cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Topic avoidance and family functioning in families conceived with donor insemination

BACKGROUND: While a move away from non-disclosure and secrecy toward more openness is demonstrated in the changing practices of donor insemination worldwide, scholars and practitioners continue to debate the effects of disclosure versus secrecy. This study examines if an association exists between adult donor offspring’s perceptions of their parents’ use of topic avoidance to maintain secrecy, and their perceptions of their family’s functioning. METHODS: Using a cross-sectional design, a convenience sample of 69 young adult donor offspring completed a demographic questionnaire, a topic avoidance scale relative to each of their rearing parents, and the Beavers Self Report Family Instrument. RESULTS: There was a moderate significant inverse correlation between family functioning and topic avoidance in general, as well as for donor insemination-related topics, for both mothers (r 52 0.55, r 52 0.40, respectively, P � 0.01) and fathers (r 52 0.53, r 52 0.50, respectively, P � 0.01), even after controlling for demographic variables. Disclosure by both parents jointly was associated with higher family functioning than disclosure under other circumstances. CONCULSIONS: While this study is limited by the convenience sampling, the correlational design and measuring offspring’s subjective perceptions, findings suggest that the information about donor conception should not be held secret from offspring and that the parents should disclose jointly.
Mastigoteuthis microlucens, a new species of the squid family Mastigoteuthidae (Mollusca: Cephalopoda)

ABSTRACT We describe a new species, Mastigoteuthis microlucens, of the family Mastigoteuthidae from the tropical North Pacific. Its most distinctive morphological character is the presence of microscopic photophores in the integument. Morphological data indicate that its closest relative is the Atlantic Ocean species Mastigoteuthis magna. Molecular data from three genes, based on four species for which molecular data is available, indicates that Mastigoteuthis microlucens differs from its closest relative, M. magna, by a sufficient degree to substantiate its separate species status.
IQ: R.I.P.

In the early decades of this century, "IQ," as score and concept, not only satisfied psychology's need for metrical respectability, but it caught the public's fancy and rapidly became a household word. Reified in many popular tests, it has withstood onslaughts from factor analysis, from concerned social scientists, from judicial fiat, and from scientific knowledge about mental abilities, brain functions, and neuropathology. In neuropsychological practice its use--and that of any scores representing sums or averages of disparate data obtained from tests of brain functions and mental abilities--can obscure specific facets of a subject's neuropsychological status or misrepresent it generally. This 70-year-old concept has outlived its usefulness. Neuropsychology needs to seek more appropriate alternatives to the IQ for describing and conceptualizing mental functioning.
Torsades des Pointe (TDP) associated with methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) in a patient with hepatitis‐induced cirrhosis

Drug-induced prolongation of the QT interval can result in TdP, reflecting bradycardia or delay of the rapidly activating component of the delayed rectifier potassium current. Methadone has been associated with QT prolongation and TdP, generally at daily doses>500 mg/d, although episodes in patients taking as little as 65 mg/d have been observed. We describe a 55 year old man with a history of 30 y of MMT and concomitant hepatitis C-induced cirrhosis who experienced two episodes of syncope over five months reflecting QT prolongation resulting in TdP. In the first episode, the patient experienced several intervals of TdP associated with a prolonged corrected QT interval (QTc) of 494 msec while taking 300 mg of methadone daily. Discontinuation of the methadone resulted in a decrease in the QTc: 450 msec at 72 h and 417 msec at 96 h. 5 months later, the patient presented with a prolonged QTc of 553 msec and TdP associated with taking 125 mg of methadone daily. Discontinuation of methadone resulted in normalization of the QTc by 48 h, a time at which the serum methadone level was 49 ng/ml. Re-induction of a prolonged QTc and TdP with re-challenge followed by normalization of the QTc upon de-challenge supports methadone as the causative agent, presumably reflecting accumulation secondary to cirrhosis and impaired clearance. This case report highlights the risk of electrophysiological events in patients with advanced liver disease administered standard doses of methadone. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2004) 75, P45–P45; doi: 10.1016/j.clpt.2003.11.167
A 44 year-old lady with chronic renal disease and intractable ulcers: a case report

Calciphylaxis is a rare but potentially fatal condition occurring in patients with end stage renal disease on dialysis. Due to interplay of various factors, disturbances occur in the metabolism of calcium and phosphate leading to calcification within the vessel walls. The net result is tissue ischemia and necrosis. Clinically this presents as painful non-healing skin ulcers, which contribute to significant morbidity and mortality due to septic progression of the lesion. In this case report, we highlight the rapidly progressive nature of this disease, its etiopathogenesis and the role of early diagnosis in preventing life-threatening complications.
Characterization of polymer molecular weight distributions by ratios of molecular weight averages

The molecular weight (MW) distribution of a polymer is characterized by a hierarchy of average MWs and their appropriate combinations. For example, the ratio of the weight-average to the number-average MW is the most frequently used measure of the polydispersity of a polymer. As is well known the lower bound to this ratio is unity, and it has been shown that the upper bound is (m + 1)2/4m, where m = Mmax/Mmin is the ratio of the highest to the lowest MW of the MW species present in a given polymer. This upper bound corresponds to an extremely bimodal MW distribution of one half weight fraction with Mmin and the other half with Mmax. The behavior of the upper bound for two special unimodal distributions is investigated: one is the triangular distribution, the other the quadrilateral. The results suggest that the upper bound for all possible unimodal distributions is considerably less than the corresponding general case, especially for large values of m. For example, the maximum ratios for the quadrilateral distribution and the general upper bound are 1.04 and 1.125 for m = 2; 1.43 and 3.205 for m = 10; 2.56 and 25.5 for m = 100; 3.99 and 250.5 for m = 1000, respectively.
Channel Access Using Opportunistic Reservations in Ad Hoc Networks

We introduce a medium access control protocol for ad hoc networks. The new protocol, which we call ORMA (opportunistic reservation multiple access) is aimed at providing both high throughput and bounded channel access delays, which are critical for supporting integrated voice and data services over ad hoc networks. In ORMA, the channel is divided into a random access section and a scheduled access section. The first is used to exchange neighborhood information, the latter is used for data transmissions over time slots organized in frames, with each time slot being accessed through reservations or probabilistic elections. To attain high throughput, nodes access data slots based on a fair election in which they win with a certain probability. To attain bounded channel access delays, nodes reserve time slots by using a novel opportunistic reservation. The performance of ORMA is studied by both analysis and simulations. It is also compared against the performance of schemes based entirely on probabilistic or fixed conflict-free slot assignment.
M2M facilitated wireless network coverage management and real-time monitoring

A main challenge to wireless network performance management is how to estimate and monitor the wireless network coverage. In this paper a novel Machine to Machine (M2M) facilitated wireless network coverage prediction and real-time monitoring method is proposed. This method uses the telematics devices in connected vehicles to measure the wireless network performance with an auto-adaptive scheduling and reporting mechanism to minimize the impact to the performance. Then the wireless network coverage prediction model is set up and adjusted real-timely with the M2M measurements using improved algorithms to get a higher accuracy. The verification and estimation of this method based on simulations are presented, result shows that this M2M facilitated method is feasible and has obvious advantage in accuracy compared with traditional approach.
Tomography simulation and reconstruction tools applied in the evaluation of parameters and techniques

We introduce a tomography platform consisting of a new set of programs written in ANSI C++ to help researchers to develop and to evaluate tomography simulation/reconstruction based on the direct Fourier method. We applied these tools in the evaluation of tomographic techniques. We describe and compare two techniques to overcome the inferior image quality due to the inherent artifacts of the direct Fourier method: the increase of the zero-padding factor and the resampling grid density factor.
Distributed decision making in automated complex systems

The control of large, highly automated, complex systems often requires multiple decision-makers organized into a distributed team structure. A report is presented on research that constructed a domain, ran an experiment, analyzed data, and developed a model for understanding distributed decision-making. A simulated FMS is used. This structured description of how human operators accomplish coordination and make decisions in team situations should help guide the efforts of designers of real systems. >
Warming Climates, Changing Forests: Temperature Tolerances of Trees and Carbon Dynamics in Northeastern Temperate Forests

Extensive botanical surveys and long term plots have shown that since the early 1930’s, Black Rock Forest, located in the Hudson Highlands of New York, three tree species were extirpated and seven were gained. These results are consistent with a warming climate and suggest the Hudson River Valley may be an important location to study the effects of climate change on Northeastern forests. Classic global vegetation and species distribution models primarily use species presence/absence or presence only distribution with preferred environmental parameters to predict range distributions of plant communities under increasing CO2 regimes, and thus climate warming. Although these models have begun to incorporate physiological data (photosynthesis, stomatal response, and respiration), they lack a sophisticated parameterization of species-specific physiological characteristics and complex interactions within plant communities. More experimentation is necessary to validate assumptions regarding the mechanisms behind tree species responses to climate change and narrow the variability of model outputs. During the summer of 2012, I explored the physiological mechanisms for species tolerance to increasing temperatures and considered the potential effects on the carbon storage capacity of forest trees under the predicted warmer climates of the coming century.
Disability and difference in global contexts: enabling a transformative body politic

Erevelles’ primary argument is that disability is socially produced by the violence inherent within transnational capitalism. Utilizing a historical-materialist perspective, she seeks to situate di...
A Role of the Inflammasome in the Low Storage Capacity of the Abdominal Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue in Obese Adolescents.

The innate immune cell sensor leucine-rich–containing family, pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome controls the activation of caspase-1, and the release of proinflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18. The NLRP3 inflammasome is implicated in adipose tissue inflammation and the pathogenesis of insulin resistance. Herein, we tested the hypothesis that adipose tissue inflammation and NLRP3 inflammasome are linked to the downregulation of subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) adipogenesis/lipogenesis in obese adolescents with altered abdominal fat partitioning. We performed abdominal SAT biopsies on 58 obese adolescents and grouped them by MRI-derived visceral fat to visceral adipose tissue (VAT) plus SAT (VAT/VAT+SAT) ratio (cutoff 0.11). Adolescents with a high VAT/VAT+SAT ratio showed higher SAT macrophage infiltration and higher expression of the NLRP3 inflammasome–related genes (i.e., TLR4, NLRP3, IL1B, and CASP1). The increase in inflammation markers was paralleled by a decrease in genes related to insulin sensitivity (ADIPOQ, GLUT4, PPARG2, and SIRT1) and lipogenesis (SREBP1c, ACC, LPL, and FASN). Furthermore, SAT ceramide concentrations correlated with the expression of CASP1 and IL1B. Infiltration of macrophages and upregulation of the NLRP3 inflammasome together with the associated high ceramide content in the plasma and SAT of obese adolescents with a high VAT/VAT+SAT may contribute to the limited expansion of the subcutaneous abdominal adipose depot and the development of insulin resistance.
Determination of Urinary Pregnanetriol

During the metabolism of 17α-hydroxy progesterone reduction of Open image in new window the double bond in ring A and the ketone groups at position 3 and 20 occurs, with the formation of pregnanetriol. In turn, 17α-hydroxy progesterone is derived by hydroxylation at the 17α-position of the primary hormone progesterone. As has been discussed earlier, the latter compound has been shown to be produced by the corpus luteum of the ovary, in rather large quantities by the human placenta, and by the adrenal gland. In general, there appears to be relatively little accumulation of pregnanetriol in normal circumstances.
Changes in the Peripheral Circulation Accompanying “Tobacco Angina.”

It is now fairly well established that coronary artery disease, occlusion, and consequent myocardial infarction constitute one of the pathological conditions associated with the syndrome, angina pectoris. There is, however, great diversity of opinion as to the mechanism of this symptom-complex; the probability is that typical angina pectoris is due to a single mechanism. There are several well recognized exciting causes of angina; such as physical effort, emotional excitement, exposure to cold or to fresh air, overeating, and in some patients tobacco smoking. We had observed a very few patients, beyond middle age, predisposed to angina pectoris, in whom the attacks could be provoked very promptly by smoking a cigarette. The attacks of pain induced by smoking were relieved by administering a nitroglycerin tablet dry under the tongue, but were not relieved by a tablet similar in appearance but not containing any nitroglycerin. The relief of pain was, therefore, not due to a psychic factor; no attempt was ma...
Enhanced Efficacy of Isazophos Against Japanese Beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) Grubs Using Subsurface Placement Technology

Two methods of subsurface placement technology, high-pressure liquid injection (HPLI) and an adapted overseeder (OS), were used to apply isazophos (Triumph) to golf course roughs that were infested with Japanese beetle ( Popillia japonica Newman) grubs. In every instance (five trials with an emulsifiable concentrate formulation, one trial with a granular formulation), isazophos applied subsurface at 1.1 or 0.6 kg (AI)/ha performed as well or better than isazophos applied conventionally on the surface at 2.2 k (AI)/ha. This apparent enhancement of efficacy of isazophos should provide turf managers with an alternative that can reduce the amount of insecticide on turf, at least under certain field conditions. In addition, irrigation after application on plots treated with HPLI appeared to be less critical to efficacy of isazophos than on plots treated conventionally.
Phase-space Measurement for Depth Estimation and Image Recovery through Scattering Media

We use windowed Fourier transforms (spatial spectrograms) to image objects obscured by a thin scattering layer. Such phase-space methods can improve the resolution of the recovered object and allow for estimation of source depth.
Stereosat - A new astrodynamics challenge

The paper investigates the astrodynamics requirements for a spacecraft which produces stereo images of the land masses of the earth for use in geoscience investigations, cartography and earth resource exploration. It describes a candidate Stereosat imaging product, presents criteria for evaluating potential image quality and usability, and assesses the impact of various spacecraft and astrodynamic factors on image quality. Several challenges are identified and discussed, namely (1) securing adequate image quality for pixel level elevation measurements, (2) determining absolute location of imaged phenomena in remote regions, (3) satisfying the long-term orbit prediction requirements, and (4) transmitting accurate orbit data along with the image data stream. Meeting these challenges will greatly enhance operational facility.
Enhanced Flame Retardant Property of Fiber Reactive Halogen-Free Organophosphonate

In this paper, we studied the synthesis, characterization, and flammability of the water-soluble, nonhalogenated organophosphorus flame retardant (FR) dimethyl-[1,3,5-(3,5-triacryloylhexahydro)triazinyl]-3-oxopropylphosphonate for application to cotton fabrics by nonpolymeric network. The FR was synthesized in a one-step reaction from dimethyl phosphite and 1,3,5-triacryloylhexahydro-1,3,5-triazine under mild conditions, and its structure was fully characterized by 1H, 13C, and 31P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), mass spectrometry (MS), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The finishing conditions to achieve a covalent bond between the FR and fibers were optimized, and the FR capability of the treated cotton was investigated by limiting oxygen index (LOI), flame test, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and micro cone calorimeter (MCC) tests. This study showed that fabrics treated with the FR are effectively flame resistant, and the FR property is enhanced by covalent bonding of the FR to ...
Environmental Education: Understanding the World Around Us

Environmental education teaches children and adults how to learn about and investigate their environment and to make intelligent, informed decisions about how they can take care of it.It is taught ...
Selective degradation of nonsense beta-phosphodiesterase mRNA in the heterozygous rd mouse

PURPOSE. TO investigate the molecular mechanism relating phenotype and genotype in the rd mouse, mRNA and pre-mRNA levels derived from the wild-type and position-347 nonsense mutant /3-phosphodiesterase (/3-PDE) genes were determined and compared with the corresponding gene copy ratios. METHODS. Total RNA and genomic DNA was isolated from the retinas of three heterozygous rd/+ mouse strains. For each, quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to determine the ratio of wild-type and rd /3-phosphodiesterase pre-mRNA and mature mRNA. The gene copy ratio between wild-type and rd /3-PDE was also determined by quantitative PCR. RESULTS. The pre-mRNA ratio of wild-type versus nonsense mutant was close to 1:1, whereas the corresponding mRNA ratio was greater than 3:1, even though the gene copy ratio was confirmed to be 1:1. CONCLUSIONS. The equivalence of pre-mRNA ratio level for wild-type and nonsense mutant in the rd/+ retina indicates that both genes were transcribed at similar levels. Thus, neither the nonsense mutation at position 347 nor the Lntron 1 retroviral insertion also present in the rd gene seem to have affected gene transcription. In contrast, the strain-independent bias favoring wild-type mature mRNA in vivo suggests a specific degradation of mutant transcript during or after pre-mRNA splicing. This allele-specific degradation serves to decrease mutant transcript levels dramatically in all rd strains, and suggests that photoreceptor cells have the capacity to reduce the level of an mRNA containing a nonsense mutation. (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Set. 1998;39:2529-2536)
Abstract 329: Effect of Psychological Distress on Cardiovascular Event Rates One Year Following Cardiac Rehabilitation

Rationale: Psychological (psych) distress is a putative risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD) and may affect compliance with lifestyle & treatment. We sought to determine the impact of psych distress in cardiac rehab (CR) patients (pts) on cardiovascular event rates (CVE) including PCI/CABG, coronary angiogram, acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Methods: Psych profile of 440 CAD pts was assessed on entry to CR using Symptom Check List-90 (SCL-90). Questionnaire screened for depression (dep), anxiety (anx), hostility, and a global severity index (GSI). Mean SCL-90 T-score for each parameter in the adult population is 50 with a standard deviation of 10. SCL-90 score ≥60 = 84th percentile, SCL≥63 = 90th percentile, SCL score ≥70 is the 98th percentile. Complete data on repeat admissions and subsequent non-elective and elective CV procedures performed in the one-year following enrollment to CR was available on 410 pts. Results: Of the 440 pts 28.4% were female, 75.7% married and 89% Caucasian; 25.5% were hypertensive, 20.5% diabetic and 47% had a BMI>30. Mean age was 61.5+10.7. Clinical indication for CR: 56.4% PCI/CABG, 8.4% stable angina (SA) and 35.2% ACS. There was a high prevalence of dep, anx, and overall psych distress as measured by the GSI (Table1.) SA pts had significantly higher prevalence of anx (p=0.018) and hostility (p=0.009) compared to PCI/CABG and ACS. There was no difference in SCL-90 scores by gender, age, education, body mass index (BMI) or diabetes. 89 CVE required hospital admission; 62 (15.1%) pts once and 27(6.5%) two or more times. Reasons for the 89 readmissions included myocardial infarction (7.9%), SA (11.2%), unstable angina (50.6%) and other non-cardiac (30.3%). 62 procedures were performed, which included 6(10%) CABG, 21(34%) PCI, 20(32%) heart catheterizations, and 15(24%) other procedures. Forty percent of procedures performed were elective. Odds of readmission at one year was 3.14 greater in pts with dep score ≥70 (p=0.003) and 2.95 times greater in pts with Anx score ≥70 (p=0.037). Pts with dep score ≥70 were 3.4 times more likely to get a non-elective procedure (p<0.001), while the likelihood of a non-elective procedure in a patient with anx score ≥70 was not statistically significant (p=0.59) (Table 2.) 32 (7.8%) of pts had both dep and anx scores ≥ 63 and these pts were significantly more likely to be re-admitted OR 3.14, (p=0.003) and more likely to have multiple admissions OR 3.9 (p=0.007). Conclusions: Psych distress in CR pts has a significant impact on outcomes. Consideration should be given to routine psych profiling at entry to CR and appropriate treatment for these pts. ![Graphic][1] [1]: /embed/inline-graphic-1.gif
A Penalty Formulation for Thin Plate Elements of Arbitrary Shape and Order

Using an integral form of the Kirchhoff hypothesis a set of algebraic constraints valid in thin plate analysis and relating rotational and translational degrees of freedom of a CO element is formed. The constraints are then enforced by means of a penalty formulation. The approach yields highly accurate CO plate elements of both quadrilateral and triangular shape. Approximations of various order can be accommodated.
Noncoding Genome-Wide Association Studies Variant for Obesity: Inroads Into Mechanism: An Overview From the AHA's Council on Functional Genomics and Translational Biology.

For the past decade in human genetics, genome‐wide association studies (GWAS) have been the backbone for uncovering novel loci that could underlie a disease or phenotype of interest. However, the rapid growth in the field of human genetics has been plagued by a bottleneck in translating these GWAS
Integration of statistical wave theories with heat diffusion, signal processing, and seismic wave fluctuations

Statistical wave theories have been developed over many years and have been applied to imaging, remote sensing, and communications for geophysical and biological media. There have been increasing interest in integrating statistical wave theories with other disciplines. For example, communication and signal processing through random media have largely studied without using the results of extensive studies on statistical wave theories even though physical problems that are considered are closely related. It is therefore important to integrate the results of statistical wave theories with signal processing. If we include stochastic Green's function and mutual coherence function (MCF) in the formulations of communication, the formulation of channel capacity can show clearly physical characteristics of random media, and the eigenvalues that include Statistical Green's Function and MCF.
Molecular Basis of Phospholipid Synergy in Promoting Blood Coagulation Reactions

Abstract 1109 Most steps in the blood coagulation cascade obligatorily take place on membrane surfaces and are dependent on the exposure of phosphatidylserine (PS). Many coagulation proteins bind to PS-containing membrane bilayers in a calcium-dependent manner via gamma-carboxyglutamate-rich (GLA) domains. Furthermore, certain phospholipids, most notably phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), strongly synergize with PS to promote clotting reactions. We have recently been investigating the molecular basis of lipid-Ca 2+ and lipid-GLA interactions in blood clotting using solid-state NMR (SSNMR) studies that employ isotopically labeled PS. Our studies have revealed that Ca 2+ induces two predominant conformations of the PS headgroup (Boettcher et al., Biochem. 50:2264–73, 2011). We now report the quantification of the intermolecular and intramolecular atomic distances within Ca 2+ -induced PS nanoclusters using SSNMR. We have also expanded SSNMR studies to phospholipid bilayers composed of trinary mixtures of PS, PC, and PE as a means to further investigate the impact of PE on PS headgroup conformations in an intact lipid bilayer (PE-PS synergy). Initial results suggest that incorporation of PE into the bilayer alters the Ca 2+ : PS ratio required to fully saturate the L-serine headgroups of PS. Additionally, PE appears to affect the predominant PS headgroup conformations in the presence of Ca 2+ , and may induce a third L-serine conformation. SSNMR studies utilizing isotopically labeled PE headgroups are currently underway which should provide novel information concerning PE9s interactions with PS, Ca 2+ , and/or GLA domains. Previous SSNMR studies from our lab have also indicated that a fraction of L-serine headgroups in PS adopt a new conformation when bovine prothrombin fragment 1 is bound to PS/PC bilayers (Tavoosi et al., J. Biol. Chem. 286:23247–53, 2011). These data support the idea that GLA domains contain an L-serine-specific binding site. We have now bound human prothrombin fragment 1 to membranes containing labeled PS headgroups for use in SSNMR studies. In addition, we have also employed surface plasmon resonance (SPR) experiments to investigate the interactions of both human and bovine prothrombin with bilayers containing PS and PE. These data demonstrate that binding affinities and binding footprints are similar for both prothrombin proteins, and that PE enhances binding affinities and increases the number of GLA binding sites for both proteins. Together, results from SSNMR and SPR studies suggest that different GLA domains use similar molecular mechanisms to interact with the membrane surface. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Improved availability and quality of care with epilepsy nurse practitioners

Abstract Background: This study investigated the quality of care delivered by nurse practitioner (NP)–physician teams employed to expand clinic appointment availability for patients with epilepsy. Methods: We performed a retrospective observational cohort study of patients with epilepsy presenting to the Penn Epilepsy Center for a new patient appointment in 2014. During this time, patients were seen either by an NP–physician team care model or a more traditional physician-only care model. These care models were compared with regard to adherence to the 2014 American Academy of Neurology epilepsy quality measures at the initial visit. Clinical outcomes of seizure frequency, presentations to the Emergency Department, injury, and death were assessed over the subsequent year. Results: A total of 169 patients were identified by our inclusion and exclusion criteria: 65 patients in the NP–physician team care model cohort and 104 patients in the physician-only care model cohort. The NP–physician team care model saw, on average, 3 more patients per clinic session. There were no meaningful differences between these cohorts in baseline characteristics. The NP–physician team care model showed equivalent adherence to the physician-only care model for the epilepsy quality measures, with superior adherence to the counseling measures of querying for side effects, provision of personalized epilepsy safety education, and screening for behavioral health disorders. The 2 care models performed similarly in all clinical outcomes. Conclusions: An NP–physician team care model employed to increase availability of care could also improve quality of care delivered.
Effect of Social Support and Marital Status on Perceived Surgical Effectiveness and 30-Day Hospital Readmission:

Study Design:Retrospective cohort review.Objective:To determine whether higher levels of social support are associated with improved surgical outcomes after elective spine surgery.Methods:The medical records of 430 patients (married, n = 313; divorced/separated/widowed, n = 71; single, n = 46) undergoing elective spine surgery at a major academic medical center were reviewed. Patients were categorized by their marital status at the time of surgery. Patient demographics, comorbidities, and postoperative complication rates were collected. All patients had prospectively collected outcomes measures and a minimum of 1-year follow-up. Patient reported outcomes instruments (Oswestry Disability Index, Short Form–36, and visual analog scale–back pain/leg pain) were completed before surgery, then at 1 year after surgery.Results:Baseline characteristics were similar in all cohorts. There was no statistically significant difference in the length of hospital stay across all 3 cohorts, although “single patients” had lo...
Diabetes Mellitus and Control of Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors: A Challenge to Improve Usual Care.

Article, see p 1193 The article by Pagidipati et al1 in this issue of Circulation reports the implications of inadequate risk factor treatment and control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) enrolled in a large multinational clinical trial that evaluated the cardiovascular disease (CVD) safety of an oral dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor medication that lowers blood glucose. In this post hoc analysis, the authors assessed at baseline the risk factor control for aspirin use, smoking, blood pressure <140/90 mm Hg, use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level <70 mg/dL. Those elements were not targeted for intervention in the study, and because of the safety design, it is reasonable that the investigative team did not aggressively intervene on CVD risk factors. The patients in the study did not have their nonglycemic CVD risk factors well controlled at the start of the investigation, and the overall control of these factors was an important determinant of CVD events over the course of the 2008–2012 investigation. In the authors’ analysis across 5 CVD factors, they report that 7% had 0 to 2 factors controlled, 21% had 3 factors controlled, 42% had 4 factors controlled, and 30% had all 5 factors controlled. Using this composite approach, they demonstrated that worse control was associated with greater risk for CVD events during follow-up. Their analysis builds on the multifactorial role of risk factors as determinants of CVD events in diabetic patients. Similarly, a post hoc analysis of the BARI 2D trial (Bypass Angioplasty Revascularization Investigation 2 Diabetes) reported in 2015 showed that CVD risk factor control in diabetic patients enrolled in a bypass versus angioplasty study helped to determine risk for CVD outcomes during follow-up. The 6 prognostic factors …
Storytelling as a Tool to Increase the Influence of Marketing Within the Firm: An Abstract

Marketing’s role within the firm has diminished in recent years, leading to marketing being absent from many C-suites and left out of the decision-making process. The average life span for CMOs is likewise in decline. This diminished status within the firm can be explained, at least in part, by the inability of marketing to (1) quantify many of its internal processes and outcomes of interest and (2) develop and convey insights from this data that can improve managerial decision making. These deficits leave marketing managers at a disadvantage compared to other departments within the firm when it comes to justifying expenditures and proposing strategic initiatives.
A satellite relative motion model including J_2 and J_3 via Vinti's intermediary

Vinti’s potential is revisited for analytical propagation of the main satellite problem, this time in the context of relative motion. A particular version of Vinti’s spheroidal method is chosen that is valid for arbitrary elliptical orbits, encapsulating $$J_2$$ , $$J_3$$ , and generally a partial $$J_4$$ in an orbit propagation theory without recourse to perturbation methods. As a child of Vinti’s solution, the proposed relative motion model inherits these properties. Furthermore, the problem is solved in oblate spheroidal elements, leading to large regions of validity for the linearization approximation. After offering several enhancements to Vinti’s solution, including boosts in accuracy and removal of some singularities, the proposed model is derived and subsequently reformulated so that Vinti’s solution is piecewise differentiable. While the model is valid for the critical inclination and nonsingular in the element space, singularities remain in the linear transformation from Earth-centered inertial coordinates to spheroidal elements when the eccentricity is zero or for nearly equatorial orbits. The new state transition matrix is evaluated against numerical solutions including the $$J_2$$ through $$J_5$$ terms for a wide range of chief orbits and separation distances. The solution is also compared with side-by-side simulations of the original Gim–Alfriend state transition matrix, which considers the $$J_2$$ perturbation. Code for computing the resulting state transition matrix and associated reference frame and coordinate transformations is provided online as supplementary material.
Let's share CommRad: Co-existing communications and radar systems

Spectrum sharing between radar and communications systems, as a means to address spectrum crunch, is an active research area. This paper considers Complex-valued Additive White Gaussian Noise (C-AWGN) communication systems co-existing with pulsed radar systems, and characterizes performance from two angles: 1) the effect of radar interference on a communications system is examined in terms of average error rate, constellation design, and Shannon capacity, and 2) the effect of communications interference on a radar system is examined in terms of the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC).
The Regulation of CD1d + and CD1d − Tumors by NKT Cells

Natural killer T (NKT) cells are T cells that also express NK cell ­markers. Unlike conventional T cells that recognize peptide antigens, NKT cells recognize lipids. CD1d, a MHC class I-like molecule, presents lipid antigens to NKT cells. Upon activation, NKT cells secrete both Th1 and Th2 cytokines, linking the innate and adaptive immune response. Due to the heterogeneity of NKT cells, their roles in the immune system are mixed and controversial. Here, we summarize the current knowledge of NKT cells as antitumor effector cells, in the control of both CD1d+ and CD1d− tumors as model systems. Overall, NKT cells exhibit a remarkable broad range of antitumor activities and show great potential for antitumor immunotherapy.
Evolving Relative Importance of the Southern Ocean and North Atlantic in Anthropogenic Ocean Heat Uptake

AbstractOcean uptake of anthropogenic heat over the past 15 years has mostly occurred in the Southern Ocean, based on Argo float observations. This agrees with historical simulations from phase 5 o...
Integration with Functions of a Quaternionic Variable

Recent innovations in the differential calculus for functions of non-commuting variables, beginning with a quaternionic variable, are now extended to consider some integration.
The Bluetongue Viruses

Bluetongue in sheep and cattle was first described in the late 18th century. Gutsche (1979) attributes the first description of “Tong-sikte” to a French zoologist, Francois de Vaillant, who travelled in the Cape of Good Hope between 1781 and 1784. Although clinical aspects of the disease were recorded by Hutcheon, the Chief Veterinary Officer of the Cape Colony, in his Annual Report for 1880, it was not until 1902 that “Malarial Catarrhal Fever” was first reported in the scientific literature (Hutcheon 1902).
Targeted Recombination Between MHV-2 and MHV-A59 to Study Neurotropic Determinants of MHV

MHV-A59 produces acute encephalitis, acute hepatitis and chronic demyelination in infected mice. MHV-2 produces only hepatitis and mild meningitis but without encephalitis or demyelination. We have previously studied a set of recombinant viruses between these two strains. The common denominator of viruses that produced encephalitis was a membrane (M) gene derived from MHV-A59. Thus to study the potential contribution of the M gene to acute encephalitis, chimeric viruses were produced in which the M gene of MHV-A59 was substituted with the M gene of MHV-2 by targeted recombination. A control virus was produced in which the M gene of A59 was recombined back into an A59 background. Viruses were then analyzed for their biologic properties and compared with the phenotypes of MHV-A59 and MHV-2 by histopathology and plaque assays for viral titers in organs following intracerebral (IC) inoculation. All three chimeric viruses had a phenotype similar to MHV-A59. Thus, the replacement of the M gene of MHV-A59 with that of MHV-2 is insufficient to produce a phenotype that lacks encephalitis similar to MHV-2.
A series of series topologies on $\mathbb{N}$

Each series $\sum_{n=1}^\infty a_n$ of real positive terms gives rise to a topology on $\mathbb{N} = \{1,2,3,...\}$ by declaring a proper subset $A\subseteq \mathbb{N}$ to be closed if $\sum_{n\in A} a_n < \infty$. We explore the relationship between analytic properties of the series and topological properties on $\mathbb{N}$. In particular, we show that, up to homeomorphism, $|\mathbb{R}|$-many topologies are generated. We also find an uncountable family of examples $\{\mathbb{N}_\alpha\}_{\alpha \in [0,1]}$ with the property that for any $\alpha < \beta$, there is a continuous bijection $\mathbb{N}_\beta\rightarrow \mathbb{N}_\alpha$, but the only continuous functions $\mathbb{N}_\alpha\rightarrow \mathbb{N}_\beta$ are constant.
The prevalence of and crash risk associated with primarily cognitive secondary tasks

Abstract Distraction is a leading driver-related factor in fatal crashes ( National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2015 ) and occurs when drivers divert their attention away from activities critical for safe driving toward a competing activity. While there is strong evidence from a large body of research indicating that tasks that take a driver’s eyes from the forward roadway significantly increase crash risk, previous research has been less conclusive about the risks of engagement in primarily cognitive secondary tasks that do not place overt visual-manual demands on the driver. This study expands on previous risk estimations of primarily cognitive secondary tasks by analyzing data from a sample of 3454 drivers whose driving was monitored using in-vehicle cameras and other sophisticated data collection equipment as part of the Second Strategic Highway Research Program Naturalistic Driving Study. The current study includes an analysis of the prevalence of drivers’ engagement in primarily cognitive secondary activities. The results indicate that, collectively, primarily cognitive secondary tasks are not associated with an increased odds ratio relative to all driving but are associated with a significantly increased odds ratio relative to model driving (i.e., drivers are apparently alert, attentive, and sober). Primarily cognitive secondary tasks were observed in 20.0% of select driving references; interacting with a passenger composed the majority of the primarily cognitive secondary tasks in which drivers engaged. Talking/listening on a hands-free cell phone did not have an increased odds ratio.
A Quantitative Simulation of Coevolution with Mutation Using Playing Cards

Active-learning approaches can improve understanding of core biological concepts. We describe a revised hands-on simulation for teaching evolution by natural selection, which focuses on prey–predator coevolution in escape/pursuit speed. It illustrates how selection pressure on individual speed increases average population speed through differential survival, while also reducing variation in speed among individuals. A simulated beneficial mutation helps differentiate the generation of individual traits from the process of natural selection and illustrates the effects of a beneficial mutation on immediate and subsequent generations. Overall, this exercise addresses several common misconceptions and allows students to collect and assess their own data, quantitatively. We report results from pre- and post-assessments in an introductory, undergraduate biology class, which indicate significantly improved understanding associated with the simulation.
Windows into human health through wearables data analytics

Abstract Background Wearable sensors (wearables) have been commonly integrated into a wide variety of commercial products and are increasingly being used to collect and process raw physiological parameters into salient digital health information. The data collected by wearables are currently being investigated across a broad set of clinical domains and patient populations. There is significant research occurring in the domain of algorithm development, with the aim of translating raw sensor data into fitness- or health-related outcomes of interest for users, patients, and health-care providers. Objectives The aim of this review is to highlight a selected group of fitness- and health-related indicators from wearables data and to describe several algorithmic approaches used to generate these higher order indicators. Methods A systematic search of the PubMed database was performed with the following search terms (number of records in parentheses): Fitbit algorithm (18), Apple Watch algorithm (3), Garmin algorithm (5), Microsoft Band algorithm (8), Samsung Gear algorithm (2), Xiaomi MiBand algorithm (1), Huawei Band (Watch) algorithm (2), photoplethysmography algorithm (465), accelerometry algorithm (966), electrocardiogram (ECG) algorithm (8287), and continuous glucose monitor algorithm (343). The search terms chosen for this review are focused on algorithms for wearable devices that dominated the commercial wearables market between 2014 and 2017 and that were highly represented in the biomedical literature. A second set of search terms included categories of algorithms for fitness-related and health-related indicators that are commonly used in wearable devices (e.g. accelerometry, PPG, ECG). These articles covered the following domain areas: fitness; exercise; movement; physical activity; step count; walking; running; swimming; energy expenditure; atrial fibrillation; arrhythmia; cardiovascular; autonomic nervous system; neuropathy; heart rate variability; fall detection; trauma; behavior change; diet; eating; stress detection; serum glucose monitoring; continuous glucose monitoring; diabetes mellitus type 1; and diabetes mellitus type 2. All studies uncovered through this search on commercially available device algorithms and pivotal studies on sensor algorithm development were summarized, and a summary table was constructed using references generated by the literature review as described ( Table 1 ). Conclusions Wearable health technologies aim to collect and process raw physiological or environmental parameters into salient digital health information. Much of the current and future utility of wearables lies in the signal processing steps and algorithms used to analyze large volumes of data. Continued algorithmic development and advances in machine learning techniques will further increase analytic capabilities. In the context of these advances, our review aims to highlight a range of advances in fitness- and other health-related indicators provided by current wearable technologies.
Microwave imaging of multilayered structures using ultrawideband noise signals

Abstract A microwave ultrawideband (UWB) radar system is developed and used for non-destructive testing (NDT) of multilayered structures. The effectiveness of this approach lies in the choice of critical parameters such as waveform type, operational frequency range, and stand-off distance. Matched filtering of the received waveform with a replica of the transmitted signal is used to locate hidden anomalies or flaws within a multilayered structure, most of which are not apparent through common visual-inspection techniques. Due to the impulse-like autocorrelation properties of white noise, noise waveforms provide the ability to locate material discontinuities as well as, or better than, other common waveforms such as Gaussian-modulated sinusoidal pulses (GMSP) or linearly frequency modulated chirp signals. Experimental data are gathered using a specially developed microwave imaging system which operates in the X-band frequency range. Subsequently, two-dimensional (2-D) and three-dimensional (3-D) images are rendered following a raster scanning approach to reveal internal boundaries, hidden inclusions, and defects due to impact damages or corrosion in fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) materials and other dielectric materials.
Observations on Method and Content

Many of the results here and in G may be regarded as contributions to the theory of Finsler spaces. However, few of them are found in the literature based on the standard methods. This work stresses the analogies to the Riemannian case whereas we believe that the attention should be focused on the new phenomena. We will briefly discuss this point.
MRAC with Time-varying Reference Model from Convex Combination

An extension of model reference adaptive control is presented that accommodates use of a time-varying reference model. Specifically, the reference model is taken to be a time-varying convex combination of two linear, time-invariant models. The design is intended to act as a way to smoothly transition between two different reference models without resorting to a scheduled switch. It also provides the ability to use an interpolated reference model when the plant is operating between design points. The time variation of the combination must satisfy some requirements to ensure stability but is otherwise user choice. Subject to these requirements, bounded tracking error behavior is demonstrated via Lyapunov stability analysis for the single-input, single-output, output feedback case. Tracking error convergence is asymptotic when time variation ceases. The proposed design is demonstrated in simulation of a numerical model.
Text as Data Methods for Education Research

AbstractRecent advances in computational linguistics and the social sciences have created new opportunities for the education research community to analyze relevant large-scale text data. However, ...