cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Yield and forage quality of glandular-haired alfalfa under alfalfa weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and potato leafhopper (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) pest pressure in Virginia.

Cultivars of glandular-haired alfalfa, Medicago sativa L., such as ‘54H69’, are currently available and marketed as being resistant to potato leafhopper, Empoasca fabae (Harris) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae). 54H69 and a standard, nonglandular-haired alfalfa ‘Choice’ were evaluated at two locations in Virginia over a 3-yr period. Dry matter yields and concentrations of crude protein and acid detergent fiber were compared at the first, second, and third harvests. Overall, the two cultivars produced similar dry matter yields of comparable forage quality in the absence of insecticides at both locations in each year. Untreated 54H69 did not produce greater dry matter yields than untreated Choice under either light or heavier potato leafhopper pest pressure. Concentrations of crude protein did not vary between the two cultivars at any harvest. Some differences in concentrations of acid detergent fiber were detected between cultivars, but these differences were not consistent among years, harvests, or between locations. Further comparisons between untreated 54H69 and treated Choice were made, but few significant differences were detected in dry matter yields or forage quality. An economic analysis for the study indicated that a grower planting 54H69 would realize less net revenue than a grower planting Choice, largely because of the seed premium for the glandular-haired cultivar and the evident need to treat 54H69 with insecticide for control of alfalfa weevil, Hypera postica (Gyllenhal) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), and potato leafhopper.
Equitable distribution of open space: Using spatial analysis to evaluate urban parks in Curitiba, Brazil:

Urban parks are community assets, providing people places to play and rest. Access to parks in urban environments promotes social equity and improves quality of life for surrounding neighborhoods. ...
First-principles study of point defects under varied chemical potentials in Li4BN3H10

We have employed density functional theory calculations to determine the formation energy for a number of neutral and charged point defects in the mixed anion hydrogen storage compound Li${}_{4}$BN${}_{3}$H${}_{10}$, under a variety of chemical potentials, to investigate the possible role of point defects in hydrogen desorption. We discuss the determination of chemical potentials based on four-phase equilibria that arise from the temperature-dependent decomposition reactions. Our results indicate the following: (1) Neutral NH vacancies are nearly always the lowest-energy defect and have a small positive formation energy up to the experimental hydrogen desorption temperature. (2) The cases where NH vacancies are not the lowest energy correspond to unstable four-phase equilibria. (3) Separated pairs of oppositely charged defects are always higher energy than the analogous combined neutral defect.
Hope as a Therapeutic Target in Counselling – In General and in Relation to Christian Clients

This paper reviews the contemporary literature as it pertains to the importance of hope as a therapeutic target; how it is variously conceptualized and how it may be effectively built in therapy. Implications for clinical practice include: (1) specific hope interventions amongst a broader treatment plan; (2) therapists’ awareness of their own level of hopefulness; (3) focusing on attachments, goals and making meaning from suffering. Each of these aspects is discussed for clients in general, and for Christian clients, with whom hope typically has a distinct theological narrative.
An Approach on photovoltaic module temperature Forecasting

As module temperature plays an important role in the conversion efficiency of photovoltaic, PV, cell module, an accurate prediction will be very helpful in improving PV power forecasting. In this article, a statistical approach is opposed to generate temperature forecasting of PV cell module considering its main influence factors. In the case study, this approach continuously provides reasonable temperature forecasting of the PV cell module. It is indicated that this approach is of significance in practical application.
Adaptive approach to monitor resource for cloud computing platform

Resource capacity and load monitoring is a basic research topic in cloud computing platform.In this paper,an adaptive resource and load monitoring method are proposed to be used in heterogeneous computing environment.According to system operating environment and the changes of resource workload,the method combines periodic pull mode with event-driven push mode to adaptively publish and retrieve system load and resource information.Preliminary experiments reveal that,by using adaptive monitoring method,the efficiency of system monitoring is improved over that accrued by using regular monitoring approach.
The Evolution of the Idea of the Criminal Proceeding ——Comment on Russian Amended Criminal Procedure Law

Establishment of the code of criminal procedure law concerning adversary proceeding mode, evolution of the rule of evidence, perfection of the safeguard mechanism of the rights of defense for the criminal suspect and the accused, the functionary transformation of the procuratorial organization in the criminal proceedings as well as the special adjudication procedure for the accused to plead guilty etc., all constitute the highlights of the Russian criminal procedure law. The prior consideration of the defender's litigious rights and guarantee of the liberty in particular, the bi-directional goal for procedure justice and litigious efficiency become not only a brand-new value idea but also a denial to the conventional legal concept.
The Politicalization of the Juvenile Justice System

In discussing the manner in which our juvenile justice system is subject to manipulation by the political process, four factors will be discussed: (1) treatment, (2) administration, (3) agency interface, and (4) selection and appointment of juvenile judges. These factors were selected not only because of the inherent political manipulability within each of them but also because of their more overriding ability to influence the personnel and components of the juvenile justice system in a distinctively negative fashion. These four factors are not always negative or uncontrollable; informed and enlightened juvenile court administrators could, to a degree, minimize the politicalization process and maximize the advantages that characterize these four factors. Whether we can presuppose the existence of such a group of enlightened juvenile court administrators is another matter. In any event, the objective of this paper is to discuss how these four very important variables within the juvenile justice system manifest their dysfunctional consequences and either latently or overtly contribute to the politicalization of the juvenile court and its personnel.
Organ dysfunction in circulatory shock — altered perfusion, metabolism or tight junctions? Do we need a shift of paradigm?

Several recent articles have described the present understanding of proinflammatory mediator cascades [1], oxidative injury/reactive oxygen species [2], coagulation pathways [3], microcirculatory (endothelial) alterations [4–6], programmed cell death [7–10] and mitochondrial dysfunction with ATP depletion [11–13], as potential cornerstones of multiple organ dysfunction following circulatory shock, be it septic, cardiogenic or haemorrhagic in origin. While readers are encouraged to update their knowledge of the different prominent theories of the development of multiple organ dysfunction with the aforementioned material, this review will focus on pondering the relevance and potential of a new hypothesis for a common subcellular mechanism in MODS, epithelial dysfunction, following the variety of injurious pathways. In addition, the possible methods by which early epithelial dysfunction could be recognised will be briefly discussed.
RNA-Based Control of Cellular Phase Transitions

Intracellular phase transitions drive the formation of dynamic compartments for specific biochemistry and to localize molecules in time and space. How cells ensure that liquid-demixed structures remain distinct and control where phase transitions occur remain central open questions to the regulation of these compartments. The large cytoplasm of the filamentous fungus Ashbya gossypii is a powerful system for studying control of phase transitions because in this cell type nuclei divide asynchronously and multiple sites of cell polarity coexist. Both nuclear asynchrony and polarity establish require functional regionalization of an otherwise continuous cytoplasm. We have identified a polyQ-tract containing RNA-binding protein called Whi3 that undergoes RNA-dependent phase transitions and localizes mRNAs in the vicinity of nuclei and at incipient polarity sites. How the same protein forms spatially and functionally distinct bodies in the same cell is an interesting problem and a useful model for understanding the mechanisms of control of cellular phase transitions. We have found that different mRNAs can generate liquid droplets of Whi3 with distinct biophysical properties such as viscoelasticity and surface tension suggesting that RNAs may direct the fates of the phase transitioned compartments. We are dissecting what features of RNA encode physical properties of liquid droplets in cells to understand how the material properties of droplets can control their dynamics and spatial distributions in cells.
Feminist therapy: A brief integrative review of theory, empirical support, and call for new directions

Abstract The present review integrates theory and empirical research supporting the tenets of feminist therapy. Specifically, I review feminist theorists' views on the key therapeutic domains of (a) healthy and unhealthy development and (b) therapeutic change, in addition to uncovering empirical support within and beyond feminist scholarship. Finally, practical implications, new directions for future research, and interdisciplinary scholarship are discussed.
The impact of mechanical refrigeration on market integration: The U.S. egg market, 1890–1911☆☆☆

Abstract This paper examines the impact of mechanical refrigeration on temporal and spatial price relationships for regional egg markets in the United States, 1880–1911. Notably, this period encompasses an era in which widespread adoption of mechanical refrigeration facilitated the ability to store otherwise perishable commodities. This development in turn altered observed price dynamics for many perishables, including fresh eggs. We use a class of time series models, time–varying autoregressions (TVARs), to document both the structural change and the corresponding impact on spatial price dynamics for U.S. regional egg price relationships during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Our results reveal that, while spatially distinct markets remained integrated, the opportunity to store eggs over time often resulted in weaker spatial price relationships for eggs.
Can the Future-Oriented Nature of Worry Be Experimentally Manipulated? The Effects of Personally Relevant Worry and Video-Related Imagery Following Exposure to a Distressing Video

In an attempted experimental manipulation of the future-oriented property of worry, a total of 174 college students were randomly assigned to one of five experimental conditions. After all participants viewed a distressing video, they were instructed to worry about a personally relevant topic while constraining their worry to outcomes that could occur within the next 15 minutes, within the next week, or within the next year, or they worried about a personally relevant topic without such a time constraint or engaged in imagery of the video. Predicted group differences in state anxiety reduction were not found, although this effect approached statistical significance (p = .07). Contrary to our prediction, the imagery group reported more subsequent video-related cognitive intrusions than the worry groups and no differences between the worry groups were found. Results suggest that worry about everyday concerns may effectively distract some individuals from previously experienced emotionally distressing material.
Evaluation of respiratory motion-corrected cone-beam CT at end expiration in abdominal radiotherapy sites: a prospective study.

Background: Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) for radiotherapy image guidance suffers from respiratory motion artifacts. This limits soft tissue visualization and localization accuracy, particul...
Enantioselective Radical Cyclization for Construction of 5-Membered Ring Structures by Metalloradical C-H Alkylation.

Radical cyclization represents a powerful strategy for construction of ring structures. Traditional radical cyclization, which is based on radical addition as the key step, necessitates the use of unsaturated substrates. Guided by the concept of metalloradical catalysis, a different mode of radical cyclization that can employ saturated C−H substrates is demonstrated through the development of a Co(II)-based system for catalytic activation of aliphatic diazo compounds for enantioselective radical alkylation of various C(sp3)−H bonds. It allows for efficient construction of chiral pyrrolidines and other valuable 5-membered cyclic compounds. This alternative strategy of radical cyclization provides a new retrosynthetic paradigm to prepare five-membered cyclic molecules from readily available open-chain aldehydes through the union of C−H and C=O elements for C−C bond formation.
Primary and Secondary Prevention of Illness in the Workplace

Illnesses and injuries in the workplace have a considerable impact that go beyond the ill-health and suffering of the affected individual. The broader socioeconomic impact of workplace illnesses and injuries include reduced workplace productivity, creating a dangerous work environment, increasing healthcare costs, and potentially increased liability assessments through workers’ compensation premiums. This chapter discusses primary and secondary prevention strategies suitable for implementation at the workplace. An overview of the principles of preventive medicine is presented, with a description and broad goals for primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary prevention strategies. Following this, a review of the theoretical framework that was developed to address prevention strategies and health promotion behaviors is discussed, with a focus on the Health Belief Model, the Theory of Reasoned Action and Planned Behavior, the Precaution Adoption Process Model, and the Transtheoretical Model. Finally, overviews of primary and secondary prevention strategies are discussed for common diseases and illness prevalent in the workplace, including prevention of occupational injuries and disability, smoking, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and mental health disorders.
Monitoring gastric myoelectric activity after pancreaticoduodenectomy for diet "readiness".

Limited clinical indicators exist after pancreaticoduodenectomy to allow prediction of delayed gastric emptying (DGE). This study introduces a novel, noninvasive, wireless patch system capable of a...
A Simulation-Based Workshop to Improve Dermatologists' Communication Skills: A Pilot for Continuing Medical Education.

Communication skills influence the quality of health care and patient experience; both may affect provider reimbursement. There are few opportunities available for practicing physicians to receive direct feedback on communication in patient encounters. The purpose of this simulation-based patient encounter workshop was for dermatologists to practice and obtain feedback on their communication skills. In March 2016, dermatologists participated in a workshop with four simulated patient encounters. Cases were developed based on a prior needs assessment. Standardized patient educators evaluated participants’ communication using the Master Interview Rating Scale and provided verbal feedback. Physicians rated the usefulness of the simulation and the feedback received through a survey upon workshop completion. Of the 170 physicians who registered, 103 participated in the simulation. The workshop was highly rated in meeting its three learning objectives (score of 4.5–4.6 out of a maximum score of 5). The lowest-rated communication skills were as follows: allowing the patient to share their narrative thread (3.1), summarizing the patient’s history from the provider (3.8), and assessing patient understanding (3.8). Participants reported that this communication workshop effectively satisfied its learning objectives. Opportunities to practice and improve communication skills as part of continuing medical education will benefit the clinical experience of patients and physicians alike, and the workshop may be formatted to serve physicians of other specialties. The lowest-scoring communication areas identified in this study present an opportunity to develop a tailored curriculum for physician–patient communication in the future.
“Death was not in the agenda for the day”: Emotions, behavioral reactions, and perceptions in response to the 2018 Hawaii Wireless Emergency Alert

Abstract This research has three main aims: to identify perceptions about the false alarm ballistic missile warning that occurred in Hawaii (United States) in January of 2018, to identify what kind of behavior or actions people took upon receiving the warning, and to identify what situational or contextual factors are related to these perceptions and behaviors. We use a mixed-methods approach to address these research aims. We recruited respondents through social media and email networks (volunteer sampling) to complete a survey that contained categorical and open-ended questions about information gathering, perceptions of self and others during the event, demographic information, and thoughts about trust in future warnings. Using content analysis coding, four main themes emerged from the responses: emotional reactions, protective action, vulnerability and situational factors, and statements about information and trust. Participants sought additional information and cues about the potential threat, observed others engaging in milling, and some accounts of fatalism (during the event) and lingering symptoms associated with traumatic stress (after the event). These findings may be useful for emergency managers and planners designing future warning messaging systems.
Red-emitting pyrene-benzothiazolium: unexpected selectivity to lysosomes for real-time cell imaging without alkalinizing effect.

A series of pyrene–benzothiazolium probes were synthesized. By replacing the pyridinium with a benzothiazolium unit, the selectivity of pyrene-derivatives is found to switch from nuclear to cellular lysosomes. New probes do not require proton participation and exhibit high biocompatibility and long-term imaging ability.
Self-reported Vision Impairment and Subjective Well-being in Older Adults: A Longitudinal Mediation Analysis.

Background Vision impairment (VI) in older adults is associated with declines in well-being. However, the pathways through which poor vision leads to declines in well-being have not been well-described. The purpose of this study was to determine whether activity limitations and social participation restrictions mediate the impact of self-reported VI on subjective well-being. Methods The National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) is a nationally representative longitudinal study of Medicare beneficiaries 65 and older that includes detailed measures of the disablement process. A longitudinal mediation model was conceptualized linking self-reported VI and subjective well-being. Structural equation modeling was used to test the mediating effects of activity limitations and social participation restrictions while adjusting for relevant covariates. Results The final sample included 5,431 respondents. At baseline, 8.0% of Medicare beneficiaries had self-reported VI. Subjective well-being scores were significantly lower among respondents with self-reported VI (15.7; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 15.2, 16.2) compared with those without VI (17.6; 95% CI: 17.5, 17.7). Self-reported VI had a significant indirect effect on subjective well-being through limiting mobility (β = -0.04; 95% CI: -0.07, -0.03) and household activities (β = -0.05; 95% CI: -0.08, -0.03), but not self-care limitations (β = 0.0; 95% CI = 0.0, 0.0) or participation restrictions (β = 0.0; 95% CI = -0.01, 0.00). Total indirect effects from all mediation paths accounted for 42% of the effect of VI on well-being. Conclusions Mobility and household activity limitations are significant mediators that explain a considerable portion of the impact of poor vision on well-being. Interventions to promote successful accommodation may result in greater overall well-being for older adults with poor vision.
Successful left atrial appendage closure using a percutaneous hepatic venous approach.

Prevention of stroke1 in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) is of paramount importance. Oral anticoagulation (OAC) has been shown to be effective in reducing stroke risk but is associated with increased risk of bleeding.2 For patients with AF who are poor candidates for OAC, left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) has been shown to be a viable alternative for prevention of stroke.3 With the increasing frequency of LAAC, challenging clinical scenarios are being encountered that may limit the delivery of this important therapy. LAAC is typically performed using common femoral venous access, approaching the right ventricle through the inferior vena cava (IVC). As LAAC becomes more common, patients with obstructions in the IVC are being encountered. There have been previous reports of electrophysiological procedures conducted through nontraditional vascular access.3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 Here we describe, to our knowledge, the first case of a transhepatic access and successful deployment of a Watchman device without leaving an indwelling catheter at the access site.
Perceived Workplace Health and Safety Climates: Associations With Worker Outcomes and Productivity.

Introduction This study investigates the associations between perceived workplace health and safety climates and a variety of worker and employer outcomes. Methods Self-reported data were collected from an employee health assessment offered at 3 companies (n=959) in 2014. Independent variables included 2 climate variables: perceived safety climate and perceived health and well-being climate. Logistic regression models, performed in 2016–2017, explored the associations between the 2 climate variables and 3 sets of outcomes: worker outcomes, worker health behaviors, and employer outcomes. Results Perceived workplace safety climate was positively associated with physical activity and optimal sleep. Stronger perceived workplace health and well-being and safety climates were related to less depression, higher job and life satisfaction, less back pain, and higher general health. Stronger perceived climates of workplace safety and health and well-being were associated with less productivity loss. Conclusions Conditions of work, such as perceived climate, are associated with improved worker behaviors (physical activity and sleep), worker outcomes (depression, job and life satisfaction, back pain, and general health), and employer (productivity) outcomes.
Terrorist training: Onsite or via the Internet?

Abstract This paper investigates an agency model of a terrorist organization in which the training and motivation of recruits can occur onsite, in physical training camps, or at arm’s length through the Internet. In so doing, we develop measures of the effectiveness and efficacy of these recruit training methods. A dividing line for choosing between the two is characterized in terms of the degree to which onsite training augments an operative’s probability of mission success. In comparing our results to data on terror-tactic lethality, one implication is that terrorist organizations are likely to consider Internet training as sufficient for any tactic that is less complex and less lethal than vehicular assaults, and will require onsite motivation and training for more complex missions such as multiple-operative mass shootings and suicide bombings.
Shrinkage cracking model for cementitiously stabilized layers for use in the mechanistic-empirical pavement design guide

Abstract Shrinkage cracking is one of the primary distresses found in cementitiously stabilized layers (CSL) of pavements. Shrinkage can cause cracking on the surface layer due to the bond between the surface layer and the CSL. Shrnkage of CSL includes autogenous shrinkage due to hydration, drying shrinkage due to loss of moisture, and thermal shrinkage due to low temperature contraction. The current methodology for analysis and performance prediction of CSL pavements in the Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) does not account for the prediction of shrinkage cracking. Given the importance of shrinkage cracking, incorporation of a shrinkage cracking model for CSL into the MEPDG will improve its analysis and design capability. This study uses dimensional analysis to develop a shrinkage cracking model to predict crack spacing and widths for CSL for stabilized fine and coarse-grained soils. The specific functional form of the shrinkage cracking model was developed based on field data as well as pilot-scale laboratory experimental results. It is found that the developed model for shrinkage cracking is effective in predicting shrinkage crack spacing and widths. Further calibration of the shrinkage cracking model is needed using additional field data.
Predictors of Long-Term Aortic Growth and Disease Progression in Patients with Aortic Dissection, Intramural Hematoma, and Penetrating Aortic Ulcer.

Abstract Objective: to identify predictors of long-term aortic diameter change and disease progression in a population cohort of patients with newly diagnosed aortic dissection (AD), intramural hematoma (IMH), or penetrating aortic ulcer (PAU). Methods: We used the Rochester Epidemiology Project record linkage system to identify all Olmsted County, MN-USA, residents diagnosed with AD, IMH, and PAU (1995-2015). The endpoints were aortic diameter change, freedom from clinical disease progression (any related intervention, aortic aneurysm, new aortic syndrome, rupture or death) and disease resolution (complete spontaneous radiological disappear). Linear regression was used to assess aortic growth rate; predictors of disease progression were identified with Cox proportional hazards. Results: Of 133 incident cases, 46 ADs, 12 IMHs, and 28 PAUs with sufficient imaging data were included. Overall median follow-up was 8.1 years. Aortic diameter increase occurred in 40 ADs (87%, median 1.0 mm/year), 5 IMHs (42%, median 0.2 mm/year) and 14 PAUs (50%, median 0.4 mm/year). Symptomatic presentation (P=.045), connective tissue disorders (P=.005), and initial aortic diameter >42 mm (P=.013) were associated with AD growth rate. PAU depth >9 mm (P=.047) and female sex (P=.013) were associated with aortic growth rate in PAUs and IMHs. At 10 years, freedom from disease progression was 22% (95%CI 12-41) for ADs, 44% (95%CI 22-92) for IMHs, and 46% (95%CI 27-78) for PAUs. DeBakey I/IIIB AD (HR 3.09; P=.038), initial IMH aortic diameter (HR 1.4; P=.037) and PAU depth >10 mm (HR 3.92; P=.018) were associated with disease progression. No AD spontaneously resolved; resolution rate at 10 years was 22% (95%CI 0-45) for IMHs and 11% (95%CI 0-23) for PAUs. Conclusions: Aortic growth and clinical disease progression are observed in most patients with aortic syndromes, while spontaneous resolution is uncommon. Predictors of aortic growth and disease progression may be used to tailor appropriate follow-up and eventual early intervention.
What is the busiest time at an airport? Clustering U.S. hub airports based on passenger movements

Abstract Accurate clustering of airports enables airport authorities and operators to precisely position themselves in the competitive market, facilitates airlines to efficiently allocate resources, and empowers the research community with credible data for new discoveries. Existing clustering studies largely use traffic volume, network connectivity, or operational efficiency to group airports into hierarchical clusters or parallel partitions. Developing a different perspective, this study focuses upon a key bottleneck of outbound passenger movements in airport terminals, the security checkpoints, and uses the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Customer Throughput/Wait Times Reports to cluster hub airports of the United States. With the input data structured as univariate time-series, k-shape, a clustering algorithm that is robust to time axis distortion and computationally efficient, is selected to analyze the similarity of time-series using shape-based distance. The clustering results are validated by examining the raw and z-normalized data of selected airport clusters on six sampled dates. Analysis results indicate that k-shape is competent and efficient to process and cluster time-series data used for this specific research. This study offers a fresh perspective to cluster commercial airports using an infrequently employed dataset. The clustering results reveal how the geographical location, hub status in airlines' operational network, and destination type of an airport affect the movement of outbound passengers through terminals
Management of technological innovation: high tech R&D in the GDR

Fundamental changes in the management of technological innovation took place over the course of the 40-year history of the German Democratic Republic. This article analyzes management culture in el...
Arthur Dunham Provides a “Birds-Eye View” of Councils of Social Agencies in 1929

This “From the Archives” article provides excerpts from the text of Arthur Dunham’s pamphlet, Community Councils in Action: A Bird’s-Eye View of Thirty-Three Councils of Social Agencies, published ...
Healthcare beliefs, health information seeking, and healthcare setting preferences among women who inject drugs by community supervision status.

Women on community supervision who inject drugs have significant unmet healthcare needs. However, it remains unclear how the intersection of community supervision and injection drug use influences healthcare experiences and service setting preferences. The present study examines whether the intersection of community supervision and injection drug use is associated with differences in women’s healthcare beliefs, healthcare experiences, and service setting preferences. A secondary analysis was conducted on a previously collected sample of women who inject drugs recruited from a syringe exchange and social service organization for a cross-sectional survey. Participants (N = 64) were mostly White (75%), and more than a quarter were currently on probation or parole (26%). Independent samples t-tests and chi-square tests revealed no significant differences on sociodemographic variables by community supervision status. There were no significant differences by community supervision status across seven indicators of healthcare confidence (ps > .05). However, results revealed significant differences in past experiences and beliefs about healthcare, health information seeking, and healthcare setting preferences by community supervision status (ps < .05), where women on community supervision less frequently sought health information and medical care outside of emergency departments. Findings provide preliminary evidence about differences in the healthcare experiences and setting preferences of women who inject drugs on community supervision.
Propensity Score Matching Analysis of the Effect of Payer Status on the Survival of Colon Cancer Patients.

Background and objective Colon cancer is one of the most common types of cancer globally. The factors that could affect colon cancer survival include age, stage, treatment, and other socioeconomic aspects. Payer status has been shown to be a significant predictor of cancer patient survival in retrospective studies. However, due to the limitations of retrospective studies, patient baseline characteristics between payer statuses are not comparable. Few studies have addressed the effect of payer status on the overall survival (OS) of patients using propensity score matching (PSM). In light of this, we conducted a study to examine the effect of payer status on the survival of colon cancer patients based on PSM. Materials and methods About 66,493 stage II/III colon cancer patients aged 40-90 years and diagnosed between 2004 and 2015 were analyzed from a de-identified National Cancer Database (NCDB) file. All patients had undergone surgery, and patients who had received radiation therapy, hormone therapy, immunotherapy, palliative care, or therapies other than chemotherapy were excluded. Only private or Medicaid payer status was included. The propensity score was calculated by computing the probability of patients being in the Medicaid group using logistic regression. The PSMATCH procedure in the SAS software (SAS Inc., Gary, NC) was used to perform PSM on patients with Medicaid and private insurance. The greedy nearest neighbor matching method was used to match one Medicaid to one privately insured patient with a caliper of 0.2. At the same time, an exact match was done for gender, age group, race, and stage at diagnosis. Multivariate Cox regression was then used to estimate the effect of payer status on survival before and after PSM. Results Among the 66,493 patients, 90.3% were privately insured and 9.7% had Medicaid. In univariate analysis, payer status was found to be a significant predictor of OS. Prior to PSM, the median overall survival (MOS) for patients with private insurance was 12.75 years, while those with Medicaid had a MOS of 9.02 years. After PSM, 6,167 paired patients were matched, and patients with private insurance had a MOS of >12.82 years and Medicaid patients had a MOS of 8.88 years. After PSM, patients with Medicaid had a 50% increased risk of death, and payer status proved to be a statistically significant predictor of OS of colon cancer. Conclusion Based on our findings, as per the PSM method, payer status can be a significant predictor of survival among colon cancer patients. Also, chemotherapy, race, age, and other socioeconomic factors were also found to be significant predictors of OS. Further research should be conducted to investigate other covariates not studied here and the mediation effect of payer on the survival of cancer patients.
The Welfare Consequences of Dtc Advertising: A Dynamic Model of Statin Advertising

Direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) has remained controversial since its 1997 deregulation. Although DTCA has been found to increase both physician visits and therapeutic class-level prescribing, its welfare consequences remain uncertain. DTCAs detractors argue that advertisements persuade patients to initiate treatment when they will receive little or no benefit from treatment. Conversely, DTCAs advocates argue that increased advertising informs patients of a treatment’s existence or efficacy – prescribing occurs amongst patients who receive substantial clinical benefit but would otherwise be unaware of the treatments existence or benefit. To date, there is little empirical research regarding DTCAs clinical effects. Consequently, we measure the effect of DTCA on statin utilization and resultant clinical outcomes. This problem is further complicated by the dynamic nature of pharmaceutical demand for chronic conditions. Chronic conditions are, by their nature, enduring and treatment decisions are often persistent. Thus short-run elasticities may lead to large long-term consumption and health consequences. We address these by incorporating dynamic effects into our reduced form estimates of patient treatment decisions and state variables (e.g., advertising, health, etc.). We then use these reduced form estimates to simulate long-run responses and their welfare consequences. We employ a novel dataset of clinical and advertising information. Clinical data are derived from electronic medical records for more than 100,000 patients during 1998-2004. Patients are distributed nationally and the data include prescriptions, LDL cholesterol levels, and other clinical indicators. These data are merged with local and national statin advertising expenditures for each brand by month during 1998-2004. We use other firms’ non-cardiovascular advertising expenditures as instruments for statin advertising. Preliminary estimates suggest that advertising induces approximately three percent of statin initiation. This initiation effect is almost entirely concentrated on patients who should, according to clinical guidelines, receive statin therapy. Statin ads are, in effect, informative. Advertising also accounts for approximately 4% of statin therapy continuation. This effect also appears to be guideline compliant. We also find that advertising-initiated LDL reductions are similar to those achieved in other patient. While our simulation results are very preliminary, they suggest that advertising is welfare enhancing. Furthermore, cross-brand advertising spillovers may even lead to an under provision of advertising.
Are Real Wages Procyclical Conditional on a Monetary Policy Shock

It is well-known that real wages are procyclical conditional on a monetary policy shock. This paper challenges this conventional view by using a quantitative heterogeneous-agent New Keynesian economy with sticky wages. In the model with benchmark calibration, the wage rate per effective unit of labor decreases following a monetary expansion, while the data-consistent real wages (average hourly earnings) increase. This implies that true real wages may be countercyclical conditional on a monetary policy shock, but the data may predict the wrong direction of real wages due to the inconsistent definition. Therefore, the predictions of New Keynesian models with wage rigidities are consistent with the data.
The Political Morality of Liberal Democracy

Part I. Liberal Democracy, Human Rights, and Religious Faith: 1. Liberal democracy and human rights 2. Liberal democracy and religious faith Part II. First Principles: 3. The right to moral equality 4. The right to religious freedom 5. Beyond religious freedom: the right to moral freedom 6. Religion as a basis of lawmaking Part III. First Principles Applied: 7. Abortion 8. Same-sex unions Part IV. The Constitution of Liberal Democracy: 9. Protecting constitutionally entrenched rights: the courts' - in particular, the US Supreme Court's - proper rule.
Transversus abdominis plane and ilioinguinal/iliohypogastric blocks for cesarean delivery in a patient with type II spinal muscular atrophy

While neuraxial and general anesthetic techniques are most commonly utilized for cesarean delivery, there are rare instances in which alternative techniques may be considered. We report a patient with type II spinal muscular atrophy who had relative contraindications to both neuraxial and general anesthesia, and had experienced significant discomfort during two previous cesarean deliveries performed with local anesthetic infiltration. We describe the successful use of bilateral ultrasound-guided transversus abdominis plane and ilioinguinal/iliohypogastric blocks, in addition to intravenous sedation, for cesarean delivery anesthesia.
The Prime Directive

Agency costs dominate academic thinking about corporate governance. The central challenge is to devise legal rules to align the interests of the managers (the agents) with those of the shareholders (the principals). This preoccupation is misplaced. Whether it is finding a baby-sitter or a dean, the challenge of hiring the right person dwarfs the challenge of aligning that person's incentives. The central task for corporate governance - its Prime Directive - is to ensure that the right person is running the business. In this essay, we suggest that the challenge of aligning the managers' incentives has been drastically overstated and the way in which legal rules affect hiring (and firing) decisions has been too often ignored. Putting the emphasis on agency costs may lead to rules that slight what matters most. The current preoccupation with executive compensation runs the risk of inducing the board to worry more about the details of the employment contract rather than selecting the best person in the first instance. More important, the law can play an important role ensuring bad managers are fired. Once hired, all managers need to be mentored, monitored and, when necessary, replaced. There is little to suggest that a single entity is well-situated to perform all three. There is tension between the roles of confidant and policeman. Here, debt contracts play a crucial and largely neglected role. Covenants in debt contracts can insure that underperforming managers are called to task. Private debt holders' role in monitoring a business and ensuring that underperforming managers are replaced may be as important as the market for corporate control.
An analysis of the costs and benefits of two strategies to decrease length of stay in children's psychiatric hospitals.

Abstract OBJECTIVE. We analyze the costs and benefits of two strategies-intensive home-based services and increased remuneration for providers of community-based placements--to decrease excessive length of stay in a children's psychiatric hospital. DATA SOURCES AND STUDY SETTING. Clinical, demographic, and financial data were collected retrospectively on all children discharged during 1987 through 1989 from the state children's psychiatric hospital that serves Wayne County, Michigan. Characteristics of the discharged children were similar to those reported in other studies of intensive home-based services. STUDY DESIGN. A sample of 22 children was used for a simulation analysis. Excessive length of stay was defined as the duration of hospitalization after readiness for discharge and associated planning were indicated in the record. For the simulated analysis of the intensive home-based program, costs included estimated charges for the program and charges for the children hospitalized due to failure of the intervention. For analysis of the increased remuneration strategy, costs included charges for the out-of-home placement and charges for hospitalization. For both strategies benefits were defined as averted hospitalization charges. DATA COLLECTION/EXTRACTION METHODS. Charts of the discharged children were reviewed and 21 clinical, demographic, and financial variables were extracted. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS. Analysis of costs and benefits of intensive home-based services produced a favorable cost-benefit ratio of .47. Analysis of the strategy to increase remuneration for providers of community-based placements resulted in a cost-benefit ratio of 1, indicating no financial savings. CONCLUSIONS. Intensive home-based services represent an efficient strategy to decrease excessive length of stay for children in psychiatric hospitals by averting hospitalization altogether. Although increased remuneration to providers of community-based placements in order to increase the supply of placements as a means to hasten discharge from the hospital has a neutral cost-benefit ratio, the opportunity to provide care in the "least restrictive" environment argues in its favor as well.
Constructive Induction Using a Non-Greedy Strategy for Feature Selection

We present a method for feature construction and selection that finds a minimal set of conjunctive features that are appropriate to perform the classification task. For problems where this bias is appropriate, the method outperforms other constructive induction algorithms and is able to achieve higher classification accuracy. The application of the method in the search for minimal multi-level boolean expressions is presented and analyzed with the help of some examples.
T-wave reversion in pediatric patients during exercise stress testing

Objective T-wave inversion in lateral electrocardiogram (ECG) leads (II, III, aVF, V4–V6) is suspicious of cardiac pathology in pediatric patients, though many are found to have structurally normal hearts. The purpose of this study is to evaluate T-wave response during exercise stress testing (EST) in pediatric patients with structurally normal hearts and lateral-lead T-wave inversion on resting ECG. Design An IRB-approved, retrospective review of EST databases at two centers identified patients with lateral-lead T-wave inversion on resting ECG. Inclusion criteria were normal exam and echocardiogram, absence of anginal chest pain, and age <18 years. All patients underwent treadmill or cycle ergometer EST. Data recorded included demographics, echocardiogram results, baseline ECG, EST method, peak heart rate and metabolic equivalents (METs), and heart rate and METs at T-wave reversion. T-wave reversion was considered complete if T-waves reverted in all leads, partial if reversion occurred in only some leads, and none if no reversion occurred. Results The search identified 14 patients: nine females and five males (10 Caucasians and four African Americans) and an average age of 16 (range 12–18) years. Complete T-wave reversion occurred in 11 (79%) patients, partial in two (14%), and none in one (7%). Reversion occurred in both genders, ethnicities, and EST methods. No complications occurred during EST; no adverse outcomes occurred during 2-year follow-up. Conclusions EST in pediatric patients with lateral-lead T-wave inversion on resting ECG and structurally and functionally normal hearts resulted in either complete or partial T-wave reversion in the vast majority of patients.
Status and the motivational foundations of self-monitoring

Based on their quantitative review of the self-monitoring literature, Gangestad and Snyder (2000, Psychological Bulletin, 126, 530–555) proposed that the self-presentational behavior of high self-monitors is designed to cultivate status within perceived hierarchical social structures. They suggest that high self-monitors may be more concerned with addressing status within unequal-status relationships, whereas low self-monitors may be more concerned with establishing equal-status relationships based on trust and genuineness. In this article, we address these proposed motivations by examining relevant self-monitoring literature that pertains to desire for status, perceptions of and responsivity to status, and the cultivation of status. In addition to discussing the implications of status for high self-monitors, we also consider the proposed desires of low self-monitors for equality and sincerity.
Taste and Olfaction

This review is meant as a survey of what is known about taste and olfaction, two senses that are essential for the sustenance of life. In separate sections, the effective stimuli, anatomy, and peripheral and central neural coding of each sense are discussed. In both systems, it is apparent that the widespread availability of genetic tools and the development of sophisticated technological methodology have led to dramatic advances in nearly all areas of study. The explosion of knowledge that has resulted has significantly revised our thinking about how both taste and olfactory stimuli are perceived and represented in both the peripheral organs and in the central nervous system. Perhaps most important are discoveries concerning new ways in which neurons represent information about chemical stimuli and the plasticity of both systems with respect to response to damage and experience. In all, these breakthroughs are underscoring the importance of the chemical senses and their roles in health and disease. Keywords: taste; gustatory; olfaction; smell; chemosensory
Political Essay on the Island of Cuba: A Critical Edition. By Alexander von Humboldt. Edited by Vera M. Kutzinski and Ottmar Ette. (Imre Josef Demhardt)

Watching over the main entrance to Humboldt University in Berlin is a huge white marble monument of a seated Alexander adorned since 1939 with a plaque from the University of La Havanna: Al Segundo...