cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Interpretive policy analysis: Marshallese COFA migrants and the Affordable Care Act.

Since the enactment of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the rate of uninsured in the United States has declined significantly. However, not all legal residents have benefited equally. As part of a community-based participatory research (CBPR) partnership with the Marshallese community, an interpretative policy analysis research project was conducted to document Marshallese Compact of Free Association (COFA) migrants’ understanding and experiences regarding the ACA and related health policies. This article is structured to allow the voice of Marshallese COFA migrants to explain their understanding and interpretation of the ACA and related polices on their health in their own words. Qualitative data was collected from 48 participants in five focus groups conducted at the local community center and three individual interviews for those unable to attend the focus groups. Marshallese community co-investigators participated throughout the research and writing process to ensure that cultural context and nuances in meaning were accurately captured and presented. Community co-investigators assisted with the development of the semi-structured interview guide, facilitated focus groups, and participated in qualitative data analysis. Content analysis revealed six consistent themes across all focus groups and individual interviews that include: understanding, experiences, effect on health, relational/historical lenses, economic contribution, and pleas. Working with Marshallese community co-investigators, we selected quotations that most represented the participants’ collective experiences. The Marshallese view the ACA and their lack of coverage as part of the broader relationship between the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) and the United States. The Marshallese state that they have honored the COFA relationship, and they believe the United States is failing to meet its obligations of care and support outlined in the COFA. While the ACA and Medicaid Expansion have reduced the national uninsured rate, Marshallese COFA migrants have not benefited equally from this policy. The lack of healthcare coverage for the Marshallese COFA migrants exacerbates the health disparities this underserved population faces. This article is an important contribution to researchers because it presents the Marshallese’s interpretation of the policy, which will help inform policy makers that are working to improve Marshallese COFA migrant health.
Second generation slit-based photoacoustic tomography system for vascular imaging in human.

3D palm vascular image of human palm. Slit-based photoacoustic tomography is a newly developed technique that improves the elevation numerical aperture of a linear array through acoustic diffraction. The slit, placed at the acoustic focus of a linear array, effectively forms an array of virtual detectors with high receiving angle, which subsequently improves the elevation resolution. However, due to the complex implementation, our original system could only image phantoms and sacrificed animals. In this report, the system has been significantly improved. In particular, we designed a slit holder that can be directly mounted to the transducer array for easy adjustment of slit width and simultaneous scanning of both the array and the slit. To enlarge the imaging field of view, we replaced the single circular optical fiber bundle with a bifurcated line fiber bundle which moved simultaneously with the array and the slit. The data acquisition system has also been updated to double the imaging speed. With these improvements, the new system can image a 3.8 × 4 cm2 region within 40 seconds and the object only needs to be coupled through ultrasound gel. We successfully used the system to image vasculatures in the palm and forearm of human volunteers.
Nanoporous Gold Biointerfaces: Modifying Nanostructure to Control Neural Cell Coverage and Enhance Electrophysiological Recording Performance

Nanostructured neural interface coatings have significantly enhanced recording fidelity in both implantable and in vitro devices. As such, nano-porous gold (np-Au) has shown promise as a multifunctional neural interface coating due, in part, to its ability to promote nanostructure-mediated reduction in astrocytic surface coverage while not affecting neuronal coverage. The goal of this study is to provide insight into the mechanisms by which the np-Au nanostructure drives the differential response of neurons versus astrocytes in an in vitro model. Utilizing microfabricated libraries that display varying feature sizes of np-Au, it is demonstrated that np-Au influ-ences neural cell coverage through modulating focal adhesion formation in a feature size-dependent manner. The results here show that surfaces with small (≈30 nm) features control astrocyte spreading through inhibition of focal adhesion formation, while surfaces with large (≈170 nm and greater) features control astrocyte spreading through other mechanotransduction mechanisms. This cellular response combined with lower electrical impedance of np-Au electrodes significantly enhances the fidelity and stability of electrophysiological recordings from cortical neuronglia co-cultures relative to smooth gold electrodes. Finally, by leveraging the effect of nanostructure on neuronal versus glial cell attachment, the use of laser-based nanostructure modulation is demonstrated for selectively patterning neurons with micrometer spatial resolution.
THE COOPERCULUM: A NEW STRUCTURE IN THE PHYLUM BRACHIOPODA, AND ITS FUNCTIONAL SIGNIFICANCE

In two late Norian (Triassic) spiriferinacean brachiopods, Spondylospira lewesensis (Lees, 1934) and Spondylospira parmata n. sp., a multipartite complex of punctated plates forms a previously undescribed structure (herein termed the cooperculum) that covers most of the ventral interarea. It leaves the apex of the valve free, and this and other features of the shells suggest that both forms possessed functional pedicles. Paleoenvironmental reconstructions should take this possibility into account. Spondylospira reesidei Cooper (1942) is placed in synonymy with S. lewesensis, and it is shown that Spirifera (Spiriferina) alia Hall and Whitfield (1877) lacks a spondylium and cannot be assigned to the genus Spondylospira.--Journal abstract.
Evaluation of CO 2 -Oil Miscibility

Injection of CO2 in miscible mode is preferred in simultaneous CO2-EOR and storage projects, hence a better understanding of CO2-oil miscibility, mechanisms responsible for attaining CO2-oil miscibility in the reservoir, and fast as well as robust techniques for determining the minimum miscibility pressure (MMP) is essential for successful designing of future geologic CO2 storage projects. The mixed drive, which is a combination of two main mass transfer mechanisms (vaporizing and condensing drives), is the most common way in which CO2 develops dynamic miscibility with reservoir oil. The minimum reservoir pressure at which dynamic miscibility between injected CO2 and the reservoir can be achieved is termed as MMP. Though, industry’s standard “slimtube test” is out there for longtime, the vanishing interfacial tension (VIT) technique and the Fast Fluorescence-Based Microfluidic MMP techniques appear to provide fast, cost-effective, and reliable MMP estimates, thus, becoming desirable design tools for future simultaneous CO2-EOR and storage projects.
Pediatric Ocular Trauma

Ocular injuries are the leading cause of acquired monocular blindness in pediatric patients. Children and even adolescents are often unaware of the consequences of high-risk behavior, and thus are more vulnerable to ocular trauma than adults. Ophthalmologists must participate in a team approach to rule out apparent or occult life-threatening injuries prior to commencing their ocular exam and treatment. The pediatric eye exam can be challenging due to lack of cooperation and communication. While corneal abrasions are the most common injury, other less common pathology can have devastating effects on the visual system. Approaches to management and treatment of pediatric ocular injuries are highlighted in this chapter. Amblyopia can occur if visual impairment is not corrected in a timely manner. Non-accidental pediatric trauma can often involve ocular structures and when suspected, ophthalmic consultation is critical. With a majority of pediatric ocular trauma being preventable, it is important for care providers to advocate for use of protective eyewear in monocular patients and those participating in athletics.
Fall Armyworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Mating Effects of Age and Scotophase on Pre-mating Time, Mating Incidence, and Fertility

Laboratory studies were conducted to determine premating time requirements under different light regimes, influences of duration of scotophase on incidence of mating, and changes in fertility with age in laboratory-reared fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith). Females required less time after emergence (X = 11.5 h) than males (X = 21.5 h) before active copulation when held under a 15:9 (L:D) h photoperiod. The incidence of mating increased from 0.36 to 0.92 times per 24 h period as the duration of scotophase increased from 0 to 22 h. Fertility was not constant during the life span of either male or female moths. Fertility was high throughout most of the adult life, but low (especially for the males) during the first 24 h after emergence and toward the end of its life.
Discrete Emotion Regulation Strategy Repertoires and Parasympathetic Physiology Characterize Psychopathology Symptoms in Childhood.

Certain psychopathologies are often linked to dysregulation of specific emotions (e.g., anxiety is associated with dysregulation of fear), but few studies have examined how regulatory repertoires for specific emotions (e.g., the strategies a person uses to regulate fear) relate to psychopathology, and fewer still have examined this in childhood. A total of 106 7- to 11-year-olds (M = 9.37 years; SD = 1.30; 44% girls) participated in a multimethod investigation of emotion regulation and psychopathology. Parents reported on family characteristics and children's symptoms. Resting parasympathetic function (respiratory sinus arrhythmia; RSA) was measured to assess physiological regulation. Children were interviewed about past experiences that made them feel anger, fear, and sadness, and reported what they had done to make themselves feel better in each emotion context. The strategies children described were summed to create an emotion regulation strategy repertoire measure for each emotion. Children's resting RSA interacted with age to predict externalizing symptoms, such that low resting RSA was associated with more externalizing symptoms for younger children only. In contrast, the link between RSA and anxiety was qualified by both strategy repertoire for fear and age, such that higher resting RSA was most strongly associated with fewer anxiety symptoms for older children with larger strategy repertoires for fear. Contrary to our expectations, neither resting RSA nor strategy repertoire for sadness related to children's depressive symptoms. Findings underscore the importance of considering children's discrete emotion regulation strategy repertoires to more fully characterize the dysregulated affective processes associated with psychopathology in childhood. (PsycINFO Database Record
Compatibilization improves physico-mechanical properties of biodegradable biobased polymer composites

Abstract Biodegradable biobased polymer composites have the advantage of low environmental impact and high sustainability. However, these biocomposites exhibit poor mechanical properties due to poor fiber-matrix bonding. This study evaluated the effect of compatibilization of five biocomposites on their physico-mechanical properties. Composites were prepared with 30 wt% wood fiber and one of the five biodegradable biopolymer: poly(lactic acid) (PLA), polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV), Bioflex (PLA blend), or Solanyl (starch-based). The composites were compatibilized with 2–3 wt% maleic anhydride, and evaluated for melt flow index, water uptake, hardness, flexural, compressive, impact, and thermal properties. Melt flow index was reduced by 10–16% for compatibilized composites implying the crosslinking of the polymer. Compatibilized composites of PLA, Bioflex, and PHBV exhibited improved thermal and strength properties, and reduced water absorption. These improvements were attributed to the enhanced fiber-matrix interfacial interaction caused by the compatibilizer. However, compatibilization did not work in PHB and Solanyl.
Elevated Paraneoplastic Markers: An Uncommon Finding in Orthostatic Intolerance and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia (P2.134)

Objective: To identify the frequency of elevated paraneoplastic markers in patients presenting with the autonomic disorders of orthostatic intolerance and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. Background: Postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a common, heterogeneous syndrome that results in postural lightheadedness and a multitude of other symptoms. The exaggerated orthostatic tachycardia and various other symptoms likely result from several pathophysiologically distinct mechanisms. Recently, a number of studies suggest that POTS may have an autoimmune etiology. Paraneoplastic neurologic syndromes are also a heterogeneous group that may affect any part of the nervous system including the autonomic and have causes other than cancer. We evaluated Mayo Clinic Laboratory paraneoplastic markers in our patient population over a two year period. Design/Methods: Medical records of 319 patients presenting for evaluation for suspected Orthostatic Intolerance (OI) in the Autonomic Clinic at Mayo Clinic Arizona from January 1 st 2014 to December 31st 2015 were reviewed. Patients were included if they underwent an Autonomic Reflex Screen and paraneoplastic panel and were diagnosed with OI or POTS. Results: Two hundred sixty eight patients met inclusion criteria, age (30.5 +/− 11) range 12–54, sex (89% female) and ethnicity (99% non-Hispanic white). Eighty-two had OI and 266 POTS. Thirteen (4%) patients mean age twenty-nine, had an elevated Paraneoplastic panel markers, two (0.6%) had elevated Neuronal Type Calcium Channel antibody (Ab), one had elevated P/Q calcium channel Ab (0.3%), four (1%) had elevated Acetylcholine Ganglionic Neuronal Ab, four (1%) had Striated Muscle Ab and two (0.6%) had elevated neuronal (VG) K+ Channel Ab. Conclusions: Elevated paraneoplastic markers did not appear to occur frequently in the OI/POTs cohort studied. However, in the presence of a known debilitating neurological disorder (POTS), with an elevated paraneoplastic marker and in the absence of cancer; a possible immune disorder warrants consideration. Disclosure: Dr. Hoffman-Snyder has nothing to disclose. Dr. Khoury has nothing to disclose. Dr. Goodman has nothing to disclose.
Electromagnetic Heating Techniques for Organ Rewarming

Although there is growing awareness of the need for cryo-preservation of solid organs for transplantation, whole-organ survival rate after freezing and thawing has changed little over the last quarter of a century (1). Nevertheless, a great deal has been learned concerning mechanisms of failure and avenues of inquiry which may lead to successful recovery of frozen organs for transplantation.
Post-Imperial Democracies: Post-Soviet Russia

In examining the sixteen years from the formal establishment of the Russian Federation in 1992 through the election of Dmitrii Medvedev as the presidential successor to Vladimir Putin in early 2008, we obviously cannot yet rely on the sort of comprehensive, detailed historiography of the period that exists for the early French Third Republic or Weimar Germany. Fortunately, where a few historians are now just beginning to tread, a whole team of intrepid political scientists – both in Russia and the West – has over these years collectively generated a remarkably detailed account of the rise and fall of post-Soviet democracy. Indeed, our documentation of the formative years of the Russian Federation, at the levels of both elite politics and mass public opinion, is among the best that exists for any newly democratizing regime. We owe a great debt to those scholars who braved substantial professional and popular disinterest in postcommunist Russian studies, often working in challenging conditions, to obtain and analyze these data. Despite the abundance of empirical evidence, however, how to account for Russia's political trajectory – from the collapse of the Soviet Union, through Russia's troubled experiment with representative rule in the 1990s, to its increasing authoritarianism of the early twenty-first century – remains theoretically contentious. Taken as a whole, these developments appear to have confounded the expectations of nearly all early analysts of Russian politics.
The Magnetic Properties of Sputtered Pd1−xMnx Films for Thermometry and Bolometry

The magnetic susceptibility of thin films and microstructures consisting of a Pd1−xMnx alloy have been measured as a function of temperature and magnetic field. Sputtering from a 0.68% manganese target produced films with a concentration of approximately 0.90%, as judged by comparison with results from bulk PdMn sensitivity measurements. The thinnest films (thickness ≤1.0μm) show significant domain scale noise below the Curie Temperature, T c , while thicker films (thickness ≥10μm) show reliable non-hysteretic behavior throughout the temperature range of interest. The thin films show the effects of demagnetization with the field perpendicular to the surface, but a fine screen in this orientation shows no evidence of saturation and a predictable decrease in sensitivity due to demagnetization. These films will serve as the thermometric element in a new class of bolometers and thermometers for fundamental physics applications.
Metaphor and Fundamental Ontology

I propose to discuss the applicability of the notion of metaphor to the way in which philosophy and its language are said to emerge from mythico-religious-poetic thought. “Fundamental ontology” is borrowed from Heidegger, but I am afraid I leave with him the meaning and importance he attributes (or attributed) to it. When I use the phrase, I have in mind nothing more exciting than the historical background out of which philosophy apparently came and much of my concern here could be summed up in the question, “Are dead metaphors the living language of philosophy?” My general guide in the discussion that follows is Aristotle. I shall rely on him for indications of the origins of philosophy and it is with his conception of metaphor that I will be dealing. Later on, certain positions of Owen Barfield will be considered at some little length. It will end by asking whether Aristotle and Barfield are at odds.
2-J GaAs Solar Cells on Epi-Ready Flexible Metal Substrates

High-quality epitaxial and single-crystalline-like GaAs thin films grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) on ion-beam textured buffers on flexible metal substrates have been reported earlier. Here we report optimization of lattice-matched InGaP on GaAs for the growth of 2J solar cells. The grown InGaP films were investigated by highresolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Further, the flexible InGaP films were used to grow doublejunction GaAs solar cells. The 1J GaAs solar cells resulted in 11 % efficiency as reported earlier, show promise for low-cost, flexible, lightweight and high-performance III-V multijunction solar cells which can be a potentially game-changing technology in the photovoltaic market.
Effect of particle size distribution on near-field thermal energy transfer within the nanoparticle packings

Nanoscale size effects give rise to near-field thermal considerations when heating nanoparticles under high laser power. We solve Maxwell’s equations in the frequency domain to analyze near-field thermal energy effects for three nanoparticle assemblies with different variances in particle sizes and show that heat dissipation generally decreases as the spread in nanoparticle sizes increases within the nanoparticle packing. For this study, log-normally distributed copper nanoparticle packings with a mean radius of 116 nm and three different standard deviations (12, 48, and 84 nm) were created by using a discrete element model in which a specified number of particles is generated. The nanoparticle packings in the simulation are created by randomly placing each nanoparticle into the packing domain with a random initial velocity and a position. The nanoparticles are then allowed to interact with each other under gravitational and weak van der Waals forces until they settle to form a stable packing configuration. A finite-difference frequency-domain analysis, which yields the electromagnetic field distribution, is then applied to the packing by solving Maxwell’s equations to obtain absorption, scattering, and extinction coefficients. This analysis is used to calculate the surface plasmon effects due to the electromagnetic coupling between the nanoparticles and the dielectric medium under the different distributions and show that different particle distributions can create different plasmonic effects in the packing domain, which results in nonlocal heat transport. Overall, this analysis helps to reveal how sintering quality can be enhanced by creating stronger laser–particle interactions for specific groups of nanoparticles.
Structure and function of the immune system in the spleen

The spleen is the largest secondary lymphoid organ in the body and, as such, hosts a wide range of immunologic functions alongside its roles in hematopoiesis and red blood cell clearance. The physical organization of the spleen allows it to filter blood of pathogens and abnormal cells and facilitate low-probability interactions between antigen-presenting cells (APCs) and cognate lymphocytes. APCs specific to the spleen regulate the T and B cell response to these antigenic targets in the blood. This review will focus on cell types, cell organization, and immunologic functions specific to the spleen and how these affect initiation of adaptive immunity to systemic blood-borne antigens. Potential differences in structure and function between mouse and human spleen will also be discussed.
Loving-Kindness Meditation and Counseling

Loving-kindness meditation (LKM) is a type of mindfulness-based meditation that emphasizes caring and connection with others. LKM incorporates nonjudgmental awareness of the present moment, which enhances attention, presence, acceptance, and self-regulation; it also entails directing caring feelings toward oneself and then others and emphasizes both self-care and interconnectedness. Thus, LKM is suitable for helping clients forge healthy connections with themselves and others. This article examines the use and implications of LKM in counseling.
Social media prosumption and online political participation: An examination of online communication processes:

This study examines the extent to which social media prosumption, an integrated act of consumption and production, is associated with online political participation. Data from an online panel surve...
Comparison of motif-based and whole-unique-sequence-based analyses of phage display library datasets generated by biopanning of anti-Borrelia burgdorferi immune sera

Detection of protection-associated epitopes via reverse vaccinology is the first step for development of subunit vaccines against microbial pathogens. Mapping subunit vaccine targets requires high throughput methods, which would allow delineation of epitopes recognized by protective antibodies on a large scale. Phage displayed random peptide library coupled to Next Generation Sequencing (PDRPL/NGS) is the universal platform that enables high-yield identification of peptides that mimic epitopes (mimotopes). Despite being unsurpassed as a tool for discovery of polyclonal serum mimotopes, the PDRPL/NGS is far inferior as a quantitative method of immune response. Difficult-to-control fluctuations in amounts of antibody-bound phages after rounds of selection and amplification diminish the quantitative capacity of the PDRPL/NGS. In an attempt to improve the accuracy of the PDRPL/NGS method, we compared the discriminating capacity of two approaches for PDRPL/NGS data analysis. The whole-unique-sequence-based analysis (WUSA) involved generation of 7-mer peptide profiles and comparison of the numbers of sequencing reads for unique peptide sequences between serum samples. The motif-based analysis (MA) included identification of 4-mer consensus motifs unifying unique 7-mer sequences and comparison of motifs between serum samples. The motif comparison was based not on the numbers of sequencing reads, but on the numbers of distinct 7-mers constituting the motifs. Our PDRPL/NGS datasets generated from biopanning of protective and non-protective anti-Borrelia burgdorferi sera of New Zealand rabbits were used to contrast the two approaches. As a result, the principle component analyses (PCA) showed that the discriminating powers of the WUSA and MA were similar. In contrast, the unsupervised hierarchical clustering obtained via the MA classified the preimmune, non-protective, and protective sera better than the WUSA-based clustering. Also, a total number of discriminating motifs was higher than that of discriminating 7-mers. In sum, our results indicate that MA approach improves the accuracy and quantitative capacity of the PDRPL/NGS method.
Reinforcement Learning-Based Control and Networking Co-Design for Industrial Internet of Things

Industrial Internet-of-Things (IIoT), also known as Industry 4.0, is the integration of Internet of Things (IoT) technology into the industrial manufacturing system so that the connectivity, efficiency, and intelligence of factories and plants can be improved. From a cyber physical system (CPS) perspective, multiple systems (e.g., control, networking and computing systems) are synthesized into IIoT systems interactively to achieve the operator’s design goals. The interactions among different systems is a non-negligible factor that affects the IIoT design and requirements, such as automation, especially under dynamic industrial operations. In this paper, we leverage reinforcement learning techniques to automatically configure the control and networking systems under a dynamic industrial environment. We design three new policies based on the characteristics of industrial systems so that the reinforcement learning can converge rapidly. We implement and integrate the reinforcement learning-based co-design approach on a realistic wireless cyber-physical simulator to conduct extensive experiments. Our experimental results demonstrate that our approach can effectively and quickly reconfigure the control and networking systems automatically in a dynamic industrial environment.
Hospital Admissions Among People Who Inject Opioids Following Syringe Services Program Implementation

Syringe services programs (SSPs) are an evidence-based harm reduction strategy that reduces dangerous sequelae of injection drug use among people who inject drugs (PWID) such as overdose. SSP services include safer injection education and community-based naloxone distribution programs. This study evaluates differences in overdose-associated hospital admissions following the implementation of the first legal SSP in Florida, based in Miami-Dade County. We performed a retrospective analysis of hospitalizations for injection drug-related sequelae at a county hospital before and after the implementation of the SSP. An algorithm utilizing ICD-10 codes for opioid use and sequelae was used to identify people who inject opioids (PWIO). Florida Department of Law Enforcement Medical Examiners Commission Report data was used to analyze concurrent overdose death trends in Florida counties. Over the 25-month study period, 302 PWIO admissions were identified: 146 in the pre-index period vs. 156 in the post-index period. A total of 26 admissions with PWIO overdose were found: 20 pre-index and 6 post-index (p = 0.0034). Declining overdose-associated admissions among PWIO suggests early impacts following SSP implementation. These results indicate a potential early benefit of SSP that should be further explored for its effects on future hospital admission and mortality.
Abstract 4241: Regorafenib and nivolumab or pembrolizumab combination and ctDNA response assessment in refractory colorectal cancer

Introduction: Patients with microsatellite stable (MSS) metastatic colorectal cancer (MCRC) are considered resistant to immunotherapy with PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors. However, a recent study of regorafenib and nivolumab (REGONIVO) reported high response rates and a median progression free survival (PFS) of more than 6 months (mo) in a cohort of 24 Japanese patients (pts) with MSS chemo-resistant MCRC. Methods: We evaluated the outcome of advanced MSS MCRC pts who were treated on a compassionate basis with PD-1 inhibitors in combination with regorafenib 80 mg PO QD x 21 days every 28 days in a single US center. We report their response rate (RR), PFS, and overall survival (OS). Results: 16 pts (15 males) were treated with a combination of regorafenib + PD-1 inhibitors and were evaluable for response. 14 pts received regorafenib + nivolumab (5 with prior anti-PD-1 treatment) and 2 pts received regorafenib + pembrolizumab (both following pembrolizumab treatment). No treatment-related G3 or above toxicities were attributed to the combination therapy. No objective responses were noted on treatment. 11 pts had progressive disease (PD) and 5 pts experienced stable disease (SD) as best response at 2 mo. The duration of SD was 4 mo in 2 pts (1 pt with prior anti-PD1 exposure), 6 mo in 1 pt (prior anti-PD1 exposure), 5 mo+ in 2 pt (1 with prior anti-PD1 exposure). When limiting the analysis to the 9 regorafenib and checkpoint-inhibitor naive patients, 2 pts were noted to have SD (4 months and 5 mo+). ctDNA assays were evaluated at baseline and at 4 weeks of treatment in 11 patients. All 9 patients with a rise in ctDNA at 4 weeks had PD at the 2-mo imaging point. 2 patients with declining ctDNA at 4 weeks experienced SD for 4 mo 5 mo+, each. OS analysis remains immature as the median follow-up is only 5 mo. Conclusions: Regorafenib and nivolumab combination was associated with modest clinical activity in patients with MSS chemotherapy-resistant MCRC. This US-based small retrospective trial is at odds with the Japanese REGONIVO trial. ctDNA may represent a powerful tool for predicting progression prior to radiographic staging. Citation Format: Marwan Fakih, Dawnyel Chevalier, Janelle Saluja, Cecilia Lau, Chongkai Wang. Regorafenib and nivolumab or pembrolizumab combination and ctDNA response assessment in refractory colorectal cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 4241.
Rapid Open-Air Fabrication of Perovskite Solar Modules

Summary We report on the open-air fabrication of perovskite solar modules with key advances, including scalable large-area spray deposition, new monolithic integration scribing techniques, advanced photoluminescence characterization, and reproducible high-throughput manufacturability. Perovskite deposition with linear speeds of 12 m/min without post-annealing is demonstrated, with improved device performance, luminescent yield, and >10× carrier lifetimes. Manufacturability using monolithic integration of series-connected modules is accomplished with a new indirect fiber laser ablation scribing method. A stable cell and module power output of 18.0% and 15.5%, respectively, was achieved with a subcell Voc > 1.06 V. A comprehensive supporting technoeconomic analysis details the entire in-line manufacturing process from the glass substrate to the junction box of the encapsulated module. The module manufacturing cost, balance of system costs, and levelized cost of energy for a range of module efficiencies and lifetimes provide insights for the necessary tool speeds, efficiencies, and lifetimes for utility-scale energy generation.
Statistics Using R: Solving Problems Using Real World Data: by Jenine K. Harris, Thousand Oaks CA, Sage, 2020, 758 pp., $118 (paperback), ISBN #978-1506388151

As a doctoral level statistics instructor, my students often tell me that my class is the one they dread most. It is hardly surprising. Social work does not usually attract students who like or are...
Divorce Ideation and “Deal Breakers” among Married Gay Men and Lesbians: A Qualitative Exploration:

Regardless of whether married individuals are actively pursuing divorce, at all stages of marriage, individuals can experience thoughts of divorce, which are often termed “divorce ideation” in the ...
Achieving Health Equity:The Power & Pitfalls of Intelligent Interfaces

Digital health research—the investigation of how technology can be designed to support wellbeing—has exploded in recent years. Much of this innovation has stemmed from advances in the fields of human-computer interaction and artificial intelligence. A growing segment of this work is examining how information and communication technologies (ICTs) can be used to achieve health equity, that is, fair opportunities for all people to live a healthy life. Such advances are sorely needed, as there exist large disparities in morbidity and mortality across population groups. These disparities are due in large part to social determinants of health, that is, social, physical, and economic conditions that disproportionately inhibit wellbeing in populations such as low-socioeconomic status and racial and ethnic minority groups. Despite years of digital health research and commercial innovation, profound health disparities persist. In this talk, I will argue that to reduce health disparities, ICTs must address social determinants of health. Intelligent interfaces have much to offer in this regard, and yet their affordances—such as the ability to deliver personalized health interventions—can also act as pitfalls. For example, a focus on personalized health interventions has lead to the design of various interfaces focused on individual-level behavior change. While such innovations are important, to achieve health equity there is also a need for complimentary systems that address social relationships. Social ties are a crucial point of focus for digital health research as they can provide meaningful supports for positive health, especially in populations that disproportionately experience health barriers. I will offer a vision for health equity research in which interactive and intelligent systems are designed to help people build social relationships that support wellbeing. By conceptualizing the purview of digital health research as encompassing not only individual but also social change, there is tremendous opportunity to create disruptive health interventions that help achieve health equity.
Avoiding costly delays in human space exploration: Historical perspectives on NASA programs

Summary This paper examines the historical impact of major changes in the human space exploration program objectives at NASA and draws lessons from those experiences that may be of value to current and future administrations. We trace the program history of NASA's human exploration programs through various presidential administrations, starting with the George H. W. Bush administration and moving through to the present day. Along the way we identify and document the sources of program changes and make observations about what went well and what did not go well, exposing the true cost and other consequences of disruptive change. We also highlight the importance of making necessary changes when something is not right. Presidential administration changes and annual budget deliberations are times of great opportunity but also of great risk, and decisions need to be made with eyes wide open, not only to the potential benefits but also to the unintended negative consequences some changes may have. These factors need to be considered by a new administration and Congress when they are faced with decisions to change things or “stay the course.” The lessons may apply well beyond NASA.
When Compassion is Sterile: Power, Politics, and the Promise of Equality

Lauren Berlant, among others, has been vocal and prolific about the dangers implicit in a compassionate politics (or a sentimental politics, generally). Is it the case that compassion creates a hypocritical politics that endangers equality - one that purports to care for its citizens yet does not, one that reifies privilege while channeling national energy into unproductive sentimental projects, and one that perpetuates racial, class, and gender stereotyping and labor? Berlant’s criticisms are insightful and pointed but they err in mistaking one form of compassion for its totality. I turn to Rousseau, arguing that his subtle distinction between a sterile and a sociable form of compassion, which has been largely overlooked, provides a useful distinction for thinking about compassion today. Strike Debt’s project, the Rolling Jubilee, and service-oriented opportunities like Teach for America provide contemporary examples by which I think through Berlant’s concerns and the tricky power dynamics involved in a compassionate politics. Compassion contains more possibility than its critics conjure.
Efficient automated planning with new formulations

Problem solving usually strongly relies on how the problem is formulated. This fact also applies to automated planning, a key field in artificial intelligence research. Classical planning used to be dominated by STRIPS formulation, a simple model based on propositional logic. In the recently introduced SAS+ formulation, the multi-valued variables naturally depict certain invariants that are missed in STRIPS, make SAS+ have many favorable features. Because of its rich structural information SAS+ begins to attract lots of research interest. Existing works, however, are mostly limited to one single thing: to improve heuristic functions. This is in sharp contrast with the abundance of planning models and techniques in the field. On the other hand, although heuristic is a key part for search, its effectiveness is limited. Recent investigations have shown that even if we have almost perfect heuristics, the number of states to visit is still exponential. Therefore, there is a barrier between the nice features of SAS+ and its applications in planning algorithms. In this dissertation, we have recasted two major planning paradigms: state space search and planning as Satisfiability (SAT), with three major contributions. First, we have utilized SAS+ for a new hierarchical state space search model by taking advantage of the decomposable structure within SAS+. This algorithm can greatly reduce the time complexity for planning. Second, planning as Satisfiability is a major planning approach, but it is traditionally based on STRIPS. We have developed a new SAS+ based SAT encoding scheme (SASE) for planning. The state space modeled by SASE shows a decomposable structure with certain components independent to others, showing promising structure that STRIPS based encoding does not have. Third, the expressiveness of planning is important for real world scenarios, thus we have also extended the planning as SAT to temporally expressive planning and planning with action costs, two advanced features beyond classical planning. The resulting planner is competitive to state-of-the-art planners, in terms of both quality and performance. Overall, our work strongly suggests a shifting trend of planning from STRIPS to SAS+, and shows the power of formulating planning problems as Satisfiability. Given the important roles of both classical planning and temporal planning, our work will inspire new developments in other advanced planning problem domains.
Heavy ion acceleration in solar flares

Abstract Stochastic acceleration by cascading MHD turbulence is able to account for a wealth of impulsive solar flare energetic particle properties. Here we show that it can also account for the interplanetary heavy ion distributions from the August 7 1999 flare, observed by the Advanced Composition Explorer.
CROSS RESISTANCE AND COLLATERAL SENSITIVITY STUDIES IN CANCER CHEMOTHERAPY.

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on cross resistance and collateral sensitivity studies in cancer chemotherapy. Cross resistance means that a population resistant to a given drug is no longer susceptible to another compound while the parent population remains susceptible to both. Collateral sensitivity is defined as the greater susceptibility of a resistant population, in comparison with the parent population, to another compound. The parent population, therefore, is less susceptible than the resistant population to the action of the second chemotherapeutic agent. Cancer chemotherapy on a systematic basis is a young and rapidly progressing field. The literature on resistance to cancer chemotherapeutic agents is extremely diverse. 352 resistant mutants from 66 different biological systems have been mentioned in the chapter. Antimetabolites—namely, folic acid antagonists, amino acid antagonists, purine antagonists, and pyrimidine antagonists—have been mentioned in the chapter.
Surveillance for Toxoplasma gondii in California mussels (Mytilus californianus) reveals transmission of atypical genotypes from land to sea

Summary Coastal habitat contamination with Toxoplasma gondii is a health risk to humans and marine wildlife, with infections documented in both nearshore and pelagic marine mammals. Due to lack of sensitive methods for detection of T. gondii in water, this study utilized an alternative surveillance approach for evaluating marine habitat contamination using wild mussels. The objectives of this study were to (i) validate sensitive molecular tools for T. gondii detection in mussels and (ii) apply optimized methods in a surveillance study to determine the prevalence and genotype(s) of T. gondii in mussels. Simplex polymerase chain reaction screening and multiplex genotyping assays were validated and then applied on 959 wild-caught mussels collected from central California. Thirteen mussels (1.4%) had detectable T. gondii DNA and the presence of T. gondii in mussels was significantly associated with proximity to freshwater run-off and collection during the wet season. Molecular characterization revealed alleles from T. gondii types I, II/III, X at the B1 locus, and a novel atypical B1 allele that was recently documented in T. gondii-infected carnivores from California. Findings demonstrate higher than previously reported T. gondii contamination of California coastlines, and describe novel strains of the parasite that further link terrestrial sources with marine contamination.
Outcome of Subcutaneous Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator Implantation in Patients with End-Stage Renal Disease on Dialysis.

Subcutaneous ICD in Dialysis PatientsBackground Although the subcutaneous ICD (S-ICD®) is an attractive alternative in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), data on S-ICD outcomes in dialysis patients are lacking. Methods Patients with cardiomyopathy undergoing S-ICD implantation in our center were stratified by need for chronic dialysis at the time of implant. The primary endpoint was incidence of death, heart failure hospitalization or appropriate S-ICD shocks, and secondary endpoints were incidence of inappropriate shocks or implant related complications requiring surgical re-intervention. Mean follow-up was longer in the nondialysis cohort (514 ± 495 vs. 227 ± 233 days, P = 0.006), so all endpoints were analyzed using time-dependent comparisons and reported as annual event rates. Results Out of 79 S-ICD implants included in this analysis, 27 patients were on dialysis. Dialysis patients were older and more likely to be diabetic. Mean ejection fraction across the entire cohort was 26.9% without significant difference between dialysis and nondialysis groups. Although not significant, the incidence of the primary endpoint was higher in the dialysis cohort (23.8%/year vs. 10.9%/year, P = 0.317), driven primarily by a higher rate of appropriate shocks. The rate of inappropriate shocks was similar between groups (dialysis 6.0%/year vs. nondialysis 6.8%/year, P = 0.509). No patients in the dialysis cohort had complications requiring surgical re-intervention versus 6 patients in the nondialysis cohort (P = 0.086). Conclusions Our data suggest that S-ICD implantation in dialysis patients is not associated with an excess risk of implant related complications or inappropriate shocks.
PHENIX trigger system

Abstract A two level trigger system has been implemented in the PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). Level 1 trigger system (LVL1) processes the reduced data from a part of the detector subsystems in parallel and makes a decision on each beam crossing. For each accepted event the information from LVL1 is added to the detector data stream. A detector partitioning mechanism accomplished in LVL1 permits to operate PHENIX both as a whole detector (single partition) as well as a group of different combinations of the detector subsystems (multiple partitions). The Level 2 trigger system (LVL2) makes a fast analysis of each accepted event and decides if its data have to be stored or to be discarded. A description of the components and operation of the PHENIX trigger system is presented in this article.
Large deviations for mean field models of probabilistic cellular automata

Probabilistic cellular automata form a very large and general class of stochastic processes. These automata exhibit a wide range of complex behavior and are of interest in a number of fields of study, including mathematical physics, percolation theory, computer science, and neurobiology. Very little has been proved about these models, even in simple cases, so it is common to compare the models to mean field models. It is normally assumed that mean field models are essentially trivial. However, we show here that even the mean field models can exhibit surprising behavior. We prove some rigorous results on mean field models, including the existence of a surrogate for the “energy” in certain non-reversible models. We also briefly discuss some differences that occur between the mean field and lattice models. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 2006
Actin and Arf1-dependent recruitment of a cortactin–dynamin complex to the Golgi regulates post-Golgi transport

Cortactin is an actin-binding protein that has recently been implicated in endocytosis. It binds directly to dynamin-2 (Dyn2), a large GTPase that mediates the formation of vesicles from the plasma membrane and the Golgi. Here we show that cortactin associates with the Golgi to regulate the actin- and Dyn2-dependent transport of cargo. Cortactin antibodies stain the Golgi apparatus, labelling peripheral buds and vesicles that are associated with the cisternae. Notably, in vitro or intact-cell experiments show that activation of Arf1 mediates the recruitment of actin, cortactin and Dyn2 to Golgi membranes. Furthermore, selective disruption of the cortactin-Dyn2 interaction significantly reduces the levels of Dyn2 at the Golgi and blocks the transit of nascent proteins from the trans-Golgi network, resulting in swollen and distended cisternae. These findings support the idea of an Arf1-activated recruitment of an actin, cortactin and Dyn2 complex that is essential for Golgi function.