cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Real Options Meet Organizational Theory: Coping with Path Dependencies, Agency Costs, and Organizational Form

Scholars have begun to recognize the importance of integrating organizational issues into real options theory. In doing so, some argue that options are inappropriate for evaluating critical strategic investments. In a more in-depth analysis, we argue that the organizational form that an option takes has a profound effect on exercise decisions. When options are initially integrated, organizational elements such as routines and culture become increasingly intertwined over time, raising the cost of abandoning the option – in effect, pushing firms to exercise options. In contrast, initially isolated options become idiosyncratic and more costly to integrate over time – pushing firms to kill them. There are also reputational and social capital effects that may bias exercise decisions beyond the mere consideration of costs, leading to escalation or missed opportunities. Accordingly, firms must first be able to manage the associated organizational costs and minimize systematic bias in exercise decisions. Real options theory is moving away from the limitations of the financial options analogy and is increasingly integrated with strategy and organization theory. This shift requires that researchers consider issues such as intermediate organizational forms, external monitoring of exercise decisions, portfolios of competing options, and group process interventions.
A Parallel Neural Model for Auditory Front End Processing

We have developed a massively parallel modeling framework for the mammalian auditory front end (Gangnes, 1990). It comprises a set of linear cochlear filters each connected to a set of independently firing, noisy spike initiators. The model is a software (C) construction in which the number of filters, the number of spike initiators per filter, and the dynamic properties of the spike initiators and of each filter can be specified by the operator. For each spike initiator we use the classic two time constant model, with independent noise added to the input. For each filter the operator provides an FIR (or truncated IIR) function; and for all spike initiators the operator specifies a single resting threshold level, one time constant of excitation, one of accommodation, and a mean random spike rate. The use of FIR filters allows us the flexibility to experiment with different types of filters, including those derived from in vivo experiments. The use of noisy spike initiators provides some biological realism, including the ability of the cochlea to give massively synchronous responses to temporal events. In this paper we describe some of the details of the model and present waveforms derived from a particular set of specifications. Finally we discuss directions for further research involving the model.
Integration of Automated Camera Steering for Robotic Single-Site Surgery

Modern surgical approaches favor minimal invasiveness in order to improve recovery time, cosmesis, and post-operative pain. One such technique for abdominal procedures, called robotic laparoendoscopic single-site surgery (R-LESS), uses a single incision to gain access to the abdominal cavity. In this process, as in standard laparoscopic surgery, the surgeon’s visualization of the surgical site depends on the performance of an assistant who maneuvers the camera. Variation in skill of the camera assistant at following commands from the surgeon contributes to the difficulty of the procedure. Moreover, giving camera instructions is an additional task for the surgeon and is essentially a distraction from the main task. To solve this problem and provide high-quality visualization to the surgeon, we present a self-guided robotic camera control to replace the camera assistant. The system automatically tracks the robotic tools and automatically manipulates the camera to achieve the best field of view.
Multiscale Homogenization Analysis of the Effective Elastic Properties of Masonry Structures

AbstractThe asymptotic homogenization method of differential equations with rapidly oscillating coefficients is used to evaluate the effective elastic stiffness of masonry structures. The equilibrium equations as well as the constitutive relationships at different scales are determined from the asymptotic expansion of the displacement field. The formulation is developed for a general three-dimensional problem. It is then particularized for a simple one-dimensional (1D) model that is applicable to available experimental results of a masonry prism. Key concepts of the method such as periodicity of the fields are highlighted in this 1D problem. A multiscale finite-element model was developed for a two-dimensional unit cell to solve the canonical cell equation that arises in homogenization, which provides numerical solution of the effective elastic moduli. In particular, the numerical study focuses on the in-plane action of the masonry panels that are used as the experimental specimens in laboratory tests. Co...
Experimental characterization of electrostatic and conformational heterogeneity in an SH3 domain.

Electrostatic and conformational heterogeneity make central contributions to protein function, but their experimental characterization requires a combination of spatial and temporal resolution that is challenging to achieve. Src homology 3 (SH3) domains mediate protein–protein interactions, and NMR studies have demonstrated that most possess conformational heterogeneity, which could be critical for their function. Here, we use the IR absorptions of carbon–deuterium (C–D) bonds site-selectively incorporated throughout the N-terminal SH3 domain from the murine adapter protein Crk-II to characterize its different microenvironments with high spatial and temporal resolution. The C–D absorptions are only differentiated in the folded state of the protein where they show evidence of significant environmental heterogeneity. However, the spectra of the folded state are independent of temperature, and upon thermal denaturation the protein undergoes a single, global unfolding transition. While some evidence of confor...
High-glucose diets have sex-specific effects on aging in C. elegans : toxic to hermaphrodites but beneficial to males

Diet and sex are important determinants of lifespan. In humans, high sugar diets, obesity, and type 2 diabetes correlate with decreased lifespan, and females generally live longer than males. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is a classical model for aging studies, and has also proven useful for characterizing the response to high-glucose diets. However, studies on male animals are lacking. We found a surprising dichotomy: glucose regulates lifespan and aging in a sex-specific manner, with beneficial effects on males compared to toxic effects on hermaphrodites. High-glucose diet resulted in greater mobility with age for males, along with a modest increase in median lifespan. In contrast, high-glucose diets decrease both lifespan and mobility for hermaphrodites. Understanding sex-specific responses to high-glucose diets will be important for determining which evolutionarily conserved glucose-responsive pathways that regulate aging are "universal" and which are likely to be cell-type or sex-specific.
Model Study on Mechanism of Deformation and Destruction of the Surrounding Rock in Tunnel

Based on the principle of resemblance theory,combined with the practical problem of Dayaogou tunnel 2,some model tests are conducted to analyze the effects of the tunnel in fault,and the numerical simulation is conducted as the assistant method.Some distribution rules of surrounding rock stress of the tunnel are summarized to provide the reasonable references to design and construction of this tunnel.
Self-organized iron-oxide cementation geometry as an indicator of paleo-flows

Widespread iron oxide precipitation from groundwater in fine-grained red beds displays various patterns, including nodulation, banding and scallops and fingers. Hematite nodules have been reported also from the Meridiani Planum site on Mars and interpreted as evidence for the ancient presence of water on the red planet. Here we show that such patterns can autonomously emerge from a previously unrecognized Ostwald ripening mechanism and they capture rich information regarding ancient chemical and hydrologic environments. A linear instability analysis of the reaction-transport equations suggests that a pattern transition from nodules to bands may result from a symmetry breaking of mineral dissolution and precipitation triggered by groundwater advection. Round nodules tend to develop under nearly stagnant hydrologic conditions, while repetitive bands form in the presence of persistent water flows. Since water circulation is a prerequisite for a sustainable subsurface life, a Martian site with iron oxide precipitation bands, if one were found, may offer a better chance for detecting extraterrestrial biosignatures on Mars than would sites with nodules.
A learning-based approach to exploiting sensing diversity in performance critical sensor networks

Wireless sensor networks for human health monitoring, military surveillance, and disaster warning all have stringent accuracy requirements for detecting and classifying events while maximizing system lifetime. To meet high accuracy requirements and maximize system lifetime, we must address sensing diversity: sensing capability differences among both heterogeneous and homogeneous sensors in a specific deployment. Existing approaches either ignore sensing diversity entirely and assume all sensors have similar capabilities or attempt to overcome sensing diversity through calibration. Instead, we use machine learning to take advantage of sensing differences among heterogeneous sensors to provide high accuracy and energy savings for performance critical applications. In this dissertation, we provide five major contributions that exploit the nuances of specific sensor deployments to increase application performance. First, we demonstrate that by using machine learning for event detection, we can explore the sensing capability of a specific deployment and use only the most capable sensors to meet user accuracy requirements. Second, we expand our diversity exploiting approach to detect multiple events using a distributed manner. Third, we address sensing diversity in body sensor networks, providing a practical, user friendly solution for activity recognition. Fourth, we further increase accuracy and energy savings in body sensor networks by sharing sensing resources among neighboring body sensor networks. Lastly, we provide a learning-based approach for forwarding event detection decisions to data sinks in an environment with mobile sensor nodes.
Sequential Estimation of Thermal Diffusivity for Flash Tests

The estimation of thermal diffusivity using a flash experiment is studied. The sequential estimation method is presented and compared to the original flash method as well as two other methods that account for heat loss. The potential accuracy of the four methods is tested with a numerical simulation. The thermal diffusivity of a stainless steel sample is estimated from experimental data. The estimates given by the different methods are compared and analyzed. The sequential estimation method is shown to be less sensitive to random measurement errors and to provide more information regarding the accuracy of the estimated parameters.
A Working Definition of Moral Progress

Essentially everyone agrees that the outlawing of slavery, or the beginning of women’s suffrage, or the defeat of Nazism constitute paradigmatic examples of moral progress in human history. But this consensus belies a deep division about the nature of moral progress more generally, a consequence of the foundational differences among and within normative traditions regarding the nature and scope of the ‘moral’ in moral progress. This essay proposes that philosophers might nonetheless converge on a working definition of moral progress by identifying a proxy property that reliably tracks moral progress, but which does not purport to be coextensive with the philosophically-relevant property. The aim of this essay is to identify this proxy property with emerging empirical measures of population welfare, and to show why this indicator of moral progress can garner overlapping consensus from a variety of normative traditions.
Droughts of the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries: Influences on the production of beef and forage in Kentucky, USA.

Abstract Drought affects societies world-wide in many different ways. It is a natural hazard that is complex and not well understood and as a result, its impacts are often poorly documented. The purpose of this research is to quantify (in dollars) the impacts of drought on Kentucky's beef and forage (hay) production. Observations suggest that the most important droughts in Kentucky occurred in 1930–31, 1940–42, 1952–55, 1987–88, 1999–2000 and 2007. The total state revenue for these commodities were analyzed during these severe drought years and non-drought years. The research estimated revenue deficit from these severe droughts in Kentucky for these (beef and hay) agricultural commodities. This study is important to the general public as well as planners and policy makers. Proper documentation of drought impacts should help identify drought vulnerabilities and result in better risk management and mitigation.
Consumers' Social Media Advocacy Behaviors Regarding Luxury Brands: An Explanatory Framework

ABSTRACTConsumers can take advocacy actions on social media websites that validate and amplify brand messages and brand meanings. But why do some consumers choose to become brand advocates in social media while others do not? We propose and test an exploratory framework for the likelihood of consumers' social media advocacy behaviors (SABs; e.g., “Liking” brand pages, share brand postings) using the context of luxury brands. We posit that brand-level, social-influence, and individual-difference variables will influence the likelihood of SABs. Further, the effects of these independent variables will be mediated by three motivating variables—consumer perceptions of self-enhancement benefit, community identification benefit, and utilitarian benefit from SABs—and one inhibiting variable, social-evaluative anxiety from SABs. A study with 413 nonstudent, female participants supported our framework.
Belle Plant Distributed Control System Modernization

Abstract The DuPont Belle Plant decided to convert all manufacturing processes to a single vendor Distributed Control System (DCS) and improve control to dramatically reduce manufacturing costs. At completion the site saved $30 million in project capital avoidance costs (traditional approach capital cost of $45 MM - actual capital cost of $15 MM and distinguished itself as a world-class plant in distributed control systems. Overall, the production per person increased 20% due to improved process control. This paper will describe the background, vision, cultural change, implementation strategy, and results. The objective was to improve plant control in minimum time to reduce cost and improve quality, safety, and environmental performance. To accomplish this, it was necessary to remove barriers based upon past corporate practices.
Complement Mediated Activation of the NLRP3 Inflammasome and its Inhibition by AAV Mediated Delivery of CD59 in a Model of Uveitis

Uveitis is an inflammatory disorder of the eye responsible for approximately 10%–15% of blindness in the US. In this study, we examined the role of the complement membrane attack complex (MAC) and the NLRP3 inflammasome in the pathogenesis of experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU) in normal and C9−/− mice that are incapable of assembling the MAC. We discovered that the MAC and the NLRP3 inflammasome and associated production of IL-1β are elevated in EAU mice and that MAC may be involved in regulation of Th1 and Th17 cell differentiation. In contrast, MAC and the NLRP3 inflammasome were not elevated in C9−/− mice. However, EAU-associated pathophysiology including retinal structure and function were not rescued in C9−/− mice. Unexpectedly, AAV-mediated delivery of sCD59, an inhibitor of C9 incorporation into the MAC, successfully attenuated activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and EAU pathology as well as MAC. Our studies provide an improved understanding of the role of the MAC and the NLRP3 inflammasome in EAU as well as suggest a novel approach for the treatment of uveitis.
Revision of the Didymopanax group of Neotropical Schefflera (Araliaceae).

A taxonomic revision of the species belonging to the Didymopanax group of Neotropical Schefflera J. R. Forst. & G. Forst. (Araliaceae) is here presented. This monophyletic group is currently recognized only informally, and comprises 37 species mostly restricted to small areas of lowland to mid-elevation tropical regions across Brazil and adjacent southern Venezuela. Five names are newly placed in synonymy: Didymopanax gardneri Seem. var. ellipticus Marchal [= Schefflera glaziovii (Taub.) Frodin & Fiaschi], D. morototoni var. sessiliflorus Marchal [= Schefflera morototoni (Aubl.) Maguire, Steyerm. & Frodin], Schefflera megacarpa A. H. Gentry [= Schefflera confusa (Marchal) Harms], Schefflera morototoni var. angustipetala (Marchal) Frodin [= Schefflera tamatamaensis Maguire, Steyerm. & Frodin], and Schefflera yutajensis Steyerm. & B. Holst [= Schefflera quinquecarinata Steyerm.]. Thirty-two names are lectotypified: D. angustissimus var. conspicuus Marchal [= Schefflera angustissima (Marchal) Frodin], D. anomalus Taub. [= Schefflera angustissima], D. claussenianus Decne. & Planch. ex Marchal [= Schefflera calva (Cham.) Frodin & Fiaschi], D. falcatus Marchal [= Schefflera angustissima], D. gardneri var. ellipticus Marchal, D. morototoni var. poeppigii (Decne. & Planch.) Marchal [= Schefflera morototoni], D. morototoni var. sessiliflorus Marchal, D. venulosus Taub. [= Schefflera vinosa (Cham. & Schltdl.) Frodin & Fiaschi], Panax sericeus Pohl ex DC. [= Schefflera vinosa], P. speciosus Willd. [= Schefflera morototoni], P. splendens Kunth [= Schefflera morototoni], Schefflera angustissima, Schefflera burchellii (Seem.) Frodin & Fiaschi, Schefflera calva, Schefflera cephalantha (Harms) Frodin, Schefflera confusa, Schefflera cordata (Taub.) Frodin & Fiaschi, Schefflera decaphylla (Seem.) Harms, Schefflera distractiflora (Harms) Frodin, Schefflera gardneri (Seem.) Frodin & Fiaschi, Schefflera glaziovii, Schefflera longipetiolata (Pohl ex DC.) Frodin & Fiaschi, S. lucumoides (Decne. & Planch. ex Marchal) Frodin & Fiaschi, Schefflera macrocarpa (Cham. & Schltdl.) Frodin, Schefflera malmei (Harms) Frodin, Schefflera morototoni, Schefflera morototoni var. angustipetala, Schefflera paraensis Huber ex Ducke [= Schefflera decaphylla], Schefflera selloi (Marchal) Frodin & Fiaschi, Schefflera succinea Frodin & Fiaschi, Schefflera vinosa, and Sciodaphyllum paniculatum Britton [= Schefflera morototoni]. Additionally, D. pachycarpus Marchal [= Schefflera calva] is neotypified. We also provide information on the taxonomic history of Didymopanax Decne. & Planch., general morphological comments on the Didymopanax group, an identification key to species, and for each of the accepted species, the geographic distribution, preferred habitats, diagnostic features, illustrations, maps, a list of examined material, and nomenclatural comments. A list of exsiccatae with all examined specimens is also provided.
CLIP-related methodologies and their application to retrovirology.

Virtually every step of HIV-1 replication and numerous cellular antiviral defense mechanisms are regulated by the binding of a viral or cellular RNA-binding protein (RBP) to distinct sequence or structural elements on HIV-1 RNAs. Until recently, these protein–RNA interactions were studied largely by in vitro binding assays complemented with genetics approaches. However, these methods are highly limited in the identification of the relevant targets of RBPs in physiologically relevant settings. Development of crosslinking-immunoprecipitation sequencing (CLIP) methodology has revolutionized the analysis of protein–nucleic acid complexes. CLIP combines immunoprecipitation of covalently crosslinked protein–RNA complexes with high-throughput sequencing, providing a global account of RNA sequences bound by a RBP of interest in cells (or virions) at near-nucleotide resolution. Numerous variants of the CLIP protocol have recently been developed, some with major improvements over the original. Herein, we briefly review these methodologies and give examples of how CLIP has been successfully applied to retrovirology research.
Mitigating effect of Department of Veterans Affairs disability benefits for post-traumatic stress disorder on low income.

OBJECTIVE The goal was to assess the impact of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability benefits for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on veterans' odds of poverty. Women and African American veterans were of special interest, because they are less likely than other groups to receive PTSD disability benefits. METHODS A cross-sectional survey of 4,918 veterans who applied for VA disability benefits for PTSD between 1994 and 1998 was performed. Responses were linked to administrative data. RESULTS Overall, 42% reported low income (defined as household income less than or equal to 20,000 dollars per year). Men's and women's odds of reporting poverty were similar, but receipt of PTSD disability benefits mediated African American veterans' odds of poverty. Veterans' odds of impoverishment were reduced considerably if they received VA PTSD disability benefits and identified themselves as disabled. CONCLUSIONS VA disability benefits for PTSD reduced odds of impoverishment for psychiatrically ill veterans. This effect appeared to be especially important for African American veterans and for veterans self-identifying as disabled.
Protein Assemblies in Muscle

The myofibril, the contractile unit of muscle, may be thought of as a highly concentrated suspension of proteins (~20%) enveloped by a membranous sac. Some of these proteins are globular in conformation, such as actin or troponin; some are highly α-helical, such as tropomyosin; while the most abundant protein, myosin, combines both globular and fibrous features in one large molecule. All of these proteins exist as part of highly organized structures comprising several hundred molecules; none function independently as monomers. In the case of the thick filament, the predominant molecular species is myosin. This protein consists of two major chains each with a molecular weight of 200,000 daltons, and four small subunits in the range of 20,000 daltons. A regulatory role for the light chains is suggested by the observation that myosins from fast muscles show a characteristic light-chain pattern which is distinct from that of slower muscles. The thin filament is composed largely of actin, but in addition contains the regulatory proteins troponin and tropomyosin. With the exception of actin, all of these proteins consist of more than one polypeptide chain. Calcium, the activator of muscle contraction, binds to one of the three subunits of troponin, thereby allowing the thin filament to associate with the myosin filament. This paper will summarize the properties of the individual proteins, describe their assembly into filamentous structures, and discuss the kinds of interactions within filaments and between filaments which may lead to a contractile force.
Evaluating the potential utility of an electrostatic sprayer and a tractor-mounted vacuum machine for Lygus hesperus (Hemiptera: Miridae) management in California's coastal strawberry.

Abstract Lygus hesperus Knight (Hemiptera: Miridae) is an important pest of strawberry in the central coast of California. Both adults and nymphs of L. hesperus feed on developing strawberry fruits causing cat-faced fruits (unmarketable). Although multiple tactics, such as vacuuming with tractor-mounted vacuum machine or the application of an insecticide, are used to manage L. hesperus, the combined effects of these tactics have not been thoroughly examined. Furthermore, the use of an electrostatic sprayer for L. hesperus management has not been tested. The objectives of the present study were to determine 1) the individual and combined effects of sulfoxaflor insecticide and vacuuming on L. hesperus and their feeding damage, and 2) the efficacy of sulfoxaflor when sprayed using an electrostatic sprayer at various rates of water volume against L. hesperus. The results showed that the vacuum alone did not reduce L. hesperus populations to untreated control (UTC). The treatments that involved sulfoxaflor, both individually and when combined with the vacuum reduced the number of L. hesperus and percentage cat-faced fruits compared to UTC. Neither the “bug vac” nor the sulfoxaflor had any impact on the capture of predaceous heteropterans and spiders compared to UTC. In various water volume treatments applied using electrostatic sprayer, the number of L. hesperus nymphs and percentage of cat-face fruits was significantly lower than in UTC treatment and was comparable to conventional sprayer. The numbers of predaceous heteropteran and spider captures were not significantly different between the treatments applied using electrostatic versus conventional sprayers. These results implies that effective insecticide will continue to the best tactic to reduce L. hesperus and damage. Use of electrostatic sprayer has a potential whereas, vacuum method will need further refinement for L. hesperus control.
Development of a drug-drug interaction screening tool for oncology clinical trial enrollment.

315Background: Screening drug-drug interactions (DDI) for subjects enrolling in oncology clinical trials is critical to ensuring patient safety and the validity of clinical trial data. We previousl...
The new script of nursing: using social media and advances in communication – to create a contemporary image of nursing

Background: Inaccurate and cliched images of nurses are well documented and need to be challenged. For too long, the image of nursing has been formed by television and movies, which typically portr...
TREATMENT AND OUTCOMES OF TYPE 2 MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION COMPARED WITH TYPE 1 MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION

Type 2 myocardial infarction (MI) is defined by elevated cardiac biomarkers and evidence of ischemia due to a mismatch in myocardial oxygen supply and demand. Type 2 MI patients are usually misclassified under the diagnosis of non-ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) despite the
Expectations of Racism and Carotid Intima-Media Thickness in African American Women.

ABSTRACTObjectiveSeveral researchers have argued that racism-related stressors play an important role in adverse cardiovascular outcomes among African American women. However, studies have primarily focused on experiences of racism; thus, the role of expectations of racism is insufficiently understo
A Comparative Analysis of Bayesian Nonparametric Inference Algorithms for Acoustic Modeling in Speech Recognition

Nonparametric Bayesian models have become increasingly popular in speech recognition for their ability to discover data’s underlying structure in an iterative manner. Dirichlet process mixtures (DPMs) are a widely used nonparametric method that do not require a priori assumptions about the structure of the data. DPMs, however, require an infinite number of parameters so inference algorithms are needed to make posterior calculations tractable. The focus of this work is an evaluation of three variational inference algorithms for acoustic modeling: Accelerated Variational Dirichlet Process Mixtures (AVDPM), Collapsed Variational Stick Breaking (CVSB), and Collapsed Dirichlet Priors (CDP).
LPA-1 Receptor

The LPA1 receptor was the first G protein-coupled receptor identified to act specifically with any lysophospholipid: it interacts with lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) …
Practical recommendations for the use of beta-blockers in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Controversies regarding the use of beta-blocker in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have been longstanding and based on inconsistent data. COPD and cardiovascular disease have many shar...
Redefining sad music: Music’s structure suggests at least two sad states

Many researchers have noted inconsistencies between descriptions and effects of nominally sad music. The current study addresses whether traditional music-related sadness can be broken down into mo...
A Comparison of Online Medical Crowdfunding in Canada, the UK, and the US.

Importance Despite major differences in their health care systems, medical crowdfunding is increasingly used to finance personal health care costs in Canada, the UK, and the US. However, little is known about the campaigns designed to raise monetary donations for medical expenses, the individuals who turn to crowdfunding, and their fundraising intent. Objective To examine the demographic characteristics of medical crowdfunding beneficiaries, campaign characteristics, and their association with funding success in Canada, the UK, and the US. Design, Setting, and Participants This cross-sectional study extracted and manually reviewed data from GoFundMe campaigns discoverable between February 2018 and March 2019. All available campaigns on each country domain's GoFundMe medical discovery webpage that benefitted a unique patient(s) were included from Canada, the UK, and the US. Data analysis was performed from March to December 2019. Exposures Campaign and beneficiary characteristics. Main Outcomes and Measures Log-transformed amount raised in US dollars. Results This study examined 3396 campaigns including 1091 in Canada, 1082 in the UK, and 1223 in the US. Campaigns in the US (median [IQR], $38 204 [$31 200 to $52 123]) raised more funds than campaigns in Canada ($12 662 [$9377 to $19 251]) and the UK ($6285 [$4028 to $12 348]). In the overall cohort per campaign, Black individuals raised 11.5% less (95% CI, -19.0% to -3.2%; P = .006) than non-Black individuals, and male individuals raised 5.9% more (95% CI, 2.2% to 9.7%; P = .002) than female individuals. Female (39.4% of campaigns vs 50.8% of US population; difference, 11.3%; 95% CI, 8.6% to 14.1%; P < .001) and Black (5.3% of campaigns vs 13.4% of US population; difference, 8.1%; 95% CI, 6.8% to 9.3%; P < .001) beneficiaries were underrepresented among US campaigns. Campaigns primarily for routine treatment expenses were approximately 3 times more common in the US (77.9% [272 of 349 campaigns]) than in Canada (21.9% [55 of 251 campaigns]; difference, 56.0%; 95% CI, 49.3-62.7%; P < .001) or the UK (26.6% [127 of 478 campaigns]; difference, 51.4%; 95% CI, 45.5%-57.3%; P < .001). However, campaigns for routine care were less successful overall. Approved, inaccessible care and experimental care raised 35.7% (95% CI, 25.6% to 46.7%; P < .001) and 20.9% (95% CI, 13.3% to 29.1%; P < .001), respectively, more per campaign than routine care. Campaigns primarily for alternative treatment expenses (16.1% [174 of 1079 campaigns]) were nearly 4-fold more common for cancer (23.5% [144 of 614 campaigns]) vs noncancer (6.5% [30 of 465 campaigns]) diagnoses. Conclusions and Relevance Important differences were observed in the reasons individuals turn to medical crowdfunding in the 3 countries examined that suggest racial and gender disparities in fundraising success. More work is needed to understand the underpinnings of these findings and their implications on health care provision in the countries examined.
Race and Representation in Twenty-First Century America

This article examines Black women in the development of African-American politics, initially using race as a framework for analyzing the evolution of African-American politics. The article broadens its focus to use an intersectional analysis in explaining Black women’s prominence in representation and voter participation. It discusses criminal justice reform, arguing how the increased incarceration of Black women and girls should change the narrative of the Black community’s perspective towards this issue. Finally, there is a discussion of infant and maternal mortality and criminal justice reform as issues that demand greater attention in the Black community.
Gradient-trained Weights in Wide Neural Networks Align Layerwise to Error-scaled Input Correlations.

Recent works have examined how deep neural networks, which can solve a variety of difficult problems, incorporate the statistics of training data to achieve their success. However, existing results have been established only in limited settings. In this work, we derive the layerwise weight dynamics of infinite-width neural networks with nonlinear activations trained by gradient descent. We show theoretically that weight updates are aligned with input correlations from intermediate layers weighted by error, and demonstrate empirically that the result also holds in finite-width wide networks. The alignment result allows us to formulate backpropagation-free learning rules, named Align-zero and Align-ada, that theoretically achieve the same alignment as backpropagation. Finally, we test these learning rules on benchmark problems in feedforward and recurrent neural networks and demonstrate, in wide networks, comparable performance to backpropagation.
Beyond Shopping: The Motivations and Experience of Live Stream Shopping Viewers

We present a study of viewers of live stream shopping – a new medium that blends aspects of social media with mobile shopping. 286 participants from China, where live stream shopping has gained tremendous popularity with hundreds of millions of active users, were surveyed about their attitudes and experiences with viewing, interacting with, and making purchases from live stream shopping. Viewer motivations were examined according to the Uses and Gratifications Theory (UGT) to identify motivations broken down into sixteen constructs organized under four greater constructs: entertainment, information, socialization, and experience. Many of the motivations we examined revealed statistically significant correlations with the frequency with which users viewed and made purchases from live stream shopping. Open-ended questions were also included for further analysis. Based on our findings, we propose suggestions to use live stream shopping as a powerful tool for e-commerce while taking advantage of the entertainment and real-time features that make it a form of social media.
“His lack of a mask ruined everything.” Restaurant customer satisfaction during the COVID-19 outbreak: An analysis of Yelp review texts and star-ratings

The aim of the study was to provide practical advice to restaurant managers for improving star ratings as well as information for researchers on how the pandemic has impacted established determinants of satisfaction. The study examined criteria used by restaurant customers in assigning star-ratings on Yelp during the COVID-19 pandemic using keyword analysis and Multiple Correspondence Analysis. In evaluating restaurants, the reviewers focused on service, overall experience, and food quality. Service was discussed in relation to the pandemic and included safety of the dine-in experience, contrasted with take-out options and compliance with COVID-19 guidelines. These criteria applied differently with lower-star reviews focusing on safety, social distancing, and mask policies. Higher-star reviews focused on take-out/delivery services, high-quality food, and an overall positive experience. The study provides valuable contributions to our understanding of how the COVID-19 pandemic will impact the restaurant sector in a post-pandemic world.
Added prognostic value of plaque burden to computed tomography angiography and myocardial perfusion imaging

Abstract Background and aims Cardiac computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) - derived measures of coronary artery disease (CAD) burden have been shown to independently predict incident cardiovascular events. We aimed to compare the added prognostic value of plaque burden to CCTA anatomic assessment and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) physiologic assessment in a cohort with high prevalence of risk factors undergoing both tests. Methods Consecutive patients who underwent clinically indicated CCTA and SPECT myocardial imaging for suspected CAD were included. Stenosis severity and segment involvement score (SIS - number of segments with plaque irrespective of stenosis) were determined from CCTA, and presence of ischemia was determined from SPECT. Patients were followed for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE, inclusive of all-cause death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass grafting 90-days after imaging test.) Results A total of 956 patients were included (mean age 61.1 ± 14.2 years, 54% men, 89% hypertension, 81% diabetes, 84% dyslipidemia). Obstructive stenosis (left main ≥50%, all other coronary segments ≥70%) and ischemia were observed in a similar number of patients (14%). In multivariable Cox regression models, SIS significantly predicted outcomes and improved risk discrimination in models with CCTA obstructive stenosis (HR 1.15, p ≤ 0.001; Harrel's C 0.74, p = 0.008) and SPECT ischemia (HR 1.14, p Conclusions Our results suggest that in patients with suspected CAD and a high prevalence of risk-factors, plaque burden adds incremental prognostic value over established CCTA and SPECT measures to predict incident cardiovascular outcomes.
Post-fire landscape evaluations in Eastern Washington, USA: Assessing the work of contemporary wildfires

Abstract In the western US, wildfires are modifying the structure, composition, and patterns of forested landscapes at rates that far exceed mechanical thinning and prescribed fire treatments. There are conflicting narratives as to whether these wildfires are restoring landscape resilience to future climate and wildfires. To evaluate the landscape-level work of wildfires, we assessed four subwatersheds in eastern Washington, USA that experienced large wildfires in 2014, 2015, or 2017 after more than a century of fire exclusion and extensive timber harvest. We compared pre- and post-fire landscape conditions to an ecoregion-specific historical (HRV) and future range of variation (FRV) based on empirically established reference conditions derived from a large dataset of historical aerial photo imagery. These four wildfires proved to be a blunt restoration tool, moving some attributes towards more climate-adapted conditions and setting others back. Fires reduced canopy cover and decreased overall tree size and canopy complexity, which moved them into, or slightly outside, the FRV ranges. Moderate- and low-severity fire generally shifted closed-canopy forest structure to open-canopy classes. Patches of high-severity fire shifted patterns of forest, woodland, grassland, and shrubland towards or beyond the HRV ranges and within the FRV ranges by increasing the total area and size of non-forest patches. However, large patches of high-severity fire in dry and moist mixed-conifer forests homogenized landscape patterns beyond FRV ranges towards simplified conditions dominated by non-forest vegetation types. Fires realigned and reconnected landscape patterns with the topo-edaphic template in some cases, but pre-existing fragmentation and spatial mismatches were compounded in many others. Patches of large-tree, closed-canopy forest were reduced by high-severity fire, and the potential to restore more climate-adapted large-tree, open-canopy forest was lost. Re-establishing landscape patterns with desired patch sizes of forest, in particular patches with large trees, will take many decades to centuries and may not occur in drier locations or where seed trees are no longer present. While large wildfires burning during extreme fire weather conditions can move some attributes towards HRV and FRV ranges, intentionally planned mechanical and prescribed-fire treatments that are integrated with strategic wildfire response will better prepare and adapt landscapes for future wildfires and climate.
Comparison of wintertime mesoscale winds over the ocean around southeastern Greenland in WRF and ERA-Interim

Strong, mesoscale tip jets and barrier winds that occur over the ocean near southern Greenland have the potential for impacting deep convection in the ocean. The self-organizing map (SOM) training algorithm was used to identify and classify the range of 10 m wind patterns present during ten winters (1997–2007, NDJFM) in the ECMWF interim reanalysis (ERA-I) and from a regional simulation using the weather research and forecasting (WRF) model at 50 km into a SOM. The SOM is used to identify differences in the manifestation of westerly tip jets, easterly tip jets, and barrier flow. The North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index is well correlated with the type of tip jet present at Cape Farewell, but the NAO was not well correlated with the absence or presence of barrier flow. WRF simulated patterns with strong barrier-parallel flow more frequently than ERA-I, and WRF also had faster coastal winds than ERA-I during all types of strong wind events. The difference in coastal winds is likely related to model resolution and the resulting ability of each model to simulate strong mesoscale winds that are driven by Greenland’s steep terrain.
Fracture of brittle solids: The Griffith concept

Most materials show a tendency to fracture when stressed beyond some critical level. This fact was appreciated well enough by nineteenth century structural engineers, and to them it must have seemed reasonable to suppose strength to be a material property. After all, it had long been established that the stress response of materials within the elastic limit could be specified completely in terms of characteristic elastic constants. Thus arose the premise of a ‘critical applied stress’, and this provided the basis of the first theories of fracture. The idea of a well-defined stress limit was (and remains) particularly attractive in engineering design; one simply had to ensure that the maximum stress level in a given structural component did not exceed this limit. However, as knowledge from structural failures accumulated, the universal validity of the critical applied stress thesis became more suspect. The fracture strength of a given material was not, in general, highly reproducible, in the more brittle materials fluctuating by as much as an order of magnitude. Changes in test conditions, e.g. temperature, chemical environment, load rate, etc., resulted in further, systematic variations in strengths. Moreover, different material types appeared to fracture in radically different ways: for instance, glasses behaved elastically up to the critical point, there to fail suddenly under the action of a tensile stress component, while many metallic solids deformed extensively by plastic flow prior to rupture under shear.
WE-EF-204-04: NCI Interest in Promoting Best Practices for Co-Clinical Trials

As molecular biology breakthroughs in understanding cancers and other diseases, hundreds of new drugs wait testing. In the last decade, mouse models have been evolved to better mimic human diseases genetically and biologically. These reliable mouse models allow us to determine which genetic elements, pathways and mutations impact on therapy. The co-clinical trial strategy is to conduct a human clinical trial for a therapeutic drug and test it in mouse models at the same time. This strategy has the potential to accelerate the drug testing process and identify the patient population that will respond to the drug. Imaging plays an important role in co-clinical trials. In this symposium, four speakers will discuss advancements and issues in pre-clinical imaging, murine models, imaging hardware and software, and funding opportunities in co-clinical trials. Learning Objectives: 1. Multi-modality pre-clinical imaging hardware and software, and new technologies (e.g., hyperpolarized MRI) 2. Selection of animal models from physiological and genetic perspectives with examples in colon, pancreatic and lung cancers 3. NCI funding opportunities
On the Number of Countable Models

Publisher Summary Scott discovered that each countable structure M can be characterized up to isomorphism by a single sentence F of L ω˥, ω —that is, M≠F and [N≠F]→N≃M. A canonical choice for F, denoted by F M , is developed from M by an inductive procedure that terminates at a countable ordinal r(M), the Scott rank of M. Scott's proof that r(M) exists and is countable is in essence a counting argument. The enumeration of countable models is briefly discussed in the chapter.
The Role of Multicast Communication in the Provision of Scalable and Interactive Video-On-Demand Service

Multicast delivery can improve the scalability of Video-On-Demand (VOD) systems by allowing multiple customers to share one set of video server and network resources. In such a system, providing customer interactivity can be difficult. In this paper we overview our work which addresses how interactivity may be accomplished in a multicast delivery environment and analyzes the performance of such systems.
Upscaling pore‐scale reactive transport equations using a multiscale continuum formulation

[1] Reactive transport equations are solved at the pore scale using the lattice Boltzmann (LB) method, and the results are upscaled using volume averaging over a representative elemental volume and are fit to a multiscale continuum model. The multiscale continuum model accounts for local concentration gradients within diffusion-dominated matrix domains that are coupled to the primary continuum fluid. In general it is found that a multiscale continuum formulation is required to fit the upscaled pore-scale results. However, it is also demonstrated that in some cases, multiscale processes may be represented by a single-continuum model employing effective parameters that are not directly measurable. Provided that sufficient resolution of the pore-scale geometry can be obtained, the pore-scale model can be used to determine the most appropriate form of continuum formulation (single, dual, or multiple continua) that best fits the upscaled pore-scale simulation and, simultaneously, to provide parameters needed for constitutive relations appearing in the multiscale continuum formulation. It is suggested that a multiscale continuum approach may help explain the observed discrepancy between laboratory and field-derived reaction rates by explicitly representing distinct transport domains through separate interacting continua which could be responsible for the formation of preferential pathways. An example is presented on the basis of a multiscale, synthetic, structured porous medium describing transport of a tracer and linear reaction kinetics.
How do you measure what you can't define?

Purpose – This research aims to provide a synthesis of the normative prescriptions from the scientific literature as it relates to customer loyalty tracking and an evaluation of how close practice comes to these prescriptions. It offers a description of the landscape for how and why aspects of loyalty measurement and management converge and/or diverge.Design/methodology/approach – Data is gathered through in‐depth telephone interviews with 92 senior level marketing managers across a variety of industries.Findings – The overwhelming majority of firms view customer loyalty as a top strategic priority but only one in four has a formal definition of customer loyalty. Customer satisfaction and likelihood to recommend are the two most tracked measures. The findings also demonstrate that few firms are relatively sophisticated in their analytics capabilities and only half examine how loyalty influences business outcomes.Research limitations/implications – The current study uses single respondent per firm.Practica...