cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Properties of a purified proteinase from hempseed

Abstract A proteolytic enzyme, edestinase, was isolated from resting seeds of Cannabis sativa . It exhibits an optimal pH of 3·4 when denatured hemoglobin was used as substrate. The enzyme is active over a broad range of temperature and has a sharp temperature-dependence at 50°. The apparent Michaelis-Menton constant is 0·44 × 10 −4 M by both the Lineweaver-Burk plot and by the Woolf method. V max is 0·742. Substrate concentrations greater than 0·25 mM cause inhibition. Numerous compounds that inhibit proteolytic enzymes are ineffective when tested on edestinase. Neither cysteine nor ethylenediamine tetra-acetic acid causes stimulation, i.e. it is not a sulfhydryl-enzyme nor a serine-enzyme. Because of these characteristics and its localization, edestinase of hempseed resembles Cathepsin D, an enzyme found in lysosomes of mammalian tissue.
XPS probes of carbon-caged metals

Abstract X-ray photoemission spectral probes of endohedral lanthanum—fullerene complexes, La@C n , show that the central La atom is in a formal charge state close to +3, and has been effectively protected from reaction with water an oxygen by the enclosing fullerene cage. Similar results were obtained with endohedral yttrium complexes, Y @C n , and the first carbon-caged metal cluster, Y 2 @C 82 . EPR spectral results are also reported for Y @C 82 which is found to be an S = 1 2 spin system with a 0.48 G hyperfine splitting (at 9.216 GHz) centered at g =1.9999(1).
How Students Use Technology to Cheat and What Faculty Can Do About It

Technology, like most things in life, can provide many benefits to society and improve both the business and academic environments. Technology can also be used in ways that circumvent the educational process and create situations where it is not being used in the appropriate way. College students that use technology to gain access to unauthorized information is a form of academic dishonesty referred to as e-cheating. This can happen both inside and outside of the classroom and takes on many forms. The Internet, in particular, fuels this behavior making it easier, faster, and more convenient then in the past. In addition, electronic devices like smartphones, tablets, and laptops are commonly used across all institutions and will continue to be used for the foreseeable future. Fortunately, faculty can use traditional pedagogical methods for educating, preventing, and reporting academic dishonesty. This paper discusses the common ways technology is being used by students for e-cheating and the actions faculty can take to hopefully reduce academic dishonesty in their courses.
Effective location-guided tree construction algorithms for small group multicast in MANET

Group communication has become increasingly important in mobile ad hoc networks (MANET). Current multicast routing protocols in MANET have a large overhead due to the dynamic network topology. To overcome this problem, there is a recent shift towards stateless multicast in small groups. We introduce a small group multicast scheme, based on packet encapsulation, which uses a novel packet distribution tree construction algorithms for efficient data delivery. The tree is constructed with the goal of minimizing the overall bandwidth cost of the tree. Two construction algorithms, for a location-guided k-ary (LGK) tree and a location-guided Steiner (LGS) tree, utilize the geometric locations of the destination nodes as heuristics to compute the trees. They are accompanied by a hybrid location update mechanism to disseminate location information among a group of nodes. Our simulation results show that LGS tree has lower bandwidth cost than LGK tree when the location information of the nodes is up-to-date, and its cost is similar to that of an optimal Steiner multicast tree. When location information of the nodes is out-dated, LGK tree outperforms LGS tree due to its lower computational complexity.
The Symptoms and Consequences of Fiscal Distress in Municipalities: An Investigation of Reductions in Public Services

ABSTRACT: This paper uses survival analysis to investigate financial indicators of impending reductions of public services provided by U.S. municipalities. We hypothesize that reductions in public services are positively correlated with revenue risk and debt usage, and negatively correlated with organizational slack and entity resources. We develop and test a model to predict whether a municipality will significantly reduce public services. The model correctly classifies up to 83 percent of the sampled municipalities. The results show that the most important signal of an impending reduction in public services is a high level of intergovernmental revenues relative to total revenues. These results provide important information to citizens, policy-makers, and stakeholders interested in preventing, detecting, and mitigating fiscal conditions that could lead to a reduction in public services. JEL Classifications: H72, H83, M48 Data Availability: Data are available from public sources identified in this study.
EPR Study of Cation Radicals of Short Chain Polyenes

Short chain polyene cation diene and triene radicals generated by X-ray irradiation of different polyenes diluted in a CFCl3 matrix have been detected by EPR and the magnitudes of the g and isotropic hyperfine coupling constants have been obtained. The structure of the resulting cation radicals were deduced by comparing the experimental coupling constants to those derived from an INDO calculation. An estimate was obtained of the unpaired spin density as a function of chain length, suggesting that resolved hyperfine structure in the EPR spectra of long chain carotenoid cation radicals should not be observed.
High Temperatures and Net CO2 Uptake, Growth, and Stem Damage for the Hemiepiphytic Cactus Hylocereus undatus1

ABSTRACT Hylocereus undatus, which is native to tropical forests experiencing moderate temperatures, would not be expected to tolerate the extremely high temperatures that can be tolerated by cacti native to deserts. Nevertheless, total daily net CO2 uptake by this hemiepiphytic cactus, which is widely cultivated for its fruits, was optimal at day/night air temperatures of 30/20°C, temperatures that are higher than those optimal for daily net CO2 uptake by cacti native to arid and semiarid areas. Exposure to 35/25°C for 30 weeks led to lower net CO2 uptake than at 10 weeks; exposure to 40/30°C led to considerable necrosis visible on the stems at 6 weeks and nearly complete browning of the stems by 19 weeks. Dry mass gain over 31 weeks was greatest for plants at 30/20°C, with root growth being especially noteworthy and root dry mass gain representing an increasing percentage of plant dry mass gain as day/night air temperatures were increased. Viability of chlorenchyma cells, assayed by the uptake of the vi...
Data Base Machines with Large Content-Addressable Blocks and Structural Information Processors

The advent of very large data bases is prompting DBMS designers to take advantage of past advances in specailized processor and memory hardware technologies.
Estimation of Rain Intensity Spectra over the Continental United States Using Ground Radar-Gauge Measurements

AbstractA high-resolution surface rainfall product is used to estimate rain characteristics over the continental United States as a function of rain intensity. By defining data at 4-km horizontal resolutions and 1-h temporal resolutions as an individual precipitating or nonprecipitating sample, statistics of rain occurrence and rain volume including their geographical and seasonal variations are documented. Quantitative estimations are also conducted to evaluate the impact of missing light rain events due to satellite sensors’ detection capabilities.It is found that statistics of rain characteristics have large seasonal and geographical variations across the continental United States. Although heavy rain events (>10 mm h−1) only occupy 2.6% of total rain occurrence, they may contribute to 27% of total rain volume. Light rain events (<1.0 mm h−1), occurring much more frequently (65%) than heavy rain events, can also make important contributions (15%) to the total rain volume.For minimum detectable rain rat...
Zooplankton of a bathyal benthic boundary layer: In situ rates of oxygen consumption and ammonium excretion1

Oxygen consumption and ammonium excretion rates of bathyal macro- and mcgazooplankton from a benthic boundary layer were measured in situ. Collections of plankton were made using a four-chambcrcd slurp gun rcspiromctcr manipulated by the submcrsiblc Alvin in the Santa Catalina Basin off southern California at lcvcls 1, 5, 10, and 50 m above bottom in a 1,300-m water column. Abundance, biomass, oxygen consumption, and ammonium cxcrction of the mixed macrozooplankton dccrcased with incrcascd clcvation above the bottom. Two specimens of the scyphomedusa Poralia rufescens, a ‘dominant mcgazooplankton spcties, were individually collected at l- and 5-m elevations. Oxygen consumption rates of P. rufescens are similar to those of shallow-water gelatinous zooplankton. However, excretion rates for P. rufescens are significantly lower. Intcgratcd mixed macrozooplankton oxygen consumption for the 50-m benthic boundary layer is 1,575.5 p1.m “*d l, with the contribution from P. rufescens being only 91.6 ~1’ m-” * d ‘. This combined zooplankton respiration is only 3% of that mcasurcd for the sedimcnt community in the Santa Catalina Basin.
Performance and Yield Optimization of mm-Wave PLL Front-End in 65nm SOI CMOS

A combination of LC-VCO and 2:1 CML static frequency divider has been fabricated in 65 nm SOI CMOS technology and operates at 70 GHz. A cascoded buffer amplifier is used in VCO-to-divider connection to compensate for the power losses caused by interconnect parasitics, and inductive peaking is employed for bandwidth enhancement. The bias condition of the frequency divider has been tuned to find an optimal bias point in existence of VCO and frequency divider operating range variation. The inter-die variation of VCO and divider performance variations over a wafer and their correlation have been estimated.
The Convective Instability Pathway to Warm Season Drought in Texas. Part I: The Role of Convective Inhibition and Its Modulation by Soil Moisture

This research is designedto investigate how convective instability influences monthly mean precipitation in Texas in the summertime and to examine the modulation of convective instability and precipitation by local and regional forcings. Since drought results from the accumulated effects of deficient precipitation over time, this study is expected to shed light on the physical and dynamical mechanisms of the initiation and maintenance of serious droughts as well. The focus in Part I of this two-part study is on identification of the controlling convective parameters and, in turn, the surface-based processes that cause variations in these parameters. NCEP‐NCAR reanalysis data and observed precipitation data, correlation analysis, multiple linear regression analysis, and back-trajectory analysis are used to reveal the underlying dynamics of their linkage and causality. Monthly mean precipitation is modified mainly by convective inhibition (CIN) rather than by convective available potential energy (CAPE) or by precipitable water. Excessive CIN is caused by surface dryness and warming at 700 hPa, leading to precipitation deficits on a monthly time scale. While the dewpoint temperature and thermodynamics at the surface are greatly affected by the soil moisture,the temperature at 700 hPa was found to be statistically independent of the surface dewpoint temperature since the 700-hPa temperature represents free-atmospheric processes. (These free-atmospheric processes are the focus of the companion paper.) Finally, the strong correlations among precipitation, soil moisture, and CIN, as well as their underlying physical processes, suggest that the tight linkage between precipitation and soil moisture is not only due to the impacts of precipitation on soil moisture but also to the feedbacks of soil moisture on precipitation by controlling CIN.
Valuing Differences The Children We Don't Understand

The author of this essay shares her personal experiences as a teacher of young children, and her professional approach to facilitating growth in unique children. The author suggests that as educators, our responsibility lies not in explaining differences in young children or labeling and diagnosing differences, but in responding to those unique differences in the classroom by supporting students and utilizing their strengths. The author suggests that responsive teaching requires educators to listen to children and reflect upon their practice.
Stabilization and Characterization of a Heme-Oxy Reaction Intermediate in Inducible Nitric-oxide Synthase

Nitric-oxide synthases (NOS) are heme-thiolate enzymes that N-hydroxylate l-arginine (l-Arg) to make NO. NOS contain a unique Trp residue whose side chain stacks with the heme and hydrogen bonds with the heme thiolate. To understand its importance we substituted His for Trp188 in the inducible NOS oxygenase domain (iNOSoxy) and characterized enzyme spectral, thermodynamic, structural, kinetic, and catalytic properties. The W188H mutation had relatively small effects on l-Arg binding and on enzyme heme-CO and heme-NO absorbance spectra, but increased the heme midpoint potential by 88 mV relative to wild-type iNOSoxy, indicating it decreased heme-thiolate electronegativity. The protein crystal structure showed that the His188 imidazole still stacked with the heme and was positioned to hydrogen bond with the heme thiolate. Analysis of a single turnover l-Arg hydroxylation reaction revealed that a new heme species formed during the reaction. Its build up coincided kinetically with the disappearance of the enzyme heme-dioxy species and with the formation of a tetrahydrobiopterin (H4B) radical in the enzyme, whereas its subsequent disappearance coincided with the rate of l-Arg hydroxylation and formation of ferric enzyme. We conclude: (i) W188H iNOSoxy stabilizes a heme-oxy species that forms upon reduction of the heme-dioxy species by H4B. (ii) The W188H mutation hinders either the processing or reactivity of the heme-oxy species and makes these steps become rate-limiting for l-Arg hydroxylation. Thus, the conserved Trp residue in NOS may facilitate formation and/or reactivity of the ultimate hydroxylating species by tuning heme-thiolate electronegativity.
Status and Solutions for the World’s Unassessed Fisheries

Recent reports suggest that many well-assessed fisheries in developed countries are moving toward sustainability. We examined whether the same conclusion holds for fisheries lacking formal assessment, which comprise >80% of global catch. We developed a method using species' life-history, catch, and fishery development data to estimate the status of thousands of unassessed fisheries worldwide. We found that small unassessed fisheries are in substantially worse condition than assessed fisheries, but that large unassessed fisheries may be performing nearly as well as their assessed counterparts. Both small and large stocks, however, continue to decline; 64% of unassessed stocks could provide increased sustainable harvest if rebuilt. Our results suggest that global fishery recovery would simultaneously create increases in abundance (56%) and fishery yields (8 to 40%).
Rapid Method for the Quantitative Determination of Serum Alkaline Phosphatase

A new procedure is described for the simple, rapid, quantitative measurement of serum alkaline phosphatase. The procedure is based on the direct photometric measurement of phenolphthalein released from sodium phenolphthalein phosphate. The substrate is available in a convenient, stabilized form as a tablet containing buffer and substrate in optimum amounts for a single analysis. As many as 30 analyses can be performed in an hour.
Automobile: aircraft or smartphone?: modeling challenges and opportunities in automotive systems (keynote)

Automotive systems are turning out to be one of the most complex consumer electronic systems being ever built. For the modern day users, they are products like smartphones and tablets but in size, complexity and quality and safety requirements they match if not exceed aircraft, and similar high integrity systems. Many of the major advances in Software engineering like model based development, platform based design and product line engineering have been introduced in the development of automotive electronic and software subsystems, which involve million lines of code and tens of electronic control units interconnected with multiple communication buses. This talk will highlight the challenges, current practices and new developments in the industry in building next generation automotive software from the modeling and analysis perspective. The challenges include traditional issues like system integration and feature interaction arising out of the federated development model, heterogeneity in subsystem behavior, time and space distributed development of software and the recent and rapidly increasing demand for advanced driver assistance features and system level requirements like fault tolerance and security. The talk attempts to outline a set of requirements for modeling from the perspective of system design and analysis. The talk will also touch upon some of the research and developments efforts currently ongoing within and with our external partners to meet these challenges.
Experimental Results of the IES Modal Plate

Studies show that a rectangular plate is a useful modal structure that can be used for several purposes, such as comparing various modal systems and modal extraction algorithms, comparing test techniques, and training new personnel in these tasks. Plates roughly 53 cm x 32 cm x 2 cm (21 in. x 13 in. x 0.8 in.) were constructed by several participants from polymethyl methacrylate. The plates were then tested by the participants and the results compared with a NASTRAN analysis. The results show about 25 useful modes in the plate between 160 and 2500 Hz. The plate has a variable modal distribution with widely separated modes easily identified to very closely coupled modes quite difficult to separate. With careful experiments, the modal frequencies of the plate can be reproduced within 2 percent of the predicted values, and the mode shapes can be reproduced with errors of 20 percent or less. Less careful experiments can lead to large errors in frequencies, mode shapes, missed modes, and mixed modes.
Real-Time Reconstruction of Multimode Tip Motion of Microcantilevers in Dynamic Atomic Force Microscopy

A modal projection filtering method is proposed for the dynamic atomic force microscopy (AFM) to accurately reconstruct the multimode tip motion of the AFM microcantilever from the single measurement signal of the optical lever method in real time. The optical lever method is inherently a slope detection method, wherein each individual dynamic mode pertinent to the slope detection principle of the measurement system has its own distinct measurement sensitivity because of the unique dynamic mode shape per a mode. The proposed modal projection filtering method uses the experimentally identified multimode dynamic model of the AFM microcantilever along with the calibrated measurement sensitivities of individual dynamic modes to design the modal projection filters to extract the responses of individual dynamic modes from the single measurement signal. The tip motion of the AFM microcantilever is then accurately reconstructed by using a linear superposition of the extracted responses of multiple dynamic modes. The designed modal projection filters were implemented in a field programmable gate array for real-time computation with an update rate of 1 MHz. Computer simulations and experimental investigations were performed to validate the principle of and to demonstrate the performance of the proposed method.
Insulin and Glucose: Relationships with Hassles, Anger, and Hostility in Nondiabetic Older Adults

Relationships of psychosocial factors (anger, hostility, hassles, and caregiving) with fasting insulin and glucose levels were examined. Samples included two groups of nondiabetic adults (mean age = 69.4 years): spouse caregivers (CG) of individuals with diagnoses of Alzheimer's disease (AD) (N = 78) and spouses of nondemented controls (CO) (N = 72) matched for age and gender. The groups were assessed twice with a 15-to 18-month hiatus. To obtain more stable assessments, all biopsychosocial measures were averaged over time. Psychosocial factors were associated with insulin and glucose, even after controlling for significant health variables: obesity, lipids, and cardiovascular disease. As hypothesized, CG with high anger-out/hostility (AOHO) had significantly higher glucose levels than all other group combinations. The glucose levels for subjects with high hassles or high AOHO were significantly higher than those for subjects who were low on both of these factors. For insulin, a three-way interaction occurred among AOHO, hassles, and gender-hormone replacement therapy (HRT); in women taking HRT, no relationships occurred between insulin with AOHO and hassles. In women not taking HRT, those with high AOHO and high hassles had significantly higher insulin levels than the other three combinations, whereas in men, those with either high AOHO or high hassles had significantly higher insulin levels than men who were low on both of these factors. Given these results, future research should examine the degree to which interactions between metabolic processes with psychosocial variables, gender, and HRT have long term health consequences in nondiabetics.
Abstract 4990: Nuclear Factor-Y (NF-Y) regulates the transcription of the human aldo-keto reductase 1C1 (AKR1C1) gene*

Dihydrodiol dehydrogenases are a family of aldo-keto reductases (AKR1Cs) involved in the metabolism of steroid hormones and xenobiotics. Here, we have cloned and characterized the proximal promoter region of the human AKR1C1 gene. The 5′ flanking proximal promoter region of the AKR1C1 gene consists of a TATA box and an inverted CCAAT binding site. Deletion analysis of the 5′-flanking, ∼3.0 kb region of the human AKR1C1 gene, identified the region between −128 to −88 as the minimal proximal promoter that is essential for basal transcription of AKR1C1 in human ovarian (2008 & 2008/C13*), lung (H23 & A549) and liver carcinoma (HepG2) cells. Based on computational analysis, a set of potential putative transcription factor binding sites for Oct1, Sp1, NF-Y, C/EBP, p40X, USF, NF1 and AP-2 were identified in this region. Site-directed mutagenesis studies indicated that the transcription factor binding sites for NF-Y/CEBP were essential for controlling the basal transcription of AKR1C1 in all the cancer cells studied. Electrophoretic mobility shift (EMSAs) and gel supershift assays demonstrated that the transcription factor NF-Y preferentially binds to the inverted CCAAT box at −109 ATTGG −105 of the AKR1C1 gene. These results indicate that the NF-Y transcription factor regulates the basal transcription of AKR1C1 in human ovarian, lung and liver carcinoma cells. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4990.
Semiautomated Susceptibility Testing of Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare by Bioluminescence

Clinical isolates of Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare complex (MAIC) were tested against ciprofloxacin using adenosine triphosphate (ATP) release as measured by bioluminescence. The results were compared with conventional minimal inhibitory concentrations determined in liquid medium and with minimal bactericidal concentrations determined by an agar plating method. Good correlation was observed between methods when the ATP release was measured after only 5 days of incubation. The bioluminescence method was objective and has the potential for being fully automated.
Mechanisms of Action and Clinical Applications of Cytotoxic Drugs in Rheumatic Disorders

Failure to suppress disease activity in certain rheumatic disorders such as systemic lupus, polyarteritis nodosa, or Wegener's granulomatosis may significantly heighten the probability of a fatal outcome. In other rheumatic disorders (for example, rheumatoid or psoriatic arthritis) the disease left unchecked may indeed be severely crippling but rarely is it fatal. Thus the decision on whether to add a cytotoxic drug often evolves into a benefit-to-risk analysis, a decision in which the patient must also be intimately involved. There are two few well-controlled studies of the use of cytotoxic agents to make dogmatic statements regarding their use in the treatment of rheumatic disorders. Nevertheless, a review of the literature, some of which has been cited above, does permit one to make some reasoned judgments in choosing a drug for a particular disease (Table 2).
CONGENITAL ATRESIA OF THE ESOPHAGUS.

Congenital atresia of the esophagus is readily correctable surgically. Coexisting anomalies and prematurity are the chief factors militating against a successful outcome, which should now be anticipated in at least 70 per cent of cases. The procedure of choice, primary anastomosis, is feasible in virtually all cases in which there is a tracheoesophageal fistula, and this group comprises the vast majority. Prompt diagnosis and early operation are essential.
Dental Physical Examination

The objectives of the equine dental physical examination are to detect and quantify oral and dental disorders, to propose and carry out their treatment, and to implement management programs. The veterinarian should be able to offer a prognosis and to detail any future treatment or management plans that may be required. These objectives should take into account the cost of these procedures, and the veterinarian should be prepared to offer a cost-benefit analysis of the problem and the proposed cures.
States Tackle Biosimilar Substitution

This blog post discusses state laws addressing pharmacist substitution for biologic products enacted following the Biologic Price Competition and Innovation Act.
Depression Amplifies the Influence of Central Obesity on 10-Year Incidence of Diabetes: Findings from MIDUS.

Background Central obesity is a major risk factor for diabetes but many obese individuals never develop diabetes, suggesting the presence of important effect modifiers. Depression has emerged as a key risk factor for poor glycemic control, but to our knowledge, no previous work has investigated whether depression amplifies the effect of central obesity on glucoregulation. Methods and Findings We used a national sample of adults without prevalent diabetes (MIDUS; N = 919) to test for synergy between central obesity and depression in the development of diabetes 10 years later. We found that depression amplified the association of waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) with incident diabetes adjusted for age, race, gender, education, physical activity, and sleep problems (p = 0.01 for test of interaction). The relative risk for incident diabetes per every 0.1 increment in WHR was 1.75 (95% CI: 1.31; 2.33) in those without depression and 3.78 in those with depression (95% CI: 2.14; 6.66). Conclusions These results confirm the role of depression as a robust risk factor for the development of diabetes and for the first time, demonstrate a synergy between depression and central obesity. Identifying and addressing depression could prove to be an effective approach to preventing diabetes in at risk individuals. Ultimately, elucidating the interplay among risk factors from different domains will be key to understanding multifactorial diseases such as diabetes and informing theory-based, patient-centered interventions aimed at reducing diabetes risk.
In vitro human epidermal permeation of nicotine from electronic cigarette refill liquids and implications for dermal exposure assessment.

Nicotine plus flavorings in a propylene glycol (PG) vehicle are the components of electronic cigarette liquids (e-liquids), which are vaporized and inhaled by the user. Dermal exposure to nicotine and e-liquids may occur among workers in mixing and filling of e-cigarettes in the manufacturing process. Inadvertent skin contact among consumers is also a concern. In vitro nicotine permeation studies using heat-separated human epidermis were performed with surrogate and two commercial e-liquids, neat and aqueous nicotine donor formulations. Steady-state fluxes (Jss), and lag times (tlag) were measured for each formulation. In addition, transient (4 h) exposure and finite dose (1–10 μl/cm2) experiments were undertaken using one commercial e-liquid. Average Jss (μg/cm2/h) from formulations were: nicotine in PG (24 mg/ml): 3.97; commercial e-liquid containing menthol (25 mg/ml nicotine): 10.2; commercial e-liquid containing limonene (25 mg/ml nicotine): 23.7; neat nicotine: 175. E-liquid lag times ranged from 5 to 10 h. Absorbed fraction of nicotine from finite doses was ≈0.3 at 48 h. The data were applied to transient exposure and finite dose dermal exposure assessment models and to a simple pharmacokinetic model. Three illustrative exposure scenarios demonstrate use of the data to predict systemic uptake and plasma concentrations from dermal exposure. The data demonstrate the potential for significant nicotine absorption through skin contact with e-cigarette refill solutions and the neat nicotine used to mix them.
Temporal and agent abstractions in multiagent reinforcement learning

A major challenge in the area of multiagent reinforcement learning has been addressing the problem of scale, more specifically the fact that increasing the number of agents in a system dramatically increases both the cost of representing the problem and the cost of calculating a solution. In single agent systems, temporal abstractions in the form of options have been used to address part of the scaling problem, but only limited work exists for multiagent systems, largely limited to cooperative games. This paper presents a formalization of options for multiagent systems and introduces a framework for agent abstraction that treats coalitions executing options analogously to agents with policies, resulting in a lower-dimensional game whose equilibria approximately correspond to equilibria in the higher dimensional game.
A reduction in conservatism in stability and 5 2 gain analysis of Takagi-Sugeno fuzzy systems via linear matrix inequalities

Abstract In this paper, we use a state-dependent Lyapunov function to reduce the conservatism in stability analysis of Takagi-Sugeno (T-S) fuzzy systems via Linear Matrix Inequalities (LMIs). Our approach uses T-S fuzzy rules to define Lyapunov functions, and therefore substantially enlarges the class of Lyapunov functions which can be used to prove stability of T-S fuzzy systems. This approach greatly reduces the conservatism and generalizes previous results in this area which relied on finding a. common positive definite Lyapunov function. Since the resulting Lyapunov function is state-dependent, this method requires a priori bounds on the variations of those states that are the argument of the membership functions. The effectiveness of this approach is finally presented via a simple numerical example.
Transfer of Consequential Functions VIA Stimulus Equivalence: Generalization to Different Testing Contexts

This study investigated the role of generalization in the transfer of consequential functions through stimulus equivalence classes. In Phase 1, 12 subjects were trained in AB, AC conditional discriminations and tested for the emergence of three 3-member equivalence classes. In Phase 2, reinforcement and punishment functions were trained to B1 and B3, respectively. In Phase 3, the B functions were tested in a matching-to-sample task, and then the transfer of function from the Bs to the Cs was tested in a letter-choice task. Seven subjects showed generalization from matching-to-sample to the letter-choice task and transfer of function in Phase 3. A series of tests in Phase 4 assessed whether generalization was involved in the failure of transfer of function for the remaining five subjects. For 4 of these subjects, when generalization of the B functions was brought about, transfer of function also occurred. The remaining subject showed generalization but not transfer of function. These results suggest that transfer of function in stimulus equivalence is contextually controlled and interacts with basic processes such as generalization in predictable ways.
Hospital readmission after ambulatory laparoscopic cholecystectomy: incidence and predictors

Abstract Background The aim of the study was to assess the rate of 30-d hospital readmissions after ambulatory laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Materials and methods The 2009 to 2011 State Ambulatory Surgery and Services and State Inpatient Databases from California, Florida, and New York were analyzed to evaluate the incidence of 30-d readmissions after laparoscopic cholecystectomy performed in outpatient settings. Hospital transfers and the principal diagnoses of hospital readmission were analyzed as secondary outcomes. Multilevel generalized mixed linear regression analyses with fixed and random effects were used to evaluate variables associated with increased likelihood of readmissions. Results A total of 230,745 encounters for ambulatory laparoscopic cholecystectomies performed in 890 ambulatory facilities between 2009 and 2011 in the three states were analyzed. The rate of 30-d readmission was 20.2 per 1000 discharges. The rate of direct transfers from the ambulatory surgery center to an acute care hospital was 0.6 per 1000 discharges. The most common diagnoses of readmission were surgical complications, postoperative pain, infection, and nausea or vomiting. After adjusting for comorbidities, increasing age, male sex, non-Hispanic white race/ethnicity, any nonprivate insurance type, diagnosis of acute cholecystitis, use of intraoperative cholangiography, and having the procedure performed on a weekend were significantly associated with increased odds of 30-d readmissions. Conclusions This large-state data analysis reveals that the unplanned admission and readmission rates after laparoscopic cholecystectomy are very low. Some causes of readmission (e.g., pain, nausea, and vomiting) are modifiable by the intervention of surgeons and anesthesia providers.
The pros and cons of having a meaningful life

Abstract Although meaning in life is often perceived as an important aspect of psychological well-being, Baumeister, Vohs, Aaker, and Garbinsky (2013) suggest that finding meaning in one's life includes not only positive affect but also anxiety. The purpose of these studies was to investigate if college students who attached meaning to their educations and interpersonal relationships also experienced negative affect and anxiety about these experiences. In Study 1 we hypothesized that the more meaningful students found attending college the more positive and negative affect they would experience. In Study 2 we extended the hypothesis to interpersonal meaning through examination of friendships and romantic and family relationships. Across both studies, educational and interpersonal meaning was associated with general positive affect and fear of failure. These findings suggest that meaning in life may be associated with not only happiness, but also stress because of the worry over losing the meaningful experience.
Hybrid Dynamic Systems in an Industry Design Application

The term hybrid dynamic system is a term for a mathematical system that combines behavior of a continuous nature with discontinuous changes. Such systems are often formed by the underlying computational representation of models used in the design of control and signal processing applications, for example in the automotive and aerospace industries. This paper outlines the benefits of Model-Based Design and illustrates how many different formalisms may be essential in model elaboration, such as time-based block diagrams, state transition diagrams, entity-flow networks, and multi-body diagrams. The basic elements of the underlying hybrid dynamic system computational representation are presented and it is shown how these elements combine to form different classes of behaviors that need to be handled for simulation.
A method for evaluating the impact and incidence of state and local taxes with applications to incidence and educational grant-in-aid programs in Iowa

reasoning rather than base shifting on empirical evidence. Before proceeding with the study, consider the shifting assumptions to be used in light of theoretical considerations and the economic setting of an individ­ uel. state. Shifting of the personal income tax depends on the possible response of the income earner as a factor supplier. If the tax significantly affects the work-leisure choice of the worker at the mscrgin, a change in factor supply may result; as a consequence, factor prices may change and some shifting may occur with resulting product price changes. However, this shifting consideration seems to be more relevant at the federal level where higher rates affect the general population. With the relatively low rates of state income taxes and the minor fraction of the work force affected by state income taxes, it seems safe to conclude that very little shifting of the state income tax occurs. Some exceptions, however, might be men­ tioned. If one state levies much higher rates than its neighboring states, seme migration of work force and resultant tax burden shift may occur. This does not seem to be the case for most states, however. Another possible exception to the no-shift conclusion may occur if workers are able to gain nonreportable fringe income and as a result of this erosion of the base, the state raises tax rates, causing a higher proportion of tax to fall on those taxpayers with only reportable income. Again, there is little evi­ dence of this among the states. The assumption to be used, therefore, is that the personal income tax is not shifted. This reasoning also applies
Biology of Weed Control Agents

Three principal groups of organisms—herbivorous arthropods, fungal pathogens, and fish—have been used for biological control of weeds. This chapter considers key aspects of the biologies of each of these groups.
Ground Transportation Big Data Analytics and Third Party Validation: Solutions for a New Era of Regulation and Private Sector Innovation

One of the first systematic collections of ground transportation big data was instituted by the New York City Taxi & Limousine Commission (“TLC”) in 2004 through the Taxicab Passenger Enhancement Program (“T-PEP”). The T-PEP includes GPS location-based information, a rear-seat passenger information monitor, a driver information monitor, and full integration with the taximeter to convey fare information to the passenger and to transmit massive amounts of data to the selected vendors and to the TLC. Since its inception, T-PEP datasets related to ridership, fares, and traffic patterns have proven to be vital for academia, urban planners, and transportation regulators in conducting market analysis and policy making. In recent years, Transportation Network Companies (“TNCs”) such as Uber and Lyft have significantly changed the dynamics of transportation data. Not only do these companies capture a voluminous amount of data for post-trip analysis, they also rely on big data for their daily operation and strategic planning—in other words, survival! TNCs have fought hard to prevent their data from being released to transportation regulators, frustrating their mission to implement policy, make and enforce regulations. This chapter will examine how big data has been used by both the TLC and TNCs, and more importantly, highlight the pertinent issues within the realm of ground transportation such as data accuracy, security, privacy, transparency, and compliance. Ultimately, this chapter will advocate the need for third-party independent institutions to audit and maintain this data.
Smartphone app for non-invasive detection of anemia using only patient-sourced photos

We introduce a paradigm of completely non-invasive, on-demand diagnostics that may replace common blood-based laboratory tests using only a smartphone app and photos. We initially targeted anemia, a blood condition characterized by low blood hemoglobin levels that afflicts >2 billion people. Our app estimates hemoglobin levels by analyzing color and metadata of fingernail bed smartphone photos and detects anemia (hemoglobin levels <12.5 g dL−1) with an accuracy of ±2.4 g dL−1 and a sensitivity of 97% (95% CI, 89–100%) when compared with CBC hemoglobin levels (n = 100 subjects), indicating its viability to serve as a non-invasive anemia screening tool. Moreover, with personalized calibration, this system achieves an accuracy of ±0.92 g dL−1 of CBC hemoglobin levels (n = 16), empowering chronic anemia patients to serially monitor their hemoglobin levels instantaneously and remotely. Our on-demand system enables anyone with a smartphone to download an app and immediately detect anemia anywhere and anytime. Anemia has a global prevalence of over 2 billion people and is diagnosed via blood-based laboratory test. Here the authors describe a smartphone app that can estimate hemoglobin levels and detect anemia by analyzing pictures of fingernail beds taken with a smartphone and without the need of any external equipment.
Binimetinib plus Gemcitabine and Cisplatin Phase I/II Trial in Patients with Advanced Biliary Cancers.

Purpose: Mutations in the RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK signaling pathway are commonly found in biliary tract cancer (BTC). Binimetinib, a selective inhibitor of MEK1/2, has single-agent activity. Preclinical data support binimetinib combination with chemotherapy, when given in an interrupted dosing schedule. Patients and Methods: A phase I/II trial evaluated binimetinib in combination with gemcitabine and cisplatin in patients with untreated advanced BTC. The primary endpoints were to determine the MTD (phase I), and PFS 6 and RR (phase II). Tumor tissue for targeted gene sequencing and blood samples for peripheral blood pERK expression were evaluated. Patients received oral binimetinib twice daily with gemcitabine and cisplatin on day 8 and 15 of a 21-day cycle. Binimetinib was held for 2 days prior to and on day of each chemotherapy treatment. Results: Twelve patients enrolled in the phase I showed the MTD of binimetinib at 45 mg orally twice daily with gemcitabine 800 and cisplatin 20 mg/m2. Twenty-nine patients were treated in the phase II. Six patients treated at MTD in phase I were evaluable as part of phase II. PFS 6 months was 54% and RR was 36%. Median overall survival was 13.3 months (95% CI, 9.8–16.5). MSK-IMPACT 410-gene panel showed aberrations in the RAS–RAF–MEK–ERK pathway and mutations in PIK3CA, AKT2, PIK3CG, BRAF, and MAP3K1 in responding patients. Conclusions: Binimetinib with gemcitabine and cisplatin did not show an improvement in PFS 6 and RR. Molecular profiling may help select patients who may benefit from this triplet therapy, which is not planned at this time.
Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome

This review describes the clinical presentation and treatment for cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS). Typical treatment for nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain may not be effective in patients with CHS. Alternative treatments have been suggested. The pathophysiology of CHS may be due to dysregulation of the endocannabinoid system. Two cannabinoid receptors (CB1, CB2) have been identified. Theories proposed to explain CHS including chronic stimulation of the CB1 receptor, binding of the CB1 receptor causing decreased gut motility, desensitization of CB1 receptors (these CB1 receptors generally have antiemetic effects), or interaction of the TRVP-1 receptor with the ennocannabinoid system. CHS should be in the differential diagnosis for any patient with nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. The usual treatment for nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain may not be effective for patients with CHS. Other newer, off-label treatments for CHS have been proposed.
Methods for noise reduction in a legacy speech corpus

The Digital Archive of Southern Speech is an audio corpus featuring interviews conducted from 1968 to 1983, with speech from 30 female and 34 male southern speakers, totaling 372 h of audio data. However, automated analysis of this data has been made difficult by background noise in this legacy corpus, originally recorded on reel-to-reel tape and later digitized to .wav format. In this paper, we compare the effect of noise reduction techniques on the acoustic signal and evaluate their effect on acoustic speech data. We use Praat to detect the quietest silence (measured using root-mean-square amplitude) in each sound file. The audio data contain silences that lack background noise (e.g., due to anonymization procedures), but these are excluded from selection. Each quietest silence is used to create a “noise profile,” which is removed from the audio using a scripted noise removal procedure in both Audacity and SoX. The success of each procedure is assessed with three-way comparisons of the amplitude of silences in uncleaned and cleaned audio, and vowel plots made with formant values extracted from uncleaned and cleaned audio. It is predicted that successful noise reduction will reduce the number of outliers occurring in F1, F2 space.
Parent-Facilitated Behavioral Treatment for Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder: A Case Report

Abstract Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), which was introduced in DSM-5, may be one of the most functionally impairing eating disorders, yet little is known regarding risk factors, prevalence, or efficacious treatment models for the disorder. With no empirically supported treatment for ARFID, it is important to investigate the clinical utility of innovative therapeutic approaches. Here we describe a novel parent-facilitated behavioral treatment for youth with ARFID (PBT-ARFID) that is grounded in learning theory, as well as components of well-established family-based treatment (FBT) for eating disorders. We propose a two-factor theory of avoidance learning within a biopsychosocial model to explain behavior in ARFID and utilize counterconditioning as a core intervention to reverse paired, classically conditioned association between food and aversive state (i.e., disgust and/or anxiety). This report details a step-by-step comprehensive treatment approach for ARFID that can be adapted to a broad range of youth and their families, along with a case study illustrating application of the model. This pilot case provides preliminary evidence that the PBT-ARFID model incorporating counterconditioning may be a powerful treatment for youth with ARFID. More case and pilot studies are needed to justify formally investigating its efficacy in a randomized controlled trial.