cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
World dairy market structure.

A mel hod for ddinin~ a "world market" and its "world price" is outlined for dairy products in a way that can be used with any product traded internationally. Analysis of a world price Illode! indicates that exporters of hoth butler and cheese have enough market power (rdati ve to importers) to have some influence on prices. Also, the world cheese market is less cO lllpetilive th all th e world hutter market.
Telomere shortening in diaphragm and tibialis anterior muscles of aged mdx mice.

The progression of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is, in part, due to satellite cell senescence driven by high replicative pressure as these muscle stem cells repeatedly divide and fuse to damaged muscle fibers. We hypothesize that telomere shortening in satellite cells underlies their senescence. To test this hypothesis, we evaluated the diaphragm and a leg muscle from dystrophic mice of various ages for telomere dynamics. We found 30% telomere shortening in tibialis anterior muscles from 600-day-old mdx mice relative to age-matched wildtype mice. We also found a more severe shortening of telomere length in diaphragm muscles of old mdx mice. In those muscles, telomeres were shortened by ∼15% and 40% in 100- and 600-day-old mdx mice, respectively. These findings indicate that satellite cells undergo telomere erosion, which may contribute to the inability of these cells to perpetually repair DMD muscle. Muscle Nerve, 2007
Layered representations for learning and inferring office activity from multiple sensory channels

We present the use of layered probabilistic representations for modeling human activities, and describe how we use the representation to do sensing, learning, and inference at multiple levels of temporal granularity and abstraction and from heterogeneous data sources. The approach centers on the use of a cascade of Hidden Markov Models named Layered Hidden Markov Models (LHMMs) to diagnose states of a user's activity based on real-time streams of evidence from video, audio, and computer (keyboard and mouse) interactions. We couple these LHMMs with an expected utility analysis that considers the cost of misclassification. We describe the representation, present an implementation, and report on experiments with our layered architecture in a real-time office-awareness setting.
Massless Composites With Massive Constituents

Abstract We construct model field theories in which a confining gauge interaction binds massive elementary fermions into massless composite particles. The massless composites are either Goldstone bosons or spin - 1 2 fermions. In these models, the manner in which exact chiral symmetries are realized changes at a critical value of the elementary fermion mass of order (e2/16π2)Λ, where Λ is the confinement scale and e is a weak gauge coupling.
Educational Technology: Media for Inquiry, Communication, Construction, and Expression:

We describe a new way of classifying uses of educational technologies, based on a four-part division suggested years ago by John Dewey: inquiry, communication, construction, and expression. This taxonomy is compared to previous taxonomies of educational technologies, and is found to cover a wider range of uses, including many of the cutting-edge uses of educational technologies. We have tested the utility of this taxonomy by using it to classify a set of "advanced applications" of educational technologies supported by the National Science Foundation, and we use the taxonomy to point to new potential uses of technologies to support learning.
Patients Undergoing Substance Abuse Treatment and Receiving Financial Assistance for a Physical Disability Respond Well to Contingency Management Treatment

Physical illness and disability are common in individuals with substance use disorders, but little is known about the impact of physical disability status on substance use treatment outcomes. This study examined the main and interactive effects of physical disability payment status on substance use treatment. Participants (N = 1,013) were enrolled in one of six prior randomized clinical trials comparing contingency management (CM) to standard care; 79 (7.8%) participants reported receiving disability payments, CM improved all three primary substance use outcomes: treatment retention, percent negative samples and longest duration of abstinence. There was no significant main effect of physical disability payment status on treatment outcomes; however, a significant treatment condition by physical disability status interaction effect emerged in terms of retention in treatment and duration of abstinence achieved. Patients who were receiving physical disability payments responded particularly well to CM, and their time in treatment and durations of drug and alcohol abstinence increased even more markedly with CM than did that of their counterparts who were not receiving physical disability assistance. These findings suggest an objectively defined cohort of patients receiving substance use treatment who respond particularly well to CM.
Antigen-Responsive CD4+ T Cells from C3H Mice Chronically Infected with Leishmania amazonensis Are Impaired in the Transition to an Effector Phenotype

C3HeB/FeJ mice challenged with Leishmania major develop a polarized Th1 response and subsequently heal, whereas Leishmania amazonensis challenge leads to chronic lesions with high parasite loads at 10 weeks postinfection. In this study, a comparison of draining lymph node cells from L. amazonensis- and L. major-infected mice at 10 weeks postinfection showed equivalent percentages of effector/memory phenotype CD44hi CD4+ T cells producing interleukin-2 (IL-2) and proliferating after antigen stimulation. However, these cells isolated from L. amazonensis-infected mice were not skewed toward either a Th1 or Th2 phenotype in vivo, as evidenced by their unbiased Th1/Th2 transcription factor mRNA profile. In vivo antigen stimulation with added IL-12 failed to enhance gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) production of CD4+ T cells from L. amazonensis-infected mice. Antigen stimulation of CD4+ T cells from L. amazonensis-infected mice in vitro in the presence of IL-12 resulted in production of only 10 to 15% of the IFN-gamma produced by T cells from L. major-infected mice under identical conditions. These results suggest that the CD4+ T-cell response during chronic L. amazonensis infection is limited during the transition from an early activated CD4+ T-cell population to an effector cell population and demonstrate that these T cells have an intrinsic defect beyond the presence or absence of IL-12 during antigen stimulation.
Nonreciprocal propagation of solitary waves in granular chains with asymmetric potential barriers

Abstract In the study presented in this paper, nonreciprocal propagation of highly nonlinear solitary waves (HNSWs) along one-dimensional chains of spherical particles is attained by inserting asymmetric potential barriers inside the chains. The barriers partially reflect the waves propagating along one direction whereas pass the waves along the opposite direction. This nonreciprocal effect is investigated numerically for different number of barriers, and for various barriers’ stiffness. The results indicate that more and stiffer barriers provide better unidirectional transmission than soft barriers. In the future, the unidirectional transmission effect observed in this study could be applied for acoustic switching or acoustic rectification.
The neurosteroid allopregnanolone modulates oxytocin expression in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus.

Virgin, ovariectomized rats exposed to 2 wk of sequential estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P) followed by P withdrawal have increased hypothalamic oxytocin (OT) mRNA and peptide levels relative to ...
Using the Fennema-Sherman Mathematics Attitude Scales with lower-primary teachers

The Fennema-Sherman Mathematics Attitude Scales (FSMAS) are among the most popular instruments used in studies of attitudes toward mathematics. However, the FSMAS has been mainly used among student populations and rarely used with teachers. In the present study, three scales from the FSMAS—Confidence, Effectance Motivation, and Anxiety—were revised and used with lower-primary (kindergarten to third grade) teachers. This study includes three parts: (1) a pilot study to ensure the modifications made to the FSMAS were appropriate to use with teachers, (2) confirmatory factor analyses to assess the factor structure of the revised FSMAS with 225 lower-primary teachers, and (3) measurement invariance analyses using data from a similar sample of 171 lower-primary teachers to examine whether the revised FSMAS measures each construct in the same way as in the previous sample. The final three-factor model, after removing three problematic items, achieves acceptable model fit, with each construct meeting all conditions for strict measurement invariance. Additionally, repeated measures analyses were performed on data collected from 39 in-service lower-primary teachers who participated in an elementary mathematics specialist program to examine the use of the revised FSMAS in program evaluation. Overall results suggest that researchers and program evaluators may use the revised FSMAS to reliably measure lower-primary teachers’ mathematical attitudes, and it can be a valuable tool for evaluating the effectiveness of professional development programs.
Impact of Mulches on Landscape Plants and the Environment — A Review

Mulches provide aesthetic, economic and environmental benefits to urban landscapes. Mulching is especially useful in the establishment of trees in landscapes that receive minimal care, such as restoration sites. In general, mulches improve soil health, creating healthy populations of plants and associated animals. These biodiverse, stable landscapes are more resistant to stress, are more aesthetically pleasing, require fewer applications of pesticides and fertilizers, and are ultimately more sustainable than those without mulch cover . All mulches are not created equally, however, and this review compares the costs and benefits of landscape mulches as reported in the scientific literature. It also presents real and perceived problems associated with various landscape mulches. Significance to the Nursery Industry There is a vast array of mulch materials available for landscape use, benefiting plants and soils through weed suppression, evaporation reduction, and other environmental modifications. Given the available choices, it can be dif ficult to determine which mulch materials are best suited for a par ticular landscape. The purpose of this review is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the scientific research on the benefits and drawbacks of mulches used in ornamental and ur ban landscapes. The article will be of particular value to industry professionals who sell, apply, or manage mulch materials, allowing them to make informed recommendations specific to their customers’ landscaping needs.
High-resolution peptide mapping separations with MS-friendly mobile phases and charge-surface-modified C18.

Ionic analytes, such as peptides, can be challenging to separate by reverse-phase chromatography with optimal efficiency. They tend, for instance, to exhibit poor peak shapes, particularly when eluted with mobile phases preferred for electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. We demonstrate that a novel charged-surface C18 stationary phase alleviates some of the challenges associated with reverse-phase peptide separations. This column chemistry, known as CSH (charged-surface hybrid) C18, improves upon an already robust organosilica hybrid stationary phase, BEH (ethylene-bridged hybrid) C18. Based on separations of a nine-peptide standard, CSH C18 was found to exhibit improved loadability, greater peak capacities, and unique selectivity compared to BEH C18. Its performance was also seen to be significantly less dependent on TFA-ion pairing, making it ideal for MS applications where high sensitivity is desired. These performance advantages were evaluated through application to peptide mapping, wherein CSH C...
Reproduction and feeding behavior of greenbug biotype E (Homoptera : Aphididae) on wheat previously fed upon by aphids

Laboratory studies were conducted to investigate the fecundity of greenbug, Schizaphis graminum (Rondani) biotype E, on wheat, Triticum aestivum L., conditioned by previous feeding of the Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis noxia (Mordvilko), and greenbug biotype E. After 10 d of feeding, the fecundity of greenbug biotype E was significantly greater on sites conditioned by D. noxia than on controls. Wheat conditioned by greenbug biotype E did not significantly affect any of the parameters measured. The feeding behavior of green bug biotype E on wheat conditioned by D. noxia was electronically monitored for 12 h. Results of the electronic monitoring indicated that wheat conditioned by D. noxia did not significantly affect any of the greenbug feeding behaviors measured. Wheat fields infested with D. noxia may create a favorable environment for greenbug reproduction.
The changing face of hyperparathyroidism.

Despite its earlier reputation as a relentlessly progressive disease, hyperparathyroidism may actually remain asymptomatic for many years. If its possible presence is signaled by hypercalcemia and supported by other laboratory findings, surgery is often indicated because no medical treatment is effective, and long-term follow-up of this frequently Malignant condition is difficult; the surgical cure rate is about 95%.
Managed Health Care

Judaism, Christianity and Islam – all three of which are Abrahamic, monotheistic religions – firmly advocate the fundamental rights of human beings, rights of confidentiality, doing good and avoiding evil, and performing duties based on the voice of one’s conscience. Here, however, we shall mostly concentrate on the Islamic viewpoint in all bioethical matters. Islam is the final religion. It sums up all that was revealed in other religions. Islam strongly believes in human dignity, the sanctity of life, and benevolence and justice. We shall examine these facts in the light of religious teachings.
Regulation of Cortical Dendrite Morphology and Spine Organization by Secreted Semaphorins: A Primary Culture Approach

Primary tissue culture is an invaluable technique in cell biology and has a long history in demonstrating its versatility in characterizing cellular morphology, function, and behavior. Here, we describe a modified, low density, long-term, primary neuron culture system to characterize dendritic morphology and synaptic spine organization in developing mouse cortical neurons. While this method can be applied to investigate the signaling pathways of a range of extracellular cues' effect on neuronal development, we focus on how distinct secreted semaphorins regulate dendritic elaboration and spine morphogenesis in deep layer cortical neurons.
Back to the Future: Looking Forward by Examining the Past

The plot for the classic movie, Back to the Future, begins with two of the main characters transported 30 years into the past. As the movie concludes they traverse 30 years into the future. We are taking a similar voyage in time with Bladder Pain Syndrome, Thirty Years Later. Edited by long time leaders in the field, this unique volume takes the reader on a trip in a “time machine” through over 30 years of interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) research and reveals based on what we know now “what we got right and where we missed the mark”. Our contribution looks forward to examine the unmet needs of patients with IC/BPS for a number of important domains including etiology, diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, and prevention. We offer our comments on how these areas could be further investigated by adopting a more comprehensive approach [1] and applying new research technologies to this syndrome to propel us into the age of precision medicine [2]. An important goal in this journey is to identify the “right treatment for the right patient at the right time”. This will require a substantial evolution of our knowledge. Given our current understanding and ongoing research efforts we believe that the time required for these advancements while significant, will be accelerated in the coming years, as new technologies and scientific strategies are applied to the study of this challenging syndrome. We anticipate this will be an exciting period of time as these research advances translate into significantly improved care of patients with IC/BPS and ultimately their prevention founded on identification of underlying risk and susceptibility factors.
Objective Metrics and Gradient Descent Algorithms for Adversarial Examples in Machine Learning

Fueled by massive amounts of data, models produced by machine-learning (ML) algorithms are being used in diverse domains where security is a concern, such as, automotive systems, finance, health-care, computer vision, speech recognition, natural-language processing, and malware detection. Of particular concern is use of ML in cyberphysical systems, such as driver-less cars and aviation, where the presence of an adversary can cause serious consequences. In this paper we focus on attacks caused by adversarial samples, which are inputs crafted by adding small, often imperceptible, perturbations to force a ML model to misclassify. We present a simple gradient-descent based algorithm for finding adversarial samples, which performs well in comparison to existing algorithms. The second issue that this paper tackles is that of metrics. We present a novel metric based on few computer-vision algorithms for measuring the quality of adversarial samples.
Climate-wise choices in a world of oil abundance

Constrained oil supply has given way to abundance at a time when strong action on climate change is wavering. Recent innovation has pushed US oil production to all-time heights and driven oil prices lower. At the same time, attention to climate policy is wavering due to geopolitical upheaval. Nevertheless, climate-wise choices in the oil sector remain a priority, given oil's large role in modern economies. Here we use a set of open-source models along with a detailed dataset comprising 75 global crude oils (~25% of global production) to estimate the effects of carbon intensity and oil demand on decadal scale oil-sector emissions. We find that oil resources are abundant relative to all projections of 21st century demand, due to large light-tight oil (LTO) and heavy oil/bitumen (HOB) resources. We then investigate the 'barrel forward' emissions from producing, refining, and consuming all products from a barrel of crude. These oil resources have diverse life-cycle-greenhouse gas (LC-GHG) emissions impacts, and median per-barrel emissions for unconventional resources vary significantly. Median HOB life cycle emissions are 1.5 times those of median LTO emissions, exceeding them by 200 kgCO2eq./bbl. We show that reducing oil LC-GHGs is a mitigation opportunity worth 10–50 gigatonnes CO2 eq. cumulatively by 2050. We discuss means to reduce oil sector LC-GHGs. Results point to the need for policymakers to address both oil supply and oil demand when considering options to reduce LC-GHGs.
Service Attributes Available on Mobile Website

US m-commerce sales growth has been significant over the past few years. Total sales of products and services made using mobile phones and tablets reached $41 billion in 2013, accounting for 16% of total e-commerce sales. A majority of e-commerce consumers are expected to make purchases via mobile devices by 2017. Although mobile purchases are growing, most consumers still prefer to make actual purchases in physical stores or through retail websites (eMarketer, 2013).
NewsAnalyticalToolkit: an online natural language processing platform to analyze news

In today’s increasingly divided political climate there is a need for a tool that can compare news articles and organizations so that a user can receive a wider range of views and philosophies. NewsAnalyticalToolkit allows a user to compare news sites and their political articles by coverage, mood, sentiment, and objectivity. The user can sort through the news by topic, which was determined using Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA). LDA is a probabilistic method used to discover latent topics within a series of documents and cluster them accordingly. Each news article can be considered a mix of multiple topics and LDA assigns a set of topics to each with a probability of it pertaining to that topic. For each topic, a user can then discover the coverage, mood, sentiment and objectivity expressed by each author and site. The mood was determined using IBM Watsons ToneAnalyzerV3, which uses linguistic analysis to detect emotional, social and language tones in written text. The analyzer is based on the theory of psycholinguistics, a field of research that explores the relationship between linguistic behavior and psychological theories. The sentiment and objectivity scores were determined using SentiWordNet, which is a lexical database that groups English words into sets of synonyms and assigns sentiment scores to them. The features were combined to plot an interactive graph of how opinionated versus how analytical an article is, so that the user can click through them to get a better understanding of the topic in question.
Commercial Parts Technology Qualification Processes

Many high-reliability systems, including space systems, use selected commercial parts (including Plastic Encapsulated Microelectronics or PEMs) for unique functionality, small size, low weight, high mechanical shock resistance, and other factors. Predominantly this usage is subjected to certain 100% tests (typically called screens) and certain destructive tests usually (but not always) performed on the flight lot (typically called qualification tests). Frequently used approaches include those documented in EEE-INST-002 and JPL DocID62212 (which are sometimes modified by the particular aerospace space systems manufacturer). In this study, approaches from these documents and several space systems manufacturers are compared to approaches from a launch systems manufacturer (SpaceX), an implantable medical electronics manufacturer (Medtronics), and a high-reliability transport system process (automotive systems). In the conclusions section, these processes are outlined for all of these cases and presented in tabular form. Then some simple comparisons are made. In this introduction section, the PEM technology qualification process is described, as documented in EEE-INST-002 (written by the Goddard Space Flight Center, GSFC), as well as the somewhat modified approach employed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Approaches used at several major NASA contractors are also described
Reference and Crop Evapotranspiration

Advancements have been made in estimating potential and reference evapotranspiration. Actual crop evapotranspiration estimation still is a challenge due to limited availability of local crop coefficients and large-scale variation in field conditions. In this chapter, application and comparison of currently used potential and reference evapotranspiration estimation methods are presented. Crop coefficient availability is discussed and a general seasonal pattern of crop coefficients is presented.
Radiofrequency Identification of the ER-REBOA: Confirmation of Placement Without Fluoroscopy.

Introduction Non-compressible torso hemorrhage accounts for 70% of battlefield deaths. Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) is an emerging technology used to mitigate massive truncal hemorrhage. Use of REBOA on the battlefield is limited by the need for radiographic guided balloon placement. Radiofrequency identification (RFID) is a simple, portable, real-time technology utilized to detect retained sponges during surgery. We investigated the feasibility of RFID to confirm the placement of ER-REBOA. Materials and methods This was a single-arm prospective proof-of-concept experimental study approved by the institutional review board at Naval Medical Center San Diego. The ER-REBOA (Prytime Medical Devices, Inc, Boerne, TX, USA) was modified by placement of a RFID tag. The tagged ER-REBOA was placed in zone I or zone III of the aorta in a previously perfused cadaver. Exact location was documented with X-ray. Five blinded individuals used the RF Assure Detection System (Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN, USA) handheld detection wand to predict catheter tip location from the xiphoid process (zone I) or pubic tubercle (zone III). Results In zone I, actual distance (Da) of the catheter tip was 11 cm from the xiphoid process. Mean predicted distance (Dp) from Da was 1.52 cm (95% CI 1.19-1.85). In zone III, Da was 14 cm from the pubic tubercle. Mean Dp from Da was 4.11 cm (95% CI 3.68-4.54). Sensitivity of detection was 100% in both zones. Specificity (Defined as Dp within 2 cm of Da) was 86% in zone I and 16% in zone III. Conclusions Using RFID to confirm the placement of ER-REBOA is feasible with specificity highest in zone I. Future work should focus on refining this technology for the forward-deployed setting.
Investigation of Wood Shear Walls Subjected to Lateral Load

Abstract This paper summarizes results of 15 tests from the first phase of a study on lateral resistance of wood-frame shear walls without openings, constructed with traditional dimensional lumber and Oriented Strand Board panels (OSB). The next phases considered shear walls with strap ties, bracings, and uplift are presented in subsequent papers. Traditional shear wall construction across most of the United States includes wall studs spaced 40.5 cm (16 in) on center where the sheathing is attached with 6d, 50 mm × 2.85 mm (2 in × 0.113 in) smooth shank penny nails spaced at 150 mm/300 mm (6 in/12 in) at the edge and field, respectively. Likewise, the walls are commonly attached to the foundation with anchor bolts spaced 1.8 m (6 ft) on center. This study alternates the type, number, and spacing of these different connections, as well as the length of the wall to improve understanding of wood shear wall behavior due to lateral loads and to determine design methodologies which improve wood-frame construction performance. Overall results indicate that wall strength improved for each of the following modifications: doubling the base plate, decreasing anchor bolt spacing, increasing washer size, fastener type and spacing. Design value and deflection were determined based on SDPWS-2015 and compared to the shear capacity and ASCE 7 deflection limit.
From clinical assistant to clinical associate professor: Examination of a sample of promotion guidelines.

Abstract Introduction As accreditation standards for doctor of pharmacy programs have placed a greater emphasis on practice experiences, programs have a need for more clinical faculty. While clinical faculty are expected to achieve success in teaching, scholarly activity, and service, they tend to hold lower academic ranks and take more time to achieve promotion. This may be especially true when promotion guidelines lack clarity. Methods Guidelines for promotion of clinical faculty from assistant to associate rank for 10, research-intensive pharmacy programs were reviewed for predetermined factors in the areas of teaching, scholarly activity, and service using the following scale: required, desired, considered, not considered, or not specified. Some factors reviewed included: classroom teaching hours, number of clerkship students, types of scholarly activity considered, grantsmanship, and patient care services. Results There is significant variation in criteria utilized when considering promotion of clinical faculty from assistant to associate rank; few programs provide quantifiable requirements. All programs expect clinical faculty to participate in teaching. Only one program quantifies the amount of teaching expected. One program does not describe types of scholarly activity considered for promotion. No programs expect salary support from grants for clinical faculty. All programs consider direct patient care activities. Conclusions A wide variety of criteria are considered when evaluating a clinical faculty member for promotion to the rank of associate professor. Clearly defined promotion criteria may help faculty direct their efforts toward activities that are recognized to ensure timely promotion.
Characterization of jet injection efficiency with mouse cadavers.

Abstract Needle-free drug delivery is highly sought after for reduction in sharps waste, prevention of needle-stick injuries, and potential for improved drug dispersion and uptake. Whilst there is a wealth of literature on the array of different delivery methods, jet injection is proposed as the sole candidate for delivery of viscous fluids, which is especially relevant with the advent of DNA-based vaccines. The focus of this study was therefore to assess the role of viscosity and jet configuration (i.e. stand-off relative to the skin) upon injection efficiency for a fixed spring-loaded system (Bioject ID Pen). We performed this assessment in the context of mouse cadavers and found that the dominant factor in determining success rates was the time from euthanasia, which was taken as a proxy for the stiffness of the underlying tissue. For overall injection efficiency, ANOVA tests indicated that stiffness was highly significant (P
Management of Colonoscopic Perforation

Abstract Colonoscopy is increasingly utilized for colorectal cancer screening, diagnosis of colorectal pathologies and therapeutic interventions for benign and malignant conditions. Perforation is a rare but morbid complication of colonoscopy. Management of colonoscopic perforation has evolved in parallel with advances in minimally invasive techniques to include nonoperative, endoscopic, and laparoscopic options. Endoscopic management has high success rates for select patients with small perforations diagnosed at the time of colonoscopy. Laparoscopic repair is associated with significantly decreased complications and hospital length of stay (LOS) compared to open repair. Smaller perforations diagnosed at the time of colonoscopy may be managed with endoscopic repair, while larger perforations or failed endoscopic repair should be managed with laparoscopy. Delayed presentation of colonoscopic perforation with fecal spillage or hemodynamic instability continue to warrant laparotomy.
The global epidemiology of hypertension.

Hypertension is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease and premature death worldwide. Owing to the widespread use of antihypertensive medications, global mean blood pressure (BP) has remained constant or has decreased slightly over the past four decades. By contrast, the prevalence of hypertension has increased, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Estimates suggest that 31.1% of adults (1.39 billion) worldwide had hypertension in 2010. The prevalence of hypertension among adults was higher in LMICs (31.5%, 1.04 billion people) than in high-income countries (28.5%, 349 million people). Variations in the levels of risk factors for hypertension, such as high sodium intake, low potassium intake, obesity, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity and unhealthy diet, may explain some of the regional heterogeneity in hypertension prevalence. Despite the increasing prevalence, the proportions of hypertension awareness, treatment and BP control are low, particularly in LMICs, and few comprehensive assessments of the economic impact of hypertension exist. Future studies are warranted to test implementation strategies for hypertension prevention and control, especially in low-income populations, and to accurately assess the prevalence and financial burden of hypertension worldwide. Hypertension is the leading global cause of cardiovascular disease and premature mortality. In this Review, the authors describe the prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of hypertension worldwide, as well as risk factors for hypertension and the financial burden of this disease.
Bayesian Structural Time Series for Mobile Health and Sensor Data: A Flexible Modeling Framework for Evaluating Interventions

The development of mobile health technology has the potential to contribute greatly to personalized medicine. Wearable sensors can assist with determining the proper treatment plans for individuals, provide quantitative information to physicians, or give individuals an objective measurement of their health. However, though treatments and interventions have become more targeted and specific, measuring the causal impact of these actions require more careful considerations of complex covariate structures as well as temporal and spatial properties of the data. Thus, emerging data from sensors and wearables in the near future will make use of and require complex models. Here, we describe a general statistical framework for sensor and wearable data that applies a Bayesian structural time series model to analyze and understand various behavior and health data collected in different environments. We show the wide applicability of this modelling framework, and how it corrects for covariates and biases to provide accurate assessments of intervention. Furthermore, it allows for a time dependent confidence interval of impact through its use of Bayesian estimation. We give three main examples, physical sensor data, environmental air sensors and longitudinal behavioral data to show the effect of various interventions through parameter estimation and comparison in pre- and post- intervention periods. The Bayesian structural time series model shows robust performance in a wide variety of tasks, further supporting its applicability to current and future mobile health and sensor data types.
Willingness to seek diagnostic testing for SARS-CoV-2 with home, drive-through, and clinic-based specimen collection locations

Background SARS-CoV-2 virus testing for persons with COVID-19 symptoms, and contact tracing for those testing positive, will be critical to successful epidemic control. Willingness of persons experiencing symptoms to seek testing may determine the success of this strategy. Methods A cross-sectional online survey in the United States measured willingness to seek testing if feeling ill under different specimen collection scenarios: home-based saliva, home-based swab, drive-through facility swab, and clinic-based swab. Instructions clarified that home-collected specimens would be mailed to a laboratory for testing. We presented similar willingness questions regarding testing during follow-up care. Results Of 1435 participants, comprising a broad range of sociodemographic groups, 92% were willing to test with a home saliva specimen, 88% with home swab, 71% with drive-through swab, and 60% with clinic-collected swab. Moreover, 68% indicated they would be more likely to get tested if there was a home testing option. There were no significant differences in willingness items across sociodemographic variables or for those currently experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. Results were nearly identical for willingness to receive testing for follow-up COVID-19 care. Conclusions We observed a hierarchy of willingness to test for SARS-CoV-2, ordered by the degree of contact required. Home specimen collection options could result in up to one-third more symptomatic persons seeking testing, facilitating contact tracing and optimal clinical care. Remote specimen collection options may ease supply chain challenges and decrease the likelihood of nosocomial transmission. As home specimen collection options receive regulatory approval, they should be scaled rapidly by health systems.
Reduction in Resources and Cost for Gastroenteritis Through Implementation of Dehydration Pathway.

Objectives Management decisions for patients with gastroenteritis affect resource use within pediatric emergency departments (EDs), and algorithmic care using evidence-based guidelines (EBGs) has become widespread. We aimed to determine if the implementation of a dehydration EBG in a pediatric ED resulted in a reduction in intravenous (IV) fluid administration and the cost of care. Methods In a single-center quality improvement initiative between 2010 and 2016, investigators aimed to decrease the percentage of patients with gastroenteritis who were rehydrated with IV fluids. The EBG assigned the patient a dehydration score with subsequent rehydration strategy on the basis of presenting signs and symptoms. The primary outcome was proportion of patients receiving IV fluid, which was analyzed using statistical process control methods. The secondary outcome was cost of the episode of care. Balancing measures included ED length of stay, admission rate, and return visit rate within 72 hours. Results A total of 7145 patients met inclusion criteria with a median age of 17 months. Use of IV fluid decreased from a mean of 15% to 9% postimplementation. Average episode of care-related health care costs decreased from $599 to $410. For our balancing measures, there were improvements in ED length of stay, rate of admission, and rate of return visits. Conclusions Implementation of an EBG for patients with gastroenteritis led to a decrease in frequency of IV administration, shorter lengths of stay, and lower health care costs.
Digitization as politics: Smart farming through the lens of weak and strong data

Abstract This paper offers an alternative approach for engaging sociologically, ontologically, and politically with digital farming platforms. A challenge faced by any approach looking to upend intellectual conventions, especially ontological ones, lies in the question of representation, namely, how do we talk about digitization in novel theoretical ways using language rooted in more than two millennia of western human-centered thought? One way to deal with this challenge, the one adopted in this paper, involves decentering familiar terms and repurposing them. Thus, rather than organizing the argument around familiar terms like small and big data, I argue instead that we organize data-assemblages according to what they do, which makes this a political ontological project. To do this, I offer the relational predicate of weak data and strong data, suggesting that they are good to think with in this regard. The argument ultimately lands at a place for analyzing these platforms that offers the potential for critique and perhaps even a degree of optimism, as I suggest a framework for normatively evaluating these practices. The paper draws upon various empirical studies of digital agriculture conducted by the author, which include interviews with farmers, farm laborers, hacktivists, investors, and engineers from numerous countries and locales.
Cellular reconstitution of apoptotic cell clearance reveals a multi-step phosphorylation mechanism for Draper receptor triggering

Apoptotic cells are cleared after exposing "eat me" ligands, including phosphatidylserine (PS), but the signaling pathway in the phagocytic cell that leads to engulfment remains poorly understood. Here, by transfecting the engulfment receptor Draper into Drosophila S2 cells and using PS-coated beads to mimic apoptotic cells, we have created a simplified system for studying this process. We show that ligand-bound Draper forms mobile microclusters that recruit effector proteins and exclude a transmembrane phosphatase, suggesting a kinetic segregation mechanism for receptor activation similar to T cell receptors. Like the TCR, Draper9s extracellular domain and ligand can be replaced with other interacting modules. We show that phosphorylation of Draper9s ITAM motif occurs first and is a dominant contributor to signaling. After ITAM phosphorylation, additional residues become phosphorylated and contribute to signaling efficiency. Our results demonstrate broad mechanistic similarities between Draper and mammalian immune receptor activation and an ability to reprogram engulfment signaling.
A Racial Trust: The Japanese YWCA and the Alien Land Law

When the dispute arose over the old Japanese YWCA building in San Francisco's Japantown neighborhood, it seemed yet another example of a community institution inevitably ceding to the demands of the modern market economy. Yet what has resulted instead has been an exercise in legal archeology, a refreshing of the collective memory of the Japanese American community, and a legal theory that brings to light several central episodes in Asian American legal history and puts them to practical use in a contemporary property dispute.In 1996, the San Francisco YWCA decided it could no longer afford to maintain the old Japanese YWCA building at 1830 Sutter Street, and wanted to put it up for sale in San Francisco's red-hot real estate market. Members of the Japanese American community were disturbed to hear of the YWCA's plans. They wanted to preserve the historic building as a community asset. But their efforts to persuade the YWCA to change its mind failed. When it became clear that no one in the community could come up with the $1.65 million the YWCA wanted for the building, it seemed as though the preservation effort was doomed. The lawsuit filed in 1997 by representatives of the Japanese American community is striking in its originality. The plaintiffs present not only a moral claim to the property but a legal property interest. This article explores how this single extraordinary contemporary case brings to light several of the most significant episodes in the last century of Asian American legal history. First, the plaintiffs' legal theory is based on California's version of the Alien Land Laws, which were intended to prohibit the ownership of property by Japanese immigrants. The Alien Land Laws were themselves dependent on the racially discriminatory federal naturalization law that was in place from 1790 through the first half of the twentieth century. Second, the maintenance of the cause of action in the Japanese YWCA case relies in part on an aspect of the wartime internment of ethnic Japanese that has received little attention: the postwar return of camp residents to the coasts and the internal and external forces that prevented the reestablishment of vibrant Japanese neighborhoods and communities. Finally, I suggest that this case is a good example of a situation in which the law should recognize a property interest based on the vulnerability of the Japanese American community in the early twentieth century and the reliance by Japanese Americans on the good will of white individuals and institutions which the law necessitated, even if the traditional formal prerequisites for a legal trust cannot be established. I also argue that the case suggests a possible resolution of difficult questions regarding race-conscious trusts. Specifically, the case suggests an argument for judicial approval of race-consciousness in a particular circumstance: where a private act favoring a racial minority group is intended to evade specific, historical, legal discrimination against that racial minority group.
Legacies of Institutionalized Redlining: A Comparison Between Speculative and Implemented Mortgage Risk Maps in Chicago, Illinois

How did institutionalized discriminatory lending policies implemented under the guidance of the Federal Housing Administration (FHA)’s mortgage risk maps impact neighborhood trajectories? Have thes...
An interoceptive basis for alcohol priming effects

Alcohol priming can modulate the value of rewards, as observed through the effects of acute alcohol administration on cue reactivity. However, little is known about the psychophysiological mechanisms driving these effects. Here, we examine how alcohol-induced changes in bodily states shape the development of implicit attentional biases and explicit cue reactivity. To characterize the interoceptive correlates of alcohol priming effects on alcohol attentional biases and cue reactivity. In a two-session double-blind alcohol administration procedure, participants (n=31) were given a 0.4-g/kg dose of alcohol or a placebo drink. Cardiovascular responses were measured before and after alcohol administration to observe the effects of alcohol on viscero-afferent reactivity, as indexed through changes in heart rate variability (HRV) at or near 0.1 Hz (0.1-Hz HRV). Next, participants completed a modified flanker task to examine implicit alcohol attentional biases and provided subjective valence and arousal ratings of alcohol cues to examine explicit cue reactivity. We found that changes in 0.1-Hz HRV after alcohol administration positively correlated with attentional biases, and negatively correlated with alcohol valence ratings; blood alcohol content was a null predictor. This is novel evidence that suggests alcohol-induced changes in bodily states may mediate the occurrence of alcohol priming effects and highlights the potentially generative role of interoceptive mechanisms in alcohol-related behaviors. The differential patterns revealed by implicit biases and explicit response tendencies are considered within the context of the dissociation between wanting and liking.
Narrative review of anxiety and depression in patients with esophageal cancer: underappreciated and undertreated

Depression and anxiety are emotional disorders that commonly affect patients with esophageal cancer. As a result of its high morbidity, mortality, and complication rates, this population is at particularly high risk for developing or exacerbating affective disorders; even when compared to patients with other forms of cancer. Many of the medical conditions and social behaviors that predispose patients to this disease are also independently associated with affective disorders, and likely compound their effects. Unfortunately, in the existing literature, there is wide variability in study design and diagnostic criteria. There is no standard method of evaluation, many studies are limited to written surveys, and widespread mental health screening is not included as a part of routine care. As a result, the prevalence of these illnesses remains elusive. Additionally, psychiatric and psychosocial illness can affect compliance with surveillance and treatment, and gaps in knowledge may ultimately influence patient outcomes and survival. This review will discuss the existing literature on depression and anxiety in patients with esophageal cancer. It will highlight current methods of psychological evaluation, the prevalence of affective disorders in this population, and their effects on treatment, compliance, and outcomes. It will also discuss possible screening tools, treatments and interventions for these comorbid illnesses that may improve oncologic outcomes as well as quality of life.
Catalysts Based on Dendrimer-Encapsulated Noble Metal Nanoclusters

A Summary Report to The Electrochemical Society for a 1998 Department of Energy Summer Research Fellowship.
DNA increases the β-phase content of PVDF films

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) has been shown to interact with poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF), resulting in increased electroactive β-phase content and piezoelectric response under certain casting conditions. While the use of DNA as a self-poling agent has the potential to eliminate the need for additional stretching and poling steps in piezoelectric PVDF films, the mechanism through which DNA poles PVDF is not yet well understood, hindering the optimization of the process. Here, we performed a study to screen the effects of drying temperature, amount of nucleic acid additive, weight percentage of PVDF, spin-casting speed, and molecular weight of PVDF on spin-cast PVDF-DNA hybrid films. The phase composition and piezoelectric response of the resulting films were quantified using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and a piezoelectric meter, respectively. We found that DNA has a significant influence on the PVDF films' β-phase content; however, this effect is masked at low drying temperatures. While DNA facilitates the formation of the electroactive β-phase of PVDF, we could not find evidence that DNA enhances PVDF's piezoelectric response. These results conflict with previous literature, which reported that DNA aligns the dipoles of PVDF such that the films exhibited a significant piezoelectric response. Overall, this study identifies that nucleic acid additives - under certain casting conditions - have an important effect on PVDF film phase composition.