cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Aboveground Feeding by Soybean Aphid, Aphis glycines, Affects Soybean Cyst Nematode, Heterodera glycines, Reproduction Belowground

Heterodera glycines is a cyst nematode that causes significant lost soybean yield in the U.S. Recent studies observed the aphid Aphis glycines and H. glycines interacting via their shared host, soybean, Glycine max. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to discern the effect of A. glycines feeding on H. glycines reproduction. An H. glycines-susceptible cultivar, Kenwood 94, and a resistant cultivar, Dekalb 27–52, were grown in H. glycines-infested soil for 30 and 60 d. Ten days after planting, plants were infested with either zero, five, or ten aphids. At 30 and 60 d, the number of H. glycines females and cysts (dead females) and the number of eggs within were counted. In general, H. glycines were less abundant on the resistant than the susceptible cultivar, and H. glycines abundance increased from 30 to 60 d. At 30 d, 33% more H. glycines females and eggs were produced on the resistant cultivar in the ten-aphid treatment compared to the zero-aphid treatment. However, at 30 d the susceptible cultivar had 50% fewer H. glycines females and eggs when infested with ten aphids. At 60 d, numbers of H. glycines females and cysts and numbers of eggs on the resistant cultivar were unaffected by A. glycines feeding, while numbers of both were decreased by A. glycines on the susceptible cultivar. These results indicate that A. glycines feeding improves the quality of soybean as a host for H. glycines, but at higher herbivore population densities, this effect is offset by a decrease in resource quantity.
Redundancies and don't cares in sequential logic synthesis

The relationships between redundant logic and don't care conditions in combinational circuits are well known. Redundancies in a combinational circuit can be explicitly identified using test generation algorithms or implicitly eliminated by specifying don't cares for each gate in the combinational network and minimizing the gates, subject to the don't care conditions. In this article, we explore the relationships between redundant logic and don't care conditions in sequential circuits. Stuck-at faults in a sequential circuit may be testable in the combinational sense, but may be redundant because they do not alter the terminal behavior of a nonscan sequential machine. These sequential redundancies result in a faulty State Transition Graph (STG) that is equivalent to the STG of the true machine. We present a classification of redundant faults in sequential circuits composed of single or interacting finite state machines. For each of the different classes of redundancies, we define don't care sets which if optimally exploited will result in the implicit elimination of any such redundancies in a given circuit. We present systematic methods for the exploitation of sequential don't cares that correspond to sequences of vectors that never appear in cascaded or interacting sequential circuits. Using these don't care sets in an optimal sequential synthesis procedure of state minimization, state assignment, and combinational logic optimization results in fully testable lumped or interacting finite state machines. We present experimental results which indicate that medium-sized irredundant sequential circuits can be synthesized with no area overhead and within reasonable CPU times by exploiting these don't cares.
Measurement of microbump thermal resistance in 3D chip stacks

The thermal resistance of Pb-free ∼25 µm diameter microbumps with pitches of 50, 71, and 100 µm has been measured with and without underfill in four high chip stacks. With underfill, the unit thermal resistance values were 8.0, 15.5, and 19.0 C-mm2/W for 50, 71, and 100 µm pitch microbumps, respectively. The average microbump height was 16.1 microns. For the 50 µm pitch case, the thermal conduction through the underfill is roughly equal to that of the microbumps alone.
Political Environments, Political Dynamics, and the Survival of Disagreement

This paper addresses a series of questions related to the survival of disagreement among interdependent citizens during an election campaign. Do campaign-stimulated processes of collective deliberation result in the elimination of disagreement within networks of social communication? If not, what are the factors that sustain political heterogeneity and disagreement? And what are the consequences of political heterogeneity within these communication networks for patterns of political influence between and among citizens? Finally, in what manner is the influence of one citizen on another conditioned by the structure of communication networks and the distribution of preferences in the remainder of these networks? We address these questions based on a study of electoral dynamics in the 1996 presidential campaign as it took place in the Indianapolis and St. Louis metropolitan areas.
The Past of Communication's Hoped-For Future.

L'A. analyse le processus de la communication et la place de la recherche et de la theorie dans ce processus. Il montre que la communication est un ensemble de messages (textes, evenements) mobiles et reproductibles qui existent dans la realite objective. Ces messages affectent ceux a qui ils sont destines et les mettent en relation les uns avec les autres. Ce schema constitue la base sur laquelle se developpent les theories de la communication et les ecoles de pensee
Collections in the Farlow Herbarium: New Species of Melanophyllum and Gastrocybe, Type Studies on Armillaria and Stropharia

SUMMARY Melanophyllum globisporum from Pakistan and Gastrocybe deceptiva from the United States are described as new. Type studies on Agaricus (Armillaria) melleorubens, Armillaria macrospora, Armillaria solidipes and Stropharia subcaperata are included and the new combinations Armillariella macrospora and Armillariella solidipes are proposed. In addition, lectotypes are selected for Agaricus melleorubens and Stropharia subcaperata. The following account of new species, microscopic descriptions of type specimens and selection of lectotypes is a result of the current systematic reorganization of the general collection of Hymenomycetes at the Farlow Herbarium. Methods of study were outlined previously in Baroni (1976, 1981). Measurements of basidiospores include the hilar appendix, except in Gastrocybe deceptiva where the measurements are given separately. Drawings were made with the aid of a Wild drawing tube. Color notations were taken from Kornerup and Wanscher (1978) and refer to the plate number-vertical row letter-horizontal row number, e.g., 6E-F4.
You Can Tell Everybody: The Voluntary Disclosure and Financing of Private Firms

We investigate private borrowers incentives to publicly disclose financial information in loan agreements in anticipation of public equity or debt issuance. Voluntary disclosure of sales and key financial ratios reduces lender hold-up, reduces financing costs and increases public bond and equity issuance amounts by 9.9% and 12.2%, respectively. We show that our results are unlikely to be driven by selection on unobservable borrower quality. Overall, this evidence suggests that voluntary disclosure can mitigate information asymmetry and reduce financial constraints for young firms.
Invited Lecture Early and Late Results of Corrective Cardiac Surgery During the First Year of Life

The purpose of this paper is to present some of our early and late results following corrective cardiac surgery in neonates and infants. Therefore, I will forego details of surgical technique but will instead emphasize early and late hemodynamic results.
Psychogenic sensory loss

One hundred consecutive patients complaining of hemifacial numbness were tested for two features commonly thought to indicate psychogenic sensory loss: a) exact splitting of the midline to pinprick, and b) diminished vibratory sensation on the affected forehead. Twenty patients had purely psychogenic complaints, while 80 had organic lesions. Sensory loss split the midline in four patients (20%) with psychogenic complaints but also in six patients (7.5%) with structural lesions (p = NS). Vibration was diminished in 19 patients (95%) with psychiatric disease but also in 69 patients (86%) with organic lesions (p = NS). Contrary to popular beliefs, these "nonphysiologic" findings do not distinguish psychogenic from organic sensory loss.
Biochemical aspects of the pathogenesis of venous thrombosis

In this review, an attempt has been made to present new data on the mechanisms that can be involved in DVT and to emphasize the role of the cell in these processes. It has been demonstrated that cells can mediate the relevant expression of tissue factor without cell disruption and that the fibrinolytic responses can also be modulated by the cells. It has also been demonstrated that the fibrinolytic system seems to be designed to work on the cell surface based upon (1) the existence of specific receptors, (2) the modulation of the expression of these receptors and (3) the comprehensive increase in plasmin generation by up-regulating, for example, the plasminogen receptors. It could also be worthwhile to attempt to explain some beneficial effects of drugs such as heparins by studying their action on these compartments. It is important to note that recently Rosenfeld et al. have described an increase in t-PA and u-PA binding to endothelium by pre-incubation of endothelial cells with unfractionated heparin. This work would be a first step in a very exciting and interesting new era in the prevention of venous thromboembolism.
Casimir and van der Waals Forces: Elaborations

… of special interest and difficulty is the process which takes place in a physical body when many molecules interact simultaneously, the oscillations of the latter being interdependent owing to their proximity. If the solution of this problem ever becomes possible we shall be able to calculate in advance the values of the intermolecular forces due to intermolecular interradiation, deduce the laws of their temperature dependence, solve the fundamental problem of molecular physics whether all so-called “molecular forces” are confined to the already known mechanical action of light radiation, to electromagnetic forces, or whether some forces of hitherto unknown origin are involved …
Impact of patient-provider communication on online health information behaviors in chronic illness

This manuscript analyzes the role that patient-provider communication has in shaping online health information seeking in patients diagnosed with chronic kidney disease [CKD]. Data were collected and analyzed over two years using grounded theory methods; the findings presented in this manuscript are a subset of the results from this larger study. Twelve participants, all diagnosed with CKD, were each interviewed twice for a total of 24 interviews; the posts they made to three different online support groups were also harvested. Data were analyzed using the constant comparative method until theoretical saturation was reached. There are multiple factors related to patient-provider communication that influence online health information seeking, including dismissive responses from providers, the type of information need, time pressure, information overload, the healthcare system, and the desire to verify or crosscheck information by consulting multiple sources. These results highlight the importance of effective communication between people diagnosed with CKD and their healthcare providers, as these interactions impact online health information behavior. In particular, providers should foster an open attitude towards online health information seeking; they should also encourage patients to verify information found online.
Intelligent Design and Imaginary Worlds in Cost-Effectiveness Claims: An Overview of Commentaries in INNOVATIONS in Pharmacy from July 2016 to February 2017

Over the past 30 years, thousands of modeled cost-effectiveness studies have been published. Whether this effort has been worthwhile is debatable. For supporters of modeled cost-effectiveness studies, this effort has been worthwhile because the modeled claims are intended to inform health care decision makes. To opponents, the effort is seen as largely a waste of time because the claims are typically non-evaluable. Rather than subscribing to the standards of normal science in its focus on hypothesis testing through experimentation and replication, opponents have viewed practitioners in health technology assessment as being content to develop imaginary worlds with no thought to their role in practical decision-making. Given this ongoing commitment to constructing imaginary worlds, the purpose of this commentary is bring together the various commentaries, together with supporting publications that have appeared in INNOVATIONS in Pharmacy since mid-2016. This is in response to requests from faculty and graduate students at the College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota for an overview of the arguments presented to date in support of a new research program that rejects imaginary constructs in favor of credible, evaluable and replicable claims to support formulary decision making. Type: Commentary
The effects of interstitial solute additions on the mechanical properties of niobium and tantalum single crystals

Abstract The influence of binary and ternary additions of oxygen and nitrogen on the mechanical behavior of niobium and tantalum single crystals has been investigated. Additions of either oxygen or nitrogen to high-purity crystals cause only alloy hardening in both the thermal and athermal temperature regimes. The same additions to less pure crystals or to high-purity crystals intentionally doped with a second interstitial, result in alloy softening in the thermal component of the yield stress. The strain rate sensitivity varies with interstitial content in the same manner as the yield stress, whether alloy hardening or softening is observed. These results are interpreted in terms of effects that solute interactions exert on thermallyactivated interstitial hardening in niobium and tantalum.
COMPUTATIONAL COMPLEXITY AND VLSI IMPLEMENTATION OF AN OPTIMAL FEATURE SELECTION STRATEGY

Certain algorithms and their computational complexity are examined for use in a VLSI implementation of a real-time pattern classifier. The most computationally intensive processing is found in the classifier training mode wherein subsets of the largest and smallest eigenvalues and associated eigenvectors of the input data covariance pair must be computed. It is shown that if the matrix of interest is centrosymmetric, the problem architecture assumes a parallel form. Such a matrix structure is found in a wide variety of speech and signal processing applications. Each of the parallel channels requires only two specialized matrix-arithmetic modules. These modules may be implemented as linear arrays of processing elements having at most O(N) elements, where N is the input data vector dimension. The computations may be done in O(N) time steps. This compares very favorably with the O(N 2 ) computing time required for the sequential approach. Some examples are provided on the convergence of the suggested iterative approach for eigensystem decomposition; it is felt that the factored method used may lead to sub-problems which are well-conditioned.
Bias temperature stress induced hydrogen depassivation from Al2O3/InGaAs interface defects

We study the reliability of Al2O3/InGaAs metal-oxide-semiconductor gate stacks by investigating the effect of bias temperature stress on the charge trap density at the Al2O3/InGaAs interface and in the bulk oxide. Under extended negative biasing at 100 °C, the gate stacks display a notable increase in the interface trap density (Dit), but little change in the border trap density. This phenomenon is more prominent for samples exposed to a H2/N2 forming gas anneal (FGA) than for the as-deposited samples. Negative gate bias applied during 100 °C thermal stress negates the FGA-induced passivation of interface states and causes convergence of the Dit of the post-FGA and as-deposited gate stacks with increasing biasing time. This appears to be caused by hydrogen depassivation of interface traps under bias temperature stress, which is further supported by an observed hydrogen isotope effect when comparing the rate of Dit increase after annealing in hydrogenated versus deuterated forming gas. A N2 anneal control ...
Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance in Semiconductor Nanocrystals

Localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) in semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) that results in resonant absorption, scattering, and near field enhancement around the NC can be tuned across a wide optical spectral range from visible to far-infrared by synthetically varying doping level, and post synthetically via chemical oxidation and reduction, photochemical control, and electrochemical control. In this review, we will discuss the fundamental electromagnetic dynamics governing light matter interaction in plasmonic semiconductor NCs and the realization of various distinctive physical properties made possible by the advancement of colloidal synthesis routes to such NCs. Here, we will illustrate how free carrier dielectric properties are induced in various semiconductor materials including metal oxides, metal chalcogenides, metal nitrides, silicon, and other materials. We will highlight the applicability and limitations of the Drude model as applied to semiconductors considering the complex band structures ...
SIMPLIFIED DESIGN PROCEDURES FOR COMPOSITE MATERIALS

ABSTRACT Designing with composite materials can be simplified considerably by making the laminates balanced and symmetric. By taking advantage of invariants of the coordinate transformation of strain and stiffness modulus, further simplifications can be made. Only one off-axis component of the stiffness modulus need to be calculated. The remaining three components are derived from symmetry and invariants. The failure envelope in strain space is preferred over that in stress space. By using the rigid body rotation of the envelope in the Mohr's circle space, the first-ply-failure envelope can be readily determined. The strength analysis of composite materials becomes essentially the same as that of the conventional material.
Debt Economics: The Need to Include it as Part of Basic Economic Instruction And/Or Curricula

Over the past four decades, the growth of the economy has been increasingly dependent on the use of private debt to stimulate consumer buying and create the necessary incentives for building additional productive capacity and increased speculative activity. The purpose of this article is to discuss the impact which debt, especially mortgage and consumer debt, is having on economic growth, to emphasize the increasing need to include debt economics as part of our basic economic instruction and/or curricula, and to suggest a few principles and relationships that might be considered as a starting point to include in a section or chapter on debt economics for our basic economic textbooks.
Superconformal coating and filling of deep trenches by chemical vapor deposition with forward-directed fluxes

The authors report a superconformal chemical vapor deposition method that affords bottom-up filling of trenches with oxide: the film growth rate increases with depth such that the profile of material develops a “V” shape that fills in along the centerline without a seam of low density material. The method utilizes low pressures of a metal precursor plus a forward-directed flux of co-reactant (water) at a lower pressure than the precursor. Under these conditions, many of the co-reactant molecules travel ballistically to the trench bottom where a fraction of them reflect. This scattering, which creates a virtual source of co-reactant from the trench bottom, leads to a superconformal growth process whose rate is highest at the bottom and declines toward the opening. Simultaneous with this superconformal component is the typical subconformal growth process due to the portion of the co-reactant flux that enters the trench opening isotropically; with a sufficiently large forward-directed flux, however, the overall profile is superconformal. We demonstrate this approach for filling trenches with HfO2 using 0.09 mTorr tetrakis(dimethylamido)­hafnium (TDMA-Hf) precursor and 0.009 mTorr H2O co-reactant. Precursor-rich growth conditions at a substrate temperature of ≤270 °C are used to assure that the growth rate is kinetically limited (determined) by the H2O flux and is nearly independent of the TDMA-Hf flux. Under these conditions, the growth rate in a trench with an aspect ratio of 3.5 increases from 0.6 nm/min at the top to 1.0 nm/min at the bottom sidewalls (step coverage = 1.6). The authors simulate the precursor transport-reaction problem within the trench using a Markov chain model to account for both the forward-directed and isotropic reactant fluxes and for the multiple reemission events within the trench, as a function of the surface sticking probability β of the water flux. The model predicts the fraction of the total incident flux that must be forward-directed in order to afford seam-free filling as a function of the sticking probability and the starting aspect ratio. Experimentally, the authors find that the opening of the trench accumulates a slightly greater thickness (a “bread-loaf” profile) that tends to pinch off the trench just before complete filling. To eliminate this effect, a molecular inhibitor, H(hfac) or H(acac), is used to reduce the growth rate near to the opening. The result is seam-free filling of trenches with HfO2 up to an aspect ratio of 10.
Effects of diapause on Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) cold tolerance

Diapause and cold tolerance can profoundly affect the distribution and activity of temperate insects. Halyomorpha halys (Stal) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), an alien invasive species from Asia, enters a winter dormancy in response to environmental cues. We investigated the nature of this dormancy and its effects on H. halys cold tolerance, as measured by supercooling points, lower lethal temperatures, and overwintering field mortality. Dormancy was induced by rearing individuals in the laboratory or under field conditions. We confirmed H. halys dormancy to be a state of diapause and not quiescence, and the life stage sensitive to diapause-inducing cues is between the second and fifth instar. In the laboratory, supercooling points of diapausing adults reached significantly lower temperatures than nondiapausing adults, but only when given enough time after imaginal ecdysis. Supercooling points of diapausing adults in overwintering microhabitats also decreased over time. Diapause increased adult survival after acute cold exposure in the laboratory and prolonged cold exposure in the field. Following diapause induction in the laboratory, changes to temperature and photoperiod had no significant effect on lower lethal temperatures and changes to photoperiod had no effect on supercooling points. Additionally, induction of diapause in the laboratory did not result in significantly different cold tolerance than natural field induction of diapause. This work demonstrates that H. halys diapause confers greater cold tolerance than a nondiapausing state and likely improves the probability of successful overwintering in some temperate climates. Hence, knowledge of diapause status could be used to refine forecasts of H. halys overwintering field mortality.
Trends in Synthetic Biology Applications, Tools, Industry, and Oversight and Their Security Implications.

Recent developments in synthetic biology tools and techniques are driving commercialization of a wide range of products for human health, agriculture, environmental stewardship, and other purposes....
Approximate dynamic programming for the aeromedical evacuation dispatching problem: Value function approximation utilizing multiple level aggregation

Abstract Sequential resource allocation decision-making for the military medical evacuation of wartime casualties consists of identifying which available aeromedical evacuation (MEDEVAC) assets to dispatch in response to each casualty event. These sequential decisions are complicated due to uncertainty in casualty demand (i.e., severity, number, and location) and service times. In this research, we present a Markov decision process model solved using a hierarchical aggregation value function approximation scheme within an approximate policy iteration algorithmic framework. The model seeks to optimize this sequential resource allocation decision under uncertainty of how to best dispatch MEDEVAC assets to calls for service. The policies determined via our approximate dynamic programming (ADP) approach are compared to optimal military MEDEVAC dispatching policies for two small-scale problem instances and are compared to a closest-available MEDEVAC dispatching policy that is typically implemented in practice for a large-scale problem instance. Results indicate that our proposed approximation scheme provides high-quality, scalable dispatching policies that are more easily employed by military medical planners in the field. The identified ADP policies attain 99.8% and 99.5% optimal for the 6- and 12-zone problem instances investigated, as well as 9.6%, 9.2%, and 12.4% improvement over the closest-MEDEVAC policy for the 6-, 12-, and 34-zone problem instances investigated.
Proceedings of the 25th Symposium on Operating Systems Principles

Welcome to the Proceedings of the 25th ACM Symposium on Operating Systems Principles (SOSP 2015), held at the Portola Hotel & Spa, Monterey, California, USA. This year's program includes 30 wonderful papers which cover topics ranging from high performance transaction processing systems to formal specification for practical implementations, from techniques for energy-aware systems to experiences with globally distributed software in the wild, from bug finding to big data. The program committee worked hard to select some of the most creative and interesting ideas in computer systems research today, and each accepted paper was lovingly shepherded by a program committee member to make sure the papers are as readable and complete as possible. We hope you will enjoy the program as much as we did in selecting it.
Response to Propoxyphene Market Withdrawal: Analgesic Substitutes, Doses, and Adverse Events.

Objective Experts cautioned that patients affected by the November 2010 withdrawal of the opioid analgesic propoxyphene might receive riskier prescriptions. To explore this, we compared drug receipts and outcomes among propoxyphene users before and aftermarket withdrawal. Study design Using OptumLabs data, we studied 3 populations: commercial, Medicare Advantage (MA) aged (age 65+ y) and MA disabled (age below 65 y) enrollees. The exposed enrollees received propoxyphene in the 3 months before market withdrawal (n=13,622); historical controls (unexposed) received propoxyphene 1 year earlier (n=9971). Regression models estimated daily milligrams morphine equivalent (MME), daily prescription acetaminophen dose, potentially toxic acetaminophen doses, nonopioid prescription analgesics receipt, emergency room visits, and diagnosed falls, motor vehicle accidents, and hip fractures. Principal findings Aged MA enrollees illustrate the experience of all 3 populations examined. Following the market withdrawal, propoxyphene users in the exposed cohort experienced an abrupt decline of 69% in average daily MME, compared with a 14% decline in the unexposed. Opioids were discontinued by 34% of the exposed cohort and 18% of the unexposed. Tramadol and hydrocodone were the most common opioids substituted for propoxyphene. The proportion of each group receiving ≥4 g of prescription acetaminophen per day decreased from 12% to 2% in the exposed group but increased from 6% to 8% among the unexposed. Adverse events were rare and not significantly different in exposed versus unexposed groups. Conclusions After propoxyphene market withdrawal, many individuals experienced abrupt discontinuation of opioids. Policymakers might consider supporting appropriate treatment transitions and monitoring responses following drug withdrawals.
PATH-61. IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL PHENOTYPING AND SURVIVAL ANALYSIS OF WHO GRADE II-IV GLIOMAS

INTRODUCTION Specific genetic mutations are linked to clinical prognosis in gliomas. There has been increasing demand to understand the association between tissue biomarker expression and survival. Using patient-derived samples, WHO grade II-IV gliomas were evaluated by the protein-staining pattern of molecular markers of interest across tumor grade, and the association between their expression and survival was investigated.
Are Supercells Resistant to Entrainment because of Their Rotation

AbstractThis research investigates a hypothesis posed by previous authors, which argues that the helical nature of the flow in supercell updrafts makes them more resistant to entrainment than nonsu...
Breastfeeding Without Bed-Sharing

The AAP recommends room-sharing without bed-sharing to reduce risk of sudden unexpected infant death (SUID). The AAP also recommends exclusive breastfeeding for about the first 6 months after birth, followed by the addition of complementary foods along with breastfeeding for at least a year, due to both maternal and infant health reasons, including a decreased risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Healthy babies wake often to feed at night, and the majority of US mothers return to work well before the infant is 3 months of age, which can lead to exhaustion and increased import placed on sleep. Several studies have demonstrated that bed-sharing promotes breastfeeding, with the more bed-sharing, the longer the duration of breastfeeding; however, bed-sharing, particularly in certain circumstances, comes with substantial risk for a tragic event, namely, SUID. The question then becomes: Is it possible for mothers to successfully breastfeed without bed-sharing? In addition, if a mother is bed-sharing, how can we approach the conversation in a way that helps us understand the behaviors and practices such that we may be able to help mitigate risk? This chapter will highlight practical information and strategies to support breastfeeding, help identify babies at particular risk for sleep-related infant deaths, and counsel families on how to successfully breastfeed and keep their infant as safe as possible during sleep.
Corporate Purpose in Public and Private Firms

Analyzing data from approximately 1.5 million employees across 1,108 established public and private US companies, we find that the strength of employee beliefs in purpose is weaker in public companies. Among public companies, purpose is stronger for firms with long-term investors and weaker for firms with high hedge fund ownership. These patterns are most pronounced within the salaried middle and hourly ranks, rather than senior executives. These differences in purpose across firms can be attributed, in part, to differences in the background of the CEOs and reward structures within the companies. Our findings are consistent with higher owner commitment, and the corresponding policies that arise alongside this higher commitment, enabling a stronger sense of purpose inside organizations.
The Transmission of Disturbances under Alternative Exchange-Rate Regimes with Optimal Indexing

The paper develops a general stochastic macroeconomic model that can be used to study the international transmission of disturbances under four alternative exchange-rate systems: uniform flexible exchange rates, uniform fixed exchange rates, and two versions of two-tier exchange rates. The analysis makes two general points. First, one cannot assume stability of structure when assessing the consequences of alternative exchange-rate regimes. For example, the slope of the aggregate supply curve and the rationally formed expectations in the asset markets can respond dramatically to the government's choice of exchange-rate regime. Second, exchange-rate regimes that provide full insulation from foreign disturbances may nevertheless be inferior to other regimes in terms of their ability to maximize social welfare.
Clinical characterization of radiation-associated muscle-invasive bladder cancer

Abstract Objective To characterize the presentation, patterns of care, and outcomes of radiation-associated muscle-invasive bladder cancer (RA-MIBC) compared to primary (non-radiation associated) MIBC. RA-MIBC has been suggested to represent a more aggressive disease variant and be more difficult to treat compared to primary (non-radiation associated) MIBC. Methods We identified 60,090 patients diagnosed with MIBC between 1988-2015 using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database and stratified patients based on whether radiation had been administered to a prior pelvic primary cancer. We used Fine-Gray competing risks regression to compare adjusted bladder cancer-specific mortality (BCSM) for RA-MIBC compared to primary MIBC. Results There were 1,093 patients with RA-MIBC and 58,997 patients with primary MIBC. RA-MIBCs were more likely to be T4 at diagnosis (21.0% vs 17.3%, P Conclusion RA-MIBCs tended to present with higher grade and T stage disease and were less likely to receive curative treatment. Even when accounting for stage, grade, and receipt of treatment, patients with RA-MIBC had worse survival compared to those with primary MIBC. These findings suggest that RA-MIBC present unique clinical challenges and may also represent a biologically more aggressive disease compared to primary MIBC. Future research is needed to better understand the biology of RA-MIBC and develop improved treatment approaches.
Performance-based balance tests, combined with the number of falls recalled in the past year, predicts the incidence of future falls in established unilateral transtibial prosthesis users

Introduction Falls are common and consequential events for lower limb prosthesis (LLP) users. Currently, there are no models based on prospective falls data that clinicians can use to predict the incidence of future falls in LLP users. Assessing who is at risk for falls, and thus most likely to need and benefit from intervention, remains a challenge. Objective Determine whether select performance-based balance tests predict future falls in established, unilateral transtibial prosthesis users (TTPU). Design Multi-site prospective observational study. Setting Research laboratory and prosthetics clinic. Participants Forty-five established, unilateral TTPU. Intervention Not applicable. Main outcome measure(s) The number of falls reported over a prospective 6-month period. Timed Up-and-Go (TUG) and Four-Square Step Test (FSST) times, as well as Narrowing Beam Walking Test scores were recorded at baseline, along with the number of falls recalled over the past 12 months, and additional potential fall-risk factors. Results The final negative binomial regression model, which included TUG (p=.044) and FSST (p=.159) times, as well as the number of recalled falls (p=.009), was significantly better than a null model at predicting the number of falls over the next 6-months (X2 (3)=11.6, p=.009), and fit the observed fall count data (X2 (41)=36.12, p=.20). The final model provided a significant improvement in fit to the prospective fall count data over a model with fall recall alone X2 (1)=4.342, p Conclusion No combination of performance-based balance tests alone predicted the incidence of future falls in our sample of established, unilateral TTPU. Rather, a combination of the number of falls recalled over the past 12-months, along with TUG and FSST times, but not NBWT scores, was required to predict the number of "all-cause" falls over the next 6 months. The resulting predictive model may serve as a suitable method for clinicians to predict the incidence of falls in established, unilateral TTPU. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Low-Cost Utility Scale Offshore Energy Storage

In order to curb anthropogenic climate change, deep decarbonization of the electric grid is essential. Although the economical front of technologies like wind and solar power has improved, the fundamental intermittency of these sources of energy remains a challenge. Cheap, reliable and scalable storage solutions are urgently required. Most energy storage technologies are either expensive (Lithium Ion) or geographically constrained (Pumped Hydro). Low cost bulk energy storage could be a vital catalyst in decarbonizing our current grid infrastructure and would increase the competitiveness of offshore renewables considerably. This paper explores the feasibility of a large scale offshore floating Osmotic Energy Storage (OES) system. OES stores electrical energy by desalinating a clean, mixed solution to create a chemical potential between NaCl brine and freshwater in a closed loop system. It recovers this energy in a controlled membrane based mixing process called Pressure Retarded Osmosis (PRO). An offshore digitally operated Reverse Osmosis-Pressure Retarded Osmosis based OES system could be scaled up to upwards of 6 MWh to function as storage for coastal utilities or offshore communities. The core value proposition is in its economical, modular and environmentally benign design that could increase access to large scale energy storage integration to the grid globally.
Spectrum Efficient Distributed LFMCW Radar System for High Resolution Localization

Linear frequency modulated continuous wave (LFMCW) radars have been widely used for short/medium range target detection and estimation. However, the resolution of range estimation is strictly limited by the bandwidth of the LFMCW signal. In this paper, we propose a compressed-sensing based (CS-based) localization algorithm for high resolution localization based on a distributed LFMCW radar system. Instead of estimating the range of the object first and then feeding it to the localization kernel, we jointly process LFMCW beat signals and map them into a preconstructed dictionary. The proposed one-step procedure avoids the range estimation bias caused by the FFT from a single radar that can dominate the localization error of the entire distributed radar system. We developed simulation models and conducted experiments to verify our localization algorithm. Simulation results show that the proposed localization algorithm greatly improves the localization resolution with reduced bandwidth requirement of LFMCW signal compared to a conventional algorithm based on FFT and trilateration. For the experiments, we tested our CS-based localization using commercial off-the-shelf sensor (COTS) mmWave radar board from Texas Instrument. The experimental results showed that with 3 distributed radars, the proposed CS-based localization can be two times more accurate than the FFT and trilateration combination.
Assessment of metabolic perturbations associated with exposure to phthalates among pregnant African American women.

Abstract Background Phthalates have been linked with numerous harmful health effects. Limited data are available on the molecular mechanism underlying phthalate toxicity on human health. In this study, we measured urinary phthalate metabolites and used high-resolution metabolomics (HRM) to identify biological perturbations associated with phthalate exposures among pregnant African American (AA) women, who are disproportionately exposed to high phthalates levels. Methods We used untargeted HRM profiling to characterize serum samples collected during early (8–14 weeks gestation) and late (24–30 weeks gestation) pregnancy from 73 participants from the Atlanta AA Maternal-Child cohort. We measured eight urinary phthalate metabolites in early and late pregnancy, including Monoethyl phthalate (MEP), Mono(2-ethlyhexyl) phthalate (MEHP), and Mono (2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHHP), to assess maternal exposures to phthalates. Metabolite and metabolic pathway perturbation were evaluated using an untargeted HRM workflow. Results Geometric mean creatinine-adjusted levels of urinary MEP, MEHP, and MEHHP were 67.3, 1.4, and 4.1 μg/g creatinine, respectively, with MEP and MEHP higher than the mean levels of non-Hispanic blacks in the general US population (2015–2016). There were 73 and 1435 metabolic features significantly associated with at least one phthalate metabolite during early and late pregnancy (p Conclusion Our results demonstrated that urinary phthalate levels were associated with perturbations in biological pathways connected with inflammation, oxidative stress, and endocrine disruption. The findings support future targeted investigations on molecular mechanisms underlying the impact of maternal phthalates exposure on adverse health outcomes.
Visual comfort zone

This paper presents the panel width for console/work place design (seated operator) based upon performance. Panel width recommendations are made for male and female operators.Independent variables ...
Behavioural Plasticity as an Adaptation to a Variable Environment

As a class of phenotypic characteristics, the outstanding feature of behavior is its flexibility in interfacing organisms with an environment which is variable in time and space. When and where an organism executes any behavioral act is crucial in determining the functionality of the behavior patterns. To the degree that an environment is variable, flexibility in behavioral execution is critical and this is especially the case when the timing or extent of the variability is unpredictable. Limitations on flexibility are to be expected in organisms only to the extent that they face an environment that is predictable.
Magnetic phase diagram of cubic perovskites SrMn 1-x Fe x O 3

We combine the results of magnetic and transport measurements with M\"ossbauer spectroscopy and room-temperature diffraction data to construct the magnetic phase diagram of the family of cubic perovskite manganites ${\mathrm{SrMn}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{Fe}}_{x}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}.$ We have found antiferromagnetic ordering for lightly and heavily Fe-substituted material, while intermediate substitution leads to spin-glass behavior. Near the ${\mathrm{SrMn}}_{0.5}{\mathrm{Fe}}_{0.5}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ composition these two types of ordering are found to coexist and affect one another. The spin-glass behavior may be caused by competing ferro- and antiferromagnetic interactions among ${\mathrm{Mn}}^{4+}$ and observed ${\mathrm{Fe}}^{3+}$ and ${\mathrm{Fe}}^{5+}$ ions.
The Motion Picture in Science Education: "One Hundred Percent Efficiency"

This study provides a historical overview of the development of the motion picture as a tool within the context of science education. The technology was traced from its beginning as a silent motion picture through its current manifestation in videotapes and videodiscs. The use of the technology as a teaching tool is examined in terms of the concept of scientific literacy and the means by which the motion picture helped to accomplish the goals of scientific literacy.
Graph transformations for improved tree height reduction

Tree height reduction helps in minimizing the critical path delay and area in datapath rich designs during synthesis. We introduce in this paper, the necessary conditions to identify height reducible arithmetic expressions and three graph transformations that make tree height reduction more efficient: (a) bit-width matching - a technique in which input signals that match in their bit-widths are grouped together so that smaller width arithmetic nodes are created in the graph; (b) carry/borrow optimization - a graph transformation by which an optimum number of single bit inputs are distributed as carry/borrow to the add/subtract nodes in the graph; and (c) constant grouping - a graph transformation in which constant inputs are grouped together to form a sub-tree of constants. Experiments on industrial designs with these graph transformations coupled with tree height reduction have shown significant improvement in critical path delay and area.
Learning search control for constraint-based scheduling

This paper describes an application of an analytical learning technique, Plausible Explanation-Based Learning (PEBL), that dynamically acquires search control knowledge for a constraint-based scheduling system. In general, the efficiency of a scheduling system suffers because of resource contention among activities. Our system learns the general conditions under which chronic contention occurs and uses search control to avoid repeating mistakes. Because it is impossible to prove that a chronic contention will occur with only one example, traditional EBL techniques are insufficient. We extend classical EBL by adding an empirical component that creates search control rules only when the system gains enough confidence in the plausible explanations. This extension to EBL was driven by our observations about the behavior of our scheduling system when applied to the real-world problem of scheduling tasks for NASA Space Shuttle payload processing. We demonstrate the utility of this approach and provide experimental results.
Racial differences in the perceived attractiveness of tourism destinations, interests, and cultural resources.

This study of a stratified random sample of 213 households in a Southern metropolitan area investigated black-white racial differences in perceived attractiveness of tourism destination characteris...
Effects of thiazide diuretics on the lipid profile of infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Hyperlipidemia has been reported in some infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) who received thiazides for extended periods. In this prospective, controlled trial, we studied 17 infants with BP
Do Orientations to Happiness Mediate the Associations Between Personality Traits and Subjective Well-Being?

Personality traits have frequently been observed to be associated with subjective well-being. It has been suggested that personality traits may lead individuals to experience life in certain ways which, in turn, influences their subjective well-being. However, the exact mechanisms underlying this relationship remain unknown. The present study hypothesized that the ways in which individuals endorse strategies for achieving happiness (i.e., orientations to happiness: through a life of pleasure, through a life of engagement, or through a life of meaning) mediates the associations that personality traits have with subjective well-being (i.e., satisfaction with life, positive affect, and negative affect). Our results indicated that an orientation to meaning in life partially mediated the relationship between extraversion and life satisfaction. In addition, all three orientations to happiness (i.e., pleasure, engagement, and meaning) partially mediated the relationship between extraversion and positive affect. Discussion focuses on the implications of these results for understanding the connection between personality traits and subjective well-being.
Protecting intellectual property in cyberspace

In order to accommodate the increased Internet traffic of the past several years, the infrastructure of the Internet has grown, and has subsequently become more and more complex. The technological subtleties of expanding the Internet are not the only nor even the greatest problems associated with the growing cyberspace population. More troubling (to the Internet pioneers and purists) are the different visions these new Internet users have for the building of the global information infrastructure of the future. Businessmen, politicians, and entrepreneurs see in the Internet the potential for a rapidfire global marketplace; but in this digital world, content would have to be tightly controlled. This is a world far different from the highly unregulated infant Internet, in which the free flow of information was of fundamental importance. There is now a palpable tension between the users and the providers of information on the Internet. The providers require measures to protect their property, and users desire (at the very minimum), fair use of the content they download from the Internet. Aside from a few militant Internet aficionados, most people agree that regulatory devices should be implemented to protect intellectual property on the Internet to at least a limited extent. How then, can intellectual property owners assert some control over their property in the digital world without impinging upon users' basic rights?.