Hand function and cost effectiveness after collagenase injection versus aponeurectomy for Dupuytren’s contracture: results of the CeCORD-J study

BackgroundThis study compared hand function and the cost effectiveness of treatment between collagenase Clostridium histolyticum (CCH) injection and limited fasciectomy for patients with Dupuytren’s contracture (DC).Materials and MethodsThe CeCORD-J study is a prospective, multicenter, non-randomized controlled, observational study of two parallel groups. Participants were DC patients with multiple affected fingers, including flexion contracture of the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint. The primary outcome was the Hand10 score, as a patient-reported outcome measure. We set secondary outcomes of EQ-5D-5L score, degree of extension deficit, and direct cost. Propensity score adjustment was used to balance differences in patient characteristics between groups.ResultsParticipants comprised 52 patients in the Collagenase group and 26 patients in the Surgery group. Hand10 score was significantly better in the Collagenase group at 1 and 2 weeks. EQ-5D-5L score was significantly higher in the Collagenase group at 8 weeks. Mean direct cost was 248,000 yen higher in the Surgery group than in the Collagenase group. Extension deficit angle of the PIP joint was significantly larger in the Collagenase group at 26 weeks.ConclusionsCCH injection provides better short-term hand function and cost effectiveness than surgery.UMIN-CTR (UMIN000029826)

Smooth 2-Group Extensions and Symmetries of Bundle Gerbes

We study bundle gerbes on manifolds M that carry an action of a connected Lie group G. We show that these data give rise to a smooth 2-group extension of G by the smooth 2-group of hermitean line bundles on M. This 2-group extension classifies equivariant structures on the bundle gerbe, and its non-triviality poses an obstruction to the existence of equivariant structures. We present a new global approach to the parallel transport of a bundle gerbe with connection, and use it to give an alternative construction of this smooth 2-group extension in terms of a homotopy-coherent version of the associated bundle construction. We apply our results to give new descriptions of nonassociative magnetic translations in quantum mechanics and the Faddeev–Mickelsson–Shatashvili anomaly in quantum field theory. We also propose a definition of smooth string 2-group models within our geometric framework. Starting from a basic gerbe on a compact simply-connected Lie group G, we prove that the smooth 2-group extensions of G arising from our construction provide new models for the string group of G.

Statistical modeling of dynamic eye-tracking experiments: Relative importance of visual stimulus elements for gaze behavior in the multi-group case

This paper presents a model that allows group comparisons of gaze behavior while watching dynamic video stimuli. The model is based on the approach of Coutrot and Guyader (2017) and allows linear combinations of feature maps to form a master saliency map. The feature maps in the model are, for example, the dynamically salient contents of a video stimulus or predetermined areas of interest. The model takes into account temporal aspects of the stimuli, which is a crucial difference to other common models. The multi-group extension of the model introduced here allows to obtain relative importance plots, which visualize the effect of a specific feature of a stimulus on the attention and visual behavior for two or more experimental groups. These plots are interpretable summaries of data with high spatial and temporal resolution. This approach differs from many common methods for comparing gaze behavior between natural groups, which usually only include single-dimensional features such as the duration of fixation on a particular part of the stimulus. The method is illustrated by contrasting a sample of a group of persons with particularly high cognitive abilities (high achievement on IQ tests) with a control group on a psycholinguistic task on the conceptualization of motion events. In the example, we find no substantive differences in relative importance, but more exploratory gaze behavior in the highly gifted group. The code, videos, and eye-tracking data we used for this study are available online.

Harmonic information transitions of spatiotemporal metasurfaces

Facilitated by ultrafast dynamic modulations, spatiotemporal metasurfaces have been identified as a pivotal platform for manipulating electromagnetic waves and creating exotic physical phenomena, such as dispersion cancellation, Lorentz reciprocity breakage, and Doppler illusions. Motivated by emerging information-oriented technologies, we hereby probe the information transition mechanisms induced by spatiotemporal variations and present a general model to characterize the information processing capabilities of the spatiotemporal metasurface. Group theory and abstract number theory are adopted through this investigation, by which the group extension and independent controls of multiple harmonics are proposed and demonstrated as two major tools for information transitions from the spatiotemporal domain to the spectra-wavevector domain. By incorporating Shannon’s entropy theory into the proposed model, we further discover the corresponding information transition efficiencies and the upper bound of the channel capacity of the spatiotemporal metasurface. The results of harmonic information transitions show great potential in achieving high-capacity versatile information processing systems with spatiotemporal metasurfaces.

191 Equine Extension Program Delivery Methods

Equine Extension programs have existed since the beginning of extension. Although traditionally programs have been delivered through face to face meetings, workshops, camps and fact sheets, in the 21st century the clientele are seeking information in the traditional ways, as well as through other outlets. Electronic and digital methods of delivery are becoming increasingly used, and popular for delivery of equine extension programs. These range from the use of social media outlets such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, to the development and dissemination of online courses and seminars that are targeted to equine audiences. The national group Extension Horses, Inc., has used all of these methods to increase their reach and impact to national, and international, horse extension audiences. As of November, 2019, Extension Horses, Inc. had 11,059 likes on Facebook, with a reach of 125,478 for the week the report was generated, and engagement of 10,120. YouTube has been a very successful delivery method for the group, with 14,532 followers, 8.436 million views, and over 148,000 minutes of video watched. Webinars are frequently used to conduct equine extension programs, and Pulec, et al (2016), showed that they were an effective tool for reaching horse owner audiences. One of the advantages of using digital methods to conduct equine extension programs is that they allow the audience to access the programs 24/7/365. This is especially important in areas where there may not be enough clientele in a geographical area to justify a face to face event. In this presentation, we will discuss best practices for development of digitally based equine extension delivery, as well as educational theoretical frameworks to assist in the assessment of the effectiveness of these programs.

Pasireotide for acromegaly: long-term outcomes from an extension to the Phase III PAOLA study

Objective In the Phase III PAOLA study (clinicaltrials.gov: NCT01137682), enrolled patients had uncontrolled acromegaly despite ≥6 months of octreotide/lanreotide treatment before study start. More patients achieved biochemical control with long-acting pasireotide versus continued treatment with octreotide/lanreotide (active control) at month 6. The current work assessed the extent of comorbidities at baseline and outcomes during a long-term extension. Design/methods Patients receiving pasireotide 40 or 60 mg at core study end could continue on the same dose in an extension phase if biochemically controlled or receive pasireotide 60 mg if uncontrolled. Uncontrolled patients on active control were switched to pasireotide 40 mg, with the dose increased at week 16 of the extension if still uncontrolled (crossover group). Efficacy and safety are reported to 304 weeks (~5.8 years) for patients randomized to pasireotide (core + extension), and 268 weeks for patients in the crossover group (extension only). Results Almost half (49.5%; 98/198) of patients had ≥3 comorbidities at core baseline. During the extension, 173 patients received pasireotide. Pasireotide effectively and consistently reduced GH and IGF-I levels for up to 5.8 years’ treatment; 37.0% of patients achieved GH <1.0 µg/L and normal IGF-I at some point during the core or extension. Improvements were observed in key symptoms. The long-term safety profile was similar to that in the core study; 23/173 patients discontinued treatment because of adverse events. Conclusions In this patient population with a high burden of comorbid illness, pasireotide was well tolerated and efficacious, providing prolonged maintenance of biochemical control and improving symptoms.

The Effect of Item Preknowledge on Response Time: Analysis of an Experimental Dataset Using the Multiple-Group Lognormal Response Time Model with a Gating Mechanism

Response time information has recently attracted a significant amount of attention in the literature as it may provide meaningful information about item preknowledge. The methods that propose the use of response time information in identifying examinees with potential item preknowledge make an implicit assumption that the examinees with item preknowledge differ in their response time patterns compared to other examinees without item preknowledge. In this study, we analyzed the differences in response time of examinees with potential item preknowledge and examinees without item preknowledge based on a real experimental dataset provided by Toton and Maynes (2019). A multiple-group extension of van der Linden’s Lognormal Response Model with a gating mechanism was used to capture the differences in latent speed for control and experimental groups on disclosed and undisclosed items. The model used in the study and estimated parameters from this experimental dataset may inform future simulation studies in this area of research to simulate realistic datasets with item preknowledge behavior.

Block Extensions, Local Categories and Basic Morita Equivalences

Let $(\mathcal{K},\mathcal{O},k)$ be a $p$-modular system where $p$ is a prime and $k$ algebraically closed, let $b$ be a $G$-invariant block of the normal subgroup $H$ of a finite group $G$, having defect pointed group $Q_\delta$ in $H$ and $P_\gamma$ in $G$ and consider the block extension $b\mathcal{O}G$. One may attach to $b$ an extended local category $\mathcal{E}_{(b,H,G)}$, a group extension $L$ of $Z(Q)$ by $N_G(Q_\delta )/C_H(Q)$ having $P$ as a Sylow $p$-subgroup, and a cohomology class $[\alpha ]\in H^2(N_G(Q_\delta )/QC_H(Q),k^\times )$. We prove that these objects are invariant under the $G/H$-graded basic Morita equivalences. Along the way, we give alternative proofs of the results of Külshammer and Puig (1990), and Puig and Zhou (2012) on extensions of nilpotent blocks. We also deduce by our methods a result of Zhou (2016) on $p^{\prime}$-extensions of inertial blocks.