cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Timing performance of wide scintillator crystal elements for super-resolution clinical PET

Super-resolution is a technique to reconstruct PET images at a higher spatial resolution than intrinsically available from the detector resolution. This is done through oversampling projection data by moving the detector ring or the patient bed at increments finer than the crystal pitch of the systems detectors, increasing the sampling frequency so that resolution may be recovered without aliasing artifacts. If this technique were applied to a clinical, whole-body scanner, large area crystal elements (> 4 mm wide) could be used in the detector ring, and through movement of the patient bed, spatial resolution of a typical whole-body system could potentially be recovered (∼5–7 mm). Using wider crystal elements offers some unique advantages, such as improved system photon sensitivity from overall reduced dead space between pixel elements, improved scintillation light collection efficiency from wider crystal geometry due to a better light collection aspect ratio, reduced cost on cutting and preparing scintillation material, immensely simplified electronic readout, and less sensitivity to inaccurate positioning of inter-crystal scatter events (which are more probable than photoelectric events) due to larger pixel volume. Since fine spatial information comes from the patient bed translation, sub-pixel positioning information is not required from the PET detector, and signal processing can be optimized for timing performance. Therefore, this technique is a potential solution for achieving excellent timing performance in a simplistic and potentially lower-cost PET system design. With these considerations in mind, this work investigates the achievable coincidence time resolution (CTR) with larger width LYSO:Ce crystals 1:1 coupled to analog SiPMs.
Screening Older Adults for Mental Disorders

Avoidable disability associated with depression, anxiety, and impaired cognition among older adults is pervasive. Incentives for detection of mental disorders in late life include increased reimbursement, reduced cost, and less burden for patients and families. However, screening not aligned with diagnosis, intervention, and outcome assessment has questionable utility. The link between screening, treatment, and outcomes is well established for depression, less so for anxiety and impaired cognition. This article details the use of common instruments to screen and assess depression, anxiety, and cognitive impairment.
Brain metabolism under different anesthetic conditions using hyperpolarized [1-13C]pyruvate and [2-13C]pyruvate

Carbon-13 NMR spectroscopy (13 C MRS) offers the unique capability to measure brain metabolic rates in vivo. Hyperpolarized 13 C reduces the time required to assess brain metabolism from hours to minutes when compared with conventional 13 C MRS. This study investigates metabolism of hyperpolarized [1-13 C]pyruvate and [2-13 C]pyruvate in the rat brain in vivo under various anesthetics: pentobarbital, isoflurane, α-chloralose, and morphine. The apparent metabolic rate from pyruvate to lactate modeled using time courses obtained after injection of hyperpolarized [1-13 C]pyruvate was significantly greater for isoflurane than for all other anesthetic conditions, and significantly greater for morphine than for α-chloralose. The apparent metabolic rate from pyruvate to bicarbonate was significantly greater for morphine than for all other anesthetic conditions, and significantly lower for pentobarbital than for α-chloralose. Results show that relative TCA cycle rates determined from hyperpolarized 13 C data are consistent with rates previously measured using conventional 13 C MRS under similar anesthetic conditions, and that using morphine for sedation greatly improves detection of downstream metabolic products compared with other anesthetics.
From Structure to Process: On the Integration of AMPD and HiTOP.

AbstractIn recent years the limitations of traditional categorical frameworks for conceptualizing and diagnosing psychopathology have become increasingly clear, prompting the development of dimensi...
STRring up Cancer with lncRNA.

In this issue of Molecular Cell, Yap et al. (2018) identify a novel lncRNA (PNCTR) that contains short tandem repeats that trap the RNA splicing factor PTBP1 in the perinucleolar compartment and link this sequestration activity to cancer cell development.
School and Community Socioeconomic Status and Access to Athletic Trainer Services in Wisconsin Secondary Schools.

Context Secondary schools have made significant progress in providing athletic trainer (AT) coverage to their student-athletes, but the levels of access at schools with ATs may vary widely. Socioec...
Partially (resp. fully) reversible adsorption of monoterpenes (resp. alkanes and cycloalkanes) to fused silica

This work compares the extent of reversibility and the thermodynamics of adsorption (Kads, ΔG°ads) of room-temperature vapors of common environmentally relevant monoterpenes (α-pinene, β-pinene, limonene, and 3-carene) and industrially relevant cyclic and acyclic non-terpene hydrocarbons (cyclohexane, hexane, octane, and cyclooctane) to fused silica surfaces. Vibrational sum frequency generation spectroscopy carried out in the C–H stretching region shows negligible surface coverage-dependent changes in the molecular orientation of all species surveyed except for cyclohexane. The group of monoterpenes studied here distinctly exhibits partially reversible adsorption to fused silica surfaces compared to the group of non-terpene hydrocarbons, demonstrating a link between molecular structure and adsorption thermodynamics. The standard Gibbs free energy of adsorption is nonlinearly correlated with the equilibrium vapor pressure of the compounds surveyed.
State of the Art HCV Treatment in Children

Hepatitis C infection is a global issue with an estimated 5 million children with active HCV infection worldwide. The advent of oral direct-acting antiviral (DAA) regimens has revolutionized treatment in adults with excellent efficacy and tolerability. There are limited data and few approved therapies in children. The aim of this review is to discuss the currently approved regimens for children and the recently reported results of clinical trials of DAA in children. DAA regimens are currently approved only for children ≥ 12 years. For most children < 12 years, it is recommended that HCV therapy be deferred until patients are eligible for oral DAA therapies. For treatment-naive adolescents with HCV genotype 1, 4, 5, or 6, treatment with ledipasvir/sofosbuvir for 12 weeks has been reported to have sustained virologic response at 12 weeks of 98%. For treatment-naive adolescents with genotype 2 or 3 HCV, sofosbuvir- ribavirin combination therapy (12 weeks for genotype 2 and 24 weeks for genotype 3) has been reported to have SVR12 of 100% and 97%, respectively. There are promising, recently published studies showing excellent SVR12 rates for ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir ± dasabuvir ± ribavirin in adolescents with HCV genotype 1 or 4, and sofosbuvir/daclatasvir in children/adolescents with HCV genotype 4. Finally, ledipasvir/sofosbuvir ± ribavirin for children age 6–12 years with genotypes 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6 treated for either 12 or 24 weeks is reported to have an SVR12 rate of 99%. HCV treatment in children is rapidly evolving. There are now highly effective all-oral, interferon-free regimens for children ≥ 12 years. Clinical trials are on-going for adolescents and children < 12 years with a variety of pangenotypic ribavirin-free regimens, with anticipated approvals in the near future.
Amorphous sulfide heterostructure precursors prepared by radio frequency sputtering

Two-dimensional sulfides and their heterostructures have emerged as potentially useful materials for technological applications. Controllable self-assembly of interleaved crystalline heterostructures from designed thin-film precursors has been demonstrated in selenide and telluride chemical systems, but not yet in sulfide chemistries. Preparing such amorphous sulfide heterostructure precursors is a necessary first step toward this goal. Here, deposition of thin-film amorphous precursors for layered sulfide heterostructures by RF sputtering is presented on the example of SnS-MoS2. A calibration process specific to the mechanisms of RF sputtering from sulfide and disulfide compound targets is established. Precursor film structure and composition are confirmed via x-ray reflectivity and Rutherford backscattering measurements. Local nanostructure and composition are also examined by electron microscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy.Two-dimensional sulfides and their heterostructures have emerged as potentially useful materials for technological applications. Controllable self-assembly of interleaved crystalline heterostructures from designed thin-film precursors has been demonstrated in selenide and telluride chemical systems, but not yet in sulfide chemistries. Preparing such amorphous sulfide heterostructure precursors is a necessary first step toward this goal. Here, deposition of thin-film amorphous precursors for layered sulfide heterostructures by RF sputtering is presented on the example of SnS-MoS2. A calibration process specific to the mechanisms of RF sputtering from sulfide and disulfide compound targets is established. Precursor film structure and composition are confirmed via x-ray reflectivity and Rutherford backscattering measurements. Local nanostructure and composition are also examined by electron microscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy.
Cyborg fibroblasts: Cardiac pacemakers of the future?

Cardiac fibroblasts with internalized silicon nanowires can be stimulated with laser light to electrically pace neighboring cardiac myocytes.
Investigating the Working Mechanisms of Viscosity-Modifying Admixtures through Rheological and Water Transport Properties

AbstractViscosity modifying admixtures (VMAs) show great potential in achieving the desired rheological properties for 3D concrete printing. In addition to rheology, water transport properties are ...
Lesbians’ Use of Popular Social Media Sites is Associated with Perceived Drinking Norms & Interest in Receiving Personalized Normative Feedback on Alcohol Use

Alcohol-related problems disproportionately impact sexual minority women. Recent research suggests that lesbian-identified women overestimate peer drinking norms and therefore, personalized normati...
Recovery as Life Transformation: Examining the Relationships between Recovery, Hope, and Relapse

Models of holistic recovery that focus on wellbeing in recovery are emerging in the field of substance use treatment, but the literature shows little research on the mechanisms of change within the...
Absorption of infrasound in the lower and middle clouds of Venus.

The paper presents predictions for the infrasonic attenuation coefficient in the clouds of Venus at altitudes of 50–60 km, where instrumented balloons will likely be deployed. The acoustic wavenumber is obtained by modifying the model of Baudoin, Coulouvrat, and Thomas [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 130(3), 1142–1153 (2011)] to account for typical Venus cloud composition. A two-phase system, consisting of polydisperse aqueous–H2SO4 liquid droplets with a trimodal size distribution and their vapors is considered. Assuming sulfuric acid as the main condensable species, the low-frequency cloud attenuation coefficient is dominated by the evaporation/condensation of H2SO4. It ranges from 2 × 10 − 5 dB/km at 10 mHz to 0.1 dB/km at 10 Hz, exceeding that of the dry atmosphere by up to 2 orders of magnitude. Varying the cloud density by ± 50 % changes the attenuation by − 35 % / + 100 % at 1 mHz and ± 50 % at 10 Hz. The same variation in the acid vapor diffusion coefficient causes attenuation changes from − 20 % / + 70 % at 1 mHz to + 25 % / − 40 % at 10 Hz. As the evaporation coefficient of H2SO4 (presently poorly constrained) is varied from 0.01 to 1, the attenuation drops from 10 − 4 dB/km to 4 × 10 − 6 dB/km at 10 mHz and increases from 10 − 3 dB/km to 2 × 10 − 2 dB/km at 10 Hz.
Quantifying the Benefits of Estuarine Habitat Restoration in the Gulf of Mexico: an Introduction to the Theme Section

This collection of papers provides insights into methods and data currently available to quantify the benefits associated with estuarine habitat restoration projects in the northern Gulf of Mexico, USA, with potential applicability to other coastal systems. Extensive habitat restoration is expected to occur in the northern Gulf of Mexico region over the next several decades through funding associated with the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Papers in this section examine the development of vegetation, soil properties, invertebrate fauna, and nekton communities in restored coastal marshes and provide a conceptual framework for applying these findings to quantify the benefits associated with compensatory marsh restoration. Extensive meta-analysis of existing data for Gulf of Mexico coastal habitats further confirms that structured habitats such as marsh, submerged aquatic vegetation, and oyster reefs support greater nekton densities than nonvegetated bottom habitat, with oyster reefs supporting different species assemblages than marsh and submerged aquatic vegetation. Other papers demonstrate that while vegetation cover can establish rapidly within the first 5 years of restoration, belowground parameters such as root biomass and soil organic matter remain 44% to 92% lower at restored marshes than reference marshes 15 years after restoration. On average, amphipod and nekton densities are also not fully restored until at least 20 and 13 years following restoration, respectively. Additional papers present methods to estimate the benefits associated with marsh restoration projects, nekton productivity associated with coastal and estuarine habitats, and the benefits associated with the removal of derelict crab traps in Gulf of Mexico estuaries.
Challenging Aggressive Behaviors Experienced by Personal Support Workers in Comparison to Home Care Workers: Relationships between Caregiver Experiences and Psychological Health

Personal support workers (PSW) are caregivers for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) or adults experiencing mental illness or other behavioral health conditions. The work can be very meaningful, but many PSWs must prepare for, monitor, and manage challenging behaviors, including aggression. This study was designed to estimate the prevalence of aggression experienced by PSWs in Oregon, and compare it to a previous sample of Oregon home care workers (HCWs). This comparison included an analysis of relationships between exposures to aggression and psychological health factors. PSWs in Oregon (N = 240) were surveyed electronically at a single time point. PSWs generally reported higher rates of exposure to aggression compared to HCWs. Experiences with aggression were positively associated with fatigue and weakly associated with depression, but not stress. PSWs' self-reported lost work time injury rate was elevated compared to the US average, but it was comparable to previous self-reported injury rates from HCWs. Physical demands of work were the most prevalent reported primary safety concern, followed by challenging behaviors (including aggression). Developing tailored training to help PSWs understand, plan for, minimize, and manage challenging behaviors is a social priority.
“Why So Few?”: Differential Effects of Framing the Gender Gap in STEM Recruitment Interventions:

Interventions designed to increase women’s participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines sometimes emphasize the STEM gender gap. Drawing upon optimal distin...
Remarkable simplicity in the prediction of nonspherical particle segregation

Flow-driven segregation of non-spherical-particle mixtures can be predicted from the particle volume ratio for a broad range of particle shapes and sizes
Concomitant nephrotic syndrome and tubulointerstitial nephritis in a child with Epstein-Barr virus mononucleosis.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) and nephrotic syndrome (NS) are uncommon manifestations of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) mononucleosis. We report a 4-year-old boy with Infectious mononucleosis (IM) who presented with dialysis-requiring AKI and NS. Renal biopsy showed severe acute tubular necrosis, mild chronic interstitial nephritis and focal podocyte foot processes effacement. EBV early RNA was not detected in the renal tissue. However, immunophenotyping of peripheral lymphocytes showed increased cytotoxic T cell activity and increased memory B cells. Treatment with steroid led to rapid resolution of NS within 3 weeks. Renal function stabilised. EBV viral capsid antigen (VCA) IgM remained elevated until 4 months before starting to decline when VCA IgG and nuclear antigen started appearing. B lymphocytes are the predominant target cells in EBV infection and additionally may also act as antigen presenting cells to T lymphocytes, thereby eliciting the strong immune response and leading to podocyte and tubulointerstitial injury.
The Persistence of New Hampshire's Memory: The Hurst Exponent of Republican Voting in New Hampshire, 1828-2016

Using a technique first developed by Harold Edwin Hurst to measure the degree to which a river system “remembers” its own past, then later applied by Benoit Mandelbrot to financial information, the author measures the degree to which New Hampshire voters appear to remember past votes. The result finds that indeed New Hampshire voters do remember past results — but to a lesser degree than the Nile “remembers” previous floods.
CdZnTeSe: A Promising Material for Radiation Detector Applications

The quest for cost-effective, high-performing radiation detector materials operable at ambient temperature has continued for more than three decades. One key to lower the overall detector cost of production is a high degree of compositional homogeneity. Spatial homogeneity of the charge-transport properties of the detector material is also essential for increasing the yield and active volume of high-performance detectors. Despite its commercial success as a room-temperature radiation detection material, CdZnTe (or CZT) suffers from a lack of compositional homogeneity on both micro- and macroscale and the presence of spatial inhomogeneity in the material’s charge-transport properties. The underlying reasons for the spatial inhomogeneity in the charge-transport properties of CZT are the presence of high concentrations of sub-grain boundary (dislocation walls) networks and secondary phases (Te-rich inclusions) on a microscale and the segregation of zinc during growth on a macroscale. This book chapter focuses on the presence of performance-limiting defects in CZT that hinder the yield and cost of high-quality detectors and have restricted widespread deployment for a variety of potential applications, particularly for uses of large-volume detectors where the demands on material perfection are significantly greater. In the recent past, the addition of selenium in CZT matrix was found to be very effective in a drastic reduction of Te-rich secondary phases and dislocation networks, while demonstrating little or no Se segregation during ingot growth. This chapter provides an overview of recent developments on the quaternary CdZnTeSe material as a potential next-generation detector material operable at room temperature.
Victor Horsley: The World's First Neurosurgeon and His Conscience

Sir Victor Horsley (1857–1916) was a pioneer who shaped the development of neurosurgery and the direction of clinical medicine through his work with the British Medical Association, Medical Defence Union, and General Medical Council. Before the nervous system could be imaged, Horsley operated successfully on the brain and spinal cord, and performed palliative procedures on patients dying from brain tumours. Nevertheless, he became a social pariah due to his support for nationalised health insurance, child welfare and women's rights, amongst other causes. In this fascinating biography, leading neurologist Dr Michael J. Aminoff places Horsley's life and work in the context of the society in which he lived and explores his influence on the development of neurosurgery and social policies still in effect. The many underlying themes to the book include the interplay of science and politics, and the responsibility of physicians to themselves and for the welfare of society.
Bond analysts' forecasts on cash flows and earnings

We examine the propensity and properties of bond analysts’ forecasts on cash flows and earnings. We find that the probability to issue cash flow, relative to earnings, forecasts is greater for bond analysts than for equity analysts, consistent with the notion that cash flow, relative to earnings, information is more important to bond investors than for stock investors. In addition, bond analysts’ cash flow (earnings) forecasts are more (less) accurate than equity analysts’ cash flow (earnings) forecasts. Finally, we show that bond investors’ reaction to bond analysts’ cash flow forecast revision is greater than that to bond analysts’ earnings forecast and that bond market reacts only to bond analysts’ forecast revisions but not to equity analysts’ forecast revisions. This manifests bond investors’ stronger demand for reliable information on future cash flows than for earnings. Overall, this study enhances our understanding of bond analysts’ informational role through their forecasting activities.
Use of Buckets as Tools by Western Lowland Gorillas

While all great apes have been documented to use tools, gorillas are arguably the least proficient tool users. In 2009, a Western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) at the Buffalo Zoo was observed using a bucket, which had been provided as part of normal enrichment, as a tool to collect water. We conducted a brief, ad libitum investigation to confirm the validity of the initial observation. We then carried out a systematic investigation of the behavior in 2010. We collected 72 hr of videotaped data and tested the null hypothesis that the gorillas did not differ in their prevalence of engaging in bucket-use behaviors. We documented that all four adult gorillas in the group used buckets as drinking tools; however, there was significant individual variation in frequency and type of use of buckets. Four of the eight behaviors showed significant variation among individuals. The silverback male and the youngest adult female contacted and held the bucket significantly more than the remaining two adult females. The young female carried and drank from the bucket significantly more than any other individual. Furthermore, she was observed to fill the bucket with water four of the six times during which this behavior was observed. These data provide evidence of the ability of gorillas to utilize tools, given the appropriate environmental conditions. We continue to explore the abilities of gorillas to recognize the functionality of buckets as tools.
Computer Applications in Counselor Education: Developing Cultural Competencies Through Online Collaboration of Future School Counselors / L’informatique dans l’éducation des orienteurs : le développement du savoir-faire culturel par la collaboration en

This study examined the applications of computer-mediated student collaboration in a graduate multicultural counseling course. The course work included a reflective cultural competency building assignment that utilized online communication and collaboration using a wiki to extend and improve students’ multicultural counseling and social justice advocacy skills. The online assignment design was aligned with the current call for utilizing technology in the counseling profession. It further considered the needs of the future counselors, the current levels of exposure to and experience with available technology of the class members, and the opportunities for utilization of a variety of online-based tools to extend in-class and out-of-class discussions. Students’ response to this new form of class work and communication confirmed the potential of the online component to other aspects of counselor preparation, and the data analysis showed that the computer-mediated assignment was a valuable addition to developing students’ skills as multiculturally competent professionals. Cette etude a examine les applications de la collaboration entre etudiants par l’entremise de l’informatique dans le cadre d’un cours d’etudes superieures sur l’orientation en contexte multiculturel. Les travaux du cours comprenaient un travail de reflexion pour renforcer le savoir-faire culturel grâce a la communication et a la collaboration en ligne, en utilisant un wiki pour accroitre et ameliorer les aptitudes des etudiants en orientation en contexte multiculturel et en defense de la justice sociale. La conception du travail en ligne s’alignait sur la tendance actuelle pour une utilisation accrue de la technologie dans le metier de conseiller en orientation. On y tenait egalement compte des besoins des futurs conseillers, de leur degre d’exposition a la technologie et de leur experience avec celle-ci, ainsi que des occasions pour l’utilisation d’une variete d’outils en ligne pour accroitre la portee des discussions en classe et hors de la classe. La reaction des etudiants a cette nouvelle forme de travaux scolaires et de communication a confirme le potentiel de la composante en ligne pour les autres aspects de la formation des conseillers. L’analyse des donnees a demontre que le travail realise par l’entremise de l’informatique a constitue un ajout precieux pour developper les aptitudes des etudiants comme professionnels competents en contexte multiculturel.
A version of Zabrodsky’s lemma

Zabrodsky's Lemma says: Suppose given a fibrant space Y and a homotopy fiber sequence F -* E -* X with X connected. If the map Y = map(*, Y) -* map(F, Y) which is induced by F -* * is a weak equivalence, then map(X, Y) -* map(E, Y) is a weak equivalence. This has been generalized by Bousfield. We improve on Bousfield's generalization and give some applications. The lemma we refer to here is the following: Suppose given a fibrant space Y and a homotopy fiber sequence F -* E -* X with X connected. If the map Y = map(*, Y) -* map(F, Y) which is induced by F -* * is a weak equivalence, then map(X, Y) -* map(E, Y) is a weak equivalence. This result has been generalized by Bousfield in [B, Theorem 4.6]. Our statement is almost the same as [B, Theorem 4.6]. The only difference is that we assume in Theorem 1.1 that Y = map(*, Y) -* map(Fk, Y) is a weak equivalence while Bousfield assume that map(Qk, Y) is a weak equivalence, where Fk is the homotopy fiber of the map k. Our assumption is indeed weaker. Our interest in Theorem 1.1 lies is the fact that it is a basic tool in comparing f-localization functors, and we will give some simple applications in this direction. The technique we use in the proof of Theorem 1.1 has been developed by Chacholski and Dror Farjoun. 0. NOTATIONS AND PRELIMINARIES Let A denote the simplicial category in which the objects are the ordered sets [n] = {0, 1, ..., n} and morphisms are nondecreasing maps of sets. A simplicial set (or space) is a contravariant functor K from A to the category of sets. As usual we write Kn for K([n]), the n-simplices. Let S.sets denote the category of simplicial sets (or spaces). The standard n-simplex A[n] is the simplicial set with k-simplices HomA ([k], [n]). There is a distinguished n-dimensional simplex r E A [n] which comes from the identity map [n] -* [n]. And A[n] denotes the 'boundary' simplex of A [n]. For each space K, there is a canonical way to associate a category to K, called the transport category of K or the Grothendieck construction of K. The objects of this category are pairs ([n], or), where [n] is an object of A"IP and of E Kn. A morphism ([n], ar) m ([i], r) of this category consists of a map q: [n] -* [m] in A0P such that K(q)(a) r. We will use the same symbol K to denote both the space K Received by the editors April 11, 1996 and, in revised form, October 30, 1996. 1991 Mathematics Subject Classification. Primary 55P60. ?)1998 American Mathematical Society
The Rpb4/7 module connects the Ccr4-Not complex to elongating RNA polymerase II: implications for the coordination of synthesis and decay (560.10)

It is now known that the synthesis and decay of mRNAs are coordinated; however, the factors involved in this process and the mechanism of how these two distinct events are linked are not known. The...
p53 mutations and tumor progression in well-differentiated liposarcoma and dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans

Mutations of the tumor suppressor gene p53 have been identified in a wide variety of human tumors, including soft tissue sarcomas. Most missense mutations of p53 increase the half-life of the protein resulting in its accumulation in the nucleus. Immunohistochemical staining with a monoclonal antibody PABI801 (Oncogene Science, Uniondale, NY) detects the intranuclear accumulation of p53 protein in formalin-fixed tissue, and, thus, indicates the presence of missense mutations within the p53 gene. We compared p53 immunoreactivity in paraffin sections of low-grade sarcomas that progressed to high-grade lesions with low-grade sarcomas that had not progressed to high-grade lesions to determine if (1) histologic progression is associated with increasing incidence of p53 missense mutations, and (2) p53 missense mutations within low-grade areas are predictive of which lesions undergo histologic progression. To examine these questions we studied well-differentiated liposarcoma with and without dedifferentiation and...
Long-Term Economic Mobility and the Private Sector in Developing Countries: New Evidence

The debate over economic growth and economic mobility continues to rage. On the positive side, ample studies have shown that when economic growth has taken place, poverty has fallen; when poverty has not fallen, it typically is because economic growth has not taken place (Dollar and Kraay 2001; Fields 2001).1 “A world free of poverty” is the mission of the World Bank; for its part, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) seeks to “promote private sector investment in developing countries, which will reduce poverty and improve people’s lives.”The IFC has long placed improved investment climate at the core of its economic development activities. In a series of speeches, Nicholas Stern, chief economist of the World Bank, has emphasized the linkage between private sector development and poverty reduction. Summing up the findings from a large body of research, Stern has said, “The investment climate—urban and rural, at both the national and state level—is key to achieving sustained poverty reduction” (Stern 2001).
Will Harmonizing Accounting Standards Really Harmonize Accounting? Evidence from Non-U.S. Firms Adopting U.S. GAAP:

International harmonization of accounting standards appears to be inevitable. However, little evidence exists regarding whether harmonizing accounting standards will result in actual harmonization ...
The Limits of Diplomacy: The Ottoman Empire and the First World War

Swimming in a sea of military defeats, the Ottoman leadership, it seems, should have opted for less war, not more, in 1914. The generation at the helm of the state, however, welcomed the July Crisis not as a reprieve but as an opportunity to end the empire’s international isolation. Whereas the Ottoman leaders of the nineteenth century had launched a broad program of reforms in their search for a place in the European Concert, by the twentieth century a new crop of radical leaders had taken charge of the state. Many of these new leaders came from borderlands, from territories now lost, and they believed that the survival of their state rested on the creation of a “nation in arms.”
Wearable motion capture unit for shoulder injury prevention

Body-worn devices have significant potential to improve the health and well-being of many individuals. In this work, wearable inertial sensors are used in order to track and discriminate shoulder motion gestures, without using visual markers or other approaches that constrain the system to a laboratory environment. The device, consisting of a set of orthogonal accelerometers, gyroscopes, and magnetic field sensors, is attached to the person;s upper arm to help prevent shoulder over-use injuries in strenuous work and in athletics. The sensor suite is used to track the orientation of the arm as a function of time. We present a detection and classification approach that can be used to evaluate the number of times certain motion gestures occur.
TV for Economics

URL: http://www.tvforecon.blogspot.com/ The TV for Economics Web site catalogs more than 80 television scenes of interest to economic educators. Although there is a substantial literature on the us...
A near-optimal closed-loop solution method for nonsingular zero-sum differential games

This paper presents a method for generating nearoptimal closed-loop solutions to zero-sum perfect information differential games with and without the final time explicitly specified, and with and without control constraints. This near-optimal closed-loop solution is generated by periodically updating the solution to the two-point boundary-value problem obtained by the application of the necessary conditions for a saddle-point solution. The resulting updated open-loop control is then used between updating intervals. Three examples are presented to illustrate the application of this method.
Automated Localization of Multiple Pelvic Bone Structures on MRI

In this paper, we present a fully automated localization method for multiple pelvic bone structures on magnetic resonance images (MRI). Pelvic bone structures are at present identified manually on MRI to locate reference points for measurement and evaluation of pelvic organ prolapse (POP). Given that this is a time-consuming and subjective procedure, there is a need to localize pelvic bone structures automatically. However, bone structures are not easily differentiable from soft tissue on MRI as their pixel intensities tend to be very similar. In this paper, we present a model that combines support vector machines and nonlinear regression capturing global and local information to automatically identify the bounding boxes of bone structures on MRI. The model identifies the location of the pelvic bone structures by establishing the association between their relative locations and using local information such as texture features. Results show that the proposed method is able to locate the bone structures of interest accurately (dice similarity index >0.75) in 87–91% of the images. This research aims to enable accurate, consistent, and fully automated localization of bone structures on MRI to facilitate and improve the diagnosis of health conditions such as female POP.
‘To stop train pull chain’ Writing histories of contemporary political practice

Many political practices in India are today regarded as disruptive, extralegal, violent or otherwise detrimental to India’s democratic record, yet at the same time they have functioned in the past and continue to function as widespread forms of political communication. This article argues that such practices—often associated with those in positions of structural marginalisation—are as deserving of analysis and understanding as forms and sites of communication more conventionally associated with the history of democracy, such as the coffee houses and forms of print media associated with the bourgeois public sphere in Europe or practices associated with elections. Using the very common practice of alarm chain pulling to stop a train for political purposes as a specific example, the article also argues that it is important to place contemporary forms of political practice into their longer historical genealogies in order to fully understand their significance within the history and practice of democracy in I...
Negative Images in Stroboscopy

The effects of varying the duration of a stroboscopic flash are considered. If the disk in Fig. 1(a) is rapidly rotated and viewed under continuous illumination which is periodically interrupted for short intervals, then by adjusting the frequency of the inter-ruptions, the stationary negative image in Fig. 1(b) is produced. Standard texts in stroboscopy' and visual percep tion2 do not mention this effect,and we have been unable to find anyone who is familiar with it. There is, however, an early paper by Faraday,3 cited by Flelmholtz,4 which des-cribes related but not identical phenomena. The observed patterns can be predicted using optical arguments. Two time-varying illumination schemes are called complementary if the sum of the intensities of both schemes gives a constant illumination in time. While the disk in Fig. 1(a) is rotating rapidly, it appears a uniform gray under constant illumination, due to time averaging in the visual :system.4 ence, if the spatial pattern of intensity observed on the rotating disk under some illumination scheme is summed with the pattern observed under the complementary scheme, the result must be a uniform gray. Consequently, since illumination with periodic short light flashes gives a positive, image (narrow dark bars on a bright field), illumination by the complement must give a negative image (narrow bright bars on a dark field), Fig. 1(b).
The Urban Heat Island Effect at Fairbanks, Alaska

Summary Using climatic data from Fairbanks and rurally situated Eielson Air Force Base in Interior Alaska, the growth of the Fairbanks heat island was studied for the time period 1949‐ 1997. The climate records were examined to distinguish between a general warming trend and the changes due to an increasing heat island effect. Over the 49-year period, the population of Fairbanks grew by more than 500%, while the population of Eielson remained relatively constant. The mean annual heat island observed at the Fairbanks International Airport grew by 0.4C, with the winter months experiencing a more significant increase of 1.0C. Primary focus was directed toward long-term heat island characterization based on season, wind speed, cloud cover, and time of day. In all cases, the minima temperatures were affected more than maxima and periods of calm or low wind speeds, clear winter sky conditions, and nighttime exhibited the largest heat island effects.
The Development and Evolution of Two Atmospheric Rivers in Proximity to Western North Pacific Tropical Cyclones in October 2010

AbstractThis study investigates the evolution of two zonally elongated atmospheric rivers (ARs) that produced >200 mm of rainfall over mountainous regions of Northern California in late October 2010. Synoptic-scale analysis and air parcel trajectory analysis indicate that the ARs developed within high-CAPE environments characterized by troposphere-deep ascent as water vapor was transported directly from western North Pacific tropical cyclones (TCs) toward the equatorward entrance region of an intensifying North Pacific jet stream (NPJ). The same ARs were subsequently maintained as water vapor was transported from extratropical and subtropical regions over the central and eastern North Pacific in an environment characterized by quasigeostrophic forcing for ascent and strong frontogenesis along the anticyclonic shear side of an intense and zonally extended NPJ. Although the ARs developed in conjunction with water vapor transported from regions near TCs and in the presence of troposphere-deep ascent, an atmo...
Familial aggregation of breast cancer with early onset lung cancer.

Site-specific familial aggregation and evidence supporting Mendelian codominant inheritance have been shown in lung cancer. In characterizing lung cancer families, a number of other cancers have been observed. The current study evaluates whether first-degree relatives of early onset lung cancer cases are at increased risk of breast cancer. Families were identified through population-based lung cancer cases and controls under 40 years of age. Cases were ascertained through the Metropolitan Detroit SEER registry; controls through random-digit dialing. Data were available for 384 female relatives of 118 cases and 465 female relatives of 161 controls. Breast cancer in relatives was evaluated after adjusting for age, race, sex, and smoking status of each family member and the sex and age of the probands. A positive family history of early onset lung cancer increased breast cancer risk among first-degree relatives 5. 1-fold (95% CI, 1.7-15.1). Relatives of cases with adenocarcinoma of the lung were at highest risk (RR = 6.3, 95% CI 2.0-20). Mean age of breast cancer diagnosis among relatives of cases was 52.2 years and not statistically different from relatives of controls. Three case families also reported early ovarian cancers (mean age of diagnosis of 35 years). These findings suggest that shared susceptibility genes may act to increase risk of early onset lung and breast cancer in families.
Techniques for in Situ Determination of Thermal Resistance of Lightweight Board Insulations

The most common method for field measurement of building component thermal resistance is the ''averaging'' method, R = ..sigma delta../..sigma..q, defined as the ratio of the average temperature over some suitable period of time to the average heat transfer over the same time period. While simple to use, it does have shortcomings: (1) the ratio is unreliable when the average heat transfer is near zero as it often is during the spring and fall seasons, (2) the R-value reported is at best an average over the range of temperatures for the test, and (3) the method does not account for persistent effects related to material heat capacity. Three alternative methods, all of which also use measured temperature distributions and heat fluxes are described. The ''absolute value'' method avoids problem (1), and the ''steady state least squares'' method avoids (1) and (2). The most comprehensive method is PROPOR. PROPOR is based on heat transfer principles and addresses all three of the shortcomings of the averaging method. Experimental data is presented to support these conclusions.
Generalized framework for interatomic potential design: Application to Fe–He system

Radiation damage phenomena plays an important role in the lifetime of structural materials for future fusion power reactors. Developing predictive multiscale models for material behavior under irradiation conditions in a fusion reactor requires understanding the mechanisms associated with radiation damage phenomena, the He interaction with microstructures, and quantifying the associated uncertainties. Nanoscale simulations and interatomic potentials play an important role in exploring the physics of nanoscale structures. However, while interatomic potentials are designed for a specific purpose, they are often used for studying mechanisms outside of the intended purpose. Hence, a generalized framework for interatomic potential design is designed such that it can allow a researcher to tailor an interatomic potential towards specific properties. This methodology produces an interatomic potential design map, which contains multiple interatomic potentials and is capable of exploring different nanoscale phenomena observed in experiments. This methodology is efficient and provides the means to assess uncertainties in nanostructure properties due to the interatomic potential fitting process. As an initial example with relevance to fusion reactors, an Fe–He interatomic potential design map is developed using this framework to show its profound effect.
A new method for calculating the g factor in a solid

A new method for calculating the g factor in a solid has been proposed and applied to obtain the value of the conduction electron g factor in a semiconductor InP. The calculated value, 1.24, for the conduction electron g factor is in a good agreement with the experimental value of 1.20 ± 0.05.
Dynamical behavior of a competitive model with genetic variation

Abstract The dynamical behavior of a competitive, coevolutionary model containing stable coexistence and mutual exclusion is discussed.
TU‐A‐WAB‐04: A Prospective Longitudinal Study with Ultrasound Nakagami Imaging to Evaluate the Relationship Between Acute and Late Normal‐Tissue Toxicity in Breast‐Cancer Radiotherapy

Purpose: Radiation‐induced normal‐tissue toxicity is heterogeneous in nature and manifests in a wide range of severities across women who undergo breast‐cancer radiotherapy (RT). Numerous studies have investigated the relationship between acute and late toxicity based on patient‐and physician‐conducted assessments, and the results have been conflicting. We carried out a prospective longitudinal study to examine whether acute toxicity can predict late toxicity in breast‐cancer RT using quantitative ultrasound Nakagami imaging. Methods: Twenty‐two patients were enrolled following lumpectomy and all participants received whole‐breast external‐beam RT (50Gy plus a 10Gy boost). Each participant received up to 6 ultrasound scans. A baseline ultrasound scan was performed 1 week prior to RT and followed by a scan at week 6 of RT. Four additional scans were taken post‐RT at 6‐week, 3‐month, 6‐month, and 1‐year follow‐ups. Patients were imaged on both breasts with a 10‐MHz ultrasound. Nakagami shape parameter was used as a surrogate for acute and late toxicity. A Nakagami shape parameter ratio (NSPR) was generated using measurements from the irradiated breast over the contralateral breast. Clinical assessment of normal‐tissue toxicity was conducted by a radiation oncologist using RTOG toxicity scheme. A linear regression model was used to examine the relationship between acute and late toxicity. Results: The NSRP measurements correlated with RTOG toxicity. For most patients, NSPR increased during RT and up to 3 months post RT, reached the highest value between 3 and 6 months, and then started to recover. The linearregression model indicates the NSPR during RT are correlated with NSPR measured at 3‐month, 6‐month and 1‐year post‐RT (p<0.05). Conclusion: Our results based on ultrasound Nakagami imaging suggest that acute normal‐tissue toxicity predicts late toxicity (up to 1 year) following breast RT. Therefore, interventions designed to limit acute toxicity may Result in less late toxicity and improved quality‐of‐life of breast‐cancer survivors.
Response plasticity of lateral geniculate neurons during and after pairing of auditory and visual stimuli

Neurons of the lateral geniculate nucleus, responsive only to visual stimulation, show response plasticity during and after pairing of auditory and visual stimuli. Modal response histograms reveal a gradual decrement in the number of spikes at interstimulus pairing intervals of 0 and 100 milliseconds but not 500 milliseconds. This plasticity effect, limited to tonic units, may persist for 2 to 3 minutes after termination of click-flash pairing.
A domain centered curriculum: an alternative approach to computing education

This paper presents a new approach to computer science education by proposing a model curriculum that presents computer science fundamentals and software engineering concepts in the context of an application domain. This domain-centered model is discussed in terms of its philosophy and structure, and emphasizes curriculum features that enhance the ability of a graduate to be part of a team that develops software in the application domain. In particular, the curriculum model proposes integration of software engineering education with the application domain. The undergraduate computer science curriculum at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is used to illustrate the principle features of the model and to advance arguments about the model's viability.