cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Continued maturation of the click-evoked auditory brainstem response in preschoolers.

Background Click-evoked auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) are a valuable tool for probing auditory system function and development. Although it has long been thought that the human auditory brainstem is fully mature by age 2 yr, recent evidence indicates a prolonged developmental trajectory.
Effects of season and estradiol-17 beta on luteinizing hormone release in ovariectomized sows.

This study examined the ability of estradiol-17 beta (E2) to suppress LH release in the sow during different months of the year. Six chronically ovariectomized sows were fitted with vena caval cannulas (d 0) and blood samples were collected at 6-h intervals for 6 d. Sows were treated s.c. with E2 capsules (24 mg of E2/275 kg of BW) at d 3. Additional blood samples were collected at 15-min intervals for 8 h on d 2 and 5. After each 8-h frequent sampling period, sows were treated i.v. with GnRH at .5 microgram/kg of BW, and blood samples were collected at 10-min intervals for 3 h. The protocol was repeated at monthly intervals for 13 mo. Luteinizing hormone concentrations were determined for all serum samples, and E2 concentrations were quantified in samples collected at 6-h intervals. Data were analyzed by split-block analyses of variance. Serum E2 concentrations increased (P less than .001) from 5.0 +/- .3 pg/ml before E2 treatment to 26.0 +/- .2 pg/ml after E2 treatment. The interval from GnRH administration to peak LH concentration was shorter (P less than .001) before E2 treatment than after E2 treatment (28.7 +/- 2.2 vs 71.0 +/- 2.2 min). It was evident that baseline LH, mean LH, pulse frequency, and pulse amplitude and LH release after GnRH administration failed to demonstrate seasonal changes. In summary, LH release was suppressed after treatment with E2 and was affected minimally by month of the year. In addition, E2 inhibitory effects of LH release included hypothalamic and anterior pituitary sites of action.
Multisensory, Cognitive, and Motor Influences on Human Spatial Orientation in Weightlessness

Exposure to weightlessness affects the control and appreciation of body position and orientation. In free fall the perception of one's own orientation and that of the surroundings is dependent on the presence or absence of contact cues, whether part of the body is visible in relation to the architecturally defined verticals of the space craft, cognitive factors, and exposure history. Sensations of falling are not elicited in free fall when the eyes are closed or the visual field is stabilized. This indicates that visual and cognitive factors as well as vestibular ones must be implicated in the genesis of such sensations under normal circumstances. Position sense of the limbs is also degraded in free fall. This may be due to alterations in skeletal muscle spindle gain owing to a decreased otolith-spinal activation. We provide evidence that during initial exposure to weightlessness there is a decrease in muscle stiffness which affects movement accuracy. The altered loading of the skeletal muscles due to the head and body being weightless are shown to be significant etiological factors in space motion sickness.
On the use of the three point bend and compact tension specimens to measure fracture toughness of composite laminates

The influence of specimen thickness on the fracture toughness of two laminates and three specimen geometries was investigated. As thickness increased the toughness decreased and approached an asymptotic value that was dependent upon the type of laminate but was practically independent of specimen geometry. Enhanced X-ray photographs and removal of an outside ply revealed that most of the delaminations were surface effects.
Pre-service teachers' free and structured mathematical problem posing

ABSTRACTThis exploratory study examined how pre-service teachers (PSTs) pose mathematical problems for free and structured mathematical problem-posing conditions. It was hypothesized that PSTs would pose more complex mathematical problems under structured posing conditions, with increasing levels of complexity, than PSTs would pose under free posing conditions, because the structured posing condition would guide PSTs to more closely consider the mathematical relationships in a posing situation. Sixty-five PSTs – 61 participating in a written assessment and 4 participating in task-based interviews – responded to problem-posing tasks under free or structured posing conditions. Two-way independent samples t-tests and chi-square tests were used to test the hypothesis, along with a qualitative analysis of the task-based interviews. We found that while the task format had limited impact on the complexity of problems posed, PSTs in the structured-posing condition may have more closely attended to the mathematica...
Acute stress impairs frontocingulate activation during error monitoring in remitted depression

Deficits in cognitive control are a hallmark characteristic of depression, however less is known about the degree to which they persist beyond symptom remission and might contribute to symptom recurrence in remitted individuals (rMDD). Evidence indicates that stress interferes with cognitive control, highlighting a potential mechanism by which stress precipitates depression relapse. Therefore, this study examined whether stress exposure elicits deficits in error monitoring - a component of cognitive control thought to be particularly implicated in the ability to adaptively respond to negative feedback - in individuals with rMDD. Unmedicated individuals with rMDD (n=30) and healthy controls (n=34) performed an Eriksen Flanker task before and 45min after an acute stressor while 128-channel event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded. Flanker interference effects and post-error adjustments were examined, and ERP analyses focused on the error-related negativity (ERN) and error positivity (Pe). Standardized low resolution electromagnetic tomography (sLORETA) was used to examine stress-induced changes in current source density. Individuals with rMDD showed blunted cortisol reactivity to the stressor, coupled with heightened self-reported stress reactivity. Although no significant effects of group or stress were observed in scalp-level ERPs, source-level analyses indicated that among the rMDD group only, stress caused a reduction in activation in frontocingulate regions critically implicated in error monitoring. The magnitude of stress-induced decreases in frontocingulate activation correlated with heightened self-reported stress reactivity, and also predicted heightened levels of stress and depression 18 months later in the entire sample. These findings suggest that individuals with rMDD show a stress-induced disruption in frontocingulate function that is linked to heightened stress reactivity, and this disruption prospectively predicts heightened levels of future stress and depressive symptomatology.
What to Expect When She’s Expecting

There has been extensive writing both in the popular press and the academic literature on the unique work-life challenges of professional working mothers. Professional working mothers often must manage competing gender biases – being perceived as cold-hearted (Cuddy et al., 2004) or worse, bad mothers (Epstein et al., 1999) on one hand and less committed to their work roles (Correll et al., 2007) on the other.
Occurrence of Dysphagia Following Botulinum Toxin Injection in Parkinsonism-related Cervical Dystonia: A Retrospective Study

Background: The aim was to compare the occurrence of post-injection dysphagia in parkinsonism-related cervical dystonia (PRCD) versus cervical dystonia (CD) of other etiologies (non-PRCD). A secondary objective was to explore potential clinical differences between PRCD and non-PRCD and their respective responses to botulinum toxin (BoNT). Methods: A cross-sectional chart review was carried out of patients treated for CD with Onabotulinumtoxin A at the University of Florida. We collected demographic information, dose of BoNT injected, patient-reported presence of dysphagia as a side effect, patient-perceived duration of benefit and efficacy according to the Clinical Global Impression Scale (CGIS). Results: Of the 144 patients included, 24 patients were diagnosed with PRCD and 120 were diagnosed as non-PRCD. Data analysis showed no significant differences in number of weeks of benefit from BoNT (PRCD 9.1±3.7 versus non-PRCD 9.4±3.7 weeks, p = 0.830), BoNT dosage (PRCD 235.0±95.6 versus non-PRCD 263.7±101.3 units, p = 0.181), median CGIS score (median = 2 or “much improved” for both groups, p = 0.88), or the presence of dysphagia after BoNT (PRCD 17% versus non-PRCD 19 %, p = 0.753, n = 132). In a subgroup analysis of the non-PRCD group, patients who experienced dysphagia were older than those who did not (63.9±8.9 years versus 58.1±14.4 years, p = 0.02). Discussion: Despite an increased baseline risk of dysphagia in patients with PRCD, BoNT appears to be equally safe and equally beneficial in PRCD and non-PRCD patients.
A 6.5- $\mu \text{W}$ /MHz Charge Buffer With 7-fF Input Capacitance in 65-nm CMOS for Noncontact Electropotential Sensing

This brief presents a CMOS charge buffer with femtofarad-range input capacitance for applications in capacitive electropotential sensing. We analyze and verify a feedback mechanism to negate parasitic capacitances seen at the input of a CMOS amplifier. Measurements are presented from a prototype fabricated in 65-nm CMOS occupying an active area of 193 $ {\mu }\text{m}^{{2}}$ with an efficiency of 6.5 $ {\mu }\text{W}$ /MHz. Over-the-air measurements validate its applicability to electropotential sensing.
Variability in the performance characteristics of IgG anti-HEV assays and its impact on reliability of seroprevalence rates of hepatitis E.

Hepatitis E is a major public health problem in developing countries and is increasingly being recognized as a cause of substantial sporadic viral hepatitis infections in industrialized countries. Variable rates of hepatitis E seroprevalence have been reported from the same geographic regions depending on the assay used. In this study, we evaluated the performance characteristics of four assays which included two commercial assays, Wantai HEV-IgG ELISA kit (Wantai, China), and DS-EIA-ANTI-HEV-G kit (DSI, Italy), one NIH-developed immunoassay (NIH-55 K, Kuniholm et al. [2009] Journal of Infectious Diseases 200:48-56), previously used in several major seroprevalence studies and one in-house Western blot assay (CDC-WB). The limit of detection of IgG anti-HEV is 100 mIU/mL for Wantai assay, 200 mIU/mL for CDC-WB assay, 1000 mIU/mL for DSI assay, and 40 mIU/mL for NIH-55 K assay. Pairwise concordance between the four assays ranged from 56% to 87%. The concordance among all four assays was observed in 52% of the samples, while the concordance among three assays was observed in 37% of the samples. These data show a wide discordance between various IgG anti-HEV assays and warrant a comprehensive evaluation of all the assays using well characterized global serum reference panels.
Parametrized Homotopy Theory and Fundamental Groupoids

In general, smooth G-manifolds are not modeled on a single representation V, so, following the geometry, we need a way of encoding the varying local representations that do appear. The machinery for doing this was developed in detail in Costenoble et al. (Homology Homotopy Appl. 3:265–339, 2001) (electronic), Equivariant stable homotopy theory and related areas (Stanford, CA, 2000), where it was used to give a theory of equivariant orientations. It assembles the various local representations into what we call a representation of the fundamental groupoid. The fundamental groupoid \(\Pi _{G}X\) of a G-space X, defined by tom Dieck in Transformation groups, vol 8. Walter de Gruyter & Co., Berlin, 1987, is a category who objects are the maps of orbits G∕H → X; the morphisms in this category are defined in Sect. 2.1. Representations of the fundamental groupoid can be thought of as the natural dimensions of G-vector bundles or G-manifolds, and provide the grading for the extension of ordinary homology and cohomology we will define in Chap. 3 The material from Costenoble et al. (Homology Homotopy Appl. 3:265–339, 2001) (electronic), Equivariant stable homotopy theory and related areas (Stanford, CA, 2000) that we need is recounted in Sect. 2.1.
Leveraging Natural Load Dynamics With Variable Gear-Ratio Actuators

This paper presents a robotic system where the gear-ratio of an actuator is dynamically changed to either leverage or attenuate the natural load dynamics. Based on this principle, lightweight robotic systems can be made fast and strong; exploiting the natural load dynamics for moving at higher speeds (small reduction ratio), while also able to bear a large load through the attenuation of the load dynamics (large reduction ratio). A model-based control algorithm to automatically select the optimal gear-ratios that minimize the total actuator torques for an arbitrary dynamic state and expected uncertainty level is proposed. Also, a novel 3-DoF robot arm using custom actuators with two discrete gear-ratios is presented. The advantages of gear-shifting dynamically are demonstrated through experiments and simulations. Results show that actively changing the gear-ratio using the proposed control algorithms can lead to an order-of-magnitude reduction of necessary actuator torque and power, and also increase robustness to disturbances.
Computationally efficient algorithms for Brownian dynamics simulation of long flexible macromolecules modeled as bead-rod chains

An efficient algorithm for temporal evolution of the bead-rod model of polymeric chains and a method to estimate transient polymer contributions to the stress tensor provide insight into the dynamics and rheological behavior of dilute polymeric solutions of long flexible chains with hydrodynamic interactions.
The role of SOD-2 in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating disease of the Central Nervous System (CNS) that can result in debilitation of afflicted individuals. Oxidative stress is suspected of playing a key role ...
Mathematical and statistical model misspecifications in modelling immune response in renal transplant recipients

We examine uncertainty in clinical data from a kidney transplant recipient infected with BK virus and investigate mathematical model and statistical model misspecifications in the context of least squares methodology. A difference-based method is directly applied to data to determine the correct statistical model that represents the uncertainty in data. We then carry out an inverse problem with the corresponding iterative weighted least squares technique and use the resulting modified residual plots to detect mathematical model discrepancy. This process is implemented using both clinical and simulated data. Our results demonstrate mathematical model misspecification when both simpler and more complex models are assumed compared to data dynamics.
Evolving Technology, Shifting Expectations: Cultivating Pedagogy for a Rapidly Changing GIS Landscape

AbstractAs humans and natural processes continuously reshape the surface of the Earth, there is an unceasing need to document and analyze them through the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The public is gaining more access to spatial technologies that were once only available to highly trained professionals. With technological evolution comes a requirement to transition traditional GIS training for the next generation of GIS professionals. Traditional GIS combined with non-traditional GIS (i.e. mobile and location media) and CyberGIS educational materials could attract new and diverse students into Geography departments while informing the next generation of geospatial tool builders and users. Here we pose an applied pedagogical framework for teaching cutting-edge GIS material to diverse student populations with varying levels of technological experience and professional goals. The framework was developed as part of the National Science Foundation (NSF) CyberGIS Fellows program and was applied ...
Advancing the Field of Public Health Surveillance and Survey Methods.

An introduction is presented in which the author discusses the inclusion of a Surveillance and Survey Methods section in the journal, and it mentions articles dealing with topics such as America's National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, population health, and public health surveillance.
The role of phospholipid headgroups in mediating bilayer organization. Perturbations induced by the presence of a tethered chromophore.

Abstract We report on the dynamics of 1,2-dioleoyl- sn -glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine- N -lissamine rhodamine B sulfonyl ammonium salt (Rhodamine-PE), incorporated into unilamellar vesicles composed of 1,2-dimyristoyl- sn -phosphatidylcholine (DMPC). A key question in the investigation of any bilayer system using tethered fluorescent probes is the role that the chromophore itself plays in determining the organization of phospholipid bilayers. In this work, we investigate the role of headgroup-bound chromophores by measuring the steady state and time-resolved fluorescence response of the tethered rhodamine chromophore as a function of concentration in the bilayer. We find that both the steady state and dynamical properties of the chromophores change with concentration, in a manner consistent with the introduction of disorganization to the bilayers. Steady state fluorescence spectra show a clear perturbation of the rhodamine emission spectrum at a chromophore concentration of 0.25 mol%, which is not seen for lower concentrations, and fluorescence anisotropy data show that both the motional freedom and confining volume experienced by the chromophore increase with concentration. Taken collectively, our data point to the importance of using low concentrations of optical probes in the interrogation of bilayer structures.
Chronic Health Conditions and Neurocognitive Function in Aging Survivors of Childhood Cancer: A Report from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study.

Background Neurocognitive impairment in survivors of childhood cancer may be associated with direct neurotoxicity, as well as indirect effects of systemic health complications. We evaluated associations among treatment exposures, chronic health conditions, and neurocognitive outcomes in adult survivors of childhood cancer. Methods Participants included 5507 adult survivors of childhood cancer (47.1% male; mean [SD] age = 31.8 [7.6] years at evaluation; 23.1 [4.5] years postdiagnosis) in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study who completed a self-report measure of neurocognitive function. Cardiac, pulmonary, and endocrine chronic health conditions were graded using the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (version 4.03). Structural equation modeling was used to examine a priori hypothesized causal pathways among cancer treatment, subsequent chronic health conditions, and neurocognitive outcomes. Multivariable models were used to estimate relative risk for associations of treatments and chronic conditions on neurocognitive function. All statistical tests were two-sided. Results One-third of survivors with a grade 2 or higher chronic condition reported impairments in task efficiency and memory. In addition to direct effects of cranial radiation, path analyses and multivariable models demonstrated direct effects of cardiopulmonary (β = 0.10, P = .002; relative risk [RR] = 1.27, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.12 to 1.44) and endocrine (β = 0.07, P = .04; RR = 1.14, 95% CI = 1.02 to 1.28) conditions on impaired task efficiency. We identified similar effects of cardiopulmonary condition on memory (P = .01) and emotional regulation (P = .01). Thoracic radiation was associated with impaired task efficiency (P = .01) and emotional regulation (P = .01) through endocrine morbidity. Conclusions Non-neurotoxic exposures, such as thoracic radiation, can adversely impact survivors' neurocognitive function through chronic conditions. Management of chronic diseases may mitigate neurocognitive outcomes among aging survivors of childhood cancer.
The distribution of φ-probes in the inflectional structure

Subject-verb agreement in φ -features has been treated as a relation between the subject and some functional category in the clausal spine (Infl, Agr, T). I argue that such severing of the Phi -probe from the verb is problematic for agreement patterns in Bantu languages and argue for a tighter connection between them. The crucial argument is the lack of consistent association of functional heads with agreement features, observed e.g. in compound tenses and aspectual-verb constructions in Bantu languages. The number and positions of Phi -probes in clausal structure are derived from the number and size of head-chains containing a verb.
Microstructure of Fine-Grain Ceramics

This chapter describes the use of transmission electron-microscopy to characterize the microstructure of fine-grain ceramics. Observations have been made on a number of polycrystalline materials including alumina, magnesia, zirconia, metal-ceramic composites, and rock specimens.
Evolution of optical phase conjugation in a suspension of polystyrene spheres

The evolution of the phase conjugate signal in suspensions of polystyrene spheres is studied by means of degenerate four-wave mixing experiments. It has been shown1 that phase conjugation can be achieved in this Kerrlike medium via the electrostrictive effect. Autocorrelation measurements of the total detected optical signal in chopped beam conditions permit us to separate the phase conjugate signal Ec due to the array ordering contribution of the particles from the scattered light due to random concentration fluctuations.
Mitigating defeat: Vidal de la Blache’s 1885 France Frontière Nord-Est et Alsace-Lorraine

ABSTRACTOne contributing factor to France’s devastating defeat in the Franco-Prussian War was a lack of geographic knowledge at all levels of the army. As a result, politicians proposed significant educational reforms in the 1880s, which included an enhanced role of geography in the national curriculum. In order to improve access to and understanding of that subject, French geographer Paul Vidal de la Blache published a series of Cartes murales that appeared in classrooms throughout the nation. Yet his Carte 10 France Frontiere Nord-Est et Alsace-Lorraine, one such map, deviates from his primary mission of teaching pupils about the nation and focuses instead on the delicate topic of France’s new border with Germany. This article will examine Vidal’s map, on which he accurately presents the post-1871 political landscape. However, his cartographic discourse (colour, text, symbols), based on his geographic writings and national sentiment, differentiates Alsace-Lorraine from the new German Empire and helps hi...
Long-term Survival and Seed Transmission of Acidovorax avenae subsp. citrulli in Melon and Watermelon Seed

Seed transmission of A. avenae subsp. citrulli is key in the dissemination of bacterial fruit blotch of cucurbits. This study reports its survival and seed transmission from watermelon and melon se...
Effect of Nucleophilicity on the Kinetics of CO2 Insertion into Pincer-Supported Nickel Complexes

The insertion of CO2 into metal–element σ bonds such as M–H, M–OH, and M–NH2 is often proposed to be a key step in catalytic CO2 conversion. Nevertheless, there are few experimental studies measuring the kinetics of CO2 insertion or comparing insertion into LnM–E (E = H, OH, NH2) complexes with the same ancillary ligands. Here, we use a rapid-mixing stopped-flow instrument to measure the rate of CO2 insertion into (tBuPCP)Ni(OH) (tBuPCP = 2,6-C6H3(CH2PtBu2)2) and show that it proceeds at a faster rate in comparison to insertion into the corresponding metal hydride. We also demonstrate that the rate of CO2 insertion into (tBuPCP)Ni(OH) can generally be increased by using solvents with higher acceptor numbers or by modifying the ligand scaffold to reduce steric bulk or increase electron donation to the metal center. We also attempt to measure the rate of CO2 insertion into (tBuPCP)Ni(NH2); however, this reaction is too fast to measure with our methodology. This work enables the direct comparison of CO2 inse...
Corneal Toxicity Induced by ABT-414 Therapy for Glioblastoma Multiforme: A Case Report.

Background To describe a case of corneal toxicity associated with the use of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor ABT-414 in the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme. Case presentation Case report of a 56-year-old male with glioblastoma multiforme who developed mild painless blurred vision after systemic treatment with the investigational EGFR inhibitor ABT-414. The patient had best corrected visual acuity of 20/60 right eye and 20/50 left eye. Ophthalmic examination revealed corneal toxicity with whorl-like opacities in the inferior interpalpebral cornea. The patient was treated with topical fluoromethalone and lifitegrast, and his ocular symptoms as well as the corneal findings improved. Conclusions The systemic use of EGFR inhibitor ABT-414 may be associated with corneal toxicity and the effects are reversible with treatment.
Legal Proof and Probability in Early Modern England

In early modern England, the practical need to convict accused criminals on evidence that amounted to less than certainty vexed legal theorists and practitioners. The perceived unsuitability of mere probability conflicted with the ideal of certainty and the pragmatic need for jurors to reason inductively; consequently, probability was inconsistently treated by legal theorists and practitioners including Bacon and Coke. This elasticity in the way probability was conceived and put to use shows up in the trial of Sir Walter Raleigh and in Ben Jonson’s play, Volpone. Raleigh’s trial and Jonson’s play illustrate an interesting moment in the history of probability, specifically in law, when established and emerging concepts enabled probability to be presented as having one side—the similar, plausible, or provable, which in bulk could persuade and satisfy the conscience—and another side, the merely similar, merely plausible, and uncertain. Probability was expanding from the provable based on “likeliness” or “likeness” to the more modern concept involving expectation and statistical frequencies which came to dominate probabilistic thinking by the end of the seventeenth century.
A Recursive General Regression Neural Network (R-GRNN) Oracle for classification problems

Abstract This research introduces the Recursive General Regression Neural Network Oracle (R-GRNN Oracle) and is demonstrated on several binary classification datasets. The traditional GRNN Oracle classifier (Masters et al., 1998) combines the predictive powers of several machine learning classifiers by weighing the amount of error each classifier has on the final predictions. Each classifier is assigned a weight based on the percentage of errors it contributes to the final predictions as the classifiers evaluate the dataset. The proposed R-GRNN Oracle is an enhancement to the GRNN Oracle in which the proposed algorithm consists of an oracle within an oracle – where the inner oracle acts as a classifier with its own predictions and error contribution. By combining the inner oracle with other classifiers, the R-GRNN Oracle produces superior results. The classifiers considered in this study are: Support Vector Machine (SVM), Multilayer Perceptron (MLP), Probabilistic Neural Network (PNN), Gaussian Naive Bayes (GNB), K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN), and Random Forest (RF). To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, several datasets were used, with the primary one being the publicly available Spambase dataset. The predictions of SVM, MLP, KNN, and RF were used to create the first GRNN Oracle, which was then enhanced with the high performances of SVM and RF to create the second oracle, the R-GRNN Oracle. The combined recursive model was 93.24% accurate using 10-fold cross validation, higher than the 91.94% of the inner GRNN Oracle and the 91.29% achieved by RF, the highest performance by a stand-alone classifier. The R-GRNN Oracle was not only the most accurate, but it also had the highest AUC, sensitivity, specificity, precision, and F1-score (97.99%, 91.86%, 94.40%, 93.28%, and 92.57%, respectively). The research contribution of this paper is introducing the concept of recursion (a concept not fully explored in machine learning models and applications) and testing this structure's ability on further enhancing the performance of the traditional oracle. The recursive model has also been applied to several other datasets: The Human Resources, Bank Marketing, and Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance (MGUS) datasets. The results of these implementations are summarized in this paper.
Waste in the US Health Care System: Estimated Costs and Potential for Savings.

Importance The United States spends more on health care than any other country, with costs approaching 18% of the gross domestic product (GDP). Prior studies estimated that approximately 30% of health care spending may be considered waste. Despite efforts to reduce overtreatment, improve care, and address overpayment, it is likely that substantial waste in US health care spending remains. Objectives To estimate current levels of waste in the US health care system in 6 previously developed domains and to report estimates of potential savings for each domain. Evidence A search of peer-reviewed and “gray” literature from January 2012 to May 2019 focused on the 6 waste domains previously identified by the Institute of Medicine and Berwick and Hackbarth: failure of care delivery, failure of care coordination, overtreatment or low-value care, pricing failure, fraud and abuse, and administrative complexity. For each domain, available estimates of waste-related costs and data from interventions shown to reduce waste-related costs were recorded, converted to annual estimates in 2019 dollars for national populations when necessary, and combined into ranges or summed as appropriate. Findings The review yielded 71 estimates from 54 unique peer-reviewed publications, government-based reports, and reports from the gray literature. Computations yielded the following estimated ranges of total annual cost of waste: failure of care delivery, $102.4 billion to $165.7 billion; failure of care coordination, $27.2 billion to $78.2 billion; overtreatment or low-value care, $75.7 billion to $101.2 billion; pricing failure, $230.7 billion to $240.5 billion; fraud and abuse, $58.5 billion to $83.9 billion; and administrative complexity, $265.6 billion. The estimated annual savings from measures to eliminate waste were as follows: failure of care delivery, $44.4 billion to $93.3 billion; failure of care coordination, $29.6 billion to $38.2 billion; overtreatment or low-value care, $12.8 billion to $28.6 billion; pricing failure, $81.4 billion to $91.2 billion; and fraud and abuse, $22.8 billion to $30.8 billion. No studies were identified that focused on interventions targeting administrative complexity. The estimated total annual costs of waste were $760 billion to $935 billion and savings from interventions that address waste were $191 billion to $282 billion. Conclusions and Relevance In this review based on 6 previously identified domains of health care waste, the estimated cost of waste in the US health care system ranged from $760 billion to $935 billion, accounting for approximately 25% of total health care spending, and the projected potential savings from interventions that reduce waste, excluding savings from administrative complexity, ranged from $191 billion to $282 billion, representing a potential 25% reduction in the total cost of waste. Implementation of effective measures to eliminate waste represents an opportunity reduce the continued increases in US health care expenditures.
Naming “World Christianity”: Historical and Personal Perspectives on the Yale-Edinburgh Conference in World Christianity and Mission History:

This article was originally delivered as the keynote address at the 2019 Yale-Edinburgh Conference on mission history. It charts three phases in the historical development of the interlocking acade...
Mass Incarceration and Subsequent Preventive Health Care: Mechanisms and Racial/Ethnic Disparities.

Objectives. To examine the associations and mechanisms between 2 indicators of mass incarceration and preventive health care use and whether these associations are moderated by race/ethnicity.Metho...
Buterin's Scalability Trilemma viewed through a State-change-based Classification for Common Consensus Algorithms

Consensus algorithms in distributed systems have attracted much attention in recent studies. However, there is a need for a classification that leads to better understanding and helps direct the deployment of such algorithms. In this paper, we classify common consensus algorithms based on how they decide the order of system state changes. We then determine the extent to which each category prioritizes scalability, decentralization, and security. As with other engineering design scenarios, this is a choose-two tradeoff. Our key contribution is that, based on this taxonomy of tradeoffs, we are able to discern the types of consensus algorithms that work well within the application area(s) for a given distributed system. We find that a dichotomy of algorithms between leader-based and voting-based consensus algorithms emerges from this taxonomy. Applications of this classification scheme include several different categories of distributed ledgers such as blockchains and directed acyclic graphs (DAGs).
Advances of 125iodine brachytherapy for recurrent malignant pelvic tumors.

Pelvic malignant tumors recurrence are not uncommon,Locoregional pelvic recurrence represents a true failure of local treatment.These recurrences are difficult clinical situations and have been most often treated for palliation only,because they occur after maximum local treatment in the form of radical surgery and/or radical radiation therapy and are often associated with intractable pain,severe bleeding,fistula formation,and high risk of recurrences.This article will review the 125I radioactive seeds implantation in the treatment of recurrent malignant pelvic tumors.
Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and menopausal symptoms: a cross-sectional study from the data registry on experiences of aging, menopause, and sexuality.

Objective Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and menopausal symptoms, specifically vasomotor symptoms, have both been associated with cardiovascular disease risk in women. However, data are sparse on the association between these two female-specific cardiovascular risk factors. This study was conducted to investigate the association between a history of a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy and menopausal symptoms. Methods This was a cross-sectional study of women aged 40 to 65 years seen for specialty consultation in women's health clinics at Mayo Clinic Rochester, MN and Scottsdale, AZ, between May, 2015 and September, 2019. A self-reported history of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy served as the independent variable, and menopause symptoms as assessed by the Menopause Rating Scale were the primary outcome measure. Results Of 2,684 women included in the analysis, 180 had a self-reported history of a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy. The total menopausal symptom scores as well as somatic and psychological domain scores were higher in women with a history of a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy compared to women without a history of a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy or to women without a pregnancy. On multivariable analysis, women with a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy using hormone therapy had significantly higher total menopause symptom scores than women with no such history. Conclusions In this large cross-sectional study, a history of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy was associated with more bothersome menopausal symptoms. Additional study is needed to determine the strength of this association, underlying mechanisms of the association, and clinical implications for cardiovascular risk prediction in women.
Bitcoin: The Revolutionary Currency

In 2009, an innovative form of digital currency premiered in the marketplace — Bitcoin. Bitcoin is a peer-to-peer payment network developed by Satoki Nakamoto (Nakamoto). Nakamoto created Bitcoin to be the ultimate digital currency, meaning no governmental oversight, central database, or tracking system. Bitcoin, a so-called “cryptocurrency,” is a digital currency with encrypted messages that are not accessible to third parties. Bitcoin is leading the cryptocurrency market with pioneering technology concepts such as limited distribution and secure information system.
The Arena Product Family: enterprise modeling solutions

This paper introduces the Arena suite of products for modeling, simulation, and optimization, highlighting product architecture and technology features that are targeted toward successful deployment of simulation and Arena throughout an enterprise.
Using Correlation Integrals to Characterize 3D Stellar Orbits

In an effort to more fully understand the variety of stellar distribution functions that can be used to construct models of realistic galaxies, the correlation integral method for orbit characterization that previously has been introduced by Grassberger & Procaccia (1983) and Carnevali & Santangelo (1984) is examined in considerable detail. The broad utility of the method is validated and demonstrated by applying it to orbits in a number of different, previously studied test cases (1D, 2D, and 3D; nonrotating and rotating). At the same time, the correlation integral method is compared and contrasted with other more traditional characterization tools such as Lyapunov exponents and surfaces of section. The method is then extended to orbits in a previously unexamined rotating, 3D bar potential. The correlation integral method is found to be a simple and reliable way to quantitatively categorize orbits in virtually any potential. It is recommended that it be broadly adopted as a tool for characterizing the properties of orbits and, by extension, stellar distribution functions, in all Hamiltonian dynamical systems.
Tracking Pandemic Severity Using Data on the Age Structure of Mortality: Lessons From the 1918 Influenza Pandemic in Michigan.

Objectives. To test whether distortions in the age structure of mortality during the 1918 influenza pandemic in Michigan tracked the severity of the pandemic. Methods. We calculated monthly excess deaths during the period of 1918 to 1920 by using monthly data on all-cause deaths for the period of 1912 to 1920 in Michigan. Next, we measured distortions in the age distribution of deaths by using the Kuiper goodness-of-fit test statistic comparing the monthly distribution of deaths by age in 1918 to 1920 with the baseline distribution for the corresponding month for 1912 to 1917. Results. Monthly distortions in the age distribution of deaths were correlated with excess deaths for the period of 1918 to 1920 in Michigan (r = 0.83; P < .001). Conclusions. Distortions in the age distribution of deaths tracked variations in the severity of the 1918 influenza pandemic. Public Health Implications. It may be possible to track the severity of pandemic activity with age-at-death data by identifying distortions in the age distribution of deaths. Public health authorities should explore the application of this approach to tracking the COVID-19 pandemic in the absence of complete data coverage or accurate cause-of-death data.
Metformin Improves Relevant Disease Parameters in an Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease Mouse Model.

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), caused by mutations in the PKD1 or PKD2 genes encoding polycystins, presents with progressive development of kidney cysts and eventual end-stag...
Area integral characterizations of functions in hardy spaces on domains in

The authors study area integrals of Lusin type on pseudoconvex domains in . For domains of finite type, they prove characterizations of L p and of Hardy spaces in terms of these area integrals. Along the way, the authors provide a new approach to these problems and a way to circumvent difficulties with the papers that exist in the literature.
Management of acute chorioamnionitis

Acute chorioamnionitis has been recognized as a major threat to both mother and fetus, but there has been little study of its therapy. On this service, the plan of management consists of parenteral, broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy and prompt action to effect delivery. Cesarean section was generally performed only when there were additional obstetric indications. No arbitrary time limit was set for the diagnosis-to-delivery interval. The perinatal mortality rate was increased fourfold, but few deaths could be attributed to infection. Maternal outcome was usually good following vaginal delivery and more complicated following abdominal delivery. Over 90% of patients were delivered within 12 hours of diagnosis of chorioamnionitis.
Color coated coil scheduling in cold rolling plant using artificial neural network

This paper investigates the problem of generating satisfactory production sequence of steel coils for color coating process in cold rolling plant. The characteristic of scheduling involves two parts of work. One is to optimally choose steel coils from available ones, the other is to generate a satisfactory processing plan so as to minimize production cost. To solve the problem, this paper transfers all the production requirements into the distance between any pair of coils, reduces the scheduling problem to prize-collecting traveling salesman problem (PCTSP) and develops pertinent Hopfield network algorithm, taking full advantage of the enlarged solving space of PCTSP. The performance of the proposed approach is verified by randomly generated problem instances. Computational results show that the proposed approach outperforms the existing heuristics with respect to solution quality
Finding the Striatum in Sheep: Use of a Multi-Modal Guided Approach for Convection Enhanced Delivery

Our goal is delivery of a long-term treatment for Huntington's disease. We administer intracerebrally in sheep adeno- associated virus (AAV) to establish optimal safety, spread and neuronal uptake of AAV based therapeutics. Sheep have large gyrencephalic brains and offer the opportunity to study a transgenic Huntington's disease model. However, lack of a relevant brain stereotactic atlas and the difficulty of skull fixation make conventional stereotaxy unreliable. We describe a multi-modal image-guidance technique to achieve accurate placement of therapeutics into the sheep striatum.
Pelagic-benthic coupling, food webs, and organic matter degradation in the Chukchi Sea: Insights from sedimentary pigments and stable carbon isotopes

An understanding of the origin and fate of organic matter deposited on the seabed in the Chukchi Sea is critical to our understanding of how regional changes in climate will affect this highly productive ecosystem. We measured the concentrations of chlorophyll a, pheopigments, and accessory pigments in sediments at 39 stations using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to investigate the degradation pathways of chlorophyll-containing organic matter. Chlorophyll a concentrations were among the highest ever reported in marine sediments (up to 665 mg m-2). Measurements of pheopigments, including pheophytin a, pheophorbide a, and pyropheophorbide a, revealed substantial degradative processing of organic matter that began ∼ 2 weeks after ice breakup. However, the ratio of chlorophyll a to total pheopigments (Chl a : pheo) was > 1 in most stations, indicating that chlorophyll a was preserved despite grazing and senescent degradation pathways that produced accumulated pheopigments. Increased δ13C values of bulk sediment organic matter was also positively correlated to concentrations of pheophytin a (p < 0.01, r=0.46), and total pheopigment concentration was correlated to the δ13C values of the epibenthic scavenging snow crab Chionoecetes opilio (p < 0.01, r = 0.92) and the surface deposit feeding bivalves Macoma spp. (p < 0.01, r = 0.69). Based on these observations, we hypothesize that organic matter degraded by microbial and herbivorous grazing pathways produces an enriched 13C signal that is transferred to macrofaunal consumers, providing a critical source of carbon to a rich and diverse benthic food web.
The Emporium Capwell Case: Race, Labor Law, and the Crisis of Post-War Liberalism

This article is a detailed historical exploration of the 1975 United States Supreme Court case Western Addition Community Organization v. Emporium Capwell. In this case, the Court held that the National Labor Relations Act does not allow African American workers who are represented by a labor union to bypass that union in order to bargain about issues of racial discrimination directly with their employer. Using archival source materials as well as oral histories of some of the participants, the article chronicles the litigation from its inception in San Francisco in 1968, through its adjudication before the National Labor Relations Board, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, and the Supreme Court. It argues that the conflict that emerges within the case – between black workers’ right to combat racial discrimination and American labor law’s fundamental commitment to workplace majoritarianism – reflects a broader conflict within the legal and political culture of the late 1960s. American liberalism, the article suggests, was severely weakened by its inability to reconcile its commitments to both racial egalitarianism and progressive wealth redistribution. The Emporium Capwell case and the doctrine that emerged from it is thus the legal analog of the political crisis that weakened liberalism at the end of the 1960s.
LEGAL SOURCES OF RESIDENTIAL LOCK-INS: WHY FRENCH HOUSEHOLDS MOVE HALF AS OFTEN AS U.S. HOUSEHOLDS

In a given year, a resident of the United States is roughly twice more likely to move to a different home than is a resident of France (or of Western Europe as a whole). Cultural differences undoubtedly account for some of this gap. The central thesis of this article, however, is that much of this disparity in residential mobility can be chalked up to differences between U.S. and French (and other European) legal policies — in particular, taxation statutes, land use policies, landlord-tenant laws, and housing assistance programs. The article also offers a normative framework for analyzing the desirability of household relocations. Legal policies that foster residential moves can enable individuals to better match themselves with a job, a dwelling, a set of housemates, a tenure arrangement, a neighborhood, and a municipality (a la Tiebout). A decision to move, however, may give rise to negative externalities, such as erosion of local social capital. In theory, although rarely in practice, people thus can move too often.
Experimental evidence for hadron deconfinement in p-p_bar collisions at centre-of-mass energy of 1.8 TeV in the FNAL C0 collider

We have measured deconfined hadronic volumes, 4.4 < V < 13.0 fm^3, produced by one-dimensional(1D) expansion. The volumes are directly proportional to the charged particle pseudorapidity densities 6.75 < dN_C/dn < 20.2. The hadronization temperature is T = 179.5 +/- 5.0 (syst) MeV. The hadronization energy density is epsilon = 1.10 +/- 0.26 GeV/fm^3, corresponding to an excitation of 24.8 +/- 6.2 quark-gluon degrees of freedom.