cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Repeated games in electricity spot and forward markets - An equilibrium modeling and computational framework

It has long been recognized that repeated interactions among strategic firms can lead to tacit collusion, a form of market power abuse that can cause more market inefficiencies than in a static game. Harrington et al. [13] formulated the tacit collusion model into a nonlinear optimization problem, and Liu [19] extended the collusion model into electricity markets with transmission constraints. This paper presents another extension of the collusion model into a marketplace consisting of the repetition of a forward and a spot market, such as two-settlement system (a day-ahead and a real-time market) in some deregulated electricity markets. This paper is to establish an optimization model to study firms' strategies when they engage in tacit collusion in both forward and spot markets. A numerical example based on the modeling approach is presented and the results show that repetition of forward markets can help firms sustain collusion, which is contrary to the common belief that forward markets can increase market efficiency. In addition, the numerical results indicate that market power abuse is intensified when firms can take long position in forwards than just taking short positions.
High-Risk Oral Human Papillomavirus Load in the US Population, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2009–2010

We investigated the association of demographic and behavioral factors with oral human papillomavirus (HPV) load for 18 high-risk types among 211 individuals with prevalent high-risk HPV within the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2009-2010. Factors independently associated with HPV load above the median included older age (odds ratio, 1.04 per year increase [95% confidence interval, 1.01-1.07]; P = .004) and intensity of current smoking (P for trend <.001). A marginally greater percentage of men than women had an HPV load above the median (55.7% vs 32.8%; P = .069), and HPV load increased marginally with increasing alcohol use (P for trend = .062). In conclusion, older age and current smoking are associated with a high oral load of high-risk HPV types among individuals with a prevalent infection.
A high-speed, 240-frames/s, 4.1-Mpixel CMOS sensor

This paper describes a large-format 4-Mpixel (2352/spl times/1728) sensor with on-chip parallel 10-b analog-to-digital converters (ADCs). The chip size is 20/spl times/20 mm with a 7-/spl mu/m pixel pitch. At a 66-MHz master clock rate and 3.3-V operating voltage, it achieves a high frame rate of 240 frames/s delivering 9.75 Gb/s of data with power dissipation of less than 700 mW. The principal architectural features of the sensor are discussed along with the results of sensor characterization.
Preconditioning for Numerical Simulation of Low Mach Number Three-Dimensional Viscous Turbomachinery Flows

A preconditioning scheme has been implemented into a three-dimensional viscous computational fluid dynamics code for turbomachine blade rows. The preconditioning allows the code, originally developed for simulating compressible flow fields, to be applied to nearly-incompressible, low Mach number flows. A brief description is given of the compressible Navier-Stokes equations for a rotating coordinate system, along with the preconditioning method employed. Details about the conservative formulation of artificial dissipation are provided, and different artificial dissipation schemes are discussed and compared. The preconditioned code was applied to a well-documented case involving the NASA large low-speed centrifugal compressor for which detailed experimental data are available for comparison. Performance and flow field data are compared for the near-design operating point of the compressor, with generally good agreement between computation and experiment. Further, significant differences between computational results for the different numerical implementations, revealing different levels of solution accuracy, are discussed.
The capacity of visual short-term memory is set both by visual information load and by number of objects

Previous research has suggested that visual short-term memory has a fixed capacity of about four objects. However, we found that capacity varied substantially across the five stimulus classes we examined, ranging from 1.6 for shaded cubes to 4.4 for colors (estimated using a change detection task). We also estimated the information load per item in each class, using visual search rate. The changes we measured in memory capacity across classes were almost exactly mirrored by changes in the opposite direction in visual search rate (r2=.992 between search rate and the reciprocal of memory capacity). The greater the information load of each item in a stimulus class (as indicated by a slower search rate), the fewer items from that class one can hold in memory. Extrapolating this linear relationship reveals that there is also an upper bound on capacity of approximately four or five objects. Thus, both the visual information load and number of objects impose capacity limits on visual short-term memory.
Unsteady Boundary Layers with Flow Reversal and the Associated Heat-Transfer Problem

Two specific examples of nonseparating unsteady boundary layers with local flow reversal, and their associated thermal boundary layers, are constructed from the class of semisimilar solutions. The governing equations are so written that proven numerical schemes for steady boundary layers can be applied without modification. The results show no drastic change of heat transfer at flow reversal, invalidating the usual concept of Reynolds analogy. The structure of the equations meanwhile suggests a separation criterion which clearly accounts for the unsteady effects.
Cloning of the y1 Locus of Maize, a Gene Involved in the Biosynthesis of Carotenoids.

The y1 gene is one of the genes responsible for the production of [beta]-carotene in the endosperm and leaves of maize. We have cloned a Robertson9s Mutator-tagged allele of the y1 gene (y1-mum) by using a Mu3 element as a hybridization probe. We substantiate that the cloned sequence is a portion of the y1 gene by molecular analyses of a revertant of a putative Mutator-induced y1 allele and the incidence of insertions within the cloned y1 sequence from several independently derived Mutator-induced y1 mutant stocks. The y1-mum sequence was used to isolate the standard Y1 allele, which conditions the presence of [beta]-carotene in the endosperm of the maize kernel.
Dental Students' Beliefs About Culture in Patient Care: Self-Reported Knowledge and Importance

In order to decrease the well-documented disparities in oral health and oral health care, the next generation of dentists must be prepared to serve a diverse patient population. This article describes dental students' self-reported knowledge of culture and importance of using culturally sensitive dental practices. Three consecutive graduating classes (n=111) were surveyed anonymously in their sophomore years. Students indicated their self-rated knowledge of oral health and oral health care for their own culture and the cultures of patients they are likely to see in dental practice. Students also rated their perceived importance of culturally sensitive dental practice. Overall, students reported low knowledge of the cultures of the patients they will see in practice. Few students could identify any cultural group that they knew well. However, students as a group indicated that using culturally sensitive practices in dentistry is important. Students who could identify at least one cultural group they knew well perceived cultural sensitivity in dental practice as more important than students who could not. These results suggest that students need cross-cultural training and believe that such training is important. The results also suggest that a specific curriculum that increases knowledge of other cultures may have the potential to ultimately increase the use of culturally sensitive practices.
FDTD Seismic Simulation of Moving Battlefield Targets

ABSTRACT Long duration finite-difference time domain (FDTD) simulations of seismic wave propagation from spatially and time varying sources are necessary to produce synthetic data of ground motion, data that is required for the development of unmanned ground sensor systems, which are the next wave in modern battlefield technology. We have generated data from moving synthetic sources that are typically found in a battlefield scenario, a generic representation of a moving tracked vehicle and a running human. The computational approach and requirements for the long-duration simulation including the geologic model, the moving vehicle force algorithm, the resulting particle velocity wave fields, and example applications of the data are discussed. The 8 th order FDTD simulation consisted of parallel computations based upon a domain decomposition strategy. Parallel computing methods are necessary due to the spatial extent of the model and the duration of the simulated event, approximately 24.6 s with time steps of 180 s. The simulation duration is comparable to the time required for the vehicle to traverse the model surface at an average speed close to 45 km/h. Three-component particle-velocity wave-field histories over this duration were computed and saved for later processing. The resulting simulation data can be used for system development in place of highly costly and spatially specific field data. The moving vehicle forcing history derives from a pressure signal that was measured in near-surface soil beneath a passing armored tracked vehicle. This measurementa sequence of pressure pulseswas used to empirically design a moving vehicle force algorithm that varies the pulse frequency in proportion to vehicle speed. Spectrograms of surface particle velocities show that this algorithm, together with the FDTD code, produce ground motion responses very much like those measured from field experiments with moving tracked vehicles. These results reveal the algorithms adequacy for this stage of our work and guide our concurrent developments to produce source inputs using a sophisticated 3D tracked vehicle mechanical model incorporating suspension dynamics and track-ground interaction. The geologic model consists of two soil layers (above and below a water table) overlying granitic bedrock. Two common geological features distinguish its gently sloping topography: an outcropping of the bedrock and a trench representative of an eroded streambed. Animations of the particle velocity wave fields illustrate the vehicle-induced wave propagation and reveal the topographic geology-induced scattering of the seismic waves. These are the first long-duration seismic computations of this scale that are based on moving sources. The application of these wave fields to sensor performance prediction is introduced. Keywords: finite difference, synthetic data, moving tracked vehicle, unmanned ground sensor, spectrogram
Control strategies for parallel hybrid vehicles

Presents a fuzzy logic based energy management and control strategy for parallel hybrid vehicles. Using the driver commands, the state of charge of the battery, and the motor/generator speed, a set of fuzzy logic control rules has been developed, to effectively split the power between the two powerplants: electric motor and internal combustion engine. The underlying theme of the fuzzy rules is to optimize the operational efficiency of all components, considered as one system. Simulation results are used to assess the performance of the controller. A forward-looking hybrid vehicle simulation model is used to implement the control strategies. Potential fuel economy improvement has been shown by using fuzzy logic, relative to other strategies, which maximize only the efficiency of the internal combustion engine.
The Influence of a Six-Week Imagery Training Program on Children's Reading Comprehension

Visual imagery is considered by many to assist retention and recall of what is heard or seen but the results of experimental studies have been inconsistent. However, imagery training studies which assess results over an extended period are rare. One of these is a four-week imagery training program encompassing twelve sessions (Lesgold, McCormick, and Golinkoff, 1975). Third and fourth graders trained to use imagery recalled more of a story on an imagery-prompted post-test. However, the effect was not consistent on all passages. Furthermore, significant differences did not appear between experimental and control groups on a standardized achievement test. The investigators state that the duration of their imagery program may not have been long enough for significant differences to appear. The impact of imagery instruction on individual differences, such as high and low reading ability and ethnic background, have received only minor attention and results have again been inconsistent. Levin's (1973) investigation of individual differences revealed that fourth graders who could decode and derive meaning from individual words benefited from self-generated (induced) imagery. However, children having difficulty decoding and/or having vocabulary problems at the word level did not benefit. Koskinen and Gambrell (1981, Note 1) found that when below average sixth graders were given training in inducing visual images, were instructed to read and then turn to a subsequent blank page, and draw a picture of their image, this training did not facilitate performance relative to a control group. The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of a six-week imagery training program on the comprehension of third and sixth grade students. These grade levels were chosen because empirical data show that the greatest changes in visual images occur between the ages of five and eight (Youniss and Robertson, 1978; Wolff and Levin, 1972). Although most qualitative changes are complete by age nine (Hayes and Canady, 1974), imagery ability continues to be refined as a function of age and experience. As a result, it was assumed that sixth grade students would be able to capitalize on imagery instructions more than third graders.
Complex Triaxial Fabrics—Cover, Flexural Rigidity, and Tear Strength:

The properties of complex triaxial fabrics are examined and compared to earlier results presented for the simplest case of the triaxial weave. Cover factor results for the case of the basic weave are extended to the general triaxial case, which admits the stacking of three yarns. The tear strength (tongue) of complex triaxial fabrics is shown to be independent of the orientation of the test, altfiough the mode of tear propagation differs. Flexural rigidity is shown to vary with orientation angle, indicating that unlike simple triaxial fabrics, the effect of interlacing cannot be ignored.
A Scalable Approach to Probabilistic Latent Space Inference of Large-Scale Networks

We propose a scalable approach for making inference about latent spaces of large networks. With a succinct representation of networks as a bag of triangular motifs, a parsimonious statistical model, and an efficient stochastic variational inference algorithm, we are able to analyze real networks with over a million vertices and hundreds of latent roles on a single machine in a matter of hours, a setting that is out of reach for many existing methods. When compared to the state-of-the-art probabilistic approaches, our method is several orders of magnitude faster, with competitive or improved accuracy for latent space recovery and link prediction.
Quantitative chemical changes in the human brain during growth

During growth the proteins, phosphatids, sulphatids, cerebrosides, cholesterol, and total solids increase in percentage amounts. There is but slight change in the percentage of extractives, either organic or inorganic. Water decreases regularly to maturity.
IL-2, -7, and -15, but Not Thymic Stromal Lymphopoeitin, Redundantly Govern CD4+Foxp3+ Regulatory T Cell Development

Common gamma chain (gammac)-receptor dependent cytokines are required for regulatory T cell (Treg) development as gammac(-/-) mice lack Tregs. However, it is unclear which gammac-dependent cytokines are involved in this process. Furthermore, thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) has also been suggested to play a role in Treg development. In this study, we demonstrate that developing CD4(+)Foxp3(+) Tregs in the thymus express the IL-2Rbeta, IL-4Ralpha, IL-7Ralpha, IL-15Ralpha, and IL-21Ralpha chains, but not the IL9Ralpha or TSLPRalpha chains. Moreover, only IL-2, and to a much lesser degree IL-7 and IL-15, were capable of transducing signals in CD4(+)Foxp3(+) Tregs as determined by monitoring STAT5 phosphorylation. Likewise, IL-2, IL-7, and IL-15, but not TSLP, were capable of inducing the conversion of CD4(+)CD25(+)Foxp3(-) thymic Treg progenitors into CD4(+)Foxp3(+) mature Tregs in vitro. To examine this issue in more detail, we generated IL-2Rbeta(-/-) x IL-7Ralpha(-/-) and IL-2Rbeta(-/-) x IL-4Ralpha(-/-) mice. We found that IL-2Rbeta(-/-) x IL-7Ralpha(-/-) mice were devoid of Tregs thereby recapitulating the phenotype observed in gammac(-/-) mice; in contrast, the phenotype observed in IL-2Rbeta(-/-) x IL-4Ralpha(-/-) mice was comparable to that seen in IL-2Rbeta(-/-) mice. Finally, we observed that Tregs from both IL-2(-/-) and IL-2Rbeta(-/-) mice show elevated expression of IL-7Ralpha and IL-15Ralpha chains. Addition of IL-2 to Tregs from IL-2(-/-) mice led to rapid down-regulation of these receptors. Taken together, our results demonstrate that IL-2 plays the predominant role in Treg development, but that in its absence the IL-7Ralpha and IL-15Ralpha chains are up-regulated and allow for IL-7 and IL-15 to partially compensate for loss of IL-2.
A technique of using gated-CT images to determine internal target volume (ITV) for fractionated stereotactic lung radiotherapy

Abstract Background and purpose To develop and evaluate a technique and procedure of using gated-CT images in combination with PET image to determine the internal target volume (ITV), which could reduce the planning target volume (PTV) with adequate target coverage. Patients and methods A skin marker-based gating system connected to a regular single slice CT scanner was used for this study. A motion phantom with adjustable motion amplitude was used to evaluate the CT gating system. Specifically, objects of various sizes/shapes, considered as virtual tumors, were placed on the phantom to evaluate the number of phases of gated images required to determine the ITV while taking into account tumor size, shape and motion. A procedure of using gated-CT and PET images to define ITV for patients was developed and was tested in patients enrolled in an IRB approved protocol. Results The CT gating system was capable of removing motion artifacts for target motion as large as 3-cm when it was gated at optimal phases. A phantom study showed that two gated-CT scans at the end of expiration and the end of inspiration would be sufficient to determine the ITV for tumor motion less than 1-cm, and another mid-phase scan would be required for tumors with 2-cm motion, especially for small tumors. For patients, the ITV encompassing visible tumors in all sets of gated-CT and regular spiral CT images seemed to be consistent with the target volume determined from PET images. PTV expanded from the ITV with a setup uncertainty margin had less volume than PTVs from spiral CT images with a 10-mm generalized margin or an individualized margin determined at fluoroscopy. Conclusions A technique of determining the ITV using gated-CT images was developed and was clinically implemented successfully for fractionated stereotactic lung radiotherapy.
A Methodology to Assess the Value of Integrated Hydropower and Wind Generation

Hydropower is considered a good resource to provide the needed flexibility to balance wind variability, but its flexibility is limited by non-power constraints associated with environmental and water management objectives not fully accounted for in previous wind integration studies. We present a method for a more realistic evaluation of integrated hydropower and wind using the RiverWare river system and hydropower modeling tool. The model provides a representation of physical and economic characteristics of the hydro system with the limitations from realistic non-power constraints. A test case is analyzed for a range of hydrologic conditions, levels of policy constraints and wind penetrations from 0 to 40 percent. Results show that at low penetrations wind adds economic value but has diminishing value as installed capacity increases, primarily due to increased reserve requirements. Increased wind generation increases policy constraint violations. Non-power constraints can significantly limit the total eco...
A KEY TO THE IDENTIFICATION OF BRACHYURAN ZOEAE OF THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY ESTUARY

Abstract San Francisco Bay and its estuary is a heavily invaded region due to organisms arriving in ballast water and on fouled ships, as well as with the intentional release of non-native species. Recent crab invasions rendered previous means to identify crab larvae unusable. We provide an illustrated dichotomous key with descriptions of stage I zoeae, and to facilitate identification use external characters that remain definitive through all zoeal stages. Crab zoeae included in this key are as follows: Cancer antennarius, Cancer gracilis, Cancer magister, Cancer productus, Carcinus maenas, Eriocheir sinensis, Hemigrapsus nudus, Hemigrapsus oregonensis, Lophopanopeus bellus, Rhithropanopeus harrisii, Pachygrapsus crassipes, Pyromaia tuberculata, and the family Pinnotheridae. This work aims to provide a tool to aid in the understanding of brachyuran zoeae of the San Francisco Bay and estuary.
Erratum to: Immune monitoring technology primer

The title of the original version of this article [1] contained an error. The correct title should be “Immune Monitoring Technology Primer: Clinical Validation for Predictive Markers.” The title has been corrected in the original article also.
Incremental Democracy: The Policy Effects of the Partisan Composition of State Government

How much does it matter whether Democrats or Republicans control the government? Unless the two parties converge completely, election outcomes should have some impact on policy, but the existing evidence for policy effects of party control is surprisingly weak and inconsistent. We bring clarity to this question, using regression-discontinuity and dynamic panel analyses to estimate the effects of party control of state legislatures and governorships on a new annual measure of state policy liberalism. We find that throughout the 1936-2014 period, electing Democrats has led to more liberal policies, but that in recent decades the policy effects of party control have approximately doubled in magnitude. We present evidence that this increase is at least partially explained by the ideological divergence of the parties' officeholders and electoral coalitions. At the same time, we also show that party effects remain substantively modest, paling relative to policy differences across states.
Hick, Necessary Being, and the Cosmological Argument

The concepts of necessary being, or necessary existence, and contingent being, or contingent existence, continue to occupy a central position in philosophical appraisals of Christian theism. Some philosophers have been concerned of late to emphasize a crucial ambiguity in the terms 'necessary' and 'contingent', an ambiguity which threatens seriously to bedevil assessment of the claim that God's existence is necessary and not contingent. An important consequence of getting clear on this point, it is suggested, is that certain brisk attempts to demolish the concept of a necessary being may be seen at least to be premature, leaving untouched,, as they do, an apparently viable sense in which God can be said to be a, indeed the, necessary being.
The emergence of antibiotic-resistant gram-negative bacilli.

Abstract A significant decrease is found in the total number of strains of gram-negative bacilli sensitive to streptomycin, chlortetracycline, and oxytetra-cycline when a group of 27 strains of gram-negative bacilli isolated prior to 1946 are compared with a group of 250 similar strains isolated from individuals with genitourinary infections between August, 1953, and February, 1954. The magnitude of the change is variable from one species to another, being most marked among the strains of Aerobacter aerogenes and the Proteus species. In the same comparison there has been no significant change in the number of strains sensitive to chloramphenicol, although there has been a trend toward increased resistance. The decrease in proportion of sensitive strains is not associated with changes in colony morphology or with a loss of virulence for mice. Repeated lyophilization does not alter the levels of antibiotic susceptibility as determined by in vitro testing. The decrease in the number of sensitive strains isolated from the urinary tract does not seem to be related entirely to previous antibiotic treatment in a given individual. Because of the importance of obstruction to urine flow as a factor in the pathogenesis of genitourinary infections, the urinary tract is an ideal situation for the development of a bacterial flora resistant to antibiotic agents.
Seven practical principles for improving patient education: Evidence-based ideas from cognition science

An important role of the paediatrician is that of a teacher – every clinician is an educator to patients and their families. This education, however, often occurs under difficult or time-pressured learning conditions. The authors present principles derived from three basic theories of human cognition that may help to guide clinicians’ instruction of parents and patients. Cognitive load theory holds that an individual’s capacity to process information is finite. By controlling information flow rate, decreasing reliance on working memory and removing extraneous cognitive load, learning is improved. Dual code theory suggests that humans have separate cognitive ‘channels’ for text/audio information versus visual information. By constructing educational messages that take advantage of both channels simultaneously, information uptake may be improved. Multimedia theory is based on the notion that there is an optimal blend of media to accomplish a given learning objective. The authors suggest seven practical strategies that clinicians may use to improve patient education.
Chondrite purulente du cartilage cricoïde

Annales Francaises d'Oto-Rhino-Laryngologie et de pathologie cervico-faciale - Vol. 133 - N° 2 - p. 124-126
Preliminary survey of carnivore hemoglobin compositions. Conclusions.

The amino acid differences among 12β chains and 10α chains of carnivore hemoglobins are given. These hemoglobins conform to the substitution rate found for hemoglobins in general. A table compares the differences among knownα-chain sequences when deduced from tryptic peptide compositions and when taken from actual sequences. Among the carnivore hemoglobins studies, tryptic peptide compositions are about 14 % low in giving the number of sequence differences.
Intracellular Localization of Enzymes in Mycobacterium tuberculosis var Hominis.

SummaryBy grinding cells of Mycobacterium tuberculosis var. hominis H37Ra using a ball mill and by differential centrifugation four particulate fractions and one supernatant fraction were obtained. Aconitase, catalase, fumarase, α ketoglutaric dehydrogenase, isocitric dehydrogenase and malic dehydrogenase were located almost entirely in the supernatant fraction, while cytochrome oxidase, DPNH oxidase, and succinic dehydrogenase were found to be associated mainly with the two largest particulate fractions.
Evolution of Electrical Properties with Thermal Annealing for Seeded Heteroepitaxial InN Thin Films

Two related studies of the effects of elevated temperature annealing on reactive rf magnetron sputtered InN films have been conducted. In the first study, thin films of InN were deposited and annealed in 5 mTorr of nitrogen gas using a conventional high-vacuum (HV) magnetron sputtering system. Films were grown at 100°C and following annealing at an elevated temperature (Ta) for 4 hours were removed from the system for physical characterization. The physical properties of the annealed films improved with thermal treatment and were strikingly coincident with the properties of a second set of films grown at Ta. In the second study, films were deposited at 400°C in 5 mTorr of nitrogen gas using an ultrahigh-vacuum (UHV) sputtering system. Samples were annealed (at 550°C) and electrically characterized under UHV conditions using a custom designed annealing furnace with an integral Van der Pauw probe. Contrary to expectations, the carrier concentration of these films showed a steady decrease with extended annealing and the carrier mobility nearly doubled after 15 hours of treatment.
Study on the Amendment of Constitutional Law andthe Enactment of National Compensation Act

One of the important contents of the amendment of Chinese constitutional law in 2004 is to proclaim private property is protected by law.It should be compensated when nation levy land and private property.The amendment show the new development of Chinese human rights,and will bring great promotion to socialism market economy.Meaningwhile,this new constitutional princeple call to enact our national compensation act.So this essay studies the realistic significance and theoretic base of national compensation system,and raise my own conceive for national compensation act.
Effect of Monomer Sequence and Degree of Acetylation on the Self-Assembly and Porosity of Chitosan Networks in Solution

Chitosan is a versatile biopolymer that can self-assemble in solution to form hydrogels and nanoparticles. It consists of two types of monomers: glucosamine (GlcN) and N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc). Chitosan self-assembly is controlled by a balance of interactions between these two types of monomers: GlcN which gets protonated in solution leading to electrostatic repulsion and GlcNAc which contains an acetyl group, leading to hydrophobic and hydrogen bonding interactions. We present the results of discontinuous molecular dynamics (DMD) simulations aimed at understanding how the degree of acetylation (DA) and monomer sequence affect network formation in solution. Chitosans with DAs ranging from 10% to 50% and three different monomer sequences—random, evenly spaced, and blocky—are studied. We show that chitosans with blocky sequences of GlcNAc monomers form percolated networks earlier in time than random and evenly spaced sequences for all DAs tested. Analysis of the pore size distributions of the resulting ...
Self-Assessment Cases: Intermediate

The reader should now be familiar with the technical principles behind image acquisition and should understand the general guidelines regarding interpretation of noncardiac findings during SPECT MPI. Section IV contains 36 challenging cases that the reader can use for reinforcement of learned knowledge and application of interpretative skills. Within this self-assessment section, there are three chapters, each with 12 cases, which have increasing levels of complexity and difficulty: basic (Chap. 27), intermediate (Chap. 28), and advanced (Chap. 29).
Analyzing and enhancing direct NDP designs using a control-theoretic approach

Direct NDP is in the family of approximate dynamic programming designs aiming at using learning and approximation methods to solve dynamic optimization problems formulated in dynamic programming, and to overcome the curse of dimensionality. Due to the statistical learning nature of the approaches, researchers usually make use of statistical measures to evaluate the design performance of the learning system such as the learning speed and the variation from one learning experience to the other. However, there are no systematic studies to date that address closed loop system performance from an input-output functional perspective. This paper analyzes direct NDP designs using classic control-theoretic sensitivity arguments. By using the benchmark cart-pole problem, it is shown that direct NDP uses an LQR with desired closed-loop properties as a learning guide, it is more likely for direct NDP to generate better designs than a direct NDP learning from scratch. Although the approach and results are illustrated using a simple nonlinear cart-pole system, it is clear that they are readily extended to more complex dynamical systems.
Cue-based estimates of reproductive value explain women's body attractiveness

Abstract Women's body attractiveness is influenced by specific anthropometric cues, including body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), waist-to-stature ratio (WSR), and shoulder-to-waist ratio (SWR). Despite the existence of multiple functional hypotheses to explain these preferences, it remains unclear which cue-based inferences are most influential in regulating evaluations of women's body attractiveness. We argue that (i) the common link to the morphological cues that influence women's body attractiveness is that they all reliably indicate high reproductive value (as defined by youth and low parity); and (ii) ancestrally, selection pressures related to tracking between-women differences in reproductive value would have been among the strongest acting on adaptations for body evaluation. An empirical study then tested the resulting prediction that cue-based estimates of reproductive value function as powerful regulators of women's body attractiveness judgments. Subjects viewed standardized photos of women in swimsuits (with heads obscured), and were assigned to either estimate components of their reproductive value (age or number of offspring) or rate their attractiveness. Structural equation modeling revealed that a latent variable capturing estimated reproductive value was almost perfectly correlated with a latent variable capturing body attractiveness. Moreover, unique associations of women's BMI, WHR, and WSR with their body attractiveness were entirely mediated via estimated reproductive value. These findings provide strong support for the longstanding hypothesis that women's body attractiveness is primarily explained by cue-based estimates of reproductive value – expected future utility as a vehicle of offspring production.
Developing a Career Counseling Intervention Program for Foster Youth

Former foster youth often experience difficulty finding and maintaining employment as they emancipate from state care. Research highlights this fact by consistently reporting on the bleak employment outcomes of former foster youth; however, virtually no studies have given practical guidance to practitioners on how to develop interventions. This article addresses this gap in the literature by providing practitioners with a detailed outline of a career counseling group intervention program for foster youth. A brief review of the literature informing this intervention program is also presented.
Electromagnetic scattering calculations by Iterative Physical Optics for engineering applications

The Iterative Physical Optics (IPO) method, which was originally developed for computing electromagnetic scattering from cavities and later extended to more general geometries, has been shown to be accurate for many types of targets. In this paper, we examine the IPO method from the standpoint of its potential use for engineering electromagnetic scattering predictions. Using an IPO engineering computer code that we developed recently as a basis for discussion, we describe the problems encountered, the techniques we used for overcoming those problems, and the effectiveness of those techniques. We also show comparisons of our IPO results with method of moments and ray-based methods.
Analysis of Chinese as Second Language Learners’ Interpretations of Noun-Noun Compounds

This study examined Chinese as second language (L2) learners’ interpretations of noun-noun compounds of thematic and property relations within the theoretical framework of CARIN (Competition among Relations in Nominal) theory (Gagne CL. J Mem Lang 42:365–389, 2000) and Dual Process theory (Wisniewski EJ. Conceptual compound: possibilities and esthetics. In: Ward TB, Smith SM, Vaid J (eds) Creative thought: an investigation of conceptual structures and processes. APA Books, Washington, DC, pp 51–81, 1997). The CARIN theory postulates that conceptual compounding involves the selection of a thematic relation that describes how the modifier noun and the head noun are related. The Dual Process theory suggests that a compound is interpreted via one of two separate processes: thematic relation linking and property mapping. The thematic relation linking process involves building a thematic relation between the head noun concept and the modifier concept while the property mapping process involves mapping of specific properties from the modifier to the head noun.
Systemic lupus erythematosus: The promise of PROMIS - is it ready for prime time in SLE?

Patient-reported outcomes are important predictors of morbidity and mortality. The validity and reliability of the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) computerized adaptive tests (CATs) has been assessed in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, but does PROMIS deliver on its promise?
Adjoint-Based, Superconvergent Galerkin Approximations of Linear Functionals

We propose a new technique for computing highly accurate approximations to linear functionals in terms of Galerkin approximations. We illustrate the technique on a simple model problem, namely, that of the approximation of J(u), where $$J(\cdot )$$ is a very smooth functional and u is the solution of a Poisson problem; we assume that the solution u and the solution of the adjoint problem are both very smooth. It is known that, if $$u_h$$ is the approximation given by the continuous Galerkin method with piecewise polynomials of degree $$k>0$$ , then, as a direct consequence of its property of Galerkin orthogonality, the functional $$J(u_h)$$ converges to J(u) with a rate of order $$h^{2k}$$ . We show how to define approximations to J(u), with a computational effort about twice of that of computing $$J(u_h)$$ , which converge with a rate of order $$h^{4k}$$ . The new technique combines the adjoint-recovery method for providing precise approximate functionals by Pierce and Giles (SIAM Rev 42(2):247–264, 2000), which was devised specifically for numerical approximations without a Galerkin orthogonality property, and the accuracy-enhancing convolution technique of Bramble and Schatz (Math Comput 31(137):94–111, 1977), which was devised specifically for numerical methods satisfying a Galerkin orthogonality property, that is, for finite element methods like, for example, continuous Galerkin, mixed, discontinuous Galerkin and the so-called hybridizable discontinuous Galerkin methods. For the latter methods, we present numerical experiments, for $$k=1,2,3$$ in one-space dimension and for $$k=1,2$$ in two-space dimensions, which show that $$J(u_h)$$ converges to J(u) with order $$h^{2k+1}$$ and that the new approximations converges with order $$h^{4k}$$ . The numerical experiments also indicate, for the p-version of the method, that the rate of exponential convergence of the new approximations is about twice that of $$J(u_h)$$ .
Peripheral and Central Mechanisms of Itch

Itch is a unique sensory experience that is encoded by genetically distinguishable neurons both in the peripheral nervous system (PNS) and central nervous system (CNS) to elicit a characteristic behavioral response (scratching). Itch interacts with the other sensory modalities at multiple locations, from its initiation in a particular dermatome to its transmission to the brain where it is finally perceived. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of the molecular and neural mechanisms of itch by starting in the periphery, where itch is initiated, and discussing the circuits involved in itch processing in the CNS.
Protein Stains to Detect Antigen on Membranes

Western blotting (protein blotting/electroblotting) is the gold standard in the analysis of complex protein mixtures. Electroblotting drives protein molecules from a polyacrylamide (or less commonly, of an agarose) gel to the surface of a binding membrane, thereby facilitating an increased availability of the sites with affinity for both general and specific protein reagents. The analysis of these complex protein mixtures is achieved by the detection of specific protein bands on a membrane, which in turn is made possible by the visualization of protein bands either by chemical staining or by reaction with an antibody of a conjugated ligand. Chemical methods employ staining with organic dyes, metal chelates, autoradiography, fluorescent dyes, complexing with silver, or prelabeling with fluorophores. All of these methods have differing sensitivities and quantitative determinations vary significantly. This review will describe the various protein staining methods applied to membranes after western blotting. "Detection" precedes and is a prerequisite to obtaining qualitative and quantitative data on the proteins in a sample, as much as to comparing the protein composition of different samples. "Detection" is often synonymous to staining, i.e., the reversible or irreversible binding by the proteins of a colored organic or inorganic chemical.
Stuff happens continuously: exploring web contents with temporal information

In the last few years there has been an increased interest from researchers and practitioners in exploring time as a dimension that can benefit several information retrieval tasks. There is exciting work in analyzing and exploiting temporal information embedded in documents as relevance cues for the presentation, organization, and the exploration of search results in a temporal context.Most of the current approaches focus on leveraging the temporal information available in document sources like web pages or news articles. However, the Web keeps evolving beyond simple web pages and new information sources and services are adopted very rapidly. For example, the incredible amount of content that is generated by users in social networks offers another aspect to examine how people produce and consume content over time.We review the current activities centered on identifying and extracting time information from document collections and the applications to the information seeking process. We outline the potential of new sources for studying temporal information by presenting new problems. Finally, we discuss a number of scenarios where a temporal perspective can provide insights when exploring Web contents.
Nutrients and herbivory, but not sediments, have opposite and independent effects on the tropical macroalga, Padina boryana

Abstract Multiple anthropogenic stressors including overfishing, nutrient loading, and sediments are major drivers that may support the proliferation of macroalgae on coral reefs ; however, few studies have investigated all three simultaneously. We evaluated the effects of all three stressors (nutrient enrichment, small and large sediment grain sizes, and herbivory) on biomass accumulation of the dominant coral reef macroalga Padina boryana in a multifactorial field experiment on a fringing reef in Mo’orea, French Polynesia. Biomass accumulation of P. boryana was controlled by the separate, but not interactive, effects of herbivory and nutrients; although we did not detect effects of sediments, these may have been obscured by high variability leading to low statistical power. With herbivores, biomass remained the same or decreased up to 50% in 12 days compared to ~50–100% increases in biomass without herbivores. Overall, enriched P. boryana grew ~ 4-fold greater compared to ambient treatments, both with and without herbivory. Our results suggest that any release from bottom-up and/or top-down controls that may occur simultaneously on these nearshore reefs may facilitate proliferation of this tropical macroalga, and, in contrast to the prevailing paradigm, we found these effects can function independently.
Exact and asymptotic tests under the sequential parallel comparison design

When one studies treatments for psychological or mental diseases in a double-blind placebo-controlled trial with a high placebo response rate, the sequential parallel comparison design (SPCD) has been proposed elsewhere to improve power. All procedures for testing equality of treatments under the SPCD have been so far derived from large sample theory. If the trial size is small, asymptotic test procedures can be theoretically invalid. Thus, the development of an exact test procedure assuring type I error rate to be less than or equal to the nominal α-level is of use and interest. Using the conditional arguments to remove nuisance parameters, we derive two exact and one asymptotic procedures for testing equality of treatments for the SPCD. On the basis of Monte Carlo simulation, we find that all three test procedures can control type I error rate well in a variety of situations. We use the data taken from a double-blind placebo-controlled SPCD trial to assess the efficacy of a low dose (2 mg/day) of aripiprazole adjunctive to antidepressant therapy in the treatment of patients with major depressive disorder with a history of inadequate response to prior antidepressant therapy to illustrate the use of these test procedures.
Predictors of Job Stress Among Southern Correctional Staff

Job stress is a problem in corrections. Although the very nature of correctional work is stressful, workplace variables also contribute to correctional staff job stress. The job demands-resource mo...
Time-Efficient Photonic Variability Simulator for Uncertainty Quantification of Photonic Integrated Circuit

We present a novel simulation platform for uncertainty quantification (UQ) studies of photonic integrated circuit (PIC) design. This platform supports time-efficient variability studies such as stochastic collocation and spectral projection that enables variability aware PIC design.
Differences in US antibiotic prescription use by facility and patient characteristics: evidence from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey.

Background Antibiotic resistance is increasing, largely due to the overuse of antibiotics. Patient demographic characteristics can influence rates of antibiotic prescription, but less research has assessed the role of facility-level characteristics. Objective The objective of this study was to examine the prevalence of antibiotic prescriptions for viral-like illness, as well as patient and provider factors that influence antibiotic prescription practices. Methods We conducted an observational cohort study using data from the 2012 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. We compared the prevalence of antibiotic prescription for all aetiologies and for viral-like illnesses between community health centres, non-community health centre clinics and emergency departments. Then, we used logistic regression models to compare the odds of antibiotic prescription use by facility and patient characteristics. Results Data came from 630 community health centre visits, 857 non-community health centre outpatient clinic visits and 627 emergency department visits. Compared to patients visiting non-community health centre clinics, patients visiting community health centres and emergency departments for any aetiology were more likely to receive antibiotic prescriptions. Patients with viral-like illnesses were less likely to receive antibiotics at community health centres and exhibited similar odds of receiving antibiotics at emergency departments. Certain patient demographics (age, race/ethnicity and payment source) were associated with variation in overall antibiotic prescription, but these factors were mostly unassociated with antibiotic prescription for viral-like illnesses. Conclusions The care setting that patients visit may influence their odds of receiving antibiotics. Initiatives addressing overuse of antibiotics should be mindful of facility- and patient-based characteristics when designing interventions.