cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Utility of the Breathing Reserve Index at the Anaerobic Threshold in Determining Ventilatory-Limited Exercise in Adult Cystic Fibrosis Patients

Objectives Cardiopulmonary exercise testing in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients is useful to assess functional status and prognosis. Using the current interpretation guidelines, the utility of this testing will be limited in those patients who cannot exercise to a near-maximal level. This study investigates the utility of the breathing reserve index at the anaerobic threshold (BRIAT), which is defined as minute ventilation at the anaerobic threshold (AT)/maximum voluntary ventilation (MVV), to distinguish ventilatory-limited (VL) CF patients from nonventilatory-limited (NVL) CF patients. Design Exercise studies on 53 adult CF patients at baseline clinical status performed from 1993 to 1999 were reviewed, of which 40 met the inclusion criteria. The studies were performed via ramp protocol to the symptom-limited maximum on a cycle ergometer with breath-by-breath expired gas analysis. AT was determined noninvasively via the V-Slope method. The patients were classified as VL if they had abnormal spirometry findings, reduced exercise capacity, and a breathing reserve index at maximum exercise (BRImax) of ≥ 0.7. NVL patients had a normal BRImax and met the criteria for a maximal study. Results VL patients (21 patients) had significantly lower FVC, FEV 1 , MVV, and body mass index than NVL patients (19 patients). The BRIAT for the VL group was significantly higher than that for the NVL group (p r = 0.89; p r = −0.67; p 1 ( r = −0.76; p 1 /FVC ratio ( r = −0.683; p Conclusions The BRIAT assessed noninvasively correlates well with commonly used measurements of pulmonary function and accurately distinguishes CF patients with and without a ventilatory limitation to exercise. The BRIAT may have utility in the interpretation of exercise studies in CF patients who are unable to exercise to a maximal level.
Iconicity as structure mapping

Linguistic and psycholinguistic evidence is presented to support the use of structure-mapping theory as a framework for understanding effects of iconicity on sign language grammar and processing. The existence of structured mappings between phonological form and semantic mental representations has been shown to explain the nature of metaphor and pronominal anaphora in sign languages. With respect to processing, it is argued that psycholinguistic effects of iconicity may only be observed when the task specifically taps into such structured mappings. In addition, language acquisition effects may only be observed when the relevant cognitive abilities are in place (e.g. the ability to make structural comparisons) and when the relevant conceptual knowledge has been acquired (i.e. information key to processing the iconic mapping). Finally, it is suggested that iconicity is better understood as a structured mapping between two mental representations than as a link between linguistic form and human experience.
On cross infectivity of the cabbage-looper nuclear-polyhedrosis virus to some related Plusiinae (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera)

Abstract isolates of the nuclear-polyhedrosis virus of the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni , failed to produce detectable disease or mortality when fed to Pseudoplusia includens, Rachiplusia ou , and Anagrapha bilola at high-dosage levels. If cross infection occurred, it was inapparent and the virus was occult.
Automatic node selection for high performance applications on networks

A central problem in executing performance critical parallel and distributed applications on shared networks is the selection of computation nodes and communication paths for execution. Automatic selection of nodes is complex as the best choice depends on the application structure as well as the expected availability of computation and communication resources. This paper presents a solution to this problem for realistic application and network scenarios. A new algorithm to jointly analyze computation and communication resources for different application demands is introduced and a framework for automatic node selection is developed on top of Remos, which is a query interface to network information. The paper reports results from a set of applications, including Airshed pollution modeling and magnetic resonance imaging, executing on a high speed network testbed. The results demonstrate that node selection is effective in enhancing application performance in the presence of computation load as well as network traffic. Under the network conditions used for experiments, the increase in execution time due to compute loads and network congestion was reduced by half with node selection. The node selection algorithms developed in this research are also applicable to dynamic migration of long running jobs.
Validating simulation-based models of conflict

This article discusses the Genesis of War project, in which the author employed the PRISONERS' DILEMMA SIMULATION (PDS) to generate data on the etiology of violent conflict and war as a basis for developing theory relevant to better understanding and dealing with violent ethnic conflicts occurring in post-cold war Europe (e.g., former Yugoslavia). Given the simulation basis of the intended theory construction, there was a need to validate the simulation-generated data before going forward, made more acute by the observation that very little validation of simulation-based data seems to have been done or reported in the literature. Accordingly, a comprehensive validation of the multivariate findings generated by the use of the PDS is presented: an assessment conducted through comparisons with findings from other studies in terms of (a) direction of relationship, (b) magnitude of relationship, (c) ranking of dependent variables by proportion of variation explained, and (d) ranking of independent variables by proportion of variation explained. Across comparisons, the level of agreement between PDS and corresponding (mostly real-world) findings was not only relatively high but also consistent, basically falling within the range of the 75% norm established by Guetzkow's assessment of his INTER-NATION SIMULATION (INS). Such triangulation of findings reinforces the view that some simulations are appropriate for investigating real-world conflict processes.
Comparison of implicit and explicit methods for interpreting displacement data

The Johnson-Bossler-Naumann (JBN) and related methods for interpreting displacement experiments provide explicit, or pointwise, estimates of relative permeability that must be interpolated or smoothed when entire relative permeability functions are desired. In this paper, the authors compare relative permeability functions obtained with an implicit (regression-based) method with those estimated with explicit values. The authors show that the functions obtained with the regression-based method are most consistent with the measured data.
Using a Comprehensive Leadership Framework as a Scholarship and Teaching Tool

Educators who work in community settings often encounter participants with a wide array of individual leadership beliefs, attitudes, and experiences. Given this situation, one of the challenges we face is to identify effective methods and tools to teach leadership in community and organizational settings. As an educator, it is important to understand and use quality scholarship and theory in leadership education. At the same time, it is important to use educational methods that respect the life experiences of the participants and that are easy to understand and communicate. At the University of Minnesota Extension Service U-Lead program, we seek to balance the academic and scholarship portion of our work with the application of practical tools and methods that connect with the real-life leadership experiences of our participants. The purpose of this paper is to review the comprehensive leadership education framework we currently use and outline how it addresses this balance.
Introduction: importance of Mg in physiology and medicine and the need for ion selective electrodes.

Mg is a co-factor in more than 325 enzyme systems in cells and is the second most abundant intracellular cation after K. It is important in numerous physiologic and homeostatic functions such as hormone-receptor binding, gating of Ca2+ channels, transmembrane flux of ions, regulation of adenylate cyclase, Ca(2+)-Ca(2+) release, muscle contraction, cardiac excitability, neuronal activity, control of vasomotor tone and neurotransmitter release, to name a few. Serum total Mg measurements suggests this extracellular cation is often lowered in many hospitalized patients. It appears to be greatly depleted in normal food preparation and processing. Its daily intake has been declining steadily in the USA from where it was about 500 mg/day, at the turn of the century, to where it is now about 175-225 mg/day. Most mammals exhibit very similar levels of extracellular Mg, including humans. This might suggest that total Mg measurements on serum or plasma aren't sensitive blood variables or analytes to reflect what may be going on in the body at the cellular level. Mg exists in several forms in the blood, but the ionized, free Mg is probably the most physiologically important fraction, thus pointing to a need for sensitive, specific ion selective electrodes. Our studies, so far, suggest that ISE's can be designed which will work equally well on whole blood, serum and plasma to measure IMg2+ in healthy and diseased subjects.
Words as the Tools of Sociology

RICHARD W. TAYLOR, the editor, in his introductory chapter of these essays honoring Arthur F. Bentley,' points out that Bentley has been one of the most profound students of the relation of language to scientific description. From analysis of work in the physical sciences as well as in the physiological and behavioral sciences, Bentley learned that accepting either sense observations or theories as ultimately "true" and beyond further question usually resulted in hampering inquiry. In some instances, these and other language difficulties obstructed observation in that men "saw" what they were used to talking about; in other instances, the language difficulties were
Prophylactic antibiotics for intrauterine device insertion : A metaanalysis of the randomized controlled trials

We evaluated the effectiveness of prophylactic antibiotic administration before IUD insertion in reducing the incidence of pelvic inflammatory disease, unscheduled visits back to the clinician, and IUD discontinuations within 3 months of insertion. We performed a metaanalysis of all known randomized controlled trials comparing an antibiotic (either oral doxycycline or azithromycin) versus a placebo or no treatment. Use of prophylaxis significantly reduced the frequency of unscheduled return visits (odds ratio 0.82; 95% CI 0.70, 0.98). The protection against pelvic inflammatory disease was smaller and not statistically significant 0.89 (95% CI 0.53, 1.51). No significant effect on premature IUD discontinuation was evident. Use of either doxycycline or azithromycin before IUD insertion offered little observable benefit in the US. Prophylaxis reduced unscheduled visits and possibly PID in developing countries, which have higher rates of sexually transmitted diseases than in the US. A more important finding in these trials is the low incidence of pelvic inflammatory disease with or without prophylactic antibiotics.
Comparison of truncation error of finite-difference and finite-volume formulations of convection terms

Judging by errors in the computational-fluid-dynamics literature in recent years, it is not generally well understood that (above first-order) there are significant differences in spatial truncation error between formulations of convection involving a finite-difference approximation of the first derivative, on the one hand, and a finite-volume model of flux differences across a control-volume cell, on the other. The difference between the two formulations involves a second-order truncation-error term (proportional to the third-derivative of the convected variable). Hence, for example, a third (or higher) order finite-difference approximation for the first-derivative convection term is only second-order accurate when written in conservative control-volume form as a finite-volume formulation, and vice versa.
Treatment Needs of Driving While Intoxicated Offenders: The Need for a Multimodal Approach to Treatment

Objective: This study aimed to characterize and compare the treatment needs of adults with driving while intoxicated (DWI) offenders recruited from a correctional residential treatment facility and the community to provide recommendations for treatment development.Method: A total of 119 adults (59 residential, 60 community) with at least one DWI offense were administered clinical diagnostic interviews to assess substance use disorders and completed a battery of questionnaires assessing demographic characteristics, legal history, psychiatric diagnoses, medical diagnoses, and health care utilization.Results: Almost all (96.6%) DWI offenders met clinical diagnostic criteria for an alcohol use disorder, approximately half of the sample also met diagnostic criteria for comorbid substance use disorders, and a substantial proportion also reported psychiatric and medical comorbidities. However, a high percentage were not receiving treatment for these issues, most likely as a result of having limited access to car...
Pharmacologic Approaches to the Aging Athlete

As America’s baby boomer population matures, there is an increasing interest in supplements that can delay or oppose the aging process. This antiaging movement has exploded over the past decade. While most supplements are not supported by scientific literature or government controls, a number of products have been the subject of significant scientific inquiry. Hormone replacement therapy, including testosterone and growth hormone, has mixed results, and antioxidative strategies are supported by basic science but lack clinical evidence-based outcomes. While the process of aging has become better understood leading to more rational approaches to combat its effects on health, the clinician is reminded to carefully discern between the science and marketing that is available in this area.
Using learning curves to assess resident surgical skill acquisition: A case study of ultrasound-guided catheter insertion

While there has been a wealth of performance criteria proposed and validated for objective assessment of surgical skills, only less than one third of the metrics are adopted in clinical practice, and even fewer are used for medical examination. This is due in part to the fact that the evaluation criteria proposed are focused on the task-centered outcomes which are not generalizable to broader sets of emerging surgical procedures. With increasing pressure from the media, regulatory bodies, and patients, to scrutinize physician performance, generalized standard criteria for assessing surgical performance are needed. This can be realized only if Multivariate Performance Criteria (MPC) are defined with respect to inherent human capabilities, rather than to transient task conditions, and if these criteria become related and prioritized consistently. In light of this, the current study proposes a method for relating and prioritizing the multivariate criteria through the use of Learning Curves. To this end, ten ...
Head-Trunk Coordination During Linear Anterior-Posterior Translations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relative contributions of inputs from the vestibular system and the trunk to head-trunk coordination. Twelve healthy adults and 6 adults with diminished bilateral labyrinthine input (LD) were seated with their trunk either fixed to the seat or free to move. Subjects received 10-cm, 445-cm/s(2) anterior-posterior ramps and 0.35- to 4.05-Hz sum-of-sines translations while performing a mental distraction task in the dark. Kinematics of the head and trunk were derived from an Optotrak motion analysis system and a linear accelerometer placed on the head. EMG signals were collected from neck and paraspinal muscles. Data were tested for significance with multivariate ANOVA (MANOVA) and Bonferroni post hoc analyses. Initial linear and angular head acceleration directions differed in healthy subjects when the trunk was fixed or free, but did not differ in LD subjects. Peak head angular accelerations were significantly greater with the trunk fixed than when free, and were greater in LD than in control subjects. EMG response latencies did not differ when the trunk was fixed or free. Low-frequency phase responses in the healthy subjects were close to 90 degrees and had a delayed descent as frequency increased, suggesting some neural compensation that was absent in the LD subjects. Results of this study revealed a strong initial reliance on system mechanics and on signals from segmental receptors. The vestibular system may act to damp later response components and to monitor the position of the head in space secondary to feedback from segmental proprioceptors rather than to generate the postural reactions.
Agricultural, socioeconomic and environmental variables as risks for human verotoxigenic Escherichia coli (VTEC) infection in Finland

Verotoxigenic E. coli (VTEC) is the cause of severe gastrointestinal infection especially among infants. Between 10 and 20 cases are reported annually to the National Infectious Disease Register (NIDR) in Finland. The aim of this study was to identify explanatory variables for VTEC infections reported to the NIDR in Finland between 1997 and 2006. We applied a hurdle model, applicable for a dataset with an excess of zeros. We enrolled 131 domestically acquired primary cases of VTEC between 1997 and 2006 from routine surveillance data. The isolated strains were characterized by virulence type, serogroup, phage type and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. By applying a two-part Bayesian hurdle model to infectious disease surveillance data, we were able to create a model in which the covariates were associated with the probability for occurrence of the cases in the logistic regression part and the magnitude of covariate changes in the Poisson regression part if cases do occur. The model also included spatial correlations between neighbouring municipalities. The average annual incidence rate was 4.8 cases per million inhabitants based on the cases as reported to the NIDR. Of the 131 cases, 74 VTEC O157 and 58 non-O157 strains were isolated (one person had dual infections). The number of bulls per human population and the proportion of the population with a higher education were associated with an increased occurrence and incidence of human VTEC infections in 70 (17%) of 416 of Finnish municipalities. In addition, the proportion of fresh water per area, the proportion of cultivated land per area and the proportion of low income households with children were associated with increased incidence of VTEC infections. With hurdle models we were able to distinguish between risk factors for the occurrence of the disease and the incidence of the disease for data characterised by an excess of zeros. The density of bulls and the proportion of the population with higher education were significant both for occurrence and incidence, while the proportion of fresh water, cultivated land, and the proportion of low income households with children were significant for the incidence of the disease.
Oxygen transport and consumption by suspended cells in microgravity: a multiphase analysis.

A rotating bioreactor for the cell/tissue culture should be operated to obtain sufficient nutrient transfer and avoid damage to the culture materials. Thus, the objective of the present study is to determine the appropriate suspension conditionsfor thebead/celldistribution andevaluateoxygen transport in the rotating wall vessel (RWV) bioreactor. A numerical analysis of the RWV bioreactor is conducted by incorporating the Eulerian-Eulerian multiphase and oxygen transport equations. The bead size and rotating speed are the control variables in the calculations. The present results show that the rotating speed for appropriate suspensions needs to be increased as the size of the bead/cell increases: 10 rpm for 200 mm; 12 rpm for 300 mm; 14 rpm for 400 mm; 18 rpm for 600 mm. As the rotating speed and the bead size increase from 10 rpm/200 mm to 18 rpm/600 mm, the mean oxygen concentration in the 80% midzone of the vessel is increased by � 85% after 1-h rotation due to the highconvectiveflowfor18rpm/600 mmcaseascomparedto 10 rpm/200 mm case. The present results may serve as criteria to set the operating parameters for a RWV bio- reactor, such as the size of beads and the rotating speed, according to the growth of cell aggregates. In addition, it might provide a design parameter for an advanced suspen- sion bioreactor for 3-D engineered cell and tissue cultures. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2008;99: 99-107. 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
All Politics Is Local

In the relative scheme of organized medicine, the American Academy of Pain Medicine (AAPM) remains but a small voice surrounded by the many primary care and specialty medical societies competing to be heard on the national scene. Certainly, there is a strong legitimacy to our message, as there is to the message of each and every special interest group; unfortunately, with the escalating competition from so many of medicine's “voices,” being heard in the crowd is becoming increasingly difficult. It does not take an actuary to recognize that we are rapidly approaching a point at which health care expenditure cannot be sustained. The threat of cuts in physician payment has loomed over the already meager Medicare reimbursement for the past several years. Employers are increasingly limiting both pension and health care funding, potentially leaving many patients facing the possibility of going without health care coverage. Significant change must take place in the U.S. health care system, and it is essential that we, as pain physicians, become authors of this change to ensure that our patients continue to have access to effective and appropriate pain treatment. In this environment of escalating competition for health care dollars, there are no guarantees that the proper decision-making process will occur, unless we assume an active role in guiding and implementing that process with our ultimate goal being the best pain care for our …
Fishing warmwater streams with limited public access: Angling behavior, economic impact, and the role of Guadalupe bass in a twenty-four county region of Texas

The Guadalupe Bass Micropterus treculii is a central Texas endemic black bass species occurring only in streams and rivers draining the Edwards Plateau ecoregion. It is designated the state fish of Texas and provides a popular sport fishery. In addition to be - ing a popular sport fish, it is listed as a species of special concern due to habitat degradation and hybridization with Smallmouth Bass M. dolomieu. Past socioeconomic surveys of Texas black bass anglers have focused primarily on reservoir fisheries while little is known about fishing patterns, economic impact, and preferences of river and stream anglers. A Web-based open-access survey was used to determine fishing characteristics, assess attitudes and quan - tify the economic impact of anglers fishing rivers and streams in a 24-county region of Texas from August 20, 2011 to December 20, 2012, with a focus on anglers who specifically fished for Guadalupe Bass. A total of 700 respondents participated in the survey. More than half of respondents were paddlers targeting black bass, and 42% specifically fished for Guadalupe Bass on their trips. An additional 34% of anglers listed black bass species, which included Guadalupe Bass as their preferred species. Similar to previous surveys of Texas river and stream anglers, access was identified as the largest impediment to the future maintenance and improvement of river and stream fishing. Based on 563 surveys used in the economic impact analysis, using IMPLAN (Impact Analysis for Planning) Professional version 2 (Minnesota IMPLAN Group, Minneapolis), an estimated US$74,182,080 in direct angler expenditures was spent on fishing trips to the study region, resulting in a total economic impact (including indirect and induced impacts) of $71,552,492 and 776 full-time jobs. These findings indicate the economic value of river and stream angling to the Texas economy.
“No-Party” Politics at the End of the Wallace Era

The final year of the governorship of George Wallace was marked with restlessness and a flurry of political action. Anticipation mounted as politicians promised a new era of progress; and the slogan of the new governor-"time for a new beginning"--well describes the mood of the state. During the Wallace years (1962-78), Governor Wallace's successful efforts to promote his brand of southernism across the nation took precedence over state administration, which received minimal attention. Now the state expects a new emphasis on management, resource development, and broadening participatory government.
Marine Fungi. II. Ascomycetes and Deuteromycetes from Submerged Wood

Six Deuteromycetes and nine Ascomycetes are reported from marine habitats. Stemphylium maritimum, Massariella maritima, and Sphaerulina pedicellata are new to science. Marine fungi reported but not...
Reliable and Maintainable Technologies: Artifact Standardization and the Early to Later Mesolithic Transition in Northern England

ABSTRACTInterpreting and explaining numerical variance in artifact assemblages has not played an important role in lithic analysis. As shown, this measure has much to offer in understanding prehistoric behavior. Variance in microlith assemblages is examined to test Myers' (1986, 1989b) model of changing hunting strategies across the Early-to-Later Mesolithic transition. It is shown that Early Mesolithic microliths are highly standardized relative to analogous items from the Later Mesolithic. This finding is related to weapons design systems and the embeddedness of microliths within seasonal activities. It is argued that Early Mesolithic microliths were produced in large numbers ahead of time within a reliable weapons system focused on intercept hunting, while Later Mesolithic microliths were produced in smaller batches, as needed, within a maintainable system optimized for encounter-based hunting.
The separation of rare earth oxide and celeium fluoride with the method of citric acid complex leaching

In order to separate rare earth and fluorite,contain the rare earth oxides fluorite as the research object,using leaching process of rare earth oxides citric acid can inhibit the dissolution of the fluorite,to make the purpose of separation.Studies show that adverse effect of calcium fluoride rising with the the increase of the concentration of citric acid,when the concentration of citric acid increased to 0.25 mol·L-1,the dissolved rate of calcium fluoride fell by 73% than that without citric acid,but the dissolved rate of rare earth increase with the increase of citric acid concentration.The leaching mechanism is mainly citric acid and leached rare earth form complexes,and make the leaching of rare aerth become easier.The condition obtained from this study is as follow: the HCl concentration is 3 mol·L-1,the concentration of citric acid is 0.25 mol·L-1,ratio of solid to liquid is 10∶ 1,leaching time is 1 h,respectively,and under the condition the extraction ratio of rare earth is 92.89%,but that of calcium fluoride is only 13.6%.
Exergy transfer—the new field of theory study for thermodynamics

Exergy transfer study includes the law of exergy transfer and conversion.It is the new field of study brought up in the course of classical thermodynamics' transition from the statics to dynamics.The features of the static exergy analysis method are expounded.The source and development status quo of exergy transfer are analyzed,and its subject quality and study objective are also pointed out.In the end,the main future study objective of exergy transfer theory is demonstrated,i.e.,the exergy transfer issue in engineering of multi-field cooperation.
The Impact of GCM Dynamical Cores on Idealized Sudden Stratospheric Warmings and Their QBO Interactions

AbstractThe paper demonstrates that sudden stratospheric warmings (SSWs) can be simulated in an ensemble of dry dynamical cores that miss the typical SSW forcing mechanisms like moist processes, land–sea contrasts, or topography. These idealized general circulation model (GCM) simulations are driven by a simple Held–Suarez–Williamson (HSW) temperature relaxation and low-level Rayleigh friction. In particular, the four dynamical cores of NCAR’s Community Atmosphere Model, version 5 (CAM5), are used, which are the semi-Lagrangian (SLD) and Eulerian (EUL) spectral-transform models and the finite-volume (FV) and the spectral element (SE) models.Three research themes are discussed. First, it is shown that SSW events in such idealized simulations have very realistic flow characteristics that are analyzed via the SLD model. A single vortex-split event is highlighted that is driven by wavenumber-1 and -2 wave–mean flow interactions. Second, the SLD simulations are compared to the EUL, FV, and SE dynamical cores, ...
Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Actions of Passion Fruit Peel Extract in Modifying Osteoarthritis, Hypertension, and Asthma

To date there has been little laboratory and clinical research done on the efficacy of passion fruit peel extract. Laboratory studies have displayed a high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacity in passion fruit peel extract which can benefit a patient population. For the few clinical trials that have been conducted, purple passion fruit has been the most studied passion fruit type. Purple passion fruit has been shown to decrease asthma-associated symptoms, alleviate arthritis pain, and normalize hypertension. Passion fruit peel extract is a promising safe treatment for arthritis, asthma, and hypertension, illustrating the increased need for additional clinical research on this natural supplement.
Scaffolding Learning for Practitioner-Scholars The Philosophy and Design of a Qualitative Research Methods Course

We present our approach to a qualitative research methods course to prepare practitioner-scholars for their dissertation and independent research. We explain how an instructor’s guide provides consistency and rigor, and in-class activities to scaffold learning, and helps faculty connect the content to students’ out-of-school lives. We explain how reflection is used to develop students’ reflective practice and enable us to improve the course in both the short and long term. We argue the necessity of having tools that ensure our teaching philosophy translates into a consistent curriculum and instructional approach, maximizing the chances that faculty facilitate our students’ development into practitioner-scholars.
Discovering Bloom Taxonomic Relationships between Knowledge Units Using Semantic Graph Triangularity Mining

Inferring Bloom's Taxonomy among knowledge units is important and challenging. This paper proposes a novel method that can identify the revised Bloom's Taxonomy levels among knowledge units in the semantic cognitive graph (SCG) by using a graph triangularity. The method determines significant relationships among knowledge units by utilizing triangularity of knowledge units in the computer science domain. We share an experiment that evaluates and validates the method on three textbooks. The performance analysis shows that the method succeeds in discovering the hidden associations among knowledge units and classifying them.
Application of Optical Coherence Tomography in the Detection and Classification of Cognitive Decline.

Aim This review aims to critically analyze the current literature on the relationship of optical coherence tomography (OCT) measures to cognition and dementia. Background Optical coherence tomography, a noninvasive method of imaging neuroretinal layers, and OCT angiography, a highly precise method of examining retinal vasculature, have widely been used to aid in the diagnosis and monitoring of a variety of ocular diseases. There is now an increasing body of evidence relating the structural and microvascular changes of the retina to cognitive impairment. Review results In general, several studies have found decreased retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and an association between RNFL thickness and continuous measures of cognitive ability, though findings were inconsistent across studies. In many studies, associations were found for specific regions of the RNFL but not with overall thickness. Studies linking OCT measures to non-Alzheimer's dementia were lacking, and limited work has been done on persons with past cognitive decline but who remain cognitively normal (the ideal stage at which to target treatment). Common limitations of prior studies include a failure to account for intraocular pressure (IOP) and axial length. Conclusion Current research suggests a potential association between retinal findings observed on OCT and cognitive impairment. Methodologically robust research accounting for important covariates and looking at changes in OCT and/ or cognition is needed to better characterize the association between OCT and cognitive ability. Clinical significance Further research is warranted to determine whether OCT findings can help identify the etiology of cognitive decline and/or serve as objective markers of AD. If this is the case, OCT may also help identify the presence of disease processes in cognitively normal individuals.How to cite this article: Lee MJ, Abraham AG, Swenor BK, Sharrett AR, Ramulu PY. Application of Optical Coherence Tomography in the Detection and Classification of Cognitive Decline. J Curr Glaucoma Pract 2018;12(1):10-18.
From Women Empowerment to Nation Branding: A Case Study From the United Arab Emirates

Nation branding in the Middle East is relatively new. The United Arab Emirates has been developing its nation branding for about three decades. This article discusses one of its recent nation-branding strategies: women empowerment. The research uses a semiotic analysis to examine the way narratives of women empowerment are being articulated and conveyed for nation-branding campaigns and strategies. Through the case study of Mariam Al Mansouri, the first United Arab Emirate female air striker who fired missiles toward ISIS, we argue that narratives of women empowerment became an additional device for image building and nation branding.
Remote Limb Ischemic Conditioning and Motor Learning: Evaluation of Factors Influencing Response in Older Adults.

Remote limb ischemic conditioning (RLIC) is a clinically feasible method of promoting tissue protection against subsequent ischemic insult. Recent findings from our lab demonstrated that RLIC robustly enhances motor learning in young, healthy humans. The next step is to determine which individuals would receive maximum benefit from RLIC before applying these findings to clinical rehabilitation populations such as stroke. Numerous factors, such as age, sex, body mass index (BMI), and cardiovascular comorbidities may influence the response. Sixty-nine participants aged 40–80 were randomized to receive either RLIC (n = 33) or sham (n = 36) conditioning. Participants underwent seven consecutive sessions consisting of RLIC or sham conditioning with a blood pressure cuff on the upper extremity and motor training on a stability platform balance task, with two follow-up sessions. Balance change (post-test–pre-test) was compared across participants, groups, and the factors of age, sex, BMI, and comorbidities. Participants in both groups improved their performance on the balance task from pre- to post-test. Overall balance change was independently associated with age and BMI. There was no difference in balance change between RLIC and Sham groups. However, RLIC significantly enhanced balance performance in participants with no comorbidities. Compared with our previous study in young adults, middle-aged and older adults demonstrated smaller improvements on the balance task. RLIC enhanced learning in middle-aged and older adults only in the absence of pre-defined comorbidities. RLIC may be a promising tool for enhancing motor recovery, but the accumulation of comorbidity with age may decrease its effectiveness.
Indoor ultra wideband ranging samples from the DecaWave DW1000 including frequency and polarization diversity

When performing RF ranging in a complex indoor environment, the error of a single channel estimate can vary widely. A key insight of the PolyPoint and SurePoint ranging protocols is that individual nodes can efficiently capture multiple independent samples of the RF channel. For each point in space, nodes capture twenty seven independent samples by varying the spectrum sampled and the polarization of antennas. This dataset includes all of the measurements reported in the PolyPoint and SurePoint papers, which comprises several thousand points in a complex indoor environment. Precise 3D coordinates of nodes were captured using an optical motion capture system calibrated to millimeter accuracy. Several tracking studies are included, with continuous samples over time as a node moves through the environment.
Evaluating the effects of Vegetation Height and Slope on the Vertical Accuracy of the Tandem-X worlddem rapid city sample tile

A detailed assessment of the accuracy of the TanDEM-X derived WorldDEM digital elevation models with reference to airborne lidar data was performed for a quarter degree tile located to the west of Rapid City, SD, USA. In addition to assessing the accuracy under standard conditions (uniform unvegetated terrain) analyses on the effects of vegetation height and terrain slope were conducted. Results for standard conditions and even in unvegetated terrain with slopes ranging from 0° to 80° are in agreement with the TanDEM-X accuracy specifications. The accuracy of canopy height (canopy heights ≤25 meters) degrades by a factor of at least 1.4 with respect to the bare terrain which is expected because the radar energy propagates through the vegetation canopy before scattering back to the sensor.
The “Inter” Within Interdisciplinary Research: Strategies for Building Integration Across Fields

As emphasis on interdisciplinary and convergent research grows, researchers and institutions can benefit from additional insights into how to build interdisciplinary integration within the research process. This article presents signs of successful interdisciplinary research and proposes strategies that researchers can implement to help create and sustain integration across fields. Drawing on the authors' experiences, other examples from hazards research, and the literature on interdisciplinarity, the article asserts that successful interdisciplinary research incorporates full intellectual participation by each contributing field, forming a multiway partnership. Such work can frame new research questions, develop novel approaches, and generate innovative insights across and within disciplines. It can also address complex questions at the intersections of established fields, beyond what the collection of contributing fields can produce on their own. To build integration across fields, researchers can use strategies such as interweaving perspectives in the research foci, interacting regularly at the working level, and interconnecting knowledge and ideas throughout the research process. Another strategy is leadership that enables contributions from multiple fields and empowers interdisciplinary synthesis. During the research process, researcher commitment, curiosity, willingness to take risks, and flexibility are also important, along with patience and persistence as challenges arise.
Staged ocular fornix reconstruction for glaucoma drainage device under neoconjunctiva at the time of Boston type 1 Keratoprosthesis implantation.

Abstract Purpose Glaucoma is the leading cause of vision loss in eyes with Boston Keratoprosthesis (KPro). Glaucoma drainage devices (GDDs) have been shown to be effective in controlling glaucoma with KPro. Cicatricial conjunctival disease with forniceal shortening is a major challenge and limitation to the use of GDD. In our series, we report the success of fornix reconstruction in cicatricial ocular surface disease as a staged procedure prior to a combined KPro/GDD surgery. Methods Retrospective case series involving 4 eyes with surface cicatricization. Three patients with chemical burns and one patient with Ectrodactyly Ectodermal Dysplasia-Clefting syndrome. Preoperative data, surgical interventions, and clinical outcomes were reviewed. Conclusion This series represents the first report of fornix reconstruction for combined KPro/GDD surgery. Fornix reconstruction with the aid of AMT with or without OMM grafting is a relatively safe and effective way to manage complex cicatricial surface disease associated with corneal scarring and glaucoma, allowing for subsequent successful implantation of GDD and KPro in cases that were otherwise poor surgical candidates.
The Effects of Neighborhood Built Environment on Walking for Leisure and for Purpose Among Older People

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Characteristics of a neighborhood's built environment affect the walking behavior of older people, yet studies typically rely on small nonrepresentative samples that use either subjective reports or aggregate indicators from administrative sources to represent neighborhood characteristics. Our analyses examine the usefulness of a novel method for observing neighborhoods-virtual observations-and assess the extent to which virtual-based observations predict walking among older adults. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Using Google Street View, we observed the neighborhoods of 2,224 older people and examined how characteristics of the neighborhood built environments are associated with the amount of time older people spend walking for leisure and purpose. RESULTS Multilevel model analyses revealed that sidewalk characteristics had significant associations with both walking for purpose and leisure. Land use, including the presence of multifamily dwellings, commercial businesses, and parking lots were positively associated with walking for purpose and single-family detached homes were negatively associated with walking for purpose, but none of these characteristics were associated with leisure walking. Gardens/flowers were associated with walking for leisure but not purpose. Garbage/litter was not associated with either type of walking behavior. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS Virtual observations are a useful method that provides meaningful information about neighborhoods. Findings demonstrate how neighborhood characteristics assessed virtually differentially impact walking for leisure and purpose among older adults and are interpreted within a social-ecological model.
Healthcare Disparities Identified Between Hmong and Other Asian Origin Groups Living with Chronic Hepatitis B Infection in Sacramento County 2014–2017

Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) disproportionately affects non-US born Asians. The Hmong have been shown to have the highest rates of CHB and mortality from liver cancer compared to other Asian groups. From September 2014 to September 2017, testing for CHB within Sacramento County was conducted through community-based testing events and an electronic health record alert that identified Asian patients by surname. Demographic and laboratory data were collected for analysis and patients were followed through the study period to assess linkage to care and treatment to compare differences between Asian origin groups. Of 4350 patients tested for CHB, 318 (7.3%) were HBsAg positive, including 90 Chinese, 47 Hmong, and 101 Vietnamese. Hmong were more likely to have Medicaid insurance compared to other Asian origin groups (15%, p < 0.001). Hmong had significantly lower rates of hepatitis B DNA testing (p < 0.001), referral to hepatology (p < 0.001), attendance of first (p < 0.001) and second medical visit (p = 0.0003), and lower rates of antiviral treatment compared to other Asian origin groups. Hmong also had the highest proportion of non-English speakers (p < 0.001). Hmong patients in the Sacramento CHB testing and linkage to care program experience socioeconomic disadvantages compared to Vietnamese and Chinese patients. These factors may contribute to decreased linkage of care and decreased anti-viral treatment rates for CHB.
Media Coverage of the Chibok Girls Kidnapping in Regionally Different African Newspapers

Terrorism, understood, as the strategic and illegal use of violence to reach goals of either political, ethnic, or religious nature is not new in Africa has been one of the strategies of some of the freedom fighters in Kenya (Mau Mau) and South Africa (ANC) among others. It has taken a religious tone in the insurgent activities of such African terrorist groups as Al-Shabaab in Somalia, Al-Qaeda in the Maghreb, and Boko Haram in Nigeria and Cameroon. The media do not only report about terrorism, and it can determine public perceptions of terrorist groups. Boko Haram (which translates to “no to western education”) is the most severe and dangerous terrorist group in Africa today, and its attacks have been covered extensively in the Nigerian media. This chapter is based on an empirical quantitative and qualitative analysis of how four Nigerian newspapers [Thisday, The Guardians, Vanguard, and Daily Trust of Nigeria] covered Boko Haram attacks. The Functionalist Theory of the Media is used to examine the media’s role of surveillance, correlation, transmission, entertainment, and mobilization in Boko Haram news. Data is gathered from newspaper reports within two weeks of the 2014 incident of the Chibok girls kidnapping in Borno State, Nigeria.
Impact of Nativity Status on Dietary Behavior and Obesity Among US Adults

Background/Objectives: Non-communicable diseases and chronic conditions such as obesity continue to emerge as public health crises in the United States (US) and globally. It is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. We aimed to evaluate how U.S. immigrants compare to native-born adults regarding obesity-related behavior such as dietary intake. Subjects/Methods: The Health Information National Trends Survey was analyzed for this study. The survey was conducted between September and December 2013. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models were utilized for covariates of interest. Results: 3131 respondents were included in the analysis. Mean age was 54.68 years (SD +/- 16.5) with a female preponderance (61%). Majority were native-born (83%). About 25% of the immigrants were obese, compared to 34% of non-immigrants. After adjusting for gender, age group, race/ethnicity, level of education, marital status and income category, immigrants were more likely to take some quantity of fruit daily (aOR = 1.88; 95% CI: 1.07 - 3.32; p = 0.0290); and less likely to consume soda every week (adjusted OR = 0.74; 95% CI: 0.55 - 0.98; p = 0.0383). Compared to Caucasians, Hispanics (aOR = 2.00; 95% CI: 1.50 - 2.65; p <.0001) and Blacks (aOR = 2.76; 95% CI: 2.08 - 3.64; p <.0001) were more likely to consume soda on a weekly basis. Conclusion: U.S. immigrants are less likely to be obese, and they have healthier dietary behavior compared to non-immigrants. Further studies are needed to determine the effects of various socio-economic, demographic and cultural factors that impact determinants of obesity.
Harmonic generation in bilayer nanoparticle films enhanced by plasmon-plasmon coupling (Conference Presentation)

We describe the generation of second harmonic light (525 nm) from femtosecond near-infrared (NIR, 1050 nm) pulses from three nanoparticle films: gold nanospheres, hexagonal nanodisks of covellite (CuS), and a bilayer comprising covellite and gold films. Enhanced second-harmonic generation (SHG), fourth order in the NIR pump intensity, arises from coupling of plasmon resonance modes of CuS and Au. Above 6 GW/cm2, the enhanced SHG from the bilayer film is much larger than the incoherent sum of SHG from the Au and CuS films separately, and the SHG efficiency of the bilayer (Au:CuS) films is nine times larger than that of BBO per unit thickness.