cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
How Federal Reserve Discussions Respond to Increased Transparency

We analyze how the behavior of the Federal Open Market Committee changed after the statutory enforcement of transparency laws in 1993. To do this, we develop techniques to describe how language use changes over time. For a set of widely used vector space metrics, we demonstrate how to decompose aggregate changes into each individual dimension's contribution (such as a particular word's influence). Our approach can be generalized to account for associations between document dimensions (such as word definitions or meanings). Using various documents released by the Federal Reserve from 1976-2007, covering both years in which the FOMC knew its deliberations would eventually be made public, and years in which it believed no records were kept, we find that FOMC deliberations became more similar to the always-public press releases in the transparency regime. FOMC members shifted their comments towards popular economic subjects, such as "inflation" and "growth," and away from personal opinions, like "think." In this setting, the observed changes are not purely substitution across words with the same meaning, as the results are robust to accounting for semantic relations.
What it takes to bring peace to the eastern DRC

One of the latest armed rebellions started in 2012, led by the March 23 Movement (M23) in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). It was brought to an end - at least momentarily - in late 2013. This is not the first time that we have heard such rhetoric about the 'successful' ceasing of armed conflict in this region - but, for the first time since 1997, the government, with the support of a broad range of regional and international actors, has been an active player in this success story. Although many militias and armed groups still roam the eastern region of the DRC in particular, committing abuses of all sorts and displacing large numbers of the population, the model adopted to defeat M23 shows that peace can be brought to the region when the right mix of political instruments is used and, above all, when political determination prevails. This article analyses the elements that brought M23 to the negotiation table to sign a peace agreement, and highlights the remaining major problems that prevent the complete and lasting stabilisation of the region.
Providing Help in Hard Times: A Blueprint for Successful Strategic Planning

ABSTRACTIn response to a lack of funding during the 2007–2009 recession, many library systems reduced or eliminated professional and library support positions. Traditional outcome measurements were not sufficient to convince tax-depleted legislatures to allocate more funds to libraries. In response to the crisis authors recommended cost-saving measures and tactics for perception management. Studies have shown that the demand for library services increases during times of economic hardship. The production of a strategic plan justifying budget requests is necessary in those times, and should be accompanied by efforts to secure endowment and donation opportunities. This column provides a table or “blueprint for successful strategic planning” that matches goals, actions and measurement criteria.
Measurement of 2 + 1 level lifetimes in 162 Yb and 162 Er by fast electronic scintillation timing

Lifetime measurements for the 2+ 1 levels of 162Er and 162Yb were obtained in β+/ɛ decay at the Yale Moving Tape Collector by fast electronic scintillation timing of β+γ coincidences.
Evaluating consumer commonality leveraging consumer specific design information

When developing a product, designers must decide what consumer variation will be addressed and how they will address it, because each consumer has a unique set of human factors, preferences, personal knowledge, and solution constraints. Numerous design methodologies exist to support the design of a product or set of products that address this consumer variation. However, currently there is little work supporting the selection of a design methodology, resulting in an ad hoc or a priori decision before conceptual design begins. This paper presents an affordance-based design method for use prior to conceptual design to help designers understand the consumer variation that is present. This facilitates the creation of a product or set of products that meets the demands of both the consumer(s) and the organization that is developing the product. Once consumer variation is understood, conceptual design can be performed with a more complete understanding of the overall problem.
EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF 2-D ION MOBILITY ENDOATMOSPHERIC DRIVE (IMED)

An experimental study of the Ion Mobility Endoatmospheric Drive (IMED) was performed. This subsonic air-breathing propulsion system is achieved by using a thin positively charged wire to generate positive ion clouds in the air in front of a conductive vehicle hull, while simultaneously charging the hull negatively. This gives rise to a strong electric field established between the positive ion cloud and the hull. The positive ions are accelerated in the electric field and thrust is generated by means of collisional processes with neutral air molecules. Recent project achievements include the experimental proof of the feasibility for IMED propulsion using a cylindrical hull geometry. The thrust and coupling coefficient of this thruster setup have been measured for the following electrode configurations: 1 ) cylindrical and airfoil-shaped hulls sporting one or two wires; 2) different wire diameters; 3) different anode-to-cathode distances; and, 4) different leading-edge hull diameters at various current and voltage inputs. Also, two independent experimental procedures were devised to measure the thrust. Despite some shortcomings, the independently determined thrust levels did agree. One of these procedures used a hotwire to measurc wake flow velocity profiles: the hotwire system was calibrated to extremely low velocities by a low speed. dynamic calibration technique described in this paper.
Aminopterin and Response of Frog Oviducts to Estradiol. II. Histological Studies and Mitotic Counts.

SummaryMaeroscopically and microscopically, oviducts of frogs receiving aminopterin (4-amino pteroylglutamic acid) failed to respond to the growth stimulating action of estradiol. However, a significantly greater number of mitotic figures were visible in these oviducts, Evidence is presented to suggest that the folic acid antagonists may exert their growth inhibitory action by interfering with folic acid utilization in the organism, with a consequent reduction in nucleic acid synthesis, and a retardation of the rate of cell division.
Analysis on Abnormal Stone Coal Displacement of Medium-Speed Mill of 600MW Boiler

In this paper the abnormal phenomena existing in the operations of the medium-speed coal mill in a 600 MW power station were introduced.The effect of primary air volume and nozzle ring area on stone coal displacement was analyzed and the root cause that leads to the abnormal stone coal displacement in number 3 and 4 boiler was concluded.The results in this research can provide evidence for domestic power station operation improvement and nozzle ring transformation design.
Food deprivation induces presynaptic plasticity in the autonomic nervous system

The sympathetic-adrenal medullary nervous system is a key component of the response of mammals to maintain homeostasis during stress. This notion was first articulated by Walter B. Cannon in the early 20th century, who introduced the term “fight or flight” response. Hans Selye promoted the notion of a unified, systemic and nonspecific response to a variety of stressors that includes all parts of the sympathetic nervous system (1). However, more recently it has become evident that different stressors can elicit different sympathetic responses. One example is hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia causes the splanchnic nerve, whose cell bodies are in the spinal cord, to stimulate chromaffin cells in the adrenal medulla to release epinephrine into the circulation. The increased epinephrine has numerous metabolic effects that increase blood glucose. Hypoglycemia causes little or no activation of postganglionic, noradrenergic sympathetic nerves, another major component of the sympathetic nervous system (2, 3). In PNAS Wang et al. investigate the response of the sympathetic nervous system to fasting, a stress similar to hypoglycemia (4). The authors find that the sympathetic response is also isolated to the adrenal medullary pathway. Unexpectedly, their study suggests that an important component of the increased secretion of epinephrine results from increased efficiency of cholinergic transmission between the splanchnic nerve terminal and the chromaffin cell. Further investigation suggests that this synaptic plasticity results from a paracrine system within the adrenal medulla. Wang et al. (4) first demonstrate that mice that … [↵][1]1To whom correspondence should be addressed. Email: holz{at}umich.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Subluxation of the femoral head in coxa plana.

Abstract Twenty-two patients who had severe coxa plana had closed reduction for lateral subluxation of the femoral head, as determined radiographically. All had painful limitation of motion of the hip that prevented proper positioning of the femoral head using a brace. The average age when the patients were first seen was eight years and six months. General anesthesia was required in order to obtain the reduction, and percutaneous tenotomy of the adductor longus was done whenever necessary. After the reduction, a Petrie cast was worn for several months. The length of follow-up averaged three years and eight months (range, two years to six years and eight months). Radiographic evaluation at the time of the last follow-up showed nine hips to be spherically congruent, twelve to be spherically congruent, and one to be incongruent. Thus, in 95 per cent of the hips, a congruent joint was obtained using this method of treatment. These results strongly support the concept that all treatment should be directed at containing the femoral head within the acetabulum during the clinically active phase of coxa plana.
CHAPTER 6 – THE DEFINITE INTEGRAL

This chapter provides an overview of the definite integral. If a function F is continuous at each point of [ a, b ], it is integrable on that interval. The function F defined on [ a, b ] is said to be monotone increasing on [ a, b ] if for x 1 , x 2 , e [a, b], x 1 ≤ x 2 implies F ( x 1 ) ≤ F ( x 2 ). If a function F is defined and monotone increasing or decreasing on [ a, b ], then F is integrable on that interval. If a function F is piecewise continuous on [ a, b ], and if there is an M such that | F ( x ) |≤ M for all x e [ a, b ] at which F is defined, then F is integrable on that interval.
Combining satellite imagery and machine learning to predict poverty

Reliable data on economic livelihoods remain scarce in the developing world, hampering efforts to study these outcomes and to design policies that improve them. Here we demonstrate an accurate, inexpensive, and scalable method for estimating consumption expenditure and asset wealth from high-resolution satellite imagery. Using survey and satellite data from five African countries—Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, and Rwanda—we show how a convolutional neural network can be trained to identify image features that can explain up to 75% of the variation in local-level economic outcomes. Our method, which requires only publicly available data, could transform efforts to track and target poverty in developing countries. It also demonstrates how powerful machine learning techniques can be applied in a setting with limited training data, suggesting broad potential application across many scientific domains.
Cumulative Distribution Estimators

In the previous chapter we have seen different ways to generate cumulative distributions, including a method based on the kriging estimate, when the assumption of multinormality is accepted.
Evaluation of carbon nanotube fiber microelectrodes for neurotransmitter detection: Correlation of electrochemical performance and surface properties

Abstract Fibers made of CNTs are attractive microelectrode sensors because they can be directly fabricated into microelectrodes. Different protocols for making CNT fibers have been developed, but differences in surface structure and therefore electrochemical properties that result have not been studied. In this study, we correlated the surface and electrochemical properties for neurochemical detection at 3 types of materials: CNT fibers produced by wet spinning with (1) polyethylenimine (PEI/CNT) or (2) chlorosulfonic acid (CA/CNT), and (3) CNT yarns made by solid-based CNT drawing. CNT yarns had well-aligned, high purity CNTs, abundant oxygen functional groups, and moderate surface roughness which led to the highest dopamine current density (290 ± 65 pA/cm 2 ) and fastest electron transfer kinetics. The crevices of the CNT yarn and PEI/CNT fiber microelectrodes allow dopamine to be momentarily trapped during fast-scan cyclic voltammetry detection, leading to thin-layer cell conditions and a response that was independent of applied waveform frequency. The larger crevices on the PEI/CNT fibers led to a slower time response, showing too much roughness is detrimental to fast detection. CA/CNT fibers have a smoother surface and lower currents, but their negative surface charge results in high selectivity for dopamine over uric acid or ascorbic acid. Overall, small crevices, high conductivity, and abundant oxygen groups led to high sensitivity for amine neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and serotonin. Thus, different surfaces of CNT fibers result in altered electrochemical properties and could be used in the future to predict and control electrochemical performance.
HIV Prevention and Treatment: The Evolving Role of the Emergency Department

Historically, the role of the emergency physician in HIV care has been constrained to treating sick patients with opportunistic infections and postexposure prophylaxis for occupational exposures. However, advances in HIV care have led to medications that have substantially fewer issues with toxicity and resistance, opening up an exciting new opportunity for emergency physicians to participate in treating the HIV virus itself. With this new role, it is crucial that emergency physicians be familiar with the advances in testing and medications for HIV prevention and treatment. To our knowledge, to date there has not yet been an article addressing this expansion of practice. We have compiled a summary of what the emergency physician needs to know, including misconceptions associated with antiretroviral therapy, medication complexity, toxicity, resistance, and usability. Additionally, we review potential indications for prescribing these drugs in the emergency department, including the role of the emergency physician in postexposure prophylaxis, preexposure prophylaxis, and treatment of acute HIV, as well as how emergency physicians can engage with chronic HIV infection.
Operative outcomes of conventional specimen radiography versus in-operating room specimen radiography in radioactive seed-localized segmental mastectomies.

Abstract Introduction In-operating room specimen radiography (ORSR) has not been studied among women undergoing radioactive seed localization (RSL) for breast cancer surgery and had the potential to decrease operative time and perhaps improve intraoperative margin management. Methods One hundred consecutive RSL segmental mastectomies among 98 patients using ORSR were compared to 100 consecutive segmental mastectomies among 98 patients utilizing conventional radiography (CSR) prior to the initiation of ORSR from December 2013 to January 2015 after radioactive seed localization. Final pathologic margins were considered to be 10 mm for all cases of no residual disease after biopsy or neoadjuvant therapy, but such patients were excluded from analyses involving tumor size. All patients' specimens were subjected to intraoperative pathologic consultation in addition to ORSR or CSR. Results The median age of the cohort was 65 years (range 36–97), and the median tumor size was 1 cm. There were no differences between the ORSR and CSR groups in age, tumor size, percentage of cases with only DCIS, and percentage of cases with microcalcifications. The ORSR group had a statistically significant lower BMI. Mean operative time from cut-to-close was not significantly different (ORSR 77 min, SD 24.8 vs CSR 76 min, SD 24.8, p = 0.75). There was no statistical difference in mean closest final pathologic margin (4.99 mm, SD 3.3 vs 4.88 mm, SD 3.5, p = 0.9). The percentage undergoing intraoperative margin re-excision (ORSR 40%, CR 47%, p = 0.31) and the mean total number of margins excised intraoperatively (ORSR 0.9, CR 1.0 p = 0.65) were similar. The rate of any margin Conclusion ORSR for RSL breast surgery, in the setting of routine intraoperative pathology consultation, does not significantly impact operative time, the rate or number of additional intraoperative margins excised, the number of reoperations for margins, or the width of final pathological margins. ORSR was associated with a decrease in the volume of segmental mastectomies relative to the tumor diameter.
Cardioembolic Stroke: Mechanisms and Therapeutics.

Cardioembolic stroke accounts for nearly 30% of all known stroke mechanisms. This percentage may be underestimated, however, when considering the large proportion of cryptogenic strokes that likely have a covert cardiac source. Although it is well known that cardioembolic stroke can occur in the setting of atrial fibrillation, other mechanisms such as a systolic heart failure, patent foramen ovale, valvular dysfunction, and aortic arch atheroma are commonly encountered in daily practice. The authors provide an overview on the epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnostic evaluation, and secondary prevention treatment strategies for cardioembolic stroke.
Measuring Noncognitive Factors Related to College Student Outcomes: Development and Initial Construct Validation of the Student Strengths Inventory

This study describes the development and initial construct validation of the Student Strengths Inventory (SSI), a brief measure of noncognitive variables previously found to be related to college student outcomes. A sample of 760 first-year college students completed an initial item pool in addition to a lengthier, established noncognitive assessment tool with similar constructs. Results support a 48-item, six-factor measure with the following scales: Academic Self-efficacy, Academic Engagement, Campus Engagement, Resiliency, Social Comfort, and Educational Commitment. The SSI demonstrates good internal consistency reliability and construct validity. Future research is needed to examine the predictive validity of the SSI subscales with respect to academic performance and persistence. Practice implications include providing individualized feedback to students on their noncognitive strengths and weaknesses and helping them set goals for their academic success. Moreover, the results of the SSI can inform int...
Achieving comb formation over the entire lasing range of quantum cascade lasers

Frequency combs based on quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) are finding promising applications in high-speed broadband spectroscopy in the terahertz regime, where many molecules have their “fingerprints.” To form stable combs in QCLs, an effective control of group velocity dispersion plays a critical role. The dispersion of the QCL cavity has two main parts: a static part from the material and a dynamic part from the intersubband transitions. Unlike the gain, which is clamped to a fixed value above the lasing threshold, dispersion associated with the intersubband transitions changes with bias, even above the threshold, and this reduces the dynamic range of comb formation. Here, by incorporating tunability into the dispersion compensator, we demonstrate a QCL device exhibiting comb operation from Ith to Imax, which greatly expands the operation range of the frequency combs.
Building Capacity For Enhancing Research Ethics: Introduction

Enhancing capacity in research ethics among individuals involved in research represents a fundamental safeguard for the protection for research participants and also promotes public trust in the conduct of research. As such, members of research ethics committees and members of the research team need to receive training in research ethics. This section includes several chapters that discuss the issues involved with developing effective training programs in research ethics. This introduction provides a short summary of these issues.
Amidolytic assay of human factor XI in plasma: comparison with a coagulant assay and a new rapid radioimmunoassay.

The traditional coagulant assay for plasma factor XI suffers from a relatively high coefficient of variation, the need for rare congenitally deficient plasma, and a poor correlation between precision and sensitivity. We have developed a simple functional amidolytic assay for factor XI in plasma using the chromogenic substrate PyrGlu-Pro-Arg- p-nitroanilide (S-2366). After inactivation of alpha 1-antitrypsin, CI inhibitor, and other plasma protease inhibitors with CHCI3, plasma was incubated with kaolin, in the absence of added calcium, which limited the enzymes formed to those dependent on contact activation. Soybean trypsin inhibitor was used to minimize the action of kallikrein on the substrate. Once the reaction was complete, corn trypsin inhibitor was used to inactive factor XIIa, the enzyme generated by exposure of plasma to negatively charged surfaces, which had activated the factor XI. The assay is highly specific for factor XI, since plasma totally deficient in that zymogen yielded only 1%-3% of the enzymatic activity in normal plasma under identical conditions. The requirements for complete conversion of factor XI to XIa in plasma within 60 min were, respectively, factor XII, 0.6 U/ml, and high molecular weight kininogen, 0.2 U/ml. Prekallikrein was not an absolute requirement for complete activation but did accelerate the reaction. The intraassay coefficient of variation was 3.4%, and the mean of 35 normal plasmas was 1.00 U +/- 0.24 SD. In addition, a new rapid radioimmunoassay was devised using staphylococcal protein A as the precipitating agent for a complex of factor XI antigen with monospecific rabbit antibody. The mean was 1.01 U +/- 0.30 SD. The correlation coefficients for amidolytic versus coagulant and amidolytic versus radioimmunoassay were r = 0.95 for the former and 0.96 for the latter. Thus, a simple, accurate amidolytic assay and a radioimmunoassay have been devised for measuring factor XI in plasma that correlate well with the coagulant activity of factor XI, as determined in our laboratory.
Computer Applications of Josephson Junctions

The first superconducting device for digital applications was the cryotron [7]. It did not succeed for a number of reasons including: (a) the mode of switching was based on the slow and power-consuming transition from the superconducting to normal state in metals; (b) the too early attempt to use a highly integrated technology; and (c) the lack of a theory of superconductivity. As an outgrowth of the BCS theory, the Josephson junction was discovered in 1962 (see historical discussion in Chapter I of this Proceedings). Its potential as a switching device which was superior to cryotrons was realized by J. Matisoo [8].
The big cities health inventory, 1997.

This manuscript reports on the publication of a unique document, The Big Cities Health Inventory, 1997: The Health of Urban U.S.A., which was released in July 1997 by the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH). The report presents data on 20 important health indicators such as AIDS, cancers, tuberculosis, sexually transmitted diseases, homicide, heart disease, infant mortality and low birthweight. Indicators of morbidity are gathered from participating local health departments and indicators of mortality and maternal and child health are obtained from vital records files provided by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). The data are displayed and analyzed in two sections. The first consists of a series of tables presenting overall rates, gender and race/ethnicity-specific rates and city rankings according to these measures. These rankings provide meaningful comparisons between and within cities for specific demographic characteristics. The second component presents sample analyses which illustrate the possible uses of this information. The report represents an important tool for health professionals, researchers, policy makers and community advocates dedicated to promoting healthier cities. Such array of city-level data, to our knowledge not available from any other source, could indeed begin to lead to public health interventions that will impact the well-being of residents of large urban areas.
New onset alcohol use disorder following bariatric surgery.

Bariatric surgery is the most effective treatment for morbid obesity; however, there may be significant unanticipated psychosocial effects following surgery. Prior studies have identified a threefold increase in the incidence of alcohol use disorder (AUD) after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). With sleeve gastrectomy (SG) now comprising over 50% of primary bariatric operations, the degree to which patients who undergo SG develop AUD remains unknown. We sought to characterize the patients and incidence of AUD following SG compared to RYGB. This study used prospectively collected data from a state-wide quality collaborative. The presence of AUD was determined using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test for Consumption (AUDIT-C), with a score ≥ 4 in men and ≥ 3 in women suggestive of AUD. We used bivariate Chi-square tests for categorical variables and independent samples t tests for continuous variables. We used multivariable logistic regression to identify patient characteristics that may predispose patients to development of AUD at 1 and 2 years after surgery. The overall prevalence of AUD in our population (n = 5724) was 9.6% preoperatively, 8.5% at 1 year postoperatively, and 14.0% at 2 years postoperatively. The preoperative, 1-year, and 2-year prevalence of AUD for SG were 10.1%, 9.0%, and 14.4%, respectively. The preoperative, 1-year, and 2-year postoperative prevalence of AUD for RYGB were 7.6%, 6.3%, and 11.9%, respectively. Predisposing patient factors to AUD development included higher educational level (p < 0.01) and higher household income (p < 0.01). This is first large, multi-institutional study of AUD following SG. The prevalence of alcohol use disorder in patients undergoing SG and RYGB was similar pre- and postoperatively. The majority of patients developed AUD following their second postoperative year. Understanding the timing and incidence of alcohol use disorder in patients undergoing SG—the most commonly performed bariatric operation in the United States—is critical to providing appropriate counseling and treatment.
Higher Radial Suspension Force of Magnetic Bearing on Centrifugal Compressor for HVAC

The implementation of a magnetic bearing within a high-speed, high-capacity SPMSM (Surface Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor) (450kW, 17,000min−1) and the subsequent elimination of the step up gear from the centrifugal compressor have achieved increased efficiency, size reduction, and oil-free design of large HVAC chillers. This report examines the characteristics of magnetic bearings and describes the higher radial suspension force technology that allows for a shorter bearing length, key to achieving higher speeds and compressor size reduction.
The Middleman’s Damages Revisited

If A promises to sell to B who, in turn, promises to sell to C and either A or C breaches should B receive the gain it expected had both transactions occurred (lost profits) or the larger market/contract differential? Recent case law and commentary argues for the lost profit remedy. The argument is that there is a conflict between awarding market damages and making the nonbreacher whole. This paper argues that there is no conflict. If B were a broker, and C breached, then A would have an action against C for market damages. If B were party to the two related contracts A should also be liable for market damages. By being a party to the two contracts, B has taken on counterparty risk. This paper criticizes a recent paper by Roy Anderson and provides a detailed critique of the case law.
Alimentos Ciencia e Ingeniería 15-1

En el transcurso de estos ultimos anos, hemos venido trabajando por una universidad con desarrollo sostenible, impulsando con el apoyo de todos una universidad diferente. Diferente, porque estamos conscientes de que depende en mucho que el trabajo en equipo oriente mas facilmente la permanente busqueda de la calidad. Todos tenemos la obligacion de conducir a la juventud por los caminos de una excelente formacion academica y etica, lo que permitira aportar en la solucion de los problemas latentes en el pais. Entre los problemas mas serios que nos toca enfrentar es la INVESTIGACION por eso venimos impulsando la investigacion formativa y generativa a traves del aprendizaje problemico en el primer caso y al apoyo decidido a las investigaciones con financiamiento interno y externo. Para que se produzca investigacion generativa es importante formar investigadores durante todo el proceso academico de la Universidad Tecnica de Ambato, convirtiendo la catedra en un espacio vital de aprendizaje. Durante este periodo se han realizado varios seminarios – talleres de investigacion con formatos FUNDACYT Y CONESUP, convocatorias y motivacion en las distintas facultades para la presentacion de proyectos de investigacion. Por lo senalado y con el convencimiento de que la Facultad de Ciencia e Ingenieria en Alimentos ha aportado siempre con investigaciones que han dado lustre a nuestra universidad, es nuestro deber seguir apoyando para el desarrollo de la ciencia y la investigacion, a la vez que en forma periodica publicar las actividades desarrolladas que permitiran incentivar y continuar con esta noble tarea.
Robust and Powerful Differential Composition Tests for Clustered Microbiome Data

Thanks to advances in high-throughput sequencing technologies, the importance of microbiome to human health and disease has been increasingly recognized. Analyzing microbiome data from sequencing experiments is challenging due to their unique features such as compositional data, excessive zero observations, overdispersion, and complex relations among microbial taxa. Clustered microbiome data have become prevalent in recent years from designs such as longitudinal studies, family studies, and matched case–control studies. The within-cluster dependence compounds the challenge of the microbiome data analysis. Methods that properly accommodate intra-cluster correlation and features of the microbiome data are needed. We develop robust and powerful differential composition tests for clustered microbiome data. The methods do not rely on any distributional assumptions on the microbial compositions, which provides flexibility to model various correlation structures among taxa and among samples within a cluster. By leveraging the adjusted sandwich covariance estimate, the methods properly accommodate sample dependence within a cluster. The two-part version of the test can further improve power in the presence of excessive zero observations. Different types of confounding variables can be easily adjusted for in the methods. We perform extensive simulation studies under commonly adopted clustered data designs to evaluate the methods. We demonstrate that the methods properly control the type I error under all designs and are more powerful than existing methods in many scenarios. The usefulness of the proposed methods is further demonstrated with two real datasets from longitudinal microbiome studies on pregnant women and inflammatory bowel disease patients. The methods have been incorporated into the R package “miLineage” publicly available at https://tangzheng1.github.io/tanglab/software.html .
Classification of voice qualities

A total of 473 samples of normal and pathological voices were classified by a group of experienced listeners according to three factors of the Isshiki scale (degree of hoarseness, roughness, breathiness, four point grading). The same material was processed by long-term average spectral analysis (LTAS). The results were related to each other using multivariate variance and discriminant analyses and error estimating procedures regarding the share of correct reclassifications (based on the spectral data) into the subjective classes. Probability of correct reclassification reached a level of c. 50%. Cluster analyses (four clusters) of the spectral data with no primary reference to the auditive classification demonstrated that each of the clusters covered samples from several auditive classes. Auditory reevaluation by a second series of listening tests showed results of a very high level of concordance compared to the first tests. Reclassification programs regarding the clusters reached a probability of correctness ranging from 77 to 85%. Thus, LTAS data can be separately structuralized and may help to confirm classifications of individual clinicians. For the time being, groups of listeners reveal the most reliable classification of voice qualities.
Isotopic and compositional evidence for carbon and nitrogen dynamics during wood decomposition by saprotrophic fungi

Abstract Sporocarps of wood decay fungi contain functional information about how different taxa partition carbon and nitrogen resources from wood. We combined carbon and nitrogen concentrations, isotopic ratios (13C:12C, 15N:14N, and 14C:12C, expressed as δ13C, δ15N, and Δ14C values), and compositional patterns in wood, cellulose, and sporocarps to investigate functional and isotopic differences in six taxa of decay fungi during log decomposition. Radiocarbon (Δ14C) measurements separated fungi into heartwood colonizers (Fomitopsis and Hericium, ~30+-year-old carbon) and sapwood colonizers (Mycena, Hypholoma, and Trametes, 1-12-year-old carbon). Decay modes influenced δ13C, with Hericium, a selective white-rot fungus, higher in δ13C than nonselective white-rot fungi because Hericium preferentially assimilated 13C-enriched hemicellulose rather than cellulose. Fungal δ15N was lower in heartwood colonizers than in sapwood colonizers, presumably reflecting greater N turnover and 15N enrichment in sapwood than in heartwood. Sporocarp δ15N correlated with sporocarp %N and with the relative proportion of protein in N-containing pyrolysis products because fungal protein was 4–5‰ higher in δ15N (and 3–4‰ higher in δ13C) than non-protein. From these measurements, we improved the quantitative and conceptual understanding of how sources, composition and metabolic processing determined isotopic composition of fungi.
Teaching “Against” Social Media: Confronting Problems of Profit in the Curriculum:

Educators increasingly teach with social media in varied ways, but they may do so without considering the ways in which social media corporations profit from their uses or compromise transparency, ...
COMBINED BIPOLAR AND V-SHAPED LESIONS FOR LUMBAR FACET RADIOFREQUENCY ABLATION: A TECHNICAL REPORT.

Introduction Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a demonstrated safe and effective treatment for chronic low back pain. RFA delivers high density electrical current near lumbar medial branch nerve. The success of RFA is contingent upon creating a lesion that overlaps the sensory nerve supplying the affected facet joint(s). Both bipolar-RFA and V-shaped active tip cannulas increase lesion size in experimental models. We describe successful application of concomitant bipolar and V-shaped lesions in a single patient with chronic low back pain caused by lumbar spondylosis. Case presentation An 81-year-old male with atrial fibrillation on chronic warfarin anticoagulation was previously treated with conventional monopolar lumbar facet RFA resulting in a 75% decrement in pain intensity exceeding eight months. Nine months after the procedure, his pain returned with similar pretreatment character and was unresponsive to additional physical therapy and acetaminophen. We elected to use a V-shaped cannula to maximize lesion diameter and lengthen intervals between anticoagulant abstinence to minimize the risk. Intraoperatively, a grounding-pad malfunction compelled us to convert to bipolar-RFA by placing a second adjacent V-shaped cannula, eliminating grounding-pad requirement. Bilateral bipolar medial branch RFA of L3-L4, L4-L5, L5-S1 nerves was performed between these two cannulas without further incident. The patient had sustained analgesia that lasted over twelve months resultant from treatment. Conclusion We herein describe a technique of combined bipolar-RFA utilizing proximally adjacent V-shaped cannulas. Both bipolar and V-shaped cannulas create larger lesions in experiments. While both techniques purport theoretical advantages, the clinical superiority of a combined technique warrants continued clinical investigation.
A Voting-Enhanced Dynamic-Window-Length Classifier for SSVEP-Based BCIs

We present a dynamic window-length classifier for steady-state visual evoked potential (SSVEP)-based brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) that does not require the user to choose a feature extraction method or channel set. Instead, the classifier uses multiple feature extraction methods and channel selections to infer the SSVEP and relies on majority voting to pick the most likely target. The classifier extends the window length dynamically if no target obtains the majority of votes. Compared with existing solutions, our classifier: (i) does not assume that any single feature extraction method will consistently outperform the others; (ii) adapts the channel selection to individual users or tasks; (iii) uses dynamic window lengths; (iv) is unsupervised (i.e., does not need training). Collectively, these characteristics make the classifier easy-to-use, especially for caregivers and others with limited technical expertise. We evaluated the performance of our classifier on a publicly available benchmark dataset from 35 healthy participants. We compared the information transfer rate (ITR) of this new classifier to those of the minimum energy combination (MEC), maximum synchronization index (MSI), and filter bank canonical correlation analysis (FBCCA). The new classifier increases average ITR to 123.5 bits-per-minute (bpm), 47.5, 51.2, and 19.5 bpm greater than the MEC, MSI, and FBCCA classifiers, respectively.
Maximum Achievable Control technology : What a shipbuilder should know for environmental compliance

The new system for the control of air toxics being developed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency called the Maximum Achievable Control Technology' requires the development of technology based standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants within a specific industrial or commercial source category. This paper attempts to provide a comprehensive understanding of the rule and its applicability to shipbuilding and ship repair industry. The reasons for selecting California regulations as the shipyard maximum available control technology, the compliance procedures, the control technologies for paints as-supplied and paints as-applied and other general requirements under the MACT rule are discussed in detail in this paper.
The adversary system: role of the forensic pathologist.

Since antiquity dead human bodies have been subject to examination under exceptional conditions. Thus, we note that the body of Julius Caesar, murdered in 44 B.C., was examined by the physician Antistius. A stab wound had penetrated his thoracic cavity whereas the remaining twenty-two wounds were designated as nonfatal in type. Throughout world history, works have been written which touch upon various facets of legal medicine including those pertaining to pathology. Evolution of legal pathology has been constant but occurring in fits and spurts. In Great Britain and in the United States changes are constantly being sought to improve medico-legal death investigations. Today, it seems evident that the complexities of such investigations require that forensic pathology be maintained as an independent entity. All previous and current systems have had one common theme, the investigation of apparent criminally caused deaths. Yet today we see that the forensic pathologist should be concerned with death investigations that relate to a broader theme, the public interest. In Florida, such deaths are defined as follows: (1) When any person dies in the state (a) Of criminal violence; (b) By accident; (c) By suicide; (d) Suddenly, when in apparent good health; (e) Unattended by a practicing physician or other recognized practitioner; (f) In any prison or penal institution; (g) In police custody; (h) In any suspicious or unusual circumstance; (i) By criminal abortion; (j) By poison; (k) By disease constituting a threat to public health; or (l) By disease, injury, or toxic agent resulting from employment; or (2) (a) When a dead body is brought into the state without proper medical certification; or (b) When a body is to be cremated, dissected, or buried at sea.These deaths have some degree of potential public interest and indicate the effect of social and health problems. Although less than ten percent of the above types of death may be the result of criminal causation, all should be of public concern. The pathologist, involved with such cases, is in a position to appreciate the problems of society and thus becomes the community pathologist.
Effects of variable doses of permethrin on Heliothis zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) growth and development.

Heliothis zea (Boddie) larvae reared on artificial diet were treated with permethrin using a topical or dip bioassay at 3, 5, and 7 days post-hatch. Forty-eight-hour survival and weight gain in sur...
Theory and Application of Evaluation Tests for Detecting Susceptibility to Intergranular Attack in Stainless Steels and Related Alloys— Problems and Opportunities

The first evaluation methods for stainless steels, the 65 percent nitric acid and the copper sulfate-sulfuric acid tests, were originally simulated service tests. Later, when the results obtained with these tests were used to prevent failures by intergranular attack in other media, they were transformed into methods of general applicability for detecting susceptibility to intergranular attack. Since the 1949 ASTM symposium on this subject, several new methods have been introduced to accomplish this goal more rapidly and effectively. This has led to a large variety of ASTM test methods which also include the nickel-rich, chromium-bearing alloys. In an overview of all current ASTM test practices for detecting susceptibility to intergranular attack, opportunities for improvements and simplifications are discussed. New data are presented on the properties of the various copper sulfate-sulfuric acid tests and on the performance of the new iron-chromium-molybdenum ferritic stainless steels in evaluation test solutions. The need for assessment criteria for determining the occurrence of intergranular attack in all test practices is emphasized with proposals for such criteria. A plan for a greatly reduced number of improved tests is proposed. The introduction of new melting, refining, and casting methods and of new iron-chromium-molybdenum stainless steels has increased the importance of evaluation test methods and the need for improvements in ASTM test practices.
Compact Blue-Green Lasers: The need for compact blue-green lasers

A SHORT HISTORICAL OVERVIEW For years after its invention in 1961, the laser was described as a remarkable tool in search of an application. However, by the late 1970s and early 1980s, a variety of applications had emerged that were limited in their implementation by lack of a suitable laser. The common thread running through these applications was the need for a powerful, compact, rugged, inexpensive source of light in the blue-green portion of the spectrum. The details varied greatly, depending on the application: some required tunability, some a fixed wavelength; some required a miniscule amount of optical power, others a great deal; some required continuous-wave (cw) oscillation, others rapid modulation. In many of these applications, gas lasers – such as argon-ion or helium-cadmium lasers – were initially used to provide blue-green light, and in some cases were incorporated into commercial products; however, they could not satisfy the requirements of every application. The lasing wavelengths available from these lasers are fixed by the atomic transitions of the gas species, and some applications required a laser wavelength that is simply not available from an argon-ion or helium–cadmium laser. Other applications required a degree of tunability that is unavailable from a gas laser. In many of them, the limited lifetime, mechanical fragility, and relatively large size of gas lasers was a problem. At about the same time, new options for generation of blue-green radiation began to appear, due to developments in other areas of laser science and technology.
CEO Overconfidence and Earnings Management

This study examines the relationship of CEO overconfidence with accrual-based earnings management, real activities-based earnings management, and targeting to meet or just beat analyst forecasts. Following Malmendier and Tate (2005), we measure “overconfidence” based on the CEO’s tendency to hold in-the-money stock options, as rational expected utility maximizers should exercise early to avoid overexposure to company idiosyncratic risks. The results show that before the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX), companies of overconfident CEOs were more likely than other CEOs to engage in managing earnings through accelerating the timing of cash flow from operations and achieving analyst forecast benchmarks. After SOX, we find that overconfident CEOs are more likely to have income-increasing discretionary accruals. They remain more likely to engage in real activities management through abnormally high cash flows, and also have abnormally low discretionary expenses. These results are consistent with overconfident CEOs feeling less constrained by SOX, and suggest that this individual characteristic works against regulators’ attempts to constrain earnings management by corporate executives. In contrast, we find that the tendency of overconfident CEOs to manage to targets decreases after SOX, perhaps due to changes in investor behavior in the new regulatory environment (e.g., Koh et al., 2008).
Controls on gas transfer velocities in a large river

The emission of biogenic gases from large rivers can be an important component of regional greenhouse gas budgets. However, emission rate estimates are often poorly constrained due to uncertainties in the air-water gas exchange rate. We used the floating chamber method to estimate the gas transfer velocity (k) of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O) in the Markland Pool of the Ohio River, a large tributary of the Mississippi River (U.S.A). We measured k every two weeks for a year at one site and at 15 additional sites distributed across the length of the pool during two summer surveys. We found that k was positively related to both water currents and wind speeds, with 46% of the gas transfer attributable to water currents at low wind speeds (e.g., 0.5 m s−1) and 11% at higher wind speeds (e.g., >2.0 m s−1). Gas transfer velocity was highly sensitive to wind, possibly because the direction of river flow was often directly opposed to the wind direction. Gas transfer velocity values derived for CH4 were consistently greater than those derived for CO2 when standardized to a Schmidt number of 600 (k600), possibly because the transfer of CH4, a poorly soluble gas, was enhanced by surfacing microbubbles. Additional research to determine the conditions that support microbubble enhanced gas transfer is merited.