cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Structural join order selection for XML query optimization

Structural join operations are central to evaluating queries against XML data, and are typically responsible for consuming a lion's share of the query processing time. Thus, structural join order selection is at the heart of query optimization in an XML database, just as (value-based) join order selection is central to relational query optimization. We introduce five algorithms for structural join order optimization for XML tree pattern matching and present an extensive experimental evaluation. Our experiments demonstrate that many relational rules of thumb are no longer appropriate: for instance, using dynamic programming style optimization is not efficient; limiting consideration to left-deep plans usually misses the best solution. Our experiments also show that a dynamic programming optimization with pruning (DPP) algorithm can find the optimal solution, with low cost relative to the traditional dynamic programming (DP) algorithm; and an optimization technique that only considers fully pipelined (FP) plans can very quickly choose a plan that in most cases is close to optimal. Our recommendation is that DPP should be used in XML query optimizers where query execution time is expected to be significant, and that FP should be used where it is important to find a good (but not necessarily the best) plan quickly.
Neural networks for ultrasonic NDE signal classification using time-frequency analysis

Ultrasonic nondestructive evaluation (NDE) of material defects typically involves signals which are nonstationary in nature. Whether deconvolution or signal classification is carried out, time-frequency analysis, instead of frequency or time domain analysis alone, is required. The authors examine features derived from the Wigner distribution and its derivatives, and features derived from subband coding wavelet decomposition. Both the traditional nearest neighbor decision rule and the neural network classifiers, the backpropagation trained network and the Nestor's RCE network, are considered to classify the ultrasonic pulse echoes into one of three hidden geometrical defect classes. Neural network classifiers using features properly derived from the time-frequency analysis are shown to provide the best classification results. Although the data set employed is small, the conclusion is fairly consistent with experiments in other large data sets. >
Fez family transcription factors: Controlling neurogenesis and cell fate in the developing mammalian nervous system

Fezf1 and Fezf2 are highly conserved transcription factors that were first identified by their specific expression in the anterior neuroepithelium of Xenopus and zebrafish embryos. These proteins share an N-terminal domain with homology to the canonical engrailed repressor motif and a C-terminal DNA binding domain containing six C2H2 zinc-finger repeats. Over a decade of study indicates that the Fez proteins play critical roles during nervous system development in species as diverse as fruit flies and mice. Herein we discuss recent progress in understanding the functions of Fezf1 and Fezf2 in neurogenesis and cell fate specification during mammalian nervous system development. Going forward we believe that efforts should focus on understanding how expression of these factors is precisely regulated, and on identifying target DNA sequences and interacting partners. Such knowledge may reveal the mechanisms by which Fezf1 and Fezf2 accomplish both independent and redundant functions across diverse tissue and cell types.
A perspective on standardizing the predictive power of noninvasive cardiovascular tests by likelihood ratio computation: 2. Clinical applications.

Likelihood ratio measures may be used as a standard for expressing the predictive power of noninvasive cardiovascular tests, calculated from sensitivity and specificity measures or as ratios of the predictive value odds to pretest odds for positive and negative test results. The positive likelihood ratio, (+)LR, expresses the power of a positive test result to augment an estimate of disease probability independent of the pretest prevalence of disease in a given population; the negative likelihood ratio, (-)LR, expresses the power of a negative test result to augment an estimate of the probability of no disease independent of the pretest prevalence of no disease in the same population. The likelihood ratio principle is applicable to the evaluation of the predictive power of single or combined test results reported for either dichotomous or continuous end points. This part of the perspective exemplifies application of the likelihood ratio principle in a wide variety of testing con- ditions for coronary artery disease followed by a discussion of the limitations of likelihood ratio computation in test power evaluation. Likelihood ratios provide a more concise and unambiguous standard for calibrating the pre dictive power of single and combined noninvasive cardiovascular test results than are provided by measures of sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value.
An Analysis of Shopper Dissatisfaction for Major Household Appliances

Little is known about consumer dissatisfaction in the purchase decision process, when shoppers are seeking information, formulating decision criteria, and choosing what to buy. A study was undertaken to determine whether the incidence of such dissatisfaction is related to demographic, psychological, and behavioral characteristics of shoppers.
Optical Turbulence in the Ocean

The established view of diver visibility has been mainly focused on the effects of particles or turbidity of the water. The influence of optical turbulence due to variations of ocean temperature and salinity is shown to contribute to the degradation, through model and field validation. Lab setup of a simulated environment and future directions are also discussed.
Liquidity, risk, and the collapse of the Mexican peso: A dynamic CGE interpretation

On December 19th, 1994, Mexico's central bank announced a "one-time" 13% devaluation of the narrow band within which the peso had been allowed to float. Investors reacted violently, and within 48 hours the attack on reserves forced Mexico to abandon exchange rate management entirely.! The free-floating peso began a slide leaving it 33% lower relative to the dollar by the new year, and 50% lower by the middle of February. This paper argues that the Bank of Mexico's December 19th regime change revealed new information to the market, rationalizing the subsequent attack on reserves.2 Specifically, the regime change announcement contained "news" regarding Mexico's stock of official foreign reserves. Insights borrowed from option pricing theory illustrate that such news leads investors to raise the risk premium assigned to peso-denominated loans. The general equilibrium implications of such a shock are shown to include a sharp and immediate devaluation. The shock is simulated using a multi-sector dynamic computable general equilibrium model of Mexico. Following the devaluation, the model predicts a gradual real revaluation extending over several years. In the short-run, resources shift into export and import-competing sectors (principally Mining and Manufacturing), while the current account moves into surplus and net foreign indebtedness is reduced. In the mediumto long-term, the short-run impact is reversed: non-traded goods production expands and export and import competing sectors contract, leaving Mexico with a smaller volume of outstanding debt and of international trade than would have been the case absent the shock.
Forest Site Classification for Cultural Plant Harvest by Tribal Weavers Can Inform Management

Do qualitative classifications of ecological conditions for harvesting culturally important forest plants correspond to quantitative differences among sites? To address this question, we blended scientific methods (SEK) and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) to identify conditions on sites considered good, marginal, or poor for harvesting the leaves of a plant (beargrass; Xerophyllum tenax) used in tribal basket weaving. We relied on voluntary participation of six expert weavers, a stratified, randomized field sample, discriminant analysis (DA), a standardized color system, and paired t-tests. We accepted each weaver’s classification (good, marginal, or poor) of forested sites for beargrass harvest and then measured forest and plant attributes on two plots at each harvest area in each class (n 72). The DA yielded descriptive but not predictive results. Coarse woody debris (CWD) levels and the number of trees (trees per acre [TPA]) differed significantly between good and poor sites across California, Oregon, and Washington, whereas basal area did not. Good sites had less CWD (P 0.0360) and fewer TPA (P 0.001) than poor sites. Variations in leaf color decreased as the site class for plant harvest improved. Results reveal a crosswalk between ecological knowledge derived via SEK and TEK for culturally important plants.
The role of turbulence interactions in solid propellant combustion instability

The nonlinear stability theories now being developed for solid propellant rockets require and depend strongly on what is traditionally termed a velocity response function. Prior work by the author has shown, through computational solutions of a turbulence and combustion model, that a significant source of response to solid rocket aeroacoustics can result from the interaction between acousticallyinduced turbulence and combustion processes. This mechanism is reconsidered in view of recent experimental results which are in qualitative agreement with the earlier predictions. These include a pronounced and abrupt increase in propellant response function at elevated pressures, a substantial increase in mean burning rate and consequently mean chamber pressure, and a threshold or triggering behavior which is dependent on mean chamber pressure. Also discussed are recent experimental data and theoretical results which indicate that the acoustic velocity response is not associated with steady-state erosive burning. Consideration is given to means of avoiding the potential substantial response from turbularization by reduction of average flame heights in composite propellant formulations.
Consistency of Aquarius sea surface salinity with Argo products on various spatial and temporal scales

Understanding the accuracies of satellite-derived sea surface salinity measurements in depicting temporal changes and their dependence on spatiotemporal scales is important to applications, capability assessment, and future satellite mission design. This study quantifies the consistency between Aquarius Version 4 monthly gridded sea surface salinity (SSS) with two Argo-based monthly gridded near-surface salinity products for describing temporal changes on 1° × 1°, 3° × 3°, and 10° × 10° scales. Globally averaged standard deviation values for Aquarius-Argo salinity differences on these three spatial scales are 0.16, 0.14, and 0.09 practical salinity unit (psu), compared to those between the two Argo products of 0.10, 0.09, and 0.04 psu. The consistency between Aquarius and Argo is similar to that between the two Argo products in the tropics for seasonal signals, and in the tropics and midlatitudes for nonseasonal signals. Therefore, the uncertainties of Argo products for various scales need to be considered in evaluating satellite SSS. Innovative satellite technologies are needed to improve high-latitude satellite SSS measurements.
Epidemic Situation of Category A and B Infections Diseases in Guang'an City During 1997-2006

Objective To analyze epidemic situation of the Category A and B infectious diseases of Guang'an City in 1997-2006 so as to provide a scientific basis for the effective prevention and control of infectious diseases.Method The category A and B infectious diseases data of 1997-2006 of Guang'an were statistically analyed by described epidemiological method.Results There were totally 19 kinds(1 kind of category A,18 kinds of(ategory B),99 740 cases of category A and B infectious diseases reported in 1997-2006,with an average annual incidence rate of 225.72/105.The average annual incidence of respiratory diseases was 83.33/105 ranking first.Blood and sexual contact transmitted diseases annual incidence rate was 75.36/105 ranking second.The average annual incidence of intestinal infectious diseases was 60.16/105 ranking third.The average annual incidence rate of insectborne and natural focal infectious diseases was 6.67/105 ranking fourth.Conclusion In Guang'an,during the past 10 years,the category A and B infectious diseases revealed a declining trend and the respiratory tract infectious disease had occupied the main position after 2004.
Asynchronous systems for constraint satisfaction: Filtering and stability

We discuss the formulation of, and stability conditions for, a set of generally asynchronous signal processing systems for solving a class of constraint satisfaction problems. Problems within this class are specifically those where a quadratic conservation principle is known to exist, as commonly occurs in stationarity conditions associated with a variety of convex and nonconvex optimization problems. With the intent of addressing a wide range of system architectures, the presented stability results are formulated for use with both a generally asynchronous update protocol, modeled as sample-and-hold subsystems triggered by independent Bernoulli processes, and also first-order filtering of the asynchronous updates. Numerical examples are provided by illustration and reference, indicating system behavior consistent with the presented stability results.
Role of prostaglandins and renal nerves in the renal actions of adrenomedullin

Adrenomedullin (ADM), originally discovered in human pheochromocytoma, is also of renal cell origin and has natriuretic and diuretic actions. The present study was designed to investigate the role of prostaglandins and renal nerves in the renal hemodynamic and natriuretic actions ofADM. ADM was administered intrarenally (1, 5 and 25 ng x kg(-1) x min(-1)) with and without prostaglandin inhibition (meclofenamate, 5 mg/kg intravenous bolus) in anesthetized normal mongrel dogs (n = 5, each). To elucidate the role of renal nerves, ADM was administered intrarenally to the denervated kidney in five dogs. ADM mediated a natriuretic action via increases in glomerular filtration rate and decreases in distal tubular sodium reabsorption, which was attenuated by renal denervation and completely abolished by prostaglandin inhibition. The renal vasodilatation induced by ADM was attenuated by meclofenamate, as well as by renal denervation, although not significantly. Additionally, renal nerves mediated hemodynamic effects of hypertension that were produced by intrarenal infusion of ADM. This study establishes an important mechanistic role for renal prostaglandins as a mediator of ADM-mediated natriuresis at the level of the glomerulus and terminal nephron.
Hope for the brokenhearted: Cellular reprogramming improves cardiac function in a mouse model of myocardial infarction.

![Figure][1] Reprogrammed iCMs in a dish. Green, cardiac reporter aMHC-GFP; red, cardiac TroponinT (cTnT); blue, DAPI-labeled nuclei. PHOTO: L. WANG Cellular reprogramming, the conversion of one type of somatic cell into another, has substantially affected the field of stem cells and
Three Dimensional Sound and Vibration Frequency Responses of the Sheep Abdomen

There is growing awareness and concern about reproductive hazards in the workplace. Sound and vibration have long been recognized as occupational hazards, but there are no guidelines or consensus s...
Production and distillative recovery of valuable lignin-derived products from biocrude

Value-added chemicals present in liquid products from direct liquefaction of biomass can be recovered as bioproducts in an integrated biorefinery to enhance the economic viability of biomass-to-liquid fuel technologies and afford a higher return on investment. In recent efforts, RTI International is exploring and developing processes that could be used to produce bioproducts in addition to liquid fuel from biocrude intermediates. The present study focused on the production and recovery of high-value lignin-derived compounds from biocrude. Catalytic pyrolysis with a nonzeolite, alumina-based catalyst was used to produce the biocrude from loblolly pine in RTI's 1-tonne per day pilot-scale plant. Distillation was evaluated as a potential separation method given that the biocrude is relatively thermally stable and distillable compared to raw pyrolysis oils. The distillation studies were performed with a laboratory distillation unit (PETRODIST 300 CC) and the biocrude was fractionated into four distillate cuts: cut 1 (IBP-110 °C), cut 2 (110–200 °C), cut 3 (200–300 °C), and cut 4 (300–400 °C). In a case study, cut 3 was distilled further to concentrate the lignin-derived chemicals boiling between 200 and 270 °C. The results showed that a biocrude containing about 10 wt% guaiacols could be concentrated to about 35 wt% of guaiacols (representing 75% recovery) in the first distillation step. The second distillation step increased the concentration of guaiacols to about 53 wt% (representing 80% recovery). These findings suggest that it is possible to isolate and concentrate the lignin-derived products using a distillation column with a number of plates/trays. The yields, physicochemical properties, and chemical composition of the fractions, as well as the overall distillation separation efficiency, are reported.
Does radiologic response correlate to pathologic response in patients undergoing neoadjuvant therapy for borderline resectable pancreatic malignancy

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES In patients with borderline resectable pancreas cancers, clinicians frequently consider radiographic response as the primary driver of whether patients should be offered surgical intervention following neoadjuvant therapy (NT). We sought to determine any correlation between radiographic and pathologic response rates following NT. METHODS Between 2005 and 2015, 38 patients at a tertiary care referral center underwent NT followed by pancreaticoduodenectomy for borderline resectable pancreas cancer. Radiographic response after the completion of NT and pathologic response after surgery were graded according to RECIST and Evans’ criteria, respectively. RESULTS Preoperatively, 50% of patients underwent chemotherapy alone and 50% underwent chemotherapy and chemoradiation. Radiographically, one patient demonstrated a complete radiologic response, 68.4% (n = 26) of patients had stable disease (SD), 26.3% (n = 10) demonstrated a partial response, and one patient had progressive. Among patients without radiographic response, 77.7% (n = 21) achieved a R0 resection. Of patients with SD on imaging, 26.9% (n = 7) had Evans grade IIB or greater pathologic response. CONCLUSIONS Our data indicate that approximately one-fourth of patients who did not have a radiologic response had a grade IIB or greater pathologic response. In the absence of metastatic progression, lack of radiographic down-staging following NT should not preclude surgery.
Cross-Species Translational Findings in the Discriminative Stimulus Effects of Ethanol.

The progress on understanding the pharmacological basis of ethanol’s discriminative stimulus effects has been substantial, but appears to have plateaued in the past decade. Further, the cross-species translational efforts are clear in laboratory animals, but have been minimal in human subject studies. Research findings clearly demonstrate that ethanol produces a compound stimulus with primary activity through GABA and glutamate receptor systems, particularly ionotropic receptors, with additional contribution from serotonergic mechanisms. Further progress should capitalize on chemogenetic and optogenetic techniques in laboratory animals to identify the neural circuitry involved in mediating the discriminative stimulus effects of ethanol. These infrahuman studies can be guided by in vivo imaging of human brain circuitry mediating ethanol’s subjective effects. Ultimately, identifying receptors systems, as well as where they are located within brain circuitry, will transform the use of drug discrimination procedures to help identify possible treatment or prevention strategies for alcohol use disorder.
Multirotor Controls, Trim, and Autonomous Flight Dynamics of Plus- and Cross-Quadcopters

This paper examines a quadcopter operating in the plus and cross configurations. The plus configuration generates a yaw moment when a pitch/roll control input is introduced; but, for the cross conf...
Intramolecular alkyne–dithiolium cycloaddition: a joint experimental and DFT mechanistic study

We previously by serendipity discovered a unique intramolecular alkyne–dithiolium cycloaddition, through which phenyldithiafulvenes carrying ortho-alkynyl substituents were directly transformed into complex polycyclic aromatic structures [Wang and Zhao, Org. Biomol. Chem. 2015, 13, 9575–9579]. In this work, we carried out a joint experimental and theoretical study on the mechanisms of this type of reaction and our results showed that protic acid and oxidant (iodine) are important agents promoting the cycloaddition and subsequent elimination steps. Moreover, the degree of π-conjugation around the alkynyl group was identified to play a key role in driving the cycloaddition. Monoyne without further π-conjugation would react with the dithiolium ring through a concerted 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition transition state, whereas 1,3-butadiyne prefers to undergo a stepwise Prins-type cyclization pathway with a significantly lowered activation energy barrier as a result of the resonance stabilizing effect on the transition state provided by the additional alkynyl unit.
The Major Pathway for Leukotriene B4 Catabolism in Human Polymorphonuclear Leukocytes Involves ω-Oxidation by a Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme

Leukotriene B4 (LTB4), or 5(S),12(R)-dihydroxy-6,14-cis-8,10-trans-eicosatetrae-noic acid, is a product of the 5-lipoxygenase pathway in human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) and has received a great deal of attention recently because of the role that it may play as a mediator of inflammation (Samuelsson, 1983). Leukotriene B4 acts in vitro to provoke directed migration (chemotaxis) as well as enhanced random migration (chemokinesis) of human PMN (Goetzl and Pickett, 1980). It also provokes selective release of granule-associated (lysosomal) enzymes from cytochalasin-B-treated PMN (Goetzl and Pickett, 1980; Feinmark et al., 1981) and causes these cells to aggregate (O’Flaherty et al., 1981). In vivo, LTB4 induces adherence of PMN to the walls of postcapillary venules in the hamster cheek pouch (Dahlen et al., 1981), PMN-dependent increases in vascular permeability in rabbit skin (Wedmore and Williams, 1981), and exudation of PMN in human skin (Soter et al., 1983).
'War and Peace' and Organizational Ethics

Organizational ethics is challenged by the inability of deliberative reason to overcome the shortcomings of intuitive processing. The field includes moral philosophers and moral psychologists worki...
Rabbi Abraham Rovigo’s Home as a Center for Traveling Scholars

Half a century ago Isaiah Sonne published a list of visitors to the home of the Modenese Rabbi Abraham Rovigo (ca. 1650–1714) over two decades, 1679 to 1699. Rovigo was a leading kabbalist and supporter of Palestine Jews as well as a Sabbatean believer. The present study uses Rovigo’s visitor log to draw out some new information about the shift of Sabbatean centers to Europe; the lowering of boundaries between Jewish ethnic communities (“Pan-Judaism”); and the development of tight Jewish networks in the age of mercantilism. Rovigo was unique in his ability to bring disparate people and networks together, but he adumbrated a model of Jewish leadership that would become more widespread in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
Least-squares reverse time migration using analytic-signal-based wavefield decomposition

ABSTRACTAn intrinsic problem during migration and imaging of seismic wavefields using the two-way wave equation is the crosstalk interference between the up/down propagation of the corresponding so...
Clinical Outcomes Following Language-Specific Attention Treatment Versus Direct Attention Training for Aphasia: A Comparative Effectiveness Study

Purpose This study was conducted to examine the comparative effectiveness of 2 different approaches, 1 domain-specific and the other domain-general, to language and attention rehabilitation in part...
Design of low bandgap tin-lead halide perovskite solar cells to achieve thermal, atmospheric and operational stability

Low bandgap tin–lead iodide perovskites are key components of all-perovskite tandem solar cells, but can be unstable because tin is prone to oxidation. Here, to avoid a reaction with the most popular hole contact, we eliminated polyethylenedioxythiophene:polystyrenesulfonate as a hole transport layer and instead used an upward band offset at an indium tin oxide–perovskite heterojunction to extract holes. To suppress oxidative degradation, we improved the morphology to create a compact and large-grained film. The tin content was kept at or below 50% and the device capped with a sputtered indium zinc oxide electrode. These advances resulted in a substantially improved thermal and environmental stability in a low bandgap perovskite solar cell without compromising the efficiency. The solar cells retained 95% of their initial efficiency after 1,000 h at 85 °C in air in the dark with no encapsulation and in a damp heat test (85 °C with 85% relative humidity) with encapsulation. The full initial efficiency was maintained under operation near the maximum power point and near 1 sun illumination for over 1,000 h. Low bandgap tin–lead perovskites are crucial to making efficient all-perovskite tandem solar cells but have so far shown poor stability. By removing the hole transport layer and improving film morphology, Prasanna et al. demonstrate a low-gap perovskite solar cell that is stable for 1,000 h under heat, light and atmospheric conditions.
Nonsensus: Pretext and the Decennial Enumeration

It is impossible to overstate the importance of the Census. The obligation to conduct a decennial enumeration of the population appears in the sixth sentence of the Constitution, as the very first duty given to the new federal government: before the enumeration of legislative power, before the power to declare and wage war, before the resolution of federal judicial cases. The Census enjoys this primacy because it is, logically, antecedent to the construction of a federal government that ostensibly obtains its power from the people. From the Founding, legislative representation in the federal government has always depended on knowing how many people live where. In March of 2018, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross determined that, for the first time in the country’s history, the Census Bureau would ask every household about the citizenship of its residents. This article traces the ostensible rationale for that decision, and the way that rationale was challenged, and later proved determinative, in litigation. It also examines the Supreme Court decision that resolved the challenge, the very near breakdown in the rule of law in the aftermath of the decision, and the future import of the decision for administrative law and for public law more generally.
Decreased Immune Activation in Cystic Fibrosis Airway Epithelium Following Lung Transplant

Purpose End-stage cystic fibrosis (CF) can be managed by lung transplantation (LT), but chronic allograft dysfunction (CLAD) limits long-term survival. While Pseudomonas aeruginosa airway infection (PsA) is a risk factor for CLAD for most lung allograft recipients, this association does not hold for CF recipients. We hypothesized that differences in host epithelial immune responses and the composition of airway microbial communities could contribute to protection from CLAD in CF recipients with PsA. Methods We compared transcriptomes from clinical airway brushes following LT for 28 subjects, grouped by CF status and PsA culture result (CF+PsA+, n=8; CF+PsA-, n=6; CF-PsA+, n=5; and CF-PsA-, n=9) using DEseq2. For in vitro analysis of immune responses, airway epithelial cells (AEC) were isolated from lung explants (pre-LT) or surveillance airway brushes (post-LT) and grown at air-liquid interface until polarized and differentiated. Gene expression differences and DNA methylation were compared by CF status using quantitative PCR and DNA methylation array. Results For subjects with a positive PsA culture following LT, there were 193 differentially expressed genes between CF and non-CF airways. Pathway analysis demonstrated suppression of interferon response in CF airways. Relative to non-CF referents, CF AEC in vitro transitioned from increased expression of neutrophil-associated genes (Cxcl8 and Lcn2) pre-LT, to decreased expression of interferon-associated genes (Mx1 and Oas1) post-LT. DNA methylation analysis showed hypermethylation of promoters in type I interferon responsive genes (p = 0.002). All CF+PsA+ subjects had mucoid PsA strains while 72% of non-CF subjects had non-mucoid PsA (p Conclusion The combination of attenuated interferon responses and prevalence of mucoid strains may explain the differential outcomes in CF LT recipients with PsA.
Pilot-scale biogas production in a temperate climate using variable food waste

Abstract Low-input, household-scale anaerobic digestion (AD) is practical for rural energy generation, but the heating and maintenance of such systems has prevented the use of this technology in temperate climates. This study quantified the temporal variation of fuel production from an unheated, pilot-scale (2 m3) anaerobic digester in southeastern Ohio, USA. The feedstock for the digester consisted of ground, mixed pre- and post-consumer food waste collected daily and diluted to 10% solids with rainwater collected on site. Fuel production varied from 7.96 × 10−6 to 8.45 × 10−2 m3 CH4 kgVSadded−1 following three separate inoculations over the course of two years. The positive relationship between ambient air temperature, biogas yield, and biomethane production rates for both years was a dominant driver affecting fuel quantity and quality. Biogas quality produced from variable feedstocks in these conditions was poor, with an average volumetric methane (CH4) content of 20% and an average CO2:CH4 ratio of 7.8. Methane yields did reach 50% during the warm seasons, but this yield was not consistently maintained. Despite low energy yields that resulted from the wide range of ambient temperatures (−18 °C–33 °C) and variable feedstocks, we achieved a moderate energy return on investment relative to previously published results describing AD system energy requirements. Pilot-scale, unheated AD systems using mixed food waste can be effective in temperate regions, but the systems should be managed to compensate for seasonal temperature changes and feedstock chemistry.
The potential for (more-than-)representational video in education research

Education researchers have traditionally understood video as a useful tool for collecting and analyzing data in order to study a vast array of learning ecologies. However, video scholarship in fiel...
Sparking joy or sparking narcissism? A Western appropriation of the KonMari method

This project seeks to understand the philosophical consequences of the Westernization of the KonMari method, a tidying method initiated by Japanese professional Marie Kondo that finds popularity wi...
Anti-calcitonin gene-related peptide monoclonal antibodies for neuropathic pain in patients with migraine headache.

INTRODUCTION There is increasing evidence that calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) plays a role in the development of neuropathic pain, a common feature of peripheral neuropathy. Although clinical studies have shown that anti-CGRP monoclonal antibodies are highly efficacious for migraine headache prophylaxis, their effects on nonheadache chronic pain conditions, including neuropathic pain, in humans are unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of anti-CGRP monoclonal antibodies for neuropathic pain in patients with coexisting chronic migraine. METHODS A retrospective chart review was conducted of 14 patients with chronic migraine and peripheral neuropathy. All patients were treated with anti-CGRP monoclonal antibodies. We collected data on patient-reported scores on the Neuropathy Pain Scale (NPS) and the frequency of migraine headache days (MHDs) per month. Data were collected 3 and 0 months before and 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after treatment with anti-CGRP medications. RESULTS With treatment of anti-CGRP monoclonal antibodies, patients reported a 41.7% decrease in NPS scores from 89.3 at baseline to 52.1 at 12 months posttreatment (P < .05). In addition, there was a 33.3% decrease in MHDs per month from 19.8 at baseline to 13.2 at 12 months posttreatment (P < .05). DISCUSSION Administration of anti-CGRP medications significantly improved neuropathic pain in patients who also had chronic migraine. To confirm these promising outcomes, it would be worthwhile to conduct a blinded, randomized study with a larger population of patients.
The USA, Russia and China as a Center of Influence in Global Economy

Research background. Due to the significant role that the United States, Russia and China play in the world political and economic processes, US-Russia-China relations can be recognized as the most important interstate relations in the world, setting the direction for the transformation of the international system. Nowadays, the study of these trilateral relations is a relevant scientific task. The authors, on a systematic basis, have investigated the aspects of interaction between the USA, Russia and China in the modern economy, which opened the way for solving the key issues of international relations. The authors have published several papers on this issue in Russia and abroad, including publications in Scopus and Web of Science indexed journals.Purpose of the article is to analyse the US-Russia-China relations and to determine the directions of their development in the context of globalization of the world economy.Methods. To analyse the interests, a systematic method was used that allows considering the interests of the United States, China and Russia as an holistic, complex mechanism with elements constantly interacting with each other.Findings & Value added. Despite geographical, linguistic, religious, and other distinctions, the United States, China, and Russia have a lot in common. There were historical periods of active and positive cooperation between these three major superpowers. In our opinion, in spite of the current contradictions between the parties, Russia, China and the United States have a mutual concern in harmonizing trilateral interests. However, the existed contradictions are not insoluble.
Biased Hybridization and Its Impact on Adaptive Introgression

Gene exchange between species can influence ecological and evolutionary processes ranging from population rescue to adaptive radiation. Genomic tools have provided new insights into the prevalence and nature of gene exchange between species. However, much remains unknown of how ecological, behavioral, and evolutionary factors determine what genetic variation moves between species in the first place. In particular, more research is needed that evaluates whether such factors bias gene flow from one species to another, and whether any such biases affect how genetic variation from another species is ultimately retained in the genome of a given species. Addressing this issue is crucial in a changing world where hybridization and introgression might determine which species succeed and which become extinct.
Ultra-high speed video observations of intracloud lightning flash initiation

This study describes results from video observations of five intracloud flashes located ≤ 20 km from the camera and recorded with 6.1 µs exposure time and 6.66 µs frame intervals. Video data are supported with electric field change (E-change) and VHF measurements, with emphasis on the flash initiating event (IE) and initial breakdown (IB) stage. In four of the five flashes, the IE is accompanied by weak luminosity, ≤ 5% above background, lasting for 300–500 µs. Two of these four IEs were positive Narrow Bipolar Events (NBEs) with VHF powers of 43 and 990 W; these are the first (known) data showing visible light detected with a positive NBE. Two other IEs with weak luminosity had powers of 0.5 and 1 W, and the IE with no detected luminosity had a VHF power of 3 W. A typical IB cluster consists of several narrow pulses and one classic pulse in E-change data (along with many VHF pulses), and each example flash has 2–10 IB clusters in the first 5–50 ms. The luminosity of IB clusters was substantially greater than IE luminosity, ranging from 10 to 40% above background in four examples, while for one flash with 10 IB clusters, the luminosity range was 35–360% above background (average 190%). Luminosity durations of IB clusters were 520–1750 µs with average 1210 µs. For both IEs and IB clusters, increases in the detected luminosity were closely timed with substantial VHF emissions and decreased when VHF emissions weakened.
Incorporating Longitudinal Surveillance Into the Delivery of Pediatric Screening Services.

* Abbreviation: USPSTF — : US Preventive Services Task Force Screening activities aim to identify well-defined diseases at a time when early or presymptomatic identification could lead to better health outcomes compared with identification after symptoms become apparent. For example, newborns are screened for congenital hypothyroidism because they are usually asymptomatic at birth and early detection allows for thyroxine treatment before signs or symptoms develop, leading to the prevention of significant intellectual disability.1 Screening recommendations are formulated around specific conditions with highly specified algorithms and follow-up recommendations for those identified through screening as having the targeted condition. The primary source of preventive services recommendations followed by pediatricians is the American Academy of Pediatrics Bright Futures periodicity schedule, which outlines the specific services to be included as part of routine preventive care for children and adolescents.2 The periodicity schedule includes the recommendations for routine screening (ie, A or B recommendations) from the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF)3 and other recommendations endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, including some screening services for which the USPSTF either has not evaluated or found insufficient evidence to evaluate (ie, I statement). Examples of periodicity schedule recommendations with a USPSTF I statement include screening for autism spectrum disorder, developmental screening, lead screening, and screening for dyslipidemia. The periodicity schedule does not include any preventive services that the USPSTF has recommended against (ie, D recommendations). Screening for targeted conditions at prescribed age intervals is appealing because it facilitates and standardizes the implementation of these preventive services into practice. By screening for … Address correspondence to Alex R. Kemper, MD, MPH, MS, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, 700 Children’s Dr, LAC5411, Columbus, OH 43205-2664. E-mail: alex.kemper{at}nationwidechildrens.org
Influence of cold fronts on microscale atmospheric conditions within the complex terrain of Watkins Glen Gorge, New York

This study investigates the influence of synoptic-scale cold fronts on microclimatic conditions within the complex terrain of Watkins Glen gorge, New York. Temperature and dewpoint temperature meas...
The Agency Tax Costs of Mutual Funds

In the intermediated economy of the twenty-first century, retail mutual fund investors cede investment and voting decisions to institutional investors who manage the funds. As a result, actions undertaken unilaterally by financial intermediaries dictate the tax liability of passive individual investors. This Article argues that the tax decisions of institutional investors are guided by their own tax considerations rather than by the tax considerations of those beneficiaries who own mutual funds through conventional taxable accounts. Because these beneficiaries, unlike the institutional investors, are tax-sensitive, the diverging incentives give rise to agency tax costs. These agency tax costs arise from the institutional investors’ trading decisions and corporate stewardship activities, as well as their influence on corporate mergers and acquisitions (M&A). The structure of M&A deals, the method of payment used in such deals, and even premiums paid to sellers are distorted because the votes of passive tax-sensitive investors are cast by tax-insensitive institutional investors. As a result, institutional investors not only fail to replicate the tax outcomes that tax-sensitive investors could have achieved had they owned stock directly, but they also fail to achieve the same corporate voting outcomes. This Article proposes several options for mitigating agency tax costs. These options include mandatory separation of funds based on the tax profile of the beneficiaries, heightened tax disclosure by mutual funds, decentralization of votes in mutual fund sponsors, and pass-through voting systems. These alternatives would reduce the agency tax costs of mutual funds without imposing new agency costs on tax-insensitive shareholders who also rely on institutional investors for portfolio management.
Optimal Conservative Accounting

This paper studies the role of observable accounting biases in alleviating rational yet dysfunctional unobservable earnings manipulation. We regard accounting numbers as serving two important roles: the valuation role in which potential investors use accounting reports to assess a firm's expected future payoff, and the stewardship role in which current shareholders rely on the same reports to monitor their risk-averse manager. In our model where there is uncertainty about the future payoff of the firm, the current shareholders have incentives to engage in earnings management. Such manipulation is, however, socially inefficient, as it makes accounting numbers less informative about the manager's action and leads to inferior risk-sharing. We then show that social efficiency can be improved by committing to a conservative accounting system. Particularly, we show that only an accounting system with committed conservative noise can alleviate this social inefficiency by credibly reducing the benefit and thus the amount of earnings management given potential investors' belief. In contrast, an accounting system with added liberal noise is not able to reduce such inefficiency, as it can always be perfectly undone by earnings management.
HeLa cell RNA and protein syntheses: effects of long-term treatment with 5,6-dichloro-1-β-D-ribofuranosylbenzimidazole (DRB)

Abstract The population growth rate of HeLa cells treated with 60 μM 5,6-dichloro-1-β- d -ribofuranosylbenzimidazole (DRB) in reinforced Eagle's minimum essential medium was directly related to the concentration of fetal bovine serum in the range from 5 to 30%. Control cells proliferated at a maximal rate (doubling time: 18–19 hr) at serum concentrations in this range. In 60 μM DRB-containing medium supplemented with 5% serum, the inhibition of hnRNA synthesis after 1,5, and 48 hr of treatment was equivalent to 78, 84, and 51%, respectively, whereas that of protein synthesis was equivalent to 5, 41, and 49%. In 15% serum, the inhibition of hnRNA synthesis after 1, 5, and 48 hr of treatment was equivalent to 75, 79, and 40%, whereas that of protein synthesis was equivalent to 13, 30, and 21%. Thus, after 48 hr of treatment of cells with DRB in either 5 or 15% serum, hnRNA synthesis was less inhibited than it was after 1 or 5 hr of treatment, and the level of protein synthesis in DRB-treated cells did not decrease between the 5th and 48th hr. After 48 hr of treatment of cells with DRB in 15% serum, hnRNA and protein syntheses were both somewhat less inhibited than after treatment in 5% serum. These results suggest that, on prolonged treatment, HeLa cells undergo a partial, serum-dependent adaptation to the inhibitor.
Aerospace Systems Design: Economics as a New Way of Thinking?

One of the major impetuses for the development of modern, robust design methodologies is the need for affordable aerospace systems. Because the affordability of a system is directly tied to the economics of developing, manufacturing, operating, and disposing of that system, it has become common practice to perform an economic analysis of a potential system to evaluate its viability. Additionally, as needs for improved modeling, analysis, and evaluation capability have arisen, several techniques which have proved themselves popular in economics have been adopted. While adopting these techniques has improved the capabilities of the designer/engineer, they do not proceed far enough. That is aerospace systems design, and consequently all complex systems design, could actually be considered an exercise in economics. All of the players, i.e. designers, firms, end users, and the systems themselves can be considered microeconomic entities. Consequently, all of the tools available when analyzing microeconomics become available to the design engineer. Further, it may be possible to apply broader macroeconomic theory to understand interactions between systems, and the surrounding environment.
The Applicability of Western Management Science in Iran:A Retrospective Critique of a “Culture-Free” Research Study for Today’s Management Scholars and Educators

This paper presents a retrospective critique of my own survey research conducted more than three decades ago in Tehran, Iran. The main finding of the research was that the managers of small companies in Iran had failed to implement the principles of western scientific management in their companies. A summary of the research and its results are presented. A social constructionist critique of the research and its approach is made as a cautionary note to those who continue to advance western theories of management and organizations as universal, “culture-free” and objective facts in non-western countries.
Computer-based tutorial on microwave network analysis

A computer-controlled microwave vector network analyzer used in a microwave laboratory course is presented. After a description of the students' background and the equipment used, case study results are described for a group of students that participated in the computer-directed laboratory experiments. The system used can be considered as simply a program to control the network analysis system, which has a little more than the minimal amount of coaching and on-screen explanations needed to let an experienced user obtain data. However, to qualify as a tutorial, perhaps it needs to present more of a dialogue, interacting more with the users and branching in response to their entries. However, it is maintained that the system with associated notes that are purchased system forms a true computer-based tutorial on the operation of a system of computer-interfaced equipment; it takes advantage of the instructional capabilities of the computer to train students in the operation of the equipment. >