cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Influence of n-alkyl ester groups on efficiency of crosslinking for methacrylate monomers copolymerized with EGDMA: Experiments and Monte Carlo simulations of reaction kinetics and sol–gel structure

Abstract We present the results of applying a computationally efficient Monte Carlo (MC) method to simulate the reaction kinetics and molecular architecture development during free-radical, bulk copolymerizations of a homologous series of methacrylate monomers with ethylene glycol dimethacrylate. The overall objective of the work was to determine the extent to which the ester side chains of the methacrylate monomers hinder chain-end radical propagation reactions through the pendent vinyl groups of the crosslinking monomer. We have determined that this steric hindrance is quite significant and increases with ester side chain length. This is expressed by a reduced reactivity parameter, ΨC,X, that is different for each monomer–crosslinker pair. With this single kinetic parameter adjustment, the MC model was able to effectively predict the reaction kinetics, gel points, and sol−gel fractions throughout the entire reactions, including, to a limited extent, the solvent swelling ratio of the gel for two different levels of crosslinker.
Pediatric urologic intraoperative consultation.

SUMMARY As in adults, intraoperative consultations in children are not expected. If one has thought about possible situations in which consultations may occur, one may be prepared for the unusual event. Careful and thorough diagnosis will lead to correct conclusions, and we may then give appropriate consultation and fulfill a useful need to the operating surgeon and ultimately to the patient.
DNA binding triggers tetramerization of the glucocorticoid receptor in live cells.

Abstract Transcription factors dynamically bind to chromatin and are essential for the regulation of genes. Although a large percentage of these proteins appear to self-associate to form dimers or higher order oligomers, the stoichiometry of DNA-bound transcription factors has been poorly characterized in vivo. The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) is a ligand-regulated transcription factor widely believed to act as a dimer or a monomer. Using a unique set of imaging techniques coupled with a cell line containing an array of DNA binding elements, we show that GR is predominantly a tetramer when bound to its target DNA. We find that DNA binding triggers an interdomain allosteric regulation within the GR, leading to tetramerization. We therefore propose that dynamic changes in GR stoichiometry represent a previously unidentified level of regulation in steroid receptor activation. Quaternary structure analysis of other members of the steroid receptor family (estrogen, androgen, and progesterone receptors) reveals variation in oligomerization states among this family of transcription factors. Because GR’s oligomerization state has been implicated in therapy outcome, our findings open new doors to the rational design of novel GR ligands and redefine the quaternary structure of steroid receptors.
Degradation and annealing effects caused by oxygen in AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors

Hot-carrier degradation and room-temperature annealing effects are investigated in unpassivated ammonia-rich AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors. Devices exhibit a fast recovery when annealed after hot carrier stress with all pins grounded. The recovered peak transconductance can exceed the original value, an effect that is not observed in control passivated samples. Density functional theory calculations suggest that dehydrogenation of pre-existing ON-H defects in AlGaN plays a significant role in the observed hot carrier degradation, and the resulting bare ON can naturally account for the “super-recovery” in the peak transconductance.
Scalable turbocharger performance maps for dynamic state-based engine models

Adapting turbocharger performance maps to a form suitable for dynamic simulations is challenging for the following reasons: (1) the amount of available data is typically limited, (2) data are typic...
The Role of HACCP in Sanitation

Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), a preventive approach to safe food production, applies the principles of prevention and documentation. The essential components for HACCP development are HACCP team assembly, description of the food and its intended use, identification of the consumers of the food, development and verification of a process flow diagram, hazard analysis, identification of critical control points (CCPs), establishment of critical limits, monitoring, corrective actions for deviations, procedures for verification, and record keeping.
Flipping the Introductory American Politics Class: Student Perceptions of the Flipped Classroom

Much attention has been centered on the use of emerging technologies in higher education, including flipped classes. However, widespread admiration for and adoption of these innovations seems to be occurring at a much faster pace than the assessment and evaluation of them. Questions about student performance in and perception of flipped classes remain unanswered, so more research is needed. This study examines student perceptions of a partially flipped Introduction to American Politics course. In general, the results indicate that students preferred the partially flipped format, although (1) it is not clear that students would prefer a fully flipped course, and (2) some aspects of the flipped format worked better than others.
The Virgin of Guadalupe and the Americas: Migration and Movement

Hall examines the devotion to Mexico’s Virgin of Guadalupe in Spain and then in Mexico during the last six centuries. She draws the attention on how the Virgin was seen as a protector, mother and helper for travelers, pilgrims and migrants, from the Reconquest and Conquest in Spain through Mexico and into the United States. “Guadalupe. Queen of Mexico and the New World” concludes with Pope Francis’s visit to the Virgin of Guadalupe in February 2016, analyzing especially issues of Mexicans and other migrants into the United States.
Red-shift in THz resonant signatures induced by hydration

In this newly reported discovery, common THz absorption signatures from lactose and biotin are found to significantly “red-shift” in frequency with increase in hydration, especially in the hydration range of ∼10 to 20% by weight. Interestingly, the associated linewidth (i.e., FWHM) sometimes broadens (consistent with the Lorentzian oscillator model) as in biotin, but other times narrows somewhat, as in lactose.
Optical beam position estimation in free-space optical communication

The position of the optical beam on an optical detector array is an important parameter for optimal decoding in free-space optical communication systems; thus, its accurate estimation is essential. In this paper, the performance of three estimators (maximum likelihood, center of gravity, and template matching) for the estimation of center of the beam on a detector array is compared in terms of mean square error and complexity. Simulation results show that the maximum likelihood estimate achieves the lowest mean square error and especially performs significantly better than center of gravity under poor signal-to-noise ratio conditions, for both the continuous and discrete/quantized arrays.
Correlates of Job Burnout among Human Services Workers: Implications for Workforce Retention

Job burnout has impacted workers and negatively transformed the social agency and its clients. This study examined the correlates of job burnout among human service workers in a non-urban setting in Central California. Using a convenience sample, researchers collected responses from 288 participants on a 13 item burnout scale. Findings indicated that workers experienced moderate to high levels of job burnout. Several scale items, including caseload size, age, gender, education, and experience, were significantly correlated with burnout. In addition, regression analyses revealed that caseload size was the most significant predictor of job burnout among human service workers. Implications for workforce retention and policy practice are discussed.
Abstract A77: Patterns of medical utilization, finances, health behaviors and comorbidities in older adults reporting negative versus positive net worth after a cancer diagnosis

Purpose: Financial insolvency following cancer has been linked to increased mortality; however, the individual financial factors, insurance, medical utilization, health behaviors, and comorbidities in cancer patients with a negative net worth (NNW) have not been characterized. Using the Health and Retirement Study, a national longitudinal survey of U.S. households from 1992 to 2012, we examined the effect of a cancer diagnosis on medical spending and personal finances in adults age-eligible for Medicare insurance. Demographic variables, insurance status, and measures of medical utilization, finances, and health in cancer patients reporting negative and positive net worth were assessed. Methods: Analyses were restricted to individuals age 65 years or older to reduce heterogeneity in employment and insurance status. Individual-level fixed effect panel analyses were performed to assess the effect of a cancer diagnosis on log out-of-pocket medical spending, hospitalizations, log household debt, Medicaid enrollment, and NNW. Subset analyses were performed by gender and time period (pre- and post-2002). Summary measures of cancer patients, partitioned by presence or absence of NNW, were performed on financial indices, medical utilization, health measures, and insurance. Results: A new cancer diagnosis significantly increased out-of-pocket medical spending, hospitalizations, Medicaid enrollment, and risk of NNW in all respondents, as well as household debt in males. Following a cancer diagnosis, there was a large change in medical utilization, with a 36.7% increase in log out-of-pocket medical spending and a 71.4% increase in hospitalizations (p Conclusion: A diagnosis of cancer increases out-of-pocket medical spending, hospitalizations, and financial insolvency among individuals age-eligible for Medicare insurance protection. Newly diagnosed cancer patients reporting negative net worth have multiple differences in socioeconomic status, medical utilization, and comorbidities as compared to patients with positive net worth, which may contribute to disparities in survival outcomes. Citation Format: Emily Castellanos, Michael Richards. Patterns of medical utilization, finances, health behaviors and comorbidities in older adults reporting negative versus positive net worth after a cancer diagnosis. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Ninth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2016 Sep 25-28; Fort Lauderdale, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2017;26(2 Suppl):Abstract nr A77.
Philanthropy in Contemporary Africa: A Review

Despite the availability of a wide range of literature on what can be construed as philanthropic behavior in Africa, there is limited conceptual discussion on what constitutes philanthropy in African context(s). Yet, philanthropic behavior is a culturally rooted phenomenon manifesting in diverse forms, expressions, and models. This review contributes to a growing body of literature on conceptions and manifestations of African philanthropy. The review illustrates a complex plurality of actions that fall under cultures and practices of giving in Africa. These include the giving of money, time, knowledge, influence, and visibility in support of a cause, valuable goods, and body parts/organs from the living and the dead. While some of these actions conform to dominant Western notions of philanthropy, others do not. From an analysis of these practices, this paper proposes that African philanthropy can be conceptually structured on the basis of spheres of philanthropic practice, and the underlying bases and motivations for philanthropy. On spheres of philanthropic practice, at least three forms of philanthropy exist: institutional (formal); non-institutional (non-formal/informal/direct); and a hybrid form that blends practices from the formal and informal spheres. On motivations for giving, the predominant forms are based on mutuality, solidarity, and counter-obligation inherent in collectivist and humanistic African philosophies of life. Further, motivations are drawn from religious obligations, institutional requirements on corporate bodies, and institutional arrangements in the development process. There are, nonetheless, significant overlaps between spheres of practice and motivations in contemporary philanthropic practices in Africa. For instance, philanthropic culture in Africa manifests as religious giving, donations to individuals or institutions, mutual aid, reciprocity, self-help revolving fund organizations, corporate social responsibility activities, and individual/family donations to public benefit organizations. These practices highlight a rich tapestry of spheres of practice and motivations for giving, where the wealthy and the poor are equally involved. The review concentrates (by choice) on the giving of money and time (volunteering, especially informal volunteering) due to a dearth of academic literature on other forms of giving as philanthropy in Africa.
Nonlinear auto-regressive neural network model for forecasting Hi-Def H.265 video traffic over Ethernet Passive Optical Networks

Video bandwidth forecasting can help optimize the transmission of video traffic over optical access networks. In this paper, we propose the use of a nonlinear auto-regressive (NAR) neural network model for forecasting H.265 video bandwidth requirements to optimize video transmission within Ethernet Passive Optical Networks (EPONs). The video's constituent I, P, and B frames are forecast separately to improve model forecasting accuracy. The proposed forecasting model is able to forecast H.265 encoded High-Definition videos with an accuracy exceeding 90%. In addition, using the video bandwidth requirement predictions as grant requests within EPONs improved the efficiency of dynamic bandwidth allocation (DBA). The use of nonlinear auto-regressive neural network grant sizing predictions within EPONs reduced the video packet queueing delay significantly when the network was saturated near capacity.
CaMKII, ROS AND Fight Or Flight Physiology

CaMKII (the multifunctional calcium and calmodulin dependent protein kinase II) is activated by oxidation of a methionine pair resident in the regulatory domain. Oxidized CaMKII (ox-CaMKII) is biased toward a constitutively active conformation that is associated with various diseases linked to excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS), including heart failure, arrhythmias, asthma, and cancer. The methionine pair emerged with vertebrate evolution. This talk will present evidence, some new and unpublished, supporting a hypothesis that ox-CaMKII evolved as a ROS signaling adaptation that enhanced physiological performance, but simultaneously seeded pathological ROS responses particularly relevant to adults.
Transient Mass and Thermal Transport during Methane Adsorption into the Metal-Organic Framework HKUST-1.

Methane adsorption into the metal–organic framework (MOF) HKUST-1 and the resulting heat generation and dissipation are investigated using molecular dynamics simulations. Transient simulations reveal that thermal transport in the MOF occurs two orders of magnitude faster than gas diffusion. A large thermal resistance at the MOF–gas interface (equivalent to 127 nm of bulk HKUST-1), however, prevents fast release of the generated heat. The mass transport resistance at the MOF–gas interface is equivalent to 1 nm of bulk HKUST-1 and does not present a bottleneck in the adsorption process. These results provide important insights into the application of MOFs for gas storage applications.
Public support for safe consumption sites and syringe services programs to combat the opioid epidemic.

Abstract We examine Americans' support for two evidence-based harm reduction strategies – safe consumption sites and syringe exchange programs – and their attitudes about individuals who use opioids. We conducted a web-based survey of a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults in July–August 2017 ( N = 1004). We measured respondents' support for legalizing safe consumption sites and syringe services programs in their communities and their attitudes toward people who use opioids. We used ordered logistic regression to assess how stigmatizing attitudes toward people who use opioids, political party identification, and demographic characteristics correlated with support for the two harm reduction strategies. Twenty-nine percent of Americans supported legalizing safe consumption sites and 39% supported legalizing syringe services programs. Respondents reported high levels of stigmatizing attitudes toward people who use opioids: 16% of respondents were willing to have a person using opioids marry into their family and 28% were willing to have a person using opioids start working closely with them on a job, and 27% and 10% of respondents rated persons who use opioids as deserving (versus worthless) and strong (versus weak). Stigmatizing attitudes were associated with lower support for legalizing safe consumption sites and syringe services programs. Democrats and Independents were more likely than Republicans to support both strategies. Stigmatizing attitudes toward people who use opioids are a key modifiable barrier to garnering the public support needed to fully implement evidence-based harm reduction strategies to combat the opioid epidemic. Dissemination and evaluation of stigma reduction campaigns are a public health priority.
Antagonist of cIAP1/2 and XIAP enhances anti-tumor immunity when combined with radiation and PD-1 blockade in a syngeneic model of head and neck cancer.

ABSTRACTHead and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) frequently harbor genomic mutations in cell death pathways. Nearly 30% of HNSCCs overexpress Fas-Associated Death Domain (FADD), with or without BIRC2/3 genes encoding cellular Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins 1/2 (cIAP1/2), critical components of the Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) Receptor signaling pathways. ASTX660 is a novel non-peptidomimetic antagonist of cIAP1/2 and XIAP under evaluation in a clinical trial for advanced solid tumors and lymphomas. Herein, we show that ASTX660, at nanomolar concentrations, sensitized Murine Oral Cancer (MOC1) cells to TNFα. Using syngeneic mouse models, ASTX660 showed additive anti-tumor activity with radiation therapy (XRT), cisplatin chemotherapy, and PD-1 blockade to significantly delay or eradicate MOC1 tumors. These combinations significantly increased CD8 + T cells and dendritic cells, as well as T cell activity. ASTX660 stimulated cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) killing of MOC1 cells expressing ovalbumin. Early...
Privacy and Power

Something has gone wrong in modem America, argues Jeffrey Rosen in The Unwanted Gaze. Our medical records are bought and sold by health care providers, drug companies, and the insurance industry. Our e-mails are intercepted and read by our employers. Amazon.com knows everything there is to know about our reading and web-browsing habits. Poor Monica Lewinsky's draft love letters to President Bill Clinton were seized by the villainous Ken Starr, and ultimately plastered all over the nation's newspapers.To Rosen, the nature of the problem is clear: These examples are all part of a troubling "phenomenon that affects all Americans: namely, the erosion of privacy at home, at work, and in cyberspace, so that intimate personal information ... is increasingly vulnerable to being wrenched out of context and exposed to the world." Rosen is, of course, hardly unusual in viewing all these issues as quintessential privacy violations. In the past few years the media seem to have woken up to privacy issues, and most of us have been sympathetic readers of dozens of popular articles addressing just such a range of "privacy violations." At the moment, the language of privacy seems to be the only language we have for talking about issues such as workplace e-mail monitoring, electronic cookies, medical records, and Monica's love letters.Is this a good thing? Unquestionably, Rosen's examples are troubling, but are they all troubling in precisely the same way? Does it make sense to analyze them all as solely or primarily examples of the erosion of "privacy"? Moreover, is there a coherent and articulate conception of "privacy" that underlies all of Rosen's examples?
A Geographical Approach to Optimization of Response to Invasive Species

Invasive plant species are a threat to the native plants of the Galapagos, including the many endemics. The botany program at the Charles Darwin Research Station has identified guava, blackberry, and elephant grass.
Characterizations of Certain Continuous Distributions

In designing a stochastic model for a particular modeling problem, an investigator will be vitally interested to know if their model fits the requirements of a specific underlying probability distribution. To this end, the investigator will vitally depend on the characterizations of the selected distribution. The Amoroso, SSK (Shakil–Singh–Kibria), SKS (Shakil–Kibria–Singh), SK (Shakil–Kibria), and SKS-type distributions have been suggested to have potential applications in modeling and are characterized here based on either a simple relationship between two truncated moments or a truncated moment of a function of the first order statistic or of a function of the nth order statistic, the two more interesting order statistics. We also present a characterization of SKS-type distribution based on the conditional expectation of adjacent generalized order statistics.
Pediatric Case Series of Cystic Fibrosis, Diabetes, and Islet Cell Autoimmunity.

Diabetes is the most common comorbidity in individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF). Among people with CF, the prevalence of CF-related diabetes (CFRD) is estimated to be 2% in children, 19% in adolescents, 40% in individuals in their 20s, and 45–50% in those ≥30 years of age (1). CFRD shares some aspects with type 1 diabetes in that it is primarily due to insulin deficiency, but it is distinguished from type 1 diabetes because of its insidious onset over years and the persistence of some insulin production long after diagnosis, which makes diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) very rare in CFRD (2). Routine screening for type 1 diabetes autoantibodies is not recommended for patients with CF and hyperglycemia (3). However, the following three cases illustrate certain instances that may warrant checking for type 1 diabetes autoantibodies (i.e., hyperglycemia before age 10, symptomatic presentation, and DKA; increasing insulin requirement; or presence of other autoimmune diseases or family history of autoimmune diseases in a CF patient). ### Patient 1 Patient 1 is a non-Hispanic white male with CF (genotype delta F508 homozygous), pancreatic insufficiency, and CF-related liver disease who presented at 16 years of age with polyuria, polydipsia, dry mouth, and weight loss of 5 kg over 3 months. His family history was positive for hypothyroidism in his father and CF in his sister and negative for diabetes. His height was 152 cm (<1st percentile), his weight was 41.6 kg (<1st percentile), and his BMI was 18.0 kg/m2 (12th percentile). Physical examination showed normal mental status, no Kussmaul breathing, dry mucous membranes, and clubbing. Laboratory evaluation revealed fasting glucose of 350 mg/dL, pH 7.42, bicarbonate 24 mEq/L, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) 22 mg/dL, and creatinine 0.6 mg/dL. Urinalysis showed +3 glucose and +1 ketones. His C-peptide level was 1.1 ng/mL (normal range 1.1–4.4 ng/mL), and his …
EUS-guided celiac ganglion radiofrequency ablation versus celiac plexus neurolysis for palliation of pain in pancreatic cancer: a randomized controlled trial (with videos).

Background and Aims Although EUS-guided celiac plexus neurolysis (EUS-CPN) is frequently performed, its efficacy for palliation of pain in pancreatic cancer is suboptimal. Recently, EUS-guided radiofrequency ablation (EUS-RFA) has been proposed as a palliative treatment option for pancreatic neoplasms. We performed a single-blind, randomized trial to compare the effectiveness of EUS-CPN and EUS-RFA for palliation of pain in pancreatic cancer. Methods Patients with abdominal pain because of locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer underwent EUS-CPN (n = 14) or EUS-RFA (n = 12). EUS-RFA was performed using a 1F monopolar probe passed via a 19-gauge FNA needle, by targeting the area of celiac plexus or visualized ganglia. Primary outcome was pain severity as measured by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire pancreatic cancer module (PAN26) administered pretreatment and at 2 and 4 weeks post-treatment. Secondary outcome measures were comparison of quality of life as determined by the PAN26 and EORTC Quality of Life Questionnaire core questionnaire (C30) and opioid analgesia use between the 2 groups. Results Both the PAN26 (49.0 vs 57.0, P Conclusions Compared with EUS-CPN, EUS-RFA provided more pain relief and improved the quality of life for patients with pancreatic cancer. (Clinical trials registration number: NCT03152487.)
Spectral Methods and Pricing Options on Private Equity

Over the past several years, researchers in economics and finance have used spectral methods to determine the structure of the stochastic discount factor. In this paper, we show that spectral methods can also be used to value an option on private equity. We show that the volatility of the equity is uniquely determined by the specification of a risk-neutral stochastic process for dividend yields along with the solution of a Sturm Liouville problem.
Oates, Thomas P. Football and Masculinity: An Unauthorized Feminist Account of the NFL. U of Illinois P, 2017. 232 pp. $25.95 (paperback). ISBN-13: 978-0-252-08244-3

Over the past sixty years, the National Football League (NFL) has become one of the most powerful sports organizations in the world, driven by massive revenues and broad cross-cultural appeal. Thom...
The Effect of Spatial Distance and Domain Knowledge Distinctiveness on Auditor Reliance on IT Specialists

Due to limitations in IT expertise, auditors frequently rely upon IT specialists during audit engagements. Does social similarity between the auditor and an IT specialist induce social biases that ...
Genetic Characterization and Prognostic Relevance of Acquired Uniparental Disomies in Cytogenetically Normal Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

Purpose: Uniparental disomy (UPD) is a way cancer cells duplicate a mutated gene, causing loss of heterozygosity (LOH). Patients with cytogenetically normal acute myeloid leukemia (CN-AML) do not have microscopically detectable chromosome abnormalities, but can harbor UPDs. We examined the prognostic significance of UPDs and frequency of LOH in patients with CN-AML. Experimental Design: We examined the frequency and prognostic significance of UPDs in a set of 425 adult patients with de novo CN-AML who were previously sequenced for 81 genes typically mutated in cancer. Associations of UPDs with outcome were analyzed in the 315 patients with CN-AML younger than 60 years. Results: We detected 127 UPDs in 109 patients. Most UPDs were large and typically encompassed all or most of the affected chromosome arm. The most common UPDs occurred on chromosome arms 13q (7.5% of patients), 6p (2.8%), and 11p (2.8%). Many UPDs significantly cooccurred with mutations in genes they encompassed, including 13q UPD with FLT3-internal tandem duplication (FLT3-ITD; P Conclusions: LOH mediated by UPD is a recurrent feature of CN-AML. Detection of UPDs of 13q and 11p might be useful for genetic risk stratification of patients with CN-AML.
Management of Complex Acetabular Revision With Bone Loss

Abstract The management of acetabular bone loss during revision arthroplasty can be a difficult challenge. There is a wide variety of potential defects, as well as numerous implants and treatment strategies available to manage the problem. The assessment of the severity and location of bone loss preoperatively is imperative as remaining acetabular bone stock drives reconstruction options. This paper will describe the preoperative assessment, the acetabular defect classifications, proposed treatment algorithms, and the surgical options available to achieve a successful outcome when managing acetabular bone loss in revision arthroplasty.
Beyond the Script: How Curriculum Authors Communicate with Teachers as Curriculum Enactors

This chapter introduces our approach to analyzing how curriculum authors communicated with teachers. Built on recommendations by Ball and Cohen (Educational researcher 25:6–14, 1996), Davis and Krajcik (Educational Researcher 34:3–14, 2005), and Remillard (Curriculum Inquiry 29:315–342, 1999, Elementary School Journal 100:331–350, 2000), we explored whether and the extent to which curriculum authors provided guidance intended to support teachers in their roles as curriculum enactors. The chapter reports on the coding framework used by the ICUBiT team to categorize different approaches of communicating with teachers in mathematics lesson guides and presents findings from quantitative analysis of these data. We found differences in the quantity of communication and the authors’ tendencies to direct teachers’ actions versus communicate to them about mathematics, student thinking, or design rationale (which we considered potentially educative). We also found that one program tended to combine directive and educative communication much more extensively than others. When looking across findings from previous chapters, we found alignment between mathematical emphasis, pedagogical approach, and approach to communicating with the teacher in the lesson guide. The findings in this chapter set up Chaps. 6, 7, and 8, which offer an in-depth analysis of communication within each type of support for teachers.
Subjective and objective hypersomnia highly prevalent in adults with epilepsy.

Abstract Introduction Sleepiness is among the most common complaints of people with epilepsy, but objective documentation is lacking. We systematically investigated subjective and objective sleepiness in an observational cross-sectional cohort of adults with epilepsy (AWE). Methods This is a prospective study of AWE consecutively recruited without foreknowledge of sleep/wake complaints. Polysomnography (PSG) with 18-channel electroencephalography (EEG) followed by multiple sleep latency testing (MSLT) was performed. Patients completed the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), a single-item question assessing excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), and a 7-day sleep and seizure diary. Multivariable linear models were used to assess the association between MSLT mean sleep latency (MSL) and interests with adjustment of covariates of interest. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis was performed to evaluate the discrimination capability of ESS on MSL Results Among 127 AWE (mean age: 38.7 ± 13.7 years), abnormal MSL ( 10/24). The ESS score was associated with MSL even after adjusting for seizure frequency, antiseizure medication (ASM) standardized dose and number, age, gender, depression and insomnia symptom severity, and apnea–hypopnea index (HPI) and total sleep time on PSG (coefficients [95% confidence interval (CI)]: − 0.26 [− 0.48, − 0.05], p = 0.018). The area under the curve (AUC) of the ESS ROC predicting MSL Conclusions This is the largest prospective cross-sectional observational study to date using MSLT in AWE. We found subjective and objective daytime sleepiness highly prevalent in AWE and not explained by seizure frequency, ASM burden, symptoms of insomnia/depression, or PSG findings although those with MSL
COVID-19 Scratch Models To Support Local Decisions

This article is based on modeling studies conducted in response to requests from Yale University, the Yale New Haven Hospital and the State of Connecticut during the early weeks of the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak. Much of this work relied on scratch modeling, that is, models created from scratch in real time. Applications included recommending event crowd-size restrictions, hospital surge planning, timing decisions (when to stop and possibly restart university activities), and scenario analyses to assess the impacts of alternative interventions, among other problems. This paper documents the problems faced, models developed, and advice offered during real-time response to the COVID-19 crisis at the local level. Results include a simple formula for the maximum size of an event that ensures no infected persons are present with 99% probability; the determination that existing ICU capacity was insufficient for COVID-19 arrivals which led to creating a large dedicated COVID-19 negative pressure ICU; and a new epidemic model that showed the infeasibility of the university hosting normal spring and summer events, that lockdown-like stay-at-home and social distancing restrictions without additional public health action would only delay transmission and enable a rebound after restrictions are lifted, and that aggressive community screening to rapidly detect and isolate infected persons could end the outbreak.
An additional example of the ichnogenus Zoophycos in Cambrian strata (Gallatin Formation; Wyoming, USA)

Abstract The ichnogenus Zoophycos is relatively rare in Cambrian-age sedimentary rocks, being far more commonly encountered in post-Devonian, and particularly post-Paleozoic, strata. A new occurrence of Zoophycos from the Upper Cambrian Gallatin Formation of the Bighorn Mountains, north-central Wyoming, USA, is reported herein. Material consists of a single specimen preserved within quartz silt representing the upper surface of a graded quartz arenite bed. The burrow is a relatively wide, curved, horizontally oriented lobe with a poorly visible marginal tube but well-developed internal lamellae. Discovery of this specimen contributes to the paleobiogeographic distribution of lower Paleozoic Zoophycos, adds to the literature suggesting that most Cambrian Zoophycos were horizontal and shallow-tier structures, and provides further support to the notion that relatively complex deposit-feeding behavior evolved earlier in the Phanerozoic than had long been recognized.
Iterative quantum phase estimation with optimized sample complexity

In this work we consider Kitaev's algorithm for quantum phase estimation. We analyze the use of phase shifts that simplify the estimation of successive bits in the estimation of unknown phase φ, By using increasingly accurate shifts we reduce the number of measurements to the point where only a single measurement is needed for each additional bit. This results in an algorithm that can estimate φ to $m$ + 2 bits of accuracy with probability at least 1- ∊ using $N$ ∊ + $m$ measurements, where $N$ ∊ is a quantity that depends only on ∊ and the particular sampling algorithm. We present different sampling algorithms and study the exact number of measurements needed through careful numerical evaluation, and provide theoretical bounds and numerical values for $N$ ∊ .
Weighing Down America: 2020 Update A Community Approach against Obesity

Obesity impacts segments of the US population differently based on their behavioral and socioeconomic profiles. The Milken Institute COVID-19 Community Explorer sorts US counties around eight profiles of communities that share common patterns across behavioral, economic, and social factors. This report uses these communities and identifies which of the 26 factors considered are systemically correlated with high obesity rates for each community. This report identifies three groups of factors that matter for a large part of the US population: • Social and behavioral factors, such as unemployment, excessive drinking, smoking, post-secondary education, and single-parent households, have the strongest association with obesity prevalence across all eight communities' profiles. • Urban-rural factors, including rurality, housing concerns, population density, metropolitan area, violent crime rate, and the number of fast-food establishments per 100,000 people, have the second strongest association with obesity prevalence across four communities, representing 78 percent of the US population. • The Black population factor has the third strongest association with obesity prevalence across four communities. These communities represent 61 percent of the US population. The analysis combines health, behavioral, economic, and social data sets and suggests that some aspects of the obesity epidemic would be better addressed at the local level, while others would benefit from a federal initiative. It also identifies factors for each community to consider when coordinating national and local authorities and other partners such as health-care professionals, business and community leaders, school, and child care. Finally, our analysis shows that the data sets collected need to be properly combined, processed, and analyzed to inform policy in a meaningful and actionable manner.
Robust MAVE through nonconvex penalized regression

Abstract High dimensionality has been a significant feature in modern statistical modeling. Sufficient dimension reduction (SDR) as an efficient tool aims at reducing the original high dimensional predictors without losing any regression information. Minimum average variance estimation (MAVE) is a popular approach in SDR among others. However, it is not robust to outliers in the response due to the use of least squares. A robust estimation through regularization with case-specific parameters is proposed to achieve robust estimation and outlier detection simultaneously. Under the nonconvex penalized regression framework, two efficient computational strategies are introduced. Simulation studies and a real data application show the efficacy of the proposed approach. Compared with existing methods, the proposed approach is less sensitive to the choice of initial estimators.
Characteristics Associated With Functional Changes During Systemic Cancer Treatments: A Systematic Review Focused on Older Adults

Background Maintaining functional status is important to older adults with cancer, but data are limited on how systemic treatments affect functional status. We systematically reviewed changes in functional status during systemic cancer treatments and identified characteristics associated with functional decline and improvement. Methods We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials for articles examining characteristics associated with functional changes in older adults during systemic cancer treatment published in English between database inception and January 11, 2019 (PROSPERO CRD42019123125). Findings were summarized with descriptive statistics. Study characteristics between older adult-specific and non-older adult-specific studies were compared using the Fisher exact test. Results We screened 15,244 titles/abstracts and 519 full texts. The final analysis included 44 studies, which enrolled >8,400 patients; 39% of studies focused on older adults (1 study enrolled adults aged ≥60 years, 10 enrolled adults aged ≥65 years, and 6 enrolled adults aged ≥70 years). Almost all studies (98%) used patient-reported outcomes to measure functional status; only 20% used physical performance tests. Reporting of functional change was heterogeneous, with 48% reporting change scores. Older adult-specific studies were more likely to analyze functional change dichotomously (29% vs 4%; P=.008). Functional decline ranged widely, from 6% to 90%. The most common patient characteristics associated with functional decline were older age (n=7 studies), worse performance status (n=4), progressive disease status (n=4), pain (n=4), anemia (n=4), and worse nutritional status (n=4). Twelve studies examined functional improvement and identified 11 unique associated characteristics. Conclusions Functional decline is increasingly recognized as an important outcome in older adults with cancer, but definitions and analyses are heterogeneous, leading to a wide range of prevalence. To identify patients at highest risk of functional decline during systemic cancer treatments, trials need to routinely analyze functional outcomes and measure characteristics associated with decline (eg, nutrition).
Forensically reconstructing biomedical maintenance labor: PDF metadata under the epistemic conditions of COVID-19

This study examines the documents circulated among biomedical equipment repair technicians in order to build a conceptual model that accounts for multilayered temporality in technical healthcare professional communities. A metadata analysis informed by digital forensics and trace ethnography is employed to model the overlapping temporal, format-related, and annotation characteristics present in a corpus of repair manual files crowdsourced during collaborations between volunteer archivists and professional technicians. The corpus originates within iFixit.com's Medical Device Repair collection, a trove of more than 10,000 manuals contributed by working technicians in response to the strain placed on their colleagues and institutions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The study focuses in particular on the Respiratory Analyzer subcategory of documents, which aid in the maintenance of equipment central to the care of COVID-19 patients experiencing respiratory symptoms. The 40 Respiratory Analyzer manuals in iFixit's collection are examined in terms of their original publication date, the apparent status of their original paper copies, the version of PDF used to encode them, and any additional metadata that is present. Based on these characteristics, the study advances a conceptual model accounting for circulation among multiple technicians, as well as alteration of documents during the course of their lifespans.
A new roadmap for social medicine curriculum design based on mixed methods student and faculty evaluations of the preclinical curriculum

Background To support the development of social medicine curricula that empower medical school graduates to redress health inequities, we conducted a mixed methods student and faculty evaluation of an expanded and innovative preclinical social medicine curriculum. Methods We implemented a longitudinal, interactive preclinical social medicine curriculum that was closely integrated with foundational science teaching then conducted a survey-based mixed methods student and faculty curriculum evaluation. Based on these results, we propose a novel conceptual roadmap for social medicine curriculum design. Results Student and faculty evaluations of an expanded and innovative longitudinal preclinical social medicine curriculum were strongly favorable. Both student and faculty respondents indicated a particular desire for deeper coverage of race and poverty among other social medicine domains. Qualitative student evaluations highlighted the importance of faculty champions to social medicine teaching as well as the educational impact of stories that exemplify the practical impact of the social determinants of health on specific patient experiences. Qualitative faculty evaluations pointed to the challenges of curriculum integration and the need for faculty career development in social medicine teaching. Conclusions Based on mixed methods student and faculty curriculum evaluation data, we propose a novel conceptual roadmap for the design of social medicine curricula at other institutions.
Piezoelectric Lithotripsy: Initial Experience with the Wolf Piezolith 2200

Extracorporeal piezoelectric lithotripsy (EPL) with the Wolf Piezolith 2200 offers the major advantage of low-power lithotripsy. The relatively low pressures of the shock wave combined with a small (4 mm × 8 mm) focal point allow for pain-free lithotripsy.
Program Management of High-Risk Pregnancy

In spite of technological advances in healthcare, poor maternal and infant birth outcomes remain at unacceptably high levels in Western countries. Therefore, governmental and healthcare institutions, particularly in North America, have implemented various models of expanded prenatal-care programs focused on improving birth outcomes of high-risk pregnant women. This article presents an overview of recent studies that evaluated the quality and cost (if available) of programs (case management, home care, nurse specialist care, or augmented prenatal care) for the management of high-risk pregnancy. The findings suggest that enhanced prenatal programs (particularly with expert nurses) improve birth outcomes while controlling costs. These enhanced programs provide early and continuing psychosocial assessment, psychosocial interventions to mediate the effects of the risk factors, and health promotion education.
Abstract 037: Pancreatic-Angiotensin Type 1a Receptor Deficiency Prevents Angiotensin II-Mediated Reductions In Glucose-Stimulated Insulin Secretion From Isolated Islets Of Obese Mice.

Objective: Diet-induced obesity promotes type 2 diabetes (T2D). Drugs that inhibit the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) have been demonstrated in clinical trials to decrease the onset of T2D. Pancreatic islets have been reported to possess components of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), including angiotensin type 1a receptors (AT1aR). Previously, we demonstrated that mice made obese from chronic consumption of a high-fat diet (HF) have marked elevations in systemic concentrations of angiotensin II (AngII). We tested the hypothesis that pancreatic-specific deletion of the AT1aR would improve glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) from isolated islets of mice with diet-induced obesity. Methods and Results: In preliminary studies, we demonstrated that GSIS from islets isolated from obese mice was markedly diminished in the presence of AngII compared to vehicle (VEH) (VEH, 0.94 ± 0.22; AngII, 0.017 ± 0.15 fold increase over basal; P<0.05). A mouse model of pancreatic-AT1aR deficiency was created using AT1aRfl/fl mice on a C57BL/6 background bred to transgenic Cre mice expressing the pdx-1 promoter to generate pancreatic AT1aR-deficient mice ( AT1aRpdx ) and littermate controls ( AT1aRfl/fl ). AT1aR mRNA expression was markedly decreased in whole pancreas of AT1aRpdx mice ( AT1aRfl/fl , 2.24 ± 0.79; AT1aRpdx , 0.53 ± 0.24 ΔΔ Ct AT1aR/18S; P < 0.05). Male, 8-week old AT1aRfl/fl and AT1aRpdx mice were fed a HF diet (60% kcal as fat) for 17 weeks. GSIS from isolated islets of HF-fed AT1aRfl/fl mice was significantly reduced in the presence of AngII (10nM) compared to VEH (VEH, 229 ± 43; AngII, 129 ± 43 ng insulin/ng protein; P<0.05). Moreover, incubation of HF-fed islets from AT1aRfl/fl , but not AT1aRpdx mice, with losartan (1μM) prevented AngII-induced reductions in GSIS (AngII + losartan, 244 ± 118 ng insulin/ng protein). However, at 17 weeks of HF feeding there was no significant effect of pancreatic AT1aR deficiency on glucose tolerance. Conclusions: These results demonstrate that AngII markedly reduces glucose-stimulated insulin secretion from pancreatic islets of obese mice through an AT1aR-mediatd mechanism. Further studies are required to determine if pancreatic AT1aR influence the decline of insulin secretion during the progression of T2D.