cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The metabolic phenotype of pre-diabetes in obese youth

The unabated rise in the prevalence and severity of childhood obesity has been accompanied by the appearance of a new pediatric disease: Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) (1). One dire prediction from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that, if current obesity rates continue, one in three babies born in 2000 will eventually develop T2DM (2). African-American and Hispanic children are at greatest risk for both obesity and diabetes (3, 4). In contrast to the active study of T2DM in adults, little is known about the early metabolic defects and antecedents of T2DM in children. The American Diabetes Association, the National Institute of Health have recently emphasized the urgent need to study the epidemiology, natural history and pathophysiology and treatment of T2DM in children in the US. Our research group has started to study important issues related to the pathogenesis of this disorder in the pediatric population. In the section below we review our best epidemiological and pathophysiological studies.
A planar broadband balanced doubler using a novel balun design

We report on the design and measurement of a broadband MIC balanced varactor frequency doubler. The design incorporates a novel balun to achieve a grounded CPW-to-slotline transition. The balanced structure offers inherent isolation in the output port from all odd harmonics including the fundamental frequency. Measurements show a port-to-port conversion loss between 8 and 10 dB over an output frequency range of 6-10 GHz. The design can be easily scaled to millimeter-wave frequencies using a monolithic approach. >
The Significance of Pratītyasamutpāda for Understanding the Relationship between Saṁvṛti and Paramārthasatya in Nāgārjuna

The relationship between saṁvṛti and paramārtha in Mādhyamika thought has often been conceived as an epistemological dualism: saṁvṛti is regarded as phenomenal illusion, and paramārtha is an undivided mystical union with the One eternal absolute.2 For instance, Edward Conze, in the section on Mādhyamika in Buddhist Thought in India, speaks of a substratum at the base of all phenomenal reality which is the Mādhyamika “vision of the One.”3 Again, he says that the spiritual intention of the term “emptiness” is “to reveal the Infinite by removing that which obscures it.”4 This way of understanding the relationship between the phenomenal world and the highest awareness of truth (reality) may be suggested in the expressions of some of Nāgārjuna’s followers, especially the Prāsangika school; but I cannot find this kind of differentiation in the Mūlamadyamakakārikās or Vigrahavyāvartanī, and it may be helpful for the discussion of Madhyamika philosophy to analyze the notion of ‘the two satyas’ in relation to pratītyasamutpāda as found in these texts.
The characterisation of foamed asphalt cement using a rotational viscometer

AbstractWarm mix asphalt using foaming technology is a widely used alternative to traditional Hot Mix Asphalt in the USA. However, there has been relatively limited research exploring the behaviour of the foamed asphalt cement, especially using traditional asphalt cement testing equipment. This research used the rotational viscometer to develop four new metrics that quantify the behaviour of foamed asphalt cement. These four metrics showed that increasing the foaming temperature increased the observed viscosity, but the initial observed viscosity decreased with lower asphalt binder grades. However, the point at which the observed viscosity crossed the actual viscosity increased with lower asphalt binder grades. Overall, the Wirtgen foamer had higher observed viscosity vs. the PTI foamer and provided a more robust foaming material. However, it is recommended that the AccuFoamer also be explored in future research, along with comparing laboratory produced foamed asphalt cement with field produced foamed asp...
CRT-200.86 Characteristics and Impact of Diagnosis of ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction on Subsequent ECG in Emergency Department

Current guidelines emphasize shorter door to balloon (D2B) times in patients presenting to Emergency Department with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and hospitals have primary percutaneous coronary intervention (p-PCI) protocols in place to achieve this goal. However, there remain
Urinary Excretion and Renal Clearance of Specific Plasma Proteins in Diabetes of Short and Long Duration

To characterize the renal handling of protein in diabetics, the 24-h total protein excretion (Shevky-Stafford method), as well as urinary excretion, plasma concentration, and clearance of each of 17 proteins (radial immunodiffusion technique) were determined in 25 nondiabetic and 31 diabetic Pima Indians and in 25 nondiabetic Caucasians. Determination of 24-h total protein excretion demonstrated similar levels in nondiabetic Pimas [8.6 mg/24 h (median), 5.0-18.0 mg/24 h (95% confidence interval)] and nondiabetic Caucasians [10.1 mg/24 h, 7.0-24.0 mg/24 h] but significantly elevated levels in Pima diabetics [41.0 mg/24 h, 24.0-163.0 mg/24 h]. Total protein excretion was significantly greater among those with diabetes of 10 or more yr duration with retinopathy [163.0 mg/24 h, 24.0-436.0 mg/24 h] and those with recent onset of diabetes [39.5 mg/24 h, 24.7-81.0 mg/24 h], whereas long-duration diabetics without retinopathy [11.5 mg/24 h, 6.7-29.0 mg/24 h] and nondiabetic Pimas had similar values. Mean blood pressure and fasting plasma glucose levels were positively correlated with total protein excretion in the diabetic Pimas. Measurable quantities of only 9 of the 17 individual proteins were detected in the urine in more than 50% of all nondiabetic and diabetic subjects. They were β2- microglobulin, β2-glycoprotein I, α1-acid glycoprotein, α2 HS-glycoprotein, α1-antitrypsin, albumin, hemopexin, transferrin, and IgG. The excretions and clearances ofthese proteins were comparable in nondiabetic Pimas and Caucasians. Compared with nondiabetic Pimas, diabetics had significantly higher clearance and excretion of each of these proteins, except β2-microglobulin (mol. wt. = 11,600) and α-glycoprotein I (mol.wt. = 40,000). Long-duration diabetics with retinopathy and recent-onset diabetics both had significantly elevated clearance and excretion of the same proteins. In contrast, long-duration diabetics without retinopathy had significant increases of clearance and excretion only of hemopexin, transferrin, and IgG. The IgG/transferrin clearance ratios were not significantly different among the nondiabetic and diabetic groups. The other eight proteins were detected in the urine in measurable quantities in less than 50% of all subjects. These were prealbumin, gc-globulin, antithrombin III, plasminogen, haptoglobin, C3 activator, C4- component, and C3-component. While for statistical reasons, clearance data could not be analyzed for these proteins, a significantly higher percentage of diabetic Pimas had detectable excretion of these proteins except for C3 activator. In conclusion, diabetics, even of recent onset, have increased urinary excretion and clearance of proteins with a molecular weight greater than 40,000 compared with nondiabetics. This increased glomerular permeability appears to be nonselective for the larger proteins and can be detected shortly after the onset of diabetes. It might be predictive of the development of more severe renal disease after longer duration of diabetes.
Expertise effects in the Moses illusion: detecting contradictions with stored knowledge.

ABSTRACTPeople frequently miss contradictions with stored knowledge; for example, readers often fail to notice any problem with a reference to the Atlantic as the largest ocean. Critically, such effects occur even though participants later demonstrate knowing the Pacific is the largest ocean (the Moses Illusion) [Erickson, T. D., & Mattson, M. E. (1981). From words to meaning: A semantic illusion. Journal of Verbal Learning & Verbal Behavior, 20, 540–551]. We investigated whether such oversights disappear when erroneous references contradict information in one's expert domain, material which likely has been encountered many times and is particularly well-known. Biology and history graduate students monitored for errors while answering biology and history questions containing erroneous presuppositions (“In what US state were the forty-niners searching for oil?”). Expertise helped: participants were less susceptible to the illusion and less likely to later reproduce errors in their expert domain. However, e...
The Administrative Process: Credentialing, Privileges, and Maintenance of Certification

Many times the processes of credentialing, privileging, and maintenance of certification are confused or combined into one concept by the advanced care provider. They are three distinct processes that are interrelated. All of these processes are necessary for the advanced care practitioner to understand as they relate directly to the ability to provide care to patients in an institution or healthcare organization. Credentialing is a formal process that has both internal and external regulatory requirements for reviewing the “credentials” of an applicant for clinical appointment within an institution or practice. This process is governed by internal policy, state law, external regulation, and accreditation requirements. Privileging is an internal process used by institutions and practices to define and approve clinical activity. This process is governed by internal policy and is referenced by state law, external regulators, and accreditation agencies. Unlike credentialing, the process for privileging is completely at the discretion of the institution or practice. Maintenance of certification (MOC) is a process in which individual clinicians complete certain training, education, performance improvement, and self-assessment activities in order to keep certification from state or national certification agencies. This typically includes a formal examination of medical knowledge, patient care, ethics, and regulatory knowledge. It is crucial that clinicians have an understanding of these processes and comply with requests for information, documentation, and professional references, as well as meet any training or education requirements as indicated by the institution or practice.
Imaging comparison of tubular and colloid pancreatic adenocarcinoma arising from intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm on multidetector CT

Abstract Purpose This study aims to compare tubular pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (tPDAC) and colloid subtype pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (cPDAC) associated with intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) on computed tomography. Methods An institutional review board-approved retrospective study included patients with either IPMN tPDAC or cPDAC. Enhancing mural nodules (MN), solid component (SC), main pancreatic duct (MPD) diameter, and abrupt change in MPD caliber were evaluated. Results A total of 22 patients with cPDAC and 17 patients with tPDAC showed no significant difference in MPD size. MN and SC were seen in cPDAC/tPDAC in 55%/18% and 9%/53%, respectively. Abrupt change in MPD caliber was seen in cPDAC/tPDAC at 18%/59%. Conclusion cPDAC and tPDAC differ in the frequency of MN, SC, and changes in MPD caliber.
Uuh? No. It's livermorium!

Alpha decay into flerovium? It must be Lv, says Kat Day, as she tells us how little we know about element 116.
Insights from a refined decomposition of cloud feedbacks

Decomposing cloud feedback into components due to changes in several gross cloud properties provides valuable insights into its physical causes. Here we present a refined decomposition that separately considers changes in free tropospheric and low cloud properties, better connecting feedbacks to individual governing processes and avoiding ambiguities present in a commonly-used decomposition. It reveals that three net cloud feedback components are robustly nonzero: positive feedbacks from increasing free tropospheric cloud altitude and decreasing low cloud cover and a negative feedback from increasing low cloud optical depth. Low cloud amount feedback is the dominant contributor to spread in net cloud feedback, but its anti-correlation with other components damps overall spread. The ensemble mean free tropospheric cloud altitude feedback is roughly 60% as large as the standard cloud altitude feedback because it avoids aliasing in low cloud reductions. Implications for the “null hypothesis” climate sensitivity from well-understood and robustly-simulated feedbacks are discussed.
Admissions after discharge from an emergency department for chest symptoms

Background Often patients who present to the emergency department (ED) with chest symptoms return to the hospital within 30 days with the same or closely related symptoms and are admitted, raising questions about quality of care, timeliness of diagnosis, and patient safety. This study examined the frequency of and patient characteristics associated with subsequent inpatient admissions for related symptoms after discharge from an ED for chest symptoms. Methods We used data from the 2012 and 2013 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) State Inpatient Databases (SID) and State Emergency Department Databases (SEDD) from eight states to identify over 1.8 million ED discharges for chest symptoms. Results Approximately 3% of ED discharges experienced potentially related subsequent admissions within 30 days - 0.2% for acute myocardial infarction (AMI), 1.7% for other cardiovascular conditions, 0.5% for respiratory conditions, and 0.6% for mental disorders. Logistic regression results showed higher odds of subsequent admission for older patients and those residing in low-income areas, and lower odds for females and non White racial/ethnic groups. Privately insured patients had lower odds of subsequent admission than did those who were uninsured or covered by other programs. Conclusions Because we included multiple diagnostic categories of subsequent admissions, our results show a more complete picture of patients presenting to the ED with chest symptoms compared with previous studies. In particular, we show a lower rate of subsequent admission for AMI versus other diagnoses. ED physicians and administrators can use the results to identify characteristics associated with increased odds of subsequent admission to target at-risk populations.
"(Don’t You) Wish You Were Here?”: Narcissism, Envy and Sharing of Travel Photos through Social Media: An Extended Abstract

Consumers are increasingly relying on user-generated content on social media for their awareness and subsequent decisions regarding travel destinations (Litvin et al. 2008; O’Connor 2008; Tussyadiah and Fesenmaier 2008). This user-generated content—photos, comments, narratives, and stories—is perceived by consumers to be more trustworthy and reliable compared to traditional sources of tourism information (Akehurst 2009).
Why dual leaders will drive innovation: Resolving the exploration and exploitation dilemma with a conservation of resources solution

Summary Using conservation of resources theory, we challenge traditional unity of command models of leadership and propose that a dual-leadership framework can serve as a potential solution to the inherent challenges of innovation. Leading for innovation demands are depicted as uniquely disparate from other forms of leadership, resulting in several types of conflict and resource depletion for individual leaders. We contend that this exploration–exploitation role conflict and the resulting need to manage incongruent role identities produce stress, strain, and resource depletion that in turn hamper innovative goal achievement for both a single leader directly and via subordinates more indirectly. We propose, however, that as an extension of the resource investment tenet of the conservation of resources theory, a dual-leadership approach may alleviate many of these challenges for innovation. Specifically, the addition of a second leader can add resources to innovation and in turn decrease the role conflict inherent in managing the generation and implementation of creative ideas. Limitations and areas for future research are offered.
National Trends in Suicide Attempts Among Adults in the United States

Importance A recent increase in suicide in the United States has raised public and clinical interest in determining whether a coincident national increase in suicide attempts has occurred and in characterizing trends in suicide attempts among sociodemographic and clinical groups. Objective To describe trends in recent suicide attempts in the United States. Design, Setting, and Participants Data came from the 2004-2005 wave 2 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) and the 2012-2013 NESARC-III. These nationally representative surveys asked identical questions to 69 341 adults, 21 years and older, concerning the occurrence and timing of suicide attempts. Risk differences adjusted for age, sex, and race/ethnicity (ARDs) assessed trends from the 2004-2005 to 2012-2013 surveys in suicide attempts across sociodemographic and psychiatric disorder strata. Additive interactions tests compared the magnitude of trends in prevalence of suicide attempts across levels of sociodemographic and psychiatric disorder groups. The analyses were performed from February 8, 2017, through May 31, 2017. Main Outcomes and Measures Self-reported attempted suicide in the 3 years before the interview. Results With use of data from the 69 341 participants (42.8% men and 57.2% women; mean [SD] age, 48.1 [17.2] years), the weighted percentage of US adults making a recent suicide attempt increased from 0.62% in 2004-2005 (221 of 34 629) to 0.79% in 2012-2013 (305 of 34 712; ARD, 0.17%; 95% CI, 0.01%-0.33%; P = .04). In both surveys, most adults with recent suicide attempts were female (2004-2005, 60.17%; 2012-2013, 60.94%) and younger than 50 years (2004-2005, 84.75%; 2012-2013, 80.38%). The ARD for suicide attempts was significantly larger among adults aged 21 to 34 years (0.48%; 95% CI, 0.09% to 0.87%) than among adults 65 years and older (0.06%; 95% CI, −0.02% to 0.14%; interaction P = .04). The ARD for suicide attempts was also significantly larger among adults with no more than a high school education (0.49%; 95% CI, 0.18% to 0.80%) than among college graduates (0.03%; 95% CI, −0.17% to 0.23%; interaction P = .003); the ARD was also significantly larger among adults with antisocial personality disorder (2.16% [95% CI, 0.61% to 3.71%] vs 0.07% [95% CI, −0.09% to 0.23%]; interaction P = .01), a history of violent behavior (1.04% [95% CI, 0.35% to 1.73%] vs 0.00% [95% CI, −0.12% to 0.12%]; interaction P = .003), or a history of anxiety (1.43% [95% CI, 0.47% to 2.39%] vs 0.18% [95% CI, 0.04% to 0.32%]; interaction P = .01) or depressive (0.99% [95% CI, −0.09% to 2.07%] vs −0.08% [95% CI, −0.20% to 0.04%]; interaction P = .05) disorders than among adults without these conditions. Conclusions and Relevance A recent overall increase in suicide attempts among adults in the United States has disproportionately affected younger adults with less formal education and those with antisocial personality disorder, anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, and a history of violence.
Effect of hand hygiene on infectious diseases in the office workplace: A systematic review.

Background Extensive data suggests that hand hygiene is a critical intervention for reducing infectious disease transmission in the clinical setting. However, it is unclear whether hand hygiene is effective at cutting down on infectious illnesses in non-clinical workplaces. The aim of this review is to assess the current literature concerning the effects of hand-washing interventions on infectious disease prevention among employees in nonclinical, office-based workplaces. Methods In compiling this review, PubMed, Scopus, and Business Source Premier were examined for studies published from 1960 through 2016. Results Eleven studies (eight experimental, two observational, one a simulation) were identified as eligible for inclusion. Hand-hygiene interventions at various levels of rigor were shown to reduce self-reported illness symptoms. Conclusions Hand hygiene is thought to be more effective against gastrointestinal illness than it is against respiratory illness, but no clear consensus has been reached on this point. Minimal hand-hygiene interventions seem to be effective at reducing the incidence of employee illness. Along with reducing infections among employees, hand-hygiene programs in the workplace may provide additional benefits to employers by reducing the number of employee health insurance claims and improving employee morale. Future research should use objective measures of hand hygiene and illness, and explore economic impacts on employers more fully.
Bringing the Market Inside

During the dot-com boom, many people saw the potential for new communication technologies to enable radically new business models, but they were far too optimistic about the speed with which the revolution would occur. Now, as the bitter disillusionment of the dot-com bust begins to fade, we have a chance to think again--this time more rationally--about how best to take advantage of the remarkable changes these new technologies are gradually making possible. One such change is the ability to create markets inside companies, allowing decision making to be decentralized and introducing some of the efficiency, flexibility, and motivating influence of free markets. In this article, the author examines this nascent form of business organization, exploring the benefits as well as the potential risks. BP, for example, met its goal of reducing the company's greenhouse gas emissions nine years ahead of schedule, not by setting and enforcing targets for each division but by allowing business unit heads to buy and sell emissions permits among themselves using an electronic trading system. And Hewlett-Packard recently experimented with a system that allowed employees to buy and sell predictions about likely printer sales, using a kind of futures contract. The markets ended up predicting the actual printer sales with much more accuracy than official HP forecasts. At a fundamental level, these changes are enabled by the fact that electronic technologies allow information to be widely shared at little cost. This simple fact has a profound implication for organizing businesses. When more people have more information, they can use it to make their own well-informed decisions, appropriate to local circumstances, instead of following orders from above. As a result, even very large companies can benefit from the collective wisdom of their employees.
Future Research on Ancient Theories of Communication and Reasoning

In Die Meistersinger one finds some advice which to some extent expresses the general attitude of this symposium. It reads as follows: “If you by rules would measure what doth not with your rules agree, forgetting all your learning, seek ye first what its rules may be”. It is interesting to reflect on some possible explanations of why it is now possible for us to ‘forget all our learning’ and seek ‘the rules that the ancients had purposed’. Perhaps the most relevant fact is that we now possess a framework rich enough to encompass and categorize many diverse theories of language and reasoning. In the second place, as a result of what must have appeared as 75 years of game-playing, we now have, in reasonably developed form, literally hundreds of possible abstract languages and logics. Consequently, we can now afford to look with an unjaundiced and objective eye at the writings of the ancients. The danger of forcing an ancient theory into a procrustean bed is considerably diminished.
Hepatitis B Treatment: What We Know Now and What Remains to Be Researched

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a major global health burden. Currently, two types of treatment, interferons (IFNs) and nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs), have been approved. These treatments are effective in suppressing HBV replication and in decreasing the risk of developing cirrhosis, liver failure, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and death. However, these treatments do not eliminate the virus, and the risk of HCC remains. This review article summarizes current knowledge about the safety, efficacy, and clinical indications of hepatitis B treatment. It also discusses limitations of existing treatment, gaps in knowledge, and feasibility of a hepatitis B cure.
Erratum to: Repeat Abortions in New York City, 2010.

Erratum to: J Urban Health DOI 10.1007/s11524-015-9946-3 Please note that the authors for this article are: Amita Toprani1,2, Betsy L. Cadwell3, Wenhui Li1, Judith Sackoff1, Carolyn Greene1, and Elizabeth Begier1. Author affiliations: 1. New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York, NY, USA 2. Epidemic Intelligence Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA 3. Scientific Education and Professional Development Program Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
Evaluating integrin activation with time-resolved flow cytometry.

Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) continues to be a useful tool to study movement and interaction between proteins within living cells. When FRET as an optical technique is measured with flow cytometry, conformational changes of proteins can be rapidly measured cell-by-cell for the benefit of screening and profiling. We exploit FRET to study the extent of activation of α4β1 integrin dimers expressed on the surface of leukocytes. The stalk-like transmembrane heterodimers when not active lay bent and upon activation extend outward. Integrin extension is determined by changes in the distance of closest approach between an FRET donor and acceptor, bound at the integrin head and cell membrane, respectively. Time-resolved flow cytometry analysis revealed donor emission increases up to 17%, fluorescence lifetime shifts over 1.0 ns during activation, and FRET efficiencies of 37% and 26% corresponding to the inactive and active integrin state, respectively. Last, a graphical phasor analysis, including population clustering, gating, and formation of an FRET trajectory, added precision to a comparative analysis of populations undergoing FRET, partial donor recovery, and complete donor recovery. This work establishes a quantitative cytometric approach for profiling fluorescence donor decay kinetics during integrin conformational changes on a single-cell level.
The VASP–profilin1 (Pfn1) interaction is critical for efficient cell migration and is regulated by cell–substrate adhesion in a PKA-dependent manner

Dynamic regulation of the actin cytoskeleton is an essential feature of cell motility. Action of Enabled (Ena)/vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP), a family of conserved actin-elongating proteins, is an important aspect of regulation of the actin cytoskeletal architecture at the leading edge that controls membrane protrusion and cell motility. In this study, we performed mutagenesis experiments in overexpression and knockdown-rescue settings to provide, for the first time, direct evidence of the role of the actin-binding protein profilin1 (Pfn1) in VASP-mediated regulation of cell motility. We found that VASP's interaction with Pfn1 is promoted by cell-substrate adhesion and requires down-regulation of PKA activity. Our experimental data further suggest that PKA-mediated Ser137 phosphorylation of Pfn1 potentially negatively regulates the Pfn1-VASP interaction. Finally, Pfn1's ability to be phosphorylated on Ser137 was partly responsible for the anti-migratory action elicited by exposing cells to a cAMP/PKA agonist. On the basis of these findings, we propose a mechanism of adhesion-protrusion coupling in cell motility that involves dynamic regulation of Pfn1 by PKA activity.
Using Strategic Pauses during Shared Reading with Preschoolers: Time for Prediction Is Better than Time for Reflection When Learning New Words.

Preschoolers can learn vocabulary through shared book reading, especially when given the opportunity to predict and/or reflect on the novel words encountered in the story. Readers often pause and e...
Season Long Pest Management Efficacy and Spray Characteristics of a Solid Set Canopy Delivery System in High Density Apples

Solid set canopy delivery systems (SSCDS) are a novel foliar agrochemical delivery system designed as an alternative for airblast sprayers in high density fruit production. This study tested the pest management potential, coverage, and chemical deposition of an SSCDS using commercially available microsprinkler components over the course of a growing season. Spray coverage and deposition for a representative airblast sprayer and SSCDS were evaluated using water sensitive paper and tartrazine dye, respectively. Foliar sprays for pest suppression were applied through both systems, and damage assessments were taken at the midpoint and end of the growing season. SSCDS sprays demonstrated similar levels of coverage on the adaxial leaf surface as airblast sprays, but significantly lower coverage on the abaxial surface. However, mean levels of foliar chemical deposition was generally higher in the SSCDS. Evaluations found minimal arthropod and fungal damage in both airblast and SSCDS treated plots compared to untreated trees. The SSCDS was shown to be a viable alternative to the airblast, with inherent advantages such as rapid application time and improved worker safety. Furthermore, higher deposition on SSCDS treated foliage supports the hypothesis that SSCDS provide a higher droplet capture rate in the canopy, with less off-target loss and drift than airblast sprayers.
Repigmentation of gray hairs with lentigo maligna and response to topical imiquimod.

Lentigo maligna is a clinical subtype of melanoma that occurs on sun-damaged skin, often grows slowly, and can become quite extensive if left untreated. If biopsy specimens of these tumors do not reveal sufficient melanocytic cell density, they may not be directly identified as malignant, which may also potentially delay treatment. Lentigo maligna tumors have occasionally been noted to have the capacity to invade and repigment gray hairs.1 This phenomenon does suggest it may one day be possible to repigment hair with normal melanocytic cells. Although surgery is the standard of care for treatment of lentigo maligna, for large tumors this can lead to substantial morbidity and may not be appropriate for some patients. A second-line alternative is imiquimod. Current United States Food and Drug Administration approvals for imiquimod 5% cream include treatment of warts, actinic keratosis, and superficial basal cell carcinoma. Off-label use for lentigo maligna has historically been deemed only acceptable as adjuvant therapy, with studies citing recurrence in 25% to 47% of patients.2,3 Recent meta-analyses suggest an approximately 77% histologic and 78% clinical clearance rate, with treatment intensity and dose affecting ultimate results.4 We present the case of an 86-year-old man with an extensive lentigo maligna and hair repigmentation on the scalp, which was successfully treated with topical imiquimod.
PET imaging of neurotransmission using direct parametric reconstruction

Abstract Receptor ligand-based dynamic Positron Emission Tomography (PET) permits the measurement of neurotransmitter release in the human brain. For single-scan paradigms, the conventional method of estimating changes in neurotransmitter levels relies on fitting a pharmacokinetic model to activity concentration histories extracted after PET image reconstruction. However, due to the statistical fluctuations of activity concentration data at the voxel scale, parametric images computed using this approach often exhibit low signal-to-noise ratio, impeding characterization of neurotransmitter release. Numerous studies have shown that direct parametric reconstruction (DPR) approaches, which combine image reconstruction and kinetic analysis in a unified framework, can improve the signal-to-noise ratio of parametric mapping. However, there is little experience with DPR in imaging of neurotransmission and the performance of the approach in this application has not been evaluated before in humans. In this report, we present and evaluate a DPR methodology that computes 3-D distributions of ligand transport, binding potential (BPND) and neurotransmitter release magnitude (γ) from a dynamic sequence of PET sinograms. The technique employs the linear simplified reference region model (LSRRM) of Alpert et al. (2003), which represents an extension of the simplified reference region model that incorporates time-varying binding parameters due to radioligand displacement by release of neurotransmitter. Estimation of parametric images is performed by gradient-based optimization of a Poisson log-likelihood function incorporating LSRRM kinetics and accounting for the effects of head movement, attenuation, detector sensitivity, random and scattered coincidences. A 11C-raclopride simulation study showed that the proposed approach substantially reduces the bias and variance of voxel-wise γ estimates as compared to standard methods. Moreover, simulations showed that detection of release could be made more reliable and/or conducted using a smaller sample size using the proposed DPR estimator. Likewise, images of BPND computed using DPR had substantially improved bias and variance properties. Application of the method in human subjects was demonstrated using 11C-raclopride dynamic scans and a reward task, confirming the improved quality of the estimated parametric images using the proposed approach.
Concurrent heart rate validity of wearable technology devices during trail running

Validation of heart rate responses in wearable technology devices is generally composed of laboratory-based protocols that are steady state in nature and as a result, high accuracy measures are returned. However, there is a need to understand device validity in applied settings that include varied intensities of exercise. The purpose was to determine concurrent heart rate validity during trail running. Twenty-one healthy participants volunteered (female n = 10, [mean (SD)]: age = 31 [11] years, height = 173.0 [7] cm, mass = 75.6 [13] kg). Participants were outfitted with wearable technology devices (Garmin Fenix 5 wristwatch, Jabra Elite Sport earbuds, Motiv ring, Scosche Rhythm+ forearm band, Suunto Spartan Sport watch with accompanying chest strap) and completed a self-paced 3.22 km trail run while concurrently wearing a criterion heart rate strap (Polar H7 heart rate monitor). The trail runs were out-and-back with the first 1.61 km in an uphill direction, and the 1.61 return being downhill in nature. Validity was determined through three methods: Mean Absolute Percent Error (MAPE), Bland-Altman Limits of Agreement (LOA), and Lin's Concordance Coefficient (rC). Validity measures overall are as follows: Garmin Fenix 5 (MAPE = 13%, LOA = -32 to 162, rC = 0.32), Jabra Elite Sport (MAPE = 23%, LOA = -464 to 503, rC = 0.38), Motiv ring (MAPE = 16%, LOA = -52 to 96, rC = 0.29), Scosche Rhythm+ (MAPE = 6%, LOA = -114 to 120, rC = 0.79), Suunto Spartan Sport (MAPE = 2%, LOA = -62 to 61, rC = 0.96). All photoplethysmography-based (PPG) devices displayed poor heart rate agreement during variable intensity trail running. Until technological advances occur in PPG-based devices allowing for acceptable agreement, heart rate in outdoor environments should be obtained using an ECG-based chest strap that can be connected to a wristwatch or other comparable receiver.
Leading From Darkness to Light: Understanding Chronic Disease and Coronavirus: An Integrative Perspective

Disease is defined as complex interaction of 3 things: disease-causing agent, host and environment The government, CDC and hospital administrations have had reasonable success with the effects of social distancing and coronavirus testing;kudos to them That addresses 1 of the 3 main factors of a disease;i e disease -causing agent However, there are 2 other ingredients in the complex of a disease;i e the host of the disease and finally the environment of the disease We are the hosts and it is time we take ownership of this ourselves and join the effort with the government towards understanding the dysregulated immune response seen in severe covid-19 and enable the public in strengthening the inner environment and the host immune response Social distancing can be complete only when the host is prepared to fight the war in the coming fall and winter seasons The outer environment seems to spontaneously recharging itself as a consequence of social distancing
Seeing as We Cannot

The belief that Jastrow’s duck-rabbit (J) is both a duck-head and a rabbit-head drawing violates the Law of Non-Contradiction (LNC), as does the belief that J seems to be something independent of all the ways J can seem. Call the former belief B1 and the latter B2. I argue that B1 and B2 are rational, though contradictory beliefs, and conclude that we must reassess the LNC’s status of being a fundamental requirement for rationality. In contrast with B1 and B2, our experiences that correspond to said beliefs do comply with the LNC. That is: we cannot see J as both duck and rabbit at the same time (E1), nor does J seem something independent of the ways J can seem (E2). Since there is no satisfactory explanation for why we are not able to see J as the contradictions E1 or E2―even though our corresponding beliefs about J are the contradictions B1 and B2―I propose that the LNC is merely an empirical hypothesis concerning the limits of our perception.
Axial Width of Patellar Tendon Beyond Lateral Trochlear Ridge: A Novel Measurement of Patellofemoral Instability

PURPOSE: We sought to develop a new MRI-based measurement to assess the relationship of the extensor mechanism to the trochlear groove in patellar instability. METHODS: After obtaining approval from our institutional review board, we queried radiology records for patients from 2005-2014 who carried a diagnosis of a patellofemoral dislocation and had a knee MRI. Over the same time period, we also identified a control group of patients who had a knee MRI but did not have a patellofemoral dislocation. Patients were excluded based on: poor quality MRI imaging, 18 years …
Molecular Lignin Solubility and Structure in Organic Solvents

Lignin, a polymer found in the secondary plant cell wall of terrestrial plants, is the single largest source of renewable aromatics and has attracted considerable attention as a feedstock for poten...
Examining the associations of sexual minority stressors and past-year depression with overeating and binge eating in a diverse community sample of sexual minority women

Abstract Sexual minority stressors (e.g., stigma consciousness, internalized homophobia, discrimination) are posited to contribute to higher prevalence of overeating and binge eating among sexual minority women (SMW) relative to heterosexual women. Few studies have examined psychosocial mediators of the associations of minority stressors with overeating and binge eating in SMW. Using data from a diverse, community-based sample of SMW, we examined these associations, including the potential mediating effects of past-year depression. We also conducted exploratory analyses to determine if the associations of sexual minority stressors with overeating and binge eating differed by sexual identity or by race and ethnicity. The sample included 607 SMW (38.2% White, 37.1% African American, 24.7% Latina) with a mean age of 39.7 years. Approximately 17% and 9% of SMW reported overeating and binge eating, respectively, in the past 3 months. Greater stigma consciousness was associated with higher odds of overeating (AOR 1.31, 95% CI = 1.03–1.66). We found no significant associations between minority stressors and binge eating. Past-year depression did not mediate associations between minority stressors and overeating or binge eating. Although we found no sexual identity differences, stigma consciousness among Latina SMW was associated with higher odds of overeating relative to White SMW (AOR 1.95, 95% CI = 1.21–3.12) and African American SMW (AOR 1.99, 95% CI = 1.19–3.31). Findings highlight the importance of screening SMW for stigma consciousness as a correlate of overeating and considering racial and ethnic differences in overeating and binge eating in this population.
A haemodynamic conundrum: a case report of a patient with concurrent pulmonary arterial hypertension and hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy.

Background The co-existence of hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is extremely rare and poses a management conundrum. This is the first case report in the published literature to describe the diagnosis and management of a patient with both conditions. Case summary A 49-year-old female with a history of HOCM and recently diagnosed scleroderma presented to the clinic with progressive dyspnoea. Transthoracic echocardiogram demonstrated left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction at rest, and elevated pulmonary artery (PA) pressure. Cardiac catheterization (CC) demonstrated an LVOT gradient of 150 mmHg, PA pressure of 88/32 mmHg, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) 12 mmHg, pulmonary vascular resistance 14.8 Wu, and a cardiac index of 1.6 L/min/m2. The differential diagnosis for the dyspnoea included combined pre- and post-capillary pulmonary hypertension from longstanding HOCM vs. scleroderma associated PAH. Tadalafil was added to the patient's medical regimen of metoprolol but it was stopped because the patient developed pulmonary oedema. Alcohol septal ablation was undertaken with improvement in the LVOT gradient, but only a modest improvement in her dyspnoea. Repeat CC demonstrated worsening PAH. Vasodilatory testing with nitric oxide led to an improvement in the PA pressure with minimal increase of the PCWP. Hence, she was started on treprostinil and macitentan, with significant improvement in her dyspnoea on follow-up. Conclusion In patients with concurrent HOCM and advanced PAH, a multidisciplinary treatment approach is needed to rapidly and safely optimize the background of HOCM in order to permit the use of PAH-specific medications.
Endothelin and Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome

In Reply.— Yasutomo is correct. We were careful to point out that endothelin is produced not only by endothehial cells, but also by cultured rat mesangial cells and porcine renal epithelial cells, and that its elevation in the urine of children with the hemolytic uremic syndrome may only be a marker of renal injury. Showing that elevated urine levels are limited to hemolytic uremic syndrome would certainly strengthen (but not prove) the argument that it plays a role in the pathogenesis of the acute renal failure of the syndrome.
Experiences with Flow-Induced Vibration

Difficulties encountered in U. S. Bureau of Reclamation structures because of flow-induced vibrations show that similar problems can occur elsewhere and that measures can be taken to avoid or control them. Vibrations interfered with operation and caused structural damage in several radial gates in canals because of control shifting front the flexible bottom seals to the backing plates and back again. It was eliminated by redesigning the seals to produce a positive spring point. In Parker Dam Powerplant, turbine runner blade vibration was induced by vortex trails in the flow behind the blades. Tapering the trailing edge of the blades changed the frequency of vortex shedding and eliminated resonance. At Grand Coulee Pumping Plant vibration in steel discharge lines was reduced by modifying the pumps to lower the magnitude of periodic impulses, and by stiffening the pipeline to avoid resonance. Low frequency vibration or surging in the Coachella Pipeline Distribution System was reduced by changing the natural periods of sections to avoid resonance, reducing the number of sections, and providing a snubbing action. Fluttering in overfalling nappes was eliminated by splitting the jets so full aeration occurred under the nappes.
The electronic spectra of mu-peroxodicobalt(III) complexes

Problems found in the determination of the electronic spectra of mu-peroxodicobalt(III) complexes are considered, and the common formation of different mu-peroxocomplexes upon oxygenation of Co(II)-ligand solutions is discussed. Three classes of spectra have been identified: (1) planar single bridged complexes; (2) nonplanar single-bridged complexes with a dihedral angle near 145 deg; and (3) dibridged mu-OH(-),O2(2-) complexes with a dihedral angle near 60 deg. All of the peroxide ligand-to-metal charge-transfer spectra are found to be consistent with a simple model that assumes a sinusoidal dependence of pi-asterisk O2(2-) energies and sigma-overlaps upon the dihedral angle.
Growth of Human Mast Cells From Bone Marrow and Peripheral Blood-Derived CD34+ Pluripotent Progenitor Cells

Human mast cells (HMCs) are derived from a CD34+ pluripotent progenitor cell that is Kit (CD117+), CD13+, Fc epsilonRI- and lacks lineage-specific surface markers. Bone marrow and peripheral blood are two tissue sources available for obtaining CD34+ progenitor cells from which to culture HMCs. CD34+ cells can be isolated and enriched by magnetic separation columns and stored under specific conditions until ready for use. Alternatively, enriched CD34+ cells may be immediately cultured in serum-free culture media containing recombinant human stem cell factor (rhSCF), rhIL-6, and rhIL-3 (first week only). Weekly hemidepletions and the removal of adherent cells and/or debris enables the investigator to obtain HMC cultures, identified by Wright-Giemsa and acidic toluidine blue stains, by 8-10 wk.
Music in Brazil

Reviewed Medium: book Authors: John P. Murphy Year: 2006 Pages: 176 Publisher: Oxford University Press ISBN: 0-19-516683-3 (hard cover). Prices: $36.00 USD(hard cover).
A review of developmental and reproductive toxicity of CS2 and H2 S generated by the pesticide sodium tetrathiocarbonate.

BACKGROUND Sodium tetrathiocarbonate (STTC) is an example of a pesticide that when prepared for use in aqueous solution releases two toxic products carbon disulfide (CS2) (active ingredient) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in ambient air in equimolar concentrations resulting in potential exposure to workers and bystanders. CS2 and H2S are pollutants that are generated from several pesticides as well as in industrial settings. METHODS Registrant submitted reports and open literature studies for STTC, CS2 and H2S were reviewed. Previous reports suggest that CS2 was a concern as a developmental and reproductive toxicant. H2S was also examined since it is a neurotoxicant and potentially harmful to developing fetuses. RESULTS STTC did not induce developmental or reproductive effects in animal studies. CS2 was a developmental neurobehavioral toxin in rat pups (inhalation no observed effect level [NOEL] = 0.01ppm). Reproductive effects occurred in male and female factory workers after CS2 exposure (NOEL = 1ppm). H2S had developmental effects in rats at doses at or above those observed for nasal pathology (NOEL = 10ppm) but was not a reproductive or developmental toxin in humans. CONCLUSIONS The database for CS2 indicates a strong potential for developmental neurotoxicity in animals at low doses but it is lacking in acceptable, well-performed studies. There is also a lack of studies performed with CS2 and H2S as a mixture.