cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Energy estimation of photon induced cascade showers

In order to find the best method by which an experimenter can estimate the energy of a cascade shower seen in a multiplate cloud chamber, a study has been carried out testing various estimation formulae involving different parameters of a shower. Cloud chamber pictures were scanned for cascade showers resulting from the decay photons of π0-mesons. The energies of these two photons are related to the angle between them by √E1E2=mc2/2 sin (ϑ/2). The estimation procedures were tested for consistency with this consequence of the conservation of energy-momentum, the product of the estimated energies being compared with the value calculated from the measured angle between the cores. When the entire shower development takes place in the chamber, our best energy estimate is given byE0 (MeV)=33.8P, whereP is the total number of track segments in all the compartments times the thickness of a plate in radiation lengths in the direction of the shower. The constant applies to 0.63 cm Pb plates. This expression applies to the range 100–1 000 MeV with an estimated standard error of ±20–25%. When only the number,Nmax of tracks in the compartment in which the shower has its maximum development can be determined, our best estimate isE0=87.4Nmax, with an estimated standard error of ±30–35%. Another parameter considered for the case whenP can be determined was √PNmax.E0=54.5√PNmax is at least as good an estimate, and perhaps slightly better than,E0=33.8P in the range 200–1000 MeV. The results are compared with shower theory and with R. R. Wilson’s « Monte Carlo » results. Excellent agreement is found with the later, using a cutoff of 8 MeV, as regards fluctuations as well as average behavior. It follows that the uncertainties in energy estimation by the above formulae are due mainly to physical fluctuations in the shower development.
Interaction patterns with a classroom feedback system: making time for feedback

In this paper, we describe two novel patterns of interaction that arose in a study of a computer-mediated feedback system for the university classroom. In both patterns, students gave feedback through the system that they would not have given aloud for lack of an appropriate moment-either because the feedback would be premature or tardy. We describe the patterns themselves and how awareness of the patterns can inform pedagogy and system-building.
Arrival time and magnitude of airborne fission products from the Fukushima, Japan, reactor incident as measured in Seattle, WA, USA.

We report results of air monitoring started due to the recent natural catastrophe on 11 March 2011 in Japan and the severe ensuing damage to the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear reactor complex. On 17-18 March 2011, we registered the first arrival of the airborne fission products (131)I, (132)I, (132)Te, (134)Cs, and (137)Cs in Seattle, WA, USA, by identifying their characteristic gamma rays using a germanium detector. We measured the evolution of the activities over a period of 23 days at the end of which the activities had mostly fallen below our detection limit. The highest detected activity from radionuclides attached to particulate matter amounted to 4.4 ± 1.3 mBq m(-3) of (131)I on 19-20 March.
Data-driven integration of epidemiological and toxicological data to select candidate interacting genes and environmental factors in association with disease

Motivation: Complex diseases, such as Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2D), result from the interplay of both environmental and genetic factors. However, most studies investigate either the genetics or the environment and there are a few that study their possible interaction in context of disease. One key challenge in documenting interactions between genes and environment includes choosing which of each to test jointly. Here, we attempt to address this challenge through a data-driven integration of epidemiological and toxicological studies. Specifically, we derive lists of candidate interacting genetic and environmental factors by integrating findings from genome-wide and environment-wide association studies. Next, we search for evidence of toxicological relationships between these genetic and environmental factors that may have an etiological role in the disease. We illustrate our method by selecting candidate interacting factors for T2D. Contact: abutte@stanford.edu
A comparison of strategies for imputing saturated pressure array data with application to the wheelchair-seating interface.

AbstractPurpose: The common responses to pressure sensor saturation are extreme: either discarding of data, or wholesale alteration of experimental protocol. Here, we test four simplistic strategies for restoring missing data due to sensor saturation, avoiding such drastic measures. Methods: We tested these algorithms on 62 pressure maps collected from 42 individuals (20 M/22 F, 54.1 ± 26.2 years, 1.7 ± 0.1 m, 71.9 ± 17.8 kg) under a variety of seating conditions. These strategies were tested via a cross-validation design, censoring the maximum pressure value in the datasets and measuring prediction error. Results: The four strategies showed various prediction error rates: ? = 0.43 ± 0.14 (simple substitution), ? = 0.16 ± 0.21 (scaled substitution), ? = 0.19 ± 0.21 (feature extraction), and ? = 0.24 ± 0.32 (extrapolation by non-linear modeling). Conclusion: For single-sensor saturation, it may be possible to restore missing data using simple techniques.Implications for RehabilitationWe present a method fo...
Detection and estimation of soliton signals

Soliton solutions to nonlinear wave equations have been recently proposed as signaling waveforms in a variety of communication contexts. One such system modulates the relative positions or amplitudes of multiple solitons generated by a nonlinear ladder circuit. At the receiver, there are inherent difficulties in the problems of parameter estimation and detection of soliton signals due to the nonlinear coupling imposed by the soliton dynamics. We demonstrate that the ladder circuit can act as a tuned receiver for the component solitons, naturally decoupling them so that the detection and estimation problems can be solved with standard techniques. We develop robust and asymptotically efficient algorithms for maximum likelihood parameter estimation and present a technique for generalized likelihood ratio test detection.
Oral Absorption of 14C-Labeled Mepenzolate Bromide in Humans

In a pilot study, a single oral dose of 25 or 30 mg. of mepenzolate bromide containing approximately 24μc. of 14C was given to each of four human volunteers and elimination of 14C was followed in urine and feces for 4 or 5 days. From either a solid (capsule) or liquid dosage form, an average of 14% was eliminated in the urine (capsule: 7.0–20.2%, liquid: 3.1–21.1%), indicative of substantial oral absorption for an onium compound.
Elliptical novelty grouping for on-line short-turn detection of excited running rotors

A technique for the detection of shorted turns in the field-windings of operating synchronous turbine-generators is described. The measuring method used is the twin-signal sensing method, where pulses are injected into each terminal of the rotor. The reflected signals are subtracted to produce signature signals that contains information about the rotor's state. The signature signals are sampled and accepted or rejected as valid based on an outlier detection criteria. Novelty detection is applied to the accepted signals. The current signature signal is compared to a range of signature signals taken when the rotor was known to be free of shorts. If the current signature signal strays too far from the known healthy signal, the signature signal is 'novel' and the possibility of a short is declared. The method was tested on a running test rotor with voltage excitation. A comparison of methods shows that an elliptical novelty grouping algorithm gives highly accurate results.
Social Competence Among Children with Central Nervous System-Related Chronic Health Conditions: A Review

Reviewed empirical studies of social competence among children with central nervous system (CNS)-related chronic health conditions published since 1975. The overwhelming majority of studies evaluated social competence at the level of social adjustment; the domains of children's social performance and social skills were relatively neglected (Cavell, 1990). Findings are critiqued with respect to conceptualization of social competence among children with CNS conditions and methodological considerations. Directions for future research include expanding the conceptualization of social competence in this population to include social demands and competencies specific to children with CNS conditions and utilizing explicit theoretical frameworks that allow for competing hypotheses to be tested.
Rearing of cyprinid fish larvae: the vitamin C‐minerals interrelationship and nutrition‐related histology of the liver and intestine of roach (Rutilus rutilus L.)

Zusammenfassung Aufzucht von Cypriniden-Larven: Vitamin C-Mineralstoffwechselbeziehungen und ernahrungsbedingte Histologie der Leber und des Darmes von Rutilus rutilus L. (Plotzen) Zu vergleichenden Untersuchungen an Rutilus rutilus L. im Larven- und Aufzuchtstadium bei Futterung von lebenden Artemien-Nauplien bzw. kunstlichen Diaten uber 24 Tage wurden biochemische und histologische Kriterien angewendet. Es wurden auser Artemien zwei handelsubliche Starterfutter und zwei Versuchsdiaten auf der Basis von Hefe bzw. Rinderleber untersucht. Die verschiedenen Rationen unterschieden sich in ihrem Vitamin C-Gehalt und zwar lag er zwischen 9,3 und 1703 mg kg−1. Durch die Futterung mit den verschiedenen Diaten ergaben sich unterschiedliche Mortalitatsraten und Korpergewichtsentwicklungen. Die hochsten Korpergewichte wurden mit 27,6 mg nach 21 Tagen bei Artemien-Futterung erreicht. Sie lagen damit signifikant hoher als nach der Futterung aller anderen Diaten mit 9–14 mg nach 24 Tagen. Die Vitamin C-Gehalte in der gesamten Fischmasse lag mit 77,1–81,9 mcg g−1 nach Artemien-Futterung hoher als in den anderen Gruppen mit 11,3–41 mcg g−1 und war unabhangig vom Vitamin C-Gehalt im Futter. Eine signifikante Beziehung wurde zwischen dem Askorbinsauregehalt und der Zn-Konzentration im Fischkorper festgestellt. Die ubrigen Mineralstoffgehalte in der Fischmasse waren von den Mineralstoffgehalten in den Diaten unabhangig. Die Gabe von Rationen mit hohem Vitamin C-Gehalt (1483 mg kg−1 Trockensubstanz) fuhrten zu einer Degeneration der Leberzellstrukturen. Auf der anderen Seite zeigten die Hepatocyten der Plotzen, die mit Artemien-Nauplien gefuttert wurden einen niedrigen Fett- und Glykogengehalt und geschwollene Mitochondrien, so das man Artemien-Nauplien als alleiniges Futter fur Aufzucht von Rutilus rutilus L. nicht empfehlen kann.
Book Review Essay: Taking Stock of Stakeholder Management

The article reviews several books, including “Strategic Management: A Stakeholder Approach,” by Edward Freeman, “Redefining the Corporation: Stakeholder Management and Organizational Wealth,” by James E. Post, Lee E. Preston and Sybil Sachs, and “Stakeholder Theory and Organizational Ethics,” by Robert Phillips.
Predictors of change in frequency of crack cocaine use in a street-recruited sample.

Crack cocaine users are at high risk for HIV, with higher frequency crack users engaging in higher rates of HIV-related sexual risk behaviors. This study will assess the variables impacting changes in crack use frequency. Out-of-treatment crack users were street recruited in East Harlem, NY. Subjects (n = 727) were 33% female, 91% minority, and 28% reported recent drug injecting. Baseline and 6-month follow-up interviews were administered. There was a significant reduction in crack use over time (p < .0001). Subjects were categorized according to five groups, based on their change in level of crack use between the two interviews, to predict those who stopped, maintained, or changed their level of use. Discriminant analyses identified six variables as the best predictors of the five groups, including having been in drug treatment since baseline and having been a drug injector (both related to reduced levels of crack use). The overall reduction in crack use for the sample masked the fact that important subgroups remained at high use levels or increased their use. The identification of subgroups who may be most resistant to reducing drug use can be helpful in developing more effective interventions.
Constitutional Incompleteness and Influence Costs in Policy Formation

When the government becomes involved in an issue, interested parties expend resources to influence the policy outcome. Using a common agency model of policymaking, this paper studies the conditions under which conflict over policy implies that it is optimal for a constitution to restrict the government's involvement. When a constitution cannot restrict policies with large transfers relative to their efficiency, conflict over policy can easily lead to worse outcomes than if the government were not involved. Because constitutions cannot be complete contracts, there can be agreement over constitutions even when there is conflict over policy choices. For this reason there are conditions under which constitutional incompleteness enhances welfare and a constitutional stage leads to agreement on restrictions without a veil of ignorance.
The effects of property differences in multiphase sheet steels on local formability

Abstract As the automotive industry continues to push towards higher strength materials, lower weight, and reduced costs, high strength ferrous alloys have provided a viable solution. However, as strength levels increase, formability concerns, specifically in regards to local formability at areas of significant geometrical change, have arisen. One of the contributing factors to reduced formability limits has been identified as localized variations in material microstructure. In contrast to single phase steels used in the past, many of the current alloys currently being pursued utilize complex, multiphase microstructures. This presents new and interesting challenges for the current steel producers and consumers. This paper investigates the influences of systematic differences in phase properties on local formability by use of unique testing techniques including nanoindentation to determine phase hardness, and a bending under tension test to determine formability limits. It was found that increased local formability limits were observed with decreased hardness ratio between the hardest and the softest phase in the microstructure.
Hemodialysis Access in the Elderly: Outcomes among Patients Older than Seventy

Background Arteriovenous fistulae (AVF) are the preferred access for hemodialysis, however, there continues to be limited data guiding the surgical management of primary dialysis access creation in elderly end-stage renal disease patients. Methods This is an 8-year retrospective institutional study evaluating the operative and clinical characteristics of patients 70 years or above who underwent primary, first-ever, AVF or arteriovenous graft (AVG) creation. Results There was no overall significant difference in AVF and AVG primary ( P = 0.127) and secondary ( P = 0.870) patency. AVG had higher graft loss secondary to infection ( P = 0.0002) and thrombosis ( P = 0.0213). Survival was less than 50% at 2 years for AVF and AVG patients. An equal number of AVF and AVG patients who died had functional access at the time of death ( P = 1.0000) with more AVG patients using their graft (initiating dialysis) before death ( P = 0.0118). Conclusions Elderly patient patency rates for AVF and AVG are satisfactory and support surgical access creation; however, overall 2-year survival is low. An equal number of AVF and AVG patients died with functioning surgical access, however, more AVG patients initiated dialysis and successfully used their access. Accordingly, special consideration needs to be given with regard to estimated timing until dialysis and predicted patient longevity. Delaying access creation until dialysis is needed and proceeding with AVG creation appears to be justified.
East Coast fever

This general account of Theileria parva infection of cattle and Indian water buffalo in Africa contains brief notes on aetiologic agents and their vectors, clinical signs, pathological changes, immunity, diagnosis, treatment, control and immunization.
Genome Organization, Mutation, and Gene Expression in Acinetobacter

Early investigations of Acinetobacter genetics focused upon Acinetobacter baylyi because the extraordinary competence of this species for natural transformation (Carr et al., 2003; Vaneechoutte et al., 2006) allowed convenient genetic analysis (Young et al., 2005). This background fostered determination of the annotated genomic sequence of A. baylyi (Barbe et al., 2004), which will serve as a useful reference for comparison with other genomic sequences as they become available. Immediately notable was the close similarity ofAcinetobacter and Pseudomonas genes although the two genera have diverged markedly with respect to genome size, gene organization, and the GþC content of their DNA (Barbe et al., 2004). Comparisons of Acinetobacter and Pseudomonas genomes as well as those of divergent Pseudomonas genomes are informative because they may provide an indication of mechanisms that contributed to the divergence and determined the individuality of Acinetobacter species. Contributions of such mechanisms will become clearer as additional Acinetobacter genome sequences become available (Fournier et al., 2006; Smith et al., 2007). This review opens with an overview of relevant genomic structures and a discussion of their differences because these observations may provide a glimpse of what will be revealed by additional genomic information. Progress in this area will provide important practical information likely to facilitate the pressing task of unambiguous typing of newly isolated Acinetobacter strains. The genomic structure ofAcinetobacter species directs attention to mechanisms underlying genetic variation in the genus, and this will be the next topic considered. As described in the following section, mutations influence gene expression, and the complexity of physiological responses of Acinetobacter to environmental signals will be addressed. The review concludes with a statement of promising future directions for investigation of the genetic basis for variation among Acinetobacter species.
Tris(2-pyridylborate) (Tpyb) metal complexes: synthesis, characterization, and formation of extrinsically porous materials with large cylindrical channels.

Sandwich-like metal complexes (Tpyb)2M (M = Mg, Fe, Mn) that are based on the novel t-butylphenyltris(2-pyridyl)borate ligand were prepared and fully characterized by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy,...
Characterization of the Fracture Energy of a PFCB/PVDF Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell Membrane Using a Knife Slit Test

Polymer electrolyte membranes (PEM) undergo hygrothermal stress cycling in an operating fuel cell which may lead to pinhole or crack formation and propagation resulting in membrane failure. The fracture energy of a material, measured by fracture tests, is the energy needed for a crack to propagate throughout the material. In this study, the fracture energy of a promising novel fuel cell membrane comprised of a blend of a sulfonated perfluorocyclobutane (PFCB) block copolymer and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) is investigated in various environmental conditions using a knife slit test. Fracture energies determined using the knife slit test have been shown to be several orders of magnitude lower, and therefore closer to the intrinsic fracture energy of a material, than those found by other fracture tests of related membranes. It is believed that the intrinsic fracture energy can give insight into the fracture resistance and durability of the polymer blend membrane. A polymer blend of 70% PFCB and 30% PVDF was tested at dry and nominally 10% relative humidity conditions at 40, 70, and 90°C, as well as at 70°C and nominally 50% relative humidity, to assess the effect of environmental conditions on fracture energy. Results show that the PFCB/PVDF blend had comparable fracture energy to a baseline fuel cell material, Nafion® NRE 211. In addition, the fracture energy of the blend was found to lie between that of the PFCB and PVDF components.© 2012 ASME
Right Bundle Branch Block and Electromechanical Coupling of the Right Ventricle: An Echocardiographic Study.

Background: A growing body of evidence suggests that the presence of a right bundle branch block (RBBB) is a negative prognostic indicator in patients with and without preexisting heart disease. Even though electromechanical activation of the right ventricle (RV) in patients with RBBB and pulmonary hypertension (PH) has been investigated; a direct comparison of the presence of RBBB, on the duration of RV mechanical systole using echocardiography has not been studied. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective study, we analyzed the echocardiograms of 40 patients by measuring the magnitude and timing of tricuspid annulus plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) and tricuspid annulus systolic velocity (TA S'). Patients were selected to form four groups of ten patients based on the presence or absence of RBBB and PH to determine if RBBB has any effect on the time-to-peak of TAPSE or TA S', which for our purposes serves as a measure of duration of RV mechanical systole. Results: Our results demonstrate that RBBB leads to a measurable prolongation of TAPSE and TA S' in patients without PH. Time-to-peak of TAPSE or TA S' was not significantly prolonged in patients with PH. Conclusions: The results of this pilot study show that RV mechanical systole is prolonged in patients with RBBB, and the addition of PH attenuates this change. Additional prospective studies are now required to elucidate further the electrical and mechanical dyssynchrony that occurs as a result of RBBB, and how these new echocardiographic measurements can be applied clinically to risk stratify patients with RBBB and PH.
Challenges and Opportunities for School Improvement: Recommendations for Urban School Principals:

Insofar as urban school systems that are often identified as ineffective include such a large segment of U.S. P-12 students, it is vital to improve academic success. To provide context, the article...
Big data: A revolution that will transform how we live, work, and think, by Viktor Mayer-Schonberger and Kenneth Cukier

The term big data refers to the vast amount of data that is now available to organizations and businesses to improve their performance. The term includes both structured (text) data, such as transa...
Brains or Beauty: How to Engender Trust in User-Agent Interactions

Software-based agents are becoming increasingly ubiquitous and automated. However, current technology and algorithms are still fallible, which considerably affects users’ trust and interaction with such agents. In this article, we investigate two factors that can engender user trust in agents: reliability and attractiveness of agents. We show that agent reliability is not more important than agent attractiveness. Subjective user ratings of agent trust and perceived accuracy suggest that attractiveness may be even more important than reliability.
A Non-Parametric Two-Sample Survival Test Based on a Single Occupancy Fermi-Dirac Model for the Discrete Range Distribution

A distribution-free test of survival difference based upon F.N. David’s range statistic is presented. The test is significantly more powerful, in comparison to traditional measures focusing on central tendency, when survival advantages appear toward the latter part of a randomized 2-arm study. A recursive formula is used to calculate the exact cumulative probabilities for the distribution.
Designing online resources for safety net healthcare providers: users' needs and the evidence-based medicine paradigm

As the healthcare system in the United States becomes more complex, so does the information needed for administrators and clinicians to keep apprised of new regulatory and systemic changes. In this article, I use a review and analysis of an online resource project to identify effective practices to educate and support healthcare safety net organizations, or those clinics that serve low-income populations. The project team consisted primarily of healthcare researchers who used a systematic review of the scholarly literature to develop online systems for transmitting information about healthcare payment and service delivery reform to those serving low income populations. As the technical communicator working on this project, the author advocated incorporating concepts of user research and user-centered design to the project team. This research included a survey of provider-users. The analysis of this project revealed that, in the health and medical community, evidence-based medicine and the genre of systematic literature review may be privileged such that provider-user needs for information seeking are not taken into account when designing online communication based on these reviews. Communication designers may need to work with and adapt the work of translation science and knowledge-to-action to develop more user-centered online content for provider education.
Islay — An educational programming tool based on state diagrams

This tool allows children to describe how autonomous characters in their video games should behave at the minimal cost of understanding ovals (states) and arrows (transitions). Its use in educational practices for a decade has confirmed that the tool helps children find their own talent and understand the fundamental concepts of computers such as finite state machines, concurrent processing, object classes and instances. Enthusiastic users run into the combinatorial explosion of states. Then it is the time for them to move on to the structured programming languages where they can use variables to represent states.
Moving the amenity migration literature forward: Understanding community-level factors associated with positive outcomes after amenity-driven change

Abstract The amenity migration literature has been growing for close to four decades, paying specific emphasis to the causes and consequences of this phenomenon, characterizing and understanding the amenity migrants, and contrasting them to their counterparts. While these major topics have provided key contributions to the understanding of amenity migration, the literature lacks deeper knowledge of the factors that can lead to positive outcomes after such phenomenon. Particularly lacking are studies examining community-level processes that can help find ways to address the impacts associated with amenity migration. This study intends to move the literature on amenity migration forward by examining community-level factors associated with positive responses to the challenges posed by this phenomenon. By comparing two Costa Rican communities experiencing amenity migration, we respond to the question: What community factors lead to positive outcomes after experiencing amenity migration? The study found that the way the community feels about change and migrants, migrants’ perceived roles in the local economy, the relation between locals and migrants, and the existence/establishment of community development efforts are critical factors for positive outcomes.
Rice, agriculture, and the food supply in premodern Japan, by Charlotte von Verschuer

Rice, Agriculture, and the Food Supply in Premodern Japan demonstrates that rice’s significance as a foodstuff and as a cultural symbol has been vastly overestimated in the history of premodern Jap...
Meta-analysis of job-exposure matrix data from multiple sources

The objectives of this study were to determine the heterogeneity of data sources used to construct a job-exposure matrix (JEM) for occupational noise, and to calculate pooled exposure estimates for different job titles using different sources. The JEM was populated with measurements from government databases, private industry, and the published literature. Data were organized by job title using the US standard occupational classification (SOC). Using data from the literature as prior information, adjusted mean exposure was calculated for both the government and industry data following a simple Bayesian approach. A meta-analysis was conducted to measure data heterogeneity across sources and to calculate a pooled exposure estimate for each SOC and SOC group. In total, 715,867 measurements across 259 SOCs were analyzed. Using the data from literature as a prior, 15 of 28 applicable SOCs in the government and industry data had adjusted mean exposures above the OSHA action level (85 dBA). The meta-analysis showed that 63% of SOCs, and 78% of SOC groups, had moderate to high heterogeneity. Fifty-one percent of SOCs and 43% of SOC groups had pooled estimated exposures >85 dBA. The pooled estimates suggested that workers in 131 of 259 SOCs (51%) were exposed beyond the threshold of 85 dBA.
Positional Selectivity in the Hydrosilylative Partial Deoxygenation of Disaccharides by Boron Catalysts

The catalytic partial deoxygenation of the per-silylated gluco-disaccharides maltose, cellobiose, trehalose, and isomaltose by Me2EtSiH and the Lewis acid catalyst B(C6F5)3 have been examined to determine which C–O bonds are favorably removed. In the case of maltose, cellobiose and trehalose, the linking anomeric center is the kinetically preferred site of reduction and cleavage of the disaccharide occurs to yield 1-deoxyglucose and glucose as the primary products. Although 1-deoxyglucose is kinetically inert, glucose continues to reduce by ring opening to sorbitol and is eventually 1,6-deoxygenated to the corresponding tetraol. Isomaltose differs from the other disaccharides in that it has a α-(1´→6) linkage, which is more resistant to cleavage and thus directs reactivity to a ring opening of the reducing sugar and the generation of isomaltitol.
Working on a start-up: A case for an applied entrepreneurship oriented course for senior undergraduates

In this paper, we describe a new teaching approach whose objective is to implement entrepreneurship-based learning. The proposed teaching approach is essentially a project-based approach, but, with two novel key components that give it the entrepreneurship emphasis. First, the main idea is to divide students into groups of four or five members and have each team go through the process of starting-up a company. This process tries to emulate all steps through which entrepreneurs go when a new start-up idea is taken from concept to product realization. These steps include proposing a novel start-up idea, writing a business plan, coming up with a solution, implementing and testing the solution, and reporting results. The only constraint of this “exercise” is that all start-up ideas must be related to the main topic of the course, which in our case is that of advanced hardware description language and field-programmable gate array (FPGA) digital design. As a second component, each student is required to maintain a so called individual reflective journal (IRJ). Students add new entries of about half a page each week to the IRJ, which plays the role of a diary. The objective of this component is to engage students in thinking about how the course activities tie into the three components of the KEEN framework: curiosity, connections, and creation of value. The projected outcomes of this teaching approach include: 1) help students to develop an entrepreneurial mindset, 2) foster creativity and self-learning, and 3) engage students more and enable them to be proactive and competition-aware.
Machine Learning: A Novel Approach to Predicting Slope Instabilities

Geomechanical analysis plays a major role in providing a safe working environment in an active mine. Geomechanical analysis includes but is not limited to providing active monitoring of pit walls and predicting slope failures. During the analysis of a slope failure, it is essential to provide a safe prediction, that is, a predicted time of failure prior to the actual failure. Modern-day monitoring technology is a powerful tool used to obtain the time and deformation data used to predict the time of slope failure. This research aims to demonstrate the use of machine learning (ML) to predict the time of slope failures. Twenty-two datasets of past failures collected from radar monitoring systems were utilized in this study. A two-layer feed-forward prediction network was used to make multistep predictions into the future. The results show an 86% improvement in the predicted values compared to the inverse velocity (IV) method. Eighty-two percent of the failure predictions made using ML method fell in the safe zone. While 18% of the predictions were in the unsafe zone, all the unsafe predictions were within five minutes of the actual failure time, all practical purposes making the entire set of predictions safe and reliable.
Biodegradation of Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) Plastic under Anaerobic Sludge and Aerobic Seawater Conditions: Gas Evolution and Microbial Diversity

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) (poly(3HB-co-3HHx)) thermoplastics are a promising biodegradable alternative to traditional plastics for many consumer applications. Biodegradation measured by gaseous carbon loss of several types of poly(3HB-co-3HHx) plastic was investigated under anaerobic conditions and aerobic seawater environments. Under anaerobic conditions, the biodegradation levels of a manufactured sheet of poly(3HB-co-3HHx) and cellulose powder were not significantly different from one another over 85 days with 77.1 ± 6.1 and 62.9 ± 19.7% of the carbon converted to gas, respectively. However, the sheet of poly(3HB-co-3HHx) had significantly higher methane yield (p ≤ 0.05), 483.8 ± 35.2 mL·g–1 volatile solid (VS), compared to cellulose controls, 290.1 ± 92.7 mL·g–1 VS, which is attributed to a greater total carbon content. Under aerobic seawater conditions (148–195 days at room temperature), poly(3HB-co-3HHx) sheets were statistically similar to cellulose for biodegradation as gaseous...
Implementing Internet-Based Self-Care Programs in Primary Care: Qualitative Analysis of Determinants of Practice for Patients and Providers.

Background: Access to evidence-based interventions for common mental health conditions is limited due to geographic distance, scheduling, stigma, and provider availability. Internet-based self-care programs may mitigate these barriers. However, little is known about internet-based self-care program implementation in US health care systems. Objective: The objective of this study was to identify determinants of practice for internet-based self-care program use in primary care by eliciting provider and administrator perspectives on internet-based self-care program implementation. Methods: The objective was explored through qualitative analysis of semistructured interviews with primary care providers and administrators from the Veterans Health Administration. Participants were identified using a reputation-based snowball design. Interviews focused on identifying determinants of practice for the use of internet-based self-care programs at the point of care in Veterans Health Administration primary care. Qualitative analysis of transcripts was performed using thematic coding. Results: A total of 20 physicians, psychologists, social workers, and nurses participated in interviews. Among this group, internet-based self-care program use was relatively low, but support for the platform was assessed as relatively high. Themes were organized into determinants active at patient and provider levels. Perceived patient-level determinants included literacy, age, internet access, patient expectations, internet-based self-care program fit with patient experiences, interest and motivation, and face-to-face human contact. Perceived provider-level determinants included familiarity with internet-based self-care programs, changes to traditional care delivery, face-to-face human contact, competing demands, and age. Conclusions: This exploration of perspectives on internet-based self-care program implementation among Veterans Health Administration providers and administrators revealed key determinants of practice, which can be used to develop comprehensive strategies for the implementation of internet-based self-care programs in primary care settings. [JMIR Ment Health 2018;5(2):e42]
Viral Structure and Composition

The influenza viruses comprise three types of viruses that are closely related in structure, chemical composition, and biological activity. These viruses, types A, B, and C, are pleomorphic enveloped viruses bearing surface projections (peplomers or spikes). Influenza A and B viruses contain four major structural proteins and three proteins with RNA replicase and transcriptase activity (Table 3–1). Eight segments of linear, single-stranded RNA are contained in separate nucleocapsids—rodlike structures of nucleoprotein (NP) (Heggeness et al., 1982)— with which the replicase and transcriptase proteins PB1, PB2, and PA are in close association in an RNP complex. The interior of the virus particle is delimited by repeating units of the matrix or membrane (M) protein in all three viral subtypes. The external spikes of influenza A and B viruses number 400 to 500 (Ruigrok et al., 1984) and comprise two different glycoproteins, the hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA). In the case of influenza C virus, only seven RNA segments and a single external glycoprotein have been demonstrated.
Ideas and Interests in Constitutional Reform

One striking feature of the past two centuries of Swedish constitutional history is the lawful adoption of a series of fundamental institutional reforms in response to changing political pressures within Sweden. There were no military or majoritarian coups, no civil wars, nor significant international pressures. Political histories of modern Sweden emphasize that the internal pressures behind constitutional reforms were generated partly by changes in accepted ideas about proper forms of governance and partly by changes in the relative strength of politically active interest groups. This book largely accepts that conventional analysis, but directs attention toward economic conditions and constitutional rules that have generated and constrained those shifts in political power, rather than to the personalities that ultimately drafted them.
Role of Mesenchymal-Epithelial Interactions in Pancreas Development

Mesenchyme is traditionally defined as a network of loosely organized mesodermal cells derived from the embryonic primitive streak with the potential to differentiate and give rise to structures such as connective tissue, blood and blood vessels, lymphatics, cartilage, muscle, bone, and stromal tissues of all glands. More recently, the mesenchyme has been found to play an increasingly sophisticated role in organogenesis through its interactions with other germ layers, specifically the endoderm. Mesenchymal-epithelial interactions have been shown to be important in the development of many organs including kidney, intestine, mammary, chick feathers, and salivary gland (1-5). The prepancreatic endoderm, originating in the duodenal anlage, requires its surrounding mesenchyme in order to differentiate into mature pancreas with acinar, ductal, and endocrine components (6-10).
Radar Probing and Measurement of the Planetary Boundary Layer: Part II. Scattering from Particulates

Part I describes how “clear-air” radars have been used to study the planetary boundary layer (PBl). The small-scale structure of the microwave refractive index in the PBl allows these longer-wavelength, usually 10-cm, radars to make such observations to distances approaching 100 km. Velocities can therefore be measured over large areas, with these centimeter-scale refractivity variations being used as tracers of the larger-scale air motion.
Platelet-rich plasma in the foot and ankle

Platelet-rich plasma has become an increasingly popular treatment option within the orthopedic community to biologically enhance and stimulate difficult-to-heal musculoskeletal tissues. This review evaluates the recent literature on platelet-rich plasma use in the treatment of foot and ankle pathologies. Recent literature has demonstrated platelet-rich plasma to have a possible benefit in the treatment of Achilles pathology, chronic plantar fasciitis, osteochondral lesions of the talus, ankle osteoarthritis, and diabetic foot ulcers. However, given the lack of standardization of platelet-rich plasma preparations and protocols and the predominance of low-quality studies, no definitive treatment indications exist. Platelet-rich plasma is a promising treatment option, but at present, there is only limited clinical evidence supporting its use in foot and ankle applications.
The Future of Service Systems: From Synergetics to Multi-Sided Platforms

The purpose of this chapter is to frame the future of service systems at the theoretical intersection of synergetics and multi-sided platforms. The future, or propagation and evolution, of service systems requires an understanding of the pivots and modes by which the people, technology, and value propositions in a service system jointly evolve. A better understanding of this can emerge from applying the approaches of synergetics, or the enslaving and consensualization of service systems through order parameters (Meynhardt et al., J Bus Res 69:2981–2989, 2016), and multi-sided platforms, or the technologies that enable direct interactions among two or more groups (Hagiu, MIT Sloan Manage Rev 55:71, 2014; Hagiu and Wright, Int J Ind Organ 43:162–174, 2015). Together these two approaches enrich the study of the future of service systems.
Photo-Electrochemical Hydrogen Generation from Inverted Metamorphic Multijunction III-Vs

Our goal is to improve solar-to-hydrogen (STH) efficiency from just over 10% to over 20% via novel tandem semiconductor materials and configurations. Our primary focus is to develop inverted metamorphic multijunction (IMM) III-V semiconductors that have bandgaps optimized for water splitting. We will also discuss measurement challenges in appraising STH efficiency, some of which are specific to tandem absorbers. Using more stringent measurement standards, we have confirmed 16.2% STH on our most advanced IMM devices.
Home environment factors and health behaviors of low-income, overweight, and obese youth

Objectives: Home environment may influence children's health behaviors associated with obesity. In this study, we examined home environment factors associated with diet and physical activity behaviors of overweight or obese youth. Methods: We analyzed baseline data from child and parent/caregiver dyads enrolled in an urban family weight management program. Multivariable logistic regression examined how home environment (parenting practices, family meal habits, and home availability of fruits/vegetables, sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), screen media, and physical activity resources) are related to children's intake of fruit, vegetables, and SSBs, and moderate-vigorous physical activity and sedentary time (ST) after adjusting for potential confounders. Results: Children were more likely to consume fruit if their families frequently ate meals together and infrequently watched TV during meals, and more likely to consume vegetables with high fruit/vegetable availability and low SSB availability. Children were more likely to engage in ST if parents practiced monitoring and frequently watched TV during meals. Conclusions: Overweight or obese children appear to have healthier habits if their families eat meals together without watching TV and if healthy food choices are available in the home. Encouraging parents to focus these practices may promote healthier body weight in children.
Harnessing the Power of Many: Extensible Toolkit for Scalable Ensemble Applications

Many scientific problems require multiple distinct computational tasks to be executed in order to achieve a desired solution. We introduce the Ensemble Toolkit (EnTK) to address the challenges of scale, diversity and reliability they pose. We describe the design and implementation of EnTK, characterize its performance and integrate it with two exemplar use cases: seismic inversion and adaptive analog ensembles. We perform nine experiments, characterizing EnTK overheads, strong and weak scalability, and the performance of the two use case imple-mentations, at scale and on production infrastructures. We show how EnTK meets the following general requirements: (i) imple-menting dedicated abstractions to support the description and execution of ensemble applications; (ii) support for execution on heterogeneous computing infrastructures; (iii) efficient scalability up to O(10^4) tasks; and (iv) task-level fault tolerance. We discuss novel computational capabilities that EnTK enables and the scientific advantages arising thereof. We propose EnTK as an important addition to the suite of tools in support of production scientific computing.
Institutional or Strategic? An Empirical Investigation of Adoption of Work-Family Policies

This article examines two theoretical perspectives that provide complementary explanations for the antecedents of organizational adoption of work-family policies. Institutional perspective contends...
Endovascular repair of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm is superior to open repair: Propensity-matched analysis in the Vascular Quality Initiative.

Abstract Objective The few randomized trials comparing endovascular with open surgical repair of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA) were poorly designed and heavily criticized. The short-term and midterm survival advantages of endovascular repair remain unclear. We sought to compare the two treatment modalities using a propensity-matched analysis in a real-world setting. Methods All ruptured cases of open surgical repair (rOSR) and endovascular aneurysm repair (rEVAR) in the Vascular Quality Initiative were analyzed (2003-2018). Raw and propensity-matched rEVAR and rOSR cohorts were compared. Primary and secondary outcomes included postoperative major adverse events (cardiovascular, pulmonary, renal, bowel or limb ischemia, reoperation) and 30-day and 1-year mortality. Univariate, multivariate, and Kaplan-Meier analyses were performed. Results There were 4929 rAAA repairs performed, 2749 rEVAR and 2180 rOSR. Compared with rEVAR patients, rOSR patients had higher rates of myocardial ischemic events (15% vs 10%; P Conclusions This is one of the largest studies of rAAA demonstrating clear short-term and midterm survival benefits of rEVAR over rOSR that persisted after matching on all major demographic, comorbid, and anatomic variables. Furthermore, patients who survived rOSR had twice the length of stay with increased rates of complications compared with rEVAR patients. These data suggest a more aggressive endovascular approach for rAAA in patients with suitable anatomy.
Affirmative action in Brazilian universities: Effects on the enrollment of targeted groups

Abstract This paper investigates how the adoption of affirmative action for college admission affected the enrollment of students from disadvantaged backgrounds in Brazil. We explore the time heterogeneity of policy adoption by universities to identify the policy impacts while accounting for contemporaneous confounding effects. Our study shows that the adoption of affirmative action increased the enrollment of students from groups explicitly targeted by each policy, particularly public high-school students and Blacks. 1 We also demonstrate that these effects were concentrated within more competitive and more prestigious academic programs. Lastly, we find that universities that adopted affirmative action policies with explicit racial criteria experienced an increase in the enrollment of Black students whereas universities that adopted race-neutral policies had no significant changes in the racial profile of their students. These results indicate that affirmative action policies were successful in improving access to higher education for targeted groups. However, we also identify important limitations of these policies.