cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Trypsin/chymotrypsin and their respective zymogens inhibit tumor growth in vitro and in vivo

4359 Elevated protease activities are commonly found at the growing front of primary tumors and their metastastic sites. This led to the search for specific and global protease inhibitors, particularly the inhibitors of metalloproteases. None of the many such inhibitors have yet been identified as potential first-line antineoplastic drugs. We hypothesize that increased pericellular proteolytic activity is a necessity for tumor expansion but that it also must be in balance with many other processes occurring at the tumor-host interface. These include bidirectional interactions between normal and tumor cells and the extracellular matrix. We raised the possibility that induction of excessive proteolytic activity at the tumor-host or tumor-ECM interfaces could lead to a new tumor treatment modality. This approach was first incorporated into animal and clinical tests conducted nearly 100 years ago by John Beard with some surprisingly positive results. The preliminary results in support of our hypothesis (Anticancer Research 25:1157–1178, 2005) demonstrate that a mixture of purified pancreatic zymogens trypsinogen/chymotrypsinogen (TG/CG) can indeed invoke pronounced tumor and metastatic inhibitory effects at the cellular, preclinical and clinical level. Treatment with trypsin and chymotrypsin (TR/CH) inhibits tumor cell migration, increases cell-cell adhesion, cell clustering, and induces apoptosis in solitary but not clustered tumor cells in vitro. In vivo, in addition to the clearance of the metastatic disease, the treatment with TG/CG causes pronounced increase of angiostatin and endostatin blood levels. In contrast, the same treatments of normal cells in vitro promote cell migration and limited cell aggregation. The treatment of tumor-free animals produce no adverse effects. We found that Y–27632, an inhibitor of Rho kinases, allows MG63 osteosarcoma cell migration and inhibits migration of non-transformed NRK52E cells. Surpsisingly, the tumor cell migration inhibitory effect of TR/CH was abrogated in the presence of Y–27632 while the migration of normal cells was accelerated. The effect of TR/CH was not contradicted by U–73122, an inhibitor of phospholipase C (PLC). These results could be duplicated with several other tumor and normal cells. We conclude that the effect of TR/CH on the tumor cell shape, cell-cell interactions and the ability to migrate is mediated by a pathway involving Rho kinase. Whereas, PAR1-activating peptide was inactive in reproducing effects of TR/CH on migration and aggregation of tumor cells, the PAR2-activating peptide led to analogous results but only at high concentrations. Combination of PAR2-peptide and TR/CH was additive. Further studies will focus on confirmation of these preliminary results as well as the extent to which the treatment with exogenous TG/CG and TR/CH may have modified total pericellular proteolytic systems in vivo and in vitro, respectively.
Two Delphinium ramosum chemotypes, their biogeographical distribution and potential toxicity

Abstract Larkspurs (Delphinium, Ranunculaceae) are poisonous plants found on rangelands throughout Western North America. Two main structural groups of norditerpene alkaloids, the N-(methylsuccinimido) anthranoyllycoctonine type (MSAL-type) and the non-MSAL type, are responsible for larkspur-induced poisoning. Information on the alkaloid composition is lacking for a number of Delphinium species, including D. ramosum. Delphinium ramosum grows throughout parts of Colorado and northern New Mexico. The objective of this study was to profile the alkaloid composition of D. ramosum throughout its geographical distribution using both field and herbarium specimens. Two alkaloid profiles were identified, one that contained significantly greater concentrations of the MSAL-type alkaloids than the other. Plants containing each respective alkaloid profile were unique in their geographical distribution. Populations of these two chemotypes will likely differ in their toxic potential and consequently pose different risks of poisoning when grazed by livestock species. This information has important implications in grazing management decisions on D. ramosum-infested rangelands and demonstrates that botanical classification alone is not an adequate indicator of relative risk of toxicity.
Staying true to the mission: How C-SPAN translated espoused into lived values to pull off a ‘boring’ social media strategy:

Building a brand is key to a news organization’s successful social media strategy. But what if that brand is ‘boring’? Through an ethnographic study of C-SPAN, the cable network dedicated to covering the US House and Senate, this study examines conflicts between an organization’s espoused values and accepted social media practices. It finds that building a brand, even if it is seen as boring, effectively serves an audience on social media because audience members will align with the overall message rather than individual reporter’s attributes. The key is clearly communicating the journalistic benefits of living espoused values and how getting involved on social media fulfills the organization’s public service mission. When conflicts arise, the study also finds individual staffers provide key examples, which organizations should cultivate in the newsroom.
Adapting assessments of child engagement to develop an early childhood consultation model

Abstract This study examines the psychometric properties and utility of the Individualized Classroom Assessment Scoring System (inCLASS) and the Adjustment Scales for Preschool Intervention (ASPI) after they were adapted for use by consultants and teachers as part of the development of a new early childhood consultation model called Learning to Objectively Observe Kids (LOOK). Pilot data examined whether the adapted inCLASS and ASPI scales retained aspects of reliability and validity comparable to the research-validated scales. Data provided evidence that consultants used the inCLASS and ASPI scales to guide their consultation. Findings from two consultants, 22 Head Start teachers, and 71 preschool children indicated that the inCLASS and ASPI scales evidenced adequate reliability and validity as compared to the research scales. Findings suggested that LOOK consultants used data to individualize the consultation sequence. Results provide support for the promise of applying research measures of child engagement to practice in teacher consultation models.
Supplementation with eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid reduces high levels of circulating proinflammatory cytokines in aging adults: A randomized, controlled study.

Abstract Background High levels of circulating proinflammatory cytokines are characteristic of inflammaging, a term coined to describe age-related chronic systemic inflammation involved in the etiology of many age-related disorders including nonhealing wounds. Some studies have shown that supplementing diets with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA] and docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]) lowers systemic levels of key proinflammatory cytokines associated with inflammaging. However, findings from the few studies that have focused exclusively on older adults are inconclusive. As such, the objective of this randomized controlled study was to test the effects of EPA+DHA therapy on circulating levels of proinflammatory cytokines in adults in middle to late adulthood. Methods Plasma levels of fatty acids and interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were measured in 35 participants with chronic venous leg ulcers (mean age: 60.6 years) randomnly assigned to 8 weeks of EPA+DHA therapy (2.5 g/d) or placebo therapy. Results EPA+DHA therapy had a significant lowering effect on levels of IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α after 4 weeks of therapy and an even greater lowering effect after 8 weeks of therapy. Further, after adjusting for baseline difference, the treatment group had significantly lower levels of IL-6 (p = 0.008), IL-1β (p Conclusion Adults in middle to late adulthood receiving EPA+DHA therapy demonstrated significantly greater reductions in circulating levels of proinflammatory cytokines compared with those receiving placebo therapy. EPA+DHA therapy may be an effective low-risk dietary intervention for assuaging the harmful effects of inflammaging.
Iridescent blue and orange components contribute to the recognition of a multicomponent warning signal

Warning colouration functions to deter predators from attacking unprofitable (e.g., unpalatable or toxic) prey items. While warning colours are often characterized by long-wavelength components (e.g., orange, red or yellow), many distasteful animals across the animal kingdom display orange or red colour patches adjacent to or within a field of short-wavelength colouration such as blue (e.g., strawberry poison dart frogs, pipevine swallowtail and pyjama nudibranch), which yields a multicomponent visual warning signal. Here we show that, in such signals, blue and orange patches can function as redundant signal components; avian predators trained not to attack the intact blue and orange colouration of the pipevine swallowtail (Battus philenor) recognised the butterflies as distasteful even when the blue and orange were presented individually. Our results demonstrate that blue colouration and potential multiple, unimodal, signal components should be considered in research on visual warning signals, including in well-studied animals, such as dendrobatid frogs and swallowtail butterflies.
Steps, Waves and Turbulence in the Stably Stratified Planetary Boundary Layer

The stably-stratified planetary boundary layer contains small-vertical-scale, step-like structures, waves on a multitude of scales, large horizontal eddies and small-scale turbulence, all of which constantly interact with, and modify, one another. Current knowledge of how the various components act in the vicinity of the step-like structures is surveyed. It is concluded that packets of internal waves are the main conduit for interaction within and across the boundary layer, and low-intensity critical-level absorption at the fringes of their spectrum probably maintains the step-like structures. Further investigation of the processes requires intensive observations of the four-dimensional structure of the region, but such an investigation will need a new generation of high-resolution sensing systems.
Inverse modeling of tracer flow via a mass conservative generalized multiscale finite volume/element method and stochastic collocation

In this paper we consider a stochastic inverse flow problem with a high-contrast and stochastic permeability coefficient. This problem is solved within the context of the Markov chain Monte Carlo method in which a number of forward simulations are needed to construct the posterior distribution. Due to the large number of forward solves, a constrained version of the generalized multiscale finite element method (GMsFEM) is used to reduce the global dimension of the pressure solutions. Furthermore, since the permeability coefficient exhibits a large variation in scales, GMsFEM allows us to construct coarse solutions that are able to accurately capture the underlying fine effects of the system. To ensure a local mass conservation property, Lagrange multipliers are used in the problem formulation and discretized solution technique. Since the construction of GMsFEM spaces involves solving a number of localized eigenvalue problems that can become burdensome in the context of random sampling, we employ the use of a sparse-grid collocation technique for local stochastic reduction. In particular, rather than recomputing the eigenfunctions and basis functions for each realization, a fixed set of collocation points is used for eigenfunction pre-computations. Then, for each realization a sparse interpolant is used in the place of the direct computations for the coarse space constructions. In doing so, we are able to incorporate a reduced stochastic model (that combines GMsFEM-FV and sparse-grid collocation) in order to present a suitable alternative for determining input permeability distributions conditioned to available tracer cut data.
Ketamine as a Rapid Antidepressant

In this chapter, we will present an overview of the current status of research on ketamine as a rapid-acting antidepressant agent. We will introduce a brief case vignette, exemplary of the patients presenting at our center for ketamine treatment. At the time of publication of this book ketamine is not yet FDA-approved for depression. We will review guidelines for clinicians regarding the use of ketamine, with emphasis on the contraindications and the limited knowledge about long-term consequences of this still experimental treatment.
Getting pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to the people: opportunities, challenges and emerging models of PrEP implementation

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) with tenofovir disoproxil fumarate and emtricitabine (TDF/FTC) is now accepted as an efficacious approach to preventing HIV acquisition among people at high risk of HIV infection but, in most places, PrEP uptake to date has not been sufficient to have a large effect on HIV incidence. In this paper we consider several key elements of the effort to expand PrEP uptake for at-risk populations who would benefit most, such as increasing access to PrEP, integrating PrEP programs with other services, promoting PrEP persistence and developing systems for monitoring PrEP use. We used a PrEP Continuum framework to describe barriers to equitable uptake of PrEP, and to illustrate possible solutions to barriers. Access to PrEP includes regulatory issues and geographic proximity to PrEP providers. Integrating PrEP programs with other comprehensive sexual health services, through clinic-based programs or technology-based approaches, offers opportunities to identify PrEP candidates and improve linkages to PrEP care. Once at-risk people are prescribed PrEP, lowering barriers to persistence on PrEP is critical to realising the most population benefits. To understand progress and identify underserved groups and communities, systems to monitor the uptake of PrEP are needed. Making the most of a new biomedical intervention tool requires ongoing research about implementation, scale-up through multiple channels, including community-based organisations, and high-quality monitoring of uptake. We must turn to questions of PrEP implementation and continue to seek innovative approaches to reduce barriers to PrEP uptake and persistence on PrEP.
Generalized Minimum Phase Property for Finite-Dimensional Continuous-Time SISO LTI Systems with Additive Disturbances

For finite-dimensional continuous-time single-input and single-output linear time-invariant systems, we introduce the concept of extended zero dynamics and generalize the concept of minimum phase, which accommodates the presence of disturbance inputs. By representing a SISO LTI system with a finite relative degree in its extended zero dynamics canonical form, we obtain its extended zero dynamics, which is simply its zero dynamics (according to [1]) driven by the noiseless output of the system and the disturbance input. We then say a system is minimum phase if its extended zero dynamics is absent or satisfies that, for any bounded admissible initial condition, any bounded noiseless output, and any bounded admissible disturbance input waveform, the zero dynamics state trajectory is bounded. The system is minimum phase (according to this extended notion) if its zero dynamics is asymptotically stable. It is proved that the converse holds under the additional condition that the system be stabilizable from the control input. For a system to be minimum phase, it is necessary that the transfer function from the control input to the output has all zeros with negative real parts. The converse holds when the system is both controllable (from the control input) and observable. It is further shown that the generalized minimum phase property is necessary for model reference control that achieves 1) perfect tracking of any bounded reference trajectories with bounded derivatives up to certain order without any disturbances and 2) the existence of bounded state trajectory for any admissible bounded initial condition, any admissible bounded disturbance input waveform, and any bounded reference trajectory with bounded derivatives up to a certain order.
Numerical investigation of thermal runaway mitigation through a passive thermal management system

Abstract Prevention of thermal runaway and its propagation remains a technical barrier to the application of lithium-ion batteries. To mitigate thermal runaway in lithium-ion battery packs, heat sinks have been designed using various materials, such as phase-change materials or metal plates. In this study, aluminum plates were assembled into battery modules as heat sinks and the effect of plate thickness on thermal runaway mitigation was numerically investigated. A three-dimensional integrated multiphysics model was validated and calibrated with experimental data. It identified the mechanism and sequence of thermal runaway propagation in detail. Thermal mass and contact resistance are found to be the key design parameters for preventing thermal runaway propagation for the studied battery module configuration. In addition, this study provides further insights into the design of aluminum heat sinks for lithium-ion battery packs.
Keratoderma Blennorrhagica as a Result of Reactive Arthritis

Reactive arthritis (ReA) is an inflammatory arthritis within the larger category of spondyloarthropathies (SpA). Keratoderma blennorrhagica is a cutaneous manifestation of ReA seen in about 10 % of patients with ReA. The characteristic features of KD include palm/sole hyperkeratotic plaques which begin as erythematous macules and vesicle and progress to pustules, papules, and then plaques. The lesions are difficult to distinguish from pustular psoriasis. Additional cutaneous features of ReA may include oral lesions, nail lesions, and circinate balanitis (men) or ulcerative vulvitis (women).
The Lower Carboniferous Waulsortian Facies

Massive lime mudstone containing scattered crinoid and bryozoan fragments and forming lens-like buildups and mounds, constitutes a distinctive and ubiquitous facies in Lower Carboniferous (Tournaisian-Visean) strata throughout the northern hemisphere. The rock of such buildups takes the name Waulsortian, from a village in the Dinant basin, south of Namur in Belgium. Mounds and massive sheet limestone of the same age and type are well known in Pembroke, Derbyshire, and the Pennines of England and in Ireland; they also occur in central France. In the regional paleotectonic patterns of all these areas, the Waulsortian mounds and lenses appear chiefly as an intermediate (shelf margin) facies between geosynclinal basins and shelf deposits which were formed in conditions of open marine circulation (Fig. V-1).
Integrating multiomics longitudinal data to reconstruct networks underlying lung development

A comprehensive understanding of the dynamic regulatory networks that govern postnatal alveolar lung development is still lacking. To construct such a model, we profiled mRNA, microRNA, DNA methyla...
1645 Same Day Discharge after Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery at an Urban, Safety-Net Hospital

Study Objective Same Day Discharge (SDD) after minimally invasive gynecologic surgery (MIGS) is an evidence-based safe alternative to inpatient hospital admission for appropriately selected patients. Many institutions have implemented SDD protocols after minimally invasive surgery with excellent outcomes. However, as there is clear disparity in access to minimally invasive surgery in safety net hospitals, we hypothesize a similar disparity in SDD. Our goals were 1) to implement a SDD pathway for patients undergoing MIGS at an urban, safety-net hospital and 2) to track outcomes following pathway implementation. Design A multidisciplinary SDD pathway was launched on December 3, 2018. A pilot study was conducted from December 1, 2017 until February 28, 2018. Setting N/A Patients or Participants Patients undergoing either total laparoscopic hysterectomy or laparoscopic myomectomy were eligible. Interventions N/A Measurements and Main Results Prior to SDD implementation, 46 patients were pre-screened; 40 (86.9%) were medically eligible for SDD. Accounting for social determinants of health, 34 (73.9%) would be eligible. 25 (54%) stated that they would feel comfortable going home on the same day, while 21 (46%) would not. The most common reasons for wanting to stay overnight were: anxiety (n=7), unsure of sufficient home care (n=4), fear of anesthetic reaction (n=5), fear of pain (n=3), and unsure of safety to go home (n=3). Specific materials were later developed to educate patients about the safety of SDD. Between SDD implementation and March 31st, 2019, 56 patients underwent MIGS, of whom 42 were eligible for SDD. 12 total patients were discharged home safely the same day without any adverse events or readmissions. Conclusion SDD is a safe alternative to inpatient admission without increasing adverse events or post-operative readmissions. We aim to use a screening tool and educational materials to identify eligible patients. We believe this will improve patient outcomes through shorter hospital stay and quicker return to baseline function.
Size, shape, and flexibility influence nanoparticle transport across brain endothelium under flow.

Nanoparticle-based therapeutic formulations are being increasingly explored for the treatment of various ailments. Despite numerous advances, the success of nanoparticle-based technologies in treating brain diseases has been limited. Translational hurdles of nanoparticle therapies are attributed primarily to their limited ability to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which is one of the body's most exclusive barriers. Several efforts have been focused on developing affinity-based agents and using them to increase nanoparticle accumulation at the brain endothelium. Very little is known about the role of fundamental physical parameters of nanoparticles such as size, shape, and flexibility in determining their interactions with and penetration across the BBB. Using a three-dimensional human BBB microfluidic model (μHuB), we investigate the impact of these physical parameters on nanoparticle penetration across the BBB. To gain insights into the dependence of transport on nanoparticle properties, two separate parameters were measured: the number of nanoparticles that fully cross the BBB and the number that remain associated with the endothelium. Association of nanoparticles with the brain endothelium was substantially impacted by their physical characteristics. Hard particles associate more with the endothelium compared to soft particles, as do small particles compared to large particles, and spherical particles compared to rod-shaped particles. Transport across the BBB also exhibited a dependence on nanoparticle properties. A nonmonotonic dependence on size was observed, where 200 nm particles exhibited higher BBB transport compared to 100 and 500 nm spheres. Rod-shaped particles exhibited higher BBB transport when normalized by endothelial association and soft particles exhibited comparable transport to hard particles when normalized by endothelial association. Tuning nanoparticles' physical parameters could potentially enhance their ability to cross the BBB for therapeutic applications.
Working from a distance: Who can afford to stay home during COVID-19? Evidence from mobile device data

As local and state governments reopen parts of the economy while balancing public health through social distancing, it is important to understand the heterogeneity in how the population has reacted to the COVID-19 pandemic. We match census block group level Safegraph mobile device data with demographic data from the American Community Survey to identify trends amongst different subgroups of the population. We find evidence that people′s ability to work from home is a determinant of time spent at home since the beginning of the pandemic. On April 15th, census block groups classified as being better able to work from home spent 3 more hours at home compared to those who were not. We see supporting trends amongst block groups with differences in income and educational attainment.
From ER to OR-Type A aortic dissection delay dilemma.

Background and aim of study Aortic dissection (AD) remains a life-threatening and time-critical condition. The classical presentation involves sudden onset, sharp "tearing" chest pain radiating to the back. However, it can present with a myriad of symptoms, leading to a high occurrence of misdiagnosis and delay in treatment. Methods and results A review of the available literature published on AD and diagnostic delays. A systematic review of the literature performed via PubMed and Google scholar using key search terms such as "type A," "aortic dissection," "delay," "misdiagnosis," and synonyms. The Boolean operator used to narrow results specifically to diagnostic elements of AD. A current lack of data collection has impeded the systematic analysis and review of this condition making it difficult to assess reasons for delay. A review of the literature showed a large variation in the presentation of those that have acute AD. Often the presentation mimics other more common conditions such as acute coronary syndrome. Lack of awareness amongst clinicians means that it is often not considered as a differential. Furthermore, the lack of a discriminator for patients being triaged leads to diagnostic delay; this is exacerbated by limited accessibility to diagnostic tests such as CT. Conclusion Based on the current literature, collaborative data collection, regular audit, national guidance, and communication between Royal Colleges will improve awareness, reduce diagnostic delays, and shine greater light on the issue.
Operating Leverage and Stock Returns: International Evidence

We use an international sample of 20 developed countries to test theories predicting an association between operating leverage with stock returns and the value premium. Results suggest that operating leverage is related to stock returns and the value premium across the sampled countries. These results are robust to multiple definitions of operating and financial leverage, and the endogeneity of operating and financial leverage. Results on the association between financial leverage and the value premium are sensitive to variable definitions. Consistent with recent theories, we also find that a country’s labor share is positively associated with the value premium. Overall, we find support for the notion that the value premium reflects compensation for exposure to systematic operating risk.
Proptosis and ovarian masses: extramedullary manifestations of acute myeloid leukaemia.

A 33-year-old woman presented with back and pelvic pain of 3-week duration. Associated symptoms included diplopia and fatigue. Physical examination revealed proptosis, gum hypertrophy and abdominal tenderness. Her white blood cell count was 61x109/L with 52% blasts, haemoglobin 102g/L, and platelets
When no news is bad news: Improving diagnostic testing communication through patient engagement:

ImportanceUp to 17% of diagnostic test results are missed, lost or ignored despite conventional fixes such as electronic physician reminders – naively, patients assume: ‘No-News-is-Good-News’. Thes...
Relational contracts with subjective peer evaluations

We study optimal dynamic contracting for a firm with multiple workers where compensation is based on public performance signals and privately reported peer evaluations. We show that if evaluation and effort provision are done by different workers (e.g., consider supervisor-agent hierarchy), first-best can be achieved even in a static setting. However, if each worker both exerts effort and reports peer evaluations (e.g., consider team setting), effort incentives cannot be decoupled from truth-telling incentives. This makes the optimal static contract inefficient. Relational contracts based on public signals increase efficiency. Interestingly, the optimal contract may ignore signals that are informative about effort.
Orthogonality of the mean and error distribution in generalized linear models

ABSTRACTWe show that the mean-model parameter is always orthogonal to the error distribution in generalized linear models. Thus, the maximum likelihood estimator of the mean-model parameter will be asymptotically efficient regardless of whether the error distribution is known completely, known up to a finite vector of parameters, or left completely unspecified, in which case the likelihood is taken to be an appropriate semiparametric likelihood. Moreover, the maximum likelihood estimator of the mean-model parameter will be asymptotically independent of the maximum likelihood estimator of the error distribution. This generalizes some well-known results for the special cases of normal, gamma, and multinomial regression models, and, perhaps more interestingly, suggests that asymptotically efficient estimation and inferences can always be obtained if the error distribution is non parametrically estimated along with the mean. In contrast, estimation and inferences using misspecified error distributions or vari...
Financial Frictions and Agricultural Productivity Differences

This paper explores the role of financial frictions in accounting for agricultural productivity differences. A two-sector general equilibrium model with a subsistence consumption requirement and financial frictions is constructed to explain and quantify the importance of financial frictions in agricultural labor productivity differences. Severer financial frictions decrease the use of intermediate inputs while increase the use of labor inputs. Consequently, labor productivity in agricultural sector is lower and hence, due to a larger employment share in agricultural sector, aggregate labor productivity is also lower. The quantitative results show that a substantial part of observed agricultural employment share and labor productivity differences can be accounted for by financial frictions.
Radical Right: Voters and Parties in the Electoral Market

Part I. Understanding the Radical Right: 1. Understanding the rise of the radical right 2. Classifying the radical right 3. Comparing parties Part II. The Regulated Marketplace: 4. Ballot access and campaign finance 5. Electoral systems Part III. Electoral Demand: 6. The 'new cleavage' thesis: the social basis of support 7. 'None of the above': the politics of resentment 8. 'Us and them': immigration, multiculturalism, and xenophobia Part IV. Party Supply: 9. Location, location, location: party competition 10. Consolidating party organizations Part V. Consequences: 11. Assessing the rise of the radical right and its consequences.
Attitude Estimation or Quaternion Estimation

The absence of a globally nonsingular three-parameter representation of the rotation group forces attitude Kalman filters to estimate either a singular or a redundant attitude representation. We compare two filtering strategies using simplified kinematics and measurement models. Our favored strategy estimates a three-parameter representation of attitude deviations from a reference attitude specified by a higher-dimensional nonsingular parameterization. The deviations from the reference are assumed to be small enough to avoid any singularity or discontinuity of the three-dimensional parameterization. We point out some disadvantages of the other strategy, which directly estimates the four-component quaternion representation.
Demand and Market Competitiveness of Almond Milk as a Dairy Alternative Beverage in the United States

There are many different types of nonalcoholic beverages available in the United States today as compared to a decade ago and the functionality and health dimensions of beverages have changed over the years. Recently, calcium and vitamin fortified dairy alternative beverages, such as almond milk and soymilk have entered the market to compete with conventional milk. Knowledge of price sensitivity, substitutes/complements, and demographic profiling with respect to consumption of dairy alternative beverages is important for manufacturers, retailers, advertisers, nutritionists, and other stakeholders from a competitive intelligence and strategic decision-making perspective. Using nationally representative household level data from 65,000 households (Nielsen Homescan), and tobit econometric procedure, factors affecting the demand for almond milk for all households and households grouped by race, ethnicity, region, and income status will be determined. Moreover, own-price, cross-price, and income elasticities for almond milk delineated by selected demographic segments will be estimated. Preliminary analyses reveal that the own-price elasiticity of demand for almond milk is -3.50. Soymilk is found to be a substitute for almond milk. This information will be useful for almond milk manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers for strategic pricing decisions as well as government policy makers to implement policies related to food consumption and nutrition.
A positive stigma for child labor

The authors introduce a simple empirical model that assumes a positive stigma (or norm) toward child labor that is common in some developing countries. They illustrate the positive stigma model using data from Guatemala. Controlling for several child and household-level characteristics, the analysis uses two instruments for measuring stigma: a child's indigenous background and the household head's childhood work experience.
Feynman Diagram Techniques in Condensed Matter Physics

Preface 1. A brief review of quantum mechanics 2. Single-particle states 3. Second quantization 4. The electron gas 5. A brief review of statistical mechanics 6. Real-time Green's and correlation functions 7. Applications of real-time Green's functions 8. Imaginary-time Green's and correlation functions 9. Diagrammatic techniques 10. Electron gas: a diagrammatic approach 11. Phonons, photons, and electrons 12. Superconductivity 13. Nonequilibrium Green's function Appendices Index.
The Effects of Renewable Portfolio Standards on Renewable Energy Sources

Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) programs have experienced increased popularity at the state level with twenty-three states adopting policies. Policy makers implement these programs in the hopes of stimulating renewable energy generation and lessening the states reliance on nonrenewable sources, by requiring utility companies to provide a specified amount of electricity from renewable sources. I examine the use of renewable energy sources caused by the implementation of these programs, and determine how these renewable source markets interact in an RPS setting. Analysis performed on RPS programs indicates an increase in wind energy generation, suggesting that RPS programs are an effective method to increasing generation and reliance on wind energy. Results do not indicate that the renewable energy sources of wind, solar/photovoltaic, and geothermal, compete with one another to provide the lowest cost energy. This may be due to the infancy of the programs with economies of scale yet to be reached.
Baryons: What, When and Where?

We review the current state of empirical knowledge of the total budget of baryonic matter in the Universe as observed since the epoch of reionization. Our summary examines on three milestone redshifts since the reionization of H in the IGM, z = 3, 1, and 0, with emphasis on the endpoints. We review the observational techniques used to discover and characterize the phases of baryons. In the spirit of the meeting, the level is aimed at a diverse and non-expert audience and additional attention is given to describe how space missions expected to launch within the next decade will impact this scientific field.
NONPARAMETRIC COUNTERFACTUAL PREDICTIONS IN NEOCLASSICAL MODELS OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Abstract We develop a methodology to construct nonparametric counterfactual predictions, free of functional form restrictions on preferences and technology, in neoclassical models of international trade. First, we establish the equivalence between such models and reduced exchange models in which countries directly exchange factor services. This equivalence implies that, for an arbitrary change in trade costs, counterfactual changes in the factor content of trade, factor prices, and welfare only depend on the shape of a reduced factor demand system. Second, we provide sufficient conditions under which estimates of this system can be recovered nonparametrically. Together, these results offer a strict generalization of the parametric approach used in so-called gravity models. Finally, we use China's recent integration into the world economy to illustrate the feasibility and potential benefits of our approach. (JEL C51, D51, F11, F14, O19, P33)
Local government size and efficiency in capital-intensive services: what evidence is there of economies of scale, density and scope?

Expert contributors in economics and political science offer a comprehensive breakdown of the issue of local jurisdiction fragmentation and provide recommendations for successful policy reform. Topics discussed include economies of scale, the costs and benefits of voluntary and forced amalgamation programs, the correlation between government size and corruption, privatization, and inter-municipal cooperation. A combination of theory and empirical evidence provides depth and makes this book an invaluable addition to the literature.
High dimensional semiparametric latent graphical model for mixed data

Summary We propose a semiparametric latent Gaussian copula model for modelling mixed multivariate data, which contain a combination of both continuous and binary variables. The model assumes that the observed binary variables are obtained by dichotomizing latent variables that satisfy the Gaussian copula distribution. The goal is to infer the conditional independence relationship between the latent random variables, based on the observed mixed data. Our work has two main contributions: we propose a unified rank-based approach to estimate the correlation matrix of latent variables; we establish the concentration inequality of the proposed rank-based estimator. Consequently, our methods achieve the same rates of convergence for precision matrix estimation and graph recovery, as if the latent variables were observed. The methods proposed are numerically assessed through extensive simulation studies, and real data analysis.
Fuzzy identity-based encryption

We introduce a new type of Identity-Based Encryption (IBE) scheme that we call Fuzzy Identity-Based Encryption. In Fuzzy IBE we view an identity as set of descriptive attributes. A Fuzzy IBE scheme allows for a private key for an identity, ω, to decrypt a ciphertext encrypted with an identity, ω ′, if and only if the identities ω and ω ′ are close to each other as measured by the “set overlap” distance metric. A Fuzzy IBE scheme can be applied to enable encryption using biometric inputs as identities; the error-tolerance property of a Fuzzy IBE scheme is precisely what allows for the use of biometric identities, which inherently will have some noise each time they are sampled. Additionally, we show that Fuzzy-IBE can be used for a type of application that we term “attribute-based encryption”. In this paper we present two constructions of Fuzzy IBE schemes. Our constructions can be viewed as an Identity-Based Encryption of a message under several attributes that compose a (fuzzy) identity. Our IBE schemes are both error-tolerant and secure against collusion attacks. Additionally, our basic construction does not use random oracles. We prove the security of our schemes under the Selective-ID security model.
Virasoro vertex operator algebras, the (nonmeromorphic) operator product expansion and the tensor product theory

Abstract A theory of tensor products of modules for a vertex operator algebra is being developed by Lepowsky and the author. To use this theory, one first has to verify that the vertex operator algebra satisfies certain conditions. We show in the present paper that for any vertex operator algebra containing a vertex operator subalgebra isomorphic to a tensor product algebra of minimal Virasoro vertex operator algebras (vertex operator algebras associated to minimal models), the tensor product theory can be applied. In particular, intertwining operators for such a vertex operator algebra satisfy the (nonmeromorphic) commutativity (locality) and the (nonmeromorphic) associativity (operator product expansion). Combined with a result announced by Lepowsky and the author in 1994, the results of the present paper also show that the category of modules for such a vertex operator algebra has a natural structure of a braided tensor category. In particular, for any pair p, q of relatively prime positive integers larger than 1, the category of minimal modules of central charge 1−6[( p−q ) 2 / pq ] for the Virasoro algebra has a natural structure of a braided tensor category.
On Timers of Routing Protocols in MANETs

Routing protocols enable multi-hop communication in mobile ad hoc networks. Most routing protocols make use of timers to respond to link failure caused by network dynamics. Despite their importance, the duration of these timers is typically set in a trial-and-error manner. We apply techniques from design and analysis of experiments to show the effect of timers on response variables and to identify factor interactions involving timers in AODV. Such techniques are a first step toward a formal methodology for timer value optimization.
Decentralization : the way forward for rural development?

Although decentralization initiatives have a long history, much more needs to be understood about various components of decentralization before sound advice can be given to policymakers. Special strategies are needed to address the widespread incidence of rural poverty in developing countries, but initiatives aimed at improving the rural standard of living have not consistently reduced poverty. Parker examines the rationale for a specific rural focus in poverty reduction programs and reviews recent attempts to encourage rural development. He discusses the role decentralization could play in rural development programs and analyzes recent efforts to implement decentralized rural development programs. Parker concludes that although decentralization initiatives have a long history, much more needs to be understood about various components of decentralization before sound advice can be given to policymakers. He suggests a conceptual model - based on a souffle theory of decentralization - that incorporates the essential elements of political, fiscal, and institutional decentralization as they relate to rural development outcomes. Like a souffle that requires just the right combination of milk, eggs, and heat to rise, a successful program of decentralization must include just the right combination of political, fiscal, and institutional elements to improve rural development outcomes. This paper - a product of the Sector Policy and Water Resources Division, Agriculture and Natural Resources Department - is part of a larger effort in the department to develop a new strategy for rural development. The study was partly funded by the Bank's Research Support Budget under the research project Decentralization, Fiscal Systems, and Rural Development (RPO 679-68).
Spin glass reflection of the decoding transition for quantum error correcting codes

We study the decoding transition for quantum error correcting codes with the help of a mapping to random-bond Wegner spin models. Families of quantum low density parity-check (LDPC) codes with a finite decoding threshold lead to both known models (e.g., random bond Ising and random plaquette Z2 gauge models) as well as unexplored earlier generally non-local disordered spin models with non-trivial phase diagrams. The decoding transition corresponds to a transition from the ordered phase by proliferation of "post-topological" extended defects which generalize the notion of domain walls to non-local spin models. In recently discovered quantum LDPC code families with finite rates the number of distinct classes of such extended defects is exponentially large, corresponding to extensive ground state entropy of these codes. Here, the transition can be driven by the entropy of the extended defects, a mechanism distinct from that in the local spin models where the number of defect types (domain walls) is always finite.
Hombre y tiempo: de la evolución creadora al creador de la evolución

?Hacia donde va el saber? Hacia las ciencias humanas. En el siglo XIX, Augusto Comte y Renan profetizaron de este modo el futuro de la ciencia. Aunque luego las particulas hayan descompuesto el atomo, la astrofisica nos haya abierto al universo, y el codigo genetico, universal, haya descifrado la vida, creo que la historia por venir retendra el siglo XX, siglo de estas tres hazanas, como el fundador de multiples disciplinas destinadas a responder a la pregunta: ?que es lo humano? Desde muchos puntos de vista se recordara como el siglo de las llamadas “ciencias suaves”. Estas ciencias triunfaron pasado el ano 1950. La figura emblematica de Claude Levi-Strauss, por ejemplo, domino la universidad, la investigacion, los medios de comunicacion, la opinion publica. ?Quien podia, quien puede aun hoy, responder a aquella pregunta, excepto la economia, la linguistica, la psicologia, la sociologia, la etnologia, la antropologia, mas de veinte tipos de historia, desde la historia de las religiones hasta la de las mentalidades, en suma, las ciencias del hombre? No hay marcha atras con respecto a esta conquista y a sus desarrollos. Desde hace un tiempo, sin embargo, las disciplinas duras aportan nuevas luces al grupo de las ciencias suaves, mientras este se estanca
Radiation From an Oscillating Magnetic Dipole in a Streaming Plasma

The electromagnetic field of an oscillating magnetic dipole is calculated, assuming that the dipole is immersed in a cold, streaming plasma. The amplitude of the magnetic dipole moment is assumed to be sufficiently weak that the linearized cold-plasma equations may be used to describe the response of the plasma. The resulting field of the dipole is rather different from the field that would result if the plasma were not streaming. In particular, a longitudinal electrostatic field appears as a consequence of the plasma's motion. The far field of the dipole is such that the Poynting vector is not purely radial, but is tilted against the direction of the zeroth-order plasma flow. An outward flow of mechanical energy is associated with the electrostatic field. However the mechanical energy flow is negligible for streaming velocities small compared with the velocity of light. The force necessary to hold the dipole in place is also calculated. This force vanishes when the dipole axis is parallel to the streaming direction, as does the longitudinal electric field.
Along‐dip variation of teleseismic short‐period radiation from the 11 March 2011 Tohoku earthquake (Mw 9.0)

[1] Locations of coherent short-period seismic wave radiation from the 11 March 2011 Tohoku earthquake (Mw 9.0) are imaged by back-projecting teleseismic P waves recorded across North America for a series of narrow, overlapping passbands centered at 8s, 4s, 2s, 1s, and 0.5s. Initially the energy release for all five passbands migrates slowly down-dip, however over time the two longer-period passbands show coherent energy release systematically shifted up-dip of the shorter-period source regions. Back-projection images of P waves from ten (point-source-like) aftershocks do not show a frequency-dependent trend, implying that the frequency dependence observed for the main shock is not an artifact created by 3D earth structure, depth phase interference, or some other deficiency. We conclude that the unstable sliding properties along the megathrust are segmented, with faster moment rate variations in the down-dip region and relatively smooth sliding further up-dip.