cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Distributed Control Algorithms for Scalable Decision-Making from Sensors-to-Suppliers

In this chapter we will review distributed algorithms that have been developed for decision-making and control across enterprises. We will identify the key barriers in scaling such decision making across multiple functions including production scheduling, maintenance scheduling, inventory management, and transportation. After this we will review a class of algorithms based on distributed arrival time control. These algorithms can also be scaled in size because of their non-combinatorial nature and inherent parallel/distributed nature. The mathematical techniques required for modeling and analysis of these control systems are also reviewed. Applications and extensions of the distributed arrival time control algorithms for various functions are presented.
Computer Use in Agriculture: Evidence from Tulare County, California

Logit analysis using data from a survey of Tulare County, California, farmers is used to examine computer and application ownership patterns in agriculture. The analysis indicates that the size of the farming operation, education level, age level, and the ownership of a farm-related nonfarming business significantly influence the probability of computer ownership; however, the type of farm products used on the farm does not. The type of application software owned is influenced primarily by the type of farm products produced, the size of the farming operation, ownership of a farm-related business, and the education level of the farmer.
Human Bocavirus: Prevalence and Clinical Spectrum at a Children's Hospital

Background. Molecular methods of pathogen discovery have recently led to the description of several new respiratory viruses. Human bocavirus (HBoV), a proposed member of the family Parvoviridae, is one of the most recently described respiratory viruses. Initial reports indicate that HBoV is a common cause of respiratory tract infection in children. Methods. A total of 1474 nasal scraping specimens collected over a 20-month period were screened by polymerase chain reaction for the presence of HBoV nucleic acid. Positive results were confirmed with a second polymerase chain reaction assay from a different genomic region. The medical records of patients with positive results were reviewed for demographic and clinical data. Results. HBoV DNA was identified in 82 samples (5.6%). The peak rate of HBoV infection occurred during the period of March through May in both 2004 and 2005. Sixty-three percent of infected patients were !12 months of age. The most common symptoms were cough, rhinorrhea, and fever. Other symptoms of interest included diarrhea and a “paroxysmal” cough that was clinically suspected to be caused by Bordetella pertussis. Conclusions. HBoV DNA is commonly present in children with upper and lower respiratory tract infections. The presence of a pertussis-like cough and diarrhea in association with HBoV infection merits further investigation.
Mono- or Double-Site Phosphorylation Distinctly Regulates the Proapoptotic Function of Bax

Bax is the major multidomain proapoptotic molecule that is required for apoptosis. It has been reported that phosphorylation of Bax at serine(S) 163 or S184 activates or inactivates its proapoptotic function, respectively. To uncover the mechanism(s) by which phosphorylation regulates the proapoptotic function of Bax, a series of serine (S)→ alanine/glutamate (A/E) Bax mutants, including S163A, S184A, S163E, S184E, S163E/S184A (EA), S163A/S184E (AE), S163A/S184A (AA) and S163E/S184E (EE), were created to abrogate or mimic, respectively, either single or double-site phosphorylation. The compound Bax mutants (i.e. EA and AE) can flesh out the functional contribution of individual phosphorylation site(s). WT and each of these Bax mutants were overexpressed in Bax−/− MEF or lung cancer H157 cells and the proapoptotic activities were compared. Intriguingly, expression of any of Bax mutants containing the mutation S→A at S184 (i.e. S184A, EA or AA) represents more potent proapoptotic activity as compared to WT Bax in association with increased 6A7 epitope conformational change, mitochondrial localization/insertion and prolonged half-life. In contrast, all Bax mutants containing the mutation S→E at S184 (i.e. S184E, AE or EE) have a mobility-shift and fail to insert into mitochondrial membranes with decreased protein stability and less apoptotic activity. Unexpectedly, mutation either S→A or S→E at S163 site does not significantly affect the proapoptotic activity of Bax. These findings indicate that S184 but not S163 is the major phosphorylation site for functional regulation of Bax's activity. Therefore, manipulation of the phosphorylation status of Bax at S184 may represent a novel strategy for cancer treatment.
Gauge-theory heavy muons: an experimental search

We have observed 1522 neutrino events with a μ- secondary and 8 events with a μ+ secondary from a beam consisting mostly of neutrinos. The μ+ events are consistent in number and kinematic properties with beam contamination by ν μ. This experiment sees no evidence for production of heavy positively charged leptons. Assuming a coupling constant equal to the universal Fermi constant and a branching ratio to muons B=0.3, our 90% confidence lower limit corresponds to MY+≳8.4 GeV/c^2.
College Binge Drinking and Social Norms: Advancing Understanding through Statistical Applications.

ABSTRACTThe extent to which social norms (injunctive and descriptive) are associated with collegiate alcohol use—including binge drinking—has been examined at length, but studies examining the efficacy of interventions derived thereof have reported mixed outcomes. This study examines data from 5,124 college students at 13 different colleges collected by the 2010 Indiana College Substance Use Survey in order to further elucidate the relationship between social norms and binge drinking. We apply seven different regression models to the data, finding the zero-inflated negative binomial (ZINB) model to fit best, likely due to the unique characteristics of the binge-drinking variable; individuals who do not consume any alcohol do not binge drink, inflating the frequency of zeroes for the variable. We contrast key findings from this model to those from other regression models as well as information from the literature and provide preliminary suggestions as to future directions for social norms research as it re...
Kindling, prenatal exposure to ethanol and postnatal development selectively alter responses of hippocampal pyramidal cells to NMDA.

Research that built upon the discovery by Collingridge and his colleagues (1983) that the induction of long-term potentiation (LTP) requires activation of the NMDA receptor has led to the realization that many higher brain phenomena depend on activation of the NMDA receptor. LTP is regarded as one of the key cellular events that links experience to memory and learning. Thus several groups have sought and obtained evidence that the NMDA receptor must be activated for certain types of associative learning to occur (Morris et al., 1986; Lincoln et al., 1988; Mondadori et al., 1989). Activation of the NMDA receptor appears to be a prerequisite also for experience-dependent modifications of neuronal response properties in the developing visual cortex (Kleinschmidt et al., 1987) and for the induction of stimulus train-induced bursting, a cellular homologue of epileptogenesis (Anderson et al., 1987). It can even influence the morphological (Pearce et al., 1987; Brewer and Cotman, 1989) and biochemical (Moran and Patel, 1989) differentiation of neurons. These effects are believed to result from a substantial entry of Ca2+ through the NMDA receptor channel, which occurs if the plasma membrane is sufficiently depolarized at the time of receptor activation (Ascher and Nowak, 1987). Although these forms of neuronal plasticity depend for their induction on activation of the NMDA receptor, there is as yet no evidence of any role for this receptor in the endurance or permanence of the change. In fact, LTP at the Schaffer collteral-commissural synapse in hippocampal area CAl has been shown to result from a long-lasting increase in the quisqualate receptor-mediated component of the EPSP, with little or no change in the NMDA receptor-mediated compo­nent (Kauer et al., 1988; Muller and Lynch, 1988; Davies et al., 1989).
Assessment on growth pattern of Khasi children in the state of Meghalaya, India

Background: This paper makes an attempt to describe the growth pattern and their sexual differences among the Khasi tribe in the state of Meghalaya in India. In the study we include 495 girls and 557 boys aged 3 to 18 years. Methods: In this Study the weight and height of these children were taken. Preece-Baines model 1 (PB1) has been used. This model was adopted for fitting the means of weight and some important linear measurements (Preece and Baines 1978), 1 using Levenberg-Marquardt method through SPSS (version 17.0) and origin software (version 8.0) for windows. All data were managed and analyzed using SPSS/PC software, version 15, in which the level of significance was set at 15%. The analysis will be carried out to present the basic descriptive statistics of anthropometric variables viz., height, weight, etc. according to sex and age groups. Results: The growth pattern of the Khasi children in the present study are described in terms of anthropometric measurement is observed that girls are heavier than boys at 3 and 4 years of age and boys are significantly heavier than girls from 5 to 6 years old. However girls are heavier than boys at the age of 12 years of age. It is further observed that boys are significantly heavier than girls and are statistically significant, except at the age of 15. It is found that both boys and girls are more or less similar in weight from 7 to 12 years of age. Conclusions: In terms of height boys are generally taller than girls across ages except at adolescence from 11 to 12 years where girls are taller than boys. The differences between the sexes are statistically significant after 14 years of age; the estimate values for adult height are 157.5 in males and 152 in females.
A Controlled Field Study of Corrective Advertising Using Multiple Exposures and a Commercial Medium

An “on-air” radio test was made of the Listerine corrective advertising remedy. The method applied is an improvement on previously used approaches in terms of “natural” exposure, multiple exposure ...
Harry D. Thiers, 1919–2000

Harry Delbert Thiers was born Jan. 22, 1919, in Fort McKavett, Texas, on the sparsely populated Edwards Plateau of western Texas, and died Aug. 8, 2000, in southwestern Ohio. He was the third son o...
TurkPrime.com: A versatile crowdsourcing data acquisition platform for the behavioral sciences

In recent years, Mechanical Turk (MTurk) has revolutionized social science by providing a way to collect behavioral data with unprecedented speed and efficiency. However, MTurk was not intended to be a research tool, and many common research tasks are difficult and time-consuming to implement as a result. TurkPrime was designed as a research platform that integrates with MTurk and supports tasks that are common to the social and behavioral sciences. Like MTurk, TurkPrime is an Internet-based platform that runs on any browser and does not require any downloads or installation. Tasks that can be implemented with TurkPrime include: excluding participants on the basis of previous participation, longitudinal studies, making changes to a study while it is running, automating the approval process, increasing the speed of data collection, sending bulk e-mails and bonuses, enhancing communication with participants, monitoring dropout and engagement rates, providing enhanced sampling options, and many others. This article describes how TurkPrime saves time and resources, improves data quality, and allows researchers to design and implement studies that were previously very difficult or impossible to carry out on MTurk. TurkPrime is designed as a research tool whose aim is to improve the quality of the crowdsourcing data collection process. Various features have been and continue to be implemented on the basis of feedback from the research community. TurkPrime is a free research platform.
Quantification and context

L'A. se penche sur les deux approches (implicite et explicite) proposees pour rendre compte des expressions quantifiees incompletes, ces phrases qui ne peuvent pas toujours etre utilisees pour exprimer des propositions vraies, parce qu'il existe des cas ou ce qu'elles signifient ne correspond pas avec l'etat des choses dans la realite. Il montre que la version non modifiee de l'approche implicite doit faire face a de serieuses difficultes, tout comme l'approche explicite. Toutefois, en adoptant une version de l'approche implicite qui permet aux facteurs contextuels de determiner, non seulement quels individus doivent etre inclus dans le domaine, mais aussi quelles proprietes doivent etre affectees a ces individus, il est possible de resoudre ces problemes
A prospective study evaluating diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) in the detection of peritoneal carcinomatosis in suspected gynecologic malignancies

Abstract Objectives To evaluate and compare the ability of DW-MRI and CT to detect sites of peritoneal dissemination in gynecologic malignancies. The reproducibility of DW-MRI and CT interpretation between radiologists was also assessed. Methods Single institution prospective cohort study of women with suspected advanced gynecologic cancer who underwent surgical staging from 2010 to 2013. Participants underwent both DW-MRI and contrast-enhanced CT prior to surgery. Radiologists and surgeons were blinded, respectively, to surgical and DW-MRI results. The area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC) was calculated for each disease site for CT and DW-MRI and compared to surgical findings. Kappa statistics quantified interobserver agreement between both radiologists. Results Twenty seven patients were enrolled. Mean age at surgery was 59years. Ninety percent of participants had stage IIIC/IV disease. For right diaphragm disease, the AUC for DW-MRI was 0.95 compared to 0.81 for CT. For left diaphragm disease, the AUC was 0.89 for DW-MRI compared to 0.74 for CT. The AUC was similar for DW-MRI and CT for omental disease (0.79 versus 0.64); the liver surface (0.61 versus 0.67); bowel mesentery (0.73 versus 0.64); and cul de sac (0.75 versus 0.64). Interobserver agreement for DW-MRI was greater than CT for omental, Morrison's pouch, liver surface, and right diaphragm disease. Conclusions DW-MRI detects right diaphragmatic disease found at surgery with greater accuracy than CT. For other disease sites key to surgical planning, DW-MRI is equivalent to CT. Interobserver agreement was superior for a majority of disease sites evaluated by DW-MRI compared to CT.
Electron Transfer Reactions at the Q o Site of the Cytochrome bc 1 Complex: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

The cytochrome bc1 complex of eukaryotic mitochondrial and prokaryotic energy transducing membranes functions as a protonmotive quinol:cytochrome c oxidoreductase. The enzyme utilizes a highly characteristic ‘Q-cycle’ reaction mechanism in which oxidation of substrate quinol leads to a bifurcated electron transfer pathway. This mechanism generates a highly-reducing, reactive radical semiquinone (SQo) intermediate at the site of quinol oxidation (Qo) within cytochrome b which must be tightly managed to prevent energetically wasteful electron transfer side reactions or reduction of dioxygen to biologically harmful superoxide. In this chapter we discuss mechanistic strategies harnessed by the bc1 complex to minimize unproductive electron transfer from SQo with particular reference to superoxide generation. Recent work suggests that the bc1 complex achieves this by kinetically trapping the SQo anion within a hydrophobic region of the Qo pocket as a destabilized, low-occupancy intermediate, conserving redox energy to reduce the native electron acceptor (ferriheme bL) while minimizing the probability of unwanted (and potentially damaging) electron transfer bypass reactions.
Discovery of (R)-2-(6-Methoxynaphthalen-2-yl)butanoic Acid as a Potent and Selective Aldo-keto Reductase 1C3 Inhibitor.

Type 5 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, aldo-keto reductase 1C3 (AKR1C3) converts Δ4-androstene-3,17-dione and 5α-androstane-3,17-dione to testosterone (T) and 5α-dihydrotestosterone, respectively, in castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). In CRPC, AKR1C3 is implicated in drug resistance, and enzalutamide drug resistance can be surmounted by indomethacin a potent inhibitor of AKR1C3. We examined a series of naproxen analogues and find that (R)-2-(6-methoxynaphthalen-2-yl)butanoic acid (in which the methyl group of R-naproxen was replaced by an ethyl group) acts as a potent AKR1C3 inhibitor that displays selectivity for AKR1C3 over other AKR1C enzymes. This compound was devoid of inhibitory activity on COX isozymes and blocked AKR1C3 mediated production of T and induction of PSA in LNCaP-AKR1C3 cells as a model of a CRPC cell line. R-Profens are substrate selective COX-2 inhibitors and block the oxygenation of endocannabinoids and in the context of advanced prostate cancer R-profens could inhibit in...
Corneal Injury from Presurgical Chlorhexidine Skin Preparation.

Background Chlorhexidine skin preparation has been shown to provide highly effective antimicrobial presurgical skin cleansing. However, there is a significant risk of ocular toxicity when it is used in periocular areas. Case Description We describe 2 cases of significant corneal damage resulting from 4% chlorhexidine gluconate preoperative skin cleanser, despite the use of protective occlusive dressing over the eyes. Because of the potential for severe corneal toxicity resulting from use of chlorhexidine, alternative agents such as 10% povidone-iodine should be considered for skin preparation near periocular areas whenever possible. Conclusions If chlorhexidine gluconate must be employed near periocular areas, great care must be exercised to avoid contact with the eyes, and additional protective measures (e.g., absorbent eye pads along with tightly occlusive dressings) must be used whenever possible.
The Effects of Conference Call Tone on Market Perceptions of Value Uncertainty

Quarterly earnings conference calls convey fundamental information as well as manager and analyst opinion about the firm. This study examines how the market’s uncertainty regarding firm valuation is affected by the abnormal content of earnings conference calls. Using textual analysis of all publicly available conference call transcripts, we find that measures of abnormally negative conference call tones are positively related to measures of firm value uncertainty from the equity options market. Overall, value uncertainty is more sensitive to analyst tones than management tones, consistent with analysts’ role as information intermediaries and active shareholder monitoring. Additionally, abnormal differences between analyst and manager tones in the conference call discussion section are strongly associated with increases in value uncertainty.
Spatial electromagnetic suppression in ultra-high voltage(UHV) partial discharge test

Varieties of interference sources involve in UHV partial discharge site test. Their routes have to be carefully studied, so that suppression and shielding techniques can be implemented accordingly. In our UHV site test, corona of neighboring 500kV operating equipment couples in significant special electromagnetic noise signal via large coupling capacitance. As the test limitation is strict, the special noise impedes judgment of test results. In this article, nose signals in partial discharge test have been classified. Characters of spatial electromagnetic noise have been studied, and resultant noise signal capturing and processing techniques have been developed. Success of the partial discharge site test has been guaranteed.
Debate: A Tool for Language Learning

Debate clubs flourish in high schools all over the United States and abroad. However, the idea of using a structured debate for language learning is quite innovative. This paper will discuss the debate program itself, with a particular emphasis on the format of the Karl Popper debate, used most commonly in international settings. Then the specifics of debate in bilingual, ESL, and EFL settings will be covered, including its benefits in developing speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills, as well as increased student motivation, self-confidence, and critical thinking. Since debate has been used in Klovsky Lyceum of Foreign Languages in Kyiv, Ukraine, as one of the tools for English language instruction, the examples from the experience of the teachers and students from this school will be used as illustrations for the paper.
Use of physiological knowledge to control the invasive sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) in the Laurentian Great Lakes

Sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) control in the Laurentian Great Lakes of North America is an example of using physiological knowledge to successfully control an invasive species and rehabilitate an ecosystem and valuable fishery. The parasitic sea lamprey contributed to the devastating collapse of native fish communities after invading the Great Lakes during the 1800s and early 1900s. Economic tragedy ensued with the loss of the fishery and severe impacts to property values and tourism resulting from sea lamprey-induced ecological changes. To control the sea lamprey and rehabilitate the once vibrant Great Lakes ecosystem and economy, the Great Lakes Fishery Commission (Commission) was formed by treaty between Canada and the United States in 1955. The Commission has developed a sea lamprey control programme based on their physiological vulnerabilities, which includes (i) the application of selective pesticides (lampricides), which successfully kill sedentary sea lamprey larvae in their natal streams; (ii) barriers to spawning migrations and associated traps to prevent infestations of upstream habitats and remove adult sea lamprey before they reproduce; and (iii) the release of sterilized males to reduce the reproductive potential of spawning populations in select streams. Since 1958, the application of the sea lamprey control programme has suppressed sea lamprey populations by ~90% from peak abundance. Great Lakes fish populations have rebounded and the economy is now thriving. In hopes of further enhancing the efficacy and selectivity of the sea lamprey control programme, the Commission is exploring the use of (i) sea lamprey chemosensory cues (pheromones and alarm cues) to manipulate behaviours and physiologies, and (ii) genetics to identify and manipulate genes associated with key physiological functions, for control purposes. Overall, the Commission capitalizes on the unique physiology of the sea lamprey and strives to develop a diverse integrated programme to successfully control a once devastating invasive species.
Elastic-Plastic Large Displacement Analysis of Pipes

A numerical procedure based on the finite segment method has been presented and applied to large displacement analysis of pipe bending problems frequently encountered in offshore structural engineering applications. In this method, the pipe is treated as an assemblage of segments and the moment-curvature relation of the tubular cross section is approximated by simple mathematical expressions. Material and geometrical nonlinearities are treated using a modified incremental tangent stiffness approach. A number of numerical check problems are solved and compared with available exact solutions. Finally, the method is applied to an offshore pipe bending problem.
Crystallization kinetics in AlxCrCoFeNi (0 ≤ x ≤ 40) high-entropy alloys

Abstract We explore the atomic origins of the structural phase transformations (PTs) in AlxCrCoFeNi high entropy alloy (HEA) using classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Our investigation critically reveals the role of Al content in triggering such diffusive transformations from a molten to a crystalline phase (for lower Al concentrations) or from molten to amorphous transitions (for Al fractions above the equiatomic alloy composition). Structural pair-correlation functions employed to provide atomistic evidence and mechanisms for the PTs show that the molten to amorphous PT initiates through the nucleation of a final child phase in the parent molten phase. Our structure predictions, although differ from earlier experimental observations, are confirmed by the predictions from common-neighbor analysis.
Innate Immunity and Inflammation

This article provides a synopsis of the role of innate immunity in inflammation. This includes a comprehensive overview of the cells, ligands, receptors, and intracellular signaling pathways involved in the innate immune response. How inflammation is triggered in response to recognition of microbes or tissue damage by pattern recognition receptors is discussed. Advances in mechanisms of induction and regulation of innate immunity, including a role for commensal microbiota, are described. The impact of genetic and environmental influences on innate immune responses to infections and sterile inflammation, including the catastrophic consequences of inadequate regulation of innate immunity, is further discussed.
Optimal Mean Shape for Nonrigid Object Detection and Segmentation

To improve the shape initialization accuracy, this chapter presents the computation of an optimal mean shape that can represent better the whole shape population. The anisotropic similarity transformation from the optimal mean shape to each individual training shape provides the ground truth of the pose parameters learned through the Marginal Space Learning (MSL). After the alignment with the estimated object pose, the optimal mean shape provides more accurate initialization than the mean shapes derived through a bounding box. Experiments on aortic valve landmark detection and whole-heart segmentation demonstrate the advantages of the approach.
Molecular genetic map of cotton

World cotton commerce is largely derived from Gossypium hirsutum and G. barbadense, two tetraploid members of a diverse genus (Gossypium) comprised of about 50 diploid and tetraploid species distributed across America, Africa, Asia, and Australia. A central issue in cotton molecular genetics is the genetic control of the development of spinnable fibers, the economic organ of cotton. The observation that tetraploid cottons transgress the levels of fiber yield and quality of diploid cottons has suggested that polyploidy has created novel opportunities for evolution. Development and application of a comprehensive set of DNA markers, and other molecular tools has created new avenues for investigating the genetic control of fiber development, and other questions in cotton genetics and evolution.
Postschool imaginaries: Educational life after neoliberalism:

This essay expands on the concept of educational life and builds on an autonomist Marxist framework that better allows us to understand neoliberalism’s parasitic operations. Following this, the las...
Biotransformation and Zonal Toxicity

Hepatotoxins are ubiquitous in nature. Chemical injury to the liver is dependent on the nature of the hepatotoxic agent and the circumstances of exposure (for a comprehensive review, see Zimmerman1). Products of plant, fungal, and bacterial metabolism, minerals,2–4 chemicals and pharmaceuticals, industrial byproducts, and waste materials can damage the liver.5 The types of hepatic injury that result from exposure to hepatotoxins are quite diverse. Some agents cause necrosis, fat accumulation, cirrhosis, or carcinoma,2 while others interfere with bile secretion, cause jaundice, and produce little or no injury to hepatocytes.2,5
Analytical investigation of postaccident containment atmospheric stratification

The LIMIT computer code is utilized to study the behavior of containment atmospheres following severe core damage accidents. The degree of heterogeneity in passive entity mixing, especially mass stratification, is assessed. Two scenarios are analyzed using a twodimensional Cartesian 84-node mesh computational domain as the baseline geometry. Both calculations include steam and liquid fields and involve hydrogen injection. Some stratification is observed after source injections are terminated. The formation of the stable mass gradients is caused principally by heat removal to structures located in the lower regions. Preliminary results conclude that in the absence of sprays or fan coolers, stratification can occur depending on the location and heat capacity of energy absorbing/liberating structures.
Do Vaccines Cause Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

Influenza vaccines do not cause multiple sclerosis (MS). Other vaccines currently routinely recommended to the general population in the U.S. have not been shown to cause multiple sclerosis.
Clinicopathological Distinction of Low-AFP-Secreting vs. High-AFP-Secreting Hepatocellular Carcinomas.

Ilntroduction and aims. We aimed to investigate the clinical and pathological differences between low-AFP-secreting (AFP < 20 ng/mL) and high-AFP-secreting (AFP ≥ 20 ng/mL) hepatocellular carcinomas in patients who undergo liver transplant (LT). MATERIAL AND METHODS We evaluated 145 patients who underwent deceased donor LT for HCC from January 1, 2005 until August 1, 2015 at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. RESULTS Median pre-LT AFP in the entire cohort was 13 ng/mL (IQR 6-59). Using serum AFP cutoff of 20 ng/mL, 61 (42%) patients had high-AFP-secreting tumors and 84 (58%) had low-AFP-secreting tumors. Patients with high-AFP-secreting tumors had larger lesions (3 cm vs. 2.4 cm, p = 0.024), and were more likely to have microvascular-invasion (36.1% vs. 20.2%, p = 0.02) and poor-differentiation (18% vs. 4.8%, p = 0.01), and tumor recurrence following LT (28% vs. 6%, p < 0.001). The 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year recurrence-free survival for patients in the low-AFP-secreting group compared to the high-AFP-secreting group were 100%, 92%, 92% vs. 81.3%, 71.3%, 68.5% respectively (p = 0.0003). CONCLUSION AFP is a suboptimal predictor of tumor recurrence following liver transplant in HCC patients. However, it can have some value in distinguishing more aggressive forms of HCC (high-AFP-secreting) that are associated with higher tumor recurrence. Novel tumor biomarkers are needed that can enhance predicting tumor recurrence following LT based on tumor biology.
Family Firms & Diversification: When Do Family Firms Diversify Across Product & Geographic Markets?

Existing family firm research has focused on the linkage between family firms and the levels of product and geographic diversification. In this study, we examine factors that influence when family ...
Geometry and energetics of CO adsorption on hydroxylated UiO-66.

The metal–organic framework (MOF), UiO-66, contains Bronsted acidic and Lewis acidic sites that play an important role in sorption, separation, and potential catalytic processes involving small gaseous molecules. As such, studies into the sequestration and separation of CO within UiO-66 provides a fundamental understanding of small gas molecule adsorption within a highly porous, tunable and environmentally stable MOF. Infrared spectroscopic measurements, in combination with density functional theory, were employed to characterize the binding energetics between bridging hydroxyl groups at MOF nodes and the adsorbate, CO. Two unique binding configurations between CO and the μ3-OH groups were identified based on differing stretching vibrations of COads when interacting through the C- and O-atom of the molecule. Variable temperature infrared spectroscopy (VTIR) was employed to attain energetics of CO adsorption (−17 kJ mol−1) and isomerization from the carbonyl to the isocarbonyl configuration (4 kJ mol−1). Results suggest that CO–hydroxyl interactions, while weak in nature, play a critical role in CO adsorption within the confined pore environment of UiO-66.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy mutations at the folded-back sequestered β-cardiac myosin S1-S2 and S1-S1 interfaces release sequestered heads and increase myosin enzymatic activity

Abstract Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) affects 1 in 500 people and leads to hyper-contractility of the heart. Nearly 40 percent of HCM-causing mutations are found in human β-cardiac myosin. Previous studies looking at the effect of HCM mutations on the force, velocity and ATPase activity of the catalytic domain of human β-cardiac myosin have not shown clear trends leading to hypercontractility at the molecular scale. Here we present functional data showing that four separate HCM mutations located at the myosin head-tail (R249Q, H251N) and head-head (D382Y, R719W) interfaces of a folded-back sequestered state referred to as the interacting heads motif lead to a significant increase in the number of heads functionally accessible for interaction with actin. These results provide evidence that HCM mutations can modulate myosin activity by disrupting intramolecular interactions within the proposed sequestered state, thereby leading to hypercontractility at the molecular level.
Policy Options at the Zero Lower Bound When Foresight is Limited

We reconsider several monetary and fiscal policies that have been proposed as tools of stabilization policy when conventional interest-rate policy is constrained by the zero lower bound on interest rates, assuming that households and firms are capable of explicit forward planning over only a limited horizon. The predicted effects of all of the policies are somewhat different than under rational expectations, but credible announcements about future policy can still influence behavior, and there is, if anything, an even stronger case for pursuing systematic policies outside crisis periods in order to shape expectations during a crisis.
Children's understanding of dominance and prestige in China and the UK

Abstract Individuals can gain high social rank through dominance (based on coercion and fear) and prestige (based on merit and admiration). We conducted a cross-cultural developmental study and tested 5- to 12-year-olds, and adults in the UK and China, aiming to determine (a) the age at which children distinguish dominance and prestige, and (b) the influence of cultural values on rank-related reasoning. We specifically tested participants in China because of the value of prestigious individuals modestly yielding to subordinates, a social skill that becomes more salient with age. In both populations, the distinction between dominance and prestige emerged at five years, and improved over childhood. When reasoning about a resource conflict between a high-ranking party and a subordinate, adults in both countries expected high-rank individuals to win, although Chinese adults were less likely to do so regarding prestigious individuals. Across the two countries, younger children (5–7 years) responded similarly to each other, not favoring either party as the winner. Older children (9–12 years), however, diverged. Those in the UK chose the high-rank party, while those in China made no systematic inference. Overall, our findings suggest that while children distinguish prestige and dominance comparably in the two countries, they develop culturally-influenced expectations about the behavior of high-rank individuals.
Robust signed-rank estimation and variable selection for semi-parametric additive partial linear models

A fully nonparametric model may not perform well or when the researcher wants to use a parametric model but the functional form with respect to a subset of the regressors or the density of the erro...
Computer Science Education Week workshops for secondary students

This paper describes the contents of four computer science workshops targeted for secondary students. The workshops were held in conjunction with Computer Science Education Week with the main goal of sparking in the participants an interest in computer science, perhaps motivating them to pursue an education and a career in the field. The topics covered included programming, robotics, mobile computing, and math. The topics were chosen and the workshops were designed to be engaging while providing an appropriate depth and breadth of computer science topics. An overview of the workshop activities is presented, accompanied by a more detailed discussion of the contents of each workshop.
Thermo-responsive adsorption-desorption of perfluoroorganics from water using PNIPAm hydrogels and pore functionalized membranes

Perfluorochemicals (PFCs) are emerging contaminants in various water sources. Responsive polymers provide a new avenue for PFC adsorption/desorption from water. Poly-N-isopropylacrylamide's (PNIPAm's) temperature-responsive behavior and hydrophilic/hydrophobic transition is leveraged for reversible adsorption and desorption of PFCs. Adsorption of PFOA (perfluoro-octanoic acid) onto PNIPAm hydrogels yielded Freundlich distribution coefficients (Kd) of 0.073 L/g at 35 °C (above LCST) and 0.026 L/g at 22°C. Kinetic studies yielded second order rate constants (k2) of 0.012 g/mg/h for adsorption and 12.6 g/mg/h for desorption, with initial rates of 28 mg/g/h and 41 mg/g/h, respectively. Interaction parameters of PNIPAm's functional groups in its different conformational states, as well as the hydrophobic fluorinated carbon tails and hydrophilic head groups of PFOA are used to describe relative adsorption. Polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) provides a robust membrane structure for the commercial viability of polymeric adsorbents. Temperature swing adsorption of PFOA using PNIPAm functionalized PVDF membrane pores showed consistent adsorption and desorption capacity over 5 cycles. PFOA desorption percentage of 60% was obtained in pure water at temperatures below PNIPAm's lower critical solution temperature (LCST) while 13% desorption was obtained at temperatures above the LCST, thus showing the importance of the LCST on desorption performance.
Effect of Thermal Gradient on Ductility of Seismic Anchor

AbstractIn certain applications, a significant thermal gradient exists along the length of a seismic anchor. The yield strength of steel depends on temperature. Therefore, the strength of a steel a...
Global Education in Neoliberal Times: A Comparative Case Study of Two Schools in New York

Preparing students to live in an interconnected world is of central importance in 21 st century education. Neoliberal educational contexts, however, thwart efforts to implement more humanistic and critical versions of global education (GE). This comparative case study examines how teachers and administrators enact GE at two schools—one public, the other private—in the New York City metropolitan area. Findings demonstrate the constraints and possibilities of engaging GE in neoliberal educational contexts. Implications for GE scholars and practitioners include study of how wider contextual factors shape GE’s enactment in a neoliberal era.
Building Your Brand: Analysis of Successful Oculoplastic Surgeons on Social Media.

PURPOSE To determine the impact of social media content from oculoplastic surgeon-held accounts on public engagement. METHODS This study analyzed successful Instagram accounts (defined by >500 followers as of May 2019) held by American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic Reconstruction Surgery members. Each account's 20 most and 20 least successful posts (based on number of likes) were characterized by the post's subject, location, media type, and tag usage. Posts were then analyzed using a web-based application that calculates the engagement level of Instagram users with the selected post. RESULTS A total of 4,812 posts were analyzed from 37 Instagram accounts. Of these American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic Reconstruction Surgery members, the majority were men (67.6%, n = 25) in private practice solely (70.3%, n = 26). Numerous post characteristics, like content and media type, impacted success in a statistically significant manner; for example, public engagement rose when featuring the posting doctor, especially when smiling and wearing a white coat. Meanwhile, posts featuring an office procedure had a negative effect. Formatting was also found to contribute to success. For example, photographs were preferred over videos, while multiple images were best presented sequentially as a carousel (with the viewer swiping through the series) rather than in a large collage. Use of tags (hashtags, accounts, and locations) were associated with increased engagement. CONCLUSIONS Social media is an important communication and marketing tool, especially in esthetic fields like oculoplastics. Guidelines for success are presented in this study; content, location, subject, media type, and tags statistically significantly impact public engagement.The influence of social media is rapidly growing and can be strategically harnessed by oculoplastic surgeons to educate both patients and healthcare providers, collaborate with colleagues, and for referrals and marketing.Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text.
Combining Qdot Nanotechnology and DNA Nanotechnology for Sensitive Single‐Cell Imaging

Immunohistochemistry (IHC) can provide detailed information about protein expression within the cell microenvironment and is one of the most common techniques in biology and medicine due to the broad availability of highly specific antibodies and well-established bioconjugation methods for modification of these antibodies with chromogens and fluorophores. Despite recent advances in this field, it remains challenging to simultaneously achieve high multiplexing, sensitivity, and throughput in single-cell profiling experiments. Here, the combination of two powerful technologies is reported, quantum dot and signal amplification by exchange reaction (QD-SABER), for sensitive and multiplexed imaging of endogenous proteins. Compared to the conventional IHC process using dye-labeled secondary antibodies (which already has a built-in signal amplification mechanism), QD-SABER provides an additional 7.6-fold signal amplification. In addition, the DNA hybridization-based IHC can be rapidly removed to regenerate the sample for subsequent cycles of immunostaining (>10 cycles), greatly expanding the multiplexing capability.
AI-Enabled Clinical Decision Support Software: A “Trust and Value Checklist” for Clinicians

As clinical decision support software becomes more sophisticated, clinicians must be able to evaluate how it works, and how well it works, so that they will be comfortable trusting machine learning...
India and the USA: Cultural Differences

The united states believe more in looking after yourself and your family while ignoring everything else as it does not matter as much. But in India people as a whole are concerned about others opinions. The employee and employer nature is also quite different. India believes more in having the employer protect the employee, like family, with the employee is expected to be loyal. This is the other side of the spectrum in comparison to the US corporation norms, where it is a cut throat world where the smart, strong, and cunning move up and the unmotivated, and less efficient fall down the pecking order in terms of the corporate structure, if they don’t get fired. In terms of masculinity The United States and India are actually very similar. In both countries is work the center of life. The idea of achieving higher status, then putting such achievements in ones face, whether it be in the form of a new home, or designer labels, such is the norm in both societies. Both societies are also generally widely accepting of new ideas and mistakes. In America there is the sense of the American Dream and one’s way of achieving that is through innovation, new ideas, and trying new things. Whereas India has a more relaxed mentality, simply believing that one must adjust. The United States and India are both huge countries, while their sizes are relatively similar, they differ in cultural and ethical norms. The United States, as a populous whole, tends to be more short term oriented and now seeking. We believe more in supporting and looking after one’s self, and family. Society in The United States in very individualistic, people expect one another to take care of themselves, whereas in India, while still individualistic, believes in more of a wholesome, greater good society. Meaning that they tend to look out for one another and more importantly they tend to look out more for the greater good in ones defined-groups. Customer service for these should be more readily available and more widespread in The United States as it is more of an indulgent country. Seeking more now pleasure means more purchasing, meaning more products that one may need help with in some way, whether it be set up or someone in store trying to sell the product. In the current study we use Hofstede's data set on his 6 dimensional structure as well as Carraher's data on customer service in order to examine differences in culture, ethics, and customer service between India and the USA.
KMT2D Loss Promotes Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Through Enhancer Reprogramming and Modulation of Immune Microenvironment

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common cancer worldwide with 5-year survival of approximately 50%. Genomic profiling studies have identified important somatic mutations in this disease which presents an opportunity for precision medicine. We demonstrate that KMT2D, a histone methyltransferase harbors somatic mutations in approximately 17% of HNSCC and is associated with 2-year recurrence in TCGA data. Consistent with algorithmic prediction of bring a driver tumor-suppressor event, its loss results in larger oral tumors in immune-proficient orthotopic models. Mechanistically, we find that KMT2D knockdown or KMT2D mutation causes loss of H3K4me1-marked enhancers harboring IRF7/9 binding sites, which is known to regulate interferon signaling. Indeed, KMT2D loss in human and murine cell lines deregulated transcriptional levels of cytokine expression and impacted numerous immune signaling pathways, including interferon signaling. Consistently, Kmt2d knockdown in murine tumors exhibited decrease in IFN gamma-producing effector T cells and an increase in T-cells with an exhausted phenotype. Epistasis experiments showed that exogenous treatment with IFN gamma abrogated the increased tumor growth in Kmt2d-deficient oral tumors. Together, these results support the role of KMT2D as a tumor suppressor in HNSCC that regulates the tumor microenvironment by modulating H3K4me1-marked enhancers controlling interferon signaling.
Surgical Management of an infected external iliac artery interposition graft with a bioengineered human acellular vessel

ABSTRACT Infection of prosthetic vascular grafts can manifest as pain, pseudoaneurysms, or arterial insufficiency in the leg. We present the case of a female patient with a medical history of a right external iliac artery endofibrosis, with a persistently infected synthetic iliofemoral bypass graft, replaced with a bioengineered human acellular vessel. At the 12-month post-implantation visit, clinical and radiological studies demonstrated adequate human acellular vessel patency, with no signs of infection, stenosis, or pseudoaneurysm. Subsequent to the initiation of hormone therapy and cessation of anti-platelet therapy, the patient suffered graft thrombosis. She continues to do well after restoration of patency with lytic therapy. At 22 months, secondary patency is maintained with continued anticoagulation and the patient remains asymptomatic.