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The article presents the author's views on Antony John Kunnan's research paper on Differential Item Functioning (DIF) in native language and gender groups in an ESL placement test. While the author admires the intention behind Kunnan's paper, he is also of the view that the fact that the statistical and subjective procedures for identifying DIF cannot be relied upon dilutes the significance of his conclusions. The author does not see anything inherently wrong with Kunnan's method of identifying biased items, which relies on selecting items which lie outside the 95% confidence interval, since all statistical tests of significance and hypothesis tests involve comparing data in order to known distributions and deducing the likelihood of those data occurring by chance alone. However, in the social sciences, if such results occurred by chance no more than 1 time out of 20, the results are considered to be significant. While no one can oppose eliminating test items which display DIF, Kunnan cannot be justified in drawing the conclusions about the sources of DIF in the Los Angeles, California-based University of California's ESL placement examination.

Meningiomas are the most common primary intracranial tumor. They are developed at the expense of the dura, with an overall incidence which has increased over the past decade. To date, there is no published specific guideline about meningiomas target volume. No prospective study has defined a consensus for delineation in meningiomas' radiotherapy. Therefore, target volume definition is mainly based on retrospective studies, with a heterogeneous population of patients. The aim of this paper is to describe delineation guidelines for meningiomas' radiotherapy as an adjuvant or definitive treatment with Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) and stereotactic radiation therapy (SRT) techniques. This guideline is based on a consensus endorsed by a global multidisciplinary group of brain tumor experts' member of the ANOCEF (French neuro-oncology association). A two round modified Delphi consensus was achieved, and the consensus was adopted by the RAND/UCLA method. The third round was carried out in videoconference, in order to allow experts to debate and argue on remaining uncertain proposals. Twenty experts from 17 radiotherapy center participated. After 3 rounds, all the proposals resulted in a consensus. The ANOCEF guideline committee proposed to perform an unenhanced planning CT scan, merged with a post-contrast MRI obtained at the time of radiotherapy and preoperative MRI in case of adjuvant treatment. GTV is defined by T1 contrast-enhancing lesion, thickened meninges, and directly invaded bone. For IMRT, the CTV include: Grade I: No margin around the GTV. Grade II: Margin of 5mm to expand GTV in normal brain tissue, hyperostosis, along the unthickened meninges and venous sinuses if the GTV is coming into contact. Grade III: Margin of 10mm to expand GTV in normal brain tissue, hyperostosis, along the unthickened meninges, and optic or cranial nerves in contact with GTV. In case of bone invasion , a margin of 5 or 10mm in the healthy bone around the GTV is recommended, for grade II or III respectively. Otherwise, it is considered as an anatomical barrier and does not need to be included in the target volume. In case of post-operative radiotherapy , no additional margin is required for CTV for grade I around tumor bed. A 5 and 10mm margin is required for grade II and III. The cranial flap should only be included in the CTV only over 5 or 10mm for grades II or III, in case of initially invaded bone. The drill holes and osteotomy areas should be included if they come into contact with target volume. SRT is not recommended for grades II and III, excluding relapse situation. CTV corresponds to GTV without additional margin. The current consensus provides a detailed delineation guideline for meningioma, suggesting smaller margins than the major studies published to date. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The direction-of-arrivals (DOA) estimation with an unfolded coprime linear array (UCLA) has been investigated because of its large aperture and full degrees of freedom (DOFs). The existing method suffers from low resolution and high computational complexity due to the loss of the uniform property and the step of exhaustive peak searching. In this paper, an improved DOA estimation method for a UCLA is proposed. To exploit the uniform property of the subarrays, the diagonal elements of the two self-covariance matrices are averaged to enhance the accuracy of the estimated covariance matrices and therefore the estimation performance. Besides, instead of the exhaustive peak searching, the polynomial roots finding method is used to reduce the complexity. Compared with the existing method, the proposed method can achieve higher resolution and better estimation performance with lower computational complexity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the combination of University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles County Museum of Art, instrumentation manufacturer Renishaw and Cotsen Institute of Archaeology to authored the paper "New Advancements in SERS Dye Detection Using Interfaced SEM and Raman Spectromicroscopy (µRS)." It provides the statement of lead author Sergey V. Prikhodko on the use of raman spectromicroscopy as analytical technique for studying archaeological materials.

Humoral immune response is important in fighting pathogens by the production of specific antibodies by B cells. In germinal centers, T follicular helper (TFH) cells provide important help to B-cell antibody production but also contribute to HIV persistence. T follicular regulatory (TFR) cells, which inhibit the function of TFH cells, express similar surface markers. Since FOXP3 is the only marker that distinguishes TFR from TFH cells it is unknown whether the increase in TFH cells observed in HIV infection and HIV persistence may be partly due to an increase in TFR cells. Using multicolor flow cytometry to detect TFH and TFR cells in cryopreserved peripheral blood mononuclear cells from HIV-infected and non-infected participants in the UCLA Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS), we identified CD3+CXCR5+CD4+CD8−BCL6+ peripheral blood TFH (pTFH) cells and CD3+CXCR5+CD4+CD8−FOXP3+ peripheral blood TFR (pTFR) cells. Unlike TFR cells in germinal centers, pTFR cells do not express B cell lymphoma 6 (BCL6), a TFH cell master transcriptional regulator. Our major findings are that the frequency of pTFH cells, but not pTFR cells was higher in HIV-infected participants of the MACS and that pTFH cells expressed less CCR5 in HIV-infected MACS participants. Constitutive expression of CCR5 in TFR cells supports their potential to contribute to HIV persistence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Gerais: Revista Interinstitucional de Psicologia is the property of Gerais: Revista Interinstitucional de Psicologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background and Objectives: At present, there is no consensus definition of mild-to-moderate disease activity in patients with ulcerative colitis. The objective of the present study was to establish a reliable definition of mild-to-moderate disease activity in adult patients with ulcerative colitis. Materials and Methods: Twelve physicians from around the world participated in a virtual consensus meeting on 26 September 2022. All the physicians had expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. After a systematic review of the literature and expert opinion, a modified version of the RAND/University of California, Los Angeles appropriateness method was applied. A total of 49 statements were identified and then anonymously rated (on a 9-point scale) as being appropriate (scores of 7 to 9), uncertain (4 to 6) or inappropriate (1 to 3). The survey results were reviewed and amended before a second round of voting. Results: Symptom and endoscopic-based measurements are of prime importance for assessing mild-to-moderate ulcerative colitis activity in clinical trials. The experts considered that clinical activity should be assessed in terms of stool frequency, rectal bleeding and fecal urgency, whereas endoscopic activity should be evaluated with regard to the vascular pattern, bleeding, erosions and ulcers. Fecal calprotectin was considered to be a suitable disease activity marker in mild-to-moderate ulcerative colitis. Lastly, mild-to-moderate ulcerative colitis should not have more than a small impact on the patient's daily activities. Conclusions: The present recommendations constitute a standardized framework for defining mild-to-moderate disease activity in clinical trials in the field of ulcerative colitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Total hip arthroplasty (THA) in patients with small or unusual proximal femoral anatomy is challenging due to sizing issues, control of version, and implant fixation. The Wagner Cone is a monoblock, fluted, tapered stem with successful outcomes for these patients; however, there is limited information on subsidence, a common finding with cementless stems. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed our cases using the modified Wagner Cone (Zimmer, Warsaw, IN) implanted over a 13-year period (2006–2019) in patients with small or abnormal proximal femoral anatomy. We performed 144 primary THAs in 114 patients using this prosthesis. Mean follow-up was 4.5 ± 3.4 years (range, 1–13 years). Common reasons for implantation were hip dysplasia (52%) and osteoarthritis in patients with small femoral proportions (22%). Analysis of outcomes included assessment of stem subsidence and stability. Results: Survival was 98.6% in aseptic cases; revision-free survival was 97.9%. Femoral subsidence occurred in 84 cases (58%). No subsidence progressed after 3 months. Of those that subsided, the mean distance was 2.8 ± 2.0 mm. There was less subsidence in stems that stabilized prior to six weeks (2.2 ± 1.4 mm) compared to those that continued until 12 weeks (3.9 ± 1.6, p = 0.02). Harris Hip, UCLA, and WOMAC scores significantly improved from pre-operative evaluation (p < 0.001*, p < 0.003*, p ≪ 0.001*); there was no difference in outcome between patients with and without subsidence (p = 0.430, p = 0.228, p = 0.147). Conclusion: The modified Wagner Cone demonstrates excellent clinical outcomes in patients with challenging proximal femoral anatomy. Subsidence is minor, stops by 3 months, and does not compromise clinical outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study has two main objectives. First, to analyze the differences between adolescents with visual impairments and those without visual impairments in terms of peer attachment, loneliness, self-esteem, and wellbeing. Secondly, to investigate the relationships between these variables among adolescents, starting from the premise that peer attachment is negatively associated with loneliness, which in turn is negatively associated with well-being. At the same time, self-esteem moderates the relationship between peer attachment and well-being. A number of 80 adolescents participated in the study, of which 40 with visual impairments and 40 without visual impairments, aged between 17 and 18 years, M = 17.58, SD = .50. The instruments used were Index of Parents and Peers Attachment, UCLA Loneliness Scale, Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale, and Oxford Happiness Questionnaire. The results showed that, unlike adolescents without visual impairments, those with visual impairments report lower levels of peer attachment, self-esteem and well-being, and higher levels of loneliness. Loneliness also mediates the relationship between peer trust/peer alienation and well-being, and self-esteem moderates the relationship between peer communication and well-being. Possible ways of increasing self-esteem and well-being among adolescents with visual impairments, as well as reducing feeling of loneliness, are discussed. At the same time, intervention models are proposed to improve the well-being of adolescents by implementing psychoeducational programs to increase the level of socialization, alleviate loneliness and increase self-esteem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In 2020, the French Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society (SFSEP) decided to develop a national evidence-based consensus on pregnancy in MS. As neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) shares a series of commonalities with MS, but also some significant differences, specific recommendations had to be developed. Objectives: To establish recommendations on pregnancy in women with NMOSD. Methods: The French Group for Recommendations in Multiple Sclerosis (France4MS) reviewed PubMed and universities databases (January 1975 through June 2021). The RAND/UCLA appropriateness method, which was developed to synthesise the scientific literature and expert opinions on health care topics, was used to reach a formal agreement. Fifty-six MS experts worked on the full-text review and initial wording of recommendations. A sub-group of nine NMOSD experts was dedicated to analysing available data on NMOSD. A group of 62 multidisciplinary healthcare specialists validated the final proposal of summarised evidence. Results: A strong agreement was reached for all 66 proposed recommendations. They cover diverse topics, such as pregnancy planning, follow-up during pregnancy and postpartum, delivery routes, loco-regional analgesia or anaesthesia, prevention of postpartum relapses, breastfeeding, vaccinations, reproductive assistance, management of relapses, and disease-modifying treatments. Conclusion: Physicians and patients should be aware of the new and specific evidence-based recommendations of the French MS Society for pregnancy in women with NMOSD. They should help harmonise counselling and treatment practise, allowing for better individualised choices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The objective of this study was to develop evidence-based recommendations on pregnancy management for persons with multiple sclerosis (MS). Background: MS typically affects young women in their childbearing years. Increasing evidence is available to inform questions raised by MS patients and health professionals about pregnancy issues. Methods: The French Group for Recommendations in Multiple Sclerosis (France4MS) reviewed PubMed and university databases (January 1975 through June 2021). The RAND/UCLA appropriateness method was developed to synthesise the scientific literature and expert opinions on healthcare topics; it was used to reach a formal agreement. Fifty-six MS experts worked on the full-text review and initial wording of recommendations. A group of 62 multidisciplinary healthcare specialists validated the final proposal of summarised evidence. Results: A strong agreement was reached for all 104 proposed recommendations. They cover diverse topics, such as pregnancy planning, follow-up during pregnancy and postpartum, delivery routes, locoregional analgesia or anaesthesia, prevention of postpartum relapses, breastfeeding, vaccinations, reproductive assistance, management of relapses and disease-modifying treatments. Conclusion: The 2022 recommendations of the French MS society should be helpful to harmonise counselling and treatment practice for pregnancy in persons with MS, allowing for better and individualised choices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: High levels of loneliness are associated with negative health outcomes and there are several different types of interventions targeted at reducing feelings of loneliness. It is therefore important to accurately measure loneliness. A key unresolved debate in the conceptualisation and measurement of loneliness is whether it has a unidimensional or multidimensional structure. The aim of this study was to examine the dimensional structure of the widely used UCLA Loneliness Scale and establish whether this factorial structure is equivalent in men and women. Methods and sample: Two online UK-based samples were recruited using Prolific. The participants in Study 1 were 492 adults, selected to be nationally representative by age and gender, whilst the participants in Study 2 were 290 older adults aged over 64. In both studies, participants completed the UCLA Loneliness Scale (Version 3) as part of a larger project. Results: In both studies, the best fitting model was one with three factors corresponding to 'Isolation,' 'Relational Connectedness,' and 'Collective Connectedness.' A unidimensional single factor model was a substantially worse fit in both studies. In both studies, there were no meaningful differences between men and women in any of the three factors, suggesting measurement invariance across genders. Conclusion: These results are consistent with previous research in supporting a multidimensional, three factor structure to the UCLA scale, rather than a unidimensional structure. Further, the measurement invariance across genders suggests that the UCLA scale can be used to compare levels of loneliness across men and women. Overall the results suggest that loneliness has different facets and thus future research should consider treating the UCLA loneliness scale as a multidimensional scale, or using other scales which are designed to measure the different aspects of loneliness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poor sleep is a long-term public health issue that has become increasingly prevalent among socially isolated older adults. However, research on the mechanisms explaining the link between social isolation and impaired sleep (IS) remains limited, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. This study explored the serial mediating effects of loneliness and mental distress on the association of social isolation with IS among Ghanaian older adults. We analyzed data from 1201 adults aged ≥ 50 from Ghana's AgeHeaPsyWel–HeaSeeB study (mean age = 66.14, SD = 11.85, age range = 50–111; women = 63.28%). Measures included the UCLA 3-item Loneliness Scale, modified Berkman–Syme Social Network Index, Sleep Quality Scale, and Mental Distress Questionnaire. We used bootstrapping techniques from Hayes' PROCESS macro program to estimate the hypothesized serial mediation. Social isolation was significantly associated with IS (β = 0.242, p < 0.001). Crucially, social isolation indirectly predicted IS via three significant mediating pathways. Loneliness accounted for 17.6% (β = 0.054, CI = 0.096, 0.016), mental distress accounted for 6.5% (β = 0.020, 95% CI = 0.004, 0.040), and loneliness and mental distress accounted for 32.2% (β = 0.099, 95% CI = 0.065, 0.138) of the overall effect. The total mediating effect was 56.4%. These findings suggest that the social isolation-sleep link is respectively and serially explained by loneliness and mental distress. Social integrative interventions for sleep quality in old age should target mental and emotional well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Psychosocial health problems, such as social isolation, loneliness, depression and anxiety, have gained attention during the COVID-19 pandemic and are commonly co-occurring. We investigated the network of psychosocial health constructs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This study included 4553 participants (mean age: 68.6 ± 11.2 years, 56% women) from the prospective Rotterdam Study, who filled out a questionnaire between April and July 2020, the time of the first COVID-19 wave in the Netherlands. Psychosocial health constructs included were depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale), anxiety symptoms (Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale), loneliness (University of California, Los Angeles loneliness scale), social connectedness (five items) and pandemic-related worry (five items). We estimated mixed graphical models to assess the network of items of these constructs and whether age and sex affected the network structure. Results: Within the network of psychosocial constructs, a higher depressive symptoms score was particularly associated with items of loneliness and social connectedness, whereas overall anxiety was particularly associated with items of pandemic-related worry. Between people from different sex and age, the network structure significantly altered. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that within the same network of psychosocial health constructs, depressive symptom score is particularly associated with loneliness and social connectedness, whereas anxiety symptom score is associated with pandemic-related worry during the first COVID-19 lockdown. Our results support that psychosocial constructs should be considered in conjunction with one another in prevention and treatment efforts in clinical care, and that these efforts need to be tailored to specific demographic groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high-speed laser absorption technique is employed to resolve spectral transitions of CO 2 in the mid-infrared at MHz rates to infer non-equilibrium populations/temperatures of translation, rotation and vibration in shock-heated CO 2 - Ar mixtures. An interband cascade laser (DFB-ICL) resolves 4 transitions within the CO 2 asymmetric stretch fundamental bands (Δ v 3 = 1) near 4.19 μ m . The sensor probes a wide range of rotational energies as well as two vibrational states (00 0 0 and 01 1 0). The sensor is demonstrated on the UCLA high enthalpy shock tube, targeting temperatures between 1250 and 3100 K and sub-atmospheric pressures (up to 0.2 atm). The sensor is sensitive to multiple temperatures over a wide range of conditions relevant to Mars entry radiation. Vibrational relaxation times are resolved and compared to existing models of thermal non-equilibrium. Select conditions highlight the shortcomings of modeling CO 2 non-equilibrium with a single vibrational temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Large medical centers in urban areas, like Los Angeles, care for a diverse patient population and offer the potential to study the interplay between genetic ancestry and social determinants of health. Here, we explore the implications of genetic ancestry within the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) ATLAS Community Health Initiative—an ancestrally diverse biobank of genomic data linked with de-identified electronic health records (EHRs) of UCLA Health patients (N=36,736). Methods: We quantify the extensive continental and subcontinental genetic diversity within the ATLAS data through principal component analysis, identity-by-descent, and genetic admixture. We assess the relationship between genetically inferred ancestry (GIA) and >1500 EHR-derived phenotypes (phecodes). Finally, we demonstrate the utility of genetic data linked with EHR to perform ancestry-specific and multi-ancestry genome and phenome-wide scans across a broad set of disease phenotypes. Results: We identify 5 continental-scale GIA clusters including European American (EA), African American (AA), Hispanic Latino American (HL), South Asian American (SAA) and East Asian American (EAA) individuals and 7 subcontinental GIA clusters within the EAA GIA corresponding to Chinese American, Vietnamese American, and Japanese American individuals. Although we broadly find that self-identified race/ethnicity (SIRE) is highly correlated with GIA, we still observe marked differences between the two, emphasizing that the populations defined by these two criteria are not analogous. We find a total of 259 significant associations between continental GIA and phecodes even after accounting for individuals' SIRE, demonstrating that for some phenotypes, GIA provides information not already captured by SIRE. GWAS identifies significant associations for liver disease in the 22q13.31 locus across the HL and EAA GIA groups (HL p-value=2.32×10−16, EAA p-value=6.73×10−11). A subsequent PheWAS at the top SNP reveals significant associations with neurologic and neoplastic phenotypes specifically within the HL GIA group. Conclusions: Overall, our results explore the interplay between SIRE and GIA within a disease context and underscore the utility of studying the genomes of diverse individuals through biobank-scale genotyping linked with EHR-based phenotyping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, wearable technology is present in different fields that aim to satisfy our needs in daily life, including the improvement of our health in general, the monitoring of patient health, ensuring the safety of people in the workplace or supporting athlete training. The objective of this bibliometric analysis is to examine and map the scientific advances in wearable technologies in healthcare, as well as to identify future challenges within this field and put forward some proposals to address them. In order to achieve this objective, a search of the most recent related literature was carried out in the Scopus database. Our results show that the research can be divided into two periods: before 2013, it focused on design and development of sensors and wearable systems from an engineering perspective and, since 2013, it has focused on the application of this technology to monitoring health and well-being in general, and in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals wherever feasible. Our results reveal that the United States has been the country with the highest publication rates, with 208 articles (34.7%). The University of California, Los Angeles, is the institution with the most studies on this topic, 19 (3.1%). Sensors journal (Switzerland) is the platform with the most studies on the subject, 51 (8.5%), and has one of the highest citation rates, 1461. We put forward an analysis of keywords and, more specifically, a pennant chart to illustrate the trends in this field of research, prioritizing the area of data collection through wearable sensors, smart clothing and other forms of discrete collection of physiological data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article establishes a very important part of the transmission line (TL) design of the novel 6 MeV compact particle accelerator. Practically, the entire new array of particle accelerators has been designed and is in the final stages of construction at the Ariel University. Except for a novel hybrid photo-cathode electron gun, which has been developed and built in University of California, Los Angeles's Laboratory, it was commissioned at The Schlesinger Family Center for Compact Accelerators, Radiation Sources and Applications (free electron laser) as a part of an ongoing collaboration between the two universities. In this work, we have built a complete simulator for the analysis and propagation of terahertz pulses through the TL, which meets our specific requirements with a high level of flexibility. To simulate the propagation of an output wave packet of the source through the TL quasi-optical system, the original wave packet is decomposed in terms of free-space Hermite–Gaussian basis while the following transformations of the wave packet is described by the transfer matrices technique. Total radiation losses and spectral properties of the TL transfer are analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To systematically identify and compare the performance of prognostic models providing estimates of survival or recurrence of localized renal cell cancer (RCC) in patients treated with surgery with curative intent. Materials and Methods: We performed a systematic review (PROSPERO CRD42019162349). We searched Medline, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library from 1 January 2000 to 12 December 2019 to identify studies reporting the performance of one or more prognostic model(s) that predict recurrence‐free survival (RFS), cancer‐specific survival (CSS) or overall survival (OS) in patients who have undergone surgical resection for localized RCC. For each outcome we summarized the discrimination of each model using the C‐statistic and performed multivariate random‐effects meta‐analysis of the logit transformed C‐statistic to rank the models. Results: Of a total of 13 549 articles, 57 included data on the performance of 22 models in external populations. C‐statistics ranged from 0.59 to 0.90. Several risk models were assessed in two or more external populations and had similarly high discriminative performance. For RFS, these were the Sorbellini, Karakiewicz, Leibovich and Kattan models, with the UCLA Integrated Staging System model also having similar performance in European/US populations. All had C‐statistics ≥0.75 in at least half of the validations. For CSS, they the models with the highest discriminative performance in two or more external validation studies were the Zisman, Stage, Size, Grade and Necrosis (SSIGN), Karakiewicz, Leibovich and Sorbellini models (C‐statistic ≥0.80 in at least half of the validations), and for OS they were the Leibovich, Karakiewicz, Sorbellini and SSIGN models. For all outcomes, the models based on clinical features at presentation alone (Cindolo and Yaycioglu) had consistently lower discrimination. Estimates of model calibration were only infrequently included but most underestimated survival. Conclusion: Several models had good discriminative ability, with there being no single 'best' model. The choice from these models for each setting should be informed by both the comparative performance and availability of factors included in the models. All would need recalibration if used to provide absolute survival estimates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A personal narrative is presented which explores the author's experience of helping organizing the Maquet Memorial Colloquium held at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Anthropology Department Reading Room on May 31, 2014 in honor of anthropologist and UCLA professor Jacques Maquet.

Background: Glenoid wear is a common complication of anatomical total shoulder arthroplasty (aTSA) with a metal-backed glenoid (MBG), and the clinical and radiological results of historical implants are poor. The aim of this work was to evaluate the clinical and radiological results of 25 participants as well as the longevity after implantation of an anatomic shoulder prosthesis with a recent, modular cementless flat metal-backed glenoid component after a mean follow-up of 5.7 years. Methods: Clinically, the Simple Shoulder Test (SST), UCLA Activity Score (UCLA), and Constant Murley Score (CMS) were evaluated. Radiographically, the radiolucent lines (RLs), humeral head migration (HHM), and lateral glenohumeral offset (LGHO) were assessed. Survival was calculated with Kaplan–Meier curves and life-table analysis. Results: The mean CMS at follow-up was 46.2 points (range: 14–77; SD: 19.5). In terms of the SST score, the average value was 6.5 points (range: 1–10; SD: 3.5). The UCLA activity score showed a mean value of 5.9 points (range: 1–9; SD: 2.1). There were 17 revisions after a mean follow-up of 68.2 months (range: 1.8–119.6; SD: 27.9). HHM occurred in every patient, with a mean measurement of 6.4 mm (range: 0.5–13.4; SD: 3.9; p < 0.0001). The mean LGHO between the initial postoperative and follow-up images was 2.6 mm (range: 0–4.0; SD: 1.5; p < 0.0001). RLs were found in 22 patients (88%) around the glenoid and in 21 patients (84%) around the humeral head prosthesis. Conclusion: The clinical and radiographic outcomes after metal-backed glenoids were poor at 2.2 to 8.4 years of follow-up. We determined devastating survival in the majority of cases (68%), with mostly inlay wear (71%) as the main reason that led to revision surgery. The use of metalback genoids cannot be recommended based on the data of this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Edited by James McWilliams, University of California, Los Angeles, CA; received April 19, 2022; accepted September 3, 2022 The expansive gyres of the subtropical ocean account for a significant fraction of global organic carbon export fromthe upper ocean. In the gyre interior, verticalmixing and the heaving of nutrient-rich waters into the euphotic layer sustain local productivity, in turn depleting the layers below. However, the nutrient pathways by which these subeuphotic layers are themselves replenished remain unclear. Using a global, eddy-permitting simulation of ocean physics and biogeochemistry, we quantify nutrient resupplymechanisms along and across density surfaces, including the contribution of eddy-scale motions that are challenging to observe. We find that mesoscale eddies (10 to 100 km) flux nutrients from the shallow flanks of the gyre into the recirculating interior, through time-varying motions along density surfaces. The subeuphotic layers are ultimately replenished in approximately equal contributions by this mesoscale eddy transport and the remineralization of sinking particles.Themesoscale eddy resupply ismost important in the lower thermocline for the whole subtropical region but is dominant at all depths within the gyre interior. Subtropical gyre productivity may therefore be sustained by a nutrient relay, where the lateral transport resupplies nutrients to the thermocline and allows vertical exchanges to maintain surface biological production and carbon export. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, suspensions of activities and long periods of self-isolation led to a sharp increase in excessive use of mobile phones, which sparked public concern about mobile phone addiction (MPA). In recent years, more and more attention has been paid to physical exercise as a protective effect of MPA. However, more studies are needed to reveal this relationship and the exact mechanisms, based on which this study tested the mediating and moderating roles of self-control, rumination, psychological distress, and loneliness between physical exercise and MPA. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, primary data was collected by questionnaire from 1,843 college students (19.75 ± 1.3) from five universities in Sichuan Province in Mainland China. Mobile Phone Addiction Tendency Scale (MPATS), Physical Activity Rating Scale-3 (PARS-3), Self-Control Scale (SCS), Ruminative Response Scale (RRS), Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS- 21), and UCLA Loneliness Scale (UCLA-20) were investigated. The mediating models were examined using SPSS PROCESS macro 3.3 software, in which the mediation variables were self-control, rumination, and psychological distress, and the moderation was loneliness. Gender, major, and grade were included as control variables. Result: Self-control, rumination, and psychological distress played a simple mediating role between physical exercise and MPA. Moreover, not only selfcontrol and rumination but also self-control and psychological distress played the chain mediating roles between physical exercise and MPA. The chain pathways were moderated by loneliness. Specifically, the effect was more substantial among college students with higher loneliness. Conclusion: The conclusions corroborate and clarify that self-control, rumination, and psychological distress mediated the association between physical exercise and MPA, and the mediation effects were moderated via loneliness. This present study advanced our understanding of how and when college students' physical exercise was related to MPA. It also illustrates that educators and parents should pay more attention to college students' physical exercise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The consequences of social isolation and loneliness on health and well-being in old age are increasingly being acknowledged. In this study, we examined how older patients perceive their social relationships and loneliness and explored family physicians' awareness of these issues. Materials and Methods: This descriptive study evaluated social relations and the loneliness of older patients using the UCLA loneliness scale (UCLALS), the Nottingham Health Profile Social Isolation (NHP-SI) subscale, and a social relations questionnaire. The responses of these patients to loneliness and being socially active were compared with the reactions of family physicians to the same topics. Results: Five family physicians and 200 older patients participated in this study. According to the patients' education levels and economic status, both scales exhibited significant differences. A significant correlation was found between chronic disease and UCLA loneliness on the scale, while a significant difference was found in the social isolation subscale according to those who lived with. Moreover, the family physicians clearly understood the relationship between living alone and their economic status. Conclusion: This study revealed that the social isolation of older patients was affected by their education level, economic status, and who they lived with. It was also found that loneliness was affected by education level, financial situation, chronic disease, and disability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many studies have documented the close association that exists between interparental conflicts and the symptomatology of online game addiction. However, the underlying mechanism that drives this association has not been fully investigated. This cross-sectional study explores the effect of interparental conflicts on online game addiction symptomatology in adolescents, focusing on the mediating effects of the parent-adolescent relationship and of adolescent loneliness. A total of 553 middle school students completed a questionnaire that included: a perception of interparental conflict scale, a level of closeness to parents scale, a short UCLA Loneliness scale, and an online game addiction symptomatology scale. Results showed that interparental conflicts, parent-adolescent relations, and adolescent loneliness are all significantly related to online game addiction symptomatology in adolescents. Structural equation modeling results indicate that the effects of interparental conflicts on adolescent online game addiction symptomatology are partially mediated by the parent-adolescent relationship and by adolescent loneliness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Due to the pandemic, individuals with ADHD have been facing noticeable challenges in their daily life. Prolonged quarantine and isolation may contribute to higher affective and PTSD symptoms among college students with ADHD. Aims: The study aimed to explore the impact of COVID-19 on affective symptoms such as depression, anxiety, stress, along with loneliness and post-traumatic stress on college students at risk for ADHD in Greece during the second COVID-19 lockdown in November 2020. Methods: A sample of 362 students completed an online survey consisting of demographic questions and four instruments: the ADHD Self-Report Scale-V1.1 (ASRS-V1.1), the DASS-21, the UCLA Loneliness Scale, and the PTSD checklist (PCL-5). Results: Over 18% of the students met the criteria for being at risk of ADHD, which is higher than in other studies conducted prior to the pandemic. Students at risk for ADHD reported significantly higher (p < .05) mean scores on all scales: depression, anxiety, stress, loneliness, and posttraumatic stress. A model to predict at-risk ADHD diagnosis indicated those who presented symptoms of depression, had low GPA, who were employed, were 46% more likely to struggle with ADHD. Conclusions: This study indicates that the pandemic may have adversely affected individuals at risk for ADHD. Recommendations for further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We carried out a closure study of aerosol–cloud interactions during stratocumulus formation using a large eddy simulation model UCLALES–SALSA (University of California Los Angeles large eddy simulation model–sectional aerosol module for large applications) and observations from the 2020 cloud sampling campaign at Puijo SMEAR IV (Station for Measuring Ecosystem–Atmosphere Relations) in Kuopio, Finland. The unique observational setup combining in situ and cloud remote sensing measurements allowed a closer look into the aerosol size–composition dependence of droplet activation and droplet growth in turbulent boundary layer driven by surface forcing and radiative cooling. UCLALES–SALSA uses spectral bin microphysics for aerosols and hydrometeors, and incorporates a full description of their interactions into the turbulent-convective radiation-dynamical model of stratocumulus. Based on our results, the model successfully described the probability distribution of updraught velocities and consequently the size dependency of aerosol activation into cloud droplets, and further recreated the size distributions for both interstitial aerosol and cloud droplets. This is the first time such a detailed closure is achieved not only accounting for activation of cloud droplets in different updraughts, but also accounting for processes evaporating droplets and drizzle production through coagulation–coalescence. We studied two cases of cloud formation, one diurnal (24 September 2020) and one nocturnal (31 October 2020), with high and low aerosol loadings, respectively. Aerosol number concentrations differ more than 1 order of magnitude between cases and therefore, lead to cloud droplet number concentration (CDNC) values which range from less than 100 cm-3 up to 1000 cm-3. Different aerosol loadings affected supersaturation at the cloud base, and thus the size of aerosol particles activating to cloud droplets. Due to higher CDNC, the mean size of cloud droplets in the diurnal high aerosol case was lower. Thus, droplet evaporation in downdraughts affected more the observed CDNC at Puijo altitude compared to the low aerosol case. In addition, in the low aerosol case, the presence of large aerosol particles in the accumulation mode played a significant role in the droplet spectrum evolution as it promoted the drizzle formation through collision and coalescence processes. Also, during the event, the formation of ice particles was observed due to subzero temperature at the cloud top. Although the modelled number concentration of ice hydrometeors was too low to be directly measured, the retrieval of hydrometeor sedimentation velocities with cloud radar allowed us to assess the realism of modelled ice particles. The studied cases are presented in detail and can be further used by the cloud modellers to test and validate their models in a well-characterized modelling setup. We also provide recommendations on how increasing amount of information on aerosol properties could improve the understanding of processes affecting cloud droplet number and liquid water content in stratiform clouds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted many aspects of our lives. Older adults, those with less income or fewer resources, and those living in rural parts of the United States are potentially more vulnerable. To understand the negative impact of COVID-19 on perceived food security, physical and mental health, and loneliness in a sample of older, rural, low-income adults in the United States, we use results from a mailed survey in which residents of four Indiana counties contrasted their status during the early period of the pandemic to their typical pre-pandemic status. We test for significant changes in status and what predicts negative impacts to food security, health, and loneliness. We asked respondents to report on both pre-pandemic and since-pandemic experiences in the instrument, which was administered after the pandemic had begun, in May 2020. We measure food security using the U.S. Household Food Security Survey Module (six-item short form; HFSSM), physical and mental health using the Centers for Disease Control's Healthy Days Measures (HRQOL-4), and loneliness using the UCLA Revised Loneliness Scale. A binomial test identified significant declines in status for all three measures. Logistic regressions identified factors associated with each of the measures worsening. Fear of going to the store or food pantry was associated with all three measures. Decreased store hours and closed food pantries were associated with lower food security. More education, fewer years of age, being female, decreased income, and stockpiling were associated with more reported days of poor physical or mental health. Fewer years of age, lack of transportation, and eating less often with others were associated with perceived increased loneliness. The pandemic had a negative impact on respondents' food security, unhealthy days, and loneliness, but different factors were associated with each measure for this population. Our findings provide insight for targeted recovery efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aims to investigate the prevalence of loneliness and its associated factors among older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh. This cross-sectional study was conducted in October 2020 among 1032 older Bangladeshi adults aged 60 years and above through telephone interviews. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect information on participants' characteristics and COVID-19-related information. Meanwhile, the level of loneliness was measured using a 3-item UCLA Loneliness scale. More than half (51.5%) of the older adults experienced loneliness. We found that participants formally schooled [adjusted odds ratio (aOR = 0.62, 95% CI 0.43–0.88)] and received COVID-19-related information from health workers (aOR = 0.33, 95% CI 0.22–0.49) had lower odds of being lonely during the pandemic. However, older adults living alone (aOR: 2.57, 95% CI 1.34–4.94), residing distant from a health facility (aOR = 1.46, 95% CI 1.02–2.08) and in rural areas (aOR = 1.53, 95% CI 1.02–2.23) had higher odds of loneliness than their counterparts. Likewise, odds of loneliness were higher among those overwhelmed by COVID-19 (aOR = 1.93, 95% CI 1.29–2.86), who faced difficulty in earning (aOR = 1.77, 95% CI 1.18–2.67) and receiving routine medical care during pandemic (aOR = 2.94, 95% CI 1.78–4.87), and those perceiving requiring additional care during the pandemic (aOR = 6.01, 95% CI 3.80–9.49). The findings suggest that policies and plans should be directed to reduce loneliness among older adults who require additional care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of online educational, social and cognitive presence on academic satisfaction through the mediation of loneliness in gifted female students of the second high school. The research method was correlation of the type path analysis. The population of this study included all the population of this study includes all female high school students of Farzanegan Secondary School who were studying in the academic year 2020-2021. The statistical sample size was determined based on the rules of thumb Kline equal to 170 female high school students, which was done by available sampling method and online questionnaire. The instruments used in this study were Community of Inquiry Framework (CIF), University of California Los Angeles Loneliness Scale (UCLA) and The Multidimensional Students' Life Satisfaction Scale (MSLSS). Data analysis was performed using path analysis statistical method and by the SPSS-22, and AMOS-24 software. Findings showed that after eliminating the direct path from educational presence to loneliness, the causal model of educational, social and cognitive attendance to students' academic satisfaction was confirmed through the mediating role of loneliness. According to the results of this study, the presence of a sense of presence had a significant effect on reducing students' feelings of loneliness, which can increase their academic satisfaction; Therefore, in online environments where non-verbal communication in face-to-face meetings is limited, the presence of instructors and learners is essential to prevent feelings of isolation and create a productive online learning environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the study was to identify possible mechanisms underlying the relationship between low self-esteem and excessive Internet use in a non-clinical sample of young adults. Basing on the theoretical framework and results of existing studies we hypothesized that the association between self-esteem and excessive Internet use will be serially mediated by the ability to initiate contact with others and sense of loneliness. The study sample consisted of 506 participants (60% women) aged between 18 and 35 years (mean = 19). The following questionnaires were administered: the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the UCLA Loneliness Scale, the Interpersonal Competence Questionnaire and the Excessive Internet Use Scale. The last measure was prepared by authors for the purpose of the study. Serial mediation analysis was conducted. In line with our hypotheses the link between low self-esteem and excessive Internet use was found to be sequentially mediated by the capability to initiate social contacts and chronic loneliness. Difficulty in engaging in social interaction leading to the sense of loneliness may explain the link between low self-esteem and excessive Internet use. These results may help to design early intervention programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Almost 80% of adolescents in the US have experienced a traumatic event, and approximately 7% have post-traumatic stress disorder. However, there is a lack of validated and feasible assessments for assessing traumatic stress symptoms in pediatric primary care, and traumatic stress symptoms are routinely unidentified. This study aimed to develop, pilot test, and assess the psychometric properties of the Adolescent Primary Care Traumatic Stress Screen (APCTSS), a five-item yes/no screener for post-traumatic stress symptoms in adolescents designed for use in pediatric primary care. Methods: The APCTSS was developed by pediatricians, psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers who all provide care to trauma-affected adolescent patients. The providers sought to create a developmentally appropriate tool that accurately reflected DSM-5 posttraumatic stress symptoms and that was feasible and acceptable for use in pediatric primary care. To develop the APCTSS, they combined and adapted the UCLA Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Reaction Index for DSM-5 with the adult Primary Care PTSD Screen for DSM-5. Next, 213 adolescent medicine patients were universally approached during routine clinic visits and 178 agreed to participate and were enrolled. The 178 patients were aged 13-22 (M=18.4, SD=2.3), 64.4% female; 62.1% Black or African-American, and 20.7% Hispanic/Latinx. Patients completed APCTSS, Patient Health Questionnaire for Adolescents (PHQ-A), and the Child PTSD Symptom Scale for DSM-5 Interview (CPSS-5-I), and 61 completed the Traumatic Events Screening Inventory for Children (TESI-C). Results: 56.7% reported a criterion A trauma, 30.1% met criteria for DSM-5 PTSD, 7.4% met criteria for subsyndromal PTSD symptoms, and 19.0% for post-event impairing symptoms. Validity and reliability testing indicated that the APCTSS was internally consistent, had good concurrent and discriminant validity, and demonstrated good sensitivity and specificity in identifying adolescents at high risk for post-trauma symptoms. Over half of patients (56.0%) who screened positive on the APCTSS (score ≥2) would not have been identified as having a mental health concern using the PHQ-A, including 60.8% of patients who had probable PTSD, subsyndromal PTSD, or post-event impairing symptoms. Conclusions: Many youth with trauma-related mental health symptoms are unidentified in pediatric primary care, which is a missed opportunity for early identification and may contribute to a host of poor outcomes. The development of an effective and feasible traumatic stress screening tool for youth primary care may improve early intervention, and the health and well-being of trauma affected youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are few studies estimating the loneliness of the Hakka elderly in China. This study aims to examine the loneliness status and related factors among the Hakka elderly in Fujian, China. The short-form UCLA Loneliness Scale (ULS-8) was used to assess the loneliness of the Hakka elderly. Factors associated with loneliness were classified as individual indicators, behavioral indicators, interpersonal indicators, and social indicators according to the health ecological model (HEM). Hierarchical linear regression models were established to identify the main factors that were most predictive of loneliness. A sample of 1,262 Hakka elderly people was included in this study. Females (β = 0.631, P=0.012), those with ≥2 chronic diseases (β = 1.340, P < 0.001), those who were currently living in rural areas (β = 4.863, P < 0.001) or suburban areas (β = 2.027, P < 0.001), those with parents both died (β = 0.886, P=0.001), and those with the Urban Employees Basic Medical Insurance (UEBMI; β = 0.852, P=0.030) obtained a higher score of ULS-8. Those exercised regularly (β = -2.494, P < 0.001), those had leisure activities (β = -1.937, P < 0.001), those ate healthy (β = -1.270, P < 0.001), and those with better self-rated financial status and higher education level received a lower score of ULS-8. There are differences in loneliness among different Hakka elderly population subgroups, and healthy behaviors and lifestyles may reduce the loneliness of the Hakka elderly. Relevant interventions should be implemented in a targeted manner, focusing on susceptible populations. This is most evident among those who were female, living in rural areas, with parents both died, with lower education, and with multiple chronic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The laminar coupling of energy between a laser-produced plasma and a background magnetized plasma was investigated via planar laser induced fluorescence diagnostic and magnetic flux probes. Experiments performed on the Large Plasma Device at the University of California, Los Angeles, mapped out the two-dimensional spatiotemporal evolution of the laser-plasma (debris) ion velocity distribution function (VDF) to assess debris-background coupling in a sub-Alfvénic regime. The acquisition of these data necessitates high repetition rate (1 Hz) as each dataset is the accumulation of thousands of laser shots, which would not be feasible in single-shot experiments. Fully kinetic, three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations are compared to the measured VDFs to provide a framework in which we can understand the coupling of a sub-Alfvénic plasma flow through a preformed, magnetized plasma. The simulations display the same departure from the expected gyromotion of the debris plasma as observed in the experimental data, and in conjunction with the measured magnetic field traces, have led to the direct observation of the collisionless coupling via laminar fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID‐19 pandemic has caused significant morbidity and mortality in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients. However, it remains unclear whether the risk factor for SOT patients is the immunosuppression inherent to transplantation versus patient comorbidities. Methods: We reviewed outcomes in a cohort of SOT (n = 129) and non‐SOT (NSOT) patients (n = 708) admitted to the University of California, Los Angeles for COVID‐19 infection. Data analyses utilized multivariate logistic regression to evaluate the impact of patient demographics, comorbidities, and transplant status on outcomes. SOT patients were analyzed by kidney SOT (KSOT) versus nonkidney SOT (NKSOT) groups. Results: SOT and NSOT patients with COVID‐19 infection differed in terms of patient age, ethnicity, and comorbidities. NKSOT patients were the most likely to experience death, with a mortality rate of 16.2% compared with 1.8% for KSOT and 8.3% for NSOT patients (p =.013). Multivariable analysis of hospitalized patients revealed that patient age (odds ratio [OR] 2.79, p =.001) and neurologic condition (OR 2.66, p <.001) were significantly associated with mortality. Analysis of ICU patients revealed a 2.98‐fold increased odds of death in NKSOT compared with NSOT patients (p =.013). Conclusions: This study demonstrates the importance of transplant status in predicting adverse clinical outcomes in patients hospitalized or admitted to the ICU with COVID‐19, especially for NKSOT patients. Transplant status and comorbidities, including age, could be used to risk stratify patients with COVID‐19. This data suggests that immunosuppression contributes to COVID‐19 disease severity and mortality and may have implications for managing immunosuppression, especially for critically ill patients admitted to the ICU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is associated with different comorbidities. To develop evidence-based and practical recommendations for comorbidity detection in patients with AD in daily practice. We employed a modified RAND/UCLA methodology, including a systematic literature review (SLR). A group of six experts on AD was established. We conducted a comprehensive search strategy on Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Library up to June 2020. The selection criteria included studies with AD patients with any comorbidity reporting data on comorbidity prevalence, burden, and management. The included studies quality was assessed. The SLR results were discussed in a nominal group meeting, and several recommendations were generated. The recommendation agreement grade was tested on additional experts through a Delphi process. The recommendations cover the following issues: (1) Which comorbidities should be investigated at the first and subsequent visits; (2) how and when should comorbidities be investigated (screening); (3) how should patients with specific comorbidities be referred to confirm their diagnosis and initiate management; (4) specific recommendations to ensure an integral care approach for AD patients with any comorbidity. These recommendations seek to guide dermatologists, patients, and other stakeholders in regard to early comorbidity identification and AD patient referral to improve decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Loneliness is a well‐established risk factor for suicide in young adults, but the mechanisms involved are still unclear. Drawing on the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide, the Evolutionary Model of Loneliness, and Prospect Theory, we examined if high and low levels of loneliness are associated with different patterns of response to losses or gains of belongingness. Methods: A sample of 188 students completed the UCLA‐Loneliness scale (version 3) and measures of suicide risk. Participants in the top and bottom tertiles of loneliness scores completed a computerized task designed to induce changes (gains, losses) or consistency in risk factors for suicide (belongingness, burdensomeness) over time, and examined the effect on desire to quit the task. Results: The results showed that the high loneliness group exhibited a larger magnitude of effect on desire to quit from gaining belongingness than for losing belongingness. In contrast, the low loneliness group showed a larger change in desire to quit from losing belongingness than gaining belongingness. Conclusion: The findings provide preliminary experimental support for distinct profiles of suicide risk based on prevailing levels of loneliness. The findings are discussed in relation to a need for increased precision in theoretical models of suicide and loneliness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study used hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) to investigate the differences in mobile game addiction tendencies among universities (i.e., double first-class universities, ordinary colleges and universities, and higher vocational colleges), and to examine the influencing factors of mobile game addiction tendency at the individual and university levels. The participants of this study were 4,024 college students who completed the Chinese Mobile Phone Game Addiction Scale, UCLA Loneliness Scale, and Positive and Negative Affect Scale. Loneliness (β = 0.052), positive emotions (β = -0.126), negative emotions (β = 0.232), and double first-class universities (γ = 0.368) significantly predicted mobile game addiction tendencies. A significant cross-level interaction between double first-class universities and other factors (i.e., positive emotions, negative emotions, and mobile game addiction) was observed. The novelty of this study is that it distinguishes the various effects of mobile phone addiction tendency at the individual and university levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Objective: To evaluate the postoperative efficacy and the clinical outcomes of arthroscopic modified double‐row biceps tenodesis versus labral repair. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in 56 patients with isolated type II superior labrum anterior and posterior (SLAP) lesions from March 2015 to November 2018. Thirty patients (male:female = 17:13) were treated with labral repair, and 26 patients (male:female = 15:11) were treated with modified double‐row biceps tenodesis. The average age of the labral repair group and the modified double‐row biceps tenodesis group were 42.8 ± 10.6 and 40.9 ± 10.2 years, respectively. Pre‐ and postoperative assessments with the visual analog scale (VAS), University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), and American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) scores were compared between the two treatment groups. Additional outcome measures included patient satisfaction, the time to return to previous activities, workers' compensation status, and postoperative complications. Results: At a 2‐year follow‐up, the tenodesis group showed significant differences in postoperative VAS (1.5 to 1.8, respectively; p = 0.008), patient satisfaction (92.3% vs. 46.7%, p < 0.001), and recovery time to return to their previous activities (6.8 ± 1.8 vs. 8.1 ± 1.5, p = 0.007) compared to the labral repair group; however, there was no significant difference in postoperative ASES and UCLA scores between the two groups. Additionally, one patient in the tenodesis group developed persistent postoperative stiffness, which was resolved by conservative treatment. In the labral repair group, two patients presented with persistent postoperative night pain, three developed persistent postoperative stiffness, and two required a subsequent capsular release. Conclusions: Compared with the labral repair group, the arthroscopic modified double‐row biceps tenodesis showed more encouraging postoperative pain reduction, earlier recovery to previous activities, and higher patient satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research efforts in the improvement of artificial neural networks have provided significant enhancements in learning ability, either through manual improvement by researchers or through automated design by other artificial intelligence techniques, and largely focusing on the architecture of the neural networks or the weight update equations used to optimize these architectures. However, a promising unexplored area involves extending the traditional definition of neural networks to allow a single neural network model to consist of multiple architectures, where one is a primary architecture and the others supplementary architectures. In order to use the information from all these architectures to possibly improve learning, weight update equations are customized per set-of-weights, and can each use the error of either the primary architecture or a supplementary architecture to update the values of that set-of-weights, with some necessary constraints to ensure valid updates. This concept was implemented and investigated. Grammatical evolution was used to make the complex architecture choices for each weight update equation, which succeeded in finding optimal choice combinations for classification and regression benchmark datasets, the KDD Cup 1999 intrusion detection dataset, and the UCLA graduate admission dataset. These optimal combinations were compared to traditional single-architecture neural networks, which they reliably outperformed at high confidence levels across all datasets. These optimal combinations were analysed using data mining tools, and this identified clear patterns, with the theoretical explanation provided as to how these patterns may be linked to optimality. The optimal combinations were shown to be competitive with state-of-the-art techniques on the same datasets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cases of rapidly destructive osteonecrosis (RDON) of the humeral head after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (RCR) have rarely been reported, which has prevented a clear consensus on the cause of osteonecrosis.Case Presentation: A 63-year-old woman without a history of trauma underwent arthroscopic RCR after being diagnosed with a medium-sized full-thickness rotator cuff tear for symptoms of left shoulder pain for six months. The patient had no medical history other than hypertension, and no other potential cause was found for osteonecrosis of the left shoulder prior to surgery. Four months after surgery, pain and range of motion improved. Six months after surgery, the patient complained of an increase in shoulder pain. While follow-up ultrasonography did not show a re-tear of the repaired tendon, osteonecrosis of the humeral head could not be confirmed as plain radiography was not performed. Follow up MRI performed a year after surgery revealed RDON of the humeral head. Despite mild improvement in the shoulder pain, the Shoulder Rating Scale of the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) and Constant score were poor at 23 and 69, respectively. In the present case, the arthroscopic RCR was performed using two anchors; for the repair of the anterior of the supraspinatus and the rotator interval, a 2.8-mm all-suture anchor was inserted into the upper part of the intertubercular groove. The cause of RDON is presumed to be the damage to the anterolateral and intraosseous branches of the anterior humeral circumflex artery (AHCA) for anchor positioning and insertion.Conclusions: A poor outcome was obtained in the case of RDON, despite the integrity of the repaired rotator cuff tendon after arthroscopic RCR was intact. Although the cause of RDON has not been clearly established, care should be taken not to damage the anterolateral and intraosseous branches of the AHCA regarding the insertion location of the suture anchor, and to prepare the anchor in the vicinity of the intertubercular groove. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the first Thomson scattering measurements of electron density and temperature in the Large Plasma Device (LAPD), a 22 m long magnetized linear plasma device at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). The diagnostic spectrally resolves the Doppler shift imparted on light from a frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser when scattered by plasma electrons. A fiber array coupled to a triple-grating spectrometer is used to obtain high stray light rejection and discriminate the faint scattering signal from a much larger background. In the center of the plasma column, the measured electron density and temperature are about n e ≈ 1.5 × 10 13 cm − 3 and T e ≈ 3 eV, respectively, depending on the discharge parameters and in good agreement with Langmuir probe data. Optical design considerations to maximize photon count while minimizing alignment sensitivity are discussed in detail and compared to numerical calculations. Raman scattering off of a quartz crystal probe is used for an absolute irradiance calibration of the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To examine the implementation of a community‐based clinical education (CBCE) program at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Dentistry (SOD) and the preliminary outcomes on dental students and affiliated clinics. Methods: A retrospective review was carried out of SOD CBCE program implementation and program data between March 2018 and June 2019 related to patient encounters, pre‐ and post‐rotation student self‐assessments, student exit surveys and surveys administered to faculty within affiliate clinics. Results: In five academic quarters, 133 students delivered care for 7556 patients and completed 12,467 procedures in underserved communities. Students reported increased confidence across 14 areas of self‐assessment. The percentage of students reporting future plans of working in public health clinics upon graduation increased from 6% to 19%. Affiliate clinic faculty indicated increased care delivery for underserved patients, appointment availability, and job satisfaction. Conclusions: The newly implemented UCLA SOD CBCE program preliminarily yielded immediate positive outcomes for SOD students and affiliate community clinics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recruiting, training and retaining scientists in computational biology is necessary to develop a workforce that can lead the quantitative biology revolution. Yet, African-American/Black, Hispanic/Latinx, Native Americans, and women are severely underrepresented in computational biosciences. We established the UCLA Bruins-in-Genomics Summer Research Program to provide training and research experiences in quantitative biology and bioinformatics to undergraduate students with an emphasis on students from backgrounds underrepresented in computational biology. Program assessment was based on number of applicants, alumni surveys and comparison of post-graduate educational choices for participants and a control group of students who were accepted but declined to participate. We hypothesized that participation in the Bruins-in-Genomics program would increase the likelihood that students would pursue post-graduate education in a related field. Our surveys revealed that 75% of Bruins-in-Genomics Summer participants were enrolled in graduate school. Logistic regression analysis revealed that women who participated in the program were significantly more likely to pursue a Ph.D. than a matched control group (group x woman interaction term of p = 0.005). The Bruins-in-Genomics Summer program represents an example of how a combined didactic-research program structure can make computational biology accessible to a wide range of undergraduates and increase participation in quantitative biosciences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate whether loneliness and personality traits correlate with the treatment outcome of methamphetamine use disorder. In this 1-year longitudinal study, a total 106 participants (98 males, 8 females), with a mean age 36.3 ± 9.6 years were enrolled. We measured UCLA Loneliness Scale and Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire at baseline, while craving level at baseline, week 12, 24, 36, and 48. Urinary methamphetamine tests were given 17 times. For the evaluation of the data, multiple linear regression and generalized linear mixed models were used. The baseline results showed lower levels of the harm avoidance trait and higher levels of loneliness were significantly associated with higher craving levels (p=0.04 and 0.04). Moreover, loneliness was not only positively associated with craving levels (B=0.05, p<0.01) but with urinary methamphetamine positive results (B= 0.08, p=0.03) during one-year treatment. The findings suggested that loneliness was associated with poor methamphetamine treatment outcome (greater craving levels and higher proportion of positive methamphetamine urine tests) and lower harm avoidance traits are associated with higher craving levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]