cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Linking ICF components to outcome measures for hand osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis: A systematic review.

Abstract Study Design Systematic review. Introduction A patient with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or osteoarthritis (OA) may have functional impairments, decreased quality of life, and productivity reductions. The International Classification of Functioning (ICF) provides a scientific basis for understanding health, outcomes, and determinants. Purpose of the Study The purpose of this study was to critically appraise the current literature for outcome measures associated with the management of OA or RA to determine if they describe the components of the ICF that includes body functions and structures, activities, participation, environmental factors, as well as quality of life. The secondary purpose is to examine if patient satisfaction was addressed in the interventions associated with management of OA or RA. Methods A comprehensive literature search was conducted in the CINAHL and PubMed databases using the search terms joint protection, hand OA, hand RA, and assistive devices. Results Six of the outcome measures were linked to body structures and body functions, three were associated with activity limitations and participation restrictions, one was linked to environmental factors, and two outcome measures addressed quality of life. Discussion Practitioners should incorporate outcome measures that address environmental factors and quality of life as they relate to the ICF. Conclusion Most of the outcome measures associated with hand OA or RA are related to body structures and body functions or activity limitations and participation restrictions.
New Insights on Lepton Number and Dark Matter

Dark matter (DM) is usually assumed to be stabilized by a symmetry, which is mostly considered to be $Z_2$. For example, in supersymmetry it is $R$ parity, i.e. $(-1)^{3B+L+2j}$. However, it may be $Z_n$ or $U(1)_D$, and derivable from generalized lepton number. In this context, neutrinos may be Majorana or Dirac, and owe their masses to dark matter, i.e. they are scotogenic.
Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on ST-elevation myocardial infarction in a non-COVID-19 epicenter.

Objectives We sought to study the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the presentation delay, severity, patterns of care, and reasons for delay among patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in a non-hot-spot region. Background COVID-19 pandemic has significantly reduced the activations for STEMI in epicenters like Spain. Methods From January 1, 2020, to April 15, 2020, 143 STEMIs were identified across our integrated 18-hospital system. Pre- and post-COVID-19 cohorts were based on March 23rd, 2020, whenstay-at-home orders were initiated in Ohio. We used presenting heart rate, blood pressure, troponin, new Q-wave, and left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) to assess severity. Duration of intensive care unit stay, total length of stay, door-to-balloon (D2B) time, and radial versus femoral access were used to assess patterns of care. Results Post-COVID-19 presentation was associated with a lower admission LVEF (45 vs. 50%, p = .015), new Q-wave, and higher initial troponin; however, these did not reach statistical significance. Among post-COVID-19 patients, those with >12-hr delay in presentation 31(%) had a longer average D2B time (88 vs. 53 min, p = .033) and higher peak troponin (58 vs. 8.5 ng/ml, p = .03). Of these, 27% avoided the hospital due to fear of COVID-19, 18% believed symptoms were COVID-19 related, and 9% did not want to burden the hospital during the pandemic. Conclusions COVID-19 has remarkably affected STEMI presentation and care. Patients' fear and confusion about symptoms are integral parts of this emerging public health crisis.
Local television news station compliance with online captioning rules

In 2010, the United States' Twenty-First Century Communication and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA) required local television broadcasters provide captions when they re-distributed their news broadcasts online if the material had been broadcast with captions. Concerned that broadcasters were trying to skirt the CVAA by breaking up the online version of their newscasts into individual clips, in 2014, the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) mandated broadcasters caption online news clips as well, effective January 2016. Research conducted shortly before the rules announcement found many stations ill-prepared for the new mandate. In the current study, we examined a stratified sample of 20% of US television station markets to see how well local news stations responded to the new captioning mandate and to see whether or not the burden of captioning newsclips may have led to a reduction in the number of stations putting newsclips online, a concern expressed at the time by then FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai. We found that while the captioning rate has improved substantially since studies conducted shortly before the law was announced, around 30% of the news clips we examined were uncaptioned. We did not find a reduction in the number of stations with video clips. All of the 156 sampled station web sites included video clips.
Developing pathways, a hope-enhancing intervention for metastatic lung cancer patients receiving cancer treatment.

Objective Between 40% and 65% of lung cancer patients report concern about maintaining valued activities and roles, yet few interventions address this concern. Hope, a patient's perceived ability to generate goals and identify ways to pursue them, may be a promising intervention target to support function among lung cancer patients. The goal of this study was to assess metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (mNSCLC) patient interest and preferences for a hope-enhancing intervention. Methods We conducted a sequential mixed-methods (survey followed by semi-structured interviews) study with patients with mNSCLC. Surveys assessed patient interest in, perceived helpfulness of, and preferences for a hope intervention. A subset of 12 patients (and caregivers, when present) completed semi-structured interviews to elicit feedback on proposed intervention content and procedures. Results Survey data from 60 patients (40% male; Mean age = 62.5; SD = 9.3) suggested high perceived importance of pursuing personal goals during cancer treatment, moderate perceived helpfulness in discussing personal goals, and preference for a nurse-led intervention. Based on these data, a 5-session, nurse-led intervention protocol was drafted and reviewed with 12 patients. Interviewed patients and caregivers agreed working towards goals was beneficial, liked the intervention concept, and thought prompts and rating scales on handouts would facilitate discussion. The majority preferred nurse delivery during infusions. Conclusions A nurse-led hope-enhancing intervention delivered primarily during infusions may be acceptable to mNSCLC patients. Future work should test feasibility and identify ways to incorporate caregivers and oncology providers into hope interventions.
A Survey on Fault-tolerance in Distributed Optimization and Machine Learning.

The robustness of distributed optimization is an emerging field of study, motivated by various applications of distributed optimization including distributed machine learning, distributed sensing, and swarm robotics. With the rapid expansion of the scale of distributed systems, resilient distributed algorithms for optimization are needed, in order to mitigate system failures, communication issues, or even malicious attacks. This survey investigates the current state of fault-tolerance research in distributed optimization, and aims to provide an overview of the existing studies on both fault-tolerant distributed optimization theories and applicable algorithms.
A Transient Water Release and Imbibitions Method for Rapidly Measuring Wetting and Drying Soil Water Retention and Hydraulic Conductivity Functions

A transient water release and imbibitions (TWRI) method for measuring the soil water retention curve (SWRC) and hydraulic conductivity function (HCF) under drying and wetting states is presented. The intellectual merit of the TWRI method is its integration of physical and numerical experiments: it employs the simple and reliable measurement of transient water content by electronic balance to record the signature of transient unsaturated flow in soil sample, and it takes advantage of the robust inverse modeling capability to simulate the physical process. The TWRI method; therefore, has two integrated components: testing and modeling. The testing consists of water release upon two-steps increase in matric suction and water imbibitions upon one-step decrease in matric suction. Each process lasts sufficient time in order to obtain transient water content. The data is then used as an objective function in an inverse numerical modeling process to obtain the unsaturated hydrologic parameters that fully define the SWRC and HCF of the soil. A novel feature of the TWRI method is its capability to measure SWRC and HCF under wetting state. The apparatus can accommodate both undisturbed and remolded samples. The testing time required for completing a full drying and wetting loop is approximately one week for most soils. Validation of the technique has been performed both experimentally and numerically. Comparisons between data obtained with the TWRI method and the independent Tempe cell method verify the reliability, applicability, and accuracy of the TWRI method. Results from three different soils are presented to illustrate the procedure and performance of the TWRI method for different soils from fine sand to clayey silt. The TWRI method provides a fast, accurate, and simple testing tool for obtaining SWRC and HCF of various types of soils under both wetting and drying states with high range of matric suction several orders of magnitude above the air-entry pressure of the ceramic stone used in the experimental setup.
A HIERARCHICAL PROBABILISTIC APPROACH FOR RISK ASSESSMENTS OF AN AVIATION SAFETY PRODUCT PORTFOLIO

Given the current accident rate, the number of fatal accidents is projected to increase in the next several years emphasizing the need for advanced aviation safety research. An initial attempt to d...
A Counterpoint to Cermelli and Gurtin’s Criteria for Choosing the ‘Correct’ Geometric Dislocation Tensor in Finite Plasticity

The criteria in [4] (Cermelli and Gurtin, 2001, J. Mech. Phys. Solids, 49, 1539–1568) for choosing a geometric dislocation tensor in finite plasticity are reconsidered. It is shown that physically reasonable alternate criteria could just as well be put forward to select other measures; overall, the emphasis should be on the connections between various physically meaningful measures as is customary in continuum mechanics and geometry, rather than on criteria to select one or another specific measure. A more important question is how the geometric dislocation tensor should enter a continuum theory and it is shown that the inclusion of the dislocation density tensor in the specific free energy function in addition to the elastic distortion tensor is not consistent with the free energy content of a body as predicated by classical dislocation theory. Even in the case when the specific free energy function is meant to represent some spatial average of the actual microscopic free energy content of the body, a dependence on the average dislocation density tensor cannot be adequate.
Parametric and Nonparametric Linkage Analysis

Parametric or model-based linkage analysis assumes that models describing both the trait and marker loci are known without error. Nonparametric, model-free or weakly parametric linkage methods make fewer assumptions about the trait model. Keywords: power; type 1 error; heterogeneity; model-based; bias
Peptidyltransferase Inhibition by Trichodermin

Abstract The sesquiterpenoid antibiotics, trichodermin and T-2 toxin, are inhibitors of polyphenylalanine biosynthesis and peptide chain termination in vitro with rabbit reticulocyte extracts. The formation of fMet-puromycin from fMet-tRNA· AUG·ribosome complexes, an activity associated with the 60 S ribosomal peptidyltransferase, is inhibited effectively by these antibiotics. Release factor (RF)-dependent release of formylmethionine from these ribosomal complexes is also prevented under conditions where GTP and codon recognition are not required. Both the RF-dependent hydrolysis of ribosome-bound fMet-tRNA and the synthesis of fMet-puromycin require an active peptidyltransferase and it appears likely, therefore, that trichodermin and T-2 toxin affect this ribosomal activity involved in protein biosynthesis. A number of other partial reactions examining intermediate steps of peptide chain elongation and termination are not affected by these antibiotics.
Reshaping Economic Geography? Producing Spaces of Inclusive Development.

The World Development Report 2009 discusses a crucial development challenge—that of understanding spatially uneven development. The report lays out a series of policy responses to spatial unevennes...
Universal Use of Intraoperative Nerve Monitoring by Recently Fellowship-Trained Thyroid Surgeons is Common, Associated with Higher Surgical Volume, and Impacts Intraoperative Decision-Making.

Introduction The value of routine use of intraoperative recurrent laryngeal nerve monitoring (IONM) in thyroid surgery is controversial. We analyzed the practices of recently fellowship-trained thyroid surgeons from two diverging surgical backgrounds with respect to IONM. We hypothesized that the majority of recently trained surgeons would use IONM, and that it would potentially influence their operative procedure.
Endovascular therapeutic hypothermia for acute ischemic stroke: ICTuS 2/3 protocol.

Therapeutic hypothermia improves neurological outcome after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest or neonatal hypoxic– ischemic injury. Although supported by preclinical evidence, therapeutic hypothermia for acute stroke remains under study. In the Intravascular Cooling in the Treatment of Stroke (ICTuS) trial, awake stroke patients were successfully cooled using an endovascular cooling catheter and a novel antishivering regimen. In the ICTuS-L study, the combination of endovascular hypothermia and thrombolysis proved feasible; while hypothermia was associated with no increased risk of bleeding complications, there was an increased association with pneumonia. Despite efforts to expedite, cooling began on average six-hours after stroke onset. We designed a novel Phase 2/3 trial to further test the safety of combined thrombolysis and endovascular hypothermia and to determine if the combination shows superiority compared with thrombolysis alone. ICTuS 2 (n = 400) will assess four hypotheses, and if milestones are met, ICTuS 3 (n = 1200) will begin as a seamless continuation for a total sample of 1600 patients. The ICTuS 2 milestones include (1) target temperature reached within six-hours of symptom onset; (2) no increased risk of pneumonia; (3) no increase in signs/symptoms of fluid overload due to chilled saline infusions; and (4) sufficient recruitment to complete the trial on time. The ICTuS 2/3 protocol contains novel features – based on the previous ICTuS and ICTuS-L trials – designed to achieve these milestones. Innovations include scrupulous pneumonia surveillance, intravenous chilled saline immediately after randomization to induce rapid cooling, and a requirement for catheter placement within two-hours of thrombolysis. An Investigational Device Exemption has been obtained and an initial group of sites initiated.
Neo-Marxism, Language Ideology, and the New Testament

This essay introduces the discipline of linguistic anthropology and, more specifically, the notion of language ideologies, arguing that it might be put to fruitful use in the study of New Testament texts. Linguistic anthropologists, working on a notion of “ideology” of clear neo-Marxist ascendency, have elaborated a very effective set of tools for the analysis of language as a social practice that both re-inscribes socio-political structures and shapes them through its creative impulses. New Testament scholars, who are bound to deal with texts that are detached from their almost irretrievable original contexts, can benefit from the help of linguistic anthropology in delineating the socio-political profiles and agendas of the writings they are working on.
Metabolism of arachidonic acid by hamster trachea lack of stimulation by A23187.

Abstract The metabolism of arachidonic acid has been studied using hamster trachea in short-term organ culture. To study endogenous substrate utilization, tissue lipids were labeled with [3H]-arachidonic acid, whereas exogenous substrate turnover was assessed by the addition of 100 μM [14C]-arachidonic acid to the medium. Both exogenous and endogenous arachidonate were converted primarily to 6-keto-PGF1α and PGE2, with varying amounts of an unidentified non-polar product noted. Production of the prostanoids increased steadily with time up to 24 hours. No significant generation of lipoxygenase products was found. Release of incorporated labeled arachidonic acid was nearly linear with time, resulting in the transfer of about 10% of the total label into the medium after 24 hours. About 3% of the total label was converted to prostaglandins. In the presence of 10 μM A23187, release of label was increased by only 25 to 60% relative to the control. Analysis of labeled compounds in the medium showed that this increase resulted from increased release of unchanged arachidonic acid, and that the yield of oxygenated products was the same as from the control incubations.
The impact of vaccines and vaccinations: Challenges and opportunities for modelers

This review focuses on how infectious diseases and their prevention and control by development of vaccines and widespread vaccination has shaped evolution of human civilization and of the animals and plants that humans depend on for food, labor and companionship. After describing major infectious diseases and the current status for control by vaccination, the barriers to infection and the attributes of innate and acquired immunity contributing to control are discussed. The evolution in types of vaccines is presented in the context of developing technologies and in improving adjuvants to engender enhanced vaccine efficacy. The special concerns and needs in vaccine design and development are discussed in dealing with epidemics/pandemics with special emphasis on influenza and current global problems in vaccine delivery.
Ethane kinetics in spark-ignition engine-exhaust gases

A kinetic reaction model for the reaction of ethane in spark-ignition engine-exhaust gases was constructed, based on mechanisms and rate constants currently available in the literature. The model consists of 33 elementary chemical reactions involving 20 chemical species and was tested by comparing calculated and experimentally measured species concentrations resulting from a step increase in the ethane concentration of isothermal, steady-flow, hydrocarbon-free exhaust gases. For the range of conditions, 950°–1000°K, 1.2%–3.6% oxygen, and 700–1400 ppm ethane, good agreement was obtained between experimental and calculated concentrations of the major species, ethane, ethylene, carbon monoxide, and formaldehyde. The agreement between experimental and calculated results indicate that reacting hydrocarbons may have an adverse effect on the oxidation of carbon monoxide.
Autoimmunity: busting the atherosclerotic plaque

Autoimmunity is suspected to contribute to the formation of atherosclerotic plaques. Studies in mice suggest that this response may instead be protective—and that it may be enhanced with a vaccine ( pages 736–743 ).
Direction-of-arrival estimation using wavelet-based beam-space processing

Angle of arrival estimation using beam-space MUSIC is implemented by nonuniformly subbanding the spatial spectrum of an antenna array using wavelet transform. The resulting spatial spectrum is thus composed of beam-space elements with dyadically proportional beamwidths. Wavelet based spatial filtering is compared with that of the DFT in the context of direction of arrival estimation (DOA) performance. Issues of sidelobe level and mainlobe resolution are addressed.
High-resolution infrared spectroscopy of the ν3 + ν6 − ν6 band of 12CH3F

Abstract The ν 3 + ν 6 − ν 6 band of 12 CH 3 F has been studied at Doppler-limited resolution by means of an infrared microwave sideband laser spectrometer. More than 200 transitions with J and K values up to 20 and 10, respectively, have been identified and their frequencies measured to an accuracy of a few MHz (∼0.0001 cm −1 ). Among the identified transitions are components of 14 l -doublets in this band of E ← E symmetry. The spectra have been fit to experimental accuracy by adjusting rotational parameters including centrifugal distortion constants through the sixth order as well as Coriolis coupling and l -resonance parameters. The frequencies and resulting parameters are reported.
Lung allocation in the United States, 1995-1997: an analysis of equity and utility.

Abstract Background: Waiting time for organ transplantation varies widely between programs of different sizes and by geographic regions. The purpose of this study was to determine if the current lung-allocation policy is equitable for candidates waiting at various-sized centers, and to model how national allocation based solely on waiting time might affect patients and programs. Methods UNOS provided data on candidate registrations; transplants and outcomes; waiting times; and deaths while waiting for all U.S. lung-transplant programs during 1995–1997. Transplant centers were categorized based on average yearly volume: small (≤£ 10 transplants/year; n = 46), medium (11–30 transplants/year; n = 29), or large (>30 transplants/year; n = 6). This data was used to model national organ allocation based solely on accumulated waiting time for candidates listed at the end of 1997. Results Median waiting time for patients transplanted was longest at large programs (724–848 days) compared to small and medium centers (371–552 days and 337–553 days, respectively) and increased at programs of all sizes during the study period. Wait-time–adjusted risk of death correlated inversely with program size (365 vs 261 vs 148 deaths per 1,000 patient-years-at-risk at small, medium, and large centers, respectively). Mortality as a percentage of new candidate registrations was similar for all program categories, ranging from 21 to 25%. Survival rates following transplantation were equivalent at medium-sized centers vs large centers ( p = 0.50), but statistically lower when small centers were compared to either large- or medium-size centers ( p ≤ 0.05). Using waiting time as the primary criterion for lung allocation would acutely shift 10 to 20% of lung-transplant activity from medium to large programs. Conclusions 1) Waiting list mortality rates are not higher at large lung-transplant programs with long average waiting times. 2) A lung-allocation algorithm based primarily on waiting-list seniority would probably disadvantage candidates at medium-size centers without improving overall lung-transplant outcomes. 3) If fairness is measured by equal distribution of opportunity and risk, we conclude that the current allocation system is relatively equitable for patients currently entering the lung-transplant system.
Influence of cadmium, lead, and zinc on the ability of guinea pig macrophages to interact with macrophage migration inhibitory factor

The effects of cadmium, lead, and zinc on the ability of guinea pig macrophages to migrate and to interact with migration inhibitory factor (MIF) were studied by cell electrophoresis and the indirect migration inhibition assay. The metals significantly inhibited the motility of the cells and decreased or abolished the effect of MIF on their migration.
Low Inspiratory Capacity to Total Lung Capacity Ratio Is a Risk Factor for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Exacerbation

Abstract Introduction Air trapping because of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) leads to a reduction in inspiratory capacity/total lung capacity (IC/TLC) ratio. We hypothesize that COPD patients with a low IC/TLC ratio suffer more frequent COPD exacerbations. Methods Retrospective cohort study of patients with COPD, aged 30 years or older with forced expiratory volume in 1 second Results Charts of 350 patients with COPD were reviewed. Of the 77 patients who met inclusion criteria, 28 patients (20 women and 8 men) had IC/TLC ratio 25% (high group). Average number of exacerbations per person in the low group was 3.5 (0–10), significantly higher than in the high group, which was 2.2 (0–10; P = 0.01). Visits for COPD exacerbations were analyzed based on treatment site namely, office, emergency room (ER), and hospital. The per person office visits were 1.96 (0–10) in the low group and 0.80 (0–3) in the high group ( P = 0.002). ER visits were similar, 0.57 (0–3) in the low group and 0.38 (0–3) in the high group ( P = 0.15), as were hospital visits, 0.96 (0–8) in the low group and 1.06 (0–5) in the high group ( P = 0.81). Conclusion COPD patients in the low group experienced significantly more unscheduled office visits because of exacerbations, suggesting they need early identification and closely monitored therapy.
The new regime for managing US—Mexican water resources

United States-Mexican transboundary water resources management is presently experiencing significant reform resulting from long-term demographic processes in the border region and greater economic integration. The recently concluded North American Free Trade Agreement and supplementary environmental accord modify existing agreements and provide old institution with new mandates. Particularly affected is the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC), long the lead agency in binational water management. This essay reviews the development of the new water management regime against the two preceding phases of management reform and considers its implications for improved water management in the border region.
Unilateral contact problem for finite bodies: parallel implementation

A numerical solution of the three dimensional frictionless contact problem and its data parallel implementation on the Connection Machine system CM-2 is presented. The numerical solution is obtained by means of boundary element discretization of a variational inequality and related extremum principle; the associated Green's function is approximated by means of standard direct boundary element procedure. A numerical method is applicable to any kind of geometry of the contacting bodies under arbitrary loading. The example presented illustrate a distinct ability of the method to capture the influence of the shape and the size of a body on the contact area and the pressure acting in it. It has been demonstrated that the symmetry properties of the Green's operator hold only asymptotically for the discretized problem.
Effective Fragment Potential Study of the Interaction of DNA Bases

Hydrogen-bonded and stacked structures of adenine-thymine and guanine-cytosine nucleotide base pairs, along with their methylated analogues, are examined with the ab inito based general effective fragment potential (EFP2) method. A comparison of coupled cluster with single, double, and perturbative triple (CCSD(T)) energies is presented, along with an EFP2 energy decomposition to illustrate the components of the interaction energy.
Inflammation and drug hepatotoxicity: Aggravation of injury or clean-up mission?†

BACKGROUND & AIMS Inflammatory mediators released by nonparenchymal inflammatory cells in the liver have been implicated in the progression of acetaminophen (APAP) hepatotoxicity. Among hepatic nonparenchymal inflammatory cells, we examined the role of the abundant natural killer (NK) cells and NK cells with T-cell receptors (NKT cells) in APAP-induced liver injury. METHODS C57BL/6 mice were administered a toxic dose of APAP intraperitoneally to cause liver injury with or without depletion of NK and NKT cells by anti-NK1.1 monoclonal antibody (MAb). Serum alanine transaminase (ALT) levels, liver histology, hepatic leukocyte accumulation, and cytokine/chemokine expression were assessed. RESULTS Compared with APAP-treated control mice, depletion of both NK and NKT cells by anti-NK1.1 significantly protected mice from APAP-induced liver injury, as evidenced by decreased serum ALT level, improved survival of mice, decreased hepatic necrosis, inhibition of messenger RNA (mRNA) expression for interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), Fas ligand (FasL), and chemokines including KC (Keratinocyte-derived chemokine); MIP-1 alpha (macrophage inflammatory protein-1 alpha); MCP-1 (monocyte chemoattractant protein-1); IP-10 (interferon-inducible protein); Mig (monokine induced by IFN-gamma) and decreased neutrophil accumulation in the liver. Hepatic NK and NKT cells were identified as the major source of IFN-gamma by intracellular cytokine staining. APAP induced much less liver injury in Fas-deficient (lpr) and FasL-deficient (gld) mice compared with that in wild-type mice. CONCLUSIONS NK and NKT cells play a critical role in the progression of APAP-induced liver injury by secreting IFN-gamma, modulating chemokine production and accumulation of neutrophils, and up-regulating FasL expression in the liver, all of which may promote the inflammatory response of liver innate immune system, thus contributing to the severity and progression of liver injury downstream of the metabolism of APAP and depletion of reduced glutathione (GSH) in hepatocytes.
THE LEGACY OF DAVID WHEATLAND

title SUMMARY /title David P. Wheatland, the principal founder of Harvard University's Collection of Historical Instruments, began his own personal collection in 1949 with the hope that it would one day enrich Harvard's collection as a resource for teaching and research. This paper concerns the origin and growth of Wheatland's collection between 1949 and 1981, focusing on the main individuals from whom he acquired his instruments.
The Delaware Geography-Health Initiative: Lessons Learned in Designing a GIS-Based Curriculum

Abstract The Delaware Geography-Health Initiative is a Web- and GIS-based set of lesson units for teaching geographic concepts and research methods within the context of the state's high school geography standards. Each unit follows a research-based, inquiry-centered model addressing questions of health because of Delaware's high incidence of cancer, HIV/AIDS, and infant mortality. Topics focus on cancer and the environment, the geography of HIV/AIDS, the diffusion of West Nile fever, provision of emergency ambulance services, the location of the state's next hospital, infant mortality and the location of prenatal care, and identification of healthy places. Results from piloting and early formative assessments were used to modify the final product. Lessons learned in developing this project may assist those seeking to create GIS-based state-specific teaching units for geography and other related subjects.
Convergence and Descent in the Fermat Location Problem

The Fermat location problem is to find a point whose sum of weighted distances from m given points vertices is a minimum. The best known method of solution is an iterative scheme devised by Weiszfeld in 1937, which converges to the unique minimum point unless one of the iterates happens to “land” on a nonoptimal vertex. The convergence proof of this scheme depends on two theorems, one of which descent theorem states that the objective function strictly decreases at each step. This paper extends the descent theorem by proving: 1 there is a “ball” whose radius and center depend on the Weiszfeld iteration, such that any algorithm whose iterates are “in the ball” or “on its surface” is a descent algorithm; 2 under certain circumstances, one or more of the vertices may be deleted, although the weights are taken into account, and the Weiszfeld algorithm retains its descent property. In general there are several subsets of vertices which may be deleted, and for each subset, a corresponding iterate; 3 the convex hull of these iterates is such that all points within it have the descent property. Examples of the potential application of these extensions are given, including the construction of a modified Weiszfeld algorithm that without exception converges to the optimum. Beyond that, it is hoped the theorems may in time be useful in proving the descent property of yet to be discovered, very fast, nongradient algorithms.
ARCASIM, a model to evaluate augmentation strategies of the parasitoid Catolaccus grandis against boll weevil populations

Abstract An age structured computer simulation model (ARCASIM) was created to understand the complexities of the interactions between cotton fruiting and population dynamics of the boll weevil (Anthonomus grandis Boheman) and its parasitoid Catolaccus grandis (Burks). Strategies for the use of augmentative releases of C. grandis against infestations of the boll weevil were developed based on the simulations. The model indicates that releases of the parasitoid done at weekly intervals is a better strategy than use of a single release at an optimal time. The simulations revealed that the density of immigrating adult boll weevils into the release area is the most important factor in determining whether or not augmentative releases of C. grandis will be effective. Yield losses and boll weevil mortality by parasitism are not totally correlated. The model showed that cultivation practices can effectively disrupt the control of boll weevil by augmentative releases of C. grandis.
Random walk in a random medium in one dimension

Applying scaling and universality arguments, the long-time behavior of the probability distribution for a random walk in a one-dimensional random medium satisfying Sinai's constraint is obtained analytically. The convergence to this asymptotic limit and the fluctuations of this distribution are evaluated by solving numerically the stochastic equations for this walk.
Information exchange in the NICU: what sources of patient data do physicians prefer to use?

Abstract Background: There are significant gaps in understanding what sources of patient information physicians utilize in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Objective: We conducted a qualitative study of physicians’ self-report of information-seeking behaviors in the NICU of an academic medical center. Methods: The study used a survey design to assess resident and faculty physicians’ perceptions of their utilization of written and verbal sources of patient information. Faculty and resident responses were compared by t-tests to assess how perceptions of information-seeking behavior might differ between these two groups. Results: Of the options listed in our survey, the three most commonly reported information sources were: (1) the bedside flowsheet; (2) conversations with resident physicians; and (3) conversations with nurses. Notes written by physicians—especially resident notes—were the least reported source of patient information. Conclusions: Physicians’ preference to use verbal communication is consistent with prior studies. This study identifies that the bedside flowsheet is also an important source of information, while other written sources—especially resident notes—appear not to be utilized as frequently. Understanding why physicians use or fail to use different sources of patient information may shed light on ways to improve information exchange and reduce medical error in complex settings such as the NICU.
Posterior Fossa Volume and Response to Suboccipital Decompression in Patients with Chiari I Malformation

Smaller posterior fossa (PF) volume has been suggested to be one of the mechanisms responsible for tonsillar herniation through the foramen magnum in patients with Chiari I malformation (CM I). Although previous radiological analyses of the cranial anatomy have suggested a smaller PF volume in patients with CM I, the relationship of the PF volume to decompressive surgery has not been reported. We have measured the ratio of PF volume to supratentorial volume (PF ratio [PFR]) in 20 patients with CM I and 20 control patients by retrospectively studying their magnetic resonance images with a computerized image analyzer. The mean PFR in patients with CM I (with or without syringomyelia) was significantly smaller than for those in the control group (15.6 +/- 1.9 versus 17.5 +/- 1.2, P = 0.0008). Although PFR did not correlate with the extent of tonsillar herniation in patients with CM I, it did directly correlate with their age, i.e., younger patients with CM I (but not control patients) had smaller PFRs. All but three patients responded both clinically and radiographically to decompressive surgery. Those patients who did not benefit from surgical intervention had normal PFRs. We conclude that: 1) PFRs are smaller in most patients with CM I; 2) a smaller PF may be a primary cause of tonsillar herniation; 3) patients with CM I who have smaller PFRs tend to develop symptoms earlier than those with normal values; 4) patients with smaller PFRs tend to respond better to suboccipital decompression.
Rheology of high density glass of binary colloidal mixtures in unentangled polymer melts

We explore the rheology of high density glasses formed by binary colloidal mixtures in unentangled polyethylene glycol melts with a molecular weight of 400. A particle size ratio δ = dl/ds = 4.8 is chosen to ensure that mixing results in a reduction in composite rheology without phase separation for a fixed high total volume fraction, ϕc. We explore frequency dependent linear viscoelastic behaviors, yielding and shear-thickening behaviors, and study properties as a function of the volume fraction ratio of the large particles, R. We characterize the cross-over volume fractions which denote the onset of transient particle localization, ϕx, and the maximum packing fractions, ϕm, and find that both are non-monotonic functions of R, with ϕm/ϕx being a constant as R is varied from 0 to 1. Hard sphere scaling fails to capture the effects of particle size when R = 0 and R = 1, demonstrating that, even for these low molecular weight oligomers, polymer absorption and alterations of polymer configurations modify pair potentials away from being solely volume exclusion in nature. Changes in linear rheology, yielding behavior and shear-thickening are discussed in terms of a pseudo one-component model that depends on the dimensionless volume fraction ϕ* = (ϕm − ϕx)/(ϕm − ϕc).
The impact of immune dysregulation on the development of autoimmune gastrointestinal and liver disease.

The intestinal epithelium plays an active immunologic role in preventing the uptake of foreign antigens. Additionally, the intestinal mucosa is an active site for immune suppression through the development of oral tolerance. Dysfunction of any aspect of the intestinal barrier, such as impairment of intestinal tight junctions, immunologic dysregulation or decreased oral tolerance will lead to overstimulation of the immune system upon exposure to foreign antigens and subsequent unregulated chronic intestinal inflammation. This persistent inflammatory activity may potentially predispose the patient to the development of intestinal autoimmune disease. An active immune response possibly directed against intestinal flora has been postulated to be the underlying etiology for inflammatory bowel disease. Failure of oral tolerance is thought predispose a patient to celiac disease and possibly eosinophilic esophagitis. Additionally, an active immunologic response to absorbed antigen may be the underlying etiology for the development of autoimmune liver disease
Cutaneous lupus erythematosus: Understanding of clinical features, genetic basis, and pathobiology of disease guides therapeutic strategies

Cutaneous features of the protean disease lupus erythematous (LE) constitute 4 of 11 diagnostic criteria for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and are exhibited by approximately 3/4 of patients during the course of their disease. Because the pathogenesis of LE is multifactorial and polygenic, many of the details of the pathogenesis remain unclear. We review here the clinical features of cutaneous lupus and recent genetic data that elucidate potential candidate genes for both cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) and SLE. We discuss advances in elucidating the autoimmune pathogenesis of CLE and SLE. Furthermore, promising experimental therapies based on these advances are reviewed in the context of B cell directed therapies, T cell directed therapies, disruption of B and T cell interactions, cytokine directed therapies and finally, end-effector targeted therapies.
Nonspecific Cytotoxic Cell Receptor Protein-1: A Novel (Predicted) Type III Membrane Receptor on the Teleost Equivalent of Natural Killer Cells Recognizes Conventional Antigen

The phylogenetic model for "conventional" antigen recognition by NK cells may be a protein (NCCRP-1) recently identified from catfish nonspecific cytotoxic cells (NCC). NCCRP-1 may be a Type III membrane protein. The antigen binding domain was identified by competition experiments using synthetic peptides. Within this domain, a 38-mer peptide (aa 104-140) inhibited NCC killing of IM-9, HL-60, NC-37, U937, and MOLT-4 target cells. Biotinylated 38-mer also bound to IM-9 target cells. A mab which inhibited conjugate formation between NCC and target cells also bound to the 38-mer. Nonbiotinylated 38-mer inhibited mab 5C6 binding to immobilized homologous biotinylated peptide in cold competition ELISA experiments. Peptide 104-140 was truncated into two peptides. Amino acid 104-119 bound to (68%) and inhibited lyis of IM-9 target cells, whereas aa 120-140 had no activity. A predicted structure-function algorithm suggested an N-terminal domain containing BOX-1 motifs for cytokine activation; a C-terminal domain containing abundant phosphorylation sites (i.e., Y, S, and T amino acids); and an extracellular antigen binding domain.
Hart and Honoré on causation in the law

Hart and Honore contend, in their book Causation in the Law, that causal appraisals in everyday life and in the law can be made, with justifiable confidence, without appealing to relevant general laws; that in order to grasp the workings of causal notions in everyday life and the law, it is sufficient to note that causes are events which interfere with or intervene in the course of events which would normally have taken place. This thesis is criticized on the ground that what purport to be purely causal appraisals are hopelessly vulnerable to moral considerations, especially when such appraisals are presumed to take place in complete independence of scientific theory.
Synchronized detection of the block-based watermark with invisible grid embedding

The loss of synchronization caused by geometrical modifications of an image, such as cropping, rotation and scaling, increases the difficulty of watermark detection, especially for block-based watermarking schemes. In this research, we consider an algorithm to embed an invisible grid structure into watermarked images to overcome this problem. A fixed-size 2D pseudo-random pattern is repeatedly embedded along horizontal and vertical directions of an image after the watermark is embedded in the image. In watermark detection, the affine matrix as well as horizontal/vertical shifts associated with certain geometrical attacks are determined by calculating the auto- correlation of the extracted grid structure and the cross- correlation between the folded grid and the embedded pattern. Synchronization is then recovered, and the watermark can be more easily detected. The applicability and advantages of the proposed algorithm are demonstrated by experimental results.
Cardioprotective Effects of Insulin How Intensive Insulin Therapy May Benefit Cardiac Surgery Patients

Interest in the effects of insulin on the heart came with the recognition that hyperglycemia in the context of myocardial infarction is associated with increased risks of mortality, congestive heart failure, or cardiogenic shock.1–3 More recently, instigated by research findings on stress hyperglycemia in critical illness, this interest has been extended to the influence of insulin on clinical outcome after cardiac surgery. Even in nondiabetic individuals, stress hyperglycemia commonly occurs as a key metabolic response to critical illness, eg, after surgical trauma. It is recognized as a major pathophysiological feature of organ dysfunction in the critically ill. The condition stems from insulin resistance brought about by dysregulation of key homeostatic processes, which implicates immune/inflammatory, endocrine, and metabolic pathways.4 It has been associated with adverse clinical outcomes, including increased mortality, increased duration of mechanical ventilation, increased intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital stay, and increased risk of infection.5–8 Hyperglycemia in critical illness is managed with exogenous insulin as standard treatment; however, there is considerable disagreement among experts in the field as to what target blood glucose level is optimal for the critically ill patient. Conventionally, the aim of insulin therapy has been to maintain blood glucose levels below the renal threshold, typically 220 mg/dL (12.2 mmol/L). In recent years, some have advocated tight glycemic control (TGC) with intensive insulin therapy (IIT) to normalize blood glucose levels to within the euglycemic range, typically 80 to 110 mg/dL (4.4–6.1 mmol/L). Current evidence on the applicability of TGC to critical illness in general is inconclusive. Although early studies showed that IIT reduced mortality and morbidity in the ICU,9–11 more recent systematic studies and meta-analyses have largely failed to support some or all of these findings, with some suggesting that IIT may increase the risk …
Blasting: Another Environmental Woe

The much increased use of explosives to move and extract rock masses in construction and mining over the past two decades has resulted in a plethora of complaints from the general public in areas of close proximity to public facilities, communication, and transportation systems. Air blasts and ground vibrations caused by explosive detonation can have desultory and damaging effects to public and private property, impose adverse effects on underground mining operations, and change the course of flow or effect the availability of surface and groundwater. Attempts to prevent damage and alleviate problems from blasting have been initiated by the federal and state governments by the promulgation of rules and regulations to prevent against vagrant and negligent blasting procedures. The Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) provided regulations in the Federal Register on March 8, 1983, with particular reference to surface mining practices. Most of the states have adopted the OSMRE guidelines to enforce these rules and regulations.
Belief Structures, Common Policy Space and Health Care Reform: A Q Methodology Study

Debate on the merits of health care reform continues even after passage of the Affordable Care Act of 2010. Poll results confirm a split along political party and associated ideological lines with democrats more supportive and republicans generally opposed to the law. As parts of the law are now subject to increasing scrutiny, it may be instructive to question whether a party-centered or surrogate liberal/conservative dichotomy is the best representation of positions in the health care debate. Q Methodology reveals a more complex set of belief structures, suggesting that a simple dichotomy is misleading in terms of the values that underlie the role of health care in society. Five distinct belief structures were found, each with different concerns as to the purpose and potential benefits of various health care initiatives. In addition, Q Methodology allows for the formation of a common policy space within which all belief structures are independently in agreement in four specific areas. It is argued that this empirically derived consensus can serve as a basis for effective political engagement and policy implementation.