cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inhibitory Metabolic Drug Interactions with Newer Psychotropic Drugs: Inclusion in Package Inserts and Influences of Concurrence in Drug Interaction Screening Software

Background:Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations mandate that package inserts (Pls) include observed or predicted clinically significant drug-drug interactions (DDIs), as well as the results of pharmacokinetic studies that establish the absence of effect.Objective:To quantify how frequently observed metabolic inhibition DDIs affecting US-marketed psychotropics are present in FDA-approved Pls and what influence the source of DDI information has on agreement between 3 DDI screening programs.Methods:The scientific literature and Pls were reviewed to determine all drug pairs for which there was rigorous evidence of a metabolic inhibition interaction or noninteraction. The DDIs were tabulated noting the source of evidence and the strength of agreement over chance. Descriptive statistics were used to examine the influence of source of DDI information on agreement among 3 DDI screening tools. Logistic regression was used to assess the influence of drug class, indication, generic status, regulatory appro...
Contact of elastic solids with rough surfaces

The effect of surface roughness on the adhesion of elastic solids was examined with artificially roughened surfaces and crosslinked poly(dimethylsiloxane). The amplitudes (σ) and lateral correlation lengths (ξ) of the surface roughness were determined with the height–height correlation function calculated from atomic force microscopy images. The work of adhesion (W) did not change significantly for surfaces where σ ≤ 6 nm. However, with increasing σ and (ξ2/σ)1/3, W increased. Maximal adhesion was found for surfaces that produced the greatest indentation. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 39: 1848–1854, 2001
Vinyl Acetal Polymers

Poly(vinyl acetal) resins are made by the acid-catalyzed acetalization of poly(vinyl alcohol) with aldehydes. The reaction favors formation of the 1,3-dioxane ring, which is a characteristic feature of this class of resins. As of this writing (ca 1997), only poly(vinyl butyral) and poly(vinyl formal) are made in sizable commercial quantities. Most poly(vinyl butyral) is plasticized and made into interlayer for vehicle and architectural safety glazing. The primary use for poly(vinyl formal) is as an important component in coatings for electrical wire and cable insulation. Applications for poly(vinyl butyral) and poly(vinyl formal) resins make use of their toughness, resilience, optical clarity, high pigment/filler binding capacity, and the high adhesion the resins may provide when appropriately formulated. The history and general characteristics of poly(vinyl acetal) resins are briefly reviewed. Chemical and physical characteristics, manufacture, and principal applications are discussed. Special attention is given to poly(vinyl butyral) and its use for safety glazing interlayer, because glazing interlayer is by far the largest single application for the poly(vinyl acetal) class of resins. Keywords: Vinyl acetal polymers; Poly(vinyl alcohol); Poly(vinyl butyral); Butvar resins; Laminated glass; Poly(vinyl formal); Wire insulation
Mathematics Acceleration of Highly Talented Students: An Evaluation

The purpose of this study was to investigate the precollege mathematics preparation of students with high mathematical aptitude, most of whom were highly accelerated in mathematics. The nature and extent of mathematics coursework and math-related activities and measures of student achievement during the secondary school years were examined. Students evaluated their precollege mathematics preparation in terms of course availability and difficulty, school cooperation, and overall satisfaction. The typical student took calculus in Grade 9, followed by advanced mathematics coursework studied at a local college or magnet high school. Some students experienced difficulty in locating an appropriately challenging and cohesive course of study after first year calculus while still in high school. Despite students' radical acceleration, achievement in calculus and postcalculus coursework was high. Out-of-school math-related activities were prevalent. Gender differences were found in the degree of acceleration and ch...
Performance ratings and importance of performance measures for IS staff: the different perceptions of IS users and IS staff

Information systems (IS) users are being increasingly included in the evaluation of IS staff performance; however, unless there is agreement on the importance and selection of performance measures, interpretation and implementation of such evaluation is confounded. Differences in job duties and educational background between IS users and IS staff members lead us to expect differences in up-front task importance and in subsequent evaluation of IS staff job performance. An instrument is developed to study seven aspects of IS staff performance evaluation from IS staff and user perspectives. Gaps are confirmed in a study with a sample of 100 IS users and 93 IS staff members. Techniques for reaching agreement are suggested based on improving communication and understanding of common measures.
Improving the reliability of verbal communication between primary care physicians and pediatric hospitalists at hospital discharge.

INTRODUCTION Timely and reliable verbal communication between hospitalists and primary care physicians (PCPs) is critical for prevention of medical adverse events but difficult in practice. Our aim was to increase the proportion of completed verbal handoffs from on-call residents or attendings to PCPs within 24 hours of patient discharge from a hospital medicine service to ≥90% within 18 months. METHODS A multidisciplinary team collaborated to redesign the process by which PCPs were contacted following patient discharge. Interventions focused on the key drivers of obtaining stakeholder buy-in, standardization of the communication process, including assigning primary responsibility for discharge communication to a single resident on each team and batching calls during times of maximum resident availability, reliable automated process initiation through leveraging the electronic health record (EHR), and transparency of data. A run chart assessed the impact of interventions over time. RESULTS The percentage of calls initiated within 24 hours of discharge improved from 52% to 97%, and the percentage of calls completed improved to 93%. Results were sustained for 18 months. Standardization of the communication process through hospital telephone operators, use of the discharge order to ensure initiation of discharge communication, and batching of phone calls were associated with improvements in our measures. CONCLUSION Reliable verbal discharge communication can be achieved through the use of a standardized discharge communication process coupled with the EHR. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2015;10:574–580. © 2015 Society of Hospital Medicine
Accidental and Nonaccidental Injury of the Pediatric Brain and Spine

Traumatic brain and/or spine injury (TBSI) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children [1, 2]. Traumatic injury in children differs significantly from adults in multiple aspects. Clinical assessment is frequently challenging, details about the neurological symptoms at the time of injury may be lacking, and the type of trauma varies with the child’s age and physical activity. In addition, the pediatric skull, spinal column, and their contents undergo continuous anatomical and functional development. Consequently, the extent, quality, and distribution of injury, primary and secondary complications, neurological deficits, and functional outcome are very different for each age group [3]. Computer tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have revolutionized diagnosis, management, and treatment options for children with TBSI. Early diagnosis of the exact extent and quality of TBSI may improve outcome by limiting and preventing devastating complications [4]. More recently, advanced functional imaging techniques such as diffusionweighted imaging (DWI), perfusion-weighted imaging (PWI), and susceptibility-weighted (SWI) MRI allow early characterization of different mechanical, physiological, and hemodynamic processes that may lead to lasting neurological deficits.
Physiological Regulation of Gastrointestinal Ion Transport

This chapter describes the normal mechanisms whereby fluid is secreted and absorbed along the length of the gastrointestinal tract, and the regulatory pathways that govern these processes. The chapter discusses the precise transport mechanisms that mediate the flux of electrolytes and other solutes in the small and large intestines. All the transport mechanisms discussed in the chapter are active, in that they result in the transepithelial transport of the solute of interest against existing electrochemical gradients. Intestinal epithelial ion transport is regulated via complex pathways that are still not fully understood. Regulation can be divided into two complementary mechanisms: (i) an intercellular mechanism consisting of stimulation of the epithelium by mediators released from nerves, endocrine cells, and other effector cells and (ii) an intracellular mechanism where second messengers initiate signal transduction pathways within the epithelial cells themselves. Ultimately, regulatory mechanisms impinge on the membrane transporters. Ion movement across membranes can be accomplished by three distinct classes of transport mechanisms: carriers, pumps, and channels.
Testimony Before the U.S. Sentencing Commission on the Tribal Law and Order Act

Under longstanding policy, the U.S. Sentencing Commission takes the position that tribal court convictions ought not be counted for purposes of evaluating a convicted defendant's criminal history. Because in some cases this policy underestimates a defendant's criminal history, it undermines the utilitarian and retributive purposes of federal sentencing. The Tribal Law and Order Act, currently pending in Congress and supported by the President, should cause the United States Sentencing Commission to reconsider its position on tribal convictions. The Act would provide clear federal authorization for tribal court felony sentences of up to three years per offense as long as tribal governments provide counsel to indigent defendants. I stop short of recommending a particular outcome because I believe that the Commission ought to consider the views of tribal governments before deciding. However, if the Act becomes law, the Commission should take this opportunity to re-open the question and consult with tribes about the future of this provision.
The Use of Instructor Self-disclosure as an Educational Intervention in the Graduate Social Work Human Sexuality Classroom

This article examines the need for and history of human sexuality training in social work education, and explores self-disclosure, which has a history in both social work and education. This investigation leads to a discussion of instructor self-disclosure (ISD) as an intervention technique. From the literature, a theoretical case for the use of ISD as an educational intervention within the graduate-level, social work, human sexuality classroom is established. Through the adaptation of existing models, a model with three sets of variables (Student, Intervention, and Instructor) is offered for consideration, and a list of guidelines for sexuality educators to follow in utilizing ISD in their own classrooms augments the three-variable model. Finally, a case example is presented to further illustrate the model in practical application.
ON BECOMING JUST ANOTHER CONTRACTOR Contract Competition and the Management of Science at Sandia National Laboratories

Private-sector companies have managed many of the national energy laboratories (like Sandia National Laboratories) since their inception during the Manhattan Project. Political leaders at the time argued that American companies were the best-equipped organizations to manage efficiently large-scale scientific and technical endeavors. However, by the 1990s the U.S. Congress and the Department of Energy (DOE) introduced contract competitions as a means of instilling greater market discipline and cost controls on the operation of the labs. In this paper, the types of changes stimulated by contract competition are explored through a case study of scientists and administrators working at Sandia National Laboratories. Sandia personnel see contract competition as having little to do with instilling market discipline or the performance of the contractor. Instead, contract competition is understood as an opportunity for the DOE to change fundamentally the terms and conditions governing lab operations. They describe...
Lymphomatous orbital infiltration and vision loss in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

A previously healthy 54-year-old man presented with gradual vision loss, pain and swelling of the left eye, which started a month prior to admission. He was also experiencing night sweat, mild fever and noticed 10 lb weight loss since symptoms started. Physical examination showed inferior chemosis, lagophthalmos and mild proptosis of the left eye. Head CT showed a left-sided paranasal mass (figure 1), and subsequent MRI demonstrated a large lobulated infiltrative mass centred in the upper left nasal cavity with extension into the left orbits with resultant moderate proptosis and stretching of the optic nerve (figure 2A, B). CT of the chest, abdomen and pelvis revealed no evidence of lymphadenopathy or hepatosplenomegaly. Also, a bone marrow biopsy …
Ureteroceles in infancy and childhood: in search of the correct surgical approach

Between 1967 and 1986, 61 patients with 63 ureteroceles were treated; 53 ureteroceles were associated with duplex, 10 with single collecting systems. Antenatal and postnatal presentation and the means and limits of the possible investigations (intravenous urography, ultrasound, cystoscopy, micturition cystogram, isotope renography) are discussed. Thirty-nine ureteroceles were enucleated either with or without ureteric reimplantation. In patients with duplex systems this procedure was followed by heminephroureterectomy. The operative technique of the enucleation is discussed and the pros and cons of urinary diversion are mentioned. Eight ureteroceles were treated by primary heminephroureterectomy only, however in 75% secondary enucleation or ureteric reimplantation to stop reflux and infection became necessary; 12.5% developed a diverticulum. The remaining 16 ureteroceles were mainly treated unroofing or incision. The overall long-term results regarding reflux, urinary-tract infectios, and continence were excellent; in the majority of cases this was only after full reconstruction of the lower urinary tract. The function of the renal units involved remained constant or improved in 82% of the cases. We are aware that the “enucleation procedure” is a technically very demanding and time-consuming operation, nevertheless we highly recommend it, as it follows the principle and philosophy of surgical correction, achieving results as near normality as possible.
Direct mapping of hot-electron relaxation and multiplication dynamics in PbSe quantum dots.

How hot electrons relax in semiconductor quantum dots is of critical importance to many potential applications, such as solar energy conversion, light emission, and photon detection. A quantitative answer to this question has not been possible due in part to limitations of current experimental techniques in probing hot electron populations. Here we use femtosecond time-resolved two-photon photoemission spectroscopy to carry out a complete mapping in time- and energy-domains of hot electron relaxation and multiexciton generation (MEG) dynamics in lead selenide quantum dots functionalized with 1,2-ethanedithiols. We find a linear scaling law between the hot electron relaxation rate and its energy above the conduction band minimum. There is no evidence of MEG from intraband hot electron relaxation for excitation photon energy as high as three times the bandgap (3Eg). Rather, MEG occurs in this system only from interband hot electron transitions at sufficiently high photon energies (∼4Eg).
Problems and Solutions for Sand Environment Operation of Helicopter Gas Turbines

This paper is of two parts: a review of the experience of the T58 in an erosive environment, and a review of the design considerations, development testing and field experience in the T64 program relative to operation in a sand environment. Combat operation of various T58-powered helicopters showed erosion to be the major cause of engine premature removals. A description is given of problems encountered and of the design improvements and maintenance procedures implemented to minimize erosion effects. Field experience and redesign effort established general guidelines applicable to future turbine engine design and installations for helicopter and V/STOL aircraft. Mechanical and aerodynamic design requirements for sand environment operation are discussed as applicable to the T64, including the test experience obtained during the development program. Results are presented of the flight test program to evaluate the effectiveness of the inertial separator installed on the Sikorsky CH-53. Relative engine conditions are reviewed and compared to SEA field experience.Copyright © 1968 by ASME
Does Significant Medical Comorbidity Negate the Benefit of Up-front Cytoreduction in Advanced Ovarian Cancer?

Background The objective of the study was to determine if initial surgery (IS) or initial chemotherapy (IC) affects rates of optimal surgery and survival in a population with significant medical comorbidities. Methods Data of all patients with stage III-IV ovarian, peritoneal, and fallopian tube cancers diagnosed from 1995 to 2008 were reviewed. Clinical and pathologic data were abstracted. Results There were 551 cases for review: 255 (46.3%) received IS, and 296 (53.7%) received IC. Patients who received IC had higher stage (P Conclusions The achievement of optimal cytoreduction continues to be a significant predictor of survival, regardless of treatment approach. Patients selected for IS and in whom optimal cytoreduction was achieved had improvements in both progression-free survival and overall survival. However, the differences could not be explained by surgical effort alone as diabetes was independently associated with mortality.
A Proof of the Hairy Ball Theorem

(1979). A Proof of the Hairy Ball Theorem. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 86, No. 7, pp. 571-574.
One-Way Multishape-Memory Effect and Tunable Two-Way Shape Memory Effect of Ionomer Poly(ethylene-co-methacrylic acid).

Reversible elongation by cooling and contraction by heating, without the need for repeated programming, is well-known as the two-way shape-memory effect (2W-SME). This behavior is contrary to the common physics—contraction when cooling and expansion when heating. Materials with such behavior may find many applications in real life, such as self-sufficient grippers, fastening devices, optical gratings, soft actuators, and sealant. Here, it is shown that ionomer Surlyn 8940, a 50-year old polymer, exhibits both one-way multishape-memory effects and tunable two-way reversible actuation. The required external tensile stress to trigger the tunable 2W-SME is very low when randomly jumping the temperatures within the melting transition window. With a proper one-time programming, “true” 2W-SME (i.e., 2W-SME without the need for an external tensile load) is also achieved. A long training process is not needed to trigger the tunable 2W-SME. Instead, a proper one-time tensile programming is sufficient to trigger rep...
Management of the burned hand.

Summary Comprehensive management of the burned hand should be planned to restore optimal activity as early as possible, to reduce loss of function, and to prevent deformities. To achieve these objectives it is important to understand the factors that are most likely to contribute to loss of function and deformities, and how they may be important in a given patient. These factors are the extent, depth, and location of the burn; the patient's age; his cooperation; and any associated injuries as well as the occurrence of local sepsis. Treatment of the burned hand should be planned specifically according to the needs of each patient. Treatment often includes a planned program of active motion, the use of topical antibacterial agents, splinting, passive motion, dressings, the use of homografts or heterografts, autografting, primary wound excision, and postgraft therapy. Properly used, a combination of these methods can minimize loss of function and deformities in the burned hand.
Geologies of Finitude: The Deep Time of Twenty-First-Century Catastrophe in Don DeLillo’s Point Omega and Reza Negarestani’s Cyclonopedia

ABSTRACTThe twenty-first century has seen a transformation of twentieth-century narrative and historical discourse. On the one hand, the Cold War national fantasy of mutually assured destruction has multiplied, producing a diverse array of apocalyptic visions. On the other, there has been an increasing sobriety about human finitude, especially considered in the light of emerging discussions about deep time. This essay argues that Don DeLillo’s Point Omega (2010) and Reza Negarestani’s Cyclonopedia: Complicity with Anonymous Materials (2008) make strong cases for the novel’s continuing ability to complicate and illuminate contemporaneity. Written in the midst of the long and disastrous U.S. incursions in the Middle East, DeLillo and Negarestani raise important political questions about the ecological realities of the War on Terror. Each novel acknowledges that though the catastrophic present cannot be divorced from the inevitable doom at the end of the world, we still desperately need to imagine something ...
Collector-up AlGaAs/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistors using oxidised AlAs for current confinement

The authors describe a novel method for fabricating collector-up AlGaAs/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistors. An AlAs layer is inserted into the emitter layer and is oxidised in water vapour at 450°C. The resulting AlAs-oxide serves as a current confining layer that constricts collector current flow to the intrinsic portion of the device. DC devices with typical current gains of 50 are observed.
A new mechanism of ionizing radiation detection for positron emission tomography: modulation of optical properties

Using conventional scintillation detection, the fundamental limit in positron emission tomography (PET) annihilation photon pair coincidence time resolution is strongly dependent on the inherent temporal variances generated during the scintillation process, yielding an intrinsic physical limit of around 100 ps. On the other hand, modulation mechanisms of a material's optical properties as exploited in the optical telecommunications industry can be orders of magnitude faster. In this paper we borrow from the concept of optics pump-probe measurement to study whether ionizing radiation can also produce fast modulations of optical properties, which can be utilized as a novel method for radiation detection. We show that a refractive index modulation of approximately 5x10 -6 is induced by interactions in a cadmium telluride (CdTe) crystal from a 511 keV photon source. Furthermore, using additional radionuclide sources, we show that the amplitude of the optical modulation signal varies linearly with both the radiation source flux rate and average photon energy.
Statement Re-ordering for DOACROSS Loops

In this paper, we propose a new statement reordering algorithm for DOACROSS loops that overcomes some of the problems in the previous schemes. The new algorithm uses a hierarchical approach to locate strongly dependent statement groups and to order these groups considering critical dependences. A new optimization problem, dependence covering maximization, which was not discussed before is also introduced. It is shown that this optimization problem is NP-complete, and a heuristic algorithm is incorporated in our algorithm. This new statement re-ordering scheme, combined with the dependence covering maximization, can be an important compiler optimization to parallelize loop structures for large scale coarse and fine grain parallelism.
438. Human, Pig and Mouse IFITMs Partially Restrict Pseudotyped Lentiviral Vectors

Lentiviral vectors are increasingly used in clinical trials to treat genetic diseases. Our research has focused on strategies to improve lentiviral gene transfer efficiency in the airways. Previously we demonstrated that a feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)-based lentiviral vector pseudotyped with the baculovirus envelope glycoprotein GP64 (GP64-FIV) efficiently transduced mouse nasal epithelia in vivo but transduced mouse intrapulmonary airways with ten-fold less efficiency. Here, we demonstrate that a family of proteins with antiviral activity, interferon induced transmembrane proteins (IFITMs), are more highly expressed in the mouse intrapulmonary airways as compared to the nasal airways. Using GP64 and VSV-G pseudotyped FIV, we show that expression of mouse IFITM1, IFITM2, and IFITM3 restricts gene transfer. Further we show that both the nasal and intrapulmonary airways of IFITM locus knockout mice are more efficiently transduced by GP64-FIV than their heterozygous littermates. In anticipation of transitioning our studies into pig models of airway disease and clinical trials in humans, we investigated the ability of pig and human IFITMs to restrict lentiviral gene transfer. We observed that both human and pig IFITMs partially restricted both VSV-G-FIV and GP64-FIV transduction in vitro. These results implicate the IFITM proteins as restriction factors that can limit lentiviral gene transfer to airway epithelia. The findings are relevant to future pre-clinical and clinical airway gene therapy trials using lentiviral-based vectors.
Flow Conditioning Techniques for a Bent Pipe in a Constrained Latent Heat Storage System

This study was conducted to improve the flow distribution of air after a single 90-degree bend for temperatures above ambient conditions. In the literature, no study has been performed in the literature testing a flow conditioner for heated compressible flow. This study used an existing Thermal Energy Storage (TES) system for flowrates above 100 m3/h with Reynolds numbers over 10,000 was used. Due to a single 90-degree bend in the inlet flow a distance of three diameters from the entrance to the tank, the flow distribution was considerably shifted to the side of the outer bend. The constrained systemwas tested with various flow conditioners with fluid temperatures between the ambient temperature and 60°C. The Spearman and the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) plates were the most effective at improving the flow under all tested conditions. The system was modeled for different flow conditioners and validated using a computational fluid dynamic (CFD) model.Copyright © 2016 by ASME
Interrelationships between the tetrahedral and planar polymorphs of bis(3-ethylamino-1-phenyl-but-2-en-1-ono)nickel(II) and structural comparisons with related CoII, NiII, CuII, and ZnII complexes

Conditions for the crystallization and interconversion of the green and brown polymorphs of bis(3-ethylamino-1-phenyl-but-2-en-1-ono)nickel(II) (Ni(B–Et)2), which contain planar and tetrahedral complexes in accord with previous magnetic and spectroscopic studies, have been determined. Additionally, the series of β-diketoamine-containing complexes, M(B–Et)2 and M(B–Bn)2, (M = CoII, NiII, CuII, ZnII) obtained from condensation of benzoylacetone (B) with either ethylamine (Et) or benzylamine (Bn) followed by treatment with [MCl4]2− under basic conditions has been prepared and their structures characterized crystallographically. In contrast to Ni(B–Et)2, Ni(B–Bn)2 has been crystallized only in the planar form. M(B–Et)2 and M(B–Bn)2 (M = Co or Zn) have similar, nearly tetrahedral structures, while Cu(B–Et)2 and Cu(B–Bn)2 have structures that are decidedly intermediate between tetrahedral and planar. Despite the abilities of these complexes to exist in tetrahedral, planar, or intermediate structures in solution, it has not been possible to induce much structural variation in crystalline forms. While two polymorphs of Zn(B–Bn)2 have been obtained, both have similar, tetrahedral structures. Only Ni(B–Et)2 crystallizes in both planar and tetrahedral forms. None of the complexes formed cocrystals with fullerenes or solvates in which structural variation as seen in Ni(B–Et)2 occurred.
Renin angiotensin system inhibitors: a panacea for heart disease?

The prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD) has increased over several decades. With increased awareness, early diagnosis and improved non-invasive and invasive modalities, the population has significantly grown. Patients present with varying degrees of pathology, from stable angina to myocardial infarction and cardiogenic shock. As a result, some patients may develop left ventricular dysfunction and subsequent heart failure, whereas others may avoid this complication. Heart failure patients have received increased attention given their acuity, the need for repeated hospitalizations due to recurrent decompensations, increasing healthcare costs and subsequent poor quality of life. With increased data, evidence based medications have proven to reduce mortality and re-hospitalizations in patients with heart failure, with less hospital admissions and shorter stays as well as improved quality of life.
StoArranger: Enabling Efficient Usage of Cloud Storage Services on Mobile Devices

Cloud storage usages are becoming increasingly popular on mobile devices. Through an extensive motivation study, we find that cloud storage accesses from mobile apps suffer from several notable problems that undermine usage experiences. The root cause is that the way of cloud storage providers deploying their services onto mobile devices relies on app developers for the correct and appropriate implementations and lacks the ability of monitoring and servicing client-side cloud storage accesses. We propose StoArranger, a practical system framework that solves the problems by coordinating, rearranging, and transforming cloud storage communications on mobile devices. We have prototyped the proposed system using two different implementation approaches. We discuss our experiences of the implementations in the paper. The real-app evaluation experiments show that StoArranger can significantly improve mobile cloud storage access efficiency with little overheads.
An Examination of Locally Sourced Restaurant Patronage Intention

This study proposed a comprehensive model to explain how electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) and environmental concern influence on customers’ intention to visit a locally sourced restaurant. The propo...
On the impact of information disclosure on advance reservations: A game-theoretic view

Abstract In many branches of the economy, customers can reserve resources in advance. Yet, service providers often differ in the information they disclose to customers. In this paper, we evaluate how information about server availability impacts the strategic behavior of customers in a loss system with N servers, where each customer can either reserve a server at a certain cost, or take the risk of finding no server available. We formulate the problem as a non-cooperative game with a random number of players. Our main contributions are to establish the existence, structure, and uniqueness (or lack thereof) of pure Nash equilibria, depending on the information disclosed to customers. Specifically, we first prove that if the number of available servers is always disclosed, then there exists exactly one pure Nash equilibrium. High reservation costs lead to an equilibrium in which all servers remain unreserved, while low reservation costs lead to an equilibrium that consists of N “time-thresholds.” A customer that observes n available servers, makes a reservation only if she makes her inquiry before the nth time-threshold. Next, we consider the case where the number of available servers is disclosed only when that number falls below a certain threshold. We show that, in this game, the same types of equilibria prevail. However, multiple Nash equilibria may exist. Finally, we numerically compare the performance of the different policies and we formulate the conjecture that it is preferable for a provider to hide information about the number of available servers.
Unifying Themes in Finite Model Theory

. In FOCS, pages 387–397. IEEE Computer Society, 1988. 16. J. R. Buchi. Weak second-order arithmetic and finite automata. Zeitschrift fur Mathematische Logik und Grundlagen der Mathematik, 6:66–92, 1960. 17. A. A. Bulatov. A dichotomy theorem for constraints on a three-element set. In FOCS, pages 649–658. IEEE Computer Society, 2002. 18. J-y. Cai, M. Furer, and N. Immerman. An optimal lower bound on the number of variables for graph identification. In FOCS, pages 612–617. IEEE Computer
Human frequency following responses to iterated rippled noise with positive and negative gain: Differential sensitivity to waveform envelope and temporal fine-structure.

Abstract The perceived pitch of iterated rippled noise (IRN) with negative gain (IRNn) is an octave lower than that of IRN with positive gain (IRNp). IRNp and IRNn have identical waveform envelopes (ENV), but differing stimulus waveform fine structure (TFS), which likely accounts for this perceived pitch difference. Here, we examine whether differences in the temporal pattern of phase-locked activity reflected in the human brainstem Frequency Following Response (FFR) elicited by IRNp and IRNn can account for the differences in perceived pitch for the two stimuli. FFRs using a single onset polarity were measured in 13 normal-hearing, adult listeners in response to IRNp and IRNn stimuli with 2 ms, and 4 ms delay. Autocorrelation functions (ACFs) and Fast Fourier Transforms (FFTs) were used to evaluate the dominant periodicity and spectral pattern (harmonic spacing) in the phase-locked FFR neural activity. For both delays, the harmonic spacing in the spectra corresponded more strongly with the perceived lowering of pitch from IRNp to IRNn, compared to the ACFs. These results suggest that the FFR elicited by a single polarity stimulus reflects phase-locking to both stimulus ENV and TFS. A post-hoc experiment evaluating the FFR phase-locked activity to ENV (FFRENV), and TFS (FFRTFS) elicited by IRNp and IRNn confirmed that only the phase-locked activity to the TFS, reflected in FFRTFS, showed differences in both spectra and ACF that closely matched the pitch difference between the two stimuli. The results of the post-hoc experiment suggests that pitch-relevant information is preserved in the temporal pattern of phase-locked activity and suggests that the differences in stimulus ENV and TFS driving the pitch percept of IRNp and IRNn are preserved in the brainstem neural response. The scalp recorded FFR may provide for a noninvasive analytic tool to evaluate the relative contributions of envelope and temporal fine-structure in the neural representation of complex sounds in humans.
Temperature dependent electron transport and inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy of porphyrin molecular junctions

Abstract We report electron transport measurements through a metal-molecule-metal junction of free base or zinc porphyrin molecules. Junctions are formed by zig-zag electromigration of a gold nanowire. Inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy measurements were performed at 4.3 K to confirm the presence of molecules in the junction and to measure the vibrational modes of the molecular junction. Temperature dependent current/voltage measurements are performed in order to determine that the electron conduction mechanism through these molecular junctions is direct tunneling. The electron attenuation coefficient ( β 0 ) was also calculated; the average β 0 for free base and zinc porphyrin was 0.231 ± 0.133 A−1 and 0.188 ± 0.049 A−1, respectively. The barrier height was experimentally found to be 1.6 eV and 1.1 eV for FBP and Zn-P SAMs on Au, respectively.
Evolving rule-based classifiers with genetic programming on GPUs for drifting data streams

Abstract Designing efficient algorithms for mining massive high-speed data streams has become one of the contemporary challenges for the machine learning community. Such models must display highest possible accuracy and ability to swiftly adapt to any kind of changes, while at the same time being characterized by low time and memory complexities. However, little attention has been paid to designing learning systems that will allow us to gain a better understanding of incoming data. There are few proposals on how to design interpretable classifiers for drifting data streams, yet most of them are characterized by a significant trade-off between accuracy and interpretability. In this paper, we show that it is possible to have all of these desirable properties in one model. We introduce ERulesD2S: evolving rule-based classifier for drifting data Streams. By using grammar-guided genetic programming, we are able to obtain accurate sets of rules per class that are able to adapt to changes in the stream without a need for an explicit drift detector. Additionally, we augment our learning model with new proposals for rule propagation and data stream sampling, in order to maintain a balance between learning and forgetting of concepts. To improve efficiency of mining massive and non-stationary data, we implement ERulesD2S parallelized on GPUs. A thorough experimental study on 30 datasets proves that ERulesD2S is able to efficiently adapt to any type of concept drift and outperform state-of-the-art rule-based classifiers, while using small number of rules. At the same time ERulesD2S is highly competitive to other single and ensemble learners in terms of accuracy and computational complexity, while offering fully interpretable classification rules. Additionally, we show that ERulesD2S can scale-up efficiently to high-dimensional data streams, while offering very fast update and classification times. Finally, we present the learning capabilities of ERulesD2S for sparsely labeled data streams.
Severity test with uneven load due to wind action on photovoltaic module

The issue of typhoon has received considerable critical attention since the associated strong winds generally damage Photovoltaic (PV) modules severely. Previous IEC standards examined the effect of static or dynamic uniform-loads for PV module, but overlooked the wind actions with moment effect or non-uniform loads on PV module. In this paper, we developed an analytical model named extended wind-pressure test method considering wind actions. Therefore, the non-uniform wind-loads on PV module can be simulated directly by mechanical loads in labs. Results of this study also provided a severity test and revealed that such simulated non-uniform mechanical loads relied on the environmental condition like wind velocity and inclined angle of PV platform.
Food and Drug Administration pesticide residue monitoring of foods: 1983-1986.

Pesticide residues in foods are reported for the 4-year period 1982-1986 [fiscal years (FY) 83-86]. Results were summarized from the 2 complementary approaches that make up the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) pesticide residue monitoring program. Under regulatory monitoring, which focuses on residues in raw agricultural commodities, a total of 49,055 samples (27,700 domestic and 21,355 import) that included fresh fruits and vegetables, grains and grain products, milk and dairy products, seafoods, and a variety of processed foods were analyzed. No residues were found in 60 and 48% of the domestic and import samples, respectively, compared with 55 and 44% in FY78-82. About 3% of the domestic and 5% of the import samples were violative. In FY78-82, about 3 and 7% were violative, respectively. The other FDA monitoring approach, the Total Diet Study, was revised in April 1982 to expand coverage of age/sex groups, use updated diets, and provide for analysis of individual foods. Results from monitoring under this modified approach and from regulatory monitoring continued to demonstrate that pesticide residues in the U.S. food supply were well below regulatory limits, and dietary intakes were many times lower than the Acceptable Daily Intakes established by international agencies.
Family-based analyses reveal novel genetic overlap between cytokine interleukin-8 and risk for suicide attempt.

Abstract Background Suicide is major public health concern. It is imperative to find robust biomarkers so that at-risk individuals can be identified in a timely and reliable manner. Previous work suggests mechanistic links between increased cytokines and risk for suicide, but questions remain regarding the etiology of this association, as well as the roles of sex and BMI. Methods Analyses were conducted using a randomly-ascertained extended-pedigree sample of 1882 Mexican-American individuals (60% female, mean age = 42.04, range = 18–97). Genetic correlations were calculated using a variance components approach between the cytokines TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-8, and Lifetime Suicide Attempt and Current Suicidal Ideation. The potentially confounding effects of sex and BMI were considered. Results 159 individuals endorse a Lifetime Suicide Attempt. IL-8 and IL-6 shared significant genetic overlap with risk for suicide attempt (ρg = 0.49, pFDR = 7.67 × 10−03; ρg = 0.53, pFDR = 0.01), but for IL-6 this was attenuated when BMI was included as a covariate (ρg = 0.37, se = 0.23, pFDR = 0.12). Suicide attempts were significantly more common in females (pFDR = 0.01) and the genetic overlap between IL-8 and risk for suicide attempt was significant in females (ρg = 0.56, pFDR = 0.01), but not in males (ρg = 0.44, pFDR = 0.30). Discussion These results demonstrate that: IL-8 shares genetic influences with risk for suicide attempt; females drove this effect; and BMI should be considered when assessing the association between IL-6 and suicide. This finding represents a significant advancement in knowledge by demonstrating that cytokine alterations are not simply a secondary manifestation of suicidal behavior, but rather, the pathophysiology of suicide attempts is, at least partly, underpinned by the same biological mechanisms responsible for regulating inflammatory response.
Increasing Burden of Youth Baseball Elbow Injuries in US Emergency Departments.

Background:Youth athletes are starting sports earlier and training harder. Intense, year-round demands are encouraging early sports specialization under the perception that it will improve the odds...
Alexander's Disease

Alexander's disease can occur at any age. Children typically present with delayed development, seizures, and macrocephaly, whereas older patients generally display bulbar symptoms. Myelin defects can be severe in younger patients, but subtle or absent in older patients. Nearly all cases are due to mutations in the gene-encoding glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), an intermediate filament (structural) protein found almost exclusively in astrocytes. Although this marks astrocytes as the primary disease site, the clinical findings are attributed to oligodendrocyte and neuron dysfunction. How GFAP mutations produce these dysfunctions is not known, nor is a cure presently available.
Developmental divergence: motor trajectories in children with fragile X syndrome with and without co-occurring autism

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is highly prevalent in fragile X syndrome (FXS), affecting 50–70% of males. Motor impairments are a shared feature across autism and FXS that may help to better characterize autism in FXS. As motor skills provide a critical foundation for various language, cognitive, and social outcomes, they may serve an important mechanistic role for autism in FXS. As such, this study aimed to identify differences in motor trajectories across direct assessment and parent-report measures of fine and gross motor development between FXS with and without autism, and typical development, while controlling for cognitive functioning. This prospective longitudinal study included 42 children with FXS, 24 of whom also had ASD (FXS + ASD), as well as 40 typically developing children. The Mullen Scales of Early Learning provided a direct measure of fine and gross motor skills, and the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales provided a measure of parent-reported fine and gross motor skills. Random slopes and random intercepts multilevel models were tested to determine divergence in developmental motor trajectories between groups when controlling for cognitive level. Model results indicated the children with FXS + ASD diverged from TD children by 9-months on all measures of gross and fine motor skills, even when controlling for cognitive level. Results also indicated an early divergence in motor trajectories of fine and gross motor skills between the FXS + ASD and FXS groups when controlling for cognitive level. This divergence was statistically significant by 18 months, with the FXS + ASD showing decelerated growth in motor skills across direct observation and parent-report measures. This study is the first to examine longitudinal trends in motor development in children with FXS with and without comorbid ASD using both direct assessment and parent-report measures of fine and gross motor. Furthermore, it is among the first to account for nonverbal cognitive delays, a step towards elucidating the isolated role of motor impairments in FXS with and without ASD. Findings underscore the role of motor impairments as a possible signal representing greater underlying genetic liability, or as a potential catalyst or consequence, of co-occurring autism in FXS.
Elucidation of OATP1B1 and 1B3 transporter function using transgenic rodent models and commonly known single nucleotide polymorphisms

The clearance of many drugs from the blood into the liver, such as the statins, is dependent on the organic anion transporting polypeptides (OATPs). Patients with *5 and *15 polymorphisms of OATP1B1 remove less of the statin as it traverses the liver and thus more reaches the rest of the body, including the skeletal muscle where it can cause myalgia, myopathy, and rhabdomyolysis. OATP1B1 polymorphisms also affect the pharmacokinetics of anticancer drugs (methotrexate, taxanes, and doxorubicin) and numerous anti-hypertensive drugs. In contrast to OATP1B1, OATP1B3 does not appear to have polymorphisms of known physiological and pharmacological significance, except for Rotor patients, who have both defective OATP1B1 and OATP1B3 transport function. OATP1B1 and OATP1B3 also play important roles in the hepatic uptake of many endogenous molecules, such as bile acids, bilirubin, and coproporphyrins. However, the transport of individual bile acids is not well understood. Complete deficiency of OATP1B1 and 1B3 function in Rotor syndrome disrupts the hepatic reuptake of conjugated bilirubin with a corresponding clinical presentation as mild hyperbilirubinemia. Interestingly, cholecystokinin is only transported into the liver by OATP1B3. Hepatotoxicants such as the mushroom toxin phalloidin and the cyanobacterias toxin microcystin-LR are transported by the OATP1Bs as they are not hepatotoxic in Oatp1b2 "knock-out" mice. In conclusion, the OATP1Bs are important in the hepatic uptake of endogenous chemicals, drugs, and toxicants. Because there are polymorphisms of OATP1B1, knowledge of the genotype/phenotype is of importance in diagnosing and treatment of patients.
New Brain Simulator II Open-Source Software.

This paper introduces the open-source software project, Brain Simulator II, simplifying experimentation into various facets of AGI. The software seamlessly marries spiking neural networks with symbolic AI algorithms. It supports a large array of simple neurons (of various models) and groups of neurons collected into “Modules”, backed by custom software. 3D and 2D simulators allow a virtual entity to move about, have binocular vision and touch, and merge this information with spoken input. Information is captured in a Universal Knowledge Store module which represents information in links between nodes. Continuing development will enhance these capabilities.