cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rimsulfuron Tank Mixed with Flumioxazin, Pendimethalin, or Oryzalin for Control of Broadleaf Weeds in Citrus

Herbicides are usually applied multiple times by growers for season long weed control in Florida citrus (Citrus sp.). Rimsulfuron, a sulfonylurea herbicide has been recently registered for control of certain grasses and broadleaf weeds in citrus. To increase the weed control spectrum and reduce application cost, citrus growers often prefer to tank mix herbicides. Field experiments were conducted in 2010 and 2011 in citrus groves in central Florida to evaluate weed control efficacy and crop safety of rimsulfuron applied alone or in tank mixes with flumioxazin, pendimethalin, or oryzalin. Herbicides were applied sequentially in spring and fall in both years on the same experimental plot. Results suggested that rimsulfuron applied alone controlled >80% broadleaf and grass weeds up to 30 days after treatment (DAT) and was comparable to tank mixing rimsulfuron with pendimethalin or oryzalin; however, control was reduced beyond 30 DAT. Rimsulfuron tank mixed with flumioxazin was the most effective treatment at 30 and 60 DAT that provided, respectively, ‡88% and >75%, control of broadleaf weeds including brazil pusley (Richardia brasiliensis), dog fennel (Eupatorium capillifolium), common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia), cotton weed (Froelichia floridana), and virginia pepperweed (Virginia virginicum) compared with other treatments. Control of natalgrass (Melinis repens) was higher in all tank mix treatments compared with rimsulfuron applied alone with no difference among tank mix partners. Rimsulfuron tank mixed with pendimethalin or oryzalin had no advantage over rimsulfuron applied alone for control of broadleaf weeds. Among sequential applications, weed control was better after fall herbicide application (August) compared with spring (April) because of residual activity of fall applied herbicides. Rimsulfuron tank mixed with flumioxazin will provide citrus growers with an additional weed control option.
Ingested type I interferon: state of the art as treatment for autoimmunity.

We have proposed a unifying hypothesis of the etiopathogenesis of autoimmunity that defines autoimmunity as a type I interferon (IFN) immunodeficiency syndrome. We have examined toxicity and potential efficacy in two phase I (type 1 diabetes (T1D), multiple sclerosis (MS)) and phase II clinical trials in T1D and MS. In a phase I open label trial in T1D, ingested IFN-alpha preserved residual beta-cell function in recent onset patients. In a second phase I trial in MS, there was a significant decrease in peripheral blood mononuclear cell IL-2 and IFN-gamma production after ingesting IFN- alpha. In a phase II randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial in MS, 10,000 IU ingested IFN-alpha significantly decreased gadolinium enhancements compared to the placebo group at month 5. TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma cytokine secretion in the 10,000 IU group at month 5 showed a significant decrease that corresponded with the effect of ingested IFN-alpha on decreasing gadolinium enhancements. In a phase II randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial in T1D, patients in the 5,000 unit hrIFN-alpha treatment group maintained more beta-cell function one year after study enrollment compared to individuals in the placebo group. Ingested IFN-alpha was not toxic in these clinical trials. These studies suggest that ingested IFN-alpha may have a potential role in the treatment of autoimmunity.
Binaural processing of sound pressure level in cat primary auditory cortex: evidence for a representation based on absolute levels rather than interaural level differences

1. Single-neuron responses were recorded in high-frequency regions of primary auditory cortex (AI) of anesthetized cats. Best-frequency tone pips were presented to each ear independently via sealed...
ESWL-Erfahrungsbericht des UCLA Stone Center

Seit der Eroffnung des Nierensteinzentrums an der Abteilung fur Urologie der Universitat von Californien in Los Angeles sind nunmehr dreieinhalb Jahre vergangen. Wahrend das UCLA-Zentrum ursprunglich das einzige Steinzentrum fur die amerikanische Westkuste war, sind mittlerweile mehr als 20 ESWL-Einheiten in der unmittelbaren Nahe installiert. Dies druckt sich zum einen in einer deutlichen Reduktion der jahrlichen Behandlungen aus (1400 in 1985 gegenuber 650 in 1987), zum anderen in der Zusammensetzung des Patientenkollektivs mit einer prozentualen Zunahme von komplizierten Steinen in Niere und Ureter, Patienten mit zusatzlichen medizinischen Risikofaktoren und Patienten, die zuvor andernorts anbehandelt wurden (Tabellen 1–4). Wie aus Tabelle 2 ersichtlich ist, ist die ESWL immer noch Therapie der ersten Wahl beim Nierenstein. Steine ab 2,5 cm Durchmesser, Cystinsteine ab 2,0 cm und nach erfolgloser ESWL sowie Steine, bei denen eine retrograde Abklarung der Abflusverhaltnisse ein behandlungsbedurftiges Hindernis ergab, werden gezielt perkutan entfernt. In Einzelfallen kommt die retrograde Ureterorenoskopie zum Einsatz; dies vorwiegend im Zuge einer diagnostischen URS (Ureteroskopie) bei kleineren Nierensteinen. Aufgrund der grosen Anzahl von Uberweisungen von zuvor erfolglos mit der URS behandelter Uretersteinpatienten und der Selektierungstendenz zum grosen impaktierten Stein ist die ESWL bei der Behandlung des Uretersteines an unserem Zentrum in den Hintergrund getreten (Tabelle 3). Die Strategie bei der Behandlung des unbehandelten Ureter steines hat sich jedoch nicht geandert. Mit der geplanten Steinmanipulation und nachfolgender ESWL konnen 85% eines unselektionierten Patientengutes erfolgreich in einer Sitzung behandelt werden (UCLA-Ergebnisse 1985), der Rest wird ure-teroskopisch in derselben Sitzung angegangen, wodurch eine 97prozentige Erfolgsrate in einer Sitzung erzielt wird (100% nach re-URS, keine offene Operation zur Steinentfernung oder wegen Komplikationen). Diese Erfahrung bildet die Basis fur unsere Therapieempfehlung beim primaren Harnleiterstein; wenn push back moglich, ESWL als Methode der 1. Wahl, ansonsten ist die URS/L vorzuziehen, insbesondere nach erfolgloser Erstbehandlung. Die Behandlungsfrequenz von Ausgussteinen sowie zur Behandlung von Komplikationen nach Anbehandlung von Ausgussteinen mit der ESWL (Steinstrasenbildung) oder nach versuchter PCNL nimmt an unserem Zentrum immer noch zu (Tabelle 4).
Phase II trial of triple tyrosine kinase receptor inhibitor nintedanib in recurrent high-grade gliomas: Final results.

2053 Background: Bevacizumab is FDA-approved for patients with recurrent GBM. However, the median duration of response is only 4 months. Potential mechanisms of resistance include upregulated FGF s...
Legal Issues: Abbott and Costello Explain Copyright Law

But history and modern pop culture know Abbott and Costello for one thing: “Who’s on First”, the “patter” routine involving the nicknames of the members of a baseball team, The routine’s fame has caused it to be, “reprised, updated, alluded to and parodied innumerable times over the years.” Through 2015 and 2016 the routine was at the center of a copyright dispute over its use in the Broadway play, Hand to God. The dark comedy/drama involves a fundamentalist church’s “puppet club”, where young people use sock puppets to act out Biblical and religious stories. The playwright and producer used an abbreviated but recognizable version of the routine and did not obtain a license or permission to use it. The heirs and successors of Abbott and Costello sued for copyright infringement. In 2015, a trial court found the use of the routine to be a “Fair Use” under Title 17, Section 107 of the Copyright Act. In October, 2016, a Federal appeals court reversed the decision, determining that the use had not been a fair use. The Court’s opinion in the case of TCA Television Corp v. McCollum is being seen by some commentators as clarifying one copyright law’s more complicated issues, the Fair Use Doctrine’s concept of “transformative use”.
Relationship Between Patient Satisfaction And Physician Characteristics.

Background:Physician care influences patient satisfaction. Inherent physician attributes may also affect scores.Objective:To determine the relationship between physician characteristics and patient...
Closing the Network Diagnostics Gap with Vigil

Closing the Network Diagnostics Gap with Vigil Behnaz Arzani, Selim Ciraci, Luiz Chamon, Yibo Zhu, Hongqiang Liu, Jitu Padhye, Geoff Outhred, Boon Thau Loo Vigil started with an ambitious goal: For every TCP retransmission in our data centers, we wanted to pinpoint the network link that caused the packet drop that triggered the retransmission with negligible diagnostic overhead or changes to the networking infrastructure. This goal may sound like an overkill—after all, TCP is supposed to be able to deal with a few packet losses. Packet losses might occur due to simple congestion instead of network equipment failures. Even network failures might be transient. Above all, there is a danger of drowning in a sea of data without generating any actionable intelligence.
Developing policy theories in South Korea: lessons from the advocacy coalition framework

ABSTRACTSouth Korean policy studies have had a strong tradition in the field of policy analysis but less so in the study of policy processes. This essay offers strategies for building research prog...
Chemotherapeutic Agents and the Risk of Ischemia and Arterial Thrombosis

Numerous chemotherapeutic agents have been associated with the development of ischemia and arterial thrombosis. As newer therapies have been developed to treat cancer, some of these chemotherapy drugs have been implicated in the development of vascular disease. In this review, we will summarize the most common chemotherapeutic drug classes that may play a role in the development of ischemic heart disease. Angiogenesis inhibitors, alkylating agents, antimetabolites, antimicrotubules, and proteasome inhibitors have a number of cardiovascular toxicities. The possible mechanisms of action of these drugs leading to ischemic complications are varied but include endothelial dysfunction, platelet aggregation, reduced levels of nitrous oxide (NO), and elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and vasospasm. While some drugs act through multiple pathways that result in the development of ischemic heart disease, others such as the antimetabolites and antimicrotubules appear to primarily cause vasospasm. Furthermore, while aromatase inhibitors increase the risk of heart disease in comparison to tamoxifen in large studies, this finding likely occurs because of a protective role of tamoxifen on cardiovascular risk factors rather than a direct effect of aromatase inhibitors. Angiogenesis inhibitors, alkylating agents, antimetabolites, antimicrotubules, and proteasome inhibitors can lead to ischemic complications in patients with cancer. Many of these drugs have proven to be effective in improving cancer prognosis, but their possible cardiovascular effects have to be carefully monitored and treated. Treatment of ischemic complications in the setting of cancer therapy should focus on the optimal medical management of known cardiovascular risk factors and follow an evidence-based approach.
LIRAGLUTIDE FOR THE TREATMENT OF HYPOTHALAMIC OBESITY

Objective: Hypothalamic obesity (HO) is an intractable form of obesity syndrome occurring in patients following hypothalamic insults. It is characterized by significant polyphagia, lack of satiety, and rapid weight gain not usually responsive to caloric restriction or lifestyle modification. There are no established treatment modalities for HO. Liraglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 analog, has been approved for long-term treatment of obesity. We present a case of successful treatment with liraglutide of HO following resection of craniopharyngioma. Methods: We present a case report and review of the literature. Results: A 23-year-old female had developed panhypopituitarism and HO immediately following resection of a craniopharyngioma at age 8. She complained of poor quality of life due to weight gain from excessive hunger and lack of satiety. A trial of triiodothyronine at age 9, and dextroamphetamine starting at age 13, in addition to lifestyle modification had had limited efficacy. She began treatment w...
The EyeWiki Initiative.

When the American Academy of Ophthalmology recognized the demand for a free online database of eye disease, it determined that the best way to meet this need was with an ophthalmologist-controlled wiki: EyeWiki. Virtual Mentor is a monthly bioethics journal published by the American Medical Association.
Urban highway congestion

This article examines urban highway congestion pricing in the instance in which it is not possible to levy a congestion toll on a major portion of the urban road system. This case is pertinent because of technical and/or political constraints. The article uses economic theory and numerical examples to show that the optimum second-best toll can vary appreciably from the optimal tolls in a regime in which efficient tolls can be imposed on all routes.
Biophysical clocks face a trade-off between internal and external noise resistance

Many organisms use free running circadian clocks to anticipate the day night cycle. However, others organisms use simple stimulus-response strategies ('hourglass clocks') and it is not clear when such strategies are sufficient or even preferable to free running clocks. Here, we find that free running clocks, such as those found in the cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus and humans, can efficiently project out light intensity fluctuations due to weather patterns ('external noise') by exploiting their limit cycle attractor. However, such limit cycles are necessarily vulnerable to 'internal noise'. Hence, at sufficiently high internal noise, point attractor-based 'hourglass' clocks, such as those found in a smaller cyanobacterium with low protein copy number, Prochlorococcus marinus, can outperform free running clocks. By interpolating between these two regimes in a diverse range of oscillators drawn from across biology, we demonstrate biochemical clock architectures that are best suited to different relative strengths of external and internal noise.
Electrons in a Flatland

Electrons in a “flatland” are amazing! A simple low-temperature measurement of the resistance of a two-dimensional electron system (2DES) as a function of perpendicular magnetic field (B) reveals why (Fig. 1). In this figure the resistivities along (ρ xx) and perpendicular (ρ xy) to the direction of current are shown, and the vertical markings denote the Landau-level filling factor (υ). Look how the behavior of ρ xx with temperature (T), shown schematically in the inset, changes as a function of the magnetic field. At certain fields, marked A, ρ xx drops exponentially with decreasing temperature and approaches zero as T→ 0. This is the quantum Hall effect (QHE) and, as you can see in the other trace of Figure 1, the Hall resistance (ρ xy) becomes quantized near these fields. The QHE is best described as an incompressible quantum liquid which often possesses a high degree of shortrange electron correlation. Next, look at the T-dependence of ρ xx at the fields marked B (near 13 and 14 T for this sample). Here ρ xx exponentially increases with decreasing T, signaling an insulating behavior. The nature of this insulating state is not entirely clear, but it is generally believed that it is a pinned Wigner solid, a “crystal” of electrons with long-range positional order. Now look at what happens at the magnetic field marked C. At this field, ρ xx shows a nearly temperature-independent behavior, reminiscent of a metal. It turns out that at this particular field there are two flux quanta per each electron. The electron magically combines with the two flux quanta and forms the celebrated “composite Fermion”, a quasiparticle which now moves around in the 2D plane as if no external magnetic field was applied.
Aurora Multikilojoule KrF Laser System Prototype for Inertial Confinement Fusion

Aurora is the Los Alamos National Laboratory short-pulse, high-power, KrF laser system. It serves as an end-to-end technology demonstration for large-scale ultraviolet laser systems of interest for...
Five New Species of the Tapeworm Genus Anthocephalum (Rhinebothriidea: Anthocephaliidae) Parasitizing A Single Species of Indo-Pacific Stingray and A Revised Diagnosis of the Genus.

Abstract Five new species of the elasmobranch tapeworm genus Anthocephalum Linton, 1890 (Rhinebothriidea: Anthocephaliidae Ruhnke, Caira and Cox, 2015) are described from the mangrove whipray, Urogymnus granulatus (Macleay) from the Solomon Islands and northern Australia. Anthocephalum blairi n. sp., Anthocephalum gravisi n. sp., Anthocephalum haroldsoni n. sp., Anthocephalum mounseyi n. sp., and Anthocephalum ruhnkei n. sp. differ from one another and their congeners based on quantitative and qualitative features of the scolex and proglottid anatomy. Species boundaries recognized by these distinguishing morphological features are supported by a maximum likelihood phylogenetic analysis based on combined 18S rDNA and 28S rDNA (D1–D3) sequence data showing the new species as independent lineages among 13 of the 18 species of Anthocephalum described to date. Several morphological features (the possession of columns of vitelline follicles that are interrupted by the ovary, a uterus that does not extend to the...
Induction of Labor versus Scheduled Cesarean in Morbidly Obese Women: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis.

Objective To assess the costs, complication rates, and harm-benefit tradeoffs of induction of labor (IOL) compared to scheduled cesarean delivery (CD) in women with class III obesity. Study Design We conducted a cost analysis of IOL versus scheduled CD in nulliparous morbidly obese women. Primary outcomes were surgical site infection (SSI), chorioamnionitis, venous thromboembolism, blood transfusion, and readmission. Model outcomes were mean cost of each strategy, cost per complication avoided, and complication tradeoffs. We assessed the costs, complication rates, and harm-benefit tradeoffs of IOL compared with scheduled CD in women with class III obesity. Results A total of 110 patients underwent scheduled CD and 114 underwent IOL, of whom 61 (54%) delivered via cesarean. The group delivering vaginally experienced fewer complications. SSI occurred in 0% in the vaginal delivery group, 13% following scheduled cesarean, and 16% following induction then cesarean. In the decision model, the mean cost of induction was $13,349 compared with $14,575 for scheduled CD. Scheduled CD costs $9,699 per case of chorioamnionitis avoided, resulted in 18 cases of chorioamnionitis avoided per additional SSI and 3 cases of chorioamnionitis avoided per additional hospital readmission. In sensitivity analysis, IOL is cost saving compared with scheduled CD unless the cesarean rate following induction exceeds 70%. Conclusion In morbidly obese women, induction of labor remains cost-saving until the rate of cesarean following induction exceeds 70%.
Geochemical Insights Into Provenance of the Middle Devonian Hamilton Group of the Central Appalachian Basin, U.S.A.

Abstract In order to better understand the relationship of clastic influx and organic-matter accumulation and preservation in the Middle Devonian Acadian foreland basin, we conducted a high-resolution provenance analysis of a composite section of the Hamilton Group. The Hamilton Group includes the organic-rich Marcellus Shale, one of the most lucrative unconventional shale gas plays in the world, and the overlying Mahantango Formation. Geochemical analysis of 121 samples from two nearby wells in Monongalia County, West Virginia, reveals subtle changes in clay provenance throughout deposition of the Marcellus Shale and the Mahantango Formation. Major-element and trace-element geochemistry suggest derivation from a felsic igneous, granodioritic, upper-continental crustal source with additional influx from a recycled quartzose sedimentary source. All weathering indices indicate increasing chemical weathering intensities throughout deposition of the Marcellus Shale, followed by consistently moderate chemical weathering associated with accumulation of the Mahantango Formation. Sm-Nd isotopic analysis of ten samples throughout the Hamilton Group yield eNd values ranging from –7.06 to –11.75, and Nd depleted-mantle model ages (τDM) ranging from 1.63 to 1.85 Ga, with ages becoming younger upsection. Our results suggest that the extrabasinal detritus of the Hamilton Group originated from a mixed sediment source, with clay influx from both rocks associated with the Superior Craton to the north and northwest (τDM > 2.7 Ga) and Grenville-sourced sediments derived from the adjacent Acadian fold–thrust belt to the east (τDM ∼ 1.4–1.6 Ga). Older Sm-Nd model ages, felsic composition, and evidence of sediment recycling suggest little to no contribution from the Acadian volcanic arc, indicating that volcanic tuff of the Tioga ash beds represent isolated episodes of volcanic input into the basin. Model ages, eNd values, and trace-element geochemistry indicate increased sediment influx from the Acadian fold–thrust belt throughout deposition of the Hamilton Group, with the highest sediment influx having occurred during Mahantango Formation deposition. Increased clay influx from sediment shed off from the Acadian fold–thrust belt associated with marginal marine regression increased delivery of clastic detritus, diluting the flux of organic matter and likely disrupting basin water stratification that aided in preservation of organic matter in the lower Marcellus Shale. The Middle Devonian Acadian Basin serves as an example of the influence of detrital influx on organic-matter accumulation and preservation in mud-dominated depositional systems.
Turning the UPPS down: Urgency predicts treatment outcome in a partial hospitalization program

Abstract Background Impulsivity in response to negative mood (negative urgency) and positive mood (positive urgency) is common in psychiatric disorders. The aims of this study were to test if urgency predicts treatment response during partial hospitalization in a transdiagnostic sample, and if urgency is malleable over the course of brief treatment. Method Participants (N = 348, 55% female, M age = 32.9) were patients presenting to a CBT-based partial hospitalization program. Urgency and a range of symptoms were assessed with self-report measures during treatment. Results Higher negative urgency scores predicted worse outcome for depression and anxiety symptoms. Negative urgency (p Discussion Findings suggest that participants report decreases in urgency during brief partial hospitalization treatment. Higher negative urgency predicted poorer treatment response for symptoms of depression and anxiety, demonstrating the need for novel treatments for urgency.
Effects of diurnal loading on the transport of charged antibiotics into intervertebral discs.

Abstract The objective of this study was to quantitatively analyze the effect of diurnal loading on the transport of various charged antibiotics into negatively charged human intervertebral disc (IVD). Transport of charged antibiotics into a human lumbar disc was analyzed using a 3D finite element model. The valence (z) of the electrical charge of antibiotics varied from z = +2 (positively charged) to z = −2 (negatively charged). An uncharged antibiotic (z = 0) was used as a control. Cases with transient antibiotic concentration at disc boundaries [to mimic intravenous (IV) infusion] were simulated. Our results showed that diurnal compression increased the concentrations in the nucleus pulposus (NP) region, but degreased the concentrations in the annulus fibrosus (AF) region for all charged or non-charged drugs. The overall concentration (averaged over disc) increased with diurnal compression. The diurnal compression had more effects on negatively charged antibiotics than positively charged ones. For example, at day 5 with diurnal compression, the diurnal compression increased the concentration of negatively charged drug (z = −1) in NP by 18.3%, but only by 6.6% for positively charged one (z = +1). In AF, diurnal compression decreased the concentration by 13.2% for negatively charged drug (z = −1) versus 1.2% for positively charged one (z = +1). Note these percentages are the averaged values over day 5. This study provides quantitative information on understanding the mechanisms of charged drug transport in human IVDs.
Erectile Dysfunction Preceding Clinically Diagnosed α-Synucleinopathies: A Case-Control Study in Olmsted County.

Objective. Autonomic symptoms are common in α-synuclein disorders: multiple system atrophy (MSA), Parkinson’s disease (PD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and Parkinson’s disease with dementia (PDD). These symptoms may precede the motor findings/clinical diagnosis by years. Erectile dysfunction (ED) is an autonomic symptom that has rarely been studied in these α-synuclein disorders. In this population-based, case-control study, we investigated the association between premonitory erectile dysfunction surfacing prior to the clinical-motor manifestations of these α-synucleinopathies. Methods. We used the medical record-linkage system of the Rochester Epidemiology Project to identify cases of α-synucleinopathies in Olmsted County from 1991 to 2010. Each male case was matched by age (±1 year) of symptom onset and sex to a control. We reviewed complete medical records of cases and controls to detect erectile dysfunction prior to the clinical-motor onset of α-synucleinopathies of any type. We used conditional logistic regression to calculate the odds ratio of all α-synucleinopathies, as well as by type, adjusting for diabetes, coffee, and smoking. Results. A history of male erectile dysfunction was associated with 1.5-fold increased odds of an α-synucleinopathy diagnosis of any type in univariate analyses ( ). When stratifying α-synucleinopathies by type, early erectile dysfunction was most frequent in MSA cases than matched controls (45% vs. 9%). Premotor phase ED was next most frequent among the DLB cases (46% vs. 27% among the controls; OR = 2.83, ; when adjusted for diabetes, smoking, and coffee, OR = 2.98, ). Premotor phase ED was not significantly associated with PD or PDD. Conclusions. Early erectile dysfunction may be a premotor symptom of MSA and DLB, reflecting premonitory dysautonomia. It was not associated with premotor PD or PDD.
Thienopyrroledione-BasedPhotosensitizers as StrongPhotoinduced Oxidants: Oxidation of Fe(bpy) 3 2+ in a >1.3 V Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell

The design of visible light absorbing organic dyes as strong photoinduced oxidants is needed for many potential applications in energy production and storage. To access more positive potentials, th...
Development and evaluation of dipyridamole sustained release tablets containing micro-environmental pH modifiers

Abstract The objective of the present study is to develop sustained release of dipyridamole, a poorly soluble weakly basic compound. The solubility of dipyridamole is the limit step of its bioavailability. To improve this, direct compressed tablets were formulated containing organic acids as pH modifiers to regulate micro-environmental pH on drug release from hydrophilic polymer matrix. Based on preliminary results from differential scanning calorimetry, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, powder x-ray diffraction of dipyridamole with various polymer and pH modifier mixtures as well as tablet properties and drug release kinetics of dipyridamole tablets, HPMC K15 M and fumaric acid were selected as tablet matrix forming polymer and acidic micro-environmental pH modifier. Thereafter, tablets formulated with various concentrations of HPMC K15 M and fumaric acid were further evaluated. Among all the tablets fabricated, the tablet formulation containing 20% HPMC K15 M and 20% fumaric acid was observed to be the best formulation due to its near linear drug release profile in phosphate buffer medium (pH 6.8). Furthermore, under simulated gastrointestinal tract conditions, sustained drug release of approximately entire drug content from the tablets was achieved. This formulation has potential to improve dipyridamole bioavailability as well as therapeutic effect.
Congenital infections as contributors to the onset of diabetes in children: A longitudinal study in the United States, 2001-2017.

BACKGROUND Maternal infections during pregnancy, particularly with rubella virus, were reported to increase the risk of diabetes in children. Widespread vaccination has decreased the number of infants with congenital rubella syndrome in the United States, although it remains a problem in developing countries. Because vaccine hesitancy has recently increased, we investigated the association between congenital infections with subsequent diabetes risk in children in the United States. METHODS Using data from a nationwide private health insurer for years 2001-2017, 1 475 587 infants were followed for an average of 3.9 years (maximum 16.5 years). Information was obtained regarding congenital infections (rubella, cytomegalovirus, other congenital infections) and perinatal infections, as well as for the development of diabetes mellitus and diabetic ketoacidosis. RESULTS There were 781 infants with congenital infections and 73 974 with perinatal infections. Diabetes developed in 3334 children. The odds of developing diabetes for infants with congenital rubella infection were 12-fold greater (P = .013) and, for infants with congenital cytomegalovirus infection, were 4-fold greater (P = .011) than infants without congenital or perinatal infection. Infants with other congenital infections had 3-fold greater odds of developing diabetes (P = .044). Results were similar for diabetes ketoacidosis. Infants with other perinatal infections had 49% greater odds of developing diabetes during the follow-up period (P < .001). CONCLUSION Congenital and other perinatal infections are associated with elevated risks of developing diabetes mellitus during childhood. Vaccination for rubella remains an important preventive action to reduce the incidence of diabetes in children.
Validation of criteria to identify severe maternal morbidity.

Background Epidemiologic research on severe maternal morbidity often relies on a screening definition of the outcome because a gold standard approach requires medical record review. Objective To determine the validity of screening or identification criteria to classify cases of severe maternal morbidity using the definition of severe maternal morbidity proposed by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). Methods From all singleton deliveries at Magee-Womens Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (2010-2011; n = 19 307), we selected all deliveries that had at least one screening or identification criteria for severe maternal morbidity (n = 349) and a random sample of deliveries with no case identification criteria (n = 349). Screen-positive deliveries were a delivery with any of the following: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention International Classification of Diseases 9th Revision diagnosis and procedure codes for the identification of severe maternal morbidity; prolonged post-partum length of stay; or maternal intensive care unit admission. We identified true cases through detailed chart review using the suggested diagnoses in the 2016 ACOG and SMFM Obstetric Care Consensus on severe maternal morbidity. We calculated the positive and negative predictive values of the screening criteria. Results Approximately 1.8% of deliveries screened positive for severe maternal morbidity. After medical record review, 166 screen-positive deliveries were true cases (48% positive predictive value), and 347 screen-negative cases were true negatives (99% negative predictive value). Two screen-negative cases were false negatives. If we applied the negative predictive value to the population, 109 true cases would be missed with these criteria. Conclusion The criteria we used to identify potential cases of severe acute maternal morbidity had poor performance in our cohort. In the absence of resources to apply the gold standard outcome definition to a large population, validation data and analytic strategies that incorporate measurement error are essential to estimate the direction and magnitude of the resulting bias.
Size-dependent stochastic tensile properties in additively manufactured 316L stainless steel

Abstract Recent work in metal additive manufacturing (AM) suggests that mechanical properties may vary with feature size; however, these studies do not provide a statistically robust description of this phenomenon, nor do they provide a clear causal mechanism. Because of the huge design freedom afforded by 3D printing, AM parts typically contain a range of feature sizes, with particular interest in smaller features, so the size effect must be well understood in order to make informed design decisions. This work investigates the effect of feature size on the stochastic mechanical performance of laser powder bed fusion tensile specimens. A high-throughput tensile testing method was used to characterize the effect of specimen size on strength, elastic modulus and elongation in a statistically meaningful way. The effective yield strength, ultimate tensile strength and modulus decreased strongly with decreasing specimen size: all three properties were reduced by nearly a factor of two as feature dimensions were scaled down from 6.25 mm to 0.4 mm. Hardness and microstructural observations indicate that this size dependence was not due to an intrinsic change in material properties, but instead the effects of surface roughness on the geometry of the specimens. Finite element analysis using explicit representations of surface topography shows the critical role surface features play in creating stress concentrations that trigger deformation and subsequent fracture. The experimental and finite element results provide the tools needed to make corrections in the design process to more accurately predict the performance of AM components.
Tonal marking of absolutive case in Samoan

Samoan is an ergative-marking, (reportedly) non-tonal Polynesian language in which ergative case is marked segmentally, but absolutive case has been said to be unmarked. This paper shows that in fact, a high edge tone co-occurs with absolutive arguments, based on converging evidence from the phonetic and phonological analysis of intonational patterns in the spoken utterances of a systematically varied set of syntactic structures. This empirical observation raises puzzles that probe the nature of the syntax-prosody interface and the relation between tone and intonation: what is the relation between this absolutive high edge tone and: (i) other case markers in Samoan, which are all segmental?, and (ii) other high edge tones in Samoan that co-occur with fronted expressions and coordination? I propose that: (i) the absolutive high edge tone is a tonal case marker that may be related to an apparently moribund stressed, segmental absolutive particle [ˈia], (ii) the high tones that co-occur with absolutives, fronting, and coordination are all syntactically determined and each inserted in the spellout of distinct syntactic configurations, and (iii) there is another class of edge tones which reliably co-occur with pauses—intonational phrase boundary tones—that are not inserted in spellout but by the phonological grammar. While my proposal may seem surprising at first, I show that it fits the current data better than any alternative.
Racial and ethnic differences in older adults' willingness to be contacted about Alzheimer's disease research participation.

Author(s): Salazar, Christian R; Hoang, Dan; Gillen, Daniel L; Grill, Joshua D | Abstract: Introduction:We sought to examine the association of race/ethnicity with willingness to engage in studies that involve procedures typical of Alzheimer's disease (AD) clinical trials and determine whether any observed differences could be explained by research attitudes. Methods:We studied 2749 adults aged ≥50 years who enrolled in a community-based recruitment registry. Results:Compared to non-Hispanic (NH) whites (nn=n2393, 87%), Hispanics (nn=n191, 7%), NH Asians (nn=n129, 5%) and NH blacks (nn=n36, 1%) were 44%, 46%, and 64% less willing, respectively, to be contacted for studies that have requirements typical of AD prevention trials, namely: cognitive testing, brain imaging, blood draws, and investigational medications. Mediation by research attitudes was explored, but did not explain the observed differences. Discussion:Our findings suggest that ethnoracial minorities are less willing to engage in studies that are typical of AD prevention trials. Future work should focus on understanding the factors that drive these differences.
Family and Friend Perceptions of Quality of End-of-Life Care in Medicare Advantage vs Traditional Medicare.

Importance Medicare Advantage (MA) insures an increasing proportion of Medicare beneficiaries, but evidence is lacking on patient or family perceptions of the quality of end-of-life care in MA vs traditional Medicare. Objective To determine if there is a difference in quality of care reported by family and friends of individuals who died while insured by MA vs traditional Medicare at the end of life. Design, setting, and participants This cross-sectional study used the 2011 to 2017 Medicare-linked National Health and Aging Trends Study to conduct population-based survey research representing 8 668 829 Medicare enrollees. Included individuals were 2119 enrollees who died when aged 65 years or older, with quality of care reported by a family member or close friend familiar with the individual's last month of life. Analysis was conducted in July 2020. Exposures MA enrollment at the time of death or before hospice enrollment. Main outcomes and measures Perception of end-of-life care was measured with 9 validated items, with the primary outcome variable being overall care rated not excellent. We conducted a propensity score-weighted multivariable model to examine the association of each item with MA vs traditional Medicare enrollment. The propensity score and multivariable model included covariates capturing demographic and socioeconomic factors, function and health, and relationship of the respondent to the individual who died. The sample was then stratified by hospice enrollment and setting of care in the last month. Results Of 2119 people in the sample, 670 individuals were enrolled in MA at the time of death or prior to hospice (32.7%) and 1449 were enrolled in traditional Medicare (67.3%). In survey-weighted percentages, 53.6% (95% CI, 51.0% to 56.1%) were women and 43.4% (95% CI, 41.5% to 45.3%) were older than 85 years at the time of death. In the adjusted model, family and friends of individuals in MA were more likely to report that care was not excellent (odds ratio, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.61; P = .04) and that they were not kept informed (odds ratio, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.06 to 2.05; P = .02). For those in nursing homes, there was an estimated probability of 57.2% of respondents reporting that care was not excellent for individuals with traditional Medicare, compared with 77.9% of respondents for individuals with MA (marginal increase for those in MA, 0.21; 95% CI, 0.08 to 0.32; P = .001). Conclusions and relevance In this cross-sectional study of people who died while enrolled in Medicare, friends and family of those in MA reported lower-quality end-of-life care compared with friends and family of those enrolled in traditional Medicare. These findings suggest that, given the rapid growth of MA, Medicare should take steps to ensure that MA plans are held accountable for quality of care at the end of life.
Teaching During a Pandemic: A Model for Trauma-Informed Education and Administration

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) realities have demanded that educators move swiftly to adopt new ways of teaching, advising, and mentoring. We suggest the centering of a trauma-informed approach to education and academic administration during the COVID-19 pandemic using the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) guidance on trauma-informed approaches to care. In our model for trauma-informed education and administration (M-TIEA), SAMHSA's four key organizational assumptions are foundational, including a realization about trauma and its wide-ranging effects; a recognition of the basic signs and symptoms of trauma; a response that involves fully integrating knowledge into programs, policies, and practices; and an active process for resisting retraumatization. Since educators during the pandemic must follow new restrictions regarding how they teach, we have expanded the practice of teaching in M-TIEA to include both academic administrators' decision making about teaching, and educators' planning and implementation of teaching. In M-TIEA, SAMHSA's six guiding principles for a trauma-informed approach are infused into these two interrelated teaching processes, and include the following: safety; trustworthiness and transparency; peer support; collaboration and mutuality; empowerment, voice, and choice; and cultural, historical, and gender issues. M-TIEA's organizational assumptions, processes, and principles are situated within an outer context that acknowledges the potential influences of four types of intersectional traumas and stressors that may occur at multiple socioecological levels: pandemic-related trauma and stressors; other forms of individual, group, community, or mass trauma and stressors; historical trauma; and current general life stressors. This acknowledges that all trauma-informed work is dynamic and may be influenced by contextual factors.
Modeling anthrax-rabies interactions in zebra-jackal cycles.

Abstract Etosha National Park (ENP) is located in Namibia, where an annual anthrax outbreak (caused by Bacillus anthracis) occurs among grazing animals such as zebras. This increases the number of carcasses in ENP, allowing for scavengers such as jackals to feed off these carcasses. Carcasses provide a location of conspecific interaction between jackals and may be a means of disease transmission among the jackals. We are interested in studying how a disease in the zebra population may help to propagate a different disease (rabies) in the jackal population since the carcasses are providing a location of interaction between the jackals. We aim to answer the following research question: how do anthrax and rabies affect each other’s ability to spread? Standard qualitative analysis techniques distinguished outcomes (stable equilibria) using reproduction numbers as threshold quantities. We found that rabies helps anthrax, and a little anthrax helps rabies invade, but a lot of anthrax prevents rabies by reducing the jackal population through its food source.
Higher Ion Selectivity with Lower Energy Usage Promoted by Electro-osmotic Flow in the Transport through Conical Nanopores

The tradeoff between selectivity and throughput presents fundamental challenges to improve desalination and charge storage, salinity gradient-based energy harvesting, memory device/circuit developm...
Evaluating the impact of surgical supply cost variation during partial nephrectomy on patient outcomes

Background Reducing surgical supply costs can help to lower hospital expenditures. We aimed to evaluate whether variation in supply costs between urologic surgeons performing both robotic or open partial nephrectomies is associated with differential patient outcomes. Methods In this retrospective cohort study, we reviewed 399 consecutive robotic (n=220) and open (n=179) partial nephrectomies performed at an academic center. Surgical supply costs were determined at the institution-negotiated rate. Through retrospective review, we identified factors related to case complexity, patient comorbidity, and perioperative outcomes. Two radiologists assigned nephrometry scores to grade tumor complexity. We created univariate and multivariable models for predictors of supply costs, length of stay, and change in serum creatinine. Results Median supply cost was $3,201 [interquartile range (IQR): $2,201-3,808] for robotic partial nephrectomy and $968 (IQR: $819-1,772) for open partial nephrectomy. Mean nephrometry score was 7.0 (SD =1.7) for robotic procedures and 8.2 (SD =1.6) for open procedures. In multivariable models, the surgeon was the primary significant predictor of variation in surgical supply costs for both procedure types. In multivariable mixed-effects analysis with surgeon as a random effect, supply cost was not a significant predictor of change in serum creatinine for robotic or open procedures. Supply cost was not a statistically significant predictor of length of stay for the open procedure. Supply cost was a significant predictor of longer length of stay for the robotic procedure, however it was not a clinically meaningful change in length of stay (0.02 days per $100 in supply costs). Conclusions Higher supply spending did not predict significantly improved patient outcomes. Variability in surgeon supply preference is the likely source of variability in supply cost. These data suggest that efforts to promote cost-effective utilization and standardization of supplies in partial nephrectomy could help reduce costs without harming patients.
Speaker Diarization using Two-pass Leave-One-Out Gaussian PLDA Clustering of DNN Embeddings

Many modern systems for speaker diarization, such as the recently-developed VBx approach, rely on clustering of DNN speaker embeddings followed by resegmentation. Two problems with this approach are that the DNN is not directly optimized for this task, and the parameters need significant retuning for different applications. We have recently presented progress in this direction with a Leave-One-Out Gaussian PLDA (LGP) clustering algorithm and an approach to training the DNN such that embeddings directly optimize performance of this scoring method. This paper presents a new two-pass version of this system, where the second pass uses finer time resolution to significantly improve overall performance. For the Callhome corpus, we achieve the first published error rate below 4% without any task-dependent parameter tuning. We also show significant progress towards a robust single solution for multiple diarization tasks.
A Computational Framework Towards the Tele-Rehabilitation of Balance Control Skills

Mobility has been one of the most impacted aspects of human life due to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Home confinement, the lack of access to physical rehabilitation, and prolonged immobilization of COVID-19-positive patients within hospitals are three major factors that affected the mobility of the general population world-wide. Balance is one key indicator to monitor the possible movement disorders that may arise both during the COVID-19 pandemic and in the coming future post-COVID-19. A systematic quantification of the balance performance in the general population is essential for preventing the appearance and progression of certain diseases (e.g., cardiovascular, neurodegenerative, and musculoskeletal), as well as for assessing the therapeutic outcomes of prescribed physical exercises for elderly and pathological patients. Current research on clinical exercises and associated outcome measures of balance is still far from reaching a consensus on a "golden standard" practice. Moreover, patients are often reluctant or unable to follow prescribed exercises, because of overcrowded facilities, lack of reliable and safe transportation, or stay-at-home orders due to the current pandemic. A novel balance assessment methodology, in combination with a home-care technology, can overcome these limitations. This paper presents a computational framework for the in-home quantitative assessment of balance control skills. Novel outcome measures of balance performance are implemented in the design of rehabilitation exercises with customized and quantifiable training goals. Using this framework in conjunction with a portable technology, physicians can treat and diagnose patients remotely, with reduced time and costs and a highly customized approach. The methodology proposed in this research can support the development of innovative technologies for smart and connected home-care solutions for physical therapy rehabilitation.