cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Crystal structure of a butyllithium 1,2-dipiperidinoethane dimer complex

The crystal structure of butyllithium solvated by 1,2-dipiperidinoethane, BuLi·DPE-6, which has been used as an initiator for a number of important commercial anionic polymerization reactions, is reported. The complex crystallizes from pentane as a centrosymmetric dimer in the monoclinic space group P21/n with a = 9.8619(12), b = 17.963(2), c = 10.3655(12) A, β = 114.090(2)° and Z = 2. The dimer is located on a crystallographic inversion center. The crystal under investigation was found to be non-merohedrally twinned. In contrast to the two other dimeric BuLi complexes previously structurally characterized in the solid state, BuLi·DPE-6 has a planar central Li2C2 core. Semi-empirical (PM3) calculations were used to determine the lowest energy conformations of the dimer and also identified three structural motifs that affect Li2C2 dimer ring planarity.
Effect of Microstructure on Pitting and Corrosion Fatigue of 17-4 PH Turbine Blade Steel in Chloride Environments

Abstract Depending on its heat treatment, 17-4 PH stainless steel may contain significant levels of reformed austenite and untempered martensite in a matrix of tempered martensite. Shot peening can...
Feasibility and perceived benefits of a framework for physician-parent follow-up meetings after a child's death in the PICU

Objective:To evaluate the feasibility and perceived benefits of conducting physician-parent follow-up meetings after a child’s death in the PICU according to a framework developed by the Collaborative Pediatric Critical Care Research Network.Design:Prospective observational study.Setting:Seven Colla
In situ small-angle x-ray scattering analysis of improved catalyst—support interactions through nitrogen modification

In situ small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) is used to investigate the electrochemical durability of Pt-Metal (Pt-M) catalysts sputtered onto nitrogen-modified high surface area carbon powder. The results demonstrate that nitrogen modification promotes catalyst durability through reduction of nanoparticle dissolution and coarsening. Although particle sizes of Pt-M on high surface area carbon supports can be difficult to determine with transmission electron microscopy (TEM), a novel SAXS method has been employed to calculate particle size. SAXS analysis shows that the Pt-M nanoparticle size distribution remained stable for 3000 electrochemical cycles after nitrogen modification, whereas the unmodified support material leads to Pt-M nanoparticle instabilities. These results for industrial-relevant catalyst/support architectures underscore the potential of nitrogen-modified carbon support structures for enhanced Pt-M catalyst durability.
Bay of Biscay: extensions into modern military issues

Multi-agent simulations are finding application in an increasing number of areas over a wide spectrum of disciplines. The application of multi-agent systems to problems in the military has received a proportional amount of interest. However, the military analysis community is in its infancy with respect to multi-agent simulations, and the efforts thus far have involved relatively simple scenarios. As a result, these efforts have not been able to bring multi-agent simulations into the mainstream of the analysis community. In this paper a mission-level agent-based simulation of the U-Boat war in the Bay of Biscay between German U-Boats and Allied aircraft is presented. The results from two 6-month intervals of the operations are presented and compared to historical outcomes. The scenario is subsequently generalized to provide a basis for extension into modern military situations of significant interest. Additionally, several relevant examples are presented.
Is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Familial

Using two sources of data, we review methodologic issues pertinent to family studies of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder to evaluate whether such studies define attention deficit hyperactivity disorder as a familial disorder. We systematically evaluate the relevant literature and provide a detailed overview of the Massachusetts General Hospital family-genetic studies of attention deficit disorder as defined in DSM-III and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder as defined in DSM-III-R. The available literature, and our double-blind, controlled studies indicate that attention deficit disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are familial. Moreover, the pattern of transmission of comorbid disorders suggests that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is, from a familial perspective, distinct from anxiety disorders and learning disabilities. In contrast, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder with conduct disorder appears to be a familial subtype, and major depression appears to be a variable expression of the familial predisposition to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Although the available literature provides strong evidence for the familial transmission of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, the mode of transmission requires further clarification. In addition, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder appears to be genetically heterogeneous, indicating that more work is needed to delineate genetically homogeneous subtypes and to describe the range of expression of their underlying genotypes. Family-genetic studies will continue to clarify the etiology and nosology of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Studies on the central pressor activity of dibutyryl cyclic AMP.

Abstract The effects of the central administration (i.c.v.) of dibutyryl cyclic AMP (DBcAMP) on arterial blood pressure and heart rate were studied in the rat. The cyclic nucleotide produced a dose-dependent rise in blood pressure and an accompanying tachycardia. Maximal presor effect of a single dose of DBcAMP (350 μg) was observed 25 min post injection and the duration of the response was 60 min. Chemical degeneration of central catechol-aminergic neurons with 6-hydroxydopamine treatment abolished the pressor response to DBcAMP. Partial chemical degeneration of central serotonin pathways with 5,6-dihydroxytryptamine did not significantly alter the effect. The pressor activity of the cyclic nucleotide was attenuated by central adminstration of phentolamine. Spinal cord section at the C6-C7 level or peripheral chemical degeneration of catecholaminergic neurons combined with bilateral adrenalectomy abolished the pressor response to DBcAMP. It was concluded that the pressor response to i.c.v. administration of DBcAMP is mediated by central catecholaminergic pathways and is the result of an increase in efferent sympathetic outflow and release of catechlamines from the adrenal medulla.
Syncope in children with Tourette's syndrome treated with guanfacine

We report on 4 children who experienced a syncopal episode while being treated with guanfacine without any other evident cause. Syncope appears to be an uncommon side effect of guanfacine and is probably due to drug-induced hypotension or bradycardia.
Use of time and space by platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus: Monotremata) along a Victorian stream

Radio-tracking and mark recapture methods were used to characterize the spatial organization and temporal activity patterns of free-ranging platypuses in southern Victoria. The study area supported an estimated 1.3-2.1 adult or subadult animals per kilometre of stream in the three summers sampled. The individual home ranges of 15 radio-tagged animals comprised 0.33-2.28 km of stream; animals foraging exclusively in the stream had significantly longer ranges (mean=1.40 km) than animals which also foraged in associated pond habitats (mean=0.64km). Home ranges of grown females overlapped with those of neighbouring grown females, subadult and adult males, and juveniles (<l y old) of both sexes. While the home ranges of a subadult and adult male, and subadult and juvenile male also overlapped substantially, only one sexually mature male was trapped at any given point in time, suggesting that adult males may occupy mutually exclusive home ranges in the study area. Most platypuses were observed to den at more than one location: burrow sharing was recorded in the case of a subadult and adult male, two grown females, a grown female and independent first-year female, and two independent first-year females. The mean length of time that nine individuals spent in dens per resting period varied from 11.6-16.7 h. In addition, two grown females remained inactive in dens for longer periods (3-6.5 days) in late May-June.
Binding and Internalization of Glucuronoxylomannan, the Major Capsular Polysaccharide of Cryptococcus neoformans, by Murine Peritoneal Macrophages

Glucuronoxylomannan (GXM), the major component of the capsular polysaccharide of Cryptococcus neoformans, is essential to virulence of the yeast. Previous studies found that the interaction between GXM and phagocytic cells has biological consequences that may contribute to the pathogenesis of cryptococcosis. We found that GXM binds to and is taken up by murine peritoneal macrophages. Uptake is dose and time dependent. Examination of the sites of GXM accumulation by immunofluorescence microscopy showed that the pattern was discontinuous and punctate both on the surfaces of macrophages and at intracellular depots. Although resident macrophages showed appreciable accumulation of GXM, uptake was greatest with thioglycolate-elicited macrophages. A modest stimulation of GXM binding followed treatment of resident macrophages with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, but treatment with lipopolysaccharide or gamma interferon alone or in combination had no effect. Accumulation of GXM was critically dependent on cytoskeleton function; a near complete blockade of accumulation followed treatment with inhibitors of actin. GXM accumulation by elicited macrophages was blocked by treatment with inhibitors of tyrosine kinase, protein kinase C, and phospholipase C, but not by inhibitors of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, suggesting a critical role for one or more signaling pathways in the macrophage response to GXM. Taken together, the results demonstrate that it is possible to experimentally enhance or suppress binding of GXM to macrophages, raising the possibility for regulation of the interaction between this essential virulence factor and binding sites on cells that are central to host resistance.
The Fisher-Markov Selector: Fast Selecting Maximally Separable Feature Subset for Multiclass Classification with Applications to High-Dimensional Data

Selecting features for multiclass classification is a critically important task for pattern recognition and machine learning applications. Especially challenging is selecting an optimal subset of features from high-dimensional data, which typically have many more variables than observations and contain significant noise, missing components, or outliers. Existing methods either cannot handle high-dimensional data efficiently or scalably, or can only obtain local optimum instead of global optimum. Toward the selection of the globally optimal subset of features efficiently, we introduce a new selector - which we call the Fisher-Markov selector - to identify those features that are the most useful in describing essential differences among the possible groups. In particular, in this paper we present a way to represent essential discriminating characteristics together with the sparsity as an optimization objective. With properly identified measures for the sparseness and discriminativeness in possibly high-dimensional settings, we take a systematic approach for optimizing the measures to choose the best feature subset. We use Markov random field optimization techniques to solve the formulated objective functions for simultaneous feature selection. Our results are noncombinatorial, and they can achieve the exact global optimum of the objective function for some special kernels. The method is fast; in particular, it can be linear in the number of features and quadratic in the number of observations. We apply our procedure to a variety of real-world data, including mid--dimensional optical handwritten digit data set and high-dimensional microarray gene expression data sets. The effectiveness of our method is confirmed by experimental results. In pattern recognition and from a model selection viewpoint, our procedure says that it is possible to select the most discriminating subset of variables by solving a very simple unconstrained objective function which in fact can be obtained with an explicit expression.
Feasibility study of performing IGRT system daily QA using a commercial QA device

The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of using a single QA device for comprehensive, efficient daily QA of a linear accelerator (Linac) and three image-guided stereotactic positioning systems (IGSPSs). The Sun Nuclear Daily QA 3 (DQA3) device was used to perform daily dosimetry and mechanical accuracy tests for an Elekta Linac, as well as daily image geometric and isocenter coincidence accuracy tests for three IGSPSs: the AlignRT surface imaging system; the frameless SonArray optical tracking System (FSA) and the Elekta kV CBCT. The DQA3 can also be used for couch positioning, repositioning, and rotational tests during the monthly QA. Based on phantom imaging, the Linac coordinate system determined using AlignRT was within 0.7 mm/0.6° of that of the CBCT system. The difference is attributable to the different calibration methods that are utilized for these two systems. The laser alignment was within 0.5 mm of the isocenter location determined with the three IGSPSs. The ODI constancy was ± 0.5 mm. For gantry and table angles of 0°, the mean isocenter displacement vectors determined using the three systems were within 0.7 mm and 0.6° of one another. Isocenter rotational offsets measured with the systems were all ≤ 0.5°. For photon and electron beams tested over a period of eight months, the output was verified to remain within 2%, energy variations were within 2%, and the symmetry and flatness were within 1%. The field size and light-radiation coincidence were within 1mm ± 1 mm. For dosimetry reproducibility, the standard deviation was within 0.2% for all tests and all energies, except for photon energy variation which was 0.6%. The total measurement time for all tasks took less than 15 minutes per QA session compared to 40 minutes with our previous procedure, which utilized an individual QA device for each IGSPS. The DQA3 can be used for accurate and efficient Linac and IGSPS daily QA. It shortens QA device setup time, eliminates errors introduced by changing phantoms to perform different tests, and streamlines the task of performing dosimetric checks.
Mineralization and plant uptake of 14C-labeled nonylphenol, nonylphenol tetraethoxylate, and nonylphenol nonylethoxylate in biosolids/soil systems planted with crested wheatgrass.

—Microcosm experiments (duration, 150 d) were conducted to evaluate the mineralization and plant uptake of [14C]nonylphenol (NP), [14C]nonylphenol tetraethoxylate (NPE4), and [14C]nonylphenol nonylethoxylate (NPE9) in a soil/biosolids (99.5:0.5 w/w) environment planted with crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum). Three initial nominal concentrations (6, 24, and 47 mg/kg dry wt) each of NP, NPE4, and NPE9 were examined along with unplanted and unplanted poisoned controls. Phenol (22 mg/kg) also was evaluated as a more degradable reference compound. The biosolids were obtained from a municipal treatment plant, and the loamy sand soil was freshly collected. Mineralization ranged from 7% for NP to 53% for phenol, and no enhancement was observed in the planted systems. For NP, NPE4, and NPE9, 14C foliar tissues concentrations were proportional to exposure concentrations but were 10-fold lower than the root concentrations and two- to threefold lower than the soil concentrations. Bioconcentration factors (BCFs) based on 14C measurements ranged from 0.31 (mg compound/kg dry plant/ mg compound/kg dry soil) for systems spiked with NP to 0.52 for systems spiked with NPE9. Results of the NP analysis (initial concentration, 47 mg/kg) showed a 90% decrease in the soil concentration and an average BCF of 1.0. The lower BCF calculated from the 14C analysis likely resulted from the presence of NP transformation products in the soil that are less available or are translocated by the plants but quantified by the combustion/liquid scintillation counting procedure.
Some Biochemical Properties of Rabbit Ovarian Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases1

An investigation was made of hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity in homogenates of rabbit ovaries from which the corpora lutea, if present, had been removed. Activity was determined by measuring the increase in optical density with time due to the formation of reduced pyridine nucleotide in incubation media saturated with oxidized pyridine nucleotide and hydroxysteroid. Activity was found toward steroids with hydroxyl groups in the 3β, 17β, 20α and 20β configurations. Both 3β- and 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activities were stable for several days at either 3–5 or –20 C and were shown to.increase from pH 8.6 to 10.0. The 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase utilized DPN+ preferentially and was localized in the microsomal fraction, whereas the 17β-, 20α- and 20β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases preferred TPN+ and were found in the soluble fraction of an ovarian homogenate. The 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity (mμ/mole/ min/mg wet tissue) was found to be directly related to the weight of the ovary mi...
Testimony before the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on Climate Change and the Inter-Mountain West

The effect of drought on the Southwest: implications for water policy. The drought that the Southwest is experiencing is consistent with forecasts for its future climate. Federal policies should take this into account in shaping agricultural policies for the region. Farm payments should reflect the changing climate and not provide incentives for practices that no longer make sense. Federal water policies also need to reflect the necessity of managing a diminished water supply and not subsidize costly importation schemes. Federal and state governments must to more to protect aquatic species under changed climate conditions. We need a significant federal investment in wildlife or we will see the extinction of species and the loss of ecosystems that are important to those who live in this region.
A facile methodology for the production of in situ inorganic nanowire hydrogels/aerogels.

Creating inorganic nanowire hydrogels/aerogels using various materials and inexpensive means remains an outstanding challenge despite their importance for many applications. Here, we present a facile methodology to enable highly porous inorganic nanowire hydrogel/aerogel production on a large scale and at low cost. The hydrogels/aerogels are obtained from in situ hydrothermal synthesis of one-dimensional (1D) nanowires that directly form a cross-linking network during the synthesis process. Such a method not only offers great simplicity but also allows the interconnecting nanowires to have much longer length. The longer length offers aerogels with remarkable porosity and surface area extremely low densities (as low as 2.9 mg/cm3), are mechanically robust, and can have superelasticity by tuning the synthesis conditions. The nanowires in the hydrogels/aerogels serve both as structural support and active sites, for example, for catalysis or absorption. In this work, we have found that the as-grown hydrogels ...
Mid-infrared emission spectroscopy of sulfate and sulfate-bearing minerals

Mid-infrared thermal emission spectra were acquired and are presented for 37 different sulfate minerals representing Strunz classes 6/A-D as well as a few other miscellaneous sulfate-bearing minerals (Strunz class 3/C and 8/J). Sulfate vibrational modes are assigned to each spectrum; also assigned are the modes of component OH, H2O, and carbonate where applicable. A discussion also is presented regarding the effect of hydration state on the emissivity spectra; dehydration of the Ca-sulfate mineral series (e.g., gypsum-bassanite-anhydrite), as well as the Mg-sulfate series, causes the high-frequency edge of the sulfate ν3 band to shift to a larger wavenumber.
Genome Sequencing Reveals the Environmental Origin of Enterococci and Potential Biomarkers for Water Quality Monitoring

Enterococci are common members of the gut microbiome and their ease of culturing has facilitated worldwide use as indicators of fecal pollution of waters. However, enterococci were recently shown to persist in environmental habitats, often in the absence of fecal input, potentially confounding water quality assays. Toward resolving this issue and providing a more complete picture of natural enterococci diversity, 11 isolates of Enterococcus faecalis recovered from freshwater watersheds (environmental) were sequenced and compared to 59 available enteric genomes. Phenotypically and phylogenetically the environmental E. faecalis were indistinguishable from their enteric counterparts. However, distinct environmental- and enteric-associated gene signatures, encoding mostly accessory nutrient utilization pathways, were detected among the variable genes. Specifically, a nickel uptake operon was over-represented in environmental genomes, while genes for utilization of sugars thought to be abundant in the gut such...
The Background of ἐκκλησία Revisited

There has been recent debate about the background and origins for Paul’s use of the word ἐκκλησία: is it to be understood primarily against an LXX or Greco-Roman background? This article is an atte...
Putative quantitative trait locus affecting birth weight on bovine chromosome 2.

A genome scan for chromosomal re- gions influencing birth weight was performed using 151 progeny of a single Hereford × composite bull and 170 microsatellite markers spanning 2.497 morgans on 29 bovine autosomes. A QTL was identified at the te- lomeric end of bovine chromosome 2 (maximum effect at 114 cM) accounting for approximately 2.8 kg of birth weight or 0.64 residual standard deviations (after ad- justment for sex of calf, age of dam, and breed of dam). No significant effect on growth from birth to weaning was detected in this region. The presence of this QTL
Investigation of Healthy Worker Effect

[Objective]To investigate the magnitude and the source of healthy worker effect.[Methods]Health condition of the staff of 6 state-own and non-state enterprises before working,after employed and after laying off was analyzed.[Results]Multiple factors induced healthy worker effect,non-state-owned enterprises performed health screening strictly among workers,there was significant difference of disease spectrum between different kinds of enterprises,the enterprises tended to phase out sub-health workers.[Conclusion]The choice tendency of enterprises for workers magnifies the healthy worker effect.
Ultrasound elastography in the noninvasive diagnosis of liver disease in children: A review

The objective of this review is to examine the clinical utility of ultrasoundÂ elastography (UE) in the work up of chronic pediatric liverÂ disease as described in recent literature. We will discuss the technicalÂ aspects of the various UE techniques and review the elastographyÂ findings in several specific etiologies of chronic pediatric liver disease.Â These include non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, chronic viral hepatitis,Â cystic fibrosis, biliary atresia and liver transplant. Lastly, we willÂ discuss the future direction of UE and unanswered questions that requireÂ further investigation before UE can be incorporated into routineÂ clinical practice. Conclusion â€“ Research over the past several yearsÂ has shown ultrasound elastography to be a potentially useful tool inÂ assessing extent, progression and prognosis of chronic pediatric liverÂ disease. There are many potential clinical indications for the use ofÂ elastography in the evaluation of pediatric liver disease. FamiliarityÂ with this new non-invasive technique will be imperative in upcomingÂ years as it moves from research into clinical practice.
Conformations of cytochrome c in intact and damaged mitochondria studied by resonant Raman spectroscopy

Here we show that resonant Raman spectroscopy can be effectively used to probe conformational states of cytochrome c in intact and damaged mitochondria thereby providing a sensitive tool for studies of cytochrome c release during permeabilization of the outer mitochondrial membrane, which is an important stage of apoptosis.
The effects of urine pH modification on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of phenylpropanolamine.

To determine whether uninary alkalinization had an effect on the plasma pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of phenylpropanolamine, a double-blind crossover study was conducted in four healthy, normotensive male volunteers. The subjects received 25 mg immediate-release phenylpropanolamine and either placebo or sodium bicarbonate in a balanced randomized order. The bicarbonate treatment consisted of 6 g sodium bicarbonate 30 min prior to the phenylpropanolamine and then 3 g sodium bicarbonate every 4 hr for the next 16 hr. During the control treatment, phenylpropanolamine and a placebo for bicarbonate (lactose) were given on the same schedule. Blood and urine samples were collected over 24 hr and analyzed by HPLC. A supine blood pressure and pulse were obtained before each blood sample. The bicarbonate treatment significantly increased the urine pH throughout the study period and decreased phenylpropanolamine renal clearance by 33.5%. The apparent total-body clearance was also decreased by 31.5% and resulted in higher postabsorptive plasma phenylpropanolamine concentrations in each subject as compared to the control treatment. Both systolic and diastolic blood pressures changed significantly from baseline in both treatments. The bicarbonate treatment was accompanied by significantly higher diastolic blood pressures than in the control treatment, but there was no effect on systolic blood pressures. Generally, when the blood pressure–concentration pairs were plotted chronologically, clockwise hysteresis curves resulted. Heart rates did not change significantly from baseline values for either treatment. In this small group of normotensive healthy male volunteers, urinary alkalinization significantly depressed the renal clearance of phenylpropanolamine, producing higher postabsorptive phenylpropanolamine plasma concentrations and a small but significant increase in the diastolic blood pressure.
Adaptive entropy coded DCT coding of magnetic resonance image sequences

Compression of magnetic resonance (MR) image sequences have proved to be difficult as compared to other medical imaging modalities. Some of the factors partially responsible for this are significant amount of noise and image artifacts which are present in a 3-D MR dataset. Another factor is use of unsuitable intensity matching techniques in removal of inter-slice dependencies. In this paper we introduce an adaptive DCT coding scheme that employs a triangle-based matching (TBM) algorithm to explore the inter-slice dependencies. The proposed scheme is used to encode a heart sequence. An improvement of 0.3 dB is achieved over adaptive intra-slice schemes at low bit-rates. >
Thermal Modeling, Characterization and Management of On-Chip Networks

Due to the wire delay constraints in deep submicron technology and increasing demand for on-chip bandwidth, networks are becoming the pervasive interconnect fabric to connect processing elements on chip. With ever-increasing power density and cooling costs, the thermal impact of on-chip networks needs to be urgently addressed. In this work, we first characterize the thermal profile of the MIT Raw chip. Our study shows networks having comparable thermal impact as the processing elements and contributing significantly to overall chip temperature, thus motivating the need for network thermal management. The characterization is based on an architectural thermal model we developed for on-chip networks that takes into account the thermal correlation between routers across the chip and factors in the thermal contribution of on-chip interconnects. Our thermal model is validated against finite-element based simulators for an actual chip with associated power measurements, with an average error of 5.3%. We next propose ThermalHerd, a distributed, collaborative run-time thermal management scheme for on-chip networks that uses distributed throttling and thermal-correlation based routing to tackle thermal emergencies. Our simulations show ThermalHerd effectively ensuring thermal safety with little performance impact. With Raw as our platform, we further show how our work can be extended to the analysis and management of entire on-chip systems, jointly considering both processors and networks.
Secondary spectrum oligopoly market over large locations

We investigate a secondary spectrum market where each primary owns a channel over large number of locations. Each primary sells its channel to the secondaries in exchange of a price. However, the secondaries can not transmit simultaneously at interfering locations. A primary must select a price and a set on non-interfering locations for its available channel where the availability of a channel for sale evolves randomly. The set of non-interfering locations turns out to be an independent set in the conflict graph representation of the region. The primary needs to find a strategy for each possible channel state vector. We consider node symmetric conflict graphs which arise frequently in practice when the number of locations is large (potentially, infinite). Since there is a symmetry in the interference relationship, we also consider a symmetric relationship among the joint probability distribution of the channel state vectors. We show that that a symmetric NE exists and explicitly compute it. In the symmetric NE a primary randomizes equally among the maximum independent sets at a given channel state vector. The symmetric NE exhibits several important structural differences compared to the symmetric NE strategy for small number of locations which we have obtained in our earlier works. The conflict graph representation depends on the channel state vector, thus, it is a random graph. We also empirically and theoretically investigate the expected component size in random conflict graphs which governs the computation of maximum independent sets. Our analysis shows that the mean component size is in general moderate, however, it can be high when the channel availability probability is very high. We show that with random sampling method, a primary can govern the mean component size. We numerically evaluate the ratio of the expected payoff attained by primaries in the game and the payoff attained by primaries when all the primaries collude.
Diversity and Redistributive Preferences

Does socioeconomic diversity affect individuals' preferences for redistribution? I exploit exogenous variation in exposure to diversity from a large-scale financial aid program that drastically raised the share of low-income students at elite universities in Colombia. I survey students who entered college before and after the policy rollout and show that diversity promoted social interactions among low- and high-income individuals. As a result, high-income students had more accurate perceptions of poverty and inequality and stronger support for redistribution.
An efficient, robust, and scalable approach for analyzing interacting android apps

When multiple apps on an Android platform interact, faults and security vulnerabilities can occur. Software engineers need to be able to analyze interacting apps to detect such problems. Current approaches for performing such analyses, however, do not scale to the numbers of apps that may need to be considered, and thus, are impractical for application to real-world scenarios. In this paper, we introduce Jitana, a program analysis framework designed to analyze multiple Android apps simultaneously. By using a classloader-based approach instead of a compiler-based approach such as Soot, Jitana is able to simultaneously analyze large numbers of interacting apps, perform on-demand analysis of large libraries, and effectively analyze dynamically generated code. Empirical studies of Jitana show that it is substantially more efficient than a state-of-the-art approach, and that it can effectively and efficiently analyze complex apps including Facebook, Pokemon Go, and Pandora that the state-of-the-art approach cannot handle.
Acute Homeostatic Changes Following Vitamin D2 Supplementation.

Context Changes in vitamin D binding protein (DBP) concentrations and catabolism of 25-hydroxyvitamin D to 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (24,25D) after vitamin D2 supplementation may alter concentrations and bioavailability of circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25D). Objective Examine acute changes in vitamin D metabolism and bioavailability after vitamin D2 supplementation. Methods Study design was secondary analysis of a single-arm interventional study. Thirty consenting volunteers were treated with five 50,000 IU oral doses of ergocalciferol over 2 weeks. Main outcome measures included concentrations of DBP, vitamin D metabolites, and bioavailable 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25D) in pre- and posttreatment serum samples. Results After supplementation, 25D2 (mean ± standard deviation) increased from 1.4 ± 0.9 ng/mL to 45.3 ± 16.5 ng/mL (P 0.05 for both). Conclusion Changes after vitamin D2 supplementation involve acute rise in serum DBP and 24,25D, both of which may attenuate the rise in bioavailable 25D and 1,25D.
Strawmen at the Symposium: A Response:

In this essay, we reply to the five commentaries offered of our 2016 book, Socrates Tenured: The Institutions of 21st Century Philosophy. We argue that, in a recursive fashion, those commentaries exemplify the thesis of our book – that contemporary philosophy has a blind spot concerning the philosophical priors of its status as an institution. That is, 20th and now 21st century philosophy has limited metaphilosophy to being an exclusively theoretical exercise, neglecting to also pursue a ‘philosophy of philosophy’ in its material, bureaucratic, and Marxist dimensions. After making these points in the introduction, the article is divided into three parts that deal, in turn, with comments that are facile, earnest, and provocative. We then conclude by noting the unintentional irony of our contemporary situation, where the vast majority of philosophy departments are inhabited by sophists rather than philosophers.
App Review Series: CTisus iPearls.

Thousands of “pearls” or facts related to radiology or imaging are accessible through a categorically organized user interface. Pearls are divided up into anatomical regions, as well as non-organ-specific categories. Information is easily accessible with an ad-free interface matched with full offline capability. User interface leaves much to be desired as it appears dated and difficult to navigate at first. Pearls are not easily searchable within the application and unexperienced users may find it difficult to quickly answer targeted questions using this application alone. This application compiles pearls of wisdom pulled from thousands of peer-reviewed publications and organizes them in an easy to use format. While this is designed with the well-informed user in mind, it can serve as an excellent resource for users of all levels of experience seeking bite-sized pieces of imaging-related information.
Age of cow and age of dam effects on milk production of Hereford cows.

Milk production in Hereford cows was studied utilizing 2,487 lactation records on 926 cows. Data were collected over 17 yr (1968 to 1984) from two related herds. Estimates of daily milk yield were obtained at bimonthly intervals by the calf suckling technique. The sum of three monthly measures (TMY), a predicted sum of seven monthly observations (PMY) and 205-d weight of the calf were studied. Year, age of cow, age of dam at cow's birth and calf birth weight affected (P less than .05) all traits. Birth weight affected all measures of milk, with heavier calves obtaining more milk. Age of cow effects were significantly curvilinear, with PMY and TMY increasing for cows from 2 to 5 yr of age, but not differing for cows 6 yr and older. Age of cow effects on 205-d weight were similar to those for milk. As age of cow increased from 2 to 4 yr, 205-d calf weight increased. A leveling off in 205-d weight was observed for calves of cows 5 yr and older. Effects of age of dam of cow also were significant for all milk traits studied. As age of dam increased, PMY and TMY decreased. Highest milk yields were for cows born to and reared by 2-yr-old dams, intermediate milk yields for those by 3- and 4-yr-old dams and lowest yields by daughters of mature dams. Cows born to and reared by older dams produced less milk and weaned lighter calves. There were no interactions between age of cow and age of dam. This suggests a lasting detrimental effect of older cows on lactation yield of daughters. Thus, it appears that age of dam should be considered in evaluation of cow performance.
Conceptual Relativism and Translation

According to conceptual relativism, different cultures view the world through conceptual schemes that cannot be reconciled. This doctrine may seem to be supported by a phenomenon familiar to translators: exact translations, even adequate ones, often seem impossible to come by. Untranslatability, the conceptual relativist reasons, attests to the inaccessibility of other cultures; the more pervasive it is, the wider the conceptual chasm between ourselves and the native users of the untranslatable language.
Measuring the Level of Reflective Ability of Predoctoral Dental Students: Early Outcomes in an e-Portfolio Reflection.

Learning to evaluate one’s own skills through reflection and self-assessment prepares dental graduates for successfully navigating an ever-changing work environment throughout their careers, but the search continues for the most effective teaching and assessment strategies to develop students’ skills in these areas. Beginning with the Class of 2017, the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry adopted e-portfolios as a programmatic (four-year) global assessment measure in the predoctoral dental program, in large part to encourage the development of reflection. The aim of this study was twofold: to examine interrater reliability among raters when scoring reflective writing using a validated measure of reflection skill and to analyze students’ level of reflective ability as fourth-year dental students. Reflections of all 102 students were independently evaluated by the three investigators using a grading rubric based on Bain’s 5 Rs (reporting, responding, relating, reasoning/deconstructing, reconstructing). Intra-class correlation was used to assess interrater reliability among the three raters, resulting in a good range for agreement (ICC=0.67; 95% CI 0.54, 0.77). The results showed that the majority (70%) of the global reflections were rated at Level 2 (responding) and Level 3 (relating). Approximately 15% of the global reflections reached Level 4 (reasoning/deconstructing), and only one was rated at the highest level (Level 5, reconstructing). This study confirmed that reflection and reflective writing were difficult for students to accomplish. As a result, curricular enhancements at this school have been implemented that involve both faculty and student development. Ongoing evaluation is required to determine if those changes result in higher levels of reflective ability. The positive outcomes of reflection and writing warrant continued examination in how to improve this educational strategy across the curriculum.
Effects of sodium intake on postural lightheadedness: Results from the DASH-sodium trial.

Lightheadedness after standing contributes to adverse clinical events, including falls. Recommendations for higher sodium intake to treat postural lightheadedness have not been evaluated in a trial setting. The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH)-Sodium trial (1998-1999) tested the effects of the DASH diet and sodium reduction on blood pressure (BP). Participants were randomly assigned to DASH or a typical Western diet (control). During either diet, participants ate three sodium levels (50, 100, 150 meq/d at 2100 kcal) in random order for 30-days, separated by 5-day breaks. Participants reported the presence and severity of postural lightheadedness at baseline and after each feeding period. There were 412 participants (mean age 48 years; 57% women; 57% black). Mean baseline SBP/DBP was 135/86 mm Hg; 9.5% reported baseline lightheadedness. Among those consuming the DASH diet, high vs low sodium increased lightheadedness (OR 1.71; 95% CI: 1.01, 2.90; P = 0.047) and severity of lightheadedness (P = 0.02), but did not affect lightheadedness in those consuming the control diet (OR 0.77; 95% CI: 0.46, 1.29; P = 0.32). Among those consuming high vs low sodium in the context of the DASH diet, adults <60 vs ≥60 years old experienced more lightheadedness (P-interaction = 0.04), along with obese vs non-obese adults (P-interaction = 0.01). In the context of the DASH diet, higher sodium intake was associated with more frequent and severe lightheadedness. These findings challenge traditional recommendations to increase sodium intake to prevent lightheadedness.
Managing Dissonance and Dissent: Bureaucratic Professionalism and Political Risk in Policy Implementation

This article examines the implementation of a Michigan rule requiring vaccine‐critical parents to attend an education session at a local health department prior to receiving an immunization waiver. During interviews (N = 35), public health professionals recognized that providing waivers deviated from their professional mission. Yet, they chose to prioritize client service in their interactions, thereby managing and absorbing conflict at the parent level. Politically, vaccine critics have succeeded in proposing bills to undo this rule. This suggests that conflict management and absorption is a vital policy function because conflict can turn into political action, endangering the future of a promising rule.
Simulation Study of the Efficiency of Unmarked On-Street Parking and Vehicle Downsizing:

Does unmarked on-street parking accommodate more cars—because smaller cars take less space? Or is unmarked spacing actually less efficient, because of the mismatch effect of very small cars? Should...
UNIT 3.6 Template-Independent DNA Polymerases

Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT), is a template-independent DNA polymerase that catalyzes the incorporation of deoxynucleotides at the 3′-hydroxyl terminus of DNA, accompanied by the release of inorganic phosphate. TdT does not require a template and will not copy one. Reaction conditions and some applications are described in this unit, including cloning DNA fragments, labeling the 3′ terminus of DNA with 32P or nonradioactive tags, synthesizing model polydeoxynucleotide homopolymers, and detecting DNA damage and apoptotic cells. Curr. Protoc. Mol. Biol. 84:3.6.1-3.6.3. © 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Keywords: terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase; TdT; DNA 3′-end labeling; DNA tailing; TUNEL assay
Targeted Integration and High-Level Transgene Expression in AAVS1 Transgenic Mice after In Vivo HSC Transduction with HDAd5/35++ Vectors.

Our goal is the development of in vivo hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transduction technology with targeted integration. To achieve this, we modified helper-dependent HDAd5/35++ vectors to express a CRISPR/Cas9 specific to the "safe harbor" adeno-associated virus integration site 1 (AAVS1) locus and to provide a donor template for targeted integration through homology-dependent repair. We tested the HDAd-CRISPR + HDAd-donor vector system in AAVS1 transgenic mice using a standard ex vivo HSC gene therapy approach as well as a new in vivo HSC transduction approach that involves HSC mobilization and intravenous HDAd5/35++ injections. In both settings, the majority of treated mice had transgenes (GFP or human γ-globin) integrated into the AAVS1 locus. On average, >60% of peripheral blood cells expressed the transgene after in vivo selection with low-dose O6BG/bis-chloroethylnitrosourea (BCNU). Ex vivo and in vivo HSC transduction and selection studies with HDAd-CRISPR + HDAd-globin-donor resulted in stable γ-globin expression at levels that were significantly higher (>20% γ-globin of adult mouse globin) than those achieved in previous studies with a SB100x-transposase-based HDAd5/35++ system that mediates random integration. The ability to achieve therapeutically relevant transgene expression levels after in vivo HSC transduction and selection and targeted integration make our HDAd5/35++-based vector system a new tool in HSC gene therapy.
Testing in the Elderly

Laboratory data often plays a significant role in the care of older adults. However, the interpretation of laboratory data in older adults is complicated by a number of factors including lack of representation of older adults in populations sampled to determine the reference ranges for laboratory tests, misconceptions regarding the meaning of laboratory reference ranges, normal physiologic changes with aging which influence results of some tests, difficulty distinguishing normal changes with aging from pathologic changes, and the frequent presence of chronic conditions and use of medications which may alter test results. Lack of awareness of the above issues can lead to misinterpretation of laboratory tests and result in overtreatment as well as missed diagnoses.
Inadequacy of Third-Order Elastic Coefficients for Predicting Nonlinearity in Highly n-Type-Doped Silicon Resonators

Third-order nonlinear elastic coefficients of silicon have been assumed to be the dominant factor in describing the nonlinear behavior of silicon-based resonators in literature. In this article, it is postulated that in spite of the common belief, third-order elastic coefficients may not be adequate to explain the nonlinear elastic behavior of silicon micro-resonators at high n-type doping concentrations. The nonlinear behavior observed in degenerately n-type-doped bulk-extensional mode resonators aligned to $\langle {100}\rangle $ orientation is carefully studied in which a spring-hardening effect is observed at large vibration amplitudes. It is shown that the existing analytical/numerical calculations and a proposed finite element model that are based on the utilization of third-order elastic (TOE) coefficients will all predict spring-softening in such resonators, thus suggesting insufficiency of the nonlinear model.
The effect of increasing employee compensation on firm performance: evidence from the restaurant industry.

Abstract This study examined the effect of employee compensation on restaurant performance from both short-term and long-term perspectives. The results of this study showed that increasing employee compensation immediately enhances (decreases) restaurant revenue growth (profitability) but decreases (improves) restaurant revenue growth (profitability) after one year. The results suggested that restaurant firms can utilize employee compensation as a management tool to enhance performance in terms of both short-term revenue growth and long-term profitability gains. The results further implied that restaurant firms could consider making small but continuous increases in employee compensation to maintain higher performance outcomes. However, such increases should be implemented with appropriate initiatives to reduce shirking behaviors by overpaid employees.