Methotrexate-induced cutaneous ulceration in patients with erythrodermic mycosis fungoides

Methotrexate-induced cutaneous ulceration has rarely been reported in patients with mycosis fungoides. We report 4 patients with mycosis fungoides who developed cutaneous ulceration as an initial manifestation of methotrexate toxicity. Methotrexate dose at the time of ulceration ranged from 10–60 mg. All 4 patients were erythrodermic, which may have predisposed them to this toxic effect. It is important to recognize cutaneous ulceration as an uncommon, but potentially serious, side effect of methotrexate in these patients, and to differentiate it from ulceration due to progressive lymphoma

Permutationally Invariant Networks for Enhanced Sampling (PINES): Discovery of Multi-Molecular and Solvent-Inclusive Collective Variables

The typically rugged nature of molecular free energy landscapes can frustrate efficient sampling of the thermodynamically relevant phase space due to the presence of high free energy barriers. Enhanced sampling techniques can improve phase space exploration by accelerating sampling along particular collective variables (CVs). A number of techniques exist for data-driven discovery of CVs parameterizing the important large scale motions of the system. A challenge to CV discovery is learning CVs invariant to symmetries of the molecular system, frequently rigid translation, rigid rotation, and permutational relabeling of identical particles. Of these, permutational invariance have proved a persistent challenge in frustrating the the data-driven discovery of multi-molecular CVs in systems of self-assembling particles and solvent-inclusive CVs for solvated systems. In this work, we integrate Permutation Invariant Vector (PIV) featurizations with autoencoding neural networks to learn nonlinear CVs invariant to translation, rotation, and permutation, and perform interleaved rounds of CV discovery and enhanced sampling to iteratively expand sampling of configurational phase space and obtain converged CVs and free energy landscapes. We demonstrate the Permutationally Invariant Network for Enhanced Sampling (PINES) approach in applications to the self-assembly of a 13-atom Argon cluster, association/dissociation of a NaCl ion pair in water, and hydrophobic collapse of a C45H92 n-pentatetracontane polymer chain. We make the approach freely available as a new module within the PLUMED2 enhanced sampling libraries

Are There Too Many Lawyers--Introductory Remarks

The largest wastewater treatment plant in Jordan was monitored in the summer to determine the removal of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs). Grab samples were collected from the influent and effluent of As-Samra Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP). Liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) were utilized to determine the concentrations of 18 compounds of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs). The results showed that 14 compounds were detected in the collected samples from the influent and effluent of As-Samra WWTP. These compounds are 1,7-dimethylxanthine, amphetamine, acetaminophen, caffeine, carbamazepine, cimetidine, cotinine, diphenhydramine, methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), morphine, phenazone, sulfamethazine, sulfamethoxazole, thiabendazole, and trimethoprim. However, four compounds were below the detection limit

Factors that influence data quality in caries experience detection: A multilevel modeling approach

Caries experience detection is prone to misclassification. For this reason, calibration exercises which aim at assessing and improving the scoring behavior of dental raters are organized. During a calibration exercise, a sample of children is examined by the benchmark scorer and the dental examiners. This produces a 2 × 2 contingency table with the true and possibly misclassified responses. The entries in this misclassification table allow to estimate the sensitivity and the specificity of the raters. However, in many dental studies, the uncertainty with which sensitivity and specificity are estimated is not expressed. Further, caries experience data have a hierarchical structure since the data are recorded for the surfaces nested in the teeth within the mouth. Therefore, it is important to report the uncertainty using confidence intervals and to take the clustering into account. Here we apply a Bayesian logistic multilevel model for estimating the sensitivity and specificity. The main goal of this research is to find the factors that influence the true scoring of caries experience accounting for the hierarchical structure in the data. In our analysis, we show that the dentition type and tooth or surface type affect the quality of caries experience detection. Copyrigh

Removal of carbamazepine onto modified zeolitic tuff in different water matrices: Batch and continuous flow experiments

Carbamazepine (CBZ) is the most frequently detected pharmaceutical residues in aquatic environments effluent by wastewater treatment plants. Batch and column experiments were con-ducted to evaluate the removal of CBZ from ultra-pure water and wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent using raw zeolitic tuff (RZT) and surfactant modified zeolite (SMZ). Point zero net charge (pHpzc), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) were investigated for adsorbents to evaluate the physiochemical changes resulted from the modification process using Hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (HDTMA-Br). XRD and FTIR showed that the surfactant modification of RZT has created an amorphous surface with new alkyl groups on the surface. The pHpzc was determined to be approximately 7.9 for RZT and SMZ. The results indicated that the CBZ uptake by SMZ is higher than RZT in all sorption tests (\u3e8 fold). Batch results showed that the sorption capacity of RZT and SMZ in WWTP effluent (0.029 and 0.25 mg/g) is higher than RZT and SMZ (0.018 and 0.14 mg/g) in ultrapure water (1.6–1.8 fold). Batch tests showed that the equilibrium time of CBZ removal in the WWTP matrix (47 h) is much longer than CBZ removal in ultrapure water. The sorption capacity of RZT & SMZ in WWTP effluent (0.03, 0.33 mg/g) is higher than RZT and SMZ (0.02 and 0.17 mg/g) in ultrapure water (1.5–2 fold) using column test. This study has clearly demonstrated that the performance of RZT and SMZ is more efficient for the removal of CBZ from realistic wastewater than ultrapure water. It is evident that the surfactant modification of RZT has enhanced the CBZ removal in both matrices

Removal of Carbamazepine onto Modified Zeolitic Tuff in Different Water Matrices: Batch and Continuous Flow Experiments

Carbamazepine (CBZ) is the most frequently detected pharmaceutical residues in aquatic environments effluent by wastewater treatment plants. Batch and column experiments were conducted to evaluate the removal of CBZ from ultra-pure water and wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent using raw zeolitic tuff (RZT) and surfactant modified zeolite (SMZ). Point zero net charge (pHpzc), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) were investigated for adsorbents to evaluate the physiochemical changes resulted from the modification process using Hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (HDTMA-Br). XRD and FTIR showed that the surfactant modification of RZT has created an amorphous surface with new alkyl groups on the surface. The pHpzc was determined to be approximately 7.9 for RZT and SMZ. The results indicated that the CBZ uptake by SMZ is higher than RZT in all sorption tests (\u3e8 fold). Batch results showed that the sorption capacity of RZT and SMZ in WWTP effluent (0.029 and 0.25 mg/g) is higher than RZT and SMZ (0.018 and 0.14 mg/g) in ultrapure water (1.6–1.8 fold). Batch tests showed that the equilibrium time of CBZ removal in the WWTP matrix (47 h) is much longer than CBZ removal in ultrapure water. The sorption capacity of RZT & SMZ in WWTP effluent (0.03, 0.33 mg/g) is higher than RZT and SMZ (0.02 and 0.17 mg/g) in ultrapure water (1.5–2 fold) using column test. This study has clearly demonstrated that the performance of RZT and SMZ is more efficient for the removal of CBZ from realistic wastewater than ultrapure water. It is evident that the surfactant modification of RZT has enhanced the CBZ removal in both matrices

Self-leadership as an attribute of service leadership: Its relationship to well-being among university students in Hong Kong

IntroductionIn the scientific literature, although conceptual models and empirical evidence have shown that leadership attributes are intimately linked to the well-being of followers, there is a lack of studies focusing on leadership in the service economy. According to the Service Leadership Theory, service leadership is a process that satisfies the needs of self, others, and systems (teams, organizations, communities, and societies) in ethical ways that is characterized by leadership competence, character, and care. With specific reference to self-leadership emphasized in service leadership, higher levels of service leadership attributes should promote personal well-being. However, the relationships between “service leadership attributes” and “well-being” in leaders at the intrapersonal level in leadership education among Chinese university students are rarely examined.MethodsIn this study, we collected data from 198 students to understand the linkages between “service leadership attributes” and “well-being” in university students taking a course on service leadership. For tracking changes in students, we collected both pretest and posttest data on validated measures of “service leadership attributes” (i.e., “knowledge,” “attitude,” and “behavior”) and “well-being” (i.e., “positive youth development attributes” and “life satisfaction”).ResultsResults showed that the posttest scores on all three domains of “service leadership attributes” as well as two dimensions of “well-being” encompassing life satisfaction and positive youth development attributes were higher than the respective pretest scores, suggesting that students experienced a shift in a positive direction after taking the course. Cross-lagged analyses showed that pretest service leadership attitude and behavior predicted posttest positive youth development attributes; pretest service leadership behavior predicted posttest life satisfaction. Pretest life satisfaction also predicted posttest service leadership behavior.DiscussionFindings suggest that there is an intimate relationship between “service leadership attributes” and “well-being” in the “pre-work” context among university students

Electrophilic boron carboxylate and phosphinate complexes

The reactions of a series of carboxylic acids with H2B(C6F5)·SMe2 are shown to afford species of the form [RC(O)OB(C6F5)]2O, (R = Tol 1, Ph 2, C6F53, Me2BrC 4, Me 5) in 87–95% yields with the concurrent reduction of the carboxylic acid to the corresponding aldehyde. A mechanism for the formation of 1–5 is proposed to proceed via a cyclic eight-membered ring species. Analogues of these species were prepared via reactions of carboxylic and phosphinic acids with HB(C6F5)2 and H2B(C6F5)·SMe2, respectively, to give [TolC(O)OB(C6F5)2]26, [(C6F5)C(O)OB(C6F5)2]27, and [Ph2P(O)OBH(C6F5)]28. These products react subsequently to give TolC(O)OBH(C6F5)(NC5H4NMe2) 9 and Ph2P(O)OBH(C6F5)(NC5H4NMe2) 10. The acyloxyborate derivatives 1–4 were shown to be inactive in mediating the direct amidation of carboxylic acids, consistent with previous observations that infer the need for a sterically congested environment about the boron centres

Psychosocial correlates of mental health of university students in Hong Kong under COVID-19

Although the COVID-19 pandemic has caused many problems for university students, there are several research gaps in the study of psychological well-being of Hong Kong university students. First, few studies have examined different ecological correlates of mental health in a single study. Second, few studies have used both psychological morbidity and positive well-being as indicators of mental health. Third, we know little about the relationships between university students’ perceived need satisfaction, difficulties, service utilization, and their mental health. Hence, we conducted a study (N = 1,020 university students) in the later stage of the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong. For mental health, we included measures of negative mental health (psychological morbidity) and positive mental health. We addressed several research questions in this study: (1) what is the mental health status of Hong Kong university students? (2) what is the relationship between COVID-19 stress and student mental health? (3) what are the intrapersonal correlates of student mental health? (4) are interpersonal factors related to student mental health? (5) are need satisfaction, difficulties encountered, and service utilization related to students’ mental health? (6) are there gender differences in the effects of correlates in different ecological systems? Analyses using structural equation modeling showed several observations. First, the prevalence of mental health symptoms among university students was alarming. Second, COVID-19 related socio-economic stress positively predicted psychological morbidity but negatively predicted well-being. Third, beliefs about adversity, resilience, and emotional competence predicted mental health. Fourth, family functioning was related to psychological morbidity negatively but connected with well-being positively. Fifth, while need satisfaction predicted psychological morbidity negatively, difficulties encountered showed the opposite direction. Besides, the perceived usefulness of university services positively predicted mental health. Finally, there were no gender differences in the effects of different predictors. The present findings enable public health researchers to formulate theoretical models on different ecological determinants of university students’ mental health under the pandemic. For public health practitioners, the study highlights the importance of reducing COVID-19 associated stress, strengthening internal and external developmental assets, and meeting the psychosocial needs of university students as strategies to promote their mental health under the pandemic

Socio-demographic and mental health correlates of internet addiction amongst Hong Kong university students under COVID-19

IntroductionRegarding the problem of Internet addiction (IA) amongst university students under the pandemic, there are several research gaps. Firstly, few studies have examined IA of university students in Hong Kong, which is a Chinese society heavily influenced by Western values. In addition, findings on the socio-demographic correlates and psychological well-being predictors of IA in university students are unclear. Finally, researchers have not systematically examined the interaction effects of socio-demographic factors (particularly gender and personal infection of COVID-19) and psychological morbidity on IA. This pioneer study aimed to investigate the predictive role of socio-demographic factors and psychological morbidity in IA, and the moderating effects of gender and personal infection of COVID-19 on the relationship between psychological morbidity and IA.MethodsWe conducted an online survey (N = 1,020 university students) during the ending phase of Wave 5 of the pandemic in Hong Kong (late 2022 to early 2023). Socio-demographic correlates included age, gender, living status, personal and family financial situation, student status, personal and family infection of COVID-19. Participants responded to validated measures of psychological morbidity, including depression, suicidal behavior, and hopelessness. Hierarchical regression and simple slope analyses were used to examine the predictive role of socio-demographic variables and psychological morbidity in IA and the interactive effect of gender and personal infection of COVID-19 with psychological morbidity on IA.ResultsPersonal financial difficulty was a significant socio-demographic predictor of IA. Depression, suicidal behavior, and hopelessness positively predicted IA. We also found a significant interaction effect of gender and psychological morbidity on IA. While the predictive relationship between depression and IA was stronger in males than in females, hopelessness was more strongly related to IA in females than in males. Finally, there was a significant interaction effect of personal infection of COVID-19 and suicidal behavior on IA.ConclusionPersonal financial difficulty was a socio-economic correlate of IA. Psychological morbidity also predicted IA. Gender and personal infection of COVID-19 moderated the linkage between psychological morbidity and IA. The findings of the study enhance our understanding of individual differences in IA in university students during the pandemic, particularly concerning different ecological risk factors