cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An analysis of preemptive behavior in the titanium dioxide industry

Abstract Much of the recent theoretical work on oligopoly theory focuses on preemptive capital expansion. This paper continues this work by testing whether DuPont's behavior in the titanium dioxide industry was consistent with the capital commitment model between 1972 and 1977. This is different from previous empirical papers analyzing preemptive capital expansion because it focuses on strategic behavior in a specific industry and because the hypothesis tests in this paper are based on a formal model of firms' optimizing behavior. The results lend support to the conclusion that DuPont committed capital to preempt the smallest five firms in the industry between 1972 and 1977.
Variation of glass transition temperature, Tg, with average coordination number, 〉m〈, in network glasses: evidence of a threshold behavior in the slope |dTg/d〉m〈 | at the rigidity percolation threshold (〉m〈 = 2.4)

Abstract Alkali oxide (Ak2O) addition to telluria lowers glass transition temperature, Tg, of (Ak2O)x(TeO2)1−x glasses systematically, with the slope dTg/dx displaying a local maximum at xc ≅ 0.18 corresponding to 〉m〈 ≅ 2.4, the rigidity percolation threshold. In covalent network glasses, as in the present alkali tellurate glasses, Tg is found to increase with 〉m〈 with the slope |dTg/d〉m〈| displaying a maximum near 〉m〈≅2.4. It is recognized that this threshold behavior can be traced to a qualitative increase of molecular relaxation time near 〉m〈≅2.4, where a condition for mechanical equilibrium is locally satisfied. This increase leads to a local Tg(〉m〈) enhancement at 〉m〈 = 2.4 due to a kinetic effect, which is superposed on a quasi-linear Tg(〉m〈) variation with 〉m〈 due to chemical effects.
Unifying Electrostatic Mechanism for Metal Cations in Receptors and Cell Signaling

Previously, an electrostatic mechanism was proposed for receptor-ligand action and for cell signaling by phosphate and sulfate. The hypothesis is further elaborated by application to metal ions, mainly calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, and copper, in receptors and cell signaling. Evidence is provided for involvement of electrostatics in various reaction modes in biosystems. Calcium plays an important role electrochemically in neurotransmission. In some cases, electron transfer and redox processes are also involved. Electrostatics are known to participate in plant biochemistry. Mechanistically, the electrostatic field may act as a conduit for electrons and radicals and in involvement with energetics.
Intertemporal substitution and storable products

Storable products allow consumers to time their purchases to exploit price fluctuations. It has been documented that during promotions consumers buy more. The additional purchases are potentially intended not only for current use, but to be stockpiled for future consumption. This paper discusses the predictions of a consumer inventory model and reviews the available evidence. We then discuss the implications for demand estimation and present estimates of (JEL: LO, L4, Dl, D4) the economic magnitude of the dynamic effect of storability. (JEL: LO, L4, Dl, D4) (JEL: LO, L4, Dl, D4)
Occult breast carcinoma presenting with axillary lymph node metastases: a follow-up study of 48 patients.

Abstract Breast carcinoma presenting with axillary metastases and no clinically apparent primary tumor in the breast is an uncommon form of stage II disease. Published studies have been characterized by small numbers and/or limited follow-up information. Although these patients are often looked on individually as having advanced disease, several published reports suggest that their prognosis is not exceptionally grave. The present study evaluated the largest series thus far described, consisting of 48 patients with a median follow-up of 5 years. Each presented with an axillary mass which proved to be metastatic adenocarcinoma, consistent with mammary origin when examined histologically. No patient had a palpable breast tumor. Mammography was negative in 28 patients (76%), and suspicious or positive in nine (24%). Nine (35%) of 26 metastases were positive for estrogen (ER) and progesterone (PR) receptors, 10 (38%) were negative for both receptors, and seven (27%) were ER positive/PR negative. Primary treatment was mastectomy and axillary dissection in 38 cases, 21 with adjuvant chemotherapy. A primary tumor was found pathologically in the breast in 36 cases (75%). Among 34 reviewed primary lesions, 27 (79%) were invasive and seven (21%) were histologically “noninvasive.” Measured size was 0.1 to 6.5 cm (median, 1.5 cm). The number of involved lymph nodes was one to 65 with 20 cases having one to three positive and 20 having four or more positive. Follow-up ranged from 5 to 267 months (median, 60 months). Overall, 29 patients (60%) remained alive and disease free; two (4%) were disease free, but died of other causes; and the status of two (4%) was not known. Fifteen patients developed recurrent carcinoma, including 12(25%) who died of disease. When compared with a matched series of stage II patients with equivalent extent of disease who presented with palpable breast tumors, patients with occult lesions had a more favorable prognosis overall, as well as when stratified by tumor size and nodal status, but the differences were not statistically significant. These results probably reflect the fact that the majority of stage II patients with clinically occult breast carcinoma usually have a grossly measurable invasive tumor detected pathologically. Consequently, the actual pathologic stage, which takes tumor size into consideration, determines prognosis rather than the apparent clinical stage described when the patient is first examined.
Compensatory renal hypertrophy in the absence of androgen binding.

As a direct test for a role of androgens, compensatory renal hypertrophy was studied in normal male mice, in androgen-insensitive Tfm/Y mice, and in sibling normal female mice. Fifteen days after unilateral nephrectomy, although the kidneys of the normal male mice were larger, relative increases in renal weight were similar in all groups (33–43%). The magnitude of the increase and the contents of protein, RNA, and DNA were the same in the Tfm/Y mice and the female mice. Androgens are not essential to compensatory renal hypertrophy, but they promote larger mice with larger kidneys.(Endocrinology 96: 806, 1975)
Cobre: A Comparative Book Reader for Los Primeros Libros

We describe the design, implementation, and evaluation of a comparative book reader that supports the scholarly activities deemed most important by cultural history scholars. A filmstrip metaphor allows rapid access to various components of the books. Parallel filmstrips allow comparison among multiple copies of the same title to fill in for missing pages or other maladies, and to study page-level annotations to help in interpreting the content. Playing the filmstrips allow the scholar to search for or discover items of interest by watching the pages of the books flow past. The need for a canonical book and possibly multiple "Frankenbooks" is described and the implementation is given. The architecture of the tool and the programming methodology are also described. The results of a discount usability study are presented along with lessons learned and future directions for improving the comparative book reader.
HAMARTOMA OF THE DUODENUM: A TUMOR COMPOSED OF BRUNNER'S GLANDS AND FAT.

Summary A large sausage-shaped polypoid tumor was removed from the third portion of the duodenum of a patient with asymptomatic melena. On microscopic examination the tumor was composed of adipose tissue and Brunner's glands and was classified as a hamartoma.
Self organizing fuzzy linguistic control with application to arc welding

Presents a self organizing fuzzy linguistic control strategy that is based on on-line modification of the control rules according to the extent of deviation of the process output from the output of a given reference model. Accordingly, the learning/adaptation algorithm, which is based on the hill climbing approach, modifies the parametrized characteristic functions of the fuzzy subsets describing the control rules, such that the meaning of each rule is iteratively changed to reflect new information regarding the behavior of the process. Simulation results show that this technique improves the overall response of the system in presence of asymmetric dynamic characteristics of the process, proving that this strategy can be a suitable alternative to ordinary fuzzy control. In order to study this self organizing scheme, the authors used a simulation model with similar characteristics as the gas metal arc welding process. This model simulates the variation of the peak surface temperature of the workpiece directly underneath the weld bead in response to changes in the arc current, or more accurately, changes in the electrode wire feedrate. >
A coordinated view of the temporal evolution of large-scale Internet events

We present a method to visualize large-scale Internet events, such as a large region losing connectivity, or a stealth probe of the entire IPv4 address space. We apply a well-known technique in information visualization--multiple coordinated views--to Internet-specific data. We animate these coordinated views to study the temporal evolution of an event along different dimensions, including geographic spread, topological (address space) coverage, and traffic impact. We explain the techniques we used to create the visualization, and using two recent case studies we describe how this capability to simultaneously view multiple dimensions of events enabled greater insight into their properties.
A GENERAL APPROACH TO DECISION MAKING WITH INTERVAL PROBABILITIES

We propose a general method for decision making in situations in which our information about the relevant probabilities is available in the form of intervals. A key component of this approach is our algorithm which is used to resolve the imprecise probabilities. This algorithm makes considerable use of the decision maker's attitude as expressed in a scale with optimistic and pessimistic as its poles.
Introducing gravel: An MPI companion library

A non-trivial challenge in high performance, cluster computing is the communication overhead introduced by the cluster interconnect. A common strategy for addressing this challenge is the use of communication-computation overlapping. In this paper, we introduce Gravel, a portable communication library designed to inter-operate with MPI for improving communication-computation overlapping. Selected MPI calls are semi-automatically replaced by Gravel calls only in key locations in an application where performance is critical. Gravel separates the data transfers from the handshake messages, enabling application developers to utilize Remote Data Memory Access (RDMA) directly, whether the data exchange scheme of their application is pure one-sided, or a more traditional two-sided. The Gravel API is much simpler than existing low level libraries and details (i.e., pointers) are hidden from the application layer so Gravel is usable in FORTRAN applications. This paper presents an overview of Gravel.
Gender in the History of Transportation Services: A Historiographical Perspective

Transportation is one of the service industries in which women are now active participants in both mature and developing economies. Traditionally dominated by male entrepreneurs and workers, transportation in westernized nations has had to accommodate the demands of women with the passage of legislation imposing conditions of equality. The global search for cheap labor is another factor that has propelled women into the fields of international and local travel, tourism, and transportation. Although businesses in recent years have placed a premium on human mobility, rapid movement of goods, and instant communication, there has been little historical research that connects the past with these developments, nor has there been a concerted effort to under-stand the impact of gender on the shifts in direction.
Thermal blooming: round beam vs square beam

We have examined Fried’s suggestion that an initially square high-power laser beam will experience significantly less thermal blooming than a round beam. In almost every case of interest the computer results were the opposite of what he suggested, indicating the importance, and rather unintuitive nature, of diffraction.
Serving ELLs With Limited or Interrupted Education: Intervention That Works

This article reports on the results of a 5-month intervention in one high school class of English language learners (ELLs) with limited or interrupted formal education using an instructional model developed by the authors. These students are a challenging group for educators, especially at the high school level because they must master content knowledge and develop English language and literacy in a relatively short amount of time. Furthermore, they must also learn how to participate effectively in U. S. schools, institutions with their own culture and culturally based assumptions. The two research questions of this study were: How could the implementation of the instructional model assist this subpopulation of ELLs in the development of literacy and academic thinking? Would the implementation of the model improve the engagement and participation of these students? Findings indicate that through the implementation of this instructional model, the teacher in this study was able to facilitate students’ transition to the U.S. educational system. Classroom observations and analysis of student work revealed that students were participating more actively in their learning and had developed increased facility with both print and academic-style thinking. doi: 10.5054/tj.2010.214878
Enhancing performance of PSO with automatic parameter tuning technique

Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) has gained growing popularity in the recent years and is finding a wide range of important applications. Like other population based, stochastic meta-heuristics, PSO has a few algorithm parameters that need to be carefully set to achieve best execution results. This paper develops an automatic parameter tuning technique for enhancing its performance. The effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated on mathematical benchmark functions as well as on a real world application problem.
Multiple Losses of Planktotrophic Development in the Cosmopolitan Bivalve Genus Lasaea

Abstract: Many marine invertebrate clades exhibit diverse developmental modes, including planktotrophic, lecithotrophic and direct development. Evolutionary transitions among the developmental modes can be common and may have macroevolutionay consequences. The marine bivalve genus Lasaea (Brown, 1827) is composed of almost exclusively direct developing species, except for one planktotrophic species — Lasaea australis (Lamarck, 1818). To test whether L. australis represents an independent evolution of planktotrophic development or the retention of an ancestral trait, we estimated the ancestral developmental mode for Lasaea using phylogenetic comparative approaches. Our results show that the ancestral developmental mode of Lasaea is likely planktotrophic and multiple independent evolution of direct development has occurred in this genus. The repeated loss of planktotrophic development may be linked to the unusual asexual reproductive mode in Lasaea, but this hypothesis needs to be further corroborated. Our ...
Early Feeding Post Bariatric Surgery Reduces Length of Stay

patients in the WL group had significantly higher rates (%) of hypertension remission for all procedures: RYGB (46, 46, 51, p1⁄40.035), SG (35, 41, 46, p1⁄40.046) and AGB (17, 18, 24, p1⁄40.029). Conclusions: Preoperative weight loss was associated with a lower adjusted rate of any complication with RYGB but otherwise did not affect rates of any or serious complication with any of the other bariatric procedures. Nor did it affect adjusted rates of diabetes remission with any procedure. However, preoperative weight loss was associated with a significant increase in excess weight loss and remission of hypertension across all procedures. Preoperative weight loss over 5% serves as a useful marker for an enhanced weight loss response to RYGB, SG and AGB.
Electric dipole moment planning with a resurrected BNL Alternating Gradient Synchrotron electron analog ring

There has been much recent interest in directly measuring the electric dipole moments (EDM) of the proton and the electron, because of their possible importance in the present day observed matter/antimatter imbalance in the Universe. Such a measurement will require storing a polarized beam of ``frozen spin'' particles, 15 MeV electrons or 230 MeV protons, in an all-electric storage ring. Only one such relativistic electric accelerator has ever been built---the 10 MeV ``electron analog'' ring at Brookhaven National Laboratory in 1954; it can also be referred to as the ``AGS analog'' ring to make clear it was a prototype for the Alternating Gradient Synchrotron (AGS) proton ring under construction at that time at BNL. (Its purpose was to investigate nonlinear resonances as well as passage through ``transition'' with the newly invented alternating gradient proton ring design.) By chance this electron ring, long since dismantled and its engineering drawings disappeared, would have been appropriate both for measuring the electron EDM and to serve as an inexpensive prototype for the arguably more promising, but 10 times more expensive, proton EDM measurement. Today it is cheaper yet to ``resurrect'' the electron analog ring by simulating its performance computationally. This is one purpose for the present paper. Most existing accelerator simulation codes cannot be used for this purpose because they implicitly assume magnetic bending. The new ual/eteapot code, described in detail in an accompanying paper, has been developed for modeling storage ring performance, including spin evolution, in electric rings. Illustrating its use, comparing its predictions with the old observations, and describing new expectations concerning spin evolution and code performance, are other goals of the paper. To set up some of these calculations has required a kind of ``archeological physics'' to reconstitute the detailed electron analog lattice design from a 1991 retrospective report by Plotkin as well as unpublished notes of Courant describing machine studies performed in 1954--1955. This paper describes the practical application of the eteapot code and provides sample results, with emphasis on emulating lattice optics in the AGS analog ring for comparison with the historical machine studies and to predict the electron spin evolution they would have measured if they had polarized electrons and electron polarimetry. Of greater present day interest is the performance to be expected for a proton storage ring experiment. To exhibit the eteapot code performance and confirm its symplecticity, results are also given for 30 million turn proton spin tracking in an all-electric lattice that would be appropriate for a present day measurement of the proton EDM. The accompanying paper ``Symplectic orbit and spin tracking code for all-electric storage rings'' documents in detail the theoretical formulation implemented in eteapot, which is a new module in the Unified Accelerator Libraries (ual) environment.
TREATMENT OF FRACTURES OF THE CARPAL SCAPHOID

1. Immediate diagnosis and splinting are necessary after injury to obtain osseous union by conservative treatment in intra-articular fractures of the scaphoid. 2. A method of fixation in plaster with the wrist in thirty to forty degrees of extension, complete radial flexion of the wrist, and with the thumb included in the position of extension and abduction, is offered as a rational manner of treatment, because it is founded upon sound anatomical principles. 3. Consistently good results have been obtained with immobilization in this position, when it has been continued for a sufficiently long period of time. 4. A bone-drilling operation is suggested which should heal the simple scaphoid pseudarthroses and should allow proper reduction in late cases. 5. In marked deformity, total excision of the scaphoid is recommended with postoperative immobilization for at least five weeks in complete ulnar flexion of the wrist.
French Retailing and the Common Market

Will the European Common Market be a success or a failure? Will the European Common Market countries really become one market by 1970, as planned?This article examines the key role played by the re...
A Hybrid RANS-LES Modeling Methodology Sensitized to Transitional and Curvature/Rotation Effects

This paper presents a new hybrid model that seeks to combine the strengths of Reynolds–averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) and large eddy simulation (LES) methods. The new model is based on a recently proposed version of a dynamic hybrid RANS-LES (DHRL) framework that addresses several deficiencies inherent in most current hybrid models, including explicit grid dependence, boundary layer model stress depletion, and delayed shear layer breakdown. The DHRL framework is highly generalized, allowing coupling of any desired LES model with any given RANS model. In this study, a recently proposed four-equation eddy-viscosity model (EVM) capable of predicting both flow transition from laminar-to-turbulent (T) and rotation and/or streamline curvature (RC) effects is used for the RANS component, and a monotonically-integrated LES (MILES) scheme is used for the LES component. The new model (DHRL with T-RC effects) is implemented into a commercial computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code and investigated against three different flow configurations. The test cases include nonrotating and rotating channel flow, zero-pressure-gradient (ZPG) boundary layer flow over a flat plate, and flow over a circular cylinder. Results obtained from the numerical simulations indicate that the new hybrid model produces significant levels of turbulent fluctuations in the flowfield and successfully resolves T-RC effects. The results show improved accuracy compared to RANS models and are obtained at a significant reduction of computational cost compared to full LES models. Further investigation on complex test cases is warranted before commenting on the accuracy and potential usage of the model as a practical tool.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
The surgical plane for lingual tonsillectomy: an anatomic study.

Background The presence of a plane between the lingual tonsils and the underlying soft tissue has not been confirmed. The objective of this study is to ascertain the presence and the characteristics about this plane for surgical use.
Modal Parameter Identification of Subsynchronous Oscillations Based on EMD and Prony Algorithm

It is technically difficult to extract subsynchronous oscillation signals effectively from the transient speed measurements,and identify modal parameters accurately.This paper proposes a method including EMD-based pretreatment for the signal extraction,resampling processing,and modal parameter identification through Prony algorithm.This method was adopted for application analysis of the field oscillation measurements in a power plant,and the analytical results were compared with those based on the conventional wave filter or wavelet filter Prony analysis.It is shown that this proposed method can effectively improve the identification accuracy of subsynchronous oscillation modal parameters.
Advance on mechanisms of metformin's anti-lung-cancer activity

Diabetes and lung cancer are common diseases worldwide,which have a serious impact on human health. Recently epidemiologic research has found that diabetes,which may enhance the incidence of lung cancer,is one of the risk factors of lung cancer. The metformin,a first-line drug for treatment of type 2 diabetes,can decrease the incidence of lung cancer and may have an antilung-cancer bioactivity,but its mechanisms are unclear. To make a further study of the mechanisms is expected to reduce the morbidity and is possible to help us find a new therapeutic target. The aim of this article is to review the potential mechanism of the metformin's anti-lung-cancer activity.
Matching technology strategy with knowledge structure

This study tests whether alignment between a firm's technology strategy and its knowledge structure impacts firm performance. We examine how the internal and external R&D strategies align with the depth and diversity of a firm's technology portfolio. The results show that long-term performance of a firm with high technological depth deteriorates when the firm enhances its internal R&D intensity, but enhances when the firm increases its external R&D alliance intensity. But in contrast, performance of a firm with high technological diversity enhances when it increases its internal R&D intensity, but deteriorates when it increases its external R&D alliance intensity.
Direct modulation of a frequency-doubled diode laser as a source for a CO 2 sensor based on phase fluorometry

The rapid and accurate determination of physiological concentrations of biologically important gases, such as O2 and CO2, has recently become possible through the use of phase-modulation fluorometry1 This technique measures the phase between modulated excitation and modulated emission. The lifetime of the fluorophore is changed by the presence of the gas, producing a phase shift that can be correlated with the concentration of the gas. Since the fluorescent decay acts as a filter for the modulated excitation source, significant phase shifts require modulation frequencies corresponding to the inverse of the fluorescence lifetimes.
Endoscopic Removal of a Bullet in Rosenmuller Fossa: Case Report

Fractures of the anterior skull base may occur in gunshot victims and can result in traumatic cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak. Less commonly, CSF leaks occur days or even weeks after the trauma occurred. Here, we present the case of a 21-year-old man with a delayed-onset, traumatic CSF leak secondary to a missile injury that left a bullet fragment in the Rosenmuller fossa. The patient was treated successfully with endoscopic, endonasal extraction of the bullet, and repair with a nasal septal flap. Foreign bodies lodged in Rosenmuller fossa can be successfully treated with endoscopic skull base surgery.
Valve-regulated Lead-Acid Batteries in Automotive Applications — A Vehicle Manufacturer's Perspective

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the feasibility and advantages of using valve-regulated lead–acid (VRLA) batteries in automotive applications. The need for more precise manufacturing controls fits well with VRLA needs and requirements. The higher compression of the VRLA plate stack drives a need for improved plate-making quality. The question of saturation control early on in the process reduces the variation in formation and acid distribution, which in turn reduces variation in capacity. The VRLA battery has additional benefits over flooded designs. Spillage during operation and handling are known risks of batteries with free electrolyte, and the highly corrosive electrolyte may also be a physical risk to both the environment and personnel. The VRLA battery's adsorbed electrolyte greatly improves the resistance of the battery to this type of hazard with no additional design safeguards required. During normal operation, the charge controls that VRLA batteries require also lead to substantially less explosive overcharge gas emissions, which may be a major benefit in the confined areas of heat-shielded battery boxes and containers. Although VRLA responds well to a carefully managed charge process, it is possible to charge VRLA with a less complex (existing) voltage regulator that is slightly modified to recognize the different voltages employed with the recombinant chemistry.
Disposable percutaneous glucose sensor

Sencilstrade (sensory cilia) are chemical sensors that are minimally invasive, disposable and easily readable to make frequent measurements of various analytes in vivo over a period of 1-3 months. A percutaneous optical fiber permits precise, reliable photonic measurement of chemical reactions in a nano-engineered polymer matrix attached to the internal end of the fiber. The first Sencils sense interstitial glucose based on measurement of fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between fluorophores bound to betacyclodextrin and Concanavalin-A in a polyethylene glycol (PEG) matrix. In vitro experiments demonstrate a rapid and precise relationship between the ratio of the two fluorescent emissions and concentration of glucose in saline over the physiological range of 0-500 mg/dl. Chronic implantation in pigs has demonstrated biocompatibility. The materials and fabrication methods to produce Sencil implants are robust and inexpensive. Systematic nano-engineering of binding affinities, fluorophore attachment, reactant entrapment and matrix structure provides the key to a wide range of clinical applications
Using Interactive Patient Engagement Technology in Clinical Practice: A Qualitative Assessment of Nurses’ Perceptions

Background: Research has shown patients who are more engaged in their care are likely to have better health outcomes and reduced health care costs. Health care organizations are now focusing their efforts in finding ways to improve patient engagement. At the forefront of this movement are patient engagement technology systems. In this paper, these emerging systems are described as interactive patient engagement technologies (iPET). Objective: The objective of this descriptive study was to gain an understanding of the perceptions of nurses who are integrating these iPET systems into their daily clinical practice. Methods: The research team interviewed 38 nurses from 2 California-based hospitals using a focused rapid ethnographic evaluation methodology to gather data. Results: The study participants reported that using iPET systems may enhance clinical nursing practice. The 4 key findings of iPET were that it (1) is effective for distraction therapy, (2) has functionality that affects both patients and nurses, (3) has implications for clinical practice, and (4) may require additional training to improve usage. Conclusions: With sufficient training on the iPET system, nurses believed they could use these technologies as an enhancement to their clinical practice. Additionally, nurses perceived these systems served as distraction therapy for patients. Initial findings suggest that iPET is beneficial, but more research is required to examine the usefulness of iPET systems in the inpatient settings. [J Med Internet Res 2016;18(11):e298]
Squash containing toxic cucurbitacin compounds occurring in California and Alabama.

A highly toxic, extremely bitter compound was found in canned zucchini squash from a large California cannery. The same toxin occurred in yellow straightneck squash grown in two different home gardens in Alabama. The compound was determined as cucurbitacin E and the quantities found in both squash types were potentially hazardous to humans.
Selective Targeting of RSK Isoforms in Cancer

The p90 ribosomal S6 kinase family (RSK1–4) is a group of highly conserved Ser/Thr kinases that act as downstream effectors of the Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK signaling pathway. The RSKs phosphorylate a range of substrates involved in transcription, translation, cell cycle regulation, and cell survival. Although the RSKs have a high degree of sequence homology, their functional differences in cancer are of great interest. Current RSK inhibitors target more than one RSK isoform, and this may limit their efficacy as anticancer agents. Here, we review the structure and function of the RSK kinases, their role in cancer growth and survival, and their potential as modulators of chemoresistance. In addition, we summarize the development of current RSK inhibitors and their limitations.
Increased duration of aquatic resource pulse alters community and ecosystem responses in a subarctic plant community

Allochthonous resource movement across ecosystem boundaries creates episodic linkages between ecosystems. The sensitivity of the community to external resources of varying duration can alter the baseline upon which future pulses of allochthony can act. We explored the terrestrial ecosystem response to pulsed inputs of lake-derived resources with a manipulative experiment in a subarctic heathland where we assessed plant community and nutrient availability responses to additions of midge carcasses (Diptera: Chironomidae). Insect carcasses were added as either a one-time pulse or a 4-year press to simulate differing durations of allochthony, which is common in the area. We found that midge pulses significantly elevated soil inorganic [N] in the first year (7× over background levels) but were significantly diminished (1.5×) by the second year after the initial pulse. The press treatment continued to elevate total soil inorganic [N] to 13× over background levels by the fourth year of midge additions, but then declined to 3.6× background in year 5 when experimental midge additions had ceased. In contrast to the soil inorganic N response, plant biomass was similar in pulse-addition and control plots over the course of the experiment. However, by the second year of the study plant biomass in press-addition plots were significantly higher than controls (>50%), and continued to increase over the 4 years of the press treatment. Midge addition stimulated dominance of graminoids and thatch litter in plots that had previously been primarily heathland vegetation, a response that persisted four years post-midge addition. Our findings suggest that soil and plant community responses to persistent insect carcass deposition (e.g., press) into heathland vegetation has the potential to carry forward in a way that modifies the baseline ecosystem conditions upon which additional allochthony may act. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Symmetric, Hermitian, and Unitary Operators

Let V be a finite dimensional vector space over the real or complex numbers, with a positive definite scalar product. Let $$A:V \to V$$ be a linear map. We shall study three important special cases of such maps, named in the title of this chapter. Such maps are also represented by matrices bearing the same names when a basis of V has been chosen.
Democracy, Fundamentalism, and Empire: Rushdie and the Politics of Free Speech

(2014). Democracy, Fundamentalism, and Empire: Rushdie and the Politics of Free Speech. South Asian Review: Vol. 35, Salman Rushdie, pp. 75-93.
The TCP/IP game

This chapter describes a simulation game used to help students understand the operation of TCP/IP. In the game, students play various layers of TCP/IP on several machines and collaborate to transmit a message from one application to another. The game is used in a telecommunications management course taken primarily by MIS majors at the senior level. The game consumes about 1 hour, and anecdotal evidence suggests that it is helpful to the students.
Social Dimensions of Sexual Consent Among Cisgender Heterosexual College Students: Insights From Ethnographic Research.

Abstract Purpose Nonconsensual sexual experiences on college campuses represent a serious public health problem. The preponderance of existing research on students’ actual consent practices is quantitative, lab based, or focused on how single dimensions of social context shape consent practices. Filling those gaps and illustrating ethnography's potential to lay the groundwork for innovative prevention, this paper draws on research conducted with undergraduates on two interconnected campuses to examine multiple social dimensions of sexual consent practices. Methods Data include in-depth interviews with over 150 students, 16 months of participant observation, 17 focus groups, and key informant interviews. Research conducted for this study took place between September 2015 and January 2017 at Columbia University and Barnard College. Results Although sexual consent is often approached as an individual or interpersonal practice, this research highlights potentially modifiable social dimensions of consent. These seven dimensions of sexual consent practices are as follows: (1) gendered heterosexual scripts; (2) sexual citizenship; (3) intersectionality; (4) men's fear of “doing” consent wrong; (5) “drunk sex”; (6) peer groups; and (7) spatial/temporal factors shaping when consent is assumed. Conclusions Effective promotion of consensual sex, as a strategy to prevent assault, will likely require understanding and modifying the social structures that shape consent practices, rather than just legislation that mandates the promotion of affirmative consent. We describe seven potential modifiable social contextual dimensions of consent practices, along with related strategies to promote consensual sex and prevent sexual assault.
Being “Loud”: Identities-in-Practice in a Figured World of Achievement:

Discourses of achievement often overlook the interdependence of classroom contexts, students’ identities, and academic performance. This narrative analysis explores how high-achieving students of c...
Born—Infeld Solutions

In this chapter we study field equations arising from the classical Born—Infeld electromagnetic theory, a topic of current research activities in theoretical physics. In §12.1, we introduce the Born—Infeld theory and use the Bernstein type theorems for minimal surface equations to study its electrostatic solutions. In §12.2, we study electrostatic and magnetostatic solutions in view of finite energy, obtain a generalized Bernstein problem, and find a connection between the minimal surface equations in Euclidean spaces and the maximal surface equations in Minkowskian spaces. In §12.3, we study the Born—Infeld wave equations. In particular, we solve the one-dimensional equations explicitly. We shall also illustrate the connection between the Born—Infeld theory and the Nambu—Goto string theory. In §12.4, we study string-like solutions arising from an Abelian Higgs theory within the framework of the Born—Infeld electromagnetism.
Functional connectivity strength within the auditory forebrain is altered by song learning and predicts song stereotypy in developing male zebra finches

Abstract Much as humans acquire speech in early childhood, the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) songbird learns to sing from an adult “tutor” during the first three months of life. Within a well-defined critical period (CP), juvenile zebra finches memorize a tutor song that will guide subsequent motor patterning. This sensory learning process is mediated by tutor experience-dependent neuroplasticity within the auditory forebrain. Here, we used longitudinal resting-state fMRI analyses to investigate whether tutor experience also modifies patterns of functional connectivity (FC) within the juvenile zebra finch brain. Eighteen male zebra finches (only males sing) were scanned before, during, and at the end of the CP, as well as at the young adult stage. Prior to the onset of the CP, birds were separated into rearing conditions: Normal (aviary-housed; N=5), Tutored (one adult male tutor and one adult female; N=7), and Isolate (two adult females, isolated from male song; N=6). Brain-wide voxel-wise analyses identified a single cluster overlapping the left caudomedial nidopallium (NCM) of the auditory forebrain that showed developmentally decreasing FC strength in Isolates but stable or increasing FC in Normal and Tutored birds. Additionally, FC between left NCM and left dorsal cerebellum showed a parallel developmental difference. Developmental changes in left NCM FC strength statistically mediated condition-related differences in song stereotypy. These results extend previous reports of tutor experience-dependent plasticity in NCM at epigenetic, genomic, molecular, and cellular levels to the whole-brain functional network level by demonstrating that tutor experience also influences the development of NCM FC. Moreover, these results link NCM FC to the emergence of song stereotypy.
Network analysis of prospective brain development in youth with benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes and its relationship to cognition.

Objective Benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BECTS) is the most common childhood idiopathic localization-related epilepsy syndrome. BECTS presents normal routine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); however, quantitative analytic techniques have captured subtle cortical and subcortical magnetic resonance anomalies. Network science, including graph theory (GT) analyses, facilitates understanding of brain covariance patterns, potentially informing in important ways how this common self-limiting epilepsy syndrome may impact normal patterns of brain and cognitive development. Methods GT analyses examined the developmental covariance among cortical and subcortical regions in children with new/recent onset BECTS (n = 19) and typically developing healthy controls (n = 22) who underwent high-resolution MRI and cognitive assessment at baseline and 2 years later. Global (transitivity, global efficiency, and modularity index [Q]) and regional measures (local efficiency and hubs) were investigated to characterize network development in each group. Associations between baseline-based GT measures and cognition at both time points addressed the implications of GT analyses for cognition and prospective cognitive development. Furthermore, an individual contribution measure was investigated, reflecting how important for cognition it is for BECTS to resemble the correlation matrices of controls. Results Groups exhibited similar Q and overall network configuration, with BECTS presenting significantly higher transitivity and both global and local efficiency. Furthermore, both groups presented a similar number of hubs, with BECTS showing a higher number in temporal lobe regions compared to controls. The investigated measures were negatively associated with 2-year cognitive outcomes in BECTS. Significance Children with BECTS present a higher-than-normal global developmental configuration compared to controls, along with divergence from normality in terms of regional configuration. Baseline GT measures demonstrate potential as a cognitive biomarker to predict cognitive outcome in BECTS 2 years after diagnosis. Similarities and differences in developmental network configurations and their implications for cognition and behavior across common epilepsy syndromes are of theoretical interest and clinical relevance.
Enterobacteriaceae? Enterobacterales? What Should We Call Enteric Gram-Negative Bacilli? A Micro-Comic Strip.

The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of the journal or of ASM. The taxonomy of bacteria is frequently improved as our understanding of their phylogeny increases. What is the correct way to refer to the bacteria we casually call “enteric Gram-negative bacilli
Chronic Pulmonary Disease and Pregnancy

The gravida state causes a profound number of biochemical, anatomical, and physiological changes throughout the gestational period. These changes impact respiratory physiology in only a minor way in females with no underlying lung disease, but in an individual with chronic pulmonary disease, any alteration in the balance of their pre-pregnancy respiratory physiology can lead to devastating consequences during the pregnancy, impacting both fetal and maternal morbidity and mortality. For the care of the pregnant pulmonary patient, a clear understanding of the normal respiratory physiology is of paramount importance. Listed in Table 14.1 are some of the mechanical alterations of the respiratory tract noted during pregnancy (1–3). Changes in ventilation and gas exchange during pregnancy usually are attributed to uterine enlargement and diaphragmatic elevation that lead to a reduction in the expiratory reserve volume, residual volume, and functional residual capacity (1). Total lung capacity is either unchanged or slightly decreased while forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) and peak flow are usually preserved (4, 5). Diffusion capacity of carbon monoxide (DLCO) initially increases during the first trimester, then decreases to normal levels as the pregnancy progresses (1). Progesterone mediated effects lead to an increase in the tidal volume by 30–50%, producing an overall rise in minute ventilation and a concomitant respiratory alkalosis and elevations in partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood (PaO2) (4, 6, 7). On the contrary, in late pregnancy, accommodations in the supine position cause a reduction in the PaO2 and a mild increase in the alveolar to arterial oxygen gradient (A-a gradient). The overall oxygen consumption increases by 20% during pregnancy likely due to growth of maternal and fetal tissue and increases in cardiac and respiratory work with further increases during labor (8). It is important to note that the marked increase in plasma volume in pregnancy may impact the management of the pregnant patient by altering drug
Electronic and Magnetic Anisotropies in FeSe Family of Iron-Based Superconductors

Most parent compounds of iron-based superconductors (FeSCs) exhibit a tetragonal-to-orthorhombic lattice distortion below Ts associated with an electronic nematic phase that breaks the four-fold (C4) rotational symmetry of the underlying lattice, and then forms collinear antiferromagnetic (AF) below TN (TN ≤ Ts). Optimal superconductivity emerges upon suppression of the nematic and AF phases. FeSe, which also exhibits a nematic phase transition below Ts but becomes superconducting in the nematic phase without AF order, provides a unique platform to study the interplay amongst the nematic phase, AF order, and superconductivity. In this review, we focus on the experiments done on uniaxial pressure detwinned single crystals of FeSe and other FeSCs and highlight the importance of understanding the electronic and magnetic anisotropy in elucidating the nature of unconventional superconductivity.
Outcomes with Autologous or Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation in Patients with Plasma Cell Leukemia in the Era of Novel Agents

ABSTRACT Plasma cell leukemia (PCL) is a rare and very aggressive plasma cell disorder. The optimal treatment approach, including whether to pursue an autologous (auto) or allogeneic (allo) stem cell transplantation (SCT) is not clear, given the lack of clinical trial-based evidence. This single-center retrospective study describes the outcomes of 16 patients with PCL (n = 14 with primary PCL) who underwent either autoSCT (n = 9) or alloSCT (n = 7) for PCL in the era of novel agents, between 2007 and 2019. The median age of the cohort was 58 years. High-risk cytogenetics were found in 50% of the patients. All patients received a proteasome inhibitor and/or immunomodulatory drug-based regimen before transplantation. At the time of transplantation, 10 patients (62%) obtained at least a very good partial response (VGPR). The response after autoSCT (3 months) was at least a VGPR in 6 patients (67%; complete response [CR] in 5). All patients undergoing alloSCT achieved a CR at 3 months. Maintenance therapy was provided to 5 patients (56%) after autoSCT. The median progression-free survival after transplantation was 6 months in the autoSCT group, compared with 18 months in the alloSCT group (P = .09), and median overall survival (OS) after transplantation in the 2 groups was 19 months and 40 months, respectively (P = .41). The median OS from diagnosis was 27 months and 49 months, respectively (P = .50). Of the 11 deaths, 10 patients (91%) died of relapsed disease. AlloSCT was not observed to offer any significant survival advantage over autoSCT in PCL, in agreement with recent reports, and relapse remains the primary cause of death in these patients.