cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Application of Fullwaveform Tomography to VSP Walkaway Data

VSP walkaway data were collected in an oil field in the United Arab Emirates. 2D frequency domain fullwaveform tomography was used to obtain high resolution rock properties (P-wave), and structural information near and away from the borehole, following a specific data preconditioning and inversion strategy. The field data were inverted between 4 and 50 Hz, and the starting model was obtained from traveltime tomography. The results of the inversion show zones with anomalous low velocities that correlate in places with known presence of hydrocarbons, and highlight their possible extensions. A comparison of the results at the borehole location with the sonic log shows a generally good match. However, some mismatches are evident and can be explained by possible anisotropy and out of the plane structures not taken into account during the inversion.
The Association between Parity and Inflammation among Mexican-American Women of Reproductive Age Varies by Acculturation Level: Results of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999-2006).

Abstract Introduction Parity and acculturation are linked with cardiometabolic risk. Their joint association with cardiometabolic health among Mexican-American women is less established, even though immigrant Mexican-American women have the highest fertility rate in the United States. We examined the modifying role of acculturation on the association of parity with a cardiometabolic risk biomarker, C-reactive protein (CRP). Methods Participants (n = 1,002) were women of Mexican background, ages 16 to 39 years, in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 1999 through 2006. The association between parity and elevated CRP was examined using logistic regression adjusted for age, household food security, access to health care, hemoglobin A1c, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, waist circumference, physical activity, acculturation, and a product term of parity and acculturation. Acculturation was measured on a 6-point score based on nativity status and duration of residence in the United States (0, Mexico born, U.S. resident Results The association of parity with elevated CRP varied by acculturation level (pinteraction = 0.10). Parity was associated with elevated CRP among women with low (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 2.26; 95% CI, 1.07–4.80) and moderate acculturation (adjusted OR, 2.79; 95% CI, 1.16–6.73), compared with nulliparous women. Conclusions Higher odds of elevated CRP associated with parity in immigrant Mexican-American women of reproductive age indicate the need for greater use of maternal/women's health care services for cardiometabolic risk screening and interventions.
Central Olfactory Dysfunction in Alzheimer's Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Functional MRI Study.

BACKGROUND Olfactory deficits are present in early Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitively impaired (MCI) patients. However, whether these deficits are due to dysfunction of the central or peripheral olfactory nervous system remains uncertain. This question is fundamentally important for developing imaging biomarkers for AD using olfactory testing. OBJECTIVE This study sought to use olfactory functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to further demonstrate the involvement of the central olfactory system in olfactory deficits in MCI and AD. METHODS We investigated the central olfactory system in 27 cognitively normal controls (CN), 21 MCI, and 15 AD subjects using olfactory fMRI with an odor-visual association paradigm during which a visual cue was paired with lavender odorant (odor condition) or odorless air (no-odor condition). RESULTS The CN subjects had significantly greater activated volume in the primary olfactory cortex during both the odor and no-odor conditions compared to either the MCI or AD groups (p < 0.05). No significant differences were observed between the odor and no-odor conditions within each group. No-odor condition activation in AD and MCI correlated with the cognitive and olfactory assessments. CONCLUSION The no-odor condition, allowing investigation of activation patterns when the peripheral olfactory system was not directly involved, elicited the same functional response as the odor condition for each of the three groups. Thus, the olfactory activation deficits present in AD and MCI patients are most likely caused by degeneration of the central olfactory nervous system.
Ten Year Projections for US Residency Positions: Will There be Enough Positions to Accommodate the Growing Number of U.S. Medical School Graduates?

Objective Recently, a multitude of new U.S. medical schools have been established and existing medical schools have expanded their enrollments. The National Residency Match Program (NRMP) reports that in 2016 there were 23,339 categorical residency positions offered in the match and 26,836 overall applicants with 17,789 (66.29%) of the total candidates being U.S. allopathic graduates. In view of the rapid growth of medical school graduates, the aim of this study is to determine if current trends suggest a shortage of residency positions within the next ten years. Design The total number of graduates from U.S. medical schools was obtained from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) for 2005-2014 academic years and was trended linearly for a 10-year prediction for the number of graduates. The yearly number of categorical positions filled by U.S. graduates for calendar years 2006-2015 was obtained from the NRMP and was trended longitudinally 10 years into the future. Analysis of subspecialty data focused on the comparison of differences in growth rates and potential foreseeable deficits in available categorical positions in U.S. residency programs. Results According to trended data from AAMC, the total number of graduates from U.S. medical schools has increased 1.52 percent annually (15,927 in 2005 to 18,705 in 2014); with a forecast of 22,280 U.S. medical school graduates in 2026. The growth rate of all categorical positions available in U.S. residency programs was 2.55 percent annually, predicting 29,880 positions available in 2026. In view of these results, an analysis of specific residencies was done to determine potential shortages in specific residencies. With 17.4 percent of all U.S. graduates matching into internal medicine and a 3.17 percent growth rate in residency positions, in 2026 the number of internal medicine residency positions will be 9,026 with 3,874 U.S. graduates predicted to match into these positions. In general surgery, residency positions note a growth rate of 1.55 percent. Of all U.S. graduates, 5.6 percent match into general surgery. Overall this projects 1,445 general surgery residency positions in 2026 with 1,257 U.S. graduates matching. In orthopedics with a growth rate of 1.35 percent and a match rate of 3.75 percent, there are projected to be 827 positions available with 836 U.S. graduates projected to match. Conclusions Despite the increasing number of medical school graduates, our model suggests the rate of growth of residency positions continues to be higher than the rate of growth of U.S. medical school graduates. While there is no apparent shortage of categorical positions overall, highly competitive subspecialties like orthopedics may develop a shortage within the next ten years.
Spatial accumulation of phase difference in spoof plasmon based Mach–Zehnder Interferometer

Abstract An active beam steering structure comprising the spoof surface plasmon polariton (SSPP) waveguide is presented. The proposed structure consists of two stages: the two arms structure as a Mach–Zehnder interferometer (MZI), and free space propagation stage. The SSPP waveguide includes periodic grooves, which are filled with a thin layer of doped semiconductor like GaAs. By applying electric voltage at the electrodes on top of the waveguide, the depletion layer thickness and the effective refractive index of the dielectric inside the grooves can be changed. The effective refractive index of the dielectric inside the groove is derived analytically and the phase change of the propagation wave along the single sided SSPP waveguide is calculated as a function of input voltage. The relation between the input signal and the angle of maximum radiation of output beam is investigated and the linearity is improved. We have shown that the MZI beam steering section has the capability to bend the electromagnetic beam about 42 degrees. At the end, we presented an application of the proposed beam steering device as a spatially accumulated phase difference structure that can be utilized in devices such as digital-to-analog converter (DAC).
Do journalists help investors analyze firms' earnings news?

I reexamine whether media articles with substantive editorial content inform the market's reaction to firms' earnings news. Using variation in earnings announcement coverage because of restructuring at The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), my analyses suggest that WSJ earnings articles improve price discovery and increase trading volume at S&P 500 earnings announcements. Additionally, textual analysis suggests media articles that differ more from the firm's earnings release increase trading volume, and that the differences speed up (slow down) price discovery when they corroborate (contradict) the tone of the firm's news. Such high difference articles are slightly longer, are more readable and specific, include more references to the industry and economy, repeat less “stale” news published in previous WSJ articles, and quote more investor and expert sources. Overall, my paper contributes to research on the role of the media in earnings news by providing evidence that journalists' editorial content helps investors understand firms' earnings, instead of simply entertaining or increasing awareness.
Agile co-development for clinical adoption and adaptation of innovative technologies

Even the most innovative healthcare technologies provide patient benefits only when adopted by clinicians and/or patients in actual practice. Yet realizing optimal positive impact from a new technology for the widest range of individuals who would benefit remains elusive. In software and new product development, iterative rapid-cycle “agile” methods more rapidly provide value, mitigate failure risks, and adapt to customer feedback. Co-development between builders and customers is a key agile principle. But how does one accomplish co-development with busy clinicians? In this paper, we discuss four practical agile co-development practices found helpful clinically: (1) User stories for lightweight requirements; (2) Time-boxed development for collaborative design and prompt course correction; (3) Automated acceptance test driven development, with clinician-vetted specifications; and (4) Monitoring of clinician interactions after release, for rapid-cycle product adaptation and evolution. In the coming wave of innovation in healthcare apps ushered in by open APIs to EHRs, learning rapidly what new product features work well for clinicians and patients will become even more crucial.
Correction of the Framingham Risk Score Data Reported in SPRINT

This report describes an error in the Framingham Risk Score data presented in the original SPRINT publication. The data, presented in Table 1 of the main SPRINT publication in the New England Journal of Medicine and made available to SPRINT Challenge participants, incorrectly calculated the level of baseline cardiovascular risk of the study participants using the Framingham Risk Score. The correct calculation increased the number of participants identified as having >=15% 10-year risk from 5737 to 7089, a change from 61% to 76% of the total study population. This information is important for researchers attempting to validate and extend the trial findings and is particularly germane because the recently released American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology blood pressure guidelines changed blood pressure targets for pharmacologic therapy only for high-risk individuals. Clinical trial registration ID #NCT01206062.
A Cohort Study of the Natural History of Odontoid Pseudoarthrosis Managed Nonoperatively in Elderly Patients

Objective Although the primary goal of treatment of type II odontoid fracture is bony union, some advocate continued nonsurgical management of minimally symptomatic older patients who have fibrous union or minimal fracture motion. The risk of this strategy is unknown. We reviewed our long-term outcomes after dens nonunion to define the natural history of Type II odontoid fractures in elderly patients managed nonoperatively. Methods A retrospective chart review of 50 consecutive adults aged 65 or older with Type II odontoid fracture initially managed nonsurgically from 1998 to 2012 at a single tertiary care institution was conducted. Particular attention was paid to patients who had orthosis removal despite absent bony fusion. Patients were contacted prospectively by telephone and followed until death, surgical intervention, or last known contact. Results Fifty patients initially were managed nonsurgically; of these, 21 (42.0%) proceeded to bony fusion, 3 (6%) underwent delayed surgery for persistent instability, and 26 (52%) had orthosis removal despite the lack of solid arthrodesis on imaging. The last group had a median follow-up of 25 months (range 4–158 months), with 20 of 26 (76.9%) followed until death. Of these patients, 1 patient developed progressive quadriplegia and dysphagia 11 months after initial injury. Compared with patients with spontaneous union, patients with nonunion had shorter life expectancy, despite no significant differences between the groups with respect to age, sex, injury mechanism, radiographic variables, or follow-up duration. Conclusions Orthosis removal despite fracture nonunion may be reasonable in elderly patients with Type II dens fractures.
Next-generation cybersecurity through a blockchain-enabled federated cloud framework

Minimizing the breach detection gap (BDG) for cyber-attacks is a big concern for all organizations and governments. Cyber-attacks are discovered daily, many of which have gone undetected for days to years before the victim organizations detect and deploy the cyber defense. Cyber defense solutions are advancing to combat risks and attacks from traditional to next-generation advanced defense protection solutions. However, many individuals, organizations and businesses continue to be hit by new waves of global cyber-attacks. In this paper, we present a blockchain-enabled federated cloud computing framework that uses the Dempster–Shafer theory to reduce BDG by continuously monitoring and analyzing the network traffics against cyber-attacks. We evaluate the proposed approach using numerical results, and the proposed approach outperforms the traditional approaches.
Transport Properties of Capillaries Isolated From the Brain

Capillaries isolated from rat brain were used to study the blood-brain exchange of glucose and potassium at the cellular level. The uptake of glucose was saturable and stereospecific but not dependent upon energy. In contrast, the uptake of potassium was sensitive to ouabain and dependent upon oxygen. The high specific activity of the potassium transport system suggests that active ion transport may be a specialized function of brain capillaries and a vulnerable site in the pathogenesis of vasogenic brain edema. The retention of transport properties by this isolated capillary preparation indicates that it should be a useful tool in the study of brain edema.
Golden Handcuffs: CEO Employment Contracts when the Firm May Benefit from Anticipated Retention

The relative performance evaluation hypothesis postulates that market-wide and industry-wide performance should not affect the likelihood of CEO involuntary turnover. However, recent academic literature has documented that following poor industry and market performance the likelihood of CEO involuntary turnover increases. This paper presents a model that explains how the lack of relative performance evaluation in CEO turnover can emerge as an efficient result. I analyze a learning model of managerial ability; the model assumes that the firm benefits from stakeholders' anticipation of the retention of its CEO. The model is consistent with several other features of the labor market for CEOs such as observations that CEO compensation correlates with both idiosyncratic firm performance and market performance; that CEOs rarely change employers; and that the value of a firm may increase following a CEO turnover announcement in which the departing CEO accepts employment at another firm. To support this last assertion, I document that in almost half of the cases in a sample of CEO moves to a larger firm the value of the old firm increases following the turnover announcement.
Manufacturer's drug interaction and postmarketing adverse event data: what are appropriate uses?

Governmental agencies overseeing pharmaceutical products use a risk/benefit approach to analyse data and make regulatory decisions. Comprehensive public dissemination of the safety profile of pharmaceutical products is part of an overall strategy for reducing risk associated with the use of any medical product. In the US, reports of postmarketing surveillance of approved drugs are in the public domain. Some, but not all, of the information in drug interaction studies is available to the public through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). However, there are concerns over the misuse of these data for commercial or other gain. The need to protect intellectual property and foster innovation in drug development, and concerns of legal liability are often cited as reasons to limit full public access to data from drug development studies. In contrast, intellectual freedom, public safety, and a mandate for transparent decision-making processes by regulatory agencies are issues that support open access to these data. Ultimately, concern for the public safety justifies open access to postmarketing surveillance data, and to a lesser degree, data regarding drug interactions in marketed products, and should outweigh the potential loss of competitive advantage by pharmaceutical companies.
Towards a semantic-aware file store

Traditional hierarchical namespaces are not sufficient for representing and managing the rich semantics of today's storage systems. In this paper, we discuss the principles of semantic-aware file stores. We identify the requirements of applications and end-users and propose to use a generic data model to capture and represent file semantics. A distinct challenge that we face is to handle dynamic evolution of the data schemas. Further, we outline a framework of basic relations and tools for generating and using semantic metadata. The proposed data model and framework are aimed to be more generic and flexible than what is offered by existing semantic file systems. We envision a range of applications and tools that will exploit semantic information, ranging from personal storage systems with features for advanced searching and roaming access, to enterprise systems supporting distributed data location or archiving.
Compensation of Input Delay for Linear, Nonlinear, Adaptive, and PDE Systems

We present a tutorial introduction to methods for stabilization of systems with long input delays. The methods are based on techniques originally developed for boundary control of partial differential equations. We start with a consideration of linear systems, first with a known delay and then subject to a small uncertainty in the delay. Then we study linear systems with constant delays that are completely unknown, which requires an adaptive control approach. For linear systems, we also present a method for compensating arbitrarily large but known time-varying delays. Finally, we consider nonlinear control problems in the presence of arbitrarily long input delays.
A methodology for evaluating the performance of model-based traffic prediction systems

Abstract Model-based traffic prediction systems (mbTPS) are a central component of the decision support and ICM (integrated corridor management) systems currently used in several large urban traffic management centers. These models are intended to generate real-time predictions of the system’s response to candidate operational interventions. They must therefore be kept calibrated and trustworthy. The methodologies currently available for tracking the validity of a mbTPS have been adapted from approaches originally designed for off-line operational planning models. These approaches are insensitive to the complexity of the network and to the amount and quality of the data available. They also require significant human intervention and are therefore not suitable for real-time monitoring. This paper outlines a set of criteria for designing tests that are appropriate for the mbTPS task. It also proposes a test that meets the criteria. The test compares the predictions of the mbTPS in question to those of a model-less alternative. A t-test is used to determine whether the predictions of the mbTPS are superior to those of the model-less predictor. The approach is applied to two different systems using data from the I-210 freeway in Southern California.
Consensos, conflictos y ambigüedades en torno al territorio: exploración etnohistórica de la lengüeta, Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta

Located in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia, La Lengueta is marked by profound economic, sociopolitical, and cultural complexities. In addition to belonging to a Natural National Park and an indigenous reservation, it has been settled by farmers from different regions of the country. It has also experienced the Colombian State's problematic presence as well as of non- State actors. I analyze from an ethnohistorical approach how differing ways of understanding space and territory have shaped La Lengueta over the past 50 years. Specifically, I address how La Lengueta has been inserted into Colombian economic and productive dynamics, the migration processes, and the tensions among different human groups and institutions in this region.
Reduced forms of nitrogen are a driver of non-nitrogen-fixing harmful cyanobacterial blooms and toxicity in Lake Erie.

Western Lake Erie (WLE) experiences anthropogenic eutrophication and annual, toxic cyanobacterial blooms of non-nitrogen (N) fixing Microcystis. Numerous studies have shown that bloom biomass is correlated with an increased proportion of soluble reactive phosphorus loading from the Maumee River. Long term monitoring shows that the proportion of the annual Maumee River N load of non-nitrate N, or total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), has also increased significantly (Spearman's ρ = 0.68, p = 0.001) over the last few decades and is also significantly correlated to cyanobacterial bloom biomass (Spearman's ρ = 0.64, p = 0.003). The ratio of chemically reduced N to oxidized N (TKN:NO3) concentrations was also compared to extracted chlorophyll and phycocyanin concentrations from all weekly sampling stations within WLE from 2009 to 2015. Both chlorophyll (Spearman's ρ = 0.657, p < 0.0001) and phycocyanin (Spearman's ρ = 0.714, p < 0.0001) were significantly correlated with TKN:NO3. This correlation between the increasing fraction of chemically reduced N from the Maumee River and increasing bloom biomass demonstrates the urgent need to control N loading, in addition to current P load reductions, to WLE and similar systems impacted by non-N-fixing, toxin-producing cyanobacteria.
Revision del proceso de la administracion estrategica, estudio del paradigma de estrategia, estructura y equifinalidad: una investigacion empirica en empresas en noreste de México

Palabras claves: Caos, estrategia, estructura, equifinalidad, , situacional, sistemas Resumen. Esta investigacion busca comprobar empiricamente el paradigma entre estrategiaestructura y equifinalidad en empresas del noreste de Mexico. Se llevo al cabo un estudio a traves de la aplicacion de cuestionarios a negocios de esa parte del pais. Se considero como variable independiente la existencia del modelo de Chandler acerca de que la “estructura organizacional sigue a la estrategia”. La variable dependiente, se establece como la obtencion de resultados equifinales (igualmente finales), con o sin la existencia del paradigma de estrategia-estructura. Dos contribuciones emergen de este estudio. La primera consiste en haber encontrado que efectivamente existe una relacion entre estrategia y estructura en las empresas investigadas. La segunda, y mas importante, es que se evidencio, con prueba empirica, el paradigma de equifinalidad. Se necesita mayor investigacion para poder determinar las razones para el funcionamiento de este paradigma. La naturaleza holistica de la Administracion Estrategica puede ser la que explique el exito final, “sin importar los inicios”. Key words: Chaos, equifinality, situational, strategy, structure, system Abstract. The objective of this research is to test empirically the strategy, structure and equifinality paradigm in northeast Mexico companies. Businesses, in this region of the country, were studied through the application of a questionnaire. The paradigm of Chandler regarding “structure follows strategy” is the independent variable. The dependent variable is established as finding equifinal results with or without the presence of the strategy -structure paradigm. From this study, two contributions materialize. The first one is that it is effectively true the relationship between strategy and structure. The second and more important one is that the equifinality paradigm was in fact true and empirical evidence was obtained. To determine the reasons for the functioning of this paradigm, more research is needed. “No matter the beginnings”, final success may be explained by the wholistic nature of management.
INCIDENCE AND OUTCOMES OF PROSTHETIC VALVE ENDOCARDITIS IN ADULTS WITH TETRALOGY OF FALLOT

The risk of endocarditis varies with congenital heart disease complexity and the presence of prosthetic valves. The purpose of the study was therefore to describe incidence and outcomes of prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE) in adults with repair tetralogy of Fallot (TOF). Retrospective review of
Complex Lower Extremity Wound in the Complex Host: Results From a Multicenter Registry

Background The complex diabetic lower extremity wound has not been well studied. There are a variety of new technologies now being applied with a paucity of evidence in evaluating their outcomes. The aim of this study is to describe clinical outcomes in the complex lower extremity wound in the comorbid host. We hypothesized that treatment choice would have minimal impact on healing outcomes in this compromised population. Methods A multicenter retrospective registry of patients with diabetes and lower extremity wounds was created to compare treatment modalities of collagen-glycosaminoglycan scaffold, negative-pressure wound therapy, local tissue flap, and free tissue transfer. Statistical analyses included descriptive, proportional comparisons and Cox regression. Results There were no statistical differences in age, hemoglobin A1c, or body mass index between groups. Study patients had a history of amputation (40.5%), peripheral vascular disease (54.6%), peripheral neuropathy (64.8%), end-stage renal disease (13.9%), renal/hepatic disease (40.4%), and hypertension (85%). The most common wound etiologies were surgical dehiscence (69%), diabetic neuropathic wounds (39%), and ischemic wounds (28%), most commonly located on the foot or at a prior amputation site (30%). Mean wound area was 57.9 cm2 and almost half with exposed bone. There were no statistical differences between treatment groups in proportion or time to healing, recurrence, or time to return to baseline function. Conclusions Commonly used treatment modalities employed for this population of patients resulted in similar outcomes. This is the first study to describe the complex diabetic lower extremity wound in a complex host.
Modeling of shear stiffness reduction from database of axial load tests on pile foundations

Initiating at the small-strain shear modulus (Gmax ), the mechanical nonlinear stress-strain-strength behavior of soil manifests in the form of modulus reduction, typically expressed in normalized form as Gop /Gmax . Here, Gop is the operative shear modulus – a reduced stiffness value corresponding to strain levels that the soil is experiencing. Assessment of Gop is critical to reliable predictions of load-related deformations within the soil. Among the various categories of loading, deep foundations and pilings exhibit a typical mechanism of axial load transfer to the foundation soil. For friction type piles, the stiffness reduction mostly takes place along the pile shaft-soil interface. Within the framework of an analytical solution, the back analyses from the results of load tests on pile foundations, together with the knowledge of pile geometries and soil parameters, provide an outline for evaluation of Gop at different load increments. This paper explains the methodology employed to develop stiffness reduction curves (Gop /Gmax ) as a function of pseudo-strain (γp = wt /d), where, wt = settlement at the pile top, and d = pile diameter. Algorithms that integrate the plasticity characteristics of the soil are also presented. The results afford an improved evaluation of the complete nonlinear load-settlement (Q-wt ) response for pile foundations under axial loads.
Day-of-week patterns for ultrafine particulate matter components at four sites in California

Abstract Ultrafine particulate matter (PM0.1) samples were collected during three-day averaging periods over an annual cycle at four sites across California: Los Angeles, East Oakland, San Pablo, and Fresno. PM0.1 samples were analyzed for thermal carbon fractions using a thermal-optical carbon analyzer and trace elements using ICP-MS. A statistical analysis of the day-of-week trends for 15 PM0.1 components reveals location-specific patterns along with important general trends for UFP concentrations. PM0.1 elemental carbon (EC) concentrations are elevated in the middle of the week consistent with increased activity for diesel engines during this time period. Just as significantly, PM0.1 organic carbon (OC) concentrations do not exhibit a day-of-week pattern. Since OC accounts for the majority of the PM0.1 total mass, the lack of a day-of-week pattern for PM0.1 OC suggests that diesel engines do not dominate total PM0.1 mass in California. A paired t-test constructed using measurements on weekends compared to measurements immediately preceding or immediately following the weekend showed that PM0.1 potassium (K) and rubidium (Rb) concentrations were elevated on weekends. This pattern is consistent with increased biomass combustion on weekends (a previously unknown exposure pattern for UFPs). The two closest sampling locations (East Oakland and San Pablo) had the greatest number of UFP components with identical weekly trends, but even at these locations only 4 out of 15 components displayed the exact same day-of-week profiles. Less similarity was observed in measured day-of-week profiles for UFP components at other sites. The heterogeneity between sites suggests that the details of UFP concentrations at each location reflect the mixture of sources immediately adjacent to that site. By extension, individual neighborhoods across California will each experience unique day-of-week concentration profiles for UFP components that reflect the surrounding sources. These factors must be considered when estimating population exposure to ultrafine particles during future health effects studies.
Progression-free survival in patients with cholangiocarcinoma with FGFR2 fusions or rearrangements: An exploration of response to systemic therapy.

588Background: Most cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) patients (pts) are diagnosed with advanced disease and are ineligible for surgery. FGFR2 fusions or rearrangements are present in 10–16% of pts with int...
Quantum Chemical Lipophilicities of Antimalarial Drugs in Relation to Terminal Half-Life.

According to the WHO, artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) have been integral to the recent reduction in deaths due to Plasmodium falciparum malaria. ACT-resistant strains are an emerging...
Effect of chromosome substitutions from Gossypium barbadense L., G. tomentosum Nutt. Ex Seem and G. mustelinum Watt into G. hirsutum L. on cottonseed protein and oil content

Cottonseed is the second-most common plant protein source after soybean, and the fifth-most common oil source after soybean, palm tree, colza and sunflower. There has been little economic incentive until recently to breed for cottonseed nutritional components. In our previous studies we used chromosome substitution (CS) lines to associate novel traits of importance with specific substituted chromosome. The objective of this research was to study the effect of chromosome or chromosome segment substitutions from Gossypium barbadense, G. tomentosum and G. mustelinum on cottonseed protein and oil content in Upland cotton (G. hirsutum). Nine euploid CS lines, TM-1, the recurrent parent line, and ‘UA48’, were experimentally compared using a randomized complete block design with four replications at each location in Florence, SC and Mississippi State, MS. Acid delinted cottonseeds were analyzed for protein and oil using near-infrared reflectance. Our overall results showed that an increase in protein percentage is normally associated with decrease in oil percentage or opposite effect in most of the CS lines. We discovered that specific chromosome or chromosome segment substitutions from the wild species of G. tomentosum and G. mustelinum were associated with altered protein and oil percentages, possibly indicating chromosomal associations with protein and oil percentage gene(s). Results revealed that CS-M08sh line had increased protein and oil percentages at MS, whereas changes in protein and oil percentages are normally in opposite directions. However, CS-M08sh line had highest oil percentage among all lines but with moderate protein percentage at SC. Novel germplasm with the gene(s) for improved protein and oil percentage was developed from wild species of Upland cotton’s primary gene pool.
Riding Shotgun with Norman Wallace: Rephotographing the Arizona Landscape: William Wyckoff. Albuquerque, NM: University of New Mexico Press, 2020. 176 pp., maps, illustrations, notes, index. $34.95 paper (ISBN 978-0-8263-6141-7).

When I was young, I spent many a summer afternoon exploring the yard of our neighbors, Paul and Mary Bauer. They owned an undeveloped lot—a rarity in suburban Washington, DC—that never failed to pr...
Analysis of the Stability of Rumen pH Measurements Obtained Post-Mortem

Based on this study the use of rumen fluid pH as an ancillary diagnostic in the routine post-mortem examination of feedlot cattle is warranted and accurate for at least six hours post-mortem.
Antemortem Visit-To-Visit Blood Pressure Variability Predicts Cerebrovascular Lesion Burden in Autopsy-Confirmed Alzheimer's Disease.

Background Blood pressure variability is linked to Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk and MRI-based markers of cerebrovascular disease. Less is known about the role of blood pressure variability in postmortem evaluation of cerebrovascular disease and AD. Objective To determine whether antemortem blood pressure variability predicts cerebrovascular and AD pathology and follow-up cognitive change in autopsy-confirmed AD. Methods National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center participants (n = 513) underwent 3-4 approximately annual blood pressure measurements and were confirmed to have AD at postmortem evaluation. A subset (n = 493) underwent neuropsychological evaluation at follow-up. Regression models examined relationships between blood pressure variability and cerebrovascular and AD pathological features and follow-up cognitive change. Results Elevated blood pressure variability predicted increased postmortem cerebrovascular lesion burden (s = 0.26 [0.10, 0.42]; p = 0.001; R2 = 0.12). Increased blood pressure variability predicted specific cerebrovascular lesion severity, including atherosclerosis in the Circle of Willis (OR = 1.22 [1.03, 1.44]; p = 0.02) and cerebral arteriolosclerosis (OR = 1.32 [1.04, 1.69]; p = 0.03). No significant relationships were observed between blood pressure variability and AD pathological findings, including Braak & Braak stage, neuritic plaques or diffuse plaques, or cerebral amyloid angiopathy, or follow-up cognitive decline. Conclusion Findings suggest that elevated blood pressure variability is related to postmortem cerebrovascular lesion burden in autopsy-confirmed AD, independent of average blood pressure and AD neuropathology. Blood pressure fluctuation may selectively promote atherosclerotic and arteriolosclerotic brain lesions with potential implications for cognitive impairment and dementia.
Integrating Patient-Reported Outcomes Into Clinical Genetic Testing for Familial Hypercholesterolemia

Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and PRO measures (PROMs) are often used to help clinicians and researchers understand patients' personal concerns, feelings, experiences, and perspectives following the implementation of an intervention. Notably, PROs and PROMs can inform health systems, health policy, and payers on the utility of clinical genetic testing based on each patient's personal values, perspectives, and potential health behaviors subsequent to testing. In this topic synopsis, we discuss the underexplored role of and implications for PROs and PROMs following genetic testing for familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), an autosomal dominant genetic disorder of cholesterol metabolism that can lead to highly premature fatal and nonfatal myocardial infarction and stroke. We also discuss why the use and consideration of patient perspectives, via PROs and PROMs, are critical to the process of optimizing patient care across various FH treatment contexts. As expert clinician groups consider the latest evidence when establishing recommendations for FH genetic testing, there is a ripe opportunity for clinicians and researchers to explore the value and utility of PROs to inform and possibly improve care for patients diagnosed with FH.
Exploring Undergraduate Students’ Conceptualizations of Social Justice Action

This critical constructivist descriptive case study examined how 12 students in a diversity dialogue course conceptualized action in response to oppression. Participants often defined action as ind...
Reemerging Infections: Recent Developments in Pertussis

Although pertussis (whooping cough) technically qualifies as a reemerging infection by virtue of its increase in reported cases over the last 15 years, there is no doom and gloom about the future of this fascinating illness. Despite the important recent progress summarized in this chapter, there are substantial barriers to overcome in the long-term mission of controlling or eliminating the disease. A variety of primers have been used for pertussis polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays, and this technology is available in an increasing number of centers. Serology is also being used increasingly to identify patients with pertussis, although this approach is more effective for epidemiologic purposes than in acute diagnosis. This infection is localized to the respiratory tract. Almost certainly, Bordetella pertussis reaches that site via aerosol droplets produced by the cough of an actively infected individual. Immunization with whole cell pertussis vaccine has been the mainstay of public health measures against this illness since the mid-1950s. Future clinical investigation will focus on potential benefit of additional antigens for the acellular vaccines, their duration of protection, and whether they might be used for protection of the adult population which is now recognized as experiencing an increasing incidence of pertussis.
Monitoring Membrane Voltage Using Two-Photon Excitation of Fluorescent Voltage-Sensitive Dyes

Functional imaging microscopy based on voltage-sensitive dyes (VSDs) has proven effective for revealing spatiotemporal patterns of activity in vivo and in vitro. Microscopy based on two-photon excitation (TPE) of fluorescent VSDs offers the possibility of three-dimensional recording of membrane potential changes on subcellular length scales hundreds of microns below the brain’s surface. Here we describe progress in monitoring membrane voltage using TPE of VSD fluorescence, and detail an application of this emerging technology in which action potentials (APs) were recorded in single trials from individual mammalian nerve terminals in situ. Prospects for, and limitations of this method are reviewed.
Optimization of composite structures by genetic algorithms

The design of composite laminated panels is a combinatorial problem when the orientation of the fibers in each layer is restricted to a discrete pool of angles. Additionally, composite laminates often have many optimal and near-optimal designs, and the designer may benefit by knowing many of those designs. Genetic algorithms are well suited for laminate design because they can handle the combinatorial nature of the problem and they permit the designer to obtain many near-optimal designs. However, their computational cost is high for most structural optimization problems. This work describes several attempts to reduce the cost of optimizing composite laminates using genetic algorithms. First, the use of a genetic algorithm to maximize the buckling load of a fixed thickness composite laminate is studied. Various genetic parameters, including population size, probability of mutation, and probability of crossover are optimized by numerical experiments. A new genetic operator--stack swap--is proposed and shown to be effective in reducing the cost of the optimization. Second, the genetic algorithm is revised and improved for minimum thickness design of composite laminated plates. The influence on the genetic search of the penalty functions enforcing failure constraints is studied. Combining fixed and proportional penalty functions is found to be the most efficient strategy. Improved selection, mutation, and stack swap operators are proposed. The use of an operator called scaling mutation that projects designs towards the feasible domain is investigated. The improvements in the genetic algorithm are shown to reduce the average price of the search by more than 50%. Next, the improved genetic algorithm for minimum thickness laminate design is applied to a more complex wing box-beam optimization problem. Tuning the genetic algorithm on this problem shows that, because the maximum length of a search is limited, the optimal population size does not grow with the size of the design space. If the probability of applying stack swap is reduced with the number of independent laminates in the wing box, stack swap enhances the performance of the genetic search on the wing box-beam problem. Finally, the possibility of running many searches is investigated. It is empirically shown that several short searches can be more efficient than a long one, especially when high levels of reliability are required. An example is given where a genetic algorithm is specifically modified for better efficiency in the context of repeated short runs. A procedure is studied that enables predicting reliability at later stages of the search.
Efficient Asymmetric Synthesis of N‐tert‐Butoxycarbonyl α‐Aminoacids Using 4‐tert‐Butoxycarbonyl‐5,6‐Diphenylmorpholin‐2‐one: (R)‐(N‐tert‐Butoxycarbonyl)Allylglycine

(N-tert-Butoxycarbonyl)allylglycine 4-tert-Butyloxycarbonyl-5,6-diphenylmorpholin-2-one Allyl iodide 4-tert-Butoxycarbonyl-5,6-diphenyl-3-(1′prop-2′-enyl)morpholin-2-one Lithium bis(trimethylsilyl)amide Keywords: asymmetric synthesis; alpha-amino acids; allylglycines; waste disposal; allyl iodide; morpholine glycine synthon; enantiomeric forms; lithium
The California Law of Unfair Competition Takes a Turn--Against the Employer

M ANY attorneys, accustomed to identifying unfair competition with some of the better known and more numerous decisions of the federal courts, may be unaware that California has developed a sizable case law of her own dealing with the subject. This is particularly true of litigation arising out of a master-servant relationship formerly existing between the parties. The writer believes there have been recent developments in this field of unusual interest and significance; and that the subject itself is one which will, sooner or later, confront any lawyer engaged in the general practice. On July 8, 1952, the Supreme Court of California formulated a rule which, it seems reasonable to believe, could make a common type of unfair competition case several times harder for the plaintiff. The situation involved is that of the former employee with an intimate knowledge of his former employer's customers, business operations and trade secrets, going out to compete with his old boss, and possibly putting him out of business. The case is Aetna Building Maintenance Co. v. West.' While a portion of the opinion appears to effect a substantial change in what many of us doubtless thought to be the law, and accentuates a trend, it has still another aspect of unusual interest: the opinion incorporates a curious error, or, to be most conservative, an ambiguity which may prove quite troublesome to both bench and bar.
One Monopoly Is Better Than Two: Antitrust Policy and Microsoft

The Department of Justice recent case against Microsoft is that it should not be allowed to aggressively maintain control over the internet browser market with the objective of preventing the internet from becoming the platform that could ultimately destroy Microsoft's operating system market. The aim of this paper is not to attack the Department of Justice case. Rather, it is to argue that for consumers one monopoly dominating both the operating system and applications is better than two separate monopolies. In our model we integrate Cournot's theory of two goods that are jointly used in the production of a third composite good with the fixed-proportion model. Utilizing our model we develop a possible explanation for Microsoft's actions – protection of its monopoly profits in the operating systems package market. Additionally we show that the price of the final product is lower if one firm monopolizes all markets. Consequently, the ordered split-up of Microsoft by Judge Thomas P. Jackson, aiming at creating two separate companies, one that will produce the windows and the other the operating systems, will harm consumers.
Refining the undecidability frontier of hybrid automata

Reachability becomes undecidable in hybrid automata (HA) that can simulate a Turing (TM) or Minsky (MM) machine. Asarin and Schneider have shown that, between the decidable 2-dim Piecewise Constant Derivative (PCD) class and the undecidable 3-dim PCD class, there lies the “open” class 2-dim Hierarchical PCD (HPCD). This class was shown to be equivalent to the class of 1-dim Piecewise Affine Maps (PAM). In this paper, we first explore 2-dim HPCD's proximity to decidability, by showing that they are equivalent to 2-dim PCDs with translational resets, and to HPCDs without resets. A hierarchy of intermediates also equivalent to the HPCD class is presented, revealing semblance to timed and initialized rectangular automata. We then explore the proximity to the undecidability frontier. We show that 2-dim HPCDs with zeno executions or integer-checks can simulate the 2-counter MM. We conclude by retreating HPCDs as PAMs, to derive a simple over-approximating algorithm for reachability. This also defines a decidable subclass 1-dim Onto PAM (oPAM). The novel non-trivial transformation of 2-dim HPCDs into “almost decidable” systems, is likely to pave the way for approximate reachability algorithms, and the characterization of decidable subclasses. It is hoped that these ideas eventually coalesce into a complete understanding of the reachability problem for the class 2-dim HPCD (1-dim PAM).