cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Differentially-private software analytics for mobile apps: opportunities and challenges

Software analytics libraries are widely used in mobile applications, which raises many questions about trade-offs between privacy, utility, and practicality. A promising approach to address these questions is differential privacy. This algorithmic framework has emerged in the last decade as the foundation for numerous algorithms with strong privacy guarantees, and has recently been adopted by several projects in industry and government. This paper discusses the benefits and challenges of employing differential privacy in software analytics used in mobile apps. We aim to outline an initial research agenda that serves as the starting point for further discussions in the software engineering research community.
A Pilot Study Determining Comprehension and the Acceptability of a Cancer Research Study Website for Cancer Patients and Caregivers

The purpose of this pilot study was to determine if a cancer research study website increased comprehension among patients and caregivers and if website evaluations differed across patient and caregiver groups. Participants (N = 200) were cancer patients and caregivers living in the USA. Comprehension was determined by the number of correct responses to a series of questions about key characteristics of cancer research studies that are frequently unknown or misinterpreted by patients and/or caregivers. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were conducted to determine participant evaluations across four domains: perceived website credibility, perceived website attractiveness, perceived information effectiveness, and perceived information clarity. Patients and caregivers perceived the website as highly credible and attractive and the information as both easy to understand and moderately effective in helping them make decisions about CCTs. Qualitative feedback underscores the importance of testimonials to website credibility. However, the range in the number of correct responses of certain items across participants coupled with discrepancies in comprehension between patients and caregivers suggests the need for stronger mechanisms evaluating knowledge outcomes.
Effect of combined parasite derived peptide GK1 and Programmed Death antibody (anti-PD-L1) therapy on survival in a melanoma mouse model.

e20090 Background: With the recent discovery of the Programmed Death-1 receptor (PD1) and its ligand (PD-L1), the immunotherapy of cancer entered a new era.GK1, an 18-aminoacid peptide derived from...
Illustration of the Flexibility of Generalized Gamma Distribution in Modeling Right Censored Survival Data: Analysis of Two Cancer Datasets

In this paper, our main objective is to illustrate the flexibility of the wider class of generalized gamma distribution to model right censored survival data. This distribution contains the commonly used gamma, Weibull, and lognormal distributions as particular cases and this flexibility allows us to carry out a model discrimination, within its class, to choose a lifetime distribution that provides the best fit to a given data. A detailed Monte Carlo simulation study is carried out to display the flexibility of the generalized distribution using likelihood ratio test and information-based criteria. The maximum likelihood estimates of the parameters are obtained by using inbuilt optimization techniques available in R statistical software. We also display the performance of the estimation technique by calculating the bias, mean square error, and coverage probabilities of the confidence intervals for different confidence levels. Finally, we illustrate the advantage of using the generalized gamma distribution using two real datasets and we motivate the use of an extended version of the generalized gamma distribution.
The Eternity Solution to the Problem of Human Freedom and Divine Foreknowledge

In this paper I defend the eternity solution to the problem of human freedom and divine foreknowledge. After motivating the problem, I sketch the basic contours of the eternity solution. I then consider several objections which contend that the eternity solution falsely implies that we have various powers (e.g. to change God’s beliefs, or to affect the past) which, according to the objector, we do not in fact have.
RA21 Considerations for Medical Libraries

This article looks at the implications for hospital and medical libraries moving from traditional internet protocol validation or proxy access to access online resources to the newly proposed RA21 ...
Clinical techniques in Veterinary Dermatology: Regional anaesthesia of the canine ear.

Background Video otoscopy is a valuable tool for the diagnosis and treatment of otitis externa (OE) and otitis media (OM) in dogs. Procedures performed by video otoscopy often are painful and it can be challenging to maintain steady anaesthetic depth and provide smooth anaesthetic recovery. A multimodal approach to analgesia and anaesthesia is ideal to minimize complications associated with high doses of anaesthetic drugs while providing the patient with adequate analgesia. Hypothesis/objective To describe a technique for regional anaesthesia of the canine ear. Animals One canine cadaver, obtained as part of a teaching laboratory class for other clinical techniques, with institutional approval, was used for illustration purposes. Results Clinical technique for regional anaesthesia of the canine ear. Conclusions and clinical importance Nerve blocks for regional anaesthesia are an important aspect of a multimodal anaesthetic approach. A technique for blocking the two major sensory nerves to the canine ear is described.
We Are Educating Pharmacists, Not "PharmDs".

Terminology can have profound implications for our Association. One of our strategic priorities is to create a new portrait of pharmacists and pharmacy careers. The terms we use to describe our graduates and their work are pertinent to this new portrait. One case in point is the misnomer of using the degree pharmacists earn (PharmD) instead of the accepted term for people who practice the profession of pharmacy (pharmacist). We are educating pharmacists, not PharmDs.
Rainbow numbers of $[n]$ for $\sum_{i=1}^{k-1} x_i = x_k$

Consider the set $\{1,2,\dots,n\} = [n]$ and an equation $eq$. The rainbow number of $[n]$ for $eq$, denoted $\operatorname{rb}([n],eq)$, is the smallest number of colors such that for every exact $\operatorname{rb}([n], eq)$-coloring of $[n]$, there exists a solution to $eq$ with every member of the solution set assigned a distinct color. This paper focuses on linear equations and, in particular, establishes the rainbow number for the equations $\sum_{i=1}^{k-1} x_i = x_k$ for $k=3$ and $k=4$. The paper also establishes a general lower bound for $k \ge 5$.
Conundrums of Latin/American Music and National Belonging

This chapter explores the limitations to indexing nation and ethnicity as a strategy for wider participation in music programs where musical practices of students are transnational and personal identity is often transethnic. It also describes the advantage of a diasporic paradigm for Latin American music, serving as a model for rethinking the curriculum. The chapter includes surveys of the folk music of particular Caribbean countries, focusing closely on the rhetoric of ethnic belonging that has spearheaded efforts to stem high attrition rates in music programs.
Minimal or Measurable Residual Disease in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Detection of minimal or measurable residual disease (MRD) in acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL) post induction or consolidation has significant prognostic and treatment implications. Persistence of MRD has shown to confer resistance to conventional chemotherapy and predicts for early relapse; therefore, it is regarded as an independent risk factor for poor outcomes. Assessment of MRD through various methods such as multiparameter flow cytometry (MFC), polymerase chain reaction (PCR), or next-generation sequencing (NGS) is important post induction, consolidation, and various other time points in therapy, as indicated, for early therapeutic intervention. Selection of MRD assay depends on its availability and expertise with the method, although each one has its own advantages and disadvantages. Recent development of MRD-directed therapies such as blinatumomab and inotuzumab ozogamicin (InO) has placed significant value on detecting MRD through these methods, as early treatment intervention with these therapies can potentially eradicate MRD and prolong survival. This chapter reviews and compares the different MRD assays, describes the prognostic implications of MRD, and discusses MRD-directed therapies.
Coupled carbon and oxygen isotope model for pedogenic carbonates

Abstract Carbon and oxygen isotope values of ancient pedogenic carbonates reflect the paleoenvironmental conditions under which the carbonates formed. Carbon isotope values are commonly used to reconstruct pCO2, C3 vs. C4 plant types, and carbon cycle dynamics. Oxygen isotope values of the same carbonates have been used to reconstruct past temperatures and elevations. In the geologic record, changes in these isotope values can be difficult to interpret because they are affected by a suite of multiple local (e.g. precipitation and temperature) and global variables (e.g. pCO2 and global temperature) that can be difficult to separate. In this study, we develop a semi-mechanistic model of factors that affect carbon and oxygen isotope values of pedogenic carbonate. The model links these factors to a common suite of environmental variables using theoretical and empirical relationships. We test and optimize the model using modern environmental data and a compilation of modern pedogenic carbonate isotope measurements. This comparison indicates that the model best reproduces the observed data when carbonates are assumed to form under conditions where (1) evaporation affects oxygen isotope values of source waters at shallow soil depths only, (2) source waters mix precipitation from prior to and during the period of carbonate formation, and (3) soil CO2 respiration rates are anomalously low. Global predictions from the optimized model suggest strong spatial variation in both carbon and oxygen isotope values of pedogenic carbonate and highlight areas where future measurements from modern samples might provide strong tests of the model. The model also demonstrates coherent patterns of coupled δ13Ccarbonate and δ18Ocarbonate value variation associated with different types of environmental forcing, and offers a new framework for interpreting paired carbon and oxygen isotope data from ancient pedogenic carbonates to constrain paleoenvironmental change.
Excess Opioid Disposal Following Orthopaedic Surgery: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

BackgroundPrevious research indicates low disposal rates of excess postoperative narcotics, leaving them available for diversion or abuse. This study examined the effect of introducing a portable d...
Mobilisierung in Belarus: Klasse, Staatsbürgerschaft, Gender. Class, citizenship, gender

In Belarus, there was a civic revolution in the summer of 2020. The supporters of this awakening are members of a new social class: highly educated, mobile people who no longer work in the state sector and who have no paternalistic expectations, but who yearn for a life of self-responsibility, honesty and self-respect. They want to be state citizens in the emphatic sense. In this Belarusian revolution, women are playing the most important role. With an awareness that the personal is also political, they have become a decisive political subject that is shaking the rule of the old regime.
Different Blood Metabolomics Profiles in Infants Consuming a Meat- or Dairy-Based Complementary Diet.

Background: Research is limited in evaluating the mechanisms responsible for infant growth in response to different protein-rich foods; Methods: Targeted and untargeted metabolomics analysis were conducted on serum samples collected from an infant controlled-feeding trial that participants consumed a meat- vs. dairy-based complementary diet from 5 to 12 months of age, and followed up at 24 months. Results: Isoleucine, valine, phenylalanine increased and threonine decreased over time among all participants; Although none of the individual essential amino acids had a significant impact on changes in growth Z scores from 5 to 12 months, principal component heavily weighted by BCAAs (leucine, isoleucine, valine) and phenylalanine had a positive association with changes in length-for-age Z score from 5 to 12 months. Concentrations of acylcarnitine-C4, acylcarnitine-C5 and acylcarnitine-C5:1 significantly increased over time with the dietary intervention, but none of the acylcarnitines were associated with infant growth Z scores. Quantitative trimethylamine N-oxide increased in the meat group from 5 to 12 months; Conclusions: Our findings suggest that increasing total protein intake by providing protein-rich complementary foods was associated with increased concentrations of certain essential amino acids and short-chain acyl-carnitines. The sources of protein-rich foods (e.g., meat vs. dairy) did not appear to differentially impact serum metabolites, and comprehensive mechanistic investigations are needed to identify other contributors or mediators of the diet-induced infant growth trajectories.
Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of Patients with Takotsubo Syndrome

Abstract Background Characteristics and outcomes of patients with takotsubo syndrome remain to be defined. The goal of this study was to report the characteristics and long-term outcomes of patients presenting with takotsubo syndrome compared with other patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in a community-based population. Methods This retrospective population-based study included patients hospitalised for AMI from 2006 to 2016. Those patients with takotsubo syndrome were compared with the patients with AMI. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality. Matching was performed to assemble a cohort of patients with similar baseline characteristics. Results Among 26,015 patients hospitalised with an initial diagnosis of AMI, 530 (2.0%) were diagnosed with takotsubo syndrome. Patients with takotsubo syndrome were older (68.3 ± 11.3 vs 65.6 ± 12.2 years) and more likely to be women (93.4% vs 30.7%). Concomitant hypothyroidism, rheumatologic disorders, and lung disease were more prevalent in the takotsubo syndrome group, whereas diabetes and hyperlipidemia were less prevalent. Mortality was lower in the takotsubo syndrome group (1-year mortality 4.0% vs 8.9%; P Conclusions Among patients presenting with AMI, patients with takotsubo syndrome were older and more likely to be women. Patients with takotsubo syndrome had better long-term outcomes compared with matched AMI patients.
Proline metabolism and transport in retinal health and disease

The retina is one of the most energy-demanding tissues in the human body. Photoreceptors in the outer retina rely on nutrient support from the neighboring retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), a monolayer of epithelial cells that separate the retina and choroidal blood supply. RPE dysfunction or cell death can result in photoreceptor degeneration, leading to blindness in retinal degenerative diseases including some inherited retinal degenerations and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In addition to having ready access to rich nutrients from blood, the RPE is also supplied with lactate from adjacent photoreceptors. Moreover, RPE can phagocytose lipid-rich outer segments for degradation and recycling on a daily basis. Recent studies show RPE cells prefer proline as a major metabolic substrate, and they are highly enriched for the proline transporter, SLC6A20. In contrast, dysfunctional or poorly differentiated RPE fails to utilize proline. RPE uses proline to fuel mitochondrial metabolism, synthesize amino acids, build the extracellular matrix, fight against oxidative stress, and sustain differentiation. Remarkably, the neural retina rarely imports proline directly, but it uptakes and utilizes intermediates and amino acids derived from proline catabolism in the RPE. Mutations of genes in proline metabolism are associated with retinal degenerative diseases, and proline supplementation is reported to improve RPE-initiated vision loss. This review will cover proline metabolism in RPE and highlight the importance of proline transport and utilization in maintaining retinal metabolism and health.
Stability of Surgical Alignment in Early Onset Esotropia

The records of 38 patients with surgically corrected early onset esotropia were reviewed in an attempt to determine the presence of probable indicative factors as to the maintenance of alignment ov...
Case Report: Flavoring-Related Lung Disease in a Coffee Roasting and Packaging Facility Worker With Unique Lung Histopathology Compared With Previously Described Cases of Obliterative Bronchiolitis

Occupational exposure to diacetyl, a butter flavor chemical, can result in obliterative bronchiolitis. Obliterative bronchiolitis is characterized by exertional dyspnea, fixed airflow obstruction, and histopathologic constrictive bronchiolitis, with bronchiolar wall fibrosis leading to luminal narrowing and obliteration. We describe a case of advanced lung disease with histopathology distinct from obliterative bronchiolitis in a 37-year-old male coffee worker following prolonged exposure to high levels of diacetyl and the related compound 2,3-pentanedione, who had no other medical, avocational, or occupational history that could account for his illness. He began working at a coffee facility in the flavoring room and grinding area in 2009. Four years later he moved to the packaging area but continued to flavor and grind coffee at least 1 full day per week. He reported chest tightness and mucous membrane irritation when working in the flavoring room and grinding area in 2010. Beginning in 2014, he developed dyspnea, intermittent cough, and a reduced sense of smell without a work-related pattern. In 2016, spirometry revealed a moderate mixed pattern that did not improve with bronchodilator. Thoracoscopic lung biopsy results demonstrated focal mild cellular bronchiolitis and pleuritis, and focal peribronchiolar giant cells/granulomas, but no evidence of constrictive bronchiolitis. Full-shift personal air-samples collected in the flavoring and grinding areas during 2016 measured diacetyl concentrations up to 84-fold higher than the recommended exposure limit. Medical evaluations indicate this worker developed work-related, airway-centric lung disease, most likely attributable to inhalational exposure to flavorings, with biopsy findings not usual for obliterative bronchiolitis. Clinicians should be aware that lung pathology could vary considerably in workers with suspected flavoring-related lung disease.
Renoprotective Effects of Melatonin against Vancomycin-Related Acute Kidney Injury in Hospitalized Patients: a Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: Vancomycin is associated with nephrotoxicity and the mechanism may in part be related to oxidative stress. In vitro and preclinical studies suggest melatonin supplementation decreases oxidative stress. The objective of this study was to evaluate concomitant use of melatonin and vancomycin and the incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI). Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study at a large community medical center. All consecutive patients admitted to the medical center between January 2016 and September 2020 who received vancomycin therapy alone or concomitantly with melatonin as part of ordinary care were considered for inclusion. The primary endpoint was the development of AKI defined as an absolute increase in serum creatinine of ≥ 0.3 mg/dL or a ≥ 50% increase in serum creatinine. All data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. A multivariable logistic regression was constructed to account for potential confounding variables. Results: A total of 303 adult patients meeting inclusion and exclusion criteria treated with vancomycin were identified, 101 of which received melatonin concomitantly. Overall baseline characteristics were similar between the two groups except for the incidence of bactremia/sepsis. After controlling for vancomycin area under the curve, baseline creatinine clearance, and intensive care unit admission in multivariable logistic regression, melatonin use was associated with a 63% decrease in AKI (odds ratio [OR], 0.37; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.14 - 0.96; p =0.041). Conclusions: Melatonin use was associated with a significant reduction in vancomycin-related AKI. Although this was a retrospective study with a small sample size, given the magnitude of the difference seen, further large prospective studies are warranted.
Reproductive and Morphological Quality of Commercial Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Drones in the United States

Exploration into reproductive quality in honey bees (Apis mellifera Linneaus (Hymenoptera: Apidae) largely focuses on factors that affect queens, with drones primarily being considered insofar as they pass on effects of environmental stressors to the queen and subsequent offspring. In those studies that consider drone quality explicitly, a primary focus has been on the dimorphic nature of drones laid in worker cells (either through rare queen error or worker reproduction) as compared to drones laid by the queen in the slightly larger drone cells. The implication from these studies is that that there exists a bimodality of drone morphological quality that is related to reproductive quality and competitive ability during mating. Our study quantifies the presence of such small drones in commercial populations, finding that rates of 'low-quality' drones are far higher than theoretically predicted under optimum conditions. Observations from commercial colonies also show significant inter-colony variation among the size and fecundity of drones produced, prompting speculation as to the mechanisms inducing such variation and the potential use of drone-quality variation for the colony- or apiary-level exposure to nutrition, agrichemical, or parasitic stressors.
Caregivers of Alzheimer's Disease Patients

Based on an extensive review of the literature, this paper describes the major changes in the patient's behavior at the various stages of Alzheimer's disease and looks at the problems generally involved in caring from different perspectives. It also discusses factors that may explain the uniqueness of each caregiving situation and highlights the approaches to helping the caregiving families effectively.
A 1.2 W 66 MHz superscalar RISC microprocessor for set-tops, video games, and PDAs

This 32 b superscalar processor, having 18 mW/MHz projected power consumption at 66 MHz, is designed for desktop companions and high-end embedded multimedia applications with graphics-intensive requirements such as high-performance video games. This processor, the latest member of the PowerPC microprocessor family, can also be used in other low-power computing applications. The processor is fabricated in a 3.3 V, 0.5 m, 4-level metal CMOS resulting in 1 M transistors in a 7.07/spl times/7.07 mm/sup 2/ chip. Dual 4 kB instruction and data caches coupled to a high-performance 64 b multiplexed bus and separate execution units (float, integer, branch, and load-store) result in 2 instructions per clock cycle peak rate. Low-power design includes dynamically-powered-down execution units. Standby power is <2 mW. CPU to bus clock ratios of 2/spl times/ and 3/spl times/ allow control of system power while maintaining processor performance.
A Dynamic Model of the Firm: Structural Explanations of Key Empirical Findings

We derive a dynamic model of the …rm in the spirit of the trade-otheory of capital structure and describe its observable implications. Our model is consistent with many important empir- ical …ndings including the negative relations between pro…tability and leverage, and between dividends and investment-cash ‡ow sensitivities. The model also rationalizes the existence of zero-debt …rms as well as their observed characteristics. Some of these results have been used to cast doubt on the trade-otheory of …nancing decisions and the assumption of per- fect capital markets. We revisit these critiques and provide structural explanations for the regularities that our model can replicate.
Resveratrol: a promising agent in promoting cardioprotection against coronary heart disease.

The inverse association between alcohol intake and coronary heart disease has been consistently reported in cross-culture, case–control, and cohort studies. Over the past couple of decades, however...
Experimental study of gas flow through curved tubes in support of disruption mitigation experiments in DIII-D

High-pressure gas injection has been shown to be an effective disruption mitigation technique in the DIII-D tokamak, offering dramatic reductions in localized power deposition and forces to the internal components due to halo currents. To date, the gas (Ar, Ne, He, or H/sub 2/) has been injected from the magnetic low-field side of the machine through close-coupled stainless steel tubes, with relatively high gas load per shot (up to 4000 torr-L in /spl ap/10 ms). Another option for high-pressure gas injection in DIII-D is to utilize curved guide tubes similar to those presently used for magnetic high-field side pellet injection with exit ports on the inner wall. To demonstrate the feasibility of this option, an experimental study with different tube diameters and configurations has been carried out in the laboratory. The test results indicate that sufficiently high gas flows can be delivered through the curved guide tubes as long as the tube bore is not too restrictive (/spl ges/7.5-mm diam). The experimental results are presented and discussed relative to the disruption mitigation experiments in DIII-D.
Iron Uptake in Salmonella typhimurium: Utilization of Exogenous Siderochromes as Iron Carriers

Aerobic microorganisms have evolved a variety of siderochromes, special ligands which can dissolve insoluble ferric iron and facilitate its transport into the cell. We have found that enb mutants of Salmonella typhimurium blocked in the biosynthesis of enterobactin (its natural iron carrier) are able to utilize siderochromes of different types made by other microorganisms as iron carriers. The antibiotic albomycin delta(2) was used to select mutants defective in ferrichrome-mediated iron uptake. Twelve classes of albomycin-resistant mutants, named sid, were defined on the basis of their growth responses to other siderochromes. Most of these classes have genetic lesions in loci that are cotransduced with panC (represented at 9 min on the genetic map). The locus designated sidJ is cotransduced with enb, whereas sidK and sidL are linked with neither panC nor enb. Genetic and physiological data indicate that S. typhimurium has several transport systems of high specificity for a variety of siderochromes produced by other microorganisms.
Gonadotropin receptors in human corpora lutea of the menstrual cycle and pregnancy.

Abstract Binding of 125 I-human choriogonadotropin (hCG) to homogenates of corpora lutea of the menstrual cycle and pregnancy was examined. While corpora lutea of the menstrual cycle bound 125 I-hCG, most of the corpora lutea of pregnancy from six to 34 weeks' gestation bound little or none of the added 125 I-hCG. Further exploration into various possibilities for the above findings led to the conclusion that these corpora lutea either contain very few gonadotropin receptors or lack them altogether. The selected properties of gonadotropin receptors in corpora lutea of the cycle were studied. The apparent dissociation constant for binding was about the same (2.6 to 3.8 × 10 −10 M) in all but one corpus luteum. In this one sample the constant was three- to five-fold higher (1.3 × 10 −9 M). The binding was quite rapid and reversible, and it exhibited dependence on the amout of 125 I-hCG, homogenate protein, pH of the incubation media, and duration of incubation. hCG and human lutropin (hLH) competed for 125 I-hCG binding, but hCG subunits (α and β), human follitropin, and ovine prolactin did not. Although hCG and hLH were parallel in inhibiting 125 I-hCG binding, hLH was found to be relatively less effective. The studies with various enzymes revealed that gonadotropin receptors are protein in nature.
Situating Coordination and Cooperation Between Ecological and Social Psychology

The major thrust of this analysis is to demonstrate the value of making ecological psychology more social while recognizing that for this to occur, social psychology must become more ecological in the sense that its key concepts must be treated in an embodied manner. I elaborate these propositions by focusing on establishing differences between coordination and cooperation. I then explore a range of relationships between them from a social psychological perspective. To accomplish this integration, which uses the commitment to reciprocity as a joint organizing principle, I use three complementary models—dynamical systems, effectivities-affordances, and a role-rule model of social commitment. Key aspects of the analysis involve (1) elaborating the meaning of Turvey's (1990) proper-relations view of coordination and (2) demonstrating the particular relevance of roles and trust as unifying concepts. From this perspective, coordinations occur between roles, rather than individuals, at the level of team play. T...
Toward wireless receivers without crystals

In new low cost, low bit rate wireless protocols such as Zigbee/spl trade/ and Bluetooth/spl trade/, there is significant economic motivation to implement transceivers with a completely integrated alternative to quartz crystals. In this paper, we explore a differential detection based method of recovering a direct sequence spread spectrum signal with a receiver that does not have a crystal reference. Despite the additional frequency offset and phase introduced by using an integrated crystalless reference oscillator, we find that such a receiver is feasible and can perform sufficiently for many applications.
Atmospheric wind measurements with the high-resolution Doppler imager

3£J) band. The HRDI is a triple-etalon Fabry-Perot interferometer with a resolution of ~0.05 cm'1 and very good white-light rejection. Careful design and calibration has limited systematic errors in the wind determination to less than 5 m/s.
The tortoise versus the hare: Progress and business viability differences between conventional and leisure-based founders ☆

Social science researchers have long pursued answers to the puzzle of why some people achieve certain milestones more quickly than others and whether rate of progress matters for long-run outcomes. This “tortoise versus hare” puzzle raises the question of whether speed is a valid indicator of viability in an undertaking: Are those with slower rates of progress any less off in terms of long-run achievement when compared to their faster counterparts? We investigate this “tortoise and hare” puzzle in the context of business formation, an activity pursued by millions in the United States. Our analysis of a nationally representative survey of U.S. business founders revealed that leisure-based founders were slower to make progress initially, but after a certain time threshold, their progress was no different than other conventional types of founders. More importantly, leisure-based founders showed more favorable initial economic and non-economic outcomes, as these founders were more likely to consistently report early sales and profitability and were more committed to investing time into their ventures. Our study findings have both theoretical and practical implications for the evaluation of venture performance, when the rate of progress is considered to be a leading indicator of new business viability.
Toward marginal cost pricing of accident risk: the energy, travel, and welfare impacts of pay-at-the-pump auto insurance

Abstract This paper examines, theoretically and through a series of simulations, the effect of a pay-at-the-pump auto insurance system where the minimum amount of insurance required by California law is paid through a fuel surcharge. Vehicle fixed costs are reduced while variable costs increase. The results show that gasoline demand would be reduced by roughly two to five percent in 1998 (with greater percentage drops in later years), while VMT would drop by slightly less as the incentive to drive more fuel efficient vehicles reduces exposure to the tax. At the same time, pay-at-the-pump is shown to improve the welfare of the average California driver as insurance is priced more efficiently. In other words, unlike other transportation pricing measures that have been proposed in the recent past (VMT and fuel taxes, pollution fees, etc.), PATP may offer a means of reducing the external costs of transportation (global warming, congestion, etc.) without raising private costs for the average motorist. Another appealing aspect of PATP may be its apparently progressive nature—the lowest income households may see the highest gains in welfare.
SLOW WAVES IN THE OLFACTORY BULB AND THEIR RELATION TO UNITARY DISCHARGES

Abstract 1. 1. In terms of the general distribution of extracellular currents, spontaneous activity, induced waves and potentials evoked by antidromic stimulation of the lateral olfactory tract (LOT) are similar in the olfactory buld. In each case, the main current flow is axial with respect to the neurons, and not tangential. 2. 2. The induced waves recorded from inside the bulb are in phase with those recorded from the surface when the microelectrode is above the mitral layer, while they are 180° out of phase below the mitral layer. The induced waves are markedly reduced in amplitude at the level of the mitral cells. 3. 3. Evoked potentials produced by stimulation of LOT are characterized by a sharp negative deflection which can be recorded through all bulbar layers and which represents the antidromic compound action potential. It is followed by a slower, negative wave, indicating inward currents in the glomeruli and external plexiform layer. As the recording microelectrode passes through the mitral layer, the recorded negative wave is reduced in amplitude and gives place to a positive deflection which increases in amplitude and duration as the microelectrode goes deeper in the granule layer. 4. 4. Large voltage gradients of up to 20 mV/mm occur across the mitral layer both during the evoked potential and during the induced wave of Adrian. 5. 5. The results suggest that there are at least two time-locked virtual generators involved in the production of the slow waves, one above and one below the mitral layer. 6. 6. Action potentials (from mitral, tufted and granule cells) are correlated with the negative-going phase of the induced waves recorded from the same microelectrode. In the granule layer the induced waves are inverted in phase with respect to other layers and consequently the granule cells tend to fire out of phase with mitral and tufted cells. 7. 7. Mitral cells are driven on the first negative component of the potential evoked in the superficial layers of the bulb by stimulation of the LOT. Tufted cells discharge on the second negative wave. Granule cells are often inhibited during the sharp negative and large positive potential recorded in the granule layer. 8. 8. The positive component of the evoked potential recorded in the granule layer and the induced wave recorded at the same level are most easily attributed to synaptic and postsynaptic events, since neither of them could be correlated to action potentials at the same level.
Computer classifications of electrocardiograms

Abstract Several statistical classification techniques were applied to orthogonal electrocardiographic record samples, obtained from normal subjects and patients with left ventricular hypertrophy. A simple method based on addition of QRS amplitude measurements was used as representative of ECG analysis methods in present clinical use. The procedures to be evaluated and compared consisted of vector differences with and without weight factors, and a class-separating and a class-clustering transformation. They were tested both with sets of three and eight amplitude measurements of the QRS complex by using different record samples of 100 each. Best results were obtained with weighted vector differences based on eight amplitudes (84% correct classifications). The class-separating procedure followed with 80%. The conventional method of summing amplitudes led to 67% separation. When amplitude measurements were decreased from eight to three, the differentiation of records deteriorated by 5–10%. From the results it was concluded that improvement of ECG record classification can be achieved mainly through increase in number of measurements. More complex statistical classification methods lead only to modest improvements with small numbers of measurements but to a substantial enhancement when more measurements become available. These results indicate a need for automatic means for ECG data analysis because larger numbers of ECG measurements and more efficient classification methods are not practical without access to computer facilities.
Mini-Society and Yess! Learning Theory in Action

This analysis endeavours to demonstrate the mechanism by which incorporation of validated learning principles into a curriculum can maximise its potential effectiveness and impact on both cognitive and affective outcomes. The intent of this demonstration is to highlight for prospective curriculum innovators the importance of having a solid learning theory infrastructure in their target curricula. First, the article describes the experience-based Mini-Society framework and its embedded entrepreneurship curriculum, YESS! (Youth Empowerment and Self-Sufficiency). The analysis which follows explores how four research-informed learning theories were incorporated into the foundation of Mini-Society and YESS! and how their incorporation influenced the impact of these programmes.
Electrical characterizations of polycrystalline and amorphous thin films of Pb(ZrxTi1−x)O3 and BaTiO3 prepared by sol—gel technique☆

Abstract Amorphous and polycrystalline thin films of ferroelectric oxides for lead zirconate titanate [Pb(Zr x Ti 1− x )O 3 or PZT] and barium titanate (BaTiO 3 ) on several kinds of substrate (metals and silicon wafer) were prepared by the sol—gel technique. The heat-treatment temperatures for preparation of amorphous thin films were much lower than those for the corresponding polycrystalline ferroelectric thin films. Electrical properties of these amorphous thin films were measured and compared with those of corresponding polycrystalline films. The dielectric permittivity of amorphous thin films is apparently smaller than that of the corresponding polycrystalline thin films. In both polycrystalline and amorphous thin films some piezoelectric resonance peaks were observed. These amorphous thin films exhibited pyroelectric effects and P  E hysteresis loop. The electrical ferroelectric-like properties indicate that there is a permanent polarization, which can be reversed by external field, in the amorphous thin films. By using the HRTEM (high resolution transmission electron microscope) technique some small ordered clusters (ferrons) with size of 3 to 5 nm in the amorphous thin films were directly observed. The electrical ferroelectric-like properties of the amorphous thin films can be explained by the ferrons' structure.
Chimeric Drosophila adults produced by transplantation of nuclei into specific regions of fertilized eggs.

When genetically labeled nuclei from the anterior of donor embryos of Drosophila melanogaster at the nuclear multiplication stage were transplanted to the posterior pole of host embryos, chimeric adults were produced in which labeled nuclei participated in forming specific posterior adult structures including germ cells. The spatial patterns of the chimeras resembled those described in gynandromorphs produced by X-chromosome elimination, except that the donor tissue always occupied less than half of the animal. The donor phenotype was usually localized in one area indicating that the nuclei do not migrate separately but tend to stay together with only a few exceptions. The results strongly support the idea that the nuclei at the stage of nuclear multiplication are totipotent and that they acquire different fates according to the region of the egg periplasm that they occupy. The method can be applied to produce chimeras of autosomal mutants for which mosaics are difficult to obtain by genetic techniques.
Rotational surprisal plots for H + H2, a simple theory

Abstract The linear surprisal plots for rotational cross sections of the H + H 2 exchange reaction are shown to be a manifestation of the transfer of momentum constraint. As a result, it is shown that the complete reactive cross section matrix at a given total energy is a function of the variable E j + E j ′ . The surprisal of the matrix elements as a function of this variable is linear as predicted from the constraint.
Molecular characterization of a deleted X chromosome (Xq13.3-Xq21.31) exhibiting random X inactivation

As a result of selection following random X chromosome inactivation in human females, X chromosomes with visible deletions are usually inactive in every somatic cell. We have studied a female with mental retardation and dysmorphic features whose karyotype includes an X chromosome with a visible interstitial deletion in the proximal long arm. Based on cytogenetic analysis, the proximal breakpoint appeared to be in band Xq13.1, and the distal one in band q21.3. However, molecular analyses show that less of the q13 band is missing than cytogenetic studies indicated, as the deletion includes only loci from the region Xq13.3 to Xq21.31. Unexpectedly, studies of chromosome replication show that the pattern of X inactivation is random. Whereas the deleted X chromosome is late replicating in some cells from all tissues studied, it is early replicating in the majority of blood lymphocytes and skin fibroblasts, and is the active X chromosome in many of the hybrids derived from skin fibroblasts. As this chromosome is able to inactivate, it must include those DNA sequences from the X-inactivation center (XIC) that are essential for cis X inactivation. Molecular studies show that the XIC region, at Xq13.2, is present, so it is unlikely that the lack of consistent inactivation of this chromosome is attributable to close proximity of the breakpoint to the XIC. Supporting this conclusion is the similarity of the breakpoints to those of the other chromosomes we studied, whose deletions clearly do not interfere with the ability to inactivate. Our results show that deletions distal to DXS441 in Xq13.2 do not interfere with cis X inactivation. We attribute the random pattern of X inactivation reported here to the fact that in the tissues studied, cells with this interstitial deletion are not at a selective disadvantage.
Studies on the in vitro metabolism of methidathion by rat and mouse liver

Abstract The in vitro metabolism of methidathion, S -[(5-methoxy-2-oxo-1,3,4-thiadiazol-3(2 H )-yl)methyl] O,O-dimethyl phosphorodithioate was studied in rat and mouse liver subcellular fractions. Similarly, the in vitro metabolism of the metabolites of methidathion, including desmethyl methidathion; the sulfide, 3-(methylthiomethyl)-5-methoxy-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2(3 H )-one; the sulfoxide, 3-(methylsulfinylmethyl)-5-methoxy-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2(3 H )-one; and the sulfone, 3-(methylsulfonylmethyl)-5-methoxy-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2(3 H )-one, was investigated in rat liver subcellular fractions. The major route of metabolism of methidathion in rat and mouse liver was via glutathione S -transferases and the predominant metabolite was desmethyl methidathion. The mixed-function oxidase system was also involved in the metabolism of methidathion. Four watersoluble metabolites characterized were desmethyl methidathion; the glutathione conjugate of the heterocyclic moiety of methidathion, S [(5-methoxy-2-oxo-1,3,4-thiadiazol-3(2 H )-yl] l -glutathione; the cysteinylglycine conjugate; and the cysteine conjugate. Chloroform-soluble metabolites identified were the oxygen analog of methidathion and methoxythiadiazolin. Desmethyl methidathion and the sulfone underwent no further degradation. Thioether oxidation of the sulfide to the sulfoxide was found to be the major reaction mediated by the FAD-dependent monooxygenase system. However, oxidation of the sulfoxide to the sulfone was mediated by the mixed-function oxidase system and appeared to be a minor pathway. The in vitro metabolism of methidathion by rat and mouse liver was qualitatively similar; however, a few quantitative interspecies differences were evident.
Frequency factors and isotope effects in solid state rate processes

Abstract The movement of defects in solids on the basis of classical absolute rate theory is reexamined with special attention to many-body aspects. The effective frequency in the Arrhenius expression governing these processes is shown to be, in harmonic approximation, the ratio of the product of the N normal frequencies of the entire crystal at the starting point of a transition to the product of the N −1 normal frequencies of the crystal when it is constrained in a saddle point configuration. The influence of the masses of the various atoms on the effective frequency is investigated. It is shown that an effective mass which depends on the direction of the path through the saddle point in configuration space determines this frequency. In the case of chemical diffusion by the vacancy mechanism the effective mass is approximately the same as the mass of the solute atom, and must always lie between the mass of the solute and the mass of the solvent. It is finally shown that the classical rate theory, even with many-body considerations, is unable to explain the recent observations of L azarus and O kkerse on the isotope effect in the diffusion of iron in silver.