cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
En Route Use of Analgesics in Nonintubated, Critically Ill Patients Transported by U.S. Air Force Critical Care Air Transport Teams.

ABSTRACT Introduction: U.S. Critical Care Air Transport Teams (CCATTs) evacuate critically ill patients with acute pain in the combat setting. Limited data have been reported on analgesic administration en route, and no study has reported analgesic use by CCATTs. Our objective was to describe analgesics used by CCATTs for nonintubated, critically ill patients during evacuation from a combat setting. Methods: We conducted an institutional review board–approved, retrospective review of CCATT records. We included nonintubated, critically ill patients who were administered analgesics in flight and were evacuated out of theater (2007–2012). Demographics, injury description, analgesics and anesthetics, and predefined clinical adverse events were recorded. Data were presented as mean ± standard deviation or percentage (%). Results: Of 1,128 records, we analyzed 381 subjects with the following characteristics: age 26 ± 7.0 years; 98% male; and 97% trauma (70% blast, 17% penetrating, 11% blunt, and 3% burn). The i...
Leadership: A Case Study on the Importance of Ethics and Trust

This research is important because it empirically tests why ethical behavior by business and government leaders is essential for good management — which is to earn trust from customers and constituents — thus ensuring organizations are successful , for the greater good, over the long term, especially in the global marketplace . L aw and morality are two standards by which business and government leaders are judged, but these norms fail whenever laws are not enforced and morality is disregarded. Five research questions on leadership are statistically tested, using a Likert-scale response measure questionnaire— based on “perceptions of societal corruption” and “trust levels,” using Bandura’s “aggressive behavior modification theory,” as the model for analysis. Nigeria is selected as the location of this case study on leadership ethics and trust, because Nigerian government officials have a long history of unethical and corrupt behavior. Descriptive statistics, along with chi-square quantitative research methods reveals “perceptions of societal corruption” in Nigeria are high and “trust levels” for government leaders are very low. Leaders in Nigeria are only as ethical as the code-of-conduct prevalent in their country — where cultural, economic and legal factors contribute to the nation’s corrupt society—which may cause Nigeria to become a failed state. To change the Nigerian culture of societal corruption— education is necessary— to instruct elected officials, civil servants, business leaders and Nigerian society, at large, on the importance of ethics and trust. Nigerian government and business leaders should institute an ethics policy—and implement five suggested reforms presented in this paper—which will help establish government leader’s ethical integrity and improve citizens’ trust and confidence in their government. Recommendations for future research on government and business leadership ethics and trust are offered.
Effect of Air Dosage in a Model Mixing System

Abstract In Part 1 of this series of papers, it was shown that a definite amount of air had to be present in a laboratory mixing unit which produced a moderate shear rate in order to form compact, spherical agglomerates in an aqueous suspension of moderately hydro-phobic coal using heptane or hexadecane as an agglomerant. In this paper, the effects of different amounts of air including dissolved air are discussed. The results indicate that a small amount of air will trigger the process of agglomeration, and even the air dissolved in water under equilibrium conditions at room temperature and pressure is sufficient to promote agglomeration provided it is released from solution.
Polymers for Photonic Applications

Photonics is a term coined to describe a set of emerging technologies which deal with various aspects of the use of light beams to store, transfer and manipulate information. In a broader sense, the term is also sometimes meant to encompass such technology as that of harvesting light energy and converting it to electricity. Often it is also used to cover many other technologies which have emerged as a result of the advent of lasers. We will, however, use a somewhat limited meaning of the term ‘photonics’ and make use of an analogy with the word ‘electronics’. Thus, photonics is an analog of electronics in which photons rather than electrons carry the information and are made to perform various tasks, and one can think of photonic switches, gates, amplifiers, modulators and photonic integrated circuits.
Expression of Isoforms from Cloned Skeletal and Cardiac Actin Genes

Some of the molecular events in human muscle parallel in many respects the data already presented regarding the expression or co-expression of certain isoforms of contractile protein genes. Contractile protein isoforms can be studied in a model system based on the genetic engineering of cells in which we introduce contractile protein genes into foreign environments and, once they are expressed, ask what they do to the phenotype of the cell. One can also use a muscle cDNA library to study muscle specific genes and their human chromosomal linkages.
Infants' use of amplitude modulation cues in the segregation of concurrent vowels

Infants have difficulties separating speech from competing sounds. One explanation is that infants do not use acoustic cues to sound source segregation as adults do. This study investigated 3- and 7-month-old infants’ and adults’ ability to use AM cues in concurrent vowel segregation. Seven American-English vowels were produced by a male and by a female talker. One male and one female vowel were randomly chosen and superimposed. A train of such vowel pairs was presented to listeners, who were trained to respond to the male target vowel /i:/ or /u:/. Target-to-nontarget ratios were chosen to equate performance across age groups. In the baseline condition, all vowels had flat envelopes. In the cue condition, male vowels were modulated with three envelopes from infant-directed vowels. The proportion of 3-month-old infants achieving an 80% correct criterion at a ratio of + 15dB was higher in the cue than in the baseline condition. For 7-month olds and adults d' could be estimated based on 15 target and 15 nontarget trials in each condition. Preliminary results indicate that both 7-month-old infants and adults have a higher d' in the cue than in the baseline condition. Thus, infants appear to use AM to segregate concurrent vowels.Infants have difficulties separating speech from competing sounds. One explanation is that infants do not use acoustic cues to sound source segregation as adults do. This study investigated 3- and 7-month-old infants’ and adults’ ability to use AM cues in concurrent vowel segregation. Seven American-English vowels were produced by a male and by a female talker. One male and one female vowel were randomly chosen and superimposed. A train of such vowel pairs was presented to listeners, who were trained to respond to the male target vowel /i:/ or /u:/. Target-to-nontarget ratios were chosen to equate performance across age groups. In the baseline condition, all vowels had flat envelopes. In the cue condition, male vowels were modulated with three envelopes from infant-directed vowels. The proportion of 3-month-old infants achieving an 80% correct criterion at a ratio of + 15dB was higher in the cue than in the baseline condition. For 7-month olds and adults d' could be estimated based on 15 target and 15 non...
DePalma, R., Napier, D. B. & Dze-Ngwa, W. (Eds.). Revitalizing Minority Voices: Language Issues in the New Millennium

Minority languages are frequently excluded from language policy planning and practice in educational and community settings. These language exclusions have been part of the historical composition o...
Cognitive Science: Two Cultures or One?

Cognitive science, a mixture of psychology, computer science, neurophysiology, linguistics and philosophy has been hailed by many as the first genuine science of cognitive phenomena. Its composition signals that the discipline employs methodologies of the ‘two cultures,’ of the natural sciences represented most clearly by neurophysiology and of the humanities represented by philosophy. Cognitive science, thus, becomes an interesting new area for the Erklaren- Verstehen controversy. There are voices which, citing this methodological eclecticism, deny cognitive science the status of a separate discipline. Others disagree arguing that a ‘naturalized’ philosophy is not much different from psychology or even neuroscience. Many researchers believe that there is a central idea that unifies all the different approaches belonging to cognitive science. It is the idea represented by the model of algorithmic processing of information with all its related concepts and techniques. Thus the main goal of cognitive science in this view is to understand and explain the nature of perception, memory, learning, linguistic abilities, etc. by representing them in terms of their underlying computational processes.
Influence of Anaerobic Pre-conditioning on Phosphorus Removal in Swine Manure by Aeration

A feasibility study with three pre-conditioning times was carried out to examine the effect of anaerobic pre-treatment on phosphorus removal by aeration. The results showed that soluble phosphorus could be decreased from 120 mg L −1 to about 40 mg L −1 within one-day aeration. However, soluble phosphorus concentration was found not affected by pre-conditioning, but more pH dependent. Anaerobic pre-treatment significantly increased the uptake of phosphorus by microbes indicated by the increase in concentration of organic phosphorus fraction. The presence of a large proportion of inorganic insoluble phosphorus considerably eclipsed the biological removal of soluble phosphorus, which suggested that the solids/liquid separation before aeration could be important to improve the biological uptake of soluble phosphorus.
Commercialization of Biomass Ethanol Technology

With the recent commissioning of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s (NREL) process development unit, through the support of the US Department of Energy (DOE) Biofuels Program, the technology to convert lignocellulosic biomass to fuel ethanol enzymatically has reached the pilot scale. The next step will be to construct precommercial-scale engineering demonstration units, which will probably be built at or near proposed commercial plant sites, to demonstrate this technology at selected biomass-rich locations in the US. Proper site selection can be critical to these units’ long-term profitability, so DOE and NREL have begun a program to help industrial partners build sound business plans that include detailed siting studies. These studies examine biomass availability and cost projections, delineate site requirements, identify qualifying sites, examine environmental and community impacts, and provide detailed pro forma financial evaluations and projections. The DOE/NREL ethanol project currently supports several plans that help industry identify economically viable commercial opportunities for biomass ethanol.
Seasonal Compressive Strength of Beaufort Sea Ice Sheets

An analysis has been performed to calculate the uniaxial compressive strength of first-year sea ice sheets in the Canadian Beaufort Sea. The analysis makes use of a recently-developed model by the authors. It was found that the ice sheet reaches a maximum strength in March/April of each year. At that time typical strength values are 4.5 MPa, 1.5 MPa and 0.5 MPa at strain rates of 10-3 s-1, 10-5 s-1 and 10-7 s-1. In general, the strength values for the sea ice are reasonably consistent throughout the Beaufort Sea region, regardless of the severity of the winter. The information supplied in this paper should provide the design engineer with useful information on the strength properties necessary for designing offshore structures in this region.
Inefficiency of Equilibria in Doodle Polls

Doodle polls allow people to schedule meetings or events based on time preferences of participants. Each participant indicates on a web-based poll form which time slots they find acceptable and a time slot with the most votes is chosen. This is a social choice mechanism known as approval voting, in which a standard assumption is that all voters vote sincerely—no one votes “no” on a time slot they prefer to a time slot they have voted “yes” on. We take a game-theoretic approach to understanding what happens in Doodle polls assuming participants vote sincerely. First we characterize Doodle poll instances where sincere pure Nash Equilibria (NE) exist, both under lexicographic tie-breaking and randomized tie-breaking. We then study the quality of such NE voting profiles in Doodle polls, showing the price of anarchy and price of stability are both unbounded, even when a time slot that many participants vote yes for is selected. Finally, we find some reasonable conditions under which the quality of the NE (and strong NE) is good.
A field survey of soil pH and extractable aluminium in the Ashburton Lakes Catchment, Canterbury, New Zealand.

Soil extractable aluminium (Al) concentrations have a strong impact on the establishment, growthand persistence of pasture legumes. A survey of 21 soil profiles in the Ashburton Lakes catchmentwas conducted to determine the key factors driving extractable Al concentrations. The mean Al (0.02 MCaCl2) concentration was 7.8 mg/kg with the highest values in the top 50 cm of the soil profile. However,there was considerable variation among sites. Landform age, rainfall and depth were all important variables forextractable Al (but R2 was low), while landform type was not. The highest Al concentrations in the 20 cm depthzone were found at the wettest sites in the catchment where rainfall was ≥ 1266 mm and where pH was lowest.Farmers in this catchment could use this knowledge to determine which areas of their farms are most susceptible to elevated Al concentrations and at what depth. This would assist in determining which areas could be targeted for development and which are unsuitable.
Gestational Age-Dependent Interplay between Endocannabinoid Receptors and Alcohol in Fetal Cerebral Arteries.

Alcohol (ethanol) is one of the most widely consumed drugs. Alcohol consumption by pregnant women may result in a range of fetal abnormalities termed fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs). The cerebrovascular system is emerging as a critical target of alcohol in the developing brain. We recently showed that three episodes of prenatal alcohol exposure resulting in 80 mg/dL alcohol in maternal blood during mid-pregnancy up-regulated anandamide-induced dilation of fetal cerebral arteries. Moreover, ethanol dilated fetal cerebral arteries via cannabinoid (CB) receptors. Whether a critical role of fetal cerebral artery CB system in responses to alcohol was maintained throughout the gestation, remains unknow. Main methods Pregnant baboons (second trimester equivalent) were subjected to three episodes of either alcohol or control drink infusion via gavage. Cerebral arteries from mothers and near-term female fetuses were in vitro pressurized for diameter monitoring. Key findings Near-term fetal and maternal arteries exhibited similar ability to develop myogenic tone, to constrict in presence of 60 mM KCl, and to respond to 10 µM anandamide. Fetal and maternal arteries largely failed to dilate in presence of 63 mM ethanol. No differences were detected between arteries from control and alcohol-exposed baboon donors. Therefore, previously observed ethanol-induced dilation of fetal cerebral arteries and up-regulation of CB components in response to fetal alcohol exposure during mid-pregnancy was transient and disappeared by near-term.
Loneliness, Cardiovascular Disease, and Diabetes Prevalence in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos Sociocultural Ancillary Study

The relationship between loneliness and both cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes mellitus (DM) has been understudied in U.S. Hispanics, a group at high risk for DM. We examined whether loneliness was associated with CVD and DM, and whether age, sex, marital status, and years in U.S moderated these associations. Participants were 5,313 adults (M (SD) age = 42.39 (15.01)) enrolled in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos Sociocultural Ancillary Study. Loneliness was assessed via the 3-item Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale. Level of reported loneliness was low. Loneliness was significantly associated with CVD: OR 1.10 (CI 1.01–1.20) and DM: OR 1.08 (CI 1.00–1.16) after adjusting for depression, demographics, body mass index, and smoking status. Age, sex, marital status, and years in U.S. did not moderate associations. Given that increased loneliness is associated with higher cardiometabolic disease prevalence beyond depressive symptoms, regardless of age, sex, marital status, or years in the U.S., Hispanic adults experiencing high levels of loneliness may be a subgroup at particularly elevated risk for CVD and DM.
Automated, Efficient, and Accelerated Knowledge Modeling of the Cognitive Neuroimaging Literature Using the ATHENA Toolkit.

Neuroimaging research is growing rapidly, providing expansive resources for synthesizing data. However, navigating these dense resources is complicated by the volume of research articles and variety of experimental designs implemented across studies. The advent of machine learning algorithms and text-mining techniques has advanced automated labeling of published articles in biomedical research to alleviate such obstacles. As of yet, a comprehensive examination of document features and classifier techniques for annotating neuroimaging articles has yet to be undertaken. Here, we evaluated which combination of corpus (abstract-only or full-article text), features (bag-of-words or Cognitive Atlas terms), and classifier (Bernoulli naive Bayes, k-nearest neighbors, logistic regression, or support vector classifier) resulted in the highest predictive performance in annotating a selection of 2,633 manually annotated neuroimaging articles. We found that, when utilizing full article text, data-driven features derived from the text performed the best, whereas if article abstracts were used for annotation, features derived from the Cognitive Atlas performed better. Additionally, we observed that when features were derived from article text, anatomical terms appeared to be the most frequently utilized for classification purposes and that cognitive concepts can be identified based on similar representations of these anatomical terms. Optimizing parameters for the automated classification of neuroimaging articles may result in a larger proportion of the neuroimaging literature being annotated with labels supporting the meta-analysis of psychological constructs.
BODIPY-embedded electrospun materials in antimicrobial photodynamic inactivation.

Drug-resistant pathogens, particularly those that result in hospital acquired infections (HAIs), have emerged as a critical priority for the World Health Organization. To address the need for self-disinfecting materials to counter the threat posed by the transmission of these pathogens from surfaces to new hosts, here we investigated if a cationic BODIPY photosensitizer, embedded via electrospinning into nylon and polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers, was capable of inactivating both bacteria and viruses via antimicrobial photodynamic inactivation (aPDI). Materials characterization, including fiber morphology and the degree of photosensitizer loading, was assessed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), and UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-Vis DRS), and demonstrated that the materials were comprised of nanofibers (125–215 nm avg. diameter) that were thermostable to >300 °C. The antimicrobial potencies of the resultant Nylon-BODIPY(+) and PAN-BODIPY(+) nanofiber materials were evaluated against four strains of bacteria recognized by the World Health Organization as either critical or high priority pathogens: Gram-positive strains methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA; ATCC BAA-44) and vancomycin-resistant E. faecium (VRE; ATCC BAA-2320), and Gram-negative strains multidrug-resistant A. baumannii (MDRAB; ATCC BAA-1605) and NDM-1 positive K. pneumoniae (KP; ATCC BAA-2146). Our results demonstrated the detection limit (99.9999%; 6 log units reduction in CFU mL−1) photodynamic inactivation of three strains upon illumination (30–60 min; 40–65 ± 5 mW cm−2; 400–700 nm): MRSA, VRE, and MDRAB, but only minimal inactivation (47–75%) of KP. Antiviral studies employing PAN-BODIPY(+) against vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), a model enveloped virus, revealed complete inactivation. Taken together, the results demonstrate the potential for electrospun BODIPY(+)-embedded nanofiber materials as the basis for pathogen-specific anti-infective materials, even at low photosensitizer loadings.
Cutaneous Lesions that Mimic Infection in Transplant Patients

Dermatologists are often called upon to evaluate skin lesions in organ transplant patients, especially when an infectious etiology is suspected. This section will review some of the non-infectious skin eruptions that mimic cutaneous infections. This chapter is intended to help the clinician generate a differential diagnosis when evaluating cutaneous lesions in organ transplant patients. Using the morphology of the primary lesion as a starting point, we then list the non-infectious diagnosis that could be considered and the infectious process it mimics.
The solution of the global relation for the derivative nonlinear Schrödinger equation on the half-line

Abstract We consider initial-boundary value problems for the derivative nonlinear Schrodinger (DNLS) equation on the half-line x > 0 . In a previous work, we showed that the solution q ( x , t ) can be expressed in terms of the solution of a Riemann–Hilbert problem with jump condition specified by the initial and boundary values of q ( x , t ) . However, for a well-posed problem, only part of the boundary values can be prescribed; the remaining boundary data cannot be independently specified, but are determined by the so-called global relation. In general, an effective solution of the problem therefore requires solving the global relation. Here, we present the solution of the global relation in terms of the solution of a system of nonlinear integral equations. This also provides a construction of the Dirichlet-to-Neumann map for the DNLS equation on the half-line.
Autonomic Resource Management Using Analytic Models for Fog/Cloud Computing

A fog/cloud computing environment enables portions of a transaction to be executed at a fog server and other portions at the cloud. Fog servers act as an intermediate layer between cloud datacenters and end-user devices and provide compute, storage, and networking services between these devices and traditional clouds. An important consideration is the dynamic determination of the optimal fraction f of data processing executed at the cloud versus at fog servers. This determination requires that we consider that the processing capacity of fog servers is typically smaller than that of cloud servers. On the other hand, it may be more expensive to use cloud resources as opposed to fog servers. As f increases, more data has to be sent and received from the cloud. On the other hand, fog servers are typically resource-constrained and may not have enough capacity to handle requests from numerous sensors and other IoT devices and may become a bottleneck. The contributions of this paper are: (1) An autonomic controller, called FogQN-AC, that dynamically changes the fraction of data processing performed at the cloud. The controller seeks to optimize a utility function of the average response time and cost. This utility function uses an analytic response time and cost model previously developed by the authors. (2) An assessment of the controller against a brute-force optimal solution. (3) An experimental assessment of the controller using synthetic traces, Google traces, and a CityPulse smart city road traffic dataset. The experiments show that the controller is able to maintain a high utility in the presence of wide variations of request arrival rates.
ACM SIGGRAPH 88 panel proceedings

In the beginning, the only function at the SIGGRAPH annual conference was the technical papers session. While the technical papers were the primary focus of the conference, as indeed they are now, many other activities have been added to the conference through the years. Conference goers today know that, besides the papers, there is an equipment exhibition, an art show, a film and video show, about thirty day-long courses, and a complete slate of panels. For all these functions, there is some written record of the event's activities. Papers are published in the Proceedings, there are catalogs for the film and video show and the art show, printed notes are provided for the courses, and exhibition attendees can carry away literature in any volume they can manage. Finally, brief summaries of the panel sessions, written in advance of the conference, appear in the Proceedings. In view of the growing importance of the panels to conference attendees (we often find panels better attended than paper sessions), this seems a disproportionately small record of their proceedings. For SIGGRAPH'86, in Dallas, some first steps were taken to provide technical program attendees with a permanent record of what transpired at the panel sessions. All panel presentations, as well as subsequent intra-panel and inter-audience interactions were audiotaped. After the conference, the tapes were transcribed to computer- readable form and were rough-edited by the Panels Chair to correct words and phrases that were nearly inaudible or were not understood by the transcriber. Following that, the intention was to have each panel chair, eleven in all, further edit their material, obtain appropriate visuals from their panelists, and to return all material to the Panels Chair for publication. Unfortunately, budget uncertainties for SIGGRAPH'86 and a serious underestimate of the work involved precluded these final steps. For S1GGRAPH'88 we had the opportunity (and the budget!) to try again. Just as in 1986, the panel proceedings were audiotaped, most visual material was captured on site, and, with the assistance of the Panels Committee, the panel chairs, and paid staff, the material was transcribed, edited, and printed. A copy of the panels proceedings is being mailed to every person who registered for the technical program. In this way we hope to provide panel attendees with more than just fond memories of the excitement they experienced at the Conference. More important, it is a first step in developing an archive of a highly significant annual event in the field of computer graphics. Finally, we hope that the reader will be both critical and tolerant of this first effort. Tolerant of the mangling of some names, particularly those of the questioners from the audience which we had no way of verifying. Critical feedback is essential at this point. Do you want to see this activity continue? Is it worth the effort for SIGGRAPH to produce panels proceedings and do you find it to be a valuable publication?
Network analyses reveal which symptoms improve (or not) following an Internet intervention (Deprexis) for depression

Background Depression is a heterogeneous collection of symptoms. Prior meta-analyses using symptom sum scores have shown the Internet intervention, Deprexis, to be an efficacious treatment for depression. However, no prior research has investigated how Deprexis (or any other Internet intervention for depression) impacts specific symptoms of depression. The current study utilizes symptom-level analyses to examine which symptoms are directly, indirectly, or minimally influenced by treatment. Methods Network analysis and mean-level approaches examined which symptoms, assessed by the Quick Inventory of Depression Symptoms, were affected by an 8-week course of Deprexis compared with a waitlist in a nationally recruited sample from the United States (N = 295). Results Deprexis directly improved the symptoms of sadness and indecision. Changes in these symptoms, in turn, was associated with a change in early insomnia, middle insomnia, self-dislike, fatigue, anhedonia, suicidality, slowness, and agitation. All of these symptoms (except for agitation and early insomnia) show decreases with Deprexis compared with a waitlist after correcting for multiple comparisons. Six additional symptoms, particularly the somatic symptoms, were not impacted by Deprexis compared with a waitlist. Conclusions In this sample, the efficacy of Deprexis was due to its direct impact on sadness and indecision. Examining the treatment-related change in specific symptoms may facilitate a more nuanced understanding of how a treatment works compared with examining symptom sum scores. Symptom-level approaches may also identify symptoms that do not improve and provide important direction for future treatment development.
The Undergraduate Marketing Major: Ambivalence in the Market Place

This paper discusses present employer attitudes over the hiring of marketing majors, their perceptions of hiring marketing majors over other business majors, and perceived adequacy of current marketing programs…particularly as employers may differentiate between marketing and management programs for hiring purposes. Findings show that there is a lack of clear direction in employer's assessments of marketing programs for some hiring needs. That there may be an inability to separate functions of marketing from functions of the job leads to the conclusion that other disciplines within the field of business may also have an ambivalence in the marketplace.
Schistosomiasis control progress and endemic situation in Sichuan Province

Objective To understand the schistosomiasis control progress and endemic situation, so as to provide the evidence for formulating the strategy of schistosomiasis elimination in Sichuan Province. Methods The schistosomiasis history data, working reports of schistosomiasis prevention and control, schistosomiasis surveillance data, and data of schistosomiasis prevention and control capacity were collected and analyzed for the schistosomiasis control progress and epidemic situation in Sichuan Province from 2004 to 2015. Results There were 63 schistosomiasis endemic districts in 11 cities in Sichuan Province, and the standard of schistosomiasis transmission interruption was achieved in the whole province in 2015. Currently, the area with Oncomelania hupensis snails was 2 537.54 hm2, and there were 1 769 advanced schistosomiasis patients. From 2004 to 2015, the accumulated survey area with snails was 433 065.80 hm2, and the area of snail control by molluscicides was 251 259 hm2. There were 26.017 144 million person-times of schistosomiasis blood tests and 7.89 million person-times of chemotherapy. There were 1.276 117 million head-times of cattle that received the schistosomiasis examinations. The schistosomiasis patients and livestock and the area with snails were decreased year by year. Since 2010, there were no local schistosome-infected residents and livestock and since 2004, there were no schistosome-infected snails. However, in some area, the professional personnel were less, the technology and hardware lagged behind, and the schistosomiasis prevention and control capacity was weak. Conclusions Sichuan Province achieved the standard of schistosomiasis transmission interruption in 2015. In the future, the comprehensive schistosomiasis prevention and control strategy still should be strengthened, including the promotion of schistosomiasis prevention and control capacity, establishment of sensitive early-warning surveillance system, and implementation of accurate schistosomiasis prevention and control, in order to consolidate the control achievements and realize the aim of schistosomiasis elimination as soon as possible.
Parameter-free Shape Optimization of Heat Sinks

In this paper, we present a parameter-free shape optimization approach for designing heat sinks. In our optimization formulation, we use a weighted combination of thermal (outlet temperature) and hydraulic (pressure drop) performances as the objective function with the fin volume as a constraint. The governing Navier–Stokes fluid flow and advective heat transfer equations are solved by a finite element method. In this shape optimization approach, all finite element nodes of design boundaries serve as optimization variables, without extraneous parameterization of boundary shape. We derive analytical form of shape gradient and use it to drive the boundary evolution during the optimization. Numerical examples of simultaneous optimization of multiple fins are given. The optimized heat sinks exhibit superior thermohydraulic performances than those from traditional sizing optimization.
A Non-Cooperative Game based Model for the Cybersecurity of Autonomous Systems

Autonomous systems (AS) would soon revolutionize the way we live and work. The days are not so far when these systems, from delivery drones to driverless cars, would be seen around us. These systems are connected and rely heavily on the communication network for the information exchange, hence prone to several attacks. Human lives will be at risk if these systems are compromised. Cybersecurity modeling and attack analysis of AS needs the utmost attention of the research community. Primarily, a typical AS has three modules - perception, cognition, and control - and each one of them comes with their own vulnerabilities. In this work, we propose a new AS architecture that may prove useful in AS cybersecurity modeling. We also model the attacks on them, and defense mechanisms applied to these modules using a non-cooperative non-zero sum game. Finally, we solve this game to obtain optimal strategies to maintain a secure system state.
Largely improved thermal conductivity of HDPE composites by building a 3D hybrid fillers network

Abstract Hybrid fillers of different geometries are increasingly utilized for the development of functional polymer composites. We herein report the role of HDPE-g-MAH as a compatibilizer for ternary composites consisting of HDPE, multi-walled carbon nanotubes and hexagonal boron nitride (BN). Through melt blending, HDPE-g-MAH can reduce the agglomeration of fillers and facilitate the formation of network structure. Due to the synergistic effect, ternary composites have demonstrated significantly higher thermal conductivity than those binary composites, and their maximum increase relative to the matrix is 262%. The mechanical performance and thermal conductivity are explained from perspectives of the morphology and crystallinity of the composites. The rheological properties of both binary and ternary composites have close relationship with their thermal conductivity. Although a high fraction of BN nanosheets can greatly reduce the electrical conductivity of ternary composites, they posed little effect on the electromagnetic interference shielding performance, owing to their electrical insulating nature. This research can provide new clues for the development of functional materials.
Conducting Virtual Simulated Skills Multiple Mini-Interviews for General Surgery Residency Interviews.

Objective We describe the feasibility of transitioning simulated skills assessments during general surgery interviews from an in-person to virtual format. Design/Setting Technical and nontechnical skill multiple mini-interviews (MMIs) were performed virtually and assessed for 109 applicants during virtual general surgery interviews over 2 days at a tertiary academic medical center. Results We demonstrate the feasibility of virtually assessing general surgery residency applicants’ technical and non-technical skills. Using a virtual MMI format during general surgery interviews, we assessed communication, emotional intelligence, anatomical knowledge, interpretation of medical tests, knot tying, and suturing. Four tasks (communication, emotional intelligence , anatomical knowledge, and interpretation of tests) were assessed synchronously by trained general surgery interns. Applicants submitted a recording of themselves performing knot tying and suturing tasks, which were asynchronously assessed after the interview day. Applicants rated the MMI experience highly (4.3/5) via postinterview day survey and the majority of applicants felt that station objectives were met in the virtual format. Conclusions We report a successful experience implementing technical and nontechnical virtual MMIs with capacity for 120 applicants during general surgery residency interviews. In the midst of a COVID-19 pandemic, the ability to assess surgical leaners virtually is essential. Virtual skills assessments may provide a more comprehensive picture of applicants and enable residency programs to better assess residents when gathering in person is not feasible.
»Gerecht und Sünder zugleich«: In einfacher Sprache

Luthers entscheidende reformatorische Einsicht war, dass unsere Identitat nicht in dem grundet, was wir selbst tun oder nicht tun. Sie grundet auch nicht in unserem Urteil uber uns selbst. Sie grundet vielmehr in dem, was Gott in uns sieht.
Rational Foundations of Fast and Frugal Heuristics: The Ecological Rationality of Strategy Selection via Improper Linear Models

Research on "improper" linear models has shown that predetermined weighting schemes for the linear model, such as equally weighting all predictors, can be surprisingly accurate on cross-validation. We review recent advances that can characterize the optimal choice of an improper linear model. We extend this research to the understanding of fast and frugal heuristics, particularly to the ecologically rational goal of understanding in which task environments given heuristics are optimal. We demonstrate how to test this model using the Recognition Heuristic and Take the Best heuristic, show how the model reconciles with the ecological rationality program, and discuss how our prescriptive, computational approach could be approximated by simpler mental rules that might be more descriptive. Echoing the arguments of van Rooij et al. (Synthese 187:471---487, 2012), we stress the virtue of having a computationally tractable model of strategy selection, even if one proposes that cognizers use a simpler heuristic process to approximate it.
Murray Rosenblatt and cumulant/higher-order/poly spectra

The bispectrum, or third order spectrum, of a stationary process has been around at least since the early 50s, for example it appeared in the paper Tukey (1953). It was studied in some detail in John Van Ness’s thesis, “Estimates of the Bispectrum of Stationary Random Processes”, supervised by Murray Rosenblatt. A 1965 Annals of Mathematical Statistics naner. “Estimation of the bispectra”, Rosenblatt and Van Ness (1965) followed.
Warfarin pharmacogenomics and African ancestry

In this issue of Blood , [Limdi and coauthors][1] demonstrate that racially informed warfarin pharmacogenetic algorithms perform better than traditional algorithms, which previously excluded genetic variants that are unique to patients with African ancestry.[1][2] ![Figure][3] The concept of
Logic and over-simplification

The author looks at the development of BAN logic, and with hindsight, considers the oversimplifications that were made.
Inhibition of pyruvate carboxylation by fluorocitrate in rat kidney mitochondria.

Rat kidney mitochondria, in the presence of ATP, Pi, and magnesium ions, converted pyruvate and bicarbonate to malate, fumarate, and citrate and, in the presence of glutamate, also to aspartate. The addition of fluorocitrate strongly inhibited pyruvate utilization and 14CO2 incorporation into organic acids. The inhibition of 14CO2 incorporation into organic acids in the presence of fluorocitrate appeared to be caused by malonyl coenzyme A produced by fluorocitrate stimulation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase. This inhibition by fluorocitrate of 14CO2 incorporation was reversed by carnitine, acetylcarnitine, acylcarnitines, isocitrate, α-ketoglutarate, succinate, fumarate, and glutamate, but not by citrate, β-hydroxybutyrate, or caprylate. The ratio of carnitine to fluorocitrate determined the degree of reversal of this inhibition. The reversal of inhibition by carnitine or acylcarnitine resulted in greatly increased citrate formation, with nearly all of the 14CO2 being incorporated into citrate, and in nearly complete inhibition of malate synthesis. Fluorocitrate inhibited oxidation of citrate. In the presence of tricarboxylic cycle intermediates, the incorporation of bicarbonate-14C into malate was greatly increased. With fluorocitrate in the system, the incorporation of radioactive bicarbonate into malate in the presence of α-ketoglutarate and succinate did not change, but decreased in the presence of fumarate.
Hybrid relations for database schema evolution

The author describes hybrid relations in relational databases that allow existing relations to be altered by the addition of new attributes without reorganization of the database scheme. The values of new attributes with respect to an existing relation are stored separately from the relation as a set of triples of tuple identifier, attribute name, and value. At query time, a hybrid relation, which has only the attributes requested in a query, is derived virtually by combining the relation and this set of triples. A relation can be reorganized by upgrading its attribute values from these triples. The hybrid relation is defined as an algebraic expression, and equivalent expressions of a query on the hybrid relations are shown for efficient query processing. >
The crack and wedging problem for an orthotropic strip

In this paper the plane elasticity problem for an orthotropic strip containing a crack parallel to its boundaries is first considered. The problem is formulated under general mixed mode loading conditions. It is shown that the stress intensity factors depend on two dimensionless orthotropic constants only. For the crack problem the results are given for a single crack and two collinear cracks. The calculated results show that of the two orthotropic constants the influence of the stiffness ratio on the stress intensity factors is much more significant than that of the shear parameter. The problem of loading the strip by a rigid rectangular wedge is then considered. It is found that for relatively small wedge lengths continuous contact is maintained along the wedge-strip interface, at a certain critical wedge length the separation starts at the midsection of the wedge, and the length of the separation zone increases rapidly with increasing wedge length.
The Graduating Class

An unprecedented number of seniors are graduating with an Economics degree this year. The seniors are planning on getting into a number of different areas following their graduation. Here is a brief description of each senior: This article is available in The Park Place Economist: http://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/parkplace/vol4/iss1/9
Electronic Frustration on a Triangular Lattice

The cobalt oxide NaCoOhas in recent years become the object of intense study. One reason is that when water is incorporated into its structure, the oxide becomes a superconductor. As Ong and Cava discuss in their Perspective, NaCoOis an example of a triangular lattice in which the electron spins cannot align in the regular arrangement seen in rectangular lattices. This "geometric frustration" leads to a variety of unusual electronic and magnetic properties that are only now being understood.
Bupivacaine inhibits the transient outward K+ current but not the inward rectifier in rat ventricular myocytes.

The effects of bupivacaine on K+ currents in isolated rat ventricular myocytes were examined using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. Bupivacaine at concentrations greater than 3 microM produced both a reduction in the peak current amplitude and a marked increase in the rate of inactivation of the transient outward current (Ito). Examination of its time course showed that there was no inhibition before the beginning of a depolarizing pulse. However, upon continuous depolarization (i.e., during channel opening) inhibition of Ito developed in an exponential manner, the rate and magnitude of which were dependent on bupivacaine concentration. The IC50 for inhibition of Ito was 22 microM. Bupivacaine had no effect on the voltage-dependence of steady-state inactivation or the rate of recovery from inactivation. The (+)- and (-)-stereoisomers of bupivacaine were equipotent indicating that there is no stereoselectivity to the inhibition of Ito. Increasing the hydrophobicity of the tertiary amine on bupivacaine greatly enhanced its potency. Thus, octylacaine (1-octyl-2',6'-pipecoloxylidide) (C8-N) was 6 times more potent than bupivacaine (C4-N) and 200 times more potent than mepivacaine (C1-N). In contrast to their effects on Ito, bupivacaine (1 mM) and octylacaine (100 microM) failed to produce any block of the inward rectifier K+ current. However, mepivacaine (3 mM) reduced inward rectifier K+ current reversibly by approximately 50%. These results suggest that inhibition of Ito may contribute to bupivacaine-induced cardiotoxicity.
Selected keynote speech abstracts: Data-driven geography: Can we build geographic knowledge from big data?

The context for geographic research has shifted from a data-scarce to a data-rich environment, in which the most fundamental changes are not just the volume of data, but the variety and the velocity at which we can capture geo-referenced data; trends often associated with the concept of Big Data. A data-driven geography may be emerging in response to the wealth of geo-referenced data flowing from sensors and people in the environment. Although this may seem revolutionary, in fact it may be better described as evolutionary. Some of the issues raised by data-driven geography have in fact been longstanding issues in geographic research, namely, large data volumes, dealing with populations and messy data, and tensions between idiographic versus nomothetic knowledge. The belief that spatial context matters is a major theme in geographic thought and a major motivation behind approaches such as time geography, disaggregate spatial statistics and GIScience. There is potential to use Big Data to inform both geographic knowledge discovery and spatial modeling. However, there are challenges, such as how to formalize geographic knowledge to clean data and to ignore spurious patterns, and how to build data-driven models that are both true and understandable.
The novel benzopyran class of selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors-part I: the first clinical candidate.

Abstract In this manuscript, we report the discovery of the substituted 2-trifluoromethyl-2H-benzopyran-3-carboxylic acids as a novel series of potent and selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors. 5c-(S) (SD-8381) was advanced into clinical studies due to its superior in vivo potency. The high plasma protein binding (>99% bound) of 5c-(S) has resulted in a surprisingly long human half life t1/2 = 360 h.
Quantitative studies of enkephalin's coexistence with γ-aminobutyric acid, glycine and neurotensin in amacrine cells of the chicken retina

Previous double-label studies demonstrate that enkephalin coexists with gamma-aminobutyric acid, glycine or neurotensin in amacrine cells of the chicken retina. The present study utilizes double- and triple-label paradigms to quantitatively analyze these coexisting relationships. Twenty-eight percent of enkephalin-like immunoreactive amacrine cells were found to exhibit high-affinity uptake of [3H]GABA, while 53% of enkephalin-amacrine cells specifically accumulate [3H]glycine. Moreover, the present study predicts that at least 26% of enkephalin-amacrine cells which accumulate [3H]glycine should also be immunoreactive for neurotensin.