cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Variations in Medicare Payments for Episodes of Spine Surgery

Abstract Background context Although the high cost of spine surgery is generally recognized, there is little information on the extent to which payments vary across hospitals. Purpose To examine the variation in episode payments for spine surgery in the national Medicare population. We also sought to determine the root causes for observed variations in payment at high cost hospitals. Study design All patients in the national fee for service Medicare population undergoing surgery for three conditions (spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, and lumbar disc herniation) between 2005 and 2007 were included. Patient sample Included 185,954 episodes of spine surgery performed between 2005 and 2007. Outcome measures Payments per episode of spine surgery. Methods All patients in the national fee for service Medicare population undergoing surgery for three conditions (spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, and lumbar disc herniation) between 2005 and 2007 were identified (n=185,954 episodes of spine surgery). Hospitals were ranked on least to most expensive and grouped into quintiles. Results were risk- and price-adjusted using the empirical Bayes method. We then assessed the contributions of index hospitalization, physician services, readmissions, and postacute care to the overall variations in payment. Results Episode payments for hospitals in the highest quintile were more than twice as high as those made to hospitals in the lowest quintile ($34,171 vs. $15,997). After risk- and price-adjustment, total episode payments to hospitals in the highest quintile remained $9,210 (47%) higher. Procedure choice, including the use of fusion, was a major determinant of the total episode payment. After adjusting for procedure choice, however, hospitals in the highest quintile continued to be 28% more expensive than those in the lowest. Differences in the use of postacute care accounted for most of this residual variation in payments across hospitals. Hospital episode payments varied to a similar degree after subgroup analyses for disc herniation, spinal stenosis, and spondylolisthesis. Hospitals expensive for one condition were also found to be expensive for services provided for other spinal diagnoses. Conclusions Medicare payments for episodes of spine surgery vary widely across hospitals. As they respond to the new financial incentives inherent in health care reform, high cost hospitals should focus on the use of spinal fusion and postacute care.
Paleomagnetism of Devonian red beds in the Appalachian Plateau and Valley and Ridge provinces

[1] Samples of red and green fluvial to marine sandstones in the Hampshire Formation/Catskill Group from regional-scale folds across the structural trend of the Valley and Ridge (VR) and Appalachian Plateau (AP) provinces of West Virginia were analyzed to test models for remagnetization of red sandstones. The red sandstones contain a dominant secondary Pennsylvanian-Permian magnetization with south declinations (154.8°–166.9°) and shallow inclinations (0.2°–19.3°) that resides in hematite and is interpreted as a chemical remanent magnetization (CRM) acquired during the Kiaman reversed superchron. Incremental fold tests for this CRM yield generally prefolding results from the AP rocks and synfolding results from the VR rocks. This suggests that the remanence acquisition in the AP may have occurred within the time span of deformation. A second, high unblocking temperature apparent synfolding CRM is also found in a few samples of the red sandstones and is distinguished by slightly steeper inclinations than the dominant component on northwest dipping beds. Specimens from green sandstone have weak intensities and are dominated by a modern viscous remanence. Thin section analysis shows the presence of authigenic specular hematite cement and submicron particle size red hematite pigment. Geochemical/fluid inclusion studies indicate that the rocks were exposed to mixed methane-saturated formational and meteoric fluids with no evidence that external warm orogenic fluids altered the rocks. A working model for CRM acquisition involves (1) methane reduction of previously formed iron phases and mobilization of iron and (2) a return to oxidizing conditions and precipitation of new authigenic hematite as a result of the introduction of meteoric fluids just prior to and during uplift. The green sandstones probably formed as a result of gleying which occurs in paleosols although they could be a relic of or preserve evidence of the reduction phase.
IMPACT OF INTRAHOUSEHOLD INTERACTIONS ON INDIVIDUAL DAILY ACTIVITY-TRAVEL PATTERNS

Existing approaches to modeling daily activity-travel patterns (DAPs) are mostly person based. However, intrahousehold interactions have a strong effect on the formation of the daily activity agenda of each household member. An approach is adopted that is based on the sequential modeling of the choices reflected in the DAPs of all household members, in a predetermined order of processing by person type, with explicit linkages between the choices made by different members of the household. The statistical analysis of intrahousehold interactions is described, as well as the application experience with this modeling approach in the framework of the new tour-based regional travel demand model recently developed for the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission. Linkages across different household members that reflect the sharing of the same activities or the making of joint travel proved to be extremely strong statistically.
Terahertz Vibrational Modes of Inverse Micelles

A large absorption resonance has been observed in the far-infrared spectrum of water confined within inverse micelles of sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (AOT) in heptane. The amplitude and spectral position of this resonance depend on the size of the water pool. The origin of the THz absorption of these liquid pools is assigned to surface oscillations of the water pool, driven by the interfacial tension of the water -surfactantoil interface. These data indicate a dramatic restructuring of the density of states of the liquid and are consistent with a theoretical model for the oscillatory modes of liquid droplets. The presence of a large excess in the vibrational density of states of confined water could have far-ranging implications in many biochemical and chemical processes where confined water is present.
Metabolic actions of acetic acid analogs of thyroxine and triiodothyronine.

Summarytetraiodothyroacetic acid (Tetrac) and triiodothyroacetic acid (Triac), injected into thyroidectomized rats over a period of several days, have the same order of activity as an equimolar dose of L-thyroxine, as judged from the oxidative metabolism of excised tissues. Triac and Tetrac do not appear to produce an immediate metabolism-stimulating effect, either injected into animals or incubated in vitro with tissue slices. At levels which depress oxygen consumption of Ehrlich mouse ascites tumor cells, Triac and Tetrac enhance aerobic and anaerobic glycolyses. However, this effect is not considered specific to the acetate analogs, since thyroxine, triiodothyronine, and a physiologically inactive thyroxine isomer all are capable of producing similar changes.
Synthesis and Structure of Two New Mycolactones Isolated from M. ulcerans subsp. shinshuense

Two new mycolactones, mycolactones S1 and S2, were isolated from culture agar of Mycobacterium ulcerans subsp. shinshuense. Their structures were established in a three-step procedure: (1) probable structures were speculated from MS analysis; (2) candidates were synthesized; (3) HPLC profiles were established for identification of the natural products. Newly isolated mycolactones correspond to the “oxidized forms” of mycolactone A/B, the causative toxin of Buruli ulcer, isolated from Mycobacterium ulcerans.
On the Training of Origirnative Thinking Ability

Comrade zemingjiang said,"origination is the soul of progressive naition,congtinuing motive force of country strengthening."Education is the base,origination is the mortivity of education progression.
Attitudes toward public pensions in Chile, Uruguay, and Venezuela: Testing self-interest and political ideology theories in Latin American countries:

The historical strength of Latin American public pension systems and the changes many countries are making in the contemporary period warrant understanding attitudes about public pensions in Latin ...
Detecting Motives and Recurring Patterns in PolyphonicMusic

We consider the problem of detecting and identifying recurring note patterns in polyphonic music. A practical algorithm MARPLE for find finding such patterns is presented. The algorithm is evaluated on sequenced MIDI files for the 96 pieces of the two books of Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier. Strengths and weaknesses are identified.
Ethical and regulatory considerations in prescribing RU-486.

Physicians who consider teleprescribing must be aware of state medical board and licensure requirements in the states in which they practice and the states in which their prospective patients reside.
Identification of a Group of GABAergic Neurons in the Dorsomedial Area of the Locus Coeruleus

The locus coeruleus (LC)-norepinephrine (NE) system in the brainstem plays a critical role in a variety of behaviors is an important target of pharmacological intervention to several neurological disorders. Although GABA is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter of LC neurons, the modulation of LC neuronal firing activity by local GABAergic interneurons remains poorly understood with respect to their precise location, intrinsic membrane properties and synaptic modulation. Here, we took an optogenetic approach to address these questions. Channelrhodopsin (ChR2) in a tandem with the yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) was expressed in GABAergic neurons under the control of glutamic acid decarboxylase 2 (GAD2) promoter. Immediately dorsomedial to the LC nucleus, a group of GABAergic neurons was observed. They had small soma and were densely packed in a small area, which we named the dorsomedial LC or dmLC nucleus. These GABAergic neurons showed fast firing activity, strong inward rectification and spike frequency adaptation. Lateral inhibition among these GABAergic neurons was observed. Optostimulation of the dmLC area drastically inhibited LC neuronal firing frequency, expanded the spike intervals, and reset their pacemaking activity. Analysis of the light evoked inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) indicated that they were monosynaptic. Such light evoked IPSCs were not seen in slices where this group of GABAergic neurons was absent. Thus, an isolated group of GABAergic neurons is demonstrated in the LC area, whose location, somatic morphology and intrinsic membrane properties are clearly distinguishable from adjacent LC neurons. They interact with each and may inhibit LC neurons as well as a part of local neuronal circuitry in the LC.
Experiments on a capillary discharge soft-x-ray laser scheme

We have proposed that compact and efficient soft x-ray recombination lasers could be demonstrated by direct discharge excitation of a capillary plasma.1 In this laser scheme a dense and nearly totally ionized plasma core with a large length-to-diameter ratio (l0<L/d<100) is created from a fast discharge by ionizing material from the capillary walls. Subsequent rapid plasma cooling by heat conduction to the capillary walls and radiation results in recombination of highly ionized species into ions of lower charge, creating population inversions. Model calculations predict gains of the order of 5 cm-1 in the 18.2-nm line of CVL.1
Higher Modified Charlson Index Scores Are Associated With Increased Incidence of Complications, Transfusion Events, and Length of Stay Following Revision Hip Arthroplasty.

Abstract Background Revision total hip arthroplasty (RHA) has been associated with greater morbidity and length of stay (LOS) compared to primary total hip arthroplasty. Despite this, few validated metrics exist for risk stratification in RHA cohorts. The Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) has been associated with complications in total hip arthroplasty, but its utility in revision surgery remains unexplored. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between preoperative CCI and a variety of outcome metrics following RHA. Methods The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was used to identify all patients undergoing aseptic RHA between 2006 and 2013. A variety of demographics and perioperative variables were collected. Modified CCI scores were computed for each patient based on a validated formula incorporating comorbidities found in the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. Outcome variables of interest included mortality, major postoperative complications, minor adverse events, incidence of transfusion, and prolonged LOS. Perioperative factors were tested for association with these outcomes using bivariate analysis and significant variables were then incorporated into a logistic regression model to explore the relationship between preoperative CCI scores and postoperative events. Results In a multivariable regression model controlling for the significant perioperative variables, operative time, and American Society of Anesthesiologists classification, higher CCI scores were significantly associated with mortality (odds ratio [OR] 1.89, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.64-2.18, P P = .001), minor complications (OR 1.53, 95% CI 1.39-1.69, P P P Conclusion Higher preoperative CCI scores were independent risk factors for numerous complications. This highlights the potential utility of the CCI in risk stratification for RHA populations.
Educating Data Management Professionals: A Content Analysis of Job Descriptions

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study is to assess the current state of required and desirable qualifications and knowledge described in the job advertisements of data management professionals and related positions. Seventy unique job advertisements were collected from five academic and professional online job lists from January 1, 2015 to April 30, 2015. WordStat, a content-analysis software program, was used to analyze the word/phrase frequency of the job descriptions based on three key factors: the requirement of an MIS/MLS/MLIS degree; prior work experience (the number of years), and the status of job position (limited or permanent appointment). The preliminary results indicate that most job positions require that the successful job candidate must be able to serve faculty and students to collect, manage, and analyze research data with essential qualifications to carry out those tasks. The top phrases regarding expertise, working environments, and qualifications are social sciences , information science , higher education , research library , institutional repositories , and metadata .
Preservation of Hæmocyanin

THE haemocyanins are important proteins since they contain a marker atom (copper) and are remarkably good antigens. Since other investigators may wish to prepare and preserve haemocyanins, we wish to direct their attention to our observations. In the course of experiments with preparations from Busycon canaliculatum and Limulus polyphemus, we noted that the dry product obtained by lyophilization (freeze-drying) could not be dissolved in water, in 0.85 per cent saline or in Tyrode's solution (pH. 3.0–11.0). The haemocyanin had also lost its oxygen-binding capacity and no longer turned blue when exposed to air. On the other hand, we have kept serum containing haemocyanin at 4° C. under a layer of toluene, and find that it has retained antigenicity in guinea pigs, rabbits and mice after as long as ten years storage.
Acrometastasis of Neuroblastoma to the Great Toe Revealed by MIBG Scan

A 3-year-old boy with history of neuroblastoma underwent I-MIBG scan. The whole-body images showed relatively normal tracer distribution except for mild activity in the right foot, which was located in the first metatarsal on SPECT/CT images. The subsequent MRI scan of the right foot showed infiltration of the metatarsal of the right first toe. The findings were consistent with solitary acrometastasis of neuroblastoma to the great toe.
Vascular invasion is a prognostic indicator in hepatoblastoma

Abstract Introduction The data regarding vascular invasion as a prognostic factor in hepatoblastoma (HB) are conflicted. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between vascular invasion and outcomes. Methods This is a retrospective review of patients Results Sixty-six children were identified with a median age at diagnosis of 21months (interquartile range: 10–33months). Pathologic vascular invasion was present in 42/66 (64%) patients. A significant difference ( P =0.02) in 3-year overall survival (3YOS) was detected between NVI (95%) and VI (61%). Recurrent disease was present in 8/66 (12%) patients. A marginally significant difference ( P =0.08) was found in 3-year recurrence free survival (3YRFS) between NVI (94%) and the VI (76%) groups. Patients with NVI had no metastatic disease, had a lower recurrence rate, universally responded to neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and were less likely to have small cell undifferentiated histology. Twenty-one children underwent orthotopic liver transplant (OLT), with no difference in 3YROS or 3YRFS. Conclusion Pathologic vascular invasion is associated with significantly worse 3YOS in HB, and lack of vascular invasion was associated with more favorable disease characteristics. The presence of pathologic vascular invasion did not confer a worse outcome in patients treated with liver transplantation in this cohort of patients. Type of study Retrospective review. Level of evidence Level III.
Two cases of humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy complicating infantile fibrosarcoma

We report two infants with infantile fibrosarcoma (IFS) complicated by severe hypercalcemia. Assessment demonstrated suppressed parathyroid hormone and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D levels with elevated circulating levels of parathyroid hormone related protein, indicating the diagnosis of humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy (HHM). HHM is a paraneoplastic syndrome rarely associated with pediatric malignancies. Hypercalcemia manifested clinically with neurologic symptoms and soft tissue calcium deposition and required aggressive management with intravenous fluids, diuretics, and supplemental electrolytes. Following treatment with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, serum calcium levels precipitously declined requiring calcium repletion. These cases highlight the improvement of hypercalcemia secondary to HHM following chemotherapy.
Discounted-rate utility maximization (DRUM): A framework for delay-sensitive fair resource allocation

We introduce a new optimization framework, built over a discounted-rate metric, that captures the sensitivities of wireless users to time-variations in their fairness measure of rate allocations. The resulting, so-called, Discounted-Rate Utility Maximization (DRUM) formulation not only accommodates traditional long-term and less-explored instant fairness concepts in its extremes, but also encompasses all intermediate degrees of sensitivity to fluctuations in the users' rate allocations. After introducing the versatile DRUM formulation, we fully characterize its solution in the instantly-fair and long-term-fair extremes for the general class of ω-weighted α-fair utility functions. These solutions reveal the non-trivial impact of fading channel statistics and the utility function parameters on the rate allocations, even under perfectly symmetric network conditions. In particular, we demonstrate that the rate allocations lie between the maximum and the harmonic mean of the fading-channel rates. To achieve rates in-between these extremes, we also address the general solution of DRUM by proposing a novel low-complexity dynamic rate allocation algorithm that does not require the knowledge of the channel statistics. This algorithm is proven to achieve the optimal performance of the instantly-fair and long-term-fair solutions as the discount parameter approaches its lower and upper limits, respectively. We also study the fairness and rate allocation characteristics of our algorithm for intermediate values of the discount parameter in a Rayleigh-Fading environment.
Effect of obesity on sinonasal disease in asthma.

Objective: Sinonasal disease can contribute to poor asthma control. There are reports that link obesity with an increased prevalence of sinonasal disease, but no studies evaluating the severity of ...
Abstract P092: Simplified Monolayer Differentiation of Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells to Functional Cardiac Myocytes

Background: Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) are an important model for cardiovascular research, drug discovery, and translational research applications. Commonly used methods to direct iPSCs to cardiac myocytes can be technically demanding. Prior studies have shown that both VEGF and endothelial cells promote differentiation of stem cells to cardiac myocytes. Furthermore, DMEM/F12 with 10% fetal calf serum (DMEM-FCS) has been shown to induce cardiac myocytes in an embryoid body (EB) system. The objective of this study was to determine if differentiation of hiPSCs using conditions that support endothelial cell differentiation would promote cardiac myocyte colony formation. Methods: Two hiPSC lines derived using non-genome integrating methods were maintained on Matrigel-coated surfaces under serum free conditions in mTeSR1 medium. We performed a comparison of monolayer myocyte differentiation efficiency using DMEM-FCS and endothelial cell medium (EC). Cells were maintained in iPSC medium (mTeSR1) as a negative control. The number of beating colonies derived under each growth condition was determined using phase microscopy at 4 weeks. Cardiac myocyte commitment was characterized using an α-MHC-GFP reporter vector and electrophysiologic action potentials on isolated beating colonies. Results: Differentiation of human iPSCs in EC medium induced substantial numbers of beating colonies 4 weeks after differentiation (2.29 ± 0.3 beating colonies/cm2 culture area, n=42). Unlike EB models of myocyte differentiation, no beating clusters were observed in our monolayer system with DMEM-FCS medium (n=14) (p Conclusions: Differentiation of human iPSCs under monolayer conditions that support endothelial cells facilitates efficient induction of functional human cardiac myocytes. Our findings simplify the differentiation of iPSCs to cardiac myocytes, making research with human iPSCs more accessible to a broad range of cardiovascular investigators.
A novel whole-cell biosensor of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to monitor the expression of quorum sensing genes

A novel whole-cell biosensor was developed to noninvasively and simultaneously monitor the in situ genetic activities of the four quorum sensing (QS) networks in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1, including the las, rhl, pqs, and iqs systems. P. aeruginosa PAO1 is a model bacterium for studies of biofilm and pathogenesis while both processes are closely controlled by the QS systems. This biosensor worked well by selectively monitoring the expression of one representative gene from each network. In the biosensor, the promoter regions of lasI, rhlI, pqsA, and ambB (QS genes) controlled the fluorescent reporter genes of Turbo YFP, mTag BFP2, mNEON Green, and E2-Orange, respectively. The biosensor was successful in monitoring the impact of an important environmental factor, salt stress, on the genetic regulation of QS networks. High salt concentrations (≥ 20 g·L−1) significantly downregulated rhlI, pqsA, and ambB after the biosensor was incubated for 17 h to 18 h at 37 °C, resulting in slow bacterial growth.
MRI neuroanatomy in young girls with autism: a preliminary study.

ABSTRACT Objective: To test the hypothesis that young girls and boys with autism exhibit different profiles of neuroanatomical abnormality relative to each other and relative to typically developing children. Method: Structural magnetic resonance imaging was used to measure gray and white matter volumes (whole cerebrum, cerebral lobes, and cerebellum) and total brain volume in nine girls (ages 2.29-5.16) and 27 boys (ages 1.96-5.33) with autism and 14 girls (ages 2.17-5.71) and 13 boys (ages 1.72-5.50) with typical development. Structure size and the relationship between size and age were examined. Diagnostic and cognitive outcome data were obtained after the children reached 4 to 5 years of age. Results: Girls with autism exhibited nearly every size-related abnormality exhibited by boys with autism. Furthermore, additional sites of abnormality were observed in girls, including enlargement in temporal white and gray matter volumes and reduction in cerebellar gray matter volume. Significant correlations were observed between age and white matter volumes (e.g., cerebral white matter r s = 0.950) for the girls with autism, whereas no significant age-structure size relationships were observed for the boys with autism. Conclusions: Results suggest sex differences in etiological factors and the biological time course of the disorder.
Data Warehouse Basics

“Data warehouse” is a term commonly used to refer to facilities for organizing and collecting data. These facilities are meant to support a variety of activities towards a better understanding of an organization’s specific mission/activity. Therefore, data warehousing may be construed as a collection of technologies to aid (organizational) decision-making and/or strategic planning when it is used in conjunction with data mining technologies.
The T-cell receptor zeta chain contains a GTP/GDP binding site.

Abstract In a search for nucleotide binding proteins associated with the T-cell receptor (TCR)-CD3 complex, a novel labeling technique involving introduction of [alpha-32P]GTP or [alpha-32P]ATP into permeabilized cells followed by in situ periodate oxidation was developed. To test the method we first demonstrated that p21ras and other classical GTP binding proteins could be labeled in a GTP-specific manner. In human T lymphocytes the TCR zeta chain was found to be specifically labeled by GTPoxi but not by ATPoxi or CTPoxi. Labeling kinetics and competition experiments demonstrated that zeta had a capacity to bind GTP and GDP but not GMP or ATP. Proteolytic cleavage experiments identified lysine 128 as the GTP crosslinking site. This result was confirmed by studies using oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis. Lysine residues 128, 135 and 149 were each replaced by arginine and glycine 134 by valine and mutated proteins were expressed in CHO cells. Labeling of mutants K128R and G134V was abrogated whereas mutant proteins K135R and K148R could still be specifically crosslinked to GTP. We conclude that Lys128 and Gly134 are part of a GTP/GDP binding site suggesting that zeta is a unique GTP/GDP binding structure.
Analysis of Proto-oncogene Expression During Liver Regeneration and Hepatocarcinogenesis

The discovery and characterization of viral oncogenes and the cellular genes from which they originated (cellular or proto-oncogenes) represents one of the most dramatic advances in the field of cancer research in recent years. Elucidation of the role of these genes in the process of oncogenesis and the role of the proto-oncogenes in the control of normal cellular growth and/or differentiation has united the fields of cancer research and cell biology. Despite the vast amount of information which has become available recently on the molecular nature of the alterations which lead to the “activation” of protooncogenes, the precise role of these genes in the development of natural tumors remains to be established. Some investigators have gone so far as to state that “there is as yet no convincing evidence that activated proto-oncogenes are even necessary, much less sufficient for carcinogenesis” [1]. Although this rather extreme view is a minority opinion, it is important to remember that in the complex process encompassing the development of a tumor, the oncogene may be but one player with several others remaining to be elucidated. Given this still unsettled picture, it is particularly important to define the role which various proto-oncogenes play in normal cells and tissues.
CH in translucent molecular clouds

Under typical interstellar cloud conditions, the ground state hyperfine transitions of the methylidyne radical (CH) are anomalously excited. The resulting weak maser emission is particularly succesful in tracing low-density molecular gas. The CH ground state transitions at 3.3 GHz are routinely detected in diffuse clouds, translucent clouds, and dark molecular clouds. Recent observations of CH emission in translucent clouds are reviewed and a value for the N(H2)W(CO) conversion factor appropriate for the translucent cloud MBM16 is derived on the basis of CO and CH data.
The effect of patient-to-patient variability in drug response on combination cancer therapies, from 1961 to today.

e14552Background: Combination cancer therapy is an important means to increase rates and durability of drug response. Superior responses to combination therapies are commonly interpreted as evidenc...
Fetal Disposition of Drugs

This chapter discusses the effects of various drugs on the fetus. It discusses many medications frequently encountered, including, but not limited to, antibiotics, anticonvulsants, and antidepressants.
Looking Through the Lens of a Family Planner to Prioritize Reproductive Health Among Women With Cancer.

PURPOSE:Prioritization of cancer treatment initiation in women of reproductive age may underscore potential implications on reproductive health. This study describes a family planning quotient (FPQ...
Dimensional dependence of the radiation damage in microelectromechanical system resonators

The effect of 10 keV X-ray and 255 nm UV radiation on MEMS resonators of different sizes were tested. The change in resonance frequency of the resonator during and after radiation was tracked, and a dimensional dependent resonance frequency reduction was observed for both X-ray and UV irradiation. The dimensional dependence of the resonance frequency shift indicates that surface effects are an important factor in both types of radiation damage. We propose two theoretical models that successfully explain the dimensional dependencies of X-ray and UV radiation damage. The X-ray model is based on hydrogen diffusion in silicon and the UV model is based on radiation induced charging of the native oxide. The models show that larger surface-to-volume ratio devices are more susceptible to radiation and need to be considered when scaling MEMS devices.
New Hope for Patients with Major Depressive Disorder

Major depressive disorder is a serious mental health condition that affects up to 16% of people in the United States during their lifetimes and about 7% of the U.S. population in a given year.1 In ...
Trajectory Tracking with Velocity Constraints Using Control Barrier Functions

This paper presents control strategies to ensure that the tangential velocity of a robot, which is commanded to move in a trajectory with a constant offset from a reference curve, is bounded within a specified range. This is achieved at the expense of adjusting the distance between the robot and the curve. The strategies are based on zeroing control barrier functions and minimum norm control inputs, which ensure the satisfaction of constraints while only deviating from the nominal trajectory when necessary. Control laws for curves on a plane and in 3D space are presented, using the Frenet-Serret and Bishop frames to specify the desired trajectory of the robots. We illustrate our results through simulations.
Let the Aryanists know! Brazilian race and nation in the 1938 France World Cup

Getulio Vargas’ dictatorship (1937-1945) attributed to sports a key role to foment the formation of a ‘new Brazil’, using football as a crucial element to promote the state nationalist policy. A pr...
Scalar Tension and the (Post-)Colonial Anthropocene in Ingrid Winterbach’s To Hell with Cronjé

This article argues for the importance of scalar variability in Ingrid Winterbach’s novel To Hell with Cronje (2002). My analysis focuses on the figure of the collection, which appears throughout t...
Improving parent oral health literacy in Head Start programs

Objectives Parental low oral health literacy is thought to contribute to child oral health disparities. Few large-scale interventions can improve oral health literacy for diverse, high-risk populations. We sought to determine whether an oral health literacy intervention aimed at parents of children attending Head Start programs improved oral health literacy and behaviors. Methods Staff from 29 Head Start agencies across the country were trained to deliver a parent oral health literacy intervention. Parent surveys were conducted at baseline and approximately 6 months later, following intervention completion. Surveys measured parent and child demographics, oral health knowledge, behaviors, information sources, and health care utilization. Paired t tests and mixed-effects regression models controlling for agency, child age, and race/ethnicity evaluated whether measures improved after the intervention. In addition, at follow-up, agency staff were asked to complete an open-ended survey reporting how the intervention impacted their site. Responses were coded using a grounded theory approach. Results A total of 2,011 (87%) parents completed both the baseline and follow-up surveys. All oral health knowledge and behaviors improved significantly from baseline to follow-up. In addition, parents reported using more oral health information sources, using more preventative oral health care, and less emergency room (ER) use for child dental problems. Head Start staff perceived that the intervention increased parental oral health literacy, enhanced parental oral health engagement, improved child oral health behaviors, and facilitated health communication with parents. Conclusions Findings suggest that this intervention successfully improved oral health literacy for diverse parents of children at high risk for dental caries.
Quality-of-Life Outcomes in Surgical vs Nonsurgical Treatment of Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema: A Systematic Review.

Importance Secondary lymphedema is a debilitating complication of breast cancer therapy and affects more than 1 in 5 breast cancer survivors. Patient-reported outcomes may be more important in predicting long-term health-related quality of life (HRQoL) than clinician-measured outcomes. Objective To summarize published evidence on HRQoL outcomes for vascularized lymph node transfer (VLNT) and complex decongestive therapy (CDT) used in the treatment of breast cancer–related lymphedema. Evidence Review A literature search of PubMed/MEDLINE and Embase was conducted to identify articles on HRQoL in patients undergoing lymphedema treatment with CDT or VLNT published from January 1980 through April 2019. Studies using validated measurement instruments to assess HRQoL in patients with breast cancer–related lymphedema relative to baseline were included. This review is reported according to the PRISMA guidelines. Findings A total of 16 articles were included in this review. Evidence regarding VLNT was reviewed from 2 studies involving 65 patients, and HRQoL was evaluated using the Lymphoedema Quality of Life Study questionnaire. Data on VLNT indicated favorable HRQoL outcomes at 12-month postoperative follow-up. Evidence regarding CDT was reviewed from 14 studies involving 569 patients, and HRQoL was evaluated using the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey, Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–Breast, European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer, and Functional Living Index–Cancer measures. Data on CDT demonstrated variable association with HRQoL, and a majority of articles reported improvement in at least 1 subscale. The use of diverse patient-reported outcome measures and variability in CDT protocol limited interpretation of results in this population and between treatment modalities. Conclusions and Relevance According to this review, in deciding among breast cancer–related lymphedema treatment modalities, HRQoL outcomes are an important consideration that cannot be compared based on currently available data. Health-related quality-of-life outcomes obtained through coordinated use of preference-based health utility measures may be required to compare outcomes among patients undergoing surgical and nonsurgical treatments of breast cancer–related lymphedema. Additional studies are needed to better understand the best lymphedema treatment options and direct evidence-based care.
Continuous processing of pre-pregs using radio frequency heating

Abstract Commercial carbon fiber composites are fabricated using pre-impregnated fibers with epoxy or “pre-pregs”, that are B-Staged (partially cured) using large ovens to ensure partial cross-linking for easy handling. The impetus for this work came from the exciting discovery that carbon fiber itself may show rapid heating in response to applied RF fields; previously, this was known only for select nanomaterials. In this investigation, we demonstrate the radio frequency (RF) response of three pre-pregs – unidirectional CF/epoxy, [0/90] weave CF/epoxy and CNT/epoxy. Heating rates up to 6 °C/s can be achieved at input powers as low as 5 W, and as high as 70 °C/s at 25 W. Such high heating rates are difficult to achieve in a conventional oven. Finite element simulations also showed similar heating trends to the experimental RF response of carbon fiber/epoxy pre-preg. Further, it was found that exposure to RF energy for specified timespan can achieve the desired degree of cross-linking in carbon fiber/epoxy and CNT/epoxy pre-pregs. A continuous pre-preg manufacturing method is also demonstrated, where controlled translational speed over RF applicators is used to achieve desired temperatures.
Accuracy of craniocervical measurements on CT for identifying partial or complete craniocervical ligament injuries in pediatric patients

To assess the accuracy of craniocervical measurements for identifying craniocervical injuries and the frequency of subjective findings of craniocervical injuries on CT in pediatric patients. Case-controlled retrospective review of patients ≤ 16 years old with craniocervical junction injuries. Receiver operator curves were created for common craniocervical measurements on CT comparing patients with complete and partial craniocervical injuries to uninjured cohort. Frequency of subjective CT findings of craniocervical injury was assessed in the injured cohort. For complete disruption injuries (CD) (n = 27), C1–C2 distance (AUC = 0.90, 95%CI = 0.83–0.97), atlanto-occipital distance (AUC = 0.95–0.98, 95%CI = 0.90–1.00), and basion-dens distance (AUC = 0.90, 95%CI = 0.82–0.98) had excellent accuracy diagnosing injury. Powers ratio (AUC = 0.85, 95%CI = 0.76–0.94) had good, basion-posterior axial line (AUC = 0.74, 95%CI = 0.61–0.86) fair, and atlanto-dental distance (AUC = 0.69, 95%CI = 0.57–0.82) poor accuracy. For partial disruption injuries (PD) (n = 21), basion-dens distance (AUC = 0.75, 95%CI = 0.62–0.88) had fair accuracy diagnosing injury. Powers ratio (AUC = 0.63, 95%CI = 0.47–0.79), C1–C2 distance (AUC = 0.60, 95%CI = 0.45–0.75), atlanto-dental distance (AUC = 0.55, 95%CI = 0.39 = 0.71), atlanto-occipital distance (AUC = 0.63–0.65, 95%CI = 0.47–0.81), and basion-posterior axial line (AUC = 0.60, 95%CI = 0.44–0.76) all had poor accuracy. Eighty-one percent (n = 22) of CD and 38% (n = 8) of PD patients had non-concentric atlanto-occipital joints. One hundred percent of CD patients had ≥ 1 soft tissue finding and eighty-one percent (n = 22) had ≥ 2 findings. Seventy-three percent (n = 16) of PD patients had ≥ 1 soft tissue finding. Eighty-six percent (n = 18) of PD patients had non-concentric atlanto-occipital joints and/or soft tissue findings. Craniocervical measurements have poor accuracy for identifying craniocervical injuries in pediatric patients with incomplete craniocervical ligament disruption. Subjective findings of craniocervical injury are frequently present on CT in pediatric patients and can help increase sensitivity for identifying injury.
Contributions Of Public Health, Pharmaceuticals, And Other Medical Care To US Life Expectancy Changes, 1990-2015

Life expectancy in the US increased 3.3 years between 1990 and 2015, but the drivers of this increase are not well understood. We used vital statistics data and cause-deletion analysis to identify ...
An Evidence-Based Approach to PTSD Therapy

This chapter is a summary of the data presented in the preceding chapters. An evidence-based paradigm is used to assess the quality of that data as applied to the timeline of PTSD developing after trauma. The rationale and comparative outcomes for the various approaches to acute trauma are accessed. At 1 month after trauma a logical PTSD diagnostic and treatment protocol is described as based on highest quality evidence. After that intervention, the rationale and evidence for the addition of complementary therapies is discussed. A simplified paradigm of evidence-based PTSD treatment recommendations concludes this chapter and the book.
Testing the structure-conduct-performance relationship for ASEAN: Addressing the issues in the panel mediation

Abstract We test the structure-conduct-performance (SCP) hypothesis for ASEAN, which predicts that the concentrated markets allow banks to collude and earn higher profits through monopoly pricing. We propose a new estimation approach that corrects the methodological issues in previous studies by including lags of explanatory variables and autoregressive terms in estimated models. The estimation results imply that the banks’ profitability in a concentrated market is entirely attributable to the anti-competitive behavior of banks. From a theoretical perspective, the findings exclude the alternative explanations – i.e. the efficient structure (ES) hypothesis or the relative market (RMP) hypothesis – for the SCP relationship in ASEAN.
The ecology of testate amoebae and Cladocera in Hawaiian montane peatlands and development of a hydrological transfer function

Peatland complexes in the humid highlands of Hawai‘i are vital refuges of biodiversity and freshwater resources. Hawaiian peat deposits are also rare repositories of terrestrial ecosystem archives located in an otherwise vast expanse of ocean. We investigated the potential for researching the paleohydrological history of Hawaiian montane peatlands on Kohala, Hawai‘i Island through analyses of testate amoebae and Cladocera. Surface peat was collected from a variety of ecohydrological habitats (from water pools to hummocks) and analyzed for modern testate amoeba and cladoceran species relative abundance. We identified 54 morphotype taxa from 21 genera of testate amoebae, 4 taxa and genera of littoral Cladocera, and the common peat rotifer Habrotrocha angusticollis. Testate amoeba diversity and morphotype occurrence mirrored observations from many high-latitude peatland studies. Constrained and unconstrained ordinations support the hypothesis that surface moisture, measured as water-table depth, is an important control on the distribution of testate amoebae and Cladocera in Hawaiian peatlands. Transfer functions relying on weighted-averaging and modern analogs were developed to predict water-table depths from species relative abundance data, and these perform well under leave-one-site-out cross-validation: RMSEP = 9.75–10.3 cm, R2 = 0.56–0.62. Including cladoceran abundance data in the calibration dataset produced modest model improvement: RMSEP = 1–8% and R2 = 2–13%. A weighted-average partial-least-squares transfer function was applied to microfossil assemblages from a 0.5 m-long peat core with a 210Pb decay chronology anchored by ten existing measurements of 210Pb activity and a Bayesian statistical framework. Microfossils were well-preserved in the peat core. The water-table depth optima of an abundant down-core taxa, Hyalosphenia subflava, is not precisely constrained in the calibration data set, but estimates match those of other tropical studies. A reconstruction of water-table depth indicates dry early nineteenth-century conditions, wet conditions in the late 19th to early twentieth centuries, followed by progressive drying for much of the twentieth-century. Testate amoeba composition appears to have been sensitive to severe drought in recent decades. The results signal that assemblages of testate amoebae and Cladocera are useful proxies of Hawaiian peatland paleohydrology and should be considered alongside other archives of Hawaiian environmental history.
The Cost of producing milk

This paper was presented at the Minnesota Dairy Conference for Veterinarians held at the College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota (Minnesota, USA, 5-6 June 1991). Costs associated with milk production are examined with reference to the dairy profit equation, profit = (price - cost) × vol., and financial performance parameters and simulated budget summaries for dairy farms in Wisconsin, USA. Profit performance was found to be highly variable from farm to farm relative to all production measures; highly profitable farms had larger herd sizes, higher production per cow, lower feed costs, received a higher milk price and had better control of practically all production cost categories; and the benefit of tighter control of economic efficiencies improved profitability by >$2.50/cwt independent of productivity.
Problematic Privacy Policies of Voice Assistant Applications

This work conducts a comprehensive empirical analysis on the privacy policies of 64,720 Amazon Alexa skills and 16,002 Google Assistant actions. We show that a substantial number of problematic privacy policies exist in the Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant platforms.
Precision Medicine and Men’s Health

Precision medicine can greatly benefit men's health by helping to prevent, diagnose, and treat prostate cancer, benign prostatic hyperplasia, infertility, hypogonadism, and erectile dysfunction. For example, precision medicine can facilitate the selection of men at high risk for prostate cancer for targeted prostate-specific antigen screening and chemoprevention administration, as well as assist in identifying men who are resistant to medical therapy for prostatic hyperplasia, who may instead require surgery. Precision medicine-trained clinicians can also let couples know whether their specific cause of infertility should be bypassed by sperm extraction and in vitro fertilization to prevent abnormalities in their offspring. Though precision medicine's role in the management of hypogonadism has yet to be defined, it could be used to identify biomarkers associated with individual patients' responses to treatment so that appropriate therapy can be prescribed. Last, precision medicine can improve erectile dysfunction treatment by identifying genetic polymorphisms that regulate response to medical therapies and by aiding in the selection of patients for further cardiovascular disease screening.
Spectrum-narrowing tolerant signal-processing algorithm using maximum-likelihood sequence estimation for coherent optical detection

A digital signal-processing algorithm that is robust against strong spectrum-narrowing is proposed for optical coherent optical receivers. High spectrum-narrowed tolerance is achieved by using a hybrid architecture composed of spectrum-narrowing adaptive FIR filters with concatenated maximum-likelihood sequence estimation demodulators. A numerical simulation shows that the proposed algorithm can demodulate severely spectrum-narrowed signals, even at 80% of the bandwidth of a Nyquist pulse-shaping criterion filter.