Plant Introduction
Not a member yet
60263 research outputs found
Sort by
Advancing a transdisciplinary approach for a paradigm shift in water management in US cities
No full textRadial similarity measures for vectorial structured light
No full textProperties of a harmonic electromagnetic beam revealed by its polarization-orbitalization tensor (POT) at two radii are discussed. In particular, the polarization and orbitalization projections of the POT are extended to two radii, and various quantities distinguishing radial similarity and mixing among the components of the POT are examined. The results are demonstrated with a beam composed of Laguerre-Gaussian modes. (c) 2026 Optica Publishing Group. All rights, including for text and data mining (TDM), Artificial Intelligence (AI) training, and similar technologies, are reserved.</p
Chronic Urticaria Part I: Clinical overview and molecular basis
No full textChronic urticaria (CU) is a mast cell-driven skin disorder characterized by recurrent wheals, angioedema, or both, persisting for more than six weeks. This two-part continuing medical education series provides an in-depth review of CU for dermatologists, empowering them to diagnose and manage this condition confidently. Part I focuses on the epidemiology, classification, pathogenesis, clinical features, diagnosis, and comorbidities of CU, integrating recent advances in disease endotyping, mast cell biology, and immune cell crosstalk. By outlining pathophysiologic mechanisms, prognostic markers, and clinical assessment tools, this review equips dermatologists with the knowledge to improve patient care and prepare for emerging therapeutic options discussed in Part II.
•Urticaria is defined by transient itchy wheals, angioedema, or both.•Urticaria is classified by duration (acute ≤6 weeks vs. chronic >6 weeks) and by trigger (spontaneous vs. inducible).•Chronic inducible urticaria includes subtypes based on physical or environmental triggers; chronic spontaneous urticaria subtypes include type I autoallergic and type IIb autoimmune endotypes
Establishing Glycemic Targets: Epidemiological Insights and Landmark Studies in Hospital Management
No full textFundamental Limits of Quantum Semantic Communication via Sheaf Cohomology
No full textSemantic communication (SC) enables bandwidth-efficient coordination in multi-agent systems by transmitting meaning rather than raw bits. However, when agents employ heterogeneous sensing modalities and AI architectures, perfect bit-level transmission no longer guarantees mutual understanding. Although deep learning methods for semantic compression have advanced, the information-theoretic limits of semantic alignment under heterogeneity remain poorly understood. Notably, semantic ambiguity shares the same mathematical structure as quantum contextuality, as both arise from cohomological obstructions, motivating a quantum formulation of SC. In this paper, an information-theoretic framework for quantum semantic communication is proposed using sheaf cohomology. Multi-agent semantic networks are modeled as quantum sheaves, where agents meaning spaces are Hilbert spaces connected by quantum channels. The first sheaf cohomology group is shown to characterize irreducible semantic ambiguity, representing a fundamental obstruction to alignment that no local processing can resolve. The minimum communication rate required for semantic alignment is proven to scale with the logarithm of the dimension of the cohomological space, establishing a semantic analog of Shannon limits. For entanglement-assisted channels, the achievable capacity is shown to strictly exceed classical bounds, with each shared ebit reducing the required classical communication by one bit, providing a rigorous interpretation of shared context. Additionally, quantum contextuality is shown to reduce cohomological obstructions, and a duality between quantum discord and integrated semantic information is established, linking quantum correlations to irreducible semantic content. This framework provides rigorous foundations for quantum-enhanced semantic communication in autonomous multi-agent systems
Predicting Atlantic Bonefish (Albula vulpes) Fork Length From Head Morphometry
No full textThis study developed predictive models using generalized linear statistical analyses to estimate Atlantic bonefish (Albula vulpes) fork length (FL) dependent on four head morphometry covariates: snout length, eye diameter, postorbital head length, and head length. A total of 257 South Florida bonefish were examined, which ranged from 28 to 720 mm FL. Each of the morphometric measurements was highly correlated with FL, with coefficients of determination (r2) that ranged from 0.9592 for eye diameter to 0.9959 for head length. Total length (TL) was also highly correlated with FL. Sex differences in the morphometric measurements were examined; however, no significant sexual dimorphism was detected. All of the morphometric measurements examined were good predictors of Atlantic bonefish FL and TL
Patterns of anesthesia(AS) and analgesia(AG) practice in gynecological brachytherapy in India
No full textFractionated HDR brachytherapy, following external beam radiotherapy, is essential for treating locally advanced cervical cancer. Modern techniques enable the delivery of multiple fractions with a single application. However, application process and removal cause significant pain and distress. With no standardized guidelines for anesthesia in gynecological brachytherapy, this study surveyed current anesthesia practices across India to better understand the variability.
A survey was conducted using an online questionnaire distributed to radiation oncologists via social media platforms (survey instrument: Rivera et al., 2024). Analysis was done using descriptive statistics.
Ninety-three responses were received, excluding 14 repeats; 79 responses were analyzed. Most of the respondents were male (52%). The most common place for intracavitary application is a dedicated brachytherapy suite. Spinal anesthesia, alone or in combination, was the most frequently used technique for intracavitary (39%), hybrid (30%), and interstitial (36%) brachytherapy. Most institutions are doing >20 applications per month. During waiting periods and treatments, oral analgesia is most commonly used. Nearly half (49%) of respondents perceived the procedure as distressing, yet fewer than half (44%) reported implementing measures to reduce psychological distress. Compared with Western data, Indian practice is characterized by higher procedure volumes, a greater reliance on regional anesthesia, and limited use of conscious sedation.
We observed clinician preference for a specific analgesic modality, highlighting clinician bias in pain control during gynecological brachytherapy. Analgesia and anesthesia during waiting times and applicator removal are areas of interest and shall be explored further. There is a need for good evidence for better management of pain and distress associated with gynecological brachytherapy
A mesocosm study of stranded Sargassum shows considerable volatilization and arsenic dominating in inorganic forms
No full textPelagic Sargassum seaweed is known to bioaccumulate arsenic, yet limited information exists about the fate of this arsenic once Sargassum strands on beaches. The objective of this study was to evaluate the transfer of arsenic from Sargassum to sand, leachate, and the atmosphere, as well as arsenic speciation, during a simulated stranding scenario. Two sets of mesocosms were used to measure the transfer: one containing Sargassum and sand (SS), and a control containing sand only (SO). Initial arsenic concentrations in Sargassum (34 mg/kg) increased during drying (peaking at 66.7 mg/kg), then declined to a steady level of 7.7 mg/kg by day 70. Of the arsenic lost from Sargassum in the SS mesocosms, 41% was detected in leachate, 5% was absorbed by the underlying sand, and 54% was volatilized. The sand, which was split for each mesocosm, had statistically different arsenic concentrations by the end of the experiment (p = 0.003) with sand beneath the Sargassum in the SS mesocosms showing a slight increase in arsenic concentrations, while the sand in the SO mesocosms experienced a slight decrease. The leachates from both mesocosms were compared to the mean rainfall arsenic concentration (2.2 μg/L). Only the SS mesocosm leachates were significantly elevated (p = 0.0067, maximum at 322 μg/L), while the SO mesocosm leachates were not significantly different (p = 0.97, maximum at 4.1 μg/L) from rainfall. Across all compartments (Sargassum, sand, and leachate), the dominant arsenic species was inorganic As(V), followed by dimethylarsinic acid, DMA(V). Overall, these findings demonstrate that Sargassum acts as a source of arsenic, primarily as inorganic As(V), to coastal environments, with most being lost through volatilization and leaching, and a smaller portion retained in sand. These results highlight the complex role of Sargassum in coastal arsenic cycling and its potential to serve as a source of arsenic exposures for beachgoers.[Display omitted]•Sargassum volatilized ∼54% of its arsenic content•Leachate arsenic peaked at 322 μg/L, above drinking standards•Sand under Sargassum had higher arsenic than control sand•As(V) dominated; DMA(V) increased over time in Sargassum•Volatilization is a major arsenic loss pathway from Sargassu
Differential survival benefit of curative versus non-curative intent treatment in a real-world cohort with early and intermediate-stage hepatocellular carcinoma
No full textTreatment algorithms for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) account for tumor burden/stage and severity of liver disease. There are conflicting data on the differential benefit of curative versus non-curative treatments based on BCLC stage. Therefore, we sought to leverage a nationally representative sample of patients in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) to address this question.
We performed a retrospective cohort study of patients with cirrhosis and HCC in the VHA. We conducted a landmark analysis and fit survival models, censored at 3 years, to evaluate the association of treatment type based on the highest level (non-curative vs. curative vs. combination), stratified by BCLC stage, for patients with early-stage to intermediate-stage HCC.
We evaluated 1191 patients with confirmed HCC (535 received only non-curative treatment, 227 only curative, and 429 received a combination of curative and non-curative). Among BCLC-0 patients, patients who received curative-intent therapy had significantly better survival at all time points compared with patients receiving non-curative treatment only (HR ranging from 0.53 at 6 months to 0.77 at 3 years). In contrast, for patients with BCLC-A stage disease, receiving either curative treatment alone or combination therapy was associated with significantly better survival compared with non-curative treatment (HR ranged from 0.41 to 0.76 over the study period). However, for BCLC-B stage disease, only combination therapy had significantly better survival (HR 0.44 at 6 months to 0.65 at 3 years).
Our real-world data demonstrate that among patients with early-stage to intermediate-stage HCC, curative-intent treatment is associated with the best survival for patients with BCLC-0 and BCLC-A stage disease, while combination therapy yields the best outcomes in patients with BCLC-B stage disease
Perspectives on hepatitis A and B screening and immunization at a syringe services program: a mixed-methods study
No full textPeople who inject drugs (PWID) are at increased risk for viral hepatitis, yet hepatitis A virus (HAV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) screening and immunization rates remain low. Although offering HAV and HBV services at syringe services programs (SSPs) is effective, few U.S. SSPs currently offer them. Limited qualitative research exists on the advantages and optimization of these services at SSPs. This study explored PWID and SSP staff perspectives regarding barriers to HAV and HBV prevention and care services in traditional healthcare, facilitators for SSP-based provision, and opportunities to improve service delivery.This study was conducted at an SSP in Miami, Florida serving over 2500 PWID annually. Quantitative data on vaccine administration from August 2023 to May 2025 were abstracted from the SSP database. Prior to implementation, in May 2022, we conducted in-depth interviews with 15 PWID and 11 SSP staff. Transcripts were analyzed using codebook thematic analysis in Dedoose.From August 2023 to May 2025, the SSP administered 114 HAV and 176 HBV vaccine doses. Qualitative interviews from May 2022 revealed several key findings. Barriers included limited knowledge, stigma and discrimination, resource and transportation challenges, navigation difficulties, and limited prioritization. Facilitators for SSP-based services included the benefits of co-located, on-demand care, and non-stigmatizing and supportive environment. Opportunities for improvement included offering incentives, expanding outreach, and increasing communication.PWID face significant barriers to HAV and HBV services in traditional healthcare, including stigma, logistical challenges, and limited awareness of viral hepatitis. Integrating these services into SSPs enhanced accessibility and uptake by leveraging trust, convenience, and harm reduction principles