cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Augmented Microfracture: Is This the Holy Grail That We Have Been Searching for in the Treatment of Cartilage Injuries?

This study examines the effects of the addition of a scaffold to enhance cartilage healing during microfracture for the treatment of an isolated articular cartilage defect in the knee. The authors are to be commended on their excellent study design and multicenter (twenty-six international clinical sites), prospective, randomized, single-blinded, Level-I trial comparing microfracture alone with microfracture augmented with BST-CarGel scaffold. BST-CarGel scaffold is hypothesized to stabilize the marrow-derived blood clot following penetration of the subchondral bone. Additionally, BST-CarGel is thought to reinforce clot formation by increasing adhesiveness and to prevent platelet-derived retraction. The authors hypothesized that microfracture augmented with BST-CarGel would result in improved cartilage repair with regards to defect fill, quantity, quality, and clinical outcomes as compared with microfracture alone. This study found significantly better defect percent fill (92.8% versus 85.2%; p = 0.011) and increased hyaline cartilage-like magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings (p = 0.033) at the time of the latest follow-up. There were no differences with regard to clinical outcome for the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) and Short Form-36 (SF-36) scores at twelve months. Subgroup analysis of male patients less than thirty-five years of age with a high activity level demonstrated significantly greater improvement …
Maxims & Precedent in Classical Hindu Law

It has often been claimed that the Hindu law tradition did not incorporate a system of precedent, i.e. legally binding prior judicial decisions, in the adjudication of disputes. This paper revisits the question of whether or not ideas of legal precedent existed in classical Hindu law by expanding the meaning of the term to include more general considerations of past cases, tradition, etc. Using several commentaries on Hindu law texts, three terms are examined which each possess an explicit or implicit sense of legal precedent, namely nyaya (maxims), vrddhavyavahara (the customs, legal procedures of elders), and acara (traditional local law). The paper will focus primarily on the role of Mimamsa maxims in Dharmasastra and comparable use of maxims in practice as described in ethnographic and historical observations of law in India. Each concept will be considered in the light of its philological context in the texts and in relation to the modern scholarly denials of precedent in classical Hindu law. The paper challenges these absolute denials in favor of seeing in Hindu law a deep concern for and commitment to past legal events as relevant to present adjudication, while not developing a common law system of binding precedent
Mobilizing magnetic resonance

From iPods to space probes, technological progress is driven by the mantra "smaller, faster and cheaper". Yet for the past few decades one of the best known techniques in physics – nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy – has followed a different principle: bigger is better. In order to detect the tiny magnetic moments of nuclei, the magnets in state-of-the-art NMR devices can weigh up to several tonnes and cost millions of dollars to build and maintain. This severely restricts applications of NMR because the sample always has to be brought to the machine.
Japanese Encephalitis in Guizhou Province,1971-2010

Objective To provide scientific evidence for the prevention and control strategy of Japanese encephalitis by analyzing the epidemiological characteristics of Japanese encephalitis in Guizhou province from 1971 to 2010.Method The incidence data of Japanese encephalitis in 1971-2010 were analyzed with descriptive epidemiological method.Results From 1971 to 2010,the reported incidence rate of Japanese encephalitis was 0.61/105 to 18.96/105,which had gradually decreased especially during 2004-2010.It was still higher than the national average incidence rate.The distribution of disease had obviously seasonal variation and it peaked in August.The cases under 15 years old accounted for 89.9%-97.8% during 1990-2010.The reported incidence rate was highest in Anshun,followed by Tongren and Zunyi from 1971 to 2003;and the reported incidence rate from 2004 to 2010 was highest in Qianxinan,followed by Bijie and Zunyi.The cases who had no or unknown immunization history accounted for 89.7%,80.0%,81.7% and 72.3% in all of the target children cases in each year from 2007 to 2010.Conclusion It was showed that the control of Japanese encephalitis in 2004-2010 in Guizhou province was effective.Vaccination had not change the disease's seasonal variation and distribution of age.Monitoring on Japanese encephalitis should be strengthed to improve the timely coverage rate of the routine immunization as well as the immunization quality and the supplementary immunization could be enhanced to improve the coverage rate of Japanese encephalitis vaccination among children and their antibody level.
Study on characterization methods of interface thickness of NEPE propellant/liner

Thickness of bondline for NEPE propellant/liner was studied by using nano-impress and scanning acoustic microscopy(SAM) methods.Results of nano-impress show that there is distinct difference between interface and bonded substance,with the thickness of about 80 μm.Results of SAM show that interface is a kind of heterogeneous substantiality and the thickness of unaged interface is figured out 84.94 μm.The calculation results agree substantially with the experiment data,so the thickness of bondline interface for NEPE propellant/liner is about 80～85 μm.
Relationship Between Body Weight Changes From Early Adulthood to Middle Age and the Prevalence of Hypertriglyceridemia by Large-scale Cardiovascular Risk Factor Investigation

Objective:To explore the relationship between body weight changes from early adulthood to middle age and the prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia by large-scale cardiovascular risk factor investigation.Methods:A total of 15 population groups from China multi-center collaborative study of cardiovascular epidemiology in1998 were enrolled.There were approximately 1000 participants in each group including 50%of each male and female at the age of(35-59) years which was defined as middle age.The participants were surveyed for cardiovascular risk factors including the body weight and body mass index(BMI) at the age of 25 years which was defined as early adulthood.The participants were divided into 4 groups based on BMI at early adulthood:Low body weight group,BMI 18.5 kg/m~2,Normal body weight group,BMI(18.5-23.9) kg/m~2,Overweight group,BMI(24-27.9) kg/m~2 and Obese group,BMI 28 kg/m~2.The changes of body weight from early adulthood to middle age were calculated by body weight at present minus body weight at 25 years;according to the differences,participants were divided into another set of 6 groups:differences -7.5 kg,(-7.5 to-2.6)kg,(-2.5 to 2.5) kg,(2.6 to7.5) kg,(7.6 to 12.5) kg and 12.5 kg.The relationship between body weight status at 25 years of age with subsequent changes and the prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia were investigated.Results:A total of 13883 participants finished the investigation.①The prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia by 4 BMI groups were at 22.8%,26.0%,27.4%and 30.8%respectively(the trend of P0.01).② The prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia by 6 age differences groups were at 12.5%,14.0%,17.8%,24.2%,31.5%and 40.9%respectively(the trend of P0.01).Multivariate Logistic regression analysis indicated that overweight and obesity at the age of 25 years with subsequent weight gain were positively related to the risk of hypertriglyceridemia at the middle age(the trend of P0.01).Conclusion:Overweight and obesity in early adulthood with subsequent weight gain were independently related to the risk of hypertriglyceridemia at the middle age in our survey.
Peer relationships, self-esteem, and the self

Self-esteem and peer relationships are such interconnected phenomena that the self-evaluation may be viewed, in large measure, as the inner experience of the esteem in which one is held by one's pe...
Public Argument-Driven Security Studies

Reviews several books. 'Critical Reflections on Security and Change,' edited by Stuart Croft and Terry Terriff; 'State Interests and Public Spheres: The International Politics of Jordan's Identity,' by Marc Lynch; 'Unarmed Forces: The Transnational Movement to End the Cold War,' by Matthew Evangelista; 'Virtuous War: Mapping the Military-Industrial-Media-Entertainment Network,' by James Der Derian.
Slinging MUD: Manufacturer usage descriptions: How the network can protect things

Through the simplifying assumption that a Thing has a single use or a small number of intended uses, it is possible to reduce the threat surface of the device by constraining the communication paths needed for those uses. This is accomplished using a small number of extensions to IEEE 802.1AR, a YANG model, DHCP, and IEEE 802.1AB, where a manufacturer maintains an online presence that is used inter alia to retrieve recommended configuration for a given device. This recommended configuration is used to create an access control list on a network device.
Integrating Primary Care Into Community Mental Health Centers: Impact on Utilization and Costs of Health Care

Objective:This evaluation was designed to assess the impact of providing integrated primary and mental health care on utilization and costs for outpatient medical, inpatient hospital, and emergency department treatment among persons with serious mental illness.Methods:Two safety-net, community mental health centers that received a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Primary and Behavioral Health Care Integration (PBHCI) grant were the focus of this study. Clinic 1 had a ten-year history of providing integrated services whereas clinic 2 began integrated services with the PBHCI grant. Difference-in-differences (DID) analyses were used to compare individuals enrolled in the PBHCI programs (N=373, clinic 1; N=389, clinic 2) with propensity score–matched comparison groups of equal size at each site by using data obtained from medical records.Results:Relative to the comparison groups, a higher proportion of PBHCI clients used outpatient medical services at both sites following program enro...
An efficient hybrid Fourier-Wavelet Neighborhood Coefficient image denoising approach

Image denoising is an issue in image processing, constantly spawning ideas to better deal with this problem. Both the Fourier and Wavelet domains remove noise, but have their own weaknesses. A hybrid Fourier-Wavelet Neighborhood Coefficient method is proposed, with experiments showing that the effectiveness of this method is greater than the previous hybrid Fourier-Wavelet neighborhood approach.
Genetics of Resistance to Pests and Disease

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the genetics behind the development of pest and disease resistance. The analysis of mapped and cloned resistance genes shows that they often occur in clusters and that some of them can respond to more than one elicitor. Ongoing research on resistance gene evolution will help in understanding the dynamic interaction between potato plants and pathogens and opens a way for the development of more resistant cultivars. Although symptom expression is commonly used for disease scoring, there are problems associated with this technique. It may be difficult to distinguish between symptoms caused by the pathogen of interest and those caused by other pathogens or by abiotic stresses. In addition, the interaction between the pathogen and both its biotic and abiotic environments may result in a wide range of symptoms, some of which are not typical. Consequently, methods have been developed to quantify pathogen populations in plant tissues. Because short day conditions stimulate wild species to senesce, winter greenhouse trials also allow screening for true resistance rather than immature plant resistance. Wild and cultivated relatives of potato are credited with contributing the majority of disease resistance genes to breeding programs. Molecular analysis of potato resistance covers experimental strategies for gene mapping and cloning, resistance factors mapped in potato, resistance genes cloned and characterized, synteny of resistance loci in Solanaceae and marker-assisted resistance breeding numerous genes conferring resistance to viruses, nematodes, bacteria, fungi, oomycetes, and insects have been mapped in potato, and their location is summarized.
Anomie, Deviant Behavior, and the Olympics

Criminal and deviant behavior is known to occur in all places, settings, and times. The Olympics, both Summer and Winter, are not immune to deviant behavior. This paper focus­es on the specific types of deviant and criminal acts arising out of the Olympic settings and the anomic factors that possibly lead to deviance in this particular arena. The way that athletes are conformists, innovators, ritualists, and retreatists is considered along with the way that norm confusion influences the Olympic event. Also considered is the role of norm sat­uration in confusing the way actors interpret appropriate behavior in this setting. Implica­tions are provided.
High-detectivity quantum well infrared photodetector enhanced by surface plasmons

Quantum well infrared photodetectors (QWIPs) have been applied into many different areas, such as medical and biological imaging, environmental and chemical monitoring, and infrared imaging for space and night vision. However, QWIPs still suffer from low quantum efficiency and detectivity compared with mercury cadmium telluride (MCT) based photodetectors which dominate current infrared detector market1. Besides, n-type QWIPs cannot detect the normal incident infrared radiations because of the polarization selection rules of intersubband transitions2. Here, we used the periodic holes array perforated in gold film to convert the normal-incident infrared light to surface plasmon waves, which can excite the intersubband transitions in the quantum wells (QWs) and enhance the optical absorption3.
Acid Equilibrium Development in Mushrooms, Pearl Onions and Cherry Peppers.

Mushrooms, pearl onions, and cherry peppers were packed with either citric acid or acetic acid to determine the time required for the pH inside the particulates to decrease to 4.8 or less. The blanched products were packed into home canning jars, covered with acidified brine, and pasteurized in steam at 100°C. After storage at 25°C, pH measurements were taken on samples of drained brine, individual particulates, and a puree of all particulates. With acetic acid, equilibrium pH was achieved in approximately 1, 15, and 30 d for mushrooms, onions, and peppers, respectively. Longer times would be required to achieve equilibrium pH for each product with citric acid. The time required for the pH inside the particulates to decrease to 4.8 or less was a function of acid type, initial acid concentration, and the product being acidified. With sufficient acidulant to achieve an equilibrium pH of 4.6 or less, the time required for particulates of mushrooms, onions, or peppers to decrease to pH 4.8 or less was 7 d or less in all instances. Since studies (inoculated packs) of similar products have shown that a minimum of about 10 d is required for Clostridium botulinum growth at a pH of 5.0, the rate of acidification for these products was sufficient to prevent growth of C. botulinum .
Short-Term Memory and Aphasia: From Theory to Treatment

This article reviews existing research on the interactions between verbal short-term memory and language processing impairments in aphasia. Theoretical models of short-term memory are reviewed, starting with a model assuming a separation between short-term memory and language, and progressing to models that view verbal short-term memory as a cognitive requirement of language processing. The review highlights a verbal short-term memory model derived from an interactive activation model of word retrieval. This model holds that verbal short-term memory encompasses the temporary activation of linguistic knowledge (e.g., semantic, lexical, and phonological features) during language production and comprehension tasks. Empirical evidence supporting this model, which views short-term memory in the context of the processes it subserves, is outlined. Studies that use a classic measure of verbal short-term memory (i.e., number of words/digits correctly recalled in immediate serial recall) as well as those that use more intricate measures (e.g., serial position effects in immediate serial recall) are discussed. Treatment research that uses verbal short-term memory tasks in an attempt to improve language processing is then summarized, with a particular focus on word retrieval. A discussion of the limitations of current research and possible future directions concludes the review.
Opioid-Related Constipation in Patients With Non-cancer Pain Syndromes: a Review of Evidence-Based Therapies and Justification for a Change in Nomenclature.

Opioids are a mainstay in the treatment of chronic non-cancer pain syndromes, but their analgesic benefits come at a cost as opioid-related constipation occurs in 40–80% of individuals taking chronic opioids. Furthermore, as 10–20% of the population suffers from constipation at baseline, it should be expected that while a proportion of individuals will develop constipation as a direct consequence of opioids (OIC), others will experience it as an exacerbation of their baseline constipation (OEC). Herein, we review the evidence-based data for treatments directed at opioid-related constipation focusing on individuals with non-cancer pain syndromes and provide a template for the development of differentiated treatment algorithms for OIC and OEC. Historical and current treatment protocols recommend traditional laxatives, but these are ineffective in up to 50%, due in part to the heterogeneous pathogenesis of constipation. Therapeutic decisions must be tailored to account for this overlapping pathogenesis. OIC and OEC are distinct entities. As such, additional research and guidelines should address these as different patient populations.
Low glycemic index treatment in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy.

Abstract Objective Low glycemic index treatment (LGIT) is a newly developed dietary therapeutic option for epilepsy that is less restrictive than the ketogenic diet (KD). Our objective was to determine the efficacy and tolerability of LGIT. Methods From March 2014 to February 2015, 36 patients received LGIT at Severance Children’s Hospital. One-year seizure outcomes and side effects were evaluated. Results A total of 36 patients were assessed. Fourteen were female. Common diagnoses were Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (33%, 12/36) and Dravet syndrome (14%, 5/36). The median age at the initiation of the LGIT was 12.6 years (min. = 1.5, max. = 28, interquartile range (IQR) 8–17). After 3 months of therapy, 20 (56%) patients experienced a 50% or greater reduction in seizure frequency, which was maintained in 19 (53%) patients for 1 year. Two (6%) patients became seizure-free after 3 months of LGIT; they remained seizure-free for 1 year. These two had Dravet syndrome and generalized epilepsy. Only three (8%) patients discontinued treatment within 1 year. Adverse events were rare, and two patients (6%) reported transient diarrhea. Conclusions LGIT effectively reduced seizure frequency in the present study, although seizure freedom was infrequently achieved. LGIT may be considered as a therapeutic option for patients with drug-resistant epilepsy, particularly those who find KD effective but intolerable.
Abstract TP292: Telestroke vs Phone Consultation in Stroke Patients Eligible for Intra-Arterial Therapy

Background and Objective: Intra-arterial therapy (IA) is beneficial for acute ischemic stroke patients with large vessel occlusions who have received intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IVtPA...
A review of nitrogen-doped graphene catalysts for proton exchange membrane fuel cells-synthesis, characterization, and improvement

Abstract Platinum group metals (PGM), such as platinum (Pt) or ruthenium (Ru), are the most common catalyst materials for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) because of their excellent catalytic performance. However, the high raw material cost of PGM catalysts has become a significant issue. Currently, the nitrogen-doped graphene (N-G) catalyst emerges as one of the promising non-PGM catalysts with the advantages of low cost and high ORR catalytic performance to replace expensive PGM catalysts in electrochemical systems. This paper reviews the investigation of N-G catalysts through the synthesis, characterization, and improvement methodologies. And comparisons between various chemical and mechanochemical synthesis methods and the properties of final N-G catalysts are discussed as well. The paper also reviewed a nanoscale high energy wet ball milling (NHEW) method which was investigated recently for the synthesis of N-G catalysts. Recent research results show that the performance of the N-G catalyst is already comparable to the commercialized Pt/C catalyst. It is also possible to enhance the electrochemical performance of N-G catalysts by the modification of metal organic framework (MOF) materials. The new MOF-modified N-G catalyst shows higher current density than Pt/C catalyst.
FTC and Apple Sue Qualcomm for Cell Phone Standardization Skullduggery, Part 3: Determining SEP Reasonable Royalty

This article, the third in a multipart series, describes and comments on the relief that the courts award in cases involving standard-essential patents (SEPs)—the law that courts have established on how to determine a reasonable royalty—in particular, a royalty on reasonable and nondiscriminatory terms (RAND royalty) for a SEP.
Comparison of prescreening algorithms for target detection in synthetic aperture sonar imagery

Automated anomaly and target detection are commonly used as a prescreening step within a larger target detection and target classification framework to find regions of interest for further analysis. A number of anomaly and target detection algorithms have been developed in the literature for application to target detection in Synthetic Aperture Sonar (SAS) imagery. In this paper, a comparison of two anomaly and one target detection algorithm for target detection in synthetic aperture sonar is presented. In the comparison, each method is tested on a large set of real sonar imagery and results are evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curves. The results are compiled and quantitatively shown to highlight the strengths and weakness of the variety of approaches within various sea-floor environments and on particular target shapes and types.
Trivalvular/bivalvular heart: a philosophical, scientific and therapeutic concept.

Background and aim of the study In 1967, following the replacement of infected tricuspid valves in drug addicts with incurable endocarditis, all patients died. The study aim was to determine if tricuspid valve removal, rather than replacement, might offer these patients an improved outcome. Methods Since July 1970, we have operated on 55 patients with intractable right-sided endocarditis. Before surgery, all had a history of intravenous drug abuse (IVDA) (duration range: 2-20 years; 5 years in 38 cases). In 53 patients the tricuspid valve was excised without replacement; the pulmonary valve was also removed in two cases. Results Six (11%) patients died within six weeks of surgery, and 11 died between six months and 24.5 years. Ten of the late deaths were related to IVDA. Among 49 patients who survived surgery for six months to 29 years, 24 (50%) returned to the use of illicit drugs. Only six patients eventually required insertion of a heart valve prosthesis; of these, four died, two due to repeat IVDA. Of 38 long-term survivors (range: 9-29 years), two have a non-functioning bioprosthesis in the tricuspid position, 35 have a trivalvular heart, and one has a bivalvular heart. Only three patients required diuretics and digitalis. Conclusion IVDA patients with intractable right-sided infective endocarditis have the best chance of cure and long-term survival by undergoing tricuspid or tricuspid and pulmonary valve excision(s), without prosthetic replacement. No published evidence or long-term follow up data indicate better surgical treatment for this patient group. In this day and age of cost containment, these operations are economical. Operations that work well in non-addicted patients become costly and invariably are associated with a second endocarditis and death in inveterate IVDA cases.
Morphological Image Analysis and Sunspot Classification

The morphology of sunspot groups is predictive both of their future evolution and of explosive associated events higher in the solar atmosphere, such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections. To aid in this prediction, sunspot groups are manually classified according to one of a number of schemes. This process is both laborious and prone to inconsistencies stemming from the subjective nature of the classification. In this paper we describe how mathematical morphology can be used to extract numerical summaries of sunspot images that are relevant to their classification and can be used as features in an automated classification scheme. We include a general overview of basic morphological operations and describe our ongoing work on detecting and classifying sunspot groups using these techniques.
Tissue-Based Affine Registration of Brain Images to form a Vascular Density Atlas

Anatomic tissue atlases of the brain are widely used within the medical world and are important for identifying tissue and struc- tural aberrations and inconsistencies within an individual. Unfortunately, there are many procedures and diseases that require examination of the brain's vascular system, which is not easily identifiable in anatomic at- lases. We present a new concept of a brain vascular atlas, formed through tissue-based registration, to capture expected vascular characteristics and their variance. This vascular atlas can be used to assess the vascular variations within an individual and aid in diagnostics and pre-surgical planning. In this paper, a vascular density atlas is formed and demon- strated for use in detecting and localizing vascular anomalies.
Shigeru Nakano – An Uncommon Japanese Fish Ecologist

On 27 March 2000 Shigeru Nakano was lost in the Sea of Cortez off Bahia de Los Angeles in Baja California, when the research vessel that he and eight others were using to return from nearby islands capsized in an unexpected storm. Shigeru Nakano, Takuya Abe, and Masahiko Higashi, all faculty of the Center for Ecological Research (CER) at Kyoto University in Japan were visiting island research sites where Gary Polis of the University of California-Davis was studying food webs, and were accompanied by five other researchers and students. Nakano and his two Japanese colleagues, Polis, and Michael Rose, a postgraduate researcher, drowned. Survivors reported that Shigeru Nakano repeatedly pulled others back to the capsized boat when they were washed away by the raging sea, and strapped his own life jacket onto one of his colleagues who could not swim, literally giving his own life to save the lives of others. Nakano was a superb diver and field biologist, the best I have ever known, but I know from personal experiences during grueling field work in the mountains of Japan and Montana that he would never have left his friends to swim to the nearest island more than a kilometer away and save himself. Nakano's body was not recovered despite an extensive search effort. He was 37 years old and is survived by his wife and three children, and his parents and brother.
Catheter-Related Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia and Septic Thrombosis: The Role of Anticoagulation Therapy and Duration of Intravenous Antibiotic Therapy.

Background Catheter-related septic thrombosis is suspected in patients with persistent central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) after 72 hours of appropriate antimicrobial therapy. The clinical diagnosis and management of this entity can be challenging as limited data are available. We retrospectively studied the clinical characteristics of patients with Staphylococcus aureus catheter-related septic thrombosis and the outcomes related to different management strategies. Methods This retrospective study included patients with CLABSI due to S. aureus who had concomitant radiographic evidence of catheter site thrombosis treated at our institution between the years 2005 and 2016. We collected data pertaining to patients' medical history, clinical presentation, management, and outcome within 3 months of bacteremia onset. Results A total of 128 patients were included. We found no significant difference in overall outcome between patients who had deep vs superficial thrombosis. Patients with superficial thrombosis were found to have a higher rate of pulmonary complications (25% vs 6%; P = .01) compared with those with deep thrombosis. Patients who received less than 28 days of intravascular antibiotic therapy had higher all-cause mortality (31 vs 5%; P = .001). A multivariate logistic regression analysis identified 2 predictors of treatment failure: ICU admission during their illness (odds ratio [OR], 2.74; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.08-6.99; P = .034) and not receiving anticoagulation therapy (OR, 0.24; 95% CI, 0.11-0.54; P < .001). Conclusions Our findings suggest that the presence of S. aureus CLABSI in the setting of catheter-related thrombosis may warrant prolonged intravascular antimicrobial therapy and administration of anticoagulation therapy in critically ill cancer patients.
Method for Detection and Quantification of Non-Invasive Skin Sympathetic Nerve Activity

Sympathetic nerve activity is an important trigger of cardiac arrhythmia. Our laboratory recently developed a new method for non-invasive recording of the skin sympathetic nerve activity (SKNA) using conventional electrocardiography (ECG) patch electrodes. Recent studies showed that SKNA can adequately estimate sympathetic tone in humans. In order to improve the analysis of SKNA, we developed automatic standard assessment system based on the concept of microneurography and applied to non-invasive SKNA recording via 4 steps of signal processing. Every parameters in procedures can be manually selected by users in order to meet requirements. After using these signal processing, the results obtained by this system show improved nerve burst morphology and trend. Intuitive nerve discharge pattern and occurrence frequency can be automatically generated. Verification of the method with the cold water pressor test data further established the reliability and usefulness of the system. This new method offered a convenient tool to evaluate SKNA for comprehensive and detailed application in neurocardiology. The analysis system may facilitate the study between SKNA and cardiac arrhythmia, thus advance the field of neurocardiology research.
Utility of the ADOS-2 in children with psychiatric disorders.

The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS-2) is commonly used in the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Although it has demonstrated good sensitivity and specificity in research settings, relatively little is known about its utility and accuracy in children and adolescents with co-occurring psychiatric disorders. We investigated this topic in children with acute psychiatric disorders. Our sample consisted of 58 patients, aged 9–18 years, admitted to a child and adolescent psychiatric inpatient unit with a suspected diagnosis of ASD. Both Modules 3 and 4 demonstrated low sensitivity (Module 3: 58.3%; Module 4: 55.6%) and specificity (Module 3: 56.5%; Module 4: 59.5%). These findings suggest that the ADOS-2 should be interpreted with caution while screening for autism in children with complex psychiatric disorders.
Pretreatment Platelet Count Predicts the Outcome of Invasive Aspergillosis among Myeloma Patients Undergoing Myelosuppressive Chemotherapy

Abstract Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) is a major cause of mortality in cancer patients with chemotherapy-induced neutropenia. While duration of neutropenia is a significant risk factor for and an outcome predictor of IPA, many patients with IPA recover from neutropenia and yet fail to respond to therapy. In addition, the duration of neutropenia (absolute neutrophil count; ANC Between November 2003 and February 2008, 78 consecutive myeloma patients developed IPA following chemotherapy-induced neutropenia. This included two populations: recipients of autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) (32 patients) and patients treated with non-myeloablative chemotherapy (NMCT) (46 patients). The diagnosis of IPA was based on conventional diagnostic criteria plus ≥ 2 consecutive positive assays for the FDA-approved serum galactomannan index (GMI) (optical density ≥0.5). Following the diagnosis of IPA, GMI testing was repeated to monitor the rapidity of IPA response. Response of IPA was defined as normalization of GMI with survival and was considered rapid if it occurred within 8 days after ANC ≥ 1000/μL. Overall, 664 GMI tests were positive (median of 5 per patient). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were applied to identify the pretreatment variables that predict IPA outcome. These variables included age, gender, body measurements, myeloma remission status, ANC, platelet and lymphocyte counts, renal and liver function tests, serum albumin and the number of CD34 + cells infused (for 32 ASCT recipients). All patients developed neutropenia which was severe (ANC We conclude that pretreatment platelet count is a strong predictor of the quality and rapidity of response of IPA among neutropenic patients with myeloma. These novel findings, which are available prior to commencing myelosuppressive chemotherapy, allow us to predict, for the first time, the likelihood and rapidity of response of IPA and may be used to individualize antifungal prophylaxis and therapy.
“I would never wear those old clodhoppers!”: Age differences and used clothing consumption in the Czech Republic:

The article explores secondhand clothing dynamics in the Czech Republic as evidence of the shifting material culture and moral economy in this post-socialist country. Ethnographical investigation i...
ALLERGIC REACTION TO IMPLANTED PACEMAKER LEADS

An allergic reaction to an implanted pacemaker is a rare complication that can mimic acute coronary syndrome or pacemaker infection. A patient presented to his cardiologist two weeks after having a pacemaker implanted with burning chest pain. Other associated symptoms included chest discomfort near
Five Treatment Strategies to Suppress Donor Specific Antibodies: Highlights from a Decade of Research Experience in a Mouse Model of Allo-Sensitization

Purpose Alloantibody-mediated rejection and difficulty in desensitization in highly sensitized patients remain problematic in organ transplantation. For over 12 years, our laboratory has been carrying out an HLA antibody desensitization program to develop strategies for suppressing donor specific antibodies (DSA). Methods A mouse model of allo-sensitization involving a C57BL mouse as recipient of a skin graft (SG) from a C57BL- tg-HLA.A2 mouse is used to study monotherapy or combinational therapies. Drugs tested include (1) anti-CD20 (B-cell depletion); (2) Ibrutinib (Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitor, BTKi); (3) Tofacitinib (Janus Kinase Inhibitor, JAKi); (4) anti-IL6 receptor and anti-IL6 (interleukin 6 pathway blockage) and (5) CTLA4Ig (abatacept, CD28 pathway manipulation). Results DSA suppression was observed in each of the monotherapies studied. BTK inhibitor ibrutinib and JAK antagonist tofacitinib showed mild but significant reduction in de novo DSA. Administration of anti-CD20 significantly reduced levels of DSA IgG (p 90% B220+/CD5− B-cells. Anti-IL6 receptor antibody exhibited significant suppression on de novo and recall DSA, which is associated with an increase in Treg cell population. In comparison, anti-IL6 antibody showed DSA suppression only in a 3-dose regimen, not in a 15-dose treatment group. Serum IL-6 concentrations in the 15-dose group increased by 188-fold at day 14, indicating that anti-IL-6 antibodies cause profound disturbance in IL-6 homeostasis. CTLA4Ig, by interrupting CD28/B7 costimulatory pathway is a potent inhibitor of de novo alloantibody responses and a moderate attenuator of recall alloantibody response. The differential effects of CTLA4Ig in de novo versus recall responses indicate that CTLA4Ig may not only interrupt naive T cell activation and subsequent T-dependent B cell maturation, but also mitigate recall B cell responses by Targeting B7-1 (CD80) expressed on Plasma Cells. A combined therapy using anti-CD20, CTLA4Ig and anti-IL6r resulted in strongest DSA reduction in both de novo and recall responses. Conclusion Our data demonstrate that a maximal suppression can be achieved by combined therapies targeting multiple pathways critical of CD4 T-cell activation, B/plasma cell activation and antibody production.
Novel Agents Beyond Immunomodulatory Agents and Phosphoinositide-3-Kinase for Follicular Lymphoma

Follicular lymphoma is the most common indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Although median overall survival rates exceed 12 years with rituximab, follicular lymphoma remains largely incurable. The growing understanding of the molecular drivers of lymphomagenesis and the tumor microenvironment have led to novel therapies. Prognostic markers have identified a subset of patients with chemoresistant and/or refractory disease-associated poor outcomes. We identify the patients with follicular lymphoma in need of novel therapies, describe the drivers of lymphomagenesis and importance of the tumor microenvironment, and summarize the novel agents under investigation in relapsed/refractory and upfront follicular lymphoma.
Virtual exchanges for intercultural communication development: Using can-do statements for ICC self-assessment

In a 6-week synchronous virtual exchange, 106 participants self-assessed themselves on proficiency benchmarks and performance indicators before and after the exchange by answering open-ended questi...
HOW SHOULD WE SUFFER? MEDITATING ON CHRISTIAN RESPONSES TO THE PROBLEM OF SUFFERING

Despite the irreducible non-equivalence of individual experiences of suffering, there is a solidarity possible among sufferers especially during times of collective crisis. This essay focuses on the suffering of the disciple Peter in order to formulate a model for suffering that resonates deeply with other, more recent accounts. Peter’s suffering is linked with Bryan Stevenson’s Just Mercy, as well as the work of certain German political theologians, in order to show how it is our human inability to adequately respond to suffering that gives us the existential vulnerability we need in order to stand in solidarity with others who suffer too—the primal element of Christian love. At a precarious time when so many feel a vulnerability perhaps never felt before, such vulnerability potentially transforms us into more responsible social agents and political actors.
Therapeutic landscapes, outdoor programs for veterans, and public lands

In recent decades, scholars have developed ideas about therapeutic landscapes that explore how social processes, symbolism, and physical features generate diverse meanings. We examine here how therapeutic landscapes are produced and utilized for outdoor programs for military veterans, particularly veterans experiencing post-traumatic stress. Outdoor programs for veterans (OPVs) provide restorative opportunities through nature immersion and outdoor recreation. OPVs involve diverse social settings, activity types, durations, geographic and land management contexts, and degrees of therapeutic intervention. In many combinations they can generate therapeutic landscapes conducive to some degree of recovery. Our analysis relies on qualitative data gathered through semi-structured interviews with OPV providers and participants, mental health specialists, and public land officials. Arguing against a reductionistic approach, we suggest that the diversity of OPVs and disparate character of activities, locations, and dosages may contribute in important ways to the efficacy of these programs. Ironically, the very qualities that present challenges for measuring and evaluating the benefits of OPVs may prove to be advantageous with respect to therapeutic outcomes. We highlight how public lands present a distinctive set of attributes that make them particularly well-suited to provide therapeutic opportunities, and that agency policies can shape the development of therapeutic landscapes.
Perceived Usefulness of a Social Robot Augmented Telehealth Platform by Therapists in the United States

With the shortage of rehabilitation clinicians in rural areas and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, remote rehabilitation (telerehab) fills an important gap in access to rehabilitation, especially for the treatment of adults and children experiencing upper arm disability due to stroke and cerebral palsy. We propose the use of a socially assistive robot with arms, a torso, and a face to play games with and guide patients, coupled with a telepresence platform, to maintain the patient-clinician interaction, and a computer vision system, to aid in automated objective assessments, as a tool for achieving more effective telerehab. In this letter, we outline the design of such a system, Lil’Flo, and present a uniquely large perceived usefulness evaluation of the Lil’Flo platform with 351 practicing therapists in the United States. We analyzed responses to the question of general interest and 5 questions on Lil’Flo's perceived usefulness. Therapists believe that Lil’Flo would significantly improve communication, motivation, and compliance during telerehab interactions when compared to traditional telepresence. 27% of therapists reported that they were interested in using Lil’Flo. Therapists interested in using Lil’Flo perceived it as having significantly higher usefulness across all measured dimensions than those who were not interested in using it.
Like me Back: Neural Correlates of Low Perceived Relational Value in Peer Victimized Youth

Perceived relational value describes the extent to which individuals consider themselves to be liked and valued. Given the salience of peer opinions in adolescence, perceived relational value is an important part of adolescents' developing self-concept. Here, we examined the neural correlates of youth's perceptions of their relational value in two independent samples (N = 33, Mage = 13.71, SD = 2.71; N = 26, Mage = 15.43, SD = 0.33). In both studies, peer victimization was associated with lower perceived relational value behaviorally and with altered frontostriatal connectivity when perceiving low relational value during fMRI. Our results suggest that peer victimization may lead youth to become biased about how they will be perceived socially and may disrupt connectivity between brain regions involved in responding to appetitive social stimuli.
Resource allocation to a structural biomaterial: Induced production of byssal threads decreases growth of a marine mussel

The biomechanics of specialized mechanical structures produced by organisms provides crucial fitness advantages. The energetic cost associated with producing these structural materials and the resulting energetic trade‐off with growth, however, is rarely quantified. We integrate resource allocation to structural material production with an energetic framework by combining an experimental manipulation with an energetic model. Mytilid bivalves produce byssus, a network of collagen‐like threads that tethers individuals to hard substrate. We hypothesized that a manipulation that induces the production of more byssal threads would result in increased energetic cost and decreased growth of the species Mytilus trossulus. In month‐long field experiments in spring and autumn, we severed byssal threads across a range of frequencies (never, weekly, daily), and measured shell and tissue growth. We then quantified the costs associated with the production of byssal threads using a Scope for Growth model. We found that byssal thread removal increased byssal thread production and decreased growth. The cost calculated per byssal thread was similar in the spring and autumn (~1 J/thread), but energy budget calculations differed by season, and depended on thread quantity and seasonal differences in assumptions of metabolic costs. This work demonstrates that the cost of producing a structural material has a substantial effect on mussel energetic state. The energetic cost of producing byssal threads was 2%–8% percent of the energy budget in control groups that had low byssal thread production, and increased six to 11‐fold (up to 47%) in mussels induced to produce threads daily. We propose that characterizing the trade‐off between the cost of biomaterial production and growth has implications for understanding the role of trade‐offs in adaptive evolution, and improved natural resource management and conservation practices. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.
Land cover composition, climate, and topography drive land surface phenology in a recently burned landscape: An application of machine learning in phenological modeling

Abstract Land surface phenology (LSP) characterizes the seasonal dynamics of vegetation communities that compose individual satellite pixels and its interannual and spatial variations have been widely associated with climate. However, increasing evidence shows an effect of land cover composition within a pixel on LSP, but it remains unclear the extent of impacts relative to other drivers. To fill this gap, this study quantitatively assessed the contributions of land cover composition, climate, and topography on the spatial and interannual variation in LSP throughout the 2002 Ponil Complex Fire in New Mexico, USA, using a machine learning approach of Boosted Regression Trees (BRT). As the fire mainly converted ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir (evergreen tree) to soil ground and Gambel Oak (deciduous shrub), we computed both the proportion of tree cover to all vegetation cover (PTV) and vegetation fractional cover (VFC) as the metrics of land cover composition from high-resolution images in 2018 and from MODIS growing season greenness from 2001-2018. Start (SOS) and end (EOS) of growing season were derived from 500-m MODIS data from 2001-2018 and 30-m Harmonized Landsat Sentinel-2 data in 2018. BRT models showed that PTV was the most important predictor of spatial variations in SOS and EOS in 2018, despite the different contributions (20.3% - 42.9%) at 30-m and 500-m spatial scales. Although the growing degree days (28.6%) and the first freeze date (19.6%) were the most important predictors of interannual variations in SOS and EOS from 2001-2018, respectively, VFC also presented an important contribution for SOS (8.4%) and EOS (12.2%). This study demonstrates the utility of machine learning in modeling phenology and highlights the essential role of land cover composition in understanding the spatial and interannual variations of LSP that have been widely associated with topography and climate.