cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Using Types to Enforce Architectural Structure

The right software architecture is critical to achieving essential quality attributes, but these qualities are only realized if the program as implemented conforms to its intended architecture. Previous techniques for enforcing architecture are either unsound or place significant limitations on either architectural design or on implementation techniques. This paper presents the first system to statically enforce complete structural conformance between a rich, dynamic architectural description and object-oriented implementation code. We extend previous work to (1) explain what full structural conformance means in an object-oriented setting, and (2) enforce architectural structure in the presence of shared data. We show that the resulting system can express and enforce important structural constraints of an architecture, while still supporting key object-oriented implementation techniques. As a result of our conformance property, developers can be assured that their intended architecture is realized in code, so the system will exhibit the desired quality attributes.
Towards uncheatable benchmarks

The problem of how to make benchmarks resistant to tampering and hence more trustworthy is studied. Some schemes that are based on modern cryptography and complexity theory are proposed to make benchmarks uncheatable. The philosophy is the same as that of encryption-decryption schemes, namely, that trust in individuals and organizations is replaced by trust in the impossibility of breaking certain computational problems. >
Difference of the fast proton stopping power between the superconducting and the normal states of YBa2Cu3O7

Abstract An estimate shows that the charged particle stopping power in the superconducting state might be different from that in normal state. The relative stopping power difference between the superconducting and normal states of polycrystalline YBa2Cu3O7 was measured to be 0.06%±0.14%.
Some ergodic properties of commuting diffeomorphisms

For a smooth ℤ2-action on a C∞ compact Riemannian manifold M, we discuss its ergodic properties which include the decomposition of the tangent space of M into subspaces related to Lyapunov exponents, the existence of Lyapunov charts, and the subadditivity of entropies.
A Local Sampling Scheme for Invariant Evolution Equations on a Compact Symmetric Space, Especially the Sphere

The theorems in this paper deal with the problem of constructing a sampling scheme for an invariant evolution equation on a compact symmetric space. In [5] we showed that there exist many ways to take samples of such a space so that the system is observable as the number of observations increases.
Electric and hybrid electric vehicles: new markets for electrical manufacturers

The purpose for this paper is to provide an update regarding the manufacture of electric and hybrid electric vehicles. The major automobile manufacturers are making the commitment to produce and market electric and hybrid electric vehicles. The focus of the update is to provide information about potential new products and markets for those involved in electrical manufacturing and coil winding.
Fatigue life prediction from inclusion initiated cracks

Fatigue cracks have often been observed to nucleate at inclusions or constituent particles in thin sheet 2024-T3 aluminum. Large amounts of scatter are commonly observed in the experimental fatigue lives and crack nucleation site data. This research attempts to address some of the stochastic issues associated with the fatigue process. An experimental program was conducted to investigate the influence of inclusions on fatigue crack formation. Inclusions were found to be the dominant crack nucleation site and the inclusion sizes that nucleated fatigue cracks were from the large particle tail of the overall inclusion size distribution. A probabilistic model has been developed to predict the observed variability in the experimental fatigue lives from the measured distribution of inclusion sizes. In order to model crack growth from a microstructurally sized defect (such as an inclusion), a total fatigue life prediction model accounting for the small crack effect must be utilized. The probabilistic model uses a Monte Carlo simulation and Newman's FASTRAN II model to predict fatigue life. The fatigue life distributions, that were generated with the probabilistic model, predicted the critical, lower experimental fatigue lives and the overall variability in fatigue lives under several loading conditions.
A novel laminin E8 cell adhesion site required for lung alveolar formation in vitro

Basement membrane-adherent type II alveolar cells isolated from lung assemble into lumen-containing cellular spheres which retain the correct polarity and thereby approximate the earliest fetal stage of alveolar morphogenesis. The molecular basis of this process, determined in initial experiments to be attributable mainly to the large heterotrimeric glycoprotein laminin, was probed with laminin proteolytic fragments, antibodies, and synthetic peptides. The carboxy-terminal fragment E8, but not equimolar amounts of fragment P1, blocked alveolar formation. To pursue this observation, we used several anti-E8 antibodies and identified one, prepared against A chain residues 2179-2198 ("SN-peptide") from the first loop of the G domain, as inhibitory. These results were confirmed by use of SN-peptide alone and further defined by trypsin digestion of SN-peptide to the sequence SINNNR. This conserved site promoted divalent cation dependent adhesion of both type II alveolar and HT1080 cells, was inhibitable with equimolar amounts of fragment E8 but not P1, and derives from a form of laminin present in fetal alveolar basement membranes. These studies point to an important novel cell adhesion site in the laminin E8 region with a key role in lung alveolar morphogenesis.
Carbofuran triggers flight motor output in pyrethroid-blocked reflex pathways of the house fly

Abstract The initiation of flight from loss of tarsal contact (flight reflex responses) and the tergotrochanteral muscle (TTM) responses evoked by brain stimulation were analyzed during carbofuran, permethrin, deltamethrin, and DDT poisoning in the house fly. Blockage of the flight reflex by LD 50 doses of permethrin or deltamethrin was rapid, but the effects of DDT on the flight reflex took hours to develop. In addition, carbofuran treatment induced spontaneous flight in blocked preparations by an action in the central nervous system. This result suggests that pyrethroid blockage of the flight reflex was due to an action on sensory nerves, since the central flight program and its associated efferent systems were functionally intact. The relevance of this finding in terms of pyrethroid knockdown is discussed. The TTM response was unaffected by permethrin or deltamethrin both early and late in the poisoning process, possibly because the evoked TTM response does not involve peripheral sensory nerves, which seem to be important sites of pyrethroid action early in poisoning. Carbofuran induced repetitive firing and blockage of the TTM response within 1 hr, but normal responses were observed late in poisoning, which is consistent with the reversibility of carbamate inhibition of acetylcholinesterase. DDT caused no change in the evoked TTM response until bursts were recorded about 15 hr after treatment; this was another example of a slowly developing DDT effect. The protracted development of various DDT actions was concordant with a hypothesis of reduced efficacy at a proposed target site, viz., the sodium channels of nerve membranes.
Disability and Social Justice

The core of liberalism, as a political philosophy, involves the recognition that human persons are free and equal, and that the state and its activities should respect these two correlative features of persons. The way in which these features are to be respected varies, of course, sometimes radically: think of the difference between what it means for Locke, and what it means for Rousseau, for a state to respect the freedom and equality of persons (see Locke, 1986; Rousseau,1997). But this core recognition is at the basis of both Locke and Rousseau’s thought; it is similarly at the basis of Kant’s political thought (Kant,1970); and it continues to play an essential—even the essential—role in the liberal political thought of the twentieth century, especially in the work of that century’s preeminent political theorist, John Rawls (Rawls,1971,1996).
Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator explantation for overdiagnosed or overtreated congenital long QT syndrome

Background Primary treatment of long QT syndrome (LQTS) currently consists of beta-blocker therapy, although an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) is considered for high-risk patients. However, both overdiagnosis and overtreatment must be avoided because their sequelae can be significant. Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and details of ICD explants in a cohort of patients from a tertiary genetic heart rhythm clinic for a previously rendered diagnosis of LQTS. Methods Overall, 1227 consecutive patients were included in the study. All patients had been referred to the Mayo Clinic for evaluation of possible LQTS and subsequently were either diagnosed with LQTS or dismissed as normal. Further stratification of patients was conducted to assess how many patients had an ICD and how many had a subsequent ICD explant. Results In total, 170 patients (14%) had an ICD, including 157 of 670 patients (23%) with confirmed LQTS and 13 of 557 patients (2%) who did not have LQTS. Among these, 12 of 1227 (1%) had the ICD removed: 7 of 157 LQTS patients (4.5%) compared to 5 of 14 non-LQTS patients (36%). Before explant, 5 of 12 patients (42%) experienced inappropriate shocks, ranging from 2 to as many as 54 shocks. In addition, 4 had a device-related infection, and 9 had device malfunction (including lead dysfunction or fracture). None of these patients had a breakthrough cardiac event since removal of their ICD during 5.5 ± 3.5 years of follow-up. Conclusion Implications of overdiagnosis and overtreatment are profound because unnecessary ICD placement can be associated with infection, malfunction, inappropriate shocks, and subsequent anxiety.
Genetic studies of low-abundance human plasma proteins. XIII. Population genetics of C1R complement subcomponent and description of new variants.

Abstract Isoelectric focusing and immunoblotting reveals considerable biochemical and genetic variation in the C1R subcomponent of the first complement component. The nature of the intraindividual biochemical variation can be explained by differences in sialic acid content because after digestion with neuraminidase the terminal sialic acids are removed to yield a single major band corresponding to the C1R polypeptide. Plasma samples from a large number of different ethnic groups, consisting of U.S. whites, U.S. blacks, Nigerian blacks, and Inuit, Aleut, and Amerindian populations from the Western Hemisphere have revealed genetically determined charge variation with heterozygous phenotypes consisting of two major asialo bands, indicating that the underlying variation is not due to variation in sialic acid content. Two previously reported common alleles, C1R*1 and CIR*2, have been observed in all studied populations, the notable exception being the Dogrib Indian population, which is devoid of the C1R*2 allele. Several new alleles--designated C1R*3, C1R*4, C1R*5, C1R*6, and C1R*7-have been observed, with variable frequencies ranging from the occurrence in a single individual and related family members to the polymorphic occurrence of certain alleles in several populations. Of these new alleles, the C1R*5 is of considerable interest in population and anthropological genetics studies. The C1R*5 allele is widely distributed, at a frequency of .03 to .17, in all of the North American aboriginal populations screened. This allele is not present in U.S. whites but is present at a polymorphic frequency in U.S. and Nigerian blacks.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Oxygen Reduction Reaction on Electrodeposited Pt100-xNix: Influence of alloy composition and dealloying

The electrocatalytic activity of electrodeposited Pt100–xNix thin films toward the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in perchloric acid was studied for x ranging between 2 and 95. The alloy composition was controlled by the potential applied during deposition. XRD and EDS were used to examine the structure and composition of the films before and after ORR measurements. Significant dealloying was evident for films with x > 45, and substantial shrinkage of the film thickness accompanied dealloying for films with x > 55. The onset of significant shrinkage occurs near the parting limit reported for bulk dealloying of fcc solid solutions. A maximum ORR specific activity of 2.8 mA/cm2 at 0.900 V RHE was observed for alloys between Pt45Ni55 and Pt55Ni45. This represents an enhancement factor of 4.7 compared to electrodeposited Pt, thereby matching the best published results reported for Pt–Ni nanoparticles and thin films. A peak ORR mass activity of 0.78 A/mgPt at 0.900 V RHE was observed for alloy film compositio...
Defining Our Responsibilities: Being an Academic Fiduciary

Legal education is evolving from a traditional model of shared governance focused on teaching, scholarship, and service to concerns about our stakeholders: students, graduates, donors, regulators, etc. Market sensitivity may indeed be a superior metaphor to organize us than one relying solely on the faculty-centered holy trinity of teaching, scholarship, and service.But the market metaphor fails to embrace the spirit and nature of higher education. The market conjures up too deep a commitment to selfish ends. This essay suggests another metaphor that may more comfortably fit our schools. I argue that the next step is to delineate our responsibilities as academic fiduciaries - a definition more closely comporting to the way we must act than either as self-interested governors or market actors. First, I discuss the move from faculty centered enterprises, to commercial enterprises, to an emerging trust model. I then define this trust and the consequences of a fiduciary model for every beneficiary of the trust. Next I turn to what a new law school culture might look like and the various forms it might take. This is not merely a question of metaphor, or of nebulous institutional culture. The essay suggest a variety of practical ways that a law school - its faculty and administration - can be successful as fiduciaries: advancing the legitimate ambitions of the school and its faculty through a spirit of trusteeship rather than of self-dealing. Finally, I argue that this model may be the only way for our schools to continue to prosper in the years to come - and the risk to our futures if we persist along the current path.
Continued Fractions Without Tears

This "python descending a staircase" format has the advantage of historical priority, and it suggests important generalizations. However, there are approaches that are more conceptual, and I would like to outline one of them. (For the sake of comparison, we will untangle the infinite fraction in its traditional form and tie it together with our theory at the end of the paper.) If by the end of this paper you feel that this is all pretty trivial, then I have succeeded; if you think it's tough, then this approach isn't your cup of tea. Our goal will be to discover and prove the essential facts about continued fractions and to develop a computer algorithm for them. The spirit of this presentation is geometrical, but it is geometry in an unusual setting: that of one-dimensional space. Remember the traditional drill sergeant's complaint: "Can't you tell your left hand from your right hand?" Our approach will be, essentially, to keep careful track of which points lie right and which ones lie left.
Lagrangian descriptors in dissipative systems

The reaction dynamics of time-dependent systems can be resolved through a recrossing-free dividing surface associated with the transition state trajectory—that is, the unique trajectory which is bound to the barrier region for all time in response to a given time-dependent potential. A general procedure based on the minimization of Lagrangian descriptors has recently been developed by Craven and Hernandez [Phys. Rev. Lett., 2015, 115, 148301] to construct this particular trajectory without requiring perturbative expansions relative to the naive transition state point at the top of the barrier. The extension of the method to account for dissipation in the equations of motion requires additional considerations established in this paper because the calculation of the Lagrangian descriptor involves the integration of trajectories in forward and backward time. The two contributions are in general very different because the friction term can act as a source (in backward time) or sink (in forward time) of energy, leading to the possibility that information about the phase space structure may be lost due to the dominance of only one of the terms. To compensate for this effect, we introduce a weighting scheme within the Lagrangian descriptor and demonstrate that for thermal Langevin dynamics it preserves the essential phase space structures, while they are lost in the nonweighted case.
The Consequences of Reading Inaccurate Information

We are regularly confronted with statements that are inaccurate, sometimes obviously so. Unfortunately, people can be influenced by and rely upon inaccurate information, engaging in less critical evaluation than might be hoped. Empirical studies have consistently demonstrated that even when people should know better, reading inaccurate information can affect their performance on subsequent tasks. What encourages people’s encoding and use of false statements? The current article outlines how reliance on inaccurate information is a predictable consequence of the routine cognitive processes associated with memory, problem solving, and comprehension. This view helps identify conditions under which inaccurate information is more or less likely to influence subsequent decisions. These conditions are informative in the consideration of information-design approaches and instructional methods intended to support critical thinking.
Optimization-based constrained iterative learning control with application to building temperature control systems

In this paper, an optimization-based constrained iterative learning control (ILC) with an iteratively tunable feedback controller is proposed for building temperature control systems. To guarantee good control performance in the presence of both repetitive and non-repetitive disturbances, the ILC input and the feedback controller are optimized simultaneously in each iteration. Considering constraints from the input saturation, the ILC convergence requirement and the closed-loop stability, the controller design is formulated as a convex optimization problem. The influence of disturbance uncertainties is also incorporated into the optimization problem in the form of chance constraints. To reduce the complexity of the problem, special techniques such as relaxation and projection on convex sets are introduced to make the algorithm more efficient. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is verified by simulations conducted on a four-room testbed system.
Digital Fabrication for STEM Projects: A Middle School Example

This paper explains the background of digital fabrication and some of the current and potential uses of that technology. A specific middle school study was conducted around STEM projects that used a 3D printer to help create an engineering project-based solution.
Navigating the Musical World of Adam Rudolph: Towards an Analysis of Individual and Group Interpretations in Conducted Improvisation Performance

ABSTRACTThis paper examines the differences in the approaches that two improvisers, Graham Haynes and Kenny Wessel, take in interpreting Adam Rudolph’s unique improvisational system, and also analyzes two passages of music generated by Rudolph’s approach to what he calls “improvised conducting.” In order for the reader to understand the significance of these analyses, I provide some background on the specifics of Rudolph’s system. I also provide a brief history of conducted improvisation and a framework to understand the different kinds of conducted improvisation commands to give the reader with a basic understanding of the practice. While I place the mechanics of the music at the center of this paper, I also use interviews and ethnographic research to examine Rudolph’s particular development and lineage within a larger creative music history. Examining the solos of Rudolph’s longtime associates, through analysis as well as personal communication with the musicians, I arrive at insights that shed light on...
3D CT of renal pathology: initial experience with cinematic rendering

3D computed tomography (CT) visualizations of volumetric data have become an important aspect of diagnostic imaging. The utility of 3D CT has been well described for the imaging of a number of renal pathologies. Recently, a new 3D visualization technique known as cinematic rendering (CR) has become available and provides photorealistic images derived from standard CT acquisitions by use of a complex global lighting model. Herein, we describe a number of normal variant and pathologic conditions of the kidney visualized with CR. We provide comparisons of findings with CR to traditional methods of 3D imaging and comment on the potential applications of this new method of 3D CT rendering.
Guided Terrain Synthesis Through Distance Transforms

We present a novel approach for terrain synthesis where the terrain is created only through procedural techniques and an initial input sketch. We employ a heightmap function that creates a distance map of the source image. The sketch is semantically annotated so that sections of the image are seen as a terrain type. Once a distance map of the source image is created, the algorithm can begin defining the heights inside the heightmap based on the distance values of each underlying pixel, the terrain type of that underlying pixel, and which terrain type that is different from its own it is nearest to. The results we obtain are promising as the terrain creation is fast, and the input system is non-complex.
Aircraft Hazard related to gas emission from the Earth

I think it important that pilots, the aircraft industry, air safety staff, accident investigators, should all be aware of the possibility of the hazard described in the accompanying article, and also that research shold be directed to establish the severity of this hazard, and find ways of diminishing the risk.
Comparison of attenuators for linearity testing of the dose calibrator

The performance of two commercially available attenuator devices used for dose calibrator linearity testing are evaluated. Although both devices function adequately, the use of the manufacturers' recommended instruction may result in test results that misrepresent the dose calibrator's performance. Recommendations for proper use of the attenuator devices are presented as well as step by step protocol.
Predictors of quality of life of Portuguese Americans: identity, acculturation, and religiosity

ABSTRACTUtilising the Multicultural Assessment-Intervention Process (MAIP) framework, the present study examined the effects of acculturation, ethnic identity, and religiosity on Portuguese America...
The influence of intersectional identities on the employment integration of Sub-Saharan African women immigrants in the U.S.

AbstractUsing a triangulation theoretical framework, this study investigated the influence of self-reported social identities on employability and the impact of employment on the well-being of sub-...
A model-following technique for insensitive aircraft control systems

Abstract : The problem of designing multivariable control systems is addressed through the use of model-following methods. A number of different model-following techniques are discussed, and their advantages and disadvantages are presented. It is shown that model-following theories can provide useful structural insight to the designer, and that they can help to integrate the methods of 'classical' and 'modern' control. A new design method is presented which, when implemented, uses model following and full-state feedback to keep the dominant roots of a system constant. Under favorable circumstances, it can do this even in the presence of arbitrarily large parameter uncertainties. The method has the attractive feature that the parameter-insensitivity and disturbance-rejection characteristics of the system can be selected independently from the no-disturbance, nominal-plant performance. Application is made to several aircraft flight control problems. (Author)
Staging for Thymoma and Thymic Carcinoma

In this chapter, we will analyze each one of the proposed staging systems for thymoma and thymic carcinoma. However, since we consider these two tumors to represent different clinicopathological entities, a distinction in the staging system will be discussed with the hope that not only will it help in daily practice when dealing with these tumors but also that it may provide better triaging of patients for treatment purposes.
Beyond Race Disparities: Accounting for Socioeconomic Status in Diabetes Self-Care

Introduction Among patients with type 2 diabetes, racial disparities are prevalent across a variety of outcomes; however, inconsistent disparities in determinants of outcomes warrants exploring the impact of other, related factors. This study sought to examine whether disparities in health literacy, numeracy, self-care behaviors, and HbA1c persisted between non-Hispanic blacks and non-Hispanic whites after applying a robust adjustment for socioeconomic status (SES). Methods From 2016 to 2018, adult patients with type 2 diabetes (N=444) were recruited from primary care clinics. Participants self-reported demographics; indicators of SES (i.e., income, education, health insurance, housing status, and financial strain); subjective health literacy and numeracy; and self-care behaviors. Participants also completed an HbA1c test. In 2018, differences were examined between non-Hispanic blacks and non-Hispanic whites in health literacy, numeracy, self-care, and HbA1c, first unadjusted and then adjusted using propensity score weighting. Results In unadjusted analyses, compared with non-Hispanic whites, non-Hispanic blacks had lower health literacy (p=0.039) and numeracy (p Conclusions Findings highlight the importance of considering SES when examining disparities in health-related skills and behaviors. Moving beyond education and income to inclusion of more comprehensive markers of SES can improve understanding of how SES may contribute to disparities and the ability to appropriately target factors leading to inequality.
On The Ordeal of Richard Feverel

Meredith’s masterpiece, The Ordeal of Richard Feverel (1859), has sometimes been criticized for being inconsistent. How should one respond to a novel, it has been asked, which is two-thirds comedy (chapter 29 signals “The Last Act of a Comedy”) and ends with a series of monumental tragedies?
Structural integrity of the glycoprotein IIb and IIIa genes in Glanzmann thrombasthenia patients from Israel.

Glanzmann thrombasthenia is an autosomal recessive disorder of the platelet glycoproteins (GP) lIb and lila. These glycoproteins normally serve as receptors for other adhesive glycoproteins. including fibrinogen, von Willebrand factor, and fibronectin. Most patients affected by Glanzmann thrombasthenia have low levels of GPIIb and GPIIIa; however. the separate mechanisms responsible for the deficiency in each remain to be determined. eDNA clones coding for the GPIIb and GPIIIa have been recently isolated. and their corresponding genomic sequences have been colocalized to the long arm of chromosome 1 7. Since a deletional event involving one or both of these structural genes could explain the disease phenotype. we have studled the DNA of two previously well-characterized cohorts T HE PLATELET RECEPTOR for adhesive glycoproteins, a calcium-dependent heterodimer composed of glycoproteins (GP) lIb and lIla, is a member of the integrin cyto-adhesion receptor superfamily.’ Patients with Glanzmann thrombasthenia have a spectrum of quantitative or qualitative defects in GPIIb and GPIIIa that lead to a clinically significant bleeding disorder.2’3 Two groups in Israel with a high incidence of the disease, one Iraqi-Jewish and the otherArab, have been well characterized.2 Although platelets from the two groups show marked deficiencies in both proteins, trace amounts of GPIIIa could be detected by immunoblotting in platelets from the Arab population but not in those from the Iraqi-Jewish population.4 The genetic basis for the disease phenotype remains obscure. Given the unusual colocalization of the genes for these two proteins at the terminus of the chromosome,5 it is possible that loss of all or part of the loci coding for these receptor proteins could account for the disease. An unbalanced translocation resulting in loss of these loci might be well tolerated, depending on the genetic information distal to these genes. The recent cloning of cDNAs for GPIIb and GPIIIa has made it possible to analyze the genomic loci of the two genes in patients with Glanzmann thrombasthenia.�9 In this report, we show by genomic Southern blotting that the structural genes coding for GPIIb and GPIIIa in these Glanzmann thrombasthenia patients do not contain major deletions or insertions.
Improving Obesity Documentation in Pediatric Populations

Background: Childhood obesity is a significant problem, with prevalence rates as high as 17%. In addition to long-term health effects such as metabolic syndrome and coronary artery disease, pediatric obesity also presents immediate health and safety risks such as operative complications, difficult airways and medication dosing errors. Large-scale pediatric databases such as the Pediatric Health Information System, drawn primarily from ICD-9/10 codes, may significantly underestimate the prevalence of obesity in the pediatric inpatient and outpatient setting. One recent study in hospitalized children found that discharge ICD-9 codes underestimated the …
Neural Networks as Classification Mechanisms of Complex Human Activities

Within this paper, we present two neural nets for view-independent complex human activity recognition (HAR) from video frames. For our study here, we reduce the number of frames produced by a video...
Towards an Insulin Resistant Adipose Model on a Chip.

Adipose tissue and adipocytes are primary regulators of insulin sensitivity and energy homeostasis. Defects in insulin sensitivity of the adipocytes predispose the body to insulin resistance (IR) that could lead to diabetes. However, the mechanisms mediating adipocyte IR remain elusive, which emphasizes the need to develop experimental models that can validate the insulin signaling pathways and discover new mechanisms in the search for novel therapeutics. Currently in vitro adipose organ-chip devices show superior cell function over conventional cell culture. However, none of these models represent disease states. Only when these in vitro models can represent both healthy and disease states, they can be useful for developing therapeutics. Here, we establish an organ-on-chip model of insulin-resistant adipocytes, as well as characterization in terms of insulin signaling pathway and lipid metabolism. We differentiated, maintained, and induced insulin resistance into primary adipocytes in a microfluidic organ-on-chip. We then characterized IR by looking at the insulin signaling pathway and lipid metabolism, and validated by studying a diabetic drug, rosiglitazone. We confirmed the presence of insulin resistance through reduction of Akt phosphorylation, Glut4 expression, Glut4 translocation and glucose uptake. We also confirmed defects of disrupted insulin signaling through reduction of lipid accumulation from fatty acid uptake and elevation of glycerol secretion. Testing with rosiglitazone showed a significant improvement in insulin sensitivity and fatty acid metabolism as suggested by previous reports. The adipose-chip exhibited key characteristics of IR and can serve as model to study diabetes and facilitate discovery of novel therapeutics.
Vertical Differentiation with Variety-Seeking Customers

We analyze price and quality competition in a vertically differentiated duopoly in which consumers have a preference for variety. The variety-seeking preferences are a consequence of diminishing marginal utility for repeated consumption experiences of the same product. We find that variety-seeking preferences can either soften or intensify price competition, depending on the range of feasible qualities and the strength of consumer preference for variety. When the range of feasible qualities is small enough, prices are higher than would be obtained in the absence of variety seeking - leading to higher profits - and competing firms choose to minimally differentiate themselves from each other. On the other hand, if qualities are exogenously set to be different enough from each other then stronger preferences for variety are associated with moreintense price competition and lower profits
Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Pregnancy: Early Lessons From Our Sleep Pregnancy Clinic.

Problem considered Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is underdiagnosed during pregnancy, but there is strong theoretical and some empiric evidence that treatment may improve obstetric outcomes. Barriers to screening, testing, and treatment are common during pregnancy. The goal of this described intervention was to reduce these barriers and improve detection of OSA in pregnancy. Methods Representatives from sleep medicine and perinatology established a cross-disciplinary, collaborative Sleep Pregnancy Clinic offering a streamlined referral process for multimodal screening, testing, and treatment of OSA during pregnancy. This is a retrospective analysis of data from the clinic's first 19 months. Results Between June 2017 and December 2018, 134 pregnant women were referred for OSA testing. Sixty-three (47.0%) completed objective sleep testing, and 38 (60.3%) of the women who completed testing met diagnostic criteria for OSA. This intervention resulted in a statistically significant increase in the number of diagnostic sleep apnea tests performed (average 22.4 tests per year pre-intervention, 77 per year post-intervention [P = 0.0012]). Discussion and conclusions Despite a streamlined referral pipeline, completion rates of OSA testing in pregnant women remained below 50%. However, the overall number of women referred and who completed testing increased significantly during this time period. Of those who completed testing, the majority were diagnosed with OSA. Since starting this clinic, we have created resources to familiarize patients with the equipment and worked to reduce other barriers. Assessment of these interventions and the impact of treatment on obstetric outcomes is ongoing, as is assessment of reasons women do not complete diagnostic testing.
Repeat-dose toxicity prediction with Generalized Read-Across (GenRA) using targeted transcriptomic data: A proof-of-concept case study

Abstract Read-across is a data gap filling technique utilized to predict the toxicity of a target chemical using data from similar analogues. Recent efforts such as Generalized Read-Across (GenRA) facilitate automated read-across predictions for untested chemicals. GenRA makes predictions of toxicity outcomes based on “neighboring” chemicals characterized by chemical and bioactivity fingerprints. Here we investigated the impact of biological similarities on neighborhood formation and read-across performance in predicting hazard (based on repeat-dose testing outcomes from US EPA ToxRefDB v2.0). We used targeted transcriptomic data on 93 genes for 1060 chemicals in HepaRG™ cells that measure nuclear receptor activation, xenobiotic metabolism, cellular stress, cell cycle progression, and apoptosis. Transcriptomic similarity between chemicals was calculated using binary hit-calls from concentration-response data for each gene. We evaluated GenRA performance in predicting ToxRefDB v2.0 hazard outcomes using the area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) for the baseline approach (chemical fingerprints) versus transcriptomic fingerprints and a combination of both (hybrid). For all endpoints, there were significant but only modest improvements in ROC AUC scores of 0.01 (2.1%) and 0.04 (7.3%) with transcriptomic and hybrid descriptors, respectively. However, for liver-specific toxicity endpoints, ROC AUC scores improved by 10% and 17% for transcriptomic and hybrid descriptors, respectively. Our findings suggest that using hybrid descriptors formed by combining chemical and targeted transcriptomic information can improve in vivo toxicity predictions in the right context.
Effect of teacher support on students’ math attitudes: Measurement invariance and moderation of students' background characteristics

Abstract We examine the effect of students' perceptions of teacher support on attitudes towards math and whether the association varies between students from historically underrepresented groups in STEM. Participants included high school students enrolled in an AP Statistics course (N = 585, Mage = 16.75 years, SDage = 0.88). Measurement invariance conducted on the basis of student background characteristics (i.e., biological sex, underrepresented race/ethnicity status, and parental educational attainment) provided evidence of metric invariance or greater. Standardized regression coefficients suggested potential differences, such that for students who were female, from an underrepresented racial/ethnicity group in STEM, or had parents with lower levels of education, the effect of teacher support appeared not as strong compared to their counterparts. However, scaled chi-square difference tests comparing nested latent path models did not suggest a moderation effect of these three characteristics. These findings have implications for understanding barriers many students face in receiving the benefits of teacher support.
Inferior turbinate hypertrophy presenting as bilateral nasal masses in a paediatric patient.

A 4-year-old boy presented with a lifelong history of nasal obstruction, mouth breathing and snoring. His parents denied any associated rhinorrhoea, sneezing, facial pain, facial swelling, epistaxis, epiphora or sinus infections. Skin prick testing was negative for all environmental allergens. On
Effects of Working Hour Regulations and Parking Shortages on Truck Electrification

Transportation electrification is seen as one of the main paths for emissions reduction. Although battery electric trucks (BETs) are expected to be more efficient than diesel trucks and have lower operational costs, there are concerns regarding how reduced payload, limited range, and long recharge time could affect freight transport performance. However, it is essential to note that, due to working hour regulations, delivery time-windows, or a need to match their schedules with parking facilities' available times, drivers need to stop regularly regardless of the type of vehicle used. This paper studies if and how these practical constraints affect the performance gap between BETs and diesel trucks. We use a resource-constrained shortest path formulation to model the problem of planning the trip of a single BET under working hour regulations, where arrival time at charging stations is subject to time-window constraints. Computational experiments are used to study the impact of working hour regulations and parking shortages on BETs and diesel trucks' trip duration and CO2 emissions. Results show that, in scenarios with low charging power, scarce parking significantly reduces the disadvantage that BETs have in trip duration, whereas their advantage in CO2 emissions increases slightly.
Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TILs) and T Cell Fraction in Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Associated Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S) The percentage of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) is indicative of immune response and prognostic in many malignancies, although TILs data within HPV associated oropharyngeal cancer are limited. Our prior analyses of HPV associated malignancy revealed that both a higher fraction of T cells (TCF) to total cells present in the primary tumor specimen and a higher percentage of TILs were associated with a decreased chance of cancer recurrence. Herein, we investigated the relationship between these two immune related prognostic factors, TILs and TCF. MATERIALS/METHODS Patients had HPV(+) oropharyngeal cancer and underwent primary surgery between 2007 and 2016. One representative HE IQR 0.36-0.48) versus desmoplastic stroma present (median TCF 0.34; IQR 0.23-0.50). Patients with POI I or II had similar TCF to those with type III or IV, median TCF 0.37 (IQR 0.30-0.48) versus 0.35 (IQR 0.23-0.50), respectively (P = 0.8). CONCLUSION In this series of HPV+ oropharyngeal cancer patients, TILs ≥10% was associated with a higher fraction of T cells to total cells (TCF) (n = 24, P = 0.09). Additional investigation is warranted including the relationship of TCF as characterized by sequencing and pathologist quantification of TILs, and whether the combination of these factors improves prognostication over each alone.
Contingent Government Liabilities: Fiscal Threat to the Czech Republic?

A World Bank specialist on the effects of contingent liabilities on the fiscal position of transition and emerging-market economies examines the current situation in the Czech Republic, where the deliberate use of guarantees and other forms of off-budget support by the government has led to the accumulation of hidden liabilities. The paper first discusses how to identify, measure, and classify contingent liabilities and then outlines conceptual and measurement issues involved in assessing their impacts. The paper projects potential nearterm claims on budget resources stemming from defaults by borrowers covered by extant state guarantees. Journal of Economic Literature, Classification Numbers: E62, H50, H63. 1 figure, 10 tables, 13 references, appendix.
Traditional Techniques Used For Cleaning, Restoring And Caring For Textiles in the 19th and 20th Centuries (with notes on methods used in earlier centuries)

Traditional methods of caring for costumes and textiles have utilised many varied household substances, from beer to cow fat. These are often chemically related to ingredients used in modern textile conservation for similar purposes.
Pyruvate Carboxylase from Chicken Liver EFFECTS OF UNIVALENT AND DIVALENT CATIONS ON CATALYTIC ACTIVITY

Abstract The interaction of pyruvate carboxylase purified from chicken liver with univalent and divalent metal ion activators has been investigated by a steady state kinetic analysis and also by examination of the effect of these activators on the rate of inactivation observed on incubation at 2°. Previous studies (Barden, R. E., Fung, C.-H., Utter, M. F., and Scrutton, M. C. (1972) J. Biol. Chem. 247, 1323) have shown that each active site on this enzyme is composed of two functionally distinct catalytic subsites which are linked by a biotinyl residue which serves as carboxyl carrier. In the present studies the kinetic analysis indicates that the divalent metal ion activator (Mg2+) interacts only at the subsite which catalyzes the carboxylation of the biotinyl residue. This observation is consistent with the results of previously reported isotope exchange studies (Scrutton, M. C., Keech, D. B., and Utter, M. F. (1965) J. Biol. Chem. 240, 574). In contrast, the univalent metal ion activator (K+) appears to interact at both the carboxylation subsite and also the subsite which catalyzes the transfer of the carboxyl group from the carboxylated biotinyl residue to pyruvate. The binding of MgATP2- to the enzyme strongly enhances the binding of Mg2+, and vice versa; a similar relationship exists between K+ and HCO3-. In the latter case the kinetic data indicate an equilibrium-ordered mechanism of addition with HCO3- adding first. Interaction of the enzyme with K+ markedly enhances the interaction with Mg2+, and vice versa. However, only a minimal enhancement of interactions is observed in the case of the K+-acetyl coenzyme A pair. When Mg2+ and acetyl-CoA are varied as an activator-activator pair, the initial rate versus [Mg2+] profile exhibits a significant extent of positive cooperativity in the presence of nonsaturating concentrations of acetyl-CoA but approaches classical behavior as acetyl-CoA is increased to saturation. Variation of Mg2+ does not, however, alter the extent of positive cooperativity which characterizes activation by acetyl-CoA. When catalytic activity is measured in the presence of various alkylammonium cations, the data obtained suggest that pyruvate carboxylase from chicken liver may catalyze a small but significant rate of oxalacetate synthesis in the absence of an added activating univalent cation. K+, NH4+, Rb+, Cs+, and T1+ are effective activators of this enzyme. Other univalent cations act either as weak activators (Tris+), or as noncompetitive inhibitors with respect to activation by K+ (Li+, Na+).
Toward a general student model: accounting for individual learner differences across multiple learning environments

A framework is presented for allowing computer-based learning environments to share student information. Such a framework would enable a learning environment to obtain previous data collected on a specific student in order to enhance the system's student model, and in turn become better able to assist the student in learning. The motivation for this framework, its technical implementation, and its potential benefits are discussed.
Extracting patterns in music for composition via Markov chains

The goal of this paper is to describe a new approach to algorithmic music composition that uses pattern extraction techniques to find patterns in a set of existing musical sequences, and then to use these patterns to compose music via a Markov chain. The transition probabilities of the Markov chain are learned from the musical sequences from which the patterns were extracted. These transitions determine which of the extracted patterns can follow other patterns. Our pattern matching phase considers three dimensions: time, pitch, and duration. Patterns of notes are considered to be equivalent under shifts in time, the baseline note of the pattern, and multiplicative changes of duration across all notes in the pattern. We give experimental results using classical music as training sequences to show the viability of our method in composing novel musical sequences.
Diffusion of hydrogen in metals

Published measurements of the diffusion of hydrogen in fcc metals are summarized with particular emphasis on the isotope effect. The observations are generally consistent with the usual rate theory model but with the energy levels in both the equilibrium site and the saddle point quantized according to an Einstein oscillator. Not all data fit this scheme, however, diffusion in Pd being a notable exception. Published work for the bcc metals shows much less consistency; surface effects and internal trapping at defects and impurities are apparently of over-riding importance. A summary of measurements of diffusion of hydrogen in liquid metals is also made.