cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of antiresorptive and anabolic bone therapy on development of osteoarthritis in a posttraumatic rat model of OA

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a leading cause of disability, but despite the high unmet clinical need and extensive research seeking dependable therapeutic interventions, no proven disease-modifying treatment for OA is currently available. Due to the close interaction and interplay between the articular cartilage and the subchondral bone plate, it has been hypothesized that antiresorptive drugs can also reduce cartilage degradation, inhibit excessive turnover of the subchondral bone plate, prevent osteophyte formation, and/or that bone anabolic drugs might also stimulate cartilage synthesis by chondrocytes and preserve cartilage integrity. The benefit of intensive zoledronate (Zol) and parathyroid hormone (PTH) therapy for bone and cartilage metabolism was evaluated in a rat model of OA. Medial meniscectomy (MM) was used to induce OA in male Lewis rats. Therapy with Zol and human PTH was initiated immediately after surgery. A dynamic weight-bearing (DWB) system was deployed to evaluate the weight-bearing capacity of the front and hind legs. At the end of the 10-week study, the rats were euthanized and the cartilage pathology was evaluated by contrast (Hexabrix)-enhanced μCT imaging and traditional histology. Bone tissue was evaluated at the tibial metaphysis and epiphysis, including the subchondral bone. Histological techniques and dynamic histomorphometry were used to evaluate cartilage morphology and bone mineralization. The results of this study highlight the complex changes in bone metabolism in different bone compartments influenced by local factors, including inflammation, pain and mechanical loads. Surgery caused severe and extensive deterioration of the articular cartilage at the medial tibial plateau, as evidenced by contrast-enhanced μCT and histology. The study results showed the negative impact of MM surgery on the weight-bearing capacity of the operated limb, which was not corrected by treatment. Although both Zol and PTH improved subchondral bone mass and Zol reduced serum CTX-II level, both treatments failed to prevent or correct cartilage deterioration, osteophyte formation and mechanical incapacity. The various methods utilized in this study showed that aggressive treatment with Zol and PTH did not have the capacity to prevent or correct the deterioration of the hyaline cartilage, thickening of the subchondral bone plate, osteophyte formation or the mechanical incapacity of the osteoarthritic knee.
Testing a conceptual locus

Changes to objects that are inconsistent with the scene in which they appear are detected more accurately than changes to consistent objects. In three experiments, we tested whether this inconsistent object advantage derives from the differential retention of conceptual codes generated from a brief view of a real-world scene in accordance with a conceptual short-term memory (CSTM) hypothesis. A scene was presented for 250 msec, followed by a brief mask and a test scene in which a target object was either changed or not changed. In Experiment 1, changes that altered conceptual content (object deletion) were contrasted with visual changes (left-right orientation changes). In Experiment 2, the duration of the mask was manipulated to vary the amount of time available for conceptual consolidation of the initial scene. In Experiment 3, the type of mask was manipulated: Either a meaningless pattern mask or a meaningful, and thus conceptually disruptive, scene was shown. The inconsistent object advantage was obtained in each experiment, yet in none was it modulated in the direction predicted by the CSTM hypothesis. Instead, the inconsistent object advantage is likely to be caused by contextual influence on memory for visual object representations.
Paliperidone Palmitate Associated with Necrotizing Deep Tissue Infection and Sepsis Requiring Surgical Intervention

Long-acting injectable antipsychotics provide the delivery of medication over an extended period of time requiring administration typically only every 2 to 4 weeks. The side effect profile of a long-acting injectable antipsychotic is predictable and similar to the oral formulation. However, injection site reactions may occur with this novel delivery system. The risk of an injection site reaction may be greater with the repeated administration of a lipophilic decanoate formulation and include pain, development of indurations, and fibrosis. Severe complications from injection site reactions have rarely been described in the literature with newer agents. We report the first case of a patient prescribed paliperidone palmitate every 3 weeks that developed severe sepsis requiring vasopressors and intubation due to delayed relayed recognition of a necrotizing infection at an injection site. Clinicians should be alerted to screen for injection site reactions when there is an unknown source infection in a patient receiving a long-acting injectable antipsychotic.
Unconventional superconductivity and anomalous response in hole-doped transition metal dichalcogenides

Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides entwine interaction, spin-orbit coupling, and topology. Hole-doped systems lack spin degeneracy: states are indexed with spin and valley specificity. This unique structure offers new possibilities for correlated phases and phenomena. We realize an unconventional superconducting pairing phase which is an equal mixture of a spin singlet and the $m=0$ spin triplet. It is stable against large in-plane magnetic fields, and its topology allows quasiparticle excitations of net nonzero Berry curvature via pair-breaking circularly polarized light.
Alcoholic hepatitis: Translational approaches to develop targeted therapies

UNLABELLED Alcoholic liver disease is a leading cause of liver-related mortality worldwide. In contrast to recent advances in therapeutic strategies for patients with viral hepatitis, there is a significant lack of novel therapeutic options for patients with alcoholic liver disease. In particular, there is an urgent need to focus our efforts on effective therapeutic interventions for alcoholic hepatitis (AH), the most severe form of alcoholic liver disease. AH is characterized by an abrupt development of jaundice and complications related to liver insufficiency and portal hypertension in patients with heavy alcohol intake. The mortality of patients with AH is very high (20%-50% at 3 months). Available therapies are not effective in many patients, and targeted approaches are imminently needed. The development of such therapies requires translational studies in human samples and suitable animal models that reproduce the clinical and histological features of AH. In recent years, new animal models that simulate some of the features of human AH have been developed, and translational studies using human samples have identified potential pathogenic factors and histological parameters that predict survival. CONCLUSION This review summarizes the unmet needs for translational studies on the pathogenesis of AH, preclinical translational tools, and emerging drug targets to benefit the AH patient. (Hepatology 2016;64:1343-1355).
A Boussinesq Model for Breaking Waves: Comparisons with Experiments

The paper describes results with a breaking wave model based on an extended set of Boussinesq equations. The wave breaking is described by accounting for the effect of vorticity generated by the breaking process. The vorticity field in the domain is obtained by solving the vorticity transport equation, which is based entirely on the Reynold's equations. In addition to the wave height decay and profile deformation predicted by earlier breaker models, the present model also provides information about the velocity profiles. The model results give good agreement with experimental data for wave height, setup and the velocity profiles. The crossshore variation of the radiation stress calculated from the model results gives a good representation of the results from experimental data.
Ab Initio Prediction of the Diversity of Second Harmonic Generation from Pharmaceutically Relevant Materials

A model for predicting the anticipated second harmonic generation (SHG) activity of crystalline active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) was developed based on combining time-dependent Hartree–Fock calculations of the molecular building block with analytical theory for the predicted intensity from the lattice. Predicted trends agreed well overall with experimental measurements for 18 representative APIs. Inspection of the SHG images suggests that outliers from the predicted trends likely arose from the presence of trace SHG-active metastable crystal forms not considered in the predictions. The success of this relatively simple computational approach suggests a route for reliably predicting the anticipated SHG activities of API target molecules, which in turn can serve to indicate their potential compatibility with analysis by SHG.
A View from Zaire

Michael G. Schatzberg, Politics and Class in Zaire: Bureaucracy, Business, and Beer in Lisala. New York, Africana Publishing Company, i980, 228 pp. Thomas M. Callaghy, The State-Society Struggle: Zaire in Comparative Perspective. New York, Columbia University Press, i984, 515 pp. Crawford Young and Thomas Turner, The Rise and Decline of the Zairian State. Madison, The University of Wisconsin Press, i985, 500 pp.
Troubleshooting and Optimizing Outcomes After Artificial Urinary Sphincter

Artificial urinary sphincter remains the gold standard for treatment of male stress urinary incontinence. However, complications may arise that necessitate prompt evaluation and potential treatment. Recognition of common concerns in both the immediate postoperative and long-term settings may help in improved patient care as well as patient satisfaction with the device.
Mechanisms of urea tolerance in urea-adapted populations of Drosophila melanogaster.

SUMMARY When behavioral avoidance cannot prevent an animal from being exposed to novel environmental toxins, physiological mechanisms must cope with the toxin and its effects. We are investigating the basis of urea tolerance in populations of Drosophila melanogaster that have been selected to survive and develop in food containing 300mmoll −1 urea. Previous research has demonstrated that the urea-selected larvae have lower levels of urea in their body than control larvae reared under the same conditions. The current series of experiments focuses on three possible ways of reducing urea levels in the body: urea metabolism, increased urea excretion and decreased urea uptake from the environment. We tested for urea metabolism directly, by assaying for activity of two urea-metabolizing enzymes, and indirectly, by looking for reduced urea content of their medium. To measure urea excretion rates in whole animals, we reared control and urea-selected larvae on urea-containing food (urea food), switched them to normal food and monitored the loss of urea from their hemolymph. We measured urea uptake by rearing control and selected larvae on normal food, switching them to urea food and monitoring the rate of urea appearance in the hemolymph. We found no evidence for urea metabolism by either direct or indirect methods. Control larvae excreted urea at a higher rate than selected, probably because they contained more urea than the selected larvae and thus had a greater gradient for urea loss. The rate of urea uptake in selected larvae was 2mmoll −1 h −1 slower than the rate in control larvae, a difference that could account for the measured differences in body urea levels. Thus the selected larvae appear to have adapted to urea exposure primarily by decreasing the ability of urea to enter their body in the first place. The mechanism responsible for this reduction in uptake is uncertain.
Xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis in children.

AbstractXanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis in children, contrary to adult onset, rarely is associated with non-function or calcification. The lesion is predominantly on the left side in children. There appears to be a normal humoral but temporarily impaired cellular immune response in addition to sustained depression of polymorphonuclear chemotaxis. The etiology of this is uncertain but may be attributed partially to hyperosmolarity of serum and urine, and to leukocyte specific antinuclear antibodies. The presence of leukocyte specific antinuclear antibody or cold agglutinins may interfere with normal phagocyte chemotaxis requiring tissue macrophages to produce a xanthogranulomatous reaction to bacterial invasion.
Weight Loss Following Radical Cystectomy for Bladder Cancer: Characterization and Effect on Survival.

Abstract Introduction The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of postoperative weight loss (WL) following radical cystectomy (RC) and its association with mortality. Nutritional status is recognized as a potential modifiable risk factor for postoperative complications following RC for bladder cancer. The American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recognize WL as a diagnostic measure for malnutrition. Methods Seventy-one patients underwent RC for bladder cancer between July 2008 and July 2013, in whom peri-operative weights were documented regularly. The primary predictor variable was substantial WL defined as ≥ 10% WL by postoperative month 1. Survival was estimated using Kaplan-Meier analysis; logistic regression was used for multivariate analyses. Results Mean postoperative WL at 2 weeks was 9.5 lbs (−5.2%), 14.3 lbs (−7.8%) at 1 month, 16.9 lbs (−9.0%) at 2 months, 12.6 lbs (−6.9%) at 3 months, and 8.9 lbs (−4.6%) at 4 months. Forty-two percent of patients met criteria for substantial WL. At 19 months median follow-up, the overall mortality rate was 31% (22 of 71), which rose to 64% (14 of 22) in patients who experienced substantial WL ( P P = .07). There was a significant decrease in 5-year survival in patients with ≥ 10% WL (log rank P Conclusions Patients experience WL following RC, which may be indicative of malnutrition. Substantial WL may predict for poor overall survival. Prospective studies are needed to determine whether nutritional optimization can prevent significant WL and improve outcomes.
Characterizing Short-Term Outcomes Following Surgery for Rectal Cancer: the Role of Race and Insurance Status

There is a paucity of data demonstrating the effect race and insurance status have on postoperative outcomes for patients with rectal cancer. We evaluated factors impacting short-term outcomes following rectal cancer surgery. Patients who underwent surgery for rectal cancer using the University Health System Consortium database from 2011 to 2012 were studied. Univariate and multivariable analyses were used to identify patient related risk factors for 30-day outcomes after proctectomy: complication rate, 30-day readmission, ICU stay, and length of hospital stay (LOS). A total of 9272 proctectomies were identified in this cohort. After adjustment for potential confounders, black patients were more likely to have 30-day readmissions (OR 1.51, 95 % CI 1.26–1.81), ICU stays (OR 1.25, 95 % CI 1.03–1.51), and longer LOS (+1.67 days, 95 % CI 1.21–2.13) when compared to whites. Compared to those with private insurance, patients with public or military insurance or who were self-pay had a higher likelihood of having postoperative complications. In patients who undergo elective proctectomy for rectal cancer, non-white and non-privately insured status are associated with significantly worse short-term outcomes. Further studies are needed to determine the implications with respect to receipt of adjuvant therapy and survival.
Secure and Efficient Data Transmission for Wireless Mesh Networks

Wireless data dissemination can be utilized for broadcasting emergency services and military communication. However secure and reliable dissemination of data over a lossy wireless network is challenging due to security attacks and network dynamics. The current proposed schemes require high computational capability of the devices which may not be feasible in most of hand held receivers. Furthermore, in many scenarios, data may need to be relayed via multiple links before reaching to the end users posing potential data breach. Our proposed scheme alleviates computational requirements along with transmission overhead by exploiting the new transmission technique, namely network coding. Our propose scheme utilizes a hierarchical key structure for efficient security key management. In addition, we utilize the null space of network coding to enable secure relay of data via multiple hops. Also, by exploiting network coding, our scheme don' require cooperation among the relay nodes which significantly reduce the communication overhead. Our analysis results show that under some condition, our propose scheme can save up to 50% transmission bandwidth compared with the traditional approach where users share a common group key. We also show that our proposed scheme can achieve high security under relay attacks. The proposed scheme is also efficient with light computation that would be feasible for mobile devices.
Incorporating Writing into Statistics

This chapter describes the work of a statistician who, after a career outside the academy, became a teacher of statistics in an urban university. To determine if the inclusion of write-to-learn activities improved her working adult students’ ability to communicate the results of hypothesis tests in context, the author reviewed the literature on using writing-to-learn and conducted a research study on incorporating such activities in an introductory statistics course. Students’ perceptions of the write-to-learn activities were also obtained. The study showed that the write-to-learn activities helped students become better at communicating statistical results in context, and students had positive impressions of the writing activities, claiming that the writing activities were helpful in their learning. Suggestions are offered on how to best incorporate write-to-learn activities in an introductory statistics class.
Ethics at the End of Life: A Teaching Tool.

ABSTRACTSocial workers rarely receive education and training in the areas of grief, bereavement, and death and dying, which may lead to difficulties in compassionately and ethically addressing concerns in end-of-life or grief-related contexts. This article presents actual and potential outcomes from three challenging end-of-life case studies using Mattison’s ethical decision-making model as a framework. The case studies were drawn from student interviews with experienced master’s-level social workers. This pedagogical article helps to promote self-reflection and consideration of ethical issues in grief and death-related situations as well as supplement death education and ethics curricula to include end-of-life content.
Mapping the Phase-Change Parameter Space of Hot-Wire CVD Si:H Films Using In-Situ Real Time Spectroscopic Ellipsometry

In-situ real-time spectroscopic ellipsometry (RTSE) provides detailed information on the evolution of the structural and optical properties of Si:H films during film growth. We have used in-situ RTSE to characterize the film morphology and crystallinity of hot-wire CVD (HWCVD) Si:H films as a function of hydrogen dilution R=[H]/[H+SiH4], substrate temperature Ts, and film thickness db. Transitions from one mode of film growth to another are indicated by abrupt changes in the magnitude of the surface roughness during film growth. The degree of crystallinity of the film can be determined from the bulk dielectric function. We have studied the growth parameter space consisting of R from 0 to 12, Ts from 150°C to 550°C, and db from 0 to 1 um. For each set of R and Ts values, the structural evolution of the film can be characterized by the shape of the surface roughness thickness ds versus bulk thickness db curve. In contrast to studies done by Collins et al on PECVD growth of Si:H films, our studies of HWCVD growth find no conditions where ds remains constant after coalescence of the initial nucleation centers. Most of the films grown within the range of parameters studied exhibit a secondary nucleation and coalescence signature. The transition between a-Si:H and uc-Si:H growth is near the R=3 to R=4 dividing line. Initial coalescence of purely uc-Si:H material doesn’t occur until R>8. We have verified the RTsE crystallinity classification using ex-situ Raman scattering.
Nitrosoamphetamine binding to myoglobin and hemoglobin: Crystal structure of the H64A myoglobin-nitrosoamphetamine adduct.

N-hydroxyamphetamine (AmphNHOH) is an oxidative metabolite of amphetamine and methamphetamine. It is known to form inhibitory complexes upon binding to heme proteins. However, its interactions with myoglobin (Mb) and hemoglobin (Hb) have not been reported. We demonstrate that the reactions of AmphNHOH with ferric Mb and Hb generate the respective heme-nitrosoamphetamine derivatives characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy. We have determined the X-ray crystal structure of the H64A Mb-nitrosoamphetamine complex to 1.73 A resolution. The structure reveals the N-binding of the nitroso-d-amphetamine isomer, with no significant H-bonding interactions between the ligand and the distal pocket amino acid residues.
Transition, Connection, Disconnection, and Social Media: Examining the Digital Lived Experiences of Transgender Individuals

ABSTRACTIn light of persistent discrimination, many individuals who are transgender lack a safe space to connect with others. Social media has become a platform for establishing social ties, receiving education, and sharing of resources that may not otherwise be available to individuals on the margins of society. Yet little is understood about the role of social media in the lives of individuals who are transgender. In this qualitative study, the researchers examined the experiences of adults who are transgender (N = 5) who use social media. The current study also explored possible benefits and hindrances of social media for individuals who are transgender. Two main themes emerged: social media as a resource and a path to self and authenticity. The researchers encourage counselors to become familiar with various social networking sites and their privacy settings, and propose using a theoretical framework to guide counseling work with individuals who are transgender to reflect on social media connections a...
Family context and children’s early literacy skills: The role of marriage quality and emotional expressiveness of mothers and fathers

Abstract The marital relationship is critical for the emotional structure of the family and has implications for children’s socioemotional and behavioral outcomes. However, little is known about the effect that the marital relationship has on children’s academic achievement. The current study considers whether the family emotional environment and the home learning environment (HLE) that parents provide are mediators in the relation between marital functioning and preschool-aged children’s early literacy skills. Results suggest that the marital relationship relates to children’s early literacy skills through the influence of both positive and negative emotional expressiveness on the HLE. We also found that some of these family processes are different for mothers and fathers. The impact of the marital relationship on positive expressiveness and the effect of emotional expressiveness on HLE-related parenting were greater for fathers than mothers. These findings underscore the significance of marital and family processes when considering children’s early literacy skills.
A Patient With Vomiting and Diarrhea: A DXTER™ interactive videodisc patient care simulation

Abstract Although this clinical simulation surprises the student with an exercise in diagnosis and treatment of shock states rather than just diarrhea and vomiting, it is effective in allowing the learner to exercise clinical problem-solving skills. It could be enhanced by giving the learner more room for error, more control of content, and more freedom to move in and out of sequences. The learner should also be allowed to interpret his own electrocardiograms and radiographs. Again the quality of the acting and the use of more sound effects could have increased the realism of the simulation. The use of more imaginative graphics and video with graphics overlay would maintain the learner's attention during the discussion of shock.
Origin of vertical orientation in two-dimensional metal halide perovskites and its effect on photovoltaic performance.

Thin films based on two-dimensional metal halide perovskites have achieved exceptional performance and stability in numerous optoelectronic device applications. Simple solution processing of the 2D perovskite provides opportunities for manufacturing devices at drastically lower cost compared to current commercial technologies. A key to high device performance is to align the 2D perovskite layers, during the solution processing, vertical to the electrodes to achieve efficient charge transport. However, it is yet to be understood how the counter-intuitive vertical orientations of 2D perovskite layers on substrates can be obtained. Here we report a formation mechanism of such vertically orientated 2D perovskite in which the nucleation and growth arise from the liquid–air interface. As a consequence, choice of substrates can be liberal from polymers to metal oxides depending on targeted application. We also demonstrate control over the degree of preferential orientation of the 2D perovskite layers and its drastic impact on device performance.
Nonglycoside Inotropes in Congestive Heart Failure: Are They Beneficial or Harmful?

Nonglycosidic adrenergic and nonadrenergic inotropic drugs improve systemic hemodynamics and left ventricular function in patients with severe congestive heart failure. As these beneficial effects are observed with shortterm therapy, the use of these agents should be restricted to the treatment of acute heart failure. Long-term therapy with adrenergic agents as well as the phosphodiesterase inhibitors appears to enhance mortality in patients with chronic systolic heart failure. Potential indications for long-term therapy with nonglycosidic inotropic drugs include vesnarinone and ibopa- mine for selected patients with refractory heart failure or as pharmacologic bridges to cardiac transplantation.
100.28 Resource Utilization and Readmissions Among Patients Admitted With STEMI and Cardiogenic Shock: A 5 Year Nationwide Analysis

Management of ST-elevation myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock (STEMI-CS) has evolved in the last decade. There is a paucity of data on readmissions and resource utilization in this study population. This is a retrospective study using the National Readmission Database (NRD) from
A graph-based approach for characterizing resident and nurse handoff conversations.

Abstract Prior research has used a variety of qualitative and quantitative approaches for studying handoff communication. Due to the dynamic and interactive nature of handoffs, characterizing the structure and content of these conversations is challenging. In this paper, we use a graph-based approach to characterize handoff communication as a conversation network. Conversation networks were used to compare the structural properties of resident-resident and nurse-nurse handoff communication. Resident (n = 149) and nurse (n = 126) handoff conversations from general medicine units were coded using a previously validated clinical content framework. The coded conversations were then translated into separate resident and nurse conversation networks, and were compared using 11 network measures. Transition probabilities were used to identify commonly repeating sub-networks within resident and nurse conversations. There were significant differences between resident and nurse conversation networks in 10 of the 11 network measures. There were also significant differences in the structure of conversations: compared to resident conversations, nurse conversations were focused on fewer clinical content categories and had more branching and switching between clinical content categories; however, there were clinically-relevant organic relationships in the order of presentation of clinical content among both resident and nurse handoff conversations. We discuss the potential for using graph-based approach as an alternative method for characterizing interactive conversations and also suggest future directions for using network-based approaches for analyzing handoff conversations.
Emerging trends in modeling human liver disease in vitro

The liver executes 500+ functions, such as protein synthesis, xenobiotic metabolism, bile production, and metabolism of carbohydrates/fats/proteins. Such functions can be severely degraded by drug-induced liver injury, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, hepatitis B and viral infections, and hepatocellular carcinoma. These liver diseases, which represent a significant global health burden, are the subject of novel drug discovery by the pharmaceutical industry via the use of in vitro models of the human liver, given significant species-specific differences in disease profiles and drug outcomes. Isolated primary human hepatocytes (PHHs) are a physiologically relevant cell source to construct such models; however, these cells display a rapid decline in the phenotypic function within conventional 2-dimensional monocultures. To address such a limitation, several engineered platforms have been developed such as high-throughput cellular microarrays, micropatterned cocultures, self-assembled spheroids, bioprinted tissues, and perfusion devices; many of these platforms are being used to coculture PHHs with liver nonparenchymal cells to model complex cell cross talk in liver pathophysiology. In this perspective, we focus on the utility of representative platforms for mimicking key features of liver dysfunction in the context of chronic liver diseases and liver cancer. We further discuss pending issues that will need to be addressed in this field moving forward. Collectively, these in vitro liver disease models are being increasingly applied toward the development of new therapeutics that display an optimal balance of safety and efficacy, with a focus on expediting development, reducing high costs, and preventing harm to patients.
Does social capital influence corporate risk-taking?

Abstract This paper explores the influence of social capital on corporate risk-taking using a large sample of publicly traded US firms. We predict that firms with high social capital display a higher level of risk-taking behavior. Consistent with our prediction, we find a negative relationship between corporate risk-taking and social capital. This paper shows that the social environment transmits valuable capital to individuals and thereby influences their corporate decision-making process. We also find that the combined effects of excessive risk-taking and social capital result in value destruction to the firm. Our test results are robust to alternatives measures of risk-taking, addressing endogeneity issues, and alternative model specifications. The paper contributes to the finance literature by demonstrating social capital as an important determinant in the corporate decision-making process, particularly in corporate risk-taking decisions.
Selection of the cutoff value on tuberculin skin test in diagnosing tuberculosis infection: a population-based cross-sectional study in Eastern China

Objective To confirm the cutoff induration diameter of tuberculin skin test (TST) so as to decrease the false positive of the TST. Methods Fasting blood glucose test, TST and Quanti FERON-TB (QFT) Gold In-Tube test were administered to recruit participants at the baseline stage. QFT was used as the gold standard to determine the cutoff of the TST test. Results Overall, 5 405 participants were enrolled in this study, of whom 1 104 (20.4%) were QFT positive. Among all the 5 405 participants that without stratification, diagnostic value reached the highest when the induration diameter was 10.25 mm with sensitivity and specificity as 0.731 and 0.727, respectively. When the participants were divided into groups as nondiabetics, confirmed diabetics, undiagnosed diabetics, the sensitivities and specificities appeared as 0.701, 0.837, 0.824 and 0.805, 0.821, 0.778 with induration diameters as 11.25 mm, 10.25 mm and 11.25 mm, respectively. Conclusions Findings of this study confirmed that the specificity of tuberculin test could be significantly improved by using 10-12 mm as the cutoff value for diagnosing the latent tuberculosis infection. Key words: Tuberculin skin test; Latent tuberculosis infection; Cutoff value; Interferongamma release assays
Provenance of upper Permian-lowermost Triassic sandstones, Wutonggou low-order cycle, Bogda Mountains, NW China: implications on the unroofing history of the Eastern North Tianshan Suture

This study investigates the provenance of sedimentary rocks in Bogda Mountains, NW China, and reconstructs the lithology and unroofing history of the Eastern North Tianshan Suture. Petrographic point counting data of sandstones and compositions of conglomerates of upper Permian-lowermost Triassic Wutonggou low-order cycle from Zhaobishan, North Tarlong, Taodonggou, and Dalongkou sections in the southern and northern foothills of Bogda Mountains were used to interpret the temporal and spatial variations of lithology of the Eastern North Tianshan Suture, which is the sediment source area. Three compositional trends were identified. A trend of upward-increasing quartz content and granitic pebbles in Zhaobishan section suggests a change from the undissected volcanic arc, accretionary wedge and trench setting to predominantly transitional volcanic arc and subordinate accretionary wedge and trench, in the eastern part of the Eastern North Tianshan Suture. In North Tarlong and Taodonggou sections, however, the lithic content decreases and the contents of quartz and granitic pebbles increase up sections. These trends indicate that the western part of the Eastern North Tianshan Suture changed from an undissected volcanic arc to the transitional volcanic arc, accretionary wedge and trench. No clear trend in the lithic-rich sandstones of the Dalongkou section indicates that sediments were derived from the undissected volcanic arc in the Eastern North Tianshan Suture and local rift shoulders. Compositional variations of studied rocks suggest that the Eastern North Tianshan Suture was an amalgamated complex with great spatial and temporal heterogeneities in lithology and experienced persistent unroofing during late Permian-earliest Triassic. This study reconstructs a key element of the Chinese Tianshan Suture and serves as an example to understand the unroofing processes of ancient sutures.
Therapeutic drug monitoring of valproic acid in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation

Introduction:Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a life-saving therapy for those in cardiopulmonary failure, including post-cardiac arrest. Despite a high volume of ECMO patients using an...
Analysis of Cranial Base Suture Fusion Patterns.

Purpose It is known from both anatomic and radiographic studies that the majority of cranial sutures begin fusing in early adulthood and are fused by late adulthood. However, most of the studies focus on the cranial vault rather than the cranial base. Most clinicians treating patients with craniosynostosis are interpreting the behavior of cranial sutures on CT imaging. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to further clarify the radiographic appearance of cranial base sutures over the natural human life span. Methods Thirty CT scans of the head and face were reviewed for each decade starting at 1 year of life up to age 90. Scans were evaluated for the appearance of the occipitomastoid, petrosoocciptial, sphenosquamous, sphenopetrosal, frontosphenoidal, sphenozygomatic, petrososquamosal, frontoethmoidal, sphenoethmoidal and sphenoccipital sutures. Sutures were categorized as obliterated, present with fusion, present without fusion and unable to visualize. Results The majority of cranial base sutures are visible up through the eighth decade, although evidence of ossification across the suture starts as early as the second decade. Some sutures such as the occipitomastoid appeared > 90% open even as late as the ninth decade. Other sutures such as the sphenosquamosal and frontozygomatic are mostly fused by that age. Conclusion Cranial base sutures appear to behave radiographically similar, to the cranial vault sutures in that they largely remain visible throughout adulthood but show varying amounts of ossification. There are some cranial base sutures which appear to remain open throughout life although the significance of this has yet to be determined.
Internal Derangements of the Temporomandibular Joint

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder (TMD) is a broad term encompassing many diseases affecting the TMJ and the surrounding structures and includes internal derangement or disc displacement disorders. Our understanding of internal derangement, its causation, and treatments have evolved over the years, and we are now able to offer effective nonsurgical and surgical management strategies. This chapter will discuss the evolution of our understanding of TMJ internal derangement, diagnosis, causation, and management strategies.
40Ar/39Ar and LA-ICP-MS U–Pb geochronology for the New England portion of the Early Cretaceous New England-Quebec igneous province: Implications for the postrift evolution of the eastern North American Margin

The Early Cretaceous New England-Quebec igneous province is a classic example of postrift magmatism along the eastern North American passive margin. Although a suite of 40Ar/39Ar ages has been available for the Monteregian Hills lobe in the Quebec portion of the New England-Quebec igneous province for many years, only a single high accuracy radiometric age has been published for the Burlington lobe and none for the Taconic lobe in the New England portion of the province. As a result, the timing of and driving mechanisms behind the magmatism have remained unresolved, and a hotspot origin for the entire province persists in the literature. We have dated four dikes and one pluton in the Burlington and Taconic lobes using 40Ar/39Ar and U–Pb geochronology to improve understanding of the age of magmatism in the New England portion of the province. In the Burlington lobe, 40Ar/39Ar plateau ages include a 137.55 ± 1.80 Ma biotite age and a 136.9 ± 4.2 Ma amphibole age for a lamprophyre dike from Charlotte, Vermont, and a 133.6 ± 2.2 Ma biotite age for a lamprophyre dike from Colchester, Vermont. In the Taconic lobe, ages include an 40Ar/39Ar plateau amphibole age of 107.09 ± 1.32 Ma for a lamprophyre dike from Castleton, Vermont, a 122 Ma minimum 40Ar/39Ar biotite age for a lamprophyre dike from Poultney, Vermont, and a 103.13 ± 0.53 Ma LA-ICP-MS U–Pb zircon age from the quartz syenite of the Cuttingsville complex. These results show that magmatism spanned at least 35 Ma, from ∼138 to 103 Ma, which is broadly consistent with the span of magmatism suggested by workers in the 1970s and 1980s based on K–Ar and Rb–Sr ages. This extended span of magmatism for the Burlington and Taconic lobes is in contrast to the brief 1 to 2 Ma episode of magmatism at ∼124 Ma inferred for the Monteregian Hills lobe. The New England-Quebec igneous province has traditionally been attributed to passage of the Great Meteor hotspot. However, given the close proximity of the Burlington and Taconic lobes, the magmatism in these lobes should span only a few Ma if the product of a hotspot. The age data are also difficult to reconcile with a more complex expression of hotspot magmatism in continental lithosphere related to either plume head magmatism or long-distance migration of plume material. Instead, the extended duration of Early Cretaceous New England-Quebec igneous province magmatism in New England may represent an expression of edge-driven convection, a process known to occur along passive margins and inferred to be operating beneath the eastern North American margin today.
Shooting-Bouncing-Rays Technique to Model Mine Tunnels: Algorithm Acceleration

We present and discuss acceleration of a shooting and bouncing rays (SBR) algorithm for ray-tracing electromagnetic analysis of electrically very large structures such as underground mine tunnels at modern wireless communication frequencies. The acceleration is based on the parallelization of the SBR technique on NVIDIA GPUs using the OptiX application programming interface. The results show dramatic speedups of the parallel SBR algorithm compared with serial implementation.
Clonal selection of stable aneuploidies in progenitor cells drives high-prevalence tumorigenesis.

Chromosome gains and losses are a frequent feature of human cancers. However, how these aberrations can outweigh the detrimental effects of aneuploidy remains unclear. An initial comparison of existing chromosomal instability (CIN) mouse models suggests that aneuploidy accumulates to low levels in these animals. We therefore developed a novel mouse model that enables unprecedented levels of chromosome missegregation in the adult animal. At the earliest stages of T-cell development, cells with random chromosome gains and/or losses are selected against, but CIN eventually results in the expansion of progenitors with clonal chromosomal imbalances. Clonal selection leads to the development of T-cell lymphomas with stereotypic karyotypes in which chromosome 15, containing the Myc oncogene, is gained with high prevalence. Expressing human MYC from chromosome 6 (MYC Chr6) is sufficient to change the karyotype of these lymphomas to include universal chromosome 6 gains. Interestingly, while chromosome 15 is still gained in MYC Chr6 tumors after genetic ablation of the endogenous Myc locus, this chromosome is not efficiently gained after deletion of one copy of Rad21, suggesting a synergistic effect of both MYC and RAD21 in driving chromosome 15 gains. Our results show that the initial detrimental effects of random missegregation are outbalanced by clonal selection, which is dictated by the chromosomal location and nature of certain genes and is sufficient to drive cancer with high prevalence.
Comparison of pre and post procedural pain and anxiety related to electromyography/nerve conduction study (EMG/NCS) in patients provided detailed information vs standard of care (P6.114)

Objective: To measure the level of pain and anxiety in patients undergoing EMG/NCS and to compare the effect of providing detailed printed information regarding the procedure versus routine instructions normally discussed with patients, on the level of pain and anxiety. Background: Pain and anxiety is commonly associated with the nerve conduction study(NCS) and electromyography(EMG). There is limited research suggesting that detailed information provided to patients prior to procedures may reduce their anxiety and pain experienced during the procedure. This research will provide us with information that can be used for quality improvement in performance of EMG/NCS. Design/Methods: A prospective study of 100 patients at EMG clinic in the Landon center of aging at University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City will be performed. Participation involves completing a questionnaire that will take about 5 minutes before and after the study. The pre procedure questionnaire involves four questions and the post procedure questions involve seven questions. Prior to the procedure, patients will either receive an information sheet about the procedure or a physician will discuss about the procedure as routine standard of care. In addition to the questionnaire, we will collect the patient’s demographic information, name of the physician performing this study including their level of training and information of the electrodiagnostic study performed on the patient. Results: The study is ongoing and data will be presented at the conference. Statistical analysis will be performed with correlation and regression analysis. Conclusions: We conclude that detailed information regarding the procedure would decrease the pain and anxiety perception in patients undergoing the EMG/NCS procedure. Disclosure: Dr. Veerapaneni has nothing to disclose. Dr. Murphy has nothing to disclose. Dr. Hamasaki has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kimple has nothing to disclose. Dr. Herbelin has nothing to disclose. Dr. Jawdat has nothing to disclose. Dr. Glenn has nothing to disclose. Dr. Statland has received personal compensation for activities with Sarepta, ATYR Bristol Meyers Squib, Acceleron, Clinical Mind, and Novartis as a advisor and/or consultant. Dr. Dimachkie has received personal compensation for activities with Pfizer, Depomed, Merck, CSL-Behring, Nufactor, Biomarin, Baxter and Catalyst as a consultant and/or speaker. Dr Barohn received personal compensation for activities with Grifols & Genzyme as a member of the Speakers Bureau and NuFactor as a consultant. Dr. Pasnoor has nothing to disclose.
The Advent of Virtual Party Conventions

This chapter examines how each party adapted to COVID-19 in organizing their national party convention, how 2020 compared to years past, and what the lessons and implications may be for future conventions. The 2020 conventions were more inclusive, more multimedia, and more multiplatform than ever before, enabling greater efficiency in producing engaging television that positively portrays nominees. Not everything was a success worthy of emulation, but the long days of one person on stage at a time giving speech after speech may be numbered.
Do Black Lives Matter?: Race as a Measure of Injury in Tort Law

Much of the current debate over race relations in the United States revolves around police brutality and legal injustice. However, prior to the events that made the phrase “black lives matter” the signature message of a protest movement against racism in the American justice system, the nation’s media was captivated briefly by another legal question: whether a child’s race should be used as a measure of injury to the child’s parents as part of a torts claim based on the “wrongful birth” of the child. Unfortunately, once the attention turned to the events that prompted the protests and the debate that has developed since, the discussion about whether someone’s racial identity could be used as a measure of injury faded. Yet, the issues raised by the case are too interesting and important to be relegated to the background of the debate. The case not only offers the opportunity to discuss the issue of using race as an element in a tort law claim, it also poses interesting questions about the extent to which modern reproductive technologies change the way we think about injuries for purposes of tort law. Obviously, there have been many wrongful birth and wrongful pregnancy cases in the past, but this one is different. Because the mother wanted to have a child and because the child was not born with a disability, the basis of the complaint is that the child’s race should be considered to be an injury to her and that the child’s existence should be considered to be an injury to the mother. If we are ready to recognize a claim in cases where the child is born with a condition that could have been avoided had the defendant not been negligent, should we also recognize a claim if the child turns out to have different physical traits than planned, or expected?