cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Critical Issues in Studio Pedagogy: Beyond the Mystique and Down to Business

In a 7-year study of a studio-based instructional graphics course, the authors describe its evolution from a lecture-heavy course including some studio features to a course that has much in common with traditional studio classes as we experienced them in our own architecture and fine arts education. This multi-year experience has raised questions for us regarding the way we work with students to develop their expertise in design, including the following: (1) What is “the novice”? Can we teach to the general model of a novice? (2) Is it necessary to ask students to generate many alternative concepts early in a project? (3) Can we separate tool learning from learning concepts and habits of thought? Using examples from reflective analysis of student work and field notes, we discuss experiences suggesting that assumptions brought to this course from studio experiences deserve reconsideration. At a time when discussions of design and design thinking are exploding around us with widely varying commitment to specificity and rigor, we conclude that we cannot borrow ideas like studio pedagogy from other disciplines without sufficient critical examination. We need to pay careful attention to what is actually happening in our courses rather than designing solely from theory or, worse, from our assumptions regarding studio education.
Prostaglandin production by human term placentas in vitro

The release of PGs increases with increasing incubation time and the main PG produced is different in different tissues. This could implicate the presence of an inhibitory factor in vivo. PGE release is the same in patients in labor and not in labor, and this PG is mainly produced by the villi. Villi, membranes and decidua in tissue cultures from patients not in labor release more PGF than patients in labor, the difference for the decidual tissue being strikingly large. Conversion of labelled arachidonic acid by pieces of term placenta from women in labor during short-term incubations was mainly to PGE2 and its metabolites and PGD2.
Laboratory quality control based on risk management.

Risk management is the systematic application of management policies, procedures, and practices to the tasks of analyzing, evaluating, controlling and monitoring risk (the effect of uncertainty on ...
The diagnosis and treatment of growth hormone deficiency in adults.

Purpose of review This review summarizes the recent published information regarding efficacy and complications of growth hormone replacement therapy. Several recent reports have monitored patients for periods of up to 10 years. Additionally, a consensus conference has been held regarding needed improvements in diagnostic testing and the recommendations of consensus panels regarding diagnostic criteria and laboratory test utilization are summarized. Recent findings Long-term studies show growth hormone can be administered safely and that muscle strength and function as well as lipoprotein abnormalities and low-bone mineral density show sustained improvement over extended periods of time. The complications that occur are generally dose-dependent and once attenuated do not tend to recur. Long-term safety studies regarding improvement in cardiovascular mortality and/or worsening prognosis for patients who develop malignancies are available only in the form of observational studies and randomized controlled long-term trial information is not yet available. The studies reported provide a means for clinicians to ascertain the patients who are likely to derive the greatest benefit from growth hormone when the appropriate diagnostic testing and treatment paradigms are utilized. Summary The studies that are summarized provide useful information for assessing the response to treatment, selecting patients who are candidates for long-term replacement therapy and for selecting those in whom the need for therapy may need to be reassessed.
Action of Drugs on Electrical Responses of Slowly Conducting Nerve Fibers

ConclusionVery dilute concentrations of cocaine HC1 depress slowly conducting nerve fibres; in higher concentration, a similar depression is produced by ephedrine HCI, atropine sulfate or by nicotine base.
Adsorption of Methane on the (100) Surface of MgO: Insight into Surface-Adsorbate and Adsorbate-Adsorbate Interactions from First-Principles Calculations

First principles calculations using density functional theory (DFT) are reported for two layers of methane adsorbed on the (100) surface of MgO. The lowest energy structure determined has a first layer with C2v methanes adsorbed above magnesium atoms, with hydrogen atoms pointed towards neighboring oxygen atoms, and a rotation of 90° in between each neighboring methane. The second layer methane layer has a similar structure, except the hydrogen atoms are directed towards nearest neighbor magnesium atoms. It is found that the structure of the first layer has a large effect on the relative energies of proposed bilayer structures, as does the calculated separation between the two layers of methane. Competing roles of surface-adsorbate and adsorbate-adsorbate interactions are also discussed.
A Water Bath Having Submerged Individual Sample-Containers for the Accelerated Aging of Rubber in Air

Abstract Improved equipment for conducting the familiar Geer aging test on rubber has recently been installed at the National Bureau of Standards. This equipment consists of thermostatically controlled water baths in which small air ovens are submerged. Each oven serves for the accelerated aging of samples of a single composition, and thus avoids the possibility of contamination, which may be an important factor when samples of different compositions are aged in the same oven. The apparatus differs from that described recently by Milligan and Shaw in that individual sample containers are employed and air circulation is obtained by convection.
Immunology of Pyelonephritis in the Primate Model VI. Effect of Complement Depletion

Abstract The inflammatory response has been shown to be responsible for the renal damage from bacterial infection. Phagocytic events are responsible for damage to the host as well as the pathogen. In this study we evaluated the effect of complement depletion, in an attempt to decrease Chemotaxis and opsonization and thus decrease phagocytosis. Acute renal damage was decreased from both a decrease in inflammatory cells and phagocytic events in the areas of bacterial inoculation.
Usage-Based Construction Selection

Broadly, the cognitive linguistic enterprise seeks to identify an emergentist approach to language that investigates the motivation of language use, considers the effects of distributed cognition in situated communication, views complex systems of form-meaning pairings as primitives, and views online processing as dynamic. Within this tradition, this essay takes the position that language use is a manifestation of construal operations in the selection process of utilizing appropriate constructions which encode speaker perspective in a situated common ground. What follows is a usage-based treatment of the situated nature of construction selection in adult language informed by research in child language acquisition, discourse studies of communication, and construction grammar.
Enhanced Resolution of Pituitary Fossa by Threeߚdimensional Fatsuppressed GradientߚEcho Magnetic Resonance: Before and After Gadolinium Enhancement

In imaging small anatomical parts such as the pituitary fossa, thin sections enhance the spatial resolution. Gradient recalled images (GRASS) using three-dimensional volume data produce ultrathin contiguous sections with a high signal-to-noise ratio. In this study, conventional spin-echo magnetic resonance images (MRIs) of the pituitary fossa were compared to three-dimensional gradient recalled MRI in 5 volunteers and 10 patients suspected of having pituitary gland abnormalities. Utility of fat suppression was also assessed, along with gadolinium enhancement. Conventional spin-echo and three-dimensional spoiled GRASS images, three-dimensional spoiled GRASS images without and with fat suppression (Group II), and three-dimensional spoiled GRASS images with fat suppression before and after gadolinium enhancement were compared. Three-dimensional spoiled GRASS images provided better delineation of the pituitary fossa structures. There was differential enhancement between the normal gland and pituitary tumors. The fat suppression technique following gadolinium administration helped separate the high signal of tumor from the high signal of the clivus marrow. In conclusion, T1-weighted three dimensional gradient-echo images with fat suppression following gadolinium enhancement appear promising in evaluation.
The Past and Some Bits of the Future

Since my book Differential Games [1] appeared in 1965, the subject has burgeoned vastly. I have not followed all its developments — my research efforts have lately turned elsewhere — and so there is some doubt as to my now qualifying as an expert. A second printing of [1] is due shortly and therein I describe some advances, particularly those that resolve quandaries appearing in the first. Here the material will be limited — narrowly or broadly, as you deem — with much of it essentially also in the introduction to the second printing.
Employment and Empowerment of People with Disabilities

In conclusion, it is clear that people who are physically and mentally challenged in the United States and the world in general—people with disabilities—continue to experience the effects of discrimination, stigmatization, and oppression (Cole, Christ, & Light, 1995; Kopels, 1995). These effects persist in the United States even after the passage of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the case law that has resulted from these statutes (Cole et al., 1995). Globally, they persist in contradiction to principles expressed and espoused by world leaders in many contexts.
Nonprofit Collections of Digital Personal Experience Narratives: An Exploratory Study

Nonprofit organizations have long used the personal experience narratives of clients, staff, and stakeholders in their communications. This study explores digital-age practices with this text form,...
History and Evolution of the Barium Swallow for Evaluation of the Pharynx and Esophagus

This article reviews the history of the barium swallow from its early role in radiology to its current status as an important diagnostic test in modern radiology practice. Though a variety of diagnostic procedures can be performed to evaluate patients with dysphagia or other pharyngeal or esophageal symptoms, the barium study has evolved into a readily available, non-invasive, and cost-effective technique that can facilitate the selection of additional diagnostic tests and guide decisions about medical, endoscopic, or surgical management. This article focuses on the evolution of fluoroscopic equipment, radiography, and contrast media for evaluating the pharynx and esophagus, the importance of understanding pharyngoesophageal relationships, and major advances that have occurred in the radiologic diagnosis of select esophageal diseases, including gastroesophageal reflux disease, infectious esophagitis, eosinophilic esophagitis, esophageal carcinoma, and esophageal motility disorders.
On J M Keynes's Clear Cut Discussion of Interval Valued Probability in Chapter III of the a Treatise on Probability

In chapter III of the A Treatise on Probability, Keynes made it very clear that ordinal, qualitative probability did not apply in many cases. Further, ordinal probability was very weak as far as providing useful information upon which a decision maker could act. However, this did not mean that probabilities could not be analyzed technically if numerical and ordinal probability were inapplicable. In fact, Keynes’s argument was that, while numerical and ordinal probability could not be applied in many cases, interval valued probability could be used to make judgments about the choice of an option, given alternatives, that would be valuable to the decision maker. Of course, a problem would occur if the intervals were to overlap. Interval valued probabilities that overlapped would be ” non numerical”, “non comparable“, “non measurable” or “ incommensurable”. Keynes’s discussions on pp. 32-36 of chapter III of the A Treatise on Probability have been severely misinterpreted to mean that no probabilities could be provided because there was a category of “unknown” probabilities. T. Seidenfeld’s 2004 academic journal summary puts an end to the claims of the Keynesian Fundamentalists and their assertions about Keynes’s supposed unknown probabilities.
On the mandatory stay of secured creditors in bankruptcy

Subsidiary legal entities can be used to create a path around bankruptcy's automatic stay, giving a secured creditor a free right to withdraw collateral. In some cases, core assets of the firm are made separable from each other. To fully understand the desirability of subsidiaries as a path around the stay, I take a step backward and ask a fundamental question that has not been addressed formally: why do we need a mandatory stay of secured creditors in the first place? The model generates conditions under which a stay of secured creditors can be valuable. Three conditions are necessary: a) the collateral must be firm-specific, b) debt contracts are sequential and incomplete, and c) bargaining at bankruptcy is imperfect. Under these conditions, a debtor may grant withdrawal rights even when they are less efficient than a stay. I discuss ways that a stay might be made applicable to subsidiary creditors in a way that is targeted at the inefficiencies the model identifies.
Taking deterministic control of membrane protein monomer-dimer measurements.

Forced togetherness is not ideal, whether it happens to people in the subway or to membrane proteins crowded in bilayers. The close proximity that results from the random rendezvous must not be confused with that of preferential interactions. The former arises as a trivial consequence of dense
BDQC: a general-purpose analytics tool for domain-blind validation of Big Data

Translational biomedical research is generating exponentially more data: thousands of whole-genome sequences (WGS) are now available; brain data are doubling every two years. Analyses of Big Data, including imaging, genomic, phenotypic, and clinical data, present qualitatively new challenges as well as opportunities. Among the challenges is a proliferation in ways analyses can fail, due largely to the increasing length and complexity of processing pipelines. Anomalies in input data, runtime resource exhaustion or node failure in a distributed computation can all cause pipeline hiccups that are not necessarily obvious in the output. Flaws that can taint results may persist undetected in complex pipelines, a danger amplified by the fact that research is often concurrent with the development of the software on which it depends. On the positive side, the huge sample sizes increase statistical power, which in turn can shed new insight and motivate innovative analytic approaches. We have developed a framework for Big Data Quality Control (BDQC) including an extensible set of heuristic and statistical analyses that identify deviations in data without regard to its meaning (domain-blind analyses). BDQC takes advantage of large sample sizes to classify the samples, estimate distributions and identify outliers. Such outliers may be symptoms of technology failure (e.g., truncated output of one step of a pipeline for a single genome) or may reveal unsuspected "signal" in the data (e.g., evidence of aneuploidy in a genome). We have applied the framework to validate real-world WGS analysis pipelines. BDQC successfully identified data outliers representing various failure classes, including genome analyses missing a whole chromosome or part thereof, hidden among thousands of intermediary output files. These failures could then be resolved by reanalyzing the affected samples. BDQC both identified hidden flaws as well as yielded new insights into the data. BDQC is designed to complement quality software development practices. There are multiple benefits from the application of BDQC at all pipeline stages. By verifying input correctness, it can help avoid expensive computations on flawed data. Analysis of intermediary and final results facilitates recovery from aberrant termination of processes. All these computationally inexpensive verifications reduce cryptic analytical artifacts that could seriously preclude clinical-grade genome interpretation. BDQC is available at https://github.com/ini-bdds/bdqc.
Silk Fibroin Films Facilitate Single-Step Targeted Expression of Optogenetic Proteins

Summary Optical methods of interrogating neural circuits have emerged as powerful tools for understanding how the brain drives behaviors. Optogenetic proteins are widely used to control neuronal activity, while genetically encoded fluorescent reporters are used to monitor activity. These proteins are often expressed by injecting viruses, which frequently leads to inconsistent experiments due to misalignment of expression and optical components. Here, we describe how silk fibroin films simplify optogenetic experiments by providing targeted delivery of viruses. Films composed of silk fibroin and virus are applied to the surface of implantable optical components. After surgery, silk releases the virus to transduce nearby cells and provide localized expression around optical fibers and endoscopes. Silk films can also be used to express genetically encoded sensors in large cortical regions by using cranial windows coated with a silk/virus mixture. The ease of use and improved performance provided by silk make this a promising approach for optogenetic studies.
Scenario-based development of an industry 4.0 domain description language for a plant architecture

By the introduction of industry 4.0 (I4.0), which is characterized by a decentralized intelligence as well as an autonomy of the product development, new challenges have arisen with regard to the existing technologies and planning of industrial plants. Most concepts developed are used by manufacturers of various branches themselves and have manufacturer specific scenarios, standards and requirements. This work presents the approach of a continuous scenario-based development of an I4.0 description language for an I4.0 industrial facility. The resulting metamodel is based on the service-oriented architecture and the Internet of things methodology. At the end of this paper, we will show how the metamodel is integrated and used in an I4.0 development tool.
An aspirational diet for dialysis patients: Evidence and theory

Dialytic renal replacement therapy is now entering into its sixth decade in the United States. Despite major advances in dialysis technology, regimens and protocols, and pharmacological treatments, patients' restricted dietary intake remains the lynchpin to their well-being and success. Herein, we review current guidelines that limit dietary intake of nutrients and minerals in dialysis patients and explore potential ways to use them in designing a daily food intake that is not only healthy, but also easy to implement and therefore patient friendly. The main theme behind this review is attempting to emphasize that dietary restriction guidelines can be used in such a way that dialysis patients can eat things they really enjoy as long as they follow some relatively simple general rules.
South Indian Iron Age

There has been little paleoclimatic research in South India, but climatic conditions during the South Indian Iron Age are believed to be largely similar to modern conditions. South India is dominated by a monsoon climate, with seasonal rains falling between June and September. The southeastern part of the region also receives precipitation from winter monsoons (November-January). Rainfall varies considerably, with means ranging from more than 3000 mm on the western coast to less than 600 mm in inland upland regions of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Sites are found in all of these zones.
Specific Kerr Constants of Rigid, Ellipsoidal Macromolecules in Conducting Solution at Very Low Ionic Strength

The theoretical treatment of the Kerr Constant of rigid, conducting, dipolar macromolecules of O’Konski and Krause (1970), has been extended to very low ionic strength solutions. The O’Konski and Krause theoretical treatment postulated surface conductivity directly along the surface of each macromolecule; for charged macromolecules, this surface conductivity was generally assumed to be caused by movement of the counterions of the macromolecule. In the present work, it has been assumed that, at very low ionic strength, the average counterion is at the Debye characteristic distance from the surface of each charged macromolecule and contributes to surface conductivity at that distance, not directly at the surface of the macromolecule.
SIMPLICITY: CONSIDERATIONS IN DESIGNING A UNIFIED CHILD CREDIT

Complexity plagues the tax code for low-income families, particularly with regard to child related credits. Many analysts advocate separating out the essential functions of these credits: subsidizing work, subsidizing children, and subsidizing specifi c activities such as child care. This paper analyzes design considerations in creating a unifi ed child credit and offers options for reforms that range from a complete overhaul of the child and work incentives to a more minor consolidation of highly related tax incentives. Either could form the foundation for reform efforts aimed at simplifying and rationalizing the federal income tax code with respect to children.
Disorders of Nucleic Acid Metabolism

The cardinal clinical characteristics of the Lesch-Nyhan syndrome are mental retardation, spastic cerebral palsy, choreoathetosis, and self-mutilative biting behavior. These patients have hyperuricemia and thus may have any of the clinical manifestations of gout, including urinary tract stone disease, nephropathy, arthritis, and tophi. Activity of the enzyme hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase is virtually absent.
The Surprisingly Strong Arms of the Therizinosaur Dinosaurs

Open-ended problems are a very effective tool for engaging student interest. In this paper, we report a physics activity that provides insight into the lifestyle of theropod dinosaurs. This activity generates great enthusiasm among the students since virtually everyone is interested in dinosaurs. In the spirit of the “spherical cow” approach to difficult problems, we consider the problem at the simplest level. This type of approach is very important since it helps students learn how to estimate answers for many “real-world” problems. At the end of the activity, we discuss how the calculations could be improved by including more effects.
The critical role of customer forgiveness in successful service recovery

Abstract Service failures occur when the service provided is less than adequate or fails to live up to the customer's expectations. When service failures inevitably occur, providers implement recovery strategies such as apologizing, offering compensation, or allowing customers to voice their concerns. However, such strategies do not always lead to desired outcomes such as repatronage intentions, reduced negative WOM, or reconciliation. The current research explores the very rich concept of forgiveness with regard to service recovery and empirically examines the links among recovery strategies, customer forgiveness and recovery outcomes. Although differences in terms of optimal recovery strategies depend on industry type, forgiveness is demonstrated to mediate the relationship between recovery strategies and desirable outcomes, suggesting that forgiveness be included in all future models of service recovery.
Early Life Socioeconomic Disadvantage and Epigenetic Programming of a Pro-inflammatory Phenotype: a Review of Recent Evidence

A growing body of literature suggests that early life socioeconomic disadvantage (SD) may play a key role in shaping a pro-inflammatory phenotype hypothesized to result from programming of cells of the innate immune system (i.e., monocytes and macrophages) for desensitization to glucocorticoid signaling and exacerbated inflammatory response to immune stimuli, yet understanding of the biologic pathways by which such programming may occur remains limited. The purpose of this review is to discuss the current research supporting the hypothesis that early life SD is associated with a pro-inflammatory phenotype beginning in childhood and highlight recent findings regarding the role that epigenetic programming via DNA methylation (DNAm) specifically, may serve as a biologic mediator of these associations. Gaps in knowledge and recommendations for future research are also discussed. Findings regarding the association between early life SD and DNAm of genes that may be involved in shaping a pro-inflammatory phenotype are mixed, but lend some support for epigenetic alterations to genes regulating inflammatory processes as a mediator of this association. Studies which integrate data on DNAm, gene expression, and markers of a pro-inflammatory phenotype beginning early in life and over time are ultimately needed to fully understand the role of epigenetic programming in shaping this adverse immune phenotype in those born into socioeconomically disadvantaged environments. Epigenetic programming of a pro-inflammatory phenotype represents a plausible and understudied pathway by which socioeconomic disparities in chronic disease develop across the lifecourse and are perpetuated across generations.
Managing Law and Regulation

The chapter deals with “non-market” forms of competition with rivals in the public sphere: litigation, lobbying, public relations and regulation. The legal function in media firms are discussed first, with the dimensions of compliance management and investment calculus for litigation. The next themes are the management of lobbying and of public relations, and how much to spend on them. The chapter then covers the regulatory process, both by industry self-regulation and by government, and how it is used strategically by companies. The concluding sections cover substantive media law: content restrictions such as libel and slander, morality and child protection, the regulating of advertising, antitrust and anti-monopoly law, rules against price discrimination, profit and investment regulation, regulation of “universal connectivity,” support for national industry, privacy protections and the future of video regulation. The case discussion covers the non-market competition between Comcast and Google.
Why Westerners Are Dissatisfied: A Cross-Sectional Study Identifying State-Level Factors Associated with Variation in Private Health Insurance Satisfaction

Importance: Large regional variations in consumer satisfaction with private health insurance plans have been observed, but the factors driving this variation are unknown. Objective: To identify explanatory state-level and insurance family-level predictors of satisfaction with private health insurance. Design: Cross-sectional study examining regional and state variations in consumer health insurance plan satisfaction using National Committee for Quality Assurance data from 2015to 2018, state-level health data and parent insurance family. Setting: US Population Participants: Privately insured individuals. Exposure: One of 2176 private health insurance plans. Main Outcome: Consumer satisfaction with the health insurance plan on a 0-5 scale. RESULTS: Consumer satisfaction with health insurance was consistently lowest in the West(p<0.0001). Lower private health insurance plan satisfaction was associated with the percentage of the population without a place of usual medical care, the percentage of the state population that is Hispanic, and the percentage of the population reporting any mental illness. Factors associated with increasing insurance satisfaction included higher healthcare spending per capita, a higher number of for-profit beds per capita, and an increased cancer death rate. Increased consumer satisfaction was associated with the Kaiser and Anthem insurance plan families. Conclusions and Relevance: State and insurer family factors are predictive of private health insurance plan satisfaction. Potentially modifiable factors include access to primary care, healthcare spending per capita, and numbers of for-profit hospital beds. This information will help consumers hold insurance providers accountable to provide higher quality and more desirable coverage and provide actionable items to improve health insurance satisfaction.
Simulation-Based Mastery Learning Improves Ventricular Assist Device Self-Care Skills

Introduction No recognized standards exist for teaching patients and their caregivers crucial ventricular assist device (VAD) self-care skills. We created a simulation-based mastery learning (SBML) VAD self-care curriculum for patients and caregivers. SBML is an intense form of competency-based learning wherein all learners are required to meet or exceed a minimum passing standard (MPS) on skills assessed on a simulator before completion of training. This study compares the effectiveness of a VAD SBML self-care training curriculum with usual VAD self-care training. Hypothesis We hypothesized that SBML-training would provide superior learning outcomes compared to usual training for VAD self-care skills at hospital discharge. Methods From June 2017 to February 2019, VAD patients and their caregivers at a high volume, tertiary care VAD center, were randomized to SBML or usual training. The SBML-trained group completed a simulated pretest on 3 VAD self-care skills (controller, power source, and driveline dressing changes), then viewed videos, and participated in deliberate practice on the simulator. SBML participants took a posttest on the simulated skills and were required to meet or exceed an MPS for each skill. The usual training group (patient and caregiver) was taught using the existing institutional VAD self-care teaching protocol. Before hospital discharge, the SBML and usual training groups took the same 3 VAD self-care skills tests on the actual patient (controller change tests used the simulator). We compared demographic and clinical information, self-confidence, total participant training time, and skills performance between groups. Results Forty participants (patient and caregiver pairs) completed the study in each group. There were no differences in demographic and clinical information, self-confidence or training time between groups. Significantly more participants in the SBML group met the MPS compared to the usual training group for controller [37/40 (93%) vs. 25/40 (63%; p=0.001)], power source [36/40 (90%) vs. 9/40 (23%, p Conclusions In this first study using SBML to train patients and caregivers, SBML provided superior learning outcomes compared to usual training. This study has significant implications for patient safety due to the morbidity and mortality associated with improper VAD self-care.
Photodynamic Therapy and Its Use in Lung Disease

Photodynamic therapy is approved in the USA for curative treatment of microinvasive endobronchial non-small cell lung cancer and palliation of symptoms with obstructing endobronchial non-small cell lung cancer. New data support its use with positive margins after surgical resection. Emerging data suggest it is both safe and efficacious for use in the periphery with non-small cell lung cancer. Several case series have demonstrated its utility with endobronchial disease from small cell lung cancer. Recent studies have examined its use with recurrent respiratory papillomatosis, adenoid cystic carcinoma, and endobronchial typical carcinoid tumor. As further data are collected, the application of photodynamic therapy for thoracic malignancy will likely continue to expand.
Distribution of diatoms among intermittent ponds on the Atlantic Coastal Plain: development of a model to preduct drought periodicity from surface-sediment assemblages

Inferences of past climate from the fossil record in lakes rely on the accurate quantification of a relationship of fossilizing organisms to their environment. Whereas the relationship of diatoms to water chemistry parameters has been modeled in many systems, few studies adequately address the relationship of diatoms to physical properties, such as water depth or hydrology, that may be more directly tied to climate. We examined the composition of modern diatoms in surface sediments of 75 isolated ponds (mostly Carolina bays) of the Atlantic Coastal Plain to: (1) assess the influence of physical and chemical variables on the distribution of diatoms among ponds of the region, and (2) develop a model that predicts hydroperiod (a measure of pond permanence) from diatom assemblages. We constructed two hydroperiod calibration models: the first infers hydroperiod from the weighted-average optima and tolerances of taxa along the hydroperiod gradient, the second bases inferences on the hydroperiod estimates of compositionally similar samples. Both approaches incorporate a-priori and post-hoc tests of assumptions often inherent in the construction of transfer functions. Diatom assemblage composition had strong, approximately linear relationships to hydroperiod, water depth, and calcium concentration in non-metric multidimensional ordination space; effects of other variables, including pH, were non-linear or ambiguous. Overall, the assemblages reflected the dilute, acidic chemical characteristics of bays. The assemblages contained differing abundances of euterrestrial, benthic and planktonic taxa, depending on a pond's susceptibility to drying. A weighted-averaging regression model based on taxon-specific hydroperiod optima generated adequate, unbiased hydroperiod inferences from diatom species composition (r2 = 0.81). This model may be used to infer past drought episodes from fossil diatom assemblages at appropriate sites on the Atlantic Coastal Plain.
Bitvector-aware Query Optimization for Decision Support Queries (extended version).

Bitvector filtering is an important query processing technique that can significantly reduce the cost of execution, especially for complex decision support queries with multiple joins. Despite its wide application, however, its implication to query optimization is not well understood. In this work, we study how bitvector filters impact query optimization. We show that incorporating bitvector filters into query optimization straightforwardly can increase the plan space complexity by an exponential factor in the number of relations in the query. We analyze the plans with bitvector filters for star and snowflake queries in the plan space of right deep trees without cross products. Surprisingly, with some simplifying assumptions, we prove that, the plan of the minimal cost with bitvector filters can be found from a linear number of plans in the number of relations in the query. This greatly reduces the plan space complexity for such queries from exponential to linear. Motivated by our analysis, we propose an algorithm that accounts for the impact of bitvector filters in query optimization. Our algorithm optimizes the join order for an arbitrary decision support query by choosing from a linear number of candidate plans in the number of relations in the query. We implement our algorithm in Microsoft SQL Server as a transformation rule. Our evaluation on both industry standard benchmarks and customer workload shows that, compared with the original Microsoft SQL Server, our technique reduces the total CPU execution time by 22%-64% for the workloads, with up to two orders of magnitude reduction in CPU execution time for individual queries.
Profit Persistence in the U.S. Audit Market

This paper investigates the competitiveness of the U.S. audit market and the effects of competition on audit quality. Using a proprietary database of auditor realization rates, we provide the first empirical assessment of abnormal profit persistence in the U.S. audit market following methodology from the industrial organization literature. We find consistent evidence that abnormal profits persist over time and are not quickly driven back to competitive returns by market forces. Our tests suggest that audit market concentration is a key determinant of persistence and that audit offices that achieve greater profit persistence are less likely to lose clients. Interestingly, we fail to find any evidence that profit persistence is associated with lower quality; rather, we document that it is negatively related to instances of financial restatements and discretionary accruals. Our results have significant policy implications and contribute to the longstanding debate in the academic literature on the consequences of high concentration. Although our findings support critics’ claims that audit markets lack sufficient competition, they are inconsistent with the notion that entrenchment leads to lower audit quality. In fact, our findings imply that auditors may use market power to constrain aggressive financial reporting decisions.
Carotid Intima‐Media Thickness and the Risk of Sudden Cardiac Death: The ARIC Study and the CHS

Background Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is associated with severe coronary heart disease in the great majority of cases. Whether carotid intima‐media thickness (C‐IMT), a known surrogate marker of su...
Beyond botulinum neurotoxin A for chemodenervation of the bladder.

Purpose of review Botulinum neurotoxin A (BoNT/A), or Botox, is a popular option for overactive bladder (OAB) and neurogenic bladder (NGB) with or without incontinence. This review aims to discuss the clinical outcomes of BoNT in adult and pediatric bladder conditions, and introduces the potential benefit of novel, engineered neurotoxins beyond BoNT/A. Recent findings A large volume of evidence supports the use of Botox for OAB (to reduce urgency, frequency and incontinence episodes), and for NGB (to decrease incontinence and improve bladder capacity and detrusor pressures). Botox is now also Food & Drug Administration (FDA)-approved for pediatric neurogenic detrusor overactivity. However, urinary retention, diminished response over time and treatment failures are prevalent issues with Botox. Modifying natural BoNTs or forming chimeric toxins are alternatives to BoNT/A that may have higher efficacy and lower side-effect profile. One example is BoNT/BMY-WW. This novel engineered toxin binds to a more commonly expressed synaptotagmin receptor, with potentially more potent paralytic effect and less capacity for systemic diffusion. Summary Novel engineered neurotoxins may be the next frontier in OAB and NGB therapy.
Ancestral Background Is Underreported in Regenerative Engineering.

Purpose The ancestral background of human cells may play a role in cells' behavior and response to therapeutic interventions in vitro. We investigate the prevalence of ancestry reporting in current biological research and suggest that increased reporting would be beneficial to the field. Methods Articles published over a six-month period in ten different journals were reviewed for their use of human primary cells and immortalized cell lines, and were analyzed based on whether or not the ancestral or ethnic information of cell donors was ascertainable. Results The vast majority of literature published in the journals and timeframe we investigated did not report on the ancestral or ethnic origins of the human cells used. Conclusion There is currently a substantial lack of reporting on the ancestral background of human cells used for research. We suggest that increased ancestral reporting should be implemented in order to improve the development of precision medicine. Lay Summary Many diseases affect patients of different ancestral backgrounds in a variety of ways. In this perspective article, we raise the concern that, since many scientists do not consider ancestry when designing their studies, their results may not apply to all patients. We use data to show that very few scientists report on the ancestry of the donors who contribute cells and tissues to their research. We suggest that broader reporting on donor ancestry would improve biomedical research and would help doctors to personalize treatments for their patients.Future work includes further increasing awareness of the importance of including ancestry as a variable in experimental design, as well as promoting increased reporting on ancestry in the research community. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40883-021-00237-8.
Cryptographic securities exchanges

While transparency in financial markets should enhance liquidity, its exploitation by unethical and parasitic traders discourages others from fully embracing disclosure of their own information. Traders exploit both the private information in upstairs markets used to trade large orders outside traditional exchanges and the public information present in exchanges' quoted limit order books. Using homomorphic cryptographic protocols, market designers can create "partially transparent" markets in which every matched trade is provably correct and only beneficial information is revealed. In a cryptographic securities exchange, market operators can hide information to prevent its exploitation, and still prove facts about the hidden information such as bid/ask spread or market depth.
Penicillin allergy. A report of thirteen cases of severe reactions.

Abstract A group of 13 cases of severe penicillin reactions is presented, with clinical and skin-test findings. All patients showed significant reactions to one or more types of penicillin-test materials. The dangers of the test procedures and the importance of such procedures prior to therapeutic penicillin are indicated.
Forming a long‐term industry‐university partnership: The case of Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report on how the University of Central Florida's (UCF's) Rosen College of Hospitality Management (RCHM) has established a long‐term and successful partnership with the hospitality and tourism industry in Central Florida.Design/methodology/approach – A case study approach was followed and the findings and examples reported in this paper were drawn from official documents and the authors' personal experiences.Findings – The RCHM, one of the leading hospitality and tourism colleges in the world, has established and maintained successful partnerships with hospitality and tourism organizations in the Central Florida region. Over the years, industry partners have committed significant resources to the RCHM. In return, the RCHM has supported the industry by providing trained students and graduates, along with numerous research and consultancy projects. These successful partnerships were accomplished through mutual trust, an understanding of each other's needs and expect...
Wet explosion pretreatment of loblolly pine leads to an increase in methoxylation of the lignin

In biorefineries, various pretreatments traditionally employ hazardous chemicals (ammonia, sulfuric acid, sulfite, etc.) for opening the softwood structure and to facilitate easy accessibility of the cellulose for further downstream processing. The resultant lignin (known as technical lignin) after extraction of the carbohydrate fraction as sugars has been either burned as fuel or used in biochemical or biofuel production. It has been observed that the technical lignin after such biomass pretreatments is often more condensed and, hence, cannot be easily used to produce fine chemicals of high value. In this study, we examine lignin after wet explosion pretreatment where the biomass in subjected to oxygen to understand how these interactions will affect lignin utilization for biochemical production. In this study, the structural transformations within the softwood lignin as a response to wet explosion (WEx) pretreatment of loblolly pine at different experimental conditions (165–175 °C, 18–30 min) were examined using GC/MS and NMR spectroscopy. The results showed that the H-type structures within the lignin molecule decreased while S-type structures increased after pretreatment. Since S-type lignin sub-units have a higher degree of methoxylation compared to H units, the potential of S-type lignin to undergo re-condensation at lower temperatures (after pretreatment), by forming bonds with other lignin sub-units, is lower due to stearic hindrance, resulting in the generation of lignin with a lower tendency to form new complex lignin bindings (high-quality biorefinery lignin). The less condensed biorefinery lignin generated after WEx pretreatment was found to provide a platform for production of lignin polymer with more labile β-O-4 linkages. This type of lignin could potentially be superior for the production of high-value bio-products compared to re-condensed lignin after acidic and other types of chemical pretreatments.
Measuring the Effectiveness of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

The benchmark for demonstrating the effectiveness of a therapeutic intervention for coronary artery disease is widely accepted as a reduction in mortality or major adverse cardiac outcomes. In medicine, however, many therapies that do not prolong life are routinely practiced and considered appropriate. There has been tremendous interest in research on the comparative effectiveness of clinical practices since Title VIII of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.1 Over 1 billion of federal funds was authorized to conduct research in clinical outcomes, effectiveness, and appropriateness of health-related services and procedures. Federal support of research in this arena was, in part, intended to control healthcare costs. If a therapy, for example, is found to have no or little benefit then it will not be practiced and cost will be reduced. In reality, the relationship between quality and cost is much more complicated.2 The interventional cardiology community has been scrutinized for the use of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in stable ischemic heart disease (SIHD). This is largely related to claims of overuse and studies showing no reduction in death or myocardial infarction (MI) when compared with medical therapy alone. The crucial question is what outcomes should be measured to demonstrate the effectiveness of PCI? In patients with acute coronary syndromes, outcomes of death and MI are relevant because of a high short-term risk of these events. Whereas in SIHD the goal of PCI is symptom relief and health status outcomes need to be measured in additional to other clinical outcomes. Presented is the evidence for the effectiveness of PCI according to clinical indication of the procedure. In patients with acute coronary syndromes, there is no dispute about the effectiveness of PCI for reducing major adverse cardiac events. In ST-segment–elevation MI, reperfusion with either primary PCI or thrombolytic therapy reduces …