cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fractional oxidation of chylomicron-derived oleate is greater than that of palmitate in healthy adults fed frequent small meals.

Differences in oxidation of individual dietary fatty acids could contribute to the effect of dietary fat com- position on risk factors for non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. Using a novel stable isotope technique, we compared fractional oxidation of chylomicron-derived oleate and palmitate in 10 healthy adults in a crossover study. 1- 13 C-labeled oleate or palmitate was emulsified into a eucaloric formula diet administered each 20 min for 7 h to produce a plateau in excretion of 13 C label in breath CO 2 . Unlabeled oleate and palmitate each provided 16% of dietary energy, and other fatty acids pro- vided 8% of energy. Total dietary fat was 40% of energy, carbohydrate was 46%, and protein was 14%. Diet without tracer was fed for 2 h before beginning tracer administra- tion to establish a baseline fed state. Relative oxidation of oleate versus palmitate was defined as fractional oxidation of oleate divided by fractional oxidation of palmitate. Rela- tive oxidation averaged 1.21 (99.5% confidence interval 5 1.03-1.39), indicating that fractional oxidation of oleate was significantly greater than that of palmitate. —Schmidt, D. E., J. B. Allred, and C. L. Kien. Fractional oxidation of chylomicron-derived oleate is greater than that of palmitate in healthy adults fed frequent small meals. J. Lipid Res. 1999. 40: 2322-2332.
Taking the Fifth with You (or Not)

In 1961, Aloyzas Balsys entered the United States. Today, the government seeks to enforce an administrative subpoena issued by the Office of Special Investigations of the Department of Justice ("OSI") to determine whether Balsys lied on his immigration application regarding his activities during the Second World War.1 Balsys refuses to comply, however, arguing that his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination2 protects him from disclosing any compelled testimony that could potentially expose him to prosecution abroad.
Gender in Aboriginal Archaeology: Recent Research

The brief history of gender studies in Australian archaeology is described along with the diversity and richness of approaches to gender in Australia. The examples have shown that research in this field has contributed conceptually and analytically to the current paradigms of mainstream archaeology in Australia and has challenged the long-standing conservative views of Aboriginal society.
Chemical Mechanical Planarization for Cu Through-Wafer Interconnects An Investigation of Slurry Chemistry Interaction Effects Using a Design of Experiments Approach

The effects of slurry pH, hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) concentration, and their interactions on a thick Cu chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) process for through-water interconnect (TWI) applications were investigated using a two-level full factorial design of experiment. Four permutations of high and low levels of slurry pH and H 2 O 2 were investigated to determine the level of impact or significance on the CMP process. At constant machine parameters and pad types, significant changes in removal rate and within-wafer-nonuniformity (WIWNU) were observed based on the different slurry combinations used during the CMP process. Although slurry pH and H 2 O 2 concentration were observed to be the dominant main effects on the CMP process, the interaction between the two variables was also found to have a significant impact on the average removal rate of Cu and WIWNU during CMP. Based upon a direct correlation between the type of Cu species formed and the level of H 2 O 2 concentration in the slurry, the pH and H 2 O 2 concentration of the slurry should be carefully formulated to obtain optimal results for TWI fabrication. The interaction plots between slurry pH and H 2 O 2 concentration also provide a possible optimization level to achieve the maximum copper removal rate while minimizing WIWNU.
Predictors of nonsevere and severe hypoglycemia during glucose-lowering treatment with insulin glargine or standard drugs in the ORIGIN trial.

Objective Hypoglycemia is a leading risk of glucose-lowering therapy. Treatment with insulin glargine compared with standard care early in the course of dysglycemia in the Outcome Reduction with an Initial Glargine Intervention (ORIGIN) trial provides information on the frequency and predictors of hypoglycemia in this setting. Research design and methods A total of 12,537 people with high cardiovascular risk and dysglycemia treated with one or no oral glucose-lowering agents were randomized to add glargine titrated to a fasting glucose level of ≤5.3 mmol/L (≤95 mg/dL) or to use standard therapies. Independent associations of both nonsevere hypoglycemia (symptomatic and confirmed with a glucose level of ≤3 mmol/L [≤54 mg/dL]) and severe hypoglycemia with characteristics at baseline, treatment allocation, and average HbA1c were assessed by Cox proportional hazards models. Results During a median follow-up period of 6.2 years, 28% of participants reported nonsevere hypoglycemia, and 3.8% reported severe hypoglycemia. Prior use of a sulfonylurea and allocation to glargine independently predicted a higher risk for both categories of participants. Nonsevere events were independently associated with younger age, lower BMI, the presence of diabetes, and higher baseline HbA1c level. Severe events were associated with older age, hypertension, higher serum creatinine level, and lower cognitive function, but not baseline glycemic status. Progressively higher on-treatment HbA1c level was associated with a lower risk of nonsevere events in both treatment groups; a lower risk of severe events in the glargine group, and a higher risk of severe events with standard care. Conclusions Hypoglycemia was relatively uncommon in the ORIGIN trial, but was more frequent with sulfonylurea use at baseline and allocation to glargine. Nonsevere and severe events were associated with different clinical characteristics, awareness of which may guide individualized therapy.
Can lifestyle modification affect men’s erectile function?

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common condition affecting millions of men worldwide. The pathophysiology and epidemiologic links between ED and risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) are well-established. Lifestyle modifications such as smoking cessation, weight reduction, dietary modification, physical activity, and psychological stress reduction have been increasingly recognized as foundational to the prevention and treatment of ED. The aim of this review is to outline behavioral choices which may increase ones risk of developing ED, to present relevant studies addressing lifestyle factors correlated with ED, and to highlight proposed mechanisms for intervention aimed at improving erectile function in men with ED. These recommendations can provide a framework for counseling patients with ED about lifestyle modification.
Cardiac diagnoses, procedures, and healthcare utilisation in inpatients with Ellis-van Creveld syndrome.

Introduction Ellis–van Creveld syndrome is a rare condition associated with a very high incidence of congenital malformations of the heart. Prior reports have suggested increased morbidity and mortality following surgery for congenital malformations of the heart in patients with Ellis–van Creveld syndrome. Materials and methods The Pediatric Health Information System database, an administrative database containing data from 43 free-standing paediatric hospitals in North America, was queried to search for patients with the diagnostic code for Ellis–van Creveld syndrome between 2004 and 2011. Those patients who underwent cardiac procedures were compared with those who did not with respect to measures of healthcare utilisation. Results A total of 138 admissions occurred in 93 patients with Ellis–van Creveld syndrome during the study period. Of these, 74% had an underlying diagnosis of congenital malformations of the heart. Half of the patients in the sample underwent a cardiac surgical or interventional catheterisation procedure. Patients who underwent a cardiac procedure had a longer hospital length of stay, higher incidence of intensive care unit admission, and higher total and per day hospital charges than patients who did not undergo cardiac surgery during admission. Conclusions In a large group of inpatients with Ellis–van Creveld syndrome, the prevalence of congenital malformations of the heart was similar to that reported in prior studies. Cardiac surgical and interventional procedures appear to drive a substantial portion of healthcare utilisation in these patients.
Jew-Face: Non-Jews Playing Jews on the American Stage

While the phenomenon of whites performing in blackface is well documented, comparatively little critical attention has focused on the spectacle of non-Jewish actors playing Jewish characters on stage. Yet the history of the American stage is replete with examples of non-Jews assaying Jewish roles, from early performances of William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice to contemporary productions of Mel Brooks' The Producers. How non-Jews have impersonated Jews on stage reflects changing attitudes towards Jews in American society, as they have risen from poverty and discrimination to the enjoyment of wealth and status. Nowadays, non-Jewish portrayals of Jewish characters take place in a societal context in which the lines between Jews and non-Jews are becoming increasingly blurred, making Jewish culture accessible to Jews and non-Jews alike.
Complex data classification in weighted accelerated failure time model

Reliability of complex large-scale systems is a function of many covariates. By the advent of modern data collection technologies, data is increasingly accessible for evaluation of these variables and their impact on system reliability. Determining efficient explanatory variables, specifically in a complex and huge data with high-dimensional covariates provides an excellent opportunity in systems reliability analysis and prediction. A proper variable classification method is presented to drive a subset of variables that are significantly more valuable in reliability analysis of these systems. This paper presents a heuristic randomized variable classification method to analyze a large-scale survival data with many covariates. The method is based on a weighted accelerated failure time model to reduce redundant information and to facilitate a practical decision-making. Considering the complexity of the data and the presence of censored observations, the proposed method utilizes random subset selection concept. Coefficient scores are assigned through a random re-sampling procedure, and they are evaluated through accelerated failure time model by applying weighed least square technique. To validate the proposed method and its performance, several numerical simulation experiments are developed to compare and demonstrate the advantages of this method. The experimental results are compared with similar efficient techniques comprehensively. It is shown that by using the proposed method, data analysis and variable selection decision-making processes in a large-scale failure or survival data can be done quickly, and with high accuracy.
Design and Implementation of Soil Moisture Monitoring System Based on Remote Wireless Network Based

In order to establish the information-based soil moisture monitoring network,the paper designs a remote soil moisture monitoring system based on three communication modes,including serial port wireless module,GPRS and SMS,which uses graphical means to achieve data monitoring of soil moisture automatic monitoring stations in a variety of data transmission methods.In order to meet the reliability of monitoring system in various soil moisture monitoring environment,the Modbus RTU protocol is used to read the monitoring data in real-time,the text messages and network communication are used to read the monitoring timing data.Through monitoring soil moisture and meteorological data in real-time and chart display of historical data query,the management of the station is realized.The test running results show that the system can enhance the stability and reliability of soil moisture monitoring.
Rumor Communities: The Social Dimensions of Internet Political Misperceptions*

Objective This study illuminates the communicative and social qualities of naturally occurring public resistance to authoritative debunking of political misperceptions, rumors, and conspiracy theories. Developing the concept of a “rumor community,” it highlights aspects of rumoring processes overlooked by psychological approaches common in misperception research. Methods Over 2,000 user-generated comments from the “vaccines cause autism” rumor community, produced as the medical study that had sparked the rumor was retracted and ultimately denounced as fraudulent, are examined for their contribution to the public conversation about vaccine safety. Results Rumor community members publicly counterargue debunking messages, which creates a communication environment offering argumentative resources to community members and reaffirming the community's solidarity. Members assert their credibility to gain authority to speak, countering science with personal experience. Highlighting their interconnection with more conventional social groups and venerable social truisms, members generate discourse that legitimates their beliefs. Conclusions The process of rumor debunking does not solely involve psychological persuasion but must also account for the social geography of rumor communities and their contributions to the communication environment.
Tourette Syndrome Classification

A task force (The Tourette Syndrome Classification Study Group), organized by the Tourette Syndrome Association, has expanded the DSM-IIIR definitions of Tourette syndrome and is developing a quantitative rating scale for tics to be used by clinicians in practice and in genetic and other research activities.
Effect of United States buckwheat honey on antibiotic-resistant hospital acquired pathogens

INTRODUCTION: due to an upsurge in antibiotic-resistant infections and lack of therapeutic options, new approaches are needed for treatment. Honey may be one such potential therapeutic option. We investigated the susceptibility of hospital acquired pathogens to four honeys from Wisconsin, United States, and then determined if the antibacterial effect ofeach honey against these pathogensis primarily due to the high sugar content. METHODS: thirteen pathogens including: four Clostridium difficile, two Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, two Pseudomonas aeruginosa, one Methicillin-Susceptible Staphylococcus aureus, twoVancomycin-resistance Enterococcus, one Enterococcusfaecalis and one Klebsiella pneumonia were exposed to 1-50% (w/v) four Wisconsin honeys and Artificial honey to determine their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) using the broth dilution method. RESULTS: buckwheathoney predominantly exhibited a bactericidal mode of action against the tested pathogens, and this varied with each pathogen. C. difficile isolates were more sensitive to the Wisconsin buckwheat honeyas compared to the other pathogens. Artificial honey at 50% (w/v) failed to kill any of the pathogens. The high sugar content of Wisconsin buckwheat honey is not the only factor responsible for its bactericidal activity. CONCLUSION: Wisconsin buckwheat honeyhas the potential to be an important addition to therapeutic armamentarium against resistant pathogens and should be investigated further.
Informational Masking in Speech Recognition

Solving the “cocktail party problem” depends on segregating, selecting, and comprehending the message of one specific talker among competing talkers. This chapter reviews the history of study of speech-on-speech (SOS) masking, highlighting the major ideas influencing the development of theories that have been proposed to account for SOS masking. Much of the early work focused on the role of spectrotemporal overlap of sounds, and the concomitant competition for representation in the auditory nervous system, as the primary cause of masking (termed energetic masking). However, there were some early indications—confirmed and extended in later studies—of the critical role played by central factors such as attention, memory, and linguistic processing. The difficulties related to these factors are grouped together and referred to as informational masking. The influence of methodological issues—in particular the need for a means of designating the target source in SOS masking experiments—is emphasized as contributing to the discrepancies in the findings and conclusions that frequent the history of study of this topic. Although the modeling of informational masking for the case of SOS masking has yet to be developed to any great extent, a long history of modeling binaural release from energetic masking has led to the application/adaptation of binaural models to the cocktail party problem. These models can predict some, but not all, of the factors that contribute to solving this problem. Some of these models, and their inherent limitations, are reviewed briefly here.
Eco-Transactional Influences on Sociopolitical Youth Development Work

ABSTRACTAn emerging and growing body of research has clearly established the importance of youth building sociopolitical consciousness in order to be more democratically engaged citizens. An overwhelming amount of sociopolitical youth development work occurs outside of school. Much of the research on this work has focused on youth outcomes, and we know little about sociopolitical youth workers, the types of experiences and influences from which they draw, and how those experiences and influences emerge in their work. To attempt to fill this void, the author uses life history methodology to showcase two sociopolitical youth workers (“activist mentors”). Using Watts, Williams, and Jager's eco-transactional model of sociopolitical development as an analytic tool, the author explains and uncovers ways in which an amalgamation of past events, relationships, and environmental influences inform and emerge in activist mentors' work with youth activists. Findings indicate that activist mentors' ecological and tran...
Rapid culture-based detection of living mycobacteria using microchannel electrical impedance spectroscopy (m-EIS)

Multiple techniques exist for detecting Mycobacteria, each having its own advantages and drawbacks. Among them, automated culture-based systems like the BACTEC-MGIT™ are popular because they are inexpensive, reliable and highly accurate. However, they have a relatively long “time-to-detection” (TTD). Hence, a method that retains the reliability and low-cost of the MGIT system, while reducing TTD would be highly desirable. Living bacterial cells possess a membrane potential, on account of which they store charge when subjected to an AC-field. This charge storage (bulk capacitance) can be estimated using impedance measurements at multiple frequencies. An increase in the number of living cells during culture is reflected in an increase in bulk capacitance, and this forms the basis of our detection. M. bovis BCG and M. smegmatis suspensions with differing initial loads are cultured in MGIT media supplemented with OADC and Middlebrook 7H9 media respectively, electrical “scans” taken at regular intervals and the bulk capacitance estimated from the scans. Bulk capacitance estimates at later time-points are statistically compared to the suspension’s baseline value. A statistically significant increase is assumed to indicate the presence of proliferating mycobacteria. Our TTDs were 60 and 36 h for M. bovis BCG and 20 and 9 h for M. smegmatis with initial loads of 1000 CFU/ml and 100,000 CFU/ml respectively. The corresponding TTDs for the commercial BACTEC MGIT 960 system were 131 and 84.6 h for M. bovis BCG and 41.7 and 12 h for M smegmatis, respectively. Our culture-based detection method using multi-frequency impedance measurements is capable of detecting mycobacteria faster than current commercial systems.
The Modern Research Data Portal: a design pattern for networked, data-intensive science

We describe best practices for providing convenient, high-speed, secure access to large data via research data portals. We capture these best practices in a new design pattern, the Modern Research Data Portal, that disaggregates the traditional monolithic web-based data portal to achieve orders-of-magnitude increases in data transfer performance, support new deployment architectures that decouple control logic from data storage, and reduce development and operations costs. We introduce the design pattern; explain how it leverages high-performance data enclaves and cloud-based data management services; review representative examples at research laboratories and universities, including both experimental facilities and supercomputer sites; describe how to leverage Python APIs for authentication, authorization, data transfer, and data sharing; and use coding examples to demonstrate how these APIs can be used to implement a range of research data portal capabilities. Sample code at a companion web site, https://docs.globus.org/mrdp, provides application skeletons that readers can adapt to realize their own research data portals.
Fracture Studies Combining Photoelasticity and Coherent Gradient Sensing for Stress Determination

An experimental study of in-plane tensorial stress determination from full-field phase-shifting photoelasticity and transmission Coherent Gradient Sensing (CGS) for stress intensity factor estimation is presented. Phase-shifting photoelasticity determines principal stress directions and the difference of principal stresses, while transmission CGS measures the x and y first derivatives of the sum of principal stresses. Combining these two methods for the same field of view allows for principal stress separation and, using the principal stress directions, the full in-plane stress tensor. The present study, which is the first experimental study for full-field tensorial stress determination around sharp cracks in a photoelastic material, applies this hybrid method for millimeter-scale fields of view including Mode I-dominant cracks in Homalite-100, a linear elastic brittle bulk polymer. The cases presented here range in Mode I stress intensity factor from about one-quarter of the fracture toughness to just below the fracture toughness. This experimental method can detect and determine mode-mixity ratios as small as 0:0043 with a range of –0:010 to 0:020. The experimental stress fields have excellent global agreement with the full-field 2D asymptotic crack solution using the experimentally calculated Mode I and Mode II stress intensity factors.
The Next Generation ETF Student-Managed Investment Program

Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are well suited for trading in student-managed investment funds (SMIFs). Unlike other forms of security selection, ETF trading provides efficient trading of portfolios by asset classes, subclasses, investment style, countries, regions, and sectors. The learning experience from trading ETFs based on global macroeconomic themes enhances the learning experience of economics students by requiring application of macroeconomics, industrial organization, international economics, and econometrics. This article presents the structure, tools, and results of an ETF trading program implemented by the economics and finance departments at the University of Richmond. Although this SMIF example uses ETF funds as a learning medium for undergraduates, the investment process with ETFs is also well suited to small individual investors.
Dawn‐Dusk Auroral Oval Oscillations Associated With High‐Speed Solar Wind

We report evidence of global-scale auroral oval oscillations in the millihertz range, using global auroral images acquired from the Ultraviolet Imager on board the decommissioned Polar satellite and concurrent solar wind measurements. On the basis of two events (15 January 1999 and 6 January 2000) studied, it is found that (1) quasi-periodic auroral oval oscillations (approximately 3 megahertz) can occur when solar wind speeds are high at northward or southward interplanetary magnetic field turning, (2) the oscillation amplitudes range from a few to more than 10 degrees in latitudes, (3) the oscillation frequency is the same for each event irrespective of local time and without any azimuthal phase shift (i.e., propagation), (4) the auroral oscillations occur in phase within both the dawn and dusk sectors but 180 degrees out of phase between the dawn and dusk sectors, and (5) no micropulsations on the ground match the auroral oscillation periods. While solar wind conditions favor the growth of the Kelvin-Helmholtz (K-H) instability on the magnetopause as often suggested, the observed wave characteristics are not consistent with predictions for K-H waves. The in-phase and out-of-phase features found in the dawn-dusk auroral oval oscillations suggest that wiggling motions of the magnetotail associated with fast solar winds might be the direct cause of the global-scale millihertz auroral oval oscillations. Plain Language Summary: We utilize global auroral image data to infer the motion of the magnetosphere and show, for the first time, the entire magnetospheric tail can move east-west in harmony like a windsock flapping in wind. The characteristic period of the flapping motion may be a major source of global long-period ULF (Ultra Low Frequency) waves, adding an extra source of the global mode ULF waves.
Genome-wide analysis of insomnia disorder.

Insomnia is a worldwide problem with substantial deleterious health effects. Twin studies have shown a heritable basis for various sleep-related traits, including insomnia, but robust genetic risk variants have just recently begun to be identified. We conducted genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of soldiers in the Army Study To Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers (STARRS). GWAS were carried out separately for each ancestral group (EUR, AFR, LAT) using logistic regression for each of the STARRS component studies (including 3,237 cases and 14,414 controls), and then meta-analysis was conducted across studies and ancestral groups. Heritability (SNP-based) for lifetime insomnia disorder was significant (h2g = 0.115, p = 1.78 × 10−4 in EUR). A meta-analysis including three ancestral groups and three study cohorts revealed a genome-wide significant locus on Chr 7 (q11.22) (top SNP rs186736700, OR = 0.607, p = 4.88 × 10−9) and a genome-wide significant gene-based association (p = 7.61 × 10−7) in EUR for RFX3 on Chr 9. Polygenic risk for sleeplessness/insomnia severity in UK Biobank was significantly positively associated with likelihood of insomnia disorder in STARRS. Genetic contributions to insomnia disorder in STARRS were significantly positively correlated with major depressive disorder (rg = 0.44, se = 0.22, p = 0.047) and type 2 diabetes (rg = 0.43, se = 0.20, p = 0.037), and negatively with morningness chronotype (rg = −0.34, se = 0.17, p = 0.039) and subjective well being (rg = -0.59, se = 0.23, p = 0.009) in external datasets. Insomnia associated loci may contribute to the genetic risk underlying a range of health conditions including psychiatric disorders and metabolic disease.
Vitamin D and Parathyroid Hormone

Parathyroid hormone (PTH), vitamin D, and magnesium interact at several levels at the whole organism level. The classical actions of PTH on bone, kidney, and gut are dependent upon adequate status of both vitamin D and magnesium. At the same time, high PTH activity increases the requirement for vitamin D and low vitamin D status is commonly associated with both subclinical magnesium deficiency and increased PTH activity.
Towards temporally-coherent video matting

Extracting temporally-coherent alpha mattes in video is an important but challenging problem in post-production. Previous video matting systems are highly sensitive to initial conditions and image noise, thus cannot reliably produce stable alpha mattes without temporal jitter. In this paper we propose an improved video matting system which contains two new components: (1) an accurate trimap propagation mechanism for setting up the initial matting conditions in a temporally-coherent way; and (2) a temporal matte filter which can improve the temporal coherence of the mattes while maintaining the matte structures on individual frames. Experimental results show that compared with previous methods, the two new components lead to alpha mattes with better temporal coherence.
Use of Hepatitis C Positive Organs: Patient Attitudes in Urban Chicago.

Background Hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected organs are being transplanted in patients with and without HCV in the direct-acting antiviral era. Little is known about patient attitudes towards receiving an HCV-positive organ. Objectives The aim of this study is to determine transplant candidates' attitudes towards receiving HCV-positive organs. Methods Adult solid organ transplant candidates were identified during a clinic visit or during outpatient hemodialysis from May to December 2017. Willing participants completed a survey. Descriptive analysis including mean and median for continuous variables and frequencies for categorical variables were calculated by the appropriate statistical method and compared across willing, unsure, and unwilling patients and between willing and unsure/unwilling patients. Results Fifty patients were surveyed with median age 54.5 years (range 32-77). Eighty-eight percent were awaiting kidney transplant, and 12% were awaiting other organs. Median waitlist time was 39.8 months (range 1.7-203 months). Most patients (90%) had prior knowledge of HCV, but only 60% knew it was curable. Forty-six percent were willing, 30% were unsure, and 24% were unwilling to receive an HCV-positive organ. Those willing to accept an HCV-positive organ were significantly older, Caucasian, had shorter waitlist times, and had greater physician trust than those that were unsure/unwilling. Similar worries, such as HCV incurability, insurance coverage, fears over the organ not working, and post-transplant death, were expressed in both the willing and unsure/unwilling patients. Conclusions The availability of HCV-positive organs may expand the donor pool and decrease waitlist times and mortality. These data highlight the need for patient education towards use of these organs.
Maternal and Reproductive Rights: Ebola and the Law in Liberia

Liberia, Africa’s oldest republic founded by freed Black slaves and the American Colonisation Society, was stunted by a civil war that killed 250,000 people and displaced another 850,000 between 1989 and 2003. In 2005, Liberia made headlines for being the first African country to democratically elect a female president. However, the Ebola virus descended upon Liberia on 30 March, 2014. Almost 2 years after, Liberia was the outbreak’s hardest hit country with 10,666 cases and 4806 deaths. The Global Fund for Women suggests 75% of those who died from Ebola were women, with past studies revealing that a mortality rate among pregnant women could be as high as 93.3%. Of the 184 health workers who died, nurses and nursing aids (mostly females) accounted for the highest proportion (35%) of the 810 Ebola health worker cases reported by mid-August 2014. During the Ebola outbreak, both the World Health Organisation and the government of Liberia declared a “public health emergency,” providing an opportunity to canvass various fields of law responsive to the threat of the disease and strengthen public health security. The World Health Organisation declared Liberia Ebola-free for the fourth time on 14 January, 2016. Despite having a crippled health system, an outdated Public Health Act, extremely low numbers of health workers, and under-funded government institutions of health and social welfare, Liberia stands out as a success story in curbing the Ebola outbreak. This chapter examines the extent to which international, regional, and national law and policy impacted upon and contributed to reproductive and maternal health outcomes of girls and women during the Ebola crisis in Liberia.
Environment monitoring in a cell therapy manufacturing facility – 3 year data analysis

Background & Aim To study the Environment Monitoring (EM) activities in a hospital-based Cell Therapy Manufacturing Facility (mainly processes islet cells and HPC(s), to ensure compliance with FACT (03/2018), ISO14644 (12/2015), validation standards and facility EM SOP. Methods, Results & Conclusion Methods Available EM data from 08/2014 to 12/2017 analyzed, including initial validation EM by vendor. EM are normally performed on a monthly basis, while some months had partial or no EM done due to facility construction, schedule conflicts, or machine error. EM includes particle count (PC), air sampling (AS), contact plate bacterial & fungal (CP). See Image 1 for routine EM locations. CR: Cleanroom; GR: Gown Room; DR: Degown Room; BSC: Biosafety Cabinet. Results In the 41 months, 37 months of particle counts, 40 months of Air Sampling, 38 months of contact plate data were analyzed. Among them, (1) One was In-Process EM, all the others were At Rest EM. The In-Process particle counts were significantly higher than those At-Rest. (2) All critical ISO 5 areas were all within expected ranges for all three EM parameters. (3) Two deviations filed due to high air sampling counts, and both passed after improving operator technique and after facility cleaning. (4) In this 3 year data, particle counts and contact plates results are trending low or stable, within expected range, while Air Sampling results had some fluctuations, see Image 2 and 3. (5) Besides the regular/routine sampling locations, several non-routine sampling locations were also sampled, which detected “mold” in Incubator, “>100 CFU” in freezer, and both repeated “0 CFU” count after equipment decontamination. See Image 3. Conclusion (1) The facility's EM program monitors particulates, microbial contamination, with proper sampling sites, frequency, investigative and corrective actions when specified limits exceeded. (2) All BSC data were satisfactory and safe for cell therapy manufacturing processes. (3) Gown Room and Degown Room were built per ISO 8, and met ISO 7 requirements. (4) More In-Process EM shall be performed to provide baseline data during manufacturing. (5) Non-routine sampling in ISO unclassified areas helps detect suspected/ at risk areas, and help improve the cleanliness of the facility.
Ticks provide insight into human coagulation.

If you want to identify novel anticoagulant mechanisms, you should ask the experts: hemovores. In this issue of Blood, De Paula and colleagues delineate the unique mechanism by which the tick salivary anticoagulant Ixolaris inhibits the initiation of clotting, by blocking the tissue factor (TF)/factor VIIa (FVIIa) complex from activating factor X (FX) to FXa (see figure).1 Ixolaris is a Kunitz-type protease inhibitor, with similarity to human tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI). TFPI inhibits TF/FVIIa through a 2-step mechanism.2 First, TF/FVIIa activates some FXa. Next, the first Kunitz domain (K1) and the second Kunitz domain (K2) of TFPI simultaneously bind the FVIIa and FXa active sites, respectively, forming the inhibitory TF/FVIIa/FXa/TFPI quaternary complex. In this way, TFPI allows some FXa generation before TF/FVIIa inhibition can be achieved. The tick Ixodes scapularis, the common deer tick that is a vector for Lyme disease, utilizes a variation of this mechanism to more completely prevent coagulation in its prey. Its salivary protein Ixolaris forms a similar inhibitory quaternary complex, but, unlike TFPI, does not require FX activation.3 Rather, Ixolaris binds either FX or FXa with similar affinity.
Comparison of Parkinson's Disease Patients' Characteristics by Indication for Deep Brain Stimulation: Men Are More Likely to Have DBS for Tremor.

Background We investigated whether the characteristics of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients differ based on the primary indication for deep brain stimulation (DBS). Methods We reviewed data for 149 consecutive PD patients who underwent DBS at the University of Virginia. Patients were categorized based on primary surgical indication, and clinical characteristics were compared between groups. Results Twenty-nine (93.5%) of 31 PD patients who underwent DBS for medication refractory tremor were men, and 66 (62.3%) of 106 PD patients who underwent DBS for motor fluctuations were men (p = 0.001). Other primary indications for DBS were tremor and fluctuations (n = 5), medication intolerance (n = 5), and dystonia (n = 2). Discussion Patients who underwent DBS for medication refractory tremor were predominantly men, while patients who had DBS for motor fluctuations approximated the gender distribution of PD. Possible explanations are that men with PD are more likely to develop medication refractory tremor or undergo surgery for medication refractory tremor in PD compared to women.
Repair of ischemic ventricular septal defect with and without coronary artery bypass grafting

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY Ventricular septal defect (VSD) following myocardial infarction (MI) is a relatively infrequent complication with high mortality. We sought to investigate the effect of concomitant coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) on outcomes following post-MI VSD repair. METHODS Electronic search was performed to identify all relevant studies published from 2000 to 2018. Sixty-seven studies were selected for the analysis comprising 2174 patients with post-MI VSD. Demographic information, perioperative variables, and outcomes including survival data were extracted and pooled for systematic review and meta-analysis. RESULTS Single-vessel disease was most common (47%, 95% confidence interval [CI], 42-52), left anterior descending coronary artery was the most commonly involved vessel (55%, 95% CI, 46-63), and anterior wall was the most commonly affected territory (57%, 95% CI, 51-63). Concomitant CABG was performed in 52% (95% CI, 46-57) of patients. Of these, infarcted territory was re-vascularized in 54% (95% CI, 23-82). A residual/recurrent shunt was present in 29% (95% CI, 24-34) of patients. Of these, surgical repair was performed in 35% (95% CI, 28-41) and transcatheter repair in 11% (95% CI, 6-21). Thirty-day mortality was 30% (95% CI, 26-35) in patients who had preoperative coronary angiogram, and 58% (95% CI, 43-71) in those who did not (P < .01). No significant survival difference observed between those who had concomitant CABG vs those without CABG. CONCLUSIONS Concomitant CABG did not have a significant effect on survival following VSD repair. Revascularization should be weighed against the risks associated with prolonged cardiopulmonary bypass.
Selpercatinib Aimed at RET-Altered Cancers.

A remarkable increase has occurred in the number of highly targeted drugs that have efficacy in patients with advanced cancers that harbor specific genomic alterations. Prime examples are the NTRK ...
What is Standard Brownian Motion

In this expository note, we explain several different historical approaches to the construction of standard Brownian motion.
Hospitals Must Do More to Protect the Emotional Well-Being of Intellectually Disabled Patients with COVID-19

Working at a large university hospital during the coronavirus pandemic, we have seen how people with intellectual disabilities (PWID) have been affected by COVID. PWID are four times as likely to g...
A new measurement approach for validating satellite-based above-cloud aerosol optical depth

Abstract. The retrieval of aerosol parameters from passive satellite instruments in cloudy scenes is challenging, partly because clouds and cloud-related processes may significantly modify aerosol optical depth (AOD) and particle size, a problem that is further compounded by 3D radiative processes. Recent advances in retrieval algorithms such as the “color ratio” method, which utilizes the measurements at a shorter (470 nm) and a longer (860 nm) wavelength, have demonstrated the simultaneous derivation of AOD and cloud optical depth (COD) for scenes in which absorbing aerosols are found to overlay low-level cloud decks. This study shows simultaneous retrievals of above-cloud aerosol optical depth (ACAOD) and aerosol-corrected cloud optical depth (COD) from airborne measurements of cloud-reflected and sky radiances using the color ratio method. These airborne measurements were taken over marine stratocumulus clouds with NASA's Cloud Absorption Radiometer (CAR) during the SAFARI 2000 field campaign offshore of Namibia. The ACAOD is partitioned between the AOD below-aircraft (AOD_cloudtop) and above-aircraft AOD (AOD_sky). The results show good agreement between AOD_sky and sun-photometer measurements of the above-aircraft AOD. The results also show that the use of aircraft-based sun-photometer measurements to validate satellite retrievals of the ACAOD is complicated by the lack of information on AOD below aircraft. Specifically, the CAR-retrieved AOD_cloudtop captures this “missing” aerosol layer caught between the aircraft and cloud top, which is required to quantify above-cloud aerosol loading and effectively validate satellite retrievals. In addition, the study finds a strong anticorrelation between the AOD_cloudtop and COD for cases in which COD 10 and a weaker anticorrelation for COD > 10, which may be associated with the uncertainties in the color ratio method at lower AODs and CODs. The influence of 3D radiative effects on the retrievals is examined, and the results show that at cloud troughs, 3D effects increase retrieved ACAOD by about 3 %–11 % and retrieved COD by about 25 %. The results show that the color ratio method has little sensitivity to 3D effects at overcast stratocumulus cloud decks. These results demonstrate a novel airborne measurement approach for assessing satellite retrievals of aerosols above clouds, thereby filling a major gap in global aerosol observations.
Osteonecrosis of the jaw risk factors in bisphosphonate-treated patients with metastatic cancer.

Background A case-control study was performed to define clinical and genetic risk factors associated with osteonecrosis of the jaw in patients with metastatic cancer treated with bisphosphonates. Methods Clinical data and tissues were collected from patients treated with bisphosphonates for metastatic bone disease who were diagnosed with osteonecrosis of the jaw (cases) and matched controls. Clinical data included patient, behavioral, disease, and treatment information. Genetic polymorphisms in CYP2C8 (rs1934951) and other candidate genes were genotyped. Odds ratios from conditional logistic regression models were examined to identify clinical and genetic characteristics associated with case or control status. Results The study population consisted of 76 cases and 126 controls. In the final multivariable clinical model, patients with osteonecrosis of the jaw were less likely to have received pamidronate than zoledronic acid (odds ratio = 0.18, 95% Confidence interval: 0.03-0.97, p = .047) and more likely to have been exposed to bevacizumab (OR = 5.15, 95% CI: 1.67-15.95, p = .005). The exploratory genetic analyses suggested a protective effect for VEGFC rs2333496 and risk effects for VEGFC rs7664413 and PPARG rs1152003. Conclusions We observed patients with ONJ were more likely to have been exposed to bevacizumab and zoledronic and identified potential genetic predictors that require validation prior to clinical translation.
Can Sentiment Analysis and Options Volume Anticipate Future Returns

This paper evaluates the question of whether sentiment extracted from social media and options volume anticipates future asset return. The research utilized both textual based data and a particular market data derived call-put ratio, collected between July 2009 and September 2012. It shows that: (1) features derived from market data and a call-put ratio can improve model performance, (2) sentiment derived from StockTwits, a social media platform for the financial community, further enhances model performance, (3) aggregating all features together also facilitates performance, and (4) sentiment from social media and market data can be used as risk factors in an asset pricing framework.
Processing-Based Synchronization Approach for Bistatic Radar Glacial Tomography

We develop and test a bistatic radar system and processing chain that recovers weak echoes at large antenna separations, which is a necessary step towards high precision temperature inversions. Traditional ice penetrating radars have limited capacity to infer temperature distributions because monostatic measurements do not provide sufficient information to resolve the depth-dependent ice temperature profile. Bistatic radar introduces quasi-independent measurements that can address this challenge, but existing systems are unable to attain the large antenna separations necessary to resolve the small temperature gradients important to glaciological processes. Existing bistatic systems are either limited in antenna separation by losses in synchronization cables or by poor signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) for unsynchronized systems. We address this challenge through coherent summation of phase re-aligned signals to recover the basal and internal layer reflections at large antenna separations without requiring hardware synchronization. The system consists of an Autonomous Phase-sensitive Radio Echo Sounder (ApRES) as the transmitter and a Software Defined Radio (SDR) as the receiver. We assess the system's capacity to achieve high SNRs and large offsets at Whillans Ice Stream, West Antarctica, with up to a 1.3 km antenna separation. This experiment charts a course for even larger antenna separations to resolve small temperature signals with high fidelity.
Evaluation of a Transportation Incentive Program for Affordable Housing Residents

This study looks at initial results from the Transportation Wallet for Residents of Affordable Housing pilot program launched by the City of Portland’s Bureau of Transportation. The program provide...
Why We Love It Here: Exploration of Affection and Attachment in a Brazilian Urban Periphery

This research interprets the marginalized neighborhood of Serrinha as a place in the city of Florianopolis, Brazil, by examining the relations between the physical neighborhood and internal social networks. I use concepts from the anthropology of materiality and an interdisciplinary understanding of place attachment to examine how the social and physical dimensions of place coalesce within Serrinha. I employ data from eight weeks of ethnographic research and Scannell and Gifford’s tripartite model of place attachment to frame the everyday experiences and affects of Serrinha residents, especially to illustrate Serrinha outside of the typical stereotypes of favelas. In doing so, the study analyzes the symbolic significance of brick as the material of choice for Serrinha’s self-built houses and asserts that the brick is a metaphor for local and global relationships. Ultimately, this research argues that autoconstruction of the house with brick constitutes a significant social and emotional process of attachment in Serrinha.
Instagram and Spine Fusion: An Analysis of Social Media and Its Relationship to Patient Perception of Surgery

Study Design:Cross sectional study.Objectives:To analyze posts shared on Instagram referencing spinal fusion for tone, gender, activities of daily living (ADLs), rehabilitation, incision, pain, neu...