cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Binary Superlattice Design by Controlling DNA-Mediated Interactions

Most binary superlattices created using DNA functionalization rely on particle size differences to achieve compositional order and structural diversity. Here we study two-dimensional (2D) assembly of DNA-functionalized micron-sized particles (DFPs), and employ a strategy that leverages the tunable disparity in interparticle interactions, and thus enthalpic driving forces, to open new avenues for design of binary superlattices that do not rely on the ability to tune particle size (i.e., entropic driving forces). Our strategy employs tailored blends of complementary strands of ssDNA to control interparticle interactions between micron-sized silica particles in a binary mixture to create compositionally diverse 2D lattices. We show that the particle arrangement can be further controlled by changing the stoichiometry of the binary mixture in certain cases. With this approach, we demonstrate the ability to program the particle assembly into square, pentagonal, and hexagonal lattices. In addition, different par...
Angle-based joint and individual variation explained

Abstract Integrative analysis of disparate data blocks measured on a common set of experimental subjects is a major challenge in modern data analysis. This data structure naturally motivates the simultaneous exploration of the joint and individual variation within each data block resulting in new insights. For instance, there is a strong desire to integrate the multiple genomic data sets in The Cancer Genome Atlas to characterize the common and also the unique aspects of cancer genetics and cell biology for each source. In this paper we introduce Angle-Based Joint and Individual Variation Explained capturing both joint and individual variation within each data block. This is a major improvement over earlier approaches to this challenge in terms of a new conceptual understanding, much better adaption to data heterogeneity and a fast linear algebra computation. Important mathematical contributions are the use of score subspaces as the principal descriptors of variation structure and the use of perturbation theory as the guide for variation segmentation. This leads to an exploratory data analysis method which is insensitive to the heterogeneity among data blocks and does not require separate normalization. An application to cancer data reveals different behaviors of each type of signal in characterizing tumor subtypes. An application to a mortality data set reveals interesting historical lessons. Software and data are available at GitHub https://github.com/MeileiJiang/AJIVE_Project .
Preservation of protein expression systems at elevated temperatures for portable therapeutic production.

Many biotechnology capabilities are limited by stringent storage needs of reagents, largely prohibiting use outside of specialized laboratories. Focusing on a large class of protein-based biotechnology applications, we address this issue by developing a method for preserving cell-free protein expression systems for months above room temperature. Our approach realizes unprecedented long-term stability at elevated temperatures by leveraging the sugar alcohol trehalose, a simple, low-cost, open-air drying step, and strategic separation of reaction components during drying. The resulting preservation capacity enables efficient production of a wide range of on-demand proteins under adverse conditions, for instance during emergency outbreaks or in remote locations. To demonstrate application potential, we use cell-free reagents subjected to months of exposure at 37°C and atmospheric conditions to produce sufficient concentrations of a pyocin protein to kill Pseudomonas aeruginosa , a troublesome pathogen for traumatic and burn wound injuries. Our work makes possible new biotechnology applications that demand ruggedness and scalability.
Nonequilibrium statistical mechanics of swarms of driven particles

As a rough model for the collective motions of cells and organisms we develop here the statistical mechanics of swarms of self-propelled particles. Our approach is closely related to the recently developed theory of active Brownian motion and the theory of canonical-dissipative systems. Free motion and motion of a swarms confined in an external field is studied. Briefly, the case of particles confined on a ring and interacting by repulsive forces is studied. In more detail we investigate self-confinement by Morse-type attracting forces. We begin with pairs N = 2; the attractors and distribution functions are discussed, then the case N > 2 is discussed. Simulations for several dynamical modes of swarms of active Brownian particles interacting by Morse forces are presented. In particular we study rotations, drift, fluctuations of shape, and cluster formation. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Scalable Self-Stabilization

This paper presents a methodology for a synchronous non-reactive distributed system on a tree topology to stabilize from a k-faulty configuration in a time independent of the size n of the system. In the proposed methodology, processes first measure and compare the sizes of the faulty regions, and then use this information to schedule actions in such a way that the size of the faulty regions progressively shrink, until they completely disappear. We demonstrate that when k processes fail, the stabilization time is O(k2). Apart from its applicability to a wide class of problems, the proposed method achieves scalability with a low space complexity of O(�.(�.k+log2n)) per process, where � is the maximum degree of a node.
Housing quality perceptions in Finland: the elderly population

ABSTRACTHousing and health issues can vary over time and between populations. The elderly population is increasing worldwide. Yet only limited information exists about housing conditions: changes over time, and the relationships between health and safety among the elderly. Based on repeated surveys (2007 and 2011), housing and health issues in Finland were assessed, especially among the elderly (more than 65 years old). From various housing factors studied, the largest differences between surveys were in thermal comfort. From the six outcomes studied – satisfaction with the dwelling, maintenance, indoor air quality (IAQ), perceived safety, general health, and sleeping difficulties – only satisfaction with the dwelling had significant temporal variation. Modelling the outcomes led to a selection of variables that were significantly associated with the outcomes. The models’ sensitivity was 65–81% for perceived safety and satisfaction with the dwelling, maintenance, and IAQ, whereas it was only 5% for sleepi...
Metagenomic DNA Sequencing for the Diagnosis of Intraocular Infections

Purpose: To compare the performance of unbiased high-throughput sequencing with pathogen-directed PCR using DNA isolated from archived ocular fluid, approaches that are compatible with the current sample handling practice of ophthalmologists. Design: Retrospective molecular study of banked vitreous samples. Methods: We evaluated a metagenomic DNA sequencing-based approach (DNA-seq) using archived positive (n = 31) and negative (n=36) vitreous specimens as determined by reference pathogen-specific PCR assays (herpes simplex virus 1 and 2, cytomegalovirus, varicella-zoster virus, and Toxoplasma gondii). Pathogens were identified using a rapid computational pipeline to analyze the non-host sequences obtained from DNA-seq. Clinical samples were de-identified and laboratory personnel handling the samples and interpreting the data were masked. Results: Metagenomic DNA sequencing detected 87% of positive reference samples. In the presumed negative reference samples, DNA-seq detected an additional 6 different pathogens in 8 samples (22% of negative samples) that were either not detected or not targeted with pathogen-specific PCR assays. Infectious agents identified only with DNA-seq were Candida dubliniensis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6), and human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1). Discordant samples were independently verified in CLIA-certified laboratories. CMV sequences were compared against the antiviral mutation database and 3 of the samples were found to have mutations conferring ganciclovir resistance. Conclusions: Metagenomic DNA sequencing was highly concordant with pathogen-directed PCRs. The unbiased nature of metagenomics DNA sequencing allowed an expanded scope of pathogen detection, including bacteria, fungal species, and viruses, resolving 22% of cases that had previously escaped detection by routine pathogen-specific PCRs. The detection of drug resistance mutations highlights the potential for unbiased sequencing to provide clinically actionable information beyond pathogen species detection.
Distance estimation in virtual environments using bisection

Systematic errors in perceiving distances in virtual environments (VEs) are one of the most interesting issues in perceptual studies of VEs. Some have studied the issue using blind walking (e.g., [Willemsen and Gooch 2002; Interrante et al. 2006]), and others have used time-to-walk estimates [Plumert et al. 2005]. Blind walking involves perception and action. Time-to-walk estimates involve perception and imagination. This study presents distance estimation experiments using a measure that relies only on visual perception, that of distance bisection. In distance bisection, subjects are asked to determine the midpoint of a distance interval between them and a target avatar in the virtual world by using a joystick to adjust the position of an adjustment avatar until the avatar is halfway between the subject and the target avatar.
Supporting and Assessing Agents

This manuscript proposes a theory of why and when organizations “support” their employees with resources, time, and freedom beyond what seems economically optimal. The idea is that support plays an information-generating role in that it renders output more informative about employees' abilities. This effect reduces the need to gather additional information about ability via costly monitoring and commits the firm to make replacement/promotion decisions that are more sensitive to performance. Consequently, support indirectly strengthens employees' career concern incentives and reduces the pressure on costly bonus payments. I apply the model to tech companies, academia, and capital budgeting.
Genotype-phenotype correlations in Marfan syndrome.

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is an autosomal dominant connective-tissue disorder associated with abnormalities of the cardiovascular, ocular and musculoskeletal systems. Aortopathy, manifest as thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) and dissection, is the major cause of morbidity and mortality. Most individuals with MFS carry mutations in the gene FBN1 . This gene encodes the extracellular matrix (ECM) protein fibrillin-1, which plays essential roles in the formation of microfibrils, organisation of ECM components and sequestration of growth factors such as transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ). Thus, mutations in FBN1 lead to deleterious biomechanical effects and aberrant signalling pathway activation within the aorta and other affected tissues. Though autosomal dominant, MFS has wide phenotypic variability. For example, the age of onset, severity and rate of progression of TAA is currently unpredictable. These gaps in knowledge pose important limitations in clinical decision making with respect to timing of elective surgery, frequency of imaging follow-up, physical activity restriction and drug management. In their Heart paper, Franken et al have undertaken the important task of investigating whether the specific subtype of FBN1 mutation could be used to predict the risk of TAA severity.1 The current study examined 290 patients with MFS and known FBN1 mutations followed at two specialist units, including Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona in Spain, and the Academic Medical Centre of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The investigators tracked aortic diameter, aortic dilation rate and clinical endpoints of dissection and death from 2004 to 2015. Mutations in FBN1 can cause (1) reduction in the fibrillin produced in the cell, that is, quantitative defects, (2) change the structure or stability of the protein, and/or (3) alter the ability of fibrillin to be exported to the ECM (figure 1). Mutations in FBN1 that result in haploinsufficiency (HI) lead to reduced amounts of fibrillin, fewer microfibrils and increased activated TGFβ levels due to decreased …
Symmetric contours and convergent interpolation

Abstract The essence of Stahl–Gonchar–Rakhmanov theory of symmetric contours as applied to the multipoint Pade approximants is the fact that given a germ of an algebraic function and a sequence of rational interpolants with free poles of the germ, if there exists a contour that is “symmetric” with respect to the interpolation scheme, does not separate the plane, and in the complement of which the germ has a single-valued continuation with non-identically zero jump across the contour, then the interpolants converge to that continuation in logarithmic capacity in the complement of the contour. The existence of such a contour is not guaranteed. In this work we do construct a class of pairs interpolation scheme/symmetric contour with the help of hyperelliptic Riemann surfaces (following the ideas of Nuttall and Singh, 1977; Baratchart and Yattselev, 2009). We consider rational interpolants with free poles of Cauchy transforms of non-vanishing complex densities on such contours under mild smoothness assumptions on the density. We utilize ∂ -extension of the Riemann–Hilbert technique to obtain formulae of strong asymptotics for the error of interpolation.
Guided model checking with a Bayesian meta-heuristic

This paper presents a meta-heuristic for use in finding errors in models of complex concurrent systems using explicit guided model checking. The meta-heuristic improves explicit guided model checking by applying the empirical Bayes method to revise heuristic estimates of the distance from a given state to an error state. Guided search using the revised estimates finds errors with less search effort than the original estimates.
Learning in the Repeated Secretary Problem

In the classical secretary problem, one attempts to find the maximum of an unknown and unlearnable distribution through sequential search. In many real-world searches, however, distributions are not entirely unknown and can be learned through experience. To investigate learning in such a repeated secretary problem we conduct a large-scale behavioral experiment in which people search repeatedly from fixed distributions. In contrast to prior investigations that find no evidence for learning in the classical scenario, in the repeated setting we observe substantial learning resulting in near-optimal stopping behavior. We conduct a Bayesian comparison of multiple behavioral models which shows that participants' behavior is best described by a class of threshold-based models that contains the theoretically optimal strategy. In fact, fitting such a threshold-based model to data reveals players' estimated thresholds to be surprisingly close to the optimal thresholds after only a small number of games.
Pathologic Features of the Lung in the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS): An Autopsy Study of Seventeen Homosexual Males

The lungs of 17 homosexual males who died of the acquired immune deficiency syndrome were studied to determine the type and extent of pulmonary disease present at autopsy. All patients had two or more pathologic processes, including one or more infections in their lungs. Cytomegalovirus pneumonia was the most common pulmonary infection identified at autopsy (15 patients) but was documented morphologically rarely during life (two patients). Most patients with Pneumocystis pneumonia had recurrent or persistent pneumocystosis. Although some of these individuals had evidence of early interstitial fibrosis, others showed complete resolution of the pulmonary changes. Diffuse alveolar damage was observed in 12 patients, and cytomegalovirus and/or Pneumocystis carinii was a likely etiologic agent in each instance. Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare infection was identified in four patients but was not associated with significant pulmonary alterations. Kaposi’s sarcoma was found in the lungs of six patients. Early pulmonary involvement appeared as interstitial infiltrates with progression to nodular tumor masses obliterating the underlying lung. Pulmonary hemorrhage was an important complication of Kaposi’s sarcoma involving the lung.
Hematologic Manifestations in Homosexual Men With Kaposi’s Sarcoma

Peripheral blood and bone marrow findings are presented for six homosexual males with Kaposi's sarcoma. Cytopenia in one or more cell lines was common in this group of patients, including two individuals with pancytopenia. Bone marrow findings in all patients, while not specific, were similar in that adequate numbers of normal appearing erythroid, myeloid, and megakaryocytic elements were present. Mild plasmacytosis as well as reticulin fiber increase were common findings. No patient, at time of study, demonstrated marrow involvement with Kaposi's sarcoma. We conclude that depression of peripheral blood counts in these patients was not due to marrow underproduction, and discuss possible mechanisms for increased blood cell destruction.
Intracardiac Wilms’ Tumor: Diagnosis and Management

Complete excision of Wilms' tumor may requier resection of adjacent organs and removal of intracaval tumor propagation. Extension of tumor to the right atrium can be determined preoperatively guiding a direct and safe approach to intracardiac tumor at the time of nephrectomy. Preoperative ultrasonography of two children with Wilms' tumor demonstrated caval and right atrial tumor. Laparotomy for nephrectomy and abdominal caval exposure was combined with cardiopulmonary bypass and atriotomy. In both patients, tumor contiguous with the renal pelvis extended from the iliac bifurcation into the right atrium with a large atrial mass. In one patient nephrectomy was performed first, and she was then placed on cardiopulmonary bypass. Caval tumor was easily removed through the atriotomy and open renal vein. In the second patient, bypass was instituted first because of cardiac instability. The large right atrial mass extended through an atrial septal defect into the left atrium. The cardiac tumor and a large amount of caval tumor were removed. Bypass was discontinued after repair of the ASD. Tumor remained in the IVC below the renal veins necessitating a separate venotomy. Combined abdominal and cardiac exploration allows safe and complete excision of all gross tumor. Ultrasonography is a sensitive and noninvasive method of diagnosing retrohepatic and atrial tumor extension and can be obtained easily even on very sick patients.
Inequality and growth: Understanding the link through a simulation

Abstract As suggested in the literature, economic growth and inequality may be influenced by common determinants. One set of determinants may be stochastic production shocks, and in particular non-neutral shocks. To communicate this idea to undergraduate students, I present a model in which shocks to the capital stock introduce both growth and inequality. To engage students and reinforce the empirical consequences of this relationship, I employ an online simulation which implements the model. Representative simulation results are presented and discussed herein.
Quantitation of Renal Function With Glomerular and Tubular Agents

Quantitative methods to measure the glomerular and tubular function of the kidneys with radionuclides have been available for many years. They have not been widely used because the techniques and the calculations exceeded the scope of routine nuclear medicine practice. Validation of simplified methods and the introduction of computer technology have made measurement of the effective renal plasma flow (ERPF) and the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) simple enough so that they can be performed reproducibly in most nuclear medicine departments. The estimation of ERPF with radioiodinated OIH and GFR with 99m TcDTPA can be achieved in many ways, all of which yield clinically useful results. How to get the best results using the simplest methods is still unclear. The required accuracy depends on the intended clinical use. Our preference at the present time is to use a single or double plasma sample to calculate global ERPF or GFR, and to use the 1–2 min OIH or 1–3 min Tc-DTPA uptake to calculate relative function of the two kidneys (split function ERPF or GFR). The choice of method will be influenced by local factors, such as the nature of the patient population, the case volume, and the resources available. A desirable goal for future studies is to document carefully the capabilities and limitations of each alternative method, so that the choice can be rational.
The Characterization of Bacterial and Nonbacterial Prostatitis by Prostatic Immunoglobulins

Although inflammatory diseases of most human secretory surfaces are difficult to investigate clinically, the secretory immune system of the human prostate may be studied relatively easily because prostatic fluid may be obtained from the gland by digital massage. We studied inflammatory conditions of the prostate to establish whether we could use the humoral immune response to differentiate these conditions. Using a sensitive solid-phase radioimmunoassay, we measured total IgA and IgG, and IgA and IgG antibodies to Enterobacteriaceae in the serum and prostatic fluid of men with and without prostatic inflammation. These studies show that levels of IgA and IgG in the prostatic fluid of men with bacterial prostatitis are higher than those in men without histories of urinary or prostatic infections. In men with bacterial prostatitis, prostatic antibodies to Enterobacteriaceae were elevated 12 to 18 months after curative treatment and indefinitely after ineffective treatment; anti-Enterobacteriaceal IgG levels returned to normal after infection only with cure. Total IgA and IgG in the prostatic fluid of men with nonbacterial prostatitis--men who have signs of prostatic inflammation without evidence of old or ongoing bacterial infection--are also higher than levels found in uninfected individuals. Although this finding supports an inflammatory etiology for the symptoms seen in nonbacterial prostatitis, no significant IgA or IgG Enterobacteriaceal antibody titers were detected in these patients. This excludes a remote Enterobacteriaceal infection as a cause of nonbacterial prostatitis. These observations confirm that the prostate gland is a distinct part of the male secretory immune system.
Enhancement by Urine of Urinary Bladder Carcinogenesis

The role of urine as a tumor-enhancing agent in urinary bladder carcinogenesis was investigated by using the heterotopically transplanted rat urinary bladder. Bladders removed from rats initiated with the carcinogen N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine in drinking water for 4 or 10 weeks were heterotransplanted to syngeneic rats. These heterotopically transplanted bladders receiving repeated instillations of normal rat urine subsequent to transplantation had a higher incidence of carcinoma than did those receiving 0.9% NaCl solution. These results suggest that normal urine may contain tumor promoter(s).
A Simple Estimate of Glomerular Filtration Rate in Full-Term Infants During the First Year of Life

An estimate of glomerular filtration rate has been derived for children from body length (L, incentimeters) and plasma creatinine (Pcr, in milligrams per deciliter): GFR=0.55L/Pcr. The near universality of this estimate in children led us to seek a similar formula for estimating GFR in full-term infants during the first year of life. We measured Pcr in 137 healthy infants and performed creatinine clearance (Ccr) studies in 63 of them aged ≥5 days. Beyond the first week, Pcr averaged 0.39±0.01 (0.10SD) mg/dl. The estimate of GFR from 0.55 L/Pcr overestimated Ccr by 24% ( P 2 ) in full-term infants between 1 and 52 weeks of age. Because the constant 0.45 and Pcr do not change significantly during this period, GFR can be approximated at the bedside from the body length of the healthy full-term infant (GFR=0.45 L/0.39=1.1 L).
The Multidisciplinary Approach to Vasculogenic Impotence

The proper assessment of erectile dysfunction can be objectively accomplished only by examining the vascular, hormonal, neurologic, and psychologic components. The vascular surgeon today requires the ability to participate in multidisciplinary approach to diagnosis and needs an understanding of pelvic hemodynamics to design aortoiliac reconstructions that optimize pelvic blood flow. We perform a history and physical examination carefully designed to evaluate erectile ability and detail vascular involvement. Outpatient serum samples are obtained for hormonal analysis. In the noninvasive vascular laboratory, we measure the penile blood pressure using a 2.5 cm cuff and a 10 MHz Doppler probe. We feel strongly that measuring the right and left cavernosal artery pressures directly and determining the penile/brachial index (PBI) most accurately reflects penile flow. A PBI less than 0.6 is diagnostic of vasculogenic impotence, and a PBI greater than 0.75 is normal. We perform our pelvic steal test by exercising the thigh and buttock muscle groups, and comparing the PBI before and after exercise. A decrease of 0.1 or more represents a positive steal test. Measurement of nocturnal penile tumescence is valuable in cases where history, physical examination, and noninvasive vascular laboratory evaluations do not correspond. A neurologic evaluation may include cystometrography or sacral latency testing when indicated. Psychological screening is performed in all patients. We screened 54 vascular clinic patients and found 81% to be symptomatic of erectile dysfunction. In this group, 79% had a PBI less than 0.75, and 38% had a positive pelvic steal test. Illustrative cases are presented herein and the implications in aortoiliac surgery are discussed.
A Skeptical View of Financialized Corporate Governance

Managerial compensation typically relies on financial yardsticks, such as profits, stock prices, and return on equity, to achieve alignment between the interests of managers and shareholders. But financialized governance may not actually work well for most shareholders, and even when it does, significant tradeoffs and inefficiencies can arise from the conflict between maximizing financialized measures and society's broader interests. Effective governance requires that those in control are accountable for actions they take. However, those who control and benefit most from corporations' success are often able to avoid accountability. The history of corporate governance includes a parade of scandals and crises that have caused significant harm. After each, most key individuals tend to minimize their own culpability. Common claims from executives, boards of directors, auditors, rating agencies, politicians, and regulators include "we just didn't know," "we couldn't have predicted," or "it was just a few bad apples." Economists, as well, may react to corporate scandals and crises with their own version of "we just didn't know," as their models had ruled out certain possibilities. Effective governance of institutions in the private and public sectors should make it much more difficult for individuals in these institutions to get away with claiming that harm was out of their control when in reality they had encouraged or enabled harmful misconduct, and ought to have taken action to prevent it.
Charge-transfer excited states: Seeking a balanced and efficient wave function ansatz in variational Monte Carlo

We present a simple and efficient wave function ansatz for the treatment of excited charge-transfer states in real-space quantum Monte Carlo methods. Using the recently introduced variation-after-response method [E. Neuscamman, J. Chem. Phys. 145, 081103 (2016)], this ansatz allows a crucial orbital optimization step to be performed beyond a configuration interaction singles expansion, while only requiring calculation of two Slater determinant objects. We demonstrate this ansatz for the illustrative example of the stretched LiF molecule, for a range of excited states of formaldehyde, and finally for the more challenging ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene molecule.
Whole-Genome-Sequence-Based Haplotypes Reveal Single Origin of the Sickle Allele during the Holocene Wet Phase

Five classical designations of sickle haplotypes are made on the basis of the presence or absence of restriction sites and are named after the ethno-linguistic groups or geographic regions from which the individuals with sickle cell anemia originated. Each haplotype is thought to represent an independent occurrence of the sickle mutation rs334 (c.20A>T [p.Glu7Val] in HBB). We investigated the origins of the sickle mutation by using whole-genome-sequence data. We identified 156 carriers from the 1000 Genomes Project, the African Genome Variation Project, and Qatar. We classified haplotypes by using 27 polymorphisms in linkage disequilibrium with rs334. Network analysis revealed a common haplotype that differed from the ancestral haplotype only by the derived sickle mutation at rs334 and correlated collectively with the Central African Republic (CAR), Cameroon, and Arabian/Indian haplotypes. Other haplotypes were derived from this haplotype and fell into two clusters, one composed of Senegal haplotypes and the other composed of Benin and Senegal haplotypes. The near-exclusive presence of the original sickle haplotype in the CAR, Kenya, Uganda, and South Africa is consistent with this haplotype predating the Bantu expansions. Modeling of balancing selection indicated that the heterozygote advantage was 15.2%, an equilibrium frequency of 12.0% was reached after 87 generations, and the selective environment predated the mutation. The posterior distribution of the ancestral recombination graph yielded a sickle mutation age of 259 generations, corresponding to 7,300 years ago during the Holocene Wet Phase. These results clarify the origin of the sickle allele and improve and simplify the classification of sickle haplotypes.
The effects of seasonal affective disorder and alcohol abuse on sleep and snoring functions in a population-based study in Finland

Summary Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a recurrent depressive disorder with a seasonal pattern. In addition to some specific symptoms such as sad mood, low energy or carbohydrate craving, this mood disorder is also characterized by the presence of sleeping problems and alcohol disorders. Interestingly, there is a strong link between alcohol use and sleeping deficits. Although previous studies have focused extensively on the sleep patterns in SAD patients and patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD), no research has yet been conducted on subjects with comorbid SAD and AUD. The aim of this study was to examine the differences in sleep functioning between subjects with SAD, AUD and SAD+AUD. A total of 4554 Finnish subjects from the population-based Health 2011 survey were interviewed, and of these 2430 individuals completed all the questionnaires. We selected those participants who fulfilled the criteria for SAD (n = 298), AUD (n = 359), SAD+AUD (n = 69), controls 1 (no current alcohol use, n = 226) and controls 2 (current alcohol use but not AUD, n = 1445). Controls with a history of alcohol abuse were excluded (n = 33). All the participants completed the EuroQoL five-dimensions questionnaire (EQ-5), the Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire (SPAQ), the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and several questions about sleeping, based on the Basic Nordic Sleep Questionnaire (BNSQ). Our results showed that those subjects with SAD+AUD reported the highest levels of subjective sleeping problems compared to controls, SAD and AUD. These findings suggest the relevance of examining the comorbidity of SAD and AUD when studying sleep functioning in these groups of patients.
Industry, Environmental Policy, and Environmental Outcomes

This chapter reviews recent literature assessing the impacts of regulatory policies on the environmental performance of manufacturing firms. After showing substantial industry and national variation in resource consumption and pollution impacts, the review examines the role environmental policy instruments play in changing industry's burdens on the environment. Policies clearly shape industrial impacts, although the effect seems to be diminishing. Moving to uncouple economic and environmental performance, the review examines how regulations affect competitiveness, innovation, and capital flight. Similarly, corporate environmental voluntarism promises—and sometimes delivers—improved environmental performance; however, meaningful indicators are still few and far between. The article concludes with a call for research that further explains why some sectors perform better than others, and what lessons policy makers can draw upon, especially to move firms toward the best performance that is technologically pos...
Generic Semantic Security against a Kleptographic Adversary

Notable recent security incidents have generated intense interest in adversaries which attempt to subvert---perhaps covertly---crypto\-graphic algorithms. In this paper we develop (IND-CPA) Semantically Secure encryption in this challenging setting. This fundamental encryption primitive has been previously studied in the "kleptographic setting," though existing results must relax the model by introducing trusted components or otherwise constraining the subversion power of the adversary: designing a Public Key System that is kletographically semantically secure (with minimal trust) has remained elusive to date. In this work, we finally achieve such systems, even when all relevant cryptographic algorithms are subject to adversarial (kleptographic) subversion. To this end we exploit novel inter-component randomized cryptographic checking techniques (with an offline checking component), combined with common and simple software engineering modular programming techniques (applied to the system's black box specification level). Moreover, our methodology yields a strong generic technique for the preservation of any semantically secure cryptosystem when incorporated into the strong kleptographic adversary setting.
Feasibility of Using Automatic Speech Recognition with Voices of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Individuals

Many personal devices have transitioned from visual-controlled interfaces to speech-controlled interfaces to reduce costs and interactive friction, supported by the rapid growth in capabilities of speech-controlled interfaces, e.g., Amazon Echo or Apple's Siri. A consequence is that people who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) may be unable to use these speech-controlled devices. We show that deaf speech has a high error rate compared to hearing speech, in commercial speech-controlled interfaces. Deaf speech had approximately a 78% word error rate (WER) compared to a hearing speech 18% WER. Our findings show that current speech-controlled interfaces are not usable by DHH people.
Development and validation of the single item trait empathy scale (SITES)

Empathy involves feeling compassion for others and imagining how they feel. In this article, we develop and validate the Single Item Trait Empathy Scale (SITES), which contains only one item that takes seconds to complete. In seven studies (N=5,724), the SITES was found to be both reliable and valid. It correlated in expected ways with a wide variety of intrapersonal outcomes. For example, it is negatively correlated with narcissism, depression, anxiety, and alexithymia. In contrast, it is positively correlated with other measures of empathy, self-esteem, subjective well-being, and agreeableness. The SITES also correlates with a wide variety of interpersonal outcomes, especially compassion for others and helping others. The SITES is recommended in situations when time or question quantity is constrained.
How the Intention to Share Can Undermine Enjoyment: Photo-Taking Goals and Evaluation of Experiences

People often share their experiences with others who were not originally present, which provides them with both personal and interpersonal benefits. However, most prior work on this form of sharing has examined the decision to share one’s experience only after the experience is over. We investigate a distinct, unexplored aspect of the sharing process: when the decision to share is already salient during an experience and hence can impact the experience itself. We examine this research question within the context of photo-taking, an increasingly ubiquitous and integral part of people’s experiences. Across two field and three laboratory studies, we find that relative to taking pictures for oneself (e.g., to preserve one’s memories), taking pictures with the intention to share them with others (e.g., to post on social media) reduces enjoyment of experiences. This effect occurs because taking photos with the intention to share increases self-presentational concern during the experience, which can reduce enjoyment directly, as well as indirectly by lowering engagement with the experience. We identify several factors that moderate the effect of photo-taking goals on enjoyment, such as individual differences in the extent to which individuals care about how others perceive them and the closeness of the intended audience.
High strain-rate soft material characterization via inertial cavitation

Abstract Mechanical characterization of soft materials at high strain-rates is challenging due to their high compliance, slow wave speeds, and non-linear viscoelasticity. Yet, knowledge of their material behavior is paramount across a spectrum of biological and engineering applications from minimizing tissue damage in ultrasound and laser surgeries to diagnosing and mitigating impact injuries. To address this significant experimental hurdle and the need to accurately measure the viscoelastic properties of soft materials at high strain-rates (103–108 s − 1 ), we present a minimally invasive, local 3D microrheology technique based on inertial microcavitation. By combining high-speed time-lapse imaging with an appropriate theoretical cavitation framework, we demonstrate that this technique has the capability to accurately determine the general viscoelastic material properties of soft matter as compliant as a few kilopascals. Similar to commercial characterization algorithms, we provide the user with significant flexibility in evaluating several constitutive laws to determine the most appropriate physical model for the material under investigation. Given its straightforward implementation into most current microscopy setups, we anticipate that this technique can be easily adopted by anyone interested in characterizing soft material properties at high loading rates including hydrogels, tissues and various polymeric specimens.
Social Networks and Charitable Giving: Trusting, Doing, Asking, and Alter Primacy:

This study examines social networks and financial giving to charitable or religious causes. Conventional social capital measures of general social trust and size of social network are studied as pr...
Propensity to Patent and Firm Size for Small R&D-Intensive Firms

The Schumpeterian hypothesis about the effect of firm size on research and development (R&D) output is studied for a sample of R&D projects for R&D-intensive firms that are small but have substantial variance in their sizes. Across the distribution of firm sizes, the elasticity of patenting with respect to R&D ranged from 0.41 to 0.55, with the elasticities being largest for intermediate levels of firm size and also varying directly with the extent to which the projects are Schumpeterian in the cost or value senses. The paper’s findings at the R&D project level are compared with the literature’s findings at the line of business, firm, and industry levels, and the findings are consistent with the literature’s findings for small firms.
The Quotient of Normal Random Variables And Application to Asset Price Fat Tails

Abstract The quotient of random variables with normal distributions is examined and proven to have power law decay, with density f x ≃ f 0 x − 2 , with the coefficient depending on the means and variances of the numerator and denominator and their correlation. We also obtain the conditional probability densities for each of the four quadrants given by the signs of the numerator and denominator for arbitrary correlation ρ ∈ [ − 1 , 1 ) . For ρ = − 1 we obtain a particularly simple closed form solution for all x ∈ R . The results are applied to a basic issue in economics and finance, namely the density of relative price changes. Classical finance stipulates a normal distribution of relative price changes, though empirical studies suggest a power law at the tail end. By considering the supply and demand in a basic price change model, we prove that the relative price change has density that decays with an x − 2 power law. Various parameter limits are established.
GSEA-InContext: identifying novel and common patterns in expression experiments.

Motivation Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) is routinely used to analyze and interpret coordinate pathway-level changes in transcriptomics experiments. For an experiment where less than seven samples per condition are compared, GSEA employs a competitive null hypothesis to test significance. A gene set enrichment score is tested against a null distribution of enrichment scores generated from permuted gene sets, where genes are randomly selected from the input experiment. Looking across a variety of biological conditions, however, genes are not randomly distributed with many showing consistent patterns of up- or down-regulation. As a result, common patterns of positively and negatively enriched gene sets are observed across experiments. Placing a single experiment into the context of a relevant set of background experiments allows us to identify both the common and experiment-specific patterns of gene set enrichment. Results We compiled a compendium of 442 small molecule transcriptomic experiments and used GSEA to characterize common patterns of positively and negatively enriched gene sets. To identify experiment-specific gene set enrichment, we developed the GSEA-InContext method that accounts for gene expression patterns within a background set of experiments to identify statistically significantly enriched gene sets. We evaluated GSEA-InContext on experiments using small molecules with known targets to show that it successfully prioritizes gene sets that are specific to each experiment, thus providing valuable insights that complement standard GSEA analysis. Availability and implementation GSEA-InContext implemented in Python, Supplementary results and the background expression compendium are available at: https://github.com/CostelloLab/GSEA-InContext.
On-the-Job Search, Mismatch and Worker Heterogeneity

This paper empirically examines the search behavior of currently employed workers to understand changes in on-the-job search across different types of employed individuals and varying labor market conditions. Using data from the American Time Use Survey, we estimate the responsiveness of workers with varying levels of productivity and job-match quality to regional labor market conditions. We find that those workers who are less-productive, mismatched in their current position, and high-productivity, mismatched workers are more likely to engage in search than other workers. These results have implications for models built on job mismatch, as well as for models seeking to explain increasing inequality and wage dispersion.
Primary Central Nervous System Germ Cell Tumors: A Review and Update.

Primary central nervous system (CNS) germ cell tumors (GCT) are a heterogeneous group of tumors that are still poorly understood. In North America, GCTs comprise approximately 1% of primary brain tumors in pediatric and young adult patients. GCTs can occur as pure or mixed subtypes; they are divided into germinomas, which are the most common subtype, and non-germinomatous germ cell tumors (NGGCTs), which consist of approximately one-third of GCTs and include teratomas, embryonal carcinomas, choriocarcinomas, and yolk sac tumors. While the etiology of primary CNS GCT is not entirely clear, the various subtypes are lineage-related and may involve progenitor germ cells that fail to migrate and become trapped in midline locations. Primary CNS GCT most commonly arises in the pineal region but also occur in other areas. Presenting symptoms can include headache, Parinaud syndrome, diabetes insipidus, precosious puberty, ataxia, or hemiparesis. Treatment plans differ depending on the subtype of GCT and may vary among physicians and institutions. Germinomas have a favorable prognosis with a greater than 90% overall survival, while NGGCTs only have survival rates ranging from 40-70%. Primary CNS GCTs are rare tumors and can be hard to diagnose. Germinomas are most effectively treated with chemotherapy and radiation, while NGGCT usually require surgical resection, chemotherapy, and radiation with the exception of mature teratomas frequently curable with surgery alone.
High-precision Al–Mg isotopic systematics in USNM 3898 – The benchmark “ALL” for initial 87Sr/86Sr in the earliest Solar System

Abstract The Allende CAI USNM 3898 is the basis for “ALL”, the lowest measured initial 87Sr/86Sr value in any solar system material including other CAIs ( Gray et al., 1973 ). If the value ALL is correct (debated), then USNM 3898 must be 1–2 million years older than other CAIs ( Podosek et al., 1991 ). This would require in turn that it have a much higher initial 26Al/27Al value than other CAIs, on the order of 4 × 10−4. Podosek et al. (1991) showed that this is not the case, with initial 26Al/27Al = (4.5 ± 0.7) × 10−5, but their Mg-isotopic data had large error bars and there was clear isotopic disturbance in the data having the highest 27Al/24Mg. Without the latter data, the slope of their isochron is higher (5.10 ± 1.19) × 10−5) and within (large) error of being supracanonical. We used high-precision SIMS to re-determine the initial 26Al/27Al in this CAI and obtained a value of (5.013 ± 0.099) × 10−5, with an intercept δ 26 Mg ⁎ = − 0.008 ± 0.048 and MSWD = 1.3. This value is indistinguishable from that measured in many other CAIs and conclusively shows that USNM 3898 is not uniquely ancient. We also confirmed evidence of later isotopic disturbance, similar to what Podosek et al. found, indicating a re-melting and evaporation event some 200,000 years after initial CAI solidification.
Uncertainty and Motivation to Seek Information from Pharmacy Automated Communications

Pharmacy personnel often answer telephones to respond to pharmacy customers (subjects) who received messages from automated systems. This research examines the communication process in terms of how users interact and engage with pharmacies after receiving automated messages. No study has directly addressed automated telephone calls and subjects' interactions. The purpose of this study is to test the interpersonal communication (IC) process of uncertainty in subjects in receipt of automated telephone calls ATCs from pharmacies. Subjects completed a survey of validated scales for Satisfaction (S); Relevance (R); Quality (Q); Need for Cognitive Closure (NFC). Relationships between S, R, Q, NFC, and subject preference to ATCs were analyzed to determine whether subjects contacting pharmacies display information seeking behavior. Results demonstrated that seeking information occurs if subjects: are dissatisfied with the content of the ATC; perceive that the Q of ATC is high and like receiving the ATC, or have a high NFC and do not like receiving ATCs. Other interactions presented complexities amongst uncertainty and tolerance of NFC within the IC process.