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Background: The majority of women who are pregnant with opioid use disorder (OUD) also smoke tobacco but are rarely offered tobacco cessation counseling. While the effects of exposure to opioids and nicotine in utero are well-understood separately, understanding the impact of the combined exposure to these substances on neonatal outcomes is lacking. Methods: A scoping review was conducted using PubMed and Scopus databases for studies addressing the combined exposure to opioids and nicotine during pregnancy published between 1 January 1980 and 9 July 2019. A total of 29 papers met the eligibility criteria for inclusion, with nine being identified as clinical trials (three from the MOTHER study) and two as secondary data analysis of clinical trial data. Results: Neonatal outcomes for infants who had a combined exposure to opioids and nicotine in utero indicated a reduction in birth weight and birth length. Findings in infants exposed to both nicotine and opioids were mixed with regard to the duration of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), the likelihood of treatment for NAS, doses of medicine used to treat NAS, and NAS scores when compared with infants who had opioid exposure without nicotine. Conclusions: The combined exposure to nicotine and opioids during pregnancy may lead to a reduction in neonatal birth weight and birth length and more severe NAS signs, compared with opioid use alone, but more research is necessary to identify the minimum dosage and length of nicotine exposure to accurately predict these outcomes.

The first stage of field experiments involving the design and construction of a low-power consumption ocean bottom electro-magnetometer (OBEM) has been completed. To improve the performance of the OBEM, we rigorously evaluated each of its units, e.g., the data loggers, acoustic parts, internal wirings, and magnetic and electric sensors, to eliminate unwanted events such as unrecovered or incomplete data. The evaluations of the procedure included the following. Data logger: digitizer sensitivity, linearity, and errors Acoustic transceiver: “ENABLE,” “DISABLE,” “RANGE,” “RELEASE1,” “RELEASE2,” and “OPTION1” functions Magnetic sensor: sensitivity of the fluxgate and orthogonality Electrical receiver: potential voltage, impedance, and frequency responses Power consumption: the maximum operating current of two sets of batteries Deployment and recovery procedures on deck We confirmed the optimal performance of the OBEM after repeatedly testing the procedures. The first offshore deployment of the OBEM together with ocean bottom seismographs (OBSs) was performed in NE Taiwan, where the water depth is approximately 1,400 m. The total intensity of the magnetic field (TMF) measured by the OBEM varied in the range of 44,100–44,150 nT, which corresponded to the proton magnetometer measurements. The daily variations of the magnetic field were recorded using the two horizontal components of the OBEM magnetic sensor. We found that the inclinations and magnetic data of the OBEM varied with two observed earthquakes when compared to the OBS data. The potential fields of the OBEM were slightly, but not obviously, affected by the earthquakes.

Background Although teen pregnancy rates decreased dramatically in the United States over the past decade, the rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among adolescents and young adults increased. STI rates disproportionately affect African American youth and young adults. Innovative, accessible, and culturally relevant sexual health interventions are urgently needed. Objective This study aimed to identify the optimal modality for a game-based sexual health intervention; develop the educational, entertainment, and technological aspects of the serious game; and demonstrate its usability and acceptance by the target population. Methods This project was grounded in formative data collection with community-based participatory research principles and practices combined with a user-centered design and development approach. Sexually Active Adolescent–Focused Education (SAAFE) was developed using input and feedback from African American youths aged 15 to 21 years who participated in a youth advisory board and focus group discussions to inform the co-design and cocreation of the serious game. The process was highly iterative with multiple sessions for user input following design changes. It proceeded in 3 stages. Social cognitive theory and problem-solving theory were leveraged to provide evidence-based, trauma-informed education through a serious game. Usability testing assessed the quality of user experience with the prototype. Results Across all 3 stages, a total of 86 self-identified African American males and females aged 15 to 21 years from the District of Columbia and Birmingham, Alabama, participated. Participants requested a dating simulation game. They wanted SAAFE to be customizable, realistic, entertaining, educational, modern, and experiential, linking consequences to their gameplay decisions. Usability testing resulted in an initial System Usability Survey score of 77.7, placing the game in the 82nd percentile and above average for usability. Conclusions Initial results suggest that the SAAFE prototype is a promising intervention to engage African American youth in sexual health education using a role-playing game. If proven efficacious, the game has the potential to meet the need for sex education, counterbalance unhealthy portrayals of sex in popular media, and respond to the disparities in the STI epidemic.

To evaluate a possible correlation between bone mineral density (BMD) and age at menarche, the present study used the BMD dataset of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey IV-V (KNHANES IV-V). Age at menarche had a small but significant association with BMD of the lumbar spine in premenopausal Korean females, aged 20–50 years. To investigate any correlation between bone mineral density (BMD) and age at menarche in Korean females using data from the fourth and fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES IV–V; 2008–2011). In total, 37,753 individuals participated in health examination surveys between 2008 and 2011. A total of 5032 premenopausal females aged 20–50 years were eligible. Age, height, weight, and age at menarche were assessed. Results from the univariate linear regression and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) indicated that age (per 1 year), height (per 1 cm), weight (per 1 kg), exercise (per 1 day/week), familial osteoporosis history (yes), parity (n = 0 to ≥4), and menarche age distribution were associated with BMD of the total femur, femur neck, and lumbar spine. After stratifying the bone area and adjusting for age, parity, alcohol intake, smoking, exercise, and familial osteoporosis history, no effect was seen for the total femur or femur neck. Age at menarche 16~17 and ≥18 years groups were associated with BMD of the lumbar spine only. Age at menarche had a small but significant association with BMD of the lumbar spine in premenopausal Korean females, aged 20–50 years. Females with late menarche may achieve lower peak bone mass at some skeletal sites, which may put them at greater risk for osteoporosis in later life.

BACKGROUND Although teen pregnancy rates decreased dramatically in the United States over the past decade, the rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among adolescents and young adults increased. STI rates disproportionately affect African American youth and young adults. Innovative, accessible, and culturally relevant sexual health interventions are urgently needed. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to identify the optimal modality for a game-based sexual health intervention; develop the educational, entertainment, and technological aspects of the serious game; and demonstrate its usability and acceptance by the target population. METHODS This project was grounded in formative data collection with community-based participatory research principles and practices combined with a user-centered design and development approach. Sexually Active Adolescent–Focused Education (SAAFE) was developed using input and feedback from African American youths aged 15 to 21 years who participated in a youth advisory board and focus group discussions to inform the co-design and cocreation of the serious game. The process was highly iterative with multiple sessions for user input following design changes. It proceeded in 3 stages. Social cognitive theory and problem-solving theory were leveraged to provide evidence-based, trauma-informed education through a serious game. Usability testing assessed the quality of user experience with the prototype. RESULTS Across all 3 stages, a total of 86 self-identified African American males and females aged 15 to 21 years from the District of Columbia and Birmingham, Alabama, participated. Participants requested a dating simulation game. They wanted SAAFE to be customizable, realistic, entertaining, educational, modern, and experiential, linking consequences to their gameplay decisions. Usability testing resulted in an initial System Usability Survey score of 77.7, placing the game in the 82nd percentile and above average for usability. CONCLUSIONS Initial results suggest that the SAAFE prototype is a promising intervention to engage African American youth in sexual health education using a role-playing game. If proven efficacious, the game has the potential to meet the need for sex education, counterbalance unhealthy portrayals of sex in popular media, and respond to the disparities in the STI epidemic.

We build HI absorption spectra towards Supernova Remnant (SNRs) G16.7+0.1 and G15.9+0.2 using the THOR survey data. With the absorption spectra, we give a new distance range of 7 to 16 kpc for G15.9+0.2. We also resolve the near/far-side distance ambiguity of G16,7+0.1 and confirm its kinematic distance of about 14 kpc. In addition, we analyze the CO (J=3-2) spectra towards G16.7+0.1 and find obvious CO emission at the 20 kms$^{-1}$ OH 1720 MHz maser site. This supports Reynoso and Mangum (2000)'s suggestions that the velocity difference between the maser and southern molecular cloud is caused by the shock acceleration. We discuss the impact of the distances on other physical parameters of the two SNRs., Comment: 12 pages, 7 figures. Accepted for publication in PASP

The College of American Pathologists guidelines recommend examining at least four representative tumor blocks for determining pathological T stage in patients with primarily resected esophageal cancer. Whether the same pathological requirements are adequate in patients undergoing esophagectomy following neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) remains unclear. We hypothesized that current examination protocols may underestimate the presence of microscopical residual disease after nCRT, potentially leading to under-staging. We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients with esophageal squamous cancer (ESCC) who were diagnosed as having pathological complete response (pCR) following nCRT. The thoroughness of the pathological examination in pCR patients was examined using (i) the number of blocks examined in suspicious tumor area (≤4 vs. >4), and (ii) the block quotient (calculated as the pretreatment tumor length divided by the number of blocks examined in suspicious tumor area). A total of 91 patients were enrolled. The mean number of blocks used to confirm pCR was 4.8 (range: 2-14). The 5-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) in the entire cohort were 55% and 65%, respectively. Multivariate analyses identified the block quotient as the only independent predictor of OS and DFS. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis indicated an optimal cutoff value of 1.4 for the block quotient. Among the patients who achieved pCR, the 5-year DFS differed significantly between subjects with a low (≤1.4) or high (>1.4) block quotient (76% vs. 47%, respectively, P = 0.03). The block quotient (calculated by the pretreatment tumor length divided by the number of blocks) - which reflects the meticulousness of the histopathological examination for confirming pCR - is associated with survival in ESCC patients.

Within the framework of Newtonian magneto-solid-mechanics, relying on equations appropriate for a perfectly conducting elastic continuous medium threaded by a uniform magnetic field, the asteroseismic model of a neutron star undergoing axisymmetric global torsional nodeless vibrations under the combined action of Hooke's elastic and Lorentz magnetic forces is considered with emphasis on a toroidal Alfv\'en mode of differentially rotational vibrations about the dipole magnetic moment axis of the star. The obtained spectral equation for frequency is applied to $\ell$-pole identification of quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) of X-ray flux during the giant flares of SGR 1806-20 and SGR 1900+14. Our calculations suggest that detected QPOs can be consistently interpreted, within the framework of this model, as produced by global torsional nodeless vibrations of quaking magnetar if they are considered to be restored by the joint action of bulk forces of shear elastic and magnetic field stresses., Comment: 18 pages, 5 figures; accepted in ApJ

Summary Aim: There is limited information about symptoms and signs of port-related infections linking to their offending pathogens. Methods: Oncology patients proven to have port-related infections were retrospectively analysed. We divided them into two subgroups according to their symptoms and signs. Onset of fever and chills with or without hypotension following the port flush was classified as ‘port flush form infection’. Presence of local inflammatory signs, including erythema, warmth, tenderness and pus formation and systemic infection signs, including fever, chills with or without hypotension was classified as ‘local inflammatory form infection’. Results: There were 29 episodes of port-related infection among 28 patients, with port flush form 22 episodes and local inflammatory form seven episodes. Of 22 episodes of port flush form infections, 20 (91%) were nosocomial glucose non-fermenting gram-negative bacilli, with Acinetobacter baumannii (11 episodes, 50%) and Enterobacter cloacae (four episodes, 18%) the most common. Polymicrobial infections occurred in four episodes (18%). Candida infection occurred in two episodes (9%). Of seven episodes of local inflammatory form infections, six (86%) were gram-positive cocci, with Staphylococcus aureus (five episodes, 71%) the most common. The time from port implantation to its infection was 272 ± 255 days (30–993 days) for the port flush form infections and 82 ± 87 days (22–265 days) for the local inflammatory form infections. This difference was not significant difference (p = 0.068). Conclusions: The differences between infection of patients with port flush form and local inflammatory form in incidence and offending microorganism suggest that the aetiology of infection were different.

The Newtonian solid-mechanical theory of non-compressional spheroidal and torsional nodeless elastic vibrations in the homogenous crust model of a quaking neutron star is developed and applied to the modal classification of the quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) of X-ray luminosity in the aftermath of giant flares in SGR 1806-20 and SGR 1900+14. Particular attention is given to the low-frequency QPOs in the data for SGR 1806-20 whose physical origin has been called into question. Our calculations suggest that unspecified QPOs are due to nodeless dipole torsional and dipole spheroidal elastic shear vibrations., Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures: Mod.Phys.Lett. A23 (2008) 477

The College of American Pathologists guidelines recommend examining at least four representative tumor blocks for determining pathological T stage in patients with primarily resected esophageal cancer. Whether the same pathological requirements are adequate in patients undergoing esophagectomy following neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) remains unclear. We hypothesized that current examination protocols may underestimate the presence of microscopical residual disease after nCRT, potentially leading to under-staging. We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients with esophageal squamous cancer (ESCC) who were diagnosed as having pathological complete response (pCR) following nCRT. The thoroughness of the pathological examination in pCR patients was examined using (i) the number of blocks examined in suspicious tumor area (≤4 vs.4), and (ii) the block quotient (calculated as the pretreatment tumor length divided by the number of blocks examined in suspicious tumor area). A total of 91 patients were enrolled. The mean number of blocks used to confirm pCR was 4.8 (range: 2-14). The 5-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) in the entire cohort were 55% and 65%, respectively. Multivariate analyses identified the block quotient as the only independent predictor of OS and DFS. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis indicated an optimal cutoff value of 1.4 for the block quotient. Among the patients who achieved pCR, the 5-year DFS differed significantly between subjects with a low (≤1.4) or high (1.4) block quotient (76% vs. 47%, respectively, P = 0.03). The block quotient (calculated by the pretreatment tumor length divided by the number of blocks) - which reflects the meticulousness of the histopathological examination for confirming pCR - is associated with survival in ESCC patients.

A two-dimensional electrodynamical model is used to study particle acceleration in the outer magnetosphere of a pulsar. The charge depletion from the Goldreich-Julian charge density causes a large electric field along the magnetic field lines. The charge particles are accelerated by the electric field and emit $\gamma$-rays via the curvature process. Some of the emitted $\gamma$-rays may collide with $X$-ray photons to make new pairs, which are accelerated again on the different field lines in the gap and proceed similar processes. We simulate the pair creation cascade in the meridional plane using the pair creation mean-free path, in which the $X$-ray photon number density is proportional to inverse square of radial distance. With the space charge density determined by the pair creation simulation, we solve the electric structure of the outer gap in the meridional plane and calculate the curvature spectrum. Because the two-dimensional model can link both gap width along the magnetic field line and trans-field thickness with the spectral cut-off energy and flux, we can diagnose both the current through the gap and inclination angle between the rotational and magnetic axes. We apply the theory to the Vela pulsar. By comparing the results with the $EGRET$ data, we rule out any cases that have a large particle injection at the outer boundary. We also suggest the inclination angle of $\alpha_{inc}\geq65^{\circ}$. The present model predicts the outer gap starting from near the conventional null charge surface for the Vela pulsar.

S-Nitrosylation is a reversible post-translational modification on cysteinyl thiols that can modulate the function of redox-sensitive proteins. The S-nitrosylation of mitochondrial proteins has been shown to regulate various mitochondrial activities involved in energy-transducing systems and mitochondrion-driven apoptosis. In isolated rat brain mitochondria, we demonstrate that mitochondrial protein S-nitrosylation is regulated by respiratory substrates (glutamate/malate) through a thiol-dependent pathway. Mitochondrial proteins become susceptible to S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO)-induced S-nitrosylation in mitochondria with an oxidized environment (low glutathione (GSH), NADH, and NADPH, and high GSSG, NAD(+), and NADP(+)) caused by isolation of mitochondria using a discontinuous Percoll gradient. Activation of mitochondrial respiration by respiratory substrates leads to increased NAD(P)H and GSH levels, which in turn reduces mitochondrial S-nitrosylated proteins. 1-Chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB), which depletes mitochondrial GSH and inhibits the thioredoxin-thioredoxin reductase system, prevented the denitrosylation of mitochondrial proteins caused by respiratory substrate treatment. Using biotin-switch coupled with LC-MS/MS, several mitochondrial proteins were identified as targets of S-nitrosylation including adenine nucleotide translocase (ANT) and voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC), important components of the mitochondria permeability transition pore (MPTP), as well as ATP synthase. The S-nitrosylation of ATP synthase by GSNO was found to inhibit its activity. These findings emphasize the importance of respiratory substrates in regulating S-nitrosylation through a thiol-dependent (GSH and/or thioredoxin) pathway, with implications for mitochondrial bioenergetics and mitochondrion-driven apoptosis.

We previously showed that sequential application of a relatively low nicotine concentration (7.4 mM) to the tongue, followed by a rest period, induced self-desensitization, i.e. a reduction of oral irritation elicited by subsequent nicotine, but not cross-desensitization of capsaicin-evoked irritation. We presently investigated if cross-desensitization of capsaicin-evoked irritation might be induced by higher concentrations of nicotine. Nicotine (74 or 300 mM) was applied once, unilaterally to the tongue of human subjects. When the irritant sensation had completely subsided, capsaicin (33 microM) was applied bilaterally. In a 2-alternative forced-choice (2-AFC) test, subjects indicated which side of the tongue had a stronger irritant sensation. They additionally rated the intensity of irritation on each side separately. Pretreatment with 74 mM nicotine did not induce cross-desensitization, since no significant difference was observed in intensity ratings or in choice of the treated vs. non-treated side in the 2-AFC. However, 300 mM nicotine did induce cross-desensitization, since a significant majority of subjects chose the non-treated side as having a stronger capsaicin-evoked irritant intensity and assigned significantly higher ratings to that side. These psychophysical findings are discussed in terms of possible neural mechanisms of desensitization.

Substantial empirical research documents that exchange-rate forecasts are not formed rationally. This paper identifies a common technical trading signal, the head-and-shoulders pattern, as a potential source of departures from rationality in exchange-rate forecasts. Forecasts based on this pattern are evaluated for daily dollar exchange rates over 1973 to 1994, using two criteria for rationality: profitability and efficiency. Resulting profits, replicable in real-time, are tested for statistical significance using a bootstrap technique. We find that the rule is profitable, but not efficient, since it is dominated by simpler trading rules.

Constant-pressure molecular dynamics simulations are carried out to study the liquid-amorphous-crystalline transition behavior in a model system composed of 500 Lennard-Jones particles under three-dimensional periodic boundary conditions. The critical quenching rate (COR) for amorphization, i.e., the minimum rate above which no crystallization occurs on quenching, is found to be about 5.52×10(12) K/s for a one-component, unary system. For lower quenching rates, the amorphous phase transforms to a crystalline phase with 0.3~0.5 of the melting point as the transition temperature. A binary system with a misfit in atomic size shows a smaller COR, while a system with a higher bond strength for solute atoms requires a greater CQR. A crystallization behavior of an amorphous phase on reheating is also studied. Its crystallization temperature depends on the history: the higher the quenching rate for amorphization, the higher the crystallization temperature.

As a rapidly developing mass-data storage technology, phase change optical recording makes use of the difference in reflected light intensity between the amorphous and crystalline state of chalcogenide nanocrystalline plates. For a better understanding of the liquid-amorphous-crystalline transition behavior in such thin plates, a constant-pressure molecular dynamics simulation is performed for Lennard-Jonesian fee plates. The existence of the free surface leads the nanocrystalline plates to easy crystallization. Phase transition begins at a free surface and advances inward. Consequently, the critical quenching rate for amorphization displays a higher value for a nanocrystalline plate than for a bulk state. For a binary alloy, the critical quenching rate decreases with an increase in size misfit between solute and matrix atoms, with an increase in the solute concentration, and with an increase in the plate thickness. Crystallization on reheating from an amorphous phase initiates at a lower temperature for a nanocrystalline plate than that for a bulk state.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) relapses more frequently than hormone receptor-positive subtypes and is often associated with poor outcomes. This retrospective study reviewed the pattern of distant metastasis with regard to survival in patients with TNBC. A total of 205 TNBC patients were analyzed. TNBC patients with lung metastases had the longest median post-metastatic OS (with 95% confidence interval) of 16.6 (10.3-22.9) months, followed by the bone, 16.3 (11.7-20.8) months, the liver, 8.9 (3.5-14.4) months, the pleura, 7.5 (2.8-12.3) months, and the brain, 4.3 (0.6-8.0) months. Kaplan-Meier plots indicated that TNBC patients with metastatic spread to brain, liver, and pleural had poorer post-metastatic OS rate than patients with lung metastases (p = 0.001, 0.004, and 0.029, respectively). Moreover, brain and liver metastases correlated significantly with poorer post-metastatic OS as compared to bone metastasis (p = 0.004 and 0.011, respectively). Route of first metastasis correlated significantly with survival of TNBC patients with brain metastases being the poorest survival indicator, followed by metastases to liver, pleura, bone, and lung.

The optimal treatment for patients with local esophageal cancer (cT2N0 disease) has not yet been defined. We sought to determine whether neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) can improve prognosis compared with direct esophagectomy in this patient group. Between 1994 and 2005, patients with cT2N0 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma who underwent either neoadjuvant CRT or surgery as first-line treatment were retrospectively reviewed. We collected information on their demographic characteristics, staging modality, clinical and pathological stages, perioperative course, and survival. The study endpoints included tumor recurrence, disease-specific survival (DSS), and overall survival rate. Of the 71 eligible patients, 14 received an esophagectomy first, whereas the remaining 57 received neoadjuvant CRT first. Despite the high pathological complete response (pCR) rate of 37% after neoadjuvant CRT, routine neoadjuvant CRT did not translate into better survival compared to direct surgery (5-year DSS: 39% vs. 68%, P= 0.17). The dramatic survival difference between pCR and non-pCR patients (5-year DSS: 85% vs. 4%, P0.001) accounts for these unsatisfactory results. In our series, the administration of neoadjuvant CRT to patients with clinical stage T2N0 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma did not significantly improve outcomes compared with direct esophagectomy.