cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optimization of Stationary Flat-Plate Solar Collectors

The optimum design of stationary flat-plate solar collectors is considered using the game theory approach for multiple objectives. The clear day solar beam radiation and diffuse radiation at the location of the solar collector are estimated. Three objectives are considered in the optimization problem formulation: maximization of the annual average incident solar energy, maximization of the lowest month incident solar energy and minimization of the cost. The game theory solution represents the best compromise in terms of the supercriterion selected. Because some design parameters such as solar constant, altitude, typical day of each month and most of the design variables are not precisely known, a probabilistic approach is also proposed in this work. The results obtained by the determinist and probabilistic approaches are compared. It is found that the absolute value of each objective function decreases with an increase in either the probability of constraint satisfaction or the coefficient of variation of the random variables. This work represents the first work aimed at the application of multi-objective optimization strategy, particularly the game theory approach, for the solution of the solar collector design problem.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Targeting mitochondrial biogenesis to overcome drug resistance to MAPK inhibitors

Targeting multiple components of the MAPK pathway can prolong the survival of patients with BRAFV600E melanoma. This approach is not curative, as some BRAF-mutated melanoma cells are intrinsically resistant to MAPK inhibitors (MAPKi). At the systemic level, our knowledge of how signaling pathways underlie drug resistance needs to be further expanded. Here, we have shown that intrinsically resistant BRAF-mutated melanoma cells with a low basal level of mitochondrial biogenesis depend on this process to survive MAPKi. Intrinsically resistant cells exploited an integrated stress response, exhibited an increase in mitochondrial DNA content, and required oxidative phosphorylation to meet their bioenergetic needs. We determined that intrinsically resistant cells rely on the genes encoding TFAM, which controls mitochondrial genome replication and transcription, and TRAP1, which regulates mitochondrial protein folding. Therefore, we targeted mitochondrial biogenesis with a mitochondrium-targeted, small-molecule HSP90 inhibitor (Gamitrinib), which eradicated intrinsically resistant cells and augmented the efficacy of MAPKi by inducing mitochondrial dysfunction and inhibiting tumor bioenergetics. A subset of tumor biopsies from patients with disease progression despite MAPKi treatment showed increased mitochondrial biogenesis and tumor bioenergetics. A subset of acquired drug-resistant melanoma cell lines was sensitive to Gamitrinib. Our study establishes mitochondrial biogenesis, coupled with aberrant tumor bioenergetics, as a potential therapy escape mechanism and paves the way for a rationale-based combinatorial strategy to improve the efficacy of MAPKi.
The Status of Biography in the Historiography of New Spain

IN the early fall of 1969, I agreed to write an article for a special issue of The Americas honoring France V. Scholes. My contribution would be an essay on the status of biography in the literature of New Spain. Within a week after the selection of a topic, I was invited, as a last-minute replacement, to attend the Third Meeting of United States and Mexican Historians in Oaxtepec, Morelos. I served as discussant in a session devoted to Mexican biography since 1800. Ideas brought out in the discussion and commentary at the Oaxtepec meeting are gratefully acknowledge in this essay. An additional source for this paper is a questionnaire mailed to leading scholars of the United States in the field of colonial Mexican history. Several friends and colleagues have been kind enough to offer positive encouragement for this project. I have made no attempt here to survey all biographies of colonial personalities in New Spain, nor will I inflict my judgment of each study on the scholarly community. Book reviewers, past and present, have done their work. Generally, emphasis is on New Spain proper rather than the peripheral areas of the viceroyalty. I shall approach the subject of biography in a rather broad and unorthodox context. Interpretations and conclusions are mine, not the responsibility of trusting colleagues who gave me permission to quote them.
RACIAL AND ETHNIC COMPOSITION OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE DISBANDING OF NONPROFIT HUMAN SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS

This paper draws insights from the sociological study of residential segregation and the institutional perspective on organizations to examine the influence of the racial and ethnic composition of the neighborhood on organizational disbanding. The analysis, which combines panel data on a probability sample of nonprofit human service organizations with census data, reveals systematic differences: The percentage of Blacks and Latinos in the census tract is positively associated with the odds that organizations surveyed in 2002 had disbanded by 2011 after controlling for a variety of organizational and environmental factors. By contrast, an increase in the percentage of Whites in the census tract decreased the odds of organizational disbanding. Results highlight the effects of the racial and spatial landscape on organizational life chances, with implications for the capacity of the nonprofit human services sector to reach the most isolated and disadvantaged populations.
Myo-inositol homeostasis in foetal rabbit lung.

In several species, lung maturation is accompanied by a decline in the phosphatidylinositol content of lung surfactant and a concomitant increase in its phosphatidylglycerol content. To examine the possibility that this developmental change is influenced by the availability of myo-inositol, potential sources of myo-inositol for the developing rabbit lung were investigated. On day 28 of gestation the myo-inositol content of foetal rabbit lung tissue (2.3+/-0.5mumol/g of tissue) was not significantly different from that of adult lung tissue but the activity of d-glucose 6-phosphate:1l-myo-inositol 1-phosphate cyclase (cyclase) in foetal lung tissue (81.0+/-9.0nmol.h(-1).g of tissue(-1)) was higher than that found in adult lung tissue (23.2+/-1.0nmol.h(-1).g of tissue(-1)). Day 28 foetal rabbit lung tissue was found also to take up myo-inositol by a specific, energy-dependent, Na(+)-requiring mechanism. Half-maximal uptake of myo-inositol by foetal rabbit lung slices was observed when the concentration of myo-inositol in the incubation medium was 85mum. When the myo-inositol concentration was 1mm (but not 100mum) the addition of glucose (5.5mm) stimulated myo-inositol uptake. myo-Inositol uptake was observed also in adult rabbit lung and was found to be sub-maximal at the concentration of myo-inositol found in adult rabbit serum. The concentration of myo-inositol in the serum of pregnant adult rabbits (47.5+/-5.5mum) was significantly lower than that of non-pregnant adult female rabbits (77.9+/-9.2mum). On day 28 of gestation the concentration of myo-inositol in foetal serum (175.1+/-12.0mum) was much less than on day 25, but more than that found on day 30. A transient post-partum increase in the concentration of myo-inositol in serum was followed by a rapid decline. Much of the myo-inositol in foetal rabbit serum probably originates from the placenta, where on day 28 of gestation a high cyclase activity (527+/-64nmol.h(-1).g of tissue(-1)) was measured. The gestational decline in serum myo-inositol concentration, together with the decreasing cyclase activity of the lungs, is consistent with the view that maturation of the lungs is accompanied by decreased availability of myo-inositol to this tissue.
STUDY ON ADVANCED TEATMENT OF PAPERMAKING WASTEWATER

Papermaking wastewater is the key pollution in papermaking enterprises,physicochemical methods are still the preferred processes of papermaking wastewater treatmengt.With the voice of environment protection getting higher and higher,stricter standard of reuse rate of white water and comprehensive waste water is inereasing in papermaking industry.In this paper,combined with the new requirements of Zhejiang region,the current pretreatment and deep treatment processes are reviewed,and it demonstrates the necessity and feasibility of papermaking wastewater deep treatment by examples study.
A Call for Fertility and Sexual Function Counseling in Pediatrics.

* Abbreviation: AAP — : American Academy of Pediatrics During a pediatric endocrinology clinic visit, a 16-year-old boy presented with his family for evaluation of his endocrine axes due to history of bone marrow transplantation. He had previously been followed elsewhere; transfer records stated his family had been told that his fertility was likely to be impaired, but his parents had not shared this with him. It was also unclear from review of the notes whether any discussions regarding sexual function had occurred. Historically, reproductive health in pediatrics has focused primarily on contraception and prevention of sexually transmitted infections. However, there is now a growing body of literature discussing the long-term impact of many pediatric conditions and treatments on fertility and sexual function, such as oncologic therapy, hematologic or autoimmune conditions requiring bone marrow transplantation, renal and rheumatologic disorders in which alkylators are used, cross-sex hormonal therapy used in the care of transgender youth, disorders of sex development, and other genetic syndromes such as galactosemia. Pediatric providers face dilemmas about the optimal approaches for assessing and discussing fertility and sexual function with patients and families, the type of guidance to give to parents about related communications with their children at each developmental stage, and ethical obligations regarding disclosure when parents are opposed to sharing sensitive information with their children. Decades ago, the nondisclosure approach to sensitive … Address correspondence to Leena Nahata, MD, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, 700 Children’s Dr, Columbus, OH 43205. E-mail: leena.nahata{at}nationwidechildrens.org
Coordinate synthesis and release of corticotropin and endorphin

In the course of studies on the biosynthesis of adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) it was discovered that β-lipotropin (β-LPH) and β-endorphin [β-LPH61–91] share a common biosynthetic precursor with ACTH. These initial findings are summarized and more recent work on the coordinate synthesis and release of ACTH and endorphin is presented.
The Mismanagement of Credit Risk

We are still in the midst of a major financial crisis that hit the western world in a vicious manner, and continues to shake the confidence of businesses and of consumers. For all practical purposes the Federal Reserve has got it wrong (Chapter 2), starting with Alan Greenspan who tried to work out his surroundings by feeling his way by touch in a darkened room. Additionally, an uncontrolled financial globalization has made things worse, not better (Chapter 3).
Should We Treat Vegetative and Minimally Conscious Patients as Persons

How should we treat patients diagnosed as being in a persistent vegetative state (PVS) or minimally conscious state (MCS)? More specifically, should we treat them as having the full moral status of persons? Yes, or so we argue. First, we introduce the medical conditions of PVS, MCS, and the related conditions of Locked-in Syndrome and covert awareness. Second, we characterize the main argument for thinking diagnosed PVS patients are not persons. Third, we contend that this argument is defeated by mounting empirical evidence for the considerable uncertainty of PVS diagnoses. Fourth, we characterize a new argument for PVS non-personhood suggested by Neil Levy and Julian Savulescu, one intended to accommodate the diagnostic uncertainty. According to this argument, even if diagnosed PVS patients are in fact MCS, it makes no difference because MCS patients are probably not persons either. Fifth, we challenge the new argument by assembling reasons for doubting the claim that MCS patients are not persons. The outcome is that it is fairly uncertain whether diagnosed PVS and MCS patients are persons or not. What should we do in light of this uncertainty (given its present intractability)? Sixth, we develop and support a guiding precautionary principle, which we call Precautionary Personhood. Finally, we apply the principle to the case of diagnosed PVS and MCS patients: we argue that given substantial uncertainty about their personhood we should go ahead and treat these patients as if they are persons.
Label Free Imaging of the Amphotericin B - Live Cell Interaction using Transient Absorption Microscopy

Nonlinear transient absorption microscopy was used to image native AmB interacting with live yeast cells. The results revealed contradictory evidence from the previous mechanisms proposed for AmB.
Persistent coverage of a two-dimensional manifold subject to time-varying disturbances

This paper presents a persistent coverage algorithm for multiple agents subject to 3-D rigid body kinematics. Each agent uses a forward-facing sensing footprint, modeled as an anisotropic spherical sector, to cover a 2-D manifold. The manifold is subject to continual collisions by high speed particles. Particle trajectories are estimated online with an extended Kalman filter using noisy spherical coordinate position measurements. Predicted impact points for each particle, along with associated covariances, are used to generate normally distributed coverage decay. This directs agents to explore in the vicinity of both future and past impact points. The efficacy of the algorithm is demonstrated through simulation.
Calculation of Voltages in Electric Power Transmission Lines During Historic Geomagnetic Storms: An Investigation Using Realistic Earth Impedances

Commonly, one-dimensional (1-D) Earth impedances have been used to calculate the voltages induced across electric power transmission lines during geomagnetic storms under the assumption that much of the three-dimensional structure of the Earth gets smoothed when integrating along power transmission lines. We calculate the voltage across power transmission lines in the mid-Atlantic region with both regional 1-D impedances and 64 empirical 3-D impedances obtained from a magnetotelluric survey. The use of 3-D impedances produces substantially more spatial variance in the calculated voltages, with the voltages being more than an order of magnitude different, both higher and lower, than the voltages calculated utilizing regional 1-D impedances. During the March 1989 geomagnetic storm 62 transmission lines exceed 100 V when utilizing empirical 3-D impedances, whereas 16 transmission lines exceed 100 V when utilizing regional 1-D impedances. This demonstrates the importance of using realistic impedances to understand and quantify the impact that a geomagnetic storm has on power grids.
Angiogenesis in Gliomas

Malignant brain tumors, including glioblastoma (GBM), display growth, survival, and invasive properties that are coupled to blood vessels and vascular-derived factors. For example, GBM stem cells (GSCs) home to perivascular niches and invasive tumor cells commonly disperse through the brain microenvironment via extracellular matrix (ECM)-rich vascular basement membranes. Anti-vascular agents that target angiogenesis, and particularly those involving vascular endothelial cell growth factor-A (VEGF-A) and its receptors, improve progression-free survival in GBM patients. However, these benefits are often transient due to compensation by alternative angiogenic pathways. The detailed molecular mechanisms that couple GBM cells to blood vessels during tumor growth and progression as well as following anti-angiogenesis therapies are just beginning to be elucidated, with various cytokines, growth factors, and ECM proteins playing important roles. In this review we will highlight molecular pathways that link cerebral blood vessels and GBM cells during tumor growth, progression, and invasion. We will also discuss mechanisms underlying GBM-induced angiogenesis, with a particular focus placed on roles for integrin adhesion receptors and their ECM protein ligands. Therapies that target angiogenesis in GBM and other brain cancers will also be summarized.
Distribution of HL-A Antigens and ABO Blood Groups in Pre-Columbian Mummies

Genetic markers including red cell antigens, serum protein allotypes and various enzyme systems have been employed and found to be powerful tools for ethnic and anthropologic studies (1,5,7, 10,11). The HL-A system with its extensive polymorphism has been recently recognized as one of the most helpful and promising genetic systems. As a result, several investigators have used the HL-A system in the study of the genetic relationship between various living ethnic groups. Also, recently Stastny (11) reported on the distribution of the antigens belonging to this system in 33 mummified tissues.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Patent Foramen Ovale

Epidemiological data implicate obstructive sleep apnea as an independent contributor to the occurrence of stroke. One of the potential patho-physiological links implicates paradoxical embolism in patients with patent foramen ovale. This chapter discusses the hemodynamics of obstructive sleep apnea relevant to the patients with patent foramen ovale, and their connection to the theory of paradoxical embolism.
Stop Pushing Me Away: Relative Level of Facebook Addiction Is Associated With Implicit Approach Motivation for Facebook Stimuli.

The use of Facebook and other social media sites has increased to the point that some consider it to be a behavioral addiction. Previously, research has used the Approach–Avoidance Task to measure ...
Leading against the grain: Lessons for creating just and equitable schools

School leaders today carry a burden that challenge their capacity to keep up with rapid innovation and tethers them to a relentless educational history. Figuring out how to champion possibility in ...
Information driven safeguards approach for remote monitoring system of dry cask storage

Abstract The lack of an operational deep geological repository in the U.S. has left the nuclear power plant operators with the option of storing the more than five years water cooled spent nuclear fuel (SNF) assemblies in dry casks as an interim solution. A single dry cask that typically stores 32 pressurized water reactor (PWR) SNF assemblies can contain up to 20 significant quantities (SQ) of plutonium. A disadvantage of using dry casks from a nuclear safeguards perspective is that there is currently no effective way of re-verifying its contents after it has been sealed. Current safeguards measures rely on containment and surveillance (C&S) techniques primarily by using seals and optical surveillance systems. Nonetheless, if the seal is broken, there is no method to verify the contents of a cask without opening it. This endeavor of opening the cask would expose the personnel involved to high levels of radiation in addition to being expensive and undesirable. Hence, a remote monitoring system (RMS) is designed, analyzed and the results presented here. The RMS combines nondestructive analysis (NDA) and C&S to collect and transmit data continuously to the authorities so that the international atomic energy agency (IAEA) can fulfill its requirement of maintaining continuity of knowledge (CoK) and thus verifying the contents of the dry casks without having to ever open them. The study performed uses radiation transport simulations and analysis of the results, specifically neutron transport simulations for the radiation source term present inside the SNF assemblies. Simulations for this study includes removal of a selected number of SNF assemblies from a multipurpose canister (MPC) and substitution with dummy assemblies. Eight SNF assembly diversion scenarios are analyzed through neutron radiation transport simulations. A neutron transport simulation with all the 32 SNF assemblies present inside the MPC and the corresponding neutron signal on the top of the MPC is used as the reference to compare to the reduction in neutron signal for each of the diversion scenarios. A false alarm probability, ( α ) of 5% is set for the reference case to determine the threshold for detecting the SNF assembly diversion. Simulation results and the analysis showed that the non-detection probability ( β ) for each SNF assembly diversion case is less than 20% and thus serve as a proof of concept that even diversion of a single SNF assembly is detectable. In addition, 32 252Cf point sources with source strengths mimicking that of SNF assemblies were simulated in a similar configuration within the MPC, which also provided similar results. This study is a proof of concept in order for experiments to be conducted to validate the simulation results. All the simulations are performed using the multi-purpose Monte Carlo Radiation Transport Code, MCNP 6.
Metabolic Detection of Bruton's Tyrosine Kinase Inhibition in Mantle Cell Lymphoma Cells

Current methods to evaluate effects of kinase inhibitors in cancer are suboptimal. Analysis of changes in cancer metabolism in response to the inhibitors creates an opportunity for better understanding of the interplay between cell signaling and metabolism and, from the translational perspective, potential early evaluation of response to the inhibitors as well as treatment optimization. We performed genomic, metabolomic, and fluxomic analyses to evaluate the mechanism of action of the Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor ibrutinib (IBR) in mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) cells. Our comprehensive analysis of the data generated by these diverse technologies revealed that IBR profoundly affected key metabolic pathways in IBR-sensitive cells including glycolysis, pentose phosphate pathway, TCA cycle, and glutaminolysis while having much less effects on IBR-poorly responsive cells. Changes in 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS)-detectable lactate and alanine concentrations emerged as promising biomarkers of response and resistance to IBR as demonstrated from experiments on various MCL cell lines. The metabolic network analysis on the 13C MRS and 13C LC/MS experimental data provided quantitative estimates of various intracellular fluxes and energy contributions. Glutaminolysis contributed over 50% of mitochondrial ATP production. Administration of the glutaminase inhibitor CB-839 induced growth suppression of the IBR-poorly responsive cells. IMPLICATIONS: Our study demonstrates application of the advanced metabolomic/fluxomic techniques for comprehensive, precise, and prompt evaluations of the effects of kinase inhibition in MCL cells and has strong translational implications by potentially permitting early evaluation of cancer patient response versus resistance to kinase inhibitors and on design of novel therapies for overcoming the resistance.
Predictors of Acute Kidney Injury Following Aortic Arch Surgery

Abstract Background Acute kidney injury (AKI) following open aortic arch surgery is a frequent complication associated with increased morbidity and mortality. The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate risk factors for postoperative AKI in patients who underwent open aortic arch surgery utilizing hypothermic circulatory arrest (HCA). Materials and methods Included were 295 patients undergoing surgery between January 2011 and March 2018. AKI was defined according to Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes guidelines. Preoperative and intraoperative variables were stratified by no AKI versus any AKI, and bivariate analysis was performed. Multivariable logistic regression analysis used statistically and clinically significant characteristics from the bivariate analysis. Results Of the 295 patients, 93 (32%) developed AKI. In the bivariate analysis, significant predictors of AKI included the following: history of hypertension (P Conclusion In conclusion, given that CPB time is the only modifiable risk factor identified in the analysis, approaches to reducing bypass time should continue to be the focus of decreasing risk for postoperative AKI in HCA cases.
Your Future with Madness: The Relationship between Mental Illness and Career Goals

Does someoneâ€™s mental illness, or lack thereof, affect their career goals? Mental illnesses can affect all parts of someoneâ€™s daily life. They can directly affect the personality traits of a specific person. But, do they also affect someoneâ€™s creativity levels? Do they affect someoneâ€™s future goals? In this study, I examine the exact effect that mental illness has on a personâ€™s career goals and if mental illness can be used as an identifier of someoneâ€™s future path. The results of a unique survey comparing mental health and choice of college majors are presented. They show that students who identify as having anxiety and depression are more likely to identify as being creative and are more likely to major in humanities.
Managing for the middle: rancher care ethics under uncertainty on Western Great Plains rangelands

Ranchers and pastoralists worldwide manage and depend upon resources from rangelands (which support indigenous vegetation with the potential for grazing) across Earth’s terrestrial surface. In the Great Plains of North America rangeland ecology has increasingly recognized the importance of managing rangeland vegetation heterogeneity to address conservation and production goals. This paradigm, however, has limited application for ranchers as they manage extensive beef production operations under high levels of social-ecological complexity and uncertainty. We draw on the ethics of care theoretical framework to explore how ranchers choose management actions. We used modified grounded theory analysis of repeated interviews with ranchers to (1) compare rancher decision-making under relatively certain and uncertain conditions and (2) describe a typology of practices used to prioritize and choose management actions that maintain effective stewardship of these often multi-generational ranches. We contrast traditional decision-making frameworks with those described by interviewees when high levels of environmental and market uncertainty or ecological complexity led ranchers toward use of care-based, flexible and relational frameworks for decision-making. Ranchers facing complexity and uncertainty often sought “middle-ground” strategies to balance multiple, conflicting responsibilities in rangeland social-ecological systems. For example, ranchers’ care-based decision-making leads to conservative stocking approaches to “manage for the middle,” e.g. to limit risk under uncertain weather and forage availability conditions. Efforts to promote heterogeneity-based rangeland management for biodiversity conservation through the restoration of patch burn grazing and prairie dog conservation will require increased valuation of ranchers’ care work.
Neonatal granulocytic MDSCs possess phagocytic properties during bacterial infection.

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are an immunosuppressive cell type found in high abundance in early life. Currently, there has been limited mechanistic understanding of MDSC phagocytosis of bacteria and the corresponding consequences in the context of acute infection. We set out to determine whether human granulocytic MDSCs have phagocytic capacity that is comparable to other professional phagocytes. To investigate these properties, we utilized fluorescent confocal microscopy, flow cytometry, and bacterial burden assays. We demonstrate that human granulocytic MDSCs phagocytose E. coli O1:K1:H7, and subsequently traffic the bacteria into acidic compartments similar to other phagocytes. However, MDSCs were significantly less efficient at bacterial uptake and killing compared to monocytes. This activity is associated with an inflammatory response, but the amount of TNFα gene and protein expression was reduced in infected MDSCs compared to monocytes. Interestingly, we also found that MDSCs release DNA (MeDNA) into the extracellular space that resembles neutrophil extracellular traps. We found that MeDNA had some impact on bacterial viability in single cultures, with an increase in bacterial recovery in MDSCs treated with DNAse. However, MeDNA did not impact the ability of monocytes to eliminate bacteria in co-cultures, suggesting that MDSC extracellular DNA does not compromise monocyte function. Overall, our data reveals mechanistic insight into MDSC activity during infection that includes the kinetics and efficiency of bacterial uptake, elimination through trafficking to acidified compartments, and inflammatory contributions relative to primary human monocytes. These results enhance our understanding of MDSC contributions during acute bacterial infection and identify host-directed targets for immune intervention to improve outcomes and reduce susceptibility to infection early in life.
Bigotry, Civility, and Reinvigorating Civic Education: Government's Formative Task Amidst Polarization

In the U.S. and around the globe, concerns over a decline in civility and tolerance and a surge in lethal extremist violence motivated by hatred of religious and racial groups make condemning—and preventing—hatred and bigotry seem urgent. What meaning can the ideal of e pluribus unum (“out of many one”) have in this fraught and polarized environment? Within the U.S., a long line of jurists, politicians, and educators have invoked civic education in public schools as vital to preserving constitutional democracy and a healthy pluralism. How can schools carry out such a civic role in times of democratic discord and increasing polarization and political partisanship (even political “bigotry”)? This chapter argues for civic education as a tool that government should employ to foster civility and decrease contempt and prejudice. If, as educators insist, civic education must be different in the 21st century to be effective, then what form should that reboot take? This book examines the “why,” “what,” and “how” of a reinvigorated civic education – its aims and content, as well as the best (or “proven”) practices for engaging in it given class- and race-based civic inequalities. I also argue that religious literacy (nonsectarian education about religion) should be a component of civic education because of the harmful effects of widespread religious illiteracy. Teaching students to think critically and to deliberate respectfully across difference is no easy task; LGBTQ rights is one example of the challenges educators face in engaging students in encountering and understanding different perspectives on controversial issues, while also creating the conditions so that students may do so in a safe and respectful environment.
A Study of Ensemble Methods for Cyber Security

Ensemble methods for machine learning serve to increase the predictive power of preexisting models by applying a meta-algorithm on top of the underlying workings of one or many prediction models. These ensemble models show promise for anomaly detection over the simpler prediction models they are built on-top of without much more admin work and theory, making them ideal for network intrusion detection. This study looks at the advantages of these methods when applied to the cybersecurity domain by using the widely used NSL-KDD intrusion detection dataset. The types of ensemble methods studied are voting, bagging, and boosting, specifically the algorithms experimented with are the Voting classifier, boosting, Random forest classifier, and AdaBoost classifier.
AccPar: Tensor Partitioning for Heterogeneous Deep Learning Accelerators

Deep neural network (DNN) accelerators as an example of domain-specific architecture have demonstrated great success in DNN inference. However, the architecture acceleration for equally important DNN training has not yet been fully studied. With data forward, error backward and gradient calculation, DNN training is a more complicated process with higher computation and communication intensity. Because the recent research demonstrates a diminishing specialization return, namely, "accelerator wall", we believe that a promising approach is to explore coarse-grained parallelism among multiple performance-bounded accelerators to support DNN training. Distributing computations on multiple heterogeneous accelerators to achieve high throughput and balanced execution, however, remaining challenging. We present AccPar, a principled and systematic method of determining the tensor partition among heterogeneous accelerator arrays. Compared to prior empirical or unsystematic methods, AccPar considers the complete tensor partition space and can reveal previously unknown new parallelism configurations. AccPar optimizes the performance based on a cost model that takes into account both computation and communication costs of a heterogeneous execution environment. Hence, our method can avoid the drawbacks of existing approaches that use communication as a proxy of the performance. The enhanced flexibility of tensor partitioning in AccPar allows the flexible ratio of computations to be distributed among accelerators with different performances. The proposed search algorithm is also applicable to the emerging multi-path patterns in modern DNNs such as ResNet. We simulate AccPar on a heterogeneous accelerator array composed of both TPU-v2 and TPU-v3 accelerators for the training of large-scale DNN models such as Alexnet, Vgg series, and Resnet series. The average performance improvements of the state-of-the-art "one weird trick" (OWT) and HYPAR, and AccPar, normalized to the baseline data parallelism scheme where each accelerator replicates the model and processes different input data in parallel, are 2.98×, 3.78×, and 6.30×, respectively.
Real-Time Intraoperative Consultation Reporting in the Electronic Health Record.

Objectives We sought to make pathologists' intraoperative consultation (IOC) results immediately available to the surgical team, other clinicians, and laboratory medicine colleagues to improve communication and decrease postanalytic errors. Methods We created an IOC report in our stand-alone laboratory information system that could be signed out prior to, and independent of, the final report, and transfer immediately to the electronic health record (EHR) as a preliminary diagnosis. We evaluated two metrics: preliminary (IOC) result review in the EHR by clinicians and postanalytic errors. Results We assessed 2,886 IOC orders from the first 22 months after implementation. Clinicians reviewed 1,956 (68%) of the IOC results while in preliminary status, including 1,399 (48%) within the first 24 hours. We evaluated 150 cases preimplementation and 300 cases postimplementation for discrepancies between the pathologist's IOC result and the IOC result recorded by the surgeon in the operative note. Discrepancies dropped from 12 of 150 preimplementation to 6 of 150 and 7 of 150 in postimplementation years 1 and 2. One of the 25 discrepancies had a major clinical impact. Conclusions Real-time reporting of IOC results to the EHR reliably transmits results immediately to clinical teams. This strategy reduces but does not eliminate postanalytic interpretive errors by clinical teams.
Building Forecasting Solutions Using Open-Source and Azure Machine Learning

Time series forecasting is one of the most important topics in data science. Almost every business needs to predict the future in order to make better decisions and allocate resources more effectively. Examples of time series forecasting use cases are financial forecasting, demand forecasting in logistics for operational planning of assets, demand forecasting for Azure resources, and energy demand forecasting for campus buildings and data centers. The goal of this tutorial is to demonstrate state-of-the-art forecasting approaches to problems in retail and introduce a new repository focusing on best-practices in forecasting domain, along with a library of forecasting utilities [1]. The tutorial will start with a quick overview of time series forecasting and traditional time series models to provide the audience with a clear background on the kind of problems that we aim to solve. We will also briefly explore the dataset to be used in all exercises. Next, we will run through several exercises to solve a forecasting problem in retail. We will start with a traditional statistical approach, e.g. ARIMA, using an auto-arima function in python [2]. Next, we will cover machine-learning based approaches to forecasting and cover various ways to featurize the time series dataset, then train a LightGBM model [6]. Finally, we will describe a deep-neural-net based approach, namely Dilated CNN, and train a Dilated CNN model on our data [7-8]. Using LightGBM and Dilated CNN - two efficient and state-of-the-art models, we can train the models quickly and achieve very high forecasting accuracies. In the last part of the tutorial, we will cover an example of hyper-parameter tuning in forecasting, and use HyperDrive in Azure Machine Learning service to achieve the task [3-5]. As a part of this exercise, we will also demonstrate how to deploy the trained model to Azure Container Instance (ACI) and test the deployed service. The repository also contains best-practice implementations in R language. Time permitting, we will cover common approaches to solving forecasting problems in R, ranging from simple regression models to more complex ones, such as Prophet package in R.
Analysis and Design of One-Way Steel-Plate Composite Walls for Far-Field Blast Effects

AbstractThis paper presents the development of normalized total force-total impulse (P-I) diagrams for analyzing and designing steel-plate composite (SC) walls to resist far-field blast loads. The ...
Comment on Treatment of carbon monoxide poisoning: high-flow nasal cannula versus non-rebreather face mask

Dear Editor, We recently reviewed with interest the article “Treatment of carbon monoxide poisoning: high-flow nasal cannula versus non-rebreather face mask” and applaud the authors for investigati...
The stop-start control of seismicity by fault bends along the Main Himalayan Thrust

The Himalayan megathrust accommodates most of the relative convergence between the Indian and Eurasian plates, producing cycles of blind and surface-breaking ruptures. Elucidating the mechanics of down-dip segmentation of the seismogenic zone is key to better determine seismic hazards in the region. However, the geometry of the Himalayan megathrust and its impact on seismicity remains controversial. Here, we develop seismic cycle simulations tuned to the seismo-geodetic data of the 2015 Mw 7.8 Gorkha, Nepal earthquake to better constrain the megathrust geometry and its role on the demarcation of partial ruptures. We show that a ramp in the middle of the seismogenic zone is required to explain the termination of the coseismic rupture and the source mechanism of up-dip aftershocks consistently. Alternative models with a wide decollement can only explain the mainshock. Fault structural complexities likely play an important role in modulating the seismic cycle, in particular, the distribution of rupture sizes. Fault bends are capable of both obstructing rupture propagation as well as behave as a source of seismicity and rupture initiation. The aperiodic and variable nature of ruptures and aftershocks on the Himalayan megathrust is explained by the presence of a ramp structure in the middle of the seismogenic zone rather than a flat geometry, according to seismic cycle simulations
Andrew Scheer and the Post-Harper Conservative Party: Materialist, Post-Materialist and Negative Branding

The extensive branding of the CPC from unification of the party and the rise of Stephen Harper to the disappointing 2015 campaign nonetheless demonstrated a disciplined political marketing of a leader and party that could not rely on popular leader appeals. Andrew Scheer inherited a party in need of a rebranding, but with the looming legacy of the Harper years given that Scheer is from the same wing of the party. In this chapter, the 2019 campaign is considered as a test of Scheer’s leadership and how, as a materialist manager, as opposed to inspirational leader like Trudeau, he was unable to persuade voters in what is arguably an emotive era. The chapter also considers Canada in context to recent US elections and how materialist versus post-materialist values are playing out in campaigns.
Maritime Security: Adapting for Mid-century Challenges

Maritime security can be expected to continue to develop and mature global and regional objectives and is a critical component to advance many of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030. However, there are unknowns, impossible to properly prioritise in advance, that will surely appear. The Covid-19 impact on the maritime industry and broader global economy, at the time of this writing in 2020, is stark and omnipresent. Historically, geopolitics has been a major game changer, but in absence of an outright war, there has been a strong continuing trend to harmonise maritime security in international waters for well over a century. Climate change over the next 30 years may open new routes in previously ice-bound waters. Developments in new energy, mineral and other extractive industries in previously undeveloped regions are expected to drive new offshore and transit corridors bringing greater environmental risk, especially oil spill and emergency response challenges to regions sparse in infrastructure and response resources, such as the Arctic and the Antarctic littorals. The pace of this change, however, will most likely continue to be driven by market forces, often non-linear—which will challenge planners. Husbanding sufficient human and economic capital in reserve is prudent. Strategic thinkers on maritime security objectives should embrace the multi-causality of global challenges and remain nimble enough not to be entrapped by their assumptions.
Advanced Cardiac Imaging In Patients With Ischemic Stroke. When To Scan? (P4.3-052)

Objective: To identify patient, TTE, electrocardiogram related variables associated with greater odds of detecting intracardiac thrombus using CCT and CMR Background: Advanced cardiac imaging(ACI) with cardiac CT (CCT) and cardiac MR (CMR) are valuable noninvasive investigative tools to assess cardiac structure in cryptogenic stroke assessment. In this study, we examine patient, electrocardiographic, and TTE variables associated with subsequent detection of intracardiac thrombus using CCT and CMR in patients with cryptogenic stroke. Design/Methods: The Medical University of South Carolina Comprehensive stroke center database was used to identify acute ischemic stroke patients who received inpatient CCT or CMR between January 2017 to May 2018. Patient demographics, past medical history, EKG, and TTE related variables were abstracted by 2 physicians. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with detection of intracardiac thrombus on CCT/CMR. Negative and positive predictive value were calculated for TTE, with CCT/CMR considered as gold standard. Results: 256 subjects received CCT/CMR after TTE during the study period; with 25 (9.7%) patients detected to have an intracardiac thrombus. Twelve (4.7%) patients had LV thrombus, 5 (2.3%) had LA thrombus, 4 (1.6%) had Myxoma tumor and 3 (1.2%) had valve thrombus. With regard TTE, 14 had positive imaging, 8 were true positive and 6 did not have intracardiac thrombus on CCT/CMR. The PPV and NPV of TTE was 57% and 93% respectively. Atrial fibrillation, P wave abnormality on EKG, ST changes on EKG and Left Ventricle wall motion abnormality on TTE and reduced EF% were associated with subsequent detection of intracardiac thrombus on CCT/CMR. Conclusions: Advanced cardiac imaging is a useful noninvasive tool in identifying cardiac source of ischemic stroke. Although small sample size and inadequate power may limit generalizability, patients with atrial fibrillation, P wave and ST changes on EKG, and LV wall motion akinesis should be considered for advanced cardiac imaging Disclosure: Dr. Orabi has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ajinkya has nothing to disclose. Dr. Suh has nothing to disclose. Dr. Girotra has nothing to disclose. Dr. Banerjee has nothing to disclose.
Characters, Eigenfunctions, Spherical Kernel and W-Invariance

To go further in describing the invariant differential operators, we have to introduce characters and eigenfunctions. We deal with three types of characters: - characters on A, that is continuous homomorphism A → C*; - characters on a, so functional a → R or ac → C; - algebra characters, namely C-characters of the algebra of invariant differential operators, that is algebra homomorphisms into C.
Visual aiming of European and U.S. low-beam headlamps

This study evaluated the effect of the sharpness of the cutoff (the transition between the lighter and darker portions of the beam) of low-beam headlamps on visual vertical aiming. Out of ten lamps tested, seven had a U.S. type beam pattern and three had a European type beam pattern. Twenty younger and middle-aged subjects of both sexes, along with an experienced lamp aimer, were asked to adjust the aim of the lamps in such a way that the cutoff of the beam was coincident with a horizontal line on a vertical surface. The subjects were instructed to make the alignment using the illumination gradient to the right of vertical for the U.S. type lamps and to the left of vertical for the European type lamps. Each person aimed each lamp ten times. There were two main results. First, the location of the perceived cutoff was near the location of the maximum contrast between adjacent vertical parts of the beam pattern. Second, the variability of the aiming performance was systematically related to the magnitude of the maximum contrast.
Cuts and Orderings: On Semidefinite Relaxations for the Linear Ordering Problem

The linear ordering problem is easy to state: Given a complete weighted directed graph, find an ordering of the vertices that maximizes the weight of the forward edges. Although the problem is NP-hard, it is easy to estimate the optimum to within a factor of 1/2. It is not known whether the maximum can be estimated to a better factor using a polynomial-time algorithm. Recently it was shown [NV01] that widely-studied polyhedral relaxations for this problem cannot be used to approximate the problem to within a factor better than 1/2. This was shown by demonstrating that the integrality gap of these relaxations is 2 on random graphs with uniform edge probability \(p = 2^{\sqrt{\log{n}}}/n\). In this paper, we present a new semidefinite programming relaxation for the linear ordering problem. We then show that if we choose a random graph with uniform edge probability \(p = \frac{d}{n}\), where d = ω(1), then with high probability the gap between our semidefinite relaxation and the integral optimal is at most 1.64.
Synthesis, characterization and toxicity studies of [Ru2(Aap)4cl]: a diruthenium complex (655.12)

Cisplatin has been identified as one of the leading transition metal-based drug and widely used as anticancer agent. But tumor resistance and development of serious, to overcome these problems we h...
Development of Geiger-mode APD arrays for 1.06 /spl mu/m

InGaAsP/InP Geiger-mode avalanche photodiodes (APDs) have been demonstrated with low dark count rates and high photon sensitivity at 1.06 /spl mu/m. APD arrays can be operated with a common bias voltage with excellent uniformity of response and dark count rates. By cooling, the dark count rates can be reduced from /spl sim/1 MHz at room temperature to /spl sim/35 kHz at 210 K. This operating temperature range is achievable with TE-coolers and should enable new active-imaging applications.
Anti-histone KSAchicken antibody from guinea pig.

Avian erythrocyte-specific histone KSA was purified from chicken red blood cells by selective extraction and by chromatography on amberlite CG-50 columns. This histone was used in the production of antibody in guinea pigs. By immunoprecipitation and microcomplement-fixation tests, the antibody was shown to be specific for histone KSA; reaction was not seen with histones KAP, ARE, GRK, LAK, and KAS. The observation supports the notion that histone KSA has an independent origin from the other histones.