cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Paying for War: Experiences of Napoleonic Rule in the Hanseatic Cities

“The fate of Europe sits on a razor's edge, if war starts now, it will be dreadfully feared. Neutrality will be impossible,” worried Hamburg enlightened merchant and philanthropist Caspar Voght in April 1803. He added, “Should war come, Bremen and Hamburg will be occupied by the French or the Prussians, and the rivers will be blockaded. God give us peace.” His fateful words preceded the French occupation and annexation of northern Germany and the corresponding imperial Continental System, which shattered the north German coastal economy. When he returned to Hamburg in September 1812, Voght shared his impressions in another letter: In what misgivings, with what spirits did I approach the city from Harburg, the once fortunate shores, the towers of the once so prosperous city! I landed. Everything I saw and heard demonstrated the ruin of earlier prosperity, [the city] stripped of its attributes, cloaked in the fog of a threatening future. How my heart bled … The city empty and desolate, benefactors of the poor impoverished, the poor without help, my life's work destroyed.
An fMRI Study of Functional Abnormalities in the Verbal Working Memory System and the Relationship to Clinical Symptoms in Chronic Schizophrenia

There has been evidence for functional abnormalities of the verbal working memory system in schizophrenia. Verbal working memory crucially involves the interplay between the anterior and posterior language systems, and previous studies have shown converging evidence for abnormalities in the posterior language system in schizophrenia. In this functional magnetic resonance imaging study, we measured cortical activity in chronic schizophrenic patients and matched healthy controls during auditory and visual verbal working memory tasks. We employed 1) regional analyses specifically targeting the posterior language system and 2) analyses of functional connectivity between anterior and posterior language regions. We performed these analyses separately for each memory stage and modality. In the regional analyses, the left sylvianparietal--temporal (Spt) area consistently showed reduced activation during encoding and retrieval stages in schizophrenia. Magnitudes of activation in the left posterior superior temporal sulcus were correlated with the severity of delusions at every memory stage. Functional connectivity analyses revealed reduced connectivity between the left Spt and the anterior insula during the encoding of auditory words. In addition, the connectivity strength was correlated with the severity of auditory hallucinations. These findings identify abnormal components in the verbal working memory system and illustrate their possible overlap with the mechanisms of core schizophrenic symptoms.
Residual performance of concrete–adhesive interface at elevated temperatures

Abstract This paper presents a two-phase experimental program to evaluate the performance of concrete–adhesive interface subjected to thermally-induced distress, including material- and interface-level investigations. Elevated temperatures ranging from 25 °C to 200 °C are applied to three adhesive types (i.e., low viscosity, high viscosity, and high temperature epoxies). The residual thermal behavior of these epoxies and corresponding concrete–adhesive interface is characterized by various test methods such as dynamic mechanical analysis (ASTM D7028 ), dynamic elastic modulus test (ASTM C215 ), and bending test (ASTM C78 ). With an increasing temperature, the resonant frequency and dynamic modulus of the concrete–adhesive interface decrease due to the physical softening of the adhesive layer. Strength recovery is observed with a change in adhesive-morphology when the applied thermal load disappears, while such an effect is not pronounced for the high temperature adhesive. Thermomechanical observations indicate that the deformability and stiffness-softening of the concrete–adhesive interface tend to augment at elevated temperatures, and the failure of the interface is controlled by material cohesion rather than adhesion. Technical recommendations are proposed towards the performance-based design of concrete–adhesive interface subjected to temperature load.
Phenomenological force and swelling models for rechargeable lithium-ion battery cells

Abstract Three phenomenological force and swelling models are developed to predict mechanical phenomena caused by Li-ion intercalation: a 1-D force model, a 1st order relaxation model, and a 3-D swelling model. The 1-D force model can estimate the Li-ion intercalation induced force for actual pack conditions with preloads. The model incorporates a nonlinear elastic stiffness to capture the mechanical consequences of Li-ion intercalation swelling. The model also separates the entire state of charge range into three regions considering phase transitions. The 1st order relaxation model predicts dynamic swelling during relaxation periods. A coefficient of relaxation is estimated from dynamic and quasi-static swelling at operational conditions. The 3-D swelling model predicts the swelling shape on the battery surface for all states of charge. This model introduces an equivalent modulus of elasticity, which is dependent on the state of charge, to capture material transformations of the electrodes, and the orthotropic expansion of the jellyroll in a direction perpendicular to the electrode surfaces. Considering the simplicity of the measurements and direct physical correlations between stress and strain, the proposed models can enhance battery management systems and power management strategies.
Preparing Elementary Pre-service Teachers to Promote Big Ideas Within Social Studies

This chapter examines the influence of an elementary social studies methods course that was redesigned to prepare pre-service teachers to plan and deliver social studies instruction organized around big ideas. Data sources for the study include interviews with the participants as well as the following artifacts created by the pre-service teachers: graphic organizers, drafted and revised lesson plans, video recordings of lessons taught, reflective commentaries, drafted and revised unit plans, and a final exam. The findings suggest that participants understood what a big idea is and how such an idea could be used to organize social studies concepts, topics and facts. However, when faced with new social studies content, many of the pre-service teachers struggled to organize it under a big idea appropriate for young learners. Additionally, participants were generally unable to identify obstructions to teaching for big ideas, suggesting that more explicit attention to these barriers is necessary.
Positive Research In Accounting

This paper surveys the positive accounting research literature for a book of readings. It defines the nature and origins of positive research in accounting describes its contribution to practice and investigates reasons for the decline of normative theorizing in accounting. Relatively comprehensive surveys of capital markets research theory of the firm and political process-based research and behavioral science-based research are then presented. Finally future directions of the research are considered. The research surveys include both the empirical and modeling literatures.
Management in Perspective

Discusses the results of a survey on the views of executives concerning future trends of personnel management and industrial relations. General trends and forces; Role of executives in decision-mak...
Incentive shifts in a three- choice decision situation

The effects of changes in incentive conditions were examined in a three-choice, probability learning task. After 160 trials two groups of 10 Ss each were switched from low to high incentive conditions (No Payoffs to Payoffs) or vice versa, while two control groups of 10 Ss each performed under either low or high incentive conditions throughout. The switch from high to low incentives produced a decrease in the rate of predicting the most frequent event, but a corresponding increase was not observed for the group switched in the opposite direction.
Characterization of copy number alterations in a mouse model of fibrosis‐associated hepatocellular carcinoma reveals concordance with human disease

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a prevalent human cancer with rising incidence worldwide. Human HCC is frequently associated with chronic liver inflammation and cirrhosis, pathophysiological processes that are a consequence of chronic viral infection, disturbances in metabolism, or exposure to chemical toxicants. To better characterize the pathogenesis of HCC, we used a human disease-relevant mouse model of fibrosis-associated hepatocarcinogenesis. In this model, marked liver tumor response caused by the promutagenic chemical N-nitrosodiethylamine in the presence of liver fibrosis was associated with epigenetic events indicative of genomic instability. Therefore, we hypothesized that DNA copy number alterations (CNAs), a feature of genomic instability and a common characteristic of cancer, are concordant between human HCC and mouse models of fibrosis-associated hepatocarcinogenesis. We evaluated DNA CNAs and changes in gene expression in the mouse liver (normal, tumor, and nontumor fibrotic tissues). Additionally, we compared our findings to DNA CNAs in human HCC cases (tumor and nontumor cirrhotic/fibrotic tissues) using publicly available data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). We observed that while fibrotic liver tissue is largely devoid of DNA CNAs, highly frequently occurring DNA CNAs are found in mouse tumors, which is indicative of a profound increase in chromosomal instability in HCC. The cross-species gene-level comparison of CNAs identified shared regions of CNAs between human fibrosis- and cirrhosis-associated liver tumors and mouse fibrosis-associated HCC. Our results suggest that CNAs most commonly arise in neoplastic tissue rather than in fibrotic or cirrhotic liver, and demonstrate the utility of this mouse model in replicating the molecular features of human HCC.
Nucleation and Crystal Growth of Nanocrystalline Anatase and Rutile Phase TiO2 from a Water-Soluble Precursor

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) has been widely used as an advanced semiconductor and as a white pigment for many years. In recent years, TiO2 has gained much more interest for its semiconducting properties for use as photocatalytic and photovoltaic materials. Understanding the fundamental nucleation and growth mechanisms is crucial to controlling microstructure and properties for these applications. Nanosized rutile and anatase particles were synthesized from a water-soluble titanium(IV) precursor using a hydrothermal method. The impact of various hydrothermal conditions on the formation, phase, morphology, and grain size of the TiO2 products was investigated using XRD, TEM, and FTIR. At near neutral pH, aggregated rutile rods are formed. By increasing the alkalinity of the reaction medium, the anatase phase was favored and, as expected, larger particle sizes resulted from longer duration reactions. The effects of reaction conditions are discussed with respect to coordination chemistry and coarsening mechanisms.
Predispositional Effect of Soil Water Saturation on Infection of Chile Pepper by Phytophthora capsici

Phytophthora capsici is a serious soilborne pathogen in chile pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) in New Mexico, and has been shown to spread under high soil moisture con- ditions and cause losses in a wide array of crops worldwide. This study was conducted to assess whether soil water saturation predisposes chile pepper to infection by P. capsici. Potted chile pepper plants of 'Criollo de Morelos 334' ('CM334') and 'New Mexico 6-4' ('NM6-4'), resistant and susceptible to P. capsici, respectively, were subjected to soil water saturation conditions (saturated and nonsaturated) for 3 and 6 days at two growth stages (six- to eight-leaf stage and one- to four-fl ower bud stage) prior to being inoculated or noninoculated with zoospores of P. capsici. Regardless of growth stage, no disease symptoms developed in 'CM334' grown either under saturated or nonsaturated soil conditions at any of the two periods (3 or 6 days) of soil water saturation. In 'NM6-4', disease symptoms consisting of stem necrosis, defoliation, and wilting were expressed. Plant growth stage at inoculation had a signifi cant effect on disease severity (P < 0.0001). However, the response of 'NM6-4' to P. capsici at each growth stage under saturated soil conditions was similar to that under nonsaturated conditions regardless of the period of saturation (P = 0.09). These results indicate that soil water saturation does not exert a signifi cant predispositional effect on infection of chile pepper by P. capsici. Phytophthora blight, caused by Phytoph- thora capsici, was fi rst described by Leonian (1922) as a disease affecting roots, stems, and fruit of chile pepper (Capsicum annuum L.). Infection of roots results in root rot and plant wilting. Brown to black lesions may develop on stems, and brown water-soaked lesions may be found on leaves and fruit. Since the publication of Leonian's work, the disease has been reported in a wide array of crops in plant families such as solanaceae and cucurbitaceae (Erwin and Ribeiro, 1996). Phytophthora blight is a serious disease on chile pepper, and was shown to decrease yield of green chile pepper by 55% and combined yield of green and red chile pepper by 36% (Xie et al., 1999). Development of Phytophthora blight in pepper has been invariably associated with high soil moisture conditions as generated from irrigation or rainfall (Biles et al., 1992; Bowers and Mitchell, 1990; Bowers et al., 1990; Cafe-Filho and Duniway, 1995; Ristaino, 1991; Xie et al., 1999). The relationship be- tween soil moisture and ecology of P. capsici in pepper has been extensively researched and knowledge accumulated in this area has been reviewed (Erwin and Ribeiro, 1996; Ristaino and Johnston, 1999). Bowers and Mitchell (1990) showed that plant mortality increased in pepper seedlings growing in soil infested with oospores of P. capsici and exposed to 24-h
The effects of common intestinal parasites on the growth and nutrition of teenagers

The rate of human intestinal parasite infection in China is still relatively high.Parasite infection can harm the affected host to different degrees and is especially harmful to teenagers,who are growing and developing.This paper offers an overview on the effects of common intestinal parasites on the growth and nutrition of teenagers in order to provide a reliable and scientific basis for the prevention of intestinal parasites,improve people's health,encourage the development and growth of children,and reduce the occurrence of malnutrition.
Constrictive pericarditis: A case requiring pericardiectomy following Dressler's postmyocardial infarction syndrome

Exertional neck tightness developed 6 months following a myocardial infarction that was complicated by Dressler's syndrome. The patient's symptoms were initially interpreted as angina pectoris but did not respond to antianginal therapy. Findings at cardiac catheterization were indicative of constrictive pericarditis. The diagnosis was confirmed at pericardiectomy and the symptoms resolved completely postoperatively. Constrictive pericarditis should be considered as an unusual but important sequel of Dressler's postmyocardial infarction syndrome.
Listening, Thinking, Being: Toward an Ethics of Attunement

Lisbeth Lipari’s Listening, Thinking, Being: Toward an Ethics of Attunement offers an expansive and compelling view of communication. Although the final ten pages draw the book’s themes together an...
Studies Relating to a Theoretical Understanding of Altered Blood-Brain Barrier Transport in Liver Disease

Evidence from several sources suggests that blood-brain transport of the large neutral amino acids (NAA) is abnormal in animals with a portacaval anastomosis (PCA) and in patients with liver cirrhosis and portalsystemic shunting. The concentrations in brain of the neutral amino acids methionine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, tryptophan and histidine are markedly elevated in rats after PCA.1–3 The concentrations of many large NAA are elevated several-fold in the cerebrospinal fluid of dogs after PCA and of patients with liver cirrhosis.4,5
Korea in the 1980s: Policies and Prospects

Korea has been considered as one of the success stories among developing countries. Starting from a small industrial base, it developed a modern industrial structure and achieved high rates of economic growth, based largely on export orientation, during the decade preceding the 1973–4 oil crisis. Also, Korea was able to rapidly surmount this crisis through the continued application of an outward-oriented strategy.
The narrative waltz: The role of flexibility in writing proficiency

[Correction Notice: An Erratum for this article was reported in Vol 108(7) of Journal of Educational Psychology (see record 2016-27706-001). In the article, the author note should have included the following statement: The research reported here was supported by the Institute of Education Sciences, US Department of Education (IES R305A120707). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Institute or the US Department of Education.] A commonly held belief among educators, researchers, and students is that high-quality texts are easier to read than low-quality texts, as they contain more engaging narrative and story-like elements. Interestingly, these assumptions have typically failed to be supported by the literature on writing. Previous research suggests that higher quality writing is typically associated with decreased levels of text narrativity and readability. In this study, the authors present the hypothesis that writing proficiency is associated with an individual’s flexible use of linguistic properties, rather than simply the consistent use of a particular set of linguistic properties. To test this hypothesis, the authors leveraged both natural language processing and dynamic methodologies to capture variability in students’ use of narrative style across multiple essay prompts. Forty-five high school students wrote 16 essays across 8 laboratory sessions. Natural language processing techniques were first used to calculate the narrativity of each essay. Random walk and Euclidian distance measures were then used to visualize and classify students’ flexibility in narrativity across essays. The results support the hypotheses that students who were flexible in their use of narrativity also wrote essays that were rated as having higher quality, whereas inflexible writers tended to write lower quality essays. Additionally, more flexible writers performed higher than the more inflexible writers on general assessments of literacy and prior knowledge. These results are important for researchers and educators, as they indicate that the link between textual properties and writing quality may fluctuate according to the context of a given writing assignment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)
Use of hyperpolarized helium-3 MRI to assess response to ivacaftor treatment in patients with cystic fibrosis

Abstract Background This pilot study evaluated the effect of short- and long-term ivacaftor treatment on hyperpolarized 3 He-magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)–defined ventilation defects in patients with cystic fibrosis aged ≥12years with a G551D - CFTR mutation. Methods Part A (single-blind) comprised 4weeks of ivacaftor treatment; Part B (open-label) comprised 48weeks of treatment. The primary outcome was change from baseline in total ventilation defect (TVD; total defect volume:total lung volume ratio). Results Mean change in TVD ranged from −8.2% (p=0.0547) to −12.8% (p=0.0078) in Part A (n=8) and −6.3% (p=0.1953) to −9.0% (p=0.0547) in Part B (n=8) as assessed by human reader and computer algorithm, respectively. Conclusions TVD responded to ivacaftor therapy. 3 He-MRI provides an individual quantification of disease burden that may be able to detect aspects of the disease missed by population-based spirometry metrics. Assessments by human reader and computer algorithm exhibit similar trends, but the latter appears more sensitive. www.clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT01161537
In a randomized trial, the live attenuated tetravalent dengue vaccine TV003 is well-tolerated and highly immunogenic in subjects with flavivirus exposure prior to vaccination.

Infection caused by the four serotypes of dengue virus (DENV-1-4) is a leading cause of mosquito-borne disease. Clinically-severe dengue disease is more common when secondary dengue infection occurs following prior infection with a heterologous dengue serotype. Other flaviviruses such as yellow fever virus, Japanese encephalitis virus, and Zika virus, can also elicit antibodies which are cross-reactive to DENV. As candidate dengue vaccines become available in endemic settings and for individuals who have received other flavivirus vaccines, it is important to examine vaccine safety and immunogenicity in these flavivirus-experienced populations. We performed a randomized, controlled trial of the National Institutes of Health live attenuated tetravalent dengue vaccine candidate (TV003) in fifty-eight individuals with prior exposure to flavivirus infection or vaccine. As in prior studies of this vaccine in flavivirus-naive volunteers, flavivirus-experienced subjects received two doses of vaccine six months apart and were followed closely for clinical events, laboratory changes, viremia, and neutralizing antibody titers. TV003 was well tolerated with few adverse events other than rash, which was predominately mild. Following one dose, 87% of vaccinees had an antibody response to all four serotypes (tetravalent response), suggesting a robust immune response. In addition, 76% of vaccinees were viremic; mean peak titers ranged from 0.68–1.1 log10 PFU/mL and did not differ by serotype. The second dose of TV003 was not associated with viremia, rash, or a sustained boost in antibody titers indicating that a single dose of the vaccine is likely sufficient to prevent viral replication and thus protect against disease. In comparison to the viremia and neutralizing antibody response elicited by TV003 in flavivirus-naive subjects from prior studies, we found that subjects who were flavivirus-exposed prior to vaccination exhibited slightly higher DENV-3 viremia, higher neutralizing antibody titers to DENV-2, -3, and -4, and a higher tetravalent response frequency after TV003 administration. In summary, we demonstrate that the NIH tetravalent dengue vaccine TV003 is well-tolerated in flavivirus-experienced individuals and elicits robust post-vaccination neutralizing antibody titers. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01506570
Effects of epitaxial structure and processing on electrical characteristics of InAs-based nBn infrared detectors

The conventional processing of the III-V nBn photodetectors defines mesa devices by etching the contact n-layer and stopping immediately above the barrier, i.e., a shallow etch. This processing enables great suppression of surface leakage currents without having to explore surface passivation techniques. However, devices that are made with this processing scheme are subject to lateral diffusion currents. To address the lateral diffusion current, we compare the effects of different processing approaches and epitaxial structures of nBn detectors. The conventional solution for eliminating lateral diffusion current, a deep etch through the barrier and the absorber, creates increased dark currents and an increased device failure rate. To avoid deep etch processing, a new device structure is proposed, the inverted-nBn structure. By comparing with the conventional nBn structure, the results show that the lateral diffusion current is effectively eliminated in the inverted-nBn structure without elevating the dark currents.
The effects of titanium dioxide coatings on light-derived heating and transdermal heat transfer in bovine skin

The effects of titanium dioxide coatings of bovine hides on light absorption and transdermal transfer of light-derived heat were investigated. Four hair-on rug hides from Holstein cattle were purchased. Twelve samples about 20 cm on a side were cut from each hide; nine from the black-colored areas, and three from the white areas. Samples were randomized and assigned to four coating treatments: (1) white hide with no coating (White), (2) black hide with no coating (Black), (3) black hide with 50% coating (Mid), and (4) black hide with 100% coating (High). Coatings were applied to the black hide samples using a hand sprayer. Lux measurements were taken using a modified lux meter at three light intensities generated with a broad spectrum, cold halogen light source. Reflectance over a wavelength range of 380 to 900 nm was measured using a spectroradiometer. The transdermal transfer of heat derived from absorbed light was measured by applying a broad spectrum, cold halogen light source to the stratum corneum (coated) side of the sample and recording the temperature of the dermis-side using a thermal camera for 10 min at 30-s intervals. At the high light level, the White, Black, Mid, and High coating treatments had different (P < 0.001) lux values of 64,945, 1741, 15,978, and 40,730 lx, respectively. In the visible wavelength range (400 to 750 nm), Black hides reflected 10 to 15% of the light energy, hides with the Mid coating treatment reflected 35 to 40%, and hides with the High coating treatment reflected 70 to 80% of the light energy. The natural White hide samples reflected 60 to 80% of the light energy. The average maximum temperatures at the dermis-side of the hides due to transferred heat were 34.5, 70.1, 55.0, and 31.7, for the White, Black, Mid, and High treatments, respectively. Reflective coatings containing titanium dioxide on cattle hides were effective in reducing light energy absorption and reduced light-derived heat transfer from the skin surface to deeper skin layers.
Paying for Privacy and the Personal Data Economy

Growing demands for privacy and increases in the quantity and variety of consumer data have engendered various business offerings to allow companies, and in some instances consumers, to capitalize on these developments. One such example is the emerging “personal data economy” (PDE) in which companies, such as Datacoup, purchase data directly from individuals. At the opposite end of the spectrum, the “pay-for-privacy” (PFP) model requires consumers to pay an additional fee to prevent their data from being collected and mined for advertising purposes. This Article conducts a simultaneous in-depth exploration of the impact of burgeoning PDE and PFP models. It identifies a typology of data-business models, and it uncovers the similarities and tensions between a data market controlled by established companies that have historically collected and mined consumer data for their primary benefit and one in which consumers play a central role in monetizing their own data. The Article makes three claims. First, it contends that PFP models facilitate the transformation of privacy into a tradable product in the online setting, may worsen unequal access to privacy, and could further enable predatory and discriminatory behavior. Second, while the PDE may allow consumers to regain a semblance of control over their information by enabling them to decide when and with whom to share their data, consumers’ direct transfer or disclosure of personal data to companies for a price or personalized deals creates challenges similar to those found in the PFP context and generates additional concerns associated with innovative monetization techniques. Third, existing frameworks and proposals may not sufficiently ameliorate these concerns. The Article concludes by offering a path forward.
Finite element simulation of switchable and tunable resonators with BST

Piezo-electric thin films such as Aluminum Nitride and Zinc oxide are widely studied for the fabrication of FBAR based resonators and filters for cell phones. Recently, Barium Strontium Titanate (BST) thin films have attracted the attention of many investigators because of their voltage induced piezoelectricity. The resonators and filters fabricated by BST are switchable and tunable. In this paper, we are presenting the results of finite element based simulation of BST based resonators to optimize their performance before fabrication. The simulations have been performed on FBAR based resonator structures routinely fabricated in our laboratory. These resonators use silicon dioxide/tantalum oxide based Bragg reflectors for acoustic isolation. Platinum thin film of thickness 100 nm with 20 nm of titanium adhesive layer was used as bottom electrode, 180 nm of BST and 100 nm of platinum as top electrode. COMSOL finite element solver was used for finite element simulation of the resonators to obtain their impedance, series and parallel resonant frequency, quality factor and electromechanical coefficient and their variation with applied electric field. The variation resonator parameters were studied with variation in top electrode metal thickness. In addition, the effect of changing the BST composition (BaXSr 1−x TiO 3 ) on resonator characteristics are also simulated.
Social activism: Engaging millennials in social causes

Given that young adults consume and interact with digital technologies not only a daily basis, but extensively throughout the day, it stands to reason they are more actively involved in advocating social change particularly through social media. However, national surveys of civic engagement indicate civic and community engagement drops-off after high school and while millennials attend college. While past research has compiled evidence about young adults’ social media use and some social media behaviors, limited literature has investigated the audience’s perspective of social activism campaigns through social media. Research also has focused on the adoption of new technologies based on causal linkages between perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness, yet few studies have considered how these dynamics relate to millennials engagement with others using social media for social good. This project builds on past research to investigate the relationship between millennials’ online exposure to information about social causes and motives to take part in virtual and face-to-face engagement. Findings suggest that while digital media environments immerse participants in mediated experiences that merge both the off-line and online worlds, and has a strong effect on person’s influence to do something, unclear is the extent to which social media and social interactions influence millennials willingness to engage both online and in-person. Even so, the results of this study indicate millennials are open to using social media for social causes, and perhaps increasing engagement off-line too.
Labor Force Participation Rates: The Population Age 55 and Older, 2008

This paper examines recent U.S. Census Bureau data on labor-force participation among Americans age 55 and older, which includes both the near elderly (ages 55-64) and the elderly (64 and above). The first section uses annualized data on labor-force participation from the Current Population Survey (available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Web site). However, these data provide only an overall picture, not specific demographic details. In order to examine demographic trends of the U.S. population, the second section uses data from the March Current Population Survey (CPS). The percentage of civilian noninstitutionalized Americans age 55 or older who were in the labor force declined from 34.6 percent in 1975 to 29.4 percent in 1993. However, since 1993, the labor-force participation rate has steadily increased, reaching 39.4 percent in 2008 -- the highest level over the 1975-2008 period. For those ages 55-64 (the near elderly), this is being driven almost exclusively by the increase of women in the work force; the male participation rate is flat to declining. However, among those age 65 and older (the elderly), labor-force participation is increasing for both males and females. Education is a strong factor in an individual’s participation in the labor force at older ages: Individuals with higher levels of education are significantly more likely to be in the labor force than those with lower levels of education. This upward trend among the working near elderly and elderly is not surprising and is likely to continue because of workers’ need for access to employment-based health insurance and for more earning years to accumulate assets in defined contribution (401(k)-type) plans -- especially after the 2008 downturn in the stock market and economy. Many Americans also want to work longer, especially among those with more education. The PDF for the above title, published in the February 2010 issue of EBRI Notes, also contains the full text of another February 2010 EBRI Notes article abstracted on SSRN: “Choice of Health Plan: Findings from the 2009 EBRI/MGA Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey.”
The Promise and Perils of Radical Left Populism: The Case of Venezuela

Mainstream critics argue that populism inevitably leads to economic disaster and political authoritarianism. Venezuela is often pointed to as proof of this. Yet, while the profound crisis gripping Venezuela is undeniable, comprehensive analysis of Chavismo shows that populism, and specifically the radical left populism found in Venezuela, is more ambiguous. From 2005-2013 radical left populism in Venezuela reduced poverty and inequality, deepened democracy, and built popular support for a “transition to socialism.” These gains were erased in the post-2014 crisis, which revealed two flaws of the Chavista model hidden by its earlier success: its unsustainable material foundation and inability to overcome the statist trap. For radical left populism to achieve its potential, and avoid peril, these two problems must be effectively addressed.
Regulator-Cited Cooperation Credit and Firm Value: Evidence from Enforcement Actions

ABSTRACT Regulators claim to reward firm cooperation in the enforcement process. However, critics question which actions constitute firm cooperation and contend that cooperation leads to “harsh” an...
Conhecimento & Diversidade prossegue com novas produções

Conhecimento & Diversidade prossegue em sua producao nesta nova etapa, mantendo sua caracteristica multidisciplinar, trazendo artigos com diversos enfoques tematicos, que propiciam aos leitores possibilidades de aplicacao em novas pesquisas e estudos de maneira geral, ampliando tambem perspectivas de fundamentos, praticas e discussao socioeducacional, como se verifica nos textos que se apresentam a seguir. Vale lembrar nesta introducao que, de acordo com as normas da revista, no caso de artigos do exterior, aceitam-se as normas do pais.
Practice Patterns and Outcomes Among Patients With N0M0 Prostate Cancer and a Very High Prostate-Specific Antigen Level.

BACKGROUND Management of patients with a very high prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level (≥98.0 ng/mL) but clinically localized (N0M0) prostate cancer is challenging. This study sought to determine practice patterns and outcomes among these patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS A total of 748,825 patients with prostate cancer from 2004 through 2012 were identified using the National Cancer Database. These patients were subdivided by PSA level (0-9.9, 10.0-19.9, 20.0-39.9, 40.0-59.9, 60.0-79.9, 80.0-97.9, and ≥98.0 ng/mL), nodal status (N0 vs N1), and distant metastases (M0 vs M1). Rates of locoregional treatment and 5-year overall survival (OS) in each group were determined. Survival was compared using Cox regression after adjusting for multiple patient-specific factors. RESULTS The rate of locoregional treatment for patients with N0M0 disease and PSA level ≥98.0 ng/mL was significantly lower than for those with N1M0 disease (52.6% vs 60.4%; P<.001) or N0M0 disease and PSA level <98.0 ng/mL (52.6% vs 86.6%; P<.001). The 5-year OS rate was similar for patients with N1M0 disease and those with N0M0 disease and a very high PSA level (63.2% vs 59.1%; adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.91; P=.063). The survival benefit associated with locoregional treatment was higher among those with N0M0 disease and a very high PSA level than among those with N1M0 disease (aHR, 0.28 vs 0.44; P<.001). CONCLUSIONS Patients with clinical N0M0 disease and a very high PSA level (≥98.0 ng/mL) have outcomes similar to those with N1 disease but receive locoregional treatment at a lower rate. Future work is needed to investigate the utility of locoregional treatment in this population.
Behavior Change in the Human Services: Behavioral and Cognitive Principles and Applications

As time elapses it is important to obtain and disseminate new information. Information that builds and expands upon the precedent of what we have previously learned. Especially in our current times...
The HIV Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Cascade at NYC Sexual Health Clinics: Navigation Is the Key to Uptake.

BACKGROUND Clinics providing sexual health care pose unique opportunities to implement HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) programs. The PrEP program at New York City's Sexual Health Clinics provides intensive on-site navigation for linkage to PrEP care. We assessed uptake of this intervention. METHODS We categorized men who have sex with men (MSM) without HIV hierarchically as having had (1) HIV post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) use (past year); or (2) selected sexually transmitted infections (STI) (past year); or (3) HIV-diagnosed sex/needle-sharing partners (past 6 months); or (4) expressed interest in PrEP (day of clinic visit). We constructed PrEP cascades and used multivariable regression to examine acceptance of PrEP navigation, referral to a PrEP provider, linkage (<60 days), and PrEP prescription. RESULTS One thousand three hundred one of 2106 PrEP (62%) patients accepted navigation. Of those, 55% (718/1301) were black or Hispanic MSM. STI and PEP patients had lowest navigation acceptance levels (35%-46%). Of navigated patients, 56% (628/1114) accepted referrals, 46% (288/628) linked to PrEP providers, and 82% (235/288) were prescribed PrEP; overall, 11% of those offered navigation (235/2106) received prescriptions. Navigated MSM with PEP history [adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR) 1.34, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.16 to 1.56)], previous STI (aPR 1.28, 95% CI: 1.12 to 1.45), or HIV-diagnosed partners (aPR 1.18, 95% CI: 1.01 to 1.37) were more likely than those with PrEP interest to accept referrals. Probability of linkage varied by insurance status; prescription did not vary by patient factors. CONCLUSIONS Although MSM in key priority groups (eg, previous STI) showed low navigation uptake, those who accepted navigation were likely to be referred for PrEP, suggesting a need for expanded up-front engagement.
Osmotic Gradients in Epithelial Acini Increase Mechanical Tension across E-cadherin, Drive Morphogenesis, and Maintain Homeostasis.

Summary Epithelial cells spontaneously form acini (also known as cysts or spheroids) with a single, fluid-filled central lumen when grown in 3D matrices. The size of the lumen is dependent on apical secretion of chloride ions, most notably by the CFTR channel, which has been suggested to establish pressure in the lumen due to water influx. To study the cellular biomechanics of acini morphogenesis and homeostasis, we used MDCK-2 cells. Using FRET-force biosensors for E-cadherin, we observed significant increases in the average tension per molecule for each protein in mature 3D acini as compared to 2D monolayers. Increases in CFTR activity resulted in increased E-cadherin forces, indicating that ionic gradients affect cellular tension. Direct measurements of pressure revealed that mature acini experience significant internal hydrostatic pressure (37 ± 10.9 Pa). Changes in CFTR activity resulted in pressure and/or volume changes, both of which affect E-cadherin tension. Increases in CFTR chloride secretion also induced YAP signaling and cellular proliferation. In order to recapitulate disruption of acinar homeostasis, we induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). During the initial stages of EMT, there was a gradual decrease in E-cadherin force and lumen pressure that correlated with lumen infilling. Strikingly, increasing CFTR activity was sufficient to block EMT. Our results show that ion secretion is an important regulator of morphogenesis and homeostasis in epithelial acini. Furthermore, this work demonstrates that, for closed 3D cellular systems, ion gradients can generate osmotic pressure or volume changes, both of which result in increased cellular tension.
Genome Sequence of the Acidophilic Nonsulfur Purple Photosynthetic Alphaproteobacterium Rhodovastum atsumiense, a Divergent Member of the Acetobacteraceae Family

ABSTRACT The genome sequence of the acidophile Rhodovastum atsumiense was determined for comparison with that of Rhodopila globiformis. Both genomes are unusually large for purple bacteria (7.10 Mb and 7.25 Mb, respectively), and they have an average nucleotide identity of 72%. This value is remarkably similar to the average nucleotide identity values for Acidisphaera, Elioraea, and Paracraurococcus, all aerobic anoxygenic phototrophs.
Solving Constrained CASH Problems with ADMM.

The CASH problem has been widely studied in the context of automated configurations of machine learning (ML) pipelines and various solvers and toolkits are available. However, CASH solvers do not directly handle black-box constraints such as fairness, robustness or other domain-specific custom constraints. We present our recent approach [Liu, et al., 2020] that leverages the ADMM optimization framework to decompose CASH into multiple small problems and demonstrate how ADMM facilitates incorporation of black-box constraints.
Apparent-weakening by adaptive passive stiffness shaping along the height of multistory building using negative stiffness devices and dampers for seismic protection

Abstract Apparent weakening by adaptive stiffness shaping of structures using a negative stiffness device (NSD) is a new passive structural control approach to mitigate the response of structures during severe ground motions. Experimental studies confirm significant reductions in acceleration, inter-story drift and base shear experienced by a structure when a NSD is deployed in conjunction with a viscous damper. So far, the focus and application of NSDs has been restricted to response reduction in the story where a NSD is installed and its effect on stories above that. In this paper, we demonstrate the efficacy of deploying NSDs accompanied by dampers at multiple locations along the height of an example nine story structure. Typically, the NSDs in the lower floors undergo large deformations since the energy from a ground motion is transmitted from the bottom to top. To prevent this, we propose a generalized scheme to incorporate NSDs at all floors with different apparent-yield displacements. We incorporate the variations with a view towards minimizing localized inter-story deformations (ISD) and distribute the effects of strong ground motions evenly along the height of the structure. In addition to the variation of apparent-yield of NSDs, we study the effects of supplementing the NSD with linear and non-linear dampers. We compare the response of the nine story structure without passive control devices (BS) to cases where linear dampers (LD) are attached, nonlinear dampers are attached (ND), NSDs in conjuction with linear dampers are attached (NSD + LD) and NSDs in conjunction with nonlinear dampers are attached (NSD + ND). Our results show that if the distribution of apparent yield is properly designed for a structure, NSDs with nonlinear dampers results in a superior performance compared to the other cases considered in this paper.
Long-Term Trends in Preoperative Cardiac Evaluation and Myocardial Infarction after Elective Vascular Procedures

Background Vascular surgery has seen rapid increase in the use of less invasive endovascular therapies along with advancements in cardiac perioperative optimization in the past 2 decades. However, a recent American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database study found no improvement in postoperative myocardial infarction (POMI) over a 10-year period in high-risk procedures. The national Society for Vascular Surgery Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI) registry provides a more in-depth characterization of vascular surgery procedures. Here, we sought to evaluate long-term trends in POMI using VQI registry data for patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA), thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR), endovascular aortic repair (EVAR), open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (oAAA), suprainguinal bypass (SIB), and infrainguinal bypass (IIB). Methods A retrospective cohort study was performed using data on elective procedures from 2003 to 2017. Procedures were subdivided by date of operation into 3-year era consecutive groups for subanalysis (2003–05, 2006–08, 2009–11, 2012–14, and 2015–17). The incidence of POMI, preoperative risk factors (including individual patient VQI cardiac risk index (CRI)), and demographics were determined over time. Results A total of 227,837 elective procedures were identified: CEA (n = 88,805, 39.0%), TEVAR (n = 7,494, 3.3%), EVAR (n = 34,376, 15.1%), oAAA (n = 7,568, 3.3%), SIB (n = 11,354, 5.0%), and IIB (n = 34,661, 15.2%). Across all procedures, the overall rate of POMI was 1.3%. POMI rates from 2003–05 to 2015–17 for CEA decreased from 0.9% to 0.7% (P = 0.21), EVAR from 2.0% to 0.7%, P = 0.003, oAAA from 6.8% to 5.1% (P = 0.12), and IIB from 3.8% to 2.4% (P = 0.003). SIB POMI decreased from 3.06% to 2.95%, P = 0.85 from 2009 to 17. While POMI after TEVAR increased from 2.40% to 2.56% from 2009 to 17, P = 0.91. Over these same time periods, only EVAR and IIB had a reduction in CRIs (P = 0.059 and P Conclusions Except for TEVAR, the incidence of POMI has remained unchanged or decreased over the past 15 years in VQI registries. Patients undergoing IIB and EVAR demonstrated decreases in POMI rates that correspond with a reduction in CRIs and increased preoperative statin use. CEA and SIB had no significant change in POMI rates nor CRIs. The etiology of decreased POMI rate is uncertain, but increasing statin use, patient-specific factors, and patient selection for procedures may be important drivers of this improvement.
The effects of implementing management practices on somatic cell count levels in bovine milk.

Somatic cell count (SCC) can be used as a proxy for the prevalence of mastitis in a herd, reflecting the hygiene conditions and management practices on dairy farms, and thus an indicator of milk quality. In this study, we investigated how the adoption of management practices in milking systems can contribute to the reduction of SCC levels and improve milk quality. We collected data regarding management practices from 91 dairy farms in three municipalities of southeastern Para: Parauapebas, Curionopolis, and Eldorado dos Carajas. Fifty milliliters of milk from each farm were collected in bottles containing bronopol, to preserve SCC. An exploratory factorial analysis (EFA) was performed to reduce the number of variables (management techniques) on dairy farms to some latent factors. We then used the selected factors to estimate the bovine mastitis management index to classify farms according to their use of technology and management techniques. Our results showed that most of the farmers (65.9%) used management techniques inefficiently in their systems, resulting in a significant loss of product quality, while only 3.3% had adopted the full set of techniques. The EFA results demonstrated that simple management practices including regular cleaning of the milking lines, a strip cup test, the California mastitis test, and washing teats with water before milking could be adopted to improve milk quality. However, in scenarios where the regulations become more rigorous, most farmers are unable to meet the maximum allowable SCC requirements, necessitating management innovations to reduce SCC. Therefore, the dissemination of knowledge, technical assistance, and access to new technologies is essential for improving management practices, and thus milk quality.