cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Estimating a War of Attrition: The Case of the US Movie Theater Industry

This paper estimates the impact of competition and exogenous demand decline on the exit process of movie theaters in the US from 1950-1965. I modify Fudenberg and Tirole (1986)'s model of exit in a duopoly with incomplete information to an oligopoly. I estimate this model with panel data, using variations in TV diusion across house- holds and other market characteristics to identify the parameters in the theater's payo¤ function and the distribution of unobservable exit values. Using the estimated model, I show that theaters who are making negative pro…ts may choose to remain in the market if they expect to outlast their competitors, because at that point their pro…ts would increase. This creates a signi…cant delay in the exit process. In addition, by decompos- ing the across-market variation in the exit process, I …nd that TV diusion explains a substantial proportion of the variation in the exit process.
Phylogenetic Relationships of Pleuronectiformes Based on Molecular Evidence

Abstract Phylogenetic analyses based on nucleotide sequence data of the 12S and 16S mitochondrial ribosomal genes were performed for representatives of the Pleuronectiformes (flatfishes). Two parsimony analyses with percomorphs and basal acanthopterygians designated as outgroups were conducted; equal weighting of all nucleotides and loop regions analyzed for transversions only. A bayesian analysis was performed under the likelihood model TrN+I+Γ. A monophyletic Pleuronectiformes was resolved in all analyses. Results are consistent with the current higher level classification, recognizing the suborders Psettodoidei and Pleuronectoidei. Psettodoidei consists of a single family, Psettodidae, that is sister to all other flatfishes. Within the Pleuronectoidei three clades are identified. Bothids plus paralichthyids (in part) form a clade in all analyses. A solelike clade containing citharids, cynoglossids, samarids, soleids, Trinectes (Achiridae), and Poecilopsetta (Poecilsopsettidae), is identified in the par...
Forestry and Irish economic and social development.

An attempt is made to indicate the role that the present and potential outputs of Ireland'sl state) forests can play in the achievement of the country's long-term social and economic objectives. This is an essential first step in the evaluation of forestry investment4 in the context of an overall macro-planning framework. This is not a highly quantified analysis, and no effort is made to justify (or otherwise) a particular level of expenditure on forestry...
Subdivision Q of \( \mathbb{G}^n \)

Our subdivision Q \( \mathbb{G}^n \) with simplicial cones, which we shortly describe, is of little interest in its own right, but shall be of considerable importance in our construction of triangulations. Nevertheless, because of its transparency Q is a pleasant place to begin. Our line of reasoning here follows Lemma 3.11 and will be employed again for the subdivision P in Section 13.
Mechanism of induction of luteal phase defects by danazol

The effects of danazol on the luteal phase of cycling rhesus monkeys and on the ability of the intact rhesus monkey to respond to hCG stimulation were studied in two experiments. In a third experiment the impact of danazol upon the response of the decapsulated mouse testis to hCG stimulation was evaluated. These experiments demonstrated that danazol shortens the luteal phase and decreases progesterone production in intact monkeys via a direct effect on the gonad.
Photoinduced magnetic force between nanostructures

Photoinduced magnetic force between nanostructures, at optical frequencies, is investigated theoretically. Till now optical magnetic effects were not used in scanning probe microscopy because of the vanishing natural magnetism with increasing frequency. On the other hand, artificial magnetism in engineered nanostructures led to the development of measurable optical magnetism. Here two examples of nanoprobes that are able to generate strong magnetic dipolar fields at optical frequency are investigated: first, an ideal magnetically polarizable nanosphere and then a circular cluster of silver nanospheres that has a looplike collective plasmonic resonance equivalent to a magnetic dipole. Magnetic forces are evaluated based on nanostructure polarizabilities, i.e., induced magnetic dipoles, and magnetic-near field evaluations. As an initial assessment on the possibility of a magnetic nanoprobe to detect magnetic forces, we consider two identical magnetically polarizable nanoprobes and observe magnetic forces on the order of piconewtons, thereby bringing it within detection limits of conventional atomic force microscopes at ambient pressure and temperature. The detection of magnetic force is a promising method in studying optical magnetic transitions that can be the basis of innovative spectroscopy applications.
Achieving pollution prevention goals for transboundary waters through international joint commission processes

Across the world, transboundary water pollution interferes with man9s use of water, degrades aquatic ecosystems, causes human health impacts, and increases tensions between nations. While developing nations are just beginning to assess the extent of transboundary water quality degradation, developed countries have learned over the years that pollution prevention, not cleanup actions or end-of-pipe treatment is the most cost-effective approach to fighting water pollution. The extent of transboundary water pollution across the world is reviewed in the paper, and key elements are outlined for addressing pollution prevention needs through joint institutions as part of international commissions. The Great Lakes/St. Lawrence River basin in North America is used as an example of where multimedia pollution prevention initiatives are being implemented to resolve transboundary pollution problems. The joint institutions for the Great Lakes cleanup utilized under the auspices of the International Joint Commission (U.S. and Canada) are described. Lessons learned from this experience include: (1) significance of multimedia pollution prevention measures to address toxic substances, (2) use of ecosystem-based, watershed approaches targeted to high priority catchments, and (3) political advantages of employing joint institutions to facilitate progress, undertake oversight and verification functions, foster public participation, and establish credibility and trust among the parties through joint fact-finding.
Improving Examination Scores through Self - Monitoring

AbstractNinety-four undergraduate volunteers monitored their study behaviors for a psychology class. They were assigned to one of six experimental conditions in which there were two target behaviors: amount of time .studied for the class and amount of time the subjects felt they should be studying when they weren’t, and three methods of self-monitoring: note cards, graph paper, and note cards plus graph paper. Those students who monitored their study behavior using a combined methodology achieved significantly higher final examination scores than those who used a single methodology. Implications for improving students’ examination performance through self-monitoring are discussed.
Relation of Nutrition to Mammary Growth After Estradiol Administration to Hypophysectomized Rats

SummaryWell nourished hypophysectomized rats did not show mammary development when stimulated by large doses of estradiol benzoate for a period of 28 days. When this result is correlated with those of other workers it appears that both estrogens and some pituitary factor must act directly on the mammary gland to produce normal development.
$F$ -Discrepancy for Efficient Sampling in Approximate Dynamic Programming

In this paper, we address the problem of generating efficient state sample points for the solution of continuous-state finite-horizon Markovian decision problems through approximate dynamic programming. It is known that the selection of sampling points at which the value function is observed is a key factor when such function is approximated by a model based on a finite number of evaluations. A standard approach consists in generating these points through a random or deterministic procedure, aiming at a balanced covering of the state space. Yet, this solution may not be efficient if the state trajectories are not uniformly distributed. Here, we propose to exploit ${F}$ -discrepancy, a quantity that measures how closely a set of random points represents a probability distribution, and introduce an example of an algorithm based on such concept to automatically select point sets that are efficient with respect to the underlying Markovian process. An error analysis of the approximate solution is provided, showing how the proposed algorithm enables convergence under suitable regularity hypotheses. Then, simulation results are provided concerning an inventory forecasting test problem. The tests confirm in general the important role of ${F}$ -discrepancy, and show how the proposed algorithm is able to yield better results than uniform sampling, using sets even 50 times smaller.
The Escherichia coli P and Type 1 Pilus Assembly Chaperones PapD and FimC Are Monomeric in Solution

ABSTRACT The chaperone/usher pathway is used by Gram-negative bacteria to assemble adhesive surface structures known as pili or fimbriae. Uropathogenic strains of Escherichia coli use this pathway to assemble P and type 1 pili, which facilitate colonization of the kidney and bladder, respectively. Pilus assembly requires a periplasmic chaperone and outer membrane protein termed the usher. The chaperone allows folding of pilus subunits and escorts the subunits to the usher for polymerization into pili and secretion to the cell surface. Based on previous structures of mutant versions of the P pilus chaperone PapD, it was suggested that the chaperone dimerizes in the periplasm as a self-capping mechanism. Such dimerization is counterintuitive because the chaperone G1 strand, important for chaperone-subunit interaction, is buried at the dimer interface. Here, we show that the wild-type PapD chaperone also forms a dimer in the crystal lattice; however, the dimer interface is different from the previously solved structures. In contrast to the crystal structures, we found that both PapD and the type 1 pilus chaperone, FimC, are monomeric in solution. Our findings indicate that pilus chaperones do not sequester their G1 β-strand by forming a dimer. Instead, the chaperones may expose their G1 strand for facile interaction with pilus subunits. We also found that the type 1 pilus adhesin, FimH, is flexible in solution while in complex with its chaperone, whereas the P pilus adhesin, PapGII, is rigid. Our study clarifies a crucial step in pilus biogenesis and reveals pilus-specific differences that may relate to biological function. IMPORTANCE Pili are critical virulence factors for many bacterial pathogens. Uropathogenic E. coli relies on P and type 1 pili assembled by the chaperone/usher pathway to adhere to the urinary tract and establish infection. Studying pilus assembly is important for understanding mechanisms of protein secretion, as well as for identifying points for therapeutic intervention. Pilus biogenesis is a multistep process. This work investigates the oligomeric state of the pilus chaperone in the periplasm, which is important for understanding early assembly events. Our work unambiguously demonstrates that both PapD and FimC chaperones are monomeric in solution. We further demonstrate that the solution behavior of the FimH and PapGII adhesins differ, which may be related to functional differences between the two pilus systems.
AUTOIMMUNE HEPATITIS AND VIRAL INFECTION

In summary, type 1 autoimmune hepatitis is infrequently associated with serologic markers of viral infection, and there is no direct evidence that viruses are important causes of this disease. Patients seropositive for anti-LKM1 are commonly infected with HCV, but these patients have predominant features of chronic viral hepatitis and frequently lack antibodies to P450IID6. Such patients respond to therapy with interferon and should be distinguished from patients with type 2 autoimmune hepatitis who have anti-P450IID6, seronegativity for anti-HCV, and responsiveness to corticosteroids. In patients with ANA and/or SMA seropositivity and anti-HCV, a false-positive reaction for anti-HCV must be excluded by recombinant immunoblot assay. Patients with false anti-HCV seropositivity should be treated with corticosteroids. In contrast, patients with a true viral infection and low-titer autoantibodies should be treated with interferon. In patients with true viral infection and high titers of auto-antibodies, the treatment decision must balance the autoimmune and viral manifestations. An empiric trial of corticosteroids is justified if autoimmune features predominate.
Ligand Binding Data Analysis: Theoretical and Practical Aspects

Popularity of the ligand-receptor binding study as a means of investigating the mechanism of action of drugs, hormones, and neurotransmitters has grown considerably during the last decade. This growth is largely due to the availability of radiolabeled compounds, the simplicity of the method and its versatility of application. The low “energy barrier” of the methodology and the relative ease with which experiments may be performed may sometimes result in comparably small effort being spent on the data analysis. The most commonly used approach for data analysis is the preparation of a Scatchard plot of the B/F ratio vs. Bound ligand concentration. In the simplest case, the data will lie along a straight line from which one may abstract the binding affinity from the slope and the binding capacity from the [Bound] axis intercept. However, the data may sometimes show a curvilinear relationship which complicates the analysis considerably. Even when the Scatchard plot is linear, there are numerous pitfalls in the interpretation of the analysis. Resulting misunderstanding and even abuse of the Scatchard analysis is wide-spread in the literature, to the extent that a prominent physical chemist was recently prompted to write that “in most cases... the conclusions drawn from the Scatchard graph are completely untenable”1. Although this statement may be overly pessimistic, the sentiment is well founded. Ligand binding studies have been and will continue to be an important source of information about the mechanism of receptor action. Yet investigators are well advised to be cautious in the interpretation of their analysis. In this paper we review some of the more common errors in the analysis, and discuss how routine use of a well-designed computerized, model fitting program may aid in avoiding them.
Ship Drag Reduction by Microalgal Biopolymers : A Feasibility Analysis

We have investigated the feasibility of using high-molecular-weight polysaccharides produced by marine microalgae to reduce the drag on ships and therefore to be able to reduce the needed propulsion power and fuel costs or, alternatively, to increase the ship speed. Experimental and analytical studies were used to answer four critical questions: (1) How suitable are the biopolymers for drag reduction on ships? (2) What is the needed polymer consumption rate at a given level of drag reduction? (3) What is the achievable polymer production rate that can be achieved by the microalgae? (4) What are possible modes of implementation of the proposed technology? It is seen that in situ production of biopolymers by microalgae growing on the hull may be a possible approach to polymeric ship drag reduction. Production of biopolysaccharide off the ship and even harvesting it from the ocean are other possibilities. The use of biopolymers is naturally advantageous from an environmental point of view as well. Some comparison of biopolymers and synthetic polymers is also presented. Several technical issues remain to be investigated, but the information available suggests that biopolymers may be the best additives for drag reduction on ships.
A SINGLE SECOND SIGNAL FOR MITOGENESIS

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the results of a study analyzing the variable susceptibility of T and B lymphocytes to cAMP, cGMP, and calcium. The effects of cAMP, cGMP, and calcium were studied in BDF 1 spleen cell cultures under a variety of experimental conditions. The inhibition of thymidine was most impressive when high concentrations of cAMP (5 × 10 −3 M) were added to PHA (1 μg/ml)-stimulated lymphocytes at the beginning of culture, although inhibition was seen with all concentrations used. Inhibition of mitogenesis with 5 × 10 −3 M cAMP was also seen in LPS-stimulated cultures but with a lesser suppressive effect and only when added from 0 to 24 h past mitogenic stimulation. Although occasional stimulation increases were seen when cGMP was added to both PHA and LPS stimulated cultures, there was no consistent pattern and when added at 0 time, inhibition was usually seen. Inhibition of mitogenesis because of calcium chelation with EGTA at the beginning of culture was impressive in PHA-stimulated cultures.
Mechanical properties of organic semiconductors for mechanically stable and intrinsically stretchable solar cells (Conference Presentation)

This presentation describes my group’s efforts to understand the molecular and microstructural basis for the mechanical properties of organic semiconductors for organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices. Our work is motivated by two goals. The first goal is to mitigate mechanical forms of degradation of printed modules during roll-to-roll fabrication, installation, and environmental forces—i.e., wind, rain, snow, and thermal expansion and contraction. Mechanical stability is a prerequisite for inexpensive processing on flexible substrates: to encapsulate devices in glass is to surrender this advantage. The second goal is to enable the next generation of ultra-flexible and stretchable solar cells for collapsible, portable, and wearable applications, and as low-cost sources of energy—“solar tarps”—for disaster relief and for the developing world. It may seem that organic semiconductors, due to their carbon framework, are already sufficiently compliant for these applications. We have found, however, that the mechanical properties (stiffness and brittleness) occupy a wide range of values, and can be difficult to predict from molecular structure alone. We are developing an experimental and theoretical framework for how one can combine favorable charge-transport properties and mechanical compliance in organic semiconductor films. In particular, we have explored the roles of the backbone, alkyl side chain, microstructural order, the glass transition, molecular packing with fullerenes, plasticizing effects of additives, extent of separation of [60]PCBM and [70]PCBM, structural randomness in low-bandgap polymers, and reinforcement by encapsulation, on the mechanical compliance. We are exploring the applicability of semi-empirical “back-of-the-envelope” models, along with multi-scale molecular dynamics simulations, with the ultimate goal of designing electroactive organic materials whose mechanical properties can be dialed-in. We have used the insights we have developed to demonstrate several new applications for OPV that demand extreme compliance, including biaxial stretching and conformal bonding of whole devices to hemispheres, and devices with ultrathin encapsulation mounted on human skin that survive significant cyclic mechanical deformation in the outdoor environment.
Memory-Bounded Left-Corner Unsupervised Grammar Induction on Child-Directed Input

This paper presents a new memory-bounded left-corner parsing model for unsupervised raw-text syntax induction, using unsupervised hierarchical hidden Markov models (UHHMM). We deploy this algorithm to shed light on the extent to which human language learners can discover hierarchical syntax through distributional statistics alone, by modeling two widely-accepted features of human language acquisition and sentence processing that have not been simultaneously modeled by any existing grammar induction algorithm: (1) a left-corner parsing strategy and (2) limited working memory capacity. To model realistic input to human language learners, we evaluate our system on a corpus of child-directed speech rather than typical newswire corpora. Results beat or closely match those of three competing systems.
A novel resource sharing algorithm based on distributed construction for radiant enclosure problems

A novel resource sharing algorithm is demonstrated on an inverse radiation problem.Can be applied when the desired state is specified, but inputs needed are unclear.Agents acting independently using a shared resource and shared environment.Algorithm is flexible and adaptable and allows for rapid implementation. This paper demonstrates a novel approach to solving inverse radiant enclosure problems based on distributed construction. Specifically, the problem of determining the temperature distribution needed on the heater surfaces to achieve a desired design surface temperature profile is recast as a distributed construction problem in which a shared resource, temperature, is distributed by computational agents moving blocks. The sharing of blocks between agents enables them to achieve their desired local state, which in turn achieves the desired global state. Each agent uses the current state of their local environment and a simple set of rules to determine when to exchange blocks, each block representing a discrete unit of temperature change. This algorithm is demonstrated using the established two-dimensional inverse radiation enclosure problem. The temperature profile on the heater surfaces is adjusted to achieve a desired temperature profile on the design surfaces. The resource sharing algorithm was able to determine the needed temperatures on the heater surfaces to obtain the desired temperature distribution on the design surfaces in the nine cases examined.
Comparative proteomic analysis of radiation induced changes in non small cell lung cancer patients with or without radiation induced lung toxicity

e22146 Background: Radiation-induced lung toxicity (RILT) is dose limiting in the treatment of non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Early prediction of RILT would allow physicians to individualize t...
Soybean Genetic Mapping

In over 27 years of genetic mapping of the soybean genome, a genetic map containing thousands of molecular markers, thousands of QTLs and dozens of genes was obtained. Currently, two soybean genome consensus maps are available—GmConsensus4.0 and GmComposite2003—and can be used as an anchor to map new genes or QTLs in soybean. All information on these genetic maps is available for consultation at SoyBase (http://soybase.org). Genetic map information can also be compared with the annotated genomic sequence of Williams 82 cultivar, so there are currently tools that can associate regions of genetic maps containing QTLs with the genetic sequences of the soybean genome (physical map). In addition, the new tools for high-density genotyping of SNP markers allow to obtain dozens or hundreds of thousands of markers at affordable costs and the development of linkage disequilibrium maps. Linkage disequilibrium maps allow better understanding of the structure of the soybean genome and the identification of molecular markers in linkage disequilibrium with QTLs. With the evolution of large-scale phenotyping tools (phenomics), along with high-resolution genetic maps, the genetic processes that regulate plant development can be better understood in the near future.
Multistatic radar Doppler estimation for passive coherent location

The availability of multiple transmitters in a passive coherent location (PCL) scenario allow for multistatic velocity estimation. This paper develops the mathematical framework and methods to estimate the velocity vector for a target in motion for a passive coherent location system. The developed methods show that there is an analytical solution to combine multiple bistatic measurements in different range and velocity domains for a velocity estimation in the global domain. The multistatic velocity estimation is compared to the traditional multi-time step bistatic PCL velocity solution. The conventional bistatic PCL velocity measurement requires two time steps of measurements, whereas a multistatic solution requires one. This can cause velocity measurement errors for a target with complex motion since the bistatic measurement will not be applicable at the next time step. The methods were tested in simulation for varying motion models, and experimentally verified for the simple linear motion constant velocity test case. The results show that the bistatic time method fails for complex target motion and the multistatic method is capable of determining velocity information in a single time step, as well as superior performance for complex target motion.
Subspace Projection Methods for Large Scale Image Data Analysis

Images have become the most popular type of multimedia in the Big Data era. Widely used applications like CBIR underscore the importance of image understanding, especially in terms of semantically meaningful information. Typically, high dimensional image descriptors are embedded to a subspace using a simple linear projection. However, semantic information has a complex distribution in feature space that requires a non-linear projection. We first estimate an intrinsic dimensionality of image data. Next we build a measure of visual information in embedded subspace. We compare several linear and non-linear projection methods. We use multiple image databases towards a comprehensive evaluation in terms of information content, consequent recognition rates, and computational cost. This paper is relevant for researchers interested in dimensionality reduction for large scale image understanding that preserves semantically relevant information.
The promise and peril of CRISPR gene drives

Gene drives are selfish genetic elements that use a variety of mechanisms to ensure they are transmitted to subsequent generations at greater than expected frequencies. Synthetic gene drives based on the clustered regularly interspersed palindromic repeats (CRISPR) genome editing system have been proposed as a way to alter the genetic characteristics of natural populations of organisms relevant to the goals of public health, conservation, and agriculture. Here, we review the principles and potential applications of CRISPR drives, as well as means proposed to prevent their uncontrolled spread. We also focus on recent work suggesting that factors such as natural genetic variation and inbreeding may represent substantial impediments to the propagation of CRISPR drives.
Electrochemical kinetics and dimensional considerations at the nanoscale: the influence of the density of states

The theories to describe the rate at which electrochemical reactions proceed do not consider explicitly the dimensionality or the occupancy of the energy levels of nanostructured electrodes. It is shown here thatthe density of states variation in nanoscale electrochemical systems yield novel modulations in the rate constant and concomitant electrical currents. The proposed models extend the utility of presently used Marcus-Hush-Chidsey kinetics to a larger class of materials and could be used as a test of dimensional character. The new models are applied to explain the experimental variation of the electrochemical rate constant of single-layer graphene.
Reducing Inhomogeneity in the Dynamic Properties of Quantum Dots via Self-Aligned Plasmonic Cavities

A plasmonic cavity is shown to greatly reduce the inhomogeneity of dynamic optical properties such as quantum efficiency and radiative lifetime of InGaN quantum dots. By using an open-top plasmonic cavity structure, which exhibits a large Purcell factor and antenna quantum efficiency, the resulting quantum efficiency distribution for the quantum dots narrows and is no longer limited by the quantum dot inhomogeneity. The standard deviation of the quantum efficiency can be reduced to 2% while maintaining the overall quantum efficiency at 70%, making InGaN quantum dots a viable candidate for high-speed quantum cryptography and random number generation applications.
Degenerate Diffusions and Harmonic Analysis on SE (3): A Tutorial

The group of special Euclidean transformations, SE(3) , describes rigid-body motion in three-dimensional Euclidean space. This group plays an important role in the fields of geometric mechanics, control, and robotics because it is the configuration space for a rigid body. This tutorial reviews the properties of this group, and explains how stochastic differential equations which lead to degenerate diffusion processes on SE(3) arise in the context of applications in state estimation and in molecular dynamics . Representation theory and harmonic analysis on this group are reviewed, and it is shown how these pure mathematical methods can be used as computational tools for computing quantities of interest in applications.
Current diagnosis and treatment modalities for ovarian cancer.

Ovarian cancer is the major pelvic cancer health hazard for women. In 2000, the American Cancer Society estimates that 23,100 new ovarian cancer cases will be diagnosed and 14,000 women will have died of ovarian cancer (1). It is the fifth most common cancer in American women but the fourth most common cause of cancer death (1). The high mortality rate is due in part to a lack of obvious early warning symptoms, unavailability of sensitive early detection techniques and therapy of limited effectiveness. Despite improvements in management of women with epithelial ovarian cancer, the overall survival for this disease has been unchanged for at least the last 20 years (2). This chapter will concentrate on advances in the diagnosis and management of epithelial ovarian cancers, the form of ovarian cancer that represents at least 90% of all ovarian malignancies.
The Inpatient Assessment and Management of Motor Functional Neurological Disorders: An Interdisciplinary Perspective.

Background Motor functional neurologic disorders (FND)—previously termed “hysteria” and later “conversion disorder”—are exceedingly common and frequently encountered in the acute hospital setting. Despite their high prevalence, patients with motor FND can be challenging to diagnose accurately and manage effectively. To date, there is limited guidance on the inpatient approach to the neuropsychiatric evaluation of patients with functional (psychogenic) neurologic symptoms. Objective The authors outline an inpatient multidisciplinary approach, involving neurology, psychiatry, and physical therapy, for the assessment and acute inpatient management of motor FND. Methods A vignette of a patient with motor FND is presented followed by a discussion of general assessment principles. Thereafter, a detailed description of the neurologic and psychiatric assessments is outlined. Delivery of a “rule-in” diagnosis is emphasized and specific guidance for what can be accomplished postdiagnosis in the hospital is suggested. Discussion We encourage an interdisciplinary approach beginning at the early stages of the diagnostic assessment once an individual is suspected of having motor FND. Conclusions Practical suggestions for the inpatient assessment of motor FND are presented. It is also important to individualize the diagnostic assessment. Future research should be conducted to test best practices for motor FND management in the acute inpatient hospital setting.
Kirigami‐Inspired Nanoconfined Polymer Conducting Nanosheets with 2000% Stretchability

Stretchable conductors are essential components of wearable electronics. However, such materials typically sacrifice their electronic conductivity to achieve mechanical stretchability and elasticity. Here, the nanoconfinement and air/water interfacial assembly is explored to grow freestanding mechanical endurance conducting polymer nanosheets that can be stretched up to 2000% with simultaneously high electrical conductivity, inspired by kirigami. Such stretchable conductors show remarkable electronic and mechanical reversibility and reproducibility under more than 1000 cycle durability tests with 2000% deformability, which can be accurately predicted using finite element modeling. The conductivity of nanoconfined freestanding conductor nanosheets increases by three orders of magnitude from 2.2 × 10-3 to 4.002 S cm-1 is shown, due to the charge-transfer complex formation between polymer chain and halogen, while the electrical conductance of the stretchable kirigami nanosheets can be maintained over the entire strain regime. The nanoconfined polymer nanosheets can also act as a sensor capable of sensing the pressure with high durability and real-time monitoring.
Readmission prediction via deep contextual embedding of clinical concepts.

Objective Hospital readmission costs a lot of money every year. Many hospital readmissions are avoidable, and excessive hospital readmissions could also be harmful to the patients. Accurate prediction of hospital readmission can effectively help reduce the readmission risk. However, the complex relationship between readmission and potential risk factors makes readmission prediction a difficult task. The main goal of this paper is to explore deep learning models to distill such complex relationships and make accurate predictions. Materials and methods We propose CONTENT, a deep model that predicts hospital readmissions via learning interpretable patient representations by capturing both local and global contexts from patient Electronic Health Records (EHR) through a hybrid Topic Recurrent Neural Network (TopicRNN) model. The experiment was conducted using the EHR of a real world Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) cohort of 5,393 patients. Results The proposed model outperforms state-of-the-art methods in readmission prediction (e.g. 0.6103 ± 0.0130 vs. second best 0.5998 ± 0.0124 in terms of ROC-AUC). The derived patient representations were further utilized for patient phenotyping. The learned phenotypes provide more precise understanding of readmission risks. Discussion Embedding both local and global context in patient representation not only improves prediction performance, but also brings interpretable insights of understanding readmission risks for heterogeneous chronic clinical conditions. Conclusion This is the first of its kind model that integrates the power of both conventional deep neural network and the probabilistic generative models for highly interpretable deep patient representation learning. Experimental results and case studies demonstrate the improved performance and interpretability of the model.
Contingent Valuation Studies in Orthopaedic Surgery: A Health Economic Review.

BackgroundA greater emphasis on providing high-value orthopaedic interventions has resulted in increased health economic reporting. The contingent-valuation method (CVM) is used to determine consum...
The Role of Verification Tools and Techniques

Before talking about verification, we must have a definition. for the purposes of this discussion, verification is the mathematical proof of consistency between a program and its specification. It should be distinguished from the “verification” in “verification and validation,” which refers to other methods such as testing. Note that the term “consistency” was used, rather than “correctness,” because verification is not an absolute determination that the program is perfect. Thus, verification is not a guarantee. A verification can fail for any (or all) of several reasons: The program needs to be changed. The specification needs to be changed or perhaps is incomplete. The theorem prover cannot arrive at a proof. However, verification can increase one’s confidence that a program meets its specification, because verification can evaluate many more cases than testing can.
Behavioral Interviewing of Parents

Publisher Summary The behavioral interview is considered an essential component of the behavioral assessment process. It provides an opportunity for the interviewer to communicate to the client what the therapy would be like and to articulate basic behavioral principles and assumptions through cues, probes, and summary statements. This chapter reviews and clarifies the major components that are involved in the behavioral interview. More specifically, the chapter focuses on the use of and issues involved with the behavioral interviewing of parents. It begins with a discussion as to the distinction between child and adult assessment. Following this, it defines and provides a general overview of behavioral interviewing, which includes a review of the general assumptions and objectives of the behavioral interview. Thereafter, it presents examples of common interviewing formats, discusses the skills and strategies necessary in conducting a behavioral interview, and reviews the state of empirical research on the behavioral interview. The chapter concludes with a case illustration. Given the ubiquity of the interview in behavioral assessment, an understanding of these assumptions, principles, and formats is considered crucial to the assessment and treatment of childhood behavior problems.
Reply to Heck et al.: Signal amplification at the rhodopsin-to-transducin·phosphodiesterase step in rod phototransduction

In PNAS (1), we estimate ∼12–14 active transducin·phosphodiesterase complexes (GT\*·PDE\*s) produced per active rhodopsin (Rho*) in mouse rods. This is the effective gain—more informative by not including the empty gain from GT*s failing to activate PDE. Nearly all previous estimates were on the total number of GT* produced per Rho* merely because no one before us could measure the individual GT\*·PDE\*-triggered electrical event for direct comparison with the single-Rho* response. We do not state in our paper that previous measurements of the rate of GT* production per Rho* were all incorrect, but rather they spanned a wide range of values with no consensus … [↵][1]1To whom correspondence should be addressed. Email: kwyau{at}jhmi.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
The Positive Valence Systems Scale: Development and Validation:

We present the Positive Valence Systems Scale (PVSS), a measure of the National Institute of Mental Health's Research Domain Criteria Positive Valence Systems domain. An initial long form of the scale (45 items) providing a broad assessment of the domain was distilled into a short form (21 items) measuring responses to a wide range of rewards (Food, Physical Touch, Outdoors, Positive Feedback, Social Interactions, Hobbies, and Goals). Across three diverse samples, the PVSS-21 demonstrated strong internal consistency, retest reliability, and factorial validity. It was more strongly related to reward than punishment sensitivity, positive than negative affect, and depression than anxiety. PVSS-21 scores discriminated depressed from nondepressed individuals and predicted anhedonia severity even when controlling for depression status. Hobbies emerged as the strongest predictor of clinical outcomes and the best differentiator of depressed and nondepressed individuals. Results highlight the potential of the PVSS for advancing understanding of reward-related abnormalities in depression and other disorders.
Youth idleness in Eastern Europe and Central Asia before and after the 2009 crisis

ABSTRACTYouth idleness is a significant problem in many countries, including in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (ECA) where it has rarely been studied. Labour market and education policies need to ...
The core episodic simulation network dissociates as a function of subjective experience and objective content.

Abstract Episodic simulation – the mental construction of a possible future event – has been consistently associated with enhanced activity in a set of neural regions referred to as the core network. In the current functional neuroimaging study, we assessed whether members of the core network are differentially associated with the subjective experience of future events (i.e., vividness) versus the objective content comprising those events (i.e., the amount of episodic details). During scanning, participants imagined future events in response to object cues. On each trial, participants rated the subjective vividness associated with each future event. Participants completed a post-scan interview where they viewed each object cue from the scanner and verbally reported whatever they had thought about. For imagined events, we quantified the number of episodic or internal details in accordance with the Autobiographical Interview (i.e., who, what, when, and where details of each central event). To test whether core network regions are differentially associated with subjective experience or objective episodic content, imagined future events were sorted as a function of their rated vividness or the amount of episodic detail. Univariate analyses revealed that some regions of the core network were uniquely sensitive to the vividness of imagined future events, including the hippocampus (i.e., high > low vividness), whereas other regions, such as the lateral parietal cortex, were sensitive to the amount of episodic detail in the event (i.e., high > low episodic details). The present results indicate that members of the core network support distinct episodic simulation-related processes.
Cardiac paragangliomas: A case series with clinicopathologic features and succinate dehydrogenase B immunostaining.

Abstract Cardiac paragangliomas (PGs) are very rare tumors that comprise less than 1% of all cardiac tumors. PGs can occur sporadically, but inherited syndromes may also play a role in the development of PGs. Approximately one-third of PGs are associated with mutations in the succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) complex, specifically SDHB, as part of syndrome-associated PGs or sporadic PGs. SDH mutations have been assessed by SDHB immunohistochemistry, as negative staining indicates a high likelihood of mutation in PGs in other sites, but not in cardiac PGs. This study aims to evaluate the clinical and pathologic characteristic of cardiac PG cases and assess the expression of SDHB by immunohistochemistry. A retrospective chart analysis of 10 patients with cardiac PG was performed to assess the patient age, sex, size, site of the tumor, and clinical symptoms. Histologically the tumors showed the classic pattern of nested tumor cells surrounded by sustentacular cells. Immunohistochemistry for SDHB was performed in five cases. One case showed a complete absence of SDHB immunohistochemical staining and the others showed staining ranging from a weak-to-strong granular cytoplasmic staining pattern. We conclude that SDHB immunostaining is cost-effective in identifying cases with SDH mutation. It is recommended to assess SDH mutation in patients with cardiac PG to predict the aggressive behavior that has been reported by previous studies from PGs of other sites.
Exploring the genomic landscape of hepatobiliary cancers to establish a novel molecular subtype classification.

562Background: The current understanding of the genomic landscape of hepatobiliary cancer (HBC) is limited. Recent genomic and epigenomic studies have demonstrated that various cancers of different...
Chapter 28 – Nutrition, Lifestyle, and Hypertension

Hypertension is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease, stroke, and premature death and a leading risk factor for global disease burden. Prevalence for those 18 years and older in the United States has remained around 29% since 1999 with little improvement. Further, approximately one-third of U.S. adults have prehypertension, which is also associated with a graded, increased risk of cardiovascular disease and progression to hypertension. The overall evidence that diet modification can prevent and treat hypertension is strong. The current national guideline of lifestyle modification for blood pressure control includes the DASH eating pattern, sodium reduction, weight loss, increased physical activity, and moderate consumption of alcohol. Concurrent adherence to several recommendations is likely to hold the greatest promise for preventing and treating hypertension and has been shown to be feasible. In addition to addressing unresolved nutritional hypotheses, future research should focus on strategies to motivate and maintain lifestyle changes long term for blood pressure control. At both the population and individual levels, success in dietary and lifestyle intervention relies on multiple levels of support ranging from clinicians to government agencies to private institutes and industries. In particular, partnering with industry to improve the nutritional quality of the food supply, such as reducing sodium, sugar, and saturated and trans fat content of processed foods, and promoting foods and nutrients consistent with the DASH dietary pattern will play a critical role in implementing dietary and lifestyle modifications. Consistent efforts to educate and promote adherence to dietary and lifestyle guidelines by dietetic and other health care professionals are also instrumental to the prevention and management of hypertension.
The effect of solder paste volume on solder joint shape and self-alignment of passive components

In this study, an energy-based three-dimensional (3D) model is created using Surface Evolver to predict the passive components solder joint shape after reflow soldering. The developed model considers the surface tension and hydrostatic forces on the molten solder and the gravitational force on the capacitor and solder paste. By optimizing solder paste volumes for different types of surface-mount components, the model achieves the desired solder joint geometry. Surface mount capacitors (C1005, C0603, C0402) with solder paste SAC305 and copper pads with an electroless nickel immersion gold (ENIG) surface finish are used as examples. Capacitor solder joint shapes with various solder paste volumes are summarized and presented. A large number of capacitor samples have been cross-sectioned and inspected to validate the solder joint shape results predicted by the modeling. Furthermore, the effect of solder paste volume on passive component self-alignment is investigated with simulations and experiments. The results show that if the solder paste volumes at the two terminations of the component are consistent, the component will self-align very well. A relatively larger solder paste volume can improve the component self-alignment performance because of the bigger restoring force generated by the molten solder. Moreover, the results show that the self-alignment performance is better in the component-width direction (y direction) than the component-length direction (x direction). An extensive number of experimental studies are performed to develop a data-driven prediction model to reduce the manufacturing cost at the design stage. The surface mount capacitors are placed with some initial offsets intentionally and their positions are measured before and after the reflow process. A wide range of surface mount assembly imperfections is considered in this work to achieve a powerful datasheet and better convergence. The simulation results are then compared with the experimental data for validation.