cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multicritical behavior of Abrikosov vortex lattices near the cholesteric-smectic-A-smectic-C* point.

The mean-field phase diagram of the cholesteric--smectic-A--smectic-${\mathrm{C}}^{\mathrm{*}}$ (${\mathit{N}}^{\mathrm{*}--}$Sm-A--Sm-${\mathit{C}}^{\mathrm{*}}$) point is derived within the framework of the chiral Chen-Lubensky model. We show that on the Sm-${\mathit{C}}^{\mathrm{*}}$ side of the phase diagram, one or two additional twist-grain-boundary (TGB) (or chiral-smectic) phases will occur. These additional chiral-smectic phases, the ${\mathrm{TGB}}_{\mathit{C}}$ and ${\mathrm{TGB}}_{\mathit{C}}^{\mathrm{*}}$ phases, are highly dislocated versions of smectic-C and smectic-${\mathit{C}}^{\mathrm{*}}$ phases, respectively. According to the de Gennes superconductor analogy, the grain-boundary phase which occurred on the smectic-A side of the phase diagram (known as the ${\mathrm{TGB}}_{\mathit{A}}$ or chiral Sm-${\mathit{A}}^{\mathrm{*}}$ phase) is the analog of the Abrikosov vortex lattice in type-II superconductors. However, the ${\mathrm{TGB}}_{\mathit{C}}$ and ${\mathrm{TGB}}_{\mathit{C}}^{\mathrm{*}}$ phases would correspond to Abrikosov vortex lattices in a hypothetical superconductor where the Ginzburg parameter \ensuremath{\kappa} is negative and the photon has Bose condensed. These additional phases are predicted to occur near the recently observed ${\mathit{N}}^{\mathrm{*}--}$Sm-${\mathit{A}}^{\mathrm{*}--}$Sm-${\mathit{C}}^{\mathrm{*}}$ multicritical point. We discuss the ${\mathit{N}}^{\mathrm{*}\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$${\mathrm{TGB}}_{\mathit{C}}$, ${\mathrm{TGB}}_{\mathit{A}\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$${\mathrm{TGB}}_{\mathit{C}}$, and ${\mathrm{TGB}}_{\mathit{A}\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$${\mathrm{TGB}}_{\mathit{C}}^{\mathrm{*}}$ phase transitions. Because of the twist, the XY-like Sm-A--Sm-C is (usually) replaced by the Ising-like ${\mathrm{TGB}}_{\mathit{A}\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$${\mathrm{TGB}}_{\mathit{C}}$. However, if the Sm-${\mathit{C}}^{\mathrm{*}}$ helicoidal pitch length is somewhat smaller than the cholesteric pitch length, then the ${\mathrm{TGB}}_{\mathit{A}\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$${\mathrm{TGB}}_{\mathit{C}}$ transition would be replaced by the ${\mathrm{TGB}}_{\mathit{A}\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$${\mathrm{TGB}}_{\mathit{C}}^{\mathrm{*}}$ transition.
The economic consequences of non-evidence-based clopidogrel use.

Background Clinical trials have helped clarify the efficacy of clopidogrel for the treatment and prevention of vascular disease. Costs for its use exceeded $5.9 billion in 2005, making it the second greatest source of drug expenditure in the world. However, little is known about the appropriateness of that use. Overuse of clopidogrel could have important implications for health care quality and drug expenditures. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study linking all filled prescriptions to all clinical encounter data for Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in a large state-wide pharmacy assistance program. We identified all patients newly prescribed clopidogrel during a recent 2-year period and determined the proportion who had indications for clopidogrel, the mean number of tablets filled by patients with and without apparent indications in the year after starting therapy, and the costs associated with the observed patterns of clopidogrel use. Results We identified 4977 patients who were newly prescribed clopidogrel. Of these patients, only 47% had ≥1 documented indications for clopidogrel according to clinical trial findings. Using looser criteria, the number of patients with appropriate indications was 56%. During the first year of therapy, 43% ($2.05 million) of total clopidogrel expenditures for the patients studied was spent on patients without an indication that this agent was required, using the extended criteria for evidence-based use. Conclusions More than 40% of the clopidogrel used in this population appears to have been prescribed to patients for whom the drug had no documented advantage over aspirin or no antiplatelet therapy. If the same proportion applies nationally, in 2005, it would represent almost $1.5 billion of potentially unnecessary health care expenditure.
Predictions of flexible C-terminal tethers of bacterial proteins with the FLEXTAIL bioinformatics pipeline

Proteins use conserved binding motifs associated with relatively unconserved flexible amino acid sequences as mobile tethers for interacting molecules, as exemplified by C-terminal sequences of bacterial chemotaxis receptors. The FLEXTAIL bioinformatics pipeline predicts flexible tethers and their binding motifs based on the properties of flexibility and sequence conservation. In four groups of bacterial genomes, the algorithm identified >100 putative binding domains, including verifying the known bacterial chemotaxis receptor – NWETF binding motif. Some potential C-terminal flexible regions that have not previously been recognised to function as protein tethers were found and should be investigated further for binding targets and flexibility.
CHD proteins: a diverse family with strong tiesThis paper is one of a selection of papers published in this Special Issue, entitled 28th International West Coast Chromatin and Chromosome Conference, and has undergone the Journal's usual peer review process.

Chromodomain/helicase/DNA-binding domain (CHD) proteins have been identified in a variety of organisms. Despite common features, such as their chromodomain and helicase domain, they have been described as having multiple roles and interacting partners. However, a common theme for the main role of CHD proteins appears to be linked to their ATP-dependent chromatin-remodeling activity. Their actual activity as either repressor or activator, and their cell or gene specificity, is connected to their interacting partner(s). In this minireview, we attempt to match the members of the CHD family with the presence of structural domains, cofactors, and cellular roles in the regulation of gene expression, recombination, genome organization, and chromatin structure, as well as their potential activity in RNA processing.
The use of needle biopsy for assessment of placental gene expression

Objective The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that placental samples that are obtained by needle aspiration ex vivo are useful for the determination of villus gene expression. Study design Placental biopsy was performed with a spinal needle after uncomplicated deliveries. Villi were inspected microscopically, and RNA was extracted and analyzed with capillary electrophoresis. Gene expression was determined with quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results We obtained more placental villous fragments per aspiration using a 20-gauge needle (5.2 ± 1.8 fragments) than with a 22-gauge needle (3.3 ± 1.6 fragments; P Conclusion Placental samples that are obtained by ex vivo needle aspiration are useful for the extraction of RNA and for the determination of villous gene expression.
Sir2 Silences Gene Transcription by Targeting the Transition between RNA Polymerase II Initiation and Elongation

It is well accepted that for transcriptional silencing in budding yeast, the evolutionarily conserved lysine deacetylase Sir2, in concert with its partner proteins Sir3 and Sir4, establishes a chromatin structure that prevents RNA polymerase II (Pol II) transcription. However, the mechanism of repression remains controversial. Here, we show that the recruitment of Pol II, as well as that of the general initiation factors TBP and TFIIH, occurs unimpeded to the silent HMRa1 and HMLalpha1/HMLalpha2 mating promoters. This, together with the fact that Pol II is Ser5 phosphorylated, implies that SIR-mediated silencing is permissive to both preinitiation complex (PIC) assembly and transcription initiation. In contrast, the occupancy of factors critical to both mRNA capping and Pol II elongation, including Cet1, Abd1, Spt5, Paf1C, and TFIIS, is virtually abolished. In agreement with this, efficiency of silencing correlates not with a restriction in Pol II promoter occupancy but with a restriction in capping enzyme recruitment. These observations pinpoint the transition between polymerase initiation and elongation as the step targeted by Sir2 and indicate that transcriptional silencing is achieved through the differential accessibility of initiation and capping/elongation factors to chromatin. We compare Sir2-mediated transcriptional silencing to a second repression mechanism, mediated by Tup1. In contrast to Sir2, Tup1 prevents TBP, Pol II, and TFIIH recruitment to the HMLalpha1 promoter, thereby abrogating PIC formation.
Unmet mental health care need 10–11 years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks: 2011–2012 results from the World Trade Center Health Registry

There is little current information about the unmet mental health care need (UMHCN) and reasons for it among those exposed to the World Trade Center (WTC) terrorist attacks. The purpose of this study was to assess the level of UMHCN among symptomatic individuals enrolled in the WTC Health Registry (WTCHR) in 2011–2012, and to analyze the relationship between UMHCN due to attitudinal, cost, and access factors and mental health symptom severity, mental health care utilization, health insurance availability, and social support. The WTCHR is a prospective cohort study of individuals with reported exposure to the 2001 WTC attacks. This study used data from 9,803 adults who completed the 2003–2004 (Wave 1) and 2011–2012 (Wave 3) surveys and had posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or depression in 2011–2012. We estimated logistic regression models relating perceived attitudinal, cost and access barriers to symptom severity, health care utilization, a lack of health insurance, and social support after adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics. Slightly more than one-third (34.2%) of study participants reported an UMHCN. Symptom severity was a strong predictor of UMHCN due to attitudinal and perceived cost and access reasons. Attitudinal UMHCN was common among those not using mental health services, particularly those with relatively severe mental health symptoms. Cost-related UMHCN was significantly associated with a lack of health insurance but not service usage. Access-related barriers were significantly more common among those who did not use any mental health services. A higher level of social support served as an important buffer against cost and access UMHCN. A significant proportion of individuals exposed to the WTC attacks with depression or PTSD 10 years later reported an UMHCN, and individuals with more severe and disabling conditions, those who lacked health insurance, and those with low levels of social support were particularly vulnerable.
Confidence Intervals For The Duration Of A Mass Extinction

Abstract A key question in studies of mass extinctions is whether the extinction was a sudden or gradual event. This question may be addressed by examining the locations of fossil occurrences in a stratigraphic section. However, the fossil record can be consistent with both sudden and gradual extinctions. Rather than being limited to rejecting or not rejecting a particular scenario, ideally we should estimate the range of extinction scenarios that is consistent with the fossil record. In other words, rather than testing the simplified distinction of “sudden versus gradual,” we should be asking, “How gradual?” In this paper we answer the question “How gradual could the extinction have been?” by developing a confidence interval for the duration of a mass extinction. We define the duration of the extinction as the time or stratigraphic thickness between the first and last taxon to go extinct, which we denote by Δ. For example, we would like to be able to say with 90% confidence that the extinction took place...
Cyber-Physical System Software for HCMDSS

The state of the art in operating systems and middleware is currently insufficient, and must be evolved, to meet the needs of envisioned next-generation cyber-physical systems, in which interactions among system components and the physical world are (1) ubiquitous, (2) domain-specific, (3) heterogeneous, and (4) semantically rich. This position paper offers a vision for how that evolution can be achieved, and describes several research challenges that will need to be addressed in order to do so.
DESCRIPTION AND EXPLANATION IN INTERLANGUAGE SYNTAX: STATE OF THE ART

The general theme chosen for this approach to interlanguage (IL) syntax "state of the art" is the presumed goal of all IL syntacticians: to find consistency and pattern in syntactic variation. There are two overlapping subsidiary themes as well: those of describing the systematicity in IL syntax and of explaining it. Themes contributing to descriptive approaches include the transition from morphosyntax acquisition studies to those of more complex syntax, the emergence of syntax from discourse, explicitness, the investigation of language "process" as well as language product, and the serious consideration of "simplicity." Themes contributing to explanatory approaches include general frameworks such as language universals, language typology, core grammar, and markedness. The paper concludes with suggestions and predictions as to the directions in which continuing research on IL syntax might lead.
Wavelength conversion in WDM networking

Wavelength conversion has been proposed for use in wavelength-division multiplexed networks to improve efficiency. This study highlights systems challenges and performance issues which need to be addressed in order to incorporate wavelength conversion effectively. A review/survey of the enabling technologies, design methods, and analytical models used in wavelength-convertible networks is provided.
Student Reactions to Problem-Based Learning in Photonics Technician Education

Problem-based learning (PBL) is an instructional approach in which students learn problem-solving and teamwork skills by collaboratively solving complex real-world problems. Research shows that PBL improves student knowledge and retention, motivation, problem-solving skills, and the ability to skillfully apply knowledge in new and novel situations. One of the challenges faced by students accustomed to traditional didactic methods, however, is acclimating to the PBL process in which problem parameters are often ill-defined and ambiguous, often leading to frustration and disengagement with the learning process. To address this problem, the New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE), funded by the National Science Foundation Advanced Technological Education (NSF-ATE) program, has created and field tested a comprehensive series of industry-based multimedia PBL “Challenges” designed to scaffold the development of students’ problem solving and critical thinking skills. In this paper, we present the results of a pilot study conducted to examine student reactions to the PBL Challenges in photonics technician education. During the fall 2012 semester, students (n=12) in two associate degree level photonics courses engaged in PBL using the PBL Challenges. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to assess student motivation, self-efficacy, critical thinking, metacognitive selfregulation, and peer learning using selected scales from the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ). Results showed positive gains in all variables. Follow-up focus group interviews yielded positive themes supporting the effectiveness of PBL in developing the knowledge, skills and attitudes of photonics technicians.
Design of a hardware accelerator for density based clustering applications

Data mining is beginning to be widely used in various application fields. Density based clustering algorithms perform data mining by grouping high-density regions of points to form clusters. In recent years, the data sizes and the problem complexity of this algorithm have increased significantly leading to slower execution of the applications. Faster engines that perform the application tasks quickly and efficiently are the need of the hour. In this paper, we propose a hardware accelerator for density based clustering applications. This accelerator improves the execution speed of the core kernels of this application, which include density calculation and the migration of points to denser regions. We show that this accelerator when integrated with general purpose processors, speed up the kernel execution times by at least 300X.
Non-Q-wave myocardial infarction: pathophysiology, prognosis, and therapeutic strategy.

Non-Q-wave infarction, formerly referred to as nontransmural infarction, is usually associated with less myocardial necrosis and a lower in-hospital mortality than Q-wave or transmural infarction. Despite the initially favorable prognosis, however, long-ter m survival of patients after non-Q­ wave infarction is similar to or even shorter than that after Q-wave infarc­ tion. It is now well documented that patients with non-Q-wave infarction are more prone to reinfarction, which usually occurs in the same area as the original injury. Since extensive damage from recurrent myocardial necrosis has a considerable deleterious effect on long-term survival, pa­ tients with non-Q-wave infarction would be expected to benefit from prophylactic treatment that prevents reinfarction. Indeed, this subset of patients appears to provide a unique opportunity to modify favorably the natural history of ischemic heart disease.
The Exceptionalist Optics of 9/11 Photography

During and after the 2001 attacks on New York City and Washington, thousands of photographs were taken. None, however, would become as iconic as Thomas Franklin's photo of three firefighters raising an American flag above the rubble of the World Trade Center. Franklin's photo, I argue in this essay, casts 9/11 in the familiar myth of American exceptionalism, screening out but still gesturing to the heterogeneous memories left unsettled and animate in amateur photographs, missing-person posters, bodies in pain, and performance. In considering the struggle over the visual memory of the attacks, I first consider how, in the wake of 9/11, the discourse of exceptionalism served to disavow the exceptions historically taken by the state and to rationalize the War on Terror. I show how this system of myths works in dialectical relation to other disruptive forms of cultural memory. I then read Franklin's iconic photograph as a screen by which traumatic memories are masked and onto which nationalist desires are projected. Finally, I analyze 9/11 photography that troubles the exceptionalist optics of Franklin's photo by evoking the visual legacy of the Vietnam War and so challenging the logic of righteous warfare.
Supporting shared data structures on distributed memory architectures

Programming nonshared memory systems is more difficult than programming shared memory systems, since there is no support for shared data structures. Current programming languages for distributed memory architectures force the user to decompose all data structures into separate pieces, with each piece “owned” by one of the processors in the machine, and with all communication explicitly specified by low-level message-passing primitives. This paper presents a new programming environment for distributed memory architectures, providing a global name space and allowing direct access to remote parts of data values. We describe the analysis and program transformations required to implement this environment, and present the efficiency of the resulting code on the NCUBE/7 and IPSC/2 hypercubes.
Energy-efficient turbo decoder

Turbo codes have been recently adopted in the next generation of wideband CDMA standards. These codes achieve superior performance at the expense of high computational complexity. This makes their low energy implementation a very important yet challenging problem. In this paper we study the effect of different approximation techniques such as pruning the trellis, reducing the number of states, sliding window, early termination on the Bit Error Rate (BER) and energy consumption for a Turbo decoder implemented on a general purpose processor. We show that a combination of these techniques can result in 66.5% energy reduction for a log-MAP based Turbo decoder if a loss of 1.4 dB in SNR can be tolerated at BER = 10−5.
EFFECT OF PARAMETRIC UNCERTAINTIES ON WIND EXCITED STRUCTURAL RESPONSE

This paper addresses the influence of parametric uncertainties on the wind excited response of structures. Based on the available experimental data from both laboratory and field studies, the variability in the parameters related to the wind environment and meterological data, kinematics of wind flow field, wind-structure interaction and structural properties is assessed. The random variability in the parameter space is propagated to ascertain its influence on the structural response statistics utilizing a Monte Carlo simulation technique. By means of an example, the influence of parametric uncertainties on the dynamic response of a tall reinforced concrete chimney is presented. The analysis of simulated data suggests a need for further improvement in the modeling of wind-structure interaction, prediction of natural frequencies and damping, and a reduction in the variability of extreme wind estimates.
MANIPULATIONS OF NEURAL CREST CELLS OR THEIR MIGRATORY PATHWAYS

This chapter discusses techniques for the isolation, induction, and identification of neural crest cells in tissue culture as well as various manipulations of neural crest cells and some of the tissues with which they interact in the embryo. The formation of the embryo involves intricate cell movements, cell proliferation, and differentiation. The neural crest has long served as a model for the study of these processes because neural crest cells undergo extensive migrations and give rise to many diverse derivatives. Neural crest cells arise from the dorsal portion of the neural tube. Several unique properties of these cells make the neural crest an ideal system for studying cell migration and differentiation. First, these cells migrate extensively along characteristic pathways. Second, they give rise to diverse and numerous derivatives, ranging from pigment cells and cranial cartilage to adrenal chromaffin cells and the ganglia of the peripheral nervous system. Third, the characteristic position of premigratory neural crest cells within the dorsal portion of the neural tube makes them accessible to surgical and molecular manipulations during initial stages in their development. The methods described in this chapter provide a number of techniques that can be applied to the study of neural crest specification, migration, and differentiation.
Mechanistic studies and radiofluorination of structurally diverse pharmaceuticals with spirocyclic iodonium(III) ylides

Synthesis of non-activated electron-rich and sterically hindered 18F-arenes remains a major challenge due to limitations of existing radiofluorination methodologies. Herein, we report on our mechanistic investigations of spirocyclic iodonium(III) ylide precursors for arene radiofluorination, including their reactivity, selectivity, and stability with no-carrier-added [18F]fluoride. Benchmark calculations at the G2[ECP] level indicate that pseudorotation and reductive elimination at iodine(III) can be modeled well by appropriately selected dispersion-corrected density functional methods. Modeling of the reaction pathways show that fluoride–iodonium(III) adduct intermediates are strongly activated and highly regioselective for reductive elimination of the desired [18F]fluoroarenes (difference in barriers, ΔΔG‡ > 25 kcal mol−1). The advantage of spirocyclic auxiliaries is further supported by NMR spectroscopy studies, which bolster evidence for underlying decomposition processes which can be overcome for radiofluorination of iodonium(III) precursors. Using a novel adamantyl auxiliary, sterically hindered iodonium ylides have been developed to enable highly efficient radiofluorination of electron-rich arenes, including fragments of pharmaceutically relevant nitrogen-containing heterocycles and tertiary amines. Furthermore, this methodology has been applied for the syntheses of the radiopharmaceuticals 6-[18F]fluoro-meta-tyrosine ([18F]FMT, 11 ± 1% isolated radiochemical yield, non-decay-corrected (RCY, n.d.c.), n = 3), and meta-[18F]fluorobenzylguanidine ([18F]mFBG, 14 ± 1% isolated RCY, n.d.c., n = 3) which cannot be directly radiolabeled using conventional nucleophilic aromatic substitution with [18F]fluoride.
Participation, Pain, and World Making: Affective Political Economies of Irish Traveller Fight Videos

This article examines media participation through affective political economy, using as a case study the documentary Knuckle, a profile of Irish Traveller fighting. The film incorporates videos rec...
Embolization and chemoembolization therapy for neuroendocrine tumors.

Neuroendocrine tumors, particularly those of gastrointestinal tract origin, have a predisposition for metastasizing to the liver. In such patients, the clinical course is often dominated by the hepatic disease, either because of hormone secretion or because of tumor bulk. Because the liver has a dua
PIGMENTAL VARIATIONS IN POPULATIONS OF POCKET GOPHERS

Critical analyses of the differences between populations, races, and species of rodents with respect to pigmental factors, have been made with only a few of our native mammals. Sumner and Swarth (1924) were among the first to be concerned statistically with the color of mammalian pelage and the color of the soils on which they lived. Dice and his coworkers however have been responsible for most of the published work to date (Dice and Blossom, 1937; Dice, 1940, 1941, 1944a, 1944b). The present report deals with an analysis of the pigmental variations of the Botta pocket gopher (Thomonys bottae). This extremely variable species has over 30 recognized sub-species in California alone. It was selected for this investigation because the animal is abundant, easily collected, and because its fossorial nature keeps it in darkness almost all of its life.
Breast-feeding and middle-class privilege: A psychoanalytic analysis of ‘breast is best’

Rosin’s contribution to the April 2009 issue of The Atlantic entitled ‘The Case Against Breast-feeding’, created national outrage by questioning the medical literature on infant feeding upon which the mantra ‘breast is best’ is based. This article uses Rosin’s ambivalence regarding breast-feeding as a way to understand why breast-feeding is a culturally and psychically fraught practice. It explores the rhetoric of breast-feeding advocacy in two contexts: (i) the US government’s 2004 National Breastfeeding Awareness Campaign and (ii) La Leche League International. I argue that the government campaign deploys a politics characteristic of Jacques Lacan’s concept of the Symbolic Order. The approach used by La Leche, by contrast, constitutes a politics based on the logic of what Lacan calls the Imaginary realm. I will argue that breast-feeding promotion requires a politics derived from the logic of what Lacan calls the Real – an approach to which Rosin’s piece unexpectedly points us.
Analysis on The Fault of Power Communication Network Based on Combined Rules

In order to find the fault reason from the alarm of power communication network,this paper introduce a fault analysis method based on the combination of fault-alarm event tree and code book method.This method realizes intelligent analysis and treatment on fault,and greatly improves the level of power communication fault handling.
Ketogenic Diet, but Not Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Diet, Reduces Spontaneous Seizures in Juvenile Rats with Kainic Acid-induced Epilepsy.

Background and purpose The high-fat, low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet (KD) is effective in many cases of drug-resistant epilepsy, particularly in children. In the classic KD, fats consist primarily of long-chain saturated triglycerides. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), especially the n-3 type, decrease neuronal excitability and provide neuroprotection; pilot human studies have raised the possibility of using PUFAs to control seizures in patients. Methods To determine the relative roles of the KD and PUFAs in an animal model, we induced epilepsy in juvenile rats (P29-35) using intraperitoneal kainic acid (KA). KA caused status epilepticus in all rats. Two days after KA, rats were randomized to one of 4 dietary groups: Control diet; PUFA diet; KD; or KD plus PUFA. All diets were administered isocalorically at 90% of the rat recommended daily calorie requirement. Spontaneous recurrent seizures (SRS) were assessed for 3 months after diet randomization. Results Rats receiving the KD or KD-PUFA diet had significantly fewer SRS than those receiving the Control diet or PUFA diet. The PUFA diet did not reduce SRS compared to the Control diet. Conclusions In the KA epilepsy model, the KD protects against SRS occurrence but dietary enhancement with PUFA does not afford additional protection against spontaneous seizures.
The Lifecycle of Inventors

We use administrative records on the population of individuals who applied for or were granted a patent between 1996 and 2014 to characterize the lives of more than 1.2 million inventors in the United States. We show that children of low-income parents are much less likely to become inventors than their higher-income counterparts (as are minorities and women). Decompositions using third grade and older test scores indicate that this income-innovation gap can largely be accounted for by differences in human capital acquisition while children are growing up. We establish the importance of "innovation exposure effects" during childhood by showing that growing up in an area with a high innovation rate in a particular technology class is associated with a much higher probability of becoming an inventor specifically in that technology class. Similarly, exposure to innovation from parents or their colleagues in specific fields is also associated with greater future innovation by children in those same technological fields. Inventors' incomes are very skewed and uncertain at the start of their career. While our analysis does not directly identify the causal mechanisms that drive innovation, our descriptive findings shed light on which types of policy tools are likely to be most effective in sparking innovation. Calibrations suggest that "extensive margin" policies drawing more talented children from low-income families into the R&D sector have great potential to improve aggregate innovation rates.
Strong presidents and weak institutions: populism in Turkey, Venezuela and Ecuador

AbstractThis article compares contemporary populism in Turkey, Venezuela and Ecuador from a cross-regional perspective. Through adopting a political definition of the concept based on the idea of domination, it provides an analysis of the three populist leaders Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Hugo Chavez and Rafael Correa along three interrelated dimensions: an anti-establishment image, a plebiscitary understanding of democracy and a Manichean worldview. These case studies show that in each country, a strong leader positions himself against the traditional establishment, cultivates direct linkages between himself and his followers and polarizes the political environment into two opposing camps. In addition to the discussion on populism, the article provides comparative insights into Turkey’s constitution-making process, the presidential system debate, and the 2016 military coup attempt.
Overview and Preliminary Evidence for a Social Skills and Self-Care Curriculum for Adolescent Females with Autism: The Girls Night Out Model

A majority of social skills research in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and interventions target school age males and no published studies target adolescent females with ASD or related disabilities. Females with ASD are at risk for internalizing symptoms, and experience greater challenges in socialization and communication as social demands become increasingly complex in adolescence. This paper provides a thorough description of a social skills and self-care program designed to address the specific needs of adolescent females with ASD. The approach is peer mediated and occurs within natural or community settings to facilitate generalization. Findings from program evaluation data collected across 4 years illustrate significant improvements in perceived social competence, self-perception, and quality of life and suggests the approach is feasible and social valid.
Nonreciprocal signal routing in an active quantum network

As superconductor quantum technologies are moving towards large-scale integrated circuits, a robust and flexible approach to routing photons at the quantum level becomes a critical problem. Active circuits, which contain parametrically driven elements selectively embedded in the circuit, offer a viable solution. Here, we present a general strategy for routing nonreciprocally quantum signals between two sites of a given lattice of oscillators, implementable with existing superconducting circuit components. Our approach makes use of a dual lattice of overdamped oscillators linking the nodes of the main lattice. Solutions for spatially selective driving of the lattice elements can be found, which optimally balance coherent and dissipative hopping of microwave photons to nonreciprocally route signals between two given nodes. In certain lattices these optimal solutions are obtained at the exceptional point of the dynamical matrix of the network. We also demonstrate that signal and noise transmission characteristics can be separately optimized.
P-110 Dying to be involved- a survey of what matters to an acute hospital community

In 2009, the Dying Matters Coalition was set up to promote public awareness of dying, death and bereavement. The aim was to address society’s lack of openness and to encourage people to talk about their wishes towards the end of their lives with friends, family and loved ones, including thinking about where they want to die. A Dying Matters survey was conducted at St Peters Hospital (ASPH), a District General Hospital in Surrey, UK. The aim was to open the discussion about death and dying to the ASPH community and determine ‘what matters’ to ASPH about death and dying. Methods Potential participants were all people (including patients, relatives and staff) entering the hospital during dying matters week (May 2016). These participants were approached to complete a short anonymous questionnaire and provided free text comments. Participants were able to choose any number of areas of care that ‘mattered’ to them. Results One hundred and seventy-seven completed questionnaires were returned. One hundred and twenty nine (73%) were from females, and the majority of respondents were aged between 25–64 years old (n=138, 78%). The element of care with the greatest response was ‘being involved in care decisions’ (n=152, 86%). ‘Being with those who are important to you’ and compassionate care were the next most important (n=144, 81%). Symptom control mattered for 60% (n=106). Dying at home for 64% (n=114). Analysis of free text comments showed a positive response to the dying matters awareness survey. Conclusion This survey shows it is possible to engage an acute hospital community in dying awareness discussions. Of interest is the large majority of participants felt ‘being involved in care decisions’ was the most important element of care. Patient involvement in care decisions through shared decision making is pivotal to getting dying right for all.
Overweight and obese status in children with autism spectrum disorder and disruptive behavior

Overweight and obesity are common in pediatric populations. Children with autism spectrum disorder and disruptive behavior may be at higher risk. This study examined whether children with autism spectrum disorder and disruptive behavior are more likely to be overweight or obese than matched controls. Baseline data from medication-free children with autism spectrum disorder who participated in trials conducted by the Research Units on Pediatric Psychopharmacology Autism Network (N = 276) were compared to 544 control children from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey database matched on age, sex, race, parent education, and era of data collection. The mean age of the children with autism spectrum disorder was 7.9 ± 2.6 years; 84.4% were males. In the autism spectrum disorder group, the prevalence was 42.4% for overweight and 21.4% for obesity compared to 26.1% for overweight and 12.0% for obesity among controls (p < 0.001 for each contrast). Within the autism spectrum disorder sample, obesity was associated with minority status and lower daily living skills. These findings suggest that children with autism spectrum disorder and disruptive behavior are at increased risk for obesity and underscore the need for weight management interventions in this population.
Unique Configurations of Compression and Truncation of Neuronal Activity Underlie l-DOPA-Induced Selection of Motor Patterns in Aplysia .

A key issue in neuroscience is understanding the ways in which neuromodulators such as dopamine modify neuronal activity to mediate selection of distinct motor patterns. We addressed this issue by applying either low or high concentrations of l-DOPA (40 or 250 μM) and then monitoring activity of up to 130 neurons simultaneously in the feeding circuitry of Aplysia using a voltage-sensitive dye (RH-155). l-DOPA selected one of two distinct buccal motor patterns (BMPs): intermediate (low l-DOPA) or bite (high l-DOPA) patterns. The selection of intermediate BMPs was associated with shortening of the second phase of the BMP (retraction), whereas the selection of bite BMPs was associated with shortening of both phases of the BMP (protraction and retraction). Selection of intermediate BMPs was also associated with truncation of individual neuron spike activity (decreased burst duration but no change in spike frequency or burst latency) in neurons active during retraction. In contrast, selection of bite BMPs was associated with compression of spike activity (decreased burst latency and duration and increased spike frequency) in neurons projecting through specific nerves, as well as increased spike frequency of protraction neurons. Finally, large-scale voltage-sensitive dye recordings delineated the spatial distribution of neurons active during BMPs and the modification of that distribution by the two concentrations of l-DOPA.
Middle Fossa and Translabyrinthine Approaches

Various approaches exist for surgical resection of acoustic neuromas and other cerebellopontine angle (CPA) lesions. Advances in the field in the 1960s, including the use of the operating microscope and microsurgical techniques, led to the development of the middle fossa and translabyrinthine approaches as alternatives to the suboccipital approach. The middle fossa approach is most often used for patients with small tumors and serviceable hearing. For patients with large tumors or who lack serviceable hearing, the translabyrinthine approach provides wide access to the cerebellopontine angle (CPA), internal auditory canal (IAC), and facial nerve with a low incidence of postoperative complications. This chapter describes the indications, surgical techniques, outcomes, and complications associated with each of these approaches.
Hermetic Space As Abstraction of the Mechanisms of Censorship: Symptomatic ‘Archive Fever’ in Carlos Saura’s La madriguera

This article engages in a close reading of Carlos Saura’s little studied La madriguera (1969) by exposing in its use of spatial and material configurations a hermetically sealed Spain under Francoism during the ‘apertura’ period of the 1960s. It seeks to elucidate how Saura’s use of claustrophobic space suggests an unveiling of the process of abstraction embedded in the mechanisms of censorship as they affect the Spanish spectator of the 1960s, who sits immobilized in the dark theatre, unconsciously juxtaposed to the unassuming agoraphobia foregrounded in the film through its protagonists’ self-imposed hermetism. The film unveils these mechanisms through a metafilmic language by self-reflecting in its domestic fortress, in the theatre of its protagonists Teresa and Pedro constantly performing roles of a time out of joint, recollections of childhood and virtual fantasies that have no place in the present.
Dynamic spherical indentation of elastic-plastic solids

Abstract A parametric study based on the finite element method was performed to analyze the dynamic indentation response of elastic-plastic solids indented by a rigid sphere moving at a constant velocity. The effects of elastic-plastic material properties and indentation velocity on the deformation behavior are examined in terms of global field parameters (contact force, mean contact pressure, contact area, and indentation depth) and characteristic local field variables (equivalent plastic strain and plastic zone evolution). Several trends of aforementioned parameters, which are unique to dynamic indentation, are discussed in the context of simulation results for a wide range of combinations of material properties and indentation velocity. A new dimensionless indentation parameter is introduced, which together with the normalized indentation strain, yield generalized solutions of dimensionless global field parameters and correlate with a specific deformation path. The physical meaning of the indentation parameter is interpreted in terms of the development of different deformation states and the kinetic energy density transmitted by the indenting rigid sphere versus the strain energy density accumulating in the elastic-plastic solid. The formulation and simulation results of this study provide a framework for deriving contact load (pressure) and contact area relations for dynamic indentation of elastic-plastic solids, analogous to those derived for quasistatic indentation.
Theory and Application of Subsidy-Free Prices

The regulation of utility prices has long addressed issues of cross-subsidization. Views on the meaning of cross-subsidization have varied, but they have generally involved the idea that one set of customers receives favorable prices at the expense of other customers. Faulhaber (1975, p. 966) and Baumol (1979, p. 242) note that cross-subsidization issues existed as long ago as the late 1800s for railroad pricing in the US. In the early part of the 20th century, Glaeser (1939) addressed cross-subsidy issues for allocating joint costs in the Tennessee Valley Authority. US State regulators expressed cross-subsidy concerns in the 1950s and 1960s, during the early development of Separations, the process by which regulators and companies allocate telecommunications costs between the State and federal jurisdictions in the US. The FCC and the telecommunications industry also expressed concerns, but they often disagreed with the State regulators on the direction of the subsidy flow. (Jamison 1999b)
Impact of a fitness intervention on medical students.

Objective It is known that regular exercise improves both physical and mental health. This study sought to determine the impact of a fitness intervention on the levels of exercise and well-being of medical students. Methods In 2011, the authors conducted a prospective cohort study involving medical students at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Intervention students experienced a 7-week, team-based, fitness competition and recorded exercise data online. Incentives were given to teams reaching an average of 150 minutes per teammate per week, an exercise goal recommended by the US Department of Health and Human Services. Both groups completed baseline and follow-up surveys about physical activity and well-being, using validated scoring methods. Results A total of 100 students (71 in the intervention group and 29 in the control group) participated fully, recording their exercise behaviors and completing both the pre- and postsurveys. In the intervention group, the percentage of individuals successfully reaching the exercise target of 150 minutes per week varied by week from 30% to 61%. Intervention students showed a significant improvement in their International Physical Activity Questionnaire scores (1669.4 ± 154.9 vs 2013.6 ± 174.6; P = 0.02) and levels of irritability on the subsection of the Positive Affect and Negative Affect Scale score (2.2 ± 0.1 vs 2.0 ± 0.1, P = 0.03). By contrast, the control group did not show any improvements in any of these measures across the same time period (all P > 0.05). Conclusions A well-orchestrated student-designed fitness intervention can effectively augment medical students' exercise practices and positively affect well-being.
Erectile Dysfunction and Infertility

Infertility and sexual dysfunction in men, specifically erectile dysfunction (ED), are distinct entities that share a complex and interdependent relationship with one another. This chapter discusses the similarities and differences between the etiologies and treatments for each condition and highlights the potential impact infertility may have on male sexual function. It is important to consider these as linked entities during evaluation of affected men and to structure treatment approaches while considering the numerous and varied causes of both ED and male infertility, given the close relationship between the two conditions.
Mathematical Development in the Early Home Environment

Abstract The mathematics knowledge children bring to school at the start of kindergarten has been found to predict their long-term learning trajectories, and this finding has drawn attention to math learning during the preschool years. In this chapter, we focus on early math learning in the home environment, with a particular emphasis on the mathematical talk and cospeech gestures that commonly accompany this talk, probing the relation between these behaviors and children's math outcomes. We also examine the role of math attitudes in early math learning, and particularly how the math anxiety of parents is related to parent-child math interactions, and in turn, how these interactions relate to children's math learning. Finally, we review interventions that show promise in supporting parents’ math interactions with their children as well as children's math learning, and consider issues related to scaling up these interventions.
Risk of hypotensive reactions is increased when using partial saline replacement for therapeutic plasma exchange.

Background Partial normal saline replacement during plasma exchange procedures is a common practice to reduce procedure costs but may increase the risk of adverse events, such as hypotension and citrate reactions. The goal of this study was to compare adverse event rates for the patients that used albumin or albumin/saline as replacement. Study design and methods A retrospective chart review was done of plasma exchange procedures that used all albumin or 80% albumin to 20% normal saline (80/20) as replacement. The procedure type (all albumin vs 80/20), the percent of normal saline used, age, gender, and adverse events during the procedure were recorded. Results During the study period, 3624 procedures were documented for 401 patients (46% female), age range 0 to 93 years, of which 2453 (67.7%) used 80/20. Overall 91 procedures (2.5%) resulted in a hypotensive event, 26 (0.7%) of which were classified as moderate to severe hypotension, and 40 (1.1%) had reported citrate toxicity. After adjusting for age, gender, and diagnosis using a generalized linear mixed model and backward model selection, results showed that 100% albumin had a significantly lower risk of having hypotension than 80/20 (odds ratio (OR): 0.531 [0.298, 0.946], P = 0.032) and moderate to severe hypotension (odds ratio: 0.140 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.031, 0.628], P = 0.010). Older age was also predictive of having hypotensive reactions (OR[95%CI] = 1.017,[1.0, 1.034], P = 0.047). Conclusion Partial saline use as a replacement fluid with albumin during plasma exchange is associated with an increased risk of hypotension. Use of saline as replacement fluid during plasma exchange should be minimized especially in older patients.