cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of vertical variations of thickness diffusivity in an ocean general circulation model

Abstract The effects of a prescribed surface intensification of the thickness (and isopycnal) diffusivity on the solutions of an ocean general circulation model are documented. The model is the coarse resolution version of the ocean component of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Community Climate System Model version 3 (CCSM3). Guided by the results of Ferreira et al. (2005) [Ferreira, D., Marshall, J., Heimbach, P., 2005. Estimating eddy stresses by fitting dynamics to observations using a residual-mean ocean circulation model and its adjoint. J. Phys. Oceanogr. 35, 1891–1910.] we employ a vertical dependence of the diffusivity which varies with the stratification, N 2 , and is thus large in the upper ocean and small in the abyss. We experiment with vertical variations of diffusivity which are as large as 4000 m 2 s −1 within the surface diabatic layer, diminishing to 400 m 2 s −1 or so by a depth of 2 km. The new solutions compare more favorably with the available observations than those of the control which uses a constant value of 800 m 2 s −1 for both thickness and isopycnal diffusivities. These include an improved representation of the vertical structure and transport of the eddy-induced velocity in the upper-ocean North Pacific, a reduced warm bias in the upper ocean, including the equatorial Pacific, and improved southward heat transport in the low- to mid-latitude Southern Hemisphere. There is also a modest enhancement of abyssal stratification in the Southern Ocean.
The sixth vital sign: prehospital end-tidal carbon dioxide predicts in-hospital mortality and metabolic disturbances.

Abstract Objective To determine the ability of prehospital end-tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO 2 ) to predict in-hospital mortality compared to conventional vital signs. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study among patients transported by emergency medical services during a 29-month period. Included patients had ETCO 2 recorded in addition to initial vital signs. The main outcome was death at any point during hospitalization. Secondary outcomes included laboratory results and admitting diagnosis. Results Of 1328 records reviewed, hospital discharge data, ETCO 2 , and all 6 prehospital vital signs were available in 1088 patients. Low ETCO 2 levels were the strongest predictor of mortality in the overall group (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC of 0.76, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.66-0.85), as well as subgroup analysis excluding prehospital cardiac arrest (AUC of 0.77, 95% CI 0.67-0.87). The sensitivity of abnormal ETCO 2 for predicting mortality was 93% (95% CI 79%-98%), the specificity was 44% (95% CI 41%-48%), and the negative predictive value was 99% (95% CI 92%-100%). There were significant associations between ETCO 2 and serum bicarbonate levels ( r = 0.429, P r = −0.216, P P Conclusion Of all prehospital vital signs, ETCO 2 was the most predictive and consistent for mortality, which may be related to an association with metabolic acidosis.
Charting a course for cell culture alternatives to animal testing

Abstract Cell culture systems (CCS) are finding increasing use in toxicology. They supplement and amplify existing tests in animals, and play a special role in the iterative process involved in studies of mechanisms of toxic action. The need is stressed for adequate standardization and validation of CCS, and meticulous conduct of tests using such systems. A review of some examples of current work with CCS highlights “designer” CCS, primary systems developed for research on morphological, biochemical, and other aspects of toxic action at particular target sites. An account of the use of CCS in studying the stepwise process of neoplastic transformation focuses on C3H 10T 1 2 C18 cells in regard to initiation and promotion. CCS of human origin reveal the anticipated interindividual differences in metabolic characteristics and susceptibility to toxic action. Human CCS, especially primary epidermal keratinocytes, are making important contributions to understanding the actions of dioxins. Reasons for the continuing need for whole animals in toxicology are analyzed, to reveal some strategies by which CCS may prove increasingly successful as replacements.
Symbolic computation in nonlinear plasma interactions

The application of symbolic computation techniques to a class of problems originating in the study of the heating of high temperature plasmas has made possible the understanding of particular nonlinear interactions between electromagnetic waves and plasmas. These wave interactions were investigated as part of the research effort in controlled thermonuclear fusion. The emphasis of our symbolic methods has been the reduction of large symbolic expressions to small analytic forms. A careful presentation and interpretation of intermediate steps of the computation was essential for obtaining a physical understanding of the phenomena under investigation. Our focus contrasts with other symbolic computations whose objective is the construction of expressions for numerical evaluation.
Effects of inorganic v . organic copper on denitrification in agricultural soil

Nitrous oxide reductase (N2OR), the enzyme responsible for the reduction of N2 Ot o N 2 in denitrification, uses copper (Cu) as its cofactor. Its activity is lowered under conditions of Cu deficiency. In general, high organic matter (OM) soil decreases Cu availability. The present study investigated different Cu forms, namely organic (ORG) v. inorganic (INO), and associated concentrations (750, 550, 125, 60 mg Cu/g soil) for their efficacy in affecting denitrification and especially N2OR activity in high OM peat soil in a water saturated anaerobic condition for 24 h. Gas and liquid samples were taken every 8 h and analyzed for NO3 2 ,N O 2 2 ,N 2O and N2. Inorganic Cu treatments did not affect N transformation rates and N2OR activity among the different treatments ( P . 0.05) throughout the incubation compared with the control (CON). The ORG Cu treatments increased NO3 2 ( P , 0.05), NO2 2 ( P , 0.05) and N2 O( P , 0.05) transformation rates compared with CON. These changes were ORG Cu dose dependent. N2OR activity increased first in the 750 mg ORG Cu treatment ( P , 0.05) during 8 to 16 h followed by the other ORG Cu treatments ( P , 0.05) during 16 to 24 h compared with CON. These results highlight the importance of Cu form and concentration on N transformation rate during denitrification. The findings can potentially be applied to systems like soil, wastewater, constructed wetlands, etc., in which reactions of the denitrification pathway are manipulated.
Secondary neoplasms after stereotactic radiosurgery.

Objective The use of medical radiation has increased 6-fold in the past 30 years. Within neurosurgery, the advent of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) has significantly altered the treatment paradigm for both benign and malignant central nervous system diseases. With this increased reliance on radiation has come a responsibility to identify the long-term risks, including the potential development of radiation-induced neoplasms. Although the data regarding traditional radiation exposure and its subsequent risks are well-defined, the data for SRS is less developed. Methods We reviewed the published literature to more accurately define the risk of developing secondary neoplasms after stereotactic radiosurgery. Results A total of 36 cases of SRS-induced neoplasms were identified. More than half of the cases had an initial diagnosis of vestibular schwannoma. Overall, the risk of developing an SRS-induced neoplasm is approximately 0.04% at 15 years. Conclusion The risk of developing an SRS-induced neoplasm is low but not zero. Thus, long-term surveillance imaging is advised for patients treated with SRS.
Familial differences in the effects of mercury on reproduction in zebra finches.

Ecotoxicologists often implicitly assume that populations are homogenous entities in which all individuals have similar responses to a contaminant. However, genetically variable responses occur within populations. This variation can be visualized using doseeresponse curves of genetically related groups, similar to the way that evolutionary biologists construct reaction norms. We assessed the variation in reproductive success of full-sibling families of captive zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) experimentally exposed to methylmercury. We found significant variation among families in the effects of methylmercury on several reproductive parameters. This variation suggests that there may be strong responses to selection for resistant genotypes in contaminated areas. This has important implications for the evolution of tolerance as well as risk assessment and wildlife conservation efforts on sites with legacy contamination.
Missouri K-12 school disaster and biological event preparedness and seasonal influenza vaccination among school nurses.

Background School preparedness for bioevents, such as emerging infectious diseases, bioterrorism, and pandemics, is imperative, but historically has been low. Methods The Missouri Association of School Nurses members were sent an online survey during the 2013-2014 school year to assess current bioevent readiness. There were 15 and 35 indicators of school disaster and bioevent preparedness, respectively. Multivariate linear regressions were conducted to delineate factors associated with higher school disaster and bioevent preparedness scores. Results In total, 133 school nurses participated, with a 33.6% response rate. On average, schools had fewer than half of the disaster or bioevent indicators. Disaster and bioevent preparedness scores ranged from 1-12.5 (mean, 6.0) and 5-25 (mean, 13.8), respectively. The least frequently reported plan components included bioterrorism-specific psychological needs addressed (1.5%, n = 2), having a foodservice biosecurity plan (8.3%, n = 11), and having a liberal sick leave policy for bioevents (22.6%, n = 30). Determinants of better bioevent preparedness include perception that the school is well prepared for a pandemic ( P = .001) or natural disaster ( P P = .001), and school being a closed point of dispensing ( P Conclusion Schools are underprepared for biological events and are not on track to meet state and national biological preparedness goals.
Some critical concerns for adapting the Bilingual Aphasia Test to Bahasa Indonesia.

One of the most widely spoken languages of the world, Bahasa Indonesia (BI), became standardized as the official language of Indonesia. Based on Malay, it served as lingua franca in various forms throughout the Indonesian archipelago for centuries. Although BI has been habitually learned as a second language, the number of native speakers of BI continues to increase. As a member of the Western Austronesian branch of the Austronesian language family, its grammar and usage bear some resemblance to related languages such as Tagalog. At the same time, certain morphosyntactic and pragmatic characteristics of BI that distinguish it from other languages have been the subject of extensive research and deliberation. For these reasons, the clinical utility of adapting the Bilingual Aphasia Test (. The assessment of bilingual aphasia. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates) is as evident as it is essential.
Cramer-Rao lower bounds for low-rank decomposition of multidimensional arrays

Unlike low-rank matrix decomposition, which is generically nonunique for rank greater than one, low-rank three-and higher dimensional array decomposition is unique, provided that the array rank is lower than a certain bound, and the correct number of components (equal to array rank) is sought in the decomposition. Parallel factor (PARAFAC) analysis is a common name for low-rank decomposition of higher dimensional arrays. This paper develops Cramer-Rao bound (CRB) results for low-rank decomposition of three- and four-dimensional (3-D and 4-D) arrays, illustrates the behavior of the resulting bounds, and compares alternating least squares algorithms that are commonly used to compute such decompositions with the respective CRBs. Simple-to-check necessary conditions for a unique low-rank decomposition are also provided.
Improved independent gate N-type FinFET fabrication and characterization

N-type independent gate FinFETs (IGFinFETs) have been fabricated and characterized. Previous published results for this structure highlighted processing deficiencies. Several process enhancements have improved device results beyond those previously reported. These process improvements are presented, and the resulting device is demonstrated. Device results for 2 micron channel length devices are shown. Six decades of drain current suppression and low gate leakage currents are achieved. Subthreshold slope of 200 mV/dec and a threshold voltage tuning range of 1.7 V are demonstrated. This device combines the behavioral characteristics of independent-double-gate MOSFETs with the processing advantages and integration of FinFETs.
Advances in Modeling Sorption and Diffusion of Moisture in Porous Reactive Materials

Water-vapor-uptake experiments were performed on a silica-filled poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) network and modeled by using two different approaches. The data was modeled by using established methods and the model parameters were used to predict moisture uptake in a sample. The predictions are reasonably good, but not outstanding; many of the shortcomings of the modeling are discussed. A high-fidelity modeling approach is derived and used to improve the modeling of moisture uptake and diffusion. Our modeling approach captures the physics and kinetics of diffusion and adsorption/desorption, simultaneously. It predicts uptake better than the established method; more importantly, it is also able to predict outgassing. The material used for these studies is a filled-PDMS network; physical interpretations concerning the sorption and diffusion of moisture in this network are discussed.
Future Changes in the South Asian Summer Monsoon: An Analysis of the CMIP3 Multimodel Projections

AbstractThe projected future behavior of the South Asian summer monsoon (SASM) is analyzed for the 720-ppm stabilization experiments [Special Report on Emissions Scenarios (SRES) A1B] of phase 3 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP3) simulations. The multimodel ensemble collectively exhibits a clear tendency for weakening SASM circulation and strengthening SASM precipitation during the twenty-first century. These tendencies are consistent, moreover, among multiple realizations for the same model where available.An annual correlation analysis and thermodynamic energy budget analysis are used to investigate the changes in the monsoon circulation, precipitation (latent heating), and dry static stability across time scales of variation. The strength of the SASM circulation is interpreted in terms of two competing factors: convective latent heating and dry static stability. It is found that on interannual time scales the latent heating wins out over the dry static stability to dominate the intera...
Normal and shear interface stresses in lower-limb prosthetics

Instrumentation for measuring normal stresses and biaxial shear stresses at the residual-limb/prosthetic-socket interface during ambulation is presented. Three-directional force transducers were designed using strain-gage technology. With an amplifier gain of 4000, shear and normal sensitivities are 0.132 V/kPa and 0.0259 V/kPa, respectively. Nonlinearity, crosstalk, noise, and drift are reported to be within acceptable levels. Transducers were calibrated in the shear direction by static loading in the sensing surface plane. At a gain of 4000, the sensitivity was 0.132 V/kPa. Nonlinearity was less than the quantization error of the data acquisition system. Crosstalk between shear directions was measured to be less than 1% full-scale. Normal direction calibration with or without a 2.38-mm-thick silicone rubber sheet between a metal loading plate and the Pelite surface showed a sensitivity of 0.0259 V/kPa at a gain of 4000. Nonlinearity was less than 2% full-scale. The principal source of noise was from cable motion during ambulation. The estimated error introduction was 5%. Drift and electronic noise were minimal. >
Evolutionary Dynamics of Intron Size, Genome Size, and Physiological Correlates in Archosaurs

It has been proposed that intron and genome sizes in birds are reduced in comparison with mammals because of the metabolic demands of flight. To test this hypothesis, we examined the sizes of 14 introns in a nonflying relative of birds, the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis), and in 19 flighted and flightless birds in 12 taxonomic orders. Our results indicate that a substantial fraction (66%) of the reduction in intron size as well as in genome size had already occurred in nonflying archosaurs. Using phylogenetically independent contrasts, we found that the proposed inverse correlation of genome size and basal metabolic rate (BMR) is significant among amniotes and archosaurs, whereas intron and genome size variation within birds showed no significant correlation with BMR. We show statistically that the distribution of genome sizes in birds and mammals is underdispersed compared with the Brownian motion model and consistent with strong stabilizing selection; that genome size differences between vertebrate clades are overdispersed and punctuational; and that evolution of BMR and avian intron size is consistent with Brownian motion. These results suggest that the contrast between genome size/BMR and intron size/BMR correlations may be a consequence of different intensities of selection for these traits and that we should not expect changes in intron size to be significantly associated with metabolically costly behaviors such as flight.
User command prediction by graph-based induction

An intelligent command interface is a computer program that observes the user's past behavior and tries to predict future user behavior. Most studies meant to realize an intelligent interface system analyze repetitive user behavior, and automate the repetitions. However, these methods typically ignore the relationship between the user commands. The paper presents a new framework that overcomes this limitation and demonstrates its power experimentally. >
Simian homologues of Epstein–Barr virus

Gamma-herpesviruses closely related to the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) are known to naturally infect Old World non-human primates and are classified in the same lymphocryptovirus (LCV) genera. LCV infecting humans and Old World primates share similar biology, and recent studies have demonstrated that these viruses share a similar repertoire of viral genes. Surprisingly, the latent infection genes associated with cell growth transformation demonstrate the most striking sequence divergence, but the functional mechanisms for these genes are generally well conserved. The recent discovery of LCVs naturally infecting New World primates has rewritten the old paradigm of LCV host range restriction to humans and Old World non-human primates, so that these viruses are more widespread than previously believed. However, the New World LCV genome has significant and interesting differences from EBV and other Old World LCVs despite similar biological properties. Thus, the simian homologues of EBV can provide an important animal model for studying LCV pathogenesis, and the similarities and differences that have evolved among these related viruses can provide a unique perspective towards a better understanding of EBV.
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Sexual Assault in Women

Abstract This paper presents a review of the research literature on the factors associated with the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in women victims of rape and sexual assault. Various studies have linked preassault variables (such as childhood abuse), and assault variables (including injury and perceived life threat during the assault) with PTSD development. Similarly, postassault variables related to the depth of emotional processing have also been found to be associated with the development of PTSD. An understanding of these factors has relevant clinical implications that may be utilized in the treatment and recovery process of PTSD following a sexual assault.
C–H activation of ethers by pyridine tethered PCsp3P-type iridium complexes

Iridium PCsp3P complexes featuring a novel bis(2-diphenylphosphinophenyl)-2-pyridylmethane ligand (PCPyHP) are reported. C–H activation reactions between the dihydride complex [(PCPyP)Ir(H)2] and tetrahydrofuran or methyl tert-butyl ether in the presence of a hydrogen acceptor, norbornene (NBE), at ambient temperature led exclusively to the hydrido oxyalkyl complexes, [(PCPyP)IrH(C4H7O)] and [(PCPyP)IrH(CH2OtBu)], respectively. The internal pyridine donor is important and stabilizes these species by coordination to the iridium center. The coordination of pyridine to the iridium center is labile, however, and its dissociation occurs in the presence of a suitable substrate, as demonstrated by the intramolecular nucleophilic attack of pyridine on a vinylidene intermediate generated from PhCCH.
Diagnostic Dilemma in the Treatment of a Fatal Case of Bloody Diarrhea

Although diarrhea is the most commonly reported pediatric illness in the United States, mortality is usually a rare and unexpected event. We report the case of a healthy 13-month-old male that succumbed to a diarrheal illness of unclear etiology. Presenting signs included frequent nonbloody stools that progressed to frankly bloody stools over 72 hours. Associated symptoms included fever, tenesmus, relief with stool passage, and significant fatigue. On examination, the patient appeared tired and lay with legs curled toward his chest. The abdominal exam was remarkable for hypoactive bowel sounds, diffuse tenderness to palpation without guarding or rebound pain, and intermittent prolapse of rectal tissue. Abdominal plain films demonstrated a paucity of bowel gas, especially in the rectum; and ultrasound revealed thickening of bowel loops in the left lower quadrant. Abdominal computed tomography scan showed decreased enhancement of the mucosa of the rectosigmoid colon. The patient deteriorated rapidly with cardiorespiratory arrest occurring 48 hours after admission. Despite a protracted effort at cardiopulmonary resuscitation, perfusing heart rate or rhythm could not be reestablished. Autopsy revealed infarction and necrosis of the rectosigmoid colon with invasive gram-negative bacilli. Here we present his perplexing case, diagnostic evaluations, and suggest a unifying diagnosis.
Investigation on prevalence of diabetes mellitus among some Shanghai residents

Objective] To know the prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM)among some Shanghai residents [Methods] Through multi-phase stratified cluster sampling method 1222 people above 18 years of age from three districts of Shanghai were selected for blood glucose test and medical history. [Results] According to diagnostic criteria recommended by WHO, age standardized prevalence of DM and impaired glucose adjustment (impaired fasting glucose and impaired glucose tolerance) were 4.7% and 1.0% respectively. The prevalence of DM of group aged 18-44 years old, 45-59 years old and above 60 years old were 2.0%, 8.0% and 14.2% respectively, showed a rise trend with the increase of age. The standardized prevalence of DM of urban and suburb people were 5.83% and 3.02% respectively, the difference of which was statistically significant. [Conclusion] Diabetbs mellitus is a heavy burden in Shanghai, respective health educational measures should be made according to the specificity of the population to strengthen etiological prevention.
pH-induced calcium transients in type II alveolar epithelial cells

Although both intracellular pH (pHi) and intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) are highly regulated and have important metabolic effects in alveolar epithelial cells, little is known about the interrelationship between these two ions in alveolar epithelial cells. The present study examined changes in [pH]i and [Ca2+]i in isolated alveolar epithelial cells using the fluorescent dyes SNARF-1 and fura-2. Basal pHi values in freshly isolated and cultured alveolar epithelial cells were 7.27 and 7.24, respectively. Resting [Ca2+]i values in freshly isolated cells (53 +/- 5 nM) were lower than those in cultured type II cells (107 +/- 21 nM). pHi increased rapidly after addition of 25 mM NH4Cl in both cultured and freshly isolated cells and then decreased back toward baseline over the following 10 min. The rise in pHi was associated with a transient increase in [Ca2+]i. Resuspension of cells in an NH4Cl-free solution resulted in rapid intracellular acidification, which recovered over the subsequent 10 min. Removal of sodium or addition of 1 mM amiloride to the external solution slowed the rate of recovery from intracellular acidification, consistent with the participation of Na(+)-H+ exchanger in this process. In freshly isolated cells, [Ca2+]i increased following acidification and then decreased as the cells recovered from an acid load. In cultured cells, [Ca2+]i also increased following acidification but then remained elevated over the subsequent 10 min. The recovery of [Ca2+]i toward baseline values in fresh cells following acidification was dependent on the presence of external sodium. These data demonstrate that both increases and decreases in pHi of alveolar epithelial cells are associated with increases in [Ca2+]i and suggest that some of the metabolic effects of altering pHi may be secondary to increases in [Ca2+]i. The dependency of [Ca2+]i recovery following acidification on external sodium raises the possibility that freshly isolated type II cells have Na(+)-Ca2+ exchangers that contribute to the regulation of [Ca2+]i.
online privacy and informed consent: the dilemma of information asymmetry

Every day billions of users allow cloud-based internet services to collect, store, and manage their personal information. The use of this information is constrained only by long, wordy privacy agreements that users likely did not read before clicking "Agree." Even if they were to read them, would users understand these policies? We present the results of a two-part privacy survey that assessed users' knowledge and opinions of online privacy issues. We asked users not only what they think, but what they know. Results expose several key knowledge gaps, demonstrating a problem of information asymmetry between users and internet services providers, and strong dissatisfaction with the current system. These findings demonstrate that there is insufficient comprehension and voluntariness in the consent process for users to give informed consent to the collection and management of their personal information, which may in part explain the "privacy paradox."
An Exploratory Study of the Application of Neural Networks to Marketing: Predicting Rock Music Shopping Behavior

In order to begin to explore the usefulness of the new neural networks methodology for both academics and practitioners, this paper compares its results to multiple regression’s. Nine consumer behavior and demographic variables (opinion leadership, enduring involvement, perceived knowledge, objective knowledge, age, social class, marital status, race, and gender) are used to predict rock music shopping behavior of college students using both regression and neural networks. Results indicate that while the consumer behavior variables are consistently better predictors than the demographic variables as expected, the two different methods do not agree completely on which of these variables best predict shopping behavior. Furthermore, while neural networks do not provide measures of statistical significance like multiple regression, the R 2 obtained by neural networks is found in this study to be higher than that obtained by multiple regression.
Employee Primacy and Corporate Slogans in Japanese and American Firms’ Communication in Times of Crisis:

Given the frequency and severity of crises faced by organizations, the question of how managers can best lead their organizations through times of crisis is important. Communication plays a particu...
Blood-Based Nucleic Acid Biomarkers as a Potential Tool to Determine Radiation Therapy Response in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, with smoking as the main risk factor. The use of low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) as a screening method has shown a 20% lung cancer specific mortality benefit; however, widespread implementation is estimated to add $1.3–$2.0 billion in annual national health care expenditures. Blood-based microRNAs (miRNAs) have been investigated in detail and found to be potentially useful biomarkers indicating the presence of lung cancer, especially when used as a companion test to LDCT. Testing for miRNAs and circulating tumor DNA (ct-DNA) in the blood are anticipated to become more affordable in the near future, and therefore these potentially sensitive methods could serve as first-line screening modalities prior to obtaining LDCT and definitive diagnostic tests for lung cancer. Furthermore, miRNAs may shed light not only on the tumor burden, but also perhaps on tumor aggressiveness, histology, treatment response and the patient's overall survival. In the...
Electrocardiographic QRS-T angle and the risk of incident silent myocardial infarction in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study.

Abstract Background Silent myocardial infarction (SMI) accounts for about half of the total number of MIs, and is associated with poor prognosis as is clinically documented MI (CMI). The electrocardiographic (ECG) spatial QRS/T angle has been a strong predictor of cardiovascular outcomes. Whether spatial QRS/T angle also is predictive of SMI, and the easy-to-obtain frontal QRS/T angle will show similar association are currently unknown. Methods We examined the association between the spatial and frontal QRS/T angles, separately, with incident SMI among 9498 participants (mean age 54 years, 57% women, and 20% African-American), who were free of cardiovascular disease at baseline (visit 1, 1987–1989) from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study. Incident SMI was defined as MI occurring after the baseline until visit 4 (1996–1998) without CMI. The frontal plane QRS/T angle was defined as the absolute difference between QRS axis and T axis. Values greater than the sex-specific 95th percentiles of the QRS/T angles were considered wide (abnormal). Results A total of 317 (3.3%) incident SMIs occurred during a 9-year median follow-up. In a model adjusted for demographics, cardiovascular risk factors and potential confounders, both abnormal frontal (HR 2.28, 95% CI 1.58–3.29) and spatial (HR 2.10, 95% CI 1.44–3.06) QRS/T angles were associated with an over 2-fold increased risk of incident SMI. Similar patterns of associations were observed when the results were stratified by sex. Conclusions Both frontal and spatial QRS/T angles are predicative of SMI suggesting a potential use for these markers in identifying individuals at risk.
Nephila Builds a Portfolio of Weather Risk Transfer Contracts

The weather team at Nephila Capital Ltd. (Nephila) was in the midst of the weather market's busy winter renewal period. The list of weather risk transfer contracts that needed to be analyzed and priced seemed to be growing by the minute, and one team member is devising a plan to price each deal on its own merits of risk/reward. The counterparty's bid would reflect the willingness of the contracting party to pay for a weather hedge, and none would pay more than the bid amount. Nephila wanted to meet the needs of each counterparty, but only if Nephila earned a requisite return on capital. If the bid amount were not high enough to be attractive to Nephila, the team would need to convey that news to the counterparties. Did these new deal opportunities offer something more to Nephila beyond their individual numbers? Excerpt UVA-QA-0844 Rev. Apr. 28, 2016 Nephila Builds a Portfolio of Weather Risk Transfer Contracts On a sunny fall day in Bermuda, Matthew Coleman sat at his desk on the trading floor of Nephila Capital Ltd. Nephila's weather team was in the midst of the weather market's busy winter renewal period. The list of weather risk transfer (WRT) contracts that needed to be analyzed and priced seemed to be growing by the minute. After Coleman surveyed the latest group of deals, he began devising a plan to price each deal on its own merits of risk/reward. Given the counterparties' bids, which reflected the willingness of the contracting party to pay for a weather hedge, he pondered which of the deals would be attractive to Nephila on a stand-alone basis. Nephila wanted to meet the needs of each counterparty, but only if Nephila earned a requisite return on capital (ROC). What should be done if a deal did not produce a satisfactory return? It was clear that the counterparties would not pay more than the bid amount. And if that amount were not high enough to be attractive to Nephila, Coleman would need to convey that news to the counterparties. Did these new deal opportunities offer something more to Nephila beyond their individual numbers? Nephila Capital Ltd. Nephila, founded in 1997, was the largest investment manager that was dedicated solely to underwriting global weather and natural catastrophe (NatCat) risk. At the beginning of 2015, Nephila's assets under management (AUM) were approximately $ 9.5billion. The vast majority of Nephila's capital came from institutional investors such as pension plans and university endowments that sought exposure to nontraditional, diversifying asset classes. These investors were drawn to weather and NatCat risk because the occurrence (or absence) of warm, wet, windy, or sunny weather and extreme events such as hurricanes and earthquakes was uncorrelated to the broader financial markets where they held most of their investments. . . .
Staging of amyloid β, t-tau, regional atrophy rates, and cognitive change in a nondemented cohort: Results of serial mediation analyses

Abstract Introduction Current models posit a sequence of amyloid β (Aβ), tau, atrophy, and cognitive change leading to Alzheimer's disease, but ambiguities remain. We examined these sequences via serial mediations. Methods We studied normal controls, early mild cognitive impairment, and late mild cognitive impairment individuals from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative 2 database for the mediation of baseline cerebrospinal fluid Aβ effects on 2-year cognitive change via regional longitudinal atrophy rate (AR) alone or AR and tau. Results In normal controls, Aβ correlated directly with regional ARs and memory loss, with no mediations. In early mild cognitive impairment, tau and lateral temporal ARs serially mediated the influence of Aβ on memory while Aβ affected memory via hippocampal AR. Late mild cognitive impairment consistently showed serial mediations of tau followed by atrophy. However, Aβ effects on memory also continued to be specifically mediated by medial temporal ARs without intermediate tau. Discussion Biomarker sequences vary by region and disease state, suggesting the need to refine current cascade models.
The effects of warm temperature acclimation on constitutive stress, immunity, and metabolism in white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) of different ploidies.

Previous studies suggest fish with additional copies of their genome (polyploids) underperform in suboptimal conditions and may be more susceptible to stress and disease. The objective of this study was to determine the role ploidy plays in the physiological response of white sturgeon to chronically elevated water temperatures. White sturgeon of two ploidies (8 N and 10 N) were acclimated to ambient (18 °C) and warm (22 °C) water. Bioindices of stress (plasma cortisol, glucose and lactate, total erythrocyte count, hematocrit, hemoglobin, mean erythrocyte volume, mean erythrocyte hemoglobin, and mean erythrocyte hemoglobin concentration), immunity (respiratory burst, plasma lysozyme, and total leukocyte count), and cellular metabolic capacity (lactate dehydrogenase and citrate synthase activity) were measured before and after a 6-week acclimation period. Both ploidies appear comparable in their constitutive immune and stress parameters and respond similarly to warming. Hematological indices suggest 8 N and 10 N sturgeon are similar in oxygen carrying capacity; however, differences in enzyme activity between ploidies indicate that 10 N sturgeon may have a lower cellular aerobic capacity. Our results have implications for the screening and management of ploidy on white sturgeon farms and hatcheries, as the differences between ploidies may affect 10 N sturgeon performance at elevated water temperatures. Further research is needed to elucidate the differences in inducible stress and immune responses and metabolism of white sturgeon of different ploidies.
Avoiding Pitfalls when Using NVIDIA GPUs for Real-Time Tasks in Autonomous Systems

NVIDIA's CUDA API has enabled GPUs to be used as computing accelerators across a wide range of applications. This has resulted in performance gains in many application domains, but the underlying GPU hardware and software are subject to many non-obvious pitfalls. This is particularly problematic for safety-critical systems, where worst-case behaviors must be taken into account. While such behaviors were not a key concern for earlier CUDA users, the usage of GPUs in autonomous vehicles has taken CUDA programs out of the sole domain of computer-vision and machine-learning experts and into safety-critical processing pipelines. Certification is necessary in this new domain, which is problematic because GPU software may have been developed without any regard for worst-case behaviors. Pitfalls when using CUDA in real-time autonomous systems can result from the lack of specifics in official documentation, and developers of GPU software not being aware of the implications of their design choices with regards to real-time requirements. This paper focuses on the particular challenges facing the real-time community when utilizing CUDA-enabled GPUs for autonomous applications, and best practices for applying real-time safety-critical principles.
Contact Dermatitis in Atopic Individuals

Atopic individuals are predisposed to irritant contact dermatitis. The hands are the predominant site. Because the hands are the commonest site for contact dermatitis in nonatopic individuals, confusion arises as to the degree of importance of atopy in hand dermatitis, particularly when the pattern of dermatitis lacks features typical of atopic eczema.
Thiamine as a metabolic resuscitator in septic shock: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, pilot trial

The objective was to determine whether the administration of thiamine mitigates elevated lactate levels in patients with septic shock. Thiamine is essential for aerobic metabolism and we have found that thiamine levels are low and inversely correlated with lactate levels in patients with sepsis.
Singular Perturbations of Semi-Group Generators

This is a talk about approximation and operators; more specifically, about approximation of semi-groups. For several reasons, the exposition will be in terms of self-adjoint operators in Hilbert space, although the central ideas are applicable to fairly general semi-groups. The self-adjoint case is both illustrative, and of prime importance in the theory of quantum fields, which is the source of many novel problems involving singular perturbations; and it has been developed much more than the general case.
Quantification of Ischemic Dysfunction by Two-dimensional Echocardiography

Experimental validation studies of cross-sectional echocardiography are summarized. In vitro and in vivo investigations of echocardiographic measurements on the canine heart indicate the feasibility of quantifying left ventricular volumes and segmental wall motions. Ongoing research aims at developing a reproducible noninvasive methodology capable of quantitatively assessing alterations in global and regional cardiac function during spontaneous events of myocardial ischemia and its treatment.
ENERGETICS | Energetics: An Introduction

The following article introduces readers to the concept of bioenergetics and how it applies to fishes. After briefly summarizing energy flow through fishes, the remainder of the article is dedicated to explaining the organizational scheme of the section and introducing each of the individual contributions for this section.
A novel, robust multiplex urine-based immunoassay for bladder cancer detection.

4537Background: Bladder cancer (BCa) is among the most commonly diagnosed malignancies worldwide, and due the high rate of post-operative disease recurrence, it is one of the most prevalent in many...
Neuromusculoskeletal Simulation Reveals Abnormal Rectus Femoris-Gluteus Medius Coupling in Post-stroke Gait.

Post-stroke gait is often accompanied by muscle impairments that result in adaptations such as hip circumduction to compensate for lack of knee flexion. Our previous work robotically enhanced knee flexion in individuals post-stroke with Stiff-Knee Gait (SKG), however, this resulted in greater circumduction, suggesting the existence of abnormal coordination in SKG. The purpose of this work is to investigate two possible mechanisms of the abnormal coordination: (1) a reflex coupling between stretched quadriceps and abductors, and (2) a coupling between volitionally activated knee flexors and abductors. We used previously collected kinematic, kinetic and EMG measures from nine participants with chronic stroke and five healthy controls during walking with and without the applied knee flexion torque perturbations in the pre-swing phase of gait in the neuromusculoskeletal simulation. The measured muscle activity was supplemented by simulated muscle activations to estimate the muscle states of the quadriceps, hamstrings and hip abductors. We used linear mixed models to investigate two hypotheses: (H1) association between quadriceps and abductor activation during an involuntary period (reflex latency) following the perturbation and (H2) association between hamstrings and abductor activation after the perturbation was removed. We observed significantly higher rectus femoris (RF) activation in stroke participants compared to healthy controls within the involuntary response period following the perturbation based on both measured (H1, p 0.05) when the perturbation was removed. The RF-GMed coupling suggests an underlying abnormal coordination pattern in post-stroke SKG, likely reflexive in origin. These results challenge earlier assumptions that hip circumduction in stroke is simply a kinematic adaptation due to reduced toe clearance. Instead, abnormal coordination may underlie circumduction, illustrating the deleterious role of abnormal coordination in post-stroke gait.
Urinary Incontinence and Pelvic Organ Prolapse Knowledge, Care-Seeking, and Embarrassment in Women Planning Bariatric Surgery: A Cross-sectional Study.

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to assess whether patients seeking bariatric surgery were at least as proficient in urinary incontinence (UI) and pelvic organ prolapse (POP) knowledge as the general population. Our secondary objective was to determine care-seeking and impact of embarrassment on knowledge of pelvic floor disorders (PFDs). METHODS An anonymous survey was administered to adult women who attended a bariatric surgery information session from May 2015 to January 2016. The comprehensive survey included multiple data points and the Prolapse and Incontinence Knowledge Quiz. The study population was compared with a general population described in a previously published study. RESULTS Three hundred fifteen participants completed the survey (88% response rate). Mean ± SD age was 41.1 ± 11.3 years (range, 18-69 years), and mean body mass index was 47.4 ± 9.6 kg/m (range, 26.7-104.5 kg/m). A total of 196 women (62.2%) had at least one bothersome PFD symptom. The study population was at least as proficient in UI knowledge as the general population (P < 0.0001), but not for POP knowledge (P < 0.946). Among participants with symptomatic PFD, 91.7% of those with UI symptoms and 70% of those with POP symptoms reported that they would seek care. There was a difference in knowledge proficiency between women who were and were not embarrassed to discuss UI (P = 0.77) or POP (P = 0.99). CONCLUSIONS The study population demonstrated less POP knowledge than the general population, but not for UI knowledge. A high proportion of women with UI or POP symptoms would seek care, but embarrassment to discuss UI or POP negatively impacted knowledge.
Xeroderma pigmentosum: Report of 3 cases

Three children, 2 of whom were Negro siblings, developed the characteristic manifestations of xeroderma pigmentosum, including hypersensitivity to actinic radiation, and proneness to skin cancer. Genetic factors seemed implicated in these cases. No deviations in physical growth pattern were noted. Chemotherapy provided no palliation.
Contributions of Academic Makerspaces to Design Education

This chapter provides an overview of academic makerspaces—locations on college campuses for teams of students to design, fabricate, assemble, and test components and complete systems—and explores the impact of these spaces on design education. The spaces are unique in that they are generally open access, much like libraries and other university-wide service-providing facilities, and available for any use. As facilities that promote design activities, academic makers are having a positive effect enhancing design skills in engineering and other disciplines.
An Exploration of Black Students Interacting With Computing College and Career Readiness Vlog Commentary Social Media Influencers

Effective advisement can help to address the disproportionately lower self-efficacy, identity, and sense of belonging experienced by Black students in computing degree programs. Black social media influencers who produce video log (vlog) commentary content on the YouTube platform were investigated to determine the influence they have on improving computing identity for Black students. This exploratory study consists of three studies: first, a synthesis of vlog commentary college and career advisement videos, coding for the quality of advisement, usability, and user experience; second, an advisor effectiveness and user experience survey using a selected Black social media influencer who provides computing college and career advisement; and third, a user experience and interaction preference survey using a selected Black social media influencer. Findings suggest YouTube influencers could be effective, particularly for beginners in the computing field. Future studies intend to further explore Black computing advisement through social media over a long term and at varying levels of interaction.
Single-terminal traveling wave line selection in DC distribution system

With the increasing of DC load, the DC distribution and consumption system has obvious advantage in economic and technology. Fast and reliable protection is one of the key issue that restrict the development of DC distribution system. This paper presents a novel method based on single-terminal traveling wave to select fault line in DC distribution system. Due to the short circuit of the DC distribution system, the traveling wave transmission time is too short which makes the reflection wave identification more difficult. This method can accurately identify the fault line by using the initial traveling wave. The effective of this line-selected method is analysed by the electromagnetic transient simulation software PSCAD. Compared with the traditional method, this method has faster selectivity and higher sensitivity because it does not use reflected wave.
Pulmonary Edema and Salicylates

Excerpt To the editor: We agree with Davis and Burch (1) that there are few case reports of pulmonary edema associated with salicylate intoxication, because we searched the literature when we encou...