cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Role of FDG-PET in Hodgkin Lymphoma S/P Autologous Hematopoietic Cell Transplant (HCT) as a Predictor of Outcome.

Abstract The role of PET scans in Hodgkin Lymphoma (HL), especially after autologous HCT, is undefined. Positron emission tomographic (PET) scanning has increasingly become a promising non-invasive modality for the monitoring of patients with HL. Whole body PET scans have been reported to have increased sensitivity and accuracy as compared to conventional staging methods for the initial staging of HL. The sensitivity of PET is reported as 86% compared to 37% for CT, while the specificity has been reported as 96.5% compared to 99.7% for CT. The purpose of this study was to investigate the utility of PET scanning in relapsed HL s/p autologous HCT as a prognostic indicator of transplant outcome. Here, we describe a single institution retrospective analysis of 55 patients with HL who had FDG-PET scans after stem cell transplantation. Patients/Methods: Between 1/94 and 12/06, 55 patients with refractory or relapsed Hodgkin Lymphoma underwent an autologous HCT at our institution. They each had a FDG-PET approximately one month following stem cell transplant to evaluate for response following HCT. Patients were placed into two separate categories depending on results of the PET scan. The incidence and timing of relapse, disease free survival, and overall survival were assessed. Results: A total of 55 patients were evaluated post autologous HCT with a median age of 32 years (ranging from 15–66) with a median follow-up of 26 months. The patients were divided into two groups based on FDG-PET activity. Twenty-nine patients had no evidence of activity post transplant, while twenty-six patients had evidence of activity. The median DFS and OS of the PET negative group were 35.8 months and 35.8 months, respectively. The median DFS and OS of the PET positive group were 18.1 months and 10.1 months, respectively. There were statistically significant differences between the two groups when comparing their DFS and OS (p=0.0035 and p=0.004), in favor of the PET negative group. There were 2 relapses in the PET negative group and 9 relapses in the PET positive group (see figures). Conclusion: We conclude that FDG-PET scan performed after autologous HCT for patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma strongly predicted transplant outcome. Patients with any significant PET uptake are at high risk of treatment failure and should be considered for additional treatment with strong contemplation for participation in clinical trials. Download : Download high-res image (93KB) Download : Download full-size image
Effectiveness of weight loss intervention in highly-motivated people.

Abstract A variety of approaches have been implemented to address the rising obesity epidemic, with limited success. I consider the success of weight loss efforts among a group of highly motivated people: those required to lose weight in order to qualify for a life-saving kidney transplantation. Out of 246 transplantation centers, I identified 156 (63%) with explicit body mass index (BMI) requirements for transplantation, ranging from 30 to 50 kg/m 2 . Using the United States national registry of transplant candidates, I examine outcomes for 29,608 obese deceased-donor transplant recipients between 1990 and 2010. I use value-added models to deal with potential endogeneity of center choice, in addition to correcting for sample selection bias arising from focusing on transplant recipients. Outcome variables measure BMI level and weight change (in BMI) between initial listing and transplantation. I hypothesize that those requiring weight loss to qualify for kidney transplantation will be most likely to lose weight. I find that the probability of severe and morbid obesity (BMI ≥ 35 kg/m 2 ) decreases by 4 percentage points and the probability of patients achieving any weight loss increases by 22 percentage points at centers with explicit BMI eligibility criteria. Patients are also 13 percentage points more likely to accomplish clinically relevant weight loss of at least 5% of baseline BMI by transplantation at these centers. Nonetheless, I estimate an average decrease in BMI of only 1.7 kg/m 2 for those registered at centers with BMI requirements. Further analyses suggest stronger intervention effects for patients whose BMI at listing exceeds thresholds as the distance from their BMI to the thresholds increases. Even under circumstances with great potential returns for weight loss, transplant candidates exhibit modest weight-loss. This suggests that, even in high-stakes environments, weight loss remains a challenge for the obese, and altering individual incentives may not be sufficient.
Pulse Oximetry: Beyond SpO2.

Newer pulse oximetry technology is available that uses multiple wavelengths of light and is thereby able to measure more than 2 forms of hemoglobin, including carboxyhemoglobin (SpCO), methemoglobin (SpMet), and total hemoglobin (SpHb). Several studies have shown relatively low bias, but poor precision, for SpCO compared with HbCO. Evaluations of SpMet have been conducted primarily in normal subjects. Clinical evaluations of SpHb suggest that it might not yet be accurate enough to make transfusion decisions. Respiratory waveform variability of the pulse oximeter plethysmogram might be useful to assess pulsus paradoxus in patients with airway obstruction; it might also be used to measure the breathing frequency. The change in pulse pressure over the respiratory cycle has been used to assess fluid responsiveness in mechanically ventilated patients, and similarly, the pulse oximetry plethysmogram waveform amplitude variability might be used to assess fluid responsiveness. However, there are limitations to this approach, and it remains to be determined how well it can be applied clinically using existing pulse oximetry technology. The pulse oximeter signal is probably useful for applications beyond SpO2 However, the current technology is not mature, and improvements are necessary. With technology improvements, the use of pulse oximetry to detect SpCO, SpMet, SpHb, pulsus paradoxus, breathing frequency, and fluid responsiveness is likely to improve in the future.
“Partially Matched” US Senior Diagnostic Radiology Applicants: Scope of the Problem and Implications for Applicants, Residency Training Programs, and the Academic Diagnostic Radiology Community

Abstract Rationale and Objectives Anecdotal reports have recently surfaced of an increase in the number of US senior diagnostic radiology (DR)–bound residency applicants who did not secure a preliminary year position through the Main Resident Match (the Match) of the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP), so-called "partial matches." This study sought to determine the scope of this phenomenon and address potential causes and solutions. Materials and Methods Publicly available and proprietary data from the National Resident Matching Program were analyzed from 2005-2016 to determine the number of partially matched US senior applicants, selectivity of DR residency training, availability of preliminary year positions, number of unique preliminary year applicants, distribution of preliminary year matches by successfully matched applicants in relevant specialties (DR, anesthesiology, dermatology, neurology, physical medicine and rehabilitation, and radiation oncology), and percentage of categorical training programs participating in the Match. Results Since 2012, there has been a trend toward an increase in the number of partially matched US senior DR applicants, with a transitory recovery in the 2015 Match. Although possible explanations for this increase are proposed, a definitive etiology remains elusive. Strategies to offset this phenomenon include advising perceived at-risk applicants to apply more broadly to preliminary year positions, creating more categorical training positions, abolishing the preliminary year requirement, and drawing high-caliber medical students to the field. Conclusions Although a definitive explanation for a recent increase in partial matches remains elusive, strategies exist for DR applicants, residency programs, and the DR academic community to minimize this risk.
Nanowire-based thermoelectrics

Research on thermoelectrics has seen a huge resurgence since the early 1990s. The ability of tuning a material's electrical and thermal transport behavior upon nanostructuring has led to this revival. Nevertheless, thermoelectric performances of nanowires and related materials lag far behind those achieved with thin-film superlattices and quantum dot-based materials. This is despite the fact that nanowires offer many distinct advantages in enhancing the thermoelectric performances of materials. The simplicity of the strategy is the first and foremost advantage. For example, control of the nanowire diameters and their surface roughnesses will aid in enhancing their thermoelectric performances. Another major advantage is the possibility of obtaining high thermoelectric performances using simpler nanowire chemistries (e.g., elemental and binary compound semiconductors), paving the way for the fabrication of thermoelectric modules inexpensively from non-toxic elements. In this context, the topical review provides an overview of the current state of nanowire-based thermoelectrics. It concludes with a discussion of the future vision of nanowire-based thermoelectrics, including the need for developing strategies aimed at the mass production of nanowires and their interface-engineered assembly into devices. This eliminates the need for trial-and-error strategies and complex chemistries for enhancing the thermoelectric performances of materials.
Land cover stratification using Landsat Thematic Mapper data in Sahelian and Sudanian woodland and wooded grassland

A standard methodology for thematic mapping of natural vegetation using remotely sensed imagery and digital image processing was modified to account for the spatial and spectral properties of semi-arid landscapes, and tested in study areas in the Sahelian and Sudanian zones, Mali. A principal components transformation of registered wet and dry season Landsat TM images produced a set of synthetic spectral channels differentiating vegetation cover between seasons, and allowed areas with annual grass growth to be distinguished from areas with woody cover. The transformed data were statistically clustered and clusters were assigned to vegetation type and density categories. In a separate step, the images were manually interpreted to differentiate broad soil classes. Four statistics were compared to evaluate the accuracy of the maps based on sample points from air photos. For the relatively detailed categories initially defined, map accuracies were substandard; however, when vegetation density classes were aggregated, overall accuracy was around 90 percent, and class accuracy was greater than 80 percent for most classes. This method is suitable for stratification and inventory of woody biomass at a regional scale in semi-arid woodland and wooded grassland.
Green gentrification: Urban sustainability and the struggle for environmental justice, by Kenneth A. Gould and Tammy L. Lewis

This is a fine addition to the growing research literature that exposes the ways in which improvements to urban environments can produce and reproduce gaping social and economic inequalities even a...
Many associated primes of powers of primes

Abstract We construct families of prime ideals in polynomial rings for which the number of associated primes of the second power (or higher powers) is exponential in the number of variables in the ring.
Group testing case identification with biomarker information.

Abstract Screening procedures for infectious diseases, such as HIV, often involve pooling individual specimens together and testing the pools. For diseases with low prevalence, group testing (or pooled testing) can be used to classify individuals as diseased or not while providing considerable cost savings when compared to testing specimens individually. The pooling literature is replete with group testing case identification algorithms including Dorfman testing, higher-stage hierarchical procedures, and array testing. Although these algorithms are usually evaluated on the basis of the expected number of tests and classification accuracy, most evaluations in the literature do not account for the continuous nature of the testing responses and thus invoke potentially restrictive assumptions to characterize an algorithm’s performance. Commonly used case identification algorithms in group testing are considered and are evaluated by taking a different approach. Instead of treating testing responses as binary random variables (i.e., diseased/not), evaluations are made by exploiting an assay’s underlying continuous biomarker distributions for positive and negative individuals. In doing so, a general framework to describe the operating characteristics of group testing case identification algorithms is provided when these distributions are known. The methodology is illustrated using two HIV testing examples taken from the pooling literature.
Roger J. Boscovich and Friedrich Nietzsche: A Re-Examination

Though almost entirely overlooked, the influence of Roger Joseph Boscovich1 on Friedrich Nietzsche’s thought began early in Nietzsche’s years at Basel and lasted until his mental eclipse in early 1889. One would certainly include Arthur Schopenhauer, Richard Wagner, Johann Wolfgang Goethe, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Michel de Montaigne, Jacob Burckhardt, Benedict de Spinoza, David Friedrich Strauss, Blaise Pascal, and the French moral psychologist Paul Ree among those most often named as dominant figures in Friedrich Nietzsche’s intellectual development: Roger Joseph Boscovich plays a role of comparable importance to any of them, however, for his theory of natural philosophy supplies the basis for Nietzsche’s theory of the will to power. Nietzsche’s interest in Roger Joseph Boscovich survived the eventful Basel years, even as the former overcame strong influences from Wagner, Schopenhauer and others. Soon Nietzsche discovered another “predecessor,” Benedict de Spinoza. Thus, over the years, Boscovich and Spinoza became increasingly important to Nietzsche as intellectual forerunners.
New Air Traffic Management Concepts Analysis Methodology: Application to a Multi-Sector Planner in US Airspace

Several developments in the technologies supporting air traffic management (ATM) such as digital communication and improved positioning accuracy for aircraft, have enabled consideration of new organizational and functional operations. In order that these new organizational and functional operations be properly evaluated, efficient and effective methods need to be developed in support of systematic analysis of the new ways of managing air traffic. This paper provides such an evaluation method using Cognitive Systems Engineering (CSE) and discusses its application to new controller-team processes. One such consideration of a new controller-team process is a modification of the standard air traffic control team to include a multi-sector planner (MSP) position. This MSP is being investigated in several research and field studies both in Europe and in the US The feasibility and effectiveness of two of these concept variations were investigated in the current study. The experiment consisted of a pair of one-wee...
The Elephant in the Room: The Need for Increased Integrative Therapies in Conventional Medical Settings

Pediatric integrative therapy programs are essential to the treatment and well-being of patients. Identifying an effective integrative therapy model within conventional pediatric medical settings, however, often proves difficult. Our goal in this article is to explore varied solutions to increase access and inclusion of integrative therapies in an effort to promote best practice and holistic care. The main methods applied in this article are vignettes that illustrate how the integrative therapies in a metropolitan academic hospital successfully treat the patient by complementing conventional medicine. This leads to comprehensive care. The central finding of the article proposes viable solutions to increase interdisciplinary collaboration both internally within the institution and externally. Integrative therapists detail how they were able to increase visibility and yield best practice through increased educational initiatives and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Bleb-Related Endophthalmitis: A 15-Year Review:

Purpose:The purpose of this study is to describe the patient characteristics, management, and outcomes of bleb-related endophthalmitis (BRE).Methods:A retrospective chart review was conducted of pa...
Deep Generative Model and Analysis of Cardiac Transmembrane Potential

It has been shown recently that inverse electrophysiological imaging can be improved by using a deep generative model learned in an unsupervised way so that cardiac transmembrane potential and underlying generative models could be simultaneously inferred from the ECG. The prior and conditional distributions learned in such a way are, however, directly affected by the architecture of neural network used in unsupervised learning. In this paper, we investigate the effect of architecture in learning representation and generalizing to new test cases. By comparing reconstruction of three types of sequence autoencoder, we show that different sequence autoencoders might be focusing on different aspects of TMP and might perform differently according to the metric used to measure reconstruction. We also analyze the latent space in different architectures and discuss important questions raised by these observations.
Environmental factor(s) and animal vector(s) associated with atypical Aeromonas hydrophila abundance and dissemination among channel catfish ponds

Fish‐eating birds prey and scavenge on catfish ponds with outbreaks of an emergent, atypical Aeromonas hydrophila (AAH) and may play a critical role in the pond‐to‐pond spread of AAH. The objectives of this study were to: (a) determine if great egrets that consumed AAH‐infected fish shed enough AAH in their feces to cause a disease outbreak and (b) determine the environmental factor(s) and animal vector(s) associated with epidemic AAH dissemination. Three experimental catfish ponds within an aviary facility were stocked with naive channel catfish fingerlings. Individually housed egrets were fed catfish fingerlings injected with AAH (treatment, Ponds 1 and 3) or uninfected catfish (control, Pond 2) and then placed in their ponds. Ponds 1 and 2 had no detectable fish mortality, whereas in Pond 3, mortality occurred on Days 15–29. Beginning on Day 15, AAH was recovered from fish, pond water, chironomids, aquatic invertebrates, snails, and mud from Pond 3. Egrets can transfer viable AAH between ponds, resulting in AAH colonization of invertebrates and fish mortality. This information is critical to understand the risk factors and epidemiology associated with the spread of AAH between catfish ponds and farms to develop best management practices for ponds before and after an AAH mortality event.
Asymmetric Dual Sensor Latency in Distributed Control

Considerable geographical separation between various phasor measurement unit sensor suites used in the wide-area damping control architecture results in time delays with varying steady-state and stochastic components. The consequences of asymmetric latent sensors used in a standard feedback configuration are presented, indicating that asymmetry of the delay provides not only a previously suspected modification to the argument of the loop transmission function, but also a potentially substantial impact on its modulus. Under particular delay configurations, the controller may experience the introduction of varying crossovers in the loop transmission, resulting in a shifting of control bandwidth and previously unconsidered (in)stability characteristics (e.g., alteration of relative stability margins). With consideration to the theoretical results provided, the optimal sensor location based on delay characteristics is provided. Finally, results of the study indicate that it is most frequently best practice to act on the most current sample in the feedback channel, rather than wait for precise time alignment of the delayed sensor.
BORIS Expression in Ovarian Cancer Precursor Cells Alters the CTCF Cistrome and Enhances Invasiveness through GALNT14 .

High-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC) is the most aggressive and predominant form of epithelial ovarian cancer and the leading cause of gynecological cancer death. We have previously shown that CTCFL (also known as BORIS, Brother of the Regulator of Imprinted Sites) is expressed in most ovarian cancers, and is associated with global and promoter-specific DNA hypomethylation, advanced tumor stage, and poor prognosis. To explore its role in HGSC, we expressed BORIS in human fallopian tube secretory epithelial cells (FTSEC), the presumptive cells of origin for HGSC. BORIS-expressing cells exhibited increased motility and invasion, and BORIS expression was associated with alterations in several cancer-associated gene expression networks, including fatty acid metabolism, TNF signaling, cell migration, and ECM-receptor interactions. Importantly, GALNT14, a glycosyltransferase gene implicated in cancer cell migration and invasion, was highly induced by BORIS, and GALNT14 knockdown significantly abrogated BORIS-induced cell motility and invasion. In addition, in silico analyses provided evidence for BORIS and GALNT14 co-expression in several cancers. Finally, ChIP-seq demonstrated that expression of BORIS was associated with de novo and enhanced binding of CTCF at hundreds of loci, many of which correlated with activation of transcription at target genes, including GALNT14. Taken together, our data indicate that BORIS may promote cell motility and invasion in HGSC via upregulation of GALNT14, and suggests BORIS as a potential therapeutic target in this malignancy. Implications: These studies provide evidence that aberrant expression of BORIS may play a role in the progression to HGSC by enhancing the migratory and invasive properties of FTSEC.
Utility of Histologic and Histochemical Screening for 16S Ribosomal RNA Gene Sequencing of Formalin-Fixed, Paraffin-Embedded Tissue for Bacterial Endocarditis.

Objectives 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) sequencing is a powerful but expensive tool for the identification of bacteria in culture-negative endocarditis. Histologic criteria to screen formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) specimens for testing are evaluated. Methods Sixty-eight cases of infective endocarditis and controls were histologically reviewed and analyzed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Results Sequencing identified a specific pathogenic organism in 33 (49%) of 68 cases with acute inflammation and in 0 of 10 controls (P = .004). Visualization of organisms by Gram or Grocott methenamine silver stains had the strongest association with positive sequencing, while antibiotic treatment effect and acid decalcification decreased sensitivity. Molecular identifications were concordant with blood culture results in 90% of the cases, and a positive sequencing result was obtained in approximately half of the cases with negative valve cultures. Conclusions Histologic screening criteria are extremely helpful for identifying cases likely to be positive by molecular testing and can provide significant cost savings in filtering out low-yield specimens.
Identification of proton transfer pathways in the X-ray crystal structure of the bacterial reaction center from Rhodobacter sphaeroides

Structural features that have important implications for the fundamental process of transmembrane proton transfer are examined in the recently published high resolution atomic structures of the reaction center (RC) from Rhodobacter sphaeroides in the dark adapted state (DQAQB) and the charged separated state (D+QAQB−); the latter is the active state for proton transfer to the semiquinone. The structures have been determined at 2.2 A and 2.6 A resolution, respectively, as reported by Stowell et al. (1997) [Science 276: 812–816]. Three possible proton transfer pathways (P1, P2, P3) consisting of water molecules and/or protonatable residues were identified which connect the QB binding region with the cytoplasmic exposed surface at Asp H224 & Asp M240 (P1), Tyr M3 (P2) and Asp M17 (P3). All three represent possible pathways for proton transfer into the RC. P1 contains an uninterrupted chain of water molecules. This path could, in addition, facilitate the exchange of quinone for quinol during the photocycle by allowing water to move into and out of the binding pocket. Located near these pathways is a cluster of electrostatically interacting acid residues (Asp-L213, Glu-H173, Asp-M17, Asp H124, Asp-L210 and Asp H170) each being within 4.5 A of a neighboring carboxylic acid or a bridging water molecule. This cluster could serve as an internal ‘proton reservoir’ facilitating fast protonation of QB− that could occur at a rate greater than that attainable by proton uptake from solution.
Nominal GDP targeting, real economic activity and inflation stabilization in a new Keynesian framework

Abstract This paper examines a nominal GDP growth targeting (NGDP-GT) rule, two Taylor types of rules and a strict inflation targeting regime in a New Keynesian model with the assumption of a positive rate of trend inflation. The model adopts a trend total factor productivity (TFP) growth to compare monetary policies in both high and low growth environments. Policy rankings are affected by the level of trend growth, the level of partial indexation to inflation and different specifications of the Taylor rule. NGDP-GT either outperforms other regimes or is weakly dominated by a desirable policy. Specifically, from the stability perspective, NGDP-GT is preferred compared to a Taylor type of rule and a strict inflation targeting regime in stabilizing the economy. It reduces inflation volatility by 25% or more while performs almost as well in stabilizing output and consumption relative to the Taylor rule. It produces at least 27% less fluctuations in output and consumption, and is almost as well as inflation targeting in stabilizing inflation. From the welfare perspective, when the Taylor rule takes the simple form, inflation targeting is the least desirable framework and NGDP-GT is weakly dominated by the Taylor rule. The conclusions are not conditioning on the trend growth rate or the level of inflation indexation. However, if the Taylor rule takes the form that interest rate responds to deviations of inflation and output growth (TR-II), when a TFP shock hits the economy and trend growth rate A = 1 , TR-II generates of the least welfare loss and NGDP-GT performs almost as well. When trend growth rate A ≠ 1 , NGDP-GT is the most desirable policy regime. When the economy is subject to a markup shock, and A ≥ 1 and (or) partial indexation to inflation η = 1 , TR-II dominates the other two regimes. For other cases, NGDP-GT is the desirable policy rule.
Sedimentary facies related to supercritical-flow bedforms in foreset slopes of a Gilbert-type delta (middle Pleistocene, central Japan)

Abstract Bedforms related to supercritical flows and hydraulic jumps have been increasingly recognized in various depositional environments. However, few ancient examples have been investigated in terms of the variations and transitions of supercritical-flow deposits. We present a detailed analysis of the sedimentary facies and stacking patterns of cyclic step, chute-and-pool, and antidune deposits of a coarse-grained Gilbert-type delta in the middle Pleistocene Kamiizumi Formation, Shimosa Group, central Japan. The Kamiizumi Formation was deposited during marine isotope stages 8–7.5 in the paleo-Tokyo Bay basin. We describe the following four facies and two facies successions in the foreset beds exposed at the study site. Planar-parallel stratification represents antidune to subcritical deposits from high-density flows. Deep scours infilled by steeply dipping backsets are interpreted as chute-and-pool deposits. Shallow, lenticular troughs infilled with backsets and foresets are interpreted as chute-and-pool and unstable antidune deposits. Lenticular units of fine sand with low-angle backsets of considerably greater wavelength than the other three facies are indicative of cyclic step deposits. One facies succession is characterized by chute-and-pool deposits alternating antidune to subcritical deposits formed during progradation of foresets. The lateral cyclicity of coarser-grained chute-and-pool deposits and finer grained antidune to subcritical deposits is characteristic of autogenic flow changes on progradational steep delta slopes. The other facies succession represents an aggradational delta succession from cyclic step deposits, to chute-and-pool deposits, to antidune to subcritical deposits. The vertical changes indicate decreasing flow velocity and may be the result of autogenic flow transitions during rapid aggradation. These facies changes resulted from the intrinsic instability of supercritical flows on steep foreset slopes at high depositional rates.
Disparities in mortality after abdominal aortic aneurysm repair are linked to insurance status.

Abstract Objective The objective of this study was to determine differences in mortality after abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair based on insurance type. Methods In this retrospective cohort study, data from all-payer patients in nonpsychiatric hospitals in New York, Maryland, Florida, Kentucky, and California from January 2007 to December 2014 (excluding California, ending December 2011) were extracted from the State Inpatient Databases, Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. There were 90,102 patients ≥18 years old with available insurance data who underwent open AAA repair or endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) identified using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification procedure codes 3844, 3925, and 3971. EVAR patients were identified using the procedure code 3971, and the remainder of cases were categorized as open. Patients were divided into cohorts by insurance type as Medicare, Medicaid, uninsured (self-pay/no charge), other, or private insurance. Patients were further stratified for subgroup analyses by procedure type. Unadjusted rates of in-hospital mortality, the primary outcome, as well as secondary outcomes, such as surgical urgency, 30-day and 90-day readmissions, length of stay, total charges, and postoperative complications, were examined by insurance type. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for in-hospital mortality were calculated using multivariate logistic regression models fitted to the data. The multivariate models included patient-, surgical-, and hospital-specific factors with bivariate baseline testing suggestive of association with insurance status in addition to variables that were selected a priori. Results Medicaid and uninsured patients had the highest rates of mortality relative to private insurance beneficiaries in all cohorts. Medicaid patients incurred a 47% increase in the odds of mortality, the highest among the insured, after all AAA repairs (OR, 1.47; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.23-1.76), whereas uninsured patients experienced a 102% increase in the odds of mortality (OR, 2.02; 95% CI, 1.54-2.67). Subgroup analyses for open AAA repair and EVAR corroborated that Medicaid insurance (open repair OR, 1.37 [95% CI, 1.14-1.64]; EVAR OR, 2.06 [95% CI, 1.40-3.04]) and uninsured status (open repair OR, 1.85 [95% CI, 1.35-2.54]; EVAR OR, 2.96 [95% CI, 1.82-4.81]) were associated with the highest odds of mortality after both procedures separately. Conclusions This study demonstrates that Medicaid insurance and uninsured status are associated with higher unadjusted rates and adjusted ORs for in-hospital mortality after AAA repair relative to private insurance status. Primary payer status therefore serves as an independent predictor of the risk of death subsequent to AAA surgical interventions.
UBSpot: A Universal Broadband Flying Hotspot Experimental Testbed Toward Programmable Aerial-Ground Wireless Networks

UAV-assisted wireless networking has been envisioned as a key technology to provide pervasive, elastic and spectrally-efficient network services in 5G-Beyond and Wireless Internet of Things (W-IoT). To enable rapid and repeatable experimentations for UAV-assisted wireless networking, in this article we propose UBSpot, a universal broadband flying hotspot for software-defined aerial-ground wireless networking in the microwave and mmWave frequency bands. The major components of UBSpot are described, including Data Plane, Mobility Plane, and Control Plane. A software-defined prototype of UBSpot is also presented.
Weight Stigma and the "Quarantine-15".

The coronavirus SARS‐CoV‐2 (i.e., COVID‐19) has caused significant disruption in everyday life on a global scale. Due to stay‐at‐home orders and sudden unemployment, millions have found themselves isolated at home without their usual routines. This rise in unstructured time, combined with the enormous stress of the pandemic and its far‐reaching consequences, have led to widespread concerns among the general public about vulnerability to overeating, sedentary behavior, and weight gain. These concerns are reflected in the explosion of social media posts referencing the “quarantine‐15.”
chapter 12 – Persistent Resources

Publisher Summary This chapter explains how to add persistence to the resources. The chapter starts by providing comparison of in-memory and persistent resources. Next, it provides an overview of the PersistentResource interface that must be implemented by persistent resources. Then, it shows how to add persistence to the MathService example. Finally, the chapter concludes by briefly discussing how to use resource caches to improve the application's performance. Having resources stored in memory can work fine in many cases, but there are also many cases where in-memory resources are not a good option. This type of resource has two main disadvantages: (1) they don't survive container restarts, and (2) they consume main memory. Persistent resources, on the other hand, reside in secondary storage such as files on a disk or a database. Persistent resources overcome the two disadvantages of in-memory resources: (1) they survive container restarts, and (2) they consume secondary storage. To make resources persistent, the resource class must implement the Persistent–Resource interface. The performance is improved by using a resource cache. A cache keeps some of the resources in-memory so that it doesn't have to access the disk every time it wants to use a resource.
The Association between Caregiver Role and Injury Severity after Non-Accidental Trauma

Introduction Although parents have been the main target for child abuse prevention, other caregivers are known to also be important contributors. The purpose of this study was to evaluate factors contributing to severe injury in non-accidental trauma and identify caregiver groups for child abuse injury education and prevention. Methods Records of children admitted to a children’s hospital between 2013 and 2015 for …
Significant Improvement in Rat Kidney Cold Storage Using UW Organ Preservation Solution Supplemented With the Immediate-Acting PrC-210 Free Radical Scavenger.

Ischemia-reperfusion injury, including injury from warm- and cold-ischemia (CI) organ storage, remains a significant problem for all solid organ transplants. Suppressing CI damage would reduce delayed graft function and increase the donor organ pool size. PrC-210 has demonstrated superior prevention of damage in several preclinical studies as an immediate-acting free-radical scavenger. Here, we describe its profound efficacy in suppressing CI injury in a rat kidney model. Methods Kidneys in 300 gm Sprague-Dawley rats were perfused in situ with UW solution with or without added PrC-210 and then stored at 4°C in the same solution for 0 to 48 hours. When procured, kidney-activated caspase-3 level (a marker of cell death) was measured, and direct histological analysis of kidneys was performed to assess PrC-210 protective efficacy. In vitro analyses of PrC-210-conferred protection to isolated rat kidneys or naked DNA were also performed. Results A single 15 seconds in situ perfusion of kidneys with 20 mmol/L PrC-210 in UW solution resulted in significant reductions in (1) 30-hour CI-induced kidney-activated caspase level (P < 0.0001); activated caspase was reduced to levels not significantly different than control activated caspase levels seen in unperturbed kidneys, (2) 30-hour CI-induced renal Tubular Injury Scores (P = 0.0004) where brush border and tubular necrosis were markedly reduced, (3) PrC-210 conferred 100% protection against ·OH damage to naked DNA and isolated kidney mitochondria while current UW solution antioxidants were without protective effect. Conclusions A single PrC-210-UW solution perfusion of rat kidneys upon removal from the rat profoundly reduced caspase and renal tubular injury in kidneys exposed to 30 hours of CI organ storage. These findings support further development of the PrC-210 molecule to suppress or to prevent ischemia-reperfusion injury in organ transplant and other ischemia-reperfusion injury settings.
Consumer defaults and social capital

Abstract Using account level data from a credit bureau, we study the role that social capital plays in consumer default decisions. We find that borrowers in communities with greater social capital are significantly less likely to default on loans, even after adjusting for different levels of income and other characteristics such as credit scores. The results are strongest for potentially strategic defaults on mortgages; a one standard deviation increase in social capital reduces such defaults by 12.4 %. These results can be generalized to any mortgage default. Our results also indicate that the effect of social capital is most prominent among more creditworthy borrowers, suggesting that when given a choice, the social cost of defaulting is an important factor affecting default decisions. We find a similar impact of social capital on consumer defaults in other datasets with more detailed information on borrowers as well. Our results are robust to modeling and methodology choices, as well as controlling for other drivers of default such as wealth, income and amenities from homeownership. Our results suggest that increasing social capital via measures to build community cohesion such as promotion of owner-occupied home ownership may be one avenue to deter consumer default.
Label-free optical detection of circulating tumor cell clusters using confocal back scatter and fluorescence flow cytometry

Rare circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and circulating tumor cells clusters (CTCCs) have been shown to increase the metastatic potential of tumors, with CTCCs increasing metastatic potential by 23 to 50 times. Due to the high metastatic potential of CTCCs, there is a growing interest in the detection and isolation of these clusters to improve diagnosis, stratification, and treatment of cancer patients. This study aims to utilize a custom confocal back scatter and fluorescence flow cytometer (CBSFFC) that will leverage the high sensitivity of flow cytometers for in vitro and in vivo detection of CTCCs without the use of exogenous contrast agents.
Behavioral Responses to Neural Circuit Control: Pitfalls and Possible Solutions

Highlighted Research Paper: Lewis AS, Calipari ES, Siciliano CA (2021) Toward Standardized Guidelines for Investigating Neural Circuit Control of Behavior in Animal Research.
Powerful, efficient QTL mapping in Drosophila melanogaster using bulked phenotyping and pooled sequencing

Despite the value of Recombinant Inbred Lines (RILs) for the dissection of complex traits, large panels can be difficult to maintain, distribute, and phenotype. An attractive alternative to RILs for many traits leverages selecting phenotypically-extreme individuals from a segregating population, and subjecting pools of selected and control individuals to sequencing. Under a bulked or extreme segregant analysis paradigm, genomic regions contributing to trait variation are revealed as frequency differences between pools. Here we describe such an extreme quantitative trait locus, or X-QTL mapping strategy that builds on an existing multiparental population, the DSPR (Drosophila Synthetic Population Resource), and involves phenotyping and genotyping a population derived by mixing hundreds of DSPR RILs. Simulations demonstrate that challenging, yet experimentally tractable X-QTL designs (>=4 replicates, >=5000 individuals/replicate, and a selection intensity of 5-10%) yield at least the same power as traditional RIL-based QTL mapping, and can localize variants with sub-centimorgan resolution. We empirically demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach using a 4-fold replicated X-QTL experiment that identifies 7 QTL for caffeine resistance. Two mapped X-QTL factors replicate loci previously identified in RILs, 6/7 are associated with excellent candidate genes, and RNAi knock-downs support the involvement of 4 genes in the genetic control of trait variation. For many traits of interest to drosophilists a bulked phenotyping/genotyping X-QTL design has considerable advantages.
Fiduciary Duty and Investment Advice: Will an Uniform Fiduciary Duty Make a Material Difference?

Debates continue over whether stockbrokers ("Brokers"), primarily regulated under the Exchange Act, should be bound by the same fiduciary duties as registered investment advisers ("Advisers"), primarily regulated under the Advisers Act, when advising retail customers. This Essay discusses the current suitability standard governing Broker’s recommendations and the fiduciary standards governing personalized investment advice provided by Advisers.While laudable, revisions to the suitability rule to explicitly require Brokers to act in the best interests of their clients seem unlikely to change behavior significantly. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 makes clear that even if the Securities Exchange Commission moves to harmonize the standards for Brokers and Advisers, a Broker’s commission "shall not, in and of itself, be considered a violation of [any fiduciary duty] applied to a broker-dealer" and that a broker-dealer would not be required to have a "continuing duty of care or loyalty to the customer after providing personalized investment advice about securities." Given these limitations, it appears unlikely that true uniformity will develop with differing compensation structures and the absence of continuing duties for Brokers. More meaningful reform options include, passing a single statute to govern governing investment advice, limiting the distorting financial incentives created by uneven commissions, and making both private and public enforcement options more consistent.
Decision Cases for Advanced Social Work Practice: Confronting Complexity, by Terry A. Wolfer, Lori D. Franklin, and Karen A. Gray

This very interesting book, Decision Cases for Advanced Social Work Practice, is a compilation of 15 comprehensive case examples, each one designed to help social workers think through a practice d...
Las Vegas Mon Amour

Here, the author uses the film/screenplay Hiroshima Mon Amourto discuss contemporary trends in Las Vegas. A new elitism/renaissance in the city can be contrasted against an absence of history/memory. New gambling technologies promote a smoother capitalism while simultaneously encouraging nostalgia and distracting players from considering the house's edge. Television has also gained greater importance in defining Las Vegas, both nationally and locally. These seemingly innocuous patterns, though, belie a core (yet often unspoken) truth: that what is commonly promoted as entertainment in Las Vegas is also destructive. The city is one that ethnographers should take more seriously as an expression of deep, contradictory currents in postmodern life.
A Revised Method for the “Quad” Stain

Since the original publication of this staining method (Stain Techn., 18, 95), various improvements have been made. These are chiefly in the formula for acid alizarine blue, Solution 2, given below and the composition of Solution 4. The author substituted ammonia alum for aluminum sulphate, and Richard C. Webster of our department did the work with the acetic-acid-sodium-acetate buffer. He found that the final staining solution of pH 2.9 gave the sharpest and bluest nuclei and clearest transparent and contrasting cytoplasm of a pinkish hue. With our previous formula, muscle fibrils often stained so deeply that they detracted from the value of the slides, made them too opaque and obscured the nuclei. This has now been overcome. This also allows the elastic tissue to show better and to contrast with muscle fibers. This is especially noted in studies of the heart and blood vessels.
Macrocytic-megaloblastic anemia in male B6C3F1 mice following chronic exposure to 1,3-butadiene

In the present study exposure to 1,3-butadiene (BD) resulted in a macrocytic-megaloblastic anemia in male B6C3F1 mice following chronic inhalation of 1250 ppm for 6 to 24 weeks. Treatment-related changes evident after 6 weeks of exposure included a decrease in circulating erythrocytes, total hemoglobin, and hematocrit and an increase in mean corpuscular volume. A leukopenia, due primarily to a decrease in segmented neutrophils, and a five- to sixfold increase in circulating micronuclei were observed after 6 and 24 weeks of exposure. These changes were not accompanied by a significant alteration in mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, an increase in circulating reticulocytes, or circulating nucleated erythrocytes. A consistent treatment-related alteration in bone marrow cellularity was not found. However, flow cytofluorometric analysis of bone marrow DNA cell cycle kinetics revealed a 44% increase in proliferative index relative to controls, due primarily to an increase in the proportion of cells in S phase. These findings are consistent with a treatment-related macrocytic-megaloblastic anemia and indicate the bone marrow to be an important target organ for BD toxicity.
The effect of pulsed versus gradual salinity reduction on the physiology and survival of Halophila johnsonii Eiseman

Plants of Halophila johnsonii Eiseman were exposed, in mesocosms, to either pulsed hyposalinity treatments of 30, 15, 10, and 8 or gradual salinity reductions of two every 2 days. When salinity was pulsed, survivorship (>80 %) and maximum quantum yields (>0.7) were high in the 30 and 15 salinity treatments, but both declined in the 10 and 8 salinity treatments. Leaf osmolality declined with respect to salinity treatment, but the difference between leaf and media osmolality remained relatively constant (675 ± 177 mmol kg−1). In contrast, when salinity was gradually reduced, survivorship remained high from salinities of 30 to 4, and maximum quantum yields remained high from salinities of 30 to 6. Leaf osmolality declined linearly with respect to media osmolality and, similar to the pulsed treatments, the difference between leaf and media osmolality remained relatively constant from salinities of 30 to 2 (638 ± 161 mmol kg−1). Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity declined over time in both pulsed and gradual salinity reduction. The results indicate that H. johnsonii is more tolerant of hyposalinity than has previously been reported and that gradually reducing salinity extended its low-salinity tolerance threshold by approximately a salinity of 10.