cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On the Osteology of the Auditory Region and Orbital Wall in the Extinct West Indian Sloth Genus Neocnus Arredondo, 1961 (Placentalia, Xenarthra, Megalonychidae

ABSTRACT The present study entails a description of several well-preserved skulls from the diminutive, extinct West Indian megalonychid sloth genus Neocnus Arredondo, 1961, recovered from Holocene cave deposits in Haiti and housed in the collections of the Florida Museum of Natural History. Detailed descriptions and illustrations are provided of the external anatomy of the bones in the auditory region and orbital wall, and their suturai connections. The foramina in these regions are also described and illustrated in detail, and their contents reconstructed. The orbitotemporal osteology of Neocnus is compared to its purported closest relatives in the subfamily Choloepodinae, the somewhat larger extinct Antillean sloth genus Acratocnus Anthony, 1961, and the extant two-toed sloth Choloepus Linnaeus, 1758. Contrary to recent phylogenetic hypotheses, which link either Choloepus and Acratocnus or Choloepus and Neocnus as sister taxa, Neocnus and Acratocnus exhibit more similarities to one another in the anatom...
Effect of a Fish Oil–Containing Beverage on Changes in Plasma Lipid Fatty Acids in Patients With Malabsorption

Background: The aim of this pilot study was to assess tolerance of a beverage containing ω-3 fatty acids (fish oil) in patients with malabsorption receiving chronic parenteral nutrition (PN). The authors wanted to determine whether fish oil could be absorbed and incorporated into plasma fatty acids and reduce markers of inflammation. Methods: This was a small intervention study in home-dwelling PN-dependent patients with chronic malabsorption. Ten patients were provided a drink containing 1.5 g of fish oil per day for 12 weeks. Baseline and post–supplement serum fatty acid profiles were compared. Results: Five of 10 patients withdrew from the study because of GI side effects, principally worsened diarrhea, associated with the supplement. Modest increases were found in 20:5ω-3, 22:5ω-3, and 22:6ω-3 levels in both phospholipids and triglycerides in plasma (all P < .05). In phospholipids, a reduced arachidonic acid level was seen (P = .02). These changes were not sufficient to effect improvements in serum tu...
OTEC Gas Desorption Studies

OTEC gas desorption studies were initiated with the goal of mitigating these effects and were carried out in four areas: (1) vacuum deaeration in a packed column, (2) deaeration in a barometric water intake system, (3) noncondensibles disposal through hydraulic air compression, and (4) OTEC deaeration subsystems' analysis. Laboratory experiments to date have completed the vacuum deaeration test of three different kinds of packings, barometric intake deaeration experiments, and a series of hydraulic air compression tests. Preliminary analyses based on the experimental data have shown that, as compared to the previous baseline study, reduction both in deaerator cost and pumping power can be realized with a combination of barometric intake and packed column deaeration. The design and operation of the gas desorption test loop, experimental and computer simulation results obtained, and an analysis of OTEC deaeration subsystem design based on the test results and their implication on OTEC open-cycle power systems are presented.
A comment on disordered fermion couplings and the fermion doubling problem

It is shown that a chirally invariant solution to the fermion doubling problem in two dimensions is inconsistent with perturbation theory. This contradicts previous numerical results.
An evaluation of the potential drug interaction between warfarin and levothyroxine

Summary Background Drug interaction references report that initiation of levothyroxine potentiates the effects of warfarin, and recommend more frequent International Normalized Ratio (INR) monitoring, but the mechanism is not well understood. Objective To assess the impact of levothyroxine initiation on INR response. Patients/Methods A retrospective, self-controlled study was performed on patients aged ≥ 18 years receiving chronic warfarin therapy who were started on levothyroxine between 1 January 2006 and 30 June 2013, and who were followed for 90 days prior to and after levothyroxine initiation. The included patients had at least one elevated thyroid-stimulating hormone laboratory value in the pre-period, continuous warfarin therapy for 100 days prior to levothyroxine initiation, no purchases of medications known to interact with warfarin, no procedures requiring warfarin interruption, and no bleeding or thromboembolic event during the study period. The primary outcome was a comparison of the warfarin dose/INR ratio recorded before the initiation of levothyroxine with the ratio recorded during the post-period after two consecutive INRs with no warfarin dose change. Results One hundred and two patients were included in the primary outcome. The mean warfarin dose/INR ratios in the pre-period and post-period were equivalent (P = 0.825). Although the mean warfarin dose was numerically lower in the post-period than in the pre-period, this difference did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.068). Conclusion No difference in the mean warfarin dose/INR ratio before and after initiation of levothyroxine was detected. The results suggest that there is not a clinically significant interaction between warfarin and levothyroxine, and so additional monitoring may not be necessary.
Fungal biotransformation products of dehydroabietic acid.

Dehydroabietic acid (DHA) (1) is one of the main compounds in Scots pine wood responsible for aquatic and microbial toxicity. The degradation of 1 by Trametes versicolor and Phlebiopsis gigantea in liquid stationary cultures was followed by HPLC-DAD-ELSD. Both fungi rapidly degraded DHA relative to a control. More breakdown products were observed for T. versicolor than for P. gigantea. After 13 days, four compounds were identified by means of spectroscopic methods in P. gigantea cultures: 1 beta-hydroxy-DHA (2), 1 beta,7 alpha-dihydroxy-DHA (3), 1 beta,16-dihydroxy-DHA (5), and tentatively 1 beta-hydroxy-7-oxo-DHA (4). In T. versicolor cultures, 1 beta,16-dihydroxy-DHA (5), 7 beta,16-dihydroxy-DHA (6), 1 beta,7 beta,16-trihydroxy-DHA (7), 1 beta,16-dihydroxy-7-oxo-DHA (8), 1 beta,15-dihydroxy-DHA (9), and 1 beta,7 alpha,16-trihydroxy-DHA (10) were identified after 9 days of incubation. Thus the biotransformation of 1 by the two fungi was different, with only 5 being produced by both strains. Compounds 3, 7, 8, and 10 are reported for the first time as natural products.
A comparison of three case finding methods for opiate addicts: A study among the Hmong in Laos

Various case finding techniques have been employed in the study of narcotic addiction. Each method contains its own bias, though their nature and extent are often not clear. This study was undertaken to evaluate the bias of three case finding techniques: (1) a field survey of addicts (n = 28), (2) patients voluntarily seeking treatment for addiction at the medical facility (n = 81), and (3) patients voluntarily seeking help for addiction at a Buddhist monastery (n = 118). All subjects belonged to the Hmong ethnic group, a tribal people of southeast Asia who grow the opium poppy as a cash crop. Despite the variability in sampling methods, most factors did not show significant differences. These included sex ratio, marital status, occupation, duration of addiction, and number of opiate doses per day. Some differences were noted in current age, age at addiction, and mode of using opium. Possible causes for those observed differences are explored.
On reparametrization and the Gibbs sampler

Gibbs samplers derived under different parametrizations of the target density can have radically different rates of convergence. In this article, we specify conditions under which reparametrization leaves the convergence rate of a Gibbs chain unchanged. An example illustrates how these results can be exploited in convergence rate analyses.
A model for the non-specific binding of catabolite gene activator protein to DNA

The binding of E. coli catabolite gene activator protein (CAP) to non-specific sequences of DNA has been modelled as an electrostatic interaction between four basic side chains of the CAP dimer and the charged phosphates of DNA. Calculation of the electrostatic contribution to the binding free energy at various separations of the two molecules shows that complex formation is favored when CAP and DNA are separated by as much as 12 A. Thus, the long range electrostatic interactions may provide the initial energy for complex formation and also the correct relative orientation of CAP and DNA. The non-specific complex does not involve the penetration of amino acid side chains into the major grooves of DNA and permits 'sliding' of the protein along DNA, which would enhance the rate of association of CAP with the specific site as has been proposed previously for lac repressor. We propose that, as it 'slides', CAP is moving in and out of the major grooves in order to sample the DNA sequence. Recognition of the specific DNA site is achieved by a complementarity in structure and hydrogen bonding between amino acids and the edges of base pairs exposed in the major grooves of DNA.
Preliminary Planning of Road Systems Using Digital Terrain Models

Unlike the traditional way of forest road planning in which the forest engineer manually tries to find alternative routes to access areas scheduled for harvest, a computerized method using data from a digital terrain model is presented. The method identifies feasible road segments, evaluates their variable and fixed cost components and then determines the optimal set of road segments to be used and the year in which the roads are to be constructed.
Free-space optical time-frequency transfer over 2 km

Precision free-space time-frequency transfer could advance fields where present microwave-based transfer is inadequate. We demonstrate an optical free-space link with femtosecond timing deviation and residual instability below 10−18 at 1000 seconds.
Evaluation of modeling procedure for fitting in situ feed degradation profiles.

In situ degradation of feeds is a com- mon methodology used for describing the digestion rate and potential for many chemical components of rumi- nant feedstuffs. The inferences involving the parameters of these procedures may be of questionable accuracy and precision because nonlinear regression techniques that are employed to fit these models do not produce unbiased, normally distributed, and minimum variance parameter estimates until the sample size becomes very large. Therefore, the objective of this experiment was to determine the accuracy and precision of parameter estimates determined by a 2-stage approach (TS; in which individual kinetic parameter estimates are ob- tained in the first stage and population estimates are obtained by arithmetic mean in the second), a 2-stage, geometric mean approach (GEO), and by nonlinear mixed modeling (NLMM) using simulation techniques. An experiment using corn silage NDF was used as a reference for simulating parameter and error structures. For all analyses, 500 experiments were simulated with sampling time points of 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 24, 48, and 72 h. Increasing levels of animal and bag replication were evaluated at 2 levels of residual variability (residual SD of 2.95 (observed from the data; R 2 = 0.985) and 5.90 (2× observed; R 2 = 0.950)). Evaluation of the first- order exponential model with discrete lag revealed that median bias of TS and GEO parameter estimates were more sensitive to increased residual variation and de- gree of replication than NLMM. When residual varia- tion was less, precision of parameter estimates was less affected by estimation procedure; when residual varia- tion was greater, precision of parameter estimates was generally improved by NLMM. From the results of this experiment it is concluded that, in most cases, NLMM is equal or better than TS or GEO from the perspective of minimizing bias and maximizing precision of param- eter estimates.
Experimental evaluation of BeadLoom game: how adding game elements to an educational tool improves motivation and learning

The Virtual Bead Loom (VBL) is a Culturally Situated Design Tool that successfully teaches students middle school math concepts while they learn about and create their own Native American bead artifacts. We developed BeadLoom Game to augment VBL with game elements that encourage players to apply the computational thinking skills of iteration and layering while optimizing the number of steps they take to solve a puzzle. In our prior work, we showed that BeadLoom Game is effective at teaching Cartesian coordinates, iteration, and layering. In this study, we use a switching replications experimental design to compare performance of BeadLoom Game with the VBL. Our results from two summer camps, one for middle school and one for college-bound high school students, show that through the addition of game based objectives, BeadLoom Game teaches Cartesian coordinates as well as the VBL but also teaches the computational thinking practices of iteration and layering.
Long‐term effects of external radiation on the pituitary and thyroid glands

Chronic damage following external irradiation of the normal pituitary and thyroid glands, delivered incidentally during radiotherapy of neoplasms of the head and neck may be more common than has been appreciated in the past. A case of a child who developed pituitary dwarfism 5 1/2 years after radiation therapy has been delivered for an embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma of the naso-pharynx is described. A review of similar cases from the literature is presented. Likewise, external irradiation of the normal thyroid gland produces a spectrum of radiation-induced syndromes. Clinical damage to the pituitary and thyroid glands is usually manifested months to years after treatment and is preceded by a long subclinical phase. A careful exclusion of these glands from radiation treatment fields is recommended whenever possible. An early detection of endocrine function abnormalities in patients receiving radiation to these glands is desirable, since appropriate treatment may prevent the deleterious effects of external irradiation of the pituitary and thyroid glands.
Voice and speech characteristics of persons with Parkinson's disease pre- and post-pallidotomy surgery: preliminary findings.

Pallidotomy surgery, lesioning the globus pallidus internal, has been performed to alleviate Parkinsonian symptoms and drug-induced dyskinesias. Improvements in limb motor function have been report...
Experimental review of double beta decay

Abstract The unique sensitivity of nuclear double beta decay to the existence of Majorana neutrinos of nonzero mass, and to right-handed weak leptonic currents, has inspired the more than 30 experiments now underway or being planned to search for this rare disintegration. These experiments are reviewed, with some discussion of recent positive results for the two-neutrino mode, and the projected neutrino-mass sensitivity of the zero-neutrino experiments.
Appropriate penalties in the final prediction error criterion: a decision theoretic approach

Abstract The final prediction error (FPE) criterion has been used widely in model selection. The criterion for a linear regression model with k parameters can be written as RSS(k) + λk σ 2, where RSS(k) is the residual sums of squares, σ 2 is an unbiased estimate of the error variance and λ is a penalty for complexity. This article considers the simplest situation where the choice is between two Gaussian linear regression models with σ 2 assumed to be known. We define a signal to noise ratio b for a regression model and use b to restrict the parameter space. The loss function is chosen to be the squared prediction error. Values of λ that are minimax and values of λ that are admissible are found as a function of b.
Reduced-order modeling: new approaches for computational physics

In this paper, we review the development of new reduced-order modeling techniques and discuss their applicability to various problems in computational physics. Emphasis is given to methods ba'sed on Volterra series representations and the proper orthogonal decomposition. Results are reported for different nonlinear systems to provide clear examples of the construction and use of reduced-order models, particularly in the multi-disciplinary field of computational aeroelasticity. Unsteady aerodynamic and aeroelastic behaviors of two- dimensional and three-dimensional geometries are described. Large increases in computational efficiency are obtained through the use of reduced-order models, thereby justifying the initial computational expense of constructing these models and inotivatim,- their use for multi-disciplinary design analysis.
Foliations and genera of links

IN THIS paper we define a simple geometric operation, disc decomposition, which when successfully applied to a surface R in S3 implies that R is a surface of minimal genus for the oriented link L = dR, that there exists a C”, transversely oriented foliation 9 of S3 -&T(L) such that 9 I$ aN(L), R is the unique compact leaf (when R # D*), the union of the noncompact leaves fibre over S’ with fibre a connected non-compact leaf and if L is a knot, longitudinal (O-frame) surgery yields an irreducible 3-manifold. If L is a non-split oriented alternating link, link of I 9 crossings, knot of I 10 crossings, flat arborescent link (these include the pretzel knots), or fibred link then L bounds a surface which is disc decomposable. We show that the surface gotten by applying Seifert’s algorithm to an alternating projection is disc decomposable thereby giving a geometric proof of the result due independently by Murasugi [123 and Crowell[3] that such a surface has minimal genus. We give tables indicating the genera of the oriented nonalternating knots and links of < 10 and < 9 crossings respectively. The computation of the genera of the arborescent links including the disc decomposability of surfaces bounding flat ones and the decomposability of the fibres of fibred links can be found in [S] and [7]. The non-splitness condition is necessary by Novikov’s work [13].
Simulation in a high stakes clinical performance exam

Background: Hi-fidelity simulation is becoming accepted as a teaching tool for medical providers. Advanced simulations allow educators to test difficult clinical scenarios. The goal of this study was to test the diagnostic and treatment skills of a third-year medical student faced with a simulated patient having evidence of a stable pneumothorax. Students are then expected to evaluate the teaching simulation in comparison to traditional methods. Methods: The case was one of a 12 cases in the high stakes Clinical Performance Exam. The patient with evidence of a stable pneumothorax was chosen to evaluate both diagnostic abilities and decision making in therapeutic options. Students were assessed using a university-wide standardized checklist: diagnosis, management, and interaction with the simulator. Immediately following the simulation, the students evaluated the experience. Results: The exam was given to 117 students. The correct diagnosis was made by 115/117 (98%). Treatment was considered acceptable in a majority of students, Send patient to the Emergency Department 77%, Oxygen 26% and Analgesia 39%. The follow-up survey completed by 78% of the students revealed the students felt comfortable with the simulators, but had concerns about the exam. Students liked the simulator as an educational tool 88% of the time. Conclusions: Simulation was used in a year-end exam and majority of students chose the correct diagnosis and treatment plan. It was also found that a significant percentage of students performed an unnecessary and potentially harmful procedure. The survey revealed that students were concerned about distractions and realism, but overall expressed desire for more education using simulation.
Mechanisms of formation and accumulation of mitochondrial DNA deletions in aging neurons

Age-dependent accumulation of partially deleted mitochondrial DNA (DeltamtDNA) has been suggested to contribute to aging and the development of age-associated diseases including Parkinson's disease. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the generation and accumulation of DeltamtDNA have not been addressed in vivo. In this study, we have developed a mouse model expressing an inducible mitochondria-targeted restriction endonuclease (PstI). Using this system, we could trigger mtDNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) in adult neurons. We found that this transient event leads to the generation of a family of DeltamtDNA with features that closely resemble naturally-occurring mtDNA deletions. The formation of these deleted species is likely to be mediated by yet uncharacterized DNA repairing machineries that participate in homologous recombination and non-homologous end-joining. Furthermore, we obtained in vivo evidence that DeltamtDNAs with larger deletions accumulate faster than those with smaller deletions, implying a replicative advantage of smaller mtDNAs. These findings identify DSB, DNA repair systems and replicative advantage as likely mechanisms underlying the generation and age-associated accumulation of DeltamtDNA in mammalian neurons.
The Effect of Hammer Mass and Velocity on Flake Mass

Abstract This paper presents the results of controlled fracture experiments designed to investigate the effects on flake mass of varying the mass and velocity of the hammer. It was found that the contribution of these two independent variables are almost negligible for a given combination of exterior platform angle and platform thickness, though they must be sufficient to initiate production of a flake of a given potential mass.
A comparison of direct and model-based reinforcement learning

This paper compares direct reinforcement learning (no explicit model) and model-based reinforcement learning on a simple task: pendulum swing up. We find that in this task model-based approaches support reinforcement learning from smaller amounts of training data and efficient handling of changing goals.
Histotripsy of the Prostate in a Canine Model: Characterization of Post-Therapy Inflammation and Fibrosis.

Abstract Introduction: Histotripsy is a nonthermal, noninvasive, pulsed ultrasound technology that homogenizes tissue within the targeted volume. From previous experiments, it appeared that the resultant fibrotic response from histotripsy was limited compared with the typical tissue response seen after thermoablation. The objective of this study was to characterize the inflammatory response and quantify patterns of collagen deposition 6 weeks after in vivo canine prostate histotripsy. Methods: Histotripsy was applied to the left half of eight canine prostates to produce an intraparenchymal zone of tissue homogenization. Six weeks after treatment, prostates were harvested, sectioned, and stained with hematoxylin and eosin for histologic evaluation, CD3, CD20, and Mac387 immunohistochemistry to characterize the inflammatory components, and picrosirius red staining to identify collagen. Results: Seven of eight treated prostates exhibited only minimal residual inflammation. Visual microscopic analysis of picr...
Neural dynamics of attentionally modulated Pavlovian conditioning: blocking, interstimulus interval, and secondary reinforcement

Selective information processing in neural networks is studied through computer simulations of Pavlovian conditioning data. The model reproduces properties of blocking, inverted-U in learning as a function of interstimulus interval, anticipatory conditioned responses, secondary reinforcement, attentional focusing by conditioned motivational feedback, and limited capacity short-term memory processing. Conditioning occurs from sensory to drive representations (conditioned reinforcer learning), from drive to sensory representations (incentive motivational learning), and from sensory to motor representations (habit learning).The conditionable pathwas contain long-term memory traces that obey a non-Hebbian associative law. The neural model embodies a solution to two key design problems of conditioning, the synchronization and persistence problems. This model of vertebrate learning is compared with data and models of invertebrate learning. Predictions derived from models of vertebrate learning are compared with data about invertebrate learning, including data from Aplysia about facilitator neurons and data from Hermissenda about voltage-dependent Ca(2+) currents. A prediction is stated about classical conditioning in all species, called the secondary conditioning alternative, and if confirmed would constitute an evolutionary invariant of learning.
Mating Type in Chlamydomonas Is Specified by Mid, the minus-Dominance Gene

Diploid cells of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii that are heterozygous at the mating-type locus (mt+/mt-) differentiate as minus gametes, a phenomenon known as minus dominance. We report the cloning and characterization of a gene that is necessary and sufficient to exert this minus dominance over the plus differentiation program. The gene, called mid, is located in the rearranged (R) domain of the mt- locus, and has duplicated and transposed to an autosome in a laboratory strain. The imp11 mt- mutant, which differentiates as a fusion-incompetent plus gamete, carries a point mutation in mid. Like the fus1 gene in the mt+ locus, mid displays low codon bias compared with other nuclear genes. The mid sequence carries a putative leucine zipper motif, suggesting that it functions as a transcription factor to switch on the minus program and switch off the plus program of gametic differentiation. This is the first sex-determination gene to be characterized in a green organism.
Masculinized female yellow-bellied marmots initiate more social interactions

The presence of male siblings in utero influences female morphology and life-history traits because testosterone transferred among foetuses may masculinize females. Similarly, litter sex composition might alter the display of sexually dimorphic behaviour, such as play and allogrooming, since they are modulated by androgens. We explored whether masculinization alters the frequency of play and sociopositive behaviour in female yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventris). We found that masculinized juvenile females were more likely to initiate play and allogrooming, but yearling females exhibited higher levels of oestrogen-modulated sociopositive behaviours. Additionally, the more they interacted, the greater number of different partners they interacted with. Our results suggest that masculinization increases the rate of age-dependent social behaviour. This probably works by increasing exploration that predisposes individuals to higher encounter rates. Further support comes from previous findings showing that masculinized females were more likely to disperse. Our study stresses the importance of considering litter sex composition as a fitness modulator.
Global solutions and relaxation limits of Euler-Poisson equations

The relaxation properties of the Euler-Poisson flow with spherical symmetry are studied. For smooth and small initial data, the existence of global smooth solutions is proved. This indicates that the frictional dissipation from the relaxation term can prevent the formation of singularities in small smooth solutions of the Euler-Poisson flow with spherical symmetry. The zero relaxation limit of the general large weak entropy solutions is established. The scaled solutions are shown to converge to the solution of a generalized drift-diffusion equation as the relaxation tends to zero. Equivalent forms of the system are used in the proofs.
The use of synthetic mesh and the management of mesh extrusion in vaginal surgery

The authors present a review of the literature regarding the management of mesh extrusion in vaginal surgery. As used in traditional surgical techniques, the use of mesh theoretically allows for a broader base of support and eliminates the need to rely on pre-existing weakened fascia. In this article, the different physical properties and types of synthetic mesh used, and their respective advantages and disadvantages in terms of mesh extrusion, are reviewed.
Obesity negatively affects spinal surgery in idiopathic scoliosis

Background Are obese patients with idiopathic scoliosis undergoing spinal surgery at higher risk for perioperative complications? This is not clearly understood. One previous study showed a greater preoperative thoracic kyphosis but no increase in perioperative complications.
PHYSIOLOGICAL AROUSAL AND TIME ESTIMATION

The relations between four indices of arousal (heart rate, respiration rate, dominant EEG alpha rate, and an integrated score of EEG activity) and three methods of time estimation (verbal estimatio...
Boosting minimalist classifiers for blemish detection in potatoes

This paper introduces novel methods for detecting blemishes in potatoes using machine vision. After segmentation of the potato from the background, a pixel-wise classifier is trained to detect blemishes using features extracted from the image. A very large set of candidate features, based on statistical information relating to the colour and texture of the region surrounding a given pixel, is first extracted. Then an adaptive boosting algorithm (AdaBoost) is used to automatically select the best features for discriminating between blemishes and non-blemishes. With this approach, different features can be selected for different potato varieties, while also handling the natural variation in fresh produce due to different seasons, lighting conditions, etc. The results show that the method is able to build “minimalist” classifiers that optimise detection performance at low computational cost. In experiments, minimalist blemish detectors were trained for both white and red potato varieties, achieving 89.6% and 89.5% accuracy respectively.
Do the incentive effects of relative performance measurement vary with the ex ante probability of promotion

Abstract This study examines performance effects arising from the use of relative performance measurement (RPM) for promotion decisions in the organizational labor market. We use proprietary archival and survey data from the internal audit department of a large organization to document that the use of RPM positively interacts with the ex ante probability of promotion to influence performance. Thus, our study shows that while RPM may benefit employees by reducing uncertainty in incentive compensation as predicted by theory, the incremental performance benefits derived from the use of RPM as a promotion mechanism depend on the employee’s promotion prospects. Specifically, we find greater (lower) performance benefits associated with the use of RPM when an employee’s probability of promotion is greater (lower). Our findings suggest that RPM may be more effective in firms where there are opportunities for promotion at each organizational level.
What to do with the Foreign Cube: Kiobel and the Alien Tort Statute

In Kiobel v. Royal Dutch Petroleum Co., the Second Circuit departed from rulings of other U.S. circuits, holding that corporations are barred from suit under the Alien Tort Statute (ATS). After granting certiorari and hearing oral arguments on the issue of corporate liability, however, the Supreme Court requested additional briefing and argument on the antecedent issue of whether the ATS applies to alien-versus-alien cases and whether the ATS can be applied extraterritorially. Unlike much of the recent scholarship regarding corporate and secondary liability under the ATS, this Note focuses on how the Supreme Court may be influenced by subject matter jurisdiction and extraterritoriality arguments involving the ATS. Finally, this Note argues why the Court should uphold the important precedent in Sosa, while providing clearer standards for lower courts, and urging congress to enact legislation that removes cases involving aliens from state court to federal court.
Non-universality for longest increasing subsequence of a random walk

The longest increasing subsequence of a random walk with mean zero and finite variance is known to be $n^{1/2 + o(1)}$. We show that this is not universal for symmetric random walks. In particular, the symmetric Ultra-fat tailed random walk has a longest increasing subsequence that is asymptotically at least $n^{0.690}$ and at most $n^{0.815}$. An exponent strictly greater than $1/2$ is also shown for the symmetric stable-$\alpha$ distribution when $\alpha$ is sufficiently small.
BEING A JOINER AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING

The current study supported the hypothesis that individuals with a propensity to join groups score more psychologically healthy than individuals less so inclined.
The Wall Pressure Spectrum of High Reynolds Number Rough-Wall Turbulent Boundary Layers

The wall pressure fluctuations for a zero pressure gradient high Reynolds number turbulent boundary layer were studied for both smooth and rough surfaces. The deterministic rough wall was composed of 3-mm hemispheres spaced in a 16.5-mm square array. Boundary layer flow variables were determined through use of a flat-head pitot, single and three-component hotwire anemometer systems. Boundary layer thicknesses up to 0.246-m with Reθ as large as 73000 were reached over smooth surfaces, with δ up to 0.228-m and Reθ as large as 80200 being reached over rough surfaces. The surface pressure fluctuations were measured using B&K 1/8 th inch microphones fitted with 1⁄2-mm pinhole caps and arranged with both spanwise and streamwise separations to provide surface pressure autospectra, phase, coherence and space-time correlation data. The results clearly show an overlap region in the rough-wall boundary layer spectrum with a slope of -1.33, substantially higher than the -0.8 normally seen in smooth wall boundary layers. Comparison with other data sets shows a measure of collapse in the wall pressure spectrum when Blake’s (1970) inner variable scaling is used. Additionally, it was found that roughness noise predictions using the smooth wall surface pressure spectrum would underestimate the scattered noise amplitude at low to mid frequencies, and would overestimate the peak frequency and high frequency amplitudes.
Patient characteristics, methods of diagnosis, and treatment of mucous membrane melanoma in the United States of America.

BACKGROUND There is limited information regarding mucous membrane malignant melanoma. STUDY DESIGN The American College of Surgeons performed a patient care and evaluation study of malignant melanoma for 1981 and 1987 to determine the presenting symptoms, methods of evaluation, clinical management, and disease outcome. Previous reports on malignant melanoma of the skin and ocular melanoma have been prepared. This report details the findings for 60 patients with mucous membrane melanoma diagnosed in 1981 and 97 patients diagnosed in 1987. RESULTS The patients with mucous membrane melanoma were generally older than patients with either skin or ocular melanoma. Significantly more females than males were reported, with no significant change between study years. Proportionally, more blacks were diagnosed with this condition than in the previous studies of skin and ocular melanoma. The patients with melanoma in this study had a poor prognosis based on characteristics known to be important for skin melanoma. As for patients with skin melanoma, most patients with mucous membrane melanoma were treated with operation alone, but good results were infrequent in patients with mucous membrane melanoma. Local, regional, and systemic recurrences were significant problems and overall survival was poor. CONCLUSIONS We need new methods of treating these patients to control the disease and improve survival rates.
A Conceptual Overview and Commentary on Gender Dysphoria

Gender Dysphoria is a distressed state of mind that is of interest to psychiatrists, including forensic psychiatrists. Forensic matters can be best addressed only after one has a good appreciation of relevant psychiatric knowledge and concepts. In this commentary I review the nature of Gender Dysphoria, its relationship to cross-dressing and erotic arousal, and the question of whether it should be thought of as a psychiatric disorder. I also review the complexity of sex and gender; alternative conceptualizations of Gender Dysphoria, its etiology, its multicultural history, and its typical course over time in a given individual. Finally, I summarize treatment options, treatment outcomes, and difficulties of treating Gender Dysphoria within an inmate population.
The Regulatory Environment

Abstract Considerable time is devoted to discussing the prenotification and disclosure requirements of current takeover legislation and how decisions are made within the key securities law and antitrust enforcement agencies. The chapter also reviews in some detail the effectiveness of recent changes made to insider trading laws, revisions made to intellectual property guidelines, circumstances under which antitrust regulators will intervene, the impact of antitrust actions on firm value, and expanded powers granted the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US in 2018. Furthermore, the implications of the Dodd-Frank bill passed in 2010 and its subsequent revision in 2018 are discussed. Also addressed are the potential repercussions for M&As of the 2018 European Union‘s General Data Protection Regulations and the California Consumer Privacy Act. Finally, this chapter provides an overview of the labyrinth of environmental, labor, benefit, and foreign (for cross-border transactions) laws affecting M&As and recent changes to such laws.
Arbitrary Detention and the Human Rights Committee's General Comment 35

The UN Human Rights Committee’s General Comment No. 35 summarizes the treaty body’s interpretation of the right to liberty of person, including protection against arbitrary detention, under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, one of the principal human rights treaties at the global level. This essay provides an overview of General Comment No. 35, and then focuses on three aspects that provoked controversy either within the Committee or outside it: the time limit for “prompt” presentation of pre-trial detainees to a judge; the standards governing security detention in non-international armed conflict; and the disagreement between the Human Rights Committee and the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities regarding whether involuntary hospitalization is ever permitted. These examples illustrate significant issues about the interaction between the Covenant and other international regimes.
Comparison of 18F-FDG PET-CT and MRI in the evaluation of patients with antibody positive autoimmune encephalitis

1846 Objectives Autoimmune encephalitis is characterized by brain parenchymal inflammation associated with the presence of auto-antibodies to neuronal cell surface proteins. Clinical presentation can vary widely, and distinguishing autoimmune encephalitis from other neurologic pathologies can present a significant clinical challenge. Early diagnosis is crucial to ensure that proper therapies are employed given the specific treatment strategies for managing autoimmune encephalitis. Imaging and laboratory testing play a key role in diagnosis, though results of antibody testing may not be available for several days or weeks. Imaging may lead to improved stratification and earlier implementation of appropriate treatment. Methods Resting 18F-FDG PET-CT and MRI scans of the brain were performed in patients with suspected autoimmune encephalitis over an 8 year period. Imaging studies were separated by less than two weeks. Patients with antibody positive CSF assay were selected for analysis. Z-score maps of PET-CT scans were made using three-dimensional stereotactic surface projections with comparison to data from age group matched control subjects (Cortex ID, GE Healthcare). Brain metabolism was measured from filtered-back projection data normalized to the pons. MRI was performed by clinical protocol including standard T1, T2, FLAIR, and diffusion weighted sequences. Results Twenty-one patients with antibody positive autoimmune encephalitis were analysed. PET-CT was abnormal in 90% of patients (19 of 21), and MRI was abnormal in only 33% of patients (7 of 21). Furthermore, 12 of the 14 patients (86%) with normal MRI findings were characterized as abnormal by PET-CT. PET-CT was categorized as normal or abnormal using quantitative Z-score mapping (abnormal > 2.0 standard deviations from age group matched controls). MRI was categorized as normal or abnormal by the presence or absence of T2/FLAIR, diffusion weighted, or enhancement abnormalities suggestive of encephalitis. Antibody assay results included positive tests for anti-voltage gated potassium channel (5), anti-N-methyl D-aspartate receptor (5), anti-glutamic acid decarboxylase (3), anti-Hu (3), anti-Ma (2), anti-leucine-rich glioma inactivated-1 (2), and anti-alpha-3 acetylcholine receptor (1) antibodies. Conclusions In patients with antibody confirmed autoimmune encephalitis, FDG PET-CT is more often abnormal than MRI. PET-CT may serve as a more sensitive first line imaging test than MRI in patients for whom clinical suspicion is high. Additionally, patients with suspected autoimmune encephalitis and normal MRI findings may benefit from further imaging with FDG PET-CT.
Personality Factors of Men and Women Pastoral Candidates Part 1: Motivational Profiles:

The Personality Research Form E and Bern Sex Inventory were administered to 37 males and 54 females planning careers in pastoral ministry. Subjects were students in 11 Protestant seminaries. It was...
Temperature dependence of GaSb and AlGaSb solar cells

Abstract Sb-based alloys offer great potential for photovoltaic and thermophotovoltaic applications. In this paper, we study the performance of AlxGa1-xSb (x = 0, 0.15, and 0.50) single-junction solar cells over a temperature range of 25–250 °C. The dark current-voltage, one-sun current-voltage, and external quantum efficiency measurements were acquired at different temperatures. Correlations between experimental and numerical results are made to draw conclusions about the thermal behavior of the cells. It is shown that, while the bandgaps decrease linearly with temperature leading to the reduction of open-circuit voltages, the short-circuit current densities decrease with non-linear trends. The temperature-dependent dark current densities were extracted by fitting the dark current-voltage curves to single- and double-diode models to give an insight into the effect of intrinsic carrier concentration (ni) on the cell performance. We find that the ni has a significant impact on temperature-dependent cell performance. These findings could lay a groundwork for the future Sb-based photovoltaic systems that operate at high temperatures.
High Cholesterol at the Heart of Phagolysosomal Damage.

Phagolysosome membrane rupture can trigger a maladaptive immune response that promotes tissue damage. In Science, Cantuti-Castelvetri et al. (2018) report that cholesterol-rich myelin debris overwhelms reverse cholesterol transport in aged phagocytes, leading to cholesterol crystal formation, damaged phagolysosomes, and limited tissue repair.
A Conceptual Introduction to Classification and Forecasting

Because the criminal justice outcomes to be forecast are usually categorical (e.g., fail or not), this chapter considers crime forecasting as a classification problem. The goal is to assign classes to cases. There may be two classes or more than two. Machine learning is broadly considered before turning in later chapters to random forests as a preferred forecasting tool. There is no use of models and at best a secondary interest in explanation. Machine learning is based on algorithms, which should not be confused with models. The material is introduced in a conceptual manner with almost no mathematics. Nevertheless, some readers may find the material challenging because a certain amount of statistical maturity must be assumed. Later chapters will use somewhat more formal expositional methods.
PARTIALLY DEACETYLATED CHITIN: ITS USE IN SELF-REGULATED DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS

Chitin, poly-β-(1→4) linked N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, is a highly hydrophobic material that is insoluble in water and most ordinary solvents. This property of chitin restricts its use to applications that do not require solubilization of the polymer. Several useful derivatives of chitin have been prepared that increase the hydrophilicity of the polymer. One of these derivatives is prepared by deacetylation of chitin's N-acetyl-glucosamine units in strong alkali. Deacetylated chitin is soluble in dilute acidic solutions and, in some cases, depending on the degree of deacetylation, in water. Although the maximally deacetylated material, chitosan, is not degraded by lysozyme, partially deacetylated chitin is a substrate for lysozyme digestion. Kinetic studies of the degradation reaction show that the hydrolysis of partially deacetylated chitin by lysozyme and a lysozyme-hapten conjugate follows typical Michaelis-Menten kinetics. Apparent K m values for the native and modified enzymes were 45 μg/ml and 40 μUg/ml, respectively. Dilute acidic solutions of partially deacetylated chitin were cast to form tough, flexible, water-insoluble films or crosslinked with glutaraldehyde to form hydrogels. Both of these fabrications were found to be lysozyme degradable. These data are discussed in relationship to the possible use of partially deacetylated chitin in bioerodible drug delivery systems.
Ultrasound measurement of ovarian follicles stimulated by human gonadotropins for oocyte recovery and in vitro fertilization

Ultrasonic monitoring of ovarian follicles and estimation of serum estradiol (E 2 ) were performed in 51 patients in whom oocyte aspiration for in vitro fertilization was planned. All patients received human menopausal gonadotropin and human chorionic gonadotropin. The daily growth rates of ovarian follicles were recorded ultrasonically for 6days prior to aspiration. Serum plasma E 2 was determined daily during the same period. Follicular dimensions based on the volume of aspirated fluid correlated very well with the ultrasonic measurements. Follicular growth was correlated with increasing peripheral blood E 2 levels. The mean follicular diameter increased from 10.8mm 6days before aspiration to a maximum of 16.0mm on the day of presumptive ovulation in a group of patients characterized as low E 2 responders. In normal and high E 2 responders, the values were from 9.7mm and 10.5mm to 16.9mm and 17.6mm, respectively. The mean sizes of the follicles by ultrasound 20hours before laparoscopy were 16.0mm for the right ovary, 16.6mm for the left ovary, and 18.5mm in patients with only one ovary. At laparoscopy the mean diameters calculated from the volume of the aspirated fluids were 17.5mm, 17.4mm, and 19.3mm, respectively. Multiple follicles developed in all but 2 of the 51 patients.