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Background: The introduction of Cesium-131 (Cs-131) as a radiation source has led to a resurgence of brachytherapy for central nervous system (CNS) tumors. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the largest cohort of Cs-131 patients to-date. Methods: A retrospective review of all CNS tumors treated with resection and adjuvant Cs-131 brachytherapy at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell from 2010 to 2021 was performed. Overall survival (OS) and local control (LC) were assessed with Kaplan-Meier methodology. Univariable analysis was conducted to identify patient factors associated with local recurrence or radiation necrosis. Results: Adjuvant Cs-131 brachytherapy following resection was performed in 119 patients with a median follow-up time of 11.8 (IQR 4.7–23.6) months and a mean of 22.3 +/-30.3 months. 1-year survival rates were 53.3% (95%CI 41.9–64.6%) for brain metastases (BrM), 45.9% (95%CI 24.8–67.0%) for gliomas, and 73.3% (95%CI 50.9–95.7%) for meningiomas. 1-year local control rates were 84.7% for BrM, 34.1% for gliomas, and 83.3% for meningiomas (p < 0.001). For BrM, local control was superior in NSCLC relative to other BrM pathologies (90.8% versus 76.5%, p = 0.039). Radiographic radiation necrosis (RN) was identified in 10 (8.4%) cases and demonstrated an association with smaller median tumor size (2.4 [IQR 1.8-2.7 cm] versus 3.1 [IQR 2.4-3.8 cm], p = 0.034). Wound complications occurred in 14 (11.8%) patients. Conclusions: Cs-131 brachytherapy demonstrated a favorable safety and efficacy profile characterized by high rates of local control for all treated pathologies. The concept of brachytherapy has seen a resurgence given the excellent results when Cs-131 is used as a source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Major depressive disorder is a prominent psychiatric illness in the United States. It has been found to be higher among patients with inflammatory bowel disease. However, few studies have focused on depression among minority populations with inflammatory bowel disease. Our study determined the prevalence of depression in minority patients with inflammatory bowel disease at our safety‐net hospital, which serves a predominantly African American patient population. Methods: We conducted a single centre retrospective cohort study at a large, urban outpatient centre. We retrieved the electronic medical records of patients with inflammatory bowel disease who were seen in the gastroenterology clinic from December 2018–December 2019. Data on the severity of depression within the minority population, using the nine‐question Patient Health Questionnaire, was obtained. The effects of age, sex, inflammatory bowel disease diagnosis, and comorbidities were analysed. A p‐value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of IBD patients were included in the study, of which 46.7% were female and 53.3% were male. Mean age was 44 years. With regard to race, 88.4% were African American, 5.3% Asian, 2.1% Hispanic, 1.1% American Indian/Alaskan Native, and 3.2% multiracial. A total of 71.6% had Crohn's disease and 28.4% had ulcerative colitis. Overall prevalence of major depressive disorder was 25.3%; 45.8% had minimal, 8.3% mild, 33.3% moderate, and 12.5% severe depression. A total of 34.7% of patients were never screened for depression, and 13.8% had other psychiatric conditions. There was a difference in depression rates based on psychiatric conditions (p = 0.00), but no difference based on sex (p = 0.37), IBD subtype (p = 0.34), or medical conditions (p = 0.84). Conclusions: Rates of depression among minority patients, predominantly African American, with inflammatory bowel disease were higher than previously reported for all patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Over 40% experienced moderate to severe depression. There was a low screening rate for depression. This data will be used to improve depression screening, especially among minorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unprecedented threats to coral reef ecosystems from global climate change require an urgent response from the aquarium community, which is becoming an increasingly vital coral conservation resource. Unfortunately, many hermatypic corals in aquaria are not identified to species level, which hinders assessment of their conservation significance. Traditional methods of species identification using morphology can be challenging, especially to non-taxonomists. DNA barcoding is an option for species identification of Scleractinian corals, especially when used in concert with morphology-based assessment. This study uses DNA barcodes to try to identify aquarium specimens of the diverse reef-forming genus Acropora from 127 samples. We identified to our best current knowledge, to species name 44% of the analysed samples and provided provisional identification for 80% of them (101/127, in the form of a list of species names with associate confidence values). We highlighted a sampling bias in public nucleotide sequences repertories (e.g. GenBank) towards more charismatic and more studied species, even inside a well-studied genus like Acropora. In addition, we showed a potential "single observer" effect with over a quarter of the reference sequences used for these identifications coming from the same study. We propose the use of barcoding and query matching as an additional tool for taxonomic experts and general aquarists, as an additional tool to increase their chances of making high confidence species-level identifications. We produce a standardised and easily repeatable methodology to increase the capacity of aquariums and other facilities to assess non-ascribed species, emphasising the value of integrating this approach with morphological identification optimising usage of authoritative identification guides and expert opinion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Pediatric pituitary adenomas (pPAs) are uncommon. Thus, their presentation and outcomes after treatment are less well-understood than those of pituitary adenomas in adulthood (aPAs). Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted for all patients who underwent endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal surgery (EETS) for pPA at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medicine (NYP/WCM) from 2005–2020. Eleven patients were identified, and information pertaining to age, sex, adenoma characteristics, procedural details, and outcomes was reviewed. A systematic review of the literature was also performed to compare outcomes of EETS versus microscopic endonasal transsphenoidal surgery (METS) for pPA. Results: From 2005–2020, 11 patients underwent EETS for pPA at NYP/WCM. Mean age at operation was 14.9 ± 2.7 years, and 5 patients (45.5%) were male. 10 adenomas (90.9%) were hormone-producing. Of the functional adenomas, 8 (80.0%) were PRL-secreting and 2 (20.0%) were GH-secreting. Maximum adenoma diameter (MAD) ranged from 1.2–5.1 cm, with a median of 1.55 cm. Cavernous sinus invasion (CSI) occurred in 2 patients with macroprolactinoma. Gross total resection (GTR) was achieved in 10 (90.9%). Biochemical remission occurred in 5/10 (50.0%). Post-operative complications were documented in 8 cases (72.7%) and included diabetes insipidus, hypopituitarism, sinusitis, weight gain, cerebrospinal fluid leak, meningitis, and hydrocephalus. Systematic literature review of 105 microscopic and 175 endoscopic cases revealed high frequency of hormone-producing tumors (83.6%) and similar rates of GTR (82.4% vs 85.1%) and biochemical cure (75.8% vs 64.3%). Conclusions: pPAs are more likely to be hormone producing and may be more aggressive and difficult to cure than aPAs. EETS is an effective treatment, although complication rates may be higher than in adult populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Critical‐sized defects remain a significant challenge in orthopaedics. 3D printed scaffolds are a promising treatment but are still limited due to inconsistent osseous integration. The goal of the study is to understand how changing the surface roughness of 3D printed titanium either by surface treatment or artificially printing rough topography impacts the mechanical and biological properties of 3D printed titanium. Titanium tensile samples and discs were printed via laser powder bed fusion. Roughness was manipulated by post‐processing printed samples or by directly printing rough features. Experimental groups in order of increasing surface roughness were Polished, Blasted, As Built, Sprouts, and Rough Sprouts. Tensile behavior of samples showed reduced strength with increasing surface roughness. MC3T3 pre‐osteoblasts were seeded on discs and analyzed for cellular proliferation, differentiation, and matrix deposition at 0, 2, and 4 weeks. Printing roughness diminished mechanical properties such as tensile strength and ductility without clear benefit to cell growth. Roughness features were printed on mesoscale, unlike samples in literature in which roughness on microscale demonstrated an increase in cell activity. The data suggest that printing artificial roughness on titanium scaffold is not an effective strategy to promote osseous integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite advances in biomaterials research, there is no ideal device for replacing weight‐bearing soft tissues like menisci or intervertebral discs due to poor integration with tissues and mechanical property mismatch. Designing an implant with a soft and porous tissue‐contacting structure using a material conducive to cell attachment and growth could potentially address these limitations. Polycarbonate urethane (PCU) is a soft and tough biocompatible material that can be 3D printed into porous structures with controlled pore sizes. Porous biomaterials of appropriate chemistries can support cell proliferation and tissue ingrowth, but their optimal design parameters remain unclear. To investigate this, porous PCU structures were 3D‐printed in a crosshatch pattern with a range of in‐plane pore sizes (0 to 800 μm) forming fully interconnected porous networks. Printed porous structures had ultimate tensile strengths ranging from 1.9 to 11.6 MPa, strains to failure ranging from 300 to 486%, Young's moduli ranging from 0.85 to 12.42 MPa, and porosity ranging from 13 to 71%. These porous networks can be loaded with hydrogels, such as collagen gels, to provide additional biological support for cells. Bare PCU structures and collagen‐hydrogel‐filled porous PCU support robust NIH/3T3 fibroblast cell line proliferation over 14 days for all pore sizes. Results highlight PCU's potential in the development of tissue‐integrating medical implants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of T cell memory in sepsis is poorly understood. Recent work has demonstrated that mice exposed to frequent antigenic stimulation, in contrast to laboratory mice, better recapitulate the human T cell repertoire. This difference may profoundly alter responses to inflammatory insults. We induced isolated T cell memory by inoculating C57Bl/6 mice with an anti-CD3ϵ activating antibody, a process we term "immune education." These mice were subjected to the cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) model of sepsis and responses were compared to those of isotype-treated controls. CLP-induced increases in 1) CD4 T cell production and serum levels of IFNγ, 2) CD8 T cell granzyme B levels, and 3) innate cell function were all more pronounced in educated mice than in control mice. Immune education increased CLP-induced liver injury and decreased survival. The differences in responses to CLP were not recapitulated in mice with either isolated CD4 or isolated CD8 T cell memory. Relative to controls, CLP in educated CD8−/− mice (isolated CD4 memory) increased monocyte-derived dendritic cells. Combined CD4 and CD8 memory did not increase monocyte-derived dendritic cells; this combination recapitulated increases in neutrophil and inflammatory monocyte numbers in educated wild-type mice. Induction of T cell memory prior to CLP alters immune responses, organ function, and survival. Both CD4 and CD8 memory T cells play important and independent roles in this response. These findings have profound implications for the development of murine models of human inflammatory disorders such as infection and sepsis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tungsten is a naturally occurringmetal that increasingly is being incorporated into industrial goods andmedical devices, and is recognized as an emerging contaminant. Tungsten preferentially and rapidly accumulates inmurine bone in a concentration-dependentmanner; however the effect of tungsten deposition on bone biology is unknown. Othermetals alter bone homeostasis by targeting bonemarrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) differentiation, thus, we investigated the effects of tungsten on MSCs in vitro and in vivo. In vitro, tungsten shifted the balance ofMSC differentiation by enhancing rosiglitazone-induced adipogenesis, which correlated with an increase in adipocyte content in the bone of tungsten-exposed, young, malemice. Conversely, tungsten inhibited osteogenesis ofMSCs in vitro; however, we found no evidence that tungsten inhibited osteogenesis in vivo. Interestingly, two factors known to influence adipogenesis are sex and age of mice. Both female and oldermice have enhanced adipogenesis. We extended our study and exposed young female and adult (9-month)male and femalemice to tungsten for 4 weeks. Although tungsten accumulated to a similar extent in young femalemice, it did not promote adipogenesis. Interestingly, tungsten did not accumulate in the bone of oldermice; it was undetectable in adultmale mice, and just above the limit of detect in adult femalemice. Surprisingly, tungsten enhanced adipogenesis in adult female mice. In summary, we found that tungsten alters bone homeostasis by altering differentiation ofMSCs, which could have significant implications for bone quality, but is highly dependent upon sex and age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 'Ramseyan Humility' David Lewis argues that a particular view about fundamental properties, quidditism, leads to the position that we are irredeemably ignorant of the identities of fundamental properties. We are ignorant of the identities of fundamental properties since we can never know which properties play which causal roles, and we have no other way of identifying fundamental properties other than by the causal roles they play. It has been suggested in the philosophical literature that Lewis' argument for Humility is merely an instance of traditional scepticism, to which traditional responses to scepticism are applicable. I agree that in 'Ramseyan Humility' Lewis does present an argument to which it is appropriate to consider the applicability of responses to traditional scepticism-he argues that we irredeemably lack the evidence to rule out possibilities in which different properties occupy the causal roles described by our best physical theory. And prima facie this is just the kind of argument responses to traditional scepticism are designed to tackle. However, I will argue that Lewis bolsters this argument with a second. This second argument serves to deepen Lewis' case and cannot be met with a response to traditional scepticism. For Lewis argues that not only do we lack evidence for which properties play which roles, we lack the ability to grasp any such proposition about role-occupancy. And if we cannot grasp any such proposition we cannot know it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the years, alongside our end-on seated-audience theatre work, Third Angel has returned to the exploration of a mode of performance built on conversation, or interview, with individual audience members. Performance in as much as you know more about what's going to happen than they do. Their interaction is what makes the work. Making the performance involves making the space in which the audience member is allowed, encouraged, to be creative. A space in which they feel comfortable enough to think about things, talk about things that at, say, 10 o'clock that morning, they hadn't thought about for days, weeks, years. A space in which, at the end of it, they feel comfortable enough to say of what they have given you, ‘Yes, that's fine, I'm happy for you to share that with other people.’ This paper explores the individual contributions and responses to Third Angel's Inspiration Exchange. It documents the specific mechanism of the project in order to interrogate the form of conversational exchange, story-gathering, “one-to-one” performance, and the contexts in which this work has been presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High environmental tungsten levels were identified near the site of a childhood pre-B acute lymphoblastic leukemia cluster; however, a causal link between tungsten and leukemogenesis has not been established. The major site of tungsten deposition is bone, the site of B-cell development. In addition, our in vitro data suggest that developing B lymphocytes are susceptible to tungsten-induced DNA damage and growth inhibition. To extend these results, we assessed whether tungsten exposure altered B-cell development and induced DNA damage in vivo. Wild-type mice were exposed to tungsten in their drinking water for up to 16 weeks. Tungsten concentration in bone was analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and correlated with B-cell development and DNA damage within the bone marrow. Tungsten exposure resulted in a rapid deposition within the bone following 1 week, and tungsten continued to accumulate thereafter albeit at a decreased rate. Flow cytometric analyses revealed a transient increase in mature IgD+ B cells in the first 8 weeks of treatment, in animals of the highest and intermediate exposure groups. Following 16 weeks of exposure, all tungsten groups had a significantly greater percentage of cells in the late pro-/large pre-B developmental stages. DNA damage was increased in both whole marrow and isolated B cells, most notably at the lowest tungsten concentration tested. These findings confirm an immunological effect of tungsten exposure and suggest that tungsten could act as a tumor promoter, providing leukemic “hits” in multiple forms to developing B lymphocytes within the bone marrow. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In Third Angel's performance piece 9 Billion Miles from Home, artists Gillian Lees and Alexander Kelly were attached to each other via a pulley system that meant that for one of them to move forward, the other had to move back. Barefoot and supporting one another they created a perfect circle of talcum powder, so positioned that although they could both reach the centre spot of the circle, they could not do so at the same time. Once each in the performance they stepped into the circle, leaving (in Alex's case) four perfect foot prints or (in Gillian's case) evidence of ten minutes of barefoot running on the spot. This was a shamanic performance obsessed with travel, return, cycles and distance – distance measured in miles, metres, footsteps, days, years. Ten years earlier, in Third Angel's Saved, Rachael Walton stepped backwards through a floor covering of epsom salts in a performance in which the audience were required to remove their shoes in order to feel the salt shift under their feet. Rachael left perfect footprints in the salt, before stepping back and erasing them. The Distance Between Us is a set of hand-drawn performance maps, born of a series of conversations between the artists, two and twelve years since they last performed the works. They discuss the physical and emotional memory it has left them with. Rachael revisits the solo task of walking backwards for anything up to 5 hours at a time, erasing traces of her passing. Alex and Gillian remember that they would would watch, not each other's faces as they travelled about the stage, but each other's feet. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article focuses on the exchange of correspondence between author Deirdre Heddon and artistic director Alexander Kelly during the creation of Third Angel's show "The Lad Lit Project." The exchange is referred to as a correspondence of interests and a shared focus on a project that was inspired by Lad Lit, or books by men that depict men's lives. The correspondence included research prompts from Kelly and responses from Heddon. The exchanges are said to have been used by Heddon to encourage Kelly to reflect on his autobiography.

Exploring the research, devising and writing processes of Third Angel's theatre piece The Lad Lit Project: a one-man show, devised and written by over 40 people. I asked men, 'What would you call the chapters in the unwritten book of your life story?' My friend Annie says, 'What I like about it most is that I can see the ghosts of the other men on stage - the men who aren't in it.' Recently I've been thinking about The Lad Lit Project as an act of ghostwriting. The Lad Lit Project isn't verbatim theatre. I retell other men's stories in my own words, to my own ends; casting the audience as the protagonist. They combine to create an (auto)biography made up of chapters from many men's lives; an overall narrative of life experiences that speaks to me. That speaks, I think, for me, somehow. I tell their stories, as your stories, in order to tell my own. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction/Purpose: Foot and ankle etiologies such as traumatic fractures, Charcot Arthropathy, nonunion after high risk arthrodesis and infectious debridement can result in critical sized bone defect (CSD). CSD is defined as bone loss greater than 1-2 cm in length or greater than 50% loss in circumference of bone. CSD remain a significant challenge in Orthopaedics. Custom 3D printed porous Titanium implants are currently being implemented when allograft is not an option. However, in a subset of cases, Titanium implants need to be removed due to infection or poor osseous integration where surrounding bone does not grow onto or through the scaffold. There is no one clear reason for poor osseous integration. This study explores effects of 3D printed topography on mechanical and biological properties. Methods: Titanium dog bones and discs were printed via laser powder bed fusion. Roughness groups were polished, blasted, as built, sprouts and rough sprouts. Roughness was measured with line measurement using a confocal microscope. To assess mechanical properties, tensile testing of samples from each roughness group produced stress strain curves. MC3T3 preosteoblast were seeded on discs. Samples were analyzed at 0, 2, and 4 weeks. A cell viability assay and confocal florescent microscopy assessed cell growth. Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) assay and Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR) examined cell differentiation. Extracellular matrix (ECM) was stained for collagen and calcium. Scanning Electron Microcopy (SEM) was done on sputter coated discs. Results: Rz, maximum peak to valley distance of the sample profile, for the polished, blasted, as built, sprouts and rough sprouts were 2.6, 22.6, 33.0, 41.4 and 65.1 µm respectively. The addition of printed roughness in the sprouts and rough sprouts group significantly diminished ductility resulting in early strain to failure during tensile testing. Cells adhered and proliferated on discs regardless of roughness group. There was no statically difference in ALP activity, but qPCR showed that rough groups (sprouts and rough sprouts) had diminished Osteocalcin gene expression at week 2 and 4. The ECM observed with SEM in the rough groups was more resistant to repeated washes and was more extensive compared to the less rough groups. Conclusion: The addition of 3D printed artificial roughness leads to inferior mechanical properties and confers no clear benefit regarding cellular proliferation. Printed topography increases the initiation of fractures resulting in diminished tensile strength and ductility. Concurrently, the resolution of LBF is not fine enough at this time to create surface features that enhance cell behavior. Therefore, data in this study suggest that artificially printing roughness is not an effective strategy to enhance osseous integration into Titanium implants for critical sized defects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The espin actin-bundling proteins, which are the target of deafness mutations, are present in the parallel actin bundles of stereocilia and microvilli and appear to increase their steady-state length. Here, we report a new activity of the espins, one that depends on their enigmatic WH2 domain: the ability to assemble a large actin bundle when targeted to a specific subcellular location. This activity was observed for wild-type espins targeted to the centrosome in transfected neuronal cells and for jerker espins targeted to the nucleolus in a wide variety of transfected cells as a result of the frameshifted peptide introduced into the espin C-terminus by the jerker deafness mutation. This activity, which appears specific to espins, requires two espin F-actin-binding sites and the actin-monomer-binding activity of the espin WH2 domain, but can be mimicked by adding a WH2 domain to an unrelated actin-bundling protein, villin. Espins do not activate the Arp2/3 complex in vitro, and bundle assembly is not indicative of in-vitro nucleation activity. Our results suggest a novel way to build actin bundles at specific sites in cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines whether heterozygous mutations in the p63 gene are the major cause of Hay-Wells syndrome, also known as ankyloblepharon-ectodermal dysplasia-clefting (AEC) syndrome. Amino acid substitutions in the sterile alpha motif domain; Effect of missense mutations on protein-protein interactions; Genotype-phenotype correlation between AEC and ectrodactyly-ectodermal dysplasia-cleft lip/palate syndrome.