cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Accounting Quality, Uncertainty, and Cost of Debt and Equity Capital in Deregulated Electric Utilities

Electric utilities play an important role in the economy and the general public’s life quality, and have caught lots of attention in the literature of Economics. However, the accounting research seems to be lacking in this area. In this paper, I use the national deregulation in electric utilities as an exogenous shock for the information uncertainty/asymmetry and analyze how accounting quality can help mitigate this information asymmetry and affect a firm’s cost of debt and equity capital, and its external financing choices. I find that accounting quality is negatively associated with cost of debt and cost of equity capital in the years after deregulation in electric utilities while such association does not exist between accounting quality and cost of debt and equity in the years before deregulation. This result shows that accounting quality serves as effective instrument to mitigate the negative effects of information uncertainty.
Collapsing glomerulopathy in systemic lupus erythematosus

Collapsing glomerulopathy (CG) is a rare disease that can be associated with multiple other disorders. It usually leads to poor prognosis with a high percentage of patients progressing to end-stage renal disease. In this article, we illustrate a clinical case of CG associated with systemic lupus erythematosus that had a prompt response to mycophenolate and prednisone. The condition started after sudden cessation of the already established mycophenolate treatment regimen. The patient then presented with acute kidney injury due to kidney biopsy-proven CG. In that circumstance, we hypothesised that mycophenolate may play a role in prevention and development of CG.
Retinal Oximetry and Vessel Diameter Measurements With a Commercially Available Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscope in Diabetic Retinopathy.

Purpose To test the hypothesis that retinal vascular diameter and hemoglobin oxygen saturation alterations, according to stages of diabetic retinopathy (DR), are discernible with a commercially available scanning laser ophthalmoscope (SLO). Methods One hundred eighty-one subjects with no diabetes (No DM), diabetes with no DR (No DR), nonproliferative DR (NPDR), or proliferative DR (PDR, all had photocoagulation) underwent imaging with an SLO with dual lasers (532 nm and 633 nm). Customized image analysis software determined the diameters of retinal arteries and veins (DA and DV) and central retinal artery and vein equivalents (CRAE and CRVE). Oxygen saturations of hemoglobin in arteries and veins (SO2A and SO2V) were estimated from optical densities of vessels on images at the two wavelengths. Statistical models were generated by adjusting for effects of sex, race, age, eye, and fundus pigmentation. Results DA, CRAE, and CRVE were reduced in PDR compared to No DM (P ≤ 0.03). DV and CRVE were similar between No DM and No DR, but they were higher in NPDR than No DR (P ≤ 0.01). Effect of stage of disease on SO2A differed by race, being increased relative to No DM in NPDR and PDR in Hispanic participants only (P ≤ 0.02). Relative to No DM, SO2V was increased in NPDR and PDR (P ≤ 0.05). Conclusions Alterations in retinal vascular diameters and SO2 by diabetic retinopathy stage can be detected with a widely available SLO, and covariates such as race can influence the results.
A fast uniform 3D near-field microwave imaging method for layered media

In near-field imaging of dense layered media, the forward model is complicated by material discontinuities, multi-reflections, refractions, antenna pattern effects, and coupling effects between the antenna and layers. Overcoming the non-uniformities caused by the antenna gain pattern and discontinuous media in the imaging function, a fast uniform near-field algorithm is developed to obtain smooth and continuous imaging results through stratified structures, and can be achieved with a portable device. Near-field measured data is processed to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed fast uniform microwave imaging algorithm.
Is it time for a U.S. Article V Constitutional convention? A brief discussion about American constitutional reform procedure

This article discusses how the United States Constitution Article V Convention can be utilized to amend the constitution. Considering the intense political climate and frequent stagnation in Congress, the Article V convention is an avenue for the fifty U.S. states to spur legislative action without the cooperation of the U.S. Congress. This paper explores whether an Article V Constitutional Convention could be utilized to start the process to identify and unify critical legislative initiatives amidst the current political climate. Part II explains the function, process, and historical usage of Article V. Part III discusses case law developments interpreting Article V. Part IV examines individual state constitutional conventions and their efficacy. Part V discuss the arguments for and against an Article V Constitutional Convention.
Coronary artery calcium scanning: the key to the primary prevention of coronary artery disease.

Coronary artery calcium scanning (CAC) is the most powerful prognosticator of cardiac risk in the asymptomatic primary prevention population, far exceeding the role of risk factor�based paradigms. The primary utility of risk factors is to identify treatable targets for risk reduction after risk has been determined by CAC. Serial calcium scanning to evaluate progression of calcified plaque is useful for determining the response to treatment. The 2013 cholesterol treatment guidelines understate the value of CAC scanning for atherosclerotic disease risk assessment.
Characterization of Coronavirus DI RNA Packaging

Studies of defective interfering (DI) RNAs of mouse hepatitis virus (MHV), suggest that a 69 nt-long packaging signal, which is located about 20 kb from the 5’-end of the 31 kb-long MHV genomic RNA, is necessary and sufficient for MHV genomic RNA packaging into MHV particles. We demonstrated that use of a low pH culture medium combined with subsequent ultrafiltration increased MHV infectivity about 60 times over MHV preparations grown in neutral medium. Using this virus concentration procedure, we successfully prepared DI particle-rich MHV preparations. Characterization of virus samples released from the cells infected with DI particle-rich MHV revealed that infectious MHV genomic RNA was not required for packaging of DI RNAs. These data suggested that interaction of the DI packaging signal with an unidentified region(s) of helper virus genomic RNA is unlikely, and therefore unlikely to facilitate the packaging of MHV DI RNA into the MHV virion. Rather, both DI RNA and MHV genomic RNA probably use the packaging signal for RNA packaging.
Adaptive K-Means Clustering.

Clustering is used to organize data for efficient retrieval. One of the problems in clustering is the identification of clusters in given data. A popular technique for clustering is based on K-means such that the data is partitioned into K clusters. In this method, the number of clusters is predefined and the technique is highly dependent on the initial identification of elements that represent the clusters well. A large area of research in clustering has focused on improving the clustering process such that the clusters are not dependent on the initial identification of cluster representation. In this paper, I advance an adaptive technique that grows the clusters without regard to initial selection of cluster representation. As such, the technique can identify K clusters in an input data set by merging existing clusters and by creating new ones while keeping the number of clusters constant. The technique has been used to achieve an impressive speedup of a search process when other efficient search techniques may not be available.
Document Delivery and Interlibrary Loan on a Shoestring by Emily Knox: (2010). New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, 225 pages, $65.00, softcover, ISBN: 978-1-55570-678-4.

Libraries everywhere are facing budget cuts and need to find creative ways to make limited funds stretch while maintaining key services. This book addresses these issues in one of those areas parti...
Skewness of the Prior Through Position Errors and Its Impact on Data Assimilation

Uncertainty in the position of a feature is a ubiquitous influence on data assimilation (DA) in geophysical applications. This chapter explores the properties of distributions arising from the uncertainty of the location of a flow feature. It is shown that distributions arising from phase uncertainty have surprisingly complex, non-Gaussian characteristics. These non-Gaussian characteristics are explored from an ensemble DA perspective in which the skewness (third-moment) is shown to be a significant contributor to the state-estimates obtained through Bayesian state estimation. Idealized examples, as well as an example in a real tropical cyclone using a state-of-the-art numerical weather prediction model, will be shown.
Securing Web Applications, Services, and Servers

The advance of Web applications, services, and server technologies promises to have far-reaching effects on the Internet and enterprise networks. Web applications, services, and servers based on the eXtensible Markup Language (XML), SOAP, related open standards, and deployed in Service Oriented Architectures (SOA) allow data and applications to interact without human intervention through dynamic and ad hoc connections. Web applications, services, and server technology can be implemented in a wide variety of architectures; they can coexist with other technologies and software design approaches; and, they can be adopted in an evolutionary manner without requiring major transformations to legacy applications and databases. The security challenges presented by the Web applications, services, and server approach are formidable and unavoidable. Many of the features that make Web applications, services, and servers attractive (including greater accessibility of data, dynamic application-to-application connections, and relative autonomy orlack of human intervention), are at odds with traditional security models and controls. The primary purpose of this chapter is to inform the reader about securing Web applications, services, and servers.
Body talk, athletic identity, and eating disorder symptoms in men.

Recent findings suggest that men engage in appearance-based conversations, but little is known about the consequences of these discussions and whether certain populations may be at a greater risk of negative outcomes. Males who self-identify as athletes may be particularly likely to engage in body-f
The Responsiveness and Validity of the Early Clinical Assessment of Balance in Toddlers With Cerebral Palsy: Brief Report

Purpose: The Early Clinical Assessment of Balance (ECAB) is a measure of postural stability for children with cerebral palsy (CP). The purpose of this research was to investigate the relationship b...
Technology Leadership Perceptions of Utah Elementary School Principals

The rapidly expanding use of technology in education requires principals to be prepared as technology leaders; however, many are not currently prepared for this role. It is crucial that principals ...
Conversational history revisited

A conversational history is the set of conversations that took place between at least two persons over a given amount of time. Conversational histories can be open or closed. They represent the essential way in which we build our social relations, and consist of initial, median and final conversational episodes, which can be explicit or internal, real or fictional. Each of the conversations they contain can be partially explained in terms of the conversational episodes preceding it and viewed as paving the way for future conversational developments. The internal median conversational episodes, which are only made visible to us in literature and, at times, in psychological research, correspond to the mental processes by means of which each of the partners of a conversational history reexamines and connects previous conversations or plans for the next one
Ninety-Day Readmission Following Shoulder Arthroplasty

IntroductionHospital readmissions after elective shoulder arthroplasty represent a costly burden to the health-care system due to the rising demand for this procedure. Nevertheless, the reasons for...
Herpes Simplex Virus 2 in Autonomic Ganglia: Evidence for Spontaneous Reactivation

Herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) can be transmitted in the presence or absence of lesions, allowing efficient spread among the general population. Recurrent HSV genital lesions are thought to arise from reactivated latent virus in sensory cell bodies of the dorsal root ganglia (DRG). However, HSV-2 has also been found latent in autonomic ganglia. Spontaneous reactivation or a low level of chronic infection could theoretically also occur in these peripheral nervous tissues, contributing to the presence of infectious virus in the periphery and to viral transmission. Use of a recently described, optimized virus with a monomeric mNeonGreen protein fused to viral capsid protein 26 (VP26) permitted detection of reactivating virus in explanted ganglia and cryosections of DRG and the sacral sympathetic ganglia (SSG) from latently infected guinea pigs. Immediate early, early, and late gene expression were quantified by droplet digital reverse transcription-PCR (ddRT-PCR), providing further evidence of viral reactivation not only in the expected DRG but also in the sympathetic SSG. These findings indicate that viral reactivation from autonomic ganglia is a feature of latent viral infection and that these reactivations likely contribute to viral pathogenesis.IMPORTANCE HSV-2 is a ubiquitous important human pathogen that causes recurrent infections for the life of its host. We hypothesized that the autonomic ganglia have important roles in viral reactivation, and this study sought to determine whether this is correct in the clinically relevant guinea pig vaginal infection model. Our findings indicate that sympathetic ganglia are sources of reactivating virus, helping explain how the virus causes lifelong recurrent disease.
Healthcare provider compassion is associated with lower PTSD symptoms among patients with life-threatening medical emergencies: a prospective cohort study.

We tested the hypothesis that, during a life-threatening medical emergency, patient perception of healthcare provider (HCP) compassion is associated with the subsequent development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Prospective cohort study in the emergency department (ED) of an urban academic medical center. We included adult patients presenting with a life-threatening medical emergency, defined as respiratory or cardiovascular instability requiring a potentially life-sustaining intervention in the ED. We measured patient perception of HCP compassion in the ED using the Consultation and Relational Empathy (CARE) measure, a validated 40-point scale. Blinded to clinical outcomes (including the CARE measure), we assessed PTSD symptoms 1 month post-discharge using the PTSD Checklist for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5. Of the 99/113 (88%) patients who completed follow-up, 25% (95% CI 17–35%) had PTSD symptoms at 1 month. In a multivariable model adjusting for potential confounders (e.g. severity of illness score in ED, need for intensive care unit admission, ED overcrowding, and family member emotional support in the ED), patient perception of greater HCP compassion in the ED was independently associated with lower PTSD symptoms at 1 month [odds ratio 0.93 (95% CI 0.89–0.98)]. A one-point increase in the CARE measure was associated with a 7% decrease in the odds of developing PTSD symptoms. PTSD symptoms are common among ED patients with life-threatening medical emergencies. Patient perception of greater HCP compassion during the emergency is independently associated with lower risk of developing PTSD symptoms.
Leader of the Pack: Academic Giftedness and Leadership in Early Adolescence.

The present study expanded our current understanding of leadership among academically gifted seventh-grade students by examining peer-identified leaders of naturally occurring social groups in a mi...
Lithiation-substitutions of N-Boc N-alkyl cyclopropylamines

Abstract A series of lithiation-substitution reactions at the α and β positions of N-Boc N-alkyl cyclopropyl amines is reported. The cyclopropane ring is the preferred position for lithiation in the N-ethyl and N-methyl derivatives 6 and 7, but the N-allyl and N-benzyl derivatives 8 and 9 undergo lithiation at the methylene groups. Lithiations at β positions of the cyclopropylamine ring are observed if the α-position is blocked or the β-positions are activated by phenyl substitution as shown for the reactions of 10, 15 and 21. Both α and β lithiations can be used in lithiation-cyclization reactions to provide the bicyclic spiro or endo fused N-Boc amines 15, 16 and 25. Lithiations of N-Boc-4-tosyloxy piperidine 30 with s-BuLi/(−)-sparteine followed by trimethylsilyl chloride give the N-Boc azabicyclo[3.1.0] hexane 32 with enantiomeric excesses which range from 18–55%. Two β-carbomethoxy substituted N-Boc cyclopropylamines 18 and 26 can participate in a formal [3+2] cycloaddition with tetracyanoethylene to give highly substituted cyclopentanes.
Bioactivity, cytocompatibility and effect of cells on degradation behavior of Mg–2Zn–2Gd alloy

Magnesium (Mg) alloys are the most promising candidates to be next-generation biomaterials due to their ability to degrade biologically in the physiological environment. The authors elucidate here ...
Ultrahigh pressure equation of state of tantalum to 310 GPa

ABSTRACTThe isothermal compression of transition metal tantalum (Ta) was studied in a diamond anvil cell by X-ray diffraction utilizing rhenium (Re) and gold (Au) as internal X-ray pressure standar...
A Market Framework for Decentralized Congestion Management in Smart Distribution Grids Considering Collaboration Among Electric Vehicle Aggregators

This paper proposes a day-ahead market framework for congestion management in smart distribution networks. The presented scheme provides a platform for collaboration between distribution-level market operator (DMO) and data traffic operator (DTO) to alleviate congested feeders such that data transmission traffic between market participants is effectively managed in a smart grid. In addition, a decentralized mechanism is developed for collaboration of electric vehicle (EV) aggregators with common clients to take advantage of EVs not only as flexible loads but also as mobile distributed storage (MDS) for congestion management. Moreover, the proposed framework outlines an administrative action for distribution system operator (DSO) to support the market when the decentralized competitions among distributed generation (DG) aggregators and EV aggregators do not fully relieve a serious congestion. The proposed day-ahead congestion management scheme is validated on an unbalanced 136-bus distribution system massively integrated with wind turbine DGs (WTDGs), photovoltaic DGs (PVDGs), diesel-engine DGs (DEDGs), and EVs.
An Improved Approach for Spatial Discretization of Transfer Matrix Models of Flexible Structures

The transfer matrix method (TMM) is a powerful modeling approach with unique strengths for modeling flexible structures under feedback control. The TMM can model distributed parameter systems without spatial discretization, ensuring that the models are protected against model spillover. Feedback and actuator dynamics can be directly included in the structural model, leading to accurate models of ac-tuator/structure interaction. The TMM can produce closed-form symbolic expressions for the infinite-dimensional closed-loop transfer functions of distributed parameter systems under feedback control. These infinite-dimensional transfer functions can be used directly for compensator design via Bode plots. However, if modern state-space control design tools are to be applied to a flexible structure model with the TMM, the TMM model must first be discretized. The infinite-dimensional nature of TMM models and the fact that they involve transcendental expressions in the Laplace variable $s$ make it difficult to apply most of the model reduction procedures in the literature. This paper presents a technique for discretizing TMM models that is an improvement upon one discretization technique from the literature that is specific to the TMM.
Dynamic Behavior of Cortisol and Cortisol Metabolites in Human Eccrine Sweat

The simultaneous measurement of cortisol with its downstream metabolites in human eccrine sweat is a sensitive approach to capture minute-to-minute stress responses. This study investigates exercise stress induced time dependent dynamic changes in cortisol, cortisone and downstreaminactive cortisol metabolites in human eccrine sweat using a novel liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method. Cortisol and metabolite production (change in concentration over time) was measured in sweat at different time points during an administered exercise stress session with four healthy volunteers. Biomarker production plots were found to be highly individualized and sensitive to stress interventions such as exercise, and corresponded with stress response measures such as increases in heart rate. The LC-MS/MS method yielded baseline resolution between cortisol and cortisol metabolites with lower levels of detection and quantitation for each compound below 1 partper-billion (ppb). Cortisol and cortisol metabolites were found at concentrations ranging from 1 – 25 ppb in human eccrine sweat. They were also found to be stable in sweat with respect to temperature (37 C for up to 5 hours), pH (3-9) and freeze/thaw cycles (up to 4) This indicates that changes in these biomarker concentrations and their rate of production are due to stress-related physiological enzyme activation, rather than passive degradation in sweat. The physiological status of enzyme activation is thus captured and preserved in human eccrine sweat samples. This is advantageous for the development of wearable devices and methodologies which can assess human health, stress, wellbeing and performance.
You Have the Right to Remain Silent, But Anything You Don’t Say May Be Used Against You: The Admissibility of Silence as Evidence After Salinas v. Texas

In Salinas v. Texas, the United States Supreme Court held that a suspect’s refusal to answer an officer’s questions during a noncustodial, pre-Miranda, criminal interrogation is admissible at trial as substantive evidence of guilt. In a plurality decision, Justice Samuel Alito emphasized that before a suspect can rely on the privilege against selfincrimination, the suspect must invoke the privilege. Consequently, because silence does not invoke the privilege, and because the petitioner failed to expressly invoke the privilege in words, the prosecutor’s use of his pre-Miranda silence during a noncustodial interrogation did not violate the Fifth Amendment. The Salinas decision is important because it gives insight into the extent that the constitutional right to remain silent truly protects citizens while speaking—or refusing to speak—to law enforcement. Furthermore, the decision created new rules governing the admissibility of silence evidence that may have a significant effect at trial and at sentencing. After explaining the Salinas decision in more detail, this
Timing of Coping Instruction Presentation for Real-time Acute Stress Management: Potential Implications for Improved Surgical Performance

Individual performance on complex healthcare tasks can be influenced by acutely stressful situations. Real-time biofeedback using passive physiological monitoring may help to better understand an individual’s progression towards acute stress-induced performance decrement. Providing biofeedback at an appropriate time may provide learners within an indicator that their current performance is susceptible to a decrement, and offer the opportunity to intervene. We explored the presentation timing of coping instructions during an acutely stressful task. In this pilot study, we recorded and analyzed electrocardiography data surrounding coping instruction presentation on various time schedules while participants played a first-person shooter computer game. Around times of significantly elevated heart rate, an indicator of acute stress, presenting a coping instruction tended to result in an increase in heart rate variability (HRV) following its presentation, with a more marked effect in high-stress conditions; not presenting a coping instruction at this time tended to result in a decrease in HRV in high-stress conditions, and no change in low-stress conditions. HRV following instruction presentation tended to increase in both high- and low-stress conditions when the instruction was presented at times of elevated heart rate; there was very little change in HRV when instruction presentation was not bound to physiology. Performance data showed that better performance was associated with greater adherence to coping instructions, compared to when zero instructions were followed. Implications for healthcare are significant, as acute stress is constant and it is necessary for providers to maintain a high level of performance.
Sex-Based Differences in Melanoma Survival in a Contemporary Patient Cohort.

Background: A female survival advantage in cutaneous melanoma has been long recognized. However, whether this extends across all age groups, with risk stratification using the latest prognostic sta...
Geographic Boosting Tree: Modeling Non-Stationary Spatial Data

Non-stationarity is often observed in Geographic datasets. One way to explain non-stationarity is to think of it as a hidden "local knowledge" that varies across space. It is inherently difficult to model such data as models built for one region do not necessarily fit another area as the local knowledge could be different. A solution for this problem is to construct multiple local models at various locations, with each local model accounting for a sub-region within which the data remains relatively stationary. However, this approach is sensitive to the size of data, as the local models are only trained from a subset of observations from a particular region. In this paper, we present a novel approach that addresses this problem by aggregating spatially similar sub-regions into relatively large partitions. Our insight is that although local knowledge shifts over space, it is possible for multiple regions to share the same local knowledge. Data from these regions can be aggregated to train a more accurate model. Experiments show that this method can handle non-stationary and outperforms when the dataset is relatively small.
A theoretical framework for retrospective T2∗ correction to the arterial input function in quantitative myocardial perfusion MRI.

PURPOSE To develop and evaluate a flexible, Bloch-equation based framework for retrospective T2∗ correction to the arterial input function (AIF) obtained with quantitative cardiac perfusion pulse sequences. METHODS Our framework initially calculates the gadolinium concentration [Gd] based on T1 measurements alone. Next, T2∗ is estimated from this initial calculation of [Gd] while assuming fast water exchange and using the literature native T2 and static magnetic field variation (ΔB0 ) values. Finally, the [Gd] is recalculated after performing T2∗ correction to the Bloch equation signal model. Using this approach, we performed T2∗ correction to historical phantom and in vivo, dual-imaging perfusion data sets from 3 different patient groups obtained using different pulse sequences and imaging parameters. Images were processed to quantify both the AIF and resting myocardial blood flow (MBF). We also performed a sensitivity analysis of our T2∗ correction to ±20% variations in native T2 and ΔB0 . RESULTS Compared with the ground truth [Gd] of phantom, the normalized root-means-square-error (NRMSE) in measured [Gd] was 5.1%, 1.3%, and 0.6% for uncorrected, our corrected, and Kellman's corrected, respectively. For in vivo data, both the peak AIF (7.0 ± 3.0 mM vs. 8.6 ± 7.1 mM, 7.2 ± 0.9 mM vs. 8.6 ± 1.7 mM, 7.7 ± 1.8 mM vs. 10.3 ± 5.1 mM, P < .001) and resting MBF (1.3 ± 0.1 mL/g/min vs. 1.1 ± 0.1 mL/g/min, 1.3 ± 0.1 mL/g/min vs. 1.1 ± 0.1 mL/g/min, 1.2 ± 0.1 mL/g/min vs. 0.9 ± 0.1 mL/g/min, P < .001) values were significantly different between uncorrected and corrected for all 3 patient groups. Both the peak AIF and resting MBF values varied by <5% over the said variations in native T2 and ΔB0 . CONCLUSION Our theoretical framework enables retrospective T2∗ correction to the AIF obtained with dual-imaging, cardiac perfusion pulse sequences.
Flow at Brookhaven AGS Energy (11.6 GeV/nucleon): A barometer for high density effects?

Preliminary data on transverse energy {open_quotes}flow{close_quotes} and event asymmetries reported by the E877(814) Collaborations are compared to ARC (a relativistic cascade) model calculations for Au+Au at full AGS Brookhaven (Alternating Gradient Synchroton) beam energy. ARC triple differential cross sections for protons and pions are presented. Proton flow is produced in ARC, with the maximum {l_angle}P{sub x}{r_angle}{approximately}120 MeV/c. For central events {l_angle}P{sub x}{r_angle} for the pions is near zero, consistent with experiment. The comparison with data provides a constraint on the size of flow at the highest energy available, to be put beside that at Bevalac energy. This sets the stage for examining flow at intermediate energies, now being measured by E895, for signs of baryon rich plasma. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}
Arguments for Well-Regulated Capitalism, and Implications for Global Ethics, Food, Environment, Climate Change, and Beyond

Discourse on food ethics often advocates the anti-capitalist idea that we need less capitalism, less growth, and less globalization if we want to make the world a better and more equitable place. This idea is also familiar from much discourse in global ethics, environment, and political theory, more generally. However, many experts argue that this anti-capitalist idea is not supported by reason and argument, and is actually wrong. As part of the roundtable, “Ethics and the Future of the Global Food System,” the main contribution of this essay is to explain the structure of the leading arguments against this anti-capitalist idea, and in favor of well-regulated capitalism. I initially focus on general arguments for and against globalized capitalism. I then turn to implications for the food, environment, climate change, and beyond. Finally, I clarify the important kernel of truth in the critique of neoliberalism familiar from food ethics, political theory, and beyond—as well as the limitations of that critique.
Robust analysis of space-, time-, and energy-resolved soft x-ray measurements of magnetically confined fusion plasmas (invited).

A novel compact multi-energy soft x-ray (ME-SXR) diagnostic based on the PILATUS3 100K x-ray detector has been developed in collaboration between the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory and the University of Wisconsin-Madison and tested on the Madison Symmetric Torus (MST) reversed-field pinch. This solid-state photon-counting detector consists of a two-dimensional array of ∼100 000 pixels for which the lower photon absorption cutoff energy can be independently set, allowing it to be configured for a unique combination of simultaneous spatial, spectral, and temporal resolution of ∼1 cm, 100 eV, and 500 Hz, respectively. The diagnostic is highly versatile and can be readily adapted to diverse plasma operating conditions and scientific needs without any required downtime. New results from improved-confinement and quasi-single helicity plasmas in the MST demonstrate how the detector can be applied to study multiple aspects of the evolution of magnetically confined fusion-grade plasmas. These include observing the evolution of thermal emissivity, characterizing the energy of mid-Z excitation lines, extracting the Te profile, and observing the evolution of non-thermal populations. A technique for integrating the ME-SXR diagnostic into an integrated data analysis framework based on Bayesian inference is also presented. This allows ME-SXR measurements to be combined with data for complementary diagnostics in order to simultaneously infer Te and nZ from all available information.
High-level psychotropic polypharmacy: a retrospective comparison of children in foster care to their peers on Medicaid.

The use of antipsychotic medication and psychotropic polypharmacy has increased in the United States over the last two decades especially for children from low-income families and those in foster care. Although attention has been paid to providing greater insight, prescribing patterns remain concerning since there is a lack of evidence related to safety and efficacy. High-level psychotropic polypharmacy has not been described. We aim to compare the use of HLPP for children receiving Medicaid services and those in foster care and identify factors associated with the duration of use of high-level psychotropic polypharmacy. Additionally, we will examine the frequency of laboratory metabolic screening and emergency department, inpatient, and outpatient visits. A cross-sectional, secondary analysis of statewide data describes trends in high-level psychotropic polypharmacy from 2012 to 2017 and the prevalence and predictors of high-level psychotropic polypharmacy duration and resource use in 2017 for all children on Medicaid and those in foster care. High-level psychotropic polypharmacy included concurrent use, at least four classes of medications including an antipsychotic, and at least 30 days duration. High-level psychotropic polypharmacy increased from 2012 to 2014 for both groups but stabilized in 2015–2016. Children in foster care showed a slight increase compared to their peers in 2017. There was no association between duration and demographic characteristics or foster care status. Diagnoses predicted duration. Neither group received metabolic monitoring at an acceptable rate. Concerning patterns of high-level psychotropic polypharmacy and metabolic monitoring were identified. Cautious use of high-level psychotropic polypharmacy and greater oversight to ensure that these children are receiving comprehensive services like behavioral health, primary care, and primary prevention.
AgRP neurons: Regulators of feeding, energy expenditure, and behavior.

Neurons in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (ARC) that express agouti-related peptide (AgRP) govern a critical aspect of survival: the drive to eat. Equally important to survival is the timing at which food is consumed - seeking or eating food to alleviate hunger in the face of a more pressing threat, like the risk of predation, is clearly maladaptive. To ensure optimal prioritization of behaviors within a given environment, therefore, AgRP neurons must integrate signals of internal need states with contextual environmental cues. In this State-of-the-Art review, we highlight recent advances that extend our understanding of AgRP neurons, including the neural circuits they engage to regulate feeding, energy expenditure, and behavior. We also discuss key findings that illustrate how both classical feedback and anticipatory feed-forward signals regulate this neuronal population and how the integration of these signals may be disrupted in states of energy excess. Finally, we examine both technical and conceptual challenges facing the field moving forward.
The test-retest reliability of ride perception during treadmill and outdoor running

Subjective assessment of footwear experience during running is critical for recommendation and design. Recently, ride perception was quantified using an eight-dimension ratings scale. Ride varied b...
Long-Term Care Administration and Management: Effective Practices in Quality Programs in Eldercare, edited by Darlene Yee-Melichar, Cristina M. Flores, & Edwin Cabigao

The delivery of elder care services is growing and changing due to the increasing population of older adults who currently require, or who are anticipated to require care in the near future (Browdi...
Regulation of Sperm Function by Oviduct Fluid and the Epithelium: Insight into the Role of Glycans

In many vertebrates, females store sperm received at mating in specialized reservoirs until fertilization. In some species, sperm are routinely stored for up to a decade. But the structures used to store sperm vary considerably across taxa, suggesting the underlying mechanisms might be equally variable. In mammals, after mating, sperm pass through the utero-tubal junction and bind to epithelial cells of the oviduct isthmus to form a reservoir. This reservoir regulates sperm function, including viability and capacitation, ultimately affecting sperm lifespan. In addition, sperm binding to oviduct cells influences oviduct cell gene transcription and translation, perhaps to aid sperm storage and fertility. The sperm reservoir allows successful reproduction in species in which semen deposition and ovulation are not always synchronized. The focus of this review is on recent studies of the functions of oviduct fluid and of the adhesion molecules that allow sperm to adhere to the oviduct epithelium. The important of glycans on the oviduct epithelium is highlighted.
The IEEE Conference on Decision and Control - tracing CDC history

This paper provides comments on the history of the IEEE Conference on Decision and Control (CDC), identifies some events memorable to the attendees, and anticipates the nature of future meetings. From the list of conferences provided, one can readily identify the growth that both the CDC and the Society have experienced over the years.
Rheumatology in Geriatrics

Normal aging is associated with changes in both arms of the immune system, namely, cell-mediated immunity and humoral immunity.1 In the former, after appropriate activation, T lymphocytes, whether helper T cells (Th), suppressor T cells (Ts), or cytotoxic T cells (TCTL), proliferate and perform their various functions; in the latter, B lymphocytes, after appropriate activation, eventually synthesize and secrete antibodies.2 The two best studied age-related changes are the diminished T-cell-dependent immune responses to foreign antigens and the increase in the incidence of autoantibodies.
A Child's Right to Participation: Photovoice as Methodology for Documenting the Experiences of Children Living in Kenyan Orphanages

Through ethnographic research, including participatory photography or “photovoice,” this research project explored the changing landscape of childhood faced by children living in orphanages in Kenya amidst ongoing political violence and disease epidemics. In particular, the research focused on documenting children's perceptions and experiences in two orphanages: the urban Kayole Rehabilitation Centre, a governmental agency in Nairobi; and Flying Kites Kenya, a rural nonprofit organization in Njabini. Each child was given a reusable 35 mm camera and instruction about photography. Children were asked to take pictures of daily experiences and people of importance to them. Participatory photography projects with orphaned children in both locales revealed a new conception of “family.” Ethical considerations when using visual methodologies with children are also discussed.
Multiscale Predictors of Femoral Neck In Situ Strength in Aging Women: Contributions of BMD, Cortical Porosity, Reference Point Indentation, and Nonenzymatic Glycation

The diagnosis of fracture risk relies almost solely on quantifying bone mass, yet bone strength is governed by factors at multiple scales including composition and structure that contribute to fracture resistance. Furthermore, aging and conditions such as diabetes mellitus alter fracture incidence independently of bone mass. Therefore, it is critical to incorporate other factors that contribute to bone strength in order to improve diagnostic specificity of fracture risk. We examined the correlation between femoral neck fracture strength in aging female cadavers and areal bone mineral density, along with other clinically accessible measures of bone quality including whole-bone cortical porosity (Ct.Po), bone material mechanical behavior measured by reference point indentation (RPI), and accumulation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs). All measurements were found to be significant predictors of femoral neck fracture strength, with areal bone mineral density (aBMD) being the single strongest correlate (aBMD: r = 0.755, p < 0.001; Ct.Po: r = –0.500, p < 0.001; RPI: r = –0.478, p < 0.001; AGEs: r = –0.336, p = 0.016). RPI-derived measurements were not correlated with tissue mineral density or local cortical porosity as confirmed by micro–computed tomography (μCT). Multiple reverse stepwise regression revealed that the inclusion of aBMD and any other factor significantly improve the prediction of bone strength over univariate predictions. Combining bone assays at multiple scales such as aBMD with tibial Ct.Po (r = 0.835; p < 0.001), tibial difference in indentation depth between the first and 20th cycle (IDI) (r = 0.883; p < 0.001), or tibial AGEs (r = 0.822; p < 0.001) significantly improves the prediction of femoral neck strength over any factor alone, suggesting that this personalized approach could greatly enhance bone strength and fracture risk assessment with the potential to guide clinical management strategies for at-risk populations. © 2015 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Constructing Crowdsourced Workflows

Building an informed crowdsourced workflow can help improve the quality of crowdsourcing results by allowing workers to collaborate and build on each others’ work. This topic has been widely adopted and studied.
Generic approaches to parasitic extraction problems [IC interconnects]

Integral equation methods have become popular for electromagnetic analysis problems such as computation of interconnect parasitics. However, developing integral equation codes that can treat diverse physics and interface with solvers in other domains requires algorithms that can easily be adapted to a variety of geometrical descriptions, solver interfaces, and integral equation formulations. In this paper, we survey some of the most popular fast integral equation solution techniques with mind to their flexibility in dealing with diverse problem domains.
Self-Esteem and Family Challenge: An Investigation of Their Effects on Achievement.

This study uses longitudinal data on a sample of 10th graders to investigate the associations between self-esteem, family challenge, and 2 indicators of adolescent achievement: high school grades and extracurricular involvement. Research on self-esteem and on family challenge has linked both of these factors to achievement in adolescents, but studies have not simultaneously examined the effects of these factors on achievement. The present study finds that family challenge and self-esteem are correlated with one another, and examines the effects of each of these factors on achievement while controlling on the other factor. Controlling on self-esteem, family challenge was positively associated with grades in school, and was marginally associated with extracurricular participation. Controlling on family challenge, we did not find self-esteem to be predictive of grades or extracurricular involvement in longitudinal analyses, but we did find some evidence for a relationship in the opposite direction, with grades in 10th grade predicting self-esteem in 12th grade. Results also suggest differences in academic achievement and extracurricular participation by race/ethnicity. Implications of these findings for the role of family challenge and self-esteem in the positive development of adolescents are discussed.
Standardization of a polyurethane elastomer for facial prostheses

Abstract This study has shown that the polyester urethane elastomers are soft and flexible, characteristics which are desirable for simulating soft facial tissue. In addition, this material was found to have a larger resistance-to-tear when compared with other materials. The physical and mechanical properties are very sensitive to the composition and the amount of catalyst added. Less influence on the elastomer properties was noticed for the range of temperatures at which it was polymerized. The range of curing time used in this study shows no significant statistical difference on the elastomer properties. Future studies will be directed toward the polymerization of the material at a wider range of times and temperatures to determine the effects at the low and high ends of the range.
Sinterability, strength and oxidation of alpha silicon carbide powders

An investigation is made of pressureless sintering of commercially available alpha-SiC powders at temperatures between 1900 and 2150 C for periods of 10 to 240 min under one atmosphere of argon pressure. It is found that alpha-SiC powder containing boron and carbon sintering aids is sinterable at 2150 C for a period of 30 min to a high final density (greater than 96 percent of theoretical). In alpha-SiC powder containing aluminum and carbon sintering aids, the final density achieved is only about 80 percent of theoretical. Determinations are made of room temperature and high temperature (1370 C) flexure strength and oxidation resistance on sintered high density (more than 96 percent of theoretical) alpha-SiC (boron, carbon) material. It is found that both the strength and the resistance to oxidation are equivalent and comparable to those of the sintered alpha-SiC which represents the state of the art.
Effect of growth conditions on Eu3+ luminescence in GaN

Abstract Eu-doped GaN thin films were in situ grown on sapphire substrates by RF plasma-assisted solid-source molecular beam epitaxy technique. Strong red emission at ∼622 nm from 5 D 0 – 7 F 2 radiative transitions in Eu 3+ ions was observed for all samples. The effects of important growth parameters, such as III/V ratio (Ga flux), Eu cell temperature (Eu flux) and growth temperature, on Eu 3+ photoluminescence were studied. X-ray diffraction and secondary ion mass spectroscopy measurements were performed to investigate thin film quality and Eu doping profiles. The strongest Eu 3+ luminescence was obtained from GaN:Eu thin films grown under slightly N-rich condition (III/V 3+ emission efficiency was obtained in thin films grown under Ga-rich condition (III/V≥1). The optimum Eu doping concentration for Eu 3+ luminescence is ∼(0.1–1.0) at% for III/V≤1 ratio condition. Higher growth temperature (>750 °C) was also found to enhance Eu 3+ luminescence intensity and efficiency.
Kinetic study of the synthesis of fatty acids from malonyl-CoA and NADPH by pigeon liver fatty acid synthetase

Abstract In the absence of acetyl-CoA pigeon liver fatty acid synthetase catalyzes the formation of palmitic acid from malonyl-CoA and NADPH [ Katiyar, Briedis, and Porter (1974) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 162 , 412–420 ]. A kinetic analysis of this reaction is reported in the present paper. Initial velocity double reciprocal plots, in the absence of products, give a parallel pattern irrespective of which substrate is varied. No substrate inhibition by either substrate, malonyl-CoA or NADPH, is observed. The product inhibition pattern of NADP + is competitive with respect to NADPH and uncompetitive with respect to malonyl-CoA; whereas coenzyme A gives a competitive pattern vs malonyl-CoA and an uncompetitive pattern vs NADPH. These kinetic patterns are compatible with the 7-site ping-pong mechanism established earlier by us for the overall fatty acid synthetase reaction in the presence of all three substrates [ Katiyar, Cleland, and Porter (1975) J. Biolo. Chem. , 250 , 2709–2717 ].
Concerning positive-parity collective states in 18O

I discuss collective positive-parity states in 18O in light of two recent experiments. Single-particle widths have been calculated and used to extract spectroscopic factors. Special attention is given to 4p -2h and 6p -4h cluster bands.