cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Self-organized complexity in economics and finance.

This article discusses some of the similarities between work being done by economists and by physicists seeking to contribute to economics. We also mention some of the differences in the approaches taken and seek to justify these different approaches by developing the argument that by approaching the same problem from different points of view, new results might emerge. In particular, we review two newly discovered scaling results that appear to be universal, in the sense that they hold for widely different economies as well as for different time periods: (i) the fluctuation of price changes of any stock market is characterized by a probability density function, which is a simple power law with exponent −4 extending over 102 SDs (a factor of 108 on the y axis); this result is analogous to the Gutenberg–Richter power law describing the histogram of earthquakes of a given strength; and (ii) for a wide range of economic organizations, the histogram shows how size of organization is inversely correlated to fluctuations in size with an exponent ≈0.2. Neither of these two new empirical laws has a firm theoretical foundation. We also discuss results that are reminiscent of phase transitions in spin systems, where the divergent behavior of the response function at the critical point (zero magnetic field) leads to large fluctuations.
Metal-organic chemical vapor deposition of ZrO2 films using Zr(thd)4 as precursors

Synthesis of zirconium tetramethylheptanedione [Zr(thd)4] was optimized. Purity of Zr(thd)4 was confirmed by melting point determination, carbon, and hydrogen elemental analysis and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer (NMR). By using Zr(thd)4, excellent quality ZrO2 thin films were successfully deposited on single-crystal silicon wafers by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) at reduced pressures. For substrate temperatures below 530 °C, the film deposition rates were very small (⋚1 nm/min). The film deposition rates were significantly affected by (i) source temperature, (ii) substrate temperature, and (iii) total pressure. As-deposited films are carbon free. Furthermore, only the tetragonal ZrO2 phase was identified in as-deposited films. The tetragonal phase transformed progressively into the monoclinic phase as the films were subjected to a high-temperature post-deposition annealing. The optical properties of the ZrO2 thin films as a function of wavelength, in the range of 200 nm to 2000 nm, were also reported. In addition, a simplified theoretical model which considers only a surface reaction was used to analyze the deposition of ZrO2 films. The model predicated the deposition rates well for various conditions in the hot wall reactor.
Addressing Undergraduate Student Misconceptions about Natural Selection with an Interactive Simulated Laboratory

Although evolutionary theory is considered to be a unifying foundation for biological education, misconceptions about basic evolutionary processes such as natural selection inhibit student understanding. Even after instruction, students harbor misconceptions about natural selection, suggesting that traditional teaching methods are insufficient for correcting these confusions. This has spurred an effort to develop new teaching methods and tools that effectively confront student misconceptions. In this study, we designed an interactive computer-based simulated laboratory to teach the principles of evolution through natural selection and to correct common student misconceptions about this process. We quantified undergraduate student misconceptions and understanding of natural selection before and after instruction with multiple-choice and open-response test questions and compared student performance across gender and academic levels. While our lab appeared to be effective at dispelling some common misconceptions about natural selection, we did not find evidence that it was as successful at increasing student mastery of the major principles of natural selection. Student performance varied across student academic level and question type, but students performed equally across gender. Beginner students were more likely to use misconceptions before instruction. Advanced students showed greater improvement than beginners on multiple-choice questions, while beginner students reduced their use of misconceptions in the open-response questions to a greater extent. These results suggest that misconceptions can be effectively addressed through computer-based simulated laboratories. Given the level of misconception use by beginner and advanced undergraduates and the gains in performance recorded after instruction at both academic levels, natural selection should continue to be reviewed through upper-level biology courses.
Evolving neural network ensembles for control problems

In neuroevolution, a genetic algorithm is used to evolve a neural network to perform a particular task. The standard approach is to evolve a population over a number of generations, and then select the final generation's champion as the end result. However, it is possible that there is valuable information present in the population that is not captured by the champion. The standard approach ignores all such information. One possible solution to this problem is to combine multiple individuals from the final population into an ensemble. This approach has been successful in supervised classification tasks, and in this paper, it is extended to evolutionary reinforcement learning in control problems. The method is evaluated on a challenging extension of the classic pole balancing task, demonstrating that an ensemble can achieve significantly better performance than the champion alone.
Transistor Bonding Wire Corrosion in Type TO Cans

Wire- to- post bonds of silicon transistors in hermetic TO type packages are reliably corrosion resistant. A field failure rate of 0.21 ppm is attributed to random, uncontrolled contaminants acting in conjunction with excessive moisture. An exhaustive effort to replicate such failures employing high temperature and humidity in the absence of deliberately introduced contaminants was unsuccessful.
Molecular characterization of the commonly used human androgen receptor expression vector, pSG5-AR.

BACKGROUND. pSG5-AR is a commonly used androgen receptor (AR) expression vector. However, a detailed molecular characterization of this construct has not been published. In this study, we describe the molecular organization of the above plasmid and analyze the AR transcript coded by the above construct. METHODS. pSG5-AR was sequenced by the standard dideoxy sequencing method. The obtained sequence was analyzed by the DS Gene software. RESULTS. A molecular map of the pSG5-AR plasmid as well as a map of the AR insert is provided. The AR transcript from pSG5-AR is lacking significant portions of the 5 0 - and 3 0 untranslated region (UTR) and contains shorter than average CAG and GGC repeats. CONCLUSIONS. The above characteristics of the pSG5-AR are significant and may result in differentregulationpatternofexpressionoftheexpressedARincomparisontotheendogenous gene.Suchaconclusionisbasedontheknowledgethatpost-transcriptionalregulationplaysan important role in controlling the levels of AR in a cell. Such regulation is controlled by the regulatory elements within the 5 0 - and 3 0 -UTRs of the AR transcript. In addition, this vector might be coding for an AR with a different transactivational capacity than the endogenous AR gene. The transactivational activity of AR was shown to be affected by the size of the trinucleotide-repeat-regions (CAG and GGC) within the gene. Prostate 58: 319–324, 2004. # 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Bringing the bedside to the bench, and then to the community: a prospectus for intervention research in late-life anxiety disorders.

Background Anxiety disorders are highly prevalent in elderly persons, and they are associated with functional impairment, poorer quality of life, and adverse long-term consequences such as cognitive decline. Intervention research in late-life anxiety disorders (LLAD) lags behind where it ought to be. Research in cognitive neuroscience, aging, and stress intersects in LLAD and provides the opportunity to develop innovative interventions to prevent chronic anxiety and its consequences in this age group. Methods This paper evaluates gaps in the evidence base for treatment of LLAD and synthesizes recent research in cognitive neuroscience, basic behavioral science, stress, and aging. Results We examine three intervention issues in LLAD: (1) prevention; (2) acute treatment; and (3) pre-empting adverse consequences. We propose combining randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with mechanistic biobehavioral methodologies as an optimal approach for developing novel, optimized, and personalized treatments. Additionally, we examine three barriers in the field of LLAD research: (1) How do we measure anxiety?; (2) How do we raise awareness?; (3) How will we ensure our research is applicable to underserved populations (particularly minority groups)? Conclusions This prospectus outlines approaches for intervention research that can reduce the morbidity of LLAD. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Polymorphic Human Insulin-Responsive Glucose-Transporter Gene on Chromosome 17p13

Glucose uptake by heart, skeletal muscle, and adipose tissue is acutely regulated by insulin, which stimulates facilitative glucose transport, at least in part, by promoting the translocation of transporters from an intracellular pool to the plasma membrane. cDNAs encoding the major human insulin-responsive glucose transporter have been isolated and indicate that the insulin-responsive glucose transporter expressed by heart, skeletal muscle, and adipose tissue is a 509-amino acid protein having 65.3, 54.3, and 57.5% identity with the erythrocyte/HepG2, liver, and fetal muscle glucose transporters, respectively. The gene encoding the insulin-responsive glucose transporter (designated GLUT4) was mapped to the p11----p13 region of the short arm of human chromosome 17 by analyzing its segregation in a panel of reduced human-mouse somatic cell hybrids. In situ hybridization to prometaphase chromosomes indicated that GLUT4 was in band p13. A common two-allele restriction-fragment-length polymorphism (RFLP) was identified with Kpn I, and linkage of this RFLP to other polymorphic DNA markers in this region of chromosome 17 provides a set of probes that will be useful for examining the role of this gene in the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus.
Dependence of Rabbit External Jugular Vein Vasoreactivity on Segment Size and Location

In this study, the dependence of vein segment length, weight, and location on vasore activity was examined. Twenty-four segments from 12 external jugular veins from 6 New Zealand White rabbits were harvested from the proximal (near the thoracic inlet) or distal (near the linguofacial vein/external jugular vein bifurcation) external jugular vein with in vivo lengths of either 3 or 8 mm. Segments were studied in vitro at their resting tension in an organ bath system. The results showed that bradykinin (BK)- and histamine (HIST)-induced maximal active tension was dependent on vessel size (BK: 3 mm segments 0.54 ±0.10 g vs 8 mm segments 1.42 ±0.23 g, P = 0.0003 by paired t test; HIST: 3 mm segments 0.49 ±0.15 vs 8 mm segments 1.10 ±0.24, P = 0.018) and weight (BK: P < 0.0001 by linear regression; HIST: P = 0.0031). In contrast, BK sensi tivity was dependent on location (proximal segments, -logED50 7.81 ±0.15 vs distal segments 8.48 ±0.14, P = 0.0006) but was not dependent on size (3 mm segments 8.24 ±0.22 vs ...
Changes in brain membrane phospholipid and high-energy phosphate metabolism precede dementia

A 52-year-old Caucasian male was followed with Mattis and 31P MRS examinations every 6 months for 33 months. At entry into the study, the subject had a normal clinical examination and normal Mattis scores but had alterations in MRS measures of membrane phospholipid and high-energy phosphate metabolism indistinguishable from those previously reported in mildly demented AD patients. After 33 months of follow-up, the subject had clinical and Mattis findings suggestive of possible incipient dementia and after 46 months of follow-up there was sufficient cognitive decline to make the diagnosis of dementia with a frontal lobe preponderance. The findings in this subject support the contention that alterations in brain membrane phospholipid and high-energy metabolism can be noninvasively detected by 31P MRS years before any clinical manifestations of the disease.
"Increased frequency of T cell receptor V alpha 12.1 expression on CD8+ T cells: evidence that V alpha participates in shaping the peripheral T cell repertoire".

The T cell receptor repertoire has a potential for vast diversity. However, this diversity is limited by the fact that the majority of thymocytes die as the repertoire is shaped by positive and negative selection events during development. Such thymic selection affecting TCR V beta gene segment usage has been demonstrated in the mouse. However, similar data has not been forthcoming in man, and little is known about the role of the TCR alpha chain in antigen/major histocompatibility complex (MHC) recognition in any species. Here, we used a monoclonal antibody recognizing the TCR V alpha 12.1 gene product to assess the expression of this gene in the peripheral blood of man. In most individuals tested, the percentage of cells expressing V alpha 12.1 was significantly higher in CD8+ T cells than in CD4+ T cells. That the V alpha gene product itself was responsible for this increased expression in CD8+ T cells was underscored by the lack of substantial skewing of V beta usage in the V alpha 12.1-bearing T cells. Moreover, the skewed expression of V alpha 12.1 was already present at birth, indicating that it was likely to be due to a developmental process rather than the result of exposure to environmental antigens. Based on the established role for CD8 in binding to class I MHC molecules, we suggest that increased expression of V alpha 12.1 on CD8+ T cells points to a role for TCR's using V alpha 12.1 in class I MHC/Ag recognition. These results indicate that V alpha gene usage in the peripheral blood of man is not random, and they support a role for V alpha as a participant in the self-MHC recognition process that shapes the TCR repertoire.
Box–Muller transformation

The generation of pseudo-random numbers is critical for modern statistical computing. Given any of the well-tested pseudo-random generators for the uniform distribution, the probability integral transform may be employed to provide an exact algorithm for transformation to any desired probability distribution. However, if the cumulative distribution function does not afford a simple form, then this strategy is not effective. In particular, the cumulative distribution function of the normal density is not easy to work within this framework. This article describes the ingenious transformation described by Box and Muller in 1958. WIREs Comp Stat 2011 3 177–179 DOI: 10.1002/wics.148 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website
Neglecting to Screen Women Between the Ages of 40 and 49 Years With Mammography: What Is the Impact on Breast Cancer Diagnosis?

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to compare breast cancer stage at diagnosis in two groups of women between 40 and 49 years old: women undergoing screening mammography and women with a symptom needing diagnostic workup. This comparison is indicative of the impact of forgoing screening in this age group, as recommended by the United States Preventive Services Task Force. MATERIALS AND METHODS. A retrospective chart review was used to collect the results of imaging-guided core needle biopsies performed in women between the ages of 40 and 49 years from January 1, 2008, to December 31, 2009. In patients diagnosed with breast cancer or a high-risk lesion, the reason for presentation, pathology, tumor size, stage, and receptor characteristics were recorded. The chi-square test was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS. Of 108 primary breast cancers, 71 were detected in the screened group and 37 in the unscreened group. The screened group was significantly more likely to be diagnosed with ductal carcino...
Automatic alignment of a camera with a line scan LIDAR system

We propose a new method for extrinsic calibration of a line-scan LIDAR with a perspective projection camera. Our method is a closed-form, minimal solution to the problem. The solution is a symbolic template found via variable elimination and the multi-polynomial Macaulay resultant. It does not require initialization, and can be used in an automatic calibration setting when paired with RANSAC and least-squares refinement. We show the efficacy of our approach through a set of simulations and a real calibration.
Nanoengineered electrochemical sensor based on mesoporous silica thin-film functionalized with thiol-terminated monolayer

A mesoporous silica thin film was synthesized via a surfactant-templating process, where a silica sol gel is spin-coated onto the surface of a microchip-based gold microelectrode. Within the film was a cubic lattice of pores having a primary size of 77 A. Thiol (-SH) functional groups were subsequently immobilized onto the mesoporous silica thin film through a self-assembly process. The thiol-functionalized mesoporous silica (SH-FMS) thin film was used as the electrode sensing layer for detection of lead(II) in aqueous solutions by employing a square wave adsorptive stripping voltammetry technique. The electrode modified with the SH-FMS thin-film utilized the binding affinity of lead(II) to the thiol ligands to perform the preconcentration step under an open circuit, with no additional electrolytes. The voltammetric responses for lead(II) increased linearly with the preconcentration time from 1 to 30 min. The responses also increased linearly with lead(II) concentrations ranging from 250 to 5000 ppb after 5 min preconcentration and from 25–100 ppb after 30 min preconcentration.
Family Functioning and Coping Styles in Families of Children With Cancer and HIV Disease

Disease-specific characteristics of pediatric illnesses may influence the functioning of families and the coping responses they enact. This study compared family functioning and coping styles within and between 2 different medical groups: families of children with cancer (n = 44) and HIV disease (n = 65). Most caregivers reported healthy family functioning, and no between-group differences in functioning emerged. However, with regard to coping, more reliance on social support was indicated among the cancer group. Also, the HIV group largely sought support from family, whereas both family and nonfamily support were sought among the cancer group. Better functioning was related to reframing, an active coping style, within the cancer group and passive coping within the HIV group. Thus, coping strategies and their implications for family functioning vary by condition. Researchers should avoid combining various illness groups indiscriminately. Likewise, clinicians should be sensitive to disease-specific factors...
Robustness properties of dispersion estimators

In this paper, we derive the influence function of dispersion estimators, based on a scale approach. The relation between the gross-error sensitivity of dispersion estimators and the one of the underlying scale estimator is described. We show that for the bivariate Gaussian distributions, the asymptotic variance of covariance estimators is minimal in the independent case, and is strictly increasing with the absolute value of the underlying covariance. The behavior of the asymptotic variance of correlation estimators seems to be the opposite, i.e. maximal for independent data, and strictly decreasing with the absolute value of the underlying correlation. In particular, dispersion estimators based on M-estimators of scale are studied closely. The one based on the median absolute deviation is the most B-robust in the class of symmetric estimators. Some other examples are analyzed, based on the maximum likelihood and the Welsch estimator of scale.
Query reformulation with constraints

Let Σ1, Σ2 be two schemas, which may overlap, C be a set of constraints on the joint schema Σ1 ∪ Σ2, and q1 be a Σ1-query. An (equivalent) reformulation of q1 in the presence of C is a Σ2-query, q2, such that q2 gives the same answers as q1 on any Σ1 ∪ Σ2-database instance that satisfies C. In general, there may exist multiple such reformulations and choosing among them may require, for example, a cost model.
Agricultural Energy Crops and the Search for Alternative Energy: Analysis of the Current Research and Core Journal Literature on Biofuels and Bioenergy

ABSTRACT This paper analyzes the agricultural research output on energy crops and bioenergy for the period 2000–2005. Seven hundred eighty-three (783) articles gathered from CAB Abstracts from this period were analyzed to determine which disciplines have been publishing the most on this subject. The findings show that engineering-related research is most prevalent but that twelve distinct agricultural disciplines produced research on the subject during the study period, with varying degrees of productivity for each discipline. The actual agricultural energy resources being researched were determined by examining the 783 articles. The resources were divided into woody crops, non-woody crops, and animal-based resources, and the number of articles for each was tabulated. The three resource types were further examined to create a list of the individual crops or animal-based resources under investigation, along with the number of articles for each individual crop or resource. The core journal literature dealin...
Animal Models of Pulmonary Fibrosis

Abstract In general, there are two types of animal models: natural and experimental. Because there are no natural models for pulmonary fibrosis, an experimental model that reproduces key aspects of the human disease would be useful for the study of this form of lung disease, the natural history of which is not always known. To date, a variety of animal models have been used to investigate mechanisms of pulmonary and other types of fibrosis, including the intratracheal instillation of bleomycin, fluorescein isothiocyanate, or particulate matter, such as silica and asbestos. This chapter will describe two commonly used techniques, namely bleomycin and silica-induced, which have been developed for the study of pulmonary fibrosis in animal models.
Lobbyists are People Too, and They Should Be Free to Contribute to California Legislative Races

The question is straightforward: does California’s ban on campaign contributions from lobbyists violate the First Amendment? The answer is not straightforward. The purpose of this Comment is to assess the validity of California’s ban against the changes to campaign finance law since Chief Justice John Roberts’s appointment to the Court. The Chief Judge has authored several decisions that diverted the course of campaign finance law through constitutional interpretations that will likely overwhelm California’s justifications for the ban.In 2000, California enacted Government Code § 85702, thereby barring lobbyists from making contributions to an elected state officer or candidate for state office if the lobbyist is registered to lobby the officer’s government agency. In 2001, the only time the question was litigated, the District Court for the Eastern District of California found the ban to be constitutional on First Amendment grounds. The decision was not appealed and remains the only case law on the ban. At the end of California’s 2015 legislative session, the state had nearly 1,800 registered lobbyists.Questioning the vitality of the ban is important because unrestricted political speech is an indispensable element of democratic self-governance. If the ban were challenged today, the outcome may be markedly different. Since Chief Justice John Roberts joined the Supreme Court in 2005, campaign finance limitations have been dramatically struck down as unconstitutional. California’s ban was enacted near the end of the Rehnquist Court, where decisions like Austin and McConnell averred a broad threat of corporate influence in elections to uphold restrictions on the political speech of corporations. However, the Roberts Court overturned parts of Austin and McConnell in Citizens United and McCutcheon, downplaying the threat of potential corruption caused by corporate monies in elections. If litigated today, California’s ban on lobbyist campaign contributions would likely be held unconstitutional as an overbroad restriction that neither respects lobbyists’ personal political interests nor responds to threats of actual or perceived corruption.
Accelerated Brain DCE-MRI Using Iterative Reconstruction With Total Generalized Variation Penalty for Quantitative Pharmacokinetic Analysis: A Feasibility Study.

Purpose:To investigate the feasibility of using undersampled k-space data and an iterative image reconstruction method with total generalized variation penalty in the quantitative pharmacokinetic analysis for clinical brain dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging.Methods:Eight brain dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging scans were retrospectively studied. Two k-space sparse sampling strategies were designed to achieve a simulated image acquisition acceleration factor of 4. They are (1) a golden ratio–optimized 32-ray radial sampling profile and (2) a Cartesian-based random sampling profile with spatiotemporal-regularized sampling density constraints. The undersampled data were reconstructed to yield images using the investigated reconstruction technique. In quantitative pharmacokinetic analysis on a voxel-by-voxel basis, the rate constant Ktrans in the extended Tofts model and blood flow FB and blood volume VB from the 2-compartment exchange model were analyzed. Finally, the qu...
Design and Simulation of Logic Circuits with Hybrid Architectures of Single Electron Transistors and Conventional Devices

Single electron transistor is a nanoelectronic three terminal device. It provides current conduction characteristics comparable to a MOSFET. In this paper, the authors have designed and simulated logic circuit architectures with a combination of SET and conventional devices such as MOSFETs and comparators. The performances of these hybrid architectures and their advantages and disadvantages with SET standalone circuits have also been studied
Haplotype-environment interactions that regulate the human GSTP1 promoter.

B98 Phase II detoxification of carcinogens is reported to mediate some of the anti-carcinogenesis effects of candidate chemopreventive agents. We explored the interaction between sequence variation in the GSTP1 gene promoter and candidate chemopreventive exposure in regulating human GSTP1 expression. Polymorphisms along 1.8 kb of the GSTP1 promoter were identified in leukocytes (PBMCs) from 40 Caucasian subjects. Ten promoter polymorphisms (nine previously unreported) displayed strong linkage disequilibrium, yielding identification of three frequently-observed haplotypes [HAP1 (43%), HAP2 (36%), and HAP3 (8%)]. The existence of these haplotypes has now been experimentally confirmed by direct sequencing of representative homozygotes, and by cloning and sequencing representative heterozygotes. Each haplotype was reproduced from a common template by iterative site-directed mutagenesis, cloned into luciferase reporter constructs, and then transfected into normal human bronchial epithelial (NHBE) cells. Basal HAP3 reporter activity was significantly elevated (1.8-fold), but decreased to the same levels as HAP2 and HAP1 with increasing concentrations of sulforaphane, BITC, and EGCG. To confirm native HAP3 functionality, we quantitated mRNA expression in uncultured PBMCs and in laser microdissected normal lung epithelial cells (MNLECs) from the same patients. Basal mRNA expression was higher in HAP3 individuals [1.8-fold (PBMCs) and 4-fold (MNLECs) for HAP3 heterozygotes; 2.3-fold (PBMCs), and 15-fold (MNLECs) for the HAP3 homozygote], than in the other genotypes. PBMC GSTP1 mRNA expression correlated to MNLEC expression (R 2 = 0.77). After culture and in vitro exposure to sulforaphane, BITC, or EGCG, the elevated GSTP1 mRNA expression of PBMCs from HAP3 individuals decreased to common expression levels. Elevated HAP3 function was confirmed at the protein level in PBMCs (5-fold higher for HAP3 heterozygotes, 7.6-fold for the HAP3 homozygote). These data suggest a potentially protective GSTP1 promoter haplotype, and unpredicted inhibitory chemopreventive agent-haplotype interactions.
Development of a voided urine assay for detecting prostate cancer non-invasively: a pilot study.

Objective To validate a hypothesis that prostate cancer can be detected non-invasively by a simple and reliable assay by targeting genomic VPAC receptors expressed on malignant prostate cancer cells shed in voided urine. Patients/Subjects and Methods VPAC receptors were targeted with a specific biomolecule, TP4303, developed in our laboratory. With an Institutional Review Board exempt approval of use of de-identified discarded samples, an aliquot of urine collected as a standard of care, from patients presenting to the urology clinic (207 patients, 176 men and 31 women, aged ≥21 years) was cytospun. The cells were fixed and treated with TP4303 and 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI). The cells were then observed under a microscope and cells with TP4303 orange fluorescence around the blue (DAPI) nucleus were considered ‘malignant’ and those only with a blue nucleus were regarded as ‘normal’. VPAC presence was validated using receptor blocking assay and cell malignancy was confirmed by prostate cancer gene profile examination. Results The urine specimens were labelled only with gender and presenting diagnosis, with no personal health identifiers or other clinical data. The assay detected VPAC positive cells in 98.6% of the men with a prostate cancer diagnosis (141), and none of the 10 men with benign prostatic hyperplasia. Of the 56 ‘normal’ patients, 62.5% (35 patients, 10 men and 25 women) were negative for VPAC cells; 19.6% (11, 11 men and no women) had VPAC positive cells; and 17.8% (10, four men and six women) were uninterpretable due to excessive crystals in the urine. Although data are limited, the sensitivity of the assay was 99.3% with a confidence interval (CI) of 96.1–100% and the specificity was 100% with a CI of 69.2–100%. Receptor blocking assay and fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) analyses demonstrated the presence of VPAC receptors and gene profiling examinations confirmed that the cells expressing VPAC receptors were malignant prostate cancer cells. Conclusion These preliminary data are highly encouraging and warrant further evaluation of the assay to serve as a simple and reliable tool to detect prostate cancer non-invasively.
“My Profession Chose Me:” Precarity, Pragmatism, and Professionalism in Caribbean and West African Immigrant Domestic Workers’ Narratives

Extensive literature on care work or domestic work — childcare, eldercare, and housecleaning — in the United States and internationally has highlighted how the sector's affective aspects, e.g., intimacy, personalism, and fictive kin relationships, extract “surplus emotional labor” (Hochschild 1983 from women workers, who, in turn, often justify their caregiving labor through expressions of sentiment and kin obligation. In this article, I draw on three women's narrative framings of their domestic work jobs to argue that immigrant women in New York City emphasize structural, practical, and contextual elements of their domestic/caregiving labor, challenging constructions of care sector labor as evidence of innate caring aptitudes, womanly duty, or moral service. These characterizations have direct labor policy implications for paid care work — as evidenced in recent reforms. They also provide a theoretical basis for broader redistributive politics linking paid and unpaid caregiving labor.
Scaling Agricultural Innovations: Pigeonpea in Malawi

Successful scaling of agricultural development strategies is fundamental to increased production and yields, yet targeting efforts frequently fail to fully consider the underlying biophysical drivers of agricultural marginality, particularly at fine spatial resolutions. We present a heuristic for intelligent targeting, utilizing remotely sensed information to identify the intersection between marginal conditions for performance of a staple crop and the optimal niche for technologies that improve crop performance. Here, we explore the geographic potential of maize diversification with pigeonpea, a crop with soil productivity enhancing properties. Overall, 79 percent of agricultural land in Malawi exhibits climate conditions optimal for pigeonpea cultivation and, in total, approximately 51 percent of Malawian maize-based farming is expected to receive some benefit from pigeonpea integration, with 9 percent receiving predictable and substantial benefits. These findings illustrate the geographic scaling poten...
Fitting in to Move Forward: Belonging, Gender, and Persistence in the Physical Sciences, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (pSTEM)

Social science researchers have increasingly focused on understanding the precursors to gender disparities favoring men in the physical sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics (pSTEM). I...
Minimizing occupational exposure to pesticides: Federal reentry standards for farm workers (present and proposed)

A reentry standard could be defined as a regulatory measure instituted to limit the exposure of field workers to toxic pesticide residues upon entering previously treated agricultural areas. Included in this definition are (1) those measures designed to reduce the transfer of the toxic residues to the workers, and (2) those measures designed to reduce the residues available for exposure of the workers. Within the first group are protective clothing, gloves, respirators, dust masks, hats, and any other mechanical barriers between the applicator and the pesticide as applied. Within the second group are reentry intervals, spraying of foliage with water, closed system applications, and other means to reduce the pesticide residues. This paper is concerned mainly with reentry intervals.
Fluorescent nucleobases as tools for studying DNA and RNA

Understanding the diversity of dynamic structures and functions of DNA and RNA in biology requires tools that can selectively and intimately probe these biomolecules. Synthetic fluorescent nucleobases that can be incorporated into nucleic acids alongside their natural counterparts have emerged as a powerful class of molecular reporters of location and environment. They are enabling new basic insights into DNA and RNA, and are facilitating a broad range of new technologies with chemical, biological and biomedical applications. In this Review, we will present a brief history of the development of fluorescent nucleobases and explore their utility as tools for addressing questions in biophysics, biochemistry and biology of nucleic acids. We provide chemical insights into the two main classes of these compounds: canonical and non-canonical nucleobases. A point-by-point discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of both types of fluorescent nucleobases is made, along with a perspective into the future challenges and outlook for this burgeoning field.
Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling in Liver Development, Homeostasis, and Pathobiology

The liver is an organ that performs a multitude of functions, and its health is pertinent and indispensable to survival. Thus, the cellular and molecular machinery driving hepatic functions is of utmost relevance. The Wnt signaling pathway is one such signaling cascade that enables hepatic homeostasis and contributes to unique hepatic attributes such as metabolic zonation and regeneration. The Wnt/β-catenin pathway plays a role in almost every facet of liver biology. Furthermore, its aberrant activation is also a hallmark of various hepatic pathologies. In addition to its signaling function, β-catenin also plays a role at adherens junctions. Wnt/β-catenin signaling also influences the function of many different cell types. Due to this myriad of functions, Wnt/β-catenin signaling is complex, context-dependent, and highly regulated. In this review, we discuss the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, its role in cell-cell adhesion and liver function, and the cell type-specific roles of Wnt/β-catenin signaling as it relates to liver physiology and pathobiology.
The Panic of 1907 and the High Tide of Progressivism (A)

In June 1913, President Woodrow Wilson confronts a legislative deadlock over terms to define a new Federal Reserve Bank for the United States. The recent Panic of 1907 triggered a major civic reaction that sought to dispense with a 100-year-old antipathy to central banking. Now, Wilson must decide how best to harness the civic reaction in framing a new central bank. Wilson's dilemma occurs in the midst of a dramatic regime shift in American politics. The rise of Populists and Progressive politicians in reaction to the rapid transformation of America in the Gilded Age marks 1913 as a historic pivot point. It is useful to consider how the Panic of 1907 contributed to that pivot and how the public subsequently reacted to the panic. Excerpt UVA-F-1781 Rev. Sept. 14, 2020 The Panic of 1907 and the High Tide of Progressivism (A) In early June 1913, President Woodrow Wilson contemplated legislative deadlock over a bill to establish a central bank in the United States. The law under consideration was titled An Act to Provide for the Establishment of Federal Reserve Banks, to Furnish an Elastic Currency, to Afford Means of Rediscounting Commercial Paper, to Establish a more Effective Supervision of Banking, and for Other Purposes (also known as the Federal Reserve Act). A disagreement between prospective sponsors of the bill, Representative Carter Glass and Senator Robert Owen, threatened to derail its progress through Congress (see Exhibit1 for brief biographies of Wilson, Glass, and Owen). It had been in development since early January and represented a massive change in public opinion and legislative sentiment. Wilson had ordered Congress to remain in session during what was proving to be a long, hot Washington, DC, summer in order to push through this legislation. Now, the whole effort seemed threatened by intransigence. He called Glass and Owen to the White House to resolve their differences and restore momentum to the effort. Wilson reflected on the competing versions of the bill and how they compared to legislation presented 20months earlier by a Republican, Senator Nelson Aldrich (see Exhibit1). He wondered how well the Federal Reserve Act might forestall financial panics in the future. And how would this act reflect the popular will? What would a central bank accomplish that the US Treasury and clearinghouses couldn't? How did the Federal Reserve Act complement the Progressive impulse? He reflected on the rapid change in public opinion regarding a central bank and on the possible influence of the recent Panic of 1907. Wilson wanted to exploit the momentum of the first year of his presidency. He was on the way to establishing a remarkable record of new laws and policies, consistent with Progressive ideals: . . .
Going Small: Using the Insect Brain as a Model System for Edge Processing Applications

In this work I explore bio-inspired architectures for adaptive and smart sensing incorporating two key aspects present on the insect brain that are not found in more traditional neural network approaches: modulated, hierarchical processing and modulated learning. Our architecture incorporates two central ideas: 1) a state-dependent processing of inputs that can be triggered internally or externally, and 2) state-dependent online learning capabilities, in this specific case allowing the system to change the valence associated to different types of input. These ideas are explored through a hybrid design in which information is processed through a spiking neural network, while a recurrent non-spiking component provides the modulatory feedback to the system. The proposed approach exemplifies how neuromorphic computing approaches naturally integrate sensing and processing within a single functional unit. The proposed architecture can be implemented using conventional VLSI processing, though the integration of novel materials can help simplify its implementation.
MRI assessment of the thigh musculature in dermatomyositis and healthy subjects using diffusion tensor imaging, intravoxel incoherent motion and dynamic DTI

The original version of this article, published on 04 June 2018, unfortunately contained a mistake.
Phosphorylation of Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase (ERK)-1/2 Is Associated with the Downregulation of Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor (PPAR)-γ during Polymicrobial Sepsis

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ is a ligand-activated transcription factor and regulates inflammation. Posttranslational modifications regulate the function of PPARγ, potentially affecting inflammation. PPARγ contains a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) site, and phosphorylation by extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)-1/2 leads to inhibition of PPARγ. This study investigated the kinetics of PPARγ expression and activation in parenchymal and immune cells in sepsis using the MAPK/ERK kinase (MEK)-1 inhibitor, an upstream kinase of ERK1/2. Adult male Sprague Dawley rats were subjected to polymicrobial sepsis by cecal ligation and puncture. Rats received intraperitoneal injection of vehicle or the MEK1 inhibitor PD98059 (5 mg/kg) 30 min before cecal ligation and puncture. Rats were euthanized at 0, 1, 3, 6 and 18 h after cecal ligation and puncture. Control animals used were animals at time 0 h. Lung, plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were collected for biochemical assays. In vehicle-treated rats, polymicrobial sepsis resulted in significant lung injury. In the lung and PBMCs, nuclear levels of PPARγ were decreased and associated with an increase in phosphorylated PPARγ and phosphorylated ERK1/2 levels. Treatment with the MEK1 inhibitor increased the antiinflammatory plasma adipokine adiponectin, restored PPARγ expression in PBMCs and lung, and decreased lung injury. The inflammatory effects of sepsis cause changes in PPARγ expression and activation, in part, because of phosphorylation of PPARγ by ERK1/2. This phosphorylation can be reversed by ERK1/2 inhibition, thereby improving lung injury.
An Epistemological Critique of Bohmian Mechanics

In this paper, I argue that, as currently developed, Bohm’s theory does not provide a better explanation of observable phenomena than a phenomenalist account of quantum mechanics, that is, an account that merely takes the phenomenological laws of quantum mechanics as its unexplained given. Thus, by a version of Ockam’s razor, I conclude that we do not have sufficient reason to believe that Bohm’s theory is (approximately) true — that is, that it provides a basically correct account of the way the world is. Although not everyone interested in Bohm’s theory is concerned with its truth, it is an issue that should be of concern to those trying to understand what quantum mechanics tells us about the nature of the world.
Social Impact Assessment: Methodological Overview

While environmental impact assessment has focused mainly on the physical and biological properties of natural environments, social impact assessment (SIA) is concentrated on the distinctively human side of human environments. SIA is about “people impacts” —what we are doing to folks (or failing to do for them) where they live, in families and communities, as a consequence of formulating policies, instituting programs and building projects. Its aim is to predict and evaluate those impacts before they have happened. Unlike the more familiar “ evaluation research,” which gauges the effectiveness of policies, programs and projects already in operation,the task for SIA is anticipatory research. It seeks to place the expectation and attainment of desired outcomes on a more rational and reliable basis.
Cross-linked fiberglass packs: Microstructure reconstruction and finite element analysis of the micromechanical behavior

Abstract An automated computational framework is introduced for simulating the micromechanical behavior of a fiberglass insulation pack with cross-linked fibers under compression. A new microstructure reconstruction algorithm is proposed that utilizes the NURBS representation of fiber geometries, together with statistical descriptors extracted from imaging data, to synthesize realistic microstructures by virtually packing fibers with the desired volume fraction, diameter distribution, and spatial orientations. Given the highly nonlinear micromechanical behavior of this nonwoven entangled material due to large deformations and contact-friction between fibers, a reduced-order finite element model is utilized to simulate its deformation response. In this approach, beam elements are used for modeling fibers, while a truss-shaped set of bushing-like connector elements are utilized to model binder particles that provide cross-linking between fibers. The accuracy of this model is verified through comparison with high-fidelity 3D simulations. Appropriate boundary conditions for simulating the mechanical behavior of microstructural models are then studied and the size of representative volume element (RVE) of the fiberglass pack is identified. The model is then employed to analyze the impacts of cross-linking and presence of fiber bundles in the microstructure on the deformation response of this materials system subject to a compressive load.
Retrosigmoid Approach for Vestibular Schwannoma.

Vestibular schwannoma is a benign tumor that affects 3% of the population, but accounts for 85% of tumors occurring at the cerebellopontine angle (CPA). In this case, we present a 48-year-old female with history of cholesteatoma on the right and chronic suppurative otitis media on the left who presented with an 18 month history of bilateral hearing loss, worse on the right. Investigations revealed a right sided vestibular schwannoma measuring 1.6 cm in diameter. Audiogram revealed an AAO–HNS (American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery) class C hearing on the right and class B on the left. There are several management options for this size of vestibular schwannoma including observation and radiosurgery. However, preserving cochlear nerve function remains a challenging enterprise. Furthermore, the ideal management that confers the highest chance of hearing preservation remains heavily debated. Given the patient's young age, the goal of hearing preservation and the tumor size/extension into the CPA, surgery was decided through a right retrosigmoid transmeatal approach for tumor resection with intraoperative brain auditory evoked responses monitoring. For hearing preservation, we emphasize few important dissection techniques: tumor debulking from the top first to avoid early manipulation of the cochlear nerve at the bottom of the tumor, sharp dissection from medial to lateral off the vestibular nerve which is kept intact as a tension band to minimize cochlear nerve manipulations, and limit the drilling of the posterolateral wall of the internal auditory canal (IAC) medial to the labyrinth and endolymphatic apparatus. Postoperatively, the patient was discharged home within 2 days, with imaging showing a gross total resection. Follow-up audiogram shows unchanged pure tone thresholds. The link to the Video can be found at: https://youtu.be/Z5ftkpJN5k8 .
Slot grammars

This paper presents an approach to natural language grammars and parsing in which slots and rules for filling them play a major role. The system described provides a natural way of handling a wide variety of grammatical phenomena, such as WH-movement, verb dependencies, and agreement.