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Simple Summary: Human–animal relations during Prehistory are an increasingly discussed issue among scholars. Cervids are a symbolically prominent species among hunter–gatherers but are also of relevance to pastoralists. We present a synthesis of available data regarding human–deer relations in Portuguese Late Prehistory. This is achieved by examining deer abundance in subsistence, together with their inclusion in social practices such as food-sharing and their involvement in structured depositions in both funerary and non-funerary contexts. Additionally, the study investigates the utilization of deer remains for the creation of artifacts and their depiction in pottery decoration, figures, and rock art. The dynamics of deer prevalence in subsistence have varied diachronically and synchronically in the periods and areas under study. Although the reasons and meanings for this behavior continue to be discussed, their sociocultural and ideological relevance seems to have persisted in early agropastoral and metallurgical societies, even as they undergo change. Human–animal relations have been a fruitful research topic worldwide. The importance of deer in hunter–gatherer societies is undeniable, with cervids being commonly found in archaeological and past artistic records, with a notable amount of information recovered in the Iberian Peninsula. This relevance continues during Late Prehistory, but the attempt to discuss cervids under broader perspectives and based on different types of data is not as common. We intend to approach human–deer relations in Central and Southern Portuguese Late Prehistory by considering the zooarchaeological records, both deer abundance in faunal spectra and their presence in "meaningful" assemblages and structured depositions, as well as the use of deer and deer body parts in other socio–cultural and ideological practices. The synthesis of available data shows that human–deer relations changed through time and space, with different abundances related to hunting depending on chronology and geography. The use of deer or their body parts as a resource of symbolic nature also varied, being included in food-sharing events, offerings, structured depositions, and graphic representations. Changeability is part of the different relationships, ontologies, and cosmogonies that humans and deer developed in the Late Prehistoric relational world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As social norms around climate change shift rapidly, and the U.S. Supreme Court requires federal regulation to retreat, regulations at the state and local levels fracture into increasingly aggressive, and often diametrically opposed, enforcement. Meanwhile, business representations regarding environmental, social, and corporate governance ("ESG") initiatives are being policed by traditional charges of fraud that are civil, and, increasingly, criminal. These tensions create massive uncertainties for business. On a global issue like climate change, U.S. businesses, and the people who run them, need political and regulatory stability. Most scholarship has focused on whether the proposed U.S. disclosure standards will survive Supreme Court review. This Article describes why they will not work, and why additional ESG liability is coming if we do not adopt protective international standards. The Article makes three important contributions. First, it demonstrates how out-of-step with the rest of the world U.S. federal courts are, and how the country's failure to adopt ESG standards in line with international developments hurts U.S. businesses. Second, it highlights for the first time the growing potential within the United States, due to its lack of such standards, for corporate criminal ESG liability based on fraud. Third, it flags potential similar individual civil and criminal liability for businesses' agents and directors. The Article concludes with the important, timely, and novel argument that U.S. businesses, their directors, and agents, especially counsel, should see it as in their best interests for the United States to adopt protective international ESG standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Morgado Superior Rock Shelter is located near the city of Tomar, in Central Portugal. This site presents important funerary contexts that according to published information encompass the Neolithic, Chalcolithic and Bronze Age. Other non-funerary uses have not yet been characterised but were briefly suggested. A faunal sample of the 1988 and 2012 interventions is analysed from a zooarchaeological and taphonomical perspective, focusing on the leporid remains that largely dominate the assemblage. Clear indicators of a human origin are absent, while a configurational approach allows the description of exogenous and intrusive origins. The characteristics of the registered consumption taphonomical indicators are suggestive of scat and non-ingested accumulation by foxes. Furthermore, this study allows us to discuss some aspects of the formation of the stratigraphy of this important cave necropolis, while also serving as an example of the expected results of foxes' action on leporid remains in an archaeological site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The FLUXNET Meeting 2023 brought together scientists to discuss eddy covariance research on ecosystem functioning and plans for data sharing. FLUXNET is a global network of tower sites that measure exchanges between ecosystems and the atmosphere. The meeting focused on future priorities such as data sharing infrastructure, outreach, and support for early career scientists. The article also explores FLUXNET's current and historical activities, applications of its data, and future opportunities in carbon accounting, remote sensing, and land surface modeling. FLUXNET aims to collect and share long-term continuous datasets to study climate change's impact on ecosystems, with standardized data processing and distribution being important goals. Education, outreach, and community building are also emphasized, with efforts to support low- and medium-income countries. The FLUXNET Early Career Network plays a crucial role in promoting global collaboration. Overall, FLUXNET aims to strengthen connections and collaboration to address questions about ecosystem functioning in the face of climate change. [Extracted from the article]

Computers became more standard in the early 1980s, and science and technology were influencing artists like the author. He began using a supercomputer and FORTRAN 77 software to define a non-Euclidean geometry model using conformal mapping to create art. A series of twisted and curved space images was manifested, reflective of Albert Einstein's theories of general and special relativity. It was the author's encounter with Edward Teller, "father of the H-bomb," that led the author to artist Francis Bacon. It was a private lesson with the artist that forced the author out of the box and into his own visual world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The National Education Progression in Nursing's current goal is for one million incumbent nurses and 90% of new ADN nurses to achieve a BSN or higher by 2025 in the United States. To meet this goal, programs nationwide are exploring options to increase BSN graduates. One method is the concurrent enrollment ADN-BSN pathway. This review examines how nurse educators develop and implement concurrent enrollment ADN-BSN programs in the US and calls to expand access to this important approach to academic progression in nursing. Method. A PRISMA search strategy was used to identify articles that detailed the development and implementation of dual-admission nursing programs. Ten relevant works were analyzed in this review. Results. Dual enrollment programs vary in program type and implementation methods nationwide and offer an innovative, cost-effective, and time-efficient approach to obtaining the BSN. Conclusion. While employing dual or concurrent enrollment partnerships between community colleges and universities is a complex endeavor, these programs are a powerful and cost-effective way to increase the number of BSN nurses in the workforce and should be considered for expansion as we promote academic progression for all nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols are associated with improved clinical outcomes in cisgender breast surgery patients. However, a paucity of research exists regarding transgender and gender-diverse individuals (TGD) in the ERAS framework. The primary objective of this observational cohort study is to describe the implementation of a gender-affirming ERAS protocol and its relationship to hospital length of stay (LOS) in TGD patients following chest reconstruction surgery. The secondary aim is to identify intraoperative predictors of LOS and define variables associated with adverse outcomes. We identified 362 patients in three epochs: a traditional group (n = 144), a partial ERAS implementation group (n = 92), and an ERAS group (n = 126). Exploratory multivariable median regression modeling was performed to identify independent predictors of LOS. We report that the traditional group's median hospital LOS was 1.1 days compared to 0.3 days in the ERAS group. Intraoperative tranexamic acid administration was associated with significantly shorter LOS (p < 0.001), reduced postoperative drainage (p < 0.001), and fewer returns to the operating room within 24 h (p = 0.047). Our data suggest that implementing a multimodal ERAS gender-affirming pathway was associated with improved patient-centered surgical outcomes such as decreased return to the operating room for hematoma evacuation, higher rates of discharge home, and reduced postoperative drainage output. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During neural development, cellular adhesion is crucial for interactions among and between neurons and surrounding tissues. This function is mediated by conserved cell adhesion molecules, which are tightly regulated to allow for coordinated neuronal outgrowth. Here, we show that the proprotein convertase KPC-1 (homolog of mammalian furin) regulates the Menorin adhesion complex during development of PVD dendritic arbors in Caenorhabditis elegans. We found a finely regulated antagonistic balance between PVD-expressed KPC-1 and the epidermally expressed putative cell adhesion molecule MNR-1 (Menorin). Genetically, partial loss of mnr-1 suppressed partial loss of kpc-1, and both loss of kpc-1 and transgenic overexpression of mnr-1 resulted in indistinguishable phenotypes in PVD dendrites. This balance regulated cell-surface localization of the DMA-1 leucine-rich transmembrane receptor in PVD neurons. Lastly, kpc-1 mutants showed increased amounts of MNR-1 and decreased amounts of muscle-derived LECT-2 (Chondromodulin II), which is also part of the Menorin adhesion complex. These observations suggest that KPC-1 in PVD neurons directly or indirectly controls the abundance of proteins of the Menorin adhesion complex from adjacent tissues, thereby providing negative feedback fromthe dendrite to the instructive cues of surrounding tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on the design and experimental validation of a fully-metallic double-ridged waveguide 10 × 10 Rotman lens additively manufactured as a single part. The wide band operation of this quasi-optical beamformer enables us to cover the uplink and downlink frequencies allocated to satellite communications in the K/K a -band, from 17.3 GHz to 30 GHz. The feeding port design was adjusted to enable vertical printing, thus minimizing the use of supporting structures. A prototype was manufactured and tested. The reported results indicate losses in the range of 0.5 dB in the lower-frequency band and 0.8 dB in the upper-frequency band, including the waveguide transitions added for test purposes. The measured reflection and coupling coefficients remain below −11.5 dB over the operating band. The standard deviation of the residual phase error across the array ports is below 5 ° in simulation and below 10 ° in measurements. Array factors synthesized using the scattering parameters confirm the good stability of the beamforming functionality over the wide frequency band analyzed. This monolithic design is a promising step toward more integrated antenna systems, such as a compact dual-stack configuration for planar array design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides a perspective on the development of polymer nanodielectrics for electrical insulation applications. It includes a short history of the development of the field, barriers to implementation, a chemical toolbox available for optimizing properties, some examples of potential commercial development, and the latest advances. It offers opinions on critical research needed to fully develop the models needed to predict the behavior and to develop design tools. Key findings include the need for quantification of nanofiller dispersion, investment in long term aging data research, better scale-up methods, a data resource that brings the broad data together in a format that enables faster scientific discovery, and a commercial entity willing to take the risk in implementing these promising materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate changes and associated glacial and interglacial cycles during the Quaternary strongly influenced the evolutionary history of countless number of species. Subtropical highland grasslands (SHG) in southern South America constitute a distinct vegetation type with high diversity and endemism rates. The most recent common ancestor of the genus Petunia (Solanaceae) originated in lowland grasslands, and some lineages secondarily migrated to SHG. Here, we describe the evolutionary history of an SHG species, P. altiplana, distributed throughout a wide area in a river-fragmented landscape. We used plastid and nuclear markers to evaluate the role of the Pelotas River and Quaternary climate cycles over the genetic structure and historical demography of this species based on a phylogeographical approach. We found moderate population expansions during the last 25 kyr, with a more recent (c. 1.6 kya) divergence between two groups of populations from opposite river margins, possibly caused by the expansion of the Araucaria Forest along the river valley, effectively isolating distinct grassland patches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cd3As2 provides an excellent platform for studying the physics of three-dimensional Dirac semimetals due to its stability as well as its compatibility with thin film growth. Crystals made using both bulk and thin film synthesis are unintentionally doped n-type, and other than introducing Zn to reduce the carrier concentration, no efforts have been reported to alter this intrinsic doping without major changes to the band structure. Here, group VI elements Te and Se are introduced during epitaxy to increase the electron concentration of the films. Starting from an unintentionally doped electron concentration of 1–2 × 1017 cm−3, concentrations of up to 3 × 1018 cm−3 are achieved. Analysis of Shubnikov–de Haas oscillations reveals good agreement in calculated effective mass and Fermi velocity of highly doped films with unintentionally doped single crystals with similar electron concentrations. The density functional theory is also performed to study the effects of group VI substitutions and confirms no strong perturbations in the electronic structure. This work ultimately demonstrates tunability in the carrier concentration using extrinsic dopants without substantial changes in the band structure, allowing for intentional design of Fermi-level position for device applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A very compact waveguide orthomode transducer (OMT) is described in this paper. The design is characterized with a twofold rotationally symmetric cross-section in the probing area, adapted from a side-coupling OMT design, simultaneously enabling low port-to-port coupling and high cross-polarization discrimination (XPD) over a fractional bandwidth of about 15–20%. Compared to previously reported compact waveguide OMTs, the proposed design is simpler, thus facilitating its manufacture at millimeter-wave frequencies. The concept is demonstrated with a design in the K-band for a broadband communication satellite downlink over the frequency band of 17.3–20.2 GHz. For test purposes, transitions to standard waveguide WR42 are included, and the OMT is assembled with a conical horn antenna. The measured reflection and coupling coefficients are below −19.5 dB and −22.9 dB, respectively, over the nominal bandwidth, and they are in good agreement with the simulation's results. The on-axis XPD, measured in an anechoic chamber, is better than 30 dB over the nominal bandwidth, which is also in line with simulations. The proposed waveguide OMT may be designed to fit in a lattice below one wavelength at the highest operating frequency, which is desirable for dual-polarized closely spaced array antennas in low and medium Earth orbit communication satellite systems. The simple mechanical design of the proposed OMT makes it particularly appealing for additive manufacturing techniques, as demonstrated with a variant of the design having folded single-mode waveguides, which preserves the RF properties of the original design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After the exile of God's people to Babylon, it is clear God has a traumatic stress disorder, Gellert argues, and healing is needed. The Divine Mind: Exploring the Psychological History of God's Inner Journey. Gellert himself pays homage to this dualistic problem of consciously experiencing God without simultaneously taking on the attributes of God with his discussion of the I Ein Sof i of the I Kabbalah i . T I he Divine Mind, i Michael Gellert's new book, draws one into the mind of God and holds one there for a sojourn with the gods, and then becomes an excursion into what it means to be God from God's point of view. [Extracted from the article]

Rabbit and hare remains are a common occurrence in Mediterranean archaeological contexts. A lot of effort was made to try and ascertain the signatures of different accumulating agents to understand if humans are involved in accumulating these small preys in different archaeological sites. In the last decades, this led to important breakthroughs in hunter-gatherer subsistence debates, but not so much on Late Prehistory agropastoral groups. Southwestern Iberia is a region where Neolithic sites are found in several geographical settings, many of them with important assemblages of rabbit remains. We present the first overview of pieces of evidence regarding leporid accumulations in this large region during the Neolithic (~ 5500–3000 cal BC). On the one hand, we conclude that taphonomical data is generally lacking, thus hindering the assessment of proof for a large-scale anthropogenic influence. On the other hand, when in-depth analysis is made, results point towards intrusive and/or exogenous origins, even if recovery and methodological bias must also be considered. Future works should address these questions to properly assess leporids’ relevance in early agropastoral diets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: For patients diagnosed with ALS, dysphagia can result in aspiration, malnutrition, and mortality. The purpose of this study was to develop a clinical prediction model capable of identifying patients with ALS at imminent risk for developing swallowing complications. Methods: A retrospective cohort study using the Pooled Resource Open-Access ALS Clinical Trials Database (PRO-ACT) was conducted. After dividing the PRO-ACT database into development and validation cohorts with dysphagia defined from the ALS Functional Rating Scale (ALSFRS), a multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression model estimated the probability of dysphagia at 3, 6, and 12-months with subsequent evaluation of model discrimination and calibration. Results: With 2057 participants in the development cohort and 1891 in the validation cohort, the Cox model included 7 clinical variables: spinal-onset; bulbar, fine and gross motor ALSFRS subscale scores; respiratory impairment; functional progression rate; and time from diagnosis. The cumulative incidence of dysphagia was 18% at 3-months, 29% at 6-months, and 45% at 12-months. The mean predicted probability of dysphagia development ranged from 4.5% in the bottommost risk decile to 40% in the topmost decile at 3 months, 10%–72% at 6 months, and 25%–93% at 12 months. In the validation cohort, the model had good discrimination and calibration with an optimism corrected c-statistic of 0.70 and calibration slope of 0.96. Conclusions: The ALS dysphagia risk score can be used to identify patients with ALS at high risk for self-reported dysphagia development who would benefit from a comprehensive swallowing assessment and proactive dysphagia management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A review of technological solutions and advances in the framework of a Vertical Heterogeneous Network (VHetNet) integrating satellite, airborne and terrestrial networks is presented. The disruptive features and challenges offered by a fruitful cooperation among these segments within a ubiquitous and seamless wireless connectivity are described. The available technologies and the key research directions for achieving global wireless coverage by considering all these layers are thoroughly discussed. Emphasis is placed on the available antenna systems in satellite, airborne and ground layers by highlighting strengths and weakness and by providing some interesting trends in research. A summary of the most suitable applicative scenarios for future 6G wireless communications are finally illustrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most minors and young transgender persons wishing to undergo gender-affirming surgery need to seek specialists affiliated with gender affirmation programs in adult hospitals. Research suggests gender affirmation surgery has been established as an effective and medically indicated treatment for gender dysphoria. Although most data on gender-affirming surgeries are from adult populations, there is growing literature establishing their effectiveness in adolescents and young adults. Therefore, it is critical to evaluate the perioperative outcomes for gender-diverse youth to deliver safe and affirming care. The primary objective of this retrospective case series is to examine the perioperative characteristics and outcomes of patients with gender identity disorders (International Classification of Diseases [ICD]-10-code F64) who underwent chest reconstruction (mastectomy) and genital surgery (phalloplasty, metoidioplasty, and vaginoplasty) in a pediatric academic hospital. The secondary aim is to evaluate the value of a specialized anesthesia team for improving clinical outcomes, interdisciplinary communication, and further advancing the transgender perioperative experience. We identified 204 gender affirmation surgical cases, 177 chests/top surgeries, and 27 genital/bottom surgeries. These findings indicate gender-diverse individuals who underwent life-changing surgery at our institution had a median age of 18 years old, with many patients identifying as transmen. Our data suggests that postoperative pain was significant, but adverse events were minimal. The evolution of a specialty anesthesia team and initiatives (anesthesia management guidelines, scheduling, continuity, and education) necessitate direct care coordination and multidisciplinary planning for gender affirmation surgery in transgender youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chemical immobilization of a dibenzoic acid oligo (phenylene vinylene) (OPV) derivative for TiO2 sensitization was evaluated as a strategy to enhance both the stability and photocatalytic performance of this π‐conjugated moiety when applied to the photodegradation of indigo carmine dye (IC) as model pollutant. The results show that the electron injection from the photoexcited OPV to the TiO2 conduction band remarkably boosts the IC degradation ability under visible light illumination. The use of SiO2 as non‐photoactive support was also investigated to simultaneously determine the role of the inorganic support in the photocatalytic process. The spectroscopic, thermal, and surface characterization validated the successful grafting of the OPV to the inorganic supports. Moreover, superoxide radical and singlet oxygen were established as the active species involved in the dye degradation identifying an additional direct reducing pathway. Interestingly, the use of electron donors proved to be an ineffective approach to increase the system performance, entailing that the OPV regeneration proceeds chiefly via back electron transfer processes. Finally, the reusability tests confirmed that TiO2/OPV material retains up to 86 % of their photocatalytic activity during the first five cycles, demonstrating a critical enhancement in the organic conjugated framework stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanical actions exerted by diverse categories of machines are used to take the soil to the most desirable physical state. The mechanical operations are carried out in the soil with or without the plant and on the plant for harvesting with high yields. All these actions can affect the soil microstructure, its density and content of organic matter, as well as its capacity of cation exchange, its fertility and productivity. To value the behavior of these properties, Lixiviated Red Ferrallitic soils were studied in areas without cultivating, cultivated with sugar cane (Saccharum officinarum L.) during twelve and seventy-five years, cultivated with medicinal plants for twenty years and cultivated with varied crops for eighteen years, with irrigation. It was found that the pH (H2O and KCl) and the hydrolytic acidity increased as years of sugar cane cultivation increased, which did not happen in the areas without cultivating and in soils dedicated to medicinal plants. In the Red Ferrallitic Lixiviated fields with several cultivations and irrigation, the pH reached values above seven due to the high content of calcium in irrigation waters derived from karst region, effect generated by the climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Mesolithic faunal assemblage from Cueva de Los Postes (Badajoz, Spain) is presented and discussed. The faunal remains from different stratigraphic units spatially associated with the Mesolithic funerary use of the cave or preceded them were analyzed. The zooarchaeological record is dominated by leporids, generally rabbit but also hare, scarce mustelids, and undetermined birds. Results indicate that these animals are not associated with the human use of the cave. The relevance of carnivore damage points to an exogenous origin for leporid accumulation. It is inferred that this mixed deposit of scats and non‐ingested remains results from foxes' activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lenses are of interest for the design of directive antennas and multi-optics instruments in the microwave, terahertz and optical domains. Here, we introduce an optical problem defined as the complement of the well-known generalized Luneburg lens problem. The spherically symmetric inhomogeneous lenses obtained as solutions of this problem transform a given sphere in the homogeneous region outside of the lens into a virtual conjugate sphere, forming a virtual image from a real source. An analytical solution is proposed for the equivalent geodesic lens using the analogy between classical mechanics and geometrical optics. The refractive index profile of the corresponding inhomogeneous lens is then obtained using transformation optics. The focusing properties of this family of lenses are validated using ray-tracing models, further corroborated with full-wave simulations. The numerical results agree well with the predictions over the analyzed frequency bandwidth (10–30 GHz). This virtual focusing property may further benefit from recent developments in the fields of metamaterials and transformation optics. Spherically-symmetric lenses can create sharp virtual images, but a general expression for their refractive index profiles had not yet been developed. Here, this expression is provided via analogy between classical mechanics and geometrical optics, yielding solutions complementary to existing lenses obtained from the generalized Luneburg lens problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landslides are a risk to buried gas pipeline infrastructure, but these risks are particularly difficult to assess given the complex nature of landslide movements. This paper presents of portion of research conducted at the University of Manitoba where gas pipelines within active landslide areas were monitored over a 4 year period. Two locations were examined in western Manitoba within the Assiniboine River Valley where a shallow natural gas pipeline runs parallel to the valley slope. A field investigation and monitoring program was undertaken where surficial ground movements and soil and pipe temperatures and pipe strains through strain gauges were measured. Monitoring results identified soil near the pipeline does not freeze, and ground movements are <50 mm/year. The monitoring results also showed pipe stresses and behaviour were affected by backfilling, thermal changes, soil−pipe relaxation, and ground movements. An unexpected outcome of the research was the response of the pipeline to slight ground movements was easily captured by the strain gauges and these movements, slow or surges, tended to occur at the same time between the two sites suggesting movements occur due to regional environmental effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The aim of this study was to create a comprehensive summary of available mtDNA and Y‐chromosome data for Native Americans from North, Central, and South America, including both modern and ancient DNA. To illustrate the usefulness of this dataset we present a broad picture of the genetic variation for both markers across the Americas. Methods: We searched PubMed, ResearchGate, Google Scholar for studies about mtDNA or Y‐chromosome variation in Native American populations, including geographic, linguistic, ecological (ecoregion), archeological and chronological information. We used AMOVA to estimate the genetic structure associated with language and ecoregion grouping and Mantel tests to evaluate the correlation between genetic and geographic distances. Results: Genetic data were obtained from 321 primary sources, including 22,569 individuals from 298 contemporary populations, and 3628 individuals from 202 archeological populations. MtDNA lineages of probable non‐Amerindian origin were rare, in contrast with Y‐chromosome lineages. Mantel tests showed a statistically significant correlation for the whole continent considering mtDNA but not the Y‐chromosome. Genetic structure between groups was always stronger for mtDNA than for the Y‐chromosome. Conclusions: This study summarizes decades of research conducted in Native American populations for both mtDNA and the Y‐chromosome. Continental or sub‐continental patterns of variation reveal that most of the genetic variation occurs within populations rather than among linguistic or ecoregional groups, and that isolation by distance is barely detectable in most population sets. The genetic structure among groups was always larger for mtDNA than for the Y‐chromosome, suggesting between‐sex differences in gene flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the United States, the nation's health is not an organic outcome. It is not a coincidence that certain groups of people living in the United States experience higher premature death rates or poorer health outcomes than others. For centuries, racial and ethnic as well as geographic differences in health outcomes have been part of the American landscape, so entrenched in society that many people fail to recognize that health inequities were intentionally derived. A national crisis tends to magnify inequities in our society, but even more alarming is the fact that as the country becomes more racially and ethnically diverse in the coming years, the health inequities are projected to worsen if we do not proactively and immediately address them. As we continue to grapple with the lasting impact of the pandemic, it is of vital importance that we utilize this time to acknowledge, understand, and seriously address the health inequities that have historically plagued the country for over 400 years. As the United States works overtime to stem the tide of the COVID-19 pandemic, it must also work equally hard to move in a more equitable, inclusive, and healthier direction, not only because of the more than 83 000 Americans dying prematurely each year but also because of the economic and national security toll it will have if not effectively addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A gallium-based metal–organic framework, post-modified with MoO2Cl2, was examined as a catalyst for the room temperature liquid-phase photooxidation of α‐ and β-pinene in the presence of molecular oxygen as the oxidant. For both substrates, (α, β)-pinene oxide was formed as the sole product due to the oxygen atom transfer process. Peroxo-molybdenum species was identified in the reoxidation process using infrared spectroscopy. Moreover, a comparison of the structure of the catalyst before and after catalysis by means of X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), infrared spectroscopy (IR) and N2 adsorption–desorption measurements demonstrated the high recyclability and potential of this catalyst in the photocatalytic epoxidation process of terpenes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Approximately 10% of hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) patients harbour brain vascular malformations (VMs). Intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) from brain VMs can lead to death or morbidity, while treatment options for brain VMs also have associated morbidity. The modified Rankin Scale (mRS) may provide an approach to identifying HHT-brain VM patients with poor outcomes, and their predictors. We aimed to measure the relationship between mRS score and brain VM, brain VM number, as well as other aspects of HHT, at enrollment and during prospective follow-up.Methods: 1637 HHT patients (342 with brain VMs) were recruited from 14 HHT centres of the Brain Vascular Malformation Consortium since 2010 and followed prospectively (mean = 3.4 years). We tested whether the presence of brain VM, other HHT organ involvement, and HHT mutation genotype were associated with worse mRS scores at baseline and during follow-up, using linear mixed models, adjusting for age, sex, and year of visit.Results: Presence of brain VMs was not associated with worse mRS score at baseline and there was no significant worsening of mRS with prospective follow-up in these patients; 92% had baseline mRS of 0-2. HHT-related gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding was associated with worse mRS scores at baseline (0.37, 95% CI 0.26-0.47, p < 0.001), as were history of anemia (0.35, 95% CI 0.27-0.43, p < 0.001) and liver VMs (0.19, 95% CI 0.09-0.30, p < 0.001). Presence of pulmonary arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) was not associated with worse mRS scores at baseline. mRS score was not associated with either HHT genotype (Endoglin vs ACVRL1). Only GI bleeding was associated with a significantly worsening mRS during prospective follow-up (0.64, 95% CI 0.21-1.08, p = 0.004).Conclusion: Most HHT-brain VM patients had good functional capacity (mRS scores 0-2) at baseline that did not change significantly over 3.4 mean years of follow-up, suggesting that mRS may not be useful for predicting or measuring outcomes in these patients. However, HHT patients with GI bleeding, anemia history or liver VMs had worse mRS scores, suggesting significant impact of these manifestations on functional capacity. Our study demonstrates the insensitivity of the mRS as an outcomes measure in HHT brain VM patients and reinforces the continued need to develop outcomes measures, and their predictors, in this group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: People with aphasia (PWA) report higher levels of stress in comparison to stroke survivors without aphasia. If untreated, chronic stress is known to have detrimental effects to the body and brain and can negatively impact health and well-being. According to extant literature, selfand proxy-report agreement on objective domains is higher than on subjective domains, like chronic stress. In addition, high levels of mutuality, also known as shared feelings between two people, have been strongly associated with low levels of stress in stroke survivors. Little is known, however, of the agreement between self-report and caregiver proxy-report on perceived chronic stress or mutuality in PWA. Purpose: The proposed study sought to examine (a) the degree of agreement between caregiver proxy-report and PWA self-report on perceived stress and (b) the relationship between perceived stress and mutuality between PWA and their caregivers. Method: The Modified Perceived Stress Scale and the Mutuality Scale were administered to 21 PWA/caregiver dyads. An independent-samples t test was conducted to determine if there were significant differences in perceived stress and mutuality as reported by PWA, their caregiver, and their caregiver's proxy-report. A Pearson correlation was performed to determine the level of agreement across questionnaires. Results: There was a moderate correlation between the proxyreport and self-report for perceived stress. On average, proxyreports for perceived stress were significantly higher than PWA self-reports. Overall, mutuality was high among the dyads. There was moderate agreement between caregiver's mutuality and proxy-report agreement on perceived stress. Lastly, our findings do not indicate that caregiver's perceived stress influenced their perception of the PWA's perceived stress. Conclusion: The results of this study provide support for the use of proxy-derived information in perceived stress with the use of a mutuality scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel (patent pending) waveguide orthomode transducer (OMT) design is presented. The use of a common waveguide cross section with twofold rotational symmetry is proposed to mitigate the typical drawbacks of a two-probe OMT geometry. In particular, the cross-polarized electric field component may be reduced by introducing a twofold rotationally symmetric cross-sectional design with slant axes in the reference frame defined by the directions of the two coupling probes. Interestingly, it is also demonstrated that this solution may be used directly in the probing area to either reduce the cross-polarized field component or to reduce the probe-to-probe coupling. The aspect ratio of the required asymmetric section is close to 1, and the design has limited impact on other signals when used as an orthomode junction (OMJ) in multifrequency feed systems. Two designs, one with dual-linear operation and one with dual-circular operation, are optimized in K-band (17.7–20.2 GHz). Good agreement is found between simulated and measured data, validating the concept. This solution is of interest for the design of future multifrequency feed systems onboard broadband communication satellites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Retrospective questionnaire and healthcare administrative data suggest reduced life expectancy in untreated hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT). Prospective data suggests similar mortality, to the general population, in Denmark's centre-treated HHT patients. However, clinical phenotypes vary widely in HHT, likely affecting mortality. We aimed to measure predictors of mortality among centre-treated HHT patients. HHT patients were recruited at 14 HHT centres of the Brain Vascular Malformation Consortium (BVMC) since 2010 and followed annually. Vital status, organ vascular malformations (VMs) and clinical symptoms data were collected at baseline and during follow-up (N = 1286). We tested whether organ VMs, HHT symptoms and HHT genes were associated with increased mortality using Cox regression analysis, adjusting for patient age, sex, and smoking status.Results: 59 deaths occurred over average follow-up time of 3.4 years (max 8.6 years). A history of anemia was associated with increased mortality (HR = 2.93, 95% CI 1.37-6.26, p = 0.006), as were gastro-intestinal (GI) bleeding (HR = 2.63, 95% CI 1.46-4.74, p = 0.001), and symptomatic liver VMs (HR = 2.10, 95% CI 1.15-3.84, p = 0.015). Brain VMs and pulmonary arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) were not associated with mortality (p > 0.05). Patients with SMAD4 mutation had significantly higher mortality (HR = 18.36, 95% CI 5.60-60.20, p < 0.001) compared to patients with ACVRL1 or ENG mutation, but this estimate is imprecise given the rarity of SMAD4 patients (n = 33, 4 deaths).Conclusions: Chronic GI bleeding, anemia and symptomatic liver VMs are associated with increased mortality in HHT patients, independent of age, and in keeping with the limited treatment options for these aspects of HHT. Conversely, mortality does not appear to be associated with pulmonary AVMs or brain VMs, for which patients are routinely screened and treated preventatively at HHT Centres. This demonstrates the need for development of new therapies to treat chronic anemia, GI bleeding, and symptomatic liver VMs in order to reduce mortality among HHT patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To describe the mortality trends of diabetes mellitus (DM) in Colombia, by sex and age group, from 1979 to 2017. Methods. We carried out an ecological study using mortality data from the Colombian National Administrative Department of Statistics. Crude and age-standardized annual mortality rates per 100 000 people were estimated. Trends of standardized rates were described by sex and age groups. Joinpoint regression models were performed to study mortality trends. Results. Throughout the whole period, the total number of DM recorded deaths in Colombia was 200 650, 58% (116 316) in women (p<0.05). The age-standardized mortality rates (ASMR) by sex increased from 13.2 to 26.6 deaths per 100 000 in women and from 10.1 to 22.7 in men from 1979 to 1999. We observed a decrease from 26.6 to 15.4 per 100 000 in women, and from 22.7 to 15.9 in men for the period 1999-2017. The joinpoint regression analysis showed that the average annual percentage change of the period did not vary in both sexes (men: -0.2%, 95% CI -1.0 to 1.4%; women: 0.7%, 95% CI -0.1 to 1.6%). Conclusions. The DM mortality showed a decreasing trend after 2000 in women and 2004 in men. Primary and secondary prevention programs must continue to be strengthened for an earlier diagnosis of diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a theoretical model for polarisation manipulation using electronic polarisation controllers (EPCs) based on fibre squeezing. A method to calculate the EPC configuration in order to transform between two arbitrary states of polarisation (SOP) is presented. After, a technique to deterministically generate four SOPs for use in polarisation‐encoded quantum communication systems is proposed. Moreover, the effectiveness of the proposed technique is experimentally assessed through the generation of two pairs of orthogonal SOPs. The experimental implementation used an field programmable gate array (FPGA) board to electrically control the four waveplates of the EPC, reaching a rate of 500 qubit/s. Results show that this polarisation generation process is intrinsically stable, demonstrating its potential for practical implementations of polarisation‐encoding quantum key distribution systems using the BB84 and B92 protocols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By July 25, Colombia had confirmed 240 795 cases of COVID-19 and 8269 deaths (case fatality rate of 3.4%). All departments had reported cases, but 292 municipalities were apparently free of COVID-19 (26%) and 373 (33.2%) had seen limited transmission. Specific mortality rates by department ranged from 0 in Vichada to 1278 in Amazonas, which was 7.8 times the national rate (incidence rate ratio (IRR) = 7.8, 95% confidence interval 6.4–9.5). Using a conservative approach to assess the potential underestimation of cases, it was estimated that, by July 25, Colombia should have detected 1 328 175 cases instead of the actual 240 795 observed, an underestimation of 82%. Colombia detected its first coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) case on March 2, 2020. From March 22 to April 25, it implemented a national lockdown that, apparently, allowed the country to keep a low incidence and mortality rate up to mid-May. Forced by the economic losses, the government then opened many commercial activities, which was followed by an increase in cases and deaths. This paper presents a critical analysis of the Colombian surveillance data in order to identify strengths and pitfalls of the control measures. A descriptive analysis of PCR-confirmed cases between March and July 25 was performed. Data were described according to the level of measurement. Incidence and mortality rates of COVID-19 were estimated by age, sex, and geographical area. Sampling rates for suspected cases were estimated by geographical area, and the potential for case underestimation was assessed using sampling differences. By July 25, Colombia (population 50 372 424) had reported 240 745 cases and 8269 deaths (case fatality rate of 3.4%). A total of 1 370 271 samples had been analyzed (27 405 samples per million people), with a positivity rate of 17%. Sampling rates per million varied by region from 2664 to 158 681 per million, and consequently the incidence and mortality rates also varied. Due to geographical variations in surveillance capacity, Colombia may have overlooked up to 82% of the actual cases. Colombia has a lower case and mortality incidence compared to other South American countries. This may be an effect of the lockdown, but may also be attributed, to some extent, to geographical differences in surveillance capacity. Indigenous populations with little health infrastructure have been hit the hardest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reviews one aspect of the clinical findings of a "fake-good data set" of the SASSI Institute's forthcoming third iteration of the Adolescent Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory (SASSI-A3). We are evaluating new items for inclusion in the SASSI-A3 to address emerging issues and contemporary trends; comparison of honest and "fake" responses from participants with known Substance Use Disorders (SUDs), and in order to validate the instrument's efficacy identifying likely SUD profiles when respondents do not fully acknowledge substance misuse. Such respondent drug use pattern minimization is known as "faking-good." This is the first in a series of reports comprising a validation study by the SASSI Institute to monitor the concordance and accuracy of the adolescent SASSI substance use screening measure against DSM-5 criteria for diagnosing SUDs. Providing screening and assessment professionals appropriate scale scores to identify defensive client responses, or attempts to minimize disclosure of substance abuse, can inform subsequent clinical interviews. These scale scores will assist professionals with treatment planning, enhancing treatment placement and related conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes a design procedure that enables a time-efficient evaluation of the focusing properties of modulated geodesic lenses using ray tracing on the equivalent gradient-index planar lens. The method uses transformation optics to define the equivalent planar relative permittivity distribution of axially symmetric surfaces and a ray-tracing model to evaluate the phase distribution in the aperture of the lens. This approach is of interest to optimize modulated geodesic lenses having polynomial profiles, reducing their height while preserving their wideband behavior and wide angular focusing properties. The approach is validated with a specific lens design. The profile is optimized at 30 GHz, while the focusing properties are monitored over the complete Ka up-link frequency band allocated to satellite communications (i.e., 27.5–31 GHz). The manufactured prototype produces 21 beams equally spaced every 7.5° over the extended angular range of ±75°. The ray-tracing model results are compared in detail with the corresponding full-wave model results and experimental data. The manufactured design has return loss better than 15 dB over a fractional frequency bandwidth larger than 30%, in line with the predictions. Excellent scanning properties are demonstrated over an angular range of ±60° with scan losses below 1 dB and good pattern stability, including on sidelobe levels. A height reduction by a factor of 4, when compared to a conventional geodesic lens, is demonstrated with this specific design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

South America is a subcontinent with 393 million inhabitants with widely distinct countries and diverse ethnicities, cultures, political and societal organizations. The epidemiological transition that accompanied the technological and demographic evolution is happening in South America and leading to a rise in the incidence of neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases that now coexist with the still high burden of infectious diseases. South America is also quite heterogeneous regarding the existence of systems of care for the various neurological emergencies, with some countries having well-organized systems for some diseases, while others have no plan of action for the care of patients with acute neurological symptoms. In this article, we discuss the existing systems of care in different countries of South America for the treatment of neurological emergencies, mainly stroke, status epilepticus, and traumatic brain injury. We also will address existing gaps between the current systems and recommendations from the literature to improve the management of such emergencies, as well as strategies on how to solve these disparities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, shaped continuous parallel plate waveguide delay lenses are proposed. The previous configurations introduced by the authors displayed a residual side lobe imbalance, showing the limitations of elliptical delay lens profiles, derived from a starting bifocal constrained lens. Polynomial profiles are proposed here as a way to enhance the scanning performance and the pattern shape. Optimized configurations demonstrate a reduction in the phase aberration levels over a large scanning range ([−30°, 30°]). The associated radiation patterns demonstrate lower and more balanced first side lobe levels (SLLs) ($\cong -18$ dB), as compared to the previous elliptical approach ($\cong -13.2$ dB). A validation has been proposed through the manufacturing and test of a prototype over the down-link Ka-band ([27.5–31] GHz). Excellent radiation performance [half-power beamwidth (HPBW), SLL] has been experimentally obtained over a wide angular range ([−31.5°, 31.5°]), including low scanning loss and high radiation stability over the entire frequency range. High radiation efficiencies are demonstrated with this fully metallic design, particularly suitable for space applications. The mechanical simplicity offered by the concept is also quite attractive for low-cost multi-beam platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantum holonomies of closed paths on the torus 𝕋 2 are interpreted as elements of the Heisenberg group H 1 . Group composition in H 1 corresponds to path concatenation and the group commutator is a deformation of the relator of the fundamental group π 1 of 𝕋 2 , making explicit the signed area phases between quantum holonomies of homotopic paths. Inner automorphisms of H 1 adjust these signed areas, and the discrete symplectic transformations of H 1 generate the modular group of 𝕋 2 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The fragmented QRS complex (FQRS) was found to be associated to malignant ventricular arrhythmias and sudden death in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and other entities. There is scant data available correlating the presence of FQRS with QT interval prolongation in patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD). Methods: A descriptive, retrospective, cross-sectional study was performed in 123 patients with IHD to analyze and correlate the presence of FQRS with QT interval prolongation in the conventional 12-leads electrocardiogram in patients with documented chronic IHD. Results: There were 62% male patients. The mean age was 63.8±12.6 years. Thirty six (44%) patients had fragmented QRS (64% men and 36% women). The duration of QT and QTc, the mean values were 413±59ms, and 463±67ms, respectively. Of the 36 patients with FQRS, 23 patients have prolongation of the QTc interval, and 13 patients did not present it. Of the 45 patients without FQRS, 21 of them have prolongation of the QTc interval, and 24 patients did not have it. These data resulted in a sensitivity of 52% with a moderate SnNout, a specificity of 65% with moderate SpPin, a positive predictive accuracy of 64%, a negative predictive accuracy of 53%. These data resulted in a prevalence of 54%. Conclusion: the presence of FQRS in the ECG has a moderate sensitivity and specificity, as well as, moderate negative and positive predictive value of the existence of QT interval prolongation in patients with ischemic heart disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maternal-fetal exchange during pregnancy creates a long-term legacy of naturally acquired microchimerism (Mc) for child and mother. Mc is harboring a small amount of cells (or DNA) that originated in a different individual. The durability and pleiotropic nature of Mc is evident; both maternal and fetal origin Mc are found in immune cellular subsets and as a wide variety of tissue specific cell types, for example cardiac myocytes, islet b cells, hepatocytes and others. Mc has potential for beneficial as well as adverse consequences. Effects are likely dependent on a number of factors including i) source of the Mc ii) age of the recipient when the Mc was acquired iii) time elapsed since Mc acquisition iv) potential for interaction with other sources of Mc and v) the specific HLA molecules carried by the Mc, the recipient, and their HLA-relationship. The source of Mc and age at acquisition are relevant because maternal Mc is acquired while the immune system is developing whereas fetal Mc is acquired during adult life. Time elapsed since Mc acquisition is relevant because when a woman's children are grown, the Mc she harbors is also subject to aging i.e. is no longer fetal. HLA molecules and HLA-relationships across generations are likely of key importance. Mc is at the same time self and not self, with a broad potential across human biology. Benefits and adversity range from immunity and autoimmunity, tissue repair, cancer surveillance, and for maternal Mc, conferring instructional benefits to her newborn and as children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PHOTO (COLOR) PHOTO (COLOR) Robin Robertson, the beloved former General Editor of I Psychological Perspectives i , passed away January 4, 2021, leaving us shocked and dismayed. For a look at his website and a tour of Robin Robertson's books, visit https://www.angelfire.com/super/magicrobin/ Further Reading 1 Robertson, R. (2009). In Robin's book, I Indra's Net i (Robertson, [2]), modern chaos theory unites physics and alchemy with current and contemporary analytical psychology. [Extracted from the article]

Objective: The authors conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine whether the risk of psychosis is higher in past or future episodes in patients with major depression with psychotic features than in patients with nonpsychotic depression.Method: PubMed, Embase, and PsycINFO were searched, and studies were selected that 1) identified patients with unipolar major depression, 2) made diagnoses of psychosis based on the presence of delusions or hallucinations, 3) characterized past or subsequent episodes as psychotic or nonpsychotic, and 4) were published in English. Two meta-analyses were then conducted using data from patients having index depressive episodes with or without psychosis at study entry to determine the risk of any prior or subsequent psychotic episode and the risk of psychosis in all episodes.Results: Twelve studies met the inclusion criteria, and altogether they included 546 psychotic and 1,583 nonpsychotic patients with unipolar depression. In seven of the studies, the risk ratio for a prior or subsequent psychotic episode in patients whose index depressive episode was psychotic compared with those whose index episode was nonpsychotic was 9.98 (95% CI=4.75, 20.94). In eight studies, the risk ratio for psychosis among all episodes of depression in the subgroups with psychotic and nonpsychotic index episodes was 7.24 (95% CI=5.03, 10.43). Differences in risk of psychosis between these subgroups remained robust when potential sources of heterogeneity were explored.Conclusions: The findings support the hypothesis that psychotic depression runs true to form, and they support the distinction between psychotic and nonpsychotic depression. Because patients with psychotic depression are at high risk for psychosis in future episodes, determination of effective preventive treatments is imperative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An analytical model based on geometrical optics is proposed to design and analyze continuous parallel plate waveguide (PPW) lens-like antennas. The proposed design is based on a transversal PPW section working as a lens-like beamformer. By simplifying the propagation inside this transversal section, a bifocal constrained lens model is first defined; it provides a relevant starting point to design the proposed beamformer. A refined model based on ray tracing and with an enhanced performance prediction is achieved by accounting the wave propagation inside the transversal cavity. The numerical analysis of phase aberrations and radiation demonstrate the performance of the proposed beamformer. The results of the ray-tracing model are in a very good agreement with the corresponding full-wave model, while providing a significant reduction in the computational effort, making the proposed model more suitable for advanced optimization processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deals with a study that presented a model for the spectral response of gallium arsenide and Al[subx]Ga[sub1-x]As p-n and p-i-n solar cells based on a standard solution of the minority-carrier equations. Application of the quantum well solar cell; Capability of the model; Strengths and weaknesses of the model; Disadvantages from the use of intercell connection.

Presents a study that investigated the effect of a collected flyash layer on electrostatic precipitator behavior. Background on the experimental apparatus and procedures used in the study; Examination of the modeling effect of precipitated dust layer; Assessment of the high-resistivity dust layer parameters used by the corona simulation.

Discusses the simulation and measurement of corona for electrostatic pulse powered precipitators. Formulation of model; Ion and electron advection; Evolution of a Trichel pulse.