cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ePLAS modeling of plasma JETS

The implicit simulation code ePLAS has been applied to plasma jets generated by mini-rail guns, as currently under development by HyperV Corporation for plasma production and compression aimed at use with PLX. Rails for the guns are typically planar, 2.5 cm apart and arranged to transport an initial 1 cm or wider vertical plasma band for some 10 cm into a void. The driving magnetic field is 3.2 T. Typical starting plasmas are singly ionized argon at an initial electron density of 1017 cm−3. Discussion will be given to effects from variations in these parameters. The emphasis is on the production of a single jet, but we include initial results for the merger of jet pairs.
Multi-kilowatt power scaling and coherent beam combining of narrow-linewidth fiber lasers

We report results from two ~1.5 kW Yb-doped fiber amplifiers with comparable optical to optical efficiencies and linewidths. One amplifier utilized a fiber with a core diameter of 25 μm while the core diameter of the fiber utilized in the other amplifier was 20 μm. Stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) suppression in both cases was achieved through pseudo-random bit sequence (PRBS) phase modulation. While the power generated in the larger core fiber was modal instability (MI) limited, no sign of MI was observed in the smaller core fiber. This may allow us to utilize the higher MI threshold fiber to scale further while maintaining sufficiently narrow linewidth for beam combining. Furthermore, in a demonstration of the utility of applying a thermal gradient in conjunction with phase modulation to suppress SBS further, we report on a 1 kW amplifier driven at a PRBS clock rate of 2 GHz. Finally, we compare the coherent beam combining properties of amplifiers seeded with PRBS phase modulated sources to those seeded with white noise sources.
Geometry Students’ Self-Determination and Their Engagement in Mathematical Whole Class Discussion

Prevalent characteristics of effective mathematical discourse in the literature include student autonomy, a positive social environment, and a degree of perceived mathematical competence. These cha...
Navigating an Obesigenic Environment A Phenomenological Study of Mothers’ Health Socialization of Children

The environment in which parents socialize children’s eating, physical activity, and screen-related behaviors has changed and has been widely faulted in the obesity epidemic. This phenomenological study examined the intentions, reflections, and strategies of a purposefully selected group of mothers, self-reported as successful in socializing their children’s obesity-related behaviors as determined by scoring highly on the Family Nutrition and Physical Activity screening tool. Mothers described the power of modeling positive obesity-related behaviors and creating a culture that promoted activity over sedentariness. By focusing on establishing positive behaviors at home, and framing choices and opportunities in support of child autonomy, mothers believed they were preparing children to resist threats from the obesigenic environment. The voices of these mothers present a strengths perspective and provide a narrative which complements research in representative and at-risk populations. Findings may inform obe...
Further evidence on the dependence between reinforcing and discriminative functions of a stimulus

A previous experiment by Ratner (1956) found abrief secondary reinforcing effect of a stimulus in the absence of any discriminative effect. Since these results are contrary to the general line of evidence in this field, an attempt was made in the present study to replicate the findings. The results failed to confirm Ratner’s data.
Surface-aligning field in smectic liquid-crystal films.

Two modified mean-field ${J}_{1}\ensuremath{-}{J}_{2}$ models are studied to explain the surface reduction of twisting power in the helical smectic-${C}_{\ensuremath{\alpha}}^{*}$ phase in free-standing liquid crystal films. Profiles of the surface interlayer interaction are calculated from the experimental results. The calculations reveal the existence of a strong surface field and indicate that the surface field is the reason for the observed reduced twisting power near the surface region. Our results provide a quantitative study of the interlayer interactions through surface effects in smectic liquid crystals.
Solid-Phase Reactive Chromatographic Separation System: Optimization-Based Design and Its Potential Application to Biomass Saccharification via Acid Hydrolysis

A new reactive separation process concept termed solid-phase reactive separation system (SPRSS) is proposed which integrates the progressing batch reactor (PBR) and simulated moving bed (SMB) chromatography processes. The key idea of this new process is that both PBR and SMB employ similar principles of the movement of the liquid feed to imitate the countercurrent movement of solid and liquid phases. This concept may be applied to the reactive separation system that involves solid reactants. In this work, SPRSS is applied to the production of sugar from cellulosic materials which contain different amounts of cellulose and hemicellulose in which the kinetics of each hydrolysis reaction path are different. SPRSS enables the variation of these reaction parameters within the reactor system to hydrolyze different portions of the biomass, which allows more flexible acid catalyst concentration profiles. The overarching goal is to improve the total sugar yield and concentration while minimizing the sugar decompos...
Dendritic Cell Tumors Associated With Low-Grade B-Cell Malignancies: Report of Three Cases

Indeterminate and interdigitating cell tumors are rare proliferations of immunoregulatory cells that demonstrate morphologic, immunologic, and ultrastructural features similar to their cells of origin. Although an association of lymphoproliferative disease with Langerhans' cell histiocytosis is well described, only sporadic cases of non-Langerhans' dendritic cell proliferations have been published. The authors describe three patients with low grade B-cell lymphoproliferative disease who developed subsequent indeterminate cell or interdigitating cell tumors. When the two cases of indeterminate cell tumor are added to those previously described in the literature, it appears that 4 of 13 cases (31%) are associated with a history of low grade B-cell malignancy. Possible explanations for the relationship between these two disorders are discussed.
Meningioma Genomics: Diagnostic, Prognostic, and Therapeutic Applications.

Abstract There has been a recent revolution in our understanding of the genetic factors which drive meningioma, punctuating an equilibrium that has existed since Cushing’s germinal studies nearly a century ago. A growing appreciation that meningiomas share similar biologic features with other malignancies has allowed extrapolation of management strategies and lessons from intra-axial central nervous system neoplasms and systemic cancers to meningiomas. These features include a natural proclivity for invasion, frequent intratumoral heterogeneity, and correlation between biologic profile and clinical behavior. Next-generation sequencing has characterized recurrent somatic mutations in NF2, TRAF7, KLF4, AKT1, SMO, and PIK3CA, which are collectively present in approximately 80% of sporadic meningiomas. Genomic features of meningioma further associate with tumor location, histologic subtype, and possibly clinical behavior. Such genomic decryption, along with advances in targeted pharmacotherapy, provide a maturing integrated view of meningiomas. We review recent advances in meningioma genomics and probe their potential applications in diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic frontiers.
Coverage estimates and patterns of inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) use prior to and during the polio eradication endgame, Jinan City, China, 2010–2015

ABSTRACTBackground: Use of inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) in Jinan during the polio eradication endgame has not been previously documented. Two IPV-containing vaccines were made available as an option for Jinan parents in 2009. We describe coverage levels and patterns of use of IPV over time using data from the Jinan Childhood Immunization Information Management System (JNCIIMS).Methods: Children born between January 2010 and December 2014 who were registered in JNCIIMS were included in this study. Vaccination records were obtained from JNCIIMS on April 30, 2015. JNCIIMS distinguishes among available poliovirus vaccines; doses administered data were used to describe IPV usage over time. We identified the polio vaccination sequences used by children in the 2012 and 2013 birth cohorts. Coverage estimates were analyzed by birth cohort and migration status. We developed 3 categories for analysis: “resident child,” “migrant child” and “other child” according to migration status.Results: In total, 12,354 ...
State-Level Cancer Mortality Attributable to Cigarette Smoking in the United States

Importance State-specific information about the health burden of smoking is valuable because state-level initiatives are at the forefront of tobacco control. Smoking-attributable cancer mortality estimates are currently available nationally and by cancer, but not by state. Objective To calculate the proportion of cancer deaths among adults 35 years and older that were attributable to cigarette smoking in 2014 in each state and the District of Columbia. Design, Setting, and Participants The population-attributable fraction (PAF) of cancer deaths due to cigarette smoking was computed using relative risks for 12 smoking-related cancers (acute myeloid leukemia and cancers of the oral cavity and pharynx; esophagus; stomach; colorectum; liver; pancreas; larynx; trachea, lung, and bronchus; cervix uteri; kidney and renal pelvis; and urinary bladder) from large US prospective studies and state-specific smoking prevalence data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Main Outcomes and Measures The PAF of cancer deaths due to cigarette smoking in each US state and the District of Columbia. Results We estimate that at least 167 133 cancer deaths in the United States in 2014 (28.6% of all cancer deaths; 95% CI, 28.2%-28.8%) were attributable to cigarette smoking. Among men, the proportion of cancer deaths attributable to smoking ranged from a low of 21.8% in Utah (95% CI, 19.9%-23.5%) to a high of 39.5% in Arkansas (95% CI, 36.9%-41.7%), but was at least 30% in every state except Utah. Among women, the proportion ranged from 11.1% in Utah (95% CI, 9.6%-12.3%) to 29.0% in Kentucky (95% CI, 27.2%-30.7%) and was at least 20% in all states except Utah, California, and Hawaii. Nine of the top 10 ranked states for men and 6 of the top 10 ranked states for women were located in the South. In men, smoking explained nearly 40% of cancer deaths in the top 5 ranked states (Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Kentucky). In women, smoking explained more than 26% of all cancer deaths in the top 5 ranked states, which included 3 Southern states (Kentucky, Arkansas, and Tennessee), and 2 Western states (Alaska and Nevada). Conclusions and Relevance The proportion of cancer deaths attributable to cigarette smoking varies substantially across states and is highest in the South, where up to 40% of cancer deaths in men are caused by smoking. Increasing tobacco control funding, implementing innovative new strategies, and strengthening tobacco control policies and programs, federally and in all states and localities, might further increase smoking cessation, decrease initiation, and reduce the future burden of morbidity and mortality associated with smoking-related cancers.
Impact ionization under dynamic fields

Due to the stochastic nature of the impact-ionization process, the buildup time of an avalanche photodiode (APD) is also stochastic and can degrade its performance. In particular, when an APD is operated in an optical receiver, the APD's finite and stochastic buildup time gives rise to intersymbol interference (ISI) and limits the bandwidth of the communication system [1]. While the buildup time of an APD is dependent on the material (e.g., on k, the hole-to-electron ionization coefficient ratio) it also has a dependence on the applied electric field and its profile in time and space [2] as it governs the cascade of impact ionizations. Several approaches have been explored to model the buildup time in order to increase the gain-bandwidth product (GBP) of APDs, including GBPs for heterojunction multiplication regions [2,3]. However, all existing models focused, mainly, on optimizing the APD's structure. In particular, the effect of modulating the electric field on the impact ionization characteristics of APDs remains unexplored, and to the best of our knowledge, no analytical model for avalanche multiplication exists for APDs that are driven by a time-varying bias voltages. The modulation of the applied electric field to control the impact ionization process could be beneficial in communication systems since it opens up the possibility of increasing the GBP in a simple and efficient way. The optimization problem becomes that of finding the optimal electric-field profile, for a fixed mean gain, that maximizes the GBP. In this paper we outline the potential benefits of modulating the applied electric field on the performance of APDs. Our approach enables the calculation of the impulse response, gain and and excess noise factor, breakdown probability, as well as pulse duration time all under conditions of a dynamic field in the multiplication region.
Quantitative Evaluation of Plant Actin Cytoskeletal Organization During Immune Signaling

High spatial and temporal resolution microscopy-based methods are valuable tools for the precise real-time imaging of changes in cellular organization in response to stimulus perception. Here, we describe a quantitative method for the evaluation of the plant actin cytoskeleton during immune stimulus perception and the activation of defense signaling. As a measure of the biotic stress-induced changes in actin filament organization, we present methods for analyzing changes in actin filament organization following elicitation of pattern-triggered immunity and effector-triggered immunity. Using these methods, it is possible to not only quantitatively evaluate changes in actin cytoskeletal organization following biotic stress perception, but to also use these protocols to assess changes in actin filament organization following perception of a wide range of stimuli, including abiotic and developmental cues. As described herein, we present an example application of this method, designed to evaluate changes in actin cytoskeletal organization following pathogen perception and immune signaling.
Subacute Pericardial Tamponade After Sleeve Lower Lobectomy for an Extremely Rare Tumor

A rare case of subacute cardiac tamponade developed in a 71-year-old patient after a left lower lobe sleeve lobectomy for cancer. The patient was successfully treated by drainage of the pericardial effusion by a pigtail catheter. The exact cause is uncertain, but it appears to include an inflammatory component.
Concomitant Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy with SBRT Boost for Unresectable Stage III Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Phase I Study.

Abstract Objectives Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is now the standard of care in medically inoperable stage I NSCLC, yielding high rates of local control. It is unknown whether SBRT can be safely utilized in the locally advanced NSCLC setting. This multi-institution phase I study evaluated the safety of 44 Gy of conventionally fractionated thoracic radiation with concurrent chemotherapy plus dose-escalated SBRT boost to both the primary tumor and involved mediastinal lymph nodes. The primary end point of this study was to establish the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of the SBRT boost. Methods Inclusion criteria included unresectable stage IIIA or IIIB disease, primary tumor 8 cm or smaller, and N1 or N2 lymph nodes 5 cm or smaller. Tumors were staged with positron emission tomography/computed tomography (CT), and four-dimensional CT simulation was used for radiation planning. The treatment schema was 44 Gy of thoracic radiation (2 Gy/d) with weekly carboplatin and paclitaxel chemotherapy. A second CT simulation was obtained after 40 Gy had been delivered, and a SBRT boost was planned to the remaining gross disease at the primary site and involved mediastinal lymph nodes. Consolidation chemotherapy was given at the discretion of the treating medical oncologist. Four SBRT boost dose cohorts were tested: cohort 1 (9 Gy × 2), cohort 2 (10 Gy × 5), cohort 3 (6 Gy × 5), and cohort 4 (7 Gy × 5). Patients were treated in cohorts of three patients, and the Bayesian escalation with overdose control method was used to determine the MTD of the SBRT boost. Dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) were defined as any grade 3 or higher toxicities within 30 days of treatment attributed to treatment, not including hematologic toxicity, or any grade 5 toxicity attributed to treatment. Results The study enrolled 19 patients from November 2012 to December 2016. There were four screen failures, and 15 patients were treated on study. There were no DLTs in dose cohort 1 (n = 3) and 2 (n = 6). DLT developed in one patient in dose cohort 3 (n = 3) and in 2 patients in dose cohort 4 (n = 3). The calculated MTD was 6 Gy × 5. The DLT observed at this dose level was a tracheoesophageal fistula; given this substantial toxicity, there was investigator reluctance to enroll further patients at this dose level. Thus, the calculated MTD was 6 Gy × 5; however, 10 Gy × 2 is thought to be a reasonable dose as well, given that no grade 5 toxicities occurred with that dose. Conclusions The MTD of a SBRT boost combined with 44 Gy of thoracic chemoradiation was 6 Gy × 5. A SBRT boost dose of 10 Gy × 2 could be considered safer, with no grade 3 or higher toxicities observed at this dose level during the follow-up period in this study.
Hfq chaperone brings speed dating to bacterial sRNA

Hfq is a ubiquitous, Sm-like RNA binding protein found in most bacteria and some archaea. Hfq binds small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs), facilitates base pairing between sRNAs and their mRNA targets, and directly binds and regulates translation of certain mRNAs. Because sRNAs regulate many stress response pathways in bacteria, Hfq is essential for adaptation to different environments and growth conditions. The chaperone activities of Hfq arise from multipronged RNA binding by three different surfaces of the Hfq hexamer. The manner in which the structured Sm core of Hfq binds RNA has been well studied, but recent work shows that the intrinsically disordered C-terminal domain of Hfq modulates sRNA binding, creating a kinetic hierarchy of RNA competition for Hfq and ensuring the release of double-stranded sRNA-mRNA complexes. A combination of structural, biophysical, and genetic experiments reveals how Hfq recognizes its RNA substrates and plays matchmaker for sRNAs and mRNAs in the cell. The interplay between structured and disordered domains of Hfq optimizes sRNA-mediated post-transcriptional regulation, and is a common theme in RNA chaperones. This article is categorized under: Regulatory RNAs/RNAi/Riboswitches > Regulatory RNAs RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > RNA-Protein Complexes RNA Structure and Dynamics > RNA Structure, Dynamics, and Chemistry.
Molecular Structure/Function Relationships of Hemerythrins

Hemerythrin (Hr) is an O2-carrying protein found in a few phyla of marine invertebrates, most notably sipunculid worms. Despite its name Hr contains no heme group but rather a nonheme diiron site that reversibly binds one molecule of O2. Hr thus poses interesting contrasts in evolution, physiology, and molecular structure to the more widespread heme oxygen carriers. The physiological role of Hr is treated in another chapter in this volume. Previous reviews have summarized the large body of spectroscopy, reactivity, and structural data on Hr (Kurtz et al. 1977; Wilkins and Harrington 1983; Kurtz and Klotz 1984; Wilkins and Wilkins 1987; Que and Scarrow 1988; Sanders-Loehr 1989). However, several recent developments merit an updated discussion that, unlike the previous reviews, emphasizes the relationships between molecular structure and function of the Hrs. These developments include studies of Hr itself as well as synthetic modeling of the diiron site (Kurtz 1990). These recent developments are discussed here within the framework of fundamental structural knowledge about Hr that has been established from the earlier results. Some comparisons to other O2-carrying proteins and other nonheme iron proteins are also included. Except where noted otherwise, the Hrs discussed in this chapter are from sipunculids.
Resource Conflicts over Arable Land in Food Insecure States: Creating an United Nations Ombudsman Institution to Review Foreign Agricultural Land Leases

This paper argues that in food insecure states the recent flurry of land leasing activity to foreign agribusiness is likely to lead to unintended long term consequences for the ecology in land-leasing States by depleting the already fragile environment through monocropping, chemical pesticide and fertilizer applications, and large scale irrigation. The current proposals for self-regulatory voluntary codes of conduct do not provide sufficient oversight over the leasing process to protect the public’s interest in a healthy and productive environment against foreign investors who have under the current lease structure no incentive to improve the land that they are leasing. The creation of an United Nations based ombudsman to provide legal and technical oversight and support for States making long-term leases has greater potential than a voluntary code for ensuring a balanced negotiation among the interests of host State governments for investment, investors for arable land, and the public for long-term environmental sustainability.
Product Depth, Breadth and the Timing of New Product Introductions in the Mutual Fund Industry

We test the relationship between product depth, breadth and the timing of new product introductions using a sample comprised of twenty-one mutual fund investment categories. We find that product depth and breadth have opposing effects on timing decisions. We also find that slack moderates the relationship between the product depth, breadth and the timing of new product introductions. Our arguments link the product proliferation, decision timing and slack search literatures.
GRK2 and GRK5 as therapeutic targets and their role in maladaptive and pathological cardiac hypertrophy.

Introduction: One in every four deaths in the United States is attributed to cardiovascular disease, hence the development and employment of novel and effective therapeutics are necessary to improv...
Thermodynamics Beyond Molecules: Statistical Thermodynamics of Distributions

Statistical thermodynamics has a universal appeal that extends beyond molecular systems, and yet, as its tools are being transplanted to fields outside physics, the fundamental question, \textit{what is thermodynamics?}, has remained unanswered. We answer this question here. Generalized statistical thermodynamics is a variational calculus of probability distributions. It is independent of physical hypotheses but provides the means to incorporate our knowledge, assumptions and physical models about a stochastic processes that gives rise to the probability in question. We derive the familiar calculus of thermodynamics via a probabilistic argument that makes no reference to physics. At the heart of the theory is a space of distributions and a special functional that assigns probabilities to this space. The maximization of this functional generates the entire mathematical network of thermodynamic relationships. We obtain statistical mechanics as a special case and make contact with Information Theory and Bayesian inference.
A Data-Driven Approach for Detecting Autism Spectrum Disorders

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are a group of conditions characterized by impairments in reciprocal social interaction and by the presence of restricted and repetitive behaviors. Current ASD detection mechanisms are either subjective (survey-based) or focus only on responses to a single stimulus. In this work, we develop machine learning methods for predicting ASD based on electrocardiogram (ECG) and skin conductance (SC) data collected during a sensory challenge protocol (SCP) in which the reactions to eight stimuli were observed from 25 children with ASD and 25 typically developing children between 5 and 12 years of age. The length of the time series makes it difficult to utilize traditional machine learning algorithms to analyze these types of data. Instead, we developed feature processing techniques which allow efficient analysis of the series without loss of effectiveness. The results of our analysis of the protocol time series confirmed our hypothesis that autistic children are greatly affected by certain sensory stimulation. Moreover, our ensemble ASD prediction model achieved 93.33% accuracy, which is 13.33% higher than the best of 8 different baseline models we tested.
Advanced digital optics using metasurface (Conference Presentation)

In this talk, I give a brief overview of the evolution of metasurfaces. By appropriately adjusting the size, orientation, geometry and arrangement of subwavelength building-blocks (SBB) of metasurfaces, one can control/change the basic properties of incident light at will. The tremendous freedom of choice and orientations for SBBs open up new physics and lead to unprecedented functionalities such as dispersion engineering and polarization control capability. Owing to these unique features, metasurfaces have a potential to complement or even replace their conventional diffractive/refractive counterparts. Also, metasurfaces straightforward fabrication makes them an attractive platform for emerging technologies ranging from AR/MR/VR to LiDAR.
Electrochemical Selective Recovery of Heavy Metal Vanadium Oxyanion from Continuously Flowing Aqueous Streams.

An electrochemical flow cell with redox-active electrodes was used for selective removal and recovery of vanadium(V) oxyanions from aqueous streams. The cell relies on intrinsic affinity of the redox-active polymer poly(vinyl)ferrocene (PVFc) and demonstrates selectivity of >10 towards vanadium compared to a background electrolyte in 40-fold abundance. We demonstrate highly selective vanadium removal in the presence of various competing anions (i.e., fluoride, bromide, nitrate, and sulfate). Surface elemental analysis reveals significant correlation between PVFc moieties and vanadium-rich regions after adsorption, corroborating the central role of PVFc modulation on vanadium separation. We further propose a vanadium speciation mechanism in which high and low pH environments during adsorption and desorption steps favor formation of, respectively, H2 VO3- / HVO42- and H2 VO3- / H3 VO4 / VO2+ . Results have implications for the development and optimization of flow devices, as per our observations, excessively low pH environments during desorption can lead to subsequent re-adsorption of cationic vanadium(V).
A new perspective on the hydraulics of oilfield wastewater disposal: how PTX conditions affect fluid pressure transients that cause earthquakes

Pumping oilfield wastewater into deep injection wells causes earthquakes by effective stress change and solid elastic stressing. These processes result from fluid pressure changes in the seismogenic basement, so it is generally accepted that pressure diffusion governs spatiotemporal patterns of induced earthquake sequences. However, new evidence suggests that fluid density contrasts may also drive local-scale (near-well) pressure transients to greater depths than pressure diffusion and over much longer timescales. As a consequence, the pressure, temperature, and composition (PTX) conditions of wastewater and deep crustal (basement) fluids may be fundamental to understanding and managing injection-induced seismicity. This study develops a mechanistic framework that integrates PTX-dependent fluid properties into the generally accepted conceptual model of injection-induced seismicity. Nonisothermal variable-density numerical simulation is combined with ensemble simulation methods to isolate the parametric controls on injection-induced fluid pressure transients. Results show that local-scale, density-driven pressure transients are governed by a combination of fracture permeability and PTX-dependent fluid properties, while long-range pressure diffusion is largely governed by fracture permeability. Considering this new conceptual model in the context geochemical data from oil and gas basins in the United States identifies regions that may be susceptible to persistent density-driven pressure transients.
Alkalinization of the Synaptic Cleft during Excitatory Neurotransmission.

Synaptic transmission has been studied for decades to understand the fundamental properties underlying neural communication, yet some basic questions about synaptic transmission remain unanswered. Historically, ribbon synapses have been a particularly important model because of the massive amounts
R&D investments and management guidance: Trading off information asymmetry and uncertainty in firm disclosure

The immediate expensing of R&D expenditures conceals managers' knowledge about the R&D projects. I examine whether higher R&D-intensive firms voluntarily guide more to decrease this information asymmetry. R&D state tax credits serve as instrumental variable for R&D investments. While total earnings guidance remains unchanged, managers issue more quarterly earnings guidance and non-earnings guidance in lieu of annual earnings guidance. Consistent with uncertainty affecting the precision of longer-term earnings expectations, the substitution of quarterly guidance for annual guidance intensifies with innovation uncertainty. Difference-in-differences analyses around unexpected R&D jumps confirm that the increase in quarterly guidance derives from increases in information asymmetry. These findings demonstrate that firms trade off incentives to decrease information asymmetry with costs of uncertainty from R&D investments by issuing more quarterly and non-earnings guidance but reducing their annual earnings guidance. In conclusion, these results imply benefits of short-term earnings guidance when R&D investments discourage annual earnings guidance.
Misinterpretation of data in a published article.

We readers have been a satisfied subscriber to your journal ‘Natural Product Research’ for the last few years. We have always considered the published articles at your journal very reliable. We are...
Correlation isn’t good enough: causal explanation and Big Data

A review of Gary Smith and Jay Cordes: The Phantom Pattern Problem: The Mirage of Big Data. New York: Oxford University Press, 2020.
Caste, The Origins of Our Discontents: A Historical Reflection On Two Cultures

In 2020 Isabel Wilkerson, Pulitzer prize-winning journalist, published Caste, The Origins of Our Discontents. An African American, she used the age-old hierarchy of India to hold up a light to the hierarchical ‘racial’ orders in the United States (Nazi Germany was included as a third case). Ever since the 1940s debate has raged over whether such a comparison is apt. In the United States, more than almost any other group, African Americans are in-marrying, residentially segregated, poor, linked to past forced labor, and stigmatized because of it. One argument put forward against comparison was that the Indian Dalits (the former ‘untouchables’) were inured to a system that was millennia old. However, slaves on Southern plantations were often described as being as humble and compliant as any Dalit. White slaveholders often thought of the India caste model. However, the very brevity of the full-fledged Cotton Kingdom (1820–1860) militated against the coalescence of a fully formed national caste consensus. The United States, unlike most places on the globe, had a constitutional armature in which, following the Civil War, former bonds people could go from being property to voters de jure. In both societies the carapace of caste is now being cracked open, but this leaves open the question of whether we should reform caste or abolish it.
CHRM1 is a Druggable Melanoma Target Whose Endogenous Activity is Determined by Inherited Genetic Variation in DOPA Production

Melanoma risk is 30 times higher in people with lightly pigmented skin compared to those with darkly pigmented skin. Here we show that this difference results from more than melanin pigment and its ultraviolet radiation (UVR) shielding effect. Using primary human melanocytes representing the full human skin pigment continuum and several preclinical melanoma models, we show that cell-intrinsic differences between dark and light melanocytes regulate melanocyte proliferative capacity, overall cellular differentiation state, and susceptibility to malignant transformation, independently of melanin and UV exposure. We determined that these differences result from dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA), a melanin precursor synthesized at higher levels in melanocytes from dark skin. Although DOPA was not previously known to have specific signaling activity, we used both high throughput pharmacologic and genetic in vivo CRISPR screens to determine that DOPA limits melanocyte and melanoma cell proliferation by directly inhibiting the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor M1 (CHRM1), a G Protein-Coupled Receptor (GPCR) not previously known to bind DOPA, nor to affect melanoma pathobiology. Pharmacologic CHRM1 antagonism in melanoma leads to depletion of c-Myc and FOXM1, both of which are proliferation drivers associated with aggressive melanoma. In preclinical mouse melanoma models using both immune deficient and syngeneic immune competent mice, pharmacologic inhibition of CHRM1 or FOXM1 inhibited tumor growth. CHRM1 and FOXM1 may be new therapeutic targets for melanoma.
Non-diversifiable Risk and Endogenous Innovation

I propose a theoretical framework to study jointly the process of innovation and asset pricing properties of investment in innovation. The model emphasizes the disruptive nature of new technologies. When risk-sharing is limited, this feature gives rise to hedging motives against potential disruption. Investors' hedging activity increases the pace of innovation and generates observed empirically volatile fluctuations of the volume of investments in innovation and risk premium on such investments. The model explains a set of stylized facts that link innovation activity and risk, and reconciles empirical properties and puzzles of aggregate flows and performance in venture capital.
Machine (Deep) Learning and Finite Element Modeling

Finite element analysis (FEA) has been widely used to predict the biomechanical performance of various dental applications such as orthodontic tooth movement, implant components, and peri-implant bone. We begin with a brief introduction of the traditional FEA process and disadvantages of using FEA in clinical applications. Then, we review existing studies in which researchers use machine learning (ML) to address these disadvantages. Finally, we conclude that the combination of the FEA and ML is the best solution given that ML can facilitate the FEA computation, and FEA results can also enhance the accuracy of ML prediction.
Extrapolating significance of text-based autonomous vehicle scenarios to multimedia scenarios and implications for user-centered design

Extrapolation from low-fidelity design iterations is especially critical in HRI. An initial proposal for low-fidelity to higher fidelity extrapolation is developed using insights from cognitive multimedia learning theory to account for the effects of prototype medium and three types of cognitive demands. Inspired by Donald Norman and others, our proposal leverages tightly controlled and multi-authored scenarios through crowdsourcing to create additional potential evidence as a kind of experimental “stress test.” We motivate our proposal by investigating the intersection of emotion and human control, which is understudied outside of autonomous vehicles (AV) and HRI research. Evidence for positively moderated emotional effects in text-based AV scenarios as well as tentative evidence for our extrapolation proposal are identified.
Evidence from Basic Neuroscience and Human Studies of Pharmacologic Therapy

Publisher Summary Aphasia is a major symptom of stroke and shares common neurophysiological and neurochemical features with other stroke consequences. Physiologic events following brain injury complicate the timing for administration of various agents. Drugs that are effective in the very acute or subacute period following injury may be ineffective or even detrimental at later recovery periods. Treatment approaches can be either adaptive or maladaptive. Pharmacological treatment as an adjunct to traditional approaches to the treatment of stroke is not a new idea. Enhanced recovery from hemiplegia after occlusive stroke has been reported using noradrenergic agonists paired with physical therapy. Small pilot studies have explored drugs, such as amphetamine; recovery from hemiplegia after occlusive stroke has been reported using noradrenergic agonists paired with physical therapy. Several laboratories are exploring post-stroke manipulations of brain plasticity following experimental injury in terms of the timing and type of intervention. This chapter reviews theories of neuroplasticity thought to underlie behavioral recovery, animal recovery studies that may have importance in the design of rehabilitation practice, and data from humans on pharmacologic therapy in the treatment of hemiplegia and aphasia.
Embedded-sensor network design for snow cover measurements around snow pillow and snow course sites in the Sierra Nevada of California.

The design of sensor networks for measuring the mean and spatial distribution of snow depth at the scale of 1-16 km2 was evaluated by deploying an embedded-sensor network consisting of ultrasonic snow depth sensors to capture the variable physiographic features around an operational snow course in Yosemite National Park in the Sierra Nevada of California. Manual snow surveys were also carried out during accumulation and ablation periods. Four years of continuous data from the embedded-sensor network showed that snow depths during both accumulation and ablation periods can vary as much as 50% based on variability in topography and vegetation across a 0.4 ha study area. Spatial snow surveys showed that such a sensor network can be deployed so as to capture both the variability and mean for accumulation and ablation periods across a 1 km2 area surrounding the sensor network, with a broader network required to extend this to 4 and 16 km2 areas. In forested areas, higher canopy densities, greater than 60% closure, were associated with the lowest snow depths. Analysis of historical snow course records from 14 sites in Yosemite, including the 10 spatial measurements made during each monthly snow course survey, showed snow depths across the 300 m snow course transects to be relatively uniform, with 68% of all monthly values having standard deviations no more than 10% of the mean. Although existing snow courses do little to help define the spatial patterns of snow distribution at the 1-16 km2 scales, it is feasible to extend the representativeness of current operational networks by deploying low-cost embeddedsensor networks nearby. Such networks should be strategically located to also capture elevational differences in snow accumulation and melt, as well as local-scale variability in canopy cover and aspect Copyright 2010 by the American Geophysical Union.
Religious Commitment and Mental Health: A Review of the Empirical Literature:

Research on the relationship between religious commitment and psychopamology has produced mixed findings. In a recent meta-analysis, Bergin (1983) found mat 23% of the studies reported a negative relationship, 47% reported a positive relationship, and 30% reported no relationship at all between religion and mental health. Based on our review of more than 200 studies, we have discovered four additional trends: (a) Most studies linking religious commitment to psychopathology have employed mental health measures that we have called “soft variables,” that is, paper-and-pencil personality tests which attempt to measure theoretical constructs. In contrast, most of the research linking religion to positive mental health is on “hard variables,” that is, “real life” behavioral events which can be reliably ob-served and measured and which are unambiguous in their significance. (b) Low levels of religiosity are most often associated with disorders related to undercontrol of impulses, whereas high levels of religiosi...
Bearing Arms in Washington State

Article I, Section 24 of the Washington State Constitution directly affects two "hot topics" today: first, the increase in the carrying of weapons by the citizenry (particularly concealed weapons, with or without permits) and, second, the increase in "citizen militias" in various parts of the state.Article I, Section 24 also presents interesting issues from a pure state-constitutional-law standpoint, because it represents one of the striking characteristics of state constitutions: these basic documents of civil society for each state represent centuries of buildup and accretion. State constitutional provisions can often be analyzed in terms of layering. In preparing a state constitutional argument before a Washington court, we must peel away the layers of history behind a provision one by one to better understand its origins, purpose, and meaning. The history of Article I, Section 24, which was enacted as part of Washington's original Constitution in 1889, is a perfect example.This paper offers a brief history of provisions on the right to bear arms — from the Assize of Arms, proclaimed by Henry II in 1181 through the various provisions in the thirteen colonies and the federal constitution. It focuses on Washington's constitution and cases interpreting Washington's provision.
Renewable Resource Economists and Policy: What Differences Have We Made?

Abstract This paper surveys developments in fisheries economics and fisheries policy over the past half century. Early work clarified the nature of the economic issues associated with open access, laying the groundwork for changes in policies after coastal nations expanded their jurisdictions in 1976. Perhaps the most important point made by economists is that property rights matter and that open-access conditions create economic as well as biological problems. The policy process has begun to create property rights systems, although many of the world's fisheries still operate under mixed systems of regulations and open access incentives.
Nondisjunction and isochromosome formation in the B chromosome of maize

Bianchi et al. (1961) found that sectored losses of B-translocation chromosomes occur at a significant rate during early development of the endosperm and sporophyte. The losses were attributed to nondisjunction of the chromomosome, since B type chromosomes are known to undergo nondisjunction at the second pollen mitosis. Sector formation was further analyzed in the present paper, using the translocation, TB-9b. It was found that losses of the B9 chromosome during early endosperm mitoses occur only if the 9B chromosome is present. In addition, sectors are produced in the sporophyte only if the 9B and B9 chromosomes are inherited from the male parent. Both of these findings suggest that nondisjunction is indeed responsible for the B9 losses (see text). However, cytological observation of sectored plants demonstrates that isochromosome formation, rather than nondisjunction, produces most B9 losses in the sporophyte. The conflicting results can be reconciled by assuming that the same basic event, perhaps “stickiness” of the B9 chromosome, produces nondisjunction at the second pollen mitosis and isochromosome formation in the developing sporophyte. Observation of the isochromosome in pachytene reveals that a heterochromatic region corresponding to the short arm of the normal B9 is missing. The normal B9 chromosome is, therefore, an acrocentric chromosome.
Commitments to Help Among the Disabled Disadvantaged

A naturalistic experiment on helping behavior was conducted in a vocational rehabilitation setting. The effects of anticipated satisfaction from helping, cost of helping, and client dependency on past rehabilitation clients' willingness to help current clients were determined. Subjects were willing to help more clients when the cost was low and the satisfaction associated with helping high. High client dependency was significantly associated with willingness to help more clients.
Prospects for Controlling Reproductive Processes in Cattle, Sheep, and Swine from Recent Findings in Reproduction,

Recent advances in understanding of physiological mechanisms controlling reproduction have led to procedures which may be adaptable to commercial management of reproduction in cattle, swine, and sheep. This paper reviews procedures which may be useful for altering age at puberty, controlling time of estrus and ovulation, detecting estrus, diagnosing pregnancy, controlling time of parturition, and reducing the period of postpartum or seasonal anestrus. Examples are cited as to how such procedures may improve reproductive efficiency, and factors which may affect responses to such treatments are identified.
Initial wind tunnel tests at Mach 4 and 7 of a hydrogen-burning, airframe-integrated scramjet

A research investigation of a new, fixed-geometry, hydrogen-burning scramjet engine concept, designed for total airframe integration, is currently in progress. Two heavily instrumented engine models incorporate inlet and combustor designs developed previously in component tests. Initial tests of these subscale engine models are being conducted in ground facilities at conditions simulating flight at Mach numbers 4 and 7. The scramjet test results which are presented include inlet performance, ignition/reaction aids, inlet-combustor interactions, and engine performance in terms of thrust balance measurements and internal pressure and heating rate distributions. The relationship of these results to flight engine performance is discussed.
Rate of DNA synthesis as a function of temperature in cultured hamster fibroblasts (V-79) and HeLa-S3 cells.

Abstract The rates of intracellular DNA synthesis at various temperatures between 39 ° and 31 °C were determined in hamster fibroblasts and HeLa cells by measuring average amounts of 3H-thymidine incorporated per cell in S phase per unit of time. The energy of activation and Q10 for intracellular DNA synthesis were calculated from the slopes of the relative rates of DNA synthesis in HeLa cells and hamster fibroblasts vs. time, plotted on Arrhenius coordinates. In both cell types the incorporation of thymidine into DNA is characterized by an energy of activation of 21 000 calories/mole and a Q10 of 2.94. The absolute rates of DNA synthesis were determined in hamster cells at various temperatures, with values ranging from 1.44 to 0.60 × 10−14 g DNA/ min/cell at 39 ° to 31 °C, respectively. The length of the S phase of the hamster cell was calculated over a 39 ° to 31 °C range, and found to be 5.0 to 11.9 h, respectively. It is concluded that the S phase length is partly determined by the rate of temperature-dependent DNA synthesis.