cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Computation of large-scale constrained matrix problems: the splitting equilibration algorithm

The Constrained Matrix problem is a core problem in numerous applications in the social and economic sciences, including: the estimation of input-output tables, trade tables, and social/national accounts, the projection of migration flows over space and time, the treatment of census data, the analysis of political voting patterns, and the estimation of contingency tables. In this paper we introduce a general parallelizable computational method called the Splitting Equilibration Algorithm for solving the entire class of constrained matrix problems. Since the constrained matrix approach has become a standard modelling tool among researchers and practitioners, the need for a unifying, robust, and efficient computational procedure is of practical importance. The empirical performance of the algorithm is then investigated on the largest quadratic constrained matrix problems reported to date using the IBM 3090-600E at the Cornell National Supercomputer Facility in a serial and in a parallel environment.
Multitemporal, Moderate-Spatial-Resolution Remote Sensing of Modern Agricultural Production and Land Modification in the Brazilian Amazon

We present an extensive review of the literature on remote sensing and land change in Amazonia as part of a call for new methods to study the recent expan- sion of mechanized annual cropping. Following the review is a presentation of the use of multitemporal Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) 250-meter Vegetation Index (VI) data to study processes of intensification of mecha- nized agriculture in Vilhena, Rondonia, Brazil, an Amazonian soy-producing munic- ipality. The case study shows that the high temporal resolution and moderate spatial resolution of the MODIS VI data hold promise for acquiring information necessary to answer important questions about mechanized agriculture and its relationship to deforestation.
Nonrandom association patterns at northern long- eared bat maternity roosts

Bats are among the most ecologically diverse mammalian orders. Most species live in groups for at least a portion of their life cycle and behavioural evidence suggests that individuals of many species live within complex nonrandomly assorting societies. However, rigorous quantitative characterizations of bat societies have been rare because of the difficulties inherent in studying these highly mobile, small, nocturnal animals. Here we use an automated monitoring system (PIT tags), telemetry, and recently developed analytical techniques to investigate the social organization (size, sexual composition, and spatiotemporal cohesion) and social structure (pattern of social interactions and relationships among individuals) of a colony of free-living northern long-eared bats, Myotis septentrionalis (Trouessart, 1897). Cluster analysis of HWI (half-weight association index) for all pairs and permutation tests indicate that colonies consist of multiple, nonrandomly assorting subgroups. A plot of the temporal persi...
Intimate Partner Violence as an Obstacle to Employment Among Mothers Affected by Welfare Reform

Welfare policies in the United States now make benefits contingent on employment outside the home. Yet violence from intimate partners and aspects of the mothering role may impede low-income women's ability to sustain employment. This article presents results of a longitudinal study conducted over a three-year period of 965 Illinois mothers who had received public assistance. Results suggest that recent (but not past) intimate partner violence is associated with women working fewer months. Associations over time between obstacles to employment and women's ability to maintain work highlight the need for longitudinal studies of employment among low-income women.
An Apparatus for Concept Attainment Research

A description of an instrument designed to facilitate concept attainment research. The Concept Attainment Device (CAD) was built to reduce several sources of E error in concept attainment experiments. S is presented with a 64 stimulus-position board. Associated with each of these positions are two response-key-feedback-lights. S's card choices are displayed on E's console in a decimal read-out. S's hypotheses are automatically checked for accuracy by CAD. Problems may be easily changed, and the amount of information displayed to S may be systematically varied. CAD is especially useful in concept attainment experiments on selection strategies, rate of information acquisition, and accuracy of information utilization.
Heritability and Genetic Correlations of Body Weight and Surgically Removed Abdominal Fat in Coturnix Quail

Thirty-seven male Coturnix quail were weighed (99 g) and anesthetized. The leaf fat (1.35 g) was surgically removed from these birds at 58 days of age. Ten days later, they were single-pair mated and produced 141 male and 137 female offspring. The offspring weighed 107 g (males) and 114 g (females) at 58 days of age and had 2.53 g (male) and 1.31 g (female) of leaf fat. Estimates of heritability of body weight were .74 +/- .21 (sire-son regression), .69 +/- .22 (sire-daughter regression), .67 +/- .18 (full-sib analysis for males), and .73 +/- .18 (full-sib analysis for females). Heritability estimates of leaf fat were .71 +/- .33 (sire-son regression), .58 +/- .34 (sire-daughter regression), .65 +/- .18 (full-sib analysis for males), and .33 +/- .17 (full-sib analysis for females). Genetic correlations between body weight and leaf fat using the sire-offspring relationship were .77 +/- .10 and .74 +/- .22 for sons and 1.01 and .90 +/- .06 for daughters when estimated by arithmetic and geometric methods, respectively. Corresponding genetic correlations from the full-sib analyses were .82 +/- .08 (males) and .55 +/- .21 (females). Environmental correlations were .80 +/- .11 (males) and .87 +/- .47 (females), and phenotypic correlations were .82 +/- .09 (males) and .64 +/- .28 (females). Males had the highest percent of fat (2.5%) as compared with females (1.2%), a reversal of the broiler chicken relationship. The surgical technique developed in this experiment might be used for estimating abdominal fat in young chicken broilers. It was concluded that Coturnix quail could be used as a pilot animal in abdominal fat research provided due caution was taken of the differences between the two species.
Complexation Chemistry of Zirconium(IV), Uranium(VI), and Iron(III) with Acetohydroxamic Acid

The complexation of zirconium(IV), uranium(VI), and iron(III) with acetohydroxamic acid (AHA) has been analyzed spectrophotometrically in various ionic strengths at 25°C. Arsenazo III (AAIII) was used as an indicator for unbound zirconium. The SQUAD computational program was employed to evaluate the stability constants. Conditional stability constants of four zirconium complexes Zr(AAIII)3+, , Zr(AHA)3+, and were determined in 1 mol · L−1 HClO4 as log β′ = 5.09, 10.29, 12.78, and 23.13, respectively. Conditional stability constants of UO2(AHA)+, Fe(AHA)2+, , and Fe(AHA)3, in 0.1 mol · L−1 HNO3 were calculated as = 8.32, 11.00, 20.93, and 28.75, respectively.
Blind Deconvolution Denoising for Helicopter Vibration Signals

Critical aircraft assets are required to be available when needed, while exhibiting attributes of reliability, robustness, and high confidence under a variety of flight regimes, and maintained on the basis of their current condition rather than on the basis of scheduled maintenance practices. New and innovative technologies must be developed and implemented to address these concerns. Condition-based maintenance requires that the health of critical components/systems be monitored and diagnostic/prognostic strategies be developed to detect and identify incipient failures and predict the failing component's remaining useful life. Typically, vibration and other key indicators onboard an aircraft are severely corrupted by noise, thus curtailing the ability to accurately diagnose and predict failures. This paper introduces a novel blind deconvolution denoising scheme that employs a vibration model in the frequency domain and attempts to arrive at the true vibration signal through an iterative optimization process. Performance indexes are defined and data from a helicopter are used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Identification and Analysis of a Lytic-Phase Origin of DNA Replication in Human Herpesvirus 7

Human herpesvirus 7 (HHV-7) DNA sequences colinear with the HHV-6 lytic-phase origin of DNA replication (oriLyt) were amplified by PCR. Plasmid constructs containing these sequences were replicated in HHV-7-infected cord blood mononuclear cells but not in HHV-6-infected cells. In contrast, plasmids bearing HHV-6 oriLyt were replicated in both HHV-6- and HHV-7-infected cells. Finally, the minimal HHV-7 DNA element necessary for replicator activity was mapped to a 600-bp region which contains two sites with high homology to the consensus binding site for the HHV-6 origin binding protein. At least one of these binding sites was shown to be essential for replicator function of HHV-7 oriLyt.
Pharmacomodulation of the Gut: Implications for the Enterally Fed Patient

The level of nutrition support is mostly dictated by the functionality of the gastrointestinal tract. Native pathology and unavoidable iatrogenic disorders that affect gut function may be able to be managed via drug therapy so that the simplest level of enteral feeding may be used. Newer drug therapy modalities include the 5-hydroxytryptamine-3 (5-HT3) antagonists and propofol for nausea and vomiting, erythromycin for motility disorders, octreotide for refractory diarrhea, and naloxone for narcotic-induced constipation. The 5-HT3 antagonists have proven their superiority over all other agents for acute nausea and vomiting during highly emetogenic chemotherapy. Their use in anticipatory delayed nausea and vomiting in chemotherapy or with mild-to-moderate emetogenic chemotherapy is controversial. The use of 5-HT3 antagonists in postoperative nausea and vomiting is less clear. Propofol has demonstrated antiemetic properties, and its use as an anesthetic may decrease the incidence of nausea and vomiting and t...
On the Bellman equation for control problems with exit times and unbounded cost functionals

The article is devoted to the study of Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equations (HJBs) for a large class of unbounded optimal control problems for fully nonlinear systems. Our hypotheses will be such that these nonlinear systems have a unique solution trajectory, defined on [0,/spl infin/), for each input. We characterize the value functions of the problems presented as the unique viscosity solutions of the associated HJBs among continuous functions with suitable boundary and growth conditions. As a consequence, we show that the FP (Fuller Problem) value function is the unique radially unbounded viscosity solution of the corresponding HJB among functions which are zero at the origin. Value function characterizations of this kind have been studied and applied by many authors for a large number of stochastic and deterministic optimal control problems and for differential games, including problems for which the value function is discontinuous (M. Bardi and I. Capuzzo-Dolcetta, 1997; W.H. Fleming and H.M. Soner, 1993).
A perturbation mechanism for investigations of phase variables in human locomotion

The concept of a phase variable, a mechanical measurement of the body's progression through the gait cycle, has been used to parameterize the leg joint patterns of autonomous bipedal robots, producing human-like gaits with robustness to external perturbations. It was recently proposed that the kinematic response of humans to a perturbation could also be parameterized by a phase variable. In order to properly study this phase variable hypothesis with human subjects, a custom perturbation mechanism was built to cause phase shifts in the gait cycle. The main goals of this study are to introduce the design of a novel perturbation mechanism and experimentally demonstrate its ability to effect phase changes during the gait cycle.
Indirect Effects of an Existing Wind Energy Facility on Lekking Behavior of Greater Prairie-Chickens

Rapid expansion of the wind energy industry has raised concerns about the potential effects of anthropogenic disturbance on prairie grouse. While efforts have been made to address the effects of wind energy facilities on measures of fitness, their effect on the behaviors of prairie grouse has been largely neglected. To address these concerns, we investigated the effects of an existing wind energy facility in Nebraska that became operational in 2005 on the lekking behavior of male greater prairie-chickens Tympanuchus cupido pinnatus between March and May 2013. Given the potential for disturbance caused by wind turbine noise to disrupt acoustic communication and thus behavior, we predicted that males at leks close to, compared to far from, the wind energy facility would spend more time in agonistic behaviors, and less in booming displays. Given the potential for wind turbine noise to reduce the number of females attending leks (hereafter ‘female lek attendance’), we also predicted that males at leks close to the wind energy facility would spend more time in non-breeding behaviors and less time in breeding behaviors than males farther from the facility. Although we found no effect of the wind energy facility on female lek attendance, males at leks closer to the wind energy facility spent less time in non-breeding behaviors than those at leks farther away. However, distance from the wind energy facility had no effect on time spent performing booming displays, flutter jumps, or in agonistic behaviors. Given that lekking behaviors of males influence mating success, our results may have consequences for the fitness of prairie grouse breeding in the vicinity of wind energy facilities.
Solving large numerical optimization problems in HPC with Python

Numerical optimization is a complex problem in which many different algorithms can be used. Distributed metaheuristics have received attention but they normally focus on small problems. Many large scientific problems can take advantage of these techniques to find optimal solutions for the problems. However, solving large scientific problems presents specific issues that traditional implementations of metaheuristics do not tackle. This research presents a large parallel optimization solver that uses Python to follow a generic model that can be easily extended with new algorithms. It also makes extensive use of NumPy for an efficient utilization of the computational resources and MPI4py for communication in HPC environments. The presented model has proven to be an excellent approach for solving very large problems in an efficient manner while using the computational resources in different HPC environments adequately.
I like My Voice Better: Self-Enhancement Bias in Perceptions of Voice Attractiveness:

Previous research shows that the human voice can communicate a wealth of nonsemantic information; preferences for voices can predict health, fertility, and genetic quality of the speaker, and people often use voice attractiveness, in particular, to make these assessments of others. But it is not known what we think of the attractiveness of our own voices as others hear them. In this study eighty men and women rated the attractiveness of an array of voice recordings of different individuals and were not told that their own recorded voices were included in the presentation. Results showed that participants rated their own voices as sounding more attractive than others had rated their voices, and participants also rated their own voices as sounding more attractive than they had rated the voices of others. These findings suggest that people may engage in vocal implicit egotism, a form of self-enhancement.
Two new species of Trichosurolaelaps (Acarina: Laelapidae, Hirstionyssinae) from New Guinea.

Females and males of 2 new species of Trichosurolaelaps from phalangers in New Guinea are described: T. strandtmanni , n. sp. on Phalanger gymnotis and T. septoria , n. sp. on Phalanger vestitus . The unusual features of these mites, including the uniquely septate peritreme, cause us to place them in a new species-group, the strandtmanni group, distinct from the previously recognized crassipes group and emanuelae group. A key is given to the 12 described species of Trichosurolaelaps . The type hosts of T. bakeri Mitchell & Strandtmann and T. domrowi Mitchell & Strandtmann are identified.
SAT0335 Medical Comorbidity is Associated with Persistent Index Hip Pain after Primary THA

Background Pain is the #1 reason for patients with end-stage arthritis to undergo hip arthroplasty. More insights into factors that predict suboptimal pain outcomes after hip arthroplasty are needed to improve patient outcomes after total hip arthroplasty (THA) Objectives To characterize whether medical comorbidity predicts persistent moderate-severe pain after total hip arthroplasty (THA) Methods We analyzed the prospectively collected data from the Mayo Clinic Total Joint Registry for patients who underwent primary or revision THA between 1993-2005. Using multivariable-adjusted logistic regression analyses, we examined whether certain medical comorbidities were associated with persistent moderate-severe hip pain 2- or 5-years after primary or revision THA. Odds ratios (OR), along with 95% confidence intervals (CI) and p-value are presented. Results The primary THA cohort consisted of 5.707 THAs and 3,289 THAs at 2- and 5-years, and revision THA, 2.687 and 1,627 THAs, respectively. In multivariable-adjusted logistic regression models, in the primary THA cohort, renal disease was associated with lower odds of moderate-severe hip pain (OR, 0.6; 95% CI, 0.3, 1.0) at 2-years. None of the comorbidities were significantly associated at 5-years. In the revision THA cohort, heart disease was significantly associated with higher risk (OR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.1, 2.6) at 2-years and connective tissue disease with lower risk (OR, 0.5; 95% CI, 0.3, 0.9) of moderate-severe hip pain at 5-years follow-up. Conclusions This study identified new correlates of moderate-severe hip pain after primary or revision THA, a much-feared outcome of hip arthroplasty. Patients with these comorbidities should be informed regarding the increased risk or moderate-severe index hip pain, so that they can have a fully informed consent and realistic expectations. Disclosure of Interest None Declared
IOP: quantity and quality.

IOP reduction has been firmly established as effective treatment for glaucoma, as proven in a number of well conducted, prospective, randomized clinical trials. (1,2,3,4,5,6) Here we consider an aspect of the “quality” of IOP: its variation. There is accumulating evidence that, at least in some patients, IOP variation is a separate and important risk factor for glaucomatous damage. IOP variation over time may be divided into diurnal fluctuation that occurs on a daily basis, short-term IOP fluctuation that occurs over days to weeks, and long-term IOP fluctuation that occurs over months to years. In practice, IOP variation is usually quantified as inter-visit IOP variation with IOP measurements being made sequentially during office hours over a long period of time. While this inter-visit IOP variation primarily serves as a surrogate for long term IOP fluctuation, it likely contains some component of diurnal and shortterm fluctuation.
Risk assessment of maintaining Polio-free status in Jiaozuo City in 2013

[Objective]To estimate the risk of import and transmission of wild poliovirus(WPV) in Jiaozuo City in 2013,provide the basis for maintaining polio-free status.[Methods]The data of immunization and surveillance of acute flaccid paralysis(AFP)case were collected,According to the classification decision criteria of risk assessment tool on WPV import and transmission,every two level indexes were scored,and the risk value(R) were calculated by weighted method.Then the risk assessment was conducted according to the R,R 0.25 was low risk,0.25≤R 0.75 was medium risk and R≥0.75 was high risk.[Results] The R of WPV import and transmission in Jiaozuo City in 2013 was 0.20.In 10 counties,the R of Qinyang City,Boai county and Macun District were 0.28,0.27 and 0.25 respectively,and the R of other counties were all 0.25.[Conclusion]Risk of WPV import and transmission in Jiaozuo City in 2013 was the low risk.It is essential to strengthen the management of immunization program,implement various measures of maintaining polio-free,promote the ability of timely discovery WPV case and epidemic response.
El proyecto con agentes nativos de la misión jamaicana en Fernando Póo: su herencia colonial

Philip. J. Fisher’s play The Island Heritage. Episodes from the Missionary History of Fernando Poo, West Africa. A Play for Young People (1926) has remained unknown for the scholarly work on Equatorial Guinea. As I maintain in this article, the importance of this play rests also on the information she provides about the establishment of the Jamaican Baptist Missionary Society in Fernando Po between 1842 and 1845. Based on Bela Vassady (1979) and Dekar (2001) analysis, this article discuss the role of the Jamaican “native agents” on the Baptist Missionary project as well as its consequences for the colonial British expansion towards the African continent.
Part II: Twenty-Four Years Later, July 2014

Approximately one-fourth of those formally interviewed in 1990–91 were re-interviewed in the summer of 2014. The questions put to them dealt with the issues of whether the GDR was united with or dismantled and absorbed—“Abwicklung”—by the FRG; their sense of cultural and national identity; their views on the advantages and disadvantages of living in a capitalist Germany, and whether the unification process could have been enacted in a different manner so as to facilitate contributions of GDR society into unified Germany. They regard themselves as former citizens of the GDR now residing in the unified German state. None of them had any praise for capitalism, yet most—not all—felt that the failure of the GDR was inevitable.
Depression screening, education, and treatment at the workplace: A pilot study utilizing the CDC Health Scorecard

ABSTRACTDepression is a significant health issue for many Americans, ranking among the top worksite issues resulting in referrals to Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) with prevalence rates in the working population of more than 6%. This study was part of a larger statewide assessment conducted using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Worksite Health Scorecard. The purpose of this study is to examine the number of Kentucky workplaces currently offering screening, education, and treatment related to depression. The study also aims to compare the number of Kentucky workplaces offering these elements by size and industry type. The one-time, cross-sectional assessment surveyed a random sample of 1,200 worksites to examine worksite offerings of screening, education, counseling, management training, and health insurance coverage related to depression. Results showed that the majority of worksites do not provide employee depression screening, education and counseling, management training on id...
Imagining uses for things: Teaching “useful knowledge” in the early eighteenth century

There has been an explosion of interest in "innovation-oriented knowledge" and utility in early modern knowledge economies. Despite this, a healthy skepticism surrounding the category of "useful knowledge" persists, at least in part because of its association with intentional concealment. Helpful in many ways, this skepticism has fostered a tendency to overlook a variety of efforts to teach "useful knowledge" in the period: efforts that were anchored in engagement with the real and involved the cultivation of an ability to direct the powers of the imagination. Indeed, for some the imagination served as a faculty central to an epistemology of use. This article takes as its example a handbook written by an early political economist (c. 1700) who endeavored to teach readers how to imagine uses for things they observed in collections while traveling so they would be better prepared to participate in a new, transnational culture of innovation.
Efficiency and Specificity of Gene Deletion in Lung Epithelial Doxycycline-Inducible Cre Mice

The transgenic mouse strains surfactant protein C-reverse tetracycline transactivator (SP-C-rtTA), club cell secretory protein (CCSP)-rtTA, and tetracycline operator (TetO)-Cre have been invaluable for spatiotemporally regulating gene deletion in the pulmonary epithelium. In this study, we measured the efficiency and specificity of gene deletion that can be achieved in these mice using the Rosa26-eYFP reporter. Triple-transgenic mice (tTg or rtTA/TetO-Cre/Rosa-eYFP) were bred and treated with various doxycycline (dox) regimens to induce gene deletion, which was then quantified in various cell populations by flow cytometry. In these crosses, we found that the TetO-Cre transgene must be transmitted through the female parent to avoid germline gene deletion. With dox exposure during lung development, SP-C-tTg mice deleted in ∼65-75% of alveolar epithelial type II (ATII) cells, but in only ∼45-50% of the integrin β4+ population, which consisted of club cells and distal lung progenitor cells. In contrast, CCSP-tTg mice deleted in ∼50% of ATII cells and ∼80% of integrin β4+ cells. Upon dox treatment of adults, deletion in ATII cells and integrin β4+ cells in SP-C-tTg mice dropped significantly to ∼20% and ∼6%, respectively, whereas CCSP-tTg mice deleted in ∼57% of ATII and ∼40% of integrin β4+ cells. Interestingly, untreated CCSP-tTg mice also deleted in ∼40% of integrin β4+ cells, indicating significant leakiness of CCSP-tTg in β4+ cells. In all mouse groups, minimal deletion occurred in mouse tracheal epithelial cells or in mesenchymal or hematopoietic cells. These data provide the first quantitative, side-by-side comparison of the deletion efficiency for these widely used transgenic mouse strains.
Gyral net: A new representation of cortical folding organization

Abstract One distinct feature of the cerebral cortex is its convex (gyri) and concave (sulci) folding patterns. Due to the remarkable complexity and variability of gyral/sulcal shapes, it has been challenging to quantitatively model their organization patterns. Inspired by the observation that the lines of gyral crests can form a connected graph on each brain hemisphere, we propose a new representation of cortical gyri/sulci organization pattern – gyral net, which models cortical architecture from a graph perspective, starting with nodes and edges obtained from the reconstructed cortical surfaces. A novel computational framework is developed to efficiently and automatically construct gyral nets from surface meshes, and four measurements are devised to quantify the folding patterns. Using an MRI dataset for autism study as a test bed, we identified reduced local connectivity cost and increased curviness of gyral net bilaterally on the parietal lobe, occipital lobe, and temporal lobe in autistic patients. Additionally, we found that the cortical thickness and the gyral straightness of gyral joints are higher than the rest of gyral crest regions. The proposed representation offers a new tool for a comprehensive and reliable characterization of the cortical folding organization. This novel computational framework will enable large-scale analyses of cortical folding patterns in the future.
Reversion Mutations with Clinical Use of PARP Inhibitors: Many Genes, Many Versions.

Reversion mutations associated with PARP inhibitor resistance have been identified in tumors with RAD51C, RAD51D, and PALB2 as well as BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations. Multiple different reversion mutations can occur in a single patient, and they can be detected by analysis of circulating cell-free DNA. Cancer Discov; 7(9); 937-9. ©2017 AACRSee related article by Kondrashova et al., p. 984See related article by Quigley et al., p. 999See related article by Goodall et al., p. 1006.
Case of a Girl with Lower Abdominal Pain

The chapter aims to review differential diagnoses of an adolescent female with abdominal pain. It will examine risk factors in the adolescent to diagnose and treat different etiologies of abdominal and pelvic pain. Pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, and long-term fertility preservation are vital components in these evaluations. Pelvic inflammatory disease is a clinical diagnosis of exclusion and requires a low threshold for treatment. CDC diagnostic and treatment guidelines in this population will be reviewed, as well as recommendations for follow-up. Providing comprehensive care including addressing issues of confidentiality and access to healthcare services will allow providers to impact long-term outcomes among youth.
VENTILATION, PERFUSION MATCHING

The lungs exist primarily to exchange gases between the environment and the blood. This is accomplished by three linked processes: convective transport of air to the alveoli (ventilation), diffusion of gas molecules between alveolar gas and pulmonary capillary blood, and convective transport in blood by cardiac pumping (perfusion). The lung is unique because these processes are accurately described by simple mass balance considerations, which show that the ventilation/perfusion ratio (V˙a/Q˙) is the key determinant of alveolar gas exchange. When the V˙a/Q˙ is not the same everywhere throughout the lungs, V˙a/Q˙ inequality is said to exist, causing hypoxemia, hypercapnia, and reduced O2 uptake and CO2 elimination. This compromises tissue metabolism, and may cause tissue hypoxia and acidosis. Clinical assessment of V˙a/Q˙ inequality is thus important, and uses three measures: alveolar–arterial PO2PO2 difference, physiological deadspace, and physiological shunt. The body has three principal ways of compensating for continuing V˙a/Q˙ inequality. First, mixed venous PO2PO2 falls and PCO2PCO2 rises, usually restoring V˙o2 and V˙co2, but causing further hypoxemia and hypercapnia. Second, ventilation increases, stimulated partly by hypoxemia and hypercapnia. While usually effective in normalizing arterial PCO2PCO2, PO2PO2 often remains low. Third, cardiac output may rise, increasing mixed venous, and thus arterial, PO2PO2.
Defining a simulation capability hierarchy for the modeling of a sea base enabler (SBE): innovative naval prototype (INP) transformable craft (T-Craft)

The purpose of this study is to define a capability hierarchy for a simulation or a suite of simulations that are suitable for modeling a SeaBase Enabler (SBE). The SBE concept is becoming increasingly important to naval operations for sustaining sea power and defining the capabilities of a SBE simulation is a significant undertaking that is being developed by both academia and industry, sponsored by the Office of Naval Research (ONR). Three capabilities that are being defined in this research for evaluating M&S tools are usability, flexibility, and scalability. M&S tools are well suited for modeling and simulating SBE's that provide insight into new Innovative Naval Prototypes (INP) like the Transformable Craft (T-craft). The three possible types of simulation that could be used to model a SBE scenario are next event, time step, and autonomous agent based modeling. This research attempts to provide decision makers with adequate information on simulation capabilities to could apply throughout the life cycle of the SBE development.
Incomplete Feedback Design in Model-Following Systems

The chapter extends the theory of risk-averse control of a linear-quadratic class of model-following control systems with incomplete state feedback. It is shown that performance information can improve control decisions with only available output measurements for system performance reliability. Many of the results entail measures of the amount, value, and cost of performance information, and the design of model-following control strategy with risk aversion. This thematic view of correct-by-designs of high performance and reliable systems is a double-edged sword. By using all the mathematical statistics associated with performance appraisal to treat performance reliability it provides a unique and unifying perspective of decision making with risk consequences. On the other hand, it complicates information structures of the resulting control solutions.
Targets of Salinity Stress in Spinach

The effects of salinity on growth and photosynthesis in spinach was investigated. Plants were grown hydroponically in the presence of NaCl, concentration range from 0 to 400 mM. Whole plants were harvested 5 weeks after germination. The rate of growth declined with increasing salt concentration. Both the leaves and roots were affected. This decline in growth was accompanied by an accumulation of Na+ in the leaves. However, at external salt concentrations above 100 mM the Na+ levels in the roots increased only slightly. The relative H2O content in the leaves and roots was independent of NaCl level. The plants exposed to NaCl had thicker leaves with smaller surface areas.
Are All Types of Cooperation Equal? Impact of Academic Controversy Versus Concurrence-Seeking on Health Education

Cooperative learning is commonly used to promote prosocial outcomes. It is often assumed that all types of cooperative learning are equal. One way in which cooperative learning procedures differ is in the role of conflict. This study compares the relative impact of two types of cooperative learning (concurrence-seeking which emphasizes harmony among students and academic controversy which emphasizes intellectual conflict among students) on outcomes of a health education program focusing on tobacco use, alcohol use, and AIDS. Participants were 37 students from grades 9–12 in a career-education track in a suburban mid-western high school. The students were classified as being low performing academically and at risk for destructive health habits. Students in the controversy condition, compared with those in the concurrence-seeking condition, significantly improved in knowledge about AIDS, developed healthier attitudes related towards safe sex and cigarettes, developed higher academic self-esteem, generated greater social influence, and improved in constructive conflict skills.
Surface Plasmon Resonance, Applications

The applications of surface plasmon resonance are outlined, along with the various ways of measuring the responses, namely, constant angle, constant wavelength and time-resolved methods. The determination of thin film masses, and study of kinetics on surfaces are covered.
A new look for the growing microtubule end

What does the end of a growing microtubule look like? In this issue, McIntosh et al. (2018. J. Cell Biol. https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.201802138) use electron tomography to provide state-of-the-art three-dimensional images of microtubule ends in cells and in vitro, yielding an unexpected answer to this fundamental question.
Mesenchymal Stem Cell–Based Therapy for Chronic Kidney Disease

Abstract Chronic kidney disease (CKD) remains a major contributor to the global economic burden and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Despite current medical advances, there is an urgent need for novel interventions to prevent the progression from CKD to end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Transplantation of mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) has shown great promise for regenerating damaged kidneys in several experimental animal models. The safety and efficacy of this approach in humans is gradually beginning to be examined through early phase clinical trials worldwide. This chapter summarizes and appraises the available literature on the regenerative potential of MSCs for CKD therapy. In particular, three important CKD etiologies, which are likely to benefit from MSC-based therapy, are highlighted. These include polycystic kidney disease (PKD), an important inherited cause of CKD, diabetes, and hypertension-associated ESRD. Additionally, the role of extracellular vesicles as drivers of MSC regenerative potential and the current challenges for MSC therapy in patients with CKD are further explored.
Power Efficiency and Power Delivery Measurement in Inductive Links with Arbitrary Source and Load Impedance Values

Paper describes a method for measuring power transfer efficiency (PTE) and power delivered to the load (PDL) in inductive links with desired source and load impedances using Network Analyzer (NA) and Spectrum Analyzer (SA). Characteristics of an inductive link vary by the source (input) and load (output) resistors. Although measuring the PTE and PDL using NA and SA is simple, straightforward, and accurate, the measured results are valid only for the ports' impedances at $\mathbf{50}\ \Omega$ . We present a method that allows using NA and SA for measurement with any desired source and load resistances that match the actual operating conditions. For this purpose, we 1) add resistors in series or in parallel with the NA ports, 2) measure PTE by NA and PDL by SA (over $\mathbf{50}\ \Omega$ ), and 3) calculate the actual PTE and PDL. This method provides more flexibility in design and optimization of inductive links by finding the optimal load resistor and model from measurement of the link. We have verified the functionality of the proposed method by simulating, implementing, and measuring the performance of a prototype inductive link for energizing small implants.
Loss and non-linearity saturation effects on the bistability of non-linear distributed feedback structures

We investigate theoretically the effects of optical absorption and saturation of the non-linear index of refraction on the bistability of non-linear distributed feedback structures (NLDFBs). By assuming that the Kerr non-linearity saturates in an exponential fashion, we obtain for the first time closed-form expressions for the so-called self-phase and cross-phase modulation terms. Our investigation shows that both absorption and, in particular, saturation significantly affect the bistable properties of this structure and in many cases eliminate this response completely. In some cases, however, saturation alters the NLDFB's transfer characteristics in a potentially useful manner. We find that weak levels of saturation may increase the contrast ratio between the intensities of the high and low bistable states. At increasing levels of saturation, where bistability is no longer observed, we find regimes where the NLDFB structure could possibly be used for optical amplification.
Quality control of large genome datasets using genome fingerprints

Abstract The 1000 Genomes Project is a foundational resource to modern human biomedicine, serving as a standard reference for human genetic variation. Recently, new versions of the 1000 Genomes Project dataset were released, expressed relative to the current version of the human reference sequence (GRCh38) and partially validated by benchmarking against reference truth sets from the Genome In A Bottle Consortium. We used our ultrafast genome comparison method (genome fingerprinting) to evaluate four versions of the 1000 Genomes Project datasets. These comparisons revealed several discrepancies in dataset membership, multiple cryptic relationships, overall changes in biallelic SNV counts, and more significant changes in SNV counts, heterozygosity and genotype concordance affecting a subset of the individuals. Based on these observations, we recommend performing global dataset comparisons, using genome fingerprints and other metrics, to supplement ‘best practice’ benchmarking relative to predefined truth sets.
Addressing Health Inequities in South Chattanooga: Lead Contamination and Childhood Lead Poisoning

Soil lead contamination is an environmental health risk that greatly affects children in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The Southside Chattanooga Lead Superfund Site was added to the National Priorities List in late 2018 by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA has designated the clean-up threshold for soil lead contamination to be equal to or over 360 parts per million. For the EPA to conduct soil testing and proceed with clean-up, a signed access authorization letter from the tenant or property owner must be submitted. As of May 7, 2019, there are still 4371 properties to test with an estimated 1100 expected to be above the remediation threshold. Despite mailing the letters and having several public meetings, the rate of return is approximately thirty percent for access authorization forms. To increase the response rate, local non-profit agencies, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) Lions Club, and the UTC Master’s in Public Health program have been involved in educating the community. Efforts include community health fairs, grant funded community-based blood lead testing for children, and a door-to-door canvassing campaign where residents are informed of the issue, provided with educational materials, and asked to sign and return access authorization letters to the EPA. The impact of community engagement is measured by the number/proportion of residents engaged, the number of signed authorization forms submitted, and the number of children tested for elevated blood lead levels. This poster presentation will discuss lead contamination in Chattanooga, and the results of our engagement work in the community.
Investigating the Effects of an Otago-Based Program among Individuals Living with Dementia

Aim: To examine the impact of an Otago-based exercise program (OEP) on physical function in patients living with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia receiving home heath physical therapy.Me...
Substrate‐dependent transport mechanism in AcrB of multidrug resistant bacteria

The multidrug resistance (MDR) system effectively expels antibiotics out of bacteria causing serious issues during bacterial infection. In addition to drug, indole, a common metabolic waste of bacteria, is expelled by MDR system of gram-negative bacteria for their survival. Experimental results suggest that AcrB, one of the key components of MDR system, undergoes large scale conformation changes during the pumping due to proton-motive process. However, due to extremely short time scale, it is difficult to observe (experimentally) those changes in the AcrB, which might facilitate the pumping process. Molecular simulations can shed light to understand the conformational changes for transport of indole in AcrB. Examination of conformational changes using all-atom simulation is, however, impractical. Here, we develop a hybrid coarse-grained force field to study the conformational changes of AcrB in presence of indole in the porter domain of monomer II. Using the coarse-grained force field, we investigated the conformational changes of AcrB for a number of model systems considering the effect of protonation in aspartic acid (Asp) residues Asp407 and Asp408 in the transmembrane domain of monomer II. Our results show that in the presence of indole, protonation of Asp408 or Asp407 residue causes conformational changes from binding state to extrusion state in monomer II, while remaining two monomers (I and III) approach access state in AcrB protein. We also observed that all three AcrB monomers prefer to go back to access state in the absence of indole. Steered molecular dynamics simulations were performed to demonstrate the feasibility of indole transport mechanism for protonated systems. Identification of indole transport pathway through AcrB can be very helpful in understanding the drug efflux mechanism used by the MDR bacteria.
A simple equation to estimate urinary flow rate using urine creatinine

Background: Accurate assessment of urine flow remains challenging in both inpatient and outpatient settings. We hypothesized we could derive an equation that would accurately estimate urine flow rate (eV) through derivation from other existing equations commonly used in nephrology clinical practice. Methods: The eV equation was derived using the Cockcroft-Gault and the measured creatinine clearance (CrCl = UCrV/PCr) equations. Within the African American Study of Kidney Disease and Hypertension (AASK; n = 570) and COMBINE (n = 133) clinical trials, we identified participants with concordant estimated and measured creatinine excretion rates to define a subset with highly accurate 24-h urine collections, to assure a reliable gold standard. We then compared eV to measured 24-h urine flow rates in these trials. Results: In AASK, we found a high correlation between eV and measured urine flow rate (V; r = 0.91, p < 0.001); however, Bland-Altman plots showed that eV was 9.5 mL/h lower than V, on average. Thus, we added a correction factor to the eV equation and externally validated the new equation in COMBINE. eV and V were again highly correlated (r = 0.91, p < 0.001), and bias was improved (mean difference 5.3 mL/h). Overall, 80% of individuals had eV that was within 20% of V. Conclusions: A simple equation using urine creatinine, demographics, and body weight can accurately predict urine flow rate and may have clinical utility in situations where it is difficult to accurately measure the urine flow rate.
In reply: Infective endocarditis: Don’t forget the ICE

In reply : The letter from Drs. Araj and Luna regarding the utilization of intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) raises several interesting points. Indeed, for patients with infective endocarditis with inconclusive findings on transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and contraindications to use of
Uncommon Rheumatological Conditions

Also known as algodystrophy Poorly understood condition Clinical features include pain (often severe), diffuse and marked tenderness, soft tissue swelling. Warmth over affected part and localised sweating are also seen. Hand and foot most commonly affected. Occasionally can affect hip or knee Triggered by trauma (accident, burn, surgery, etc.), hemiplegia, meningitis, pregnancy, tumours, prolonged immobilization. In a quarter of patients no clear trigger identified. In some, psychological factors have a role The diagnosis is essentially clinical. Triple-phase technetium scintigraphy may be helpful, also MRI Management includes reassurance and counselling, antidepressants, pain management including transcutaneous nerve stimulation, regional sympathetic or ganglion block. Encourage use of affected limb
Stop Flying the Patients! Evaluation of the Overutilization of Helicopter Transport of Trauma Patients.

Abstract Introduction Helicopter transport is a resource intensive and expensive method for transportation of patients by helicopter. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the appropriateness of helicopter transport determined by procedural care within 1-h of transfer at an urban level I trauma center. Methods All trauma patients transported by helicopter from January 2015-December 2017 to an urban level I trauma center from referring hospitals or the scene were retrospectively analyzed. A subgroup analysis was performed evaluating patients that required a procedure or operation within 1-h of transport compared with the remainder of the patient cohort who were transported via helicopter. Results A total of 1590 patients were transported by helicopter. Thirty-nine percent of patients (n = 612) were admitted directly to the floor from the trauma bay and 16% (n = 249) of patients required only observation or were discharged home after helicopter transfer. Approximately one-third of the entire study cohort (36%, n = 572) required any procedure, with a median time to procedure of 31.5 h (interquartile range 54.4). Only 13% (n = 74) required a procedure within 1-h of helicopter transport. The average distance (in miles) if the patient had been driven by ground transport rather than helicopter was 67.0 miles (SD ± 27.9) and would take an estimated 71.5 min (±28.4) for patients who required a procedure within 1-h compared with 61.6 miles (SD ± 30.9) with an estimated 66.1 min (SD ± 30.8) for the remainder of the cohort (P value 0.899 and 0.680, respectively). Conclusions This analysis demonstrates that helicopter transport was not necessary for the vast majority of trauma patients transported via helicopter.