cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Promoting change among parents involved in the child welfare system: Parents’ reflections on their motivations to change parenting behaviors

SummaryAlthough a wealth of research exists related to children involved in the child welfare system, far less is known about parents’ experiences. Specifically, research is needed that examines the motivation for change of parents involved with the child welfare system in order to inform interventions with this at-risk population. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 33 parents court ordered to participate in a parent education group due to involvement with the child welfare system. Interviews were recorded and transcribed, and researchers used qualitative content analysis to examine parents’ motivation to change their parenting behaviors.FindingsParticipants highlighted how patterns from their family of origin, their own identity, and their current support systems served as motivation for change in their own parenting behaviors. Results were discussed using a social cognitive theory framework.ApplicationClinical implications include the need to assess at-risk parents’ unique sources of motivati...
Transparent and self-activated harmonic sensor using integrated graphene antennas and circuits

We propose a new paradigm of transparent, flexible, and self-powered radio-frequency (RF) harmonic sensor based on all-graphene antenna and frequency multiplier/sensor. The multilayered-graphene antenna receives fundamental tone at C band and retransmits the sensed signal (harmonic tone) at X band, thus allowing high-performance sensing in a severe interference/clutter background. The frequency multiplier is built by graphene transistors, with the conversion gain being chemically sensitive to exposed gas/molecule/chemical dopants. This all-graphene system may benefit various wireless sensing applications, such as smart contact lens and microscope slides.
Dysregulation of Aromatase in Breast, Endometrial, and Ovarian Cancers: An Overview of Therapeutic Strategies

Aromatase is the rate-limiting enzyme in the biosynthesis of estrogens, which play crucial roles on a spectrum of developmental and physiological processes. The biological actions of estrogens are classically mediated by binding to two estrogen receptors (ERs), ERα and ERβ. Encoded by the cytochrome P450, family 19, subfamily A, polypeptide 1 (CYP19A1) gene, aromatase is expressed in a wide variety of tissues, as well as benign and malignant tumors, and is regulated in a pathway- and tissue-specific manner. Overexpression of aromatase, leading to elevated systemic levels of estrogen, is unequivocally linked to the pathogenesis and growth of a number malignancies, including breast, endometrium, and ovarian cancers. Aromatase inhibitors (AIs) are routinely used to treat estrogen-dependent breast cancers in postmenopausal women; however, their roles in endometrial and ovarian cancers remain obscure. While AI therapy is effective in hormone sensitive cancers, they diminish estrogen production throughout the body and, thus, generate undesirable side effects. Despite the effectiveness of AI therapy, resistance to endocrine therapy remains a major concern and is the leading cause of cancer death. Considerable advances, toward mitigating these issues, have evolved in conjunction with a number of histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors for countering an assortment of diseases and cancers, including the aforesaid malignancies. HDACs are a family of enzymes that are frequently dysregulated in human tumors. This chapter will discuss the current understanding of aberrant regulation and expression of aromatase in breast, endometrial, and ovarian cancers, and potential therapeutic strategies for prevention and treatment of these life-threatening diseases.
Design and hardware implementation of two stage solid state bipolar Marx generator

Impulse generators were used to generate high voltage pulses. Marx generator is a multistage impulse generator. Conventional Marx generator used spark gap switches. In recent years these switches are replaced with semiconductor switches. The bipolar Marx generator is able to produce positive, negative and bipolar pulses. This paper deals with design and implementation of 2 stage solid state Bipolar Marx Generator. The specifications of Marx Generator are 200 V output voltage, 200 Hz repetitive frequency and a pulse width of 300 μs. The circuit is simulated using MATLAB software and the output obtained is 194 V. Hardware is tested with 50 V input voltage. The output obtained is 92 V.
Gut-liver axis at the frontier of host-microbial interactions

Liver and intestine are tightly linked through the venous system of the portal circulation. Consequently, the liver is the primary recipient of gut-derived products, most prominently dietary nutrients and microbial components. It functions as a secondary “firewall” and protects the body from intestinal pathogens and other microbial products that have crossed the primary barrier of the intestinal tract. Disruption of the intestinal barrier enhances microbial exposure of the liver, which can have detrimental or beneficial effects in the organ depending on the specific circumstances. Conversely, the liver also exerts influence over intestinal microbial communities via secretion of bile acids and IgA antibodies. This mini-review highlights key findings and concepts in the area of host-microbial interactions as pertinent to the bilateral communication between liver and gut and highlights the concept of the gut-liver axis.
Block-Matching Twitter Data for Traffic Event Location

We used a block-matching approach that is data-driven and relies mostly on patterns of tagged speech in Twitter streams as a way to identify events in road traffic. Events are useful because their location may identify the status of road segments, especially when cross-street data are available. Basing a system on patterns that are not pre-defined has the advantage of flexibility for a variety of scenarios.
The Water Neutron Detector

Information gathering and dissemination is a crucial aspect of a resilient society during and after a major disruptive event. Neutron detection is particularly important when spontaneously fissioning isotopes are present, such as following a severe nuclear accident. Historically, most neutron detectors have been based on helium-3. Yet because the supply of helium-3 has greatly diminished in the past decade, it is of international interest to develop non-helium-3 based neutron detectors. The Water Neutron Detector (WaND) provides an efficient, non-toxic, and non-flammable alternative detector method. The WaND system is currently under investigation for the nondestructive assay of spent nuclear fuel to quantify plutonium content.
Effects of long-term balance training with vibrotactile sensory augmentation among community-dwelling healthy older adults: a randomized preliminary study

Sensory augmentation has been shown to improve postural stability during real-time balance applications. Limited long-term controlled studies have examined retention of balance improvements in healthy older adults after training with sensory augmentation has ceased. This pilot study aimed to assess the efficacy of long-term balance training with and without sensory augmentation among community-dwelling healthy older adults. Twelve participants (four males, eight females; 75.6 ± 4.9 yrs) were randomly assigned to the experimental group (n = 6) or control group (n = 6). Participants trained in their homes for eight weeks, completing three 45-min exercise sessions per week using smart phone balance trainers that provided written, graphic, and video guidance, and monitored trunk sway. During each session, participants performed six repetitions of six exercises selected from five categories (static standing, compliant surface standing, weight shifting, modified center of gravity, and gait). The experimental group received vibrotactile sensory augmentation for four of the six repetitions per exercise via the smart phone balance trainers, while the control group performed exercises without sensory augmentation. The smart phone balance trainers sent exercise performance data to a physical therapist, who recommended exercises on a weekly basis. Balance performance was assessed using a battery of clinical balance tests (Activity Balance Confidence Scale, Sensory Organization Test, Mini Balance Evaluation Systems Test, Five Times Sit to Stand Test, Four Square Step Test, Functional Reach Test, Gait Speed Test, Timed Up and Go, and Timed Up and Go with Cognitive Task) before training, after four weeks of training, and after eight weeks of training. Participants in the experimental group were able to use vibrotactile sensory augmentation independently in their homes. After training, the experimental group had significantly greater improvements in Sensory Organization Test and Mini Balance Evaluation Systems Test scores than the control group. Significant improvement was also observed for Five Times Sit to Stand Test duration within the experimental group, but not in the control group. No significant improvements between the two groups were observed in the remaining clinical outcome measures. The findings of this study support the use of sensory augmentation devices by community-dwelling healthy older adults as balance rehabilitation tools, and indicate feasibility of telerehabilitation therapy with reduced input from clinicians.
Heavy-Traffic Limit of the GI/GI/1 Stationary Departure Process and Its Variance Function

Heavy-traffic limits are established for the stationary departure process from a GI/GI/1 queue and its variance function. The limit process is a function of the Brownian motion limits of the arriva...
Family Income Reduces Risk of Obesity for White but Not Black Children

Background: Although the protective effects of socioeconomic status (SES) on obesity and cardiovascular disease are well established, these effects may differ across racial and ethnic groups. Aims: Using a national sample, this study investigated racial variation in the association between family income and childhood obesity in White and Black families. Methods: This cross-sectional study used data from the National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH), 2003–2004, a nationally representative survey in the United States. This analysis included 76,705 children 2–17 years old who were either White (n = 67,610, 88.14%) or Black (n = 9095, 11.86%). Family income to needs ratio was the independent variable. Childhood obesity was the outcome. Race was the focal moderator. Logistic regression was used for data analysis. Results: Overall, higher income to needs ratio was protective against childhood obesity. Race, however, interacted with income to needs ratio on odds of childhood obesity, indicating smaller effects for Black compared to White families. Race stratified logistic regressions showed an association between family income and childhood obesity for White but not Black families. Conclusions: The protective effect of income against childhood obesity is smaller for Blacks than Whites. Merely equalizing population access to SES and economic resources would not be sufficient for elimination of racial disparities in obesity and related cardiovascular disease in the United States. Policies should go beyond access to SES and address structural barriers in the lives of Blacks which result in a diminished health return of very same SES resources for them. As the likely causes are multi-level barriers, multi-level interventions are needed to eliminate racial disparities in childhood obesity.
Universal Features of Metastable State Energies in Cellular Matter.

Mechanical equilibrium states of cellular matter are overwhelmingly metastable and separated from each other by topology changes. Using theory and simulations, it is shown that for a wide class of energy functionals in 2D, including those describing tissue cell layers, local energy differences between neighboring metastable states as well as global energy differences between initial states and ground states are governed by simple, universal relations. Knowledge of instantaneous length of an edge undergoing a $T1$ transition is sufficient to predict local energy changes, while the initial edge length distribution yields a successful prediction for the global energy difference. An analytical understanding of the model parameters is provided.
Phase Mapping of Ultrasonic Fields Passed through Centrifugally Cast Stainless Steel

Mapping of ultrasonic fields passed through various solids has been used as an engineering tool to measure field distortion [1–8]. Centrifugally cast stainless steel (CCSS) has been one material of interest since many pressurized-water reactors (PWRs) use this material in the primary pressure boundary. The two-dimensional mapping of amplitude has been performed in different CCSS microstructures, and it was also of interest to extend this capability to include phase. This data was thought to be useful in validating models which are being refined to predict ultrasonic fields in solids, compensating for phase distortion when imaging reflectors, and detecting flaws by detecting changes caused by interference between the phase response of the primary wave front and a flaw. Previous work indicated that the sound field emitted by a 45°, longitudinal-wave probe was distorted at a frequency of 2 MHz but not at 1 MHz [2]. This report discusses the samples used, the process of mapping the in-phase fringe pattern, and an analysis of the fringe patterns acquired from selected CCSS microstructures at frequencies of 1 and 2 MHz.
The Birth of Angiotensin: An International Compromise.

Irvine Page in the United States and Eduardo Braun-Menendez in Argentina led teams of investigators that studied the role of the kidney in blood pressure regulation. Contemporaneously in 1939, each team using different methods discovered and described a new substance now known as angiotensin. At the time of discovery, Page called it "angiotonin" and Braun-Menendez called it "hipertensina," anglicized to "hypertensin." Over time, the importance of this substance in circulatory control, pathophysiology and pharmacology became indisputable and the need for a single name became obvious. In a remarkable accommodation, Page and Braun-Menendez agreed to forego any claim to priority and chose a name with elements of both. Following this compromise, Page and Braun-Menendez went on to become leaders in science in their own countries as well as recognition world-wide while, angiotensin and its derivatives have become standard components in the understanding and treatment of diseases of the heart, kidney and brain.
On Being Suspicious of Technical Solutions to Political Questions: A Rejoinder to Nash.

dressing similar concerns already exists in that field. The phenomenology of retardation; the politics of labeling, the psychology of deviance-all these areas have been thoroughly researched and debated. My paper called for serious consideration of the ethical and political issues which should confront us as we examine current practice and analyze and suggest future policies related to the education of gifted and nongifted children. My work and the work of others (Apple, 1979; Apple, 1982; Bowles and Gintis, 1976; Blatt, 1981) have led me to believe that a political analysis of educational policy is critical and must be, if not antecedent to, at least concurrent with the design of educational strategies. Nash calls for extensive research into educational effectiveness and
Ion channels: an open and shut case.

Most ion channels open and close — they are 'gated' — in response to cues in their environment. A crystal structure of a Ca2+-gated K+-ion channel provides insight into how gating works.
UPIM: Unipolar Switching Logic for High Density Processing-in-Memory Applications

Internet of Things (IoT) has built a network with billions of connected devices which generate massive volumes of data. Processing large data on existing systems requires significant costs for data movements between processors and memory due to limited cache capacity and memory bandwidth. Processing-In-Memory (PIM) is a promising solution to address the issue. Prior techniques that enable the computation in non-volatile memory (NVM) are designed on a bipolar switching mode, which suffers from a high sneak current in a crossbar array (CBA) structure. In this paper, we propose a unipolar-switching logic for high-density PIM applications, called UPIM. Our design exploits a unipolar-switching mode of memristor devices which can be operated in 1D1R structure hence suppresses the sneak current that exists in prior PIM technologies. Moreover, UPIM takes advantages of a 3D vertical crossbar array (CBA) structure to increase memory utilization per unit area for high-density applications. Our evaluation on a wide range of applications shows that the UPIM achieves up to 31.3× energy saving and 113.8× energy-delay product (EDP) improvement as compared to a recent GPGPU architecture. As compared to the state-of-the-art PIM design based on the bipolar switching mode, our design achieves 3.1× lower energy consumption.
Minor Determinants of Penicillin and Amoxicillin Are Still Key Components of Penicillin Skin Testing

Background The positive rate and pattern of penicillin skin test (PST) has been reported to be decreasing and changing. Previous studies differ about which penicillin component is the dominant component in positive PST result. Objective To characterize past and current PST patterns to determine whether different determinants in PST have changed over time. Methods A retrospective review of electronic medical records (January 2001-December 2017) was performed for patients who underwent PST. Data were divided into 4 cohorts to see whether trends occurred over time. The cohorts were divided as follows: cohort 1 (2001-2005), cohort 2 (2006-2010), cohort 3 (2011-2015), and cohort 4 (2016-2017). Results A total of 30,883 patients underwent PST with the following breakdowns per cohort: cohort 1, 6,536; cohort 2, 10,372; cohort 3, 10,640; and cohort 4, 3,335. Of these, 329 patients (1.0%) had a positive PST result with a wheal of 3 × 3 mm or greater, with 110 in cohort 1, 130 in cohort 2, 67 in cohort 3, and 22 in cohort 4, whereas 170 patients (0.5%) had a positive PST result with a wheal of 5 × 5 mm or greater, with 54 in cohort 1, 72 in cohort 2, 34 in cohort 3, and 10 in cohort 4. When the positive PST rates of cohort 2 (1.25%), cohort 3 (0.6%), and cohort 4 (0.6%) were compared with those of cohort 1 (1.7%), there was a significant decrease in positive PST rates (P = .0278; P Conclusions Positive PST rate is decreasing. We demonstrate that despite benzylpenicillin polylysine solely positive rates remaining relatively stable, the minor penicillin determinants and amoxicillin play an important role in PST and their adoption into standard protocol for routine PST should be considered.
Temperature-sensitive polymeric nanogels encapsulating with β-cyclodextrin and ICG complex for high-resolution deep-tissue ultrasound-switchable fluorescence imaging

One of the thorny problems currently impeding the applications of the fluorescence imaging technique is the poor spatial resolution in deep tissue. Ultrasound-switchable fluorescence (USF) imaging is a novel imaging tool that has recently been explored to possibly surmount the above-mentioned bottleneck. Herein, a β-cyclodextrin/indocyanine green (ICG) complex-encapsulated poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) nanogel was synthesized and studied for ex vivo/in vivo deep tissue/high-resolution near infrared USF (NIR-USF) imaging. To be specific, our results revealed that the average diameter of the as-prepared nanogels was significantly decreased to ~ 32 nm from ~ 335 nm compared to the reported ICG-PNIPAM nanoparticles. Additionally, the excitation/ emission characteristics of the ICG itself in present nanogels were almost completely retained, and the resultant nanogel exhibited high physiological stability and positive biocompatibility. In particular, the signal-to-noise ratio of the USF image for the PNIPAM/ β-cyclodextrin/ICG nanogel (33.01 ± 2.42 dB) was prominently higher than that of the ICG-PNIPAM nanoparticles (18.73 ± 0.33 dB) in 1.5-cm-thick chicken breast tissues. The NIR-USF imaging in 3.5-cm-thick chicken breast tissues was achieved using this new probe. The ex vivo NIR-USF imaging of the mouse liver was also successfully obtained. Animal experiments showed that the present nanogels were able to be effectively accumulated into U87 tumor-bearing mice via enhanced permeability and retention effects, and the high-resolution NIR-USF imaging of in vivo tumor was efficiently acquired. The metabolism and in vivo biodistribution of the nanogels were evaluated. Overall, the results suggest that the current nanogel is a highly promising NIR-USF probe for deep tissue and high-resolution USF imaging.
Secure Captchas via Object Segment Collages

CAPTCHA, a short form of “Completely Automated Public Turing test to Tell Computers and Humans Apart”, is a computer program that can generate and grade tests that most humans can pass, but current computer programs cannot. This paper advances research on image-based CAPTCHA by incorporating the object segment collages. We first collect object segments from thousands of images by using our self-developed collection tool. Then, we create an image collage that compiles randomly selected object segments. To increase the difficulty for computer detection algorithms, we embed some features such as noisy background, object segment occlusion and object segment orientation update. We also develop a practical application using the newly proposed Object Segment Collage CAPTCHA. For the evaluation, we measure the accuracy performance of computer vs. human in solving CAPTCHA questions. In addition, we also conduct a user study over different CAPTCHA methods.
Spontaneous hemoperitoneum in pregnancy due to endometriosis

Background:Hemoperitoneum in pregnancy requires urgent evaluation. While spontaneous intraperitoneal bleeding is rare, ectopic endometrial tissue is a frequent cause of this event.Case:A 38-year-ol...
Room Temperature Intrinsic Emission Ratio of BSA Correlates With Percent Aggregates During Long-Term Storage.

Abstract Successful formulation development hinges on the ability to screen and identify excipients that stabilize drug products during long-term storage. Biophysical and accelerated stability studies are used to screen for excipients that stabilize protein drug products. However, these studies are not always predictive of aggregation during long-term storage. In this study, we used multivariate experimentation to compare the effectiveness of intrinsic fluorescence and size exclusion chromatography accelerated stability parameters to predict excipients that stabilized bovine serum albumin (BSA) against aggregation on long-term storage at 4 °C. Emission intensity ratio (IR330/350) data was more sensitive than emission maxima (λmax) or intensity measurements in identifying significant factors and interactions. We observed the expected inverse correlation between the mid-points of fluorescence thermal transitions (Tms) and insoluble aggregates at 4 and 40 °C. However, there were positive correlations between Tms and % aggregates at 4 °C, indicating that if Tm was used as a predictive tool, it would select formulations that promoted soluble aggregates on long-term storage. Ambient temperature IR330/350 measurements identified excipients that reduced BSA soluble aggregates on long-term storage. The results show ambient temperature emission ratio measurements can be useful for protein formulation development.
Expectations, Relevance, and Relationships: Striving toward Ideals for Adolescent Literacy Instruction in an Urban Secondary School.

While research on adolescent literacy and urban education have jointly advocated for more evidence of dynamic practices that positively impact youths’ reading development, students in these setting...
Examining the Relationship between Degree of Innovation and New Product Success

We report an empirical study of over 140 U.S. firms engaged in industrial product innovation. The relationship between the degree of innovation in these firms and the extent of success with new products in these firms is examined in the context of an integrative model of new product success. The model is tested using path analysis. The results indicate that factors in the industry environment, the aggressiveness of the strategic posture taken by the firm, and the organizational structure adopted by the firm are all more important precursors of product success than the degree of innovation. Several implications of the findings for managers of firms engaged in product development are presented.
Artificial Intelligence and Pricing in Banking 5.0

This chapter deals underlines the Artificial intelligence (AI) support to manage and innovate pricing in banking 5.0. The business model canvas for banking 5.0 considers the economic factors: revenue and costs. There is a belief that banking 5.0 acts only on reducing costs. It does have an impact on revenue. The most significant actions are on pricing. On the other side, investments by financial institutions are another vital source of income. Banking 5.0 supports risk pricing and investments. It can support pricing in the direction of the extreme customization of risk evaluation and detailed risk pricing. This chapter analyzes the risk management process. One of the significant benefits of digital banking adoption is the financial institutions’ ability to better forecast risks and customer demand. In this way, there is a transformation of financial institutions’ value proposition from “reactive organizations” to “preventive banking advisors,” lowering their prices and shaping their targets.
Hurtadores (DCH) (Thieves (DCH))

Spanish Abstract: Este articulo analiza el delito del hurto, entendiendo esta conducta tanto como una ofensa contra los mandamientos religiosos como desde el derecho penal. Al ser una infraccion en contra de las leyes humanas y divinas, esta conducta recibio un detallado estudio por parte de las diferentes autoridades. El articulo aborda la manera como se entendia el hurto segun sus distintas modalidades, los casos en los que este constituia una ofensa frente a Dios desde la perspectiva de la teologia moral, aquellos en los que el hurto era considerado un acto criminal en el fuero externo, los casos excepcionales en los que apropiarse de un bien ajeno podria ser considerado como licito. Se tratan asimismo las medidas encaminadas al castigo o absolucion de los perpetradores y la reparacion a las victimas. Finalmente, se hace mencion de las particularidades que este delito presento en los territorios americanos. English Abstract: This article analyses the crime of theft, understanding this conduct as an offense against the religious commandments as well as from the perspective of criminal law. Since theft was an infraction against both divine and human law, it was studied in detail by the different authorities. The article addresses how theft was understood in its different manifestations, the cases in which it constituted an offense against God from the perspective of moral theology, those in which the theft was considered a criminal act in foro externo, and the exceptional cases in which it could be considered licit to take someone else's property. It also addresses the measures aimed at the punishment or absolution of perpetrators and to the victims' reparation. Finally, it mentions the particularities that theft had in early-modern Spanish America.
Antibacterial activity of γFe2O3/TiO2 nanoparticles on toxic cyanobacteria from a lake in Southern Illinois

Frequent outbreaks of harmful algal blooms (HABs) have brought adverse impacts on human health, economic viability, and recreational activities in many communities in the United States. Cyanobacteria (or blue-green algae) blooms are the most common type of HABs in surface water. Current bactericides for controlling the blooms are disadvantageous due to the recycling difficulty. In this study, an innovative magnetic nanomaterial-γFe2 O3 /TiO2 nanoparticle-was used to inactivate toxic cyanobacteria species found in a lake in Southern Illinois that frequently experienced HABs. Cyanotoxin genes of mcy, nda, cyr, and sxt were used for targeting microcystin-, nodularin-, cylindrospermopsin-, and saxitoxin-producing cyanobacteria, respectively, by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. It was found that the concentration of chlorophyll a presents a strong correlation (R2 = 0.6024) with the gene copy obtained from 16S rRNA targeted for all cyanobacteria, but not with that from individual toxigenic cyanobacteria. The inactivation efficiencies of the nanomaterials under visible light were as high as 5-log and 1-log for cyanobacteria species containing mcyE/ndaF and sxtA genes, respectively, an improvement over the treatment under darkness. These nanomaterials can be recycled by their magnetic properties for reuse. Communities susceptible to HAB outbreaks are expected to benefit from the developed method for mitigating the blooms. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Lab-made γFe2 O3 /TiO2 nanoparticles can be used to inactivate microcystin/nodularin- and saxitoxin-producing cyanobacteria species. qPCR method can be used for targeting toxic cyanobacteria; Chl a cannot be used as a standalone indicator for HABs. Better inactivation efficiency under visible light indicated possible application of the technology under sunlight for HAB mitigation from surface water.
Characterization and testing of EJ-309 and Stilbene scintillation detectors

A new neutron detector array (NEUANCE) is under development at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE). After completion, NEUANCE will be installed in the central cavity of the 3.6π Υ-ray detector array DANCE located at the Lujan Center of LANSCE. The detector system, with simultaneous neutron and -ray detection capability, will be used to study neutron-induced capture and session reactions. The response of a EJ-309 scintillation detector to Υ-ray and neutron radiation was measured using the standard Υ-ray and 252Cf sources. The light from the detector was collected using a Hamamatsu photomultiplier tube or a Silicon photomultiplier GEANT4 was used to understand the light output and the optical photon transport in the scintillation. The detector geometry and optimum parameters for the data acquisition system were determined based on the test results and the simulations. © (2015) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Radial to axillary nerve neurotization for brachial plexus injury in children: a combined case series

Object Axillary nerve palsy, isolated or as part of a more complex brachial plexus injury, can have profound effects on upper-extremity function. Radial to axillary nerve neurotization is a useful technique for regaining shoulder abduction with little compromise of other neurological function. A combined experience of this procedure used in children is reviewed. Methods A retrospective review of the authors' experience across 3 tertiary care centers with brachial plexus and peripheral nerve injury in children (younger than 18 years) revealed 7 cases involving patients with axillary nerve injury as part of an overall brachial plexus injury with persistent shoulder abduction deficits. Two surgical approaches to the region were used. Results Four infants (ages 0.6, 0.8, 0.8, and 0.6 years) and 3 older children (ages 8, 15, and 17 years) underwent surgical intervention. No patient had significant shoulder abduction past 15° preoperatively. In 3 cases, additional neurotization was performed in conjunction with...
Proper Scoring Rules and Risk Aversion

The literature on proper scoring rules has mostly studied the case of risk neutral agents. We analytically investigate how risk averse, expected utility maximizing forecasters behave when presented with risk neutral proper scoring rules. If the state variable is binary, risk averse agents shade their reports toward saying that the states are equally likely. In the non-binary case reported probabilities are compressed relative to truthtelling. We show the implications of our results for the use of elicited probabilities as inputs to decision-making and nd that naive elicitors may violate rst-order stochastic dominance. Possible resolutions of these problems are presented, including an estimator for the mean population belief when the distribution of risk attitudes is known. Finally, we discuss the relevance of our results to recent work in experimental economics.
Non SUSY Searches at the Tevatron

Recent searches for non-SUSY exotics in $p\bar{p}$ collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 1.96 TeV at the Tevatron Run II are reported. The emphasis is put on the results of model-driven analyses which were updated to the full Run IIA datasets corresponding to integrated luminosities of about 1 $fb^{-1}$.
Adaptive antenna systems for mobile ad-hoc networks

This paper focuses on the interaction and integration of several critical components of a mobile ad-hoc network (MANET) using smart antenna systems. A MANET is a wireless network where the communicating nodes are mobile and the network topology is continuously changing. One of the central motivations for this work comes from the observed dependence of the overall network throughput on the design of the adaptive antenna system and its underlying signal processing algorithms. In fact, a major objective of this work is to study and document the overall efficiency of the network in terms of the antenna pattern and the length of the training sequence used by the beamforming algorithms. Furthermore, the paper also considers problems dealing with: the choice of direction of arrival algorithm; the performance of the adaptive beamformer in the presence of antenna coupling effects; combating the effects of fading channels on the overall system.
Primary paratesticular neuroblastoma: practical considerations.

Primary neuroblastoma in the paratesticular region is exceedingly rare with only 4 cases reported in the medical literature. The authors report 2 additional cases of primary paratesticular neuroblastoma, both in 6-month old boys who were asymptomatic at presentation. Both cases were stage I diseases, as they typically are in this early pediatric age group. There was no evidence of disease progress or recurrence at 2-year and 10-year follow-up for these 2 patients. The authors also noticed that erroneous assumptions or diagnoses may lead to unnecessary overtreatment, including orchiectomy. In the meantime, frozen section is highly recommended, and a presumptive diagnosis of neuroblastoma from frozen section is usually possible, especially when incorporated with other clinical and lab parameters, and should be attempted. The prognosis typically is favorable. In conclusion, it is becoming clear that primary neuroblastoma is an important differential diagnostic consideration for a paratesticular mass, particu...
Photodamage Generates 7‐keto‐ and 7‐hydroxycholesterol in the Rat Retina via a Free Radical‐mediated Mechanism

Albino Sprague–Dawley rats are known to undergo photoreceptor degeneration after exposure to constant light, but the molecular mechanism(s) by which the photoreceptors degenerate is not fully understood. We hypothesized that cytotoxic oxysterols are generated in situ in the retina under such conditions and may be involved in the degenerative mechanism. Thus, photodamaged and control rat retinas were analyzed for oxysterols by liquid chromatography mass spectroscopy. Elevated levels of two known cytotoxic oxysterols, 7-ketocholesterol (7KCh) and 7αβ-hydroxycholesterol (7HCh), were found in the photodamaged retinas, at levels six-fold and 50-fold greater, respectively, than those found in non photodamaged controls. Notably, two key intermediates, 5,6α,β-epoxycholesterol (5,6-epoxyCh) and 7αβ-hydroperoxy-cholesterol, were also identified, indicating that the formation of 7KCh and 7HCh is mediated by a free radical mechanism. By immunohistochemistry, 7KCh was localized to the ganglion cell layer, photoreceptor inner segments and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), which coincides with the localization of ferritin in the retina. Exposure of a mixture of ferritin and low-density lipoprotein to intense white light in vitro produced similar oxysterol species as seen in vivo. We propose that the increased levels of 7KCh and 7HCh, especially in photoreceptor inner segments and RPE, may arise due to ferritin-catalyzed reactions and may be important contributors to the photoreceptor degeneration observed in photodamaged rats.
Infrared characterization of poly(vinyl cinnamate) and its blends with poly(4‐vinyl phenol) before and after UV exposure

The results of an infrared spectroscopic characterization of poly(vinyl cinnamate) (PVCIN) and its blends with poly(4-vinyl phenol) (PVPh) are reported before and after photo-crosslinking the PVCIN by exposure to UV radiation. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate methodology, and it is shown that quantitative analysis of the fraction of unsaturated (CC) double bonds, “free” (non-hydrogen bonded) and hydrogen bonded unsaturated (COCC) and saturated (COCC) acetoxy carbonyl groups is feasible in these blends as a function of UV exposure time. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 36: 1579–1590, 1998
Ischemic preconditioning activates caveolae-mediated eNOS signalling and elicits cardioprotection through S-nitrosylation of the subsarcolemmal mitochondria

Background Recent studies suggest that caveolae transduce endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and nitric oxide (NO) signalling in ischemic preconditioning (IPC) hearts. And the NO-mediated protein S-nitrosylation (SNO) has been shown to play cardioprotective roles against ischemic reperfusion injury. Interestingly, most of these identified IPC-induced SNO proteins are mitochondrial proteins, suggesting mitochondria are the major end effector for NO-mediated cardioprotection ( Circ Res , 2007, 101:1155–1163; 2010, 106:285–296; 2011, 108:418–426). Aims Given the diffusion-limited NO signalling in the cells and the close ultrastructural distance in cardiomyocytes between the subsarcolemmal mitochondria (SSM) and the sarcolemma, the SSM rather than the interfibrillar mitochondria (IFM) are hypothesised to be the preferential targets for caveolae-associated eNOS signalling in IPC hearts. Methods C57BL/6J male mice (12–16 weeks) were Langendorff perfused, and the control hearts were perfused for 40 min while IPC hearts were subjected to four cycles of 5 min of ischemia and 5 min of reperfusion followed with 20 min of equilibrium perfusion. After perfusion control and IPC protocol, the SSM and IFM were isolated quickly in the presence of 1 mM of EDTA and 0.1 mM of neocuproine in the dark to prevent the decomposition of SNO. The protein compositions in these two populations of mitochondria were analysed by immunoblot using various marker antibodies, and the SNO was measured by a modified biotin switch method using DyLight Fluor-maleimide. Results In the samples isolated from the perfusion control hearts, eNOS and caveolin-3 (the specific caveolae marker in muscles) were found to be present only in the SSM but not in the IFM, suggesting a close subcellular co-localisation and interaction between the sarcolemma and the SSM. IPC not only caused the phosphorylation and activation of AKT/eNOS signalling pathway, but also led to a translocation of eNOS to the SSM via caveolae-mediated trafficking. Consistent with the presence of eNOS and caveolin-3 in the SSM but not in the IFM, the total SNO content in the SSM was significantly higher than that present in the IFM in perfusion control hearts. More interestingly, IPC significantly increased SNO only in the SSM but not in the IFM, parallel with the findings that IPC led to a translocation of eNOS only to the SSM. Conclusion In conclusion, these results demonstrated that the SSM are the major targets for caveolae/eNOS/NO-mediated protein S-nitrosylation in IPC hearts, suggesting that the SSM might be preferentially targeted by post-translational protein modifications derived from the sarcolemmal signalling (caveolae-associated eNOS and NO-mediated protein S-nitrosylation in this study) and then to elicit cardioprotection.
"A good education is ...." The development of evaluative thought across the life span.

The author uses a cognitive developmental approach to investigate educational conceptions, addressing the question, How does evaluative reasoning about education change over the course of cognitive development? The author conducted independent analyses of the developmental level and conceptual content of 246 interview performances of individuals aged 5 to 86 years. The developmental level of the interview performances was assessed with a content-general scoring system, the Hierarchical Complexity Scoring System. A Rasch analysis of the results revealed 6 developmental levels and provided support for invariant sequence, developmental spurts and plateaus, and similar developmental patterns for childhood and adulthood levels. The results of the subsequent analysis of the propositional content of the same interview texts were used to produce qualitative descriptions of changes in evaluative reasoning about education across the 6 levels identified in the data. Finally, descriptions constructed in this way, alt...
Cavitation of polyethylene during extrusion processing instabilities

We present observations of cavitation that occur inside a capillary die during extrusion of polyethylene. This phenomenon was observed over the last 1.5 mm of the capillary tube immediately upstream of the exit. We observed spontaneous formation of voids near the wall that grew to a typical length and width of 150 μm, and then shrank and disappeared over a time frame of approximately 20 ms. From velocity measurements of these structures, we concluded that their width in the radial direction was smaller than in the axial and lateral directions, and they were near the wall. The shape of the cavities was highly irregular. We assessed the roles of extensional stress and shear stress at the exit region and concluded that they were not the direct cause of cavitation. Rather, cavitation occurs in conjunction with an upstream rupture of the polymer that occurs in the contraction region leading into the capillary tube (gross melt fracture). We argue that the exit region does, however, serve as the initiation point of the cavitation because of a combination of the reduced pressure and extensional stress. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 40: 2791–2799, 2002
An empirical investigation of corporate entrepreneurship intensity in the casual dining sector

Abstract The purpose of this study was to identify the perception and relationships between corporate entrepreneurship (CE) practices and management performance. The use of Morris and Kuratko et al.'s [2002. Sustaining CE: a proposed model of perceived implementation/outcome comparisons at the organizations and individual levels. Paper presented at the 2002 Academy of Management Conference, Denver] Corporate Entrepreneurship Assessment Instrument (CEAI) was used as the survey instrument for this study. A sample size of 1200 unit managers, middle managers, and top management teams (TMTs) within nine casual dining restaurant organizations were surveyed with a response of 522 subjects at a rate of 44%. Responses of the CEAI results were studied using regression analysis and conclusions were drawn to support four out of the six hypothesis originally proposed in determining CE activity and management reinforcement. A post test analysis was also conducted in order to reinforce the previous results of the original study. This study concluded with the determination through an empirical analysis that forms of CE activity and enforcement are currently present within the casual dining restaurant segment.
Treatment and Volume Reduction of Transuranic Waste at the Los Alamos National Laboratory Plutonium Facility

Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is one of two design laboratories in the United States Department of Energy’s (DOE) weapons complex, with over 60 years of experience in handling radioactive materials and, consequently, in radioactive waste management. The focus for actinide research and development is the Plutonium Facility, which has been in operation since 1978. The Nuclear Materials Technology (NMT) Division is responsible for operating the Plutonium Facility. It has a dedicated group of personnel who manage radioactive and hazardous waste, and address environmental regulations. Waste from operations with radioactive materials inside glovebox lines in the Plutonium Facility is packaged for disposal in the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in Carlsbad, New Mexico. This waste is subject to a prescriptive certification program and is expensive to dispose of. Because the Plutonium Facility generates approximately 140 cubic meters of transuranic (TRU) waste each year, this significant financial burden effectively reduces the funds available to conduct research. To cut waste disposal costs, the NMT Division is making a considerable effort to identify and fund implementation of treatment and size-reduction processes. This study looks at both the effectiveness and probability of successful implementation. The waste management group’s waste minimization specialist has used waste generation information to identify the two largest TRU waste streams: combustible solids would benefit from size reduction, and nonactinide metals can be decontaminated. To reduce the size of combustible solids (polyethylene bottles and rubber hose), an industrial-model granulator, which was purchased for the head end of a molten salt oxidation process, is being adapted. This waste stream can be reduced by about 30% without affecting the ability to perform nuclear material assay. For glovebox decontamination, electrolytic decontamination techniques previously developed will also work on metals (tubing, tools, and equipment). Reducing the TRU levels to low-level contamination will allow onsite disposal, significantly reducing disposal costs (by approximately an order of magnitude). Several other technologies that were developed to address environmental regulatory concerns will also result in modest waste minimization and are in various states of installation and testing; they are vitrification for aqueous TRU waste, pyrolysis for the destruction of mixed waste, and distillation and recycle for nitric acid and trichloroethylene. The successful implementation and coordination of waste minimization and treatment technologies is resulting in cost savings from waste reduction and avoidance for the NMT Division.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
A Practical Guide for Avoiding Disaster When Computerizing the Small Rural Health Clinic

With the advent of the small, personal and affordable microcomputer, the opportunity for purchasing and operating automated data processing equipment in the rural health clinic for medical, administrative and financial functions has become both pragmatic and increasingly popular. Some practical guidelines for clinic administrators seriously considering introducing the computer revolution into their clinic's current methods of operating are discussed. Suggestions are offered for priorities in clinic functional automation, equipment purchasing strategies, and how to evaluate prospective vendors and their products. Some of the potential impacts of computerization on clinic personnel and operation are identified.
Browning inhibition in fresh-cut pears.

Treatments to control browning and maintain quality of freshcut pears were evaluated. Pear wedges were dipped in solutions containing sodium erythorbate, CaCl 2 and 4-hexylresorcinol; packed in air or with a modified atmosphere (MAP); and stored at 4°C. Samples were evaluated for browning, microbial spoilage, and presence of off-flavors or loss of firmness. For treatments to be successful, pears had to be above a minimum firmness of 4 kg (d'Anjou) or 5 kg (Bartlett) when treated. inhibitor treatments, in conjunction with MAP, controlled browning and maintained quality of fresh-cut Bartlett and d'Anjou (but not Bosc pears) for 12-14 days.