cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Locura y literatura: la otra mirada

Resumen: Locura y literatura son dos temas queaparecen intrinsecamente unidos ya sea por esa fronteraliminal que existe entre el genio y la insensatez o quizapor la necesidad de poner en boca de personajes locosuna verdad peligrosa. La figura del loco se ha convertidoen un simbolo, analogia o parabola que significa unmundo en crisis y, en ocasiones, el espejo y catalizadorde la conciencia critica de la humanidad. En este ensayose analizan dos textos de escritoras latinoamericanasque se acercan al tema de la locura desde la perspectivafemenina. En ambos textos, la locura ocupa un espaciocentral y tiene como objetivo presentar una realidaddesde una optica diferente. Se establece asi unacorrelacion entre locura, mirada y literatura, como sila locura fuera el resultado de aprehender realidadesdesde una mirada alternativa para transmitir un mensajeque cuestiona o redefine una realidad. Las novelas sonLa nave de los locos, de la uruguaya Cristina Peri Rossiy Nadie me vera llorar de la mexicana Cristina RiveraGarza. En ambos casos, la figura del loco o de la locuraservira como eje para transmitir un cuestionamiento yun desafio con respecto a la norma dictada por lasociedad.Palabras clave: locura, razon y sinrazon, mirada/espejo, novela, perspectiva femenina.Madness and Literature: The Other ViewAbstract: Madness and literature are intrinsicallyconjoined topics defined by that blurred line betweengenius and insanity. The figure of the ‘madman’ or theinsane has become staple symbol, analogy and parableto signify a world in crisis, and at times, the mirror andcatalyst of the critical consciousness of humankind. Inthis paper the concepts of madness and literature areexplored in two contemporary Latin American novelsfrom a feminine point of view. In both texts madness is atthe core and both use insanity to expose an alternateview of reality. Thus, a correlation of madness, literatureand gaze is created as if a particular connection betweensight and madness existed, or as if madness were theresult of being able to apprehend realities from analternative perspective. The two novels are La nave delos locos (1984) by Uruguayan Cristina Peri Rossi, andNadie me vera llorar (1999) by Mexican Cristina RiveraGarza. In both cases the topics of mad and madness willquestion and challenge the norms dictated by society.Key words: madness, reason and unreason, gaze/mirror, novel, feminine point of view.
Understanding the value of minimally invasive procedures for the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis: the case of interspinous spacer devices

Abstract Background Context Minimally invasive lumbar spinal stenosis procedures have uncertain long-term value. Purpose This study sought to characterize factors affecting the long-term cost-effectiveness of such procedures using interspinous spacer devices (“spacers”) relative to decompression surgery as a case study. Study Design Model-based cost-effectiveness analysis. Patient Sample The Medicare Provider Analysis and Review database for the years 2005–2009 was used to model a group of 65-year-old patients with spinal stenosis who had no previous spine surgery and no contraindications to decompression surgery. Outcome Measures Costs, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), and cost per QALY gained were the outcome measures. Methods A Markov model tracked health utility and costs over 10 years for a 65-year-old cohort under three care strategies: conservative care, spacer surgery, and decompression surgery. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICER) reported as cost per QALY gained included direct medical costsfor surgery. Medicare claims data were used to estimate complication rates, reoperation, and related costs within 3 years. Utilities and long-term reoperation rates for decompression were derived frompublished studies. Spacer failure requiring reoperation beyond 3 years and post-spacer health utilities are uncertain and were evaluated through sensitivity analyses. In the base-case, the spacer failure rate was held constant for years 4–10 (cumulative failure: 47%). In a “worst-case” analysis, the 10-year cumulative reoperation rate was increased steeply (to 90%). Threshold analyses were performed to determine the impact of failure and post-spacer health utility on the cost-effectiveness of spacer surgery. Results The spacer strategy had an ICER of $89,500/QALY gained under base-case assumptions, and remained under $100,000 as long as the 10-year cumulative probability of reoperation did not exceed 54%. Under worst-case assumptions, the spacer ICER was $482,000/QALY and fell below $100,000 only if post-spacer utility was 0.01 greater than post-decompression utility or the cost of spacer surgery was $1,600 less than the cost of decompression surgery. Conclusions Spacers may provide a reasonably cost-effective initial treatment option for patients with lumbar spinal stenosis. Their value is expected to improve if procedure costs are lower in outpatient settings where these procedures are increasingly being performed. Decision analysis is useful for characterizing the long-term cost-effectiveness potential for minimally invasive spinal stenosis treatments and highlights the importance of complication rates and prospective health utility assessment.
The Role of Nitroglycerin and Other Nitrogen Oxides in Cardiovascular Therapeutics.

AbstractThe use of nitroglycerin in the treatment of angina pectoris began not long after its original synthesis in 1847. Since then, the discovery of nitric oxide as a biological effector and bett...
P-203 Orangeline: much more than expected

Background OrangeLine, launched in April 2016, is a telephone helpline for local people seeking information, friendship and support. Callers do not have to be known to the hospice. OrangeLine addresses loneliness and isolation, and signposts to internal and external services. It was anticipated OrangeLine would run simply as a telephone helpline. Interventions are recorded and include all telephone and face to face contacts. In 2017 April recorded 122 interventions, and 186 in May. Aim To gain feedback from service users after the first three months of the helpline, establish if OrangeLine is meeting their needs and make appropriate changes. To explore the impact of OrangeLine on service users. Method Telephone user satisfaction surveys on the quality of the service, sought from each service user approximately two weeks after each call. Focus group participants, recruited from families who used family support services or OrangeLine. Thirty service users attended, diverse in age, gender and ethnicity, and feedback on quality of their experience was collected. Findings Unanticipated needs were highlighted and included i)earlier and regular contact with OrangeLine, ii) immediate assistance with death certificate processes and iii) social contact with others in similar situations. Service design now includes a monthly social contact Friendly Faces group. Data from the satisfaction survey and the Friendly Faces group is analysed monthly and shows 92% feel less isolated and 83% feel their mood has improved. Condolence cards are sent out one week post bereavement to initiate earlier contact, followed by a welfare call one week later. Referrals from the inpatient unit are made immediately after death, to assist with death certificate administration. Conclusion One year on, OrangeLine is much more than a telephone helpline. Service user feedback has directly impacted on redesign and delivery. The need for a formal service evaluation is being explored.
Metastatic Malignancy to the Lung

Extrapulmonary malignancies metastasize more frequently to the lungs than any other organ in the body. The reported incidence of lung metastases in autopsy studies on patients dying of extrapulmonary cancers range from 20 to 54%, whereas the lungs may be the only organs involved in 15-20% of the cases. Virtually any type of malignancy from any site or organ in the body can metastasize to the lungs; however, certain malignancies are more prone to involve the lungs. These are malignancies of breast, colon, kidney, uterine choriocarcinoma, stomach, pancreas, prostate, soft tissues, and male and female genital tracts. Patients with metastatic lung cancers may present clinically with signs and symptoms related to pulmonary involvement or may be asymptomatic.
Industrial–Organizational Psychology: Science and Practice

Industrial and organizational (I–O) psychology is the study of the behavior of men and women in work settings. I–O psychologists seek to understand and optimize the effectiveness, health, and well-being both of individuals and of organizations. This article considers the three major areas that comprise the broad domain of the field (personnel psychology, organizational psychology, and human engineering); an overview of the evolution of the field; the scientist–practitioner model and the role of research in guiding science and practice; and finally, factors that are driving demand for research and expertise in I–O psychology.
Shaping and Forming

There’s a special vocabulary for shaping ceramics because it’s an ancient art. Once the constituent powders have been prepared in the desired purity and particle size, the next step in the processing of most ceramic products is fabricating them into useful shapes. Many shaping methods are used for ceramic products, and they can be grouped into three basic categories, which are not necessarily independent.
Spinon-Holon Statistics, and Broken Statistical Symmetry for the t-J and Hubbard Models in 2D

The mean-field approach to the t-J model, or equivalently to the large U Hubbard model, has been repeatedly1,2,3,4 suggested as a paradigm for theories in which the spin and charge degrees of freedom are decoupled; the excitations associated with the former are called spinons, and with the latter holons. The usual formulation for this model involves the author’s5 auxiliary particles (slave bosons or fermions) and a mean-field approximation based upon a certain large N expansions6. Within such a formulation the physical value is N = 2 and the holons and spinons retain the statistics assign them within the auxiliary particle method, i.e., for the slave boson technique, the spinons are fermions and holons bosons while for the slave fermion technique the statistics are interchanged. However it is not at all clear that the expansion about the large N saddle point converges. For this and some other, more technical, reasons the present author questions the appropriateness of the large N technique.
Was belastet die Neutralität

Der Organismus halt wahrend des Gastransportes, wie wir bereits besprochen haben, den pH seines Blutplasmas standig in einem gunstigen Bereich konstant; der Spielraum betragt nur eine zehntel pH-Einheit, obwohl gleichzeitig riesige Mengen der anfallenden Wasserstoffionen beseitigt werden mussen. Daran konnen wir sehen, das der pH einer der Faktoren in der Zellumgebung sein mus, dessen Konstanz grose biologische Bedeutung hat. Wir konnen ferner schliesen, das ein konstanter pH innerhalb der Zellen ahnlich wichtig ist. Eine pH-Abweichung wird den Dissoziationsgrad der meisten strukturellen und katalytischen Zellelemente etwas verandern. Daraus ergeben sich Veranderungen der relativen Geschwindigkeiten chemischer Reaktionen und der Verteilung von Ionen und Wasser.
Epigenetic Mechanisms of Drug Addiction Vulnerability

Drug addiction is characterized by abnormal and often persistent changes in gene expression throughout the limbic circuitry of the brain. Over the past decade, epigenetic mechanisms, such as alterations in histone posttranslational modifications and DNA methylation, have been suggested to play key roles in the orchestration of dynamic and long-lasting transcriptional and behavioral responses to drugs of abuse. Numerous environmental factors that are known to enhance an individual’s vulnerability to drug addiction have similarly been demonstrated to promote persistent changes in neuronal chromatin function in the brain. Here, we will attempt to shed light on the epigenetic mechanisms contributing to addiction vulnerability, with the hope that current and future studies will aid in the development of improved strategies for the prevention and treatment of this devastating psychiatric disease.
Optimal integration of DER and SST in active distribution networks

Abstract The power distribution system is evolving towards a smart grid paradigm facilitated by infrastructure improvement, innovative technologies, and electronically-interfaced devices. The solid state transformer (SST) promises to be one of the most significant power electronically-interfaced devices to be integrated in the next generation distribution network due to its extensive energy management capability to handle interconnected AC and DC source(s) and load(s). In this paper, a three-phase unbalanced Optimal Power Flow (OPF) algorithm is extended for integrating distributed energy resources (DER) and SSTs in the future distribution networks. The purpose of the OPF is to optimize the economic operations of DERs in conjunction with the SST to improve system efficiency and voltage profiles, while controlling DER penetration. The topology and functionalities of the SST are introduced and modeled in the OPF algorithm. Comprehensive models of loads, conductors, voltage regulators, transformers, and pricing schemes are considered for accuracy. Based on the theoretical foundations, simulations are conducted on the IEEE 123 bus test system. The entire algorithm is also visualized in a quasi-static time-series (QSTS) manner to capture the variability of the system and response of the SSTs in different control modes. This can be adopted by distribution automation enterprises for active distribution networks.
Microwave-assisted synthesis of porous organic cages CC3 and CC2

The microwave synthesis of two prototypical porous organic cages, denoted as CC3 and CC2, is demonstrated. CC3 crystals displaying a narrow size distribution were synthesized in just a few minutes. The fast synthesis of narrow size distribution POC crystals makes microwave synthesis a highly appealing approach for the synthesis of these crystals.
Aging Human Hematopoietic Stem Cells Manifest Massive Epigenetic Reprogramming and Altered Gene Splicing of Key Hematopoietic Gene Sets

Abstract Aging leads to impairment of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) function with decreased self-renewal, imbalanced differentiation potential and an increased risk to develop myeloid malignancies. These malignancies are associated with epigenetic deregulation, which contributes to pathogenesis. Notably, studies in murine models have revealed epigenetic changes in aged HSC. However, it is unknown if this occurs in normal human HSC aging and whether it may contribute to HSC dysfunction. Therefore, we performed comprehensive epigenomic and transcriptional profiling in primary human HSC (Lin-, CD34+, CD38-) isolated from young (18-30 yo), mid (45-55 yo) and old (65-75 yo) healthy donors. Using a micro-ChIP-seq protocol we profiled H3K4me1, H3K4me3, H3K27me3 and H3K27ac in 4-7 donors per age group, as well as genome-wide DNA methylation (5mC), hydroxymethylation (5hmC) and RNA-seq. Analysis of enhancer-associated marks revealed that with age there is marked reduction in both H3K4me1 and H3K27ac (20,783 and 15,625 peaks lost, respectively; log10likelihood ratio >3). Gene ontology analysis of these lost peaks revealed their association with genes involved in hematopoiesis and, RNA splicing and chromatin organization, respectively (ChIPenrich, FDR H3K4me3, H3K27ac-) and active (H3K4me1>H3K4me3, H3K27ac+) enhancers. We found age-related loss of H3K4me1 enrichment at 10,696 poised enhancers, which are associated with hematopoiesis and T- and B-cell receptor signaling (FDR 20%). However, these subtle changes also target genes associated with cadherin and WNT signaling. Finally, RNA-seq analysis revealed that this age-associated epigenetic reprogramming is accompanied by an overall trend to gene downregulation. Amongst the genes most affected are the nuclear lamin gene LMNA (mutated in progeria syndrome), splicing factors SRSF7 and U2AF1 and, the transcription factors KLF3/6 and HIF1α (FDR 1.5). Notably, changes in expression also include significant differential exon usage, which may be mediated by DHMR at intron-exon boundaries: 575 genes show altered exon usage (FDR 1.5) including LMNA and the epigenetic modifiers BRD9, CITED2, KDM6A and SETD6. In summary, we have completed the first comprehensive epigenomic profiling of aging in human HSC. Our findings show massive epigenetic remodeling in aged HSC, consisting of loss of activating histone marks primarily targeting enhancers and bivalent promoters at genes involved in hematopoiesis and developmental pathways. Cytosine modifications show widespread changes in 5hmC, targeting intron-exon boundaries. Globally, this epigenetic reprogramming results in overall gene downregulation and altered splicing of genes important for HSC regulation. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
SHORT-RUN EMPLOYMENT AND REAL WAGE IN COMPETITIVE MARKETS

This chapter discusses the effects upon aggregate employment and the real wage rate of a decline of aggregate demand in two economies in which the commodity market is competitive. In the first economy, all goods just produced are supplied to the market perfectly inelastically, the costs of storage being too great to warrant the holding of stocks at any nonnegative market price. In the second type of economy, holding costs are low enough that producers will carry over some stock into the next market period when the current market price is low enough on the speculation that future sales will be possible at a higher price. This latter model has been studied by Edwin Mills and Edward Zabel, and firms follow the optimal production and sales policies derived by Zabel.
3D-printed insert-array and 3D-coculture-array for high-throughput screening of cell migration and application to study molecular and cellular influences

Collective cell migration refers to the movement of groups of cells and collective cell behavior and relies on cell-cell communication and cell-environment interactions. Collective cell migration plays a fundamental role in many aspects of cell biology and pathology. Current protocols for studying collective cell migration either use destructive methods or are not convenient for liquid handling. Here we present a novel 3D-printed insert-array and a 3D-coculture-array for collective cell migration study in high-throughput. The fabricated insert-array is comprised of 96 cylinder shaped inserts which can be placed in each well of a 96-well plate generating watertight contact with the bottom of each well. The insert-array has high manufacturing tolerance, and the coefficient of variations of the insert diameter and circularity are 0.67% and 0.03%, respectively. Each insert generates a circular cell-free area within the well without cell damage and provides convenient access for both manual and robotic liquid handling. Using the 3D-printed insert-array, we studied the migration of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) under the molecular influences of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and under the cellular influences of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) using the 3D-coculture-array. Our results show that the migration of HUVECs was dose-dependent on the VEGF and bFGF with different correlation patterns. They also generated a synergic pro-migration effect. When cocultured with hMSCs, the migration rate increased significantly while dependent on the number of hMSCs. The effects were partially blocked by VEGF inhibitor which suggests that VEGF secreted from hMSCs plays an important role in cell-to-cell communication during cell migration. The 3D-coculture-array can be manufactured at very low cost and shows higher biomolecule transport efficiency than the commercially available transwell. The calculated Z-factor is 0.66, which classifies our system as a perfect high-throughput assay. In summary, our newly developed insert-array and 3D-coculture-array provide a versatile platform to study collective cell migration in high-throughput as well as the molecular and cellular influences upon it.
Community practice, social action, and the politics of pandemics

Joining millions across the globe, we write this editorial for the Journal of Community Practice while adhering to stay at home orders. Although frequently invoked during times of public safety con...
Health and Budgetary Impact of Achieving 10-Year U.S. Sodium Reduction Targets

Introduction This study estimates the health, economic, and budgetary impact resulting from graduated sodium reductions in the commercially produced food supply of the U.S., which are consistent with draft U.S. Food and Drug Administration voluntary guidance and correspond to Healthy People 2020 objectives and the 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Methods Reduction in mean U.S. dietary sodium consumption to 2,300 mg/day was implemented in a microsimulation model designed to evaluate prospective cardiovascular disease–related policies in the U.S. population. The analysis was conducted in 2018–2020, and the microsimulation model was constructed using various data sources from 1948 to 2018. Modeled outcomes over 10 years included prevalence of systolic blood pressure ≥140 mmHg; incident myocardial infarction, stroke, cardiovascular disease events, and cardiovascular disease–related mortality; averted medical costs by payer in 2017 U.S. dollars; and productivity. Results Reducing sodium consumption is expected to reduce the number of people with systolic blood pressure ≥140 mmHg by about 22% and prevent approximately 895.2 thousand cardiovascular disease events (including 218.9 thousand myocardial infarctions and 284.5 thousand strokes) and 252.5 thousand cardiovascular disease–related deaths over 10 years in the U.S. Savings from averted disease costs are expected to total almost $37 billion—most of which would be attributed to Medicare ($18.4 billion) and private insurers ($13.4 billion)—and increased productivity from reduced disease burden and premature mortality would account for another $18.2 billion in gains. Conclusions Systemic sodium reductions in the U.S. food supply can be expected to produce substantial health and economic benefits over a 10-year period, particularly for Medicare and private insurers.
Anomalous 3D nanoscale photoconduction in hybrid perovskite semiconductors revealed by tomographic atomic force microscopy.

While grain boundaries (GBs) in conventional inorganic semiconductors are frequently considered as detrimental for photogenerated carrier transport, their exact role remains obscure for the emerging hybrid perovskite semiconductors. A primary challenge for GB-property investigations is that experimentally they need to be performed at the top surface, which is not only insensitive to depth-dependent inhomogeneities but also could be susceptible to topographic artifacts. Accordingly, we have developed a unique approach based on tomographic atomic force microscopy, achieving a fully-3D, photogenerated carrier transport map at the nanoscale in hybrid perovskites. This reveals GBs serving as highly interconnected conducting channels for carrier transport. We have further discovered the coexistence of two GB types in hybrid perovskites, one exhibiting enhanced carrier mobilities, while the other is insipid. Our approach reveals otherwise inaccessible buried features and previously unresolved conduction pathways, crucial for optimizing hybrid perovskites for various optoelectronic applications including solar cells and photodetectors. The role of grain boundaries (GBs) in halide perovskite is an interesting topic but existing investigations are limited to the top surface. Here Song et al. employ tomographic AFM to study the buried features of grains and GBs, revealing coexistence of interconnected conducting and inert GBs.
Lactational exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls is higher in overweight /obese women and associated with altered infant growth trajectory: A pilot study.

Background Infant exposure to environmental chemicals, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), may contribute to developmental programming of long-term metabolic disease risk. PCBs persist given their lipophilicity and long half-lives, allowing them to bio-accumulate in adipose tissue. These compounds can then be excreted into maternal milk resulting in infant exposure. Objective To determine the level of PCBs in milk from mothers with pre-pregnancy overweight and obese (OW/OB) versus normal weight status (NW) and evaluate the association of milk PCB levels with infant growth over the first 6 months of life. Methods A pilot study of a subset of milk samples from mothers with NW (pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) < 25 kg/m2, n = 11) and OW/OB (pre-pregnancy BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2, n = 8) were examined approximately 2-weeks postpartum. PCB congeners 138 + 163, 132 + 153, 180, and the sum were measured using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and adjusted for milk fat content. Infant growth was monitored from birth to 6 months for weight-for-age (WFA), length-for-age (LFA), weight-for-length (WFL), head circumference-for-age (HCA), and associations with milk PCB content determined using linear mixed modeling. Results Total milk fat content did not differ by maternal weight status (p = 0.88). Milk from mothers with OW/OB had significantly higher PCB sum (p = 0.02) and PCB 138 + 163 (p = 0.03). PCB 132 + 153 (β -0.0008, p = 0.0218), PCB 180 (β -0.0010, p = 0.0279), and PCB sum (β -0.0006, p = 0.0138) were negatively associated with HCA Z-score growth to 6 months. PCB 180 was negatively associated with infant WFA (β -0.0015, p = 0.0058) and WFL Z-score (β -0.0016, p = 0.0263) to 6 months. There were no associations of PCB sum content with WFL, LFA, WFL Z-score over the first 6 months of life. Conclusions Maternal overweight and obesity are associated with higher levels of total PCB congeners (132, 138, 153, 163, 180) in human milk. PCB congeners have negative associations with infant head circumference and weight trajectory over the first 6 months of life.
More Than Another Halochromic Polymer: Thiazole-Based Conjugated Polymer Transistors for Acid-Sensing Applications

Stimuli-responsive π-conjugated materials present opportunities for chemical sensing, whereby through interaction with an analyte the π-conjugated system undergoes a change in molecular geometry an...
Discovering Stories Data Might Be Telling: Collaborative Research as Leadership, and Lessons Learned in Promoting a Culture of Evidence

This chapter describes three members of a college of education, all working in different roles to prepare teachers. In response to various external and internal pressures to improve and demonstrate program quality (such as accreditation and a Gates-funded reform agenda), the three chose to collaborate on the idea of a “culture of evidence.” They decided to systematically inquire into what they believed was an important data set: student teacher performance assessment scores. The authors knew that every teacher education program collected such scores, and they wondered what a close analysis of their own program’s might reveal. Initially the authors defined “performance assessment” very broadly, meaning all the aspects of student teaching observation and coaching and performance and feedback that might be studied. Ultimately, they found that digging deeply into “just” the scores determined by university supervisors observing in classrooms illuminated many dimensions of teacher education from the programmatic to the personal. The score data, aggregated across semesters, was required to gain national accreditation of the program; at the same time, an individual student teacher interpreted scores as a reflection on her competence and likelihood of success as a teacher. The authors discovered that what they learned about student teacher performance assessment could be useful as a basis for reflection by “the program.” Which is to say, they could be used by the program leaders and the faculty at all ranks together, participating in a culture of evidence. Even as the authors found that they did not have the agency to demand significant attention to what they had learned, they nevertheless gained important insights into how collaborative leadership might support a culture of evidence.
Wretched Refuse?: The Political Economy of Immigration and Institutions

Economic arguments favoring increased immigration restrictions suggest that immigrants undermine the culture, institutions, and productivity of destination countries. But is this actually true? Nowrasteh and Powell systematically analyze cross-country evidence of potential negative effects caused by immigration relating to economic freedom, corruption, culture, and terrorism. They analyze case studies of mass immigration to the United States, Israel, and Jordan. Their evidence does not support the idea that immigration destroys the institutions responsible for prosperity in the modern world. This nonideological volume makes a qualified case for free immigration and the accompanying prosperity.
Implementation of Individualized Pain Care Plans Decreases Length of Stay and Hospital Admission Rates for High Utilizing Adults with Sickle Cell Disease

Objective Patients with sickle cell disease face inconsistent effective analgesic management, leading to high inpatient healthcare utilization and significant financial burden for healthcare institutions. Current evidence does not provide guidance for inpatient management of acute pain in adults with sickle cell disease. We conducted a retrospective analysis of a longitudinal cohort quality improvement project to characterize the role of individualized care plans on improving patient care and reducing financial burden in high healthcare-utilizing patients with SCD related pain. Methods Individualized care plans were developed for patients with hospital admissions resulting from pain associated with sickle cell disease. A two-year prospective longitudinal cohort quality improvement project was performed and retrospectively analyzed. Primary outcome measure was duration of hospitalization. Secondary outcome measures included: pain intensity; 7, 30, and 90-day readmission rates; cost per day; total admissions; total cost per year; analgesic regimen at index admission; and discharge disposition. Results Duration of hospitalization, the primary outcome, significantly decreased by 1.23 days with no worsening of pain intensity scores. Seven-day readmission decreased by 34%. Use of intravenous hydromorphone significantly decreased by 25%. The potential cost saving was $1,398,827 as a result of this quality initiative. Conclusions Implementation of individualized care plans reduced both admission rate and financial burden of high utilizing patients. Importantly, pain outcomes were not diminished. Results suggest that individualized care plans are a promising strategy for managing acute pain crisis in adult sickle cell patients from both care-focused and utilization outcomes.
Macroeconomic Disagreement in Treasury Yields

I estimate a term structure model of Treasury yields where information about macroeconomic conditions is dispersed: traders form beliefs by combining prices with idiosyncratic signals about fundamentals. Econometrically, yields and inﬂation forecasts identify traders’ information. Despite access to common public signals, beliefs are heterogeneous. Dispersed beliefs added an average of 60 basis points to ten year yields, mostly attributable to disagreement about the Federal Reserve’s inﬂation target. Accounting dispersed information reduces the magnitude and volatility of risk premia relative to full information estimates. The estimates imply prices are moderately informative about fundamentals, and more informative about policy and others’ beliefs.
Intracranial Mycoplasma hominis infection following emergent craniectomy

We present a case of a young healthy female who developed recurrent cranial wound infections after a traumatic injury, the etiologic organism finally identified as Mycoplasma hominis, an uncommon and difficult to isolate bacterium.
Collective acts

Groups of people perform acts. For example, a committee passes a resolution, a team wins a game, and an orchestra performs a symphony. These collective acts may be evaluated for rationality. Take a committee’s passing a resolution. This act may be evaluated not only for fairness but also for rationality. Did it take account of all available information? Is the resolution consistent with the committee’s past resolutions? Standards of collective rationality apply to collective acts, that is, acts that groups of people perform. What makes a collective act evaluable for rationality? What methods of evaluation apply to collective acts? This paper addresses these two questions. Collective rationality is rationality’s extension from individuals to groups. The paper’s first few sections review key points about rationality. They identify the features of an individual’s act that make it evaluable for rationality and distinguish rationality’s methods of evaluating acts directly and indirectly controlled. This preliminary work yields general principles of rationality for all agents, both individuals and groups. Applying the general principles to groups answers the paper’s two main questions about collective rationality.
New international pandemic treaty: potential implications for clinicians worldwide

The advent of the SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19 pandemic has spurred a broad interest in efforts to reform international health institutions. Central to this effort are calls for the creation of a new multilateral pandemic prevention treaty under the auspices of the United Nations or the WHO, with initial treaty talks slated for November.1 Such a treaty is intended to share information about new infectious diseases among member states, develop global pandemic surveillance and response capacity and more.2 If done correctly, such a treaty holds unique potential to help the world effectively detect and contain outbreaks of novel infectious diseases.1 2 Nevertheless, in the debate over a new global health treaty, the benefits and drawbacks of a new agreement to practising clinicians worldwide have been underdiscussed. Indeed, far from what some believe, a new pandemic prevention treaty has significant potential to alleviate burdens faced by clinicians treating infectious diseases in developing nations.3 Alternatively, a poorly constructed pandemic treaty may also reify disparities in global healthcare.2 It is therefore vital to discuss ways in which a new pandemic treaty ought to be designed to improve clinical care worldwide. The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed structural inequities in global health, especially with regard to clinical care for infectious diseases. Two key factors, in particular, are uniquely responsible for these disparities due to their systemic impacts. The first of these is the fragility of many healthcare systems in less developed states in Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia, making these nations more vulnerable to …
Creating community: a peer‐led, adaptable postdoc program to build transferable career skills and overcome isolation

Postdoctoral positions provide critical opportunities for early‐career ecologists to build transferable skills, knowledge, and networks that will prepare them for professional success. However, these positions often come with personal and professional challenges such as stress, isolation, and lack of agency. Here, we describe a peer‐led postdoc program we created to maximize benefits and minimize challenges while preparing ourselves for a wide range of possible future careers using our training and expertise in ecology. We also give recommendations for other postdocs and early‐career scientists in ecology and across science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields seeking to build a similar program.
Geometry-Based Observability Metric

The Satellite Servicing Capabilities Office (SSCO) is currently developing and testing Goddard s Natural Feature Image Recognition (GNFIR) software for autonomous rendezvous and docking missions. GNFIR has flight heritage and is still being developed and tailored for future missions with non-cooperative targets: (1) DEXTRE Pointing Package System on the International Space Station, (2) Relative Navigation System (RNS) on the Space Shuttle for the fourth Hubble Servicing Mission.
Compact modeling and design optimization of carbon nanotube field-effect transistors for the sub-10-nm technology nodes

Single-wall semiconducting carbon nanotube (CNT) field-effect transistors (CNFETs) have been among the foremost candidates to complement Si and extend CMOS technology scaling to sub-10-nm technology thanks to the atomically thin body of CNTs and their near-ballistic transport [1–3]. However, non-idealities such as high contact resistance (R c ) [4], parasitic capacitance and tunneling leakage current can diminish the superior intrinsic electrical properties of CNTs in a highly scaled CNFET. Here we present the first data-calibrated compact model for CNFETs which captures dimensional scaling effects, metal-CNT contact resistance, parasitic capacitance, and direct source-to-drain tunneling leakage current. We then use this model to study design trade-offs and identify the remaining critical challenges for the CNFET technology. The model has been implemented in Verilog-A, is now available online [5], and will be described here for the first time.
Thermoelectric power of La 1-x Ca x MnO 3+δ : Inadequacy of the nominal Mn 3+/4+ valence approach

The temperature-dependent thermoelectric power (TEP) and resistivity of ${\mathrm{La}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{x}}$${\mathrm{Ca}}_{\mathrm{x}}$${\mathrm{MnO}}_{3+\mathrm{\ensuremath{\delta}}}$ polycrystals (0\ensuremath{\leqslant}x\ensuremath{\leqslant}0.45) are reported. The TEP data are analyzed within an adiabatic small polaron description in order to determine the number of charge carriers per active transport site in the paramagnetic state. The TEP in the small-polaron regime above ${\mathrm{T}}_{\mathrm{C}}$ is significantly smaller than that predicted by nominal ${\mathrm{Mn}}^{3+\mathrm{/}4+}$ valence arguments. This indicates that more holelike charge carriers and/or fewer accessible Mn transport sites are present in these compounds than expected based on the divalent doping levels employed. This result is consistent with a substantial degree of ${3\mathrm{d}}^{4}$-${3\mathrm{d}}^{4}$ (${\mathrm{Mn}}^{3+}$-${\mathrm{Mn}}^{3+}$) charge disproportionation into more stable ${3\mathrm{d}}^{5}$-${3\mathrm{d}}^{3}$ (${\mathrm{Mn}}^{2+}$-${\mathrm{Mn}}^{4+}$) pairs.
LITHO1.0: An updated crust and lithospheric model of the Earth

We present the LITHO1.0 model, which is a 1° tessellated model of the crust and uppermost mantle of the Earth, extending into the upper mantle to include the lithospheric lid and underlying asthenosphere. The model is parameterized laterally by tessellated nodes and vertically as a series of geophysically identified layers, such as water, ice, sediments, crystalline crust, lithospheric lid, and asthenosphere. LITHO1.0 is created by constructing an appropriate starting model and perturbing it to fit high-resolution surface wave dispersion maps (Love and Rayleigh, group and phase) over a wide frequency band (5–40 mHz). We examine and discuss the model with respect to key lithospheric parameters, such as average crustal velocity, crustal thickness, upper mantle velocity, and lithospheric thickness. We then compare the constructed model to those from a number of select studies at regional and global scales and find general consistency. It appears that LITHO1.0 represents a reasonable starting model of the Earth's shallow structure (crust and uppermost mantle) for the purposes in which these models are used, such as traveltime tomography or in efforts to create a 3-D reference Earth model. The model matches surface wave dispersion over a frequency band wider than the band used in the inversion. There are several avenues for improving the model in the future by including attenuation and anisotropy, as well as making use of surface waves at higher frequency.
Extranodal Rosai-Dorfman Disease Involving the Left Atrium: Cardiac MRI, CT, and PET Scan Findings

Rosai-Dorfman disease (RDD) is a rare entity that usually involves the lymph nodes but extranodal involvements have been seen in numerous cases, although RDD with cardiovascular involvement is extremely rare. We describe a case of a young male who presented with intermittent palpitations and was found to have a left atrium mass. Our case not only emphasizes the rarity of the above lesion but also highlights the importance of modern-day imaging like computed tomography, Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging (CMRI), and PET scan in characterizing such nonspecific lesions and directing appropriate line of treatment. RDD should be considered as one of the differentials even for isolated cardiac lesions.
A History of the International Human Science Research Conference on the Occasion of Its 25th Annual Meeting

Since 1982 a small group of human scientists have been meeting in an informal atmosphere to discuss issues surrounding the use of qualitative research methods. The organization, if it could be called such, is extremely loose, but it nevertheless has managed to meet around the world for some 25 plus years. The group is international and interdisciplinary. Thus far, the need to continue meeting to discuss advantages and strategies of qualitative research has been demonstratively affirmative.
A highly regulated, recording constant power, voltage, and current supply for electrophoresis and isoelectric focusing.

A highly regulated (better than 0.01%) power supply of novel design is described for use in electrophoresis, isoelectric focusing, and isotachophoresis experiments. This new instrument provides constant voltage, current, and power output with recording capabilities at a low cost. The power supply has been used extensively in high precision scanning electrophoresis and isoelectric focusing procedures which require continuous monitoring of the applied electric field.
Decreases in local hormone biosynthesis and c-fos gene expression accompany differentiation of porcine preadipocytes.

To better understand possible autocrine or paracrine mechanisms involved in adipose tissue development, we have studied the biosynthesis of insulinlike growth factor I (IGF-I) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) by cultured porcine preadipocytes in response to factors known to modulate cell growth and differentiation. The expression of c-fos was also monitored because of the potential role of that proto-oncogene in coordination of growth and differentiation. Preadipocytes were grown to confluence and then maintained in one of three media treatments: a) standard medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS), b) FBS supplemented with dexamethasone (Dex), c) FBS supplemented with dibutryladenosine 3′–5′-cyclic monophosphate. Indirect measurements of growth indicated that cell proliferation did not differ due to media type. Histochemical and enzymatic measurements of adipocyte development revealed that differentiation occurred only in those cultures exposed to Dex. The increase in adipocyte differentiation in response to Dex was associated with a decrease in c-fos and actin RNA expression whereas the decrease in c-fos RNA expression in response to Dex was small (approximately 40%); immunocytochemical analysis indicated that induction of Fos protein occurred only in undifferentiated cells. Thus, the cells responsible for the decrease in c-fos RNA expression are possibly those signaled to differentiate into adipocytes. Expression of IGF-I RNA and secretion of IGF-I and PGE2 were also decreased in response to Dex treatment. These data provide the first demonstration that biosynthesis of IGF-I by preadipocytes can be modulated by a potent inducer of adipocyte differentiation. The combined results indicate that glucocorticoids may stimulate adipocyte differentiation by suppressing intracellular and putative intercellular mitogenic signals.
A chance for survival or status quo? The economic implications of the radio duopoly ownership rules

In one of its initiatives to reconstruct a more appropriate regulatory environment for today's media industries, the FCC liberalized the radio duopoly ownership rules in 1992. The new rules allow radio operators to own more than one AM and FM station in a market. This article examines the economic implications of the revised duopoly rules. The benefits of duopolies to media owners and the merger activities after the implementation of the rules were analyzed. The study then explored the economic impact of duopolies on the radio industry. It was concluded that the overall economic effect of duopolies is positive.
The Influence of Peer Models on the Play Scripts of Children With Specific Language Impairment

This investigation included two phases of inquiry that examined the effects of peer modeling upon the play scripts of children with specific language impairment (SLI). The first study employed a pretest-posttest control group design involving two groups of children with SLI (10 who participated in the experimental treatment and 10 controls) and a group of peer models (10 children with normal language development). The treatment involved dyadic play sessions in which children with SLI were paired with a normal language peer model. Significant differences were found between the play script reports of the experimental (SLI-E) and control groups (SLI-C) of children with specific language impairment. The second study, utilizing single-case methodology, involved 6 children with SLI who participated in the control group of Study 1, plus 2 peer models. Play dyads consisted of either two children with SLI or one child with SLI and a normal language peer. Results of this study provided support for the contention that play interactions with normal language peers facilitates increases in the play-script reports of children with SLI.
A cost-benefit analysis of a smoking cessation program

Smoking cessation programs are usually evaluated in terms of the percentage of participants who have stopped smoking at least 6 months after the program's completion. This paper shows how a relatively low rate of behavior change may actually result in a high ratio of benefits to costs. Cost-benefit analysis is done for a specific program but the procedures and cost estimates are generalizable to other smoking cessation programs. Benefits to the firm included reduced costs of insurance and the savings due to employee absenteeism and disability. Costs included the program costs as well as the opportunity costs of the participants. Data from the literature and from the specific program are combined to form conclusions about the effectiveness of the program.