cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dynamic Auctions with Demand Learning

The minimum bid is a key design variable in retail auctions as it affects the number of posted bids and the clearing price. Retailers often conduct sequential, single-unit auctions online as a revenue generation and inventory clearing tool, and need to dynamically decide the minimum bid in each auction depending on the inventory level at that time. To reduce inventory costs, it may in fact be optimal to scrap some of the inventory rather than holding it until it is auctioned off. In auctions of fashion goods, seasonal products, new products, and where the seller is new to the market, the seller may be uncertain about the market response. Such a seller may want to dynamically learn the demand by observing the number of posted bids. This introduces an additional, exploration versus exploitation trade-off. We formulate a Markov decision process (MDP) to study this dynamic auction-design problem. We consider a Vickrey mechanism, and a random number of bidders with private, independent, and identically distributed valuations. We first develop a clairvoyant model where the seller knows the demand distribution. We prove that it is optimal to scrap all inventory above a certain threshold and then auction the remaining units. We derive a first order necessary condition, which states that, in any inventory level, the bidders' virtual value (as defined by Myerson) at an optimal minimum bid should equal the seller's marginal profit. This is an intuitive generalization of Riley and Samuelson's well-known result from the one single-unit auction case. Under the standard regularity condition that the virtual value is strictly increasing, our first order necessary condition is also sufficient and leads to a structured value iteration algorithm for efficiently computing optimal policies. In that case, we prove that optimal minimum bids (i) decrease with increasing inventory levels, and (ii) are higher than optimal minimum bids in one single-unit auction. We also prove that optimal scrapping thresholds and optimal minimum bids both decrease with increasing inventory costs.We illustrate our results and perform sensitivity analyses using examples with a Poisson-distributed number of bidders and Beta-distributed private valuations.In the second half of the paper, we assume that the number of bidders is Poisson distributed but the seller does not know its mean. The seller uses a mixture-of-Gamma prior on this mean and updates this belief over the sequence of auctions while simultaneously deciding minimum bids and scrapping quantities. This results in a high-dimensional Bayesian MDP whose exact solution is intractable. We therefore implement a certainty equivalent control (CEC) heuristic instead. We extend our clairvoyant structural result to CEC and numerically investigate the effect of initial inventory and mean demand on CEC performance.
Open Charm Production in SNN=200GeV Au+Au Collisions at STAR

We present first results on D 0 meson production via direct reconstruction of its hadronic decay channel D 0 → K π in minimum bias Au+Au collisions at S N N = 200 GeV with p T up to ∼3 GeV/ c . Single electron 2 spectra with 1 p T 4 GeV / c from the charm semi-leptonic decays are also analyzed from the same data set. The charm production total cross-section per nucleon-nucleon collision is measured to be 1.11±0.08(stat.)±0.42(sys.) mb in minimum bias Au+Au collisions, which is consistent with the N bin scaling compared to d +Au collisions. The nuclear modification factors of the single electrons in minimum bias and 0-20% Au+Au collisions are significantly below unity at 1 p T 4 GeV / c .
The Dictator's (False) Dilemma

One of the more persistent Cold War memes, the so-called dictator's dilemma refers to a worldview in which technology is a threat to dictatorships and a beacon of prosperity to free societies. But is this a valid dichotomy?
On the relationship between learning sequence and rate of acquisition

Many error-driven learning algorithms for constraint-based phonological grammars, including the Gradual Learning Algorithm for Optimality Theory and Harmonic Grammar, predict that more frequent input forms will be acquired earlier than less frequent input forms – a fact that has been commonly taken as a virtue of these models. These models also predict, however, that the rate of learning for more frequent input forms should be faster than the rate of learning for less frequent input forms. In other words, these models predict that sequence and rate of acquisition are related; structures acquired earlier in the course of learning will be acquired more rapidly, while those that are acquired relatively later will be acquired more slowly. This paper explicates these predictions and argues that they are not consistently supported by child language data. Evidence from six children's acquisition of consonant clusters is presented, demonstrating that, contrary to the predictions of the learning models, learning sequence and rate of acquisition are largely disassociated.
Radiotherapy Planning Using an Improved Search Strategy in Particle Swarm Optimization

Objective: Evolutionary stochastic global optimization algorithms are widely used in large-scale, nonconvex problems. However, enhancing the search efficiency and repeatability of these techniques often requires well-customized approaches. This study investigates one such approach. Methods: We use particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm to solve a 4D radiation therapy (RT) inverse planning problem, where the key idea is to use respiratory motion as an additional degree of freedom in lung cancer RT. The primary goal is to administer a lethal dose to the tumor target while sparing surrounding healthy tissue. Our optimization iteratively adjusts radiation fluence-weights for all beam apertures across all respiratory phases. We implement three PSO-based approaches: conventionally used unconstrained, hard-constrained, and our proposed virtual search. As proof of concept, five lung cancer patient cases are optimized over ten runs using each PSO approach. For comparison, a dynamically penalized likelihood (DPL) algorithm—a popular RT optimization technique is also implemented and used. Results: The proposed technique significantly improves the robustness to random initialization while requiring fewer iteration cycles to converge across all cases. DPL manages to find the global optimum in 2 out of 5 RT cases over significantly more iterations. Conclusion: The proposed virtual search approach boosts the swarm search efficiency, and consequently, improves the optimization convergence rate and robustness for PSO. Significance: RT planning is a large-scale, nonconvex optimization problem, where finding optimal solutions in a clinically practical time is critical. Our proposed approach can potentially improve the optimization efficiency in similar time-sensitive problems.
Adding Value by Talking More

In many situations, having physicians and other clinical personnel talk more with patients and each other can be the least expensive and most effective approach for delivering better patient care, and new payment models provide incentives for such discussions.
Reguetón, narcocultura y bandidaje social en el filme puertorriqueño "Talento de barrio"

Talento de barrio , el filme puertorriqueno mas taquillero de la historia, tiene como protagonista a Edgar, un maleante interpretado por la superestrella del regueton Daddy Yankee. Mediante el contraste entre Edgar y otros personajes claramente antisociales, la pelicula parece apuntar a la posibilidad del bandido social como una figura al margen de la legalidad, pero de signo positivo. Este ensayo recurre a autores como Hobsbawm, Benjamin, Agamben y otros para explorar el resurgimiento de un cierto tipo de bandidaje social, vinculado al narcotrafico y a la violencia extrema que conlleva, en la imaginacion cinematografica latinoamericana de hoy.
Thymic Hyperplasia Associated with Graves' Disease: Pathophysiology and Proposed Management Algorithm.

Background: The association between Graves' disease (GD) and thymic hyperplasia (TH) was first described in 1912 and has been reported numerous times thereafter. TH associated with GD presents as an incidental mediastinal mass on chest X-ray or computed tomography (CT). The pathogenesis of TH in the setting of GD is unclear but seems to involve a complex interplay of hormonal and immunological mechanisms. Summary: Here, the effect that thyroid hormones and autoimmunity have on thymic growth and size is reviewed. The authors' experience, along with a review of published case reports, reveals that general physicians may be unfamiliar with this association. This lack of familiarity may result in an aggressive management course, including surgical intervention, along with its associated risks and costs. The differential diagnosis and diagnostic workup of thymic enlargement associated with GD is discussed in light of the available clinical evidence. Conclusion: Recent literature confirms the generally benign n...
Holonic multi-agent system for real time simulation of control systems

As control systems grow more and more complex, the level of testing and validation needs to be rigorous which in turn improves the robustness and reliability of the control system. We propose a testing and validation scenario where we create a multi-agent distributed simulation environment, and where the control and plant algorithms are executed on real-time targets. This simulation environment is achieved by the use of a powerful capability that permits embedding simulation into micro controllers. These simulations interact with the controller in real time. In this paper, we discuss a distributed simulation environment that combines control, agents, and simulation. We use Matlab xPC target technology as the main mechanism for generating the embeddable simulation part of the environment. We intend to embed the simulation into an ARM based core micro controller. The simulations and the (Programmable Logic Controller) PLC concurrently interact with each other using a (Common Industrial Protocol) CIP-based tag-level communications. This combination of technologies creates a high fidelity testing environment.
Interactive simulation-based optical system development

Simulation and modeling have become an integral part of a cost-effective optical system development process. Over the years, this activity has evolved into a complex multi-disciplinary activity. To optimize the resources required for this exercise, a new concept of virtual prototyping is presented. This concept employs computer-aided interactive simulation tools such as ray tracing, solid modeling and error analysis. It addresses the broad issues of system layout, optical and optomechanical design, structural and thermal analysis for the real operating environment, tolerance budgeting and optimization procedures. This concept works in an iterative fashion to achieve the desired system performance at a minimum cost.
Culturally responsive leadership practices: a principal’s reflection

This article focuses on presenting culturally responsive leadership practices that could help school principals transcend rigorous accountability mandates by using two student-centered practices: c...
Surges of Tropical Pacific Rainfall and Teleconnections with Extratropical Circulation Patterns

Northern hemisphere 500-mb composite maps for episodes of high and low precipitation in the so-called ‘dry zone’ of the equatorial Pacific reveal significant changes in planetary wave patterns, suggesting important extratropical connections of tropical rainfall regimes. Anomalies in the Walker and Hadley circulation systems are also revealed. Teleconnections between these precipitation patterns and sea-surface temperature anomalies in the northern and southern hemisphere (e.g., El Nino) and with the Southern Oscillation can be demonstrated.
EXTRACELLULAR MATRIX | Degradation by Proteases

Matrix degrading enzymes are proteinases that are capable of processing substrates that are bound to surfaces or lie beneath the surface of tissue. The in vitro method of assessing matrix proteinases using purified substrates is relatively straightforward. However, extrapolation of the result to the case of the complex substrate or in vivo situation is often difficult and may lead to inaccurate predictions. An example of this is two proteinases that have similar elastolytic potency with purified elastin substrates but substantially different emphysema-inducing potencies in animal models.
Privacy, Confidentiality, and Safety Considerations for Conducting Geographic Momentary Assessment Studies Among Persons Who Use Drugs and Men Who Have Sex with Men.

Geographic momentary assessments (GMA) collect real-time behavioral data in one’s natural environment using a smartphone and could potentially increase the ecological validity of behavioral data. Several studies have evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of GMA among persons who use drugs (PWUD) and men who have sex with men (MSM), but fewer have discussed privacy, confidentiality, and safety concerns, particularly when illegal or stigmatized behavioral data were collected. This study explores perceptions regarding privacy, confidentiality, and safety of GMA research among PWUD and MSM recruited in three different settings (rural Appalachia, a mid-sized city in the South, and a mid-Atlantic city). Between November 2014 and April 2017, we recruited 35 PWUD from rural Appalachian Kentucky (N = 20) and Baltimore, Maryland (N = 15) and 20 MSM from Lexington, Kentucky to complete semi-structured qualitative interviews. Through thematic analyses, we identified and compared privacy, confidentiality, and safety concerns by demographic characteristics, risk behaviors, and setting. Privacy, confidentiality, and safety concerns varied by setting, age, smartphone ownership, use of illegal drugs, and history of drug-related arrests. Among those who used drugs, participants reported concerns with being tracked and burden associated with carrying and safeguarding study phones and responding to survey prompts. Privacy and confidentiality concerns were noted in each setting, but tracking concerns were greatest among Baltimore participants and led many to feel that they (or others) would be unwilling to participate or comply with study procedures. While locations considered to be sensitive varied by setting, participants in all settings said they would take measures to prevent sensitive information from being collected (i.e., intentionally disable devices, leave phones at home, alter response times). Privacy, confidentiality, and safety concerns may limit the accuracy of risk location information, study compliance, and participation. As concerns were often greatest among those engaging in illegal behaviors and with the highest risk behaviors, selection bias and non-response bias could negatively influence the representativeness and validity of study findings.
Input-specific maturation of NMDAR-mediated transmission onto parvalbumin-expressing interneurons in layers 2/3 of the visual cortex

We show for the first time input-specific developmental changes in the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor component and short-term plasticity of the excitatory drive onto layers 2/3 parvalbumin-expressi...
Revisiting the relationship between public relations and marketing: Encroachment and social media

Abstract Although public relations and marketing trade presses regularly discuss the conflict between the functions (e.g., Ecker, 2013; Havartin, 2013), academic researchers focused on the issue primarily in the 1980s and 1990s. The drop in public relations and marketing encroachment research does not parallel a drop in encroachment in practice, especially in light of today’s social media environment. In fact, historic tension between public relations and marketing intensified with the incorporation of social media into communication efforts. This paper updates the study of encroachment by reviewing the historical views of the topic, proposes ways that social media use has intensified issues related to role encroachment between public relations and marketing professionals, and outlines questions to guide future study of these topics.
Bacterial contamination of medical providers' white coats and surgical scrubs: A systematic review.

Background Horizontal transmission of bacteria, especially multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs), remains an important concern in hospitals worldwide. Some studies have implicated provider attire in the transmission of organisms within hospitals, whereas others have suggested that evidence supporting this notion is limited. Methods PubMed was searched for publications between 1990 and 2018 to identify studies of bacterial contamination of, or dissemination of, bacteria from physician, nursing, or trainee attire, with a specific focus on white coats and surgical scrubs. A total of 214 articles were identified. Of these, 169 were excluded after abstract review and 33 were excluded after in-depth full manuscript review. Results Twenty-two articles were included: 16 (73%) cross-sectional studies, 4 (18%) randomized controlled trials, and 2 (9%) cohort studies. Results are organized by microbial contaminants, antibiotic resistance, types of providers, fabric type, antimicrobial coating, and laundering practices. Provider attire was commonly colonized by MDROs, with white coats laundered less frequently than scrubs. Studies revealed considerable differences among fabrics used and laundering practices. Conclusions Findings suggest that provider attire is a potential source of pathogenic bacterial transmission in health care settings. However, data confirming a direct link between provider attire and health care–associated infections remain limited. Suggestions outlined in this article may serve as a guideline to reduce the spread of bacterial pathogens, including MDROs, that have the potential to precipitate hospital-acquired infections.
Prognostic implications of prostatic urethral involvement in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer

Non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer involving the prostatic urethra is associated with pathologic upstaging and shorter survival. We investigated the survival impact of prostatic urethral involvement in non-muscle-invasive patients who are not upstaged at cystectomy. From 2000 to 2016, 177 male patients underwent cystectomy for high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer and remained pT1, pTis, or pTa, and N0 on final pathology; 63 (35.6%) patients had prostatic urethral involvement and 114 (64.4%) did not. Prostatic involvement was non-invasive (Ta or Tis) in 56 (88.9%) patients and superficially invasive (T1) in 7 (11.1%) patients. No patient had stromal invasion. Log-rank and Cox regression analyses were used to evaluate survival. Compared to patients without prostatic urethral involvement, patients with involvement were more likely to have received intravesical therapy (84.6% vs. 64.4%, p < 0.01), have multifocal tumor (90.8% vs. 51.7%, p < 0.01), and have positive urethral margins (7.7% vs. 0%, p < 0.01) and ureteral margins (18.5% vs. 5.1%, p < 0.01). Log-rank comparison showed inferior recurrence-free, cancer-specific, and overall survival in patients with prostatic involvement (p = 0.01, p = 0.03, p < 0.01). Patients with prostatic urethral involvement were more likely to experience recurrence in the urinary tract (p < 0.01). On Cox regression, prostatic urethral involvement was an independent predictor of overall mortality (HR = 2.08, p < 0.01). Prostatic urethral involvement is associated with inferior survival in patients who undergo cystectomy for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer and remain pT1, pTis, or pTa on final pathology. Prostatic urethral involvement is thus an adverse pathologic feature independent of its association with upstaging.
A water-focused one-health approach for early detection and prevention of viral outbreaks

Despite consistent efforts to protect public health there is still a heavy burden of viral disease, both in the United States and abroad. In addition to conventional medical treatment, there is a need for a holistic approach for early detection and prevention of viral outbreaks at a population level. One-Health is a relatively new integrative approach to the solving of global health challenges. A key component to the One-Health approach is the notion that human health, animal health, and environmental health are all innately interrelated. One-Health interventions, initiated by veterinary doctors, have proven to be effective in controlling outbreaks, but thus far the applications focus on zoonotic viruses transmitted from animals to humans. Environmental engineers and environmental scientists hold a critical role in the further development of One-Health approaches that include water-related transport and transmission of human, animal, and zoonotic viruses. In addition to waterborne viruses, the proposed approach is applicable to a wide range of viruses that are found in human excrement since contaminated water-based surveillance systems may be used for early detection of viral disease. This paper proposes a greater One-Health based framework that involves water-related pathways. The first step in the proposed framework is the identification of critical exposure pathways of viruses in the water environment. Identification of critical pathways informs the second and third steps, which include water-based surveillance systems for early detection at a population level and implementation of intervention approaches to block the critical pathways of exposure.
Respiratory Health in Adults Residing Near a Coal-Burning Power Plant with Coal Ash Storage Facilities: A Cross-Sectional Epidemiological Study

Coal ash, the byproduct of burning coal made up of small particles, including heavy metals and radioactive elements, is discarded in open-air landfills where it can be emitted into the air, contributing to air pollution in the surrounding community. Few regulations exist regarding the storage, disposal, and transport of coal ash. There is limited research on the health impacts of coal ash exposure on communities. The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of respiratory symptoms among adults exposed to coal ash and non-exposed adults. A cross-sectional epidemiological study was conducted among two populations: one exposed to coal ash and one not exposed to coal ash. Perception of health (p-Value < 0.0001), cough (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) = 5.30, 95% Confidence Intervals (CI) = 2.60–11), shortness of breath (AOR = 2.59, 95% CI = 1.56–4.31), hoarseness (AOR = 4.02, 95% CI = 2.45–6.60), respiratory infections (AOR = 1.82, 95% CI = 1.14–2.89), and mean overall respiratory health score (p-Value < 0.0001) were all statistically significantly greater in exposed adults (N = 231) when compared to non-exposed adults (N = 170). Adults residing near the coal ash facility were more likely to report respiratory symptoms than the non-exposed population. More research on the health impact of coal ash and storage regulations needs to be conducted.
Characterization of HbF Decline In Compound Heterozygotes for HbS and Deletional Hereditary Persistence of Fetal Hemoglobin

Abstract 1626 In gene deletion hereditary persistence of fetal hemoglobin (HPFH) affecting people of African descent, more than 80 kb of DNA is deleted including the δ- and β-globin genes and downstream sequences. Compound heterozygotes for sickle hemoglobin (HbS) and HPFH have high fetal hemoglobin (HbF) levels and have few if any sickle cell disease-related complications. Among patients with sickle cell disease who were referred for hemoglobin diagnostic testing, 28 compound heterozygotes for HbS and HPFH (6 HPFH type 1 and 22 HPFH type 2) were identified. The diagnosis of HbS and HPFH 1 and 2 were confirmed by DNA-based specific gap-PCR tests. We characterized factors associated with HbF and its changes over time to better understand the modulation of HbF in this population. Laboratory information were obtained through chart review and/or extracted from information provided at the time of hemoglobin diagnostic testing. Data regarding age at which HbF was measured allowed us to study the change in HbF over time. For comparison, we analyzed data collected through the Cooperative Study of Sickle Cell Disease (CSSCD) containing over 3000 HbF measurements at different ages in HbS homozygotes (HbSS) or HbS-β0 thalassemia patients. Statistical analyses were performed using Stata/SE11.1 software. In 28 HbS-HPFH cases, 62 HbF values at different ages ranging from the newborn period to age 20 years were available for analysis. In these patients, HbF was 50% to 90% during infancy and declined steeply within the first few years of life, stabilizing between ages 3 to 5 years. Mean HbF at age 5 or older was 31 ± 2%. Mean hemoglobin concentration was 13 ± 1g/dL and mean MCV was 75 ± 6 fL. Age was log-transformed for all analyses. In univariate and multivariate regression analyses, HbF was significantly associated with age, hemoglobin concentration, and MCV (P Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Tradition and the Black Atlantic: Critical Theory in the African Diaspora

Henry Louis Gates, Jr.'s Tradition and the Black Atlantic is both a vibrant romp down the rabbit hole of cultural studies and an examination of the discipline's roots and role in contemporary thought. In this conversational tour through the halls of theory, Gates leaps from Richard Wright to Spike Lee, from Pat Buchanan to Frantz Fanon, and ultimately to the source of anticolonialist thought: the unlikely figure of Edmund Burke. Throughout Tradition and the Black Atlantic, Gates shows that the culture wars have presented us with a surfeit of either/ors--tradition versus modernity; Eurocentrism versus Afrocentricism. Pointing us away from these facile dichotomies, Gates deftly combines rigorous scholarship with humor, looking back to the roots of cultural studies in order to map out its future course.
Epstein-Barr virus EBER1 and murine gammaherpesvirus TMER4 share conserved in vivo function to promote B cell egress and dissemination.

The oncogenic gammaherpesviruses, including human Epstein–Barr virus (EBV), human Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), and murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV68, γHV68, MuHV-4) establish life-long latency in circulating B cells. The precise determinants that mediate in vivo gammaherpesvirus latency and tumorigenesis remain unclear. The EBV-encoded RNAs (EBERs) are among the first noncoding RNAs ever identified and have been the subject of decades of studies; however, their biological roles during in vivo infection remain unknown. Herein, we use a series of refined virus mutants to define the active isoform of MHV68 noncoding RNA TMER4 and demonstrate that EBV EBER1 functionally conserves this activity in vivo to promote egress of infected B cells from lymph nodes into peripheral circulation.
Tracing insights into de novo lipogenesis in liver and adipose tissues

Lipids play important roles in biology that include structural compartmentation as membranes, energy storage, and regulatory functions as signaling molecules. These molecules can be obtained via the surrounding environment (e.g. diet) or synthesized de novo. Fatty acid synthesis is an energetically demanding process and must therefore be tightly regulated to balance fatty acid availability with the functional and energetic needs of cells and tissues. Here we review key aspects of de novo lipogenesis (DNL) in mammalian systems. We highlight key nodes in the pathway that are used for quantitation of lipogenic fluxes and regulation of fatty acid diversity across tissues. Next, we discuss key aspects of DNL function in the major lipogenic tissues of mammals: liver, white adipose tissue (WAT), and brown adipose tissue (BAT), highlighting recent molecular discoveries that suggest potential roles for tissue specific DNL. Finally, we propose critical questions that will be important to address using the advanced approaches for DNL quantitation described herein.
Melanoma arising in a patient with ataxia‐telangiectasia: A call for full skin examinations in this patient population

Ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T) is an autosomal recessive, multisystem disorder characterized by cerebellar ataxia and oculocutaneous telangiectasias that present in early childhood. Increased incidence of malignancy is also associated with A-T. Hematopoietic malignancies occur most commonly, with a majority being lymphoid cancers; however, there is a risk for other malignancies, such as breast, gastric, and other solid tumors. Herein, we report the case of a 28-year-old woman with A-T with melanoma.
Arthroscopic Hip Capsular Plication With Augmentation Using a Bioinductive Collagen Implant

With advancements in arthroscopic techniques and instrumentation, hip arthroscopy has become an increasingly used technique to treat soft-tissue and osseous pathologies about the hip. Patient predisposition to labral and capsular injuries can present as femoroacetabular impingement or hip dysplasia, sometimes in combination. Capsular management continues to be a topic of debate, with capsular repair becoming the standard of care in most cases. Furthermore, in cases of borderline dysplasia and microinstability, considerations for not only capsular repair but with plication has shown significant clinical success. Although plication in this setting has shown promise, given a 20% failure rate, we suggest capsular augmentation to bolster the repair. We present a technique of capsular augmentation using a bioinductive collagen implant (Smith & Nephew) to improve the capsular integrity following repair and plication. The benefits of this implant are easy delivery through standard arthroscopic portals and secure fixation to the capsular tissue. These implants have a proven track record in the shoulder and serve as a scaffold for improved tissue quality, and their application in hip arthroscopy has potential by increasing the integrity of the capsular repair. Future studies are needed to address the clinical outcomes of this technique.
Near-Carrier Phase Noise Suppression at Turnover Temperature in a Thin-Film Piezoelectric-on-Silicon Oscillator

In this paper, the near-carrier enhancement of phase-noise (PN) at turnover temperature ( ${T} _{to}$ ) in a quasi-thickness-Lame (QTL) mode thin-film piezoelectric-on-silicon (TPoS) oscillator is reported for the first time. QTL-TPoS resonators fabricated on degenerately-doped n-type silicon offer a ${T} _{to}$ greater than 80°C and are suitable for implementation of highly-stable ovenized oscillators. In this work, a ~123MHz QTL-TPoS resonator is heated up to ${T} _{to}$ (~90°C) by injecting current through the silicon body of the resonator. It is experimentally observed that at turnover temperature, the phase-noise slope close to the carrier frequency ( $\Delta $ f 100Hz ) decreases substantially in contrast to the expected trends. A ~10dB improvement in phase noise at 10Hz offset and a ~25dB improvement at 1Hz offset is recorded when the oscillator is operating at ${T} _{to}$ compared to room temperature. [2020-0206]
Supercharged Sexism: The Triple Threat of Workplace Monitoring for Women

As biometric monitoring becomes increasingly common in workplace wellness programs, there are three reasons to believe that women will suffer disproportionately from the data collection associated with it. First, many forms of biometric monitoring are subject to gender bias, among other potential biases, because of assumptions inherent in the design and algorithms interpreting the collected data. Second, the expansion of femtech in particular creates a gender-imbalanced data source that may feed into existing workplace biases against women unless more effective safeguards emerge. Finally, many femtech platforms encourage the kind of information sharing that may reduce women’s reasonable expectations of privacy, especially with regard to fertility data, thus increasing the risk of health data privacy invasion. This triple threat to female workers may be offset somewhat by the benefits of health data collection at work and may be remedied at least in part by both legislative and non-legislative means. The current trend toward greater health data collection in the wake of COVID-19 should provoke a reexamination of how employers collect and analyze women’s health data in order to reduce the impact of these new gender bias drivers.
Testing for Structural Breaks in the Evaluation of Programs

A youth homicide reduction initiative in Boston in the mid- 1990s poses particular difficulties for program evaluation because it did not have a control group and the exact implementation date is unknown. A standard methodology in program evaluation is to use time series variation to compare pre- and postprogram outcomes. Such an approach is not valid, however, when the timing of program implementation or effect is unknown. To evaluate the Boston initiative, we adapt from the time series literature an unknown-breakpoint test to test for a change in regime. Tests for parameter instability provide a flexible framework for testing a range of hypotheses commonly posed in program evaluation. These tests both pinpoint the timing of maximal break and provide a valid test of statistical significance. We evaluate the results of the estimation using the asymptotic results in the literature and with our own Monte Carlo analyses. We conclude there was a statistically significant discontinuity in youth homicide incide...
Tabular, evocar, recordar : la refundación de la Argentina en las Tablas de sangre de José Rivera Indarte

This article examines Argentine letrado Jose Rivera Indarte’s overlooked Tables of Blood (1843) as a unique example of the Spanish American mid-nineteenth century desire to refound the Nation. Adapting and enlarging critically the theoretical proposals of Adriana Cavarero and Thomas Laqueur, the article reads the Tablas not only as an influential and precursory interpretation of Rosismo, but also as the written construction of an “Argentine nation”, precisely when it did not exist. In order to do so, the concept of “horrorism” is advanced so as to shed light onto the Tablas’ description of the Regime, while the concepts of “necro-nominalism” and “necro-geography” are used to analyze their creation of a “victimized nation”.
Efficacy of CytoSorb in a Pediatric Case of Severe Multisystem Infammatory Syndrome (MIS-C): A Clinical Case Report

Background: Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) has emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic as a new SARS-CoV-2-related entity, potentially responsible for a life-threatening clinical condition associated with myocardial dysfunction and refractory shock. Case: We describe for the first time in a 14-year-old girl with severe MIS-C the potential benefit of an adjuvant therapy based on CytoSorb hemoperfusion and continuous renal replacement therapy with immunomodulatory drugs. Conclusions: We show in our case that, from the start of extracorporeal blood purification, there was a rapid and progressive restoration in cardiac function and hemodynamic parameters in association with a reduction in the most important inflammatory biomarkers (interleukin 6, interleukin 10, C-reactive protein, ferritin, and D-dimers). Additionally, for the first time, we were able to show with analysis of the sublingual microcirculation a delayed improvement in most of the important microcirculation parameters in this clinical case of MIS-C.
Post-Bankruptcy Performance and Management Turnover

This paper examines the performance of 197 public companies which emerged from Chapter 11. Over 40% of the sample firms continue to experience operating losses in the three years following bankruptcy; 32% reenter bankruptcy or privately restructure their debt. The continued involvement of pre- bankruptcy management in the restructuring process is strongly associated with poor post-bankruptcy performance. The substantial number of firms emerging from Chapter 11 which are not viable or need further restructuring provides little evidence that the process effectively rehabilitates distressed firms, and is consistent with the view that there are economically important biases toward continuation of unprofitable firms.
Effects of grazing corn plant residue on beef cattle performance, residue characteristics, and subsequent crop yield

ABSTRACT Objective Our objective was to evaluate the effects of grazing method on beef cattle performance, residue characteristics, and subsequent corn grain yields. Materials and Methods This was a 3-yr study in which strip-grazing (SG), continuous grazing (CG), and ungrazed control (CT) treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block design with 3 replications per year on a continuous corn production system in central Illinois. Strip-grazed plots were divided into subplots (1, 2, 3) in which cattle back-grazed. Thirty-six spring-calving, multiparous, Angus cows were used in the first and second year of the study and 42 winter-calving Angus heifers were used in the third year. Cattle grazed for 42 d each year following corn harvest. Results and Discussion Cattle in SG plots were 9.8 kg heavier (P = 0.05) postgrazing compared with those on CG plots but did not differ (P = 0.77) in final BCS, indicating adequate performance was maintained regardless of treatment. The SG and CG plots had increased ADF (P = 0.03) and decreased CP (P Implications and Applications Both grazing methods resulted in acceptable performance. Grazing corn residue did not affect subsequent crop yields; however, strip differences in yield within strip-grazed paddocks warrant further investigation.
Preparation of Tools

This chapter reports the preparation and calibration of tools needed in the fit to the time evolution, including the determination of the detector angular acceptance and the calibration of the performance of flavor tagging algorithms.
Mixed Mycotic Infections

In considering the question of mixed mycotic infections, one is faced with a number of issues related to the specific pathogenic strategies that have developed in different species and related to the phylogenetic levels of unrelatedness. First, one must consider, where relevant, the issues of commensalism, opportunism, and infection. Second, one must consider exactly what is meant by mixed colonization, or mixed infection, as it relates to genetic relatedness. Mixing can occur between kingdoms (e.g., bacteria and fungi), between genera within a kingdom (e.g., Aspergillus spp. And Candida spp.), between species within a genus (e.g., C. albicans and C. tropicalis), between strains within a species, and between substrains within a strain, a result of microevolution. Each of these combinations is relevant since each involves combinations of genetically distinct organisms with potentially different phenotypes, even at the substrain level. In this context, colonizing populations can also contain mixed phenotypes that are quite stable but which may be the result of high-frequency phenotypic switching systems that involve epigenetic mechanisms rather than genetic change at the level of DNA sequence. The intention of this chapter is to consider all of the levels of genetic and phenotypic mixing.
Utility of the Ultrasound Examination of the Hand and Wrist Joints in the Management of Established Rheumatoid Arthritis

Objective To investigate the usefulness of point-of-care hand and wrist joint ultrasound (US) examination in patients with established rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods Fifty-one RA patients were evaluated using clinical disease activity measures and gray-scale and power Doppler (PD) US. Agreement between US and clinical findings and its impact on physicians' confidence and clinical decision were assessed. Results Agreement between intraarticular PD signal and joint swelling (JS) was moderate (82%; κ = 0.44). Agreement between PD signal and joint tenderness to palpation (TTP) was fair (75%; κ = 0.24). The greatest agreement between PD signal and clinical findings was seen in the 5th metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint (96% JS, 88% TTP) and the poorest agreement was seen in the wrist (69% JS, 65% TTP) and 2nd (75% JS, 72% TTP) and 3rd (82% JS, 72% TTP) MCP joints. The presence of PD signal in nonswollen and/or nontender joints accounted for most of the disagreement in the wrists, while the opposite was true for the 2nd/3rd MCP joints. Agreement between sonographic synovial thickening and clinical findings was poor. Total sonographic synovial hypertrophy or PD score correlated significantly with physician-recorded, but not patient-recorded, clinical outcomes. US increased both physicians' confidence in their clinical decision (P 0.15) or DMARD (P 1.0) use in this group of RA patients. Conclusion PD examination of the wrist and 2nd/3rd MCP joints might be feasible and clinically meaningful in evaluation of disease activity in patients with established RA. US examination of the hand/wrist joints in RA increases physicians' confidence in their clinical decision and can help to individualize DMARD and biologic agent use.
A switching Kalman filter model for the motor cortical coding of hand motion

We present a switching Kalman filter model (SKFM) for the real-time inference of hand kinematics from a population of motor cortical neurons. First we model the probability of the firing rates of the population at a particular time instant as a Gaussian mixture where the mean of each Gaussian is some linear function of the hand kinematics. This mixture contains a "hidden state", or weight, that assigns a probability to each linear, Gaussian, term in the mixture. We then model the evolution of this hidden state over time as a Markov chain. The expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm is used to fit this mixture model to training data that consists of measured hand kinematics (position, velocity, acceleration) and the firing rates of 42 units recorded with a chronically implanted multi-electrode array. Decoding of neural data from a separate test set is achieved using the switching Kaiman filter (SKF) algorithm. Quantitative results show that the SKFM outperforms the traditional linear Gaussian model in the decoding of hand movement. These results suggest that the SKFM provides a real-time decoding algorithm that may be appropriate for neural prosthesis applications.
Update on the Non-Huntington's Disease Choreas with Comments on the Current Nomenclature.

Chorea can be caused by a multitude of etiologies: neurodegenerative, pharmacological, structural, metabolic, and others. In absence of other apparent causes, exclusion of Huntington's disease is often a first step in the diagnostic process. There are a number of neurodegenerative disorders whose genetic etiology has been identified in the past decade. Molecular diagnosis has enabled genetic identification of disorder subtypes which were previously grouped together, such as the neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation disorders and the neuroacanthocytosis syndromes, as well as identification of phenotypic outliers for recognized disorders. Correct molecular diagnosis is essential for genetic counseling and, hopefully, ultimately genetic therapies. In addition, there has recently been recognition of other disorders which can mimic neurodegenerative disorders, including paraneoplastic and prion disorders. This article focuses upon recent developments in the field but is not intended to provide an exhaustive review of all causes of chorea, which is available elsewhere. I also discuss the nomenclature of these disorders which has become somewhat unwieldy, but may ultimately be refined by association with the causative gene.
Analysis of mRNA Populations from Single Live and Fixed Cells of the Central Nervous System

This unit presents a method for the amplification of poly(A)(+) mRNA extracted from the cytoplasm of a single cell. After cDNA is synthesized from the mRNA, it is made double stranded, denatured, and reverse transcribed to yield antisense RNA (aRNA). Another round of amplification results in a relatively large amount of aRNAs in essentially the same proportion as in the starting mRNA population. RNA amplification protocols can be used for many purposes, including generation of disease expression profiles, making of cDNA libraries, and generation of diagnostics and therapeutics for disease. An alternate protocol is used to amplify RNAs from single neurons in fixed tissue specimens. Support protocols gives instructions for reverse northern analysis, which allows analysis of the presence or absence and relative levels of mRNA expression in selected cells, and a convenient method to assess the RNA content in fixed tissue sections using the fluorescent dye acridine orange (which binds single-stranded nucleic acids).
Pelvic Stress Injuries in the Athlete Management and Prevention

Stress-related injuries of the pelvis are an important consideration in sports medicine. Diagnosis of stress injuries may be difficult and requires a high index of suspicion. Plain radiographs are the first step in imaging but magnetic resonance imaging is the imaging modality of choice for definitive diagnosis. Repetitive forces transferred to the bone, either through muscle fatigue or from the tensile forces generated by the contracting muscles, are thought to be the causative mechanism of stress injuries. Interestingly, the reparative and reorganisational process of bone result in a temporary weakening before ultimately producing a reinforced structure better adept at supporting repetitive stress. This temporary weakness occurs for several weeks after the initiation of a training programme. Knowledge of the mechanism and aetiology of stress injuries provides the foundation for treatment and prevention. Resting the involved bone through modifying the training programme is the mainstay of treatment. Every effort to prevent stress injuries should be made when initiating a training programme. A cyclical training programme, one that does not place continued and undue stress on any one bone, but provides adequate rest for bone recovery, is recommended. Attention to proper nutrition is emphasised for both treatment and prevention. Maintenance of a normal hormonal balance is additionally important in the female athlete. The bone-maintaining properties of estrogen from a normal eumenorrhoeic menstrual cycle should be preserved. Rarely, women may develop an inter-related problem of disordered eating, amenorrhoea and osteoporosis, the female athlete triad. The female athlete triad is a serious problem that may result in a permanent loss of bone mass. This article more fully explains the mechanism of stress injuries to bone, and provides a more detailed discussion of diagnosis, treatment and prevention.
Mechanism of Stimulation of Plus-Strand Synthesis by an RNA Replication Enhancer in a Tombusvirus

Replication of RNA viruses is regulated by cis-acting RNA elements, including promoters, replication silencers, and replication enhancers (REN). To dissect the function of an REN element involved in plus-strand RNA synthesis, we developed an in vitro trans-replication assay for tombusviruses, which are small plus-strand RNA viruses. In this assay, two RNA strands were tethered together via short complementary regions with the REN present in the nontemplate RNA, whereas the promoter was located in the template RNA. We found that the template activity of the tombusvirus replicase preparation was stimulated in trans by the REN, suggesting that the REN is a functional enhancer when located in the vicinity of the promoter. In addition, this study revealed that the REN has dual function during RNA synthesis. (i) It binds to the viral replicase. (ii) It interacts with the core plus-strand initiation promoter via a long-distance RNA-RNA interaction, which leads to stimulation of initiation of plus-strand RNA synthesis by the replicase in vitro. We also observed that this RNA-RNA interaction increased the in vivo accumulation and competitiveness of defective interfering RNA, a model template. We propose that REN is important for asymmetrical viral RNA replication that leads to more abundant plus-strand RNA progeny than the minus-strand intermediate, a hallmark of replication of plus-strand RNA viruses.