cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Calcium Current Subtypes in GnRH Neurons

Calcium plays roles in excitability, rhythm generation, and neurosecretion. Identifying channel subtypes that regulate calcium influx is thus important to understanding rhythmic GnRH secretion, which is a prerequisite for reproduction. Whole-cell voltage-clamp recordings were made from short-term dissociated GnRH adult ovariectomized (OVX) mice (n 5 21) to identify channel subtypes that carry calcium current using selective channel blockers and voltage characteristics. Low-voltage activated (LVA) currents were not observed in 42 GnRH neurons tested, although most non-GnRH neurons (4/6) displayed LVA current. The L-type component of the high-voltage activated (HVA) calcium current was 25% 6 2%. The remaining HVA calcium current passed through N-type (27% 6 3%), P-type (15% 6 1%), Q-type (18% 6 3%), and R-type (15% 6 1%) channels. Because these data differ substantially from reports on cultured GnRH neurons, which may represent reproductively immature models, we also examined GnRH neurons from gonadal-intact young (Postnatal Days 4‐10, n 5 8 mice) mice. LVA currents were still rare (2/28) in young mice. Although the same HVA components were observed, the proportions were shifted toward significantly more L-type and less N-type current, suggesting a possible developmental shift in calcium currents in GnRH neurons. These data suggest that calcium channel subtypes in GnRH neurons prepared in the short term from brain slices differ substantially from those in long-term cultured GnRH models. These findings provide a vital foundation to examine the role of calcium channels in the secretory and rhythmic machinery of GnRH neurons. calcium, GnRH, hypothalamic hormones, neuroendocrinology, puberty
Detection of Coccidioides Species in Clinical Specimens by Real-Time PCR

Coccidioides spp. are dimorphic fungal pathogens endemic to the semiarid regions of North, Central, and South America. Currently, direct smear and culture are the most common means of identifying Coccidioides spp. While these methods offer relatively sensitive and specific means of detecting Coccidioides spp., growth in culture may take up to 3 weeks, potentially delaying the diagnosis and initiation of appropriate antifungal therapy. In addition, growth of the organism represents a significant safety risk to laboratory personnel. The need for a rapid and safe means of diagnosing coccidioidomycosis prompted us to develop a real-time PCR assay to detect Coccidioides spp. directly from clinical specimens. Primers and fluorescent resonance energy transfer (FRET) probes were designed to target the internal transcribed spacer 2 region of Coccidioides. The assay's limit of detection is below 50 targets per reaction. An analysis of 40 Coccidioides sp. clinical isolates grown in culture demonstrated 100% sensitivity of the assay. A cross-reactivity panel containing fungi, bacteria, mycobacteria, and viruses was tested and demonstrated 100% specificity for Coccidioides spp. An analysis of 266 respiratory specimens by LightCycler PCR demonstrated 100% sensitivity and 98.4% specificity for Coccidioides spp. compared with culture. Analysis of 66 fresh tissue specimens yielded 92.9% sensitivity and 98.1% specificity versus those of the culture method. The sensitivity of the assay testing 148 paraffin-embedded tissue samples is 73.4%. A rapid method for the detection of Coccidioides spp. directly from clinical material will greatly assist in the timely diagnosis and treatment of patients, while at the same time decreasing the risk of accidental exposure to laboratory personnel.
Some properties of IIR power-symmetric filters

Power-symmetric IIR filters have in the past been used in two-channel filter banks. If appropriately designed, such filters have allpass polyphase components, and this induces useful properties in the filter bank. For example, IIR orthonormal filter banks have in the past been designed in this way, and generate orthonormal basis functions. In this paper we study some theoretical properties of IIR power symmetric filters in a more general perspective. This includes the derivation of a general analytical form, and a study of pole locations.
Sex Differences in In-Group Cooperation Vary Dynamically with Competitive Conditions and Outcomes

Men's but not women's investment in a public goods game varied dynamically with the presence or absence of a perceived out-group. Three hundred fifty-four (167 male) young adults participated in multiple iterations of a public goods game under intergroup and individual competition conditions. Participants received feedback about whether their investments in the group were sufficient to earn a bonus to be shared among all in-group members. Results for the first trial confirm previous research in which men's but not women's investments were higher when there was a competing out-group. We extended these findings by showing that men's investment in the in-group varied dynamically by condition depending on the outcome of the previous trial: In the group condition, men, but not women, decreased spending following a win (i.e., earning an in-group bonus). In the individual condition, men, but not women, increased spending following a win. We hypothesize that these patterns reflect a male bias to calibrate their level of in-group investment such that they sacrifice only what is necessary for their group to successfully compete against a rival group.
Book Review of Richard P. Hiskes, the Human Right to a Green Future: Environmental Rights and Intergenerational Justice. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2009.

Book Review of Richard P. Hiskes, the Human Right to a Green Future: Environmental Rights and Intergenerational Justice. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2009.
Pancreaticoduodenectomy in the United States

Pancreatic cancer afflicts 27000 patients each year and is the second most common cause of death from gastrointestinal malignancy in the United States. The historical experience of pancreaticoduodenectomy is reviewed, as well as the criteria for resection and the technical aspects of the procedure. The morbidity of pancreaticoduodenectomy including pancreatic fistula and delayed gastric emptying is addressed, and management is discussed. Mortality statistics for pancreaticoduodenectomy in the United States and factors influencing survival are reviewed.
Product Durability and Moral Hazard

Previous durability studies conclude that a monopolist that sells output without any commitment ability will tend to produce output with lower durability than a monopolist that rents output. This paper demonstrates that this conclusion depends critically on the degree of moral hazard (possible damage to output) faced by renting firms. When moral hazard abuse or neglect is introduced in a durability model it is shown that a renter may manufacture output with lower durability than an uncommitted seller reversing the conventional obsolescence result. However, the analysis indicates that, unlike the seller's commitment problem, the presence of moral hazard in rental markets does not cause a failure of the independence of durability and industry structure.
Abstract W MP84: Telestroke Network Cost-Effectiveness in the Pacific Northwest: Geography and Facility Size Support a Cost-Sharing Model Between Hub and Spoke

Background: Stroke care in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) is challenging due to vast distances between small facilities and stroke experts. Regional stroke centers have adopted telestroke to meet this challenge, but often bear the entire cost burden. We sought to determine the effect of distance and facility size on cost-effectiveness of telestroke implementation within our PNW Telestroke Network. Methods: We used a decision analytic model with input parameters obtained from patient-level clinical and hospital costs and reimbursements from the Oregon Providence Telestroke Network using pre- and post-telestroke implementation data. Using a one-year time horizon, we calculated the cost-effectiveness of telestroke for spoke facility characteristics of: (1) stroke volume (</≥ 25/yr), (2) distance to hub facility (</≥ 130 miles), and (3) number of hospital beds (</≥ 70). Data included all acute ischemic stroke patients presenting at the spoke hospitals within 4.5 hours of symptom onset. Probability inputs included IV-tPA treatment rates and transfer status. Effectiveness, measured as quality adjusted life years (QALYs), and costs, were combined to calculate incremental cost effectiveness ratios (ICERs) for the spoke hospitals. ICER’s of <$50,000-$120,000/QALY are considered cost-effective. Outcomes were stratified by percentage of cost burden for implementation by the spoke. Results: See Table 1. Conclusions: Our results suggest that despite the unique characteristics of the PNW, telestroke remained cost effective and the cost effectiveness of telestroke was not affected by bedsize, distance from hub or stroke volumes. Thus, a cost-sharing model may be a feasible solution to telestroke network economic sustainability. ![][1] [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
A Rare Presentation of Disseminated Histoplasmosis mimicking Metastatic Cancer in Apparently Immunocompetent Individual (P6.320)

OBJECTIVE: We report an immunocompetent patient who had never been in endemic area but developed disseminated histoplasmosis with a rare presentation. BACKGROUND: Infection with Histoplasma capsulatum occurs frequently in endemic areas. These infections can cause pulmonary disease in immunocompetent adults. However, progressive disseminated histoplasmosis is extremely rare finding. DESIGN/METHODS: Case analysis and literature review. RESULTS: We report a 47-year-old man who presented with progressive headache and vomiting. He had unintentional weight loss, low-grade fever, and night sweats. He has lived all his life in Lubbock, Texas. Physical examination was remarkable for left cerebellar signs, including dysmetria, dysdiadochokinesia, and positive Romberg’s sign. MRI of head showed 5 x 3 x 3 cm rim-enhancing mass in left cerebellar hemisphere and a 0.6 cm right frontal lobe mass. Cancer with brain metastases was highly suspected. In evaluation for possible primary site, given history of chronic smoking, CT scans of chest and abdomen showed bilateral non-calcified pulmonary nodules, multifocal radiolucent foci in thoracic and lumbar vertebrae, and hypodense nodules in left kidney and left adrenal gland. The patient underwent craniotomy with resection of cerebellar mass. Grocott-Gomori9s methenamine silver (GMS) stained slide showed Histoplasma organisms. Work up, including HIV serology and lymphocyte counts, did not reveal any evidence of immunosuppression. Patient was started on voriconazole after resection of the mass. CONCLUSIONS: This is one of the few cases of disseminated histoplasmosis with widespread organ involvement in an immunocompetent person. Multiple brain masses with signs of increased intracranial pressure together with lung, bone, kidney, and adrenal gland involvement represent a rare presentation for this fungal infection. A high degree of clinical suspicion is essential in both immunocompromised and immunocompetent patients, regardless of pulmonary symptoms, and whether in endemic or non-endemic areas. Disclosure: Dr. RUTHIRAGO has nothing to disclose. Dr. WONDIMAGEGNEHU has nothing to disclose. Dr. TANTRACHOTI has nothing to disclose. Dr. NUGENT has nothing to disclose.
Interpreting accelerated test results for lead free solder joints

Accelerated testing of microelectronics products and/or specially designed test vehicles may be useless or worse unless the results can be counted on to somehow reflect performance in service. This is obviously the case when it comes to the quantitative assessment of life in long term service. However, it is also important for so-called ‘engineering tests’ intended to compare alternative materials, designs or processes or to compare a product to previous ‘similar’ ones. As far as lead free solder joints are concerned this is more often an issue than commonly recognized. In fact current specs requiring assemblies to pass, for example, a certain number of cycles in a particular test are not necessarily meaningful in the many cases where acceleration factors to realistic service conditions cannot be assumed to be similar for the different solder joints. In general, reliability engineers need to know when ‘best in test’ is unlikely to mean ‘best in service’, how large deviations may be, and which comparisons can be counted on to be conservative. This includes cases where acceleration factors vary with solder volume, pad sizes, pad finishes or process parameters. A mechanistically justified model for the fatigue of lead free solder joints does allow for the generalization of observed trends and should be considered when formulating test protocols and guidelines. Another concern is the effects of the ongoing variations in cycling amplitude common under realistic service conditions. These are not appropriately accounted for in accelerated test protocols. A dependence of the effects on the solder alloy suggests that the sensitivity to these will vary with assembly process parameters and subsequent thermal history as well. The behavior is explained by the effects of cycling on the deformation properties of the solder joints, and recommendations can be made with respect to reliability assessment/optimization and Environmental Stress Screening (ESS). This includes guidelines for vibration testing and combinations of vibration and thermal cycling.
Accounting for Identity Theft: The Roles of Lifestyle and Enactment

White-collar offenders are thought to be particularly adept at excusing and justifying their crimes. Whether this is due to their personal backgrounds or the characteristics of their crimes is, as of yet, unknown. To shed light on this issue we explore the various justifications and excuses given by identity thieves. Using data from semistructured interviews with 49 federally convicted identity thieves we show that they all provided numerous accounts for their crimes, with denial of injury being the most common. We also find that the use of accounts varies by the lifestyles these offenders live. That is, those seeking to live as conventional citizens call forth different accounts than those who have a criminal lifestyle.
Benchmarking the Integration of Complex Systems Study in Mechanical Engineering Programs in the Southeastern United States

Complex systems study, defined as an understanding of interrelationships between engineered, technical, and non-technical (e.g., social or environmental) systems, has been identified as a critical component of undergraduate engineering education. This paper assesses the extent to which complex systems study has been integrated into undergraduate mechanical engineering programs in the southeastern United States. Engineering administrators and faculty were surveyed and university websites associated with engineering education were examined. The results suggest engineering administrators and faculty believe that undergraduate engineering education remains focused on traditional engineering topics. However, the review of university websites indicates a significant level of activity in complex systems study integration at the university level, although less so at college and department levels.
New developments in primary care practice.

he great paradox of modern American medicine is the coexistence of stunning achievement in biomedical knowledge and technology, alongside our failure to meet the basic healthcare needs of a substantial proportion of the population. As the bridge between technical advances in medicine and the real lives of patients, primary care physicians find themselves stretched thin by patient demand for greater responsiveness to urgent care needs, lack of time to deliver preventive services, and the increasing complexity of chronic disease management. Communities in North Carolina and throughout the country are facing a relentless escalation of healthcare costs, with an alarming rise in the proportion of the population without health insurance. Simultaneously, the physicians serving these communities face increasing costs and decreasing reimbursement, with mounting pressure to see more patients in less time, or to limit the types of patients they care for, in order for their practices to survive. 1
Studies on the Strategies of Developing Higher Vocatioual Education

Higher professional education is different from common higher education.It has its own rules and characteristics and is playing an important role in the economic construction.However,it has some problems such as different understanding,imcompatible policies,improper system etc.To resolve these problems,higher professional colleges must undergo a deep reform by changing educational ideas,renewing educational concept and adopting new teaching forms and methods,The government must give policy support and the educational authorities must strenghen their guidance and so on.
Effect of Clinical Application in Gynecologic Abdominal Operation of Sufentanil With Propofol Anesthesia

Objective Sufentanil composite propofol anesthesia in gynecologic laparoscopic surgery in the clinical application effect is analyzed. Methods Randomly selected data from March 2013 to March 2014 of our hospital 64 cases of gynecologic laparoscopic surgery patients, the average can be divided into two groups and give abdominal surgery in both groups, control group adopts compound fentanyl propofol anesthesia, the team using sufentanil composite propofol anesthesia, and the two groups of clinical data were retrospectively analyzed. Results The gynecologic abdominal surgery patients' anesthesia effect was better than the control group(P 0.05). Conclusion The gynecologic abdominal surgery patients' composite sufentanil propofol anesthesia effect is significant, worthy of popularization and application in clinical..
First rib resection for neurovascular syndromes of the thoracic outlet.

Various syndromes attributed to compression of neural and vascular structures in the anatomic area of the thoracic outlet have been related to compression of the neurovascular bundle between first rib and clavicle, with or without the presence of a cervical rib. Such a unifying concept of the fundamental mechanical factor involved has led to new surgical approaches to the relief of symptoms associated with this syndrome.
QOL-23ASSOCIATION BETWEEN QUALITY OF LIFE AND VESTIBULAR SCHWANNOMA VOLUME, WORD RECOGNITION SCORES, AND PATIENT- AND PHYSICIAN-REPORTED DISEASE SEVERITY IN A US POPULATION OF NF2 PATIENTS

BACKGROUND: Neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) is associated with histologically benign but morbid tumors. Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are important measures of patient function for this neuro-oncologic syndrome which impacts quality of life (QOL) due to multiple chronic tumors. Hence, NF2 serves as a model for developing PROs in neuro-oncology trials. The NFTI-QOL is a validated disease-specific QOL-instrument developed in the United Kingdom which has not been compared against historical clinical trial endpoints in NF2 including total vestibular schwannoma (VS) volume and best word recognition score (WRS). METHODS: An IRB-approved prospective observational study was conducted enrolling adult NF2 patients at Johns Hopkins. Measures included: NFTI-QOL, SF-36; total volume of bilateral VS, best WRS, provider- and patient-reported disease severity (ProvSev, PatSev) by institutionally-derived multi-item (e.g. symptom burden, age-of-onset, fatality-risk) and single-item Likert (mild, moderate, severe) scales. RESULTS: Twenty patients were enrolled; mean age at testing 46 + 21 years and age at diagnosis 32 + 18 years; 35% male. Prior treatment included surgery (50%), radiotherapy (25%), and systemic therapy (40%). Mean best WRS was 71.8 + 37% (n = 20). Two patients had no functional hearing and 10 had unilateral hearing. Mean total VS volume was 5.8 + 7.4 cc (n = 15). Additional lesions included meningioma (75%) and ependymoma (20%). Mean NFTI-QOL score was 8.5 + 5.1 and correlated well with all physical dimensions of the SF-36 (all p < 0.002). NFTI-QOL correlated well with PatSev (r = 0.60, 95%CI 0.21-0.82, p < 0.005) and multi-item ProvSev (r = 0.66, 0.31-0.85, p = 0.002) but not single-item ProvSev (r = 0.33, -0.13-0.68, p = 0.15). A trend toward positive correlation was observed between PatSev and multi-item ProvSev (r = 0.41, -0.04-0.72, p = 0.07). NFTI-QOL scores did not correlate with VS volume (r = 0.10, -0.44-0.58, p = 0.73), or best WRS (r = -0.40, -0.71-0.05, p-0.08). CONCLUSION: NFTI-QOL scores did not correlate with hearing function or tumor volume, but did correlate with patient and provider-reported disease severity underscoring the importance of patient-focused measures in therapeutic outcome assessment in NF2.
Adjuvant Therapy of Testis Cancer: The Role of Vinblastine and Bleomycin

AbstractWe studied 37 patients with testis cancer who received adjuvant chemotherapy with vinblastine and bleomycin. These patients included 5 with stage III disease who were down staged by a surgical procedure and 32 with stage II disease. Of the 32 patients 26 had stage IIB tumors, showing gross nodal disease. There have been 4 deaths, 2 of disease and 2 as a result of therapy. The remaining patients are free of disease and the estimated 5-year survival is 85 per cent.
Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) of F98 Glioma Bearing Rats Using Boronophenylalanine (BPA) as a Capture Agent

Fifty percent of primary malignancies of the central nervous system are anaplastic astrocytomas and glioblastoma multiforme1. The prognosis of patients with these tumors is dismal despite aggressive surgery followed by radio-and chemotherapy, and characteristically the mean survival time of these patients still is approximately 12 months2,3.
Outdoor performance prediction of photovoltaic modules based on indoor measurements

The performance of various CIGS and c-Si PV modules determined indoors as function of temperature and irradiance is used to develop an algorithm to predict actual outdoor performance of representative modules for a given set of temperature and irradiance. Deviations between predicted and measured values can be partially explained based on a combination of light-soaking effects and spectral composition of the light.
166. Lentiviral Hematopoietic Stem Cell Gene Therapy for Sjögren-Larsson Syndrome

Sjogren-Larsson syndrome (SLS) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by scaling skin (ichthyosis), mental retardation, and spasticity. SLS is caused by mutations in the ALDH3A2 gene, which encodes fatty aldehyde dehydrogenase (FALDH), an enzyme that is involved in the oxidation of fatty aldehyde and fatty alcohol. In SLS, FALDH deficiency and impaired fatty aldehyde oxidation results in lipid accumulation, which is responsible for the symptoms. Spurred by previous hematopoietic stem cell gene therapy trials for multi-systemic diseases, such as Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), Metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD), and Cystinosis, we investigated the plausibility of hematopoietic stem cell gene transfer to correct FALDH deficiency and alleviate the phenotype in SLS. We designed the hematopoietic stem cell gene therapy using a lentiviral vector containing human ALDH3A2 cDNA based on our previous MND-WASP (Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein) vector design. The lentiviral vector contains the normal human ALDH3A2 coding sequence which was derived from PCR products using human mobilized peripheral blood CD34+ cDNA. The vector was tested for FALDH protein expression in transfected human HEK293T cells by western blot and the enzyme activity was confirmed using HPLC-MS/UV. A transplantation experiment was performed using the Aldh3a2-/- KO mouse model, where the lineage negative BM cells from CD45.1 Aldh3a2-/- KO mice (C57BL/6 background) were sorted and transduced with a lentiviral vector followed by transplantation into lethally irradiated CD45.2 Aldh3a2-/- KO mice (C57BL/6 background). These mice are being monitored for cell engraftment, vector copy numbers, and any phenotypic changes. An initial analysis for the grafts showed 56% transduction in the MND(a synthetic promoter that contains the U3 region of a modified MoMuLV LTR with myeloproliferative sarcoma virus enhancer)-GFP group and 31% transduction in the MND-ALDH3A2 group based on the CFU-C data. Flow cytometric analysis of peripheral blood on these mice at 6 and 12 post- transplant week showed 32% transduction in MND-GFP group. Further analysis including vector copy numbers and end point analysis for various tissues including liver, spleen, and brain are underway. This work provides the foundation for moving forward with potential lentiviral hematopoietic stem cell gene therapy for non-hematological disorders.
Orthogonal Checksets in the Plane and Enumerations of the Rationals mod p.

Binary linear codes with wordlength p 2 for prime p and minimum distance at least 2s and at most 2p are constructed using as check sets all sp of the p-bit lines in G(p),a finite plane geometry mod p, which have any one of s p-distinct slopes. Minimum distances greater than 2s seem attainable for some sets of s slopes, but 2p is a firm upper bound. A norm on the rationals mod p allows choices of s p-distinct slopes which remain p’-distinct and keep minimum distance for all prime p’ > p.
Realization of palladium-based optomechanical cantilever hydrogen sensor.

Hydrogen has attracted attention as an alternative fuel source and as an energy storage medium. However, the flammability of hydrogen at low concentrations makes it a safety concern. Thus, gas concentration measurements are a vital safety issue. Here we present the experimental realization of a palladium thin film cantilever optomechanical hydrogen gas sensor. We measured the instantaneous shape of the cantilever to nanometer-level accuracy using diffraction phase microscopy. Thus, we were able to quantify changes in the curvature of the cantilever as a function of hydrogen concentration and observed that the sensor’s minimum detection limit was well below the 250 p.p.m. limit of our test equipment. Using the change in curvature versus the hydrogen curve for calibration, we accurately determined the hydrogen concentrations for a random sequence of exposures. In addition, we calculated the change in film stress as a function of hydrogen concentration and observed a greater sensitivity at lower concentrations. Finding out the remaining capacity in a hydrogen fuel cell stands to become risk-free using a cantilever developed by a US team. Although hydrogen gas is a lightweight and renewable form of energy, its flammability poses issues for conventional electrical sensors. A safer approach developed by Steven McKeown, Xiaozhen Wang, Xin Yu, and Lynford Goddard at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign uses the flex of microscopic planks to sense hydrogen gas in real time. Coating these cantilevers with palladium—a metal that expands in the presence of hydrogen—produced different mechanical curvatures that were detectable by an all-optical, phase-contrast microscope. The resulting near-instantaneous snapshots of the cantilever shape could accurately quantify hydrogen concentrations throughout a randomized series of exposures, with a minimum detection limit below 250 parts per million.
Forecasting Farm-gate Catfish Prices in Uganda Using Sarima Model

Stabilization of prices of essential agricultural commodities continues to remain an area of major concern for policy makers; given that price instability affects both producers and consumers, and has macroeconomic implications. This paper examines farm-gate price behavior in the African catfish markets in Uganda, and develops a forecasting model that adjusts for the seasonal fluctuations in the price series. The analysis utilizes monthly catfish real price series for the period January 2006 to December 2013. The model provides good in-sample and out-of-sample forecasts for the eight-year time period. The out-sample predictions based on SARIMA (1, 1, 1) (0, 1, 1) 12 model suggest that the stochastic seasonal fluctuations depicted in the price series are successfully modeled, and that catfish real prices follow an upward trend. The findings can assist policy makers and major stakeholders to gain insight into more appropriate economic and sectorial policies that can lead to the development of reliable market information systems and up-to-date data on catfish supply, demand and stocks.
Complications and Obesity in Arthroplasty—A Hip is Not a Knee

Abstract Background Obesity has previously been demonstrated to be an independent risk factor for increased complications after total hip and knee arthroplasties (THA and TKA). The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of obesity and body mass index (BMI) to determine whether the magnitude of the effect was similar for both procedures. Methods We queried the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database to identify patients who underwent primary THA or TKA between 2010 and 2014. Patients were stratified by procedure and classified as nonobese, obese, or morbidly obese according to BMI. Thirty-day rates of wound complications, deep infection, total complications, and reoperation were compared using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Results We identified 64,648 patients who underwent THA and 97,137 patients who underwent TKA. Obese THA patients had significantly higher rates of wound complications (1.53% vs 0.96%), deep infection (0.31% vs 0.17%), reoperation rate (2.11% vs 1.02%), and total complications (5.22% vs 4.63%) compared with TKA patients. Morbidly obese patients undergoing THA were also found to have significantly higher rates of wound complications (3.25% vs 1.52%), deep infection (0.84% vs 0.23%), reoperation rate (3.65% vs 1.60%), and total complications (7.36% vs 5.57%). Multivariate regression analysis identified increasingly higher odds of each outcome measure as BMI increased. Conclusion This study demonstrates that the impact of obesity on postoperative complications is more profound for THA than TKA. This emphasizes the importance of considering patient comorbidities in the context of the specific procedure when assessing risks of surgery.
Approaches for Enhancing the Lysine Content of Maize Seed

Maize, like other cereals, is deficient in amino acids such as lysine and tryptophan, which are required for the nutrition of monogastric animals. The low concentrations of these amino acids is a consequence of their absence in the storage proteins, which constitute more than 50 percent of the seed protein. It has been possible to improve the nutritional value of maize seed protein through the use of mutations that decrease the synthesis of zeins. However, these mutants typically have poor agronomic characteristics and are not commercially useful. As an alternative approach to increase the concentration of these essential amino acids we used site-directed mutagenesis to modify a zein coding sequence. Using a Xenopus oocyte protein synthesis system, we found that the addition of one or more lysine residues to an alpha-zein protein did not alter its synthesis or processing into protein bodies. We have investigated the regulation of zein gene expression to identify mechanisms that will allow high levels of synthesis of this genetically engineered protein. This has led to the identification of genotypes that enhance synthesis of a specific endosperm storage protein. With this system, as much as 35 percent of the seed storage protein is encoded by one or two genes.
The Basic Building Blocks of Galaxies

Current cold dark matter models of structure formation make a clear prediction for cosmic structures in the Dark Ages. We discuss the formation and nature of the first collapsed and first luminous objects in the universe arising in these theories. The first virialized objects are dark matter halos at the free streaming length which depends on the mass and nature of the assumed weakly interacting massive particle. The first objects that also contain significant fractions of gas have masses of the cosmological Jeans scale ~ 104 M ⊙ at the redshifts of interest (z ~ 30). The first pre-galactic objects that host stars have masses of 106 M ⊙. This mass scale is given by the requirement of a sufficiently high virial temperature to enable the chemical reactions necessary to form molecular hydrogen which subsequently allows the gas to dissipate its gravitational energy and to collapse to form a star. An individual massive star is formed per such object and explodes in a supernova within a few Myrs. All these stages of the formation of the first objects are illustrated by fully resolved three dimensional cosmological hydrodynamic simulations.
Taking SCLC on a Bad LSD(1) Trip One NOTCH Further

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is an aggressive form of lung cancer for which therapeutic options are very limited. A new study (Augert et al. Sci. Signal. 2019;12:eaau2922) shows that inhibition of the LSD1 demethylase can induce derepression of NOTCH receptor genes and subsequent activation of the NOTCH pathway, potently suppressing the growth of SCLC.
Effects of mandatory prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) use laws on prescriber registration and use and on risky prescribing.

Abstract Background Comprehensive mandatory use laws for prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) have been implemented in a number of states to help address the opioid overdose epidemic. These laws may reduce opioid-related overdose deaths by increasing prescribers’ use of PDMPs and reducing high-risk prescribing behaviors. Methods We used state PDMP data to examine the effect of these mandates on prescriber registration, use of the PDMP, and on prescription-based measures of patient risk in three states—Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia—that implemented mandates between 2010 and 2015. We conducted comparative interrupted time series analyses to examine changes in outcome measures after the implementation of mandates in the mandate states compared to control states. Results Mandatory use laws increased prescriber registration and utilization of the PDMP in the mandate states compared to controls. The multiple provider episode rate, rate of opioid prescribing, rate of overlapping opioid prescriptions, and rate of overlapping opioid/benzodiazepine prescriptions decreased in Kentucky and Ohio. Nevertheless, the magnitude of changes in these measures varied among mandates states. Conclusions These findings indicate that PDMP mandates have the potential to reduce risky opioid prescribing practices. Variation in the laws may explain why the effectiveness varied between states.
Spinocerebellar Ataxia Associated Psychosis and Tyrosine Hydroxylase Staining of the Midbrain (P2.239)

OBJECTIVE: Spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs) are a group of autosomal dominant inherited disorders causing cerebellar degeneration. CAG trinucleotide repeat causes types 2,3,7 and 17. Neuropsychological studies of SCAs described deficits in multiple cognitive domains- most notably executive function and visuospatial performance. However there are few reports of psychosis with SCAs. BACKGROUND: We report on SCA patients including types 2,3, 7 and 17 with signs of psychosis. The presence of psychotic features in SCA patients also raises questions as to the association if any between the SCAs and schizophrenia. Schizophrenic brains show increased dopamine synthesis in the substantia nigra by staining for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH). We hypothesized that SCA patients also display increased dopamine synthesis in the substantia nigra as measured by tyrosine hydroxylase staining of the midbrain. METHODS: Chart review were performed for all SCA patients in our clinic who exhibited psychosis. 26 autopsies of SCA patients with various clinical presentations & clinical and genetic evaluations. Controls were 12 age and sex matched controls. Paraffin sections from archived tissue blocks were immunostained with TH antibodies Two blinded independent reviewers performed TH scoring of substantia nigra dopaminergic neurons at 400x. RESULTS: With one exception, psychotic patients first developed motor symptoms and decades later were noted to have psychiatric symptoms. The most prominent psychotic feature was tendency towards fixed delusions and paranoia. Few patients exhibited auditory or visual hallucinations. TH staining intensity was higher in all SCA patients versus controls.The cohort of SCA patients with documented psychosis did not demonstrate significantly increased staining intensity versus controls. CONCLUSIONS: There was a trend of higher Tyrosine Hydroxylase staining and thus increased dopamine synthesis in the Psychotic cohort versus the non-psychotic SCAs . Nigral neuron TH immunostaining is a surrogate for midbrain dopamine function. Increased TH expression is a newly described feature of SCAs. Disclosure: Dr. Turk has nothing to disclose. Dr. Flannagan has nothing to disclose. Dr. Jayadev has nothing to disclose. Dr. Keene has nothing to disclose. Dr. Bird has received licensing fees payments from Athena Diagnostics Inc.
Effect of time restricted feeding on the gut microbiome in adults with obesity: A pilot study:

Background:Time restricted feeding is a form of intermittent fasting where participants shorten the daily window in which they eat.Aim:This is the first study to examine the effects of intermittent...
Understanding the Structural Characteristics of Convergence Bidding in Nodal Electricity Markets

Convergence bidding, a.k.a., virtual bidding, is a market mechanism that is used by several independent system operators (ISOs) to increase market efficiency in electricity markets by closing the gap between the day-ahead market (DAM) prices and the real-time market (RTM) prices. However, some recent reports by ISOs have questioned whether convergence bids (CBs) act as intended. Motivated by such reports, this article provides a methodology to identify under what conditions a CB results in price divergence, instead of price convergence. The analysis is done in nodal electricity markets and factors such as transmission line congestion are investigated. It is proven that price convergence is guaranteed under some transmission lines congestion configurations. In contrast, there are certain transmission lines congestion configurations that can result in price divergence when CBs are submitted at certain nodes. It also explains how the aggregate impact of multiple CBs may lead to decrease (or increase) in the price gap at each bus. Importantly, the analysis in this article also covers the stochastic case, where we obtain the probability of price convergence (or divergence) when we are uncertain about some system parameters.
Anomalous Hall effect in the kagome ferrimagnet GdMn 6 Sn 6

We present magnetotransport data on the ferrimagnet ${\mathrm{GdMn}}_{6}{\mathrm{Sn}}_{6}$. From the temperature-dependent data we are able to extract a large intrinsic contribution to the anomalous Hall effect ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{xz}^{\mathrm{int}}\ensuremath{\sim}32\phantom{\rule{4pt}{0ex}}{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Omega}}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}{\text{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ and ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{xy}^{\mathrm{int}}\ensuremath{\sim}223\phantom{\rule{4pt}{0ex}}{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Omega}}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}{\text{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, which is comparable to values found in other systems also containing kagome nets of transition metals. From our transport anisotropy, as well as our density functional theory calculations, we argue that the system is electronically best described as a three-dimensional system. Thus we show that reduced dimensionality is not a strong requirement for obtaining large Berry phase contributions to transport properties. In addition, the coexistence of rare-earth and transition-metal magnetism makes the hexagonal ${\mathrm{MgFe}}_{6}{\mathrm{Ge}}_{6}$ structure type a promising system to tune the electronic and magnetic properties in future studies.
Robust principal component analysis for accurate outlier sample detection in RNA-Seq data

High throughput RNA sequencing is a powerful approach to study gene expression. Due to the complex multiple-steps protocols in data acquisition, extreme deviation of a sample from samples of the same treatment group may occur due to technical variation or true biological differences. The high-dimensionality of the data with few biological replicates make it challenging to accurately detect those samples, and this issue is not well studied in the literature currently. Robust statistics is a family of theories and techniques aim to detect the outliers by first fitting the majority of the data and then flagging data points that deviate from it. Robust statistics have been widely used in multivariate data analysis for outlier detection in chemometrics and engineering. Here we apply robust statistics on RNA-seq data analysis. We report the use of two robust principal component analysis (rPCA) methods, PcaHubert and PcaGrid, to detect outlier samples in multiple simulated and real biological RNA-seq data sets with positive control outlier samples. PcaGrid achieved 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity in all the tests using positive control outliers with varying degrees of divergence. We applied rPCA methods and classical principal component analysis (cPCA) on an RNA-Seq data set profiling gene expression of the external granule layer in the cerebellum of control and conditional SnoN knockout mice. Both rPCA methods detected the same two outlier samples but cPCA failed to detect any. We performed differentially expressed gene detection before and after outlier removal as well as with and without batch effect modeling. We validated gene expression changes using quantitative reverse transcription PCR and used the result as reference to compare the performance of eight different data analysis strategies. Removing outliers without batch effect modeling performed the best in term of detecting biologically relevant differentially expressed genes. rPCA implemented in the PcaGrid function is an accurate and objective method to detect outlier samples. It is well suited for high-dimensional data with small sample sizes like RNA-seq data. Outlier removal can significantly improve the performance of differential gene detection and downstream functional analysis.
Timescales of transport through Lower Green Bay

Abstract Contaminated sediments, poor water quality, and lost or altered habitat in Lower Green Bay and Fox River in the 1980s led to its listing as an Area of Concern by the International Joint Commission. Previous studies on the geophysics and health of the bay demonstrated the need for estimates of transport timescales. Such estimates can contribute to improved understanding of the transport and fate of nutrients, contaminants, and biogeochemical processes in the bay. This study reviews definitions of residence time and flushing time, estimates the temporal distribution of flushing time, the spatial and temporal distributions of residence time, and horizontal diffusivities. The study used a previously developed hydrodynamic model, a drifter experiment, a lake particle transport model, and methods appropriate for the estimation of transport timescales. The estimated residence time for lower Green Bay, 56 ± 16 days, is smaller than a previous estimate of 190 days for the whole bay, and had values similar to the estimated flushing times. The closeness between those timescales demonstrates the important role of water exchange across the Chambers Island transect. Flushing time and residence time do not follow the same trends in monthly variability because the former depends directly on water exchange across Chambers Island, while the later depends, in addition, on tributary inflows and the circulation patterns in the bay. The study includes a discussion of the relations between the timescales of transport and the previous studies of biogeochemical processes, such as trophic conditions, spatial distribution of cyanobacteria, cold-water intrusions, and hypoxia.
Boosting optical nonreciprocity: surface reconstruction in iron garnets

Bi-substituted iron garnet films are extensively used in the fabrication of nonreciprocal devices in optical telecommunications. The miniaturization of these devices for on-chip integration requires the development of more efficient magneto-optic materials than presently available. Recent evidence has emerged of large near-surface enhancements in the magneto-optic response in these materials. However, their operative mechanisms at the atomic and electronic levels are not as yet understood. We report significant differences in the ionic structure between surface and bulk in bismuth-substituted iron garnet materials. It is found that the unit cell is elongated normal to the surface, thus enlarging the separation between Fe3+ ions. These ions play a central role in the magneto-optic response of this material. A marked displacement of Fe ions creates gaps at the surface that are populated in the bulk. Concomitantly, surface- and bulk-sensitive measurements of spin-polarized 3d Fe3+ states show significant differences in the magnitude of L2 edge x-ray magnetic circular dichroism, as well as differences in L3 edge dichroism, which, in the presence of spin-orbit coupling in 3d states, can be assigned to high-energy states. An increase in magnetic circular dichroism correlates with larger Faraday rotation. These findings provide a deeper understanding of the role of the surface in the electronic transitions to excited Fe3+ 3d states, responsible for these nonreciprocal phenomena. Together with the surface reconstruction underlying these effects reported here, they provide a useful tool for the further development of improved materials technologies to advance the integration of nonreciprocal devices in optical circuits.