic shellability from algebraic combinatorics.
Effects of health-related claims on millennials’ willingness to pay for probiotics in the U.S.: Implications for regulation

Abstract The availability of a large number of probiotic products with and without various health-related claims create challenges for manufacturers and consumers alike. Although empirical studies that provide insights for manufacturers and regulators on the effect of health-related claims on consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) for probiotics are important for informed policymaking and effective research and marketing strategies, such studies are currently lacking. In this study, we examined whether there is any difference in WTP for probiotic products based on the health-related claims. The study used data from a national survey of 1497 U.S. millennials to examine the effect of claims on the product label on millennials' WTP for probiotic products. The study showed that millennials' WTP for the word “probiotic” is the same as that for a product with a broad structure-function claim and lower for a more specific structure-function claim.
The impacts of uterine environment and fetal genotype on conceptus size and placental vascularity during late gestation in pigs

Meishan and Yorkshire gilts were bred exclusively to Yorkshire and Meishan boars, respectively, resulting in similar Meishan × Yorkshire fetuses gestating in the uteri of both maternal breeds. Gilts of both breeds were slaughtered on d 90 and 110 of gestation, and the weight and volume of each uterine horn was determined. Fetal weights and crown-rump lengths were recorded. A section of the chorioallantoic-endometrial attachment site was col- lected for each conceptus and evaluated for placental and endometrial vascular density. An intact placenta was recovered for each conceptus and weighed, and its surface area was determined. Fetal weight and crown- rump length increased ( P .20) for conceptuses in Meishan and Yorkshire uteri on d 90 and 110 of gestation. Additionally, even though the ratio of fetal weight:placental weight (placental efficiency) increased between d 90 and 110, placental efficiency was similar for conceptuses in Meishan and Yorkshire uteri. In a previous study using straightbred Meishan or Yorkshire conceptuses gestated in either a Meishan or Yorkshire uterus, we found Meishan conceptuses had a markedly greater placental efficiency than did Yorkshire conceptuses, regardless of the type of uterus in which they were gestated. These data indicate that uterine type determines conceptus size and conceptus genotype controls placental efficiency.
Palliative care in cardiology: knowing our patients’ values and responding to their needs

### Learning objectives Cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause of death internationally despite decades of advances in medical, surgical and device therapy. Our armament of treatments may support heart function, correct valvular dysfunction, ameliorate arrhythmias and delay death while improving functional status. However, none of these treatments are curative, and each carries at least a small risk of unintended negative consequences, including causing or prolonging suffering. Cardiovascular disease manifests in a variety of clinical profiles, ranging from a previously healthy person with an acute myocardial infarction to a middle-aged individual with an inflammatory cardiomyopathy to a teen with a Fontan repair of single ventricle disease. Their disease experiences and deaths may look very different from one another, but they can all benefit from the incorporation of palliative care. This article provides a description of palliative care as it applies to cardiology, including tools to facilitate the use of primary palliative care by cardiovascular clinicians. Palliative care is a specialised type of medical care that focuses on improving communication about goals of care (GOC), maximising quality of life and reducing symptoms.1 2 It is patient-centred and family centred care that is appropriate at any age and at any stage of a serious illness. In the past, it was often used synonymously with hospice, particularly in end-stage cancer, and gained a reputation as ‘doing nothing’ or ‘giving up’. However, palliative care is better seen as an ‘interventional’ specialty because of its focus on GOC that frame the appropriateness of therapies and its use of measures to ameliorate suffering. Palliative care should be applied alongside usual care in acute and chronic …
Believing in Make-Believe: Efficacy of a Pretend Play Intervention for School-Aged Children with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder marked by socio-emotional deficits, and difficulties with pretend play skills. Play skills are related to processes of adaptive functioning and emotion understanding. The present pilot study implemented an in-person pretend play intervention to school-aged children (ages 6 to 9 years, intervention group = 18, control group = 7) diagnosed with high-functioning ASD (HF-ASD), to increase children’s cognitive and affective play skills, and emotional understanding abilities. The intervention consisted of 5 weekly sessions, 15–20 minutes each. The intervention group significantly increased in imagination and cognitive play skills, which generalized to increased skills in emotional understanding. Findings demonstrate the positive impact of a short, easily facilitated, accessible play intervention for school-aged children with HF-ASD.
Combination of PGE1 and Pulmonary Vasodilator Therapy in Managing a Challenging Case of Severe PAH Secondary to CDH

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a rare disease, which affects 1 in 2,500 newborns. Congenital diaphragmatic hernia can interfere with the normal development of the pulmonary parenchyma and vascular bed, and in severe cases, it can lead to the development of severe pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and right ventricular failure. We present a neonate with CDH who developed severe PAH and right ventricular dysfunction and was managed with a unique strategy combining venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, prostaglandin E1, and a variety of PAH therapies.
Permutation tests for comparative data

Over the last three and a half decades the analysis of relationships between traits in comparative data has come to be dominated by the least-squares regression approach, mainly as implemented in the phylogenetic generalized least-squares (PGLS) regression. Though powerful and straightforward, this approach has two main drawbacks: it requires assumptions about the shape of the data, and it is limited to addressing questions about the conditional mean of one variable as a function of other variables. Here I develop frequentist non-parametric constructs for the analysis of a broader range of comparative questions: two phylogenetic permutation tests based respectively on cyclic permutations and permutations that conserve phylogenetic signal. The cyclic permutation test, an extension of the restricted permutation test that performs exchanges via cyclic permutations of the phylogeny, is conceptually straightforward and performs well both within and outside the bounds where PGLS is applicable, but it can only be used for balanced trees. The signal-based permutation test has identical statistical properties and works with any kind of tree. The statistical power and size of these two tests compares favorably with independent contrasts and surpasses that of a previously developed phylogenetic permutation test that exchanges pairs of observations with probability proportional to their phylogenetic proximity. Three case studies illustrate the use of phylogenetic permutations for detecting relationships in non-normal and heteroscedastic data, for quantile regression, for testing hypotheses about trait space occupation, and for comparative biological problems in which the data points are not tips in the phylogeny.
Adolescent Risk of Dating Violence and Electronic Dating Abuse: A Latent Class Analysis

Electronic forms of dating violence among youth are common yet little is known about how these forms of violence overlap with the commonly studied domains of physical, sexual and verbal teen dating violence. Using factor analysis and latent class analysis, this study identifies patterns of electronic, verbal, physical and sexual dating violence victimization and perpetration in 9th and 12th graders. Data are from 470 9th (n = 190; 60.5% female; mean age = 12.0 years, age range: 11.3–13.8) and 12th graders (n = 280; 63.9% female; mean age = 14.9 years, age range: 14.0–16.6) from southeastern Michigan. A 5-class solution for 9th graders and a 6-class solution for 12th graders were selected given fit and interpretability. Classes were characterized by domain(s) of violence, as opposed to perpetration or victimization. Three domains of electronic dating aggression were identified: monitoring, harassment, and coercion. Electronic dating aggression was present in the majority of classes, and overlapped substantially with other domains of violence. The highest risk class had risk of victimization and perpetration for all types of dating violence (electronic monitoring, electronic harassment, electronic coercion, verbal violence, physical violence and sexual violence). Drug use and experiencing one or more adverse childhood experiences predicted membership in a higher risk group for the older cohort, while alcohol consumption predicted higher risk for the younger cohort. The findings from this study show overlap between dating violence domains and imply that domains of electronic dating violence are important to consider in conjunction with physical, sexual and verbal domains, to address teen dating violence.
Deliberate Foreign Body Ingestion in a 35-Year-Old Woman With Borderline Personality Disorder and Several Psychiatric Comorbidities.

Deliberate foreign body ingestion (DFBI) is a rare psychopathological disorder that involves the swallowing of non-nutritive objects to cause self-harm. It is most commonly associated with borderline personality disorder (BPD). Very scant literature has been published on the psychopathological understanding or psychopharmacological interventions. Mostly, gastroenterological and surgical management regarding the removal of the foreign body has been discussed in the literature. DFBI can be very challenging in terms of the treatment of the patient and the morale of the health providers - it exhausts the patient and the family and evokes frustration among the medical staff due to its resistance to remission. By presenting the case of a patient in this article, we will discuss what is known about the poorly understood DFBI and the challenges and difficulties encountered while treating these patients. Further, we will discuss how a biopsychosocial approach can be used in treating these patients.
Numerical simulation of hydraulic fracturing of crossing borehole and its engineering application

Based on coal-rock mass deformation model,hydraulic pressure descent model in fracture,fracture propagation model and its growth criterion,the mathematical model of borehole hydraulic fracturing model of coal-rock mass was established,and its numerical solution was realized using the APDL language of ANSYS.The numerical simulation results of hydraulic fracturing of crossing borehole show that fracture length presents a linear increase and the widest width increases as an exponent function with the injection pressure increases,and the ability of making fracture width is greater than fracture length during later fracturing;besides,fracture length decreases as an exponent function and the widest width increases with fluid viscosity increases,but its influential action reduces when the fluid viscosity reaches a certain extent.The numerical simulation results of hydraulic fracturing of crossing borehole is consistent with the field experiment results,thus the correctness and applicability of mathematical model and its numerical solution method are validated.
When Polarization Triggers Out-Group "Counter-Projection" Across the Political Divide.

Although projecting one’s own characteristics onto another person is pervasive, “counter-projection,” or seeing the opposite of oneself in others is also sometimes found, with implications for inte...
Increased Medical and Implant-Related Complications in Total Hip Arthroplasty Patients With Underlying Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Abstract Background Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has been associated with impaired bone metabolism. The purpose of this study is to investigate rates of readmission, respiratory complications, implant-related complications, and revision after total hip arthroplasty (THA) in patients with and without underlying COPD. Methods The PearlDiver Mariners database was used to divide patients undergoing primary THA (CPT-27130) into two cohorts: 1) THA with COPD (including asthma) or 2) THA without COPD. The incidence of 30-day readmission, COPD exacerbation, pneumonia, other respiratory complications as well as dislocations, mechanical loosening, and joint prosthetic infection was calculated through logistic regression. The risk of THA revision was also assessed through Cox-proportional hazards regression. All regression controlled for age, gender, and medical comorbidities found to be associated with COPD. Results Between 2010 and 2018, 97,784 THA patients with COPD and 338,243 THA patient without COPD were studied. THA patients with COPD had higher risk of 30-day readmission (aOR = 1.17, 95% CI 1.11-1.23, P Conclusion Patients undergoing THA with underlying COPD face a higher rate of comorbidities, respiratory complications, implant complications, and revision surgeries, than patients without COPD. Level of Evidence III.
A Distortion Analysis Protocol for Economic-Efficiency Analysis: A Third-Best-Economically-Efficient Response to The General Theory of Second Best

The General Theory of Second Best argues that, since in general a Pareto imperfection that can be eliminated will be as likely to counteract as to compound the net effects of the other Pareto imperfections in the relevant economy, (1) there is no general reason to believe that policies that decrease the Pareto-imperfectness of an economy without making it Pareto perfect will even tend on that account to increase economic efficiency and (2) to predict the economic efficiency of a policy one will have to (put crudely) (A) identify the various categories of economic inefficiency the policy will affect, (B) determine the respective ways in which the economy's various types of Pareto imperfections interact to cause each of these types of economic inefficiency, (C) estimate the incidence of the various types of Pareto imperfections in the economy pre-policy, and (D) predict the impact of the policy on these Pareto imperfections. Economists and Law & Economics scholars pay almost no attention to The General Theory of Second Best - i.e., almost always assume that any tendency a policy has to decrease the Pareto-imperfectness of an economy will cause it to increase economic efficiency. Many economists who admit to being aware of The General of Second Best try to justify ignoring it by claiming that it implies the impossibility or economic inefficiency of providing reliable estimates of the economic efficiency of any policy. This Article attacks the premise of this (invalid) justification for ignoring Second-Best Theory by delineating two "distortion-analysis" protocols for predicting or post-dicting the effect of a policy on economic efficiency that (it maintains) are third-best allocatively efficient - i.e., would be economically efficient to use if policy decisions were based on the conclusions the protocols generated even given that the policies to be scrutinized will leave the economy highly-Pareto-imperfect, many types of economic inefficiency must be distinguished, analysis is costly, and data is inevitably costly and imperfect. The protocols in question are called distortion-analysis protocols because they derive their economic-efficiency conclusions from the predicted impact of the policy in question on the "distortion" in the profits yielded by the marginal exemplars of each category of resource allocation the policy will affect that is analytically useful to distinguish - i.e., on the difference between those profits and the economic efficiency of the resource allocations in question.
Immunoprophylaxis of respiratory syncytial virus: global experience

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infects nearly all children by age 2 years, and it causes considerable illness and death in certain high-risk pediatric populations. Historically, treatment for RSV has been symptomatic, and developing a safe and effective vaccine has been a challenge. Therefore, research efforts have turned to passive immunization as the best option to control RSV. Palivizumab, a genetically engineered humanized monoclonal antibody, has been shown to reduce RSV-related hospitalizations significantly, with few adverse effects. It was approved for use in high-risk children in the USA in 1998 and in Europe in 1999; it is now approved for use in more than 45 countries. The efficacy and safety of palivizumab continue to be supported by both clinical trial and outcomes data.
Abstract W P226: Delirium After Intracerebral Hemorrhage Is Common and Independently Predicts Reduced Domain-Specific Quality Of Life

Background: Delirium sypmptoms are common after ischemic stroke and in the medical and surgical ICU, and predictive of increased length of stay and worse outcomes. There are few data in intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). We tested the hypothesis that delirium symptoms were associated with increased length of stay, worse functional outcomes, and worse domain-specific quality of life (QOL) at follow-up. Methods: We prospectively identified 114 patients with ICH. Delirium symptoms were assessed by trained nursing staff twice daily with the Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU (CAM-ICU), a validated method. Arousal was measured with the Richmond Agitation Sedation Score. Functional outcomes were measured with the modified Rankin Scale at 1 and 3 months, with poor outcome defined at Results: Of 114 patients, 31(27%) patients had delirium symptoms, 67 (59%) were never delirious, and the remainder (14%) had persistent coma. Only 2 (2%) were ever very agitated (both of whom were delirious), so most delirium symptoms were hypoactive. Any benzodiazepine (BZD) use, age, pneumonia, seizure, hematoma volume and NIH Stroke Scale were not associated with delirium symptoms in patients who could be assessed. Delirium symptoms were detected mean 5.9 days after ICH symptom onset and were associated with longer ICU length of stay (mean 3.5 days longer in ever delirious patients, 95%CI 1.5 - 8.3, P=0.004) after correction for age, admit NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and any BZD exposure. Delirium symptoms were associated with increased odds of poor outcome at 28 days (OR 8.7, 95%CI 1.4 - 52.5, P=0.018) after correction for admission NIHSS and age. After correction for NIHSS, age, any BZD use and time of follow-up, delirium symptoms were associated with worse QOL in the domains of applied cognition - executive function (0.6 SD, 95%CI 0.2 - 1.1 SD, P=0.045) and fatigue (0.7 SD, 95%CI 0.17-1.3 SD, P=0.01). Conclusions: Delirium symptoms (encephalopathy) were not predictable on admission, common after ICH, and independently predictive of longer length of stay, worse functional outcomes and reduced QOL.
A fast space-adaptive algorithm to evaluate transient wave fields due to low-frequency source constellations

A novel, fast, and non-plane wave based algorithm to efficiently evaluate transient wave fields due to low-frequency source constellations is proposed. In the proposed scheme, transient sources are sampled at a fixed temporal discretization rate that is determined solely by the highest frequency in their temporal spectrum and that does not depend on the source geometry. Using a procedure inspired by Cadzow (1979), these samples are used to construct short, bandlimited subsignals that permit reconstruction of the fields they produce at a given time step. As a result, these fields are characterized by a few spectral samples that are efficiently calculated by the low-frequency, space-adaptive fast multipole method (FMM) at a computational cost that scales as N/sub s/, the number of sources/observers; the computational complexity of the aforementioned low-frequency PWTD in contrast scalesas O(N/sub s/logN/sub s/). The new scheme's numerical error can be controlled at will and decays exponentially fast with its computational cost. The proposed algorithm can be used to accelerate MOT based time domain integral equation solvers.
Optimal Temporal Customer Purchasing Decisions Under Trade‐In Programs with Up‐Front Fees

To entice customers to purchase both current and new generation products over time, many firms offer different trade-in programs including programs that require customers to pay an up-front fee. To examine the effectiveness of the trade-in programs, we develop a two-period model in which a firm sells the first generation product in the first period and the second generation product in the second period; however, the firm offers a trade-in program that customers can participate in when purchasing the first generation product in the first period. To participate, each customer has to pay a nonrefundable fee in the first period so that she has the option to trade-in her first generation product and receive a prespecified trade-in value to be used for the purchase of the second generation product in the second period. To capture market heterogeneity and market uncertainty, we examine the case when the valuation of the first generation product varies among customers and the valuation of the second generation product is uncertain a priori. By analyzing a two-period game, we determine the optimal purchasing behavior of each rational customer, and we show that the firm is always better off by offering its own trade-in programs. Also, our numerical analysis reveals that trade-in programs can benefit the firm significantly especially when (i) the residual value of the first generation product is high; (ii) the expected incremental value of the second generation product is high; or (iii) the valuation of the second generation product is highly uncertain.
Methodological Issues in HIV Behavioral Interventions

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) behavioral intervention research involves numerous methodological issues that are either unique to the field of HIV research or “cutting edge” in terms of behavioral research in general. The thrust of this chapter will be to review those issues that are either the most important new HIV prevention research issues or the most limiting in the areas of “sensitive” behavioral research (i.e., research on sexual, drug use, and other socially “sensitive” behaviors) in general. With the current trend to integrate HIV research and prevention activities into the larger domains of behavioral prevention and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in general, some of the issues and examples discussed in this chapter may go well beyond the purview of HIV intervention research per se. However, they have been selected for discussion here because of their key influence on the directions and opportunities that HIV prevention research are predicted to be going in the next 5–10 years. We have used the schema of an earlier publication, Methodological Issues in AIDS Behavioral Research,1 in discussing methodological issues by design, sampling and retention, measurement, and analytical/modeling issues and focus on topics that have progressed or changed the most since that book was published in 1993.
Molecular Markers Linked to Important Genes in Hard Winter Wheat

Biotic stresses including diseases (leaf, stem and stripe rusts), arthropods (greenbug [GB], Hessian fly [Hf], Russian wheat aphid [RWA], and wheat curl mite [WCM]) and their transmitted viral diseases significantly affect grain yield and end-use quality of hard winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in the U.S. Great Plains. Many genes or quantitative trait loci (QTL) have been identified for seed ling or adult-plant resistance to these stresses. Molecular markers for these genes or QTL have been identified using mapping or cloning. This study summarizes the markers associated with
Bias in estimating border- and distance-related trade costs: Insights from an oligopoly model

Regressions of price differences between locations in different countries without controlling for the local market structure and the location of origin will lead to a biased estimate of the impact of national boundaries. We demonstrate that non-classical measurement error in distance and unaccounted mark-up differences across countries are responsible for these biases. In a quantitative exercise based on our previous work (Cosar et al., 2014), we show that the estimated border effect with price difference regressions overstates the true border effect by a factor of two or more.
Performance of Common Analysis Methods for Detecting Low-Frequency Single Nucleotide Variants in Targeted Next-Generation Sequence Data

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) is becoming a common approach for clinical testing of oncology specimens for mutations in cancer genes. Unlike inherited variants, cancer mutations may occur at low frequencies because of contamination from normal cells or tumor heterogeneity and can therefore be challenging to detect using common NGS analysis tools, which are often designed for constitutional genomic studies. We generated high-coverage (>1000×) NGS data from synthetic DNA mixtures with variant allele fractions (VAFs) of 25% to 2.5% to assess the performance of four variant callers, SAMtools, Genome Analysis Toolkit, VarScan2, and SPLINTER, in detecting low-frequency variants. SAMtools had the lowest sensitivity and detected only 49% of variants with VAFs of approximately 25%; whereas the Genome Analysis Toolkit, VarScan2, and SPLINTER detected at least 94% of variants with VAFs of approximately 10%. VarScan2 and SPLINTER achieved sensitivities of 97% and 89%, respectively, for variants with observed VAFs of 1% to 8%, with >98% sensitivity and >99% positive predictive value in coding regions. Coverage analysis demonstrated that >500× coverage was required for optimal performance. The specificity of SPLINTER improved with higher coverage, whereas VarScan2 yielded more false positive results at high coverage levels, although this effect was abrogated by removing low-quality reads before variant identification. Finally, we demonstrate the utility of high-sensitivity variant callers with data from 15 clinical lung cancers.
Iron Uptake Mediated by Binding of H-Ferritin to the TIM-2 Receptor in Mouse Cells

Ferritin binds specifically and saturably to a variety of cell types, and recently several ferritin receptors have been cloned. TIM-2 is a specific receptor for H ferritin (HFt) in the mouse. TIM-2 is a member of the T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain containing (TIM) protein family and plays an important role in immunity. The expression of TIM-2 outside of the immune system indicates that this receptor may have broader roles. We tested whether ferritin binding to TIM-2 can serve as an iron delivery mechanism. TIM-2 was transfected into normal (TCMK-1) mouse kidney cells, where it was appropriately expressed on the cell surface. HFt was labeled with 55Fe and 55Fe-HFt was incubated with TIM-2 positive cells or controls. 55Fe-HFt uptake was observed only in TIM-2 positive cells. HFt uptake was also seen in A20 B cells, which express endogenous TIM-2. TIM-2 levels were not increased by iron chelation. Uptake of 55Fe-HFt was specific and temperature-dependent. HFt taken up by TIM-2 positive cells transited through the endosome and eventually entered a lysosomal compartment, distinguishing the HFt pathway from that of transferrin, the classical vehicle for cellular iron delivery. Iron delivered following binding of HFt to TIM-2 entered the cytosol and became metabolically available, resulting in increased levels of endogenous intracellular ferritin. We conclude that TIM-2 can function as an iron uptake pathway.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa small protease (PASP), a keratitis virulence factor.

Purpose. The virulence contribution of Pseudomonas aeruginosa small protease (PASP) during experimental keratitis was studied by comparing a PASP-deficient mutant with its parent and rescue strains.
Missing data and multiple imputation.

Missing data can result in biased estimates of the association between an exposure X and an outcome Y . Even in the absence of bias, missing data can hurt precision, resulting in wider confidence intervals. Analysts should examine the missing data pattern and try to determine the causes of the missingness. Modern software has simplified multiple imputation of missing data and the analysis of multiply imputed data to the point where this method should be part of any analyst’s toolkit. Multiple imputation will often, but not always, reduce bias and increase precision compared with complete-case analysis. Some exceptions to this rule are noted in this review. When describing study results, authors should disclose the amount of missing data and other details. Investigators should consider how to minimize missing data when planning a study.
The role of the antrum in the modulation of plasma pancreatic polypeptide levels.

Abstract The role of pancreatic polypeptide (PP) in gastrointestinal physiology is not well understood. In order to elucidate its function, we have undertaken a detailed investigation into the modulation of its release into plasma. This study was designed to examine the role of the antrum in the mediation of plasma pancreatic polypeptide release by comparing the effect of a histologically proven total antrectomy on the release of pancreatic polypeptide by food ingestion or bombesin infusion. Extragastric vagal integrity was maintained by meticulous preservation of the omenta of the greater and lesser gastric curvatures. Basal PP plasma levels were significantly decreased throughout the 6-month postantrectomy time period in which the animals were studied. The meal-stimulated release of PP was abolished by antrectomy and sequential meal tests over a 6-month period indicated no restoration of meal-stimulated PP release. Bombesin-stimulated PP release was unimpaired except in the immediate postoperative period. Within 2 months of surgery the PP response to bombesin infusion had been restored to preoperative levels. The data are thus consistent with the hypothesis that the gastric antrum plays a role in maintenance of plasma pancreatic polypeptide levels. The evidence provided by this study supports the suggestion that an antral factor responsible for modulation of PP release might well be a bombesin-like peptide.
Proteasome inhibitors potentiate leukemic cell apoptosis induced by the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor flavopiridol through a SAPK/JNK- and NF-κB-dependent process

Interactions between proteasome and cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors have been examined in human leukemia cells in relation to induction of apoptosis. Simultaneous exposure (24 h) of U937 myelomonocytic leukemia cells to 100 nM flavopiridol and 300 nM MG-132 resulted in a marked increase in mitochondrial injury (cytochrome c, Smac/DIABLO release, loss of deltaPsi(m)), caspase activation, and synergistic induction of cell death, accompanied by a marked decrease in clonogenic potential. Similar effects were observed with other proteasome inhibitors (e.g., Bortezomib (VELCADE trade mark bortezomib or injection), lactacystin, LLnL) and cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors (e.g., roscovitine), as well as other leukemia cell types (e.g., HL-60, Jurkat, Raji). In U937 cells, synergistic interactions between MG-132 and flavopiridol were associated with multiple perturbations in expression/activation of signaling- and survival-related proteins, including downregulation of XIAP and Mcl-1, activation of JNK and p34(cdc2), and diminished expression of p21(CIP1). The lethal effects of MG-132/flavopiridol were not reduced in leukemic cells ectopically expressing Bcl-2, but were partially attenuated in cells ectopically expressing dominant-negative caspase-8 or CrmA. Flavopiridol/proteasome inhibitor-mediated lethality was also significantly diminished by agents and siRNA blocking JNK activation. Lastly, coadministration of MG-132 with flavopiridol resulted in diminished DNA binding of NF-kappaB. Notably, pharmacologic interruption of the NF-kappaB pathway (e.g., by BAY 11-7082, PDTC, or SN-50) or molecular dysregulation of NF-kappaB (i.e., in cells ectopically expressing an IkappaBalpha super-repressor) mimicked the actions of proteasome inhibitors in promoting flavopiridol-induced mitochondrial injury, JNK activation, and apoptosis. Together, these findings indicate that proteasome inhibitors strikingly lower the apoptotic threshold of leukemic cells exposed to pharmacologic CDK inhibitors, and suggest that interruption of the NF-kappaB cytoprotective pathway and JNK activation both play key roles in this phenomenon. They also raise the possibility that combining proteasome and CDK inhibitors could represent a novel antileukemic strategy.
Strontium isotope composition and petrogenesis of the Kirkpatrick basalt, Queen Alexandra Range, Antarctica

The initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios of twelve basalt flows of Jurassic age on Storm Peak in the Queen Alexandra Range are anomalously high and range from 0.7094–0.7133. The average value is 0.7112±0.0013 (1σ). The concentrations of rubidium and strontium have arithmetic means of 60.6±19.4 ppm and 128.8±11.9 ppm, respectively. The corresponding average Rb/Sr ratio is 0.47 which is also anomalously high for rocks of basaltic composition. In addition, these rocks have high concentrations of SiO2 (56.50%) and K2O (1.29%) and are depleted in Al2O3 (12.92%), MgO (3.44%) and CaO (7.91%) compared to average continental tholeiites. They are nevertheless classified as basalts on the basis of the composition of microphenocrysts. The initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios and all of the chemical parameters of the flows exhibit systematic stratigraphic variations. These are interpreted as indicating the occurrence of four eruptive cycles. In a typical cycle the initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios of successive flows and their concentrations of SiO2, FeO (total iron), Na2O, K2O, P2O5, Rb and Sr decrease in ascending stratigraphic sequence while the concentrations of TiO2, Al2O3, MgO, CaO and MnO increase upward. The initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios of the flows show a strong positive correlation with the strontium concentration. Similar correlations are observed between the initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios and all of the major oxide components. These relationships are incompatible with the hypothesis that these flows are the products of crystal fractionation of a-34 magma at depth under closed-system conditions. It is suggested that the flows resulted from the hybridization of a normal tholeiite basalt magma by assimilation of varying amounts of granitic rocks in the Precambrian basement which underlies the entire Transantarctic Mountain chain. Mixtures of two components having different 87Sr/86Sr ratios and differing strontium concentrations are related to each other by hyperbolic mixing equation. Such an equation was fitted by least squares regression of data points to a straight line in coordinates of initial 87Sr/86Sr and the reciprocals of the concentrations of strontium. This equation and plots of strontium versus other oxides were then used to estimate the chemical composition of the parent basalt magma and of the granitic contaminant by substituting reasonable estimates of their 87Sr/86Sr ratios. The chemical composition of the parent basalt (87Sr/86Sr=0.706) is generally compatible with that of average continental tholeiite, but is distinctive by having a low concentration of strontium (117 ppm). The chemical composition of the contaminant (87Sr/86Sr=0.720) is enriched in strontium (173 ppm), SiO2, FeO (total iron) and the alkalies but is depleted in Al2O3, MgO and CaO. The data for strontium indicate that the lava flows on Storm Peak contain between 20 and 40% of this granitic contaminant. The contamination of basalt magma is not a local event but is characteristic of the Jurassic basalt flows and diabase sills throughout the Transantarctic Mountains and in Tasmania.
A reinvigorated era of bacterial secondary metabolite discovery

Secondary metabolite discovery from bacteria has become increasingly successful in the last decade due to the advancement of integrated genetic-based, spectrometric-based and informatics-based techniques. Microbes and their unique metabolic outputs have been widely studied since the beginning of modern medicine; however, it is well known that the current repertoire of secondary metabolites, or more commonly natural products, is incomplete and the understanding of natural product-mediated intracellular dialog is in its infancy. Here, we highlight the present state of bacterial metabolomics including compound discovery approaches and new strategies for probing the role of these molecules within communication networks.