cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A dynamic job-assignment policy

Job assignment is a well-known problem in manufacturing lines. Line management tries to maximize line productivity by assigning a given crew a set of predefined line jobs. However, problems may arise because of abnormal conditions such as absenteeism, workstation failure, parts shortage, or unevenly distributed work-in-process. This report considers a dynamic job-assignment policy making use of online information for assignment. This policy attempts to achieve a good skill match between jobs and operators, and to eliminate unnecessary assignments. To fulfill this policy, a two-part assignment program is proposed: an algorithm for job matching and a set of ad hoc rules. The matching algorithm is well established in literature, but the ad hoc rules are application-dependent. Discussion here concentrates on the ad hoc rules and online data collection.
‘WE DON’T ALL LOOK ALIKE’

The examination of student group performance is a constant need as American higher education continues to expand and become more racially and ethnically diverse. Recent scholarship on the academic performance of Black students at elite colleges and universities has glossed over possible disparities among these students, particularly among different immigrant groups. The current study clarifies these differences in academic performance by examining four Black student groups at elite colleges and universities in the United States: native Blacks, Black immigrants from Africa, Black immigrants from the Caribbean and Latin America, and Black immigrants from other parts of the globe. The analyses point to many similarities and differences among the four Black student groups in their characteristics and influences on their academic performance in college such as gender, precollege friendships, high school academic preparation, college major, and closeness to Whites and Blacks. Additionally, this study found evidence of possible colorism among Black students at elite colleges.
Partial Identification in Triangular Systems of Equations With Binary Dependent Variables

This paper studies the special case of the triangular system of equations in Vytlacil and Yildiz (2007), where both dependent variables are binary but without imposing the restrictive support condition required by Vytlacil and Yildiz (2007) for identification of the average structural function (ASF) and the average treatment effect (ATE). Under weak regularity conditions, we derive upper and lower bounds on the ASF and the ATE. We show further that the bounds on the ASF and ATE are sharp under some further regularity conditions and an additional restriction on the support of the covariates and the instrument.
Rethinking Constitutional Theory, Method, Practice, and Doctrinal Change.

The Constitution Besieged: The Rise and Demise of Lochner Era Police Powers Jurisprudence. By Howard Gillman (Durham: Duke University Press, 1993. Pp. x, 317. $34.95.) The Interpretable Constitution. By William F. Harris II (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1993. Pp. xv, 225. $25.00.) Framed for Posterity: The Enduring Philosophy of the Constitution. By Ralph Ketcham (Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1993. Pp. xii, 195. $25.00.) The Partial Constitution. By Cass R. Sunstein (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1993. Pp. vi, 414. $35.00.)
Ultra wideband 8 to 40 GHz beam scanning phased array using antipodal exponentially-tapered slot antennas

An antipodal exponentially-tapered slot antenna (AETSA), also called as an antipodal vivaldi antenna, is designed to achieve several octave bandwidth from 8 to 40 GHz, and a 1/spl times/4 AETSA array is designed for H-plane scanning from 8 to 40 GHz. A multi-line phase shifter controlled by a piezoelectric transducer (PET) is used for H-plane scanning. The antenna gain of single antenna varies from 5 to 10 dB over the operating frequencies. The 1/spl times/4 phased array shows a wide beam scanning capability of over 30/spl deg/ in the H-plane.
Environmental Scanning: Strategic and Functional Approaches

Environmental scanning specialists can perform two very different functions. One major function is to become aware of possible problems or opportunities for the organization resulting from changes in technology, the economy, among competitors, in governmental regulation or legislation, or in general social patterns. To carry out this function environmental scanners must have a good grasp of current organizational strategies, since such strategies generally focus the direction of scanners’ attention. Problem opportunity awareness scanners are in fact, usually attached to units responsible for strategy development. Units of this type are typically at the corporate staff level, and may be attached directly to the CEO’s office.
A study of valves in the arteries of the rodent brain

This study is based on the cerebral arteries of 15 rats, 4 white mice, 2 Syrian hamsters and 3 guinea pigs. Elevated areas of tissue formed by the intima were stained metachromatically by cresyl violet in the rat, mouse and Syrian hamster, however none were found in the guinea pig. All areas of metachromasia were associated with a branching of the artery. These protuberances varied from rudimentary to typical valves. These protuberances in the mouse and hamster in general were more rudimentary than in the rat. In the rat there were from 40 to 79 areas of metachromasia. These arteries had a well developed internal elastic membrane separating the base of the valve from the pars media.
Outlier Detection in Ad Hoc Networks Using Dempster-Shafer Theory

Mobile Ad-hoc NETworks (MANETs) are known to be vulnerable to a variety of attacks due to lack of central authority or fixed network infrastructure. Many security schemes have been proposed to identify misbehaving nodes. Most of these security schemes rely on either a predefined threshold, or a set of well-defined training data to build up the detection mechanism before effectively identifying the malicious peers. However, it is generally difficult to set appropriate thresholds, and collecting training datasets representative of an attack ahead of time is also problematic. We observe that the malicious peers generally demonstrate behavioral patterns different from all the other normal peers, and argue that outlier detection techniques can be used to detect malicious peers in ad hoc networks. A problem with this approach is combining evidence from potentially untrustworthy peers to detect the outliers. In this paper, an outlier detection algorithm is proposed that applies the Dempster-Shafer theory to combine observation results from multiple nodes because it can appropriately reflect uncertainty as well as unreliability of the observations. The simulation results show that the proposed scheme is highly resilient to attackers and it can converge stably to a common outlier view amongst distributed nodes with a limited communication overhead.
SPELLING INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: A REVIEW

This article reviews published research on spelling interventions designed for students with learning disabilities (LD) who are poor spellers. Thirty-eight spelling studies, including single-subject and group designs, were located. Study interventions consisted of four types: instructional techniques, computer-assisted instruction, study strategies, and multisensory/modality training. These studies are discussed here with regard to subjects, methods, and findings. Conclusions and implications for spelling instruction and for future research are presented.
Prior Confessions and Mock Juror Verdicts

The present study tested the Supreme Court's assumption that jurors discount a coerced confession as unreliable and do not allow it to influence their decisions. In two experiments, subjects read a transcript of a trial in which testimony revealed that the defendant had confessed either on his own accord (no constraint), in response to an offer of leniency (positive constraint), in response to a threat of punishment (negative constraint), or not at all (control group). In Experiment 1, subjects discounted the negatively induced confession. However, their estimates of the probability that the defendant committed the crime were increased not only by the unconstrained confession, but by the positively constrained one as well. Experiment 2 essentially replicated this pattern for probability-of-commision estimates and verdicts despite the additional finding that the positively constrained confession was in fact perceived as involuntary. The potential danger of admitting the latter as evidence was noted and specific recommendations were made.
Resistance of capuchin monkeys to reinfection with Schistosoma haematobium

Capuchin monkeys were resistant to reinfection with Schistosoma haematobium one year after exposure to 500 cercariae, but worms in these monkeys continued to produce normal numbers of eggs. Monkeys were apparently completely refractory to reinfection when challenged 2-5 years after an initial exposure of 1000 to 2000 cercariae.
Daily stress magnifies the association between cognitive decline and everyday memory problems: An integration of longitudinal and diary methods

We examined whether long-term fluid cognitive decline was associated with memory problems in everyday life, and whether stress plays a moderating role. We expected that the association between cognitive decline and everyday memory problems would be magnified in the context of self-reported and physiological stress. Data are from the Boston Longitudinal Study, a subsample of the Midlife in the United States study. Participants in the current study (n = 112) completed a battery of tests measuring fluid cognitive functioning at Time 1 (T1) and 2 (T2) over 10 years. At T2, participants completed weekly diaries of self-reported daily stressors and everyday memory problems for 12 consecutive weeks. Also at T2, participants provided 4 saliva samples over the course of 1 day to assess physiological stress using diurnal cortisol profiles [cortisol awakening response (CAR) and diurnal cortisol slope (DCS)]. Self-reported daily stressors and a less healthy DCS were associated with more everyday memory problems, and participants with greater cognitive decline reported more memory problems compared to those with less or no decline. Self-reported daily stressors and CAR moderated the relationship of cognitive decline and memory problems. As expected, more cognitive decline was associated with greater increases in memory problems on weeks when individuals reported more daily stressors and for individuals with a less healthy CAR. The current findings can inform interventions aimed to identify factors, such as daily stress, that contribute to daily functioning in the context of cognitive decline.
EUV branching ratios for ionized nitrogen and oxygen emissions

Branching ratios of single ionized atomic nitrogen and oxygen EUV emissions that terminate on the metastable states of the respective ions are presented. The four NII ratios and the 482/515 A ratio in OII reported represent the first measured values. Details of the wavelength calibration procedures adopted and a brief discussion of two modeling implications of the measured ratios are included.
Effects of VR System Fidelity on Analyzing Isosurface Visualization of Volume Datasets

Volume visualization is an important technique for analyzing datasets from a variety of different scientific domains. Volume data analysis is inherently difficult because volumes are three-dimensional, dense, and unfamiliar, requiring scientists to precisely control the viewpoint and to make precise spatial judgments. Researchers have proposed that more immersive (higher fidelity) VR systems might improve task performance with volume datasets, and significant results tied to different components of display fidelity have been reported. However, more information is needed to generalize these results to different task types, domains, and rendering styles. We visualized isosurfaces extracted from synchrotron microscopic computed tomography (SR-μCT) scans of beetles, in a CAVE-like display. We ran a controlled experiment evaluating the effects of three components of system fidelity (field of regard, stereoscopy, and head tracking) on a variety of abstract task categories that are applicable to various scientific domains, and also compared our results with those from our prior experiment using 3D texture-based rendering. We report many significant findings. For example, for search and spatial judgment tasks with isosurface visualization, a stereoscopic display provides better performance, but for tasks with 3D texture-based rendering, displays with higher field of regard were more effective, independent of the levels of the other display components. We also found that systems with high field of regard and head tracking improve performance in spatial judgment tasks. Our results extend existing knowledge and produce new guidelines for designing VR systems to improve the effectiveness of volume data analysis.
Sampling and faunal turnover in early Eocene mammals

Badgley, C. and Gingerich, P. D., 1988. Sampling and faunal turnover in Early Eocene mammals. Palaeogeogr., Palaeoclimatol., Palaeoecol., 63: 141-157. Faunal turnovers in the fossil record are episodes of synchronous appearance and disappearance of species from a community, often resulting in net change in species richness. We studied the biostratigraphic record of faunal turnover involving early Wasatchian (early Eocene) mammals from the Clark's Fork Basin, Wyoming, U.S.A. Two faunal turnovers occur in this record -- one at the base of the Wasatchian, comprised mainly of appearances of taxonomically and ecologically distinctive species, and a later one, Biohorizon A of Schankler (1980), comprised mainly of disappearances, especially of carnivorous species. This study focuses on Biohorizon A. In the record of the Clark's Fork Basin, Biohorizon A may be an artifact of sampling. Sample size and species richness are highly correlated (r = 0.95) throughout this record. Moreover, sample size and species richness fluctuate markedly between successive stratigraphic intervals; peaks of appearances coincide with large sample sizes and peaks of disappearances with low sample sizes. The peaks and valleys in fossil productivity over time mask the real timing of appearances and disappearances of species. Changes in fossil productivity in the stratigraphic section may result from changes in exposure area, taphonomic factors, or ecological factors. Evaluation of the effects of sampling is a necessary prerequisite for investigating the chronological and ecological significance of faunal turnovers.
SOIL BIOTA IN AN UNGRAZED GRASSLAND: RESPONSE TO ANNUAL GRASS (BROMUS TECTORUM) INVASION

Bromus tectorum is an exotic annual grass that currently dominates many western U.S. semi-arid ecosystems, and the effects of this grass on ecosystems in general, and soil biota specifically, are unknown. Bromus recently invaded two ungrazed and unburned perennial bunchgrass communities in southeastern Utah. This study compared the soil food-web structure of the two native grassland associations (Stipa [S] and Hilaria [H]), with and without the presence of Bromus. Perennial grass and total vascular-plant cover were higher in S than in H plots, while quantities of ground litter were similar. Distribution of live and dead plant material was highly clumped in S and fairly homogenous in H. Soil food-web structure was different between H and S, with lower trophic levels more abundant in H and higher trophic levels more abundant in S. In Bromus-invaded plots, the quantity of ground litter was 2.2 times higher in Hilaria–Bromus (HB) than in H plots, and 2.8 times higher in Stipa–Bromus (SB) than in S plots. Soil...
Evaluation of Components of Gingival Crevicular Fluid as Diagnostic Tests

Gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) is an inflammatory exudate that can be collected at the gingival margin or within the gingival crevice. The biochemical analysis of the fluid offers a noninvasive means of assessing the host response in periodontal disease. In recent years, the relationship of measures of the inflammatory response in GCF to risk for development of active periodontal disease (defined as clinical attachment loss or radiographic bone loss) has been studied in longitudinal trials. The greatest interest has focused on prostaglandin E2, an arachidonic acid metabolite; beta-glucuronidase and neutrophil elastase, markers of lysosomal enzyme release from neutrophils; and aspartate aminotransferase, a cytoplasmic enzyme indicative of cellular necrosis. Analysis of the data allows a number of conclusions to be drawn concerning the potential diagnostic significance of GCF: 1) an exuberant host inflammatory response is associated with progressive disease in patients with periodontitis; 2) collection of GCF using small precut strips is a reproducible and reliable collection technique; 3) the total amount of the mediator and not concentration of the mediator in the GCF sample can be reported when timed samples are collected; and 4) technology exists for GCF-based diagnostic tests to be performed in the dental office. Nevertheless, many questions remain. Still to be determined are: 1) the relationship of test results to the development of periodontitis in patients with gingivitis; 2) the level of test accuracy needed to justify use of these tests; 3) the unit of observation (patient, site) that is being evaluated by the test; and 4) the need for such tests as perceived by clinicians. While these questions are formidable, introduction of GCF-based diagnostic tests will provide clinicians with an improved, quantitative means of evaluating patients and offer specific criteria to assess the effectiveness of treatment.
Evolving Genomics of Pulmonary Fibrosis

Genomic-scale transcript profiling approaches provide an unbiased view of the transcriptome of organs, tissues, and cells. Such technologies have been applied to the study of lungs and cells of patients with fibrotic lung disease and animal models of lung disease with the goal of detecting key molecules that play a significant role in pathogenesis, identifying potential drug targets, and developing biomarkers of disease presence, progression, and outcome. Genomic profiling studies have also been used to classify and distinguish different interstitial lung diseases such as IPF, nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP), lung fibrosis associated with scleroderma, and hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP). In this chapter, we describe the progress and insights derived from applying genomic-scale transcript profiling approaches to fibrotic lung diseases as well as the potential impact of new technologies and NIH-funded projects on the field of genomics.
Mechanical Property Determination for Supported Polymer Films using Double Bending Beams

A double-bending-beam technique has been developed to determine the mechanical properties (e.g., the elastic stiffness parameter and the in-plane coefficient of thermal expansion) of thin polymer films during thermal cycling. The mechanical properties of poly(methyl methacrylate) and a polyimide have been determined from the combined stress-temperature relationships of identical polymer films coated on two rigid beams (each with a distinctly different Young’s modulus and coefficient of thermal expansion). The measured mechanical properties were found to agree with data obtained using conventional techniques. The double-bending-beam technique can be applied to a wide variety of dry and wet processing situations involving thin polymer films.
Mixed-metal templated phosphate phases

In an effort to direct the structure formation and subsequently the catalytic properties of novel materials, both organic molecules and transition metals have been systematically incorporated into zinc phosphate materials, and various transition metals in zirconium phosphate materials. The resultant phases in the Zn/P experiments are determined not by the organic template, but by the type and stoichiometric amount of metal incorporated and by the organic template`s anion. Furthermore, only one of the phases, a Ni/Zn/P, shows any acidic catalytic behavior. Similarly, the transition metals incorporated in stoichiometric amounts into the catalytically active novel zirconium phosphate are highly structure directing. Their presence inhibits the formation of the phosphate phase, instead promoting the formation of tetragonal ZrO{sub 2}. The catalytic activity of the products are greatly diminished from the baseline material. The synthesis and characterization methods for each phase will be presented. Characterization techniques employed include single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction, magnetic susceptibility, thermal analysis, DCP and FTIR.
State-of-the-Art Mock Human Blood Circulation Loop: Prototyping and Introduction of a New Heart Simulator

A novel, fully automated systemic mock human circulation loop (MCL) design is proposed, prototyped, and introduced with a wide literature review of MCL and left ventricular (LV) form and function. Drawbacks and strengths of current MCLs and their pumping systems are investigated and an inference has been made for requirements of a novel MCL design. It has been found that proposed MCL design should not only be capable of replicating a wide range of cardiac operating scenarios, but also the pumping system should better represent LV for simulating various cardiovascular diseases, particularly muscular dysfunctions. Also, the proposed MCL design should be fully automated and control essential MCL parameters such as compliance and resistance. Medical papers showed that LV has principal functionalities such as elastance, torsional, and twisting motion of ventricular wall, which play an important role in motion and contraction of LV. These features are implemented on a proposed pneumatic muscle-actuated heart simulator that only contains a LV chamber.
Teaching Attempt on Improving Medical Students' Communication Skills

To study on how to improve the medical students' communication skills in clinical practice.Students who are going to have clinical practice will be randomly divided into two groups,which are named comparison group and test group.Then comparison group students were trained by forms such as finding the keys from questions,acting it out in groups,watching audio-visual education programs and so on.The result shows that the ability of the comparison group students is much higher than the other students'.This research shows the using training methods can improve the medical students' mental quality and can effectively fill in the gaps in the field of medical education.
The Effects of Information on Public Attitudes Toward Renewable Energy

The information-deficit model is a common framework for explaining public attitudes toward new technologies, including renewable energy technology. This model assumes that public opposition to technology is based on a lack of quality information. The siting of facilities, such as commercial wind farms, frequently face opposition from residents of local communities, despite broad public support for renewable energy. Although social science has been critical of the information-deficit model, providing information to the public can influence both the substance and quality of attitudes. In this study, residents of coastal communities in Michigan, supportive of wind energy on average, were provided in-depth information about wind energy. Compared with a control group, participants who attended information sessions exhibited greater change in both their general support for wind energy and the strength of those attitudes. Possible implications for the siting of wind farms and other renewable projects are discussed.
Fractures of the talus

Fractures of the neck of the talus are a relatively uncommon fracture of the foot but they have potentially serious complications. This article details the Hawkins classification, operative treatment and indications, and complications of fractures of the neck of the talus. It also discusses the treatment of fractures of the body of the talus and talar head. An English full text version of this article is available at SpringerLink as supplemental.
A fast diffusion model with memory at the boundary: global solvability in the critical case

Necessary and sufficient conditions for the global solvability of a slow diffusion model with boundary flux governed by memory have been previously shown to be the same as those for a corresponding model with localized nonlinear flux at the boundary. Recent investigations of a similar fast diffusion model with memory have also successfully replicated conditions in parallel with the corresponding localized problem, except for the critical case separating global solvability from blow up in finite time. We provide a suitable modification of an estimate, typically applied to the case of slow diffusion, which also applies to the fast diffusion model and subsequently establishes global solvability in the critical case. Memory terms appearing in the model are of the type which have been introduced in studies of tumor-induced angiogenesis.
Percutaneous biliary drainage catheter insertion in patients with extensive hepatic metastatic tumor burden.

Background: Patients with metastatic disease of the liver can have hyperbilirubinemia due to a number of reasons, including biliary obstruction. The purpose of this study was to analyze patient outcomes after percutaneous biliary drainage (PBD) catheter insertion in patients with extensive hepatic metastatic tumor burden. Methods: Out of 746 PBD insertions, 44 patients (24 males, 20 females, mean age 57.4 years, range, 34–80 years) had metastatic malignancy with a hepatic tumor burden of greater than 20% parenchymal volume based on pre-procedure computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Laboratory data before and after PBD insertion were compared. Survival and outcomes analysis performed. A subanalysis was performed on patients with CT-demonstrated catheter traversal of tumoral tissue. Results: A PBD catheter was successfully inserted in all patients. The mean serum bilirubin level decreased significantly from 10.9±6.4 mg/dL immediately prior to PBD insertion to 7.1±5.6 mg/dL (P Conclusions: In patients with hyperbilirubinemia and extensive hepatic metastatic disease burden, survival was dismal after PBD catheter insertion. Serum bilirubin level normalization occurred rarely.
What Is a Cognitive Device

What are the examples of Cognitive Things?How do they operate?How are they engineered?How do they keep track of their contracts?
Relationships between labile soil organic matter and nematode communities in a California oak woodland

Labile soil organic matter (SOM) is an important energy source for below-ground ecosystems but the association of labile SOM and nematode communities is poorly characterised. In this study, soil nematode communities and nematode-derived indices of ecosystem function were characterised and related to SOM lability in an undisturbed riparian woodland (California, USA). SOM lability was assessed by microbial biomass C (MBC), permanganate-oxidisable C (POXC), extractable organic C (EOC), and diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform (DRIFT) spectroscopy. The channel index, which measures the ratio of bacterial-feeding to fungal-feeding nematodes in cp groups 1 and 2, respectively, decreased with labile C fractions and aliphatic C-H enrichment (infrared absorbance at 2920 cm −1 ) but increased with aromatic C=C enrichment (1620 cm −1 ) and index of decomposition (2930:1620 cm −1 ), as did the nematode structure index. These results indicate that nematode communities respond to variation in labile C fractions and SOM composition across a heterogeneous natural landscape, which may reflect observed differences in SOM lability among woody plant species.
Relation between temporal perception and inhibitory control in the Go/No-Go task

This research was designed to replicate and extend findings concerning bidirectional interference between concurrent timing and inhibition tasks reported previously. Subjects performed serial temporal production and Go/No-Go (GNG) tasks under single-task and dual-task conditions in two experiments. The degree of inhibitory control required in the GNG tasks was manipulated by varying the proportion of go and no-go stimuli (experiment 1) and by instructing subjects to devote different amounts of attention to the dual tasks (experiment 2). The dual-task conditions in both experiments showed a pattern of mutual interference in which each task interfered with the other. In experiment 1, concurrent timing interfered more strongly with performance on a high inhibitory-demand GNG task compared with a low inhibitory-demand GNG task. In experiment 2, concurrent timing and GNG performance displayed a reciprocity effect in which greater attentiveness to one task improved performance for that task but diminished performance for the other task, and vice versa. These results support the view that temporal processing and inhibitory control depend upon a common pool of attentional resources, and point to the GNG task as a reliable research tool for investigators studying the role of attentional processes in time perception.
Distal pancreatectomy for benign and low grade malignant tumors: Short-term postoperative outcomes of spleen preservation-A systematic review and update meta-analysis.

Background The value of spleen preservation with distal pancreatectomy (DP) for benign and low grade malignant tumors remains unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the short-term postoperative clinical outcomes in patients undergoing DP with splenectomy (DPS) or spleen preservation (SPDP). Methods Online database search was performed (2000 to present); key bibliographies were reviewed. Studies comparing patients undergoing DP with either DPS or SPDP, and assessing postoperative complications were included. Results Meta-analysis of included data showed SPDP patients had significantly less operative blood loss, shorter duration of hospitalization, lower incidence of fluid collection and abscess, lower incidence of postoperative splenic and portal vein thrombosis, and lower incidence of new onset postoperative diabetes. For the whole group, there was no difference in incidence of postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) (RR = 0.95; 95%CI 0.65–1.40, P = 0.80), however, subgroup analysis of studies using ISGPF criteria showed that DPS patients had increased rates of Grade B/C POPF (RR = 1.35; 95%CI 1.08–1.70, P = 0.01). Conclusions SPDP for benign and low grade malignant tumors is associated with shorter hospital stay and decreased morbidity compared to DPS. J. Surg. Oncol. 2017;115:137–143. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Transactive control for efficient operation of commercial buildings

This paper describes the model development of a commercial building and investigates benefits of transactive control for efficient operation of buildings. The model of a DOE standard small office building is developed in GridLAB-D (an agent-based distribution system simulation environment) and validated with the model simulated in EnergyPlus. A passive transactive control strategy has been applied to estimate the peak demand reduction potential and energy savings of a building in a transactive energy market. This analysis forms an outline for efficient operation of commercial buildings by adopting market-based control strategies and lays a corner-stone for studying building-to-grid integration in a transactive control based network. In addition, this paper also describes limitations of the model and discusses the scope for future improvements.
Second-line chemotherapy (CTx) outcomes in advanced biliary cancers (ABC): A retrospective multicenter analysis.

437 Background: While gemcitabine in combination with platinum has been well established as first line systemic therapy for ABC, there remains no standard of care regimen in the second line setting. We evaluated current practice and outcomes for second line chemotherapy in patients with ABC across three geographically diverse, large US academic medical centers. Methods: 198 pts who received second line chemotherapy for ABC after 1/1/11 were identified from institutional databases following IRB approval. Records were reviewed for demographic, treatment and response data. Overall survival (OS) was calculated from start of second line chemotherapy and estimated using Kaplan-Meier methods. Results: Median follow up among survivors was 5 months and median OS for all patients from start of second line therapy was 11 months (mo) (95% CI 8.8-13.1): intrahepatic (61.1%): 13.4 mo (95%CI: 10.7-17.8); extrahepatic (14.1%): 6.8 mo (95%CI: 5-11); and gallbladder (24.8%): 9.4 mo (95%CI: 7.2-12.3). Median duration of sec...
Copolymerization of Ethylene with Acrylate Monomers by Amide-Functionalized α-Diimine Pd Catalysts

We report the ethylene homopolymerization and ethylene/methyl-acrylate (MA) and ethylene/acrylic-acid (AA) copolymerization behavior of a series of (N,N′-diaryl-α-diimine)Pd catalysts that contain secondary amide (−CONHMe) or tertiary amide (−CONMe2) substituents on the N-aryl rings, including the “first-generation” catalysts {(2,6-iPr2-Ph)N═CMeCMe═N(2-CONHMe-6-iPr-Ph)}PdMeCl (1a,a′) and {(2,6-iPr2-Ph)N═CMeCMe═N(2-CONMe2-6-iPr-Ph)}PdMeCl (1b,b′) and the “second-generation” catalysts [{2,6-(CHPh2)2-4-Me-Ph}N═CMeCMe═N(2-CONHMe-6-iPr-Ph)]PdMeCl (1d,d′) and [{2,6-(CHPh2)2-4-Me-Ph}N═CMeCMe═N(2-CONMe2-6-iPr-Ph)]PdMeCl (1e,e′). Activation of 1d,d′ and 1e,e′ by NaB{3,5-(CF3)2C6H3}4 generates active ethylene polymerization catalysts that produce highly branched (77–81 br/1000 C) polyethylenes with number-average molecular weights (Mns) in the range 26–60 kDa. The replacement of two isopropyl units in 1a,a′ and 1b,b′ with benzhydryl groups in 1d,d′ and 1e,e′ leads to a significant improvement in ethylene homopolyme...
Egalitarianism and Responsibility

This essay examines several possible rationales for the egalitarian judgment that justice requires better-off individuals to help those who are worse off even in the absence of social interaction. These rationales include equality (everyone should enjoy the same level of benefits), moral meritocracy (each should get benefits according to her responsibility or deservingness), the threshold of sufficiency (each should be assured a minimally decent quality of life), prioritarianism (a function of benefits to individuals should be maximized that gives priority to the worse off), and mixed views. A case is made for adopting either prioritarianism or a mixed view that gives priority both to the worse off and to the more responsible and deserving.
A strategy for using multiple linked markers for genetic counseling

A strategy for using multiple linked markers for genetic counseling is to test sequentially individual markers until a diagnosis can be made. We show that in order to minimize the number of tests performed per case while diagnosing all informative cases the order in which the markers are to be tested is critical. We describe an algorithm to obtain this order using the parameter "I," the frequency of informative cases. The I value for a specific locus used depends on the marker frequency, association with the disease locus, and also on the informativeness of the marker loci already tested. Realizing that a direct assay for the beta S gene already exists, and that most cases of beta-thalassemia in Mediterraneans can be directly diagnosed using synthetic oligonucleotide probes, we illustrate the above technique by examining nine DNA polymorphisms in the human beta-globin cluster for their ability to diagnose sickle-cell anemia in American blacks and beta-thalassemia in Mediterraneans. This analysis shows that 95.39% of all sickle-cell pregnancies can be diagnosed by testing a subset of only six markers chosen by our algorithm. Furthermore, six markers can also diagnose 88.03% of beta-thalassemia in Greeks and 83.56% of beta-thalassemia in Italians. The test set is different from that suggested by the individual informative frequencies due to nonrandom associations between the restriction sites.
Dielectric Dissipation Measurement below 7.2°K

The dielectric constant of a material in a sinusoidal electric field is expressed as: $$K = {K_1} - j{K_2}$$ (1) The fraction of stored energy that is dissipated is given as tan δ = K 2/K 1. The equilibrium condition is $$K(w) = {K_\infty } + \int_0^\infty {\alpha (t)\exp (jwt)dt} $$ (2) where α(t) is a characteristic decay function. K 1(ω) approaches K ∞ as ω → ∞ and K s as ω → 0.
Odor Aversion Learning by Neonatal Rats: Ontogeny of Osmic Memory

“The importance of remote signs (signals) of objects can be easily recognized in the movement reactions of the animal. By means of distant and even accidental characteristics of objects the animal seeks his food, avoids his enemies, etc. (Pavlov, 1927, p. 52)”. The obvious adaptive significance of signal directed behavior raised a fundamental question for Pavlov and several generations of researchers: How does one stimulus event acquire the capacity to act as a signal for another stimulus event?
A novel mechanism for resistance to Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) in wild Solanum species

The Colorado potato beetle {Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say) is the most destructive insect pest of the potato {Solcamm tuberosum L.) worldwide and has shown remarkable adaptability to insecticides. In wild Solamm species, the best known host-plant resistance mechanisms are a high level of foliar glycoalkaloids and the presence of specialized, glandular trichomes. Through a preliminary field-test screen, three Solamm species, Solamm trifidum, S. raphanifolium, and S. circaeifolium, were identified with low foliar glycoalkaloid levels and no glandular trichomes, but still exhibiting substantial resistance to L decemlineata. These three species along with two species, S. berthaultii and S. chacoense, representing the two
Neurotrophic Factor Regulation of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Replication in Human Blood-derived Macrophages Through Modulation of Coreceptor Expression

Macrophages are a major target for human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) infection in vivo and represent a reservoir of chronically infected cells in patients receiving highly active retroviral therapy 1,2. The entry of virus into cells is mediated by binding of the viral glycoprotein gp120 with CD4 and chemokine receptors. The T-cell-tropic strains of HIV-1 utilize the CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4), while the CC chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) predominantly binds macrophage-tropic (M-tropic) HIV-1 strains (reviewed in Rucker 3). Increased cell surface expression of CCR5 during monocyte maturation to macrophages correlates with susceptibility to HIV-1 infection 4. However, efficient usage of CCR5 and CXCR4 as CD4-independent HIV-1 receptors was recently shown 5,6. Interestingly, primary isolates and dual-tropic stains of HIV-1 can utilize a plethora of additional G protein coupled coreceptors including CXCR4, CCR5, and the receptors, CCR3 or CCR2b, among others, to gain access into primary T lymphocytes and monocytic lineage cells 3. Nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) are members of the neurotrophic factor (NTF) family that are known to influence neuronal growth, differentiation and survival. NGF modulates the expression of enzymes that remove free radicals, while BDNF regulates calcium concentration via CREB 7. Expression of neurotrophic factors and their receptors have been observed in in vitro
Improving Air Traffic Controller Training

In recent years, the nation's air transportation system has undergone a series of profound changes. One aspect of the system which has received some scrutiny is the role of the air traffic controllers and the need to increase the staffing of control facilities. This article examines the field of air traffic control and the characteristics necessary to work in the field. Then, using sound educational and training theory, suggests some ways that air traffic controller training may be improved.
Methanol synthesis in a high-pressure membrane reactor with liquid sweep

Abstract Membrane reactors (MR) are known for their ability to improve the selectivity and yield of chemical reactions. In this paper, a novel high-pressure MR employing a liquid sweep was applied to the methanol synthesis (MeS) reaction, aiming to increase the per single-pass conversion. For carrying-out the reaction, an asymmetric ceramic membrane was modified with a silylating agent in order to render its pore surface hydrophobic. A commercial MeS catalyst was used for the reaction, loaded in the MR shell-side, while the tube-side was swept with a high boiling point organic solvent with high solubility towards methanol. The membrane reactor was studied under a variety of experimental conditions (different pressures, temperatures, space times, and liquid sweep flow rates) and showed improved carbon conversion when compared to the conventional packed-bed reactor operating under the same conditions.
The effects of yoga and quiet rest on subjective levels of anxiety and physiological correlates: a 2-way crossover randomized trial

Rest or acute exercise can decrease state anxiety, with some evidence showing exercise to prevent laboratory-induced elevations in anxiety. No study has examined whether yoga provides short-term protection against laboratory-induced anxiety. The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of an acute YogaFit session on state anxiety and measures of heart rate variability (HRV) to determine whether yoga provides short-term protection against emotional picture stimuli. A randomized repeated-measures crossover clinical trial was performed. Forty healthy, female college students completed a 30 min session of YogaFit and a time-matched seated rest condition on separate days. After each condition, participants viewed 30 min of emotional picture stimuli. State anxiety, heart rate and time-domain and frequency-domain measures of HRV were assessed baseline, post- condition, and post-exposure to emotional stimuli. Data were analysed using a condition x time (2 × 3) repeated-measures ANOVA. Post-hoc comparisons indicate the following: (1) state anxiety significantly decreased from baseline to post-condition for both yoga and rest (p = 0.001) but returned to baseline values following exposure to emotional stimuli (p < 0.001) for both conditions; (2) heart rate decreased post-condition to post-exposure (p = 0.020) and baseline to post-exposure (p = 0.033) for both conditions; (3) time-domain measure of HRV showed a significant increase in HRV between baseline and post-condition (p = 0 .019), post-condition and post-exposure (p = 0 .007), and between baseline and post-exposure (p < 0.001). Both YogaFit and seated rest were effective at acutely reducing state anxiety post-condition, but not at preventing an induced anxiety response post-exposure. Following exposure to the emotionally stimulating pictures, there was a shift from the high frequency-domain to the low frequency-domain and an increase in the time-domain measure of HRV for both the YogaFit and the quiet rest condition. Retrospectively registered 2/16/2018, clinicaltrials.gov, Identifier: NCT03458702 .
A troponin study on patients with ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage: Type II myocardial infarction is significantly associated with stroke severity, discharge disposition and mortality

Abstract Troponin elevations due to Type II myocardial infarction (T2MI) are associated with hemorrhagic and ischemic strokes but there is little data on stroke severity, troponin elevation and outcome. We studied 1655 patients from a tertiary medical center between 1/2013-4/2015 using multivariate regression analysis for demographics, vascular risk factors, admission stroke severity, laboratory tests, echocardiogram results and discharge disposition. Troponin levels were classified as normal 0.04 ng/ml (critical if >0.5 ng/ml). A T2MI was diagnosed by a trending troponin elevation; patients with type I MI, patients with subdural and epidural hematoma, or hemorrhagic metastatic disease and patients younger than 18 years old were excluded. We had 818 patients with ischemic stroke, 306 with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and 169 with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Troponin was elevated (>0.04 ng/ml) in 24.1% of ischemic stroke patients, 27.1% in the ICH group, and in 39% of SAH patients. High initial and peak troponin levels were associated with higher National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) in patients with ischemic stroke (OR 1.04; CI 95%, 1.02–1.07, p = .001) and (OR 1.05; CI 95%, 1.03–1.07, p
The use of contralateral prophylactic mastectomy among elderly patients in the United States

Previous studies have reported increased rates of contralateral prophylactic mastectomy (CPM) in the United States among women with unilateral breast cancer. These trends have primarily focused on younger breast cancer patients. Given the growing aging population in the United States, we sought to determine whether CPM use is also increasing in elderly patients. This population-based study identified patients in the surveillance epidemiology and end results (SEER) data. We determined the rate of CPM as a proportion of all surgically treated patients and as a proportion of all mastectomies. We compared the unadjusted CPM rates over the study period using the Cochrane-Armitage test for trend. We used a logistic regression model to test for the factors associated with CPM utilization. We identified 261,281 patients ≥ 65 years who underwent surgical treatment for breast cancer. For all patients treated with surgery for invasive breast cancer, the use of CPM increased from 1 in 2004 to 3% in 2014 (200% increase). Among mastectomy patients, the use of CPM increased from 3 in 2004 to 7% in 2014 (133% increase). Young age, non-Hispanic white race, lobular histology, higher grade, increased stage, negative lymph node status, and recent year of diagnosis were significantly associated with increased CPM rates. For elderly patients the use of CPM has continued to increase in the United States. These observations warrant concern in light of increasing evidence that CPM does not improve oncological outcomes and is associated with increased morbidity in older patients.
On prs for complex polygenic trait prediction

Polygenic risk score (PRS) is the state-of-art prediction method for complex traits using summary level data from discovery genome-wide association studies (GWAS). The PRS, as its name suggests, is designed for polygenic traits by aggregating small genetic effects from a large number of causal SNPs and thus is viewed as a powerful method for predicting complex polygenic traits by the genetics community. However, one concern is that the prediction accuracy of PRS in practice remains low with little clinical utility, even for highly heritable traits. Another practical concern is whether genome-wide SNPs should be used in constructing PRS or not. To address the two concerns, we investigate PRS both empirically and theoretically. We show how the performance of PRS is influenced by the triplet (n, p, m), where n, p, m are the sample size, the number of SNPs studied, and the number of true causal SNPs, respectively. For a given heritability, we find that i) when PRS is constructed with all p SNPs (referred as GWAS-PRS), its prediction accuracy is controlled by the p/n ratio; while ii) when PRS is built with a set of top-ranked SNPs that pass a pre-specified threshold (referred as threshold-PRS), its accuracy varies depending on how sparse the true genetic signals are. Only when m is magnitude smaller than n, or genetic signals are sparse, can threshold-PRS perform well and outperform GWAS-PRS. Our results demystify the low performance of PRS in predicting highly polygenic traits, which will greatly increase researchers9 awareness of the power and limitations of PRS, and clear up some confusion on the clinical application of PRS.