cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
4 IMPACT OF RACE AND ETHNICITY IN THE MANAGEMENT AND SURVIVAL OF PATIENTS WITH HEART FAILURE

Introduction The role race and ethnicity play in the management and clinical outcomes of heart failure (HF) is complex and not well defined. The goal of this study is to evaluate similarities and differences among ethnic groups in the treatment and outcomes of HF. Methods In a study of 1,600 patients diagnosed with HF referred to the UCLA Heart Failure Center, we evaluated baseline characteristics, and survival at 1 and 2 years by race/ethnicity. Race/ethnicity data were obtained from the medical records and administrative sources. Patients were divided into 5 subcategories based on race and ethnicity: Asian, Black, White, Hispanic, and Other/Unknown. Results Patients were mean age 52.62, female 23.8%, and Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) etiology 48.2%. There were significant differences in gender across ethnicities in the diagnosis of HF (p=0.0001), with 40.2% female in Black cohort compared to 16.5% in White cohort. ACEI, beta-blocker, and aldosterone antagonist treatment was similar in race/ethnic groups. However, there was a significant difference (p=0.022) in the prescription of statins between ethnic groups, with over 30% treated in Whites, Hispanics, and Other/Unknown compared to 20% in Asians and Blacks. Unadjusted and adjusted survival was similar among all subgroups. Conclusion There are significant differences by race/ethnicity in the prevalence of co-morbidities and the management of HF. This is possibly related to differing insurance coverages, physician bias or uncertainty, and genetic heterogeneity. However, these differences did not result in different risk of mortality. Further research in this area is necessary.
Epidemic Situation of HIV/AIDS Analysis From 1997 to 2004 in Baoan District of Shenzhen City

Objective To study the epidemic situation of HIV/AIDS in Baoan District of Shenzhen City and to provide the scientific basis for establishing measures of prevention and control. Method Descriptive epidemiologic method was used in study of the epidemic characters of HIV/AIDS of Baoan District during l997～2004. Results A total of 328 cases with HIV infection were reported from 1997 to 2004 in Baoan District.Among them,there were 25 cases with AIDS and 9 cases died.The 272 cases were males,whereas 56 cases were females.The ratio of males to females was 4.9:1;the 20～40 years age group accounted for 85.07%.The job-waiting population accounted for 52.44%,the others 24.08%,industrial workers 10.37% and peasants 7.32%.The main source came from within the Guangdong Province accounted for 41.77%,the next places were from Guangxi 17.99%,Sichuan 10.67% and Henan 8.54%.The itinerant,the temporary and the resident population accounted for 76.52%,19.21% and 4.27% respectively.The transmission through freak-out,sex,blood, mother-to-infant and unrevealed routes accounted for 62.50%,l7.07%,8.54%,0.92% and 10.97% respectively.The positive rate of HIV monitoring was 0.1072%. Conclusion The epidemic situation of HIV/AIDS in Baoan District is severe and progressively complicated,the prevention and control measures need to be strengthened.
Fractures and dislocations of the wrist.

Summary Wrist injuries are and will continue to be one of the most difficult and interesting orthopedic problems encountered by emergency physicians. With a knowledge of basic wrist anatomy, the gathering of a detailed history of the mechanism of injury, thorough physical examination, and appropriate radiography, the physician will be able to make an accurate early diagnosis. This will prevent the development of serious functional problems such as osteonecrosis or malunion with all their attendant pain and disability, which is especially serious for the young active worker or athlete. A thorough radiographic examination should be done, the six-view series being the most revealing initial study, particularly for possible scaphoid fractures. All injured wrists should be properly immobilized and re-evaluated if a fracture or serious ligamentous injury is at all suspected. An appreciation of the simplicity of design and remarkable functional complexity of the wrist together with a respect for the subtlety of presentation of injury will help the emergency physician to ensure that patients have highest standard of care and an excellent outcome.
Silicon Dioxide Impedes Antiviral Response and Causes Genotoxic Insult During Calicivirus Replication

Noroviruses (NoV) are the leading cause of nonbacterial gastroenteritis in humans, and replicate extensively in the human gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Silica (also known as silicon dioxide, SiO2) nanoparticles (NPs) used in processed foods, dairy products, and beverages also accumulate in the GI tract. We investigated the effect of silica NPs on NoV replication and host cell response during virus infection, using murine norovirus (MNV-1) infection of RAW 264.7 murine macrophages. Pretreatment with 10 μg/ml silica significantly reduced the viability of macrophages, but no cumulative effects on viability of macrophages were observed with MNV-1 infection. No difference was observed between exposure to control or silica NPs on either the quantity of viral genome copies or the production of infectious virus in macrophages infected with MNV-1. Silica NPs reduced the ability of macrophages to upregulate genes encoding bone morphogenic proteins (BMPs), chemokine ligands and cytokines for which expression levels were otherwise found to be upregulated in response to MNV-1 infection. Furthermore, silica NPs reduced the levels of proinflammatory cytokines secreted by macrophages in response to MNV infection. Finally, silica NPs with MNV-1 infection produced a genotoxic insult to macrophages. Strikingly, this genotoxic insult was also found to occur as a synergistic effect of silica NPs and feline calicivirus infection in feline kidney epithelial cells. Taken together, our study suggests important safety considerations related to reducing exposure to silica NPs affecting the GI tract in individuals infected with NoVs and possibly other foodborne viruses.
End-Stage Congestive Heart Failure: Ventricular Assist Devices

Approximately 5 million Americans have congestive heart failure (CHF), and every year about 50,000 new cases are diagnosed. Advances in medical therapy, biventricular pacing, defibrillator implantation, and the ability to successfully perform surgery in high-risk patients have revolutionized the management of patients with CHF and greatly delayed CHF progression to end stage. Once patients develop end-stage CHF, treatment options are limited and typically ineffective, and the mortality is high. Heart transplant thus becomes the last resort for end-stage CHF patients. Ventricular assist devices (VAD), especially left ventricular assist devices (LVAD), have been increasingly used to support such ill patients as a bridge-to-transplant therapy in the last decade. More recently, these devices have been used as a destination therapy for end-stage CHF as well. A newer generation of VADs with better mechanics, smaller size, and longer durability has been developed in recent years.
Never late: Unwelcome desires and diasporas in Chavela Vargas’ last works

Theodor Adorno, and Edward Said after him, theorized late style as a discrepant musical orientation at odds with what is expected, desired, or current. Late work is musical work formulated by an older subject that refuses to retire quietly and with docility. While Adorno and Said discuss Classical-period music, the author is interested in engaging this concept in thinking about the recalcitrant rancheras and boleros of a lesbian, migrant, and aged musical performer of the early twenty-first century, Chavela Vargas (1919–2012). She examines a couple of Vargas’ last works, Cupaima (2006) and iPor mi |Culpa! (2010), paying particular attention to how her aesthetic choices continue to de-form the classic repertoire of rancheras and boleros. The entwining of beloved, familiar lyrics and melodies with details that recall invisible and hyper-visible subjects, namely migrants and indigenous communities, result in unexpected, repellent musicality. Inspired by feminist and queer theory, the author examines how her ...
Cultural Diversity and the Clinical Encounter: Intercultural Dialogue in Multi-Ethnic Patient Care

Of all of the images in modern medical ethics, none has been as powerful or has stimulated as much creative analysis as that of the doctor and patient as strangers. Long-term relationships between doctors and patients are increasingly rare in American health care, and physicians’ ancient claim to benevolent paternalism was one of the first casualties of modern medical ethics. Contemporary models of the therapeutic relationship, most notably the covenant and the contract, start from the premise that the doctor cannot presume to share the patient’s beliefs or goals, and that both parties must come to know each other during their limited time together through meaningful communication and clinical negotiation.
Investigating the Relationship Between Need for Cognition and Skill in Ethical Hackers

As technology gets more complex and increasingly connected, there is a continuing concern with cyber security. Partnered with this concern is continuing demand for cyber security defenders. Unfortunately, there is currently a dearth of skilled professionals to meet that demand. In order to prepare the next generation of cyber defenders, we need to understand what characteristics make skilled cyber security professionals. For this work, we focus on professionals who take an offensive approach to cyber security, so called ethical hackers. These hackers utilize many of the same skills that the adversaries that we defend against would use, but with the goal of identifying vulnerabilities so they can be mitigated before they are exploited by adversaries. We interviewed cyber security researchers who specialize in offensive approaches. Based on the responses to the hacker skill inventory, we generated a self-reported skill score for each participant. We also developed a peer-rating for each participant based on the number of times each individual that was interviewed was named as the most skilled in a particular area. The results are discussed in the context of training and recruitment of cyber security professionals.
Surface Acoustic Waves Grant Superior Spatial Control of Cells Embedded in Hydrogel Fibers

By exploiting surface acoustic waves and a coupling layer technique, cells are patterned within a photosensitive hydrogel fiber to mimic physiological cell arrangement in tissues. The aligned cell-polymer matrix is polymerized with short exposure to UV light and the fiber is extracted. These patterned cell fibers are manipulated into simple and complex architectures, demonstrating feasibility for tissue-engineering applications.
Do Ceramic Femoral Heads Reduce Taper Fretting Corrosion in Hip Arthroplasty? a Retrieval Study

Background: Previous studies regarding modular head-neck taper corrosion were largely based on cobalt chrome (CoCr) alloy femoral heads. Less is known about head-neck taper corrosion with ceramic femoral heads. Questions/purposes: We asked (1) whether ceramic heads resulted in less taper corrosion than CoCr heads; (2) what device and patient factors influence taper fretting corrosion; and (3) whether the mechanism of taper fretting corrosion in ceramic heads differs from that in CoCr heads. Methods: One hundred femoral head-stem pairs were analyzed for evidence of fretting and corrosion using a visual scoring technique based on the severity and extent of fretting and corrosion damage observed at the taper. A matched cohort design was used in which 50 ceramic head-stem pairs were matched with 50 CoCr head-stem pairs based on implantation time, lateral offset, stem design, and flexural rigidity. Results: Fretting and corrosion scores were lower for the stems in the ceramic head cohort (p = 0.03). Stem alloy (p = 0.004; TMZF) and lower stem flexural rigidity (Spearman9s rho = −0.32, p = 0.02) predicted stem fretting and corrosion damage in the ceramic head cohort but not in the metal head cohort. The mechanism of mechanically assisted crevice corrosion was similar in both cohorts although in the case of ceramic femoral heads, only one of the two surfaces (the male metal taper) engaged in the oxide abrasion and repassivation process. Conclusions: The results suggest that by using a ceramic femoral head, CoCr fretting and corrosion from the modular head-neck taper may be mitigated but not eliminated. Clinical Relevance: The findings of this study support further study of the role of ceramic heads in potentially reducing femoral taper corrosion.
Polarization in thorium oxide crystals

Abstract Studies have been made of the electrical polarization resulting from the passage of current in single crystals of low-oxygen thorium oxide at elevated temperatures. The emf. across the crystal necessary to maintain a constant current rises by a factor of 100 and more during the establishment of the final equilibrium. Because of the wide ranges of time involved, observations were required with oscillographic techniques as well as long time measurements using a slide wire potentiometer. The resistivity of the material was found to vary from 6000 ohm-cm. at 900° C. to 400 ohm-cm. at 1300° C., and to be unchanged by large values of polarization. Indications point to a critical potential for the onset of electrolysis in the neighborhood of 0.3 volt. The dependence of initial conductance upon temperature point to an activation energy for the initial conductance of 1.1 e-volts and the same temperature dependence is approximately valid over the whole polarization curve. Theoretical considerations indicate that ions and electrons are both mobile and, to account for the high polarization ratios, it appears that the fraction of current carried by the electrons is less than 1 per cent of the total.
Measurement of Cerium and Gadolinium in Solid Lithium Chloride-Potassium Chloride Salt Using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS).

Pyroprocessing of used nuclear fuel (UNF) has many advantages—including that it is proliferation resistant. However, as part of the process, special nuclear materials accumulate in the electrolyte ...
Xanthophyll Cycle Activity in Two Prominent Arctic Shrub Species

ABSTRACT When the capacity for photosynthesis is constrained by unfavorable growing conditions, excess absorbed light is safely lost from leaves via thermal energy dissipation—a photoprotective mechanism ubiquitous among higher plants. The relatively low irradiance conditions yet stressful growing environment of the arctic tundra suggest contrasting hypotheses regarding the necessity for plant investment in photoprotection. To examine these hypotheses, the photoprotective pigments of the xanthophyll cycle were investigated in conjunction with non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) of chlorophyll fluorescence emission in two dominant arctic shrub species, Salix pulchra and Betula nana. The xanthophyll cycle pool sizes of S. pulchra leaves were substantially higher than those reported in most other higher plant species, whereas B. nana leaves maintain modestly high xanthophyll cycle pool sizes. In addition, high retention of de-epoxidized xanthophyll cycle pigments in both species and saturation of xanthophyll c...
Visibility of mammographically occult breast cancer on diffusion-weighted MRI versus ultrasound.

Abstract Purpose To investigate the visibility of mammographically occult breast cancers on diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI) versus ultrasound. Materials and methods Mammographically occult breast cancers (n = 60) initially detected on contrast-enhanced MRI that underwent pre-biopsy targeted ultrasound were retrospectively evaluated for visibility on DWI and ultrasound. Results More cancers were visible on DWI than ultrasound (78% vs. 63%; p = 0.049), with 32 (53%) visible on both and 7 (12%) not visible on either. Visibility differences were more significant in larger lesions (92% vs. 68%, p = 0.006). Conclusion DWI may detect more mammographically occult cancers than ultrasound, warranting further investigation as an alternative supplemental screening technique.
The Impact of Geographic Location on the Subjective Assessment of System Usability

ABSTRACTMarketing researchers use geography to identify specific user groups for studies to more effectively describe their potential customer base. Since usability professionals often recruit user...
Two-dimensional, eight-beam combination of ultrashort pulses using two diffractive optics

We demonstrate beam combination of eight 120fs pulses, using a diffractive optic pair. This highly scalable technique preserves input pulse width, and achieves 89.5% combining efficiency, limited by the diffractive optic.
When organic food choices shape subsequent food choices: The interplay of gender and health consciousness

Abstract In response to the increasing demand for organic food, restaurants have begun to add such options to their menus. To illuminate the impact of organic food choices in a restaurant context, this research examines the joint effect of an initial organic food choice, gender and health consciousness on subsequent food choices (healthy vs. unhealthy). The findings suggest that males with low levels of health consciousness are more likely to choose unhealthy options when their initial choice is organic (vs. conventional). Such a tendency is attenuated among males with high levels of health consciousness. Conversely, females with low (vs. high) levels of health consciousness are more likely to choose unhealthy options regardless of their initial choice. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.
Crushed Concrete as Concrete Aggregate

In this discussion “recycling” is used to refer to the beneficial use of a commodity or substance for more than a single cycle of use. Hydraulic-cement concrete, a synthetic sedimentary rock, has been being produced intentionally for beneficial use for over 2000 years. Much of this production has been recycled by entirely similar procedures to those that have been applied for a much longer time in the use of naturally occurring sedimentary and other types of rocks. The classic examples of the recycling of rocks and minerals are the natural mineral, soil. It is unlikely that has not been beneficially used by people for some purpose more than once.
Is a conversation with a wall really a conversation?: a review of gender issues in recent science education literature

There continues to be gender disparity in the sciences, with a disproportionately small number of females involved in scientific research, especially the physical sciences. In a recent JRST editorial, Baker imploringly queried, "Where are gender and equity in science education" (Baker, 2002). This manuscript describes my effort at answering that question by looking at recent selected science education literature.
Nitrogen in the Yaqui Valley: Sources, Transfers, and Consequences

In nitrogen fertilizer management, as in so many other ways, the Yaqui Valley represents a microcosm for the study of changes that are happening all over the world. Over the last thirty years, policies and agronomic advances in the Yaqui Valley have led to the development of a thriving wheat industry dependent on large inputs of nitrogen (N) and water. The adoption of high N application rates in the valley reflects trends in many regions of the world. Globally, the inputs of N to agriculture, together with additional N resulting from the planting of legume crops, add more N annually than is fixed by the biological nitrogen fixation in all natural terrestrial ecosystems (fig. 10.1). These enhanced additions of N have been in many cases critical to increased crop yield, but they also have enormous negative consequences for the global system. Because N is such a mobile element, it tends to not stay where it is put; thus additions of N through fertilizer use are linked with losses of N from soils to freshwater and marine systems, and of greenhouse gases and air pollutants to the atmosphere.
Religion and Family Research in the Twenty-First Century

In the first Handbook of Marriage and the Family by Harold Christensen (1964), “religion” or “religion and family” is indexed only six times, though admittedly, these were early days for the study of religion and family. Herberg’s (1955) Protestant, Catholic, and Jew had been available for less than a decade and Lenski’s (1961) The Religious Factor had only recently been published. Thomas Luckmann had not yet published The Invisible Religion: The Problem of Religion in Modern Society (1967) and Berger had not published The Sacred Canopy (1967).
Do Common Marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) Use Scent to Communicate Information about Food Resources

Many animals use olfactory cues to signal information about food resources; however, this particular use of scent has received little attention in primates. Common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) are exudativores that gouge bark to elicit exudate production and frequently deposit scent marks at gouge holes. We conducted preliminary tests of the hypothesis that common marmosets use olfactory cues to communicate information about exudate value, with more desirable resources targeted for marking. We performed choice experiments on two captive male marmosets. The animals were presented with: (1) a urine scent-marked and unmarked food resource, and (2) a high and low value food resource (i.e., greater/lesser food volumes). Marmosets placed more scent marks on high, compared to low, value food resources. Animals also spent more time gouging, removed more bark and more frequently revisited high versus low value food resources. Lastly, scent-marked foods were gouged more often than unmarked foods. Our findings support the hypothesis that marmosets use scent marking and olfaction to convey information about food resources, although verification in a larger sample is needed. Nonetheless, the demonstrated link between food value and scent marking suggests that olfactory signals may aid marmoset foraging decisions.
CRISPR-Cas: Complex Functional Networks and Multiple Roles beyond Adaptive Immunity.

Abstract CRISPR–Cas is a prokaryotic adaptive immune system that functions by incorporating fragments of foreign DNA into CRISPR arrays. The arrays containing spacers derived from foreign DNA are transcribed, and the transcripts are processed to generate spacer-containing mature CRISPR-RNAs that are employed as guides to specifically recognize and cleave the DNA or RNA of the cognate parasitic genetic elements. The CRISPR–Cas systems show remarkable complexity and diversity of molecular organization and appear to be involved in various cellular functions that are distinct from, even if connected to, adaptive immunity. In this review, we discuss some of such functional links of CRISPR–Cas systems including their effect on horizontal gene transfer that can be either inhibitory or stimulatory, connections between CRISPR–Cas and DNA repair systems as well as programmed cell death and signal transduction mechanisms, and potential role of CRISPR–Cas in transposon integration and plasmid maintenance. The interplay between the primary function of CRISPR–Cas as an adaptive immunity mechanism and these other roles defines the richness of the biological effects of these systems and affects their spread among bacteria and archaea.
Geometry and conservation laws for a class of second-order parabolic equations I: Geometry

Abstract I consider the geometry of the general class of scalar 2nd-order differential equations with parabolic symbol, including non-linear and non-evolutionary parabolic equations. After defining the appropriate G -structure to model parabolic equations, I apply Cartan techniques to determine local geometric invariants (quantities invariant up to a generalized change of variables). One family of invariants gives a geometric characterization for parabolic equations of Monge–Ampere type. A second family of invariants determines when a parabolic equation has a local choice of coordinates putting it in evolutionary form. In addition to their intrinsic interest, these results are applied in a follow up paper on the conservation laws of parabolic equations. It is shown there that conservation laws for any evolutionary parabolic equation depend on at most second derivatives of solutions. As a corollary, the only evolutionary parabolic equations with at least one non-trivial conservation law are of Monge–Ampere type.
Developing Sexual and Reproductive Health Educational Resources for Young Women with Cystic Fibrosis: A Structured Approach to Stakeholder Engagement

Stakeholder engagement, specifically integration of patient and family perspectives about what matters, is increasingly recognized as a critical component of patient-centered healthcare delivery. This study describes a structured approach to and evaluation of stakeholder engagement in the development of novel sexual and reproductive health (SRH) educational resources for adolescent and young adult (AYA) women with cystic fibrosis (CF). Key stakeholders participated in a systematic series of steps to iteratively develop and adapt patient educational resources. Process measures (stakeholder recruitment, composition, co-learning, and transparency) and proximal outcomes of stakeholder involvement (impact on the development process and satisfaction) were measured via recorded stakeholder recommendations and a stakeholder survey. Seventeen stakeholders participated in seven group and two patient-only conference calls. The majority of stakeholders understood their roles, had their expectations met or exceeded, and were satisfied with the frequency and quality of engagement in the project. All stakeholders in attendance provided multiple concrete recommen-dations during the development process. Stakeholders explored the motivations of AYA women with CF related to SRH and agreed that the ideal resource should be online. After reviewing the design of existing resources, stakeholders decided by consensus to partner with a pre-existing young women’s health website and created 11 CF-specific SRH guides. This study illuminates a path for a formal process of stakeholder engagement and evaluation in educational resource development centered on the SRH care needs of AYA women with CF. Similar systematic, planned processes could be extended to other populations and aspects of healthcare.
Market Power, Finance Wages and Inequality

Increasing industry concentration has raised concerns that declining competition among firms for labor has led to slow wage growth. However, the financial sector has been an exception. I find that finance wages have increased by almost three times the increase in non-finance wages, despite similar trends in market concentration. Using administrative data from the U.S. Census, I construct measures of firm-specific market power and show that higher market power is associated with significantly higher wages in finance than in non-finance. I provide evidence that rent-sharing plays an essential role in driving the more pronounced effect of market power on finance wages for two reasons. First, financial firms with higher market power can extract relatively higher rents to share. Second, financial firms give a relatively higher share of rents to workers, especially high-skill workers, due to relatively higher worker bargaining power. As rents are disproportionally distributed to high-skill workers, financial firms with higher market power are associated with relatively higher within-firm inequality.
Supervised Learning Using Data-dependent Random Features with Application to Seizure Detection

The randomized-feature technique has been successfully applied to large-scale supervised learning. Despite being significantly more efficient compared to kernel methods in terms of computational cost, random features can be improved from generalization (prediction accuracy) viewpoint. Recently, it has been shown that such improvement can be achieved using data-dependent randomization. We recently proposed an algorithm based on a data-dependent score function that explores the set of possible random features and exploits the promising regions. The method has shown promising empirical success (on various datasets) in terms of generalization error compared to the state-of-the-art in random features. Restricting our attention to cosine feature maps, in this work, we provide exact theoretical constraints under which the score function converges to the spectrum of the best model in the learning class. We further present another application of the method in Epileptic Seizure Recognition.
A Meaning-Based Multiple-Choice Test of Pragmatic Knowledge: Does It Work?

One of the most recent developments in language assessment, the assessment of pragmatic ability, continues to face a number of challenges. Among these, a key issue is that pragmatic ability remains as one of the least understood constructs in the field. While pragmatic ability has been the focus of much research in the last few decades, there is still a lack of consensus as to what components constitute this construct (Timpe-Laughlin, Wain, & Schmidgall, 2015). In addition, researchers differ in their perceptions of how it can be effectively and reliably elicited and assessed, particularly where practicality considerations may be of paramount concern. As such, along with the issue of construct definition, there is the paradox regarding which elicitation methods are to be used in this type of assessment.
Comparative Modeling to Inform Health Policy Decisions: A Step Forward.

The editorialists discuss Criss and colleagues' findings and explain how decision analytic models can help us address clinical and policy questions.
Update on Breast Implant-Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma

The US Food and Drug Administration issued a recall of textured breast implants in July 2019 secondary to their association with anaplastic large cell lymphoma. This brief review serves to summarize what is actually known about breast implant associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma. Since the FDA’s first preliminary report in 2011, there have been a reported worldwide total of 573 breast implant associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) cases, including 33 deaths. In addition to halting the implantation of textured implants, the July recall served to increase awareness and vigilance when caring for patients with a history of textured breast implants. Recommendations continue to be against voluntary implant removal. In the setting of the FDA recall, the importance of comprehensive counseling remains paramount. For patients with textured breast implants, it is vital to ensure patient awareness with thorough education on warning signs and the importance of follow-up.
Concordance and Discordance of Echocardiographic Parameters Recommended for Assessing the Severity of Mitral Regurgitation.

Background: The American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association and American Society of Echocardiography guidelines recommend assessing several echocardiographic parameters when evaluatin...
Solvent Suitability for HFPO-DA (“GenX” Parent Acid) in Toxicological Studies

Per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) are of significant interest because of their prevalence and environmental persistence. Further, for many PFAS, including fluorinated ethers, such as hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA, or the parent acid of "GenX"), toxicological data are sparse. In general, in vitro testing frequently uses dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as a carrier solvent due to its low toxicity, solubility across vast chemical space, and permeation across biological barriers. For PFAS, laboratory practice has assumed that the materials are stable across a wide range of solvents, pHs, and temperatures. In this study, HFPO-DA stability was evaluated with DMSO and other commonly used solvents to determine each solvent's suitability for use in toxicity assays. The formation of HFPO-DA's degradation product, heptafluoropropyl 1,2,2,2-tetrafluoroethyl ether (Fluoroether E-1), was monitored by headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) over time. These experiments revealed degradation of HFPO-DA to Fluoroether E-1 in DMSO and other aprotic, polar solvents, with half-lives on the order of hours (1 h, 1.25 h, and 5.2 h for DMSO, acetone, and acetonitrile, respectively). This rapid degradation suggests the need for caution when performing or using data from toxicity assessments on HFPO-DA and closely related PFAS compounds.
Measuring Time-Constrained Influence to Predict Adoption in Online Social Networks

Recently, there has been strong interest in measuring influence in online social networks. Different measures have been proposed to predict when individuals will adopt a new behavior, given the influence produced by their friends. In this article, we show that one can achieve significant improvement over these measures, extending them to consider a pair of time constraints that provide a better proxy for social influence. By conducting an engineering study that investigates retweet networks from Twitter and Sina Weibo datasets, we tune those two parameters while we examine the correlation between influence and the probability of adoption, as well as the ability to predict adoption, estimating the real susceptibility and influence to which microblog users are dynamically subjected. Although there are limitations about using retweets to analyze social influence, our results show that for the simple count of active neighbors, its correlation with the probability of adoption is boosted up to 518.75%, whereas similar gains are observed for the other influence measures analyzed. We also obtain up to 18.89% improvement in F1 score when compared to recent machine learning techniques that aim to predict adoption, enabling practical use of the corresponding concepts for social influence applications.
Are Patient Experience and Outcomes for Home Health Agencies Related

To facilitate home health agency (HHA) selection, CMS released patient experience star ratings on the Home Health Compare website in January 2016. Our objective was to understand the relationship b...
Contrast Sensitivity Testing in Retinal Vein Occlusion Using a Novel Stimulus.

Purpose This study evaluated a novel tool known as the motion diamond stimulus (MDS), which utilizes contrast-generated illusory motion in dynamic test regions to determine contrast sensitivity (CS). Methods Patients with treated unilateral retinal vein occlusions (RVOs) underwent three assessments: the MDS, the Pelli-Robson (PR), and the National Eye Institute's Visual Function Questionnaire (VFQ-25). The MDS assessment produced two data end points, α and β. The α value represents the overall contrast threshold level and the β value serves to quantify the adaptability of the visual contrast system. The CS parameters from the MDS and log CS PR output values were used to compare RVO eyes (n = 20) to control eyes (n = 20). Results The study participants had a mean composite VFQ-25 score of 89.5 ± 10.4 on the VFQ-25. A significant difference was observed between the RVO eyes and the control eyes in PR log CS scores (P value = 0.0001) and in MDS α value (P value = 0.01). No difference in MDS β value was found between the study groups (P value = 0.39). Conclusions The results for the MDS assessment's α parameter corroborated the PR scores, suggesting contrast sensitivity threshold impairment in patients with RVO. No significant difference in β value was observed, suggesting that adaptability of the visual system is maintained in treated RVO eyes. Translational Relevance Currently, visual complaints cannot be entirely identified by Snellen visual acuity alone. The MDS offers potentially a more complete look at visual function, by including contrast sensitivity and may be able to quantify changes otherwise overlooked in retinal disease progression.
Desistance, persistence, resilience and resistance: A qualitative exploration of how Black fathers with criminal records navigate employer discrimination

While research suggests a growing proclivity amongst contemporary fathers towards emotional involvement and child caregiving, studies indicate that most men still experience unrelenting pressure to...
Enhanced Moisture and Water Resistance in Inverted Perovskite Solar Cells by Poly(3-hexylthiophene)

Poor stability of the perovskite solar cells (PSCs) under humid conditions is always an obstacle to the practical applications of PSCs. Here, a polymer-based strategy to enhance moisture and water ...
Progressive Tax Rates, Income Inequality, and Tax Collections: Implications from COVID-19 Restrictions

During March of 2021, a surprising narrative arose in the media – U.S. states not only did not incur decreases in tax collection during COVID-19, but many states saw substantial increases in collection. We consider this outcome from the perspective of progressive tax rates, income inequality, and the COVID-19-related restrictions put into place by states. All else equal, when taxes are progressive, income inequality increases tax collections. While progressive taxes are meant to combat income inequality, they unintentionally allow inequality-increasing policies to persist longer due to higher tax collections. Restrictions enforced due to COVID-19 are one set of inequality-increasing policies that had a significantly greater effect on low-income versus high-income individuals. We show that states with more progressive taxes enact stricter COVID restrictions, thereby increasing income inequality. More importantly, we find that states are more likely to restrict economic and social activities if they have both progressive tax rates and high income inequality.
Gibbs phenomena for some classical orthogonal polynomials

Abstract The Gibbs phenomena associated to partial sums of Fourier series are now well understood. In this paper, we show that Gibbs phenomena also occur for expansions of functions in terms of members of one of several general classes of orthogonal polynomials, in particular treating in a relatively unified manner expansions in either Legendre (more generally Jacobi), Hermite, or Laguerre polynomials. Noteworthy is the fact that the Gibbs constants associated to all of these expansions have the same value, approximately 0.0893 or more precisely 1 π ∫ 0 π sin ⁡ t t d t − 1 2 .
NEPA's Trajectory: Our Waning Environmental Charter from Nixon to Trump?

Heralded in 1970 as the nation’s environmental Magna Carta, the National Environmental Policy Act’s (NEPA’s) luster seems faded and its future uncertain. While Trump Administration initiatives threaten to diminish further and perhaps even dismantle aspects of NEPA, this Article chronicles how the current assault merely continues NEPA’s unfortunate trajectory, examining how the courts, the U.S. Congress, and the executive branch each have whittled away at the Act. NEPA consequently sits at a critical juncture: it could soon fade away or it could hew back toward its original promise. The Article urges the latter path, and proposes Two atypical and one oft-recommended changes. First, the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) ought to be charged with authority to oversee the development of environmental documents. Next, CEQ ought to require that agencies engage in balancing environmental harms against the benefits of a proposed action. Finally, the NEPA process should better incorporate the post-decision ability to monitor and adapt as new information and effects are understood.
Optimal control of product completion times in single-stage manufacturing systems with finite output buffers

The paper concerns an optimal control problem in single-stage manufacturing systems with finite output buffers. Given a sequence of jobs and their processing order, and given the release time and a due date for each job, the objective is to determine optimal processing times so as to minimize a cost functional consisting of lateness and earliness of the finished products. Jobs completed late are immediately delivered from the system, and jobs completed early are stored at an output buffer while waiting for their due dates. When the buffer gets full the server becomes blocked. Upper-bound and lower-bound constraints on the jobs' delivery times are imposed. The paper analyzes the problem and proposes an efficient algorithm for its solution.
Inducing jet lag in the laboratory - Patterns of adjustment to an acute shift in routine

Eight middle-aged males were studied in a temporal isolation experimental lasting 15 d. After 5 d and nights of entrainment to his own habitual routine, each subject experienced an acute unheralded 6-h phase advance in routine, accomplished by truncating his sixth sleep episode. For the remaining 10 d of the study, subjects were held to a routine 6-h phase advanced to the original. Significant symptoms of jet lag appeared in mood, performance efficiency, sleep, and circadian temperature rhythms. When plotted as a function to days postshift, some variables showed a fairly monotonic recovery to baseline levels, but other variables showed a zig-zag recovery pattern, suggesting the interaction of two competing processes, and reinforcing the need for greater sophistication in the development of jet-lag coping strategies.
40-Angstrom FEL designs for the PEP storage ring

We explore the use of the 2.2-km PEP storage ring at SLAC to drive a 40-{Angstrom} free-electron laser in the self-amplified spontaneous emission configuration. Various combinations for electron-beam and undulator parameters, as well as special undulator designs, are discussed. Saturation and high peak, in-band, coherent power (460 MW) are possible with a 67-m, hybrid permanent-magnet undulator in a ring bypass. A 100-m, cusp-field undulator can achieve high average, in-band, coherent power (0.25 W) in the main ring. The existing, 25.6-m, Paladin undulator at LLNL, with the addition of optical-klystron dispersive sections, is considered for both peak and average power. 35 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab.
Unravelling a tangle of Mexican serpents: a systematic revision of highland pitvipers

As most recently recognized, the name Cerrophidion barbouri Dunn, 1919, refers to a highland species of pitviper endemic to Guerrero, Mexico, of which Agkistrodon browni Shreve, 1938, is considered a junior synonym. This species is rarely collected and prior to recent decades it was known from only a few specimens. A careful re-examination of nearly all known specimens of C. barbouri and the type series of A. browni reveals that both names represent valid species and we therefore resurrect A. browni. Both species are extremely variable with respect to cephalic scalation and colour pattern, which has previously confounded efforts to identify them. We provide phylogenetic analyses using both Bayesian and maximum parsimony criteria of New World pitvipers to investigate the phylogenetic position of A. browni and C. barbouri. Our phylogenetic tree, based on 2235 bp of mitochondrial data [12S, 16S, cytochrome b (cyt b), NADH dehydrogenase subunit 4 (ND4)], strongly supports a clade consisting of A. browni, C. barbouri, and Ophryacus melanurus, which has a distant sister relationship to Ophryacus undulatus. Based on the deep phylogenetic divergences amongst these species and distinctive morphology we recommend that a new genus be recognized for A. browni, C. barbouri, and O. melanurus. Finally, we revise the genera Cerrophidion and Ophryacus in accordance with our new classification. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 163, 943–958.
The effects of realistic versus unrealistic desktop interface designs on novice and expert users

Abstract Metaphors are one tool which designers have used to bridge the gap between technology and the novice user. While metaphors work in theory, often the metaphor falls apart or breaks down during seemingly logical procedures. It would stand to reason that a metaphor which approximates the human-environment interaction, and remains consistent in the analogy, would be a more valid test of the benefits of a metaphor. In this study, novice and expert subjects were given a set of four computer-based, editing tasks, each of which was composed of six subtasks. The dependent variable was time to complete the task. It was found that novice subjects significantly benefited from the use of the realistic desktop design, while there were no significant differences in the performance of expert users.
Dispelling Fears About Aging with a Disability: Lessons from the Disability Rights Community

Abstract There have been revolutionary changes in the way that many people perceive and deal with the issue of disability. These changes effect both the nature of services and the expectations that people may have about disabilities acquired late in life. This raises issues about the fears and anxieties that non-disabled seniors have about acquiring a disability as they age. This article addresses the most important aspects of the reconceptualization of disability as it relates to the field of aging and proposes a model for addressing senior's fears about acquiring a disability and preparing for life with disabilities typically acquired as people age.
Hemoglobin levels predict exercise performance, ST-segment depression, and outcome in patients referred for routine exercise treadmill testing.

Background While the role of hemoglobin in heart failure and renal disease has been investigated, little is known about its effect on clinical exercise test performance and mortality in patients referred for routine exercise treadmill testing (ETT). Hypothesis Patients with low hemoglobin will have poor exercise capacity and would be at increased risk of mortality and cardiovascular (CV) events. Methods Clinical variables, laboratory values, and exercise treadmill data were obtained for 1,799 patients referred for routine ETT from 1997 to 2004. All-cause mortality was obtained from the United States Social Security death index and autopsy reports or clinical notes were used to determine CV events and mortality. P values < 0.05 were considered significant. Results Our population had a mean age of 58 ± 12 years, 16% had diabetes, 53% had hypertension, 35% had hypercholesterolemia, and 67% had a history of smoking. During follow-up, 10.3% of patients died, 3.9% of patients died of CV causes, and 11.6% had cardiovascular events. Anemic patients (hemoglobin [Hgb] < 13 g/dL) achieved lower metabolic equivalents (METs) than nonanemic patients and had more ST-segment depression (15.5% versus 8.6%, p < 0.004). Proportional hazard analysis demonstrated that hemoglobin was significantly associated with all-cause mortality (p < 0.0007), CV mortality (p < 0.009), and CV events (p < 0.01). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis demonstrated that anemic patients had significantly higher mortality and CV events. Conclusion Hemoglobin is significantly associated with exercise performance, ST-segment depression during ETT, mortality, and cardiovascular events. The incorporation of hemoglobin may add diagnostic and prognostic information to ETT. Copyright © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.