cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modeling of Football Match Outcomes with Expected Goals Statistic

Aim. Our research examined the predictive capabilities of mathematical models that are solely based on the expected goal statistics obtained from a publicly available database. Method. We collected match and expected goals data for 310 matches from three European Leagues (Bundesliga, La Liga, and Serie A). We created three probabilistic models based on the expected goals statistic and compared them with two well-established probabilistic models using binomial deviance, squared error, and profitability in the betting market as evaluation metrics. Results. Our best model adjusted the expected goal statistics for homefield advantage and outperformed the two probabilistic models used for comparison. Two of our models were profitable under certain betting conditions. Limitations. Our models explored a simplistic integration of expected goals into a Poisson based probabilistic model and did not include other contributing factors such as a team’s defensive prowess. The number of games simulated was also limited due to the premature closure of the European Leagues due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusions. The use of a probabilistic model based solely on expected goals score statistic can provide some meaningful insight into forecasting the outcome of a football match and can develop useful betting strategies.
Body Composition Variables as Radiographic Biomarkers of Clinical Outcomes in Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Patients Receiving Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors.

Background Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have revolutionized the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). Biomarkers for mRCC patients treated with ICI are limited, and body composition is underutilized in mRCC. We investigated the association between body composition and clinical outcomes in ICI-treated mRCC patients. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of 79 ICI-treated mRCC patients at Winship Cancer Institute from 2015-2020. Baseline CT images were collected at mid-L3 and segmented using SliceOMatic v5.0 (TomoVision). Density of skeletal muscle (SM), subcutaneous fat, inter-muscular fat, and visceral fat were measured and converted to indices by dividing by height(m)2 (SMI, SFI, IFI, and VFI, respectively). Total fat index (TFI) was defined as the sum of SFI, IFI, and VFI. Patients were characterized as high versus low for each variable at gender-specific optimal cuts using overall survival (OS) as the primary outcome. A prognostic risk score was created based on the beta coefficient from the multivariable Cox model after best subset variable selection. Body composition risk score was calculated as IFI + 2*SM mean + SFI and patients were classified as poor (0-1), intermediate (2), or favorable risk (3-4). Kaplan-Meier method and Log-rank test were used to estimate OS and PFS and compare the risk groups. Concordance statistics (C-statistics) were used to measure the discriminatory magnitude of the model. Results Most patients were male (73%) and most received ICI as first (35%) or second-line (51%) therapy. The body composition poor-risk patients had significantly shorter OS (HR: 6.37, p<0.001), PFS (HR: 4.19, p<0.001), and lower chance of CB (OR: 0.23, p=0.044) compared to favorable risk patients in multivariable analysis. Patients with low TFI had significantly shorter OS (HR: 2.72, p=0.002), PFS (HR: 1.91, p=0.025), and lower chance of CB (OR: 0.25, p=0.008) compared to high TFI patients in multivariable analysis. The C-statistics were higher for body composition risk groups and TFI (all C-statistics ≥ 0.598) compared to IMDC and BMI. Conclusions Risk stratification using the body composition variables IFI, SM mean, SFI, and TFI may be prognostic and predictive of clinical outcomes in mRCC patients treated with ICI. Larger, prospective studies are warranted to validate this hypothesis-generating data.
Epigenetic regulation of inflammatory factors in adipose tissue

Obesity is a strong risk factor for insulin resistance. Chronic low-grade tissue inflammation and systemic inflammation have been proposed as major mechanisms that promote insulin resistance in obesity. Adipose tissue has been recognized as a nexus between inflammation and metabolism, but how exactly inflammatory gene expression is orchestrated during the development of obesity is not well understood. Epigenetic modifications are defined as heritable changes in gene expression and cellular function without changes to the original DNA sequence. The major epigenetic mechanisms include DNA methylation, histone modification, noncoding RNAs, nucleopositioning/remodeling and chromatin reorganization. Epigenetic mechanisms provide a critical layer of gene regulation in response to environmental changes. Accumulating evidence supports that epigenetics plays a large role in the regulation of inflammatory genes in adipocytes and adipose-resident immune cell types. This review focuses on the association between adipose tissue inflammation in obesity and major epigenetic modifications.
Engineering Microgrids With Control Co-Design: Principles, methods, and metrics [Technology Leaders]

The vulnerability of electrical grids to natural disasters, physical and cyberattacks, and other potential failures has become an increasingly concerning issue. Microgrids can provide the necessary resilience to critical public and private infrastructures while also offering grid-support services and economic and environmental benefits.
The Top 50 Most-Cited Papers in the Diagnosis and Management of SLAP Tears.

Purpose To identify and characterize the top 50 most-cited articles regarding SLAP tears. Methods Referencing the methodology of previous citation analyses, varying Boolean searches were performed using the Web of Science database and the search terms yielding the greatest number of results was used. The top 50 most-cited articles were identified and the following data points were gathered from each article: author, institution, country of origin, year of publication, publishing journal, level of evidence, and citation density. Results The total number of citations was 7834, with a median of 106 citations. The top 50 list was largely composed of diagnostic level I, II, and III studies (5, 7, and 8 total publications, respectively) and therapeutic level III (6 publications) or level IV (10 publications). Most articles originated from the United States (40). In total, 19 of the top 50 most-cited articles were published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine, followed by Arthroscopy (15) and the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (5). Conclusions Our analysis demonstrated a correlation with earlier publications being cited more frequently than recent studies. Importantly, the current study found that therapeutic studies in the most cited list were largely level III or level IV evidence. This makes the management of SLAP tears seem anecdotal, with little in the way of high-impact level I or level II therapeutic studies. We must reconsider our current understanding of SLAP tears and their management with more studies that demonstrate a clearer treatment algorithm for these common injuries of the shoulder. Clinical Relevance Given the complexity of SLAP tears, this list of the most-cited articles can provide a reference point to better guide practice, resident education, and future areas of orthopaedic research.
Caspase cleavage of HER-2 promotes apoptosis by releasing a BH3 domain-containing product

1595 The human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2/ErbB2/ neu ) is amplified or over-expressed in breast and ovarian carcinomas, and confers resistance to apoptosis by activating multiple cell survival pathways. Here we describe a novel pro-apoptotic function of HER-2 that is activated by caspases. Specifically, we demonstrate that the cytoplasmic tail of HER-2 is cleaved by initiator and executioner caspases at Asp 1016 /Asp 1019 to release a ~47 kDa product, which is subsequently proteolyzed by caspases at Asp 1125 into an unstable ~22 kDa polypeptide which is degraded by the proteasome and a ~25 kDa product. Both the 47 and 25 kDa products translocate to the mitochondria, release cytochrome c through a Bcl-x L -suppressible mechanism, and induce caspase-dependent apoptosis. Importantly, the 47 and 25 kDa HER-2 cleavage products share a functional BH3-like domain which is required for cytochrome c release and apoptosis. Moreover, addition of a peptide containing the HER-2 BH3 domain, but not a mutant BH3 domain, induces cytochrome c release from isolated mitochondria. Collectively, our results indicate that caspases activate a previously unrecognized pro-apoptotic function of HER-2 by releasing a BH3 domain containing product, which translocates to the mitochondria and triggers cytochrome c release and apoptosis. We propose that the physiological role of HER-2 cleavage is to amplify the cell death signal.
Will TAVR Become the Default Treatment for Patients With Severe Aortic Stenosis

“Man must be prepared for every event of life, for there is nothing that is durable.” —Menander [(1)][1] Until recently, the standard of care for patients with severe aortic stenosis (SAS) was surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). There is no doubt that SAVR outcomes have been extremely
A Novel Virus Carrier State to Evaluate Immunotherapeutic Regimens: Regulatory T Cells Modulate the Pathogenicity of Antiviral Memory Cells

Restrictions in the diversity of an adaptive immune repertoire can facilitate viral persistence. Because a host afflicted with an immune deficiency is not likely to purge a persistent infection using endogenous mechanisms, it is important to explore adoptive therapies to supplement the host with a functional immune defense. In this study, we describe a virus carrier state that results from introducing lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) into adult mice possessing a restricted T cell repertoire. On infection of these mice, LCMV establishes systemic persistence, and within the CNS the virus infects astrocytes (and later oligodendrocytes) rather than its traditional parenchymal target neurons. To determine whether LCMV could be purged from a novel target selection in the absence of an endogenous immune repertoire, we adoptively transferred virus-specific memory cells into adult carrier mice. The memory cells purged virus from the periphery as well as the CNS, but they induced fatalities not typically associated with adoptive immunotherapy. When the repertoire of the recipient mice was examined, a deficiency in natural regulatory T cells was noted. We therefore supplemented carrier mice with regulatory T cells and simultaneously performed adoptive immunotherapy. Cotransfer of regulatory T cells significantly reduced mortality while still permitting the antiviral memory cells to purge the persistent infection. These data indicate that regulatory T cells can be used therapeutically to lessen the pathogenicity of virus-specific immune cells in an immunodeficient host. We also propose that the novel carrier state described herein will facilitate the study of immunotherapeutic regimens.
Portal 6.0 Released

The JGI Times - Portal 6.0 Released!! Michael Cantor and Tatyana Smirnova2 Lawrence Livermore Lab, D O E JGI/LBNL To whom correspondence may be addressed. E-mail: mncantor@lbl.gov. March 22, 2011 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: The work conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute is supported by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy under Contract No. DE-AC02- 05CH11231. DISCLAIMER: This document was prepared as an account of work sponsored by the United States Government. While this document is believed to contain correct information, neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor The Regents of the University of California, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by its trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof, or The Regents of the University of California. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof or The Regents of the University of California.
Chapter 16 Growth and Etching of Semiconductors

Abstract Growth and etching are two processes that go hand in hand to create a wide variety of structures at surfaces. This chapter reviews the basic mechanisms and atomistic processes that govern both growth and etching with a specific emphasis on the surfaces of semiconductors. General introductions to the topics of strain, surface energy and growth modes are given. Growth is treated both under thermodynamic and kinetic control. The general introduction to etching includes discussions of etch morphologies, porous solid formation, ablation and the effects of ion irradiation during etching. To illustrate more concretely the processes involved in growth, two specific case studies (silanes on silicon and III–V compounds) are then reviewed. Finally, three specific case studies of etching systems (dry etching of Si by fluorine, wet etching of Si with HF and wet etching of Si with OH − ) are treated to demonstrate the versatility of etching. An attempt has been made to find some overarching principles that can help us to understand a number of what seem to be disparate unrelated phenomena. Hence, the importance of strain and surface atom relaxations in determining adsorption barriers, diffusion barriers and adsorption energies can help to explain aspects of molecular adsorption and the ordering of islands that form during growth. Applying lessons learned from the interactions of hydrogen with silicon helps us to understand not only the homoepitaxial growth of silicon from silanes but also the etching of silicon by halogens. Finally exploring what initiates reactivity on the H-terminated Si surface by comparing and contrasting the wet etching by fluoride and hydroxide brings about a deeper understanding of both processes.
Beam scanning antenna enabled by a spatially reconfigurable near-zero index metamaterial

High-gain metamaterial lens antennas offer significant advantages for the construction of compact, high-efficiency, and lightweight antenna systems. Many such antennas use a homogeneous slab of uniaxial Zero-Index Metamaterial (ZIM) to perform the collimation due to the relative simplicity of design and construction, as the radiation pattern is set merely by the shape of the ZIM slab. As an extension to this concept, a dynamically reconfigurable metamaterial may be used to create an antenna capable of real-time solid-state beamforming. By switching regions of a cylindrical lens between near-ZIM and near-free-space conditions, the effective shape of the ZIM and thus the direction and relative magnitude of the beams in the azimuthal plane are controlled. Elevation plane scanning is also possible by stacking several such lenses with identical feed magnitude and phase to form an array and controlling the pattern with the spatially-distributed metamaterial state.
Indirect Supervised Learning of Content Selection Logic

I investigate the automatic acquisition of Content Selection (CS) rules; a desirable goal, as the CS problem is quite domain dependent. My learning uses a loosely aligned Text-Data corpus, a resource increasingly popular in learning for NLG because they are readily available and do not require expensive hand labelling. However, they only provide indirect information about the selected or not selected status of each semantic datum. Indirect Supervised Learning is my proposed solution to this problem, a solution common to other learning from loosely aligned Text-Data corpora problems in NLG. It has two steps; in the first step, the loosely aligned Text-Data corpus is transformed into a data set with classification labels. In the second step, supervised learning machinery acquires the CS rules from this data set. I evaluate the approach by comparing the output of my system with the information selected by human authors in unseen texts.
Accelerated Processing of SB4 and Preparation for SB5 Processing at DWPF

The Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) initiated processing of Sludge Batch 4 (SB4) in May 2007. SB4 was the first DWPF sludge batch to contain significant quantities of HM or high Al sludge. Initial testing with SB4 simulants showed potential negative impacts to DWPF processing; therefore, Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) performed extensive testing in an attempt to optimize processing. SRNL's testing has resulted in the highest DWPF production rates since start-up. During SB4 processing, DWPF also began incorporating waste streams from the interim salt processing facilities to initiate coupled operations. While DWPF has been processing SB4, the Liquid Waste Organization (LWO) and the SRNL have been preparing Sludge Batch 5 (SB5). SB5 has undergone low-temperature aluminum dissolution to reduce the mass of sludge for vitrification and will contain a small fraction of Purex sludge. A high-level review of SB4 processing and the SB5 preparation studies will be provided.
Evaluating a Product Donation Program: Challenges for Charitable Capacity

This article offers one of the first efforts at describing the impact of a national product donation program. Despite the importance of in-kind giving to the corporate and charitable sectors, little research has explained how in-kind gifts are used effectively once they leave the donor's hands. In this study we examine outcomes and impacts associated with a product donation program, including numbers served, a faith-based mission, the ability to process product donations effectively, the extent of performance measurement, and the effect of program experience on continued participation. Data come from Good360's Framing Hope program, a partnership between The Home Depot stores and local charities across the United States. Our findings support the organizational capacity literature in suggesting that experience with this program only partly mitigates the challenges of participation and that success may be due to how central the program is to organizational objectives.
Full-wave analysis of cascaded junction discontinuities of shielded coplanar type transmission line considering the finite metallization thickness effect

A full-wave analysis of cascaded junction discontinuities of coplanar type transmission lines, coplanar waveguides (CPWs), and finlines was implemented by a mode-matching technique. Results of the frequency dependence and the transition-length dependence of the scattering parameters of the CPW-to-finline transition incorporating the finite metallization thickness effect are presented. >
Expert consensus building using e-Delphi for necrotizing enterocolitis risk assessment.

Objective To confirm content validity of GutCheckNEC, a risk index for necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and to determine the level of agreement among experts about NEC risk factors in premature infants.
Comparison of Cost-Effectiveness and Utility of Exercise ECG, Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography, Positron Emission Tomography, and Coronary Angiography for Diagnosis of Coronary Artery Disease

Background To compare cost-effectiveness and utility of four clinical algorithms to diagnose obstructive coronary atherosclerotic heart disease (CAD), we compared exercise ECG (ExECG), stress single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), positron emission tomography (PET), and coronary angiography. Methods and Results Published data and a straightforward mathematical model based on Bayes’ theorem were used to compare strategies. Effectiveness was defined as the number of patients with diagnosed CAD, and utility was defined as the clinical outcome, ie, the number of quality-adjusted life years (QALY) extended by therapy after the diagnosis of CAD. Our model used published values for costs, accuracy, and complication rates of tests. Analysis of the model indicates the following results. (1) The direct cost (fee) for each test differs considerably from total cost per ΔQALY. (2) As pretest likelihood of CAD (pCAD) in the population increases, there is a linear increase in cost per patient tested but a h...
Self-Optimizing Parallel Algorithms for Haplotype Reconstruction and Their Evaluation on the JPT and CHB Genotype Data

The haplotype reconstruction problem has received a great deal of attention in the bioinformatics literature. The algorithms proposed thus far for this problem can be grouped into two main categories: statistical and combinatorial. In this paper, we focus on combinatorial algorithms for haplotype reconstruction based on Clark's method. Specifically, we propose several self-optimizing parallel algorithms for haplotype reconstruction based on Clark's method. Experimental results show that the proposed self-optimizing parallel algorithms can be viewed as an efficient alternative not only to Clark's algorithm, but also to some previously proposed (integer) linear programming formulations.
GABA and glutamate: Possible metabolic intermediaries involved in the hypothalamic regulation of food intake

Abstract Pharmacologically-induced increases and decreases in GABA activity in the ventromedial hypothalamus cause reciprocal changes in food intake in the rat. Conditions which augment GABA reduce ad lib feeding whereas a decrease in GABA activity is associated with an increase in food intake. These changes are most prominent within a discrete region of the hypothalamus which has low basal metabolic activity but a relatively high yield of 14 C-GABA from a (U- 14 C) glucose precursor. Both GABA and glutamate are released into push-pull perfusates collected from this circumscribed region as the rat consumes food. Thus far, the release of GABA appears to be triggered by nutrients arriving at the gut and does not specifically parallel the entry of intraduodenally infused glucose into the brain. Sites which release GABA appear to be neuroanatomically distinct from sites which release norepinephrine during feeding. The data support the existence of an independent and metabolically distinct GABA-nergic system within the basal hypothalamus which exerts inhibitory control over feeding behavior.
Connecting people and place: a new framework for reducing urban vulnerability to extreme heat

Climate change is predicted to increase the intensity and negative impacts of urban heat events, prompting the need to develop preparedness and adaptation strategies that reduce societal vulnerability to extreme heat. Analysis of societal vulnerability to extreme heat events requires an interdisciplinary approach that includes information about weather and climate, the natural and built environment, social processes and characteristics, interactions with stakeholders, and an assessment of community vulnerability at a local level. In this letter, we explore the relationships between people and places, in the context of urban heat stress, and present a new research framework for a multi-faceted, top-down and bottom-up analysis of local-level vulnerability to extreme heat. This framework aims to better represent societal vulnerability through the integration of quantitative and qualitative data that go beyond aggregate demographic information. We discuss how different elements of the framework help to focus attention and resources on more targeted health interventions, heat hazard mitigation and climate adaptation strategies.
Ca2+-ATPase function is required for intracellular trafficking of the Notch receptor in Drosophila

Maintaining high Ca(2+) concentrations in the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum is important for protein synthesis and transport. We identified a lethal complementation group recovered in a screen for mutations that reduce Notch activity as loss-of-function alleles of the Drosophila Ca(2+)-ATPase gene Ca-P60A. Analysis of Ca-P60A mutants indicates that Ca(2+)-ATPase is essential for cell viability and tissue morphogenesis during development. Cultured cells treated with Ca(2+)-ATPase inhibitors exhibit impaired Notch cleavage and receptor trafficking to the cell surface, explaining the genetic interaction between Ca(2+)-ATPase and Notch. Notch and several other transmembrane proteins are mislocalized in tissue clones homozygous for Ca-P60A mutations, demonstrating a general effect on membrane protein trafficking caused by a deficiency in Ca(2+)-ATPase.
OBJECT ORIENTED MODELING OF THE STRATEGIC BRIGADE AIRDROP OPERATION (WIP)

The Strategic Brigade Airdrop operation is a large-scale strategic airlift operation in which the United States Air Force moves a brigade-sized force of United States Army troops and their equipment to a remote airfield located virtually anywhere in the world. To better study the decision-making process, an object-oriented simulation model has been created that captures the essential dynamics of the process. The decision-making rules used in this initial simulation are those heuristic rules developed by planners within the Air Mobility Command, the division inside the Air Force responsible for the operation. An important question is whether these rules are the best way to accomplish the mission or not, and if not, how can the decisions inside the operation be made more efficiently to improve the probability of mission success. To that end an additional component to the simulation is being added which will make the decisions based on experience gained over previous runs of the simulation through the use of a cost functional analysis that assigns costs and benefits to the results of various decisions. Over time the algorithm should converge to a solution that minimizes this cost functional and presumably make the best set of decisions for this stochastic dynamic problem.
A Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Ethical Update

Abstract Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a complex condition with a variety of potential causes and symptoms, and it requires multifaceted treatment. Practitioners are cautioned to take great care in the informed consent process to ensure that clients know their treatment options, the level of support, and pros and cons of each option before giving consent. Practitioners need to be familiar with both the clinical and research data when developing a rationale and treatment approach that is individualized for the specific client. Moreover, practitioners should be competent in diagnosing a wide variety of conditions that are comorbid with PTSD and should ensure that they can legally make such a diagnosis and provide treatment for the specific conditions from which the client suffers. In addition, it is strongly recommended, if not legally required, that practitioners have an appropriate background in a mental health discipline so they are competent to help a client work through the traumas, symptoms...
Axiomatic reference-dependence in behavior toward others and toward risk

This paper considers the applicability of the standard separability axiom for both risk and other-regarding preferences, and advances arguments why separability might fail. An alternative axiom, which is immune to these arguments, leads to a preference representation that is additively separable in a reference variable and the differences between the other variables and the reference variable. For other-regarding preferences the reference variable is the decision-maker’s own payoff, and the resulting representation coincides with the Fehr-Schmidt model. For risk preferences the reference variable is initial wealth, and the resulting representation is a generalization of prospect theory.
The WISC-R and Woodcock-Johnson tests of cognitive ability: A comparative study

The Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery has become a popular instrument for assessing students with learning problems. Previous research has indicated a possible discrepancy between overall scores on the WISC-R and the congnitive portion of the Woodcock-Johnson with samples of learning disabled (LD) students. The current study, conducted with samples of students not designated as LD, also found significant differences in the mean scores between the two measures. The hypothesis that the difference between measures is a function of grade level was not supported. Other findings of the current study, coupled with previous research, suggest that the congnitive portion of the Woodcock-Johnson may be loaded with verbal factors.
A modified specimen stage for X-ray analysis in a TEM

A new design of specimen cup for a transmission electron microscope (TEM) equipped with side entry goniometer and a double tilt specimen stage is described. The new cup is a direct substitute for that originally fitted, and when used in the microscope, which is equipped with an energy dispersive X-ray analysis system, results in a substantial reduction in the intensity of 'system peaks'.
Bioequivalence Parameters of Parent Drug and Its First-Pass Metabolite: Comparative Sensitivity to Sources of Pharmacokinetic Variability

AbstractThe relative susceptibilities of a drug and its first-pass metabolite to various forms of pharmacokinetic variability were studied. Plasma concentrations of both species were simulated under conditions of interindividual variability in intrinsic hepatic clearance, intraindividual variability in hepatic clearance, and/or a concentration-dependent model for assay error. In comparison to the metabolite, the plasma concentrations of the parent drug displayed a heightened sensitivity to all forms of error. The bioequivalence parameters, AUC, Cmax, and Tmax of the parent drug and the metabolite were determined from an abbreviated data set. Compared to the metabolite, the AUC and Cmax of the parent drug were much more sensitive to the added variability. The Tmax of both species displayed similar variability. For a given level of manufacturer risk, a much larger group of subjects would be necessary to demonstrate bioequivalence with respect to the drug than with respect to the metabolite.
Small business demand for trade credit

(1988). Small business demand for trade credit. Applied Economics: Vol. 20, No. 7, pp. 861-876.
Fairness and Rejections in the Ultimatum Bargaining Game

The ultimatum game is a standard instrument for laboratory experimentalists. It had been replicated in a large number of environments and points to special considerations for fairness. Although it has been popular in the experimental community, researchers have not harnessed all the statistical power they should to evaluate the dynamics at work in this type of a bargaining game. This research uses two planned treatments, the first involving a signaling condition concerning a subject's "type," and the second a price effect built into the structure of the game. We find that there are no significant main effects as a result of the signaling condition of a subject's type, but that there are strong effects as a result of the different payoff parameters. Using a variety of multivariate models we find important, non-obvious interactions with the gender of the subjects. The lesson that we take away from this research is that experimentalists can learn more from data collected in the tightly controlled laboratory environment by using statistical techniques that complement their research designs.
Broadband 2.4 μm superluminescent GaInAsSb/AlGaAsSb quantum well diodes for optical sensing of biomolecules

High power, high radiance, broadband light sources emitting in the 2.0–2.5 μm wavelength range are important for optical sensing of biomolecules such as glucose in aqueous solutions. Here we demonstrate and analyze superluminescent diodes with output centered at 2.4 μm (range ~2.2–2.5 μm) from GaInAsSb/AlGaAsSb quantum wells in a separate confinement structure. Pulsed wave output of 1 mW (38 kW cm2 Sr−1) is achieved at room temperature for 40 μm × 2 mm devices. Superluminescence is evidenced in superlinear increase in emission, spectral narrowing, and angular narrowing of light output with increasing current injection. Optical output is analyzed and modeled with rate equations. Potential routes for future improvements are explored, such as additional Auger suppression and photonic mode engineering.
Oxidative Stress Antagonizes Wnt Signaling in Osteoblast Precursors by Diverting β-Catenin from T Cell Factor- to Forkhead Box O-mediated Transcription

We have elucidated that oxidative stress is a pivotal pathogenetic factor of age-related bone loss and strength in mice, leading to, among other changes, a decrease in osteoblast number and bone formation. To gain insight into the molecular mechanism by which oxidative stress exerts such adverse effects, we have tested the hypothesis that induction of the Forkhead box O (FoxO) transcription factors by reactive oxygen species may antagonize Wnt signaling, an essential stimulus for osteoblastogenesis. In support of this hypothesis, we report herein that the expression of FoxO target genes increases, whereas the expression of Wnt target genes decreases, with increasing age in C57BL/6 mice. Moreover, we show that in osteoblastic cell models, oxidative stress (exemplified by H2O2) promotes the association of FoxOs with β-catenin, β-catenin is required for the stimulation of FoxO target genes by H2O2, and H2O2 promotes FoxO-mediated transcription at the expense of Wnt-/T-cell factor-mediated transcription and osteoblast differentiation. Furthermore, β-catenin overexpression is sufficient to prevent FoxO-mediated suppression of T-cell factor transcription. These results demonstrate that diversion of the limited pool of β-catenin from T-cell factor- to FoxO-mediated transcription in osteoblastic cells may account, at least in part, for the attenuation of osteoblastogenesis and bone formation by the age-dependent increase in oxidative stress.
On the Centralization of Wastewater Treatment Facilities

. Two factors affecting the centralization of wastewater treatment facilities were investigated; the cost of collection and treatment systems and the performance of treatment plants. Based on computer-generated minimum cost designs, wastewater collection networks were found to be characterized by diseconomies of scale of magnitude similar to the reported economies of scale for wastewater treatment works. The combined costs of collection and treatment are U-shaped functions from which the least cost size of collection and treatment systems were found for particular values of population density. Examination of the day-to-day performance of five metropoitan-area waste-water treatment plants revealed that, for time series shorter than one month, the day-to-day variation in effluent quality was random, although the variation in quantity discharged was distinctly non-random. The performances of all five plants on any given day showed little correlation. This suggests that the decentralization of treatment facilities can produce benefits both through the reduction in quantities of waste discharged at a given point and through in-stream averaging of the varying performances of several treatment plants. Since the cost function of collection and treatment combined is generally flat in the region of the minimum-cost size, little penalty is invoked to gain the potential benefits of treatment plant decentralization.
Coherence between atmospheric teleconnections, Great Lakes water levels, and regional climate

Abstract We investigated the frequency domain relationships between four atmospheric teleconnections (Trans-Nino Index TNI, Pacific Decadal Oscillation PDO, Northern Annular Mode/Arctic Oscillation Index NAM/AO, and Pacific/North American PNA pattern) and water levels in the Great Lakes from 1948 to 2002 by quantifying the coherence between these time series. The levels in all Great Lakes are significantly correlated with the TNI in the frequency range (3–7) −1 cycles year −1 , and with the PDO in interdecadal frequencies. The levels in Lakes Superior, Michigan, and Erie are significantly correlated with the PNA pattern in interdecadal frequencies, and the levels in all Great Lakes are significantly correlated with the NAM/AO in interannual frequencies. We investigated also the coherence, or “climate link”, between atmospheric teleconnections and the Great Lakes regional climate, namely precipitation, evaporation, air temperature, and connecting channel flows, and the coherence, or “hydrologic link” between regional climate and lake levels. The effect of the teleconnections on lake levels is mostly transmitted through the “climate links” and the “hydrologic links”, particularly through the channel inflows to Lakes Michigan, Erie, and Ontario. Connecting channel flows depend on the cumulative effect of upstream lakes and their watersheds and transmit interannual and interdecadal signals better than precipitation, evaporation, and air temperature.
Remote sensing of atmospheric water vapor variation from GPS measurements during a severe weather event

The Global Positioning System (GPS) provides a relatively inexpensive method to remotely sense atmospheric water vapor in all weather conditions. In this study, we applied the GPS meteorology technique to monitor the precipitable water vapor (PWV) variation during a severe weather event (typhoon EWINIAR). The Korean weighted mean temperature equation (KWMTE), customized for the Korean Peninsula, was used to improve the accuracy of the GPS PWV estimation. The time series and the comparison with the images of MTSAT/CMAX and the GPS PWV contour maps indicated that the temporal change of GPS PWV was closely related to the progress of the typhoon. The correlation between the maximum GPS PWV and the maximum rainfall caused by the typhoon was also higher than that for the quiet weather period. Furthermore, the peak in the time series of GPS PWV was generally in good agreement with the time when the maximum rainfall was recorded. Our results therefore confirm that GPS meteorology is an efficient PWV sensing technique, capable of capturing the complex characteristics of water vapor distribution and its temporal variation during a period of severe weather events.
How the Affordable Care Act Will Strengthen the Nation's Primary Care Foundation

As the country turns toward implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, realizing the potential of reform will require significant transformation of the American system of health care delivery. To that end, the new law seeks to strengthen the nation’s primary care foundation through enhanced reimbursement rates for providers and the use of innovative delivery models such as patient-centered medical homes. Evidence suggests that these strategies can return substantial benefits to both patients and providers by increasing access to primary care services, reducing administrative hassles and burdens, and facilitating coordination across the continuum of care. If successfully implemented, the Affordable Care Act has the potential to realign incentives within the health system and create opportunities for providers to be rewarded for delivering high value, patient-centered primary care. Such a transformation could lead to better outcomes for patients, increase job satisfaction among physicians and encourage more sustainable levels of health spending for the nation.
Reactive goal management in a cognitive architecture

Goals play an important role in human cognition. Different aspects of human mind influence the generation of goals they pursue, and the goals guide their behaviors. In psychology, researchers made significant efforts to study goals and their origin, and cognitive architectures include various facilities to handle goals of artificial agents. One such architecture, Icarus, supports goal-driven behaviors while maintaining reactivity, and the top-level goals play the role of guiding Icarus agents' behaviors. However, the architecture covers neither the origin of its top-level goals nor the management of them, and this imposes various restrictions on Icarus, like the limited autonomy. In this paper, we extend the architecture to provide the capability to nominate top-level goals using the notion of long-term, general goals, and manage the nominated goals by prioritizing them. For prioritization of goals, we introduce a novel capability to match concepts in a continuous manner. We show some illustrative examples in an urban driving domain, and discuss related and future work in this direction before we conclude.
A Model for the Cooperative Binding of Eukaryotic Regulatory Proteins to Nucleosomal Target Sites

The mechanism by which gene regulatory proteins gain access to their DNA target sequences in chromatin is not known. We recently showed that nucleosomes are intrinsically dynamic, transiently exposing their DNA to allow sequence-specific protein binding even at buried sites. Here we show that this dynamic behaviour provides a mechanism for cooperativity (synergy) in the binding of two or more proteins to sites on a single nucleosome, even if those proteins do not interact directly with each other in any way. As a consequence of this cooperativity, two proteins binding to the same nucleosome facilitate each other's binding and also control the level of occupancy at each other's sites. This model, with no adjustable parameters, accounts quantitatively for recent reports of cooperative (synergistic) binding to nucleosomes in vitro. We assess the potential importance of this new cooperativity for gene regulation in vivo by comparing its magnitude to free energies of cooperative protein-protein direct contacts having known significance for gene regulation. Possible roles for nucleosome dynamics in eukaryotic gene regulation, and key remaining questions, are discussed.
Imperfect crystal and unusual semiconductor: boron, a frustrated element.

All elements, except for helium, appear to solidify into crystalline forms at zero temperature, and it is generally assumed that the introduction of lattice defects results in an increase in internal energy. β-Rhombohedral boron, a thermodynamically stable form of elemental boron at high temperature, is known to have a large amount of partial occupied sites, seemingly in conflict with our common knowledge. By using lattice Monte Carlo techniques combined with ab initio calculations, we find that the β-phase is stabilized by a macroscopic amount of intrinsic defects that are responsible not only for entropic effects but also for a reduction in internal energy. These defects enable the conversion of two-center to three-center bonds and are accompanied by the presence of localized, nonconductive electronic states in the optical gap. In addition we find that the ab initio Ising model describing the partial occupancy of β-boron has macroscopic residual entropy, suggesting that boron is a frustrated system anal...
The Relevance of a Segment Cash Flow Statement in Lending Decisions: An Empirical Study

Abstract The purpose of this study is to examine the relevance of a segment cash flow statement in the lending decisions of commercial bank loan officers. 117 loan officers made short term, intermediate term, and long term lending decisions using case materials prepared for a company that operates in two industries—soft drinks and farm machinery/equipment. Results indicate that segment cash flow statements are relevant in lending decisions under certain circumstances. When given the ‘good news’ that a stable industry was the cash source, loan officers in the soft drinks group granted more long term loans than those in the control group. When given the ‘bad news’ that a troubled industry was the cash source, loan officers in the farm group made smaller short term loans than those in the control group.
A Resistivity Model for Ultrathin Films and Sensors

Gas sensors have been demonstrated based on the conductivity changes in ultrathin films. These sensors operate in a regime where three different physical phenomena determine the total resistivity of the film; quantum mechanical coupling between metallic islands, bulk material conductivity of the islands, and network resistivity. We present a lumped parameter model that simulates thin-film growth and calculates the total film resistance during the growth process accounting for these three phenomena. The model contains four free parameters and yields a good agreement with experimental data presented for palladium, titanium, and gold. The primary benefit of this model is that it shows the relative contribution of each source of conductivity during the growth process providing insight into the operation of ultrathin films as gas sensors. We then model an ultrathin-film palladium-based hydrogen sensor and show that the sensing mechanism is primarily due to variations in quantum tunneling.
THE STRUCTURE OF BOWMAN'S CAPSULE IN CASTRATE AND TESTOSTERONE TREATED MALE MICE AS AN INDEX OF HORMONAL EFFECTS ON THE RENAL CORTEX11

IN THE KIDNEY of a few species of mammals, including mice, a type of Bowman's capsule may occur in which the squamous cells usually constituting the parietal lamina are partially or completely replaced by cuboidal cells resembling those making up the walls of the proximal convoluted tubule. A method has recently been described (1) for determining, by means of a differential count, the relative number of this cuboidal-cell type of capsule, and a number of age and sex correlations in the postnatal development of the mouse kidney have been demonstrated. A few cuboidal or ‘high’ cell capsules are present in both sexes at birth; the percentage of cuboidal cell capsules increases in both sexes for the first 20 weeks of postnatal life, but at all times after puberty the relative number of cuboidal cell capsules in the male mouse kidney far exceeds that in the female; this sexual variation in the kidney occurs at puberty and is closely correlated with the time of degeneration of the androgenic or x-zone of the mo...
The OMPS Limb Profiler Environmental Data Record Algorithm Theoretical Basis Document and Expected Performance

The retrieval algorithm for the Suomi National Polar-Orbiting Partnership (NPP) Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite (OMPS) Limb Profiler is described. The goal of the OMPS Limb Profiler is to produce high quality vertical profiles of ozone in the stratosphere and upper troposphere. Additional products include aerosol extinction vertical profiles together with an estimate of the Angstrom coefficient, cloud top height and $\hbox{NO}_{2}$ column density. The ozone retrieval algorithm relies on the optimal estimation approach, and uses the Pair/Triplet methodology. Estimates of bias and random errors are presented, together with a brief description of the operational code output products and the planned validation.
The effects of damping on a non-linear system with two degrees of freedom

Abstract The titled system has a double natural frequency of linear free vibration. Even though only one generalized coordinate is directly excited, it is possible to have “unusual” responses in which both respond. For general combinations of the parameters, the amplitude-frequency diagram changes only slightly when a small amount of damping is present. However, for special combinations of the parameters, corresponding to those found in all previous investigations, a small amount of damping causes a radical change in the unusual response. The stability of all responses and the effects of increased amounts of damping are investigated. Above critical values of damping, discussed and illustrated in the text, the usual response is stabilized and the unusual response disappears.