cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Return of a Static Universe and the End of Cosmology

We demonstrate that as we extrapolate the current ΛCDM universe forward in time, all evidence of the Hubble expansion will disappear, so that observers in our “island universe” will be fundamentally incapable of determining the true nature of the universe, including the existence of the highly dominant vacuum energy, the existence of the CMB, and the primordial origin of light elements. With these pillars of the modern Big Bang gone, this epoch will mark the end of cosmology and the return of a static universe. In this sense, the coordinate system appropriate for future observers will perhaps fittingly resemble the static coordinate system in which the de Sitter universe was first presented.
Post-translational thioamidation of methyl-coenzyme M reductase, a key enzyme in methanogenic and methanotrophic Archaea

Methyl-coenzyme M reductase (MCR), found in strictly anaerobic methanogenic and methanotrophic archaea, catalyzes the reversible production and consumption of the potent greenhouse gas methane. The α subunit of MCR (McrA) contains several unusual post-translational modifications, including a rare thioamidation of glycine. Based on the presumed function of homologous genes involved in the biosynthesis of thioviridamide, a thioamide-containing natural product, we hypothesized that the archaeal tfuA and ycaO genes would be responsible for post-translational installation of thioglycine into McrA. Mass spectrometric characterization of McrA from the methanogenic archaeon Methanosarcina acetivorans lacking tfuA and/or ycaO revealed the presence of glycine, rather than thioglycine, supporting this hypothesis. Phenotypic characterization of the ∆ycaO-tfuA mutant revealed a severe growth rate defect on substrates with low free energy yields and at elevated temperatures (39°C - 45°C). Our analyses support a role for thioglycine in stabilizing the protein secondary structure near the active site.
Learning Cooperative Visual Dialog Agents with Deep Reinforcement Learning

We introduce the first goal-driven training for visual question answering and dialog agents. Specifically, we pose a cooperative ‘image guessing’ game between two agents – Q-BOT and A-BOT– who communicate in natural language dialog so that Q-BOT can select an unseen image from a lineup of images. We use deep reinforcement learning (RL) to learn the policies of these agents end-to-end – from pixels to multi-agent multi-round dialog to game reward.,,We demonstrate two experimental results.,,First, as a ‘sanity check’ demonstration of pure RL (from scratch), we show results on a synthetic world, where the agents communicate in ungrounded vocabularies, i.e., symbols with no pre-specified meanings (X, Y, Z). We find that two bots invent their own communication protocol and start using certain symbols to ask/answer about certain visual attributes (shape/color/style). Thus, we demonstrate the emergence of grounded language and communication among ‘visual’ dialog agents with no human supervision.,,Second, we conduct large-scale real-image experiments on the VisDial dataset [5], where we pretrain on dialog data with supervised learning (SL) and show that the RL finetuned agents significantly outperform supervised pretraining. Interestingly, the RL Q-BOT learns to ask questions that A-BOT is good at, ultimately resulting in more informative dialog and a better team.
HANDHELD NAVIGATION DEVICE REDUCES THE FREQUENCY OF CORONAL PLANE OUTLIERS AFTER PRIMARY TOTAL KNEE ARTHROPLASTY: A RETROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY

Background Coronal malalignment has been proposed as a risk factor for mechanical failure after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). In response to these concerns, technologies that provide intraoperative feedback to the surgeon about component positioning have been developed with the goal of reducing rates of coronal plane malalignment and improving TKA longevity. Imageless hand-held portable accelerometer technology has been developed to address some the limitations associated with other computer assisted navigation devices including line-of-sight problems, preoperative imaging requirements, extra pin sites, up-font capital expenditures, and learning curve. The purpose of this study was to compare the accuracy and precision of a hand-held portable navigation system versus conventional instrumentation for tibial and femoral resections in TKA. Methods This study was a single-surgeon, retrospective cohort study. Consecutive patients undergoing TKA were divided into three groups: 1) tibial and femoral resections performed with conventional intra- and extramedullary resection guides (CON group; N=84), 2) a hand-held portable navigation system (KneeAlign, OrthoAlign Inc, Aliso Viejo, CA) for tibial resection only (TIBIA group; N=78), and 3) navigation for both tibial and distal femoral resections (BOTH group; N=80). Postoperative coronal alignment of the distal femoral and proximal tibial resection were measured based on the anatomic axis from standing AP radiographs and compared between the three groups for both precision and accuracy. Malalignment was considered to be greater than 3° varus/valgus from expected resection angle. Results Preoperative age, sex, and knee axis alignment were similar between the three groups. Mean postoperative alignment of the distal femoral resection, proximal tibial resection, and knee axis did not differ between groups (Figure 1). Increased frequencies of malalignment (±3° varus/valgus) of the femoral resection (24% CON versus 5% TIBIA and 8% BOTH; p<0.001) and knee axis (31% CON versus 8% TIBIA and 6% BOTH; p<0.001) were observed with conventional resection guides compared to both navigation groups. Conclusion Use of a hand-held portable navigation system improved precision of the distal femoral resection and overall anatomical knee alignment after TKA.
Sustainability of demand responsive approaches to rural water supply : the case of Kerala

This paper presents the findings of an impact evaluation to assess the performance and sustainability of the demand responsive community-based approach toward rural water supply in the state of Kerala, India. To achieve the study's objectives, conceptual definitions of the "performance" and "sustainability" of rural water supply schemes were first developed, as were indicators for their systematic measurement. Performance and sustainability indicators for demand responsive approaches were compared with the more conventional supply-based approach to rural water supply. The study found that participatory community driven water supply schemes were more successful in delivering adequate, regular, and quality water supply, experienced fewer breakdowns and water shortages, and enjoyed higher consumer satisfaction with the quality of service delivery. The success of the community-based approach demonstrates that people are willing to contribute toward the capital costs of the schemes and pay for the water they use for a better service delivery. The findings of this paper suggest that the community-based approach can be a superior alternative to traditional supply driven models in expanding and improving water service delivery in rural areas.
Direct observation detonator operation

The analysis of detonator-timing performance has involved the use of rotating-mirror cameras (RMC) used in the streak mode and high-speed film. Fiducial timing marks are applied to the film to provide temporal references. The use of a RMC for detonator analysis requires aligning the camera, performing an exposure test, capturing light from the detonation and then processing the film. This procedure can take up to an hour for two technicians. After the film is possessed another technician compares each light streak on the film with the fiducial timing marks also recorded on the film. Capturing light from a detonator and recording it directly to a digitizer can improve detonator-timing measurement in several ways. The digitized signals can then be directly analyzed with software. The direct recording method reduces the need for expensive rotating mirror cameras, film processing and subjective optical measurement comparison. Furthermore, an extensive support facility requiring several specialized technicians is reduced to a single technician in a modest laboratory. This technician is then capable of performing several tests an hour. Tests were preformed to measure light intensity at detonation. An optical method of capturing the light was designed using a remote microscope coupled to optical fiber to bring the light to an optical/electrical converter and a digitizer then records the signal. This system is presently used in parallel with a RMC. The results are compared for accuracy.
Verification in staged tile self-assembly

We prove the unique assembly and unique shape verification problems, benchmark measures of self-assembly model power, are \({\mathsf {coNP}}^{{\mathsf {NP}}}\)-hard and contained in \(\mathsf {PSPACE}\) (and in \(\mathrm {\Pi }^p_{2s}\) for staged systems with s stages). En route, we prove that unique shape verification problem in the 2HAM is \({\mathsf {coNP}}^{{\mathsf {NP}}}\)-complete.
Healthcare utilization and spending by children with cancer on Medicaid.

BACKGROUND Children with cancer are a unique patient population with high resource, complex healthcare needs. Understanding their healthcare utilization could highlight areas for care optimization. PROCEDURE We performed a retrospective, cross-sectional analysis of the 2014 Truven Marketscan Medicaid Database to explore clinical attributes, utilization, and spending among children with cancer who were Medicaid enrollees. Eligible patients included children (ages 0-18 years) with cancer (Clinical Risk Group 8). Healthcare utilization and spending (per member per month, PMPM) were assessed overall and across specific healthcare services. RESULTS Children with cancer (n = 5,405) represent less than 1% of the 1,516,457 children with medical complexity in the dataset. Children with cancer had high services use: laboratory/radiographic testing (93.0%), outpatient specialty care (83.4%), outpatient therapy/treatment (53.4%), emergency department (43.7%), hospitalization (31.5%), home healthcare (9.5%). PMPM spending for children with cancer was $3,706 overall and $2,323 for hospital care. CONCLUSION Children with cancer have high healthcare resource use and spending. Differences in geographic distribution of services for children with cancer and the trajectory of spending over the course of therapy are areas for future investigation aimed at lowering costs of care without compromising on health outcomes.
Coaching Paraprofessionals to Promote Engagement and Social Interactions during Small Group Activities.

Paraprofessionals need adequate training and supports to assist young children with autism spectrum disorders to engage in appropriate social interactions during small group activities with their peers. In this study, we used in situ coaching and brief post-session feedback to improve the use of environmental arrangement, prompting, and praise by three paraprofessionals working in inclusive classrooms. Results suggested the brief coaching intervention was effective for improving target behaviors. In addition, generalized use of behaviors and child outcomes were positive. In situ feedback is a promising practice for improving use of evidence-based practices by non-certified personnel in early childhood settings.
Can Abundance and Scarcity Clash? Environmental Security in Lebanon's Second Republic

This paper examines the ongoing threat to environmental security in Lebanon since the end of the civil war in 1990. It makes the case that there can be environmental causes and effects of conflict, as well as environmental targets of conflict in Lebanon. It examines why the government does not always implement international environmental treaties. The paper studies the hydropolitics of the region, the ominous threat of water wars, and the claims of Syria and Israel on Lebanon’s abundant water. It examines the Wazzani pump dispute that erupted in 2001 when, following Israeli withdrawal, the Lebanese government decided to divert water from the Hasbani River into surrounding impoverished villages. The dispute exemplifies how water tensions, in an area already fueled by political distrust, can easily inflate into war rhetoric. The implications for cooperation with Israel, as well as the role of water in the peace process are also analyzed. As it continues to recover from its 15-year civil war (1975-90), Lebanon, with its limited economic, social and political resources, faces enormous challenges in its struggle for security, given its regional position – located between two powerful neighbors, Syria and Israel – where it bears the consequences of a failed peace process between Israel, the Palestinians, Syria, and of course Lebanon. In the geographical region where Lebanon is situated, environmental issues have been sources of conflict between Arabs and non-Arabs, both in the Near East and Africa. Wars have also contributed to the destruction of the environment in the Arab world. In a region where water is scarce, Lebanon’s neighbors have always claimed its relatively abundant waters. A brief historical overview confirms this. In the Middle East, water conflict is an age-old problem, mentioned as far back as in the Old Testament. The early systematic work of the Zionists for the utilization of the Litani River, which flows within Lebanon and drains not far from Israel, can be traced back to the end of the nineteenth century. During the war of 1948, the new state of Israel occupied Lebanese territory west of its northern tongue to the left bank of the Litani, only to vacate it a few months later partly because of its wrong assumption that water sharing arrangements would be worked out for joint exploitation of the waters of south Lebanon. Since 1949, when Israel and Lebanon signed an armistice agreement, no water arrangements have been put into place by the two neighbors, either through direct negotiation or any other form of formal agreement. As early as 1955, the abundance of water in Lebanon was noticed as a way to alleviate projected water problems in the
The atomic structure of transition metal clusters

Abstract Chemical reactions are used to probe the atomic (geometrical) structure of isolated clusters of transition metal atoms. The number of adsorbate molecules that saturate a cluster, and/or the binding energy of molecules to cluster surfaces, are determined as a function of cluster size. Systematics in these properties often make it possible to propose geometrical structures consistent with the experimental observations. We will describe how studies of the reactions of cobalt and nickel clusters with ammonia, water, and nitrogen provide important and otherwise unavailable structural information. Specifically, small (less than 20 atoms) clusters of cobalt and nickel atoms often adopt entirely different structures, the former having packing characteristic of the bulk and the latter having pentagonal symmetry. These observations provide important input for model potentials that attempt to describe the local properties of transition metals. In particular, they point out the importance of a proper treatment of d-orbital binding in these systems, since cobalt and nickel differ so little in their d-orbital occupancy.
Fed speak on main street: Central bank communication and household expectations

Abstract Central banks emphasize the use of communication as a tool of monetary policy. As central banks increasingly recognize that low public informedness limits their ability to communicate with the general public, several have begun to explicitly tailor their communication strategies for a broader audience. Most research focuses on central bank communication with financial markets, but several recent strands of literature address aspects of communication with households. I survey the literature addressing the rationales and efficacy of central bank communication with households, supplementing this with new evidence from an assortment of consumer survey data. I draw from the literature on rational inattention, financial literacy, and political communication to suggest explanations for limited household receptiveness to central bank communications. Finally, I focus on one specific aim of central bank communication, which is to anchor inflation expectations. Previous literature finds that the announcement of an explicit inflation target helps anchor expectations among financial market participants. Using U.S. consumer survey data, I show that consumers’ expectations are imperfectly anchored and that the anchoring of more informed consumers’ expectations increased more than the anchoring of less informed consumers’ expectations following the Fed’s announcement of a 2% inflation target.
Gaussian curvature directs the distribution of spontaneous curvature on bilayer membrane necks

Formation of membrane necks is crucial for fission and fusion in lipid bilayers. In this work, we seek to answer the following fundamental question: what is the relationship between protein-induced spontaneous mean curvature and the Gaussian curvature at a membrane neck? Using an augmented Helfrich model for lipid bilayers to include membrane-protein interaction, we solve the shape equation on catenoids to find the field of spontaneous curvature that satisfies mechanical equilibrium of membrane necks. In this case, the shape equation reduces to a variable coefficient Helmholtz equation for spontaneous curvature, where the source term is proportional to the Gaussian curvature. We show how this latter quantity is responsible for non-uniform distribution of spontaneous curvature in minimal surfaces. We then explore the energetics of catenoids with different spontaneous curvature boundary conditions and geometric asymmetries to show how heterogeneities in spontaneous curvature distribution can couple with Gaussian curvature to result in membrane necks of different geometries.
Implementing Instructional Practices to Improve American Indian and Alaska Native Students’ Reading Outcomes: An Exploration of Patterns Across Teacher, Classroom, and School Characteristics:

The Native Community strongly recommends integrating Native language and culture (NLC) into reading instruction to improve outcomes for American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) students. However, litt...
Immigration and International Law

Formal agreements on international economic migration are relatively rare; yet, important cooperation on migration has taken place using bilateral labor migration treaties. This paper details the conditions under which immigrant receiving countries use these treaties and tests the implications of the argument on a new dataset on migration treaties. I argue that immigrant receiving states use treaties primarily when they lack sufficient migrant networks to draw from. When states cannot generate large enough flows of migrants or the right type of migrants to fill open positions in the labor market, they turn to the sending state to help them. The sending state, then, acts as a recruiter, helping to channel labor to the receiving state. This paper increases our understanding of why states sign treaties as well as demonstrating the limits of cooperation in this policy domain.
A New Technique for the Management of Vesicorectal Fistulas

We report a new technique for the management of the complications of vesicorectal fistulas. The patient we present had a fistula and severe skin excoriation. The fistula was caused by carcinoma of the prostate that had been treated by radiation therapy. The fistula was patched with a rectal prosthesis similar to that used to patch esophageal-tracheal and esophageal-bronchial fistulas.
Adenocarcinoid Tumor of Appendix Presenting as Unilateral Krukenberg Tumor

We report a case of adenocarcinoid tumor of the appendix that presented initially as a unilateral Krukenberg tumor (a signet ring cell mucinous adenocarcinoma with prominent cellular stroma). The primary tumor in the appendix was discovered 10 months later at the time of a "second look" laparotomy. The ovarian metastasis showed both goblet cell elements and tubular formations with numerous argyrophilic cells, indicating that both components of these tumors may metastasize, a finding at variance with the conclusions of some authors who suggest that only the mucinous component may metastasize. Theories of histogenesis of these tumors are discussed, and 12 previously reported cases presenting as Krukenberg tumors (all bilateral) are reviewed. Because the primary tumor in the appendix may be small and easily missed, appendectomy is recommended in all patients with Krukenberg tumors when another primary site cannot be identified at the time of surgery.
The Gallium Scan. Problems and Misuse in Examination of Patients With Suspected Infection

Gallium citrate Ga 67 ( 67 Ga) has been used for almost ten years as a means of detecting inflammatory lesions in febrile patients. We have reviewed 80 cases from Milwaukee County General Hospital (1977 through 1979) in which 67 Ga scanning was performed to detect inflammatory lesions in patients with suspected infection. Fifty scans also were available for review by the nuclear medicine staff. We found the sensitivity of 67 Ga scans at our institution to be 90%, but specificity to be only 64%. In five (6%) of the cases, 67 Ga scanning was the most important means of establishing a diagnosis. Of the 50 scans available for review, only 26 scans (52%) were interpreted in the same way as the original reading. Twenty-two (27%) of all scans in retrospect should not have been ordered, either because the fever was gone and the patient's condition was improving or the diagnosis was already made. We conclude that 67 Ga scans can be useful to detect inflammatory lesions but that they are frequently used inappropriately by physicians at our hospital, they are difficult to interpret, and the specificity is lower than the sensitivity. ( Arch Intern Med 1982;142:246-254)
Peters anomaly in PHACE syndrome

PHACE syndrome is a rare neurocutaneous disorder, with a complex pathogenesis. It presents with a large facial hemangioma associated with anomalies of the posterior fossa of the brain, arterial anomalies, cardiac anomalies, coarctation of the aorta, and eye anomalies. Ocular abnormalities are rare. We report the first published case of an infant with PHACE syndrome and Peters anomaly.
On the Equitability of Progressive Taxation

Abstract We propose the principle of equal sacrifice to determine the class of “vertically inequitable” progressive taxes. A necessary condition for an income tax function to be equal sacrifice is formulated, and hence, a subclass of progressive taxes which cannot inflict the same sacrifice upon all individuals relative toanystrictly increasing and concave utility function is determined. Conversely, it is shown in a general framework that any convex (thus progressive) tax function satisfies the principle of equal sacrifice. Our findings point to the fact that equal sacrifice under progressive income taxation depends heavily upon the degree of marginal rate (as opposed to average rate) progressivity.Journal of Economic LiteratureClassification Numbers: D63, H20.
Septal contributions to olfactory bulb interneuron diversity in the embryonic mouse telencephalon: role of the homeobox gene Gsx2

Olfactory bulb (OB) interneurons are known to represent diverse neuronal subtypes, which are thought to originate from a number of telencephalic regions including the embryonic dorsal lateral ganglionic eminence (dLGE) and septum. These cells migrate rostrally toward the OB, where they then radially migrate to populate different OB layers including the granule cell layer (GCL) and the outer glomerular layer (GL). Although previous studies have attempted to investigate regional contributions to OB interneuron diversity, few genetic tools have been used to address this question at embryonic time points when the earliest populations are specified. In this study, we utilized Zic3-lacZ and Gsx2e-CIE transgenic mice as genetic fate-mapping tools to study OB interneuron contributions derived from septum and LGE, respectively. Moreover, to address the regional (i.e. septal) requirements of the homeobox gene Gsx2 for OB interneuron diversity, we conditionally inactivated Gsx2 in the septum, leaving it largely intact in the dLGE, by recombining the Gsx2 floxed allele using Olig2 Cre/+ mice. Our fate mapping studies demonstrated that the dLGE and septum gave rise to OB interneuron subtypes differently. Notably, the embryonic septum was found to give rise largely to the calretinin+ (CR+) GL subtype, while the dLGE was more diverse, generating all major GL subpopulations as well as many GCL interneurons. Moreover, Gsx2 conditional mutants (cKOs), with septum but not dLGE recombination, showed impaired generation of CR+ interneurons within the OB GL. These Gsx2 cKOs exhibited reduced proliferation within the septal subventricular zone (SVZ), which correlated well with the reduced number of CR+ interneurons observed. Our findings indicate that the septum and LGE contribute differently to OB interneuron diversity. While the dLGE provides a wide range of OB interneuron subtypes, the septum is more restricted in its contribution to the CR+ subtype. Gsx2 is required in septal progenitors for the correct expansion of SVZ progenitors specified toward the CR+ subtype. Finally, the septum has been suggested to be the exclusive source of CR+ interneurons in postnatal studies. Our results here demonstrate that dLGE progenitors in the embryo also contribute to this OB neuronal subtype.
Active end-effector pose selection for tactile object recognition through Monte Carlo tree search

This paper considers the problem of active object recognition using touch only. The focus is on adaptively selecting a sequence of wrist poses that achieves accurate recognition by enclosure grasps. It seeks to minimize the number of touches and maximize recognition confidence. The actions are formulated as wrist poses relative to each other, making the algorithm independent of absolute workspace coordinates. The optimal sequence is approximated by Monte Carlo tree search. We demonstrate results in a physics engine and on a real robot. In the physics engine, most object instances were recognized in at most 16 grasps. On a real robot, our method recognized objects in 2–9 grasps and outperformed a greedy baseline.
Particle Retention in a Submerged Meadow and Its Variation Near the Leading Edge

The retention of particles within meadows of submerged aquatic vegetation impacts the fate of organic matter, pollen, and larvae. Because flow conditions near the leading edge differ from those over the bulk of the canopy, particle retention is likely to differ as well. In particular, near the leading edge of a wide meadow, flow deceleration generates a vertical updraft, which impacts particle fate. In the fully developed region of the meadow, shear layer vortices at the top of the meadow may also influence particle fate. In this study, the retention of particles was measured along the length of a 10-m model meadow (height h = 0.1 m) and was connected to the evolving flow field. Two particle sizes, with settling velocity w s50 = 0.00075 , 0.018 m s−1, were released at two heights within the model meadow (Zrel/h=0.31, 0.81). The retention of particles was measured using microscope slides distributed along the flume bed. Retention increased with distance from the leading edge, associated with the decrease in vertical updraft. Retention was also greater for the particles with higher settling velocity. In the fully developed region of the meadow, particle retention was lower for particles influenced by the shear layer vortices at the top of the meadow (Zrel/h=0.81).
DISTRIBUTED DATA PROCESSING SYSTEMS—DISTRIBUTED COMPUTER CONTROL SYSTEMS: SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES. A PANEL DISCUSSION

Abstract This paper introduces the five following papers which are the introductory statements made by the participants in a three-hour panel discussion. In this paper, the ideas leading to the formation of the panel discussion are presented and a hypothesis is stated to serve as the central theme of the discussion. In order to clarify semantic differences, a working definition of “distributed system” is proposed. In addition, three questions relating to specific areas of control mode, intercommunication, and system integrity are posed as a starting point for the discussion. The panel discussion was recorded and transcribed, and the edited questions, answers, and comments are included in these proceedings following the introductory papers.
Benefits of Structured After-School Literacy Tutoring by University Students for Struggling Elementary Readers

ABSTRACTThis study examines the effectiveness of minimally trained tutors providing a highly structured tutoring intervention for struggling readers. We screened students in Grades K–6 for particip...
Multiscale pore networks and their effect on deformation and transport property alteration associated with hydraulic fracturing

Abstract We performed a series of laboratory and image analysis on organic shale samples before and confined compressive strength tests. Following failure, we often observe an increase in pore volume in the sub-micron range, which appears to be related to the formation of microcracks that in some cases cross or terminate in organic matter, intersecting the organic-hosted pores. Samples with higher clay content tended not to display this behavior. The microcrack networks allow the hydrocarbons to migrate to the main induced tensile fractures. The disconnected nature of the microcracks causes only a slight increase in permeability, consistent with other observations.
On the Yield Strength of Oceanic Lithosphere

The yield strength of oceanic lithosphere determines the mode of mantle convection in a terrestrial planet, and low-temperature plasticity in olivine aggregates is generally believed to govern the plastic rheology of the stiffest part of lithosphere. Because, so far, proposed flow laws for this mechanism exhibit nontrivial discrepancies, we revisit the recent high-pressure deformation data of Mei et al. (2010) with a comprehensive inversion approach based on Markov chain Monte Carlo sampling. Our inversion results indicate that the uncertainty of the relevant flow law parameters is considerably greater than previously thought. Depending on the choice of flow law parameters, the strength of oceanic lithosphere would vary substantially, carrying different implications for the origin of plate tectonics on Earth. To reduce the flow law ambiguity, we suggest that it is important to establish a theoretical basis for estimating macroscopic stress in high-pressure experiments and also to better utilize marine geophysical observations.
Genetic Reagents for Making Split-GAL4 Lines in Drosophila

The ability to reproducibly target expression of transgenes to small, defined subsets of cells is a key experimental tool for understanding many biological processes. The Drosophila nervous system contains thousands of distinct cell types and it has generally not been possible to limit expression to one or a few cell types when using a single segment of genomic DNA as an enhancer to drive expression. Intersectional methods, in which expression of the transgene only occurs where two different enhancers overlap in their expression patterns, can be used to achieve the desired specificity. This report describes a set of over 2800 transgenic lines for use with the split-GAL4 intersectional method.
The Effects of Long-Term Varenicline Administration on Ethanol and Sucrose Seeking and Self-Administration in Male P Rats.

Background Varenicline, a partial agonist at α4β2 and full agonist at α7 nicotinic cholinergic receptors, is FDA-approved for treatment of smoking cessation and has been found to reduce alcohol craving in clinical populations. In rodents, varenicline decreases free-choice ethanol (EtOH) intake with somewhat mixed findings in operant paradigms that utilize a combined appetitive/consummatory response. Methods The present experiment utilized an operant paradigm that procedurally separates appetitive from consummatory responding and a "reward-blocking" approach (i.e., rats were able to consume EtOH during treatment) to better understand the efficacy of varenicline as a treatment for EtOH self-administration and subsequent EtOH seeking. Separate groups of EtOH- and sucrose-reinforced alcohol-preferring, male P rats experienced alternating cycles of vehicle (2-week cycles) and varenicline (0.3, 1.0, and 2.0 mg/kg self-administered in a gelatin preparation) treatment (3-week cycles) prior to daily sessions where a single lever press resulted in 20 minutes of reinforcer access. At the end of each cycle, a single extinction session assessed the seeking response in the absence of drug pretreatment. Results Varenicline dose dependently decreased EtOH intake. Sucrose intake was largely unaffected, with no overall treatment effects and only sporadic days where the medium and high dose differed from vehicle. Neither sucrose nor EtOH seeking was significantly decreased by varenicline, and there were no treatment effects on either lick or lever-press latency. Overall effect sizes were much greater for both drinking and seeking in the EtOH group as compared to the sucrose group. Conclusions Varenicline effectively attenuates EtOH self-administration during treatment, but the experience with EtOH consumption while varenicline is "on board" is not sufficient to alter subsequent EtOH seeking. The overall pattern of findings indicates that varenicline blocks the rewarding properties of EtOH while not substituting for EtOH, that the nonspecific effects on an alternate reinforcer are negligible, and that blood levels of varenicline need to be maintained in order for treatment to remain effective.
A Secure Mobile Authentication Alternative to Biometrics

Biometrics are widely used for authentication in consumer devices and business settings as they provide sufficiently strong security instant verification and convenience for users. However, biometrics are hard to keep secret, stolen biometrics pose lifelong security risks to users as they cannot be reset and re-issued, and transactions authenticated by biometrics across different systems are linkable and traceable back to the individual identity. In addition, their cost-benefit analysis does not include personal implications to users, who are least prepared for the imminent negative outcomes, and are not often given equally convenient alternative authentication options. We introduce ai.lock, a secret image based authentication method for mobile devices which uses an imaging sensor to reliably extract authentication credentials similar to biometrics. Despite lacking the regularities of biometric image features, we show that ai.lock consistently extracts features across authentication attempts from general user captured images, to reconstruct credentials that can match and exceed the security of biometrics (EER = 0.71%). ai.lock only stores a "hash" of the object's image. We measure the security of ai.lock against brute force attacks on more than 3.5 billion authentication instances built from more than 250,000 images of real objects, and 100,000 synthetically generated images using a generative adversarial network trained on object images. We show that the ai.lock Shannon entropy is superior to a fingerprint based authentication built into popular mobile devices.
Emotional competence, behavioural patterning, and executive functions

ABSTRACTThe importance of social-emotional competence, executive functioning, and behavioural recognition of patterns by young children is receiving increased attention from researchers, schools, p...
Antiseptic Agents Elicit Short-Term, Personalized, and Body Site-Specific Shifts in Resident Skin Bacterial Communities.

Despite critical functions in cutaneous health and disease, it is unclear how resident skin microbial communities are altered by topical antimicrobial interventions commonly used in personal and clinical settings. Here we show that acute exposure to antiseptic treatments elicits rapid but short-term depletion of microbial community diversity and membership. Thirteen subjects were enrolled in a longitudinal treatment study to analyze the effects of topical treatments (i.e., ethanol, povidone-iodine, chlorhexidine, and water) on the skin microbiome at two skin sites of disparate microenvironment: forearm and back. Treatment effects were highly dependent on personalized and body site–specific colonization signatures, which concealed community dynamics at the population level when not accounted for in this analysis. The magnitude of disruption was influenced by the identity and abundance of particular bacterial inhabitants. Lowly abundant members of the skin microbiota were more likely to be displaced, and subsequently replaced, by the most abundant taxa prior to treatment. Members of the skin commensal family Propionibactericeae were particularly resilient to treatment, suggesting a distinct competitive advantage in the face of disturbance. These results provide insight into the stability and resilience of the skin microbiome, while establishing the impact of topical antiseptic treatment on skin bacterial dynamics and community ecology.
Elastic precursor wave decay in shock-compressed aluminum over a wide range of temperature

The effect of temperature on the dynamic flow behavior of aluminum is considered in the context of precursor wave decay measurements and simulations. In this regard, a dislocation-based model of high-rate metal plasticity is brought into agreement with previous measurements of evolving wave profiles at 300 to 933 K, wherein the amplification of the precursor structure with temperature arises naturally from the dislocation mechanics treatment. The model suggests that the kinetics of inelastic flow and stress relaxation are governed primarily by phonon scattering and radiative damping (sound wave emission from dislocation cores), both of which intensify with temperature. The manifestation of these drag effects is linked to low dislocation density ahead of the precursor wave and the high mobility of dislocations in the face-centered cubic lattice. Simulations performed using other typical models of shock wave plasticity do not reproduce the observed temperature-dependence of elastic/plastic wave structure.
Characterizing Restorative Dental Treatments of Sjögren's Syndrome Patients Using Electronic Dental Records Data.

Scant knowledge exists on the type of restorative treatments Sjogren's syndrome patients (SSP) receive in spite of their high dental disease burden due to hyposalivation. Increased adoption of electronic dental records (EDR) could help in leveraging information from these records to assess dental treatment outcomes in SSP. In this study, we evaluated the feasibility of using EDR to characterize the dental treatments SSP received and assess the longevity of implants in these patients. We identified 180 SSP in ten years of patients' data at the Indiana University School of Dentistry clinics. A total of 104 (57.77%) patients received restorative or endodontic treatments. Eleven patients received 23 implants with a survival rate of 87% at 40 months follow-up. We conclude that EDR data could be used for characterizing the treatments received by SSP and for assessing treatment outcomes.
Comparison of Transjugular Liver Biopsy and Percutaneous Liver Biopsy With Tract Embolization in Pediatric Patients.

ABSTRACTPurpose:The aim of the study was to compare safety and efficacy of transjugular liver biopsy (TJLB) and percutaneous liver biopsy (PLB) with tract embolization in pediatric patients with liver disease.Materials and Methods:TJLB and PLB between December 2009 and October 2015 were retrospectiv
Variable selection in heterogeneous datasets: A truncated-rank sparse linear mixed model with applications to genome-wide association studies.

Abstract A fundamental and important challenge in modern datasets of ever increasing dimensionality is variable selection, which has taken on renewed interest recently due to the growth of biological and medical datasets with complex, non-i.i.d. structures. Naively applying classical variable selection methods such as the Lasso to such datasets may lead to a large number of false discoveries. Motivated by genome-wide association studies in genetics, we study the problem of variable selection for datasets arising from multiple subpopulations, when this underlying population structure is unknown to the researcher. We propose a unified framework for sparse variable selection that adaptively corrects for population structure via a low-rank linear mixed model. Most importantly, the proposed method does not require prior knowledge of sample structure in the data and adaptively selects a covariance structure of the correct complexity. Through extensive experiments, we illustrate the effectiveness of this framework over existing methods. Further, we test our method on three different genomic datasets from plants, mice, and human, and discuss the knowledge we discover with our method.
The Critical Role of Markets in Climate Change Adaptation

Markets, especially land markets, can facilitate climate change adaptation through price signals. A review of research reveals that urban, coastal, and agricultural land markets provide effective s...
The Activation of Prejudice and Presidential Voting: Panel Evidence from the 2016 U.S. Election

Divisions between Whites and Blacks have long influenced voting. Yet given America’s growing Latino population, will Whites’ attitudes toward Blacks continue to predict their voting behavior? Might anti-Latino prejudice join or supplant them? These questions took on newfound importance after the 2016 campaign, in which the Republican candidate’s rhetoric targeted immigrants from Mexico and elsewhere. We examine the relationship between Whites’ prejudices, immigration attitudes, and voting behavior using a population-based panel spanning 9 years. Donald Trump’s candidacy activated anti-Black but not anti-Latino prejudice, while other GOP candidates had no such effect. This and other evidence suggests that Whites’ prejudice against Blacks is potentially activated even when salient political rhetoric does not target them exclusively. These results shed light on the continued political impact of anti-Black prejudice while deepening our understanding of the mobilization of prejudice and the associated psychological mechanisms.
A Contingent/Assimilation Framework for Public Interorganizational Systems Decisions: Should the City of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County Consolidate Information Technology Services?

Many times, benefit-opportunity-cost-risk (BOCR) information system (IS)-related decisions are based mainly on short-term financial variables. We propose a broader decision-making framework, using ...
In Vitro Effects of Sports and Energy Drinks on Streptococcus mutans Biofilm Formation and Metabolic Activity.

Purpose Sports and energy drinks are being increasingly consumed and contain large amounts of sugars, which are known to increase Streptococcus mutans biofilm formation and metabolic activity. The purpose of this in vitro study was to investigate the effects of sports and energy drinks on S. mutans biofilm formation and metabolic activity. Methods S. mutans UA159 was cultured with and without a dilution (1:3 ratio) of a variety of sports and energy drinks in bacterial media for 24 hours. The biofilm was washed, fixed, and stained. Biofilm growth was evaluated by reading absorbance of the crystal violet. Biofilm metabolic activity was measured by the biofilm-reducing XTT to a water-soluble orange compound. Results Gatorade Protein Recovery Shake and Starbucks Doubleshot Espresso Energy were found to significantly increase biofilm (30-fold and 22-fold, respectively) and metabolic activity (2-fold and 3-fold, respectively). However, most of the remaining drinks significantly inhibited biofilm growth and metabolic activity. Conclusions Several sports and energy drinks, with sugars or sugar substitutes as their main ingredients inhibited S. mutans biofilm formation. Among the drinks evaluated, Gatorade Protein Recovery Chocolate Shake and Starbucks Doubleshot Energy appear to have cariogenic potential since they increased the biofilm formation and metabolic activity of S. mutans.
A two-dimensional analysis of seventy years of United Nations voting

International relations scholars frequently use roll-call votes on resolutions in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to measure similarity in the foreign policy ideologies of states. They then correlate those measures with consequential outcomes, such as development lending, trade, or military disputes. Dynamic ideal point models of UNGA voting thus far have been restricted to a single dimension. We examine the existence of a stable, important, and interpretable second dimension underlying contestation in the UN. From the mid-1960s to the mid-1980s, North–South conflict constitutes a stable second dimension, shaped heavily by the agenda-setting powers of the so-called Non-aligned Movement and the Group of 77. In the periods before and after, the second dimension neither is stable nor easily interpretable, though it is sometimes important. We suggest that in most applications, our original one-dimensional estimates have conceptual advantages with minimal losses in explanatory value. We illustrate that conclusion with an analysis that correlates ideal point changes with militarized interstate disputes. Yet, our findings also suggest that scholars interested in specific issues, such as the Middle East, human rights, or arms control, might benefit from more specifically tailored ideal point estimates.
Transient Neurologic Deficit without Vascular Pathology Correlates with Reversible Focal Hypoperfusion on Arterial Spin Labeled Perfusion Imaging

We present the case of a 16-year-old boy with altered mental status and magnetic resonance imaging demonstrating left hemispheric hypoperfusion without evidence of stroke, based on arterial spin labeling (ASL) and dynamic contrast-enhanced perfusion imaging. Vessel imaging on magnetic resonance angiography and computed tomography angiography, in addition to an echocardiogram, showed no evidence of an embolic source. Electroencephalography showed left posterior temporal slowing. Within 8 hours, he was awake and alert but with receptive aphasia, and within 24 hours his symptoms completely resolved. Repeat ASL perfusion imaging demonstrated complete resolution of the perfusion abnormality, and diffusion imaging revealed no areas of infarct. This report demonstrates the correlation between a transient neurologic deficit and reversible focal hypoperfusion measured by ASL cerebral perfusion.
Tipping point challenges in international economic disputes

This article reviews two critical “tipping point” moments in the evolution of international economic law, so-called given the overwhelming response by the international economic law community in each instance suggesting that the moment ought not be repeated as it called into question foundational tenets of the dispute resolution system. In each instance, an adjudicator was dismissed on the basis of his past decision-making, bringing into sharper focus questions about the mandate of the adjudicator and the checks and balances in relation to the adjudicatory role. This article surveys the availability of ethical or other doctrines to guide arbitrators in this respect and calls for change in the interest of preserving the legitimacy of the international economic law adjudicatory systems.
Easy bootstrap-like estimation of asymptotic variances

Abstract The bootstrap is a convenient tool for calculating standard errors of the parameter estimates of complicated econometric models. Unfortunately, the bootstrap can be very time-consuming. In a recent paper, Honore and Hu (2017), we propose a “Poor (Wo)man’s Bootstrap” based on one-dimensional estimators. In this paper, we propose a modified, simpler method and illustrate its potential for estimating asymptotic variances.