cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Loosey-Goosey Governance: Four Misunderstood Terms in Corporate Governance

A reliable system of corporate governance is considered to be an important requirement for the long-term success of a company. Unfortunately, after decades of research, we still do not have a clear understanding of the factors that make a governance system effective. Our understanding of governance suffers from: 1) a tendency to overgeneralize across companies and 2) a tendency to refer to central concepts without first defining them. In this Closer Look, we examine four central concepts that are widely discussed but poorly understood. We ask: • Would the caliber of discussion improve, and consensus on solutions be realized, if the debate on corporate governance were less loosey-goosey? • Why can we still not answer the question of what makes good governance? • How can our understanding of board quality improve without betraying the confidential information that a board discusses? • Why is it difficult to answer the question of how much a CEO should be paid? • Are U.S. executives really short-term oriented in managing their companies?
Unit Disk Cover for Massive Point Sets

Given a set of points in the plane, the Unit Disk Cover (UDC) problem asks to compute the minimum number of unit disks required to cover the points, along with a placement of the disks. The problem is NP-Hard and several approximation algorithms have been designed over the last three decades.
Alignment of stakeholder agendas to facilitate the adoption of school-supervised asthma therapy.

BACKGROUND School-supervised inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) therapy improves pediatric asthma medication adherence, outcomes, and morbidity. However, school-supervised ICS therapy has not been widely adopted into practice. We developed Asthma Link™ as a sustainable, low-cost model of school-supervised asthma therapy, designed for real-world adoption. Initial outcomes of Asthma Link™ demonstrated a significant improvement in health outcomes. OBJECTIVE In this study, we examined the perspectives of Asthma Link™ participants to identify systems-level barriers and facilitators to refine the Asthma Link™ protocol and facilitate real-world uptake of school-supervised asthma therapy. METHODS Using qualitative research methods, we interviewed 29 participants in Asthma Link™ from 2016 to 2018. Semi-structured interviews were conducted over the phone. Interviews were transcribed and the transcripts were coded to identify major themes within and across stakeholder groups. RESULTS Stakeholders agreed on many facilitators for successful Asthma Link™ execution including the brief and easy to follow procedures and the perceived beneficial health impacts for children involved. Some of the barriers identified were deviations from the protocol and insurance companies denying coverage for two inhalers. However, the participants did propose solutions to address these barriers. CONCLUSION Asthma Link™ is a low-cost, sustainable model of school-supervised asthma therapy that leverages the established infrastructure and collaboration of medical providers, school staff, and families. In this study, we elicited the perspectives from these stakeholder groups and identified an agreement in several facilitators, barriers, and proposed solutions that will ultimately inform refinement of the program protocol and support real-world adoption of Asthma Link™ and other similar models.
Valoración de competencias en el título de administración y dirección de empresas

In the context of the Higher European Education Area (EHEA), skills development is the concrete formula for implementing the integral formation of the college student. Adaptation to the EHEA has involved rethinking the goals of the curriculum and the methodologies employed in the university.Enough time has passed since its implementation to assess how many target objectives in the training process have been achieved within this new framework. A survey has been made to obtain students’ and graduates’ opinions about the importance of the competencies deﬁned in the Degree of Administration and Management (BAM) and to what extent they are being put into effect. The analysis suggests actions that could be undertaken to improve educational strategy
Effect of Magnet Position on Tipping and Bodily Tooth Movement in Magnetic Force-Driven Orthodontics

The goal of our study is to launch magnetic force-driven orthodontics. This continuous study investigated the influence of magnet position on tipping and bodily tooth movement, using 3D printing technology and digital analysis. Orthodontic typodont models (TMs) for space-closure were 3D printed to mimic maxillary central incisors. Nd-Fe-B magnets were placed in the middle third (Model-M), and the cervical third (Model-C), of the tooth. TMs, before and after movement, were digitally scanned and superimposed. The 3D digital coordinates (X, Y, and Z axes), and rotations (yaw, pitch, and roll) of the tooth crown and root, were calculated and compared between the two magnet position settings. Model-M showed higher rates of movement, but more rotation than Model-C (p < 0.01). The root apex of Model-M moved in the opposite direction of the crown (R = -0.29), indicating tipping movement. In contrast, the crown and root apex moved in the same direction (R = 0.56) in Model-C, indicating bodily movement. These patterns were confirmed in a typodont model of a moderate crowding case. The results validated that modifying the magnet position increased the amount of bodily tooth movement, and decreased rotation/tipping in an ex vivo setting.
Abstract 4549: Evaluation of GUCY2c-CD3 bispecific targeting GI cancers in an orthotopic colorectal tumor model

GUCY2c is a tumor target expressed in >90% of colorectal cancer (CRC). It is also expressed on the apical side of intestinal epithelial tight junctions, where it regulates intestinal fluidity. PF-07062119, a GUCY2c-CD3 bispecific antibody that recruits T cells to GUCY2c expressing gastrointestinal tumors, has shown anti-tumor efficacy in several subcutaneous colorectal cancer models without any signs of intestinal toxicity. Here we describe the effects of PF-07062119 in an intestinal orthotopic xenograft model, created surgically in NSG mice using LS1034 CRC cells expressing luciferase. To establish this model, LS1034-luc tumor fragments were sutured onto the cecum proximal to the colon. Tumor growth was monitored through detection of luciferin bioluminescence. PF-07062119 was administered at 0.03, 0.1 and 0.3 mg/kg iv weekly, along with an adoptive transfer of 2x106 human T cells the day after bispecific compound dosing. At 0.3 mg/kg dose, the bioluminescence signal was significantly reduced compared with the isotype control group. Necropsies at the end of study revealed complete tumor clearance, or residual calcified or fibrotic tissues, at the tumor implant site in all animals of the 0.3 mg/kg group, compared with tumor presence in 9 of 9 animals and liver metastases in 2 of 9 animals in the isotype control group. The average tumor weight of 0.1 mg/kg dose group decreased relative to the control group, but the difference did not reach statistical significance. The results of histological examination indicate enhanced T cell infiltration in the tumor tissues compared with the normal intestinal tissues in PF-07062119 treated animals. No body weight loss or other clinical signs were observed in all groups. These results demonstrate that PF-07062119 can eliminate LS1034 orthotopic tumors and potential metastasis with no observable toxicities. This supports our hypothesis that apical restriction of GUCY2c expression in normal intestine creates tumor-vs-normal differential for selective targeting of GUCY2c positive tumors, and the GUCY2c-CD3 bispecific antibody redirects T cells to lyse the CRC tumor cells. Citation Format: Johnny Yao, Divya Mathur, Sharon Yang, Roger Conant, Jessica Kearney, Vlad Buklan, Jonathan Golas, Edward Rosfjord. Evaluation of GUCY2c-CD3 bispecific targeting GI cancers in an orthotopic colorectal tumor model [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 4549.
Torsional behavior and microstructure characterization of additively manufactured NiTi shape memory alloy tubes

Abstract The large reversible strain upon heating (shape memory effect) or unloading (superelasticity), high power-to-weight ratio, good functional stability, compact size, and lightweight make the rotary NiTi shape memory alloys actuators an interesting candidate for various engineering applications. Additive manufacturing (AM) provides a single step freeform manufacturing process that not only fabricates the complex geometries but also tailors the properties of the printed parts profoundly. In the selective laser melting (SLM) technique, the process parameters (PPs) and scanning strategy show the remarkable effect on the microstructure, the properties, and the size accuracy of as-built parts. Impurity pick-up during the AM process is an unintended incident altering the microstructure and thermomechanical properties of fabricated parts significantly. In this paper, slightly Ni-rich NiTi powder is utilized to fabricate the NiTi tubes with three different thicknesses via the SLM method. It is shown that the bidirectional scanning strategy results in the size deviation of thin-wall tubes. Transformation temperatures (TTs) of the as-fabricated samples are assessed and compared with those of the starting powder. A large shift in TTs is found between the powder and the SLM tubes. The x-ray diffraction pattern shows the martensite phase at room temperature for the starting powder, while the as-built tubes are in the austenite phase coexisting with a secondary phase of Ti-rich oxide. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirms Ti-rich Ti4Ni2Ox precipitates form along the grain boundaries. The characterization of tubes under pure torsional loading shows the localized shear strain on the tube surface. The thermomechanical behavior of the as-fabricated tubes is investigated and shown to exhibit superelastic response with a stable transformation strain of 2.3% after 10 cycles.
Medicaid managed care and preventable emergency department visits in the United States.

Objectives In the United States the percentage of Medicaid enrollees in some form of Medicaid managed care has increased more than seven-fold since 1990, e.g., up from 11% in 1991 to 82% in 2017. Yet little is known about whether and how this major change in Medicaid insurance affects how recipients use hospital emergency rooms. This study compares the performance of Medicaid health maintenance organizations (HMOs) and fee-for-service (FFS) Medicaid regarding the occurrence of potentially preventable emergency department (ED) use. Methods Using data from the 2003–2015 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), a nationally representative survey of the non-institutionalized US population, we estimated multivariable logistic regression models to examine the relationship between Medicaid HMO status and potentially preventable ED use. To accommodate the composition of the Medicaid population, we conducted separate repeated cross-sectional analyses for recipients insured through both Medicaid and Medicare (dual eligibles) and for those insured through Medicaid only (non-duals). We explicitly addressed the possibility of selection bias into HMOs in our models using propensity score weighting. Results We found that the type of Medicaid held by a recipient, i.e., whether an HMO or FFS coverage, was unrelated to the probability that an ED visit was potentially preventable. This finding emerged both among dual eligibles and among non-duals, and it occurred irrespective of the adopted analytical strategy. Conclusions Within the U.S. Medicaid program, Medicaid HMO and FFS enrollees are indistinguishable in terms of the occurrence of potentially preventable ED use. Policymakers should consider this finding when evaluating the pros and cons of adopting Medicaid managed care.
Heavy and wet: The consequences of violating assumptions of measuring soil microbial growth efficiency using the 18O water method

Soils store more carbon than the biosphere and atmosphere combined, and the efficiency to which soil microorganisms allocate carbon to growth rather than respiration is increasingly considered a proxy for the soil capacity to store carbon. This carbon use efficiency (CUE) is measured via different methods, and more recently, the 18O-H2O method has been embraced as a significant improvement for measuring CUE of soil microbial communities. Based on extrapolating 18O incorporation into DNA to new biomass, this measurement makes various implicit assumptions about the microbial community at hand. Here we conducted a literature review to evaluate how viable these assumptions are and then developed a mathematical model to test how violating them affects estimates of the growth component of CUE in soil. We applied this model to previously collected data from two kinds of soil microbial communities. By changing one parameter at a time, we confirmed our previous observation that CUE was reduced by fungal removal. Our results also show that depending on the microbial community composition, there can be substantial discrepancies between estimated and true microbial growth. Of the numerous implicit assumptions that might be violated, not accounting for the contribution of sources of oxygen other than extracellular water to DNA leads to a consistent underestimation of CUE. We present a framework that allows researchers to evaluate how their experimental conditions may influence their 18O-H2O-based CUE measurements and suggest the parameters that need further constraining to more accurately quantify growth and CUE.
Strengthening the Power of Healthcare Insurers to Regulate Medical Device Risk

This paper considers harnessing the market forces uniquely exerted by private healthcare insurers (insurers) to reduce medical device risks. Insurers regulatory power derives from their market-gatekeeping coverage and purchase decisions that determine the economic fate of all FDA approved devices, payment of injured insured-patient medical and other expenses, and, based on inflow of insured-patient payment requests, comprehensive market monitoring for product-related accidents, including early signs of new and increasing risks. Insurers thus can generate social regulatory benefits by providing FDA with current, reliable postmarket data on product risk and efficacy, including “first alert” warnings of emerging risks. More generally, by accounting for the implicit price of accidents, insurers coverage and purchase decisions can deter marketing of unreasonably dangerous devices and promote more medically productive use of products. However, insurers lack sufficient financial incentive to exercise their regulatory power for maximum social benefit. To correct the market defects that cause this problem, we propose two simple and virtually costless reforms: (1) require insurers to report medical device accidents to the FDA; and (2) replace state tort law with a federal rule of strict manufacturer liability that bases recoveries on proof of causation alone, pays damages directly and fully to the US Treasury, and is litigated on referral from the FDA by the Civil Division of the Department of Justice directly or by auctioning claims to private attorneys.
Effects of the interval between ovulation induction using clomiphene citrate and frozen embryo transfer on pregnancy outcome

Objective: To explore the best timing for frozen embryo transfer (FET) after ovarian stimulation and egg retrieval using the clomiphene citrate (CC) + human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) ovulation induction regimen through a retrospective analysis. Methods: Data of patients who underwent CC + hMG ovulation induction and FET from January 2014 to December 2019 were analyzed retrospectively. The patients were divided into three groups according to the interval from egg retrieval to FET: CC1 (within 1 menstrual cycle), CC2 (2 menstrual cycles), and CC3 (≥ 3 menstrual cycles). Indicators such as hormone levels and pregnancy outcomes were recorded to explore the effect of different intervals on pregnancy outcome. Results: A total of 1,082 transfer cycles were included in this retrospective analysis. The implantation, clinical pregnancy, and live birth rates in the CC1 group were significantly lower than those in the CC2 and CC3 groups (P Conclusion: An interval of more than one menstrual cycle between the day of egg retrieval after ovarian stimulation with the CC + hMG ovulation induction regimen and the day of FET can result in high implantation, clinical pregnancy, and live birth rates, which can lead to an improved pregnancy outcome.
Gut microbiota: a target for intervention in obesity.

Obesity is a major public health concern with an increasing prevalence. Recent studies suggest an influence of gastrointestinal microbiota on obesity. Consequently, microbiota restoration therapies...
Resistance properties and the role of the inner membrane and coat of Bacillus subtilis spores with extreme wet heat resistance.

Aims A protein termed 2Duf greatly increases wet heat resistance of Bacillus subtilis spores. The current work examines the effects of 2Duf on spore resistance to other sporicides, including chemicals that act on or must cross spores' inner membrane (IM), where 2Duf is likely present. The overall aim was to gain a deeper understanding of how 2Duf affects spore resistance, and of spore resistance itself. Methods and results 2Duf's presence increased spore resistance to chemicals that damage or must cross the IM to kill spores. Spore coat removal decreased 2Duf-spore resistance to chemicals and wet heat, and 2Duf-spores made at higher temperatures were more resistant to wet heat and chemicals. 2Duf-less spores lacking coats and Ca-dipicolinic acid were also extremely sensitive to wet heat and chemicals that transit the IM to kill spores. Conclusions The new work plus previous results lead to a number of important conclusions as follows. (1) 2Duf may influence spore resistance by decreasing the permeability of and lipid mobility in spores' IM. (2) Since wet heat-killed spores that germinate do not accumulate ATP, wet heat may inactivate some spore IM protein essential in ATP production which is stabilized in a more rigid IM. (3) Both Ca-dipicolinic acid and the spore coat play an important role in the permeability of the spore IM, and thus in many spore resistance properties. Significance and impact of the study The work in this manuscript gives a new insight into mechanisms of spore resistance to chemicals and wet heat, to the understanding of spore wet heat killing, and the role of Ca-dipicolinic acid and the coat in spore resistance.
Parameter Effects on Dynamic Properties of Frozen Soils

The results from previous investigations of frozen soils indicate: (1) Dynamic stress-strain properties for coarse-grained soils can be nearly an order of magnitude greater than for fine-grained soils, and energy absorbing properties can vary significantly with soil type and composition; (2) over a range of void ratios from 0.3 to infinity (ice) dynamic stress-strain properties for fully saturated soils can decrease by a factor of 5; (3) dynamic stress-strain properties of frozen soils increase with increasing degree of ice saturation; (4) the same properties decrease and damping properties increase with ascending temperature; (5) the same properties decrease and damping properties increase with increasing axial strain amplitude from .001% to .1%; (6) the frequency of loading has only a minor effect on dynamic stress-strain properties, and the effect on damping properties may be important at low frequencies; and (7) confining pressure has an important effect on the dynamic properties of coarse-grained soils and a relatively unimportant effect on fine-grained soils. /Author/
Marriage at the Crossroads: Law, Policy, and the Brave New World of Twenty-First-Century Families

1. Introduction Marsha Garrison and Elizabeth Scott Part I. History, Demographics, and Economics - Multiple Perspectives on Families: 2. International family change and continuity: the past and future from the developmental idealism perspective Arland Thornton 3. Red v. blue marriage June Carbone and Naomi Cahn 4. The division of labor across time and generations Margaret F. Brinig 5. Marriage at the crossroads in England and Wales Rebecca Probert 6. The curious relationship of marriage and freedom Katherine Franke Part II. Empirical Research on Family Change: 7. Institutional, companionate, and individualistic marriages: change over time and implications for marital quality Paul R. Amato 8. Marriage and improved well-being: using twins to parse the correlation, asking how marriage helps, and wondering why more people do not buy a bargain Robert E. Emery, Erin Horn and Christopher Beam 9. Fragile families: debates, facts, and solutions Sara McLanahan and Irwin Garfinkel 10. Should marriage matter? Ira Mark Ellman and Sanford L. Braver Part III. Family Policy and Law for the Twenty-First Century: 11. Forsaking no others: coming to terms with family diversity Judith Stacey 12. Why marriage? Suzanne B. Goldberg 13. Essential to virtue? The languages of the law of marriage Carl E. Schneider 14. The pluralistic vision of marriage Shahar Lifshitz Part IV. Comments: 15. The growing diversity of two-parent families: challenges for family law Andrew Cherlin 16. Legal regulation of the twenty-first-century family Marsha Garrison and Elizabeth Scott.
Electroweak vacua, collider phenomenology, and possible connection with dark energy

Higher dimensional nonrenormalizable operators may modify the standard model Higgs potential in many interesting ways. Here, we consider the appearance of a second vacuum which may play an important role in cosmology. For a certain range of parameters, the usual second-order electroweak phase transition is followed by a first-order phase transition that may drive the late time accelerated expansion of the Universe. Such a potential contains kinklike solutions which in turn can play a crucial role in reconstructing the global shape of the potential in colliders, as we explicitly demonstrate.
Duality and the pion electromagnetic form factor

Colliding e § ebeam experiments [-2, 3] have measured F~(t) in the neighborhood of the 0 resonance t = m 2. When fitted with a BreitWigner formular with constant width, these measurements yield a Q width of about 100 MeV, which is noticeably different from the width of about 130 MeV that has been obtained from two-pion production in purely hadronic reactions. These measurements, however, are not sufficiently accurate to determine the detailed shape of the ~ resonance. Indeed they can also be fitted by a squared Breit-Wigner formula [4]. Data on the large It I behavior, either for t > 0 or for t < 0, are lacking. On the theoretical side the situation is equally unsatisfactory. The simplest phenomenological model based on the assumption of vector dominance would give F~(t) = C ( t m~ + irnor~) -I . (2)
Biostatistics in the Popular Press

Marilyn vos Savant writes a weekly column called “Ask Marilyn” for Parade magazine. In her column of August 18, 2013, she proposed the following problem. Five cats are in a sack: two are tabbies and three are calicos. You let one cat out of the bag, but it runs up a tree before you get a chance to see its color. Then you purposely let out another cat and observe it to be a tabby. What is the probability that the cat in the tree is also a tabby? Marilyn’s answer is 1 chance in 4. Many readers wrote to Marilyn, arguing that the correct answer should be 2 out of 5 and that observing the one tabby does …
Yesterday and long ago

Preface.- My first recollections.- The North-West direction.- Vera Stepanovna Arnold (nee Zhitkova).- First scientific reminiscences.- The Arnold family.-A household library.- The axiomatic method.- The color of a meridian.- School years.- It is not easy to keep a secret.- The temple of science.- Who is the winner?- State examination on Marxism.- Goodwill.- The thermal conductivity equation.- Lavoisier and French mathematics during the Revolution.- Queen Eleanor, Rosamund, and labyrinth theory.- Place de Vogueses.- 'Champel Sea'.- Neutrinos, neutrons, and Bruno Pontecorvo.- From Pareto to Arzamas.- How to distinguish good and bad mathematical works.- The combinatorics of Plutarch.- Galilei.- The topology of surfaces according to Alexander of Macedon.- Snake-hunting.- Suputinskii nature reserve.- Pheasants of the Vincent forest.- The guillotine and Marie-Antoinette.- Damiens's sufferings.- Queen Marguerite and the kingdom of law.- Jeanne d'Arc as a witch and as a saint.- Ravailliac, French cuisine, and traffic jams.- Anne Yaroslavna, Princess of Russia.- Gennady of Novgorod and education in Russia under Ivan III.- Catherine I and the Prut river campaign.- Catherine II and I.I.Betskoi.- An order of Catherine II.- Radishchev.- The Crimean war.- Princess Dashkova and parachutes.- The desecrated host and abstract algebra.- France - Guinea - India.- Julius Caesar and Gallians: protecting Rome from Germans.- A planning department.- Mountain lions over Stanford.- The Pocha river and the dog Shnura.- Hong Kong.- The Pongoma river and the Solovetskie islands.- Brazilian tours.- Leibnitz as Bourbaki's predecessor.- The 'Mistral' in the 'Crown'.- How academicians were elected and eliminated.- From the history of French economy.- The origins of mathematics: from Greece to Egypt.- Motivation for mathematical education in Israel.- Struggles against foreigners and their languages.- 'Our Manchuria'.- Religion and science, Martin Luther and anti-semitism.- Ramanujan andHardy.- Catching a pike in Cambridge.- Locust swarming and relocation of deer.- Tamil Tigers at the Swiss consulate in Paris.- Picking cranberries.- The Yamal peninsula and digging caves in the snow.- Brain tomography, geometry, and algebra.- Inedible hares.- A question about the bitch of Rabinovitch.- The cemetery at Aksin'ino
Absorption of unlabeled reduced iron of small particle size from a commercial source: A method to predict absorption of unlabeled iron compounds in humans

The absorption of a commercial brand of small-particle reduced iron was evaluated in 10 normal subjects. For each subject, the hemoglobin incorporation method was used to measure the true absorption of 60 mg of iron from either ferrous sulfate or ferric ammonium citrate. The iron tolerance test (ITT) was also studied for these two compounds and for reduced iron. This procedure consisted of measuring the area under the curve of plasma iron elevations at specified times for 6 hours, or the peak plasma iron, corrected by the plasma iron disappearance rate obtained from measuring plasma iron at specified times for 4 hours after the slow intravenous injection of 0.4 mg of iron as ferric citrate. Only the ITT was used to measure the absorption of 60 mg of reduced iron. Reference dose iron ascorbate absorption was measured in each subject. The absorption of ferric ammonium citrate and reduced iron was expressed as percent of dose and also as absorption percent of that of ferrous sulfate. Mean % geometric "true absorptions" were 39.0 for reference dose, 10.4 for FeSO4 and 2.4 for ferric ammonium citrate. The later was 23% that of FeSO4. By ITT the mean geometric % absorptions were 7.9, 3.7 and 3.2 for FeSO4, ferric ammonium citrate and reduced iron respectively, or 47 and 41% of that of FeSO4. We propose that the true absorption of the commercial brand of reduced iron tested was 20% that of FeSO4 based on the relation between the ITT results of reduced iron and the ITT and true absorption values of ferric ammonium citrate in relation to FeSO4. The use of this method for measuring absorption of unlabeled iron compounds is discussed.
Lymphoepithelial carcinoma of the major salivary glands: Predictors of survival in a non-endemic region

Summary Introduction Lymphoepithelial carcinoma (LEC) of the salivary glands is extremely rare worldwide, with studies limited to small case reports and case series from endemic areas (Southern China, Arctic Inuits) and strong association to Epstein Barr Virus (EBV). Studies on non-endemic regions are even more limited given the reality of only sporadic cases in these areas. Using the National Cancer Database (NCDB), we present the largest study on salivary LEC from a non-endemic region, the United States. Methods A retrospective review of the NCDB from 1998–2012 for LEC of the major salivary glands was performed. Demographic and clinical variables were extracted for analysis. Multivariate COX regression was used to assess predictors of survival. Results Two hundred and thirty-eight cases were identified (0.66% of all salivary cancers). Median age at diagnosis was 62 with peak incidence in ages 50–70. Most patients were Caucasian (81.2%), without gender preference. Regional metastasis was common (45.1%) and did not significantly impact survival. Distant metastasis was rare (2%). Overall survival (OS) at 5- and 10 years was 77% and 56%. Surgery and radiotherapy significantly showed better survival outcomes than surgery alone (p 62, advanced stage, and dual modality therapy were significant predictors of survival in multivariate analysis. Conclusion Lymphoepithelial carcinoma in the US mostly affects an older, Caucasian demographic. Regional metastasis is common and survival is fair at 5- and 10 years. Surgery and radiation are recommended for early and advanced disease stages. Age, stage, and therapy are significant predictors of survival outcomes.
Feedback controller parameterizations for Reinforcement Learning

Reinforcement Learning offers a very general framework for learning controllers, but its effectiveness is closely tied to the controller parameterization used. Especially when learning feedback controllers for weakly stable systems, ineffective parameterizations can result in unstable controllers and poor performance both in terms of learning convergence and in the cost of the resulting policy. In this paper we explore four linear controller parameterizations in the context of REINFORCE, applying them to the control of a reaching task with a linearized flexible manipulator. We find that some natural but naive parameterizations perform very poorly, while the Youla Parameterization (a popular parameterization from the controls literature) offers a number of robustness and performance advantages.
Labor Unions, Employee Benefits, and the Privatization of the American Welfare State

The “exceptional” nature of American politics has been a favorite theme of scholars since Tocqueville. One of the more famous “exceptions” has been the distinctive development of its welfare state. The United States has perennially been portrayed as the laggard among advanced industrial societies. Indeed, it adopted public pension and insurance programs at a later date than most European societies, and its programs cover smaller portions of the population and address fewer social problems.
Reburying the treasure—maintaining the continuity: Two texts by Śākya Mchog Ldan on the Buddha-essence

The rich and interconnected universe of Śākya Mchog Ldan’s views, including those on the buddha-essence, cannot be limited to or summarized in a few neat categories. Nevertheless, the following two interrelated ideas are crucial for understanding Śākya Mchog Ldan’s interpretation of the buddha-essence:
The relationship of sick leave benefits, employment patterns, and individual characteristics to radiation therapy-related fatigue.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES To examine the relationship among sick leave benefits, employment patterns, individual characteristics, and fatigue in patients receiving radiation therapy. DESIGN Prospective, longitudinal design. SETTING A community hospital radiation oncology department. SAMPLE 77 patients receiving radiation therapy to the breast, chest, head and neck, pelvis, or prostate. All were employed at the time of diagnosis. METHODS The Piper Integrated Fatigue Model guided the study. The Revised Piper Fatigue Scale (PFS), Brief Fatigue Inventory, and a single-item scale were used to measure five dimensions of subjective fatigue. Sick leave, employment, individual characteristics, and fatigue were measured at baseline, weekly during treatment, and at one month post-treatment. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES Employment patterns, availability of sick leave benefits, and fatigue. FINDINGS Mean total fatigue scores on the PFS ranged from 0-4.77 at baseline (mean = 0.46, SD = 0.93), 0-8.77 at the completion of treatment (mean = 2.84, SD = 2.40), and 0-4.82 at one month post-treatment (mean = 0.77, SD = 1.20). Side effects, education, living situation, age, treatment site, and work were associated with fatigue along the trajectory of radiation therapy. Study participants who were working at the end of radiation had lower fatigue scores than those who were not. Availability of sick leave benefits was associated with employment patterns during treatment. CONCLUSIONS Work may have benefits during radiation therapy but may be affected by radiation therapy-related fatigue. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING Management of treatment side effects, including fatigue, may help patients remain in the workforce during radiation.
The effect of pressure from the table top and patient position on pelvic organ location in patients with prostate cancer

Abstract Purpose: To assess the impact of pressure from the table top and patient position on the relationship of the prostate, rectum, and bladder to the bony pelvis. Methods and Materials: In 9 patients with prostate cancer (3 status postprostatectomy), computed tomography (CT) scans were obtained in four positions: supine with and without false table top under the buttocks, prone with and without false table top under the lower abdomen. In four patients, a fifth scan was obtained in the first position (supine with table top in place) to assess the impact of changes in bladder/rectal fullness over time. Urination and defecation were not permitted between scans. For each patient, the four (or five) CT scans were registered to each other. Results: The anal canal and the rectum caudal to the coccyx shifted posteriorly in 7/9 patients when the support under the buttocks was removed in the supine position. When pressure from the table top was removed in the prone position, the anterior bladder extension increased. The superior rectum was adjacent to the prostate in all scans and the prostate/superior rectum/bladder generally moved together. Rectal fullness changed with time and rectal gas position was gravity-dependent and shifted with patient position. Bladder volume increased with time. Organs had shifted and/or changed fullness between the first and fifth scan obtained in the same patient position approximately 90 min apart, mostly due to increase in bladder volume. All patients found the supine position most comfortable. Conclusions: The bladder and rectal fullness vary with time, confounding the ability to attribute changes in organ location to positional factors. Pressure from the table top affects the relative location of pelvic organs and, in part, is responsible for changes previously attributed to position/gravity.
Can the master time asymmetry be electrodynamic in origin

Abstract If the microscopic measurement process is operationally described by imposing an Abelian gauge symmetry called Measurement Color onto standard Electrodynamics, an electrodynamic arrow of time emerges spontaneously from asymptotic stability conditions on the equations of motion. The new formalism contains nonlocal radiation fields which carry a negative parity under mathematical time reversal. Hence an extended form of Time Reversal symmetry is shown to exist which preserves the dynamically chosen electrodynamic arrow.
Analysis of self-excited longitudinal vibration of a moving tape

Abstract Longitudinal vibration of a moving magnetic tape can be excited by frictional contact with a recording head, or with a guide that defines the path of the tape. The friction force depends on the velocity, relative to a stationary observer, of the tape element that is instantaneously located at the point of contact. The response of a moving tape under such non-linear dissipation is determined using new methods for the vibration analysis of axially moving materials. In a particular transport speed range, longitudinal motion of the tape is self-excited through negative (unstable) damping for small amplitude vibration and positive (stable) damping for large amplitudes. Independent of the initial conditions, almost all solutions are attracted to a stable limit cycle, the amplitude of which is sensitive to the transport speed and to the axial location of contact. Parameter combinations that reduce, or eliminate altogether, the self-excited motion are identified. Some of the conclusions differ from those of previous analyses that neglect the effects of convection on the tape's velocity and acceleration.
Theoretical Studies of Electron Transfer and Electron Localization at the Semiconductor−Liquid Interface

We present new models and simulations of electron transfer (ET) at the semiconductor−liquid interface (SLI). The simulations are of a “first principles” molecular dynamics type and therefore incorporate electronic structure calculations. An In(H2O)62+/3+ redox species, water, and InP semiconductor system are focused on. We discuss the problem of electron localization at this interface, especially as it relates to ET. The study allows the mechanism of the ET process to be analyzed. Rate constant calculations are performed with the dynamics of the entire system incorporated. We apparently present the first calculation of electron transfer coupling matrix elements for the SLI.
On the potential of recording earthquakes for global seismic tomography by low‐cost autonomous instruments in the oceans

[1] We describe the development and testing of an autonomous device designed to revolutionize Earth structure determination via global seismic tomography by detecting earthquakes at teleseismic distances in the oceans. One prototype MERMAID, short for Mobile Earthquake Recording in Marine Areas by Independent Divers, was constructed and tested at sea. The instrument combines two readily available, relatively low-cost but state-of-the-art components: a Sounding Oceanographic Lagrangian Observer, or SOLO float, and an off-the-shelf hydrophone, with custom-built data logging hardware. We report on the development of efficient wavelet-based algorithms for the detection and discrimination of seismic events and analyze three time series of acoustic pressure collected at a depth of 700 m in pilot experiments conducted offshore San Diego, CA. In these tests, over 120 hours of data were gathered, and five earthquakes, of which one was teleseismic, were recorded and identified. Quantitative estimates based on these results suggest that instruments of the MERMAID type may collect up to a hundred tomographically useful teleseismic events per year. The final design will also incorporate a Global Positioning System receiver, onboard signal processing software optimized for low-power chips, and high-throughput satellite communication equipment for telemetered data transfer. With these improvements, we hope to realize our vision of a global array of autonomous floating sensors for whole-earth seismic tomography.
Harvesting Anthropology for Public Consumption: Anthropologists Respond1 to Richard Manning's Book Against the Grain: How Agriculture has Hijacked Civilization: Introduction: The Missing Ethanol Chapter

The publication of Richard Manning's Against the Grain has particular importance for anthropologists interested in agriculture and its modern transformations. Comments of a panel of anthropologists and Manning's response are included in this set of articles. Recent developments in the production of corn for fuel ethanol in the midwestern United States is examined.
Time dependence and temporal information integration for human reaction to motion.

Abstract Two questions concerning human reaction to motion as a function of time are considered. Five sets of data are reported which support the conclusions: (1) people do not show greater discomfort solely as a function of time spent in a motion environment, and (2) a person's overall evaluation of the comfort of a trip is largely determined by the perceived comfort of the latter portions of that trip.
On a class of (h, k) regular semigroups

The object of this paper is to present a new class of regular semigroups, namely, (h, K) regular semigroups with zero in which every idempotent is primitive. The results are closely related to Venkatesan [9], Lallement and Petrich ([.5l, Theorem 3), and McFadden and Schneider [6J We shall prove the following two theorems, which are generalizations of Venkatesan’s theorems [9], and if h = k = 1 in Theorems 1 and 2, then these theorems [with the exception of Theorem 2(vii)] take the same form as do Venkatesan’s theorems.
Competitive pathways for the carbonylation of zirconocene alkyl hydrides

Abstract Competitive pathways for carbonylation of zirconocene alkyl hydrides give products of reductive elimination and multiple reduction of CO.
Core Technology, Professional Engagement, and Employee Assistance Practice

Little is known about employee assistance (EA) practice and its relationship to knowledge and utilization of EA core technology. Survey data measuring levels of knowledge and utilization of five specific technologies finds primary practitioners report higher levels of knowledge and utilization of core technologies; assessment and referral are used most frequently; constructive confrontation, consultation to work organizations, and training are used less commonly; a significant relationship exists between time in the field and knowledge of core technology; and a moderate relationship exists between levels of knowledge and utilization of core technology. An index of professional engagement based on levels of knowledge and utilization of core technology was developed. Implications for EA education, professional credibility, and future areas of research are discussed.
Mudball: Surface dust and Snowball Earth deglaciation

[1] Recent modeling results have raised doubts about the ability to deglaciate from a global glaciation at atmospheric carbon dioxide levels that are realistic for a Neoproterozoic Snowball Earth. Here we argue that over the lifetime of a Snowball event, ice dynamics should lead to the development of a layer of continental and volcanic dust at the ice surface in the tropics that would significantly lower the tropical surface albedo and encourage deglaciation. This idea leads to the prediction that clay drapes found on top of Neoproterozoic glaciations should be thicker in tropical than extratropical regions. We test this idea by running the FOAM general circulation model (GCM) with an added tropical dust layer of different sizes and albedos and find that the tropical dust layer causes Snowball deglaciation at pCO2 = 0.01–0.1 bar in a reasonable regime of these parameters. We find similar, though more nuanced, results from a limited number of test cases using National Center for Atmospheric Research's CAM GCM.
Note on the Relationship between Introversion-Extraversion, Field-Dependence-Independence and Accuracy of Visual Target Detection:

49 soldier-observers viewed 40 slides in which a stimulus soldier was identically posed in a constant background [corrected] but a different viewing distance (175, 200, 225, 2508 and 275 ft.) and viewing angles (14 degrees and 21 degrees, left and right) from the observer. Accuracy of target detection was compared with viewers' scores on the Hidden Shapes Test and the Maudsley Personality Inventory. Field-dependence-independence and extraversion-introversion were determined to be separately and jointly related to accuracy of target detection. The major effects were attributable to the notably poorer perfromance of Ss characterized of field-dependent extraverts.
Giant left ventricular aneurysm as a late complication of inferior myocardial infarction

After 3 days of nausea and dyspnoea, a 62-year-old man was found to have a completed inferior myocardial infarction. Angiography demonstrated right coronary artery occlusion, and no intervention was performed. Several days later, he had worsened dyspnoea and syncope due to pericardial haematoma. This prompted emergent surgical evacuation and patch repair of a 2-cm inferior wall rupture. Three months later, he presented …
Tracking of dye-labeled lymphocytes in rhesus macaques.

: Lymphocytes were isolated from rhesus monkeys and marked with a fluorescent lipophilic dye to monitor their distribution in vivo. Dye-labeled cells were either monitored by blood draws over a three-month period, or identified within peripheral organs upon autopsy. Lymphocyte labeling conditions were optimized. Dye-labeled lymphocytes could be detected in the circulation for at least 100 days by flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy. Activated lymphocytes were removed from the circulation more rapidly than lymphocytes that had not been activated.
Finite element methods for reactive scattering

Abstract The finite element method is applied to collinear reactive scattering problems. In this way no basis set expansion of the wave function is required and a direct solution of the two-dimensional partial differential equation is achieved. It is shown how to generally formulate this approach and achieve fast and accurate results. As a test calculation the method was applied to H + H2, yielding excellent agreement with close coupling results. Since no basis sets are used in the finite element calculation, no question of basis set convergence or closed channel behavior arises. Some discussion on applications to higher dimensions is also included.
Work Improvement Programmes: Quality Control Circles Compared with Traditional Western Approaches

Quality control circles, a Japanese management technique for improving quality, productivity, and worker morale, have been widely adopted in western industry. The apparent hope is that the circles are a key to competing with the Japanese. In this article QC circles are shown to resemble, and potentially overlap with, six other western work improvement programmes, most of which have had successful histories. Case observations offer limited evidence that plant configuration considerations should be foremost among the factors emphasised in an industrial work improvement programme and that western industry should not expect too much from quality control circles.
Role of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in colorectal cancer.

Considerable evidence has implicated matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), a group of zinc-dependent endopeptidases, in the degradation of extracellular matrix (ECM) during the metastatic process. Most MMPs are secreted as inactive zymogens and are activated extracellularly. Over expression of MMP-1, -2, -3, -7, -9, -13, and MT1-MMP has been demonstrated in human colorectal cancers. The degree of over expression of some MMPs has been noted to correlate with stage of disease and/or prognosis. An unresolved debate has centered on whether MMPs are produced by the stromal cells surrounding a tumor or by the colorectal cancer cells themselves. MMP-7 is produced abundantly by colorectal cancer cells. The presence of a mutation in the APC gene results in nuclear accumulation of the β-Catenin/TCF complex, which serves as a transcriptional factor that upregulates MMP-7 expression. Increased expression of MMP-3 in colorectal cancer correlates with low levels of microsatelite instability and poor prognosis. Increased levels of MMP-9 (produced primarily by inflammatory cells) have been demonstrated early in the transition from colon adenoma to adenocarcinoma. In contrast to other MMPs, overexpression of MMP-12 is associated with increased survival in colorectal cancer, presumably as a result of an inhibitory effect on angiogenesis. Based on the assumption that MMPs were responsible for metastasis, several orally active, low molecular weight inhibitors of MMPs (MMPIs) have been developed. These MMPIs have been effective in controlling cancer progression in animals, but have failed to prolong survival in phase III clinical trials in patients with advanced cancer. MMPIs have not yet been evaluated in patients with colorectal cancer.