cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Personalized High Dose Radiation (>70 Gy) Is Significantly Associated with Better Local Regional Control and Overall Survival in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Treated with Concurrent Chemoradiation

Purpose/Objective(s): A recent analysis from 7 RTOG trials suggested that patients treated more than 63 Gy in 1.8 - 2 Gy fractions was significantly associated with better outcome. This study aims to examine whether higher dose (.70 Gy) through personalized prescription can further improve local regional tumor control and overall survival, particularly in patients treated with concurrent chemotherapy. Materials/Methods: This is a secondary analysis of prospective trials from one single Institution. Patients received a definitive dose of fractionated RT, enrolled in imaging and treatment trials, with a minimum follow-up of 6 months were eligible. For the imaging trial,subjectswere treated per standard practice(60 - 70Gy) with or without concurrentchemotherapy basedon the stage of the diseases. For the treatment protocol, all subjects had an opportunity of receiving individualized higher dose RT based on the timing of treatment, and dosimetry of OARs (mainly the normal tissue complication probability of both lungs). Tumor local regional and distant progression free and overall survival (LRPFS, DPFS, and OS) were computed for tumor control outcome assessment. Results: A total of 85 consecutive patients treated between 2004 and 2010 were eligible. The median physical dose was 70 Gy (range60-86Gy)in2to3.8Gydailyfractionations.MinimumFUforsurvivalptswas6months.TheRTdosesweresignificantly associated with LRPFS,DPFS and OS,with hazard ratios of 0.92 (P=0.001),0.94 (P=0.016) and 0.91 (P=0.001),respectively. The median LRPFS (95%CI) was 9.9 (7.5, 12.4) and not reached (not reached) months (P\0.001), for PD\and .70 Gy, respectively. In patients with ‘‘no’’ chemotherapy, median LRPFS was 8.3 (5.8, 10.8) and not reached (P =0.2), for PD\70 Gy and.70 Gy, respectively. For patients treated with concurrent chemotherapy, median LRPFS was 10.7 (8.4, 13.0) months and not reached (not reached) months (P = 0.001), for PD\70 Gy and .70 Gy, respectively. The median OS (95%CI) was 18.2 (10.9, 25.4) and 41.9 (20.6, 63.1) months (P = 0.003), for PD\and .70 Gy, respectively. In those with ‘‘no’’ chemotherapy, median OS was 18.2 (0, 38.6) and not reached (P = 0.443), for PD\70 Gy and .70 Gy, respectively. For patients treated with concurrent chemotherapy, median survival was 15.5 (6.5 - 24.4) and 41.9 (18.3 - 65.5) months (P = 0.003), for PD\70 Gy and .70 Gy, respectively. Using 74 Gy PD (75 percentile of dose) as a cut-off, the median OS and LRPFS were also significantly better in the higher dose group (\74 Gy vs. $ 74 Gy). Conclusions: High dose (.70 Gy) RT improves local regional tumor control and overall survival in patients with and without concurrent chemotherapy. Randomized trials are needed to validate this promising result.
Developing a competency-based assessment approach for student learning

Higher education accrediting bodies are increasing the emphasis on assessing student learning outcomes as opposed to teaching methodology. The purpose of this article is to describe the process use...
Conversion of Topoisomerase I Cleavage Complexes on the Leading Strand of Ribosomal DNA into 5′-Phosphorylated DNA Double-Strand Breaks by Replication Runoff

Topoisomerase I cleavage complexes can be induced by a variety of DNA damages and by the anticancer drug camptothecin. We have developed a ligation-mediated PCR (LM-PCR) assay to analyze replication-mediated DNA double-strand breaks induced by topoisomerase I cleavage complexes in human colon carcinoma HT29 cells at the nucleotide level. We found that conversion of topoisomerase I cleavage complexes into replication-mediated DNA double-strand breaks was only detectable on the leading strand for DNA synthesis, which suggests an asymmetry in the way that topoisomerase I cleavage complexes are metabolized on the two arms of a replication fork. Extension by Taq DNA polymerase was not required for ligation to the LM-PCR primer, indicating that the 3' DNA ends are extended by DNA polymerase in vivo closely to the 5' ends of the topoisomerase I cleavage complexes. These findings suggest that the replication-mediated DNA double-strand breaks generated at topoisomerase I cleavage sites are produced by replication runoff. We also found that the 5' ends of these DNA double-strand breaks are phosphorylated in vivo, which suggests that a DNA 5' kinase activity acts on the double-strand ends generated by replication runoff. The replication-mediated DNA double-strand breaks were rapidly reversible after cessation of the topoisomerase I cleavage complexes, suggesting the existence of efficient repair pathways for removal of topoisomerase I-DNA covalent adducts in ribosomal DNA.
High-order multiple emulsions formed in poly(dimethylsiloxane) microfluidics.

Multiple emulsions are nested sets of drops. Drops of one kind of fluid are encapsulated inside drops of a second fluid, which themselves can be encapsulated inside drops of yet another fluid. Such ‘‘emulsions within emulsions’’ are very useful for many applications, including for the encapsulation of actives, such as nutrients, pesticides, drugs, and detergents, and as templates for the synthesis of colloids with structured interiors. Multiple emulsions are typically made in bulk using shear cells or porous membrane plates. To form the multiple emulsions, the drops from one emulsification are fed back into the apparatus with additional fluids and are emulsified again. Such methods can form large quantities of drops very rapidly; however, the individual drop formation is poorly controlled. This produces some double emulsions but they are exceedingly polydisperse. For higher-order multiple emulsions, such as triple emulsions or quadruple emulsions, the excessive polydispersity makes the methods impractical. With glass microcapillary devices, monodisperse multiple emulsions can be formed with controlled structure, albeit in much smaller quantities. As opposed to bulk methods in which many drops are formed in parallel with little control, in microcapillary devices, drops are formed individually with a high degree of control. However, the glass devices are difficult to fabricate, requiring the hand alignment of separate microcapillary tubes. This is labor intensive and makes the devices difficult to scale up sequentially for producing higherorder multiple emulsions or in parallel for producing larger quantities. A superior method would combine the control of microfluidic drop formation with increased scalability. In this paper, we present a simple system to form monodisperse high-order multiple emulsions. This method combines the control of microfluidic drop formation with the
C-terminal amino acid residue loss for deprotonated peptide ions containing glutamic acid, aspartic acid, or serine residues at the C-terminus

Deprotonated peptides containing C-terminal glutamic acid, aspartic acid, or serine residues were studied by sustained off-resonance irradiation collision-induced dissociation (SORI-CID) in a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) mass spectrometer with ion production by electrospray ionization (ESI). Additional studies were performed by post source decay (PSD) in a matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization/time-of-flight (MALDI/TOF) mass spectrometer. This work included both model peptides synthesized in our laboratory and bioactive peptides with more complex sequences. During SORI-CID and PSD, [M − H]− and [M − 2H]2− underwent an unusual cleavage corresponding to the elimination of the C-terminal residue. Two mechanisms are proposed to occur. They involve nucleophilic attack on the carbonyl carbon of the adjacent residue by either the carboxylate group of the C-terminus or the side chain carboxylate group of C-terminal glutamic acid and aspartic acid residues. To confirm the proposed mechanisms, AAAAAD was labelled by 18O specifically on the side chain of the aspartic acid residue. For peptides that contain multiple C-terminal glutamic acid residues, each of these residues can be sequentially eliminated from the deprotonated ions; a driving force may be the formation of a very stable pyroglutamatic acid neutral. For peptides with multiple aspartic acid residues at the C-terminus, aspartic acid residue loss is not sequential. For peptides with multiple serine residues at the C-terminus, C-terminal residue loss is sequential; however, abundant loss of other neutral molecules also occurs. In addition, the presence of basic residues (arginine or lysine) in the sequence has no effect on C-terminal residue elimination in the negative ion mode. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Improving the Quality of Hotel Feasibility Studies: Evaluating Potential Opportunities for Hotel Development and Acquisition in University Towns

Hotel developers and purchasers searching for new opportunities have been advised to consider hotels in university towns because, among other reasons, universities provide a stable source of lodging demand. This study analyzes the performance and stability since 1990 of hotels in 27 cities dominated by a major university. This study finds that lodging demand in university towns is more stable than U.S. averages. This study also evaluates factors that lodging feasibility analysts should consider when studying proposed hotel development or acquisition in markets dominated by a university. Significant predictors of lodging demand include city employment and population trends, as would be expected. Interestingly, university grant funding and graduate student population also should be considered by feasibility analysts because of their strong predictive capability. The results of this study may be generalizable for analysts evaluating university-related lodging demand in general, not just in university towns.
Molecular-Friendly Histopathology

The rapidly expanding fields of pharmacogenomics and pharmacodiagnostics have presented the pathology laboratories with many challenges and opportunities. As custodians of patient tissues, these laboratories are in the logical position to perform biomolecular testing for proper management of patients. In order to meet these challenges, the pathology laboratories of the twenty-first century should design and execute a biomarker-friendly, standardized tissue handling, including fixation and processing, to ensure uniform protection of macromolecules for clinically useful molecular assays. This important pre-analytic phase cannot be successful if tissues are handled in the traditional manner that includes the use of conventional fixation and processing. The recent progress in fixation and processing methods are rapidly replacing the time-honored routine formalin fixation and overnight processing. In this article we describe our experience with such system that not only produces good histomorphology but also preserves high quality RNA, DNA, and proteins in paraffin embedded material.
Adaptive Control of Large Space Structures: Uncertainity Estimation and Robust Control Calibration

An approach is presented to the problem of designing a robust control using on-line measurements. The idea is to use standard methods of parametric system identification to obtain a nominal estimate of the plant transfer function. Non-parametric spectral methods are then used to obtain a frequency domian expression for model uncertainty. If the model uncertainty exceeds a specified frequency bound, which has been predetermined from the nominal model and the performance criteria, then data filters used in the system identification are modified and the procedure is repeated. An analysis is presented which establishes conditions under which the procedure will actually converge to a satisfactory robust design. An example is provided which illustrates the method and supporting analysis.
Amplified transmission of HIV-1: missing link in the HIV pandemic.

Sexual transmission of HIV most closely reflects the concentration of HIV in the genital tract; HIV in the genital tract of subjects with acute HIV and some “classical” STDS is 8–10 times greater than in control subjects. It seems likely that these latter subjects lead to spread of HIV. Accordingly, the state of North Carolina committed to HIV testing that detects subjects with acute, recent, and established infection. We tested 109,500 samples over 9 months. We found 563 people with undiagnosed HIV infection. The majority of subjects were in STD clinics. This included 23 subjects with (pre-seroconversion) acute HIV infection (HIV RNA positive, antibody negative). The median blood HIV was 209,000 copies/ml, more than 10 times higher than in subjects with established HIV infection. Recognizing the increased number of subjects with unrecognized acute HIV infection in STD clinics, we conducted similar studies in STD Clinics in Malawi and South Africa. Between 1 and 2% of subjects had undetected acute HIV infection. The median viral burden in blood of subjects in Malawi was greater than 1,000,000 copies/ml. STDS and HIV are often co-transmitted, and STDS set the stage for subsequent HIV transmission. Prevention of sexual transmission of HIV likely requires maximal suppression of genital tract HIV viral burden, either through treatment of STDS or use of antiretroviral agents.
Contracting in Delegated Portfolio Management: The Case of Alternative Assets

This study explores optimal portfolio management contracts in the context of ‘opaque’ portfolios invested in illiquid or privately held assets. We identify shortcomings of linear contracts in this context and demonstrate that the second-best optimal contract features a convex component. The importance of the convex component is an increasing function of the portfolio’s opacity. Furthermore, the principal’s utility loss from restricting the weight of the convex component to zero is increasing in the portfolio’s opacity. These results help provide a rationale for the form of contracts observed in the case of alternative investments including hedge funds and private equity funds.
Assessing Access to Local Food System Initiatives in Fairbanks, Alaska

Local food system initiatives are an increasingly popular attempt to address environmental and social-equity problems that seem to be inherent in the conventional global food system. However, relatively few studies have been undertaken to assess the ability of local food system initiatives to ameliorate these concerns. This study focuses on a community with food system vulnerabilities related to geographic isolation and a marginal agricultural climate that limits local food production. The study seeks to develop tools to test hypotheses important to this community and others: whether local foods can be as physically and economically accessible as conventional foods. Using spatial analysis and quantitative price comparisons, the study concludes that at this time, locally grown foods in Fairbanks, Alaska, are not as accessible as conventional foods. The tools applied in this study could be used elsewhere to develop a more robust literature on the impact of local food system initiatives on urban food systems.
Heterogeneous Integration for Performance and Scaling

Moore’s law has so far relied on the aggressive scaling of CMOS silicon minimum features of over $1000\times $ for over four decades, and recently, on the adoption of innovative features, such as Cu interconnects, low- $k$ dielectrics for interconnects, strained channels, and high- $k$ materials for gate dielectrics, resulting in a better power performance, cost per function, and density every generation. This has spawned a vibrant system-on-chip (SoC) approach, where progressively more function has been integrated on a single die. The integration of multiple dies on packages and boards has, however, scaled only modestly by a factor of three to five times. In this paper, we show that with the apparent slowing down of semiconductor scaling and the advent of the Internet of Things, there is a focus on heterogeneous integration and system-level scaling. Packaging is undergoing a transformation that focuses on overall system performance and cost rather than on individual components. We propose ways in which this transformation can evolve to provide a significant value at the system level while providing a significantly lower barrier to entry compared with a chip-based SoC approach that is currently used. This transformation is already under way with 3-D stacking of dies and will evolve to make heterogeneous integration the backbone of sustaining Moore’s law in the years ahead.
Novel POSS-Cerium Oxide Thermoset Nanocomposites For UV Degradation Mitigation

This project focused on developing ceria-POSS compounds for protecting epoxy-based composites against VUV radiation. Two types of ceria-POSS mixtures were created, introduced into an epoxy-amine system, and analyzed for physical and mechanical properties, and particulate morphology. The first combination was a novel attempted covalent bond between ceria and silanol groups on trisilanol phenyl POSS. The second mixture was utilizing intermolecular attractions between the epoxy functionality on glycidyl POSS and ceria. The covalent compound had issues with low reaction yield, but produced a thermally stable nanocomposite with potential for aggregation growth. The CeO2-glycidyl POSS mixture showed two distinct tan delta transitions, but did have significantly improved thermal degradation compared to the neat control. Microscopy showed good capture of the CeO2 by the glycidyl POSS, even with the lack of bonding. A noticeable layer of particulates formed at the lower mold-surface interface and AFM surface mapping revealing a homogenous surface of high modulus aggregates. This is promising for barrier coating applications. Selected coatings have been sent for VUV exposure testing, and will be analyzed for mass loss, surface morphology and any change in mechanical properties. Overall, this study will be an additional step in creating a cohesive, lightweight, barrier layer for protecting carbon fiber composites in the challenging low Earth orbit environment.
Mechanisms of cyclic AMP compartmentation revealed by computational models.

### Introduction Cyclic adenosine 3′, 5′-monophosphate (cAMP) is a widely used biochemical messenger, transducing extracellular stimuli into a myriad of cellular responses. In the late 1970s, data emerged showing that hormone receptors acting via cAMP have distinct effects on cardiac function.
Design and Development of Smart Diagnosis System for Station Faults in Metrology Automation

For the sake of releasing the pressure from operation and maintenance of power data acquisition station after being in operation,a smart diagnosis system for station faults is designed and developed.The system is based on technical design of agent and proposes a software model for multiagent fault diagnosis system.A flexible agent model with interface for interactive communication and optimization strategy of load balance,which are acceptable for different communication protocols and the need of massive data flow,is designed.Expert knowledge base for station fault diagnosis is established by use of knowledge representation of production rule so as to implement the monitoring of communication process and on-line fault diagnosis.It is practically demonstrated that the system can provide effective technical means for field installation and commissioning of the station as well as fault analysis,promoting work efficiency to great extent.
On the Information Revealing and Counter-Measure in Times of the Grass Root Media

As the web2.0 media swept across the whole world,human society has entered a new era,we name it times of the Grass Root Media,in which the individual power of communiation gained unprecedented popularity.Therefore it also initiated unprecedentedly serious problems of information revealing.This text mainly analyzed the main manifestation of the Internet information revealing at present,and try to propose some counter-measures,offer some reference for the social related departments who deal with the present information security question.
Abstract 9851: Tenascin-C Deficiency Promotes Maladaptive Left Ventricular Remodeling and Impairs Cardiac Function in Chronic Pressure-Overload

Background: Tenascin-C (TnC) is a matricellular protein that is generally expressed during embryogenesis and in pathological settings; however, little is known about the role of TnC in maladaptive ...
Effectiveness of auditory and tactile crossmodal cues in a dual-task visual and auditory scenario

In this study, we examined how spatially informative auditory and tactile cues affected participants' performance on a visual search task while they simultaneously performed a secondary auditory task. Visual search task performance was assessed via reaction time and accuracy. Tactile and auditory cues provided the approximate location of the visual target within the search display. The inclusion of tactile and auditory cues improved performance in comparison to the no-cue baseline conditions. In comparison to the no-cue conditions, both tactile and auditory cues resulted in faster response times in the visual search only (single task) and visual-auditory (dual-task) conditions. However, the effectiveness of auditory and tactile cueing for visual task accuracy was shown to be dependent on task-type condition. Crossmodal cueing remains a viable strategy for improving task performance without increasing attentional load within a singular sensory modality. Practitioner Summary: Crossmodal cueing with dual-task performance has not been widely explored, yet has practical applications. We examined the effects of auditory and tactile crossmodal cues on visual search performance, with and without a secondary auditory task. Tactile cues aided visual search accuracy when also engaged in a secondary auditory task, whereas auditory cues did not.
Classical Eyeblink Conditioning in Normal and Autistic Children

Studies of classical eyeblink conditioning in normally developing infants and children demonstrate that the capacity for associative learning is present at birth and develops throughout childhood. Developmental changes also occur in the optimal ISI for conditioning and in the ability to condition using complex stimulus presentations, such as in trace conditioning and discrimination reversal. The presence of eyeblink conditioning in the newborn and subsequent development of the response corresponds to maturation of the cerebellum and hippocampus. In autism, a developmental disorder with subtle cerebellar abnormalities, eyeblink conditioning is abnormal. Persons with autism display facilitated conditioning of a short-latency eyeblink response. The observation that gene knockout mice display a similar profile of facilitated conditioning and short latency CRs suggest that there may be olivocerebellar abnormalities in autism. These cerebellar abnormalities may account for some of the behavioral manifestations of autism through deviant cerebellar — forebrain interactions. Further studies of eyeblink conditioning in persons with autism are needed to replicate the findings from delay conditioning and to evaluate learning patterns with manipulations of the conditioning parameters. These types of studies will contribute to our understanding of the behavioral effects of altered cerebellar and forebrain function in autism.
Immunological Cross-Reactivity between Malaria Vaccine Target Antigen P48/45 in Plasmodium vivax and P. falciparum and Cross–Boosting of Immune Responses

In general, malaria immunity has been suggested to be species specific with very little, if any, known cross-reactivity between Plasmodium vivax and P. falciparum, both of which are responsible for >90% of human malaria, and co-endemic in many countries. It is therefore believed that species-specific immunity may be needed to target different species of Plasmodium. Pfs48/45 and Pvs48/45 are well established targets in the sexual stages of the malaria parasites, and are being pursued for the development of transmission blocking vaccines. Comparison of their sequences reveals 61% and 55% identity at the DNA and protein level, respectively raising the possibility that these two target antigens might share cross-reacting epitopes. Having succeeded in expressing recombinant Pfs48/45 and Pvs48/45 proteins, we hypothesized that these proteins will not only exhibit immunological cross-reactivity but also cross-boost immune responses. Mice were immunized with purified recombinant proteins using CFA, Montanide ISA-51 and alum as adjuvants, and the sera were analyzed by ELISA, Western blotting and indirect fixed and live IFA to address the hypothesis. Our studies revealed that Pvs48/45-immune sera showed strong cross-reactivity to full length Pfs48/45 protein, and the majority of this cross reactivity was in the amino-terminal and carboxyl-terminal sub-fragments of Pfs48/45. In cross-boosting experiments Pfs48/45 and Pvs48/45 antigens were able to cross-boost each other in mouse immunization studies. Additionally we also noticed an effect of adjuvants in the overall magnitude of observed cross-reactivity. These studies may have significant implications for immunity targeting transmission of both the species of malaria parasites.
The Rate of Crude Oil Biodegradation in the Sea

Various groups have studied the rate of oil biodegradation in the sea over many years, but with no consensus on results. This can be attributed to many factors, but we show here that the principal confounding influence is the concentration of oil used in different experiments. Because of dilution, measured concentrations of dispersed oil in the sea are sub-parts-per-million within a day of dispersal, and at such concentrations the rate of biodegradation of detectable oil hydrocarbons has an apparent half-life of 7–14 days. This can be contrasted with the rate of degradation at the higher concentrations found in oil slicks or when stranded on a shoreline; there the apparent half-life varies from many months to many years.
Initial Design Implications for Early Algebra Games

Prior to developing learning games, it is useful for game developers to assess similar games. This process is addressed through the immersion component in the Pre-Development Phase of the Learning Games Design Model. This paper describes a more structured approach to the immersion component used by one development team to analyze early algebra games, offering a framework to discuss and analyze such games. The game development team reviewed more than 20 algebra games to identify effective design components and used to inform development of a new game and related tools. Through this process, which serves to enhance the existing Learning Games Design Model, the team was able to articulate their theoretical framework for future development, identifying specific recommendations that should yield effective games.
Chinese religion(s): a survey of textbooks

This paper surveys five introductory textbooks on Chinese religion(s) published over the past 25 years. For instructors choosing a textbook, we provide a comparison of each work’s format and conten...
Repeated and diverse losses of corolla bilateral symmetry in the Lamiaceae.

Background and Aims Independent evolution of derived complex characters provides a unique opportunity to assess whether and how similar genetic changes correlate with morphological convergence. Bilaterally symmetrical corollas have evolved multiple times independently from radially symmetrical ancestors and likely represent adaptations to attract specific pollinators. On the other hand, losses of bilateral corolla symmetry have occurred sporadically in various groups, due to either modification of bilaterally symmetrical corollas in late development or early establishment of radial symmetry. Methods This study integrated phylogenetic, scanning electron microscopy (SEM)-based morphological, and gene expression approaches to assess the possible mechanisms underlying independent evolutionary losses of corolla bilateral symmetry. Key Results This work compared three species of Lamiaceae having radially symmetrical mature corollas with a representative sister taxon having bilaterally symmetrical corollas and found that each reaches radial symmetry in a different way. Higher core Lamiales share a common duplication in the CYCLOIDEA (CYC ) 2 gene lineage and show conserved and asymmetrical expression of CYC2 clade and RAD genes along the adaxial-abaxial floral axis in species having bilateral corolla symmetry. In Lycopus americanus , the development and expression pattern of La-CYC2A and La-CYC2B are similar to those of their bilaterally symmetrical relatives, whereas the loss of La-RAD expression correlates with a late switch to radial corolla symmetry. In Mentha longifolia , late radial symmetry may be explained by the loss of Ml-CYC2A , and by altered expression of two Ml-CYC2B and Ml-RAD genes . Finally, expanded expression of Cc-CYC2A and Cc-RAD strongly correlates with the early development of radially symmetrical corollas in Callicarpa cathayana . Conclusions Repeated losses of mature corolla bilateral symmetry in Lamiaceae are not uncommon, and may be achieved by distinct mechanisms and various changes to symmetry genes, including the loss of a CYC2 clade gene from the genome, and/or contraction, expansion or alteration of CYC2 clade and RAD -like gene expression.
Research Article: Simian virus 40 large T antigen-mediated transactivation of the cyclin A promoter is independent of p53 and TBP binding functions

Abstract Simian virus 40 is a small DNA tumor virus capable of transforming cells in culture and causing tumors in animal models. The viral protein large T antigen specifically binds the tumor suppressors p53 and hypophosphorylated retinoblastoma protein (pRb) to prevent G1 arrest. T antigen also transactivates the cyclin-A promoter. This activity is independent of pRb binding, yet dependent upon the J-domain Hsp70-binding region. T antigen also binds transcription factors, including TATA box binding protein (TBP). Thus, we assessed whether cyclin A promoter activation relied on this activity and/or the ability to complex with p53. Using a luciferase reporter assay, we show that T antigen mutant proteins defective in TBP and p53 binding are able to transactivate the cyclin A promoter to wild type levels. These data indicate that T antigen mediated transactivation of the cyclin A promoter uses a p53 and TBP-binding-independent mechanism, yet relies on hsp70 binding to the N-terminal, J-domain. This suggest...
The relationship between premature rupture of the membranes and the respiratory distress syndrome. An update and plan of management.

Abstract The records of 340 infants of 36 weeks' gestational age or less were reviewed to study the relationship between premature rupture of the membranes (PRM) and the development of the respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). Twins and infants of diabetic mothers were excluded from the data analysis. PRM of 16 hours or more was associated with a statistically significant reduction in the incidence of RDS in infants of 31 weeks' gestational age and older. The association between PRM in excess of 16 hours and survival, however, was only statistically significant for infants of 33 weeks' gestational age and older. The implications of these results and a proposed plan of management for premature infants with PRM are discussed.
Memory, Nostalgia and the Creation of "Home": A Returnee Woman's Journey

Migrants return “home” for various reasons that may not be necessarily linked to economic factors but rather to notions of identity and belongingness – “home is where the heart is” as that popular adage states. But when the “home” was once ravaged by war and conflict, how does one’s memory of years past define a returnee’s identity, when he/she returns at an advanced age? This paper looks at how older women migrants create their notions of “home” in relation to memory and nostalgia, as well as gender, by looking at a particular case of an elderly woman who returned to her place of birth, after spending several decades in her husband’s country.
Desertification: Implications and Limitations of the Ecosystem Health Metaphor

The semi-arid and arid regions of the world may provide some valuable insights into the applicability of the ecosystem “health” and ecosystem “medicine” metaphors. These regions provide an example of the applications and limitations of the metaphor because they have experienced and continue to experience degradation and change. Attempts at rehabilitation of degraded areas has proven to be expensive or impossible. Those parameters that are frequently examined to determine the “health” of ecosystems may be more robust in ecosystems that are generally considered to be degraded than in those perceived as healthy. Most such areas have suffered loss of productivity as measured by the capacity to support livestock and human inhabitants. Those losses in livestock productivity resulted from changes in the biological and physical characteristics of the ecosystems within these regions.
Clinical heterogeneity of hyperinsulinism due to HNF1A and HNF4A mutations.

Background Dominant inactivating mutations in HNF1A and HNF4A have been described to cause hyperinsulinism (HI) before evolving to diabetes. However, information available in the literature regarding the clinical phenotype is limited. Objective To report the prevalence of HNF1A and HNF4A mutations in a large cohort of children with HI, and to describe their genotypes and phenotypes. Design Retrospective descriptive study. Methods Medical records were reviewed to extract clinical information. Mutation analysis was carried out for 8 genes associated with HI (ABCC8, KCNJ11, GLUD1, GCK, HADH, HNF4A, HNF1A, and UCP2). Results HNF1A and HNF4A mutations were identified in 5.9% (12 out of 204; HNF1A = 7, HNF4A = 5) of diazoxide-responsive HI probands. The clinical phenotypes were extremely variable. Two children showed evidence of ketone production during hypoglycemia, a biochemical profile atypical for hyperinsulinism. At the time of analysis, diazoxide was discontinued in 5 children at a median age of 6.8 years. None had developed diabetes mellitus at a median age of 7.0 years. Conclusions Given the heterogeneous clinical phenotypes of HNF1A- and HNF4A-HI, all children with transient, diazoxide-responsive HI without clear history of perinatal stress, should be screened for HNF1A and HNF4A mutations as it predicts the clinical course and affects the subsequent management plan.
Future Directions: Phase III Cooperative Group Trials

The management of early-stage breast cancer remains an area of active research. Standard breast-conservation therapy is now well established but the logistics of traditional whole-breast adjuvant irradiation limit the widespread use of breast conservation. A modern review of clinical and pathologic data suggests that adjuvant radiation of the entire breast is unnecessary and indicates that partial breast therapy may be appropriate, thus opening the possibilities of APBI. With more than 10 years experience, definitive data regarding the role of APBI have not yet been generated. The GEC-ESTRO multicenter phase III trial now underway in Europe and the NSABP B39/RTOG 0413 open in the United States are two, multi-institutional phase III trials constructed to deliver the answers to the many questions that remain. It is the role of these phase III trials to further define and potentially expand the patient selection criteria, elucidate which dosimetric parameters are critical to success and clarify which APBI technique is appropriate in which situation.
Image Standardization for Digital Mammography

Computer assisted diagnosis of mammography has received much attention is the last several years. A much cited problem of many of the developments is the use of a limited number of cases in the design and test databases. A second problem has surfaced recently. While CAD algorithms have relied on a single instrument for digitization of screen-film mammograms, CAD performance has been shown to depend on the source of the digital data. There are two approaches for this problem: (1) increase the robustness of the CAD algorithms; or (2) transform images so that they are valid for a particular CAD program. In [1], we presented an algorithm to standardize images, based on registering pairs of images using a genetic algorithm, allowing the measurement of the parameters for the geometric and intensity transformations. This potentially allows a more generalized application of CAD for different digitizers or different sensors as required for multicenter clinical trials and clinical application.
Increasing Youth Engagement in Residential Group Care: A Mixed Methods Pilot Study of a Youth-Guided Incentive Program

Lack of engagement in child welfare services is a salient issue impeding client outcomes. Research findings indicate that providing incentives may be a promising strategy for enhancing client engagement. In response to low youth engagement and repeated re-entry into care, a Southeastern child welfare agency developed an incentive program aimed at increasing youths’ participation and success in meeting treatment goals. This mixed methods study examined elements of effective implementation and the effectiveness of the incentive program piloted in a group home serving adolescent boys (n = 16). A semi-structured focus group with service providers (n = 7) was used to inform the development of the pilot incentive program. We used a time-series design to measure youth perceptions of the therapeutic alliance with their therapists and weekly goal attainment. Baseline data was collected for 6 weeks (phase one) followed by 6 weeks of the incentive program (phase two). Results of qualitative analyses revealed four themes related to therapeutic engagement, and two themes related to intervention implementation. Providers emphasized the importance of youth-driven care and building a strong therapeutic alliance. Findings also suggest that staff buy-in is critical to the success of intervention implementation. These results, along with suggested strategies for effective implementation, informed the development of the piloted incentive program. Results of simulation modeling analyses of time series data showed significant increases in therapeutic alliances and goal attainment following the incentive program. This study provides preliminary support for the use of incentive programs to facilitate youth engagement in residential programs.
Cardiovascular Disease Hospitalizations in Louisiana Parishes' Elderly before, during and after Hurricane Katrina

The research on how health and health care disparities impact response to and recovery from a disaster, especially among diverse and underserved populations is in great need for a thorough evaluation. The time series analysis utilizing most complete national databases of medical records is an indispensable tool in assessing the destruction and health toll brought about by natural disasters. In this study, we demonstrated such an application by evaluating the impact of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 on cardiovascular disease (CVD), a primary cause of mortality among older adults that can be aggravated by natural disasters. We compared CVD hospitalizations before, during and after Katrina between white and black residents of three most populated parishes in Louisiana: Orleans and Jefferson, which were severely affected by the landfall and subsequent floods, and East Baton Rouge, which hosted many of the evacuees. We abstracted 383,552 CVD hospitalization records for Louisiana’s patients aged 65+ in 2005–2006 from the database maintained by the Center of Medicare & Medicaid Services. Daily time series of CVD-related hospitalization rates at each study parish were compiled, and the changes were characterized using segmented regression. In Orleans Parish, directly affected by the hurricane, hospitalization rates peaked on the 6th day after landfall with an increase (mean ± SD) from 7.25 ± 2.4 to 18.5 ± 17.3 cases/day per 10,000 adults aged 65+ (p < 0.001) and returned to pre-landfall level after ~2 months. Disparities in CVD rates between black and white older adults were exacerbated during and following landfall. In Orleans Parish, a week after landfall, the CVD rates increased to 26.3 ± 23.7 and 16.6 ± 11.7 cases/day per 10,000 people (p < 0.001) for black and white patients, respectively. The abrupt increase in CVDs is likely due to psychosocial and post-traumatic stress caused by the disaster and inadequate response. Inequities in resource allocation and access have to be addressed in disaster preparation and mitigation.
Correction: Genetic data and cognitively defined late-onset Alzheimer’s disease subgroups

This article was originally published under standard licence, but has now been made available under a [CC BY 4.0] license. The PDF and HTML versions of the paper have been modified accordingly.
Pain or Gain? How Business Communication Students Perceive the Outlining Process:

This study investigates how students perceive the outlining process. Students in two business communication sections completed a survey regarding outlining perceptions and reasons for outlining or ...
Inequality Versus Inclusion in US Cities

Income inequality is a suboptimal measure of inclusion at the city level. A low level of inequality can reflect the exclusion or displacement of low income residents, or it can reflect a lack of opportunity overall. Using data for 274 U.S. cities for the years 1980, 1990, 2000, and 2010, we create more complete measures of both economic and racial inclusion. We then compare these inclusion measures with the Gini coefficient using a within estimator for cities over time. Results indicate that inequality and inclusion are not highly correlated and often trend in opposite directions. Most concerning is that reductions in income inequality are associated with reductions in the percent and number of residents of color within a city, suggesting that changes in income inequality capture the displacement of residents rather than true improvements to quality of life.
Macroeconomics and the Law

This article surveys recent work on the role of law in determining economic aggregates such as gross domestic product, unemployment, inflation, and productivity growth. We provide a brief overview ...
Children as Research Subjects

In 1975 the National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research (the National Commission) began its studies of the ethics and regulation of research involving children as subjects. In its report, Research Involving Children, published in 1977, the National Commission presented its recommendations for the ethical conduct of research involving children [22]. These recommendations formed the basis of federal regulations that were proposed in 1978 [21] and promulgated in final form in 1983 [19].
Combating Silence in the Profession

Members of the legal profession have recently taken a public stance against a wave of oppressive policies and practices. From helping immigrants stranded in airports to protesting in the face of white nationalists, lawyers are advocating for equality within and throughout American society each and every day. Yet as these lawyers go out into the world on behalf of others, they do so while their very profession continues to struggle with its own discriminatory past. For decades, the legal profession purposefully excluded women, religious minorities, and people of color from its ranks, while instilling a select group of individuals with the privilege of power and prestige. And while the profession often attempts to take concrete steps to address its history of exclusionary conduct — most recently through the passage of Model Rule 8.4(g) — the vestiges of its discriminatory past continue to affect all corners of the profession, particularly for communities of color. When one looks at the partnership ranks of large law firms, the clerks who work for Supreme Court justices, the faculties that educate law students, and even the members of law review editorial boards, the continued challenge of creating an inclusive and diverse profession remains apparent. The cause of these challenges, at least in part, is related to the covert discrimination that confronts women and people of color each and every day both within and outside the legal profession. And yet, there are steps that the profession can take to address the most insidious forms of discrimination that remain within its ranks today. Drawing on scholarship from the fields of professional responsibility, employment discrimination, and organizational behavior and management, this Article argues that members of the legal profession should adopt policies and practices that (i) address covert discrimination throughout the profession and (ii) encourage individual attorneys to stop remaining silent and instead give voice to their experiences of discrimination, harassment, and bias. Research suggests that traditionally underrepresented groups within the profession often exist within a shroud of silence. They are often forced to silence themselves, their opinions, their views, and their experiences for fear of being labeled angry, troublesome, sensitive, or unwilling to be a “team player.” That silence, it turns out, is quite damaging. As such, the profession should adopt policies targeted at “Combating Silence in the Profession” that will encourage underrepresented groups to voice their concerns and experiences, so that a more inclusive profession finally comes into being.
Radical α-C-H Cyclobutylation of Aniline Derivatives

A catalytic system has been developed for the direct alkylation of α-C–H bonds of aniline derivatives with strained C–C σ-bonds. This method operates through a photoredox mechanism in which oxidative formation of aminoalkyl radical intermediates enables addition to a bicyclobutane derivative, giving rise to α-cyclobutyl N-alkylaniline products. This mild system proceeds through a redox- and proton-neutral mechanism and is operational for a range of substituted arylamine derivatives.
Will the medium become the message? A framework for understanding the coming automation of the audit process

: In a highly influential article, the Economist magazine, citing research by Frey and Osborne (2017), estimated that there is a 94% probability that automation will replace accountants and auditor...
EGFL7 Antagonizes NOTCH Signaling and Represents a Novel Therapeutic Target in Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

Purpose: EGF-like domain 7 (EGFL7) is a secreted protein and recently has been shown to play an important role in acute myeloid leukemia (AML); however, the underlying mechanism by which EGFL7 promotes leukemogenesis is largely unknown. Experimental Design: Using an antibody interaction array, we measured the ability of EGFL7 to bind directly approximately 400 proteins expressed by primary AML blasts. Primary patient samples were stimulated in vitro with recombinant EGFL7 (rEGFL7) or anti-EGFL7 blocking antibody to assess alterations in downstream signaling and the ability to effect blast differentiation and survival. We treated three independent AML models with anti-EGFL7 or IgG1 control to determine whether anti-EGFL7 could prolong survival in vivo. Results: We found EGFL7 significantly binds several signaling proteins important for normal and malignant hematopoiesis including NOTCH. Stimulation of AML blasts with rEGFL7 reduced NOTCH intracellular domain and NOTCH target gene expression while treatment with an anti-EGFL7 blocking antibody resulted in reactivation of NOTCH signaling, increased differentiation, and apoptosis. Competitive ligand-binding assays showed rEGFL7 inhibits DELTA-like (DLL) 4-mediated NOTCH activation while anti-EGFL7 combined with DLL4 significantly increased NOTCH activation and induced apoptosis. Using three different AML mouse models, we demonstrated that in vivo treatment with anti-EGFL7 alone results in increased survival. Conclusions: Our data demonstrate that EGFL7 contributes to NOTCH silencing in AML by antagonizing canonical NOTCH ligand binding. Reactivation of NOTCH signaling in vivo using anti-EGFL7 results in prolonged survival of leukemic mice, supporting the use of EGFL7 as a novel therapeutic target in AML.