cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Public Importance: Balancing Proprietary Interests and the Right to Know

Articulating a coherent, all-encompassing First Amendment doctrine for freedom of speech and of the press has so far eluded every scholar who has tried, not least because of the variety of analytical approaches and potentially dispositive factors in Supreme Court jurisprudence. For example, the same regulation might be enforceable in one medium, but not another; in one forum, but not another. Enforceability may depend on the regulator's purpose and drafting skill, or not, depending in turn on whether the speech deserves full protection, some protection, or no protection at all. Sometimes enforceability depends on the speaker's intent, or knowledge, or care . . . or none of those factors. Sometimes it depends on the speaker's status or access to alternative communication channels; sometimes it depends on the status or access of one who objects to the speaker's speech. In a handful of cases, however, the analysis focuses on the speaker's audience - the listener or reader or public in general. Because the rights of the listener are poorly defined, and the power of the public vigorously disputed, consistency is even harder to find in these cases. This article endeavors to bring some coherence to this body of law by identifying its source and surveying its contemporary application. Simply stated, this article argues that the First Amendment's penumbral "right to know" is the source of a "public importance test" that the Supreme Court has reluctantly, but ineluctably, adopted to help mediate between the proprietary claims of private citizens and the reportorial imperatives of the press.
Hitting Them Where it Hurts: A Joint Interagency Network to Disrupt Terrorist Financing in West Africa

ABSTRACTIllicit trafficking networks in West Africa are a major funding source for violent extremist groups in the region. Although the United States has formed interagency constructs in the Caribbean and in Europe to counter illicit trafficking, there is a gap in West Africa. The corridor of smuggling routes from the shores of West Africa into North Africa provides extremist groups with the financing they need to continue their activities. By forming a third interagency organization in West Africa, the United States and its partners could strike a significant blow to violent extremist groups, which continue to threaten U.S. interests in the region.
Waxing and waning of dynamical heterogeneity in the superionic state.

Using molecular dynamics simulations of UO${}_{2}$---a type II superionic conductor---we identify a well-defined onset of dynamic disorder (${T}_{\ensuremath{\alpha}}$), which is remarkably correlated to a nontrivial advance of dynamical heterogeneity (DH). Quantified by the correlations in the dynamic propensity and van Hove self-correlation function, the DH is shown to grow with increasing temperature from ${T}_{\ensuremath{\alpha}}$, peak at an intermediate temperature between ${T}_{\ensuremath{\alpha}}$ and ${T}_{\ensuremath{\lambda}}$---the superionic transition temperature---and then recede. Surprisingly, the DH attributes are not uniform across the temperatures---our investigation shows a low temperature (${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{T}$) stage DH, which is characterized by weak correlations and a plateaulike period in the correlations of the propensity, and a high temperature (${\ensuremath{\lambda}}_{T}$) stage DH with strong correlations that are analogous to those in typical supercooled liquids. Our work, which has rigorously identified the onset of superionicity, gives a different direction for interpreting scattering experiments on the basis of statistical, correlated dynamics.
Mediation of Environmental Conflicts in Hawaii: Win-Win or Co-optation?

This analysis examines the rise and political promotion of mediation in the settlement of land-use-related environmental conflicts in the state of Hawaii and counters much of the enthusiastic prais...
Study and implementation on improved diamond search algorithm for block-matching motion estimation

There is a defect in block motion estimation based on diamond search algorithm,it uses one search strategy to different kinds of blocks,it can’t cut down the search region quickly according as the character of video sequence,so it makes some searching redundance.This paper analyzes the correlation of the motion vectors,and proposes an improved diamond search algorithm for block-matching motion esti-mation based on estimation.In the proposed algorithm,the early stop criterion is pointed,it can improve the diamond algorithm’s searching process.Experiments show that the proposed algorithm can reduce com-putational complexity efficiently,and at the same time,it can ensure the search accuracy.
Subacute left ventricular rupture supported with a percutaneous left ventricular assist device

Cardiac rupture is a fatal complication of transmural myocardial infarction that is associated with high mortality. We describe the successful management of a case of subacute cardiac rupture and cardiogenic shock supported by a percutaneous left ventricular assist device (LVAD) as a bridge to surgery.
Heterotopic Ossification in Metastatic Colorectal Carcinoma: Morphoproteomic Investigation of its Histogenesis

Heterotopic ossification occurs when bone tissue forms outside the skeleton and is a rare entity, especially when it occurs in metastatic colorectal carcinoma. Here, we present a case of a 72-year-old Hispanic male with a history of metastatic colon cancer and early stage prostate cancer who presents to an outpatient clinic with increasing …
State Space System Modeling of a Quad Copter UAV

Background/Objectives: To derive a linear mathematical modeling of a quad-copter Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). Methods/Statistical Analysis: The quad-copter physical system with different inputs and outputs has been represented in a state-space form. State space representation is a mathematical model of a physical system as a set of input, output and state variables related by first-order differential equations. "State space" is the space which has state variables as its axes. Vectors are used within state space to show the state of the system. Findings: The six Degrees Of Freedom (6DOF) quad copter state-space model is developed starting from basic Newtonian equations, which is very important to control the quad copter system. The system of quadcopter aerial vehicle is inherently dynamically unstable, which means that this study has found out the state-space modeling. Therefore, this study has enabled the successful modelling of the quadcopter system, which directly contributes to the stable flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle. Application/Improvements: Unmanned aerial reconnaissance, autonomous aerial flight.
Utility of prerevision tissue biopsy sample to predict revision shoulder arthroplasty culture results in at-risk patients.

Background The diagnosis of infection after shoulder arthroplasty can be challenging. The current study evaluated the utility of a prerevision biopsy sample in predicting positive cultures or a final diagnosis of infection in the setting of an “at-risk” failed shoulder arthroplasty. Methods The study reviewed 77 patients with no history of infection undergoing revision shoulder arthroplasty by a single surgeon between June 2010 and July 2015. All patients with a C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate within normal reference ranges and no fluid on aspirate, or an abnormal value for the erythrocyte sedimentation rate or C-reactive protein, or both, and no growth on aspirate, underwent a prerevision biopsy because they were considered “at-risk” for infection. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated to evaluate the utility of biopsy specimens to predict positive cultures as well as a final determination of infection. Results A prerevision biopsy was performed in 17 patients with a failed arthroplasty. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV, for a positive prerevision biopsy sample to predict a positive final culture were 0.75, 0.6, 0.82, and 0.5, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV for an infection defined by a prerevision biopsy sample to predict an infection defined by the combined final revision and biopsy cultures were 0.9, 0.86, 0.9, and 0.86, respectively. Conclusions The ability for prerevision biopsy specimens of failed arthroplasties to predict the presence of bacteria at the time of revision surgery is high, although lower than previously reported. If biopsy results are used to define and predict a diagnosis of infection, the sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV all significantly improve.
Pilot evaluation of the Computer-Based Assessment for Sampling Personal Characteristics test.

Abstract Background High attrition rates hint at deficiencies in the resident selection process. The evaluation of personal characteristics representative of success is difficult. Here, we evaluate a novel tool for assessing personal characteristics. Materials and Methods To evaluate feasibility, we used an anonymous voluntary survey questionnaire offered to study participants before and after contact with the CASPer test. To evaluate the CASPer test as a predictor of success, we compared CASPer test assessments of personal characteristics versus traditional faculty assessment of personal characteristics with applicant rank list position. Results All applicants ( n = 77) attending an in-person interview for general surgery residency, and all faculty interviewers ( n = 34) who reviewed these applications were invited to participate. Among applicants, 84.4% of respondents (65 of 77) reported that a requirement to complete the CASPer test would have no bearing or would make them more likely to apply to the program (mean = 3.30, standard deviation = 0.96). Among the faculty, 62.5% respondents (10 of 16) reported that the same condition would have no bearing or would make applicants more likely to apply to the program (mean = 3.19, standard deviation = 1.33). The Spearman's rank-order correlation coefficients for the relationships between traditional faculty assessment of personal characteristics and applicant rank list position, and novel CASPer assessment of personal characteristics and applicant rank list position, were −0.45 ( P = 0.033) and −0.41 ( P = 0.055), respectively. Conclusions The CASPer test may be feasibly implemented as component of the resident selection process, with the potential to predict applicant rank list position and improve the general surgery resident selection process.
Abstract 5715: Gene body methylation and expression ofSHOX2gene are potent prognostic markers for survival in intermediate grade gliomas and renal cancers

Background: Previous data indicated that low level of promoter methylation of the SHOX2 gene was a prognostic marker for worse progression-free survival for non-small cell lung cancer. Purpose: (a) to determine the relationship between SHOX2 gene methylation and expression; b) to determine whether SHOX2 gene methylation and expression were prognostic markers for other cancers. Methods: We examined multiple methylation and expression datasets available from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and other previously published studies. Data from a total of more than 1000 intermediate grade gliomas and 1100 renal cancer cases were examined, along with smaller number of corresponding non-malignant tissues. We performed Kaplan-Meier survival analyses and univariate and multivariate Cox regression model analyses. Results: SHOX2 gene contains three CpG islands encompassing the promoter region and body. Methylation of various regions of SHOX2 gene body was significantly positively correlated with its expression in gliomas and renal cancer. Aberrantly high methylation and expression of SHOX2 gene, which were significantly higher than the corresponding nonmalignant tissues, were identified in subsets of gliomas and renal cancers. Survival analysis of patients indicated that the methylation and expression of SHOX2 gene in gliomas and renal cancer (both clear cell and papillary cell carcinomas) were highly potent markers for poor survival. We further investigated the combination of SHOX2 with other known clinically relevant glioma markers (IDH genotype status, TERT expression, 1p/19q chromosome co-deletion, MGMT methylation, ATRX mutation and NES expression). When combined with SHOX2 expression, we identified subsets of glioma patients with significantly favorable survival outcomes, especially in the subgroup (i.e., IDH wild-type) associated with worse prognosis for each individual marker. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that SHOX2 was a potent independent survival marker for gliomas. Conclusion: Gene body methylation and expression of SHOX2 gene are tightly positively correlated and are potent new markers for overall survival prognosis for intermediate grade gliomas and renal cancer. The combination of IDH or other relevant prognostic markers with SHOX2 identified intermediate grade glioma subsets with improved survival outcomes. Citation Format: Yu-An Zhang, Yunyun Zhou, Xin Luo, Guanghua Xiao, Adi F. Gazdar. Gene body methylation and expression of SHOX2 gene are potent prognostic markers for survival in intermediate grade gliomas and renal cancers [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 5715. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-5715
Macromolecule mapping of the brain using ultrashort-TE acquisition and reference-based metabolite removal.

PURPOSE To develop a practical method for mapping macromolecule distribution in the brain using ultrashort-TE MRSI data. METHODS An FID-based chemical shift imaging acquisition without metabolite-nulling pulses was used to acquire ultrashort-TE MRSI data that capture the macromolecule signals with high signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) efficiency. To remove the metabolite signals from the ultrashort-TE data, single voxel spectroscopy data were obtained to determine a set of high-quality metabolite reference spectra. These spectra were then incorporated into a generalized series (GS) model to represent general metabolite spatiospectral distributions. A time-segmented algorithm was developed to back-extrapolate the GS model-based metabolite distribution from truncated FIDs and remove it from the MRSI data. Numerical simulations and in vivo experiments have been performed to evaluate the proposed method. RESULTS Simulation results demonstrate accurate metabolite signal extrapolation by the proposed method given a high-quality reference. For in vivo experiments, the proposed method is able to produce spatiospectral distributions of macromolecules in the brain with high SNR from data acquired in about 10 minutes. We further demonstrate that the high-dimensional macromolecule spatiospectral distribution resides in a low-dimensional subspace. This finding provides a new opportunity to use subspace models for quantification and accelerated macromolecule mapping. Robustness of the proposed method is also demonstrated using multiple data sets from the same and different subjects. CONCLUSION The proposed method is able to obtain macromolecule distributions in the brain from ultrashort-TE acquisitions. It can also be used for acquiring training data to determine a low-dimensional subspace to represent the macromolecule signals for subspace-based MRSI. Magn Reson Med 79:2460-2469, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
Ferromagnetism in ferroelectric BaTiO 3 induced by vacancies: Sensitive dependence on charge state, origin of magnetism, and temperature range of existence

Using density-functional calculations we investigate the possibility and underlying mechanism of generating ferromagnetism (FM) in ferroelectric ${\mathrm{BaTiO}}_{3}$ by native vacancies. For the same vacancy species but different charge states (e.g., ${\mathrm{V}}_{\mathrm{O}}^{0}$ vs ${\mathrm{V}}_{\mathrm{O}}^{2+}$), our paper reveals a marked difference in magnetic behaviors. For instance, while ${\mathrm{V}}_{\mathrm{O}}^{0}$ is ferromagnetic, ${\mathrm{V}}_{\mathrm{O}}^{2+}$ is not. This sensitive dependence, which has often been overlooked, highlights the critical importance of taking into account different charge states. Furthermore, while oxygen vacancies have been often used in experiments to explain the vacancy-induced FM, our calculation demonstrates that Ti vacancies, in particular ${\mathrm{V}}_{\mathrm{Ti}}^{3\ensuremath{-}}$ and ${\mathrm{V}}_{\mathrm{Ti}}^{2\ensuremath{-}}$ with low formation energies, generate even stronger ferromagnetism in ${\mathrm{BaTiO}}_{3}$, with a magnetic moment which is 400% larger than that of ${\mathrm{V}}_{\mathrm{O}}^{0}$. Interestingly, this strong FM of ${\mathrm{V}}_{\mathrm{Ti}}^{}$ can be further enhanced by hole doping. Although both cation vacancies (${\mathrm{V}}_{\mathrm{Ti}}^{\mathrm{q}}$) and anion vacancies (${\mathrm{V}}_{\mathrm{O}}^{0}$) induce FM, their mechanisms differ drastically. FM of anion vacancies originates from the spin-polarized electrons at Ti sites, but FM of cation vacancies stems from the spin-polarized holes at O sites. This paper also sheds light on vacancy-induced FM by discovering that the spin densities of all three considered vacancy species are highly extended in real space, distributed far away from the vacancy. Moreover, we predict that the ferromagnetism caused by ${\mathrm{V}}_{\mathrm{Ti}}^{3\ensuremath{-}}$ is able to survive at high temperatures, which is promising for room-temperature spintronic or multiferroic applications.
Dtcraft: a distributed execution engine for compute-intensive applications

Recent years have seen rapid growth in data-driven distributed systems such as Hadoop MapReduce, Spark, and Dryad. However, the counterparts for high-performance or compute-intensive applications including large-scale optimizations, modeling, and simulations are still nascent. In this paper, we introduce DtCraft, a modern C+,+,17-based distributed execution engine that efficiently supports a new powerful programming model for building high-performance parallel applications. Users need no understanding of distributed computing and can focus on high-level developments, leaving difficult details such as concurrency controls, workload distribution, and fault tolerance handled by our system transparently. We have evaluated DtCraft on both micro-benchmarks and large-scale optimization problems, and shown promising performance on computer clusters. In a particular semicondictor design problem, we achieved 30 x speedup with 40 nodes and 15 x less development efforts over hand-crafted implementation.
The Medical Home and Health Care Transition for Youth With Autism

BACKGROUND: Our objective in this study was to describe the association between the receipt of health care transition services (HCTS) and having a medical home in youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Youth with ASD receive HCTS less often than other youth with special health care needs but are in particular need of continuous, comprehensive health care. METHODS: We used the National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs to describe the receipt of HCTS in youth with ASD and its association with presence of a medical home. Descriptive statistics are presented, and logistic regression is used to assess the association between medical home and HCTS. RESULTS: Twenty-one percent of youth with ASD met the criteria for receiving HCTS. Youth with ASD and a medical home were almost 3 times as likely to receive HCTS as youth without a medical home, and youth who received family-centered care and have adequate care coordination within the medical home were more than twice as likely to receive HCTS as those who did not. CONCLUSIONS: Youth with ASD are not receiving HCTS at the same rate as their peers. Increasing provider awareness of autism, the components of a medical home, and of the importance of HCTS could greatly help increase the percentage of youth who receive effective HCTS.
The Place Where Theory and Practice Can Meet

Recently, the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) National Executive Board (NEB) announced that beginning with the 2020 NAfME National Conference, the meetings of P–12 music education practitioners and members of the higher education community will be reunited. Prior to 2008, NAfME had traditionally provided biennial opportunities for these two different but interdependent groups to interact in a common professional development setting. The NEB decided in 2008 to change to a yearly conference model each summer in Washington, D.C.; however, this new model did not align well with the needs of the higher education community. Consequently, the NEB agreed to hold a separate biennial conference for the higher education community, which has come to be known as the NAfME Research and Teacher Education Conference.
Interactive Solid Modelling in a Virtual Environment with a Haptic Interface

This chapter presents the development of a Virtual Sculpting system and addresses the issues of interactive solid modelling with a haptic interface. A virtual reality (VR) approach is used to make the sculpting process more intuitive and interactive, by providing stereo viewing and force feedback capabilities in carving a solid block into a 3D free-form object. The geometric modelling in the system is based on the sweep differential equation method to compute the tool swept volume, and uses the ray-casting method to perform Boolean operations between the tool swept volume and the virtual stock in dexel data. The PHANToM manipulator is used as an input device to provide the position and orientation of the sculpting tool, and also as an output device to provide force feedback during the sculpting process. Multithreading is used to help address the different update rates required in the graphic rendering and haptic rendering.
Markov Processes in Continuous Time

Continuous time Markov processes on finite and countable state spaces are introduced in Chap. 5. Initially processes with bounded rates are considered, and afterward there is a discussion of unbounded rates and the possibility that explosion may occur. Finally, the elementary ergodic properties of these processes are derived.
Observation Versus Surgery for Pregnant Patients with Primary Hyperparathyroidism

Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHP) in the pregnant patient can pose significant risks to the mother and fetus. The actual incidence of PHP in the pregnant population is unknown as the subtle symptoms and findings can often be masked by the physical and physiologic changes that occur with pregnancy. The range of presentations runs from the asymptomatic to severely symptomatic. Symptoms in the mother can include all of the typical symptoms of PHP such as nephrolithiasis, dehydration, pancreatitis, bone disease, and hypercalcemic crisis as well as hyperemesis gravidarum. Symptoms manifested by the developing fetus can include spontaneous abortion, preterm delivery, postpartum neonatal tetany, and permanent hypoparathyroidism. The prompt diagnosis of this condition can prevent many of these complications. The following chapter will discuss the physiology of calcium homeostasis between the mother and fetus, diagnosis of PHP, as well as the surgical and medical treatment options.
Pif1 helicase unfolding of G-quadruplex DNA is highly dependent on sequence and reaction conditions.

In addition to unwinding double-stranded nucleic acids, helicase activity can also unfold noncanonical structures such as G-quadruplexes. We previously characterized Pif1 helicase catalyzed unfolding of parallel G-quadruplex DNA. Here we characterized unfolding of the telomeric G-quadruplex, which can fold into antiparallel and mixed hybrid structures and found significant differences. Telomeric DNA sequences are unfolded more readily than the parallel quadruplex formed by the c-MYC promoter in K+. Furthermore, we found that under conditions in which the telomeric quadruplex is less stable, such as in Na+, Pif1 traps thermally melted quadruplexes in the absence of ATP, leading to the appearance of increased product formation under conditions in which the enzyme is preincubated with the substrate. Stable telomeric G-quadruplex structures were unfolded in a stepwise manner at a rate slower than that of duplex DNA unwinding; however, the slower dissociation from G-quadruplexes compared with duplexes allowed the helicase to traverse more nucleotides than on duplexes. Consistent with this, the rate of ATP hydrolysis on the telomeric quadruplex DNA was reduced relative to that on single-stranded DNA (ssDNA), but less quadruplex DNA was needed to saturate ATPase activity. Under single-cycle conditions, telomeric quadruplex was unfolded by Pif1, but for the c-MYC quadruplex, unfolding required multiple helicase molecules loaded onto the adjacent ssDNA. Our findings illustrate that Pif1-catalyzed unfolding of G-quadruplex DNA is highly dependent on the specific sequence and the conditions of the reaction, including both the monovalent cation and the order of addition.
Bioprocess development of antibody-drug conjugate production for cancer treatment.

Antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) is a class of targeted cancer therapies that combine the advantages of monoclonal antibody (mAb)’s specific targeting and chemotherapy’s potent cytotoxicity. The therapeutic effect of ADC is significantly affected by its bioproduction process. This study aims to develop an effective ADC production process using anti-HER2 mAb-drug as a model therapeutic. First, a high titer (>2 g/L) of mAb was produced by Chinese hamster ovary cells from fed-batch cell culture. Both live-cell confocal microscopy imaging and flow cytometry analysis demonstrated that the produced mAb and ADC had strong and specific binding to HER2+ cell line BT474. Second, various conjugation conditions of mAb and drug, including linker selection, ratio of drug and mAb, and conjugation approaches, were investigated to improve the production yield and product quality. Finally, the ADC structure and biological quality were evaluated by SDS-PAGE and anti-breast cancer toxicity study, respectively. The ADC with integral molecular structure and high cytotoxicity (IC50 of 1.95 nM) was produced using the optimized production process. The robust bioproduction process could guide the development of ADC-based biopharmaceuticals.
Enhancer Domains in Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor Regulate KIT Expression and Are Targetable by BET Bromodomain Inhibition.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) is a mesenchymal neoplasm characterized by activating mutations in the related receptor tyrosine kinases KIT and PDGFRA. GIST relies on expression of these unamplified receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) genes through a large enhancer domain, resulting in high expression levels of the oncogene required for tumor growth. Although kinase inhibition is an effective therapy for many GIST patients, disease progression from kinase resistance mutations is common and no other effective classes of systemic therapy exist. In this study, we identify regulatory regions of the KIT enhancer essential for KIT gene expression and GIST cell viability. Given the dependence of GIST upon enhancer-driven expression of RTKs, we hypothesized that the enhancer domains could be therapeutically targeted by a BET bromodomain inhibitor (BBI). Treatment of GIST cells with BBIs led to cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and cell death, with unique sensitivity in GIST cells arising from attenuation of the KIT enhancer domain and reduced KIT gene expression. BBI treatment in KIT-dependent GIST cells produced genome-wide changes in the H3K27ac enhancer landscape and gene expression program, which was also seen with direct KIT inhibition using a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI). Combination treatment with BBI and TKI led to superior cytotoxic effects in vitro and in vivo, with BBI preventing tumor growth in TKI-resistant xenografts. Resistance to select BBI in GIST was attributable to drug efflux pumps. These results define a therapeutic vulnerability and clinical strategy for targeting oncogenic kinase dependency in GIST.
FOLFIRI in advanced biliary tract cancers.

451Background: Gemcitabine plus platinum (GP) is the standard of care first-line treatment for advanced biliary tract cancers (BTC). There is no established second-line therapy, and retrospective r...
RISK FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH DOFETILIDE INTOLERANCE

Dofetilide is a class III antiarrhythmic requiring hospitalization for initiation due to the risk for torsades de pointes (TdP) ventricular tachycardia early in therapy. Dofetilide is subject to many drug interactions, which may increase the risk for intolerance. This is a single-center
Chapter IV – APPLICATIONS

Publisher Summary The machinery that is necessary to apply group theory to problems of physics is available. Group theory is valuable in mathematical physics for analyzing the effects of known geometrical symmetry on physical systems. In applications of group theory, it is difficult to separate finite from infinite groups in any satisfactory way. The existence of double point groups arises from the existence of two-valued representations of the 3-dimensional rotation group. For few quantum mechanical systems and for almost none of practical interest is the wave equation solvable in terms of known functions. Approximation methods are frequently used. The most commonly used approximation method is the Rayleigh-Schrodinger perturbation theory.
Measles vaccination of young infants in China: A cost-effectiveness analysis.

Abstract Background Although global progress in measles control has been realized, achieving elimination has proven difficult in many regions of the world. China has adopted a goal of measles elimination but recent outbreaks predominantly affecting children Methods We conducted a cost-utility analysis comparing the costs and health benefits associated with adding a measles vaccine dose to the routine schedule at 4, 5, 6 or 7 months compared to the current recommendation for the first dose at age 8 months. A decision analytic model was developed in Microsoft Excel, including five non-severe and two fatal health outcomes associated with measles infection. Model parameters were informed by the literature and surveillance data. Future costs and health benefits were discounted at 3%. Primary outcomes included costs, Quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) over a lifetime time horizon. Results Lowering the recommended age for initiating the measles vaccination series to address susceptibility in children Conclusion We found potential beneficial health gains at a minimum cost associated with adding an earlier measles dose
Hepatitis C treatment uptake among people who inject drugs in the oral direct-acting antiviral era.

Background Increased uptake of hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment among people who inject drugs (PWID) will be critical to achieve HCV elimination goals. There are limited data on HCV treatment uptake among PWID recruited from community-based settings in the HCV direct-acting antiviral (DAA) era. Methods We analyzed data from PWID with HCV newly recruited into the Baltimore, Maryland-based AIDS Linked to the IntraVenous Experience (ALIVE) cohort between 2015 and 2018. We characterized the HCV care continuum and evaluated factors associated with HCV treatment uptake. Results Of the 418 PWID with HCV, the median age was 49 years and most (88%) reported recent injection drug use (IDU). Overall, 23% had ever been evaluated by a provider for HCV treatment, 17% ever initiated DAA treatment, and 13% were cured of HCV infection. Treatment uptake approximately doubled between 2015 and 2018 (13% to 26%, p=0.01). In multivariable analyses, HIV infection (adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR] 2.5 [95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.3, 4.8]), current employment (aOR 4.1 [CI 1.2, 14.4]), having a primary care provider (aOR 4.3 [CI 1.2, 14.9), and longer duration of IDU (aOR 1.3 [CI 1.1, 1.6]) were positively associated with HCV treatment. PWID with a lower annual income (≤$5,000) were less likely to have initiated HCV treatment (aOR 0.5 [CI 0.3, 0.98]). Conclusions Although HCV treatment uptake among PWID in this community-based setting in the DAA era remains suboptimal, it is encouraging that treatment uptake has increased in recent years. Innovative strategies are needed to reach all PWID infected with HCV.
A preliminary study of selective plantar-muscle denervation for pes cavus.

1. The authors believe that pes cavus is caused by imbalance of the intrinsic muscles of the foot and feel that the abductor hallucis, flexor hallucis brevis, flexor digitorum brevis, and quadratus plantae should be particularly studied. The long muscles are seldom involved in the development of this deformity. 2. Cavus deformity of the foot is usually progressive. 3. The preliminary results in the authors' series suggest that selective plantar-muscle denervation may prevent the progressive increase of pes cavus. This prevention will result in improvement in foot balance, performance, stability, and position, and these improvements in turn will stimulate better growth. 4. If the most favorable results are to be obtained, the operation should be performed as soon as possible, for, otherwise, as growth occurs, the bones will be molded into a shape that conforms with the deformed position of the foot. 5. The results to date suggest that the operation is indicated when the deformity is congenital or when it results from either infantile paralysis or congenital club-foot. 6. No ill-effects from the operation have been noted.
The Importance of Personally Reviewing Imaging for Clinical Correlation: A Case of Thoracic Spinal Stenosis Masquerading as a Motor Neuron Disease.

ABSTRACT A 64-yr-old man with a history of previous motor vehicle collision with chronic back pain presented as a referral to an outpatient spine clinic with a 3-yr history of bilateral lower limb weakness and numbness that progressed to severe bilateral foot drop. He had been seen by another practitioner from a different hospital 2 yrs prior who performed an electromyography that was interpreted as possible primary lateral sclerosis. His clinical picture was difficult to interpret as it did not fit any of the disease patterns, such as a motor neuron disease, suggested by previous electromyography. Repeated magnetic resonance imaging revealed multifactorial canal stenosis at L3-L4 and L4-L5 with foraminal stenosis. The ordering physician reviewed the magnetic resonance imaging of lumbar spine and noticed possible spinal canal stenosis in the lower thoracic region, not noted by the radiologist, and ordered a magnetic resonance imaging of thoracic spine for further evaluation. Overall, this is an interesting case of a patient who had prolonged weakness and numbness in his lower limbs that, although he underwent extensive workup, was misdiagnosed. It is important to realize that thoracolumbar disc herniations can cause mixed upper motor neuron and lower motor neuron signs. This case emphasizes the importance of reviewing the patient's imaging personally and correlating the imaging to the clinic presentation.
Recognizing the rising impact of diabetes in seniors and implications for its management.

Objectives To identify the incidence and symptoms of type 2 diabetes in older adult patients, review appropriate glycemic targets for older adults with type 2 diabetes, and consider the rationale for managing hyperglycemia in this patient population. Data sources Live symposium presentation based on clinical practice and research, medical literature, and studies published between January 1993 and November 2008 on managing diabetes in older adults, government statistics, and medical society guidelines. Study selection Thirty-five articles were identified from various data sources and were evaluated. The following search terms were used: Complications, Diabetes, Glucose Tolerance, Goals, Hyperglycemic Hyperosmolar Nonketotic Syndrome (HHNS), Long-term Care, Management, Obesity, Prevalence, Risk Factors, Screening, Senior, and Symptoms. All information deemed relevant to recognizing the rising impact of diabetes in seniors and its implications for management were included. Data extraction Data were extracted independently of the author by the librarians of the University of Pittsburgh. Data synthesis As a result of the aging of the U.S. population, the increasing prevalence of diabetes, and the considerable impact of this disease among older adults, it is only logical to assume that the number of older individuals with diabetes and its impact on older adults will continue to rise. Uncontrolled diabetes has significant risks in the elderly beyond the typical microvascular and macrovascular complications commonly associated with diabetes: cognitive impairment, depression, excessive skin problems, and an increased risk of falls. However, glycemic control reduces the development of these complications and can lead to improvements in dementia, memory, energy, physical activity, mood, and quality of life. Conclusion Because many older adults may benefit from intensive, long-term glycemic control, consultant pharmacists should understand the importance of individualizing glycemic targets, management strategies, and pharmacotherapy in older adults.
MOG-IgG Associated Disease (MOG-AD) in Adults

This review offers a look into available treatment strategies for patients with MOG-IgG associated disease (MOG-AD). We will focus on evidence-based management options in the acute setting. We will also present recommendations for initiation of long-term immunotherapy for patients with a relapsing course and discuss our approach for monitoring disease progression and escalation of therapy. As commercial testing for MOG-IgG did not become widely available until 2016, most of the evidence concerning management is from retrospective observational studies. Acutely, 1 g daily of intravenous methylprednisolone (IVMP) for 3–5 days has been associated with better outcomes for optic neuritis. This is typically followed by a prolonged oral prednisone taper. Long-term immunotherapy is reserved for patients with relapsing or severely disabling disease. There are yet to be any prospective trials for selection of the most appropriate agent. Rituximab, azathioprine, mycophenolate mofetil, and IVIG have all been used. Disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) typically used for multiple sclerosis (MS) are avoided. IVMP followed by a prolonged prednisone taper is the mainstay of acute management. However, there is limited consensus on the best long-term immunotherapy and prospective studies are needed to compare the efficacy of different agents. The development of targeted therapies is expected in the future as the pathogenesis of MOG-IgG becomes better understood.
Teaching spirituality to medical students: a systematic review.

Purpose Though it has become increasingly clear that religion and spirituality are important aspects of whole patient care, little is known about how this topic is taught to medical students. This systematic review examined the structure of courses teaching spirituality to medical students and assessed their impact on reported student outcomes. Methods In October 2020, the authors conducted a systematic review of the literature from 1926 to 2020 to identify published articles describing medical school spirituality curricula. Included studies were English-language articles that described spirituality courses predominantly designed for medical students, specified a curricular structure, and evaluated outcomes of the course. The authors used the Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument (MERSQI) to assess the quality of the included studies and summarized course structures, curricular content, and study outcomes. Results Nineteen publications of the 1889 reviewed met the inclusion criteria. These studies were of moderate quality (mean MERSQI = 9.9). The majority of curricula were taught in United States medical schools. Courses were evenly split between mandatory versus elective classes, with mandatory courses having a shorter duration and higher total student participation. Most studies with clear student outcome evaluation had a pre- and post-test design. Common themes throughout the curricula included teaching how to take a spiritual history, delineating differences between spirituality and religion, and experience shadowing chaplains interacting with patients. Conclusions This broad systematic review of the literature revealed a small but growing number of studies describing specific course structure and curricula for teaching spirituality at the medical student level. For the most concise approach, one short, mandatory didactic session followed by application with standardized or hospital patients can be an effective method of introducing students to the importance of spirituality. Important topics to address include the differences between religion and spirituality, recognizing spiritual distress, how to take a spiritual history, and the relevance of spirituality to student well-being. Measured student outcomes should encompass behavioral changes during patient care in addition to changes in knowledge and attitudes. Suggested methods of evaluation include reflective writing and adding a standardized patient case in which the patient is in spiritual distress in an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE).
Should we treat asymptomatic concurrent contralateral renal stones? A longitudinal analysis.

The objective is to explore the need for future surgery among patients treated for asymptomatic concurrent contralateral stones versus those that were not. Upon IRB approval, we retrospectively reviewed records of patients who underwent stone surgeries (SWL, URS, PCNL) from 2009 to 2018. Patients were included if they were greater than 18 years old, had a minimum follow-up of 2 years, and had pre-operative imaging. Patients were divided into three groups: bilateral surgery, ipsilateral surgery with, and without asymptomatic concurrent contralateral stones. Cox regression was used to analyze patients’ need for future surgery while controlling demographic and comorbid characteristics. Of the 1666 patients included, 51.9% were men. They were 59.7 ± 15 years and had a BMI of 31.3 ± 8.2 kg/m2. During the follow-up of 5.2 ± 2.2 years (range 2–11 years), patients who had bilateral surgery and patients who had ipsilateral surgery without treatment of the asymptomatic concurrent contralateral stones had no difference in the need for future surgery (41.7% vs. 43%, p = 0.585). When stratified by stone size, patients with contralateral stones > 6 mm were more likely to require future surgical treatment than those treated bilaterally (p 6 mm may portend earlier need for treatment. Therefore, bilateral treatment should be considered at presentation.
AL Amyloidosis: Current Chemotherapy and Immune Therapy Treatment Strategies: JACC: CardioOncology State-of-the-Art Review

Immunoglobulin light chain (AL) amyloidosis is an incurable plasma cell disorder characterized by deposition of fibrils of misfolded immunoglobulin free light chains (FLC) in target organs, leading to failure. Cardiac involvement is common in AL amyloidosis and represents the single most adverse prognostic feature. A high index of clinical suspicion with rapid tissue diagnosis and commencement of combinatorial, highly effective cytoreductive therapy is crucial to arrest the process of amyloid deposition and preserve organ function. The clinical use of molecularly targeted drugs, such as proteasome inhibitors and immunomodulatory agents, monoclonal antibodies such as daratumumab, and risk-adjusted autologous stem cell transplant in eligible patients, has radically changed the natural history of AL amyloidosis. Here, we review the state-of-the-art treatment landscape in AL amyloidosis with an eye toward future therapeutic venues to impact the outcome of this devastating illness.
SOH Diagnostic and Prognostic Based on External Health Indicator of Lithium-ion Batteries

The state-of-health (SOH) is a critical factor in guaranteeing the safe operation and reliability of Lithium-ion battery-related equipment. One of the main challenges is the accuracy and practicality of health indicator (HI) extraction and suitable algorithm for SOH diagnosis and prognosis. This paper proposes a new method that implements an extended Kalman filter (EKF) with an external HI to diagnose and prognose the SOH of Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and the results are expressed in form of a probability distribution function (PDF). First, aging experiments are conducted on LIBs. Second, an HI that has a strong relation to the SOH of LIBs is extracted from the terminal voltage of batteries. Third, EKF algorithm is implemented to diagnose and prognose the SOH of batteries. Fourth, the proposed method is verified with a series of experiments. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method in terms of SOH diagnostic and prognostic.
Analysis of bolus formation in micropipette ejection systems.

The ejection of drugs from micropipettes is practiced frequently in biomedical research and clinical studies however, little is known about the dynamics of this process. The fundamentals of disperse fluid injection via a capillary into an ambient immiscible fluid have been investigated extensively. Here, we experimentally investigate the bolus formation in micropipette ejection systems, where the injection and ambient fluid are the same. We experimentally measure the temporal evolution of the bolus formation in the same fluid. There are three different bolus formation mechanisms that arise from different Re t regimes: a) a nearly spherical bolus, b) a pear-like bolus, and c) a large distortion or axial jet. We examine the scaled dimensions of the bolus, R b/D t, L b/D t, H/D t, and α, as a function of the dimensionless parameters such as tip Reynolds number, Re t, dimensionless value of g/(D t . V t), the dimensionless time, tV t/D t, and the distance between the edge of the micropipette and the free surface, D/D t. The bolus radius for 0.2 < Re t < 30 grows according to t 1/2 in the entire time range, which allows us to estimate the time for complete bolus formation.
General Electric Test Reactor NTD Silicon Development Program

The General Electric Test Reactor (GETR) was designed and constructed to provide large irradiation volumes outside the reactor pressure vessel in a surrounding water pool. The thermal neutron flux available for silicon irradiation spans four decades, 1011 to > 10li+nv. The large irradiation volume permits the inclusion of flux flattening and spectral softening devices if desired.
Winner for outstanding research in the Ph.D. category for the 2013 society for biomaterials meeting and exposition, April 10-13, 2013, Boston, Massachusetts: Osteogenic differentiation of adipose-derived and marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells in modular protein/ceramic microbeads

Modular tissue engineering applies biomaterials-based approaches to create discrete cell-seeded microenvironments, which can be further assembled into larger constructs for the repair of injured tissues. In the current study, we embedded human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) and human adipose-derived stem cells (ASC) in collagen/fibrin (COL/FIB) and collagen/fibrin/hydroxyapatite (COL/ FIB/HA) microbeads, and evaluated their suitability for bone tissue engineering applications. Microbeads were fabricated using a water-in-oil emulsification process, resulting in an average microbead diameter of approximately 130 ± 25 μm. Microbeads supported both cell viability and cell spreading of MSC and ASC over 7 days in culture. The embedded cells also began to remodel and compact the microbead matrix as demonstrated by confocal reflectance microscopy imaging. After two weeks of culture in media containing osteogenic supplements, both MSC and ASC deposited calcium mineral in COL/ FIB microbeads, but not in COL/FIB/HA microbeads. There were no significant differences between MSC and ASC in any of the assays examined, suggesting that either cell type may be an appropriate cell source for orthopedic applications. This study has implications in the creation of defined microenvironments for bone repair, and in developing a modular approach for delivery of pre-differentiated cells.