cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Structural Empirical Model of R&D, Firm Heterogeneity, and Industry Evolution

This paper develops and estimates a dynamic industry equilibrium model of R&D, R&D spill-overs, and productivity evolution of manufacturing plants in the Korean electric motor industry from 1991 to 1996. Plant-level decisions for R&D, physical capital investment, entry, and exit are integrated in an equilibrium model with imperfectly competitive product market. Estimates of the structural parameters explains observed heterogeneity in plant R&D choice, size, and turnover, and quantifies how R&D and R&D spill-overs drive the change of plant productivity and industry structure. Given the structural estimates, I study an important policy question: how does product market competition aect individual firm innovation and aggregate industry productivity? The empirical model is estimated in two steps. In the first step, a model of static market competition is used to estimate the demand elasticity, returns to scale in production, and the process of plant level productivity. The initial productivity distribution for new entrants is also recovered. In the second step, I use a Simulated Method of Moments estimator to estimate the cost of R&D, the magnitude of the R&D spill-over, adjustment costs of physical investment, and the distribution of plant scrap values. To circumvent the computational burden of solving the industry equilibrium with a large number of plants in the second stage estimation, I apply the recent approximation method of Weintraub, Benkard and Van Roy (2005). The industry equilibrium model provides a natural link from individual firm’s R&D decisions to aggregate industry productivity. Counterfactual experiments of two policies are implemented. Increasing the elasticity of substitution between products increases plant innovation incentives and the plant turnover. In the long run, a 5% drop in price-cost margin improves industry productivity by 2.8%. In contrast, a lower entry cost, which increases total entry by 50%, does not change industry productivity. Although the market selection eect is strengthened by higher firm turnover, the plant’s incentives to invest in R&D are reduced.
Effects of Insect Population Size on Evolution of Resistance to Transgenic Crops

Models of the evolution of insect resistance to transgenic crops have often assumed that population size is infinite or that carrying capacity is fixed. To evaluate potential effects of population size on resistance evolution, we conducted sensitivity analyses by using a stochastic, spatially explicit model based partly on the interaction between pink bollworm and Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton. We examined interactions of carrying capacity, region size, dispersal, and percentage of fields planted with Bt cotton. The median and variance in the time to resistance decreased as region size increased, regardless of carrying capacity. This occurred because larger regions were more likely to have at least one field in which resistance evolved rapidly and served as a source from which resistance spread throughout the region. Carrying capacity significantly affected the median time to resistance with 75% of fields planted with Bt cotton, but not with 50% Bt cotton. In contrast, carrying capacity significantly influenced the variance in the time to resistance with 50% Bt cotton, but not with 75% Bt cotton. We also found resistance evolution was affected by interactions between carrying capacity, dispersal, and the percentage of fields planted with Bt cotton. The high variability observed in our simulations indicates that factors affecting stochastic events can play an important role in the evolution of resistance. Because population size determines the extent to which stochastic events are important, reasonable estimates of population size are essential for devising robust models of resistance evolution.
Simulation studies of nucleation of ferroelectric polarization reversal.

Electric field-induced reversal of spontaneous polarization is the defining characteristic of a ferroelectric material, but the process(es) and mechanism(s) associated with the initial nucleation of reverse-polarity domains are poorly understood. This report describes studies carried out using phase field modeling of LiTaO3, a relatively simple prototype ferroelectric material, in order to explore the effects of either mechanical deformation or optically-induced free charges on nucleation and resulting domain configuration during field-induced polarization reversal. Conditions were selected to approximate as closely as feasible those of accompanying experimental work in order to provide not only support for the experimental work but also ensure that additional experimental validation of the simulations could be carried out in the future. Phase field simulations strongly support surface mechanical damage/deformation as effective for dramatically reducing the overall coercive field (Ec) via local field enhancements. Further, optically-nucleated polarization reversal appears to occur via stabilization of latent nuclei via the charge screening effects of free charges.
Effects of Prospidine on Survival and Growth of Mammalian Cells in Culture

The effects of prospidine, chemically known as 3, 12-diaza-6,9 diazoniadispiro[5.2.5.2]hexadecane,3,12-bis(3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl)-dichloride (NSC-166100), on cell viability, growth, and colony formation were investigated in several mammalian cell lines. Cell cycle progression and the terminal point of action of the drug were monitored by flow cytometry. Prospidine was cytostatic for two suspension cultures (Friend leukemia and L1210 cells) at a concentration of 10 mg/ml during the first cell cycle after exposure to the drug. Cells were blocked in G2 at lower concentrations of prospidine (e.g., 1.0 mg/ml) but only after 12--24 hours of continuous exposure, i.e., during the second cell cycle in the presence of drug. Cells could be observed to accumulate in G2 by 24 hours even if prospidine (0.1 mg/ml) was removed after 12 hours. A short incubation with a liver cytosol fraction (30 min) or with cultured cells (12 hr) failed to enhance the potency of the drug. Formation of colonies of the adherent Chinese hamster ovary cell line was inhibited by 50% following 24-hour exposure to 1.1 mg prospidine/ml. Under culture conditions in which cells were blocked in G2, their RNA content increased only slightly, but the incorporation of [5-(3)H]uridine into RNA was suppressed by 15--20%. Incubation of cells with prospidine increased the stability of DNA in situ to acid-induced denaturation, which thus suggested that the drug may interact with cellular DNA.
Sports Performance Interventions

Athletes often turn to sport psychologists in an attempt to achieve and maintain optimal performance states. Two performance enhancement models are generally accepted as psychosocial options that can theoretically aid in the attainment of sport excellence. The traditional psychological skills training (PST) model proposes that active efforts to control/modify internal psychological states and external environmental conditions can lead to the ideal performance state, and techniques such as goal setting, self-talk, imagery, pre-competitive routines, and arousal control/regulation are utilized for this purpose. The second major performance enhancement model is based on mindfulness- and acceptance-based approaches. This general model posits that instead of changing the form or frequency of internal states, through meditative and other experiential exercises, athletes can learn to maintain a task-relevant attentional focus and perform optimally regardless of their cognitive, affective, and physiological states. Although opposite in their theoretical and applied underpinnings, and despite differing levels of empirical support, these two approaches remain at the cornerstone of sport performance enhancement services worldwide. Keywords: sport and exercise psychology; acceptance; cognitive behavior therapy; emotion; emotion regulation; mindfulness
Variational Estimates of Reactivity Worths and Reaction Rate Ratios in Critical Nuclear Reactors

A variational theory is developed for estimating reactivity worths (and other bilinear ratios) and reaction rate ratios in critical nuclear reactors. These estimates embody corrections to first-ord...
A Reassessment of Trajectory Options for Human Missions to Mars

Earth-Mars trajectories with low-energy requirements that also limit the (transfer) time a crew spends in interplanetary space are essential to the design of cost-effective, minimal-risk missions. We compute optimal ∆V trajectories with constraints on the transfer time of flight (TOF) for launch years 2009 through 2022. We further explore the consequences of specifying different TOF limits (from 120 to 270 days) for human missions to Mars. In addition to direct trajectories, we also calculate optimal free-return, Mars-Earth semicycler, Earth-Mars semi-cycler, and cycler trajectories. The trades between powered and aero-assisted planetary capture for each trajectory type are also examined. We find that as the number of flybys increase (i.e. free-returns have one flyby, semi-cyclers may have from two to four flybys, and cyclers have an unlimited number of flybys), the V∞ generally increase, but the mission mass decreases because smaller vehicles may be used. We also compute optimal low-thrust transfers (with constant thrust and constant Isp) between Earth and Mars over a range of TOF, and note that the optimal ∆V for a specified burn-time and TOF is nearly constant. This property provides a means to quickly establish mass and thrust requirements to achieve a desired TOF for any vehicle mass and specific impulse. As expected, the energy requirements of the trajectories decrease with increasing TOF, and the optimal ∆V is reduced by up to 50% when the TOF limit is increased from the NASArecommended 180 days to 270 days. Our results are compiled into sets of plots that describe the optimal, constrained TOF trajectories for use in Mars mission studies.
DSMC Simulations of Brownian Dynamics of Particles

The Langevin equation for Brownian motion of particles in a background fluid is implemented within the Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method. The effects of fluid velocity and external forces on the particles are included. The implementation is demonstrated by simulating particle transport in a background fluid. This massively parallel DSMC-based implementation enables simulation of Brownian motion of particles in noncontinuum flows. Nomenclature c Thermal velocity (m/s) dp Particle diameter (m) D Diffusion coefficient (m/s) g r Acceleration vector (m/s) mp Particle mass (kg) n Number density (m) r r Particle position vector (m) Re Reynolds number Rp Particle radius (m) s Distance (m) t Time (s) u r Particle velocity, actual (m/s) v r Particle velocity, offset (m/s) T Temperature (K) V r Background gas velocity (m/s) w Distribution function Ly Domain width (m) p d Kn λ 2 = Particle Knudsen number Greek β Friction coefficient (1/s) d Coefficient of jump at wall λ Mean free path (m) μ Gas viscosity (kg/m⋅s) ρ Gas density (kg/m) Subscripts p Particle o Initial state x Horizontal direction y Vertical direction *Sandia is a multiprogram laboratory operated by the Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed Martin Company, for the United States Department of Energy under Contract DE-AC04-94AL85000. 8th AIAA/ASME Joint Thermophysics and Heat Transfer Conference 24-26 June 2002, St. Louis, Missouri AIAA 2002-2760 This material is declared a work of the U.S. Government and is not subject to copyright protection in the United States. 2
Obsidian conveyance and late prehistoric hunter-gatherer mobility as seen from the high Wind River Range, Western Wyoming

Sampling 16 of 52 house features at High Rise Village (HRV; 48FR5891), a large residential locus at 3,273 m (10,720 ft) elevation in Wyoming's Wind River Range produced 25 AMS dates, 23 diagnostic projectile points, 148 obsidian artifacts (mostly retouch debris) as well as abundant chert debitage, small quantities of faunal bone, and groundstone milling equipment. Based on AMS, projectile point, and obsidian hydration data, the site's lodges appear to have been occupied on a sporadic basis mainly between 2,300 and 850 cal BP. Source provenance determination made via X-ray fluorescence spectrometry indicates that most of the obsidian at the site originated in Jackson Hole and secondarily is from Yellowstone Plateau sources, suggesting a Late Prehistoric residentially-mobile, seasonal, and elevationally transhumant settlement system focused on the Jackson Hole area. GIS-based assessments of the costs of procuring the obsidian found at HRV suggests, however, that though economic considerations certainly play...
Reproductive Performance of Beef Cows Fed Whole Soybeans Before the Breeding Interval

Effects of feeding soybeans before breeding were determined using primiparous (PC) and multiparous (MC) Angus (PC = 17; MC = 36) and Polled Hereford (PC = 12, MC = 11) cows randomly assigned to control (no supplementation) or cracked whole soybean (2.12 kg DM/cow daily) treatments from February 11 to April 11. The breeding interval began April 14, using AI (d 1 to 44) and natural service (d 45 to 71). Calf ADG during the prebreeding period and during the interval from d 1 to weaning at d 210 was unaffected by treatment (P > 0.10). Calf breed affected (P 0.10) by treatment, cow breed, or parity. On d 60, serum triglyceride was greater for cows fed soybeans than for control cows (P < 0.01; 31.2 vs. 27.0 mg/dL), and serum cholesterol was affected by a treatment × parity interaction (P < 0.05), with respective values for control PC and MC and soybean treatment PC and MC of 134.6, 176.2, 195.8, and 201.5 mg/dL. Serum leptin levels on d 60 for these respective treatments were 5.4, 9.0, 8.4, and 8.6 ng/mL, with the lowest (P < 0.05) concentration in control PC cows. Feeding soybeans to PC cows resulted in increased serum leptin (P < 0.05), and PC cows fed soybeans had similar serum triglyceride, cholesterol, and leptin levels compared with MC for these variables.
Fetal Development and Schizophrenia: Historical Observations from Teratology

A great deal of current interest about schizophrenia is centered upon the fetal development hypothesis: the suggestion that some challenge to a mother produces an error in development of her fetus which eventually results in schizophrenia in the child, now grown into a young adult. This hypothesis implicitly assumes several points. (1) Because the symptoms of schizophrenia are behavioral, we assume that the organ of the fetus which is finally affected must be the brain. We should remember that the initial challenge may act on the brain only indirectly, with a primary effect at some other tissue of either the mother or fetus. (2) Modern theories of embryonic development would suggest that the challenge to the mother would change the body chemistry of the mother and/or the fetus, thereby changing the makeup of the chemical milieu in which the fetus develops. Changes could involve the presence of chemicals which were not normally present, or the absence of — or perhaps simply alterations in the concentrations of — chemicals expected to be present. Certain of the chemical alterations must modify the structure of the fetus, probably by affecting the action of chemical inducers which regulate migration and/or differentiation of cells and cell accumulations.
Recommended dietary allowances up to date--trace minerals.

Growing evidence of the essentiality of the trace elements has led to one new allowance, while others remain unchanged
General Asymptotics of the Density of a Restricted Coalescing Random Walk System

These results explore the asymptotic behavior of the density of a system of coalescing random walks where particles begin from only a subspace of the integer lattice and are allowed to walk anywhere on the lattice. They generalize results by Bramson and Griffeath from 1980.(1) Since the probability that a given site is occupied depends on how far that site is from the originating subspace, the density of the system at a given time must be re-defined. However, the general idea is still that if the density is larger than we expect at a given time, more coalescing events will occur, and the density will correct itself over time.
Medical Devices in the Treatment of Obesity

Obesity continues to be a growing epidemic worldwide. Although bariatric surgery remains the most effective and durable treatment of obesity and its comorbidities, there is a need for less invasive yet efficacious weight loss therapies. Currently the Food and Drug Administration has approved two endoscopically placed intragastric balloon devices and a surgically placed vagal blockade device. Another device that holds promise, particularly for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, is the endoscopically placed duodenojejunal bypass sleeve. This article reviews the indications and current data regarding results for these devices.
Pancreas fistula risk prediction: implications for hospital costs and payments

Abstract Background As payment models evolve, disease-specific risk stratification may impact patient selection and financial outcomes. This study sought to determine whether a validated clinical risk score for post-operative pancreatic fistula (POPF) could predict hospital costs, payments, and profit margins. Methods A multi-institutional cohort of 1193 patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) were matched to an independent hospital where cost, in US$, and payment data existed. An analytic model detailed POPF risk and post-operative sequelae, and their relationship with hospital cost and payment. Results Per-patient hospital cost for negligible-risk patients was $37,855. Low-, moderate-, and high- risk patients had incrementally higher hospital costs of $38,125 ($270; 0.7% above negligible-risk), $41,128 ($3273; +8.6%), and $41,983 ($3858; +10.9%), respectively. Similarly, hospital payment for negligible-risk patients was $42,685/patient, with incrementally higher payments for low-risk ($43,265; +1.4%), moderate-risk ($45,439; +6.5%) and high-risk ($46,564; +9.1%) patients. The lowest 30-day readmission rates – with highest net profit – were found for negligible/low-risk patients (10.5%/11.1%), respectively, compared with readmission rates of moderate/high-risk patients (15%/15.7%). Conclusion Financial outcomes following PD can be predicted using the FRS. Such prediction may help hospitals and payers plan for resource allocation and payment matched to patient risk, while providing a benchmark for quality improvement initiatives.
Neoliberalism and the Formation of the English Premier League: Insights from Social Structures of Accumulation Theory

I have argued elsewhere1 that the formation of the English Premier League (EPL) can be interpreted as an instance of accumulation by dispossession. This paper complements that analysis by arguing t...
Faith as an Epistemic Disposition

This paper presents and defends a model of religious faith as an epistemic disposition. According to the model, religious faith is a disposition to take certain doxastic attitudes toward propositions of religious significance upon entertaining certain mental states. Three distinct advantages of the model are advanced. First, the model allows for religious faith to explain the presence and epistemic appropriateness of religious belief. Second, the model accommodates a variety of historically significant perspectives concerning the relationships between faith and evidence, faith and volition, and faith and doubt. And, finally, the model offers an appealing account of what unifies religious faith with other kinds of faith.
Object-Oriented Model for Automatic Generation of Assembly Plans

Abstract Different assembly sequences mean different operations, setups, cycle times and costs. In the present work, a model based on Object Oriented Design methodology is developed using C++ as a programming language to determine all feasible assembly sequences. In the developed model all geometric and mechanical assembly constraints are presented as precedence relations. The model is interactive to allow the designer to select the optimum assembly plan and to find out the possibilities of combining and eliminating parts to create low cost, high quality products.
Walking the right path: the story of bioresorbable stents

The evaluation of benefit and risk of devices in a given type of patient, cardiac or otherwise, is made more complex in that the results may well depend on the technique applied and accompanying pharmacologic therapies used.
Occupational Therapy Practitioners' Perspectives of Mental Health Practices With Clients in Stroke Rehabilitation.

Following a stroke, depression and anxiety may negatively affect recovery and decrease quality of life. Occupational therapy (OT) practitioners are distinctly qualified to address both the physical and psychosocial sequelae of a stroke, including clients’ mental and emotional health. This study explored the ways in which OT practitioners address the mental health needs of clients post stroke. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was used to collect both survey and focus group data. In all, 754 OT practitioners across the United States completed an online survey, and 10 practitioners participated in focus groups. Practitioners considered their clients’ mental health needs to be a priority (68.17%); however, only 56.64% were satisfied with the care they provided related to mental and emotional health. They identified barriers that included limited time, increased productivity standards, expectations related to physical recovery, and poor educational preparation. Practitioners are motivated to impro...
Equalities involving certain graphical distributions

The distance distribution (dd) of a connected graph of diameter k is (D1,D2,...,Dk), where Di is the number of pairs of vertices at distance i from one another. The common neighbor distribution (nd) is (n0,n1,n2,...,nn–2), where ni is the number of pairs of vertices having i common neighbors. These and other sequences have been introduced recently as tools in distinguishing pairs of nonisomorphic graphs (dd(G) works best for graphs of large diameter; whereas, nd(G) is more useful for graphs of small diameter). They have also been used to study structural similarity in graphs sharing a common sequence.
Social and religious controls in pre-revolutionary France: The beginnings of modernity

Focusing on social and religious controls enacted by the kehillotof northeastern France in the ancien regime, this articleexamines the dynamics of social change in the century precedingthe Revolution. At the heart of this study is the propositionthat Metz and Alsace represent two distinct frameworks in whichthe encounter of Jewish tradition and modernity can be observed. The sumptuary laws issued by the Metz community in 1690–1697 and in1769 reflect the efforts of an increasingly powerful urban laityto assert its authority over a declining rabbinate. Sumptuarylegislation was used as a tool to freeze the existing socialhierarchy and exclude from the communal power structure a youngergeneration whose wealth was derived from new commercialopportunities. Acknowledging that certain cultural changes werean inevitable consequence of the expanding mercantile economy,lay leaders endeavored to limit conspicuous consumption, curb theinsubordination of youth, and legislate standards of moral andreligious behavior. An analysis of the takkanot ratified by theprovincial assemblies of Alsace in the 1770s reveals severalimportant differences. The Alsatian legislation reflected moretraditional concerns about the influence of the surroundingvillage culture and the potentially harmful impact of modernityon moral and religious life; neither consumption nor classdivisions were mentioned. In rural Alsace, where the social,cultural, and economic milieu differed sharply from Metz, thecommunal leadership was far more aggressive in its efforts tostrengthen rabbinic authority and religious institutions. Thecomparison between the urban and rural settings suggests thatthere is a correlation between economic condition and religious change, and that modernization, at least in its preliminary stage, wasalready underway well before the advent of civic emancipation.
Barriers to lean accounting

LAWRENCE GRASSO obtained a D.B.A. from Boston University and entered academia after seven years in public accounting. He is currently an Associate Professor of Accounting at Central Connecticut State University in New Britain, Connecticut, where he teaches managerial and cost accounting and accounting information systems. His research interests are performance measurement and accounting to support lean businesses. Lawrence can be reached at grassola@ccsu.edu.
Association of Initially Normal Coronary Arteries With Normal Findings on Follow-up Echocardiography in Patients With Kawasaki Disease.

Importance American Heart Association guidelines recommend echocardiography in Kawasaki disease at baseline, 1 to 2 weeks, and 4 to 6 weeks after treatment to detect coronary artery abnormalities. However, these examinations are expensive and may require sedation in young children, which is burdensome and carries some risk. Objective To assess the benefit of additional echocardiographic imaging at 6 weeks in patients with uncomplicated Kawasaki disease who had previously normal coronary arteries. Design, Setting, and Participants This is a retrospective review of patients with Kawasaki disease who were cared for between 1995 and 2014 in 2 academic pediatric referral practices Eligibility criteria included receiving intravenous immunoglobulin treatment for acute Kawasaki disease at a center; the absence of significant congenital heart disease; available echocardiographic measurements of both the right and left anterior descending coronary arteries at 10 days or less after diagnosis (baseline), 2 (±1) weeks, and 6 (±3) weeks of illness; and normal coronary arteries at baseline and 2 weeks, defined as maximum coronary arteryzscores less than 2.0 and no distal aneurysms. Data analysis was completed from March 2015 to November 2015. Main Outcomes and Measures The number of patients with right coronary artery or left anterior descending coronary arteryzscores of 2.0 or more at 6 weeks. Results The median age of the 464 included patients was 3.3 years (interquartile range, 1.8-5.4 years); 264 (56.9%) were male, 351 of 414 for whom data were available (84.8%) had complete Kawasaki disease, and 66 (14.2%) received additional intravenous immunoglobulin treatment. At 6 weeks of illness, 456 patients (98.3%) who had had normal coronary arteryzscores at baseline and 2 weeks continued to have normalzscores. Of the remaining 8 patients (1.7%), the maximumzscore within 6 weeks was 2.0 to 2.4 in 5 patients (1.2%), 2.5 to 2.9 in 1 patient (0.2%), and 3.0 or more in 2 patients (0.4% [95% CI, 0.1%-1.5%]). Coronary artery dimensions ultimately normalized in all but 1 patient, who had minimal dilation at 6 weeks (right coronary arteryzscore, 2.1). Sensitivity analyses using less restrictive cut points (eg, a maximumzscore Conclusions and Relevance New abnormalities in coronary arteries are rarely detected at 6 weeks in patients with Kawasaki disease who have normal measurements at baseline and 2 weeks of illness, suggesting that the 6-week echocardiographic imaging may be unnecessary in patients with uncomplicated Kawasaki disease andzscores less than 2.0 in the first 2 weeks of illness.
Diabetes Spectrum: Past, Present, and Future

In this, my last issue as editor-in-chief of Diabetes Spectrum , I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the past 5 years and convey my thanks to the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the many individuals I have had the privilege of interacting with during my tenure. Serving as editor for the journal has been among the most rewarding professional experiences I have engaged in thus far in my career. After I was introduced to former editor-in-chief Jackie Boucher by my mentor, the late R. Keith Campbell, in 2009, Jackie was kind enough to invite me to serve on the Diabetes Spectrum editorial board. After serving in various roles with the journal thereafter, I was fortunate enough to eventually succeed Jackie as editor in 2014. Through this role, I have had the opportunity to network with and learn from a multitude of brilliant clinicians and educators, each of whom I want to thank for an amazing experience. I was …
Selection for Fit

We review person-organization fit theory and research on selection and recruitment, and also highlight practical recommendations. The article is framed around explaining how and why people who are ...
Reconstruction of the Early Miocene Critical Zone at Loperot, Southwestern Turkana, Kenya

The Hominoidea (apes and, eventually, humans) and Cercopithecoidea (Old World monkeys) diverged from a common ancestor during the late Oligocene (~25 Ma) in East Africa. Subsequently, both catarrhine groups diversified in the early Miocene (~23-16 Ma), making this time period an extremely important one for understanding our (deep) ancestral roots and the link between our hominoid ancestors and the environment. A remote region of west Turkana known as Loperot provides an exciting opportunity to study early Miocene primate paleoecology and has the potential to reveal the phylogenetic relationship between cercopithecoid monkeys and stem hominoids. The site of LpM4 is particularly fossiliferous and has produced a diverse fauna that includes several catarrhine fossils that await description. Radioisotopic dating indicates that the Loperot fauna are older than ~17 Ma (early Miocene). Using geochemical data from paleosols and stable isotope values from rhizolith calcite, coupled with detailed sedimentology and stratigraphy, we reconstruct the early Miocene Critical Zone of Loperot to reveal a large perennial river system fed by ephemeral streams that created localized riparian forest microhabitats within a larger open ecosystem under semi-arid climate conditions, making Loperot’s environmental reconstruction unlike many other early Miocene catarrhine-bearing localities. The perennial river system supported corridors of C3 forests; however, because these forests were restricted, they could not support a high diversity of forest indicator taxa. This is the most comprehensive analysis of the environmental conditions at Loperot to date, and provides new empirical evidence to suggest that African climate varied significantly by region and that arid habitats certainly existed during the early Miocene.
Graph-RISE: Graph-Regularized Image Semantic Embedding

Learning image representations to capture fine-grained semantics has been a challenging and important task enabling many applications such as image search and clustering. In this paper, we present Graph-Regularized Image Semantic Embedding (Graph-RISE), a large-scale neural graph learning framework that allows us to train embeddings to discriminate an unprecedented O(40M) ultra-fine-grained semantic labels. Graph-RISE outperforms state-of-the-art image embedding algorithms on several evaluation tasks, including image classification and triplet ranking. We provide case studies to demonstrate that, qualitatively, image retrieval based on Graph-RISE effectively captures semantics and, compared to the state-of-the-art, differentiates nuances at levels that are closer to human-perception.
Exploring the Unique and Shared Variance of Propensity to Trust and Suspicion Propensity

Abstract. Across two studies, we explored the relationship of propensity to trust – a general willingness to trust others (Mayer, Davis, & Schoorman, 1995) – and suspicion propensity – a dispositio...
Potential association between type 1 diabetes mellitus and gender dysphoria

Background/objective Multiple factors have been proposed to explain the increasing prevalence of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), including psychological stress. The prevalence of gender dysphoria (GD) in youth is also growing. Identifying environmental triggers, such as psychological minority stress experienced by youth with GD, that may influence the pathogenesis and management of T1DM could have important clinical implications. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of concurrent diagnosis of T1DM and GD in adolescents evaluated at a university-based children's hospital. Methods An electronic data extraction was conducted at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics from 1 November 2007 to 1 November 2017. Inclusion criteria included age 10 to 21 years and diagnosis of T1DM and/or GD. Prevalence rates were calculated for T1DM and GD. For adolescents with T1DM and GD, information related to diagnosis, treatment, and psychiatric history was collected. Results The prevalence for T1DM was 2.69 per 1000; the prevalence for GD was 0.42 per 1000. Eight adolescents had T1DM and GD. In adolescents with GD, the prevalence of T1DM was 9.4-fold higher than the prevalence of T1DM alone (24.77 vs 2.68 per 1000). Five adolescents were seen in GD clinic and their glycemic control initially improved after the first GD clinic visit. Conclusions There was an increased prevalence of a concurrent diagnosis of T1DM in those with GD compared to the general population. Glycemic control improved after the first GD clinic visit in adolescents with T1DM and GD, which may be secondary to stress reduction.
Red Earth, Green Glass, and Compositional Data: A New Procedure for Solid-State Elemental Characterization, Source Discrimination, and Provenience Analysis of Ochres

Ochres are a diverse category of naturally occurring iron-enriched earths and rocks, as well as iron oxide minerals, that derive their color from iron-containing chromophores and are suitable for use as pigments. Over the last two decades, provenience studies of archaeological ochres have grown from a rarity largely of interest only to specialists to an accepted and expected part of the archaeological science panoply. The most effective approach to distinguishing among sources of ochre and assigning archaeological pigments to their origin is multi-elemental characterization or “elemental fingerprinting.” In this study, we coupled a sample preparation method not previously used in ochre archaeometry with elemental fingerprinting by Laser Ablation-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) and Electron Probe MicroAnalysis (EPMA). We present a procedure for lithium borate (LiBo) fusion of samples for solid-state analysis, optimized for use with ochres, and designed for the budget and laboratory equipment constraints faced by many professional and student archaeologists. This method development research is part of the broader project “OLKARIA: Ochre Landscapes of Kenya – Anthropological Research and Iron-oxide Archaeometry,” which seeks in part to characterize the elemental composition of all known geologic ochre sources in the Kenya Rift Valley. Using a subset of project OLKARIA samples prepared by LiBo fusion and measured with LA-ICP-MS and EPMA, we successfully distinguished among six geologic ochre sources and a sample of commercially available iron oxide pigment. Our ability to uphold the Provenience Postulate for this data set compared favorably with source discrimination analyses done using data from Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) of whole ochre for the same samples. LiBo fusion presents potential solutions to some criticisms of solid-state analysis of ochre using beam techniques, including issues arising from mineralogical heterogeneity, variable surface topography, the presence of free and chemically bound water, and the lack of matrix-matched standard reference materials. We also address the challenges of applying compositional data analysis best practices to ochre with an emphasis on the issues of rounded zero replacement and multivariate normality and highlight the work that remains to be done in this area.
Processing evaluation of random bred broiler populations and a common ancestor at 55 days under chronic heat stress conditions.

Abstract As a result of genetic selection, the modern broiler is more efficient, higher yielding, and faster growing than the bird of the 1950s. Unfortunately, as a result of improvement in growth rate, the modern broiler has the potential to struggle under heat stress conditions. The present study evaluates 3 different random bred populations and a common ancestor under both a thermal neutral and heat stress conditions after a 54-D grow-out period. The lines used in this study included the Athens Canadian Random Bred (ACRB), a 1995 Random Bred (95RAN), a 2015 Random Bred (MRB), and a Junglefowl (JF). Male chicks (n = 150/line) were placed by line in environmentally controlled chambers. An 8-h daily cyclic heat stress (36°C) was applied to half of the chambers beginning on day 28 (HS) and lasting until processing at day 55, while the remaining chambers remained thermal neutral (TN) at 26°C. Dock weights and carcass weights were lower in the HS-95RAN and HS-MRB, compared to their TN counterparts, while the ACRB and JF had no difference in dock and carcass weights regardless of environmental condition. The MRB line had the highest breast yield (27.79%) while the JF (12.79%) and ACRB (12.42%) had the lowest. The 95RAN line had the highest abdominal fat percentage (2.83%) while the MRB line had the lowest moisture uptake during chill. The HS exposure lowered overall breast yield and breast pH at 15 min and 4 h postmortem but did not have an impact on color (L∗) or 24 h breast drip loss. The MRB was scored for both woody breast and white striping. The TN-MRB group had a higher incidence of moderate and severe woody breast and white striping than the HS-MRB group. Based on the results of this study, it appears that HS has a greater negative impact on the higher yielding lines (MRB and 95RAN) than the ACRB and JF and that clear line differences exist between the random bred lines and their common ancestor.
Synthesizing independent stagewise trials for optimal dynamic treatment regimes

Dynamic treatment regimes (DTRs) adaptively prescribe treatments based on patients' intermediate responses and evolving health status over multiple treatment stages. Data from sequential multiple assignment randomization trials (SMARTs) are recommended to be used for learning DTRs. However, due to re-randomization of the same patients over multiple treatment stages and a prolonged follow-up period, SMARTs are often difficult to implement and costly to manage, and patient adherence is always a concern in practice. To lessen such practical challenges, we propose an alternative approach to learn optimal DTRs by synthesizing independent trials over different stages. Specifically, at each stage, data from a single randomized trial along with patients' natural medical history and health status in previous stages are used. We use a backward learning method to estimate optimal treatment decisions at a particular stage, where patients' future optimal outcome increments are estimated using data observed from independent trials with future stages' information. Under some conditions, we show that the proposed method yields consistent estimation of the optimal DTRs and we obtain the same learning rates as those from SMARTs. We conduct simulation studies to demonstrate the advantage of the proposed method. Finally, we learn optimal DTRs for treating major depressive disorder (MDD) by stagewise synthesis of two randomized trials. We perform a validation study on independent subjects and show that the synthesized DTRs lead to the greatest MDD symptom reduction compared to alternative methods.
SSP Based Land Use Change Scenarios: A Critical Uncertainty in Future Regional Climate Change Projections

To better understand the role projected land-use changes (LUC) may play in future regional climate projections, we assess the combined effects of greenhouse-gas (GHG)-forced climate change and LUCs...
Overweight Object Transportation with a Set of Collaborative Robots

We study the box pushing problem with a set of robots. Robots and relocated objects are placed on opposite sides in such a way that robots have a direct view of the objects. We consider a rather weak model where robots do not have access to a localization system and are disoriented. Further, robots do not know the weight of the boxes nor of their own pushing capabilities. Robots do have access to a wireless device to communicate with other robots. The objective is to design a distributed algorithm that lets the robots self-coordinate to move the objects. We propose a synchronous algorithm that allows the robots to self-coordinate to relocate the box. We use Timed Input/Output Automata to describe the algorithms and show that the algorithm correctly completes the task. Then we extend the algorithm to deal with obstacles and robot failures. We implement the algorithm in SyRof (a testbed built at California State University Long Beach.) The testbed consists of four robots equipped with omnidirectional wheels to simulate drones and an autopilot that provides a synchronous system. The resulting implementation allows the robots to complete the task successfully.
Now as a Liminal Space, Writing as a Patchwork: Autoethnographic Reflections on the Self in the Middle of the Pandemic

In the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, I came to think about the role of my identity in my scholarship. Drawing on liminality as a conceptual apparatus, this autoethnography displays multiple laye...
Mixtures of co-occurring chemicals in freshwater systems across the continental US

Trace chemicals are common in marine and freshwater ecosystems globally. It is recognized that in the environment, individual chemicals are rarely found in isolation. Insufficient work has examined which chemicals co-occur and which methods best identify these mixtures. Using an existing data set, we found evidence that simple correlation analysis is better at identifying mixtures of commonly co-occurring trace chemicals than more commonly used PCA methods. Moreover, simple correlation analysis, unlike PCA, can be used in cases with unbalanced designs and with data points below reportable limits. Application of this approach allowed identification of 10 groups of chemicals commonly found together in freshwaters of the continental US, representing common "chemical syndromes." Better identification of co-occurring chemical combinations could aid in our understanding of biological and ecological effects of aquatic contaminants. This research provides evidence of correlation analyses as a more effective method for identifying commonly co-occurring aquatic contaminants. We also examined the patterns of these mixtures with a dataset consisting of concentrations of 406 trace chemicals from 38 sample locations across the continental US.
Ordering in alcohol and cannabis co-use: Impact on daily consumption and consequences

Abstract Background Co-use of alcohol and cannabis is highly prevalent among young adults and college students. Between-person reports suggest that co-use is associated with the experience of more frequent consumption and related consequences, compared to single substance use. However, recent studies have found conflicting evidence regarding the impact of co-use use on consumption and consequences in daily or event-level investigations. Conflicting evidence may be due to understudied factors, such as the order in which alcohol and cannabis are used. The current study aimed to examine the effect of substance use order on a) alcohol consumption; b) cannabis consumption; and c) negative alcohol and cannabis consequences. Methods Data were collected from U.S. undergraduate college student alcohol and cannabis users (N = 258) who completed two 28-day longitudinal online assessment bursts examining alcohol and cannabis co-use patterns. Data were collected five times per day during both bursts (three months apart). Results Controlling for between-person alcohol and cannabis use, within-person mixed-effects models indicated that using cannabis first within a co-use day was associated with lower daily alcohol consumption, but greater daily cannabis consumption. Substance use ordering was not linked to consequences, whereas between-person levels of alcohol consumption and within-person number of drinks in a day were positive predictors of consequences. Conclusions Overall, results highlighted that order of substance use is a robust predictor of consumption on co-use days. Therefore, future research on co-use use should consider patterns of use in addition to level of use.
Teflon versus Ivalon in Microvascular Decompression for Trigeminal Neuralgia: A 2-Center 10-Year Comparison.

Background Trigeminal neuralgia features jolts of pain along the distribution of the trigeminal nerve. If patients fail conservative management, microvascular decompression (MVD) is typically the next step in treatment. MVD consists of implanting a separating material, often Teflon, between the nerve and compressive lesions. A review found similar success and complication rates between Teflon and Ivalon, another commonly used material. The aim of this study was to analyze outcomes and complications associated with Teflon and Ivalon in MVD. Methods We conducted a 2-center retrospective cohort study of trigeminal neuralgia treated with MVD between 2005 and 2019. Patients with no postoperative follow-up were excluded. Postoperative pain was graded using the Barrow Neurological Institute (BNI) pain intensity score. Relapse was defined as a BNI score of 4–5 during follow-up after initial pain improvement or an initial BNI score of 1–3. Results The study included 221 MVD procedures in 219 patients. Ivalon was implanted in 121 procedures, and Teflon was implanted in 100 procedures. Multivariate analysis found that implant type had no effect on final BNI score (P = 0.305). Relapse rates were similar at 5- and 10-year follow-up (5-year: Ivalon 10.7%, Teflon 18.0%, P = 0.112; 10-year: Ivalon 11.6%, Teflon 19.0%, P = 0.123). There was no difference in postoperative immediate facial numbness (P = 0.125). Postoperative hearing difficulty was higher in the Ivalon cohort (8.4% vs. 1.0%; P = 0.016). Conclusions We found no significant difference in final BNI score or risk of relapse between Ivalon and Teflon. Complications were similar, although Ivalon was more associated with temporary postoperative hearing loss.
Real-Time Charge Control of Diamond Quantum Sensors

We use real-time feedback to deterministically initialize a nitrogen-vacancy’s charge state at room temperature, and demonstrate improved spin readout efficiency resulting in a factor-of-20 speedup for a typical quantum sensing experiment.
Introduction to the Mini-Series: Promoting School Success in Children With Chronic Medical Conditions

(1999). Introduction to the Mini-Series: Promoting School Success in Children With Chronic Medical Conditions. School Psychology Review: Vol. 28, No. 2, pp. 175-181.