cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Working capital requirement and the unemployment volatility puzzle

Shimer (2005) argues that a search and matching model of the labor market in which wage is determined by Nash bargaining cannot generate the observed volatility in unemployment and vacancy in response to reasonable labor productivity shocks. This paper examines how incorporating monopolistically competitive firms with a working capital requirement (in which firms borrow funds to pay their wage bills) improves the ability of the search models to match the empirical fluctuations in unemployment and vacancy without resorting to an alternative wage setting mechanism. The monetary authority follows an interest rate rule in the model. A positive labor productivity shock lowers the real marginal cost of production and lowers inflation. In response to the fall in price level, the monetary authority reduces the nominal interest rate. A lower interest rate reduces the cost of financing and partially offsets the increase in labor cost from a higher productivity. A reduced labor cost implies the firms retain a greater portion of the gain from a productivity shock, which gives them a greater incentive to create vacancies. Simulations show that a working capital requirement does indeed improve the ability of the search models to generate fluctuations in key labor market variables to better match the U.S. data.
Neutron recoils in the DRIFT detector

Abstract The Directional Recoil Identification From Tracks (DRIFT) project is an endeavor to build and operate a low pressure negative ion TPC to search for weakly interacting massive particles thought to make up the dark matter in our Galaxy. This paper will focus on a neutron exposure of a small DRIFT prototype, a Monte Carlo to simulate these events, and the derivation of the range and ionization as a function of energy for Sulfur and Carbon recoils in CS 2 gas.
Web Verification: Perspective and Challenges

The Web poses novel and interesting problems for both programming language design and verification-and their intersection. This paper provides a personal outline of one thread of work on this topic.
Novel, stereoselective tricyclization of a dienyne by titanium aryloxide centers

Titanium centers supported by aryloxide ligation mediate the tricyclization of a dienyne via intramolecular insertion of an olefin into the titanium-vinyl bond of a titanacyclopent-2-ene.
Structured matching: a task-specific technique for making decisions

All knowledge-based systems need to make decisions. Typically, these decisions involve selecting one choice out of a small number of alternatives based on a given set of parameters. The knowledge needed to make such decisions can often be expressed with a task-specific knowledge-based technique that we call structured matching, which integrates the knowledge and control for making a decision within a hierarchical structure. We show that structured matching is a common technique by documenting its use in several knowledge acquisition and knowledge-based systems. From a formal description of structured matching, we demonstrate why structured matching is so useful: it is tractable, it is applicable to classification and recognition tasks, and it facilitates knowledge acquisition. We conclude that structured matching is a ubiquitous and powerful technique for characterizing and constructing knowledge-based systems.
In silico chemical library screening and experimental validation of a novel 9-aminoacridine based lead-inhibitor of human S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase.

In silico chemical library screening (virtual screening) was used to identify a novel lead compound capable of inhibiting S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (AdoMetDC). AdoMetDC is intimately involved in the biosynthesis of polyamines, which are essential for tumor progression and are elevated in numerous types of tumors. Therefore, inhibition of this enzyme provides an attractive target for the discovery of novel anticancer drugs. We performed virtual screening using a computer model derived from the X-ray crystal structure of human AdoMetDC and the National Cancer Institute's Diversity Set (1990 compounds). Our docking study suggested several compounds that could serve as drug candidates since their docking modes and scores revealed potential inhibitory activity toward AdoMetDC. Experimental testing of the top-scoring compounds indicated that one of these compounds (NSC 354961) possesses an IC50 in the low micromolar range. A search of the entire NCI compound collection for compounds similar to NSC 3549...
Estimating the sentiment of social media content for security informatics applications

Inferring the sentiment of social media content, for instance blog posts and forum threads, is both of great interest to security analysts and technically challenging to accomplish. This paper presents two computational methods for estimating social media sentiment which address the challenges associated with Web-based analysis. Each method formulates the task as one of text classification, models the data as a bipartite graph of documents and words, and assumes that only limited prior information is available regarding the sentiment orientation of any of the documents or words of interest. The first algorithm is a semi-supervised sentiment classifier which combines knowledge of the sentiment labels for a few documents and words with information present in unlabeled data, which is abundant online. The second algorithm assumes existence of a set of labeled documents in a domain related to the domain of interest, and leverages these data to estimate sentiment in the target domain. We demonstrate the utility of the proposed methods by showing they outperform several standard techniques for the task of inferring the sentiment of online movie and consumer product reviews. Additionally, we illustrate the potential of the methods for security informatics by estimating regional public opinion regarding two events: the 2009 Jakarta hotel bombings and 2011 Egyptian revolution.
Building Tier 3 Intervention for Long-Term Slow Growers in Grades 3-4: A Pilot Study.

Tier 3 interventions are necessary for improving the reading performance of students who fail to respond adequately to Tier 1 general education instruction and Tier 2 supplemental reading intervention. In this pilot study, we identified 8 students in 3rd and 4th grade who had demonstrated slow response to Tier 2 reading interventions for three years. Students participated in a researcher-developed Tier 3 intervention for 8 weeks that focused on skill development in word analysis, word identification, and reading rate. In the 6 months prior to Tier 3, students were making minimal growth in reading; however, during Tier 3, the 8 students demonstrated strong growth on measures of word identification and reading rate. Although results are promising for poor readers who are difficult to remediate, several aspects of the Tier 3 intervention need further testing.
2,3-Dihydropyridin-4(1H)-ones and 3-Aminocyclohex-2-enones: Synthesis, Functionalization, and Applications to Alkaloid Synthesis

This account summarizes our recent investigations into the chemistry of 2,3-dihydropyridin-4(1H)-ones and 3-aminocyclohex-2-enones (enaminones). These enaminones are exceptionally versatile chemical scaffolds that serve as valuable intermediates in the synthesis of indolizidine and quinolizidine alkaloids and other bioactive compounds. Since we reported our first method for constructing enaminones in 2006, we have developed a number of additional approaches to the synthesis and derivatization of enaminones and we have explored their applications in natural product synthesis. 1 Background 2 Ynone Cyclization 2.1 Initial Discovery 2.2 Optimization of Reaction Conditions 2.3 Scope and Limitations 2.4 Mechanistic Studies 2.4 Application to Quinolone Synthesis 2.6 N-Butoxycarbonyl β-Lactam Approach 2.7 Synthesis of 3,4-Dihydro-1,2-oxazepin-5(2H)-ones and Their Conversion into Enaminones 3 Ketene Cyclization 3.1 Chiral-Pool Approach 3.2 Three-Component Synthesis 4 C5 Functionalization 4.1 Suzuki Coupling of Iodoenaminones 4.2 Suzuki-Type Direct Cross-Coupling 4.3 Suzuki-Type Direct Cross-Coupling with Arylboronic ­Acids 4.4 Hiyama-Type Direct Cross-Coupling 4.5 Direct Coupling with Aryl Iodides 4.6 Alkenylation by the Fujiwara–Moritani Reaction 4.7 Alkenylation of Uracils 4.8 Aerobic Alkenylation and its Application to the Synthesis of 1,3,5-Trisubstituted Benzenes 4.9 Lithium Perchlorate-Catalyzed Alkylation 5 Applications to Total Synthesis 5.1 Total Synthesis of (+)-Ipalbidine and (+)-Antofine 5.2 Total Synthesis of (R)- and (S)-Boehmeriasin A 5.3 Total Synthesis of Tylocrebrine and Related Phenanthropiperidines 6 Summary and Outlook
Bid-Ask Spreads, Volume, and Volatility: Evidence from Livestock Markets

Using literature-based measures and a modified Bayesian method specified here, we estimate liquidity costs and their determinants for the live cattle and hog futures markets. Volume and volatility are simultaneously determined and significantly related to the bid-ask spread. Daily volume is negatively related to the spread while volatility and average volume per transaction display positive relationships. Electronic trading has a significant competitive effect on liquidity costs, particularly in the live cattle market. Results are sensitive to the bid-ask spread measure, with our modified Bayesian method providing estimates most consistent with expectations and the competitive structure in these markets.
Chromatic numbers of algebraic hypergraphs

Given a polynomial p(x0,x1,...,xk−1) over the reals R, where each xi is an n-tuple of variables, we form its zero k-hypergraph H=(Rn, E), where the set E of edges consists of all k-element sets {a0,a1,...,ak−1}⊆Rn such that p(a0,a1,...,ak−1)=0. Such hypergraphs are precisely the algebraic hypergraphs. We say (as in [13]) that p(x0,x1,...,xk−1) is avoidable if the chromatic number χ(H) of its zero hypergraph H is countable, and it is κ-avoidable if χ(H≤κ. Avoidable polynomials were completely characterized in [13]. For any infinite κ, we characterize the κ-avoidable algebraic hypergraphs. Other results about algebraic hypergraphs and their chromatic numbers are also proved.
Economics: the Chilean story

Probably no region’s economists have had greater public visibility or greater impact on regional and national public policy than Latin America’s and no region has been more directly affected by the spread of US economics. Economists in the Americas joins a small but important comparative literature on economics as a profession and is the first comparative treatment of professional economists in the United States and Latin America.
Thallium mercury chalcobromides, TlHg6Q4Br5 (Q = S, Se).

The new compounds TlHg6Q4Br5 (Q = S, Se) are reported along with their syntheses, crystal structures, and thermal and optical properties, as well as electronic band structure calculations. Both compounds crystallize in the tetragonal I4/m space group with a = 14.145(1) A, c = 8.803(1) A, and dcalc = 7.299 g/cm3 for TlHg6S4Br5 (compound 1) and a = 14.518(2) A, c = 8.782(1) A, and dcalc = 7.619 g/cm3 for TlHg6Se4Br5 (compound 2). They consist of cuboid Hg12Q8 building units interconnected by trigonal pyramids of BrHg3, forming a three-dimensional structure. The interstitial spaces are filled with thallium and bromide ions. Compounds 1 and 2 melt incongruently and show band gaps of 3.03 and 2.80 eV, respectively, which agree well with the calculated ones. First-principles electronic structure calculations at the density functional theory level reveal that both compounds have indirect band gaps, but there also exist direct transitions at energies similar to the indirect gaps.
Reaching Out to Underserved Communities

The observation that there is a lack of diversity in the sciences is not new. The most recent NSF survey [1] reveals that in the Biological and Physical Sciences, underserved students make up 19 and 12 percent of the total graduate student population in U.S. academic institutions. Such numbers should alarm the broader scientific community given the large pool of untapped scientific talent and the ever increasing need to develop the U.S. scientific workforce. We can look at the Ocean Sciences as a particular case study into some of the potential causes of the lack of diversity in the sciences and methods for increasing participation by underrepresented students in the field. Among the sciences, the Ocean Sciences have some of the lowest numbers of underserved student participation with only 8.8 percent of all Ocean Science graduate students identifying as belonging to a group historically underserved in the sciences [1]. Given the rapid shifts in the demographics of coastal states, it's imperative to identify potential barriers to and, new recruitment strategies for engaging historically underrepresented students in the Ocean Sciences. It will be this new generation of students who will be tasked with managing coastal resources and combating the effects of climate change and will be asked to bring new perspectives for dealing with the emerging needs of 21st century Ocean Science.
Temporal Trends of Intraurban Commuting in Baton Rouge, 1990–2010

Based on the 1990–2010 Census Transportation Planning Package data of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, this research analyzes the temporal trends of commuting patterns in both time and distance. In comparis...
Conversations with AutoTutor Help Students Learn

AutoTutor helps students learn by holding a conversation in natural language. AutoTutor is adaptive to the learners’ actions, verbal contributions, and in some systems their emotions. Many of AutoTutor’s conversation patterns simulate human tutoring, but other patterns implement ideal pedagogies that open the door to computer tutors eclipsing human tutors in learning gains. Indeed, current versions of AutoTutor yield learning gains on par with novice and expert human tutors. This article selectively highlights the status of AutoTutor’s dialogue moves, learning gains, implementation challenges, differences between human and ideal tutors, and some of the systems that evolved from AutoTutor. Current and future AutoTutor projects are investigating three-party conversations, called trialogues, where two agents (such as a tutor and student) interact with the human learner.
Stratified Failure: Educational Stratification and Students' Attributions of Their Mathematics Performance in 24 Countries.

Country rankings based on the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) invite politicians and specialists to speculate about the reasons their countries did well or failed to do well. Rarely, however, do we hear from the students on whose performance these rankings are based. This omission is unfortunate for two reasons. First, research suggests that how students explain their academic performance has important consequences for their future achievements. Second, prior studies show that students’ attributions of success and failure in education can develop into explanations for social inequalities in adulthood. This article draws on PISA 2012 data on 128,110 secondary school students in 24 countries to explore how educational stratification shapes students’ explanations of their academic performance. I find that students in mixed-ability groups tend to attribute their mathematics performance to their teachers and to (bad) luck, whereas vocational- and academic-track students are more likely to blame themselves for not doing well. These differences between mixed-ability group students and tracked students are more pronounced in school systems where tracking is more extensive. I conclude by discussing how these findings speak to the broader impact of educational stratification on students’ psychology and cognition and the legitimation of inequalities.
Highly Torquoselective Electrocyclizations and Competing 1,7-Hydrogen Shifts of 1-Azatrienes with Silyl Substitution at the Allylic Carbon

Highly torquoselective electrocyclizations of chiral 1-azatrienes are described. These 1-azatrienes contain an allylic stereocenter that is substituted with a silyl group and are derived in situ from condensation of γ-silyl-substituted enals with vinylogous amides. The ensuing stereoselective ring closures are part of a tandem sequence that constitutes an aza-[3 + 3] annulation method for constructing 1,2-dihydropyridines. Several mechanisms for the formal 1,7-hydrogen shift of these 1-azatrienes were evaluated computationally.
High-kinetic Energy Fragment Ions from Aliphatic Hydrocarbons Under Electron Impact.(II). Propane

Kinetic energies of fragment ions from propane under electron impact were measured. A part of the ions of m/e13, 14, 15, 26, 27and 28 was found to have appreciable kinetic energies ranging from 1.1 eV to 2.5 eV. The lighter a ion is, the higher is the kinetic energy. Assuming conservation of momentum of the ions, reactions producing high-kinetic energy fragment ions were discussed.
Marijuana use, motives, and change intentions in adolescents

AbstractResearch typically focuses on motives to use or abstain from marijuana (MJ) in isolation; few studies have integrated both constructs in models of MJ use decision making. We expand the existing literature by integrating these motives in cognitive models of use and cessation in adolescents. We expected use motives to account for past use and intentions for future use, and for motives to abstain to dominate models explaining intention, desire, and self-efficacy for quitting. Adolescent MJ users (N = 162) reported their use and abstinence motives as well as their use and cessation behavior via online survey conducted in high schools. Past use was related to high conformity and low coping, while past cessation attempts were related to high enhancement motives. Intentions to use were related to low negative consequences and conformity, and high enhancement and expansion motives to use. Quitting intention was related to social motives to use, as was quitting self-efficacy. Self-efficacy was also related...
Counting Small RNA in Pathogenic Bacteria

Here, we present a modification to single-molecule fluorescence in situ hybridization that enables quantitative detection and analysis of small RNA (sRNA) expressed in bacteria. We show that short (∼200 nucleotide) nucleic acid targets can be detected when the background of unbound singly dye-labeled DNA oligomers is reduced through hybridization with a set of complementary DNA oligomers labeled with a fluorescence quencher. By neutralizing the fluorescence from unbound probes, we were able to significantly reduce the number of false positives, allowing for accurate quantification of sRNA levels. Exploiting an automated, mutli-color wide-field microscope and data analysis package, we analyzed the statistics of sRNA expression in thousands of individual bacteria. We found that only a small fraction of either Yersinia pseudotuberculosis or Yersinia pestis bacteria express the small RNAs YSR35 or YSP8, with the copy number typically between 0 and 10 transcripts. The numbers of these RNA are both increased (b...
Automated Optimization of Water–Water Interaction Parameters for a Coarse-Grained Model

We have developed an automated parameter optimization software framework (ParOpt) that implements the Nelder–Mead simplex algorithm and applied it to a coarse-grained polarizable water model. The model employs a tabulated, modified Morse potential with decoupled short- and long-range interactions incorporating four water molecules per interaction site. Polarizability is introduced by the addition of a harmonic angle term defined among three charged points within each bead. The target function for parameter optimization was based on the experimental density, surface tension, electric field permittivity, and diffusion coefficient. The model was validated by comparison of statistical quantities with experimental observation. We found very good performance of the optimization procedure and good agreement of the model with experiment.
Size matters: fragmentation and vertical fiscal imbalances in Moldova

Using a novel municipality-level panel dataset, this paper investigates the empirical characteristics of vertical fiscal imbalances (VFIs) in Moldova over the period 2005–2013. The results show that the extent of variation in VFIs across 898 municipalities can be explained by the level of per capita income, fiscal capacity, and demographic characteristics, as well as the central government’s fiscal behavior that reflects fiscal constraints and policy preferences at the national level. Political affiliation does not appear to be a significant factor, but the results show lower VFIs when the mayor of a municipality belongs to the same party ruling the central government. Altogether, these findings underscore the need for well-coordinated reforms to create economies of scale, enhance revenue collection, and improve the composition of spending at the subnational level.
Lewis acid catalyzed (3 + 2)-annulations of donor-acceptor cyclopropanes and ynamides.

The Sc(OTf)3-catalyzed (3 + 2)-annulation of donor–acceptor cyclopropanes and ynamides is described, providing the corresponding cyclopentene sulfonamides in good to excellent yield. Deprotection and hydrolysis of the resulting ensulfonamides delivers 2,3-substituted cyclopentanones with high diastereoselectivity.
Influence of solvent polarity upon salt solubilities, II: Solubilities of two potassium carboxylates at 85°C in aqueous 1,4-dioxane

The solubilities of potassium acetate and benzoate in aqueous 1,4-dioxane at a temperature of 85°C are reported together with a quasi-thermodynamic general treatment of the experimental results.
Numerical Investigation of a Blunt-Nosed Elliptical Cone at High Angle of Attack

A computational fluid dynamics investigation was conducted on a blunt-nosed elliptical cone configuration. The purpose of the study was to investigate the advantages of high angle of attack reentry for a simple configuration representative of a flight vehicle. The geometry and test conditions were selected for comparison to experiments: a 2:1 blunt elliptic cone configuration at a Mach number of 14.5, Reynolds number of 50,000/ft, and angles of attack ranging from of 0° to 60°. The calculations were carried out using the unstructured-grid, Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes code AVUS, developed at the Air Force Research Laboratory. This code has perfect gas, equilibrium, and non-equilibrium capabilities. Only perfect gas solutions were employed in this initial computational effort. Preliminary calculations have been carried out for 0°, 40˚ and 60° angles of attack. The leeside flow structure was examined in detail, including grid resolution studies, and comparison to the available experimental data for surface pressure and heat transfer.
3D differential phase contrast microscopy

We demonstrate three-dimensional (3D) optical phase and amplitude reconstruction based on coded source illumination using a programmable LED array. Multiple stacks of images along the optical axis are computed from recorded intensities captured by multiple images under off-axis illumination. Based on the first Born approximation, a linear differential phase contrast (DPC) model is built between 3D complex index of refraction and the intensity stacks. Therefore, 3D volume reconstruction can be achieved via a fast inversion method, without the intermediate 2D phase retrieval step. Our system employs spatially partially coherent illumination, so the transverse resolution achieves twice the NA of coherent systems, while axial resolution is also improved 2× as compared to holographic imaging.
Incorporating the Lonely Star: How Puerto Rico Became Incorporated and Earned a Place in the Sisterhood of States

When the United States invaded the Spanish-controlled island of Puerto Rico during the Spanish–American War of 1898, they were greeted with cheers of “iViva Puerto Rico Americano!” The invasion of the island was encouraged by the annexation movement that developed into the island’s modern movement toward statehood. The pro-annexation group believed that after the invasion, Puerto Rico would be on the path to becoming a state. It’s taken more than a century, but Puerto Rico is finally progressing toward statehood.
Recursive ground truth estimator for social data streams

The paper develops a recursive state estimator for social network data streams that allows exploitation of social networks, such as Twitter, as sensor networks to reliably observe physical events. Recent literature suggested using social networks as sensor networks leveraging the fact that much of the information upload on the former constitutes acts of sensing. A significant challenge identified in that context was that source reliability is often unknown, leading to uncertainty regarding the veracity of reported observations. Multiple truth finding systems were developed to solve this problem, generally geared towards batch analysis of offline datasets. This work complements the present batch approaches by developing an online recursive state estimator that recovers ground truth from streaming data. In this paper, we model physical world state by a set of binary signals (propositions, called assertions, about world state) and the social network as a noisy medium, where distortion, fabrication, omissions, and duplication are introduced. Our recursive state estimator is designed to recover the original binary signal (the true propositions) from the received noisy signal, essentially decoding the unreliable social network output to obtain the best estimate of ground truth in the physical world. Results show that the estimator is both effective and efficient at recovering the original signal with a high degree of accuracy. The estimator gives rise to a novel situation awareness tool that can be used for reliably following unfolding events in real time, using dynamically arriving social network data.
Enantioselective CuH-Catalyzed Reductive Coupling of Aryl Alkenes and Activated Carboxylic Acids

A new method for the enantioselective reductive coupling of aryl alkenes with activated carboxylic acid derivatives via copper hydride catalysis is described. Dual catalytic cycles are proposed, with a relatively fast enantioselective hydroacylation cycle followed by a slower diastereoselective ketone reduction cycle. Symmetrical aryl carboxyclic anhydrides provide access to enantioenriched α-substituted ketones or alcohols with excellent stereoselectivity and functional group tolerance.
HOW WELL DO RADIOGRAPHS PREDICT BONE FIXATION IN REVISED MONOBLOCK COCR CUPS

Bone ingrowth fixation of large diameter, beaded cobalt chromium cups is generally considered to be reliable but this is typically judged radiographically. To date, implant retrieval data of attached bone has been limited. This study evaluated correlations between the pre-revision radiographic appearance and the measured amount of bone attachment on one design of porous coated cup. Methods Twenty-six monoblock, CoCr Birmingham Hip Resurfacing (BHR, Smith and Nephew, TN, USA) cups with macroscopic beads and hydroxyapatite coating were studied. Seventeen were revised for acetabular malposition with the remainder revised for femoral loosening (4), pain (1), infection (1), dislocation (1) or lysis (2). Median time to revision was 35 months (10 – 70 months). Ten patients were female; the median age of all patients was 54 years. The pre-revision radiographs were visually ranked for cup-bone integration as follows: 0 = none, 1 = 96% integration. Rankings were made for the superior and inferior aspects, without knowledge of the appearance of bone on the retrievals. The revised cups were photographed at an angle so the dome and the cup periphery were visualized. The area of bone in four equal segments in each of the superior and inferior aspects was measured with image analysis software. A probe was used to differentiate bone from soft tissue. Only bone that covered the beads was counted. Correlation coefficients were calculated for the radiographic and image analysis data. Results Radiographically, most cups were assessed as having more than 50% of bone attachment and 7 cups were ranked as having almost total integration with bone. Only 2 cups were assessed radiographically as fully loose. Measured total bone attachment ranged from none to 55%. Superior and inferior percent ingrowth were highly correlated (corr=0.68, p Discussion Despite the radiographic appearance of good fixation, there was little or no correlation between percent area of actual bone attachment and x-ray appearance. One study limitation is the assumption that attached bone was indeed integrated with the beads as destructive sectioning was not done to verify this. Published autopsy retrieval studies have shown that even a small amount of actual ingrowth can provide clinically successful fixation. Another possible limitation was the variable quality of the radiographs. Never-the-less these results raise questions about the accuracy of radiographic analysis of bone fixation. The possibility that inadequate fixation is a cause for pain leading to revision should be considered even when the radiographic appearance indicates otherwise.
MUST-CNN: a multilayer shift-and-stitch deep convolutional architecture for sequence-based protein structure prediction

Predicting protein properties such as solvent accessibility and secondary structure from its primary amino acid sequence is an important task in bioinformatics. Recently, a few deep learning models have surpassed the traditional window based multilayer perceptron. Taking inspiration from the image classification domain we propose a deep convolutional neural network architecture, MUST-CNN, to predict protein properties. This architecture uses a novel multilayer shift-and-stitch (MUST) technique to generate fully dense per-position predictions on protein sequences. Our model is significantly simpler than the state-of-the-art, yet achieves better results. By combining MUST and the efficient convolution operation, we can consider far more parameters while retaining very fast prediction speeds. We beat the state-of-the-art performance on two large protein property prediction datasets.
Proximity of uterosacral ligament suspension sutures and S3 sacral nerve to pelvic landmarks

To describe the relationships between pelvic bony landmarks to points along the third sacral nerve and to uterosacral ligament suspension sutures. Three transvaginal uterosacral ligament suspension sutures were placed bilaterally in unembalmed female human cadavers. The third sacral nerve was marked at the foramen (S3a) and at two additional points at 1-cm intervals along its course caudally (S3b, S3c). Three bony pelvic landmarks were identified and marked, including the ischial spine, pubic symphysis, and coccyx. Distances from each landmark to each suture and nerve point were measured. The distance from each landmark to each S3 nerve point was extended radially, encompassing an arbitrary zone in which sutures may be placed and thus where nerve injury may occur. Zones of potential nerve injury included: zone A (closest to the sacral nerve root), zone B, and zone C (closest to the landmark). Descriptive statistics were used and comparisons were made using Student’s t test and ANOVA. Ten cadaver specimens were dissected. For the ischial spine, the distances to points S3a, S3b, and S3c were 6.3, 5.4, and 4.6 cm respectively. Approximately two thirds of the sutures were noted beyond zone C, indicating a potentially increased risk of nerve injury with suture placement in zones farthest from the ischial spine given their proximity to the sacral nerve. Using the ischial spine as a landmark, increased sacral nerve injury could result from suture placement beyond the mean distance of 4.6 cm from the ischial spine. The use of bony landmarks in avoiding sacral nerve injury may be as important as suture depth and angle of suture placement.
Randomized controlled pilot trial of mindfulness-based stress reduction compared to psychoeducational support for persistently fatigued breast and colorectal cancer survivors

Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is a disruptive symptom for many survivors. Despite promising evidence for efficacy of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) in reducing CRF, no trials comparing it to an active comparator for fatigued survivors have been published. The purpose of this trial was to compare MBSR to psychoeducation for CRF and associated symptoms. Breast (n = 60) and colorectal (n = 11) cancer survivors (stage 0–III) with clinically significant CRF after completing chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy an average of 28 months prior to enrollment were randomized to MBSR or psychoeducation/support groups (PES). MBSR focused on mindfulness training; PES focused on CRF self-management. Outcomes included CRF interference (primary), CRF severity and global improvement, vitality, depression, anxiety, sleep disturbance, and pain. Outcomes were assessed at baseline (T1), post-intervention (T2), and 6-month follow-up (T3) using intent-to-treat analysis. Between-group differences in CRF interference were not significant at any time point; however, there was a trend favoring MBSR (d = −0.46, p = 0.073) at T2. MBSR participants reported significantly greater improvement in vitality (d = 0.53, p = 0.003) and were more likely to report CRF as moderately to completely improved compared to the PES group (χ2 (1) = 4.1765, p = 0.041) at T2. MBSR participants also reported significantly greater reductions in pain at T2 (d = 0.53, p = 0.014). In addition, both MBSR and PES produced moderate-to-large and significant within-group improvements in all fatigue outcomes, depression, anxiety, and sleep at T2 and T3 compared to T1. MBSR and PES appear efficacious for CRF and related symptoms. Larger trials including a usual care arm are warranted. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01724333.
Global Transcriptome Abnormalities of the Eutopic Endometrium From Women With Adenomyosis.

Objective:Adenomyosis is a clinical disorder defined by the presence of endometrial glands and stroma within the myometrium, the pathogenesis of which is poorly understood. We postulate that dysreg...
On the Variance of the Optimal Alignments Score for Binary Random Words and an Asymmetric Scoring Function

We investigate the order of the variance of the optimal alignments (OA) score of two independent iid binary random words having the same length. The letters are equiprobable, but the scoring function is such that one letter has a larger score than the other. In this setting, we prove that the order of variance is linear in the common length. OAs constitute a generalization of longest common subsequences, they can be represented as optimal paths in a two-dimensional last passage percolation setting with dependent weights.
Residual antibiofilm effects of various concentrations of double antibiotic paste used during regenerative endodontics after different application times.

Abstract Objective We investigated the residual antibiofilm effects of different concentrations of double antibiotic paste (DAP) applied on radicular dentin for 1 or 4 weeks. Design Dentin samples were prepared (n = 120), sterilized and pretreated for 1 or 4 weeks with the clinically used concentration of DAP (500 mg/mL), low concentrations of DAP (1, 5 or 50 mg/mL) loaded into a methylcellulose system, calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2), or placebo paste. After the assigned treatment time, treatment pastes were rinsed off and the samples were kept independently in phosphate buffered saline for 3 weeks. Pretreated dentin samples were then inoculated with Enterococcus faecalis and bacterial biofilms were allowed to grow for an additional 3 weeks. Biofilms were then retrieved from dentin using biofilm disruption assays, diluted, spiral plated, and quantified. Fisher’s Exact and Wilcoxon rank sum tests were used for statistical comparisons (α=0.05). Results Dentin pretreatment for 4 weeks with 5, 50 or 500 mg/mL of DAP demonstrated significantly higher residual antibiofilm effects and complete eradication of E. faecalis biofilms in comparison to a 1 week pretreatment with similar concentrations. However, dentin pretreated with 1 mg/mL of DAP or Ca(OH)2 did not provide a substantial residual antibiofilm effect regardless of the application time. Conclusions Dentin pretreatment with 5 mg/mL of DAP or higher for 4 weeks induced significantly higher residual antibiofilm effects in comparison to a 1 week pretreatment with the same concentrations.
RTFBSDB: an integrated framework for transcription factor binding site analysis.

Summary: Transcription factors (TFs) regulate complex programs of gene transcription by binding to short DNA sequence motifs. Here, we introduce rtfbsdb, a unified framework that integrates a database of more than 65 000 TF binding motifs with tools to easily and efficiently scan target genome sequences. Rtfbsdb clusters motifs with similar DNA sequence specificities and integrates RNA-seq or PRO-seq data to restrict analyses to motifs recognized by TFs expressed in the cell type of interest. Our package allows common analyses to be performed rapidly in an integrated environment. Availability and Implementation: rtfbsdb available at (https://github.com/Danko-Lab/rtfbs_db). Contact: moc.liamg@coknad Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
The Effects of Caregiving Resources on Perceived Health among Caregivers

This study examined how various types of resources influence perceived health of caregivers. Guided by the conservation of resources theory, a caregiver health model was built and tested using structural equation modeling. The caregiver health model consisted of caregiving situations (functional limitations and cognitive impairments of older adults and caregiving time), resources (financial resources, mastery, social support, family harmony, and service utilization), caregiver burden, and perceived health of caregivers. The sample included 1,837 unpaid informal caregivers drawn from the 2004 National Long-Term Caregiver Survey. The model fit indices indicated that the first structural model did not fit well; however, the revised model yielded an excellent model fit. More stressful caregiving situations were associated with fewer resources and higher burden, whereas greater resources were associated with lower burden and better perceived health of caregivers. The results suggest explicit implications for social work research and practice on how to protect the health of caregivers.
Assessing Evidence for Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment Programs

EnglishMs Moore and colleagues1 noted that the US health care system provides many dying patients with unwanted medical interventions. They acknowledged the widespread and increasing use of the Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) program and appealed for greater research about the effectiveness of POLST in supporting informed, patient-centered decision making. We agree but diverge in our views about the strength of existing evidence. EnglishDr Tolle and colleagues contend that the current evidence available regarding POLST justifies nationwide implementation of the program. Although an important start in understanding how POLST is currently being used, all available evidence stems from retrospective observational studies that are prone to confounding. There have been no published studies with suitable control groups, let alone studies using experimental designs capable of truly determining whether POLST completion affects patient outcomes. Additionally, the majority of research on POLST has been performed in Oregon, a state with unique demographic and cultural factors that may limit the generalizability of the findings.
Coupling fibroblast growth factor 23 production and cleavage: iron deficiency, rickets, and kidney disease.

Purpose of reviewHigh levels of fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) cause the rare disorders of hypophosphatemic rickets and are a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and death in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Despite major advances in understanding FGF23 biology, fundamental aspect
Some generalizations of the Eneström–Kakeya theorem

Let p ( z ) = a 0 + a 1 z + a 2 z 2 + ... + a n z n be a polynomial of degree n ; where the coefficients a j , j = 0, 1, 2, ..., n , are real numbers. We impose some restriction on the coefficients and then prove some extensions and generalizations of the Enestrom–Kakeya theorem.
Gaining efficiency in transport services by appropriate design and implementation choices

End-to-end transport protocols continue to be an active area of research and development involving (1) design and implementation of special-purpose protocols, and (2) reexamination of the design and implementation of general-purpose protocols. This work is motivated by the perceived low bandwidth and high delay, CPU, memory, and other costs of many current general-purpose transport protocol designs and implementations. This paper examines transport protocol mechanisms and implementation issues and argues that general-purpose transport protocols can be effective in a wide range of distributed applications because (1) many of the mechanisms used in the special-purpose protocols can also be used in general-purpose protocol designs and implementations, (2) special-purpose designs have hidden costs, and (3) very special operating system environments, overall system loads, application response times, and interaction patterns are required before general-purpose protocols are the main system performance bottlenecks.
Selection on Network Dynamics Drives Differential Rates of Protein Domain Evolution

National Science Foundation [DGE-1143953]; Achievement Rewards for College Scientists scholarship
Global swarming while preserving connectivity via Lagrange-Poincarè equations

In this paper, we exploit symmetry properties of multi-agent robot systems to design control laws that preserve connectivity while swarming. We start by designing a connectivity control law for agents with configuration spaces R 3 and S O ( 3 ) that is invariant under the action of the special Euclidean group S E ( 3 ) and the special orthogonal group S O ( 3 ) , respectively. Therefore, the dynamics of such multi-agent systems is amenable to be reduced by these group actions. We then utilize the Lagrange-Poincare equations that split the Euler-Lagrange equations for the multi-agent system into horizontal and vertical parts. The invariance of the connectivity controller implies that its control effort has zero vertical component. We then use the resulting vertical equations of motion to design a control law that asymptotically stabilizes the centroid and the orientation of the swarm at a desired pose.
Increasing Meaningful Assistive Technology Use In The Classrooms

Although personal technology is consistently used by students and teachers, meaningful use of technology for instruction may not be feasible without providing teachers specific training and support. One university is providing workshops, feedback through coursework, and hands-on training to teacher candidates and local area teachers. In addition, the program trains teachers in appropriate uses of the mini-iPad and lends technology, including mini-iPads and switches with wireless interfaces, for the teacher candidates and interns to use in practicum and internship settings.
Environmental risks and poverty : analyzing geo-spatial and household data from Vietnam

This study combines high-resolution, geo-spatial data and household data from the Vietnam Living Standard Measurement Surveys in 2010, 2012, and 2014 to investigate the relationship between environmental risks and poverty. Using recently developed data on air pollution, tree cover loss, land degradation, slope, rainfall and temperature variability, and flood and drought hazards, the study shows: (i) at the district level, there are hotspots of high poverty and environmental risks; (ii) ethnic minorities and poor households are much more exposed to multiple environmental risks than other groups, and also within rural and urban areas poorer households live in communes exposed to higher environmental risks; and (iii) environmental risks relate to lower consumption levels, but less so to lower consumption growth over time. Altogether these findings suggest that Vietnam’s poor are disproportionally exposed to environmental risks, which can result in livelihood impacts that in many ways go beyond consumption. In light of growing pressures due to population growth, economic development and climate change, green growth actions, ecosystem-based adaptation, and land-use planning could be important strategies to reduce the environmental burden on poor people.
An aging-independent replicative lifespan in a symmetrically dividing eukaryote.

As the cells in our bodies age, their ability to carry out their normal processes also degrades. Ultimately, this causes tissues to deteriorate. How rapidly a cell ages depends on the genes encoded in its DNA, and can also be affected by certain drug treatments. Cells reproduce by dividing to form two new cells. One common approach used to study cellular aging is to follow how genetic modifications and drug treatments alter how many offspring a cell produces before it dies. So far, most of these studies have been performed using budding yeast cells, which reproduce by dividing asymmetrically to form two differently sized cells. Little is known about aging in cells that divide symmetrically. Another type of yeast, called fission yeast, divides symmetrically. Furthermore, many of the processes used by fission yeast cells to repair and replicate DNA are the same as those used in human cells. To study aging in fission yeast, Spivey, Jones et al. developed a “microfluidic” device and software tools that can image and track a large number of cells across their entire lifespans (which last for up to a week). Unexpectedly, it appears that fission yeast do not age. Although cells died, their deaths were random and their chance of dying did not increase as the cells got older. Treating the cells with a drug called rapamycin lengthened their average lifespan, as did stabilizing their DNA. Treatments that impaired the ability of the cells to repair their DNA reduced the yeast's lifespan. However, in all cases, a cell’s chance of death stayed constant as the cells got older. One conclusion that could be drawn from the work of Spivey, Jones et al. is that cellular aging may be intrinsic to cells that divide asymmetrically – so budding yeast ages whilst fission yeast does not. Future studies will investigate this in more detail; for example, by looking at how “pro-aging factors” are segregated between dividing cells.
Towards K-means-friendly spaces: simultaneous deep learning and clustering

Most learning approaches treat dimensionality reduction (DR) and clustering separately (i.e., sequentially), but recent research has shown that optimizing the two tasks jointly can substantially improve the performance of both. The premise behind the latter genre is that the data samples are obtained via linear transformation of latent representations that are easy to cluster; but in practice, the transformation from the latent space to the data can be more complicated. In this work, we assume that this transformation is an unknown and possibly nonlinear function. To recover the 'clustering-friendly' latent representations and to better cluster the data, we propose a joint DR and K-means clustering approach in which DR is accomplished via learning a deep neural network (DNN). The motivation is to keep the advantages of jointly optimizing the two tasks, while exploiting the deep neural network's ability to approximate any nonlinear function. This way, the proposed approach can work well for a broad class of generative models. Towards this end, we carefully design the DNN structure and the associated joint optimization criterion, and propose an effective and scalable algorithm to handle the formulated optimization problem. Experiments using different real datasets are employed to showcase the effectiveness of the proposed approach.