cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The cost of comorbidities in treatment for HIV/AIDS in California.

Author(s): Zingmond, David S; Arfer, Kodi B; Gildner, Jennifer L; Leibowitz, Arleen A | Abstract: BackgroundAntiretroviral therapy has increased longevity for people living with HIV (PLWH). As a result, PLWH increasingly experience the common diseases of aging and the resources needed to manage these comorbidities are increasing. This paper characterizes the number and types of comorbidities diagnosed among PLWH covered by Medicare and examines how non-HIV comorbidities relate to outpatient, inpatient, and pharmaceutical expenditures.MethodsThe study examined Medicare expenditures for 9767 HIV-positive Californians enrolled in Medicare in 2010 (7208 persons dually covered by Medicare and Medicaid and 2559 with Medicare only). Costs included both out of pocket costs and those paid by Medicare and Medicaid. Comorbidities were determined by examining diagnosis codes.FindingsMedicare expenditures for Californians with HIV averaged $47,036 in 2010, with drugs accounting for about 2/3 of the total and outpatient costs 19% of the total. Inpatient costs accounted for 18% of the total. About 64% of the sample had at least one comorbidity in addition to HIV. Cross-validation showed that adding information on comorbidities to the quantile regression improved the accuracy of predicted individual expenditures. Non-HIV comorbidities relating to health habits-diabetes, hypertension, liver disease (hepatitis C), renal insufficiency-are common among PLWH. Cancer was relatively rare, but added significantly to cost. Comorbidities had little effect on pharmaceutical costs, which were dominated by the cost of antiretroviral therapy, but had a major effect on hospital admission.ConclusionsComorbidities are prevalent among PLWH and add substantially to treatment costs for PLWH. Many of these comorbidities relate to health habits that could be addressed with additional prevention in ambulatory care, thereby improving health outcomes and ultimately reducing costs.
Alcohol consumption and breast cancer-specific and all-cause mortality in women diagnosed with breast cancer at the New York site of the Breast Cancer Family Registry

Purpose Alcohol consumption is an established and important risk factor for breast cancer incidence in the general population. However, the relationship between alcohol and mortality among women with breast cancer is less clear. This study examines the effect of alcohol consumption on mortality in women affected with breast cancer at baseline from a high-risk family breast and ovarian cancer registry. Methods We studied 1116 women affected with breast cancer at baseline from the Metropolitan New York Registry. The examined reported alcohol consumption (total of beer, wine, liquor) was defined as the average number of drinks per week reported from age 12 to age at baseline. We assessed vital status of each participant using participant or family reported data and we used the National Death Index to supplement deaths reported through family updates. We used Cox proportional hazards models to estimate the association between alcohol intake and overall mortality (HRO), breast cancer-specific mortality (HRBC), and non-breast cancer mortality (HRNBC), adjusted for confounders. Results After a mean follow-up of 9.1 years, we observed 211 total deaths and 58 breast cancer deaths. Compared to non-drinkers, we found that both low and moderate to heavy levels of alcohol intake were not associated with greater overall mortality (≤3 drinks/week: HRO: 0.66, 95% CI: 0.38–1.14); > 3 drinks/week: HRO: 1.16, 95% CI: 0.85–1.58), breast cancer–specific mortality (≤ 3 drinks/week: HRBC:0.62, 95% CI: 0.19–2.03; >3 drinks/week: HR BC: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.49–1.89), or non-breast cancer-specific mortality (≤3 drinks/week: HR NBC: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.32–1.6; >3 drinks/week: HRNBC: 1.18, 95% CI: 0.75–1.86). Conclusions Alcohol intake reported from age 12 to age at baseline was not associated with overall or breast cancer-specific mortality in this cohort of affected women with a family history of breast cancer.
Keynote speech: IGSC 2017: Green computing through adaptive multi-core architectures

Current homogeneous and heterogeneous multi-cores consist of processors with static architectures and fixed sets of hardware resources. In contrast, the computational demands of many applications vary not only from one task to the other, but also temporally, during the execution of a single task. Such high level of diversity results in a mismatch between the requirements of the application and the hardware resources provided by the multi-core, causing an energy inefficient execution. We will discuss in this presentation adaptive multi-core architectures that are capable of adjusting their hardware resources in real time to match the current computational needs of the executing application.
Preventive behaviors adults report using to avoid catching or spreading influenza, United States, 2015-16 influenza season.

Introduction Influenza vaccination can prevent influenza and potentially serious influenza-related complications. Although the single best way to prevent influenza is annual vaccination, everyday preventive actions, including good hygiene, health, dietary, and social habits, might help, too. Several preventive measures are recommended, including: avoiding close contact with people who are sick; staying home when sick; covering your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing; washing your hands often; avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth; and practicing other good health habits like cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces, getting plenty of sleep, and drinking plenty of fluids. Understanding public acceptance and current usage of these preventive behaviors can be useful for planning both seasonal and pandemic influenza prevention campaigns. This study estimated the percentage of adults in the United States who reported practicing preventive behaviors to avoid catching or spreading influenza, and explored associations of reported behaviors with sociodemographic factors. Methods We analyzed data from 2015 National Internet Flu Survey, a nationally representative probability-based Internet panel survey of the non-institutionalized U.S. population ≥18 years. The self-reported behaviors used to avoid catching or spreading influenza were grouped into four and three non-mutually exclusive subgroups, respectively. Weighted proportions were calculated. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to calculate adjusted prevalence differences and to determine independent associations between sociodemographic characteristics and preventive behavior subgroups. Results Common preventive behaviors reported were: 83.2% wash hands often, 80.0% cover coughs and sneezes, 78.2% stay home if sick with a respiratory illness, 64.4% avoid people sick with a respiratory illness, 51.7% use hand sanitizers, 50.2% get treatment as soon as possible, and 49.8% report getting the influenza vaccination. Race/ethnicity, gender, age, education, income, region, receipt of influenza vaccination, and household size were associated with use of preventive behaviors after controlling for other factors. Conclusion Many adults in the United States reported using preventive behaviors to avoid catching or spreading influenza. Though vaccination is the most important tool available to prevent influenza, the addition of preventive behaviors might play an effective role in reducing or slowing transmission of influenza and complement prevention efforts.
Americans' Health Mindsets: Content, Cultural Patterning, and Associations With Physical and Mental Health.

Background Health mindsets are mental frameworks that help people recognize, organize, interpret, and respond to health-relevant information. Although mindsets shape health behaviors and outcomes, no study has examined the health mindsets of ethnically and socioeconomically diverse Americans. Purpose We explored the content, cultural patterning, and health correlates of diverse Americans' health mindsets. Methods Two studies surveyed approximately equal numbers of African American, Asian American, European American, and Latinx American men and women of lower and higher socioeconomic status (SES). Study 1 (N = 334) used open-ended questions to elicit participants' mindsets about the definitions, causes, and benefits of health. Study 2 (N = 320) used Study 1's results to develop a closed-ended instrument. Results In Study 1, open-ended questioning revealed six overarching mindset themes: behavioral, medical, physical, psychological, social, and spiritual. The most prevalent mindsets were psychological definitions, behavioral causes, and psychological benefits. Participants mentioned more cause themes than definition or benefit themes, and mindset theme mentions correlated with worse health. Older participants mentioned more themes than younger, women mentioned more definition themes than men, and low-SES participants mentioned more cause themes than high-SES participants. In Study 2, closed-ended scales uncovered more complex and positive health mindsets. Psychological and spiritual benefit mindsets correlated with good mental health. African Americans and women endorsed the widest array of mindsets, and the spiritual benefit mindset partially explained the superior mental health of African Americans. Conclusions Many Americans hold simplistic, illness-focused health mindsets. Cultivating more complex, benefit-focused, and culturally appropriate health mindsets could support health.
Cost of a Group Translation of the Diabetes Prevention Program: Healthy Living Partnerships to Prevent Diabetes

Background Although numerous studies have translated the Diabetes Prevention Program lifestyle intervention into various settings, no study to date has reported a formal cost analysis. Purpose To describe costs associated with the Healthy Living Partnerships to Prevent Diabetes (HELP PD) trial. Design HELP PD was a 24-month RCT testing the impact of a lifestyle weight-loss intervention administered through a diabetes education program and delivered by community health workers (CHWs) on blood glucose and body weight among prediabetics. Setting/participants In all, 301 participants with prediabetes were randomized in Forsyth County NC. Data reported in these analyses were collected in 2007–2011 and analyzed in 2011–2012. Intervention The lifestyle weight-loss group had a 7% weight loss goal achieved and maintained by caloric restriction and increased physical activity. The usual care group received two visits with a registered dietitian and monthly newsletters. Main outcome measures Measures are direct medical costs, direct nonmedical costs, and indirect costs over the 2-year study period. Research costs are excluded. Results The direct medical cost (in 2010 dollars) to identify one participant was $16.85. Direct medical costs per capita for participants in the usual care group were $142 and $850 for lifestyle weight-loss participants. Per capita direct costs of care outside the study were $7454 for the usual care group and $5177 for the lifestyle weight-loss group. Per capita direct nonmedical costs were $12,881 for the usual care group and $13,836 for the lifestyle weight-loss group. The lifestyle weight-loss group in HELP PD cost $850 in direct medical costs for 2 years, compared to $2631 in direct medical costs for the first 2 years of DPP. Conclusions A community-based translation of the DPP can be delivered effectively and with reduced costs. Trial registration This study is registered at clinicaltrials.gov NCT00631345 .
Planning and Managing Multi-disciplinary and Concurrent Design Processes

It is time to move beyond the development of CAD tools that only aid designers in solving specific synthesis, analysis, and/or optimization design problems, but to develop tools that aid designers in planning and managing the increasingly complex design process itself. Specifically, we need to develop meta-tools capable of capturing design methodologies, and of intelligently making use of such methodologies while planning and managing the design process.
Maritime Archeology of Tourism in Yellowstone National Park

This chapter reports on an investigation of Yellowstone National Park’s unique maritime heritage and focuses on material remains of the park’s 19th- and early-20th-century tourist infrastructure in Yellowstone Lake. These sites were examined within the overall framework of the historical archeology of tourism developed by Hunt (1994c; Chapter 1 of this volume), but they represent distinctive examples of an underwater cultural heritage not previously investigated in the park. Like their counterparts on land, these sites are linked to the broader context of Yellowstone National Park’s status as one of the premier tourist destinations in the American West
Ovulation: Insights About the Mechanisms Based on a Comparative Approach

The ovary of all vertebrates contains oocytes in various stages of growth and maturation. Each oocyte is housed in a follicle (from follicu- lus, L., dim. of follis, “a leather bag”). In most sexually reproducing animals, the oocyte leaves the follicle and migrates to an extraovarian site, where fertilization occurs. The process by which the oocyte escapes the confines of the follicular wall is termed “ovulation. ” In reality, however, the process of ovulation encompasses several changes in function of the oocyte and follicular wall prior to and during oocyte expulsion. These changes include separation of the oocyte from its surrounding follicular cells (“follicular separation”), rupture of the follicular wall, and expulsion of the oocyte. For the purposes of this discussion, all of these phenomena of the ovulatory process will be included under the rubric “ovulation. ” Final meiotic maturation of the oocyte (germinal vesicle breakdown, or GVBD) also is concomitant with ovulation, but this topic is discussed by Y. Nagahama in Chapter 7.
Diabetes and Hypertension in People with Sleep Apnea: Risk Evaluation and Therapeutic Rationale

The widely prevailing diabetes pandemic has resulted in increased cardiovascular deaths over the last 50 years (Haffner et al., N Engl J Med 339(4):229–234, 1998). Established cross-sectional studies have remarked that an increase in glycosylated hemoglobin by 1 % is associated with upwards of a 20 % cardiovascular risk (Selvin et al., Ann Intern Med 141(6):421–431, 2004). Newly discovered and evolving relationships have shown sleep apnea and its cardiometabolic associations (Pandey et al., Curr Diab Rep 11(1):35–40, 2011), (Demede et al., Int J Hypertens 2011:340929, 2011) to have burdensome public health concerns and cost (Nieto et al., JAMA 283(14):1829–1836, 2000), (Peppard et al., N Engl J Med 342(19):1378–1384, 2000). There is also accumulating data suggesting the sleep apnea is involved in the pathogenesis of altered glucose metabolism independent of sociodemographic and medical comorbidities. The disastrous duo, diabetes and sleep apnea, have over encompassing mortality and morbidity and increased healthcare costs (Pandey et al., Curr Diab Rep 11(1):35–40, 2011).
Water quality modeling for environmental management: Lessons from the policy sciences

Models are used in many policy arenas to predict the future consequences of current decisions. A model is typically viewed as a rational, objective means of processing complex information to predict future conditions. With respect to socioeconomic modeling, policy scientists have found that models frequently do not live up to these promises – they often incorporate the modelers' biases, are difficult for decision makers to use, and do a poor job of point predictions. While awareness of these characteristics of socioeconomic models has increased, less attention has been paid to such factors in environmental modeling. This paper explores the implications of policy scientists' observations about socioeconomic models for the use of water quality models environmental decision making. For example, the relatively simple task of modeling for an estuarine waste load allocation decision incorporates judgment in model choice, calibration, and use. More complex watershed models involve even more choices that have implications for decision making. Thus, environmental models are not strictly technical inputs to the policy process. Model users, regulators, and the public should be aware of the judgments and uncertainties involved in surface water quality modeling so that model results are used appropriately in the decision-making process.
Pigment, abnormal mitochondria and laminar bodies in human sympathetic neurons. An electron microscopical study.

A study was made of the fine structure of neurons in lumbar sympathetic ganglia which were surgically removed from a 52 year old male patient. Some samples were fixed by direct immersion into osmium tetroxide, others were first prefixed with an aldehyde solution. Large vesiculated pigment granules were described, compared with similar particles, previously seen in human and animal autonomic neurons, and their glycogen and lipid-soluble components were tentatively identified. These granules increase numerically during aging, are probably derivatives of lysosomes, and may incorporate both lipofuscin and melanin in the same particle. Mitochondrial changes (enlargement, disappearance of cristae and deposit of opaque central material) in sympathetic perikarya occurred under all conditions of preservation, and were interpreted as hypoxia-induced structures which developed during life. Abnormal aggregates of mitochondria were seen in nerve processes. Laminar bodies, chiefly associated with mitochondria were present, especially, in aldehyde prefixed material. It remained undecided whether these structures occurred during life or were artifacts. Compared with direct osmium tetroxide fixation, prefixation with aldehyde, followed by osmium tetroxide proved to be a superior, but not entirely adequate method of preserving deep layers of neuronal tissue.
A theoretical explanation of solvent effects in zeolite catalysis

In a previous study of solid acid catalysis (Nature (1998) 389, 832) we showed that the catalytic activity of zeolites could be increased by the coadsorption of “solvent” molecules, such as nitromethane. These coadsorbates do not participate directly in the reaction, but alter the environment within the zeolite such that reactivity is increased. In this work we provide further theoretical explanation of the increased reactivity observed upon coadsorption. We first use density functional theory (DFT) to study the proton affinity of acetone, and complexes of acetone with propane, bromomethane, nitromethane, nitroethane, nitropropane, and acetonitrile. We find that the proton affinity of acetone in the complexes is much higher than for acetone alone. Optimizations and frequency calculations at the B3LYP/6–311++G** level predict proton affinity increases that range from 0.9 kcal/mol for the acetone/propane complex to 12.8 kcal/mol for the acetone/acetonitrile complex. The increase in proton affinity due to the coadsorbed molecules is one of the causes of the increased reactivity observed experimentally. We also used DFT (B3LYP/DZVP2) to optimize the geometry of acetone and the acetone–nitromethane complex in contact with a cluster model of HZSM-5. There is greater proton transfer from the zeolite to acetone when nitromethane is present, as is reflected in the shorter distance between the acidic zeolite proton and the carbonyl carbon of acetone. Predictions of 1H and 13C NMR isotropic chemical shifts also indicate increased proton transfer to acetone in the presence of nitromethane. This further demonstrates how coadsorbates promote reactivity.
Spin-Spin Interactions in the Oxides A(3)M'MO(6) (M = Rh, Ir; A = Ca, Sr; M' = Alkaline Earth, Zn, Cd, Na) of the K(4)CdCl(6) Structure Type Examined by Electronic Structure Calculations.

The oxides A(3)M'MO(6) (M = Rh, Ir; A = Ca, Sr; M' = alkaline earth, Zn, Cd) of the K(4)CdCl(6) structure type consist of isolated (MO(6))(8)(-) octahedral anions and exhibit an antiferromagnetic ordering at low temperatures. The spin-spin interactions in these oxides, Ca(3)NaMO(6) (M = Ir, Ru), and Sr(3)NaRuO(6) were examined by calculating how strongly the t(2g)-block levels of adjacent (MO(6))((6+)(n)()())(-) (n = 1, 2) anions interact in the presence and absence of the intervening cations A(2+) and M' (n)()(+) (n = 1, 2). Our calculations show that the spin-spin interactions in these oxides are three-dimensional, and the superexchange interactions occur mainly through the short intrachain and interchain M-O.O-M linkages. When the M(n)()(+) cation is very small compared with the A(2+) cation, the intrachain interaction is substantially stronger than the interchain interaction. The opposite is found when the sizes of the M(n)()(+) and A(2+) cations become similar.
Dosimetric impact and detectability of multi-leaf collimator positioning errors on Varian Halcyon.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the dosimetric impact of multi-leaf collimator (MLC) positioning errors on a Varian Halcyon for both random and systematic errors, and to evaluate the effectiveness of portal dosimetry quality assurance in catching clinically significant changes caused by these errors. Both random and systematic errors were purposely added to 11 physician-approved head and neck volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) treatment plans, yielding a total of 99 unique plans. Plans were then delivered on a preclinical Varian Halcyon linear accelerator and the fluence was captured by an opposed portal dosimeter. When comparing dose-volume histogram (DVH) values of plans with introduced MLC errors to known good plans, clinically significant changes to target structures quickly emerged for plans with systematic errors, while random errors caused less change. For both error types, the magnitude of clinically significant changes increased as error size increased. Portal dosimetry was able to detect all systematic errors, while random errors of ±5 mm or less were unlikely to be detected. Best detection of clinically significant errors, while minimizing false positives, was achieved by following the recommendations of AAPM TG-218. Furthermore, high- to moderate correlation was found between dose DVH metrics for normal tissues surrounding the target and portal dosimetry pass rates. Therefore, it may be concluded that portal dosimetry on the Halcyon is robust enough to detect errors in MLC positioning before they introduce clinically significant changes to VMAT treatment plans.
Procedures for Penetrating the Blood-Brain-Barrier: Studies of γ-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA)

Small molecules including neurotransmitters and peptides are prevented from entry to the CNS by the endothelial cells which line the cerebral microcapillaries. These cells are linked together by tight junctions (Rees and Karnovsky 1976) to form the “so-called” blood-brain-barrier (BBB), To gain entry into the brain, compounds must pass through the BBB traversing the luminal and the abluminal membranes of endothelial cells, by a process that is considered to be receptor mediated and requiring an active transport mechanism (Goldstein and Betz, 1986). Previous studies indicate that one of the desirable features for entry through the BBB is a high lipophilicity (Oldendorph, 1970). Using γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) as model system, we developed methods for enhancing its brain uptake by as much as 100-fold (Shashoua et al 1984). Cholesteryl, mono and dilinolenoyl glyceride esters of GABA were found to act as prodrugs which, after entry into the CNS and hydrolysis by esterases, released GABA into the central nervous system. In more recent studies we have demonstrated that these methods can also be applied to promote the uptake of dopamine, serotonin and small peptides such as enkephalin.
College Students’ Feedback on a Student Bereavement Leave Policy

Using a mixed-methods approach, we examined how grieving college students perceived the effectiveness, benefits, drawbacks, and areas of improvement of a student bereavement leave policy, Grief Abs...
Origin of giant stellar clumps in high-redshift galaxies

We examine the nature of kpc-scale clumps seen in high-redshift galaxies using a suite of cosmological simulations of galaxy formation. We identify rest-frame UV clumps in mock HST images smoothed to 500 pc resolution, and compare them with the intrinsic 3D clumps of young stars identified in the simulations with 100 pc resolution. According to this comparison, we expect that the stellar masses of the observed clumps are overestimated by as much as an order of magnitude, and that the sizes of these clumps are also overestimated by factor of several, due to a combination of spatial resolution and projection. The masses of young stars contributing most of the UV emission can also be overestimated by factor of a few. We find that most clumps of young stars present in a simulation at one time dissolve on a timescale shorter than $\sim$150 Myr. Some clumps with dense cores can last longer but eventually disperse. Most of the clumps are not bound structures, with virial parameter $\alpha_{\rm vir}$ > 1. We find similar results for clumps identified in mock maps of H$\alpha$ emission measure. We examine the predictions for effective clump sizes from the linear theory of gravitational perturbations and conclude that they are inconsistent with being formed by global disc instabilities. Instead, the observed clumps represent random projections of multiple smaller star-forming regions.
geoEdge: a real-time analytics framework for geospatial applications

In many real-world applications, data looses its value if its not analyzed in real-time. Examples include natural disasters, crop disease identification and bioterrorism, traffic monitoring, monitoring human activities and public places, gas pipeline monitoring for leaks. Edge computing refers to pushing computing power to the edge of the network or bringing it closer to the sensors. We envision that an integrated framework (sensors + edge computers + analytics) allows near realtime analytics at the edge, which is critical for first responders to national security agencies alike. In addition to the generation of real-time actionable knowledge, edge computing allows compressing/reducing big geospatial data that need to be transmitted to centralized cloud or data centers. In this study, we present the vision behind geoEdge, and show feasibility results using feature extraction and unsupervised learning on an edge computing device.
Phenological changes in North Atlantic right whale habitat use in Massachusetts Bay

The North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) is one of the world's most highly endangered baleen whales, with approximately 400-450 individuals remaining. Massachusetts Bay (MB) and Cape Cod Bay (CCB) together comprise one of seven areas in the Gulf of Maine where right whales seasonally congregate. Here, we report on acoustically detected presence of right whales in MB over a nearly 6 year period, July 2007-April 2013, a time of both rapid ocean warming throughout the Gulf of Maine and apparent changes in right whale migratory dynamics. We applied an automated detection algorithm to assess hourly presence of right whale "up-calls" in recordings from a 19-channel acoustic array covering approximately 4,000 km2 in MB. Over the survey, up-calls were detected in 95% of 8 day periods. In each year, as expected, we observed a "peak season" of elevated up-call detections in late winter and early spring corresponding to the season when right whales congregate to feed in CCB. However, we also saw an increase in right whale occurrence during time periods thought to be part of the "off-season." With the exception of 2009-2010, when acoustic presence was unusually low, the mean percent of hours in which up-calls were detected increased every year, both during the peak season (from 38% in 2008 to 70% in 2012), and during the summer-fall season (from 2% in 2007 to 13% in 2012). Over the entire study, the peak season start date varied between 17 January and 26 February. Changes in right whale phenology in MB likely reflect broadscale changes in habitat use in other areas within the species range. This study demonstrates the value of continuous long-term survey datasets to detect and quantify shifts in cetacean habitat use as environmental conditions change and the long-term continued survival of right whales remains uncertain.
Incidence of Normal versus Support Trot in the Healthy Adult German Shepherd Dog.

Introduction Current sports medicine textbooks suggest German Shepherd dogs leave a forelimb on the ground longer than other breeds for support because of angulated joints eliminating a true suspension phase (support trot). The objective of this study was to characterize the trot of healthy, adult German Shepherd dogs and describe morphometric relationships. The hypothesis was that all German Shepherd dogs have a standard trot that does not correlate with morphometric measurements. Materials and Methods Forty healthy, adult German Shepherd dogs with no history of musculoskeletal disease or visible lameness were enrolled in this study. Height, weight, body length, standing limb distance and standing joint angles were measured. Dogs were trotted over a pressure walkway collecting five valid trials. Each trial was categorized by the presence or absence of the suspension phase and the percent of standard trot trials was calculated. Mean and standard deviations were calculated for all data. A Spearman's rank sum test was performed for each of the morphometric measurements to assess correlation with the percent of standard trot trials. Results Of the dogs analysed, 37.5% demonstrated a standard trot in all five trials, 60% of dogs utilized a support trot intermittently, and one dog (2.5%) solely utilized a support trot in all trials. There was no correlation between combinations of morphometric measurements and percentage of standard trot statistically or visually. Discussion/Conclusion This prospective clinical study showed that the use of the support trot was not correlated with morphometric measurements.
Agile frequency transformations for dense wavelength-multiplexed communications.

The broad bandwidth and spectral efficiency of photonics has facilitated unparalleled speeds in long-distance lightwave communication. Yet efficient routing and control of photonic information without optical-to-electrical conversion remains an ongoing research challenge. Here, we demonstrate a practical approach for dynamically transforming the carrier frequencies of dense wavelength-division–multiplexed data. Combining phase modulators and pulse shapers into an all-optical frequency processor, we realize both cyclic channel hopping and 1-to-N broadcasting of input data streams for systems with N = 2 and N = 3 users. Our method involves no optical-to-electrical conversion and enables low-noise, reconfigurable routing of fiber-optic signals with in principle arbitrary wavelength operations in a single platform, offering new potential for low-latency all-optical networking.
Chiroptical sensing of homocysteine.

The cyclization reaction between ortho-phthalaldehyde and L-homocysteine coincides with the generation of a pronounced positive CD signal at approximately 335 nm. Under identical conditions, other amino acids including cysteine produce very weak CD responses. This unusual substrate specificity allows accurate chiroptical analysis of the enantiomeric composition of homocysteine samples in the presence of cysteine without the need for time-consuming chromatographic separation. This significantly simplifies and speeds up ee determination at reduced solvent waste production.
Immunotherapeutic strategies in breast cancer: A clinical update

Immunotherapy has been incorporated into the standard of care for a wide range of malignancies. The study of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes has emphasized the importance of the host antitumor immune response in the natural history of breast cancer. Recent clinical trials have used immunotherapeutic approaches to augment this response and improve outcomes for patients with breast cancer. Here, we review several current clinical trial data that indicate checkpoint blockade may mediate clinically significant responses.
The Next Frontier of the Global Commons

As nations and commercial entities expand further and more permanently into outer space, governance of that realm as a global commons becomes both more important and more difficult. This chapter addresses the question of what the future of space exploration and exploitation will look like as technology continues to outpace regulation and governance and more nations and actors gain access to its resources. How will nations function under old treaties and norms when faced with technical challenges or the acquisition of resources brought on by space debris or asteroid mining? The past governance of other areas of the global commons, especially the oceans, provide insight into the former question, while the history of the developed world’s territorial expansion sheds light on the latter. This chapter asks if the future will resemble the utopian ideals of Star Trek or will it devolve into a Star Wars-esque past of colonialism and profiteering and begins the work of finding an answer.
FRAMING RELIGIOUS VIOLENCE: EXPLORING THE PATHS TO FAITH AND APOSTASY IN PUNK ROCK JESUS

Sean Murphy’s six instalment series Punk Rock Jesus explores the interaction between faith, reason, the media, and American society. The narrative follows the creation, indoctrination, and apostasy...
The influence of environmental and physiological factors on variation in American toad (Anaxyrus americanus) dorsal coloration

Adaptive coloration in amphibians is widespread and aids in camouflage, communication, and thermoregulation. Understanding the environmental factors that contribute to color variation is important for predicting how changes in climate and habitat parameters may alter amphibian fitness. Studies on toad coloration have focused on genetic elements, dorsal spot patterns, and juveniles, but less is known about the relationship between adult toad coloration and environmental conditions. The goal of this study was to examine dorsal color variation in adult American Toads (Anaxyrus americanus) in Erie County, Pennsylvania, USA, to determine how environmental and morphological factors influence coloration. We conducted visual surveys to sample adult toads across a habitat gradient and recorded several potential predictor variables (i.e., site elevation, substrate type, snout–vent length, and body surface temperature). We calibrated photographs of each toad and quantified red (R), green (G), and blue (B) color values within seven dorsal body regions. We summarized RGB values for each dorsal body region using a principal component analysis and used model selection approaches to select between models containing different predictor variables. The most supported model to explain the variation in color of all dorsal body regions contained only site elevation. On average, the body regions of all toads from higher elevation sites were darker than those of toads from lower elevations, but the amount of variation in dorsal coloration accounted for by elevation was low. Our results suggest that the factors that drive variation in toad dorsal coloration are complex, but that this trait is potentially sensitive to environmental changes.
Examining the Neurobiology of Non-Suicidal Self-Injury in Children and Adolescents: The Role of Reward Responsivity

Although prior work has shown heightened response to negative outcomes and reduced response to positive outcomes in youth with a history of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), little is known about the neural processes underlying these responses. Thus, this study examined associations between NSSI engagement and functional activation in specific regions of interest (ROIs) and whole-brain connectivity between striatal, frontal, and limbic region seeds during monetary and social reward tasks. To test for specificity of the influence of NSSI, analyses were conducted with and without depressive symptoms as a covariate. We found that NSSI was associated with decreased activation following monetary gains in all ROIs, even after controlling for depressive symptoms. Exploratory connectivity analyses found that NSSI was associated with differential connectivity between regions including the DS, vmPFC, insula, and parietal operculum cortex when controlling for depressive symptoms. Disrupted connectivity between these regions could suggest altered inhibitory control of emotions and pain processing in individuals with NSSI. Findings suggest dysfunctional reward processes in youth with NSSI, even very early in the course of the behavior.
Collaborative information seeking in the wild: middle-schoolers' self-initiated teamwork strategies to support game design

This study investigates how students learn to collaborate in a guided discovery-based program of game design learning, and how e-learning systems and environmental supports afford collaboration. We address how students self-initiate and strategize collaborative practices to achieve a project-based learning goal, and how they interact with peers, teachers, and technology to develop a shared understanding of the primary game design task. We also consider student engagement in the meta-processes that support this task's completion, such as delegation, teamwork, and resource use. The methods applied include two main steps - categorical analysis of 18 teams' interview transcripts and in depth case study analysis of four teams' interview responses and process artifacts, with a focus on the themes that are identified from the first step. We propose an initial framework outlining general dimensions of collaborative information behavior for knowledge building contexts. And we conclude with questions for future research.
Hypercholesterolemia, Abnormal Coronary Vasomotion, and Calcium Antagonists

To the Editor: I was fascinated by the recent article by Kaufmann et al1 on the reversal by calcium antagonists of the abnormal coronary vasomotion associated with hypercholesterolemia. Teleologically, this observation is quite logical, and it also explains some of the clinical observations made about coronary artery disease. Let me explain. Studies in experimental animals have shown that the entry of cholesterol into the endothelial lining of the aorta is dependent on the concentration of cholesterol in the perfusing solution, the pulse pressure, and the number of pulses per minute.2 These very early abnormalities are noted at the ultrastructural level well before there is any grossly visible modification of the vessel wall (such as the fatty streak). Because the initial injury that starts the long process of formation of the atherosclerotic plaque is …
Selectivity of celite-immobilized patatin (lipid acyl hydrolase) from potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tubers in esterification reactions As influenced by water activity and glycerol analogues as alcohol acceptors.

Lipid acyl hydrolase (LAH; patatin) was purified from potato tubers by ammonium sulfate fractionation followed by anion-exchange and affinity chromatography. The major protein band of 40−43 kDa on SDS−PAGE appeared to be patatin, and it stained positive for lipase activity on native PAGE. Selectivity of a Celite-immobilized potato LAH in esterification reactions with n-acyl fatty acids (FA; C4, C6, C8, C10, C12, C14, C16, and C18) and alcohol acceptors (n-propanol, 2-propanol, 1,3-propanediol, and glycerol; 1,2-propanediol was not sufficiently reactive) was studied in isooctane. Immobilized LAH was highly selective for medium chain FAs (C8/C10) with a secondary optimum for chain lengths of C14/16. Water activity (aw) influenced activity and FA selectivity of the enzyme. Initial rates of ester synthesis were greatest at aw of 0.90 for all alcohol acceptors except for glycerol, where greatest initial rates were observed at aw of 0.19. Immobilized LAH preparations exhibited a bell-shape pH profile with optim...
Stability analysis of chatter in tandem rolling mills-part 1: Single- and multi-stand negative damping effect

Many different modes of chatter in rolling and their possible causes have been identified after years of research, yet no clear and definite theory of their mechanics has been fully established and accepted. In this two-part paper, stability of tandem mills is investigated. In Part 1, state-space models of single- and multi-stand chatter are formulated in a rigorous and comprehensive mathematical form. Then, the stability of the rolling system is investigated in the sense of the single- and multi-stand negative damping effects. First, a single-stand chatter model in state-space representation is proposed by coupling a dynamic rolling process model with a structural model for the mill stand. Subsequently, a multi-stand chatter model is developed by incorporating the inter-stand tension variations and the time delay effect of the strip transportation based on the single-stand chatter model. Stability criteria are proposed and stability analyses are performed to create corresponding stability charts in terms of the single- and multi-stand negative damping mechanism through numerical simulations. Particularly, the effect of friction conditions on chatter is examined and an explanation is given for the existence of an optimum friction condition. In Part 2, the regenerative effect and resulting instabilities are examined. Suitable stability criteria for each mechanism are established and stability charts are demonstrated in terms of relevant rolling process parameters.
Twin Studies of Political Behavior: Untenable Assumptions?

Using the “classical twin method,” political scientists John Alford, Carolyn Funk, and John Hibbing conclude that political ideologies are significantly influenced by genetics, an assertion that has garnered considerable media attention. Researchers have long used human twins in attempts to assess the degree of genetic influence on various behavioral traits. Today, this methodology has been largely replaced in favor of contemporary molecular genetic techniques, and thus heritability studies have seen a diminishing role in behavioral genetic research of the twenty-first century. One important reason the twin method has been superseded is that it depends upon several questionable assumptions, the most significant of which is known as the equal environments assumption. Alford, Funk, and Hibbing argue that this crucial assumption, and thus their conclusion, holds up under empirical scrutiny. They point to several studies in support of this assumption. Here, we review the evidence presented and conclude that these attempts to test the equal environments assumption are weak, suffering significant methodological and inherent design flaws. Furthermore, much of the empirical evidence provided by these studies actually argues that, contrary to the interpretation, trait-relevant equal environments assumptions have been violated. We conclude that the equal environments assumption remains untenable, and as such, twin studies are an insufficient method for drawing meaningful conclusions regarding complex human behavior.
New X-Ray Clusters in the Einstein Extended Medium Sensitivity Survey. II. Optical Properties

We present optical images for nine new clusters of galaxies we have found in a reanalysis of the Einstein IPC images comprising the Extended Medium Sensitivity Survey (EMSS). Based on the presence of a red sequence of galaxies in a color-magnitude (CM) diagram, a redshift is estimated for each cluster. Galaxy overdensities (cluster richnesses) are measured in each field using the Bgc statistic, which allows their plausible identification with the X-ray emission. The nature of our X-ray detection algorithm suggests that most of these clusters have low X-ray surface brightness (LSB) compared to the previously known EMSS clusters. We compare the optical and X-ray observations of these clusters with the well-studied Canadian Network for Observational Cosmology (CNOC) subsample of the EMSS, and conclude that the new clusters exhibit a similar range of optical richnesses, X-ray luminosities, and, somewhat surprisingly, galaxy populations as the predominantly rich, relaxed EMSS/CNOC clusters.
Model-robust analysis of paired comparison experiments

This paper provides a model-robust approach to the analysis of paired comparison experiments using the constrained likelihood ratio or the minimum discrimination information approach. In addition to tests of hypotheses regarding treatment worths and other effects, the present approach makes it possible to examine the assumption of linearity of intrinsic treatment worths on which many models are based.
Hydroxylapatite prevents nuclear receptor loss during the exchange assay of progesterone receptors.

Abstract In previous reports the amount of rat uterine progesterone receptor detected in crude nuclear pellets was only 50% of that which was depleted from the cytosol after an injection of progesterone. We have previously shown that this discrepancy is due to a 50% decrease in receptor binding in the nuclear pellets during the post-assay washing procedure (Walters & Clark, 1978). If this loss were due to the dissociation of receptor-progesterone complexes from nuclear sites, it should be possible to detect and recover them by adding hydroxylapatite to the nuclear pellets at the end of the incubation. This modification of the nuclear exchange assay resulted in 83% greater recovery of specific [3H]-progesterone binding than in the nuclear pellet alone and accounted for the remainder of the translocated nuclear receptors. Thus, quantitation of nuclear progesterone receptors can be achieved in the rat uterus with this nuclear exchange-HAP assay. This method of trapping solubilized hormone complexes also increased recovery of progesterone receptors from the chick oviduct. In contrast, this procedure did not significantly increase the amount of rat uterine estrogen receptor detected, suggesting that little solubilization of nuclear bound estrogen receptors takes place during incubation and nuclear washing procedures. This simple modification of the exchange assay permits measurement of the total quantity of nuclear bound progesterone receptors in the rat uterus. These results emphasize that receptors may dissociate from nuclear pellets under in vitro conditions which results in an underestimate of the nuclear receptor level that actually existed in vivo.
Cellular uptake of titanium and vanadium from addition of salts or fretting corrosion in vitro

The use of titanium and titanium-6% aluminum-4% vanadium alloy for dental and orthopedic implants has increased in the last decade. The implants are presumed to be compatible because osseointegration, bony apposition, and cell attachment are known. However, the cellular association of titanium and vanadium have remained unknown. This study examined the uptake of salts or fretting corrosion products. Titanium was not observed to be toxic to the cells. Vanadium was toxic at levels greater than 10 micrograms/mL. The percentage of cellular association of titanium was shown to be about 10 times that of vanadium. The percentage of cellular association of either element was greater from fretting corrosion than from the addition of salts. The presence of vanadium did not affect the cellular uptake of titanium. The presence of titanium decreased the cell association of vanadium.