Bankruptcy & the Underwater Home: A Case for Real Property Redemption

Chapter 7 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code exists to satisfy the claims of creditors and preserve an economic “fresh start” for the debtor after bankruptcy. In exchange for surrendering her property to the trustee to have it monetized (i.e., sold), the debtor receives a discharge of her debts and an injunction against future creditor in personam actions to recover them. However, the in personam injunction is insufficient to protect consumer debtors who are in default on mortgages encumbering underwater homes because the creditor’s in rem rights remain; after the conclusion of the case, the creditor can continue foreclosure proceedings, which result in eviction and often homelessness. The economic, educational, and health externalities of foreclosure and homelessness are detrimental to individuals and harmful to society at large. The Bankruptcy Code already possesses the tool to prevent these harms without disadvantaging creditors—the right to redeem under § 722—but currently restricts redemption to personal property. This Note argues for a statutory amendment to § 722 that extends the right of redemption to real property

Photoacoustic thermal diffusion flowmetry

Thermal Diffusion Flowmetry (TDF) (also called Heat Clearance Method or Thermal Clearance Method) is a longstanding technique for measuring blood flow or blood perfusion in living tissues. Typically, temperature transients and/or gradients are induced in a volume of interest and the temporal and/or spatial temperature variations which follow are measured and used for calculation of the flow. In this work a new method for implementing TDF is studied theoretically and experimentally. The heat deposition which is required for TDF is implemented photothermally (PT) and the measurement of the induced temperature variations is done by photoacoustic (PA) thermometry. Both excitation light beams (the PT and the PA) are produced by directly modulated 830 nm laser diodes and are conveniently delivered to the volume under test by the same optical fiber. The method was tested experimentally using a blood-filled phantom vessel and the results were compared with a theoretical prediction based on the heat and the photoacoustic equations. The fitting of a simplified lumped thermal model to the experimental data yielded estimated values of the blood velocity at different flow rates. By combining additional optical sources at different wavelengths it will be possible to utilize the method for non-invasive simultaneous measurement of blood flow and oxygen saturation using a single fiber probe

Improved covering results for conjugacy classes of symmetric groups via hypercontractivity

We study covering numbers of subsets of the symmetric group $S_n$ that exhibit closure under conjugation, known as \emph{normal} sets. We show that for any $\epsilon>0$, there exists $n_0$ such that if $n>n_0$ and $A$ is a normal subset of the symmetric group $S_n$ of density $\ge e^{-n^{2/5 - \epsilon}}$, then $A^2 \supseteq A_n$. This improves upon a seminal result of Larsen and Shalev (Inventiones Math., 2008), with our $2/5$ in the double exponent replacing their $1/4$. Our proof strategy combines two types of techniques. The first is `traditional' techniques rooted in character bounds and asymptotics for the Witten zeta function, drawing from the foundational works of Liebeck--Shalev, Larsen--Shalev, and more recently, Larsen--Tiep. The second is a sharp hypercontractivity theorem in the symmetric group, which was recently obtained by Keevash and Lifshitz. This synthesis of algebraic and analytic methodologies not only allows us to attain our improved bounds but also provides new insights into the behavior of general independent sets in normal Cayley graphs over symmetric groups

On tt-Intersecting Families of Permutations

We prove that there exists a constant $c_0$ such that for any $t \in \mathbb{N}$ and any $n\geq c_0 t$, if $A \subset S_n$ is a $t$-intersecting family of permutations then$|A|\leq (n-t)!$. Furthermore, if $|A|\ge 0.75(n-t)!$ then there exist $i_1,\ldots,i_t$ and $j_1,\ldots,j_t$ such that $\sigma(i_1)=j_1,\ldots,\sigma(i_t)=j_t$ holds for any $\sigma \in A$. This shows that the conjectures of Deza and Frankl (1977) and of Cameron (1988) on $t$-intersecting families of permutations hold for all $t \leq c_0 n$. Our proof method, based on hypercontractivity for global functions, does not use the specific structure of permutations, and applies in general to $t$-intersecting sub-families of `pseudorandom' families in $\{1,2,\ldots,n\}^n$, like $S_n$

The Old Gods Are Fighting Back: Mono- and Polytheistic Tensions in Battlestar Galactica and Jewish Biblical Interpretation

The representations of religious tension between the polytheistic humans and the monotheistic Cylons in the Sci Fi (now Syfy) channel’s hit series Battlestar Galactica (2003–2009) is nowhere more evident than in the human “convert” to monotheism, Gaius Baltar, who struggles to proselytize his minority beliefs to other humans. Ancient Jewish literature also highlights the patriarch Abraham’s turn from a polytheistic past to a believer and follower of the one God. This article seeks to understand Baltar’s belief and actions in light of Abraham’s shift from polytheism to monotheism in ancient Jewish literature

Hemodynamic Perspectives in Anemia

Oxygen delivery in normal physiologic states is determined by cardiac output, hemoglobin, oxygen saturation, and to a lesser extent, dissolved oxygen in the blood. Compensatory mechanisms such as an increase in stroke volume, heart rate, and re-distribution of blood flow helps in scenarios with increased oxygen demand. In cases of acute hemodynamic decompensation, this pre-existing physiologic relation between oxygen delivery and oxygen consumption is altered, resulting in tissue hypoxia and resultant anaerobic metabolism. A persistent state of sub-critical O2 delivery correlates with increased mortality. Oxygen consumption itself is usually independent of delivery unless a critical threshold is unmet. We can use various parameters such as serum lactate, oxygen extraction, and central venous oxygen saturation to determine this pathology. A basic understanding of this physiology will help better tailor therapy to improve outcomes in critically ill patients

Factors Related to Implementation and Reach of a Pragmatic Multisite Trial: The My Own Health Report (MOHR) Study

BACKGROUND: Contextual factors relevant to translating healthcare improvement interventions to different settings are rarely collected systematically. This study articulates a prospective method for assessing and describing contextual factors related to implementation and patient reach of a pragmatic trial in primary care. METHODS: In a qualitative case-series, contextual factors were assessed from the My Own Health Report (MOHR) study, focused on systematic health risk assessments and goal setting for unhealthy behaviors and behavioral health in nine primary care practices. Practice staff interviews and observations, guided by a context template were conducted prospectively at three time points. Patient reach was calculated as percentage of patients completing MOHR of those who were offered MOHR and themes describing contextual factors were summarized through an iterative, data immersion process.These included practice members' motivations towards MOHR, practice staff capacity for implementation, practice information system capacity, external resources to support quality improvement, community linkages, and implementation strategy fit with patient populations. CONCLUSIONS: Systematically assessing contextual factors prospectively throughout implementation of quality improvement initiatives helps translation to other health care settings. Knowledge of contextual factors is essential for scaling up of effective interventions

Implementing academic detailing for breast cancer screening in underserved communities

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>African American and Hispanic women, such as those living in the northern Manhattan and the South Bronx neighborhoods of New York City, are generally underserved with regard to breast cancer prevention and screening practices, even though they are more likely to die of breast cancer than are other women. Primary care physicians (PCPs) are critical for the recommendation of breast cancer screening to their patients. Academic detailing is a promising strategy for improving PCP performance in recommending breast cancer screening, yet little is known about the effects of academic detailing on breast cancer screening among physicians who practice in medically underserved areas. We assessed the effectiveness of an enhanced, multi-component academic detailing intervention in increasing recommendations for breast cancer screening within a sample of community-based urban physicians.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Two medically underserved communities were matched and randomized to intervention and control arms. Ninety-four primary care community (<it>i.e</it>., not hospital based) physicians in northern Manhattan were compared to 74 physicians in the South Bronx neighborhoods of the New York City metropolitan area. Intervention participants received enhanced physician-directed academic detailing, using the American Cancer Society guidelines for the early detection of breast cancer. Control group physicians received no intervention. We conducted interviews to measure primary care physicians' self-reported recommendation of mammography and Clinical Breast Examination (CBE), and whether PCPs taught women how to perform breast self examination (BSE).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Using multivariate analyses, we found a statistically significant intervention effect on the recommendation of CBE to women patients age 40 and over; mammography and breast self examination reports increased across both arms from baseline to follow-up, according to physician self-report. At post-test, physician involvement in additional educational programs, enhanced self-efficacy in counseling for prevention, the routine use of chart reminders, computer- rather than paper-based prompting and tracking approaches, printed patient education materials, performance targets for mammography, and increased involvement of nursing and other office staff were associated with increased screening.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We found some evidence of improvement in breast cancer screening practices due to enhanced academic detailing among primary care physicians practicing in urban underserved communities.</p

Global trends and correlates of covid-19 vaccination hesitancy: Findings from the icare study

The success of large-scale COVID-19 vaccination campaigns is contingent upon people being willing to receive the vaccine. Our study explored COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and its correlates in eight different countries around the globe. We analyzed convenience sample data collected between March 2020 and January 2021 as part of the iCARE cross-sectional study. Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses were conducted to explore the correlates of vaccine hesitancy. We included 32,028 participants from eight countries, and observed that 27% of the participants exhibited vaccine hesitancy, with increases over time. France reported the highest level of hesitancy (47.3%) and Brazil reported the lowest (9.6%). Women, younger individuals (≤29 years), people living in rural areas, and those with a lower perceived income were more likely to be hesitant. People who previously received an influenza vaccine were 70% less likely to report COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. We observed that people reporting greater COVID-19 health concerns were less likely to be hesitant, whereas people with higher personal financial concerns were more likely to be hesitant. Our findings indicate that there is substantial vaccine hesitancy in several countries, with cross-national differences in the magnitude and direction of the trend. Vaccination communication initiatives should target hesitant individuals (women, younger adults, people with lower incomes and those living in rural areas), and should highlight the immediate health, social and economic benefits of vaccination across these settings. Country-level analyses are warranted to understand the complex psychological, socio-environmental, and cultural factors associated with vaccine hesitancy

Mineralisation of soft and hard tissues and the stability of biofluids

Evidence is provided from studies on natural and artificial biofluids that the sequestration of amorphous calcium phosphate by peptides or proteins to form nanocluster complexes is of general importance in the control of physiological calcification. A naturally occurring mixture of osteopontin peptides was shown, by light and neutron scattering, to form calcium phosphate nanoclusters with a core–shell structure. In blood serum and stimulated saliva, an invariant calcium phosphate ion activity product was found which corresponds closely in form and magnitude to the ion activity product observed in solutions of these osteopontin nanoclusters. This suggests that types of nanocluster complexes are present in these biofluids as well as in milk. Precipitation of amorphous calcium phosphate from artificial blood serum, urine and saliva was determined as a function of pH and the concentration of osteopontin or casein phosphopeptides. The position of the boundary between stability and precipitation was found to agree quantitatively with the theory of nanocluster formation. Artificial biofluids were prepared that closely matched their natural counterparts in calcium and phosphate concentrations, pH, saturation, ionic strength and osmolality. Such fluids, stabilised by a low concentration of sequestering phosphopeptides, were found to be highly stable and may have a number of beneficial applications in medicine