cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Molecular genetic demonstration of the diverse evolution of Richter's syndrome (chronic lymphocytic leukemia and subsequent large cell lymphoma)

Paired samples of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) and the subsequent diffuse large cell lymphoma (DLL) of six cases of Richter's syndrome were investigated to establish the clonal relationship between the CLL/SLL and the DLL components and to define the oncogene and/or tumor-suppressor gene alterations involved in the morphologic transformation of CLL/SLL. Southern blot hybridization analysis showed identical clonal immunoglobulin (Ig) gene-rearrangement patterns in the CLL/SLL and DLL components in four cases and different Ig gene-rearrangement patterns in two cases. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification, cloning, and DNA sequencing of complementary determinant region 3 (CDR3) of the Ig-heavy chain gene of one of the two cases in which the Ig gene-rearrangement patterns were different showed nonidentical sequences in the CLL/SLL and DLL components. In the other case, monomorphic Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) genome integration was detected in the DLL but not in the CLL, suggesting that the CLL and DLL components in this case of Richter's syndrome also represent unrelated clones. Single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis and sequencing of exons 5 through 9 of the p53 tumor-suppressor gene showed a mutation in codon 176 of the DLL but not in the CLL/SLL component in one case where the CLL/SLL and DLL represented different clones. The p53 mutation probably played a role in the development of the lymphoma rather than morphologic transformation of the CLL/SLL in this case. SSCP analysis and sequencing also showed identical mutations in codon 282 in both the CLL/SLL and DLL components in a case where the CLL and DLL represented identical clones. Thus, this p53 gene mutation was present both before and after morphologic transformation, and therefore, probably did not play a primary role in this process. Southern blot hybridization analysis failed to show evidence of bcl-1, bcl-2, c-myc proto-oncogene or retinoblastoma (Rb) tumor-suppressor gene rearrangements in these six cases of Richter's syndrome. In conclusion, the original CLL/SLL and the subsequent DLL in Richter's syndrome may or may not be derived from identical clones, and the well-known proto-oncogenes and tumor-suppressor genes do not appear to play an obvious and consistent role in the morphologic transformation of CLL/SLL to DLL.
Growth in Egg Yolk Enhances Salmonella Enteritidis Colonization and Virulence in a Mouse Model of Human Colitis.

Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) is one of the most common causes of bacterial food-borne illnesses in the world. Despite the SE’s ability to colonize and infect a wide-range of host, the most common source of infection continues to be the consumption of contaminated shell eggs and egg-based products. To date, the role of the source of SE infection has not been studied as it relates to SE pathogenesis and resulting disease. Using a streptomycin-treated mouse model of human colitis, this study examined the virulence of SE grown in egg yolk and Luria Bertani (LB) broth, and mouse feces collected from mice experimentally infected with SEE1 (SEE1 passed through mice). Primary observations revealed that the mice infected with SE grown in egg yolk displayed greater illness and disease markers than those infected with SE passed through mice or grown in LB broth. Furthermore, the SE grown in egg yolk achieved higher rates of colonization in the mouse intestines and extra-intestinal organs of infected mice than the SE from LB broth or mouse feces. Our results here indicate that the source of SE infection may contribute to the overall pathogenesis of SE in a second host. These results also suggest that reservoir-pathogen dynamics may be critical for SE’s ability to establish colonization and priming for virulence potential.
Factors Predicting Pregnancy Resolution Decision Satisfaction of Unmarried Adolescents

ABSTRACT Premaritally pregnant Caucasian and Mexican-American adolescents (N = 299) aged 13 to 19 years who received pregnancy counseling, pregnancy termination, or prenatal services at a county clinic were reinterviewed six months after delivery or abortion to assess postdecision satisfaction. More than 80% making each decision (i.e., abortion, single-motherhood, marriage) said they would make the same decision again. There were no significant effects of decision alternative, ethnicity/religion, or age on satisfaction. Among aborters, four factors–positive preprocedure abortion opinion, more liberal attitudes towards abortion for others, consistent contraceptive use following abortion, and their mothers' higher educational attainment–accounted for about 20% of the variance in satisfaction. Among single mothers positive preprocedure attitude towards single motherhood and lack of attempts to attend school in the six months after delivery were associated in bivariate analyses with decision satisfaction. Imp...
Silylation-Based Kinetic Resolution of Monofunctional Secondary Alcohols

The nucleophilic small molecule catalyst (−)-tetramisole was found to catalyze the kinetic resolution of monofunctional secondary alcohols via enantioselective silylation. Optimization of this new methodology allows for selectivity factors up to 25 utilizing commercially available reagents and mild reaction conditions.
Eco-environmental Effects and Protection Countermeasures of Highways Construction Project in Mountain Area

The protection countermeasures for the ecological environment of highway construction project in mountain area are investigated in order to minimize the disadvantageous effects of highways construction on the ecological environment along the line.By taking the Ankang—Hanzhong highway construction project for an example,the effects of each function section in highway construction,such as main work,bridge project,tunnel project,service project,and temporary floor area,on the ecological environment along the line are analyzed,and then the environmental protection countermeasures for the different construction stages,such as designing period,construction period,and operating period,are studied.The environmental protection countermeasures,which are reasonable and feasible in practice,are proposed.A better environmental protection measure system of highways construction project is established.
Autoerythrocyte Sensitization A Form of Purpura Producing Painful Bruising Following Autosensitization to Red Blood Cells in Certain Women

Four patients with purpura who manifested an unusual response to bruising were studied. This response was characterized by the development of an area of painful ecchymosis at the site of trauma followed by progressive erythema and edema. This unusual tissue response was seen only in women. The various features of the cases suggested an autosensitization by the patients to their own blood. Special studies utilizing skin testing procedures indicated an abnormal tissue response of sensitivity to red blood cells. The factor responsible was present in the red cell stroma and was not associated with the hemoglobin. The clinical manifestations and possible therapy are discussed. This syndrome may represent another example of autosensitization such as has been speculated for lupus erythematosus, some forms of acquired hemolytic anemia and of thrombocytopenic purpura, and for an increasing number of disease states.
What We Know about Speech Rate and Pause

When I first set out on this project, I envisioned including a truly comprehensive review of all of the work that had been done to date on speech rate and pause in human language. Within the field of sociolinguistics, this would be a short task, as interest in temporal features has mostly been little and sporadic. In general, many dominant views of language, such as those in the Saussurian and Chomskian traditions, have traditionally placed the study of pause and speech rate outside of the realm of linguistics proper. From a structural or generativist perspective, pause and speech rate are so clearly components of LINGUISTIC performance rather than linguistic competence that they have had no place in formal approaches to linguistics. However, even within vari- ationist and sociolinguistic work, areas which have made great headway by studying linguistic performance, there has been a long history of considering speech rate and pause as nonlinguistic and, frankly, not rele- vant.1 in a widely read sociolinguistic handbook chapter, for instance, Ronald Macaulay wrote: one of the most common functions of discourse is to communicate something, but the proper study of linguistics is not communication. (In this case I agree with Chomsky.) Linguists are concerned with the use of language in communication, but that is a very different thing. To take an obvious example, conversation analysts… and psychologists… have shown the significance of pauses and silence in communicating. However, there can be no linguistic analysis of silence, though pauses may be a guide to linguistic units. (Macaulay 2002: 284, emphasis added)
In vitro biomechanical properties, fluorescence imaging, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, and photothermal therapy evaluation of luminescent functionalized CaMoO4:Eu@Au hybrid nanorods on human lung adenocarcinoma epithelial cells

AbstractHighly dispersible Eu3+-doped CaMoO4@Au-nanorod hybrid nanoparticles (HNPs) exhibit optical properties, such as plasmon resonances in the near-infrared region at 790 nm and luminescence at 615 nm, offering multimodal capabilities: fluorescence imaging, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) detection and photothermal therapy (PTT). HNPs were conjugated with a Raman reporter (4-mercaptobenzoic acid), showing a desired SERS signal (enhancement factor 5.0 × 105). The HNPs have a heat conversion efficiency of 25.6%, and a hyperthermia temperature of 42°C could be achieved by adjusting either concentration of HNPs, or laser power, or irradiation time. HNPs were modified with antibody specific to cancer biomarker epidermal growth factor receptor, then applied to human lung cancer (A549) and mouse hepatocyte cells (AML12), and in vitro PTT effect was studied. In addition, the biomechanical properties of A549 cells were quantified using atomic force microscopy. This study shows the potential applicati...
Glycopeptide resistance in gram-positive pathogens.

The rapid emergence of vancomycin-resistant enterococci as significant nosocomial pathogens during the 1990’s has dramatically influenced our awareness of the threat posed by drug resistant microorganisms. Vancomycin was first introduced in the 1960’s, but it’s use was initially limited due to concerns regarding toxicity until the emergence of methicillin resistant strains of staphylococci during the 1980’s. By the late 1980’s, vancomycin was frequently the only reliable therapeutic alternative for nosocomial staphylococcal infections, and both appropriate and inappropriate usage mushroomed. At Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, annual parenteral vancomycin usage increased from 6 kg/year in 1986 to over 20 kg/year in 1990. Although a number of unusual organisms such as Leuconostoc, Pediococcus and Lactobacillus spp. have long been known to be resistant to vancomycin, these have primarily been laboratory curiosities and have never posed a major clinical problem. However, the appearance of acquired vancomycin resistance in the clinically important pathogen Enterococcus was not anticipated.
Distinct neural circuits for control of movement vs. holding still

In generating a point-to-point movement, the brain does more than produce the transient commands needed to move the body part; it also produces the sustained commands that are needed to hold the bo...
Regulation of Chemokine and Chemokine Receptor Expression and Function by Opioids

Opioids exert a broad range of effects on immune responses either directly by altering immune cell function or indirectly by altering the expression of immune regulatory proteins such as cytokines, chemokines, and their respective receptors (reviewed in McCarthy et al.(1)). The expression of -, -, and -opioid receptors (MOR, KOR, and DOR, respectively) by immune cells has been definitely established on the basis of a number of parameters, including the isolation of receptor mRNA, cell binding analysis, and by flow cytometry.(2–5) The molecular basis for the immunomodulatory activities of the opioids has remained incompletely defined up to this time. However, it appears that a major mechanism of opioid-induced immunoregulation is through the control of cytokine and cytokine receptor expression and/or function. More specifically, recent reports suggest that the chemotactic cytokines (chemokines) are a significant target of the opioid-induced effects on the function of the cells of the immune system.
FDA Approval Summary: Nivolumab for the Treatment of Relapsed or Progressive Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma

On May 17, 2016, after an expedited priority review, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to nivolumab for the treatment of patients with classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) that has relapsed or progressed after autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and post-transplantation brentuximab vedotin (BV). Nivolumab in cHL had been granted breakthrough therapy designation. Accelerated approval was based on two single-arm, multicenter trials in adults with cHL. In 95 patients with relapsed or progressive cHL after autologous HSCT and post-transplantation BV, nivolumab, dosed at 3 mg/kg intravenously every 2 weeks, produced a 65% (95% confidence interval: 55%-75%) objective response rate (58% partial remission, 7% complete remission). The estimated median duration of response was 8.7 months, with 4.6-month median follow-up for response duration. The median time to response was 2.1 (range: 0.7-5.7) months. Among 263 patients with cHL treated with nivolumab, 21% reported serious adverse reactions (ARs). The most common all-grade ARs (reported in ≥20%) were fatigue, upper respiratory tract infection, cough, pyrexia, diarrhea, elevated transaminases, and cytopenias. Infusion-related reaction and hypothyroidism or thyroiditis occurred in >10% of patients; other immune-mediated ARs, occurring in 1%-5%, included rash, pneumonitis, hepatitis, hyperthyroidism, and colitis. A new Warning and Precaution was issued for complications of allogeneic HSCT after nivolumab, including severe or hyperacute graft-versus-host disease, other immune-mediated ARs, and transplant-related mortality. Continued approval for the cHL indication may be contingent upon verification of clinical benefit in a randomized trial. The Oncologist 2017;22:585-591 IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Based on response rate and duration in single-arm studies, nivolumab is a new treatment option for patients with classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) that has relapsed or progressed despite autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and brentuximab vedotin. This was the first U.S. Food and Drug Administration marketing application for a programmed cell death 1 inhibitor in hematologic malignancies. The use of immune checkpoint blockade in cHL represents a new treatment paradigm. The safety of allogeneic HSCT after nivolumab requires further evaluation, as does the safety of nivolumab after allogeneic HSCT.
Increased risk of arterial thromboembolism in older men with breast cancer

Male breast cancer is a rare and understudied disease predominantly affecting men over age 60. Risk of arterial thromboembolic events (ATE) in men increases with age. We examined ATE risk following primary breast cancer diagnosis in elderly men. Men with primary breast cancer diagnoses from 2002 to 2011 were identified using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare-linked database. Cases were individually matched by age, sex, race, registry, and comorbidities with controls without cancer using SEER-Medicare’s 5% noncancer sample. Medicare claims were used to identify ATE, defined as myocardial infarction or ischemic stroke. Cumulative incidence of ATE was calculated using competing risk methodology, with death considered a competing event. Cox proportional hazards analysis was used to compare rates of ATE among cases and controls. Three months following primary breast cancer diagnosis, ATE risk in the cohort of 881 men was 80% higher than matched controls (hazard ratio 1.8; 95% confidence interval 1.0–3.2). Six months post-cancer diagnosis, 5.7% of cases had experienced ATE, whereas only 3.5% of controls had (HR 1.6; 95% CI 1.0–2.6). ATE risk remained elevated 12 months post-cancer diagnosis. Among cases, risk of death was threefold higher in men who developed ATE. We provide population-based evidence that male breast cancer patients have a substantially elevated risk of ATE in the first year following a cancer diagnosis compared with matched controls. Care providers should consider this heightened risk when evaluating cardiovascular health in men with a recent breast cancer diagnosis.
DLX3-Dependent STAT3 Signaling in Keratinocytes Regulates Skin Immune Homeostasis

Epidermal-specific deletion of the homeobox transcription regulator DLX3 disrupts keratinocyte differentiation and results in an IL-17−linked psoriasis-like skin inflammation. To identify the epidermal initiating signals produced by DLX3-null keratinocytes, we performed acute deletion of DLX3 in adult epidermis using a tamoxifen-inducible Krt14-cre/ERT system. K14CreERT;DLX3fl/fl skin exhibited dysregulated expression of differentiation-associated genes, upregulation of proinflammatory cytokines, and accumulation of Langerhans cells and macrophages within 3 days of tamoxifen-induced DLX3 ablation. We also observed increased accumulation of IL-17A−secreting Vγ4 γδ T cells and heightened levels of IL-17 and IL-36 family of cytokines starting 1 week after DLX3 deletion. Interestingly, transcriptome profiling of K14CreERT;DLX3fl/fl epidermis at 3 days identified activated STAT3 as a transcriptional regulator and revealed differential expression of STAT3 signaling-related genes. Furthermore, activation of STAT3 was strongly increased in K14CreERT;DLX3fl/fl skin, and topical treatment with an inhibitor of STAT3 activation attenuated the immune phenotype. RNA-seq analysis of vehicle and STAT3 inhibitor treated K14CreERT;DLX3fl/fl skin identified differentially expressed genes associated with inhibition of leukocyte infiltration. Collectively, our results show that DLX3 is a critical regulator of STAT3 signaling network that maintains skin homeostasis.
Speaking is doing and doing is learning: vocabulary learning in service-learning

This study reports on vocabulary learning through service-learning (SL) where Spanish L2 learners participated in a story-time program with bilingual children. The descriptive, observational, and q...
Xenophobic and racially motivated crime in Belgium: exploratory spatial data analysis and spatial regressions of structural covariates

This study employs exploratory spatial data analysis and spatial count regression models to examine xenophobic and racially motivated crimes in Belgium between 2000 and 2012. Drawing upon recent wo...
Reciprocity in Electron Diffraction and Imaging

In electron imaging, TEM and STEM are considered to be equivalent, so that images obtained in both optic configurations have many analogous characteristics, and sometimes they can be interpreted using the same theory. This analogy is based on the reciprocity theorem, which is stated as: The amplitude of the disturbance at a point P due to radiation from a point Q, which has traversed any system involving elastic-scattering processes only, is the same as the amplitude of the disturbance that would be observed at Q if the point source were placed at P.
Dental education and special-needs patients: challenges and opportunities

Pediatric dentists have, by tradition and default, provided care for persons with special health care needs (PSHCN), regardless of age. Deinstitutionalization of PSHCN in the 1960s, however, overwhelmed the dental care system, and oral health care became one of the greatest unmet needs of this population. This presentation follows the history of training for dentists in this aspect of care, from the first demonstration programs in the 1970s to the current educational programs in U.S. dental schools. Today's dental students must be competent in assessing the treatment needs of PSHCN, but accreditation standards do not require competency in the treatment of this group of patients. Recommendations to rectify this include revising dental school curricula to be more patient-centered, improving technology in schools, earlier clinical experiences for dental students, and the use of community-based clinics.
What Cytokines Can Tell Us About the Pathogenesis of Breast Implant-Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL)

Cytokines, their receptors, and downstream signaling partners, especially JAK1/2 and STAT3, are key biomarkers in lymphoproliferative disorders including systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL). Here we review their role in breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL). Early results suggest that, in addition to CD30, IL-9, IL-10, and IL-13 can distinguish malignant from benign seromas. IL-6 is increased in both benign and malignant seromas. IFNγ may identify a subset of BIA-ALCL with a different clinical course. Immunohistochemical detection of nuclear transcription factors-which regulate cytokine signaling-and phosphorylated janus kinases/signal transducers and activators of transcription can inform the identification and malignant potential of CD30+ cells. The innate immune response is the first line of defense against microbes suspected to initiate BIA-ALCL. Innate lymphoid cells are grouped according to the cytokines they produce and could potentially be identified as precursors to BIA-ALCL. Cytokines modulate the tumor microenvironment and hence the pathology of BIA-ALCL such as the influx of eosinophils and capsular fibrosis mediated by IL-13. The plasticity of T cells and innate immune cells theoretically can enable therapeutic manipulations toward a less aggressive phenotype. Cytokine receptors targeted in clinical trials of inflammatory and autoimmune disorders could afford opportunities for immunotherapy of BIA-ALCL.
A Market-Driven Green Office Building Index

Executive Summary. This paper reports on the development and potential implementation of a new green office building rating index intended for building owners and real estate office portfolio manag...
Diet Quality and Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Postmenopausal Women With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: The Women's Health Initiative.

Background Dietary patterns are associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in the general population, but diet–CVD association in populations with diabetes mellitus is limited. Our objective...
Pathologic Versus Native Hip Fractures: Comparing 30-day Mortality and Short-term Complication Profiles.

Abstract Background A large body of research on native hip fractures has resulted in several evidence-based guidelines aimed at improving postsurgical care for these patients. In contrast, there is a paucity of data on pathologic hip fractures, and whether native hip fracture protocols are generalizable to this population is unknown. The purpose of this study was to compare mortality rates and complication profiles between patients with pathologic and native hip fractures. Methods Using the American College of Surgeons-National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database, we identified patients who underwent surgical treatment for pathologic and native hip fractures from 2007 to 2017 and 2601 matched pairs were identified using propensity scoring. Baseline covariates were controlled for, and rates of 30-day postoperative complications and mortality were compared using McNemar’s test. Results Pathologic hip fracture patients experienced significantly higher rates of death (6.3% vs 4.3%, P Conclusion Pathologic hip fractures result in significantly higher complication rates than native hip fractures after surgical treatment, suggesting that guidelines for native hip fractures may not be generalizable for pathologic hip fractures. Orthopedic surgeons should closely monitor these patients for deep vein thrombosis, utilize blood sparing techniques, and employ a multidisciplinary approach to help manage and prevent a more heterogenous profile of postsurgical complications.
Comparison of two automated immunoassays for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid antibodies.

BACKGROUND: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a novel member of the coronavirus family that caused the global coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The prevalence remains largely unknown because of early testing supply shortages. Although it cannot currently be used to determine level of immunity, antibody testing can contribute to epidemiological studies, identify convalescent plasma donors, or satisfy curiosity about previous exposure to the virus. METHODS: 407 samples collected from hospitalized inpatients with and without a confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, 170 remnant clinical specimens collected and frozen prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, and paired serum and plasma samples from 23 convalescent plasma donors were used to determine performance characteristics of the Abbott SARS-CoV-2 IgG and Roche Elecsys Anti-SARS-CoV-2 assays. The sensitivity, specificity, imprecision, interferences, and sample stability were determined. These assays were then used to characterize the antibody response in serial samples from 20 SARS-CoV-2 positive inpatients. RESULTS: Both assays exhibited 100% specificity (95% CI; 99.05 - 100.00), giving no positive results in 170 specimens collected before July 2019 and 215 specimens from patients without a confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. Differences between platforms were most notable in SARS-CoV-2 positive samples. Roche offered higher sensitivity in convalescent plasma donors at 95.7% (95% CI; 78.1 - 99.9) versus 91.3% (95% CI; 72.0 - 98.9) but Abbott detected antibodies in two immunocompromised patients whereas Roche did not. The Roche and Abbott platforms also exhibited different trends in antibody signal for a subset of patients. CONCLUSIONS: Both the Abbott and Roche platforms offer excellent specificity but different trends in antibody signal may reflect qualitative differences in the types of antibodies recognized by the two assays. Negative serologic results do not exclude previous SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Perioperative outcomes and cost of robotic vs open simple prostatectomy in the modern robotic era: results from the National Inpatient Sample.

OBJECTIVES To perform a comparative analysis of perioperative outcomes and hospitalisation cost between open (OSP) and robot-assisted simple prostatectomy (RASP) for treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) using the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) in the contemporary robotic era. MATERIALS AND METHODS The NIS was queried for cases of OSP and RASP for the treatment of BPH between 2013 and 2016. Perioperative complications, unadjusted hospital cost and length of stay (LOS) were compared between RASP and OSP. Smoothed linear regression curves comparing hospitalisation cost by increasing LOS was stratified by surgical approach to identify point of cost equivalency between RASP and OSP. Multivariable linear regression analysis was used to construct a hospitalisation cost model to examine the contribution of the robotic approach and LOS to hospitalisation cost. RESULTS The total analytical cohort included 2551 OSP and 704 RASP procedures. Patients undergoing RASP were younger, at a median (interquartile range [IQR]) age of 68 (63-73) vs 71 (65-77) years, and with less comorbidity (76.8% vs 86.5%, P < 0.01). RASP was associated with fewer total complications (11.1% vs 29.2%, P < 0.01) and a greater likelihood of routine discharge to home rather than another facility (88.9% vs 76.7%, P < 0.01). While LOS was shorter with RASP (median [IQR], 2 [1-3] vs 4 [3-6] days, P < 0.01), total unadjusted hospitalisation cost (in United States dollars) was greater (median [IQR], $10 855 [$7965-$15 675] vs $13 467 [$10 572-$17 722], P < 0.01). Presence of any complication increased both LOS and hospitalisation cost (P < 0.01). Linear regression modelling determined the point of cost equivalence between RASP staying a median of 2 days was an OSP case staying between 5 and 6 days. On multivariable regression analysis, the robotic approach contributed an additional $6175 (P < 0.01) to the cost model, whereas each additional day of hospitalisation contributed $1687 (P < 0.01), suggesting LOS would need to be 3-4 days shorter with RASP to offset surgical costs of the robot. CONCLUSIONS While RASP appears to have significantly better perioperative complication rates with shorter LOS and likely discharge to home, total hospitalisation cost remained greater, likely related to upfront operative costs. While this retrospective study is limited by selection bias for patients undergoing RASP, the benefits of improved convalescence, discharge to home, and lower rate of perioperative complications appear to justify performance of RASP in an experienced pelvic robotic centre despite relatively greater hospitalisation cost if referral to an experienced holmium laser enucleation of the prostate centre is not feasible.
Klinefelter syndrome and germ cell tumors: review of the literature

The most common presentation of Klinefelter syndrome (KS) is infertility and features of hypogonadism. Currently no consensus exists on the risk of malignancy in this syndrome. Several case reports show an incidence of extragonadal germ cells tumors (eGCT) of 1.5 per 1000 KS patients (OR 50 against healthy population). Malignant germ cell tumors are rare in children. They account for 3% of all children cancers. Young patients with a germ cell tumor are not routinely tested for Klinefelter syndrome. This can therefore result in underdiagnosing. Literature data suggest a correlation between eGCT and KS. To the best of our knowledge there is no precise description of the primary locations of germ cell tumors in KS patients. The purpose of this study is to evaluate age groups and primary locations of extragonadal germ cell tumors in Klinefelter patients. With this data we investigate whether it is necessary to perform a cytogenetic analysis for KS in every eGCT patient. This study is based on case report publications in PubMed/Medline published until march 2020 that described “Klinefelter Syndrome (MeSH) AND/OR extragonadal germ cell tumors”. Publications were included when patients age, location and histology of the germ cell tumor was known. Two double blinded reviewers selected the studies.Results: 141 KS patients with eGCTs were identified. Mean age at presentation was 17.3 years (StDev + − 10.2). In contrast to the extragonadal germ cell tumors in adults, most eGCT in children were mediastinal or in the central nervous system (respectively 90/141; 64% and 23/141; 16% of all tumors). Distribution of histologic subtypes showed that the largest fraction represented a teratoma, mixed-type-non-seminomateus GCT and germinoma, respectively 34/141; 24%, 26/141; 18% and 20/141; 14% of all tumors. These data suggest a correlation between primary extragonadal germ cell tumors and Klinefelter syndrome. There appears to be an indication for screening on KS in young patients with an eGCT in the mediastinum. A low threshold for radiologic examinations should be considered to discover eGCT. We emphasize the need for genetic analysis in all cases of a male with a mediastinal germ cell tumor for the underdiagnosed Klinefelter syndrome.
Metastable states of dimethylsulfonium radical, (CH3)2SH·:

Abstract Variable-time neutralization–reionization mass spectrometry was used to generate and detect the hypervalent radical dimethylsulfonium, (CH3)2SH·(1H·), and its isotopomers (CH3)2SD·(1HD·), (CD3)2SH·(1DH·), and (CD3)2SD·(1DD·). The successful detection of 1H·–1DD·was achieved in spite of severe interferences due to isobaric overlaps by the 13C, 33S, and 34S isotope satellites of residual dimethylsulfide cation radicals. Radicals 1H·–1DD·dissociated by cleavages of the S–(H,D) and S–C bonds in a ∼3:1 branching ratio. Ab initio calculations with large basis sets failed to find a local energy minimum for the (X)2A′ ground electronic state of 1H·, which dissociated without barrier to (CH3)2S and H·. Several excited states of 1H·were found by configuration interaction singles CIS/6-311++G(3df,2p) calculations that were within 2 eV of the repulsive ground state potential energy surface. The microsecond metastability and dissociations of 1H·–1DD· were ascribed to the properties of excited electronic states.
Deterministic control of adhesive crack propagation through jamming based switchable adhesives

Controlling delamination across a material interface is a foundation of adhesive science and technology. This ranges from creating permanent, strong adhesives which limit crack propagation to reversible adhesives which initiate cracks for release. Methods which dynamically control cracks can lead to more robust adhesion, however specific control of crack initiation, propagation, and arresting is challenging because time scales of crack propagation are much faster than times scales of mechanisms to arrest cracks. Here we show the deterministic control of crack initiation, propagation, and arresting by integrating a granular jamming layer into adhesive films. This allows for controlled initiation of a propagating crack by reducing rigidity and then rapidly arresting the crack through jamming, with a rise in stiffness and an 11× enhancement in adhesion. This process is highly reversible and programmable, allowing for numerous crack initiation, propagation, and arresting cycles at arbitrary selectable locations in a peeling adhesive. We demonstrate this crack-control approach in single and multiple peel directions under fixed load conditions in response to diverse pressurization input signal profiles (i.e. time varying propagation and arresting scenarios).
The evaluation of reverse shoulder lateralization on deltoid forces and scapular fracture risk: A computational study

Abstract Reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) can treat severe rotator cuff deficiency, but its medialized design of the shoulder's center of rotation (CoR) has been associated with scapular notching. Although lateralization of CoR provides a larger impingement-free range of motion, the changes in component positioning alter the biomechanics and may cause unforeseen complications. This work quantified the muscle forces and predicted the scapula fracture risk by coupling dynamic simulation analysis with finite element modeling. To identify bone failure patterns, the results were analyzed using three common failure measures. A parametric study showed greater lateralization produced higher strain/stress concentrations in the scapular spine (Levy Region Type II), with approximately a 10% increase for the 12 ​mm lateralized scenario, compared to a neutral configuration. Significant differences in fracture risk patterns were found between the maximum principal stress/strain results and the von Mises stress results. The lateralized configurations could increase the muscle and joint reaction forces during abduction and induce scapular fracture. Studying the effects of RSA lateralization on scapular fracture risk can help guide the continued optimization of RSA performance and surgical techniques. The findings of relationships between the loading style and bone failure measures can provide valuable insight into the investigation of bone failure criteria.
Pre-Transplant Factors Influencing Rates of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Recurrence in Liver Transplant Recipients.

Background: The aim of the study was to determine factors influencing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence in a cohort of patients who underwent liver transplantation (LT) at a large, tertiary-care medical center.Methods: A total of 132 patients with the diagnosis of HCC at time of transplant were evaluated for HCC recurrence over a 7-year period. Nine patients were found to have HCC recur post-LT.Results: No significant demographic values were found to indicate recurrence. Pre-LT factors potentially influencing HCC recurrence rates included number of days between HCC diagnosis and date of LT (P = 0.015), caudate lobe involvement (P = 0.019), increased use of radiation therapies pre-LT (P = 0.011), and total number of locoregional therapies (LRT) pre-LT (P < 0.001). Post-transplant outcomes demonstrated a significant difference in deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in the recurrent vs. non-recurrent groups (P = 0.035).Conclusions: The prevalence of HCC recurrence in this study was lower than the national average, yet difficulty still exists in predicting pre-LT factors which may influence HCC recurrence rates.Gastroenterol Res. 2021;14(3):190-193doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/gr1402
Perinatal morbidity and health utilization among mothers of medically fragile infants.

OBJECTIVE To determine the burden of perinatal morbidity among mothers of medically fragile infants. STUDY DESIGN We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 6849 mothers who delivered liveborn infants at a quaternary care hospital during a two-year period. We compared mothers of well babies with mothers of infants admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), and we used logistic regression to model predictors of postpartum acute care utilization among NICU mothers. RESULTS Rates of obstetric morbidity were highest for mothers of infants staying ≥72 h in the NICU; 54.2% underwent cesarean birth, 7.5% experienced severe maternal morbidity, and 6.6% required a blood transfusion. Factors independently associated with postpartum acute care use included gestational age 38 °C and receiving psychiatric medication during the birth hospitalization. CONCLUSION Focused support for mothers of NICU infants has the potential to reduce maternal morbidity and improve health.
Fluorescent tagging of endogenous proteins with CRISPR/Cas9 in primary mouse neural stem cells.

Summary Although exogenous overexpression of a protein fused to a fluorescent tag can provide insight for the protein’s function, it also can produce artifacts attributed to its upregulation and may not fully report the endogenous regulation of the protein of interest. To circumvent these issues, we adapted a protocol to label endogenous proteins with fluorescent tags in primary adult mouse neural stem cells in vitro. Here, we describe reagent construction, reagent delivery, and a screening strategy to isolate edited cells. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Morrow et al. (2020) .
An Overview of Mathematical Methods for Numerical Optimization

This chapter serves as a basic overview of mathematical optimization problems and reviews how certain classes of these problems are solved. For the general category of nonlinear problems, both smooth and nonsmooth “Derivative Free” topics are discussed with and without constraints.
Coding nucleotide, 5' regulatory, and deduced amino acid sequences of P-450BM-3, a single peptide cytochrome P-450:NADPH-P-450 reductase from Bacillus megaterium.

Abstract Cytochrome P-450BM-3 (P-450BM-3) from Bacillus megaterium incorporates both a P-450 and an NADPH:P-450 reductase in proteolytically separable domains of a single, 119-kDa polypeptide and functions as a fatty acid monooxygenase independently of any other protein. A 5-kilobase DNA fragment which contains the gene encoding P-450BM-3 was sequenced. A single continuous open reading frame starting at nucleotide 1541 of the 5-kilobase fragment correctly predicted the previously determined NH2-terminal protein sequences of the trypsin-generated P-450 and reductase domains and, in toto, predicted a mature polypeptide of 1,048-amino acid residues with Mr = 117,641. The trypsin site was found at arginine residue 471. The P-450 domain is most similar (about 25%) to the fatty acid omega-hydroxylases of P-450 family IV, while the reductase domain exhibits some 33% sequence similarity with the NADPH:P-450 reductases of mammalian liver. Both the P-450 and reductase domains of P-450BM-3 define new gene families but contain highly conserved segments which display as much as 50% sequence similarity with P-450s and reductases of eukaryotic origin. The mRNA for P-450BM-3 was found by S1 mapping to be 3,339 +/- 10 nucleotides in length. In the accompanying paper, two regions in the 1.5 kilobases 5' to the P-450BM-3 coding region have been implicated in the regulation of P-450BM-3 gene expression.
Priority service disciplines and voice cell discarding schemes in ATM networks

Priority service disciplines and congestion control schemes for voice and data multiplexing with bursty inputs in asynchronous transfer mode ATM/SONET broadband networks are presented. The authors consider dynamic mapping of ATM cells in the SONET payload. They propose separate buffers for voice and data to efficiently control the throughput of each traffic type. Transmission bandwidth is dynamically shared between voice and data to guarantee grade of service (GOS) requirements for each traffic type. A selective voice cell discarding scheme is also considered for voice-data integration. The effects of voice cell discarding on network performance for integrated voice and data systems were analyzed by simulation. The results showed that the priority service disciplines, in combination with the voice cell discarding scheme, were very efficient methods to guarantee a GOS requirement for voice. The cell discarding scheme was shown to reduce cell losses as well as delays for data. It was found that the performance for data can be significantly improved by imposing the thresholds at both voice and data buffers. >
Herpesvirus saimiri DNA in tumor cells--deleted sequences and sequence rearrangements.

Abstract Herpesvirus saimiri DNA in continuous lymphoblastoid cell lines obtained from viral induced tumors in marmosets has been analyzed by gel electrophoresis of restricted DNA. Southern transfer to nitrocellulose filters, and hybridization to 32P-labeled viral DNA or DNA fragments. The viral DNA fragments EcoRI-G, -H, -D, and -I, KpnI-A, and BamHI-D and -E were not detected in Southern transfers of DNA from the nonproducing 1670 cell line. For each restriction endonuclease, a new fragment appeared, consistent with a 13.0-megadalton deletion of viral DNA sequences. This deletion encompassed 35 to 48 +/- 0.6 megadaltons from the left end of the unique DNA region. A sequence arrangement map is presented for the major population of H. saimiri DNA sequences in the 1670 cell line. Although H. saimiri DNA in the nonproducing 70N2 cell line can be distinguished from viral DNA in the 1670 cell line by several criteria, the same sequences were found to be deleted in the major population of viral DNA molecules. Unlike 1670 and 70N2 cells, restricted DNA from the virus-producing cell lines 77/5 and 1926 contained all of the DNA fragments present in the parental virion DNA. DNA from 1670, 70N2, and 77/5 cells contained additional viral DNA fragments that did not comigrate with any virion DNA fragments. Most of these unexplained fragments were confined to or highly enriched in partially purified circular or linear DNA fractions. DNA from tumor cells taken directly from a tumor-bearing animal contained viral DNA indistinguishable from the parental virion DNA by the assay conditions used. These results indicate that viral DNA sequence rearrangements can occur upon cultivation of tumor cells in vitro and that excision of DNA sequences from the viral genome may play a role in establishing the nonproducing state of some tumor cell lines.
Random flow network modeling and simulations for DDoS attack mitigation

Recent events show that distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack imposes great threat to availability of Internet services. In this paper, we study and evaluate DDoS attacks in a random flow network model, a novel and general approach to DDoS attack prevention and tolerance. The model can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of a DDoS countermeasure framework. Following the random flow network model and state-of-art Internet topology and traffic models, our simulation reveals that general relationship among several metrics derived from the model. Based on the simulation results, we suggest to build a more complete and effective DDoS countermeasure framework using complementary solutions to achieve DDoS attack detection, prevention, and tolerance at same time.
Visualizing what lies inside

Medical imaging has given radiologists an ability that photography was not able to provide: it lets them see inside the human body. With the advent of 3D visualization systems, these images can be put together into crisp and impressive renderings of the human body from a variety of perspectives that were only dreamt of before, revolutionizing clinical practice.Light transport models soon emerged to allow light interactions that, although not realistic in the physical sense, proved to be more effective for understanding the complex relationships among the anatomical structures. For instance, bone could be made semi-transparent to provide visibility of brain tissue. Skin could be removed altogether from an image to show only muscle or internal organs. However, soon it became evident that simply rendering these images in their raw form was no longer effective and the clear visualization of internal structures remains elusive.The depiction of internal parts in the context of the enclosing space is a difficult problem that has occupied the mind of artists, illustrators and visualization practitioners. Despite the advances made in computer graphics for simulating the light transport in semi-transparent media, the problem of visualizing internal objects is no longer a rendering problem, but that of classification. Medical imaging technology obtains representations of anatomical structures via indirect ways, such as the response of tissue to X-rays or the alignment of electrons in a magnetic field. Therefore, the absence of semantic information prevents visualization practitioners from clearly marking up the regions that must be visualized. Without access to those regions, exploration becomes tedious and time-consuming. The predominant approach has been the use of transfer functions, or opacity mappings, which assign transparency properties to different intervals in the data. This method, however, does not guarantee that internal structures are visible. Other strategies must be used. In this article, I describe some visualization techniques that have emerged to obtain clear views of internal features in 3D volume data.
Broad band absorption and luminescence of defects in ionic crystals

Abstract Studies of the optical absorption and emission band shapes of simple defects in ionic crystals have been carried out within the framework of a single configuration coordinate model and its elementary extentions. The semi-classical and linear coupling approximations have been tested against the fully quantum-mechanical treatment with differing ground and excited state force constants. As might be expected, for strong electron-lattice coupling the semi-classical approximation appears to be more useful than the linear coupling model. Using previously computed configuration coordinate curves and the measured effective frequencies, the absorption and emission band shapes of the F center in KCl, KBr, and KI have been computed in various approximations. The Condon approximation has been tested and found to be fairly adequate. The frequency factor multiplying the sums over states in the usual expression for the absorption coefficient is found to be of minor importance. The calculations show that the temperature shift of the maxima of the absorption bands comes about in part because of the temperature dependence of the lattice constant.