Standard Part Research Articles

Mediating access: unpacking the role of algorithms in digital tenancy application technologies

ABSTRACT Digital tenancy application technologies (DTATs) are becoming the dominant means through which renters in the private rental sector (PRS) apply for housing. These PropTech tools, which claim to streamline application processes to save renters and lessors time and effort, necessitate the collection of data. Though the collection of certain data – such as income and rental history – has long been a standard part of rental application processes, DTATs now facilitate the collection of additional data including social media activity, behavioural data, and more. Increasingly, DTATs offer the ability to ‘make sense’ of this data, evaluating applicants through the use of algorithms. Drawing on lessons from banking and insurance sectors, this article outlines how DTAT algorithms can reshape individuals’ access to essential services delivered through competitive markets. It explains how algorithmic processes can introduce and exacerbate the unfair and unlawful treatment of renters, which can result in significant harms. To identify, redress, and prevent these harms, I argue that it is crucially important to use shared terminology to describe how DTATs are collecting and using data. This article introduces a framework for understanding how algorithms ‘screen’ and ‘sort’ applicants based on the data that is collected through DTATs. The process of ‘sorting’ is further broken down into three categories – ‘scoring’, ‘rating’, and ‘ranking’. The article concludes by explaining how this framework can assist researchers and policymakers to identify, analyse and prevent harms that are catalysed, or exacerbated by DTATs.

Depression, anxiety, and hopelessness in a sample of Egyptian children diagnosed with cystic fibrosis

BackgroundEven though current therapeutic approaches have significantly increased the longevity and standard of living for children suffering from cystic fibrosis (CF), the crucial psychological components of this illness have not received the same level of attention as other chronic illnesses. The aim of the research was to assess depression, anxiety, and hopelessness in cystic fibrosis-affected children and their relation to the duration of illness. In this study, we compared 40 healthy control children between the ages of 7 and 12 with 40 cystic fibrosis children who were matched for age and sex. All patients had detailed clinical and psychometric evaluations using the Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI), the Anxiety Scale for Children (ASC), and the Hopelessness Scale for Children (HSC).ResultsThe CDI, ASC, and HSC revealed a significant difference between both groups. Positive correlations between depression, anxiety, and hopelessness and disease duration were found.ConclusionsPatients with CF experienced significantly increased depression, anxiety, and hopelessness, and there is an association between these symptoms and the duration of the illness. We advise making psychiatric screening a standard part of evaluating and monitoring CF patients.

Analysis of machined surface quality for multi-feature standard parts

Analyzing the machined surface quality of a multi-feature part helps to find out a comprehensive solution for machining quality promotion for complex multi-feature products. It is also significant to detect the machining accuracy and performance of the machine tools. In this paper, the surface of a standard part is adopted to investigate multi-feature part machining application, which has more than 5 types of features, such as plane, bevel, curved, cylindrical, etc. Three groups of finish machining experiments with different parameters are firstly conducted to conclude the effect of features on the machined surfaces. Then, surface roughness and morphology were measured and compared for five features under the same machining parameters to reveal machined quality differences between surfaces. The effects of inclination angle and curvature on the surface quality are also theoretically analyzed. It is found that the contact area between the tool and the part varies with the inclination angle of the bevel, leading to different roughness variations. Between the plane and curved surfaces, the concave surface has the highest roughness, while the convex surface has the lowest. Moreover, the wear of four tools with different machining time is examined. It is shown that, with the increase of machining time, the tool tip wears more severely than the rake and the flank. Furthermore, the correlation between tool wear and surface roughness is also studied by regression analysis, which confirms that the quality difference of some surfaces is related to the tool wear state.

The incidence of secondary neoplasms in retinoblastoma survivors who underwent radiation therapy: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract: Secondary neoplasms are a significant cause of mortality among retinoblastoma survivors, particularly when exposed to radiation. This systematic review aims to investigate the association between radiation exposure and the incidence of secondary neoplasms in retinoblastoma survivors. A comprehensive literature search was conducted using PubMed, ProQuest, and EBSCOhost databases to gather relevant studies. Studies written in English about the incidence of secondary neoplasms in retinoblastoma patients who underwent radiotherapy were included. Retinoblastoma patients who did not receive radiotherapy were regarded as the control group. Studies involving animals and those without a control group were excluded. No date restrictions were applied. The last search was performed on April 6, 2022. The study selection process was presented in a flow diagram following the Preferred Reporting Items of Systematic reviews Meta-Analysis 2020 guidelines. The risk of bias was evaluated using the Risk of Bias in nonrandomized Studies of Interventions tool. Statistical analysis was performed using the Cochrane RevMan software (version 5.4.1). Five studies comprising a total of 3324 retinoblastoma patients were included. Of these, 290 (8.72%) patients developed secondary neoplasms, with 250 (86.21%) receiving radiotherapy. The results indicated that retinoblastoma patients who received radiotherapy had a higher risk of developing secondary neoplasms, with a pooled risk ratio of 5.12 (95% confidence interval 3.56–7.36, I 2 = 14%). The findings of this review highlight the importance of considering the risk of developing secondary neoplasms when treating retinoblastoma. Regular medical surveillance for secondary neoplasms should be a standard part of care for retinoblastoma survivors, particularly those exposed to radiation.

Social Determinants of Health in Family Medicine Residency: A National Survey of Program Directors.

Social factors account for most health outcomes, underscoring the need to address social determinants of health (SDH) to eliminate health disparities. Our objectives are (1) to describe the scope of formal SDH curricula in family medicine residency, (2) to identify residency program characteristics associated with integrated core curriculum components to teach SDH, and (3) to identify barriers to addressing SDH in residency. We distributed a cross-sectional survey to all family medicine residency program directors (PDs) accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education as identified by the Association of Family Medicine Residency Directors. Of 624 eligible program directors, 279 completed the survey (45% response rate). Overall, 41.2% of respondents reported significant formal SDH training in their program. Though a majority (93.9%) agreed that screening for social needs should be a standard of care, most (58.9%) did not use standardized screening tools. The most common barriers to addressing SDH were lack of clinical resources (eg, social workers, legal advocates), lack of community resources (eg, food banks, substance use disorder treatment), and inadequate screening instruments or integration into the electronic medical record system. Availability of referral resources was associated with PDs' increased perception of resident SDH competency. Nearly all respondents agreed that screening for social needs should be a standard part of care; however, this vision is not yet realized. To better train the next generation of physicians to identify and meaningfully address social needs, additional research is needed. This research might include mixed-methods approaches that incorporate qualitative assessments to define best practices and patient-centered outcomes related to identifying and responding to SDH.

Synergistical Mechanical Design and Function Integration for Insect-Scale On-Demand Configurable Multifunctional Soft Magnetic Robots.

Meso- or micro-scale(or insect-scale) robots that are capable of realizing flexible locomotion and/or carrying on complex tasks in a remotely controllable manner hold great promise in diverse fields, such as biomedical applications, unknown environment exploration, in situ operation in confined spaces, and so on. However, the existing design and implementation approaches for such multifunctional, on-demand configurable insect-scale robots are often focusing on their actuation or locomotion, while matched design and implementation with synergistic actuation and function modules under large deformation targeting varying task/target demands are rarely investigated. In this study, through systematical investigations on synergistical mechanical design and function integration, we developed a matched design and implementation method for constructing multifunctional, on-demand configurable insect-scale soft magnetic robots. Based on such a method, we report a simple approach to construct soft magnetic robots by assembling various modules from the standard part library together. Moreover, diverse soft magnetic robots with desirable motion and function can be (re)configured. Finally, we demonstrated (re)configurable soft magnetic robots shifting into different modes to adapt and respond to varying scenarios. The customizable physical realization of complex soft robots with desirable actuation and diverse functions can pave a new way for constructing more sophisticated insect-scale soft machines that can be applied to practical applications soon.

Linear TV audience deficiency units in marketing mix models: Tilting at windmills or misleading marketing communication spend optimization

ABSTRACT Audience deficiency units (ADUs) have become a standard part of ‘making good’ the guaranteed media delivery for linear TV. However the impact of unadjusted linear TV ADUs on marketing mix models (MMM) has not been studied. This research illustrates how unadjusted ADUs in MMM can lead to artificially inflated return on advertising spend (ROAS) and inaccurate efficiency calculations. Utilizing data from a national consumer packaged goods brand, the paper finds that using unadjusted linear TV ADUs can artificially inflate ROAS, prescribe an incorrect investment allocation at constant spend and potentially reduce case units and net returns. These findings support the need for standardized treatment of linear TV ADUs in MMM and emphasizes the significance of accurate data for evaluating media channel performance and optimizing returns.

A comparative study of original equipment manufacturer brake pads using tribological testing and hybrid ranking for enhanced decision making and cost effectiveness

Tribological test and hybrid ranking techniques are employed to evaluate brake pads from original equipment manufacturers for Indian passenger cars. The study was conducted for four brake pads designated as OE1, OE2, OE3, and OE4. The assessment integrates the analytical hierarchy process with various ranking methods including Extension Evaluation Method, Complex Proportional Assessment, Preference Selection Index, and Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution. Brake pad samples undergo testing according to the standard IS2742 part 1-4 of 1994, generating crucial performance parameters such as performance coefficient of friction, hot coefficient of friction, normal coefficient of friction, fade percentage, recovery percentage, variation in coefficient of friction, wear thickness loss percentage, wear mass loss percentage, and time taken to reach maximum temperature. These performance metrics are technically analyzed and ranked using hybrid ranking techniques to enhance the decision-making process. The results show that OE4, a budget-friendly brake pad ranked first, is the best performer. OE2, a more expensive alternative, is placed second, and OE1 and OE3, which are more affordable possibilities, are ranked third and fourth, respectively. This research serves as a valuable resource for selecting brake pads for Indian passenger cars, especially in scenarios where technical specifications and cost-effectiveness are crucial considerations.

Agronomic and phenotypic plant traits as indicators for environmental risks of genetically modified plants

BackgroundFor market approval of genetically modified plants (GMPs), the evaluation of agronomic and phenotypic plant traits is a standard requirement and part of the comparative assessment of the GMP and its conventional counterpart. This comparative assessment is a starting point for environmental risk assessment (ERA) and should inform all areas of risk. We scrutinize frequently used approaches to characterize GMPs in EU market applications and discuss their usefulness for drawing conclusions on risks related to the plant’s ability to survive, persist or become invasive.ResultsOur analysis shows that the agronomic and phenotypic characterization of GMPs, although based on guidelines, is confined to plant traits and test designs that are relevant for the quality control and agronomic performance of genetically modified (GM) crops. We provide evidence of how methodological approaches frequently applied during the agronomic and phenotypic characterization of the GMP could be improved and complemented to better inform on potential phenotypic changes relevant to assessing environmental risks. These approaches refer to (i) the assessment of the survival of GM seeds and plants (e.g., volunteers); (ii) the consideration of environmental exposure and (iii) improved methodological approaches for the assessment of biotic and abiotic stress responses for GMPs.ConclusionsThe comparative assessment of agronomic and phenotypic plant traits currently does not provide suitable data to draw conclusions on environmental risks relating to the persistence and invasiveness of the GMP. Ecologically more realistic assessments should be part of the phenotypic characterization of GMPs and need guidance and decision criteria to be implemented in ERA. This is of considerable importance, as new genomic techniques are expected to increase the diversity and complexity of GM plants and traits, particularly stress tolerance, which may affect the survival of GMPs in the environment.

The Prevalence and Severity of Acquired Blepharoptosis in US Eye Care Clinic Patients and Their Receptivity to Treatment.

To assess the presence and severity of acquired blepharoptosis (ptosis) among patients visiting an eye care clinic and the receptivity of eligible patients to pharmacologic treatment with oxymetazoline 0.1% ophthalmic solution. Patients aged 50 years or older who had a scheduled clinic appointment for any reason (eg, dry eye, cataract surgery consultation) were asked to respond to written questions about lid position and select whether their upper lid position most closely matched one of 4 images shown to them corresponding to no, mild, moderate, or severe ptosis. Patients selecting any of the mild, moderate, or severe ptosis were offered treatment with oxymetazoline 0.1% ophthalmic solution, barring any medical contraindications. The outcome measures were the proportion of patients with each self-reported lid position level (none to severe ptosis), the proportion of patients with asymmetric ptosis, and the proportion of patients willing to accept the treatment. Data for 188 eyes of 94 patients were analyzed. Overall, 73.4% of patients had ptosis in at least one eye, and 25.5% had an asymmetric upper eyelid presentation. The proportions of patients with self-reported mild, moderate, or severe ptosis in at least one eye were 41.5%, 25.5%, and 6.4%, respectively. Among those patients eligible for treatment, 19.7% were willing to accept the treatment. Based on patients' self-assessment of lid position, this study suggests a higher prevalence of ptosis than reported previously. Evaluation of the eyelids should be a standard part of the comprehensive eye examination.

Instrumental study of radiation doses and working conditions for personnel of X-ray surgical teams

The purpose of the study was an experimental assessment of the conditions for the formation and values of equivalent doses of irradiation of the lenses of the eyes, as well as the effective doses of irradiation of personnel in X-ray operating rooms of a cardiological profile. Particular attention to the control of eye lens irradiation is due to the need to harmonize domestic regulatory documents with the new IAEA safety standard GSR Part 3. The study was performed using a complex phantom, including an anthropomorphic phantom of a human head and a water phantom imitating the torso of an X-ray surgical team member. The results of assessments of individual eye lens irradiation doses, obtained both on the basis of integrated measurements by thermoluminescent dosimetry methods, and by calculation based on measurements of the ambient dose equivalent rate at the personnel workplaces, showed that at the maximum operating parameters of the X-ray tube (high voltage and a large number of frames per second), annual doses to the lenses of the eyes, even for assisting personnel, may exceed the new recommended dose limit of 20 mSv. The assessment of the ratio between the doses of irradiation of the whole body (chest), neck and lenses of the eyes showed the possibility of estimating the doses of irradiation of the lenses of the eyes of the assisting personnel of X-ray surgical teams using a thermoluminescent dosimeter placed over a protective apron in the neck area. For the category of personnel under consideration, the priority is to control the irradiation of the lenses of the eyes, and not the whole body.

Assessment of Prenatal Depression Among Primigravida Women in Sulaimaniyah City, Iraq

Background: Mothers may experience challenges during pregnancy, especially primigravida because it is their first time giving birth is a life-changing incident. Antenatal depression can impact a woman while pregnant and, if left untreated, can be a prelude to postpartum depression.
  
 Objectives: To evaluate primigravida prenatal depression during pregnancy in Sulaimaniyah, Kurdistan region of Iraq, and to ascertain the correlation between these women's depression score and their sociodemographic features.
  
 Patients and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, antenatal depression was assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) among 100 primigravida participants at selected healthcare centres. The study used a validated questionnaire to collect participants' data through a random sampling technique.
  
 Results: In the current study, most of the primigravida women (57%) were aged 18-24 years old, housewives (73%), and had an academic degree (44%). According to the EPDS cut-off point (≥10), 46 out of 100 women were determined to be depressed (46%). Among them, those aged 18-24 had more depression possibility (23%) than other age groups (p=0.212). Also, housewives experienced more depression possibility (29%) than other groups (p=0.031). Additionally, most women who had academic degrees had more depression possibility (28%) than other groups (p=0.003).
  
 Conclusions: Pregnant women frequently experience depression in this locality. Measures of prenatal depression ought to be a standard part of prenatal consultations to facilitate the early identification and treatment of mental health problems during the sensitive stage of pregnancy.

A Complete Water Balance of a Rain Garden

AbstractA bioinfiltration rain garden was retrofitted from an existing traffic island at Villanova University in 2001. It has been monitored continuously since 2003 at a 5‐min timeseries resolution and with instrumentation that would enable a water balance calculation. This 20‐year data set allows for an in‐depth analysis of the hydrologic pathways and management in the rain garden. Using physical equations and modeled data (based on real‐time measurements), a balance of all influent, stored, and effluent water within the rain garden was constructed. Analysis shows the rain garden captures 73.5% of runoff, resulting in a post‐implementation management of 86.2% of all rainfall in its watershed. In comparison to the hydrology of other land covers, implementing the rain garden resulted in the management of 37.6% more rainfall than pre‐implementation, producing a hydrological signature similar to that of cultivated land or low development levels (e.g., 30% impervious). Additionally, with the long data record, several statistical techniques were applied to determine the amount of monitoring needed for a certain level of precision in system performance assessment. For 5% uncertainty, approximately 3 years of continuous data is needed to assess performance. This analysis not only facilitates understanding the function of rain garden systems, but also provides conclusions and methodology for understanding the uncertainty associated with the extent of monitoring performed on these green stormwater infrastructure systems. These findings provide practical knowledge as monitoring of stormwater management infrastructures is becoming a more standard part of their operation.

Sentiment Analysis E-commerce Review

Reviews give customers the opportunity to tell the rest of the world about how they love or hate a product. While there is a limit to the number of words, there is no limit to the words that reviewers can use to express their anger, frustration, excitement or joy in buying the product. Online reviews have become such a standard part of the buying process for many people these days that every online retailer needs to think about optimizing them in their business strategy. The sheer number of reviews requires a special method or technique that can automatically categorize reviews, whether they are positive or negative. This research tries to classify e-commerce reviews with Naïve Bayes Classifier (NBC). The results of this research show that the accuracy with NBC is 72%, Recall 72% and Precision 78%.

58 Emotional Functioning in Long COVID Neuropsychological Evaluations: Comparison to Post-Concussion Syndrome Using the Personality Assessment Inventory

Objective:COVID-19 has significantly impacted society for over 2.5 years, and Long COVID is concerning for its long-term impact on the healthcare system. Further, cognitive and emotional functioning in Long COVID has limited research, but 2 recent studies (Whiteside et al., 2022a, Whiteside et al., 2022b) examined cognitive and emotional functioning in Long COVID patients approximately 6 months post-diagnosis. The studies found limited cognitive deficits, but significant depression and anxiety, which in turn were the best predictors of low average cognitive scores. Further, the mean Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) profile included highest mean elevations on somatic preoccupation (SOM) and depression (DEP) subscales. To further explore personality functioning in Long COVID, this study compared PAI profiles of Long COVID patients with a potentially similar group with post-concussion syndrome (PCS) which has been shown to have a strong psychological component.Participants and Methods:Participants included 44 consecutive outpatients (Mean age = 47.89, SD = 13.05, 84% Female, 75% Caucasian) referred from a Long COVID clinic with cognitive complaints related to COVID, while the comparison group of PCS patients included 50 consecutive referrals (Mean age = 38.82, SD = 16.24, 52% Female, 90% Caucasian) related to cognitive complaints attributed to PCS. A series of t-tests between the 2 groups was conducted on the PAI validity, clinical, interpersonal, and treatment consideration scales. PAI clinical subscales were also compared. To control for multiple comparisons, p < .01 was utilized and effect sizes were compared.Results:The results demonstrated that both Long COVID (SOM M = 68.66, SD = 12.56; DEP M = 63.39, SD = 12.70) and PCS groups (SOM M = 65.28, SD = 12.06; DEP M = 70.32, SD = 16.15) displayed the highest mean elevations on PAI SOM and DEP scales but no statistically significant differences in mean scale elevations between Long COVID and PCS groups on SOM (t [92] = 1.33, p = .80) and DEP (t [92] = -2.11, p = .097). However, results demonstrated statistically significant differences on the paranoia subscale (PAR; t [92] = -3.27, p = .009), antisocial features subscale (ANT; t [92] = -2.22, p = .01), stress subscale (STR; t [90] = -3.51, p = .006) and suicidal ideation subscale (SUI; t [92] = -2.73, p = .000) of the PAI. Specifically, the mean scores for the PCS group were higher across the paranoia (M = 57.30), antisocial features (M= 52.24), stress (M = 58.44), and suicidal ideation subscales (M = 57.82) of the PAI than the Long COVID group. While these patterns of reporting differed between groups, mean scores for both groups were in the normal range.Conclusions:Results support the similarities in emotional/personality functioning across Long COVID and PCS patients and the importance of evaluating psychological functioning in these samples as a standard part of neuropsychological evaluations. Further, the results suggest that psychological treatment strategies utilized with PCS patients may be helpful for Long COVID patients, but more research is needed.

Analysis of the impact of broad absorption lines on quasar redshift measurements with synthetic observations

ABSTRACT Accurate quasar classifications and redshift measurements are increasingly important to precision cosmology experiments. Broad absorption line (BAL) features are present in 15–20 per cent of all quasars, and these features can introduce systematic redshift errors, and in extreme cases produce misclassifications. We quantitatively investigate the impact of BAL features on quasar classifications and redshift measurements with synthetic spectra that were designed to match observations by the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) survey. Over the course of 5 yr, DESI aims to measure spectra for 40 million galaxies and quasars, including nearly three million quasars. Our synthetic quasar spectra match the signal-to-noise ratio and redshift distributions of the first year of DESI observations, and include the same synthetic quasar spectra both with and without BAL features. We demonstrate that masking the locations of the BAL features decreases the redshift errors by about 1 per cent and reduces the number of catastrophic redshift errors by about 80 per cent. We conclude that identifying and masking BAL troughs should be a standard part of the redshift determination step for DESI and other large-scale spectroscopic surveys of quasars.

The Necessity of Moving Averages in Dynamic Linear Regression Models

AbstractConsensus from the debate over lagged dependent variables in dynamic linear regression models advises that including enough lags of the dependent and independent variables will fully model autocorrelation in the error term. But this approach fails to account for a long‐neglected source of autocorrelation in the error term—moving averages—which cannot be represented with a finite number of lags. Approximating moving averages results in either inconsistent or inefficient estimates of relevant quantities of interest, a claim demonstrated here via Monte Carlo simulations and three empirical demonstrations. Ultimately, we argue that moving averages should be a standard part of dynamic analysis and offer guidance for incorporating them into various modeling strategies.

Practical Characterization Strategies for Comparison, Qualification, and Selection of Cell Viability Detection Methods for Cellular Therapeutic Product Development and Manufacturing.

Cellular therapy development and manufacturing has focused on providing novel therapeutic cell-based products for various diseases. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has provided guidance on critical quality attributes (CQAs) that shall be considered when testing and releasing cellular therapeutic products. Cell count and viability measurements are two of the CQAs that are determined during development, manufacturing, testing, and product release. The ISO Cell Counting Standard Part 1 and 2 addressed the needs for improving the quality of cell counting results. However, there is currently no guidance on the qualification and selection of a fit-for-purpose cell viability detection method. In this work, we present strategies for the characterization and comparison of AO/PI and AO/DAPI staining methods using the heat-killed (HK) and low temperature/nutrient-deprived (LT/ND) cell death models to evaluate the comparability of cell viability measurements and identify potential causes of differences. We compared the AO/PI and AO/DAPI staining methods using HK and LT/ND-generated dead cells, investigated the staining time effects on cell viability measurements, and determined their viability linearity with different mixtures of live and dead cells. Furthermore, we validated AO/PI and AO/DAPI cell viability measurement with a long-term cell proliferation assay. Finally, we demonstrate a practical example of cell viability measurement comparison using AO/PI and AO/DAPI on antibiotic-selected transduced Jurkat and THP-1 cells to select a fit-for-purpose method for functional genomics screening. The proposed strategies may potentially enable scientists to properly characterize, compare, and select cell viability detection methods that are critical for cellular therapeutic product development and manufacturing.

Cross-Polarized SfM Photogrammetry for the Spatial Reconstruction of Challenging Surfaces, the Case Study of Dobšiná Ice Cave (Slovakia)

Geodetic methods are integral to mapping surface and subsurface objects and phenomena. Modern geodetic technologies such as laser scanning and digital photogrammetry have also become a standard part of the mapping and documentation of cave spaces. In some cases, these technologies cannot accurately capture the measured surface and thus provide reliable data. One such example is the ice with specific surface characteristics in caves with ice deposits. One of the world’s most studied ice caves is the Dobšiná Ice Cave (Slovakia), which has undergone significant changes in the ice-filling area and volume in recent years. To monitor and analyze all these changes properly, we need to know the surface and volume of this ice mass and monitor it regularly. Where modern geodetic methods such as terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) or digital photogrammetry may fail due to the ice’s physical properties, we propose using cross-polarized Structure-from-Motion (SfM) photogrammetry. As a case study, this method was used in a 28 m long ice tunnel in this cave. Two polarizing filters (on the flash as a light source and on the camera lens) were used in 90° rotation to each other to achieve the cross-polarization effect and remove surface reflections. This removed the surface reflections, giving us a compact and accurate point cloud of the entire tunnel. The dense cloud from cross-polarized (CP) photogrammetry is denser and more compact and does not contain as many outliers and noise points when compared to non-cross-polarized (non-CP) photogrammetry. The TLS point cloud covers the entire surface of the tunnel without significant holes; however, the penetration of the beam through the ice makes such a cloud unusable. Only the cloud from CP photogrammetry covers the entire surface of the tunnel densely enough without additional noise. This methodology can then be used in other parts of the cave or other geomorphological applications to suppress reflections so high-quality results for further processing and analysis can be obtained.

Estimating the Impact of the Inflation Reduction Act on the Out-of-pocket Costs for Medicare Beneficiaries With Advanced Prostate Cancer.

Combination systemic therapy for advanced prostate cancer has reduced mortality, but high out-of-pocket costs impose financial barriers for patients. The Inflation Reduction Act's $2,000 out-of-pocket spending cap for Medicare's prescription drug benefit (Part D) can potentially lower out-of-pocket spending for beneficiaries starting in 2025. This study aims to compare out-of-pocket spending for commonly prescribed regimens for advanced prostate cancer before and after implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act. Medication regimens constructed to treat metastatic, hormone-sensitive prostate cancer consisted of baseline androgen deprivation therapy with traditional chemotherapy, androgen receptor inhibitors, and androgen biosynthesis inhibitors. Using 2023 Medicare Part B prices and the Medicare Part D plan finder, we estimated annual out-of-pocket costs under current law and under the Inflation Reduction Act's redesigned standard Part D benefit. Under current law, out-of-pocket costs for Part D drugs ranged from $464 to $11,336 per year. Under the Inflation Reduction Act, annual out-of-pocket costs for 2 regimens remained unchanged: androgen deprivation therapy with docetaxel and androgen deprivation therapy with abiraterone and prednisone. However, out-of-pocket costs for regimens using branded novel hormonal therapy were significantly lower under the 2025 law with potential savings estimated to be $9,336 (79.2%) for apalutamide, $9,036 (78.7%) for enzalutamide, and $8,480 (76.5%) for docetaxel and darolutamide. The $2,000 spending cap introduced by the Inflation Reduction Act may significantly decrease out-of-pocket costs and reduce financial toxicity associated with advanced prostate cancer treatment, impacting an estimated 25,000 Medicare beneficiaries.