cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Legislative Representation, Bargaining Power and the Distribution of Federal Funds: Evidence from the US Congress*

This article investigates the relationship between representation in legislatures and the geographic distribution of federal funds. In a legislative bargaining model, we demonstrate that funds are concentrated in high representation areas, and two channels underlie this result. The proposal power channel reflects the role of representation in committee assignments, and the vote cost channel reflects the role of representation in coalition formation. In our empirical analysis, we find that small states, relative to large states, receive more funding in the US Senate, relative to the House. We also find empirical support for the two channels underlying this relationship. Throughout the history of federations and international organisations, a key consti tutional design question involves how jurisdictions of different sizes are represented in legislative bodies and how their votes will ultimately be weighted. Large jurisdictions typically argue for delegation sizes or voting weights that are roughly proportional to population whereas small jurisdictions typically argue for an equal number of delegates or votes for each jurisdiction. This conflict over representation is presumably driven, at least in part, by a belief that increased representation strengthens bargaining power in the battle over the geographic distribution of funds authorised by these legislative bodies. In this article, I analyse the relationship between legislative representation, bar gaining power and the geographic distribution of federal funds from both a theoretical and empirical perspective. In addition to investigating the existence of a relationship between representation and federal funds, I also explore the underlying mechanisms. That is, I ask which political institutions, such as agenda control provided to commit tees and the formation of coalitions under majority rule, shape the bargaining power of jurisdictions in central legislatures and thus facilitate the relationship between repre sentation and the distribution of federal spending. To provide a framework for analysing these issues, I begin by developing a simple theoretical model of a central legislature that determines the crossjurisdiction distri bution of local public goods, which are financed by a national tax base. Both delegation sizes and population are variable, allowing me to consider a variety of institutional arrangements for jurisdictional representation. Legislators represent local interests, and, given the common pool problem associated with concentrated benefits and dis persed tax costs, attempt to increase ownjurisdiction spending but to restrain spending elsewhere. The model follows a recent literature on legislative bargaining, in which a proposer must secure a majority of votes in order to pass legislation and, due to the
A Signalling Model of Interventions

This chapter develops a formal model where interventions are fully neutralized and signal future changes in monetary policy. Of key interest is the determination of exchange rates as a function of intervention policies. Thereby the formation of private sector expectations will be crucial for the analysis.
Recent Advances in Photorefractive Organic Materials

The photorefractive (PR) properties of high performance PR organic monolithic glasses containing dicyanomethylenedihydrofuran (DCDHF) chromophores are reviewed. Two-beam coupling net gain coefficients of ~200-400 cm-1 were obtained at the wavelengths of 676 nm and 830 nm. Beam self-focusing and defocusing observed in DCDHF glasses are discussed. Beam guiding in the optically induced waveguide is demonstrated.
Stimulation of gastric secretion in man by theophylline ethylenediamine.

SummaryTheophylline stimulates the secretion of acid gastric juice in man on oral or intravenous administration.
The evolution of aneurysmal bone cyst

The rare opportunity arose to observe an aneurysmal bone cyst first from a biopsy and then one year later in the resected specimen. The differing appearances of these two and the growing belief that this condition represents a dynamic process, prompted a review of the 6 cases filed at the Adelaide Children's Hospital over the years 1964-1971. Their histological features are used as criteria for classifying them into stages by means of which they are 'plotted' on an evolutionary 'graph'. The pattern which emerges appears to indicate that the aneurysmal bone cyst starts as a densely cellular lesion (histologically resembling giantcell tumour of bone), passes through a fibro-osseous phase in which fibrous tissue becomes predominant, sinusoidal blood vessels become prominent (and where there may be some resemblance to fibrous dysplasia), and finishes its evolutionary development as the familiar, typical, honeycombed, predominantly vascular lesion of the fully developed aneurysmal bone cyst. It is important to recognize the evolutionary nature of this benign lesion so that needless surgery may be avoided, but that action may be taken before it 'grows' to such a size that a mutilating procedure is inevitable.
Expression of Fibronectin in Gingival Tissues of Experimental Periodontitis

Objective: To observe the expression of fibronectin in gingival tissues of experimental periodontitis. Methods: A total of 26 Wistar rats, male, eight-week-old, were used, 20 of which were randomly chosen as experimental objects and 6 as control ones. The experimental objects were randomly divided into 2 groups with equal numbers, then ligated with silk suture and fed with high glucose diet for 4 weeks and 8 weeks respectively. By using immunohistochemistry, the expression of fibronectin healthy gingival tissues and periodontitis gingival tissues was observed. Results: In healthy gingival tissues, fibronectin showed a relative diffuse distribution in the gingival connective tissue matrix. In periodontitis gingival tissues, the expression of fibronectin indicated a regional specificity.Fibronectin expressed decreasingly in the upmost subepithelium gingival connective tissue matrix, while increasely in the basal surface of base cell beneath the junctional epithelium root apex. The expression intensity and circumscription was enhanced with junctional epithelium root apex proliferation. Conclusions: Inflammation stimulus decreased the expression of fibronectin in the centrinflammation's gingival connective tissue matrix, and breakdown collagen-matrix wire frame texture; Inflammation stimulus increased the expression of fibronectin in the basal surface of base cell of the junctional epithelium root apex. The expression intensity and circumscription were enhanced with junctional epithelium root apex proliferation; Fibronectin possibly participates in epithelium cells proliferationand transference of junctional epithelium for root apex direction.
Glycomaterials for probing host–pathogen interactions and the immune response

The initial engagement of host cells by pathogens is often mediated by glycan structures presented on the cell surface. Various components of the glycocalyx can be targeted by pathogens for adhesion to facilitate infection. Glycans also play integral roles in the modulation of the host immune response to infection. Therefore, understanding the parameters that define glycan interactions with both pathogens and the various components of the host immune system can aid in the development of strategies to prevent, interrupt, or manage infection. Glycomaterials provide a unique and powerful tool with which to interrogate the compositional and functional complexity of the glycocalyx. The objective of this review is to highlight some key contributions from this area of research in deciphering the mechanisms of pathogenesis and the associated host response.
Globalization of Craniofacial Plastic Surgery: Foreign Mission Programs for Cleft Lip and Palate.

International Humanitarian Interchanges are a bona fide component of surgery and medicine. Additionally, these programs also provide substantial benefit both to the doers and the recipients. The foreign mission program is potentially a weapon of foreign policy which is underutilized and underestimated. Physician job dissatisfaction is increasing. However, the happiness and satisfaction of the participants in the short-term multidisciplinary trips, repeated, well-organized and respectful, with rather complete integration of the surgical system of the sister countries (“Plan B”), approaches 100%. The theory of the International Humanitarian Interchanges is based on substance, on medical theory. These trips are particularly successful in interchanges with medium-resourced countries. Furthermore, the academic visiting professor (“Plan A”: hi-resource place to hi-resource place), the One Man Can Save the World model (“Plan C”: to the low-resource place), and the intriguing Horton Peace Plan have possibilities for long-term benefit to the doer, recipient, the field of surgery, and the body of knowledge. In all of these, our country and the family of nations advance. The theoretical basis is not always religious nor the grand strategy plan; both have either proselytizing or political dominance as primary motives, and are mentioned as historically helpful.
The Covalently Linked Sacculus: the Nona-Muropeptide Model

A bacterial cell wears a stress-bearing suit of armor: the sacculus or exoskeleton. In E. coli it is composed of hundreds of thousands of disaccharide penta-muropeptides polymerized together. There are even more in the Grampositive B. subtilis. Of course, the penta-muropeptide units are held together by strong covalent bonds, as shown in Figure 6.1, and these individual units are bound together with additional covalent bonds to make the sacculus strong.
Patient data management in neonatal intensive care.

Unique problems arise when computers are used in a clinical environment, but detailed planning before installation can prevent failure and promote routine use of the system. The experience of the Perinatology Center at New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center illustrates one successful approach to these difficulties.
Labour Union Power and Cost-Inflation

Trade union structure varies in different countries, and the role of labour union power in inflation varies accordingly. This is true not merely with respect to the amount of power, but, much more important, with respect to its nature and to the context in which it operates. The conditions envisaged in this paper are mainly those of the economy of the U.S.A. However, I believe (and hope) that the arguments presented will have general validity wherever similar conditions are found. It will be assumed that stable prices are desirable, with no rebuttal attempted against those who like inflation (only a little, of course, and not too fast). The definition of inflation is also not discussed — it does not appear necessary to limit the positions here taken by tying them to any particular definition.
Coda: Postmetropolis and the Art of Fabrication

The city is at an end, announced Rem Koolhaas as we approached the millennium (1999b); a proposition posed in less categorical terms by Kevin Robins (1994), Rob Shields (1996) and in Edward W. Soja’s reflections on the postmetropolis (1995, 1997, 2000). We seem to be pitched into a future ‘no-place’ beyond ourselves. In fact, however, few of these thinkers want in the end to suggest the city or metropolis has arrived at a final terminus, but that a kind of city or its representation is now in crisis, requiring us to comprehend a double condition of simultaneous decline and emergence: in short of reflexive transformation.
Control of $$\Lambda $$-adic Mordell–Weil Groups

The (pro) \(\Lambda \)-MW group is a projective limit of Mordell–Weil groups over a number field k (made out of modular Jacobians) with an action of the Iwasawa algebra and the “big” Hecke algebra. We prove a control theorem of the ordinary part of the \(\Lambda \)-MW groups under mild assumptions. We have proven a similar control theorem for the dual completed inductive limit in [21].
Structurally Linked Dynamics in Lactate Dehydrogenases of Evolutionarily Distinct Species.

We present new findings about how primary and secondary structure affects the role of fast protein motions in the reaction coordinates of enzymatic reactions. Using transition path sampling and committor distribution analysis, we examined the difference in the role of these fast protein motions in the reaction coordinate of lactate dehydrogenases (LDHs) of Apicomplexa organisms Plasmodium falciparum and Cryptosporidium parvum. Having evolved separately from a common malate dehydrogenase ancestor, the two enzymes exhibit several important structural differences, notably a five-amino acid insertion in the active site loop of P. falciparum LDH. We find that these active site differences between the two organisms’ LDHs likely cause a decrease in the contribution of the previously determined LDH rate-promoting vibration to the reaction coordinate of P. falciparum LDH compared to that of C. parvum LDH, specifically in the coupling of the rate-promoting vibration and the hydride transfer. This effect, while subt...
Step up switching capacitor DC-to-DC converter using ferroelectric capacitor

Ferroelectric capacitors based on thin films such as lead zirconate Titanate(PZT) and strontium bismuth titanate (SBT) have capacitance density and significant spontaneous polarization. DC-DC switching polarization switching converter is presented in this paper with the utilization of ferroelectric capacitor. The topology used in this converter is series and parallel which is analyzed using calculations, simulation and experimental results. The performance of these converters are compared with linear capacitors. Due to polarization switching, these converters show better performance in terms of higher output power compared to linear capacitors.
Stalking on the College Campus: The Influence of Suitable Target and Guardianship Variables on Victimization Comparing Male and Female Students

Current estimates predict that more than 5% of men and 8% women will be stalked at some point in their lifetime, and up to 6% of both men and women will be stalked during their time at college. Whi...
Publishing Network Services with ISA 2006 Firewalls

This chapter describes the publishing of network services with ISA 2006 Firewalls. Web Publishing and Server Publishing Rules allows one to make servers and services on ISA firewall Protected Networks available to users on both protected and nonprotected networks. One of the major advantages of using Web Publishing Rules to publish Web sites on protected networks is the ISA firewall's ability to perform very deep application-layer inspection on all connections made to published Web sites. Web Publishing Rules allow you to redirect connections based on the path indicated by the external user. It is found that when subsequent users make requests for the same content on the published Web server, the content is served from the ISA firewall's Web cache instead of being fetched from the Web server itself. Caching responses from published Web sites reduces the load on the published Web server and on any network segments between the ISA firewall and the published Web server. It is observed that the ISA firewall includes two wizards for publishing Mail Servers right out of the box.
Predictors of exclusive breastfeeding across three time points in Bangladesh: an examination of the 2007, 2011 and 2014 Demographic and Health Survey.

Background The objective of this study was to explore predictors of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) in Bangladesh using data from 2007, 2011 and 2014, specifically focusing on potential reasons why rates of EBF changed over those time periods. Methods Data on mother/infant pairs with infants <6 months of age were examined at the three time points using the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey. The EBF prevalence, changes in EBF since the previous survey and determinants of EBF at each time period were examined using t-tests, χ2 and multilevel logistic regression. Results The prevalence of EBF was 42.5, 65 and 59.4% in 2007, 2011 and 2014, respectively. The age of the child was significantly associated with EBF across all time points. The largest changes in EBF occurred in the 3- to 5-month age group. Predictors of EBF in this specific age group were similar to overall predictors (e.g. age of the child and region). Participation of the mother in household decisions was a significant predictor in 2014. Conclusions EBF prevalence in Bangladesh increased between 2007 and 2011 and then decreased between 2011 and 2014. The increase in 2011 may have been the result of widespread initiatives to promote EBF in that time frame. Due to the unexplained decrease in EBF between 2011 and 2014, there is still a need for interventions such as peer counselling, antenatal education and community awareness to promote EBF.
Bored by Interest: How Intrinsic Motivation in One Task Can Reduce Performance on Other Tasks

While existing research has demonstrated that intrinsic motivation can increase task performance, jobs are composed of multiple tasks, and it remains to be seen how intrinsic motivation in one task...
PREPARATION AND PROPERTIES OF CELLULOSE BLENDS IN DIMETHYLSULFOXIDE SOLUTION

ABSTRACT Solutions of cellulose where prepared via the in situ formation of cellulose methylols by heating mixtures of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), paraformaldehyde (PF) and Whatman Filter paper. These 1.0 percent stock solutions of cellulose were used to prepare homogeneous blends of other DMSO soluble polymers with cellulose. Clear homogeneous solutions of polyacrylonitrile (PAN), polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) were prepared as 0.3, 1.0 and 3.0 percent solutions in 1.0 percent solutions of cellulose dissolved in DMSO:PF, These solutions were characterized using Brookfield viscometry and used to cast cellulose films containing various amounts of PAN, PVP and PVA. These films were characterized physically and found to exhibit tensile strengths ranging between 130 and 540 kg/cm2 as a function of the cellulose polyblend composition. The films were characterized morphologically via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the cellulose/PVA films were found to be porous. The average pore diameter varied between 5.0 and 80.0 microns as a function of film composition.
The Set of Real Numbers

This text consists of many assertions, some big, some small, some almost insignificant. These assertions are obtained from the properties of the real numbers by logical reasoning. Assertions that are especially important are called theorems. An assertion’s importance is gauged by many factors, including its depth, how many other assertions it depends on, its breadth, how many other assertions are explained by it, and its level of symmetry. The later portions of the text depend on every single assertion, no matter how small, made in Chapter 1.
Measurement of nest cavity volume by the honey bee (Apis mellifera)

1. Honey bee swarms exercise considerable care when selecting a nest site. One nest site variable evaluated by bees is cavity volume. 2. The volume distribution of natural nests (Fig. 1) has a wide range (12 to 4431 observed), but most nest volumes are clustered in the 20- to 100-1 subrange. The modal volume is approximately 351. This distribution reflects a process of volume selection among potential nest cavities when a swarm chooses its nest site. For example, swarms prefer 40-1 to 10 and 100-1 nest cavities. In nature, the volume-selection process operates primarily by rejecting undersized cavities, but also by rejecting oversized cavities. 3. The observed limit in resolution power of volume perception was discrimination between cubes differing by 151. 4. A swarm's preference in nest cavity volume is independent of swarm size. 5. A scout bee's inspection of a nest site spans approximately 40 min. During this time a scout spends, most of her time at the nest site, engaged in numerous brief inspections inside and outside the nest cavity. When inside a cavity, a scout's principal behavior is rapid walking about the cavity's inner surfaces. The pattern of walking movements over successive interior inspections shows (1) a general progression from walking mostly near the entrance to walking deeper inside the cavity, and (2) a tendency to traverse different regions of the cavity's interior surface on different inspections. 6. Honey bees can measure cavity volume if at least one of two conditions is fulfilled: (1) the cavity interior is well illuminated, or (2) the cavity's inner surfaces can be completely traversed by walking. The natural conditions for volume perception are probably low (<0.5 lux) cavity illumination, but traversable inner surfaces. The importance of walking to volume perception was demonstrated by manipulating scout bees' perceptions of a cavity's volume by varying the amount of walking required to move between points inside the cavity. The hypothesis is presented that scouts measure the volumes of dimly illuminated cavities by integration information on the distances and directions of walking movements made inside the cavity.
Intercalation of water into lithium β-alumina☆

Abstract Infrared absorption, neutron diffraction and weight loss techniques have been used to inverstigate the hydration of single crystals of Li β-alumina. The hydration is a reversible intercalation reaction. Up to approximately two water molecules per formula unit can penetrate the conduction plane. Other protonated species are formed from the dissociation of the molecular water. The rate of hydration is controlled by the diffusion of water in the conduction plane. A likely diffusion mechanism requires dissociation of the water and an interstitialcy motion of the oxygen.
Advancing scholarly writing of baccalaureate nursing students using the knowledge, skills, and attitude self-assessment for writing development.

Abstract Background Baccalaureate nursing students often demonstrate basic oral and written communication skills and have varying levels of skill with scholarly writing. Current instructional approaches may not fully prepare students for scholarly writing expectations. Objective To determine undergraduate baccalaureate nursing students' self-assessed ability to demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of scholarly writing. Design Quantitative correlational descriptive study. Setting Undergraduate nursing programs in the United States. Participants A convenience sample of baccalaureate nursing students in the United States. Methods A national sample of 125 undergraduate nursing students self-assessed their use of the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of scholarly writing over a two-month period. The project also sought to determine the association between writing knowledge, skills and attitudes and demographic variables of baccalaureate nursing students. Results Participants believe they know the basic components of scholarly writing. However, they have difficulty using abstract components of writing such as managing the emotional aspect associated with writing. Select personal and demographic variables were not associated with scholarly writing self-assessment, indicating that other factors may influence scholarly writing development. Conclusion Teaching and learning strategies that incorporate the knowledge, skills, and attitudes associated with scholarly writing can be used to advance current instructional approaches and ultimately, better facilitate writing development in baccalaureate nursing students. Self-assessments can be used to identify ongoing student development needs for scholarly writing and can direct writing instruction.
Maximizing The Revenue of Energy Storage Systems in Market Areas Considering Nonlinear Storage Efficiencies

Techno-economic analyses of energy storage currently use constant-efficiency energy flow models. In practice, charge/discharge efficiency of energy storage varies as a function of state-of-charge, temperature, charge/discharge power. Therefore, using the constant-efficiency energy flow models will cause suboptimal results. This work focuses on incorporating nonlinear energy flow models based on nonlinear efficiency models in the revenue maximization problem of energy storage. Dynamic programming is used to solve the optimization problem. A case studies is conducted to maximize the revenue of a Vanadium Redox Flow Battery (VRFB) system in PJM's energy and frequency regulation market.
A Novel Proof-of-Concept Sandwich Immunoassay for Screening Microcystin in Cyanobacteria Based on Michael Addition Reaction

We present an innovative concept of a screening tool for detecting free microcystin in cyanobacteria using a sandwich immunodetection format, based on Michael addition reaction between α,β-unsaturated carbonyl moiety of microcystin and thiol of coating substance. This proof-of-concept immunoassay was developed using bovine serum albumin as a microcystin-binding model, and was tested with toxic Microcystis samples. The preliminary results indicate that the proposed Michael addition-based immunodetection is promising and can be used as a platform for further development to become a useful tool for free microcystin analysis in various samples in the future.
Neonatal intermittent hypoxemia events are associated with diagnosis of bronchopulmonary dysplasia at 36 weeks postmenstrual age

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a chronic lung disease and major pulmonary complication after premature birth. We have previously shown that increased intermittent hypoxemia (IH) events have been correlated to adverse outcomes and mortality in extremely premature infants. We hypothesize that early IH patterns are associated with the development of BPD. IH frequency, duration, and nadirs were assessed using oxygen saturation (SpO2) waveforms in a retrospective cohort of 137 extremely premature newborns (<28 weeks gestation). Daily levels of inspired oxygen and mean airway pressure exposures were also recorded. Diagnosis of BPD at 36 weeks postmenstrual age was associated with increased daily IH, longer IH duration, and a higher IH nadir. Significant differences were detected through day 7 to day 26 of life. Infants who developed BPD had lower mean SpO2 despite their exposure to increased inspired oxygen and increased mean airway pressure. BPD was associated with more frequent, longer, and less severe IH events in addition to increased oxygen and pressure exposure within the first 26 days of life. Early IH patterns may contribute to the development of BPD or aid in identification of neonates at high risk.
Listing practices and graft utilization of hepatitis C-positive deceased donors in liver and kidney transplant.

Abstract Background The opioid epidemic has resulted in increasing the incidence of hepatitis C virus in the general population and more deceased organ donors with hepatitis C in the United States. We aim to describe how the changing donor landscape affects patterns of liver and kidney transplantation among donors, waitlist candidates, and transplanted recipients. Methods Using data supplied by the United Network for Organ Sharing, we examined donor hepatitis C virus antibody (Ab) and nucleic acid testing (NAT) status, center waitlist patterns, and liver and kidney transplants and discards between 2015 and 2017 by 6-month periods. Results We observed an increase in donors with any marker of the hepatitis C virus (n = 283 [6.2%] in period 1 to n = 384 [7.4%] in period 5, P = .008) and antibody positive nucleic acid testing negative donors (n = 81 [1.8%] in period 1 to n = 131 [2.5%] in period 5, P Conclusion The number of donors with the hepatitis C virus is increasing. We observed a concomitant increase in the transplantation of kidneys and livers from aviremic donors, and the recipient population of these organs is increasingly hepatitis C virus negative.
Oligophenylenevinylene Phane Dimers: Probing the Effect of Contact Site on the Optical Properties of Bichromophoric Pairs

Paracyclophane derivatives have been prepared that may be considered models of bichromophoric contacts in the solid. The optical properties of these compounds give insight into how bringing two chromophores into close proximity affects the photophysics of the pair. Thus, reaction of 4,7,12,15-tetrabromo[2.2]paracyclophane (4,7,12,15-Br4Pc) with excess 4-tert-butylstyrene using Pd(OAc)2 under phase transfer conditions affords 4,7,12,15-tetra(4-tert-butylstyryl)[2.2]paracyclophane (3RD). The connectivity of 3RD models a contact between two distyrylbenzene molecules across the central ring. Reaction of 4,7,12,15-Br4Pc with 4-(4-tert-butylstyryl)styrene (TBSS) under similar conditions gives 4,7,12,15-tetra(4-(4‘-tert-butylstyryl)styryl)[2.2]paracyclophane (5RD). In 5RD two oligophenylenevinylene units containing five phenyl rings are connected via their central ring. Similar reaction protocols gave 2,5-dimethyl-1,4-di(4-tert-butylstyryl)benzene (3R) and 2,5-dimethyl-1,4-bis[4-(4‘-tert-butylstyryl)styryl]benze...
Selective inhibition of progesterone receptor in osteochondral progenitor cells, but not in mature chondrocytes, modulated subchondral bone structures.

Abstract Objective The presence or relative proportion of progesterone nuclear receptors (PR) in different tissues may contribute to sexual dimorphism in these tissues. PR is expressed in chondrocytes, but its function is mostly unknown. We hypothesized that the PR may regulate chondrocyte metabolism and affect subchondral bone structure. Methods We utilized genetic fate mapping and immunohistochemistry to elucidate PR expression in and effect on cartilage. To define sex-dependent and chondrocyte-specific effects of the PR on subchondral bone, we selectively deleted PR in osteochondrogenic progenitor cells marked by Prx1 (Prx1; PRcKO) and Collagen 2 (Col2; PRcKO), or in matured chondrocytes marked by aggrecan (Acan; PRcKO) and evaluated subchondral bone structure at 4 months of age. Chondrocyte aging was monitored by anti-senescence marker p16INK4a, and MMP13, one of the Senescence-Associated Secretary Phenotype (SASP) components. Results Compared to wild-type (WT) mice, the female Prx1; PRcKO and the Col2; PRcKO mice had greater total subchondral bone volume and greater subchondral cortical bone thickness, with increased estimated subchondral bone stiffness and failure load in both female and male Col2; PRcKO mice. Moreover, Col2; PRcKO mice from both sexes had greater bone formation and bone strength at the femurs. In contrast, we did not observe any subchondral bone changes in Acan; PRcKO mice other than higher work-to-failure observed in the male Acan; PRcKO mice. Despite no detected difference in articular cartilage between the WT and the PR; chondrocyte conditional deletion mice, there were greater numbers of senescent chondrocytes and increased MMP13 expression, especially in the male mutant mice. Conclusion These findings suggest that selective inhibition of PR in osteoprogenitor cells, but not in terminally differentiated chondrocytes, induced an increased subchondral bone phenotype and high estimated subchondral bone strength, which might be associated with the development of osteoarthritis in older age.
Leveraging Bayesian networks and information theory to learn risk factors for breast cancer metastasis.

Even though we have established a few risk factors for metastatic breast cancer (MBC) through epidemiologic studies, these risk factors have not proven to be effective in predicting an individual’s risk of developing metastasis. Therefore, identifying critical risk factors for MBC continues to be a major research imperative, and one which can lead to advances in breast cancer clinical care. The objective of this research is to leverage Bayesian Networks (BN) and information theory to identify key risk factors for breast cancer metastasis from data. We develop the Markov Blanket and Interactive risk factor Learner (MBIL) algorithm, which learns single and interactive risk factors having a direct influence on a patient’s outcome. We evaluate the effectiveness of MBIL using simulated datasets, and compare MBIL with the BN learning algorithms Fast Greedy Search (FGS), PC algorithm (PC), and CPC algorithm (CPC). We apply MBIL to learn risk factors for 5 year breast cancer metastasis using a clinical dataset we curated. We evaluate the learned risk factors by consulting with breast cancer experts and literature. We further evaluate the effectiveness of MBIL at learning risk factors for breast cancer metastasis by comparing it to the BN learning algorithms Necessary Path Condition (NPC) and Greedy Equivalent Search (GES). The averages of the Jaccard index for the simulated datasets containing 2000 records were 0.705, 0.272, 0.228, and 0.147 for MBIL, FGS, PC, and CPC respectively. MBIL, NPC, and GES all learned that grade and lymph_nodes_positive are direct risk factors for 5 year metastasis. Only MBIL and NPC found that surgical_margins is a direct risk factor. Only NPC found that invasive is a direct risk factor. MBIL learned that HER2 and ER interact to directly affect 5 year metastasis. Neither GES nor NPC learned that HER2 and ER are direct risk factors. The results involving simulated datasets indicated that MBIL can learn direct risk factors substantially better than standard Bayesian network learning algorithms. An application of MBIL to a real breast cancer dataset identified both single and interactive risk factors that directly influence breast cancer metastasis, which can be investigated further.
This is What Democracy Looks Like: Title IX and the Legitimacy of the Administrative State

We are, once again, in the middle of a battle over the legitimacy of the administrative state. An increasingly vocal band of scholars criticizes administrative agencies as unaccountable, elitist, captured, and implementing bad policy. The more populist elements of the Trump Administration’s rhetoric have taken this critique to a broader audience, to great political effect. Though the picture is complex, the Roberts Court has appeared sympathetic to important aspects of the critique. Agencies enforcing civil rights laws — and particularly the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) — have been a principal target of the critics of the administrative state. With The Transformation of Title IX, R. Shep Melnick steps into this fight — and he takes the side of those who find OCR’s actions illegitimate. Melnick focuses particularly on three especially controversial contexts in which the courts and OCR have applied the statute: intercollegiate athletics, campus sexual harassment and assault, and the treatment of transgender students in elementary and secondary schools. He argues that OCR and the courts have, through a process of “institutional leapfrogging,” steadily adopted more and more intrusive rules governing educational entities. He contends that these rules are highly contestable and neither specifically required by the statutory text nor envisioned by the statute’s drafters. But, he argues, the leapfrogging process — in which the agency pushes forward, then the courts go a bit farther than the agency, then the agency goes even a bit farther, and so on — has enabled these massive innovations in the law to fly under the radar and evade democratic checks or debate. This piece reviews The Transformation of Title IX. The book offers an important take on some issues of high public salience. It reflects a detailed immersion in the operations of OCR, as well as a strong understanding of the legal-doctrinal issues. But the book’s thesis is fundamentally misguided. OCR has not subverted or evaded democracy. Rather, the agency has served as a catalyst for democratic debate, a forum in which that debate has played out, and an implementer of the will of the people. The Title IX experience rather supports the claim made by some scholars that administrative agencies can be a key locus of democratic deliberation over the scope of basic rights.
Association between Antiretroviral Therapy and Cancers among Children Living with HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa

Approximately 91% of the world's children living with HIV (CLWH) are in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Living with HIV confers a risk of developing HIV-associated cancers. To determine the incidence and risk factors for cancer among CLWH, we conducted a nested case-control study of children 0-18 years from 2004-2014 at five centers in four SSA countries. Incident cases of cancer and HIV were frequency-matched to controls with HIV and no cancer. We calculated the incidence density by cancer type, logistic regression, and relative risk to evaluate risk factors of cancer. The adjusted incidence density of all cancers, Kaposi sarcoma, and lymphoma were 47.6, 36.6, and 8.94 per 100,000 person-years, respectively. Delayed ART until after 2 years of age was associated with cancer (OR = 2.71, 95% CI 1.51, 4.89) even after adjusting for World Health Organization clinical stage at the time of enrolment for HIV care (OR = 2.85, 95% CI 1.57, 5.13). The relative risk of cancer associated with severe CD4 suppression was 6.19 (p = 0.0002), 2.33 (p = 0.0042), and 1.77 (p = 0.0305) at 1, 5, and 10 years of ART, respectively. The study demonstrates the high risk of cancers in CLWH and the potential benefit of reducing this risk by the early initiation of ART.
Governing Heritable Human Genome Editing: A Textual History and a Proposal for the Future.

Heritable human genome editing (HHGE) has become a topic of intense public interest, especially since 2015. In the early 1980s, a related topic—human genetic engineering—was the subject of sustaine...
Successive reactions in field induced fragmentation spectra from tandem ion mobility spectrometry at ambient pressure and their influence on classification by neural networks

Abstract Field-induced fragmentation (FIF) spectra were obtained for mobility isolated protonated monomers of volatile organic compounds from six chemical families at 130 to 157 Td in the reactive stage of a tandem ion mobility spectrometer at 98 °C. The extent of fragmentation at ambient pressure increased linearly with field strength for n-alcohols of carbon number 3 to 5, for n-akyl acetates of carbon numbers 4 to 11, and for n-aldehydes and ethers not previously fragmented at 129 Td and 93 °C. Efficiencies of fragmentation at 157 Td ranged from 57 to 100% for n-alcohols, 25–100% for n-alkyl acetates of carbon numbers 5 to 8 (10–29% for carbon numbers 9 to 11), 29–84% for ethers of carbon numbers 8 and below, and 7–57% for n-alkanes of carbon numbers 7 to 11. Multiple, low mass ions in FIF spectra were attributed to second and third levels of fragmentation with identical reduced mobility coefficients characteristic of a chemical class. Differences in fragment ion patterns between chemical classes were attributed to structural information from field-induced fragmentation. Classification by chemical class using neural networks was significantly improved for acetates and aldehydes with increased fragmentation at 157 Td. Spectra without fragmentation were poorly classified. Models of ion energy within the reactive stage suggested that ions undergoing decomposition were not symmetrically distributed between etched metal grids in the reactive stage.
Emotional Quotient and Intelligence Quotient on Behavioral Finance and Investment Performance

Investing is increasingly becoming an important way of creating wealth. Successful investment requires one to have proper analytical skills, intelligence, emotional control, and common sense. It also requires investors to behave rationally when making decisions and consider logic rather than emotions or perceptions. The purpose of the study is to examine whether education, emotional quotient, and intelligence quotient have a positive influence on investment performance and decision-making. In addressing the research problem, there is a review of previous literature on the topic. The review provides an understanding of the contribution of other authors in understanding the link between EQ, IQ, and education in investment performance and decision-making. According to the findings, EQ has a positive effect on investment decisions and performance. Individuals with high levels of IQ are more likely to take risks than the ones with low IQ. It demonstrates the effects of an individual’s cognitive ability on decision-making and investment performance. The research has also indicated that education and experience are critical in making investment decisions.
Computer Technology, Human Labor, and Long-Run Economic Growth

Over the coming century, computer technology is likely to become capable of reproducing a large portion of the tasks performed by human labor. This paper develops a model of the aggregate economic growth that results when work tasks are transferred from humans to physical capital. The model makes it possible to derive the economic growth implications of different levels of future computer ability. Under plausible technological assumptions, projected growth rates from the future application of computers are substantially larger than growth rates experienced over the past century. These results suggest that projections of economic growth for the coming century require careful attention to estimates of the future change in computer technology. In addition, a version of the model is developed that is constrained to produce fixed factor shares so that it can be fit to historical data. This constraint causes projected economic growth to become even more extreme for higher levels of future computer ability.
Specific Stimulatory and Cytotoxic Effects of Lymphocytes Sensitized in Vitro to Either Alloantigens or Tumor Antigens

Lymph node cells (LNC) or spleen cells from normal BALB/c mice were sensitized in vitro by co-cultivation with mitomycin C-treated allogeneic sarcoma cells, and their reactivity measured with a microcytotoxicity assay. Following 5 days of sensitization, a specific cytotoxic effect against tumor cells carrying the sensitizing alloantigens was observed; this is in agreement with previously published findings. Lymphoid cells tested after 3 days of sensitization, however, specifically increased the number of target cells remaining in the Microtest plates at the conclusion of the microcytotoxicity assays. LNC from normal BALB/c mice were also sensitized in vitro against tumor specific antigens using four different methylcholanthrene-induced sarcomas of BALB/c origin. After 6 days of sensitization the LNC were specifically cytotoxic for the immunizing tumor cell line. After 3 days of sensitization, however, the LNC gave a specific increase of the number of remaining target tumor cells.
Ontogenesis of hypothalamic--pituitary--thyroid function and metabolism in man, sheep, and rat.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the maturation of hypothalamus and thyroid function. It also discusses the maturation of the neurovascular communication system between the hypothalamus and pituitary in a newborn rat. It is a progressive process continuing throughout the period of hypothalamic maturation. By 17 days of gestation, the pituitary gland is surrounded by a capillary network and separated from the brain by a thin layer of mesenchyme and capillaries—this is referred to as the supra-tuberal plexus, or the secondary plexus of the portal system. The chapter illustrates Triiodothyronine (T3) production rates in rats at different times after birth. In the illustration, T3 production rates, per 100 body weight are plotted as mean and SEM. The general pattern of ontogenesis of the hypothalamic-pituitarythyroid system in the human, sheep, and rat species is similar. The timing of the several stages relative to parturition differs in the rat. Human and sheep fetuses are delivered toward the end of the stage of development of neuroendocrine control and early in the period of maturation of tissue metabolic systems. In contrast, the rat is delivered soon after completion of embryogenesis of the thyroid and pituitary glands early in stage II maturation of the hypothalamus.
Improvements in multi‐joint leg function following chronic eccentric exercise

Previous authors have reported that chronic eccentric cycling facilitates greater changes in multi-joint leg function (hopping frequency, maximum jumping height) compared with concentric cycling. Our purpose was to evaluate changes in leg spring stiffness and maximum power following eccentric and concentric cycling training. Twelve individuals performed either eccentric (n=6) or concentric (n=6) cycling for 7 weeks (3 sessions/week) while training duration progressively increased. Participants performed trials of submaximal hopping, maximal counter movement jumps, and maximal concentric cycling to evaluate leg spring stiffness, maximum jumping power, and maximum concentric cycling power respectively, before and 1 week following training. Total work during training did not differ between eccentric and concentric cycling (126 ± 15-728 ± 91 kJ vs 125 ± 10-787 ± 76 kJ). Following training, eccentric cycling exhibited greater changes in k(leg) and jumping P(max) compared with CON(cyc) (10 ± 3% vs -2 ± 4% and 7 ± 2% vs -2 ± 3%, respectively, P=0.05). Alterations in CON(cyc) P(max) did not differ between ECC(cyc) (1035 ± 142 vs 1030 ± 133 W) and CON(cyc) (1072 ± 98 vs 1081 ± 85 W). These data demonstrate that eccentric cycling is an effective method for improving leg spring stiffness and maximum power during multi-joint tasks that include stretch-shortening cycles. Improvements in leg spring stiffness and maximum power would be beneficial for both aging and athletic populations.
Physicians' Desk Reference (PDR)

In 1988, Medical Economics Company Inc. introduced a CD-ROM Product incorporating the contents of its four printed volumes: Physicians' Desk Reference (PDR), the corresponding volumes for nonprescription and ophthalmologic products, and Drug Interactions and Side Effects Index. The powerful search and display capabilities of PDR on CD-ROM permit rapid and user-friendly access to the full text of FDA-approved information on more than 2700 products. Searches may be performed by brand and generic names, manufacturers, therapeutic categories, side effects, and drug interactions, as well as by keywords and phrases from the prescribing information. Special features include automatic checking for interactions in a multi-drug regimen and the ability to simultaneously view the text of two drugs to facilitate comparison.
Probabilistic Modeling of Errors from Structural Optimization Based on Multiple Starting Points

With optimization increasingly used in engineering applications, a series of optimization runs may be required, and it may be too expensive to converge them to very high accuracy. A procedure for estimating average optimization convergence errors from a set of poorly converged optimization runs is developed. A probabilistic model is fitted to the errors in optimal objective function values of poorly converged runs. The Weibull distribution was identified as a reasonable error model both for the Rosenbrock function problem and the structural optimization of a high speed civil transport. Once a statistical model for the error is identified, it can be used to estimate average errors from a set of pairs of runs. In particular, by performing pairs of optimization runs from two starting points, accurate estimates of the mean and standard deviation of the convergence errors can be obtained.
Rheumatic heart disease: prevalence and preventive measures in the Indian subcontinentKeywords: rheumatic heart disease; rheumatic fever

Although once considered a rarity in the Indian subcontinent, the prevalence of rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is now recognised to be very high, particularly among children and young adults.1 Indeed, such was the severity of the problem in developing countries that in 1982 the World Health Organization/International Society and Federation of Cardiology established a committee to combat the disease over a phased period. As a result, the prevalence of RHD has subsided in certain countries in the Middle East, and in Thailand.2 In contrast to previous sources of data upon which to base the prevalence of RHD (for example, necropsies, general population surveys, insurance data3), prevalence figures over the past five years have been derived almost entirely from school surveys. …