cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dioecy and the evolution of pollination systems in Schiedea and Alsinidendron (Caryophyllaceae: Alsinoideae) in the Hawaiian Islands

The transition from biotic to wind pollination and the consequencesof this transition for the evolution of dioecious breeding systems wereinvestigated in Schiedea and Alsinidendron(Caryophyllaceae: Alsinoideae), genera endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. The potential for wind pollination was studied for five species ofSchiedea using a wind tunnel. Morphological correlates of windpollination for these species were then used to infer the presence orabsence of wind pollination in the remaining Schiedea species. Hermaphroditic Alsinidendron and Schiedea species,which occur in mesic to wet forests, or less commonly in dry habitats,show little or no indication of wind pollination. These species had lowpollen:ovule ratios, large relative pollen size, diffuse inflorescences,substantial nectar production in several cases, and appear to bebiotically pollinated or autogamous. Sexually dimorphic species, whichall occur in dry habitats, are wind pollinated, based on wind tunnelresults or morphological adaptations indicating the potential for windpollination. These adaptations include high pollen:ovule ratios, smallpollen size, moderately to highly condensed inflorescences, and reducednectaries and nectar production. Shifts to wind pollination anddimorphism are strongly correlated in Schiedea, suggesting theclose functional relationship of the twophenomena.
Amyloid-β oligomers stimulate microglia through a tyrosine kinase dependent mechanism

Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been well characterized by the presence of reactive microglia, often associated with β-amyloid (Aβ) plaque deposition. The oligomeric form of Aβ peptide (Aβ(o)) has neurotoxic effects in the presence of microglia and is suggested to potentiate proinflammatory changes in microglia in AD. Primary murine microglia cultures stimulated with Aβ(o) displayed increased protein phosphotyrosine and secreted tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α levels which were attenuated by the Src/Abl inhibitor, dasatinib. Intracerebroventricular infusions of Aβ(o) into C57BL6/J mice stimulated increased microgliosis and protein phosphotyrosine levels that were also attenuated by dasatinib administration. The rodent findings were validated in human AD brains versus age-matched controls demonstrating reactive microglial association with Aβ(o) deposits and increased microglial protein phosphotyrosine and phospho-Src levels. These data suggest a role for Aβ(o) in microglial activation through a tyrosine kinase-dependant pathway both in rodent models and human disease. Use of a selective nonreceptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor such as dasatinib to attenuate microglial-dependent proinflammatory changes may prove to be an important step toward developing anti-inflammatory treatments for AD.
Per Capita Income and the Mystery of Missing Trade

The literature on the Heckscher-Ohlin-Vanek (HOV) model has concentrated on the production side, particularly the unrealistic assumptions of identical techniques and factor price equalization. However, less is known about the demand side. In this paper, we compare the supply side assumptions versus the demand side assumptions as a cause of the empirical failures in the HOV prediction. While the relaxation in the supply side assumptions is crucial to predict the direction of factor trade, the demand side assumptions are shown to play an important role in explaining why factor trade is “missing” in the sense of Trefler (1995) relative to the HOV prediction. For example of the slope test for labor, the supply side repair improves from 0.026 to 0.162, whereas the demand side repair improves significantly from 0.162 to 0.891.
Growth and characterization of aluminium nitride thin films for piezoelectric devices

The authors describe research on aluminium nitride (AlN) for use in thin-film microwave acoustic devices. The goal of the research here is to obtain high-quality material on Si, GaAs, and other substrates for subsequent device fabrication. Particular attention is given to research in film growth conducted in ultrahigh vacuum systems with a number of RF magnetron target configurations in order to provide an essentially water- and oxygen-free environment. In addition, commercial manufacturing feasibility studies are being conducted in an automated commercial magnetron sputtering system using 3-, 4-, and 6-in wafers. Measurements were made on fundamental-mode resonators and low-mode-number composite structures to determine the real or effective coupling coefficient of the material. >
A Compliance-Based Approach to Study Fatigue Crack Propagation for a Copper-Epoxy Interface

As the microelectronics industry continues to advance the boundaries of size and performance, focus on the impact of systems packaging has risen to the forefront of design and material considerations. As interfaces are often constructed of multiple heterogeneous layers, interfacial delamination is an important failure mechanism to consider in microelectronic packaging. This failure is due to, among other factors, the stresses arising from high mismatches in coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE). Most work to date has focused on interfacial crack propagation under monotonic loading that is incurred during fabrication steps such as deposition or curing which occur at elevated temperatures and subsequent cooling to room temperature. This is an important design consideration but it is not sufficient as the operational life of these devices involve high numbers of heating and cooling cycles which result in crack propagation under fatigue loading. As such the study of fatigue effects on these interfaces is paramount to improving the lifetime of microelectronic devices as the field pushes towards both thinner and wider packages.One such exploration, which is the subject of this work, is to determine the interface incremental crack growth rate as it relates to cyclic loading. In this work, double cantilever beam (DCB) tests are performed at various stress ratios on samples with epoxy mold compound (EMC) atop a copper leadframe. For these tests, force versus displacement curves will be obtained. Given the small dimensions of the interfaces in question, it is desirable to develop a test methodology that does not require in-situ measurement of crack length. Thus, in these tests the compliance of the samples is determined from the force versus displacement curves and used to infer the progress of the crack through an indirect approach. The advantage of this method is that it does not require the observational measurement of the crack length potentially allowing crack monitoring absent any optical or imaging methods. Using the determined crack propagation rate with fatigue cycle under various loading conditions, a generalized fatigue crack propagation model will be developed for mold compound and copper interface, and such a model can be employed to assess packaging reliability in operating conditions.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Detoxification from opiate drugs during pregnancy

Background The current recommendation regarding the management of a pregnant patient with opioid dependence is not to perform detoxification during pregnancy because of a potential risk for preterm labor, fetal distress, or fetal demise. Objective The objective of the study was to evaluate the safety of full opiate detoxification during pregnancy in a large number of patients through 4 different methods and analyze the rate of newborn treatment of neonatal abstinence syndrome for each method. Study Design This was a retrospective analysis of data collected prospectively during ongoing prenatal care of opiate-addicted pregnant women. Data were analyzed for pregnancy complications including fetal demise and preterm labor of opiate-addicted pregnant women who underwent detoxification during pregnancy through 4 different methods: acute detoxification of incarcerated patients; inpatient detoxification with intense outpatient follow-up management; inpatient detoxification without intense outpatient follow-up management; and slow outpatient buprenorphine detoxification. The rates of newborns treated for neonatal abstinence syndrome were also assessed for each group. Results Over 5.5 years, 301 opiate-addicted pregnant patients were fully detoxified during pregnancy with no adverse fetal outcomes related to detoxification identified. There were 94 patients who delivered newborns treated for neonatal abstinence syndrome (31%). There was an 18.5% rate of neonatal abstinence syndrome in the 108 acutely detoxified while incarcerated, a 17.4% rate of neonatal abstinence syndrome in the 23 who had inpatient detoxification with intense outpatient follow-up management, a 17.2% rate of neonatal abstinence syndrome in the 93 who went through slow outpatient buprenorphine detoxification, but a 70.1% rate of neonatal abstinence syndrome in the 77 who had inpatient detoxification without intense outpatient follow-up management. Conclusion With these data and other published studies, more than 600 patients have been reported to detoxify from opiates during pregnancy with no report of fetal harm related to the process. These data highly suggest that detoxification of opiate-addicted pregnant patients is not harmful. The rate of neonatal abstinence syndrome is high but primarily when no continued long-term follow-up occurs. Once a patient is drug free, intense behavioral health follow-up is needed for continued success.
Acceleration of EM-Based 3D CT Reconstruction Using FPGA

Reducing radiation doses is one of the key concerns in computed tomography (CT) based 3D reconstruction. Although iterative methods such as the expectation maximization (EM) algorithm can be used to address this issue, applying this algorithm to practice is difficult due to the long execution time. Our goal is to decrease this long execution time to an order of a few minutes, so that low-dose 3D reconstruction can be performed even in time-critical events. In this paper we introduce a novel parallel scheme that takes advantage of numerous block RAMs on field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). Also, an external memory bandwidth reduction strategy is presented to reuse both the sinogram and the voxel intensity. Moreover, a customized processing engine based on the FPGA is presented to increase overall throughput while reducing the logic consumption. Finally, a hardware and software flow is proposed to quickly construct a design for various CT machines. The complete reconstruction system is implemented on an FPGA-based server-class node. Experiments on actual patient data show that a 26.9 $\,\times$ speedup can be achieved over a 16-thread multicore CPU implementation.
Hip dislocation of cerebral palsy

The purpose of the paper was to investigate the natural course of the hip in sixtytwo patients with cerebral palsy. We evaluated the postoperative results of the dislocated or subluxated hips in twelve patients.The results were as follows;i) non-operative cases1) Dislocated or subluxated hips were found in nineteen percents of 124 aips.2) Most of the hips in cerebral palsy had the abnormal neck-shaft angle, anteversion angle, CE and Sharp angle.3) Five patients of twenty-three that followed-up more than three years, progressed to dislocation or subluxation.ii) operative cases1) Reposition of the dislocated hip was not achieved in one case and recurrence of the dislocation occured in two cases.
Infected cystic hygroma resulting in septic shock and respiratory failure: A case report

Abstract Macrocystic lymphatic malformations (cystic hygromas) are a common cause of cystic neck lesions. These lesions are often diagnosed prenatally in children. In cases without airway compromise, these children are discharged from the hospital for elective treatment. Surgical excision is one treatment modality while sclerotherapy has recently shown adequate results as well. While infection is a relatively common problem for lymphatic malformations, the majority can be treated with antibiotics alone. We present a case in which septic shock and respiratory failure resulted from primary infection of a macrocystic lymphatic malformation in a term infant discharged with a lymphatic malformation of the neck. Urgent surgical drainage failed, and complete excision was ultimately required for source control due to numerous small multiloculated small cysts inaccessible via incision and drainage.
Wound Signaling: Monkeywrenching Macrophage Migration with Microscopes, Movies, and Math

Drosophila hemocytes (blood cells) have emerged as a powerful system to image wound-induced inflammatory responses in vivo. New work reveals that layering mathematical modeling on top of imaging may be the most powerful tool yet for determining the properties of wound-induced signals.
Convective Water Vapor Energy for Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms/Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) refers to proliferation of smooth muscle and epithelial cells within the transition zone of the prostate. Half of men over 40 develop histologic BPH. About half of men with BPH develop an enlarged prostate gland, called benign prostatic enlargement; among these, about half develop some degree of bladder outlet obstruction. Bladder outlet obstruction and changes in smooth muscle tone and resistance may result in lower urinary tract symptoms, including storage disturbances (such as daytime urinary urgency, frequency, and nocturia) and voiding disturbances (such as urinary hesitancy, weak urinary stream, straining to void, and prolonged voiding).
Ceramic-on-ceramic total hip arthroplasty in patients <60: A new standard

Abstract Ceramic-on-ceramic bearings in total hip arthroplasty (THA) have been in use for more than 3 decades, and clinical results have been excellent in patients of all ages. While metal-on-polyethylene and ceramic-on-polyethylene bearings are the most common bearings currently used, lack of long-term studies with the most recently developed polyethylene blends leave concerns about long-term results of these technologies, particularly related to frictional torque, taper corrosion, fracture, and osteolysis. The current article describes the author׳s 18-year clinical experience with alumina ceramic-on-ceramic bearings in patients less than 60 years of age.
Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Profitability: Insights From a Corner Store Intervention in New Orleans, Louisiana

ABSTRACTFood store environments can influence consumers’ choices, but little is known about the financial feasibility of carrying healthier products. This case study evaluated the profits of a small store and the effect of infrastructure changes on produce availability and customer response. Invoice and inventory data were collected and customer intercept surveys (n = 323) measured exposure to promotions and awareness of a new cooler. Produce accounted for a greater percentage of store profits than energy-dense snacks, although the main sources of profit were tobacco, beer, and soft-drinks. The number of produce items on display 1 year after the intervention increased by 16%, whereas energy-dense snacks decreased. Customers exposed to at least one promotion were more likely (χ2 = 12.4, p < 0.001) to notice the cooler than those who were not. These results could encourage store owners to stock and promote healthier items.
CD19 CAR T Cells Maintain Efficacy in the Allogeneic Environment but Mediate Acute Graft-Versus-Host-Disease Only in the Presence CD19+ Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Abstract A significant portion of patients with relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) who are eligible for treatment with chimeric-antigen-receptor (CAR) T cells have undergone a previous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. We and others have previously demonstrated that the allogeneic environment, even in the presence mild graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), severely impairs tumor-directed T-cell immunity. To study the behavior of CAR cells in the allogeneic setting we chose a murine model of minor mismatched allogeneic T-cell depleted bone marrow transplantation (BMT) followed by CAR T (CD19-28-z) cell infusion in recipients bearing a murine B-precursor ALL model (positive for CD19). Importantly, the leukemia persists following myeloablative radiation thus mimicking post-transplant minimal residual disease. Donor-derived, post-transplant injection of CD19 CAR T cells eliminated residual leukemia in the syngeneic as well as the allogeneic settings. CD19 CAR T cells harvested from allogeneic recipients maintained in-vitro ability to produce IFN-gamma and degranulate in the presence of ALL ex vivo, at levels comparable to syngeneic CD19 CAR T cells. However, CAR T cells administered in the allogeneic environment had the potential to mediate severe acute GVHD with early mortality of recipients not typically seen in this minor mismatch model. This occurred across multiple T cell doses capable of clearing leukemia (0.3e6-5e6), in transduced CD19 CAR T cells generated from donors tolerized to allogeneic antigens, and when CD19 CAR T cell infusion was delayed following BMT. In-vivo tracking of transferred cells showed comparable expansion and persistence of the CD19 CAR T cells in the allogeneic and syngeneic environments. However, syngeneic CAR T cells tended to develop later into central memory T cells (CD62L+CD44+), whereas the profile of allogeneic cells was significantly skewed toward effector T cells (CD62L-CD44+). Remarkably, the process of CAR-driven acute GVHD in this minor mismatch model was only seen in the presence of leukemia, indicating a CAR-target interaction influences the induction of GVHD. Indeed, pro-inflammatory cytokines IFN-gamma and IL-6 were elevated only in the presence of both ALL and CAR T cells, whereas TNF alpha levels were undetectable in all instances. We are currently testing whether neutralization of cytokines can prevent GVHD in these models. Altogether, these data demonstrate efficacy of CD19 CAR to clear residual leukemia in an immunocompetent mouse model, and maintain initial cytotoxicity despite the potentially suppressive allogeneic environment. However, we demonstrated potential risks of allogeneic CAR T cells aggravating GVHD in the presence of residual leukemia, likely via cytokine-mediated manner. Clinically, as IL-6 was shown to be significant in cytokine release syndrome, this may represent a murine model to study potential interventions. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Hedgehog Pathway Inhibition Is a Novel Therapeutic Approach in Lymphomas and Its Efficacy is Inversely Related to PI3 Kinase Inhibition

Abstract 1848 Background: The hedgehog signaling pathway has been shown to be important in the development of malignancies, however, the role of this pathway in lymphomas is uncertain. GDC-0449 is a novel small molecule inhibitor that has been shown to block hedgehog activity by inhibiting SMO. The purpose of this study was to determine a potential role for hedgehog inhibition in the treatment strategies for lymphomas. We further sought to understand the determinants of sensitivity and potential resistance to therapeutic inhibition of this pathway. Methods and Results: We tested the small molecule inhibitor GDC-0449 in cell lines that span the spectrum of lymphoma including Burkitt lymphoma (N=4), ABC DLBCL (N=3), GCB DLBCL (N=7), mantle cell lymphoma (N=2), multiple myeloma (N=2), lymphoid leukemia (N=2), and T cell leukemia (N=2). Using the MTT assay, we identified the IC50 of drug response in these cell lines. We performed gene expression profiling in these cell lines and applied the Cox proportional hazards model using IC50 as the survival variable to identify genes that were associated with either sensitivity or resistance to the drug. We found that the drug was lethal in these cell lines at physiologically achievable concentrations with IC50s ranging from 5 to 22μM. We applied hierarchical clustering to the genes associated with sensitivity and resistance and found that the method distinguished two groups of samples that differed in their average IC50s by over 2-fold (8μM vs 17μM). There was a suggestion of association with lymphoma cell type with Burkitt lymphoma lines being the dominant cell type in the resistant group and DLBCL being the dominant cell type in the sensitive group. Resistance to hedgehog inhibition was found to be highly associated with the phosphatidylinositol 3′-kinase (PI3K) signaling pathway, suggesting that the hedgehog pathway and PI3K pathways act through independent, complementary mechanisms to promote tumor proliferation. In order to test the hypothesis that PI3K signaling is independent of hedgehog signaling we tested the lethality of PI3K inhibition using a dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor (BEZ235) in the same cell lines. We found an inverse relationship between the hedgehog inhibitor and PI3K inhibitor, i.e. the cell lines that were relatively sensitive to hedgehog inhibition (mean IC50 of 8μm) were resistant to PI3K inhibition(mean IC50 of 0.69μm) and the cell lines that were relatively resistant to hedgehog inhibition (17μm) were relatively sensitive to PI3K inhibition (0.32μm). Conclusion: Hedgehog pathway inhibition is a promising therapeutic approach in a carefully defined subset of patients with lymphoma. Hedgehog and PI3K inhibitors appear to act by distinct mechanisms and may be complementary in the treatment of lymphomas. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Anchored phylogenomics improves the resolution of evolutionary relationships in the rapid radiation of Protea L.

PREMISE OF THE STUDY Estimating phylogenetic relationships in relatively recent evolutionary radiations is challenging, especially if short branches associated with recent divergence result in multiple gene tree histories. We combine anchored enrichment next-generation sequencing with species tree analyses to produce a robust estimate of phylogenetic relationships in the genus Protea (Proteaceae), an iconic radiation in South Africa. METHODS We sampled multiple individuals within 59 out of 112 species of Protea and 6 outgroup species for a total of 163 individuals, and obtained sequences for 498 low-copy, orthologous nuclear loci using anchored phylogenomics. We compare several approaches for building species trees, and explore gene tree-species tree discrepancies to determine whether poor phylogenetic resolution reflects a lack of informative sites, incomplete lineage sorting, or hybridization. KEY RESULTS Phylogenetic estimates from species tree approaches are similar to one another and recover previously well-supported clades within Protea, in addition to providing well-supported phylogenetic hypotheses for previously poorly resolved intrageneric relationships. Individual gene trees are markedly different from one another and from species trees. Nonetheless, analyses indicate that differences among gene trees occur primarily concerning clades supported by short branches. CONCLUSIONS Species tree methods using hundreds of nuclear loci provided strong support for many previously unresolved relationships in the radiation of the genus Protea. In cases where support for particular relationships remains low, these appear to arise from few informative sites and lack of information rather than strongly supported disagreement among gene trees.
Enhancing the Rate of Quantum-Dot-Photocatalyzed Carbon–Carbon Coupling by Tuning the Composition of the Dot’s Ligand Shell

This Communication describes the photoredox catalysis of a C–C coupling reaction between 1-phenylpyrrolidine (PhPyr) and phenyl trans-styryl sulfone by visible-light-absorbing colloidal CdS quantum dots (QDs), without a sacrificial oxidant or reductant, and without a co-catalyst. Simple kinetic analysis reveals that photo-oxidation of PhPyr by the QDs is the rate-limiting step. Disordering of the ligand shell of the QDs by creating mixed monolayers of oleate and octylphosphonate increases the initial rate of the reaction by a factor of 2.3, and the energy efficiency (mol product/joule of incident photons) of the reaction by a factor of 1.6, by facilitating the hole-transfer step.
Theoretical Cross Sections of the Inelastic Fine Structure Transition M(2P1/2) + Ng ↔ M(2P3/2) + Ng for M = K, Rb, and Cs and Ng = He, Ne, and Ar.

Scattering matrix elements of the inelastic fine structure transition M(2P1/2) + Ng ↔ M(2P3/2) + Ng are computed using the channel packet method (CPM) for alkali-metal atoms M = K, Rb, and Cs, as they collide with noble-gas atoms Ng = He, Ne, and Ar. The calculations are performed within the block Born–Oppenheimer approximation where excited state VA2Π1/2(R), VA2Π3/2(R), and VB2Σ1/2(R) adiabatic potential energy surfaces are used together with a Hund’s case (c) basis to construct a 6 × 6 diabatic representation of the electronic Hamiltonian. Matrix elements of the angular kinetic energy of the nuclei incorporate Coriolis coupling and, together with the diabatic representation of the electronic Hamiltonian, yield a 6 × 6 effective potential energy matrix. This matrix is diagonal in the asymptotic limit of large internuclear separation with eigenvalues that correlate to the 2Pj alkali atomic energy levels. Scattering matrix elements are computed using the CPM by preparing reactant and product wave packets o...
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Phenomena After Critical Illness

This article focuses on a psychiatric morbidity in critical illness survivors, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We present a case in the second person, because it is helpful to imagine what being critically ill can be like from the perspective of a patient without medical training. One-fifth of critical illness survivors have clinically relevant PTSD symptoms in the year after intensive care, and markers of risk include prior psychiatric illness, benzodiazepine administration in the intensive care unit (ICU), and early post-ICU memories of frightening, nightmare-like experiences during intensive care. ICU diaries are a low-tech, low-cost interventions that can supplement psychiatric care.
Organosulfide-plasticized solid-electrolyte interphase layer enables stable lithium metal anodes for long-cycle lithium-sulfur batteries

Lithium metal is a promising anode candidate for the next-generation rechargeable battery due to its highest specific capacity (3860 mA h g−1) and lowest potential, but low Coulombic efficiency and formation of lithium dendrites hinder its practical application. Here, we report a self-formed flexible hybrid solid-electrolyte interphase layer through co-deposition of organosulfides/organopolysulfides and inorganic lithium salts using sulfur-containing polymers as an additive in the electrolyte. The organosulfides/organopolysulfides serve as “plasticizer” in the solid-electrolyte interphase layer to improve its mechanical flexibility and toughness. The as-formed robust solid-electrolyte interphase layers enable dendrite-free lithium deposition and significantly improve Coulombic efficiency (99% over 400 cycles at a current density of 2 mA cm−2). A lithium-sulfur battery based on this strategy exhibits long cycling life (1000 cycles) and good capacity retention. This study reveals an avenue to effectively fabricate stable solid-electrolyte interphase layer for solving the issues associated with lithium metal anodes. The practical application of lithium metal anodes suffers from the poor Coulombic efficiency and growth of lithium dendrites. Here, the authors report an approach to enable the self-formation of stable and flexible solid-electrolyte interphase layers which serve to address both issues.
The Effects of Feedback on Intrinsic Motivation: A Propositional Extension of Cognitive Evaluation Theory from an Organizational Communication Perspective

To date, the research designed to test a leading theory of intrinsic motivation. Cognitive Evaluation Theory (Deci, 1975), has made little attempt to explore variables related to the communication ...
Reduced Pterins as Scavengers for Reactive Oxygen Species

Pterins are widely distributed in nature in three forms: tetrahydro, dihydro, and oxidized. The most studied pterin is L-erythro-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4), the electron donor for mixed function oxidases, such as Phe hydroxylase during the conversion of Phe to Tyr, and Tyr and Trp hydroxylases during biogenic amine synthesis.1 BH4 also serves as the cofactor for nitric oxide synthase which produces nitric oxide from the vascular endothelium, platelets, neutrophils, and neurons.2 Upon oxidation to the quinonoid dihydrobiopterin (qBH2), BH4 is regenerated by dihydropteridine reductase (NAD[P]H:6,7-dihydropteridine oxidoreductase, EC 1.6.99.7;DHPR) using NADH as cofactor.3 BH4 and DHPR are ubiquitous.4 Their parallel distribution in some organs and blood cells which apparently do not synthesize catecholamine neurotransmitters and/or nitric oxide, implies that BH4 and DHPR may involve in other physiological functions.
1p deletion syndrome: A prenatal diagnosis characterized by an abnormal 1st trimester combined screening test, yet a normal NIPT result

Abstract Objective To present a case with prenatal diagnosis and cytogenetic characterization of 1p36 deletion syndrome whose first trimester combined testing is abnormal but a normal NIPT result. Case report A 33-year-old had an abnormal 1st trimester fetal aneuploidy screening result, but no trisomies 13, 18, 21 were detected by the noninvasive prenatal testing. Amniocentesis was performed after ultrasound showed fetal ventriculomegaly and echogenic bowel. The final conventional cytogenetics revealed a karyotype of 46, XX, del(1)(p36). Conclusion Every prenatal genetic screening test and diagnostic procedure has its benefit and risk. NIPT offers better sensitivity and specificity for trisomies 13, 18, and 21. Even so, for primary population screening, NIPT provides lower detection rate than sequential screening if considering detection of all chromosomal abnormalities. Diagnostic testing should be offered rather than cell-free DNA screening to pregnant women if a fetal structural anomaly is identified on ultrasound examination.
Carotenoids and Bone Health

The role of vitamin A in bone health remains controversial. Some human studies associate higher concentrations of specific carotenoids with improved bone health.
Ion Channels and Molecular Events in Neuronal Activity

The view of neural excitation has evolved considerably from early interpretations of electrical connectivity. Knowledge about calcium's expansive role as an activity-dependent second messenger has completely changed the focus of neuroscience. The incredible diversity of Ca2+ and K+ channels as well as the many ligand-activated channels enables neurons to maintain exquisite control over the amplitude and duration of Ca2+ signals during excitation. These Ca2+-regulatory mechanisms interact throughout neuronal ontogeny to induce neural adaptation by triggering rapid changes in protein phosphorylation and by orchestrating changes in protein production. Each step in excitation-based responses is based on temporally bound changes in Ca2+ concentration. This Ca2+ code translates into differentiation and development, neurotransmitter release, neuronal plasticity underlying experience-based adaptation and learning and, during senescence and in age-related disease, a Ca2+ code for inducing degeneration.
Linear Spatially Encoded Combinatorial Chemistry with Fourier Transform Library Analysis

An effective combinatorial chemical technique must facilitate all aspects of the experiment, including synthesis, Assay, and association of structure with activity; it must also provide output data in a usable form. The combinatorial technique best applied to a given study depends on many factors, with the availability of a high-throughput assay critical to the choice of library size. It is also important to distinguish between library experiments where the target is a substance, And those where information is sought. A selection scheme with subsequent decoding of active compounds is appropriate when searching for a substance, while a spatially encoded procedure in which all library members are identified can potentially provide more information.
Pediatric Nail Disorders and Selected Genodermatoses with Nail Findings

Variants of the appearance of normal pediatric nails are common. Some nail disorders are congenital and others primarily affect children. A number of genetic conditions have associated nail findings and by recognizing them, may help to make the diagnosis. These nail disorders and findings will be reviewed.
High-grade angiosarcoma presenting with cytology-negative hemorrhagic ascites

Angiosarcomas are a rare subtype of soft-tissue sarcomas originating from the vascular endothelium. Both retroperitoneal and omental angiosarcomas tend to be aggressive and rapidly fatal if not amenable to early intervention. In this report, we describe an unusual case of high-grade angiosarcoma with cytology-negative hemorrhagic ascites and diffuse omental invasion. Multiple investigations into the origin of the hemorrhagic ascites, including cytological analysis, tumor marker measurements, serum-ascites albumin gradient calculation and frozen section pathological examination, failed to reveal a diagnosis. We conclude that malignancy should be considered in the differential diagnosis in the presence of suspicious cytology-negative hemorrhagic ascites and concomitant retroperitoneal and abdominal findings.
Using high spectral and spatial resolution bold MRI to choose the optimal oxygenating treatment for individual cancer patients.

We evaluate whether high spectral and spatial resolution (HiSS) BOLD MRI can correctly rank the effects of three tumor-oxygenating treatments on radiosensitivity in BA1112 rhabdomyosarcomas (n = 5). Significant decreases in spectral linewidth predict that treatment with carbogen gas combined with a perfluorocarbon emulsion will increase radiosensitivity more than either treatment alone, which agrees with the known effects of these treatments on hypoxic fraction. High-resolution maps show that tumor response to each treatment is spatially heterogeneous, and that there is a paradoxical response to the treatments in 7 – 12% of tumor pixels. Because HiSS MRI emphasizes changes in necrotic and/or hemorrhagic regions, it is more sensitive to oxygenation changes compared to conventional MRI. These results demonstrate that HiSS MRI is a practical, noninvasive method that could be used to choose the treatment that maximizes the size and extent of increases in tumor oxygenation for individual patients.
Salt Marsh Habitat Size and Location Do Matter: the Influence of Salt Marsh Size and Landscape Setting on Nekton and Estuarine Finfish Community Structure

Do estuarine habitat size and landscape setting influence community structure and the habitats’ ability to support certain species? Small-island marshes (SIM) ~ 400–1000 m2 and large-island marshes (LIM) ~ 3000–10,000 m2 were paired with expansive-fringing marshes (EFM), each > 76,000 m2 in size, to assess nekton and estuarine finfish use related to marsh habitat size and factors contributing to use patterns. Marsh-dependent nekton, which have limited larval and adult dispersal ability, demonstrated density patterns directly related to marsh area size, which was indicative of available interior marsh space, with population persistence subject to minimum marsh size thresholds. Estuarine-resident nekton typically demonstrated negative density to marsh size patterns representing increased use of marshes with low area:perimeter ratios, suggesting the importance of marsh edge. SIM and EFM had significantly higher species richness and densities of estuarine-resident nekton species over LIM demonstrating area:perimeter-related marsh edge influence on use by nekton from the surrounding open-water habitats inundating SIM with associated species, while the more complex nature of EFM, based on size, allowed accumulation of species and provided adequate resources for populations. Estuarine landscape-level factors for individual sites were more influential in determining finfish marsh site use than habitat-specific factors. Island marshes are significant marsh/open-water trophic exchange areas because of the greater accessibility to island marshes versus EFM for larger predator fishes.
Realistic sensitivity curves for pulsar timing arrays

We construct realistic sensitivity curves for pulsar timing array searches for gravitational waves, incorporating both red and white noise contributions to individual pulsar noise spectra, and the effect of fitting to a pulsar timing model. We demonstrate the method on both simulated pulsars and a realistic array consisting of a subset of NANOGrav pulsars used in recent analyses. A comparison between the results presented here and measured upper limit curves from actual analyses shows agreement to tens of percent. The resulting sensitivity curves can be used to assess the detectability of predicted gravitational-wave signals in the nanohertz frequency band in a coherent, flexible, and computationally efficient manner.
A guide to estimating matching functions in spatial models

Abstract We provide a guide to estimating matching functions in a spatial context. Several interactions in space take place in a decentralized fashion, such as passengers searching for taxis, ships meeting cargo, exporters meeting importers etc. A convenient modeling device to capture these meetings is the matching function, which has been used extensively in labor market settings. However in the spatial context, data availability is often limited to only one side of the market; for instance it is usually hard to find data on the number of passengers searching for a taxi. We discuss an approach to estimating matching functions that allows the researcher to recover the unobserved side of the market with relatively few assumptions. In addition, our approach obtains the matching function non-parametrically, allowing for significantly more flexibility than is commonly assumed. This additional flexibility can be key when deriving welfare and policy implications.
Living donor program crisis management plans: Current landscape and talking point recommendations

Although minimized by expert evaluation, operative technique, and postoperative care, the extremely low risk of perioperative mortality following living kidney or liver donation will never be eliminated. Furthermore, anticipation of poor donor outcome may simultaneously be a source of anxiety for physicians and programs and also be a circumstance for which they are unprepared. We conducted a national survey of US transplant surgeons to understand experiences with and systemic preparedness for the event of a living donor death. Respondents represented 87 unique transplant programs (71 kidney and 16 liver donor programs). Perioperative deaths were rare, as expected. Although most respondents (N = 57, 64% of total respondents; 88% of liver programs) reported being moderately to extremely concerned about a future living donor death at their institution, only 30 (33% of total program respondents) had a written plan available in the case of such an event; 63% of programs would find guidance and recommendations useful. To help address this gap, the American Society of Transplantation Live Donor Community of Practice (AST LDCOP) developed Living Donor Crisis Management Plan Talking Points suitable to guide crisis plan development at transplant programs.
Posterior Colpotomy: A Technique for Myomectomy Specimen Removal that Does Not Require Enlargement of Abdominal Incisions or Intracorporeal Specimen Size Reduction

Video Objective Laparoscopic or robotic myomectomy produces specimens that are typically larger than the abdominal incisions used for instrumentation. In the post electromechanical morcellation era, other options must be used for specimen removal. Setting MIS operating room. Interventions A posterior colpotomy incision is made, through which myomectomy specimens are removed intact vaginally. The colpotomy incision is closed laparoscopically, but could also be closed vaginally. Conclusion This video demonstrates the technique for intact vaginal removal of myomectomy specimens, through a posterior colpotomy incision, obviating the need for enlargement of abdominal incisions or intracorpeal specimen size reduction.
Clinical assessment of ocular biomechanics (Conference Presentation)

Knowledge of corneal and ocular biomechanics is important in understanding the development and progression in many disease processes, as well as in screening for pathologic conditions and monitoring response to treatment. However, measuring classic properties such as modulus of elasticity is challenging in the living eye, where destructive testing is not appropriate. Many technologies are under development, but are years away from translation to the clinic. Two clinical devices are available commercially, and both use an air puff as the applied load on the cornea. The spatial and temporal profiles of the air puffs are distinct, as are the responses.
ProtTox: Toxin identification from Protein Sequences

Toxin classification of protein sequences is a challenging task with real world applications in healthcare and synthetic biology. Due to an ever expanding database of proteins and the inordinate cost of manual annotation, automated machine learning based approaches are crucial. Approaches need to overcome challenges of homology, multi-functionality, and structural diversity among proteins in this task. We propose a novel deep learning based method , that aims to address some of the shortcomings of previous approaches in classifying proteins as toxins or not. Our method achieves a performance of 0.812 F1-score which is about 5% higher than the closest performing baseline.
CHAPTER TWELVE – Annuities

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses annuities. A sequence of equal deposits or payments made over equally spaced time intervals is called an annuity. If the payments or deposits are made at the end of each interest period, the annuity is called an ordinary annuity. The time between payments or deposits is called the payment period. The term of an annuity is the time from the beginning of the first payment period to the end of the last payment period. If the payments or deposits are made at the beginning of each interest period, the annuity is called an annuity due. For an ordinary annuity, the date of the first payment is one interest period after the date of the present value. For an annuity due, the date of the first payment coincides with the date of the present value. A series of equal payments that continue indefinitely is called a perpetuity. A perpetuity is an annuity where the number of payments is infinite.
What My Grandmother Would Have Taught Me: Enhancing Resilient Behavior in Unaccompanied Young Males in Denmark – A Pilot Project

This chapter describes a project for refugee youth in Denmark. It explores a corner of social work that lies in the overlapping areas of psychosocial interventions, mentoring and deliberate, structured group interventions that aim to enhance resilient behavior in a group of especially vulnerable youth. The intervention was specifically aimed at young unaccompanied male asylum seekers in Denmark – all living in residential care in an asylum center designated for this age group. The objective of the pilot project was to explore efficient methods to address specific behavior problems, such as aggression, withdrawal, sexualized behaviors among the youth in the center and in the local community, as well as vulnerability to “grooming” for purposes of sexual exploitation, petty theft, illegal labor, and drug-related crime. The project applied a resource-oriented approach, focusing on well-being and coping abilities, and used a mixed-methodology sequence of 10 thematic 2-hour workshops with 20 youth in each group, complemented with center staff supervision. The applied intervention used music, play, nature, and a range of psychological interventions including psychoeducation. The chapter describes the content and intervention style and discusses the advantages and weaknesses of a tailored resilience-building response and special considerations for working with youth, who do have strong personal resources but also massive psychosocial challenges. The target group was perceived by authorities to be hard to reach with usual social work and mental health approaches. The chapter discusses the potential for this model as a tool for participatory, community-based social work and psychosocial support.
Development and Validation of Postoperative Venous Thromboembolism risk prediction model

Abstract Background VTE is a serious postoperative complication after surgery with resultant higher morbidity and mortality. Despite years of experience with current risk models, rates continue to be high and more information is needed on individual patient risk in the prophylaxis era. Research Questions Can we assess the individualized risk of postoperative venous thromboembolism (VTE) for broad categories of surgery? Methods This study was performed using data from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) Database. Patient data (n=2,875,190) from 2015-2017 were used for study analysis. Eight predictors were selected for the model: age, preoperative platelet count≥450 (×109/L), disseminated cancer, corticosteroid use, serum albumin ≤2.5 g/dL, preoperative sepsis, hospital length of stay and surgery type. The second model included 7 predictors without hospital length of stay. A predictive model was trained using ACS-NSQIP data from 2015-2016 (n=1,859,227) and tested using data from 2017 (n= 1,015,963). Primary outcomes are postoperative 30-day VTE, including deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and/or pulmonary embolism (PE). Results VTE occurred in 23,249 patients (0.81%) and 49.9% of VTE occurred after discharge from index hospitalization. The risk prediction model had high AUC (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve) for postoperative VTE of 0.78 (training cohort) and 0.78 (test cohort). Interpretation This clinical prediction model is a validated, practical and easy-to-use tool to identify surgical patients at the highest risk of postoperative VTE and provide an individualized assessment of risk based on clinical factors and type of surgery. This prediction model may be used as a tool to assess individualized risk of postoperative VTE and promote broader discussion and awareness of the VTE risk during the perioperative period.
Inhibitory ultrapotent chemogenetics activate dopamine D1 receptor-expressing medium spiny neurons

Ultrapotent chemogenetics, including the chloride-permeable inhibitory PSAM4-GlyR receptor, were recently proposed as a powerful strategy to selectively control neuronal activity in awake, behaving animals. We aimed to validate the inhibitory function of PSAM4-GlyR in dopamine D1 receptor-expressing medium spiny neurons (D1-MSNs) in the ventral striatum. Activation of PSAM4-GlyR with the uPSEM792 ligand enhanced rather than suppressed the activity of D1-MSNs in vivo as indicated by increased c-fos expression in D1-MSNs. Whole-cell recordings in mouse brain slices showed that activation of PSAM4-GlyR did not inhibit firing of action potentials in D1-MSNs. Activation of PSAM4-GlyR depolarized D1-MSNs, attenuated GABAergic inhibition, and shifted the reversal potential of PSAM4-GlyR current to more depolarized potentials, perpetuating the depolarizing effect of receptor activation. The data show that inhibitory PSAM4-GlyR chemogenetics may actually activate certain cell types, and highlight the pitfalls of utilizing chloride conductances to inhibit neurons.