cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Loss of point-to-point traffic in three-stage circuit switches

A theoretical study is made of simple analytical models for the point-to-point loss of telecommunication traffic caused by blocking in three-stage circuit switches. Two new models are compared with Jacobaeus frequently used model and with some simulation results to determine regions of acceptable accuracy. The effects of random hunting and sequential hunting for routes are compared by simulation. The results apply to space-division link systems and also to some time-division switches of current interest. In the case of random hunting, the new models give improved agreement with simulation results. The overestimate of loss inherent in the Jacobaeus method, however, is found to be acceptably low when the numbers of primary and tertiary matrix switches are not small, e.g. > 10. We lack a good analytical model for the sequential hunting method, which is found to result in lower traffic loss for the switches being studied.
Computer Simulation of Faulted URD Cables: Analysis and Results

A method for computing shield potentials of underground directly buried (URD) cable is presented. Earth potentials in the vicinity of the buried cable are also computed. The method utilizes a numerical solution of Laplace's equation to account for earth currents, and a modified nodal analysis method to account for conductor and shield currents as well as inductive coupling in the underground cable system. A computer program has been developed capable of analyzing long lengths of URD cable together with existing ground rods, faults, open neutrals, feeding substation and substation grounds. The system analyzed corresponds to practical URD cable distribution systems. Extensive simulation of various URD cable systems in various soil environment has been performed and the results have been tabulated in a two-volume EPRI report.
Genetic and brain imaging contributions to neuropsychological functioning in preclinical dementia.

A veritable explosion of research in neuropsychology has occurred over the past decade in the search for cognitive and brain changes during a so-called “preclinical” phase of dementia that precedes its overt clinical manifestations. Fueling this explosion, in part, has been the revolution in the genetic bases of disease formulated from the international work of decoding the human genome (International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium, 2001; see also Patenaude et al., 2002, for discussion). The discovery of preclinical cognitive, brain, and genetic markers of dementia is helping to push back the point at which diseases can be reliably identified. Very early detection of dementia is extremely important now that a variety of investigational treatments that might prevent or delay disease progression (e.g., amyloid vaccine, anti-oxidants, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents, cholinesterase inhibitors, estrogens, and others in the case of Alzheimer's disease) are on the horizon.
On simulation of non-Markovian stochastic Petri nets with heavy-tailed firing times

Long-run stochastic stability is a precondition for applying steady-state simulation output analysis methods to a stochastic Petri Net (SPN), and is of interest in its own right. A fundamental stability requirement for an irreducible SPN is that the markings of the net be recurrent, in that the marking process visits each marking infinitely often with probability 1. We study recurrence properties of irreducible non-Markovian SPNs with finite marking set. Our focus is on the "clocks" that govern the transition firings, and we consider SPNs in which zero, one, or at least two simultaneously-enabled transitions can have very heavy-tailed clock-setting distributions. We establish positive recurrence, null recurrence, and, perhaps surprisingly, possible transience of markings for these respective regimes. The transience result stands in strong contrast to Markovian or semi-Markovian SPNs, where irreducibility and finiteness of the marking set guarantee positive recurrence.
Numerical simulation of nonequilibrium condensation in a hypersonic wind tunnel

A computational method for calculating supersonic two-dimensional nozzle flows with nonequilibrium phase change is developed. The code uses a fully implicit, finite volume formulation with Steger-Warming flux vector splitting and Jacobi point relaxation. Source terms for finite rate condensation and evaporation are constructed from the classical theories of nucleation and droplet growth. Calculations of the NASA Langley Research Center 8-ft High Temperature Tunnel nozzle are performed and compared with previously reported quasi-one-dimensional calculations and experimental data.
Sec59 encodes a membrane protein required for core glycosylation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Abstract When incubated at a restrictive temperature, Saccharomyces cerevisiae sec59 mutant cells accumulate inactive and incompletely glycosylated forms of secretory proteins. Three different secretory polypeptides (invertase, pro-alpha-factor, and pro-carboxypeptidase Y) accumulated within a membrane-bounded organelle, presumably the endoplasmic reticulum, and resisted proteolytic degradation unless the membrane was permeabilized with detergent. Molecular cloning and DNA sequence analysis of the SEC59 gene predicted an extremely hydrophobic protein product of 59 kilodaltons. This prediction was confirmed by reconstitution of the sec59 defect in vitro. The alpha-factor precursor, which was translated in a soluble fraction from wild-type cells, was translocated into, but inefficiently glycosylated within, membranes from sec59 mutant cells. Residual glycosylation activity of membranes of sec59 cells was thermolabile compared with the activity of wild-type membranes. Partial restoration of glycosylation was obtained in reactions that were supplemented with mannose or GDP-mannose, but not those supplemented with other sugar nucleotides. These results were consistent with a role for the Sec59 protein in the transfer of mannose to dolichol-linked oligosaccharide.
Pathology of Fatal West Nile Virus Infections in Native and Exotic Birds during the 1999 Outbreak in New York City, New York

West Nile fever caused fatal disease in humans, horses, and birds in the northeastern United States during 1999. We studied birds from two wildlife facilities in New York City, New York, that died or were euthanatized and were suspected to have West Nile virus infections. Using standard histologic and ultrastructural methods, virus isolation, immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization and reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, we identified West Nile virus as the cause of clinical disease, severe pathologic changes, and death in 27 birds representing eight orders and 14 species. Virus was detected in 23/26 brains (88%), 24/ 25 hearts (96%), 15/18 spleens (83%), 14/20 livers (70%), 20/20 kidneys (100%), 10/13 adrenals (77%), 13/ 14 intestines (93%), 10/12 pancreata (83%), 5/12 lungs (42%), and 4/8 ovaries (50%) by one or more methods. Cellular targets included neurons and glial cells in the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral ganglia; myocardial fibers; macrophages and blood monocytes; renal tubular epithelium; adrenal cortical cells; pancreatic acinar cells and islet cells; intestinal crypt epithelium; oocytes; and fibroblasts and smooth muscle cells. Purkinje cells were especially targeted, except in crows and magpies. Gross hemorrhage of the brain, splenomegaly, meningoencephalitis, and myocarditis were the most prominent lesions. Immunohistochemistry was an efficient and reliable method for identifying infected cases, but the polyclonal antibody cross-reacted with St. Louis encephalitis virus and other flaviviruses. In contrast, the in situ hybridization probe pWNV-E (WN-USAMRIID99) reacted only with West Nile virus. These methods should aid diagnosticians faced with the emergence of West Nile virus in the United States.
The 8.2-ka abrupt climate change event in Brown's Lake, northeast Ohio

Many Northern Hemisphere paleoclimatic records, including ice cores, speleothems, lake sediments, ocean cores and glacier chronologies, indicate an abrupt cooling event about 8200 cal yr BP. A new well-dated series of sediment cores taken from Brown's Lake, a kettle in Northeast Ohio, shows two closely spaced intervals of loess deposition during this time period. The source of loess is uncertain; however, it is likely from an abandoned drainage and former glacial lake basin located to the north of the stagnant ice topography that gave rise to the kettle lake. Strong visual stratigraphy, loss on ignition data and sediment grain size analyses dated with 3 AMS radiocarbon dates place the two intervals of loess deposition between 8950 and 8005 cal yr BP. The possibility of a two-phase abrupt climate change at this time is a finding that has been suggested in other research. This record adds detail to the spatial extent and timing as well as possible structure of the 8.2-ka abrupt climate change event.
Transcoding the news: An investigation into multimedia journalism published on nytimes.com 2000–2008:

Manovich (2001) describes the changes that result from translating an established cultural product into a new technology as ‘transcoding’. This study investigates the form that the journalism of The New York Times takes when transcoded to the Web by evaluating multimedia news packages published on nytimes.com from 2000–2008. The number and sophistication of the multimedia packages grew over time to include new interfaces that incorporated elements native to digital environments such as hypertextual links, interactivity, elements borrowed from digital games and social media tools. Most packages were produced as sidebars to stories published in the newspaper, suggesting that multimedia was used as an extension of the written word, not as a primary storytelling format.
The role of massage in sports performance and rehabilitation: current evidence and future direction.

Background. Massage is a popular treatment choice of athletes, coaches, and sports physical therapists. Despite its purported benefits and frequent use, evidence demonstrating its efficacy is scarce. Purpose. To identify current literature relating to sports massage and its role in effecting an athlete’s psychological readiness, in enhancing sports performance, in recovery from exercise and competition, and in the treatment of sports related musculoskeletal injuries. Methods. Electronic databases were used to identify papers relevant to this review. The following keywords were searched: massage, sports injuries, athletic injuries, physical therapy, rehabilitation, delayed onset muscle soreness, sports psychology, sports performance, sports massage, sports recovery, soft tissue mobilization, deep transverse friction massage, pre-event, and post exercise.
Removal of surgical barriers of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene at second-look laparoscopy was not associated with adhesion formation

Abstract Objective : To evaluate whether the surgical trauma required for the laparoscopic removal of a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) surgical barrier would cause postoperative adhesions. Design : Two case reports. Setting : Tertiary academic medical center. Patient(s) : Two women who had undergone myomectomy with placement of a PTFE surgical barrier and who were free of adhesions with the barrier in place. Intervention(s) : Removal of the PTFE barrier by laparoscopy 11 days after myomectomy. Main Outcome Measure(s) : Adhesions at the site of removal of the PTFE barrier at the time of incidental laparoscopy several years later. Result(s) : Adhesions were not present at the site of PTFE barrier removal. Conclusion(s) : The surgical trauma required to remove PTFE barriers at early second-look laparoscopy was not associated with postoperative adhesions.
Cross-modality attentional blinks without preparatory task-set switching

When two masked targets (T1 and T2), both requiring attention, are presented within half a second of each other, report of the second target is poor, demonstrating an attentional blink (AB). Potter, Chun, Banks, and Muckenhoupt (1998) argued that all previous demonstrations of an AB occurring when one or more targets were presented outside the visual modality did not represent true AB but were, instead, artifactual, resulting from switching of task set. In the present experiments, T1 and T2 modalities were independent and varied randomly from trial to trial, allowing no useful preparatory task-set switching from T1 to T2. However, reliable ABs were observed when both targets were visual, when both targets were auditory, and cross-modally when T2s were visual. Furthermore, the ABs observed for crossmodality visual T2s showed the characteristic U-shaped pattern often found in AB experiments in which two visual targets are used—a pattern that should not be observed under task-set switching conditions. These results provide evidence that cross-modality AB can be found under conditions that do not allow useful preparatory task-set switching.
FGF Signaling Is Required for Lens Regeneration in Xenopus laevis

In species of the frog genus Xenopus, lens regeneration occurs through a process of transdifferentia- tion, in which cornea epithelial cells presumably undergo dedifferentiation and subsequently redifferentiate to form a new lens. Experimental studies have shown that the retina provides the key signal required to trigger this process once the original lens is removed. A previous study showed that addition of an exogenous fibroblast growth factor (i.e., FGF1 protein) could initiate transdifferentiation of cornea epithelial cells in culture. To determine the role of FGF signaling in X. laevis lens regeneration, we have examined the presence of specific FGFs and their receptors (FGFRs) during this process and evaluated the necessity of FGFR signaling. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analyses reveal that a number of FGF family members are expressed in cornea epithelium and retinal tissues both before and during the process of lens regeneration. Of these, FGF1, FGF8, and FGF9 are expressed principally in retinal tissue and not in the cornea epithelium. Hence, these ligands could represent key signaling factors originating from the retina that trigger regeneration. The results of experiments using an in vitro eye culture system and an FGFR inhibitor (SU5402) suggest that FGFR signaling is required for lens regeneration in Xenopus.
From a Patent Market for Lemons to a Marketplace for Patents: Benchmarking IP in Its Evolution to Asset Class Status

An emphasis on strategic patent management as an independent business operation has created a sophisticated patent intermediary and services market over the past ten years, spurring an influx of patent service firms and tools which make patent research a more manageable endeavor.1 In that same time period, intermediaries, brokers, agents, and other non-practicing entities (NPEs)—patent holding companies without operations independent of patent monetization—have entered the patent market in search of high-margin returns. The concurrent timing of both phenomena is a result of the interrelated upward swing of IP value and risk.
Two advertisements for TV drug ads.

ABSTRACT: The paper by Joel Weissman and colleagues addresses the increasingly important topic of the effects of direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) by pharmaceutical companies. The authors claim...
Structure of the Brd4 ET domain bound to a C-terminal motif from γ-retroviral integrases reveals a conserved mechanism of interaction.

The bromodomain and extraterminal domain (BET) protein family are promising therapeutic targets for a range of diseases linked to transcriptional activation, cancer, viral latency, and viral integration. Tandem bromodomains selectively tether BET proteins to chromatin by engaging cognate acetylated histone marks, and the extraterminal (ET) domain is the focal point for recruiting a range of cellular and viral proteins. BET proteins guide γ-retroviral integration to transcription start sites and enhancers through bimodal interaction with chromatin and the γ-retroviral integrase (IN). We report the NMR-derived solution structure of the Brd4 ET domain bound to a conserved peptide sequence from the C terminus of murine leukemia virus (MLV) IN. The complex reveals a protein–protein interaction governed by the binding-coupled folding of disordered regions in both interacting partners to form a well-structured intermolecular three-stranded β sheet. In addition, we show that a peptide comprising the ET binding motif (EBM) of MLV IN can disrupt the cognate interaction of Brd4 with NSD3, and that substitutions of Brd4 ET residues essential for binding MLV IN also impair interaction of Brd4 with a number of cellular partners involved in transcriptional regulation and chromatin remodeling. This suggests that γ-retroviruses have evolved the EBM to mimic a cognate interaction motif to achieve effective integration in host chromatin. Collectively, our findings identify key structural features of the ET domain of Brd4 that allow for interactions with both cellular and viral proteins.
Investigation of thermally responsive block copolymer thin film morphologies using gradients.

We report the use of a gradient library approach to characterize the structure and behavior of thin films of a thermally responsive block copolymer (BCP), poly(styrene-b-tert-butyl acrylate) (PS-b-PtBA), which exhibits chemical deprotection and morphological changes above a thermal threshold. Continuous gradients in temperature and film thickness, as well as discrete substrate chemistry conditions, were used to examine trends in deprotection, nanoscale morphology, and chemical structure. Thermal gradient annealing permitted the extraction of transformation rate constants (kt) for the completion of thermal deprotection and rearrangement of the film morphology from a single BCP library on hydroxyl and alkyl surfaces, respectively. The transformation rate constants ranged from 1.45 × 10−4 s−1 to 5.02 × 10−5 s−1 for temperatures between 185 and 140 °C for hydroxyl surfaces. For the same temperature range, the alkyl surfaces yielded kt values ranging from 4.76 × 10−5 s−1 to 5.73 × 10−6 s−1, an order of magnitu...
Role of Leaf Hairs in Resistance of a Clone of Beach Strawberry, Fragaria chiloensis, to Feeding by Adult Black Vine Weevil, Otiorhynchus sulcatus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Beach strawberry, Fragaria chiloensis (L.) Duchesne, clone CL-5, is resistant to feeding by adult black vine weevil (BVW), Otiorhynchus sulcatus (F.). Using a membrane filter feeding bioassay, no evidence for a chemical basis for this resistance could be obtained. Leaf toughness of a susceptible Fragaria × ananassa (Duchesne) cultivar and clone CL-5 did not differ. Removal of tomentum from the underside of fresh or freeze-dried CL-5 leaf disks rendered them as susceptible to BVW feeding as disks from a nonresistant cultivar. This, and other evidence, demonstrates that antixenosis exhibited by leaves of beach strawberry clone CL-5 to BVW is due, at least in part, to the dense covering of simple hairs on their abaxial surface.
THE EVOLUTION OF RESISTANCE TO HERBIVORY IN IPOMOEA PURPUREA. I. ATTEMPTS TO DETECT SELECTION.

In this study, we looked for evidence of directional or stabilizing/disruptive selection on plant size and on the level of damage (resistance) caused by four types of herbivores in the annual morning glory Ipomoea purpurea. Selection was estimated by standard phenotypic regression analysis and by regression on breeding values. The phenotypic regression analysis revealed directional selection for all five characters (i.e., plant size and resistance to four types of herbivores) and indicated that plant size and resistance to corn-earworm damage were subject to stabilizing selection. By contrast, the analysis using breeding values revealed directional selection only for plant size and resistance to corn earworms, while none of the characters examined indicated stabilizing or disruptive selection. These results suggest that intermediate levels of damage in I. purpurea are, in general, not maintained by stabilizing selection. Rather, they may reflect either 1) a transient state that exists while directional selection pushes the population toward complete resistance (or, in one case, total absence of resistance) or 2) the evolution of susceptibility to damage by genetic drift.
Incentives for Innovative and Follow-On Drugs

We analyze how rewards and penalties for follow-on drugs affect innovation, profits, and social welfare. Examples of policies that reduce the rate of return for follow-on drugs include the Orphan Drug Act and standard review at FDA, as well as the proposal of the former editor of the New England Journal of Medicine. Penalizing follow-on drugs is intended to increase returns for innovators and reduce socially wasteful (redundant) fixed costs. On the other hand, if the second mover drops out of a patent race and the first mover falters, then bans could reduce innovation. Furthermore, follow-on drugs offer the benefits of greater price competition and expanded therapeutic choice. We use a theoretical model of patent races with data from the pharmaceutical industry to simulate the strategic and policy implications of altering incentives for follow-on drugs.
Preventive and Curative Effects of Card Shu Ning Combined with Influenza Vaccine on Senile Chronic Bronchitis Complicated with Acute Infection

Objective To observe the preventive and curative effects of Card Shu Ning combined with influenza vaccine on senile chronic bronchitis complicated with acute infection.Methods A total of 138 patients with senile chronic bronchitis complicated with cough,expectoration and asthma at various degrees,who were infected repeatedly during the past years,were divided into trial(73 cases) and control(65 cases) groups randomly.The patients in trial group were inoculated with influenza vaccine and injected with Card Shu Ning 2 weeks later,while those in control group were injected with Card Shu Ning alone,twice a week for 3 months.Telephone or in-home follow-up was performed on the patients one year later,including the times of acute infection with chronic bronchitis,times of hospitalization due to acute infection and the course of treatment of acute infection with antibiotics.Results Compared with those in control group,the times of acute infection with chronic bronchitis and the times of hospitalization due to acute infection of patients in trial group decreased significantly,while the course of treatment with antibiotics was shortened significantly(P 0.01).Conclusion Card Shu Ning combined with influenza vaccine improved the preventive and curative effect of senile chronic bronchitis significantly.
The Site of Spontaneous Ectopic Spike Initiation Facilitates Signal Integration in a Sensory Neuron

Essential to understanding the process of neuronal signal integration is the knowledge of where within a neuron action potentials (APs) are generated. Recent studies support the idea that the precise location where APs are initiated and the properties of spike initiation zones define the cell9s information processing capabilities. Notably, the location of spike initiation can be modified homeostatically within neurons to adjust neuronal activity. Here we show that this potential mechanism for neuronal plasticity can also be exploited in a rapid and dynamic fashion. We tested whether dislocation of the spike initiation zone affects signal integration by studying ectopic spike initiation in the anterior gastric receptor neuron (AGR) of the stomatogastric nervous system of Cancer borealis. Like many other vertebrate and invertebrate neurons, AGR can generate ectopic APs in regions distinct from the axon initial segment. Using voltage-sensitive dyes and electrophysiology, we determined that AGR9s ectopic spike activity was consistently initiated in the neuropil region of the stomatogastric ganglion motor circuits. At least one neurite branched off the AGR axon in this area; and indeed, we found that AGR9s ectopic spike activity was influenced by local motor neurons. This sensorimotor interaction was state-dependent in that focal axon modulation with the biogenic amine octopamine, abolished signal integration at the primary spike initiation zone by dislocating spike initiation to a distant region of the axon. We demonstrate that the site of ectopic spike initiation is important for signal integration and that axonal neuromodulation allows for a dynamic adjustment of signal integration. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Although it is known that action potentials are initiated at specific sites in the axon, it remains to be determined how the precise location of action potential initiation affects neuronal activity and signal integration. We addressed this issue by studying ectopic spiking in the axon of a single-cell sensory neuron in the stomatogastric nervous system. Action potentials were consistently initiated at a specific region of the axon trunk, near a motor neuropil. Spike frequency was regulated by motor neuron activity, but only if spike initiation occurred at this location. Neuromodulation of the axon dislocated the site of initiation, resulting in abolishment of signal integration from motor neurons. Thus, neuromodulation allows for a dynamic adjustment of axonal signal integration.
Artemisinin biosynthesis in Artemisia annua and metabolic engineering: questions, challenges, and perspectives

Artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) forms the frontline treatment of malaria. Artemisinin, an endoperoxide sesquiterpenoid lactone biosynthesized by Artemisia annua, is the effective medicine that kills malarial parasites. Due to insufficient production of artemisinin for ACT, millions of people lost their lives in past years worldwide. To solve this severe problem, numerous studies have been undertaken to understand artemisinin biosynthesis and to innovate metabolic engineering technology to increase artemisinin yield. Here, we focus on reviewing progresses achieved in understanding biosynthetic pathway, genetic breeding, metabolic engineering, and synthetic biology. Furthermore, based on current knowledge, we discuss multiple fundamental questions and challenges.
Safety of contrast agent use during stress echocardiography: a 4-year experience from a single-center cohort study of 26,774 patients.

Objectives We evaluated the short- and long-term safety of contrast agents during stress echocardiography (SE). Background Concerns about contrast agent safety led to revised recommendations for product use in the U.S. Methods We studied 26,774 patients who underwent SE between November 1, 2003, and December 31, 2007. The 10,792 patients who comprised the contrast cohort received second-generation perfluorocarbon-based agents for left ventricular opacification during SE. The noncontrast cohort comprised 15,982 patients who had their first SE in the same period but without contrast agents. Short-term (≤72 h and ≤30 days) and long-term (up to 4.5 years) end points were death and myocardial infarction (MI). Cox regression models were used. Immediate contrast agent-related adverse effects were also reported. Results The contrast cohort had older patients (mean [SD] age, 65.8 [12.1] years vs. 62.6 [14.1] years; p Conclusions The use of contrast agents during SE was not associated with an increased short-term or long-term risk of death or MI.
CHANGING PATTERNS IN FOOD PRODUCTION AND PROCESSING

With the exception of meat packing plants the trend is to fewer but larger production and processing units. Meat packing plants are becoming smaller but more specialized. The broiler industry is producing about 3 billion birds per year. Ten percent of this production is marketed as the ready-to-eat product. Per capita consumption of most dairy products except cheese and fluid nonfat and low-fat milks is declining. Milk cow numbers will drop to about 11.5 million by 1975 when the nation's annual milk production will be about 114 billion lb. Milk production per cow will continue to increase. There are about 400,000 dairy farms in the U.S. at present compared to 2 million 20 years ago. Large regional milk marketing associations are being organized. Within a few years they will market about 80% of the nation's milk supply. Imitations will continue to plague the dairy industry, but new uses will be found for milk constituents as ingredients in other foods. Consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables is declinin...
Crossing the rubicon: identifying and responding to an armed cyber-attack

Over the past decade, the securitization of cyber technologies has dramatically altered the landscape of war. Beyond the technical challenges of countering nefarious cyber activities in a globalized and interconnected world, this new domain generates equally complex questions with respect to the conduct of war, the implementation of international law, and how to adjudicate actions perpetrated by non-state actors. Though the US maintains that existing international law applies to warfare in cyberspace, implementing the traditional rules of armed conflict in this domain presents challenges due in part to the blurring of boundaries that complicate the question of sovereignty as well as attribution. Neither current international law nor United States defense policy has resolved the question of what classifies as an armed attack in cyber-space nor how to adjudicate attacks perpetrated by non-state actors. This paper will address the question of what constitutes an “armed attack” in cyberspace, and how - once it has attributed responsibility – the United States should respond to this type of warfare. Written with the presumption that the United States should lead efforts to shape international law in this field, this paper will briefly outline the set of international laws governing war, the challenges in applying them to cyber-warfare, and provide recommendations for how to apply the law of armed conflict in cyberspace. Specifically, it will advocate for an effectsbased definition of an armed attack that provides a legal avenue for the United States to respond to cyber-attacks perpetrated by non-state actors.
Changes in the gender structure: Inequality at the individual, interactional, and macro dimensions

As a society, we’ve made tremendous progress towards gender equality over the past several decades. Yet, there remains significant inequality between women and men. Furthermore, when we look closely at some of the progress made towards gender equality, we find it considerably less impressive than surface appearances. In this article, we review the updated framework of Risman’s (2017) gender structure theory and argue that it can help us make sense of the progress we’ve made as well as analyzing inequality as it persists between women and men. Using gender structure theory, we then show how gender is simultaneously reproduced and contested across the individual, interactional, and macro levels of society within three major social domains: work, family, and gender identity.
Overloaded and overlooked: Improving resident advisors' self-care.

Objective: The purpose of this viewpoint is to discuss the lack of research on resident advisor (RA) self-care and how behavioral interventions can be used in housing programs to educate and improv...
Roles of UVA Radiation and DNA Damage Responses in Melanoma Pathogenesis

The growing incidence of melanoma is a serious public health issue that merits a thorough understanding of potential causative risk factors, which includes exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR). Though UVR has been classified as a complete carcinogen and has long been recognized for its ability to damage genomic DNA through both direct and indirect means, the precise mechanisms by which the UVA and UVB components of UVR contribute to the pathogenesis of melanoma have not been clearly defined. In this review, we therefore highlight recent studies that have addressed roles for UVA radiation in the generation of DNA damage and in modulating the subsequent cellular responses to DNA damage in melanocytes, which are the cell type that gives rise to melanoma. Recent research suggests that UVA not only contributes to the direct formation of DNA lesions but also impairs the removal of UV photoproducts from genomic DNA through oxidation and damage to DNA repair proteins. Moreover, the melanocyte microenvironment within the epidermis of the skin is also expected to impact melanomagenesis, and we therefore discuss several paracrine signaling pathways that have been shown to impact the DNA damage response in UV-irradiated melanocytes. Lastly, we examine how alterations to the immune microenvironment by UVA-associated DNA damage responses may contribute to melanoma development. Thus, there appear to be multiple avenues by which UVA may elevate the risk of melanoma. Protective strategies against excess exposure to UVA wavelengths of light therefore have the potential to decrease the incidence of melanoma. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 59:438-460, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Early Cellular Infiltrates in Coxsackievirus B3 Murine Myocarditis

The pathologic basis of murine myocarditis induced by coxsackievirus type B3 (CVB3) places necessary emphasis on the inflammatory infiltrate [11, 21]. In efforts to establish the phenotypic identity of infiltrating cells, investigators have used a variety of methods, including selective depletion or enrichment of defined cellular subsets [5, 10, 16], semiquantitative in situ immune autoradiography [8], immuno-electron microscopy [3], and immunohistochemistry [4, 19]. Such studies, however, have yet to provide serially comprehensive and quantitative data pertinent to the evolution of the inflammatory response in the earliest phase of the disease. Better understanding of the way in which phenotypically different subpopulations of immune cells invade the myocardium may help to explain the potential genesis of autoimmunity inducible in various strains of mice infected with CVB3 [1, 13]. The ever-expanding complement of monoclonal antibodies directed against cell surface antigens, with greater and greater specificity for cell type and state of activation, permits progressively more distinctive characterization.
Proposing an acquisition geometry that optimizes super-resolution in digital breast tomosynthesis

In digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT), oblique x-ray incidence shifts the image of an object in sub-pixel detector element increments with each projection angle. Our previous work has shown that DBT is capable of super-resolution as a result of this property. Although super-resolution is achievable over a broad range of positions for frequencies parallel to the chest wall side of the breast support, it is feasible at fewer positions for frequencies perpendicular to the chest wall. This finding arises because translational shifts in the image between projections are minimal in the chest wall-to-nipple direction. To optimize super-resolution, this work proposes an acquisition geometry in which the detector is translated in the chest wall-to-nipple direction between projections. At various increments of detector translation, we calculate the reconstruction of a sine input whose frequency is greater than the detector alias frequency. The model gives a proof-of-principle justification that detector translation promotes super-resolution.
Models and the early detection of disease: methodological considerations.

There is increasing interest in using special diagnostic examinations to detect a potential disease or condition in an individual who has no signs or symptoms. The motivation behind such efforts is that earlier detection, when combined with an effective therapy, will lead to enhanced benefit. The benefit is usually reflected in a higher cure rate or longer survival. In ordinary circumstances most cancers—especially solid tumors, are usually diagnosed when an individual experiences pain or a vital organ is not functioning properly or a “lump” beneath the skin is palpated. Diagnosing a disease without these signs or symptoms often results in the disease being diagnosed in an earlier stage. Many therapies are enhanced when given to earlier disease stage patients. The primary treatment modalities for most cancer sites is surgery and/or radiation. These are essentially treatments which are targeted at localized disease. If the cancer site has metastasized, then resecting or radiating the primary tumor will not result in cures. Effective chemotherapy can be significantly enhanced if the metastatic disease consists of microscopic cells which have not seriously interfered with a vital organ.
The Lorenz Order in the Space of Distribution Functions

The graphical measure of inequality proposed by Lorenz (1905) in an income inequality context is intimately related to the concept of majorization. The Lorenz curve, however, can be meaningfully used to compare arbitrary distributions rather than distributions concentrated on n points, as is the case with the majorization partial order. The Lorenz order can, thus, be thought of as a useful generalization of the majorization order. While extending our domain of definitions in one direction, to general rather than discrete distributions, we find it convenient to add a restriction which was not assumed in Chapter 2, a restriction that our distributions be supported on the non-negative reals and have finite expectation. In an income or wealth distribution context the restriction to non-negative incomes is often acceptable. The restriction to distributions with finite means is potentially more troublesome. Any real world (finite) population will have a (sample) distribution with finite mean. However, a commonly used approximation to real world income distributions, the Pareto distribution, only has a finite mean if the relevant shape parameter is suitably restricted. See Arnold (1983) for a detailed discussion of Pareto distributions in the income modelling context. To avoid distorted Lorenz curves (as alluded to in exercise 1 and illustrated in Wold (1935)), we will hold fast to our restriction that all distributions to be discussed will be supported on IR+ and will have finite means. In terms of random variables our restriction is that they be non-negative with finite expectations. We will speak interchangeably of our Lorenz (partial) order as being defined on the class of distributions (supported on IR+ with finite means) or as being defined on the class of integrable non-negative random variables.
Slotting Allowances and the Retail Sale of Alcohol Beverages

Considerable controversy and debate surrounds the practice of slotting allowances, or fees, paid by manufacturers for obtaining the patronage of retailers. To date, regulators have yet to agree on ...
Dynamically Coupled Process Control and Power Management for Shipboard Power and Energy System Applications

Small power systems are often used in support of broader systems like factories, climate control, and electric warships. Aggressive operation of the power systems often creates power shortfalls, which can be studied and controlled by assigning a value of lost load. However, this formulation is typically not sufficient to cover the potential interactions between the power system and the “process controller” that supervises the overall system and creates the load demand. For example, if a load demand for a device is not met, it will re-occur rather than just disappear. This paper formulates a general partition of the system control into a process controller which proposes actions, and a power manager which provides feedback on the feasibility of those actions. The two modules communicate via a defined interface to agree on a set of feasible actions that best accomplish the tasks within the limits of a power system. An electric warship is used as an example to demonstrate this setup, which can be used to operate power systems and to generate representative load profiles for use in evaluating candidate designs.
Management of Fertility in Male Cancer Patients

Cancer survival rates have improved dramatically over the last couple of decades due to advances in diagnostic techniques and therapies. Roughly 15% of cases of newly diagnosed cancer in men are in those younger than 55 years of age, and about one quarter of them are younger than age 20. Consequently, the population of young cancer survivors has grown, and the focus of cancer treatments has shifted from one of survival alone to that of survival and quality of life after treatment. For many men and their families, the maintenance and preservation of fertility during and after treatment is important. However, antineoplastic agents, radiation, and surgical therapies can all pose significant threats to a man’s fertility potential, as can the presence of cancer itself. Male infertility due to cancer treatments may be temporary or permanent and can range from mild to severe. Because it is difficult—if not impossible—to predict the exact impact of cancer therapy on an individual man’s ability to father a biological child, sperm cryopreservation prior to therapy remains the cornerstone of fertility preservation in this patient population. Unfortunately, in many cases, sperm cryopreservation remains underutilized. When sperm has not been banked prior to treatment and when men are azoospermic by their cancer treatment, surgical sperm retrieval in conjunction with advanced reproductive technologies (ART) is offered.
Cytosolic delivery of proteins by cholesterol tagging

Protein-based imaging agents and therapeutics are superior in structural and functional diversity compared to small molecules and are much easier to design or screen. Antibodies or antibody fragments can be easily raised against virtually any target. Despite these fundamental advantages, the power and impact of protein-based agents are substantially undermined, only acting on a limited number of extracellular targets because macrobiomolecules cannot spontaneously cross the cell membrane. Conventional protein delivery techniques fail to address this fundamental problem in that protein cargos are predominantly delivered inside cells via endocytosis, a remarkably effective cell defense mechanism developed by Mother Nature to prevent intact biomolecules from entering the cytoplasm. Here, we report a unique concept, noncovalent cholesterol tagging, enabling virtually any compact proteins to permeate through the cell membrane, completely bypassing endocytosis. This simple plug-and-play platform greatly expands the biological target space and has the potential to transform basic biology studies and drug discovery.
De globalización y post-colonialismos: escritoras argentinas judías frente a la turbulencia política

The purpose of this article is to analyze marginalized discourses by Jewish female writers in Argentina at the end of the 20th Century to understand how these voices shaped, or not, the official version of contemporary Argentine history. The article examines the works of Jewish female writers in Argentina such us: Alicia Borinsky, Liliana Heker, Sara Rosemberg, Ana Maria Shua y Nora Strejilevich. The topics and universes presented in these authors’ texts challenge the Argentine literary cannon and subvert the official story told by much of the media and many politicians in Argentina.
A look at racial and socioeconomic disparities in post-mastectomy breast reconstruction at a midwestern academic hospital.

Purpose of this study was to assess likelihood of undergoing breast reconstruction based on race, socioeconomic status, insurance, and distance from the hospital. Patients with public insurance were less likely to undergo reconstruction than patients with private insurance (OR = 2.99, p < 0.001). White patients were more likely to undergo reconstruction (OR = 0.62, p = 0.02). Patients who lived 10-20 miles and 20-40 miles from UCMC were more likely to undergo reconstruction (OR = 1.93, p = 0.01; OR = 3.06, p < 0.001). White patients and patients with private insurance are disproportionately undergoing breast reconstruction after mastectomy.
Spliced Binned-Pareto Distribution for Robust Modeling of Heavy-tailed Time Series.

This work proposes a novel method to robustly and accurately model time series with heavy-tailed noise, in non-stationary scenarios. In many practical application time series have heavy-tailed noise that significantly impacts the performance of classical forecasting models; in particular, accurately modeling a distribution over extreme events is crucial to performing accurate time series anomaly detection. We propose a Spliced Binned-Pareto distribution which is both robust to extreme observations and allows accurate modeling of the full distribution. Our method allows the capture of time dependencies in the higher order moments of the distribution such as the tail heaviness. We compare the robustness and the accuracy of the tail estimation of our method to other state of the art methods on Twitter mentions count time series.
Naturalistic stimuli: A paradigm for multiscale functional characterization of the human brain

Movies, audio stories, and virtual reality are increasingly used as stimuli for functional brain imaging. Such naturalistic paradigms are in sharp contrast to the tradition of experimental reductionism in neuroscience research. Being complex, dynamic, and diverse, naturalistic stimuli set up a more ecologically relevant condition and induce highly reproducible brain responses across a wide range of spatiotemporal scales. Here, we review recent technical advances and scientific findings on imaging the brain under naturalistic stimuli. Then we elaborate on the premise of using naturalistic paradigms for multi-scale, multi-modal, and high-throughput functional characterization of the human brain. We further highlight the growing potential of using deep learning models to infer neural information processing from brain responses to naturalistic stimuli. Lastly, we advocate large-scale collaborations to combine brain imaging and recording data across experiments, subjects, and labs that use the same set of naturalistic stimuli.
Investigating similarities and differences in individual reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic and the climate crisis

How can individuals’ responses to the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic be used to inform constructive responses for climate action? We present an exploratory, mixed-methods investigation (N = 1784 US adults) into similarities and differences in individuals’ reactions to COVID-19 and climate change in June 2020. Participants identified many similarities between the issues, indicating that both are harmful to public health, politically polarizing, have global impacts, and have solutions. Participants also perceived many differences between the two threats: many perceived COVID-19 as medical, natural, and on a shorter timescale, while many perceived climate change as environmental, human caused, and on a longer timescale. Emotional reactions to each topic predict topic-relevant behaviors, but more strongly, and with a broader range of emotional reactions, for climate change than COVID-19. Open-ended responses show that hope was elicited for both issues in response to contemplating taking collective and individual actions, and despair was elicited for both issues in response to perceiving that others do not take the issues seriously. Finally, participants perceived that they were engaging in relatively more COVID-19 mitigation behaviors and some climate change mitigation behaviors than others (i.e., the “better-than-average” effect). Many participants believed others were relatively unconcerned about both threats because of the invisibility of the threats, ignorance, and elite cues (e.g., then-President Trump downplaying the threat).
Predicting microcystin occurrence in freshwater lakes and reservoirs: assessing environmental variables

Determining the environmental conditions that influence the occurrence and concentration of the cyanobacterial toxin microcystin (MC) is a critical step for predicting cases in which the toxin will...