The year 2024 marks the 60^(th)anniversary of Title IX and 25 years since the New York Times revealed bias against female faculty members at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.We take an opportunity here to exa...The year 2024 marks the 60^(th)anniversary of Title IX and 25 years since the New York Times revealed bias against female faculty members at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.We take an opportunity here to examine the state of gender bias in a relatively new yet already prominent field,neural regeneration in the visual system,for which there is a well-defined context useful for this purpose.The National Eye Institute(NEI)provided the first round of research funding for its Audacious Goals Initiative(AGI)on visual neural regeneration in 2013 and the last round in 2021.Therefore,we focus on this timespan.Data sources included PubMed,the National Science Foundation(NSF),the NEI,the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research and data from the major professional organization for eye and vision research,the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology(ARVO).展开更多
This study uses logistic and Poisson regression models to examine the factors influencing the adoption of sustain-able land management(SLM)practices in Mali using two rounds of the nationally representative survey Enq...This study uses logistic and Poisson regression models to examine the factors influencing the adoption of sustain-able land management(SLM)practices in Mali using two rounds of the nationally representative survey Enquête Agricole de Conjoncture Intégrée aux Conditions de Vie des Ménages.The SLMs considered include the applica-tion of organic fertilizers,the application of inorganic fertilizers,the use of improved seeds,and the practice of intercropping.On average the application of organic fertilizers(39.2%),and inorganic fertilizers(28.7%)are the most frequent SLM practices among Malian farmers,and between 2014 and 2017,we observe a decline in the practice of intercropping.The regression results show that farmers’adoption of different SLMs is significantly associated with biophysical factors(average temperature,climate type,plot size,plot shape,and location),de-mographic factors(age,gender,education,household size),and socioeconomic factors(number of cultivated plots,livelihood diversification,type of crop grown,market access,credit access,economic shocks,and social capital).Our findings suggest that policymakers and agricultural development agencies in Mali need to adopt a multidimensional policy framework to unlock the untapped potential of SLM practices in promoting sustainable agriculture and food security.展开更多
For decades,researchers have known that when neurons lose their activating inputs,they can atrophy and even die.For example,removing sensory nerve inputs from the arm to the spinal cord after amputation or cutting the...For decades,researchers have known that when neurons lose their activating inputs,they can atrophy and even die.For example,removing sensory nerve inputs from the arm to the spinal cord after amputation or cutting the spinal nerves can shrink the post-synaptic target zones(e.g.,Woods et al.,2000).From touch receptors for the hand and arm,primary nerve afferents enter the spinal cord,and axons travel in the dorsal columns to target the cuneate nucleus(Cu)of the brainstem on the same side of the body(Figure 1).When sensory loss is unilateral,the overwhelming result is for the associated primary target zone to shrink in total size(cross-sectional area),as compared to the size of the opposite side.展开更多
BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is a primary liver tumor generally diagnosed based on radiographic findings.Metastatic disease is typically associated with increased tumor diameter,multifocality,and vascular i...BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is a primary liver tumor generally diagnosed based on radiographic findings.Metastatic disease is typically associated with increased tumor diameter,multifocality,and vascular invasion.We report a case of a patient who presented with extrahepatic HCC metastasis to a portocaval lymph node with occult hepatic primary on computed tomography(CT).We review the literature for cases of extrahepatic HCC presentation without known hepatic lesions and discuss strategies to differentiate between metastatic and ectopic HCC.CASE SUMMARY A 67-year-old male with remotely treated hepatis C was referred for evaluation of an enlarging portocaval,mixed cystic-solid mass.Serial CT evaluations demonstrated steatosis,but no cirrhosis or liver lesions.Endoscopic ultrasound demonstrated a normal-appearing pancreas,biliary tree,and liver.Fine needle aspiration yielded atypical cells.The differential diagnosis included duodenal or pancreatic cyst,lymphoproliferative cyst,stromal or mesenchymal lesions,nodal involvement from gastrointestinal or hematologic malignancy,or duodenal gastrointestinal stromal tumor.After review by a multidisciplinary tumor board,the patient underwent open surgical resection of a 5.2 cm×5.5 cm retroperitoneal mass with pathology consistent with moderately-differentiated HCC.Magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)subsequently demonstrated a 1.2 cm segment VIII hepatic lesion with late arterial enhancement,fatty sparing,and intrinsic T1 hyperintensity.Alpha fetoprotein was 23.3 ng/mL.The patient was diagnosed with HCC with portocaval nodal involvement.Review:We surveyed the literature for HCC presenting as extrahepatic masses without history of concurrent or prior intrahepatic HCC.We identified 18 cases of extrahepatic HCC ultimately found to represent metastatic lesions,and 30 cases of extrahepatic HCC found to be primary,ectopic HCC.CONCLUSION Hepatocellular carcinoma can seldomly present with extrahepatic metastasis in the setting of occult primary.In patients with risk factors for HCC and lesions suspicious for metastatic disease,MRI may be integral to identifying small hepatic lesions and differentiating from ectopic HCC.Tumor markers may also have utility in establishing the diagnosis.展开更多
Background Educational inequalities in suicide have become increasingly prominent over the past decade.Elucidating modifiable risk factors that serve as intermediaries in the impact of low educational attainment on su...Background Educational inequalities in suicide have become increasingly prominent over the past decade.Elucidating modifiable risk factors that serve as intermediaries in the impact of low educational attainment on suicide has the potential to reduce health disparities.Aims To examine the risk factors that mediate the relationship between educational attainment and suicide attempts and quantify their contributions to the mediation effect.Methods We conducted a two-sample Mendelian randomisation(MR)analysis to estimate the causal effect of educational attainment on suicide attempts,utilising genome-wide association study summary statistics from the Integrative Psychiatric Research(iPSYCH;6024 cases and 44240 controls)and FinnGen(8978 cases and 368299 controls).We systematically evaluated 42 putative mediators within the causal pathway connecting reduced educational attainment to suicide attempts and employed two-step and multivariable MR to quantify the proportion of the mediated effect.Results In the combined analysis of iPSYCH and FinnGen,each standard deviation(SD)decrease in genetically predicted educational attainment(equating to 3.4 years of education)was associated with a 105%higher risk of suicide attempts(odds ratio(OR):2.05;95%confidence interval(Cl):1.81 to 2.31).0f the 42 risk factors analysed,the two-step MR identified five factors that mediated the association between educational attainment and suicide attempts.The respective proportions of mediation were 47%(95%Cl:29%to 66%)for smoking behaviour,36%(95%Cl:0%to 84%)for chronic pain,49%(95%Cl:36%to 61%)for depression,35%(95%Cl:12%to 59%)for anxiety and 26%(95%Cl:18%to 34%)for insomnia.Multivariable MR implicated these five mediators collectively,accounting for 68%(95%Cl:40%to 96%)of the total effect.Conclusions This study identified smoking,chronic pain and mental disorders as primary intervention targets for attenuating suicide risk attributable to lower educational levels in the European population.展开更多
The phase field method is playing an increasingly important role in understanding and predicting morphological evolution in materials and biological systems.Here,we develop a new analytical approach based on the bifur...The phase field method is playing an increasingly important role in understanding and predicting morphological evolution in materials and biological systems.Here,we develop a new analytical approach based on the bifurcation analysis to explore the mathematical solution structure of phase field models.Revealing such solution structures not only is of great mathematical interest but also may provide guidance to experimentally or computationally uncover new morphological evolution phenomena in materials undergoing electronic and structural phase transitions.To elucidate the idea,we apply this analytical approach to three representative phase field equations:the Allen-Cahn equation,the Cahn-Hilliard equation,and the Allen-Cahn-Ohta-Kawasaki system.The solution structures of these three phase field equations are also verified numerically by the homotopy continuation method.展开更多
Walkability is an essential aspect of urban transportation systems. Properly designed walking paths can enhance transportation safety, encourage pedestrian activity, and improve community quality of life. This, in tur...Walkability is an essential aspect of urban transportation systems. Properly designed walking paths can enhance transportation safety, encourage pedestrian activity, and improve community quality of life. This, in turn, can help achieve sustainable development goals in urban areas. This pilot study uses wearable technology data to present a new method for measuring pedestrian stress in urban environments and the results were presented as an interactive geographic information system map to support risk-informed decision-making. The approach involves analyzing data from wearable devices using heart rate variability (RMSSD and slope analysis) to identify high-stress locations. This data-driven approach can help urban planners and safety experts identify and address pedestrian stressors, ultimately creating safer, more walkable cities. The study addresses a significant challenge in pedestrian safety by providing insights into factors and locations that trigger stress in pedestrians. During the pilot study, high-stress pedestrian experiences were identified due to issues like pedestrian-scooter interaction on pedestrian paths, pedestrian behavior around high foot traffic areas, and poor visibility at pedestrian crossings due to inadequate lighting.展开更多
Background: Elastomeric pumps (elastic balls into which analgesics or antibiotics can be inserted) push medicines through a catheter to a nerve or blood vessel. Since elastomeric pumps are small and need no power sour...Background: Elastomeric pumps (elastic balls into which analgesics or antibiotics can be inserted) push medicines through a catheter to a nerve or blood vessel. Since elastomeric pumps are small and need no power source, they fit easily into a pocket during infusion, allowing patient mobility. Elastomeric pumps are widely used and widely studied experimentally, but they have well-known problems, such as maintaining reliable flow rates and avoiding toxicity or other peak-and-trough effects. Objectives: Our research objective is to develop a realistic theoretical model of an elastomeric pump, analyze its flow rates, determine its toxicity conditions, and otherwise improve its operation. We believe this is the first such theoretical model of an elastomeric pump consisting of an elastic, medicine-filled ball attached to a horizontal catheter. Method: Our method is to model the system as a quasi-Poiseuille flow driven by the pressure drop generated by the elastic sphere. We construct an engineering model of the pressure exerted by an elastic sphere and match it to a solution of the one-dimensional radial Navier-Stokes equation that describes flow through a horizontal, cylindrical tube. Results: Our results are that the model accurately reproduces flow rates obtained in clinical studies. We also discover that the flow rate has an unavoidable maximum, which we call the “toxicity bump”, when the radius of the sphere approaches its terminal, unstretched value—an effect that has been observed experimentally. Conclusions: We conclude that by choosing the properties of an elastomeric pump, the toxicity bump can be restricted to less than 10% of the earlier, relatively constant flow rate. Our model also produces a relation between the length of time that the analgesic fluid infuses and the physical properties of the fluid, of the elastomeric sphere and the tube, and of the blood vessel into which the analgesic infuses. From these, we conclude that elastomeric pumps can be designed, using our simple model, to control infusion times while avoiding toxicity effects.展开更多
Sarcopenic obesity increases the risk of mortality in patients with liver disease awaiting liver transplantation and in the post-transplant period.Nutrition recommendations for individuals with sarcopenia differ from ...Sarcopenic obesity increases the risk of mortality in patients with liver disease awaiting liver transplantation and in the post-transplant period.Nutrition recommendations for individuals with sarcopenia differ from recommendations for patients with obesity or sarcopenic obesity.While these nutrition guidelines have been established in non-cirrhotic patients,established guidelines for liver transplant candidates with sarcopenic obesity are lacking.In this paper,we review existing literature on sarcopenic obesity in patients with chronic liver disease and address opportunities to improve nutritional counseling in patients awaiting liver transplantation.展开更多
文摘The year 2024 marks the 60^(th)anniversary of Title IX and 25 years since the New York Times revealed bias against female faculty members at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.We take an opportunity here to examine the state of gender bias in a relatively new yet already prominent field,neural regeneration in the visual system,for which there is a well-defined context useful for this purpose.The National Eye Institute(NEI)provided the first round of research funding for its Audacious Goals Initiative(AGI)on visual neural regeneration in 2013 and the last round in 2021.Therefore,we focus on this timespan.Data sources included PubMed,the National Science Foundation(NSF),the NEI,the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research and data from the major professional organization for eye and vision research,the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology(ARVO).
文摘This study uses logistic and Poisson regression models to examine the factors influencing the adoption of sustain-able land management(SLM)practices in Mali using two rounds of the nationally representative survey Enquête Agricole de Conjoncture Intégrée aux Conditions de Vie des Ménages.The SLMs considered include the applica-tion of organic fertilizers,the application of inorganic fertilizers,the use of improved seeds,and the practice of intercropping.On average the application of organic fertilizers(39.2%),and inorganic fertilizers(28.7%)are the most frequent SLM practices among Malian farmers,and between 2014 and 2017,we observe a decline in the practice of intercropping.The regression results show that farmers’adoption of different SLMs is significantly associated with biophysical factors(average temperature,climate type,plot size,plot shape,and location),de-mographic factors(age,gender,education,household size),and socioeconomic factors(number of cultivated plots,livelihood diversification,type of crop grown,market access,credit access,economic shocks,and social capital).Our findings suggest that policymakers and agricultural development agencies in Mali need to adopt a multidimensional policy framework to unlock the untapped potential of SLM practices in promoting sustainable agriculture and food security.
基金supported by National Institute of Health Grant NINDS NS16446 to JHK and NS067017 to HXQsupported by NIH NINDS NS129982 and NIH NEI EY002686 to JHK
文摘For decades,researchers have known that when neurons lose their activating inputs,they can atrophy and even die.For example,removing sensory nerve inputs from the arm to the spinal cord after amputation or cutting the spinal nerves can shrink the post-synaptic target zones(e.g.,Woods et al.,2000).From touch receptors for the hand and arm,primary nerve afferents enter the spinal cord,and axons travel in the dorsal columns to target the cuneate nucleus(Cu)of the brainstem on the same side of the body(Figure 1).When sensory loss is unilateral,the overwhelming result is for the associated primary target zone to shrink in total size(cross-sectional area),as compared to the size of the opposite side.
文摘BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is a primary liver tumor generally diagnosed based on radiographic findings.Metastatic disease is typically associated with increased tumor diameter,multifocality,and vascular invasion.We report a case of a patient who presented with extrahepatic HCC metastasis to a portocaval lymph node with occult hepatic primary on computed tomography(CT).We review the literature for cases of extrahepatic HCC presentation without known hepatic lesions and discuss strategies to differentiate between metastatic and ectopic HCC.CASE SUMMARY A 67-year-old male with remotely treated hepatis C was referred for evaluation of an enlarging portocaval,mixed cystic-solid mass.Serial CT evaluations demonstrated steatosis,but no cirrhosis or liver lesions.Endoscopic ultrasound demonstrated a normal-appearing pancreas,biliary tree,and liver.Fine needle aspiration yielded atypical cells.The differential diagnosis included duodenal or pancreatic cyst,lymphoproliferative cyst,stromal or mesenchymal lesions,nodal involvement from gastrointestinal or hematologic malignancy,or duodenal gastrointestinal stromal tumor.After review by a multidisciplinary tumor board,the patient underwent open surgical resection of a 5.2 cm×5.5 cm retroperitoneal mass with pathology consistent with moderately-differentiated HCC.Magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)subsequently demonstrated a 1.2 cm segment VIII hepatic lesion with late arterial enhancement,fatty sparing,and intrinsic T1 hyperintensity.Alpha fetoprotein was 23.3 ng/mL.The patient was diagnosed with HCC with portocaval nodal involvement.Review:We surveyed the literature for HCC presenting as extrahepatic masses without history of concurrent or prior intrahepatic HCC.We identified 18 cases of extrahepatic HCC ultimately found to represent metastatic lesions,and 30 cases of extrahepatic HCC found to be primary,ectopic HCC.CONCLUSION Hepatocellular carcinoma can seldomly present with extrahepatic metastasis in the setting of occult primary.In patients with risk factors for HCC and lesions suspicious for metastatic disease,MRI may be integral to identifying small hepatic lesions and differentiating from ectopic HCC.Tumor markers may also have utility in establishing the diagnosis.
基金the Key Discipline of Zhejang Province in Public Health and Preventative Medicine(First Class,Category A)at the Hangzhou Medical College,China.
文摘Background Educational inequalities in suicide have become increasingly prominent over the past decade.Elucidating modifiable risk factors that serve as intermediaries in the impact of low educational attainment on suicide has the potential to reduce health disparities.Aims To examine the risk factors that mediate the relationship between educational attainment and suicide attempts and quantify their contributions to the mediation effect.Methods We conducted a two-sample Mendelian randomisation(MR)analysis to estimate the causal effect of educational attainment on suicide attempts,utilising genome-wide association study summary statistics from the Integrative Psychiatric Research(iPSYCH;6024 cases and 44240 controls)and FinnGen(8978 cases and 368299 controls).We systematically evaluated 42 putative mediators within the causal pathway connecting reduced educational attainment to suicide attempts and employed two-step and multivariable MR to quantify the proportion of the mediated effect.Results In the combined analysis of iPSYCH and FinnGen,each standard deviation(SD)decrease in genetically predicted educational attainment(equating to 3.4 years of education)was associated with a 105%higher risk of suicide attempts(odds ratio(OR):2.05;95%confidence interval(Cl):1.81 to 2.31).0f the 42 risk factors analysed,the two-step MR identified five factors that mediated the association between educational attainment and suicide attempts.The respective proportions of mediation were 47%(95%Cl:29%to 66%)for smoking behaviour,36%(95%Cl:0%to 84%)for chronic pain,49%(95%Cl:36%to 61%)for depression,35%(95%Cl:12%to 59%)for anxiety and 26%(95%Cl:18%to 34%)for insomnia.Multivariable MR implicated these five mediators collectively,accounting for 68%(95%Cl:40%to 96%)of the total effect.Conclusions This study identified smoking,chronic pain and mental disorders as primary intervention targets for attenuating suicide risk attributable to lower educational levels in the European population.
基金supported as part of the Computational Materials Sciences Program funded by the U.S.Department of Energy,Office of Science,Basic Energy Sciences,under Award No.DE-SC0020145Y.Z.would like to acknowledge support for his effort by the Simons Foundation through Grant No.357963 and NSF grant DMS-2142500.
文摘The phase field method is playing an increasingly important role in understanding and predicting morphological evolution in materials and biological systems.Here,we develop a new analytical approach based on the bifurcation analysis to explore the mathematical solution structure of phase field models.Revealing such solution structures not only is of great mathematical interest but also may provide guidance to experimentally or computationally uncover new morphological evolution phenomena in materials undergoing electronic and structural phase transitions.To elucidate the idea,we apply this analytical approach to three representative phase field equations:the Allen-Cahn equation,the Cahn-Hilliard equation,and the Allen-Cahn-Ohta-Kawasaki system.The solution structures of these three phase field equations are also verified numerically by the homotopy continuation method.
文摘Walkability is an essential aspect of urban transportation systems. Properly designed walking paths can enhance transportation safety, encourage pedestrian activity, and improve community quality of life. This, in turn, can help achieve sustainable development goals in urban areas. This pilot study uses wearable technology data to present a new method for measuring pedestrian stress in urban environments and the results were presented as an interactive geographic information system map to support risk-informed decision-making. The approach involves analyzing data from wearable devices using heart rate variability (RMSSD and slope analysis) to identify high-stress locations. This data-driven approach can help urban planners and safety experts identify and address pedestrian stressors, ultimately creating safer, more walkable cities. The study addresses a significant challenge in pedestrian safety by providing insights into factors and locations that trigger stress in pedestrians. During the pilot study, high-stress pedestrian experiences were identified due to issues like pedestrian-scooter interaction on pedestrian paths, pedestrian behavior around high foot traffic areas, and poor visibility at pedestrian crossings due to inadequate lighting.
文摘Background: Elastomeric pumps (elastic balls into which analgesics or antibiotics can be inserted) push medicines through a catheter to a nerve or blood vessel. Since elastomeric pumps are small and need no power source, they fit easily into a pocket during infusion, allowing patient mobility. Elastomeric pumps are widely used and widely studied experimentally, but they have well-known problems, such as maintaining reliable flow rates and avoiding toxicity or other peak-and-trough effects. Objectives: Our research objective is to develop a realistic theoretical model of an elastomeric pump, analyze its flow rates, determine its toxicity conditions, and otherwise improve its operation. We believe this is the first such theoretical model of an elastomeric pump consisting of an elastic, medicine-filled ball attached to a horizontal catheter. Method: Our method is to model the system as a quasi-Poiseuille flow driven by the pressure drop generated by the elastic sphere. We construct an engineering model of the pressure exerted by an elastic sphere and match it to a solution of the one-dimensional radial Navier-Stokes equation that describes flow through a horizontal, cylindrical tube. Results: Our results are that the model accurately reproduces flow rates obtained in clinical studies. We also discover that the flow rate has an unavoidable maximum, which we call the “toxicity bump”, when the radius of the sphere approaches its terminal, unstretched value—an effect that has been observed experimentally. Conclusions: We conclude that by choosing the properties of an elastomeric pump, the toxicity bump can be restricted to less than 10% of the earlier, relatively constant flow rate. Our model also produces a relation between the length of time that the analgesic fluid infuses and the physical properties of the fluid, of the elastomeric sphere and the tube, and of the blood vessel into which the analgesic infuses. From these, we conclude that elastomeric pumps can be designed, using our simple model, to control infusion times while avoiding toxicity effects.
文摘Sarcopenic obesity increases the risk of mortality in patients with liver disease awaiting liver transplantation and in the post-transplant period.Nutrition recommendations for individuals with sarcopenia differ from recommendations for patients with obesity or sarcopenic obesity.While these nutrition guidelines have been established in non-cirrhotic patients,established guidelines for liver transplant candidates with sarcopenic obesity are lacking.In this paper,we review existing literature on sarcopenic obesity in patients with chronic liver disease and address opportunities to improve nutritional counseling in patients awaiting liver transplantation.
