cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analyzing Corporate Innovation using the Data Surface Mining Technique

Corporate innovation is the subject of several recent articles in the business press. FORTUNE and BusinessWeek have identified world-wide innovative companies, breakout companies, companies that focus on "the search for tomorrow" and companies to watch. Using a technique called "Data Surface Mining" (DSM), the previously published data on these four topics were further analyzed to characterize the similarities and differences between the Goods and Service Sectors; the results of these analyses are presented herein. In addition, the issues of technology management especially relevant to the Service Sector are presented. These issues are of critical importance in light of the fact that the Service Sector represents 80% (GDP and/or employment) of the United States economy and are of increasing importance in the global economy. It is also important to note that technology management in the Service Sector has not to date been given proportionate attention in the academic literature.
Adsorption and desorption of hydrogen on bare and Xe-covered Cu(111)

Using polarization-modulated ellipsometry to monitor adsorbate coverage in-situ, we studied the activated adsorption of filament-heated molecular hydrogen on Cu(111) and subsequent isothermal desorption of hydrogen adatoms. The adsorption is characterized by a zeroth-order kinetic with a constant sticking probability of S0=0.0062 up to θ=0.25, followed by a Langmuir kinetic until the saturation coverage θs=0.5 is reached. The desorption follows a second-order kinetic with an activation energy of 0.63 eV and a pre-exponential factor of 1×109 /s. A pre-adsorbed monolayer of Xe atoms on Cu(111), with a desorption activation energy of 0.25 eV and a pre-exponential factor of 8×1014 /s, efficiently blocks the subsequent adsorption of hot molecular hydrogen, making physisorbedXe useful as templates for spatial patterning of hydrogen adatom density on Cu(111).
Exceeding the filling fraction limit in CoSb3 skutterudite: multi-role chemistry of praseodymium leading to promising thermoelectric performance

To this date and to the best of our knowledge, praseodymium (Pr), has not been reported for an experimental investigation of its thermoelectric (TE) properties as a potential filler atom in the CoSb3-based skutterudite structure. In addition, reports on skutterudite compounds suggest enhancement in TE properties can occur when the filling fraction limit (FFL) is exceeded resulting in in situ secondary phases developing during synthesis. The results reported herein confirm important new concepts due to the multi-role chemistry of the Pr added Co4Sb12 skutterudites (i.e. PryCo4Sb12), including: (1) exotic behavior in the Seebeck coefficient, α, as Pr is introduced to the matrix (2) an increase in ZTmax (≈1.0 at T ≈ 800 K) and the temperature range for ZTmax as Pr is increased and (3) confirmation of secondary phase(s) aiding in the improvement of TE properties.
The Role of Lysine Residues in the Catalytic Function and DNA Binding of Poly(ADP-Ribose) Polymerase as Determined by the Covalent Modification of the Enzyme Protein with Methyl Acetimidate

Molecular mechanisms of protein-poly(ADP-ribosylation) require clarification at the level of the purified enzyme and in chromatin. The present paper is concerned with control reactions operative in the purified enzyme protein which depend on the coenzymic function of a copurified DNA species [1]. It is known that the polymerase enzyme has two catalytic functions: abortive or extra NAD-glycohydrolase and polymerase activities [2], and the enzyme can generate mono(ADP-ribose) and polymeric protein adducts. The correlation between these two distinct reactions, associated with the same enzyme protein, and the regulation of the chain length of polymers are not understood. We demonstrate that selective blocking of the lysine residues of the enzyme protein by methyl acetimidate [3] inactivates the polymerase reaction, but mono(ADP-ribose) protein adducts continue to be generated, simultaneously with a decrease in the binding of DNA to the enzyme, a binding which is essential for the polymerization process. The polymerase activity is more sensitive to covalent modification of the lysine residues than the extra NAD-glycohydrolase activity. The experimental evidence indicates that lysine end-groups participate in enzyme catalysis, but not in ADP-ribose binding to the protein. Lysine residues, which in globular proteins are generally located on molecular surfaces [4], play a critical polymer chain length regulatory function in poly(ADP-ribosylation) by way controling DNA binding to the enzyme.
Artificial insemination at 56 h after intravaginal progesterone device removal improved AI pregnancy rate in beef heifers synchronized with five-day CO-Synch + controlled internal drug release (CIDR) protocol.

Abstract The objective was to determine whether timed artificial insemination (TAI) 56 h after removal of a Controlled Internal Drug Release (CIDR, 1.38 g of progesterone) insert would improve AI pregnancy rate in beef heifers compared to TAI 72 h after CIDR insert removal in a 5-days CO-Synch + CIDR protocol. Angus cross beef heifers (n = 1098) at nine locations [WA (5 locations; n = 634), ID (2 locations; n = 211), VA (one location; n = 193) and WY (one location; n = 60)] were included in this study. All heifers were given a body condition score (BCS; 1-emaciated; 9-obese), and received a CIDR insert and 100 μg of gonadorelin hydrochloride (GnRH) on Day 0. The CIDR insert was removed and two doses of 25 mg of dinoprost (PGF2α) were given, first dose at CIDR insert removal and second dose 6 h later, on Day 5. A subset of heifers (n = 629) received an estrus detector aid at CIDR removal. After CIDR removal, heifers were observed thrice daily for estrus and estrus detector aid status until they were inseminated. Within farm, heifers were randomly allocated to two groups and were inseminated either at 56 h (n = 554) or at 72 h (n = 544) after CIDR removal. All heifers were given 100 μg of GnRH at AI. Insemination 56 h after CIDR insert removal improved AI pregnancy rate compared to insemination 72 h (66.2 vs. 55.9%; P 6) and location by treatment and BCS by treatment interactions did not influence AI pregnancy rate (P > 0.1). The AI pregnancy rates for heifers with BCS ≤ 6 and > 6 were 61.8 and 60.1%, respectively (P > 0.1). The AI pregnancy rates among locations varied from 54.9 to 69.2% (P > 0.1). The AI pregnancy rate for heifers observed in estrus at or before AI was not different compared to heifers not observed in estrus [(65.4% (302/462) vs. 52.7% (88/167); P > 0.05)]. In conclusion, heifers inseminated 56 h after CIDR insert removal in a 5-days CO-Synch + CIDR protocol had, on average, 10.3% higher AI pregnancy rate compared to heifers inseminated 72 h after CIDR insert removal.
Beamauth: two-factor web authentication with a bookmark

We propose BeamAuth, a two-factor web authentication technique where the second factor is a specially crafted bookmark. BeamAuth presents two interesting features: (1) only server-side deployment is required alongside any modern, out-of-the-box web browser on the client side, and (2) credentials remain safe against many types of phishing attacks, even if the user fails to check proper user interface indicators. BeamAuth is deployable immediately by any login-protected web server with only minimal work, and it neither weakens nor interferes with other anti-phishing techniques. We believe BeamAuth may be most useful in preventing a number of phishing attacks at high-value single sign-on sites, e.g. OpenID providers.
Priming with Ligands Secreted by Human Stromal Progenitor Cells Promotes Grafts of Cardiac Stem/Progenitor Cells after MyocarDial Infarction

Transplantation of culture-expanded adult stem/progenitor cells often results in poor cellular engraftment, survival, and migration into sites of tissue injury. Mesenchymal cells including fibroblasts and stromal cells secrete factors that protect injured tissues, promote tissue repair, and support many types of stem/progenitor cells in culture. We hypothesized that secreted factors in conditioned medium (CdM) from adult bone marrow-derived multipotent stromal cells (MSCs) could be used to prime adult cardiac stem/progenitor cells (CSCs/CPCs) and improve graft success after myocardial infarction (MI). Incubation of adult rat CPCs in CdM from human MSCs isolated by plastic adherence or by magnetic sorting against CD271 (a.k.a., p75 low-affinity nerve growth factor receptor; p75MSCs) induced phosphorylation of STAT3 and Akt in CPCs, supporting their proliferation under normoxic conditions and survival under hypoxic conditions (1% oxygen). Priming CSCs with 30× p75MSC CdM for 30 minutes prior to transplantation into subepicardial tissue 1 day after MI markedly increased engraftment compared with vehicle priming. Screening CdM with neutralizing/blocking antibodies identified connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and Insulin as key factors in p75MSC CdM that protected CPCs. Human CTGF peptide (CTGF-D4) and Insulin synergistically promoted CPC survival during hypoxia in culture. Similar to CdM priming, priming of CSCs with CTGF-D4 and Insulin for 30 minutes prior to transplantation promoted robust engraftment, survival, and migration of CSC derivatives at 1 week and 1 month after MI. Our results indicate that short-term priming of human CSCs with CTGF-D4 and Insulin may improve graft success and cardiac regeneration in patients with MI.
Preservice teachers' learning experiences of constructing e-portfolios online

This one-year case study reports on the effectiveness and value of electronic portfolios (e-portfolios) from the preservice teachers' perspectives. Using surveys and selected interviews, the study explored how 38 preservice teachers' understanding of the e-portfolios evolved as they completed their elementary teacher education program. Respondents reported that, after using the e-portfolios, they were stimulated to engage in reflective practices, to develop effective learning strategies, and to gain as well as review technology skills. Respondents also indicated frustrations and challenges involved when creating their first e-portfolios. Implications regarding the findings are discussed.
Scalable POMDPs for Diagnosis and Planning in Intelligent Tutoring Systems

A promising application area for proactive assistant agents is automated tutoring and training. Intelligent tutoring systems (ITSs) assist tutors and tutees by automating diagnosis and adaptive tutoring. These tasks are well modeled by a partially observable Markov decision process (POMDP) since it accounts for the uncertainty inherent in diagnosis. However, an important aspect of making POMDP solvers feasible for real-world problems is selecting appropriate representations for states, actions, and observations. This paper studies two scalable POMDP state and observation representations. State queues allow POMDPs to temporarily ignore less-relevant states. Observation chains represent information in independent dimensions using sequences of observations to reduce the size of the observation set. Preliminary experiments with simulated tutees suggest the experimental representations perform as well as lossless POMDPs, and can model much larger problems.
Enhancing the usability and utilization of accelerated architectures via docker

Accelerated architectures such as GPUs (Graphics Processing Units) and MICs (Many Integrated Cores) have been proven to increase the performance of many algorithms compared to their CPU counterparts and are widely available in local, campus-wide and national infrastructures, however, their utilization is not following the same pace as their deployment. Reasons for the underutilization lay partly on the software side with proprietary and complex interfaces for development and usage. A common API providing an extra layer to abstract the differences and specific characteristics of those architectures would deliver a far more portable interface for application developers. This cloud challenge proposal presents such an API that addresses these issues using a container-based approach. The resulting environment provides Docker-based containers for deploying accelerator libraries, such as CUDA Toolkit, OpenCL and OpenACC, onto a wide variety of different platforms and operating systems. By leveraging the container approach, we can overlay accelerator libraries onto the host without needing to be concerned about the intricacies of underlying operating system of the host. Docker therefore provides the advantage of being easily applicable on diverse architectures, virtualizing the necessary environment and including libraries as well as applications in a standardized way. The novelty of our approach is the extra layer for utilization and device discovery in this layer improving the usability and uniform development of accelerated methods with direct access to resources.
On the Decomposition of Turbulent Flow Fields for the Analysis of Coherent Structures

The decomposition of the turbulent velocity, pressure, and vorticity fields for the analysis of coherent structures is examined from a fundamental theoretical standpoint. It is shown that the commonly used double and triple decompositions yield coherent and incoherent parts of the turbulence that are not Galilean invariant and, consequently, severe doubts are raised concerning their general usefulness for the eduction of coherent structures. Alternative triple decompositions are proposed which are invariant under an arbitrary change of observer. Applications of this triple decomposition to the construction of helicity fluctuations which are more suitable for the study of coherent structures are also discussed.
Energy Inefficient: Steam, Petrol and Automotives at the 1889 World's Fair

France's 1889 World's Fair, perhaps best known for the controversial 318 meter tower designed by Gustave Eiffel, has been called “the triumph of iron” (Ageorges 77) and was famously marked by its m...
Automatic Parameter Identification of Discrete Mesoscale Models with Application to the Coarse-Grained Simulation of Reinforced Concrete Structures

In this study, the analysis of reinforced concrete structures is performed by adopting a coarse-grained approximation of a recently developed meso-scale model for concrete, the Lattice Discrete Particle Model (LDPM). The coarse-grained system is obtained by scaling the particle size with a “coarsening factor” > 1. The coarse system cannot reproduce all aspects of the mechanics of the fine system, consequently, the coarse-scale model parameters need to be calibrated from the behavior of the fine-scale system by matching some aspects, e.g. the macroscopic stress-strain/load-displacement curves under different loading conditions, of the fine scale response. The coarse-scale parameters are optimized by the least-square minimization procedure. The effectiveness of the procedure is verified by comparing full fine-scale solutions and coarse-grained solutions for cases of interest in which the full meso-scale problem can be actually solved.
The Marketization of Society

The victory of nationalism meant the reversal of the relation between the church and the nation. Similarly the victory of economism means first and foremost the reversal of the relation between nation and market, the political and economic spheres. Whereas in nationalism the market serves the nation, in economism, nations are subordinated to the market. The account thus far has emphasized this. But nationalism and economism can both go far beyond this. They often subordinate to themselves other sectors of society as well.
Veterinary Medicine and Sea Otter Conservation

Veterinarians and veterinary medicine, in general, have historically played, and continue to play, an important role in the efforts to understand sea otters and assure the conservation of free-ranging sea otter populations. There are, however, important differences between the “traditional” doctor–patient–client relationship paradigm associated with the health management of individual animals, and the manner in which health and disease are evaluated and interpreted in populations of animals. It comes as no surprise that animals in the wild die from one or combinations of a myriad of causes. Therefore, if one examines a large enough number of animals, you will find some that are, in fact, critically ill and dying. It is important to recognize that the veterinarian’s role in conservation medicine is not to “cure every sick sea otter,” but rather to provide insight into the etiopathogenesis, the epidemiology, and the implications of these diseases. This information may then be integrated into the bigger population picture involving wildlife ecology, natural history, environmental factors, and demography, all of which are critically important in the understanding, and therefore the preservation, of sea otter populations.
Sarah’s Story: One Teacher’s Enactment of TPACK+ in a History Classroom

ABSTRACTThis article presents a descriptive case study that describes a secondary history teacher’s expression of sociocultural-oriented technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) in the classroom, the execution of which we describe as TPACK+. TPACK+ describes sociocultural-oriented teacher knowledge requisite for the dynamic execution of TPACK such that socially situated learning experiences occur in communities of learners within and beyond the classroom. Data were collected from classroom observations and semi-structured interviews. A priori codes were applied to data, which were analyzed using the constant-comparative method. This case presents a narrative of an honors U.S. History II lesson and explication of the teacher’s demonstration of TPACK+ in the context of Common Core State Standards–driven history content instruction.
Towards a surface and bulk excited SAW gyroscope

Unreleased gyroscopes are very promising for inertial navigation systems, where the extended dynamic range and structural robustness are not only desirable but expected for many applications. Surface acoustic wave (SAW) gyroscopes, having solid structure, offer high shock survivability and by confining acoustic energy to the surface, may lead to increased sensitivity by avoiding losses to the bulk and edges. The idea of using SAW gyroscopes is not novel, however many untapped areas on performance updates still exist. one of the main challenges is to increase the scale factor, which is a function of the drive amplitude and the Coriolis mass. Though, both the drive and sense resonators have a shared cavity, the direct leakage and scattering results in sacrificing the SNR. In this work, we are investigating the opportunities for driving the distributed Coriolis mass in the SAW cavity from the wafer backside.
Unionization and Monetary Compensation at America's Access Institutions: Assessing the Impact of Frames That Do or Do Not Consider Geography.

This article categorizes institutions under both the 2015 Carnegie Basic Classification system and the mission-driven classification system, and further analyzes both by the presence of a collective bargaining agreement. The goal of this article was to use the presentation of data on revenue, employment numbers, salary outlays, and the presence or lack of collective bargaining agreements to identify any differences between the new “Mission-Driven” classification system in direct comparison with the 2015 Carnegie Basic Classification system in recognizing the results of unionization on monetary compensation for higher education employees.
Coordinated charging strategies for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles

Electric Vehicles (EV) is a current buzz in the automotive industry. This new buzz has both negative as well as positive impacts on the power system. The increased number of electric vehicles, when acting as loads impose enormous power requirements on power grid and this leads to power imbalance and also weakens the stability of the grid. A careful selection of charging location and capacity of charging stations is the first step in planning the accommodation of large set of EVs. However this doesn't solve the problem fully and hence for day to day operations coordinated charging of EVs is essential. Hence stochastic behavior of EVs is analyzed and EV charging power is predicted. Further a two-stage model to reduce the loading peaks due to charging of PHEVs is developed using optimization and Demand Response (DR) strategies.
The Brown Incompleteness Scale (BINCS): Measure development and initial evaluation.

Abstract Background In recent years, incompleteness has received increased clinical attention as a core motivation underlying obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders. Yet, assessment of incompleteness has relied almost exclusively on self-report and has assumed a unitary conceptualization of this phenomenon. Therefore, we sought to develop and validate a new multi-faceted clinician-administered measure of incompleteness. The Brown Incompleteness Scale (BINCS) consists of 21 items; each rated on a 5-point scale, with higher scores indicating a greater degree of incompleteness. The current study describes the measure's development and preliminary validation. Methods The scale was administered to 100 consecutive participants who were part of a longitudinal follow-up study of OCD. The reliability, validity, and factor analytic structure of the scale were evaluated. Results Exploratory factor analysis supported a two-factor solution, which can best be described as representing both behavioral and sensory manifestations of incompleteness. Conclusions The BINCS demonstrated strong internal consistency as well as convergent and divergent validity. This clinician-administered scale will provide a more comprehensive clinical assessment of patients with incompleteness.
Nanoprobes for optical fluorescence imaging (Conference Presentation)

Two fundamental and unsolved problems facing bioimaging and nanomedicine are nonspecific uptake of intravenously administered diagnostic and/or therapeutic agents by normal tissues and organs, and incomplete elimination of unbound targeted agents from the body. To solve these problems, we have synthesized a series of indocyanine near-infrared (NIR) fluorophores that varied systematically in net charge, conformational shape, hydrophilicity/lipophilicity, and charge distribution. Using 3D molecular modeling and optical fluorescence imaging, we have defined the relationship among the key independent variables that dictate biodistribution and tissue-specific targeting such as lung and sentinel lymph nodes (Nat Biotechnol. 2010), human prostate cancers (Nat Nanotechnol. 2010), and human melanomas (Nat Biotechnol. 2013). Recently, we have developed new pharmacophore design strategy “structure-inherent targeting,” where tissue- and/or organ-specific targeting is engineered directly into the non-resonant structure of a NIR fluorophore, thus creating the most compact possible optical contrast agent for bioimaging and nanomedicine (Angew Chem. 2015, Nat Med. 2015). The biodistribution and targeting of these compounds vary with dependence on their unique physicochemical descriptors and cellular receptors, which permit 1) selective binding to the target tissue/organ, 2) visualization of the target specifically and selectively, and 3) provide curing options such as image-guided surgery or photo dynamic therapy. Our study solves two fundamental problems associated with fluorescence image-guided surgery and lays the foundation for additional targeted agents with optimal optical and in vivo performance.
Admissible limit sets of discrete groups on symmetric spaces of rank one

In recent years it has become increasingly clear that a number of important results about limit sets of discrete groups acting on real hyperbolic space H R n remain true also for the complex, quarternionic, and two- dimensional octonionic spaces, . for all non-compact Riemannian symmetric spaces of rank one [Ka], [C], [CI], [BJ]. There are two essential elements in these generalizations. One is the description of the “non- tangential” or “conical” boundary approach domains of the Poincare model of H R n as tubes of constant diameter around geodesic rays: We call these the admissible domains. The other is the intrinsic, in general non-isotropic, metric of the boundary and the way it is related to the admissible domains.
Osteoporosis Due to Hormonal Withdrawal: Common Mistakes

A 52-year-old woman executive presented to her primary care physician with a T-score of –1.7 by heel ultrasonography. She was otherwise healthy and was a regular tennis player, who took one multivitamin tablet per day, together with other health pills. There was a family history of breast cancer, but prior mammograms were normal. There was no history of cortico steroid intake. Menarche was at 13 years. The patient indicated that she had been amenorrheic for 2 years during her stint as a ballet dancer. However, she had given up dancing at age 18, and since had normal menses. Physical examination was unremarkable. Her blood work revealed normal electrolytes, in particular a serum calcium 9.8 mg/dL, (normal range 8.5– 10.5), and a 25-OH-vitamin D of 33 ng/dL (normal sufficient: >32 ng/dL). Her primary care physician referred her for a central dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Her T-scores were as follows: lumbar spine L1-L4 of −1.9 and total left hip −1.6 (non dominant). The physician prescribed 1200 mg calcium citrate and 800 IU vitamin D qd, and asked her to return for a central DXA 2 years later. But she returned to the physician’s office 6 months later complaining of irregular menses; her last menstrual period was 6 months ago. The primary care physician reassured her that she was entering normal menopause, and no further workup was required. About 18 months later the repeat DXA showed considerably lower T scores: −2.2 at L1-L4 and −1.7 at total left hip. The patient was concerned, and asked for therapy. She was also having significant hot flashes and other postmenopausal
Cerebrovascular Disease and Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder has been strongly associated with cardiovascular disease although the relationship between the two conditions is complex with regard to directionality and mechanisms. The defining syndromes of bipolar disorder, mania and hypomania, can occur following stroke, including in individuals who are seemingly otherwise not at risk based on age, family history, and past psychiatric history. This has led many experts to conclude that bipolar disorder may occur secondary to stroke. Individuals with idiopathic forms of bipolar disorder further face a considerably increased risk for cerebrovascular mortality and stroke. This elevation in risk is large and estimated to be approximately twice that expected from general population estimates for both cerebrovascular mortality and events. There exist a variety of mechanisms that may link bipolar disorder with cerebrovascular disease, and some risk factors may predispose vulnerable individuals to both conditions. These mechanisms include–though are not limited to–inflammation, oxidative stress/mitochondrial dysfunction, abnormalities in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, and sleep disorders. Clinicians should be mindful of the potential for stroke to induce mania and recognize that individuals with bipolar disorder are at special risk for vascular disease, a risk that early and assertive clinical intervention may potentially mitigate.
Trajectory measurements for individual dust particles on the Colorado dust accelerator

Abstract The Dust Coordinate Sensor (DCS) is a dual detector instrument located on the beamline of the 3 MV hypervelocity dust accelerator at the University of Colorado Institute for Modeling Plasma, Atmospheres and Cosmic Dust (IMPACT). This instrument non-destructively measures the three-dimensional trajectories of charged, hypervelocity (3–8 km/s), micron-sized dust particles in flight by utilizing the image charge induced on grids of wire electrodes. Where previous peak detection was typically limited to dust particles carrying charges > ∼ 100 fC, new signal processing techniques developed for DCS allow for effective trajectory measurements on particles carrying charges as small as 6 fC. The new signal processing also effectively eliminates false signal detections completely. The position measurements are matched by timestamp to the charge and velocity for each launched dust particle. Verification of the system was performed with independent impact location measurements on a target placed in the beamline. These measurements agree to within 1 mm2 of the predicted locations using DCS trajectories. This study demonstrates the capability of the instrument including new processing methods. Precise trajectory measurement along the beamline enables new options for instrument calibration, scientific experiments, and improvement of the accelerator performance.
Numerical analyses of pillar behavior with variation in yield criterion, dilatancy, rock heterogeneity and length to width ratio

Abstract With recent advances in numerical modeling, design of underground structures increasingly relies on numerical modeling-based analysis approaches. While modeling tools like the discrete element method (DEM) and the combined finite-discrete element method (FDEM) are useful for investigating small-scale damage processes, continuum models remain the primary practical tool for most field-scale problems. The results obtained from such models are significantly dependent on the selection of an appropriate yield criterion and dilation angle. Towards improving its capabilities in handling mining-related problems, the authors have previously developed a new yield criterion (called progressive S-shaped criterion). The focus of the current study is to demonstrate its use in modeling rock pillars through a comparative analysis against four other yield criteria. In addition to the progressive S-shaped criterion, only one out of the four other criteria predicted a trend in strength consistent with an empirical pillar strength database compiled from the literature. Given the closely-knit relationship between yield criteria and dilation angle in controlling the overall damage process, a separate comparison was conducted using a mobilized dilation model, a zero degree dilation angle and a constant non-zero dilation angle. This study also investigates the impact of meso-scale heterogeneity in mechanical properties on the overall model response by assigning probability distributions to the input parameters. The comparisons revealed that an isotropic model using a combination of progressive S-shaped criterion and mobilized dilation angle model is sufficient in capturing the behaviors of rock pillars. Subsequently, the pillar model was used to assess the effect of L/W (length/width) ratio on the peak strength.
‘Put your hand against the screen’: U2 and mediated environments

This paper analyzes how the rock band U2 uses screens as central components of the experiences of their concerts. Examining moments from throughout their career, and emphasizing their recent ‘Innocence and Experience’ and ‘Experience and Innocence’ tours, this article argues that U2’s constant employment of technology is less about spectacle, and more about the constitution of ‘mediated environments’ that reflect and embody how people live in and through all manner of media, including screens. Drawing on conceptions of U2 as a band interested in problem-solving and innovation, I position their on-going engagements with technology as a processual search for ways to live productively alongside technology. I use media studies frameworks to argue U2 expresses a politics of ambivalence through their use of screens, one that cannot resolve the tensions between the communicative power of technology and its potential to erode social relationships. However, this politics of ambivalence – as expressed throu...
Erectile Dysfunction Medications and Skin Cancer: An Analysis in US Veterans.

Abstract Objective To examine the relationship between phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor drugs (PDE5i) and skin cancers in a large-scale study of Veterans. Methods This was a retrospective database review using the Department of Veterans Affairs Informatics and Computing Infrastructure database. Veterans Affairs Informatics and Computing Infrastructure was searched 19 years for Veterans who received PDE5i treatment of erectile dysfunction. A non-PDE5i group of Veterans was selected for comparison analysis. Follow-up time, outpatient clinic visits and incidence of malignant melanoma (MM), and basal cell carcinoma (BCC) were measured in both groups. Results A total of 2.55 million Veterans were included in this study (1.27 million in each group). Mean age of the PDE5i group and non-PDE5i group was 59.2 years (standard deviation [SD] ± 10.8) and 58.7 (SD ± 10.8), respectively. Mean follow-up time for the PDE5i group was 8.9 years (SD ± 4.2) and 8.5 years (SD ± 4.3) for non-PDE5i group. Odds ratio for malignant melanoma and BCC in the PDE5i group was 1.25 (confidence interval 95%, 1.22-1.28, P Conclusion Veterans prescribed PDE5is to treat erectile show a minimal increased risk of MM and a greater risk of BCC compared to non-PDE5i users. PDE5i users visited outpatient VA clinics at a higher rate than non-PDE5i users in this study. These findings suggest confounding variables are likely involved in the relationship between skin cancers and PDE5i use. PDE5i drugs remain a safe treatment for erectile dysfunction.
Dynamic Capabilities of an Energy Storage-Embedded DFIG System

Power electronic-based wind turbine generators (WTGs) are capable of providing inertial response to the grid by releasing kinetic energy from the turbine blade; thus, as conventional power plants are retired, the reduction of online inertia can be compensated by designing frequency controls for the WTGs. Deployment of energy storage technology for renewable generations has been increased to have the renewables centralized with a system operator as an independent power supply by making up for their nature of generation. In addition, the cost of energy storage has dropped over time and global research activities on energy storage have been funded by private industries and governments. This paper investigates the opportunity of deploying an energy storage on a doubly fed induction generator (DFIG)-based WTG to respond to the system frequency, and then explores dynamic capabilities of the energy storage-embedded DFIG to boost its contribution while the frequency response is being provided by the power system's online inertia; thus, enabling an effective delivery of ancillary services to the system. To do this, the dynamic models of DFIG and energy storage are combined and simulated under the different operating conditions of a DFIG, such as subsynchronous, synchronous, and supersynchronous operations, using the PSCAD.
Accurate Determination of the Equilibrium Surface Tension Values with Area Perturbation Tests

We demonstrate two robust protocols for determining the equilibrium surface tension (EST) values with area perturbation tests. The EST values should be indirectly determined from the dynamic surface tension (DST) values when surface tension (ST) values are at steady-state and stable against perturbations. The emerging bubble method (EBM) and the spinning bubble method (SBM) were chosen, because, with these methods, it is simple to introduce area perturbations while continuing dynamic tension measurements. Abrupt expansion or compression of an air bubble was used as a source of area perturbation for the EBM. For the SBM, changes in the rotation frequency of the sample solution were used to produce area perturbations. A Triton X-100 aqueous solution of a fixed concentration above its critical micelle concentration (CMC) was used as a model surfactant solution. The determined EST value of the model air/water interface from the EBM was 31.5 ± 0.1 mN·m-1 and that from the SBM was 30.8 ± 0.2 mN·m-1. The two protocols described in the article provide robust criteria for establishing the EST values.
Exploring emergency contraception prescribing by pharmacists in California.

Abstract Objective To understand knowledge, current practices, barriers and facilitators for pharmacists prescribing emergency contraception (EC). Study Design We conducted a cross-sectional survey among California community pharmacists. We distributed the online survey, consisting of 34 close-ended questions, to members of the California Pharmacists Association via its email listserve. Results We collected a survey response rate of 7%. Although 95% of respondents were aware of the statewide protocol allowing pharmacists to prescribe EC, only 36% of respondents reported prescribing EC in the previous year. Prescribing practices within the past year differed by type of pharmacy. We found no correlation between EC knowledge and prescribing practices. The most frequently reported facilitators of EC prescribing by pharmacists were the statewide protocol, a continuing education training program, and patient need or demand for EC. The most reported barriers to prescribing EC were lack of payment for pharmacist patient care services by insurers, increased responsibility or liability concerns, and time constraints. When asked about their intention to prescribe in the upcoming year, responses differed based on whether or not their pharmacies currently stocked EC. Conclusion This exploratory study identifies key facilitators, such as the statewide protocol, and key barriers, such as lack of payment by insurance companies for pharmacist services. Implications The findings of this study could guide future multi-component implementation strategies such as academic detailing that specifically address concerns about increased responsibility, liability and time constraints. In addition, payment for pharmacist services could be addressed at a policy level since this was a barrier to pharmacist EC prescribing.
The occurrence of finite simple permutation groups of fixity 2 as automorphism groups of Riemann surfaces

Abstract Motivated by the theory of Riemann surfaces and specifically the significance of Weierstrass points, we study finite simple groups from a permutation action point of view. We classify all possibilities for finite simple groups acting faithfully on a compact Riemann surface of genus at least 2 in such a way that all non-trivial elements have at most two fixed points on each non-regular orbit and at most four fixed points in total.
Implications of Early Hemodynamic Profiling after Continuous-Flow Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation

Purpose Optimal hemodynamics is associated with improved outcomes in patients with continuous-flow left ventricular assist device (CF-LVAD). Our primary aim was to define the hemodynamic profiles of patients on CF-LVADs, and explore the impact of partial LV unloading on the prevalence of elevated right atrial pressure (RAP) in these patients. Methods Retrospective data on demographics and invasive hemodynamics (early post-implant during index hospitalization and late post-discharge at median 4.7 months) were extracted on patients at our institution with CF-LVAD implants from January 2017-July 2019. Hemodynamic profiles are categorized as optimal or non-optimal (Table 1), and partial LV unloading is defined as pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) >15 mm Hg. Statistical analyses used the Fisher's exact test (SAS, version 9.4). Results Two hundred fifty-nine patients had CF-LVAD implants. Seventy-eight patients (mean age 57.1 ± 10.2 years) had invasive hemodynamics at both time-points early post-implant and late post-discharge (Table 1). Early post-implant, 15 patients (32.1%) had optimal hemodynamics and 71 patients (68%; 18 LHF, 28 BiV HF, and 7 RHF) had non-optimal hemodynamics. The majority of patients with RAP >12 mm Hg had a coexisting elevated PCWP [early post-implant (28 of 35 patients, 80%) or late post-discharge (22 of 28 patients, 78.6%)]. The absence (hazard ratio 2.99, p=0.01) versus presence (hazard ratio 0.72 p=0.34) of early partial LV unloading in the setting of an elevated RAP is associated with an increased risk of death and hospitalizations at 6-months post-implant. Conclusion Partial LV unloading with concomitant elevated RAP early post-implant is associated with better event-free survival in comparison to patients with isolated elevated RAP. Future analysis of a validation cohort on these observations and their association with long-term outcomes is warranted.
The Role of Selective College Admissions Criteria in Interrupting or Reproducing Racial and Economic Inequities

Selective colleges have increasingly considered a variety of factors, such as academic rigor, extracurriculars, essays, interviews, recommendations, and background characteristics, alongside tradit...
School-related Outcomes Associated with Seeing Someone Shot: Do Friends Make a Difference?

Witnessing violence can negatively affect students’ outcomes, but their friendships may mitigate those effects. This study investigated the extent to which seeing someone shot in the last year rela...
Retrospective analysis of 578 inpatient dermatology consultations in hematology and hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients.

BACKGROUND Hospitalized patients with hematologic malignancies are medically complex and commonly affected by dermatologic conditions. METHODS Retrospective chart review from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2018, at Rochester Methodist Hospital (Rochester, Minnesota, USA). Patients hospitalized on hematology and BMT services receiving dermatology consultation were included. RESULTS In all, 578 consultations (63% male, median age 61 years) were reviewed. Drug reactions (22%), infection (17%), and malignant neoplasm (10%) accounted for nearly half of diagnoses. Exanthematous drug reaction (10%), graft-versus-host disease (7%), and lymphoma or leukemia cutis (6%) were the commonest individual diagnoses. There were significantly more drug reactions in severe neutropenia (33.2% vs. 15.0%), neutrophilic dermatoses in myeloid neoplasm (5.2% vs. 0.3%), and viral infection in lymphoid neoplasm (8.3% vs. 1.2%). Consultation frequently altered treatment (68%), diagnostic workup (63%), and the primary service's initial diagnostic impression (53%). Biopsies were performed in 52% of consultations and helped secure a diagnosis 73% of the time. A total of 16.4% of consultations did not receive a definitive final diagnosis, and 18.5% were resolved in one visit. CONCLUSION This is the largest study to date of hospital dermatology consultation in hematology patients. Biopsies are utilized frequently and are diagnostically useful. The complexity of this patient population is evidenced by the fact that a final diagnosis remains elusive in a number of cases despite the multiple visits required for the vast majority of consultations. Nevertheless, dermatology consultation alters diagnosis and treatment in the majority of patients, highlighting the critical role dermatologists have in the care of these patients.
Dose-dependent therapeutic effects of topical 1,25 OH-vitamin D3 on corneal wound healing

Conflicting results have been reported regarding the effects of 1,25 OH-vitamin D3 on corneal wound healing. Therefore, we undertook this study to determine whether the observed differences are dose related. The dose-dependent effects of 1,25 OH-vitamin D3 on corneal wound healing were evaluated using scratch assays on human corneal limbal-epithelial cells (HCLEs) and in vivo mouse corneal epithelial debridement. To evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of 1,25 OH-vitamin D3, macrophages were stimulated by a Toll-Like Receptor (TLR) ligand followed by treatment with the 10−6 M, 10−7 M and 10−8 M 1,25 OH-vitamin D3. 10−7 M 1,25 OH-vitamin D3 induced faster scratch wound closure compared with the other concentrations of 1,25 OH-vitamin D3 tested (10–6 M and 10–8 M), and 0.02% ethanol as a control (85.8 ± 2.6%, 33.9 ± 6.74%, 32.6 ± 3.35%, and 31.6 ± 3.99%, respectively, P < 0.0001). Single-time treatment with 10–7 M 1,25 OH-vitamin D3 also significantly improved the healing of mouse corneal epithelial wound compared to multiple treatments and control (74.1 ± 17.3% vs. 52.4 ± 11.6% and 45.8 ± 13.4%, respectively). Polyinosinic: polycytidylic acid (poly [I:C])-stimulated macrophage cells and 10−7 M 1,25 OH-vitamin D3 significantly decreased gene expression of ICAM1, TLR3, IL6, IL8, and TNFα (P < 0.0001). Our results suggest the dose-dependent therapeutic effect of 1,25 OH-vitamin D3 in corneal wound healing which can be potentially used as a non-invasive option in the treatment of corneal wounds.
Incorporating Glucose Variability into Glucose Forecasting Accuracy Assessment Using the New Glucose Variability Impact Index and the Prediction Consistency Index: An LSTM Case Example.

Background:In this work, we developed glucose forecasting algorithms trained and evaluated on a large dataset of free-living people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) using closed-loop (CL) and sensor-augm...
A human iPSC-derived inducible neuronal model of Niemann-Pick disease, type C1.

BACKGROUND Niemann-Pick disease, type C (NPC) is a childhood-onset, lethal, neurodegenerative disorder caused by autosomal recessive mutations in the genes NPC1 or NPC2 and characterized by impaired cholesterol homeostasis, a lipid essential for cellular function. Cellular cholesterol levels are tightly regulated, and mutations in either NPC1 or NPC2 lead to deficient transport and accumulation of unesterified cholesterol in the late endosome/lysosome compartment, and progressive neurodegeneration in affected individuals. Previous cell-based studies to understand the NPC cellular pathophysiology and screen for therapeutic agents have mainly used patient fibroblasts. However, these do not allow modeling the neurodegenerative aspect of NPC disease, highlighting the need for an in vitro system that permits understanding the cellular mechanisms underlying neuronal loss and identifying appropriate therapies. This study reports the development of a novel human iPSC-derived, inducible neuronal model of Niemann-Pick disease, type C1 (NPC1). RESULTS We generated a null i3Neuron (inducible × integrated × isogenic) (NPC1-/- i3Neuron) iPSC-derived neuron model of NPC1. The NPC1-/- and the corresponding isogenic NPC1+/+ i3Neuron cell lines were used to efficiently generate homogenous, synchronized neurons that can be used in high-throughput screens. NPC1-/- i3Neurons recapitulate cardinal cellular NPC1 pathological features including perinuclear endolysosomal storage of unesterified cholesterol, accumulation of GM2 and GM3 gangliosides, mitochondrial dysfunction, and impaired axonal lysosomal transport. Cholesterol storage, mitochondrial dysfunction, and axonal trafficking defects can be ameliorated by treatment with 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin, a drug that has shown efficacy in NPC1 preclinical models and in a phase 1/2a trial. CONCLUSION Our data demonstrate the utility of this new cell line in high-throughput drug/chemical screens to identify potential therapeutic agents. The NPC1-/- i3Neuron line will also be a valuable tool for the NPC1 research community to explore the pathological mechanisms contributing to neuronal degeneration.
Essays on Suicide and the Immortality of the Soul

Early editions of Hume's Essays omitted these two brilliant but dangerous articles. Even though Hume continued to write in his accustomed ironic mood, and to use the arguments of the theologians in an ad hominem manner against their own positions, he must have known he was on perilous ground.Added to these essays are 'Two Letters on Suicide' from Rousseau's Eloisa.