cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Can paid sick leave mandates reduce leave-taking?

Abstract Since 2006, several cities and states have implemented paid sick leave mandates. We examine the effects of paid sick leave mandates in Washington, D.C. (2008) and Connecticut (2011) on leave-taking behavior. After these policies are implemented, there are significant decreases in the aggregate rate of illness-related leave taking, relative to control groups, for both those directly affected and those not directly affected by the policy. The estimates are strong for Connecticut, but are more sensitive to the specification and weaken over time for D.C. We also find decreases in leave-taking when exploiting exogenous variation in access to paid sick leave through changes in local industry composition over time. Our results suggest that mandated sick leave policies can provide large positive public health externalities by allowing sick workers to stay home rather than coming to work and spreading their illness to customers and coworkers.
Price Discrimination with Demarketing

We study how demarketing interacts with pricing decisions to explain why and when it can be employed as the seller's optimal strategy. In our model, a monopolistic seller offers different price-quality bundles of the product. A consumer's preference is private information. With demarketing, consumers must make a costly effort to purchase and/or utilize the product, whereas with marketing, the seller instead makes the effort so that the consumer's purchasing decision is independent of the cost of effort. Our result suggests that, for small or large effort costs, it is optimal for the seller to engage in marketing. For intermediate effort costs, however, demarketing can be optimal. With demarketing, the seller induces only the consumers with high valuation to make transaction effort. By doing so, the seller can price discriminate more effectively, thus extracting more surplus. We extend our analysis to the case where the seller can offer special deals through exclusive sales channels along with demarketing. Then, demarketing can be optimal even for large costs of effort.
Compressions of free products of von Neumann algebras

A reduction formula for compressions of von Neumann algebra II\(_1\)–factors arising as free products is proved. This shows that the fundamental group is \({\bf R}^*_+\) for some such algebras. Additionally, by taking a sort of free product with an unbounded semicircular element, continuous one parameter groups of trace scaling automorphisms on II\(_\infty\)–factors are constructed; this produces type III\(_1\) factors with core \(\mathcal{M}\otimes B(\mathcal{H})\), where \(\mathcal{M}\) can be a full II\(_1\)–factor without the Haagerup approximation property.
Research in Pediatric Residency: National Experience of Pediatric Chief Residents.

Abstract Objective To determine factors associated with increased research productivity, satisfaction, and perceived barriers to research within residency from the experience of pediatric chief residents. Methods An online cross-sectional survey was administered to academic year 2014–15 chief residents. Topics assessed included program demographic characteristics, career intentions, research productivity, satisfaction with research training and opportunities, and research barriers. Chi-square and Fisher exact tests were used for descriptive statistics. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to determine factors associated with productivity and research satisfaction. Results The response rate was 63% (165 of 261). Half (82 of 165) were productive in research. Most were satisfied with their quality of research training (55%; 90 of 165) and research opportunities (69%; 114 of 165). Chiefs reporting interest in research were 5 times more likely to be productive than those who did not (odds ratio [OR] = 5.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.3–11.8). Productive chiefs were more likely to report including research time in future careers ( P = .003). Most (83%; 137 of 165) thought their programs were supportive of resident research, but lack of time was frequently cited as a major barrier. Those satisfied with research opportunities were less likely to find lack of training (OR = 0.3; 95% CI, 0.1–0.7) or faculty mentorship (OR = 0.2; 95% CI, 0.0–0.9) as a major barrier. Conclusions Pediatric chief resident interest in research is strongly associated with research productivity during residency, and research productivity is strongly associated with career plans including research time. By cultivating research interest through faculty mentorship, research training, and dedicated time, pediatric residency programs might help foster early research success and, potentially lead to continued engagement with research in trainees' future careers.
Modulational instability in the full-dispersion Camassa-Holm equation.

We determine the stability and instability of a sufficiently small and periodic travelling wave to long-wavelength perturbations, for a nonlinear dispersive equation which extends a Camassa–Holm eq...
Truncated thermal equilibrium distribution for intense beam propagation

024402-1 An intense charged particle beam with directed kinetic energy b 1 mbc propagates in the z direction through an applied focusing field with transverse focusing force modeled by Ffoc bmb! ?x? in the smooth-focusing approximation. This paper examines properties of the axisymmetric, truncated thermal equilibrium distribution Fb r;p? A exp H?=T?b H? Eb , where A, T?b, and Eb are positive constants, and H? is the Hamiltonian for transverse particle motion. The equilibrium profiles for beam number density, nb r R dpFb r;p? , and transverse temperature, T?b r nb r 1 R d2p p?=2 bmb Fb r;p? , are calculated self-consistently including spacecharge effects. Several properties of the equilibrium profiles are noteworthy. For example, the beam has a sharp outer edge radius rb with nb r rb 0, where rb depends on the value of Eb=T?b. In addition, unlike the choice of a semi-Gaussian distribution, FSG b A exp p?=2 bmbT?b r rb , the truncated thermal equilibrium distribution Fb r;p depends on r;p only through the singleparticle constant of the motion H? and is therefore a true steady-state solution @=@t 0 of the nonlinear Vlasov-Maxwell equations.
Double bubbles in S 3 and H 3

We prove the double bubble conjecture in the three-sphereS 3 and hyperbolic three-spaceH 3 in the cases where we can apply Hutchings theory: A balancing argument and asymptotic analysis reduce the problem inS 3 andH 3 to some computer checking. The computer analysis has been designed and fully implemented for both spaces.
On the Complexity of Item Response Theory Models

Complexity in item response theory (IRT) has traditionally been quantified by simply counting the number of freely estimated parameters in the model. However, complexity is also contingent upon the functional form of the model. We examined four popular IRT models-exploratory factor analytic, bifactor, DINA, and DINO-with different functional forms but the same number of free parameters. In comparison, a simpler (unidimensional 3PL) model was specified such that it had 1 more parameter than the previous models. All models were then evaluated according to the minimum description length principle. Specifically, each model was fit to 1,000 data sets that were randomly and uniformly sampled from the complete data space and then assessed using global and item-level fit and diagnostic measures. The findings revealed that the factor analytic and bifactor models possess a strong tendency to fit any possible data. The unidimensional 3PL model displayed minimal fitting propensity, despite the fact that it included an additional free parameter. The DINA and DINO models did not demonstrate a proclivity to fit any possible data, but they did fit well to distinct data patterns. Applied researchers and psychometricians should therefore consider functional form-and not goodness-of-fit alone-when selecting an IRT model.
Resisting Salafism and the Arabization of Indonesian Islam: a contemporary Indonesian didactic tale by Komaruddin Hidayat

Adopting Arabic clothing styles and in other ways mimicking Saudi Arabian cultural practice is one of the defining characteristics of the Indonesian tarbiyah (Islamic education) movement and the more general influence of Saudi Arabian Wahhabism and other forms of Middle Eastern style Salafism that has emerged in Indonesia since the early 1980s. This paper includes a translation of and extended commentary on a short story by Professor Komaruddin Hidayat of Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University in Jakarta that is highly critical of this trend. This is a counter narrative that references two Indonesian national heroes: Kyai Hasyim Asy’ari (1875–1947) one of the founders of Nhadlatul Ulama, the country’s largest Muslim organization and Mohammad Hatta (1902–1980), the first Vice-president. Professor Hidayat uses a short story to make the point that Islamic authenticity need not be based on the emulation of Saudi Arabian cultural practices and that Islam, Indonesian cultures, and nationalism are entirely compatible.
Confocal Endomicroscopy Characteristics of Different Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasm Subtypes

Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms are classified into gastric, intestinal, pancreatobiliary, and oncocytic subtypes where morphology portends disease prognosis. The study aim was to demonstrate EUS-guided needle-based confocal laser endomicroscopy imaging features of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm subtypes. Four subjects, each with a specific intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm subtype were enrolled. An EUS-guided needle-based confocal laser endomicroscopy miniprobe was utilized for image acquisition. The mean cyst size from the 4 subjects (2 females; mean age = 65.3±12 years) was 36.8±12 mm. All lesions demonstrated mural nodules and focal dilation of the main pancreatic duct. EUS-nCLE demonstrated characteristic finger-like papillae with inner vascular core for all subtypes. The image patterns of the papillae for the gastric, intestinal, and pancreatobiliary subtypes were similar. However, the papillae in the oncocytic subtype were thick and demonstrated a fine scale-like or honeycomb pattern with intraepithelial lumina correlating with histopathology. There was significant overlap in the needle-based confocal laser endomicroscopy findings for the different intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm subtypes; however, the oncocytic subtype demonstrated distinct patterns. These findings need to be replicated in larger multicenter studies.
Achieving better-than-3-A resolution by single-particle cryo-EM at 200 keV

Nearly all single-particle cryo-EM structures resolved to better than 4-A resolution have been determined using 300-keV transmission electron microscopes (TEMs). We demonstrate that it is possible to obtain reconstructions of macromolecular complexes of different sizes to better than 3-A resolution using a 200-keV TEM. These structures are of sufficient quality to unambiguously assign amino acid rotameric conformations and identify ordered water molecules.
Your server as a function

Building server software in a large-scale setting, where systems exhibit a high degree of concurrency and environmental variability, is a challenging task to even the most experienced programmer. Efficiency, safety, and robustness are paramount-goals which have traditionally conflicted with modularity, reusability, and flexibility. We describe three abstractions which combine to present a powerful programming model for building safe, modular, and efficient server software: Composable futures are used to relate concurrent, asynchronous actions; services and filters are specialized functions used for the modular composition of our complex server software. Finally, we discuss our experiences using these abstractions and techniques throughout Twitter's serving infrastructure.
Why do migrant households consume so little

Abstract Exploring data from the migrant and urban household surveys of the Chinese Household Income Project, this paper dissects the underlying causes of the depressing effect of the hukou system on migrant household consumption to two channels. On one hand, migrants' disentitlement to local urban hukou creates financial insecurity through barriers to employment, social welfare, medical insurance, etc., thereby encouraging precautionary saving. On the other hand, it promotes temporary migration, allows divergence in tastes and values from local urban residents to persist, and incentivizes migrant households to save their transitory income. Factors reflecting these two channels, such as medical and pension insurances, the duration of migration, and local homeownership, are specifically modeled, and they are found to contribute to the discrepancies in consumption between migrant and local urban households, among other factors. In addition, the marginal propensity to consume exhibits heterogeneity across migrant households; it is higher with a longer duration of migration, local homeownership, and self-employment. The lack of these attributes further reinforces the reluctance of migrant households to consume.
Midterm Survivorship and Complications of Total Knee Arthroplasty in Patients With Dwarfism

Abstract Background Dwarfism is associated with skeletal dysplasias and joint deformities that frequently result in osteoarthritis requiring treatment with total knee arthroplasty (TKA). These surgeries can be challenging because of alignment deformities, poor bone stock, and smaller components. This study aims to compare TKA implant survivorship and complications between dwarf and nondwarf patients. Methods A retrospective case-control study was performed from 1997-2014 evaluating 115 TKAs in patients under the height threshold of 147.32 cm. This cohort was compared with 164 patients of normal height. Medical records were reviewed for demographics, surgical characteristics, and outcomes. All cases had 2-year minimum follow-up. Results The revision rate was 8.7% in dwarfs compared with 3.7% in controls ( P = .08). The 2-, 5-, and 10-year implant survivorship in dwarfs was 96.4%, 92.5%, and 90.2%, respectively; and 96.6%, 95.6%, and 94.8% for controls, respectively ( P = .24). Dwarfs underwent significantly more manipulations for arthrofibrosis ( P = .002). There was greater femoral (17.4% vs 2.1%, P P Conclusion Despite a 2-fold increase in the revision rate of the dwarf cohort, the midterm survivorship is comparable between the dwarf and nondwarf patients. However, dwarfs were more likely to become stiff and undergo manipulation; the increased propensity for stiffness may be associated with oversized components, as evidenced by greater component overhang. Surgeons should be aware of this increased risk and may consider using smaller or customized implants to account for the morphological differences in this patient population.
Visualization of high-dimensional clusters using nonlinear magnification

This paper describes a visualization system which has been used as part of a data-mining effort to detect fraud and abuse within state medicare programs. The data-mining process generates a set of N attributes for each medicare provider and beneficiary in the state; these attributes can be numeric, categorical, or derived from the scoring proces of the data- mining routines. The attribute list can be considered as an N- dimensional space, which is subsequently partitioned into some fixed number of cluster partitions. The sparse nature of the clustered space provides room for the simultaneous visualization of more than 3 dimensions; examples in the paper will show 6-dimensional visualization. This ability to view higher dimensional data allows the data-mining researcher to compare the clustering effectiveness of the different attributes. Transparency based rendering is also used in conjunction with filtering techniques to provide selective rendering of only those data which are of greatest interest. Nonlinear magnification techniques are used to stretch the N- dimensional space to allow focus on one or more regions of interest while still allowing a view of the global context. The magnification can either be applied globally, or in a constrained fashion to expand individual clusters within the space.
Photographic Memory: The Effects of Volitional Photo Taking on Memory for Visual and Auditory Aspects of an Experience:

How does volitional photo taking affect unaided memory for visual and auditory aspects of experiences? Across one field and three lab studies, we found that, even without revisiting any photos, participants who could freely take photographs during an experience recognized more of what they saw and less of what they heard, compared with those who could not take any photographs. Further, merely taking mental photos had similar effects on memory. These results provide support for the idea that photo taking induces a shift in attention toward visual aspects and away from auditory aspects of an experience. Additional findings were in line with this mechanism: Participants with a camera had better recognition of aspects of the scene that they photographed than of aspects they did not photograph. Furthermore, participants who used a camera during their experience recognized even nonphotographed aspects better than participants without a camera did. Meta-analyses including all reported studies support these findings.
Intrinsic Endometriosis of the Ureter

Ureteral involvement by endometriosis especially of the intrinsic type is a rare condition. Most of such cases are accompanied by severe renal impairment requiring radical excision. A similar case is described in conjunction with nephroureterectomy.
Urinary Tract Infection Due to Coagulase-Negative Staphylococcus

One hundred and fifty-six urine specimens with a pure culture of coagulase-negative Staphylococcus were studied. One hundred and eighteen charts were reviewed for clinical evidence of urinary tract infections. Twenty-four cases of urinary tract infection were found. The younger females in the study tended to have infection due to novobiocin resistant Staphylococcus in contrast to males and older females.
Colposcopy in the Diagnosis of Penile Condyloma

To determine the incidence of penile condyloma in a group of high-risk men, we carried out colposcopy and biopsy of suspicious lesions in 51 men. All men were partners of women with condyloma. Of these men, 45 were found to have histologic evidence of condyloma, and only eight of these had grossly visible disease.
Analgesic Risks and Pharmacoepidemiology

Knowledge of uncommon adverse drug reactions ordinarily derives from case reports based on clinical observations. Size limitations of clinical trials preclude identification of rare adverse reactions.1Yet individual case reports have two problems. First, an observed clinical event may be coincidental to a particular drug exposure, be linked to the disease being treated, or be due to other drugs. Only in the unusual instance when rechallenge and reappearance of the event are described can causality be clearly inferred from a case report. Second, individual case reports cannot generally provide a basis for incidence estimates.1For prospective clinical decisions, the issue is not whether a drug might cause a reaction, but how often this happens. Thus, the extraordinary study of the relationship between analgesics and aplastic anemia and agranulocytosis in this issue ofThe JOURNALis most welcome and important.2Because these conditions are rare, a case-control study
Symplectic Stability on Manifolds with Cylindrical Ends

The notion of Eliashberg–Gromov convex ends provides a natural restricted setting for the study of analogs of Moser’s symplectic stability result in the noncompact case, and this has been significantly developed in work of Cieliebak–Eliashberg. Retaining the end structure on the underlying smooth manifold, but dropping the convexity and completeness assumptions on the symplectic forms at infinity, we show that symplectic stability holds under a natural growth condition on the path of symplectic forms. The result can be straightforwardly applied as we show through explicit examples.
Social Relevance of Genital Herpes Simplex in Children

• The charts of children younger than 13 years with culture-proved genital herpes simplex virus (HSV) were reviewed to determine how acquisition of the infection was documented and whether sexual abuse had been investigated. Six children (four girls and two boys) had genital HSV infection: five had type 1 HSV and one had type 2 HSV. None had serologic evidence of syphilis or culture-proved gonorrhea. Sexual abuse was documented in four of six patients. We concluded that genital HSV in children is frequently sexually transmitted and should always be considered a possible indicator of child abuse. Confirmation of HSV infection by culture is important to substantiate suspicious circumstances, since it may occur in the absence of either a history of sexual abuse or of other sexually transmitted diseases. ( AJDC 1984;138:872-874)
Adrenal Masses: Characterization With T1-Weighted MR Imaging

The ability of a T1-weighted spin-echo magnetic resonance (MR) sequence to allow differentiation of benign from malignant adrenal masses at 0.5 T was investigated in 28 patients with 35 adrenal masses. All nine lesions with an adrenal mass-liver signal intensity ratio of 0.71 or less were metastases, and all 15 with a ratio of 0.78 or more were adenomas. Eleven masses (31%)--including six adenomas, three metastases, a pheochromocytoma, and a neuroblastoma--had ratios between these values. Nine of ten masses with adrenal mass-fat intensity ratios of 0.35 or less were metastases, and all 12 with ratios of 0.42 or more were benign. Eleven masses (31%), four malignant and one benign, had ratios between these values. The ratios for two masses could not be calculated due to lack of fat. The specificity of T1-weighted MR imaging in differentiating benign from malignant adrenal masses appears similar to that reported for T2-weighted imaging. However, significant overlap occurred, as has also been reported for T2-...
Motion and Marking in Reflective Practice: Artifacts, Autobiographical Narrative and Sexuality.

ABSTRACTThis paper introduces a reflective methodology of the body as a resource for reflective practice based on an analysis of my personal response and experience of autobio- graphical narrative. It offers an approach in which the movements and markings of the body serve as important sites for collecting additional evidence of the daily practices that shape our lives. The paper extends and develops the notion of reassembling ‘artifacts’ from Watson and Wilcox (2000), in order to expand the possibilities for enlarging methods of refiection. Two forms of artifact are presented: visual illustration and movement vignette. Re-collecting and reading these artifacts, allows the personal history stored in the body, as well as the body’s contemporaneous knowledge to become more accessible for examination, dialogue and reflection. In a dialectic relationship with narrative writing, an example is presented of this reflective model that mines one’s impulses for motion and stillness, movement and marking. Drawing up...
HPV RNA in situ hybridization can inform cervical cytology-histology correlation.

Background In situ hybridization for human papillomavirus (HPV) messenger RNA (HPV RNA ISH) recently was introduced as an ancillary tool in the diagnosis of cervical squamous intraepithelial lesions, and can aid in the distinction between low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSILs) versus reactive/negative biopsies. Prior work has shown that up to one-half of cases originally diagnosed as LSIL are reclassified as negative/reactive by expert consensus review of morphology, and negative HPV RNA ISH results most often correlate with an expert diagnosis of negative/reactive. Given that LSIL overdiagnoses on biopsy may result in the erroneous clinical impression that a cervical lesion has been sampled appropriately, the authors proposed that HPV RNA ISH can inform cytology-histology correlation for challenging LSIL biopsies. Methods A total of 92 cervical biopsies originally diagnosed as LSIL were reviewed by 3 gynecologic pathologists and reclassified based on consensus opinion of morphology. ISH was performed for high-risk and low-risk HPV E6/E7 mRNA. Prior/concurrent cytology results were collected. Results Based on expert consensus morphologic review, 49% of biopsies (45 of 92 biopsies) originally diagnosed as LSIL were reclassified as negative, 6.5% (6 of 92 biopsies) were reclassified as high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion, and 44.5% (41 of 92 biopsies) were maintained as LSIL. The majority of LSIL biopsies reclassified as negative (80%; 36 of 45 biopsies) were HPV RNA negative, whereas 93% of LSIL biopsies (39 of 41 biopsies) and 100% of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion biopsies were HPV RNA positive. Conclusions LSIL often is overdiagnosed by morphology on biopsy, potentially leading to the false impression that a lesion identified on cytology has been sampled. Performing RNA ISH on biopsies decreases histologic LSIL overdiagnosis, and potentially can prompt further sampling when there is cytology-histology discordance. Cancer (Cancer Cytopathol) 2018. © 2018 American Cancer Society.
Transmission Grid Topology Control Using Critical Switching Flow Based Preventive Stabilizing Redispatch

Transmission grid topology control makes power systems more flexible and efficient. However, a line switching action itself may cause transient instability since a large flow disturbance may be involved. In this paper, a critical switching flow (CSF) concept is developed and an associated preventive stabilizing redispatch scheme is proposed to provide control guidelines for line switching actions to prevent instability and enhance transient stability for the system. The CSF is calculated in the day-ahead stage using a two-stage Monte Carlo algorithm, in which the uncertainties of generations and loads are considered and the worst case in the system is identified statistically. The obtained information is then used in the proposed scheme in the operation stage. Selected generators are dispatched before a switching action to ensure system stability. The IEEE reliability test system, the modified IEEE-118 bus system, and the Texas 2000 system are used to demonstrate the effectiveness and scalability of the proposed algorithm and scheme.
Rev7 and 53BP1/Crb2 prevent RecQ helicase-dependent hyper-resection of DNA double-strand breaks

Healthy cells can typically repair damage to their DNA with high accuracy, keeping their genetic code intact. In contrast, cancer cells often lose this ability. Inaccurate repair leads to more frequent DNA mutations, which can make a tumor more aggressive. However, DNA repair-deficient tumors can be targeted with cancer therapies, such as PARP inhibitors, which kill cells that do not have working DNA repair mechanisms. PARP inhibitors show great promise clinically, but unfortunately some tumor cells can become resistant to these treatments over time. Recent work has shown that resistance to PARP inhibitors is often caused by further alternations to DNA repair machineries. Being able to visualize DNA repair in living cells is crucial to understanding this process and to find ways to improve cancer treatments. Previous studies have used repetitive DNA sequences called Lac operators (LacO) to visualize the dynamic behavior of DNA in live cells. Leland et al. have now adapted this system to watch individual DNA repair events in living yeast cells under the microscope. Their experiments reveal that when cells lose a single protein called Rev7, an early phase of DNA repair becomes hyperactive. Leland et al. traced the cause of this hyperactivity to an enzyme in the RecQ helicase family. A RecQ helicase becoming hyperactive in cells lacking Rev7 could explain how some cancer cells become resistant to PARP inhibitor treatments. This information could help fine-tune future approaches to treating cancer. For example, using an inhibitor of RecQ helicase alongside PARP inhibitors may help block this type of resistance from developing in the first place. As well as potentially paving the way for better cancer treatments, this method of visualization could improve scientists’ understanding of the basic processes of DNA repair.
Engineering reaction–diffusion networks with properties of neural tissue

We present an experimental system of networks of coupled non-linear chemical reactors, which we theoretically model within a reaction–diffusion framework. The networks consist of patterned arrays of diffusively coupled nanoliter-scale reactors containing the Belousov–Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction. Microfluidic fabrication techniques are developed that provide the ability to vary the network topology and the reactor coupling strength and offer the freedom to choose whether an arbitrary reactor is inhibitory or excitatory coupled to its neighbor. This versatile experimental and theoretical framework can be used to create a wide variety of chemical networks. Here we design, construct and characterize chemical networks that achieve the complexity of central pattern generators (CPGs), which are found in the autonomic nervous system of a variety of organisms.
Multifactor interactions and the air traffic controller: the interaction of situation awareness and workload in association with automation

Air traffic controllers must maintain a consistently high level of human performance in order to maintain flight safety and efficiency. In current control environments, performance-influencing factors such as workload, fatigue and situation awareness can co-occur and interact to affect performance. However, multifactor influences and the association with performance are under-researched. This study utilised a high-fidelity, human-in-the-loop, en route air traffic control simulation to investigate the relationship between workload, situation awareness and controller performance. The current study aimed to replicate Edwards et al.’s (in: Proceedings of the 4th AHFE international conference, 21–25th July, San Francisco, USA, 2012) previous finding that factors known to be associated with controller performance do co-vary and can interact, which is associated with a compound influence on performance. In addition, the current study aimed to extend Edwards et al.’s (2012) study by engaging retired controllers as participants and comparing multifactor relationships across four levels of automation. Results suggest that workload and situation awareness may interact to produce a compound (as opposed to cumulative) impact on controller performance. In addition, the effect of the interaction on performance may be dependent on the context and level of automation. Findings have implications for human–automation teaming in air traffic control, and the potential prediction of performance-influencing situations, supporting controller performance in the operational environment.
Cohesin Function in Cohesion, Condensation, and DNA Repair Is Regulated by Wpl1p via a Common Mechanism in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Cohesin tethers DNA to mediate sister chromatid cohesion, chromosome condensation, and DNA repair. How the cell regulates cohesin to perform these distinct functions remains to be elucidated. One cohesin regulator, Wpl1p, was characterized in Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a promoter of efficient cohesion and an inhibitor of condensation. Wpl1p is also required for resistance to DNA damaging agents. Here we provide evidence that Wpl1p promotes the timely repair of DNA damage induced during S-phase. Previous studies indicate that Wpl1p destabilizes cohesin9s binding to DNA by modulating the interface between the cohesin subunits Mcd1p and Smc3p. Our results suggest that Wpl1p likely modulates this interface to regulate all of cohesin9s biological functions. Furthermore, we show that Wpl1p regulates cohesion and condensation through the formation of a functional complex with another cohesin-associated factor, Pds5p. In contrast, Wpl1p regulates DNA repair independently of its interaction with Pds5p. Together these results suggest that Wpl1p regulates distinct biological functions of cohesin by Pds5p-dependent and -independent modulation of the Smc3p-Mcd1p interface.
Practice Patterns and Survival Outcomes of Intracranial Germinoma: An Analysis of the National Cancer Database

The goal of the study is to examine the practice pattern and survival outcome of adult and pediatric patients with intracranial germinoma. Patients from the National Cancer Database (NCDB) brain tumor registry between the years 2004-2014 with intracranial germinoma were extracted for analysis. Patients who had distant metastasis, received no treatments, or only surgery/chemotherapy alone were excluded. An age cutoff of > 21 years old was used to define the pediatric population. Patients were stratified by the treatments radiation therapy alone (RT) and chemotherapy followed by radiation therapy (C + RT). 445 patients with intracranial germinoma meeting our inclusion criteria were identified. Of the adult patients, 65.7% received RT and 34.3% received C + RT, compared to the pediatric patients, where 31.8% received RT and 68.2% received C + RT. Those patients who received C + RT had a lower radiation dose compared to the RT group (p < 0.001). The 5 and 10 year overall survival (OS) for the entire cohort was 92.6 and 87.9%, respectively. Univariate analysis demonstrated improved OS with younger age, private insurance, C + RT treatment, and pediatric patients. Only age and insurance type remained significant on multivariate analysis. The 5 year OS was 92.6% (RT) versus 97.2% (C + RT) (p = 0.307) and 83.4% (RT) versus 95.4% (C + RT) (p = 0.122) in the pediatric and adult patients, respectively. There is a higher use of C + RT with an accompanied reduction in RT dose in the treatment of intracranial germinoma. There is no difference in survival between the treatment approaches of RT or C + RT in the NCDB patient cohort.
The evolution of Hayek's thought on gold and monetary standards

Early in his career, Hayek viewed attempts to stabilize exchange rates by facilitating cooperation between central banks, with respect to their demand for gold, to be at odds with the fundamental mechanisms of the gold standard. He opposed proposals by Irving Fisher, Gustav Cassel, and Ralph Hawtrey that promoted stabilization of demand for gold and price levels as a next best option. Hayek viewed the nations that refused to devalue their currency after monetary expansion during wartime as complicit in degrading the international gold standard. In 1935 Hayek's emphasis began to change, his position sounding much like the arguments of Cassel and Hawtrey. Though he eventually gave up hope that the international gold standard would be reestablished, his later work on money provides theoretical underpinnings for systems that would promote the same sort of stability and predictability that the classical gold standard had provided.
An epigenetic breeding system in soybean for increased yield and stability.

Epigenetic variation has been associated with a wide range of adaptive phenotypes in plants, but there exist few direct means for exploiting this variation. RNAi suppression of the plant-specific gene, MutS HOMOLOG1 (MSH1), in multiple plant species produces a range of developmental changes accompanied by modulation of defence, phytohormone and abiotic stress response pathways along with methylome repatterning. This msh1-conditioned developmental reprogramming is retained independent of transgene segregation, giving rise to transgene-null 'memory' effects. An isogenic memory line crossed to wild type produces progeny families displaying increased variation in adaptive traits that respond to selection. This study investigates amenability of the MSH1 system for inducing agronomically valuable epigenetic variation in soybean. We developed MSH1 epi-populations by crossing with msh1-acquired soybean memory lines. Derived soybean epi-lines showed increase in variance for multiple yield-related traits including pods per plant, seed weight and maturity time in both glasshouse and field trials. Selected epi-F2:4 and epi-F2:5 lines showed an increase in seed yield over wild type. By epi-F2:6, we observed a return of MSH1-derived enhanced growth back to wild-type levels. Epi-populations also showed evidence of reduced epitype-by-environment (e × E) interaction, indicating higher yield stability. Transcript profiling of epi-lines identified putative signatures of enhanced growth behaviour across generations. Genes related to cell cycle, abscisic acid biosynthesis and auxin response, particularly SMALL AUXIN UP RNAs (SAURs), were differentially expressed in epi-F2:4 lines that showed increased yield when compared to epi-F2:6 . These data support the potential of MSH1-derived epigenetic variation in plant breeding for enhanced yield and yield stability.
Cytokine receptor-Eb1 interaction couples cell polarity and fate during asymmetric cell division

Asymmetric stem cell division is a critical mechanism for balancing self-renewal and differentiation. Adult stem cells often orient their mitotic spindle to place one daughter inside the niche and the other outside of it to achieve asymmetric division. It remains unknown whether and how the niche may direct division orientation. Here we discover a novel and evolutionary conserved mechanism that couples cell polarity to cell fate. We show that the cytokine receptor homolog Dome, acting downstream of the niche-derived ligand Upd, directly binds to the microtubule-binding protein Eb1 to regulate spindle orientation in Drosophila male germline stem cells (GSCs). Dome's role in spindle orientation is entirely separable from its known function in self-renewal mediated by the JAK-STAT pathway. We propose that integration of two functions (cell polarity and fate) in a single receptor is a key mechanism to ensure an asymmetric outcome following cell division.
Hidden in plain view: The impact of mediation on the mediator and implications for conflict resolution education

Empirical evidence shows that middle and high school students trained to be peer mediators experience improved communication skills, increased empathy, enhanced self-esteem, and improved academic performance. Yet scholars have not examined whether these benefits extend to mediators in other contexts. This article presents empirical evidence and theoretical support for the inference that mediation training and practice have a positive impact on the emotional well-being of the mediator. Given the documented increase of mental health challenges in today's society, this largely untapped potential of mediation to improve the well-being of the mediator has significant implications for conflict resolution education.
Cigarette taxes and illicit trade in Europe

Cigarettes are highly taxed in Europe, but at higher prices some consumers substitute more toward illicit cigarettes. The illicit retail trade in cigarettes (IRTC) includes counterfeit, untaxed, and smuggled cigarettes. Some existing literature includes claims that taxes are not an important determinant of IRTC. Using data from the European Union, we find the opposite: raising prices leads to substantial increases in IRTC. A €1 increase in tax/pack is expected to increase illicit market share by 5 to 12 percentage points and increase illicit cigarette sales by 29% to 95%. The results are robust to alternative specifications and data. (JEL I18, H26, K42)
Action spectra of electrochromic voltage-sensitive dyes in an intact excitable tissue

Voltage-sensitive dyes VSDs provide a spatially resolved optical read-out of electrical signals in excitable tissues. Several com- mon fluorescent VSDs display electrochromic shifts of their emission spectra, making them suitable candidates for ratiometric measure- ments of transmembrane voltages. These advantages of VSDs are tem- pered by tissue-specific shifts to their fluorescence emission. In addi- tion, the optimal electrochromic dye response occurs in wavelength bands distinct from the dye's maximal resting emission. This "action spectrum" can undergo tissue-specific shifts as well. We have devel- oped a technique for in situ measurements of the action spectra of VSDs in intact excitable tissues. Fluorescence emission spectra of VSDs during action-potential depolarization were obtained within a single sweep of a spectrophotometer equipped with a change-coupled device CCD array detector. To resolve the subtle electrochromic shifts in voltage-induced dye emission, fluorescence emission spectra measured right before and during field-induced action-potential de- polarization were averaged over about 100 trials. Removing white- noise contributions from the spectrometer's CCD detector/amplifier via low-pass filtering in Fourier space, the action spectra of all dyes could be readily determined. © 2008 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation En-
Design Considerations of a Transverse Flux Machine for Direct-Drive Wind Turbine Applications

This paper presents the design considerations and analysis of a double-sided transverse flux machine (TFM) for direct-drive wind turbine applications. The proposed TFM has a modular structure with quasi U-core stators and toroidal ring windings. The rotor is designed with ferrite magnets in a flux-concentrating setup to achieve high air gap flux density. This paper presents the different aspects of the TFM, taking into consideration the critical geometric parameters affecting the back-EMF waveform, phase inductance, torque density, and power factor. Three-dimensional finite element analysis (3D-FEA) was used to analyze and optimize the critical TFM design parameters to meet the performance specification. A proof-of-concept prototype was developed based on the proposed design considerations. The prototype was experimentally tested at different operating points and the results showed good correlation with the 3D-FEA results.
Effects of Larval Density on Gene Regulation in Caenorhabditis elegans During Routine L1 Synchronization

Bleaching gravid C. elegans followed by a short period of starvation of the L1 larvae is a routine method performed by worm researchers for generating synchronous populations for experiments. During the process of investigating dietary effects on gene regulation in L1 stage worms by single-worm RNA-Seq, we found that the density of resuspended L1 larvae affects expression of many mRNAs. Specifically, a number of genes related to metabolism and signaling are highly expressed in worms arrested at low density, but are repressed at higher arrest densities. We generated a GFP reporter strain based on one of the most density-dependent genes in our dataset - lips-15 - and confirmed that this reporter was expressed specifically in worms arrested at relatively low density. Finally, we show that conditioned media from high density L1 cultures was able to downregulate lips-15 even in L1 animals arrested at low density, and experiments using daf-22 mutant animals demonstrated that this effect is not mediated by the ascaroside family of signaling pheromones. Together, our data implicate a soluble signaling molecule in density sensing by L1 stage C. elegans, and provide guidance for design of experiments focused on early developmental gene regulation.
d-Amino Acid-Mediated Translation Arrest Is Modulated by the Identity of the Incoming Aminoacyl-tRNA.

A complete understanding of the determinants that restrict d-amino acid incorporation by the ribosome, which is of interest to both basic biologists and the protein engineering community, remains elusive. Previously, we demonstrated that d-amino acids are successfully incorporated into the C-terminus of the nascent polypeptide chain. Ribosomes carrying the resulting peptidyl-d-aminoacyl-tRNA (peptidyl-d-aa-tRNA) donor substrate, however, partition into subpopulations that either undergo translation arrest through inactivation of the ribosomal peptidyl-transferase center (PTC) or remain translationally competent. The proportion of each subpopulation is determined by the identity of the d-amino acid side chain. Here, we demonstrate that the identity of the aminoacyl-tRNA (aa-tRNA) acceptor substrate that is delivered to ribosomes carrying a peptidyl-d-aa-tRNA donor further modulates this partitioning. Our discovery demonstrates that it is the pairing of the peptidyl-d-aa-tRNA donor and the aa-tRNA acceptor ...
THE RETURN TO COLLEGE: SELECTION AND DROPOUT RISK

We study two long-standing questions: (i) What part of the measured return to education is due to selection? (ii) The ex post return to schooling is higher than the return to most financial assets. How large are the contributions of various frictions to the "high" return to schooling? We focus in particular on the roles of college dropout risk, borrowing constraints, and learning about ability. We develop and calibrate a model of school choice. Key model features are: (i) ability heterogeneity, (ii) students learn about their abilities while in college, (iii) borrowing constraints, (iv) dropping out of college is a choice. We find that the probability of graduating from college increases strongly with ability. Most college dropouts are students of intermediate abilities who try college in part to learn about their abilities and in part because of the option value of receiving a large earnings gain upon graduation. Ability selection accounts for about 40% of the measured college wage premium.
Constrained Mutational Sampling of Amino Acids in HIV-1 Protease Evolution.

The evolution of HIV-1 protein sequences should be governed by a combination of factors including nucleotide mutational probabilities, the genetic code, and fitness. The impact of these factors on protein sequence evolution is interdependent, making it challenging to infer the individual contribution of each factor from phylogenetic analyses alone. We investigated the protein sequence evolution of HIV-1 by determining an experimental fitness landscape of all individual amino acid changes in protease. We compared our experimental results to the frequency of protease variants in a publicly available data set of 32,163 sequenced isolates from drug-naive individuals. The most common amino acids in sequenced isolates supported robust experimental fitness, indicating that the experimental fitness landscape captured key features of selection acting on protease during viral infections of hosts. Amino acid changes requiring multiple mutations from the likely ancestor were slightly less likely to support robust experimental fitness than single mutations, consistent with the genetic code favoring chemically conservative amino acid changes. Amino acids that were common in sequenced isolates were predominantly accessible by single mutations from the likely protease ancestor. Multiple mutations commonly observed in isolates were accessible by mutational walks with highly fit single mutation intermediates. Our results indicate that the prevalence of multiple-base mutations in HIV-1 protease is strongly influenced by mutational sampling.