cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Addressing the right issues and raising the right questions in AIAEE.

This paper presents the partial development of a theoretical base and related discussion about issues and questions that members of the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education should address if the Association is to impact agricultural education and agricultural development in its broadest sense, both worldwide and within the nations of its respective members. Eleven postulates are presented that relate to the seven specific objectives currently stated for the Association. The postulates constitute a summary for the incomplete theoretical base that was developed. General problems or issues perceived to exist currently in 2005 are described. Questions to be considered for discussion by members and officers of the Association are identified. Five recommendations for action to provide focus and direction for the Association are presented as well as three concluding questions directed to the reader.
Numerical Simulation of 3-D Flow in Supply Air Duct of Ventilation and Air Conditioning Systems

Flow patterns of supply-air outlets play an important role in deciding indoor air-flow organization.Air velocity distribution of supply air outlet is generally regarded as uniform distribution when indoor air-flow organization is tested.However,uneven distribution may be found in an actual system of ventilation and air conditioning due to such parts as elbows,tee bends and reducers in the front of outlets.The results of the numerical simulation indicated that errors tend to be found when numerical calculation regarding indoor air-flow organization is made under the illusion that the inlet boundary condition is treated as uniform distribution,since various uneven distributions are likely to be found in every supply air outlet.
The Exploration of E-Commerce Experimental Curriculum Architecture

In order to enhance the practice and innovation capability of e-commerce experimental courses, we carry out practice-based teaching curriculum reform, build an experimental teaching architecture. The architecture is composed of three progressive level courses: the basis for classroom teaching, innovation class, company practice class. Besides that, our work explores the innovative teaching methods and evaluation manner for e-commerce practice curriculum, which play an active role in enhancing students’ innovation ability and improving the management of undergraduate innovative mechanism.
A scheduled second endoscopy 16 to 24 hours after initial endoscopic hemostasis reduced recurrent peptic ulcer bleeding.

Source Citation Chiu PW, Lam CY, Lee SW, et al. Effect of scheduled second therapeutic endoscopy on peptic ulcer rebleeding: a prospective randomised trial. Gut. 2003;52:1403-7. 12970130
Modeling nonlinear relationships between extended-memory variables

Many economic variables have a persistence property which may be called extended memory and the relationship between variables may well be nonlinear. This pair of properties allow for many more types of model misspecification than encountered with stationary or short-memory variables and linear relationships, and misspecifications lead to greater modeling difficulties. Examples are given using the idea of a model being balanced.Alternative definitions of extended memory are considered and a definition based on the properties of optimum forecasts is selected for later use. An important but not necessarily pervasive class of processes are those that are extended-memory but whose changes are short-memory. For this case, called I(1), standard cointegration ideas will apply.Tests of linearity are discussed in both the I(1) case, where a possible group of tests is easily found, and more generally. Similarly, methods of building nonlinear models based on familiar techniques, such as neural networks and projection pursuit, are briefly considered for I(1) and the more general case. A number of areas requiring further work in this new area are emphasized.
At Europe’s end: geographies of Mediterranean crossings

AbstractAccounts of deadly shipwrecks often lie at the heart of depictions of migration in the Mediterranean, yet these accounts frequently overshadow what happens before and what may happen after tragedies at sea. Stories about clandestine migration cluster around borders on land and sea, producing recurrent images and story lines that reveal the severity of the situation, but not the complexity of lived experience of migration. This article centers on crossings from Africa to Spain along specific routes in order to address this complexity. A close reading of Chus Gutierrez’s film Return to Hansala (2008), in relation to other films and literary texts that also depict the circuitous passage from Africa to Spain, shows that ignoring migratory routes is as thorny as concentrating exclusively on them. Instead, the focus here is on an emotional geography in which the distances between places (continents, towns, shores, ports) are also subjective and constantly evolving.
The Witness’s Tape Recorder and the Violence of Mediation

The analysis of Primo Levi’s sizeable testimonial, literary, and essayistic production has tended, over the years, to be subject to what I’ll call a centripetal approach that seeks to draw together its threads, themes, and images. One of the gestures I’d like to make in the present chapter is to suggest that from within Levi’s oeuvre emerges an opposing, centrifugal force.1 This is a force governed in part by a logic of the reactive and productive capacities of difference—the “mustard seed” as Levi writes in The Periodic Table—and driven by Levi’s many contradictions, both in his evolution over time and the tensions engendered by his multiple and overlapping subject positions: assimilated Jew, survivor, chemist, public intellectual, cultural icon, and so on.2 To this end, my comments in the present chapter will show that translation—the totality of the ways in which Levi translated and wished to be translated—is emblematic of this fact and offers a study in how we might better use Levi’s tensions to explore his writings, his worldview, and his thought.
Learning to Say No: Functional Negation in Discourse*

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses that acquiring a language, a child learns to manipulate not only rules governing the syntactic and semantic structure of utterances, but also rules of discourse that coordinate utterances among speakers. Linguistic descriptions of the adult model of negation have primarily considered the formal features of negatives, examining how they combine with modals and auxiliaries and describing such processes as negative incorporation and do-support. The adult has at his disposal a number of mechanisms for expressing functional negation including rejection, contradiction, denial, and rebuttal. The acquisition of negation both within a child's utterances and between a child's speech and that of another's has been a recent focus of investigation. The regularity with which the adult facilitated conversational flow until the child provided elaboration was both consistent over time and across a wide range of discourse topics.
Deep Bed Filtration: Description and Analysis

Governing equations describing the macroscopic behavior of deep-bed filtration arising from the flow of suspensions through porous media are derived and applied to the analysis of aerosol and hydrosol filtration in granular and fibrous media. The rate of filtration can be characterized by a lumped parameter, the filter coefficient, the significance of which is discussed. Different porous media models are used to establish the relationship between the filter coefficient and the efficiencies of collectors constituting the porous media. General expressions relating the change of the local filtration rate and medium permeability with the extent of deposition are given. A procedure which may be used for the solution of the macroscopic equations of deep-bed filtration is described in detail and its application is shown in an illustrative example.
Filling some gaps in market mavenism research

Since Feick and Price introduced the concept of market mavenism almost 30 years ago, researchers have accumulated a large body of empirical findings describing market maven attitudes, behaviors, and characteristics. Surprisingly, only a few studies examine the relationship between market mavenism and its personality antecedents represented by the Big Five theory. In addition, 2 consequences of mavenism, brand loyalty and frugality, have not been studied. The present study contributes to understanding mavenism by filling some gaps in this body of knowledge by using data from a sample of 351 adult US consumers. The findings reveal moderate positive associations of mavenism with openness to experience, extraversion, and agreeableness and weak positive associations with conscientiousness and emotional stability. They also show that market mavenism is positively related to frugality and negatively related to brand loyalty. The findings also confirm that mavens shop more and buy more than other consumers do. These findings continue to expand our understanding of market mavenism and provide insights that marketing managers might use as they factor mavenism into their strategies. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Put to the test.

Personalized heart muscle cells made from stem cells in the laboratory could be used to check an individual’s response to potential new drugs before clinical trials.
Abstract 252: Endocardial Cushion-derived Cardiovascular Progenitor Cells

Introduction: Regenerative therapies utilizing cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs) derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESC) have the potential to regenerate damaged myocardium post-myocardial infarctions. Previous studies have identified multipotent progenitors localized in the endocardial cushions of the developing mouse heart. Recent data in mice have also shown that the loss of a single transcription factor, Scl, enabled robust cardiomyogenic potential in these progenitor cells. Further analyses have delineated that these progenitors can be identified by co-expression of CD31 and PDGFRα. Recapitulation of this phenotypic progenitor cell from hESCs may have potential for clinical regenerative therapies. Hypothesis: We hypothesize that CD31 + /PDGFRα + cells sorted from wild type mouse and human fetal heart tissue possess nascent cardiomyogenic potential. In addition, we believe that close mimicry of the in vivo developmental process of cushion formation would generate a hESC-derived CPC expressing CD31 and PDGFRα. Methods: CD31 + /PDGFRα + cells sorted from wild type mouse heart and human fetal heart are plated in cardiac differentiation medium. Through a stage-specific differentiation protocol, hESCs are first differentiated into mesodermal progenitor cells, which then are sorted for the endothelial marker CD31. Under cardiac culture conditions, these CD31 + cells express the CPC marker PDGFRα. The CD31 + /PDGFRα + cells are then isolated and characterized through quantitative PCR, immunostaining, and functional assays. Results: Wild type mouse heart CD31 + /PDGFRα + cells, when isolated at E14.5 and plated in cardiac differentiation medium, develop beating colonies. In addition, CD31 + /PDGFRα + cells are present in human fetal hearts. Moreover, hESC-derived CD31 + /PDGFRα + cells, when cultured in cardiac medium, show increased expression of cardiomyogenic markers. Conclusions: We conclude that endogenous hESC-derived CD31 + /PDGFRα + cells have cardiogenic potential through in vitro differentiation, exhibited by their expression of cardiomyocyte characteristics and ability to beat. These cells may represent putative endocardial cushion-derived CPCs.
Discovery of a seventh Rpp soybean rust resistance locus in soybean accession PI 605823

A novel Rpp gene from PI 605823 for resistance to Phakopsora pachyrhizi was mapped on chromosome 19. Soybean rust, caused by the obligate biotrophic fungal pathogen Phakopsora pachyrhizi Syd. & P. Syd, is a disease threat to soybean production in regions of the world with mild winters. Host plant resistance conditioned by resistance to P. pachyrhizi (Rpp) genes has been found in numerous soybean accessions, and at least 10 Rpp genes or alleles have been mapped to six genetic loci. Identifying additional disease-resistance genes will facilitate development of soybean cultivars with durable resistance. PI 605823, a plant introduction from Vietnam, was previously identified as resistant to US populations of P. pachyrhizi in greenhouse and field trials. In this study, bulked segregant analysis using an F2 population derived from ‘Williams 82’ × PI 605823 identified a genomic region associated with resistance to P. pachyrhizi isolate GA12, which had been collected in the US State of Georgia in 2012. To further map the resistance locus, linkage mapping was carried out using single-nucleotide polymorphism markers and phenotypic data from greenhouse assays with an F2:3 population derived from Williams 82 × PI 605823 and an F4:5 population derived from ‘5601T’ × PI 605823. A novel resistance gene, Rpp7, was mapped to a 154-kb interval (Gm19: 39,462,291–39,616,643 Glyma.Wm82.a2) on chromosome 19 that is different from the genomic locations of any previously reported Rpp genes. This new gene could be incorporated into elite breeding lines to help provide more durable resistance to soybean rust.
The use and outcomes of laparoscopic colorectal resection: Surgical Care and Outcomes Assessment Program

Introduction Population-level assessments of the utility and safety of laparoscopic colorectal surgery have been limited by a lack of clinical granularity. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use and outcomes of laparoscopic colorectal surgery using clinical data from a statewide population. Methods The Surgical Care and Outcomes Assessment Program (SCOAP) is a Washington State-based benchmarking quality improvement (QI) initiative based on clinical data. We evaluated the use of laparoscopy, adverse events [composite adverse event (CAE) = death or reintervention], rates of transfusion, and length of stay (LOS) for patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery at 42 hospitals (2005-2009). Results Of the 6,945 patients (age 60.8 ± 15.5 yrs; 55.4% women) 28.2 % were done laparoscopically (45.6% laparoscopic hand-assisted). Laparoscopic procedures increased from 16.6% in quarter 1 to 29.2% in quarter 16 (p-value The unadjusted rates of CAE and transfusions were lower in laparoscopic procedures (4.5% vs. 6.8%; 3.8% vs. 10.6%, respectively p-value for both Conclusions The use of laparoscopic colorectal resection has increased over time, especially among lower risk patients. In community practice, laparoscopy was associated with lower transfusion rates but similar risk-adjusted rates of the CAE.
Implementation of a Total Hip Arthroplasty Care Pathway at a High-Volume Health System: Effect on Length of Stay, Discharge Disposition, and 90-Day Complications.

Abstract Background Standardized care pathways are evidence-based algorithms for optimizing an episode of care. Despite the theoretical promise of care pathways, there is an inconsistent literature demonstrating improvements in patient care. The authors hypothesized that implementing a care pathway, across 11 hospitals, would decrease hospital length of stay (LOS), decrease postoperative complications at 90 days, and increase discharges to home. Methods A multidisciplinary team developed an evidence-based care pathway for total hip arthroplasty (THA) perioperative care. All patients receiving THA in 2013 (pre-protocol, historical control), 2014 (transition), and 2015 (full protocol implementation) were included in the analysis. Multivariable regression assessed the relationship of the care pathway to 90-day postoperative complications, LOS, and discharge disposition. Cost savings were estimated using previously published postarthroplasty episode and per diem hospital costs. Results A total of 6090 primary THAs were conducted during the study period. After adjusting for the covariates, the full protocol implementation was associated with a decrease in LOS (mean ratio, 0.747; 95% confidence interval [CI; 0.727, 0.767]) and an increase in discharges to home (odds ratio, 2.079; 95% CI [1.762, 2.456]). The full protocol implementation was not associated with a change in 90-day complications (odds ratio, 1.023; 95% CI [0.841, 1.245]). Payer-perspective-calculated theoretical cost savings, including both index admission and postdischarge costs, were $2533 per patient. Conclusion The THA care pathway implementation was successful in reducing LOS and increasing discharges to home. The care pathway was not associated with a change in 90-day complications; further targeted interventions in this area are needed. Despite care standardization efforts, high-volume hospitals and surgeons had higher performance. Extrapolation of theoretical cost savings indicates that widespread THA care pathway adoption could lead to national healthcare savings of $1.2 billion annually.
Choosing a Micro or Macro Perspective for Understanding Organized Crime: The Contributions of Ernesto Savona

An important issue in social science is the perspective taken. In criminology, we endeavor to explain criminal conduct from one of two perspectives: micro and macro. The macro-level approach views the world and its problems from above in that broader social context is seen to produce social problems. The micro-level approach views individual-level experience producing many individual outcomes, which might have larger social implications. The perspective taken makes all the difference in knowing where to begin looking for causation: to the individual or to the larger social context? The contributions of Ernesto Savona in assessing organized crime is examined through these two perspectives.
Current Approaches for Determining Workplace Exposure Limits in the USA

There are a number of national organizations within the United States of America which are engaged in the development and issuance of occupational exposure guidelines or the promulgation of health standards. Some are independent nongovernmental entities; others are of governmental origin. Each has its specific purposes and modus operandi. Accordingly, while there are generic similarities in the approaches for determining workplace exposure limits in the United States, there are also finite differences in the philosophies, organizational structures, and chartered mandates of the organizations active in such endeavors. Such differences may result in numerical variances in occupational exposure limits assigned to the same chemical by various organizations. However, all have been deemed adequate, within the framework of the various organizations, to protect the health of the worker throughout his or her lifetime.
A multimetal-ligand cooperative approach to CO2 activation

Abstract The octahedral, S = 2, bis -pyrazolatopyridyl complex LFe(DMAP) 3 reacts with CO 2 in CH 3 CN to yield (LH)Fe(DMAP) 2 (O 3 C)Fe 2 (L)(HL), which is the product of capture of one CO 2 by one doubly deprotonated water molecule, then binding of one iron to each carbonate oxygen. In order to eliminate DMAP as a participant, [LiClFe 2 L 2 ] is shown to add one water per Fe 2 unit to give [LiClFe 2 (HL)(L)(OH)], with the Fe 2 L 2 unit capturing hydroxide, and this entire formula unit is linked into a dimer by Li/OH interactions, supplemented by hydrogen bonds to OH from nucleophilic pyrazolate nitrogens. This is suggested to be the process where carbonate is formed, promoted by the ability of the LFe unit to increase the nucleophilicity of H 2 O, and then attack CO 2 . Related to that conversion, we establish the structure of the conjugate base [Fe 2 L 2 (O)] 2- . Collectively, this shows the combined action of multiple Fe(II) reactants, together with pyrazolate nucleophile and Bronsted base in the hydration of CO 2 , the conversion effected by carbonic anhydrase.
Facilitating Human–Robot Collaborative Tasks by Teaching-Learning-Collaboration From Human Demonstrations

Collaborative robots are widely employed in strict hybrid assembly tasks involved in intelligent manufacturing. In this paper, we develop a teaching-learning-collaboration (TLC) model for the collaborative robot to learn from human demonstrations and assist its human partner in shared working situations. The human could program the robot using natural language instructions according to his/her personal working preferences via this approach. Afterward, the robot learns from human assembly demonstrations by taking advantage of the maximum entropy inverse reinforcement learning algorithm and updates its task-based knowledge using the optimal assembly strategy. In the collaboration process, the robot is able to leverage its learned knowledge to actively assist the human in the collaborative assembly task. Experimental results and analysis demonstrate that the proposed approach presents considerable robustness and applicability in human–robot collaborative tasks. Note to Practitioners —This paper is motivated by the human–robot collaborative assembly problem in the context of advanced manufacturing. Collaborative robotics makes a huge shift from the traditional robot-in-a-cage model to robots interacting with people in an open working environment. When the human works with the robot in the shared workspace, it is significant to lessen human programming effort and improve the human–robot collaboration efficiency once the task is updated. We develop a TLC model for the robot to learn from human demonstrations and assist its human partner in collaborative tasks. Once the task is changed, the human may code the robot via natural language instructions according to his/her personal working preferences. The robot can learn from human assembly demonstrations to update its task-based knowledge, which can be leveraged by the robot to actively assist the human to accomplish the collaborative task. We demonstrate the advantages of the proposed approach via a set of experiments in realistic human–robot collaboration contexts.
Functional Recovery After Cerebral Venous Thrombosis

Cerebral venous thrombosis is a relatively uncommon disease as compared to the cerebral arterial infarct, but it is a disabling disease condition with serious sequels. It negatively affects the quality of life of many survivors. Its disease course and recovery trajectory have not been well investigated with limited dedicated studies, especially studies focusing on functional recovery. This narrative chapter will review the published literatures and summarize the general recovery pattern, major determinants of recovery with a special emphasis on outcomes prediction, mechanisms of the recovery, and special consideration in certain clinical scenarios. In the end, future research direction is highlighted and proposed.
The intercellular substances of bone marrow. II. Variations in granulocytic and in erythrocytic hyperplasia.

Rabbits were injected with turpentine to produce granulocytic marrow hyperplasia, or were bled to produce erythrocytic marrow hyperplasia. Both granulocytic and erythrocytic marrow hyperplasia were associated with decreased marrow lipid content. The viscosity of the intercellular substances and the mucopolysaccharide content of this material were significantly increased in granulocytic marrow hyperplasia. in erythrocytic marrow hyperplasia, the viscosity of the intercellular substances was markedly reduced, while the mucopolysaccharide content was slightly elevated compared with control animals.
Review of Books on Student Loans

This essay reviews three recent books on the causes and consequences of student debt. In addition to increases in college tuition and fees, supply and resource constraints both contribute to the growing phenomenon of default: degree completion rates are relatively low, especially at two-year colleges. Default rates actually decrease with the amount of debt incurred, as students who incur more debt are more likely to complete degrees that bolster their earning power. These books suggest some promising policy options, but there are no quick fixes given that the net cost of attending both private and public colleges continues to rise.
International group decision support system and intercultural interface

Group Decision Support Systems (GDSS) can improve the interactions and outcomes of a decision-making group. However, this result has been obtained in unicultural settings. What happens if a cultural dimension is added? This dissertation demonstrates that the intercultural features such as multilingual interface, shared understanding and language translation can be a potential solution for improving the quality of interaction and the outcomes in the intercultural environment. A pilot study was conducted first. A prototype of computer-based intercultural interface was developed and an appropriate international task was designed. The results of the pilot study turned out to be as predicted. The results of the pilot study led to the formulation of the main research questions. The goals of the experiment were (1) to determine how a computer-based intercultural interface is used by people from two cultures unfamiliar with it and (2) to gain practical insight into what this technological resource does well and what it does poorly. The experiment also tried to determine whether the computer-based intercultural interface results in improved performance. The international negotiation task devised depicted trade negotiations between U.S. and Korean companies. Two groups made up a team--one represented a U.S. company and the other represented a Korean company. There were two participants in each group. There were two treatment environments and each was tested five times with different groups. Thus, a total forty subjects were observed. Two experimental environments were set up. One environment involved traditional meeting tools such as calculators, pencils, paper and a whiteboard. The other involved computer technologies including personal computers, printers and a prototype software. Two methods for collecting data were used: all group interactions were videotaped; all participants were given a post-discussion questionnaire. The data were used for quantitative and qualitative analysis. It was concluded that computer-based intercultural interfaces helped people in the intercultural GDSS environments to stay focused, to manage the added complexity of a multinational negotiation, and to interact efficiently. Furthermore, the intercultural GDSS provides more effective interaction among intercultural users.
Gravity currents propagating into two-layer stratified fluids: vorticity-based models

The vorticity-based modelling approach originally introduced by Borden & Meiburg (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 726, 2013b, R1) is extended to gravity currents propagating into two-layer stratified ambients. Vorticity models are developed for three different flow configurations: no upstream-propagating wave, an upstream-propagating expansion wave only and an upstream-propagating expansion wave and a bore. For a given gravity current height and stratification strength, along with ambient inflow layer thicknesses and velocities, the models yield the gravity current velocity, the bore and expansion wave properties and the ambient outflow layer thicknesses and velocities. We furthermore establish which of the three configurations will occur in a given parameter regime. Since energy-related closure assumptions are not required for any of the configurations, we can determine the dissipation as a function of the gravity current height, for a given set of flow parameters. To investigate which gravity current height is selected in real flows, we carry out two-dimensional Navier–Stokes simulations for comparison. These yield gravity current heights close to the vorticity model solutions for energy-conserving flows. Hence we adopt these energy-conserving solutions as the vorticity model predictions. We subsequently discuss these predictions in the context of earlier models by other authors, and of two-layer stratified flows over obstacles.
Traditional Medications Mixed with Ethylene Glycol in a Nigerian Patient on Hemodialysis

Unregulated traditional medications and their solvents are nephrotoxic. We present a case of a 49-year-old Nigerian male with a 10-year history of diabetes mellitus and hypertension who was ingesting a traditional, herbal medication as an aphrodisiac for erectile dysfunction. He had a rapid decline in kidney function over a period of one year and the patient commenced thrice weekly hemodialysis. He came to the USA for a second opinion. A full laboratory evaluation for immunologic and infectious causes of kidney failure was unremarkable. Kidneys were 12 cm bilaterally and a kidney biopsy revealed protracted tubular injury with isometric vacuolization and numerous calcium oxalate crystals. His serum oxalate level was elevated and there was no evidence of primary hyperoxaluria. It was suspected that the daily use of traditional, herbal supplements which often contain ethylene or diethylene glycol-based solvents may have led to a chronic oxalate toxicity that resulted in his kidney failure and above-mentioned pathological findings. Kidney damage was deemed irreversible and the patient returned to Nigeria. Worldwide, the increasing use of unregulated traditional, herbal supplements has the potential to cause epidemics of kidney disease in rural communities. A thorough medication history including the use of traditional and herbal supplements should be obtained in all patients with a rapid decline in kidney function, even in the presence of known risk factors for chronic kidney disease (CKD).
Enteral Stents for Malignant Gastric Outlet Obstruction: Low Reintervention Rates for Obstruction due to Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Versus Other Etiologies.

Enteral stents (ES) have emerged as first-line therapy for the treatment of malignant gastric outlet obstruction (GOO). Stent occlusion arising from tissue ingrowth may require endoscopic or surgical reintervention. The objective of this study was to compare rates of reintervention following palliative ES for patients with GOO due to pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) versus other malignant etiologies. Patients who had undergone ES for palliation of malignant GOO between 2009 and 2018 were retrospectively identified and demographic, clinical, and procedural data were collected. Primary outcome was procedural reintervention for recurrent symptomatic GOO following ES placement. Forty-three patients were included in the study cohort. 62.8% (27/43) of patients had PDAC while 37.2% (16/43) of patients had other malignant etiologies. 11.6% (5/43) of patients were alive at follow-up. Thirty-day and 90-day mortality rates were 22.8% and 70.7% for PDAC and 25% and 56.3% for other malignant etiologies, respectively. Seven patients required reintervention for symptomatic GOO: 14.3% (1/7) had PDAC and 85.7% (6/7) had GOO due to other malignancy (P < .01). Ninety-six percent (26/27) of patients with PDAC required no further intervention for GOO prior to death or end of follow-up. On multivariate analysis, patients with PDAC were significantly less likely to require reintervention than patients with other malignant etiologies (OR 0.064, 95% CI 0.01–0.60). ES offer durable symptom palliation without requirement for reintervention for the overwhelming majority of patients with malignant GOO due to PDAC. Reintervention rates are higher following ES placement for GOO due to other malignant etiologies and future study may be needed to define the optimal palliative intervention for this group of patients.
Do Patients Want Help Addressing Social Risks

Evaluations of health care-based screening programs for social risks often report that a relatively small proportion of patients screening positive for social risk factors are interested in receiving assistance from their health care teams to address them. The relatively low number of patients who desire assistance is relevant to the growing number of initiatives in US health care settings designed to collect data on and address patients' social risks. We highlight multiple studies that have found differences between positive risks screens and desire for assistance. We explore possible explanations for those differences-focusing on the fallibility of screening tools as well as patient preferences, priorities, and lived experiences-and the potential implications for health equity.
Carbon Dots: The Beginning

Provided in this chapter is a historical account of the investigations and experimental observations, the debates and controversies, and the deliberate and systematic efforts that were associated with or led to the discovery of carbon dots (CDots). The story began in the year 2000 with the reported observation of bright and colorful photoluminescence emissions in functionalized carbon nanotubes, followed by the serious concerns in the relevant research community that the observed emissions could be due to “carbonaceous impurities” in the carbon nanotube samples. The debates and related extensive investigations for exploring and validating the emissions and their defect-derived mechanistic origins are highlighted. The phenomenological and mechanistic resemblances between chemically functionalized defects in carbon nanotubes and small carbon nanoparticles are discussed. It was the recognition and experimental verification of such resemblances that led to the invention of CDots and made the largely ignored (or unwanted and to be eliminated) “ugly” carbon nanoparticles a distinct and highly valuable member of the carbon nanomaterials family.
Role of endoscopic ultrasonography guided fiducial marker placement in gastrointestinal cancer.

Purpose of review Dose escalation radiation therapy such as those delivered by stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) has shown to improve local disease control in multiple types of malignancies. This requires fiducial placement to improve accuracy of treatment and avoid adverse events to adjacent radiosensitive organs during respiration phases. The purpose of this review is to provide updates of recent high-quality articles related to endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS)-guided fiducial placement for gastrointestinal malignancies, particularly in pancreatic cancer, which is expected to be the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the USA within this decade. Recent findings A recent systematic review and meta-analysis has shown that EUS-guided fiducial placement for gastrointestinal malignancies has excellent technical success and safety profile. Comparative studies of most commercially available fiducial types via a 22-gauge needle system showed that a 0.035 mm diameter and 10 mm long gold fiducial with coiled configuration, hollow core and external helical design might be favoured due to its most balanced performance of visibility, artifact and migration. Summary A fine balance of performance characteristics of fiducials should be discussed with radiation oncologists to select a suitable and preferred type of fiducials. The comparative studies of other newly developed platinum fiducials and liquid fiducial are pending.
Heparin-bonded versus standard polytetrafluoroethylene arteriovenous grafts: A Bayesian perspective on a randomized controlled trial for comparative effectiveness

Abstract Background Heparin-bonded polytetrafluoroethylene grafts were marketed to improve hemodialysis access outcomes but are twice the cost of standard polytetrafluoroethylene. We launched a randomized trial of heparin-bonded polytetrafluoroethylene versus standard polytetrafluoroethylene for hemodialysis access to compare patency. Since the trial began, additional studies were published with heterogeneous findings. We performed an interim analysis by Bayesian methods using prior probability from meta-analysis of existing literature. Methods NCT01601873 is a randomized, blinded trial of heparin-bonded polytetrafluoroethylene versus standard polytetrafluoroethylene for dialysis access at 5 sites. Planned sample size was 200 with 1-year primary patency as the primary endpoint. At interim analysis (50% of sample size at 1 year), we also performed a meta-analysis for 1-year primary patency with a random effects model to compute summary rate ratio and standard-error estimates. Meta-analysis estimates formed a prior probability for a Bayesian Cox regression model, and trial data were reanalyzed to develop posterior probability of heparin-bonded polytetrafluoroethylene effectiveness at our hypothesized effect size. Futility analysis was conducted using posterior probability estimates. Results One hundred and five patients were enrolled at the time of interim analysis. One-year primary patency was 34.9% in the heparin-bonded-polytetrafluoroethylene group vs 32.7% in the standard-polytetrafluoroethylene group (P = .884). Summary rate ratio from the meta-analysis (1,209 patients) was 0.87 favoring heparin-bonded polytetrafluoroethylene (P = .33). Posterior hazard ratio from Cox regression was 0.90 (credible interval 0.70–1.13) favoring heparin-bonded polytetrafluoroethylene, which was not significant. Bayesian posterior probability of the a priori hypothesized 20% better patency with heparin-bonded polytetrafluoroethylene was 24%. Sample size to detect superiority with the small observed effect size would require about 3,800 subjects. Conclusion Current evidence does not demonstrate sufficiently large benefit of heparin-bonded polytetrafluoroethylene over standard polytetrafluoroethylene for dialysis access to justify higher cost. Given similar 1-year patency rates, a conclusive finding of superiority was judged to be infeasible, and the trial was stopped for futility.
Tracing early structure formation with massive starburst galaxies and their implications for reionization

Cosmological hydrodynamic simulations have significantly improved over the past several years, and we have already shown that the observed properties of Lyman-break galaxies (LBGs) at z=3 can be explained well by the massive galaxies in the simulations. Here we extend our study to z=6 and show that we obtain good agreement for the LBGs at the bright-end of the luminosity function (LF). Our simulations also suggest that the cosmic star formation rate density has a peak at z= 5-6, and that the current LBG surveys at z=6 are missing a significant number of faint galaxies that are dimmer than the current magnitude limit. Together, our results suggest that the universe could be reionized at z=6 by the Pop II stars in ordinary galaxies. We also estimate the LF of Lyman-alpha emitters (LAEs) at z=6 by relating the star formation rate in the simulation to the Ly-alpha luminosity. We find that the simulated LAE LFs agree with the observed data provided that the net escape fraction of Ly-alpha photon is f_{Ly-alpha} <= 0.1. We investigate two possible scenarios for this effect: (1) all sources in the simulation are uniformly dimmer by a factor of 10 through attenuation, and (2) one out of ten LAEs randomly lights up at a given moment. We show that the correlation strength of the LAE spatial distribution can possibly distinguish the two scenarios.
Power System Dynamic State Estimation Using Extended and Unscented Kalman Filters.

Accurate estimation of power system dynamics is very important for the enhancement of power system reliability, resilience, security, and stability of power system. With the increasing integration of inverter-based distributed energy resources, the knowledge of power system dynamics has become more necessary and critical than ever before for proper control and operation of the power system. Although recent advancement of measurement devices and the transmission technologies have reduced the measurement and transmission error significantly, these measurements are still not completely free from the measurement noises. Therefore, the noisy measurements need to be filtered to obtain the accurate power system operating dynamics. In this work, the power system dynamic states are estimated using extended Kalman filter (EKF) and unscented Kalman filter (UKF). We have performed case studies on Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC)'s $3$-machine $9$-bus system and New England $10$-machine $39$-bus. The results show that the UKF and EKF can accurately estimate the power system dynamics. The comparative performance of EKF and UKF for the tested case is also provided. Other Kalman filtering techniques alongwith the machine learning-based estimator will be updated inthis report soon.All the sources code including Newton Raphsonpower flow, admittance matrix calculation, EKF calculation, andUKF calculation are publicly available in Github
Social Role Stress, Reward, and the American Heart Association Life’s Simple 7 in Midlife Women: The Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation

Background Most women occupy multiple social roles during midlife. Perceived stress and rewards from these roles may influence health behaviors and risk factors. This study examined whether social role stress and reward were associated with the American Heart Association Life's Simple 7 in a cohort of midlife women in the United States. Methods and Results Women (n=2764) rated how stressful and rewarding they perceived their social roles during cohort follow-up (age range, 42-61 years). Body mass index, blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol, physical activity, diet, and smoking were assessed multiple times. All components were collected at the fifth study visit for 1694 women (mean age, 51 years). Adjusted linear and logistic regression models were used in analyses of the number of ideal components and the odds of achieving the ideal level of each component, respectively. Longitudinal analyses using all available data from follow-up visits were conducted. At the fifth visit, more stressful and less rewarding social roles were associated with fewer ideal cardiovascular factors. Higher average stress was associated with lower odds of any component of a healthy diet and an ideal blood pressure. Higher rewards were associated with greater odds of ideal physical activity and nonsmoking. Longitudinal analyses produced consistent results; moreover, there was a significant relationship between greater stress and lower odds of ideal glucose and body mass index. Conclusions Perceived stress and rewards from social roles may influence cardiovascular risk factors in midlife women. Considering social role qualities may be important for improving health behaviors and risk factors in midlife women.
Elasticity in Health Care: How Much Can We Stretch the System, and Our Patients?

Physicians are accustomed to being stretched thin. Adding extra patients, finding time to do research, squeezing in teaching sessions, and fulfilling innumerable unrecognized professional obligations are all familiar features of our work. We can also see the effects of a health system that is stretched to meet society's needs, ranging from barriers to access to disparities in outcomes to financial hardships that multiply the burdens of disease for our patients.
Nut consumption, risk of cardiovascular mortality, and potential mediating mechanisms: The Women's Health Study.

Background The link between nut consumption and cardiovascular (CV) mortality remains unclear. Objective to examine whether nut consumption is associated with CV mortality and estimate the proportion of reduced risk of CV mortality explained by intermediate factors. Methods We studied 39,167 women from the Women's Health Study; 28,034 provided blood samples. Nut consumption was self-reported at baseline and at follow-up using a food frequency questionnaire. Our primary outcome was cardiovascular death, which was ascertained via medical records, confirmed with the national death index and death certificates. Results During a mean follow-up of 19 years, 959 CV deaths occurred. In a multivariable Cox regression model adjusting for age, body mass index, smoking, alcohol use, physical activity, postmenopausal status, marital status, family history of premature myocardial infarction and the alternate healthy eating index score, hazard ratios for CV mortality were 0.93 (0.76–1.14) for nut consumption of 1–3 times/month, 0.84 (0.69–1.01) for nut intake of 1 time/week, and 0.73 (0.61–0.87) for nut consumption of ≥2 times/week when compared to women who did not consume nuts (p = 0.0004). LDL and total cholesterol accounted for about 19%, HbA1c 18% and all mediating factors together accounted for about 6.6% of the lower risk of CV mortality for those who consumed nuts ≥2 times/week. For the secondary outcome of CV events, although the effect was noted to be in the same direction with increasing nut consumption associated with lower risk of CV events, it was not statistically significant (p = 0.07). Conclusion This study suggests that nut consumption is inversely associated with cardiovascular mortality in women. Lipids, inflammatory markers and glucose metabolism account for a modest proportion of the lowered CV mortality observed with nut consumption, assuming a causal nut-CV mortality association.
Novel Guarded Needle Trans-Scleral Biopsy for Uveal Melanoma: A Pilot Study.

Introduction Trans-scleral biopsy of uveal melanoma (UM) poses an inherent risk of tumor and possibly retinal perforation. We describe a novel technique for trans-scleral biopsy of UM and evaluate its safety and efficacy in an initial cohort of patients. Methods A retrospective, consecutive observational case series was conducted from October 14, 2019, to April 15, 2020, at Kaiser Permanente, San Francisco, CA among patients with UM of the ciliary body or anterior choroid undergoing trans-scleral fine-needle aspiration biopsy using a novel guarded needle technique. Results A total of 6 patients were included in the study, with a mean age of 64.3 (range 35-77) years (5 women 83%). Mean (±SD) tumor thickness and maximal basal diameter were 6.4 (±2.66) and 11.9 (±2.13) mm, respectively. Five out of 6 patients achieved a successful biopsy with reliable gene expression profiling (GEP) results. The only failure to obtain specimen occurred in the first attempted patient and, after a minor technique modification, all subsequent biopsies were successful. No intraoperative or short-term postoperative complications were observed in any patient. Conclusion This novel trans-scleral biopsy technique appears to be safe and effective when obtaining UM tissue for GEP. This method may provide a more controlled biopsy depth thereby minimizing the risk of tumor perforation and its associated complications while still obtaining adequate biopsy yield.
Rotating spiders and reflecting dogs: a class conditional approach to learning data augmentation distributions.

Building invariance to non-meaningful transformations is essential to building efficient and generalizable machine learning models. In practice, the most common way to learn invariance is through data augmentation. There has been recent interest in the development of methods that learn distributions on augmentation transformations from the training data itself. While such approaches are beneficial since they are responsive to the data, they ignore the fact that in many situations the range of transformations to which a model needs to be invariant changes depending on the particular class input belongs to. For example, if a model needs to be able to predict whether an image contains a starfish or a dog, we may want to apply random rotations to starfish images during training (since these do not have a preferred orientation), but we would not want to do this to images of dogs. In this work we introduce a method by which we can learn class conditional distributions on augmentation transformations. We give a number of examples where our methods learn different non-meaningful transformations depending on class and further show how our method can be used as a tool to probe the symmetries intrinsic to a potentially complex dataset.