cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Progress and Challenges in Product Line Pricing

In recent years, there has been a substantial increase in research on product line pricing. Modelers in multiple disciplines have offered methods for the optimal design/selection and pricing of the products in new or modified product lines. Behavioral scientists have contributed insights on how consumers' perceptions of product line prices, attributes, and quality levels influence their evaluation of the alternative choices. Significantly, the work of both modelers and behavioral scientists is distributed across three types of product line contexts: price-quality product lines, multi-attribute product lines, and product lines that include a core product plus options. This paper reviews this literature, and assesses its usefulness for managers. One observation is that, while scholars have developed approaches to optimization that offer increased scope and tractability, the applicability of these models is constrained by the narrow specification of profit functions, and the limited consideration of competitive and other dynamic forces. A second conclusion is that the managerial usefulness of the behavioral science research on perceptions and product-line choice has been limited by a dependence on attribute-based estimation of utilities, uncertainty about possible interaction effects, and an excessive focus on the cannibalization aspects of product line pricing. Based on the review, a research agenda is identified for enhancing the applicability of research on consumer perceptions and choice to product line pricing decisions, and for building more complete product line price optimization models.
Absorption of water vapor into LiBr solutions with 2‐ethyl‐1‐hexanol

Absorption of water vapor into a liquid falling film of 50 to 63% lithium-bromide solution is a part of a typical absorption refrigeration cycle. The heat- and mass-transfer rate of the absorption step is often an important factor in the economic design. Significant enhancements in the heat- and mass-transfer rate can be obtained by adding small amounts of surface active agents such as 2-ethyl-hexanol. However, when both mass transfer and surface active agents are present, the surface tension gradients due to concentration differences can lead to instability. In spite of this general understanding of the mechanism, in the system with aqueous lithium bromide and 2-ethyl-1-hexanol the exact role of surface tension gradients due to temperature, concentration of solute, and concentration of surfactant are not well documented. A linear stability analysis for a jet (which is equivalent to a stagnant pool) under adiabatic conditions was presented by Ji et al. (1993). Based on this theoretical study, the critical Marangoni number (Ma) for the onset of the instability should be of the order 10{sup 8}. Using the values of surface tension gradients from Kim et al. (1994), the mass-transfer enhancement in falling films of 50--60% lithium-bromide with 2-ethyl-1-hexanol should be evident atmore » surfactant concentrations above approximately 5 ppm. Experiments to verify the onset hypothesis and the effect of other variables on the mass-transfer coefficient are the major objectives of this work.« less
Method of Fabricating Multiple-Frequency Film Bulk Acoustic Resonators in a Single Chip

We report experimental results of a novel approach to integrate multiple-frequency film bulk acoustic resonators (FBAR) in a single chip. An additional tuning layer was deposited and patterned on a conventional Metal/AlN/Metal FBAR film stack. By controlling in-plane dimensions of the periodic tuning patterns, resonance frequencies are modulated according to the corresponding loading percentages. To obtain a desirable frequency response of the modulated resonance peaks (a pure frequency shift), the pitch of the tuning patterns needs to be smaller than the membrane thickness. Three thicknesses of the tuning layers are fabricated to demonstrate different tuning ranges and sensitivities. This approach provides a potential solution to integrate multiple-frequency FBAR filters of adjacent bands by only one additional lithographic patterning step.
Reducing patient placement errors in emergency department admissions: right patient, right bed.

Introduction: Because lack of inpatient capacity is associated with emergency department (ED) crowding, more efficient bed management could potentially alleviate this problem. Our goal was to assess the impact of involving a patient placement manager (PPM) early in the decision to hospitalize ED patients. The PPMs are clinically experienced registered nurses trained in the institution-specific criteria for correct unit and bed placement. Methods: We conducted two pilot studies that included all patients who were admitted to the adult hospital medicine service: 1) 10/24 to 11/22/2010 (30 days); and 2) 5/24 to 7/4/2011 (42 days). Each pilot study consisted of a baseline control period and a subsequent study period of equal duration. In each pilot we measured: 1) the number of “lateral transfers” or assignment errors in patient placement, 2) median length of stay (LOS) for “all” and “admitted” patients and 3) inpatient occupancy. In pilot 2, we added as a measure code 44s, i.e. status change from inpatient to observation after patients are admitted, and also equipped all emergency physicians with portable phones in order to improve the efficiency of the process. Results: In pilot 1, the number of “lateral transfers” (incorrect patient placement assignments) during the control period was 79 of the 854 admissions (9.3%) versus 27 of 807 admissions (3.3%) during the study period (P<0.001). We found no statistically significant differences in inpatient occupancy or ED LOS for “all” or for “admitted” patients. In pilot 2, the number of “lateral transfers” was 120 of 1,253 (9.6%) admissions in the control period and 42 of 1,229 (3.4%) admissions in the study period (P<0.001). We found a 49-minute (352 vs. 401 minutes) decrease in median LOS for “admitted” ED patients during the study period compared with the control period (P=0.04). The code 44 rates, median LOS for “all” patients and inpatient occupancy did not change. Conclusion: Inclusion of the PPM in a three-way handoff conversation between emergency physicians and hospitalist providers significantly decreased the number of “lateral transfers.” Moreover, adding status determination and portable phones for emergency physicians improved the efficiency of the process and was associated with a 49 (12%) minute decrease in LOS for admitted patients. [West J Emerg Med. 2014;15(6):687-692]
Resource allocation in a high clock rate microprocessor

This paper discusses the design of a high clock rate (300MHz) processor. The architecture is described, and the goals for the design are explained. The performance of three processor models is evaluated using trace-driven simulation. A cost model is used to estimate the resources required to build processors with varying sizes of on-chip memories, in both single and dual issue models. Recommendations are then made to increase the effectiveness of each of the models.
The HIF Signaling Pathway in Osteoblasts Directly Modulates Erythropoiesis through the Production of EPO

Summary Osteoblasts are an important component of the hematopoietic microenvironment in bone. However, the mechanisms by which osteoblasts control hematopoiesis remain unknown. We show that augmented HIF signaling in osteoprogenitors results in HSC niche expansion associated with selective expansion of the erythroid lineage. Increased red blood cell production occurred in an EPO-dependent manner with increased EPO expression in bone and suppressed EPO expression in the kidney. In contrast, inactivation of HIF in osteoprogenitors reduced EPO expression in bone. Importantly, augmented HIF activity in osteoprogenitors protected mice from stress-induced anemia. Pharmacologic or genetic inhibition of prolyl hydroxylases1/2/3 in osteoprogenitors elevated EPO expression in bone and increased hematocrit. These data reveal an unexpected role for osteoblasts in the production of EPO and modulation of erythropoiesis. Furthermore, these studies demonstrate a molecular role for osteoblastic PHD/VHL/HIF signaling that can be targeted to elevate both HSCs and erythroid progenitors in the local hematopoietic microenvironment. PaperClip
Modern robotics engineering instruction

We discuss three basic principles of modern robotics education and contrast the traditional teaching style used in a majority of engineering classes with that necessary for a rapidly developing field such as robotics. Our basic tenet is that a modern robotic engineer must have knowledge, experience, and insight. While traditional education methods focus on knowledge and experience through the standard lecture-laboratory cycle, we submit that insight is the key to a complete robotics education. We conjecture that insight cannot be gained from textbooks, lectures, and laboratory exercises alone, as these tend to focus on merely academic rather than global and social issues. We present a discussion of the techniques used at the United States Naval Academy to inform, educate, and motivate students in the field of robotics.
Spatial coherence of laser output far below threshold

The light emerging from the output aperture of a laser should be spatially coherent even when the laser is operated far below its threshold and behaves substantially as a thermal source. The spatial coherence has been demonstrated experimentally by photoelectric correlation measurements at different pairs of points in the aperture.
Religious Participation, Social Conservatism, and Human Development

What is the relationship between human development, religion, and social conservatism? We present a model in which individuals derive utility from both the secular and religious worlds. Our model is unusual in that it explains both an individual’s religious participation and her preferences over social policy at different levels of development. Using data from the pooled World Values Survey, we find that religious participation declines with human development and an individual’s ability to earn secular income. We also find that although social conservatism declines with development in absolute terms, religious individuals become more socially conservative relative to the population average. Paradoxically, our results suggest that human development may make it easier for religious individuals to overcome collective action problems and obtain disproportionate political influence, even as their numbers dwindle and society as a whole becomes less socially conservative. Our analysis has important implications for the debate about secularization theory.
Phase I Pharmacologic and Biologic Study of Ramucirumab (IMC-1121B), a Fully Human Immunoglobulin G1 Monoclonal Antibody Targeting the Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2

Purpose To evaluate the safety, maximum-tolerated dose (MTD), pharmacokinetics (PKs), pharmacodynamics, and preliminary anticancer activity of ramucirumab (IMC-1121B), a fully human immunoglobulin G1 monoclonal antibody targeting the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR)-2. Patients and Methods Patients with advanced solid malignancies were treated once weekly with escalating doses of ramucirumab. Blood was sampled for PK studies throughout treatment. The effects of ramucirumab on circulating vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A), soluble VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2, tumor perfusion, and vascularity using dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging were assessed. Results Thirty-seven patients were treated with 2 to 16 mg/kg of ramucirumab. After one patient each developed dose-limiting hypertension and deep venous thrombosis at 16 mg/kg, the next lower dose (13 mg/kg) was considered the MTD. Nausea, vomiting, headache, fatigue, and proteinuria were also noted. Four (15%) of 27 patie...
Mobile wireless RSA overlay network as critical infrastructure for national security

The article presents an analysis on the use of wireless sensor networks for safeguarding our critical infrastructures and the management of a disaster for first response emergency scenarios. This analysis is based on a qualitative comparison of the features of a wireless sensor network to a list of requirements defined by The National Security Telecommunications Security Convergence Task Force report for the national security and emergency preparedness (NS/EP) of the USA. The result is that a wireless sensor network can only meet part of these requirements and therefore a more complex network that supports an overlay of mobile and fixed wireless networks, existing networking infrastructure, and sensor/robotic Web services is required. A sensor network architecture is presented that leverages the IEEE 1451 sensor model within a wireless mesh network in order to facilitate access to the sensory data, and communication between mobile robotic sensing agents (RSAs). In order to distribute the sensed data reliably to experts around the world, these highly mobile emergency response sensor networks need to leverage existing enterprise network access points. The emergency sensor mesh network and the enterprise host form a symbiotic relationship so that the sensory data can be made available to users through the host's access to the Internet.
Thermodynamic and metabolic effects on the scaling of production and population energy use

Ecosystem properties result in part from the characteristics of individual organisms. How these individual traits scale to impact ecosystem-level processes is currently unclear. Because metabolism is a fundamental process underlying many individual- and population-level variables, it provides a mechanism for linking individual characteristics with large-scale processes. Here we use metabolism and ecosystem thermodynamics to scale from physiology to individual biomass production and population-level energy use. Temperature-corrected rates of individual-level biomass production show the same body-size dependence across a wide range of aerobic eukaryotes, from unicellular organisms to mammals and vascular plants. Population-level energy use for both mammals and plants are strongly influenced by both metabolism and thermodynamic constraints on energy exchange between trophic levels. Our results show that because metabolism is a fundamental trait of organisms, it not only provides a link between individual- and ecosystem-level processes, but can also highlight other important factors constraining ecological structure and dynamics.
Field Notes as a Web Site: Integrating Multimedia into Anthropological Documents

Anthropologists are increasingly returning from the field with digital images and other media, along with their field notes. This article lays out the “Web site model” for integrating digital images, audio, and other media files into unified field note documents through the use of a Web page editor. It explains how to generate multimedia galleries and link them within textual documents, to help restore the intuitive relationships between image, sound, and word that earlier technological limitations dissolved. This allows the ethnographer to review descriptions of particular events, interviews, or periods of participant observation with all the available forms of recording, as part of a single text, rather than artificially separating out the review process by medium.
USE OF JUVENAL PLUMAGE IN DIAGNOSING SPECIES LIMITS: AN EXAMPLE USING BUNTINGS IN THE GENUS PLECTROPHENAX

Abstract Species limits in the genus Plectrophenax have been difficult to assess. McKay’s Buntings (Plectrophenax hyperboreus) are very similar both morphologically and behaviorally to Snow Buntings (P. nivalis). However, their breeding ranges are allopatric, and there is limited evidence of gene flow. The juvenal plumage of McKay’s Buntings has never been described as different from that of Snow Buntings. Comparison of a series of McKay’s Buntings in juvenal plumage with a series of Snow Buntings in juvenal plumage showed clear differences between the two forms. We used color spectrophotometry to quantify the differences between the two taxa in two areas of the body that appeared to be consistently different, the throat and back. The relative magnitude of the difference between McKay’s and Snow buntings was greater than homologous differences between two subspecies of Snow Bunting (P. n. nivalis and P. n. townsendi). Four out of six variables were significantly different between McKay’s and Snow buntings...
Redox-Active Corannulene Buckybowls in a Crystalline Hybrid Scaffold.

A porous crystalline corannulene-containing scaffold, which combines the periodicity, dimensionality, and structural modularity of hybrid frameworks with the intrinsic properties of redox-active π-bowls, has been prepared. Single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction, ab initio density functional theory computations, gas sorption analysis, fluorescence spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry were employed to study the properties of the novel corannulene derivatives and the buckybowl-based hybrid materials. X-ray diffraction studies revealed the preservation of the corannulene bowl inside the prepared rigid matrix, which offers the unique opportunity to extend the scaffold dimensionality through the buckybowl curvature. Merging the inherent properties of hybrid frameworks with the intrinsic properties of π-bowls opens a new avenue for preparing redox-active materials and potentially improving charge transport in the scaffold.
Vibrations of thin plates with small clamped patches

Eigenvalues of fourth-order elliptic operators feature prominently in stability analysis of elastic structures. This paper considers out-of-plane modes of vibration of a thin elastic plate perforat...
Hypereosinophilic syndrome: cardiac diagnosis and management

Hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) is a heterogeneous group of conditions that is defined at its core by hypereosinophilia (HE) (blood eosinophil count of >1.5×10(9)/L) and organ damage directly attributable to the HE. Cardiac dysfunction occurs frequently in all forms of HES and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Once a significantly elevated eosinophil count is identified, it must be confirmed on repeat testing and the aetiology for the HE must be rigorously sought out with a focus on identifying whether organ dysfunction is occurring. Echocardiography is routinely performed to assess for cardiac involvement, looking for evidence of left ventricular and/or right ventricular apical obliteration or thrombi or a restrictive cardiomyopathy. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and CT are often useful adjuncts to establish the diagnosis but endomyocardial biopsy remains the gold standard. To decrease the degree of eosinophilia, treatment can include corticosteroids and/or imatinib based on the aetiology. Anticoagulation, standard heart failure therapy for a restrictive cardiomyopathy and finally cardiac transplantation may be indicated in the treatment algorithm.
Generation of an Inducible, Cardiomyocyte-Specific Transgenic Mouse Model with PPAR β/δ Overexpression

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) consist of three subtypes, each displaying distinctive tissue distribution. In general, the three PPAR subtypes exert overlapping function in transcriptional regulation of lipid metabolism. However, each PPAR subtype possesses distinctive functions in different tissues dependent on their expression abundance, endogenous ligands, and the PPAR coregulators in a specific tissue. Transgenesis is an invaluable technique in defining the in vivo function of a particular gene and its protein. Cre/LoxP-mediated gene targeting has been extensively used to explore the tissue-specific function of PPARs. While this tissue-specific loss-of-function approach is extremely useful in determining the essential role of a PPAR, the tissue-specific gain-of-function approach is another important technique used to understand the effects of PPAR activation in a particular tissue. Transgenic overexpression of PPAR in a specific tissue has been used. However, this conventional technique requires generating the transgenic models individually for each target tissue. In this chapter, we describe the methodology for a more efficient generation of transgenic mouse models with a constitutively active form of PPARβ/δ in different tissues.
Two Models of Foundation in the Logical Investigations

A proper comprehension of the notion of “foundation” is crucial, among other things, for an understanding of Husserl’s theory of intersubjectivity, his analyses of the relationship between body and mind, his determination of the relationship between nature and our everyday surroundings (Umwelt), and his theory of meaning and language. For example, with regard to Husserl’s treatment of intersubjectivity, commentators and critics have observed that Husserl’s theory is decisively shaped by the thesis that our experience of “others” as subjects is founded upon our experience of them as physical objects, i.e., by his attempt to anchor intersubjective experience in sense experience; or alternatively, with regard to his theories of mind and language, how his theory is based upon a positing of independent objects such as minds or ideal entities such as meanings without seeing how these are only abstractions from the concreta that are presented to us in experience, i.e., human beings or actual human language. In all of these cases, the way that one interprets the question of what is fundamental and the role that Husserl assigns to this question is decisive for a correct interpretation and evaluation of Husserl’s position on the issues involved.
The Boundaries of the Firm as a Design Problem

This paper starts from the observation that firms are increasingly engaging in collaborations with their input suppliers, even as they are reducing the extent to which they are vertically integrated with those suppliers. This fact seems incompatible with traditional theories of the firm, which argue that integration is necessary to avoid the potential for hold-up created when non-contractible investments are made. Our view is that pragmatist mechanisms such as benchmarking, simultaneous engineering, and "root cause" error detection and correction make possible "learning by monitoring"--a relationship in which firms and their collaborators continuously improve their joint products and processes without the need for a clear division of property rights. We provide several examples of such relationships in the automotive industry, both current and historical. Data from recent surveys of automotive suppliers reveal a proliferation of communications and knowledge transfer activities characteristic of the new collaborative arrangements. We also provide new evidence showing that the famous Fisher Body-GM merger of 1926 (the canonical example in discussions of theories of the firm) was motivated more by considerations of promoting learning than of avoiding hold-up. We then elaborate our comparison of the "standard" and "non-standard" firm, first at the level of ongoing operational activities and then at the level of strategic direction and corporate governance. We argue that the pragmatist mechanisms crucial to the operations of the non-standard firm have "learning by monitoring" analogues that are applied to strategy-making and governance decisions.
A critical evaluation of the validity of episodic future thinking: A clinical neuropsychology perspective.

Objective Episodic future thinking is defined as the ability to mentally simulate a future event. Although episodic future thinking has been studied extensively in neuroscience, this construct has not been explored in depth from the perspective of clinical neuropsychology. The aim of this critical narrative review is to assess the validity and clinical implications of episodic future thinking. Method A systematic review of episodic future thinking literature was conducted. PubMed and PsycInfo were searched through July 2015 for review and empirical articles with the following search terms: "episodic future thinking," "future mental simulation," "imagining the future," "imagining new experiences," "future mental time travel," "future autobiographical experience," and "prospection." Results The review discusses evidence that episodic future thinking is important for adaptive functioning, which has implications for neurological populations. To determine the validity of episodic future thinking, the construct is evaluated with respect to related constructs, such as imagination, episodic memory, autobiographical memory, prospective memory, narrative construction, and working memory. Although it has been minimally investigated, there is evidence of convergent and discriminant validity for episodic future thinking. Research has not addressed the incremental validity of episodic future thinking. Practical considerations of episodic future thinking tasks and related constructs in a clinical neuropsychological setting are considered. Conclusions The utility of episodic future thinking is currently unknown due to the lack of research investigating the validity of episodic future thinking. Future work is discussed, which could determine whether episodic future thinking is an important missing piece in standard clinical neuropsychological assessment. (PsycINFO Database Record
Gender and Diversity in India: Contested Territories for HRD?

The ProblemDiversity and gender are contested topics in India. Although diversity means many things to many people, the meanings associated with diversity and the approaches to diversity management...
Determination of Cellular Nucleic Acid Content in Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) Using Microfluorometric Assay

Aedes aegypti (L.), the yellowfever mosquito, is one of the best known insects from the standpoint of both basic and applied science. This species has been used as a test animal for many physiological, developmental, genetical, biochemical, and behavioral studies. However, the amount of DNA per cell of this mosquito has not been precisely determined to date. Based on the premise that DNA is located almost entirely within the nucleus and is constant in amount (Boivin et al. 1948, Mirsky and Ris 1949, Allfrey et al. 1955, Davidson 1969), a microfluorometric assay of cellular nucleic acid content was made. Quantitative determination of DNA in individual cells by microfluorometry has proved to be very effective (Ruch and Bosshard 1963; Bosshard 1964; Ruch 1965, 1966). It has been found to be more sensitive than absorption methods, and measurements are not influenced by uneven distribution of materials. Also, errors caused by light scattering are much smaller than in absorption photometry.
Elastic Green’s Theorem Preprocessing For On-Shore Internal Multiple Attenuation: Theory and Initial Synthetic Data Tests

Prerequisites are important for the Inverse Scattering Series (ISS) multiple removal method, that assumes reference wave field has been removed and the source wavelet has been deconvolved. This paper derives the elastic Green’s theorem reference wave prediction algorithm, which extends the off-shore acoustic to the on-shore elastic wave field separation, in preparation for on-shore ISS internal multiple attenuation.
Design and Planning for Safety (DPfS); A Factor Modeling Approach to Find the Best Response to Hazard

This paper presents a framework of a decision support system for construction hazard identification and analysis which is a core process of design and planning for safety (DPfS). The paper aims to: (1) review the shortcomings of current hazard identification and analysis tools and processes; and (2) proposes an alternative hazard identification and analysis approach. Contribution of the outputs of phase one and two on the decision to select between the available response options or even proposing a creative response is very limited and negligible. In other words, the response to hazard is being made in the designer’s / hazard analyst’s mind implicitly without any explicit structure or data transmitted from phase 1 and 2.To address this problem, this research examines literature on how hazard data is collected in phase 1, and how it is analyzed in phase 2. Based on the reviewed literature, the paper presents a structure to collect context specific and process relevant data for phase 1 and proposes an analysis process to enhance phase 2 in order to help the designer and hazard analyst to select the most appropriate response to hazard. The paper concludes with a conceptual framework for hazard analysis that involves the concepts of “impacting factors” of each hazard type and defining a “risk profile” (RP) and “risk filter” (RF) for each “available response”, and comparing “RP and RF of the available responses” with “profile of the hazard source”. This research contributes to the hazard analysis literature for design and planning for safety (DPfS).
Experimental measurement of speeds of sound in dense supercritical carbon monoxide and development of a high-pressure, high-temperature equation of state.

We report the adiabatic sound speeds for super- critical fluid carbon monoxide along two isotherms, from 0.17 to 2.13 GPa at 297 K and from 0.31 to 3.2 GPa at 600 K. The carbon monoxide was confined in a resistively heated diamond-anvil cell, and the sound speed measurements were conducted in situ using a recently reported variant of the photoacoustic light scattering effect. The measured sound speeds were then used to parametrize a single site dipolar exponential-6 intermolecular potential for carbon monoxide. PρT thermodynamic states, sound speeds, and shock Hugoniots were calculated using the newly parametrized intermolecular potential and compared to previously reported experimental results. Additionally, we generated an analytical equation of state for carbon monoxide by fitting to a grid of calculated PρT states over a range of 0.1−10 GPa and 150−2000 K. A 2% mean variation was found between computed high- pressure solid-phase densities and measured dataa surprising result for a spherical interaction potential. We further computed a rotationally dependent fluid to β-solid phase boundary; results signal the relative magnitude of short-range rotational disorder under conditions that span existing phase boundary measurements.
Medicine in Red China. A politically dominated bland of the ancient and contemporary arts.

The current policy of cultural exchange between the People’s Republic of China and the United States began in 1973. As a result of this policy, seven American cardiologists and I were invited to enter China on April 22, 1973, for a two-week professional visit. Our primary mission called for teaching and exchange of professional ideas in related fields of cardiology and cardiovascular surgery. During this time we were given an excellent opportunity to observe medical facilities in China and to discuss a variety of subjects with doctors and political figures in that country. This report reflects my own observations and impressions; it is not to be construed as an official report of the American delegation’s combined experience.
The up-regulation of Myb may help mediate EGCG inhibition effect on mouse lung adenocarcinoma.

Green tea polyphenol epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) has been demonstrated to inhibit cancer in experimental studies through its antioxidant activity and modulations on cellular functions by binding specific proteins. By means of computational analysis and functional genomic approaches, we previously identified a set of protein coding genes and microRNAs whose expressions were significantly modulated in response to the EGCG treatment in tobacco carcinogen-induced lung adenocarcinoma in A/J mice. However, to what degree these genes are involved in the cancer inhibition of EGCG remains unclear. In this study, we further employed statistical methods and literature research to analyze these data in combination with The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) lung adenocarcinoma datasets for additional data mining. Under the assumption that, if a gene mediates EGCG’s cancer inhibition, its expression level change caused by EGCG should be opposite to what occurred in the carcinogenesis, we identified Myb and Peg3 as the primary putative genes involved in the cancer inhibitory activity. Further analysis suggested that the regulation of Myb could be mediated through an EGCG-upregulated microRNA, miR-449c-5p. Although the actions of EGCG involve multiple targets/pathways, further analysis by mining the existing genomic datasets revealed that the upregulations of Myb and Peg3 are likely the key anti-cancer events of EGCG in vivo.
Fusion energy: the agony, the ecstasy and the alternatives

Fusion – the release of nuclear binding energy from light nuclei and its practical exploitation – has been a major world research discipline for the past four decades. It promises to be an energy resource capable of indefinitely sustaining humanity under all conceivable scenarios of population growth and energy demand. In fact, fusion is the only energy source indigenous to Earth that will last as long as our planet exists.
Image processing using quadratic volterra filters

Linear image processing algorithms have received considerable attention during the last several decades. These algorithms are attractive in many applications as they are easy to analyze and computationally less intensive. Unfortunately, the basic hypotheses of stationarity and Gaussianity for the development of the linear signal processing algorithms do not hold for images. For example, linear filtering methods applied to an impulse-corrupted image tend to blur sharp edges and remove fine details. In addition, linear algorithms are unable to remove signal-dependent or multiplicative noise in images. Thus, to provide improved performance, image processing algorithms should take into account the nonlinear effects in the human visual system and the nonlinear behavior of the image acquisition systems. As a result there has been an increasing interest in the development of nonlinear image processing algorithms in recent years. In addition, due to a rapid decrease in the costs of computing, image storage, image acquisition, and image display, it has been more practical to implement complicated nonlinear image processing algorithms.
Helping Teachers in the Evolution-Teaching Dilemma: Understanding Evolution by Kostas Kampourakis

Kostas Kampourakis’s Understanding Evolution is a resource for teachers who want to understand why evolution is a difficult topic.
A Costly Commitment: Options for the Future of the U.S. - Taiwan Defense Relationship

America’s security commitment to Taiwan faces a significant test. China’s growing power presents a challenge to U.S. military superiority, while Taiwan’s investment in its own defense has languished. Adding to the challenge of keeping peace in the Taiwan Strait is the shifting political situation in Taiwan, exemplified by the January 2016 elections in which voters rejected the cross-strait rapprochement policies of the Kuomintang (KMT) and turned over control of the presidency and legislature to the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). The China-Taiwan relationship has remained relatively calm, but changes in the U.S.-China balance of power could make the Taiwan Strait a dangerous place once more if the implicit U.S. defense commitment to Taiwan loses credibility.This paper outlines three broad policy options for the United States: shoring up the defense commitment by restoring military superiority over China; sustaining a minimum level of military advantage over China; or stepping down from the commitment to use military force to maintain Taiwan’s de facto independence. It concludes that the United States should step down from the defense commitment eventually, ideally through an incremental and reciprocal process with China that would draw concessions from Beijing. In the long term, the U.S. security commitment to Taiwan is neither beneficial nor advantageous for the United States. Taiwan will have to take responsibility for its own defense.Stepping down from the implicit commitment to come to Taiwan’s rescue with military force carries risks, but other options leave the United States worse off in the long term. The likely damage to U.S.-Chinese relations caused by pushing for military superiority in the region outweighs the benefits. Sustaining a minimum level of military advantage is possible, but absent a long-term economic slowdown and/or political changes in China — both of which are beyond U.S. control — maintaining such an advantage in perpetuity will be difficult. Stepping down from the commitment through a long-term process would give Taiwan the time it needs to make necessary changes in its defense technology and military strategy. Peace in the Taiwan Strait is an important American interest, but it must be weighed against the difficulty of maintaining credibility and the growing costs of deterrence failure.
The T phase of shallow-focus earthquakes

Abstract A short-period phase, 0.5 sec. period or less, traveling through the ocean with the velocity of sound in water has been identified on a large number of seismograms of earthquakes occurring at sea. This arrival was identified on the Benioff short-period seismograms of the Weston, Fordham, and Ottawa stations for a series of Dominican Republic shocks, and on the Benioff short-period seismograms of the Pasadena network of stations and the Mount Hamilton and Mineral stations for a series of major Japanese and Aleutian shocks. The existence of this phase had been noted previously by Linehan, who was at a loss to provide an explanation for them. The mechanism of propagation of the T phase is discussed and several practical applications are described.
We’ll Always Have Kabul

“As you know,” then-US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld famously said, “you go to war with the army you have, not the army you might want or wish to have at a later time” (CNN 2004). His statem...
Cognitive impairment in progressive supranuclear palsy is associated with tau burden.

Background Cognitive impairment is one of the core features of progressive supranuclear palsy. This study aimed to clarify the profile of cognitive impairment and its underlying pathology in progressive supranuclear palsy. Methods We retrospectively reviewed medical records to evaluate the pattern and severity of cognitive impairment in 121 autopsy-confirmed progressive supranuclear palsy patients. A subset of 37 patients underwent neuropsychological evaluation as part of their clinical workup. The burden of progressive supranuclear palsy-related tau pathology (neurofibrillary tangles/pretangles, coiled bodies, tufted astrocytes, and threads) was semiquantitatively scored in 20 vulnerable brain regions. Concurrent pathologies potentially associated with cognitive impairment, such as Alzheimer's-type pathology, were also assessed. To evaluate possible genetic risk factors for cognitive impairment, genetic analysis for APOE and MAPT was performed. Results Ninety patients (74%) had documented cognitive impairment based on neurologic evaluation. In a subgroup with neuropsychological testing (n = 37), executive functioning was the most severely impaired cognitive domain. A global cognitive impairment index (Spearman's rho, −0.49; P = 0.005) and executive functioning were negatively correlated with total tau burden (Spearman's rho, −0.51; P = 0.003), but not correlated with the Alzheimer's-type pathology. APOE ɛ4 carriers had more severe amyloid pathology, but total tau burden and a global cognitive impairment index did not differ from APOE ɛ4 noncarriers. Conclusion Cognitive impairment in progressive supranuclear palsy, most notably executive dysfunction, is associated with severity of progressive supranuclear palsy-related tau pathology. © 2017 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
Elevated Baseline Serum Fibrinogen: Effect on 2-Year Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events Following Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

BackgroundElevated fibrinogen is associated with short‐term major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) after percutaneous coronary intervention, but the relation with late MACE is unknown. Methods ...
Chapter 1 – Introduction and Overview of Clinical Computing Systems within a Medical Center

Clinical computing systems—defined computing systems used in direct patient care—are commonplace in healthcare organizations and growing dramatically in importance. Clinical laboratories and hospital business offices were the first to adopt computing systems within hospitals, but today electronic medical record systems (EMRs) and computerized practitioner order entry (CPOE) are being installed in many medical centers globally and are integrally tied to clinical care. Most medical centers could not run efficiently without their clinical computing systems. The purpose of this book is to help readers learn about the design, operations, governance, regulation, staffing, and other practical aspects essential to successfully operating clinical computing systems within in a healthcare organization.
Measuring Past Events Using Calendar Aids

Respondents often have difficulty providing accurate answers when answering autobiographical questions about the past, particularly if the timeframe in question is far in the past. As a result, researchers have made efforts to develop tools to aid respondent recall and improve the accuracy of their reports. Calendar interviewing tools, and event history calendars in particular, are some of the most commonly used for this purpose and they have been demonstrated to substantially reduce errors in autobiographical reports. This chapter discusses these tools and the best practices that have been developed around their use and also outlines areas where future research is needed to make these tools even more valuable to researchers.
Physical activity and depressive symptoms during pregnancy among Latina women: a prospective cohort study

Latina women are at increased risk for antenatal depressive disorders, which are common during pregnancy and are associated with elevated risk for poor maternal health and birth outcomes. Physical activity is a potential mechanism to reduce the likelihood of depressive symptoms. The purpose of the study was to assess whether total and domain-specific physical activity in early pregnancy reduced risk for elevated antenatal depressive symptoms in mid-late pregnancy in a population of Latina women at high-risk for depression. Data from 820 Latina participants in the prospective cohort study Proyecto Buena Salud was examined using multivariable logistic regression. Total, moderate/vigorous, and domain-specific physical activity (household/caregiving, occupational, sports/exercise, transportation) were assessed using the Pregnancy Physical Activity Questionnaire. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale was used to assess depressive symptoms and identify women with elevated symptoms indicative of at least probable minor depression and probable major depression. A total of 25.9% of participants experienced at least probable minor depression and 19.1% probable major depression in mid-late pregnancy. After adjusting for important risk factors, no significant associations were observed between total physical activity (4th Quartile vs.1st Quartile OR = 1.02, 95% CI = 0.61, 1.71; p-trend = 0.62) or meeting exercise guidelines in pregnancy (OR = 0.96, 95% CI = 0.65, 1.41) and at least probable minor depression; similarly, associations were not observed between these measures and probable major depression. There was a suggestion of increased risk of probable major depression with high levels of household/caregiving activity (4th Quartile vs 1st Quartile OR = 1.51, 95% CI = 0.93, 2.46), but this was attenuated and remained not statistically significant after adjustment. When we repeated the analysis among women who did not have elevated depressive symptoms in early pregnancy (n = 596), findings were unchanged, though a nonsignificant protective effect was observed for sport/exercise activity and probable major depression in fully adjusted analysis (OR = 0.63, 95% CI = 0.30, 1.33). Among Latina women at high-risk for antenatal depression, early pregnancy physical activity was not associated with elevated depressive symptoms in mid-to-late pregnancy.
Prologomena to Any Future Pediatric Bioethics.

Pediatric decision making is ethically complex in a way that most decision making in adult medicine is not. There are several reasons for this. First, pediatricians care for patients across a vast ...
Minimally Invasive Surgical Site Infection in Procedure-Targeted ACS NSQIP Pancreaticoduodenectomies.

Abstract Background Pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) incurs a surgical site infection rate of up to 18%. Published rates after minimally invasive PD are comparable or superior to open, but data are limited to high-volume, single-institution series. This study aimed to determine national outcomes. We hypothesized nationwide infections would be reduced with a minimally invasive approach. Materials and methods Using the newly available pancreatectomy-specific outcomes in National Surgical Quality Improvement Project, data on surgical site infection in PD were extracted from the procedure-targeted participant user file from 2014 to 2015. χ2 test determined correlation of infection with approach. Linear regression determined correlation of known parameters with infection rate. Results Overall infection rate was 24%. Compared with open, laparoscopic rates were lower (P = 0.001), but robotic rates were comparable with open. Stenting, longer operative times, and soft gland texture were associated with increased infection rates, whereas larger duct size and drains were associated with decreased rates (all P Conclusions Laparoscopic PD is associated with decreased surgical site infection on a national level. This represents the first procedure-targeted National Surgical Quality Improvement Project report on this endpoint. Despite greater infection rates than previously reported, these data support previous institutional reports of decreased infection rates with laparoscopic approach.
Initiation of fibrosis in the integrin Αvβ6 knockout mice.

Abstract We previously demonstrated that β6 knockout mice showed impaired wound repair in corneal debridement and keratectomy wounds. In the current investigation, we continued our examination of integrin αvβ6 in order to determine if it was required for the initiation of wound healing in a corneal wound model that normally heals in a fibrotic manner. A full-thickness corneal incision was made in C57BL/6 J wild type (WT) and C57BL/6-Itgb6 KO (β6−/−) mice. The mice were observed at 3, 7, 14, and 28 days post-incision. The morphology of corneal restoration was observed in tissue sections stained with hemotoxilin and eosin (HE however, there appeared to be an alternate mechanism that initiated fibrosis 7–14 days later. Localization of TSP-1 correlated with expression of SMA whether wound healing was delayed or initiated immediately after wounding.
PARTITION: A program for defining the source term/consequence analysis interface in the NUREG--1150 probabilistic risk assessments

The individual plant analyses in the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission's reassessment of the risk from commercial nuclear power plants (NUREG-1150) consist of four parts: systems analysis, accident progression analysis, source term analysis, and consequence analysis. Careful definition of the interfaces between these parts is necessary for both information flow and computational efficiency. This document has been designed for users of the PARTITION computer program developed by the authors at Sandia National Laboratories for defining the interface between the source term analysis (performed with the XXSOR programs) and the consequence analysis (performed with the MACCS program). This report provides a tutorial that details how the interactive partitioning is performed, along with detailed information on the partitioning process. The PARTITION program was written in ANSI standard FORTRAN 77 to make the code as machine-independent (i.e., portable) as possible. 9 refs., 4 figs.