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Increasing urbanization and industrialization demands advanced infrastructure over the existing structure, especially in a developing country (like India) where the population is very large and keeps on increasing. To deal with this complex situation there is an essential need for structures that have higher strength along with sustainability in design. The current project deals with the development of high performance concrete using ultrafine flyash. The project aims to develop high strength concrete of M-60 grade with binary blending of cement with ultrafine flyash and ternary blending of cement with ultrafine flyash and silica fume to produce precast concrete of M-50 grade. Further, the desirable percentage of ultrafine flyash in the development of high-strength concrete of M-60 grade and desirable percentages of both ultrafine flyash and silica fume in precast concrete of M-50 grade was found out to achieve the desired target strength according to the Indian standard criteria. Workability and compressive strength tests were performed on all the mixes. Results reveal that 5% replacement of cement by ultrafine flyash is the most desirable amount which can satisfy the criteria according to various Indian standard codes. Further, other strengths and durability tests were performed on desired concrete. The results show that desired concrete satisfies all the criteria and used in the development of the metro structure.

Searching for new active molecules against M. Bovis BCG and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) H37Ra, a focused of 1,2,3-triazoles-incorporated 2,4 thiazolidinedione conjugates have been efficiently prepared via a click chemistry approach cyclocondensation of 4-amino-N-(5-methylisoxazol-3-yl)benzenesulfonamide (4), aryl aldehyde (5a–l), and mercapto acetic acid (6) with good to promising yields. The newly synthesized compounds were tested against drug-sensitive MTB and BCG. In particular, compounds 8g, 8h, 8j and 8l are highly potent against both the strains with IC90 values in the range of 1.20–2.70 and 1.24–2.65 µg/mL, respectively. Based on the results from the antitubercular activity, SAR for the synthesized series has been developed. Most of the active compounds were non-cytotoxic against MCF-7, HCT 116 and A549 cell lines. Most active compounds were having a higher selectively index, which suggested that these compounds were highly potent.

Bent-shaped thienoacenes show promise as next-generation organic semiconductors. Here we present the synthesis of an air-stable, pure and easily scalable thiophene precursor, 2,5-distannylated-3,4-dialkyne thiophene, starting from 3,4-dialkyne thiophene in quantitative yields. This precursor has been used for the synthesis of a versatile class of syn-thienoacenes comprising up to 13 fused rings, helical acenes and donor–acceptor acenes.

A series of four thiophene and triazine containing conjugated porous polymers (CPPs) comprising the same building block, tris(thienyl)triazine, is synthesized using the alkyne cyclotrimerization reaction for TT-CPP1, Sonogashira coupling reaction for TT-CPP2, Glaser coupling reaction for TT-CPP3 and Stille coupling reaction for TT-CPP4. By varying the spacer between tris(thienyl)triazine units, the porosity (3.6, 4.8 and 5.3 nm, respectively) and the band gap value (2.43, 2.11 and 2.03 eV, respectively) of TT-CPP1, TT-CPP2 and TT-CPP3 have been efficiently tuned. All the TT-CPPs display significant thermal stability up to 450 °C. Nitrogen and sulfur of triazine and thiophene moieties, respectively, act as electron-donating centers in these porous polymer frameworks, resulting in excellent adsorption of the Lewis acidic CO2 molecule. A maximum CO2 uptake of 11.4 wt% (2.6 mmol g−1) at 263 K under 100 kPa pressure has been observed for TT-CPP1 compared to the other two CPPs due to the small pore size and strong adsorbate–adsorbent interactions. Configurational bias Monte Carlo (CBMC) molecular simulations have shed light on the selective capture, position and binding energy of CO2 for TT-CPP1/2/3.

A new series of 5-(5-aryl-1-phenyl-1H-pyrazol-3-yl)-3-aryl-1,2,4-oxadiazole (6a-o) have been synthesized by a cyclocondensation reaction of ethyl 5-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-phenyl-1H-pyrazole-3- carboxylate (3a-c) with aryl imidoxime (5a-e). The newly synthesized pyrazolyl-1,2,4-oxadiazole (6a-o) derivatives were characterized by spectroscopic techniques and screened for in vitro antibacterial activity against Bacillus subtilis (NCIM 2063), Staphylococcus albus (NCIM 2178), Escherichia coli (NCIM 2574), Proteus mirabilis (NCIM 2388) and in vitro antifungal activity against Aspergillus niger (ATCC 504) Candida albicans (NCIM 3100).

Light energy can be considered as an ideal eco-friendly source of energy for green chemistry. This perspective was used to synthesize 5-aryl-1,2,4-thiazolidine-3-thiones derivative as a quick, efficient and highly improved protocol. The present method developed an energy competent and integrated technique by one-pot condensations of aromatic aldehyde and thiosemicarbazide under the catalyst-free condition in aqueous-alcoholic media. The impact of light on reaction along with mechanical stirring provided a prominent yield of the product. The mild reaction conditions, short reaction time and easy workup procedure, avoidance of heavy metal catalyst and harsh reaction conditions make this protocol greener.

Imidazoles are a major class of five-membered, nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compounds possessing a wide spectrum of biological and physical activities. 1–5 Because of its importance, numerous m...

A series of newer derivatives 10a–n containing a 2,4-thiazolidinedione and 2-aryl-4-thiazolidinone moieties of pharmacological significance have been synthesized. The compounds were screened for th...

Machine learning (ML) is at the forefront of the rising popularity of data-driven software applications. The resulting rapid proliferation of ML technology, explosive data growth, and shortage of data science expertise have caused the industry to face increasingly challenging demands to keep up with fast-paced develop-and-deploy model lifecycles. Recent academic and industrial research efforts have started to address this problem through automated machine learning (AutoML) pipelines and have focused on model performance as the first-order design objective. We present Oracle AutoML, a novel iteration-free AutoML pipeline designed to not only provide accurate models, but also in a shorter runtime. We are able to achieve these objectives by eliminating the need to continuously iterate over various pipeline configurations. In our feed-forward approach, each pipeline stage makes decisions based on metalearned proxy models that can predict candidate pipeline configuration performances before building the full final model. Our approach, which builds and tunes only the best candidate pipeline, achieves better scores at a fraction of the time compared to state-of-the-art open source AutoML tools, such as H2O and Auto-sklearn. This makes Oracle AutoML a prime candidate for addressing current industry challenges.

The nucleophilic substitution on 3-substituted 2-methoxytropones to form azulenes is dependent on the nucleophile and base employed. With bulkier nucleophiles (ethyl/methyl cyanoacetate), the reaction proceeds with the abnormal nucleophilic substitution irrespective of the base and with smaller nucleophiles (malononitrile), the reaction follows base-dependent normal and abnormal nucleophilic substitution. Thus, the methodologies are developed to selectively obtain 4- and 5-substituted azulenes based on the nature of bases and nucleophiles employed.

Wormlike micelles (WLMs) are polymer-like chains formed by surfactant self-assembly in water. Recently, we have shown that WLMs can also be self-assembled in polar organic liquids like glycerol using a cationic surfactant and an aromatic salt. In this work, we focus on the dynamic rheology of the WLMs in glycerol and demonstrate that their rheology is very different from that of WLMs in water. Aqueous WLMs that are entangled into transient networks exhibit the rheology of a perfect Maxwell fluid having a single relaxation time tR-thereby, their elastic modulus G' and viscous modulus G″ intersect at a crossover frequency ωc = 1/tR. WLMs in glycerol also form entangled networks, but they are not Maxwell fluids; instead, they exhibit a double-crossover of G' and G″ (at ωc1 and ωc2) within the ω-window accessible by rheometry (10-2 to 102 rad/s). The first crossover at ωc1 (∼1 rad/s) corresponds to the terminal relaxation time (i.e., the timescale for chains to disentangle from the transient network and relax by reptation). At the other extreme, at frequencies above ωc2 (which is ∼10 rad/s), the rheology is dominated by the segmental motion of the chains. This "breathing regime" has rarely been accessed via experiments for aqueous WLMs because it falls around 105 rad/s. We believe that glycerol, a solvent that is much more viscous than water, exerts a crucial influence in pushing ωc2 to 1000-fold lower frequencies. On the basis of the rheology, we also hypothesize that WLMs in glycerol are shorter and weakly entangled compared to WLMs in water. Moreover, we suggest that WLMs in glycerol are "unbreakable" chains-i.e., the chains remain mostly intact instead of breaking and re-forming frequently-and this polymer-like behavior explains why the samples are quite unlike Maxwell fluids.

Background: In spite of improvement and modification for intertrochanteric fracture in the conservative line of treatment the ideal anatomical and functional result could not be achieved.Until now mentioned factors posteromedial support communition has been considered to bea major prognostic factor in the determination of the functional outcome. Current literature almost neglects other important potential prognostic factor i.e. lateral trochanteric wall fracture.The current study has aimed at studying Assessment of functional outcomes of Dynamic Hip screw fixation in intertrochanteric fracture Evans 3 and 4 types. Method: 126 cases were registered in the study out of which 64 cases of Trochanteric fractures which were admitted in the Orthopaedic wards and treated by internal fixation using standard Dynamic Hip Screw (DHS) were included in the study. Preoperative assessment of fracture geometry was done using Evan’s classification. Result: Age of patients ranged from 22 years to 88 years, with the average being 55 yrs. the anatomical reduction was achieved in 82.5% of group A with intact lateral trochanteric wall whereas it was achieved in only 33% of the other group. Average impaction in group A was found to be 5.5mm and average impaction in group B was 14mm. 85% of group A had functional outcome excellent to good whereas in 66% of group B it was fair to poor. Conclusion: Intact lateral trochanteric wall helps in achieving anatomical reduction, imparts inherent stability and prevents excessive collapse, limb shortening and sliding of the screw. Thus it helps in achieving good functional outcome making lateral trochanteric wall fracture good predictor of functional outcome.

The ε4 allele of apolipoprotein E (APOE) is the dominant genetic risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, the reason for the association between APOE4 and AD remains unclear. While much of the research has focused on the ability of the apoE4 protein to increase the aggregation and decrease the clearance of Aβ, there is also an abundance of data showing that APOE4 negatively impacts many additional processes in the brain, including bioenergetics. In order to gain a more comprehensive understanding of APOE4′s role in AD pathogenesis, we performed a transcriptomics analysis of APOE4 vs. APOE3 expression in the entorhinal cortex (EC) and primary visual cortex (PVC) of aged APOE mice. This study revealed EC-specific upregulation of genes related to oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos). Follow-up analysis utilizing the Seahorse platform showed decreased mitochondrial respiration with age in the hippocampus and cortex of APOE4 vs. APOE3 mice, but not in the EC of these mice. Additional studies, as well as the original transcriptomics data, suggest that multiple bioenergetic pathways are differentially regulated by APOE4 expression in the EC of aged APOE mice in order to increase the mitochondrial coupling efficiency in this region. Given the importance of the EC as one of the first regions to be affected by AD pathology in humans, the observation that the EC is susceptible to differential bioenergetic regulation in response to a metabolic stressor such as APOE4 may point to a causative factor in the pathogenesis of AD.

Metallized energetic composite films incorporating high mass loadings of aluminum nanoparticle fuels and metal oxide oxidizers (thermite) within a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) polymer matrix were constructed via repeatable direct write additive manufacturing (3-D Printing). High speed videography, Temperature-Jump/Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (T-Jump/TOFMS), and 2D spaciotemporal temperature mapping were used to analyze the role of composition and particle loading with respect to ignition behavior and combustion performance. This study reveals that, while the ignition temperatures of films are relatively unvaried in pressurized environments, ignition temperatures in vacuum are strongly dependent on the inclusion of thermite material and the specific type of thermite utilized. Increasing thermite mass loading results in a reduction in film flame speed and mechanical integrity but increases flame temperature. Coupled time of flight mass spectrometry reinforces and elaborates on previous findings regarding the Al/PVDF reaction mechanism as it pertains to the coupled behavior of incorporating increasing amounts of metal oxides. TOFMS highlights carbon dioxide generation from the metal oxide interaction with PVDF, leading to unintended stoichiometric considerations and distinct changes in steady burn behavior which contribute adverse factors towards flame propagation.

We report here the first example of BF2 formazanates with thiophene capping and their π-conjugated polymers in the form of electroactive uniform thin films by electrochemical polymerization. These new formazanates and their polymers possess panchromatic absorption with low lying frontier molecular orbitals. With small band gaps (1.5-1.8 eV), they are good candidates for organic electronics and light-harvesting applications. A computational study on the charge transport properties of BF2 formazanates with 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) indicates an ambipolar semiconductor nature.

Understanding the concept of immersion and its influencing factors is critical for enabling engaging audiovisual experiences. However, a lack of definitional consensus and suitable methods for assessing immersion hinder research on the subject. This chapter discusses the idea of immersion based on a non-exhaustive literature review of the topic and presents an adaptable definition of immersion that is not limited to virtual reality applications. Additionally, an exploratory experimental paradigm for measuring immersion in audiovisual experiences is described. The description of immersion and the experimental framework presented in this chapter are a starting point for resolving the difference in opinion and developing novel methods to thoroughly explore the concept of immersion respectively.

A new series of 3-(5-aryl-1-phenyl-1H-pyrazol-3-yl)-5-aryl-1,2,4-oxadiazole (9a–x) have been synthesized by a reaction of 5-aryl-N′-hydroxy-1-phenyl-1H-pyrazole-3-carboximidamide (7a–d) with substituted methyl benzoate (8a–f). The newly synthesized 3-(5-aryl-1-phenyl-1H-pyrazol-3-yl)-5-aryl-1,2,4-oxadiazole (9a–x) derivatives were characterized by spectroscopic techniques and screened for in vitro antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacterial strains Bacillus subtilis (NCIM 2063), Staphylococcus albus (NCIM 2178). Gram-negative bacterial strains Escherichia coli (NCIM 2574), it was noticed that compounds 9h, 9i, and 9j in which R = 4-Cl and R1 = 2-Cl/4-Cl or 4-CH3 showed good activity against B. subtilis with MIC 31.25 μg/mL against standard S. albus having MIC 7.81 μg/mL. Proteus mirabilis (NCIM 2388) and in vitro antifungal activity against Aspergillus niger (ATCC 504) Candida albicans (NCIM 3100). 3-(5-Aryl-1-phenyl-1H-pyrazol-3-yl)-5-aryl-1,2,4-oxadiazole derivatives like compound 9a (R = H, R1 = 2-Cl), 9b (R = H, R1 = 2-Cl), 9d (R = H, R1 = 4-Cl), and 9k (R = 4-Cl, R1 = 4-OCH3) showed good activity against A. niger with MIC 31.25 µg/mL, which are comparable to standard drug ravuconazole having MIC 31.5 µg/mL. Compounds 9h (R = 4-Cl, R1 = 2-Cl) and 9j (R = 4-Cl, R1 = 4-CH3) showed activity against A. niger with MIC 7.81 µg/mL which is comparable to standard drug Fluconazole having MIC 7.81 µg/mL and fourfold more activity with respect to drug Ravuconazole. The antibacterial activity of 3-(5-aryl-1-phenyl-1H-pyrazol-3-yl)-5-aryl-1,2,4-oxadiazole (9a–x) derivatives led to the conclusion that these scaffolds could aid in the creation of lead drugs to treat microbial infection.

The COVID-19 crisis poses new policy challenges and has spurred new research agendas in public economics. In this article, we selectively reflect on how the field of public economics has been shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic and discuss several areas where more research is necessary. We highlight major changes and inequalities in the labor market and K-12 education, in addition to discussing how technological change creates new challenges for the taxation of income and consumption. We discuss various policy responses to these challenges and the role of fiscal federalism in the context of worldwide crises. Finally, we summarize the key issues discussed at the 2021 International Institute of Public Finance Congress and the papers published in this special issue.

We show that torsion modes of strained nanoribbons can have ultrahigh Q-factors, are naturally soft-clamped, and can be mass-loaded without changing their Q. We leverage these insights to realize sub-SQL optical lever measurements and chip-scale torsion pendula with μHz damping rates.

OBJECTIVE: Patterns of cryopreservation of explanted skull bone flaps have long been a matter of debate, in particular the appropriate temperature of storage. To the best of our knowledge no study to date has compared the microbiological profile and the infection potential of skull bone flaps cryostored at the same institution at disparate degrees for neurosurgical purposes. In the context of our clinical trial DRKS00023283, we performed a bacterial culture of explanted skull bone flaps, which were cryopreserved lege artis at a temperature of either - 23°C or - 80°C after a decompressive hemicraniectomy. In a further step, we contaminated the bone fragments in a s uspension with specific pathogens (S. aureus, S. epidermidis and C. acnes, Colony forming unit CFU 103/ml) over 24h and conducted a second culture.; RESULTS: A total of 17 cryopreserved skull flaps (8: - 23°C; 9: - 80°C) explanted during decompressive hemicraniectomies performed between 2019 and 2020 as well as 2 computer-aided-designed skulls (1 vancomycin-soaked) were analyzed. Median duration of cryopreservation was 10.5months (2-17months). No microorganisms were detected at the normal bacterial culture. After active contamination of our skull flaps, all samples showed similar bacterial growth of above-mentioned pathogens; thus, our study did not reveal an influence of the storage temperature upon infectious dynamic of the skulls. © 2022. The Author(s).

We experimentally demonstrate entanglement-enhanced optomechanical sensing in which entangled optical probes jointly read out the displacements of two mechanical membranes, enabling enhanced force sensitivities and enlarged measurement bandwidths.

The study of the electrical double layer lies at the heart of colloidal and interfacial science. The standard mean-field Poisson-Boltzmann (PB) theory is incapable of modeling many phenomena originating from ion correlation. An important example is charge inversion or overcharging of electrical double layers in multivalent electrolyte solutions. Existing theories aiming to include correlations cannot capture the non-monotonic dependence of charge inversion on salt concentration because they have not systematically accounted for the inhomogeneous nature of correlations from surface to the bulk and the excluded volume effect of ions and solvent molecules. In this work, we modify the Gaussian renormalized fluctuation theory by including the excluded volume effect to study ion condensation and charge inversion. A boundary layer approach is developed to accurately model the giant difference in ion correlations between the condensed layer near the surface and the diffuse layer outside. The theory is used to study charge inversion in multivalent electrolytes and their mixtures. We predict a surface charge induced formation of a three-dimensional condensed layer, which is necessary but not sufficient for charge inversion. The value of the effective surface potential is found to depend non-monotonically on the bulk salt concentration. Our results also show a non-monotonic reduction in charge inversion in monovalent and multivalent electrolyte mixtures. Our work is the first to qualitatively reproduce experimental and simulation observations and explains the underlying physics.

A novel library of synthetic piperidine derivatives was used to screen against human lymphatic filarial parasite Brugia malayi. Piperidine has earlier been reported to have effect against parasites including rodent filarial nematodes. Compounds with hydroxyl substitutions (4Q and 4H) showed marked antifilarial effect. Molecular docking of 4H derivative showed more favorable thermodynamic parameters against thymidylate synthase of B. malayi than human counterpart. A wide difference between IC50 and LD50 ensured the therapeutic safety of the candidates against the filarial parasites. Addition of thymidine to the treatment regimen led to a significant reversal of antifilarial effect of 4H that confirmed inhibition of thymidylate synthase as pharmacological rationale. Apoptosis induced in the parasite as a consequence of probable inhibition of thymidylate synthase was studied by acridine orange/ethidium bromide fluorescent staining and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase activity inhibition. Involvement of mitochondria was confirmed by decreased 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) conversion and increased cytosolic cytochrome c level in 4H treated microfilariae, compared with the untreated microfilariae. Moreover, Michael adduct of chalcone targeting dihydrofolate reductase and piperidine targeting thymidylate synthase demonstrated synergistic effect on the parasite, indicating the importance of inhibition of DNA synthesis by combined effect. In conclusion, piperidine derivatives with hydroxyl substitution have a great therapeutic potential with an apoptotic rationale involving mitochondrial pathway, due to possible inhibition of parasitic thymidylate synthase.

ObjectiveLaryngotracheal reconstructive surgery very often requires placement of laryngeal stents, but most of the available stents either do not conform to the shape of the glottis or are open at the upper end, causing significant tissue reaction and aspiration. LT-Mold is an ideal stent in this respect, but it is not readily available.Case reportThe authors of this study fashioned a laryngeal stent out of a readily available Montgomery T-tube in such a way that it had a closed upper end and was well-conformed to the architecture of the larynx. This stent was used in a case of posterior expansion laryngoplasty, and post-operatively the patient had a patent airway with good voice and no aspiration.ConclusionA customised laryngeal stent is well tolerated and helps to solve complicated cases of posterior glottic stenosis.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can lead to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) through mechanisms that remain incompletely characterized. Similar to AD, TBI models present with cellular metabolic alterations and modulated cleavage of amyloid precursor protein (APP). Specifically, AD and TBI tissues display increases in amyloid-β as well as its precursor, the APP C-terminal fragment of 99 a.a. (C99). Our recent data in cell models of AD indicate that C99, due to its affinity for cholesterol, induces the formation of transient lipid raft domains in the ER known as mitochondria-associated endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membranes ("MAM" domains). The formation of these domains recruits and activates specific lipid metabolic enzymes that regulate cellular cholesterol trafficking and sphingolipid turnover. Increased C99 levels in AD cell models promote MAM formation and significantly modulate cellular lipid homeostasis. Here, these phenotypes were recapitulated in the controlled cortical impact (CCI) model of TBI in adult mice. Specifically, the injured cortex and hippocampus displayed significant increases in C99 and MAM activity, as measured by phospholipid synthesis, sphingomyelinase activity and cholesterol turnover. In addition, our cell type-specific lipidomics analyses revealed significant changes in microglial lipid composition that are consistent with the observed alterations in MAM-resident enzymes. Altogether, we propose that alterations in the regulation of MAM and relevant lipid metabolic pathways could contribute to the epidemiological connection between TBI and AD.

The self-assembly of lipids into nanoscale vesicles (liposomes) is routinely accomplished in water. However, reports of similar vesicles in polar organic solvents like glycerol, formamide, and ethylene glycol (EG) are scarce. Here, we demonstrate the formation of nanoscale vesicles in glycerol, formamide, and EG using the common phospholipid lecithin (derived from soy). The samples we study are simple binary mixtures of lecithin and the solvent, with no additional cosurfactants or salt. Lecithin dissolves readily in the solvents and spontaneously gives rise to viscous fluids at low lipid concentrations (∼2-4%), with structures ∼200 nm detected by dynamic light scattering. At higher concentrations (>10%), lecithin forms clear gels that are strongly birefringent at rest. Dynamic rheology confirms the elastic response of gels, with their elastic modulus being ∼20 Pa at ∼10% lipid. Images from cryo-scanning electron microscopy (cryo-SEM) indicate that concentrated samples are "vesicle gels," where multilamellar vesicles (MLVs, also called "onions"), with diameters between 50 and 600 nm, are close-packed across the sample volume. This structure can explain both the elastic rheology as well as the static birefringence of the samples. The discovery of vesicles and vesicle gels in polar solvents widens the scope of systems that can be created by self-assembly. Interestingly, it is much easier to form vesicles in polar solvents than in water, and the former are stable indefinitely, whereas the latter tend to aggregate or coalesce over time. The stability is attributed to refractive index-matching between lipid bilayers and the solvents, i.e., these vesicles are relatively "invisible" and thus experience only weak attractions. The ability to use lipids (which are "green" or eco-friendly molecules derived from renewable natural sources) to thicken and form gels in polar solvents could also prove useful in a variety of areas, including cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and lubricants.

Taxation in the aviation industry has evolved considerably over the last 25 years. Despite the vital role aviation and airports play in efficiently moving goods and people, the effect of taxation in this industry is understudied. Understanding how passengers and carriers respond to taxes and government fees is crucial to efficiently raising government revenue. After an overview of how taxation has evolved in the industry, this paper estimates how fares adjust in response to tax changes. Exploiting variation in taxes across similar routes and over time, the results suggest taxes are over-shifted to consumers (i.e., a $1 increase in taxes results in more than a $1 increase in the total fare). The paper discusses potential explanations for this result: the nature of competition in the industry and the propagation of taxes within a network.

Introduction: As the management of COVID-19 has continued to evolve, the question as to whether delaying intubation is beneficial or harmful for patients with COVID-19 induced hypoxic respiratory failure has yet to be answered. Early reports suggested that patients may benefit from early intubation during a period of severe hypoxia;later management shifted towards delaying intubation as much as possible using non-invasive ventilation. Additionally, the pathophysiologic implications of timing of intubation are poorly understood, including the potential for pulmonary vascular thrombosis and intussusceptive angiogenesis. This study examines the differences in outcomes and respiratory mechanics between subjects who are intubated earlier versus later in their COVID-19 disease course. Study Design and Methods: Retrospective single-center cohort study of subjects intubated for COVID-19 ARDS between March and June 2020. Patients were stratified by time to intubation: 30 subjects were intubated 4-24 hours after presentation and 24 subjects were intubated 5-10 days after presentation. Data regarding baseline characteristics, hospitalization, ventilator mechanics and outcomes were extracted and analyzed. 10 clinically available CT scans for these patients were manually reviewed to identify evidence of pulmonary vascular thrombosis and intussusceptive angiogenesis. Results: Median time from symptom onset to intubation was significantly different between the Early and Late Intubation Cohorts, with the latter being intubated later in the course of their illness (7.9 days vs 11.8 days;p=0.04). The Early Intubation Cohort had a lower mortality rate than the Late Intubation Cohort (6% vs 30%, p < 0.001) without significantly different ventilator mechanics at the time of intubation. However, the Late Intubation Cohort was noted to have higher dead space ratio (0.40 vs 0.52;p = 0.03). On review of CT scans, the Late Intubation Cohort also had more segments with dilated and tortuous peripheral vessels on imaging (2 segments vs 5 segments). Interpretation: As our approaches to treatment of COVID-19 continue to evolve, the decision of timing of intubation remains paramount. While non-invasive ventilation may allow for delaying intubation, it is possible that there are downstream effects of delayed intubation that should be considered.

Odontogenesis is a complex process, which involves the molecular interaction between the epithelium and ectomesenchyme called as epithelium mesenchymal interaction (EMI). Reduced enamel epithelium (REE) after tooth formation protects enamel from coming in contact with adjacent ectomesenchyme. Also, REE acts as a source of origin for odontogenic lesions, during the process of development of a lesion, disruption in REE may occur and lead to formed enamel coming in contact with adjacent ectomesenchyme leading to the formation of cementum like calcifications. REE may play a role in pathogenesis of hard tissue formation in odontogenic lesions.

As the COVID-19 pandemic has shaped public policies and government finances, it has also influenced the topics that public finance economists are researching. Because the 2020 International Institute of Public Finance Congress featured papers that were submitted prior to the start of the pandemic, the Congress allows us to reflect on the state of research prior to the pandemic's shock to both fiscal policies and our worldview. In this article, the Editors of International Tax and Public Finance reflect on interesting papers that were presented at this internationally representative conference in public economics. The exercise provides insight on where the field of public economics was heading prior to the pandemic and will provide a yardstick to see how the field evolves in the coming years afterward.

Background: Transparent and robust real-world evidence sources are increasingly important for global health, including cardiovascular (CV) diseases. We aimed to identify global real-world data (RWD) sources for heart failure (HF), acute coronary syndrome (ACS), and atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods: We conducted a systematic review of publications with RWD pertaining to HF, ACS, and AF (2010–2018), generating a list of unique data sources. Metadata were extracted based on the source type (e.g., electronic health records, genomics, and clinical data), study design, population size, clinical characteristics, follow-up duration, outcomes, and assessment of data availability for future studies and linkage. Results: Overall, 11,889 publications were retrieved for HF, 10,729 for ACS, and 6,262 for AF. From these, 322 (HF), 287 (ACS), and 220 (AF) data sources were selected for detailed review. The majority of data sources had near complete data on demographic variables (HF: 94%, ACS: 99%, and AF: 100%) and considerable data on comorbidities (HF: 77%, ACS: 93%, and AF: 97%). The least reported data categories were drug codes (HF, ACS, and AF: 10%) and caregiver involvement (HF: 6%, ACS: 1%, and AF: 1%). Only a minority of data sources provided information on access to data for other researchers (11%) or whether data could be linked to other data sources to maximize clinical impact (20%). The list and metadata for the RWD sources are publicly available at www.escardio.org/bigdata. Conclusions: This review has created a comprehensive resource of CV data sources, providing new avenues to improve future real-world research and to achieve better patient outcomes.