cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Age-Specific Fitness Components in Plants: Genotype and Phenotype

One area of population biology that has been of recurrent interest is the relationship between the phenotype of an organism and its genotype. That is, how much of the phenotypic variation that is observed in natural populations has an underlying genetic basis? Most natural populations of both plants and animals show enormous variation in phenotypes, specifically in life history components that affect fitness. Some individuals survive to reproductive age; others die young. Some individuals produce many offspring, while others produce none. The critical question for the evolutionary biologist is: what is the underlying genetic basis for this variation in phenotype? Natural selection can exert its evolutionary influence only on genetically based variability. Does most phenotypic variation observed in natural populations reflect underlying genetic variation? Or, does the variability reflect phenotypic plasticity? In the following we will be concerned with phenotypic and genotypic variation, specifically in higher plants.
Telephone Sampling in Epidemiologic Research: To Reap the Benefits, Avoid the Pitfalls

Recently, the use of telephone sampling methods in epidemiology has been sharply increasing. Properly applied, these methods provide powerful tools. Improperly applied, they may produce invalid results. This review covers many points to which the investigator should be alert. An underlying theme is that bias in studies that use telephone sampling can potentially spring from many sources and should be avoided wherever feasible. In epidemiology, there are two main uses of telephone sampling--in general surveys (cross-sectional studies) and in case-control studies. For the former, the principles differ little from those for general surveys in other fields. For the latter, most of the same principles apply, but case-control studies also have their own unique aspects. In this review, several topics receive detailed treatment. Valid combinations of area code and prefix can be found through careful processing of a file that is available commercially. Three options that can be used singly or in any combination provide broadened adaptability for the Mitofsky-Waksberg method of random digit dialing. Bias can be thwarted by certain steps in the interviewing and by weighting. For population-based and then center-based case-control studies, a scheme that samples controls from household censuses and avoids usual problems is offered.
Shorter Lives and Poorer Health on the Campaign Trail.

For those desiring serious and compelling conversation on the presidential campaign trail about the future of our nation’s health, this is a dispiriting time for two reasons. First, candidates have precious little to say about our most compelling challenges relating to the nation’s health as opposed to our medical care. They follow familiar and politically reliable prescriptions on both sides of the partisan divide. Second, the raw material for a rich and potent debate concerning the public’s health has never been more abundant. I have hope that this conversation can occur, though not in the context of the 2016 political circus.
A Theory of Judicial Review

This is the text of a lecture I delivered in two venues: at Baylor University (the annual Robert T. Miller Lecture, sponsored by the Department of Political Science, Oct. 26, 2015) and, later, at Boston College Law School (sponsored by the Clough Center for Constitutional Democracy, Feb. 29, 2016). The lecture is drawn from my new book, which will be published later this year: A GLOBAL POLITICAL MORALITY: HUMAN RIGHTS, DEMOCRACY, AND CONSTITUTIONALISM.If normative, as such a theory typically is, a theory of judicial review is based, implicitly if not explicitly, on one or more normative premises. The normative premises on which the theory of judicial review elaborated and defended in this lecture is based constitute “the morality of human rights,” as I have long called it. (See, e.g., Michael J. Perry, “The Morality of Human Rights” (2013), http://ssrn.com/abstract=2274381.) The morality of human rights, as I explain in the book from which this lecture is drawn, is mainly, though not only, a political morality — indeed, the first truly global political morality in human history. If there is a less contentious normative basis for a theory of judicial review, I do not know what it is. In the penultimate section of this lecture, I bring the theory of judicial review elaborated and defended here to bear both on the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in District of Columbia v. Heller (2008) and on the U.S. Supreme Court’s capital punishment jurisprudence. In a chapter referenced at the end of this lecture — a chapter of A GLOBAL POLITICAL MORALITY — I bring the theory to bear on several enduring constitutional controversies, including the controversies over capital punishment, race-based affirmative action, same-sex marriage, physician-assisted suicide, and abortion.
Olefin Cis-Dihydroxylation with Bio-Inspired Iron Catalysts. Evidence for an FeII/FeIV Catalytic Cycle

Iron(II) complexes of a series of N-acylated dipyridin-2-ylmethylamine ligands (R-DPAH) have been investigated as catalysts for the cis-dihydroxylation of olefins to model the action of Rieske dioxygenases that catalyze arene cis-dihydroxylation. The Rieske dioxygenases have a mononuclear iron active site coordinated to a 2-histidine-1-carboxylate facial triad motif. The R-DPAH ligands are designed to provide a facial N,N,O-ligand set that mimics the enzyme active site. The iron(II) complexes of the R-DPAH ligands activate H2O2 to effect the oxidation of olefin substrates into cis-diol products. As much as 90% of the H2O2 oxidant is converted into cis-diol, but a large excess of olefin is required to achieve the high conversion efficiency. Reactivity and mechanistic comparisons with the previously characterized Fe(TPA)/H2O2 catalyst/oxidant combination (TPA = tris(pyridin-2-ylmethyl)amine) lead us to postulate an FeII/FeIV redox cycle for the Fe(R-DPAH) catalysts in which an FeIV(OH)2 oxidant carries out ...
LDPC-coded BICM-ID based nonuniform signaling for ultra-high-speed optical transport

An LDPC-coded BICM-ID scheme with nonuniform signaling (NS) for 9-QAM and 12-QAM is proposed, which is designed by mapping Huffman code onto constellations. We demonstrate that proposed NS scheme outperforms LDPC-coded 8-QAM by 0.8 dB.
Rapid quantitation of complex petroleum hydrocarbon samples from a single injection using a modified GC/CDS

Description de la methode, discussion de chromatogrammes obtenus pour un petrole brut du Koweit
Forecasting Sales in Underdeveloped Countries

Sales forecasting in underdeveloped countries is quite different than in countries with more mature economies. The keys to forecasting in developing countries are an understanding (1) of the phases...
Energy Gap in β − Ag 2 Se

The energy gap of the modification of silver selenide stable below 133\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C has been investigated. Studies of the optical-absorption spectrum at 80\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K and at 5\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K and of the temperature variation of the Hall coefficient and electrical conductivity have been made on polycrystalline samples. Analysis of the data on the electrical properties in the intrinsic region suggests the existence of two phases, not distinguishable by x-ray diffraction, with energy gaps ${E}_{0}$ at 0\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K of 0.07\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.01 eV and 0.18\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.01 eV, respectively. The latter value agrees with that proposed for the ${\ensuremath{\beta}}_{2}$ phase of $\ensuremath{\beta}\ensuremath{-}{\mathrm{Ag}}_{2}\mathrm{Se}$ reported by Baer. The optical-absorption spectra suggest that the band-to-band transitions observed are direct. The extrapolated threshold of absorption is at 0.13 eV at 5\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K and correlates best, because of the probable Burstein shift of the absorption edge, with the proposed value of ${E}_{0}=0.07$ eV. It is also concluded that the energy gap increases as the temperature decreases.
Analysis of Prevalence Characteristics of Pneumoconiosis from 1949 to 2004 in Shanghai

[ Objective] To analyze the prevalence characteristics of pneumoconiosis from 1949 to 2004 in Shanghai to provide the reference for decision-making the further preventive measure.[ Methods] Carry out the epidemiological investigation on pneumoconiosis cases in Shanghai.[ Results] In Shanghai,the amount of pneumoconiosis cases accumulated to 6030 from 1949 to 2004,among which 5475 male cases accounted for 90.8%,and 555 female cases accounted for 9.2%. There are 3437 stage I,1873 stage II and 720 stage III cases. So far,there are 2553 pneumoconiosis patients died and 3477 remain alive,and the fatality rate is 42.3%. According to the number of accumulated cases,silicosis,foundry workers’pneumoconiosis, asbestosis,welders’pneumoconiosis and carbon black pneumoconiosis ranked the top 5 kinds,which accounted for 54.26%, 22.94%,10.50%,5.51%,and 2.04% respectively. Silicosis and foundry workers’pneumoconiosis cases were 4655,which accounted for 77.2%. Most of these cases occurred in workers served in steel foundry,construction material mining and processing, refractory and glass manufacturing industry. Since 80s last century,the incidence of pneumoconiosis has decreased gradually and only 228 new cases occurred in the duration of 1980-2004. Silicosis and welders’pneumoconiosis were the main parts of the new cases,which accounted for 37.3% and 33.8% respectively. And the foreign-owned,village and town-owned and group-owned factories will play the main sources of the new cases of pneumoconiosis.[ Conclusion] In Shanghai it has already achieved effective results on control of pneumoconiosis but still faces the challenge and needs to strengthen the management and supervision on foreign investment and small factories for final elimination of the pneumoconiosis.
Designs with Two Blocking Factors

This chapter examines row-column designs which involve two blocking factors that do not interact. Latin square designs and Youden designs are examined as simple examples of row-column designs. The model and an overview of analysis of variance, confidence intervals, and multiple comparisons for general row-column design is provided. The analysis simplifications that occur in Latin square and Youden designs are then described. The chapter provides a brief description of model assumption checking as well as an extension of the model to cover factorial experiments in row-column designs. The concepts introduced in this chapter are illustrated through examples and through the use of SAS and R software.
Erdheim-Chester Disease

Erdheim-Chester disease, or lipid granulomatosis, is a rare disorder characterized by the proliferation of histiocytes in bone and in extraosseous locations. It is thought perhaps to be a lipid storage disease, in which foamy lipid-laden histiocytes accumulate in the bone marrow. Extravasated lipid results in cholesterol granulomas and a fibroinflammatory reaction.
Rapidly Tunable Dual-Comb RF Photonic Filter for Ultrabroadband RF Spread Spectrum Applications

We demonstrate a rapidly frequency-tunable radio frequency (RF) filter using microwave photonics technology for ultrawideband RF spread spectrum applications. A pair of electro-optic frequency combs is arranged as a dispersive tapped delay line in a differential detection configuration to implement a programmable finite impulse response RF filter. Our photonic scheme enables both fast frequency tuning on the order of tens of nanoseconds and wide tuning range (>7.5 GHz) with minimal variation of RF gain and passband shape. The low control voltage (ca. 1 V) and the linear relationship between control voltage and passband frequency facilitate agile frequency tuning for processing of signals with time-varying frequency content, while differential detection increases the photocurrent by a factor of two and suppresses common mode intensity noise. We exploit the rapid tunability of the implemented filter to demonstrate dynamic tracking of frequency-hopped and chirped RF signals. An experiment that performs dynamic filtering of an input chirp signal (3.92-GHz center frequency, up-chirped by >2 GHz within 100 ns) obscured by strong broadband noise achieves $\sim 11$ -dB signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) improvement. The SNR obtained is in addition to that available from standard matched filtering or pulse compression processing, suggesting strong potential for enhanced resistance against broadband noise jamming.
The Mental Health of Transgender Youth: Advances in Understanding

Abstract This review provides an update on the growing body of research related to the mental health of transgender youth that has emerged since the 2011 publication of the Institute of Medicine report on the health of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people. The databases PubMed and Ovid Medline were searched for studies that were published from January 2011 to March 2016 in English. The following search terms were used: transgender, gender nonconforming, gender minority, gender queer, and gender dysphoria. Age limits included the terms youth, child, children, teenager*, and adolescen*. The combined search produced 654 articles of potential relevance. The resulting abstracts went through a tiered elimination system, and the remaining 15 articles, which presented quantitative data related to the prevalence of transgender youth and their mental health, were included in the present review. In addition to providing new estimates of the number of young people who identify as transgender (.17%–1.3%), studies since 2011 have shown that transgender youth have higher rates of depression, suicidality and self-harm, and eating disorders when compared with their peers. Gender-affirming medical therapy and supported social transition in childhood have been shown to correlate with improved psychological functioning for gender-variant children and adolescents. Recent research has demonstrated increased rates of psychiatric morbidity among transgender youth compared to their peers. Future work is needed to understand those youth who identify as gender nonbinary, improve methods to capture and understand diverse gender identities and related health disparities, and delineate the social determinants of such disparities.
Intuitive Error Rate Estimates for the Forensic Sciences

There is a risk of error associated with all forensic science conclusions. However, no proper studies have been conducted in any of the forensic sciences to estimate the rate at which forensic science conclusions are wrong. As a result, jurors and other consumers of forensic science information are left to speculate about what those error rates might be. The present paper provides data from an online study (n = 210) about what jury-eligible people (“jurors”) think the false positive error rates are for five types of forensic science evidence (DNA, fingerprints, bite marks, microscopic hair, and handwriting). Jurors’ median estimates range from a high of 1 in 100,000 (handwriting) to a low of 1 in 1,000,000,000 (DNA). The significance of these estimated false positive error rates is discussed.
Plant Breeding, Principles

Plant breeding is a science and an art. Its essential principles are identical to those of plant evolution. With advances in knowledge, the activity has increasingly become more scientific and technical, with more predictable outcomes. The concept of genetic improvement of plants may be summarized by the mathematical expression P = G + E + GE, where P = phenotype (trait), G = genotype (genes), E = environment (in which the genes are expressed), and GE = the interaction between the genes and their environment. Consequently, if one desires to improve a trait, one may change the genotype (nature) permanently through plant breeding, or temporarily through supplementing the cultural environment (nurture). Plant breeders follow certain general steps in their work: (a) objective(s), (b) creation/assembly of variation, (c) selection, (d) evaluation, and (e) cultivar release. They also use certain methods and techniques, dictated by factors including plant mating system, source of genetic variability, and the number of genes that condition the target trait. Usually, genes for crop improvement are accessed from within biological boundaries (conventional breeding); occasionally, breeders import alien genes (molecular breeding), an approach that is intensely controversial.
Determination of plasma pinch time and effective current radius of double planar wire array implosions from current measurements on a 1-MA linear transformer driver

Implosions of planar wire arrays were performed on the Michigan Accelerator for Inductive Z-pinch Experiments, a linear transformer driver (LTD) at the University of Michigan. These experiments were characterized by lower than expected peak currents and significantly longer risetimes compared to studies performed on higher impedance machines. A circuit analysis showed that the load inductance has a significant impact on the current output due to the comparatively low impedance of the driver; the long risetimes were also attributed to high variability in LTD switch closing times. A circuit model accounting for these effects was employed to measure changes in load inductance as a function of time to determine plasma pinch timing and calculate a minimum effective current-carrying radius. These calculations showed good agreement with available shadowgraphy and x-ray diode measurements.
Performance Theory Based Formation of Composite Scores: Application to Steadiness/Tremor Measurement

Tremor is a rhythmic, involuntary, oscillatory movement of a body part (e.g., head, hand, etc.) The first objective tremor measurement was performed in 1889 and historically, measurement has been primarily one dimensional. Recent advances in inertial sensing technology have spawned interest in capturing motion information from multiple degrees of freedom (DOF). Our current interest is in the formation of a valid, single number composite score that answers the basic question: "How steady is the body segment under test?" Two approaches to steadiness composite score formation are investigated: 1) the traditional method that relies on addition, and 2) a new performance theory-based approach. Conceptual and experimental investigations were performed. The latter involved previously published 4 DOF data from 20 healthy subjects. It is shown that the multiplicative, performance-theory based composite score has better intrinsic validity and is more sensitive.
A critical review on wavelet based feature extraction for Iris Recognition

Iris Recognition, an evolving biometric identification technique which provides individual authentication based on unique feature or characteristic possessed by the individual. This paper provides general framework and related work in the iris recognition. Iris recognition improves the efficiency of biometric identification. This paper provides a critical review on different wavelet based feature extraction techniques proposed up till now along with efficiency comparison of each technique.
Reduction of Greenhouse-Gas Emissions by Chinese Buddhists with Vegetarian Diets: A Quantitative Assessment

AbstractThe equivalent reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGEs) by Chinese Buddhists with vegetarian diets is quantitatively evaluated. By analysing data obtained from a national study, correlation analyses are performed to obtain appropriate formulas to predict the dietary GHGE by using meat consumption as the only input. To demonstrate its reliability, the prediction from the formulas developed is first compared with the results of a food-production study using a difference approach. Then the quantitative study of equivalent GHGE reduction due to Chinese Buddhists with vegetarian diets is presented. An assessment of the vegetarian population amongst Chinese Buddhists is also included in this study. The results indicate that Chinese Buddhists with vegetarian diets account for the equivalent GHGE reduction of 39.68 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent, which is a sizable amount and is equal to 7.2 and 9.2% of the GHGEs from United Kingdom and France in 2012, respectively. In modern times, the vegeta...
Assessing treatment results in benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Nowhere in urology has the philosophy of treatment for a particular disease, or the list of options for treatment, changed so markedly over a short period of time as it has for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). In 1985, in the second tome on BPH published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), following an NIH sponsored conference on the subject, Frank Hinman, Jr. expressed the prevailing philosophy, at least among urologists, regarding the treatment of BPH: “Men will choose between continuing medical therapy for the rest of their lives or having a one time operation” (Hinman 1985). At that time, a short 7 years ago, the “medical therapy” consisted only of side effect producing means of decreasing serum testosterone or interfering with its action and nonselective α-adrenergic blockade. A tabulation of the treatment options for BPH now available is seen in Table 1, a list that will probably be incomplete by the time of publication of this volume. Lest one think this is a “pie in the sky” list, only two of these options (growth factor inhibitor and pyrotherapy) could be listed as laboratory, experimental, or theoretical considerations, while the rest are in fact real and available options, most of which are being vigorously pursued by one or another commercial company. At the 1992 meeting of the American Urological Association (AUA), there were two courses on balloon dilatation, one course on the pharmacology of BPH, one course on nonsurgical management of BPH, one course on new nonmedical trends in the management of BPH, and one course on hyperthermia!
Masculinity and New War: The Gendered Dynamics of Contemporary Armed Conflict

In this title, part of the Routledge Studies in Gender and Global Politics series, author David Duriesmith examines the topic of so-called ‘new wars’ with a gendered lens. In doing so, however, the...
Effects of Wounding, IBA and Basal Trimming on Rooting of Boxwood Cuttings

Wounding, indole butyric acid (IBA) and trimming of cuttings to a basal node were evaluated for their effects on rooting of Buxus sempervirens L. (American boxwood), B. sempervirens L. ‘Suffruticosa’ (English boxwood), B. microphylla var. koreana Nakai. (Korean boxwood), and B. microphylla var. japonica (Mull. Agr.) Rehd. and Wils. (Japanese boxwood) cuttings. Rooting of all cultivars was improved by a 5 second dip in a 0.4% aqueous solution of the potassium salt of IBA. Wounding the basal end of the cuttings only improved rooting for Korean and Japanese boxwoods. However, the combination of wounding and IBA dip gave the best results for all cultivars. Trimming the cuttings to a basal node was beneficial only to Korean boxwoods.
Chapter 28 - Attention deficit

Primary attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a familial neurodevelopmental disorder involving the frontostriatal pathways and probably connections with the cerebellum and parietal lobe. ADHD is a polygenetic disorder involving predominantly catecholaminergic receptors and transporters. Though more common in school age children, ADHD may persist into adolescence and adulthood. Comorbidity with other disruptive behavior disorders, anxiety disorders, mood disorders, and learning disability is common. Secondary problems with attention are associated with neurological disorders that involve damage to the frontal lobes, drugs and toxins, and some genetic syndromes. Questionnaires are helpful in the diagnosis and follow-up of ADHD, and neuropsychological assessment can be useful for assessing cognitive function. Behavioral therapies are usually combined with medication for treatment of ADHD. Problems with attention are more responsive to treatment with stimulants, but nonstimulant medications such as atomoxetine, and possibly other drugs, are also effective and may be particularly useful in children and adolescents with comorbidity. The response to pharmacotherapy is better in patients with primary ADHD compared to those with secondary problems with attention.
Fighting Fire with Fire: Royal Dutch/Shell's Responses to Anti-Apartheid Activists

I investigate how firms defend their organizational legitimacy in response to social movement activism. Building upon organizational impression management (OIM) research, I focus on firms’ defamati...
World's smallest combined en bloc liver‐pancreas transplantation

We present a case of a 2-year-old child who underwent a combined en bloc liver and pancreas transplant following complications of WRS. WRS is characterized clinically through infantile insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, neutropenia, recurrent infections, propensity for liver failure following viral infections, bone dysplasia, and developmental delay. Usually, death occurs from fulminant liver and concomitant kidney failure. Few cases with WRS are reported in the literature, mostly from consanguineous parents. To the best of our knowledge, combined en bloc liver and pancreas transplant has not been performed in small children.
The problem with percentages

A great many students at a major research university make basic conceptual mistakes in responding to simple questions about two successive percentage changes. The mistakes they make follow a patter...
Special Issues in Young Women with Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Young patients with triple-negative breast cancer tend to present with aggressive, advanced disease at diagnosis. Young patients with breast cancer can face unique challenges, including delays in diagnosis, higher rates of germline mutations, diminished fertility, and other treatment-associated long-term toxicities. All these issues must be addressed as part of their oncology care to ensure the best health and psychosocial outcomes after treatment. In this chapter, we discuss the distinctive issues faced by young women with triple-negative breast cancer.
TriCurin, a synergistic formulation of curcumin, resveratrol, and epicatechin gallate, repolarizes tumor-associated macrophages and triggers an immune response to cause suppression of HPV+ tumors

Our earlier studies reported a unique potentiated combination (TriCurin) of curcumin (C) with two other polyphenols. The TriCurin-associated C displays an IC50 in the low micromolar range for cultured HPV+ TC-1 cells. In contrast, because of rapid degradation in vivo, the TriCurin-associated C reaches only low nano-molar concentrations in the plasma, which are sub-lethal to tumor cells. Yet, injected TriCurin causes a dramatic suppression of tumors in TC-1 cell-implanted mice (TC-1 mice) and xenografts of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) cells in nude/nude mice. Here, we use the TC-1 mice to test our hypothesis that a major part of the anti-tumor activity of TriCurin is evoked by innate and adaptive immune responses. TriCurin injection repolarized arginase1high (ARG1high), IL10high, inducible nitric oxide synthaselow (iNOSlow), IL12low M2-type tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) into ARG1low, IL10low, iNOShigh, and IL12high M1-type TAM in HPV+ tumors. The M1 TAM displayed sharply suppressed STAT3 and induced STAT1 and NF-kB(p65). STAT1 and NF-kB(p65) function synergistically to induce iNOS and IL12 transcription. Neutralizing IL12 signaling with an IL12 antibody abrogated TriCurin-induced intra-tumor entry of activated natural killer (NK) cells and Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL), thereby confirming that IL12 triggers recruitment of NK cells and CTL. These activated NK cells and CTL join the M1 TAM to elicit apoptosis of the E6+ tumor cells. Corroboratively, neutralizing IL12 signaling partially reversed this TriCurin-mediated apoptosis. Thus, injected TriCurin elicits an M2→M1 switch in TAM, accompanied by IL12-dependent intra-tumor recruitment of NK cells and CTL and elimination of cancer cells.
Security implications of implantable medical devices

The advancement of wireless medical devices in the hospital has created an environment that is unsustainable, unsustainable for security management. I will explain how the development of wireless medical devices has changed the landscape of security in the medical field. How the history of medical devices and organizational issues affected device development. I will look in to the inner workings of pacemakers and pacemaker programmers and how their systems affect security. Who are the stakeholders for protecting the information and function of the medical device and pacemaker? What are the stakeholder’s capacities and obstacles, especially if the device is implanted in your body? Once we understand the risk and who has the best ability to mitigate it, how can a system of prioritization of medical devices be used to solve the issues of insecure medical devices and/or pacemakers. How can the process of prioritization bring us back within our risk threshold for medical devices?
Packaging Determines Color and Odor of Irradiated Ground Beef

Irradiation of ground beef under aerobic conditions oxidized myoglobin and drastically reduced color a*-values. Under vacuum or non-oxygen conditions, however, irradiation did not influence the redness of ground beef. Also, the red color of ground beef was maintained even after the irradiated beef was exposed to aerobic conditions. Vacuum-packaged irradiated ground beef had lower metmyoglobin content and lower oxidation-reduction potential than the aerobically packaged ones. Irradiating ground beef under vacuum-packaging conditions was also advantageous in preventing lipid oxidation and aldehydes production. Vacuum-packaged irradiated beef, however, produced high levels of sulfur volatiles during irradiation and maintained their levels during storage, which resulted in the production of characteristic irradiation off-odor. Double-packaging (V3/A3: vacuum-packaging during irradiation and the first 3 days of storage and then aerobic-packaging for the remaining 3 days) was an effective alternative in maintaining original beef color (red), and minimizing lipid oxidation and irradiation off-odor. The levels of off-odor volatiles in double-packaged irradiated ground beef were comparable to that of aerobically packaged ones, and the degree of lipid oxidation and color changes were close to those of vacuum-packaged ones. Ascorbic acid at 200 ppm level was not effective in preventing color changes and lipid oxidation in irradiated ground beef under aerobic conditions, but was helpful in minimizing quality changes in doublepackaged irradiated ground beef. This suggested that preventing oxygen contact from meat during irradiation and early storage period (V3/A3 double-packaging) and doublepackaging+ascorbic acid combination are excellent strategies to prevent off-odor production and color changes in irradiated ground beef. Developing methods that can prevent quality changes of irradiated beef is important for the implication of irradiation, which will improve the safety of beef.
Transscleral Cyclophotocoagulation: A Laser Treatment for Glaucoma

Ophthalmologists have been searching for a treatment to control intraocular pressure in difficult cases of glaucoma. The ideal treatment is one that is simple and effective and has few side effects. Transscleral cyclophotocoagulation is less damaging to the ciliary process than cyclocryotherapy in which a probe cooled to -112 degrees F (-80 degrees C) with nitrous oxide gas is applied to the conjunctiva to destruct the ciliary body. Because of the large area that comes in contact with the probe, the patient usually experiences severe pain immediately after surgery. The recent availability of the Nd:YAG lasers with a free-running mode of operation has given physicians a wider range of laser energy and has raised the hope that this treatment technique may be more generally available.
Self-Orientalism and inter-imperiality in Anna Kazumi Stahl’s Flores de un solo día

This paper examines the contemporary meanings and functions of self-Orientalism in the Argentine context by analyzing Anna Kazumi Stahl’s novel, Flores de un solo dia (2002). The issue of self-Orie...
Prophet Inequality with Correlated Arrival Probabilities, with Application to Two Sided Matchings

The classical Prophet Inequality arises from a fundamental problem in optimal-stopping theory. In this problem, a gambler sees a finite sequence of independent, non-negative random variables. If he stops the sequence at any time, he collects a reward equal to the most recent observation. The Prophet Inequality states that, knowing the distribution of each random variable, the gambler can achieve at least half as much reward in expectation, as a prophet who knows the entire sample path of random variables (Krengel and Sucheston 1978). In this paper, we prove a corresponding bound for correlated non-negative random variables. We analyze two methods for proving the bound, a constructive approach, which produces a worst-case instance, and a reductive approach, which characterizes a certain submartingale arising from the reward process of our online algorithm. We apply this new prophet inequality to the design of algorithms for a class of two-sided bipartite matching problems that underlie online task assignment problems. In these problems, demand units of various types arrive randomly and sequentially over time according to some stochastic process. Tasks, or supply units, arrive according to another stochastic process. Each demand unit must be irrevocably matched to a supply unit or rejected. The match earns a reward that depends on the pair. The objective is to maximize the total expected reward over the planning horizon. The problem arises in mobile crowd-sensing and crowd sourcing contexts, where workers and tasks must be matched by a platform according to various criteria. We derive the first online algorithms with worst-case performance guarantees for our class of two-sided bipartite matching problems.
Improved understanding, detection, and management of neuropsychiatric complications: essential components to the optimal treatment of Parkinson's disease.

It has been well established that Parkinson's disease (PD) is not just a movement disorder (Weintraub and Burn, 2011). Fortunately, the past two decades have seen increased attention to the neuropsychiatric aspects of the disease process. Neuropsychiatric symptoms (e.g., mood, sleep, psychosis, and impulse control) are experienced by the overwhelming majority of people living with PD (PWP) and have a detrimental impact on physical and cognitive decline (Pontone et al., 2016), quality of life (van Uem et al., 2016), and caregiving relationships (Santos-Garcia, 2015). As a field, all multidisciplinary providers involved in the care of PWP, inclusive of movement disorder specialists, geriatric psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, social workers, and other allied healthcare providers, must work to improve the recognition and treatment of key non-motor symptoms, such as depression and anxiety, as part of the standard of care (Cohen et al., 2016). Improved detection and management is critical, as the failure to appropriately treat psychiatric complications negatively impacts the overall course of the illness, functional aspects of daily life, and the PWP ability to fully engage in their own self-care (Pontone et al., 2016).
Understanding Error Rates in Software Engineering: Conceptual, Empirical, and Experimental Approaches

Software-intensive systems are ubiquitous in the industrialized world. The reliability of software has implications for how we understand scientific knowledge produced using software-intensive systems and for our understanding of the ethical and political status of technology. The reliability of a software system is largely determined by the distribution of errors and by the consequences of those errors in the usage of that system. We select a taxonomy of software error types from the literature on empirically observed software errors and compare that taxonomy to Giuseppe Primiero’s Minds and Machines 24: 249–273, (2014) taxonomy of error in information systems. Because Primiero’s taxonomy is articulated in terms of a coherent, explicit model of computation and is more fine-grained than the empirical taxonomy we select, we might expect Primiero’s taxonomy to provide insights into how to reduce the frequency of software error better than the empirical taxonomy. Whether using one software error taxonomy can help to reduce the frequency of software errors better than another taxonomy is ultimately an empirical question.
Effects of Cerebral Venous and Cerebrospinal Fluid Pressure on Cerebral Blood Flow

Regional cerebral blood flow responses to elevated jugular venous or cerebrospinal fluid pressure (Pcsf) were measured in thirty-nine anaesthetized ventilated dogs. When jugular venous pressure was elevated, arterial blood pressure and Pcsf were maintained constant at control values. When Pcsf was elevated, arterial and jugular venous pressure were maintained constant at control values. Cerebral perfusion pressure was calculated as the difference between arterial pressure and Pcsf, or jugular venous pressure, whichever downstream pressure was the highest. With an elevation in Pcsf or jugular venous pressure, the cerebral circulation autoregulated and no alterations in cerebral blood flow occurred as long as perfusion pressure remained above 60 mm Hg. When cerebral perfusion pressure decreased to values below 60 mm Hg, cerebral blood flow decreased significantly. We conclude that the brain autoregulates its blood flow to changes in perfusion pressure. In addition, our results suggest that the dominant mechanism of cerebral autoregulation is metabolic, not myogenic.
Internal and External Perspectives: On Methodology in the New Private Law

New Private Law scholarship is concerned with the internal point of view. Yet, that feature does not distinguish it from much earlier work in private law theory. This chapter suggests an additional distinguishing factor: the New Private Law movement tends to combine an interest in the internal point of view with insights from external perspectives and associated methodologies. A leading example is Inclusive Functionalism, which seeks to show how taking private law concepts seriously on their own terms can shed light on private law’s functional benefits. Internalists may likewise draw on external perspectives, including in their development of interpretive criteria. Finally, New Private Law theory also includes hybrid accounts that are neither fully internalist nor externalist. Illustrations are given for each category. As will be developed, each of these possibilities gives New Private Law theory a distinctive approach to understanding private law.
Validating a dimension of doubt in decision-making: A proposed endophenotype for obsessive-compulsive disorder

Doubt is subjective uncertainty about one's perceptions and recall. It can impair decision-making and is a prominent feature of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). We propose that evaluation of doubt during decision-making provides a useful endophenotype with which to study the underlying pathophysiology of OCD and potentially other psychopathologies. For the current study, we developed a new instrument, the Doubt Questionnaire, to clinically assess doubt. The random dot motion task was used to measure reaction time and subjective certainty, at varying levels of perceptual difficulty, in individuals who scored high and low on doubt, and in individuals with and without OCD. We found that doubt scores were significantly higher in OCD cases than controls. Drift diffusion modeling revealed that high doubt scores predicted slower evidence accumulation than did low doubt scores; and OCD diagnosis lower than controls. At higher levels of dot coherence, OCD participants exhibited significantly slower drift rates than did controls (q<0.05 for 30%, and 45% coherence; q<0.01 for 70% coherence). In addition, at higher levels of coherence, high doubt subjects exhibited even slower drift rates and reaction times than low doubt subjects (q<0.01 for 70% coherence). Moreover, under high coherence conditions, individuals with high doubt scores reported lower certainty in their decisions than did those with low doubt scores. We conclude that the Doubt Questionnaire is a useful instrument for measuring doubt. Compared to those with low doubt, those with high doubt accumulate evidence more slowly and report lower certainty when making decisions under conditions of low uncertainty. High doubt may affect the decision-making process in individuals with OCD. The dimensional doubt measure is a useful endophenotype for OCD research and could enable computationally rigorous and neurally valid understanding of decision-making and its pathological expression in OCD and other disorders.
Design, Analysis, and Discussion of Short Circuit and Overload Gate-Driver Dual-Protection Scheme for 1.2-kV, 400-A SiC MOSFET Modules

This paper proposes short circuit and overload gate-driver dual-protection scheme based on the parasitic inductance between the Kelvin- and power-source terminals of high-current SiC mosfet modules. The paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the two schemes in question, including worst-case analysis used to assess their parametric dependence due to manufacturing tolerances and temperature variations, as well as the in-depth design procedure that can be generally applied to any power module containing a Kelvin-source. For verification, a compact 1.2-kV, 400-A half-bridge module integrating the two protection circuits was developed. The results obtained demonstrate a response time within tens of nanoseconds, and effectively validate their functionality under short circuit and overload scenarios. Finally, a 100-kW, 400-V dc three-phase voltage-source inverter was used to demonstrate the gate-driver with integrated protection functions under 105°C ambient temperature conditions.
Impact of Electrostatic Coupling on Monolithic 3D-enabled Network on Chip

Monolithic-3D-integration (M3D) improves the performance and energy efficiency of 3D ICs over conventional through-silicon-vias-based counterparts. The smaller dimensions of monolithic inter-tier vias offer high-density integration, the flexibility of partitioning logic blocks across multiple tiers, and significantly reduced total wire-length enable high-performance and energy-efficiency. However, the performance of M3D ICs degrades due to the presence of electrostatic coupling when the inter-layer-dielectric thickness between two adjacent tiers is less than 50nm. In this work, we evaluate the performance of an M3D-enabled Network-on-chip (NoC) architecture in the presence of electrostatic coupling. Electrostatic coupling induces significant delay and energy overheads for the multi-tier NoC routers. This in turn results in considerable performance degradation if the NoC design methodology does not incorporate the effects of electrostatic coupling. We demonstrate that electrostatic coupling degrades the energy-delay-product of an M3D NoC by 18.1% averaged over eight different applications from SPLASH-2 and PARSEC benchmark suites. As a countermeasure, we advocate the adoption of electrostatic coupling-aware M3D NoC design methodology. Experimental results show that the coupling-aware M3D NoC reduces performance penalty by lowering the number of multi-tier routers significantly.
Exporting Financial services in Latin America and the Caribbean

According to the World Trade Organization (WTO), trade in services has become the most dynamic segment of world trade, growing more quickly than trade in goods. While travel remains the most exported service both worldwide and in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), other services are becoming relevant for both developed and developing economies. Among them, financial services is one of the most important categories in terms of value. Worldwide, the value of financial services exports rose in real terms between 2008 and 2017. Nevertheless, this global trend of rising exports of financial services was not reflected in LAC, where they contracted between 2008 and 2016. The economies of Latin America and the Caribbean have significant potential to export financial services. To take advantage of this opportunity, governments in the region can work on a variety of fronts to raise their economies’ competitiveness in this area. Two specific challenges are the availability of human capital and electronic infrastructure. The former refers to the limited number of professionals that, in addition to Spanish, speak the language of the importing economies and are adequately educated and experienced in the areas associated with services exports. The latter refers to the electronic infrastructure and digital systems that facilitate the export of financial services, but also the high cost to develop communication schemes in the region. Consequently, LAC’s export dynamism in financial services will depend on long-term public policies and public-private strategies with clear objectives for promoting human capital and a competitive digital ecosystem.
Phase-field simulations of intergranular fission gas bubble behavior in U3Si2 nuclear fuel

Abstract U3Si2 is a potential accident-tolerant fuel that shows promise due to its high thermal conductivity and higher uranium density relative to UO2. However, its swelling and fission gas release behavior in light water reactor (LWR) conditions is relatively unknown. To provide mechanistic insight and determine parameters for engineering-scale fuel performance modeling of pellet-form U3Si2, phase-field simulations of the growth, interconnection, and venting of intergranular fission gas bubbles were performed. The fractional coverage of the grain boundary and the fraction of bubble area that is vented were calculated as a function of time. From the simulation data, the fractional grain boundary coverage at saturation, an important parameter needed in engineering-scale modeling of swelling and fission gas release, was determined. Multiple simulations were run to determine the uncertainty in the calculated value. The effect of model assumptions and input parameters that are not well known was evaluated. Simulation results are compared to related theoretical and computational work. Based on the simulation results, a value of 0.60 for the fractional grain boundary coverage at saturation is recommended for U3Si2 fuel.
High CD4 count and bone marrow infiltration in untreated hiv-associated Kaposi sarcoma: A case report and literature review

Abstract Bone marrow infiltration by Kaposi sarcoma (KS) in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients is rare, with only a few cases reported in patients with a CD4 count greater than 200 cells/ml. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of bone marrow involvement in HIV-associated KS in which the CD4 count is greater than 400 cells/ml. In this article, we present a patient with HIV-associated KS with skin, lymph node, bone, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, and bone marrow involvement despite a high CD4 count. This is the highest CD4 count associated with bone marrow invasion in the medical literature. A high CD4 count does not protect untreated HIV patients against aggressive, diffuse KS-related lesions, including bone marrow infiltration.