cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Estrogen Replacement Therapy (ERT) Is Not Associated with an Increased Risk of Leukemia.

Recent studies have reported an increased risk of breast, endometrial, ovarian, and gall bladder cancer associated with ERT. One proposed mechanism by which ERT increases risk is through the binding of estrogen to receptors at the tissue site. Estrogen receptors are also present on certain hematopoietic cells as well as on myeloid leukemia cells. Further, downregulation of the estrogen receptor through DNA methylation has been associated with increased acute myeloid leukemia (AML) survival. We evaluated whether ERT is associated with an increased risk of leukemia, particularly AML, in the Iowa Women’s Health Study. A cohort of 37,172 post-menopausal Iowa women ages 55 to 69 years with no history of prior cancer was linked annually to the population-based state cancer registry through 2001. In addition to other self-reported cancer risk factors, participants were asked about current and former use of ERT in 1986 and on four subsequent follow-up questionnaires. A total of 201 cases of leukemia were identified over 16 years of follow-up including 64 AMLs and 87 chronic lymphocytic leukemias (CLLs). Compared to never users of ERT at study baseline, current [multivariate relative risk (RR), 1.09; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.70–1.72) and former users (RR=0.81, 95% CI=0.58–1.14) were at no increased risk of developing leukemia. For AML, current users also had no increased risk (RR=0.86, 95% CI=0.39–1.92) and there was a suggestion that former users had a slight decreased risk (RR=0.68, 95% CI=0.38–1.22). For CLL, all results were around unity. Duration of ERT or time-dependent use had no appreciable effect on the RRs. We conclude that ERT use is unlikely to be a risk factor for leukemia, including AML. Supported by NCI R01 CA39741.
Bortezomib in the treatment of antibody-mediated rejection in pediatric kidney transplant recipients: A multicenter Midwest Pediatric Nephrology Consortium study.

Antibody-mediated rejection leads to allograft loss after kidney transplantation. Bortezomib has been used in adults for the reversal of antibody-mediated rejection; however, pediatric data are limited. This retrospective study was conducted in collaboration with the Midwest Pediatric Nephrology Consortium. Pediatric kidney transplant recipients who received bortezomib for biopsy-proven antibody-mediated rejection between 2008 and 2015 were included. The objective was to characterize the use of bortezomib in pediatric kidney transplant recipients. Thirty-three patients received bortezomib for antibody-mediated rejection at nine pediatric kidney transplant centers. Ninety percent of patients received intravenous immunoglobulin, 78% received plasmapheresis, and 78% received rituximab. After a median follow-up of 15 months, 65% of patients had a functioning graft. The estimated glomerular filtration rate improved or stabilized in 61% and 36% of patients at 3 and 12 months post-bortezomib, respectively. The estimated glomerular filtration rate at diagnosis significantly predicted estimated glomerular filtration rate at 12 months after adjusting for chronic histologic changes (P .001). Fifty-six percent of patients showed an at least 25% reduction in the mean fluorescence intensity of the immune-dominant donor-specific antibody, 1-3 months after the first dose of bortezomib. Non-life-threatening side effects were documented in 21 of 33 patients. Pediatric kidney transplant recipients tolerated bortezomib without life-threatening side effects. Bortezomib may stabilize estimated glomerular filtration rate for 3-6 months in pediatric kidney transplant recipients with antibody-mediated rejection.
Clinical outcomes of early-stage ampullary carcinoma: A single institutional experience.

456Background: Ampullary carcinoma [AC] is a rare malignancy associated with favorable prognosis among pancreatobiliary tumors. Pancreaticoduodenectomy [PDY] is considered to be curative for early stage cancers. The role of adjuvant chemotherapy [CT] or combination chemoradiation [CRT] remains uncertain for stage I/II. In this analysis we reviewed our institution’s experience with AC. Methods: From 2005 to 2015, 62 patients with stage 1 and 2 AC with at least one year follow up after PDY were reviewed. Clinical and pathologic factors and disease status were obtained from chart review. The patients’ demographical and oncological characteristics are summarized. The univariate Cox proportional hazard model was conducted for evaluating the parameters associated with overall survival. Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank was used to compare the time-to-events. Results: Adjuvant treatment was administered in 61%: CT (32%), CRT (29%) 39% surgical alone. The median overall survival [OS] for the study cohort is 60 mon...
Trends in Sexual Function After Breast Cancer Surgery

Sexual dysfunction is assumed to be common, but understudied, in breast cancer patients. Herein, we use the validated female sexual functioning index (FSFI) to evaluate changes in female sexual function after breast cancer surgery. The FSFI assesses sexual function in six domains (desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, pain) on a 36-point scale, with scores >26.6 indicating better sexual function. We identified 226 women with unilateral breast cancer undergoing surgery at our institution from June 2010–January 2015. All completed the FSFI preoperatively and at a median of 13 months postoperatively. We quantified declines in FSFI scores and considered p-values <0.05 statistically significant. Overall, 119 women had breast-conserving surgery (BCS), 40 had unilateral mastectomy (UM), and 67 had UM plus contralateral prophylactic mastectomy (CPM). All women had similar baseline FSFI scores (medians: BCS, 26.3; UM, 25.2; UM+CPM, 23.7; p = 0.23). At follow-up, sexual function had declined significantly in BCS (23.5; p < 0.001) and UM (17.4; p = 0.010), but was unchanged in UM+CPM (22.8; p = 0.74) women. Interestingly, all women maintained their desire for sex (p = 0.17). BCS and UM women demonstrated significant declines in all other subscale domains (all p < 0.045). UM+CPM women demonstrated no decline in any subscale domain, yet did not exhibit superior sexual function to those having UM or BCS (medians: BCS, 23.5; UM, 17.4; UM+CPM, 22.8; p = 0.21). Baseline sexual dysfunction exists in women diagnosed with breast cancer. Surgery negatively impacts sexual function. Patients who choose mastectomy do not exhibit superior sexual function over those having BCS at 13 months following surgery.
A 31-year-old With Idiopathic Reversible Cerebral Vasoconstriction Syndrome

In our patient with reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS) syndrome, presenting with thunderclap-like headache, there is a possibility to be readily confused with migraine. Initiating treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and triptans can further aggravate the condition. Therefore, it is essential to understand the nature and type of headache and correlate the clinical findings with imaging studies.
Delayed Reconstruction of Bulbar Urethral Strictures is Associated with Multiple Interventions, Longer Strictures, and More Complex Repairs

Purpose: Prior to urethral reconstruction many patients with stricture undergo a variable period during which endoscopic treatments are performed for recurrent obstructive symptoms. We evaluated the association among urethroplasty delay, endoscopic treatments and subsequent reconstructive outcomes.Materials and Methods: We reviewed the records of men who underwent primary bulbar urethroplasty from 2007 to 2014. Those with prior urethroplasty, penile and/or membranous strictures and incomplete data were excluded from analysis. Men were stratified by a urethroplasty delay of less than 5, 5 to 10 or greater than 10 years from diagnosis.Results: A total of 278 primary bulbar urethroplasty cases with complete data were evaluated. Median time between stricture diagnosis and reconstruction was 5 years (IQR 2–10). Patients underwent an average ± SD of 0.9 ± 2.4 endoscopic procedures per year of delay. Relative to less than 5 and 5 to 10 years a delay of greater than 10 years was associated with more endoscopic tr...
Clinical implications of gastrointestinal symptoms in systemic amyloidosis.

Background Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms in systemic amyloidosis patients are poorly characterized. This purpose of this study is to define the epidemiology and clinical implications of such symptoms. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study of 583 amyloid patients seen at a tertiary referral center. Of 96 symptomatic patients, 82 received endoscopic biopsies, subsequently grouped into those with histologic evidence of GI amyloid (biopsy proven) vs without (biopsy absent). Key Results 16.8% of patients had GI symptoms, and had more abnormal NT-proBNP, cardiac ejection fraction, serum albumin, and alkaline phosphatase (P < .01). Of those who received endoscopy, the sites of highest diagnostic yield were stomach, duodenum and colon. The most common symptom was abdominal pain, nausea, or vomiting (50.0%). Of the symptomatic patients, only 37 (45%) had biopsy proven GI amyloid. Biopsy proven patients more often had cardiac involvement (P < .005), and more often received hematologic therapy or transplant (P = .01). Biopsy absent patients had more frequent neurologic involvement (P = .17). Biopsy status had no significant correlation with other indicators of amyloid burden, GI symptoms or management. Conclusions & Inferences Nearly one in six amyloid patients have GI symptoms, and half do not have GI amyloid. The type of symptom does not predict endoscopic findings. Most biopsy absent patients are not managed as a functional disorder despite no alternative etiology. Gastroenterologists may have an increased role to play in the care of systemic amyloidosis beyond performing endoscopies, such as evaluating cardiac amyloid patients for concurrent GI amyloid.
Using Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing as a Key Component of the Value Platform: A Pilot Analysis of Colonoscopy, Aortic Valve Replacement and Carpal Tunnel Release Procedures

Background: Time-driven activity-based costing (TDABC) is a methodology that calculates the costs of healthcare resources consumed as a patient moves along a care process. Limited data exist on the application of TDABC from the perspective of an anesthesia provider. We describe the use of TDABC, a bottom-up costing strategy and financial outcomes for three different medical-surgical procedures. Methods: In each case, a multi-disciplinary team created process maps describing the care delivery cycle for a patient encounter using the TDABC methodology. Each step in a process map delineated an activity required for delivery of patient care. The resources (personnel, equipment and supplies) associated with each step were identified. A per minute cost for each resource expended was generated, known as the capacity cost rate, and multiplied by its time requirement. The total cost for an episode of care was obtained by adding the cost of each individual resource consumed as the patient moved along a clinical pathway. Results: We built process maps for colonoscopy in the gastroenterology suite, calculated costs of an aortic valve replacement by comparing surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) versus transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) techniques, and determined the cost of carpal tunnel release in an operating room versus an ambulatory procedure room. Conclusions: TDABC is central to the value-based healthcare platform. Application of TDABC provides a framework to identify process improvements for health care delivery. The first case demonstrates cost-savings and improved wait times by shifting some of the colonoscopies scheduled with an anesthesiologist from the main hospital to the ambulatory facility. In the second case, we show that the deployment of an aortic valve via the transcatheter route front loads the costs compared to traditional, surgical replacement. The last case demonstrates significant cost savings to the healthcare system associated with re-organization of staff required to execute a carpal tunnel release. J Clin Med Res. 2018;10(4):314-320 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/jocmr3350w
Elizabeth: typical or troubled teen? A training case for health professionals to recognize and report child maltreatment

Introduction Training on the recognition and reporting of child maltreatment is a critical component of any health professional education program. Unfortunately, it is nationally recognized that he...
Diffuse alveolar haemorrhage and Libman-Sacks endocarditis: a rare presentation of antiphospholipid syndrome.

A 26-year-old woman with a history of idiopathic thrombocytopaenic purpura and a 1-year history of blood-streaked sputum presented after a severe episode of haemoptysis with dyspnoea. Chest imaging revealed diffuse ground glass and bronchovascular nodules. Bronchoscopy revealed bilateral diffuse alveolar haemorrhage (DAH). Sputum and bronchoalveolar lavage studies were negative for infectious aetiologies. A transthoracic echocardiogram revealed Libman-Sacks endocarditis with severe mitral regurgitation and physical examination revealed retinal artery occlusion and Osler’s nodes. The patient had an increased anticardiolipin Immunoglobulin IgG and anti-B2 glycoprotein IgG, suggesting antiphospholipid syndrome (APLS). The patient was then started on high-dose methylprednisolone and had an improvement in her dyspnoea and haemoptysis. She was also started on anticoagulation as treatment for Libman-Sacks endocarditis. APLS should be considered as a possible underlying aetiology for unusual presentations of DAH with concurrent Libman-Sacks endocarditis in non-intravenous drug users with existing autoimmune disorders.
The impact of asexual and sexual reproduction in spatial genetic structure within and between populations of the dioecious plant Marchantia inflexa (Marchantiaceae).

Background and Aims In dioecious plants, sexual reproduction requires close proximity to potential mates, but clonal growth can increase this distance and, therefore, reduce the probability of mating. Reduction in sexual propagules can lead to decreased dispersal and gene flow between populations. Gene flow and clonal growth may be further influenced by the size of the habitat patch. The effects of habitat size and reproductive mode (sexual or asexual reproduction) on spatial genetic structure and segregation of the sexes were tested by quantifying the distributions of genotypes and the sexes using the dioecious liverwort Marchantia inflexa. Methods Plants were sampled from five pairs of small-large habitat patches to identify within- and among-population spatial genetic structure using 12 microsatellite markers. Spatial distributions were calculated as the likelihood that pairs of individuals were the same sex or genotype, and it was determined how that likelihood was affected by habitat patch size (small/large). Key Results Asexual reproduction dominates within populations, and asexual dispersal also occurred across populations. Spatial segregation of the sexes was observed within populations; males were more likely to be near individuals of the same sex than were females. Although the likelihood of both sexes being near members of the same sex was similarly greater on small habitat patches, on large habitat patches male genotypes were almost 15 % more likely to be near clonemates than were female genotypes. Conclusions The results show a sex difference in clonal clumping that was dependent upon habitat size, suggesting differential colonization and/or survival between males and females. The sexes and genotypes being structured differently within and among populations have implications for the persistence of populations and the interactions between them. This study demonstrates that studying only the sexes and not their genotypes (or vice versa) can limit our understanding of the extent to which reproductive modes (sexual or asexual) influence genetic structure both within and between populations.
FOETO-MATERNAL RELATIONSHIPS

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on foeto–maternal relationships. The spontaneous rosette-forming capacity of lymphocytes from pregnant donors is easily inhibited by ALS than the lymphocytes from nonpregnant donors or males. There is no variation in rosette inhibition test (RIT) relating to the menstrual cycle, contraceptive pills, or intercourse. An indirect RIT can be performed by preincubating nonpregnant donor lymphocytes with sera from pregnant donors. The indirect RIT has the advantage of quantitation, and this is expressed as a titre of study serum containing an early pregnancy factor required to alter RIT values. Direct and indirect RIT deviate from control values in patients who subsequently experience spontaneous abortion. The chapter discusses maternal serum factors, which inhibits in vitro responses of lymphocytes. Human placental conditioned medium stimulates hemopoietic colony formation by human marrow cells. Placental transferrin operates as a mechanism for iron transport across the placenta. In addition to possible iron transport and nonspecific resistance functions, coating of trophoblasts by maternal transferrin can serve a masking effect similar to that employed by some parasites, which coat themselves with host proteins to avoid immunosurveillance.
Development of HB Donor Catalysts

Two novel hydrogen bond (HB) donor catalysts were designed and developed. By bridging the HB moiety and aryl group with an electron-withdrawing group such as, ketone or sulfone, the acidities of the N–H protons can be tuned by changing the electronic nature of the electron-withdrawing groups involved. In addition, it is anticipated that the removal of the highly nucleophilic sulfur atom in thiourea would prevent the side reactions that are sometimes problematic in thiourea-catalyzed reactions. The extents of the ability of HB donation of two novel quinazoline and benzothiadiazine-derived catalysts, prepared by using the above approach, were systematically evaluated by analytical methods. It was found that the order of HB donor ability was quinazoline < thiourea < benzothiadiazine. These catalysts were subsequently examined in two asymmetric transformations, namely Michael reactions of α,β-unsaturated imides and hydrazination reactions of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds. The former worked best with the use of thiourea catalysts whereas the latter gave best results with quinazoline-derived catalysts, which exhibit less HB donor activity than thiourea counterparts. These results show that the strongest HB donors are not necessarily the most active or most suitable catalysts for asymmetric reactions.
Structure and Dynamic Behavior of Organolithium Compounds

The study of carbanions necessitates investigating organometallic compounds. Except for the highly conjugated ones, most carbanions are not free but exist as the partially negative part of some organometallic compound. Ideally, in order to learn about carbanions one should study organocesium or organorubidium compounds since these materials are most likely to contain carbanions. Unfortunately, such compounds do not form stable solutions; they either react violently with potential solvents or are inert and insoluble, as with alkanes.
Improving Teaching through Triadic Course Alignment.

Triadic alignment is a pedagogical technique that instructors can use to improve their teaching and students’ learning. It involves offering the course learning objectives, teaching and learning activities, and assessments at the same cognitive process level. Though it represents a best practice, few instructors have assessed the efficacy of triadic alignment. Previous research has demonstrated that General Biology courses are commonly misaligned relative to the objectives and assessments. However, little emphasis has been placed on assessing the teaching and learning activities as the third component of triadic alignment. In this article, we describe how a General Biology course was initially misaligned, the process that was taken to align it, and the improved student outcomes that resulted from triadic alignment. We expand our discussion to include types of misalignment and the benefits of triadic alignment for both the students and the faculty member.
Integrated current profile, normalized beta and NTM control in DIII-D

Abstract There is an increasing need for integrating individual plasma-control algorithms with the ultimate goal of simultaneously regulating more than one plasma property. Some of these integrated-control solutions should have the capability of arbitrating the authority of the individual plasma-control algorithms over the available actuators within the tokamak. Such decision-making process must run in real time since its outcome depends on the plasma state. Therefore, control architectures including supervisory and/or exception-handling algorithms will play an essential role in future fusion reactors like ITER. However, most plasma-control experiments in present devices have focused so far on demonstrating control solutions for isolated objectives. In this work, initial experimental results are reported for simultaneous current-profile control, normalized-beta control, and Neoclassical Tearing Mode (NTM) suppression in DIII-D. Neutral beam injection (NBI), electron-cyclotron (EC) heating & current drive (H&CD), and plasma current modulation are the actuation methods. The NBI power and plasma current are always modulated by the Profile Control category within the DIII-D Plasma Control System (PCS) in order to control both the current profile and the normalized beta. EC H&CD is utilized by either the Profile Control or the Gyrotron categories within the DIII-D PCS as dictated by the Off-Normal and Fault Response (ONFR) system, which monitors the occurrence of an NTM and regulates the authority over the gyrotrons. The total EC power and poloidal mirror angles are the gyrotron-related actuation variables. When no NTM suppression is required, the gyrotrons are used by the Profile Control category, but when NTM suppression is required, the ONFR transfers the authority over the gyrotrons to the NTM stabilization algorithm located in the Gyrotron category. Initial experimental results show that simultaneous control of different aspects of the plasma dynamics may improve the overall control and plasma performances. Also, the potential of the ONFR system to successfully integrate competing control algorithms is demonstrated.
Fundamental is Non-random

Although we use randomness when we don’t know any better, a principle of indifference cannot be used to explain anything interesting or fundamental. For example, in thermodynamics it can be shown that the real explanatory work is being done by the Second Law, not the equal a priori probability postulate. But to explain the interesting Second Law, many physicists try to retreat to a “random explanation,” which fails. Looking at this problem from a different perspective reveals a natural solution: boundary-based explanations that arguably should be viewed as no less fundamental than other physical laws.
Developmental Regulation of Storage Protein Synthesis in Seeds

Biosynthesis of storage proteins in angiosperm seeds represents a massive, one time, embryo-specific expression of a few genes during a short period of the plant’s developmental cycle. Storage protein begins to accumulate rapidly about one third to one half of the way through seed development at a time when cell divisions are completed or nearly so (Millerd, 1975; Dure, 1975). Thus there is a numerically stabilized embryo cell population in which protein composition is changing due to the preferential synthesis of one or a few storage proteins.
Federal Regulation of Infant and Toddler Food and Drink Marketing and Labeling

Foods and beverages marketed for infants, babies, and toddlers through 3 years of age is a $7 billion industry in the United States, incorporating a wide range of products, including infant formula and other types of drinks, foods, and snacks. The World Health Organization (“WHO”) found that mothers “are often inundated with incorrect and biased information” from direct advertising, health claims on products, information packs from sales representatives, and the distribution of samples of infant formula and “educational materials” by infant formula manufacturers. To address these problematic practices, in 1981, the WHO established the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes (the “Code”) to end the inappropriate marketing of infant formula and other food and drinks intended for children up to age two. In 2016, WHO expanded the definition of breastmilk substitutes to include milk and milk products specifically marketed for feeding infants and young children up to age three. However, the United States is one of a minority of countries that has not passed any legislation or regulation to implement the Code. Furthermore, U.S. regulation and enforcement actions have not kept pace with the introduction of new products and product categories and the profusion of labeling and marketing claims questionably implying nutritional and developmental benefits from these products.
Aortic Graft Infection With Mycobacterium Avium Complex

Aortic graft infections are uncommon complications after endovascular aortic surgery. In the majority of cases, gram-positive and then gram-negative organisms are the causative agents leading to this condition. Atypical organisms are traditionally not responsible for graft infection unless the patient is immunocompromised. We are reporting a case of culture-confirmed mycobacterium avium complex infection of an aortic graft in a well-controlled patient with HIV who had an undetected viral load and a CD4 count of 324 while on highly active antiretroviral therapy.
Prospective evaluation of the DSM-5 persistent complex bereavement disorder criteria in adults: dimensional and diagnostic approaches.

Background We examine the performance of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-fifth edition (DSM-5) persistent complex bereavement-related disorder (PCBD) criteria in bereaved adults to identify prolonged grief cases determined prospectively. Methods Bereaved adults (n = 138) were assessed at 8, 21, 32, 67, and 90 months after the sudden death of a spouse or close relative. We used latent class growth analysis to identify the longitudinal trajectories of grief assessed using the Inventory for Complicated Grief. To validate the trajectory that corresponded to prolonged grief, we examined the baseline predictors of these trajectories and their relationship with functional impairment. Results We found three distinct trajectories of grief reactions. One of these trajectories (13.8%) showed high and sustained grief reactions that persisted for almost 7.5 years after the death. Participants with prolonged grief showed greater functional impairment [relative risk ratio (RRR) = 0.82, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.70 to −0.97; p = 0.02] and higher self-reported depression (RRR = 1.21, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.96; p = 0.001) than participants whose grief reactions subsided over time. The original PCBD (requiring 6 criterion C symptoms) criteria correctly identified cases (57.9–94.7%) with perfect specificity (100%) but low to high sensitivity (5.6–81.3%); however, its sensitivity increased when revising criterion C to require ⩾3 (45.5–94.1%). The dimensional approach showed high sensitivity (0.50–1) and specificity (0.787–0.97). Conclusions We recommend revisions to the PCBD criteria, which are overly restrictive and may exclude cases with clinically significant grief-related distress and impairment. In the meantime, clinicians need to monitor grief symptoms over time using available dimensional approaches to reduce the burden of grief.
Impact of MRI on outcomes in active surveillance (AS) for localized prostate cancer in a hospital registry.

280Background: MRI is increasingly used in follow-up of men undergoing AS for localized prostate cancer. Large cohorts predating the MRI era have shown that the risk of disease progression or stopp...
Clinical and Ethical Issues in Working with a Foreign Language Interpreter

With an increasing population of persons with limited English proficiency (LEP), psychologists are likely to need to conduct assessments through a foreign language interpreter at times. The goal of the interpreter-mediated patient encounter should be to approximate a language-congruent clinical encounter. Issues such as the spatial configuration of all participants during the session, guidelines for the interpreter’s verbalizations, and some modification of the psychologist’s interview style will maintain patient rapport while obtaining necessary patient information.
Do polymer ligands block the catalysis of metal nanoparticles? Unexpected importance of binding motifs in improving catalytic activity

Metal nanoparticles (NPs) tethered by synthetic polymers are of broad interest for self-assembly, nanomedicine and catalysis. The binding motifs in polymer ligands usually as the end functional groups of polymers are mostly limited to thiolates. Since the binding motif only represents a tiny fraction of many repeating units in polymers, its importance is often ignored. We herein report the uniqueness of polymeric N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands in providing oxidative stability and promoting the catalytic activity of noble metal NPs. Two “grafting to” methods were developed for polymer NHCs for pre-synthesized metal NPs in various solvents and with different sizes. Remarkably, imidazolium-terminated polystyrene can modify gold NPs (AuNPs) within 2 min while reaching a similar grafting density to polystyrene-thiol (SH) requiring 6 h modification. We demonstrate that polymer NHCs are extremely stable at high temperature in air. Interestingly, the binding motifs of polymer ligands dominate the catalytic activity of metal NPs. Polymer NHC modified metal NPs showed improved activity regardless of the surface crowdedness. In the case of AuNPs, AuNPs modified with polystyrene NHCs are approximately 5.2 times more active than citrate-capped ones and 22 times more active than those modified with polystyrene thiolates. In view of ligand-controlled catalytic properties of metal NPs, our results illustrate the importance of binding motifs that has been overlooked in the past.
Presenting NIHSS predicts 90-day functional outcome after mechanical thrombectomy for basilar artery occlusion: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Abstract The prediction of outcome after mechanical thrombectomy (MT) of basilar artery occlusion (BAO) remains an area of investigation. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prognostic role of presenting National Institute Health of Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores in predicting favorable 90-day functional outcome. A survey of 7 electronic databases from inception to May 2020 was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Articles were screened against pre-specified criteria. Multivariate odds ratios (ORs) for favorable 90-day function outcome (modified Rankin Score 0-2) were extracted and pooled by meta-analysis of proportions with random effects modeling. A total of 10 individual studies satisfied criteria for selection and described a total of 941 BAO patients managed by MT. Analysis revealed 590 (63%) males with a mean age of 66.6 years. The median presenting NIHSS was 19, and 316 (34%) patients were reported to have a favorable functional status 90-days after treatment. Lower presenting NIHSS scores independently and significantly predicted favorable 90-day functional outcome in BAO patients with a pooled OR of 0.89 (95% CI, 0.87-0.92; I2 = 18%; P-heterogeneity = 0.28). Meta-regression did not detect any clinical parameter that influenced this trend direction or its significance, and bias assessments were unremarkable. We confirm in this study via a consensus within the literature that the presenting NIHSS score predicts 90-day functional outcome in BAO patients treated by MT. Further, its standardized use allows more meaningful comparisons between interventions and anatomical locations.
The Threatening Magnetic and Plasma Environment of the TRAPPIST-1 Planets

Recently, four additional Earth-mass planets were discovered orbiting the nearby ultracool M8 dwarf, TRAPPIST-1, making a remarkable total of seven planets with equilibrium temperatures compatible with the presence of liquid water on their surface. Temperate terrestrial planets around an M-dwarf orbit close to their parent star, rendering their atmospheres vulnerable to erosion by the stellar wind and energetic electromagnetic and particle radiation. Here, we use state-of-the-art 3D magnetohydrodynamic models to simulate the wind around TRAPPIST-1 and study the conditions at each planetary orbit. All planets experience a stellar wind pressure between 103 and 105 times the solar wind pressure on Earth. All orbits pass through wind pressure changes of an order of magnitude and most planets spend a large fraction of their orbital period in the sub-Alfvenic regime. For plausible planetary magnetic field strengths, all magnetospheres are greatly compressed and undergo much more dynamic change than that of the Earth. The planetary magnetic fields connect with the stellar radial field over much of the planetary surface, allowing the direct flow of stellar wind particles onto the planetary atmosphere. These conditions could result in strong atmospheric stripping and evaporation and should be taken into account for any realistic assessment of the evolution and habitability of the TRAPPIST-1 planets.
Diagnostic Concordance of Cytology and Histology in Samples Obtained via Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine-Needle Biopsy (EUS-FNB).

Introduction Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided fine-needle aspiration and biopsy (FNA/FNB) to obtain cytological aspirates and histological core samples, respectively, are the standard of care for diagnosing lesions in/adjacent to the upper/lower gastrointestinal tract. Due to the lack of standardization of tissue processing, it is unclear whether core samples should be sent only for histology (formalin) or cytology (CytoLyt), or both. The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic concordance rates between cytology and histology on EUS-FNB core samples. Methods A total of 227 patients underwent EUS-FNB between October-2017 and February-2019 by a single therapeutic endoscopist; 44 core-tissue samples (41 patients) were placed alternately in CytoLyt (cytology) and formalin (histology), with equal passes into each, to best achieve a proportionate sample amount. The patient's demographics, medical history, pertinent imaging, EUS indication/findings were reviewed. Main outcomes included concordance rates between cytology-histology and diagnostic accuracy for malignancy. Results Cytology and histology were discordant in five cases (11.5%); four with negative cytology but a definite diagnosis of malignancy achieved with histology. One case was suspected as neoplasm on cytology but further characterized as benign on histology. Cytology failed to sub-characterize an additional four mass-like pancreatic benign entities, due to inadequate tissue architecture assessment in the CytoLyt sample. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of cytology for diagnosis of malignancy were 87.88% (95%CI: 71.8-96.6), 90.91% (95%CI: 58.7-99.7), 96.67% (95%CI: 81.6-99.4), and 71.43% (95%CI: 49.4-86.4). Discussion We observed 11.5% diagnostic discordance between cytology and histology on EUS-FNB core samples, with histology being superior. Future multicenter prospective randomized studies are needed to establish an accurate and cost-effective diagnostic process.
Motility and Chemotaxis

This chapter reviews the genetics and mapping of fla-che-mot genes, then the mechanisms of motility and chemotaxis, and finally, what is known about regulation of gene expression in the fla-che-mot system. It also concentrates on some important classes of mutations. Several mutations have been isolated on the basis of their abilities to reduce the level of autolytic enzyme expression. These strains were obtained by minimal mutagenesis and found to contain a single mutation that gave rise to a Lyt- Fla- phenotype. Chemotaxis in enteric bacteria is mediated through sets of cellular receptors that bind specific attractants. Such binding initiates a signal that is transduced through a series of protein intermediates by specific methylation-demethylation and phosphorylation-dephosphorylation. The most detailed information about the mechanisms involved in sensory transduction comes from studies of enteric bacteria, in which the majority of the genes involved in structural and regulatory roles are probably known and have been sequenced. As in Escherichia coli, the methylated chemotaxis proteins (MCPs) of Bacillus subtilis are integral membrane proteins that are methyl esterified on glutamate side chains as the result of methyl transfer from S-adenosylmethionine. Expression of the genes of the sensory pathway is regulated in both B. subtilis and enteric bacteria by the composition of the growth medium, by the stage of cell growth, and by the expression of other fla-che-mot genes needed for a functional sensory system.
Basic Mathematical Properties of Electronic Wave Functions in Momentum Space

The analytic behavior of momentum eigenfunctions in the complex momentum plane is examined. One-electron models are considered including those based on local potentials as well as the Hartree-Fock equations. Methods for the location and characterization of singular points are described. Conformal mapping is employed to obtain eigenfunction expansions which are convergent for both real and complex values of the independent variable. Except by accident the singular points of momentum eigenfunctions are branch points except for atomic hydrogen where poles are encountered. The existence of branch points can eliminate certain series which might be employed to represent momentum eigenfunctions. Examples are discussed. An example is given in which the order of summation of basis sets affects convergence in the complex momentum plane. The connection between first order collision amplitudes and the Schrodinger equation in momentum space is discussed and singular points for the amplitudes are located. An exact local potential is described and the associated amplitude is examined. Other examples illustrating the importance of complex function theory in momentum space are described.
Line arrangements in ℍ

If M = H 3 /G is a hyperbolic manifold and γ ⊂ M is a simple closed geodesic, then γ lifts to a collection of lines in H 3 acted upon by G. In this paper we show that such a collection of lines cannot contain a particular type of subset (called a bad triple) unless G has orientation-reversing elements. This fact allows us to extend certain lower bounds on hyperbolic volume to the non-orientable case.
One University’s Attempt to Name the Franciscan Charism in Higher Education

This paper was originally written to help colleagues at the University of Saint Francis to understand the concept of the Franciscan charism, a goal integral to part of our Strategic Plan in 2002. Many staff and faculty questioned why the Strategic Planning Steering Committee chose such a word for the core of its vision for the institution. Through the revision process of that plan, we have come to a greater understanding of the richness of the Franciscan charism. This paper is offered as a model to help colleagues at other institutions understand this tradition.
Profound Enhancement of the IL-12/IL-18 Pathway of IFN-γ Secretion in Human CD8+ Memory T Cell Subsets via IL-15

Human memory CD8(+) T cell subsets, termed central memory and effector memory T cells, can be identified by expression of CD45RA, CD62 ligand (CD62L), and CCR7. Accordingly, functional differences have been described for each subset, reflecting unique roles in immunological memory. The common gamma-chain cytokines IL-15 and IL-7 have been shown to induce proliferation and differentiation of human CD8(+) T cell subsets, as well as increased effector functions (i.e., cytokines, cytotoxicity). In this study, we observed that addition of IL-15 or IL-7 to cultures of human CD8(+) T cells profoundly enhanced the IL-12-IL-18 pathway of IFN-gamma production. Importantly, IL-15 and IL-7 lowered the threshold concentrations of IL-12 and IL-18 required for induction of IFN-gamma by 100-fold. Comparison of IL-15 and IL-7 demonstrated that IL-15 was superior in its ability to enhance IL-12-IL-18-induced IFN-gamma, without evidence of a synergistic effect between IL-15 and IL-7. We also observed that IL-15- and IL-7-mediated enhancement of IL-12-IL-18-induced IFN-gamma production was a functional property of effector memory CD8(+) T cells. Despite a lack of association between cell division and acquisition of IL-12-IL-18-induced IFN-gamma, down-regulation of CD62L expression correlated well with increased IL-12-IL-18-induced IFN-gamma. Purified central memory T cells stimulated with IL-15 and IL-7 down-regulated CD62L and acquired potent IL-12-IL-18-induced IFN-gamma similar to effector memory T cells. Thus, in addition to its known role in development of T cell memory, IL-15 may amplify memory CD8(+) T cell effector functions by increasing sensitivity to proinflammatory cytokine stimulation.
Between Sand and Sky

It was January in North Africa, and I was twenty years old. I'd expected the desert to be hot, but as I stood with my tour group in the pale blue light of early morning, the air was surprisingly cold. It was the kind of cold, I was beginning to understand, that only happens in empty places, where the atmosphere is too thin to keep hold of the sun's heat once darkness has fallen. To one side, a col lection of irritable camels kneeled in the sandy parking lot, waiting for us tourists to be hoisted, like sacks of grain, onto their backs. The camels' masters?our guides?were there too, standing in a third cluster, smoking hand-rolled cigarettes and speaking to each other in voices that sounded angry but probably weren't. My boy friend at the time, David, had wandered away from our group and was standing at the edge of the parking lot with his back to me, his arms wrapped tightly around his own body as he stared off at some mysterious point on the horizon. Before him lay the main event: a sea of sand reaching out for the ends of the earth. My limited knowledge of the Sahara came from two sources: the Peter O'Toole movie Lawrence of Arabia and Antoine de Saint Exup?ry* s memoir of his years as a pilot on the line between Southern France and Dakar. David and I had rented Lawrence of Arabia one night back in California. We sat through all four hours, pausing only to order Chinese food, which we ate in bed as we watched, transfixed. For weeks afterward, we referred to each other as "Pasha," and David worked on his posture, trying to stand as tall and erect as Omar Sharif, the ultimate noble savage in his long black robes. I thought he looked more like Peter O'Toole, though, the way both men's lightly colored eyes stood out like fireflies when the sun darkened their skin.
Wearing a Rainbow Bumper Sticker: Experiential Learning on Homophobia, Heteronormativity, and Heterosexual Privilege

College campuses are known to be heteronormative environments that often foster heterosexism and homophobia. There is a broad call for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) awareness-building curricula as one avenue for positive change in campus climates. This study interrogates the effects of an experiential learning activity where students were tasked with wearing a rainbow bumper sticker on their person for 24 hours. The aim was to inspire deep learning through self-reflection on experiences of discomfort. Students positively rated the activity for helping them recognize how homophobia influences conformity to heterosexual norms; recognize heterosexual privilege; and empathize with others who hold nonnormative sexual identities.
Human VEGF gene expression in skeletal muscle: effect of acute normoxic and hypoxic exercise.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is involved in extracellular matrix changes and endothelial cell proliferation, both of which are precursors to new capillary growth. Angiogenesis is a vit...
Multibreath alveolar oxygen tension imaging

Purpose This study tested the ability of a multibreath hyperpolarized HP 3He MRI protocol to increase the accuracy of regional alveolar oxygen tension (PAO2) measurements by lessening the influence of gas-flow artifacts. Conventional single-breath PAO2 measurement has been susceptible to error induced by intervoxel gas flow, particularly when used to study subjects with moderate-to-severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods Both single-breath and multibreath PAO2 imaging schemes were implemented in seven human subjects (one healthy, three asymptomatic smokers, and three COPD). The number and location of voxels with nonphysiologic PAO2 values generated by intervoxel gas flow were compared between the two protocols. Results The multibreath scheme resulted in a significantly lower total percentage of nonphysiologic PAO2 values (6.0%) than the single-breath scheme (13.7%) (P = 0.006). PAO2 maps showed several patterns of gas-flow artifacts that were present in the single-breath protocol but mitigated by the multibreath approach. Multibreath imaging also allowed for the analysis of slow-filling areas that presented no signal after a single breath. Conclusion A multibreath approach enhances the accuracy and completeness of noninvasive PAO2 measurement by significantly lessening the proportion of nonphysiologic values generated by intervoxel gas flow. Magn Reson Med, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Correlation of Adsorption Equilibrium Data for Water Vapor on F-200 Activated Alumina

Single component adsorption equilibrium data for water vapor on commercially available activated alumina F-200 measured in a previous study (Serbezov, 2003) is correlated by two adsorption isotherm equations, both of which are based on the adsorption potential theory. The first equation is the well known Dubinin-Astakhov (D-A) equation. The second equation is obtained from a methodology proposed by Kotoh et al. (1993). It is referred to as a dual mechanism adsorption potential (DMAP) equation because it is a linear combination of two D-A terms with n = 1 where each term accounts for a specific mechanism of water retention. The D-A equation has two fitting parameters; the DMAP equation has three fitting parameters. The DMAP model provides a better fit for the adsorption data than the D-A model, while neither model describes the desorption data well. Analysis of the DMAP equation parameters shows that most of the water is retained by virtue of capillary condensation. In addition to fitting the experimental data, the heat of adsorption was calculated as function of the relative humidity and adsorbent loading. When capillary condensation is present, the heat of adsorption is only slightly higher than the latent heat of vaporization.
Regularized Finite Mixture Models for Probability Trajectories

Finite mixture models are widely used in the analysis of growth trajectory data to discover subgroups of individuals exhibiting similar patterns of behavior over time. In practice, trajectories are usually modeled as polynomials, which may fail to capture important features of the longitudinal pattern. Focusing on dichotomous response measures, we propose a likelihood penalization approach for parameter estimation that is able to capture a variety of nonlinear class mean trajectory shapes with higher precision than maximum likelihood estimates. We show how parameter estimation and inference for whether trajectories are time-invariant, linear time-varying, or nonlinear time-varying can be carried out for such models. To illustrate the method, we use simulation studies and data from a long-term longitudinal study of children at high risk for substance abuse.