cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Treatment of Hyperprolactinemia with a New Ergot Derivative, Lergotrile Mesylate*

Lergotrile mesylate is an ergot alkaloid derivative modified to eliminate the vasoconstrictive properties of the parent compound while preserving the properties that inhibit pituitary prolactin secretion. Administration of the drug to women with amenorrhea-galactorrhea resulted in the lowering of serum prolactin concentrations. The duration of action was short, so that prolactin levels were near base line 6 to 8 hours after a 2.0-mg dose and morning prolactin concentrations were not persistently suppressed. Initial therapy was accompanied by the development of postural hypotension. Tolerance to this side effect of the drug developed after several days of treatment with gradually increasing doses. In one patient, long-term treatment resulted in reduction of breast secretions, resumption of menses, and conception.
Nephro-Duodenal Fistula: A Complication of Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy

AbstractWe report a case of a nephro-duodenal fistula complicating percutaneous nephrolithotomy that was managed conservatively. The patient was discharged from the hospital 14 days postoperatively, free of stone and doing well. The etiology and treatment of this problem are discussed.
A new technique of segmental bone replacement in metastatic osteolysis in long bones

Intercalary replacement is a valuable option in the treatment of diaphysary long bone metastases. In certain cases methylmethacrylate bone cement may be used as a cheap and readily available alternative to modular or custom-made prostheses. Stabilization is best performed by locked intramedullary nailing. By cutting open the cylindric part of a large syringe and placing it around the bone ends after resection a mould is created where liquid bone cement can be filled in. Thus spilling of liquid methacrylate into the adjacent soft tissues is prevented. After curing this results in a smooth round intercalary segment with perfect contact to the bone ends allowing early postoperative mobilization.
Past Action and Ethical Orientation

Triune ethics meta-theory (TEM) identifies ethical orientations that emerge from global brain states rooted in human brain evolution: protectionism, engagement, and imagination. In this chapter, we describe empirical work collected regarding self-reported action related to triune ethics orientations (TEO). We developed and validated a past action report (PAR) in two studies using the triune ethics framework and sets of measures to examine convergent, divergent, predictive validity as well as life experience predictors. The two subtypes of self-protectionism represent neurobiological externalizing (aggressive and domineering) or internalizing (withdrawal and numbness) reactions. We examined these as well as their imagination counterparts: detached, vicious. We also examined engagement and communal imagination. Those who reported favoring particular ethical orientations were also more likely to report behaving in a manner to match that orientation.
On scaling linear programming problems

The scaling of linear programming problems remains a rather poorly understood subject (as indeed it does for linear equations). Although many scaling techniques have been proposed, the rationale behind them is not always evident and very few numerical results are available. This paper considers a number of these techniques and gives numerical results for several real problems. Particular attention is given to two “optimal” scaling methods, giving results on their speed and effectiveness (in terms of their optimality criteria) as well as well as their influence on the numerical behavior of the problem.
Performance evaluation of direct drive high voltage Gallium-Nitride devices in LLC series resonant converters

This paper focuses on performance evaluation of direct drive high voltage Gallium-Nitride (GaN) devices in a high frequency LLC series resonant converter (LLC-SRC). A comparison between synchronous drive and direct drive high voltage (HV) Cascode GaN device has been made. Zero reverse recovery charge and integrated protections make direct drive HV Cascode GaN device attractive to high frequency LLC-SRCs. Dead-time related design considerations of high frequency LLC-SRCs are also discussed. LLC-SRC prototypes using direct drive HV Cascode GaN device have been built. 97.7% peak efficiency is achieved with direct drive HV Cascode GaN device in a 390V to 12V conversion and over 400kHz switching frequency.
Willingness to Pay for Riparian Zones in an Ozark Watershed

AbstractClear Creek watershed, located in the Ozark Mountain Region of Northwest Arkansas, has experienced ecosystem degradation as a result of increased urbanization. Riparian zones are known to p...
Abstract 217: Prediction Outcomes Using Other People’s Models

Introduction: Predictive models of adverse outcomes are developed to identify combinations of variables that can be used to identify at-risk patients. Prediction accuracy of the model is assessed by discrimination - how well the model discriminates those experiencing the outcome vs. those who don’t, and calibration - how well the predicted probabilities of the model correspond to the observed probabilities of the outcome. The ultimate test of a model is applying it to a different cohort. Typically, models developed from the same cohort tend to be overfit, that is, they apply well to the cohort on which they were developed, but less well to a different cohort. We show that re-calibration can result in a valid and useful model. Methods: The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) established the National Adult Cardiac Surgery Database (NCD) in response to inadequately risk-adjusted hospital mortality released by the former Health Care Financing Administration (now the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services). Subsequently, the STS published models of several adverse outcomes including in-hospital mortality for patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting surgery (CABG). We applied the regression coefficients of the risk factors from their model to a different cohort of CABG patients (patients who underwent CABG at Christiana Care Health System) and assessed discrimination and calibration with the c-index and correlation of observed probabilities to predicted probabilities of in-hospital death. As the model resulted in poor calibration, we then re-estimated the regression coefficients for our cohort by applying penalized logistic regression and calculated discrimination and calibration statistics for the re-calibrated model. Results: While discrimination was good (0.827), the STS model was not well-calibrated (Figure 1A) when applied to our cohort. When the model was re-calibrated, discrimination and calibration statistics indicated good discrimination (0.835) and calibration (Figure 1B). Conclusion: When predictive models of adverse outcomes developed on one cohort of patients are applied to a different cohort of patients, the model needs to be re-calibrated to obtain a useful model.
Reactive pathways in the bromobenzene-ammonia dimer cation radical: Evidence for a roaming halogen radical

Abstract Photoinitiated reactions in van der Waals complexes provide a means to examine reactive pathways from well-defined initial geometries. In recent work, we re-examined reactive pathways following resonant two-photon ionization (R2PI) of the chlorobenzene-ammonia (PhCl⋯NH3) dimer. The dimer cation radical reacts primarily via Cl atom loss, and additional channels corresponding to HCl and H atom loss were identified. The structure of the reactive complex was confirmed as an in-plane σ-type, and computational studies of the dimer cation radical potential energy landscape revealed two nearly isoenergetic arenium ion intermediates (or Wheland intermediates). The intermediate produced from ipso addition was not stable with respect to either Cl or HCl loss, and the relative branching observed in experiment was well reproduced by microcanonical transition state theory (TST) calculations. Here, we report experimental and computational studies of the related PhBr⋯NH3 dimer, examined for the first time. We present evidence that the dimer structure is also an in-plane σ-type. However, in contrast to the PhCl⋯NH3 system, calculations predict that the structure of the reactive intermediate corresponds to a distonic ion-radical complex, where the radical density is largely localized on the bromine atom. The calculated barrier to HBr loss is sufficiently high to render this channel nearly insignificant (less than 1% branching) in TST calculations, yet experiment shows a sizable (37%) branching into this channel. We rationalize these results in terms of a roaming Br radical mechanism for HBr formation.
Playing, debugging, learning: A proposal between game and instructional designs via extended prototyping:

This article investigates the phenomenon of open and participative development (e.g. beta testing, Kickstarter projects)—i.e. extended prototyping—in digital entertainment as a potential source of ...
Prenatal Exposure to Bisphenol A Analogues on Female Reproductive Functions in Mice.

This study was performed to examine whether prenatal exposure to bisphenol (BP) A analogues, BPE and BPS, negatively impacts male reproductive functions and testis development using mice as a model. CD-1 mice were orally exposed to control treatment (corn oil), BPA, BPE, and BPS (0.5, 20, or 50 µg/kg/day) from gestational day 11 (the presence of vaginal plug = 1) to birth. Although sperm counts were significantly reduced by BPA, BPE, or BPS on postnatal day (PND) 60, only BPE or BPS exposure remained low for sperm motility. Exposure to BPA, BPE, and BPS disrupted the progression of germ cell development, as morphometric analyses exhibited an abnormal distribution of the stages of spermatogenesis. Furthermore, BPS with a dose of 50 µg/kg/day increased a level of serum estradiol-17β in adult males. On PND12, BPE and BPS significantly increased TUNEL positive cells in neonatal testis, following disruption of the expression of apoptosis, autophagy, and oxidative stress-related factors. In addition, the expression of methyltransferases for DNA methylation and histone modification was also affected by prenatal exposure to BPA, BPE, or BPS in neonatal testis. These results suggest that prenatal exposure to BPE and BPS with physiologically relevant doses affects male reproductive functions probably due to spermatogenic defect in the developing testis.
Automated Facial Expression Analysis

The ability to recognize facial signals is essential for natural communication between humans and until recently has been absent from the computer. Within the past decade, significant advances have enabled computer systems to understand and use this natural form of human communication. Because most investigators have limited their analysis to a small set of posed expressions, the generalizability of these systems to real world applications is low. Here we present an approach to automatic facial expression analysis based on the Facial Action Coding System (FACS). This system objectively measures facial expressions by decomposing them into component actions. FACS is presently performed by expert human observers, not computers. An automated facial action coding system will have a wide range of applications in behavioral science, medicine, and human-computer interaction. This chapter reviews the state of the art in automated facial expression analysis, describes the Facial Action Coding System, and outlines our approach to automating FACS.
Induction and maintenance of anergy in mature T cells.

Three models have been proposed to explain the inability of T lymphocytes to respond to self-antigens (reviewed in 1): (a) self-reactive T cells are present but are prevented from functioning by suppressor T cells (suppression); (b) self-reactive T cells are present but have been functionally inactivated following interaction with host antigens (clonal anergy); and (c) self-reactive T cells are physically deleted (clonal deletion). A growing body of conclusive evidence indicates that clonal deletion is a major mechanism of tolerance induction for those antigens expressed in the thymus, the site of T cell development.2–5 It is difficult, however, to understand how this mechanism could account for tolerance to tissue-specific antigens, expressed in low amounts outside of the thymus. A potential resolution to this paradox may be found in recent studies that provide in vivo evidence for a nondeletional mechanism of clonal anergy6–8 that may operate outside of the thymus. The characteristics of the anergy observed in vivo are strikingly similar to those described for the induction of unresponsiveness in vitro for type 1 CD4+ T cell clones. Here we review our results on the induction of anergy in T cell clones and present new data on the mechanism by which it is maintained.
Revision Total Wrist Arthroplasty Due to Polyethylene Wear, Metallosis-Induced Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Distal Ulnar Impingement, and Fourth Carpometacarpal Joint Pain: Case Report and Pitfalls to Avoid:

Background: Total wrist arthroplasty (TWA) is indicated to alleviate pain secondary to arthritis while preserving wrist motion. Despite vigilant measures, TWAs are susceptible to complications. The current case illustrates an array of preventable complications which are addressed through operative technique in a revision setting. Case presentation: The patient was a 72-year-old man who presented with chronic pain at the fourth carpometacarpal joint (CMCJ) and distal radioulnar joint with paresthesias in the median nerve distribution. Surgery was undertaken to address the following complications secondary to a previous TWA: impingement of the native distal ulna on the prosthesis, carpal tunnel due to metallosis and polyethylene synovitis, loose carpal component, and prominent screw at the fourth CMCJ. Surgical correction included open carpal tunnel release with extensive flexor tenosynovectomy, distal ulna resection and implant arthroplasty with shortening, revision of carpal component with bone grafting, and shortening of the ulnar screw to avoid crossing the fourth CMCJ. Within 6 months of the procedure, the patient reported resolution of neuropathic symptoms and pain-free motion of the wrist. Discussion: Preventable complications associated with TWA are individually highlighted. In addition, we compare and contrast our approach and surgical technique to current reported literature. Overall, we provide education and guidance to avoid possible TWA pitfalls. Conclusion: With this case report, we hope to increase TWA knowledge with emphasis on the requirements of judicious patient selection, preoperative planning, meticulous surgical technique, and complication awareness for subsequent optimization of wrist function, stability, and durability.
Expression and Activation of BKCa Channels in Mice Protects Against Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury of Isolated Hearts by Modulating Mitochondrial Function

Aims Activation and expression of large conductance calcium and voltage-activated potassium channel (BKCa) by pharmacological agents have been implicated in cardioprotection from ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury possibly by regulating mitochondrial function. Given the non-specific effects of pharmacological agents, it is not clear whether activation of BKCa is critical to cardioprotection. In this study, we aimed to decipher the mechanistic role of BKCa in cardioprotection from IR injury by using genetically activating BKCa channels. Methods and Results Hearts from adult (3 months old) wild-type mice (C57/BL6) and mice expressing genetically activated BKCa (Tg-BKCaR207Q, referred as Tg-BKCa) along with wild-type BKCa were subjected to 20 min of ischemia and 30 min of reperfusion with or without ischemic preconditioning (IPC, 2 times for 2.5 min interval for each). Left ventricular developed pressure (LVDP) was recorded by Millar’s Mikrotip® catheter connected to ADInstrument data acquisition system. Myocardial infarction was quantified by 2,3,5-triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining. Our results demonstrated that Tg-BKCa mice are protected from IR injury, and BKCa also contributes to IPC-mediated cardioprotection. Cardiac parameters were also measured by echocardiography and no differences were observed in left ventricular ejection fraction, fractional shortening and aortic velocities. Amplex Red® was used to assess reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in isolated mitochondria by spectrofluorometry. We found that genetic activation of BKCa reduces ROS after IR stress. Adult cardiomyocytes and mitochondria from Tg-BKCa mice were isolated and labeled with Anti-BKCa antibodies. Images acquired via confocal microscopy revealed localization of cardiac BKCa in the mitochondria. Conclusions Activation of BKCa is essential for recovery of cardiac function after IR injury and is likely a factor in IPC mediated cardioprotection. Genetic activation of BKCa reduces ROS produced by complex I and complex II/III in Tg-BKCa mice after IR, and IPC further decreases it. These results implicate BKCa-mediated cardioprotection in part by reducing mitochondrial ROS production. Localization of Tg-BKCa in adult cardiomyocytes of transgenic mice was similar to wild-type mice.
Compound retention in care and all-cause mortality among persons living with human immunodeficiency virus

Author(s): Kay, Emma Sophia; Batey, D Scott; Westfall, Andrew O; Christopoulos, Katerina; Cole, Stephen R; Geng, Elvin H; Mathews, W Christopher; Moore, Richard D; Mugavero, Michael J | Abstract: BackgroundTo obtain optimal health outcomes, persons living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) must be retained in clinical care. We examined the relationships between 4 possible combinations of 2 separate retention measures (missed visits and the Institute of Medicine [IOM] indicator) and all-cause mortality.MethodsThe sample included 4162 antiretroviral therapy (ART)-naive patients who started ART between January 2000 and July 2010 at any of 5 US sites of the Center for AIDS Research Network of Integrated Clinical Systems. The independent variable of interest was retention, captured over the 12-month period after the initiation of ART. The study outcome, all-cause mortality 1 year after ART initiation, was determined by querying the Social Security Death Index or the National Death Index. We evaluated the associations of the 4 categories of retention with all-cause mortality, using the Cox proportional hazards models.ResultsTen percent of patients did not meet retention standards for either measure (hazard ratio [HR], 2.26; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.59-3.21). Patients retained by the IOM but not the missed-visits measure (42%) had a higher HR for mortality (1.72; 95% CI, 1.33-2.21) than patients retained by both measures (41%). Patients retained by the missed-visits but not the IOM measure (6%) had the same mortality hazards as patients retained by both measures (HR, 1.01; 95% CI, .54-1.87).ConclusionsMissed visits within the first 12 months of ART initiation are a major risk factor for subsequent death. Incorporating missed visits in clinical and public health retention and viral suppression programming is advised.
Work, Non-Work Boundaries and the Right to Disconnect

Work-life conflict involves the competing demands of work and nonwork activities that often trigger feelings of stress and anxiety that can endanger individuals’ professional and personal lives. As a result, organizations and nations have been encouraged to create more employee-friendly job arrangements in terms of where, when, and how individuals work. Providing employees greater choice and flexible work boundaries, however, often turns into work without boundaries creating problematic consequences for both firms and workers. This “always on” culture has been made possible by several factors most importantly by enhanced communication technology involving connectivity and immediacy that enable employees to communicate anytime and from anywhere. While organizations are addressing this imbalance and attempting to mitigate the often-negative effects of such professional-personal conflict, politicians have initiated legislation that attempts to switch off the 24-7-365 availability mindset by considering and sometimes adopting “right to disconnect laws.”
EQUIDISTRIBUTION TOWARD THE GREEN CURRENT IN BIG COHOMOLOGY CLASSES

We study limiting distribution of the sequence of pull-backs of smooth (1, 1) forms and positive closed currents by meromorphic endomorphisms of compact Kahler manifolds.
Source apportionment of primary and secondary PM2.5: Associations with pediatric respiratory disease emergency department visits in the U.S. State of Georgia.

Abstract We developed a hybrid chemical transport model and receptor model (CTM-RM) to conduct source apportionment of both primary and secondary PM2.5 (particulate matter ≤2.5 μm in diameter) at 36 km resolution throughout the U.S. State of Georgia for the years 2005 and 2007. This novel source apportionment model enabled us to estimate and compare associations of short-term changes in 12 PM2.5 source concentrations (agriculture, biogenic, coal, dust, fuel oil, metals, natural gas, non-road mobile diesel, non-road mobile gasoline, on-road mobile diesel, on-road mobile gasoline, and all other sources) with emergency department (ED) visits for pediatric respiratory diseases. ED visits for asthma (N = 49,651), pneumonia (N = 25,558), and acute upper respiratory infections (acute URI, N = 235,343) among patients aged ≤18 years were obtained from patient claims records. Using a case-crossover study, we estimated odds ratios per interquartile range (IQR) increase for 3-day moving average PM2.5 source concentrations using conditional logistic regression, matching on day-of-week, month, and year, and adjusting for average temperature, humidity, and holidays. We fit both single-source and multi-source models. We observed positive associations between several PM2.5 sources and ED visits for asthma, pneumonia, and acute URI. For example, for asthma, per IQR increase in the source contribution in the single-source model, odds ratios were 1.022 (95% CI: 1.013, 1.031) for dust; 1.050 (95% CI: 1.036, 1.063) for metals, and 1.091 (95% CI: 1.064, 1.119) for natural gas. These sources comprised 5.7%, 2.2%, and 6.3% of total PM2.5 mass, respectively. PM2.5 from metals and natural gas were positively associated with all three respiratory outcomes. In addition, non-road mobile diesel was positively associated with pneumonia and acute URI.
Continence: Bowel and Bladder and Physical Function Decline in Women

The purpose of this article is to review the various forms of incontinence, highlight their impact on older women, and explore current literature regarding the link between physical activity, physical function, and incontinence. Both urinary and fecal incontinence become more prevalent with age, and are associated with significant morbidity. In parallel, there is a well-established decline in physical function that occurs with age. Furthermore, incontinence has a bidirectional relationship with physical function decline. Given the known link between increasing physical activity and preserved physical function, there is an emerging body of literature seeking to determine whether increases in physical activity may also improve incontinence outcomes. We review some recent data on this topic. Continence and physical function are two closely linked entities. Further research is needed to determine whether interventions that increase physical activity might result in improved continence outcomes.
Interactive youth science workshops benefit student participants and graduate student mentors.

Science communication and outreach are essential for training the next generation of scientists and raising public awareness for science. Providing effective science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) educational outreach to students in classrooms is challenging because of the need to form partnerships with teachers, the time commitment required for the presenting scientist, and the limited class time allotted for presentations. In our Present Your Ph.D. Thesis to a 12-Year Old outreach project, our novel solution to this problem is hosting a youth science workshop (YSW) on our university campus. The YSW is an interpersonal science communication and outreach experience in which graduate students from diverse scientific disciplines introduce middle and high school students to their cutting-edge research and mentor them to develop a white-board presentation to communicate the research to the workshop audience. Our assessment of the YSW indicated that participating young students expressed significantly more positive attitudes toward science and increased motivation to work in a STEM career after attending the workshop. Qualitative follow-up interviews with participating graduate students’ show that even with minimal time commitment, an impactful science communication training experience can be achieved. The YSW is a low-cost, high-reward educational outreach event amenable to all disciplines of science. It enhances interest and support of basic science research while providing opportunities for graduate students to engage with the public, improve their science communication skills, and enhance public understanding of science. This YSW model can be easily implemented at other higher education institutions to globally enhance science outreach initiatives.
Chapter 13 – Employee training

This chapter is a guide to creating employee and supervisor training as a part of a fatigue risk management systems (FRMS). It is helpful for those in the chemical processing industry wishing to comply with ANSI/API RP 755’s (fatigue risk management systems for personnel in the refining and petrochemical industries) recommendations related to sleep and work schedules. The chapter outlines what should be included in training for both employees and supervisors.
A fidelity measure for quantum states based on the matrix geometric mean

Uhlmann's fidelity function is one of the most widely used similarity measures in quantum theory. One definition of this function is that it is the minimum classical fidelity associated with a quantum-to-classical measurement procedure of two quantum states. In 2010, Matsumoto introduced another fidelity function which is dual to Uhlmann's in the sense that it is the maximimum classical fidelity associated with a classical-to-quantum preparation procedure for two quantum states. Matsumoto's fidelity can also be defined using the well-established notion definition of the matrix geometric mean. In this work, we examine Matsumoto's fidelity through the lens of semidefinite programming to give simple proofs that it possesses many desirable properties for a similarity measure, including monotonicity under quantum channels, joint concavity, and unitary invariance. Finally, we provide a geometric interpretation of this fidelity in terms of the Riemannian space of positive definite matrices, and show how this picture can be useful in understanding some of its peculiar properties.
Most versus least used social media: undergraduate students' preferences, participation, lurking, and motivational factors

This investigation aimed to survey undergraduate students on their social media preference, active participation, lurking behaviours, and motivational factors. This investigation focused on participation patterns and outcomes between the students' most used social media (MUSM) and least used social media (LUSM). A total of 769 participants consented to complete the electronic survey. The investigation results indicated that as undergraduate students change their class standings, so does their use of social media. Sophomores are more active in their MUSM compared to freshman undergraduate students. Sophomores were also more likely to lurk compared to junior and senior undergraduate students. The results also indicate that both commitment and individual motivational factors encourage undergraduate students to log in and use their LUSM. Lastly, results showed that undergraduate students use and participate in social media for traditional as well as a range of alternative activities. The main alternative activity performed by undergraduate students in their MUSM and LUSM was private and direct messaging to share content and chat with others.
Learning Environments: The Case for Evidence-Based Practice and Issue-Driven Research

In his thought-provoking review of current trends in educational research, Winn offers advice to practitioners and to researchers concerning the role of computer-based simulations in education (Winn, W. (2000). Educ. Psychol. Rev. 14, 331–351). In this critique, I offer two proposals for consideration by those who wish to make practical recommendations about learning environments: (1) Recommendations for practice should be based on specifically relevant evidence. (2) The available methods for collecting evidence should not exclude controlled experiments; instead, researchers should be free to choose among experimental or observational methods, use quantitative or qualitative measures, focus on artificial or naturalistic settings, and invent new techniques as needed. In short, I join the call for evidence-based practice and issue-driven research.
Travelers in the Wilderness: Robert Louis Stevenson’s Transformative Travels

In Travels with a Donkey (1879), Robert Louis Stevenson explores the relatively unknown south-central Cevennes region of France, while paralleling the region’s history and landscape with those of his native Scotland. In aligning Scottish covenantors with French Camisards, Stevenson weaves together national and religious preoccupations and presents a genre-challenging version of a modern-day pilgrimage across national and individual identities. This essay details the liminality and metatextuality of Stevenson’s reflective narrative, demonstrating that his account challenges, on multiple levels, reductive genre classifications. Stevenson invents a mixed-genre travel narrative that invites home and abroad to unite in understanding otherness.
Recommendations for Intervention Content to Enhance HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Uptake among Men Who have Sex with Men Receiving Care at Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinics

Background and objective Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) uptake has been suboptimal. Sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics provide important opportunities to scale PrEP uptake. Material and methods To inform the development of a brief intervention to enhance PrEP uptake in STD clinics, we conducted 32 qualitative interviews to explore barriers and facilitators of PrEP uptake among PrEP eligible, PrEP naive, and men who have sex with men (MSM) presenting for STD screening services. We also solicited input for intervention components to enhance PrEP uptake at STD clinics. Results Most participants’ self-perceived HIV risks were low despite reporting unprotected anal intercourse. Many were reluctant to take any medications, expressed apprehension about perceived side effects of PrEP, and were unaware of how to obtain PrEP. Participants recommended that interventions focusing on enhancing PrEP uptake in STD clinics should include: culturally tailored educational materials about PrEP, informational graphics indicating PrEP’s relative efficacy in reducing HIV transmission risks, and comprehensive PrEP navigation. Most participants did not feel strongly about gender, race or ethnicity of providers; however, nearly all preferred gay affirming providers. Brief interventions to enhance PrEP uptake among MSM in STD clinics should include efforts to raise self-awareness of HIV risk, provide information about PrEP’s efficacy relative to other interventions, underscore PrEP’s relatively few side effects, and provide culturally tailored messaging.
Association of Pre-COVID-19 Lymphocytopenia with Fatality

Abstract Lymphocytopenia during the COVID-19 has been associated with fatality. We tested whether pre-existing lymphocytopenia reported prior to any possible exposure to SARS-COV2 (from 2010 to 2019) was associated with fatality. Using all patients diagnosed on testing in a single regional laboratory, we identified 1137 subjects with PCR positive for SARS-COV2 and at least one available complete blood count from the decade prior to any possible exposure to the virus. Bivariate analysis indicated an association between pre-existing lymphocytopenia (defined as absolute lymphocyte count
Reversible Encephalopathy Due to Venous Hypertension From Arteriovenous Hemodialysis Graft.

Venous congestive encephalopathy is a rare complication in patients with arteriovenous hemodialysis grafts. It commonly manifests as encephalopathy of fluctuating severity, often with seizures. Bec...
Simple Wavelet Sets in $\mathbb{R}^{n}$

Wavelet sets that are finite unions of convex sets are constructed in $\mathbb{R}^{n}$ , n≥2, for dilation by any expansive matrix that has a power equal to a scalar times the identity and also has all singular values greater than $\sqrt{n}$ . In particular, we produce simple wavelet sets in every dimension for dilation by any real scalar greater than 1.
Urology Residency Training in Medically Underserved Areas through the Integration of a Federally Qualified Health Center Rotation

Objective To identify workforce related barriers to urologic care in Medically Underserved Areas (MUA) and Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA). Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) are community-based organizations that aim to close gaps, but little is known about exposure to underserved areas during residency training. Methods The objective of this study was to characterize the experiences of urology residents who participated in a rotation within a FQHC. The study consisted of: (1) 12-item post-rotation self-assessment (2) review of career paths of former graduates who completed the rotation, and (3) retrospective review of patients treated at FQHC from 2016 to 2018. Results There were a total of 1735 patient visits, 97 were for cystoscopy, 76.36% of patients had Medicaid or no insurance. There were 1092 unique patients seen and 281 (25.73%) were referred for surgery. A majority of residents (100%) stated they had a better appreciation of treating patients in underserved areas. A majority of residents (71.6%) of residents said they were more likely to practice in an underserved area after residency. Among former graduates who rotated through the clinic, 100% (n = 4) were practicing in a MUA or HPSA. Conclusion The integration of an FQHC during urology residency training was associated with highly favorable satisfaction by trainees. Given persistent workforce related shortages in urology, these findings support exposure to medically underserved areas during training.
Abstract SP054: Obesity and Breast Cancer: Body Composition, Metabolic Mediators and Inflammation

Obesity has been associated with an increased risk of postmenopausal breast cancer (predominantly ER+), as well as triple negative premenopausal breast cancer. It has also been associated with an increased risk of breast cancer distant recurrence and death, regardless or menopausal status or IHC defined breast cancer subtype. Obesity effects on recurrence and death are modest, with HRs for either outcome approximating 1.3. Obesity is linked to metabolic alterations that include insulin resistance (with associated high insulin and reduced glucose tolerance), altered lipids and adipokines, hypertension, central obesity, inflammation and increased risks of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and cardiovascular disease - this constellation of attributes comprises the insulin resistance or metabolic syndrome. There is growing appreciation that BMI [weight (kg)/height (m)2] ≥ 30 kg/m2 is an imperfect measure of both body composition and underlying metabolic status. Recent research has focused on body composition (e.g. central obesity/sarcopenic obesity) and metabolic health (“healthy” obese, “unhealthy” normal weight) as predictors of breast cancer outcomes. Many of the inter-related physiologic changes associated with obesity (including higher levels of insulin, glucose, altered adipokines and, less consistently, circulating inflammatory factors) have individually been associated with increased breast cancer risk and/or poor breast cancer outcomes. These circulating factors, and obesity per se, have, in turn, been associated with changes in breast tissue and tumor micro-environment, including crown-like structures (dying adipocytes surrounded by inflammatory cells) as well as increased infiltration of inflammatory cells, cytokines and chemokines - all of which have been linked to cancer risk and progression in preclinical and/or clinical research. Evidence linking obesity/body composition, circulating obesity-associated physiologic and inflammatory factors to breast cancer outcomes will be discussed as will interventions (notably weight loss, metformin) targeting these factors in breast cancer patients. Recent findings linking breast inflammation to obesity/obesity-associated physiology and breast cancer outcomes will be reviewed. The inter-relatedness of these factors and the likelihood that the breast cancer-obesity link is complex and multifactorial will be highlighted. Citation Format: P Goodwin. Obesity and Breast Cancer: Body Composition, Metabolic Mediators and Inflammation [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2020 San Antonio Breast Cancer Virtual Symposium; 2020 Dec 8-11; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(4 Suppl):Abstract nr SP054.
Ganglioside isomer analysis using ion polarity switching liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

Gangliosides are ubiquitously present on cell surface. They are more abundantly expressed in nerve cells and tissues and involved in pathology of various diseases. Diversity of molecular structures in the carbohydrate head group, fatty acyl, and long chain base increases the complexity of analyzing gangliosides. In this study, an ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method is developed for analysis of the co-eluting ganglioside isomers, which uses ion polarity switching to integrate glycan head isomer identification, ceramide isomer differentiation, and quantification of ganglioside into one analysis. The method is facilitated with an extensive ganglioside target list by combining the various glycan head groups, long chain bases, and the experimentally determined fatty acyls. Correlation between the retention time of ganglioside and its ceramide total carbon number is experimentally validated and used to predict retention time of ganglioside target list for scheduling the final multiple reaction monitoring method. This method was validated according to the FDA guidelines: 96.5% of gangliosides with good accuracy (80–120%), precision ( 0.99. The authenticated gangliosides were quantified from mouse brain by isotope dilution. Overall, 165 gangliosides were quantified using 10 mg mouse brain tissue, including 100 isomers of GM1, GM2, GM3, GD1a, GD1b, GD2, GD3, and GT1b.
Do accountable care organizations differ according to physician-hospital integration?: A retrospective observational study.

ABSTRACT Physician-hospital integration among accountable care organizations (ACOs) has raised concern over impacts on prices and spending. However, characteristics of ACOs with greater integration between physicians and hospitals are unknown. We examined whether ACOs systematically differ by physician-hospital integration among 16 commercial ACOs operating in Massachusetts.Using claims data linked to information on physician affiliation, we measured hospital integration with primary care physicians for each ACO and categorized them into high-, medium-, and low-integrated ACOs. We conducted cross-sectional descriptive analysis to compare differences in patient population, organizational characteristics, and healthcare spending between the three groups. In addition, using multivariate generalized linear models, we compared ACO spending by integration level, adjusting for organization and patient characteristics. We identified non-elderly adults (aged 18-64) served by 16 Massachusetts ACOs over the period 2009 to 2013.High- and medium-integrated ACOs were more likely to be an integrated delivery system or an organization with a large number of providers. Compared to low-integrated ACOs, higher-integrated ACOs had larger inpatient care capacity, smaller composition of primary care physicians, and were more likely to employ physicians directly or through an affiliated hospital or physician group. A greater proportion of high-/medium-integrated ACO patients lived in affluent neighborhoods or areas with a larger minority population. Healthcare spending per enrollee in high-integrated ACOs was higher, which was mainly driven by a higher spending on outpatient facility services.This study shows that higher-integrated ACOs differ from their counterparts with low integration in many respects including higher healthcare spending, which persisted after adjusting for organizational characteristics and patient mix. Further investigation into the effects of integration on expenditures will inform the ongoing development of ACOs.
Mesoscale modeling of optical turbulence (C2n) utilizing a novel physically-based parameterization

In this paper, we propose a novel parameterization for optical turbulence (C 2 n ) simulations in the atmosphere. In this approach, C 2 n is calculated from the output of atmospheric models using a high-order turbulence closure scheme. An important feature of this parameterization is that, in the free atmosphere (i.e., above the boundary layer), it is consistent with a well-established C 2 n formulation by Tatarskii. Furthermore, it approaches a Monin-Obukhov similarity-based relationship in the surface layer. To test the performance of the proposed parameterization, we conduct mesoscale modeling and compare the simulated C 2 n values with those measured during two field campaigns over the Hawaii island. A popular regression-based approach proposed by Trinquet and Vernin (2007) is also used for comparison. The predicted C 2 n values, obtained from both the physically and statistically-based parameterizations, agree reasonably well with the observational data. However, in the presence of a large-scale atmospheric phenomenon (a breaking mountain wave), the physically-based parameterization outperforms the statistically-based one.
STRUCTURE OF RANDOM SILICATES: POLYMERS, COLLOIDS, AND POROUS SOLIDS

Small angle x-ray scattering and light scattering are used to characterize structures grown by random processes within the silica system. Dense colloids, rough colloids, and branched polymers are grown by polymerization in solution. Supermolecular structures are also studied, including gels, colloidal liquids, and aggregates.
Characterization of two operons encoding the cytochrome b6-f complex of the cyanobacterium Nostoc PCC 7906. Highly conserved sequences but different gene organization than in chloroplasts.

We have isolated and determined the nucleotide and derived protein sequences for the four genes, petCA and BD, which encode the cytochrome b6-f, electron-transfer complex of the filamentous cyanobacterium, Nostoc PCC 7906. The primary structure and cotranscription of the petCA genes encoding the Rieske-FeS (nuclear encoded in plants) and apocytochrome f proteins has been described previously (Kallas, T., Spiller, S., and Malkin, R. (1988) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., in press). The petBD genes (645 and 480 protein-coding nucleotides, respectively) for the apocytochrome b6 (24.3 kDa) and subunit-IV (17.5 kDa) proteins comprise a second operon located at least 12 kilobases (kb) from petCA. The Nostoc petBD genes are not closely linked to the psbB gene (encoding the 51-kDa photosystem II polypeptide) and do not contain introns as do the closely related chloroplast genes. DNA probes specific for each of the Nostoc cytochrome-complex genes hybridized to single bands in genomic DNA blots at intensities expected for single copy genes. These data suggest that a single set of cytochrome b6-f proteins function in the different types of membranes found in Nostoc vegetative and heterocyst cells. RNA blot hybridizations identified an 1.8-kb mRNA common to cytochrome b6 and subunit IV, and an intensely hybridizing 0.8-kb mRNA specific to the subunit IV gene probe. The role of the latter RNA is not clear but it may represent a transcript from the opposite strand. The deduced Rieske, apocytochrome f, apocytochrome b6, and subunit IV proteins exhibit 59, 58-63, 84-85, and 79-83% sequence identity with the proteins from chloroplast cytochrome b6-f complexes. The Nostoc proteins show lower but still significant sequences identity with the corresponding proteins of the mitochondrial-type b-c1 complexes. The four probable heme-liganding His residues, and the approximate spacings between them, have been conserved in all of the available cytochrome b6 and b sequences from divergent sources. The Nostoc apocytochrome b6 and subunit IV proteins, as well as the Rieske, appear to be translated and thus inserted into the membrane as mature forms without cleavable presequences. Hydropathy analyses revealed five potential membrane spans in cytochrome b6 and three in the subunit IV protein, consistent with the profiles observed for the chloroplast proteins and the related cytochrome b proteins of cytochrome b-c1 complexes.
Elusive Supernova Progenitors

Supernovae—the complete disruption of stars at the end of their lives—are among the most energetic events in the universe. But which sorts of stars give rise to supernovae? To answer this question, astronomers should ideally identify a supernova progenitor on pre-supernova images. Unfortunately, no supernova has been definitely discovered by eye in our Galaxy since 1604 A.D. Progenitors have been identified for 6 of the ∼2900 known extragalactic supernovae, but 5 of these 6 supernovae are somewhat peculiar; 2 may not be supernovae at all.
China, Russia, and the Challenge to the Global Commons

During the second half of the twentieth century, the USA enjoyed unfettered freedom to use the global commons – those domains that remain outside the territory of any single nation state but provide the means for connecting much of the world. The most prominent of these realms are the world's oceans (still the main thoroughfare for trading goods between countries), outer space (the domain used by most long-distance communications and broadcast media), and the Internet (increasingly the most effective media for storing and moving large quantities of information great distances at low cost). Billions of people access these domains each day, but they are especially important for commercial and military actors. China and Russia have launched major campaigns to contest the American presence in the global commons. These initiatives include challenging US surveillance operations in international waters, trying to constrain American military access to outer space, and enhancing their capacity to disrupt US use of the Internet. Overcoming Chinese and Russian anti-access efforts are essential for preserving the security of the USA and its allies. In particular, as the US military has reduced its forward bases in Japan, South Korea, and other Asia–Pacific countries, it has become increasingly dependent on the global commons to rapidly deploy forces based in the USA to potential conflict regions. A failure to overcome anti-access threats could lead Asia–Pacific countries to call into question US security guarantees.