cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
What is a condom worth

In this study, we propose a framework for assessing the economic value of condoms and provide estimates of the potential societal savings, in the form of decreased HIV-related medical care and lost productivity costs, that accrue from use of condoms. A probabilistic model of HIV transmission was used to estimate reductions in HIV risk attributable to condom use. This estimate was combined with an estimate of the cost to society of a single case of HIV infection to determine a lower bound for the potential societal savings associated with condom use. Several condom use scenarios were considered (including multiple uses with a single partner and multiple uses with multiple partners) for each of three populations: low-risk heterosexuals, high-risk heterosexuals, and men who have sex with men. The savings exceeded the estimated cost of producing and distributing condoms in all but one of the scenarios considered. For multiple condom uses, the per-condom savings ranged from about 50¢ for low-risk heterosexuals to over $500 for multi-partnered men who have sex with men.
The History of Palladium-Catalyzed Cross-Couplings Should Inspire the Future of Catalyst-Transfer Polymerization.

Conjugated polymers are the workhorse materials in organic electronics, a field that is rapidly growing to encompass energy storage devices such as supercapacitors and batteries. The highest-performing materials today have incredibly diverse structures and are accessed via step-growth polymerizations. This method results in limited control over the polymer’s molecular weight, sequence, and dispersity, all of which can significantly impact device performance. The discovery of catalyst-transfer polymerization (CTP) in 2004 was predicted to change this landscape. Instead, nearly 14 years later, the CTP scope remains mostly limited to polymerizing small, electron-rich monomers. There is a pronounced gap between the rich array of structures utilized in organic electronics and what can be polymerized in a living, chain-growth fashion via CTP. Here, we suggest that palladium precatalysts could bridge this gap based on their huge versatility in the small-molecule cross-coupling literature. We highlight specific a...
Utility of Intraoperative Neuromonitoring

Intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (intraoperative neuromonitoring, IONM) permits evaluation of the functional integrity of the spinal cord and spinal nerve roots and provides an opportunity to detect, and possibly reverse, neurological injury during high-risk spine surgery. As a result, IONM has become routinely used as a surgical adjunct in cases of myelopathy or radiculopathy due to degenerative cervical spine disease. Several monitoring modalities are currently available including somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEP), transcranial motor evoked potential (tcMEP), and spontaneous electromyography (S-EMG). In general, multimodality monitoring is performed to maximize diagnostic potential. Current evidence suggests that multimodality neuromonitoring may be useful to detect intraoperative neurological injury during anterior and posterior cervical spine operations for the treatment of degenerative cervical myelopathy and radiculopathy. However, the efficacy of IONM may be limited in “low-risk” anterior cervical spine surgery, cases of significant preoperative myelopathy and/or radiculopathy, and in the detection and prevention of delayed-onset C5 palsies.
Bacillus velezensis AP193 exerts probiotic effects in channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) and reduces aquaculture pond eutrophication.

Abstract Ictalurus punctatus (channel catfish) is an economically important farmed fish particularly in the southeastern United States. Aquaculture sustainability is threatened by disease pressure and the eutrophic conditions resulted from intensive fish farming. Previous research identified Bacillus velezensis strains that reduced mortality due to bacterial pathogens when used as a feed amendment. This study was conducted to determine the effects of B. velezensis-amended feed on catfish growth performance, pond water quality, and on the microbiomes in fish intestines and pond water. B. velezensis AP193 was evaluated in a ten-week pond trial, with four replicate ponds per probiotic treatment or control group. Feed amended with B. velezensis AP193 induced a 40.4% or 32.6% increase in growth relative to control feed in fingerling catfish that originated from aquaria or raceways, respectively. No significant differences were observed in the catfish intestinal microbiota or the pond microbiota due to probiotic-amended feed. The water quality was improved in ponds in which fish were fed with the probiotic-amended feed, as significant reductions were found in total phosphorus (19%), total nitrogen (43%) and nitrate (75%). These data suggest that B. velezensis AP193 can promote catfish growth and improve pond water quality when used as a feed amendment.
Reduced Graphene Oxide-Nanostructured Silicon Photosensors with High Photoresponsivity at Room Temperature

We have created nanostructured Si (∼3 nm) with a direct band gap of 1.37 eV on electrically conducting reduced graphene oxide (rGO) for a highly efficient photosensor. This robust photosensor is fabricated using a nonequilibrium processing route, where nanosecond excimer laser pulses melt the alternating layers of Si and amorphous carbon to form micropillars and nanoreceptors of Si on rGO layers. The incident white light generates free carriers in the Si microstructures and nanoreceptors which are ballistically transported (via rGO layers) to the external circuit under the application of a voltage bias. The responsivity of rGO-Si devices to light (resistance vs time) and I–V measurements indicate an exponential drop in resistance with the incidence of white light and nonrectifying nature, respectively. Photoresponsivity of the rGO-Si devices is calculated to be 3.55 A/W at room temperature, which is significantly larger than the previously fabricated graphene-based ohmic photosensors. Temperature-dependen...
Organization of Embryonic Morphogenesis via Mechanical Information.

Summary Embryonic organizers establish gradients of diffusible signaling molecules to pattern the surrounding cells. Here, we elucidate an additional mechanism of embryonic organizers that is a secondary consequence of morphogen signaling. Using pharmacological and localized transgenic perturbations, 4D imaging of the zebrafish embryo, systematic analysis of cell motion, and computational modeling, we find that the vertebrate tail organizer orchestrates morphogenesis over distances beyond the range of morphogen signaling. The organizer regulates the rate and coherence of cell motion in the elongating embryo using mechanical information that is transmitted via relay between neighboring cells. This mechanism is similar to a pressure front in granular media and other jammed systems, but in the embryo the mechanical information emerges from self-propelled cell movement and not force transfer between cells. The propagation likely relies upon local biochemical signaling that affects cell contractility, cell adhesion, and/or cell polarity but is independent of transcription and translation.
Immunohistochemical analysis of pigment cell tumors in two cyprinid species

Pigment cell tumors, also known as chromatophoromas, are cutaneous spindle cell neoplasms originating from pigment cells (chromatophores) in the dermis of teleosts, amphibians, and reptiles. Chromatophoromas share similar histologic morphology to other spindle cell tumors and are not always pigmented. Therefore, immunohistochemical analysis may be useful in distinguishing these neoplasms from tumors of other cellular origin when poorly pigmented. We performed 3 immunohistochemistry assays (PNL-2, melan A, and SOX10) on 8 cutaneous neoplasms from 8 teleosts diagnosed as chromatophoromas based on histologic morphology. Semiquantitative analysis of immunoreactivity was evaluated on each immunohistochemical assay using a 0-3 scale. PNL-2 exhibited mild-to-moderate (1 or 2) immunoreactivity in 7 of the cases, and resident chromatophores (internal control) were also immunoreactive in these cases. Melan A exhibited mild-to-moderate (1 or 2) immunoreactivity in 4 cases (and with resident chromatophores in these cases); SOX10 was not immunoreactive in any cases. Our results indicate that PNL-2 may be a useful marker in teleosts to distinguish tumors of chromatophore origin. Melan A could also be useful, but appears to be less sensitive, and SOX10 is likely not a useful marker for these neoplasms in teleosts.
The enhanced participant-driven photo elicitation method for everyday life health information behaviour research

The purpose of this paper is to report the design and implementation of the enhanced participant-driven photo elicitation method in a qualitative interview study, to assess the performance of the method to investigate a research topic in everyday life health information behaviour and to provide insights on how to effectively use this method in future research.,The author embedded the enhanced participant-driven photo elicitation in a qualitative interview study to examine people’s everyday life health information behaviour with activity tracking technology. The author assessed the types of visual data collected by the method, categories of elicitation enabled by the method and how the method contributed to key research findings of the interview study.,The enhanced participant-driven photo elicitation generated rich, unique and meaningful data that would be otherwise difficult to collect through conventional qualitative interviews. The method also elicited explanation, rationalisation and reflection during the interviews, which enriched and triangulated key research findings. This work validated the benefits of the general photo elicitation method such as aiding participants’ recall of experiences, enriching research findings and improving research validity. It also demonstrated that the enhancement techniques used in this study could generate rich and even research data across interviews.,This paper describes the design and implementation of the enhanced participant-driven photo elicitation method to augment a qualitative interview study with activity tracker users. The author provides recommendations for researchers to take full advantage of the method in future everyday life health information behaviour research.
Veterans’ Reintegration into Higher Education: A Scoping Review and Recommendations

The purpose of this investigation was to conduct a scoping review of factors that influence United States veterans’ reintegration into higher education. Of the 2,288 articles published between 2009...
Authors Disclosing Their Theistic Orientation in Journal Articles on Religion and Health? Infrequent, Informal, and Mostly Inconsistent with Conflict of Interest.

An international survey was conducted of authors (N = 288) in the religion–health (R–H) research field concerning the disclosure of their theistic orientation (T-O) (i.e., whether they believe in God[s], a Higher Power, or a universal spirit) in their journal articles. Most (74%) of the respondents said they never disclose their T-O in this context; e.g., because they feel the information is private (20%), irrelevant (36%), unimportant (56%), and/or likely to make them appear less credible (36%). Atheists were four times less likely than deists and gnostic theists were to disclose their T-O; authors who conducted experimental research and published more frequently were also less likely to disclose their T-O. When disclosure did occur, it was more likely to take place informally within the narrative of manuscripts. Most (66%) of the respondents did not view their T-O as a competing interest (CI). Agnostic theism and the absence of theistic belief were less likely to be experienced as CIs than gnostic theism, deism, and atheism were. The respondents predominantly disagreed both that T-O should be characterized as a CI (48%) and that authors in the R–H field should disclose their T-O as such (59%). Only 18% of the authors in this study who did perceive their T-O as a CI reported that they formally disclose that information to journals or publishers, while the majority (59%) of those authors said they never disclose the information in this context at all. The discussion focuses on reasons as to why authors might choose not to do so. Recommendations are offered for the R–H field.
Multi-Systemic Biological Risk and Cancer Mortality: The NHANES III Study.

Multi-systemic biological risk (MSBR), a proxy for allostatic load, is a composite index of biomarkers representing dysregulation due to responses to chronic stress. This study examined the association of an MSBR index with cancer mortality. The sample included n = 13,628 adults aged 20-90 from the NHANES III Linked Mortality File (1988-1994). The MSBR index included autonomic (pulse rate, blood pressure), metabolic (HOMAir, triglycerides, waist circumference), and immune (white blood cell count, C-reactive protein) markers. We fit Cox proportional hazards models to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of overall cancer mortality risk, according to quartiles (q) of the index. In multivariable models, compared to those in q1, q4 had a 64% increased risk for cancer mortality (HR = 1.64, 95% CI:1.13-2.40). The immune domain drove the association (HR per unit = 1.19, 95% CI:1.07-1.32). In stratified analyses, the HR for those with a BMI ≥ 25 was 1.12 per unit (95% CI:1.05-1.19) and those with a BMI < 25 was 1.04 per unit (95% CI:0.92-1.18). MSBR is positively associated with risk for cancer mortality in a US sample, particularly among those who are overweight or obese. The utilization of standard clinical measures comprising this index may inform population cancer prevention strategies.
When Do Security Markets Aggregate Dispersed Information

In a seminal work, Plott and Sunder (1988) offer support for the rational expectations hypothesis and report evidence that markets with certain features aggregate dispersed information. However, their results are based on only a few observations and our attempt to replicate the key findings of that study with an appropriately powered experiment largely fails. The resulting post study probability that market performance is better described by rational expectations than the prior information (Walrasian) model under the conditions specified by Plott and Sunder (1988) is very low. As a result of our failure to replicate, we investigate an alternate set of market features that combines aspects of the original experimental design. For these markets we do find robust evidence of information aggregation in support of the rational expectations model. In total, our results indicate that information aggregation in asset markets is fragile and should only be expected in limited circumstances.
Embedding speech-act propositions

Hanks (Propositional content, Oxford University Press, New York, NY, 2015) develops a theory of propositions as speech-act types. Because speech acts play a role in the contents themselves, the view overturns Frege’s force/content distinction, and as such, faces the challenge of explaining how propositions embed under logical operators like negation. The attempt to solve this problem has lead Hanks and his recent commentators to adopt theoretically exotic resources, none of which, we argue, is ultimately successful. The problem is that although there are three different ways of negating the sentence “Mary’s card is an ace”, current speech-act theories of propositions can only accommodate two of them. We distinguish between (1) “It is false that Mary’s card is an ace” (sentence negation), (2) “Mary’s card is a non-ace” (predicate negation), and (3) “Mary’s card is not an ace” (content negation) and show that Hanks and his commentators cannot explain content negation. We call this Hanks’ Negation Problem. The problem is significant because content negation is the negation required for logic. Fortunately, we think there is a natural way for Hanks to accommodate content negation (and all the other logical operators) as successive acts of predication. The view solves Hanks’ Negation Problem with only resources internal to Hanks’ own view.
Prophylactic Peritoneal Drainage is Associated with Improved Fluid Output after Congenital Heart Surgery.

Infants undergoing congenital heart surgery (CHS) with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) are at risk of acute kidney injury (AKI) and fluid overload. We hypothesized that placement of a passive peritoneal drain (PPD) can improve postoperative fluid output in such infants. We analyzed 115 consecutive patients, age birth to 60 days, admitted to the PICU after CHS with CPB between 2012 and 2018. Patients who needed postoperative ECMO were excluded. Linear and logistic regression models compared postoperative fluid balances, diuretics administration, AKI, vasoactive-inotropic scores (VIS), time intubated, and length of stay after adjusting for pre/operative predictors including STAT category, bypass time, age, weight, and open chest status. PPD patients had higher STAT category (p = 0.001), longer CPB times (p = 0.001), and higher VIS on POD 1–3 (p ≤ 0.005 daily). PPD patients also had higher AKI rates (p = 0.01) that did not reach significance in multivariable modeling. There were no postoperative deaths. Postoperative hours of intubation, hospital length of stay, and POD 1–5 fluid intake did not differ between groups. Over POD 1–5, PPD use accounted for 48.8 mL/kg increased fluid output (95% CI [2.2, 95.4], p = 0.043) and 3.41 mg/kg less furosemide administered (95% CI [1.69, 5.14], p < 0.001). No PPD complications were observed. Although PPD placement did not affect end-outcomes, it was used in higher acuity patients. PPD placement is associated with improved fluid output despite lower diuretic administration and may be a useful postoperative fluid management adjunct in some complex CHS patients.
Neuroimaging Characteristics of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma in Children.

Background and purpose Pediatric nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a rare epithelial origin tumor associated with undifferentiated histology, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection, and genetic risk factors. Childhood NPC is usually clinically silent, often presenting with advanced locoregional compromise, including skull base invasion and cervical lymphadenopathy, and has a better prognosis than adult NPC. This article describes computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features in a cohort of 28 pediatric NPC patients. Methods A retrospective review was performed among children with histopathology proven NPC diagnoses between 1996 and 2019 for this study. The electronic medical records were reviewed to determine demographics, EBV serology, and World Health Organization (WHO) type. Nasopharyngeal CT and/or MRI at presentation for tumor spread as well as density and/or intensity, lymphadenopathy, postcontrast enhancement and diffusion characteristics before treatment were evaluated. Results Twenty-eight patients (21 males, 7 females) were included. The mean patient age at diagnosis was 13.3 (range 7 to 17) years. EBV was positive in 71.4% of patients. The majority of patients (78.6%) had a WHO type III tumor, unilateral fossa of Rosenmuller involvement (71.4%). Neuroimaging features were CT isodensity, T1-isointensity, T2-hyperintensity, and heterogeneous postcontrast enhancement for all patients (100%) and restricted diffusion (90%). Conclusions Although uncommon in pediatric patients, NPC should be in the differential diagnosis of adolescents presenting with a nasopharyngeal mass. Recognizing key imaging characteristics is helpful in the diagnosis of NPC.
Economic investigation of a Vanadium Redox BESS for the exploitation of wind power rejections in an isolated Greek Island

Abstract Greece has plenty of electrically isolated Islands. Most of them, like Crete, Lesvos, or Chios have a great Aeolian Potential which remains un-exploitable due to Power Grid limitations. The aim of this paper is to investigate the possibility of integrating a Vanadium Redox Battery Energy Storage System in order to minimize the unharnessed wind power owing to the local grid limitations. For this purpose, real time series data of theoretical energy production and wind power rejections of two Wind Parks operated in a Medium Size Greek Island which reached the 17% of their theoretical production capability in 2014 will be used. Additionally, the Island load demand hourly variation coming from the archives of the private company that owns the wind parks are used. Based on these data and the electrical model of the Vanadium Redox Batteries (VRB) several simulations for various VRB power/energy capacity combinations were conducted and their capabilities in wind energy recovery were estimated. Afterwards, the simulated systems were examined from the aspect of economic viability with the use of economic indices such as the Internal Rate of Return (IRR) and the Net Present Value (NPV). Finally, the influence on the feasibility of such an investment caused by factors like the selling price of energy provided to the grid based on the VRB initial capital cost found in recent Lazard’s Levelized Cost of Storage (LCOS) were examined in detail. Among many significant results drawn by this simulation, it was found that the maximum percentage of the rejected energy that can be exploited (stored) by the batteries is 60% while the 47% can be reinjected back to the Grid, a fact that leads to a relatively expensive selling price of the Energy that comes from the batteries in order to keep the investment feasible.
Robot Sound Interpretation: Learning Visual-Audio Representations for Voice-Controlled Robots.

Inspired by sensorimotor theory, we propose a novel pipeline for voice-controlled robots. Previous work relies on explicit labels of sounds and images as well as extrinsic reward functions. Not only do such approaches have little resemblance to human sensorimotor development, but also require hand-tuning rewards and extensive human labor. To address these problems, we learn a representation that associates images and sound commands with minimal supervision. Using this representation, we generate an intrinsic reward function to learn robotic tasks with reinforcement learning. We demonstrate our approach on three robot platforms, a TurtleBot3, a Kuka-IIWA arm, and a Kinova Gen3 robot, which hear a command word, identify the associated target object, and perform precise control to approach the target. We show that our method outperforms previous work across various sound types and robotic tasks empirically. We successfully deploy the policy learned in simulator to a real-world Kinova Gen3.
Methodological quality of systematic reviews comprising clinical practice guidelines for cardiovascular risk assessment and management for noncardiac surgery

Abstract Background Cardiac assessment in noncardiac surgery clinical practice guidelines should be supported by the highest-quality evidence such as that offered by systematic reviews. Currently, the methodological and reporting quality of these studies remains unknown. Methods We used PubMed to search for all clinical practice guidelines related to perioperative cardiovascular patients undergoing noncardiac surgery from 2010 to 2021. The included clinical practice guidelines were analysed for all systematic reviews and meta-analyses. The primary objective of this study was to determine reporting and methodological quality using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Instrument for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) and AMSTAR-2 (A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews-2) instruments. Our secondary objective was to compare systematic reviews conducted by the Cochrane Collaboration with non-Cochrane studies. Results Three clinical practice guidelines were included in our study. Within these, 78 systematic reviews were included. PRISMA completion ranged from 34.8% to 100.0% with a mean of 76.9%. AMSTAR-2 completion ranged from 15.6% to 96.9% with a mean of 58.0%. Fifty-four systematic reviews underpinned a clinical practice guidelines recommendation, of which 25 were rated ‘critically low' by AMSTAR-2 appraisal. Cochrane systematic reviews typically performed better than non-Cochrane studies, but were a minority of the included studies (10/78). Conclusion We found deficiencies in several key areas regarding the methodological and reporting qualities of systematic reviews included in cardiac assessment in noncardiac surgery clinical practice guidelines. As these clinical practice guidelines are instrumental to clinical decision-making and patient care in cardiac assessment in noncardiac surgery, we advocate for improved reporting quality among systematic reviews cited as supportive evidence for these recommendations.
Beyond Pain Relief: Is Opioids Use Safe in Clostridium difficile Infection?

Background Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a common condition in hospitalized patients. In the USA, there has been an alarming rise in the use of opioids for analgesia during hospitalization. Due to their antiperistalsis effect, opioids can increase absorption of bacterial toxins. Our study aimed to highlight any correlation between opioids use in CDI and morbidity, mortality, and duration of hospitalization. Methods A retrospective study was performed, and data were collected from 321 hospitalized patients with CDI. The dosage of opioids received in the first 4 days following diagnosis was calculated. Patients were divided into two groups (control group vs. opioid group). Reassessment of severity of disease on day 4 was performed. Complications, hospital mortality, readmissions for CDI within 3 months, length of stay, and disposition at discharge were compared. Results The opioid arm consisted of 169 patients, and 152 patients served as controls. On day 4, the number of patients with severe disease was significantly higher in the opioid group versus controls (78 (46.1%) vs. 37 (24%), respectively, P < 0.01), and complications including ileus, high white blood cell count, and need for vasopressors were significantly higher in the opioid group (27.8% versus 16.4%, P = 0.01). Control group patients were more likely to be discharged home (47% vs. 33%, P = 0.04), while opioid group required predominantly long-term facilities care after discharge. Conclusion Opioid usage for analgesia in CDI increases the risk for severe disease, complications, longer hospitalization, readmission rates, hospital mortality and discharge to a long-term facility.
Longitudinal associations of behavioral problems and text reading skills in school-aged children born term and preterm

A SummaryWe assessed the contribution of total behavioral problems at 6 years to text reading skills at 8 years in children born term and preterm. Birth group moderated associations among total behavioral problems and reading skills; total behavioral problems predicted reading skills in the term but not preterm group.
MAGIC summoning: towards automatic suggesting and testing of gestures with low probability of false positives during use

Gestures for interfaces should be short, pleasing, intuitive, and easily recognized by a computer. However, it is a challenge for interface designers to create gestures easily distinguishable from users' normal movements. Our tool MAGIC Summoning addresses this problem. Given a specific platform and task, we gather a large database of unlabeled sensor data captured in the environments in which the system will be used (an "Everyday Gesture Library" or EGL). The EGL is quantized and indexed via multi-dimensional Symbolic Aggregate approXimation (SAX) to enable quick searching. MAGIC exploits the SAX representation of the EGL to suggest gestures with a low likelihood of false triggering. Suggested gestures are ordered according to brevity and simplicity, freeing the interface designer to focus on the user experience. Once a gesture is selected, MAGIC can output synthetic examples of the gesture to train a chosen classifier (for example, with a hidden Markov model). If the interface designer suggests his own gesture and provides several examples, MAGIC estimates how accurately that gesture can be recognized and estimates its false positive rate by comparing it against the natural movements in the EGL. We demonstrate MAGIC's effectiveness in gesture selection and helpfulness in creating accurate gesture recognizers.
Recent progress in molecular recognition

Molecular recognition is the most recent term for chemical phenomena as old as Fischer's lock-and-key notion of enzyme action. Over the years, as model systems became available a number of other terms have been used: inclusion complexes, weak molecular complexes and host-guest chemistry, but molecular recognition has the advantage of being appreciated by a wider audience. Synthetic organic chemists, for example, understand it as reagent selectivity whereas mechanistic chemists can interpret it in terms of stereoelectronic effects. The recent, gradual drift of organic chemists into more biorelevant research has resulted in a rich array of sophisticated model systems. Such models are intended to imitate the specific recognition of substrates by their enzymes, antigens by antibodies or messengers by their receptors. A number of recent reviews1) and monographs2) on this subject have appeared, and even an entire journal is devoted to inclusion phenomena3). These vehicles provide momentum to a rapidly growing field. In the present review, we explore some of the more recent issues and discoveries.
A Mathematical-Computer Language for Linear Programming Problems

Abstract This paper describes the development of a compiler which permits the translation of linear programming problems from a mathematical statement of the problem to a GAMS statement. The GAMS statement can then be read by the computer and the linear programming problem can be solved. Thus it is demonstrated that it is feasible to develop a computer language which will permit one to use mathematical symbols to direct the computer to solve a class of linear programming problems. The paper provides a small example linear programming transportation problem and shows how the problem may be input to the computer in a mathematical formatting language and then translated (i) into a mathematical statement and (ii) into a GAMS statement. Then a description is given of the lexical analyzer generator and the parser generator that were used to develop the math to GAMS translator. The present version of the translator can handle only a very restricted set of problems. Thus the paper closes with a description of the work which will be required to enable the translator to handle a much wider class of programming problems.
Introduction to Symposium: Revolution in the Regulation of Financial Advice: The U.S., the U.K. and Australia

This Symposium brought together legal academics, practicing lawyers and business people to discuss new directions in the regulation of financial advice to retail investors. Recently, this has been the subject of many initiatives around the world. The Symposium examined three of these initiatives in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia. In the U.S., the approach historically has been based on disclosure to manage conflicts of interest. Although the U.K. and Australia have not done away with disclosure, they have moved to banning certain practices, especially in the area of compensation to investment advisers from product providers that can result in conflicts of interest between an investment adviser and its clients.
Practical Foundations of History Independence

The way data structures organize data is often a function of the sequence of past operations. The organization of data is referred to as the data structure's state, and the sequence of past operations constitutes the data structure's history. A data structure state can, therefore, be used as an oracle to derive information about its history. For history-sensitive applications, such as privacy in e-voting, it is imperative to conceal historical information contained within data structure states. Data structure history can be hidden by making data structures history independent. In this paper, we explore how to achieve history independence (HI). We observe that the current HI notions are significantly limited in number and scope. There are two existing notions of HI: 1) weak HI (WHI) and 2) strong HI (SHI). WHI does not protect against insider adversaries, and SHI mandates canonical representations, resulting in inefficiency. We postulate the need for a broad, encompassing notion of HI, which can capture WHI, SHI, and a broad spectrum of new HI notions. To this end, we introduce $\Delta $ HI, a generic game-based framework that is malleable enough to accommodate the existing and new HI notions. As an essential step toward formalizing $\Delta $ HI, we explore the concepts of abstract data types, data structures, machine models, memory representations, and HI. Finally, to bridge the gap between theory and practice, we outline a general recipe for building end-to-end, history-independent systems and demonstrate the use of the recipe in designing two history-independent file systems.
Employers Know Best? The Application Of Workplace Restraining Orders To Domestic Violence Cases

Domestic violence is often thought of as a private matter that occurs within the home. But when domestic violence impacts the workplace, employers are faced with a difficult choice: they must consider employee productivity and safety, as well as company finances, while also balancing the safety and needs of the domestic violence victim. Ultimately, employers may turn to workplace restraining orders to protect their employees from an abuser. Sometimes, employers consult the victim of domestic violence before seeking a restraining order; other times, employers do not. This Article addresses workplace restraining order legislation and argues that states should adopt a new model: one that requires an employer to inform the victim when the employer seeks a workplace restraining order. Failing to include the victim in the decision is inherently paternalistic, revoking any agency that she might have had, and could endanger her in her relationship. Nevertheless, because an employer must balance competing needs-including the safety of its other employees and its own productivity requirements-this Article argues that an employer should not be barred from seeking a workplace restraining order, even if the victim disagrees that it is necessary. An employer's intervention by consulting the victim may have positive, life-changing consequences; at the very least, it will allow a victim of domestic violence to feel included in decisions about her own life and take any necessary safety precautions.
Spacetime, spin and Gravity Probe B

It is more important than ever to push experimental tests of gravitational theory to the limits of existing technology in both range and sensitivity. This brief review focuses on spin-based tests of general relativity and their implications for alternative, mostly non-metric theories of gravity motivated by the challenge of unification with the standard model of particle physics. The successful detection of geodetic precession and frame-dragging by Gravity Probe B places new constraints on a number of these theories, and increases our confidence in the theoretical mechanisms underpinning current ideas in astrophysics and cosmology.
Bayesian hierarchical grouping: Perceptual grouping as mixture estimation.

We propose a novel framework for perceptual grouping based on the idea of mixture models, called Bayesian hierarchical grouping (BHG). In BHG, we assume that the configuration of image elements is generated by a mixture of distinct objects, each of which generates image elements according to some generative assumptions. Grouping, in this framework, means estimating the number and the parameters of the mixture components that generated the image, including estimating which image elements are "owned" by which objects. We present a tractable implementation of the framework, based on the hierarchical clustering approach of Heller and Ghahramani (2005). We illustrate it with examples drawn from a number of classical perceptual grouping problems, including dot clustering, contour integration, and part decomposition. Our approach yields an intuitive hierarchical representation of image elements, giving an explicit decomposition of the image into mixture components, along with estimates of the probability of various candidate decompositions. We show that BHG accounts well for a diverse range of empirical data drawn from the literature. Because BHG provides a principled quantification of the plausibility of grouping interpretations over a wide range of grouping problems, we argue that it provides an appealing unifying account of the elusive Gestalt notion of Pragnanz.
Experimental Tests of Cooling: Expectations and Additional Needs

Cooling is a critical aspect for a high-performance Neutrino Factory or a MuonCollider. For this reason, considerable effort is being put toward theexperimental verification of this technique. The international Muon IonizationCooling Experiment, MICE, was approved to operate at Rutherford AppletonLaboratory (RAL) in the UK and beam line commissioning commenced in March, 2008. The MICE collaboration comprises about 130 scientists and engineers from Asia, Europe, and the U.S. In this paper we present the motivation and goals for thisexperiment and describe its present status. MICE is scheduled for completion in2011. We will also indicate the prospects for a future 6D muon coolingexperiment and discuss its possible time schedule.
Exploiting traces in program analysis

From operating systems and web browsers to spacecraft, many software systems maintain a log of events that provides a partial history of execution, supporting post-mortem (or post-reboot) analysis. Unfortunately, bandwidth, storage limitations, and privacy concerns limit the information content of logs, making it difficult to fully reconstruct execution from these traces. This paper presents a technique for modifying a program such that it can produce exactly those executions consistent with a given (partial) trace of events, enabling efficient analysis of the reduced program. Our method requires no additional history variables to track log events, and it can slice away code that does not execute in a given trace. We describe initial experiences with implementing our ideas by extending the CBMC bounded model checker for C programs. Applying our technique to a small, 400-line file system written in C, we get more than three orders of magnitude improvement in running time over a naive approach based on adding history variables, along with fifty- to eighty-fold reductions in the sizes of the SAT problems solved.
Cache Performance of SAT Solvers: a Case Study for Efficient Implementation of Algorithms

We experimentally evaluate the cache performance of different SAT solvers as a case study for the efficient implementation of SAT algorithms. We evaluate several different Boolean Constraint Propagation (BCP) mechanisms and show their respective run time and cache performances on selected benchmark instances. From the experiments we conclude that a cache friendly data structure is a key element in the efficient implementation of SAT solvers. We also show empirical cache miss rates of several modern SAT solvers based on the Davis-Logemann-Loveland (DLL) algorithm with learning and non-chronological backtracking. We conclude that the recently developed SAT solvers are much more cache friendly in data structures and algorithm implementations compared with their predecessors.
Validity Theory and Applications

Theories regarding ways in which test scores should be validated are about as old as the practice of testing itself. In this entry, I describe contemporary validity theory using an historical perspective. I also discuss current approaches for validating tests and other measures used in the behavioral sciences. Validity is a complex topic involving both philosophy of science and statistical methods. Thankfully, there is a long history to guide those who need to evaluate particular measures for specific purposes. Keywords: content validity; construct validity; criterion validity; predictive validity; validity; test validation
Reversed deep-sea carbonate ion basin gradient during Paleocene-Eocene thermal maximum

[1] The Paleocene-Eocene thermal maximum (PETM, ∼55 Ma ago) was marked by widespread CaCO3 dissolution in deep-sea sediments, a process that has been attributed to massive release of carbon into the ocean-atmosphere system. The pattern of carbonate dissolution is key to reconstructing changes in deep sea carbonate chemistry and, ultimately, the rate, magnitude, and location of carbon input. Here we show that during the PETM, the deep-sea undersaturation was not homogeneous among the different ocean basins. Application of a sediment model to a suite of data records from different sites and ocean basins shows that a globally uniform decrease in deep-sea carbonate ion concentration ([CO32−]) is inconsistent with the data. Rather, we demonstrate that deep-sea [CO32−] increased from the Atlantic through the Southern Ocean into the Pacific. Our results show that the PETM deep-sea [CO32−] basin gradient during dissolution was reversed relative to the modern.
On-Demand Broadcasting Under Deadline

In broadcast scheduling multiple users requesting the same information can be satisfied with one single broadcast. In this paper we study preemptive on-demand broadcast scheduling with deadlines on a single broadcast channel. We will show that the upper bound results in traditional real-time scheduling does not hold under broadcast scheduling model. We present two easy to implement online algorithms BCast and its variant BCast2. Under the assumption the requests are approximately of equal length (say k), we show that BCast is O(k) competitive. We establish that this bound is tight by showing that every online algorithm is Ω(k) competitive even if all requests are of same length k. We then consider the case where the laxity of each request is proportional to its length. We show that BCast is constant competitive if all requests are approximately of equal length. We then establish that BCast2 is constant competitive for requests with arbitrary length. We also believe that a combinatorial lemma that we use to derive the bounds can be useful in other scheduling system where the deadlines are often changing (or advanced).
DEVELOPMENT OF VARIABLE ETHANOL SUBSIDY AND COMPARISON WITH THE FIXED SUBSIDY

The federal government currently subsidizes ethanol with a fixed payment of $.51/gallon of ethanol blended with gasoline. Ethanol profitability is closely linked to the prices of corn and ethanol. The purpose of this paper was to develop a variable subsidy based on corn and ethanol prices and then to compare that variable subsidy with the fixed subsidy. This analysis proceeded in several distinct steps: • First, we estimated ethanol profitability over a wide range of ethanol, corn, and distillers grains prices. • This data was used in a regression analysis to estimate the ethanol profitability from the set of corn and ethanol prices. The regression coefficients became the basis for the variable subsidy. • A version of the subsidy that used gasoline prices instead of ethanol prices was also developed. • Administratively, it would be burdensome to have a subsidy that changed every month, so we implemented both variable subsidies using quarterly data. • We then compared the average annual government cost and monthly private profitability using historical data and assuming the variable subsidy and the $0.51 fixed subsidy was applied. When using historic gasoline and corn prices from the last ten years, the variable rate subsidy cost the government nearly 40% less than the flat rate subsidy. Profit received by producers on average is a little less; however, producer’s risk is lower with the variable subsidy than the flat rate subsidy.
The Evolution of Rotation Group Bias: Will the Real Unemployment Rate Please Stand Up?

We document that rotation group bias—the tendency for the unemployment rate to vary systematically by month in sample—in the Current Population Survey (CPS) has worsened over time. Estimated unemployment rates for earlier rotation groups have grown sharply relative to later rotation groups; both should be nationally representative samples. This bias increased discretely after the 1994 CPS redesign, and rising nonresponse rates are likely a significant contributor. Survey nonresponse increased after the redesign, mirroring the evolution of rotation group bias. Consistent with this explanation, rotation group bias for households that responded in all eight interviews remained stable over time.
Categorization, Development of

Categorization occurs when individual items that can be discriminated from one another are considered to be the same or belong together because they are alike in some way. Keywords: perceptual categories; conceptual categories; basic-level categories; global categories; inductive generalization
Economic Analysis of Pharmaceutical Technologies in Modern Beef Production

Cattle production is the largest single agricultural sector in the U.S. with cash receipts of $49.2 billion in 2005. Like the rest of agriculture cattle producers have adopted efficiency and quality improving technology to meet consumer demands for a safe, wholesome, and affordable food supply. This research uses meta analysis to combine over 170 research trials evaluating pharmaceutical technologies in the cow-calf, stocker, and feedlot segments of beef production. These results were used to estimate the farm level economic value of parasite control, growth promotant implants, sub-therapeutic antibiotics, ionophores, and beta agonists for the industry in 2005. The Food and Agriculture Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) model of U.S. agriculture was used to estimate the impact on beef production, price, and trade and the rest of agriculture if these pharmaceutical technologies were not available. Using 2005 prices and production levels the cost savings of the five pharmaceutical technologies evaluated was over $360 head over the lifetime of the animal. Selling prices would have to increase 36% to cover the increase in costs. The resulting industry would have a similar beef cow inventory, lower beef production, and higher prices from retail through to producers. However, the higher prices do not fully offset the higher cost of production. Some consumers are requesting “natural” or organically produced beef and a portion of consumers are willing to pay a premium for these products. However, if pharmaceutical technologies were not available in the US cost of production would rise forcing some producers and resources out of cattle production. The smaller industry and domestic beef supply, increased net beef imports, and higher prices to all consumers.
A CES Indirect Production Function

This paper derives an indirect production function that is, in a special case, of a constant elasticity of substitution form. This is not a contribution to the theory of aggregation generally. Instead it is a microfoundation for a specific but popular production function -- the CES -- that helps us express the important concept of the elasticity of substitution in terms of more primitive, and more intuitive concepts of the returns to scale. The paper presents a simple lemma, and then shows that several and diverse applications have a common logical structure: the production function often used in growth theory, the utility function when there is household production, human capital theory, and the concept of the aggregate technology shock.