cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Photocurrent Enhancement by Introducing Gold Nanoparticles in Nanostructures Based Heterojunction Solar Cell Device

In this paper, we report a first hand study of plasmon-enhanced photocurrent observed in hybrid nanostructures based heterojunction solar cell. The heterojunction solar cell was fabricated, using chemically synthesized narrow gap, IV–VI group semiconductor nanoparticles (PbS) of 3~6nm diameter, wide gap semiconductor ZnO nanowires of 500nm~1 μm length and ~50nm diameter, and gold nanoparticles (~5nm to 30nm), by spin-coating (~20cycles) onto FTO glasses, in ambient conditions (25°C, 1atm). The synthesized nanostructures were characterized by XRD, UV-VIS absorption, SEM, TEM, solar simulator, etc. Nanostructures of variant sizes were integrated in to the heterojunction devices to study the effects on photocurrent and solar cell performance. The sizes, lengths, thickness of nanostructures were optimized to have best solar cell devices. The effects of fabrication conditions (such as growth temperature, growth time, anneal temperature, ligand treatments, in air or in N2, etc.) on device performance were also studied. The architecture of film stack, i.e., the positions of Au nanoparticles and PbS nanoparticles were also studied. It was confirmed that introducing Au nanopartiles with proper size would lead to the increase of photocurrent. The key challenges were to minimize the trap states and optimize the interface of nanostructures.
Investigation on Antibacterial Activities of Terpenoid and Polysaccharide From Scleroderma Citrinum Pers. Pers. and Tremetes Versicolor Fr. Quel

Polysaccharides and terpenoids were isolatedfrom fruit bodies of basidiomycetous fungi Scleroderma citrinum Pers. Pers. and Trametesversicolor Fr. Quel.,which were collected from the plain of West Bengal,India.Their antibacterial activities were assayed by agar plates cup diffusion techniques against three Gram + ve bacteria ( Staphylococcus aureus,Micrococcusroseus and Bacillus brevis ) and two Gram – ve bacteria ( Ralstonia solanacearum and Escherichia coli ).Terpenoid isolated from Trametesversicolor Fr. Quelwas most active in inhibiting the growth of all five bacteria. Terpenoid inhibited maximum (19 ±2.4mm)growth against Staphylococcus aureus and minimum against Micrococcus roseus (17±1.1mm). The MIC of terpenoid isolated from T. versicolor was 5µg/ml against S.aureus and R.solanacearum and it was similar to ampicillin (5µg/ml).The polysaccharides isolated from these two mushrooms were less active against the test five bacteria.The terpenoids isolated from Scleroderma citrinum Pers. Persalso inhibited the growth of the test bacteria.
Foot Clearance and Variability in Mono- and Multifocal Intraocular Lens Users During Stair Navigation

Intraocular lenses (IOLs) provide distance and near refraction and are becoming the standard for cataract surgery. Multifocal glasses increase variability of toe clearance in older adults navigating stairs and increase fall risk; however, little is known about the biomechanics of stair navigation in individuals with multifocal IOLs. This study compared clearance while ascending and descending stairs in individuals with monofocal versus multifocal IOLs. Eight participants with multifocal IOLs (4 men, 4 women; mean age = 66.5 yr, standard deviation [SD] = 6.26) and fifteen male participants with monofocal IOLs (mean age = 69.9 yr, SD = 6.9) underwent vision and mobility testing. Motion analysis recorded kinematic and custom software-calculated clearances in three-dimensional space. No significant differences were found between groups on minimum clearance or variability. Clearance differed for ascending versus descending stairs: the first step onto the stair had the greatest toe clearance during ascent, whereas the final step to the floor had the greatest heel clearance during descent. This preliminary study indicates that multifocal IOLs have similar biomechanic characteristics to monofocal IOLs. Given that step characteristics are related to fall risk, we can tentatively speculate that multifocal IOLs may carry no additional fall risk.
Patient Selection for Urinary Diversion

Continent diversion is an established alternative form of urinary diversion for patients undergoing radical cystectomy, but it is performed in less than 20% of patients globally. There are both patient-related and cancer-related factors that should be taken into consideration in deciding which patient may be a good candidate for a continent form of diversion. Specific absolute and relative contraindications to continent diversion are relatively rare in this patient population. Shared decision-making with education and support of the patient and his or her family can help guide patients through the decision process.
“Building a thick skin for each other”: The use of ‘reading’ as an interactional practice of mock impoliteness in drag queen backstage talk

Although queer linguistics has long acknowledged the playful use of potentially impolite utterances by LGBT people to build in-group solidarity these practices have not been analyzed from a sociopragmatic approach, nor have they been mentioned in the general pragmatics literature. Responding to these two gaps, the present study examines the functional use of the interactional practice ‘reading’ in the backstage talk of four drag queen performers. By employing a mock impoliteness analytical framework ( Haugh & Bousfield 2012 ) this study shows how these utterances, which could potentially be evaluated as genuine impoliteness outside of the appropriate context, are positively evaluated by in-group members who recognize the importance of “building a thick skin” to face a hostile environment from LGBT and non-LGBT people. This study also seeks to draw attention to the use of backstage talk, and supplemental interview data, to uncover drag queen cultural practices through language use.
A Variable Inductor Based LCL Filter for Large-Scale Microgrid Application

Three-phase LCL filters, compared to L or LC filters, are preferred in high-power converters in microgrid applications because of their better capability of harmonic attenuation. Fixed value inductors are mostly adopted in traditional designs to achieve low current harmonics at rated power. However, due to the intermittent nature of renewable energies, microgrid converters have to operate under light-load conditions, which sometimes result in worse harmonics performance. This paper proposes a variable filter inductor, which has three-time higher inductance at low currents compared to its inductance value at rated current. It not only reduces current harmonics under all operating conditions but also helps to stabilize the microgrid by inducing less LCL resonant propagation. The inductor's magnetic design is illustrated and verified by finite-element simulation. MATLAB/PLECS circuit simulation shows a reduction of current harmonics when using the variable inductor under light-load conditions. Experimental results from a 1-MVA prototype confirm the theoretical expectations.
Processes for conducting HSI and MSI pan-sharpening with 3D digital flattening

Two-dimensional digital flattening was implemented on distorted 3D documents for the Rochester Cultural Heritage Imaging, Visualization, and Education (R-CHIVE) database, with the purpose of exploring new techniques to enhance usability among historians and analysts. This process was investigated with a minimal cost RGB scanner for implementation into a future hyperspectral system. Results from the flattening improved readability of the distorted document when compared to a simple nadir view. The flattening process was then combined with pan-chromatic sharpening to produce a high spatial and spectral resolution image removed of projective distortion. The effectiveness of processing order was investigated relative to spectral, spatial, and flattening accuracy. Flattening and then sharpening proved more accurate both spectrally and spatially, with 60% the spectral error and 80% less FWHM of its line spread function. Two flattening methods were investigated and again the flattening first method outperformed the sharpening then flattening method, this time by 38.7%. This suggests, for simple flattening requirements, sharpening the image first, applying it to the 3D model, and then flattening the model provides the most accurate results.
Progesterone Inhibits the Growth of Human Neuroblastoma: In Vitro and In Vivo Evidence

We investigated the antitumorogenic effects of progesterone (P4) in a human neuroblastoma (SK-N-AS) cell line in vitro and in a mouse xenograft model of neuroblastoma. The safety of P4 was tested in rat primary cortical neurons and human foreskin fibroblasts (HFF-1). At high doses, P4 significantly (P < 0.05) decreased SK-N-AS cell viability in vitro, and this effect was not blocked either by 5α-reductase inhibitor, finasteride or the P4 receptor antagonist RU486. Even at very high doses, P4 did not induce any cell death in healthy primary cortical neurons or HFF-1. The bioavailability of P4 24 h after the last injection in the serum of treated animals was significantly (P < 0.05) higher (10–33 µg/mL) than in untreated animals. In nude mice, P4 (50 and 100 mg/kg) inhibited neuroblastoma growth by ∼50% over 8 d of treatment. No drug toxicity was observed in the mice, as measured by body weight and activity. P4 suppressed the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-9, MMP-2), which are involved in tumor vascular development. High-dose P4 inhibited tumor growth by suppressing cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis, as evidenced by the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen and cleaved caspase-3. P4 significantly increased the expression of P4 receptor isoform-A and suppressed phospho-Akt (Ser437) expression. In conclusion, at high doses, P4 effectively inhibits the growth of solid neuroblastoma tumor and has high bioavailability, selective toxicity and a high margin of safety making it a possible candidate for further study as a potential clinical treatment of neuroblastoma.
Digital Video Processing

Over the years, thousands of engineering students and professionals relied on Digital Video Processing as the definitive, in-depth guide to digital image and video processing technology. Now, Dr. A. Murat Tekalp has completely revamped the first edition to reflect todays technologies, techniques, algorithms, and trends. Digital Video Processing, Second Edition, reflects important advances in image processing, computer vision, and video compression, including new applications such as digital cinema, ultra-high-resolution video, and 3D video. This edition offers rigorous, comprehensive, balanced, and quantitative coverage of image filtering, motion estimation, tracking, segmentation, video filtering, and compression. Now organized and presented as a true tutorial, it contains updated problem sets and new MATLAB projects in every chapter. Coverage includes Multi-dimensional signals/systems: transforms, sampling, and lattice conversion Digital images and video: human vision, analog/digital video, and video quality Image filtering: gradient estimation, edge detection, scaling, multi-resolution representations, enhancement, de-noising, and restoration Motion estimation: image formation; motion models; differential, matching, optimization, and transform-domain methods; and 3D motion and shape estimation Video segmentation: color and motion segmentation, change detection, shot boundary detection, video matting, video tracking, and performance evaluation Multi-frame filtering: motion-compensated filtering, multi-frame standards conversion, multi-frame noise filtering, restoration, and super-resolution Image compression: lossless compression, JPEG, wavelets, and JPEG2000 Video compression: early standards, ITU-T H.264/MPEG-4 AVC, HEVC, Scalable Video Compression, and stereo/multi-view approaches
The papillomavirus virion: a machine built to hide molecular Achilles' heels.

Papillomaviruses are a diverse group of DNA viruses that infect the skin and mucosal tissues of vertebrates. More than 100 distinct human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes have so far been identified. A subset of HPVs is known to cause human cancer. Although recently developed vaccines protect vaccinated individuals from the two most carcinogenic HPV types, there is a pressing need for next-generation vaccines that might offer broad-spectrum protection against the full range of cancer-causing HPVs. The ongoing development of such vaccines will be facilitated by a deeper understanding of the mechanics of the assembly of the nonenveloped papillomavirus virion, as well as the machinelike structural changes that occur in the virion during the process of infectious entry into host cells. This chapter reviews the field’s current knowledge of these two aspects of papillomavirus biology and speculates about areas where further work is needed.
Etiology of benign prostatic hyperplasia.

The natural history of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) involves two phases. The first, or pathologic phase, is composed of two stages, microscopic and macroscopic, neither of which produces symptomatic clinical dysuria. Nearly all men throughout the world eventually develop microscopic BPH if they live long enough. In only about 50% of men, however, does microscopic BPH grow to produce a macroscopic enlargement of the gland, suggesting that additional factors are required for BPH progression. The second, or clinical, phase of BPH involves the progression of pathologic BPH to its clinical form, in which the patient develops symptomatic dysuria. Again, only about one half of the men with macroscopic BPH progress to clinical BPH. Although macroscopic enlargement of the prostate is necessary for the development of clinical BPH, it is usually not sufficient by itself for the progression to clinical BPH. Additional factors are required (e.g., prostatitis, vascular infarct, tensile strength of the glandular capsule). Successful treatment does not, therefore, require the prevention of pathologic BPH; instead, what is needed is a therapy to prevent or reverse the progression to clinical disease.
Epilepsy-predictive magnetic resonance imaging changes following experimental febrile status epilepticus: Are they translatable to the clinic?

Author(s): Curran, Megan M; Haddad, Elizabeth; Patterson, Katelin P; Choy, Mankin; Dube, Celine M; Baram, Tallie Z; Obenaus, Andre | Abstract: ObjectiveA subset of children with febrile status epilepticus (FSE) are at risk for development of temporal lobe epilepsy later in life. We sought a noninvasive predictive marker of those at risk that can be identified soon after FSE, within a clinically realistic timeframe.MethodsLongitudinal T2 -weighted magnetic resonance imaging (T2 WI MRI) of rat pups at several time points after experimental FSE (eFSE) was performed on a high-field scanner followed by long-term continuous electroencephalography. In parallel, T2 WI MRI scans were performed on a 3.0-T clinical scanner. Finally, chronic T2 WI MRI signal changes were examined in rats that experienced eFSE and were imaged months later in adulthood.ResultsEpilepsy-predicting T2 changes, previously observed at 2nhours after eFSE, persisted for at least 6nhours, enabling translation to the clinic. Repeated scans, creating MRI trajectories of T2 relaxation times following eFSE, provided improved prediction of epileptogenesis compared with a single MRI scan. Predictive signal changes centered on limbic structures, such as the basolateral and medial amygdala. T2 WI MRI changes, originally described on high-field scanners, can also be measured on clinical MRI scanners. Chronically elevated T2 relaxation times in hippocampus were observed months after eFSE in rats, as noted for post-FSE changes in children.SignificanceEarly T2 WI MRI changes after eFSE provide a strong predictive measure of epileptogenesis following eFSE, on both high-field and clinical MRI scanners. Importantly, the extension of the acute signal changes to at least 6nhours after the FSE enables its inclusion in clinical studies. Chronic elevations of T2 relaxation times within the hippocampal formation and related structures are common to human and rodent FSE, suggesting that similar processes are involved across species.
Multi-Asset Volatility Premiums or Anomalies?

Investors demand excess returns for assuming risk, but across many asset classes, there is mixed evidence that more volatile assets realize higher returns than do assets with lower volatility. This is the volatility anomaly. By analyzing equities, fixed income, foreign exchange, and commodities, the authors show which asset classes have volatility premiums and which have volatility anomalies. For those with volatility anomalies, they provide evidence that the anomaly may be well explained by either a time-varying volatility premium or by a premium for higher-order moments such as skew or kurtosis. The authors also show that across asset classes, a skew premium diversifies other well-known premiums. From a portfolio management perspective, this means that harvesting higher-order moment premiums can improve risk-adjusted returns in multi-asset portfolios. Their research also shows that the frequency of the signal matters for its efficacy. For volatility and skew, monthly signals may be less valuable than annual signals.
Changes in Parental Perceptions of Their Care of Their Children's Oral Health From Age 1 to 4 Years.

Introduction: In this 3-year longitudinal study, parent/child attended 3 dental visits and in between, parents were called every 4 months and asked if their child had visited the dentist and if flu...
Polynomial Approximation on Touching Domains in the Complex Plane

We discuss results concerning a conjecture on the rate of polynomial approximation on the compact set of the plane to a complex extension of the absolute value function. The conjecture was stated by Grothmann and Saff in 1988. In particular, we prove another conjecture, Gaier conjecture, on the polynomial approximation of piecewise analytic functions on a compact set consisting of two touching discs.
Hydrogen sulfide intoxication induced brain injury and methylene blue

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) remains a chemical hazard in the gas and farming industry. It is easy to manufacture from common chemicals and thus represents a potential threat for the civilian population. It is also employed as a method of suicide, for which incidence has recently increased in the US. H2S is a mitochondrial poison and exerts its toxicity through mechanisms that are thought to result from its high affinity to various metallo-proteins (such as - but not exclusively- the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase) and interactions with cysteine residues of proteins. Ion channels with critical implications for the cardiac and the brain functions appear to be affected very early during and following H2S exposure, an effect which is rapidly reversible during a light intoxication. However, during severe H2S intoxication, a coma, associated with a reduction in cardiac contractility, develops within minutes or even seconds leading to death by complete electro-mechanical dissociation of the heart. If the level of intoxication is milder, a rapid and spontaneous recovery of the coma occurs as soon as the exposure stops. The risk, although probably very small, of developing long-term debilitating motor or cognitive deficits is present. One of the major challenges impeding our effort to offer an effective treatment against H2S intoxication after exposure is that the pool of free/soluble H2S almost immediately disappears from the body preventing agents trapping free H2S (cobalt or ferric compounds) to play their protective role. This paper (1) presents and discusses the neurological symptoms and lesions observed in various animals models and in humans following an acute exposure to sub-lethal or lethal levels of H2S, (2) reviews the potential interest of methylene blue (MB), a potent cyclic redox dye - currently used for the treatment of methemoglobinemia - which has potential rescuing effects on the mitochondrial activity, as an antidote against sulfide intoxication.
The reaction of firm ex ante cost of equity capital to the resolution of shareholder class action lawsuits

Abstract Existing research provides evidence that providers of capital (banks, public debt, and equity) all increase the expected return on securities after the initiation of a shareholder lawsuit. Many of these lawsuits are dismissed or settled with trivial monetary penalties, which suggests that an across-the-board permanent increase in the cost of capital is misguided. After estimating the probable outcome of a shareholder lawsuit using only information available at the time the shareholder lawsuit is filed, we study the resolution of shareholder lawsuits to determine if market participants adjust their expected return after a case is resolved. We find an increase (decrease) in the ex ante cost of equity capital when there is a surprise settlement (dismissal), which is consistent with an efficient market. Further, we present evidence consistent with equity market participants monitoring the progress of shareholder lawsuits prior to resolution. Overall, our results suggest that firm ex ante cost of equity capital only changes after the resolution of a shareholder lawsuit if the outcome of the case is different than initially predicted.
Biomechanics of small intestine during distraction enterogenesis with an intraluminal spring.

Abstract During recent years, distraction enterogenesis has been extensively studied as a treatment for short bowel syndrome, which is the most common cause of intestinal failure. Although different strategies such as parenteral nutrition and surgical lengthening have been used to manage the difficulties that patients with SBS deal with, these treatments are associated with high complication rates. Distraction enterogenesis uses mechanical force to increase the length and stimulate growth of the small intestine. In this study we combine in vivo experiments with computational modeling to explore the biomechanics of spring dependent distraction enterogenesis. We hypothesize that the self-expanding spring provides mechanical force for elastic tissue lengthening and triggers cellular proliferation. The additional growth of the intestine suggests signaling between mechanical stress and tissue response. We developed a computational modeling platform to test the correlation of applied mechanical force and tissue growth. We further validated our computational models with experimental measurements using spring-mediated distraction enterogenesis in a porcine model. This modeling platform can incorporate patient biometrics to estimate an individual's tissue response to spring mediated distraction enterogenesis.
Letter to the Editor: The Necessity of Teaching Medical Students to Voice Their Values.

I would like to thank Dr. Lisa Lee for reviewing my book, Giving Voice to Values as a Professional Physician: An Introduction to Medical Ethics, in a previous issue of The American Journal of Bioet...
Understanding Entrustment Decision-Making by Surgical Program Directors.

Abstract Background The process of entrustment—placing trust in a trainee to independently execute a task—has been proposed as a complementary metric to assess competence. However, entrustment decision-making by trainee supervisors is not well understood in surgical training. We aim to explore processes underlying entrustment decision-making (EDM) by general surgery program directors. Materials and methods Purposive sampling was used to recruit 20 program directors from Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education–accredited general surgery training programs to participate in a one-hour semistructured interview. We analyzed interviews using an iterative and inductive approach to identify novel themes associated with the process of trainee entrustment. Results Qualitative analysis identified that program directors rely on a network of faculty to make entrustment decisions regarding trainees. Perceived trainee competence to perform independent clinical tasks varies significantly in and out of the operating room (OR), with a strong emphasis on entrustment for technical competencies to the exclusion of cognitive competencies. In the OR, entrustment is informed by an attending's reflexive trust and physical presence, trainee labels, and presumed discernment. Outside of the OR, trainee labels, presumed discernment, and transference of competence were identified as critical themes. Conclusions Modifiable components of entrustment are equally dependent on trainee and faculty behavior. Entrustment is more heavily informed by trainee performance in the OR, despite program directors uniformly stating that judgment outside of the OR is the most critical component of resident training. The inclusion of EDM to evaluate trainee progression should be considered as an important adjunct to established Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education milestones.
Facilitating the self-determination of undergraduate women in physics: the role of external validation

Background: The representation of women in physics majors is persistently low despite ongoing calls for reforms to improve gender equality. This article builds upon prior research by applying the s...
Travel Time to Title X Facilities and Teenage Birth Rates in North Carolina

In the United States, Title X facilities are understood to be an effective starting point for improving teenagers’ reproductive health outcomes, including unintended pregnancy. We investigate geographic accessibility of Title X facilities and the relationship between geographic accessibility of Title X facilities and teenage birth rates in the state of North Carolina (NC). Vehicular travel time from each ZCTA to its nearest Title X facility was calculated using a geographic information system and summarized as the indicator of geographic accessibility. We used bivariate and multiple spatial lag regressions to evaluate the relationship between ZCTA-level teenage birth rates (n = 754) in 2016 and geographic accessibility to a Title X facility, as well as socioeconomic and demographic factors. Nearly 60% of teenage women lived 30 min or less from a Title X funded facility, while approximately 12% of women lived 60 min or more from the nearest facility. In the regression models, percent non-Hispanic White, percent Hispanic, percent in Poverty, percent not enrolled in school, and population density were associated with teenage birth rates; however, geographic accessibility was only associated in the bivariate model. Our findings show that geographic accessibility of Title X facilities is lower in NC than in other states. However, our results suggest that geographic accessibility is not related to teenage birth rates. Overall, these findings may indicate that publicly funded family planning facilities are underutilized by proximal populations or factors other than proximity act as a barrier to utilization.
DNA Cleavage by a De Novo Designed Protein-Titanium Complex.

Titanium is one of the most abundant elements on Earth but is commonly thought to have no role in biology because of its propensity to hydrolyze. Nature stabilizes hard Lewis acidic metals from hyd...
The Impact of Filing Bankruptcy on Environmental Protection: Police Power and the Automatic Stay 11 U.S.C. § 362

Enforcement of environmental regulations and bankruptcy reorganization are diametrically opposed. A challenge exists to effectuate policies underlying state environmental legislation and federal bankruptcy legislation. These areas are of particular interest because of public concern for environmental protection and economic stability. Congress considers protection of the environment a national priority and has enacted legislation in this area. Currently, there is a debate concerning the funding of the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), commonly known as "Superfund". Divergent views exist among industry, environmentalists, the Administration, House Democrats and Senate Republicans regarding the Superfund and parties responsible for payment. CERCLA established a clean-up fund of tax revenues from chemical and petroleum companies, and under CERCLA the federal government cleans up hazardous waste dumps and attempts to recover costs from dump owners and waste producers. Congress is considering a waste-end tax thereby spreading the financial burden to mining, aluminum and electronics industries that utilize the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) certified disposal facilities. The tax assessment would be based on the amount of waste disposed. This tax method is a sounder approach than basing the tax on the quantity of raw materials involved in the manufacturing process because the burden is equitably distributed. In addition to federal legislation, states also expressed concern for protecting the environment and enacted such legislation. Moreover, there are joint efforts in the solid waste management area with the federal government providing financial assistance.Congress addressed the issues of economic stability and inflation in the Bankruptcy Reform Act (BRA), referred to as the Bankruptcy Code. Although the procedural mechanisms are complex, the provisions did liberalize the reorganization process. In doing so, economic instability has been alleviated through preserving business entities. However, there is an apparent conflict with environmental regulation enforcement and the BRA liberalization. The issue is whether Congress, in enacting the BRA, intended that a petitioner in bankruptcy be permitted to violate public health and safety regulations. Potential conflicts involved in the BRA and environmental protection include: omission of the requirement in pre-code bankruptcy law of legal insolvency prior to seeking bankruptcy court protection, lack of an explicit good faith requirement in filing a bankruptcy petition, police power, and the impact of the BRA automatic stay section and its application to governmental units. After reviewing the background on bankruptcy proceedings, the impact of the automatic and discretionary stays of the BRA on police power in environmental regulation will be addressed and solutions to the bankruptcy/environmental conflict will be suggested.
Induction of Core Circadian Clock Transcription Factor Bmal1 Enhances β-Cell Function and Protects Against Obesity-Induced Glucose Intolerance.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is characterized by β-cell dysfunction as a result of impaired glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS). Studies show that β-cell circadian clocks are important regulators of GSIS and glucose homeostasis. These observations raise the question about whether enhancement of the circadian clock in β-cells will confer protection against β-cell dysfunction under diabetogenic conditions. To test this, we used an approach by first generating mice with β-cell-specific inducible overexpression of Bmal1 (core circadian transcription factor; β-Bmal1OV ). We subsequently examined the effects of β-Bmal1OV on the circadian clock, GSIS, islet transcriptome, and glucose metabolism in the context of diet-induced obesity. We also tested the effects of circadian clock-enhancing small-molecule nobiletin on GSIS in mouse and human control and T2DM islets. We report that β-Bmal1OV mice display enhanced islet circadian clock amplitude and augmented in vivo and in vitro GSIS and are protected against obesity-induced glucose intolerance. These effects were associated with increased expression of purported BMAL1-target genes mediating insulin secretion, processing, and lipid metabolism. Furthermore, exposure of isolated islets to nobiletin enhanced β-cell secretory function in a Bmal1-dependent manner. This work suggests therapeutic targeting of the circadian system as a potential strategy to counteract β-cell failure under diabetogenic conditions.
Evaluation of ionic equilibria in mixed-buffer isothermal titration calorimetry and continuously stirred tank reactors.

Abstract Determination of an equilibrium pH value in complex aqueous solution and deconvolution of this equilibrium to evaluate phenomena related to mixing, dilution, or progress of reaction is increasingly important in areas ranging from water quality to pharmaceutical formulations and manufacturing. Linearization of pH problems by simple algebraic substitution enables equilibria within complex buffered aqueous solutions to be modeled as an eigenvalue problem. This formulation approach makes rigorous determination of equilibrium pH values and reactor dynamics more accessible than with previous calculation methods, even when activity coefficients and non-ideality are considered. This work demonstrates how such calculations can enable detailed modeling of enthalpic changes in an isothermal titration calorimeter. In support of this work, the acid dissociation constants for three furancarboxylic acids (2-furancarboxylic acid, FA; 5-formyl-2-furancarboxylic acid, FFA; and 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid, FDCA), two of them novel, were determined and compared with multi-wavelength ultraviolet–visible spectrophotometry. The thermodynamic pKa values were determined to be 3.1 for FA, 2.2 for FFA, and 2.1 and 3.4 for the first and second ionization steps of FDCA, respectively.
Response of extreme precipitation to uniform surface warming in quasi-global aquaplanet simulations at high resolution.

Projections of precipitation extremes in simulations with global climate models are very uncertain in the tropics, in part because of the use of parameterizations of deep convection and model defic...
Unsupervised Machine Learning to Identify Separable Clinical Alzheimer’s Disease Sub-Populations

Heterogeneity among Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients confounds clinical trial patient selection and therapeutic efficacy evaluation. This work defines separable AD clinical sub-populations using unsupervised machine learning. Clustering (t-SNE followed by k-means) of patient features and association rule mining (ARM) was performed on the ADNIMERGE dataset from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI). Patient sociodemographics, brain imaging, biomarkers, cognitive tests, and medication usage were included for analysis. Four AD clinical sub-populations were identified using between-cluster mean fold changes [cognitive performance, brain volume]: cluster-1 represented least severe disease [+17.3, +13.3]; cluster-0 [−4.6, +3.8] and cluster-3 [+10.8, −4.9] represented mid-severity sub-populations; cluster-2 represented most severe disease [−18.4, −8.4]. ARM assessed frequently occurring pharmacologic substances within the 4 sub-populations. No drug class was associated with the least severe AD (cluster-1), likely due to lesser antecedent disease. Anti-hyperlipidemia drugs associated with cluster-0 (mid-severity, higher volume). Interestingly, antioxidants vitamin C and E associated with cluster-3 (mid-severity, higher cognition). Anti-depressants like Zoloft associated with most severe disease (cluster-2). Vitamin D is protective for AD, but ARM identified significant underutilization across all AD sub-populations. Identification and feature characterization of four distinct AD sub-population “clusters” using standard clinical features enhances future clinical trial selection criteria and cross-study comparative analysis.
Who Should Fund Social Innovation

Economic innovation is at once unique to its particular sector—for-profit, social, or government—and interconnected to creative processes in the world of finance more broadly. In this chapter, I discuss innovation in two of the three sectors: the social economy and government. I argue that social economy enterprises are better-positioned than governments to innovate within the sphere of social services for both ethical and practical reasons. I argue that social enterprises should engage in social innovation, and that government should not, for three reasons. First, social enterprises are more efficient at innovation than government because they are responsive to economic conditions in a way that governments are not. Second, social enterprises are more effective at innovation than government because they are mission-driven and thus have fewer competing priorities to weigh. Third, non-voluntary democratic institutions and other government structures are not in an ethical position to innovate in the social sector because innovation necessarily implies high risk. In practice, these arguments call for a division of labor between government and social enterprise in which social enterprises incubate and governments scale. This is an argument in normative ethics, using distinctly analytical and humanist methodologies, but applied to the analysis of social-scientific research.
Dual Functional Power Management System for an Energy Storage in Light Fuel-Cell Hybrid Electric Vehicles

This paper presents a new dual functional control system for an energy storage in a light fuel-cell electric vehicle such as a small motor cycle and an electric cart. The proposed control system manages charging and discharging of an energy storage and regulate two bus voltages at the same time to minimize the number of circuit elements in the system. Since a fuel-cell voltage varies based on the load, a boost converter needs to be employed in the proposed system to provide a 48V DC power to a traction inverter for this light vehicle application. An additional voltage bus which can be higher or lower than the input fuel cell voltage is added for other electric loads. The new dual functional controller is employed for this system to control two different output voltages and manage a battery at the same time. Through the effort of the dual functional control system, one switching element and one inductor can be removed while keeping the same functionality. The proposed dual-functional control strategy and the converter structure are explained in detail first. Then, the feasibility of the converter is verified by experiments.
A Tale of Twin Dependence: A New Multivariate Regression Model and an FGLS Estimator for Analyzing Outcomes With Network Dependence:

In this article, I present a new multivariate regression model for analyzing outcomes with network dependence. The model is capable to account for two types of outcome dependence including the mean...
An Optimized Object Detection System for Visually Impaired People

Vision is one of the main senses that enables us to interact with the natural environment. Globally, there are almost two hundred million blind people and visually impaired people who hinder multiple daily activities. It is, therefore, really important for blind persons to understand their surroundings and know what things they are communicating with. This article discusses many of the camera-based software methods and tools that help the blind person read text patterns written on handheld items. This is the method to help people with visual impairments understand and convert text patterns into audio output. The framework initially proposes the solution to taking a picture from the camera and the goal region to extract the item from the background and draw a text pattern from the object. Different algorithms are evaluated in different scenes. The observed text is connected to the blueprint and converted through voice output. Text patterns located and binaries using Optical Character Recognition (OCR). The text is converted into an audio output. The result shows that the proposed study reaches the precision of the object description in terms of 98.30.
American Culture in the 1930s by David Eldridge Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2008, 259 pp

(2010). American Culture in the 1930s by David Eldridge Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2008, 259 pp. American Journalism: Vol. 27, No. 3, pp. 177-178.
The role-goal-activity framework revisited: examining student buy-in in a project-based learning environment

At ICLS 2004 we presented a framework for the study of student participation and engagement in project-based curricula. This framework was specifically designed for the analysis of project-based learning environments in that it explicitly considered the influence of student "buy-in" to an overall scenario on participation and engagement in project-based activities, and identified factors we hypothesized influenced the nature of role- and goal-adoption (including students' scenario-related understandings, attitudes, and beliefs, as well as their perception of the degree of "fit" or alignment between the role and goal and project activities). In this paper, we present the findings of a mixed-methods study we designed, based upon this framework, to examine student role- and goal- adoption in two seventh-grade science classrooms where students participated in the "What Will Survive" life sciences curriculum, and discuss ways in which we plan to revise our framework based on the study results.
Basic Probability Review

The background material for this textbook is a general understanding of probability and the properties of various distributions; thus, before discussing the modeling of the various manufacturing and production systems, it is important to review the fundamental concepts of basic probability. This material is not intended to teach probability theory, but it is used for review and to establish a common ground for the notation and definitions used throughout the book. Much of the material in this chapter is from [3], and for those already familiar with probability, this chapter can easily be skipped.
Abstract 2722: Suppression of breast cancer cell migration by novel inhibitors that target transient receptor potential-melastatin-like 7 (Trpm7) kinase activity

TRPM7 (transient receptor potential melastatin 7) encodes a calcium permeable non-selective cation channel implicated in cell adhesion and magnesium homoeostasis. The TRPM7 gene encodes for a protein kinase whose activity is linked to the control of actomyosin contractility. TRPM7 mediates adhesion and migration of MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells and recently has been reported to promote breast tumor cell metastasis. The lack of cell-permeable pharmacological inhibitors of the kinase domain represents a barrier to fully understanding kinase function. Herein, we describe the discovery of several compounds that target TRPM7 kinase activity and which were shown to decrease the binding of Myosin IIB to TRPM7 in HEK293 cells and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells transfected with pCMV6-TRPM7. Interestingly, two of the inhibitors potentially inhibited MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells migration that have been reported to be regulated by TRPM7 kinase activity. Finally, magnesium starvation, which promotes TRPM7 kinase activity, induces phosphorylation of eEF2. Treatment of cells with several of the compounds decreased eEF2 phosphorylation under conditions of magnesium starvation, consistent with the notion that they inhibit TRPM7 kinase activity in cells. Citation Format: Tamer Saad Kaoud, Jihyun Park, Clint D.J. Tavares, Shreya Mitra, Micael Cano, Chun-Chia Tseng, Kevin N. Dalby. Suppression of breast cancer cell migration by novel inhibitors that target transient receptor potential-melastatin-like 7 (Trpm7) kinase activity. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 2722. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-2722
Resource allocation in mixed mode Device-to-Device communications

In Device-to-Device (D2D) enabled cellular networks, user pairs can select either direct mode or regular cellular mode for data transport. The optimum choice varies depending on power constraints, channel conditions, and QoS requirements. This work proposes a mixed-mode resource allocation strategy through which user pairs can multiplex different modes with disparate resource fraction and transmission power. We study the problem of maximizing D2D sum rate under cellular rate constraint. Successive convex approximation (SCA) algorithm is applied to solve the resulting non-convex joint optimization problem. Our theoretical analysis indicates that mixed-mode achieves superior performance over commonly adopted single mode selection. We further show the advantages of mixed-mode resource allocation in improving cellular rate constrained D2D link performance through extensive numerical tests.
Genomic Instability and Tumor Progression: Mechanistic Considerations

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the mechanics of genomic instability and the way the phenotype of genomic instability predisposes to cancer and accelerates tumor progression. The large number of genomic instability genes suggests that the probability of some people in the human population carrying a recessive mutation in a genomic instability gene is high. Cell size and cell death affect the number of genomic instability mutations that are expected in a tumor. The impact of individual genomic instability mutations on tumor progression is dependent upon active cell division. Some examples of disruption of these pathways leading to genomic instability are also considered in the chapter by a selective survey of cellular mechanisms involved in maintaining genomic stability. The large number of components involved in those mechanisms may increase the likelihood that disruption of normal genomic stability mechanisms will occur during a normal lifespan and during the growth of benign neoplasms. Various factors that can affect the frequency of genomic instability mutations are also considered in the chapter. These mechanisms suggest ways to delay or prevent certain types of cancer. The genomic alterations identified in human cancers can be viewed by cellular pathways dedicated to the maintenance of genomic stability.
Ab minitio Studies of Electronic Excitations in Real Solids

The first part of this article centers on the fact that key features of the dynamical response of weakly-correlated materials (the alkalis, Al), have been found experimentally to differ qualitatively from simple-model behavior. In the absence of ab initio theory, the surprises embodied in the experimental data were imputed to effects of dynamical correlations. We summarize results ofah initio investigations of linear response, performed within time-dependent density-functional theory (TDDFT), in which the unexpected features of the observed spectra are shown to be due to band-structure effects. For example, the key process behind the anomalous dispersion of the plasmon linewidth in K turns out to be decay into electron-hole pairs involving flat d-bands; the much-discussed double peak in the dynamical structure factor of Al is traced to a final-state gap. These results entail a new way of thinking about the physics of the electronic response in these systems. Contrary to conventional wisdom, the response cannot be understood “universally,” in terms of a simple scaling with the density, on going from metal to metal (e.g., through the alkali series) — even the shape of the dispersion curve for the plasmon energy is system-specific. The second part of this article starts out with the observation that a similar ab initio study of systems with more complex electronic structures would require the availability of a realistic approximation for the dynamical many-body kernel fX, entering the density-response function in TDDFT. In its absence, we outline a diagrammatic alternative, framed within the conserving-approximation method of Baym and Kadanoff. Using as a benchmark the band gap of Si obtained in the GW approximation, together with a diagrammatic (and conserving) solution of the ensuing Bethe-Salpeter equation (which includes dynamically-screened particle-hole ladders and other fluctuation processes), we discuss issues involving conservation laws, self-consistency, and sum rules. These conceptual issues are particularly important for the development of ab initio methods for the study of dynamical response and quasiparticle band structure of strongly-correlated materials. We argue that inclusion of short-range correlations absent in the GW approximation is a must, even in Si.