cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Specific Translocation of Protein Kinase Cα to the Plasma Membrane Requires Both Ca2+ and PIP2 Recognition by Its C2 Domain

The C2 domain of protein kinase Calpha (PKCalpha) controls the translocation of this kinase from the cytoplasm to the plasma membrane during cytoplasmic Ca2+ signals. The present study uses intracellular coimaging of fluorescent fusion proteins and an in vitro FRET membrane-binding assay to further investigate the nature of this translocation. We find that Ca2+-activated PKCalpha and its isolated C2 domain localize exclusively to the plasma membrane in vivo and that a plasma membrane lipid, phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2), dramatically enhances the Ca2+-triggered binding of the C2 domain to membranes in vitro. Similarly, a hybrid construct substituting the PKCalpha Ca2+-binding loops (CBLs) and PIP2 binding site (beta-strands 3-4) into a different C2 domain exhibits native Ca2+-triggered targeting to plasma membrane and recognizes PIP2. Conversely, a hybrid containing the CBLs but lacking the PIP2 site translocates primarily to trans-Golgi network (TGN) and fails to recognize PIP2. Similarly, PKCalpha C2 domains possessing mutations in the PIP2 site target primarily to TGN and fail to recognize PIP2. Overall, these findings demonstrate that the CBLs are essential for Ca2+-triggered membrane binding but are not sufficient for specific plasma membrane targeting. Instead, targeting specificity is provided by basic residues on beta-strands 3-4, which bind to plasma membrane PIP2.
Elevated atmospheric CO2 and soil N fertility effects on growth, mycorrhizal colonization, and xylem water potential of juvenile ponderosa pine in a field soil

Interactive effects of atmospheric CO2 enrichment and soil N fertility on above- and below-ground development and water relations of juvenile ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex Laws.) were examined. Open-top field chambers permitted creation of atmospheres with 700 µL L-1, 525 µL L-1, or ambient CO2 concentrations. Seedlings were reared from seed in field soil with a total N concentration of approximately 900 µg g-1 or in soil amended with sufficient (NH4)2SO4 to increase total N by 100 µg g-1 or 200 µg g-1. The 525 µL L-1 CO2 treatment within the intermediate N treatment was excluded from the study. Following each of three consecutive growing seasons, whole seedlings of each combination of CO2 and N treatment were harvested to permit assessment of shoot and root growth and ectomycorrhizal colonization. In the second and third growing seasons, drought cycles were imposed by withholding irrigation during which predawn and midday xylem water potential and soil water potential were measured. The first harvest revealed that shoot weight and coarse and fine root weights were increased by growth in elevated CO2. Shoot and root volume and weights were increased by CO2 enrichment at the second harvest, but growth stimulation by the 525 µL L-1 CO2 concentration exceeded that in 700 µL L-1 CO2 during the first two growing seasons. At the third harvest, above- and below-ground growth increases were largely confined to the 700 µL L-1 CO2 treatment, an effect accentuated by high soil N but evident in all N treatments. Ectomycorrhizal formation was reduced by elevated CO2 after one growing season, but thereafter was not significantly affected by CO2 and was unaffected by soil N throughout the study. Results of the xylem water potential measurements were variable, as water potentials in seedlings grown in elevated CO2 were intermittently higher on some measurement days but lower on others than that of seedlings grown in the ambient atmosphere. These results suggest that elevated CO2 exerts stimulatory effects on shoot and root growth of juvenile ponderosa pine under field conditions which are somewhat dependent on N availability, but that temporal variation may periodically result in a greater response to a moderate rise in atmospheric CO2 than to a doubling of the current ambient concentration.
Using the Integrated Activity-Based Costing and Economic Value Added Information System for Project Management

This paper examines the use of the Integrated ABC-and-EVA Information System for the management of new technology projects. The advantages of integrating the Activity-Based Costing system with the Economic Value Added financial performance measure and the positive impacts of this integration on project costing are presented. The effect of the Integrated Information System on overall project performance is discussed. Finally, building on the preliminary findings of its worth and effectiveness, suggestions for future research in using the Integrated ABC-and-EVA Information System for project management are made.
ROOSTING AFFINITIES OF TOWNSEND'S BIG-EARED BAT (CORYNORHINUS TOWNSENDII) IN NORTHERN UTAH

Abstract We surveyed abandoned mines, caves, and bridges to identify habitat preferences of day-roosting Townsend's big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii) in northern Utah. Of 820 sites surveyed (676 mines, 39 caves, and 105 bridges), 196 (23.9%) were occupied by C. townsendii. Caves were the most frequently used type of roost (84.6%), 21.2% of abandoned mines were used as day roosts, and no bridges were used. Bats occupied mines and caves at lower available elevations (1,350–2,440 m), which were associated with sagebrush–grass steppe, juniper woodlands, and mountain brush vegetation. In general, roosts with single low (<1.5 m height) entrances were more likely to be occupied than those with multiple or tall entrances. Day roosts typically were subject to little disturbance by humans. Aspect and width of entrance, stability and complexity of interior, presence of multiple entrances, length of tunnel, amount of internal air flow, presence of multiple levels, and presence of internal water were not associa...
Dispersion Resulting from Flow through Spatially Periodic Porous Media

A rigorous theory of dispersion in both granular and sintered spatially-periodic porous media is presented, utilizing concepts originating from Brownian motion theory. A precise prescription is derived for calculating both the Darcy-scale interstitial velocity vector $\overline{v}^{\ast}$ and dispersivity dyadic $\overline{D}^{\ast}$ of a tracer particle. These are expressed in terms of the local fluid velocity vector field v at each point within the interstices of a unit cell of the spatially periodic array and, for the dispersivity, the molecular diffusivity D of the tracer particle through the fluid. Though the theory is complete, numerical results are not yet available owing to the complex structure of the local interstitial velocity field v. However, as an illustrative exercise, the theory is shown to correctly reduce in an appropriate limiting case to the well-known Taylor-Aris results for dispersion in circular capillaries.
In situ measurements of colloid transport and retention using synchrotron X-ray fluorescence

[1] The physics regarding the retention and mobilization of colloids in saturated and unsaturated conditions remains poorly understood, partially because of the inability to measure colloid concentrations in situ. In this study, we attached Cd+2 ions to clay colloids and used synchrotron X rays to cause the Cd to fluoresce. By measuring the fluorescence and attenuation of the X rays we obtained simultaneous in situ water saturations and colloid concentrations on timescales of tens of seconds. We used this technique to study the transport of colloids consisting of Na and Ca Montmorillonite clays through a preferential flow path in uniform well-sorted sand. This flow path had both saturated and unsaturated zones that travel downward with time. We found that the Na colloids showed little retention in the sand, while the Ca colloids were retarded with respect to the wetting front. By comparing the results to those obtained by infiltrations with a Cd solute we find that the retention of the colloids seen in the unsaturated portion of the column was no greater than that seen in the saturated portion. We discussed the advantages and limitations of this X-ray fluorescence technique and the implications for colloid transport.
Olfactory Neuroblastoma in a Heifer

A nasal neuroblastoma (esthesioneuroblastoma) extending into the brain in a heifer produced mouth breathing and proptosis. The mass filled much of the left nasal cavity, palatine sinus and maxillary sinus, with turbinate atrophy and deviation of the septum. Caudally the neoplasm extended into the nasopharynx and olfactory bulb. It was a cellular neoplasm composed of small, undifferentiated piriform cells showing infrequent pseudorosettes and immature axonal processes. Mitosis was common in some areas. Neuroblastomas are neoplasms derived from cells of neuroepithelial origin which are committed to the neuronal line of differentiation. There is disagreement whether neuroblastomas of the olfactory area arise from neural crest cells or from olfactory sensory cells ( 1, 31. Although composed chiefly of small piriform cells, some of these neoplasms show true rosettes, rings of cells around an empty lumen, or pseudorosettes, rings of neuroblasts around a central tangle of their primitive axonal processes. Even the least differentiated tumors, with neither rosettes nor pseudorosettes, must show some evidence of neuronal character, if only a few primitive axons (3,7, 81. We report a bovine olfactory neuroblastoma or esthesioneuroblastoma.
Arithmetic of singular moduli and class polynomials

We investigate divisibility properties of the traces and Hecke traces of singular moduli. In particular we prove that, if p is prime, these traces satisfy many congruences modulo powers of p which are described in terms of the factorization of p in imaginary quadratic fields. We also study generalizations of Lehner’s classical congruences j(z)|Up ≡ 744 (mod p )( wherep 11 and j(z) is the usual modular invariant), and we investigate connections between class polynomials and supersingular polynomials in characteristic p.
The shrinking renal replacement therapy "break-even" point.

Background. This study examines the current cost of live donor (LD) transplantation at our institution, and compares it with that of dialysis. Methods. The study population consisted of 184 consecutive adult recipients of laparoscopically procured LD kidney transplants. Cost-containment measures instituted during this series included elimination of routine postoperative antilymphocyte induction and an accelerated discharge clinical pathway with planned discharge of the recipient on postoperative day (POD) 2. Costs of the transplants to Medicare were estimated from hospital charges, readmission rates, and immunosuppressant usage. These were compared with published costs of dialysis to Medicare in terms of a fiscal transplant-dialysis break-even point. Results. Kaplan-Meier patient and graft survival rates at 1 year were 97 and 93%, respectively. Among patients followed for at least 90 days and treated with no induction and either cyclosporine-mycophenolate mofetil or tacrolimus-mycophenolate mofetil, acute rejection rates were low (27.6 and 13.9%, respectively). In the last 124 patients, 32.3% were discharged by POD 3 and 71.8% by POD 6, with corresponding mean transplant hospital charges (excluding organ acquisition) of $11,873 and $17,350, respectively. The 30-day readmission rate for patients discharged on the accelerated pathway by POD 3 was only 16%. The least expensive subgroup in the present study (30% of patients) was that of patients discharged by POD 6 and not readmitted during the first year; the break-even point with dialysis costs was calculated as 1.7 years after the transplant. Conclusions. The cost of LD transplants can be safely reduced by elimination of routine postoperative antilymphocyte immune induction and by an early discharge clinical pathway. Uncomplicated LD kidney transplants, meaning those with a short length of stay in the hospital after transplantation and no need for readmission within the first year, accrue savings over dialysis within 2 years.
ForceFit: A Code to Fit Classical Force Fields to Quantum Mechanical Potential Energy Surfaces

The ForceFit program package has been developed for fitting classical force field parameters based upon a force matching algorithm to quantum mechanical gradients of configurations that span the potential energy surface of the system. The program, which runs under UNIX and is written in C++, is an easy-to-use, nonproprietary platform that enables gradient fitting of a wide variety of functional force field forms to quantum mechanical information obtained from an array of common electronic structure codes. All aspects of the fitting process are run from a graphical user interface, from the parsing of quantum mechanical data, assembling of a potential energy surface database, setting the force field, and variables to be optimized, choosing a molecular mechanics code for comparison to the reference data, and finally, the initiation of a least squares minimization algorithm. Furthermore, the code is based on a modular templated code design that enables the facile addition of new functionality to the program.
Pain: Its Physiology and Rationale for Management

Pain, one of man's most worrisome afflictions, is also one of neurobiology's most challenging problems. Even its definition is beset with controversy. The origin and current resolution of this controversy are presented in this paper, but the major purpose of Part I is to review the anatomical substrate of the peripheral and central nervous systems involved in pain. Structural and functional characteristics of pain receptors and their afferent fibers are described, with emphasis upon current hypotheses regarding putative neural transmitters and possible mechanisms for signal transduction. Hitherto unrecognized details of the cytoarchitecture, anatomical organization, and circuitry of the dorsal horns are reviewed. The paper concludes with a consideration of the major components of the ascending and descending systems of subserving pain.
Behavior of Poly(ε-caprolactone)s (PCLs) Coalesced from Their Stoichiometric Urea Inclusion Compounds and Their Use as Nucleants for Crystallizing PCL Melts: Dependence on PCL Molecular Weights

We have formed noncovalent inclusion compounds (ICs) between guest poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL) chains, with molecular weights ranging from ∼2000 to 80 000 g/mol, and host urea (U). Upon careful remo...
Measurement Accuracy of Heart Rate and Respiratory Rate during Graded Exercise and Sustained Exercise in the Heat Using the Zephyr BioHarness

The Zephyr BioHarness was tested to determine the accuracy of heart rate (HR) and respiratory rate (RR) measurements during 2 exercise protocols in conjunction with either a laboratory metabolic cart (Vmax) or a previously validated portable metabolic system (K4b2). In one protocol, HR and RR were measured using the BioHarness and Vmax during a graded exercise up to V˙O2max (n=12). In another protocol, HR and RR were measured using the BH and K4b2 during sustained exercise (30% and 50% V˙O2max for 20 min each) in a hot environment (30 °C, 50% relative humidity) (n=6). During the graded exercise, HR but not RR, obtained from the BioHarness was higher compared to the Vmax at baseline and 30% V˙O2max (p<0.05), but showed no significant difference at other stages with high correlation coefficients for both HR (r=0.87-0.96) and RR (r=0.90-0.99 above 30% V˙O2max). During the exercise in the heat, there were no significant differences between the BioHarness and K4b2 system. Correlation coefficients between the methods were low for HR but moderately to highly correlated (0.49-0.99) for RR. In conclusion, the BioHarness is comparable to Vmax and K4b2 over a wide range of V˙O2 during graded exercise and sustained exercise in the heat.
Immunotoxicity of avermectin on Kunming mice

Objective To measure the impact of avermectin on the cellular immunity, humoral immunity and nonspecific immunity of Kunming mice. Methods The subject mice were assigned to the experimental groups to receive avermectin at doses of 20, 10, 5 mg/kg for 28 days and a blank control group. The cellular immunity was evaluated in terms of T lymphocyte proliferation and delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH), the humoral immunity estimated with plaque forming cell assay (PFC) and half hemolysis value method (HC50), and the nonspecific immunity measured based on peritoneal macrophages phagocytosis for chicken red blood cells, carbon clearance test and NK cell activity. Results At a dose of 20 mg/kg, the T lymphocyte proliferation was 0.76 (in contrast to 0.86 in the negative control), the half hemolysis value 128.45 (versus 140.96 in the negative control), and the PFC 89.21×106 (versus 113.33×106). In the 20 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg medication groups, the carbon clearance indices were 5.59 and 5.61 (versus 7.96), and the peritoneal macrophage phagocytosis levels for chicken red blood cells were 0.86 and 0.90 (versus 1.05). Reduction was observed in all of the above function indicators compared to the control group, with significant difference (P0.01). Conclusion Avermectin inhibits the celluar immunity, humoral immunity and nonspecific immunity of Kunming mice.
A Multitasking Icon Interpreter

This chapter describes MT Icon, a multitasking Icon interpreter that provides key features of Alamo for the Icon language. MT Icon allows multiple Icon programs to be loaded and run simultaneously within a shared address space. Its functionality is general in nature and can be used for purposes other than monitoring. The features of MT Icon are augmented by language facilities that are specific to monitoring; those facilities are described in the next chapter.
Daily Poverty-Related Stress and Coping: Associations with Child Learned Helplessness

This study examined daily poverty-related stress and parents' efforts to help children cope with stress in relation to learned helplessness for young children attending a Head Start preschool. A total of 750 telephone interviews were conducted with 75 parents concerning their daily stressors and strategies they used to help children cope. A behavioral protocol measured child learned helplessness. Multilevel modeling showed a positive within-persons relationship between daily stress and coping, and a positive between-persons relationship between daily stress and child learned helplessness. Implications include understanding the daily processes through which the poverty ecology transmits risk for negative child developmental outcomes and through which parents might offer protection. Specifically, the results suggest that daily poverty-related stressors may undermine young children's developing sense of control and suggest the importance of further research on how parent coping might promote positive outcomes.
ADVANCES IN 3D ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY: AUTOMATED SOFTWARE IMPROVES THE LEARNING CURVE AND CLINICAL IMPLEMENTATION IN A REAL WORLD SETTING FOR QUANTITATIVE ASSESSMENT OF LEFT VENTRICULAR EJECTION FRACTION

Background: Technological advances have made it feasible to obtain real-time 3D volume datasets using transthoracic echo; however, despite its widespread availability, only a few echocardiography labs utilize it in daily clinical practice. We hypothesized that an automated system would facilitate
Interbehavior Analysis of Developmental Retardation

Statistical-intelligence, organic, and learning theories all treat retardation as a symptom of a deficiency in some hypothetical construct such as intelligence, the brain, or learning ability. In contrast, interbehavior analysis regards retardation as levels of interactions with the environment which have evolved through development. Development consists of progressive changes in interaction between a total functioning biological individual and the environment. Interactional changes occur at different rates—usually categorized as accelerated, normal and retarded—depending on the biomedical and sociocultural conditions of development. These conditions are conceptualized, functionally, in terms of whether they readily facilitate, normally facilitate, or hamper progressive changes. According to this view, a retarded individual is one who has a limited behavioral repertoire because of the hampering effects of biomedical impairment or handicapping sociocultural conditions, or both. Biomedical impairment, whether originating in genetic processes or in the prenatal, perinatal, or postnatal stage of growth, restricts an individual’s development if it includes injury to any one or any combination of the following: the response equipment, the internal sources of stimulation (proprio-and interoceptors), and the external sources of stimulation, as when a physically stigmatized child is treated as chronically ill, peculiar, or undesirable. Handicapping sociocultural conditions that limit development include inadequate living conditions, limited educational and recreational materials, negative parental practices that do not support academic and intellectual achievement, and parental behaviors that may be described as indifferent or abusive.
Adaptable waveform design for enhanced detection of moving targets

In this study, a spectrum sharing technique is investigated for enhanced detection of moving targets. This approach, the spectrum sensing-multi-objective optimisation technique, passively monitors the electromagnetic environment for radio frequency (RF) emissions radiated by RF systems. This technique then identifies a continuous frequency sub-band that simultaneously maximises radar performance and reduces the radars spectral footprint. The goal of the investigation presented in this study is to quantify performance improvement of a notional radar model in the presence of RF emissions measured at 2.42 GHz (by a real-time spectrum analyser). In addition to an improved signal-to-interference plus noise ratio, the proposed radar model increases range resolution performance as the target approaches the radar.
Theoretical Analysis of the Retro-Diels–Alder Reactivity of Oxanorbornadiene Thiol and Amine Adducts

Additions of amines or thiols to 7-oxanorbornadienes promote retro-[4 + 2] reactions to yield furans. Substitution at the bridgehead position also greatly influences the stability of the oxanorbornene adducts. Activation and reaction energies were computed with the M06-2X density functional, the origins of amine and thiol promoted fragmentation, and how substituent effects control fragmentation rates and reaction energetics are reported.
Mathematics of thermal diffusion in an exponential temperature field

Abstract The Ludwig-Soret effect, also known as thermal diffusion, refers to the separation of gas, liquid, or solid mixtures in a temperature gradient. The motion of the components of the mixture is governed by a nonlinear, partial differential equation for the density fractions. Here solutions to the nonlinear differential equation for a binary mixture are discussed for an externally imposed, exponential temperature field. The equation of motion for the separation without the effects of mass diffusion is reduced to a Hamiltonian pair from which spatial distributions of the components of the mixture are found. Analytical calculations with boundary effects included show shock formation. The results of numerical calculations of the equation of motion that include both thermal and mass diffusion are given.
Predictive self-learning content recommendation system for multimedia contents

Millions of users use the Internet for entertainment, education, shopping and many other purposes. For instance; one billion hours of YouTube videos are watched every day. One of the key features of such platforms such as the entertainment and shopping platforms is the recommendation system based on past activities of users and the contents of the visited sites to provide related contents to decrease search time and increase the data availability. However, the content suggestions have several challenges based on the platforms. Some challenges are: collected data from users can be noisy, the media contents are not well-defined, and users do not want to cooperate. To solve those issues, YouTube recommendation, Netflix, AWS re:invent, and similar commercial sites proposed the context-aware personalized recommendation systems. Most of the recommendation systems use implicit and explicit user past activities with mapping relation between contents. However, the recommendation systems are general and cannot be changed according to user characteristics after visiting the suggested data. For example, a user mostly visits the higher-ranking content which is related to the visited content, and another user can visit the recent content which has high feedback during the different days or even in an hour according to mood. Therefore, in this paper, we propose a predictive self-learning recommendation system. The algorithm predicts what a user searches next by using prior collected information and using machine learning to analyze the user behaviors for the future activity. The results show that our proposed recommendation system is efficient in terms of CPU usage and response time while characterizing users' behaviors in short and long terms. In this paper, we only analyze the short term characterizations of the proposed method. The proposed method and related analysis can assist the shopping, entertainment and similar recommendation systems to increase their efficiency by well-characterizing users' behaviors.
Pharmacotherapy Options in the Management of Raynaud's Phenomenon.

Multiple classes of medications have been studied for the treatment of Raynaud’s phenomenon (RP) with or without digital ischemia. The goal of this review is to discuss the outcomes of recent studies and to report on our approach to the management of RP in light of the available evidence. Comparing treatments for RP remains a challenge as efficacy endpoint vary widely among trials. While calcium channel blockers (CCB) are used first line in the pharmacologic management of RP, phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors (PDE5i) have also been shown to be beneficial in reducing symptoms. In the setting of digital ischemia, administration of intravenous prostanoids is the standard of care. Bosentan an endothelin receptor antagonist (ERA), has shown benefit in the prevention of future digital ulcers in patients with scleroderma. Botulinum toxin (Btx) therapy was ineffective in a clinical trial involving scleroderma patients; more controlled studies are needed in other subsets of patients. Digital sympathectomy may be beneficial in cases of critical digital ischemia, though recurrence of symptoms is common. Comparative effectiveness studies are needed to determine which therapeutic interventions are most beneficial in patients with RP. Based on the available evidence, we start with a CCB and add a PDE5i if symptoms are not controlled, or an intravenous prostacyclin in the setting of severe critical digital ischemia. We may additionally add an ERA in cases of recurrent digital ulcers. A surgical sympathectomy may be used in refractory cases of digital ischemia. A digital block may also be a less invasive, but temporary, intervention allowing for titration of medical therapy.
Refrigeration Systems and Heat Pumps

Continuous refrigeration can be accomplished by several different processes. In the great majority of applications, and almost exclusively in the low horsepower range, the vapor-compression system, commonly termed the simple compression cycle, is used for the refrigeration process as well as for the heating process of heat pumps. In large equipment, centrifugal systems are used, which are basically adaptations of the compression cycle. However, absorption systems and steam-jet vacuum systems are also being successfully used in many cooling applications. For aircraft cooling, air-cycle refrigeration is often used instead of vapor compression.
Raman Spectroscopy of Iron in Aqueous Carbonate Solutions

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy is used for in situ study of an iron surface in aqueous carbonate solutions both on open circuit and at constant potentials. Raman signals are assigned to FeCO3 and adsorbed water. Formation of FeCO3 corresponds to lowering of iron dissolution.
Dust in Planetary Ring Systems

Each of the outer gas giants Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune is now known to be encircled by a system of rings. Some of these, such as the A, B, and C rings of Saturn and the nine narrow Uranian rings, are rather optically thick and are composed primarily of large bodies (1 cm to 10 m). However, every other system has been found to contain a large population of micron-sized dust. Such rings reveal the effects of a variety of physical processes that are also acting on interplanetary and interstellar grains. When such rings are examined as members of a general class, recurring patterns begin to emerge.
Physics and controllability of phase transitions in two-dimensional materials (Conference Presentation)

2D materials capable of altering innate optical properties are highly demanded with broad photonic and optoelectronic applications, especially for ultrathin and ultracompact optical devices.We first demonstrated electrostatic doping driven structural phase transition in monolayer molybdenum ditelluride (MoTe2). The reversible structural phase transition between the hexagonal and monoclinic phases is directly controlled by electrostatic gating and verified through non-polar and polarized Raman spectra. An interesting hysteresis behavior has been observed in Raman and Second Harmonic Generation (SHG). And crystal orientation during phase change is found to be conserved, making such transition robust. We also discover out-of-plane 2D ferroelectricity in atomically thin In2Se3 crystal. Through Piezoresponse Force Microscopy (PFM) and SHG, we experimentally found that in-plane lattice asymmetry and out-of-plane polarization is dynamically locked during phase change. Such unique locking mechanism stabilizes the polar order and enables a robust 2D ferroelectricity at ambient conditions with a high transition temperature. The discovery is important to the atomically thin sensors and ultrahigh density nonvolatile memory devices.
Budgetary impact analysis of a primary care-based hepatitis C treatment program: Effects of 340B Drug Pricing Program.

Purpose Safety-net health systems, which serve a disproportionate share of patients at high risk for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, may use revenue generated by the federal drug discount pricing program, known as 340B, to support multidisciplinary care. Budgetary impacts of repealing the drug-pricing program are unknown. Our objective was to conduct a budgetary impact analysis of a multidisciplinary primary care-based HCV treatment program, with and without 340B support. Methods We conducted a budgetary impact analysis from the perspective of a large safety-net medical center in Boston, Massachusetts. Participants included 302 HCV-infected patients (mean age 45, 75% male, 53% white, 77% Medicaid) referred to the primary care-based HCV treatment program from 2015-2016. Main measures included costs and revenues associated with the treatment program. Our main outcomes were net cost with and without 340B Drug Pricing support. Results Total program costs were $942,770, while revenues totaled $1.2 million. With the 340B Drug Pricing Program the hospital received a net revenue of $930 per patient referred to the HCV treatment program. In the absence of the 340B program, the hospital would lose $370 per patient referred. Ninety-seven percent (68/70) of patients who initiated treatment in the program achieved a sustained virologic response (SVR) at a net cost of $4,150 each, among this patient subset. Conclusions The 340B Drug Pricing Program enabled a safety-net hospital to deliver effective primary care-based HCV treatment using a multidisciplinary care team. Efforts to sustain the 340B program could enable dissemination of similar HCV treatment models elsewhere.
Statistics of target-induced array tilt in coherently combined laser array engagements

The array tilt induced by a rough speckle target illuminated by an optical phased array is investigated. Assuming that the field incident on the target is the focused array field, the mutual intensity of the field backscattered to the array is derived. The array tilt variances and probability density functions are then computed from many realizations of the received speckle field generated using the aforementioned mutual intensity. The array tilt statistics for 7, 19, and 37 element hexagonal arrays are presented and discussed. Holding fill factor constant, it is found that the array tilt variance generally decreases as the array size increases.
Formation lithology classification using scalable gradient boosted decision trees

Abstract The classification of underground formation lithology is an important task in petroleum exploration and engineering since it forms the basis of geological research studies and reservoir parameter calculations. Hence, there have recently been increased efforts to automate lithology classification by incorporating various data science tools and principles. In this regard, efforts were made recently to evaluate machine learning methods to classify formation lithology by using data from the Daniudui gas field (DGF) and Hangjinqi gas field (HGF), both located in China. Although the boosted ensemble learners utilized in the studies performed well, there is still scope for improvement with respect to the prediction metrics. Additionally, the issue of scalability of some of these algorithms is also of concern. Hence, building upon the success of these algorithms in the previous studies, we tap into the state of the art of scalable ensemble decision tree algorithms, in our study. Specifically, we applied recently developed gradient boosted decision tree (GBDT) systems, namely, XGBoost, LightGBM and CatBoost, after combining well log data obtained from DGF and HGF. We compare their performance with random forests (RFs), AdaBoost and gradient boosting machines (GBMs) which serve as a baseline. We evaluated the algorithms using metrics such as the micro average, macro average and weighted average of precision (Pr), recall (Re) and F1-score (F1) on the test set after hyperparameter tuning. In our analysis, among the applied algorithms, we found that LightGBM possessed the highest metrics. Our work identifies LightGBM and CatBoost as good first-choice algorithms for the supervised classification of lithology when utilizing well log data.
Joint and separate exposure to alcohol and ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol produced distinct effects on glucose and insulin homeostasis in male rats.

Cannabis and alcohol co-use is common, and the trend may increase further given the current popularity of cannabis legalization. However, the metabolic consequences of such co-use are unclear. Here, we investigated how co-administration of alcohol and ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive constituent of cannabis, affects body weight and visceral adiposity, and glucose and insulin homeostasis in rats. For 16 consecutive days during adolescence, male rats drank saccharin or alcohol after receiving subcutaneous oil or THC injections in Experiment 1 and voluntarily consumed alcohol, THC edible, or both drugs in Experiment 2. Experiment 1 showed that following abstinence, drug co-exposure reduced visceral fat and the amount of insulin required to clear glucose during an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). In Experiment 2, rats received a high-fat diet (HFD) after 3-week abstinence. Although adolescent drug use did not interact with the HFD to worsen hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia during an OGTT, HFD-fed rats that co-used alcohol and THC had the lowest insulin levels 75 min after an insulin injection, suggesting an altered rate of insulin secretion and degradation. These results suggest that THC and alcohol co-exposure can distinctly alter the physiology of glucose and insulin homeostasis in a rodent model.
Teaching women to question and control: public pedagogies of birth and vaccine refusal

In the US, birth has become a carefully planned experience for those with the greatest access to resources. Pregnancy preparations, including prenatal care, childbirth education, and peer interactions, encourage women to act as informed consumers, to communicate their own values, beliefs, and preferences in labor and delivery, and to challenge healthcare systems and medical providers. Simultaneously, there has been a growth in the number of mothers who reject medical recommendations for infant vaccination and newborn interventions. These challenges are presented by women with higher levels of education and resources, a group that is also most likely to insist on control over birth. In this article, I draw on qualitative data from mothers who reject vaccination recommendations for their children to highlight the interconnected experiences of childbirth self-advocacy and vaccine refusal. I suggest prenatal education toward self-advocacy may serve as a pedagogical process that mirrors the rhetoric of vaccine refusal. I conclude by showing how this new pedagogy of patient empowerment is nurtured and respected by pediatricians who administer vaccines and provide wellness care, even as they struggle with mothers who reject this core public health intervention.
Introduction to the Special Section: Scripture and Psychology

The special section on Scripture and Psychology contains four articles that were presented in an earlier form at the Scripture and the Disciplines conference held at Wheaton College in May 24-27, 2004. The event was jointed sponsored by the Wheaton College Faith and Learning Program, the Trinity Evangelical Divinity School Center for Theological Understanding, and the Christian College Consortium, with the stated mission of "... offering the opportunity for the Christian scholars across the humanities and social sciences disciplines to dialogue with their colleagues in Biblical and Theological Studies to promote uses of Scripture in scholarship that go beyond simplistic, reductive proof-texting and vaguely thematic appropriations of Scripture." The mission statement for the conference also indicates that this dialogue would ensue within the framework of common evangelical assumptions about the nature of Scripture including "... the trustfulness and final authority of the Bible," and the idea that the "authority of Scripture" can serve a "truly functional" and not merely "nominal" role in Christian scholarship. Finally, conference planners speculated that a richer dialogue between the fields of Biblical/Theological Studies and the other disciplines may "... more profoundly inform biblical and theological scholarship" (Scripture & Disciplines Conference, 2004). Consistent with these goals, several presentations were delivered by the psychology discipline group. Some or these presentations addressed general topics about the theoretical and methodological role of Scripture in a Christian psychology. Others focused on various applied issues related to the engagement of Scripture and psychological science. I provided a summary of different approaches to relating Scripture and psychological science and evaluated each of these in light of the task of integration (Hathaway, 2005). I concluded my paper by raising five issues which require further attention if Christian psychological scholarship is to take seriously the challenge and calling of engaging the Word of God in our discipline. Hill (2005) discussed the role of Scripture in light of psychology as a science. He compared epistemic differences between the function of Scripture as an authority in Christian scholarship and the epistemological nature of psychology as a science. He described the shifting 'boundary' issues that influence the interface of these two domains of thought and praxis as well as their regnant epistemologies. Van Leeuwen (2005) emphasized the importance of the common hermeneutical observation, contrary to the view of naive literalism, that there is "no unmediated reading of scripture" (p. 2). She then applied this hermeneutic emphasis to the debate between gender egalitarians and hierarchicalists, which is particularly relevant to our work in psychological integration. Garzon (2005) categorized a range of explicit uses of Scripture in traditional clinical settings. He illustrated some of these 'Scripture interventions' with a composite case example based on his clinical and research experience. …
Survey of Attitudes for Non-Millennial Lamb Consumers

ObjectivesThe lack of interest in consuming lamb is evident among the non-millennial population. Our objective was to determine the attitudes of millennial consumers of lamb products by conducting an online survey.Materials and MethodsThe survey was constructed using Qualtrics software and distributed using the university’s alumni email list. Participants were selected within the non-millennial population (ages 35 and older) and residing in the U.S. Chi Square was used to analyze the responses with ɑ set at 0.05.ResultsParticipants (n = 7,081) reported consumption of the following protein sources either away from or at home: 99.1% chicken, 98.6% beef, 94.0% pork, 96.7% fish, 77.2% lamb, 96.9% eggs, and 31.1% soy-based products. 17.2% of participants eat lamb at least once every 2 wk (P < 0.0001), 25.2% eat lamb once a year, 28.0% eat lamb once every 6 mo, 30.0% eat lamb once every 3 mo. Participants reported eating lamb most frequently (P < 0.0001) in the spring (March to May) and winter (December to February) at 34.0 and 30.0%, respectively, and 21.0% consume the most lamb in the month of April (P < 0.0001). When asked where consumers consume the most lamb, 55.0% responded away from home (P < 0.0001), and 32.0% responded at home. On a 5-point scale, 90.0% selected their experience consuming lamb has been “excellent” or “good” (P < 0.0001), and 91.0% answered being satisfied with the eating quality of lamb at least 3 out 5 times (P < 0.0001). Only 33.0% of the consumers reported growing up eating lamb (P < 0.0001), and 90.0% selected having a positive first experience consuming lamb (P < 0.0001). Consumers declared choosing lamb over other protein sources 62.0% of the time due to flavor. When asked what origin of lamb consumers preferred, 66.0% selected no preference and only 21.0% selected American lamb (P < 0.0001). Consumers were prompted to distinguish between lamb and mutton, and 41.0% were “uncertain, they never tried both” (P < 0.0001); whereas, only 13.0% selected that there are distinct differences. 91% of consumers felt less than “okay” about preparing meat (P < 0.0001). If lamb flavor were to be improved, 27.0% of the participants would definitely and 54.0% might consume more lamb (P < 0.0001). If lamb tenderness were to be improved, 28.0% of the participants would definitely and 52.0% might consume more lamb (P < 0.0001). If eating quality of lamb were to be more consistent, 30.0% of the participants would definitely and 51.0% might consume more lamb (P < 0.0001). If lamb were to be implemented into the fast food industry, 35.0% of the participants would definitely and 38.0% might consume more lamb (P < 0.0001). While 53.0% of the participants selected they had never looked to buy lamb at their local grocery store, 42.0% selected lamb is hard to find or that it was hit or miss.ConclusionThese data can be used to guide further research and developments within the lamb industry to increase consumption among the non-millennial population.
Selecting Patient-Reported Outcome Measures to Contribute to Primary Care Performance Measurement: a Mixed Methods Approach

New models of primary care include patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) to promote patient-centered care. PROMs provide information on patient functional status and well-being, can be used to enhance care quality, and are proposed for use in assessing performance. Our objective was to identify a short list of candidate PROMs for use in primary care practice and to serve as a basis for performance measures (PMs). We used qualitative and quantitative methods to identify relevant patient-reported outcome (PRO) domains for use in performance measurement (PRO-PM) and their associated PROMs. We collected data from key informant groups: patients (n = 13; one-on-one and group interviews; concept saturation analysis), clinical thought leaders (n = 9; group discussions; thematic analysis), primary care practices representatives (n = 37; six focus groups; thematic analysis), and primary care payer representatives (n = 10; 12-question survey; frequencies of responses). We merged the key informant group information with findings from environmental literature scans. We conducted a targeted evidence review of measurement properties for candidate PROMs. We used a scoping review and key informant groups to identify PROM evaluation criteria, which were linked to the National Quality Forum measure evaluation criteria. We developed a de novo schema to score candidate PROMs against our criteria. We identified four PRO domains and 10 candidate PROMs: 3 for depressive symptoms, 2 for physical function, 3 for self-efficacy, 2 for ability to participate. Five PROMs met ≥ 70% of the evidence criteria for three PRO domains: PHQ-9 or PROMIS Depression (depression), PF-10 or PROMIS-PF (physical functioning), and PROMIS Self-Efficacy for Managing Treatments and Medications (self-efficacy). The PROMIS Ability to Participate in Social Roles and Activities met 68% of our criteria and might be considered for inclusion. Existing evidence and key informant data identified 5 candidate PROMs to use in primary care. These instruments can be used to develop PRO-PMs.
Nutritional Predictors of Wound Infection in Patients with Lower Extremity Soft Tissue Sarcoma.

Soft tissue sarcoma (STS) frequently requires high-risk surgery that predisposes patients to complex wounds. Past studies have identified a variety of tumor characteristics as risk factors for wound infection (WI); however, physiologic characteristics have not yet been studied in this population. Thus, the objective of this study is to identify any nutritional indicators and physiologic characteristics associated with the development of WI. 633 patients from a large tertiary care center institution were identified with lower extremity STS removed from 1992 to 2017. The primary outcomes of interest were WI at patient’s surgical site within 90 days of surgery and additional procedure due to wound infection. Patients’ laboratory values, comorbidities, and other characteristics were assessed using multivariable analysis to determine risk factors for WI. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves were used for analysis of plasma glucose and albumin levels to determine a useful risk threshold. Significance was determined to be p < 0.05. Postoperative plasma glucose levels were significantly higher among patients with WI compared with those without (p < 0.001) and showed predictivity in ROC analysis (AUC 0.77, 95% CI 0.72–0.82). Preoperative albumin (p < 0.001) and prognostic nutritional index score (p = 0.002) were significantly lower among patients with WI. Partial thromboplastin time (PTT), international normalized ratio (INR), white blood cell count (WBC), and platelet count values had no effect on WI. Smoking elevated risk for WI (OR 1.64, p < 0.01). Significant risk factors were the same when assessed for those with WI undergoing additional procedures. Postoperative plasma glucose levels, preoperative albumin levels, and smoking status are useful nutritional variables in predicting WI in STS excisional procedures.