cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A chemically defined medium induces resistance to lipopolysaccharide antibody in Haemophilus influenzae type b.

Abstract Haemophilus influenzae type b was more resistant to killing by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) antibody and complement after growth in defined medium than in conventional broths. Resistance correlated with decreased binding of LPS antibody, as determined by a whole-cell enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. An inhibition radioimmunoassay was used to determine that bacteria grown in defined medium contained about 2.5 times more capsule than bacteria grown in conventional broth. No major differences were noted in the electrophoretic patterns of outer membrane proteins or LPS. The defined medium did not increase the resistance of a capsule-deficient mutant. Resistance and increased encapsulation could be reproduced after growth in conventional broth supplemented with magnesium, glutamic acid, and aspartic acid. Thus, the growth medium may influence the content of capsule on H. influenzae type b, and may in turn, influence the binding and bactericidal activity of LPS antibody to the cells.
Reichenbach’s Entanglements

Looking back, Reichenbach’s views about knowledge and meaning seem in most respects entirely typical of those of empiricists of the day. His epistemological differences with Carnap, C. I. Lewis and others seem far less significant than the agreements they shared. If Reichenbach is distinctive, it is because his epistemological concerns seem to have had their source in careful analyses of innovations in physical theory, and because his developing views were constantly buttressed with physical examples. It is this interplay of epistemological doctrine and scientific theory that makes Reichenbach’s work especially appealing, vivid and forceful. Reichenbach’s epistemological views are, by now, unpopular enough that they scarcely need criticism, and even though I will criticize them that is not my chief purpose. My purpose is to provide a perspective on the interaction of Reichenbach’s epistemological doctrines and his analyses of scientific inference, a perspective which I hope will reveal something both new and true about the problems that motivated Reichenbach’s work. It is exactly because Reichenbach’s views are in many ways typical of empiricism present and past that the enterprise is worthwhile; the points I shall make about Reichenbach could equally be made about Carnap, Lewis, or any number of contemporary writers.
Monitoring continuous band-join queries over dynamic data

A continuous query is a standing query over a dynamic data set whose query result needs to be constantly updated as new data arrive. We consider the problem of constructing a data structure on a set of continuous band-join queries over two data sets R and S, where each band-join query asks for reporting the set { (r,s)∈ R× S | a≤ r–s≤ b} for some parameters a and b, so that given a data update in R or S, one can quickly identify the subset of continuous queries whose results are affected by the update, and compute changes to these results. We present the first nontrivial data structure for this problem that simultaneously achieves subquadratic space and sublinear query time. This is achieved by first decomposing the original problem into two independent subproblems, and then carefully designing data structures suitable for each case, by exploiting the particular structure in each subproblem. A key step in the above construction is a data structure whose performance increases with the degree of clusteredness of the band-joins being indexed. We believe that this structure is of independent interest and should have broad impact in practice. We present the details in [1].
State-specific, racial and ethnic heterogeneity in trends of firearm-related fatality rates in the USA from 2000 to 2010

Objectives To document overall, racial, ethnic and intent-specific spatiotemporal trends of firearm-related fatality rates (FRF rates) in the USA. Design Cross-sectional study per year from 2000 to 2010. Setting USA. Participants Aggregate count of all people in the USA from 2000 to 2010. Outcome measures Data from the Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System from 2000 to 2010 was used to determine annual FRF rates per 100 000 and by states, race, ethnicity and intent. Results The average national 11-year FRF rate was 10.21/100 000, from 3.02 in Hawaii to 18.62 in Louisiana: 60% of states had higher than national rates and 41 states showed no temporal change. The average national FRF rates among African-Americans and Caucasians were 18.51 and 9.05/100 000 and among Hispanics and non-Hispanics were 7.13 and 10.13/100 000; Hispanics had a decreasing change of −0.18, p trend Conclusions Endemic national FRF rates mask a wide variation in time trends between states. FRF rates were twice as high in African-Americans than Caucasians but decreased among Hispanics. Efforts to identify state-specific best practices can contribute to changes in national FRF rates that remain high.
Elizabethan Cosmopolitan: Captain Thomas Stukeley in the Court of Dom Sebastian

AbstractTwo plays were written and performed in the 1590s, based partly or fully on the life of the English Catholic exile, Captain Thomas Stukeley: The Battle of Alcazar attributed to George Peele...
A reexamination of two-fluid solar wind models

The two-fluid solar-wind equations have been solved by a method which is approximately 50 times faster than any previously developed, through the use of asymptotic expansions which are self-consistently iterated upon to find a solution that passes through the critical point. The energy assumptions in two-fluid solar-wind models are reexamined, and the conclusions are as follows: (1) proton thermal conduction may not be neglected, (2) the Coulomb logarithm must be calculated as a function of radius, and (3) the electron and proton temperatures at the base need not be equal, even when the time scale for energy exchange between the species is an order of magnitude smaller than the expansion time at the base. It is possible to reproduce reasonable quiet-time solar-wind parameters at 1 AU, but only if the proton temperature is approximately twice the electron temperature at 1 solar radius. This may indicate that extended proton heating is important in the outer solar corona. Winds with velocities at 1 AU of 450 km/s are generated without nonthermal energy deposition but require high proton temperatures as well as very low densities at the base. Higher-velocity solutions are not possible in a spherically symmetric geometry for reasonable particle fluxes at 1 AU, and it is suggested that these higher-velocity states probably require additional heating, acceleration mechanisms, or nonradial flow.
A Comparison of Chinese Parsers for Stanford Dependencies

Stanford dependencies are widely used in natural language processing as a semantically-oriented representation, commonly generated either by (i) converting the output of a constituent parser, or (ii) predicting dependencies directly. Previous comparisons of the two approaches for English suggest that starting from constituents yields higher accuracies. In this paper, we re-evaluate both methods for Chinese, using more accurate dependency parsers than in previous work. Our comparison of performance and efficiency across seven popular open source parsers (four constituent and three dependency) shows, by contrast, that recent higher-order graph-based techniques can be more accurate, though somewhat slower, than constituent parsers. We demonstrate also that n-way jackknifing is a useful technique for producing automatic (rather than gold) part-of-speech tags to train Chinese dependency parsers. Finally, we analyze the relations produced by both kinds of parsing and suggest which specific parsers to use in practice.
On NURBS: a survey

Nonuniform rational B-spline (NURBS) curves and surfaces, which are based on rational and B-splines, are defined. The important characteristics of NURBS that have contributed to their wide acceptance as standard tools for geometry representation and design are summarized. Their application to representing conic sections and commonly used surfaces, designing curves and surfaces, and modifying shapes is examined. >
Planning and control models to analyze problems of flexible manufacturing

The design and use of flexible manufacturing systems (FMSs) involves some intricate operations research problems. Such a system consists of an integrated set of computer numerically controlled machine tools, interconnected by an automated material handling system, all under the control of one or more computers. An FMS is capable of the simultaneous manufacture of several different part types in batches of size one. Various mathematical models that have been used in the design, planning, scheduling, and control of these systems will be discussed. These models have been used in the design of an FMS to determine, for example, the appropriate number of machine tools of each type, the capacity of the material handling system, or the size of buffers. They have also been used in the planning, or set up, of an FMS to determine which parts should be simultaneously machined, the optimal partition of machines into groups, allocations of pallets and fixtures to part types, and the assignment of operations and associated cutting tools among the limitedcapacity tool magazines of the machine tools. Mathematical models have been used in the scheduling of an FMS to determine the optimal input sequence of parts and an optimal sequence at each machine tool given the current part mix.
Nanoparticle-based therapy in an in vivo microRNA-155 (miR-155)-dependent mouse model of lymphoma

MicroRNA-155 (miR-155) is an oncogenic microRNA that regulates several pathways involved in cell division and immunoregulation. It is overexpressed in numerous cancers, is often correlated with poor prognosis, and is thus a key target for future therapies. In this work we show that overexpression of miR-155 in lymphoid tissues results in disseminated lymphoma characterized by a clonal, transplantable pre-B-cell population of neoplastic lymphocytes. Withdrawal of miR-155 in mice with established disease results in rapid regression of lymphadenopathy, in part because of apoptosis of the malignant lymphocytes, demonstrating that these tumors are dependent on miR-155 expression. We show that systemic delivery of antisense peptide nucleic acids encapsulated in unique polymer nanoparticles inhibits miR-155 and slows the growth of these “addicted” pre-B-cell tumors in vivo, suggesting a promising therapeutic option for lymphoma/leukemia.
Discharge Model for the Lithium Iron-Phosphate Electrode

This paper develops a mathematical model for lithium intercalation and phase change in an iron phosphate-based lithium-ion cell in order to understand the cause for the low power capability of the material. The juxtaposition of the two phases is assumed to be in the form of a shrinking core, where a shell of one phase covers a core of the second phase. Diffusion of lithium through the shell and the movement of the phase interface are described and incorporated into a porous electrode model consisting of two different particle sizes. Open-circuit measurements are used to estimate the composition ranges of the single-phase region. Model-experimental comparisons under constant current show that ohmic drops in the matrix phase, contact resistances between the current collector and the porous matrix, and transport limitations in the iron phosphate particle limit the power capability of the cells. Various design options, consisting of decreasing the ohmic drops, using smaller particles, and substituting the liquid electrolyte by a gel are explored, and their relative importance discussed. The model developed in this paper can be used as a means of optimizing the cell design to suit a particular application.
Crustal Deformation Observatory

Under the joint direction of the University of California at Los Angeles and San Diego, the Crustal Deformation Observatory project at Pinyon Flat, California, has completed its first year. The overall aim of this project, sponsored by the U.S. Geological Survey, is to evaluate and improve instrumentation for measuring long-period (days to years) crustal deformation in a technically active area. This research is being conducted at Pinon Flat Observatory by operating an array of differing instruments, each capable of resolving the signals generated by stresses associated with the San Jacinto and San Andreas fault zones. At this time there are 11 institutions involved, some on an informal basis, utilizing techniques ranging from NASA's project ARIES to Carnegie Institute's deep borehole strainmeters. Particular emphasis has been placed on establishing the coherence between different methods of long-baselength (500 m) tilt measurements.
Metronidazole Metabolism in Cultures of Entamoeba histolytica and Trichomonas vaginalis

Abstract Acetamide forms from metronidazole in cultures of either Entamoeba histolytica or Trichomonas vaginalis as it does in cultures of bacteria which are susceptible to this drug. Under aerobic conditions, the formation of acetamide is more rapid in a strain of T. vaginalis which is more susceptible to metronidazole. Thus, it appears that the formation of acetamide may be associated with the microbiocidal action of metronidazole.
Towards a formalization of disease-specific ontologies for neuroinformatics

We present issues arising when trying to formalize disease maps, i.e. ontologies to represent the terminological relationships among concepts necessary to construct a knowledge-base of neurological disorders. These disease maps are being created in the context of a large-scale data mediation system being created for the Biomedical Informatics Research Network (BIRN). The BIRN is a multiuniversity consortium collaborating to establish a large-scale data and computational grid around neuroimaging data, collected across multiple scales. Test bed projects within BIRN involve both animal and human studies of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia.Incorporating both the static 'terminological' relationships and dynamic processes, disease maps are being created to encapsulate a comprehensive theory of a disease. Terms within the disease map can also be connected to the relevant terms within other ontologies (e.g. the Unified Medical Language System), in order to allow the disease map management system to derive relationships between a larger set of terms than what is contained within the disease map itself. In this paper, we use the basic structure of a disease map we are developing for Parkinson's disease to illustrate our initial formalization for disease maps.
Metastable phase diagrams for simultaneous interpenetrating networks of a polyurethane and poly(methyl methacrylate)

Abstract Phase separation and gelation in simultaneous interpenetrating networks (SINs) are studied for the model system polyurethane poly(methyl methacrylate) (PU-PMMA). A metastable phase diagram is developed as a tetrahedron in three dimensions in which the four vertices represent the four individual components: the two polymers, PMMA and PU, and the two monomer (or prepolymer) mixtures, MMA and ‘U’. The time order of three events, gelation of polymer I, gelation of polymer II and phase separation of polymer I from II, is explored. The tetrahedron constructed represents these three events as curved or planar surfaces going through its volume. The intersections of any two surfaces produce critical curves or lines representing, for example, simultaneous phase separation and PMMA gelation, or simultaneous gelation of PMMA and PU. These are critical conditions capable of playing key roles in the development of an SIN's morphology and hence properties. The metastable phase diagram allows visualization of the course of the three events during SIN synthesis, and provides direction for controlling them with respect to these critical conditions.
Review of the effect of opioid-related side effects on the undertreatment of moderate to severe chronic non-cancer pain: tapentadol, a step toward a solution?

AbstractObjective:Opioids are among the most effective and potent analgesics currently available. Their utility in the management of pain associated with cancer, acute injury, or surgery is well recognized. However, extending the application of opioids to the management of chronic non-cancer pain has met with considerable resistance. This resistance is due in part to concerns related to gastrointestinal and central nervous system-related adverse events as well as issues pertaining to regulatory affairs, the development of tolerance, incorrect drug usage, and addiction. This review focuses on the incidence of opioid-related side effects and the patient and physician barriers to opioid therapy for chronic non-cancer pain. Tapentadol, a centrally acting analgesic with two mechanisms of action, µ-opioid agonism and norepinephrine reuptake inhibition, may be considered to be a partial solution to some of these issues.Methods:MEDLINE was searched for English-language articles from 1950 to February 2010 using th...
The cost‐effectiveness of methadone maintenance as a health care intervention

Aims. Cost-effectiveness analysis using life-years of survival as the measure of treatment benefit is widely used in the economic evaluation of health care interventions but has not been applied to substance abuse treatment. The cost-effectiveness of methadone maintenance was evaluated to demonstrate the feasibility of applying this method to substance abuse treatment. Design. A literature review was undertaken to determine the effect of methadone treatment on the rate of mortality associated with opiate addiction. Information was also obtained on the average cost and duration of treatment. A two-state Markov model was used to estimate the incremental effect of methadone on the life span and treatment cost of a cohort of 25-year-old heroin users. Findings. Providing opiate addicts with access to methadone maintenance has an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $5915 per life-year gained (that is, for every year of life that is saved by providing methadone to opiate addicts, an additional $5915 in treatment costs are incurred). One-way sensitivity analysis determined that the ratio was less than $10 000 per-life year over a wide range of modeling assumptions. Conclusions. The ratio determined for methadone is lower than that of many common medical therapies, and well within the $50 000 threshold for judging cost-effectiveness. Even if decision makers do not wish use the same ratio that is applied to the general population, this method allows substance abuse treatment enhancements to be compared to improvements in health services offered to individuals with substance abuse disorders. Future work will require information on the impact of methadone treatment on the cost of health care and public programs, the indirect costs incurred by patients, and adjustments to reflect quality of life.
Stability of cloud-topped boundary layers

SUMMARY According to the thermodynamic theory of cloud top evaporative instability, persistent stratocumulus should be observed only when the cloud top jumps in equivalent potential temperature 8. and total water mixing ratio r satisfy the stability condition AO, > k(L/c,)Ar, where k 0.23. Using observations of persistent mid-latitude and subtropical stratocumulus we find that the above stability condition is violated in many cases. In an attempt to understand how stratocumulus can persist under apparently unstable conditions we first review the thermodynamic instability theory and then develop a dynamical framework using a two-dimensional Boussinesq moist convection model with spectral discretization and with resolution sufficient to simulate cloud top processes. Idealized initial value experiments confirm that, when the above condition is violated, evaporative instability leads to cloud breakup through sequential dissections of existing cloud. However, initial conditions close to the critical stability line (e.g. AOc, (L/cp)Ar = -6K, -15 K) lead to cloud breakup with acharacteristic cloud half-life of several hours, while physically realistic initial conditions far from the critical stability line (e.g. AOe, (L/c,)Ar = -16K, -25K) lead to more rapid breakup, with a cloud half-life on the order of 1/2 hour. When evaporative instability is so weak that the associated cloud half-life is as long as several hours, other physical processes (such as surface evaporation) can apparently moisten the boundary layer rapidly enough to mask the cloud breakup process.
A Population-Based Analysis of Behavior Problems in Children with Cerebral Palsy

Used the National Health Interview Survey, Child Health Supplement for 1981 and 1988, to analyze parent-reported behavior problems of children, ages 4-17 years, with cerebral palsy (n = 47), with mental retardation (n = 50), with other chronic conditions (n = 6,038), and with no known health problem (n = 5,930), using the Behavior Problem Index (developed by Zill & Peterson). Behaviors with scores greater than the 90th percentile of the entire sample were considered problem behaviors. Parent-reported behavior problems were 5 times more likely in children with cerebral palsy (25.5%) compared with children having no known health problem (5.4%). The adjusted odds ratio for behavior problems of children with cerebral palsy without mental retardation was 4.9 and of children with mental retardation without cerebral palsy was 7.9. Specific behaviors that were most problematic for children with cerebral palsy were identified as dependency, headstrong, and hyperactive.
Assessing Fluid Responsiveness in Spontaneously Breathing Patients.

Objectives The primary objective of this study was to test if fasting volunteers exhibit fluid responsiveness using noninvasive hemodynamic measurements. The secondary objective was to test a passive leg raise (PLR) maneuver as a diagnostic predictor of fluid responsiveness. Methods This was a quasi-experimental design involving healthy volunteers. Subjects were excluded for pregnancy and congestive heart failure. Following a 12-hour fast, subjects had baseline hemodynamic monitoring recorded using noninvasive, continuous pulse contour analysis. Subjects then had a PLR maneuver performed, followed by an intravenous bolus of crystalloid. A rise in stroke volume ≥ 10% from baseline with the bolus was considered consistent with fluid responsiveness, and the same rise with a PLR was consistent with a positive PLR maneuver. The primary outcome was the change in stroke volume with a fluid bolus. Univariate analysis assessed changes in hemodynamic parameters. Logistic regression analysis determined the test characteristics of the PLR in predicting subjects who were ultimately fluid responsive. Results Forty subjects completed the study. The mean change in stroke volume with a crystalloid bolus was 19% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 16% to 21%). Thirty-six (90%) subjects were fluid responsive. The mean PLR response for the overall cohort was 16% (95% CI = 12% to 19%), and 26 (65%) subjects had a positive PLR maneuver. The PLR was 72% sensitive (95% CI = 55% to 85%) and 100% specific (95% CI = 40% to 100%) for predicting the presence of fluid responsiveness. Conclusions Noninvasive assessment of fluid responsiveness in healthy volunteers and prediction of this response with a PLR maneuver is achievable. Further work is indicated to test these methods in acutely ill patients.
Acute Limbic Encephalitis in Japanese Children

Clinical, laboratory, and radiographic findings in 14 cases (median age 10 years; range 4-14 yrs) of nonparaneoplastic limbic encephalitis were analyzed by researchers at the National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Japan.
Time Sharing between Robotics and Process Control: Validating a Model of Attention Switching

Objective:The aim of this study was to validate the strategic task overload management (STOM) model that predicts task switching when concurrence is impossible.Background:The STOM model predicts that in overload, tasks will be switched to, to the extent that they are attractive on task attributes of high priority, interest, and salience and low difficulty. But more-difficult tasks are less likely to be switched away from once they are being performed.Method:In Experiment 1, participants performed four tasks of the Multi-Attribute Task Battery and provided task-switching data to inform the role of difficulty and priority. In Experiment 2, participants concurrently performed an environmental control task and a robotic arm simulation. Workload was varied by automation of arm movement and both the phases of environmental control and existence of decision support for fault management. Attention to the two tasks was measured using a head tracker.Results:Experiment 1 revealed the lack of influence of task priori...
Effect of in-hive miticides on drone honey bee survival and sperm viability

SummaryThe survival of a honey bee colony depends, in part, on the reproductive success of the queen, which in turn depends on the viability of sperm produced by drones with which the queen mates. Colony success also depends on management of the ectoparasitic bee mite, Varroa destructor, which has historically been achieved using miticides that may also impact honey bee health. Previous work has demonstrated that the exposure of drone honey bees to miticidal Checkmite+TM strips (coumaphos) can result in decreased sperm viability. In this study we applied a range of sublethal doses of six miticides (tau-fluvalinate, coumaphos, fenpyroximate, amitraz, thymol and oxalic acid) to 1–4 day old adult drones. We returned drones to their home colony and re-collected them two to three weeks later to assess sperm viability using SYBR14 and propidium iodide stains. Counts of live and dead sperm were automated using the EBImage library in the R statistical environment. Sperm viability was not affected by any of the si...
SIMULATION OF EFFECT OF APPLIED STRAIN ON THE MICROSTRUCTURE OF Ti-25Al-10Nb ALLOY BY PHASE FIELD METHOD

The effect of applied strains field on the microstructure evolution during α2 phase to O-phase (orthorhombic phase) transformation in Ti-25Al-10Nb alloy is studied by computer simulation using a phase field model. It is shown that not only the applied strain magnitude but also the applied strain direction affects the microstructure significantly. The effect of strain direction on the volume fraction of O-phase is up to 24% but strain magnitude up to 60%. The fully lamellar microstructure can be formed in Ti-25Al-10Nb alloy when the compress strain is loaded along 2110 of α2 phase and has a magnitude eamp greater than 0.5 es,where es is a strain corresponding to the stress-free transformation.
Epidemiological and Clinical Characteristics of Mesothelioma

Masothelioma,a rare tumor,usually occurred in pleura,peritoneum and cardiac pericardium and so on.The majority is malignant,with short surviving period and high mortality.Malignant pleural mesothelioma is related with asbestos exposure,but the other causes are still unclear.This paper summarizes its epidemiology distribution,hazardous factors,the measures of control and prevention presently and so on.
Epilepsy in Autism

Epilepsy occurred in 27% (14/52) of children with autism under 10 years of age in a population-basedstudy in the Dept of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Pediatrics, University of Goteborg, Sweden.
Evaluation of American Society of Anesthesiologists classification as 30-day morbidity predictor after single-level elective anterior cervical discectomy and fusion

Abstract Background Context Higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification is a known predictor of postoperative complication in diverse surgical settings. However, its predictive value is not established in single-level elective anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (SLE-ACDF). Purpose This study aimed to evaluate the predictive value of ASA classification system on 30-day morbidity following SLE-ACDF. Design/Setting Patients who underwent SLE-ACDF between 2011 and 2013 were selected from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. Patient Sample A total of 6,148 patients were selected from the 2011–2013 American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. Outcome Measures All outcomes are self-report measures as tracked by dedicated clinical reviewers via prospective review of inpatient charts, outpatient clinic visits, and direct contact with the surgical team. Methods Propensity score matching and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate ASA classification as 30-day morbidity predictor. This study has no financial conflict and has no potential conflict of interest to disclose. Results A total of 6,148 patients were analyzed in this study. Patients in the ASA >II cohort had higher incidence of comorbidities and postoperative complications (overall complication, pneumonia, unplanned intubation, ventilator dependent >48 hours, cerebrovascular accident or stroke, catastrophic outcome, and airway complication). Propensity score matching yielded 1,628 pairs of well-matched patients. Multivariable analyses with the propensity score matched dataset revealed the following associations between ASA class >II and 30-day outcomes: any complication (odds ratio [OR] 0.82, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.48–1.41), pneumonia (OR 1.22, 95% CI 0.33–4.56), unplanned intubation (OR 1.49, 95% CI 0.41–5.36), ventilator >48 hours (OR 5.92, 95% CI 0.69–50.96), catastrophic outcome (OR 1.02, 95% CI 0.39–2.71), and airway complication (OR 2.21, 95% CI 0.67–7.29). Conclusions Although we did not detect associations between ASA class >II and adverse 30-day outcomes following SLE-ACDF, imprecision of estimates precludes definitive inferences. Although ASA classification allows simple assessment of patients' physiological status, their overall perioperativerisk factors need to be considered collectively for adequate optimization and improved outcomes in SLE-ACDF.
On a construction using commuting regular graphs

Abstract We consider a construction using a pair of commuting regular graphs that generalizes the constructions of the middle, total, and quasitotal graphs. We derive formulae for the characteristic polynomials of the adjacency and Laplacian matrices and for the Ihara zeta function of the resulting graph. Using these formulae, we express the number of spanning trees and the Kirchhoff index of the resulting graph in terms of the Laplacian spectra of the two regular graphs used in the construction.
Modeling and Simulation of Storm Surge on Staten Island to Understand Inundation Mitigation Strategies

ABSTRACT Kress, M.E.; Benimoff, A.I.; Fritz, W.J.; Thatcher, C.A.; Blanton, B.O., and Dzedzits, E., 2016. Modeling and simulation of storm surge on Staten Island to understand inundation mitigation strategies. In: Brock, J.C.; Gesch, D.B.; Parrish, C.E.; Rogers, J.N., and Wright, C.W. (eds.), Advances in Topobathymetric Mapping, Models, and Applications. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue, No. 76, pp. 149–161. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. Hurricane Sandy made landfall on October 29, 2012, near Brigantine, New Jersey, and had a transformative impact on Staten Island and the New York Metropolitan area. Of the 43 New York City fatalities, 23 occurred on Staten Island. The borough, with a population of approximately 500,000, experienced some of the most devastating impacts of the storm. Since Hurricane Sandy, protective dunes have been constructed on the southeast shore of Staten Island. ADCIRC+SWAN model simulations run on The City University of New York's Cray XE6M, housed at the College...
High Strain Rate Superplasticity in Some Lightweight Alloys and Their Composites

Over the last decade, superplasticity at high strain rates (>10−1 s−1) has been reported in many fine grain structural materials, including metal-matrix composites, mechanically-alloyed materials, and modified conventional alloys. Up to date, there exists extensive data indicating superplastic strain rate increases with decreasing grain size. However, some recent experimental evidences also suggest that the presence of a small amount of liquid phase at interfaces or grain boundaries can influence the deformation mechanisms and enhance the strain rate for superplasticity. In the present paper, two alloy systems- 2124 Al and ZK60 Mg, and their metal matrix composites are examined. Microstructure-superplastic property relations for each alloy and its composite are characterized and compared to illustrate the optimal microstructural and testing conditions for achieving highstrain-rate superplasticity.
Radiological Imaging of the Lower Gastrointestinal Tract

This chapter focuses on radiological imaging of colonic neoplasia. Examination of the colon is most often performed with barium radiography and computed tomography (CT). Ultrasonography, positron emission tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have minor roles in colon imaging.
Reducing the Computational Complexity of EEG Source Localization With Cortical Patch Decomposition and Optimal Electrode Selection

Objective: Real-time implementation of EEG source localization can be employed in a broad area of applications such as clinical diagnosis of neurologic diseases and brain–computer interface. However, a power-efficient, low-complexity, and real-time implementation of EEG source localization is still challenging due to extensive iterations in the solutions. In this study, two techniques are introduced to reduce the computational burden of the subspace-based MUltiple SIgnal Classification (MUSIC) algorithm. Methods: To shrink the exhaustive search inherent in MUSIC, the cortex is parsed into cortical regions. A novel nomination procedure involving a dictionary learning step will pick a number of regions to be searched for the active sources. In addition, a new electrode selection algorithm based on the Cramer–Rao bound of the errors is introduced to pick the best set of an arbitrary number of electrodes out of the total. Results: The performance of the proposed techniques were evaluated using simulated EEG signal under variation of different parameters such as the number of nominated regions, the signal to noise ratio, and the number of electrodes. The proposed techniques can reduce the computational complexity by up to $90\%$ . Furthermore, the proposed techniques were tested on EEG data from an auditory oddball experiment. Conclusion: A good concordance was observed in the comparison of the topographies and the localization errors derived from the proposed technique and regular MUSIC. Significance: Such reduction can be exploited in the real-time, long-run, and mobile monitoring of cortical activity for clinical diagnosis and research purposes.
Harmonized algal biofuel life cycle assessment studies enable direct process train comparison

Abstract The conclusions from life cycle assessment of algal biofuels (e.g., biodiesel, renewable diesel) vary significantly due to both modeling and inherent technological uncertainties. The inherent uncertainties of US-based algal biofuels production were investigated by eliminating modeling uncertainty via comprehensive harmonization through a meta-analysis. Following harmonization, the cumulative fossil energy consumption (MJ/MJ), global warming potential (g CO2-eq/MJ) and water consumption (m3/MJ) of different algal biofuel process trains were investigated through a stochastic life cycle model. By focusing on the inherent differences of current technologies, this study identified (1) the differences in impact results between different process trains (i.e., different combinations of technology choices along the fuel production life cycle), (2) high impact hotspots, and (3) possible low impact process trains, all of which are crucial to further improve the sustainability of algal biofuels. The median (range) values of the three indicators for the most common algal biodiesel process train are 3.5 (2.9–4.2) MJ/MJ, 99 (55–151) g CO2-eq/MJ and 0.08 (0.07–0.09) m3/MJ, with corresponding inter-quartile ranges being 63%, 46% and 43% less than the literature values, respectively. The median (range) values of the three indicators for the most common algae renewable diesel process train are 1.7 (1.4–2.2) MJ/MJ, 84 (60–112) g CO2-eq/MJ and 0.04 (0.03–0.05) m3/MJ, with the corresponding reductions in inter-quartile range by 83%, 83% and 84%, respectively. Although neither of the median global warming potential results for algal biofuels met the mandatory thresholds in the Renewable Fuel Standard (45 g CO2-eq/MJ), it is possible to meet the requirement by integrating low impact technology options into the process trains.
Abstract 20623: HDL Mimetic Peptide 4F Prevents Western Diet-Induced Pulmonary Hypertension and Right Ventricular Dysfunction in LDL-Receptor Deficient Mice

Introduction: Recent studies have implicated oxidized lipids in the pathogenesis of pulmonary hypertension (PH) and suggest a role of lipotoxicity in the right ventricle (RV). Our lab demonstrated ...
Influence of Relationship Partners on Self-Efficacy for Self-Management Behaviors Among Adults With Type 2 Diabetes

Individuals with type 2 diabetes must engage in daily self-management behaviors to prevent complications. Given that management may be shared with a person’s romantic partner, we examined both patients’ and their partners’ perceptions of relationship characteristics that were hypothesized to affect patients’ self-efficacy for diabetes management. Adults with type 2 diabetes and their partners ( n = 52 couples, 104 individuals) completed measures of three aspects of relationships that are theorized to affect self-efficacy: partner investment, partner support, and relationship satisfaction. Patients reported their self-efficacy for diabetes management and weekly frequency of diabetes self-management behaviors. A common fate modeling approach in which constructs were modeled as agreement between partner reports showed that relationship factors (investment, support, and satisfaction) significantly predicted patient self-efficacy ( R 2 = 0.49), which in turn predicted patient self-management behaviors. This model fit the data well [χ 2 (41) = 48.60, P = 0.19; comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.96; root mean square error of approximation = 0.06; and standardized root mean square residual = 0.07]. Interventions designed to support patients in their self-efficacy for self-management behavior may be improved through consideration of patients’ romantic relationships.
Changes in structure and physiological functioning due to experimentally enhanced precipitation seasonality in a widespread shrub species

Semi-arid shrub steppe occupies a vast geographic range that is characterized in part by distinct seasonal patterns in precipitation. Few studies have evaluated how variability in both the amount and timing of precipitation affect the structure and physiology of shrubs in these systems. We quantified changes in foliar crown parameters, xylem anatomy, gas exchange, and hydraulic transport capacity in deep-rooted Artemisia tridentata shrubs following 20 years of experimental manipulations in amount and seasonal timing of precipitation. We hypothesized that shrub growth (total leaf area per shrub and cover of shrub community), hydraulic transport efficiency, and gas exchange would increase in shrubs in irrigated plots compared to non-irrigated control plots, especially for irrigation applied in winter rather than summer. We also predicted similar changes in xylem anatomy (ring width, vessel size and frequency). Most treatment responses entailed changes in plant structure, and were generally consistent with our hypotheses: total-shrub leaf area, shrub basal area, canopy cover, and maximum sapwood-specific branch hydraulic conductivity were more than 2× greater in shrubs in winter-irrigated compared to control plots, while summer irrigation had few effects on these variables. Irrigation in either season did not affect xylem vessel size, but did increase xylem ring width by ~ 2 × and decreased xylem vessel frequency by about half. Anatomical, morphological, and stand-level abundance of A. tridentata appeared much more responsive to irrigation than state changes in gas exchange, particularly when the extra water is received during winter. Thus, it appears for sagebrush that seasonal timing is at least as important as the amount of precipitation, and that responses to changes in precipitation timing occur through changes in carbon allocation more so than changes in leaf-level carbon gain.
Supraglacial Lake Classification in the Everest Region of Nepal Himalaya

Climate change has been linked to widespread retreats and recent disappearances of small glaciers in mountainous regions such as the Patagonia, Andes, Alps and Himalaya (Dyurgerov and Meier, 2000; Fujita et al., 2006; Kargel et al., 2005; Oerlemans, 2005; Paul, Kaab et al., 2004; Racoviteanu et al., 2008; Thakur, 2010). Alpine glaciers are particularly sensitive to changes in climate due to their proximity to melting conditions, wide altitude range, and variability in debris cover (Haeberli et al., 2007; Racoviteanu et al., 2008). Alpine glacial retreat in response to climate change and recent warming trends may have severe hydroecological consequences to surrounding communities (Kehrwald et al., 2008; Milner et al., 2009). The recession of glaciers has been further linked to increases in glacier-related hazards in high mountainous areas such as avalanches, glacial lake outburst floods and debris flows which can increasingly threaten human lives, settlements, and infrastructure (Huggel et al., 2002; Quincey et al., 2005). This has necessitated the assessment and monitoring of potentially hazardous glacial lakes through the use of remote sensing, especially in high mountainous areas due to inaccessibility and lack of field surveys (Quincey et al., 2005).
Planarization and acyclic colorings of subcubic claw-free graphs

We study methods of planarizing and acyclically coloring claw-free subcubic graphs. We give a polynomial-time algorithm that, given such a graph G, produces an independent set Q of at most n/6 vertices whose removal from G leaves an induced planar subgraph P (in fact, P has treewidth at most four). We further show the stronger result that in polynomial-time a set of at most n/6 edges can be identified whose removal leaves a planar subgraph (of treewidth at most four). From an approximability point of view, we show that our results imply 6/5- and 9/8-approximation algorithms, respectively, for the (NP-hard) problems of finding a maximum induced planar subgraph and a maximum planar subgraph of a subcubic claw-free graph, respectively. Regarding acyclic colorings, we give a polynomial-time algorithm that finds an optimal acyclic vertex coloring of a subcubic claw-free graph. To our knowledge, this represents the largest known subclass of subcubic graphs such that an optimal acyclic vertex coloring can be found in polynomial-time. We show that this bound is tight by proving that the problem is NP-hard for cubic line graphs (and therefore, claw-free graphs) of maximum degree d≥4. An interesting corollary to the algorithm that we present is that there are exactly three subcubic claw-free graphs that require four colors to be acyclically colored. For all other such graphs, three colors suffice.
Gait speed and survival of older surgical patient with cancer: Prediction after machine learning.

Abstract Purpose Gait speed in older patients with cancer is associated with mortality risk. One approach to assess gait speed is with the ‘Timed Up and Go’ (TUG) test. We utilized machine learning algorithms to automatically predict the results of the TUG tests and its association with survival, using patient-generated responses. Methods A decision tree classifier was trained based on functional status data, obtained from preoperative geriatric assessment, and TUG test performance of older patients with cancer. The functional status data were used as input features to the decision tree, and the actual TUG data was used as ground truth labels. The decision tree was constructed to assign each patient to one of three categories: “TUG Results In total, 1901 patients (49% women) with a mean age of 80 years were assessed. The most commonly performed operations were urologic, colorectal, and head and neck. The machine learning algorithm identified three features (cane/walker use, ability to walk outside, and ability to perform housework), in predicting TUG results with the decision tree classifier. The overall accuracy, specificity, and sensitivity of the prediction were 78%, 90%, and 66%, respectively. Furthermore, survival rates in each predicted TUG category differed by approximately 1% from the survival rates obtained by categorizing the patients based on their actual TUG results. Conclusions Machine learning algorithms can accurately predict the gait speed of older patients with cancer, based on their response to questions addressing other aspects of functional status.
Long-Term Endocrine and Exocrine Insufficiency After Pancreatectomy

To identify peri-operative risk factors and time to onset of pancreatic endocrine/exocrine insufficiency. We retrospectively analyzed a single institutional series of patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) or distal pancreatectomy (DP) between 2000 and 2015. Endocrine/exocrine insufficiencies were defined as need for new pharmacologic intervention. Cox proportional modeling was used to identify peri-operative variables to determine their impact on post-operative pancreatic insufficiency. A total of 1717 patient records were analyzed (75.47% PD, 24.53% DP) at median follow-up 17.88 months. Average age was 62.62 years, 51.78% were male, and surgery was for malignancy in 74.35% of patients. Post-operative endocrine insufficiency was present in 20.15% (n = 346). Male gender (p = 0.015), increased body mass index (BMI) (p < 0.001), tobacco use (p = 0.011), family history of diabetes (DM) (p < 0.001), personal history of DM (p ≤ 0.001), and DP (p ≤ 0.001) were correlated with increased risk. Mean time to onset was 20.80 ± 33.60 (IQR: 0.49–28.37) months. Post-operative exocrine insufficiency was present in 36.23% (n = 622). Race (p = 0.014), lower BMI (p < 0.001), family history of DM (p = 0.007), steatorrhea (p < 0.001), elevated pre-operative bilirubin (p = 0.019), and PD (p ≤ 0.001) were correlated with increased risk. Mean time to onset was 14.20 ± 26.90 (IQR: 0.89–12.69) months. In this large series of pancreatectomy patients, 20.15% and 36.23% of patients developed post-operative endocrine and exocrine insufficiency at a mean time to onset of 20.80 and 14.20 months, respectively. Patients should be educated regarding post-resection insufficiencies and providers should have heightened awareness long-term.
Estimating Peak Runoff Rates Using the Rational Method

AbstractHydrograph methods are used to identify functional dependencies of the rational-method runoff coefficient, and nested intensity-duration-frequency (IDF) rainfall distributions are used to e...
Physics at e+e- Linear Colliders

I discuss the motivation and physics potential of an electron-positron linear collider with a center-of-mass energy at the 1 TeV scale, in light of what we may expect to learn with the LHC. The comparison is illustrated with examples drawn from Higgs physics, top quark physics, and the search for large extra spacetime dimensions.