cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Long-term Survival after Resection of HER2+ Infiltrating Ductal Carcinoma Metastasis to the Brainstem

The central nervous system is a common site of metastatic spread from neoplasms in distant organs, including breast, bone, and lung. The decision to surgically treat these metastatic lesions is often challenging, especially in the setting of systemic disease or when eloquent brain regions are involved. Treating metastatic disease in the brainstem can be technically difficult, and in many institutions, considered a contraindication to surgical intervention, given the relatively high risk of new postoperative neurological deficits. Herein, we report a case of metastatic ductal carcinoma of the breast with spread to the pontine-medullary junction that was treated with aggressive surgical resection and chronic hormonal therapy. After surgical excision of the brainstem lesion, the patient remained asymptomatic and was maintained on trastuzumab therapy over a 10-year follow-up period, with no radiographic or clinical evidence of recurrent disease. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a patient treated for a solitary metastasis to the brainstem with long-term survival.
Parameter Identification of a Nonlinear Beam Energy Harvester

This paper describes the application of the harmonic balance parameter identification method to beam energy harvesters. The method is applied to weakly nonlinear and nonlinear, bistable fixed-free piezoelectric beams with tip masses. It is shown that only one measurement is required to identify parameters even though the systems are continuous. In addition, an experimental method of determining the number of restoring force coefficients required to accurately model the systems is presented. The harmonic balance parameter identification method is extended to account for multiple concurrent frequencies in order to identify parameters of weakly nonlinear systems. Finally, parameters are identified for two experimental energy harvesters. Good agreement is shown between the experimental data and the identified parameters using simulations and closed form solutions.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Kidney enzymes of gluconeogenesis, glycogenesis, glycolysis and direct oxidation.

SummaryThe present work described the cellularity, nitrogen content and kidney enzymes involved in gluconeogenesis, glucose production, glycogenesis, glycolysis and direct oxidative pathway in kidney cortex. The results were compared with values found in the liver. The kidney contained 50% more cells per unit weight; however, the average kidney cell contained only about half the nitrogen content found in the liver cell. These studies demonstrated that the enzyme systems involved in glycolysis and gluconeogenesis, phosphohexose isomerase, lactic dehydrogenase, glucose-6-phosphatase and fructose-1,6-diphosphatase, are present in the kidney cortex at relatively high levels. On the other hand, the low activities for kidney phosphoglucomutase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and 6-phos-phogluconate dehydrogenase suggest that this tissue has poor glycogenic and direct oxidative pathways in comparison with the metabolic pathways of the liver. This investigation revealed a distinct carbohydrate enzyme pattern i...
Vitamin E enhances in vitro immune response by normal and nonadherent spleen cells.

SummaryAntibody production by normal mouse spleen cells in vitro requires the presence of both adherent and nonadherent cell populations. The data presented here demonstrate that by the addition of alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E) to the medium nonadherent spleen cells can be stimulated to respond to sheep red blood cells in the relative absence of adherent cells. In addition, alpha-tocopherol will enhance in vitro immune responses by populations of spleen cells containing both adherent and nonadherent cells.
Chemical Pressure Schemes for the Prediction of Soft Phonon Modes: A Chemist’s Guide to the Vibrations of Solid State Materials

The vibrational modes of inorganic materials play a central role in determining their properties, as is illustrated by the importance of phonon–electron coupling in superconductivity, phonon scattering in thermoelectric materials, and soft phonon modes in structural phase transitions. However, the prediction and control of these vibrations requires an understanding of how crystal structure and the stiffness of interatomic interactions are related. For compounds whose relationships between bonding and structure remain unclear, the elucidation of such structure–property relationships is immensely challenging. In this Article, we demonstrate how the Chemical Pressure (CP) approach can be used to draw visual and intuitive schemes relating the structure and vibrational properties of a solid state compound using the output of DFT calculations. We begin by illustrating how phonon band structures can validate the DFT-CP approach. For some intermetallic crystal structures, such as the Laves phases, the details of ...
Quaternary extension in the Rio Grande rift at elevated strain rates recorded in travertine deposits, central New Mexico

Calcite-filled extension veins and shear fractures are preserved in numerous travertine deposits along the western margin of the Albuquerque Basin of the Rio Grande rift. Calcite veins are banded and show geometries suggesting incremental cracking and calcite precipitation. U-series and 234U model ages from calcite infillings indicate that vein formation was active in the Quaternary, from ca. 2 Ma to ca. 250 ka. Vein orientations are systematic within each deposit and record a dominant extension direction that was horizontal and varied from E-W to NW-SE, consistent with both the regional finite extensional strain in the rift and with the global positioning system (GPS)–constrained deformation field. Three sites contain three orthogonal vein sets that crosscut one another nonsystematically, suggesting alternating times of: (1) regional E-W horizontal extension (dominant), (2) alternating N-S and E-W vertical veins that suggest vertical s1 and s2 » s3, and (3) horizontal veins that are interpreted to reflect times of highest pore fluid pressures and subequal principal stresses. One site contains conjugate normal faults that also record the dominant E-W extensional tectonic stress. Quaternary extensional strain rates calculated from vein opening for three locations range from 3.2 ± 1.4 × 10–16 s–1 to 3.2 × 10-15 ± 2.7 × 10–16 s–1, which are up to ∼40 times higher than the long-term (Oligocene–Holocene) finite strain rates calculated for different basins of the Rio Grande rift (8.5 × 10–17 to 4.5 × 10–16 s–1), and up to ∼100 times higher than modern strain rates measured by GPS data (3.9 × 10-17 ± 6.3 × 10–18 to 4.4 × 10-17 ± 6.3 × 10–18 s–1). These high Quaternary rates are comparable to modern strain rates measured in the Basin and Range Province and East African Rift. Thus, this paper documents persistent E-W regional extension through the Quaternary in the Rio Grande rift that bridges geologic, paleoseismic, and GPS rates. Anomalously high strain rates in the Quaternary were facilitated by ascent of travertine-depositing CO2-rich waters along rift-bounding normal faults, leading to locally very high stain accumulations. These sites also provide examples of natural leakage of deeply sourced CO2 interacting with regional tectonism, and they emphasize that rift maturation is a highly dynamic process, both spatially and temporally.
POPULATION STRUCTURE AND ESTIMATES OF GENE FLOW IN THE HOMOSPOROUS FERN POLYSTICHUM MUNITUM.

Levels and distribution of genetic variation were investigated in the homosporous fern, Polystichum munitum. Homosporous ferns differ from higher vascular plants in that they possess potentially bisexual gametophytes which can produce a completely homozygous sporophyte in a single generation. Because of this, it has long been maintained that ferns possess an inbreeding mating system, resulting in low levels of genetic variation and high levels of homozygosity within populations. The four populations sampled maintain high levels of genetic variation (P = 0.542; H = 0.111; Ā = 2.23), comparable to that maintained by populations of outcrossing seed plants. The mean fixation index, F, for the four populations was 0.052, indicating no significant deviations from Hardy-Weinberg genotypic expectations. Polystichum munitum distributes most of its genetic variation within rather than among populations. Population-genetic structure was assessed by subdividing each of two large populations into 10 × 10-m subpopulations. Comparisons of genetic variation within and among subpopulations indicated little genetic substructure within either of the artificially subdivided populations. Estimates of interpopulational gene flow (Nm) are extremely high, comparable to those reported for gymnosperms. Statistical estimates of intragametophytic selling are very low, ranging from 0 to 3%. This study suggests that Polystichum munitum is an outcrossing species. Evidence from this and other investigations indicates that fern species do not typically self-fertilize and that mating systems in ferns vary as they do among species of seed plants.
Characteristics of Fault Structure and Its Control on Deep Gas Reservoir in Xujiaweizi Fault Depression,Songliao Basin

the characteristics of development and activity of fault in the Xujiaweizi fault depression,Songliao Basin,were analyzed. The control of fault on deep gas reservoir was investigated. Five cases of fault system were developed in the Xujiaweizi fault depression,including the western Xujiaweizi early extensional strike-slip fault system,central Xujiaweizi strike-slip long-term active fault system,eastern Xujiaweizi strike-slip fault system,early extensional and later tenso-shear long-term active fault system,later tenso-shear fault system. Fault activity periods are fault depression period,from K1q deposition to later stage——K1qn deposition period. The Xuxi early extensional strike-slip fault system control the distribution of K1sh source rock,the Xuzhong and Xudong strike-slip fault system control the distribution of K1yc1 and K1yc3volcanic,later-term activity fault was well vertical pathway of gas vertical migration. Fault destructiveness to K1d2 region cap-rock is poor,gas mainly accumulate k1yc formation in Xujiaweizi fault depression,the relationship of lithological juxtaposition was volcanic—sand shale,the fault was lateral seal,the relationship of lithological juxtaposition was volcanic—volcanic,the fault was not lateral seal,later structural reverse was poor,the damage degree of hydrocarbon by fault was poor,it was better to hydrocarbon conserve.
An analysis of the clinical effect of kangfu anti-inflammatory suppository combined with broad-spectrum antibiotics in the treatment of pelvic inflammation

Objective To explore the curative effect of Kangfu anti-inflammatory suppository combined with broad-spectrum antibiotics in the treatment of pelvic inflammation. Methods Basic data of 86 patients with pelvic inflammation who were admitted to our hospital from April 2011 to April 2012 were analyzed retrospectively.The patients were randomly assigned to a control group(43 patients) and an observation group(43 patients) based on a random number table.The control group was given ornidazole and ofloxacin for the treatment,while the observation group was further given the Kangfu anti-inflammatory suppository based on the regimen of the control group. The criteria of curative effect were established and the clinical effects between the two groups were evaluated. Results Total effective rate in the observation group was 93.02%, while that in the control group was 69.77%. The total effective rate in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group(P 0.05), and the difference was statistically significant. Conclusion The Kangfu anti-inflammatory suppository combined with broad-spectrum antibiotics shows a significant clinical effect against pelvic inflammation. The regimen is efficient, its medication is simple, convenient and easy to operate, and patients' compliance is good.The regimen improves patients' life quality and is worthy of clinical promotion and application.
Effects of Antiresorptive Therapy on Bone Microarchitecture

Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is widely used to measure bone mineral density (BMD) for both clinical and research use. While DXA is well validated as a predictor of fracture, density is only one determinant of bone quality. Other potential major contributors to fracture risk reduction include bone morphology, bone microarchitecture, and the intrinsic physical properties of bone tissue. This chapter focuses on the effect of antiresorptive therapy on bone microarchitecture as assessed by (1) traditional two-dimensional histomorphometry of iliac crest bone biopsies and three-dimensional ex vivo micro-CT of biopsies and (2) imaging methods including high-resolution peripheral quantitative CT (HR-pQCT) that assess bone microarchitecture in vivo. Studies show that trabecular microarchitecture is generally preserved or improved with antiresorptive treatment as assessed by histomorphometry and micro-CT of iliac crest biopsies. However, trabecular microarchitectural changes as assessed by HR-pQCT are generally not detected, possibly due to limited imaging resolution and modest reproducibility for trabecular microarchitecture measurements. Cortical microarchitecture is generally preserved or improved as assessed by both iliac crest bone biopsy histomorphometry with micro-CT and by HR-pQCT of the distal radius and distal tibia. These studies highlight the important positive effects of antiresorptive treatment on trabecular and cortical microarchitecture at axial and peripheral sites.
Cortical hyperexcitability in patients with C9ORF72 mutations: Relationship to phenotype.

Introduction Patients with mutations in C9orf72 can have amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), frontotemporal dementia (FTD), or ALS-FTD. The goals were to establish whether cortical hyperexcitability occurs in C9orf72 patients with different clinical presentations. Methods Cortical thresholds and silent periods were measured in thenar muscles in 19 participants with C9orf72 expansions and 21 healthy controls using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). El Escorial and Rascovsky criteria were used to diagnose ALS and FTD. Fourteen participants with C9orf72 expansions were re-tested 6 months later. Correlations with finger-tapping speed, timed peg test, the ALS functional rating scale, and Dementia Rating Scale were examined. Results Most participants with C9orf72 expansions had normal or low cortical thresholds. Among them, ALS patients had the lowest thresholds and significantly shorter silent periods. Thresholds correlated with timed peg-test scores. TMS did not correlate with the Dementia Rating Scale. Conclusions TMS measures of cortical excitability may serve as noninvasive biomarkers of ALS disease activity. Muscle Nerve, 2016 Muscle Nerve 54: 264-269, 2016.
Fluctuation–dissipation relations

In any physical system the dependence of the fluctuations' correlation function on time or, equivalently, the frequency dependence of the spectral density, on one hand, and the response of the same system to external perturbation, on the other hand, are governed by the same kinetic processes, and one can expect that there is some relationship between the two kinetic characteristics of the system. For example, the velocity correlation function of a Brownian particle t ψ(t1 – t2) decays exponentially with t 1– t 2 (Sec. 1.9). The corresponding relaxation time τ depends on the viscosity of the liquid, on the mass and linear dimensions of the particle. If the Brownian particle is brought into motion by an external perturbation (e.g., by an electric field if the particle is charged) the particle's stationary velocity and the time of its acceleration and deceleration after switching off the force are determined by the same parameters and, consequently, by the same relaxation time τ. Such qualitative considerations are usually true for any physical system. However, for equilibrium systems an exact relationship holds between the spectral density of fluctuations at any given frequency f and that part of the linear response of the same system to an external perturbation of the same frequency f , which corresponds to the dissipation of the power of the perturbation. This fundamental relation is called the fluctuation–dissipation relation (FDR), or theorem (FDT).
Delivering Parallel Programmability to the Masses via the Intel MIC Ecosystem: A Case Study

Moore's Law effectively doubles the compute power of a microprocessor every 24 months. Over the past decade, however, this doubling in performance has been due to the doubling of the number of cores in a microprocessor rather than clock speed increases. Perhaps nowhere is this more evident than with the Intel Xeon Phi coprocessor. This many core architecture exhibits not only massive inter-core parallelism but also intra-core parallelism via a wider SIMD width. However, for data-intensive applications, the bandwidth constraint of MIChinders the full utilization of computational resources, especiallywhen massive parallelism is required to process big data sets. Furthermore, the process of optimizing the performance on suchplatforms is complex and requires architectural expertise. To evaluate the efficacy of the Intel MIC ecosystem for "big data" applications, we use the Floyd-Warshall algorithmas a representative case study for graph applications. Ourstudy offers evidence that traditional compiler optimizations candeliver parallel programmability to the masses on the Intel XeonPhi platform. That is, developers can straightforwardly createmanycore codes in the Intel Xeon Phi ecosystem that deliversignificant speedup. The optimizations include reordering data-access patterns, adjusting loop structures, vectorizing branches, and using OpenMP directives. We start from the default serialalgorithm and apply the above optimizations one by one. Overall, we achieve a 281.7-fold speedup over the default serial version. When compared with the default OpenMP Floyd-Warshall parallel implementation, we still achieve a 6.4-fold speedup. We also observe that the identically optimized code on MIC can outperform its CPU counterpart by up to 3.2-fold.
Abstract P171: Etiologies of Syncope in 325 Consecutive Patients Hospitalized for Syncope

Purpose: To investigate the etiologies of syncope in patients hospitalized for syncope. Methods: We investigated the etiologies of syncope in 325 consecutive patients, mean age 66 ± 17 years, hospitalized for syncope. All patients had Doppler echocardiograms and electrocardiographic monitoring by telemetry for arrhythmias during hospitalization. Results: Of the 325 patients, the causes of syncope were vasovagal syncope in 58 patients (18%), volume depletion including acute blood loss and dehydration in 39 patients (12%), orthostatic hypotension in 8 patients (3%), bradyarrhythmias in 28 patients (18 with sick sinus syndrome and 10 with advanced second-degree or third-degree atrioventricular block) (9%), 36 with tachyarrhythmias (20 with ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation, 15 with supraventricular tachyarrhythmias, and 1 with pacemaker-mediated tachycardia) (11%), cardiomyopathy requiring insertion of an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator in 7 patients (2%), acute coronary syndromes in 23 patients (7%), aortic stenosis in 8 patients (3%), hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy in 4 patients (1%), hypersensitive carotid sinus in 7 patients (2%), cerebral hemorrhage, ischemic stroke, or brain tumor documented by computed tomographic brain scans in 5 patients (2%), anaphylaxis in 2 patients (1%), sedative overdose in 5 patients (2%), hypoglycemia in 3 patients (1%), pulmonary embolism documented by contrast-enhanced spiral computed tomographic scans in 2 patients (1%), primary pulmonary hypertension in 2 patients (1%), micturition syncope in 2 patients (1%), heat stroke in 1 patient (<1%), cardiac tamponade in 1 patient (<1%), and undetermined etiology in 84 patients (26%). Conclusions: Of 325 consecutive patients hospitalized for syncope, the cause of syncope was diagnosed in 241 patients (74%).
The Role of Perturbation Theory in the Development of Physics

The mathematical model for classical mechanics has been well understood for some 200 years, while for quantum mechanics it was established in the late 1920’s. Theoretical physics seems to have a threefold task: first to provide the foundations by solving the few problems in mechanics which can be exactly reduced to as many independent mathematical problems as degrees of freedom; second, to validate mechanics by treating dynamical systems where at least two degrees of freedom cannot be separated; third, to extrapolate basic mechanics to systems with infinitely many, non-separable freedoms. The process of validation is almost exclusively based on perturbation theory (PT) whereby the solution to the real problem is seen as a minor modification of an ideal separable problem. The same holds for extrapolation, but with the possibility of relying on global or collective coordinates. PT as a mathematical tool, however, is deceptive: in classical mechanics, it leads to asymptotic series at best, whose accuracy cannot be improved at will; in quantum mechanics, PT does converge occasionally, though not often in the desired range. In either case, its application is limited by the sheer physical labor involved, as higher-order terms are worked out. The historical experience with PT is sketched starting with Newton, and giving some details from celestial mechanics, atomic physics, and quantum electrodynamics.
Unsupervised sequential organization for cochannel speech separation.

The problem of sequential organization in the cochannel speech situation has previously been studied using speaker-model based methods. A major limitation of these methods is that they require the availability of pretrained speaker models and prior knowledge (or detection) of participating speakers. We propose an unsupervised clustering approach to cochannel speech sequential organization. Given enhanced cepstral features, we search for the optimal assignment of simultaneous speech streams by maximizing the betweenand within-cluster scatter matrix ratio penalized by concurrent pitches within individual speakers. A genetic algorithm is employed to speed up the search. Our method does not require trained speaker models, and experiments with both ideal and estimated simultaneous streams show the proposed method outperforms a speakermodel based method in both speech segregation and computational efficiency.
Fungating groin mass in a woman with a history of follicular lymphoma

A 49-year-old woman with no significant medical history presented to her primary care provider for an evaluation of a new lump in her groin. She was found to have enlarged inguinal lymph nodes on the right side, and underwent extensive work-up, including testing for HIV, hepatitides, Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus and chest imaging. They were all unremarkable. Given persistence of the lymphadenopathy, the patient underwent a fine needle aspiration of one of the lymph nodes with pathology revealing a diagnosis of low-grade follicular lymphoma. Given the natural history of this slow-growing tumour, she was maintained on an observational protocol but unfortunately lost to follow-up. Three years later, the patient presented to the emergency department for complaints of generalised malaise as well as an enlarging right groin mass. Physical examination …
Dispersion engineering and mode control using multiple pairs of non-identical coupled transmission lines

We present a novel propagation model that describes how a pair of non-identical coupled transmission lines (CTLs) can be used to generate a higher order dispersion propagation medium. In practice, this can achieved using a ‘butterfly’ structure composed of four coupled transmission lines. Higher order dispersion for this structure is achieved by coupling the modes supported on each of the transmission lines. Placing the ‘butterfly’ structure in a regular cylindrical waveguide generates a TM 01 mode with degenerate band edge (DBE) dispersion. This attractive DBE property can be used to significantly enhance coupling of the electron beams to RF waves for high power microwave sources (HPM) such as travelling wave tubes (TWTs). In this paper, we demonstrate a design that realizes a degenerate band edge and its associated slow wave characteristics using a pair of non-identical CTLs.
The Legibility of Environment: Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum (1968-1976)

The notion of “environment” took on a plethora of meanings in the 1960s, encompassing both the natural and the man-made, locating the concept within the complex connections between objects, cities,...
Finding the best box-cox transformation from massive datasets on spark

In order to find the best linear regression model or polynomial regression model that fits the data, traditional methods have to read the whole datasets repetitively and incur many unnecessary slow I/O operations. Apache Spark can train regression models significantly more efficiently with distributed clusters due to its well-crafted in-memory computing architecture. However, if the dataset itself or the temporary data during computation is even bigger for the total physical memory space of a spark system, in-memory data has to be spilled to the secondary storage (such as hard drives or solid state disks) and read it back later if it is needed. These frequent I/O operations will negatively affect the efficiency of Spark computation. Built on top of the per-row update-able data modeling concept we proposed before, this work investigated the cases of finding the best Box-Cox transformation model on a Spark system. The major contribution of this work is that the information needed to compute a linear regression model, or a polynomial regression model can be summarized in an Information Array. The size of this information array does not grow with the datasets. Rather, it is only related to the number of features and the number of models need to be considered. Because the information array is usually very small, it can be stored in memory all the time. With the propose information array approach, the best linear or polynomial regression model could be obtained after one scan of the raw data. The experiment results proved that this approach is fast and efficient on Spark. When training 41 models, the proposed Box-Cox Information Array method is about 8 times faster than the existing Spark APIs and it has better performance of prediction than using linear regression models.
Peripheral Nerves and Nerve Terminals

Comprised of bundles of nerve fibers (including both well myelinated and poorly myelinated fibers), grouped in bundles called Funiculi.
Introduction: skin, surface, sensorium

This introduction contextualizes this special issue of Women & Performance by examining surface as an object of inquiry across a variety of fields, including psychoanalysis, literary studies, sensa...
Has the Roberts Court Plurality's Colorblind Rhetoric Finally Broken Brown's Promise?

This Essay examines the continuing significance of the Keyes decision to the judicial vision of equality and racial isolation in public education. By comparing efforts to promote educational equality from the Keyes era through today, this Essay asserts that the judiciary has wrongly embraced a colorblind interpretation of the Equal Protection Clause. In so doing, courts have impeded the progress of children in Denver and around the country, ignored highly instructive social science studies on the benefits of desegregation, and broken the constitutional promise of equal citizenship. For future policy makers and lawyers to address these persistent problems, legal educators must equip students with tools to reclaim legal conversations about freedom and equality. The author, Dean Phoebe A. Haddon of the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, concludes with recollections of her late aunt, Rachel B. Noel, who played an instrumental part in the evolution of the Keyes case.
Section 504 and Catholic Schools

This article explains the implications of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 for Catholic schools educating students with disabilities and special needs. The author delineates the types of disabilities covered; accommodations required under the law; suggestions for teachers, parents, administrators, and pastors; and the need for ongoing staff development to empower faculty to be responsive to the needs of diverse learners.
The Strain Tensor

We consider a body before and after deformation. In the undeformed body we establish a coordinate system x i and permanently affix the values of its coordinates to each material point (particle). This means that such points will also be known by the same values x i even after deformation, although moved to a different place. In other words, the coordinate system undergoes the same deformation as the body. Coordinates used in this way are called particle coordinates or convected coordinates.
Insight into Lymphatic Vasculature Development

Our understanding of the genes and mechanisms controlling the formation of the lymphatic vasculature during embryonic development has improved a great deal during the last decade. The availability of molecular markers that allow us to distinguish the lymphatic vasculature from the blood vasculature and the generation of mouse models with various degrees of lymphatic defects have been instrumental to the progress in this field. In this chapter, we highlight some of the key molecular players that regulate the development of the lymphatic vasculature and some available mouse models of lymphatic disorders.
The Use of Student-Copresented Virtual Guest Speakers in Entrepreneurial Education.

Students wishing to be entrepreneurs have a great need for role models to serve as inspiration and help them envision their future organization. Universities often use guest speakers for this purpo...
Retrospective Review of Immunocompromised Children Undergoing Skin Biopsy for Suspected Invasive Infection: Analysis of Factors Predictive of Invasive Mold

RJ Smith, SB Klieger, SE Sulieman, E Berger, JR Treat, BT Fisher. Pediatr Dermatol . 2018;35(1):104–111 To describe the clinical characteristics and skin biopsy findings of immunocompromised subjects presenting with skin lesions concerning for systemic infection. Hospitalized, immunocompromised subjects <26 years of age who underwent skin biopsy because of concern for invasive infection between January 1, 2003, and March 15, 2015, were retrospectively identified for chart review. A single-center retrospective chart review was performed to assess the clinical factors and skin biopsy results of immunocompromised subjects in …
Twin gestation in a uterus didelphys with only one functional cervix: A case report.

Abstract Introduction Twin gestation in a uterus didelphys with one fetus in each uterine cavity is rare and presents unique challenges in antepartum and intrapartum care. Case Presentation A 35-year-old woman with a uterus didelphys became pregnant with twins, with one fetus in each uterus, after intrauterine insemination of a single visible cervix. Multiplanar ultrasonography showed the presence of one complete cervix and a second hypoplastic cervix; it was unclear whether she could deliver both twins vaginally. Her pregnancy was complicated by fetal growth restriction of twin B. At 38 weeks, the patient underwent scheduled cesarean section and delivered two viable twins. Conclusion Determining the precise anatomy of Mullerian duct anomalies, including the cervix and vagina, is important for obstetrical management.
Obsessive-compulsive symptoms, intrusive thoughts and depressive symptoms: a longitudinal study examining relation to maternal responsiveness.

ABSTRACTBackground: The postpartum period is a vulnerable time for the development of depression. While perinatal depression has been well studied, intrusive thoughts related to the infant and clas...
Partial-thickness scleral defect in a congenital scleral epithelial cyst.

Congenital corneoscleral epithelial cysts can be associated with scleral thinning secondary to pressure from the expanding cyst. We report a congenital scleral epithelial cyst associated with a likely primary partial-thickness scleral defect. The defect appeared as a full-thickness communication between the cyst and posterior chamber on ultrasound biomicroscopy, most likely because the scleral remnant was too thin to be appreciated on imaging. The cyst was treated surgically by aspiration, excision of the anterior wall, and fibrin glue closure of the cyst cavity, with no recurrence after 14 months of follow-up.
Information-Seeking and Use of Primary Care Mental Health Services Among Gulf Coast Survivors of Natural Disasters.

OBJECTIVES This study sought to understand factors related to weather-related disaster survivors' health information and mental health-care-seeking behaviors. METHODS In November 2017, we conducted a quantitative survey of 170 Gulf Coast residents who experienced weather-related disasters. The survey assessed how individual and psychosocial factors affect health-care-seeking behavior. RESULTS Nearly 66% of participants reported a high frequency of depression and/or anxiety symptoms, yet only 39% saw a medical professional. Of participants who visited a medical professional, 76% sought information from nonmedical sources. Seeking medical care was strongly correlated with seeking information from nonmedical sources and previous healthcare experiences, but not with fear and stigma. CONCLUSIONS Positive communication and strong support systems have the potential to mitigate the reluctance people have in seeking help for mental health problems. Although it is discouraging that few people seek professional care, it is promising that participants were not avoiding care due to fear of being stigmatized. Less opposition to mental health care by survivors offers opportunity for mental health professionals to treat the psychological problems survivors experience. Providing necessary information may make headway to mental health care where it is greatly needed.
Tuning Sedimentation Through Surface Charge and Particle Shape

Mud forms the foundation of many coastal and tidal environments. Clay suspensions carried downstream from rivers encounter saline waters, which encourages aggregation and sedimentation by reducing electrostatic repulsion among particles. We perform experiments to examine the effects of surface charge on both the rate and style of sedimentation, using kaolinite particles as a model mud suspension and silica spheres with equivalent hydrodynamic radius as a control. Classic hindered settling theory reasonably describes sedimentation rate for repulsive clay particles and silica spheres, which form a highly concentrated jamming front. The hindered settling description breaks down for attractive clay particles, which aggregate to form clay gels that consolidate like a soft solid. Water flow form fracture-like channels in the bulk of the gel, which disappear as gel enters a creep regime. Results may help toward understanding the effect of surface charge and particle shape on the sedimentation and erodibility of natural mud.
The Health Of Us Adolescent Athletes During Covid-19 Related School Closures And Sport Cancellations.

Context In the spring of 2020, US schools closed to in-person teaching and sports were cancelled to control the transmission of COVID-19. It is critical to understand the mental and physical health of adolescent athletes during this time. Objective Describe the health of athletes during COVID-19 related school closures and sport cancellations. Design Cross sectional. Setting A national sample recruited via social media. Patients or other participants 13,002 US adolescent athletes (age=16.3+1.2 yrs., female=53.1%) completed an anonymous online survey. Main outcome measure(s) Demographic information included: sex, grade, sports played and zip code. Assessments included the: General Anxiety Disorder-7 Item (GAD-7) for anxiety, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 Item (PHQ-9) for depression, the Pediatric Functional Activity Brief Scale (PFABS) for physical activity, and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 (PedsQL) for quality of life. Mental health, physical activity and quality of life variables were compared between sex, grade, sports played and poverty level using means and 95%CI from the survey weighted ANOVA. Results Females reported a higher prevalence of moderate to severe anxiety symptoms (females=43.7% vs. males=28.2%). The PFABS score (mean [95%CI] was highest (best) for grade 9 (14.5 [14.0,15.0]) and lowest for grade 11 (10.9 [10.5,11.3]. The prevalence of depression symptoms was highest in team sport (74.1%) and lowest for individual sport participants (64.9%). The total PedsQL score was lowest (worst) for athletes from counties with the highest poverty levels (high=74.5[73.7,75.3], middle=78.9[78.0,79.8], low=78.3 [77.4,79.1]). Conclusions The health of US adolescents during the COVID-19 related school closures and sport cancellations varied to differing degrees depending on sex, grade level, type of sport participation and level of poverty. Health policy experts should consider these findings when creating and implementing policies to improve the health of adolescents in the US in the future.
Confronting Barriers to Cropping System Diversification

There is no shortage of data demonstrating that diversified cropping systems can sustain high levels of productivity with fewer external inputs and lower externalities compared to more simplified systems. Similarly, data exist indicating diverse cropping systems have greater capacity to buffer against and adapt to weather extremes associated with climate change. Yet, agriculture in the US Corn Belt and other major crop production regions around the world continues to move toward simplified rotations grown over increasingly large acreages. If our goal is to see more of the agricultural landscape made up of diverse agricultural systems and the ecosystem services they provide, it is critical we understand and creatively address the factors that both give rise to monocultures and reinforce their entrenchment at the exclusion of more diversified alternatives. Using the current state of farming and agriculture policy in the US as a case study, we argue that a pernicious feedback exists in which economic and policy forces incentivize low diversity cropping systems which then become entrenched due, in part, to a lack of research and policy aimed at enabling farming practices that support the diversification of cropping systems at larger spatial scales. We use the recent example of dicamba-resistant crops to illustrate the nature of this pernicious feedback and offer suggestions for creating “virtuous feedbacks” aimed at achieving a more diversified agriculture.
Solar position confounds the relationship between ecosystem function and vegetation indices derived from solar and photosynthetically active radiation fluxes

Abstract Vegetation indices derived from solar and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) sensors (i.e. radiation derived) have been under-utilized in inferring ecosystem function, despite measurement capability at hundreds of sites. This under-utilization may be attributed to reported mismatches among the seasonality of radiation- and satellite-derived vegetation indices and canopy photosynthesis; herein referred to as measurement biases. Here biases in radiation derived reflectance and vegetation indices were assessed using a decadal record of satellite and ground based spectroradiometer data, ecosystem phenology and CO2 fluxes, and radiation derived vegetation indices (i.e. the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index [NDVI], the two band Enhanced Vegetation Index [EVI2]) from a high latitude tundra site (i.e. Imnaviat). At Imnaviat, we found poor correspondence between the three types of reflectance and vegetation indices, especially during the latter part of the growing season. Radiation derived vegetation indices resulted in incorrect estimates of phenological timing of up to a month and poor relationships with canopy photosynthesis (i.e. Gross Ecosystem Exchange (GEE)). These mismatches were attributed to solar position (i.e. solar zenith and azimuth angle) and a method, based on the diel visible and near-infrared albedo variation, was developed to improve the performance of the vegetation indices. The ability of radiation derived vegetation indices to infer GEE and phenological dates drastically improved once radiation derived vegetation indices were corrected for solar position associated biases at Imnaviat. Moreover, radiation derived vegetation indices became better aligned with MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite estimates after solar position associated biases were corrected at Imnaviat and at 25 Fluxnet sites (~90 site years) across North America. Corrections developed here provide a way forward in understanding daily ecosystem function or filling large gaps in eddy covariance data at a significant number of Fluxnet sites.
Refining Black men's depression measurement using participatory approaches: a concept mapping study.

Despite cumulative socioeconomic disadvantage and risk factors, Black Americans have a lower prevalence of depression than whites. Given the emerging focus of depression as a public mental health crisis, culturally informed depression measures and scale development techniques are needed to better alleviate the mental health burden of socially marginalized populations. Yet, for Black men, race- and gender-related factors that position emotional vulnerability as a sign of weakness, may potentially mask the timely identification of mental health needs in this population. Thus, we address these gaps by employing a stakeholder-driven, community-engaged process for understanding Black men’s depression experience. We use concept mapping, a structured mixed methods approach, to determine how stakeholders of Black men’s health conceptualize their depressive symptoms. Thirty-six stakeholders participated in a three-phase concept mapping study conducted in 2018. Three separate stakeholder groups were engaged for this study, including Black men, Black women, and primary care providers. Participants generated 68 characteristics of Black men’s depression which were reflected within five conceptual clusters: (1) physical states; (2) emotional states; (3) diminished drive; (4) internal conflicts; (5) communication with others; and (6) social pressures. Using a content analysis approach, we found that items comprising the “social pressures” cluster were not reflected in any common depression scales. Findings from this study illustrate the similar and divergent pathways in which Black men express depressed mood. Furthermore, concept mapping results also yield a novel opportunity for culturally informed scale development in future research.
Valorizing Religious Dialogue and Pluralism Within the Islamic Tradition

This chapter focuses on three Qur’anic concepts from which universal ethical principles may be derived to promote harmonious relationships among diverse peoples and faith communities in full recognition, even in celebration, of our differences. These concepts are: (a) knowledge of one another (Ar. al-ta‘āruf), based on respect for diversity and difference; (b) the commonality of human beings based on righteousness and ethical conduct rather than on religious labels and denominations; and (c) the reconciliation of hearts (Ar. ta’līf al-qulūb), which is a cornerstone of Islamic peacebuilding. These concepts and their bearing on inter-faith dialogue and peaceful co-existence are worthy of our reflection first.
Some Observations on What Grammaticalization Is and Is Not

The notion of ‘grammaticalization’ — the embedding of once non- (or less-) grammatical phenomena into the grammar of a language — has enjoyed broad acceptance over the past 30 years as a new paradigm for describing and accounting for linguistic change. Despite its appeal, my contention is that there are some issues with ‘grammaticalization’ as it is conventionally described and discussed in the literature. My goal here is to explore what some of those problems are and to focus on what grammaticalization has to offer as a methodology for studying language change. Drawing on case studies from the history of English and the history of Greek, I reach a characterization of how much of grammatical change can legitimately be called “grammaticalization” and how much is something else. In this way, I work to achieve a sense of what grammaticalization is and what it is not.
Treatment Planning System for Clinical Translation of Electron FLASH Radiotherapy

Purpose/Objective(s) Electron ultrahigh dose rate FLASH radiotherapy (UHDR/eFLASH-RT) is currently being extensively tested and modeled, and was studied in several rodent and large animal experiments and one clinical cancer patient. These studies suggest prospective dosimetry assessments are necessary to ensure safe delivery and widespread clinical translation of eFLASH-RT would clearly benefit from prior dose prediction and a treatment planning process that accounts for anatomical heterogeneity and complex geometries. In this study, a GAMOS Monte Carlo beam model was developed and implemented in a clinical treatment planning system for a modified UHDR electron LINAC to demonstrate eFLASH-RT planning of patients. Materials/Methods The gantry head was modelled without scattering foils or targets, representative of the LINAC modifications. Centered at the nominal energy of 10 MeV, the energy spectrum (σE) was varied to match the central axis percent depth dose (PDD) profiles of an open field measured with radiographic film. The beam's emittance cone angle (θcone) was determined by matching calculated and film measured lateral profiles, at several depths. The beam model and its configuration in the treatment planning system were validated with film measured lateral profiles and PDD's of the open field and nominal fields for clinical applicators. A GAMOS forward dose calculation was conducted for a mouse whole brain treatment and an eFLASH-RT plan was compared to a conventional electron plan for a human patient with a rib metastasis. Results Our eFLASH beam model agrees best with measurements at σE = 0.5MeV and θcone = 3.9o ± 0.2o. The model and its treatment planning system configuration were validated to clinically acceptable accuracy (the absolute average error was within 1.5% for in water lateral, 3% for in air lateral, and 2% for PDD's). The forward dose calculation showed dose was delivered to the entire mouse brain with adequate conformality (90% of the tumor volume receiving 90% of the prescribed dose). The comparison plans for the patient undergoing treatment for a rib metastasis demonstrated the capability to achieve an acceptable eFLASH-RT plan with routine accessories (90% of the tumor receiving 95% and 90% of the prescribed dose for eFLASH and conventional, respectively) in relatively complex geometry (right posterior oblique treatment with patient specific applicator cutout). Conclusion To the best of our knowledge, this study presents the first functional beam model commissioned in a clinical TPS for eFLASH-RT, enabling treatment planning and evaluation with minimal deviation from conventional radiotherapy workflow. By producing plans with the quality comparable to conventional plans, specifically for human patients involving complex geometries and tissue heterogeneity, the clinical translation of eFLASH-RT can be expedited. The open-source methods (described in https://github.com/mr3536/eFLASHBeamModeltoTPS ) can model other eFLASH irradiators with different beam characteristics.