cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evolutionary Genetics of Coronary Heart Disease

Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution.1 — —Theodosius Dobzhanksy, 1973 No biological problem is solved until both the proximate and the evolutionary causation has been elucidated. Furthermore, the study of evolutionary causes is as legitimate a part of biology as is the study of the usually physico-chemical proximate causes.2 — —Ernst W. Mayr, 1982 Susceptibility to common diseases such as coronary heart disease (CHD) may in part reflect historical or evolutionary legacies,3,4 and interest in studying evolutionary biology to gain novel insights into human health and disease is increasing. The evolutionary history of the human species may provide valuable insights into the origin of common diseases beyond what is possible by investigating only the most immediate or “proximal” causes of disease. The potential role of evolutionary biology in explaining disease causation was highlighted by Williams and Nesse3 and is often referred to as darwinian medicine. Although the relevance of an evolutionary perspective may vary depending on the disease under study, a strong argument could be made for studying the evolutionary genetics of CHD, a leading cause of human morbidity and death. Within the last decade, several important advances have made it possible to study “modern” diseases from an evolutionary perspective. The Human Genome Project5 provided a reference human genome, and the subsequent International HapMap Project6,7 described genetic variations (mostly single nucleotide polymorphisms [SNPs]) among individuals and the patterns of variation across the genome. Both projects provide the raw material to study natural selection in the human genome, as reviewed in recent reports.8–10 In addition, sequencing of multiple other genomes, including those of primates, provides a framework for generating important insights into the origin and expression of human diseases.4 Such an avenue of investigation may help answer why, …
Hilbert-Huang Transform Stability Spectral Analysis Applied to Flutter Flight Test Data

A new method, the Hilbert-Huang transform (HHT), has been applied to analyze the aerostructures test wing (ATW) flight flutter data from NASA Dryden Flight Research Center. The analysis shows the yielding of the wing after the onset of flutter, but just before breaking off of the wingtip. Based on HHT, a new stability spectral analysis is also proposed that shows both positive (stable) and negative (unstable) damping. The stability spectral analysis further shows that the flutter of ATW bending occurs at 2-5 Hz in addition to 18 Hz as determined by modal analysis and identification. Both HHT and the Teager energy operator based nonlinearity indicator show that the vibrations of the ATW are nonlinear throughout the flight-test flutter maneuver.
Tetrapod Footprint Biostratigraphy and Biochronology

Tetrapod footprints have a fossil record in rocks of Devonian-Neogene age. Three principal factors limit their use in biostratigraphy and biochronology (palichnostratigraphy): invalid ichnotaxa based on extramorphological variants, slow apparent evolutionary turnover rates and facies restrictions. The ichnotaxonomy of tetrapod footprints has generally been oversplit, largely due to a failure to appreciate extramorphological variation. Thus, many tetrapod footprint ichnogenera and most ichnospecies are useless phantom taxa that confound biostratigraphic correlation and biochronological subdivision. Tracks rarely allow identification of a genus or species known from the body fossil record. Indeed, almost all tetrapod footprint ichnogenera are equivalent to a family or a higher taxon (order, superorder, etc.) based on body fossils. This means that ichnogenera necessarily have much longer temporal ranges and therefore slower apparent evolutionary turnover rates than do body fossil genera. Because of this, foo...
Use of antiepileptic medications in nursing homes.

The University of Minnesota Epilepsy Research and Education Program published two studies evaluating the use of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) among nursing home (NH) elderly. The studies used a large, nongovernmental data set for studying this population. This chapter is a summary of those two studies. In the first study, a 1‐day point prevalence study, 10.5% of the NH residents had one or more AED orders, a prevalence 10 times greater than that found in the community. In a multivariate analysis of factors associated with AED treatment, seizure indication was the most important factor, and age was inversely related to AED use. Phenytoin was the most commonly used AED, followed by carbamazepine, phenobarbital, and valproic acid. The most frequently used combination was phenytoin and phenobarbital. In the second study, evaluating NH admission data, 8% of newly admitted residents were already receiving one or more AEDs when they entered the NH. Factors associated with AED use in this group included epilepsy/seizure disorder, age, cognitive performance, and manic depression (bipolar disease). Among residents recently admitted who were not using an AED at entry, 3% were initiated on an AED within 3 months of admission. Among the factors associated with the initiation of AEDs during this period, the strongest association was with epilepsy/seizure disorder. Manic depression (bipolar disease) was also significantly associated with initiation of an AED after admission. In this group, there was an inverse relationship between age and initiation of an AED.
In the absence of weight loss, exercise training does not improve adipokines or oxidative stress in overweight children.

Abstract The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of exercise training on adipokines, inflammatory markers, and oxidative stress in overweight children. Nineteen overweight children were randomly assigned to an aerobic exercise training or sedentary control group for 8 weeks. Measurements included peak oxygen uptake (V˙ o 2max), body weight and composition, adipokines (C-reactive protein, interleukin 6, tumor necrosis factor α, adiponectin, leptin, and resistin), and oxidative stress (8-isoprostane). There were no differences between groups for change in body weight or composition over the 8 weeks. Exercise training improved V˙ o 2max (exercise group, 1.64 ± 0.13 to 1.85 ± 0.17L/min vs control group, 1.83 ± 0.12 to 1.60 ± 0.13 L/min, P
Leader Age, Regime Type, and Violent International Relations:

In this article, the authors investigate the relationship between states'political leaders'ages, their regime type, and the likelihood of militarized dispute initiation and escalation. They examine more than 100,000 interstate dyads between 1875 and 2002 to systematically test the relationship between leader age and militarized disputes. The results show that, in general, as the age of leaders increases, they become more likely to both initiate and escalate militarized disputes. In addition, the interaction of age and regime type is significant. In personalist regimes, the general effect reverses; as age increases, the relative risk of conflict declines in comparison to other types of regimes. Increasing leader age in democracies increases the relative risk propensity for conflict initiation at a higher level than for personalist regimes, while the impact of increasing leader age is most substantial in intermediate regimes.
A chemically mediated trade-off between predation risk and mate search in newts

Previous studies have demonstrated that adult male red-spotted newts, Notophthalmus viridescens, are attracted to female sexual pheromones and avoid conspecific alarm substances that signal predation. In this study, we tested the response of red-spotted newts to different concentrations and combinations of macerated male newt extract (MNE) and gravid female odour in the laboratory and field. In the laboratory, males decreased their activity in response to MNE and showed an intermediate attraction (a trade-off) to female odour when paired with MNE. The intermediate attraction indicates that predators may inhibit mate search, and that male newts apparently take greater risks during the breeding season. Results from tests conducted at two sites within the same pond complex demonstrated plasticity in response to MNE. One site showed the laboratory trade-off between mate search and predator avoidance for males, while at the second site, no significant avoidance of MNE was detected for either sex. To explain the discrepancy in MNE avoidance between the sites we propose a trade-off that incorporates risk and resource sensitivity.  2001 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour
How cell biologists can contribute to improving cancer outcomes.

Cancer is a devastating disease that kills >6 million people annually worldwide. Research is the hope for the future, with deepening scientific understanding contributing to improvements in risk assessment, detection, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. More people than ever are surviving cancer, and certain types of cancer are now curable, or at least manageable, diseases. Mary C. Beckerle
A control paradigm for general purpose manipulation systems

The authors' goal is the creation of a framework within which independent objectives of a manipulation process can be used to direct a manipulation strategy. The set of contacts that are applied to a task can be partitioned into subsets with independent objectives. A system of this sort is flexible enough to manage large numbers of contacts and to address manipulation tasks that require the removal and replacement of fingers. A simulator has been constructed, and results of its application to position synthesis for initial grasps is presented. The manipulation testbed under construction at the University of Utah using the Utah/MIT dextrous hand are discussed. >
Population consequences of movement decisions in a patchy landscape

Complex, human-dominated landscapes provide unique challenges to animals. In landscapes fragmented by human activity, species whose home ranges ordinarily consist of continuous habitat in pristine environments may be forced to forage among multiple smaller habitat patches embedded in an inhospitable environment. Furthermore, foragers often must decide whether to traverse a heterogeneous suite of landscape elements that differ in risk of predation or energetic costs. We modeled population consequences of foraging decisions for animals occupying patches embedded in a heterogeneous landscape. In our simulations, animals were allowed to use three different rules for moving between patches: a) optimal selection resulting from always choosing the least-cost path; b) random selection of a movement path; and c) probabilistic selection in which path choice was proportional to an animal's probability of survival while traversing the path. The resulting distribution of the population throughout the landscape was dependent on the movement rule used. Least-cost movement rules (a) produced landscapes that contained the highest average density of consumers per patch. However, optimal movement resulted in an all-or-none pattern of occupancy and a coupling of occupied patches into pairs that effectively reduced the population to a set of sub-populations. Random and probabilistic rules, (b and c), in relatively safe landscapes produced similar average densities and 100% occupancy of patches. However, as the level of risk associated with travel between patches increased, random movement resulted in an all-or-none occupancy pattern while occupied patches in probabilistic populations went extinct independently of the other patches. Our results demonstrate strong effects of inter-patch heterogeneity and movement decisions on population dynamics, and suggest that models investigating the persistence of species in complex landscapes should take into account the effects of the intervening landscape on behavioral decisions affecting animal movements between patches.
Optimal Design for Synchronization of Cooperative Systems: State Feedback, Observer and Output Feedback

This technical note studies synchronization of identical general linear systems on a digraph containing a spanning tree. A leader node or command generator is considered, which generates the desired tracking trajectory. A framework for cooperative tracking control is proposed, including full state feedback control, observer design and dynamic output feedback control. The classical system theory notion of duality is extended to networked systems. It is shown that unbounded synchronization regions that achieve synchronization on arbitrary digraphs containing a spanning tree can be guaranteed by using linear quadratic regulator based optimal control and observer design methods at each node.
A Manual Therapy Approach to Evaluation and Treatment of a Patient With a Chronic Lumbar Nerve Root Irritation

The purpose of this case report is to familiarize the reader with the basic principles of the approach to manual therapy evaluation and treatment pioneered by Maitland, an Australian physical therapist. This approach involves a complete subjective examination to determine the severity, irritability, nature, and stage of the patient's complaints. In this way, the therapist may reach conclusions as to the amount and vigor of the physical examination and proceed with treatment in an analytical manner. Methodical reassessment is used to justify treatment progression. Comprehensive treatment and the rationale for this approach are discussed. Though most physical therapists are familiar with the straight-leg-raising test as a means of assessing low back pain and chronic lumbar nerve root irritation, they are often not familiar with other tests that examine neural tissues, such as the slump test. The proposed anatomical and biomechanical bases for these tests are discussed. The patient in this case study was a 50-year-old man with a physician's diagnosis of a chronic lumbar nerve root irritation. The patient was evaluated and treated in eight visits using techniques designed to evaluate neural tissues. Reassessment indicated significant symptom reduction, and the treatment was modified accordingly. Patient management, including home exercises, is discussed.
Aggregate Sources of Relative Price Variability Among Agricultural Commodities

A measure of relative price variability among forty-seven agricultural commodities is developed for the period 1962 to 1987. Econometric models are used to explore the effects of macroeconomic instability on relative price variability within the agricultural sector. The results show that these relative prices are more variable when actual and unanticipated inflation rates are higher. They may also be more variable during periods when real shocks to the macroeconomy are relatively large. Thus, monetary and fiscal events are not neutral with respect to the agricultural sector because macroeconomic instability appears to create instability and increased uncertainty in agricultural markets.
Chinese Edition of Transit-Oriented Development

Transit-oriented development (TOD) is a strategy to integrate transit and land use by focusing development around a transit station. Its principles are gaining increasing popularity worldwide in the global effort toward sustainable transportation. This paper attempts to answer two questions: Why do Chinese cities need TOD? How can TOD principles developed in the U.S. context be put into operation in urban China? The paper first introduces factors motivating communities in the United States to pursue TOD. Trends in China's urban expansion and travel growth are then reviewed, with a case made for TOD in the Chinese setting with the use of integrated land use-transit development. Next, the paper presents an operational TOD model derived from the experience of developing around transit in Hong Kong, Taipei, and mainland Chinese cities. The model is characterized as five D's squared, or 5D2, which includes differentiated density, dockized district, delicate design, diverse destination, and distributed dividend...
Bang-Bang Model for Regulation of Local Blood Flow

The classical model of metabolic regulation of blood flow in muscle tissue implies the maintenance of basal tone in arterioles of resting muscle and their dilation in response to exercise and/or tissue hypoxia via the evoked production of vasodilator metabolites by myocytes. A century-long effort to identify specific metabolites responsible for explaining active and reactive hyperemia has not been successful. Furthermore, the metabolic theory is not compatible with new knowledge on the role of physiological radicals (e.g., nitric oxide, NO, and superoxide anion, O2 (-) ) in the regulation of microvascular tone. We propose a model of regulation in which muscle contraction and active hyperemia are considered the physiologically normal state. We employ the "bang-bang" or "on/off" regulatory model which makes use of a threshold and hysteresis; a float valve to control the water level in a tank is a common example of this type of regulation. Active bang-bang regulation comes into effect when the supply of oxygen and glucose exceeds the demand, leading to activation of membrane NADPH oxidase, release of O2 (-) into the interstitial space and subsequent neutralization of the interstitial NO. Switching arterioles on/off when local blood flow crosses the threshold is realized by a local cell circuit with the properties of a bang-bang controller, determined by its threshold, hysteresis, and dead-band. This model provides a clear and unambiguous interpretation of the mechanism to balance tissue demand with a sufficient supply of nutrients and oxygen.
Highlights from the National Summit on Safe Motherhood: Investing in the Health of Women.

From September 5-7 2001 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Division of Reproductive Health held a National Summit on Safe Motherhood in Atlanta Georgia. Over 300 people participated. One of important themes discussed was that pregnancy for women during the 21st century poses challenges vastly different from those of the past. The Internet late childbearing and infertility technology have all had a profound impact on women’s health. Concurrent sessions addressed specific topics such as pregnancy weight gain pregnancy-related illness domestic violence and intrapartum care. Discussions moved beyond an emphasis on the absence of disease and toward a focus on improving the overall well-being of childbearing women and their families in an effort to ensure their physical mental emotional and socioeconomic health. The plenary sessions focused on collaborative research and advocacy efforts and on societal forces that influence safe motherhood. Planning is under way for several post-summit activities.
Low-rate hybrid Wyner-Ziv coding of Laplace-Markov source using uniform scalar quantization

Hybrid Wyner-Ziv coders which employ a combination of Wyner-Ziv coding and differential pulse code modulation (DPCM) encoding have recently gained popularity for applications such as video coding. In this paper we analyze the low-rate operational rate distortion performance of Wyner-Ziv coding using uniform scalar quantization, in the context of such hybrid coders. Motivated by video we consider the compression of a first-order Laplace-Markov source, and derive approximate analytical rate and distortion expressions which are accurate at low rates. We utilize the derived analytical expressions to address the problem of determining the optimal quantization interval ratio of the Wyner-Ziv and DPCM scalar quantizers, for a range of rates.
Remote sensing using bistatic GPS and a digital beam-steering receiver

GPS bistatic signals have applications for remote sensing in collecting data such as soil moisture content, surface altitude or wave speed. Prior research using these signals has been limited by the low signal power of the bistatic GPS signals. NAVSYS Corporation has developed an advanced bistatic GPS receiver that uses a 109-element GPS antenna array and digital beam steering to provide gain to increase the ability to detect the weak bistatic GPS signals. This provides up to 20 dB of gain over previous receivers. In this paper, the design of the digital beam-steering receiver is described and data collected during flight tests with the array are presented. The data was collected with the antenna array installed on a Cessna aircraft. Flights were conducted over terrain and water and the data was recorded for post-test analysis. The results of the flight test show the increase in fidelity and observability of the bistatic GPS signals by using digital beam steering. The digital scanning capability of the receiver also increases the area of coverage over which data can be collected from a single aircraft pass. The enhanced data collected will be of benefit for all remote sensing applications using bistatic GPS signals.
Extreme sight-reading, mediated expression, and audience participation: Real-time music notation in live performance

Rossini would often wait until the last possible moment to compose overtures. He wrote the overture to Otello the evening before the opera’s 1816 premiere. For La gazza ladra the following year, Rossini waited until the day of the premiere to score the overture, working, as he later wrote, “up under the roof of La Scala in Milan.” He also noted: “Nothing is better for inspiration than necessity, the presence of a copyist waiting for your work, sheet by sheet” (Hughes 1956, p. 247). Real-time music notation systems take Rossini’s strategy to new extremes, waiting to create the score until during the performance. Unlike most live computer-music performance environments, these software algorithms do not produce digital audio or control data. Instead, they produce a dynamic musical score that may contain conventional Western notation or a range of graphical representations, which is interpreted by human musicians to create sound.
The Effects of Age and HIV on Neuropsychological Performance

Both HIV and aging impact performance on neuropsychological testing; however, evidence for differences between HIV effects in younger compared to older subjects (interaction effects) is limited and the findings have been inconsistent. Coexisting morbidities that contribute to cognitive impairment in HIV include those not directly referable to infection, per se, and are more prevalent with advancing age, increasing the likelihood that HIV and age effects may be largely independent. As individuals survive with HIV into geriatric age groups, greater clarity on these relationships is essential. We present cross-sectional data from a large (n = 450) cohort designed to analyze HIV, age, and interaction effects using a well-matched cohort of HIV-negative individuals. Results reveal limited evidence for interaction effects between HIV and age on neuropsychological performance. We conclude that older age does not significantly influence neuropsychological performance among HIV patients when seronegative controls are largely composed of individuals from a similar socioeconomic background.
Phylogenetic tests reject Emery's rule in the evolution of social parasitism in yellowjackets and hornets (Hymenoptera: Vespidae, Vespinae)

Social parasites exploit the brood-care behaviour and social structure of one or more host species. Within the social Hymenoptera there are different types of social parasitism. In its extreme form, species of obligate social parasites, or inquilines, do not have the worker caste and depend entirely on the workers of a host species to raise their reproductive offspring. The strict form of Emery's rule states that social parasites share immediate common ancestry with their hosts. Moreover, this rule has been linked with a sympatric origin of inquilines from their hosts. Here, we conduct phylogenetic analyses of yellowjackets and hornets based on 12 gene fragments and evaluate competing evolutionary scenarios to test Emery's rule. We find that inquilines, as well as facultative social parasites, are not the closest relatives of their hosts. Therefore, Emery's rule in its strict sense is rejected, suggesting that social parasites have not evolved sympatrically from their hosts in yellowjackets and hornets. However, the relaxed version of the rule is supported, as inquilines and their hosts belong to the same Dolichovespula clade. Furthermore, inquilinism has evolved only once in Dolichovespula.
Queueing Models for Healthcare Operations

Patients seeking healthcare often need to wait before they can receive needed services. Excessive waiting can cause prolonged discomfort, economic loss, and long-run health complications. This motivates us to look closely at the theory of queues in order to understand the reasons why queues form and the principles underlying good system design. Queueing models help explain the interaction between resource utilization and variability. Higher resource utilization lowers the per-patient cost of making resources available, but in the presence of variability in either the service requirements or the number of service requests or both, higher utilization increases patient waiting times. In fact, for a fixed level of variability, the effect of resource utilization is highly nonlinear—waiting times increase at an increasing rate in utilization. This implies that in healthcare settings where significant variability is naturally present and difficult to eliminate, capacity planning must trade-off the cost of providing resources and the cost of patient waiting. In this chapter, we review basic queueing models that help quantify the above-mentioned tradeoff and discuss the usefulness of such models to healthcare operations managers. Specifically, we summarize some known results for queueing systems with single and multiple servers, limited and unlimited waiting room, service priority, and networks of service stations.
Targeted epidural patch with n-butyl cyanoacrylate (n-BCA) through a single catheter access site for treatment of a cerebral spinal fluid leak causing spontaneous intracranial hypotension

Spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) usually occurs in the setting of a spontaneous cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) leak. We report the first description of a case of SIH caused by a CSF leak which improved after a targeted epidural patch with n-butyl cyanoacrylate (n-BCA) at the right T1–T2 level. An 81-year-old woman presented with an orthostatic headache for 6 days. MRI of the brain with contrast demonstrated low lying cerebellar tonsils, an engorged transverse sinus flow void, bifrontal small subdural fluid collections, and diffuse dural enhancement. CT myelography showed extravasation of intrathecal contrast at the right T1–T2 level. A targeted epidural patch was performed by injection of n-BCA through a catheter at the right T1–T2 level. After treatment, the patient9s symptoms immediately improved and she was without a headache at 1-year follow-up.
International Trade Fluctuations and Monetary Policy

This paper studies the role of trade openness for the design of monetary policy. We extend a standard small open economy model of monetary policy to capture cyclical fluctuations of international trade flows, and parametrize it to match key features of the data. We find that accounting for trade fluctuations matters for monetary policy: when the monetary authority follows a Taylor rule, inflation and the output gap are more volatile. Moreover, we find that the volatility of these variables is significantly higher when the central bank follows the optimal policy based on a model that cannot account for international trade fluctuations.
Molecular Mechanisms Regulating T Helper 1 versus T Follicular Helper Cell Differentiation in Humans

Summary IL-12 is important for the differentiation of T follicular helper (Tfh) cells, as well as Th1 cells in humans. Still, how IL-12 signals regulate Tfh versus Th1 cell differentiation remains poorly characterized. Here we aimed to determine the molecular mechanisms that regulate the differentiation and the function of IL-12-stimulated human naive CD4 + T cells. We found that T-bet promoted the expression of CXCR5 in human CD4 + T cells. We provide evidence that T-bet does not strongly inhibit the Tfh cell differentiation program per se but diminishes the functions to provide help to B cells. This study also suggests that IRF4 plays an important role in driving the early differentiation of IL-12-stimulated CD4 + T cells toward Tfh and away from Th1 by inhibiting the expression of Eomesodermin. Thus, the fate of IL-12-stimulated CD4 + T cells is determined through interplay of multiple transcription factors at early stages.
Integrating Imaging and Clinical Data for Decision Support

Though an unparalleled amount and diversity of imaging and clinical data are now collected as part of routine care, this information is not sufficiently integrated and organized in a way that effectively supports a clinician’s ability to diagnose and treat a patient. The goal of this chapter is to present a framework for organizing, representing, and manipulating patient data to assist in medical decisionmaking. We first demonstrate how probabilistic graphical models (specifically, Bayesian belief networks) are capable of representing medical knowledge. We then propose a data model that facilitates temporal and investigative organization by structuring and modeling clinical observations at the patient level. Using information aggregated into the data model, we describe the creation of multi-scale, temporal disease models to represent a disease across a population. Finally, we describe visual tools for interacting with these disease models to facilitate the querying and understanding of results. The chapter concludes with a discussion about open problems and future directions.
Introduction: The Prostate, Cancer, and the Making of Modern Medicine

How can the very old come to define the very new? The ailments that make up a collection of diseases labelled ‘cancer’ are described in ancient manuscripts, depicted in millennia of human artifice and exposed within prehistoric human remains. As a species we have always lived with malignant tumours and wasting death. Nevertheless, there is something undeniably modern about cancer.1 For over a century, the control of cancer has perhaps been the ultimate test of our medical prowess, a yardstick measuring our incremental control over nature and a testament to our unwavering expectation of longer, healthier lives, unhampered by disease and disability. The capricious and intractable nature of cancer has not, by and large, done much to sink our buoyant confidence in scientific progress but it has introduced a paradox, widely felt if not always acknowledged, that all is not well in our scientific age. The history of cancer in the twentieth century is at one and the same time a story of extraordinary optimism for a future mediated and enhanced through technology and a story of human fear and frailty in the confrontation of nature and technology. Charles Rosenberg described his view of this paradox of modern medicine in his book, Our Present Complaint, saying that we have,
Endometriosis inflammation mimicking pseudomyxoma peritonei: A case report

•Endometriosis may mimic other pathologic processes•Fertility preservation can be considered in young women with atypical endometriosis•Referral to experienced surgeons for maligancy is warranted in atypical endometriosis.
Simple parameter estimation for complex models — Testing evolutionary techniques on 3-dimensional biogeochemical ocean models

Abstract Parameter estimation is an important part of numerical modeling and often required when a coupled physical–biogeochemical ocean model is first deployed. However, 3-dimensional ocean model simulations are computationally expensive and models typically contain upwards of 10 parameters suitable for estimation. Hence, manual parameter tuning can be lengthy and cumbersome. Here, we present four easy to implement and flexible parameter estimation techniques and apply them to two 3-dimensional biogeochemical models of different complexities. Based on a Monte Carlo experiment, we first develop a cost function measuring the model-observation misfit based on multiple data types. The parameter estimation techniques are then applied and yield a substantial cost reduction over ∼ 100 simulations. Based on the outcome of multiple replicate experiments, they perform on average better than random, uninformed parameter search but performance declines when more than 40 parameters are estimated together. Our results emphasize the complex cost function structure for biogeochemical parameters and highlight dependencies between different parameters as well as different cost function formulations.
Biointerfacing and Applications of Cell Membrane-Coated Nanoparticles

The cell membrane-coated nanoparticle is a biomimetic platform consisting of a nanoparticulate core coated with membrane derived from a cell, such as a red blood cell, platelet, or cancer cell. The cell membrane “disguise” allows the particles to be perceived by the body as the source cell by interacting with its surroundings using the translocated surface membrane components. The newly bestowed characteristics of the membrane-coated nanoparticle can be utilized for biological interfacing in the body, providing natural solutions to many biomedical issues. This Review will cover the interactions of these cell membrane-coated nanoparticles and their applications within three biomedical areas of interest, including (i) drug delivery, (ii) detoxification, and (iii) immune modulation.
Playing “Anne”: Red braids, Green Gables, and literary tourists on Prince Edward Island

For nearly a century, literary tourists have sought the settings of L.M. Montgomery’s novel Anne of Green Gables on picturesque Prince Edward Island, Canada. As tourism infrastructure on the Island...
Roadside vegetation design characteristics that can improve local, near-road air quality

As public health concerns have increased due to the rising number of studies linking adverse health effects with exposures to traffic-related pollution near large roadways, interest in methods to mitigate these exposures have also increased. Several studies have investigated the use of roadside features in reducing near-road air pollution concentrations since this method is often one of the few short-term options available to reduce near-road air pollution. Since roadside vegetation has other potential benefits, the impact of this feature has been of particular interest. The literature has been mixed on whether roadside vegetation reduces nearby pollutant concentrations or whether this feature has no effect or even potentially increases downwind pollutant concentrations. However, these differences in study results highlight key characteristics of the vegetative barrier that can result in pollutant reductions or increase local pollutant levels. This paper describes the characteristics of roadside vegetation that previous research shows can result in improved local air quality, as well as identify characteristics that should be avoided in order to protect from unintended increases in nearby concentrations. These design conditions include height, thickness, coverage, porosity/density, and species characteristics that promote improved air quality. These design considerations can inform highway departments, urban and transportation planners, and developers in understanding how best to preserve existing roadside vegetation or plant vegetative barriers in order to reduce air pollution impacts near transportation facilities.
Gait design and optimization for efficient running of a direct-drive quadrupedal robot

Legged robots are capable of navigating rough terrain, but have traditionally been restricted to slow speeds. New robots combine the power density necessary for rapid motions with increasingly sophisticated leg designs. Developing controllers that effectively coordinate these high-DOF legs to generate fast, agile motions is challenging. In this paper we examine a pair of control approaches to generate high-speed trotting for the direct-drive quadruped robot Minitaur. We first show that optimization of a redesigned feed-forward trajectory improves the robot’s running speed by 45%, from 1.52m/s to 1.93m/s. We then utilize a monopod version of Minitaur’s 5-bar leg to directly compare this control approach to a dynamic, model-based strategy. We find gaits with the optimized trajectory are able to achieve speeds up to 2.44m/s, but the model-based dynamic controller is able to find gaits that are more robust to parameter changes, nearly as fast, and up to 70% more efficient.
Adrenergic signaling mediates immune suppression induced by cool housing temperatures for laboratory mice

Our laboratory has demonstrated that standard mildly cool housing temperatures (ST, 22°C) can significantly enhance tumor growth by suppressing anti-tumor immunity. In contrast, we have found that maintaining mice at thermoneutral temperatures (TT, 30°C) reversed immunosuppression and significantly delayed tumor growth compared to ST. Under cool conditions, mammals produce heat via adaptive thermogenesis, a process which is driven by norepinephrine (NE) acting through β-adrenergic receptors (β-ARs) on brown adipose cells and we found that NE is significantly elevated in mice at ST compared to TT. NE is known to suppress immune cell activity. We therefore hypothesized that cool housing conditions elevate NE which then suppresses anti-tumor immunity. To investigate this hypothesis, we used two syngeneic mouse tumor models: 4T1 mammary carcinoma and B16-OVA melanoma. In tumor bearing mice at ST, the β-AR antagonist propranolol significantly delayed tumor growth. β-blockade had no effect on the growth of 4T1 tumors in immunodeficient SCID mice indicating a mechanism involving the adaptive immune response. In mice bearing B16-OVA tumors, β-blockade also slowed tumor growth and this beneficial effect was negated by CD8+ T-cell depletion. In both models, reversing adrenergic stress induced immunosuppression by β-AR blockade in combination with boosting the anti-tumor T cell response by blocking programmed cell death receptor 1 (PD-1) significantly slowed tumor growth in mice housed at ST compared to either treatment alone. Therefore, combination therapy with β-receptor antagonists could improve the clinical efficacy of immunotherapy, including checkpoint inhibition.
Impairments in Finger Tapping the Distal Thumb Crease on the Non-Dominant Side Are Highly Sensitive for Identifying Upper Motor Neuron Lesions (P2.252)

Objective: To investigate the value of finger tapping techniques in identifying demyelinating infratentorial and cervical spinal cord lesions. Background: In the modern world of neurology practice where time constraints exist, the identification of high-yield and reliable exam components is crucial to improve efficiency and appreciation of abnormalities. Methods: Twenty-three patients with multiple sclerosis or clinically isolated syndrome with MRI evidence of infratentorial and/or cervical cord lesions, and 12 healthy controls were videotaped while tapping the tip of the index finger against the tip and distal crease of the thumb using both the dominant and non-dominant hand. Videos were assessed independently for impairments by 10 evaluators of different training levels (3 MS neurologists, 4 neurology residents, 3 advanced practice providers). Sensitivity and inter-rater reliability of finger tapping interpretations were calculated for the various techniques. Results: A total of 1400 evaluations (4 videos per each of the 35 subjects evaluated by 10 independent providers) were obtained. Impairments in finger tapping against the distal thumb crease of the non-dominant hand, identified by neurologists, had the greatest sensitivity (84[percnt], p< 0.001) for detecting CNS lesions compared to other settings. Finger tapping against the thumb crease was more sensitive than the thumb tip across all categories of providers. Finger tapping using the non-dominant hand had greater sensitivity compared to the dominant hand. The best inter-rater reliability was associated with neurologists’ evaluations for the thumb crease of the non-dominant hand (kappa=0.83, p<0.001). Conclusions: Of the existing techniques, impaired finger tapping against the distal thumb crease of the non-dominant hand was more sensitive for detecting CNS demyelinating lesions compared to thumb tip tapping or use of the dominant-hand. This observation may be related to a lower reserve capacity of motor networks responsible for controlling the non-dominant side and suggests the need for refinement of existing traditional assessments. Disclosure: Dr. Shirani has nothing to disclose. Dr. Newton has nothing to disclose. Dr. Okuda has received personal compensation for activities with Acorda Therapeutics, Genzyme, Novartis, and TEVA Neuroscience as a speaker, consultant, or advisory board member. Dr. Okuda has received research support from Biogen Idec.
Factors Associated with False Positive Results on Screening Mammography in a Population of Predominantly Hispanic Women

Background: Potential harms of screening mammography include false positive results, such as recall breast imaging or biopsies.Methods: We recruited women undergoing screening mammography at Columbia University Medical Center in New York, New York. They completed a questionnaire on breast cancer risk factors and permitted access to their medical records. Breast cancer risk status was determined using the Gail model and a family history screener. High risk was defined as a 5-year invasive breast cancer risk of ≥1.67% or eligible for BRCA genetic testing. False positive results were defined as recall breast imaging (BIRADS score of 0, 3, 4, or 5) and/or biopsies that did not yield breast cancer.Results: From November 2014 to October 2015, 2,361 women were enrolled and 2,019 were evaluable, of whom 76% were Hispanic and 10% non-Hispanic white. Fewer Hispanic women met high-risk criteria for breast cancer than non-Hispanic whites (18.0% vs. 68.1%), but Hispanics more frequently engaged in annual screening (71.9% vs. 60.8%). Higher breast density (heterogeneously/extremely dense vs. mostly fat/scattered fibroglandular densities) and more frequent screening (annual vs. biennial) were significantly associated with false positive results [odds ratio (OR), 1.64; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.32-2.04 and OR, 2.18; 95% CI, 1.70-2.80, respectively].Conclusions: We observed that women who screened more frequently or had higher breast density were at greater risk for false positive results. In addition, Hispanic women were screening more frequently despite having a lower risk of breast cancer compared with whites.Impact: Our results highlight the need for risk-stratified screening to potentially minimize the harms of screening mammography. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 27(4); 446-53. ©2018 AACR.
The Abuse Disability Questionnaire: Internal Consistency and Validity Considerations in Two Samples

Comparative psychometric information on the Abuse Disability Questionnaire (ADQ), given to women who were receiving services from domestic violence shelters, was presented. The total score of the ADQ and its subscale scores for Relationship Disability, Life Restriction, Psychological Dysfunction, and Health Status Issues demonstrated adequate internal consistency across two shelter samples. Further construct validation was evidenced by the relationship found between self-esteem and impairment, and also between prior abuse and impairment. Additional research to establish the utility of the Abuse Disability Questionnaire as a research and/or clinical instrument was proposed.
Application of fractal theory to estimation of equivalent diameters of airborne carbon nanotube and nanofiber agglomerates

ABSTRACTUnderstanding transport characteristics of airborne nanotubes and nanofibers is important for assessing their fate in the respiratory system. Typically, diffusion and aerodynamic diameters capture key deposition mechanisms of near-spherical particles such as diffusion and impaction in the submicrometer size range. For nonspherical particles with high aspect ratios, such as aerosolized carbon nanotubes, these diameters can vary widely, requiring their independent measurement. The objective of this study was to develop an approach to provide approximate estimates of aerodynamic- and diffusion-equivalent diameters of airborne carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and carbon nanofibers (CNFs) using their morphological characteristics obtained from electron micrographs. The as-received CNT and CNF materials were aerosolized using different techniques such as dry dispersion and nebulization. Mobility and aerodynamic diameters of test aerosol were directly deduced from tandem measurement of particle mobility and mass....
Predictors of Urban Principal Turnover

Research indicates that principal turnover is increasing and urban districts are struggling to retain their principals. This study used multiple regression analysis to examine seven independent var...
Ionosphere Data Assimilation: Problems Associated with Missing Physics

Physics-based data assimilation models can be used for a wide range of applications in space physics, but as with all models the data assimilation models have limitations. The limitations can be associated with the data, the assimilation technique, or the background physics-based model. Here, we focused on the ionosphere and on elucidating the problems associated with missing physics in the background ionosphere model. The study was conducted with the Global Assimilation of Ionospheric Measurements-Gauss-Markov (GAIM-GM) physics-based data assimilation model. Simulations relevant to the low and middle latitude ionosphere were conducted in order to show how missing physics in the background ionosphere model affects the reconstructions. The low-latitude simulation involved the presence of equatorial plasma bubbles and a background physics-based ionosphere model that does not self-consistently describe bubbles. This problem, coupled with insufficient data, led to a Gauss-Markov reconstruction that contained a broad region of relatively low nighttime Total Electron Density (TEC) values instead of the individual plasma bubbles. The implications of plasma bubbles for reconstructions with the GAIM-FP (Full Physics) data assimilation model, where the electric fields and neutral winds are determined self-consistently, are noted. The mid-latitude simulation involved a Gauss-Markov ionosphere reconstruction for a geomagnetic storm where a Storm Enhanced Density (SED) appeared across the United States. Again, the background physics-based model (Ionosphere Forecast Model) could not produce the SED feature because this model does not take account of penetrating electric fields. Nevertheless, in this case there were sufficient data to overcome the deficiency in the background ionosphere model and the Gauss-Markov data assimilation reconstruction successfully described the SED feature and surrounding ionosphere.
Linear Neural Networks Revisited: From PageRank to Family Happiness

The study of Artificial Neural Networks started with the analysis of linear neurons. It was then discovered that networks consisting only of linear neurons cannot describe non-linear phenomena. As a result, most currently used neural networks consist of non-linear neurons. In this paper, we show that in many cases, linear neurons can still be successfully applied. This idea is illustrated by two examples: the PageRank algorithm underlying the successful Google search engine and the analysis of family happiness.