cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Peripheral Tolerance to PR1 Is Maintained After Uptake of Soluble Proteinas-3 and Neutrophil Elastase

Abstract 4301 The leukemia associated antigens (LAA) proteinase-3 (P3) and neutrophil elastase (NE) are serine proteases found within neutrophil azurophil granules and are aberrantly expressed by leukemia. The human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A2 restricted nonomeric peptide PR1, derived from P3 and NE, has been detected on leukemia cell surface in association with HLA-A2. PR1-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) were detected in patients following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and were associated with clinical remission. Furthermore, in a phase I/II clinical trial, PR1-vaccine showed immunologic and clinical responses in patients with MDS and AML. Antigen cross presentation is a mechanism by which exogenous antigens are taken up by antigen presenting cells (APC) and presented in association with major histocompatibility (MHC)-I molecule. Cross presentation is thought to be the primary mechanism by which tumor antigens are presented to elicit tumor specific immune responses. Cross presentation by dendritic cells (DC), which express co-stimulatory molecules, leads to immune priming, while antigen presentation by B cells is associated with immune tolerance. Since cross presentation of leukemia antigens has been associated with anti-leukemia immune responses, we investigated whether P3 and NE are cross presented by DCs and B cells, and whether the source of P3 and NE (soluble vs. leukemia-cell associated) determines priming of the anti-PR1 immune response. We have previously reported that serum P3 levels are significantly higher in leukemia patients, and we now also report higher serum NE levels in patients with AML (median±standard deviation (SD)= 1236 ±572 ng/ml; n=15) and CML (median ± SD = 941 ± 494 ng/ml; n=15), in comparison with healthy donor blood (median ± SD = 65 ± 177 ng/ml; n=5) (p Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Green Data Center Placement in Optical Cloud Networks

The rapid growth of cloud services has raised concerns on the environmental sustainability of cloud computing, as data centers (DCs) consume a huge amount of brown energy, i.e., energy derived from polluting sources such as coal, oil, natural gas, etc. One way to decrease carbon emissions of DCs is to replace brown energy with green energy, i.e., energy produced by renewable sources, such as wind farms, solar panels, hydroelectric dams, etc. But, to maximize utilization of green energy, effective decisions need to be taken both at the “DC placement” stage (i.e., when placing DCs) and the “DC addition” stage (i.e., when adding new DCs to accommodate traffic growth). The resulting green DC-placement problem is characterized by a tradeoff between brown energy reduction and cost reduction. On one hand, due to geo-diverse locations of renewable energy sources, and due to the need for low latency and high availability for users, a large number of DCs should be placed. On the other hand, capital and operational expenditure would significantly increase if a large number of DC is deployed. In this paper, we propose two solution methods, based on multiobjective optimization, to address the tradeoff between brown energy consumption and cost in cloud networks in both DC placement and DC addition scenarios. We show via simulations how to choose the optimal number of DCs and their locations over two study cases based on NSFNET and USNET topologies.
Investigation of thermal transport across solid interfaces with randomly distributed nanostructures

Efficient thermal transport across solid interfaces plays an important role in the thermal management of modern electronics. Recently it has been reported that the thermal conductance across interfaces can be significantly enhanced by periodic nanopillar array at the surface, where the benefit mainly arises from surface area enhancements. In this paper, we systematically investigated how randomly distributed nanopillar patterns affect the thermal transport across the solid interfaces. For various solid interfaces (e.g., Al/Si and Al/GaN), we studied the relationship between the surface area enhancement factor of the randomized patterns and interfacial thermal conductance, and compared these results with the periodic nanopillars. These studies can be utilized for the thermal management of high power electronics where the solid interfaces are crucial to removing the generated heat during operation.
Pharmacology and Perioperative Considerations for Psychiatric Medications.

Background Psychotropic medications are being used increasingly as analgesics and for other off-label indications for patients with and without psychiatric conditions. While the pharmacology of most of these drugs is now known, their interaction with anesthetic drugs and implications of regular use are still relatively unclear. Objective We discuss the pharmacology, side effects, and potential medication interactions with anesthetic agents of various commonly prescribed psychotropic medications and the current recommendations regarding the continuation of these medications during the patients' perioperative care. Method A review of the current literature present on PubMed and Medline was conducted between the years 2000-2016. The reference lists of each selected article were also reviewed for additional sources of information. Conclusion Psychotropic medications can be broadly divided into classes, which include antidepressants, antipsychotics, anxiolytics, mood stabilizers, and stimulants. Although most evidence suggests the continuation of these medications in the perioperative period, it is still important to determine how psychotropic medications interact with routinely used anesthetic agents and which medications should be continued and which should not be continued on an individualized basis for each patient.
Medicare Advantage Enrollees More Likely To Enter Lower-Quality Nursing Homes Compared To Fee-For-Service Enrollees

Unlike fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare, most Medicare Advantage (MA) plans have a preferred network of care providers that serve most of a plan’s enrollees. Little is known about how the quality of care MA enrollees receive differs from that of FFS Medicare enrollees. This article evaluates the differences in the quality of skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) that Medicare Advantage and FFS beneficiaries entered in the period 2012–14. After we controlled for patients’ clinical, demographic, and residential neighborhood effects, we found that FFS Medicare patients have substantially higher probabilities of entering higher-quality SNFs (those rated four or five stars by Nursing Home Compare) and those with lower readmission rates, compared to MA enrollees. The difference between MA and FFS Medicare SNF selections was less for enrollees in higher-quality MA plans than those in lower-quality plans, but Medicare Advantage still guided patients to lower-quality facilities.
Spatiotemporal clutter filtering methods for in vivo microvessel imaging

Ultrafast plane wave imaging enables acquisition and accumulation of a large number of Doppler ensembles in a short period of time, which substantially boosts ultrasound Doppler sensitivity by at least an order of magnitude. As a key component, spatiotemporal clutter filtering based on singular value decomposition (SVD) has recently demonstrated superior performance in tissue clutter suppression and microvessel signal extraction over conventional high-pass-filter-based clutter filtering techniques. This presentation introduces several novel SVD clutter filter techniques from our recent work, focusing on addressing the technical challenges (complex tissue motion, high computational cost, and noise) of SVD clutter filter during clinical translations of the ultrafast microvessel imaging technology for human imaging. We present a block-wise adaptive SVD filter method that can robustly threshold singular values on a local level, a real-time feasible SVD clutter filtering method based on partial SVD and randomized spatial downsampling, and a noise equalization and suppression method that can significantly improve microvessel imaging quality at a low cost. In vivo performance of these methods will be demonstrated in different organs.
The Childhood to Prison Pipeline: Early Childhood Trauma as Reported by a Prison Population:

This study explored the degree and type of childhood trauma experienced before the age of 18 years reported by prison inmates. The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) instrument was administered to...
Effect of silver nitrate on pregnancy termination in cynomolgus monkeys.

The effect of intrauterine injection of 1% silver nitrate on pregnancy was studied in 13 cynomolgus monkeys. The monkeys received, in a random manner, intrauterine injections of 1 ml of either 1 % silver nitrate (n = 7) or 0.9% NaCl solution (n = 6) between days 27 and 43 of pregnancy. Silver nitrate injection resulted in vaginal bleeding, beginning 1 or 2 days after treatment, that lasted for an average of 5.3 days. In all of these cases, pregnancy was terminated. Injection of normal saline had variable sequelae, but four of six monkeys were delivered of healthy offspring. All of the silver nitrate-treated animals recycled and, after remating, two of the seven subsequently became pregnant again and were delivered of normal healthy infants. This study demonstrates the efficacy of intrauterine injection of 1% silver nitrate in terminating early pregnancy.
Approximate analytic continuation beyond the first Riemann sheet

A brief review of the classical theory of multivalued functions of a complex variable is used to introduce the classification of monogenic analytic functions by their monodromic dimension. Riemann's monodromy theorem is used to set the stage for a class of Hermite-Pade multiform approximants. The approximation problem for functions meromorphic on a Riemann surface of m-sheets with a finite number of singular points is completely solved. A general uniqueness of convergence theorem and another convergence theorem are given.
Immunologic Abnormalities in Two Patients with Pulmonary Hyalinizing Granuloma

Pulmonary hyalinizing granuloma (PHG) is a disease of slowly enlarging pulmonary nodules made up of dense bundles of collagen accompanied by an infiltrate of chronic inflammatory cells. The etiology is unknown. Although it has been suggested that the lesions represent an exaggerated immune response to unidentified agents, results of a detailed immunologic work-up of these patients have not been published. This report presents the laboratory findings of two patients with biopsy-proven PHG who have been followed four and eighteen years. Autoantibodies were detected (antinuclear antibody, rheumatoid factor, and positive antiglobulin tests), although clinically there was no evidence of a specific collagen-vascular disorder. Both patients had elevated levels of circulating immune complexes. These data suggest that immune complex mechanisms may be important in the pathogenesis of PHG.
Areal Density Comparison Between Conventional, Shingled, and Interlaced Heat-Assisted Magnetic Recording With Multiple Sensor Magnetic Recording

Heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) is the next-generation hard disk drive technology which enables continued and significant areal density growth. There are currently three write architectures for the layout of tracks in hard disk drives: conventional magnetic recording (CMR), shingled magnetic recording (SMR), and interlaced magnetic recording (IMR). The read-back architecture multiple-sensor magnetic recording (MSMR) can be combined with the three different write architectures to increase the areal density by using two or more readers to read-back the same track. In this paper, we compare the areal density capability of HAMR CMR, HAMR SMR, and HAMR IMR combined with read-back with one reader, MSMR with two readers, and MSMR with three readers.
Self-Immolative Prodrugs: Effective Tools for the Controlled Release of Sulfur Signaling Species.

H2S, persulfides (R–SSH), and related sulfur species have recently received attention due to the pronounced physiological effects they elicit. Delivering sulfur signaling molecules in a controlled manner presents many challenges, as many available donors have short half-lives, lack water solubility, and exhibit poor trigger specificity. Self-immolative prodrugs provide a unique ability to impart stability to H2S precursors and persulfides while allowing for trigger specificity by tuning the functional group installed on the self-immolative linker. This strategy has proven successful in delivering sulfur signaling species under specific conditions and may lead to the further elucidation of persulfide interactions within biological systems, affording effective therapeutics. 1 Introduction 2 Currently Available Persulfide Donors 3 BDP-NAC: An ROS-Responsive Persulfide Prodrug 4 Conclusion
A survey of point-of-care ultrasound use in veterinary general practice

Background: The use of ultrasound (US) continues to expand in veterinary and human medicine. The purpose of this study was to assess the current practices and potential barriers to the use of US in veterinary small animal general practices. Methods: An electronic survey was administered to approximately 1000 veterinary practitioners in the Southeastern United States. A total of 296 veterinarians completed the survey. Results: Among respondents, 53% reported having an US unit in their practice and 45% reported performing USs more than five times weekly. The most common reasons for not having an US unit were prohibitive cost (27%) and lack of training (27%). In addition, 74% responded that US training for a new graduate was extremely or very important. Conclusions: This study is the first to document the common use of US in small animal general practices and highlights the need for instruction of basic US skills for veterinary students and small animal practitioners.
Lack of prospective relationships of the Power of Food Scale with Body Mass Index and dieting over 2 years in U.S. emerging adults

Abstract Background This study investigated prospective relationships of the Power of Food Scale (PFS), a self-report measure of hedonic hunger, with weight outcomes and dieting in U.S. young adults. Methods PFS (PFS-aggregate and subscales: PFS-available, PFS-present, PFS-tasted) was assessed in waves (W, years) 5 and 6 of a nationally representative cohort of 10th graders assessed annually (baseline n = 2785, 83% retention at W7). Internal consistency (Cronbach's α), 1-year stability (intraclass correlation coefficient, ICC) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were examined. Analyses accounting for the complex survey design examined cross-sectional associations of W6 PFS with W6 BMI and dieting, and prospective relationships of PFS in each wave with BMI, 1-year BMI change (BMIΔ, W6–W5 and W7–W6), overweight/obesity onset (OWOB, moving to a higher risk weight category) and dieting in the following wave. Multiple imputations addressed missing data. Results Baseline participant mean ± SE age was 20.3 ± 0.02 years. Mean BMI increased by approximately 0.6 kg/m2 from W5 through W7; OWOB occurred in 7.4% of participants between W5–W6; 9.0% between W6–W7. Approximately half the sample reported dieting in each wave. W6 weight outcomes were not associated with W6 PFS, but W6 dieting frequency was positively associated with W6 PFS-available, PFS-present, and PFS-aggregate (but not PFS-tasted) in multivariable models. PFS was not prospectively associated with weight outcomes. Positive prospective associations of PFS with dieting frequency were inconsistent across waves and with respect to inclusion of covariates. Conclusions Greater PFS is associated with dieting cross-sectionally but was not a reliable indicator of susceptibility to future weight outcomes or dieting in young adults.
Checkpoint inhibitor-induced autoimmune encephalitis reversed by rituximab after allogeneic bone marrow transplant in a patient with Hodgkin lymphoma.

The potential for accentuated acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) and immune-related adverse events (IRAEs) by immune checkpoint blockade (ICB)-based treatment before allogeneic bone marrow tra...
Topical Review: A Biopsychosocial Framework for Pediatric Narcolepsy and Idiopathic Hypersomnia.

Objective Provide an overview of current research findings in pediatric central disorders of hypersomnolence (CDH) and propose a biopsychosocial model for clinical management, with a focus on interdisciplinary care and future directions for research and clinical practice. Methods Literature review drawing from pediatric and adult narcolepsy, as well as pediatric sleep and chronic pain research to develop an integrative biopsychosocial model for pediatric CDH. Results Youth with CDH are vulnerable to impairments in academics, emotional, and behavioral functioning, activity engagement and quality of life (QOL). There is a complex interrelationship between neurobiological features of disease, treatment-related factors, and psychological, sleep-related, and contextual factors across development. Research is limited largely to adults and pediatric narcolepsy type 1 and the mechanisms and evolution of morbidity remain poorly understood. Conclusions In addition to first-line treatment (pharmacotherapy), routine screening of bio-behavioral and psychosocial functioning and QOL is needed to identify risk for compromised functioning warranting adjunctive interventions with behavioral health specialists.
An Innovative and Accessible Biofeedback Intervention for Improving Self-Regulatory Skills in Pediatric Chronic Pain: A Pilot Study.

Objectives: Although biofeedback has been considered an effective treatment component for pediatric chronic pain, little research has examined the generalizability to activities outside of the treatment setting. The current study aimed to examine the effects of a biofeedback intervention involving individual and group sessions to facilitate increased self-regulatory skills for chronic pain management and to translate these skills to meaningful activities promoting functional restoration. Methods: Participants included 104 adolescents (ages 12-18) attending an intensive interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation program for chronic pain/symptoms and completed biofeedback training as part of the program. The biofeedback protocol consisted of six sessions, including an assessment of baseline physiologic states, diaphragmatic breath training, and various biofeedback screens to reinforce self-regulatory skills within individual- and group-based formats. Results: As expected, patients showed significant reductions in respiration rates and muscle tension from admission to discharge. Ratings of perceived confidence also increased from admission to post-treatment, suggesting greater self-efficacy in patients using self-regulatory skills during their daily functional activities. Conclusions: An individual- and group-based biofeedback protocol with a focus on training skills in activities relevant to adolescents' lives has the potential to improve self-regulation skills and generalize these skills to real-world settings. Future randomized controlled trials are necessary to examine the efficacy of biofeedback interventions to improve physiologic regulation and enhance treatment outcomes for pediatric chronic pain.
Model For Evaluating the Reliability of Cyber Component in Power Distribution Systems

The introduction of smart sensors and intelligent electronic devices allow cyber infrastructure to penetrate different levels of power system. Thus, the effective operation of a cyber-physical power system will be affected by cyber network reliability. The focus of this paper is to analyze the reliability of a cyber-physical power system using the concept of three-layered system approach- Power, Communication and Decision. In this work a new method to compute the cyber reliability of the system is proposed by modelling the interdependency between the communication and decision layer. A case study is done using the radial distribution network in the Roy Billinton Test System to show the possible scenarios that should be considered in the reliability evaluation.
Incidence and Risk Factors for Acute Kidney Injury in Severely Injured Patients Using Current Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes Definitions.

Background Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality for critically injured trauma patients. The Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) practice guideline is the most up-to-date classification for AKI. The aims of this study were to determine the incidence and risk factors for AKI in critically injured trauma patients using the current KDIGO definitions. Study design A prospective cohort study was performed at our academic, level 1 trauma center, from September 2017 to August 2018. All adult trauma patients admitted to the surgical ICU were included. The primary outcome was the development of AKI, as defined by KDIGO. Secondary outcomes included hospital and ICU length of stay, ventilator days, and mortality. Results There were 466 patients included and 314 (67%) developed AKI. Those who developed AKI were more often hypotensive on admission (7% vs 2%), had higher Injury Severity Scores (ISS) (19 vs 13), were more likely to have severe injuries to the chest (40% vs 24%) and extremities (20% vs 6%), received transfusion (41% vs 21%), sustained crush injuries (8% vs 1%), received radiocontrast (75% vs 47%), nephrotoxic medication (74% vs 60%), or vasopressors (15% vs 3%). After multivariate analysis, risk factors independently associated with AKI include age, Injury Severity Score (ISS), severe extremity injuries, radiocontrast, and vasopressors. Those who developed AKI had higher mortality (9% vs 2%). Conclusions Using current KDIGO criteria, the incidence of AKI in critically injured trauma patients was higher than previously reported. Older patients, with more severe injuries to their extremities and chest and who have suffered crush injuries, appear to be the most a risk. AKI in the critically injured patient results in an almost 5-fold increase in mortality.
Altered large-scale functional brain organization in posttraumatic stress disorder: A comprehensive review of univariate and network-level neurocircuitry models of PTSD

Classical neural circuitry models of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are largely derived from univariate activation studies and implicate the fronto-limbic circuit as a main neural correlate of PTSD symptoms. Though well-supported by human neuroimaging literature, these models are limited in their ability to explain the widely distributed neural and behavioral deficits in PTSD. Emerging interest in the application of large-scale network methods to functional neuroimaging provides a new opportunity to overcome such limitations and conceptualize the neural circuitry of PTSD in the context of network patterns. This review aims to evaluate both the classical neural circuitry model and a new, network-based model of PTSD neural circuitry using a breadth of functional brain organization research in subjects with PTSD. Taken together, this literature suggests global patterns of reduced functional connectivity (FC) in PTSD groups as well as altered FC targets that reside disproportionately in canonical functional networks, especially the default mode network. This provides evidence for an integrative model that includes elements of both the classical models and network-based models to characterize the neural circuitry of PTSD.
Colon and Rectal Surgery Residency Selection Criteria: A National Program Director Survey.

Objective Colon and Rectal Surgery has established itself as a highly competitive specialty over recent years, with demand for residency positions growing and becoming increasingly difficult to obtain each year. However, limited information exists as to which characteristics make for a successful colorectal surgery applicant. This study aims to identify which academic benchmarks and applicant characteristics impact successful matriculation into Colon and Rectal Surgery residency. Design Each Colon and Rectal Surgery residency program was sent a web-based survey comprised of 28 questions. Questions were designed to assess which factors were considered when evaluating an applicant prior to offering an interview and during rank determination. Setting The study was conducted as an anonymous web-based survey. Participants Each Colon and Rectal Surgery residency program in the United States accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (N = 63) was included in the study. Forty-four of 63 programs completed the survey for an overall response rate of 70%. Results Ninety-one percent of the programs reported having a prerequisite American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination score for interview, with 50% of these programs requiring scores above the 50th percentile. During the ranking process, the most important factors considered by programs were interpersonal skills and communication, letters of recommendation, and interaction with other applicants and nonclinical staff. The majority of program directors felt that interview performance was the most important factor in ranking an applicant highly. Conclusions Successful matriculation into Colon and Rectal Surgery requires the applicant to achieve the necessary academic benchmarks while also demonstrating a variety of desirable characteristics, which are most importantly assessed during an interview.
The Implantable Internet of Medical Things: Toward Lifelong Remote Monitoring and Treatment of Chronic Diseases

The promise of real-time detection and response to life-crippling diseases brought by the Implantable Internet of Medical Things (IIoMT) has recently spurred substantial advances in implantable technologies. Yet, existing medical devices do not provide at once the miniaturized end-to-end body monitoring, wireless communication and remote powering capabilities to implement IIoMT applications. This paper fills the existing research gap by presenting U-Verse, the first FDA-compliant rechargeable IIoMT platform packing sensing, computation, communication, and recharging circuits into a penny-scale platform. Extensive experimental evaluation indicates that U-Verse (i) can be wirelessly recharged and can store energy several orders of magnitude more than state-of-theart capacity in tens of minutes; (ii) with one single charge, it can operate from few hours to several days. Finally, U-Verse is demonstrated through (i) a closed-loop application that sends data via ultrasounds through real porcine meat; and (ii) a real-time reconfigurable pacemaker.
Effects of the macroalga Asparagopsis taxiformis and oregano leaves on methane emission, rumen fermentation, and lactational performance of dairy cows

Asparagopsis taxiformis (AT) is a source of multiple halogenated compounds and, in a limited number of studies, has been shown to decrease enteric CH4 emission in vitro and in vivo. Similarly, oregano has been suggested as a potential CH4 mitigating agent. This study consisted of 2 in vitro and 2 in vivo experiments. Experiment (Exp.) 1 was aimed at establishing the effect of AT on CH4 emission in vitro. Two experiments (Exp. 2 and 3) with lactating dairy cows were conducted to determine the antimethanogenic effect of AT and oregano (Exp. 3) in vivo. Another experiment (Exp. 4) was designed to investigate stability of bromoform (CHBr3) in AT over time. In Exp. 3, 20 Holstein cows were used in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design with four 28-d periods. Treatments were basal diet (control) or basal diet supplemented with (dry matter basis) 0.25% AT (LowAT), 0.50% AT (HighAT), or 1.77% oregano (Origanum vulgare L.) leaves. Enteric gas emissions were measured using the GreenFeed system (C-Lock Inc., Rapid City, SD), and rumen samples were collected for fermentation analysis using the ororuminal technique. In Exp.1 (in vitro), relative to the control, AT (at 1% dry matter basis, inclusion rate) decreased CH4 yield by 98%. In Exp. 3, HighAT decreased average daily CH4 emission and CH4 yield by 65% and 55%, respectively, in experimental periods 1 and 2, but had no effect in periods 3 and 4. The differential response to AT among experimental periods was likely a result of a decrease in CHBr3 concentration in AT over time, as observed in Exp. 4 (up to 84% decrease in 4 mo of storage). In Exp. 3, H2 emission was increased by AT and, as expected, the proportion of acetate in the total volatile fatty acids in the rumen was decreased and those of propionate and butyrate were increased by HighAT compared with the control. Compared with the control, HighAT decreased dry matter intake, milk yield, and energy-corrected milk yield in Exp. 3. Milk composition was not affected by treatment, except lactose percentage and yield were decreased by HighAT. Concentrations of iodine and bromide in milk were increased by HighAT compared with the control. Milk CHBr3 concentration and its organoleptic characteristics were not different between control and HighAT. Oregano had no effect on CH4 emission or lactational performance of the cows in Exp. 3. Overall, AT included at 0.50% in the ration of dairy cows can have a large mitigation effect on enteric CH4 emission, but dry matter intake and milk production may also decrease. There was a marked decrease in the CH4 mitigation potential of AT in the second half of Exp. 3, likely resulting from CHBr3 decay over time.
Running Biomechanics Before Injury and 1 Year After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction in Division I Collegiate Athletes.

Background:Preinjury running biomechanics are an ideal comparator for quantifying recovery after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction (ACLR), allowing for assessments within the surgical...
Vitamin K & D Deficiencies Are Independently Associated With COVID-19 Disease Severity.

Background: We investigated the association of vitamin K and vitamin D with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outcomes. Methods: Levels of inactive vitamin K-dependent dephosphorylated uncarboxylated matrix Gla protein (dp-ucMGP; marker of vitamin K status) and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D; vitamin D status) were measured in plasma samples from participants with confirmed acute COVID-19 and were age- and sex-matched to healthy controls. Unadjusted odds ratios and adjusted odds ratios (AORs) with 95% CIs were computed using cumulative logistic regression. Results: One hundred fifty subjects were included, 100 COVID-19+ and 50 controls. The median age (interquartile range) was 55 (48-63) years, and 50% were females. Thirty-four percent had mild COVID-19 disease, 51% moderate disease, and 15% severe. Dp-ucMGP levels were higher (ie, worse K status) in COVID-19+ vs controls (776.5 ng/mL vs 549.8 ng/mL; P 780 ng/mL) and experienced the most severe COVID-19 outcomes. In adjusted models, every 1-unit increase in the log2 dp-ucMGP nearly doubled the odds of acute critical disease or death (AOR, 1.84; 95% CI, 1.01-3.45), and every 1-unit decrease in the natural log 25(OH)D was associated with >3 times the likelihood of severe COVID-19 disease (AOR, 0.29; 95% CI, 0.11-0.67). Conclusions: Early in acute COVID-19, both vitamin K and vitamin D deficiency were independently associated with worse COVID-19 disease severity, suggesting a potential synergistic interplay between these 2 vitamins in COVID-19.
Does Money Illusion Delude Investors

This study investigates the role of money illusion in a broad set of anomaly-based strategies. To the extent that anomalies reflect mispricing, I examine whether money illusion predicts anomaly returns. I find that, following periods of high inflation, anomalies are stronger and returns in short leg portfolios are lower. However, following periods of deflation, returns in short leg portfolios are not lower and long-short strategies are not profitable. These findings indicate that money-illusioned investors excessively extrapolate the upside potential of stocks in short leg portfolios following periods of high inflation and, subsequently, experience negative returns. I find the effect of money illusion to remain largely unchanged after controlling for sentiment. Overall, this study presents evidence that money illusion leads to mispricing in the stock market.
Predictors of intensive care unit stay after pediatric supraglottoplasty

Importance Supraglottoplasty is a common procedure performed without evidence-based postoperative management plans. Patients are routinely admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) postoperatively, but this may not be necessary in all cases. Objective To determine (1) whether routine admission to the ICU after supraglottoplasty is warranted in all patients who undergo this procedure and (2) which factors predict requirement for ICU-level care. Design, Setting, and Participants Retrospective case series and analysis of immediate postoperative outcomes of all children aged 1 month to 18 years who underwent supraglottoplasty at 1 tertiary-care children’s hospital from January 1, 2008, through January 31, 2014. Exclusion criteria included preoperative admission to the ICU, preoperative need for positive-pressure ventilation, history of major airway reconstruction, or any concomitant other major procedure. Exposure Supraglottoplasty. Main Outcomes and Measures Need for ICU-level care as defined by need for intubation, positive-pressure ventilation, multiple doses of racemic epinephrine, or oxygen via nasal cannula at greater than 4 L/min within the first 24 hours. Results Of 223 patients identified, 25 (11.2%) met our criteria for ICU-level care. Nine patients required intubation. Twenty of the 25 patients met ICU criteria within 4 hours of surgery. Univariate analysis was performed on 38 risk factors. Risk factors for ICU requirement that remained statistically significant on multivariable analysis ( P P = .007), nonwhite race (OR, 4.42 [95% CI, 1.54-12.66]; P = .006), and a preoperative diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease (OR, 0.10 [95% CI, 0.09-0.36]; P Conclusions and Relevance Our study suggests that most children undergoing supraglottoplasty do not require ICU-level care postoperatively. Those who require ICU-level care are likely to be identified within the first 4 hours after surgery. Consideration for routine ICU admission should be given to those with longer surgical duration and those of nonwhite race.
Mobile Broadband Affordability and the Global Digital Divide -- An Information Ethics Perspective

Access to information and communication technologies (ICTs) is becoming a necessity not only for communication, but for commerce, and for obtaining information about healthcare, employment, and education. Unfortunately, the global digital divide has deepened to include limits on access to mobile broadband services. This paper uses an information ethics (IE) perspective, based the work of Floridi, which builds on previous ethics work by Rawls and Sen. From an IE perspective, we empirically examine the impact of economic, social and political dimensions of social justice (due to Rawls), individual capabilities (due to Sen), and governance principles on mobile broadband affordability in 103 countries. Key questions addressed are: (1) do people have a right to access the Internet via broadband for services and information that are vital to their well-being? And (2) what factors enable or hinder people from being able to afford mobile broadband access in order to obtain such information? This cross-national study shows that specific forces of social justice -- income inequality and a shared investment in ICTs -- and an individual capability -- per capita income -- together determine to what extent mobile broadband services are affordable. This study also shows that a more competitive mobile telecommunications ecosystem reduces the cost of mobile broadband services. Furthermore, these results hold even when the cost of mobile broadband in each country is normalized by the per capita gross national income.
Induction of labor in patients with missed abortion and fetal death in utero with prostaglandin E2 suppositories

Labor was successfully induced in 20 patients with a diagnosis of missed abortion or intrauterine fetal death (IUFD) by intravaginal administration of prostaglandin E2 suppositories. Fifteen patients delivered with the prostaglandin alone while a concomitant oxytocin infusion was employed to augment contractions in the other five patients. The mean induction-delivery time was 9.80 hours; nulliparous patients delivered in a mean time if 7.78 hours, parous patients in a mean time of 12.29 hours. The uterus appeared to be sensitive to the PGE2 stimulation in all patients and all were delivered completely without the need for surgical intervention. Fifty per cent of patients were delivered within 8 hours and 80 per cent by 12 hours. The side effects associated with prostaglandin administration--vomiting, diarrhea, and temperature elevation--were well tolerated and therapy did not have to be terminated in any patient. The administration of PGE2 vaginal suppositories offers an effective and safe technique for the induction of labor in patients with IUFD. Labor can be induced with PGE2 suppositories as soon as the diagnosis of IUFD is confirmed, which eliminates the need for waiting until spontaneous labor occurs.
Disfavored Candidates and the Democracy Canon

This brief response to Chad Flanders's article, "Election Law Behind the Veil of Ignorance," addresses Professor Flanders's clarification of the Democracy Canon, particularly the distinction between "popular democracy" and "legislative democracy," and highlights the utility of his approach in statutes that address candidates seeking office.
Elucidating the use of enoxaparin in non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes (NSTE-ACS)

The new joint guidelines from the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC) for non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes (NSTE-ACS) represent the culmination of a massive undertaking to synthesise a large body of evidence, and the guideline writing committee is to be applauded for their efforts in preparing these guidelines.1 ,2 As is the current standard, the online version of these guidelines was published ahead of print, and review of the electronic publication ahead of print revealed that the handling of enoxaparin was problematic.1 The problem concerned the discussion of giving an initial 30 mg intravenous loading dose of enoxaparin prior to administering 1 mg/kg of enoxaparin subcutaneously every 12 h (q12h) when enoxaparin is selected as the anticoagulant. The electronic version published ahead of the print version simply stated “An initial intravenous loading dose is 30 mg.” (ref. 1, p.42). This or similar phrasing appeared on page 43 in the text and in table 7 as well. These statements are accompanied by a grade of A for level of evidence. However, although the final guideline now says the initial 30 mg intravenous loading dose “has been used in selected patients” (ref. 2, pp.164–5), and thus does seem to make it clear that the loading dose is not mandatory, the guideline still does not adequately convey the details of the literature with respect to use of enoxaparin in NSTE-ACS.2 Guideline documents are plagued by space limitations in the setting of endeavours to summarise a large body of evidence, and this certainly may have contributed to the limited discussion of the data pertaining to the use of enoxaparin, but the details in this instance are important for clinicians to bear in mind when selecting enoxaparin as the anticoagulant when managing NSTE-ACS. The only randomised controlled trial (RCT) that …
Clinicians' and Educators' Desk Reference on the Licensed Complementary and Alternative Healthcare Professions

At least one-third of US adults routinely use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) to treat their principal medical conditions, yet the majority of patients who use these therapies do not d...
PEGylation of human growth hormone: strategies and properties

Recombinant human growth hormone (hGH) is a well characterized molecule with broad acceptance as a treatment for growth hormone deficiencies (GHD). However, treatment with hGH requires daily injections due to the drug’s short duration of action. Many groups have focused on PEGylation of hGH as a means to extend its half-life and generate less frequent dosage forms. This chapter provides a review of the preclinical and clinical results obtained from the many approaches directed towards modification of hGH with PEG. The chapter will describe a historical progression of PEGylation strategies and results. The first half of the chapter will discuss initial studies that utilized multiple 5 kDa PEG attachments for extension of hGH half-life and the subsequent development of a PEGylated hGH receptor antagonist, pegvisomant, a successful therapy for acromegaly. The latter half of the chapter will summarize more recent and current work focusing on site selective mono-PEGylation of hGH.
A Technique to Repair Type I Left Ventricular Rupture Following Mitral Valve Replacement

Rupture of the posterior left ventricle is a serious complication following mitral valve replacement. A successful method of repair is illustrated. The causes, other methods of repair, and means to prevent this complication are discussed.
Limited state progress in regulating secondhand tobacco smoke.

From 1990 to 2005, U.S. state legislation on secondhand tobacco smoke significantly increased in eight public areas: general public areas, government buildings, private workplaces, schools, child care facilities, health care facilities, restaurants, and bars. Despite the U.S. Surgeon General's proclaiming in 2006 that “rapid progress” is being made in state legislation on clean indoor air, vigorous state smoke-free secondhand tobacco smoke legislation in six public area categories was minimal, which has favored the policy agenda of the corporate tobacco lobby. Two exceptions include smoke-free legislation for child care facilities and schools. While public interest group health advocates have traditionally used insider lobbying of public officials in the “halls of power” to pass smoke-free legislation, this should be supplemented with astute outsider advocacy tactics such as public demonstrations or issue advertisements to increase the likelihood of passage of more state-level smoke-free legislation.
Electron interference effects in quantum wells: Observation of bound and resonant states.

Injection d'electrons balistiques quasi monoenergetiques dans des puits quantiques de GaAs de diverses epaisseurs (29-72 nm). Observation d'une modulation importante des courants injectes en fonction de l'energie d'injection; correlation aux effets de coherence electronique. Solution autocoherente des equations de Poisson et Schrodinger pour relier ces effets aux etats lies et aux etats quantiques resonnants dans ces puits
The Stress Corrosion Cracking Behavior of Alloys 690 and 152 Weld in a PWR Environment

Alloys 690 and 152 are the replacement materials of choice for Alloys 600 and 182, respectively. The latter two alloys are used as structural materials in pressurized water reactors (PWRs) and have been found to undergo stress corrosion cracking (SCC). The objective of this work is to determine the crack growth rates (CGRs) in a simulated PWR water environment for the replacement alloys. The study involved Alloy 690 cold-rolled by 26% and a laboratory-prepared Alloy 152 double-J weld in the as-welded condition. The experimental approach involved pre-cracking in a primary water environment and monitoring the cyclic CGRs to determine the optimum conditions for transitioning from the fatigue transgranular to intergranular SCC fracture mode. The cyclic CGRs of cold-rolled Alloy 690 showed significant environmental enhancement, while those for Alloy 152 were minimal. Both materials exhibited SCC of 10−11 m/s under constant loading at moderate stress intensity factors. The paper also presents tensile property data for Alloy 690TT and Alloy 152 weld in the temperature range 25–870°C.Copyright © 2008 by UChicago Argonne LLC, Operator of Argonne National Laboratory
Older and younger adults show comparable affective compatibility and simon effects.

Background/Study Context: In affective Simon tasks, participants respond to the color of stimuli with positive or negative affect by saying “good” or “bad.” The primary finding is that responses are faster when the affective valences of the stimulus and response correspond than when they do not. A similar compatibility effect occurs in an evaluation task for which stimulus affect is relevant and mapped compatibly or incompatibly to the responses. Methods: The present study compared the affective Simon and compatibility effects for younger and older adults in pure-task conditions (all trials from a single task) and mixed-task conditions (trials from the two tasks occurred equally often). Four schematic faces were used as stimuli for the affective Simon task and four different positive and negative images for the evaluation task. Results: The affective Simon effect was of similar size for older and younger adults under both pure- and mixed-task conditions: Mixed emotion-relevant trials increased the Simon e...
Time-dependent analysis of electron-wave directional couplers

Recently several proposals of quantum interference devices have appeared based on the close proximity of two coupled electron waveguides. The steady-state analysis of these new electron-wave directional couplers indicates that these devices are feasible using current fabrication technology, and could be used as basic switches in high-performance digital circuit at low enough temperature. In order to investigate the potential high-frequency applications of these newly proposed electron directional couplers, we have studied the transfer of wavepackets between parallel quantum wells using a block alternating direction implicit technique to solve the two dimensional time-dependent Schrodinger equation following the scalar ADI scheme of Douglas and Gunn. While injecting a wavepacket in one well, we show that only a partial transfer between wells (varying with incident kinetic energy) is reached even for perfectly symmetric double-quantum wells (in the direction of growth). This contrasts with the 100% probability of transfer predicted using the steady state coupled mode theory. The length and time scales for maximum transfer are found to be around a few thousand angstroms and in the sub-picosecond regime, respectively. In the presence of an external magnetic field Byields parallel to the interfaces of the double quantum well, the probability of transfer between wells can be partially reduced with a magnetic field of few Teslas. We also illustrate the more efficient possibility of tuning the probability of transfer between wells using an external gate voltage as proposed by Dagli et al. Finally, the presence of a small amount of impurities in the direction coupler is found to have a relatively small influence on the probability of transfer of electron wavepackets between wells as long as the Fermi energy is large compared to the strength of the impurity potential. The probability of transfer between waveguides also varies with the actual impurity configuration.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Silicon-hydrogen bond activation and hydrosilylation of alkenes mediated by CpCo complexes: a theoretical study.

Using DFT techniques, we show that triplet cyclopentadienylcobalt activates Si−H bonds to generate singlet silylcobalt hydrides without the intervention of σ-silanes. The cobalt is configurationall...