cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quantitative platform selection in optimal design of product families, with application to automotive engine design

Product variants with similar architecture but different functional requirements may have common parts. We define a product family to be a set of such products, and refer to the set of common parts as the product platform. Product platforms enable rapid adjustment to changing market needs while keeping development costs and time-cycles low. In many cases, however, the individual product requirements are conflicting when designing a product family. The designer must balance the tradeoff between maximizing commonality and minimizing individual product performance deviations. The design challenge is to select the product platform that will generate family designs with minimum deviation from individual optima. We propose a methodology that combines two previous approaches developed for making commonality decisions. In the first approach optimal values and sensitivity information from the individually optimized variants are used to indicate components that are probable candidates for sharing. In the second app...
The synthesis and study of the photoinitiated cationic polymerization of novel cycloaliphatic epoxides

The synthesis of a series of difunctional epoxides bearing two epoxycyclohexyl groups linked together by an alkylene ether group has been carried out. Subsequently, the reactivities of these novel monomers was investigated and compared to the reactivity of the cycloaliphatic epoxide, 3,4-epoxycyclohexylmethyl 3',4'-epoxycyclohexane carboxylate (I) in photoinitiated cationic polymerization. It was observed that alkylene oxide linking the two epoxycyclohexyl groups was short and the monomers are more reactive than I. The effects of the photoinitiator structure and the experimental conditions of the cationic photopolymerization on the rates was also studied using real-time infrared spectroscopy. 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The Failure of Macroeconomics in America

Editor’s Words On 18 March 2011, the China Association for World Economics hosted “The Presentation of the 2010 Pushan Award for Excellent Papers on International Economics” at the China Central University of Finance and Economics. Over 700 scholars and students from home and abroad attended the ceremony. Professor Joseph Stiglitz, the winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics, presented the awards and gave a speech on “The Failure of Economics in America.” The following speech transcript has been approved and edited kindly by Professor Stiglitz.
Tectonostratigraphy and depositional patterns in Krishna Offshore Basin, Bay of Bengal

The Krishna-Godavari Basin along the east coast of India covers the deltaic and interdeltaic areas of the Krishna and Godavari rivers and extends into the offshore (Figure 1). This basin is situated along the shoulder of a rifted passive continental margin which developed during the separation of India from Antarctica in the Late Jurassic. This rifting episode is superimposed on an earlier northwest-southeast “Gondwana graben trend” such as the Pranhita-Godavari graben (Figure 2a), which extends from onshore into the Krishna-Godavari Basin. This is an earlier prerift depositional episode onto Precambrian crystalline basement which commenced in the Early Permian and continued through the Middle Jurassic. The Late Jurassic rift episode caused mechanical extension along the eastern margin leading to the formation of northeast-southwest horst and graben features. Based on Bouguer gravity data, Murty and Ramakrishna (1980) recognized different tectonic elements (Figure 2b) such as Krishna graben, Bapatla horst, West Godavari subbasin (including the median Kaza-Kaikalur horst), Tanuku horst, and East Godavari subbasin (including Narasapur-Yanam high).
The Evolution of Heterogeneity in Biodiversity and Environmental Regimes

Biodiversity and environmental protection are examples of international public goods problems that comprise a symmetrical system of rights and obligations. Moreover, the underlying scientific, economic, and political conditions do not necessarily lead to a prisoner's dilemma. Yet from this symmetrical beginning, voluntary (Nash) equilibria often require heterogeneous actions, the resolution of which is often couched as a North-South or East-West issue. The author uses evolutionary game theory to examine how heterogeneous behavior can emerge over time and finds that asymmetries need not be universally determined in terms of economic or technological differences. In particular, the author finds that the evolution of international environmental protocols is a function of scale: the ability to achieve a cooperative solution depends on the distribution of signatories (namely, nonparticipants in the population at large). Such scale considerations reveal an organizational pattern of collective action that does n...
An active storage framework for object storage devices

In this paper, we present the design and implementation of an active storage framework for object storage devices. The framework is based on the use of virtual machines/execution engines to execute function code downloaded from client applications. We investigate the issues involved in supporting multiple execution engines. Allowing user-downloadable code fragments introduces potential safety and security considerations, and we study the effect of these considerations on these engines. In particular, we look at various remote procedure execution mechanisms and the efficiency and safety of these mechanisms. Finally, we present performance results of the active storage framework on a variety of applications.
Soil foodwebs in agroecosystems: impacts of herbivory and tillage management

Soil rhizospheres are one of the principal ‘hotspots’ of terrestrial ecosystems. Using isotopic 14 carbon ( 14 C) tracer techniques, we measured impacts of aboveground herbivory on rhizosphere microbial growth and subsequent repercussions in an agroecosystem detrital foodweb. Soil microarthropods in conventionally tilled (CT) agroecosystems accumulated more radiocarbon tracer than in no-tillage ones (NT), reaching concentrations as high as those in the roots. Nematodes, in contrast, accumulated more tracer in the NT systems, possibly reflecting the greater proportion of label going initially to bacterial communities in the rhizospheres. With a simulation model of the decomposition of 14 C-labeled litter, we evaluated the relative contributions of bottom-up and top-down forces in the detrital foodweb. Microbial biomass was more resource-regulated, and microbivorous fauna (nematodes, protozoa, microarthropods) was more sensitive to second- and third-order predators in the system. © 2002 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.
Graduate Student Professional Development in Applied Sociology Courses through Group Research Projects

Designing stimulating and scholarly course projects for graduate students in an applied sociology course is a challenge. We discuss the development and continued refinement a type of course project...
The Function of “Excommunication” in Paul

Many difficulties beset the interpreter of Paul's response to the case of incest at Corinth. With the partial exception of the letter to the Romans, Paul's letters are occasional pieces written in response to very particular circumstances in the communities addressed. The occasional character of the first letter to the Corinthians is evident as Paul responds to oral reports (1:11; 5:1; 11:18) and to written queries (7:1). The interpreter is acutely aware of having access to only one side of a conversation, to only half a correspondence. Because of the close contact between writer and addressees, much could be left unsaid.
Electrical and Optical Properties of Self-Assembled, Ordered Gold Nanocrystal/Silica Thin Films Prepared by Sol-Gel Processing

Highly ordered gold NC/silica films are synthesized by self-assembly of water-soluble gold nanocrystal micelles and soluble silica using a sol-gel spin-coating technique. The optical properties are analyzed using ellipsometry and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. The absorption spectra show a strong surface plasmon absorption band at ∼520 nm for all samples. Angular excitation spectra of the surface plasmon show a steep dip in the reflectivity curve at ∼65°. Charge transport behavior of the films is examined using metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) structures.MOS capacitor samples exhibit charge storage with discharge behavior dominated by electron transport within the gold NC arrays.
Testing Concepts of Animal Foraging Behavior An Experiment Using Seed Trays

Beginning sttudents i1 ecology are almost universally interested in animal behavior, but few have a comfortable grasp of the evolutionary approach to the study of animal behavior and ecology. Because an evolutionary approach is essential to understanding in most aspects of the discipline (Alcock 1993), 1 have worked to develop an ecology exercise that exposes students to "evolutionary thinking." In the exercise I first teach some theoretical concepts in the form of a graphical model, and then allow the students to apply the concepts by developing a field experiment to test predictions of the model. The evolutionary approach to the study of animal behavior views behavior as the product of natural selection, and thus asks what behavioral patterns are expected to evolve in an animal, given a set of basic assumptions about the animal. This approach often makes use of optimality models that formulate mathematical solutions to problems in animal behavior by first establishing a set of basic constraints or assumptions about the animal, and then solving to find the behavior that maximizes a relevant component of the animal's evolutionary fitness. This approach is very useful in the study of behavior because it allows us to understand w7hy an animal behaves the way it does, not just howv it behaves. Thus the evolutionary approach allows the study of anim.al behavior to be a predictive, rather than descriptive, science.
Advances in Molecular Imaging for Surgery

Molecular imaging is the next frontier in image-guided therapy promising to increase surgical precision. In vivo molecular imaging modalities, such as positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), can already enhance the diagnostic value of magnetic resonance imaging alone and refine surgical planning. In centers where these modalities are available for intraoperative use, PET and MRS can also improve the detection of residual tumor but with significant surgical time delays. The field of molecular imaging is witnessing the development of tools that could eventually be placed in the hands of the surgeon for direct assessment of the surgical field. Optical methods, such as variations of fluorescence imaging, can both increase contrast to reveal tissue microstructures or target specific cells using molecular probes. Mass spectrometry offers a new modality for molecular imaging in image-guided surgery by providing detailed information of the chemical makeup of surgical tissue without the need for molecular probes. Each modality offers a unique view. It is our hope to see a day when the surgeon will have the opportunity to select among molecular imaging modalities to meet specific surgical goals.
Does Co-Occurring Traumatic Brain Injury Affect VHA Outpatient Health Service Utilization and Associated Costs Among Veterans With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder? An Examination Based on VHA Administrative Data.

Objective To examine whether a traumatic brain injury (TBI) diagnosis was associated with increased outpatient service utilization and associated costs among Iraq and Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom [OEF]/Operation Iraqi Freedom [OIF]/Operation New Dawn [OND]) War veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) who used Veterans Health Affairs (VHA) care in a 1-year period. Setting N/A. Participants OEF/OIF/OND veterans with a diagnosis of PTSD and/or TBI who utilized VHA services during fiscal year 2012 (N = 164 644). Design Observational study using VHA administrative data. Main measures Outpatient VHA utilization (total and by category of care) and associated costs (total and by VA Health Economic Resource Center cost category). Results Veterans in the comorbid PTSD/TBI group had significantly more total outpatient appointment than veterans with PTSD but no TBI. This pattern held for all categories of care except orthopedics. The comorbid TBI/PTSD group ($5769) incurred greater median outpatient healthcare costs than the PTSD ($3168) or TBI-alone ($2815) group. Conclusions Co-occurring TBI increases the already high level of healthcare utilization by veterans with PTSD, suggesting that OEF/OIF/OND veterans with comorbid PTSD/TBI have complex and wide-ranging healthcare needs.
Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease. Early diagnosis and consideration of pathogenesis.

Renal function studies and excretory urograms were performed for 16 asymptomatic subjects at risk for polycystic kidney disease (PKD). The subjects represented five unrelated families, and ranged in age from 11 to 26 years. Fourteen subjects with normal excretory urograms underwent percutaneous renal biopsy. An additional renal biopsy specimen was obtained at the time of nephrectomy from a subject who had PKD. In four of the 14 subjects who had biopsies, PKD was documented about three years later by excretory urograms with nephrotomograms, renal radionuclide imaging, and gray-scale ultrasonography. Light-microscopic findings of dilated distal and collecting tubules suggested early manifestations of PKD in the renal biopsy specimens from five of the 14 subjects. In three of these five subjects, but also in one of nine subjects without light-microscopic changes of tubular dilatation, PKD was documented three years later. By electron microscopy, no differences in fine structural details were seen between specimens with and without tubular dilation observed by light microscopy, except for splitting of the lamina densa of the glomerular capillary basement membrane, which was present in only two specimens with light-microscopic changes of tubular dilation from subjects with PKD documented three years later, and in the nephrectomy specimen. Renal function studies were normal for 14 subjects, including four who had documented PKD. These data suggest that lightmicroscopic changes of tubular dilatation (seen in five of the 14 specimens, including three from the four restudied subjects in whom PKD was documented three years later) and electronmicroscopic changes of lamina densa splitting (seen only in two specimens with light-microscopic changes of tubular dilatation from subjects with PKD documented three years later and in the nephrectomy specimen), may be the earliest recognizable histologic changes in the carriers of the abnormal gene for PKD. However, because in the early stages of PKD these histologic changes may not be diffusely distributed, we do not advocate renal biopsy, but would suggest excretory urograms (with nephrotomography), radionuclide imaging, or gray-scale ultrasonography as the initial diagnostic procedures.
The Story of Schools, Schooling, and Students from the 1960s to the Present

On a daily basis, students and educators are creating their individual narratives within schools and classrooms shaped by larger institutional narratives of policy, federal mandates, and alarmist concerns focused on America’s international competitiveness. In this chapter, we ask how these larger institutional narratives have changed over time and, concomitantly, how they converge with or diverge from the individual, lived narratives of students and teachers. Starting from the desegregation movement of the 1960s and moving through current educational reforms (e.g., No Child Left Behind, Common Core), we trace how the larger institutional narratives of schools and schooling have changed through the promotion of a market-based national educational agenda of standardization, accountability, and the belief in outsiders’ abilities to reform the national education system. Ultimately, institutional narratives, focused primarily on academic achievement and accountability, have narrowly redefined the purpose of schools and schooling in the lives of students and in the larger society. Moreover, these narratives have promoted reform agendas that often eclipse the social and emotional needs of marginalized students in schools and classrooms today.
The clinical utility of molecular genetic cancer profiling

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Next-Generation-Sequencing (NGS) has enabled gene mutation profiling – cataloguing sequence variants and modifications in clinical assays encompassing tens to thousands of genes in tumors and in germlines. The clinical benefit of applying multi-gene NGS to diverse applications in various malignancies remains to be demonstrated.Areas covered: Applications of gene mutation profiling in oncology include screening cancer-prone families, classification of malignancies, treatment selection, and monitoring the response to treatment of solid tumors (the ‘liquid biopsy’). Google Scholar was used to search PubMed for the period 2011–2016 using combinations of the following search terms: ‘clinical utility’, NGS, ‘molecular diagnostics’.Expert commentary: Clinical studies are in progress pairing mutation profiling with streamlined new trial designs to speed identification of promising drug-target combinations and to see if genotype-informed treatment selection will improve outcome across a spect...
Aging of the Neuroendocrine System

The study of senescence is, essentially, a science in its infancy. As a result, there is a paucity of fundamental information available on the aging of basic physiological processes, including reproductive phenomena. Concepts about what leads to the faltering of neuroendocrine mechanisms and subsequent demise of the individual are, for the most, hypotheses that are only beginning to be tested.
Asymptotic Fixed-Bed Behavior: Proportionate and Constant Patterns

The design of economically efficient fixed-bed adsorption systems requires an understanding of the dynamic behavior of the fixed-bed process. A mass transfer zone develops which determines how long a bed can be used effectively before regeneration or replacement is required. Upstream of the mass transfer zone, the adsorbent is in equilibrium with the feed. Downstream, the adsorbent is in its initial state. Within the mass transfer zone the fluid-phase concentration drops from the feed value to the initial, presaturation state. Equilibrium with the feed is not attained in this region. As a result, because an adsorption bed typically must be removed from service shortly after breakthrough begins, the full capacity of the bed is not utilized. Obviously, the broader that the mass transfer zone is, the greater will be the extent of unused capacity.
Strategies of Nuclear Proliferation: How States Pursue the Bomb

How do states pursue nuclear weapons? Why do they select particular strategies to develop them, and how do these choices affect the international community’s ability to prevent nuclear proliferation? The bulk of the proliferation literature focuses on why states want nuclear weapons. The question of how they pursue them, however, has largely been ignored. This question is important because how states try to acquire nuclear weapons—their strategies of nuclear proliferation—affects their likelihood of success and thus the character of the nuclear landscape. Four strategies of proliferation are available to states: hedging, sprinting, hiding, and sheltered pursuit. Nuclear acquisition theory explains why a proliferator might select one strategy over the others at a given time. Empirical codings from the universe of nuclear pursuers, combined with a detailed plausibility probe of India’s long march to acquiring nuclear weapons—including novel details—establish the analytical power of the theory. Different strategies of proliferation offer different opportunities and vulnerabilities for nuclear proliferation and nonproliferation, with signiacant implications for international security.
A practice approach to the study of news production

Among news production scholars, interest in the theories of Bourdieu, Giddens, Latour, and related authors has grown in the last 20 years. However, few have recognized that these theories contribut...
"New Records Of Two Little Known Coleopteroid Species Of Rhyparochromidae Amyot & Serville, 1843 (Heteroptera: Lygaeoidea) In Patagonia" / Nuevos registros de dos especies con coleoptería poco conocidas de Rhyparochromidae Amyot & Serville, 1843 (Heteroptera: Lygaeoidea) en Patagonia

New records are provided for the Rhyparochromid bugs Stictolethaeus inerme (Berg, 1883) and Astemmoplitus nitidus (Blanchard, 1852). S. inerme is recorded for the first time in the Neuquen Province in Argentina; whereas A. nitidus is reported for the first time in Los Lagos Region in Chile. Futaleufu becomes the southernmost record known for this species. The relationship between A. nitidus and A. gayi (Spinola, 1852) is commented and clarified. Resumen Se entregan nuevos registros para los Riparocromidos Stictolethaeus inerme (Berg, 1883) y Astemmoplitus nitidus (Blanchard, 1852). Se registra a S. inerme por primera vez para la provincia de Neuquen, Argentina; mientras que A. nitidus se registra por primera vez para la Region de Los Lagos, Chile. Futaleufu se convierte en la localidad mas meridional conocida para esta especie. En adicion la relacion entre A. nitidus y A. gayi (Spinola, 1852) es comentada y clarificada.
Post-traumatic Dizziness

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is an increasingly common disorder seen in particular situations (athletics, military service, etc.) and in the general population. This disorder is largely synonymous with concussion and is associated with a variety of acute, subacute, and even chronic consequences. One of the most common sequelae of mTBI (at any time epoch) is dizziness. In this chapter, we explore the nature of post-traumatic dizziness and provide an introduction into the related topics of diagnosis and treatment of mTBI.
Analysis of Meta-level Communication for Distributed Resource Allocation Problems

We examine the effects of meta-level-communication in the DSRAP (Distributed Sequential Resource Allocation Problem). In DSRAP, independent tasks are categorized into different types, where each task belonging to a particular task type shares a known distribution of task arrivals, durations, reward rates, maximum waiting times, and resource demands. We first look at a single task type DSRAP (SDSRAP) and develop an analytical model of the effect of meta-level communication about load on system performance for first-in-first-out (FIFO) local scheduling agents that forward tasks based on load. Through our analytical models and empirical results, we show how the frequency of communication affects performance for SDSRAP problems with one resource and task type. We then quantitatively measure the impact of meta-level communication on system performance with respect to the global measures of the system's load balance. We validate our analytical model's predictions experimentally, showing, e.g., as system load becomes unbalanced, performance decreases; organizational structure significantly impacts agent performance; and agents that can communicate and distribute tasks to neighbors significantly outperform agents working individually. Through our analysis on FIFO, routing algorithms, and our policy agents, we provide a framework for analyzing more complex task schedulers and task routing algorithms.
Abstract 15037: Hyperreninemic Aldosteronism in Caucasian and African-American Patients With Apparent Resistant Hypertension

Introduction: While primary aldosteronism (PA) is a recognized and relatively well-defined cause of resistant hypertension (RHTN), there is a relative paucity of data defining patients with hyperreninemic aldosteronism (HA) and RHTN. Hypothesis: We sought to identify characteristics of patients with HA and compare them to patients with and without PA within a large cohort of patients with RHTN. Methods: We analyzed 1236 RHTN patients who were referred to our Hypertension Clinic with and underwent complete biochemical work-up including plasma aldosterone concentration, plasma renin activity, and 24-hour urinary aldosterone. Demographics, antihypertensive drug regimen, comorbidities, biochemical parameters and evaluation for secondary RHTN, where indicated, were evaluated. Hyperreninemic aldosteronism was defined as plasma renin activity >1 ng/mL*hr, aldosterone-renin-ratio of ≈ 8 or more, and 24-hour urinary aldosterone >12 mcg/24h. Results: In 128 eligible patients with resistant hypertension and HA, the mean age was 52.9±12.1 years with 56% being males (Table). Systolic and diastolic blood pressures were 149.2±22.0 and 87.9±15.5 mm Hg, respectively. Significant numbers of HA patients had co-morbid obesity (63.3%) and obstructive sleep apnea (44.9%). Compared to patients with PA, patients with HA had statistically significant lower proportions of patients with African-American race and systolic blood pressure. Compared to all RHTN patients, HA patients had lower mean age and systolic blood pressure, but were more likely to be male and have obstructive sleep apnea. Conclusions: Resistant hypertension due to hyperreninemic aldosteronism appears to predominantly affect obese, middle-aged males. Patients with HA causing RHTN have distinct differences from PA patients with RHTN. More investigation is required to identify appropriate treatment protocols for this poorly defined subset of patients with RHTN.
Expansion of Microreactor Capabilities through Improved Thermal Management and Catalyst Deposition

Capabilities of a gas phase membrane-based microreactor have been expanded, enabling new chemistries and applications. The expanded capabilities include improved control of temperature and selectivity for highly exothermic partial oxidation reactions, a larger thermal and pressure operating window, and the development of a catalyst library.
Brown Body of Knowledge: A Tale of Erasure

In this autoethnographic piece, I offer five short poems reading as a “tale of erasure” in the academy. The poems document how my particular identities—Brown, immigrant, female, professor—came to b...
Health related quality of life among myocardial infarction survivors in the United States: a propensity score matched analysis

Little is known regarding the health-related quality of life among myocardial infarction (MI) survivors in the United States. The purpose of this population-based study was to identify differences in health-related quality of life domains between MI survivors and propensity score matched controls. This retrospective, cross-sectional matched case-control study examined differences in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among MI survivors of myocardial infarction compared to propensity score matched controls using data from the 2015 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey. Propensity scores were generated via logistic regression for MI survivors and controls based on gender, race/ethnicity, age, body mass index (BMI), smoking status, and comorbidities. Chi-square tests were used to compare differences between MI survivors to controls for demographic variables. A multivariate analysis of HRQoL domains estimated odds ratios. Life satisfaction, sleep quality, and activity limitations were estimated using binary logistic regression. Social support, perceived general health, perceived physical health, and perceived mental health were estimated using multinomial logistic regression. Significance was set at p 15 days in the month (AOR = 1.63, 95% CI: 1.46–1.83) and poor mental health >15 days in the month (AOR = 1.25, 95% CI: 1.07–1.46) compared to matched controls. There was no difference in survivors compared to controls in level of emotional support (rarely/never: AOR = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.48–1.18; sometimes: AOR = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.41–1.28), hours of recommended sleep (AOR = 1.14, 95% CI: 0.94–1.38), or life satisfaction (AOR = 1.62, 95% CI: 0.99–2.63). MI survivors experienced lower HRQoL on domains of general health, physical health, daily activity, and mental health compared to the general population.
Root coverage using Alloderm acellular dermal graft material.

This report describes a surgical technique for root coverage using an acellular dermal graft material anda coronally positioned flap. Video clips of a root coverage surgery are included using the graft materialto cover multiple teeth in the same quadrant. Three additional completed cases are presented in whicha mean root coverage of 97% was achieved, resulting in 100% coverage on 9 of 11 teeth. The resultsfrom this case series conform with the available evidence on the use of acellular dermal graft material inroot coverage procedures.
What Teachers Should Know about Why These Students Perform So Well: An Examination of Korean-American Achievement through Student Perspectives of East Asian Parenting Beliefs, Styles and Practices

It has been widely reported that Korean-American students as a group outperform most other groups of students in terms of academic achievement due to having parents with especially high academic expectations due to traditional Confucian values. To examine this achievement, this study examines the common factors across the indigenous East Asian parenting ideologies, styles, and practices based on the perceptions of high-achieving, Korean-American primary school students through the East Asian Parenting Model. Perceptions about child development and learning, the mother-child relationship, authoritarian parenting style, and specific East Asian parenting practices are patterns explored in this study. These findings may inform teachers, pre-service teachers, and others involved in the education of Korean-American students about differentiating factors (i.e., specific East Asian parental and/or teaching practices) that may be influential for explaining and improving the academic achievement for the children in this group.
Learning Through Failure: The Effect of Banks’ Recent Default Experience on Borrowers’ Timely Loss Recognition

We examine the effect of shocks arising from unrelated loan defaults in a lender's portfolio (i.e., lender-side defaults) on borrowers' financial reporting decisions. Using a broad sample of syndicated loans, we find that lender-side defaults are associated with higher levels of timely loss recognition from non-defaulting borrowers, consistent with these defaults motivating lenders to re-evaluate their pre-existing monitoring standards and demand more information regarding downside risk from non-defaulting borrowers. Increases in timely loss recognition following lender-side defaults are associated with reductions in covenant slack, increases in covenant violations, and higher levels of future loans from the same lender, consistent with lenders and firms sharing the benefits associated with changes in disclosure. In additional analyses, we demonstrate that the effect of lender-side defaults on borrowers' timely loss recognition is more pronounced when renegotiation costs are high, ex ante contractual conservatism mechanisms are lacking, borrowers' fundamentals are weaker, and borrowers have fewer outside lending options. Overall, our findings shed light on how lenders adjust their monitoring efforts and influence firms' financial reporting decisions over the course of a lending relationship.
Using argumentation as a learning strategy to improve student performance in engineering Statics

Research suggests that a significant reason that a large number of students earn low grades in the fundamental engineering science course Statics is that they may be entering the course with incorr...
Sam: An Older, Gay Man Who Appears Depressed

Sam is a 68-year-old Caucasian male with bright white hair. He has an athletic build, and stands just over six feet tall. Despite his apparent excellent physical health, he walked into the therapy room slowly and looked very tired. He stated his primary care doctor referred him to this small group psychotherapy practice after his doctor ruled out a physical reason for his symptoms. According to Sam, about four to six weeks ago, he began feeling “very tired,” had difficulty in concentrating and stopped exercising, which he had done on average of five times a week for as long as he could remember. Although he had stopped exercising, he had lost about 10 lbs. over the last several months, which he stated was because “I just don’t have the energy to eat.” In addition, Sam said that he had been staying home more, and not attending social functions or dinners with friends. He states that the activities he used to enjoy are “just not the same and it feels like such an effort to go and pretend I am having fun when I am not.” When asked about any recent changes in his life, he could not think of any immediate changes. However, during the history gathering stage of the interview, he discussed several significant changes that had occurred in the last 5 years.
AMERICAS, NORTH | Plantation Archaeology

Plantation archaeology seeks to understand the economic, political, and social order that emerged from the development of plantations–agricultural enterprises in which some form of bound labor produces a crop for someone else that is usually sold in an international market. In North America, where the vast majority of plantations have been investigated, archaeologists have studied a variety of plantations engaged in the production of staple crops such as cotton, tobacco, rice, indigo, sugar, and hemp. Most plantation archaeology focuses on the workers, either enslaved laborers or tenant–and-wage laborers of post-bellum plantations. Because of this focus on workers and the fact that most workers, particularly those enslaved, were of African-descent, one archaeological approach views the plantation as the birthplace of African Diaspora cultures. In many of these studies certain archaeological materials—clay-walled houses, handcrafted pottery and pipes, amulets, and other objects some presumed to be of religious significance are interpreted as exhibiting African influences. Whereas other archaeologists interested in the African diaspora focus on the understanding the everyday lives and lived experiences of enslaved workers on plantations. Their research often addresses how enslaved people shaped their material lives beyond the meager provisions allocated to them. Another approach seeks to untangle the complex social and political relations characteristic of plantation production. These studies analyze the ways in which plantation laborers, whether slave or free, were subjugated into subordinate social positions, and how laborers challenged the authority of owners and managers. In many of these studies the layout of the plantation and use of spaces illustrate how social inequalities and hierarchies were incorporated into plantation design. Although archaeologists began excavating plantations in the United States in the 1930s, the systematic study of plantations to obtain information on the lives of plantation residents began in the 1970s. Since that time plantation archaeology has grown beyond the confines of North America. Today, archaeologists are studying plantations throughout the world.
Antithrombotics and Antifibrinolytics

Pediatric thromboembolic events are rare, but the incidence of thrombosis in children has dramatically increased over the last decade and appears to be an increasing problem in pediatric tertiary care hospitals. They usually occur as a complication of a primary disease or treatment. This chapter describes the indications, mechanisms of action, dose regimens, therapeutic ranges and monitoring requirements, pharmacokinetics, contraindications, adverse effects and warnings, drug interactions and side effects of antithrombotic (anticoagulant, antiplatelet, and thrombolytic) agents and antifibrinolytic agents.
An Introduction to Formally Real Jordan Algebras and Their Applications in Optimization

In this chapter we study formally real Jordan algebras and their impact on certain convex optimization problems. We first show how common topics in convex optimization problems, such as complementarity and interior point algorithms, give rise to algebraic questions. Next we study the basic properties of formally real Jordan algebras including properties of their multiplication operator, quadratic representation, spectral properties and Peirce decomposition. Finally we show how this theory transparently unifies presentation and analysis of issues such as degeneracy and complementarity, and proofs of polynomial time convergence of interior point methods in linear, second order and semidefinite optimization problems.
Aggregating Stochastic Gradients in Distributed Optimization

Motivated by broad applications in computer science and engineering, we study distributed algorithms for optimization problems over a network of nodes, where the goal is to optimize a global objective composed of a sum of local functions. In solving such problems, we propose an algorithm, namely, distributed aggregated stochastic gradient method, which only requires local computation and communication. Our main contribution is to show that the proposed algorithm achieves a linear convergence rate to the neighborhood of the problem solution. In particular, we study the rate of convergence of the algorithm without requiring the Lipschitz continuity of local functions, as often assumed in distributed stochastic gradient methods. In addition, we provide simulations to show that our method outperforms distributed stochastic gradient methods in solving the important linear regression problems over networks.
Willingness to pay for colorectal cancer screening in Guangzhou.

AIM To measure the willingness to pay for colorectal cancer screening in Guangzhou, and to identify those factors associated with it. METHODS A face-to-face questionnaire survey for pre-screening population from free and non-free colonoscopy districts was used to collect information on demographic characteristics, health behaviours, the intention of the cancer screenings and willingness to pay for colorectal cancer screening. A total of 1243 participants who took part in the pre-screening for colorectal cancer in Guangzhou were collected in the study. Categorical data were compared using the χ2 test to analyse significant differences. Non-conditional logistic regression and multi-class logistic regression were also performed for multivariate analysis and to estimate the odds ratios. RESULTS The percentage of participants willing to pay for colorectal cancer screening was 91.7%. "Unnecessary" was the dominant reason that participants gave for their unwillingness, accounting for 63.1%. Of those who were willing to pay, 29.2%, 20.7%, 14.8%, 13.0% and 22.4% of participants were willing to pay less than \100, \100-\199, \200-299, \300-\399 and more than \400, respectively. Non-logistic regression analysis showed that respondents who were male, had a high level of education, were from the family with more children/older to raise, and accepted colorectal cancer screening were willing to pay for this screening. Multi-class logistic regression analysis showed that respondents with higher annual household income per capita, from government and private enterprises, government agency/institution and peasants, and less family medical expenditure were willing to pay more. CONCLUSION Willingness to pay for colorectal cancer screening in Guangzhou is high, but the amount of willing to pay is not much.
Russell and Frege on the Power of Symbols and the Compositionality of Linguistic Expressions

This paper discusses two prima facie unrelated topics of contrast and comparison between Russell and Frege. The first topic is the importance of logical symbolism; I focus primarily on remarks by Frege in Begriffsschrift (1879) and other early writings and on Russell’s lectures on The Philosophy of Logical Atomism (1918), respectively. I argue that while Russell’s main concerns were the capacity of symbols to “fit” and adequately represent the components and structure of the symbolized reality, Frege’s concerns were focused on the relationships between symbols and the conceptual or informational content they symbolize and on the power of symbolic expressions in engendering the grasping of their contents. The second theme focuses on the thesis supported by both Russell and Frege that the composition of linguistic expressions representing Russellian facts or Fregean thoughts, respectively, corresponds to the complexity of the thoughts and facts that those linguistic expressions represent. I submit that the contrast of emphases between Russell’s and Frege’s views on the power and significance of symbols, which I outline in the first part of this paper, provides a useful hypothesis to explain how a Russellian “metaphysical” reading of the complexity of linguistic expressions might have prevented a more accurate “epistemological” interpretation of Frege’s remarks on the compositionality of logical and ordinary language.
Managing Today’s Workforce to Meet Tomorrow’s Challenges

Healthcare is facing a world of change. New regulations, rapid advances in information technology, shifts in payment from volume to value, consumer demands for better access to care, increased public scrutiny of outcomes, patient safety concerns, and business consolidation all add increasing degrees of difficulty to the work that healthcare leaders do. Effective management of a diverse workforce can make a significant impact on all of these challenges.This article covers four aspects of workforce management: talent, leadership, technology, and culture. Each is described, along with tactics to address it. The recommendations are based on both my research of human capital management and my experience as a senior human resource officer and healthcare executive, now with the nation's third-largest nonprofit health system, Catholic Health Initiatives.
Behavioral Health and Care Enhancement: Building a Team to Do the Whole Job

For practices that are attempting to develop patient-centered team-based care, the addition of one or more behavioral health clinicians (BHC) is a logical step along the way. When done well, adding a behavioral health clinician enhances the fit of the expertise of the team to the needs of many of its patients. Behavioral health care within the primary care practice greatly increases access for patients by being a better fit to their understanding of their needs and therefore increasing its acceptability. The patterns of communication among team members that make for successful team-based care are the same ones that make for successful integration of a behavioral health clinician. The expertise that is added to the team by a behavioral health clinician can help to foster the change in “mental models of care” that has been discussed as underlying the transition to both patient-centered and team-based primary care. In addition, for patient with significant challenges in the area of the “social determinants of health,” a team member who is able to enhance the care provided by the team, sometimes called a navigator, care manager, case manager, or community health worker, is also a crucial part of an effective team.
A 5 MHz High-Speed Saturating Inductor DC-DC Converter Using Cycle-by-Cycle Digital Control

The fastest transient response of dc-dc converters, which is a dominant performance criterion for dynamic voltage scaling (DVS), is fundamentally limited by the inductor current slew rate. We employ a saturating inductor with a systematic control design to increase the slew rate without introducing extra hardware. The resulting 5 MHz saturating inductor current-mode buck converter using constant-on-time (CM-COT buck converter) controlled by a high-speed cycle-by-cycle digital controller that is designed under the switching-synchronized sampled-state space (5S) control framework exhibits a 2.6 μs large-signal voltage risetime (10%-90%) with no overshoot. Furthermore, we extend the 5S control framework to this nonlinear converter plant by utilizing singular perturbation theory. The resulting controller exhibits a large-signal stability and an ability to handle a peak slew current that is 11 times the steady-state average current in a 30 W saturating inductor CM-COT buck converter prototype.
Introduction: Activist Scholarship Possibilities and Constraints of Participatory Action Research

concerned with issues of power and representation in academic scholar? ship. In their works, they have attempted to address and break down some of the existing hierarchies and power dynamics in social science research, creat? ing new possibilities for research in the academy while building on the works of others who have attempted to do the same. As global discourse on democracy and the democratization of peoples, systems, and processes expands, contributors to this special issue attempt to extend this discourse to the realm of academia and the "ivory tower." In so doing, they not only try to link the idea of democracy to research and scholarship, but also attempt to problematize commonly used no? tions of democracy and democratic practices through a deeper analysis of their own studies. Is it possible to authentically bridge the gap between the community and the academy? Can we truly engage with community in the creation of new knowledge? On the one hand, by using Participatory Action Research (PAR) as a methodology, ideology, and a commitment, these scholars grapple with creating authentic, trusting, and mutually beneficial ties with the community. On the other hand, they continue the ongoing struggle to find space, recognition, and legitimacy for this type of scholarship within the academy. By sharing their works, this issue will attempt to address the possibilities and constraints for activist scholarship. At the heart of Participatory Action Research is a deliberate attempt to include the "investigated" in the process of investigation itself. It starts with the notion that given the proper tools, the people most affected by a problem are not only capable of better understanding their realities, but are also the best equipped to address their struggles. It further asserts that through a constant process of dialogue and reflec? tion, any group of people can devise relevant and appropriate actions as solutions to their problems. This process involves "coming to terms with the roots of your oppression as you come into your subjecthood" (Freire, 2000: 31) and subsequently
US Physical Activity Guidelines: Current state, impact and future directions.

Abstract Regular physical activity is one of the most powerful methods to lower the risk of all-cause mortality, help control multiple medical co-morbidities and improve overall quality of life. For optimal health it is recommended that adults obtain at least 150 min per week of moderate-intensity or 75 min per week of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise per week along with at least 2 days of muscle-strengthening activity. Despite the known health benefits of exercise and long-standing recommendations from major health, medical and fitness societies, only half of Americans meet these guidelines. The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides an update from the 2008 guidelines adding specific recommendations for pre-school children while emphasizing the need to reduce sedentarism across the age spectrum (“move more and sit less”). This document provides a summary of the 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans as well as the impact of inactivity on health and future directions to improve utilization.