cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
High-Dose Insulin and Intravenous Lipid Emulsion Therapy for Cardiogenic Shock Induced by Intentional Calcium-Channel Blocker and Beta-Blocker Overdose: A Case Series

Abstract Background Recently, high-dose insulin (HDI) and intravenous lipid emulsion (ILE) have emerged as treatment options for severe toxicity from calcium-channel blocker (CCB) and beta blocker (BB). Objective Our aim was to describe the use and effectiveness of HDI and ILE for the treatment of CCB and BB overdose. Case Reports We describe 2 patients presenting to the emergency department after intentional ingestions of CCBs and BBs. A 35-year-old man presented in pulseless electrical activity after ingesting amlodopine, verapamil, and metoprolol. A 59-year-old man presented with cardiogenic shock (CS) after ingesting amlodopine, simvastatin, lisinopril, and metformin. Both patients were initially treated with glucagon, calcium, and vasopressors. Shortly after arrival, HDI (1 unit/kg × 1; 1 unit/kg/h infusion) and ILE 20% (1.5 mL/kg × 1; 0.25 mL/kg/min × 60 min) were initiated. This led to hemodynamic improvement and resolution of shock. At the time of hospital discharge, both patients had achieved full neurologic recovery. Conclusions HDI effectively reverses CS induced by CCBs and BBs due to its inotropic effects, uptake of glucose into cardiac muscle, and peripheral vasodilatation. ILE is theorized to sequester agents dependent on lipid solubility from the plasma, preventing further toxicity. To our knowledge, these are the first two successful cases reported using the combination of HDI and ILE for reversing CS induced by intentional ingestions of CCBs and BBs.
Biosynthesis, purification, and characterization of Aedes aegypti vitellin and vitellogenin

Vitellin, the major egg yolk protein, and vitellogenin, the hemolymph precursor of egg yolk protein, have been purified to apparent homogeneity from the mosquito Aedes aegypti. The purification procedure included chromatography on ion exchange, hydrophobic, and gel filtration columns. Vitellin and vitellogenin have a similar molecular weight (Mr 300,000) on gel filtration columns. However, the molecular weights of vitellin and vitellogenin, as determined from SDS electrophoresis, were 393,000 and 337,000, respectively. Vitellin in sodium dodecyl sulfate released six subunits of molecular weight 116,000, 83,000, 75,000, 54,000, 36,000, and 29,000, whereas vitellogenin released only three subunits (155,000, 120,000, and 62,000). The average molecular weights of vitellin and vitellogenin after gel filtration and SDS electrophoresis were 346,000 and 318,000, respectively. Vitellin has a high content of aspartic acid and glutamic acid, and a low content of histidine, methionine, cysteine, and tryptophan. Vitellin also contains 0.9% mol of glucosamine and no galactosamine. The isoelectric points of vitellin and vitellogenin are at pH 6.4 and 6.3, respectively. Aedes aegypti fat bodies incubated for short intervals in tissue culture medium in the presence of [3H]valine showed incorporation by radio-immunoprecipitation and SDS electrophoresis into three primary vitellogenin polypeptides of molecular weights (± SEM) 156,000 ± 4,000, 114,000 ± 5,000, and 62,000 ± 400 inside the fat body and 162,000 ± 3,000, 118,200 ± 2,000, and 63,000 ± 300 in the medium. These results suggest that the molecular weight of vitellogenin synthesized inside the fat body (Mr 332,000) remains unchanged when secreted into the hemolymph (Mr 343,000). The three vitellogenin subunits are processed by the ovary into six subunits which are then deposited in the yolk granules as vitellin.
The Cell-Surface Isoform of Colony Stimulating Factor 1 (CSF1) Restores but Does Not Completely Normalize Fecundity in CSF1-Deficient Mice

The complete genetic absence of colony stimulating factor 1 (CSF1) in CSF1-deficient Csf1(op)/Csf1(op) mice leads to reproductive defects in males and females. Although the cell-surface or membrane-bound isoform of CSF1 (mCSF1) is biologically active in bone, little is known about its role in reproduction. Transgenic mice expressing mCSF1 under the control of the 2.4-kb rat collagen type I alpha promoter were developed [Tg(Col1a1-mCSF1)1Gqy] and bred onto a Csf1(op)/Csf1(op) background [Csf1(op)/Csf1(op); Tg(Col1a1-mCSF1)1Gqy] to examine the effects of the mCSF1 isoform in bone in vivo. Surprisingly, when interbred, these mice were fertile. The Csf1(op)/Csf1(op); Tg(Col1a1-mCSF1)1Gqy transgenic male mice have normal libido, sperm number and percent of motile sperm. In Csf1(op)/Csf1(op); Tg(Col1a1-mCSF1)1Gqy females, puberty and estrus cycles are at expected age and duration. Further, females are able to carry pregnancies to term and nurse their offspring. Crosses of Csf1(op)/Csf1(op); Tg(Col1a1-mCSF1)1Gqy males or females with their control littermates showed no significant differences in either number or viability of offspring. However, crossing Csf1(op)/Csf1(op); Tg(Col1a1-mCSF1)1Gqy males with Csf1(op); Tg(Col1a1-mCSF1)1Gqy females resulted in a decline in both the number and viability of offspring, suggesting that a subtle reproductive defect might persist in the transgenic animals that was only manifest when the animals were interbred. Although the gravid murine uterus expresses extremely high levels of CSF1 that are thought to be important for reproduction, uterine tissue levels of CSF1 remained low and unchanged during pregnancy in Csf1(op)/Csf1(op); Tg(Col1a1-mCSF1)1Gqy mice. Low levels of CSF1 protein were detected in serum and in lung and uterine tissue in Csf1(op)/Csf1(op); Tg(Col1a1-mCSF1)1Gqy mouse, which likely result from the known proteolytic shedding of mCSF1 from the cell surface. These data are consistent with the conclusion that mCSF1, when shed from the cell surface, can support reproduction and that high uterine tissue levels of CSF1 may not be required for mouse reproduction.
Absence of Replication of Porcine Endogenous Retrovirus and Porcine Lymphotropic Herpesvirus Type 1 with Prolonged Pig Cell Microchimerism after Pig-to-Baboon Xenotransplantation

Porcine endogenous retrovirus (PERV), porcine cytomegalovirus (PCMV), and porcine lymphotropic herpesvirus (PLHV) are common porcine viruses that may be activated with immunosuppression for xenotransplantation. Studies of viral replication or transmission are possible due to prolonged survival of xenografts in baboon recipients from human decay-accelerating factor transgenic or alpha-1,3-galactosyltransferase gene knockout miniature swine. Ten baboons underwent xenotransplantation with transgenic pig organs. Graft survival was 32 to 179 days. Recipient serial samples of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and plasma were analyzed for PCMV, PERV, and PLHV-1 nucleic acids and viral replication using quantitative PCR assays. The PBMC contained PERV proviral DNA in 10 animals, PLHV-1 DNA in 6, and PCMV in 2. PERV RNA was not detected in any PBMC or serum samples. Plasma PLHV-1 DNA was detected in one animal. Pig cell microchimerism (pig major histocompatibility complex class I and pig mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit II sequences) was present in all recipients with detectable PERV or PLHV-1 (85.5%). Productive infection of PERV or PLHV-1 could not be demonstrated. The PLHV-1 viral load did not increase in serum over time, despite prolonged graft survival and pig cell microchimerism. There was no association of viral loads with the nature of exogenous immune suppression. In conclusion, PERV provirus and PLHV-1 DNA were detected in baboons following porcine xenotransplantation. Viral detection appeared to be due to persistent pig cell microchimerism. There was no evidence of productive infection in recipient baboons for up to 6 months of xenograft function.
Multi-partnered heterosexuals' condom use for vaginal sex with their main partner as a function of attitude, subjective norm, partner norm, perceived behavioural control and weighted control beliefs

This paper examines the extent to which an integrated theoretical behavioural prediction model can explain the intentions of 215 male and 181 female multi-partnered heterosexuals (MPHs) to always use condoms for vaginal sex with their regular partners. For female MPHs, all five of the immediate psychosocial determinants of intention (i.e. attitude, subjective norm, partner norm, perceived behavioural control and the mean of weighted control beliefs) were significant independent predictors of condom use intentions R = 0.81). For male MPHs, only attitude (beta = 0.45) and partner norm (beta = 0.41) contributed R = 0.77). Behavioural, normative and control beliefs underlying the MPHs intentions to always use condoms for vaginal sex with their regular partners are identified as critical intervention targets. independently to the explanation of these intentions
CCD Speckle Observations of Binary Stars from the Southern Hemisphere. II. Measures from the Lowell-Tololo Telescope during 1999

Speckle observations of 145 double stars and suspected double stars are presented and discussed. On the basis of multiple observations, a total of 280 position angle and separation measures are determined, as well as 23 high-quality nondetections. All observations were taken with the (unintensified) Rochester Institute of Technology fast-readout CCD camera mounted on the Lowell-Tololo 61 cm telescope at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory during 1999 October. We find that the measures, when judged as a whole against ephemeris positions of binaries with very well-known orbits, have root mean square deviations of 18 ± 03 in position angle and 13 ± 2 mas in separation. Eleven double stars discovered by Hipparcos were also successfully observed, and the change in position angle and/or separation since the Hipparcos observations was substantial in three cases.
Atmospheric pressure glow discharge initiation from a single electron avalanche

Atmospheric pressure glow (APG) discharges are attractive for many applications due to their transversely homogeneous plasma properties. The discharge initiation mechanism for the APG is so far not well understood. Based on a two-dimensional fluid model the discharge initiation process is studied starting from a single initial electron avalanche. Images of the APG development at different phases during the discharge initiation are presented.
Destruction of Sealant in Building Envelope Joints by Birds

Sealant in joints in the exterior envelope on a building is intended to reduce water entry and air infiltration through the joints and to accommodate movements. Openings in sealant joints can result in water leakage and air infiltration through the joints into the interior of the building. Openings in sealant joints can occur as a result of design, construction, and/or material deficiencies. During the last five years, the authors have been involved in the investigation and repair design of openings in sealant joints, that occurred as a result of the joints having been damaged by birds, and that has resulted in water leakage into the interior of the building. This paper describes four case studies where birds have destroyed the integrity of sealant joints. These case studies have the following common elements which may be considered by designers to mitigate this condition in areas where the potential exists for birds to destroy sealant in buildings and other structures: The presence of birds such as the ring billed gull (Larus Delawarensis) and turkey vulture (Cathartes Aura) in the area of the building; the presence of wide horizontal surfaces and/or wide low sloping surfaces allow the birds to perch in close proximitymore » to the sealant joints; and the use of silicone sealant in the joints between the building substrate sections.« less
An Improved Route to Substituted Cyclopenta[c]thiophenes: Synthesis of 5-Alkyl-1,3-dimethyl-4H-cyclopenta[c]thiophenes and Sulfone Ester Precursor

Abstract An improved route to substituted cyclopenta[c]thiophenes was accomplished by treating 1,3-dimethyl-5,6-dihydro-4H-cyclopenta[c]thiophene-5-one (1) with alkyl Grignard reagents to obtain the 5-alkyl-1,3-dimethyl-4H-cyclopenta[c]thiophenes, 5-methyl-1,3-dimethyl-4H-cyclopenta[c]thiophene (2) and 5-ethyl-1,3-dimethyl-4H-cyclopenta[c]thiophene (3), in good yield (60% and 65%, respectively). An important cyclopenta[c]thiophene precursor, 5-carbomethoxy-5-phenylsulfonyl–1,3-dimethyl-5,6-dihydro-4H-cyclopenta[c]thiophene (9) was synthesized, in an alternate route, by treating 3,4-bis(chloromethyl)-2,5-dimethylthiophene (7) with methyl phenyl sulfonyl acetate (8).
High-performance nickel wick development for loop heat pipes

In the present investigation, high-performance capillary pump has been developed and evaluated for using inside loop heat pipes with 500 W heat transfer capability up to distance of 250 mm. Wick structure is one of the most critical components of the loop heat pipe that provides the necessary capillary pumping, liquid-vapour phase separation and heat leak barrier from evaporation section to the compensation chamber. In order to fabricate wick structure with appropriate physical characteristics, highly pure (> 99.5%) nickel powders with average particle sizes of 2, 10, 12 and 75 µm were selected for sintering experiment. It was established that nickel powder can be effectively sintered when maintained at 750 – 850 °C temperature for one hour. Out of four nickel powders, NM-12 powder with average particle diameter of 12 µm was able to provide most qualified porous structure, sintered at 850 °C for one hour, with high porosity (> 72 %), high permeability (> 2 × 10−13 m2), finer pore radius (&#60; 7.2 µm), low shrinkage (&#60; 22%), good axial straightness and acceptable strength. The main issues faced in sintering trials and remedies to avoid them are explained in detail. Center rod extraction was the major problem faced in the sintering experiment which was rectified by replacing carbon rod with high strength, lubricious center rod made from stainless steel with boron nitride coating. The methodologies development in this study can be used for the fabrication of high performance capillary wicks for miniature to large-scale loop heat pipes.
The Administrative State: Law, Democracy, and Knowledge

This is a chapter for the forthcoming Oxford Handbook of the United States Constitution. I provide and compare three organizing frameworks for the administrative state. The first examines its constitutionality, the second its democratic credentials, the third its epistemic and technocratic capacities. After describing each, I examine their interaction, and suggest that the administrative state is the setting for an endlessly shifting series of alliances between and among constitutionalists, democrats and technocrats.
Cognitive Information Processing in Face Recognition

In the conventional eigen face method, the principle component analysis (PCA) algorithm associates the eigen vectors with the changes in illumination. In this paper, we propose an improvement of facial image association for face recognition using a cognitive processing model. This method is based on the notion of multiple-phase associative memory. The Essex face database is used to verify our model for facial image recognition and compare the results of face recognition with conventional eigen face method. The simulation results show that the proposed cognitive processing model approach results in better performance than that of the conventional eigen face approach; while the computational complexity remains of the same magnitude as that of the eigen face method.
Reduced verapamil clearance during long-term oral administration.

Plasma concentrations of verapamil and its metabolite, norverapamil, were measured in six patients with supraventricular tachycardia after the first and seventh dose of a regimen consisting of 120 mg every 8 hr by mouth. Steady state was reached by the seventh dose and the area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) at steady state (1999 ± 435[SD] ng/ml · hr) was greater than that after the first dose (788 ± 224, P < 0.001). This unexpected cumulation was associated with prolongation of verapamil half-life (t½) from 2.75 ± 1.14 to 4.52 ± 1.10 hr. Norverapamil AUC also rose from 1225 ± 405 to 2312 ± 963 ng/ml/hr during the attainment of steady stale. We conclude that verapamil cumulates to a greater extent than predicted from its t½, due to reduction in hepatic clearance. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1981) 30, 701–703; doi:10.1038/clpt.1981.223
Erotic, grotesque, nonsense: the mass culture of modern times

Miriam Silverberg, Berkeley, University of California Press, 2009, 390 pp, US$24.95, £16.95 (paperback), ISBN 9780520260085, US$60.00, £41.95 (clothback), ISBN 9780520222731 The 1920s through the 1...
Resolving rightful ownerships with invisible watermarking techniques: limitations, attacks, and implications

Digital watermarks have been proposed as a means for copyright protection of multimedia data. We address the capability of invisible watermarking schemes to resolve copyright ownership. We show that, in certain applications, rightful ownership cannot be resolved by current watermarking schemes alone. Specifically, we attack existing techniques by providing counterfeit watermarking schemes that can be performed on a watermarked image to allow multiple claims of rightful ownership. In the absence of standardization and specific requirements imposed on watermarking procedures, anyone can claim ownership of any watermarked image. In order to protect against the counterfeiting techniques that we develop, we examine the properties necessary for resolving ownership via invisible watermarking. We introduce and study invertibility and quasi-invertibility of invisible watermarking techniques. We propose noninvertible watermarking schemes, and subsequently give examples of techniques that we believe to be nonquasi-invertible and hence invulnerable against more sophisticated attacks proposed in the paper. The attacks and results presented in the paper, and the remedies proposed, further imply that we have to carefully reevaluate the current approaches and techniques in invisible watermarking of digital images based on application domains, and rethink the promises, applications and implications of such digital means of copyright protection.
Congenital myasthenic syndromes: Progress over the past decade

Congenital myasthenic syndromes (CMS) stem from defects in presynaptic, synaptic basal lamina, and postsynaptic proteins. The presynaptic CMS are associated with defects that curtail the evoked release of acetylcholine (ACh) quanta or ACh resynthesis. Defects in ACh resynthesis have now been traced to mutations in choline acetyltransferase. A basal lamina CMS is caused by mutations in the collagenic tail subunit (ColQ) of the endplate species of acetylcholinesterase that prevent the tail subunit from associating with catalytic subunits or from becoming inserted into the synaptic basal lamina. Most postsynaptic CMS are caused by mutations in subunits of the acetylcholine receptor (AChR) that alter the kinetic properties or decrease the expression of AChR. The kinetic mutations increase or decrease the synaptic response to ACh and result in slow- and fast-channel syndromes, respectively. Most low-expressor mutations reside in the AChR epsilon subunit and are partially compensated by residual expression of the fetal type gamma subunit. In a subset of CMS patients, endplate AChR deficiency is caused by mutations in rapsyn, a molecule that plays a critical role in concentrating AChR in the postsynaptic membrane.
Nonlinear Midlatitude Ocean Adjustment

Abstract Ocean adjustment on annual to interdecadal scales to variable forcing is considered for a more nonlinear general circulation than has previously been studied. The nature of the response is a strong function of forcing frequency and importantly involves the inertial recirculations rather than linear baroclinic waves. The spatial expression of this variability is concentrated near the separation latitudes of the Gulf Stream extension, a model region corresponding to an area in the real ocean of well-known strong ocean–atmosphere buoyancy exchange. “Turn-on” cases, periodically forced cases, and stochastically forced cases are considered. The first set of experiments clarifies the adjustment timescales and dynamics of a nonlinear circulation. The second set examines modifications to that adjustment rendered by time-dependent forcing. The last set is perhaps the most realistic in terms of the atmospheric forcing of the ocean, because wind spectra are not strongly peaked beyond a few weeks. Multidecad...
The wealthy: A financial psychological profile.

Drawing from the theories of money ambivalence, cognitive dissonance, envy, and relative deprivation, this study sought to explore stereotypes of the wealthy. Specfically, it examined the financial psychology, demographics, and financial behaviors of a sample of wealthy individuals and a sample of other relatively high-income and high-net-worth individuals, and it compared these characteristics to see what, if any, differences exist. Results show that wealthy individuals exhibited significant psychological differences, including lower levels of money avoidance, loss aversion, and financial stress; higher levels of life and financial satisfaction, financial knowledge, internal locus of control; and a fundamental drive to follow their passions and increase their wealth. With regard to financial behaviors, the wealthy spent significantly more on their most recent purchases but were not more likely to be financially dependent on nonwork income and were not more reclusive. A deeper understanding of the wealthy can help mental-health providers better serve this population and help individuals aspiring to increase their income and net worth by challenging inaccurate beliefs about this population’s psychology and financial behaviors.
The Chemical Synthesis of D-Glucuronic Acid

Publisher Summary The methods for preparing D-glucuronic acid is devised through the oxidation of derivatives of D -glucose by halogens, hydrogen peroxide, and potassium permanganate. In some of these reactions, only the aldehyde function of D-glucose is protected from oxidation, and in others the secondary hydroxyl groups also are blocked. After removal of barium with sulfuric acid, the aqueous solution of D -glucuronic acid is evaporated in vacuo to a sirup, which crystallized upon seeding with authentic D -glucuronolactone. Derivatives of D-glucose in which all the secondary hydroxyl groups are not blocked, have been used chiefly in attempts to devise an economical process for the large-scale manufacture of D -glucuronic acid. The chapter reports methods for producing D -glucuronic acid by alkaline permanganate oxidation of soluble starch, and of D -glucose derivatives in which the aldehyde function is protected.
Fatigue predicts disease worsening in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients.

Background:It is unclear whether fatigue is a consequence or a predictive trait of disease worsening.Objective:To investigate the predictive value of fatigue toward conversion to confirmed moderate–severe disability in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).Methods:We retrospectively selected from the Comprehensive Longitudinal Investigations in MS at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital (CLIMB) study cohort RRMS patients who converted to confirmed (⩾2 years) Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score ⩾3 within a follow-up period ⩾3 years. We contrasted the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS) score of 33 converters, obtained at least 1 year before conversion to EDSS ⩾3, with that of 33 non-converter RRMS patients matched for baseline characteristics.Results:Total MFIS score was higher in converter versus non-converter MS patients (median 37 vs 13; p < 0.0001). EDSS and Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale (CES-D) scores were also higher in the converters (median EDSS 1....
Effects of Remedial Application of Lindane on Emergence of Natural Enemies of the Western Pine Beetle, Dendroctonus brevicomis (Coleoptera: Scolytidae)

Field tests of remedial applications of registered 2% lindane sprays to ponderosa pine, Pinus ponderosa Laws, bark infested with the western pine beetle, Dendroctonus brevicomis LeConte (Coleoptera: Scolytidae), indicated that the overall emergence of predaceous natural enemies is reduced by 89%, and a ratio of natural enemy to western pine beetle emergence is diminished by 80%. Species showing significant effects due to lindane treatment include Enoclerus lecontei (Wolc.), Aulonium longum LeConte, and Medetera aldrichii Wheeler. Differential in situ mortality of predators and prey indicates a need for further study of dispersal stage mortality of predators and prey as well as the contribution of natural enemies to long-term population regulation before continuing registration of lindane for remedial control of the western pine beetle.
Statistical Methods of Value in Field Entomology

Methods of sampling insect populations and statistical ways of judging the value of average samples are discussed.
Sympathectomy in the treatment of Buerger's disease.

(1951). Sympathectomy in the Treatment of Buerger's Disease. Postgraduate Medicine: Vol. 9, No. 3, pp. 215-219.
Future Administration Lies In Learning-Impressions on the Fifth Discipline

It is recognized that the future administration lies in learning through studying and discussing The Fifth Discipline , and the way to set up learning organization , to read the book is well indicted in the article .
Contrast in MR Imaging

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become an important diagnostic tool in medical imaging because it provides the necessary contrast between various soft tissues required to identify pathologic processes. The observer's ability to differentiate between different structures in images depends on an image contrast. This chapter considers different mechanisms of contrast in MRI as well as techniques used to improve contrast in Magnetic resonance (MR) images. The emphasis is on the relationship between image contrast and NMR relevant tissue parameters, such as inherent relaxation times and proton density. The dependence of MRI contrast on intrinsic relaxation times and proton density can be studied by using the equation describing steady-state transverse magnetization in a given pulse sequence. Certain materials, known as contrast agents, can enhance MR image contrast by altering relaxation times. Contrast agents are frequently used in diagnostic MRI in order to achieve better assessment of local physiologic and anatomic conditions, or to improve detection of malignancy. Because contrast agents are usually administered internally, they must possess low toxicity and be easily excreted from the body. Unlike contrast agents used in nuclear medicine and clinical radiography, MRI contrast agents affect the signal indirectly via interaction with the hydrogen nuclei. Contrast agents that significantly alter the local magnetic field in the specimen are frequently referred to as susceptibility agents.
A statistical analysis of the economic drivers of battery energy storage in commercial buildings

There is significant interest in using battery energy storage systems (BESS) to reduce peak demand charges, and therefore the life cycle cost of electricity, in commercial buildings. This paper explores the drivers of economic viability of BESS in commercial buildings through statistical analysis. A sample population of buildings was generated, a techno-economic optimization model was used to size and dispatch the BESS, and the resulting optimal BESS sizes were analyzed for relevant predictor variables. Explanatory regression analyses were used to demonstrate that, of the variables considered, peak demand charges are the most significant predictor of an economically viable battery, and that the shape of the load profile is the most significant predictor of the size of the battery.
Voc degradation in TF-VLS grown InP solar cells

Here we consider two hypotheses to explain the open-circuit voltage (Voc) degradation observed in thin-film vapor-liquid-solid (TF-VLS) grown p-type InP photovoltaic cells: bandgap narrowing and local shunting. First, a bandgap (Eg) narrowing effect is hypothesized, based on the surface inhomogeneity of VLS InP captured by the photoluminescence (PL) image. The PL data was used to estimate a spatially-resolved active Voc across surface of the InP sample. Combining this data with the effective Jsc allowed an assessment of the I-V characteristics of individual unit cells. Next, an H-SPICE diode compact model was utilized to reproduce the I-V characteristics of the whole sample. We find a good fit to the I-V performance of TF-VLS grown InP solar cell. Second, a local shunting effect was also considered as an alternative explanation of the Voc degradation effect. Again, PL image data was used, and small local shunt resistance was added in arbitrary elementary unit cells to represent certain dark spots seen in the PL image and dictate the Voc degradation occurred in the sample.
Edge-based vignetting factor estimation and correction comparative analysis

ABSTRACTAn edge-based (EB) iterative method for estimating the vignetting factor f from a vignette image is devised which assumes a radial brightness falloff associated with the existing vignetting effect. The method exploits the maximum value for an F valued image that is characterized by 8-bit integers {0,1,2, … ,255} away from the image centre. Additionally, the vignette factor f estimation is performed using the radial gradient method on a series of images with explicitly simulated and unknown source vignetting. Both techniques are implemented and compared such that the estimated vignette factor f and the vignette corrected images are assessed to determine deviation in the respective methods as well as their accuracy in controlled experiments.
The Effect of Early Limited Formula on Breastfeeding, Readmission, and Intestinal Microbiota: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Objective To determine whether using 10 mL formula after each breastfeeding before copious maternal milk production affects breastfeeding duration, readmission, and intestinal microbiota through 1 month of age. Study design In this randomized controlled trial, we enrolled 164 exclusively breastfeeding newborns, 24-72 hours old, whose weight loss was ≥75th percentile for age, and whose mothers had not yet begun mature milk production. Enrolled newborns were assigned randomly to either supplement breastfeeding with early limited formula (ELF), 10 mL of formula after each breastfeeding stopped at the onset of copious maternal milk production (intervention), or to continue exclusive breastfeeding (control). Outcomes assessed through 1 month included breastfeeding duration, readmission, and intestinal microbiota. Results At 1 week of age, 95.8% of infants receiving ELF and 93.5% of control infants were still breastfeeding (P > .5); readmission occurred for 4 (4.8%) control infants and none of the infants receiving ELF (P = .06). At 1 month of age, 86.5% of infants receiving ELF and 89.7% of control infants were still breastfeeding (P > .5); 54.6% of infants receiving ELF and 65.8% of controls were breastfeeding without formula (P = .18). ELF did not lead to decreased abundance of Lactobacillus or Bifidobacterium and was not associated with expansion of Clostridium. Conclusion In this population of healthy newborns with weight loss ≥75th percentile, ELF did not interfere with breastfeeding at 1 month, breastfeeding without formula at 1 month, or intestinal microbiota. ELF may be an important therapeutic option for newborns with the potential to reduce readmission rates. Trial Registration Clinicaltrials.gov : NCT02313181.
Psychiatric Resident Participation in an Asylum Clinic: a Single-Institutional Experience.

This study describes the experiences of adult psychiatry residents working in an established faculty-led asylum clinic within a community-based, academic residency program at the Cambridge Health Alliance. Eighteen psychiatry residents who participated in the asylum clinic were sent electronic surveys asking about their background and experience. Respondents’ responses were collected anonymously. Sixteen out of 18 (89%) trainees responded. Thirteen respondents had a personal history with immigration. Fifty-three percent of residents wanted to utilize their professional standing to advance moral good. Writing up affidavits was noted to be challenging by nine (60%) of 15 trainees. Ninety-four percent (15/16) of trainees noted that they would be willing to perform future evaluations. Most noted that performing evaluations had a significant impact on their clinical practice and their conceptualization of their own roles as psychiatrists. Participating in asylum evaluations impacts residents’ sense of themselves as psychiatrists and expands their views about psychiatrists’ roles.
Teachers' Views of Students with Gay or Lesbian Parents

Eighty-three female and 24 male teachers responded to an anonymous questionnaire exploring four aspects of teachers' views of students who have gay or lesbian parents: (1) exposure to and general knowledge about homosexuality, (2) attitudes towards gays and lesbians, (3) interactions with gay or lesbian parents, including school practices and policies, and (4) beliefs about problems experienced by students with gay and lesbian parents. Most teachers knew some gay males and lesbians, had limited education and knowledge about homosexuality, and possessed moderately tolerant attitudes towards gays and lesbians. They believed that students with gay or lesbian parents had more problems in social interaction but were more mature, tolerant, and self-reliant than other students. Open-ended questions about gay and lesbian parents and their children revealed a wide range of answers, ranging from very supportive to noticeably hostile.
Conceptualizing comorbid PTSD and depression among treatment-seeking, active duty military service members.

Abstract Background Among active duty service members and veterans with PTSD, depression is the most commonly diagnosed comorbid psychiatric condition. More research is warranted to investigate the relationship between PTSD and depression to improve treatment approaches. Byllesby et al. (2017) used confirmatory factor analyses in a sample of trauma-exposed combat veterans with PTSD and found that only the general distress factor, and not any specific symptom cluster of PTSD, predicted depression. This study seeks to replicate Byllesby et al. (2017) in a sample of treatment-seeking active duty soldiers. Methods Confirmatory factor analyses, bifactor modeling, and structural equation modeling (SEM) were used with data gathered at pretreatment and posttreatment as part of a large randomized clinical trial. Results Confirmatory factor analyses and bifactor modeling demonstrated that PTSD symptom clusters, Negative Alterations in Cognition and Mood (NACM) and Alterations in Arousal and Reactivity (AAR), as well as the general distress factor significantly predicted depression at pretreatment and posttreatment. Limitations The current study was predominantly male, limiting the generalizability to female service members with PTSD. Also, self-report measures were used, which may introduce response-bias. Conclusions The current study did not replicate Byllesby et al. (2017). Results demonstrated that the relationship between PTSD and depression among active duty service members can be explained by both transdiagnostic factors and disorder-specific symptoms.
Radiomic features of the pancreas on CT imaging accurately differentiate functional abdominal pain, recurrent acute pancreatitis, and chronic pancreatitis.

Abstract Purpose Patients with recurrent abdominal pain and pancreatic enzyme elevations may be diagnosed clinically with recurrent acute pancreatitis (RAP) even with normal imaging or no imaging at all. Since neither abdominal pain nor enzyme elevations are specific for acute pancreatitis (AP), and patients with RAP often have a normal appearing pancreas on CT after resolution of an AP episode, RAP diagnosis can be challenging. This study aims to determine if quantitative radiomic features of the pancreas on CT can differentiate patients with functional abdominal pain, RAP, and chronic pancreatitis (CP). Method Contrast enhanced CT abdominal images of adult patients evaluated in a pancreatitis clinic from 2010 to 2018 with the diagnosis of RAP, functional abdominal pain, or CP were retrospectively reviewed. The pancreas was outlined by drawing region of interest (ROI) on images. 54 radiomic features were extracted from each ROI and were compared between the patient groups. A one-vs-one Isomap and Support Vector Machine (IsoSVM) classifier was also trained and tested to classify patients into one of the three diagnostic groups based on their radiomic features. Results Among the study’s 56 patients, 20 (35.7 %) had RAP, 19 (33.9 %) had functional abdominal pain, and 17 (30.4 %) had CP. On univariate analysis, 11 radiomic features (10 GLCM features and one NGTDM feature) were significantly different between the patient groups. The IsoSVM classifier for prediction of patient diagnosis had an overall accuracy of 82.1 %. Conclusions Certain radiomic features on CT imaging can differentiate patients with functional abdominal pain, RAP, and CP.
Shape-centric modeling for control of traveling wave rectilinear locomotion on snake-like robots

Abstract A traveling wave rectilinear gait for elongated, continuous bodies is modeled as a cyclically-varying backbone curve. The gait shapes are represented as planar deviations relative to an average body curve and an associated, rigidly-attached body frame. Body-ground contact patterns and other geometric properties integral to computation of external forcing are conveniently defined with respect to this average body curve. Introducing a body-ground rolling friction model permits the controlled equations of motion to be derived in closed form. Incorporating a constant curvature into the average body realizes turning movements, and hence turning control. Repeated numerical integration of the system dynamics facilitates construction of a control-to-action mapping, characterizing steady system behavior with respect to the gait’s parameter space. The control-to-action map reduces this complex dynamical system to a kinematic unicycle model for which feedback tracking strategies are well understood. To illustrate its utility, it is applied in a trajectory planning and tracking framework for locomotion around obstacles. Using the framework, a robotic snake exercising the traveling wave rectilinear gait successfully plans feasible trajectories and traverses non-trivial obstacle arrangements to reach specified goal positions.
Mood Disorders and Increased Risk of Noncommunicable Disease in Adults With HIV.

Background People living with HIV (PLWH) experience high rates of mood disorders (major depression and bipolar affective disorder) which in the general population have been associated with noncommunicable disease (NCD) risk. We examined whether prevalent mood disorders are associated with incident NCDs and multimorbidity (accumulation of ≥2 NCDs) in PLWH. Setting Adult HIV clinic cohort in Nashville, Tennessee, between 1998 and 2015. Methods PLWH with ≥1 year of follow-up in the clinic were assessed for cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome (any 3 of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, or obesity), chronic kidney and liver disease, non-AIDS-defining cancers, and dementia. Only mood disorders documented during the first year of care were included. Cumulative incidence and adjusted subhazard ratios (aSHRs) were calculated for risk of NCDs and multimorbidity with death as a competing risk. Multivariable Cox models estimated mortality risk after multimorbidity. Results Of 4140 adults, 24% had a mood disorder diagnosed in the first year of care, 51% had ≥1 NCD at baseline, and there were 2588 incident NCDs during the study period. Mood disorders were associated with increased risk of first NCD (aSHR = 1.29, 95% confidence interval: 1.06 to 1.57), incident multimorbidity (aSHR ranging from 1.04 to 1.42), and metabolic syndrome (aSHR = 1.29, 95% confidence interval: 1.02 to 1.64). Mood disorders were not conclusively associated with mortality risk after multimorbidity. Conclusions PLWH with mood disorders were at increased risk of incident NCDs and multimorbidity, particularly metabolic syndrome. Focused prevention and treatment of NCDs may reduce the burden of multimorbidity in this high-risk group.
Impact and Outcomes of Pretreatment Total Serum Testosterone on Localized Prostate Cancer Patients.

Purpose To investigate how pretreatment testosterone levels correlate with progression-free survival, metastasis-free survival, and overall survival in a propensity-adjusted localized prostate cancer population. Methods Men diagnosed with clinical NCCN-risk stratified very-low, low, intermediate, high, and/or very-high risk prostate cancer who had a baseline total serum testosterone level≥100 ng/dl measured within the 100 days preceding the first definitive therapy were identified from our prospectively gathered institutional database. Cohorts below (100-239 ng/dl), within (240-593 ng/dl), or above (594 + ng/dl) one standard deviation from the mean testosterone level (416 ng/dl) were used for comparison. Progression-free, metastasis-free, and overall survival were evaluated. A separate cohort of men not receiving ADT was used to evaluate testosterone recovery after various treatment modalities (surgery, external beam radiation, brachytherapy, or combined EBRT + Brachy). Results There was no statistically significant difference between the low, average, and high testosterone cohorts for PFS, MFS, or OS. In men not using ADT, there were no statistically significant changes in testosterone levels 1 year after therapy, regardless of therapy type. Conclusion In men with serum testosterone levels >=100 ng/dl at diagnosis, baseline testosterone does not impact PFS, MFS, or OS. Recovery of testosterone back to baseline is expected for men undergoing either surgery, external beam or brachytherapy, or combined modality radiation when not using ADT.
ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHIC REMODELING OF THE LEFT ATRIUM IN HYPERTROPHIC CARDIOMYOPATHY AND INCIDENT ATRIAL FIBRILLATION

In hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), left atrial (LA) dilation is a risk factor for atrial fibrillation (AF). However, electrocardiographic remodeling of the LA in HCM and the relationship to incident AF are not well described. HCM patients from a single referral center with paired ECGs and
Disclosure and lawsuits ahead of IPOs

IPO firms face strong concerns about proprietary disclosure, prompting regulators to allow submission of IPO registration statements confidentially under the JOBS Act. Prior research documents severe underpricing and other asymmetric information costs associated with obscuring information prior to an IPO. Nonetheless, the vast majority of eligible firms elect the confidential filing provision. In this study, we examine reducing non-shareholder litigation risk as a specific and quantifiable benefit that justify the use of this provision. We show that firms that publicly submit their registration with the SEC experience a 25% increase in non-shareholder lawsuits during the pre-IPO period. In contrast, a matched sample of firms that utilize the confidential filing provision do not experience such an increase. The difference between the two groups is concentrated among lawsuits in which the plaintiff is a business, rather than an individual, and among lawsuits that are more likely to be meritless. We find no disproportionate increase in non-shareholder lawsuits for the confidential filers following the IPO, which suggests that withholding information before the IPO period mitigates, rather than delays, opportunistic litigation.
Healing of Full-Thickness Murine Skin Wounds Containing Nanofibers Using Splints for Efficient Reepithelialization and to Avoid Contracture

Wound healing process is the outcome of a series of actions and combined with collaborative process involving concerted efforts of multiple cell types. The dynamic series of events constituting each of these overlapping rather than discrete stages of wound healing increases its complexity and the necessity to understand it. The contrasting mechanisms of wound healing employed by mouse (via wound contraction) and humans (via reepithelialization) puts forth the need of a model closely mimicking human wound-healing and hence comes the applicability of the mouse excisional wound splinting model. Use of silicone-based splints has demonstrated their effectiveness in aptly resembling the human reepithelialization mediated wound healing by preventing contraction during healing. The rising popularity of nanofiber-based treatments for wound healing through sustained release of factors/molecules promoting wound closure can be potentially implemented in association with this model to determine its efficacy in wound management in a more humanized way.
Cultural Competency and Its Effect on Treatment Outcome of IPT-A in School-Based Health Clinics.

Background: This paper assesses acculturation and ethnic matching of therapist and patient as predictors and moderators of treatment outcome in a 12-week effectiveness study of Interpersonal Psycho...
Subtotal Petrosectomy and Cochlear Implantation: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Importance Subtotal petrosectomy (STP) has been more frequently performed to prepare ears with unfavorable conditions for cochlear implantation. Objectives To provide an overview of indications for and complications of STP and cochlear implantation and to compare outcomes between single vs multistage procedures and between pediatric vs adult populations. Data Sources A search of PubMed, Scopus, Ovid, and the Cochrane Library was performed from the databases’ inception to January 23, 2020, for studies evaluating STP for cochlear implantation. Study Selection Studies with a minimum follow-up of 3 months and no missing data regarding postoperative outcomes were included. Of the initial 570 studies identified, 27 (4.7%) met selection criteria. Data Extraction and Synthesis Two reviewers independently assessed study eligibility according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines; discrepancies were resolved by a third reviewer. Extracted data included patient demographics, indications for STP, rates of complications, and cholesteatoma recidivism when applicable. Data were pooled using a random- or a fixed-effects model when appropriate. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary study outcome was rate of global complications stratified by patient- and surgery-level characteristics. Results Twenty-seven unique studies with 377 unique patients (54.2% male; mean age, 50.6 [range, 1-99] years) undergoing 397 STP procedures and cochlear implantation were included. Of these procedures, 299 of 394 cases with the information reported (75.9%) were single procedures and 95 (24.1%) were multistage procedures. Of the total 397 STP procedures, most common indications included chronic otitis media (220 cases [55.4%]), previous open mastoid cavity (141 [35.5%]), cholesteatoma (74 [18.6%]), and cochlear ossification (29 [7.3%]). The overall complication rate was 12.4% (95% CI, 9.4%-15.9%); overall cholesteatoma recidivism rate was 9.3% (95% CI, 4.3%-17.1%). Complication rates did not significantly differ based on stage or age of patients. Cases with cholesteatoma more often underwent multistage vs single-stage procedures (23 of 54 [42.6%] vs 35 of 174 [20.1%]). Conclusions and Relevance Across all age groups, STP has been shown to be an effective surgical operation in preparing an ear with unfavorable conditions for cochlear implantation. The potential indications for which cochlear implantation can be performed have expanded with the use of STP. Presence of cholesteatoma might indicate that a multistage procedure should be performed. Lastly, with complication rates comparable to those in adult patients, STP can be considered in children requiring cochlear implantation to minimize ear-related issues and allow benefit from cochlear implantation.