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Robots in complex multi-agent environments should reason about the intentions of observed and currently unobserved agents. In this paper, we present a new learning-based method for prediction and planning in complex multi-agent environments where the states of the other agents are partially-observed. Our approach, Active Visual Planning (AVP), uses high-dimensional observations to learn a flow-based generative model of multi-agent joint trajectories, including unobserved agents that may be revealed in the near future, depending on the robot's actions. Our predictive model is implemented using deep neural networks that map raw observations to future detection and pose trajectories and is learned entirely offline using a dataset of recorded observations (not ground-truth states). Once learned, our predictive model can be used for contingency planning over the potential existence, intentions, and positions of unobserved agents. We demonstrate the effectiveness of AVP on a set of autonomous driving environments inspired by real-world scenarios that require reasoning about the existence of other unobserved agents for safe and efficient driving. In these environments, AVP achieves expert-level closed-loop performance, while methods that do not reason about potential unobserved agents exhibit either overconfident or underconfident behavior.

There is growing interest in the role that positive aspects of psychological adjustment, such as pain acceptance, hope, and optimism, may play in explaining adjustment in persons suffering from persistent pain. This study conducted in obese patients with persistent musculoskeletal pain (N = 89) examined the degree to which pain acceptance and hope explained pain intensity, pain unpleasantness, psychological distress, and pain-related disability, after controlling for the effects of optimism. In correlational analyses, pain acceptance and optimism were associated with psychological distress and pain disability with hope being related to only psychological distress. Pain acceptance, optimism, and hope were not significantly associated with pain. Hierarchical linear regression (HLR) analyses found that pain acceptance remained a significant predictor of psychological distress and pain disability after controlling for optimism, demographic, and medical variables. HLR analyses found that hope was not a significant predictor of psychological distress after controlling for optimism, pain acceptance, and demographic and medical variables. The results of this study are important because they indicate that pain acceptance, hope, and optimism are all related to pain adjustment. They also highlight the importance of controlling for optimism when examining the effects of pain acceptance and hope on pain adjustment. PERSPECTIVE: In a sample of obese patients with persistent musculoskeletal pain, pain acceptance was a significant predictor of psychological distress and pain disability even after controlling for optimism, demographic, and medical variables. These results add to the growing literature on the importance of pain acceptance in understanding adjustment to persistent pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While many handguns are used in crime each year in the USA, most are not. We conducted this study to identify factors present at the time of a handgun's most recent retail sale that were associated with its subsequent use in crime under circumstances suggesting that the handgun had been trafficked--purchased with the intent of diverting it to criminal use. Handguns acquired in multiple-gun purchases were of particular interest. Using data for 180,321 handguns purchased from federally licensed retailers in California in 1996, we studied attributes of the handguns, the retailers selling them, the purchasers, and the sales transactions. Our outcome measure was a handgun's recovery by a police agency, followed by a gun ownership trace, conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, that determined (a) that the recovery had occurred within 3 years of the handgun's most recent purchase from a licensed retailer and (b) that the person who possessed the gun when it was recovered by police was not its most recent purchaser. Altogether, 722 handguns were recovered and had trace results that met the additional criteria. Handguns acquired in multiple-gun, same-day transactions were more likely to be traced than were single-purchase handguns (odds ratio [OR] 1.33, 95% confidence intervals [CI] 1.08 to 1.63). This was not the case for multiple-purchase handguns defined more broadly as multiple handguns purchased by one individual over any 30-day period as used in "one-gun-a-month" laws. Bivariate regressions indicated increased risk of a handgun being traced when it sold new for $150 or less (OR 4.28, 95% CI 3.59 to 5.11) or had been purchased by a woman (OR 2.02, 95% CI 1.62 to 2.52). Handguns sold by retailers who also had a relatively high proportion (>or=2%) of purchases denied because the prospective purchasers were prohibited from owning firearms were more likely to be traced than were those sold by other retailers (OR 4.09, 95% CI 3.39 to 4.94). These findings persisted in multivariate analyses. Our findings suggest specific strategies for intervention to prevent gun violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cognitive complaints and declines increase with age, which can interfere with everyday functioning and quality of life for older adults. With the increasing number of older adults, the need to promote successful cognitive aging will grow. Nurses, as health educators, will be increasingly called on to provide patients with information on how to avoid cognitive problems and accentuate cognitive abilities. This article provides some of the basic principles and ways of facilitating successful cognitive aging, such as positive and negative neuroplasticity and cognitive reserve, that can be incorporated into nursing education. Furthermore, this information can be an impetus for nurse researchers to explore evidence-based methods to facilitate successful cognitive aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early and aggressive pharmacological management of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes mellitus are imperative interventions in curtailing the current epidemic of diabetes mellitus. The role of the NP in early recognition of prediabetes is essential to preserving beta-cell function and slowing the progression of this disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

No single insulin scheme, regimen, or treatment guideline will fit every patient, so the practitioner must individualize therapeutic decisions to each patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses how new or emerging city forms present fresh challenges and opportunities for caregiving agencies and institutions. It describes how tapping the resources and assets of inner cities can revitalize the capacity of the community. The way in which religious institutions, traditional social service agencies, and informal caregivers can work together to provide care is explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To determine the retailer and community level factors associated with frequent and disproportionate sales of handguns that are later used in violent and firearm related crimes (VFC handguns). DESIGN: Cross sectional. The authors used California records to identify all handguns sold by study subjects during 1996-2000 and federal gun tracing records to determine which of these guns had been recovered by a police agency in the US or elsewhere and traced by 30 September 2003. SUBJECTS AND SETTING: The 421 licensed gun retailers in California selling at least 100 handguns annually during 1996-2000. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The number of VFC handguns per 1000 gun years of exposure. Differences are expressed as incidence rate ratios (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: Subjects accounted for 11.7% of California retailers with handgun sales, 81.5% of handgun sales, and 85.5% of VFC handguns. Among subjects, the 3426 VFC handguns accounted for 48.0% of all traced handguns and 65.0% of those linked to a specified crime. The median VFC handgun trace rate was 0.5/1000 gun years (range 0-8.8). In multivariate analysis, this rate increased substantially for each single-point increase in the percentage of proposed sales that were denied because the purchasers were prohibited from owning guns (RR 1.43; 95% CI 1.32 to 1.56), and was increased for pawnbrokers (RR 1.26; 95% CI 1.02 to 1.55). Community level crime rates and sociodemographics had little predictive value. CONCLUSIONS: Risk factors, largely determined at the retailer level, exist for frequent and disproportionate sales of handguns that are later used in violent and firearm related crimes. Screening to identify high risk retailers could be undertaken with data that are already available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Some states prohibit the purchase of handguns by persons convicted of selected misdemeanor crimes, but most do not. California has denied handgun purchases by violent misdemeanants since 1991; the effectiveness of these policies is unknown.Objective: To determine the risk factors for new criminal activity among violent misdemeanants who seek to purchase handguns and whether denial of handgun purchase by violent misdemeanants affects their risk of arrest for new crimes, particularly gun and/or violent crimes.Design: Retrospective, population-based cohort study.Setting and Subjects: Persons aged 21 to 34 years who sought to purchase a handgun through a licensed dealer in California during 1989-1991 and who had at least 1 violent misdemeanor conviction in the preceding 10 years. The study cohorts consisted of 986 persons whose purchase applications were made in 1991 and were denied (denied persons) and 787 persons whose purchase applications were made in 1989-1990 and were approved (purchasers).Main Outcome Measures: Incidence and relative risk of first arrest in California for new gun and/or violent crimes and for nongun, nonviolent crimes during a 3-year follow-up after actual or attempted handgun purchase.Results: During the 3-year follow-up, 546 (33.0%) of 1654 subjects with follow-up information were arrested for a new crime, including 296 (31.9%) of 927 denied persons and 250 (34.4%) of 727 purchasers. After adjusting for differences in age, sex, and prior criminal history, purchasers were more likely than denied persons to be arrested for new gun and/or violent crimes (relative hazard [RH], 1.29; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04-1.60), but not for nongun, nonviolent crimes (RH, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.78-1.19). In both groups, risk of arrest was strongly related to age and number of convictions accrued prior to actual or attempted handgun purchase.Conclusion: Our results indicate that denial of handgun purchase to violent misdemeanants is associated with a specific decrease in risk of arrest for new gun and/or violent crimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: This study examined the relationship between Olympic years and leisure-time physical activity levels across Canadian provinces and territories, as well as between genders. Methods: Analysis of long-term regional and national data on physical activity patterns confirmed that average activity rates were significantly higher (X2 (1) = 8.52, p < .01) for Winter vs. Summer Olympic Years. Results: Results indicate significant long-term temporal, sex and geographic trends which establish a reoccurring increase in physical activity amongst moderately active Canadian males (leisure-time physical activity rates were somewhat lower amongst females) across all provinces and territories during Winter Olympic years. This suggests that the Olympic Games, particularly the Winter Olympics, may act as a catalyst for increasing Canadian leisure-time physical activity rates - predominately amongst males. Subsequently, this paper recommends that greater media campaigns be directed toward Canadian females in an attempt to increase their leisure-time activity levels. Furthermore, greater emphasis should be placed on providing fitness programs for employees at their workplace - facilitating ease and convenience for increased leisuretime physical activity in general.

Abstract The secretoglobins (SCGBs) comprise a family of small, secreted proteins found in animals exclusively of mammalian lineage. There are 11 human SCGB genes and five pseudogenes. Interestingly, mice have 68 Scgb genes, four of which are highly orthologous to human SCGB genes; the remainder represent an 'evolutionary bloom' and make up a large gene family represented by only six counterparts in humans. SCGBs are found in high concentrations in many mammalian secretions, including fluids of the lung, lacrimal gland, salivary gland, prostate and uterus. Whereas the biological activities of most individual SCGBs have not been fully characterised, what already has been discovered suggests that this family has an important role in the modulation of inflammation, tissue repair and tumorigenesis. In mice, the large Scgb1b and Scgb2b gene families encode the androgen-binding proteins, which have been shown to play a role in mate selection. Although much has been learned about SCGBs in recent years, clearly more research remains to be done to allow a better understanding of the roles of these proteins in human health and disease. Such information is predicted to reveal valuable novel drug targets for the treatment of inflammation, as well as designing biomarkers that might identify tissue damage or cancer.

Abstract Previously, the majority of the human genome was thought to be 'junk' DNA with no functional purpose. Over the past decade, the field of RNA research has rapidly expanded, with a concomitant increase in the number of non-protein coding RNA (ncRNA) genes identified in this 'junk'. Many of the encoded ncRNAs have already been shown to be essential for a variety of vital functions, and this wealth of annotated human ncRNAs requires standardised naming in order to aid effective communication. The HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC) is the only organisation authorised to assign standardised nomenclature to human genes. Of the 30,000 approved gene symbols currently listed in the HGNC database (http://www.genenames.org/search), the majority represent protein-coding genes; however, they also include pseudogenes, phenotypic loci and some genomic features. In recent years the list has also increased to include almost 3,000 named human ncRNA genes. HGNC is actively engaging with the RNA research community in order to provide unique symbols and names for each sequence that encodes an ncRNA. Most of the classical small ncRNA genes have now been provided with a unique nomenclature, and work on naming the long (> 200 nucleotides) non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) is ongoing.

The author is looking for the origins of crime in the conflict between those who legally possess power and have access to resources and others, who have no power and are deprived of most of the important resources. He brings up evidence suggesting that the societies with the highest rates of crime are also those with the highest levels of inequality. The author tries to answer two questions: how can crime be prevented(primary prevention) and how can the likelihood of its happening again be reduced (preventing re-offending), in both an effective and ethical way. The author states that the ideal method of preventing the crime is not the threat of potential punishment, but social crime prevention, such as more equitable distribution of material goods, which would encourage people to live a rewarding life without harming others. Further, the author discusses the advantages of the restorative system over the conventional one in terms of ‘preventing re-offending’: focussing on the harm that is caused rather than on the laws that are broken, giving victims a chance to express their fear and needs as well as giving perpetrators the possibility to explain their reasons and express their needs, which enables reflection on how to put everything right and how to engage the community.

Un nuevo modelo de Cooperación Técnica & Financiera (CTF) fue utilizado para desarrollar una unión entre una organización internacional y universidades en América Latina para el avance de la contribución de la enfermería en el área de reducción de la demanda. La finalidad de la CTF es la de apoyar el desarrollo en asuntos o áreas específicos que necesitan producir un impacto dentro de la sociedad como un todo. El "Programa Regional de Capacitación en Investigación" para enfermeros en el estudio del fenómeno de las drogas en América Latina representa un ejemplo del nuevo modelo de CTF para intensificar el uso de ciencia y tecnología por enfermeros en las áreas de promoción de salud, prevención del uso y abuso de drogas e integración social en América Latina. CTF se ha vuelto un instrumento poderoso para el avance de los enfermeros en el área de reducción de demanda.

Perovskite solar cell (PSCs) is considered as the game changer in emerging photovoltaics technology. The highest certified efficiency is 22% with high temperature processed (∼500 °C) TiO2 based electron transport layer (ETL). High temperature process is a rudimentary hindrance towards roll-to-roll processing of PSCs on flexible substrates. Low temperature solution process (

Abstract Background Two entomopathogenic fungi, Isaria fumosorosea and Metarhizium anisopliae, and one bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis, were tested for their ability to cause mortality of Formosan subterranean termites (FST), Coptotermes formosanus (Shiraki), after liquid exposure, and for their lack of propensity to repel FST. Results The fungus Isaria fumosorosea at 108 spores/ml caused 72.5% mortality on day 7, significantly higher than the control and 106 spores/ml treatment. On day 14, the 106 and 108 concentrations caused 38.8% and 92.5% mortality, respectively, significantly higher than the control. On day 21, 82.5% and 100% of the termites were killed by the 106 and 108 treatments, respectively. I. fumosorosea did not repel termites at 106 nor 108 spores/g in sand, soil or sawdust. The fungus Metarhizium anisopliae at 108 spores/ml caused 57.5% mortality on day 7, 77.5% mortality on day 14 and 100% mortality on day 21. Conclusions On all three days the rate of mortality was significantly higher than that of the control and 106 spores/ml treatment with I. fumosorosea. Neither I. fumosorosea nor M. anisopliae caused repellency of FST in sand, soil or sawdust. The bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis did not cause significant mortality on days 7, 14 or 21. When termites were exposed to cells of B. thuringiensis in sawdust and when termites were exposed to a mixture of spores and cells in sand, a significantly higher number remained in the control tubes. Repellency was not seen with B. thuringiensis spores alone, nor with the above treatments in the other substrates.

Abstract The HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC) assigns approved gene symbols to human loci. There are currently over 33,000 approved gene symbols, the majority of which represent protein-coding genes, but we also name other locus types such as non-coding RNAs, pseudogenes and phenotypic loci. Where relevant, the HGNC organise these genes into gene families and groups. The HGNC website http://www.genenames.org/ is an online repository of HGNC-approved gene nomenclature and associated resources for human genes, and includes links to genomic, proteomic and phenotypic information. In addition to this, we also have dedicated gene family web pages and are currently expanding and generating more of these pages using data curated by the HGNC and from information derived from external resources that focus on particular gene families. Here, we review our current online resources with a particular focus on our gene family data, using it to highlight our new Gene Symbol Report and gene family data downloads.

Abstract Background The study of breast cancer metastasis depends on the use of established breast cancer cell lines that do not accurately represent the heterogeneity and complexity of human breast tumors. A tumor model was developed using primary breast tumor-initiating cells isolated from patient core biopsies that would more accurately reflect human breast cancer metastasis. Methods Tumorspheres were isolated under serum-free culture conditions from core biopsies collected from five patients with clinical diagnosis of invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC). Isolated tumorspheres were transplanted into the mammary fat pad of NUDE mice to establish tumorigenicity in vivo. Tumors and metastatic lesions were analyzed by hematoxylin and eosin (H+E) staining and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Results Tumorspheres were successfully isolated from all patient core biopsies, independent of the estrogen receptor α (ERα)/progesterone receptor (PR)/Her2/neu status or tumor grade. Each tumorsphere was estimated to contain 50-100 cells. Transplantation of 50 tumorspheres (1-5 × 103 cells) in combination with Matrigel into the mammary fat pad of NUDE mice resulted in small, palpable tumors that were sustained up to 12 months post-injection. Tumors were serially transplanted three times by re-isolation of tumorspheres from the tumors and injection into the mammary fat pad of NUDE mice. At 3 months post-injection, micrometastases to the lung, liver, kidneys, brain and femur were detected by measuring content of human chromosome 17. Visible macrometastases were detected in the lung, liver and kidneys by 6 months post-injection. Primary tumors variably expressed cytokeratins, Her2/neu, cytoplasmic E-cadherin, nuclear β catenin and fibronectin but were negative for ERα and vimentin. In lung and liver metastases, variable redistribution of E-cadherin and β catenin to the membrane of tumor cells was observed. ERα was re-expressed in lung metastatic cells in two of five samples. Conclusions Tumorspheres isolated under defined culture conditions from patient core biopsies were tumorigenic when transplanted into the mammary fat pad of NUDE mice, and metastasized to multiple mouse organs. Micrometastases in mouse organs demonstrated a dormancy period prior to outgrowth of macrometastases. The development of macrometastases with organ-specific phenotypic distinctions provides a superior model for the investigation of organ-specific effects on metastatic cancer cell survival and growth.

Abstract Background Recent studies have documented an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in persons with systolic blood pressures of 120–139 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressures of 80–89 mmHg, classified as prehypertension in the Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure. In this paper we estimate the prevalence of prehypertension in Jamaica and evaluate the relationship between prehypertension and other risk factors for CVD. Methods The study used data from participants in the Jamaica Lifestyle Survey conducted from 2000–2001. A sample of 2012 persons, 15–74 years old, completed an interviewer administered questionnaire and had anthropometric and blood pressure measurements performed by trained observers using standardized procedures. Fasting glucose and total cholesterol were measured using a capillary blood sample. Analysis yielded crude, and sex-specific prevalence estimates for prehypertension and other CVD risk factors. Odds ratios for associations of prehypertension with CVD risk factors were obtained using logistic regression. Results The prevalence of prehypertension among Jamaicans was 30% (95% confidence interval [CI] 27%–33%). Prehypertension was more common in males, 35% (CI 31%–39%), than females, 25% (CI 22%–28%). Almost 46% of participants were overweight; 19.7% were obese; 14.6% had hypercholesterolemia; 7.2% had diabetes mellitus and 17.8% smoked cigarettes. With the exception of cigarette smoking and low physical activity, all the CVD risk factors had significantly higher prevalence in the prehypertensive and hypertensive groups (p for trend < 0.001) compared to the normotensive group. Odds of obesity, overweight, high cholesterol and increased waist circumference were significantly higher among younger prehypertensive participants (15–44 years-old) when compared to normotensive young participants, but not among those 45–74 years-old. Among men, being prehypertensive increased the odds of having >/=3 CVD risk factors versus no risk factors almost three-fold (odds ratio [OR] 2.8 [CI 1.1–7.2]) while among women the odds of >/=3 CVD risk factors was increased two-fold (OR 2.0 [CI 1.3–3.8]) Conclusion Prehypertension occurs in 30% of Jamaicans and is associated with increased prevalence of other CVD risk factors. Health-care providers should recognize the increased CVD risk of prehypertension and should seek to identify and treat modifiable risk factors in these persons.

Abstract Background Complex medical treatment is moving from hospital to primary care and General Practitioners (GPs) are increasingly asked to undertake new roles. There are now an estimated 19,500 patients being fed in the UK in the community on enteral tube feeding using a variety of different feeding tubes (Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG), Jejunostomy, or nasogastric (NG). The majority of patients are over the age of 65 years when they had artificial feeding initiated and mainly because of dysphagia. The aim of this study was to explore GPs knowledge, attitudes and skills relating to enteral feeding in the community. Methods Semi-structured one-to-one interviews with a convenience sample of GPs in Northern Ireland. Results Twenty-three GPs in three health boards in Northern Ireland participated in the study. Most found dealing with enteral feeding to be a predominantly negative experience. They had little involvement in patient selection for the procedure and poor or no discharge information. GPs felt inadequately trained, there was poor communication between primary and secondary care and little support. There was anger and frustration among GPs about lack of resources (funding and training), and the perception that primary care was used as a dumping ground. Conclusion Moving complex medical treatment from secondary to primary care has major implications for GPs who should be included in the patient selection process, have adequate discharge information about their patients, be adequately resourced and have appropriate support and training.

Abstract Background New chemotherapy regimens for patients with colorectal cancer have improved survival, but at the cost of clinical toxicity. Oxaliplatin, an agent used in first-line therapy for metastatic colorectal cancer, causes acute and chronic neurotoxicity. This study was performed to carefully assess the incidence, type and duration of oxaliplatin neurotoxicity. Methods A detailed questionnaire was completed after each chemotherapy cycle for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer enrolled in a phase I trial of oxaliplatin and capecitabine. An oxaliplatin specific neurotoxicity scale was used to grade toxicity. Results Eighty-six adult patients with colorectal cancer were evaluated. Acute neuropathy symptoms included voice changes, visual alterations, pharyngo-laryngeal dysesthesia (lack of awareness of breathing); peri-oral or oral numbness, pain and symptoms due to muscle contraction (spasm, cramps, tremors). When the worst neurotoxicity per patient was considered, grade 1/2/3/4 dysesthesias and paresthesias were seen in 71/12/5/0 and 66/20/7/1 percent of patients. By cycles 3, 6, 9, and 12, oxaliplatin dose reduction or discontinuation was needed in 2.7%, 20%, 37.5% and 62.5% of patients. Conclusion Oxaliplatin-associated acute neuropathy causes a variety of distressing, but transient, symptoms due to peripheral sensory and motor nerve hyperexcitability. Chronic neuropathy may be debilitating and often necessitates dose reductions or discontinuation of oxaliplatin. Patients should be warned of the possible spectrum of symptoms and re-assured about the transient nature of acute neurotoxicity. Ongoing studies are addressing the treatment and prophylaxis of oxaliplatin neurotoxicity.

Abstract Background Suppression Subtractive Hybridization PCR (SSH PCR) is a sophisticated cDNA subtraction method to enrich and isolate differentially expressed genes. Despite its popularity, the method has not been thoroughly studied for its practical efficacy and potential limitations. Results To determine the factors that influence the efficacy of SSH PCR, a theoretical model, under the assumption that cDNA hybridization follows the ideal second kinetic order, is proposed. The theoretical model suggests that the critical factor influencing the efficacy of SSH PCR is the concentration ratio (R) of a target gene between two cDNA preparations. It preferentially enriches "all or nothing" differentially expressed genes, of which R is infinite, and strongly favors the genes with large R. The theoretical predictions were validated by our experiments. In addition, the experiments revealed some practical limitations that are not obvious from the theoretical model. For effective enrichment of differentially expressed genes, it requires fractional concentration of a target gene to be more than 0.01% and concentration ratio to be more than 5 folds between two cDNA preparations. Conclusion Our research demonstrated theoretical and practical limitations of SSH PCR, which could be useful for its experimental design and interpretation.

Background:. Nerve reconstruction techniques for lumbosacral plexus (LSP) injuries vary. There are no clear treatment guidelines available, and summative evaluations of the literature discussing these surgeries are lacking. For these reasons, this investigation aimed to systematically review and consolidate all available literature discussing surgical interventions for LSP injuries and cohesively present patient-reported and objective postoperative outcomes. Methods:. The authors conducted a systematic review using PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global (via Proquest.com), and ClinicalTrials.gov databases according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. After title and abstract screening, identified articles were read in full and selected for inclusion based on prespecified criteria. Results:. Our literature search identified 8683 potential citations, and after duplicate removal, abstract screening, and full-text review, 62 studies remained meeting inclusion and exclusion criteria. Outcomes were extracted according to the location of injury and type of surgical repair. Injuries were classified into isolated femoral nerve injuries, isolated obturator nerve injuries, isolated sciatic nerve injuries, and multilevel LSP injuries. Surgical treatment was further classified into exploration with neurolysis, direct repair, nerve grafting, and nerve transfer surgery. Conclusions:. Although results vary based on the location of the injury and the surgical technique used, nerve grafts and transfers demonstrated reasonable success in improving functional and pain outcomes. Overall, isolated femoral and obturator nerve injuries had the best outcomes reported with surgical treatment. Furthermore, incomplete sciatic nerve and multilevel LSP injuries had more reported surgical options and better outcomes than complete sciatic nerve injuries.

CONTEXT: Self-compassion entails qualities such as kindness and understanding toward oneself in difficult circumstances and may influence adjustment to persistent pain. Self-compassion may be a particularly influential factor in pain adjustment for obese individuals who suffer from persistent pain, as they often experience heightened levels of pain and lower levels of psychological functioning. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship of self-compassion to pain, psychological functioning, pain coping, and disability among patients who have persistent musculoskeletal pain and who are obese. METHODS: Eighty-eight obese patients with persistent pain completed a paper-and-pencil self-report assessment measure before or after their appointment with their anesthesiologist. RESULTS: Hierarchical linear regression analyses demonstrated that even after controlling for important demographic variables, self-compassion was a significant predictor of negative affect ([beta]=-0.48, P<0.001), positive affect ([beta]=0.29, P=0.01), pain catastrophizing ([beta]=-0.32, P=0.003), and pain disability ([beta]=-0.24, P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicate that self-compassion may be important in explaining the variability in pain adjustment among patients who have persistent musculoskeletal pain and are obese. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The C9orf72 mutation can manifest in diverse clinical ways, including rapid cognitive decline, parkinsonism, or late-life neuropsychiatric symptoms, sometimes mimicking autoimmune encephalitis., Case Report: A 64-year-old female presented to the autoimmune neurology clinic with rapidly progressive dementia (RPD) associated with episodes of headache, confusion, auditory hallucinations, and abnormal electroencephalogram. She was treated empirically at an outside hospital for possible autoimmune encephalitis with intravenous methylprednisolone, but there was no improvement, and rapid cognitive decline continued. Family history was notable for RPD with akinetic mutism in her sister, sudden severe depression followed by parkinsonism with progressive dementia in her father in his 60s, and late-life gradually progressive dementia in her mother. Additional testing revealed a low titer positive contactin-associated protein-like 2 (CASPR2) immunoglobulin G (IgG) in the serum and elevated CSF 14-3-3 protein. CSF CASPR2 IgG and real-time quaking-induced conversion for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease were negative. Brain MRI showed normal parenchymal volume. Genetic testing was conducted, which identified a heterozygous pathogenic hexanucleotide tandem repeat expansion in the C9orf72 gene., Conclusion: This case underscores the phenotypic variability of C9orf72 mutation and the importance of a detailed family history exploring young or atypical deaths and neuropsychiatric symptoms or behavioral changes. Genetic etiologies are crucial to consider in those with a family history concerning autosomal dominant inheritance patterns of early-onset dementia, parkinsonism, or late-onset psychiatric disease. Emphasis is placed on considering alternative etiologies early, particularly when there is no response to first-line immunomodulation for suspected autoimmune dementia., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Too little is known about the effectiveness of efforts to prevent firearm violence. We evaluated California's Armed and Prohibited Persons System (APPS), which identifies legal purchasers of firearms who have become prohibited persons and seeks to recover all firearms and ammunition to which they have access., Design and Methods: This cluster-randomised pragmatic trial was made possible by APPS's expansion from a small pilot to a continuing statewide programme. We included 363 California cities, allocated to early (n=187) or later (n=176) intervention in blocks stratified by region within the state, and within region by population and violent crime rate. The study period began 1 February 2015; region-specific end dates ranged from 1 May 2015 to 1 February 2016. Analysis was on an intention-to-treat, difference-in-difference basis using generalised linear mixed models and generalised estimating equations with robust SEs. The population-level primary outcome measures were monthly city-level counts of firearm-related homicides, robberies and aggravated assaults. The primary model was adjusted for stratification variables; city-level population, population density, socioeconomic status and firearm purchasing; year; and month., Findings: Allocation groups were well balanced on baseline characteristics and implementation measures. In adjusted models, allocation to early intervention was not associated with statistically significant differences in any primary outcome measure; these findings were robust to multiple sensitivity analyses. There was some heterogeneity across regions., Conclusions: The APPS intervention directly affects a very small percentage of the population, limiting its potential for population-level effects. Individual-level analyses may provide a better estimate of the intervention's effectiveness., Trial Registration Number: NCT02318732., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background and Purpose: Aquatic therapy (AT), though potentially effective, lacks studies on clinical efficacy in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). A recent study analyzing interviews with rehabilitation professionals on its clinical application reported that the scarce evidence of AT benefits was one of the actual barriers to its successful integration into clinical practice. We seek to provide evidence by comparing independence in activities of daily living (ADLs) and functional ambulation capacity in patients following rehabilitation which included AT and matched controls who followed rehabilitation without AT (non-AT)., Methods: Functional Independence Measure (FIM), Spinal Cord Independence Measure (SCIM-III), Walking Index for Spinal Cord Injury (WISCI-II) and its minimal clinically important difference (WISCI-II/MCID) were assessed. The AT group followed the Halliwick concept. We performed nonparametric nearest-neighbor k:1 matching for age, time since injury to admission, FIM at admission, level of injury (paraplegia/tetraplegia), completeness and cause of injury (traumatic, non-traumatic). The rehabilitation program comprised four daily hours of intensive treatment from the multidisciplinary team. Both groups received the same total number of rehabilitation hours at the same specialized clinical center and were admitted to follow inpatient rehabilitation within 2 months after injury., Results: A total of 29 patients with SCI who followed AT (admitted between 2017 and 2023) were compared to historical matches selected from 551 inpatients with SCI (admitted between 2014 and 2023). For k = 1, the groups showed no significant differences in gains, efficiency, or effectiveness in FIM and SCIM-III; significant differences were observed in WISCI-II gain (p = 0.018) and WISCI-II efficiency (p = 0.046) in favor of the AT group; the proportion of patients achieving WISCI-II/MCID was significantly higher for the AT group (75.9% vs. 48.3%) (p = 0.030). These results were confirmed for k = 2., Conclusion: The AT group performed similarly in independence for performing ADLs and significantly better in ambulation than the matched historical controls., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Size has an impact on various aspects of an animal's biology, including physiology, biomechanics, and ecology. Accurately and precisely estimating size, in particular body mass, is therefore a core objective of paleobiologists. Two approaches for estimating body mass are common: whole-body volumetric models and individual element-scaling (e.g., bones, teeth). The latter has been argued to be more accurate, while the former more precise. Here, we use minimum convex hulls (MCHs) to generate a predictive volumetric model for estimating body mass across a broad taxonomic and size range (127 g - 2735 kg). We compare our MCH model to stylopodial-scaling, incorporating data from the literature, and find that MCH body mass estimation is both more accurate and more precise than stylopodial estimation. An explanation for the difference between methods is that reptile and mammal stylopod circumference and length dimensions scale differentially (slope 1.179 ± 0.102 vs. 1.038 ± 0.031, respectively), such that reptiles have more robust bones for a given size. Consequently, a mammalian-weighted stylopodial-scaling sample overestimates the body mass of larger reptiles, and this error increases with size. We apply both estimation equations to a sample of 12 Permo-Triassic tetrapods and find that stylopodial-scaling consistently estimates a higher body mass than MCH estimation, due to even more robust bones in extinct species (slope = 1.319 ± 0.213). Finally, we take advantage of our MCH models to explore constraints regarding the position of the center of mass (CoM) and find that relative body proportions (i.e., skull:tail ratio) influence CoM position differently in mammals, crocodylians, and Permo-Triassic tetrapods. Further, we find that clade-specific body segment expansion factors do not affect group comparisons but may be important for individual specimens with rather disproportionate bodies (e.g., the small-headed and large-tailed Edaphosaurus ). Our findings suggest that the whole-body volumetric approach is better suited for estimating body mass than element-scaling when anatomies are beyond the scope of the sample used to generate the scaling equations and provides added benefits such as the ability to measure inertial properties., Competing Interests: None declared., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology.)

Two compounds were discovered in the well-studied BaO-Y 2 O 3 -SiO 2 phase field. Two different experimental routines were used for the exploration of this system due to the differences of synthetic conditions and competition with a glass field. The first phase Ba 5 Y 13 [SiO 4 ] 8 O 8.5 was isolated through a combination of energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis and diffraction techniques which guided the exploration. The second phase Ba 3 Y 2 [Si 2 O 7 ] 2 was located using iterative algorithmic identification of target compositions. The structure solution of the new compounds was aided by continuous rotation electron diffraction, and the structures were refined against combined synchrotron and neutron time-of-flight powder diffraction. Ba 5 Y 13 [SiO 4 ] 8 O 8.5 crystallizes in I 4̄2 m , a = 18.92732(1), c = 5.357307(6) Å and represents its own structure type which combines elements of structures of known silicates embedded in columns of interconnected yttrium-centred polyhedra characteristic of high-pressure phases. Ba 3 Y 2 [Si 2 O 7 ] 2 has P 2 1 symmetry with a pseudo-tetragonal cell ( a = 16.47640(4), b = 9.04150(5), c = 9.04114(7) Å, β = 90.0122(9)°) and is a direct superstructure of the Ca 3 BaBi[P 2 O 7 ] 2 structure. Despite the lower symmetry, the structure of Ba 3 Y 2 [Si 2 O 7 ] 2 retains disorder in both Ba/Y sites and disilicate network, thus presenting a superposition of possible locally-ordered fragments. Ba 5 Y 13 [SiO 4 ] 8 O 8.5 has low thermal conductivity of 1.04(5) W m -1 K -1 at room temperature. The two discovered phases provide a rich structural platform for further functional material design. The interplay of automated unknown phase composition identification with multiple diffraction methods offers acceleration of the time-consuming exploration of high-dimensional chemical spaces for new structures., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)