cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Diagnosis and Management of Gestational Trophoblastic Neoplasia

Gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) is the term used for an uncommon group of diseases that originate in the placenta and have the potential to locally invade the uterus and metastasize. The histological entities included in this group are: partial (PHM) and complete hydatidiform mole (CHM), invasive mole (IM), choriocarcinoma (CCA), placental site trophoblastic tumor (PSTT) and epithelioid trophoblastic tumor (ETT). With the exception of PSTT and ETT, all gestational trophoblastic tumors develop from the cyto- and syncytial cells of the villous trophoblast and produce abundant amounts of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), the measurement of which serves as a reliable tumor marker for diagnosis, monitoring treatment response and follow-up to detect recurrence. PSTT and ETT, on the other hand, are gestational trophoblastic tumors that originate from the intermediate cells of extravillous trophoblast and produce hCG sparsely, making its use as a tumor marker less reliable. Prior to the development of effective chemotherapy for GTN in 1956 [1], the majority of patients with disease localized to the uterus were cured with hysterectomy, whereas metastatic disease was almost uniformly fatal. Currently, most women with GTN can be cured and their reproductive function preserved providing they are managed according to well-established guidelines. GTN is an uncommon disease which ideally should be managed at trophoblastic disease centers where concentration of cases provides clinicians with ample experience, opportunities for research, and improved outcomes [2]. Since many patients will be managed locally, it is the purpose of this review to familiarize clinicians who encounter these patients with the latest advances in the field in order to optimize their patient’s outcome.
Differential sexual survival of Drosophila melanogaster on copper sulfate

Based on studies of the influence of X-chromosomes on the viability of Drosophila melanogaster exposed to cadmium, and on the role of X-linked genes on copper homeostasis, we examined the effect of copper sulfate (CuSO4) on offspring viability using three independent, inbred D. melanogaster crosses (ensuring identical autosomes for males and females within each cross). Each cross was performed with attached X-chromosome females and males with a single X-chromosome. As female D. melanogaster have less metallothionein RNA expression than males, we predicted fewer female offspring than male offspring in crosses exposed to CuSO4, even though females have two copies of X-chromosome genes, possibly resulting in overdominant heterozygosity. In two of three crosses, CuSO4 caused significantly higher numbers of male offspring compared to female offspring. We hypothesized that these gender-based viability differences to copper exposure are caused by X-chromosome ploidy and X-linked genetic variation affecting metallothionein expression. Observed differential offspring viability responses among crosses to copper exposure also showed that different genetic backgrounds (autosomal and/or X-chromosome) can result in significant differences in heavy metal and metallothionein regulation. These results suggest that the effect of copper on offspring viability depends on both genetic background and gender, as both factors can affect the regulation of metallothionein proteins as well as homeostasis of biologically necessary heavy metals.
Ofatumumab in combination with high-dose methylprednisolone for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

7124 Background: We performed a phase II, single-arm, clinical trial evaluating ofatumumab in combination with HDMP for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory CLL. Methods: Patients ...
Estimation of population exposure to nitrogen dioxide.

The assessment of population risk to exposure of nitrogen dioxide can be estimated by integrating the probability of an adverse health outcome occurring at a given level of exposure with the probability of exposure. This paper discusses the authors current ability to estimate the distribution of population exposure to nitrogen dioxide. Exposure to nitrogen dioxide is the result of time varying emissions from a variety of indoor and outdoor sources. For purposes of estimating possible adverse health effect it would be desirable to know the distribution of exposure over both long-term and short-term averaging periods. The short-term (1-3 hour) exposure pattern is characterized by short-intense bursts of nitrogen dioxide above some background level which itself may be varying in time but at a much slower rate. The long-term exposure pattern is an integrated exposure averaged over periods of hours, days and even years. At the present time, little data are available to adequately describe the population distribution or the patterns of short-term NO{sub 2} exposure, but, in recent years a large data base has been generated which provides a great deal of insight into the long-term average NO{sub 2} exposure of different populations. This paper will focus on the statemore » of their knowledge about long-term integrated exposure of NO{sub 2} and the possibility of using these data to estimate population NO{sub 2} exposure in general.« less
Breast Cancer Risk and Progressive Histology in Serial Benign Biopsies.

Background More than 1 million women per year in the United States with benign breast biopsies are known to be at elevated risk for breast cancer (BC), with risk stratified on histologic categories of epithelial proliferation. Here we assessed women who had serial benign biopsies over time and how changes in the histologic classification affected BC risk. Methods In the Mayo Clinic Benign Breast Disease Cohort of 13 466 women, 1414 women had multiple metachronous benign biopsies (10.5%). Both initial and subsequent biopsies were assessed histologically. BC risk for clinical and prognostic factors was assessed using subdistribution models to account for competing risks, and logistic regression/Wilcoxon/chi-square tests to assess covariates. All statistical tests were two-sided. Results Breast cancer risk for women with serial biopsies, stratified by histologic category in the later biopsies, was similar to women with a single biopsy. We found that changes in histological category between initial and subsequent biopsy statistically significantly impacted BC risk. Women with nonproliferative initial findings and subsequent proliferative findings had an increased risk (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.77, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.06 to 2.94, P = .03) compared with no change. Among women with proliferative disease without atypia at initial biopsy, risk decreased if later biopsy regressed to nonproliferative (HR = 0.49, 95% CI = 0.25 to 0.98) and increased if later biopsy showed progression to atypical hyperplasia (HR = 1.49, 95% CI = 0.73 to 3.05) compared with no change ( P = .04). Conclusions We found that breast cancer risk increases in women with progressive epithelial proliferation over time and decreases in women whose biopsies show less proliferation. This finding has important implications for effective clinical management of the 100 000 women per year who have multiple benign breast biopsies.
Imaging in Patients with Crohn's Disease: Trends in Abdominal CT/MRI Utilization and Radiation Exposure Considerations over a 10-Year Period.

PURPOSE To study the trends in utilization of computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with Crohn's disease and to evaluate changes in CT radiation exposure over a 10-year period. METHODS In this institutional review board-approved single-institution retrospective study, we included patients who underwent CT and MRIs for evaluation of Crohn's disease between 2006 and 2015. A total of 3196 CTs and 1924 MR scans were performed in 2156 patients (mean age: 34.8 ± 17.71 yr; range: 3-91 yr) for initial diagnosis or follow-up of Crohn's disease between 2006 and 2015. Trends in CT/MR utilization was assessed by comparing the volume of CT/MRI studies performed each year. The changes in CT radiation exposure over the study period were estimated and compared. RESULTS The annual combined CT/MR utilization demonstrated a 1.9-fold rise over the last decade (2006: n = 358, 2015: n = 681, P < 0.001, r = 0.96). It was predominantly because of a substantial growth (9.2-fold increase) in the MR scan volume (2006: n = 37, 2015: n = 341, P < 0.001, r = 0.93), whereas CT volume did not show significant change (2006: n = 321, 2015: n = 340, P = 0.6). Over this same period, there was a 59.4% reduction in mean radiation exposure (2006: CT dose indexvol 16.9 ± 7.1 mGy, 2015: CT dose indexvol 6.87 ± 4.62 mGy, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS A 9-fold growth in annual MR scan volume contributed to a nearly 2-fold rise in yearly cross-sectional imaging utilization in Crohn's patients between 2006 and 2015. Rising trend in imaging utilization paralleled a 60% reduction of CT radiation exposure.
Transplanting One Problem for Another.

* Abbreviation: EBV — : Epstein-Barr virus Major advances have been made in the field of pediatric solid organ transplant, with significant improvements in long-term survival for children requiring this life-saving intervention.1 Developments in supportive care, organ allocation, HLA antigen matching, and immunosuppressive regimens have all contributed to this success.2–4 With more patients surviving longer, however, there has also been an increase in the long-term complications of transplantation.5 In addition to other organ toxicities, allograft loss, and impaired health-related quality of life,6,7 a dramatic increase in cancer incidence has been seen in organ transplant recipients.8,9 The overall increased incidence of malignancy in patients who have received solid organ transplants has been reported to range from a two- to six-fold increase above the general population,8,10 depending on the cohort and type of transplant. The cumulative incidence has been reported to be as high as 55% … Address correspondence to Daniel S. Wechsler, MD, PhD, Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, 397 Hanes House, DUMC Box 102382, Durham, NC 27710. E-mail: dan.wechsler{at}duke.edu
Compute Caches

This paper presents the Compute Cache architecturethat enables in-place computation in caches. ComputeCaches uses emerging bit-line SRAM circuit technology to repurpose existing cache elements and transforms them into active very large vector computational units. Also, it significantlyreduces the overheads in moving data between different levelsin the cache hierarchy. Solutions to satisfy new constraints imposed by ComputeCaches such as operand locality are discussed. Also discussedare simple solutions to problems in integrating them into aconventional cache hierarchy while preserving properties suchas coherence, consistency, and reliability. Compute Caches increase performance by 1.9× and reduceenergy by 2.4× for a suite of data-centric applications, includingtext and database query processing, cryptographic kernels, and in-memory checkpointing. Applications with larger fractionof Compute Cache operations could benefit even more, asour micro-benchmarks indicate (54× throughput, 9× dynamicenergy savings).
Central Cord Syndrome

Management of the spine trauma patient requires thorough neurologic and radiographic evaluation. While a majority of spine traumatic conditions can be managed non-operatively, high index of suspicion must be maintained to avoid missing critical injuries that could lead to immediate or delayed neurologic deterioration.
Abstract WP79: Appropriate Timing of Fluoxetine and Statin Administration Reduces the Risk of Secondary Hemorrhagic Infarct After Ischemic Stroke

Introduction: Ongoing clinical trials are testing the effect of fluoxetine delivered 2-15 days from the onset of an acute ischemic stroke where a majority of patients are taking statins. We hypothesized that earlier drug delivery would result in smaller infarcts. Methods: Endothelin-1-induced strokes were initiated in 10-12 month old Sprague-Dawley rats, targeting the forelimb motor cortex. Combined medications of 5 mg/kg fluoxetine and 1 mg/kg simvastatin were orally administered either beginning 6-12 hours or 20-26 hours after stroke induction and continued daily for 90 days. Infarct volumes were assessed at post-stroke day 91 using Nissl stained coronal brain sections. An unpaired T-test with Welch’s correction for unequal variances was used for statistical comparison of the infarct volumes. Results: Control animals typically had 5-13 mm3 infarct volumes. Animals that received fluoxetine and simvastatin beginning 20-26 hours after stroke induction showed a strong trend of reduced infarct volume (3 ± 0.3447 mm3 SEM, P=0.0563). Earlier drug delivery (6-12 hours after stroke) resulted in significantly larger infarct volumes (15.4 ± 4.260 mm3 SEM, P=0.0157) when the drug groups were directly compared (Fig.1). Examination of the infarct volumes showed that earlier drug delivery induced secondary hemorrhagic infarcts, while later delivery did not (P=0.0427; Fisher’s exact test). Conclusions: There appears to be substantial danger of developing hemorrhagic infarct if the combination of fluoxetine and statin is given within 6-12 hours of stroke induction (RR= 4.36, 95% CI = 0.64-29.5). For that reason, it is crucial to monitor stroke patients for statins and fluoxetine, and withhold the statin for at least 20 hours after stroke onset. Delivery of both drugs after 20-26 hours of stroke onset resulted in significantly reduced infarcts.
Processing and Properties of Ni-Based Bulk Metallic Glass via Spark Plasma Sintering of Pulverized Amorphous Ribbons

Ni-based bulk metallic glasses and composites with high absolute densities exceeding 11 g/cm3 were synthesized via spark plasma sintering of Ni45Co10Ta25Nb20 powders produced from pulverized, melt-spun amorphous ribbons. Optimizing the synthesis via selection of sintering temperature, uniaxial load pressure, and powder mechanical screening yielded samples with relative densities of nearly 100% and hardness values in excess of 12.5 GPa without cracking. Mechanical testing included Weibull modulus determination for hardness and compression testing at 10−3 s−1 and 103 s−1 strain rates. The capability of using spark plasma sintering to fabricate high hardness, high density, large scale metallic glasses is demonstrated. The mechanical properties of these compacted comminuted melt-spun glass ribbons are presented.
Mixing laws and causality in high frequency induction log applications

Abstract High frequency electromagnetic technologies for subsurface formation evaluation provide high spatial resolution and new opportunities for petrophysical interpretation of data. Dispersion of rock properties and up-scaling from pore to reservoir scale (homogenization) represent the two most challenging problems. In electrodynamics of porous media, various mixing and dispersion laws are used to homogenize rock properties and describe their frequency behavior. Mixing laws and dispersion have a close link to the fundamental physical principle of causality and therefore cannot be introduced arbitrarily. For any mixing/dispersion law, we need to prove that causality holds. For testing causality, we use Titchmarsh’s theorem and, particularly, one of its modifications—Kramers-Kronig relations. Causality is discussed for Debye, Cole-Cole, Havriliak-Negami, and CRIM models. Dispersion is closely related to wave propagation. Evaluation of phase and group velocities shed new light on the physics of phase and amplitude measurements in lossy media. We evaluated various definitions of both velocities and their dependence on spatial spectra or, in other words, on the arrangement of transmitting and receiving elements. To illustrate theoretical findings, we use dielectric logging as an exemplary technology. Usually, in modern dielectric tools, amplitude and phase data are acquired, for various frequencies and sensor positions. The measured phase is discontinuous at high frequencies and requires detection of discontinuity as well as unwrapping. Remarkably, one can determine formation attenuation and loss angle based on multifrequency/multisensor amplitude data and transform them into dielectric permittivity, resistivity, and true continuous phase. Transformations of exemplary tool data used in this paper are suitable for a conceptual study and are specific for a uniform formation. We intentionally do not address the accuracy of measurements and propagation of errors in the inversion process, since they are tool- and processing-specific. Different tools require joint analysis of all available data and special noise reduction techniques associated with the structure of the acquisition system.
New approach to enhancing vehicular communication reliability for safety applications

Reliability is an important issue in deployment of IEEE 802.11p based vehicular communication systems for safety applications. One of the major causes for poor reliability of vehicular communication is message collisions from overlapped transmissions of multiple nodes (including hidden terminals and concurrent transmissions). Many schemes and protocols from the perspective of network have been proposed to avoid the collisions. However, there have been no general and effective solutions that enable the vehicular communication system to meet the reliability requirement for all potential safety applications. In this paper, a new scheme combining MAC protocol and iterative collision resolution (ICR) algorithm is proposed to combat both hidden terminal collisions and concurrent collisions from IEEE 802.11p CSMA channel access. The new scheme is designed to find a way to recover collided messages instead of avoiding their collisions. An initial analysis indicates that the new scheme can provide significant gain of reliability for the vehicular communication systems at a price of minor addition of delay.
Review of Webster’s The Duchess of Malfi (directed by Maria Aberg for the Royal Shakespeare Company) at the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, 13 March 2018, and Lyly’s The Woman in the Moon (directed by Perry Mills for Edward’s Boys) at Levi Fox Hall, King Edward VI School, 11 March 2018

While hundreds of thousands of visitors come to the quiet town of Stratford-upon-Avon every year because of the life and work of one man, William Shakespeare, and while the town’s most well-known t...
Immune phenotype of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in patients with high-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer

To explore the immune phenotype of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in patients with high-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). We prospectively collected blood samples from patients with high-risk NMIBC treated at our institution. PBMC were analyzed by flow cytometry to determine the frequency of T cells and NK cells and the expression of immunoregulatory molecules (Tim-3, TIGIT and PD-1). PBMC from healthy donors (HD) were included for comparison, and associations with response to BCG were investigated. A total of 38 patients were included, 19 BCG responders and 19 BCG refractory. Compared to 16 PBMC from HD, the frequency of total NK cells was significantly higher in patients with NMIBC [15.2% (IQR: 11.4, 22.2) vs. 5.72% (IQR: 4.84, 9.79); p = 0.05], whereas the frequency of T cells was not statistically different. Both Tim-3 and TIGIT expressions were significantly higher in NMIBC compared to HD, particularly in NK cells [13.8% (11.0; 22.4) vs. 5.56% (4.20; 10.2) and 34.9% (18.9; 53.5) vs. 1.82% (0.63; 5.16), respectively; p < 0.001]. Overall, the expression of PD-1 in all cell types was low in both NMIBC patients and HD. The immune phenotype was not significantly different before and after initiation of BCG. However, the proportion of CD8+ T cells before BCG was significantly higher in responders. The immune phenotype of PBMC from patients with high-risk NMIBC was significantly different from HD, regardless of the presence of disease or the initiation of BCG. Peripheral CD8+ T cells could play a role in response to BCG.
Shifts in phenological distributions reshape interaction potential in natural communities

Climate change has changed the phenologies of species worldwide, but it remains unclear how these phenological changes will affect species interactions and the structure of natural communities. Using a novel approach to analyse long-term data of 66 amphibian species pairs across eight communities, we demonstrate that phenological shifts can significantly alter the interaction potential of coexisting competitors. Importantly, these changes in interaction potential were mediated by non-uniform, species-specific shifts in entire phenological distributions and consequently could not be captured by metrics traditionally used to quantify phenological shifts. Ultimately, these non-uniform shifts in phenological distributions increased the interaction potential for 25% of species pairs (and did not reduce interaction potential for any species pair), altering temporal community structure and potentially increasing interspecific competition. These results demonstrate the potential of phenological shifts to reshape temporal structure of natural communities, emphasising the importance of considering entire phenological distributions of natural populations.
Effect of intragastric glucose-electrolyte infusion upon water and electrolyte balance in Asiatic cholera.

The present study was desgnged to determine whether intestinal glucose absorption occurs in cholera patients and if so whether intragastric infusion of a glucose-electrolyte solution would alter cholera stool production or composition. 14 adult males with severe diarrhea and bacteriologically proven cholera were studied. When the glucose solution was administered intragastrically only 2 of 14 cases showed glucose in stool thus demonstrating the active nature of glucose absorption in cholera. Since glucose absorption remains intact in cholera significant absorptive function remains in the small bowel site of cholera stool formation. Various recipes of the glucose solution were tested. When glucose concentration and osmolarity were increased from 40-160 mM/liter and from 274-380 mosmol/liter respectively rate of intragastric infusion was halved while approximate balance with stool losses was maintained. Increasing glucose still further to 220 mM/liter concentration and 421 mosmol osmolarity did not further enhance the effect i.e. did not allow a further reduction in the infusion rate required to maintain balance.
Strategies for preservation of digital records in Masvingo Province of Zimbabwe

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have been embraced by a number of public institutions in the Masvingo province of Zimbabwe as part of the government’s drive towards e-governance and improved service delivery. This has resulted in the generation of large volumes of digital records. Currently, the National Archives of Zimbabwe (NAZ), which is mandated to preserve all types of records, is at the moment unable to ingest digital records from public departments due to a lack of adequate digital storage facilities and skilled manpower. The records creating agencies in Masvingo have been left on their own to deal with the digital preservation conundrum. This qualitative study explored the strategies for preservation of digital records in the Masvingo province of Zimbabwe. Data were gathered through interviews augmented by observation and document analysis. Research data was manually processed and thematically analysed in line with the objectives of the study. The study established that public agencies in the Masvingo province were failing to guarantee long-term preservation and security of digital records due to a lack of supportive legislation, standards, policy guidelines, budgets, adequate and conducive infrastructure and skills. This has resulted in swathes of digital memory being lost. The study recommends the adoption of trusted digital repositories (TDRs) that are compliant to the OAIS standards, close cooperation between records-creating agencies, the NAZ, information technology (IT) experts and the academia in tackling digital preservation challenges, and the development of preservation policies and guidelines, as well as continuous training and provision of budgets to cater for preservation of digital records. In the absence of infrastructure, the NAZ should consider cloud computing for preservation of digital records as an interim solution while observing legal obligations .
Mental Health Trauma Treatment within the Current Mediterranean Refugee Crisis

Within Europe, the current refugee resettlement and rehabilitation efforts have been reviewed ongoingly by media and resource providers, but this seems to have been done with a focus more on regulations and procedures, rather than on refugee well-being. This present review of current services and policies aims to consolidate current research and practices in regard to refugee well-being to provide direction for future policy and actions. The article centers around the intersection of three topics: refugees, trauma, and mental health treatment. Background research regarding effective trauma treatment in multicultural populations is paired with current treatments available to refugees. This paper focuses on an overview of treatment efforts provided in the two border countries of Italy and Greece during the recent influx of asylum seekers and refugees from the current Mediterranean migration route. The focus particularly examines trauma issues and multiculturally effective trauma treatment models. Based on these topics, suggestions are provided for future research and possible policy implementation for more effective treatment.
Opinions power opinions: joint link and interaction polarity predictions in signed networks

Social media has been widely adopted by online users to share their opinions. Among users in signed networks, two types of opinions can be expressed. They can directly specify opinions to others via establishing positive or negative links; and they also can give opinions to content generated by others via a variety of social interactions such as commenting and rating. Intuitively these two types of opinions should be related. For example, users are likely to give positive (or negative) opinions to content from those with positive (or negative) links; and users tend to create positive (or negative) links with those that they frequently positively (or negatively) interact with. Therefore we can leverage one type of opinions to power the other. Meanwhile, they can enrich each other that can help mitigate the data sparsity and cold-start problems in the corresponding predictive tasks - link and interaction polarity predictions, respectively. In this paper, we investigate the problem of joint link and interaction polarity predictions in signed networks. We first understand the correlation between these two types of opinions; and then propose a framework that can predict signed links and the polarities of interactions simultaneously. The experimental results on a real-world signed network demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed framework.
IT Centralization and Cross-Unit IT Synergies: A Leveraged-Control Perspective

Do the firm’s investments in information technology (IT) within a business unit (BU) influence the performance of other BUs? While there is evidence of cross-entity IT synergies in the inter-firm and inter-industry contexts, the evidence is scarce about the IT synergies that may lead to added benefits across business units of a multi-business firm (MBF). Specifically, the existing literature is inconclusive about the leveraged versus organic nature of the organizational control needed to obtain such synergetic benefits. We examine whether IT centralization, as a top-down lever in organizations, is appropriate for harnessing cross-unit IT synergy potentials that exist due to IT assets relatedness (ITAR) across BUs. We further examine whether extents of ITC that are incommensurate with the existing levels of synergy potential are met with business losses. Our study utilizes observations across 9,885 unique units nested in 1,115 unique firms from 2005 to 2013. We find that BUs with relatively higher ITAR and higher levels of IT centralization realize greater intra-firm synergy benefits. This implies that a canonical organizational lever – governing the locus of control over IT – can help to reap higher rents from IT investments in BUs. Our elasticity estimates show that a 1 percent increase in the size of cross-unit synergy pools leads to a 0.011 percent increase in value-added. Particularly, we find that cross-unit IT synergy pools that exploit ITC along with ITAR overperform organic pools that only benefit from ITAR, especially in more recent years. This finding provides novel evidence supporting the role of top-down organizational levers in harnessing IT synergies. Additionally, the analysis in a restrictive sample focusing on newly merged/acquired BUs shows that deviation from the expected levels of ITC, i.e., ITC-ITAR misalignment, is detrimental to the BU’s productivity. Thus, utilizing ITC injudiciously is not a panacea in reaping cross-unit IT synergies.
Bacterial carbohydrate diversity - a Brave New World.

Glycans and glycoconjugates feature on the ‘front line’ of bacterial cells, playing critical roles in the mechanical and chemical stability of the microorganisms, and orchestrating interactions with the environment and all other living organisms. To negotiate such central tasks, bacterial glycomes incorporate a dizzying array of carbohydrate building blocks and non-carbohydrate modifications, which create opportunities for infinite structural variation. This review highlights some of the challenges and opportunities for the chemical biology community in the field of bacterial glycobiology.
Minimizing Risks in Minimally Invasive Surgery: Rates of Surgical Site Infection Across Subtypes of Laparoscopic Hysterectomy.

ABSTRACT Study Objective To compare the 30-day incidence of deep or organ-space and/or superficial incisional surgical site infections (SSIs) by the subtype of laparoscopic hysterectomy and to report on additional risk factors for SSIs following laparoscopic hysterectomy. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Database. Patients Women undergoing laparoscopic hysterectomy from 2012 to 2014. Interventions Women were stratified into 3 groups by the type of hysterectomy: total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH), laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy (LAVH), and laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy (LSCH). Demographic and clinical characteristics were compared for the 3 groups using the Kruskal-Wallis test or 1-way analysis of variance, where appropriate, for continuous variables and the chi-square or Fisher's exact test for categoric variables. Post hoc analyses were performed for multiple comparisons. Univariate analyses to examine the association with SSI were performed using the t test or Wilcoxon rank sum test as appropriate for continuous variables and the chi-square test or Fisher's exact test as appropriate for categoric variables. Significant variables on univariate analysis were included in a stepwise, backward multivariable logistic regression to identify the independent risk factors of SSI. Measurements and Main Results In total, 46 755 women underwent laparoscopic hysterectomy. Most were classified as TLH (26 009, 56%), followed by LAVH (13 884, 30%), and LSCH (6862, 14%). The overall rate of 30-day deep or organ-space SSI was 1.8% (n = 445). Thirty-day deep or organ-space SSI was lower in women who underwent LSCH (0.6%) than in women who underwent TLH (1.0%) or LAVH (1.1%; p = .001), but there was no difference in the incidence of superficial incisional SSI (0.8%, 0.8%, and 0.8% for TLH, LAVH, and LSCH, respectively; p = .75). On multivariate regression analysis, LSCH remained independently associated with a decreased risk of deep or organ-space SSI (adjusted odds ratio, 0.60; 95% confidence interval, 0.43–0.84; p = .003). In addition, relative to the women who were discharged on the same day, women admitted for >24 hours had 2-fold increased odds of deep or organ-space SSI. Asian race, smoking, perioperative transfusion, dirty or infected cases, and American Society of Anesthesiologist class 3 were associated with increased odds for deep or organ-space SSI. Length of stay >24 hours and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander race were associated with increased odds of superficial incisional SSI. Conclusion LSCH is associated with a decreased risk of deep or organ-space SSI compared with other subtypes of laparoscopic hysterectomy. Same-day discharge after laparoscopic hysterectomy is associated with decreased odds of SSI.
Looking for Science and Mathematics in all the Right Places: Using Mobile Technologies as Culturally-Sensitive Pedagogical Tools to Capture Generative Images

The exploration into cultural practices occurring in households has become more fluid and transparent process thanks to the presence of mobile technologies that allow members of a group to capture daily occurrences. This case study explored ways in which three Latino preservice teachers used mobile devices to discover connections between scientific/mathematical knowledge generated in their household and the academic curriculum. Through reflection and dialogue, three prospective Latino teachers were prompted to transform the focus of their exploration.The findings indicate that through prompted praxis our participants discovered science and mathematical connections in cultural practices emerging from their household.
Deep Neural Network a Step by Step Approach to Classify Credit Card Default Customer

This study and research aimed is to classify and predict the credit card default customers payment by means of contemporary approach of artificial neural network (ANN) known as deep neural network. This paper explains the dataset which signifies Taiwan credit card defaults in 2005 and their previous payment histories taken from popular machine learning dataset resource known as UCI. The paper enlightens each and every concept and step require to build, train, validate and test a deep neural network model for classification task that has never been discussed before. Moreover, we tried to elaborate the relevant and important concepts associated with deep neural network model that must be kept in mind during model building. This paper mainly tries to classify the default payment customer with more than 82% accuracy. For this purpose, various deep neural network techniques with different libraries are used to attain maximum accuracy and we have tried to build a best possible model which can be used for future prediction. This study proves deep neural network is the only one that can accurately estimate the real probability of default. So, by using this network model, which is more complex, sophisticated and most widely used than a simple neural network and logistic regression model, the classification simulation shall have a better performance and accuracy.
LINEAR RANDOM FIELDS

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the linear random fields and discusses a class of multidimensional time parameter analogues of the one dimensional prediction problem. It describes autoregressive moving average model (ARMA) processes and ARMA fields. The probability structure of Gaussian processes is determined fully by their first and second order moments. A technique, effective for non-Gaussian linear processes, is in principle effective for non-Gaussian linear random fields. The random variables {v t } of the scheme are independent, identically distributed non-Gaussian variables so that the process {x t } is a non-Gaussian linear random field. As in the one dimensional case, under appropriate conditions, the phase of α(exp[−iλ]) can be completely identified for a non-Gaussian linear random field.
Outcomes of sinonasal mucosal melanomas with endoscopic and open resection: a retrospective cohort study.

To compare the outcomes of Sinonasal Mucosal Melanomas (SNMM) treated with endoscopic and open resection. A retrospective case review of 20 patients with SNMM treated surgically at UCSF. Kaplan–Meier analyses were calculated to determine outcome differences in endoscopic vs. open resections. From 2005 to 2014, 20 cases of SNMM were confirmed and treated at UCSF. All cases underwent surgical resection, with 10 cases by open resection and 10 cases by endoscopic resection. Using Kaplan–Meier analyses, the open resection group had a 1-year survival of 30% whereas endoscopic resection group was 80% (p = 0.032). Endoscopic resection showed improved survival at all time points after surgery compared to open resection. SNMM is a rare and aggressive tumor that is associated with low survival rates. In this small case series, endoscopic resection had improved survival outcomes compared to open resection.
Intramammary lipopolysaccharide infusion induces local and systemic effects on milk components in lactating bovine mammary glands

Each quarter of the bovine mammary gland is an anatomically and functionally distinct gland. However, mastitis in one quarter may affect function of adjacent, uninfected glands. To investigate the mechanisms and potential mediators of these effects, we quantified early responses of the mammary gland to intramammary lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge, distinguishing between local and systemic effects. Ten multiparous cows over 70 d in milk were blocked into pairs by breed, cow-level somatic cell count (SCC), and milk yield. Within block, one cow was assigned to LPS treatment (T) such that both the front and the rear quarter of a randomly selected udder half received an infusion of 50 µg of LPS in 10 mL of saline (T-L); the contralateral quarters received only 10 mL of saline (T-S). Similarly, each paired control cow (C) received either 10 mL of saline (C-S) or no infusion (C-N) into udder halves. Cows were quarter milked twice daily, with foremilk samples (∼30 mL, front quarters) taken at -24, 0, 3, 6, 12, and 24 h relative to infusions. At 24 h, average milk yield in T-L and T-S quarters fell to 23 and 32% of pre-infusion levels, respectively. For T cows, systemic effects were observed by 3 h post-infusion as rectal temperature was elevated and foremilk fat concentration was reduced in both T-L and T-S. However, SCC and concentrations of l-lactate and total protein in foremilk indicated a local response to LPS: protein was transiently higher at 3 h, whereas SCC and lactate were higher at 6 h in T-L compared with T-S. Lactose concentration showed a local effect at 6 h, being lower in T-L than in T-S, and then a systemic effect at 12 h, being lower in both T-L and T-S than C quarters. Concomitant with changes in milk, systemic effects were also observed in blood. Plasma antioxidant potential and glucose concentration were lower in T cows than in C cows at 6 or 12 h, respectively, although neither variable remained different at 24 h. In summary, unilateral LPS infusion induced distinct, time-dependent effects on each milk component. Depending on the component, effects were local, systemic, or both, suggesting involvement of multiple different mediators that collectively result in systemic inhibition of milk production.
The Mariel Boatlift and comprehensive planning: humanitarian crisis, demographic data, and Cuban-American community development

The Mariel Boat-lift represents the largest immigrant humanitarian crisis to ever hit an American city. This paper traces the history of this humanitarian crisis in the City of Miami to consider ho...
Assessment of Extreme Risk Protection Order Use in California From 2016 to 2019.

Importance A total of 19 states and the District of Columbia now have extreme risk protection order (ERPO) or similar policies, and others are considering them; however, little research exists describing their use. Objective To characterize early use of California’s ERPO policy by providing the first aggregate, statewide description of ERPOs, individuals subject to them, and petitioners. Design, Setting, and Participants This cross-sectional study analyzed 1094 respondents to ERPOs recorded in the California Department of Justice California Restraining and Protective Order System from 2016 to 2019. Descriptive analyses of orders issued between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2019 in California were performed, and univariate Moran I was calculated to examine county-level spatial autocorrelation of the policy’s use. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary study outcomes included the characteristics of ERPO respondents (demographic characteristics), petitioners (law enforcement vs family or household members), and orders (type and service) as well as temporal and spatial variation in policy use during the first 4 years of implementation. Results Of 1094 respondents during the study period, most were men (999 [91.3%]) and white individuals (654 [59.8%]), with a mean age of 41.8 years (range, 14 to 98 years). A law enforcement officer was the petitioner in 1053 cases (96.3%). The number of respondents increased during the study period from 71 in 2016 to 717 in 2019, and there was substantial county-level variation in ERPO use (ranging from 0 to 355 respondents), with significant spatial clustering in counts of ERPO respondents among neighboring counties (observed Moran I, 0.18, mean [SD] Moran I from reference distribution, −0.02 (0.05);zvalue, 3.90;P = .005). Conclusions and Relevance This study, among the first to describe the early utilization of an ERPO or similar policy, found a substantial increase in the use of ERPOs in California from 2016 to 2019. These results could inform policy makers and other stakeholders involved in policy implementation and outreach in California and elsewhere. Similar studies in other states would be useful to understand variation.
Do Students Learn Better with Pecha Kucha, an Alternative Presentation Format?

Oral presentation assignments help students develop and engage multiple learning skills. In the process of preparing a presentation, students search and evaluate information (evidence-based engagement), decide whether to include it (content relevancy), organize information in an engaging manner (audience engagement), adhere to the presentation instructions (logistics), and attempt to appear credible (credibility). The final product is often a 15-minute PowerPoint presentation. In this study, we introduced students to the Pecha Kucha presentation format: 20 slides shown for 20 seconds each. While previous studies claimed that Pecha Kucha is pedagogically superior to traditional formats, particularly in the presentation and communication competence, its impacts on learning have not been examined. This study, which involved students in three classes, was designed to do so. All the students presented twice in a semester, but in one class, the first presentation was in Pecha Kucha and second in the traditional format and in the other two classes, the first was in the traditional format and second in Pecha Kucha. Five decision-making categories were assessed: evidence-based engagement, content relevancy, audience engagement, logistics, and credibility. Also assessed were the students’ confidence levels in presentation. The statistically significant differences between these two formats mostly reflected the intentional selection of presentation material to meet the time constraint of the Pecha Kucha format. However, all were slightly more confident in presentation after the second one. Students also reported that they preferred listening to Pecha Kucha than to traditional PowerPoint presentations.
Breeding for Resistance to Tree Pests: Successes, Challenges, and a Guide to the Future

Forests in North America are threatened by a myriad of native and nonnative pests and pathogens, the latter of which are largely introduced via the international trade of raw wood products and live plants. The early twentieth-century arrival of white pine blister rust (WPBR) (Cronartium ribicola) and chestnut blight (Cryphonectria parasitica) on imported seedlings devastated forests across North America. Invasive species notably affect entire genera. For example, WPBR has now infected all North American five-needle pine (Pinus) species across the entire United States, which has affected species of commercial and noncommercial value and threatened sensitive, high-elevation ecosystems (Sniezko et al. 2011, 2014, Sniezko and Koch 2017).
Prognostic significance of human papilloma virus (HPV) in penile cancer: A National Cancer Database (NCDB) study.

5Background: HPV is associated with 30 - 50% of penile cancers, with some studies showing improved outcomes in these patients. This study evaluated the effect of HPV infection on penile cancer outc...
Taiwanese Mandarin: A Sociolinguistic Overview

This chapter begins with a sociolinguistic overview of Taiwanese Mandarin including some of its features, one of them being the postverbal placement of the gěi-phrase. Using this feature as an example, the second half of the chapter examines the potential social factors that influence the choice of pre- and postverbal variants. With both production and perception data, the study suggests that substrate influence from speakers’ home vernaculars plays a crucial role in deciding the placement of the gěi-phrase. The results, however, merit more research to unpack the complex role of social factors in regional variations.
Impurity in Contemporary Mathematics

Purity has been recognized as an ideal of proof. In this paper, I consider whether purity continues to have value in contemporary mathematics. The topics (e.g., algebraic topology, algebraic geometry, category theory) and methods of contemporary mathematics often favor unification and generality, values that are more often associated with impurity rather than purity. I will demonstrate this by discussing several examples of methods and proofs that highlight the epistemic significance of unification and generality. First, I discuss the examples of algebraic invariants and of considering a mathematical object from several different perspectives to illustrate that the methods used in contemporary mathematics favor impurity. Then I consider an example from category theory which demonstrates how unification and generality are related to impurity and that impure solutions can be explanatory. In light of this discussion, we see that purity only has marginal value within contemporary mathematics which instead prioritizes the epistemic values associated with impurity.
Mapping causal circuit dynamics in stroke using simultaneous electroencephalography and transcranial magnetic stimulation.

BACKGROUND Motor impairment after stroke is due not only to direct tissue loss but also to disrupted connectivity within the motor network. Mixed results from studies attempting to enhance motor recovery with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) highlight the need for a better understanding of both connectivity after stroke and the impact of TMS on this connectivity. This study used TMS-EEG to map the causal information flow in the motor network of healthy adult subjects and define how stroke alters these circuits. METHODS Fourteen stroke patients and 12 controls received TMS to two sites (bilateral primary motor cortices) during two motor tasks (paretic/dominant hand movement vs. rest) while EEG measured the cortical response to TMS pulses. TMS-EEG based connectivity measurements were derived for each hemisphere and the change in connectivity (ΔC) between the two motor tasks was calculated. We analyzed if ΔC for each hemisphere differed between the stroke and control groups or across TMS sites, and whether ΔC correlated with arm function in stroke patients. RESULTS Right hand movement increased connectivity in the left compared to the right hemisphere in controls, while hand movement did not significantly change connectivity in either hemisphere in stroke. Stroke patients with the largest increase in healthy hemisphere connectivity during paretic hand movement had the best arm function. CONCLUSIONS TMS-EEG measurements are sensitive to movement-induced changes in brain connectivity. These measurements may characterize clinically meaningful changes in circuit dynamics after stroke, thus providing specific targets for trials of TMS in post-stroke rehabilitation.