cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Strange Parallels: One Basin, Two Poles: The Western Mainland and the Formation of Burma

Our detailed examination of mainland history begins with the western sector of the mainland in part because it is convenient to proceed west to east and in part because here I am best able to address regional conundrums with indigenous-language primary sources. Moreover, insofar as any sector can be representative of so varied a region, the western mainland has a good claim. In duration and degree, for example, post-charter disruptions were intermediate between those of the central and eastern mainland. The same may be said of intrasectoral tensions: Upper Burma reemerged as the dominant zone within the western mainland in the 1630s. This was long after Ayudhya had established its preeminence in the central mainland, but almost 170 years before Hue gained a secure authority along the yet more fragmented eastern littoral. As elsewhere, political change had a cyclic character: periodic breakdowns encouraged administrative reform, but reformed administrations collapsed before destabilizing economic growth, external attacks, and domestic factionalism. Whenever the capital region was in trouble, restive provinces were quick to magnify its difficulties. Thus Lower Burma exploited Upper Burma's problems in the 1280s and 1740s, and when the south faltered in the late 1500s, Upper Burma returned the favor. With the interior home to Burmans and the south to Mons, endemic north–south tensions had an irreducible, if fluid, ethnic component.
Toward a FIERCE Nomadology: Contesting Queer Geographies on the Christopher Street Pier

New York City has a long history of gentrification, well demonstrated by the strategies of “revitalization” and “re-development” that have occurred in Harlem throughout the last century. Less well known is the historical, political, and social context surrounding New York’s Pier 45, also known as the Christopher Street Pier. As a historically-known gathering spot for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals, the Christopher Street Pier gained recognition for harbouring what could be described as a queer public . However, recent processes of gentrification have changed Pier 45 into the Hudson River Park, ostensibly privatizing the site. With reference to Braidotti’s nomadic subject, this paper explores the Christopher Street Pier as a representation of queer geographies. Further, it argues that the re-appropriation of the once queer public space of Pier 45 exposes a municipal agenda of surveillance in relation to sexualized and racialized identities. Through reference to the activist practices of FIERCE, a local NGO, I show how the nomadic subjectivities of queer youth open up a discussion of ethical responsibility and point toward strategic movements of resistance in the face of gentrification in New York’s West Village.
A Process for Managing the Re-convergence of Marketing Functions

This chapter describes how, over the past century, marketing has splintered into numerous subfields and identifies market forces that are now forcing them to re-converge. Subfields such as advertising, direct marketing, CRM, and marketing research are expanding their scope and borrowing approaches from sibling fields. We propose a process for managing across all customer touch points that incorporates key concepts and methods from the converging subfields.
Abstract 533: Vascular Smooth Muscle Na/Ca Exchanger-1 Modulates Myogenic Reactivity and Blood Pressure in Chronic Intermittent Hypoxia

Chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) results in systemic hypertension and altered vascular reactivity in human and rodents. We hypothesize that vascular smooth muscle (VSM) Na/Ca exchanger type-1 (NCX1) is a potential molecular mechanism mediating CIH-induced changes in vascular reactivity and blood pressure (BP). Wild type (WT) and transgenic (TG) mice with VSM-specific NCX1 overexpression were exposed to either CIH (1 min 5% nadir O2, followed by 1 min 21% O2; 8 hrs/day for 5 weeks), or normoxia (constant 21% O2). CIH resulted in greater BP elevation in TG (102 ± 3 mm Hg vs. 92 ± 6 mm Hg in normoxia, P < 0.05, n = 6 and 3, measured by intra-carotid artery catheterization under 1.5% isoflurane) than in WT (88 ± 4 mm Hg vs. 83 ± 2 mm Hg in normoxia, NS, n = 3 and 5) mice. Mesenteric small resistance arteries were then isolated and pressurized for diameter and wall thickness measurement. Compared to normoxia controls, CIH-exposed WT arteries exhibited increased resting myogenic tone (21 ± 2% vs. 16 ± 2% of PD in normoxia, P < 0.05, n = 5 each group). Moreover, myogenic reactivity in WT arteries of CIH-exposed mice shifted downward at lower range of intraluminal pressure (20-80 mm Hg), and upward at higher pressure (100-140 mm Hg). The effects of CIH were significantly greater in TG arteries compared to those in WT arteries, suggesting that VSM NCX1 augmented the myogenic response to CIH. Vasoconstrictions induced by phenylephrine (0.003-100 μM), greater in TG arteries, or high (60 mM) external K+ solution, were similar between control and CIH groups in the same genotype, suggesting that arterial contractility to agonist stimulation was not affected by CIH. Arterial wall thickness or passive diameters under various intraluminal pressures in Ca2+-free solution were not different between control and CIH groups in either genotype, suggesting a lack of arterial stiffness or remodeling. In summary, 1) CIH results in greater BP elevation in TG mice; 2) CIH leads to biphasic changes in myogenic reactivity in small resistance arteries; 3) Overexpression of VSM NCX1 exaggerates BP elevation in CIH, likely by modulating myogenic reactivity, suggesting that VSM NCX1 is a potential mechanism mediating CIH-induced hypertension.
Aspergillus oryzae–Saccharomyces cerevisiae Consortium Allows Bio-Hybrid Fuel Cell to Run on Complex Carbohydrates

Consortia of Aspergillus oryzae and Saccharomyces cerevisiae are examined for their abilities to turn complex carbohydrates into ethanol. To understand the interactions between microorganisms in consortia, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy is used to follow the concentrations of various metabolites such as sugars (e.g., glucose, maltose), longer chain carbohydrates, and ethanol to optimize consortia conditions for the production of ethanol. It is shown that with proper design A. oryzae can digest food waste simulants into soluble sugars that S. cerevisiae can ferment into ethanol. Depending on the substrate and conditions used, concentrations of 13% ethanol were achieved in 10 days. It is further shown that a direct alcohol fuel cell (FC) can be coupled with these A. oryzae-enabled S. cerevisiae fermentations using a reverse osmosis membrane. This “bio-hybrid FC” continually extracted ethanol from an ongoing consortium, enhancing ethanol production and allowing the bio-hybrid FC to run for at least one week. Obtained bio-hybrid FC currents were comparable to those from pure ethanol—water mixtures, using the same FC. The A. oryzae–S. cerevisiae consortium, coupled to a bio-hybrid FC, converted food waste simulants into electricity without any pre- or post-processing.
Improving yields in bridging silicon nanowires with rational control of the bridge characteristics

We present a practical technique for fabricating silicon nanowire bridges on pre-patterned Si electrodes arrays. Silicon nanowires, catalyzed by gold nanoparticles, were grown on silicon electrodes from HF treated Au colloid as well as on electrodes treated with poly-L-lysine. Negligible growth was observed on untreated substrates due to poor adhesion of gold nanoparticles to the hydrogen terminated Si surface. In contrast, the treatments significantly increased occurrence of silicon nanowire bridges, which can be attributed to improved deposition of gold nanoparticles on the surface. Deposition time and concentrations of colloids also affected the occurrence of SiNW bridges. These results indicate that our techniqute for fabricating nanowire bridge arrays will be useful for large-area nanowire applications.
Codling Moth (Lepidoptera: Olethreutidae) Susceptibility to Azinphosmethyl

Tests were conducted to measure the susceptibility of codling moth, Cydia pomonelia (L.), adults and larvae of both field and laboratory colonies at Yakima, Wash., to azinphosmethyl and to compare these data with results obtained previously as a test for development of pesticide resistance. Presently, there seems to be no resistance to azinphosmethyl after 22 to 23 years of use. The minimum lethal residue for adults was 0.33 µg/cm2, and for larvae 1.17 µg/cm2 or 168 ppm. The LD50 for the adults of the two strains tested was 0.13 and 0.21 µg/moth.
Anti-Basal Ganglia Antibodies in Sydenham’s Chorea

The sensitivity and specificity of methods to detect anti-basal ganglia antibodies (ABGA) in Sydenham’s chorea were determined in a study at the Institute of Neurology, Queen Square; Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children; Royal Free and University College Hospital Medical School, London, UK; and Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Albumin transcytosis in mesothelium: further evidence of a transcellular pathway in polarized cells.

the prevailing view amongphysiologists about fluid and protein exit from the pleural space is that most of it occurs via the lymphatic stomata of the parietal pleura under slightly subatmospheric intrapleural pressure ([6][1], [8][2],[9][3]). The pleura and other serosa, such as the pericardium and
Generic programming for high-performance scientific applications: Research Articles

We present case studies that apply generic programming to the development of high-performance parallel code for solving two archetypal partial differential equations (PDEs). We examine the overall structure of the example scientific codes and consider their generic implementation. With a generic approach it is a straightforward matter to reuse software components from different sources; implementations with components from the Iterative Template Library (ITL), the Matrix Template Library (MTL), Blitz++, A++sP++, and Fortran BLAS are presented. Our newly developed Generic Message Passing library is used for communication. We compare the generic implementations with equivalent implementations developed with alternative libraries and languages and discuss performance as well as software engineering issues. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Preliminary research on the approximate solution for a class of integral equation

An approximate solution of a class of singular integral equation is given, the error and the possibility of the solution is analysed and proved.
Nonmarket Work Among Working-Age Disability Beneficiaries Evidence From the American Time Use Survey

More than US$100 billion is spent annually by the U.S. federal government in income maintenance in the form of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) to workers with disabilities—the majority of whom are not in the labor market. Despite this large sum, however, little is known about the extent to which disability beneficiaries contribute to the economy through nonmarket work. This study uses data from the 2003–2012 American Time Use Survey, matched to the Current Population Survey, to provide the first nationally representative analysis of nonmarket time use among SSDI beneficiaries. A replacement wage approach is then used to assign monetary value to beneficiaries’ nonmarket time and to evaluate the relative contribution of that monetary value to gross domestic product (GDP) and average aggregate SSDI payments. Results indicate that beneficiaries, on average, report nearly 4.5 hr per day of nonmarket production. These inputs would comprise between .69% and .98% of total GDP if they were compensated ...
Molecular Control of Endothelial Derived Nitric Oxide: A New Paradigm for Endothelial NOS Regulation by Posttranslational Modifications

Publisher Summary This chapter highlights recent developments in the field of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (NOS) regulation by posttranslational control mechanisms as they pertain to both basal and stimulated production of nitric oxide (NO). The physiological production of NO by vascular endothelium is important for cardiovascular homeostasis. NO synthesized by NOS family member, endothelial NOS (eNOS), is the enzyme that produces endothelium-derived relaxing factor, identified as NO, as originally demonstrated by the classic studies of Furchgott, Ignarro, and Moncada. Endothelium-derived NO is important for blood-pressure control, angiogenesis, and vascular remodeling as demonstrated by the profound perturbations in these processes in mice deficient in this NOS isoform. Regulation of NO production is an important area of research relevant to various aspects of vascular biology including vasomotor control, thrombosis, inflammation, vascular remodeling, and angiogenesis.
Physical Constraints on Lateral Diffusion and Ubiquinone-Mediated Mitochondrial Electron Transport

Recent investigations relating to the Random Collision Model of Mitochondrial Electron Transport [Hackenbrock, 1981; Hackenbrock et al., 1985, 1986a, b], have focused on elucidating the physical constraints on diffusion related to electron transport function in the inner membrane. This model rejects the concept that permanent assemblies or transient aggregates of redox components in the inner membrane are necessary to account for the sequence or maximum rate for the process of electron transport. In this diffusion-coupled process [Gupte et al., 1984] i.e. where all bimolecular redox reactions are preceded by one or more diffusion-based collisions between reacting redox partners, and where all redox partners are independent lateral diffusants [Sowers & Hackenbrock, 1981; Hochli et al., 1985], any factors that affect concentration or the rate of lateral diffusion should also affect the rate of electron transport. Towards these ends the experimental studies presented here relate the diffusion and collision of ubiquinone (Q) and its redox partners to electron transport as a function of temperature, concentration, and various agents added to the aqueous phase.
The effects of inspiratory muscles loading on core endurance

Introduction: The most important muscle of the respiratory system is diaphragm muscle which is responsible for most of the inspiration. In addition to being an inspiratory muscle, diaphragm muscle is a core muscle. Core muscles work all together to generate maximal stability in the abdominal and the lumbar back region. In this respect, if inspiratory muscles loading (IML) occurs, it may affect core endurance. Aims and objectives: The main aim of this study was to investigate the influence of acute IML on core endurance. Methods: A total of 32 healthy male university students were included in the study. Participants9 demographic information, pulmonary function test values, and respiratory muscle strength (Maximum Inspiratory and Expiratory Pressure [MIP and MEP]) were evaluated. During the loading protocol, all participants underwent inspiratory threshold loading to induce IML. Participants were instructed to inspire maximally to generate a negative threshold pressure of 60% of their MIP during twenty minutes. Core endurance tests (sit-up test, right and left side bridge test, trunk flexor endurance test, Sorensen test) were performed both before and after IML. Participants9 saturation, fatigue and dyspnea (Modified Borg Scale) were assessed before and after IML. Results: All core endurance tests9 scores were significantly lower after IML than before IML(sit-up test [p Conclusions: We found that core endurance was decreased after IML. These results suggest that better inspiratory muscle endurance provides better core endurance in young healthy male subject.
Incorporating food microstructure and material characteristics for developing multiscale saturated and unsaturated transport models

This communication discusses hybrid mixture theory and how it could be utilized for food science applications by presenting examples on drying, frying and expansion of biopolymers. Hybrid mixture theory, which has a continuum mechanics basis can be used to merge the quality changes in food biopolymers with processes such as transport of heat, water, vapors, oil, etc. in food systems. Once a developed model has been validated, obtaining the solution via numerical simulations yields a large amount of data on transport of fluids, heat, species, etc. in the food matrix and food's rheological and microstructural characteristics. Hybrid mixture theory and some other continuum mechanics based theories have advanced to a stage that they can be used to describe the fate of multiphases and multiconstituents in complex foods undergoing phase and state transitions during processing. The developed modeling equations also help to serve as a guide for designing parameter estimation experiments, and solution of the model helps to fill gaps in experimental knowledge on underlying physical mechanisms. The solution of developed model provides information on optimum processing conditions needed to improve the quality of food products and efficiency of processes.
Characterization of High Affinity Iron Acquisition Systems in Campylobacter jejuni

Iron acquisition systems are critical for bacterial pathogenesis and thus have been proposed as attractive targets for iron-dependent pathogen control. Of these systems, high-affinity iron acquisition mediated by siderophore, a small iron chelator, is the most efficient iron-scavenging mechanism in gram-negative bacteria. Campylobacter does not produce any siderophores but has the ability to utilize exogenous siderophores. In particular, the enterobactin (Ent)-mediated iron scavenging is tightly linked to Campylobacter pathogenesis. To date, Ent, a triscatecholate with the highest known affinity for ferric iron, is a well-characterized siderophore used by Campylobacter for iron acquisition during in vivo infection. Here, we describe the key methods used to characterize Ent-mediated high affinity iron acquisition system in Campylobacter jejuni.
Relative size measures of urban form based on allometric subtraction

One of the most common relativization techniques in life sciences quantifies body condition based on residuals from the linear regression in the log–log plot of body mass against a linear measure of size. Given the network-based analogy between organisms and cities, the method is applied to comparative urban studies to formulate relativized allometric measures based on the allometry to size of metric and topological measures of street networks. The analysis of a sample of 70 cities from a confined region considered in three historical stages demonstrates that the more allometric scaling of a measure to size diverges from the linear, the more allometric measures show discrepancy to the existing relativization methods that are based on mean measures and ratios between measures. Allometric measures reflect the dynamics of specific regional samples of cities and therefore also differ from relativization methods that relate measures that grow exponentially with size against static theoretical yardsticks. The c...
The Development of Employment Rights and the Management of Workplace Conflict

Conflict is endemic in workplace organizations. Some workplace conflict may coalesce into union organizing and collective bargaining; or it may ripen into litigation. At first blush, collective bargaining and litigation seem to represent nearly opposite approaches to workplace conflict. Yet they have more in common than first meets the eye. Both collective bargaining and litigation are fearsome to employers, and have generated a thriving industry of avoidance - "union avoidance," "litigation avoidance" - to keep them at bay. Both serve simultaneously as a mechanism of conflict resolution and as a catalyst of conflict. The iconic statutes that launched both the collective bargaining system and modern employment litigation - the NLRA of 1935 and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 - were born amidst intense social conflict; and both aimed in part to quell that conflict by channeling it into more peaceful channels - specifically, by empowering employees and compelling employers to deal with them fairly through non-violent though still costly adversarial forms of conflict. For workplace conflict is not simply a social evil to be avoided; it is also a by-product of, and a means for, the pursuit of justice. Yet both the collective bargaining system and statutory employment rights are supposed to induce organizational actors to construct a more just state of affairs mainly through the threat of costly conflict, not its frequent occurrence. This chapter's exploration of parallels between litigation and collective bargaining as modes of workplace dispute resolution lays the foundation for advocating one more parallel: Employment rights, litigation, and regulation could follow a path pioneered by the labor movement in leveraging workplace disputes into pressure for more participatory structures of workplace governance. It argues that the forms of governance - regulated self-regulation and internal dispute resolution - that are beginning to take shape under the shadow of litigation and regulation could and should be molded into a system of "co-regulation" that would secure for workers some of what collective bargaining was meant to deliver: a form of participation through collective representation in the resolution of workplace disputes and in workplace governance.
Testing for Feedback Trading in Index Futures: A Dynamic CAPM Approach

This paper tests the hypothesis that some participants in index futures markets engage in feedback trading. The analysis is based on a modified dynamic Capital Asset Pricing Model that assumes two types of investors: i) expected utility maximizers, and ii) positive feedback traders who sell during market declines and buy during market advances. According to the model, the actions of the latter group, if present, would induce negative time varying autocorrelation. The model is tested using data from four popular international stock index futures contracts. There is some evidence of time-varying negative autocorrelation, consistent with the notion that some participants are feedback traders. However, other important aspects of the model are not supported by the evidence.
Corpocracy: The Tyranny of Neoliberalism and Detroit's Financial Crisis

The city of Detroit in 2013 is confronted with a financial crisis so severe that municipal bankruptcy may be the only viable solution. Racial mistrust unfortunately structures the political communication between political leaders in Detroit, the suburbs, and the state. Amid this contentious political climate of racial mistrust, allegations of mismanagement, incompetence, and corruption have been directed at the city of Detroit as causes of the crisis. The aura of racial mistrust makes it extremely difficult for city, county, and state officials to implement an equitable solution to the financial crisis. The most damaging aspect of racial mistrust is the obfuscation of the fundamental cause of the crisis. Building on the arguments of Wendy Brown (2003, 2006), Henry A. Giroux (2004,2005), and Michael C. Dawson (2012), we argue that the fundamental cause of Detroit’s financial crisis is the implementation of neoliberal fiscal and social welfare policies targeting the poor by chief executives and legislative elected officials in Washington D.C. and state capitals across the nation. This paper focuses on the Detroit’s financial crisis, and offers as an example, the policy solutions offered to address the thirty-five year federal government oversight of Detroit’s Water and Sewerage Department, to illustrate both the perils and challenges facing citizens and political leaders whom are opposed to the anti-republican nature of neoliberalism. The Detroit financial crisis is not merely an isolated local issue; it is a referendum on the duties and obligations of government toward its citizens. Will federal and state governmental officials become more responsive to the concerns of its citizens of color, or will elected officials continue to implement policies that elevate the political desires of the free market above those of the citizenry and transform American governance from an inclusive representative democracy into a corpocracy.
Weight-Bearing and Other Orthoses for Skeletal and Joint Insufficiency

Orthoses for protection of joints and bone are described in this article. It is shown how orthotic design can reduce weight bearing to varying degrees in joints of the lower extremity and how the same orthosis can be built to maintain joint and bone alignment.
Functional Analysis of Large-Scale DNA Strand Displacement Circuits

We present a method for the analysis of functional properties of large-scale DNA strand displacement DSD circuits based on Satisfiability Modulo Theories that enables us to prove the functional correctness of DNA circuit designs for arbitrary inputs, and provides significantly improved scalability and expressivity over existing methods. We implement this method as an extension to the Visual DSD tool, and use it to formalize the behavior of a 4-bit square root circuit, together with the components used for its construction. We show that our method successfully verifies that certain designs function as required and identifies erroneous computations in others, even when millions of copies of a circuit are interacting with each other in parallel. Our method is also applicable in the verification of properties for more general chemical reaction networks.
Alternative Strategies and Methods for Concentrating Chemicals from Water

The concentration of organic matter in water can range from several hundred micrograms per liter in groundwater to many milligrams per liter in industrial or sewage effluents. Generally, the biologically active materials will be present in concentrations too low to be detected by testing the small amount of aqueous sample that can be incorporated directly into a biological test system. The organic matter in drinking water and wastewater is a complex mixture and defies complete characterization by current technology. Consequently, these materials cannot be purchased or synthesized for biological testing, but must be obtained from the water to be evaluated. A paradoxical situation results, since the evaluation of methods for concentrating an organic substance depends on the existence of reliable analytical methods for the quantitative analysis of the substance. Therefore most of the data available concerning organic concentration techniques are based on performance with a few specific compounds or on general parameters such as total organic carbon (TOC) or total organic halogen.
The noise factor: irrelevant search results on the World Wide Web

Finding information on the World Wide Web is easy; finding relevant information is not. While search engines provide a more directed approach to resource discovery than browsing, the pages they identify as “matching” a query often have little relevance to the information being sought. To examine the relationship between query terms and the pages they match, the queries that were used to locate five Web pages were collected over a five-month period. The relevancy of page content to the query terms was then analyzed. Page content was judged as being irrelevant to more than one-third of the queries. Search engines disagreed; a test page link appeared within the first one percent of the total number of links retrieved in response to forty percent of those queries. This supported the supposition that conducting searches with popular search engines often results in too many links with little relevance to the query terms. An alternative approach is therefore proposed in which metadata, hyperlinks, and other subject-related HyperText Markup Language (HTML) tags are used to improve the effectiveness of Web queries. By relying on the structural components of HTML documents, it should be possible to conduct intelligent searches that yield more relevant results.
Asymptotically Optimal Feedback Planning: FMM Meets Adaptive Mesh Refinement

The first asymptotically optimal feedback motion planning algorithm is presented. Our algorithm is based on two well-established numerical practices: (1) the Fast Marching Method (FMM) , which is a numerical Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman solver, and (2) the adaptive mesh refinement algorithm designed to improve the resolution of a simplicial mesh and, consequently, reduce the numerical error. Using the uniform mesh refinement, we show that the resulting sequence of numerical solutions converges to the optimal one. According to the dynamic programming principle, it is sufficient to refine the discretization within a small region around an optimal trajectory in order to reduce the computational cost. Numerical experiments confirm that our algorithm outperforms previous asymptotically optimal planning algorithms, such as PRM* and RRT*, in that it uses fewer discretization points to achieve similar quality approximate optimal paths.
Cystic Fibrosis-Associated Liver Disease in Lung Transplant Recipients.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an autosomal recessive disease characterized by mutations in the gene that encodes for the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator protein (CFTR). CFTR gene mutations manifest as epithelial cell dysfunction in the airways, biliary tract, pancreas, gut, sweat glands, paranasal sinuses, and genitourinary tract. The clinical manifestations of this dysfunction include respiratory tract infections, bronchiectasis, pancreatic insufficiency, malabsorption, intestinal obstruction, liver disease, and male infertility. The liver disease manifestations of CF can include biliary disease, multilobular cirrhosis, and portal hypertension with and without cirrhosis. Pulmonary disease is the main cause for morbidity and mortality in individuals with CF, and according to the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation, CF is the third most common indication for lung transplantation in adults, accounting for 16% of procedures performed. The survival after lung transplantation in individuals with CF continues to improve and is now the highest among end-stage lung diseases requiring transplant. The survival rate at 10 years is close to 50%. Given the potential presence of liver disease in CF patients undergoing an evaluation for lung transplantation and in lung transplant recipients, it is important to understand the manifestations of liver disease in CF patients and the recommended workup and follow-up. This review aims to discuss the current literature and provide guidance in the management of these patients.
Frailty, Acute Organ Dysfunction, and Increased Disability After Hospitalization in Older Adults Who Survive Critical Illness: A Prospective Cohort Study

Purpose:We aimed to describe the association between prehospital frailty (PHF), acute organ dysfunction (AOD), and posthospital disability (PHD) outcome in older adults admitted to the intensive ca...
Study on wind-induced response of a simplified model of transmission tower based on finite particle method

A reduced model of a transmission tower was established based on the principle of equivalent stiffness. The finite particle method was used to analyse the wind-induced response of the reduced model. The analysis of the dynamic characteristics of the reduced model shows that the accuracy of the equivalent formula proposed in this paper was very high. Compared with the first five order natural frequencies of the complete model, the maximum calculation error of the reduced model was only 0.87%. Since the first order shear deformation beam theory was used in the reduced model, the interpolation-independent element shape functions were developed to avoid the shear locking phenomenon. Moreover, the formula for calculating the internal force of Timoshenko beam for finite particle method was derived. By using two successive Euler angles, a new method for separating the rigid motion and pure deformation of the element was proposed. The computational efficiency of this method is significantly improved, and the computational time is less than half of that of the traditional finite particle method. The results of wind-induced response analysis of the transmission tower show that the simplified model proposed in this paper can obtain highly accurate displacement response of the structure, and the maximum error of the RMS of the displacements at the top of the tower is less than 3.2%. This model is suitable for studying the dynamic response of transmission tower line system and evaluating the effect of the wind-induced vibration control of damping device.
Elbow contracture following operative fixation of fractures about the elbow

Background The rates of elbow contracture and contracture release after surgically treated elbow trauma are poorly defined. The purpose of this study was to define the incidence of elbow contracture diagnosis and release after surgical treatment for elbow trauma. Methods The Humana insurance database was queried using the PearlDiver Patient Records Database between 2007 and 2017. Subjects were identified using International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes in combination with Current Procedural Terminology codes and were included if they had a minimum of 1-year follow-up. Qualifying operative elbow trauma patients were queried for development of postoperative elbow contracture. Patient demographic characteristics, risk factors for elbow stiffness, and use of postoperative anticoagulation were recorded. Fracture severity was classified based on ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes. Logistic multivariate analysis was performed to determine independent risk factors for postoperative elbow contracture. Results The study population included 10,672 patients who were surgically treated for elbow trauma. In total, 902 patients (8.4%) were diagnosed with a contracture following fracture. Of patients with a diagnosis of elbow contracture, 65 patients (7.2%) underwent contracture release. On average, time to contracture diagnosis was 3.6 months (SD 7 months) and time to contracture release was 8.4 months (SD 3.6 months). The use of postoperative anticoagulation, burn or head injury at the time of fracture, male sex, obesity, opioid use, and moderate or severe fracture severity were significantly associated with progression to elbow contracture. Conclusion The development of elbow contracture after surgical treatment of elbow trauma has a relatively high incidence of 8.4%.
Cross ambiguity function mapping of acoustic source tracks using Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Data

This paper presents the adaptation of the Cross Ambiguity Function Mapping (CAF- Mapping) algorithm for use in acoustics. The CAF-Mapping algorithm provides a useful means of generating a geographic visualization of acoustic data. Modifications of the algorithm for use in acoustics are explained, including use of acoustic modeling to generate propagation time differences, nonlinear grid spacing for frequency differences, location seeding using either three sensors or two sensors and two data samples, and frequency normalization. The algorithm allows discrimination between multiple acoustic signals with spatial or velocity vector variance. The presentation compares simulation results for several different types of data, then provides results that track a likely group of pygmy blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda) using data from the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) sensors off the coast of Australia. The author's affiliation with The MITRE Corporation is provided for identification purposes only and is not intended to convey or imply MITRE's concurrence with, or support for, the positions, opinions, or viewpoints expressed by the author. [Approved for Public Release; Distribution Unlimited Case 19-1301. Copyright 2019, The MITRE Corporation.]This paper presents the adaptation of the Cross Ambiguity Function Mapping (CAF- Mapping) algorithm for use in acoustics. The CAF-Mapping algorithm provides a useful means of generating a geographic visualization of acoustic data. Modifications of the algorithm for use in acoustics are explained, including use of acoustic modeling to generate propagation time differences, nonlinear grid spacing for frequency differences, location seeding using either three sensors or two sensors and two data samples, and frequency normalization. The algorithm allows discrimination between multiple acoustic signals with spatial or velocity vector variance. The presentation compares simulation results for several different types of data, then provides results that track a likely group of pygmy blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda) using data from the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) sensors off the coast of Australia. The author's affiliation with The MITRE Corporation is provided for identification purposes onl...
Fiber Optic Folding Angle Sensors for Origami-Inspired Devices

Origami-inspired devices have been widely applied in engineering for converting two-dimensional materials into innovative and functional three-dimensional objects. This paper proposed a novel sensing method for identifying folding angles, which was able to be employed to foldable materials like a sheet of paper with no constraint. A fundamental examination was conducted in which a proposed fiber wiring pattern enabled to convert folding angle into moderate curvature of an optical fiber, and therefore the optical fiber detected the folding as an optical loss changes. Furthermore, the sensitivity to folding angle could be enhanced by introducing a hetero-core fiber optic macro-bending sensor.
Theoretical Limits of Vapor Cooling Large Cylindrical Structures Using Boil-Off

Abstract The Structural Heat Intercept, Insulation, and Vibration Evaluation Rig (SHIIVER) is planning to demonstrate the performance benefits of using boil-off to reduce the heat load on various upper stage structural members by using the boil-off vapor to intercept some of the heat load on the structures. A first order simplified analytical model was constructed in order to understand sensitivity of various parameters to performance as well as to understand the theoretical maximum performance of the vapor cooling of a thin-walled cylindrical structure. Constant fluid properties and a temperature dependent thermal conductivity of the structure material were assumed. The model showed that vapor cooling of an aluminum cylindrical structure with hydrogen can reduce the heat load along the cylinder by as much as 70%. Also, cooling a portion of the cylinder is quite effective in comparison with cooling it entirely.
Multi-organ segmentation in head and neck MRI using U-Faster-RCNN

Radiotherapy treatment is based on 3D anatomical models which require accurate organs-at-risk (OARs) delineation. In current clinical practice, the OARs are generally delineated from computed tomography (CT). Because of its superior soft-tissue contrast, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) information can be introduced to improve the quality of these 3D OAR delineation and therefore the treatment plan itself. Manual segmentation of relevant tissue regions from MR image is a tedious and time-consuming procedure, which is also subject to inter- and intra-observer variation. In this work, we propose to use a 3D Faster R-CNN to automatically detect the locations of head and neck OARs, then utilize an attention U-Net to automatically segment the multiple OARs. We tested our method using 15 head and neck cancer patients. The mean Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) of esophagus, larynx, mandible, oral cavity, left parotid, right parotid, pharynx and spinal cord were 84%, 79%, 85%, 89%, 82%, 81%, 85% and 89%, which demonstrated the segmentation accuracy of the proposed U-Faster-RCNN method. This segmentation technique could be a useful tool to facilitate the routine clinical workflow of H&N radiotherapy.
Daily Ethanol Drinking Followed by an Abstinence Period Impairs Bone Marrow Niche and Mitochondrial Function of Hematopoietic Stem/Progenitor Cells in Rhesus Macaques.

Background Unhealthy consumption of alcohol is a major public health crisis with strong associations between immunological dysfunctions, high vulnerability to infectious disease, anemia, and an increase in the risk of hematological malignancies. However, there is a lack of studies addressing alcohol-induced changes in bone marrow (BM) and hematopoiesis as fundamental aspects of immune system function. Methods To address the effect of chronic alcohol consumption on hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) and the BM niche, we used an established rhesus macaque model of voluntary alcohol drinking. A cohort of young adult male rhesus macaques underwent a standard ethanol self-administration protocol that allowed a choice of drinking alcohol or water 22 hours/day with periods of forced abstinence that elevated subsequent intakes when alcohol availability resumed. Following the last month of forced abstinence, the monkeys were euthanized. HSPCs and bone samples were collected and analyzed in functional assays and by confocal microscopy. Results HSPCs from alcohol animals exhibited reduced ability to form granulocyte-monocyte and erythroid colonies in vitro. HSPCs also displayed a decrease in mitochondrial oxygen consumption linked to ATP production and basal respiratory capacity. Chronic alcohol use led to vascular remodeling of the BM niche, a reduction in the number of primitive HSPCs, and a shift in localization of HSPCs from an adipose to a perivascular niche. Conclusions Our study demonstrates, for the first time, that chronic voluntary alcohol drinking in rhesus macaque monkeys leads to the long-term impairment of HSPC function, a reduction in mitochondrial respiratory activity, and alterations in the BM microenvironment. Further studies are needed to determine whether these changes in hematopoiesis are persistent or adaptive during the abstinent period and whether an initial imprinting to alcohol primes BM to become more vulnerable to future exposure to alcohol.
Algebraic reconstruction of 3D spatial EPR images from high numbers of noisy projections: An improved image reconstruction technique for high resolution fast scan EPR imaging.

Abstract A novel method for reconstructing 3D spatial EPR images from large numbers of noisy projections was developed that minimizes mean square error between the experimental projections and those from the reconstructed image. The method utilizes raw projection data and zero gradient spectrum to account for EPR line shape and hyperfine structure of the paramagnetic probe without the need for deconvolution techniques that are poorly suited for processing of high noise projections. A numerical phantom was reconstructed for method validation. Reconstruction time for the matrix of 1283 voxels and 16,384 noiseless projections was 4.6 min for a single iteration. The algorithm converged quickly, reaching R2 ~ 0.99975 after the very first iteration. An experimental phantom sample with nitroxyl radical was measured. With 16,384 projections and a field gradient of 8 G/cm, resolutions of 0.4 mm were achieved for a cubical area of 25 × 25 × 25 mm3. Reconstruction was sufficiently fast and memory efficient making it suitable for applications with large 3D matrices and fully determined system of equations. The developed algorithm can be used with any gradient distribution and does not require adjustable filter parameters that makes for simple application. A thorough analysis of the strengths and limitations of this method for 3D spatial EPR imaging is provided.
Incorporating producer opinions into a SWOT analysis of the U.S. tart cherry industry

While SWOT analysis is common in strategic management, the academic literature rarely incorporates responses and opinions held by those within the industry of interest. This article contributes to ...
Initiative to accelerate guideline distribution using the smartphone app ASRA Coags V.2.0.

Delays in translating new research and guidelines into clinical practice can waste resources, increase preventable harm and reduce patient benefit.[1 2][1] Multiple studies estimate that it takes on average 17 years for new research to meaningfully affect bedside care.[1][1] Guideline creation and
Bronchopleural Fistula in the Mechanically Ventilated Patient: A Concise Review.

Objective To describe the physiology of air leak in bronchopleural fistula in mechanically ventilated patients and how understanding of its physiology drives management of positive-pressure ventilation. To provide guidance of lung isolation, mechanical ventilator, pleural catheter, and endobronchial strategies for the management of bronchopleural fistula on mechanical ventilation. Data sources Online search of PubMed and manual review of articles (laboratory and patient studies) was performed. Study selection Articles relevant to bronchopleural fistula, mechanical ventilation in patients with bronchopleural fistula, independent lung ventilation, high-flow ventilatory modes, physiology of persistent air leak, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, fluid dynamics of bronchopleural fistula airflow, and intrapleural catheter management were selected. Randomized trials, observational studies, case reports, and physiologic studies were included. Data extraction Data from selected studies were qualitatively evaluated for this review. We included data illustrating the physiology of driving pressure across a bronchopleural fistula as well as data, largely from case reports, demonstrating management and outcomes with various ventilator modes, intrapleural catheter techniques, endoscopic placement of occlusion and valve devices, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Themes related to managing persistent air leak with mechanical ventilation were reviewed and extracted. Data synthesis In case reports that demonstrate different approaches to managing patients with bronchopleural fistula requiring mechanical ventilation, common themes emerge. Strategies aimed at decreasing peak inspiratory pressure, using lower tidal volumes, lowering positive end-expiratory pressure, decreasing the inspiratory time, and decreasing the respiratory rate, while minimizing negative intrapleural pressure decreases airflow across the bronchopleural fistula. Conclusions Mechanical ventilation and intrapleural catheter management must be individualized and aimed at reducing air leak. Clinicians should emphasize reducing peak inspiratory pressures, reducing positive end-expiratory pressure, and limiting negative intrapleural pressure. In refractory cases, clinicians can consider lung isolation, independent lung ventilation, or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in appropriate patients as well as definitive management with advanced bronchoscopic placement of valves or occlusion devices.
Occupational Exposures in the Homecare Environment: Piloting an Observation Tool:

The population of home healthcare workers (HHCWs) is rapidly expanding. Worker tasks and the unique home care environments place the worker at increased risks of occupational exposures, injury, and...