cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Potemkin village and the art of deception

Potemkin village is "something that appears elaborate and impressive but in actual fact lacks substance". The software analogies for the Potemkin village are ripe for exploration. Software antipatterns address problem-solution pairs in which the typical solution is more harmful than the problem it solves. In essence, an antipattern presents an identifiable problem, the accompanying harmful effects of the typical solution, and a more appropriate solution called a refactoring. In this sense, the software version of a Potemkin village is an antipattern: Problem: deliver software with an impressive interface quickly. Solution: employ a ready-made architecture that provides an impressive interface quickly; spend as little time as possible on the back-end processing. Refactoring: do it right the first time. The author doesn't want to make the case too strongly that the building of Potemkin villages is a deliberate strategy of fraud that companies perpetrate. Is a weak piece of software covered by an elaborate GUI a deliberate fraud or simply poor design? You must assume the latter in the absence of proof. When faced with a Potemkin village or an emperor's new clothes situation, you must expose it immediately. Doing so is not easy when a high-quality GUI masks the shortcomings. You can, however, detect the situation through design reviews, and code inspections, reviews, or walkthroughs. Therefore, managers who oversee software projects (and customers who buy software) should require these reviews. Testing can sometimes uncover the situation, but it might be too late at this point. Test-driven design, on the other hand, can help avoid a Potemkin village.
An efficient data-independent technique for compressing test vectors in systems-on-a-chip

We present an efficient approach, namely, pattern run-length (PRL) coding, for reducing the volume of test vectors that must be stored in automatic test equipment (ATE) and transferred to each core in a system-on-a-chip (SOC) during manufacturing test. The need for compressing test data is due to the bandwidth bottleneck between the ATE and the SOC. In our new coding scheme, the test vectors for the SOC are stored in compressed form in the ATE memory and transferred to the chip. An embedded processor is employed to perform decompression. The decompressed test set is then applied to the scan chains of each core-under-test. Pattern run-length coding works by compressing consecutive patterns in an innovative manner. The proposed compression is data-independent. The program for decompression is very small and simple, thereby allowing fast and high throughput to minimize test time. Experimental results for ISCAS-89 benchmarks show that for almost all of the circuits our new technique results in much better compression ratios than former methods.
Some pharmaceutical applications of statistical sampling plans.

Specific illustrations of single, double, and sequential sampling plans for various attribute characteristics are presented. Also included is an illustration of the statistical technique employed in the sampling of substances for which the quality characteristics are expressed as a continuous variable. The use of Analysis of Variance in acceptance sampling is illustrated.
An introduction to the General Temporal Data Model and the Structured Population Event History Register (SPEHR)

There are some 37 demographic surveillance system sites active in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and Central America. These sites, and other longitudinal population and health research projects, generate data over time in order to describe and explain the event histories of individuals and the populations they constitute. This note addresses key data management challenges presented by such complex temporal data-gathering efforts. Ideas supporting a standard definition for temporal population data, and a standard design for temporal databases to improve management of longitudinal population data, are presented and briefly discussed.
Xenon as a detector for dark matter search

Abstract We will discuss the detailed properties of xenon and its utilization for detecting weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs). Xenon scintillation and proportional scintillation are the key factors in the problem of background rejection. We will also consider the possibility of doping liquid Xe with triethylamine (TEA), to lower the energy threshold and to improve background rejection efficiency.
Pump-probe melanoma imaging: Applications to high-resolution and in-vivo microscopy

Pump-probe imaging of melanin with near-infrared pulses has been extended to two new domains: high-resolution imaging of the melanin content of melanosomes in an individual melanocyte and epi-detected in vivo microscopy of a developing melanoma.
Second-order nonlinear processes using gap plasmon-polaritons

We show that using metal-insulator-metal (MIM) waveguides to carry out various second-order nonlinear optical processes not only provides highly desired tight optical confinement but also facilitates the phase-matching due to their inherently large anisotropy.
Investigation of the Role of Nickel and the Effect of Gas Phase Sulfur Compounds on the Performance of Ni-Mo/γ-Al2O3 Hydrodenitrogenation Catalysts

Abstract A series of γ-Al 2 O 3 -supported molybdenum and nickel sulfide catalysts was prepared in order to investigate the role of the nickel promoter and the effect of the sulfur feed compounds on the hydrodenitrogenation (HDN) performance of Ni-Mo/γ-Al 2 O 3 catalysts. The reactions performed were pyridine HDN, thiophene HDS, HDN in the presence of thiophene, and HDN in the presence of H 2 S. The catalysts were characterized using laser Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, BET surface area measurement, and temperature-programmed desorption of H s S, thiophene, and pyridine. The results of the reaction studies and characterization experiments are combined with earlier reports in the literature to propose an explanation of the role of nickel and gas phase sulfur compounds in pyridine HDN network.
Fault detection for a class of state feedback control systems

The paper studies the problem of fault detection for a class of state feedback tracking control systems with constant reference inputs. The considered systems are modeled via multiple modes, namely, nominal case and faulty case. The actuator stuck faults are considered. A new LMI-based fault detection method for the control systems with states available is obtained, and is applied to the fault detection for flight control systems.
Interspecies care and aging in a gorilla 2.0 world

Two key figures analyzed in Donna Haraway’s monograph, Primate Visions: Gender Race and Nature in The World of Modern Science (1989) warrant further analysis in the emerging cyber politics of environmental conservation. These figures are Koko, a female lowland gorilla born in the San Francisco Zoo and her companion Dr. Francine (Penny) Patterson, a developmental psychologist who taught Koko how to communicate with a modified form of American Sign Language (ASL). Nine years after Haraway’s initial analysis, Koko and Patterson became early examples of conservation-related Web 2.0 engagement with their unprecedented inter-species America Online chat room encounter with 7811 member participants. Today, Koko has a Twitter account (@kokotweets), a Facebook page, a YouTube channel and a website where users watch videos of Koko celebrating birthdays and donate to ‘distant’ conservation projects. One project site is a gorilla reserve in Cameroon and another is a former pineapple plantation turned private nature preserve in Maui, Hawai’i. Inspired by recent analytical work in animal geographies and feminist political ecology, this article explores complex landscapes of caring, aging and conservation in a time of proliferating social media engagement from colonized sites of enduring privilege. The article argues that new media adds layers of violence, disciplinary techniques and co-dependence to the aging bodies, caring practices and landscapes that Koko, Patterson and others inhabit in California and in the proposed physical spaces of a repurposed pineapple field in Maui.
Maintaining Customer Relationships through Effective Database Marketing: A Perspective for Small Retailers

Maintaining customer relationships has been identified as a primary and enduring problem for small firms. Database marketing, often touted as a means to improve customer relationships, is scarce in...
Internalizing and externalizing disorders as predictors of alcohol use disorder onset during three developmental periods.

Abstract Background The developmental pathways associated with an enhanced risk for future alcohol use disorders (AUDs) continue to be a topic of both interest and debate. In this research, internalizing and externalizing disorders were evaluated as prospective predictors of the index AUD episode onset, separately within three developmental periods: early-to-middle adolescence (age 13.0–17.9), late adolescence (18.0–20.9), and early adulthood (21.0–30.0). Methods Participants ( N = 816) were initially randomly selected from nine high schools in western Oregon and subsequently interviewed on four separate occasions between ages 16 and 30, during which current and past AUDs were assessed as well as a full range of psychiatric disorders associated with internalizing and externalizing psychopathology domains. Results In adjusted analyses for each of the three developmental periods investigated, externalizing domain psychopathology from the most proximal adjoining developmental period predicted AUD onset. Distal externalizing psychopathology also predicted AUD onset among early adult onset cases. Proximal or distal internalizing psychopathology, in comparison, was not found to be a significant predictor of AUD onset in adjusted analyses for any of the developmental periods examined. Conclusions Findings overall suggest that externalizing developmental histories are robust predictors of AUD onset within the age range during which index episodes are most likely to occur, and that gender does not moderate this association.
Influence of a nontraditional master's degree on graduates' career paths

Graduates' assessments of the University of Texas at Austin's nontraditional M.S. degree program in pharmacy administration were studied. A survey was constructed to assess the impact of the master's program on career advancement, to examine why pharmacists enrolled in the program, and to determine if the curriculum provided knowledge or developed skills that were practical or beneficial. The survey was mailed in April 1999 to all persons who had completed the program between 1990 and 1998. A total of 56 graduates responded, for a response rate of 90.3%. The three reasons for entering the program most frequently cited as most important were career advancement, personal development, and the desire to change job responsibilities. Thirty-four respondents (60.7%) reported receiving a promotion or changing jobs for a higher position while they were enrolled in the program or after completing it. Of these 34 respondents, 29 (85.3%) attributed their promotion or new job to the master's degree. On average, graduates reported that the knowledge and skills obtained through the program had been useful in their practice. The benefits of the program that were cited most frequently were management skills, competencies in areas of pharmacy business, opportunity to advance career, job satisfaction, and competitive advantage when applying for a job. A nontraditional master's degree program in pharmacy administration had a positive impact on the career paths of graduates.
Evaluation on Heavy Mental Pollution of Animal Food Sold in Farm Produce Markets

Objective To investigate the heavy metal pollution of animal food sold in farm produce markets of a city,and to provide the evidence for assessing food safety.Methods According to the monitoring inems of the National Food Pollutant Monitoring System,three kinds of heavy metals,including Pb,Cd and Hg,were detected in 17 kinds of food,including meats,eggs,milk,and aquatic products.Results Totally 136 food samples were detected.The detection rates of Pb,Cd and Hg were 97.79%,97.66% and 77.34%,respectively.The over standard rates of Pb,Cd and Hg were 5.18%,2.68%,and 1.79%,respectively.Pb content in sauce duck,preserved eggs,sea fish and sea shrimp exceeded the GB standards.Cd content in pork kidney and liver was beyond the safe limit.And Hg content in sea fish and sea shrimp exceeded the GB standards.Conclusions Pb and Cd are the predominant heavy metal pollutants among animal food sold in this city,but not serious.However,strengthening supervision is necessary.
Rapid determination of Paclobutrazol in vegetables and fruits by high performance liquid chromatography

Objective To establish an HPLC method for rapid determination of paclobutrazol in vegetables and fruits. Methods Paclobutrazol in vegetables and fruits was firstly extracted by acetonitrile. Extraction was concentrated and redissolved by methanol.Then,it was purified by Qu ECh ERS cartridge. High-performance liquid chromatography was performed on an ACCHROM Unitary C18 column with mobile phase of methanol and water( 65∶35). The quantification was accomplished by external standard method with diode array detector at wave length of 222 nm. Results The method showed good linearity( r = 0. 9999) in the range of 0. 40 μg / ml ~ 20 μg / ml. The results showed that after spiking of 0. 08 mg / kg ~ 0. 5 mg / kg paclobutrazol,average recovery of bean sprouts ranged 76. 6% ~ 84. 5%,and strawberries ranged 83. 2% ~ 89. 2%; The relative standard deviations( RSD) were less than 4. 95%. Limit of quantification( LOQ S/N ≥10) and limit of detection( LOD S/N ≥3) were0. 08 mg / kg and 0. 02 mg / kg respectively. Conclusion The purification method by Qu ECh ERS cartridge was effective,which combine with High-performance liquid chromatography can be applied to routine test of paclobutrazol in vegetables and fruits.The method was simple,accurate and reliable.
Abstract B40: Transcription factor Snail mediates EMT by altering vesicular trafficking protein Rab25

Epithelial cells maintain intercellular communication directly by cell-cell, cell-ECM interaction and indirectly by paracrine secretion of extracellular messengers either as free molecules or via exosomes. The vesicular trafficking machinery is an integral part of such communication, paralleling digital cables that transmit the information bytes to the correct hub. During the process of EMT, derailing of the trafficking machinery leads to a systemic breakdown of intra and inter-cellular communication pathways. The purpose of the current study is to elucidate the functional role of Rab25, a key member of the vesicular trafficking machinery in mediating EMT-MET processes during breast cancer progression. Aberrant endocytosis is a new hallmark of cancer. Rab GTPases are the primary regulators of endocytosis. Many members of this large family are implicated in a wide array of cancers including breast cancer. Specifically, Rab25, a GTPase associated with the recycling endosomes, is deregulated in most epithelial cancers. Rab25 appears to function both as a tumor suppressor and an oncogene in a context dependent manner. We found that Rab25 is lost in Claudin Low tumors as well as in representative cell lines such as the MDA MB231. Rab25 is a robust and sufficient marker of breast cancers and cell lines with an increased EMT signature. Additionally, in immortalized human mammary epithelial cell lines (HMLE), induction of EMT by overexpression of Snail1 completely obliterates Rab25 protein. Exogenous re-expression of Rab25 dramatically rescues these cells from Snail driven invasion through Matrigel. However this Snail dependent regulation is unique only to TN and Claudin Low tumors and does not hold true for hormone receptor positive tumors. Further, analysis of RNA Seq data from a MMTV mouse model showed that tumors enriched in EMT markers and by corollary with low CDH and claudins, also lost Rab25 transcripts. Snail mediated transcriptional repression targets recycling endosomal proteins such as Rab25 to decrease delivery of junction proteins that facilitate cell-cell communication to the appropriate compartment. In parallel, it potentially enhances paracrine regulation by secreted exosomes. Overall, our study shows presence and absence of Rab25 markedly alters cell-cell communication, which is essential for maintenance of epithelial features of cells. Rab25 could be a prognostic marker and a therapeutic target for a subset of patients with increased risk of metastatic disease. Citation Format: Shreya Mitra, Lorenzo Federico, Gordon B. Mills. Transcription factor Snail mediates EMT by altering vesicular trafficking protein Rab25. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Advances in Breast Cancer Research; Oct 17-20, 2015; Bellevue, WA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2016;14(2_Suppl):Abstract nr B40.
Microbial, physical, and chemical quality of packaged ice in Florida.

In a statewide survey, ice samples purchased at retail were evaluated for labeling information and microbiological, chemical, and physical quality. Only 11% of bags from on-premises manual facilities, compared to 79% for off-premises mechanical facilities, had appropriate label information. One ice sample exceeded the state regulatory limit for aerobic plate count (APC) (<500 CFU/ml). Yeasts and molds were detected in 12% of the samples. No Listeria monocytogenes were found in any of the samples. Coliform counts exceeding the state regulatory limit (<1/100 ml) were observed in 13.5% of manual, on-premises facilities compared to 3.6% of samples from mechanical, off-premises facilities. No significant differences were detected between samples from on- and off-premises facilities with regard to chemical composition (e.g., aluminum, ammonium, boron, barium, calcium, cadmium, chloride, copper, iron, lead, magnesium, manganese, nickel, nitrate, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, silicon, and zinc), electrical conductivity, or pH. All samples analyzed were in compliance with appropriate Environmental Protection Agency drinking water standards. In general, all ice samples were acceptable in terms of water hardness values. Approximately 33% of samples from off-premises facilities and 62% of the on-premises samples had detectable particulate matter. None of the off-premises samples, compared to 8% of the on-premises samples, had particulate matter in the "pronounced" category.
Hazards without disasters

A natural hazard need not become a human disaster if society learns and applies lessons in preparation and resilience. Earthquake history speaks well to this—engineered structures need to stand up to strong shaking. Chile learned this lesson before its 2010 earthquake of magnitude 8.8. Because it had already enforced seismic provisions of building codes, there was little loss of life due to damage to buildings. Engineered structures also performed very well during the giant 2011 Tohoku earthquake in northeast Japan; however, approximately 20,000 lives were lost to the ensuing tsunami. What survival strategies are available for communities at risk for tsunamis?
Immobilized Enzyme Reactions on Beads and Membranes

Immobilized biocatalysts have widespread applications in areas like organic synthesis, pollution control and for diagnostic purposes. Enzymes can be immobilized on different supports like polymeric beads, gels, and membranes. Immobilization eliminates the need to separate an enzyme from the product solution and allows these expensive compounds to be reused. In addition, the thermal stability, pH stability, and storage stability of an enzyme may be increased as a result of immobilization.
New metrics for assessing aspect coupling

Previous studies provided metrics to show different types of aspect coupling. However, no existing metric adequately described coupling in a way that combined the invocation of aspect advices, aspect methods, and class methods. This study introduces an invocation coupling framework that defines method-method, advice-method, and advice-advice coupling. This new framework is the basis for two new aspect coupling metrics-interference potential (IP) and interference causality potential (ICP)-to account for each type of invocation coupling. The work validates these metrics by analyzing two AspectJ programs: AspectTetris and AJHotDraw. Two versions of each program, an unmodified version and a version containing a SeedAspect designed to increase interactions, were tested. Findings suggest that low metric values are likely since most modules have few interactions. Abnormally high values indicate high coupling and an increased risk for aspect interference due to the complex interactions. Introducing the SeedAspect caused a small shift in IP, but a significant shift in ICP. Thus, ICP was most successful at detecting aspect interference risk due to complex interactions.
Physiology of Nociceptors

Nociceptors are a specialized class of primary afferents that respond to noxious or injurious stimuli. Unmyelinated (C-fiber) nociceptors are responsible for the burning pain sensation from noxious heat stimuli and from prolonged mechanical stimuli. Myelinated (A-fiber) nociceptors are thought to be responsible for the sharp, pricking pain associated with application of intense heat or sharp objects. An enhanced pain in response to cutaneous stimuli (primary hyperalgesia) develops at the site of tissue injury and is thought to be mediated by an enhanced responsiveness (sensitization) of primary afferent nociceptors. Hyperalgesia also develops in a large area of uninjured skin surrounding the injury site (secondary hyperalgesia) and most likely is due to sensitization of neurons in the central nervous system.
SURROGATE END POINTS AND BIOMAKERS FOR EARLY TRIALS OF NOVEL ANTICANCER AGENTS

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses surrogate end points and biomarkers for early trials of novel anticancer agents. A number of agents have been developed to selectively target aberrant molecular pathways in cancer cells. It is found that because of this selective targeting, these agents tend to be less toxic when compared to standard cytotoxic chemotherapy agents. Their toxicity profile tends to be different from that of cytotoxic agents. The presence of the target must correlate with clinical benefit when the drug is employed and blocking the target should impair tumor growth. As a pharmacodynamic marker, a surrogate end-point may help to reliably establish a dosing schedule in phase I studies. Surrogate endpoints can provide proof of in vivo effects that complement traditional pharmacokinetic studies. Biomarkers can be used as predictive factors to identify patients likely to respond to a particular therapeutic agent. The expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors on breast cancer cells is a predictive marker for response to tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors. The presence of a biomarker would correlate with the clinical outcome of a patient. The end point of a clinical trial to evaluate a prognostic factor should be survival, or some other clinical parameter such as time to progression.
3D Printing and Buildings: A Technology Review and Future Outlook

Three-dimensional (3D) printing has drawn attention from professionals in various fields for its ability to efficiently convert virtual concepts to prototypical parts by adding material in layers. ...
Modeling the Impact of Black Spruce on the Fire Regime of Alaskan Boreal Forest

In the boreal biome, fire is the major disturbance agent affecting ecosystem change, and fire dynamics will likely change in response to climatic warming. We modified a spatially explicit model of Alaskan subarctic treeline dynamics (ALFRESCO) to simulate boreal vegetation dynamics in interior Alaska. The model is used to investigate the role of black spruce ecosystems in the fire regime of interior Alaska boreal forest. Model simulations revealed that vegetation shifts caused substantial changes to the fire regime. The number of fires and the total area burned increased as black spruce forest became an increasingly dominant component of the landscape. The most significant impact of adding black spruce to the model was an increase in the frequency and magnitude of large-scale burning events (i.e., time steps in which total area burned far exceeded the normal distribution of area burned). Early successional deciduous forest vegetation burned more frequently when black spruce was added to the model, considerably decreasing the fire return interval of deciduous vegetation. Ecosystem flammability accounted for the majority of the differences in the distribution of the average area burned. These simulated vegetation effects and fire regime dynamics have important implications for global models of vegetation dynamics and potential biotic feedbacks to regional climate.
How does a drug court experience influence student pharmacists

Abstract Introduction Drug court is a highly structured, community-based criminal justice alternative to imprisonment and probation that incorporates chemical dependency treatment for offenders with a substance abuse diagnosis. Drug court provides a unique learning experience for pharmacy students. Methods Students from Purdue University College of Pharmacy and the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy participated in drug court and provided written reflections regarding their experiences. Analysis of reflections explored how students’ life experiences might be associated with their understanding of substance use disorder, and how the drug court experience might impact students’ attitudes regarding substance use disorder as well as professional and personal development. Results Consensual qualitative analysis of student pharmacist reflections of the drug court experience led to eleven distinct themes: description of the student experience at drug court; past experiences and exposures; past perceptions and judgments; stereotype deconstruction; empathy development; development of impartiality and fair-minded approach; situational appreciation; analytical thinking; role of the pharmacist; metacognition; and science of substance use disorder. Discussion Colleges of pharmacy wishing to provide students with an opportunity for personal and professional development focused on substance use disorder and recovery should explore experiential learning opportunities in drug court settings. Conclusions The drug court experience allows student pharmacist learners to gain a deeper personal understanding of substance use disorder while examining their own biases. Students reported that this experience challenges them to rethink notions of “good” and “bad” and reflect on personal preconceived views about substance use disorder and morality.
Secondary Traumatic Stress in Pediatric Nurses.

Abstract Purpose Secondary traumatic stress affects many in the helping professions, and has been identified in many nursing specialty areas. The purpose of this study was to expand the knowledge of secondary traumatic stress in pediatric nursing by examining the statistical relationships between secondary traumatic stress, age of the nurse, and years of nursing experience, and coping responses. Design and Methods A convenience sample of Certified Pediatric Nurses (n = 338) were surveyed using the Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale, the Brief COPE, the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability-Short Form, and a demographics form. Hierarchical multiple linear regression and descriptive statistics were utilized to examine secondary traumatic stress and the other variables of interest. Results Secondary traumatic stress affected more than half of pediatric nurses surveyed. Age and years of experience did not predict secondary traumatic stress. Looking at coping responses pediatric nurses with higher emotional support and instrumental support scores also demonstrated higher secondary traumatic stress scores. Denial and behavioral disengagement were also associated with an increase in secondary traumatic stress scores. Conclusion Secondary traumatic stress impacts many pediatric nurses. Further research is needed to determine which factors predispose pediatric nurses to secondary traumatic stress and which coping responses help pediatric nurses best manage this stress. Practice Implications Acknowledging secondary traumatic stress in this population by promoting awareness, and providing educational programs will help to protect nurses' psychological health, and may prevent nurses from leaving the profession due to work-related stress.
Russian–Turkmen Encounters: The Caspian Frontier before the Great Game

There is not much else like S. Peter Poullada’s Russian–Turkmen Encounters: an English translation (by Claora E. Styron) of a Soviet-published, eighteenth-century Russian archival source, introduce...
An Infected Urachal Cyst in a 4-Year-Old Girl Presenting with Recurrent Abdominal Pain.

Abstract Background Urachal cysts are remnants of urachal ducts and usually present when they get infected or undergo malignant transformation. Case Report A 4-year-old girl presented to the Emergency Department (ED) with intermittent abdominal pain, fever, dysuria, and umbilical swelling. She was diagnosed with an abscess related to an infected urachal cyst by ultrasound. The patient was treated with antibiotics, and the abscess was drained by Interventional Radiology with ultrasound guidance. She recovered uneventfully and was discharged home. The urachal cyst was excised a month later. Why Should an Emergency Physician Be Aware of This? Though urachal cysts are rare, it is important to consider this entity in the differential diagnosis of acute abdomen and recurrent abdominal pain in the ED setting.
MP11-06 DONEPEZIL POTENTIATES BETHANECHOL TO FACILITATE BLADDER EMPTYING

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES:Donepezil, a cholinesterase inhibitor, was given to 23 patients (19 males and 4 females) to potentiate the bladder emptying effects of Bethanechol. All patients were see...
When short sellers agree to disagree: short sales, volatility, and heterogeneous beliefs

Using daily equity lending data, I find that short sales lead to significant price pressure, consistent with inelastic short-term demand curves for stocks. Because short sales and returns are endogenously determined, I use an instrumental variables framework to identify their relation. Specifically, I use exogenous shifts in the lendable supply of shares to identify the impact that short sales have on both the level and volatility of returns. I find a one standard deviation increase in daily short interest is associated with a 12 basis point decrease in returns and a 3.8% increase in log realized volatility. Consistent with theoretical predictions, I find that price pressure from short selling is strongest when demand curves are more likely to be downward sloping as a result of heterogeneous beliefs. The results suggest short sales exert considerable price pressure and may help explain the short interest return anomaly (Boehmer2009) as well as the excess volatility anomaly (Shiller1981).
3D Mapping of the Structural Transitions in Wrinkled 2D Membranes: Implications for Reconfigurable Electronics, Memristors, and Bioelectronic Interfaces

Bending and wrinkling occur widely in thin membrane materials, such as biomembranes, optical coatings, and two-dimensional materials. Such deformed structures can exhibit distinct mechanical respon...
TripAware: Emotional and Informational Approaches to Encourage Sustainable Transportation via Mobile Applications

To combat climate change, we need to change user transportation behavior to be less carbon intensive. Prior work on motivating this behavior change has been predominantly qualitative and lacks comparison. This makes it challenging to determine which interventions should be deployed at scale. The behavior change community needs a process to compare interventions against each other in pilot studies before committing deployment resources. We perform the first quantitative comparison, to our knowledge, of behavior change strategies in the transportation behavior domain. Since this is a pilot with a limited recruitment budget, we design a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) using an open source platform. We assign 41 users to three mobile applications: Emotion, Information, Control. The RCT allows us to draw statistically valid inferences that can suggest future avenues for larger-scale studies. We found that Emotion resulted in greater engagement with the application (p=0.006, 0.035, 0.031, 0.040) while Information improved the sustainability of travel behavior (p = 0.043). These exploratory statistical results can motivate the design of future studies to further explore combinations of these approaches for sustainable transportation behavior.
Shortened Leukocyte Telomere Length Associates with an Increased Prevalence of Chronic Health Conditions among Survivors of Childhood Cancer: A Report from the St. Jude Lifetime Cohort

Purpose: We aimed to analyze and compare leukocyte telomere length (LTL) and age-dependent LTL attrition between childhood cancer survivors and noncancer controls, and to evaluate the associations of LTL with treatment exposures, chronic health conditions (CHC), and health behaviors among survivors. Experimental Design: We included 2,427 survivors and 293 noncancer controls of European ancestry, drawn from the participants in St. Jude Lifetime Cohort Study (SJLIFE), a retrospective hospital-based study with prospective follow-up (2007–2016). Common nonneoplastic CHCs (59 types) and subsequent malignant neoplasms (5 types) were clinically assessed. LTL was measured with whole-genome sequencing data. Results: After adjusting for age at DNA sampling, gender, genetic risk score based on 9 SNPs known to be associated with telomere length, and eigenvectors, LTL among survivors was significantly shorter both overall [adjusted mean (AM) = 6.20 kb; SE = 0.03 kb] and across diagnoses than controls (AM = 6.69 kb; SE = 0.07 kb). Among survivors, specific treatment exposures associated with shorter LTL included chest or abdominal irradiation, glucocorticoid, and vincristine chemotherapies. Significant negative associations of LTL with 14 different CHCs, and a positive association with subsequent thyroid cancer occurring out of irradiation field were identified. Health behaviors were significantly associated with LTL among survivors aged 18 to 35 years (Ptrend = 0.03). Conclusions: LTL is significantly shorter among childhood cancer survivors than noncancer controls, and is associated with CHCs and health behaviors, suggesting LTL as an aging biomarker may be a potential mechanistic target for future intervention studies designed to prevent or delay onset of CHCs in childhood cancer survivors. See related commentary by Walsh, p. 2281
Phantom Studies of Fused-Data TREIT Using Only Biopsy-Probe Electrodes

Transrectal electrical impedance tomography (TREIT) is a novel imaging modality being developed for prostate biopsy guidance and cancer characterization. We describe a novel fused-data TREIT (fd-TREIT) system and approach developed to improve imaging robustness and evaluate it on challenging clinically-representative phantoms. The new approach incorporates 8 electrodes (in 2 rows) on a biopsy probe (BP) and 12 electrodes on the face of a transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) probe and includes a biopsy gun, instrument tracking, 3D-printed needle guide, and EIT hardware and software. The approach was evaluated via simulation, a series of prostate-shaped gel phantoms, and an ex vivo bovine tissue sample using only absolute reconstructions. The simulations surprisingly found that using only biopsy-probe electrode measurements, i.e. omitting TRUS-probe electrode measurements, significantly improves robustness to noise thus leading to simpler modeling and significant decreases in computational times (~13x speed-up/reconstructions in ~27 minutes). The gel phantom experiments resulted in reconstructions with area under the curve (AUC) values extracted from receiver operator characteristic curves of >0.85 for 4 out of the 5 tests, and when incorporating inclusion boundaries resulted in absolute reconstructions yielding 1.9% and 12.2% average percent errors for 3 consistent tests and all 5 tests, respectively. Ex vivo bovine tests revealed qualitatively that the fd-TREIT approach can largely discriminate a complex adipose and muscle interface in a realistic setting using data from 9 biopsy probe states (biopsy core locations). The algorithms developed here on challenging phantoms suggest strong promise for this technology to aid in imaging during routine 12-core biopsies.
Predicting Toddlers’ Problematic Behaviors: the role of poverty, parenting, and childcare

Our study extends the understanding of how three distinct environments including home, childcare, and neighbourhood may influence young children’s problematic behaviours among a sample of predomina...
Differentiating Perpetrators of Intimate Partner Violence From Other Violent Offenders Using a Statistical Learning Model: The Role of Cognition and Life History Variables.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a widespread crime that victimizes over 4-million women per year in the United States and results in significant monetary cost and unmeasured physical and psychol...
Free agency and organizational rankings: A social comparison perspective on signaling theory

Abstract Free agency connotes the freedom of an individual to choose whether or not they leave their home organization. We explore how options afforded to the free agent are influenced by the rankings and social comparison concerns between the home organization and outside organization. Probing free agency movement in Major League Baseball (MLB), Study 1 shows that free agents are less likely to move between highly ranked teams than between intermediately ranked teams. Studies 2 and 3 experimentally replicate these effects, showing that highly ranked home teams are more willing to retain their free agents with aggressive counter-offers when the outside offers are from other highly ranked teams, whereas intermediately ranked home teams are less willing to do so when outside offers are from other intermediately ranked teams. Study 3 additionally found that social comparison partially mediated the effect. Implications for free agency and the benefits (and sometimes costs) of having an outside offer are discussed.
Gender and Emotions

The sociology of gender and the sociology of emotions have developed considerably over the past 30 years. Yet work in the two fields generally advanced independently from each other despite Hochschild’s early influence on both. In this chapter, we review research in three primary areas of scholarship—socialization, intimate relationships, and organizational life—with an eye towards linking insights from gender scholars and emotions scholars. Although we draw from various perspectives on emotions and gender, our approach resonates most broadly with a critical interactionist perspective that incorporates identity and culture, process and consequences, domination and subordination, and sensitivity to intersectional inequalities.
Construction of a New Data Center at BNL

Computational science, data management and analysis have been key factors in the success of Brookhaven National Laboratory’s scientific programs at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC), the National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II), the Center for Functional Nanomaterials (CFN), and in biological, atmospheric, and energy systems science, Lattice Quantum Chromodynamics (LQCD) and Materials Science, as well as our participation in international research collaborations, such as the ATLAS experiment at Europe’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and the Belle II experiment at KEK (Japan). The construction of a new data center is an acknowledgement of the increasing demand for computing and storage services at BNL.
The propriety of upgrading responses to venetoclax + azacitidine in newly diagnosed patients with acute myeloid leukemia

Widely-used response criteria, conditional upon count recovery, were developed for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in the context of intensive chemotherapy (IC). Extending these definitions to continu...
Phenotypic characterization of frontal cortex microglia in a rat model of post-traumatic stress disorder

Introduction Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder induced by psychologically traumatic events. Using a rat model, this study aimed to determine whether psychological trauma alters relative expression between pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory markers in microglia. To meet this goal, expression of genes encoding i-NOS, arginase, TNF-α, interleukin-10, CD74, and Mannose Receptor C was analyzed on multiple days following trauma exposure. Methods Single-prolonged stress (SPS) was used to model PTSD in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Twenty-four rats (12 Controls and 12 SPS-exposed) were sacrificed on Days 1, 3, and 7 post-SPS. Twenty-four (12 Controls and 12 SPS-exposed) additional rats were exposed to classical fear conditioning on Day 7, and fear extinction on Days 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, and 17. Freezing behavior was measured to assess fear resolution. Microglial isolates were collected from the frontal cortex, and RNA was extracted. Changes in relative expression of target genes were quantified via RT-PCR. Results SPS rats showed significant decreases in IL-10 and TNF-α expression and increases in the i-NOS:Arginase and TNF-α:IL-10 ratios compared to Controls on Day 1, but not on Day 3 or Day 7 for any of the dependent variables. Day 17 SPS rats showed a significant decrease in IL-10 expression and an increase in the TNF-α:IL-10 ratio, further characterized by a significant inverse relationship between IL-10 expression and fear persistence. Conclusion Psychological trauma impacts the immunological phenotype of microglia of the frontal cortex. Consequently, future studies should further evaluate the mechanistic role of microglia in PTSD pathology.
Time Preferences and Subjective Discounting

Many decisions involve trade-offs between present and future costs and benefits. We procrastinate difficult tasks, and we forgo larger rewards for smaller ones if we can get them sooner. Why do we change our minds about the value of upcoming events? The traditional discounting model, which predicts how individuals discount future consequences and resolve trade-offs between present and future costs and benefits, does not account for this observed behavior. The behavioral discounting model presented in this technical note accounts for observed behaviors by incorporating patterns of overall high discounting, magnitude effects, and decreasing impatience. Excerpt UVA-QA-0896 Rev. Dec. 7, 2018 Time Preferences and Subjective Discounting Many decisions involve trade-offs between costs and benefits today and future costs and benefits. Consider the decision to take lessons to improve one's ability in, say, tennis or golf. In the short run, we experience a cost in terms of time and money. In the long run, we could enjoy the sport for many years to come. Another example would be changing our eating habits: a painful experience of intermittent hunger for several weeks can take off a few pounds and make us feel much better, and be healthier, for quite some time. For trade-offs between present and future monetary consequences, MBA students are taught to discount cash flows and calculate net present value (NPV) using an annual discount rate in the vicinity of 10% (i.e., the risk-free rate plus a risk premium). Using NPV, one can calculate the future profit necessary to compensate for a costly investment today, or determine if an immediate benefit is worth its associated future cost. Usually, a single discount rate is compounded to calculate the present value of consequences in different future dates. In this note, our goal is to understand better how individuals—who do not carry a computer to compute NPV—intuitively trade-off the present and the future. To do so, we can elicit the present equivalent of a future benefit. Alternatively, we can elict the future equivalent of a present benefit. . . .
Swimming, flying, and diving behaviors from a unified 2D potential model.

Animals swim in water, fly in air, or dive into water to find mates, chase prey, or escape from predators. Even though these locomotion modes are phenomenologically distinct, we can rationalize the underlying hydrodynamic forces using a unified fluid potential model. First, we review the previously known complex potential of a moving thin plate to describe circulation and pressure around the body. Then, the impact force in diving or thrust force in swimming and flying are evaluated from the potential flow model. For the impact force, we show that the slamming or impact force of various ellipsoid-shaped bodies of animals increases with animal weight, however, the impact pressure does not vary much. For fliers, birds and bats follow a linear correlation between thrust lift force and animal weight. For swimming animals, we present a scaling of swimming speed as a balance of thrust force with drag, which is verified with biological data. Under this framework, three distinct animal behaviors (i.e., swimming, flying, and diving) are similar in that a thin appendage displaces and pressurizes a fluid, but different in regards to the surroundings, being either fully immersed in a fluid or at a fluid interface.
Adrenomedullin in lymphangiogenesis: from development to disease

Over the past decade, we have begun to appreciate that the lymphatic vascular system does more than simply return plasma back into the circulatory system and, in fact, contributes to a wide variety of normal and disease states. For this reason, much research has been devoted to understanding how lymphatic vessels form and function, with a particular interest in which molecules contribute to lymphatic vessel growth and maintenance. In the following review, we focus on a potent lymphangiogenic factor, adrenomedullin, and its known roles in lymphangiogenesis, lymphatic function, and human lymphatic disease. As one of the first, pharmacologically tractable G protein-coupled receptor pathways characterized in lymphatic endothelial cells, the continued study of adrenomedullin effects on the lymphatic system may open new avenues for the modulation of lymphatic growth and function in a variety of lymphatic-related diseases that currently have few treatments.
Finding the lost river gas field - Lineament density analysis in hydrocarbon exploration

A comparative trial analysis of lineament density in 1:500,000 Landsat and 1:48,000 aerial Landsat-simulator images of a gas-field region in West Virginia is presented. The high-contrast, band 4, 5, 7 color composite Landsat image was interpreted independently by two analysts. The slightly different lineament maps were evaluated in terms of lineament-density variation in 10 x 10-km areas, and the resulting areal-variation maps are found to be statistically equivalent. High lineament density is shown to be associated with productive gas wells. Comparison of ground-based substructural contour maps and lineament-density analyses of the Landsat-simulator images reveals good correlation between density maxima or isopleths and substructural features associated with hydrocarbon formations. A hydrocarbon-exploration strategy using both Landsat and aerial images is proposed.