Search

The comparison between Federal Equivalent Method (FEM) and Federal Reference Method (FRM) monitors in measuring fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations frequently raises concerns about the accuracy and reliability of data. The comparability, or lack thereof, of data between FRM and FEM monitors may have significant implications for maintaining compliance with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQSs). This study investigates the performance of continuous FEM monitors collocated with FRM monitors across 10 EPA regions in the U.S., focusing on PM2.5 measurements collected from 276 monitoring stations. Through an analysis of annually averaged paired concentration data, the study examines concentration ratios (FEM/FRM) and associated biases (in %, defined as [(FEM/FRM)−1] × 100) in FEM monitors across different manufacturers, measurement methods, EPA regions, and sampling location types. The study findings reveal a varied distribution of FEM/FRM ratios, with more than 50% of the FEM monitors having FEM/FRM > 1.1 and approximately 30% having FEM/FRM > 1.2. Substantial variations in estimated biases are identified among monitor types, measurement methods, EPA regions, and sampling site locations. Light scatter-based FEM monitors, notably Teledyne models 640 and 640x, dominate all locations (urban, suburban, and rural), with rural areas exhibiting higher mean bias values for both light scatter and beta attenuation FEM monitors (41% and 23%, respectively). On average, light scatter-based FEM monitors demonstrate higher biases compared to beta attenuation monitors across all EPA regions (28% vs. 12%). Irrespective of the measurement method employed, FEM monitors demonstrate a significant positive bias (mean bias 22%) relative to FRM monitors, which could result in an overestimation of PM2.5 design values (DVs) by 13–21% at monitoring sites designating FEMs as primary monitors for NAAQSs compliance designations. These findings emphasize the critical need to address method comparability issues, especially considering the recent tightening of NAAQSs for PM2.5 (annual) from 12 µg/m3 to 9 µg/m3 in the U.S. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Oopristus Steffan is being reported for the first time from India. O. iqrae Usman and Anwar sp. nov. is described based on females. An updated catalogue to the family Torymidae is provided from India. This catalogue lists 75 valid species included in 21 genera and four subfamilies. The subfamily Podagrioninae includes the largest number of 34 species (6 genera) followed by Toryminae 28 species (7 genera), Monodontomerinae 10 species (6 genera), and Microdontomerinae 3 species (2 genera). New combinations are provided for two Indian species of Pseuderimerus as Erimerus corianderi (Narendran and Mercy) comb. nov. and E. indicus (Subba Rao and Bhatia) comb. nov. Three species, Chrysochalcissa physomeri Bouček, Diomorus orientalis Masi, and Torymus varians (Walker), are removed from the fauna list of India. Article LSID: Species LSID: Oopristus iqrae Usman & Anwar [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An increasing number of young adults are using social media platforms in collectivist family cultures like Pakistan, but little is known about how social media use is associated with family connectedness in this population. This study is aimed (a) at examining the social media usage patterns in Pakistani young adults and how they use it to connect with their parents and (b) at exploring the possible association between social media use and perceived family connectedness and parental monitoring. Data came from an online survey conducted among young adults in Pakistan. Patterns of use across various popular social media platforms were recorded. Additionally, family connectedness and parental monitoring were measured. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to examine the relationship between social media used to connect with parents and family connectedness and parental monitoring. A total of 421 participants responded to the survey. All participants regularly used at least two popular social media platforms. WhatsApp was the most used platform irrespective of gender or age, with about 91% of the participants reporting daily usage. Overall, 63% of participants connected with their parents using social media. This varied significantly among male and female participants with 69% of female participants connecting with their parents on social media compared to 59% of males. Connecting with parents on both Facebook and Instagram was highly associated with participants' perception of parental monitoring before and after adjusting for age and gender. The study highlights that while family connectedness in collectivist societies like Pakistan is not associated with social media usage, adult children perceive parents monitoring their social media activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Inflammation plays a key role in the development of dementia, but its link to early biomarkers, particularly those in plasma or neuroimaging, remains elusive. This study aimed to investigate the association between serum immunoglobulins and biomarkers of dementia. Methods: Between 1997 and 2009, serum immunoglobulins (IgA, IgG and IgM) were measured in dementia-free participants of the population-based Rotterdam Study. A random subset of participants had assessment of biomarkers in plasma (total tau (t-tau), neurofilament light chain (NfL), amyloid-β40 (Aβ-40), amyloid-β42 (Aβ-42), while another subset of participants underwent neuroimaging to quantify brain volume, white matter structural integrity and markers of cerebral small vessel disease. Linear regression models were constructed to determine cross-sectional associations between IgA, IgG, IgM and biomarkers of dementia, with adjustment for potential confounders. Multiple testing correction was applied using the false discovery rate. As a sensitivity analysis, we re-ran the models for participants within the reference range of immunoglobulins, excluding those using immunomodulating drugs, and conducted a stratified analysis by APOE-ε4 carriership and sex. Results: Of 8,768 participants with serum immunoglobulins, 3,455 participants (65.8 years [interquartile range (IQR): 61.5–72.0], 57.2% female) had plasma biomarkers available and 3,139 participants (57.4 years [IQR: 52.7–60.7], 54.4% female) had neuroimaging data. Overall, no associations between serum immunoglobulins and biomarkers of dementia remained significant after correction for multiple testing. However, several suggestive associations were noted: higher serum IgA levels concurred with lower plasma levels of Aβ-42 (standardized adjusted mean difference: -0.015 [95% confidence interval (CI): -0.029−-0.002], p = 2.8 × 10–2), and a lower total brain volume, mainly driven by less gray matter (-0.027 [-0.046−-0.008], p = 6.0 × 10–3) and more white matter hyperintensities (0.047 [0.016 – 0.077], p = 3.0 × 10–3). In sensitivity analyses, higher IgM was linked to lower t-tau, Aβ-40, and Aβ-42, but also a loss of white matter microstructural integrity. Stratified analyses indicate that these associations potentially differ between carriers and non-carriers of the APOE-ε4 allele and men and women. Conclusions: While associations between serum immunoglobulins and early markers of dementia could not be established in this population-based sample, it may be valuable to consider factors such as APOE-ε4 allele carriership and sex in future investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Throughout, we will work only with lattice triangles in HT ht , with the lattice HT ht . Let I C i be a simple polygon in HT ht with vertices in HT ht . Let HT ht be a lattice triangle in HT ht . Let HT ht be two lattice polygons. [Extracted from the article]

Motivation The method of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and metabolomics combined provide an quantitative approach to pinpoint metabolic pathways and genes linked to specific diseases; however, such analyses require both genomics and metabolomics datasets from the same individuals/samples. In most cases, this approach is not feasible due to high costs, lack of technical infrastructure, unavailability of samples, and other factors. Therefore, an unmet need exists for a bioinformatics tool that can identify gene loci-associated polymorphic variants for metabolite alterations seen in disease states using standalone metabolomics. Results Here, we developed a bioinformatics tool, metGWAS 1.0, that integrates independent GWAS data from the GWAS database and standalone metabolomics data using a network-based systems biology approach to identify novel disease/trait-specific metabolite-gene associations. The tool was evaluated using standalone metabolomics datasets extracted from two metabolomics-GWAS case studies. It discovered both the observed and novel gene loci with known single nucleotide polymorphisms when compared to the original studies. Availability and implementation The developed metGWAS 1.0 framework is implemented in an R pipeline and available at: https://github.com/saifurbd28/metGWAS-1.0. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plastic and microplastic pollution is a complex, muti-faceted challenge that has engaged a broad alliance of stakeholder groups who are concerned with environmental, biotic and human health [[1]]. The toxicity mechanisms triggered by MPs are related to the critical parameters of particles, namely size, concentration, type and form, but they are also dependent on species exposed to MPs and the exposure route. Exposure to MNPs remains subject to much investigation, but the effects of long-term exposure on environmental and human health are not well established [[7]]. Once released, MNPs may sorb many other chemical groups (metals, pharmaceuticals and organic pollutants) and facilitate their transfer to biota [[10], [12]], but knowledge gaps persist regarding the role of MNPs as chemical carriers, particularly when considering the vast array of polymer types, chemicals, environmental transformations, organisms and species-specific physiological parameters that interact with each other [[11]]. [Extracted from the article]

This study presents a methodology for evaluating the walkability of roads within a market area using MultiAttribute Decision-Making (MADM) techniques. The methodology was applied to rank various roads of the market area based on the existing condition of the pedestrian-built environment in Aminabad market, Lucknow, India. A set of 7 key attributes containing 28 sub-attributes were identified that influence pedestrian safety and mobility. Videography and photographic surveys were conducted at the market roads to gather data, and attribute weights were calculated using the Entropy Weight Method (EWM). The roads were then ranked using Grey Relational Analysis (GRA) and Complex Proportional Assessment (COPRAS). The results showed a strong correlation of 0.896 between the rankings obtained using the two methods, indicating the robustness of the methodology. The study identified several key roads of the market area that were in need of improvement to enhance the overall quality of the pedestrian-built environment. The methodology developed in this study provides a valuable tool for decision-making regarding pedestrian infrastructure improvement in developing countries and is expected to contribute to a safer and more efficient environment for pedestrian movement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Optimal timing of VTE chemoprophylaxis in blunt solid-organ injuries is controversial and varies by provider and institution. • By establishing an objective guideline, chemoprophylaxis can be started early while being agnostic of concomitant injuries. • Our guideline was that enoxaparin was initiated when patients had <1g/dl Hemoglobin decline over a 24 h period. • Patients initiated <48 h from admission suffered fewer VTE events, had no difference in blood transfusions or nonoperative failure. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of early venous thromboembolism (VTE) chemoprophylaxis following blunt solid organ injury. A retrospective review of patients was performed for patients with blunt solid organ injury between 2009–2019. Enoxaparin was initiated when patients had <1g/dl Hemoglobin decline over a 24 h period. These patients were then categorized by initiation: ≤48 h and >48 h. There were 653 patients: 328 (50.2%) <48 h and 325 (49.8%) ≥48 h. Twenty-nine (4.4%) developed VTE. Patients in ≥48 h group suffered more frequent VTE events (6.5% vs 2.4%, p = 0.021). Non-operative failure occurred in 6 patients (1.9%) in ≥48 h group, and 5 patients (1.5%) < 48 h group. Blood transfusion following chemophrophylaxis initiation was required in 69 (21.3%) in ≥48 h group, and 46 (14.0%) in < 48 h group, occurring similarly between groups (p=0.021). Stable hemoglobin in the first 24 h is an efficacious, objective measure that allows early initiation of VTE chemoprophylaxis in solid organ injury. This practice is associated with earlier initiation of and fewer VTE events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The disease complex affecting bottle gourd [Lagenaria siceraria (Mol.) Standl.] caused by Meloidogyne incognita and Fusarium oxysporum results in high yield loss and there is a need for their management. Nanoparticles (NPs) and arbuscular mycorrhizae have potential in disease management. The impacts of 0.10 g.L−1 zirconium dioxide nanoparticles (ZrO2 NPs) (applied as foliar spray or seed priming) and AM fungus Rhizophagus irregularis were determined when applied alone, or in combination, on the disease complex of bottle gourd. Use of ZrO2 NPs as seed priming and foliar application increased plant growth and photosynthetic pigments and reduced disease indices, galling and population of M. incognita. Foliar application of ZrO2 NPs increased plant growth and photosynthetic pigments and reduce disease indices, galling, and population of M. incognita than did seed priming. Use of R. irregularis alone resulted in lessened plant growth and photosynthetic pigments than NPs foliar application alone. Use of R. irragularis with NPs foliar application was best for management of disease complex of bottle gourd than its use as seed priming. Wilt disease indices were rated 1–5. Use of R. irregularis/NPs reduced disease incidence, and disease indices were reduced to 1 in treatment where R. irragularis was used with ZrO2 NPs. Root colonization by R. irragularis was similar when used alone or with NPs. Inoculation of pathogens reduced colonization by R. irregularis. Management of the disease complex of bottle gourd may be achieved by use of 500 infective propagules of R. irragularis with 0.10 g.L−1 ZrO2 NPs foliar application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Inflammation is implicated in cardiovascular disease (CVD), but the association of total serum immunoglobulin (Ig) A, G, and M with CVD across the whole spectrum of atherosclerosis in community-dwelling elderly is unknown. Methods: This study was embedded in the Rotterdam Study, an ongoing population-based cohort study. We performed Cox regression for the associations of Igs with incident atherosclerotic CVD (ACVD; composite of myocardial infarction, revascularization, and stroke), cardiovascular mortality, and all-cause mortality, and multinomial logistic regression for the association between Igs and coronary artery calcification (CAC) scores. We adjusted for age, sex, lifestyle, and cardiovascular risk factors and presented results per standard deviation increase. Results: We included 8767 participants (median age 62.2 years, 57% women). Higher IgG was associated with an increased ACVD risk (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.08; 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 1.01–1.15). Higher IgA and IgG were associated with an increased cardiovascular mortality risk, mainly within Ig reference ranges, and with an increased all-cause mortality risk, although less marked. Higher IgA was associated with severe atherosclerosis, i.e., CAC score > 400 (odds ratio: 1.29; 95% CI: 1.03–1.62), while for higher IgG a trend was seen with severe atherosclerosis. Conclusion: In middle-aged and older individuals from the general population, higher serum IgA and IgG, but not IgM, are associated with CVD, cardiovascular mortality, and severe atherosclerosis, particularly within Ig reference ranges and independent of serum C-reactive protein. Future studies are needed to elucidate potential causality of the reported associations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Afterload from moderate aortic stenosis (AS) may contribute to adverse outcomes in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). The authors evaluated clinical outcomes in patients with HFrEF and moderate AS relative to those without AS and with severe AS. Patients with HFrEF, defined by left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <50% and no, moderate, or severe AS were retrospectively identified. The primary endpoint, defined as a composite of all-cause mortality and heart failure (HF) hospitalization, was compared across groups and within a propensity score – matched cohort. We included 9,133 patients with HFrEF, of whom 374 and 362 had moderate and severe AS, respectively. Over a median follow-up time of 3.1 years, the primary outcome occurred in 62.7% of patients with moderate AS vs 45.9% with no AS (P < 0.0001); rates were similar with severe and moderate AS (62.0% vs 62.7%; P = 0.68). Patients with severe AS had a lower incidence of HF hospitalization (36.2% vs 43.6%; P < 0.05) and were more likely to undergo AVR within the follow-up period. Within a propensity score – matched cohort, moderate AS was associated with an increased risk of HF hospitalization and mortality (HR: 1.24; 95% CI: 1.04-1.49; P = 0.01) and fewer days alive outside of the hospital (P < 0.0001). Aortic valve replacement (AVR) was associated with improved survival (HR: 0.60; CI: 0.36-0.99; P < 0.05). In patients with HFrEF, moderate AS is associated with increased rates of HF hospitalization and mortality. Further investigation is warranted to determine whether AVR in this population improves clinical outcomes. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Drug overdose mortality is rising precipitously among Black people who use drugs. In NYC, the overdose mortality rate is now highest in Black (38.2 per 100,000) followed by the Latinx (33.6 per 100,000) and white (32.7 per 100,000) residents. Improved understanding of access to harm reduction including naloxone across racial/ethnic groups is warranted. Methods: Using data from an ongoing study of people who use illicit opioids in NYC (N = 575), we quantified racial/ethnic differences in the naloxone care cascade. Results: We observed gaps across the cascade overall in the cohort, including in naloxone training (66%), current possession (53%) daily access during using and non-using days (21%), 100% access during opioid use (20%), and complete protection (having naloxone and someone who could administer it present during 100% of opioid use events; 12%). Naloxone coverage was greater in white (training: 79%, possession: 62%, daily access: 33%, access during use: 27%, and complete protection: 13%, respectively) and Latinx (training: 67%, possession: 54%, daily access: 22%, access during use: 24%, and complete protection: 16%, respectively) versus Black (training: 59%, possession: 48%, daily access:13%, access during use: 12%, and complete protection: 8%, respectively) participants. Black participants, versus white participants, had disproportionately low odds of naloxone training (OR 0.40, 95% CI 0.22–0.72). Among participants aged 51 years or older, Black race (versus white, the referent) was strongly associated with lower levels of being trained in naloxone use (OR 0.20, 95% CI 0.07–0.63) and having 100% naloxone access during use (OR 0.34, 95% CI 0.13–0.91). Compared to white women, Black women had 0.27 times the odds of being trained in naloxone use (95% CI 0.10–0.72). Conclusions: There is insufficient protection by naloxone during opioid use, with disproportionately low access among Black people who use drugs, and a heightened disparity among older Black people and Black women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precision oncology has made significant advancements in the field of medicine, transforming screening, diagnosis, and treatment strategies. Liquid biopsy, a noninvasive technique, has emerged as a promising tool in precision oncology. Circulating Tumor DNA (Ct DNA) has been identified as a specific biomarker for solid tumors and has multiple clinical applications. However, there is a need for cost-based global guidelines for Ct DNA testing, especially in low-middle income countries (LMICs) where economic conditions are unsatisfactory. Efforts are also required to improve the sensitivity and specificity of new DNA testing techniques. Establishing specialized laboratories for Ct DNA testing in LMICs and conducting clinical trials in these populations are crucial steps in the future of oncology. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Chronic inflammation is involved in the pathophysiology of dementia, but the association of serum immunoglobulins with dementia has been understudied and longitudinal data are currently lacking. We investigated the association of serum immunoglobulin (Ig) A, G, and M with cognition and dementia in a population-based cohort. Methods: This study was embedded in the Rotterdam Study. Participants with information on serum immunoglobulin levels, measured between 1997 and 2009, were followed for incident dementia until 2016. Assessment of cognitive function and dementia was performed according to validated tests and clinical criteria respectively. We studied the association between serum immunoglobulins with prevalent and incident dementia using logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards regression analyses respectively. We performed linear regression analyses to quantify the cross-sectional association of serum immunoglobulins with global cognition as well as separate cognitive tests. Analyses were adjusted for age, sex, lifestyle, and cardiovascular factors. Results: We included 8768 participants (median age of 62.2 years, 57% women, median follow-up 10.7 years). Overall, none of the immunoglobulins was associated with prevalent or incident dementia. Higher IgG levels were associated with lower scores of global cognition (adjusted standardized mean difference − 0.04; 95% confidence interval:− 0.06; − 0.02) and separate cognitive tests. Conclusion: In middle-aged and older individuals from the general population, serum Igs were not associated with prevalent or incident dementia, which may imply that serum Igs are not involved in the pathophysiology of dementia. Although higher IgG levels were associated with worse cognitive function, studies with longitudinal data should exclude reverse causation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cerebral extracranial-intracranial (EC-IC) direct bypass is a commonly used procedure for the treatment of cerebral hypoperfusion secondary to chronic steno-occlusive vasculopathy. We sought to determine clinical outcomes, intraoperative blood flow analysis, long term follow up, and long term patency rates from a single surgeon's series of direct cerebral bypass for moyamoya disease, moyamoya syndrome, and steno-occlusive disease. We reviewed clinical, demographic, operative and neuroimaging records for all patients who underwent a direct EC-IC bypass by the senior author between August 1999 and November 2020. Primary outcomes analyzed were functional long-term outcomes (by modified Rankin score [mRS]), surgical complications, and short-term and long-term bypass patency. A total of 162 revascularization procedures in 124 patients were performed. Mean clinical follow up time was 2 years 11 months. The combined immediate and long term postoperative stroke and/or intracerebral hemorrhage rate was 6.2%. There were 17 bypasses (10%) that were found to be occluded at long-term follow-up, all but one were asymptomatic. Long-term graft occlusion was correlated with presence of complete collateralization on preoperative angiography but not cut flow index (CFI). Overall, patients had a significant clinical improvement with a mean mRS score 1.8 preoperatively and 1.2 postoperatively. In our consecutive series of patients treated with direct EC-IC cerebral bypass, there was significant improvement in functional outcome as measured by the mRS. The long term patency rate was 90%. There was a statistically significant correlation between complete or incomplete angiographic collateralization patterns and long-term bypass occlusion. There was no correlation between bypass type, clinical syndrome, or CFI and long-term occlusions. The role of bypass surgery and the need for surgical expertise remain strong in the treatment of moyamoya variants and a select group of atherosclerotic steno-occlusive patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to retrospectively evaluate the clinical and surgical outcomes of a large surgical series of vestibular schwannoma from North America over 20 years. After institutional review board approval a retrospective review of the senior author's personal case logs to identify patients who had operations for vestibular schwannoma was performed. The clinical notes, operative record, preoperative and postoperative imagings, and long-term clinical follow-up notes were evaluated. A total of 415 patients who underwent 420 surgeries were identified from the years 1998–2021. The average length of follow-up was 3 years and 9 months. Overall, at last follow-up the rate of "good" facial nerve outcomes (House–Brackmann [HB] score I and II) was 86% and "poor" facial nerve outcomes (HB III-VI) was 14%. The amount of cerebellopontine angle extension (P = 0.023), tumor volume (P = 0.015), facial nerve consistency (P < 0.001), preoperative HB score (P < 0.001), and FN stimulation threshold at the end of the procedure (P < 0.001) were correlated to facial nerve function at the last follow-up. This study represents one of the largest recently reported surgical series of vestibular schwannoma in North American literature with available long term follow-up. Facial nerve outcomes correlated with cerebellopontine angle extension, tumor volume, facial nerve stimulation threshold, facial nerve consistency, preoperative facial nerve function, and history of a prior resection. Tumor recurrence remains significantly higher after subtotal resection. We believe the data supports a continuation of a strategy of general intent of gross total resection, greatly modifiable by intraoperative findings and judgment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Alaptus Westwood (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) is characterised by its minute-sized body with no visible petiole and deeply excised posterior margin of fore wing. Three new species are described from different Indian states or Union Territory: A. deodus Anwar & Zeya sp. nov. (Karnataka), A. spicatus Anwar & Zeya sp. nov. (Karnataka), and A. wandoorensis Anwar & Zeya sp. nov. (Andaman and Nicobar Islands). Two species, A. iceryae Riley (Karnataka) and A. terebrans Kryger (Karnataka), are recorded for the first time from India, albeit the identification of A. terebrans is tentative. Two Indian species are put under synonymy: A. jowainus Rehmat & Anis syn. nov. and A. pyronus Anwar & Zeya syn nov. under A. immaturus Perkins. As A. deccanensis Anwar & Zeya share most of its characters with A. fusculus Walker except its body and antennal sizes, so a comparative analysis of both the species is provided, but its synonymy with A. fusculus has not been proposed at present and it needs to be confirmed on the basis of molecular studies. A revised key to males and females of the Indian species is also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthesis of 3,5-dinitrobenzoic acid was done by the nitration of benzoic acid in the presence of acetic acid and their complexes with Cu(II), Co(II), and Mn(II) in aqueous medium were prepared with metal:ligand ratio of 1 : 2. All the complexes have been characterized by melting point, Infrared (IR) spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques for its structure confirmation and their in vitro biological activities such as antifungal and antioxidant activities were also investigated. Along with that in silico based profiling of physiochemical properties, lipopilicity, solubility, pharmacokinetics, drug-likeness; medicinal chemistry properties and new possible biological targets prediction were also estimated through computation to evaluate the biological significance of synthesized metal complexes. Molecular docking of Co(II) complex was also carried out to determine its significance in pharmaceutical and other purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distributed lags play important roles in explaining the short-run dynamic and long-run cumulative effects of features on a response variable. Unlike the usual lag length selection, important lags with significant weights are selected in a distributed lag model (DLM). Inspired by the importance of distributed lags, this research focuses on the construction of distributed lag inspired machine learning (DLIML) for predicting vaccine-induced changes in COVID-19 hospitalization and intensive care unit (ICU) admission rates. Importance of a lagged feature in DLM is examined by hypothesis testing and a subset of important features are selected by evaluating an information criterion. Akin to the DLM, we demonstrate the selection of distributed lags in machine learning by evaluating importance scores and objective functions. Finally, we apply the DLIML with supervised learning for forecasting daily changes in COVID-19 hospitalization and ICU admission rates in United Kingdom (UK) and United States of America (USA). A sharp decline in hospitalization and ICU admission rates are observed when around 40% people are vaccinated. For one percent more vaccination, daily changes in hospitalization and ICU admission rates are expected to reduce by 4.05 and 0.74 per million after 14 days in UK, and 5.98 and 1.04 per million after 20 days in USA, respectively. Long-run cumulative effects in the DLM demonstrate that the daily changes in hospitalization and ICU admission rates are expected to jitter around the zero line in a long-run. Application of the DLIML selects fewer lagged features but provides qualitatively better forecasting outcome for data-driven healthcare service planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biosurfactants are emerging as a revolutionary substitute for chemical surfactants in various industrial sectors due to their lower toxicity, biodegradable, and environmentally friendly nature. Robust surface activity properties and high emulsification of biosurfactants make them feasible for diverse applications in food industries, such as bakeries, meat and fish processing, heavy metal removal from vegetables, salad dressings, etc. Given the eco-friendliness and safety of biosurfactants, this review focuses on the latest developments in their use in the food business. Nevertheless, it is noteworthy that biosurfactants are not competitively priced with commercial surfactants; consequently, several unique challenges, including the requirement for costly raw substrates and labor-intensive downstream processing, must be addressed to enable the widespread industrial use of biosurfactants. This review recommends further in-depth studies using less expensive, environment-friendly substrates and utilizing state-of-the-art technologies such as genetic engineering and nanotechnologies for biosurfactant production that can overcome the barrier of poor yield and expensive biosurfactant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Successive plantings of Prunus species produce suboptimal growth and yield in many California soils due to a poorly understood soilborne disease complex, Prunus replant disease (PRD). We explored the hypothesis that PRD is mediated by microbial taxa in roots of Nemaguard peach, a rootstock for almond and other stone fruits. In a greenhouse bioassay, portions of 10 replant soils were treated with fumigation or pasteurization or left untreated as a control before being planted with peach seedlings. Ten weeks after planting, seedlings were considered PRD-affected if their top fresh weights in the control were significantly reduced, compared to the weights in pasteurization and fumigation treatments; plants with equivalent top weights in all treatments were considered to be non-affected. The roots were washed from the soil, frozen, extracted for total DNA, and used for metabarcoding of rRNA gene amplicons from bacteria, fungi, and oomycetes. High-throughput amplicon sequencing revealed that root microbial community shifts resulted from preplant treatments, and specific taxa were associated with PRD induction among controls. Random forest (RF) analysis discriminated effectively between PRD-affected and non-affected root communities. Among the 30 RF top-ranked amplicon sequence variant (ASV) predictors, 26 were bacteria, two were oomycetes, and two were fungi. Among them, only Streptomyces scabiei, Steroidobacter denitrificans, Streptomyces bobili, and Pythium mamillatum had root abundances ≥5% that were either associated positively (former two ASVs) or negatively (latter two) with PRD. Thus, our findings were consistent with microbial mediation of PRD in roots and suggested taxa that may be involved in the mediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The amount of time spent on the electronic health record is often cited as a contributing factor to burnout and work-related stress in nurses. Increased electronic health record use also reduces the time nurses have for direct contact with patients and families. There has been minimal investigation into the amount of time intensive care unit nurses spend on the electronic health record. Objective: To quantify the amount of time spent by intensive care unit nurses on the electronic health record. Methods: In this observational study, active electronic health record use time was analyzed for 317 intensive care unit nurses in a single institution from January 2019 through July 2020. Monthly data on electronic health record use by nurses in the medical, neurosurgical, and surgical-trauma intensive care units were evaluated. Results: Full-time intensive care unit nurses spent 28.9 hours per month on the electronic health record, about 17.5% of their clinical shift, for a total of 346.3 hours per year. Part-time nurses and those working as needed spent 20.5 hours per month (17.6%) and 7.4 hours per month (14.2%) on the electronic health record, respectively. Neurosurgical and medical intensive care unit nurses spent 25.0 hours and 19.9 hours per month, respectively. Nurses averaged 23 clicks per minute during use. Most time was spent on the task of documentation at 12.3 hours per month, which was followed by medical record review at 2.6 hours per month. Conclusion: Intensive care unit nurses spend at least 17% of their shift on the electronic health record, primarily on documentation. Future interventions are necessary to reduce time spent on the electronic health record and to improve nurse and patient satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past two decades, marketing literature has classified market orientation's nature, antecedents, and consequences as intra-organizational phenomena. Most studies focus on market orientation at the organizational level, concentrating on managers' views of their companies. Another school of thought contends that customer perception of company offerings is critical. This research provides empirical data on the effect of a customer-defined market orientation on consumer satisfaction, with brand image functioning as a mediator. The study focused on South Asian ethnic restaurants in Malaysia. Data was collected from 301 respondents and analyzed using the PLS-SEM technique. Results reveal that customer-defined market orientation has a positive impact on consumer satisfaction. Furthermore, brand image mediated the link between customer-defined market orientation and customer satisfaction to a lesser extent. Finally, researchers addressed managerial implications, limitations, and future directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We are demonstrating that a campus microgrid can be used as a learning tool to prepare electrical power engineers for the new millennium. A project-based extrapolated active learning method using this microgrid is adopted to train students, the industry standard tools, system, and practices. Digital computer-based automation techniques for microgrid operation make an exciting learning experience for the new generation of students who are daily users of digital technology. The method is intended to prepare them with skills necessary to operate, design and develop the evolving smarter grid. A positive trend in student learning outcome and positive feedback from industry professionals reflects the contribution of this microgrid as a training tool where industry professionals and academia work symbiotically. Evidence shows that students who graduated with this training were employed in the respective area and the supervisor from the industry finds the teaching techniques effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urinary supersaturation is important for crystallization and likely cause of stone formation on ductal plugs. Formation of idiopathic stones that develop on Randall's plaques in the presence of low supersaturation is, however, dependent upon immunological responses of the kidneys. Experimental data suggests osteogenic and inflammatory processes playing pivotal role in plaque formation and its exposure to the pelvic urine which is necessary for stone development. Inflammatory and crystallization modulating molecules are released into the urine, becoming incorporated within the crystals and stones as organic matrix. Many of these molecules play roles in both inflammation and crystallization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present paper, some error bounds for weighted Ostrowski–Grüss type inequalities are found by using the weighted Čebyšev functional and Diaz–Metcalf inequality. These bounds give some better and new estimates. Applications are also obtained for numerical integration. Furthermore, this paper recaptures some previous established results as its special cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thymine or thymidine starvation induces robust chromosomal fragmentation in Escherichia coli thyA deoCABD mutants and is proposed to be the cause of thymineless death (TLD). However, fragmentation kinetics challenges the idea that fragmentation causes TLD, by peaking before the onset of TLD and disappearing by the time TLD accelerates. Quantity and kinetics of fragmentation also stay unchanged in hyper‐TLD‐exhibiting recBCD mutant, making its faster and deeper TLD independent of fragmentation as well. Elimination of fragmentation without affecting cellular metabolism did not abolish TLD in the thyA mutant, but reduced early TLD in the thyA recBCD mutant, suggesting replication‐dependent, but undetectable by pulsed‐field gel, double‐strand breaks contributed to TLD. Chromosomal fragmentation, but not TLD, was eliminated in both the thyA and thyA recBCD mutants harboring deoCABD operon. The expression of a single gene, deoA, encoding thymidine phosphorylase, was sufficient to abolish fragmentation, suggesting thymidine‐to‐thymine interconversion during T‐starvation being a key factor. Overall, this study reveals that chromosomal fragmentation, a direct consequence of T‐starvation, is either dispensable or redundant for the overall TLD pathology, including hyper‐TLD in the recBCD mutant. Replication forks, unlike chromosomal fragmentation, may provide a minor contribution to TLD, but only in the repair‐deficient thyA deoCABD recBCD mutant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and aims Junctional epidermolysis bullosa (JEB) is a devastating hereditary skin disorder characterized by severe fragility of skin and mucus membrane, emerges as blistering with little or no trauma. The major classification of JEB includes JEB intermediate and JEB severe; the latter is the most common subtype, which is the result of loss of function mutations in the skin basement membrane protein laminin-332. Lacking this protein impairs basement membrane adhesion of epidermal keratinocytes and leads to deregulated epidermal–dermal crosstalk. The skin dermis is composed of multiple fibroblast subpopulations with different functions in skin homeostasis and repair; however, their specific involvement in skin diseases is largely unknown. Here, we investigate how fibroblast subpopulations, namely papillary and reticular fibroblasts, impact JEB disease progression and skin regeneration. Methods Three-dimensional (3D) organotypic (OT) combining healthy (control) and diseased (JEB) keratinocytes cells with distinct fibroblast subpopulations from different anatomical sites were developed and analysed by immunohistochemistry and RNA-Seq. Results JEB OTs with papillary fibroblasts showed increased epidermal growth, invagination of basal layer and deregulated differentiation compared with reticular fibroblasts. RNA-Seq analysis revealed altered activity in key signalling including immune, cytokine, gap junction, mitogen-activated protein kinase and remodelling of keratinization and ECM proteins, particularly in JEB OT cultured with papillary fibroblast. JEB OTs and cells also demonstrated variation in cell proliferation and activation of transforming growth factor-β1 and immune cell signalling. Currently, we are targeting identified signalling pathways in our two-dimensional and 3D cell culture models and identifying druggable targets, before testing selected candidates in our JEB mouse disease model for further preclinical validation. Conclusions By dissecting the pathological signalling interactions between keratinocytes and distinct fibroblast subpopulations, our goal is to identify new therapeutic target to improve the skin health and regeneration in patients with JEB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coal mining activities increase the soil concentrations of heavy metals manifold thus impacting soil health and biodiversity. The understanding of the impact of bioturbation activities by ant colonies on soil in coal mine spoil site across different restoration ages is not studied. The study aimed to investigate the influence of bioturbation activities by two most common and distinct coal mine site inhabiting ant species (C. compressus and C. longipedem) at six different ages (2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 years old) on the soil heavy metal concentrations of Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu, Ni, Pb, Cd and Cr, pH, OM, TC, TN, soil enzyme activity of DH, ACP, β-glucosidase and proteases properties of soil. Soil samples were collected from opencast coalmine spoils during October and November 2017. Reference (Ref.) soil samples (n=10 per site) were collected (from area adjacent to ant nest colony approximately 2–5 m distance) from a depth of 0–15 cm and ant nest debris soil of each ant species (n=10 per site) were collected from each site. Heavy metal pollution decreased and pH, OM, TC, TN and soil enzyme activity of DH, ACP, β-glucosidase and proteases of soil in both Ref. soil and ant nest debris soil increases with the increase of mine site restoration age. Our study revealed that different age of the mine spoil have more profound effects on the soil quality and heavy metal content. Contrary to our hypothesis, regression analysis did not support our notion that ant bioturbation activity directly accelerate heavy metal breakdown. Instead, our findings suggests that ant colonies prefer to construct their nest for the locations with lower heavy metal concentrations and higher enzyme activity and increase in soil porosity is a key factor behind the low heavy metal concentration in the nest debris soil. • Coal mining activities increase the soil concentrations of heavy metals manifold thus impacting soil health and biodiversity. • The understanding of the impact of bioturbation activities by ant colonies on soil in a coal mine spoil site across different restoration ages is not studied. • The study aimed to investigate the influence of bioturbation activities by two ant species (Cm. compressus and Ct. longipedem) at six different ages (2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 years old) on the soil heavy metal concentrations of Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu, Ni, Pb, Cd and Cr and pH, OM, TC, TN, soil enzym activity of DH, ACP, β-glucosidase and proteases properties of soil. • Heavy metal pollution indicators (PI N , CF and C d) decreased and pH, OM, TC, TN and enzymatic activity of DH, ACP, β-glucosidase and proteases both Ref. soil and ant nest debris soil (ANDS) of both the ant species increases with the increases of mine site restoration age. • Contrary to our hypothesis, regression analysis did not support our notion that ant bioturbation activity directly accelerate heavy metal breakdown. Instead, our findings suggests that ant colonies prefer to construct their nest for the locations with lower heavy metal concentrations and higher enzyme activity and increase in soil porosity is a key factor behind the low heavy metal concentration in the ANDS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several therapeutic agents have been assessed for the treatment of COVID-19, but few approaches have been proven efficacious. Because leukotriene receptor antagonists, such as montelukast have been shown to reduce both cytokine release and lung inflammation in preclinical models of viral influenza and acute respiratory distress syndrome, we hypothesized that therapy with montelukast could be used to treat COVID-19. The objective of this study was to determine if montelukast treatment would reduce the rate of clinical deterioration as measured by the COVID-19 Ordinal Scale. We performed a retrospective analysis of COVID-19 confirmed hospitalized patients treated with or without montelukast. We used "clinical deterioration" as the primary endpoint, a binary outcome defined as any increase in the Ordinal Scale value from Day 1 to Day 3 of the hospital stay, as these data were uniformly available for all admitted patients before hospital discharge. Rates of clinical deterioration between the montelukast and non-montelukast groups were compared using the Fisher's exact test. Univariate logistic regression was also used to assess the association between montelukast use and clinical deterioration. A total of 92 patients were analyzed, 30 who received montelukast at the discretion of the treating physician and 62 patients who did not receive montelukast. Patients receiving montelukast experienced significantly fewer events of clinical deterioration compared with patients not receiving montelukast (10% vs 32%, p = 0.022). Our findings suggest that montelukast associates with a reduction in clinical deterioration for COVID-19 confirmed patients as measured on the COVID-19 Ordinal Scale. Hospitalized COVID-19 patients treated with montelukast had fewer events of clinical deterioration, indicating that this treatment may have clinical activity. While this retrospective study highlights a potential pathway for COVID-19 treatment, this hypothesis requires further study by prospective studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we obtain new Ostrowski type inequalities by using the extended version of Montgomery identity and Green's functions. We also give estimations of the difference between two integral means. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individuals with mental health problems may be more vulnerable to using prescription opioids than their counterparts. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to assess the initiation of prescription opioids in older adults who used psychotropic drugs compared with those who did not. The authors used a retrospective cohort design and included a sample of older adults enrolled in Pennsylvania's Pharmaceutical Assistance Contract for the Elderly program who did not use prescription opioids in 2013. Using pharmacy claims, patients who used anxiolytics/sedatives/hypnotics (n = 13,512) or antidepressants (n = 17,492) between October and December 2013 were identified and compared with those who did not use anxiolytics/sedatives/hypnotics (n = 114,091) or antidepressants (n = 110,111) during that period, to determine the incidence of prescription opioid use in 2014. Chi-square tests and multivariate logistic regressions were performed for analyses. Compared with patients who did not use anxiolytics/sedatives/hypnotics, those who used were more likely to initiate prescription opioids (15.0% versus 22.0%, P < .0001). Similarly, compared with patients who did not use antidepressants, those who used were more likely to initiate prescription opioids (14.7% versus 21.9%, P < .0001). Multivariate logistic regression indicated that the odds of prescription opioid initiation increased with anxiolytic/sedative/hypnotic use by 44% (AOR = 1.44; P < .0001) and antidepressant use by 48% (AOR = 1.48; P < .0001) among older adults after adjusting for potential confounding variables. Results showed that prescription opioid initiation is associated with prior anxiolytic/sedative/hypnotic or antidepressant use among older adults. Patients with mental health problems should also be queried about pain experiences for effective treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant growth and productivity is restricted by a multitude of abiotic stresses. These stresses negatively affect physiological and metabolic pathways, leading to the production of many harmful substances like ROS, lipid peroxides and aldehydes. This study was conducted to investigate the role of Arabidopsis ALDH3I1 gene in multiple abiotic stress tolerance.Transgenic tobacco plants were generated that overexpress the ALDH3I1 gene driven by the CaMV35S promoter and evaluated under different abiotic stresses, namely salt, drought, cold and oxidative stress. Tolerance to stress was evaluated based on responses of various growth and physiological traits under stress condition.Transgenic plants displayed elevated ALDH3I1 transcript levels compared to WT plants. The constitutive ectopic expression of ALDH3I1 conferred increased tolerance to salt, drought, cold and oxidative stresses in transgenic plants, along with improved plant growth. Transgenic plants overexpressing ALDH3I1 had higher chlorophyll content, photosynthesis rate and proline, and less accumulation of ROS and malondialdehyde compared to the WT, which contributed to stress tolerance in transgenic plants. Our results further revealed that ALDH3I1 had a positive effect on CO2 assimilation rate in plants under abiotic stress conditions.Overall, this study revealed that ALDH3I1 positively regulates abiotic stress tolerance in plants, and has future implications in producing transgenic cereal and horticultural plants tolerant to abiotic stresses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPO-Abs) play an important role in autoimmune thyroid disease, but are also prevalent in healthy individuals. However, it is unclear what determinants may influence the occurrence of TPO-Abs in healthy individuals and how TPO-Abs may affect health outcomes in these individuals. We aimed to identify determinants of TPO-Abs in a large, prospective population-based cohort of middle-aged and elderly individuals and to subsequently assess the association between TPO-Abs and risk of overall and cause-specific mortality. Methods: We performed binomial and multinomial logistic regression analyses to obtain odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals [95% CIs] for the association of potential determinants based on previous literature with TPO-Ab positivity (>35 kU/L), TPO-Ab detectability (>5 kU/L), and TPO-Ab categories. Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were performed to obtain hazard ratios (HRs) and CIs for the association between TPO-Abs and mortality risk. Results: In 9685 participants (57% women, median baseline age 63.3 years, median follow-up time 10.1 years), we identified female sex (OR = 2.47 [CI 2.13–2.86]) and current smoking (OR = 3.10 [CI 2.66–3.62]) as determinants of TPO-Ab positivity and TPO-Ab detectability, respectively. Higher age (OR = 0.98 [CI 0.97–0.98]) and all categories of alcohol consumption (ORs ranging from 0.71–0.78) were associated with lower odds of TPO-Ab detectability. TPO-Ab detectability was associated with a higher risk of overall (HR = 1.09 [CI 1.01–1.17]), cancer-related (HR = 1.18 [CI 1.01–1.38]), and cardiovascular mortality (HR = 1.21 [CI 1.01–1.45]). Interestingly, this was more prominent in men compared with women (HR for cardiovascular mortality 1.50 vs. 0.99, respectively). Conclusions: In community-dwelling middle-aged and elderly individuals, female sex and current smoking are the most important determinants associated with TPO-Ab levels in the detectable and positive range, whereas alcohol consumption is associated with lower odds of TPO-Abs. The clinical importance of detectable TPO-Ab levels is illustrated by the association with an increased mortality risk, mainly in men. Our results warrant further exploration of the clinical applicability of detectable TPO-Ab levels, potentially as a marker for low-grade inflammation. The Rotterdam Study has been entered into the Netherlands National Trial Register (NTR; www.trialregister.nl) and into the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP; www.who.int/ictrp/network/primary/en/) under shared catalogue number NTR6831. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Successive orchard plantings of almond and other Prunus species exhibit reduced growth and yield in many California soils. This phenomenon, known as Prunus replant disease (PRD), can be prevented by preplant soil fumigation or anaerobic soil disinfestation, but its etiology is poorly understood and its incidence and severity are hard to predict. We report here on relationships among physicochemical variables, microbial community structure, and PRD induction in 25 diverse replant soils from California. In a greenhouse bioassay, soil was considered to be "PRD-inducing" when growth of peach seedlings in it was significantly increased by preplant fumigation and pasteurization, compared to an untreated control. PRD was induced in 18 of the 25 soils, and PRD severity correlated positively with soil exchangeable-K, pH, %clay, total %N, and electrical conductivity. The structure of bacterial, fungal, and oomycete communities differed significantly between the PRD-inducing and non-inducing soils, based on PERMANOVA of Bray Curtis dissimilarities. Bacterial class MB-A2-108 of phylum Actinobacteria had high relative abundances among PRD-inducing soils, while Bacteroidia were relatively abundant among non-inducing soils. Among fungi, many ASVs classified only to kingdom level were relatively abundant among PRD-inducing soils whereas ASVs of Trichoderma were relatively abundant among non-inducing soils. Random forest classification effectively discriminated between PRD-inducing and non-inducing soils, revealing many bacterial ASVs with high explanatory values. Random forest regression effectively accounted for PRD severity, with soil exchangeable-K and pH having high predictive value. Our work revealed several biotic and abiotic variables worthy of further examination in PRD etiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transition from detention to the community for Black men who have sex with men with criminal justice involvement (BMSM-CJI) represents a particularly vulnerable period for HIV acquisition and transmission. We examined levels of HIV PrEP awareness among BMSM-CJI. PrEP awareness among BMSM-CJI was low (7.9%) with evidence of lower awareness levels among those with STI. There was evidence that HIV testing history was associated with higher PrEP awareness. Study findings highlight needs for further assessment of PrEP knowledge among BMSM-CJI. The strong association between HIV testing and PrEP awareness underscores an opportunity to integrate PrEP education within HIV/STI testing services [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work reports the fabrication of Er@CdS films with 0, 1, 3, 5 wt% Er contents incorporated in CdS via spray pyrolysis route. The films were developed successfully with hexagonal structure and preferred growth orientation along (002) plane and crystallites sizes were found in the range 8–13 nm. Raman spectra showed the 1LO and 2LO vibrational bands centered at 300 cm−1 and 600 cm−1; respectively which confirms the synthesis of pure CdS. The optical band gaps of the films were found in range of 2.38–2.41 eV. A clear reduction in the band gap values is observed as with the incorporation of Er in the CdS matrix. In addition, Er@CdS thin films were utilized to construct a high performance photodetector (PD). The fabricated device shows enhanced visible light photodetection in comparison with the pure CdS films based device. The rise and decay time were detected in the range of 0.079–0.32 s and 0.099–0.32 s, respectively. Noticeable enhancements in responsivity (R) and the external quantum efficiency (EQE) were recorded, reaching maximum values as high as 4.95 A/W and 1150% for 3 wt% Er-doped films. This improvement in the PD performance may be due to the reduction in the defects and sulfur vacancies as a result of Er incorporation in the CdS matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although racial/ethnic disparities in police contact are well documented, less is known about other dimensions of inequity in policing. Sexual minority groups may face disproportionate police contact. We used data from the P18 Cohort Study (Version 2), a study conducted to measure determinants of inequity in STI/HIV risk among young sexual minority men (YSMM) in New York City, to measure across-time trends, racial/ethnic disparities, and correlates of self-reported stop-and-frisk experience over the cohort follow-up (2014–2019). Over the study period, 43% reported stop-and-frisk with higher levels reported among Black (47%) and Hispanic/Latinx (45%) than White (38%) participants. Stop-and-frisk levels declined over follow-up for each racial/ethnic group. The per capita rates among P18 participants calculated based on self-reported stop-and-frisk were much higher than rates calculated based on New York City Police Department official counts. We stratified respondents' ZIP codes of residence into tertiles of per capita stop rates and observed pronounced disparities in Black versus White stop-and-frisk rates, particularly in neighborhoods with low or moderate levels of stop-and-frisk activity. YSMM facing the greatest economic vulnerability and mental disorder symptoms were most likely to report stop-and-frisk. Among White respondents levels of past year stop-and-frisk were markedly higher among those who reported past 30 day marijuana use (41%) versus those reporting no use (17%) while among Black and Hispanic/Latinx respondents stop-and-frisk levels were comparable among those reporting marijuana use (38%) versus those reporting no use (31%). These findings suggest inequity in policing is observed not only among racial/ethnic but also sexual minority groups and that racial/ethnic YSMM, who are at the intersection of multiple minority statuses, face disproportionate risk. Because the most socially vulnerable experience disproportionate stop-and-frisk risk, we need to reach YSMM with community resources to promote health and wellbeing as an alternative to targeting this group with stressful and stigmatizing police exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work examines the entropy generation with heat and mass transfer in magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) stagnation point flow across a stretchable surface. The heat transport process is investigated with respect to the viscous dissipation and thermal radiation, whereas the mass transport is observed under the influence of a chemical reaction. The irreversibe factor is measured through the application of the second law of thermodynamics. The established non-linear partial differential equations (PDEs) have been replaced by acceptable ordinary differential equations (ODEs), which are solved numerically via the bvp4c method (built-in package in MATLAB). The numerical analysis of the resulting ODEs is carried out on the different flow parameters, and their effects on the rate of heat transport, friction drag, concentration, and the entropy generation are considered. It is determined that the concentration estimation and the Sherwood number reduce and enhance for higher values of the chemical reaction parameter and the Schmidt number, although the rate of heat transport is increased for the Eckert number and heat generation/absorption parameter, respectively. The entropy generation augments with boosting values of the Brinkman number, and decays with escalating values of both the radiation parameter and the Weissenberg number. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]