Search

In order to fully understand the objective law of height and DBH growth of loblolly pine trees and exploring the best DBH (Diameter at Breast Height) Range for loblolly pine tree height growth, 13 340 loblolly pines with initial DBH between 1 inch and 7 inch were selected from Alabama as research objects, and statistics on its growth from 2000 to 2015. Because particle swarm optimization (PSO) is suitable for solving non-linear problems, the optimal DBH of loblolly pine is transformed into the optimization problem of PSO, which quantifies the optimal DBH range of loblolly pine at different scales by mapping strategy. The experimental results show that the range of the breast diameter suitable for the high growth of the pine tree is concentrated between 3.7 inch and 7.3 inch. The height of the pine tree begins to enter a period of rapid growth from a breast diameter of 3.9 inch (±0.2 inch ). The tree height growth rate reached a maximum at a breast diameter of 6.4 inch (±0.6 inch ), and the tree height entered a slow growth period after the breast diameter of 11.92 inch (±0.3 inch). In general, when the breast diameter exceeds 15.26 inch (±0.3 inch), the height of the pine tree stops growing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Control Theory & Applications / Kongzhi Lilun Yu Yinyong is the property of Editorial Department of Control Theory & Applications and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The purpose of this research project was to determine if using the Coping with Labor Algorithm would lead to changes in the perception of the intrapartum (IP) nurses’ beliefs toward birth practices and frequency of labor support interventions. Twenty-three participants completed the preintervention survey, which included the IP Nurses’ Belief Toward Birth Practice Scale and the Labor Support Scale. Following completion of the preintervention survey, participants received a copy of the Coping with Labor Algorithm and Toolkit and then began implementation of the Coping with Labor Algorithm. After implementation, 13 IP nurses completed the postintervention survey. The surveyed IP nurses reported positive changes in their perceived frequency of labor support and a slight change in their birth beliefs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent popular and academic discussions regarding the Internet have raised the question of whether and how networked intermediaries have (dis)integrating social effects. In this study, we use public records of configurations of Internet filters in Alabama public schools and libraries to show how different institutions implement nominally consistent content standards inconsistently. We argue that these varying implementations are both significant and troubling for two reasons: first, they overreach the stated goals of the legislation with which they in principle comply; second, they may contribute to a broader epistemic breakdown by fragmenting the kind of information made available through and across public institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An algorithm that provides an early indication of impending severe weather from observed trends in thunderstorm total lightning flash rates has been developed. The algorithm framework has been tested on 20 thunderstorms, including 1 nonsevere storm, which occurred over the course of six separate days during the spring months of 2002 and 2003. The identified surges in lightning rate (or jumps) are compared against 110 documented severe weather events produced by these thunderstorms as they moved across portions of northern Alabama and southern Tennessee. Lightning jumps precede 90% of these severe weather events, with as much as a 27-min advance notification of impending severe weather on the ground. However, 37% of lightning jumps are not followed by severe weather reports. Various configurations of the algorithm are tested, and the highest critical success index attained is 0.49. Results suggest that this lightning jump algorithm may be a useful operational diagnostic tool for severe thunderstorm potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare the use of medications in African-American and Caucasian elderly Medicare patients hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in Alabama.Design: Retrospective medical record review.Setting: All acute care hospitals in Alabama.Patients: All Medicare patients with a principal discharge diagnosis of AMI from June 1992 through February 1993. We excluded those patients less than 65 years of age and those of ethnicity other than African-American or Caucasian (N = 4,052).Measurements: We first performed a crude analysis using all cases to compare by race the use of thrombolysis, beta-adrenergic blockade, and aspirin in the setting of AMI. In addition, we developed a multivariable model with receipt of therapy as the outcome and demographics, severity of illness, comorbidity, and algorithm-determined candidacy for therapy as covariates. The algorithms, developed as part of the Cooperative Cardiovascular Project, were designed to identify an "ideal" pool of candidates for each therapy.Main Results: For all cases, 9.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] 6.8, 12.1) of African Americans received thrombolysis compared with 17.3% (95% CI 16.0, 18.6) of Caucasians. Approximately 16.4% of patients received beta-adrenergic blockade, and 45.1% received aspirin, both with no racial difference. By multivariate analysis, the adjusted odds ratio for African Americans receiving thrombolysis was 0.55 (95% CI 0.41, 0.76). The corresponding odds ratio was 1.25 (95% CI 0.99, 1.59) for beta-adrenergic blockade and 1.13 (95% CI 0.96, 1.37) for aspirin. African Americans presented later after the onset of chest pain, but the refusal rate of thrombolytic therapy did not differ.Conclusions: According to this analysis, Alabama physicians used beta-adrenergic blockade and aspirin equivalently in African Americans and Caucasians. African Americans received thrombolysis less often according to the crude analysis. The multivariable analysis suggests less use of thrombolytics, even after adjusting for several covariates including indication by clinical algorithm. However, the small number of African-American patients deemed ideal candidates for thrombolysis attenuates the precision of this finding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]