cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Principle of Eddy Covariance

This chapter examines the relationship between eddy covariance calculations and the concept of net ecosystem exchange. Eddy covariance is a class of micrometeorological method that measures the fluxes of energy, water, and trace gases between the earth’s surface and the atmosphere. The data obtained by eddy covariance are used widely by earth science communities. Examples of eddy covariance application include investigation of ecosystem functions, quantification of local carbon and water cycles, measurement of pollution deposition, and parameterization of land-atmosphere interactions for climate models. An essential component of the method is measurement of the vertical air velocity and the scalar of interest at a high time frequency (i.e., 10 Hz). The Reynolds covariance between the two is then calculated from the high-frequency time series to obtain the flux of the scalar.
Abstract 16939: Reversible Myocardial Ischemia Sufficient to Produce Transient Stunning Leads to Delayed Cardiac Troponin I Release That Reflects Focal Myocyte Apoptosis in the Absence of Pathological Infarction

Introduction: The release of cardiac troponin I (cTnI) after reversible ischemia is controversial. It has been hypothesized that elevations in serum cTnI in this scenario reflect selective release from an exchangeable pool rather than cellular necrosis since irreversible injury with sarcolemmal membrane disruption does not begin until ischemia exceeds 15 minutes following a total coronary occlusion. Objective: To determine whether cTnI release occurs after a brief coronary occlusion when the duration of ischemia is insufficient to induce myocyte necrosis. Methods: Closed-chest propofol-anesthetized swine (n=10) were subjected to a 10 minute LAD occlusion. Blood sampling was performed to measure serum cTnI concentrations before, during and after ischemia. Myocardial tissue was collected either 1 hour (n=5) or 24 hours (n=5) after reperfusion for pathological assessment of infarction (TTC) and apoptosis (TUNEL). Results: Regional LAD wall thickening was 60 ± 4% at baseline and became dyskinetic during coronary occlusion (-4 ± 2%, p 2 vs. Remote: 3.1 ± 2.0 myocytes/cm 2 , p 2 vs. Remote: 3.6 ± 1.5 myocytes/cm 2 ) when serum cTnI remained elevated. Conclusion: A duration of reversible ischemia compatible with angina can lead to cTnI release that is similar in magnitude to that occurring with myocardial infarction. Rather than infarction or release from an exchangeable cTnI pool, the rise in serum cTnI is delayed and appears to reflect focal programmed myocyte death from apoptosis rather than myocardial necrosis.
Indirect carotid cavernous fistula mimicking ocular myasthenia

71-year-old woman with progressive left-sided, monocular diplopia and ptosis. Her symptoms mimicked ocular myasthenia, but she had an indirect carotid cavernous fistula (CCF). She was diagnosed with monocular myasthenia gravis (negative acetylcholinesterase antibody) after a positive ice test and started on Mestinon and underwent a thymectomy complicated by a brachial plexus injury. Months later, she developed left-sided proptosis and ocular bruit. She was urgently referred to neuro-interventional surgery and was diagnosed with an indirect high-flow left CCF, which was treated with Onyx liquid and platinum coil embolisation. Mestinon was discontinued. Her ophthalmic symptoms resolved. However, she was left with a residual left arm and hand hemiparesis and dysmetria secondary to a brachial plexus injury. Indirect CCF usually can present with subtle and progressive symptoms leading to delayed diagnosis or misdiagnosis. It is important for ophthalmologists to consider this differential in a patient with progressive ocular symptoms.
Characterizing Potentially Preventable Admissions: A Mixed Methods Study of Rates, Associated Factors, Outcomes, and Physician Decision-Making.

Potentially preventable admissions are a target for healthcare cost containment. To identify rates of, characterize associations with, and explore physician decision-making around potentially preventable admissions. A comparative cohort study was used to determine rates of potentially preventable admissions and to identify associated factors and patient outcomes. A qualitative case study was used to explore physicians’ clinical decision-making. Patients admitted from the emergency department (ED) to the general medicine (GM) service over a total of 4 weeks were included as cases (N = 401). Physicians from both emergency medicine (EM) and GM that were involved in the cases were included (N = 82). Physicians categorized admissions as potentially preventable. We examined differences in patient characteristics, admission characteristics, and patient outcomes between potentially preventable and control admissions. Interviews with participating physicians were conducted and transcribed. Transcriptions were systematically analyzed for key concepts regarding potentially preventable admissions. EM and GM physicians categorized 22.2% (90/401) of admissions as potentially preventable. There were no significant differences between potentially preventable and control admissions in patient or admission characteristics. Potentially preventable admissions had shorter length of stay (2.1 vs. 3.6 days, p < 0.001). There was no difference in other patient outcomes. Physicians discussed several provider, system, and patient factors that affected clinical decision-making around potentially preventable admissions, particularly in the “gray zone,” including risk of deterioration at home, the risk of hospitalization, the cost to the patient, and the presence of outpatient resources. Differences in provider training, risk assessment, and provider understanding of outpatient access accounted for differences in decisions between EM and GM physicians. Collaboration between EM and GM physicians around patients in the gray zone, focusing on patient risk, cost, and outpatient resources, may provide an avenues for reducing potentially preventable admissions and lowering healthcare spending.
Kinetic analysis of oxime-assisted reactivation of human, Guinea pig, and rat acetylcholinesterase inhibited by the organophosphorus pesticide metabolite phorate oxon (PHO)

Abstract Phorate is a highly toxic agricultural pesticide currently in use throughout the world. Like many other organophosphorus (OP) pesticides, the primary mechanism of the acute toxicity of phorate is acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition mediated by its bioactivated oxon metabolite. AChE reactivation is a critical aspect in the treatment of acute OP intoxication. Unfortunately, very little is currently known about the capacity of various oximes to rescue phorate oxon (PHO)-inhibited AChE. To help fill this knowledge gap, we evaluated the kinetics of inhibition, reactivation, and aging of PHO using recombinant AChE derived from three species (rat, guinea pig and human) commonly utilized to study the toxicity of OP compounds and five oximes that are currently fielded (or have been deemed extremely promising) as anti-OP therapies by various nations around the globe: 2-PAM Cl, HI-6 DMS, obidoxime Cl 2 , MMB4-DMS, and HLo7 DMS. The inhibition rate constants ( k i ) for PHO were calculated for AChE derived from each species and found to be low (i.e., 4.8 × 10 3 to 1.4 × 10 4 M − 1 min − 1 ) compared to many other OPs. Obidoxime Cl 2 was the most effective reactivator tested. The aging rate of PHO-inhibited AChE was very slow (limited aging was observed out to 48 h) for all three species. Conclusions: (1) Obidoxime Cl 2 was the most effective reactivator tested. (2) 2-PAM Cl, showed limited effectiveness in reactivating PHO-inhibited AChE, suggesting that it may have limited usefulness in the clinical management of acute PHO intoxication. (3) The therapeutic window for oxime administration following exposure to phorate (or PHO) is not limited by aging.
Understanding the Changes in Global Crop Yields Through Changes in Climate and Technology

During the last few decades, the global agricultural production has risen and technology enhancement is still contributing to yield growth. However, population growth, water crisis, deforestation, and climate change threaten the global food security. An understanding of the variables that caused past changes in crop yields can help improve future crop prediction models. In this article, we present a comprehensive global analysis of the changes in the crop yields and how they relate to different large-scale and regional climate variables, climate change variables and technology in a unified framework. A new multilevel model for yield prediction at the country level is developed and demonstrated. The structural relationships between average yield and climate attributes as well as trends are estimated simultaneously. All countries are modeled in a single multilevel model with partial pooling to automatically group and reduce estimation uncertainties. El Nino-southern oscillation (ENSO), Palmer drought severity index (PDSI), geopotential height anomalies (GPH), historical carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration and country-based time series of GDP per capita as an approximation of technology measurement are used as predictors to estimate annual agricultural crop yields for each country from 1961 to 2013. Results indicate that these variables can explain the variability in historical crop yields for most of the countries and the model performs well under out-of-sample verifications. While some countries were not generally affected by climatic factors, PDSI and GPH acted both positively and negatively in different regions for crop yields in many countries.
Interplay Among Oxidative Stress, Redox Signaling, ER Stress, Autophagy, and Protein Ubiquitylation in Cardiometabolic Disorders

Normal function of proteins is essential to all aspects of life. Attaining and maintaining the proper folding of a protein is required for normal functioning of the protein. As the intracellular and extracellular stresses (e.g., oxidative stress) can cause protein malfolding (both misfolding and unfolding) and deployment of a misfolded protein could be catastrophic, the cell has developed an elaborate network of molecular chaperones and targeted protein degradation pathways including the proteasomal degradation pathway and the autophagy to minimize the level and the toxicity of malfolded proteins in the cell. This set of intertwined mechanisms is known as protein quality control (PQC). This chapter focuses on an emerging role of ubiquitylation in regulating PQC-associated protein degradation in the setting of oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum stresses associated with cardiometabolic diseases.
Sustaining Freedom and Second Slavery in Nineteenth-Century Brazil and Cuba

This essay reviews the following works: Freedom from Liberation: Slavery, Sentiment, and Literature in Cuba. By Gerard Aching. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2015. Pp. ix + 241. $48.00 hardcover. ISBN: 9780253016935. Slavery and Politics: Brazil and Cuba, 1790–1850. By Rafael Marquese, Tâmis Peixoto Parron, and Marcia Regina Berbel. Translated by Leonardo Marques. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 2016. Pp. 1 + 351. $29.95 paperback. ISBN: 9780826356482. Divining Slavery and Freedom: The Story of Domingos Sodre, an African Priest in Nineteenth-Century Brazil. By Joao Jose Reis. Translated by H. Sabrina Gledhill. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2015. Pp. xi + 351. $32.99 paperback. ISBN: 9781107439092. Ever Faithful: Race, Loyalty, and the Ends of Empire in Spanish Cuba. By David Sartorius. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2014. Pp. vi + 312. $24.95 paperback. ISBN: 9780822355939. The Politics of the Second Slavery. Edited by Dale W. Tomich. Fernand Braudel Center Studies in Historical Social Science. Ithaca: State University New York Press, 2016. Pp. xii + 280. $25.95 paperback. ISBN: 9781438462363.
A New Laser Technique for Simultaneous Two Wavelength Studies

A new technique has been developed which allows simultaneous two wavelength selection in both inhomogeneously and homogeneously broadened lasers. The two laser beams are collinear and collimated, have mutually orthogonal polarizations, and, in general, can be temporally synchronized. This technique has been applied to the pulsed nitrogen laser-pumped dye laser and features continuous tunability of the two wavelengths throughout the entire optical gain region of the particular dye solutions used. Following the description of this device, the extension of this technique to other lasers and a few potential applications will be briefly discussed.
Bryostatin 1 activates protein kinase C and induces monocytic differentiation of HL-60 cells

Phorbol esters induce the human HL-60 promyelocytic cell line to differentiate along a monocytic pathway. This induction of differentiation may involve phorbol ester-induced activation of the phospholipid- and calcium-dependent protein kinase C. Bryostatin 1, a macrocyclic lactone, has been shown to compete with phorbol esters for binding to protein kinase C. We have confirmed that bryostatin 1 translocates activity of protein kinase C from the cytosolic to membrane fractions of HL-60 cells. The present results also demonstrate that bryostatin 1 (10 nmol/L) induces monocytic differentiation of HL-60 cells as determined by adherence, growth inhibition, appearance of monocyte cell surface antigens, and alpha-naphthyl acetate esterase staining. Furthermore, bryostatin 1 (10 nmol/L) downregulated c-myc expression and induced c-fos, c-fms, and tumor necrosis factor transcripts. These changes in gene expression induced by bryostatin 1 are similar to those associated with phorbol ester-induced monocytic differentiation of HL-60 cells. In contrast, exposure to a higher concentration of bryostatin 1 (100 nmol/L) had less of an effect on growth inhibition of HL-60 cells and changes in gene expression. Moreover, 100 nmol/L bryostatin 1 antagonized the cytostatic effects and adherence induced by phorbol esters. Our results thus suggest that bryostatin 1 activates HL-60 cell protein kinase C and that this effect is associated with induction of monocytic differentiation.
Tryptophan Operon of Escherichia coli

The trp operon of E. coli contains five major structural genes encoding all seven protein functional domains necessary for tryptophan biosynthesis from the common aromatic precursor, chorismate. Transcription of the trp operon is highly regulated. Initiation of transcription at the trp promoter is regulated by the tryptophan-activated trp repressor. The repressor can bind at multiple operator sites located in the promoter region. Transcription of the structural genes of the trp operon also is regulated by transcription attenuation, in response to the accumulation of uncharged tRNA Trp . When this uncharged tRNA accumulates, it leads to ribosome stalling during attempted translation of the leader peptide coding region. This leads to the formation of an RNA antiterminator structure that prevents the RNA terminator structure from forming. Absence of the terminator structure allows polymerase to continue transcription into the structural genes of the operon. When there are adequate levels of charged tRNA Trp in the cell, the ribosome translating the leader peptide coding region completes leader peptide synthesis, allowing the RNA terminator structure to form, and terminate transcription.
Drug-Induced Photoallergy

Photoallergic reactions develop when topically or systemically administered compounds are activated by ultraviolet radiation and, as a result, produce a cutaneous disease in which immunologic mechanisms play a role. With the exception of the requirement for photoactivation of the sensitizing agent, the clinical, histopathologic, and pathogenetic features of drug-induced photoallergic reactions bear a striking resemblance to those of allergic contact dermatitis. Whereas sulfonamides and halogenated salicylanilides were the first agents identified as causing this unique type of photosensitivity reaction, sunscreening agents such as para-aminobenzoic acid and fragrances such as musk ambrette are more commonly implicated as etiology agents today. With the exponential increase in the number of compounds develn:,ed for pharmacologic and cosmetic purposes, drug-induced photoallergic reactions promise to be a continuing dermatologic problem.
Integrated Particle- and Reactor-Scale Simulation of Pine Pyrolysis in a Fluidized Bed

We report results from a multiscale computational modeling study of biomass fast pyrolysis in an experimental laboratory reactor that combined the hydrodynamics predicted by a two-fluid model (TFM)...
Word Embeddings for Code-Mixed Language Processing

We compare three existing bilingual word embedding approaches, and a novel approach of training skip-grams on synthetic code-mixed text generated through linguistic models of code-mixing, on two tasks - sentiment analysis and POS tagging for code-mixed text. Our results show that while CVM and CCA based embeddings perform as well as the proposed embedding technique on semantic and syntactic tasks respectively, the proposed approach provides the best performance for both tasks overall. Thus, this study demonstrates that existing bilingual embedding techniques are not ideal for code-mixed text processing and there is a need for learning multilingual word embedding from the code-mixed text.
Exploration of Metrics for Leg Length Discrepancy Using a Wearable Gait Analysis System

The purpose of this study was to explore effective metrics for differentiating levels ofleg length discrepancy (LLD) using a wearable device. Design: A wearable device for measuring ground reaction forces and kinetic features was developed in this study. Participants: Eight volunteers without previously diagnosed LLD walked along a 120.0 m walkway with a 2.5 cm and 3 cm foot spacer to simulate LLD. Main Outcome Measures: The p-values of thirteen kinetic and kinematic metrics between normal and LLD walking. Results: Difference in stance time duration, difference in heel reposition time, and ratio difference of loading effect showed statistical difference between normal walking and simulated LLD walking. Conclusion: The metrics with statistical difference may serve as effective indicators oflow levels ofLLD and be implemented into a point-of-care system for gait analysis.
Anthropogenic and geologic causes of anomalously high uranium concentrations in groundwater used for drinking water supply in the southeastern San Joaquin Valley, CA

Abstract Concentrations of uranium (U) >30 µg/L in groundwater are relatively uncommon in drinking water in the United States but can be of concern in those areas where complex interactions of aquifer materials and anthropogenic alterations of the natural flow regime mobilize U. High concentrations (>30 µg/L) of U in the southeastern San Joaquin Valley, California, USA, have been detected in 24 percent of 257 domestic, irrigation, and public-supply wells sampled across an approximately 110,000 km2 area. In this study we evaluated mechanisms for mobilization of U in the San Joaquin Valley proposed in previous studies, confirming mobilization by HCO3 and refuting mobilization by NO3 and we refined our understanding of the geologic sources of U to the scale of individual alluvial fans. The location of high concentrations depends on the interactions of geological U sources from fluvial fans that originate in the Sierra Nevada to the east and seepage of irrigation water that contains high concentrations of HCO3 that leaches U from the sediments. In addition, interactions with PO4 from fertilized irrigated fields may sequester U in the aquifer. Principal component analysis of the data demonstrates that HCO3 and ions associated with high total dissolved solids in the aquifer and the percentage of agriculture near the well sampled are associated with high U concentrations. Nitrate concentrations do not appear to control release of U to the aquifer. Age dating of the groundwater and generally increasing U concentrations of the past 25 years in resampled wells where irrigation is prevalent suggests that high U concentrations are associated with younger water, indicating that irrigation of fields over the past 100 years has significantly contributed to increasing concentrations and mobilizing U. In some places, the groundwater is supersaturated with uranyl-containing minerals, as would be expected in roll front deposits. In general, the interaction of natural geological sources high in U, the anthropogenically driven addition of HCO3 and possibly phosphate fertilizer, control the location and concentration of U in each individual fluvial fan, but the addition of nitrate in fertilizer does not appear control the location of high U. These geochemical interactions are complex but can be used to determine controls on anomalously high U in alluvial aquifers.
Lactation Education for Resident Obstetricians: Promoting Breastfeeding Advocates for the Future

Obstetrics and gynecology residency training programs are historically lacking in breastfeeding education and advocacy. Healthy People 2020 supports interventions that promote breastfeeding as a primary care strategy with significant health benefits to the newborn and woman. Midwives are well poised to engage obstetrics and gynecology residents in lactation education. A few educational interventions have been described in the literature to increase knowledge, confidence, and behavior related to lactation among residents. This article describes a breastfeeding education curriculum developed by midwifery faculty at Boston University School of Medicine. The project included 3 lectures and a simulation center workshop covering topics including lactogenesis, prenatal, intrapartum, and postpartum interventions that promote or limit lactation, hands-on latch assistance, hand expression, use of breast pumps and storage of human milk, and common disorders of lactation. Postintervention evaluations demonstrated improvements in knowledge and confidence. Providing breastfeeding education to resident physicians may be an intervention to promote patient breastfeeding education and support and close the gap of disparities in breastfeeding rates.
Cover Crop Rotation Effects on Growth and Development, Seedling Disease, and Yield of Corn and Soybean

The effects of winter cover crops on root disease and growth of corn and soybeans are poorly understood. A 3-year field experiment investigated the effect of winter cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) and winter camelina (Camelina sativa [L.] Crantz), used either in all three years or in rotation with each other, on corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max. [L.] Merr.) growth, root disease, and yield. Corn following a cover crop of camelina had reduced root disease, a lower Pythium population in seedling roots, and greater growth and yields compared with corn following a rye cover crop. Camelina and rye cover crops before soybean had either a positive or no effect on soybean growth and development, root disease, and yield. Moreover, Pythium clade B populations were greater in corn seedlings after a rye cover crop compared with those following a camelina cover crop, whereas clade F populations were greater on soybean seedlings following a camelina cover crop compared with seedlings following a rye cover crop. A winter camelina cover crop grown before corn had less-negative effects on corn seedling growth, root disease, and final yield than a winter rye cover crop before corn. Neither cover crop had negative effects on soybean, and the cover crop in the preceding spring had no measurable effects on either corn or soybean.
Comparative Study of Water-Mediated Interactions between Hydrophilic and Hydrophobic Nanoscale Surfaces

Self-assembly processes in aqueous solutions, such as protein folding and nanoparticle aggregation, are driven by water-mediated interactions (WMIs). The most common of such interactions are the attractive forces between hydrophobic units. While numerous studies have focused on hydrophobic interactions, WMIs between hydrophilic moieties and pairs of hydrophilic-hydrophobic surfaces have received much less attention. In this work, we perform molecular dynamics simulations to study the WMI between nanoscale (i) hydrophobic-hydrophobic, (ii) hydrophilic-hydrophilic, and (iii) hydrophilic-hydrophobic pairs of (hydroxylated/nonhydroxylated) graphene-based surfaces. We find that in all cases, the potential of mean force (PMF) between the plates exhibits oscillations as a function of the plate separations r, up to r ≈ 1-1.5 nm. The local minima of the PMF, which define the stable/metastable states of the system, correspond to plates' separations at which water molecules arrange into n = 0, 1, 2, ... layers between the plates. In case (i), the stable state of the system corresponds to the plates in contact with one another. Instead, in cases (ii) and (iii), water is never removed between the plates. The free-energy barriers separating the stable/metastable states of the system vary with the hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity of the interacting plates. However, the effective forces between the plates are comparable in magnitude. This strongly suggests that hydrophilic-hydrophilic and hydrophilic-hydrophobic interactions can play a relevant role in self-assembly processes in aqueous solutions, alike hydrophobic interactions. Interestingly, we find that the WMIs between hydrophilic-hydrophilic and hydrophilic-hydrophobic plates are similar, suggesting that only one hydrophilic surface is sufficient to induce hydrophilic-like WMI. We also briefly discuss the role of surface polarity on the WMI. In particular, we show that depending on the surface polarity, WMI can exhibit mixed features characteristic of hydrophobic and hydrophilic interactions. Our results suggest that the forces between hydrophobic, hydrophilic, and hydrophobic/hydrophilic surfaces are all relevant in driving a self-assembly system toward its final state, but it is the hydrophobic interaction that provides stability to such a final state.
Abstract B132: Inhibition of Haspin kinase to promote cell-intrinsic and extrinsic anticancer therapy

Oncogene-targeted therapies are initially effective in most patients with BRAF-mutated melanoma. However, patients frequently develop resistance during therapy. At the time of therapy resistance, they are also less likely to respond to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) with response rates ranging from 0-12%, compared to 40-60% when used in the first line. This may be in part be due to rapid tumor growth that outpaces pharmacodynamics of ICI. New drugs that directly control tumor growth and effectively enhance ICI activity are therefore needed. We report that the small molecule CX-6258 has potent activity against both RAF/MEK inhibitor (RMS) and resistant (RMR) BRAF-mutant melanoma cell lines. CX-6258 is annotated as a pan-PIM kinase inhibitor, with an EC50 corrected for growth rate (GR50) of ~200 nM; in contrast, other PIM inhibitors had no in vitro activity, suggesting that PIMs may not be the true target in melanoma - we therefore sought to systematically study the targets of this compound. Using an unbiased kinase profiling approach, we identified Haspin Kinase (HASPIN) as the key target of CX-6258 with an IC50~10nM. Haspin kinase (Haspin) is a poorly understood mitotic kinase, whose only well-defined function is phosphorylation of Histon H3 at Thr3 (pH3T3). Treatment with CX-6258 resulted in reduced proliferation, reduced phosphorylation of pH3T3, frequent formation of micronuclei (MN), recruitment of cGAS and activation of the cGAS-STING-pathway. By using CRISPR/CAS9 knock outs of PIM kinase we show that these targets are not required for CX-6258 function. Furthermore, siRNA mediated knock-down of HASPIN phenocopied CX-6258. In murine models, CX-6258 induces a potent cGAS dependent type-I-interferon response in tumor cells, increases IFNγ-producing CD8+ T-cells, reduces Tregs, and enhances responses to ICIs in vivo. HASPIN is more strongly expressed in malignant compared to healthy tissue and its inhibition by CX-6258 has minimal toxicity in ex vivo expanded human tumor-infiltrating-lymphocytes (TILs) and in vitro differentiated human neurons, suggesting a potential therapeutic index for anti-cancer therapy. CX-6258 also shows activity in several Ewing sarcoma and multiple myeloma cell lines with. In summary, HASPIN inhibition may overcome drug resistance in melanoma, synergize with ICIs and target a vulnerability in different cancer lineages. Citation Format: Johannes C. Melms, Sreeram Vallabhaneni, Caitlin E. Mills, Kai Wucherpfennig, Peter K. Sorger, Benjamin Izar. Inhibition of Haspin kinase to promote cell-intrinsic and extrinsic anticancer therapy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2019 Oct 26-30; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2019;18(12 Suppl):Abstract nr B132. doi:10.1158/1535-7163.TARG-19-B132
19 – Demand and Supply: The Micro Side

Publisher Summary This chapter explores the economics of exchange from the perspective of markets. Every market has two sides: buyers and sellers. The buyers' side of the market is called demand. Demand signifies how people decide how many and what kinds of goods and services to purchase. The sellers' side of the market is called supply, which denotes how sellers determine the amounts and kinds of goods to offer for sale. Equilibrium price is that one price where the quantity demanded equals the quantity supplied. It is called equilibrium because it is the only stable price and the only price at which all desired exchanges can take place. Prices change as the result of market reactions to shortages and surpluses. When the quantity demanded exceeds the quantity supplied, the market price is bid up by buyers competing for scarce goods. When the quantity supplied exceeds the quantity demanded, sellers bid down the market price in an attempt to sell their abundant goods.
When a Family Seeks to Exclude Residents From Their Child’s Care

A primary goal of our medical education system is to produce physicians qualified to promote health, prevent and treat disease, and relieve suffering. Although some aspects of the practice of medicine can be learned in classrooms, from textbooks, or with simulators, other aspects can only be learned through the direct provision of patient care. Residency programs therefore offer essential educational experiences that support residents' acquisition of knowledge, skills, and professional judgment through the assumption of progressive responsibility under an appropriate level of supervision. Yet, ethical questions can arise when medical education is integrated with patient care. How should we balance the educational needs of residents and the social benefits of medical education against obligations to patients and families? In this article, we present the case of a child whose family requests that residents not be allowed to perform any procedures on their child and then ask experts (a pediatric residency program director, a pediatrics resident, and an ethicist) to comment.
Recent Results from SPLASH: Chemical Abundances and Kinematics of Andromeda's Stellar Halo

Large scale surveys of Andromeda's resolved stellar populations have revolutionized our view of this galaxy over the past decade. The combination of large-scale, contiguous photometric surveys and pointed spectroscopic surveys has been particularly powerful for discovering substructure and disentangling the structural components of Andromeda. The SPLASH (Spectroscopic and Photometric Landscape of Andromeda's Stellar Halo) survey consists of broad- and narrow-band imaging and spectroscopy of red giant branch stars in lines of sight ranging in distance from 2 kpc to more than 200 kpc from Andromeda's center. The SPLASH data reveal a power-law surface brightness profile extending to at least two-thirds of Andromeda's virial radius (Gilbert et al. 2012), a metallicity gradient extending to at least 100 kpc from Andromeda's center (Gilbert et al. 2014), and evidence of a significant population of heated disk stars in Andromeda's inner halo (Dorman et al. 2013). We are also using the velocity distribution of halo stars to measure the tangential motion of Andromeda (Beaton et al., in prep).
Patient Preparedness for Pelvic Organ Prolapse Surgery: A Randomized Equivalence Trial of Preoperative Counseling.

OBJECTIVE: Preoperative counseling can affect postoperative outcomes and satisfaction. We hypothesized that patient preparedness would be equivalent after preoperative counseling phone calls versus preoperative counseling office visits before prolapse surgery. METHODS: This was an equivalence randomized controlled trial of women undergoing pelvic organ prolapse surgery. Participants were randomized to receive standardized counseling via a preoperative phone call or office visit. The primary outcome was patient preparedness measured on a 5-point Likert scale by the Patient Preparedness Questionnaire at the postoperative visit. A predetermined equivalence margin of 20% was used. Two 1-sided tests for equivalence were used for the primary outcome. RESULTS: We randomized 120 women. The study was concluded early because of COVID-19 and subsequent surgery cancellations. There were 85 participants with primary outcome data (43 offices, 42 phones). Mean age was 62.0 years (±1.0) and 64 (75.3%) had stage III or stage IV prolapse. The primary outcome, patient preparedness measured at the postoperative visit, was equivalent between groups (office, n = 43 [97.7%]; phone, n = 42 [97.6%], P < 0.001). Most women reported they would have preferred a phone call (n = 66, 65.5%) with more women in the phone group expressing this preference than the office group (office 40.5% vs phone 90.5%, P < 0.001). Ultimately, nearly all women (96.5%) were satisfied with their method of counseling. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative counseling phone calls were equivalent to office visits for patient preparedness for pelvic organ prolapse surgery. This study demonstrates patient acceptance of phone calls for preoperative counseling. Telehealth modalities should be considered as an option for preoperative patient counseling.
The Philosophical and Cultural Context for the Emergence of Probability and Statistical Inference

This chapter explores the transformation of sixteenth- and seventeenth-century thought and culture, by way of sketching the context and conditions for the emergence of the modern concepts of probability and statistical inference in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, respectively. Philosophically, the profound changes at that time could be summarized as splitting and polarization, externalization and movement toward the surface, and an uprooting and decentering. Widespread monetization had implied that everything could be measured, that the world could be understood in mathematical terms, and that judgment might be replaced by calculation. As a self-sustaining, self-correcting system, the market lent plausibility to mechanistic theories of nature. Aristotelian causes could not be found by empirical methods, which could only determine the frequency of co-occurrence of signs; the connections between things were lost; entities became detachable from their attributes. The new awareness of finitude and epistemological aloneness entailed acute anxiety and an ensuing frantic search for a solid footing. In the midst of that trauma, the formation of the modern dualistic concept of probability at once gave expression to the crisis of knowledge and provided the key to its solution, in the mathematical formalization of all empirical knowledge by statistical inference.
Simplified versus Standard Radiofrequency Ablation Protocols for Barrett's Esophagus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

ABSTRACT Backgrounds and Aims Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a well-established technique for the treatment Barrett's esophagus (BE). Simplified protocols that omit a cleaning phase between ablations have demonstrated similar efficacy to standard protocols that include the interposed cleaning phase. Some concern exists that simplified protocols may come at the cost of higher esophageal stricture rates. Methods A literature search was performed across multiple databases, including MEDLINE/PubMed, The Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, and major abstract databases (August 2020). Studies comparing RFA protocols that omitted a cleaning step (simplified) and protocols that included a cleaning step (standard) were eligible for inclusion. The outcomes examined included rate of complete eradication of intestinal metaplasia (CR-IM), complete eradication of dysplasia (CR-D) and stricture formation. Results Ten studies were included in the meta-analysis, representing 919 patients treated with standard protocols and 715 treated with simplified protocols. There was no statistically significant difference in achievement of CR-IM (OR, 1.21; 95% CI, 0.86-1.69; P = 0.27, I2 = 0%) or CR-D (OR, 1.16; 95% CI, 0.72-1.86; P = 0.54, I2 = 0%). Simplified protocols were associated with an increased rate of stricture formation (OR, 2.17; 95% CI, 1.49-3.17; P Conclusion The results of this systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrate that omission of an interposed cleaning step does not appear to reduce rates of eradication of intestinal metaplasia or dysplasia. However, there is a demonstrable association between simplified protocols and stricture formation. Further randomized controlled trials are necessary to elucidate the contribution of simplified protocols to stricture formation in light of potential confounders.
Social security income and the utilization of home care: Evidence from the social security notch☆

This paper exploits Social Security law changes to identify the effect of Social Security income on the use of formal and informal home care by the elderly. Results from an instrumental variables estimation strategy show that as retirement income increases, elderly individuals increase their use of formal home care and become less likely to rely on informal home care provided to them by their children. This negative effect on informal home care is most likely driven by male children withdrawing from their caregiving roles. The empirical results also suggest that higher Social Security benefits would encourage the use of formal home care by those who would not have otherwise used any type of home care and would also encourage the use of both types of home care services among elderly individuals.
Infrastructure financing and urban development

Abstract Historically, additions to public infrastructure necessitated by urban growth have been financed under a cost-sharing approach. In the last several decades, however, financing of growth has increasingly relied on land-use exactions, where new residents pay for the cost of incremental infrastructure. Despite the emergence of a formal growth-control literature, there has been virtually no formal analysis of the connection between infrastructure financing and urban development. To provide such an analysis, this paper investigates three different schemes for financing incremental infrastructure within an urban growth model. The analysis compares an impact-fee scheme to two types of cost-sharing schemes, deriving the effects on urban growth and land values of switching to the impact-fee scheme. The efficient financing scheme is also identified.
An X-ray survey of supernova remnants in the Large Magellanic Cloud

The last supernova (SN) observed in the Galaxy occurred ~375 years ago and it is clear that progress in SN research would be glacial at best if we were limited to the study of galactic events. Although the first extragalactic SN was discovered over 100 years ago and the detection rate reached ~20 yr-1 by 1960, it was not until several years later that the study of supernova remnants (SNR) was first extended beyond the Galaxy with the identification of three SNR in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) (Mathewson and Healy 1964). In the last decade, 14 SNRs have been catalogued in the LMC; similar numbers have been found in both M31 and M33 (D’Odorico, Dopita, and Benvenuti 1979; Blair, Kirshner, and Chevalier 1981), and recently, a few very young remnants have been detected in more distant galaxies (Kronberg, Bierman, and Schwab 1981; Weiler et al., and Winkler et al, 1982).
The homological degree of a module

A homological degree of a graded module M is an extension of the usual notion of multiplicity tailored to provide a numerical signature for the module even when M is not Cohen–Macaulay. We construct a degree, hdeg(M), that behaves well under hyperplane sections and the modding out of elements of finite support. When carried out in a local algebra this degree gives a simulacrum of complexity a la Castelnuovo–Mumford’s regularity. Several applications for estimating reduction numbers of ideals and predictions on the outcome of Noether normalizations are given.
Spatiotemporal mapping of matrix remodelling and evidence of in situ elastogenesis in experimental abdominal aortic aneurysms

Spatiotemporal changes in the extracellular matrix (ECM) were studied within abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) generated in rats via elastase infusion. At 7, 14 and 21 days post-induction, AAA tissues were divided into proximal, mid- and distal regions, based on their location relative to the renal arteries and the region of maximal aortic diameter. Wall thicknesses differed significantly between the AAA spatial regions, initially increasing due to positive matrix remodelling and then decreasing due to wall thinning and compaction of matrix as the disease progressed. Histological images analysed using custom segmentation tools indicated significant differences in ECM composition and structure vs healthy tissue, and in the extent and nature of matrix remodelling between the AAA spatial regions. Histology and immunofluorescence (IF) labelling provided evidence of neointimal AAA remodelling, characterized by presence of elastin-containing fibres. This remodelling was effected by smooth muscle α-actin-positive neointimal cells, which transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed to differ morphologically from medial SMCs. TEM of the neointima further showed the presence of elongated deposits of amorphous elastin and the presence of nascent, but not mature, elastic fibres. These structures appeared to be deficient in at least one microfibrillar component, fibrillin-1, which is critical to mature elastic fibre assembly. The substantial production of elastin and elastic fibre-like structures that we observed in the AAA neointima, which was not observed elsewhere within AAA tissues, provides a unique opportunity to capitalize on this autoregenerative phenomenon and direct it from the standpoint of matrix organization towards restoring healthy aortic matrix structure, mechanics and function. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Decision Making during International Crises Is Quality of Process Related to Outcome

This study investigated the hypothesis that high-quality decision-making procedures during crises are associated with better crisis outcomes than are defective decision-making procedures. Presidential decision making during 19 international crises since World War II was examined for seven symptoms of defective decision making proposed by Janis and Mann (1977). Crisis outcomes were rated by outside experts in terms of their effect on U.S. vital interests and on international conflict. Results indicated that crisis outcomes tended to have more adverse effects on U.S. interests and were more likely to increase international conflict when the decision-making process was characterized by a large number of symptoms. Alternative explanations are considered and the implications of these results for improving decision makers' procedures are discussed.
Continuous Phase Reversal Signal Detection under Complex Conditions

Preamble is very important for synchronization in OFDM systems. The continuous phase reversal (CPR) signal is very unique and appropriate to be used as preamble. In this paper, a novel algorithm is proposed for CPR signal detection when interferences are existed. The algorithm consists of two subsequent steps: the baseband symbol elimination (BBSE) and the subtraction spectrum detection. The first step making a symbol match checking on the mixed signals, and the second step comparing the results before and after the check, then unique features are used to make the decision. This algorithm is very effective according to the simulation results. The probability of detection can be 0.99 when the signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) is above 0dB under the condition that two sinusoid interferences are existed. The results also show that the performance of the detection is influenced obviously by the carrier frequency offsets between the CPR signal and the sinusoid interferences.
Construction of stable cloning vectors that do not segregate from a human fecal Escherichia coli strain in the streptomycin-treated mouse large intestine.

Escherichia coli F-18 Col- was previously shown to be a poor colonizer of the streptomycin-treated mouse large intestine, relative to its parent, E. coli F-18. Prior to attempting to clone genes responsible for the colonization phenotype of E. coli F-18 into E. coli F-18 Col-, a suitable cloning vector had to be found. In this investigation, we report that the commonly used cloning vectors pBR322, pHC79, and pBR329 all segregate from E. coli F-18 Col- both when grown in L broth under conditions of nonselection (i.e., in vitro) and when fed to streptomycin-treated mice (i.e., in vivo). Insertion of the cer region (which promotes resolution of replicating plasmids into monomeric forms) into pHC79 stabilized this plasmid in E. coli F-18 Col- in vitro and in vivo. In contrast, two independent cer insertions into pBR329 did not stabilize the plasmid completely in E. coli F-18 Col- in vitro, and feeding the strain to streptomycin-treated mice resulted in rapid segregation of the plasmids in vivo. Also, stability of all three plasmids in E. coli F-18 Col- in vitro was achieved by insertion of the parB region of plasmid R1, which encodes a cell-killing protein, Hok, that is active only postsegregationally. However, as with cer, complete in vitro and in vivo stabilization was achieved only in parB constructs of pBR322 and pHC79.
An inquiry into the theory of defuzzification

Defuzzification is an important operation in the theory of fuzzy sets. It transforms a fuzzy set information into a numeric data information. This operation along with the operation of fuzzification is critical to the design of fuzzy systems as both of these operations provide nexus between the fuzzy set domain and the real valued scalar domain. We need the synergy of both of these domains to solve many of our ill-posed problems effectively. In this paper, we will address the problem of defuzzification, present merits and demerits of various defuzzification strategies that are used in the theory and practice, and in design and implementation of applications involving fuzzy theory, fuzzy control, and fuzzy rule base, and fuzzy inference-based systems. We also present in this paper a simple and yet novel defuzzification mechanism.
What is the definition of cure for aplastic anemia

Treatment with immune suppression and bone marrow transplantation has improved the response rates and survival of patients with aplastic anemia. Measurement of response requires that common endpoints be recorded at specific times. There has been no agreement on such parameters for patients with aplastic anemia. In this paper issues related to measurement of response are reviewed and criteria for response are proposed. Adoption of uniform criteria would facilitate comparisons of treatment efficacy.