cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chloride permeability and impact resistance of polypropylene-fiber-reinforced silica fume concrete

Permeability and impact resistance of polypropylene-fiber-reinforced concrete mixtures containing silica fume with variable design proportions were studied. Two fiber lengths were considered, 12.5 and 19 mm, and four fiber volume fractions, 0, 0.1%, 0.3%, and 0.5%. Silica fume was used as a replacement by weight of cement. Two silica fume contents were used, 5% and 10%. Results showed that the incorporation of polypropylene fibers increased the permeability of conventional concrete. The addition of silica fume improved fiber dispersion in the cementitious matrix, causing a significant reduction in the permeability of the polypropylene fiber reinforced concrete. Moreover, the addition of silica fume was noted to significantly enhance the polypropylene fiber effectiveness in improving the impact resistance of concrete.
FUNCTIONAL GENETIC SIMILARITY BETWEEN GEOGRAPHICALLY SEPARATED POPULATIONS OF MEXICAN LEOPARD FROGS (RANA PIPIENS COMPLEX)

Frost, J. S. (Museum of Natural History, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66045) 1982. Functional genetic similarity between geographically separated populations of Mexican leopard frogs (Rana pipiens complex). Syst. Zool. 31:57-67.-The leopard frog Rana berlandieri is presently considered to be comprised of three subspecies: R. b. berlandieri; R. b. forreri; and R. b. brownorum. In two of the purported races, genetic similarity was investigated by assessing interpopulation genetic compatibility and spermatocyte bivalent formation in interpopulation hybrids. Primary structural components of racial mating trills were analyzed and compared. The data do not support the recognition of R. b. berlandieri and R. b. forreri as conspecifics. [Rana berlandieri; R. forreri; R. pipiens complex; genetic similarity; genetic compatibility; chromosome pairing; call analysis.]
Urban encounters: the game of real life

In this paper we describe our ongoing work on modelling urban encounters by extending Conway's Game of Life. We develop our model based on empirical data collected using a Tamagotchi-like mobile game that recorded people's encounters by sensing nearby devices using Bluetooth. Our findings include the identification of useful ways to capture and analyse data to derive a model of encounter, and a set of rules that can be used to drive our model. We also identify interesting patterns in the behaviour of our simulations that can help us understand, and in certain cases predict, urban encounter.
Rotation-reversal symmetries in crystals and handed structures

The symmetries of crystals are an important factor in the understanding of their properties. The discovery of a new symmetry type, rotation-reversal symmetry, may lead to the discovery of new rotation-based phenomena, for example in multiferroic materials.
How Racial Identity Moderates the Impact of Financial Stress on Mental Health among African Americans

Financial stress, which is common among African Americans, has been linked to higher psychological distress. This study examines whether racial identity moderates the association of financial stress with depressive symptoms. If so, through what mechanisms does it operate? We investigated these questions in a moderated mediation analysis, using data from the National Survey of American Life (N = 3,570). Of the two racial identity dimensions examined, positive group evaluation but not closeness to other African Americans was associated with less adverse effects of financial stress on depressive symptoms. In addition, we tested two mechanisms that could explain the buffering effect. Psychological resources (self-esteem and, less consistently, mastery), explained 26% to 46% of the buffering effects of racial identity; family support explained 8%. That is, positive group evaluations fortify African Americans in the face of hard times. They do so primarily through their association with a greater sense of self-...
Bayesian compressive sensing using iterated conditional modes

In this paper we develop a new Bayesian compressive sensing (BCS) decoding algorithm based on iterated conditional modes (ICM) as the inference engine. This approach has the advantage of admitting relatively simple closed-form update rules even for heavy-tailed distributions without resort to conjugate priors and hierarchical models. To demonstrate the simplicity of this approach we derive the ICM update rules for Gaussian, Student's t, and Levy priors and apply the algorithm to random sparse signals and to the problem of coded aperture superresolution in computational imaging. Simulation results show that the algorithm generally outperforms existing BCS algorithms such as FastLaplace and non-Bayesian sparsity maximization algorithms such as L 1 -Magic even in the case of no hyperparameter learning. The BCS-ICM algorithm is highly tunable depending on the nature and amount of prior knowledge. We tune the BCS-ICM algorithm by offline learning of Student's t parameters for modeling the detail wavelet coefficients for vastly superior performance in the coded aperture superresolution problem.
Antibiotics in Dairy Cattle Nutrition. V. Comparative Effects of Streptomycin and Aureomycin on the Growth and Well-Being of Young Dairy Calves

Summary This experiment was initiated to compare the effects of streptomycin with aureomycin on the growth and well-being of young dairy calves. Thirty-six calves were divided into four groups with nine calves each. Calves in one group received 30 mg. aureomycin daily for each 100 lb. of calf weight, a second group received 30 mg. of streptomycin, a third group received 90 mg. of streptomycin, and a fourth received no antibiotic and served as a control. All calves were started on the experiment at birth and continued until 16 weeks of age. Both levels of streptomyem appeared to produce a slight growth stimulation, especially during the first few weeks of life, but this stimulation was not statistically significant nor so great as the stimulation obtained with aureomycin. The calves receiving aureomycin grew at a significantly faster rate than the control calves. Both streptomycin and aureomycin appeared to reduce the incidence of calf infection; however, aureomycin appeared to be slightly the more effective of the two. Also, both streptomycin and aureomycin-fed calves required less TDN and digestible protein per pound of gain than the control calves. The aureomycin-fed calves made more efficient gains than those fed streptomycin. In general, there was no difference between the two levels of streptomycin in regard to rate of weight gain, incidence of disease, or feed efficiency.
Differences in basin‐characteristics as reflected by precipitation‐runoff relations in San Bernardino and Eastern San Gabriel Mountain drainages

In interpretation and use of basic hydrological data as basis for planning any public works for conservation or control of water, there is great need for a careful and thorough analysis of the precipitation-runoff relations. Moreover, when such relations may have been worked out for one particular basin, experience has shown that extreme caution must be used in any attempt to apply these relations to another basin even though superficially the latter may appear to be comparable with respect to physiography, meteorological conditions, and all of the other elements which contributed to the relations established for the first basin.
A novel optoelectronic closing and opening switch for pulsed power

The bulk optically controlled semiconductor switch (BOSS), which can be turned on and off on command by laser light at two different wavelengths, is discussed. The switch is essentially bistable, as it retains its high conductivity after turn-on for times long compared to the duration of the exciting (turn-on) laser light. The turn-on and turn-off time constants can be as short as several hundred picoseconds. According to the results of a rate equation model for the switch, currents in the kiloampere range can be controlled with a laser power density of less than 10 MW/cm/sup 2/, making these switches suitable for pulsed power applications. The feasibility of the BOSS concept has been demonstrated with GaAs:Si,Cu as the switch material. Optically controlled closing and opening has been achieved on a nanosecond time scale. >
Four types of ignorance

Abstract This paper studies alternative ways of representing uncertainty about a law of motion in a version of a classic macroeconomic targetting problem of Milton Friedman (1953) . We study both “unstructured uncertainty” – ignorance of the conditional distribution of the target next period as a function of states and controls – and more “structured uncertainty” – ignorance of the probability distribution of a response coefficient in an otherwise fully trusted specification of the conditional distribution of next period׳s target. We study whether and how different uncertainties affect Friedman׳s advice to be cautious in using a quantitative model to fine tune macroeconomic outcomes.
Looking Again at the Eighth Amendment: Would Our Framers Condone A Death Penalty That South Africa Denounces As Cruel?

This essay calls for a fresh look at the Eighth Amendment prohibition against cruel and unusual punishments. It imagines how the framers of our Constitution would interpret their own words after more than 200 years, years during which the United States has found itself among a dwindling minority of developed countries resorting to capital punishment. It suggests that our framers might find persuasive, not the Supreme Court's opinions on this question, but rather the recent judgment of the Constitutional Court of South Africa declaring the death penalty violative of that country's new constitution. Although the texts being interpreted by the two courts differ in ways that are potentially significant for this issue, textual differences do not, in my view, determine the outcome. The courts approach the issue of the constitutionality of the death penalty in remarkably similar ways, ultimately diverging on the question of what is "cruel" under evolving standards of decency. My conclusion is that our framers would, upon considering the factors most relevant to the profound question of whether the state may execute its own citizens, decide that the penalty no longer comports with the "evolving standards of decency that mark the progress of a maturing society."
Matrix Metalloproteinases as Regulators of Vein Structure and Function: Implications in Chronic Venous Disease

Lower-extremity veins have efficient wall structure and function and competent valves that permit upward movement of deoxygenated blood toward the heart against hydrostatic venous pressure. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play an important role in maintaining vein wall structure and function. MMPs are zinc-binding endopeptidases secreted as inactive pro-MMPs by fibroblasts, vascular smooth muscle (VSM), and leukocytes. Pro-MMPs are activated by various activators including other MMPs and proteinases. MMPs cause degradation of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins such as collagen and elastin, and could have additional effects on the endothelium, as well as VSM cell migration, proliferation, Ca(2+) signaling, and contraction. Increased lower-extremity hydrostatic venous pressure is thought to induce hypoxia-inducible factors and other MMP inducers/activators such as extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer, prostanoids, chymase, and hormones, leading to increased MMP expression/activity, ECM degradation, VSM relaxation, and venous dilation. Leukocyte infiltration and inflammation of the vein wall cause further increases in MMPs, vein wall dilation, valve degradation, and different clinical stages of chronic venous disease (CVD), including varicose veins (VVs). VVs are characterized by ECM imbalance, incompetent valves, venous reflux, wall dilation, and tortuosity. VVs often show increased MMP levels, but may show no change or decreased levels, depending on the VV region (atrophic regions with little ECM versus hypertrophic regions with abundant ECM) and MMP form (inactive pro-MMP versus active MMP). Management of VVs includes compression stockings, venotonics, and surgical obliteration or removal. Because these approaches do not treat the causes of VVs, alternative methods are being developed. In addition to endogenous tissue inhibitors of MMPs, synthetic MMP inhibitors have been developed, and their effects in the treatment of VVs need to be examined.
Culture as a Solution to Estonia's 'Singing Revolution': An Extended Rational Choice Model

Does culture play a role in successful revolutionary collective action? In rational choice theory revolutionary movements are paradoxical because each potential revolutionary faces a "participation problem", and a "first mover or leadership problem." In previous rational choice models, revolutions succeed where participants deliberately designed institutions that increased individuals' incentive to participate. This paper extends the framework of the existing rational choice models to account for the role of culture in each participant's cost-benefit calculation of revolutionary participation. I explore the case of The Singing Revolution in late 1980's Soviet Estonia, and find that ethnic Estonians used ostracism, and their ancient cultural traditions and beliefs to overcome the two collective action problems when they successfully organized mass singing protests against the Soviet regime in the summer of 1988.
Ovulation induced by PMS and HCG in hypophysectomized immature rats.

SummaryOvulation was produced on Day 25 in immature rats hypophysectomized just prior to the administration of from 3 to 30 IU of PMS on Day 22 plus injection of 7.5 or 10 IU of HCG in the afternoo...
At First Sight: How Facial Femininity Signals Cooperativeness and Undermines Negotiators

From the earliest moment, negotiators are likely to take each other’s measure, drawing inferences that will shape their subsequent decisions and behaviors. In two studies, we investigate whether these snap impressions, taken immediately, affect negotiators’ preferences and behaviors. In particular, we focus on how two characteristics of a prospective partner that are immediately noticeable—his/her sex and his/her facial features—influence negotiators. We tested whether initial visual impressions of feminine-featured faces affected would-be negotiators’ choice of counterparts. As we predicted, regardless of counterpart sex, negotiators preferred counterparts with more feminine-featured faces, suggesting that sex may be a proxy for feminine features. We also showed that, when choosing agents, this preference disappeared, indicating strategic choices on the part of negotiators. In a second experiment, we tested our underlying claim that facial femininity evokes stereotypes of cooperativeness. Moreover, we me...
Intrapartum prediction of birth weight: clinical versus sonographic estimation based on femur length alone.

OBJECTIVE To determine the relative accuracy of predicting birth weight by clinical estimate versus sonographic mensuration of femur length (FL) alone. METHODS Two hundred pregnant women at term and in early labor had the weight of their fetuses estimated by clinical and sonographic methods. RESULTS Clinical assessment of birth weight had a significantly lower mean standardized absolute error (90.6 g/kg) than sonographic estimate based on FL alone (106.7 g/kg) (P < .05). Clinical estimates were significantly more often within 5% (35%) of actual birth weight than were those derived sonographically (29%) (P = .005). CONCLUSION Using FL alone to predict birth weight has no advantage over a clinical estimate among term patients in labor.
Small Worldness in Dense and Weighted Connectomes.

The human brain is a heterogeneous network of connected functional regions; however, most brain network studies assume that all brain connections can be described in a framework of binary connections. The brain is a complex structure of white matter tracts connected by a wide range of tract sizes, which suggests a broad range of connection strengths. Therefore, the assumption that the connections are binary yields an incomplete picture of the brain. Various thresholding methods have been used to remove spurious connections and reduce the graph density in binary networks. But these thresholds are arbitrary and make problematic the comparison of networks created at different thresholds. The heterogeneity of connection strengths can be represented in graph theory by applying weights to the network edges. Using our recently introduced edge weight parameter, we estimated the topological brain network organization using a complimentary weighted connectivity framework to the traditional framework of a binary network. To examine the reproducibility of brain networks in a controlled condition, we studied the topological network organization of a single healthy individual by acquiring 10 repeated diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance image datasets, over a one-month period on the same scanner, and analyzing these networks with deterministic tractography. We applied a threshold to both the binary and weighted networks and determined that the extra degree of freedom that comes with the framework of weighting network connectivity provides a robust result as any threshold level. The proposed weighted connectivity framework provides a stable result and is able to demonstrate the small world property of brain networks in situations where the binary framework is inadequate and unable to demonstrate this network property.
Linear mixed-effects models

In Chapter 3, linear mixed models are introduced and specified. Linear mixed modeling is a statistical approach with widespread applications in longitudinal data analysis. Given a considerable body of linear mixed modeling techniques, this chapter is focused on the general specifications, basic inferences, and estimating procedures of the fixed effects in the presence of the specified random effects. For analytic convenience, three specific cases of linear mixed models are delineated first, based on which statistical inferences of linear mixed models are then formalized. Next, the maximum likelihood estimator is specified with a focus on the estimation of the fixed-effects. It is emphasized that when the sample size is small, the maximum likelihood estimator yields a variance estimate that is biased downward because a penalty term is missed with unknown population means. Some other statistical procedures in linear mixed models are also presented in this chapter. Lastly, an illustration is provided to display how to apply linear mixed models in empirical research.
Doping Effects in Amorphous Silicon

Many experiments show that doping causes a change in the density and distribution of localized states in hydrogenated amorphous silicon. The nature and origin of these changes and the physical mechanisms of doping are discussed.
Complex, multi-scale small intestinal topography replicated in cellular growth substrates fabricated via chemical vapor deposition of Parylene C

Native small intestine possesses distinct multi-scale structures (e.g., crypts, villi) not included in traditional 2D intestinal culture models for drug delivery and regenerative medicine. The known impact of structure on cell function motivates exploration of the influence of intestinal topography on the phenotype of cultured epithelial cells, but the irregular, macro- to submicron-scale features of native intestine are challenging to precisely replicate in cellular growth substrates. Herein, we utilized chemical vapor deposition of Parylene C on decellularized porcine small intestine to create polymeric intestinal replicas containing biomimetic irregular, multi-scale structures. These replicas were used as molds for polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) growth substrates with macro to submicron intestinal topographical features. Resultant PDMS replicas exhibit multiscale resolution including macro- to micro-scale folds, crypt and villus structures, and submicron-scale features of the underlying basement membrane. After 10 d of human epithelial colorectal cell culture on PDMS substrates, the inclusion of biomimetic topographical features enhanced alkaline phosphatase expression 2.3-fold compared to flat controls, suggesting biomimetic topography is important in induced epithelial differentiation. This work presents a facile, inexpensive method for precisely replicating complex hierarchal features of native tissue, towards a new model for regenerative medicine and drug delivery for intestinal disorders and diseases.
The Determination and Analysis of Aging Mechanisms in Accelerated Testing of Selected Semiconductors, Capacitors and Resistors

THREE principal categories of problems confront the parts reliability engineer. Initially, it is desired to assign failure rate or reliability numbers to a parts performance under a specific set of application conditions. If there is limited or no data upon which to make a prediction having the desired confidence level, testing may be required. This leads to the problem of establishing a set of test conditions that will supply useful and valid information within a limited time and money budget. The time restrictions enforce some form of accelerated testing. Then the validity of the accelerated test conditions and the mathematical relationship of these results to those results that would have been obtained under some standard set of conditions must be justified. This paper will discuss the progress made in applying physics of failure data, experiments and concepts to establishing accelerated test conditions and to evaluating the acceleration factor to be applied in relating the results to some standard test condition. The parts to be discussed are examples of high volume production, high volume usage and consist of a lead-alumino-silicate glass capacitor, silicon passivated planar transistors, silicon alloy-junction diodes and film resistors. Specific subjects to be discussed are: 1. The development of physical models to predict the parts reaction to stress. 2. Use of the model to predict failure mechanisms and failure modes to be encountered under various stresses. 3. Selection of stresses for accelerated testing. 4. Results of accelerated testing; failure mechanisms and modes encountered and analytical techniques.
Association of Postoperative Radiotherapy With Survival in Patients With N1 Oral Cavity and Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Importance The guidelines for head and neck cancer recommend consideration of adjuvant postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) for patients with pT1N1 or pT2N1 disease in the absence of other adverse features. This recommendation was recently changed for oropharyngeal (OP) squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Objective To examine the use and outcomes of PORT for N1 OP SCC and oral cavity (OC) SCC. Design, Setting, and Participants This retrospective cohort study identified 1467 adult patients with OC SCC and 790 patients with OP SCC with pT1N1 or pT2N1 disease in the absence of other adverse features from the National Cancer Database from January 1, 2004, to December 31, 2013. Patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy or palliative radiotherapy or who had adverse pathologic features were excluded. Statistical analysis included χ 2 tests and Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. Data were analyzed from November 10, 2015, to June 30, 2016. Main Outcomes and Measures Overall survival. Results Of the 1467 patients with OC SCC (842 men [57.4%]; 625 women [42.6%]; mean [SD] age, 61.3 [13.8] years), 740 (50.4%) received PORT. Of the 790 patients with OP SCC (584 men [73.9%]; 206 women [26.1%]; mean [SD] age, 58.2 [10.3] years), 449 (56.8%) received PORT. After controlling for patient demographics, pathologic characteristics, and hospital-level variables, PORT was associated with improved overall survival for patients with OC SCC (hazard ratio [HR], 0.76; 95% CI, 0.63-0.92) and OP SCC (HR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.41-0.92) with pN1 disease without adverse features. On stratified analysis, this association persisted for patients younger than 70 years (OC SCC HR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.61-0.97; OP SCC HR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.31-0.75) and those with pT2 disease (OC SCC HR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.43-0.96; OP SCC HR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.32-0.95), but there was no association with overall survival among patients 70 years or older (OC SCC HR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.58-1.06; OP SCC HR, 1.55; 95% CI, 0.63-3.82) and those with pT1 disease (OC SCC HR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.60-1.07; OP SCC HR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.35-1.24). Conclusions and Relevance PORT may be associated with improved survival in patients with pN1 OC and OP SCC, especially in those younger than 70 years or those with pT2 disease.
Integrated optic single-ring filter for narrowband phase demodulation

Integrated optic notch filters are key building blocks for higher-order spectral filter responses and have been demonstrated in many technology platforms from dielectrics (such as Si3N4) to semiconductors (Si photonics). Photonic-assisted RF processing applications for notch filters include identifying and filtering out high-amplitude, narrowband signals that may be interfering with the desired signal, including undesired frequencies detected in radar and free-space optical links. The fundamental tradeoffs for bandwidth and rejection depth as a function of the roundtrip loss and coupling coefficient are investigated along with the resulting spectral phase response for minimum-phase and maximum-phase responses compared to the critical coupling condition and integration within a Mach Zehnder interferometer. Based on a full width at half maximum criterion, it is shown that maximum-phase responses offer the smallest bandwidths for a given roundtrip loss. Then, a new role for passive notch filters in combination with high-speed electro-optic phase modulation is explored around narrowband phase-to-amplitude demodulation using a single ring operating on one sideband. Applications may include microwave processing and instantaneous frequency measurement (IFM) for radar, space and defense applications.
Electric Multipole Moments, Topological Multipole Moment Pumping, and Chiral Hinge States in Crystalline Insulators

We extend the theory of dipole moments in crystalline insulators to higher multipole moments. In this paper, we expand in great detail the theory presented in Ref. 1, and extend it to cover associated topological pumping phenomena, and a novel class of 3D insulator with chiral hinge states. In quantum-mechanical crystalline insulators, higher multipole bulk moments manifest themselves by the presence of boundary-localized moments of lower dimension, in exact correspondence with the electromagnetic theory of classical continuous dielectrics. In the presence of certain symmetries, these moments are quantized, and their boundary signatures are fractionalized. These multipole moments then correspond to new SPT phases. The topological structure of these phases is described by "nested" Wilson loops, which reflect the bulk-boundary correspondence in a way that makes evident a hierarchical classification of the multipole moments. Just as a varying dipole generates charge pumping, a varying quadrupole generates dipole pumping, and a varying octupole generates quadrupole pumping. For non-trivial adiabatic cycles, the transport of these moments is quantized. An analysis of these interconnected phenomena leads to the conclusion that a new kind of Chern-type insulator exists, which has chiral, hinge-localized modes in 3D. We provide the minimal models for the quantized multipole moments, the non-trivial pumping processes and the hinge Chern insulator, and describe the topological invariants that protect them.
The Use of GIS and Weights-of-Evidence in the Reconstruction of a Native American Sacred Landscape in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP), USA, is rich in Native American sites, many believed to have served religious purposes. The University of Northern Colorado has conducted field studies and Native American consultations related to the former existence and nature of sacred sites and their inclusive landscape in the Park since 2001. Field and consultation data have been incorporated into successive generations of a Geographic Information System (GIS) project designed to model and predict spatial distribution of sites and ritual features believed to have constituted those long-lost landscapes. In the most recent iteration of the RMNP sacred landscape modeling research, the ArcSM (Spatial Data Modeler) extension to ArcGIS was utilized to analyze existing site and individual feature data to create a weights-of-evidence site location predictive model of the Park’s sacred landscape. The model incorporates elevation, aspect, local relief, slope, a cost distance from historic and prehistoric trails surface, and the relative visibility of five sacred landmarks. An Agterber and Cheng conditional independence test, an approximate t-test, and the model’s strength on a randomly chosen subset of sacred features were used to assess its validity. The model was found to be moderately predictive of sacred sites and is being used to direct on-going “ground-truthing” surveys in RMNP. By combining diverse sources of archeological, ethnographic, and historic knowledge with results of the weights-of-evidence GIS model, eight specific park locations were identified for future archeological survey efforts. Two ritual site locations predicted by the model were surveyed during 2010 and both produced features believed to be ritual in origin.
Differentiating among Attempted, Completed, and Multiple Nonfatal Strangulation in Women Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence.

Abstract Purpose Because identification of intimate partner violence (IPV) in health care settings is low and strangulation increases lethality risk among women experiencing IPV, we examined the prevalence and correlates of nonfatal strangulation among 1,008 women survivors of IPV. Methods Trained researchers conducted semistructured interviews with women survivors of IPV referred by police. Multinomial logistic regression examined differential correlates of attempted, completed, and multiple strangulation. Results Interviews were conducted with 71.14% of eligible women contacted by researchers. A high proportion (79.66%) of the women interviewed experienced attempted (11.70%), completed (30.16%), or multiple (37.80%) strangulation. Each form of strangulation was independently significantly associated with sexual violence when compared with no strangulation. African American women were at increased risk of attempted (adjusted relative risk ratio [ARR], 2.02; p Conclusions Strangulation is a prevalent form of IPV that presents significant health risks to women. Women's health practitioners are optimally positioned to identify subtle signs and symptoms of strangulation, help women to understand the delayed sequelae and potential future fatality associated with strangulation, and connect them with appropriate resources to reduce the risk of morbidity and mortality.
Tobacco Policies and Alcohol Sponsorship at Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Festivals: Time for Intervention

An editorial is presented which addresses the authors' views about the sponsorship of LGBT pride parades and festivals by tobacco and alcoholic beverage companies, and it mentions tobacco use and alcohol abuse by LGBT people. Pride event policies regarding tobacco and alcohol are examined, along with the U.S. Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act of 2009, premature deaths in America, and the health aspects of smoking and alcohol consumption.
DESIGNING EXPERIMENTS FOR INVESTIGATING COLUMNAR VORTICES

The dynamics of intense columnar vortices is a classical problem in fluid mechanics, one that has traditionally attracted researchers from many areas of science and engineering. The geophysical fluid dynamicist is presented with a particularly rich array of such vortices for investigation. These range from small whirls visible in the fog over bodies of water to dust devils to large tornadoes, and include such diverse phenomena as waterspouts and fire whirls. The internal structure and the dynamics of this family of geophysical columnar vortices remain largely unknown. This lack of knowledge is due in large part to the difficulties encountered in investigating these swirling flows as they occur in nature. Only a few efforts have been made to systematically examine natural vortices; these have focused on dust devils (Sinclair, 1973) and waterspouts (Golden, 1974).
Discrimination, objectification, and dehumanization: toward a pantheoretical framework.

In this chapter, I have called for greater attention to targets’ experiences in theory and research on dehumanization. I have also argued that what we know from theory and research on targets’ experiences of stigma and discrimination can inform how we pursue the understanding of targets’ experiences of dehumanization. To this end, I have emphasized the utility of attention to the intersectionality of minority statuses in shaping discrimination experiences. I have also described theoretical frameworks grounded in different populations’ experiences—including theories of discrimination as stressful life events or daily hassles, minority stress frameworks, and objectification theory—and offered examples of integrating these frameworks as a way to attend to intersectionality. As well, I have noted parallels between the areas of convergence across discrimination theories and emerging findings regarding the consequences of dehumanization for targets. Finally, I have described the broad outlines of a pantheoretical framework that reflects areas of convergence and complementary integration across the discrimination and dehumanization literatures. My hope is that this framework will encourage further attention to the potential distinctions between internalization and cognizance of discrimination, exploration of their potentially distinctive intermediary consequences, and consideration of a broader range of outcomes beyond individual health and well-being indicators, and including individual and collective social activism. I also hope that readers will contribute to the critical evaluation and refinement of this pantheoretical framework with continued attention to the intersectionality that characterizes people’s identities and experiences of discrimination.
A theoretical treatment of the intersystem crossing in the spin-forbidden reaction NO(X2Π)+CO(X1Σ+)→N(4S)+CO2(X1Σ+g)

Abstract The mechanism of the spin-forbidden reaction NO(X 2 Π)+CO(X 1 Σ + ) → N( 4 S)+CO 2 (X 1 Σ + g ) is considered. Two minimum energy points on the doublet–quartet crossing surface are reported using multireference configuration interaction (MRCI) wavefunctions. The lowest-energy crossing point has an approximate C2v structure resembling the products N+CO2. This region lies 60 kcal/mol above the reactant channel, suggesting that the title reaction would not occur under typical combustion conditions. A higher-energy point with a linear structure is also located. Two local minima on the lowest 2 A ″ potential energy surface are reported at the QCISD and MRCI levels.
ROUND GIVING: A FIELD EXPERIMENT ON SUGGESTED DONATION AMOUNTS IN PUBLIC‐TELEVISION FUNDRAISING

Direct‐mail fundraisers commonly provide a set of suggested donation amounts to potential donors, in addition to a write‐in option. Standard economic models of charitable fundraising do not predict an impact of suggested amounts on charitable giving. However, our field experiments on direct‐mail solicitations to over 10,000 members of a public television station tell a different story. We find that changing one of the suggested amounts in an ask string from $100 to $95 reduces the number of gifts greater than or equal to $90 by more than 30%. This contrasts with our finding that in three independent comparisons, increasing the entire vector of suggested amounts by 20%–40% reduces the probability of giving by approximately 15%, with little effect on the average size of the gift. Both manipulations lead to a larger proportion of write‐in donations, even as they reduce the number of total gifts. We propose a simple behavioral theory to explain the data: many donors prefer to give round numbers, and donors incur a cognitive cost when choosing to give a nonsuggested amount. (JEL C9, H4)
Caring for Patients During and After Immunotherapy Treatment

Caring for mesothelioma patients during and after immunotherapy treatment is complex and requires incredible expertise and knowledge about immunotherapy and its potential toxicities. Caring for mesothelioma patients requires an interdisciplinary team of experts as well as a nurse experienced in caring for mesothelioma patients. Mesothelioma-specialized nurses provide a necessary layer of communication and support when patients are treated with immunotherapy on clinical trials and deliver the high level of care and coordination necessary for these patients. Immunotherapy has a very different profile of toxicities and requires nursing as well as a team of specialists to appropriately treat and resolve those toxicities.
Towards a robot-based multimodal framework to assess the impact of fatigue on user behavior and performance: a pilot study

Objective: In this paper, we present a multimodal robot-based framework to investigate how physical and mental fatigue affect task performance, and how it relates to subjective self-reports.Methodology: In this pilot study, seven healthy participants underwent the robot-based assessment. In each session, the participants performed a series of reaching tasks, including a task with cognitive demands, by moving the end effector of the Barrett WAM arm in the direction of the virtual targets displayed on a computer screen. Multimodal data, including EEG, EMG and user performance data like reaction time, number of targets, trajectory of the robot path, were recorded for further analysis.Results: Based on the analysis of subjective user self-report and objective task performance metrics, we observe that the user's perceived level of task difficulty increased over time while objective task performance also improved over time. We speculate that this might be due to the effect of fatigue on the user's perception of task difficulty.Conclusion: Further studies are required, with a more diverse population, to understand the impact of fatigue on the user's cognitive and physical ability. We must also evaluate how contextual parameters may affect task performance and fatigue.
Re-investigation of an octanuclear iron-oxo complex supported by 4-tbutyl-pyrazolido ligands

Abstract The synthesis and characterization of the octanuclear all-ferric compounds [Fe8(μ4-O)4(μ-4-R-pz)12Cl4], R = tBu (1) and nBu (2) by spectroscopic (1H NMR, UV–Vis, FTIR, 57Fe-Mossbauer) and electrochemical methods are reported along with the single crystal X-ray structure determination of complex 1. These studies were undertaken in order to correct some erroneous conclusions in a recent publication (Eur. J. Inorg. Chem., 2018, 4925–4929; Eur. J. Inorg. Chem., 2018, 4930–4931) regarding compound 1.
Application of a Near-Optimal Reinforcement Learning Controller to a Robotics Problem in Manufacturing: A Hybrid Approach

Optimization theory provides a framework for determining the best decisions or actions with respect to some mathematical model of a process. This paper focuses on learning to act in a near-optimal manner through reinforcement learning for problems that either have no model or the model is too complex. One approach to solving this class of problems is via approximate dynamic programming. The application of these methods are established primarily for the case of discrete state and action spaces. In this paper we develop efficient methods of learning which act in complex systems with continuous state and action spaces. Monte-Carlo approaches are employed to estimate function values in an iterative, incremental procedure. Derivative-free line search methods are used to obtain a near-optimal action in the continuous action space for a discrete subset of the state space. This near-optimal control policy is then extended to the entire continuous state space via a fuzzy additive model. To compensate for approximation errors, a modified procedure for perturbing the generated control policy is developed. Convergence results under moderate assumptions and stopping criteria are established.
The State of the Awareness of Web Accessibility Guidelines of Student Website and App Developers

Websites and applications (apps) have become so ingrained in society, it is important that everyone, regardless of their disability, has equal access to websites and apps. However, Web accessibility continues to be an issue. One of the reasons often cited for inaccessible websites and apps is lack of training. Many developers are not educated, or even exposed, to accessibility guidelines in their college preparations. Thus, understanding the extent to which current student website and app developers are exposed to accessibility is a critical first step in determining how to increase their use of accessibility guidelines. This mixed method study is a first step to understand the awareness of Web accessibility guidelines of student website and app developers. The survey questions have been developed to understand student website and app developers’ education, experience, and perceptions of accessibility guidelines. The interview data collected has been used to explain the quantitative results and explore to narrow the gaps in the perceptions and implementation of accessibility guidelines.
How Fast Reads Affect Multi-Valued Register Simulations

We consider the problem of simulating a k-valued register in a wait-free manner using binary registers as building blocks, where k 2. We show that for any simulation using atomic binary base registers to simulate a safe k-valued register in which the read algorithm takes the optimal number of steps (log2 k), the write algorithm must take at least log2 k steps in the worst case. A fortiori, the same lower bound applies when the simulated register should be regular. Previously known algorithms show that both these lower bounds are tight. We also show that in order to simulate an atomic k-valued register for two readers, the optimal number of steps for the read algorithm must be strictly larger than log2 k.
GiniQC: a measure for quantifying noise in single-cell Hi-C data.

SUMMARY Single-cell Hi-C (scHi-C) allows the study of cell-to-cell variability in chromatin structure and dynamics. However, the high level of noise inherent in current scHi-C protocols necessitates careful assessment of data quality before biological conclusions can be drawn. Here, we present GiniQC, which quantifies unevenness in the distribution of inter-chromosomal reads in the scHi-C contact matrix to measure the level of noise. Our examples show the utility of GiniQC in assessing the quality of scHi-C data as a complement to existing quality control measures. We also demonstrate how GiniQC can help inform the impact of various data processing steps on data quality. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION Source code and documentation are freely available at https://github.com/4dn-dcic/GiniQC. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Chemical simulation of hypoxia in donor cells improves development of somatic cell nuclear transfer-derived embryos and increases abundance of transcripts related to glycolysis.

To improve efficiency of somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), it is necessary to modify differentiated donor cells to become more amendable for reprogramming by the oocyte cytoplasm. A key feature that distinguishes somatic/differentiated cells from embryonic/undifferentiated cells is cellular metabolism, with somatic cells using oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) while embryonic cells utilize glycolysis. Inducing metabolic reprogramming in donor cells could improve SCNT efficiency by priming cells to become more embryonic in nature before SCNT hypoxia inducible factor 1-α (HIF1-α), a transcription factor that allows for cell survival in low oxygen, promotes a metabolic switch from OXPHOS to glycolysis. We hypothesized that chemically stabilizing HIF1-α in donor cells by use of the hypoxia mimetic, cobalt chloride (CoCl2 ), would promote this metabolic switch in donor cells and subsequently improve the development of SCNT embryos. Donor cell treatment with 100 µM CoCl2 for 24 hr preceding SCNT upregulated messenfer RNA abundance of glycolytic enzymes, improved SCNT development to the blastocyst stage and quality, and affected gene expression in the blastocysts. After transferring blastocysts created from CoCl2 -treated donor cells to surrogates, healthy cloned piglets were produced. Therefore, shifting metabolism toward glycolysis in donor cells by CoCl2 treatment is a simple, economical way of improving the in vitro efficiency of SCNT and is capable of producing live animals.
A three dimensional collagen gel model for investigating potential chemopreventive agents against development of early breast cancer

686 Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in women. It is estimated that 211,240 women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in 2005, and 40,410 will die of the disease. In addition, 58,490 cases of carcinoma in situ (early stage of breast cancer) are expected to occur in 2005. The causes of breast cancer remain obscure, and there are no established primary prevention strategies; moreover, advances in therapy are limited. Thus, there is an urgent need for developing novel cancer chemopreventive agents and appropriate models to test their efficacies. The use of naturally occurring or synthetic agents (e.g., selenium compounds) that can inhibit the early events, before the occurrence of clinically detectable cancer, is an appropriate approach for breast cancer prevention and control. We are developing a three-dimensional (3-D) collagen gel model that replicates characteristics of human ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and / or atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH). This model will provide a suitable environment to examine the efficacy of promising chemopreventive agents. To develop this model, tissues obtained from biopsy of suspected cases of DCIS and / or ADH are selectively excised, digested in enzymes, and the separated clusters of cells placed in collagen gels. The cells grow and spread out into tube-like structures similar to those seen in a human breast. These characteristic features are confirmed by laboratory staining techniques. These tube-like structures growing in collagen have been examined for responsiveness to Se-methylselenocysteine (MSC) and methylseleninic acid (MSeA); chemopreventive agents known to inhibit breast cancer in laboratory animals. Both these compounds also inhibit growth of human breast cancer cells growing on collagen and on plastic as evidenced by Cell Death ELISA. This model will prove useful in testing other effective agents against development of early breast cancer. Support: Penn State Cancer Institute Funds.
SARS-CoV-2 becoming more infectious as revealed by algebraic topology and deep learning

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has led to a tremendous human fatality and economic loss. SARS-CoV-2 infectivity is a key reason for the widespread viral transmission, but its rigorous experimental measurement is essentially impossible due to the ongoing genome evolution around the world. We show that artificial intelligence (AI) and algebraic topology (AT) offer an accurate and efficient alternative to the experimental determination of viral infectivity. AI and AT analysis indicates that the on-going mutations make SARS-CoV-2 more infectious.