cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract P4-01-08: Effect of bilateral salpingo-oophrectomy on breast MRI fibroglandular volume and background parenchymal enhancement for BRCA 1/2 mutation carriers.

PURPOSE: Bilateral salpingo-oophrectomy (BSO) reduces breast cancer risk in women with BRCA1/2 mutations by approximately 50%. Annual screening for these high-risk women includes breast MRI and mammography. It is unknown whether BSO affects fibroglandular volume (FG) and background enhancement (BG) on breast MRI in this population. The purpose of this study is to assess the difference in FG and BG in BRCA1/2 mutation carriers before and after BSO on breast MRI. METHOD AND MATERIALS: We compared FG and BG on contrast-enhanced breast MRI before and after BSO. Two readers blinded to both clinical and imaging history scored FG according to the BI-RADS criteria from 1–4: fatty, scattered, heterogeneously dense, or extremely dense. BG was graded based on the MRI BI-RADS scale from 1–4: minimal, mild, moderate, and marked. Average BIRADS scores of each reader were used to calculate mean FG and BG (±SD) before and after BSO, and compared using a paired t-test for significance. RESULTS: We examined 60 women with BRCA1/2 mutations who underwent breast MRI before and after BSO from 2001–2011 at our institution. Five patients were excluded from the final analysis as they underwent mastectomy or bilateral radiation therapy before post-BSO MRI. Mean time to post-BSO MRI was 8.3 months ± 7 months. Mean pre- and post-operative FG were 2.64±0.78 and 2.58±0.75, respectively (p = 0.622). Mean pre- and post-operative BG were 2.46±0.93 and 1.87±0.81, respectively (p = 0.0001). Breast cancer was detected in 8 women at a median time of 3.4 years following BSO. In these 8 women, mean pre- and post-operative FG were 3.10±0.57 and 2.55±0.69, respectively. Mean pre- and post-operative BG were 3.20±0.67 and 2.35±0.71, respectively. CONCLUSION: In this population of 55 BRCA1/2 mutation carriers who underwent breast MRI before and after BSO, there was a significant reduction in BG following BSO. There was no difference in FG on MRI following BSO. For the 8 patients in this cohort who were diagnosed with breast cancer after BSO, there was a trend toward higher FG and BG both before and after BSO, in comparison to the patients who were not diagnosed with breast cancer, suggesting that rates of higher FG and BG may be associated with increased risk for developing breast cancer. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2012;72(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-01-08.
School Level Predictors of Bullying Among High School Students

OF DISSERTATION SCHOOL LEVEL PREDICTORS OF BULLYING AMONG HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS Bullying is a universal problem affecting the emotional, social, and physical wellbeing of school-age children worldwide. Individual level correlates of bullying have been well-documented; however, there is limited research identifying variables at the school level which contribute to bullying involvement, especially among high school students. In this dissertation, school characteristics associated with bullying were investigated using an ecological systems framework. In the first paper, a comprehensive review of the bullying literature was conducted. Research in the following areas were summarized: definitions of bullying, measures of bullying, individual correlates, influences of cognitive development and social context across age groups, contextual variables (family, school, and community), evidence-based interventions, and bullying from a socio-ecological perspective. In the second paper, research findings are presented for an original study investigating school level predictors of bullying involvement across Kentucky high schools. The study used aggregated data from a survey of 9th to 12th grade students in 26 high schools across the state, combined with existing school datasets, in order to examine: (1) the prevalence of bullies, victims, and bully-victims across Kentucky high schools and (2) school characteristics associated with elevated rates of bullying involvement. Results revealed important differences in school bullying incident reports and student reports of bullying experiences, as well as unique differences between school environments with high and low rates of bullying involvement. Overall, academic performance and parent involvement were the strongest predictors of bullying involvement at the school level; however, the relationships between these variables and prevalence rates were not as expected. In several analyses, individual level findings from the bullying research did not translate to the school level as hypothesized. Overall, these findings have important implications for researchers when using multilevel analyses in the school context, when investigating the impact of bullying interventions at the school level, and when investigating how the school environment contributes to bullying. Results also provide important information for schools developing or revising bullying data collection procedures.
The Environmental Revolution and the Supreme Court of Canada: Empirical Analysis of Postmaterialist Value Change Across Four Decades†

Objective This study examines Ronald Inglehart's theory of value change in the Supreme Court of Canada. The theory has received little attention in the public law literature, yet its central tenet suggests that intergenerational value change might influence the way that Supreme Court justices decide cases over time. Method Using a socio-attitudinal model of judicial behavior, the study analyzes all environmental decisions between 1973 and 2010. Case outcomes are coded as either pro-environmental (1) or anti-environmental (0). Logistic regression analysis examines whether Court tenures, case facts, and judge-level variables have a significant impact on predicting a postmaterialist outcome. Results We find evidence of postmaterialist, pro-environmental value change, with more contemporary justices exhibiting pro-environmental positions, even in the face of rival variables. Conclusion Our results suggest that intergenerational value change has influenced decision making in Canadian environmental cases over the last 40 years, and indicate the theory may have relevance for explaining other high court change over time in a postmaterialist direction.
Atopic Dermatitis Is Associated with Less Physical Activity in US Adults.

In the present study, we demonstrate that adult atopic dermatitis is associated with decreased moderate-vigorous and overall physical activity as judged by actigraphy. Such decreased activity may place atopic dermatitis patients at higher risk for cardiovascular disease.
Development of renal hemodynamics: Glomerular filtration and renal blood flow

The regulation of RBF and GFR is essential to understanding renal physiology during mammalian development. Without this knowledge, clinical judgment regarding overall renal function in human neonates, especially those considered high risk, is reduced to guesswork. The plethora of reports in which assessment of RBF and GFR were attempted have provided a legacy purporting the neonatal kidney as immature, inadequate and dysfunctional--nothing could be farther from the truth. Our failure to understand kidney function in the neonate does not justify shifting the blame for unwanted disturbances in fluid and electrolyte balance, metabolic acidosis, and azotemia to a small kidney. After a critical stage of renal development has been reached, subsequent changes in RBF and GFR are only quantitatively different from the adult kidney.
Impact and persistence of cirrhotic cardiomyopathy after liver transplantation.

Cirrhotic cardiomyopathy causes variable degree of systolic and diastolic dysfunction (DD) and conduction abnormalities. The primary aim of our study was to determine whether pre-transplant DD and prolonged corrected QT (QTc) predict a composite of mortality, graft failure, and major cardiovascular events after liver transplantation. We also evaluated the reversibility of cirrhotic cardiomyopathy after transplantation. Adult patients who underwent liver transplantation at our institution from January 2007 to March 2009 were included. Data were obtained from institutional registry, medical record review, and evaluation of echocardiographic images. Among 243 patients, 113 (46.5%) had grade 1 DD, 16 (6.6%) had grade 2 DD, and none had grade 3 DD. The mean pre-transplant QTc was 453 milliseconds. After a mean post-transplant follow-up of 5.2 years, 75 (31%) patients satisfied the primary composite outcome. Cox regression analysis did not show any significant association between DD and the composite outcome (P=.17). However, longer QTc was independently associated with the composite outcome (HR: 1.01, 95% confidence interval: 1.00-1.02, P=.05). DD (P<.001) and left ventricular mass index (P=.001) worsened after transplantation. In conclusion, QTc prolongation appears to be associated with worse outcomes. Although DD did not impact outcomes, it significantly worsened after transplantation.
The effects of gender-based violence on women's unwanted pregnancy and abortion

The aim of this research is to understand how gender-based violence across the life-course affects the likelihood of abortion. Women outpatients (n = 309) revealed their exposure to four different forms of gender-based abuse: child sexual abuse (25.7 percent), teenage physical dating violence (40.8 percent), intimate partner violence (43.1 percent), and sexual assault outside an intimate relationship (22 percent). Logistic regressions revealed that no single form of gender-based abuse predicted abortion. The cumulative effect of multiple forms of abuse did increase the odds of having an abortion (OR = 1.39, CI = 1.13-1.69). Child sexual abuse predicted intimate partner violence (OR = 6.71, CI = 3.36-13.41). The cumulative effect of gender-based violence on women's reproductive health warrants further research. Priority should be given to screening for multiple forms of victimization in reproductive healthcare settings.
Presence of Yersinia enterocolitica serotype O:5,27 in slaughter pigs

The tonsils, tongue, mesenteric lymph nodes, cecal contents, and feces from 50 slaughter pigs were evaluated for the presence of pathogenic Yersinia enterocolitica . The cecal contents and feces of two pigs were positive (4%) with the pathogenic serotype O:5,27, biotype 3, whereas all other pigs were negative for pathogenic serotypes of Y. enterocolitica . The pathogenic serotypes were isolated from the cecal contents and feces using the stomacher sampling method. The cold enrichment in phosphate buffered saline and plating in Cefsulodin-irgasan-novobiocin medium. No pathogenic serotypes were recovered using the swab sampling technique, enrichment in Irgasan-ticarcillin-chlorate, and plating in modified Salmonella-Shigella deoxycholate-calcium chloride medium. The isolation of only 4% positive pathogenic Y. enterocolitica in our sampling of pigs in one production unit provides some encouragement that detection and control procedures might be effectively implemented to reduce or eliminate serotype O:5,27 from that herd.
Estimation of hydraulic conductivities using higher-order MRF-based stochastic joint inversion of hydrogeophysical measurements

Stochastic imaging provides geologically realistic solutions to aquifer uncertainty quantification problems. Higher-order statistics for representing complex priors in stochastic-imaging problems are typically borrowed from training images, which may bias outcomes if the training images are unrepresentative of the desired structures. A Markov random field (MRF)-based stochastic-imaging algorithm, the spatial statistics of which are adaptively inferred directly from hydrogeophysical measurements without training images, is presented. For convenience of implementation, MRF models are commonly specified with pairwise interactions, limiting their ability to model complex architectures. MRF model specifications involving higher-order interactions are considered here. In the proposed algorithm, the lithologic structure of the aquifer and the hydraulic conductivities within the identified lithologies are simultaneously estimated in conformance to data-unconditioned and data-conditioned higher-order statistics wh...
Radiotherapy-Induced Cognitive Sequelae

Long-term neurological and neuropsychological outcome in 25 irradiated children <15-years of age and 25 treated with surgery alone for low-grade astrocytoma was evaluated by two neurosurgeons and two psychologists independently at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, UK.
Variable complexity of the US Continental Divide trace

AbstractMap-view complexity of 65 contiguous segments of the conterminous US Continental Divide trace was evaluated by the divider method, with each segment’s geometry approximated by a fractal dimension (D) value, or two D values applying to fine and coarse scales of inspection. Results support a generalization that D values in the range 1.05–1.12 are typical for drainage divides viewed at regional to national scales. However about 20% of cases reviewed in this study are smoother (D = 1.01–1.04) or more complex (D = 1.13–1.18) traces. Complexities of these watershed boundary segments show no significant correlation with physiographic province or local relief. The primary influence of bedrock lithology and surface process is seen in zones of Quaternary volcanism, where uncommonly smooth and highly complex divide trace segments are more the rule than exception. Uncommonly smooth divide traces are also found descending mountain pediments in areas of parallel drainage, and some of the most tortuous traces ar...
132 STEROID-INDUCED LACTIC ACIDOSIS IN LYMPHOMA.

Introduction Lactic acidosis may occur in lymphoma from various mechanisms. We describe a case of lymphoma-associated lactic acidosis that may have been precipitated by corticosteroid therapy. Case A 50-year-old woman was admitted with a 3-week history of fatigue, anorexia, headaches, and fever. Physical examination was remarkable for a blood pressure of 90/70 mm Hg, pulse 120/min, and dry mucus membranes. No lymphadenopathy or hepatosplenomegaly were noted. Pertinent laboratory data: Hgb 13.6 g/dL, WBC 4,500/mm3, Na+ 132 mEq/L, K+ 3.4 mEq/L, BUN 31 mg/dL, and creatinine 2.1 mg/dL. She was hydrated aggressively, with marked improvement in blood pressure and creatinine (1.3 mg/dL). Bilateral suprarenal masses on ultrasonography led to CT of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis. Multiple pulmonary nodules, mediastinal lymphadenopathy, and nonenhancing bilateral adrenal masses (right 10 × 7.3 cm; left 9 × 7.9 cm) were found. Subsequent evaluation revealed adrenal insufficiency. MRI of the brain revealed a 19 mm pituitary mass compressing the optic chiasm. Visual fields were intact. Hydrocortisone 30 mg po bid was initiated. Prior to percutaneous mediastinal lymph node biopsy, she received hydrocortisone 100 mg IV for 2 days. Four days later, she developed worsening renal failure, lactic acidosis (10 mmol/L), and drowsiness. Hydrocortisone was increased to 100 mg IV q8h. Because of a nondiagnostic mediastinal biopsy, mediastinoscopy was performed, which revealed malignant lymphoma. Bone marrow biopsy and immunophenotyping led to a diagnosis of disseminated T-cell lymphoma. Following mediastinoscopy, severe lactic acidosis persisted, and she developed multiorgan failure, from which she succumbed. Discussion Lactic acidosis is a rare but fatal complication of lymphoproliferative malignancies. It characteristically develops suddenly, in association with extensive disease. Proposed mechanisms include increased glycolysis by tumor cells, impaired hepatic and renal clearance, local hypoxia in large tumors, and thiamine deficiency. Recent studies suggest that during apoptosis, tumor cells produce large amounts of lactate. This may occur with cytoreductive chemotherapy or corticosteroid monotherapy. This patient receive no specific therapy for lymphoma. We postulate that the large doses of steroids she received prior to the diagnostic procedures contributed to the propagation of lactic acidosis by causing tumor apoptosis.
Management Accounting and Control in the Hospital Industry: A Review

ABSTRACT: This paper presents an overview of the literature in management accounting and control systems (MACS) in the hospital industry. A unique feature of the hospital industry in several countries is not only the coexistence of different ownership forms (such as nonprofit, for-profit, and government), but also diversity within a specific form (such as religious, secular, and university nonprofit hospitals). Organizational objectives and the operating constraints faced by various types of hospitals differ in this “mixed” industry. As a result, one unifying or grand theory is unlikely to provide sufficient insights to understand hospital behavior, especially with respect to MACS design and outcomes. Additionally, the industry has witnessed a variety of regulatory changes, which are primarily aimed at reducing healthcare costs and increasing access. These regulatory changes influence every aspect of MACS. Finally, hospitals face institutional constraints, which have implications for MACS design and use. ...
Application of Solidification Models for Controlling the Microstructure and Hot Cracking Response of Engineering Alloys

Models of varying complexity are available for understanding the role of composition on the solidification behavior of engineering alloys. The choice of an appropriate model is dictated by the solidification behavior of the alloy. In some situations, seemingly complex alloys can be represented accurately using simple binary models when only one eutectic reaction occurs during solidification. In contrast, some alloys form two or more eutectic constituents during solidification and require the use of ternary or multicomponent models. In this article, several examples are given on the use of binary, ternary, and multicomponent solidification models for understanding and controlling the solidification behavior and resultant microstructure of engineering alloys of practical interest. Examples are applied to Ni-Cr-Mo-Gd alloys currently under development for spent nuclear fuel applications; a nickel base superalloy (IN718); and dissimilar welds between a super austenitic stainless steel (CN3MN) and nickel alloy filler metal (IN686). Examples are also provided on applying the results of the solidification models for understanding and controlling the hot cracking response of the alloys.
Using genomic data to study insecticide resistance in the house fly, Musca domestica

The house fly, Musca domestica, is a major pest at livestock facilities throughout the world. Insecticides have been the most common control strategy for flies, but many populations have evolved resistance. The speed by which we are able to identify the mutations responsible for resistance has been a major challenge for the development of high throughput resistance monitoring assays as new insecticides are introduced for control. This is particularly true for mutations that cause trans regulation of a gene, which then results in resistance. In this paper we take advantage of the conserved homology of dipteran chromosomes to assign 3069 genes to chromosomes. Of these, 234 were of toxicological interest (CYPs, esterases/hydrolases, glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) and target sites). The chromosomal location of genes known from linkage analysis studies matched the location predicted by homology mapping in ten out of ten cases, indicating a high reliability of our approach. The CYPs, esterases/hydrolases and GSTs were not randomly distributed throughout the genome. They clustered on chromosomes, but the pattern was different between the CYPs, esterases/hydrolases and GSTs. Examples are provided for how the availability of the house fly genome, combined with an ability to assign genes to chromosomes, will help to accelerate research in house flies.
The role of pilin glycan in neisserial pathogenesis.

The pilus of pathogenic Neisseria is a polymer composed mainly of the glycoprotein, pilin. Recent investigations significantly enhanced characterization of pilin glycan (Pg) from N. gonorrhoeae (gonococcus, GC) and N. meningitidis (meningococcus, MC). Several pilin glycosylation genes were discovered recently from these bacteria and some of these genes transfer sugars previously unknown to be present in neisserial pili. Due to these findings, glycans of GC and MC pilin are now considered more complex. Furthermore, various Pg can be expressed by different strains and variants of GC, as well as MC. Intra-species variation of Pg between different groups of GC or MC can partly be due to polymorphisms of glycosylation genes. In pilus of pathogenic Neisseria, alternative glycoforms are also produced due to phase-variation (Pv) of pilin glycosylation genes. Most remarkably, the pgtA (pilin glycosyl transferase A) gene of GC can either posses or lack the ability of Pv. Many GC strains carry the phase-variable (Pv+) pgtA, whereas others carry the allele lacking Pv (Pv–). Mostly, the GC isolates from disseminated gonococcal infection (DGI) carry Pv+ pgtA but organisms from uncomplicated gonorrhea (UG) contain the Pv– allele. This data suggests that Pv of pgtA facilitates DGI, whereas constitutive expression of the Pv– pgtA may promote UG. Additional implications of Pg in various physiological and pathogenic mechanisms of Neisseria can also be envisaged based on various recent data.
Ultrasound: Synergistic Effects and Application in Cancer Therapy by Hyperthermia

In a previous paper1, it was shown that heat generation is the principal mechanism for the occurrence of histologically detectable irreversible injury, as well as reversible functional alterations, in solid, mammalian tissues from insonation with 2 to 3 MHz ultrasound at intensities up to at least 1,000 W.cm-2 and probably up to 1,500 W.cm-2 A well defined time-dependent temperature -threshold, linked to the state of the tissue, governs the occurrence of tissue damage. Thus, any other modality or agent leading to heat generation and/or temperature elevation in the tissues will be additive to ultrasound and reduce the amount of ultrasonically generated heat needed to reach the threshold for tissue damage or for functional alteration. Water bath, environmental chambers, sauna, infra-red, CO2 laser, fever from systemic infection or induced artificially by injection of pyrogens (e.g. Cooley’s Toxin), local tissue inflammation from local infection, etc. may thus act additively with ultrasound. On the other hand, some agents may act directly or indirectly on the biological system and alter its functional, ultrastruetura1 and/or histological state in such a manner that its threshold for ultrasonic thermal damage is lowered or its ability to recover from sublethal damage by biological repair is compromised.
Inclusive Security and Privacy

The mainstream security and privacy mechanisms often do not consider the wide variety of users. As a result, these mechanisms fall short of empowering many under-served populations such as children, older adults, people with disabilities, and people from non-Western developing countries to effectively protect their security and privacy. In this article, I advocate for a new wave of research that centers on inclusive security and privacy, which is concerned with designing security and privacy mechanisms that are inclusive to people with various characteristics, abilities, needs, and values.
Network Disadvantaged Entrepreneurs: Density, Hierarchy, and Success in China and the West:

This article is about the network theory of advantage applied to entrepreneurship and an area-probability sample of 700 Chinese entrepreneurs, using 2,193 American and European managers as a baseli...
The Effect of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy on Functional Impairments Caused by Ischemic Stroke.

Background. While research suggests a benefit of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) for neurologic injury, controlled clinical trials have not been able to clearly define the benefits. Objective. To investigate the effects of HBOT on physical and cognitive impairments resulting from an ischemic stroke. Methods. Using a within-subject design a baseline for current functional abilities was established over a 3-month period for all subjects (n=7). Each subject then received two 4-week periods of HBOT for a total of 40 90-minute treatments over a 12-week period. Subjects completed a battery of assessments and had blood drawn six times over the 9-month total duration of the study. Results. We found improvements in cognition and executive function as well as physical abilities, specifically, improved gait. Participants reported improved sleep and quality of life following HBOT treatment. We also saw changes in serum levels of biomarkers for inflammation and neural recovery. In the functional domains where improvement was observed following HBOT treatment, the improvements were maintained up to 3 months following the last treatment. However, the physiological biomarkers showed a pattern of more transient changes following HBOT treatment. Conclusions. Findings from this study support the idea of HBOT as a potential intervention following stroke.
Perceived playfulness in same-sex friendships and happiness

The current investigation examined the association of perceived playfulness in same-sex best friendships with happiness. Study 1 (N = 1009) showed that playfulness was related to and accounted for unique variance in subjective well-being even when controlling for the Big Five dimensions of personality, relationship quality and conflict. Study 2 (N = 277) showed that personal sense of uniqueness mediated the association of playfulness with affect balance. The findings suggest that perceived playfulness is a reliable correlate of individual happiness, and directions for future are provided.
Spiritual assessment with refugees and other migrant populations: A necessary foundation for successful clinical practice

In light of the current global refugee crisis, social workers and other mental health professionals are increasingly likely to encounter refugees in various practice settings. For many refugees, re...
Intellectual Disability and Adolescent Bariatric Surgery: Support of Special Eligibility Criteria.

* Abbreviation: IDD — : intellectual or developmental disability Recent evidence highlighting the ongoing rise in the rate of childhood obesity across all pediatric age groups in the United States, in combination with a prevalence of severe obesity (BMI ≥120% of the 95th percentile or BMI ≥40) among adolescents approaching 10%,1,2 serves to support the increased use of metabolic and bariatric surgery among teenagers.3 Furthermore, an expanding body of literature reporting long-term prospective and multiinstitutional outcomes after weight-loss surgery highlight both the significant prevalence of baseline obesity-related comorbid diseases (eg, hypertension, fatty liver disease, obstructive sleep apnea, and chronic renal disease) as well as strong evidence demonstrating comorbidity reduction in the postoperative time period, including improvements in a number of defined cardiometabolic disease risk factors.4–7 In addition, a recent comparative analysis of surgical weight reduction versus medical therapy for adolescents with severe obesity and type 2 diabetes revealed significant improvements in weight, glycemic control, and related comorbidity remission among the group undergoing a … Address correspondence to Marc P. Michalsky, MD, Department of Pediatric Surgery, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, 700 Children’s Dr, Columbus, OH 43205. E-mail: marc.michalsky{at}nationwidechildrens.org
Effect of Skeletal Paracrine Signals on the Proliferation of Interzone Cells

ObjectiveArticular cartilage in mammals has limited intrinsic capacity to repair structural defects, a fact that contributes to the chronic and progressive nature of osteoarthritis. In contrast, Me...
Mast Cell Eavesdropping on Bacterial Communications

Bacteria communicate through quorum sensing, which enables bacterial coordination of collective behaviors and environment-induced adaptations. In this issue of Cell Host & Microbe, Pundir et al. (2019) report that connective-tissue-type mast cells spy on bacterial communication by detecting the messenger molecules via their receptor Mrgprb2-MRGPRX2 to the host benefit.
Does taste preference predict weight regain after bariatric surgery

While bariatric surgery is well established as a means of inducing sustained weight loss, the rate of weight loss typically declines after a year, and weight regain has been observed. Preoperative taste preferences have been suspected to play a role in weight regain, possibly by influencing post-operative dietary practices. We sought to investigate the association between preoperative taste preferences and weight regain following bariatric surgery. Patients who underwent bariatric surgery with at least 2 years of follow-up were included. Demographics and weight were collected in follow-up visits; while patient recall of preoperative taste preference was assessed, using a multiple-choice question in the study survey administered at least 6 months post-surgery. Weight regain was calculated as weight at 2 years minus weight at 1 year post-surgery, with weight regain denoted by positive values and weight loss by negative. Linear regression models were utilized to study associations between weight regain and preoperative taste preferences with and without adjusting for demographic factors and surgery type. Patients undergoing RYGB had less weight regain (− 4.5 kg, p = 0.033) compared to patients undergoing VSG. Compared to patients with no preferences, patients with sweet food or salty food preferences had 5.5 kg (p = 0.038) and 6.1 kg (p = 0.048) weight regain, respectively, at 2 years post-surgery. After adjustment, patients with salty food preference had 6.8 kg (p = 0.027) weight regain compared to patients with no preferences. Preoperative salty taste preference was associated with weight regain at 2 years post-surgery in patients undergoing bariatric surgery. Findings of this project might have implications for predicting long-term weight loss maintenance for patients with known preoperative taste preferences. Our study suggests that patients with preoperative salty taste preference may need further post-operative psychosocial support and resources to prevent weight regain and to ensure healthy and sufficient weight loss.
Setting the Unsettled: An Introduction to 9/11 and the Academy

This chapter serves as an introduction to the book and the relationship between 9/11 and the academy. It first places the liberal arts within the historical context of higher education in the United States from the late nineteenth century through the aftermath of the 1960s. After considering questions relating to rupture and historical change over time, this chapter discusses five themes and charts the impact of 9/11 across the interdisciplinary social sciences and humanities.
An exploration of engagement and effectiveness of an online values affirmation

Brief social-psychological interventions, like the values affirmation (VA), that target individual feelings of competency and buffer against social threats, have been shown to effectively reduce achievement gaps in randomised controlled trials. In the current study, underrepresented minority and first-generation college students in their first university semester (N = 496) were randomly assigned to receive the VA electronically or complete an online survey (control). Results revealed: (a) VA participants did not engage with the intervention in a manner typical of past VA studies that delivered the intervention as a class activity; (b) VA students had lower semester grade point averages (GPAs) than control students; and (c) contrary to previous studies, neither stereotype threat nor social belonging moderated the effectiveness of the VA. These findings further emphasise the importance of the context within which the VA is delivered and highlight the challenges that accompany increasing the reach of the VA through a widespread, online delivery.
Anger in PTSD

Abstract Over the past two decades, considerable research attention has focused on examining the role of anger in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Anger has been consistently associated with PTSD across populations, with the strongest associations found in military samples. Anger in PTSD has been associated with aggressive behavior and diminished functioning. There is also evidence that anger can impede successful outcomes from PTSD treatment, accounting for higher levels of dropout and less PTSD symptom reduction. In this chapter, we present research on the associations between PTSD and anger. Several theoretical models are discussed to explain the association between anger and PTSD. We then discuss treatment outcomes and implications, including the effect of anger on PTSD treatment outcomes, the impact of PTSD treatment on anger outcomes, and research on therapies to target anger in PTSD. We end with suggestions for future research.
Reliability Assessment of Distribution Power System When Considering Energy Storage Configuration Technique

The main task of distribution systems is to provide acceptable reliability, economic and quality service of electrical power according to the demanded load value. To fulfill this task more accurately, the reliability performance of the distribution system can be performed and measured using a wide variety of indices, which are divided into energy indices and frequency/expectation indices. This study evaluates the reliability indices of a part of the distribution network selected as a model and deals with the selection of the most suitable feeder by connecting energy storage units to the busbars. Using IEEE Standard 1366 reliability indices, historical data from Prosperous Electricity Distribution Company (PEDC), which is used to evaluate reliability based on the 5-year past reliability assessment of the power system (RAPS), was selected. In addition, as an innovation in this application process, energy storage systems (ESS) have been evaluated according to four different network configurations (A-B-C-D) to increase RAPS and achieve more realistic results. Using DigSILENT, ESS-based configurations are designed, comparisons are made, and configuration B is the best result to increase system reliability and the 80E6 feeder is optimal. In addition, reliability changes achieved by network configuration have demonstrated the importance of optimal configuration planning to improve the uninterrupted and sustainable energy quality of the system based on storage technology.
A Cyber Resilient Design for Control Systems

To achieve the 5 R’s of resilient control systems (RCSs), specifically recon, resist, respond, restore and ultimately recover, a cyber resilient control system must be able to proactively recognize and respond to uncertain threats. These threats can be from cyber or physical origins, including benign and malicious human. This paper focuses on cyber threats. Like a multi-agent hierarchy for a resilient control system design, a hierarchical multi-agent dynamic system (HMADS) cyber recognition and response architecture would contribute to system resilience. A hierarchical framework based upon a 3-layer multiagent system with recognition and response capabilities for cyber events is proposed that benefits from the tiers of recognition and response and collection of distributed data sets to improve confidence in recognition due to the increased data richness. The benefits of the distributed vs centralized can be realized. Each level of the hierarchy includes cyber "sensors" and "actuators" providing a traditional control system like attenuation of error signal due to cyber-attacks.
Controllable Meaning Representation to Text Generation: Linearization and Data Augmentation Strategies

We study the degree to which neural sequence-to-sequence models exhibit fine-grained controllability when performing natural language generation from a meaning representation. Using two task-oriented dialogue generation benchmarks, we systematically compare the effect of four input linearization strategies on controllability and faithfulness. Additionally, we evaluate how a phrase-based data augmentation method can improve performance. We find that properly aligning input sequences during training leads to highly controllable generation, both when training from scratch or when fine-tuning a larger pre-trained model. Data augmentation further improves control on difficult, randomly generated utterance plans.
Quantitative assessment of choriocapillaris flow deficits in diabetic retinopathy: A swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography study

Purpose To quantitatively assess choriocapillaris (CC) flow deficits in eyes with diabetic retinopathy (DR) using swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA). Methods Diabetic subjects with different stages of DR and age-matched healthy subjects were recruited and imaged with SS-OCTA. The en face CC blood flow images were generated using previously published and validated algorithms. The percentage of CC flow deficits (FD%) and the mean CC flow deficit size were calculated in a 5-mm-diameter circle centered on the fovea from the 6×6-mm scans. Results Forty-five diabetic subjects and 27 control subjects were included in the study. The CC FD% in diabetic eyes was on average 1.4-fold greater than in control eyes (12.34±4.14% vs 8.82±2.61%, P < 0.001). The mean CC FD size in diabetic eyes was on average 1.4-fold larger than in control eyes (2151.3± 650.8μm2 vs 1574.4±255.0 μm2, P < 0.001). No significant difference in CC FD% or mean CC FD size was observed between eyes with nonproliferative DR and eyes with proliferative DR (P = 1.000 and P = 1.000, respectively). Conclusions CC perfusion in DR can be objectively and quantitatively assessed with FD% and FD size. In the macular region, both CC FD% and CC FD size are increased in eyes with DR. SS-OCTA provides new insights for the investigations of CC perfusion status in diabetes in vivo.
Exploring the Implications Travel Behavior During COVID-19 for Transit: Potential for Ridesharing and Carsharing

The COVID-19 epidemic has had unprecedented impacts on travel patterns in the US. This study evaluates changes to travel after shelter in place mandates. It finds that despite a potential reduction in gross vehicle miles travel, travel for secondary trips for recreation, shopping and errands may have increased. 26% of travelers may take trips that they otherwise would not have taken when working from home—many conducted via driving or carpooling and some via transit. This offers policy opportunities to consider how these trips can be captured in more sustainable modes than driving alone, and how transit might evolve after the pandemic to meet these travel needs.
Artisanal and Aboriginal Subsistence Whaling in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (Eastern Caribbean): History, Catch Characteristics, and Needs for Research and Management

Whaling has been a contentious international environmental issue for decades and carries complex ecological and socioeconomic implications. In St. Vincent & the Grenadines (SVG), a small archipelagic nation located in the Eastern Caribbean, present-day whaling traces its origin to local interaction with American-based whalers during the 19th and early 20th Centuries. When American whaling in the region ceased, local shore-based whaling arose to fill the niche and to exploit the remaining--though diminished--stocks of large whales, as well as stocks of small cetaceans that the American whalers had not targeted as heavily. After a period of expansion throughout the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, which saw shore-whaling operations established on at least eleven islands in the region, Eastern Caribbean whaling experienced a period of attrition, during which most local whaling operations ceased. Two operations, both based in SVG, continue regularly today. This paper reviews the past and present status of whaling activities in SVG from the literature and using recent data collected from 2007 to 2017 through logbook data, interview surveys, and ethnographic observations. Small cetacean captures have been documented since 1949, and at least 15 species of odontocetes have been captured (primarily delphinids). From 1949 to 2017, a total of 13,856 small cetacean captures have been recorded, including 5,896 short-finned pilot whales, 109 killer whales, and 7,851 other small cetaceans. Small cetacean catch records are largely incomplete and total catch estimates could not be attempted. Consistent records for the take of large whales are only available for the period 1986-2020, during which time 45 humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), 8 sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) and 2 Bryde’s whales (Balaenoptera edeni) were killed. We also review whaling practices, existing national policy on whaling, management techniques outside of formal policy regimes, research needs, and future management perspectives. Future monitoring and management of whaling activities in SVG are strongly needed, particularly with regards to small cetaceans.
Hunger and Health: Taking a Formative Approach to Build a Health Intervention Focused on Nutrition and Physical Activity Needs as Perceived by Stakeholders.

The intersections between hunger and health are beginning to gain traction. New interventions emphasize collaboration between the health and social service sectors. This study aimed to understand the nutrition and physical activity (PA) needs as perceived by food pantry stakeholders to inform a health intervention approach. The study used formative research incorporating mixed methods through surveying and semi-structured interviews with three food pantry stakeholder groups: Clients (n = 30), staff (n = 7), and volunteers (n = 10). Pantry client participants reported; high rates of both individual (60%, n = 18) and household (43%, n = 13) disease diagnosis; low consumption (0–1 servings) of fruits (67%, n = 20) and vegetables (47%, n = 14) per day; and low levels (0–120 min) of PA (67%, n = 20) per week. Interviews identified five final convergent major themes across all three stakeholder groups including food and PA barriers, nutrition and PA literacy, health status and lifestyle, current pantry operations and adjustments, and suggestions for health intervention programming. High rates of chronic disease combined with low health literacy among pantry clients demonstrate the need to address health behaviors. Further research piloting the design and implementation of a comprehensive health behavior intervention program in the food pantry setting is needed.
A Community of Concern: The Massachusetts Coalition for the Prevention of Medical Errors

One day in January 1997, John Noble, an internist from Boston City Hospital who I knew from somewhere—perhaps residency days—walked into my office and said, “We should form a state coalition for the prevention of medical errors.” His idea was to bring to the table the key players in health who tended not to talk much with one another—regulators and the regulated, academics and practitioners, etc.
Role of Race, Ethnicity, and Immigration in Perceived Stress and Depressive Symptomatology Trends During Pregnancy

Our goal was to examine the role of race, ethnicity, and immigration status on prenatal perceived stress and depressive symptomatology trends across pregnancy in a low-income, minority population of pregnant women in urban Los Angeles. Longitudinal data on 442 Hispanic and Black women were analyzed using mixed effects models with a random intercept for participant were employed to evaluate predictors of higher perceived stress levels and probable depression across pregnancy. Compared to U.S. born Hispanic women, Black women had higher perceived stress (β 2.24; 95% CI 0.41, 4.07) and higher odds of probable depression (OR 2.38; 95% CI 0.95, 5.95) while Hispanic immigrants with greater than 20 years of residency in the U.S. had higher odds of probable depression (OR 2.93; 95% CI 1.10, 7.79). Maternal mental health among Hispanic immigrants with longer U.S. residency and Black race warrants increased attention from public health and clinical agencies.
Balancing risk with virtual private networking during a pandemic

Abstract When the pandemic struck and teaching went online worldwide, universities had to make pressing decisions that balanced cybersecurity against other factors, including health and safety, usability, and cost. One such challenge Indiana University (IU) faced was how to accommodate the secure telecommunications needs of 130,000 faculty, staff, and students who would now be teaching, learning, doing research, and working from home. Some universities reflexively promoted virtual private network (VPN) use for all activities. Such an approach would have been unsustainable at IU, however, owing both to the licenses and resources needed for the sheer number of users and to the high-throughput applications on which they rely. Perhaps even worse, it would have increased the chances that the VPN would be unavailable during a critical incident or other situation in which secure communications must be guaranteed. Instead, IU launched an awareness campaign demonstrating exactly when VPN use is and isn’t needed. In addition, network staff employed a VPN feature called split tunneling to reduce the load. This article discusses the advantages and disadvantages of this approach and how IU made the decision to balance both sides of the risk equation to ensure the continued advancement of its mission throughout the pandemic.
Using group mobility and multihomed mobile gateways to connect mobile ad hoc networks to the global IP Internet: Research Articles

Connecting multihop mobile ad hoc wireless networks (MANETs) to the Internet would enable MANET nodes to share wireless Internet access with mobile hosts that are one-hop away from their foreign networks. The integration of MANETs and the global Internet, however, faces an obstacle due to their network architectural mismatches regarding their infrastructure, topology, and mobility management mechanisms. Solutions to the integration problem should introduce an intermediate facility with hybrid mechanism, enabling it to connect to both networks. The quality of the multihop wireless Internet access service provided to MANET nodes depends on the design quality of this facility in order for MANET nodes to enjoy their Internet connectivity anywhere and anytime without much disconnections. In this paper, we propose hierarchical architecture that uses group mobility and multihomed mobile gateways, and present and analyse different simulations results. A multihomed mobile gateway can simultaneously connect to multiple Mobile IP foreign agents, provided it is located within their overlapping coverage area. It runs updated versions of the destination-sequenced distance vector (DSDV) and Mobile IP protocols, and is responsible for providing MANET nodes with wireless Internet access though they are multiple wireless hops away from the edge of the Internet. The rationale behind using multihoming is to increase reliability of the Internet access service and enhance performance of the integrated network. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A strong law of large numbers for trimmed sums, with applications to generalized St. Petersburg games☆

Abstract Extending a result of Einmahl, Haeusler and Mason (1988), a characterization of the almost sure asymptotic stability of lightly trimmed sums of upper order statistics is given when the right tail of the underlying distribution with positive support is surrounded by tails that are regularly varying with the same index. The result is motivated by applications to cumulative gains in a sequence of generalized St. Petersburg games in which a fixed number of the largest gains of the player may be withheld.