Symplectic structure-preserving integrators for the two-dimensional Gross–Pitaevskii equation for BEC

AbstractSymplectic integrators have been developed for solving the two-dimensional Gross–Pitaevskii equation. The equation is transformed into a Hamiltonian form with symplectic structure. Then, symplectic integrators, including the midpoint rule, and a splitting symplectic scheme are developed for treating this equation. It is shown that the proposed codes fulfill the discrete charge conservation law. Furthermore, the global error of the numerical solution is theoretically estimated. The theoretical analysis is supported by some numerical simulations

No association of cigarette smoking and depressive symptoms with cortisol concentration in adolescents. Results from a population-based Swedish cohort.

Several studies have shown that smoking increases the risk of depressive symptoms, and suggested a possible role of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in the smoking-depression pathway. This study aimed to assess if smokers have higher cortisol levels than non-smokers, and if higher cortisol levels are associated with depressive symptoms. Saliva samples were collected from a subgroup of 409 participants at enrolment (13-14 years old) and two years later (15-16 years old). First, we examined the association between smoking phenotypes and cortisol concentration. Second, we evaluated whether these associations differed between adolescents with and without depressive symptoms. The mean difference between smokers and non-smokers in cortisol concentrations was close to zero at both time points. For instance, the adjusted mean difference for morning cortisol concentration between current and non-current smokers was 0.000 µg/dl [95% CI -0.055, 0.056]. In addition, there were no differences in cortisol concentration at the second time-point between those who had smoked and those who did not during the two previous years. Moreover, cortisol levels were not associated with depressive symptoms. The hypothesis that dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis might be involved in the association between smoking behavior and depressive symptoms during adolescence was not supported by this data

Association of polycystic ovary syndrome or anovulatory infertility with offspring psychiatric and mild neurodevelopmental disorders: a Finnish population-based cohort study

STUDY QUESTIONIs maternal polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) associated with increased risks for a broad spectrum of psychiatric and mild neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring?SUMMARY ANSWERMaternal PCOS and/or anovulatory infertility is independently, and jointly with maternal obesity, perinatal problems, cesarean delivery and gestational diabetes, associated with increased risks in offspring for almost all groups of psychiatric and mild neurodevelopmental disorders with onset in childhood or adolescence.WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADYMaternal PCOS was previously associated with autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders and possibly developmental delay in offspring. Few studies have investigated the association between maternal PCOS and other psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring.STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATIONThis was a population-based cohort study in Finland including all live births between 1996 and 2014 (n = 1 105 997). After excluding births to mothers with symptoms similar to PCOS, a total of 1 097 753 births by 590 939 mothers remained. Children were followed up until 31 December 2018, i.e. up to the age of 22 years.PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODSNational registries were used to link data of the included births and their mothers. Data from 24 682 (2.2%) children born to mothers with PCOS were compared with 1 073 071 (97.8%) children born to mothers without PCOS. Cox proportional hazards modeling was used to evaluate the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% CI for the risk of neuropsychiatric disorders in relation to maternal PCOS. Stratified analyses were performed to test the independent role of PCOS and the joint effects of PCOS with maternal obesity, perinatal problems, cesarean delivery, gestational diabetes and use of fertility treatment. The analysis was adjusted for maternal age, country of birth, marriage status at birth, smoking, parity, psychiatric disorders, prescription of psychotropic N05/N06 during pregnancy and systemic inflammatory diseases when applicable.MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCEA total of 105 409 (9.8%) children were diagnosed with a neurodevelopmental or psychiatric disorder. Firstly, maternal PCOS was associated with any psychiatric diagnosis (HR 1.32; 95% CI 1.27–1.38) in offspring. Particularly, the risk was increased for sleeping disorders (HR 1.46; 95% CI 1.27–1.67), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders and conduct disorders (HR 1.42; 95% CI 1.33–1.52), tic disorders (HR 1.42; 95% CI 1.21–1.68), intellectual disabilities (HR 1.41; 95% CI 1.24–1.60), autism spectrum disorder (HR 1.40; 95% CI 1.26–1.57), specific developmental disorders (HR 1.37; 95% CI 1.30–1.43), eating disorders (HR 1.36; 95% CI 1.15–1.61), anxiety disorders (HR 1.33; 95% CI 1.26–1.41), mood disorders (HR 1.27; 95% CI 1.18–1.35) and other behavioral and emotional disorders (ICD-10 F98, HR 1.49; 95% CI 1.39–1.59). In short, there was no significant difference between sexes. The results were robust when restricting the analyses to the first-born children or births to mothers without psychiatric diagnosis or purchase of psychotropic medication. Secondly, stratified analysis according to maternal BMI showed that the risk of any neuropsychiatric disorder was increased in offspring to normal-weight mothers with PCOS (HR 1.20; 95% CI 1.09–1.32), and markedly higher in those to severely obese mothers with PCOS (HR 2.11; 95% CI 1.76–2.53) compared to offspring to normal-weight mothers without PCOS. When excluding perinatal problems, mothers with PCOS were still associated with increased risks of any neuropsychiatric disorders in offspring (HR 1.28; 95% CI 1.22–1.34) compared to mothers without PCOS. However, an additional increase was observed for PCOS in combination with perinatal problems (HR 1.99; 95% CI 1.84–2.16). Likewise, excluding cases with maternal gestational diabetes (HR 1.30; 95% CI 1.25–1.36), cesarean delivery (HR 1.29; 95% CI 1.23–1.35) or fertility treatment (HR 1.31; 95% CI 1.25–1.36) did not eliminate the associations.LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTIONThe register-based prevalence of PCOS was lower than previously reported, suggesting that this study may capture the most severe cases. To combine anovulatory infertility with PCOS diagnosis as PCOS exposure might introduce diagnostic bias. It was not feasible to distinguish between subtypes of PCOS. Furthermore, familial factors might confound the association between maternal PCOS and neuropsychiatric disorders in offspring. Maternal BMI was available for birth cohort 2004–2014 only and there was no information on gestational weight gain.WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGSThis study provides further evidence that maternal PCOS and/or anovulatory infertility, independently and jointly with maternal obesity, perinatal problems, gestational diabetes and cesarean delivery, implies a broad range of adverse effects on offspring neurodevelopment. These findings may potentially help in counseling and managing pregnancies.</div

Associations of Different Types of Maternal Diabetes and Body Mass Index With Offspring Psychiatric Disorders

Question Are different types of maternal diabetes, by themselves or in combination with maternal obesity, associated with an increased risk of offspring psychiatric disorders? Findings In this cohort study of 647 099 births, non-insulin-treated pregestational type 2 diabetes in severely obese mothers was associated with several psychiatric disorders in their offspring, with an effect size lower than that for maternal insulin-treated pregestational diabetes but higher than that for gestational diabetes. Meaning Maternal diabetes, mainly pregestational, in severely obese mothers may be associated with an excess risk of several psychiatric disorders in their offspring.This population-based cohort study uses data from Finnish nationwide registries to examine the associations of different types of maternal diabetes, separately and together with maternal obesity, with psychiatric disorders in the mothers' offspring.Importance Maternal obesity, pregestational type 1 and 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes have been reported to increase the risk of autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in the mothers' offspring. However, the associations of maternal diabetes disorders and body mass index jointly with psychiatric disorders among offspring are less well documented, especially for type 2 diabetes. Objective To examine the associations of different types of maternal diabetes, separately and together with maternal obesity, with psychiatric disorders in the mothers' offspring. Design, Setting, and Participants This population-based cohort study used data from nationwide registries in Finland encompassing all 649 043 live births occurring between 2004 and 2014. The study and data analysis were conducted from January 1, 2019, to July 5, 2019. Exposures Maternal prepregnancy body mass index, insulin-treated pregestational diabetes, and pregestational type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes without insulin treatment. Main Outcomes and Measures Psychiatric diagnoses and prescription of psychotropic drugs among the mothers' offspring. Cox proportional hazards models were adjusted for birth year, sex, mode of delivery, maternal age, number of fetuses, parity, mother's country of birth, mother's marital status, maternal smoking, maternal psychiatric disorder, and maternal systemic inflammatory disease. Results The mean (SD) age of mothers was 30.20 (5.37) years; 357 238 of 394302 mothers (90.6%) were born in Finland. Of the 647 099 births studied, 4000 fetuses (0.62%) were exposed to maternal insulin-treated pregestational diabetes, 3724 (0.57%) were exposed to type 2 diabetes, and 98 242 (15.18%) were exposed to gestational diabetes; 34 892 offspring (5.39%) later received a diagnosis of a mild neurodevelopmental or psychiatric disorder. Non-insulin-treated type 2 diabetes in severely obese mothers, compared with normal-weight mothers without diabetes, was associated with psychiatric disorders in the offspring (hazard ratio, 1.97; 95% CI, 1.64-2.37), although with a lower effect size than that for severely obese mothers with insulin-treated pregestational diabetes (hazard ratio, 2.71; 95% CI, 2.03-3.61). The largest effect sizes were found for mood disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and conduct disorders, and autism. Gestational diabetes in severely obese mothers had a lower overall effect size (hazard ratio, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.50-1.72). Diabetes in normal-weight mothers was not associated with psychopathologic disorders in the offspring. Conclusions and Relevance Severe obesity in mothers with diabetes was associated with an increased overall risk for psychiatric disorders in their offspring. The risk was highest for those exposed to insulin-treated pregestational diabetes, followed by non-insulin-treated type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes. These findings may have implications for managing pregnancies.</p

Bruise chromophore concentrations over time

Presented at the IEEE - SPIE Medical Imaging. 2008. San Diego, California USA.During investigations of potential child and elder abuse, clinicians and forensic practitioners are often asked to offer opinions about the age of a bruise. A commonality between existing methods of bruise aging is analysis of bruise color or estimation of chromophore concentration. Relative chromophore concentration is an underlying factor that determines bruise color. We investigate a method of chromophore concentration estimation that can be employed in a handheld imaging spectrometer with a small number of wavelengths. The method, based on absorbance properties defined by Beer-Lambert's law, allows estimation of differential chromophore concentration between bruised and normal skin. Absorption coefficient data for each chromophore are required to make the estimation. Two different sources of this data are used in the analysis- generated using Independent Component Analysis and taken from published values. Differential concentration values over time, generated using both sources, show correlation to published models of bruise color change over time and total chromophore concentration over time

Osteoma in the upper cervical spine with spinal cord compression

Osteoma is a common benign tumor. It occurs dominantly at the skull bone. Outside skull osteoma is rare, and primary intra-canal osteoma is extremely rare. To the author’s knowledge, only 14 cases of osteomas of the spine had been reported, in which only seven cases were in English literature. The authors reported two rare cases of intra-canal osteoma of the upper cervical spine with cord compression. Included are pertinent history, physical examination, rontgenographic evaluation before and after operation, surgical interventions, pathological study, and outcome. The available literature is also reviewed. On systemic examination and rontgenographic study, these two cases were found to have bone tumor in the upper cervical canal. Surgical interventions were performed, one with an en bloc excision, the other with a subtotal excision. The pathological study demonstrated a diagnosis of osteoma. After a follow-up with 20 and 15 months, the clinical symptoms of both cases significantly improved

Cytological DNA methylation for cervical cancer screening: a validation set

BackgroundIn a previous training set with a case-controlled design, cutoff values for host EPB41L3 and JAM3 gene methylation were obtained for the detection of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 2 or more severe lesions (CIN2+). This validation trial was conducted to evaluate the role of DNA methylation in screening for CIN2+ by cervical cytology among unselected participants.MethodsFrom June 1, 2019, to September 1, 2019, in our study center, we collected liquid-based samples from cervical swabs for methylation assays and hrHPV testing in eligible patients. The primary endpoint was the diagnostic accuracy of DNA methylation and hrHPV genotyping for CIN2+ according to confirmed histology results.ResultsAmong 307 participants, compared with hrHPV testing, the methylation assay for CIN2+ had lower sensitivity (68.7% versus 86.1%, p=0.002) but higher specificity (96.7% versus 0.696, p&lt;0.001). The methylation assay also had favorable sensitivity and specificity in patients with negative hrHPV testing (56.3% and 96.9%) and in patients with cervical adenocarcinoma (73.7% and 92.7%). DNA methylation had higher specificity than the hrHPV assay (100.0% versus 44.4%, p&lt;0.001) for identifying residual CIN2+ in patients without residual lesions. Positive cervical DNA methylation was associated with a diagnostic probability of endometrial carcinoma (odds ratio 15.5 [95% confidence interval 4.1-58.6]) but not of ovarian epithelial carcinoma (1.4 [0.3-6.5]).ConclusionsThe host EPB41L3 and JAM3 gene methylation assay in cervical cytology had favorable diagnostic accuracy for CIN2+ and was highly specific for residual CIN2+ lesions The methylation assay is a promising triage tool in hrHPV+ women, or even an independent tool for cervical cancer screening. The methylation status in cervical cytology could also serve as a prognostic biomarker. Its role in detecting endometrial carcinomas is worthy of further exploration

Thoracic myelopathy caused by ossification of ligamentum flavum of which fluorosis as an etiology factor

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical feature, operative method and prognosis of thoracic ossification of ligamentum flavum caused by skeletal fluorosis. METHODS: All the patients with thoracic OLF, who underwent surgical management in the authors' hospital from 1993–2003, were retrospectively studied. The diagnosis of skeletal fluorosis was made by the epidemic history, clinical symptoms, radiographic findings, and urinalysis. En bloc laminectomy decompression of the involved thoracic levels was performed in all cases. Cervical open door decompression or lumbar laminectomy decompression was performed if relevant stenosis existed. The neurological statuses were evaluated with the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) scoring system preoperatively and at the end point of follow up. Also, the recovery rate was calculated. RESULTS: 23 cases have been enrolled in this study. Imaging study findings showed all the cases have ossification of ligamentum flavum together with ossification of many other ligaments and interosseous membranes, i.e. interosseous membranes of the forearm in 18 of 23 (78.3%), of the leg in 14 of 23 (60.1%) and of the ribs in 11 of 23 (47.8%). Urinalysis showed markedly increased urinary fluoride in 14 of 23 patients (60.9%). All the patients were followed up from 12 months to 9 years and 3 months, with an average of 4 years and 5 months. The JOA score increased significantly at the end of follow up (P = 0.0001). The recovery rate was 51.83 ± 32.36%. Multiple regression analysis revealed that the preoperative JOA score was an important predictor of surgical outcome (p = 0.0022, r = 0.60628). ANOVA analysis showed that patients with acute onset or too long duration had worse surgical result (P = 0.0003). CONCLUSION: Fluorosis can cause ossification of thoracic ligamentum flavum, as well as other ligaments. En bloc laminectomy decompression was an effective method. Preoperative JOA score was the most important predictor of surgical outcome. Patients with acute onset or too long duration had worse surgical outcome

Retrospective evaluation of whole exome and genome mutation calls in 746 cancer samples

Funder: NCI U24CA211006Abstract: The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) curated consensus somatic mutation calls using whole exome sequencing (WES) and whole genome sequencing (WGS), respectively. Here, as part of the ICGC/TCGA Pan-Cancer Analysis of Whole Genomes (PCAWG) Consortium, which aggregated whole genome sequencing data from 2,658 cancers across 38 tumour types, we compare WES and WGS side-by-side from 746 TCGA samples, finding that ~80% of mutations overlap in covered exonic regions. We estimate that low variant allele fraction (VAF < 15%) and clonal heterogeneity contribute up to 68% of private WGS mutations and 71% of private WES mutations. We observe that ~30% of private WGS mutations trace to mutations identified by a single variant caller in WES consensus efforts. WGS captures both ~50% more variation in exonic regions and un-observed mutations in loci with variable GC-content. Together, our analysis highlights technological divergences between two reproducible somatic variant detection efforts