cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Porcine leptin inhibits lipogenesis in porcine adipocytes.

The present study examined whether recombinant porcine leptin alters lipid synthesis in porcine adipocytes. The stromal-vascular cell fraction of neonatal pig subcutaneous adipose tissue was isolated by collagenase digestion, filtration, and subsequent centrifugation. These cells were seeded on 25-cm 2 tissue culture flasks and proliferated to confluency in 10% (vol/vol) fetal bovine serum in Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium/F12 (DMEM/F12, 50:50). Cultures were differentiated using 2.5% pig serum (vol/vol), 10 nM insulin, 100 nM hydrocortisone. After 7 d of lipid filling, cultures were washed free of this medium, incubated overnight in DMEM/F12 containing 2% pig serum (vol/vol), and then used for experiments. Acute experiments assessed U- 14 C-glucose or 1- 14 C-palmitate metabolism in cultures exposed to porcine leptin (0 to 1,000 ng/mL medium) for 4 h. Chronic experiments used cultures incubated with 0 to 1,000 ng porcine leptin/mL medium for 44 h before measurements of U- 14 C-glucose and 1- 14 C-palmitate oxidation and incorporation into lipid. Another experiment examined whether chronic leptin treatment alters insulin responsiveness by including insulin (10 nM) with incubations containing leptin. Leptin had no acute effects on glucose oxidation or conversion to lipid (P > 0.05). Acute leptin treatment decreased palmitate incorporation into lipids up to 45% (P 0.05) by leptin. These data indicate that leptin functions to promote partitioning of energy away from lipid accretion within porcine adipose tissue by inhibiting glucose oxidation and lipogenesis indirectly, by decreasing insulin-mediated stimulation of lipogenesis, and by stimulating fatty acid oxidation while inhibiting fatty acid esterification.
Carrier-free high-dose dry powder inhaler formulation of ibuprofen: Physicochemical characterization and in vitro aerodynamic performance.

Abstract Objective To investigate influences of capsule fill weight, batch size, and storage conditions on in vitro aerodynamic performance of jet-milled ibuprofen (IBU) carrier-free, dry powder inhaler formulations. Materials and methods Milled and unmilled IBU samples were characterized thermally and spectroscopically. Physicochemical characterization was performed by quantifying specific surface area, density, and angle of repose. Performance testing was conducted on IBU formulations in combination with a high resistance Monodose RS01 using Next Generation Impactor. Results and discussion There were no detectable differences between IBU samples thermally and spectroscopically. The milled IBU sample exhibited improved powder flow in comparison with the unmilled sample. The milled IBU powders possessed surprisingly high in vitro aerodynamic performance with a fine particle fraction percentage between 67 and 85%, and a minimum respirable fraction percentage of 49%. The capsule fill weights, from 10 to 50 mg, and milling batch sizes did not significantly influence performance. The importance of powder conditioning following milling was illustrated as the storage duration and temperature negatively affected performance. Conclusion In vitro aerodynamic performance of IBU is independent of capsule fill weight and batch size; however, some period of powder conditioning is recommended to reduce variability in formulation performance.
Optimal Currency Areas, Large and Small

After lying dormant for about fifteen years (1975–89), the theory of optimum currency areas (OCAs) has awakened and is being exercised by international economists and national politicians. There are three main current applications of OCA theory. The first, and most obvious, is Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) in Western Europe, an area with an eastern boundary that is moving east. The second application is analysis of the emerging tri-polar currency world of the dollar, the yen, and the European Currency Unit (ECU). These are the ‘large’ areas of my title. The third application is the analysis and perhaps design of the evolution of currency and exchange rate arrangements in Central Europe (by this term I mean the formerly centrally planned economies that were called Eastern Europe) and the former Soviet Union, which I will refer to as the Baltics and (optimistically) the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). These are the ‘small’ areas of my title. Since EMU has been extensively studied, I will concentrate here on the other two applications of OCA theory.
Three John Galsworthys and “A Wonderful Red Letter Day”

Never at ease with himself or in any social role, Galsworthy was, in 1918, imperfectly separable into three different identities. The public Galsworthy worked hard for causes to relieve suffering, wrote to the newspapers, made temperate forecasts and issued pronouncements on international questions. A survival from 1910, when his opinions and plans had been welcomed by the establishment, the public Galsworthy still sounded measured, elaborately rational, drawing the lines of his humane distinctions carefully, as if he could achieve a kind of control over events. In addition to this, a second identity was more sceptical, even bitter, shocked by family internments and all the various brutalities, both at the front and in English society, revealed by the war. More circumspect about displaying the bitter identity, one that needed to overcome layers of convention and training in order to emerge, Galsworthy was likely to show this scepticism only in private, or in careful qualifications of the public pronouncements, or anonymously. The two identities edged against each other with a good deal of strain, each often moderating the other. The third Galsworthy, relentlessly private, lived within the fiction he worked on so assiduously.
Abstract P273: The Underuse of Carotid Imaging Among Patients Admitted with Ischemic Stroke to the Veterans Health Administration

Patients with symptomatic carotid disease who have greater than >70% stenosis may greatly benefit from a carotid procedure. We examined whether patients with ischemic stroke are receiving carotid artery imaging. Data were obtained from a retrospective study of 3965 persons admitted with ischemic stroke to the Veterans Health Administration (VA) in 2007. We applied extensive exclusion criteria to identify a sample who should definitely receive imaging. We excluded patients with a Charlson Comorbidity Index greater than 4, those who were non ambulatory on admission, patients who left against medical advice or transferred from another VA Medical Center (VAMC), and those who had dementia or died in the hospital. We determined whether any carotid artery imaging procedures were performed from 12 months prior to 2 months after stroke admission. Multivariate modeling was used to identify predictors of carotid imaging. The proportion of patients admitted to a hospital who received carotid imaging was calculated for VAMCs with at least 12 patients. We identified VAMCs with an imaging rate and associated confidence interval below the median of the sample which we established as a threshold for poor quality. There were 2379 patients across 127 VAMCs without any contraindications to carotid imaging. Among these patients, 86.6% (95% confidence interval [84%- 87%]) received imaging. In multivariate models, patients who were black (odds ratio (OR) 0.67 [0.47-0.90]) and who had a higher Charlson Index (OR 0.84 [0.73-0.97) were less likely to receive imaging. The median imaging rate was 91.7% across all VAMCs and ranged from 37.6% to 100%. Among the 93 VAMCs with at least 12 patients, 20 VAMC failed to meet the 91.7% threshold in carotid imaging. About 13.4% of stroke patients in the VA did not receive carotid imaging. Most VAMCs achieved the 91.7% imaging rate which was a reasonable target because of the extensive exclusion criteria we applied. Our analyses suggest that underuse of imaging is a quality problem for at least 20 VAMCs. Given the potential mortality benefit of intervention in a patient with symptomatic carotid stenosis, an effort by these VAMCs to identify and address reason for underuse of carotid imaging is warranted.
Al-based amorphous alloys: Glass-forming ability, crystallization behavior and effects of minor alloying additions

Abstract The main recent advances in Al-based amorphous alloys are discussed in three areas: crystallization behavior, glass-forming ability and minor alloying effects. First, as a brief introduction, the special features and structure-property relationships are presented for the Al-based amorphous alloys. The different models for the nucleation behaviors, such as phase separation model and the quenched-in nuclei model, are compared and evaluated. In addition, an overview is given for the effects of minor alloying additions on glass-forming ability (GFA) and the crystallization behavior in terms of the reported structural, thermodynamic, kinetic factors.
‘Putting Place on a Plate’ along the West Cork Food Trail

ABSTRACTIn 2011, Ireland's National Tourism Development Authority (Fȃilte Ireland) announced a plan to increase the number of food tourists to the country. According to the plan, Irish food will be recognized for the quality of its regional food experiences that evoke a unique sense of place. To further the plan, it created a program entitled ‘Place on a Plate’ which encourages restaurant owners/chefs to offer fresh locally sourced seasonal food and list the names of local suppliers on their menus. This paper examines the effectiveness of this ‘Place on a Plate’ strategy by examining 53 restaurant menus along the West Cork Food Trail in southwest Ireland to determine whether they contain: (1) a statement as to the origin of their food supplies, (2) a listing of local food producers, and (3) geographical place name references on individual menu items. The study found that the majority of restaurants do not include a statement as to the origin of their food supplies, indeed only three out of the surveyed re...
Advanced practice nursing students’ use of screening and brief intervention in the clinical setting

Introduction More than 30% of US adults are estimated to drink at risky levels or meet criteria for harmful or dependent alcohol use. Screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment (SBIRT) in primary care settings is recommended and nurses, particularly advanced practice nurses (nurse practitioners), are being called upon to perform SBIRT for alcohol. This study assessed if knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about SBIRT, evaluated after a three-part, educational training, predicted whether 21 family nurse practitioner (FNP) students screened for alcohol use during subsequent patient encounters in their clinical practica. Objectives Learners will be able to: – describe the general purpose and procedures of SBIRT; – identify three strategies for integrating SBIRT into current practice setting. Aims To help in development of SBIRT skills, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration expanded training grant opportunities in 2013, for education programs to multiple groups of medical professionals. Findings from this study are presented to show the effectiveness of the training for nursing professionals. Method Immediately following training, students completed a survey and then documented implementation of SBIRT during their clinical practica. Results Students who reported higher levels of perceived "Competence" in their post-training surveys were more likely to screen patients for alcohol use in their clinical practica settings. Conclusion Screening for alcohol use and identifying patients at risk for or engaged in hazardous drinking meet important NP practice competencies. Further research is needed to explore training programs that specifically emphasize activities to increase competence, knowledge, and comfort regarding SBIRT.
Sleep disordered breathing in older adults with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

Abstract Heart failure in older adults is frequently accompanied by sleep disordered breathing (SDB). Treatment of SDB in persons with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is unclear because most data is on heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). The purpose of this paper was to evaluate studies that report on the effects of positive airway pressure on patient outcomes in older adults with HFpEF and comorbid SDB. A search of the literature found six data-based studies (N = 36 to 126). Treatment with positive airway pressure reduced nighttime SDB symptoms and improved daytime functional status in persons with HFPEF and SDB (New York Heart Association Functional Class: effect sizes = −0.67 to −1.60). Limitations (i.e. only two studies were randomized controlled trials, small sample sizes, and women were under-represented) suggest that additional evidence is needed to guide treatment of SDB in older adults with HFpEF.
Image Restoration And Resolution Enhancement

We consider mathematical algorithms for the restoration of object information from finitely many measurements of the object's spectrum, with particular emphasis on the development of linear and nonlinear non-iterative methods that can incorporate prior information about object extent and shape. The linear method presented here generalizes the minimum energy bandlimited extrapolation procedure, which is the closed form limit of Gerchberg-Papoulis iteration in this case. The nonlinear method generalizes the maximum entropy method (MEM) of Burg.
Improved algorithms for distributed boosting

We introduce two distributed boosting algorithms. Our first algorithm uses the entire dataset to train a classifier and requires a significant amount of communication among the distributed sites. Our second algorithm requires very little communication but uses a subsample of the dataset to train the final classifier. Both of our algorithms improve upon existing practical distributed boosting algorithms. Further, both are competitive with AdaBoost when it is run with the entire dataset.
Radical and lunatic fringes modulate notch ligands to support mammalian intestinal homeostasis

Notch signalling maintains stem cell regeneration at the mouse intestinal crypt base and balances the absorptive and secretory lineages in the upper crypt and villus. Here we report the role of Fringe family of glycosyltransferases in modulating Notch activity in the two compartments. At the crypt base, RFNG is enriched in the Paneth cells and increases cell surface expression of DLL1 and DLL4. This promotes Notch activity in the neighbouring Lgr5+ stem cells assisting their self-renewal. Expressed by various secretory cells in the upper crypt and villus, LFNG promotes DLL surface expression and suppresses the secretory lineage . Hence, in the intestinal epithelium, Fringes are present in the ligand-presenting 'sender' secretory cells and promote Notch activity in the neighbouring 'receiver' cells. Fringes thereby provide for targeted modulation of Notch activity and thus the cell fate in the stem cell zone, or the upper crypt and villus.
2,2′-Bipyridine and hydrazide containing peptides for cyclization and complex quaternary structural control

A synthetic peptide containing two Ne-methyl lysines (Ac-K(Ne-Me)GYTGYTGK(Ne-Me)D-OH) was alkylated with bipyridine (bipy) ligands substituted at the fifth (MP-5) and sixth (MP-6) positions, thereby creating Ac-K(Ne-Me, Ne-Bipy)GYTGYTGK(Ne-Me, Ne-Bipy)D-OH. Peptides with 6-position bipyridine did not bind to Fe2+ and Zn2+. Peptides with 5-position bipyridine bound these metals, and in the presence of one equivalent of a free bipy derivative folded into a macrocycle. Further, the free bipy derivative could also contain a cyclized peptide derived from hydrazone formation, resulting in complex but controlled quaternary peptide structure.
Sensitized photon upconversion in anthracene-based zirconium metal–organic frameworks

Sensitized upconversion is explored in three metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) constructed from the anthracene dicarboxylate (ADC) derivatives and zirconium nodes, 9,10-ADC (9,10-MOF), 2,6-ADC (2,6-MOF) and 1,4-ADC (1,4-MOF). Selective excitation of surface-bound Pd(ii) mesoporphyrin IX (PdMP) gives rise to delayed fluorescence (τ = 370 ± 30 ns) from anthracene in the 9,10-MOF. The overall upconversion efficiency of the Pd@9,10-MOF is 0.46 ± 0.05% with a threshold intensity of 104 ± 26 mW cm-2.
Elective Affinities: Weyl and Reichenbach

Ortega once defined a classic as someone who, like the Cid, can wage war and defeat us, even when he is dead. In disciplines such as ours, where change of topic threatens to become the Ersatz of progress, sheer selfinterest should inspire us periodically to invoke the ghosts of our classics, and challenge them to battle. Having suffered the halberd once too often, however, my more prudent goal will be to summon two of our classic heroes to quarrel with each other.
A Theory of The Representation, Organization And Timing of Action With Implications For Sequencing Disorders

This paper develops a theory for explaining how the components of everyday actions are sequenced and timed (e.g., typing, hammering a nail). Under the theory, a hierarchy of content nodes represents the form of a preplanned action, while an independently stored set of (sequence) nodes codes the serial order rules for the action and determines sequence in the final output. Another independently stored set of (timing) nodes determines when and how rapidly these action components become activated. The theory also postulates a superordinate organization of content, sequence and timing nodes into systems. Each system has unique characteristics and rules of its own and is independently controllable, enabling thought of particular kinds without the occurence of action. Four systems are discussed in detail: the muscle movement system, the movement concept system the action plan system and the pragmatic system implications of the theory for several related issues are discussed: the physiological bases for action, errors in action of normals and apractics, the nature of attention and intention, and the relations between knowledge, memory, action and speech.
Applying 5S to Improve OR Organization

This chapter describes the project that was initiated with the OR Turnaround and On-time Case Starts project from Chap. 4. The need for this project became painfully obvious early in the OR turnaround project. When we first toured the OR to better understand the layout and processes, we saw the challenges the OR was facing with storage and management of the OR supplies, instruments, and equipment. The hallways were cluttered with supplies, both in storage from the vendor (vendor owned and managed), as well as storage that did not fit into the Core inventory storage area, and cases that are staged for the cases for the same day. There were also beds waiting for patients to come out of surgeries, and trash bags being staged while rooms are cleaned. These challenges resulted in the need for improving the OR location and organization of equipment, furniture, instruments, and supplies. Before pictures of the OR, prior to the start of the project are shown in Figs. 5.1 and 5.2. In Fig. 5.1, the OR case cart staging area is shown. One of the OR hallways is shown in Fig. 5.2. As is evident from the pictures, the areas lack organization, labeling, and visual control, so it is difficult to find desired supplies and equipment quickly. Open image in new window Fig. 5.1 Before picture of OR case staging area Open image in new window Fig. 5.2 Before picture of OR hallway
The Leviathan: How to Move 2.9 Million Government Documents Offsite

AbstractThe concept of moving a university’s historic, 2.9 million item government documents collection offsite was daunting. The actual move of the collection took 24 months. In this move, much wa...
The Promise of Machine Learning: When Will it be Delivered?

ABSTRACT Background The real-life applications of machine learning clinical decision making is currently lagging behind its promise. One of the critics on machine learning is that it doesn't outperform more traditional statistical approaches in every problem. Methods and Results Authors of “Predictive Abilities of Machine Learning Techniques May Be Limited by Dataset Characteristics: Insights From the UNOS Database” presented in the current issue of the Journal of Cardiac Failure that machine learning approaches do not provide significantly higher performance when compared to more traditional statistical approaches in predicting mortality following heart transplant. In this brief report, we provide an insight on the possible reasons for why machine learning methods do not outperform more traditional approaches for every problem and every dataset. Conclusions Most of the performance-focused critics on machine learning are because the bar is set unfairly too high for machine learning. In most cases, machine learning methods provides at least as good results as traditional statistical methods do. It is normal for machine learning models to provide similar performance with linear models if the actual underlying input-outcome relationship is linear. Moreover, machine learning methods outperforms linear statistical models when the underlying input-output relationship is not linear and if the dataset is large enough and include predictors capturing that nonlinear relationship.
Deep learning-based muscle segmentation and quantification at abdominal CT: application to a longitudinal adult screening cohort for sarcopenia assessment.

Objective: To investigate a fully automated abdominal CT-based muscle tool in a large adult screening population. Methods: A fully automated validated muscle segmentation algorithm was applied to 9...
Synthetic data method to incorporate external information into a current study

We consider the situation where there is a known regression model that can be used to predict an outcome, Y, from a set of predictor variables X. A new variable B is expected to enhance the prediction of Y. A dataset of size n containing Y, X and B is available, and the challenge is to build an improved model for Y|X,B that uses both the available individual level data and some summary information obtained from the known model for Y|X. We propose a synthetic data approach, which consists of creating m additional synthetic data observations, and then analyzing the combined dataset of size n+m to estimate the parameters of the Y|X, B model. This combined dataset of size n+m now has missing values of B form of the observations, and is analyzed using methods that can handle missing data (e.g. multiple imputation). We present simulation studies and illustrate the method using data from the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial. Though the synthetic data method is applicable to a general regression context, to provide some justification, we show in two special cases that the asymptotic variance of the parameter estimates in the Y|X, B model are identical to those from an alternative constrained maximum likelihood estimation approach. This correspondence in special cases and the method's broad applicability makes it appealing for use across diverse scenarios.
SciNER: Extracting Named Entities from Scientific Literature

The automated extraction of claims from scientific papers via computer is difficult due to the ambiguity and variability inherent in natural language. Even apparently simple tasks, such as isolating reported values for physical quantities (e.g., “the melting point of X is Y”) can be complicated by such factors as domain-specific conventions about how named entities (the X in the example) are referenced. Although there are domain-specific toolkits that can handle such complications in certain areas, a generalizable, adaptable model for scientific texts is still lacking. As a first step towards automating this process, we present a generalizable neural network model, SciNER, for recognizing scientific entities in free text. Based on bidirectional LSTM networks, our model combines word embeddings, subword embeddings, and external knowledge (from DBpedia) to boost its accuracy. Experiments show that our model outperforms a leading domain-specific extraction toolkit by up to 50%, as measured by F1 score, while also being easily adapted to new domains.
Vascular ATP-sensitive K + channels support maximal aerobic capacity and critical speed via convective and diffusive O 2 transport.

KEY POINTS: Oral sulphonylureas, widely prescribed in diabetes, inhibit pancreatic ATP-sensitive K+ (KATP ) channels to increase insulin release. However, KATP channels are also located within vascular (endothelium and smooth muscle) and muscle (cardiac and skeletal) tissue. We evaluated left ventricular function at rest, maximal aerobic capacity (VIO2 max) and submaximal exercise tolerance (i.e. speed-duration relationship) during treadmill running in rats, before and after systemic KATP channel inhibition via glibenclamide. Glibenclamide impaired critical speed proportionally more than VIO2 max but did not alter resting cardiac output. Vascular KATP channel function (topical glibenclamide superfused onto hindlimb skeletal muscle) resolved a decreased blood flow and interstitial PO2 during twitch contractions reflecting impaired O2 delivery-to-utilization matching. Our findings demonstrate that systemic KATP channel inhibition reduces VIO2 max and critical speed during treadmill running in rats due, in part, to impaired convective and diffusive O2 delivery, and thus VIO2 , especially within fast-twitch oxidative skeletal muscle. ABSTRACT: Vascular ATP-sensitive K+ (KATP ) channels support skeletal muscle blood flow and microvascular oxygen delivery-to-utilization matching during exercise, however, oral sulphonylurea treatment in diabetes inhibits pancreatic KATP channels to enhance insulin release. Herein we tested the hypotheses that i) systemic KATP channel inhibition via glibenclamide (GLI; 10 mg kg-1 i.p.) would decrease cardiac output at rest (echocardiography), maximal aerobic capacity (VIO2 max) and the speed-duration relationship (i.e. lower critical speed (CS)) during treadmill running and ii) local KATP channel inhibition (5 mg kg-1 GLI superfusion) would decrease blood flow (15 µm microspheres), interstitial space oxygen pressures (PO2 is; phosphorescence quenching) and convective and diffusive O2 transport (QIO2 and DO2 , respectively; Fick Principle and Law of Diffusion) in contracting fast-twitch oxidative mixed gastrocnemius muscle (MG: 9% type I+IIa fibres). At rest, GLI slowed LV relaxation (2.11 ± 0.59 vs. 1.70 ± 0.23 cm s-1 ) and decreased heart rate (321 ± 23 vs. 304 ± 22 bpm, both P 0.05). During exercise, GLI reduced VIO2 max (71.5 ± 1.0 vs. 68.0 ± 1.5 ml kg-1 min-1 ) and CS (35.9 ± 0.9 vs. 31.9 ± 1.1 m min-1 , both P < 0.05). Local KATP channel inhibition decreased MG blood flow (49 ± 9 vs. 34 ± 4 ml min-1 100g tissue-1 ) and PO2 is nadir (5.9 ± 0.3 vs. 4.7 ± 0.4 mmHg) during twitch contractions. Furthermore, MG VIO2 was reduced via impaired QIO2 and DO2 (P < 0.05 for each). Collectively, these data support that vascular KATP channels help sustain submaximal exercise tolerance in healthy rats. For patients taking sulfonylureas KATP channel inhibition may exacerbate exercise intolerance. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Adaptive optics enables aberration-free single-objective remote focusing for two-photon fluorescence microscopy

Two-photon fluorescence microscopy has been widely applied to three-dimensional (3D) imaging of complex samples. Remote focusing by controlling the divergence of excitation light is a common approach to scanning the focus axially. However, microscope objectives induce distortion to the wavefront of non-collimated excitation beams, leading to degraded imaging quality away from the natural focal plane. In this paper, using a liquid-crystal spatial light modulator to control the divergence of the excitation beam through a single objective, we systematically characterized the aberrations introduced by divergence control through microscope objectives of NA 0.45, 0.8, and 1.05. We used adaptive optics to correct the divergence-induced-aberrations and maintain diffraction-limited focal quality over up to 800-µm axial range. We further demonstrated aberration-free remote focusing for in vivo imaging of neurites and synapses in the mouse brain.
Commentary on Geduldig v. Aiello

This chapter of FEMINIST JUDGMENTS: REWRITTEN OPINIONS OF THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT (Linda Berger, Bridget Crawford & Kathy Stanchi, eds. 2016) provides commentary on Lucinda Finley’s rewritten majority opinion in Geduldig v. Aiello, 417 U.S. 484 (1974). This commentary chapter complements the rewritten opinion, providing background material, analysis of the feminist judgment, and reflections on the implications of the feminist judgment for what the law of sex equality could have been. In Geduldig, the United States Supreme Court infamously held that pregnancy discrimination is not sex discrimination under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The Geduldig decision upheld a California state disability insurance program that denied benefits for pregnancy-related disability, while granting benefits for virtually every other disabling event ranging from prostatectomies to cosmetic surgery. Despite sustained criticism, the Geduldig decision has never been explicitly overruled and continues to constrain women’s access to substantive equality and reproductive liberty. Lucinda Finley’s feminist judgment responds to the faulty formalist logic of the original opinion in several important, distinctively feminist ways. Finley’s feminist judgment reaches beyond the formal appearance of justice and seeks substantive fairness for women in the public sphere. The landscape of sex equality law would look dramatically different if the Court had adopted Lucinda Finley’s feminist judgment—a tantalizing possibility since the intellectual foundations for this feminist judgment existed at the time.
Characteristics of Plant Type Traits and Subspecies Characteristics in F_2 Generations of Cross between Indica and Japonica Rice under Different Ecological Regions

Two F2 populations,one derived from the cross between Wanlun 422(indica) and Shennong 265(japonica) named as F2-A,the other derived from the cross between Luhui 99(indica) and Shennong 265(japonica) named as F2-B,were grown in Liaoning and Sichuan to analyze the effect of ecological environments on subspecies characteristics and their relationships with plant type traits.The result showed that subspecies characters in F2 generations were continuously varied in different environ-ments.Two populations were generally normal distribution in Sichuan,but obviously indica-like in Liaoning.The effects of en-vironment on six traits of Cheng's index were incompletely consistent.The ecological conditions had a significant effect on plant type traits.The plant height and panicle curvature increased significantly,but the panicle length,flag leaf length,flag leaf width,and leaf angle decreased in Sichuan.Plant height in different subspecies had no obvious regularity in different regions.Flag leaf length was longer in indica(H) than in other types,but flag leaf angle had no significant difference in different subspecies and environments.Flag leaf width was changed with the cross combinations.Generally,panicle length reduced,but panicle curvature increased progressively from indica(H) to japonica(K) type.The subspecies characteristics were certainly related with plant type traits,but the correlation between them was not consistent in different cross combinations and environments.
Posterior Fossa Hemorrhage Following the Use of Low-Molecular-Weight Heparin: Lessons Learned and Recommendations for the Treatment and Prophylaxis of Postoperative Venous Thromboembolism

Introduction Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is the most common preventable cause of morbidity and mortality among neurosurgery patients. Several studies have concluded that the use of chemical prophylaxis among patients undergoing a craniotomy reduces the incidence of VTE, and it is presumed to be safe. However, these studies do not differentiate between a supratentorial and posterior fossa craniotomy. Furthermore, the prophylactic or therapeutic use of low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) has been reported to increase the risk of intracranial hemorrhage. In this study, we describe the clinical details and outcomes for all patients who underwent posterior fossa craniotomy and developed posterior fossa hemorrhage secondary to postoperative use of LMWH during the study period. We also propose recommendations pertaining to postoperative heparin use after posterior fossa surgeries. Methods Data were retrospectively collected for patients presenting with posterior fossa hemorrhage following anticoagulant use among those who previously underwent posterior fossa craniotomy by the senior author (R.W.P.) from January 1, 2011, through December 31, 2018. Results We identified five patients who experienced postoperative hemorrhage while receiving LMWH in the initial setting of posterior fossa craniotomy. After hemorrhaging, four patients had low Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) scores (≤3) and failed to return to their baseline neurological status. These four patients had a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of 15/15 in the immediate postoperative period and received heparin within 72 hours of surgery. Conclusions Based on our findings, there is a possible association between the increased risk of hemorrhage and the early postoperative use of LMWH. The debilitating outcomes among the majority of these patients warrant the cautious use and further investigation of postoperative LMWH to appropriately quantify the risk. Further comparative studies with a larger sample size are required to provide insight into the pathophysiology of our findings.
Scattering Models for Gnss-R in Inland Waters

Spaceborne GNSS reflectometry allows for the production of maps of rivers, wetlands and inundations using a significant change in the reflected signal while the ground track transects those inland water basins. We performed modeling of both coherent and non-coherent DDMs from Okeechobee Lake in Florida for overpasses by CYGNSS observatories under various wind conditions. To obtain the same level of quantitative matchup one needs to scale the modeled SNR curve by several dBs. Modeled results showed a good qualitative matchup with CYGNSS data over lake's open water. Potentially, vegetation of wetlands in the western part of Okeechobee Lake can attenuate the DDM coherent component. Water covered by vegetation and open water might produce comparable reflected powers, however, due to different mechanisms. The level of the reflected signal from rough open water is governed by both the wind speed and wind direction, representing confounding variables for determining vegetation height and boundaries in wetlands. In this paper we demonstrate implicating effects of the wind generated roughness of open water, while demonstrating modeling work to examine the effect of wetlands vegetation on the GNSS reflected signal is in progress.
Stabilization of Nonholonomic Robotic Systems Using Adaptation and Homogeneous Feedback

This paper considers the problem of stabilizing nonholonomic robotic systems in the presence of uncertainty regarding the system dynamic model. It is proposed that a simple and effective solution to this problem can be obtained by combining ideas from homogeneous system theory and adaptive control theory. Thus each of the proposed control systems consists of two subsystems: a (homogeneous) kinematic stabilization strategy which generates a desired velocity trajectory for the nonholonomic system, and an adaptive control scheme which ensures that this velocity trajectory is accurately tracked. This approach is shown to provide arbitrarily accurate stabilization to any desired configuration and can be implemented without knowledge of the system dynamic model. Moreover, it is demonstrated that exponential rates of convergence can be achieved with this methodology. The efficacy of the proposed stabilization strategies is illustrated through extensive computer simulations with nonholonomic robotic systems arising from explicit constraints on the system kinematics and from symmetries of the system dynamics.
Probabilistic simulations for probabilistic processes

Several probabilistic simulation relations for probabili stic systems are defined and evaluated according to two criteria: compositionality and preservation of "interesting" properties. Here, the interesting properties of a system are identified with those that are expressible in an untimed version of the Timed Probabilistic concurrent Computation Tree Logic (TPCTL) of Hansson. The definitions are made, and the evaluations carried out, in terms of a general labeled transition system model for concurrent probabilistic computation. The results cover weak simulations, which abstract from internal computation, as well as strong simulations, which do not
The Market for Used Capital: Endogenous Irreversibility and Reallocation Over the Business Cycle

Capital reallocation is strongly procyclical in the data, but in standard business-cycle models with heterogeneous firms it is countercyclical. In this paper I argue that endogenizing the price of used capital solves this puzzle. First, I show empirically that for several sectors the price of used investment goods relative to new is procyclical. Second, I build an equilibrium model of endogenous partial irreversibility, with heterogeneous firms facing aggregate and idiosyncratic productivity shocks. Used investment goods are imperfect substitutes for new investment because of firm-level capital specificity and this creates a downward-sloping demand for used capital that shifts in response to aggregate shocks. The model generates a procyclical resale price and procyclical reallocation. In a recession, when the price of used capital is low, both static and dynamic real-options effects induce unproductive firms to sell fewer assets to more productive firms. This generates an amplification mechanism for measured aggregate TFP. Finally, the model shows that endogenous irreversibility smooths aggregate investment and generates a countercyclical cross-sectional dispersion of returns from capital, consistent with the empirical evidence.
MELON: A Persistent Message-Based Communication Paradigm for MANETs

In this paper we introduce MELON, a new communication paradigm tailored to mobile ad hoc networks, based on novel interactions with a distributed shared message store. MELON provides remove-only, read-only, and private messages, as well as bulk message operations. The dynamic nature of MANETs is addressed with persistent messages, completely distributed message storage, and flexible communication patterns. We quantitatively compare a prototype implementation of MELON to existing paradigms to show its feasibility as the basis for new MANET applications. Experiments demonstrate 40 % better throughput on average than traditional paradigms, as well as 70 % faster local insertion and removal operations compared to an existing tuple space library.
No-gaps delocalization for general random matrices

We prove that with high probability, every eigenvector of a random matrix is delocalized in the sense that any subset of its coordinates carries a non-negligible portion of its $${\ell_2}$$ norm. Our results pertain to a wide class of random matrices, including matrices with independent entries, symmetric and skew-symmetric matrices, as well as some other naturally arising ensembles. The matrices can be real and complex; in the latter case we assume that the real and imaginary parts of the entries are independent.
"Deadbeat Dads": Should Support and Inheritance be Linked?

American inheritance law is base predominantly on status within the family—individuals inherit from relatives simply because they are linked by blood or adoption. Children do not have to be "well-behaved" to take from their parents under intestacy statutes and generally, unworthy heirs are not punished by forfeiture of their inheritance. In other words, American inheritance law is a status-based system rather than a behavior-based system. Most states do not require good behavior to inherit; nor, absent murder, do they prevent anyone from taking from an intestate relative. Should a parent who abandons a child forfeit his or her inheritance? Should we use the law of succession to achieve a goal other than the simple reallocation of a decedent's property at death? In other words, should we adopt a behavior-based model of succession rather than the status-based model which prevails in most states? This article explores those normative questions and evaluates the costs and benefits of shifting from a status-based model to a behavior-based model of inheritance.
Agriculture as a sector of opportunity for young people in Africa

This paper sheds light on how to harvest the "youth dividend" in Sub-Saharan Africa by creating jobs in agriculture. The agriculture that attracts the youth will have to be profitable, competitive, and dynamic. These are the same characteristics needed for agriculture to deliver growth, to improve food security, and to preserve a fragile natural environment. With higher priority accorded to implementation of well-designed public investments in agriculture, continued progress on regulatory and policy reform, and attention to assure inclusion of young people in Africa's agricultural renaissance, the sector's handsome youth dividend can be collected and widely shared.
The robustness of localization algorithms to signal strength attacks: a comparative study

In this paper, we examine several localization algorithms and evaluate their robustness to attacks where an adversary attenuates or amplifies the signal strength at one or more landmarks. We propose several performance metrics that quantify the estimator's precision and error, including Holder metrics, which quantify the variability in position space for a given variability in signal strength space. We then conduct a trace-driven evaluation of several point-based and area-based algorithms, where we measured their performance as we applied attacks on real data from two different buildings. We found the median error degraded gracefully, with a linear response as a function of the attack strength. We also found that area-based algorithms experienced a decrease and a spatial-shift in the returned area under attack, implying that precision increases though bias is introduced for these schemes. We observed both strong experimental and theoretic evidence that all the algorithms have similar average responses to signal strength attacks.
N-Alkylated 1, 4-Dihydropyridines : New Agents to Overcome Multidrug Resistance

New N-alkylated 1,4-dihydropyridine derivatives were synthesized and their ability to overcome multidrug resistance was examined in vincristine-resistant P388 cells (P388/VCR cells). Compounds that possessed an arylalkyl substituent on the dihydropyridine ring nitrogen were more potent than verapamil in potentiating the cytotoxicity of vincristine against P388/VCR cells. However, neither drug effectively enhanced the antitumor activity of vincristine in tumor-bearing mice. Introduction of basic nitrogen-containing substituents on the side chain of 1,4-dihydropyridines gave improved activity in vitro and in vivo. The piperazine derivative 12c and 12o were more than 10 times as potent as verapamil in vitro. Four compounds selected for in vivo testing showed superior antitumor activity in P388/VCR-bearing mice in combination with vincristine. The structure-activity relationships of the compounds are discussed.
RURAL CREDIT RATIONING AND NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT BANKS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

A common problem in agricultural credit markets in developing countries is the coexistence of a competitive market equilibrium interest rate and credit rationing. The literature typically explains the existence of credit rationing in competitive credit markets using adverse selection and moral hazard. Unfortunately these analyses are not consistent with the empirical reality that developing countries deal with in terms of subsidized credit, especially in the agricultural sector. This paper presents an alternative explanation for credit rationing in the agricultural sector in developing countries based on the fact that the requested loans are usually for small amounts, with many farmers making applications. As a result, the costs of operation increase with the number of loans given, so that inefficiencies in credit allocation occur when national development banks are present. It is shown that credit rationing can be reduced if shutting-down the national development bank is a feasible policy. Two other cases show that a national development bank is welfare-improving if an incentive compatible contract is used.
Competition and performance in the Hungarian second pillar

The performance of the Hungarian second pillar since inception has been mixed. This is partly due to a less than satisfactory support for the 1997 pension reform, conservative fund portfolio distributions, the hybrid nature of the mandatory pension fund system, the segmented nature of the market in terms of costs, and a less than aggressive commitment on the part of the Hungarian Financial Supervisory Authority to a low-cost, transparent, and competitive equilibrium. In the accumulation phase, the authorities would need to further promote transparency and comparability of information on costs and investment performance, facilitate migration to lower cost funds, and more generally promote competition. The regulatory framework of the payout phase needs to be overhauled before the first cohort of workers retires.
An Algorithm for Building User-Role Profiles in a Trust Environment

A good direction towards building secure systems that operate efficiently in large-scale environments (like the World Wide Web) is the deployment of Role Based Access Control Methods (RBAC). RBAC architectures do not deal with each user separately, but with discrete roles that users can acquire in the system. The goal of this paper is to present a classification algorithm that during its training phase, classifies roles of the users in clusters. The behavior of each user that enters the system holding a specific role is traced via audit trails and any misbehavior is detected and reported (classification phase). This algorithm will be incorporated in the Role Server architecture, currently under development, enhancing its ability to dynamically adjust the amount of trust of each user and update the corresponding role assignments.