cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Variation in the oxytocin receptor gene moderates the protective effects of a family-based prevention program on telomere length.

Parent-child relationships with high conflict and low warmth and support are associated with later adverse behavioral and physiological child outcomes. These outcomes include shorter telomere lengths, the repetitive sequences at the ends of chromosomes that have been utilized as a biomarker for chronic stress. Our research group furthered this by exploring telomere length outcomes following a family-based prevention program and identified reduced telomere shortening 5 years post intervention among those originally exposed to nonsupportive parenting and randomized to the intervention condition. However, not all individuals respond equally, and a growing literature suggests genetic sensitivity to one's environment, with variations in the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) potentially influencing this sensitivity.We utilized data from African American youths (mean age 17) randomized to intervention (n = 100) or control condition (n = 91) with baseline assessments of genetic status and nonsupportive parenting, and 5-year follow-up assessments of telomere length.We found a significant three-way interaction between nonsupportive parenting, intervention condition, and OXTR rs53576 genotype. OXTR GG individuals, who are suggested to be more sensitive to their social environment, exhibited significantly more variability, evidencing the shortest telomeres when exposed to nonsupportive parenting and randomized to the control condition, and similar telomere lengths to non at-risk groups when randomized to the intervention. In contrast, those with the A allele showed no statistical difference in telomere lengths across parental and intervention conditions. Subsequent analyses suggest that these findings may be mediated through chronic anger, whereby GG individuals exposed to nonsupportive parenting and randomized to the control condition had a greater increase in chronic anger by study follow-up, compared to those in the intervention, and this change associated with greater telomere shortening.These findings highlight the importance of individual differences and potential role of genetic status in moderating the relationship between environmental contexts and biological outcomes.
Who, when, and how to reverse non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants.

Non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants (NOACs) have been a major addition to our therapeutic armamentarium. They are at least as effective as warfarin in the thromboprophylaxis of non-valvular atrial fibrillation and management of thromboembolic disease, with a more favorable safety profile. Their predictable pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics allow for a fixed oral dosing without the need for anticoagulation monitoring. A major concern regarding NOACs is the lack of a readily available antidote to reverse their anticoagulation effect in case of life-threatening bleeding or need for emergent surgery. In this review, we summarize preclinical and clinical data on (a) hemostatic agents used to reverse NOACs, and (b) novel, target-specific NOACs reversal agents under development. The prothrombin complex concentrates, activated prothrombin complex concentrates and recombinant activated factor VII are hemostatic agents that have been assessed in reversing NOACs. Preclinical studies with hemostatic agents report variable results and there is only limited clinical data available to date. Idarucizumab and andexanet alfa are NOAC-specific reversal agents designed to reverse dabigatran and factor Xa inhibitors accordingly. Aripazine is a universal anticoagulation reversal agent. Preclinical studies show promising results and these agents are already in different stages of clinical development. Phase I and II clinical trials demonstrate efficacy in reversing NOACs without major side effects. Until these agents become commercially available, management of patients receiving NOACs who present with major bleeding or require emergent surgery should focus on (a) immediate discontinuation of NOACs, (b) supportive measures or postponing surgery for 12–24 h after the last NOAC dose, and/or (c) consideration of hemostatic agents.
Third-order elastic constants of diamond determined from experimental data

Abstract The pressure derivatives of the second-order elastic constants (SOECs) of diamond were determined by analyzing previous sound velocity measurements under hydrostatic stress [McSkimin and Andreatch, J. Appl. Phys., vol. 43, 1972, pp. 2944] [ 4 ]. Our analysis corrects an error in the previously reported results. Using the corrected pressure derivatives, together with published data for the nonlinear elastic response of shock-compressed diamond [Lang and Gupta, Phys. Rev. Lett., vol. 106, 2011, pp. 125502] [ 3 ], a complete and corrected set of third-order elastic constants (TOECs) is presented that differs significantly from TOECs published previously.
Providing Feedback on Clinical Performance to Hospitalists: Experience Using a New Metric Tool to Assess Inpatient Satisfaction With Care From Hospitalists.

INTRODUCTION Physicians have been shown to possess limited ability for accurate self-assessment; thus, effective feedback is crucial for their professional development. This study describes providers' reflections on their data and evaluates the hospitalist physicians' impressions about receiving this feedback derived from a new survey metric specifically designed to obtain patient assessment of their treating hospitalist provider coupled with reflective sessions. METHODS Participants were 26 hospitalists from one institution. These physicians' data were used for the development and validation of a new metric, Tool to Assess Inpatient Satisfaction with Care from Hospitalists (TAISCH). Participants received a summary of ratings from patients for whom they were the primary provider. This was followed by a 15-minute semistructured telephone interview to discuss the data. Participants then completed an online survey to assess their perceptions about the data and the efficacy of the feedback. Both quantitative and qualitative results were analyzed. RESULTS All 26 providers reviewed their evaluation data, participated in the discussion of results by phone, and completed the online survey. Most (54%) agreed that TAISCH was superior to Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems in providing hints on how to improve the quality of the care and in providing detailed information about the performance in specific areas (62%). After stratifying hospitalists according to their performance, it was observed that those who scored better responded more favorably to the data. The two main themes that emerged from the qualitative analysis were "reflection on one's performance" and "feedback using TAISCH." DISCUSSION Most hospitalists in our study felt that TAISCH provided meaningful feedback.
Service Learning in Human Service Classes: Leading Student's Success

Service Learning is a form of application learning that applies what the students learned in the classroom to the real world in the context of a community service project. In recent years, Service Learning has been included in many academic disciplines throughout the United States. Most often these service-learning activities need students to use more than what they learned in the classroom to apply critical thinking on the real world cases. This requires the faculty to work on establishing community relationships to develop service-learning projects for relevant courses, site deputies to work closely with the professor and students, and students’ passion to apply theory to practice. This paper used the Ecological Model and demonstrates Service Learning designs for four human service classes at The University of Akron to help students’ success.
American Historians' Research on Popular Culture and Its Audiences

Popular Culture Studies has been a "popular" academic field in today's United Sates,and the relationship between popular culture and its audiences is an important topic in that field.American historians' research on this topic is not only about the narratives of some historical facts,but it is also an important window through which people trace the development of American historical theories.This article thus introduces and summarizes the major historical works holding contrasting views on the power of audiences,and gives a brief account of the development of American historians' research on popular culture and its audiences.By so doing,it helps us understand American historians'recent studies on popular culture in particular and on American culture in general.In addition,one branch of Western Marxism-Frankfurt School's view toward popular culture has a tremendous impact on American historians' research on audiences.
Inverted V peritoneotomy : significantly improves nodal yield in laparoscopic Pelvic lymphadenectomy

AbstractWe compared the nodal yield and volume of target tissue removed in 3 groups of patients undergoing laparoscopic pelvic lymphadenectomy as a staging procedure for carcinoma of the prostate. With the exception of the type of peritoneotomy used to expose the obturator fossa, surgical management of all patients was identical. Results were evaluated in patients undergoing linear peritoneotomy (40), inverted V peritoneotomy (14) or both procedures (28, 1 approach on each side). Significantly more tissue was removed from patients in the inverted V group (16.3 ± 8.3cm.3) compared to the linear peritoneotomy group (7.2 ± 5.7cm.3, ρ = 0.004). This resulted in a significant increase in nodal yield in patients in the inverted V group (11.0 ± 4.1) relative to the linear peritoneotomy group (6.8 ± 5.2, ρ = 0.003). In terms of the volume of tissue removed and the number of nodes obtained, combination patients had values intermediate to those in the other groups (11.6 ± 10.5cm.3 and 8.8 ± 5.6 nodes, respectively)...
Self-Contained Microelectrochemical Detectors for Analysis in Small Volumes of Static and Flowing Fluids

Microfabricated 10 and 53 µm-diameter and 8 µm-deep cavities (geometric volumes of 0.6 pL and 18 pL, respectively) with three individually-addressable electrodes perform electrochemical analysis in small volumes and convective solutions.
Participation, institutions, and syndromes of corruption

Opportunities, constraints, and corruption Understanding corruption in real social settings, and identifying the variations among cases that are most important, requires careful study of the contrasting political and economic opportunities available in various societies, of the people and groups who seek and use (or who are closed out of) them, and of the institutions and norms that influence their choices. But what are the most important contrasts? Varying techniques (bribery, patronage) or the locations within the state seem natural beginnings, but the prevalence of a particular technique or venue of corruption would seem to be a response to the opportunities and constraints present in a given situation. Categorizing corruption by the scale of benefits involved would require much more information than we typically have and still might not tell us very much: does a case of a given monetary value have the same significance where corruption is the rule compared to places where it is the exception – or in a country where state officials have the upper hand versus another where they are at the mercy of economic interests? Corruption may well follow some regional patterns – African/Asian contrasts are a prime example – but that is all the more reason to search for deeper influences. In this chapter I propose four corruption syndromes called “Influence Markets,” “Elite Cartels,” “Oligarchs and Clans,” and “Official Moguls.” These syndromes, and the names suggesting their distinctive aspects, reflect frequently encountered combinations of stronger or weaker participation and institutions.
Nuclear ERK5 inhibits progression of leukemic monocytes to macrophages by regulating the transcription factor PU.1 and heat shock protein HSP70

Differentiation therapy can supplement the therapy of APL, but other subtypes of AML are treated principally with cytotoxic agents, with few lasting remissions. While the induction of monocyte followed by macrophage differentiation by vitamin D derivatives (VDDs) is dramatic in cultured AML cells of all subtypes, attempts to translate this to the clinic have not been effective. Thus, better understanding of the mechanisms underlying VDD-induced differentiation may improve this approach. The key events in this form of differentiation include increased expression of CD11b, and the transcription factor PU.1 is known to be a part of this process. We show here that in the transition of monocytes to macrophages induced by a VDD, ERK5, a member of the MAPK family of signaling molecules, prevents PU.1 expression. However, upon ERK5 inhibition PU.1 protein is stabilized by HSP70.Thus, ERK5 may be a target for manipulation of the immunoregulatory actions of macrophages in cancer.
Surrogate measurement of chlorine concentration on steel surfaces by alkali element detection via laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

Abstract Chlorine can play an important role in the process of stress corrosion cracking of dry cask storage canisters for used nuclear fuel, which are frequently located in marine environments. It is of significant interest to determine the surface concentration of chlorine on the stainless steel canister surface, but measurements are often limited by difficult access and challenging conditions, such as high temperature and high radiation fields. Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) could enable chlorine concentration measurements while meeting the other constraints of this application, but suffers from high excitation energy of chlorine and the interference of the atomic emission lines of iron, thus limiting the sensitivity of detection, especially when LIBS has to be delivered over an optical fiber. We demonstrate that chlorine surface concentrations in the range of 0.5–100 mg/m2 can be inferred by the detection and quantification of sodium contained in chlorine salts if the speciation and neutralization of salts are not of major concern, whereas minor components of sea salt such as magnesium and potassium are less attractive as surrogates for chlorine due to the lower sensitivity of LIBS for their detection and quantification. The limit of detection, measurement accuracy, and other features and limitations of this surrogate measurement approach are discussed.
Alpha—a computer program for the determination of radioisotopes by least-squares resolution of the gamma-ray spectra

Abstract A FORTRAN-63 computer program, ALPHA, was developed for the quantitative analysis of radioactive samples by the least-squares resolution of the gamma-ray spectra. As the result of thousands of analyses, ALPHA was found to be fast, accurate and relatively inexpensive. This report describes the main features of ALPHA. The program was designed to handle a small or large number of samples. The samples can have different radioactivity levels (from 0.1–104 cps), isotope compositions and input formats. Also, they can be on cards or magnetic tape. ALPHA takes into account several corrections such as: background subtraction, counting time, decay, dead time, automatic compensation for gain and threshold shifts, sample fraction, volume reduction prior to counting, etc. Typical computation times for samples containing from 6 to 10 isotopes are about 5 to 15 sec. The cost per analysis is about 20 cents (this includes only the CDC-1604 computer charges and not the cost sample preparation and counting).
Stereographic reconstructions of the behaviour space of the cuspoids catastrophes

The Behaviour Spaces of the Cuspoid Catastrophes are generated as surfaces by the loci of maximum and minimum values of a Generalized Potential Energy Function of the form: $$V = xn + A\frac{{xn - 2}}{{n - 2}} + ... + Px.$$ The present series of papers present a series of sterographic-pair photographs and therefore permit the three-dimensional rereconstruction of the Behaviour Space by the optical fusion of the separate pairs of the photographs.
A Deep-Learning-Based Floor Detection System for the Visually Impaired

The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) has recently reported that over 25 million people in the U.S. suffer from total or partial vision loss. As a result of their visual impairment, they are constantly affected by the risk of a fall and its consequences. Most of this affected population relies on assistive technologies that allow their integration to society. Fall prevention is an area of research that focuses on the improvement of people's lives through the use of pervasive computing. This work introduces a fall prevention system for the blind and its different modules and focuses on the first module: a deep-learning approach for floor detection. A combination of convolutional neural layers and fully connected layers is used to create a network topology capable of identifying floor areas in pictures of multiple indoor environments. This task is remarkably difficult due to the complexity of identifying the patterns of a floor area in different scenarios, the noise added by the movement of the camera while walking, and the real-time nature of the system. This paper provides a general description of the fall prevention system, and a detailed description of the floor detection system. Finally, the evaluation of the proposed floor detection approach is presented: an accuracy of 92.7%, a precision of 90.2%, and a recall of 90.5% were obtained.
Thermoelectric Power of Cerium-Based Systems

A study of the valence instability in the Ce1-XThX system was carried out recently via resistance and volume measurements.(1) In this work we report measurements of the thermoelectric power (TEP) in the Ce1-XThX and Ce0.9-XTh0.1LaX systems. Figure 1 shows the characteristic shape of TEP curves in the region of a continuous transition (x=0.290), at the second order instability (x=0.269) and across a first order instability (x=0.175). In all cases the TEP is large and positive with a cut-off occurring at the valence instability temperature. One can see the signature of critical rounding on the 0.269 curve, but it is not possible to separate the critical contribution from the normal background which is strongly temperature dependent. In addition, below the valence instability temperature, i.e., in the mixed valence phase, the TEP is small ≃7–8 µV/deg and weakly temperature dependent. To get more insight into the TEP of the y-phase we have tried to extend the γ-phase region by alloying CeTh with La. It is known that the addition of La lowers the instability temperature ∿9°K/at % La and that above 9 at % La the transition becomes continuous.(2) Figure 2 shows the TEP for a CeThLa sample.
Long-term ground heat flux and heat storage at a mid-latitude site

We analyzed a long-term (37 year) record of monthly average below-ground temperatures, at depths ranging from the surface down to 12.8 m,to determine the ground heat flux. Temperatures at all depths have increased over the period, evidence of a non-zero mean ground heat flux. Analysis indicates an average downward flux out of the root zone (below 1.6m) over the period of approximately 1.1 MJ m−2year−1. The corresponding average flux through the bottomplane of measurement has been approximately 0.22 MJ m−2year−1, indicating that 20% of the heat storage duringthe period has been at depths greater than 12.8 m. Current representations of ground heat flux in global climate models are inadequate to realistically simulate these results. This warming, if it continues, could affect a range of biotic and abiotic below-ground processes.
Schooling, Wealth, Risky Sexual Behaviour, and HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa

AbstractEconomic growth and development have improved human health in many regions, while sub-Saharan Africa continues to lag behind. Economic theory and the existing empirical evidence suggest that development may not generate large reductions in the leading cause of adult mortality in the region, HIV/AIDS, and may increase risky sexual behaviour. We examine the association between schooling/material standard of living and HIV risk using data from more than 500,000 respondents in 32 sub-Saharan African countries. The results of our descriptive analysis suggest that the rapid increase in primary school completion without improvements in living standards or secondary school completion might not mitigate HIV transmission.
Towards better understanding of black-box auto-tuning: a comparative analysis for storage systems

Modern computer systems come with a large number of configurable parameters that control their behavior. Tuning system parameters can provide significant gains in performance but is challenging because of the immense number of configurations and complex, nonlinear system behavior. In recent years, several studies attempted to automate the tuning of system configurations; but they all applied only one or few optimization methods. In this paper, for the first time, we apply and then perform comparative analysis of multiple black-box optimization techniques on storage systems, which are often the slowest components of computing systems. Our experiments were conducted on a parameter space consisting of nearly 25,000 unique configurations and over 450,000 data points. We compared these methods for their ability to find near-optimal configurations, convergence time, and instantaneous system throughput during auto-tuning. We found that optimal configurations differed by hardware, software, and workloads-- and that no one technique was superior to all others. Based on the results and domain expertise, we begin to explain the efficacy of these important automated black-box optimization methods from a systems perspective.
Putting TDM knowledge into practice.

‘Knowledge is of no value unless you put it into practice’ is a quote usually attributed to Anton Chekov. It is advice particularly relevant to therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of infliximab (IFX) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Several observational studies have identified low IFX trough levels, or antibodies to IFX, or both, as a factor in the loss of response to this drug in patients with IBD.1 In addition, intervention studies to prospectively adjust IFX dosing to maintain a range of trough levels have shown some impact on long-term outcomes (IBD).2 Collectively, these data implied that using TDM routinely in the clinic could improve outcomes, and minimise risk of adverse events, for patients. Whether this assumption is correct can only be answered with longitudinal studies from the ‘real world’. Recent guidelines have recommended …
Care and propagation of captive pupfish from the genus Cyprinodon: insight into conservation

We have maintained pupfish derived from a refuge population of the critically endangered Devils Hole pupfish (Cyprinodon diabolis) and the closely related and endangered Ash Meadows pupfish (C. nevadensis mionectes) in our laboratory for 9 years at the ecologically relevant temperatures of 28 and 33 °C. We asked if insights gained by our captive husbandry could inform on what pressures may be impacting the conservation of these fishes in the wild. Breeding is affected by temperature such that few eggs are deposited by fishes maintained at 33 °C. Fish acclimated to either 28 or 33 °C prefer 28 °C suggesting native habitats such as Devils Hole are not optimal for the fish. In addition to temperature, we found that providing cover in the form of aquarium plants and carpet squares increased egg deposition and larval survival presumably due to reduced oophagy and cannibalism of newly hatched larvae. The decline of the native population of C. diabolis coincided with a change in the algal community of Devils Hole from mats of green algae to sheet forming cyanobacteria. Our experiments suggest this lack of cover resulted in oophagy and cannibalism that reduced the reproductive capacity of Devils Hole pupfish. We suggest efforts at restoring cover in Devils Hole will have the greatest impact on enhancing survivorship of this species especially in light of the reduced breeding opportunities that will likely result from continuing global climate change.
Response to Comment on “An extracellular matrix fragment drives epithelial remodeling and airway hyperresponsiveness”

We provide further evidence to support our assertion that PGP is a potent regulator of epithelial remodeling.
P235 Vaginal and rectal m. genitalium (MG), c. trachomatis (CT), and n. gonorrhoeae (GC) co-infection among women in seattle, WA

Background Rectal CT is increasingly recognized as a common infection among women, even in the absence of anal sex. Little is known about the prevalence or epidemiologic pattern of rectal MG and rectal MG/CT/GC co-infection among women. Methods We recruited women at high risk for urogenital CT from the municipal STD clinic in Seattle, WA, 2017–2018 for a cohort study. Participants self-collected vaginal and rectal specimens for nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT) for CT and GC. We retrospectively tested enrollment samples for vaginal and rectal MG using NAAT. We examined factors associated with rectal MG using logistic regression to calculate adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results Of 50 enrolled women, 13 (26%) tested positive for MG. Ten (20%) had vaginal MG and 11 (22%) had rectal MG. Eight (16%) women had concurrent vaginal and rectal MG, 3 (6%) had isolated rectal MG, and 2 (4%) had isolated vaginal MG. Among 10 women with vaginal MG, 3 (30%) also had vaginal CT but none had vaginal GC. Of 11 women with rectal MG, 4 (36%) also had rectal CT but none had rectal GC. Compared to women without rectal MG, women with rectal MG were more likely to be Conclusion Rectal MG was common (prevalence=22%) among women at high risk for vaginal CT, but the majority of women with MG did not have CT or GC. Rectal MG was most often identified among women with vaginal MG, and was not significantly associated with reporting anal sex. The high prevalence of rectal MG merits further investigation to understand its natural history and clinical implications. Disclosure No significant relationships.
pH-Responsive crude oil-in-water Pickering emulsion stabilized by polyacrylamide nanogels

Abstract Oil-in-water (o/w) Pickering emulsions stabilized by polyacrylamide (PAM) and poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid) nano-sized crosslinked polymeric particles (nanogels) under various conditions are described herein. Nanogels with different crosslinking and charge degree were synthesized through suspension polymerization and characterized at various salinities and pH using dynamic light scattering (DLS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The PAM nanogel-stabilized o/w Pickering emulsions were quickly demulsified in alkaline solutions whereas they showed markedly stability in brines and under acidic conditions. A small amount of nanogels were sufficient for the formation of Pickering emulsions. The average diameter of oil droplets was no longer decreasing with nanogel concentration increment above 1000 mg/L. In addition, the average diameter of oil drops was independent of sonication period in the range of 15–240 s. Interestingly, the string-like structures of nanogel aggregations were found in the aromatic hydrocarbons/water Pickering emulsions, which significantly enhanced the emulsion stability. Compared to the crude oil, the corresponding Pickering emulsions showed excellent flowability at various shear rates. The crude oil/water Pickering emulsions could be broken using alkali as a trigger, which suggests the potential utility for the recovery of crude oil.
Research of diagnosis in process quality based on BP artificial neural network

A diagnosis model was established by means of BP artificial neural network(ANN) while parameters of model were optimized by the single factor method.Simulation indicated that BP ANN can identify effectively the model of control chart with good performance.Thus,this model can satisfies the basic demands of intelligent process quality diagnosis.
Transfer-robot task scheduling in flexible job shop

This paper studies a simultaneous scheduling of production and material transfer in a flexible job shop environment. The simultaneous scheduling approach has been recently adopted by a robotic mobile fulfillment system, wherein transbots pick up jobs and deliver to pick-stations for processing, which requires a simultaneous scheduling of jobs, transbots, and stations. Two different constraint programming formulations are proposed for the first time for a flexible job shop scheduling problem with transbots, significantly outperforming all other benchmark approaches in the literature and proving optimality of the well-known benchmark instances.
Hotel revenue management and college athletics: a ten-year study from a major college football team in USA.

College athletic competitions draw spectators increasing demand hotel stays during home games. The current study focuses on demand for hotel rooms generated from home games for college football. Th...
Moonlighting to the Side Hustle: The Effect of Working an Extra Job on Household Poverty for Households With Less Formal Education

Although working more than one job to avoid economic hardship is not a new strategy for U.S. workers, official estimates suggest it is infrequent. These may not, however, include new conceptualizat...
Trends in guideline-adherent fertility-sparing surgery for early-stage cervical cancer before and after the Affordable Care Act

Abstract Objective To assess trends in guideline-adherent fertility-sparing surgery (GA-FSS) for early-stage cervical cancer relative to Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) implementation. Methods National Cancer Database patients treated for Stage IA1-IB1 cervical cancer from 2004 to 2016 were included. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determined trends in GA-FSS relative to the ACA and identify patient factors independently associated with GA-FSS. Results Odds of GA-FSS increased in the post- compared to pre-ACA cohort (aOR = 1.65; 95%CI: 1.34–2.03). Decreasing age, Asian/Pacific Islander race, higher education and income levels, more recent treatment year, and lower clinical stage were independently associated with increased odds of receiving GA-FSS. In the pre- and post-ACA samples, decreasing age (per 1 year age increase; pre-ACA aOR = 0.87, 95%CI:0.85–0.90; post-ACA aOR = 0.85, 95%CI:0.83–0.87), higher education level (top vs. lowest education quartile; pre-ACA aOR = 2.08, 95%CI:1.19–3.65; post-ACA aOR = 2.00, 95%CI:1.43–2.80), and lower clinical stage (stages IA2 [pre-ACA aOR = 0.19, 95%CI:0.09–0.41; post-ACA aOR = 0.29, 95%CI:0.19–0.45] and IB1 [pre-ACA aOR = 0.06, 95%CI:0.06–0.16; post-ACA aOR = 0.16, 95%CI: 0.12–0.20] relative to stage IA1) were independently associated with increased odds of GA-FSS receipt. After the ACA, Asian/Pacific Islander race (aOR = 2.81, 95%CI: 1.81–4.36) and more recent treatment year (Spearman's ρ = 0.0348, p-value = 0.008) were also independently associated with increased odds of GA-FSS receipt. When adjusted for the pre- vs. post-ACA treatment periods, Medicaid patients were less likely to undergo GA-FSS than privately-insured patients (aOR = 1.65; 95%CI:1.34–2.03). Conclusions Patients were more likely to receive GA-FSS post-ACA. Though the proportion of publicly-insured women increased after ACA implementation, women on Medicaid remained less likely to receive GA-FSS than women with private insurance.
Nonsurgical Management of Oligozoospermia

Male infertility secondary to oligozoospermia is surprisingly common. Although a majority of cases are idiopathic, oligozoospermia can be caused by endocrine dysfunction, anatomic abnormalities, medications, or environmental exposures. The work-up includes excluding reversible factors such as hormonal deficiency, medication effects, and retrograde ejaculation and identifying any underlying genetic syndrome and treating reversible medical causes. If no reversible cause is found, appropriate referrals to urology and assisted reproductive technology should be initiated. Lastly, clinicians should be aware of and respond to the psychological and general health ramifications of a diagnosis of oligozoospermia as part of the comprehensive care of men and couples struggling with a diagnosis of infertility.
TeV flux modulation in PSR B1259−63/LS2883

Context. PSR B 1259-63/LS2883 is a binary system where a 48 ms pulsar orbits a massive Be star with a highly eccentric orbit (e = 0.87) with a period of 3.4 years. The system exhibits variable, non-thermal radiation visible from radio to very high energies (VHE) around periastron passage. This radiation is thought to come from particles accelerated in the shock region between the pulsar wind (PW) and stellar outflows. Aims. The consistency of the HESS data with the inverse Compton (IC) scenario is studied in the context of dominant orbital-phase-dependent adiabatic losses, and the dependence of the observed TeV flux with the separation distance analysed. Methods. Model calculations based on IC scattering of shock accelerated PW electrons and UV photons are performed. Different non-radiative cooling profiles are suggested for the primary particle population to account for the variable TeV flux. Results. The TeV fluxes obtained with HESS in the years 2004 and 2007 only seem to depend on the binary separation. The results hint at a peculiar non-radiative cooling profile around periastron dominating the VHE emission in PSR B1259―63. The location of the stellar disc derived from this non-radiative cooling profile is in good agreement with what is inferred from radio observations.
Opportunistic Assessment of Ischemic Heart Disease Risk Using Abdominopelvic Computed Tomography and Medical Record Data: a Multimodal Explainable Artificial Intelligence Approach

Abstract Current risk scores for predicting ischemic heart disease (IHD) risk—the leading cause of global mortality—have limited efficacy. While body composition (BC) imaging biomarkers derived from abdominopelvic computed tomography (CT) correlate with IHD risk, they are impractical to measure manually. Here, in a retrospective cohort of 8,197 contrast-enhanced abdominopelvic CT examinations undergoing up to 5 years of follow-up, we developed improved multimodal opportunistic risk assessment models for IHD by automatically extracting BC features from abdominal CT images and integrating these with features from each patient’s electronic medical record (EMR). Our predictive methods match and, in some cases, outperform clinical risk scores currently used in IHD risk assessment. We provide clinical interpretability of our model using a new method of determining tissue-level contributions from CT along with weightings of EMR features contributing to IHD risk. We conclude that such a multimodal approach, which automatically integrates BC biomarkers and EMR data can enhance IHD risk assessment and aid primary prevention efforts for IHD.
Structural similarity, synthesis, and adsorption properties of aluminum-based metal-organic frameworks

A general procedure has been developed for synthesizing four MOFs sharing similar chains of AlO6 octahedra (CAU-10, NOTT-300, MIL-53-TDC, and MIL-160). CAU-10 has been synthesized with eight differently substituted ligands to impart different characteristics into the pore space. Isotherms of CO2, CH4, and N2 were measured on all MOFs synthesized in this work to assess the effects of functional group and surface area on adsorption behavior. At low pressure (100 mbar), structures incorporating polar functional groups have the highest adsorption of CO2, while the structures with the highest surface areas have the highest adsorption of CO2 at higher pressure (1000 mbar). The heterocyclic and amine-substituted structures show the greatest CO2 adsorption and Henry’s law selectivity among all CAU-10 structures in this work. Comparison of CAU-10 MOFs substituted with a nitro group at different positions on the ligand (carbon 4 vs 5) showed that positioning the nitro group at the side of the pore rather than the center resulted in increased loading of all adsorbates over the studied pressure range up to 1 bar.
Use of Adenosine to Release an Entrapped Catheter During Ablation of Premature Ventricular Complexes.

Abstract Catheter entrapment is a rare complication during catheter ablation that may require surgical intervention. Use of adenosine to prolong diastole can be a safe and effective strategy to free the catheter and avoid significant morbidity. (Level of Difficulty: Advanced.)
Prevalence and Predictors of Missed Dysplasia on Index Barrett's Esophagus Diagnosing Endoscopy in a Veteran Population

Background & Aims Limitations of endoscopic sampling may result in missed dysplasia at the diagnosis of Barrett’s esophagus (BE). However, the role of close follow-up endoscopy is unclear. The aim was to evaluate the proportion of patients diagnosed with “missed” dysplasia within 18 months of their index nondysplastic BE (NDBE) diagnosis. Methods This was a retrospective analysis of a cohort of BE patients diagnosed during 1990–2019 at the Houston VA. Patients with BE on index esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) were classified as NDBE, indefinite dysplasia, or dysplastic (low- or high-grade dysplasia) based on initial biopsies. We identified NDBE patients who had follow-up EGD within 3–18 months after index EGD. We used logistic regression models to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for risk factors of dysplasia on follow-up EGD. Results We identified 614 patients who had BE on index EGD. Among those with NDBE and follow-up EGD within 3–18 months (n = 271), 4.1% had definite dysplasia on follow-up, and an additional 14.0% had indefinite dysplasia. Proportions of definite or indefinite dysplasia at follow-up within 3–18 months significantly decreased from 32.6% among patients with index EGD before 2009 to 11.7% among patients with index EGD after 2013 (P for trend = .068). Those with any indefinite or definite dysplastic BE at follow-up within 3–18 months after index EGD (n = 49) were more likely to have BE length ≥3 cm on index EGD (odds ratio, 3.39; 95% confidence interval, 1.63–7.08) than those with persistent NDBE or no BE on follow-up. Conclusions The occurrence of missed dysplasia on an index EGD has decreased over time. However, those with long segment BE were more than 3 times as likely to have missed dysplasia, and this group could benefit from dysplasia surveillance within 18 months of BE diagnosis.
The TOMM1 discrepancy index (TDI): A new performance validity test (PVT) that differentiates between invalid cognitive testing and those diagnosed with dementia

There is a need to develop performance validity tests (PVTs) that accurately identify those with severe cognitive decline but also remain sensitive to those suspected of invalid cognitive testing. ...
The association between the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID- 19) pandemic and quality of life and depression symptoms in patients with advanced lung cancer

12122Background: It is unclear whether patients with cancer experience greater distress as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, we assessed the relationship of the COVID-19 pandemic with qualit...
Radial coordination for convergecast in wireless sensor networks

Convergecast is frequently used for supporting various tasks in sensor network applications. We investigate the problem of packet loss in the convergecast process in wireless sensor networks due to congestion and collisions near the sink, and propose a simple yet powerful coordinated convergecast protocol for achieving high convergecast reliability. We study the performance of the new protocol via simulation and show the tradeoffs among reliability, latency, throughput and energy consumption. To compare this protocol with other existing convergecast protocols, a real application scenario is used. Simulation shows that this protocol can achieve dramatic improvement in reliability comparing to existing convergecast protocols.
Two Image-Template Operations for Binary Image Processing

This paper presents two new image algebra image-template operationsmatch and mismatch derived from the general image-template product. These image algebra operations extend the binary morphological erosion and dilation operations and can be used to express elegantly most of binary image processing algorithms in a more natural way than binary morphological operations from the image processing viewpoint. In addition, the match and mismatch operations are easy to implement efficiently on SIMD bit-serial parallel computers.
Grain Marketing Strategies Within and Across Lifetimes

To reconcile the discrepancy between the efficient market hypothesis and grain marketing recommendations by advisory services and extension programs, simulated prices from an efficient market are used to compare performance of marketing practices over the long run and in individual 40-year periods. We find that an efficient market can generate diverse price behavior within finite samples, allowing for strategies that are inferior on average to perform relatively better, as frequently as half of the time in an average 40-year lifetime. Lifetime returns of strategies show considerable overlap, suggesting extremely low confidence in recommendations made based on short samples.
HIGH SPATIAL RESOLUTION INFRARED OBSERVATIONS OF EVOLVED STARS

The purpose of this paper is to review results from the application of various high-spatial-resolution techniques to the study of late-type stars. The range of the discussion will be restricted to the infrared part of the spectrum (roughly 1 to 20 µm). Here cool, evolved stars emit a large fraction of their energy. They are visible at great distances in the galactic plane in spite of the effects of interstellar reddening. Many are losing mass at prodigous rates, generating thick, dusty shells of temperatures less than about 1000K. The infrared is an obvious choice for the study of photospheric and circumstellar problems alike.
Measuring and modeling mercury in the atmosphere: a critical review

Abstract. Mercury (Hg) is a global health concern due to its toxicity and ubiquitous presence in the environment. Here we review current methods for measuring the forms of Hg in the atmosphere and models used to interpret these data. There are three operationally defined forms of atmospheric Hg: gaseous elemental mercury (GEM), gaseous oxidized mercury (GOM), and particulate bound mercury (PBM). There is relative confidence in GEM measurements (collection on a gold surface), but GOM (collection on potassium chloride (KCl)-coated denuder) and PBM (collected using various methods) are less well understood. Field and laboratory investigations suggest the methods to measure GOM and PBM are impacted by analytical interferences that vary with environmental setting (e.g., ozone, relative humidity), and GOM concentrations measured by the KCl-coated denuder can be too low by a factor of 1.6 to 12 depending on the chemical composition of GOM. The composition of GOM (e.g., HgBr2, HgCl2, HgBrOH) varies across space and time. This has important implications for refining existing measurement methods and developing new ones, model/measurement comparisons, model development, and assessing trends. Unclear features of previously published data may now be re-examined and possibly explained, which is demonstrated through a case study. Priorities for future research include identification of GOM compounds in ambient air and development of information on their chemical and physical properties and GOM and PBM calibration systems. With this information, identification of redox mechanisms and associated rate coefficients may be developed.
The American Switzerland: New England as a Toy‐Making Center

Si plusieurs sites de production de jouets ont existe depuis les origines de cette industrie aux Etats-Unis, peu d'endroits d'une etendue geographique aussi limitee n'ont joue un role aussi important dans la periode formative de l'industrie du jouet que la Nouvelle-Angleterre, cette Suisse americaine, et pour des raisons socioculturelles comparables a ce petit pays alpin europeen. L'histoire de trois entreprises familiales du jouet basees en Nouvelle-Angleterre - Milton Bradley, Parker Brothers, et Hassenfeld Brothers - sur une periode d'un siecle, de 1860 a 1960, donne un apercu de la place du jouet et du jeu en Nouvelle-Angleterre. Si certains artefacts ont une importance dans la constitution des identites personnelles et collectives, et pour transmettre des valeurs specifiques et des modes de penser et de se comporter, l'examen de l'influence, de l'autorite quasi-hegemonique du puritanisme en Nouvelle-Angleterre sur l'idee du jeu permet de mieux comprendre la culture de cette region.
Foreclosing on the Federal Power Grab: Dodd-Frank, Preemption, and the State Role in Mortgage Servicing Regulation

TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION.. 172 I. THE FAILURES OF MORTGAGE SERVICING 175 II. THE LACK OF EFFECTIVE FEDERAL REGULATION OF MORTGAGE SERVICING 184 III. FEDERAL PREEMPTION OF STATE REGULATION 192 A. The Previous Co-Existence of State and Federal Regulation of National Banks and Thrifts .196 B. Federal Regulators Move to Preempt State Regulation of Nation Banks and Thrifts 200 IV. PREEMPTION AND SERVICER REGULATION 207 V. THE STATES JUMP IN 213 VI. THE DODD-FRANK ACT AND ITS EFFECT ON PREEMPTION .. 217 CONCLUSION 224
Awe and the Natural Environment

Vastness and accommodation underlie the prototypical experience of awe. Guided by this analysis, in the first section, we discussed nature as an elicitor of awe. Second, we reviewed recent research that clarified the appraisals, facial and vocal displays, physiological, and personality correlates of awe. Then, we examined correlational and experimental findings that demonstrated the psychological and epistemological consequences of awe. Lastly, we described individual variations in the experience of awe. Still in a nascent form, the new science of awe is yielding important discoveries, which indicate the potential power of awe in shaping individuals’ life toward greater growth and well-being.
Resuscitation Technology in the Emergency Department: Towards a Dignified Death

Social scientists and ethicists often blame the increased use of advanced medical technologies for the undignified character of contemporary dying. Based on ethnographic material and in-depth interviews with health-care providers, the author analyses how resuscitation technology shapes sudden death in emergency departments. First, he examines the extent to which the course of resuscitative efforts is a consequence of technological factors or of health care system characteristics. Second, he looks at how resuscitation technologies indirectly offer an opportunity to face pending death. In the last part, he investigates how this opportunity can be fostered when the emergency department staff takes the needs of relatives and friends in consideration
GRAPHIC DERIVATION OF ELEMENTS OF THE SOLAR CLIMATE

ABSTRACT All discussions of climate take as their primary datum the flux of solar energy on a unit horizontal surface outside the atmosphere as a function of latitude and time. Published tables and graphs of this quantity do not provide the details of daily variation that are often desired. Computations of instantaneous values through the daily cycle are laborious unless the quantity of data needed justifies the employment of a computer. Modest amounts of such data may be obtained by means of the graphic procedure described and illustrated here, with an accuracy sufficient for climatological purposes and with less labor than is required for their straightforward computation with a desk calculator. A related graphic construction yields the azimuth of the sun at any latitude and time. The procedures are rigorous, subject only to the inaccuracies of measurement and drafting.
Controls on fish distribution and abundance in temporary wetlands

Our main goal was to determine if fish distribution and adundance in temporary wetlands were shaped primarily by large-scale (landscape) or small-scale (local) characteristics and to investigate th...