cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effectiveness of accounting-based dividend covenants

Abstract Accounting-based dividend constraints in lending contracts are imperfect means of mitigating conflicts of interests between stockholders and bondholders since managers have flexibility to make accounting decisions to circumvent the covenants. This paper documents firms' accounting and dividend responses to an increase in the tightness of dividend constraints. Firms cut dividends and do not appear to make accounting changes to circumvent the dividend restriction. The magnitude of the dividend cut is proportional to the tightness of the dividend constraint. This suggests that accounting-based covenants are effective means for bondholders to restrict firmsś dividend policies.
A broadening world of bacterial small RNAs

The ubiquity of small RNAs (sRNAs) in bacteria is now well established. These transcripts are the members of regulatory circuits involved in diverse processes ranging from stress adaptation to virulence to metabolism. Recent large-scale searches suggest that there exist many times more sRNAs than previously predicted even in the best studied bacterial transcriptomes. On the basis of these and other recent findings of regulatory sRNAs that do not function in a 'classical' manner, we propose that the working definition of sRNAs be broadened.
Book review:Chaotic behavior in quantum systems

The concept of chaos, as its use has evolved in the theory of dynamic systems, has crept ever closer to that of random or stochastic. Among the general characteristics associated with chaos have been the sensitive dependence on initial conditions and the loss of predictability. Chaos is a phenomenon that appears in both conservative nonintegrable Hamiltonian systems (KAM theory, tori breakdown, etc.) and nonconservative dissipative systems (strange attractors, noninvertible maps, etc.). The richness of the structures generated by nonlinear interactions in classical systems has led a number of scientists to inquire how these phenomena are instantiated in the quantum domain. Surely the nonlinear interaction term in a classically nonintegrable Hamiltonian system should manifest new behavior in its quantum counterpart; at least an ever-growing segment of the scientific community believes this to be the case. The spectrum of presentations at the conference was quite broad, ranging from the limitations of perturbation theory, where the small divisor problem plagued astronomers and may also lead to strong energy resonances to produce quantum tunneling, to torus quantization, to Anderson localization, to the fluctuations in nuclear spectra. Although not of uniform mathematical difficulty, there was a sufficient breadth of mathematical topics in the lectures to challenge the background of most mathemtical physicists. The fundamenal physical problem was to find criteria to characterize quantum chaos and the range of suggested criteria highlighted the conjectural aspect of much of the research being described. This state of affairs could cause one to scoff at what is presently understood about quantum chaos or in constrast to stimulate one to investigate this unsettled field still further, depending on one's ability to deal with ambiguity and uncertainty. If numbers are any indication, it would seem that studies into the foundations of quantum mechanics are undergoing a rebirth. I recommend these lectures to anyone who has ever wondered what
Asymptotic properties of a maximum likelihood estimator with data from a Gaussian process

Abstract We consider an estimation problem with observations from a Gaussian process. The problem arises from a stochastic process modeling of computer experiments proposed recently by Sacks, Schiller, and Welch. By establishing various representations and approximations to the corresponding log-likelihood function, we show that the maximum likelihood estimator of the identifiable parameter θσ2 is strongly consistent and converges weakly (when normalized by √n) to a normal random variable, whose variance does not depend on the selection of sample points. Some extensions to regression models are also obtained.
The large amplitude motion of a liquid-filled gyroscope and the non-interaction of inertial and Rossby waves

An attempt is made to explain theoretically two curious phenomena involving the motion of the liquid in a spinning, gyrating, liquid-filled gyroscope. One of the phenomena is the periodic breakdown of the free-surface wave form of the spinning liquid in the gyroscope when it gyrates at angles larger than about 1°. The other is the resonant amplitude growth rate of the liquid-filled gyroscope at these angles, for then the small angle stability theory of Stewartson (1959) fails to make the correct predictions. The analysis exploits the experimental fact that the axis of rotation of liquid in the rotor of a spinning gyrating gyroscope does not remain coincident with the axis of rotation of the rotor when the gyroscope gyrates at amplitudes greater than the above-mentioned 1°. It is shown that this lack of coincidence generates Rossby waves and modifies the inertial wave frequencies that would ordinarily occur in a right circular cylinder. There is no nonlinear interaction between these Rossby and inertial waves; hence the free-surface breakdown remains unexplained. However, the modification of the inertial wave frequencies does seem to account for the curious amplitude growth rate.
Consistent Embedding: A Theoretical Framework for Multiscale Modeling

A fundamental framework for the undertaking of computational science provides clear distinctions between theory, model, and simulation. Consistent embedding provides a set of principles which when appropriately applied can create multi-scale models that capture the physical behavior of more computationally challenging methods within methods that are more easily computed. The consistent embedding methodology is illustrated within the context of brittle fracture for two serial and one concurrent multi-scale modeling examples. The examples demonstrate how predictive modeling hierarchies can be established.
Efficient reiterative censoring of robust STAP using the FRACTA algorithm

This paper presents further developments of the FRACTA algorithm (S.D. Blunt et al, NRL Tech. Rep. 10.059), which has been shown to be robust to nonhomogeneous environments containing outliers. The focus here is on the efficient implementation of the FRACTA algorithm. The key development is a censoring stopping mechanism whereby the number of reiterative steps can be minimized and computation is reduced. We introduce a data-dependent stopping rule that demonstrates excellent results as evidenced by the detection of targets in the KASSPER challenge data cube. We also present some other enhancements to the FRACTA algorithm that further improve both efficiency and performance.
Employee Job Satisfaction Determinants Within a National Restaurant Company

Nonmanagement employee turnover has long been a major concern to acade micians and business professionals. The general purpose of this study is to develop a more complete understanding of the emplo...
Tutorial 2: The Method Framework for Engineering System Architectures (MFESA): A Practical Way to Generate Effective and Efficient Project-Specific System Architecture Engineering Methods

This 1/2 day tutorial presents a new proposed method framework and associated repository of reusable method components for creating appropriate project-specific methods for engineering system architectures. Several MFESA tasks directly involve component-based software-intensive systems in that they involve the identification and analysis of potential reusable architectural work products including patterns, models, and architectural components.
Transforming growth factor-beta stimulates trophoblast oncofetal fibronectin synthesis in vitro: implications for trophoblast implantation in vivo.

In pregnancy tissues, oncofetal fibronectin (onfFN) has been localized specifically to the extracellular matrix (ECM) surrounding extravillous anchoring trophoblasts of the placental-uterine junction and chorion. When isolated from first or third trimester placentas, human cytotrophoblasts in culture secrete and deposit onfFN in the ECM. In addition, onfFN synthesis is significantly up-regulated in response to serum stimulatory factor(s). The goal of this study was to examine the role of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF beta), a cytokine present in uterine decidua, as a stimulator of trophoblast onfFN production. Our initial insight into the significance of TGF beta resulted from the serendipitous use of cord serum from a neonate with severe alloimmune thrombocytopenia. Trophoblasts cultured in medium containing this serum underwent normal morphological differentiation, but produced markedly less onfFN. In an analogous fashion, trophoblasts cultured in normal serum preincubated with anti-TGF beta neut...
On the brain response to syntactic anomalies: Manipulations of word position and word class reveal individual differences.

In two experiments, event-related brain potentials (ERPs) were recorded from 13 scalp locations while subjects read sentences containing a syntactically or a semantically anomalous word. The position (sentence-embedded vs sentence-final) and word class (open vs closed) of the syntactic anomalies were manipulated. In both experiments, semantically anomalous words elicited an enhanced N400 component. Syntactically anomalous closed class words elicited a widely distributed late positive wave (P600) regardless of the word's position and a smaller negative-going effect that was largest over anterior sites when the anomaly occurred in sentence-final position. The response to syntactically anomalous open class words revealed striking qualitative individual differences: These words elicited a P600 response in the majority of subjects and an N400 response in others. The proportion of subjects exhibiting the N400 response was greater when the anomaly occurred in sentence-final position. These results are interpreted in the context of prior findings, and implications for the hypothesis that syntactic and semantic anomalies elicit distinct brain potentials are discussed.
Predicting vestibular, proprioceptive, and biomechanical control strategies in normal and pathological head movements

Little is known of the functionality of the vestibulo-collic reflex (VCR) and cervico-collic reflex (CCR) during head and neck movements caused by perturbations of the trunk, previously, the authors formulated mathematical expressions for these neck reflexes and incorporated them into a model of horizontal plane head movements. The formalism of this neuromechanical model allowed the authors to examine separately the main components of head movement control. In the present study, they examine selected parameters within the main components of the model, and associate variations of these parameters with disease processes affecting head and neck movements, such as loss of sensory input or modification in central or motor function. The authors' simulations led them to several conclusions. First, the probable use of the VCR and CCR in yaw plane head movements is to tune the head response. In the time domain, they diminish natural head oscillations (head wobble) related to head mechanics. Equivalently, in the frequency domain, they reduce the amplitude of head wobble (resonances) around 2 Hz. Second, the authors' simulations suggest that the VCR is about ten times stronger than the CCR in normal humans. Moreover, this disproportion is associated with only very minor contributions from the CCR in yaw. Third, head oscillations (or instability) ran be generated by mechanical or neural changes in the head and neck system. Finally, readjustments of central nervous system dynamic operations could provide mechanisms to compensate for sensory and motor dysfunction caused by disease.
Primer Reporte de Parásitos Intestinales en Callicebus modestus del Departamento de Beni, Bolivia

Abstract Intestinal parasite diversity was evaluated in two groups of free-ranging Callicebus modestus from the Jose Ballivian Province of the Beni Department, Bolivia. During 10 months (September 2010 to June 2011) fecal samples were collected from an adult pair (group A), and a second group (group B) living in a less fragmented area than group A composed by an adult pair, a juvenile female and an infant male. Immature structures from parasites belonging to the Strongylida and Spirurida orders and the Strongyloides and Bertiella genera were detected through coproparasitology. Eggs from Strongyloides spp. were the most prevalent along the study (present in 9 of 10 months), followed by Strongylida eggs (present in 6 of 10 months). Immature structures of parasites from the Spirurida order and the genera Bertiella were only observed at the end of the rainy season. None of the monitored individuals presented evidence of health problems related to the presence of parasites, however, the presence of Bertiella s...
Descriptive Models of Perceived Risk

This article provides a brief introduction to descriptive models of perceived risk. The first part focuses on monetary risks or any risks whose information can be distilled into payoffs and their probabilities. The second part focuses on psychological research on societal risks such as psychometric models. Some further developments are also included such as cross-cultural studies and the risk-as-feelings hypothesis. Keywords: perceived risk; decision making; monetary risks; societal risks; risk-as-feelings
Simple gain probability functions for large reflector antennas of JPL/NASA

81 8-354-2674 Abstract - Simple models for the patterns as well as their cumulative gain probability and probability density functions of the JPUNASA Deep Space Network (DSN) antennas are developed. These a~ needed for the study and evaluation of interference from unwanted sources such as the emerging terrestrial system, High Density Fixed Service (HDFS), with the Ka-band receiving antenna systems in Goldstone Station of the JPLNASA Deep Space Network. Several different models for the high gain ground antennas of the JPUNASA Deep Space Network @SN) are considered. The model definitions are then used to evaluate cumulative probability functions and probability density functions for the gain values at a receiving antenna randomly located anywhere in the far field of the model antenna. Both two-dimensional models which simulate the pattern in a plane cut through the boresight of the antenna and the range of the angle from boresight to *180 degrees and three- dimensional ones in which the pattem is given anywhere in the half-space above the ground, with the range of angle from zero at boresight to 90 degrees are considered. In both cases, regular as well as smooth "interpolated" models have been developed. The gain value as seen by a receiver at a random location and exposed to the radiation from a transmitting antenna with a given gain profile, can be thought of as a uniformly distributed random variable. Formulas are derived and various plots are presented for the gain models and their associated cumulative probability functions and probability density functions.
Polio, still lurking in the shadows

### Introduction Iron lungs sucking breath into immobile bodies. Paralysis. Useless limbs. Forced separation of children from their families. Polio conjures up a nightmarish vision, in part due to the rapid and unexpected onset of paralysis, the inability to predict who might succumb, and the
Amino-functionalized pillar[5]arene.

The recently introduced pillar[n]arenes have provided chemists with receptors that, when incorporated into materials, confer unique properties upon them. The symmetrical rims and cylindrical shape of pillar[5]arene begs the question--can these pillar-like receptors be linked covalently end-to-end in order to create tubular structures by a growth-from-template approach? In our efforts to produce these one-dimensional extended structures, we have developed a new method of functionalizing pillar[5]arene in which one of the five hydroquinone units is converted into a diaminobenzoquinone analogue. The resulting diaminopillar[5]arene derivative, which undergoes a stereochemical inversion process that is slow on the (1)H NMR timescale, can be chemically modified yet further in a direction that is orthogonal to the plane of its methylene bridging carbons through the formation of oxazole heterocycles. This strategy has been employed to create rigid oligomers that resemble one-dimensional tubular arrays. As a proof-of-principle, a rigid pillar[5]arene dimer has been isolated and characterized in the solution state as a 1:1 complex with an extended viologen for which it acts as a receptor.
Segmental tandem triplication of the MLL gene in an intravascular large B-cell lymphoma with multisystem involvement: A comprehensive morphologic, immunophenotypic, cytogenetic, and molecular cytogenetic antemortem study

An association between intravascular large B-cell lymphoma (IVLBCL) and the mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) gene has never been demonstrated. Here, we report an IVLBCL in a 47-year-old Asian man. Morphologically, the atypical lymphoid infiltrate was entirely confined in the lumina of capillaries, small vessels, and sinusoidal space. Within the kidney, the neoplastic lymphoid cells exhibited both the glomerular and peritubular capillary distribution pattern. Conventional cytogenetic analysis from the bone marrow aspirates displayed a complex karyotype, with a notable triple tandem repeat at band segment q22-q25 of chromosome 11. Fluorescence in situ hybridization with an MLL probe set, performed on both interphase cells and metaphase spreads, confirmed the presence of 3 copies of the MLL gene on the derivative chromosome 11. From this finding and 3 other IVLBCL cases reported in the literature, we conclude that MLL may play an important role in the lymphomagenesis of IVLBCL at least in a subset of cases.
Reaching Out: Newspaper Credibility Among Young Adult Readers

The researchers examined student perceptions of campus and community newspaper credibility at the University of Florida using a Web survey (n = 1,906) of those enrolled in a general education class. A moderate correlation (r = .28) existed between college newspaper credibility and community newspaper credibility. Using hierarchical linear regression, the researchers found interest in news content to be a statistically significant predictor of credibility for both local newspapers and college newspapers. In addition, students whose parents encouraged them to read a newspaper found both newspapers more credible than did their peers, and exposure to a newspaper was found to be a strong predictor of credibility for that newspaper. Finally, the results of this case study also suggest White respondents find local newspapers more credible than other races. Implications for researchers and practitioners were discussed.
New VUV and XUV Laser Systems

It is presently one of the major objectives in quantum electronics to extend the range of directly-pumped lasers to shorter wavelengths. Until recently, the short wavelength limit for lasers was marked by several excimer lasers and the H 2 laser in the deep vacuum ultraviolet above 100 nm. In 1985, new results on strong amplified spontaneous emission for wavelength in the 20 nm range from highly-ionized laser-produced plasmas were reported by several groups [1,2]. Although these experiments clearly demonstrate the possibility of achieving light amplification for transition energies as high as ∼50 eV, gigantic laser systems are required. It is the purpose of this article to point out some of the experimental difficulties associated with the generation of short wavelength laser radiation, briefly indicate how they were overcome in several recent experiments, and finally, to put forward some ideas that could lead to VUV and XUV lasers using comparatively simple, laboratory-type, table top devices.
Monotone method for Riemann-Liouville multi-order fractional differential systems

In this paper we develop the monotone method for nonlinear multi-order \(N\)-systems of Riemann-Liouville fractional differential equations. That is, a hybrid system of nonlinear equations of orders \(q_i\) where \(0 \lt q_i \lt 1\). In the development of this method we recall any needed existence results along with any necessary changes. Through the method's development we construct a generalized multi-order Mittag-Leffler function that fulfills exponential-like properties for multi-order systems. Further we prove a comparison result paramount for the discussion of fractional multi-order inequalities that utilizes lower and upper solutions of the system. The monotone method is then developed via the construction of sequences of linear systems based on the upper and lower solutions, and are used to approximate the solution of the original nonlinear multi-order system.
Studies of renal injury. I. Gentamicin toxicity and expression of basolateral transporters

Gentamicin nephrotoxicity may arise in part from alterations in the expression of genes critical for renal proximal tubule metabolism. We tested the hypothesis that gentamicin suppressed the gene expression of the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NaCaX), glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) and alpha 1-subunit of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase (alpha 1-NKA) in renal tubules. The products of these genes mediate Na(+)-dependent Ca2+ efflux, glucose efflux and influx, and ATP-dependent Na+ efflux across tubular basolateral membranes, respectively. After 10 days of gentamicin intoxication (40 mg/kg ip, twice daily), levels of mRNAs encoding NaCaX and the cognate protein declined. GLUT1 mRNA levels increased, although GLUT1 protein levels were also reduced. Moreover, whereas alpha 1-NKA mRNA levels remained unchanged, alpha 1-NKA protein levels were also reduced. We suggest that the higher GLUT1 mRNA level is part of the stress response to tubular injury. However, regardless of the mRNA level, the most consistent effect of gentamicin was reduction of specific protein levels. We propose that failure to translate high levels of mRNA into proportionally high levels of protein, as in the case of GLUT1, may attenuate the expression of stress response gene products, and thus diminish the possibility of recovery in gentamicin intoxication.
Effects of Dexamethasone and Placebo on Symptom Clusters in Advanced Cancer Patients: A Preliminary Report

Objective: Advanced cancer patients frequently experience debilitating symptoms that occur in clusters, but few pharmacological studies have targeted symptom clusters. Our objective was to examine the effects of dexamethasone on symptom clusters in patients with advanced cancer. Methods: We reviewed the data from a previous randomized clinical trial to determine the effects of dexamethasone on cancer symptoms. Symptom clusters were identified according to baseline symptoms by using principal component analysis. Correlations and change in the severity of symptom clusters were analyzed after study treatment. Results: A total of 114 participants were included in this study. Three clusters were identified: fatigue/anorexia-cachexia/depression (FAD), sleep/anxiety/drowsiness (SAD), and pain/dyspnea (PD). Changes in severity of FAD and PD significantly correlated over time (at baseline, day 8, and day 15). The FAD cluster was associated with significant improvement in severity at day 8 and day 15, whereas no significant change was observed with the SAD cluster or PD cluster after dexamethasone treatment. Conclusion: The results of this preliminary study suggest significant correlation over time and improvement in the FAD cluster at day 8 and day 15 after treatment with dexamethasone. These findings suggest that fatigue, anorexia-cachexia, and depression may share a common pathophysiologic basis. Further studies are needed to investigate this cluster and target anti-inflammatory therapies.
Managing vendor alliances: panel discussion

At the core of computing technology is innovation and change. Keeping current is an on-going challenge, in terms of both faculty expertise and budgetary demands. Mutually beneficial vendor alliances help answer this challenge.
Dyslipidemia Part 1—Review of Lipid Metabolism and Vascular Cell Physiology:

Dyslipidemia, more specifically, high-serum low-density lipoproteins and low-serum high-density lipoproteins, are known risk factors for cardiovascular disease. The current clinical treatment of dyslipidemia represents the outcome of a large body of fundamental basic science research on lipids, lipid metabolism, and the effects of different lipids on cellular components of the artery, inflammatory cells, and platelets. In general, lower density lipids activate intracellular pathways to increase local and systemic inflammation, monocyte adhesion, endothelial cell dysfunction and apoptosis, and smooth muscle cell proliferation, resulting in foam cell formation and genesis of atherosclerotic plaque. In contrast, higher density lipids prevent or attenuate atherosclerosis. This article is part 1 of a 2-part review, with part 1 focusing on lipid metabolism and the downstream effects of lipids on the development of atherosclerosis, and part 2 on the clinical treatment of dyslipidemia and the role of these drugs for patients with arterial disease exclusive of the coronary arteries.
On the Mechanism of Solvation Dynamics in Imidazolium-Based Ionic Liquids

Experimental studies of solvation dynamics in imidazolium-based ionic liquids (ILs) have revealed complex kinetics over a broad range of time scales from femtoseconds to tens of nanoseconds. Microsecond-length molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of coumarin 153 (C153) in 1-ethyl-3-methyl imidazolium tetrafluoroborate, [emim][BF4], were performed to reveal the molecular-level mechanism for solvation dynamics in imidazolium-based ILs over the full range of time scales accessed in the experiments. The solvation response of C153 in [emim][BF4] compared favorably with experiment. An analysis of the structure of the IL in the vicinity of the C153 dye revealed preferential solvation by the [emim] cations. Despite this observation, decomposition of the solvation response into components from the anions and cations and also from translational and rotational motions shows that translations of the [BF4] anions are the dominant contributor to solvation dynamics. The kinetics for the translation of the [BF4] anions in...
Graph analysis of non-uniform rational B-spline-based metamodels

Over the past decade metamodels, also known as surrogate models, based on non-uniform rational B-splines (NURBs) have been developed. These metamodels exhibit unique properties that enable a wide range of computationally efficient analyses. Thus far, the analysis of these metamodels has been of a geometric nature, but in this article an approach based on graph theory is used. The properties of NURBs enable the interpretation of NURBs-based metamodels as graphs, and enable the demonstration of several analyses based on this structure. The general case of an analytically defined continuous-variable problem is given in the first example. A specific application in the field of robotic path planning constitutes the second example. Finally, an observation on the current state of this research, its merits and drawbacks, and an outline of future efforts that may increase its utility is provided.
A Quasi-Experimental Evaluation of Performance Improvement Teams in the Safety-Net: A Labor-Management Partnership Model for Engaging Frontline Staff

BACKGROUND Unit-based teams (UBTs), initially developed by Kaiser Permanente and affiliated unions, are natural work groups of clinicians, managers, and frontline staff who work collaboratively to identify areas for improvement and implement solutions. OBJECTIVE We evaluated the UBT model implemented by the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services in partnership with its union to engage frontline staff in improving patient care. DESIGN We conducted a quasi-experimental study, comparing surveys at baseline and 6 months, among personnel in 10 clinics who received UBT training to personnel in 5 control clinics. We also interviewed staff from 5 clinics that received UBT training and 3 control clinics. PARTICIPANTS We conducted 330 surveys and 38 individual, semi-structured interviews with staff at an outpatient facility in South Los Angeles. INTERVENTIONS Each UBT leader received an 8-hour training in basic performance improvement methods, and each UBT was assigned a team "coach." MAIN MEASURES Our outcome measure was 6-month change in the "adaptive reserve" score, the units' self-reported ability to make and sustain change. We analyzed transcripts of the interviews to find common themes regarding the UBT intervention. KEY RESULTS The survey response rate was 63% (158/252) at baseline and 75% (172/231) at 6 months. There was a significant difference-in-change in adaptive reserve between UBTs and non-UBTs at 6 months (+0.11 vs -0.13; P = .02). Nine of the 10 UBTs reported increases in adaptive reserve and 8 UBTs reported decreased no-show rates or patient length of stay in clinic. Staff overwhelmingly felt the UBTs were a positive intervention because it allowed all levels of staff to have a voice in improvement. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate that partnership between management and unions to engage frontline staff in teams may be a useful tool to improve delivery of health care in a safety-net setting.
Left-to-right shunts in infancy and childhood.

Infants with ventricular septal defect who need surgical help are best treated by banding of the pulmonary artery. In older children the defect can be closed surgically, but it should be given a chance to close spontaneously unless pulmonary vascular disease occurs. Patent ductus arteriosus, however, should be closed surgically, because after infancy spontaneous closure is rare. Prophylactic closure of a medium or large atrial septal defect (secundum) is recommended, usually between five and 10 years of age.
Effect of Iron Deficiency on Cognitive Ability of Students

[Objective]Through the cognitive survey to explore iron deficiency and varying degrees of iron deficiency on cognitive ability of students. [Methods]"The Basic Cognitive Tests" and "Tony Test of Nonverbal Intelligence" were used for cognitive ability test on students. [Results]The cognitive ability of students with iron deficiency was poorer than that of normal students.The more serious iron deficiency was,the lower cognitive ability they had.After adjustment confounding factors of social demographic data,iron deficiency students had a higher failure risk in memory,intelligence,and cognitive scores,compared with relative normal students. [Conclusion]Long-term lack of nutrients,especially iron deficiency,induces iron deficiency in the body so that the state of cognition,including attention,memory and intelligence is poor;and the more severe iron deficiency will cause lower cognitive ability.
Neurofibromatosis of the Bladder in Children: Case Report and Literature Review

A case of plexiform neurofibroma of the lower urinary tract is presented as well as a review of all previously reported cases in childhood. We suggest aggressive management in patients with diffuse disease.
Indispensable Role of Ion Channels and Transporters in the Auditory System

Ear is a complex system where appropriate ionic composition is essential for maintaining the tissue homeostasis and hearing function. Ion transporters and channels present in the auditory system plays a crucial role in maintaining proper ionic composition in the ear. The extracellular fluid, called endolymph, found in the cochlea of the mammalian inner ear is particularly unique due to its electrochemical properties. At an endocochlear potential of about +80 mV, signaling initiated by acoustic stimuli at the level of the hair cells is dependent on the unusually high potassium (K+) concentration of endolymph. There are ion channels and transporters that exists in the ear to ensure that K+ is continually being cycled into the stria media endolymph. This review is focused on the discussion of the molecular and genetic basis of previously and newly recognized ion channels and transporters that support sensory hair cell excitation based on recent knock-in and knock-out studies of these channels. This article also addresses the molecular and genetic defects and the pathophysiology behind Meniere's disease as well as how the dysregulation of these ion transporters can result in severe defects in hearing or even deafness. Understanding the role of ion channels and transporters in the auditory system will facilitate in designing effective treatment modalities against ear disorders including Meniere's disease and hearing loss. J. Cell. Physiol. 232: 743–758, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Compact, planar, translational piezoelectric bimorph actuator with Archimedes’ spiral actuating tethers

The design, analytical modelling, finite element analysis (FEA), and experimental characterization of a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) out-of-plane (vertical) translational piezoelectric lead–zirconate–titanate (PZT) bimorph actuator supported on Archimedes' spiral tethers are presented. Three types of bimorph actuators with different electrode patterns (with spiral tethers half actuated, fully actuated with uniform polarity, or fully actuated with reversed polarity) are designed and modelled. The two actuators with the highest predicted performance (half actuated and fully actuated with uniform polarity) are implemented and characterized. Both designs are fabricated by commercial processes and are compatible with integration into more complex MEMS systems. Analytical modelling and FEA are used to analyze and predict the actuators' displacements and blocking forces. Experimental measurements of the deflections and blocking forces of actuators with full uniform actuation and half actuation validate the design. At an applied voltage of 110 V, the out-of-plane deflections of the actuators with half actuation and full uniform actuation are measured at about 17 µm and 29 µm respectively, in good agreement with analytical predictions of 17.3 µm and 34.2 µm and FEA predictions of 17.1 µm and 25.8 µm. The blocking force for devices with half-actuated tethers is predicted to be 12 mN (analytical) and 10 mN (FEA), close to the experimental value of 9 mN. The blocking force for devices with full uniform actuation is predicted to be 23 mN (analytical) and 17 mN (FEA), as compared with 15 mN in experiments.
Participatory Modeling to Assess Climate Impacts on Water Resources in the Big Wood Basin, Idaho

Many of the natural resource issues we face today cannot be fully understood using normal scientific methods or theories. When uncertainties or decision stakes are high, participation by an “extended peer community” can be critical to studying and managing complex systems since local expertise on land use and ecosystem processes may not otherwise be captured. We conducted a case study of participatory modeling to support natural resource management under a changing climate. Over a 2-year period, we convened a Knowledge to Action Network (KTAN) of scientists and stakeholders interested in exploring the impacts of climate change in Idaho’s Big Wood Basin. Through a series of workshops and webinars, participants worked together to (1) pose relevant research questions collaboratively and iteratively, (2) create models of the future landscape under a changing climate regime to explore their questions, and (3) increase knowledge about how scientific information is both used and generated within those models in order to interpret the results. We began by developing a conceptual model of the river basin and progressed to two quantitative models—a system dynamics model and a spatially-explicit integrated model—in order to explore research questions generated by the KTAN. Alternative scenarios were developed and simulated in the final quantitative model to assess the range of impacts that external drivers and management decisions could have on the system.
Self-Diffusion in Single and Polycrystals of Zinc at Low Temperatures

Self-diffusion in zinc at temperatures below 200°C has been studied using both single crystal and polycrystal samples. Anomalous results were obtained for single crystal samples, the data indicating that in some cases grain boundary diffusion predominated. These anomalous results are presumed to be due to low angle lineage boundaries in the single crystals. When volume diffusion occurred in either single or polycrystal samples, the values for the diffusion coefficient were as much as several orders of magnitude larger than would be expected from high temperature data.
Allergic contact dermatitis in the hamster and in other rodents.

The first, and for a long time the only, experimental animal for the study of allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) was the guinea pig (1). Thus the basic studies that related sensitization potential to the ability of a low molecular weight allergen to couple to protein, that established the requirement for viable lymphoid cells (not sera) for the passive transfer of hypersensitivity to simple chemical allergens, and that demonstrated the induction of a specific immunological unresponsiveness to contact allergens, were done in the guinea pig (2,3, 4,5). Indeed, the guinea pig still remains the animal of choice for the identification of contact allergens of man (6,7). In 1968, the technique of measuring increased ear thickness as a way of assessing induced inflammation by contact allergens in the mouse was introduced (8); in contrast to the guinea pig, inflammatory skin reactions on the flank of the mouse are difficult to evaluate since these reactions lack both erythema and easily defined induration. The ear thickness technique recently has been extended to studies of allergic contact dermatitis in the hamster (9,10) and we are using the same methodology to evaluate ACD hypersensitivity in rats (11). This report examines ACD in the hamster and relates it to ACD in other species.
Generating Polyphonic Music Using Tied Parallel Networks

We describe a neural network architecture which enables prediction and composition of polyphonic music in a manner that preserves translation-invariance of the dataset. Specifically, we demonstrate training a probabilistic model of polyphonic music using a set of parallel, tied-weight recurrent networks, inspired by the structure of convolutional neural networks. This model is designed to be invariant to transpositions, but otherwise is intentionally given minimal information about the musical domain, and tasked with discovering patterns present in the source dataset. We present two versions of the model, denoted TP-LSTM-NADE and BALSTM, and also give methods for training the network and for generating novel music. This approach attains high performance at a musical prediction task and successfully creates note sequences which possess measure-level musical structure.
Conjuring David Foster Wallace’s Ghost: Prosopopeia, Whitmanian Intimacy and the Queer Potential of Infinite Jest and The Pale King

This article analyzes the ways in which Wallace’s fiction stages homosocial intimacy between the (male) author figure and (male) reader through the conceptual metaphor of ghosts in both Infinite Jest and the unfinished novel The Pale King . I specifically contrast Wallace’s use of prosopopeia, or inducing the reader to create the author’s face in moments of undecidability, with that of one of his under-explored influences, Walt Whitman. Whitman used the technique to stage an intimate, homosexual encounter in the future between himself and his imagined, posthumous readership. Through this contrast, the article demonstrates that Wallace’s narrative devices are particularly attuned to the production of the intimacies of male homosocial desire. I borrow my meaning of this term from Eve Sedgwick’s Between Men (1985), in which she suggests that masculinity, by defining itself in opposition to male homosexuality, cannot acknowledge intimacy between heterosexual men as a manifestation of desire. Considering Wallace’s revisions of both the conceptual metaphor of ghosts as well as use of prosopopeia across both novels, the article argues that the homosocial intimacy staged between the masculinized author figure and his primarily, though not exclusively, white, heterosexual reading public is a fundamental effect of his aesthetic practice. However, the discontinuity between male homosocial desire and male homosexuality make this effect a too often unarticulated component of Wallace’s fiction and reception.
Using a Patient Navigator to Improve Postpartum Care in an Urban Women's Health Clinic.

OBJECTIVE:To estimate whether postpartum visit attendance was improved in women exposed to a postpartum patient navigation program compared with those who received care immediately before the program's initiation and to assess whether other postpartum health behaviors improved during the interventio
For Embryos, Mother Can Only Take You So Far.

Early embryonic development is characterized by rapid cleavage divisions, which impose significant constraints on metabolic pathways. In this issue, Song et al. (2017) show that Drosophila embryos synthesize a large fraction of nucleotides on the go and that negative feedback between dATP and ribonucleotide reductase ensures tight control of dNTP concentration.
Perspectives in New Advances in Retinal Neovascularization Pathogenesis and Therapeutic Approaches

Ocular neovascularization (NV) is the primary cause of catastrophic loss of vision in vast majority of ocular diseases including age-related macular degeneration, proliferative diabetic retinopathy and retinopathy of prematurity. The development of abnormal blood vessels in these patients is driven by a complex signaling process involving pro-angiogenic mediators such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and anti-angiogenic factors, such as pigment epithelium-derived factor. Current anti-VEGF drugs such as ranibizumab, aflibercept and “off-label” bevacizumab are effective in only 30–40% of patients and are typically associated with undesirable route of administration, increased risk of infection and high clinical costs. This therefore increases the urgency to discover and develop additional therapeutics that are safer and more efficacious. In the last few years, several studies have contributed to understanding the underlying pathogenesis of ocular NV and the roles of different signaling cascades. Thus, this article aims to review molecular mechanisms regulating ocular NV and emerging therapeutic strategies to treat this group of diseases.
Unconventional students in robotics and HRI education: a review of two initiatives

Robotics and human-robot interaction (HRI) are growing fields that may benefit from an expanded perspective stimulated by more interdisciplinary contributions. One way to achieve this goal is to attract non-traditional students from the social sciences and humanities into these fields. This present paper describes two educational initiatives that focused on teaching non-engineering students about robotics and HRI. In one initiative, a group of younger students, including those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), received hands-on experience with robotics in a context that was not overly technical, while in the other initiative, college students in the social sciences and humanities learned about basic HRI concepts and developed robotics applications. Themes common to both initiatives were to reach non-technical students who are not traditional targets for robotics education and to focus their learning on creating interactive sequences for robots based on key HRI design considerations rather than on the underlying mechanical and electrical details related to how those sequences are enacted inside the robot. Both initiatives were successful in terms of producing desired learning outcomes and fostering participant enjoyment.
PredriveID: pre-trip driver identification from in-vehicle data

This paper explores the minimal dataset necessary at vehicular edge nodes, to effectively differentiate drivers using data from existing in-vehicle sensors. This facilitates novel personalization, insurance, advertising, and security applications but can also help in understanding the privacy sensitivity of such data. Existing work on differentiating drivers largely relies on devices that drivers carry, or on the locations that drivers visit to distinguish drivers. Internally, however, the vehicle processes a much richer set of sensor information that is becoming increasingly available to external services. To explore how easily drivers can be distinguished from such data, we consider a system that interfaces to the vehicle bus and executes supervised or unsupervised driver differentiation techniques on this data. To facilitate this analysis and to evaluate the system, we collect in-vehicle data from 24 drivers on a controlled campus test route, as well as 480 trips over three weeks from five shared university mail vans. We also conduct studies between members of a family. The results show that driver differentiation does not require longer sequences of driving telemetry data but can be accomplished with 91% accuracy within 20s after the driver enters the vehicle, usually even before the vehicle starts moving.
Quality, sensory and volatile profiles of fresh-cut big top nectarines cold stored in air or modified atmosphere packaging

Summary Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) GC-MS was used to investigate the volatile organic compound (VOC) profile of fresh-cut ‘Big Top’ nectarine samples, stored in unsealed bags (AIR) or packed in active modified atmosphere (MAP) after 8 days of cold storage. Nectarine slices were also subjected to sensory and quality analysis after harvest and at the end of the storage. MAP preserved the overall quality, the appearance and the olfactory properties of nectarine slices during storage, while AIR samples showed symptoms of dehydration and browning. Sixty VOCs were identified in total in the headspace of the fresh nectarines and cold-stored fruit slices samples. Principal component analysis performed on VOCs allowed to differentiate fresh nectarines from cold-stored samples, with lactones and terpenes mainly related to fresh samples, and ester compounds positively correlated to AIR or MAP samples. Partial least square regression models allowed to identify a pool of VOC predictors of olfactory sensory descriptors.
Kernel-based covariate functional balancing for observational studies

Covariate balance is often advocated for objective causal inference since it mimics randomization in observational data. Unlike methods that balance specific moments of covariates, our proposal attains uniform approximate balance for covariate functions in a reproducing-kernel Hilbert space. The corresponding infinite-dimensional optimization problem is shown to have a finite-dimensional representation in terms of an eigenvalue optimization problem. Large-sample results are studied, and numerical examples show that the proposed method achieves better balance with smaller sampling variability than existing methods.
Preservice science teachers’ concerns and approaches for teaching socioscientific and controversial issues

The teaching of socioscientific issues (SSI) holds promise for advancing functional scientific literacy, promoting critical thinking, and providing an interesting context for learning required scie...
ALKALINITY AND TURBIDITY MEASUREMENTS AS FEEDBACK CONTROLS TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE OF A BIOLOGICAL NITROGEN AND PHOSPHORUS REMOVAL SYSTEM

ABSTRACT Alkalinity and turbidity measurements on the aeration tank or secondary clarifier effluent provided suitable alternatives to dissolved oxygen (D.O.) measurements for controlling the oxygen supplied to a biological nitrogen and phosphorus removal system. An operating range was set up for effluent alkalinities and the oxygen supply was increased (or reduced) when the alkalinity rose above (or dropped below) this range. The effluent alkalinity was related to the extent of nitrification and denitrification. The effluent phosphorus levels increased along with turbidity when the amount of oxygen available was not sufficient for substrate stabilization and nitrification.