cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transparent ohmic contacts for solution-processed, ultrathin CdTe solar cells

Recently, solution-processing became a viable route for depositing CdTe for use in photovoltaics. Ultrathin (∼500 nm) solar cells have been made using colloidal CdTe nanocrystals with efficiencies exceeding 12% power conversion efficiency (PCE) demonstrated by using very simple device stacks. Further progress requires an effective method for extracting charge carriers generated during light harvesting. Here, we explored solution-based methods for creating transparent Ohmic contacts to the solution-deposited CdTe absorber layer and demonstrated molecular and nanocrystal approaches to Ohmic hole-extracting contacts at the ITO/CdTe interface. We used scanning Kelvin probe microscopy to further show how the above approaches improved carrier collection by reducing the potential drop under reverse bias across the ITO/CdTe interface. Other methods, such as spin-coating CdTe/A2CdTe2 (A = Na, K, Cs, N2H5), can be used in conjunction with current/light soaking to improve PCE further.
Myelopathy due to Acupuncture

Acupuncture is an ancient oriental modality of healing, which stood the test of time in the orient and that contributed to its survival. In the last several decades it has been introduced to the West and like other modalities of treatment it has been scrutinized scientifically and technologically. Like all therapeutic measures it is not free from complications.
The Risk of Dupuytren Surgery in Obese Individuals

Purpose Dupuytren disease is a common benign fibroproliferative disorder causing thickening and shortening of the palmar fascia of the hand. The exact etiology of the disease is unclear but known risk factors such as increased age, male sex, and northern European ethnicity have been established. A link between body mass index (BMI) and Dupuytren disease has not been established previously. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that lower BMI is associated with increased risk for Dupuytren disease diagnosis. Methods After we obtained institutional review board approval, we performed a retrospective review using an electronic medical record and an administrative database from Kaiser Permanente Southern California to identify all enrolled patients there between 2007 and 2014 who were diagnosed with Dupuytren disease. Basic demographic data including age, sex, ethnicity, and BMI were collected. Bivariate and multivariable logistical regression analyses were performed to evaluate for associations between Dupuytren disease and BMI. Results A total of 2,049,803 patients aged 18 years and older were enrolled in Kaiser Permanente Southern California from 2007 to 2014. During that period, 14,844 patients were identified as having Dupuytren disease. The data were consistent with well-defined demographic trends in Dupuytren disease, with increased rates seen in males, Caucasians, and patients aged 50 years and older. In the multivariable analysis, when controlling for age, race, and sex, the risk of Dupuytren disease was inversely proportional to BMI. Conclusions The current study showed that higher BMI is associated with decreased odds of having Dupuytren disease. Further work will be required to determine the cause for the apparent relationship between Dupuytren disease and BMI and whether physiologic factors related to obesity may be protective against the development of Dupuytren disease. Type of study/level of evidence Prognostic II.
A Case Study of the Implementation of the Co-Principal Leadership Model

ABSTRACTThis case study followed the implementation of the co-principal leadership model in a K–8 school district for three years. A district superintendent implemented the co-principal model to (1) resolve issues around merging existing schools with well-established principals; (2) provide leadership stability and succession planning; and (3) serve as a model for shared decision-making and problem solving. This study combined research with practice by investigating the implementation of the co-principal model as experienced by individual co-principals. The complexities involved in transitioning from the solo principal model to the co-principal model in the schools of one district were evident in this case study.
Abstract 231: Allogeneic Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Derived from the Chorionic Villi of Human Placentae Are a Superior Source of Progenitor Cells for Angiogenic Therapies

Introduction: Autologous bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (ABMSCs) have been the focus for the treatment of myocardial and limb ischemia. The utility of ABMSCs is limited because, in addition to requiring an invasive procedure to harvest, the number and the regenerative capacity of ABMSCs decrease with age and comorbid conditions. A redirected focus on alternative sources of MSCs is warranted. Here we compare MSCs from adipose tissue (ASCs) and human placenta (pMSCs) for angiogenic therapies. Methods: ASCs and pMSCs were characterized using culture assays, flow cytometry and immunofluorescent staining. Immunodulatory properties were assessed using mixed lymphocyte reactions (MLR). Inflammatory and angiogenic cytokines were quantified using ELISA. The ability of ASCs and pMSCs to restore perfusion in a murine model of hindlimb ischemia was compared. Results: ASCs and pMSCs expressed cell surface antigens consistent with MSCs. In permissive cultures, ASCs and pMSCs stained positive for Oil Red O (adipogenic), Alcian Blue (chondrogenic) and alkaline phosphatase (osteogenic) in addition to neural and myogenic lineages. Immunofluorescent staining demonstrated that PMSCs but not ASCs express embryonic stem cell antigens Oct-3/4, Nanog, SSEA-3 and SSEA-4. ASCs and pMSCs demonstrated immunosuppressive properties in MLRs (n=3). There was a significant reduction of MNC proliferation when cultured with pMSCs (96.5 ± 3.7 % reduction; p p p p p p Conclusion: In conclusion, while both ASCs and pMSCs have potent immunosuppressive properties, pMSCs are superior in the production of angiogenic cytokines and restoration of perfusion in ischemic tissue. PMSCs can be banked and thus made readily available for the treatment of acute ischemic syndromes.
Coherent Lattice Vibrations in Bi and Sb

Femtosecond time-resolved optical techniques have been shown to generate coherent phonons in some semimetals and narrow gap semiconductors. A previously-reported model describes the mechanism for generation of coherent lattice vibrations via the optically excited carriers. One of the most interesting consequences of such coherent lattice motion is the modulation of the electronic bands - and possibly of the transport properties of the material - at a THz timescale. Preliminary results are given for a band structure calculation, performed to evaluate the magnitude of these laser-induced band shifts.
Speed of resumption of eating following distraction in relation to number of hours food-deprivation

Mature albino rats were given extensive experience in approaching and feeding from a food cup upon its attachment to the home cage. In subsequent test trials, following 2, 4, 8, and 12 hours of fasting, the ongoing feeding response was interrupted by a loud sharp auditory signal of brief duration. Time taken to resume eating was automatically recorded. Mean log suspended eating time was found to relate negatively and reliably to hours of food-deprivation over the range of values examined. The results were interpreted as supporting the classic assumption that the vigor of approach behavior is positively related to drive strength.
Measuring Contact Mechanics Deformations Using DIC through a Transparent Medium

This paper describes the experimental methodology used to study the contact mechanics of a rigid, rough surface and a compliant, nominally flat surface using digital image correlation (DIC). The rough surface was produced by 3-D printing PMMA and the flat surface was produced with transparent PDMS (silicone rubber). The deformation of the speckled top surface (contact) of the PDMS was measured via DIC viewed through the transparent media. Four different PDMS formulations with moduli ranging from 64 to 2120 kPa were used in the experiment program to cover a wide range of modulus normalized loads. The deformation of the contact surface and depth of penetration versus normalized load were measured. The results were overlaid with previous measurements of contact area and complemented them extremely well. Additionally, it was shown that scaling laws associated with such contact mechanics problems extend many length scales.
Mesenchymal stem cells as natural biofactories for exosomes carrying miR-124a in the treatment of gliomas.

Background MicroRNAs (miRs) are promising new therapeutics for glioblastoma. However, which miRs are most effective against glioblastomas and how these miRs should be delivered are major unanswered problems. Methods To identify potent antiglioma miRs, we selected 8 miRs based on a literature search and screened them against a panel of glioma stem cell (GSC) lines, representing all of the glioblastoma subtypes defined by The Cancer Genome Atlas. To address delivery, we tested the hypothesis that ex vivo cultured bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can package miRs into exosomes and that these engineered exosomes can systemically deliver antiglioma miRs to glioblastomas. Results Of the screened miRs, we identified miR-124a as the most effective antiglioma agent against GSCs. We then transduced MSCs with lentivirus vectors containing miR-124a and isolated vesicles from the medium. Electron microscopy, western blotting, and Nanosight proved that the isolated vesicles were exosomes. Quantitative PCR documented that these exosomes contained high levels of miR-124a, which was not present in control exosomes. In vitro treatment of GSCs with exosomes containing miR-124a (Exo-miR124) resulted in a significant reduction in viability and clonogenicity of GSCs compared with controls. In vivo treatment of mice harboring intracranial GSC267 with systemically delivered Exo-miR124 resulted in 50% of animals living long term. No evidence of tumor was present on histological analysis of the survivors. Mechanistic studies showed that miR-124a acts by silencing Forkhead box (FOX)A2, resulting in aberrant intracellular lipid accumulation. Conclusion MSCs can be used as natural biofactories to produce Exo-miR124, which is an effective antiglioma agent worthy of further clinical evaluation.
Molecular and Lumped Products from Hydrothermal Liquefaction of Bovine Serum Albumin

We examined the decomposition of and product formation from a model protein, bovine serum albumin (BSA), under hydrothermal conditions. BSA forms smaller polypeptides as it decomposes, primarily via hydrolytic cleavage of the peptide bonds. It also forms insoluble aggregates in high yields at mild conditions, which subsequently decompose. There were no polypeptides (MW > 5 kDa) remaining after 5 min at 350 °C, but smaller peptides persisted in yields of about 15 wt %. The total yield of free amino acids was typically <3 wt % but nearly reached 6 wt % at 250 °C and 60 min. Glycine and glutamic acid were the most abundant amino acids in the aqueous-phase products. The yields of primary and secondary amines reached 50 wt % and generally increased with time and temperature. Up to 40 mol % of the nitrogen in the BSA appeared as NH3 in the aqueous phase, and the NH3 yields increased with both time and temperature. Biocrude yields increased with reaction severity until reaching a maximum of about 20 wt %. Cyclic...
Discussion of “Multivariate distribution for undrained shear strengths under various test procedures”1

Care needs to be exercised when examining the empirical correlations for undrained shear strength proposed by Ching and Phoon (2013) because the manuscript does not adequately define the overconsolidation ratio (OCR), and the data in Table 2 that were used to develop the empirical correlations include values of OCR, as small as 1.1, 2.2, and 3.3 and as large as 50, 60, and 80. A clear distinction needs to be made among (i) OCR = p ′ / vo ′ , where for a natural soil deposit sublayer p ′ is the preconsolidation pressure and vo ′ is preconstruction effective vertical pressure; (ii) OCR = p ′ / vc ′ , where vc ′ is a consolidation pressure in the recompression range of a natural soil deposit sublayer with a preconsolidation pressure p ′ ; and (iii) OCR = vm ′ / vc ′ , where vm ′ , for a soil sublayer in the field or in the laboratory, is the maximum effective vertical pressure after loading and primary consolidation, and vc ′ is a consolidation pressure after unloading and primary rebound. In addition, the data in Table 2 include natural soil deposits as well as specimens reconstituted in the laboratory. In geotechnical engineering, there is a separate body of empirical literature on undrained shear strength of soft clay and silt deposits with values of p ′ / vo ′ typically less than 3 and rarely greater than 6 (Terzaghi et al. 1996, Arts. 20.1 to 20.7), and on undrained shear strength of stiff clays and shales (Terzaghi et al. 1996, Art. 20.8). This discussion only concerns soft clay and silt deposits because for these soils exists an adequate body of laboratory andfield undrained shear strengthdata as a functionof composition (e.g., expressed in termsof plasticity index, Ip), mode of shear (e.g., field vane (FV), direct simple shear (DSS), triaxial compression and extension (TC and TE, respectively), unconfined compression (UC), and mobilized in full scale construction), and rateof shearor time to failure (e.g., FVandUC fast, and field construction much slower).
1 – Introduction to Speech-Language Neurology

This chapter presents an introduction to speech-language neurology. The brain is the source of all speech and language behavior. Hence, current knowledge concerning its anatomy and functioning must be studied and absorbed by a speech-language pathologist. But it is not the responsibility of the clinical speech-language pathologist to diagnose a neurologic disorder. This function is in the realm of the physician. Nevertheless, it is the responsibility of the speech-language pathologist to assess all relevant aspects of speech and language in those with a known or suspected neurologic disorder. The study of the relationship between the brain and speech and language function has a rich history in the past hundred twenty-five years, and the disciplines of speech-language pathology and neurology have often cooperated in the study of neurologically based communication disorders. Employing both verbal reasoning (left-hemisphere function) and visual imagery (right-hemisphere function) contributes to a successful experience.
High rates of OCD symptom misidentification by mental health professionals.

Background More than a decade may pass between the onset of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms and initiation of treatment. One explanation may be health care professionals' limited awareness of OCD symptom presentations. We assessed mental health care providers' ability to identify taboo thoughts as manifestations of OCD. Methods A random sample of 2,550 American Psychological Association members were asked to give diagnostic impressions based on 1 of 5 OCD vignettes: 4 about taboo thoughts and 1 about contamination obsessions. Results Three-hundred sixty (14.1%) providers completed the survey. The overall misidentification rate across all vignettes was 38.9%. Rates of incorrect (non-OCD) responses were significantly higher for the taboo thoughts vignettes (obsessions about homosexuality, 77.0%; sexual obsessions about children, 42.9%; aggressive obsessions, 31.5%; and religious obsessions, 28.8%) vs the contamination obsessions vignette (15.8%). Conclusions Mental health professionals commonly misidentify OCD symptom presentations, particularly sexual obsessions, highlighting a need for education and training.
Mining and monitoring evolving data

Data mining algorithms have been the focus of much recent research. The initial spurt of research on data mining algorithms typically considered static datasets. In practice, the input data to a data mining process resides in a large data warehouse whose data is kept up-to-date through periodic or occasional insertion and deletion of sets of tuples. Consequently, several issues that arise in a dynamically evolving database have recently begun to receive widespread attention. In this article, we survey research on two important issues: (1) exploiting the systematic data evolution for efficiently maintaining data mining models, and (2) monitoring changes in data characteristics. We classify research addressing these two problems based on a few distinguishing characteristics, and then briefly discuss all techniques captured by this classification.
High-spatial-resolution streamflow estimation at ungauged river sites or gauged sites with missing data using the National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) streamflow data

Abstract The need for a method of estimating streamflow with both high-quality and high spatial resolution, particularly for ungauged sites, is critical under current circumstances: intensifying competition over water resources and limited streamgages. A source of accurate and timely computations of streamflow, particularly at high spatial resolutions, has been the National Hydrograph Dataset (NHD), a comprehensive geographic information system (GIS) dataset of vector-based surface water features such as streams, lakes, and streamgages in fine detail. Utilizing the NHD with streamflow data from the U.S. Geological Survey and usage records of local water utilities, this paper proposes a simple streamflow estimation method that computes streamflow at any point on river reaches of the NHD with valid hydrograph data and tests the method in a local 613 square mile watershed. The method assumes that linearly connecting the timings of peak or bottom-base flows from upstream to downstream hydrographs leads to retracing upstream lateral inflows that have eventually arrived at a user-selected site between the upstream and downstream gauge stations of the hydrographs at any given time in a common period of record between the two hydrographs. Subsequently, the lateral inflows are added up to become the streamflow for a given site at a given time. NHD river networks and ArcGIS tools identify the locations of lateral inflows and the necessary parameters of the method. This paper assesses the results of the method by comparing them to measured streamflows through recommended evaluation statistics and visual inspection. The method has yielded promising results, including values of the Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency within 0.83 and 0.99 for daily streamflow estimates over seven years. It also credibly reconstructs missing daily streamflow over a considerable number of years.
An Acoustic Time-frequency Approach to Condition Monitoring of Ventricular Assistive Devices

This paper studies the acoustic signals of left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) as it relates to machine health. Current LVAD condition monitoring requires examination from trained medical professionals, and is both inefficient and roughly-prognostic. To better quantify a patient's condition, the diagnostic method must be robust, non-invasive, and simple to apply. The concept behind this work is to determine an identifying pattern between the specific acoustics produced by an LVAD with the related overall health of the patient. Due to the cycle-to-cycle variance of heart sounds, the continuous wavelet transform (CWT) is applied to the objective audio signal so that a high resolution spectra is obtained. From this, region specific image features are developed and subsequently used in a support vector machine (SVM) algorithm to classify between health conditions. The preliminary goal is to develop an accurate and non-invasive diagnostic method for determining patient health that can be applied for any LVAD variant. This process is validated through in vitro testing using a DC motor as an LVAD proxy.
Egyptian Mythology in Eliot’s Major Works

Youngkin traces Eliot’s reading of key sources about ancient Egypt, as documented in her notebooks, and her use of Egyptian mythology in her major fictional works. In these works, Egyptian mythology is used in contrast to Christian, Hebrew, and Greek mythologies, but through Eliot’s association of Egyptian imagery with the symbolic, it plays an important role in the writing of realistic fiction. Eliot uses Egyptian mythology to develop new kinds of “heroes,” an element of character development important in critical mythological readings of her work. Examining most of Eliot’s major works—Adam Bede (1859), The Mill on the Floss (1860), Romola (1863), The Spanish Gypsy (1868), Middlemarch (1871), and Daniel Deronda (1876)—this essay extends readings by earlier critics to emphasize how references to Egyptian mythology enhance our understanding of the complex ways in which diverse mythologies structure fictional narratives.
283 Supporting evidence to differentiate preeclampsia from nephritis in lupus pregnancy: an electronic health records review

Background Pregnancy in women with SLE is associated with a greater risk of both maternal and neonatal complications. Preeclampsia in SLE is particularly tricky because its manifestations and symptoms are nearly indistinguishable from lupus nephritis, a serious SLE manifestation. Renal biopsy is indicated in SLE if active nephritis is suspected, however this is not without risks and many patients and providers prefer to avoid such invasive procedures in later pregnancy. Much of the work on preeclampsia in lupus has relied on clinical documentation and coding, which may be subject to substantial misclassification. We aimed to describe the extent to which the clinical features (purported to support distinguishing between flare/nephritis and preeclampsia) are recorded in electronic health records (EHR). Methods We identified a cohort of pregnant women with SLE from a tertiary medical teaching hospital using both ICD coded visits and medical record review (excluding drug-induced lupus M32.0) in the EHR. From these pregnancies, we identified 23 women with preeclampsia noted by their treating physician on medical record review. We evaluated documentation and/or measurement of important diagnostic features such as complement, antibodies to double stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA), differential blood counts, the presence of cellular and acellular blood casts, urinalysis, liver function tests, uric acid levels, and the presence of schistocytes. We recorded the percentage of time that these measures were noted in the EHR. We repeated this restricting to a period with more complete EHR in a sensitivity analysis. Results Missingness was highest for blood smears to determine the presence of schistocytes (91%). We found that complement levels were not recorded for 51% of patients, while anti-dsDNA was missing in 43% of patients. Differential blood counts were recorded for all patients. We could not find evidence for microscopic urinalysis to rule out casts or hematuria in ~9% of cases. Uric acid levels were not measured in 13% of patients and liver function tests were missing in 39%. We found attenuation of missingness in contemporary cases, but only to a minimal effect. Conclusions We found that the diagnosis of preeclampsia in this setting was not supported by strong recorded evidence of clinical features upon extensive chart reviews (above and beyond proteinuria and hypertension, two factors that may also be present in nephritis). All of these women diagnosed with preeclampsia also delivered preterm, however, we did not find extensive documentation attempting to distinguish preeclampsia from potential nephritis flare, which would necessitate a different treatment. Funding Source(s): NIAMS
Possible explosion crater origin of small lake basins with raised rims on Titan

The Cassini mission discovered lakes and seas comprising mostly methane in the polar regions of Titan. Lakes of liquid nitrogen may have existed during the epochs of Titan’s past in which methane was photochemically depleted, leaving a nearly pure molecular nitrogen atmosphere and, thus, far colder temperatures. The modern-day small lake basins with sharp edges have been suggested to originate from dissolution processes, due to their morphological similarity to terrestrial karstic lakes. Here we analyse the morphology of the small lake basins that feature raised rims to elucidate their origin, using delay-Doppler processed altimetric and bathymetric data acquired during the last close flyby of Titan by the Cassini spacecraft. We find that the morphology of the raised-rim basins is analogous to that of explosion craters from magma–water interaction on Earth and therefore propose that these basins are from near-surface vapour explosions, rather than karstic. We calculate that the phase transition of liquid nitrogen in the near subsurface during a warming event can generate explosions sufficient to form the basins. Hence, we suggest that raised-rim basins are evidence for one or more warming events terminating a nitrogen-dominated cold episode on Titan. Some lake basins in the polar regions of Titan may be craters from nitrogen vapour explosions due to past warming, according to analysis of their morphology in comparison to terrestrial explosion craters from magma–water interaction.
Incorporating health impacts in transportation project decision-making in the United States

Abstract Transportation can impact health through exposure to air pollution, noise, and traffic injuries as well as influence physical activity levels by encouraging or discouraging active transportation. In addition, transportation can affect access to opportunities and mitigate or worsen equities related to all of these exposures. It is therefore critical to recognize and assess health impacts of transportation projects, plans, and policies and develop prioritization frameworks in order to make transportation decisions that support health communities. Health impacts have been accounted for in transportation decision-making in the United States primarily through two approaches: (1) health impact assessments (HIAs) and (2) project scoring and prioritization frameworks. This chapter describes these two approaches, their applications, as well as the documented impact they have had on actual transportation decisions. While HIAs in transportation have not commonly been successful in influencing decision-making, they have initiated collaborations between the health and transportation sectors and improved the awareness of transportation impacts on health. On the other hand, it is common for departments of transportation and metropolitan planning organizations to develop project scoring criteria and prioritization frameworks to assist them in their decision-making. While most of these frameworks have not been developed with a health focus, they do account for health considerations through inclusion of criteria related to accessibility, air quality, equity, physical activity, and safety. Documented impacts of health-focused scoring frameworks indicate their success in increasing funding for active transportation projects. Overall, there is a growing interest in incorporating health in transportation decision-making and adjusting project scoring criteria is seen as a cost-effective way to achieve this.
Chapter 1 – Mathematical Preliminaries

Publisher Summary Similar to other field theories such as fluid mechanics, heat conduction, and electromagnetics, the study and application of elasticity theory requires knowledge of several areas of applied mathematics. This chapter provides a background primarily for proper formulation methods and solution techniques for elasticity problems. The elasticity theory is formulated in terms of many different types of variables that are either specified or sought at spatial points in the body under study. Some of these variables are scalar quantities, representing a single magnitude at each point in space. Common examples include the material density p and temperature T. Other variables of interest are vector quantities that are expressible in terms of components in a two- or three-dimensional coordinate system. Examples of vector variables are the displacement and rotation of material points in the elastic continuum. Formulations within the theory also require the need for matrix variables, which commonly require more than three components to quantify. Examples of such variables include stress and strain. A three-dimensional formulation requires nine components (only six are independent) to quantify the stress or strain at a point. For this case, the variable is normally expressed in a matrix format with three rows and three columns.
Laparoscopic Inguinal Hernia Repair – TAPP

A TAPP repair involves entering the peritoneum, creating a peritoneal flap to access the pre – peritoneal space, repairing the hernia and subsequently resuturing the peritoneal flap in place. The present chapter discusses a TAPP laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair.
Reproductive coercion sometimes works: evaluating whether young African-American women who experience reproductive coercion or birth control sabotage are more likely to become pregnant.

Men engaging in reproductive coercion may coerce, force, or deceive female partners into pregnancy. This study evaluates whether the 3-month incidence of pregnancy is higher among women reporting reproductive coercion than similar women reporting no reproductive coercion. We tested this hypothesis in longitudinal data from a sample of African-American women ages 18–24 recruited from community settings in Atlanta, Georgia, US, in 2012–2014 (n = 560). Participants were surveyed at baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 12 months. To reduce selection bias, we used full matching on 22 baseline variables related to demographics, economic power, risky alcohol use, and gender-based power inequality. We used logistic regression in the matched sample with outcome pregnancy 3 months later, controlling for baseline fertility intentions (n = 482, n = 458, n = 452 at respectively 3, 6, 9 months). At 3 months, 15% of women reported reproductive coercion. At 6 months, 11.3% of women reporting coercion were pregnant vs. 4.6% of matched women reporting no coercion (p = 0.06). Women reporting coercion had 3 times the odds of pregnancy as matched women reporting no coercion (AOR 2.95, 95% CI (1.16, 6.98), p = 0.02). Among women pregnant after coercion, only 15% wanted to be pregnant then or sooner. Women reporting reproductive coercion are at greater risk of unwanted or mistimed pregnancies, and the semen exposure that caused these pregnancies could also transmit STI/HIV. Clinicians should screen patients for reproductive coercion; consider using semen exposure biomarkers such as PSA or Yc-PCR to identify condom sabotage or stealthing; and refer women experiencing reproductive coercion to supportive services.
The Turn to Art History: Aloïs Riegl, Giovanni Morelli, and the Udine Incident

This chapter discusses Robert Eisler’s early work as an art historian, influenced by two distinct thinkers. From Alois Riegl’s notion of the Kunstwollen, or “artistic volition,” Eisler developed his idea of a worldview that can be reconstructed from works of art. And from Giovanni Morelli, who focused on small details to correctly identify the artists for misattributed paintings in Italian museums, Eisler took his practice of looking for seemingly quotidian elements that were commonly overlooked by other scholars. Collins also tells the story of Eisler’s travels through the Mediterranean, including his stay with Sir Arthur Evans in Crete and his arrest for art theft in Udine in 1907, followed by an attempted suicide in an Italian jail cell, and confinement to an asylum.
How do People Choose Between Biased Information Sources? Evidence from a Laboratory Experiment

People in our experiment choose between two information sources with opposing biases in order to inform their guesses about a binary state. By varying the nature of the bias, we vary whether it is optimal to consult information sources biased towards or against prior beliefs. Even in our deliberately-abstract setting, there is strong evidence of confirmation-seeking and to a lesser extent contradiction-seeking heuristics leading people to choose information sources biased towards or against their priors. Analysis of post-experiment survey questions suggests that subjects follow these rules due to fundamental errors in reasoning about the relative informativeness of biased information sources.
Realistic Assumptions in Economic Models

Expert testimony backed by economic models is essential for showing discrimination in employment cases, proving causation in antitrust suits, and measuring damages in an array of complex business litigation. Courts lack consistency and coherence in admissibility decisions regarding expert testimony based on economic models, in particular when the opponent targets the model’s assumptions as unrealistic. This article surveys the body of scholarship by economics methodologists on realism and assumptions, in particular the “reorientation” of the issue starting in the 1990s. The methodologists recognize different ways in which assumptions are realistic or unrealistic: by excluding factors, models are partial representations of the real world and therefore incomplete; assumptions may be confirmed or disconfirmed by evidence; and idealizations and omissions might be plausible or implausible to the target audience. The have also identified different functions for assumptions, such as excluding some factor as negligible, limiting the domains in which the model can be applied, and idealizing or omitting for purposes of tractability. Concern about whether assumptions are realistic is heightened in the context of applied models, such as those used in litigation. This survey leads to guidelines backed by theory for evaluating economics expert testimony for admissibility. All models are necessarily incomplete representations of the real world because they isolate and simplify, but so long as they offer insight about some relevant question, they are not unrealistic. If a modeler offers no explanation for a challenged assumption’s purpose or if evidence disconfirms a key assumption, then the judge as gatekeeper is justified in declining to admit the testimony. If the modeler makes idealizations or omissions for the purpose of empirical tractability, then the realisticness of those assumptions is a question of plausibility for the factfinder. Sometimes common sense cannot help with evaluating a complex theoretical model or model built upon numerous questionable assumptions, so the judge should admit the model but take a heavier hand in evaluating it for sufficiency.
Digital Ecosystems and Collaboration

Blurring industry boundaries and reorganization of conventional linear value chain led to new configurations that have come to be known as digital ecosystems. This chapter discusses how firms compete in a rapidly digitizing ecosystem environment. First, this chapter examines the architecture, demonstrating the driving forces behind digital ecosystems. Second, governance decisions that ecosystem orchestrators make for strategic advantages are addressed. Finally, this chapter emphasizes customers as the quintessence of digital ecosystems. Topics such as customer centricity, customers as co-creators, and customer trust are scrutinized. The chapter concludes by emphasizing how digital ecosystem promotes collaboration across entities.
Non-invasive Clinical Measurement of Ocular Rigidity and Comparison to Biomechanical and Morphological Parameters in Glaucomatous and Healthy Subjects

Purpose: To assess ocular rigidity using dynamic optical coherence tomography (OCT) videos in glaucomatous and healthy subjects, and to evaluate how ocular rigidity correlates with biomechanical and morphological characteristics of the human eye. Methods: Ocular rigidity was calculated using Friedenwald's empirical equation which estimates the change in intraocular pressure (IOP) produced by volumetric changes of the eye due to choroidal pulsations with each heartbeat. High-speed OCT video was utilized to non-invasively measure changes in choroidal volume through time-series analysis. A control-case study design was based on 23 healthy controls and 6 glaucoma cases. Multiple diagnostic modalities were performed during the same visit including Spectralis OCT for nerve head video, Pascal Dynamic Contour Tonometry for IOP and ocular pulse amplitude (OPA) measurement, Corvis ST for measuring dynamic biomechanical response, and Pentacam for morphological characterization. Results: Combining glaucoma and healthy cohorts (n = 29), there were negative correlations between ocular rigidity and axial length (Pearson R = -0.53, p = 0.003), and between ocular rigidity and anterior chamber volume (R = -0.64, p = 0.0002). There was a stronger positive correlation of ocular rigidity and scleral stiffness (i.e., stiffness parameter at the highest concavity [SP-HC]) (R = 0.62, p = 0.0005) compared to ocular rigidity and corneal stiffness (i.e., stiffness parameter at the first applanation [SP-A1]) (R = 0.41, p = 0.033). In addition, there was a positive correlation between ocular rigidity and the static pressure-volume ratio (P/V ratio) (R = 0.72, p < 0.0001). Conclusions: Ocular rigidity was non-invasively assessed using OCT video and OPA in a clinic setting. The significant correlation of ocular rigidity with biomechanical parameters, SP-HC and P/V ratio, demonstrated the validity of the ocular rigidity measurement. Ocular rigidity is driven to a greater extent by scleral stiffness than corneal stiffness. These in vivo methods offer an important approach to investigate the role of ocular biomechanics in glaucoma.
Navigating Intersectional Stigma: Strategies for Coping Among Cisgender Women of Color:

Intersectionality is a critical tool for understanding how socially constructed categories shape multiple dimensions of lived experience. In this study, we apply an intersectional lens to explore h...
Gradient Importance Learning for Incomplete Observations

Though recent works have developed methods that can generate estimates (or imputations)of the missing entries in a dataset to facilitate downstream analysis, most depend onassumptions that may not align with real-world applications and could suffer from poorperformance in subsequent tasks such as classification. This is particularly true if the datahave large missingness rates or a small sample size. More importantly, the imputationerror could be propagated into the prediction step that follows, which may constrain thecapabilities of the prediction model. In this work, we introduce the gradient importancelearning (GIL) method to train multilayer perceptrons (MLPs) and long short-term memo-ries (LSTMs) todirectlyperform inference from inputs containing missing valueswithoutimputation. Specifically, we employ reinforcement learning (RL) to adjust the gradientsused to train these models via back-propagation. This allows the model to exploit theunderlying information behindmissingness patterns. We test the approach on real-worldtime-series (i.e., MIMIC-III), tabular data obtained from an eye clinic, and a standarddataset (i.e., MNIST), where ourimputation-freepredictions outperform the traditionaltwo-stepimputation-based predictions using state-of-the-art imputation methods.
Promoting Geometric Reasoning through Artistic Constructions

In order to promote geometric understanding, teachers frequently use hands-on activities. Such activities can be used to expound upon the declarative statements and theorems of geometry. Using a compass, straightedge, and protractor, students are able to actively build conceptions involving bisectors, midpoints, and perpendicular lines. Additionally, activities that require students to problem-solve and formulate problems, using their construction knowledge and skills, can reinforce and strengthen that which they have learned. This article describes STEAM instruction with high school geometry students designed to productively integrate geometric constructions, digital technology, elements of art, and principles of design to enhance students’ geometric reasoning.
Effect of Improving Vehicle Fuel Efficiency on Fuel Tax Revenue and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Vehicle fuel economy improvement has proved to be one of the most effective policies in controlling gasoline demand and greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector. However, such improvement also results in the decrease of fuel tax revenue, the main funding source for building and maintaining the U.S. transportation infrastructure. Conversely, fuel efficiency improvement reduces the marginal and average cost of travel, thus encouraging drivers to drive more, and that in turn increases gasoline consumption. The objective of this study was to estimate the potential loss of fuel tax revenue and greenhouse gas emissions, dependents of fuel consumption, that resulted from the fuel efficiency improvement. Accordingly, fuel consumption was modeled as a system of equations consisting of vehicle miles traveled and fuel efficiency (in mpg) as two explanatory variables. The model was estimated by the three-stage least squares method, with annual time-series data for Washington State over the period from 19...
Circuit Complexity and the Expressive Power of Generalized First-Order Formulas

The circuit complexity classes AC0, ACC, and CC (also called pure-ACC) can be characterized as the classes of languages definable in certain extensions of first-order logic. All of the known and conjectured inclusions among these classes have been shown to be equivalent to a single conjecture concerning the form of the formulas required to define the regular languages they contain. (The conjecture states, roughly, that when a formula defines a regular language, predicates representing numerical relations on the positions in a string can be replaced by predicates computed by finite state automata.) Here this conjecture is established in a special case: It is shown that the conjecture holds for the subclasses of AC0, ACC, and CC defined by restricting all the numerical predicates occurring in the logical formulas to be either unary relations, or the order relation <.
Concepts for Vehicles for Off-Road Use in Remote Areas,

Abstract : A group of specialists was assembled at the U. S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station (WES) to consider quantitatively the various elements of the entire vehicle mobility problem and to suggest an approach for achieving a substantial degree of solution. One specific purpose of the meeting, and the one that is the subject of this paper, was to design a number of vehicles capable of operating in remote areas of the world where extremely soft soil conditions predominate. This paper describes the application of the design methods and presents the two wheeled-vehicle concepts and the one tracked-vehicle concept that were evolved to satisfy the basic assumptions.
Women and Long Term Care Planning

This is a practice-based essay, drawing upon current research and practice in long term care planning and finance. The main thesis is that women of all ages, including those who are well educated, and those who are in business occupations, resist thinking about their own long term care needs. As a result, women are at great risk for financial exposure and impoverishment when they reach old age. The authors explore the reasons for women's attitudes and make recommendations for steps that should be taken to change women's perceptions and assist them in planning for their needs. The article focuses on the different reasons for this resistance at three different stages of the life cycle: under age 40, ages 40-55, and over age 55. Four case studies, drawn from the authors' practice, are cited. The demographic and economic realities are defined, based on published research. Given the disparity between women's perceptions and the demographic and economic projections, the authors conclude with a series of steps t...
Effects of crosslinking on the thermal stability of hemoglobin: I. The use of bis(3,5-dibromosalicyl) fumarate

Abstract The double-headed aspirin, bis(3,5-dibromosalicyl) fumarate, has been used to crosslink hemoglobin A between Lys 82β1 and Lys 82β2 (J. A. Walder et al. (1979) Biochemistry18, 4265) . Denaturation experiments were used to compare the stability of this crosslinked protein to that of hemoglobin A. Thermal denaturations, done in 0.01 m 4-morpholinepropanesulfonic acid, pH 7, containing 0.9 m guanidine to prevent precipitation at high temperatures, were monitored by changes in absorbance between 190 and 650 nm using a diode array spectrophotometer. The sample was heated from 25 to 70 °C at 0.3 °C/min. The data were analyzed by using both a two-state model and a novel first derivative method. As expected, methemoglobin A had a single, broad transition with a midpoint of 40.7 °C. The crosslinked methemoglobin showed a transition at 57.1 °C. Two minor transitions, one of which was apparently due to residual unmodified hemoglobin, were also observed in the crosslinked sample. Thus, a single crosslink between only two of the four subunits can lead to a significantly more stable molecule. These results can be explained by Le Chatelier's principle, since crosslinking prevents dissociation of the β-subunits and, thereby, holds the entire tetramer together.
Effect of agar volume, inoculum size, and Hepes buffer on the size of T-mycoplasmal colonies.

The volume of agar medium in a Petri dish was found to be related to T-mycoplasmal colonial size and morphology. Increasing the volume of agar was associated with an increase in colony size and with a change from tiny granular colonies to larger colonies with a “fried egg” appearance. lnoculum size was inversely related to colony size. Hepes buffer had little effect on colony size under the conditions utilized in these studies. 1 -mycoplasmas, first isolated by Shepard,l were designated T (for Tiny) strains because they produced small granular colonies on agar rather than the large “fried egg” colonies produced by most other mycoplasmal species. Colony size is thus one of the characteristics of the T-mycoplasmas in addition to their ability to metabolize urea, their resistance to lincomycin, and their susceptibility to erythromycin.‘-” Although it has been reported that T-mycoplasmal colonial size and morphology is influenced by PH,~, 5 urea concentratioq7 and the atmosphere in which the plates are incubated, 3* 4 Shepard has shown that even under the most favorable of conditions colony size rarely exceeds 25 pm in diameter.* More recently, Manchee and Taylor-Robinson8 have reported that the addition of Hepes (N-2hydroxyethylpiperazine-N-2-ethansulfonic
Systematics of meson-Skyrmion scattering

The S-matrix characterizing the scattering of pions from nucleons is calculated in the context of skyrmion models of the nucleon. These are models in which the nucleon is considered a soliton in the field of pions. The spectrum of nucleon and delta resonances in the Skyrme model is calculated and found to be in overall good agreement with Nature. Model-independent sum rules between amplitudes in the same partial wave are derived and examined. An extension of the formalism to the case of three light flavors is presented. 31 refs., 26 figs., 6 tabs.
Morphine stimulates CCL2 production by human neurons

Background Substances of abuse, such as opiates, have a variety of immunomodulatory properties that may influence both neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative disease processes. The chemokine CCL2, which plays a pivotal role in the recruitment of inflammatory cells in the nervous system, is one of only a few chemokines produced by neurons. We hypothesized that morphine may alter expression of CCL2 by human neurons.