cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The influence of race/ethnicity and place of service on breast reconstruction for Medicare beneficiaries with mastectomy

Racial disparities in breast reconstruction for breast cancer are documented. Place of service has contributed to disparities in cancer care; but the interaction of race/ethnicity and place of service has not been explicitly examined. We examined whether place of service modified the effect of race/ethnicity on receipt of reconstruction. We included women with a mastectomy for incident breast cancer in SEER-Medicare from 2005–2009. Using Medicare claims, we determined breast reconstruction within 6 months. Facility characteristics included: rural/urban location, teaching status, NCI Cancer Center designation, cooperative oncology group membership, Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) status, and breast surgery volume. Using multivariable logistic regression, we analyzed reconstruction in relation to minority status and facility characteristics. Of the 17,958 women, 14.2% were racial/ethnic women of color and a total of 9.3% had reconstruction. Caucasians disproportionately received care at non-teaching hospitals (53% v. 42%) and did not at Disproportionate Share Hospitals (77% v. 86%). Women of color had 55% lower odds of reconstruction than Caucasians (OR = 0.45; 95% CI 0.37-0.55). Those in lower median income areas had lower odds of receiving reconstruction, regardless of race/ethnicity. Odds of reconstruction reduced at rural, non-teaching and cooperative oncology group hospitals, and lower surgery volume facilities. Facility effects on odds of reconstruction were similar in analyses stratified by race/ethnicity status. Race/ethnicity and facility characteristics have independent effects on utilization of breast reconstruction, with no significant interaction. This suggests that, regardless of a woman’s race/ethnicity, the place of service influences the likelihood of reconstruction.
Patient and Provider Perceptions of Weight Gain, Physical Activity, and Nutrition Counseling during Pregnancy: A Qualitative Study

Abstract Objective This study investigated patient and provider perceptions of weight gain, physical activity, and nutrition counseling during prenatal care visits. Methods Individual qualitative interviews were conducted with 30 pregnant women between 20 and 30 weeks gestation (15 African American, 15 White) and 11 prenatal care providers (5 attending physicians, 5 residents, 1 nurse practitioner) in 2014. Results The majority of patients and providers reported receiving or giving advice on weight gain (87% and 100%, respectively), physical activity (87% and 91%), and nutrition (100% and 91%) during a prenatal visit. Discussion of counseling content was largely consistent between patients and providers. However, counseling was limited and not fully consistent with current weight gain, physical activity, or dietary guidelines during pregnancy. Most patients viewed provider advice positively, but some wanted more detailed information. Providers discussed many barriers to lifestyle counseling, including lack of time, inadequate training, concern about the sensitivity of the topic, lower education or income level of the patient, cultural differences, and lack of patient interest. Conclusions Providers discussed weight gain, physical activity, and nutrition during prenatal care visits and patients accurately recalled this advice. However, counseling was limited and not fully consistent with guidelines. Future studies are needed to develop and evaluate the efficacy of interventions to help providers overcome perceived barriers and more effectively counsel women on weight and healthy lifestyles during pregnancy.
Rous Sarcoma Virus Infection of Chicken Buffy Goat Macrophage.

SummaryOver 50% of RSV treated chicken buffy coat macrophage cultures induced tumors when the cells were tested in 2-day-old chicks. Some of these cultures were positive when tested as late as 4 months after infection. Sarcoma virus from the tumors and red vascular lesions were observed in many of the tumor bearing animals. The macrophage cultures lacked detectable fibro-blastic elements. Free virus was absent in the supernatant fluid of most of the virus treated macrophage cultures. More than one-half of the cultures whose cells induced tumors did not contain free virus at any time when their supernatant fluids were tested. Whenever detected, the titre of free virus was less than 102 v.f.u./ml of supernatant fluid. This value was about 1/1000 that of the free virus in infected fibroblast cultures which had a titre of 104 to 105 v.f.u. per ml of supernatant fluid. Sarcoma virus antigens were not observed in the virus treated macrophage cultures when tested by the fluorescent antibody staining technique in...
Reformed Doctrine in the Collects of the First Book of Common Prayer

Lex orandi — lex credendi. The interdependence of cult and creed was a truth well known to Archbishop Cranmer and the English Reformers. If Christian belief was to be restored to its evangelical purity, then the mode and content of public worship must be reformed accordingly. So far as the Eucharist was concerned, any major change would have to be in the Canon of the Mass, which was its ritual and doctrinal center. Changes there were; and, as events were to prove, the Canon of 1549 was only a beginning. But those influences which affected the center were felt elsewhere in the service as well. Among other things they account for a number of changes in those much admired prayers which Cranmer derived from the Roman rite, the collects. In this study I would like to examine the influence of Reformed doctrine on the composition of these prayers in the first Book of Common Prayer of 1549. The hundred-odd collects in the first Prayer Book fall into two classes: some sixty-seven which are fairly close translations of Latin originals as they were found in the Sarum service books, and the rest which are either completely new with Cranmer or have only a slight connection with a Latin collect. I shall deal with the effects of Reformed doctrine first on the translated and then on the new — or nearly new — collects of the Prayer Book.
Real-time control and scheduling of flexible manufacturing systems: An ordinal optimisation based approach

A unique real-time control and scheduling framework for flexible manufacturing systems (FMS) is presented in this paper. The framework enables the adoption of different scheduling policies for short-term intervals when responding to the dynamic changes of the FMS shop floor status. Each time when rescheduling is called for, standard clock (SC) simulation is first employed to evaluate the performance of a set of scheduling policies for a short planning horizon. The ordinal optimisation concept is then used to choose quickly the most desirable scheduling policy. Owing to the use of the standard clock technique and the ordinal optimisation concept, this framework accomplishes a dramatic reduction in the time needed for decision making, the essential requirement for real-time control. It is also found that as the scale of the problem increases, the decision-making time increases linearly rather than exponentially. These two important features indicate that this framework has the potential for being successfully implemented in real FMS settings. Although the framework cannot always guarantee the global “best” performance, the case study indicates that satisfactory performance results are always achieved by using this framework.
Subthalamic Stimulation Reduces Vowel Space at the Initiation of Sustained Production: Implications for Articulatory Motor Control in Parkinson's Disease.

Background: Stimulation of the subthalamic nuclei (STN) is an effective treatment for Parkinson’s disease, but complaints of speech difficulties after surgery have been difficult to quantify. Speech measures do not convincingly account for such reports. Objective: This study examined STN stimulation effects on vowel production, in order to probe whether DBS affects articulatory posturing. The objective was to compare positioning during the initiation phase with the steady prolongation phase by measuring vowel spaces for three “corner” vowels at these two time frames. Methods: Vowel space was measured over the initial 0.25 sec of sustained productions of high front (/i/), high back (/u/) and low vowels (/a/), and again during a 2 sec segment at the midpoint. Eight right-handed male subjects with bilateral STN stimulation and seven age-matched male controls were studied based on their participation in a larger study that included functional imaging. Mean values: age = 57±4.6 yrs; PD duration = 12.3±2.7 yrs; duration of DBS = 25.6±21.2 mos, and UPDRS III speech score = 1.6±0.7. STN subjects were studied off medication at their therapeutic DBS settings and again with their stimulators off, counter-balanced order. Results: Vowel space was larger in the initiation phase compared to the midpoint for both the control and the STN subjects off stimulation. With stimulation on, however, the initial vowel space was significantly reduced to the area measured at the mid-point. For the three vowels, the acoustics were differentially affected, in accordance with expected effects of front versus back position in the vocal tract. Conclusions: STN stimulation appears to constrain initial articulatory gestures for vowel production, raising the possibility that articulatory positions normally used in speech are similarly constrained.
Normative study for indication assessment in process of selection and switch of OTC Chinese medicine

This article departed from the actual work,studied on normative for indication assessment in process of selection and switch of OTC Chinese Medicine based on the brief introduction about the study background of non-prescription drugs in our country and analysis the necessity about the indication assessment of OTC Chinese Medicine.The normative for indication assessment is contribute to strengthen the science and fairness during the evaluation of OTC drugs,push on the development of switch evaluation of OTC Chinese Medicine,and has important practical significance for ensuring OTC Chinese Medicine safe and effective when they are used in the situation of self-medication by consumers.
The management of civilian ureteral gunshot wounds: a review of 8 patients.

Abstract Ureteral injury is a rare consequence of abdominal gunshot wounds. We recently treated 8 patients with ureteral injuries. Failure to diagnose ureteral injury at presentation led to postoperative complications, necessitating additional operative procedures in 4 patients. However, in all 8 patients renal salvage was achieved.
Alpha 1-adrenoceptor mediation of urinary bicarbonate excretion.

The adrenoceptor mechanism that mediates the reduction of urinary sodium (UNa V) and bicarbonate (UHCO3 V) excretion during 1.0-Hz renal nerve stimulation (RNS) was evaluated in 21 anesthetized dog...
Global Analysis of Phosphoregulatory Networks

Publisher Summary Phosphorylation is one of the most widespread posttranslational modifications present in all eukaryotes. The most extensively studied posttranslational modification is that of reversible protein phosphorylation. Reversible protein phosphorylation, through the action of protein kinases and phosphatases, has been implicated to play a role in nearly every basic cellular process, ranging from DNA replication, gene transcription, and protein translation to cell differentiation, cell growth, and intercellular communication. Phosphorylation can not only directly activate or deactivate a protein target, but also affect the rate at which a protein is degraded, its ability to translocate from one subcellular compartment to another, and its capacity to bind to other proteins. More and more global studies have emerged that look at phosphorylation on a proteomic scale. These studies have provided tremendous insight into which proteins are phosphorylated, which kinases are responsible for these phosphorylation events, and how the various signaling pathways are connected. This chapter reviews these studies. With existing large-scale phosphoproteomic studies providing a solid foundation, there is much promise for gaining a more complete understanding of phosphorylation and reaching the point where detailed mathematical models of cell signaling pathways can be made. However, different technologies have different limitations; thus, integration of studies using bioinformatics is anticipated to be the key to accelerating the understanding of eukaryotic phosphorylation networks.
The Armored Scales of Hemlock

Two armored scales, Fiorinia externa Ferris and Nuculaspis (formerly Tsugaspidiotus 4) tsugae (Marlatt) (Homoptera: Diaspididae), native to Japan,44,45 were accidentally introduced into the vicinity of New York City at the turn of the nineteenth century,8,42,48 They have since spread into several northeastern states and have become destructive pests of Eastern hemlock, Tsuga canadensis Carriere, their primary host. In addition to Eastern hemlock, these two scales attack many other native and exotic species of conifers.23 A survey that I conducted at two arboretums in Connecticut demonstrated that F. externa can mature and reproduce on Abies (9 species), Cedrus (3 species), Picea (12 species), Pinus (12 species), Pseudotsuga (1 species), Taxus (2 species), and Tsuga (5 species), while N. tsugae matured and reproduced on Abies (2 species), Cedrus (1 species), Picea (3 species), and Tsuga (5 species). The lower number of conifers exploited by N. tsugae probably reflects the much lower abundance of this scale in hemlock forests surrounding the two arboretums, rather than a more restricted host range.23 Both scales were generally more abundant on Abies and Picea than on Tsuga,23 which suggests that the pests may become even more important as they spread farther northward into the natural ranges of these other conifers.
Variable Effects of Acoustic Trauma on Behavioral and Neural Correlates of Tinnitus In Individual Animals.

The etiology of tinnitus is known to be diverse in the human population. An appropriate animal model of tinnitus should incorporate this pathological diversity. Previous studies evaluating the effect of acoustic over exposure (AOE) have found that animals typically display increased spontaneous firing rates and bursting activity of auditory neurons, which often has been linked to behavioral evidence of tinnitus. However, only a subset of studies directly associated these neural correlates to individual animals. Furthermore the vast majority of tinnitus studies were conducted on anesthetized animals. The goal of this study was to test for a possible relationship between tinnitus, hearing loss, hyperactivity, and bursting activity in the auditory system of individual unanesthetized animals following AOE. Sixteen mice were unilaterally exposed to 116dB SPL narrowband noise (centered at 12.5 kHz) for 1 hour under ketamine/xylazine anesthesia. Gap-induced prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle reflex (GPIAS) was used to assess behavioral evidence of tinnitus whereas hearing performance was evaluated by measurements of auditory brainstem response (ABR) thresholds and prepulse inhibition (PPI) audiometry. Following behavioral assessments, single neuron firing activity was recorded from the inferior colliculus (IC) of four awake animals and compared to recordings from four unexposed controls. We found that AOE increased spontaneous activity in all mice tested, independently of tinnitus behavior or severity of threshold shifts. Bursting activity did not increase in two animals identified as tinnitus positive (T+), but did so in a tinnitus negative (T-) animal with severe hearing loss (SHL). Hyperactivity does not appear to be a reliable biomarker of tinnitus. Our data suggest that multidisciplinary assessments on individual animals following AOE could offer a powerful experimental tool to investigate mechanisms of tinnitus.
Ethical Issues in Clinical Services and Research

In what may be the last chapter written of my professional career, I may cause considerable discussion and debate because the topic of this chapter is a many-faceted and complex issue rife with controversy and strong opinion held by people with opposing viewpoints. Two aspects of this review are obvious: first, I can only cover some (Sprague, 1994) of the many aspects of ethical issues surrounding individual with developmental disabilities, and second, even the relatively few issues that are covered may bring about strong dissent from the readers because the spread of opinions about these issues is so vast. But now, having little to fear about promotion and salary reviews that do not exist for me any more in retirement, I will plunge ahead into the controversial fray.
Cardiomyocyte Ogt limits ventricular dysfunction in mice following pressure overload without affecting hypertrophy

The myocardial response to pressure overload involves coordination of multiple transcriptional, posttranscriptional, and metabolic cues. The previous studies show that one such metabolic cue, O-GlcNAc, is elevated in the pressure-overloaded heart, and the increase in O-GlcNAcylation is required for cardiomyocyte hypertrophy in vitro. Yet, it is not clear whether and how O-GlcNAcylation participates in the hypertrophic response in vivo. Here, we addressed this question using patient samples and a preclinical model of heart failure. Protein O-GlcNAcylation levels were increased in myocardial tissue from heart failure patients compared with normal patients. To test the role of OGT in the heart, we subjected cardiomyocyte-specific, inducibly deficient Ogt (i-cmOgt -/-) mice and Ogt competent littermate wild-type (WT) mice to transverse aortic constriction. Deletion of cardiomyocyte Ogt significantly decreased O-GlcNAcylation and exacerbated ventricular dysfunction, without producing widespread changes in metabolic transcripts. Although some changes in hypertrophic and fibrotic signaling were noted, there were no histological differences in hypertrophy or fibrosis. We next determined whether significant differences were present in i-cmOgt -/- cardiomyocytes from surgically naive mice. Interestingly, markers of cardiomyocyte dedifferentiation were elevated in Ogt-deficient cardiomyocytes. Although no significant differences in cardiac dysfunction were apparent after recombination, it is possible that such changes in dedifferentiation markers could reflect a larger phenotypic shift within the Ogt-deficient cardiomyocytes. We conclude that cardiomyocyte Ogt is not required for cardiomyocyte hypertrophy in vivo; however, loss of Ogt may exert subtle phenotypic differences in cardiomyocytes that sensitize the heart to pressure overload-induced ventricular dysfunction.
Is Efficiency Biased

Efficiency is a watchword in policy circles. If we choose policies that maximize people’s willingness to pay, we are told, we will grow the economic pie and thus benefit the rich and poor alike. Who would oppose efficiency when it is cast in this fashion? However, there are actually two starkly different types of efficient policies: those that systematically distribute equally to the rich and the poor and those that systematically distribute more to the rich. Our collective failure to grasp this distinction matters enormously for those with a wide range of political commitments. Many efficient policies distribute more to the rich without the rich having to pay for their bigger slice. Because these “rich-biased” policies are ubiquitous, efficient policymaking places a heavy thumb on the scale in favor of the rich. Especially at this time of heightened concern about inequality, getting efficiency right should matter to a wide swath of the policymaking spectrum, from committed redistributionists to libertarians. We should support efficient policies only when the poor are compensated for their smaller slices or when efficient policies systematically distribute equally to the rich and the poor as we grow the size of the economic pie. This Article points a way forward in ensuring that a foundational tenet of the law does not follow a “rich get richer” principle, with profound consequences for policymaking.
Stability of operator expansions under discretization

Abstract We show that, when wavelets in almost-orthogonal expansions of linear operators are replaced by fine dyadic discretizations, the resulting approximations are (in the L 2 → L 2 sense) close to the original operators and that these discretizations are stable with respect to small errors in translation and dilation.
From Sketch to Play Store

In this chapter, we will go over the steps involved in the creation of a complete Processing for Android project, from sketching and debugging to exporting the project as a signed app ready for upload to the Google Play Store. We will use the drawing sketch from the previous chapter as our example.
Gross total resection and adjuvant radiotherapy most significant predictors of improved survival in patients with atypical meningioma

BACKGROUND Atypical and malignant meningiomas are far less common than benign meningiomas. As aggressive lesions, they are prone to local recurrence and may lead to decreased survival. Although malignant meningiomas typically are treated with maximal surgical resection and adjuvant radiotherapy (RT), to the authors’ knowledge the optimal treatment for atypical lesions remains to be defined. There are limited prospective data in this setting. METHODS The National Cancer Data Base was queried to investigate cases of histologically confirmed meningiomas diagnosed from 2004 to 2014. This included 7811 patients with atypical meningiomas (World Health Organization grade 2) and 1936 patients with malignant meningiomas (World Health Organization grade 3); during the same period, a total of 60,345 patients were diagnosed with benign meningiomas (World Health Organization grade 1). Data collected included patient and tumor characteristics, extent of surgical resection, and use of RT. Survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier estimates with the log-rank test of significance and Cox univariate and multivariate regression. Logistic regression was used to determine factors associated with use of RT. RESULTS The 5-year overall survival rate was 85.5% in patients with benign meningiomas, 75.9% in patients with atypical meningiomas, and 55.4% in patients with malignant meningiomas (P<.0001). In patients with atypical meningiomas, gross (macroscopic) total resection (GTR) and adjuvant RT were found to be associated with significantly improved survival, independently and especially in unison (GTR plus RT: hazard ratio, 0.47; P = .002). On multivariate analysis, the combination of GTR plus RT was found to be the most important factor for improved survival. However, GTR was associated with significantly lower rates of RT use. CONCLUSIONS GTR and adjuvant RT appear to be highly associated with improved survival, independent of other factors, in patients with atypical meningiomas. Cancer 2018;124:734-42. © 2017 American Cancer Society.
Safety and initial efficacy of radiation segmentectomy for the treatment of hepatic metastases.

Background: Hepatic metastatectomy and ablation are associated with prolonged survival, but not all lesions are anatomically amenable to these therapies. We evaluated safety and initial efficacy of segmental ablative transarterial radioembolization, or radiation segmentectomy (RS), as a treatment for hepatic metastases. Methods: A single institution retrospective analysis was performed of patients with hepatic metastases, determined unamenable to resection by a multidisciplinary tumor board, treated with RS from 2015–2017. Safety parameters evaluated were pre and post procedure liver chemistry, MELD score, ALBI grade, platelet count, and adverse events using both Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) v 4.0 and Clavien Dindo (CD) classifications. Initial efficacy was evaluated using RECIST, mRECIST, and PERCIST criteria. Results: Ten patients underwent between 1–3 RS treatments. There was no clinical treatment toxicity or significant post-treatment change in liver chemistry, MELD, or ALBI score. One patient had a CTCAE Grade 1/CD Grade 1 adverse event. All patients showed partial or complete imaging response at initial assessment (1–3 months). Seven patients demonstrated disease control at a mean of 7.1 months post treatment. Three patients developed out of field disease progression. One RS was technically unsuccessful. Conclusions: Early evaluation of segmental radioembolization suggests a safe treatment option for select patients with hepatic metastases. Initial efficacy as definitive radiotherapy with minimal toxicity is promising in anatomic locations unamenable to resection or alternative means of ablation.
Spectacular Translucence: The Games in Glass

Glass cups bearing labeled images of charioteers and gladiators were popular between AD 50 and 80 and have been found throughout the empire’s northwestern quadrant, including Italy. Fashioned in the recently invented technique of mold-blowing, their words and images were doubly legible on the translucent support: the names and contestants appear on both sides of the glass wall. A phenomenological approach to the cups reveals an overlooked phase in the representation of the empire’s leading sports, as well as new ways of reading and watching the games in glass. The cups’ sensory allure complicates their traditional categorization as souvenirs and vehicles of imperial propaganda.
Implementing and Evaluating a Standard of Care for Clinical Evaluations in Emergency Psychiatry.

Abstract Background Psychiatric presentations are common in emergency departments (EDs), but the standard of care for treatment remains poorly defined. We introduced standards for emergency psychiatric evaluations that included obtaining collateral information, writing a safety plan for discharging patients, identifying the next best provider, and alerting that provider to the patient's visit. Objective We sought to demonstrate the feasibility and clinical impact of implementing standards for emergency psychiatric evaluations. Methods To evaluate feasibility, physicians attested to completion in the electronic health record. To evaluate the effect on clinical outcomes, we compared admission rates, 30-day return rates, and median length of stay from a 4-month pre-implementation period to a 4-month post-implementation period. Data were extracted from a quality-improvement database. Results There were 1896 patient encounters in the pre-implementation period and 1937 encounters post-implementation. Pre-and post-cohorts were similar demographically. Collateral was obtained for 1035 (86%) encounters, a written safety plan was completed for 793 (77%) eligible patients, the next-best provider was identified for 1094 (91%), and that provider was contacted for 837 (70%). There was no difference from pre to post periods in admission rates (17% vs. 18%; p = 0.36), median length of stay (13.3 ± 0.6 vs. 12.5 ± 1.4; p = 0.35), or 30-day return rates (15% vs. 16%; p = 0.66). Conclusions This standard work for emergency psychiatric evaluations was feasible even in a highly acute patient population. However, the benefits of this intervention are less clear. We question the utility of prevailing metrics in emergency psychiatry.
Aiding and Abetting: How the Tumor Microenvironment Protects Cancer from Chemotherapy

Disease recurrence following cancer therapy remains an intractable clinical problem and represents a major impediment to reducing the mortality attributable to malignant tumors. While research has ...
CapZ integrates several signaling pathways in response to mechanical stiffness.

Muscle adaptation is a response to physiological demand elicited by changes in mechanical load, hormones, or metabolic stress. Cytoskeletal remodeling processes in many cell types are thought to be primarily regulated by thin filament formation due to actin-binding accessory proteins, such as the actin-capping protein. Here, we hypothesize that in muscle, the actin-capping protein (named CapZ) integrates signaling by a variety of pathways, including phosphorylation and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) binding, to regulate muscle fiber growth in response to mechanical load. To test this hypothesis, we assess mechanotransduction signaling that regulates muscle growth using neonatal rat ventricular myocytes cultured on substrates with the stiffness of the healthy myocardium (10 kPa), fibrotic myocardium (100 kPa), or glass. We investigate how PIP2 signaling affects CapZ using the PIP2 sequestering agent neomycin and the effect of PKC-mediated CapZ phosphorylation using the PKC-activating drug phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA). Molecular simulations suggest that close interactions between PIP2 and the β-tentacle of CapZ are modified by phosphorylation at T267. Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) demonstrates that the kinetic binding constant of CapZ to sarcomeric thin filaments in living muscle cells increases with stiffness or PMA treatment but is diminished by PIP2 reduction. Furthermore, CapZ with a deletion of the β-tentacle that lacks the phosphorylation site T267 shows increased FRAP kinetics with lack of sensitivity to PMA treatment or PIP2 reduction. Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) probes the molecular interactions between PIP2 and CapZ, which are decreased by PIP2 availability or by the β-tentacle truncation. These data suggest that CapZ is bound to actin tightly in the idle, locked state, with little phosphorylation or PIP2 binding. However, this tight binding is loosened in growth states triggered by mechanical stimuli such as substrate stiffness, which may have relevance to fibrotic heart disease.
Children's appraisals of maternal depression and responses to emotional faces in early-adolescence: An Event Related Potential (ERP) study.

Abstract Background Parental depression represents a significant risk for depression development in offspring. While cognitive mechanisms represent a central risk pathway, children's appraisals of parental symptoms have been understudied. This study examined associations between children's self-blame, threat, and frequency/duration appraisals for maternal symptoms in relation to cognitive control and emotional response processes. Methods Sixty mother-daughter (aged 10–14-years) pairs participated. Affective processing was assessed by three Event Related Potential (ERP) components, the N2, P3, and LPP, during an emotional Go/NoGo task. Results Threat-appraisals were associated with alterations in all three ERP components, independently of maternal diagnostic histories or youth depressive symptoms. Self-blame was associated with early attentional engagement towards calm faces. Independent effects of maternal depression history and youth symptoms were also observed. Conclusions Results highlight the importance of youth perceptions of maternal depressive symptoms in models of depression-risk.
Association of State Laws With Influenza Vaccination of Hospital Personnel

Introduction Healthcare personnel influenza vaccination can reduce influenza illness and patient mortality. State laws are one tool promoting healthcare personnel influenza vaccination. Methods A 2016 legal assessment in 50 states and Washington DC identified (1) assessment laws: mandating hospitals assess healthcare personnel influenza vaccination status; (2) offer laws: mandating hospitals offer influenza vaccination to healthcare personnel; (3) ensure laws: mandating hospitals require healthcare personnel to demonstrate proof of influenza vaccination; and (4) surgical masking laws: mandating unvaccinated healthcare personnel to wear surgical masks during influenza season. Influenza vaccination was calculated using data reported in 2016 by short-stay acute care hospitals (n=4,370) to the National Healthcare Safety Network. Hierarchical linear modeling in 2018 examined associations between reported vaccination and assessment, offer, or ensure laws at the level of facilities nested within states, among employee and non-employee healthcare personnel and among employees only. Results Eighteen states had one or more healthcare personnel influenza vaccination-related laws. In the absence of any state laws, facility vaccination mandates were associated with an 11–12 percentage point increase in mean vaccination coverage (p Conclusions State laws moderate the effect of facility-level vaccination mandates and may help increase healthcare personnel influenza vaccination coverage in facilities with or without vaccination requirements.
Managing Voltage Excursions on the Distribution Network by Limiting the Aggregate Variability of Thermostatic Loads

This paper proposes a strategy to control a group of thermostatically controlled loads (TCLs) such that the variability in their aggregate load is reduced. This strategy could be deployed in areas of a distribution network that experience voltage excursions due to net load fluctuations, such as areas with high penetrations of photovoltaic (PV) generation and/or electric vehicles (EVs), We limit variation in the power consumption of a group of TCLs using a control strategy previously developed for large aggregations of switched systems. Using this strategy, we constrain the number of TCLs that are on (i.e., actively consuming power) between upper and lower bounds. In simulations, the control strategy successfully decreases the range over which TCL power consumption varies. Percent reductions in range are greatest for medium group sizes: we find a median reduction of 82% for groups of 50 TCLs, 74% for groups of 1000 TCLs, and 59% for groups of 5 TCLs. Reducing the variability of a distribution network's power injections helps to reduce voltage variability. In a simulation of a distribution line supplying 25 households, half with PV systems, the control strategy reduces the total range of voltage by 0.02 p.u. and prevents a violation of the 0.95 p.u. limit. Lastly, we propose a new control strategy for a more realistic TCL model that includes compressor lockout. The new strategy performs comparably to the original strategy and is demonstrated through simulation.
Upper triangular matrices over information algebras

Abstract Factorization in matrix rings has been investigated in a wide variety of contexts. Recently, this study has provided a wealth of information about how factorization works in noncommutative settings. It is often the case that when S is a ring of matrices over a base ring R, multiplicative factorization in R drives the multiplicative factorization in S; that is, the additive structure of R is largely irrelevant to how elements of S factor multiplicatively. Recently, Chen et al. studied factorization of the semiring of upper-triangular matrices with entries in N 0 , the semiring of nonnegative integers. In this work we show that their results fit within the larger context of factorization in upper-triangular matrices over reduced information algebras. We illustrate that factorization in T n ( H 0 ) depends on both the multiplicative and additive structure of H 0 . If H 0 is such an information algebra, we classify the irreducible elements of T n ( H 0 ) and describe the degree to which factorization in T n ( H 0 ) is nonunique by considering elasticities, delta sets, and unions of sets. In addition, we show that unlike many important classes of semigroups whose arithmetic has been studied, T n ( H 0 ) is not transfer Krull. For H 0 = N 0 , we extend previously known results and give explicit descriptions of nonunique factorization in T n ( N 0 ) .
A model for the prediction of antimicrobial resistance in Escherichia coli based on a comparative evaluation of fatty acid profiles

Abstract Antimicrobial resistance is a threat to agricultural production and public health. In this proof-of-concept study, we investigated predicting antimicrobial sensitive/resistant (S/R) phenotypes and host sources of Escherichia coli (n = 128) based on differential fatty acid abundance. Myristic (14:0), pentadecanoic acid (15:0), palmitic (16:0), elaidic (18:19) and steric acid (18:0) were significantly different (α = 0.05) using a two-way ANOVA for predicting nalidixic acid, ciprofloxacin, aztreonam, cefatoxime, and ceftazidime S/R phenotypes. Additionally, analyses of palmitoleic (16:1), palmitic acid (16:0), methyl palmitate (i-17:0), and cis-9,10-methyleneoctadecanoic acid (19:0Δ) showed these markers were significantly different (α = 0.05) between isolates obtained from cattle and raccoons. S/R phenotype prediction for the above antibiotics or host source, based on linear regression models of fatty acid abundance, were made using a replicated-randomized subsampling and modeling approach. This model predicted S/R phenotype with 79% and 81% accuracy for nalidixic acid and ciprofloxacin, respectively. The isolate host source was predicted with 63% accuracy.
Placental pathology in COVID-19.

Abstract Objectives To describe histopathologic findings in the placentas of women with COVID-19 during pregnancy. Methods Pregnant women with COVID-19 delivering between March 18, 2020 and May 5, 2020 were identified. Placentas were examined and compared to historical controls and women with placental evaluation for a history of melanoma. Results 16 placentas from patients with SARS-CoV-2 were examined (15 with live birth in the 3rd trimester 1 delivered in the 2nd trimester after intrauterine fetal demise). Compared to controls, third trimester placentas were significantly more likely to show at least one feature of maternal vascular malperfusion (MVM), including abnormal or injured maternal vessels, as well as delayed villous maturation, chorangiosis, and intervillous thrombi. Rates of acute and chronic inflammation were not increased. The placenta from the patient with intrauterine fetal demise showed villous edema and a retroplacental hematoma. Conclusions Relative to controls, COVID-19 placentas show increased prevalence of features of maternal vascular malperfusion (MVM), a pattern of placental injury reflecting abnormalities in oxygenation within the intervillous space associated with adverse perinatal outcomes. Only 1 COVID-19 patient was hypertensive despite the association of MVM with hypertensive disorders and preeclampsia. These changes may reflect a systemic inflammatory or hypercoagulable state influencing placental physiology. Key Points The placentas of women infected with SARS-CoV2 have higher rates maternal vascular malperfusion features compared to controls. Maternal vascular malperfusion has been associated with adverse perinatal outcomes, such as preeclampsia, fetal growth restriction, preterm birth, and stillbirth. As the placentas of women with SARS-CoV2 show reproducible histopathologic abnormalities, these findings suggest increased antenatal surveillance for women with COVID-19 may be warranted.
Weight and organ specific immune cell profiling of Sleeve Gastrectomy

Abstract Sleeve gastrectomy (SG) has profound, immediate weight-loss independent effects on obesity related diabetes (T2D). Our prior studies have shown that immunologic remodeling may play a part in this metabolic improvement. However, to date, little is known about how the major immune cell populations change following SG. Using mass cytometry with time of flight analysis (CyTOF) we aimed to broadly explore the organ-specific immune cell repertoire induced by SG. Surgery was performed on obese, insulin resistant and lean mice in order to understand surgery-specific phenotypes. We identified a shift within the splenic B cell compartment with a reduction in follicular and an increase in innate-like B cell subsets in SG animals. There was a concomitant increase in multiple circulating immunoglobulin classes. Further, SG animals had a conserved increase in splenic neutrophils and a tendency toward M2 macrophage polarization. Others have shown that these, weight-loss independent, surgery-specific changes are linked to improved glucose metabolism and thus, may be a major contributor to post SG physiology. Characterizing the complex immune milieu following SG is an important step toward understanding the physiology of SG and the potential therapies therein.
Affinity chromatography: A review of trends and developments over the past 50 years

The field of affinity chromatography, which employs a biologically-related agent as the stationary phase, has seen significant growth since the modern era of this method began in 1968. This review examines the major developments and trends that have occurred in this technique over the past five decades. The basic principles and history of this area are first discussed. This is followed by an overview of the various supports, immobilization strategies, and types of binding agents that have been used in this field. The general types of applications and fields of use that have appeared for affinity chromatography are also considered. A survey of the literature is used to identify major trends in these topics and important areas of use for affinity chromatography in the separation, analysis, or characterization of chemicals and biochemicals.
Changes in Medicare Reimbursement For Commonly Performed Ophthalmic Procedures

Unstructured Abstract Thirteen of the fifteen most commonly reported procedures in ophthalmology were subject to a statistically significant reduction in inflation-adjusted reimbursement from 2011 to 2020. A sustainable alternative to budget neutrality is critical.
Autopolyploids of Arabidopsis thaliana are more phenotypically plastic than their diploid progenitors.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Polyploids are often hypothesized to have increased phenotypic plasticity compared to their diploid progenitors, but recent work suggests that the relationship between whole genome duplication (WGD) and plasticity is not so straightforward. Impacts of WGD on plasticity are moderated by other evolutionary processes in nature, which has impeded generalizations regarding the effects of WGD alone. We assessed shifts in phenotypic plasticity and mean trait values accompanying WGD, as well as the adaptive consequences of these shifts. METHODS To isolate WGD effects, we compared two diploid lineages of Arabidopsis thaliana to corresponding autotetraploids grown across different salt and nutrient conditions in a growth chamber. KEY RESULTS For the few cases in which diploids and polyploids differed in plasticity, polyploids were more plastic, consistent with hypotheses that WGD increases plasticity. Under stress, increased plasticity was often adaptive (associated with higher total seed mass) but in other cases plasticity was unrelated to fitness. Mean trait values and plasticity were equally likely to be affected by WGD, but the adaptive consequences of these shifts were often context dependent or lineage specific. For example, polyploids had extended lifespans, a shift that was adaptive in one polyploid lineage under amenable conditions but was maladaptive in the other lineage under stress. CONCLUSIONS Our work shows that increased phenotypic plasticity can result from WGD alone, independent of other evolutionary processes. We find that the effects of WGD can differ depending on the genotype of the progenitor and the environmental context. Though our experiment was limited to two genotypes of a single species, these findings support the idea that WGD can indeed increase plasticity.
Facial Beauty Prediction From Facial Parts Using Multi-Task and Multi-Stream Convolutional Neural Networks

Automatic analysis of facial beauty has become an emerging computer vision problem in recent years. Facial beauty prediction (FBP) aims at developing a human-like model that automatically makes fac...
Impact of dual-energy 50-keV virtual monoenergetic images on radiologist confidence in detection of key imaging findings of small hepatocellular carcinomas using multiphase liver CT.

BackgroundDual-energy virtual monoenergetic images can increase iodine signal, potentially increasing the conspicuity of hepatic masses.PurposeTo determine if dual-energy 50-keV virtual monoenerget...
Optimum Treatment Strategy in Chronic Coronary Syndromes: the New Trials vs the Current Guidelines

Coronary revascularization is one of the most studied types of interventions in cardiology, but there is no consensus among specialists about the indications for its implementation in patients with chronic coronary syndromes (CCS). The data of recently completed clinical trials on the role of revascularization in CCS clearly contradict the current Guidelines, emphasizing the high effectiveness of modern conservative therapy. This paper discusses the main recommendations of the most significant American and European Guidelines on myocardial revascularization, and also analyzes the appropriateness of revascularization to improve the prognosis and symptoms in chronic coronary syndromes in view of the new research data, primarily the ISCHEMIA study (NCT01471522). Its strengths and limitations are discussed in detail. The data on the expediency of revacularization in CCS, obtained after the completion of ISCHEMIA and its potential significance, as well as subgroup analyses of ISCHEMIA, including in the most important ‘problem’ subgroups (3-vessel disease, proximal LAD disease, severe ischemia on stress test, etc.) are discussed. The paper also discusses the important achievements in modern drug therapy of chronic coronary syndromes, primarily antithrombotic therapy. The data of the COMPASS study (NCT01776424) are discussed, based on which the addition of a second antithrombotic drug – rivaroxaban in a small dose (2.5 mg BID) – is recommended for patients with CCS without atrial fibrillation who have high-risk characteristics. Indications the administration of dual antithrombotic therapy to patients with CCS, comparative results of its various regimens in relation to the prevention of cardiovascular complications, the risk of bleeding and the net clinical effect are given.
Pathways towards managing cost and degradation risk of fast charging cells with electrical and thermal controls

The charging rate of Li-ion batteries is limited by the risks of lithium plating and thermal damage, both of which negatively affect lifetime of the batteries. This work analyzes how to minimize charge time and manage the risk of degradation using both electrical and thermal controls. To accomplish this, an electrochemical-thermal model is developed to introduce a constant-risk fast charging protocol which maximizes the charging current while maintaining the cell within pre-defined design limits selected to minimize the risk of degradation. Results indicate 80%-charging of a typical NMC/graphite cell can be achieved within 10 minutes with a cell cost under $100 kW−1 h−1 (corresponding to an 80 μm thick anode) when charged at moderate allowable risks of degradation. We also demonstrate how stretching the allowable risk (i.e., higher temperatures, larger C-rates, and lower anode potential limits) allows affordable design of fast charging cells.