cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
AutoTune: Game-Based Adaptive Bitrate Streaming in Cloud-Based Hybrid VoD Systems

Hybrid peer-to-peer assisted cloud-based video-on-demand (VoD) systems augment cloud-based VoD systems with P2P networks to improve scalability and save bandwidth costs in the cloud. In these systems, the VoD service provider (e.g., NetFlix) relies on the cloud to deliver videos to users and pays for the cloud bandwidth consumption. The users can download videos from both the cloud and peers in the P2P network. It is important for the VoD service provider to i) minimize the cloud bandwidth consumption, and ii) guarantee users’ satisfaction (i.e., quality-of-experience). Though previous adaptive bitrate streaming (ABR) methods improve video playback smoothness, they cannot achieve these two goals simultaneously. To tackle this challenge, we propose AutoTune, a game-based adaptive bitrate streaming method. In AutoTune, we formulate the bitrate adaptation problem in ABR as a noncooperative Stackelberg game, where VoD service provider and the users are players. The VoD service provider acts as a leader and it decides the VoD service price for users with the objective of minimizing cloud bandwidth consumption while ensuring users’ participation. In response to the VoD service price, the users select video bitrates that lead to maximum utility (defined as a function of its satisfaction minus associated VoD service fee). Finally, the Stackelberg equilibrium is reached in which the cloud bandwidth consumption is minimized while users are satisfied with selected video bitrates. To enhance the performance of AutoTune, we further propose the reputation-based incentive scheme and the popularity-based cache management scheme. Experimental results from the PeerSim simulator and the PlanetLab real-world testbed show that compared to existing methods, AutoTune can provide high user satisfaction and save cloud bandwidth consumption. Also, the proposed enhancement schemes are effective in improving the performance of AutoTune.
Position Sensorless Control of PMSM Based on a Novel Sliding Mode Observer over Wide Speed Range

A position sensorless control scheme of permanent magnet synchronous machines (PMSM) without saliency is proposed. The rotor position angle of PMSM is estimated by a novel sliding mode observer over a wide speed range including flux-weakening region. A feedback of the equivalent control is applied in the sliding mode observer. Compared to conventional sliding mode observers (SMO), the proposed approach features the flexibility to design the sliding mode observer with broad operating range. By properly selecting equivalent control feedback gains, the estimation error of rotor position angle can be reduced in the low-speed range and fast convergence guaranteed in the high-speed range. Computer simulation and experimental results are presented to verify the proposed sensorless control algorithm.
Excessive Financial Intermediation in a Model with Endogenous Liquidity

I study a model in which the financial system is inefficiently large. Intermediation is similar, in some ways, to the private creation of money: producers can increase their liquidity at some real cost, but this is socially wasteful as it only translates into higher prices and reduces the value of liquidity. The failure of agents to internalize the effect of intermediation on the value of liquidity leads to excessive financing. In a dynamic model with heterogeneous producers and increasing intermediation costs, I show that tight regulation of the financial system is optimal. JEL Classification: E44, G28
Human information processing: an overview for human-computer interaction

Human-computer interaction (HCI) is fundamentally an information-processing task. In interacting with a computer, a user has specific goals and subgoals in mind. The user initiates the interaction by giving the computer commands that are directed toward accomplishing those goals. The commands may activate software programs designed to allow specific types of tasks, such as word processing or statistical analysis to be performed. The resulting computer output, typically displayed on a screen, must provide adequate information for the user to complete the next step, or the user must enter another command to obtain the desired output from the computer. The sequence of interactions to accomplish the goals may be long and complex, and several alternative sequences, differing in efficiency, may be used to achieve these goals. During the interaction, the user is required to identify displayed information, select responses based on the displayed information, and execute those responses. The user must search the displayed information and attend to the appropriate aspects of it. She or he must also recall the commands and resulting consequences of those commands for different programs, remember information specific to the task that is being performed, and make decisions and solve problems during the process. For the interaction between the computer and user to be efficient, the interface must be designed in accordance with the user’s information processing capabilities.
Microbial Abundance and Activity in Biochar-Amended Landfill Cover Soils: Evidence from Large-Scale Column and Field Experiments

AbstractField and laboratory studies were conducted to evaluate the impact of biochar amendment on methane oxidation rates and microbial communities in landfill cover soils. Deoxyribonucleic acid (...
Maximizing Value Through Innovations in Radiologist-Driven Communications in Breast Imaging.

OBJECTIVE. The purposes of this article are to provide an overview of current and emerging practices in radiologist communications with both referring physicians and patients across the breast cancer care continuum; to highlight areas in which radiologist-driven communications can improve value in breast cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment; and describe how the integrative reporting and consultative practices of breast imagers can serve as models of higher-value patient-centered care in other radiology subspecialties. CONCLUSION. The traditional radiology report will eventually no longer be viewed as the sole consultation by radiologists but instead act as a starting point for more detailed communications between radiologists and both patients and physicians. The value-creating practices of breast imagers can be used as a road map for similar practices across other radiologic specialties, similar to the use of BI-RADS as a road map for structured breast imaging reporting.
Adherence to standard medication infusion concentrations and its impact on paediatric intensive care patient outcomes.

Aim: To review compliance with the DERS, and to evaluate the impact on daily fluid balances as a standard outcome in paediatric intensive care.Method: A prospective audit of patients admitted to our tertiary level PICU over a 10 day period. The audit tool collated information on patient's weight, diagnosis, medication infusions, whether standard concentrations were selected, daily fluid balance, target fluid balance, and renal support including use of diuretics.Results: Seventy-seven (84%) of patients weighed less than 10 kg. On average, there were seven medication infusions per patient and 98% of the medication infusions adhered to standard concentrations for medication infusions and DERS. In 2% of medication infusions staff opted not to use the DERS, or selected non-standard concentration, and 2% of patients had no labels on the syringe. 90% of patients had a minimal positive balance of 0.5 mL/kg/h, averaged over 24 h; 48% of patients received renal support and 16% of patients were 24 h post cardiac surgery, where a negative fluid balance was recorded. It is standard practice post cardiac surgery to receive diuretics. Standard concentrations did not have a significant impact on patients' daily fluid balance.Conclusions: The use of standard concentrations and short infusions in PICU using DERS is feasible & achievable as demonstrated by high compliance, and does not have a negative impact on patient outcome, especially fluid balance. Crown Copyright (C) 2017 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of Australian College of Critical Care Nurses Ltd. All rights reserved.
Seasonal Abundance of Stink Bugs (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) and Other Polyphagous Species in a Multi-Crop Environment in South Arkansas

A 3-yr study was conducted to determine seasonal abundance of major pentatomid, noctuid, and mirid pests in a multicrop environment in south Arkansas. Replicated field plots (~0.1 ha) containing co...
The 24-month metabolic benefits of the healthy living partnerships to prevent diabetes: A community-based translational study

Abstract Aims Large-scale clinical trials and translational studies have demonstrated that weight loss achieved through diet and physical activity reduced the development of diabetes in overweight individuals with prediabetes. These interventions also reduced the occurrence of metabolic syndrome and risk factors linked to other chronic conditions including obesity-driven cancers and cardiovascular disease. The Healthy Living Partnerships to Prevent Diabetes (HELP PD) was a clinical trial in which participants were randomized to receive a community-based lifestyle intervention translated from the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) or an enhanced usual care condition. The objective of this study is to compare the 12 and 24 month prevalence of metabolic syndrome in the two treatment arms of HELP PD. Materials and methods The intervention involved a group-based, behavioral weight-loss program led by community health workers monitored by personnel from a local diabetes education program. The enhanced usual care condition included dietary counseling and written materials. Results HELP PD included 301 overweight or obese participants (BMI 25–39.9 kg/m 2 ) with elevated fasting glucose levels (95–125 mg/dl). At 12 and 24 months of follow-up there were significant improvements in individual components of the metabolic syndrome: fasting blood glucose, waist circumference, HDL, triglycerides and blood pressure and the occurrence of the metabolic syndrome in the intervention group compared to the usual care group. Conclusions This study demonstrates that a community diabetes prevention program in participants with prediabetes results in metabolic benefits and a reduction in the occurrence of the metabolic syndrome in the intervention group compared to the enhanced usual care group.
Proteomic Profiling of a Primary CD4+ T Cell Model of HIV-1 Latency Identifies Proteins Whose Differential Expression Correlates with Reactivation of Latent HIV-1

The latent HIV-1 reservoir of memory CD4+ T cells that persists during combination antiviral therapy prevents a cure of infection. Insight into mechanisms of latency and viral reactivation are essential for the rational design of strategies to reduce the latent reservoir. In this study, we quantified the levels of >2,600 proteins in the CCL19 primary CD4+ T cell model of HIV-1 latency. We profiled proteins under conditions that promote latent infection and after cells were treated with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) + ionomycin, which is known to efficiently induce reactivation of latent HIV-1. In an analysis of cells from two healthy blood donors, we identified 61 proteins that were upregulated ≥2-fold, and 36 proteins that were downregulated ≥2-fold under conditions in which latent viruses were reactivated. These differentially expressed proteins are, therefore, candidates for cellular factors that regulate latency or viral reactivation. Two unexpected findings were obtained from the proteomic data: (1) the interactions among the majority of upregulated proteins are largely undetermined in published protein-protein interaction networks and (2) downregulated proteins are strongly associated with Gene Ontology terms related to mitochondrial protein synthesis. This proteomic data set provides a useful resource for future mechanistic studies of HIV-1 latency.
Asymmetries and a reconsideration of unemployment’s impact upon mortality

Abstract Using linear models, studies find that mortality declines with unemployment. We consider asymmetric alternatives allowing associations to differ in weak or weakening economies for a panel of U.S. states from 1977 to 2013. We do not find strong evidence for asymmetries.
Ideas, Ideology, and the Anomalous Problem of Revolutionary Causation

When properly taught, the arguments of The Ideological Origins of the American Revolution pivot on three issues; (1) how a Radical Whig ideology explains increasing American resistance after 1765; (2) how colonial and imperial differences on ideas such as representation, the nature of a constitution, and sovereignty illustrate the ways American governance had diverged from British antecedents; and (3), how Loyalists’ failure to recognize the depth of grievances demonstrates what Bailyn called “the [Revolution's] transforming radicalism.”
Importance cleaning of PV modules for grid-connected PV systems in a desert environment

There is a great potential for solar power utilization in the desert region in the south of Algeria by employing solar photovoltaic (PV) modules. The accumulation of dust on the surface of photovoltaic (PV) cause a significant degradation of solar conversion efficiency of PV modules. This work tries to estimate the day loss of generated energy caused by dust deposition on PV modules based on an experimental setup of a grid-connected PV plant. The experimental measurements are carried out under the outdoor condition in Adrar, Algeria. This study reveals that leaving PV array without cleaning it is not recommended in the Saharan environmental conditions which significantly reduce PV power output.
Attaining Role-Based, Mandatory, and Discretionary Access Control for Services by Intercepting API Calls in Mobile Systems

Mobile applications are quickly replacing traditional desktop computing for gaming, social media, email, web browsing, health and fitness, business usage, etc. Many of these mobile apps require that sensitive information (protected health information (PHI) and personally identifiable information (PII)) be displayed, accessed, modified, and stored. In the healthcare domain, there is a need for health information exchange (HIE) among patients and medical providers across a wide range of health information technology (HIT) systems such as electronic health records, e-prescribing, etc., all of which involve highly-sensitive data (PII and PHI) that is exchanged back and forth between the mobile application and its server-side repository/database. In the U.S. in 2015, the Office of the National Coordinator issued a report on certification rules for EHRs that has required that HIT vendors develop RESTful APIs for EHRs and other systems so that patients and medical providers using mobile health (mHealth) applications via the cloud can easily access their healthcare data from multiple sources. This necessitates the consideration that access control mechanisms are candidates to protect highly-sensitive data of such applications via the control of who can call which service. The paper presents the attainment of role-based (RBAC), mandatory (MAC), and discretionary (DAC) access control for RESTful API and cloud services via an Intercepting API Calls approach that is able to define and enforce users of mobile apps to limit the API/cloud services that can be invoked depending on a user’s permissions. The presented Intercepting API Calls approach is demonstrated via an existing mHealth application.
Nutrition and Pregnancy

Fetal growth largely depends on an adequate supply of oxygen and nutrients. The changes that occur in the maternal organism during pregnancy, the so-called maternal adaptive mechanisms, are the most part directly or indirectly involved with the oxygen and nutrient needs of the fetus. The control of the maternal adaptive changes is not well understood. It seems clear, however, that to a large extent they are not under the direct influence of the fetus. Experiments have shown that both the rat and human placentae may remain attached to the uterus and, apparently, maintain an adequate secretion of hormones even after removal of the fetus (Bourdel and Jacquot, 1959; Friedman et al., 1969). The sequence of the maternal adaptive changes also suggest the influence of placental hormones rather than fetal needs. For example, the maximum rate of expansion of blood volume and maternal weight gain takes place during midgestation, 10 weeks before maximum placental growth and 15 weeks before maximum fetal growth (Fig. 1). Thus, pregnancy seems to have two phases: a “maternal phase,” which occurs during the first half of gestation and prepares the maternal organism for future fetal demands, and a “fetal phase” of maximum fetal requirements, occurring during the second half of gestation.
Asynchronous switching decentralized controllers for spacecraft formations

A method for the design of decentralized asynchronous controllers for spacecraft formations is presented.
The Internationalization of the US Academy: A Disciplinary Perspective

US academics are much less likely to see an international dimension in their teaching and research when compared to their foreign counterparts. This chapter explores the factors that dispose US academics to see their work as internationally linked. The data suggest that internationalization in teaching activities may be relatively independent of internationalization in research activities and furthermore that internationalization as an attitudinal characteristic may be independent of actual behaviors, such as collaborative publication with foreign scholars and teaching abroad.
Economic Well-Being of the Chronically Disabled Elderly: Practice and Policy Implications:

The 1982 Long-Term Care Survey (N = 5,670) was used to gain an understanding of predisposing, need, and enabling variables that influence the economic well-being of disabled elderly. Stepwise regre...
Role of quetiapine in protection of neurodegeneration after traumatic brain injury.

ObjectiveSchizophrenia is a chronic psychotic disorder in which patients experience positive and negative symptoms for over six months. Schizophrenia is associated with early mortality, with 40% of...
The ADHD response-inhibition deficit as measured by the stop task: replication with DSM-IV combined type, extension, and qualification.

Although response inhibition has been proposed as a core element of child attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the literature is heavily reliant on studies using DSM-III-R diagnostic criteria, older methods of measuring response inhibition, samples of boys, and failing to control thoroughly for comorbid problems--both as diagnoses and as subclinical variation. The present study replicated a deficit in response inhibition in the ADHD combined type (DSM-IV, American Psychiatric Association, 1994) using samples matched on age and sex. The study replicated an effect size of approximately d = .6 in boys with ADHD, and observed an even larger effect size for girls, although the Sex x Group interaction was nonsignificant. Children with ADHD also had problems with response output, shown by variable responding. Excluding comorbid conduct disorder, reading disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, major depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder from the sample did not alter the results. Correlations indicated that response inhibition was associated with both attentional problems and reading level. Covarying for reading problems did not eliminate the ADHD group effect, but the association of response inhibition with reading clearly requires further examination. Overall, the study supported the role of response inhibition in the DSM-IV ADHD combined type, but with key qualifications as to degree of specificity in reference both to comorbid problems and other executive functions.
Primary Cutaneous CD30+ Lymphoproliferative Disorders, Lymphomatoid Papulosis

Lymphomatoid papulosis is part of the spectrum of primary cutaneous CD30+ lymphoproliferative disorders, which also includes cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma. Lymphomatoid papulosis may show various histopathologic patterns and may mimic different lymphomas. The clinical features and course are essential for final classification. CD30 expression may also occur in other neoplastic and reactive conditions.
Modeling Microdebrider-Mediated Ophthalmic Damage: A Word of Caution in Endoscopic Sinus Surgery.

Background The microdebrider has become nearly universal in the treatment of sinonasal pathology; however, recent case reports have demonstrated the potential for major ophthalmic complications. The goal of this study was twofold: 1) determine the anatomical proximity of ophthalmic structures to the paranasal sinuses, and 2) assess the timeframe at which ophthalmic injury may occur with the use of a microdebrider during FESS utilizing a cadaveric model. Methodology/Principal Computed tomography scans from 50 patients were accessed retrospectively. The distances between the lamina papyracea (LP) and orbital structures were determined at varying depths. Seven cadavers (14 sides) were studied using three microdebrider systems operated by otolaryngology residents. Following removal of a window of LP, the time from activation of the microdebrider on the periorbita until transection of the medial rectus (MR), optic nerve (ON), and to aspiration of the globe were measured. Results The mean distance between the LP and MR at the level of the anterior aspect of the anterior ethmoid and basal lamella were 3.59 ±1.2mm and 1.5 ±0.8mm, respectively. The mean distance between the LP and ON at the level of the basal lamella was 8.1 ±2.1mm. Mean transection times for the MR and ON were 13.4 ± 7.3 seconds and 37.3 ± 9.2 seconds, respectively, with minimum times of 4 seconds and 26 seconds. Conclusions The proximity of orbital structures to the paranasal sinuses and the rapidity of ophthalmic damage following violation of the periorbita reaffirms the need for cautious use of the microdebrider during FESS.
Systematic differences between perceptually-relevant image statistics of brain MRI and natural images

It is well-known that the human visual system is adapted to the statistical structure of natural scenes. Yet there are important classes of images - for example, medical images - that are not natural scenes, and therefore, that are expected to have statistical properties that deviate from the class of images that shaped the evolution and development of human vision. Here, focusing on structural brain MRI images, we quantify and characterize these deviations in terms of a set of local image statistics to which human visual sensitivity has been well-characterized, and that has previously been used for natural image analysis. We analyzed MRI images in multiple databases including T1-weighted and FLAIR sequence types, and simulated MRI images based on a published image simulation procedure for T1 images, which we also modified to generate FLAIR images. We first computed the power spectra of MRI images; spectral slopes were in the range -2.6 to -3.1 for T1 sequences, and -2.2 to -2.7 for FLAIR sequences. Analysis of local image statistics was then carried out on whitened images. For all of the databases as well as for the simulated images, we found that the three-point correlations contributed substantially to the differences between the "texture" of randomly selected ROIs. The informative nature of three-point correlations for brain MRI was greater than for natural images, and also disproportionate to human visual sensitivity. As this finding was consistent across databases, it is likely to result from brain geometry at the scale of brain MRI resolution, rather than characteristics of specific imaging and reconstruction methods.
Control of Ca2+ Mobilization and Polyphosphoinositide Metabolism in Platelets by Prostacyclin

Cyclic AMP is perhaps the most important inhibitory regulator of platelet function. Dibutyryl cAMP, as well as agents that stimulate adenylate cyclase, can inhibit the characteristic responses of platelets to stimulation by agonists, i. e., shape change, aggregation and secretion, increased lipid metabolism, protein phosphorylation, and cytoskeleton assembly. Prostacyclin (PGI2) is the most potent physiological activator of platelet adenylate cyclase, and its role as a biological regulator of platelet function appears to be directly related to this action (Weksler, 1982). It has also been suggested that the antithrombotic effectiveness of certain agents observed clinically may be attributable to their antiphosphodiesterase activity, which enhances the action of prostacyclin, released from blood vessel walls, on platelet cAMP levels (Weksler, 1982).
An integrated experimental-computational approach for predicting virulence in New Zealand White rabbits and humans following inhalation exposure to Bacillus anthracis spores.

Inhalation of Bacillus anthracis spores can lead to an anthrax infection that can be fatal. Previously published mathematical models have extrapolated kinetic rates associated with bacterial growth in New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits to humans, but to date, actual measurements of the underlying processes associated with anthrax virulence between species have not been conducted. To address this knowledge gap, we have quantified species-specific rate constants associated with germination, proliferation, and immune cell inactivation of B. anthracis Sterne using an in vitro test platform that includes primary lung epithelial and immune cells. The generated data was then used to develop a physiologically based biokinetic model (PBBK) which quantitatively compares bacterial growth and mean time to death under lethal conditions in rabbits and humans. Simulations based upon our in vitro data and previously published in vivo data from rabbits indicate that disease progression is likely to be faster in humans than in NZW rabbits under comparable total deposited dose conditions. With the computational framework established, PBBK parameters can now be refined using experimental data for lethal B. anthracis strains (e.g. Ames) under identical conditions in future studies. The PBBK model can also be linked to existing aerosol dosimetry models that account for species-specific differences in aerosol deposition patterns to further improve the human health risk assessment of inhalation anthrax.
Decade-Long Temporal Trends in U.S. Hypertension-Related Cardiovascular Mortality

The 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guideline proposes an aggressive approach to hypertension (HTN) management ([1][1]). The NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) study suggested that HTN-related cardiovascular disease (CVD) deaths in the United
Spatial Distribution of PEO-PPO-PEO Block Copolymer and PEO Homopolymer in Lipid Bilayers.

Maintaining the integrity of cell membranes is indispensable for cellular viability. Poloxamer 188 (P188), a poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(propylene oxide)-b-poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO–PPO–PEO) triblo...
Modern theatre design and usage: do joint replacements need laminar flow?

Abstract Since the introduction of laminar flow to theatre systems by Charnley, it has become a necessity in arthroplasty surgery. His initial work in the 1960s and 70s created improvements in terms of reducing overall rates of periprosthetic joint replacement, but it has been hard to ascertain if this stems from the laminar flow itself or improvements in asepsis and the utilization of perioperative antibiotics. The aim of this paper is therefore to establish if laminar flow is still a necessary addition to modern theatre design, particularly in joint replacement surgery, irrespective of other surgical factors. A wide variety of studies were utilized to form an objective analysis of whether laminar flow is essential to asepsis in theatre design. It explores a number of smaller earlier studies and ends with two large trials which provide evidence that laminar flow may in fact have a deleterious effect on the potential for peri-prosthetic joint infection (PJI). The article discusses potential reasons for these findings and seeks to explain them in context of overall asepsis during joint replacement surgery.
Shear-Induced Platelet Activation is Sensitive to Age and Calcium Availability: A Comparison of Adult and Cord Blood

Antiplatelet therapy for neonates and infants is often extrapolated from the adult experience, based on limited observation of agonist-induced neonatal platelet hypoactivity and poor understanding of flow shear-mediated platelet activation. Therefore, thrombotic events due to device-associated disturbed flow are inadequately mitigated in critically ill neonates with indwelling umbilical catheters and infants receiving cardiovascular implants. Whole blood (WB), platelet-rich plasma (PRP), and gel-filtered platelets (GFP) were prepared from umbilical cord and adult blood, and exposed to biochemical agonists or pathological shear stress of 70 dyne/cm2. We evaluated α-granule release, phosphatidylserine (PS) scrambling, and procoagulant response using P-selectin expression, Annexin V binding, and thrombin generation (PAS), respectively. Activation modulation due to depletion of intracellular and extracellular calcium, requisite second messengers, was also examined. Similar P-selectin expression was observed for sheared adult and cord platelets, with concordant inhibition due to intracellular and extracellular calcium depletion. Sheared cord platelet Annexin V binding and PAS activity was similar to adult values in GFP, but lower in PRP and WB. Annexin V on sheared cord platelets was calcium-independent, with PAS slightly reduced by intracellular calcium depletion. Increased PS activity on purified sheared cord platelets suggest that their intrinsic function under pathological flow conditions is suppressed by cell-cell or plasmatic components. Although secretory functions of adult and cord platelets retain comparable calcium-dependence, PS exposure in sheared cord platelets is uniquely calcium-independent and distinct from adults. Identification of calcium-regulated developmental disparities in shear-mediated platelet function may provide novel targets for age-specific antiplatelet therapy.
FPGA Based Hardware In The Loop Inverter Loss and Thermal Model for Electric Vehicles

As the capability of real time hardware in the loop (HIL) systems has expanded over recent years, it has created an environment that provides an opportunity to couple highly accurate component models with the embedded control systems which drive them. One application of this, is the integration of an accurate inverter loss and thermal model in a real time environment. This integration allows for the influence of the control system on the inverter thermal behavior to be dynamically modeled in a closed loop manner for more accurate thermal modeling and opportunities for control optimization. This paper will present an accurate method for real time simulation of inverter loss and thermal behavior using an FPGA based real time system.
Book Review, Customary International Law in Times of Fundamental Change: Recognizing Grotian Moments. By Michael P. Scharf. Cambridge, New York: Cambridge University Press, 2013. Pp. 220. Index. $103.

This review of Professor Michael Scharf’s thoughtful and innovative book discusses his theory of how CIL may develop with surprising rapidity in the context of fundamental change. These moments of change, which Professor Scharf refers to as Grotian Moments, allow the accelerated formation of CIL without significant, indeed even any, state practice if there is a clear expression of opinio juris. In crafting his argument, he adopts to some degree the view of Frederic Kirgis that there is a sliding scale between state practice and opinio juris. The greater the quantity of concordant state practice, the less need for clear evidence of opinio juris. More importantly for his theory, clear evidence of opinio juris may establish a rule of CIL with little or no state practice. I review each of Professor Scharf’s supporting case studies to explore how he implicitly weighs the various material of CIL. As a general matter, the author gives considerable weight to non-binding UNGA resolutions, the failure to protest, and ICJ opinions, rather than the views of states in the formation of CIL.
The PITCH study: pitcher injuries during the first 30 days of the coronavirus disease 2019 halted Major League Baseball season

Background Major League Baseball (MLB) was among the first professional team sports leagues to resume play in the United States after public health measures related to the appearance of coronavirus disease 2019 caused interruptions to preseason training and major alterations to regular season play. There was a high level of concern that these athletes were ill-prepared for competition and would experience an increased risk of injury under the restricted play rules. Methods The data in our study were compiled using publicly accessible records of players placed on injured lists from 2015 to 2020. These records came from 4 open access websites: rotoworld.com, fangraphs.com, foxsports.com, and spotrac.com. All injuries were confirmed using the transaction database found on the official MLB website (mlb.com). Results A greater proportion of pitchers were injured during the first 30 days of the 2020 season compared to the first 30 days of any of the 5 prior seasons (29.74% vs. 11.72%, n=2190, P Conclusion A significantly large increase in soft tissue injuries in 2020 compared to the prior 5 seasons predominantly affected the trunk and the upper extremity of pitchers in the first 30 days of play. Alterations to preseason training and regular season play in the 2020 MLB season due to coronavirus disease 2019 may have been particularly disadvantageous to professional pitchers who are positioned at baseline, the most injury prone position.
Optimal Transport in the Face of Noisy Data.

Optimal transport distances are popular and theoretically well understood in the context of data-driven prediction. A flurry of recent work has popularized these distances for data-driven decision-making as well although their merits in this context are far less well understood. This in contrast to the more classical entropic distances which are known to enjoy optimal statistical properties. This begs the question when, if ever, optimal transport distances enjoy similar statistical guarantees. Optimal transport methods are shown here to enjoy optimal statistical guarantees for decision problems faced with noisy data.
Induced Enhanced Resistance to Transplantable Tumors in Mice

The first systematic studies of bacterial vaccines in the treatment of human cancer were performed by W. B. Coley (1891, 1893, 1898, 1906). Additional reports of cancer treatment with such vaccines appeared although not all were of a positive nature (reviewed by Nauts et al., 1946). The use of Coley’s toxins (mixtures of Streptococcus pyogenes and Serratia marcescens) fell into disfavor because of a lack of consistency, which was due, in part, to a lack of potency and a lack of knowledge regarding dosage, site of administration, and frequency of injections. However, a case study by Nauts et al. (1953) revealed the effectiveness of Coley’s toxins when these parameters were taken into consideration. Interest in bacterial products was revived by the experiments of Shwartzman and Michailovsky (1932) and of Duran-Reynals (1935) wherein they showed that bacterial filtrates of gram-negative organisms were effective in producing hemorrhagic necrosis of murine tumors.
Employment, Empowerment, and Spousal Violence on Women in Developing Countries

Although female labor force participation is expected to empower women and enhance their well-being, it could generate unintended consequences, especially where the prevailing culture considers female employment a challenge to male dominance. The existing empirical studies in developing countries suggest that female employment tends to increase the risk of spousal violence against them, rather than improving their bargaining power. However, the existing studies are limited in that their conclusions are often based on correlational, not causal, inference. More studies are needed that exploit exogenous variations in female work status to identify a clear-cut causal relationship between their employment and spousal violence. At the same time, policies that promote female empowerment through employment should take a sophisticated approach that can minimize cultural resistance.
Drug treatment of lipid disorders

Arteriosclerosis of the coronary and peripheral vasculature is the leading cause of death among men and women in the United States1 and worldwide.2 In 1992, for example, cardiovascular disease accounted for 38 percent of deaths from all causes among men and 42 percent of all deaths among women in Washington State3; nationwide, the mortality rate for cardiovascular disease is approximately 50 percent.4 Mechanisms of Atherogenesis Central to the pathogenesis of arteriosclerosis is the deposition of cholesterol in the arterial wall.5,6 Nearly all lipoproteins are involved in this process, including cholesterol carried by very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL),7,8 remnant lipoprotein, . . .
A comparison of hydraulic, pneumatic, and electro-mechanical actuators for general aviation flight controls

Mathematical models for electromechanical (EM), pneumatic and hydraulic actuations are discussed. It is shown that EM and hydraulic actuators provide better and faster time responses than pneumatic actuators but EM actuators utilizing the recently developed samarium-cobalt technology have significant advantages in terms of size, weight and power requirements. In terms of ease and flexibility of installation EM actuators apparently have several advantages over hydraulic actuators, and cost is a primary reason for the popularity of EM actuation for secondary control function since no additional systems need to be added to the aircraft. While new rare earth magnets are currently in developmental stage, costs are relatively high; but continued research should bring prices down.
Taxonomy of ERP integrations and performance outcomes: an exploratory study of manufacturing firms

Building and deploying network capabilities of firms are crucial for sustaining competitive advantage. Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems are useful to enhance such network capabilities thorough effective information flows. Their intended goals are measured in terms of production costs, operational flexibility and supply chain performance outcomes. However, the impact of ERP system implementation on firm performance has been reported as somewhat inconclusive. This study contends that a missing link in the story is the scope and extent of ERP system implementation after investigating how the extent of ERP integration is associated with the performance outcomes of manufacturing firms. The study also posits that restructuring in the organisation and supply chains are positively associated with manufacturing performance. Since ERP often entails restructuring in an organisation and supply chains, it is anticipated that restructuring plays an important role in inducing positive impact of ERP implementat...
Fracture Mechanics and Corrosion Fatigue

Review of the current state-of-the-art in fracture mechanics, particularly in relation to the study of problems in environment-enhanced fatigue crack growth. The usefulness of this approach in developing understanding of the mechanisms for environmental embrittlement and its engineering utility are discussed. After a brief review of the evolution of the fracture mechanics approach and the study of environmental effects on the fatigue behavior of materials, a study is made of the response of materials to fatigue and corrosion fatigue, the modeling of the mechanisms of the fatigue process is considered, and the application of knowledge of fatigue crack growth to the prediction of the high cycle life of unnotched specimens is illustrated.
Is cannabis use associated with less opioid use among people who inject drugs

Background Clinical, experimental, and ethnographic research suggests that cannabis may be used to help manage pain. Ethnographic research has revealed that some people are using cannabis to temper their illicit opioid use. We seek to learn if there is an association between cannabis use and the frequency of nonmedical opioid use among people who inject drugs (PWID).
Sign Test: Basic

Arguably the oldest distribution-free test, the Sign test is used either in the one-sample context to test a hypothesis about a population median or in the paired sample context to test a hypothesis about the equality of two population medians. Keywords: median; signed rank test; paired samples
Photochemistry of polymers: photopolymerization fundamentals and applications

The interaction of polymers and light as well as the production of polymers from photoinduced reactions is a vast subject area with numerous varied aspects. These areas include polymer formation from photopolymerizations, photocrosslinking reactions, and photodegradation reactions. This article will be restricted to reviewing the fundamental aspects of photopolymerizations as well as a summary of the current applications of photopolymerizations and other photochemical reactions in polymers.
Effect of insulin administration on cardiac glycogen synthase and synthase phosphatase activity in rats fed diets high in protein, fat or carbohydrate.

Rats were fed a 70% carbohydrate, 70% protein, 70% fat, or a standard purified diet for 7 d to determine the effect of the diet on heart glycogen synthase response to an acute insulin challenge. Rats fed the high protein or the high fat diets, i.e., the carbohydrate-free diets, exhibited insulin resistance as evidenced by higher plasma glucose levels following insulin administration when compared to rats fed high carbohydrate or standard diet. The diets had no effect on the initial proportion of synthase in the active or I form. Insulin injection resulted in an increase in the proportion of synthase in the active form in rats fed the standard, high carbohydrate or high protein diets, but not in rats fed the high fat diet. Synthase phosphatase activity was similar in rats fed one of the four diets compared to rats fed a nonpurified diet. Thus the lack of synthase response to insulin in fat-fed rats was not due to diminished synthase phosphatase activity. Neither the diets nor insulin administration had any effect on the proportion of phosphorylase in the active or a form. Cardiac glycogen was significantly lower in rats fed the high fat diet than in those fed the standard diet. The latter was a surprising observation since the high fat diet was used to simulate a starved state and cardiac glycogen concentrations increase with starvation.
Lytic function of bovine lymphokine-activated killer cells from a normal and a malignant catarrhal fever virus-infected animal.

Abstract Lymphokine-supplemented long-term cultured bovine lymph node lymphocytes were characterized functionally and phenotypically. Lymphocytes from a normal and a malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) virus-infected animal were maintained without the addition of antigen or feeder cells. Lymphocyte cell lines obtained from both animals: (i) killed allogeneic fibroblasts and allogeneic and xenogeneic cultured tumor cell lines as measured in a 4-h 51 Cr release assay, (ii) expressed the same T cell subset marker based on flow cytometry using monoclonal antibodies, and (iii) produced a lytic factor upon stimulation. In contrast, only cells from the MCF virus-infected animal could be maintained for more than 5 months supplemented with 2% Con A-generated lymphokine-containing supernatant. These results suggest that herpesvirus infection enhanced the proliferative capabilities of the cultured lymphocytes from the infected animal. Considering the proliferative and cytotoxic activity together with the T cell phenotype, these data indicate that effector cells are lymphokine-activated killer cells.
Prevalence of baseline lipid monitoring in patients prescribed second-generation antipsychotics during their index hospitalization: a retrospective cohort study

Abstract Background Second-generation antipsychotics have been found to increase a patient's risk of dyslipidemia. Despite consensus statement recommendations for lipid monitoring, studies indicate that up to 90% of patients still do not have a baseline lipid panel prior to prescription of a second-generation antipsychotic. Methods This study retrospectively examined the prevalence of baseline lipid monitoring in patients prescribed second-generation antipsychotics during their index psychiatric hospitalization at Duke University Hospital between July 1, 2005, and July 1, 2010. Results Seventy patients were included in the study, with a mean age of 21.5±2.5 years. Of these patients, 22 (31.4%) had baseline lipid panels drawn during hospitalization. Lipid monitoring was statistically more frequent in males than in females ( P =.01). Although not statistically significant, lipid monitoring was also more likely to occur among subjects who were African American (40%; P =.07) and with the prescription of olanzapine (50%; P =.07). About half of baseline lipid panels demonstrated either a low high-density lipoprotein or high triglycerides, indicating at least one risk factor for the metabolic syndrome. Conclusion This study provides alarming evidence that, even in an academic setting with active discussions among psychiatrists regarding issues of metabolic risk and appropriate monitoring, adherence to American Psychiatric Association/American Diabetes Association consensus statement recommendations on rates of baseline lipid monitoring is disappointingly low in the absence of systems to encourage or automate best practice.
Creating strong single molecule emitter using 3-dimensional plasmonic nano-cavity

We report strong fluorescence emissions from single IR dye molecules on a novel 3D plasmonic nanoantenna array. The measured emission cross-section is ∼1E-13 cm2, 5 orders of magnitude than the value in solution.
Community: Calling Students To Be Accountable

Inherent in the missions of colleges and universities with a Christian tradition is a goal of building a strong community. These campuses seek to foster a sense of belonging for their students, and they employ principled approaches to the development of effective policies for all aspects of student affairs. Simultaneously, they frequently face financial constraints and, therefore, often seek cost-effective means of operating. This research examines the efficacy of student discipline processes in light of their moral constructs, thereby providing meaningful insight for campus administrators as they refine their approaches on Christian-based campuses throughout the United States. A random purposeful selection of 30 Catholic campuses comprised the sample from a population of 219 total campuses in the population. The sample was delimited to those that were coed, had housing on campus, used the three discipline/judicial processes, and had databases that allowed them to identify repeat offenders. Chi-Square Goo...
High-Cost Life Prolongation: The National Kidney Dialysis and Kidney Transplantation Study

Excerpt End-stage renal disease requiring maintenance dialysis or transplantation is the only disease for which diagnosis alone entitles Americans to Social Security medical benefits (if they or fa...
Bayes and Bust: Simplicity as a Problem for a Probabilist's Approach to Confirmation

AbstractThe central problem with Bayesian philosophy of science is that it cannot take account of the relevance of simplicity and unification to confirmation, induction, and scientific inference. T...