cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
[District difference in development and the prevalence of obesity among 7-18 years old children and adolescents in Shandong, China].

儿童青少年的生长发育水平存在明显的地域差异.为制定区域发展总体规划、提高人口素质提供依据,本研究分析山东省7～18岁青少年生长发育及肥胖流行的地域经济特征. 关键词：肥胖;身高;体重;儿童少年;地域差异
Sustaining Gains Made in Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision.

Fourteen countries in sub-Saharan Africa with high HIV burden and low prevalence of male circumcision are currently providing voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) services in line with the 2007 recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). VMMC, which reduces the risk of heterosexually acquired HIV infection in men by approximately 60%,1-3 is one element of a combination HIV-prevention package that can include correct and consistent use of condoms, HIV testing and counseling, treatment of sexually transmitted infections, behavior change communication, harm reduction for people who inject drugs, community-based interventions for key populations, antiretroviral treatment for people living with HIV, and pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis. The main thrust of VMMC programs has been to circumcise men ages 15 to 49 years to reduce their risk of HIV infection. Scaling up VMMC to reach the target of 80% coverage among men ages 15 to 49 years in the 13 countries would mean that approximately 20 million circumcisions would need to have been performed by the end of 2015. This would have averted 3.4 million new HIV infections over 15 years, 22% of the total projected infections.4 As of December 2015, more than 10 million circumcisions had been performed, and some regions had already reached the saturation threshold of 80% coverage.5 Settings that reached 80% coverage are starting to plan how to sustain this coverage and maintain the population-level prevention impact and individual-level gains.
A Case of Opata Witchcraft

ABSTRACTA court trial investigating alleged witchcraft was carried out among a group of Opata Indians in the Bavispe Valley, Sonora, in the early years of the 18th century. This is a recapitulation of the events of the case and of the Opata magical practices revealed in the proceedings.
The effect of flow curvature on the aerodynamic characteristics of an ogive-cylinder body

The pressure distributions over a 6:1 fineness ratio ogive cylinder model have been obtained over a wide pitch range in the rectilinear flow provided by the CoA 8 ft x 6 ft low speed wind tunnel and the curvilinear motion provided by the CoA Whirling Arm facility. The pressure distributions were integrated first to obtain the local normal-force loading distribution along the body and then the overall normal-force and pitching moment and hence the centre of normal-force. A comparison of the results showed that the main difference between the aerodynamic characteristics was a considerable positive increase in normal-force loading over the whole of the afterbody in curvilinear motion which varied little with the magnitude or sign of the pitch angle. Some smaller changes were also apparent in the forebody loading characteristics. These changes resulted in the body developing considerably more normal-force and nose-down pitching moment in curvilinear motion than in rectilinear flow with the resultant large rearward movement of the centre of normalforce. It was found possible to estimate the main features of the loadings, but the theoretical methods available did not predict very well the variations in loading obtained experimentally at the extreme beginning and end of the parallel afterbody.
Opioid Overdose History, Risk Behaviors, and Knowledge in Patients Taking Prescribed Opioids for Chronic Pain.

Objective. More than 100 million adults in the United States experience chronic pain, and prescription opioids are the third most widely prescribed class of medications. Current opioid overdose prevention efforts almost exclusively target illicit opioid users, and little is known about the experience of overdose among patients being treated for chronic pain (CP) with a prescription opioid. Methods. Patients experiencing CP for three or more months and receiving a prescription opioid for pain management (N = 502) completed a self-report survey that asked questions about opioid overdose history, past 30-day risk factors, and knowledge of opioid overdose, overdose risk, and naloxone. Results. Approximately one in five CP participants reported experiencing a lifetime overdose. CP participants reported engaging in several behaviors associated with overdose risk and were unlikely to have been trained to administer naloxone. Fewer than 50% of participants answered any knowledge item correctly. The likelihood of having experienced an overdose increased as the scores on the SOAPP-R and DSM-5 opioid use disorder checklist increased, and a SOAPP-R score of 7 or higher or meeting DSM-5 mild opioid use disorder criteria were significantly associated with reporting a lifetime overdose (85% and 84% of participants who experienced an overdose, respectively). Conclusions. Opioid overdose occurs at a high rate among CP participants, and this group is relatively uninformed about risk factors for overdose. Established SOAPP-R and DSM thresholds provide an opportunity to identify participants at elevated risk for having experienced an opioid overdose. These data support development of additional concentrated efforts to prevent overdose among chronic pain patients.
Open Surgical Treatment of Pararenal Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms

Pararenal abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) are classified as to being juxtarenal or suprarenal. They account for 2–7% of all aortic aneurysms, with men affected twice as often as women. Precise anatomic imaging with computed tomographic arteriograms or conventional aortogra phy is required for optimal surgical therapy. The morbidity of open surgical repair is most often related to renal insufficiency. The operative mortality averages 5% being slightly greater than that accompanying open infrarenal aortic aneurysmectomy.
A solid state fault current limiter control algorithm

The fault current limiter (FCL) is considered as the ideal solution to limit the fault current in integrated electrical power systems with distributed energy resources because of its speed of response. However, there are some practical application issues for FCL in commercial industrial deployments. In this paper, the coordination issue of FCL with the other protective devices is discussed making use of simulation and experimental results. The fundamental point of operating a FCL is that it introduces an additional equivalent impedance into the power system and thus influencing the operation of the other protective devices, sometimes, leading to malfunction. A formula is proposed in this paper to estimate the impedance range of the equivalent FCL in order to maintain the coordination with the other protective devices. An example is used to demonstrate that the fault current can be limited by controlling the switching position of a solid state fault current limiter (SSFCL) while maintaining system coordination.
A life table analysis to evaluate biological control of banks grass mite using the predatory mite, Galendromus flumenis (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

The predatory mite, Galendromus flumenis (Chant) (Acari: Phytoseiidae), has shown promising traits for biological control of Banks grass mite, the major pest of date palms in California. In the present study, reproduction and population growth parameters of G. flumenis on Banks grass mite eggs were studied at 34oC, 50±10% RH and a photoperiod of 16: 8 (L: D) hours. 100 percent of eggs hatched and 63.5 percent of the emerged larvae survived to adulthood. The total immature developmental time was 5.7 and 5.5 days for females and males, respectively. The sex ratio of G. flumenis was 0.70 (females/ females+ males). Mated females laid on average 1.6 eggs per day and 19.9 eggs during their mean ovipositional period of 12.5 days. The net reproductive rate ( R 0 ) was 11.5 females/ female/ generation, the intrinsic rate of increase ( r m ) was 0.200 females/ female/ day, the finite rate of increase (λ) was 1.222 population multiplication/ day, the mean generation time ( T ) was 12.2 days, and the doubling time ( DT ) was 3.5 days. The lower r m value of G. flumenis than that of its prey (0.24–0.48) explains why Banks grass mite escapes control by G. flumenis in field. These results suggest that augmentative release of this predator would offset the lower r m of the predator, thereby contributing to the control of Banks grass mite. Combined with the benefit of early releases determined in companion studies, future field studies with G. flumenis are being planned.
Measuring critical stress for shear failure of interfacial regions in coating/interlayer/substrate systems through a micro-pillar testing protocol

Mechanical integrity of the interfacial region between ceramic coatings and substrates is critical to high performance coated mechanical components and manufacturing tools. Mechanical failure of the coating/substrate interfacial region often leads to catastrophic failure of the coated system as a whole. Despite extensive research over the past two decades, quantitative assessment of the mechanical response of coating/substrate interfacial regions remains a challenge. The lack of reliable protocols for measuring the mechanical response of coating/substrate interfacial regions quantitatively hampers the understanding of key factors controlling the mechanical integrity of coating/substrate interfaces. In this paper, we describe a new micro-pillar testing protocol for quantitative measurement of critical stresses for inducing shear failure of interfacial regions in ceramic-coating/metal-adhesion-layer/substrate systems. We observe significant differences in the critical stress for shear failure of interfacial regions in CrN/Cu/Si, CrN/Cr/Si, and CrN/Ti/Si systems. The present testing protocol has general applicability to a wide range of coating/interlayer/substrate systems.
Absolutely Continuous Spectrum of a Dirac Operator in the Case of a Positive Mass

We consider different Dirac operators with either electric or magnetic potentials satisfying conditions guaranteeing their decay at infinity. We prove that the absolutely continuous spectra of these operators cover the intervals \((-\infty ,-1]\) and \([1,\infty )\). In particular, we prove an analogue of Simon’s conjecture for the magnetic Dirac operator.
Decision Analysis for Management

Decision analysis deals with a set of techniques which clarify the basic logic of managerial decision-making. It provides models to interpret alternative strategies and analyzes their value and shortcomings. Models are only characterizations in theory and have value only to the extent they provide good approximations or, lead to optimality in some sense. Two simple ways of classification of models are: (a) do they lead to qualitative or quantitative decisions, and (b) are they deterministic or stochastic in their environment? For many real life decisions, it is very difficult to separate the qualitative and quantitative aspects of decision-making; likewise for the deterministic and stochastic aspects of the environment. Yet it will be presumed for the purpose of this book that such separations are possible.
Intravenous paracetamol or intravenous propacetamol can provide effective postoperative analgesia for some patients

Commentary on: McNicol ED, Ferguson MC, Haroutounian S, et al. Single dose intravenous paracetamol or intravenous propacetamol for postoperative pain. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2016:CD007126. Despite progress in uncovering the complex mechanisms responsible for acute …
Isozymic Forms of Acetylcholinesterase

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE, EC 3.1.1.7) is widely distributed throughout the animal kingdom and is a vital enzyme in nervous transmission (Nachmansohn, 1970). It catalyzes the reaction of acetylcholine into choline and acetate as follows: $${({\text{C}}{{\text{H}}_3})_3}\mathop {\text{N}}\limits^ + - {\text{C}}{{\text{H}}_2} - {\text{C}}{{\text{H}}_2} - {\text{O - }}\mathop {\mathop {\text{C}}\limits_| }\limits_{{\text{C}}{{\text{H}}_3}} = {\text{O + }}{{\text{H}}_2}{\text{O}} \rightleftharpoons {({\text{C}}{{\text{H}}_3})_3}\mathop {\text{N}}\limits^ + - {\text{C}}{{\text{H}}_2} - {\text{C}}{{\text{H}}_2}{\text{OH + C}}{{\text{H}}_3}{\text{CO}}{{\text{O}}^ - } + {{\text{H}}^{{\text{ + }}}}\begin{array}{*{20}{c}} {{\text{ Acetylcholine}}}&{{\text{ Choline}}}&{{\text{ Acetate}}} \end{array}$$ It is a target enzyme for organophosphates and carbamates which are in common use today as insecticides against the insect pests of agriculture and public health (O’Brien, 1967).
Social Affordances at Play: Game Design Toward Socio-Technical Innovation

In this paper we propose that game design strategies and theories can be useful tools for supporting the design of innovative socio-technical systems aimed at supporting social co-presence. We support this proposal with an annotated portfolio of a series of research prototype games that investigate sensor affordances and configurations to sustain and enhance social co-presence. We introduce relevant theory from game studies (the magic circle; the MDA (mechanics/dynamics/aesthetics framework)) to help ground and guide the use of game design in HCI practice. We conclude with recommendations for adopting game design as a supplementary research technique, with caveats about the limits of the approach.
Communications System Performance and Design in the Presence of Radar Interference

Increasing demands for spectrum have necessitated the coexistence of communications and radar systems within the same band. This paper investigates how an unaltered radar system affects the performance of a communications receiver. For a single-carrier communications system, it is shown that a low power radar signal can be treated as Gaussian noise while a strong radar signal can be subtracted off the received signal, but in doing so one of the two signal dimensions is lost. Complex-valued constellation design problems are next proposed, with the goal of either minimizing the error rate under a power constraint, or maximizing the transmission rate under both error rate and power constraints. Numerically, the designed constellation is shaped as a concentric hexagon for weak radar interference while it morphs into an uneven pulse amplitude modulation for strong interference. A multi-carrier orthogonal frequency division multiplexing communications system is lastly considered. Due to the radar interference, the received signal becomes correlated over time and across carriers. To reduce the complexity of the optimal receiver, several suboptimal decoders are analyzed, among which the one that discards the correlations between subcarriers is numerically found to perform close to the optimal one.
Predictive factors for successful cervical ripening using a double-balloon catheter after previous cesarean delivery.

OBJECTIVE To identify predictors of successful cervical ripening using double-balloon catheter (DBC) for labor induction among women with previous cesarean delivery (PCD) and unfavorable cervix at term. METHODS The present prospective observational study was conducted among women who underwent cervical ripening with DBC at a French tertiary care hospital between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2017. Inclusion criteria were PCD; singleton term fetus; cephalic presentation; and unfavorable cervix (Bishop score <6). Indications for DBC were gestational diabetes mellitus, intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy, pre-eclampsia, prolonged pregnancy, fetal growth restriction, or prenatal suspicion of macrosomia. The primary outcome was Bishop score of at least six after DBC removal. RESULTS Among the 105 patients included, the initial Bishop score was 2.5 ± 1.5; successful cervical ripening occurred among 74 (70.5%) women; and vaginal delivery occurred among 46 (43.8%). The mean time from DBC insertion to delivery was 19.3 ± 6.7 hours. No adverse events were observed. Predictors of successful cervical ripening were initial Bishop score of at least three (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 12.74, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.78-58.47); PCD during labor (aOR 4.38, 95% CI 1.10-17.45); and internal cervical os open (aOR 4.94, 95% CI 1.44-17.01). CONCLUSION Several factors were found to predict successful cervical ripening using DBC.
Fast Galois field arithmetic for elliptic curve cryptography and error control codes

Today's computer and network communication systems rely on authenticated and secure transmission of information, which requires computationally efficient and low bandwidth cryptographic algorithms. Among these cryptographic algorithms are the elliptic curve cryptosystems which use the arithmetic of finite fields. Furthermore, the fields of characteristic two are preferred since they provide carry-free arithmetic and at the same time a simple way to represent field elements on current processor architectures. Arithmetic in finite field is analogous to the arithmetic of integers. When performing the multiplication operation, the finite field arithmetic uses reduction modulo the generating polynomial. The generating polynomial is an irreducible polynomial over GF(2), and the degree of this polynomial determines the size of the field, thus the bit-lengths of the operands. The fundamental arithmetic operations in finite fields are addition, multiplication, and inversion operations. The sum of two field elements is computed very easily. However, multiplication operation requires considerably more effort compared to addition. On the other hand, the inversion of a field element requires much more computational effort in terms of time and space. Therefore, we are mainly interested in obtaining implementations of field multiplication and inversion. In this dissertation, we present several new bit-parallel hardware architectures with low space and time complexity. Furthermore, an analysis and refinement of the complexity of an existing hardware algorithm and a software method highly efficient and suitable for implementation on many 32-bit processor architectures are also described.
Bending of Plates

The equilibrium equations for initially flat plates are stated as equations (3.25a-e); the strain-displacement relations are given by equations (5.54) or, with transverse shearing strains suppressed, as equations (5.55). Taken together with the stress resultant-strain relationships in the form of equation (6.10), the requisite boundary conditions discussed in section 6.2, and specifically the Kirchhoff conditions equations (6.25) and (6.27), the elements of a quite general plate theory are available and substantiated.
Selection on plant fruiting traits by brown capuchin monkeys: a multivariate approach

We present the use of a recently developed multivariate method (Lande and Arnold, 1983) to estimate selection on plant fruiting traits caused by seed dispersal via wild brown capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella). There was significant selection on some traits influencing the quality of individual fruits (energy content per fruit, carbohydrate and protein concentrations) as well as on spatial aspects of fruit displays (crown size, tree density and distribution). In several cases, the results of this multivariate analysis differed markedly from those of univariate analyses on the same data, in which the effects of correlated variables can obscure the selection coefficients. The feeding behavior of capuchins and birds appears to be affected differently by various plant fruiting traits, but no direct comparison can be made without a comparable multivariate analysis of seed crop removal by birds.
Adaptive Tasks and Methods of Coping with Illness and Disability

An acute health crisis and its progression into a chronic illness or disability (CID) is a turning point in an individual’s life. The vivid confrontation with a severe physical illness or injury, prolonged treatment and uncertainty, and intense personal distress has a profound and lasting impact. Most individuals cope reasonably well with such a crisis and are able to recover and achieve a new equilibrium. Some individuals emerge with a more mature outlook and a richer appreciation of life, but others are demoralized and suffer lasting psychological problems. What are the main determinants of individuals’ psychosocial adaptation to CID? What adaptive tasks do individuals confront and what coping skills do they use to manage the initial crisis and its aftermath? What coping responses promote psychosocial recovery? To address these issues, we offer a conceptual framework that considers CID as an extended life crisis, describe relevant adaptive tasks and coping skills, and identify the primary determinants and outcomes of adaptive coping.
FSH Stimulation of Mucopolysaccharide Synthesis in Rat and Porcine Ovary

Incorporation of mucopolysaccharides (MPS) into follicular fluid occurs during antrum formation in follicular development. Staining of follicular fluid with toluidine blue or autoradiographic localization of 35S showed that concentrations of MPS varied during the ovulatory cycle (3,9,10,11). FSH stimulated in vivo uptake of 35S into ovarian follicular MPS in hypophysectomized immature female rats and in vitro uptake of 35S by rat granulosa cells (8). Conversely, a decrease of in vitro incorporation of 35S by rat ovarian slices was evoked by either LH or progesterone (4), implying antagonistic functions of FSH and LH on MPS accumulation. The physiological significance of MPS on follicular and oocyte maturation and on ovulation remains to be resolved. This report confirms FSH modulation of incorporation of MPS into follicular fluid in vivo and in vitro and contains data showing quantitative changes in the concentrations of MPS in porcine follicular fluid.
Health Adaptations to Climate Change: Need for Farsighted, Integrated Approaches

The health effects attributable to climate change may include an increase in (1) heat-related mortality and morbidity, (2) infectious diseases, (3) malnutrition and dehydration, and (4) damage to the public health infrastructure. The monitoring of health-risk indicators associated with climate change must be improved, and the need to plan for adaptive measures is immediate. Adaptive options include improved and extended preventive medical care, disaster preparedness, protective technology, and appropriate professional training. Some of these options are energy-intensive (e.g., air conditioning) and will worsen greenhouse warming by creating a need for more energy, unless alternative energy sources are developed. Vector control is another response with potentially harmful side-effects. An integrated approach to environmental management is needed for realistic success. Many diseases may not respond to preventive actions; moreover, the growth of emerging epidemics in warmer environments will be difficult to anticipate. In light of these shortcomings, improved monitoring and research are needed to guide policymakers as they choose options for mitigating greenhouse gases in conjunction with implementing adaptive measures.
Targeting self-regulation and academic functioning among preschoolers with behavior problems: Are there incremental benefits to including cognitive training as part of a classroom curriculum?

The purpose of this study was to examine the additional benefit of an adaptive Cogmed working memory training (CWMT) to a social-emotional/self-regulation classroom curriculum for preschoolers with...
Portal Cavernoma Cholangiopathy: Histologic Features and Differential Diagnosis.

Objectives Portal cavernoma cholangiopathy (formerly portal biliopathy) is a type of biliary injury that occurs in association with a portal vein thrombus or cavernoma. Although the radiographic features of portal cavernoma cholangiopathy have been enumerated in the literature, its histologic features have not been described in detail. Methods We describe the histologic findings in liver specimens from three patients with radiologically confirmed portal cavernoma cholangiopathy. Results Of the three patients, one underwent surgical resection due to a clinical suspicion for cholangiocarcinoma, one had a liver biopsy sample obtained for evaluation of possible cirrhosis, and one had a clinically suspicious "hilar mass" at the time of orthotopic liver transplant. Histologic features common among the three liver specimens included portal venous abnormalities, where the portal veins were obliterated or small relative to the portal tract size, and obstructive biliary changes, such as ductular reaction and reactive epithelial atypia accompanied by a mixed inflammatory cell infiltrate with neutrophils. Conclusions This case series provides clinicopathologic characteristics of portal cavernoma cholangiopathy. Histologic changes are reminiscent of hepatoportal sclerosis and/or bile duct obstruction. Attention to portal veins can provide helpful diagnostic clues, especially when biopsy samples are obtained from patients with a known portal vein thrombus or cavernoma.
Nonlinear optical susceptibility of atomically thin WX2 crystals

Abstract We have studied tungsten diselenide (WSe2) and tungsten disulfide (WS2) monolayer materials in second harmonic generation spectroscopy and microscopy experiments. Ultra-broadband continuum pulses served as the fundamental beam while its second harmonic spectrum in the visible and ultraviolet (UV) range was detected and analyzed with a better than 0.3 nm spectral resolution (
Interactions of Gut Endocrine Cells with Epithelium and Neurons.

Even the simplest animals possess sophisticated systems for sensing and securing nutrients. After all, ensuring adequate nutrition is essential for sustaining life. Once multicellular animals grew too large to be nourished by simple diffusion of nutrients from their environment, they required a digestive system for the absorption and digestion of food. The majority of cells in the digestive tract are enterocytes that are designed to absorb nutrients. However, the digestive tracts of animals ranging from worms to humans contain specialized cells that discriminate between nutrients and nondigestible ingestants. These cells "sense" both the environment within the gut lumen and nutrients as they cross the gut epithelium. This dual sensing is then translated into local signals that regulate the gut epithelium or distant signals through hormones or nerves. This review will discuss how sensors of the gut interact with cells of the epithelium and neurons to regulate epithelial integrity and initiate neural transmission from the gut lumen. © 2017 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 8:1019-1030, 2018.
WiFi Helps Define the Relevant Market for Wireless Services

The Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) has recognized that WiFi plays an increasingly important role as a competitor to the services offered by the mobile wireless industry, including when evaluating the state of competition in the mobile wireless marketplace. When reviewing proposed mergers, however, the FCC relies on a product market definition, “mobile telephony/broadband services,” that has been unchanged for approximately a decade and that does not account for the changed role of WiFi in the competitive marketplace during this time. Notably, the FCC continues to rely on this market definition without undertaking any particular analysis and without the support of any empirical evidence. Since the FCC adopted its market definition: (1) the choice of WiFi has become a clear reflection of how Americans use wireless devices; (2) market conditions for wireless services have changed rapidly; (3) more data has migrated to WiFi offload — transmitting wireless data to a WiFi network — than has remained on the cellular networks, and most wireless services are used in both nomadic and fixed environments; (4) WiFi capabilities in wireless devices have evolved and become ubiquitous; (6) new technologies have not appeared to lessen demand for WiFi; (7) cable providers are challenging wireless carriers with WiFi offload and wireless services; and (8) consumers have become sensitive to price and quality in choosing between cellular services or WiFi. When the use of WiFi for consumer data offload is examined, a hypothetical monopolist may reveal that “mobile telephony/broadband services” are not a separate market. The FCC’s market definition was first adopted in 2008, when 3G technologies were first being deployed and 4G was only on the planning boards. Today, the technologies of 2008, and the associated market definitions, are outdated. Instead, new 5G technologies are being deployed. In this context, the FCC’s reliance on an outdated market definition results in an inaccurate understanding of competition in the market. Before conducting competitive analyses of the mobile marketplace, the FCC should carefully examine consumer choices of communications services and develop market definitions that reflect current technologies and consumer practices. WiFi, and the businesses that provide it, likely discipline prices of wireless services and are part of the same economic market.
Molecular mechanism by which Dibenzoylmethane (DBM) induces heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) expression

633 Dibenzoylmethane (DBM) is a minor constituent of licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra), a herb widely used as an antidote, demulcent and elixir folk medicine in traditional Chinese medicine. Studies in our lab as well as from other groups have shown that DBM exhibits unique cancer-preventive effects against prostate, colon, breast and skin cancers in cell and animal models. It was found that DBM induces the expression of antioxidant and detoxifying enzymes that are important for cancer prevention; however, the underlying molecular mechanism is still unknown. In the present study we delineated the molecular mechanism by which DBM induces the expression of heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1), a major stress response and antioxidant enzyme. DBM potently induced the expression of HO-1 in various cell lines. At the same time, DBM increased nuclear factor-erythroid-related factor2 (Nrf2) protein level concentration- and time-dependently. The induction was diminished in Nrf2 (-/-) mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs). Furthermore, overexpression of dominant-negative form of Nrf2 also inhibited the induction of HO-1 by DBM. Taken together, theses results suggest that the induction of HO-1 by DBM is dependent on Nrf2. On the other hand, DBM activated mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and AMP-activated protein kinases, and perturbs intracellular calcium level in cells. Further studies indicate that MAPKs, AMPK and intracellular calcium all contributed to the induction of HO-1 expression by DBM. The presented study investigated an important mechanism underlying the cancer-preventive effects of DBM, and revealed the molecular basis of the induction of HO-1 by DBM. (Supported by NIH R01-CA-94828 R01-CA118947 to A.-N.T. Kong)
Aortic Coarctation: A Comprehensive Analysis of Shape, Size, and Contractility of the Fetal Heart.

BACKGROUND An integrated assessment of the size and shape of the 4-chamber view (4-CV) and right and left ventricles (RV and LV) as well as the function of the RV and LV in fetuses with coarctation of the aorta (CoA) has not yet been conducted. OBJECTIVES We evaluated the size and shape of the 4-CV, RV, and LV, and function of the RV and LV, to identify a profile for fetuses with CoA when compared to a control population. METHODS 50 CoA fetuses were compared to 200 controls. This was a retrospective case series comparing the 4-CV of CoA fetuses and controls. The 4-CV end-diastolic area, length, width, and sphericity index were measured to determine the configuration of the 4-CV. Speckle-tracking analysis was used to compute the RV and LV end-diastolic area, length, 24-segment sphericity index, 24-segment transverse width, and the following functional parameters: (1) fractional area change; (2) global, lateral, and septal strain; (3) basal-apical, lateral, and septal annular displacement and fractional shortening; and (4) 24-segment transverse width fractional shortening. Using 5 and 95% reference intervals, the CoA fetal measurements were classified; from these, the odds ratio was computed between the fetuses with CoA and the controls. p < 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS In fetuses with CoA, the 4-CV was spherical in shape, increased in area and width, and decreased in length. Abnormal CoA sphericity indices reflected a flatter LV and a more spherical RV. The LV area, length, and width, and RV length were decreased. The transverse width of the RV was increased. RV and LV global, longitudinal, and transverse contractility were depressed. CONCLUSIONS The results demonstrate previously unappreciated differences in the shape, size, and function of the heart in fetuses with CoA. These differences may assist examiners in identifying fetuses with CoA.
Utility of subcategorization of atypia of undetermined significance/follicular lesion of undetermined significance category in ultrasound-guided thyroid fine-needle aspiration in a large referral cancer center

Introduction Subclassification of atypia of undetermined significance/follicular lesion of undetermined significance (AUS/FLUS) is encouraged in the Bethesda System. In our practice, we subclassified AUS/FLUS into 3 subcategories: atypical follicular cells of undetermined significance (ACUS) for cases with cytologic atypia; follicular lesion (FL) for cellular cases with follicular cells with-minimal or no atypia, arranged in a macro- and micro-follicular pattern with scant colloid; and indeterminate follicular lesion, favor benign (IFL-FB) for cases with few clusters of follicular cells without atypia associated with minimal or no colloid. The objective of our study was to evaluate the prevalence, clinical management, and risk of malignancy for each subcategory. Materials and methods We retrospectively identified ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (US-FNA) of thyroid cases that were subcategorized as ACUS, IFL-FB, and FL at our-institution during 2014-2016. The results of US-FNA were correlated with clinical outcome in the subsequent 2 years including repeat US-FNA, thyroid surgery, and clinical/imaging follow-up. Results Of 3207 thyroid US-FNA cases, 718 (22.4%) cases were included in the study. Of these 718 cases, 104 (14.5%) were subcategorized as ACUS, 166 (23.1%) as FL, and 448 (62.4%) as IFL-FB. The surgery rate was 39.4% (41 of 104) for ACUS, 13.6% (61 of 448) for IFL-FB, and 27.1% (45 of 166) for FL. The risk of malignancy (ROM) was 25% (26 of 104) for ACUS, and 2.9% (13 of 448) for IFL-FB, 6.0% (10 of 166) for FL. The surgery rate and ROM was significantly higher for ACUS in comparison to IFL-FB (P Conclusions Subclassification of AUS/FLUS into 3 groups based on cytopathologic findings alone not only improved the triage of patients for subsequent clinical management but also effectively stratified the risk of malignancy.
A meta-analysis on the impact of grades and comments on academic motivation and achievement: A case for written feedback.

This research synthesis examined the impact of grades, comments, and no performance feedback on academic motivation and achievement in elementary and secondary school. Four meta-analyses were condu...
Chapter 30 – Epigenetics

The systemic autoimmune disorder systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is characterized by a profoundly disturbed immune cell function and disrupted cytokine expression. The proinflammatory phenotype in SLE contributes to organ inflammation and damage that can result in disability and death. Regardless of major efforts to understand the disease, the pathophysiology of SLE is incompletely understood. In addition to genetic factors, environmental triggers, including diet, medication, infections, etc., largely contribute to disease expression in predisposed individuals. Environmental factors may result in so-called epigenetic changes, which alter gene expression. The term epigenetics summarizes a group of gene regulatory mechanisms that alter chromatin conformation and resulting gene expression without changing the DNA sequence. In the following, key epigenetic disturbances in SLE, their molecular causes, and effects on T-cell subset distribution and function will be discussed.
Recruitment into the Alzheimer Prevention Trials (APT) Webstudy for a Trial-Ready Cohort for Preclinical and Prodromal Alzheimer's Disease (TRC-PAD).

The Alzheimer Prevention Trials (APT) Webstudy is the first stage in establishing a Trial-ready Cohort for Preclinical and Prodromal Alzheimer’s disease (TRC-PAD). This paper describes recruitment approaches for the APT Webstudy. To remotely enroll a cohort of individuals into a web-based longitudinal observational study. Participants are followed quarterly with brief cognitive and functional assessments, and referred to Sites for in-clinic testing and biomarker confirmation prior to enrolling in the Trial-ready Cohort (TRC). Participants are referred to the APT Webstudy from existing registries of individuals interested in brain health and Alzheimer’s disease research, as well as through central and site recruitment efforts. The study team utilizes Urchin Tracking Modules (UTM) codes to better understand the impact of electronic recruitment methods. A remotely enrolled online study. Volunteers who are at least 50 years old and interested in Alzheimer’s research. Demographics and recruitment source of participant where measured by UTM. 30,650 participants consented to the APT Webstudy as of April 2020, with 69.7% resulting from referrals from online registries. Emails sent by the registry to participants were the most effective means of recruitment. Participants are distributed across the US, and the demographics of the APT Webstudy reflect the referral registries, with 73.1% female, 85.0% highly educated, and 92.5% Caucasian. We have demonstrated the feasibility of enrolling a remote web-based study utilizing existing registries as a primary referral source. The next priority of the study team is to engage in recruitment initiatives that will improve the diversity of the cohort, towards the goal of clinical trials that better represent the US population.
Shear behavior of human skull bones.

Abstract A shear-punch test (SPT) experimental method was developed to address the lack of shear deformation and failure response data for the human skull as a function of local bone microarchitecture. Improved understanding of skull deformation and fracture under varying stress-states helps implement mechanism-based, multi-axial material models for finite element analysis for optimizing protection strategies. Shear-punch coupons (N = 47 specimens) were extracted from right-parietal and frontal bones of three fresh-frozen-thawed human skulls. The specimens were kept as full through-thickness or segmented into the three skull constituent layers: the inner and outer cortical tables and the middle porous diploe. Micro-computed x-ray tomography (μCT) before and after SPT provided the bone volume fraction (BVF) as a function of depth for correlation to shear mechanisms in the punched volumes. Digital image correlation was used to track displacement of the punch above the upper die to minimize compliance error. Five full-thickness specimens were subjected to partial indentation loading to investigate the process of damage development as a function of BVF and depth. It was determined that BVF dominates the shear yield and ultimate strength of human skull bone, but the imposed uniaxial loading rate (0.001 and 0.1 s−1) did not have as strong a contribution (p = 0.181–0.806 > 0.05) for the shear yield and ultimate strength of the skull bone layer specimens. Shear yield and ultimate strength data were highly correlated to power law relationships of BVF (R2 = 0.917–0.949). Full-thickness and partial loaded SPT experiments indicate the diploe primarily dictates the shear strength of the intact structure.
Racial/ethnic disparities in young adulthood and midlife cardiovascular risk factors and late-life cognitive domains the Kaiser Healthy Aging and Diverse Life Experiences (KHANDLE) Study

Background Midlife cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) increase dementia risk. Less is known about whether CVRF identified before midlife impact late-life cognition in diverse populations. Methods Linear regression models examined hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and overweight/obesity at ages 30 to 59 with late-life executive function, semantic memory, verbal episodic memory, and global cognition in a cohort of Asians, blacks, Latinos, and whites (n=1127; mean age=75.8, range=65 to 98). Models adjusted for age at CVRF, age at cognitive assessment, sex, race/ethnicity, participant education, and parental education. Results Overall, 34% had 1 CVRF at ages 30 to 59; 19% had 2+. Blacks (26%) and Latinos (23%) were more likely to have 2+ CVRF than Asians (14%) or whites (13%). Having 2+ CVRF was associated with lower global cognition [β=-0.33; 95% confidence interval (CI)=-0.45, -0.21], executive function (β=-0.26; 95% CI=-0.39, -0.13), verbal episodic memory (β=-0.34; 95% CI=-0.48, -0.20), and semantic memory (β=-0.20; 95% CI=-0.33, -0.07). Interaction by age (P=0.06) indicated overweight/obesity was negatively associated with executive function at ages 30 to 39 but not at ages 40 to 59. Race/ethnic-specific effects showed disparities in CVRF prevalence impact population disparities in late-life cognition. Conclusion Being overweight/obese in early adulthood and having 2+ CVRF in early adulthood/midlife are modifiable targets to redress racial/ethnic disparities in cognitive impairment and dementia.
Gigantic tunneling magnetoresistance in magnetic Weyl semimetal tunnel junctions

We investigate the tunneling magnetoresistance in magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) comprised of Weyl semimetal contacts. We show that chirality-magnetization locking leads to a gigantic tunneling magnetoresistance ratio, an effect that does not rely on spin filtering by the tunnel barrier. Our results indicate that the conductance in the antiparallel configuration is more sensitive to magnetization fluctations than in MTJs with normal ferromagnets, and predicts a TMR as large as ${10}^{4}$ % when realistic magnetization fluctuations are accounted for. In addition, we show that the Fermi arc states give rise to a non-monotonic dependence of conductance on the misalignment angle between the magnetizations of the two contacts.
Racial/ethnic disparities in use of surveillance mammogram among breast cancer survivors: a systematic review.

Increasing number of breast cancer survivors in the USA have led to greater focus on the long-term health outcomes and surveillance care among these women. However limited evidence exists of use of surveillance mammography among breast cancer survivors and how it varies across racial/ethnic groups. We conducted a systematic review of the literature to explore disparities in use of surveillance mammogram among women breast cancer survivors by searching for relevant studies published between 2000 and 2020 from Medline (Ovid), PubMed (National Library of Medicine), and PsycINFO (Ovid) bibliographic databases. Two authors independently screened titles, abstracts, and full texts of all articles that reported surveillance mammography use across racial/ethnic groups. Data on study design, screening eligibility, sample size, operational definition, and/or measure of the use of a surveillance mammogram among breast cancer survivors and the association between race/ethnicity and use of a surveillance mammogram were summarized in the evidence tables. We identified 1544 records from the three databases, and 30 studies examined the use of surveillance mammograms among breast cancer survivors across race/ethnic groups. Of these, 21 provided adjusted estimates of racial/ethnic disparities in use of surveillance mammograms, and 15 of these reported statistically significant disparities. In summary, most studies reported that non-white women (mainly Blacks and Hispanics) were less likely to receive a timely surveillance mammogram compared to White. This study extends the evidence of racial/ethnic disparities beyond completion of initial treatment by finding similar disparities in receipt of surveillance mammograms among breast cancer survivors. Our findings identify a need to improve efforts to increase post-treatment use of surveillance mammography among racial/ethnic minority women to reduce these gaps and improve overall clinical and quality of life outcomes.
Telemedicine Training in the COVID Era: Revamping a Routine OSCE to Prepare Medicine Residents for Virtual Care

Background:During the rapid onset of the pandemic, clinicians transitioned from traditional outpatient practice to virtual modalities for providing routine care to patient panels. Like training pro...
Disease-associated mutations in a bifunctional aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase gene elicit the integrated stress response.

Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (ARSs) catalyze the charging of specific amino acids onto cognate tRNAs, an essential process for protein synthesis. Mutations in ARSs are frequently associated with a variety of human diseases. The human EPRS1 gene encodes a bifunctional glutamyl-prolyl-tRNA synthetase (EPRS) with two catalytic cores and appended domains that contribute to nontranslational functions. In this study, we report compound heterozygous mutations in EPRS1, which lead to amino acid substitutions P14R and E205G in two patients with diabetes and bone diseases. While neither mutation affects tRNA binding or association of EPRS with the multisynthetase complex, E205G in the glutamyl-tRNA synthetase (ERS) region of EPRS is defective in amino acid activation and tRNAGlu charging. The P14R mutation induces a conformational change and altered tRNA charging kinetics in vitro. We propose that the altered catalytic activity and conformational changes in the EPRS variants sensitize patient cells to stress, triggering an increased integrated stress response (ISR) that diminishes cell viability. Indeed, patient-derived cells expressing the compound heterozygous EPRS show heightened induction of the ISR, suggestive of disruptions in protein homeostasis. These results have important implications for understanding ARS-associated human disease mechanisms and development of new therapeutics.
Nanoimprint-Assisted Shear Exfoliation (NASE) for Producing Multilayer MoS2 Structures as Field-Effect Transistor Channel Arrays.

MoS2 and other semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) are of great interest due to their excellent physical properties and versatile chemistry. Although many recent research efforts have been directed to explore attractive properties associated with MoS2 monolayers, multilayer/few-layer MoS2 structures are indeed demanded by many practical scale-up device applications, because multilayer structures can provide sizable electronic/photonic state densities for driving upscalable electrical/optical signals. Currently there is a lack of processes capable of producing ordered, pristine multilayer structures of MoS2 (or other relevant TMDCs) with manufacturing-grade uniformity of thicknesses and electronic/photonic properties. In this article, we present a nanoimprint-based approach toward addressing this challenge. In this approach, termed as nanoimprint-assisted shear exfoliation (NASE), a prepatterned bulk MoS2 stamp is pressed into a polymeric fixing layer, and the imprinted MoS2 features ar...