cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cost drivers in diabetes care: the problems they present and potential solutions

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease that affects many aspects of the lives of diagnosed patients and their families, the health care industry, and society. The majority of the economic literature on diabetes addresses the cost of treating diabetes but not the outcomes of clinical interventions. The primary cost of treating diabetes is related to short-term care to achieve euglycemia and long-term care associated with complication of the disease. The short-term costs of achieving euglycemia can be overshadowed by the decreased risk of long-term complications. The difficulty of providing care for a chronic disease such as diabetes arises from the high short-term costs of clinical interventions, the positive benefits of which may not be realized for many years. The results of the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial show a correlation between the intensive treatment of diabetes and a decreased risk of the development of long-term complications. Whether intensive treatment is practical, effective, and cost-effective in a real-world setting is a topic for further study. In the meantime, health care providers with a good knowledge of the clinical and economic elements of available therapeutic options can develop individualized care regimens for their patients with diabetes that are high quality and cost-effective.
High-resolution simulations of a macrotidal estuary using SUNTANS

The parallel, finite-volume, unstructured-grid SUNTANS model has been employed to study the interaction of the tides with complex bathymetry in the macrotidal Snohomish River estuary. The unstructured grid resolves the large-scale, O(10 km) tidal dynamics of the estuary while employing 8 m grid-resolution at a specific region of interest in the vicinity of a confluence of two channels and extensive intertidal mudflats to understand detailed local intratidal flow processes. After calibrating tidal forcing parameters to enforce a match between free surface and depth-averaged velocities at several locations throughout the domain, we analyze the complex dynamics of the confluence and show that the exposure of the intertidal mudflats during low tide induces a complex flow reversal. When coupled with the longitudinal salinity gradient, this flow reversal results in a highly variable salinity field, which has profound implications for local mixing, stratification and the occurrence of fine-scale flow structures. This complex flow is then used as a testbed from which to describe several challenges associated with high resolution modeling of macrotidal estuaries, including specification of high resolution bathymetry, specification of the bottom stress, computation of the nonhydrostatic pressure, accurate advection of momentum, and the influence of the freshwater inflow. The results indicate that with high resolution comes the added difficulty of requiring more accurate specification of boundary conditions. In particular, the bottom bathymetry plays the most important role in achieving accurate predictions when high resolution is employed.
Recent advances in seismic lithologic analysis

An objective of seismic analysis is to quantitatively extract lithology, porosity, and pore fluid content directly from seismic data. Rock physics provides the fundamental basis for seismic lithology determination. Beyond conventional poststack inversion, the most important seismic lithologic analysis tool is amplitude‐variation‐with‐offset (AVO) analysis. In this paper, I review recent progress in these two key aspects of seismic lithologic analysis.
Profiling Phylogenetic Informativeness

The resolution of four controversial topics in phylogenetic experimental design hinges upon the informativeness of characters about the historical relationships among taxa. These controversies regard the power of different classes of phylogenetic character, the relative utility of increased taxonomic versus character sampling, the differentiation between lack of phylogenetic signal and a historical rapid radiation, and the design of taxonomically broad phylogenetic studies optimized by taxonomically sparse genome-scale data. Quantification of the informativeness of characters for resolution of phylogenetic hypotheses during specified historical epochs is key to the resolution of these controversies. Here, such a measure of phylogenetic informativeness is formulated. The optimal rate of evolution of a character to resolve a dated four-taxon polytomy is derived. By scaling the asymptotic informativeness of a character evolving at a nonoptimal rate by the derived asymptotic optimum, and by normalizing so that net phylogenetic informativeness is equivalent for all rates when integrated across all of history, an informativeness profile across history is derived. Calculation of the informativeness per base pair allows estimation of the cost-effectiveness of character sampling. Calculation of the informativeness per million years allows comparison across historical radiations of the utility of a gene for the inference of rapid adaptive radiation. The theory is applied to profile the phylogenetic informativeness of the genes BRCA1, RAG1, GHR, and c-myc from a muroid rodent sequence data set. Bounded integrations of the phylogenetic profile of these genes over four epochs comprising the diversifications of the muroid rodents, the mammals, the lobe-limbed vertebrates, and the early metazoans demonstrate the differential power of these genes to resolve the branching order among ancestral lineages. This measure of phylogenetic informativeness yields a new kind of information for evaluation of phylogenetic experiments. It conveys the utility of the addition of characters a phylogenetic study and it provides a basis for deciding whether appropriate phylogenetic power has been applied to a polytomy that is proposed to be a rapid radiation. Moreover, it provides a quantitative measure of the capacity of a gene to resolve soft polytomies.
Distribution and abundance of anthropogenic marine debris along the shelf and slope of the US West Coast.

Abstract As marine debris levels continue to grow worldwide, defining sources, composition, and distribution of debris, as well as potential effects, becomes increasingly important. We investigated composition and abundance of man-made, benthic marine debris at 1347 randomly selected stations along the US West Coast during Groundfish Bottom Trawl Surveys in 2007 and 2008. Anthropogenic debris was observed in 469 tows at depths of 55–1280 m. Plastic and metallic debris occurred in the greatest number of hauls followed by fabric and glass. Mean density was 67.1 items km−2 throughout the study area but was significantly higher south of 36°00′N latitude. Mean density significantly increased with depth, ranging from 30 items km−2 in shallow (55–183 m) water to 128 items km−2 in the deepest depth stratum (550–1280 m). Debris densities observed along the US West Coast were comparable to those seen elsewhere and provide a valuable backdrop for future comparisons.
A framework for deductive database systems

The authors investigate various aspects of the development of deductive database systems, which integrate logic into traditional relational database systems. The authors review the database language Datalog, a version of a logic programming language for deductive database systems. The efficiency issues of query processing in the context of two popular query processing methods, the magic-set method and the structural-analysis method, are discussed. SARP (structural approach to rule processing), a framework of deductive database systems based on structural analysis, is described. >
Acquisition of the auditory same/different task in a rhesus monkey

A rhesus monkey was trained successfully on an auditory same/different task. The monkey showed significant savings in acquisition when transferred to different sound sequences (from 1,480 trials at first acquisition to 25 trials at later transfer). Factors that may have been important in this acquisition were the use of a large stimulus set size (38 trial-unique sounds), sound and response localization cuing, tactual cuing, differential reinforcement of different responding, and early sound localization accompanied by gradual fading. The probe (second) sound was initially presented only through the correct side speaker, right for same sound, left for different sound. After the monkey learned to touch the speaker from which the sound emanated, the sound level coming from the incorrect speaker was gradually increased to full intensity. Only 30 trials at full intensity on both probe speakers were needed before the criterion (80% correct responding) was reached. The monkey was then transferred to a new sequence of sounds. Ten sequences were presented in all (including six with novel stimuli). Only the first four sequences required sound localization fading; all others used only full-intensity sound. In all cases, responding reached 80% correct or better, demonstrating good acquisition of the auditory same/different task.
Scalable bipolar transistor model including quasi-saturation effect for BiCMOS application

A Gummel-Poon like bipolar transistor model including effects of quasi-saturation is derived. The model includes multi-dimensional effects such as sidewall injection, emitter current crowding, and collector current spreading. A current-dependent epi-layer collector resistance is proposed to model collector conductivity modulation in quasi-saturation. The model has been compared with measurement. Good agreement between the model predictions and experimental data has been obtained.
Mutagenicity of photodynamic therapy as compared to UVC and ionizing radiation in human and murine lymphoblast cell lines.

— The mutagenicity of photodynamic therapy (PDT) using red light and either Photofrin® (porfimer sodium) (PF) or aluminum phthalocyanine (AIPc) as the photosensitizer was determined at the thymidine kinase (TK) locus in the human lymphoblastic cell lines, TK6 and WTK1, and was compared to the mutagenicity of UVC and X-radia-tion in these cells as well as the mutagenicity of PDT in murine L5178Y lymphoblastic cell lines. Photodynamic therapy was found not to be mutagenic in TK6 cells, which possess an active p53 gene and which are relatively deficient in recombination and repair of DNA double-strand breaks. In contrast, PDT with either sensitizer was significantly mutagenic in WTK1 cells, which harbor an inactivating mutation in the p53 gene and are relatively efficient in recombination and double-strand break repair as compared to TK6 cells. The induced mutant frequency in WTK1 cells with PF as the photosensitizer was similar to that induced by UVC radiation but lower than that induced by X-radiation at equitoxic faiences/ doses. The mutant frequency induced by PDT in WTK1 cells with either photosensitizer was much lower than that induced in murine lymphoblasts at equitoxic fluences. The TK6 and WTK1 cells did not differ in their sensitivity to the cytotoxic effects of PDT, but the level of PDT-induced apoptosis was greater in TK6 than in WTK1 cells. These results indicate that the mutagenicity of PDT varies in different types of cells and may be related to the repair capabilities as well as the p53 status of the cells.
Bacterial Wilt of Dry-Edible Beans in the Central High Plains of the U.S.: Past, Present, and Future

Bacterial wilt, caused by Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens pv. flaccumfaciens, was first recognized and described as a new dry bean disease near Redfield, SD after the 1921 growing season on the farm of the Office of Forage Investigations. Between the late 1930s and the early 1950s it became one of the more problematic bacterial diseases of dry beans. It became an endemic problem in dry bean production throughout western Nebraska and other areas of the central high plains during the 1960s and early 1970s. By the early 1980s, the disease had virtually disappeared with the implementation of cultural practices. The disease was rediscovered in two fields in Nebraska late in the 2003 season. It was assumed to be an isolated incident. However, the next season the pathogen was widespread throughout western Nebraska production fields. Our research suggests that the return of bean wilt throughout the central high plains over the last decade is not due to a single factor but a combination of new changes in cultural pr...
The relationship between students' reports of learning and their actual recall of lecture material: A validity test

This study called the use of the learning‐loss scale into question to the extent that the scale has not been validated experimentally. In order to conduct such a validation, students’ performance in an experimental lecture was compared to their self‐report of how much they learned during that lecture. The results identified a moderately strong validity coefficient between students’ performance on a recall test and reports of how much they believed they learned during a lecture.
The Level of Litigation: Private Versus Social Optimality

The legal system is a very expensive social institution. Increasingly we read about the growing volume and high cost of suit, and we observe the use of various measures to reduce litigation activity, for example, requirements that losing plaintiffs bear defendants' legal fees, ceilings on damage awards, and judicial fostering of settlement. At the same time, we occasionally encounter the view that suit might need to be encouraged to overcome the private costs of litigation, and we notice some employment of policies promoting litigation, such as legal aid programs and requirements that losing defendants bear plaintiffs' legal fees. Against this background, I ask the basic question: What is the socially optimal level of litigation given its expense -- and how does it compare to the privately-determined level of litigation? The former and the latter levels of legal activity generally differ, and the reasons involve two fundamental types of externality. The first is a negative externality: when a party spends on litigation, he does not take into account the litigation costs that he induces others to incur. The second is a positive externality: when a party engages in litigation, he does not take into account the effect that this has on incentives to reduce harm. In consequence, the privately-determined level of litigation can depart from the socially optimal level -- there may either be too much or too little litigation -- and corrective social policy may help to remedy the divergence. To develop these points, I investigate the standard model of potentially harmful behavior and the liability system, but allowing for the costliness of litigation. I analyze both the private versus the social incentive to bring suit, and the private versus the social incentive to settle.
Anticonvulsant drug-induced cell death in the developing white matter of the rodent brain.

Summary Objective During critical periods of brain development, both seizures and anticonvulsant medications can affect neurodevelopmental outcomes. In rodent models, many anticonvulsants trigger neuronal apoptosis. However, white matter apoptosis (WMA) has not been examined after anticonvulsant drug treatment. Herein, we sought to determine if anticonvulsant drugs induced apoptosis in the developing white matter (WM) in a rodent model. Methods Postnatal day (P)7 rats were treated with phenobarbital (PB-75), MK-801 (dizocilpine, 0.5), lamotrigine (LTG-20), carbamazepine (CBZ-100), phenytoin (PHT-50), levetiracetam (LEV-250), or saline; all doses are mg/kg. Brain tissue collected 24 h after treatment was stained using the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling method. The number of degenerating cells within WM, that is, anterior commissure (AC), corpus callosum, cingulum, and hippocampus-associated WM tracts, was quantified. Results Saline-treated rats showed low baseline level of apoptosis in developing WM on P8 in all the areas examined. PB, PHT, and MK-801 significantly increased apoptosis in all four brain areas examined. Exposure to CBZ, LTG, or LEV failed to increase apoptosis in all regions. Significance Commonly used anticonvulsants (PB, PHT) cause apoptosis in the developing WM in a rat model; the N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist MK-801 has a similar effect. These results are consistent with reports of anesthesia-induced WMA during brain development. Consistent with the lack of neuronal apoptosis caused by LTG, LEV, and CBZ, these drugs did not cause WMA. Many infants treated with anticonvulsant drugs have underlying neurologic injury, including WM damage (e.g., following intraventricular hemorrhage [IVH] or hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy [HIE]). The degree to which anticonvulsant drug treatment will alter outcomes in the presence of underlying injury remains to be examined, but avoiding drugs (when possible) that induce WMA may be beneficial.
Interactions between nurses and patients on ventilators.

BACKGROUND Although the effectiveness of communication between nurses and ventilated patients has been identified by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses as an area of concern, there are few reports of research in this area. OBJECTIVES To examine the interactions between nurses and patients on ventilators and the relationship between characteristics of these nurses and their communication with patients. METHODS An analytical, cross-sectional, experimental design was used to examine the work experience of 30 nurses with ventilated patients, the perceived level of consciousness of their ventilated patients, and the actions and reactions of nurses in relation to these patients. RESULTS Significant correlations were found between the nurse's perception of the patient's degree of responsiveness and the number of positive and negative interactions with the patient, and between the length of time the nurse cared for the patient and the number of positive nurse reactions. Interaction patterns are also apparent from the data collected. CONCLUSIONS Findings suggest that nurses' perceptions of patients' responsiveness and length of time nurses care for patients will influence nurse-patient interactions. Patterns of interaction suggest that nurses spend more time providing patients with information that the nurses consider important, rather than assessing or responding to patients' needs.
P3-13-05: Analysis of Heart Dose-Volume Parameters and Cardiac Events among Node Positive Breast Cancer (NPBC) Patients Treated with Three-Dimensional Conformal Radiation Therapy (3D-CRT).

Background For NPBC patients the use of regional nodal irradiation (RNI) to the supraclavicular, axillary, internal mammary lymph nodes (IMN) in addition to the chest wall and/or breast can maximize locoregional control and improve overall survival. However, comprehensive RNI for breast cancers located on the left side has been linked to late cardiac morbidity, potentially lessening the therapeutic benefit of treatment. The optimal radiation dose-volume constraints for the heart in this setting are not fully understood. We examined NPBC patients treated with RNI using 3D-CT based radiation therapy (RT) to evaluate cardiac dose and incidence of cardiac events. Methods: Between 2000 and 2007, 150 NPBC patients were treated with RNI following lumpectomy or mastectomy using 3D-CRT. In all cases, treatment target and normal tissue volumes were delineated on treatment CT scans. The heart contour included the ventricles and the left atrium. The dose-volume histogram of the cardiac doses delivered and the incidence of cardiac events is reported. Results: Median follow-up of surviving patients is 7 (1-10.6) years. Median patient age is 50 (27-91). 52.35% are premenopausal, 75.7% estrogen receptor positive, 66.3% progesterone receptor positive and 15.92% HER-2 positive. Mean positive lymph nodes is 5 (1-29). Extracapsular extension is present in 47.31%. Mean microscopic tumor size is 3.73 (0.1-21) cm. The IMN receive > 40 Gy in 65.5%. 94% had chemotherapy, and in 82.3% it was anthracycline-based. At the time of RT, 12.2% smoked, 9.5% had diabetes, 32.4% with hypertension, and 4.7% with a history of coronary artery disease. There was 1 (0.7%) right sided patient with cardiac events and 4 (2.7%) left sided experiencing cardiac events (p = 0.121, Fisher9s Exact test). A total of 10 cardiac diagnoses were experienced among the 5 patients: coronary artery disease with myocardial infarction (3), congestive heart failure (2), cardiomyopathy (2), and arrhythmia (3). The median time interval to onset of the events is 2.5 years (0-4.3 years). The cardiac doses among 150 patients are as follows: mean V25 is 5.7, (0.0 - 20.0%), V25 is Conclusions: The cardiac event rate among these NPBC patients treated with RNI and anthracycline-based chemotherapy is low. However, those patients with cardiac events have a higher mean V45. No other dose-volume relationships are discernible. Additional analysis using 3DCRT volumes are important to validate these findings and better define the dose-volume parameters for cardiac toxicity. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2011;71(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P3-13-05.
Quantitative fractography and fracture mechanics characterization

In many fracture situations, the quantification of fractography may be useful in linking idealized fracture mechanics models of cracks with experimental studies of fracture. The specific applications demonstrated herein derive their mathematical basis from an earlier theory of stereology of fracture derived by the author and consisting of twelve basic theorems dealing with areal, lineal, volumetric, and feature count analyses of fractures. Correlations are established between some basic measures of fracture resistance under either monotonic or cyclic loading for five areas of practical interest. The basic postulate made here is that the micromechanisms of fracture affect the measures of fracture resistance, leaving characteristic information to be derived from the fracture topography, the plastic zone, acoustic emissions and heat. Such information, if adequately collected and correctly interpreted, may be useful in failure interpretation and prevention. In combination with probabilistic fracture mechanics, this information will pave the way toward predictive quantitative fractography.
Blood glutathione and alloxan susceptibility in inbred mice.

Summary and conclusionsStudies on erythrocyte GSH were carried out using 2 inbred strains of mice and their F1 hybrids. 1. The erythrocyte GSH level in the Z(C3H) (alloxan resistant) strain and the F1 hybrid was significantly higher than it was in the D8 (alloxan susceptible) strain. 2. The Z (C3H) strain and the F1 hybrids were equally resistant to alloxan, whereas the D8 strain was significantly more susceptible to alloxan. 3. Thus, both the blood GSH level and the degree of alloxan susceptibility also appears to be genetically controlled.
Genome Sequence of Mycobacteriophage Phayonce

ABSTRACT Mycobacteriophage Phayonce is a newly isolated phage recovered from a soil sample in Pittsburgh, PA, using Mycobacterium smegmatis mc2155 as a host. Phayonce9s genome is 49,203 bp long and contains 77 protein-coding genes, 23 of them having predicted functions. Phayonce shares a strong similarity in nucleotide sequence with phages of cluster P.
The Most “Elementary” Theorem of Euclidean Geometry

The late M. L. Urquhart (1902-1966) formulated what he believed to be the most "elementary" theorem of Euclidean geometry. David Etliott [1, p. 132] describes the event: "I recall him coming into my office one day and asking me what I thought was the most elementary theorem of Euclidean geometry. Since it was obvious that whatever I said was going to be incorrect, he rapidly gave the following theorem:
Store Separation Equations of Motion

Combat aircraft utilize expendable stores such as missiles, bombs, flares, and external tanks to execute their missions. Safe and acceptable separation of these stores from the parent aircraft is essential for meeting the mission objectives. The equations of motion for a store in free flight are similar to the conventional aircraft flight dynamics equations prevalent in the literature. However, a careful distinction is necessary due to the relative motion of two neighboring bodies. Of specific interest is the store motion relative to the aircraft; knowledge of which is necessary for modeling the aerodynamic interaction between the store and aircraft. This paper presents an in depth development of the store separation equations of motion with particular emphasis on the motion of the store relative to the parent aircraft. The same framework is used to derive the kinematic differential equations used for flight test trajectory reconstruction based on inertial measurements. The relationship between trajectory reconstruction and the equations of motion leads to a method for estimating the aerodynamic forces and moments directly from flight test data. An example based on separation of a representative store from an F-16 aircraft is presented to demonstrate the efficacy of store separation trajectory prediction and trajectory reconstruction.
3D Mixed Element Discontinuous Galerkin with Shock Capturing

A parallel high-order Discontinuous Galerkin method is developed for mixed elements to solve the Navier-Stokes equations. A PDE-based artificial viscosity is implemented to smooth and stabilize shocks. To solve this system of non-linear equations a Newton solver is implemented and preconditioned flexible-GMRES is used to solve the linear system arising from the Jacobian matrix. The preconditioners that are implemented include Jacobi relaxation, Gauss-Seidel relaxation, and a line solver. A wide variety of simulations are performed to demonstrate the capabilities of the DG solver. The inviscid simulations include a p-adapted subsonic flow over a cylinder, a p = 0 h-adapted hypersonic flow over a sphere, and a large scale p = 2 simulation of an aircraft with artificial viscosity to stabilize the shock formed on the wing. Two hypersonic viscous flows of a cylinder and sphere are simulated and compared to the NASA code LAURA. The solution matches closely to LAURA and the shock becomes more resolved as the polynomial degree is increased. The heating rate on the surface matches closely to LAURA at p = 3. Finally, the parallel scalability is tested and good speed up is obtained using up to 2048 processor cores. As the polynomial degree increases the scalability improves. Although, an ideal speedup was not shown this was contributed to load balancing. These simulations demonstrate the capability of the DG solver to handle strong shocks, complex geometry, hp-adaption, and parallel scalability.
Are Campus Sexual Assault Tribunals Fair?: The Need for Judicial Review and Additional Due Process Protections in Light of New Case Law

The pervasiveness of sexual assault on college and university campuses and the schools’ failures to take sexual assault seriously have resulted in recent reforms to college campus disciplinary proceedings. The federal government has largely prompted this wave of reform through Title IX, requiring schools to employ particular policies and procedures for investigating and adjudicating sexual assault as a condition of receiving federal funds. Although the federal government’s mandates may be properly motivated, these reforms are criticized because they encourage schools to enact procedures that are heavily stacked against those accused of sexual assault. Consequently, students alleging that they have been wrongfully held responsible for sexual assault violations due to flawed disciplinary procedures have brought lawsuits against their schools. Recent case law demonstrates that some schools, in an attempt to comply with Title IX, have employed procedures that are fundamentally unfair to accused students. This Note considers the interests involved in campus investigatory and adjudicatory systems through an analysis of recent cases and the procedural flaws that have emerged. It further evaluates procedural protections that would strike a better balance between the interests of the accusers, the accused, and the schools. In conclusion, this Note argues that in light of the recent case law, more meaningful judicial review and additional due process protections are necessary for accused students.
Naturally Occurring Acids as Cross-Linkers To Yield VOC-Free, High-Performance, Fully Bio-Based, Degradable Thermosets

Naturally occurring carboxylic acids when used as cross-linkers with a highly functional bio-based epoxy resin result in thermosets having excellent physical and mechanical properties which are also degradable. Thermosets have many important applications (coatings, composites, adhesives, etc.), but they are typically made of nondegradable, nonrenewable materials. In this paper, di- and multifunctional carboxylic acids found in fruit juices as well as other naturally available dicarboxylic acids were used to cross-link epoxidized sucrose soyate (ESS) without the use of extra catalyst or toxic compounds except for water. For the sake of understanding the mechanism of the water-assisted curing reaction between ESS and the acids, the reactivity of the natural acids toward ESS and the curing process were investigated. Water enabled the natural acids with high water solubility and acidity to be dispersed well in ESS and led to rapid cross-linking with ESS. The thermosets possessed excellent thermal and mechanic...
Initial mechanical ventilator settings and lung protective ventilation in the ED

Abstract Objective Mechanical ventilation with low tidal volumes has been shown to improve outcomes for patients both with and without acute respiratory distress syndrome. This study aims to characterize mechanically ventilated patients in the emergency department (ED), describe the initial ED ventilator settings, and assess for associations between lung protective ventilation strategies in the ED and outcomes. Methods This was a multicenter, prospective, observational study of mechanical ventilation at 3 academic EDs. We defined lung protective ventilation as a tidal volume of less than or equal to 8 mL/kg of predicted body weight and compared outcomes for patients ventilated with lung protective vs non–lung protective ventilation, including inhospital mortality, ventilator days, intensive care unit length of stay, and hospital length of stay. Results Data from 433 patients were analyzed. Altered mental status without respiratory pathology was the most common reason for intubation, followed by trauma and respiratory failure. Two hundred sixty-one patients (60.3%) received lung protective ventilation, but most patients were ventilated with a low positive end-expiratory pressure, high fraction of inspired oxygen strategy. Patients were ventilated in the ED for a mean of 5 hours and 7 minutes but had few ventilator adjustments. Outcomes were not significantly different between patients receiving lung protective vs non–lung protective ventilation. Conclusions Nearly 40% of ED patients were ventilated with non–lung protective ventilation as well as with low positive end-expiratory pressure and high fraction of inspired oxygen. Despite a mean ED ventilation time of more than 5 hours, few patients had adjustments made to their ventilators.
See-through-wall life sensing using mobile Doppler radar

A see-through-the-wall (STTW) life sign detection from a mobile platform has been studied. Ultrasonic sensors were used for motion artifact detection. An adaptive algorithm was implemented to validate the techniques for motion compensation when using a mobile life sign radar.
The contribution and reuse of LTER data in the Provenance Aware Synthesis Tracking Architecture (PASTA) data repository

Abstract Sites in the Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) Network have now contributed greater than 5000 data packages into the LTER Network Information System (NIS). This corpus of data and metadata allows us to analyze characteristics of data from the LTER program, including temporal coverage, data format, rate of submission, volume of data, and ecological characteristics of the data (e.g., ecosystems, processes, organisms). In addition, data/metadata congruence checks included in the Provenance Aware Synthesis Tracking Architecture (PASTA) underlying the NIS allow us to examine the quality of metadata submitted. Initial records of data use and citation provide the means to evaluate the efficacy of this repository in disseminating data throughout a broader community – 89 citations of data packages found in 52 articles have been documented to date.
The Evolving Meaning of Information Security

When you are developing security systems, new penetration techniques seem to appear as responses to new security measures but in general the flow is the other way around: security exists and evolves because of the evolution of threats. Beginning with the rise of radio in the 20th Century attacks on communication networks have shown two forms: those that go for the big kill --- such as the breaking of Enigma --- and those that assemble small seemingly innocuous leaks of information into a comprehensive understanding of the target's behavior. We will analyze the way in which these trends interact with others to create a situation in which what is possible in security and even the meaning of security in communication networks needs reexamination.
Lesbian Chic in the Digital World

They are sexy, they are hip, they are cool. But are they lesbians? Digital age women-loving-women, gaydies, gay bois, trannie boys eschew the “L word” (i.e. “lesbian”) in post-gay, post-feminist fashion. In this clutch under the queer umbrella, the word “lesbian” is not often used to describe a sexuality where females are attracted to females as life partners. The “girl-on-girl action” is simply that a disempowered performance for the male gaze. If there are masculine (“butch”) lesbians representations, they are of an androgynous “gayboi”—emphasis on boy as opposed to man—or “gay” woman who is “cute butch,” slim hips, funky boy fashion, and nerdy glasses. Caught between butch performance and highly feminine heterosexual fantasy, woman-loving women in the digital sphere are supporting instead of subverting patriarchal sex and gender roles, especially in regards to body image and beauty standards typically applied to heterosexuals. The desire to be accepted and “normal” begets assimilation—and consumption is demanded to assimilate. Young women who access the virtual lesbian community feel the pull of this binary, creating an either/or that harkens back to pre-Stonewall butch/femme and pre-Second Wave feminism discussions of beauty ideals. The contemporary “gay woman” identity eschews the label “lesbian” as too harsh, too feminist, too angry, and too masculine.
Nanometer-Scale Chemistry of a Calcite Biomineralization Template: Implications for Skeletal Composition and Nucleation

Plankton, corals, and other organisms produce calcium carbonate skeletons that are integral to their survival, form a key component of the global carbon cycle, and record an archive of past oceanographic conditions in their geochemistry. A key aspect of the formation of these biominerals is the interaction between organic templating structures and mineral precipitation processes. Laboratory-based studies have shown that these atomic-scale processes can profoundly influence the architecture and composition of minerals, but their importance in calcifying organisms is poorly understood because it is difficult to measure the chemistry of in vivo biomineral interfaces at spatially relevant scales. Understanding the role of templates in biomineral nucleation, and their importance in skeletal geochemistry requires an integrated, multiscale approach, which can place atom-scale observations of organic-mineral interfaces within a broader structural and geochemical context. Here we map the chemistry of an embedded organic template structure within a carbonate skeleton of the foraminifera Orbulina universa using both atom probe tomography (APT), a 3D chemical imaging technique with Angstrom-level spatial resolution, and time-of-flight secondary ionization mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS), a 2D chemical imaging technique with submicron resolution. We quantitatively link these observations, revealing that the organic template in O. universa is uniquely enriched in both Na and Mg, and contributes to intraskeletal chemical heterogeneity. Our APT analyses reveal the cation composition of the organic surface, offering evidence to suggest that cations other than Ca2+, previously considered passive spectator ions in biomineral templating, may be important in defining the energetics of carbonate nucleation on organic templates.
B18 Transcriptome profiling of B6.HttQ111/+ hepatocytes in response to chemical perturbagens

Background We are interested in detecting the earliest molecular consequences of endogenous mutant Huntingtin expression. These early consequences can be difficult to detect when cells are in a steady state, so we are using chemical perturbations to investigate how mutant Huntingtin alters dynamic cellular responses. Our own data indicate that environmental perturbations, such as a high-fat diet, can induce widespread transcriptome modification in wild-type cells that is absent or unique in cells expressing mutant Huntingtin, making this approach useful to understanding the effects of mutant Huntingtin and identify potential therapeutic targets. Aims We aim to detect the early molecular consequences of endogenous mutant Huntingtin expression in B6.HttQ111/+ hepatocytes. Methods We are using two distinct perturbations to stress primary hepatocytes; the topoisomerase II inhibitor, Etoposide, to induce DNA damage, and the Carnitine Palmitoyl Transferase-1 inhibitor, Etomoxir, to inhibit fatty acid β-oxidation. Results/outcome We have generated transcriptomic profiles using RNAseq of samples collected across a dense time course of perturbagen exposure. These profiles reveal widespread transcriptional changes, which are consistent with the mechanisms of action of these agents. We are using these transcriptomic data to build in silico models of hepatocyte metabolism and response to DNA damage. We are currently validating our in silico models by measuring expression and activation of specific proteins predicted to be altered in these perturbed states. We will present cross-sectional data describing the impact of CAG expansion in Htt on transcriptional responses to chemical perturbation in primary hepatocytes. Conclusions We conclude that the transcriptome is altered in response to environmental perturbagens in B6.HttQ111/+ hepatocytes. Support CHDI foundation, Huntington Society of Canada
What we learn from in vivo EPR oxygen images.

Distributions of oxygen concentration (pO2) are a critical determinant of normal tissue health as well as tumor aggressiveness and response to therapy. A number of studies show the value of normal tissue and tumor tissue oxygenation images and some of these will be discussed here. A strong correlation between tumor hypoxic fraction as measured with electron paramagnetic resonance oxygen imaging and radiation treatment success or failure has been found in two separate cancer types. Oxygen images of the torso of wild type mice show initial reduction of lung, liver, visceral, and muscle pO2 with cyclic halving of fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2), but variation is blunted over an hour. Spontaneous breast cancers in Mouse Mammary Tumor Viral (MMTV) promoted-polyoma middle T antigen (PyMT) mice with BNIP3, a major factor in promotion of mitochondrial autophagy, knocked out will be compared with wild type animals. Preliminary studies for the BNIP3 knock out animals show extremely low pO2. The wide variety of studies, in which oxygen images can play an integral role, serve to demonstrate the importance of oxygen images.
Effect of foreign military intervention and controlled territory on the operational tempo of al-Shabaab attacks

AbstractHarakat al-Shabaab al-Mujahideen (commonly referred to as al-Shabaab) is the largest radical Islamist organization in Somalia and one of the oldest Islamist militant groups operating in Africa. This article analyzes the effects of foreign military intervention and the ability of the group to control territory on the operational tempo of al-Shabaab’s terrorist campaign. We examine the monthly distribution of attacks for 1050 successful attacks that occurred between December 2007 and December 2014 to assess fluctuation in operational tempo. A multivariate model is specified to estimate the impact of prior operational tempo, external military intervention, and the group’s ability to control territory within Somalia on variation in current operational tempo. Precipitation is included in the model as a variable to control for the effect of the rainy season in sub-Saharan Africa, which potentially reduces the group’s operational tempo by limiting its mobility. Focusing on the patterns associated with in...
Improving Coal Gas Recovery with Microbially Enhanced Coalbed Methane

Microbially enhanced coalbed methane (MECoM) imitates and enhances the natural process of secondary biogenic gas generation in coal beds that occurs in coal basins worldwide. MECoM involves the introduction of anaerobic bacterial consortia, which consists of hydrolyzers, acetogens and methanogens, and/or nutrients into coalbed methane wells. Coalbed methane production may increase through generation of additional methane, removal of pore-plugging coal waxes, and permeability enhancement as cleat-aperture size increases during biogasification. The amount of coal gas potentially generated by MECoM is large. If only one-hundredth of 1% (1/10,000) of U.S. (lower 48) coal resources were converted into methane using MECoM, gas resources would increase by 23 Tcf, or approximately 16% of current lower 48 nonassociated reserves. However, coal surface area and biogasification reaction rates in the subsurface may potentially limit gas generation, indicating that permeability enhancement may be the most significant benefit of MECoM. Additional research, including microbial sampling of deeply buried bituminous coals to identify genetically unique bacterial consortia, is required to fully evaluate MECoM and determine if the process will improve coalbed methane producibility. Successful implementation of MECoM requires an integrated approach towards understanding the geologic, hydrologic, organic and inorganic geochemistry, microbiological, and engineering factors that may limit MECoM in the subsurface. If economically feasible, MECoM can generate methane in coal beds that currently have limited coalbed methane potential, and thereby provide cheap, environmentally clean energy for many parts of the world.
Impacts of institutional intervention on price transmissions : the case of the Ethiopian commodity exchange

In the aftermath of the market liberalization reforms, interventions in developing countries shifted toward building institutions. One of such interventions is the introduction of commodity exchanges. The theoretical justification is that commoditization reduces the high transaction costs associated with the information and enforcement problems characterizing agricultural markets of these countries. However it is not known whether these potential gains are transmitted to the various markets along a value chain. By taking the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange (ECX) as a case, this paper examines the impacts of the introduction of the commodity exchange in transmitting price signals along the coffee value chain (world-export-auction-producer prices). We found that both the speed and symmetry of transmission remains weak even after the launch of ECX. At each level, the market chain was found to favor buyers. This implies that not only the country's gains from export are sub-optimal, the cumulative burden is on the millions of smallholder farmers who are located at the bottom of the chain. In a context where local agricultural markets remain traditional and export markets barely competitive, the introduction of the commodity exchange will have limited impacts in improving the performance of markets in transmitting price signals. Other policy measures to further liberalize both local and export markets are required.
Multi-attribute statistics histograms for accurate and robust pairwise registration of range images

A distinctive, robust and efficient 3D local shape descriptor called MaSH is proposed.A novel 3D transformation estimation algorithm named 2SAC-GC is proposed.An accurate and robust range image registration method is presented.The proposed registration method copes well with both high and low resolution data. Registration of range images based on local shape features is widely adopted due to its validated effectiveness and robustness, while most existing local shape descriptors struggle to simultaneously achieve a pleasurable and balanced performance in terms of distinctiveness, robustness and time efficiency. This paper proposes a novel representation of 3D local surfaces, called multi-attribute statistics histograms (MaSH), for automatic registration of range images. MaSH comprises both spatial and geometric information characterizations. The characterization of spatial information is achieved via radial partitions in the 3D local support volume around the keypoint based on a local reference axis (LRA), creating a set of subspaces. While the encoding the shape geometry is performed by calculating statistical histograms of multiple faint correlated geometric attributes (i.e., local depth, normal deviation, and surface variation angle) for each subspace, so as to achieve information complementarity. Then, a robust rigid transformation estimation algorithm named 2-point based sample consensus with global constrain (2SAC-GC) is presented to tackle the problem of calculating an optimal transformation from the correspondence set with outliers. Finally, a coarse-to-fine registration method based on MaSH and 2SAC-GC is proposed for aligning range images. Experiments on both high-resolution (Laser Scanner) and low-resolution (Kinect) datasets report that, our method achieves a registration accuracy of 90.36% and 80.39% on the two datasets, respectively. It also exhibits strong robustness against noise and varying mesh resolutions. Furthermore, feature matching experiments show the over-all superiority of the proposed MaSH descriptor against the state-of-the-arts including the spin image, snapshots, THRIFT, FPFH, RoPS, LFSH and RCS descriptors.
On the modifications of near-inertial waves at fronts: implications for energy transfer across scales

In the ocean, wind-generated kinetic energy (KE) manifests itself primarily in balanced currents and near-inertial waves. The dynamics of these flows is strongly constrained by the Earth’s rotation, causing the KE in balanced currents to follow an inverse cascade but also preventing wave-wave interactions from fluxing energy in the near-inertial band to lower frequencies and higher vertical wavenumbers. How wind-generated KE is transferred to small-scale turbulence and dissipated is thus a non-trivial problem. This article presents a review of recent theoretical calculations and numerical simulations that demonstrate how some surprising modifications to internal wave physics by the lateral density gradients present at ocean fronts allow for strong interactions between balanced currents and near-inertial waves that ultimately result in energy loss for both types of motion.