cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Can metarteriolar vessels occlude their lumens in response to vasoactive substances

SummaryMetarterioles are not currently thought by most investigators to either (i) be able to narrow their vascular walls to the point of occlusion in response to circulating vasoactive substances; or (ii) contract in a dose-dependent manner to vasoactive agents. In vivo experiments, using the rat mesentery and a high magnification (up to 6500X) image-splitting television microscope recording system, were designed to test these tenets. The results clearly and quantitatively demonstrate that metarterioles, at least in rat mesentery, not only contract to complete lumen occulsion in a graded, dose-dependent manner to catecholamines and neurohypophyseal hormone peptides but respond to extremely low (physiologic ?) doses of these substances.
The potential effects of climate change on ecosystem processes and cattle production on U.S. rangelands

In spite of the uncertainties of potential climate change, a scientific consensus is emerging that increasing concentrations of atmospheric CO2 could alter global temperatures and precipitation patterns. Changes in global climate as predicted by General Circulation Models (GCM) could therefore, have profound implications for global agriculture. The objective of this study was to assess the impacts of potential climate change on livestock and grassland production in the major producing regions of the United States. Simulation sites were selected for the study on the basis of the region's economic dependence on rangeland livestock production. Five thirty-year simulations were conducted on each site using the Simulation of Production and Utilization of Rangelands model and Colorado Beef Cattle Production Model. Climate change files were obtained by combining historic weather data from each site with predicted output from three GCM's. Results from nominal runs were compared with the three climate change scenarios and a doubled CO2 run. The magnitude and direction of ecosystem response to climate change varied among the GCM's and by geographic region. Simulations demonstrated that changes in temperature and precipitation patterns caused an increase in above-ground net primary production for most sites. Increased decomposition rates were recorded for northern regions. Similarly, animal production in northern regions increased, implying an increase in economic survivability. However, because decreases in animal production indicators were recorded for the southern regions, economic survivability in southern regions is less certain.
Doing something on purpose but not intentionally

peculiarities that are not possessed by, say, 'Some men are not albinos', which is also of the form 'Some Xs are not Ys'. Self-perception, similarly, if there is such a thing, has (and may be expected to have) logical peculiarities which are not shared by other cases of perception; this does not prove that self-perception is not one kind of perception, or that there is no such thing (does not frove it-there may of course be no such thing). And the particular logical peculiarities that Shoemaker has shown self-perception, if there is such a thing, to have, are certainly not, as he suggests, quite outrageous ones which nothing at all can have; on the contrary, plenty of other things do have them.
System Data Management: An Inter-Disciplinary Collaboration Architecture for Systems Engineering

This paper presents a novel approach to integrating systems engineering (SE) artifacts and methods with discipline-specific detailed design artifacts and processes, for the purpose of facilitating inter-disciplinary collaboration. In particular, it addresses the lifecycle management of complex products involving mechanical, electrical, electronics and software aspects, and being designed following a formal product development methodology. The primary motivation of the approach is to capture and maintain the traceability between the concrete artifacts stored in discipline-specific “repositories” and the abstract artifacts used to support system-level decisions as well as system integration. The proposed approach acknowledges the fundamental differences that exist between the various engineering disciplines and therefore favors a loose coupling based on a process-centric management of the artifacts traceability links. These considerations lead to an inter-disciplinary collaboration and infrastructure pattern called “system data management” (SDM), with the role of enforcing the integrity of the inter-disciplinary traceability between artifacts. As a byproduct, this approach suggests a novel perspective on product data management (PDM) and software configuration management (SCM) integration that sharply contrasts with point-to-point integration solutions. The authors have implemented a prototype based on a service-oriented architecture (SOA) and existing PDM and SCM technologies.© 2005 ASME
Indication and technique for shoulder endoprostheses in fractures

In the treatment of fractures of the humeral head, prosthetic replacement today is accepted as part of the therapeutic repertoire. The indication for this procedure is given if alternative conservative or operative techniques of preserving the humeral head in hemiarthroplasty of the shoulder joint led to universally poor outcomes. The models of endoprostheses that are currently available on the market mainly differ in the stem fixation method and means of securing the tuberosities and rotator cuff. Functional outcome of hemiarthroplasty of the shoulder joint after trauma is less than satisfactory regardless of the type of implant. However, a stable, painless joint is obtained yielding satisfactory subjective patient outcomes. For correct indications for prosthetic replacement of a fractured humeral head the surgeon also has to know the results that can be achieved by other methods in a given situation.
Analysis and Detection of Inter-Turn Short-Circuit Fault Through Extended Self-Commissioning

This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of permanent magnet synchronous machine stator winding impedance variation in inter-turn short-circuit and eccentricity faults. The phase impedances are monitored through an extended self-commissioning procedure at the standstill mode before or after operation, and hence are agnostic to well-known issues caused by transients, load/speed level, or controller coefficient dependency. Moreover, the effect of stator iron core saturation on the electrical parameters is analyzed in depth. In order to distinguish the inter-turn shorts from the eccentricity fault which exhibits similar behaviors, a classification algorithm based on the saturation effect is introduced and analyzed on the machines with different pole–slot combinations. Both two-dimensional finite element analysis simulation and experimental test results are provided to show the efficacy of this analysis.
Do Young Drivers Become Safer After Being Involved in a Collision

As drivers age, their risk of being involved in a car collision decreases. The present study investigated if this trend is due, in part, to some risky drivers having a collision early in their driving lives and subsequently reducing their risky driving after that negative experience. Accelerometers and video cameras were installed in the vehicles of 16- to 17-year-old drivers (N = 254), allowing coders to measure the number of g-force events (i.e., events in which a threshold acceleration level was exceeded) per 1,000 miles and the number of collisions. Among the 41 participants who experienced a severe collision, the rate of g-force events dropped significantly in the 1st month after the collision, remained unchanged for the 2nd month, and increased significantly in the 3rd month. There were no changes in the rate of g-force events at comparable time points for the drivers not involved in a collision. Being involved in a collision led to a decrease in risky driving, but this may have been a temporary effect.
Predictors of purchase intention toward green apparel products: A cross-cultural investigation in the USA and China

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand consumers’ purchase intention toward green apparel products using the theory of planned behavior (TPB). Specifically, this study aimed to compare US and Chinese consumers to understand how green apparel behaviors differ by a country’s green market status and cultural differences. Design/methodology/approach By employing two antecedents, man-nature orientation and environmental knowledge into the TPB framework, a theoretical model was proposed and tested to explain how and to what extent each variable affected the purchase intention of US and Chinese consumers. To compare the two countries consumers’ purchase intention, moderating effects were proposed. To test this model, a total of 437 valid data sets were collected at universities in the USA and China. Findings Findings indicated that the subjective norm was found to have the highest direct influence on purchase intention in both countries. Regarding internal perceived behavioral control (PBC) and external PBC, internal PBC was important for purchase intention in the US consumers while external PBC significantly influenced purchase intention among Chinese consumers. For the USA, two indirect antecedents to purchase intention (man-nature orientation and environmental knowledge) positively influenced variables in the TPB. In contrast, for China, the path between man-nature orientation and attitude toward green apparel products was not supported, but all other paths were supported. Only environmental knowledge (indirect antecedent) positively influenced internal PBC. Country moderating effects were not tested because of lack of supported evidence of invariance tests. Originality/value This study is an empirical research that focuses on purchase intention of green apparel products rather than on the production of green textiles, a topic that has received considerable attention in previous studies. This research is based on TPB with specified indirect antecedents to purchase intention. By testing the proposed model, the study explains the paths from two indirect antecedents (i.e. man-nature orientation and environmental knowledge) to the intent to purchase green apparel products. Therefore, academically, this study contributes to understanding the interrelationships among the factors that lead to purchase intention of green apparel products.
Mass inflation followed by Belinskii-Khalatnikov-Lifshitz collapse inside accreting, rotating black holes

Numerical evidence is presented that the Poisson-Israel mass inflation instability at the inner horizon of an accreting, rotating black hole is generically followed by Belinskii-Khalatnikov-Lifshitz oscillatory collapse to a spacelike singularity. The computation involves following all 6 degrees of freedom of the gravitational field. To simplify the problem, the computation takes as initial conditions the conformally separable solutions of Andrew J. S. Hamilton and Gavin Polhemus [Interior structure of rotating black holes. I. Concise derivation, Phys. Rev. D 84, 124055 (2011)] and Andrew J. S. Hamilton [Interior structure of rotating black holes. II. Uncharged black holes, Phys. Rev. D 84, 124056 (2011)] just above the inner horizon of a slowly accreting, rotating black hole and integrates the equations inward along single latitudes.
The Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM): Description, Structure and Applications

This chapter is designed to introduce an exciting image data representation standard known as DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) in medical imaging community. DICOM is a global information standard that is used and soon will be used by virtually every medical profession that utilizes images within healthcare industry. It is designed to ensure the interoperability of systems used to produce, store, display, send, retrieve, query, or print medical images such as computed tomography (CT) scans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), and ultrasound. DICOM Standard has also been developed to meet the needs of manufacturers and users of medical imaging equipment for interconnection of devices on standard networks. The daily operations of DICOM Standard are currently managed by the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA). We describe a brief history, structure, current applications, and its potential use as a tool in different industries in this chapter.
Multianchored Glycoconjugate‐Functionalized Magnetic Nanoparticles: A Tool for Selective Killing of Targeted Bacteria via Alternating Magnetic Fields

New technologies that do not rely on antibiotics are urgently needed to treat bacterial infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria. Herein, the feasibility of using alternating magnetic field (AMF) to selectively kill enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli strain K99 (EC K99) in the presence of multianchored glycoconjugate-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles is explored. Poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(acrylic acid)-dopamine functionalized magnetic nanoparticles (PEO-MNPs) are synthesized and functionalized with bacteria-specific glycoconjugate Neu5Ac(α2-3)-Gal-(β1-4)Glcβ-sp (GM3-MNPs) for specific adherence to EC K99. When such mixtures are exposed to an alternate magnetic field (31 kA m−1, 207 KHz), an ≈3-log reduction in colony forming units of EC K99 is achieved in 120 min. Moreover, in a mixed-bacterial culture environment, targeted killing of EC K99 is achieved with minimal damage to nontargeted bacterium. Electron microscopy images along with live/dead staining assays demonstrate visible membrane damage of EC K99 cells in the presence of GM3-MNPs and AMF. Additionally, intracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels of EC K99 are significantly diminished in the presence of GM3-MNPs and AMF. These results suggest that specific glycoconjugate-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles when mediated by AMF can be potentially used as a novel nonantibiotic treatment platform to inactivate/kill targeted bacterial pathogens, with minimal impact on normal microflora and the affected body region/tissue.
Vasectomy reversal: decision making and technical innovations.

Vasectomy is the method of contraception chosen by more than 500,000 American men annually, and by upwards of 8% of married couples worldwide. However, following the procedure, nearly 20% of men express the desire for children in the future, and approximately 2–6% of American men will ultimately undergo vasectomy reversal (VR). VR is a complex microsurgical procedure. Intraoperative decision-making, surgical technique, and postoperative management are each critical step in achieving high success rates. The aim of this article is to provide a detailed description of the operative and perioperative procedures employed by surgeons performing VRs.
Perioperative Serum Lipid Status and Statin Use Affect the Revision Surgery Rate After Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair.

Background:Recent animal studies have demonstrated that hyperlipidemia is associated with poor tendon-bone healing after rotator cuff repair; however, these findings have not been substantiated in human studies.Purpose:To examine any association between hyperlipidemia and the failure of arthroscopic rotator cuff repair requiring revision surgery and to investigate whether the use of statin lipid-lowering agents had any influence on observed associations.Study Design:Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.Methods:From a national insurance database, patients who underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair with perioperative lipid levels (total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein [LDL], and triglycerides) recorded were reviewed. For each lipid test, patients were stratified into normal, moderate, and high groups based on published standards. For the total cholesterol and LDL cohorts, a subgroup analysis of patients stratified by statin use was performed. The primary outcome measure was ipsilateral revision rotat...
Off-the-shelf PTFE as a fine polishing pad

In the 70's Leistner [1] demonstrated that PTFE (Teflon) coated substrates, when used instead of pitch coated substrates, have the ability to produce polished surfaces with low surface roughness (<2A°) and high flatness (<l/100). Their PTFE tool was made by painting and curing several layers of PTFE on a glass ceramic substrate, a time and labor intensive process. Over the years there has been an increase in the number of formats in which PTFE can be purchased. One such format is that of thin PTFE sheets with an adhesive backing. The potential of this user friendly PTFE format to replace pitch was investigated. A thin sheet of PTFE was adhered to metal substrate and used to polish a glass workpiece. Different polishing set-ups were investigated and the resulting surface finish measured. Best surface roughness values obtained on optical glass polished with an alumina based slurry was R rms = 0.49nm (Zygo interferometer 50x). Under the same conditions a pitch tool produced a surface roughness value of R rms >1.1 nm (Zygo interferometer 50x). The material removal rate with pitch tooling was approximately five times greater than that achieved using the PTFE sheet. While the results are not as good as that produced by Leistner, the work does illustrate the potential of an off the shelf PTFE sheet as a polishing pad. Should the entire process be further optimized lower surface roughness values should be obtainable.
Vulnerability of Adolescent Brain Growth to Cannabis

Adolescence is a period of increased risk taking and thrill seeking, often including drug abuse. It is also a period during which the brain undergoes dramatic developmental changes. Drug use during this time can have devastating and long-term effects on brain development. Recent reports show that cannabis (marijuana) is the number one drug of abuse among adolescents and young adults and that it has detrimental effects on the developing brain. Neuroimaging using magnetic resonance (MRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) are beginning to reveal the specific effects of drug use. Results from neuroimaging studies show astonishing similarities between the areas of damage due to heavy cannabis use and the areas undergoing normal development during late adolescence. Cannabis use also appears to influence the development of the hippocampal formation, a key structure involved in human memory and located deep within the temporal lobes. The hippocampal formation, which undergoes neurogenesis (the birth of new neurons) during adolescence, is reported to be significantly affected by drug abuse. Drug effects to the hippocampus likely underlie the observed deficits in memory and executive function seen in substance abusers. Cannabis use during adolescence has also been linked to an increased risk for the development of schizophrenia, especially in individuals who are genetically predisposed to the disease. This chapter discusses in detail the impact of marijuana on the development of white matter and the hippocampus and the drug’s putative role in the disruption of normal brain development during adolescence.
Conceptual Metaphors in Internship: Creative Journeys in Counselor Development

The use of metaphors is considered a cognitive and affective process in which individuals can creatively explain and understand unfamiliar experiences. Through the Metaphor Identification Procedure...
Machine Learning Travel Mode Choices: Comparing the Performance of an Extreme Gradient Boosting Model with a Multinomial Logit Model:

The multinomial logit (MNL) model and its variations have been dominating the travel mode choice modeling field for decades. Advantages of the MNL model include its elegant closed-form mathematical...
Modeling China's household food demand in the transition toward a market economy

Since 1978 China has moved gradually from a centrally planned to a mixed economic system of planning and markets. Under the new economic system consumers play more important role in determining China's food production and trade. Therefore, it is important for China's policymakers to understand household food demand because the effects of alternative food policies are conditioned by consumer demand. Information on China's food demand is also important for modeling the world food markets where China has been a major trader. Furthermore, China's long history of consumption rationing and gradual movement to a market economy provide a unique opportunity for studying consumer behavior in an economic transition;This study models China's household food demand in the transition toward a market economy. The major contributions of this study are: (1) a quantitative assessment of the changes in China's average food consumption and nutrient availability and sources through the compilation of annual food balance sheets during 1950 to 1991; (2) theoretical demand models for Chinese urban and rural households; (3) estimation of the associated demand models using the most recently available data; and (4) policy analysis based on the estimated demand models;The results from this study suggest four major conclusions: First, China's average dietary status changed modestly from 1950 to 1978 but has improved significantly since the 1978 economic reform. Second, China's household food consumption is in the transition from grains to animal products. The demand for animal products, and therefore feedgrains, in China is expected to increase at a significant rate. Third, with one-fifth of the world's population but only 7 percent of the earth's arable land, China is likely to be a major importer of wheat, barley, beans, and feedgrains. Fourth, government policy has been a key factor of the changes in China's household food consumption and dietary improvement since 1980 and will continue to play an important role in influencing China's household food consumption and international food trade.
Hetero-oligomeric Amyloid Assembly and Mechanism: Prion Fragment PrP(106-126) Catalyzes the Islet Amyloid Polypeptide β-Hairpin.

Protein aggregation is typically attributed to the association of homologous amino acid sequences between monomers of the same protein. Coaggregation of heterogeneous peptide species can occur, however, and is implicated in the proliferation of seemingly unrelated protein diseases in the body. The prion protein fragment (PrP106–126) and human islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP) serve as an interesting model of nonhomologous protein assembly as they coaggregate, despite a lack of sequence homology. We have applied ion-mobility mass spectrometry, atomic force microscopy, circular dichroism, and high-level molecular modeling to elucidate this important assembly process. We found that the prion fragment not only forms pervasive hetero-oligomeric aggregates with hIAPP but also promotes the transition of hIAPP into its amyloidogenic β-hairpin conformation. Further, when PrP106–126 was combined with non-amyloidogenic rIAPP, the two formed nearly identical hetero-oligomers to those seen with hIAPP, despite rIAPP co...
Spaces and Places in the Virtual University

Nick Burbules focuses at ‘Spaces and Places in the Virtual University’ (Chap. 12). He examines the transition of the traditional university into a partly virtual university, as we witness the growth of online courses and degree programmes as well as the increased uses of technology for the redesign of teaching and learning even within the traditional campus. He relies on the concepts of space and place to describe this transformation and relates these to changing understandings of knowledge, authority, and community within higher education. Finally, he relates this transformation to three key ideas in online education: the design of learning spaces; the social, collaborative nature of these spaces; and the potential and challenges of ubiquitous learning.
Current Issues in Classroom Behavior Management

Classroom management research, as described in this chapter, includes studies that systematically attempted to change or account for specific classroom behaviors, both academic and nonacademic. The inclusion of academic variables was considered appropriate because many conduct and disciplinary problems are attributable to academic difficulties. If educational psychology can broadly be construed as the application of psychological knowledge to the solution of educational problems, then classroom management surely resides near the heart of this discipline. Involving the management of both academic and nonacademic behaviors, classroom management research represents one of the most applied spheres of educational psychology.
Mathematical Analysis of Cytokine-Induced Differentiation of Granulocyte-Monocyte Progenitor Cells

Granulocyte-monocyte progenitor (GMP) cells play a vital role in the immune system by maturing into a variety of white blood cells, including neutrophils and macrophages, depending on exposure to cytokines such as various types of colony stimulating factors (CSF). Granulocyte-CSF (G-CSF) induces granulopoiesis and macrophage-CSF (M-CSF) induces monopoiesis, while granulocyte/macrophage-CSF (GM-CSF) favors monocytic and granulocytic differentiation at low and high concentrations, respectively. Although these differentiation pathways are well documented, the mechanisms behind the diverse behavioral responses of GMP cells to CSFs are not well understood. In this paper, we propose a mechanism of interacting CSF-receptors and transcription factors that control GMP differentiation, convert the mechanism into a set of differential equations, and explore the properties of this mathematical model using dynamical systems theory. Our model reproduces numerous experimental observations of GMP cell differentiation in response to varying dosages of G-CSF, M-CSF, and GM-CSF. In particular, we are able to reproduce the concentration-dependent behavior of GM-CSF induced differentiation, and propose a mechanism driving this behavior. In addition, we explore the differentiation of a fourth phenotype, monocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells (M-MDSC), showing how they might fit into the classical pathways of GMP differentiation and how progenitor cells can be primed for M-MDSC differentiation. Finally, we use the model to make novel predictions that can be explored by future experimental studies.
Real-time DSP-enabled digital subcarrier cross-connect based on resampling filters

A real-time digital signal processing (DSP)- enabled digital subcarrier cross-connect (DSXC) with resampling filters for channel frequency translation is demonstrated in this paper. This circuit-based DSXC supports flexible and fine data-rate subcarrier channel granularities, offering a low-latency data plane, transparency to modulation formats, and the capability of compensating for transmission impairments in the digital domain. The presented 8 × 8 DSXC demonstrator makes use of a Virtex-7 field programmable gate array (FPGA) platform, which supports any-to-any switching of eight subcarrier channels with mixed modulation formats and data rates. Digital resampling filters enable frequency translation of subcarrier channels at the cross-connect with much reduced processing requirements for the FPGA resources in comparison to the traditional technique based on in-phase/quadrature mixing and filtering.
Linking Activity, Nutrition, and Child Health (LAUNCH): protocol for a longitudinal cohort study of children as they develop from infancy to preschool age.

Physical activity is known to provide important health benefits in children ages 3 years and above, but little is known about the effects of physical activity on health in very young children under age 3. LAUNCH (Linking Activity, Nutrition, and Child Health) is a study designed to expand the body of knowledge on development of physical activity behavior and associations between physical activity and other health characteristics as children transition from infancy to preschool age. Physical activity and sedentary behavior will be measured objectively in young children over a period of 30 months. Each child will complete a measurement protocol at 6, 12, 18, 24, 30 and 36 months of age. The following factors will be measured at each time point: physical activity, sedentary behavior, anthropometric characteristics, and motor developmental status. Objectively-measured sleep behavior will be included as an optional component of the protocol. Parents will provide information on demographic factors, parenting behaviors, home and childcare characteristics, and the child’s dietary and sleep behaviors. LAUNCH will employ a longitudinal study design and objective measures of physical activity, sedentary behavior and sleep in examining developmental trends for those characteristics in children between the ages of 6 and 36 months. Associations among physical activity, sedentary behavior, sleep, and weight status will be examined. Findings will inform public health guidance and intervention strategies for very young children.
Estimation of production efficiency for broiler production farms in Behera government: a field study.

Since poultry production represents a great importance for Egypt's economy, estimating capacities that realize the minimum average costs for broiler production farms has been the goal of this study. To achieve that, production cost function in the long run has been estimated. As for data, the research used primary data collected from a cross section random sample of 74 broiler farms distributed over Abo Homos, Itie ElBarod, Shabrakhet, and Delengat Districts in Behera Governorate. The research applied statistical and econometric analysis methods including multiple linear regression based on OLS in order to estimate the cost functions for broiler farms in different mathematical forms. Derivatives of broiler farms' cost functions have also been estimated, like average cost functions, from which the Economies of Scale for broiler production have been inferred, in addition to marginal costs, elasticity of production costs, optimum size of production, as well as broiler supply function in the long-run. Results showed that elasticity of production costs has been estimated at 0.323 and 0.184 and 0.409 for the three farm capacities, respectively, which means that broiler production is still at the stage of increasing returns to scale. This result is confirmed by the fact that many of broiler farms in the sample have not yet reached optimum production capacity, estimated at 13.681 and 25.004, and 30.311 tons, respectively; whilst average actual production for the three farm capacities amounted to 10.279 and 20.988 and 30.961 tons per annum, respectively. It can therefore be noted that there is a clear difference between the actual scale and optimal economic scale that minimizes the cost of production. Based on the achieved results, the research offered some recommendations that may contribute to improving the economic efficiency of broiler production farms in Behera Government, the most important of which is rationalizing economic resource use, and replacing the low-yielding breeds with high-yielding ones in order to reach the optimum size of production that minimizes the average cost per ton of broiler production. In addition, broiler production and marketing polices should be revisited in order to raise income earned by broiler producers and realize value added from livestock production.
Semicentralized Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient in Cooperative StarCraft Games.

In this article, we propose a novel semicentralized deep deterministic policy gradient (SCDDPG) algorithm for cooperative multiagent games. Specifically, we design a two-level actor-critic structure to help the agents with interactions and cooperation in the StarCraft combat. The local actor-critic structure is established for each kind of agents with partially observable information received from the environment. Then, the global actor-critic structure is built to provide the local design an overall view of the combat based on the limited centralized information, such as the health value. These two structures work together to generate the optimal control action for each agent and to achieve better cooperation in the games. Comparing with the fully centralized methods, this design can reduce the communication burden by only sending limited information to the global level during the learning process. Furthermore, the reward functions are also designed for both local and global structures based on the agents' attributes to further improve the learning performance in the stochastic environment. The developed method has been demonstrated on several scenarios in a real-time strategy game, i.e., StarCraft. The simulation results show that the agents can effectively cooperate with their teammates and defeat the enemies in various StarCraft scenarios.
Mid-Infrared Detector Array Technologies for SOFIA and Sub-Orbital Observatory Instruments

The status of various photovoltaic, photoconductive, BIB/IBC, superlattice, TES and KID technologies to produce arrays sensitive from 15 to 50+μm (Mid-infrared) will be reviewed to assess where rea...
Antiseizure medication adherence trajectories in Medicare beneficiaries with newly treated epilepsy

Objective This study was undertaken to characterize trajectories of antiseizure medication (ASM) adherence in adults with newly treated epilepsy and to determine predictors of trajectories. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study using Medicare. We included beneficiaries with newly treated epilepsy (one or more ASM and none in the preceding 2 years, plus International Classification of Diseases codes) in 2010-2013. We calculated the proportion of days covered (proportion of total days with any ASM pill supply) for 8 quarters or until death. Group-based trajectory models characterized and determined predictors of trajectories. Results We included 24 923 beneficiaries. Models identified four groups: early adherent (60%), early nonadherent (18%), late adherent (11%), and late nonadherent (11%). Numerous predictors were associated with being in the early nonadherent versus early adherent group: non-White race (e.g., Black, odds ratio [OR] = 1.7, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.5-1.8), region (e.g., South vs. Northeast: OR = 1.2, 95% CI = 1.1-1.4), and once daily initial medication (OR = 1.1, 95% CI = 1.0-1.3). Predictors associated with decreased odds of being in the early nonadherent group included older age (OR = .9 per decade, 95% CI = .9-.9), female sex (OR = .9, 95% CI = .8-1.0), full Medicaid eligibility (OR = .6, 95% CI = .4-.8), neurologist visit (OR = .6, 95% CI = .6-.7), and initial older generation ASM (OR = .6, 95% CI = .6-.7). Significance We identified four ASM adherence trajectories in individuals with newly treated epilepsy. Whereas risk factors for early nonadherence such as race or geographic region are nonmodifiable, our work highlighted a modifiable risk factor for early nonadherence: lacking a neurologist. These data may guide future interventions aimed at improving ASM adherence, in terms of both timing and target populations.
Extrahepatic causes of death in cirrhosis compared to other chronic conditions in the United States, 1999-2017.

Abstract Introduction and objectives Cirrhosis-related mortality is underestimated and is increasing; extrahepatic factors may contribute. We examined trends in cirrhosis mortality from 1999-2017 in the United States attributed to liver-related (varices, peritonitis, hepatorenal syndrome, hepatic encephalopathy, hepatocellular carcinoma, sepsis) or extrahepatic (cardiovascular disease, influenza and pneumonia, diabetes, malignancy) causes, and compared mortality trends with congestive heart failure (CHF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) populations. Materials and methods A national mortality database was used. Changes in age-standardized mortality over time were determined by joinpoint analysis. Average annual percentage change (AAPC) was estimated. Results Cirrhosis cohort: From 1999-2017, both liver-related (AAPC 1.3%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.7-1.9) and extrahepatic mortality (AAPC 1.0%; 95% CI 0.7-1.2) increased. Cirrhosis vs other chronic disease cohorts: changes in all-cause mortality were higher in cirrhosis (AAPC 1.0%; 95% CI 0.7-1.4) than CHF (AAPC 0.1%; 95% CI -0.5- 0.8) or COPD (AAPC -0.4%; 95% CI -0.6- -0.2). Sepsis mortality was highest in cirrhosis (AAPC 3.6%, 95% 3.2- 4.1) compared to CHF (AAPC 0.6%, 95% CI -0.5- 1.7) or COPD (AAPC 0.8%, 95% CI 0.5- 1.2). Cardiovascular mortality increased in cirrhosis (AAPC 1.3%, 95% CI 1.1- 1.5), declined in CHF (AAPC -2.0%, 95% CI -5.3- 1.3) and remained unchanged in COPD (AAPC 0.1%, 95% CI -0.2- 0.4). Extrahepatic mortality was higher among women, rural populations, and individuals >65 years with cirrhosis. Conclusions Extrahepatic causes of death are important drivers of mortality and differentially impact cirrhosis compared to other chronic diseases.
Cumulative dose of Bortezomib induces chromosome abnormalities in mouse bone marrow cells in vivo.

3264 Proteasome-mediated proteolysis occurs during the metaphase-anaphase transfer of mitotic and meiotic cells. It is required for the fidelity of sister chromatid cohesion and separation in vertebrates and is especially relevant to aneuploidy because early or late separation of homologues or sister chromatids increases the probability of chromosome mis-segregation. There is a general consensus that premature centromere separation (PCS) represents a predisposition to aneuploidy. The objective of this study was to evaluate in vivo whether the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib can perturb chromosome segregation in mouse bone marrow cells . For the purpose of this study, mice received bortezomib i.p.: 1 mg (0.5 mg at h:0900 and h:1500 on day 1), 1.5 mg (0.5 mg at h:1500 [day 1] and h:0900 and h:1500 [day 2]), or 2.0 mg (0.5 mg at h:0900 and h:1500 [day 1 and 2]). Mice were sacrificed 18 h after the last dose and bone marrow cells were harvested and cultured. Chromosomes were C-banded to distinguish between metaphase chromosomes and single chromatids. The number of diploid (2N = 40), hypoploid (2N = 38-39), hyperploid (2N = 41-44), polyploid (2N = 76-80), and (PCS) cells were recorded. We defined PCS as separation (greater than width of a chromatid) of one or more sister chromatids. Cells with 38 chromosomes and four single chromatids were classified as both PCS and diploid. χ 2 and Fisher9s exact test were used for data analysis. In our study, the increase in the frequency of PCS was statistically significant (p
Myeloma proteins, Bence Jones proteins and normal immunoglobulins in multiple myeloma.

The relationship between the anomalous and normal immunoglobulins was studied through measurement of myeloma protein (MP), Bence Jones protein (BJP), and the normal γG, γA, γM and γD-globulin levels in a large group of patients with multiple myeloma. These determinations were made prior to and after initiation of three different therapeutic protocols. Thirteen out of 18 patients had at least a 25 per cent reduction in MP or BJP within 6 months. This response was characterized by considerable variation both in the rate and period of time before the anomalous proteins decreased. The type of response was independent of (1) light chain type (K or L) of G or A-MP, (2) heavy chain subgroup or genetic (Gm) factors of G-MP, and (3) electrophorectic mobility of the MP. The ratio among multiple components of heterogenous G or A-MP was not altered by therapy. The initial level of MP, in the case of patients with G-MP, may be one factor in the type of response observed. The rate of reduction of MP and BJP was extremely rapid in patients who received prednisone in conjunction with melphalan. It appeared that synthesis of anomalous γ-globulin components was completely suppressed with this treatment regimen. This type of response was not observed in patients treated with melphalan alone. The mean values for each of the normal immunoglobulin (IG) classes (γG, γA, γM and γD-globulin) were reduced below normal. Two classes, γA and γD-globulin, were particularly low. Prior to therapy, however, the extent of reduction of each IG class varied in an individual patient. An inverse relationship was found for γM-globulin and G-MP levels. Part of the normal γG-globulin in patients with G-MP was determined by measurement of Vi (γ2c) levels. Different patterns of response to therapy were noted for each class of IG. More commonly, the response of a normal IG was independent of the response of the anomalous protein and furthermore, could not be related to a particular treatment schedule. In some instances, therapy contributed to further suppression of normal IG levels.
The Physiology of the Grid

In both e-business and e-science, we often need to integrate services across distributed, heterogeneous, dynamic “virtual organizations” formed from the disparate resources within a single enterprise and/or from external resource sharing and service provider relationships. This integration can be technically challenging because of the need to achieve various qualities of service when running on top of different native platforms. We present an Open Grid Services Architecture that addresses these challenges. Building on concepts and technologies from the Grid and Web services communities, this architecture defines a uniform exposed service semantics (the Grid service); defines standard mechanisms for creating, naming, and discovering transient Grid service instances; provides location transparency and multiple protocol bindings for service instances; and supports integration with underlying native platform facilities. The Open Grid Services Architecture also defines, in terms of Web Services Description Language (WSDL) interfaces and associated conventions, mechanisms required for creating and composing sophisticated distributed systems, including lifetime management, change management, and notification. Service bindings can support reliable invocation, authentication, authorization, and delegation, if required. Our presentation complements an earlier foundational article, “The Anatomy of the Grid,” by describing how Grid mechanisms can implement a service-oriented architecture, explaining how Grid functionality can be incorporated into a Web services framework, and illustrating how our architecture can be applied within commercial computing as a basis for distributed system integration—within and across organizational domains. This is a DRAFT document and continues to be revised. The latest version can be found at http://www.globus.org/research/papers/ogsa.pdf. Please send comments to foster@mcs.anl.gov, carl@isi.edu, jnick@us.ibm.com, tuecke@mcs.anl.gov Physiology of the Grid 2
Does income drive saving?: Exogeneity testing applied to East Asian Data

Abstract Many economic models have been developed which have had as their primary goal the elucidation and accurate prediction of economic growth patterns. In these models we frequently discover that many of the variables which determine growth are themselves determined by growth. Saving (investment) is one such variable. In the process of estimating a model, a commitment as to the casual ordering of variables must be made. The causal ordering is typically made on a priori grounds. In this paper I give the data themselves a chance to speak to the issue of whether income drives saving (investment) or vice versa within the context of a simple, but familiar bivariate saving-income model.
Brain activation to facial expressions in youth with PTSD symptoms

OBJECTIVE: This study examined activation to facial expressions in youth with a history of interpersonal trauma and current posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) compared to healthy controls (HC). DESIGN AND ANALYSIS: Twenty-three medication-naive youth with PTSS and 23 age- and gender-matched HC underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while viewing fearful, angry, sad, happy, and neutral faces. Data were analyzed for group differences in location of activation, as well as timing of activation during the early versus late phase of the block. Using SPM5, significant activation (P Language: en
Institutional Free Exercise and Religious Land Use

The Supreme Court’s recent decision in Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church and School v. E.E.O.C. declared that the First Amendment “gives special solicitude to the rights of religious organizations.” This recognition of institutional free exercise rights has important implications for religious land uses. The Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) protects religious landowners from the imposition, through a land use regulation, of a substantial burden on religious exercise. Most RLUIPA claims are brought by the religious institution that owns property subject to a regulation. Nonetheless, courts and commentators evaluate these claims by applying a standard derived from cases involving individual free exercise rights. This approach has contributed to the significant lack of clarity regarding what constitutes a substantial burden, leaving property owners and local governments without a firm conception of the scope of land use protections for religious institutions. This Article contends that courts and commentators have failed to consider the implications of the institutional identity of the vast majority of land use claimants under RLUIPA. Both the concept of institutional free exercise and the treatment of institutions in other land use contexts shed significant light on how to clarify land use protections for religious institutions. Institutional free exercise provides a touchstone for distinguishing between the religious exercise of religious institutions and individual adherents and for understanding the distinct ways in which these institutions experience burdens. The treatment of nonprofit institutions in comparable land use contexts, particularly hardship claims under landmark laws, can help shape an analysis sensitive to the distinct, non-commercial concerns of religious property owners. The analysis proposed in this Article reframes the interpretation of RLUIPA and provides insights applicable to evaluating hardships on other civil society institutions. It also offers broader insights into the relationship between religious institutions and the state and a starting point for further scholarship on how Hosanna-Tabor and the concept of institutional free exercise should affect institutional claims in other contexts.
Ethical and Societal Values in Nanotoxicology

This chapter has explored a variety of ways that ethical and societal values associated with environmental policy making move “upstream” into the practice of policy-relevant scientific research. In the case of nanotoxicology, researchers face value-laden decisions about what materials to study, what biological models to employ, which effects to examine, and what standards of evidence to demand. Depending on how these choices are made, they can support the interests of those who want to aggressively protect environmental and public health, or they can benefit the regulated industries that are trying to market new products. In order to incorporate more effective ethical and societal reflection on these decisions, the chapter suggests developing socially-sensitive research-ethics training, developing appropriate forms of deliberation, and strategically investing in independently funded research.
Cost-benefit analysis mediation of the relationship between sensation seeking and risk behavior among adolescents

Risk behavior during adolescence results in substantial morbidity and mortality. Sensation seeking consistently relates to engagement in risk behavior, but the psychological mediators of this relationship remain unclear. The current study demonstrates that adolescents’ judgments of the costs versus benefits of risk behavior were a significant mediator of this relationship. Participants were 406 racially and ethnically diverse adolescents ages 12–17 (M = 14.5, SD = 1.7; 48.3% female) who participated in a larger multi-site investigation of personality and neurocognitive predictors of risk behavior. Data were collected via self-report in a single laboratory session. Mediation of the relationship of sensation seeking to risk behavior was tested using structural equation modeling. Results indicated that higher levels of sensation seeking predicted weighing the benefits of risk behavior higher than its costs, which in turn predicted higher levels of risk behavior. Implications of these findings for understanding mechanisms underlying adolescents’ risk behavior and directions for future research are discussed.